2023 Election

A bond is similar to a home mortgage. It is a contract to repay borrowed money with a stated interest rate over time. In Texas, most school districts utilize bonds to finance construction, renovations, and equipment.

Through the Bond Guarantee Program, the Texas Permanent School Fund (TPSF) is pledged to guarantee bonds issued by Texas school districts thus enhancing their credit rating. This program is designed for school districts with credit ratings lower than AAA. Bonds issued under the Bond Guarantee Program are rated AAA, thus allowing participating school districts to borrow at a lower cost.

The Goose Creek CISD Board of Trustees was presented with a facilities planning and construction update and requested the district form a committee to review facilities planning in Goose Creek CISD. The Citizen's Bond Advisory Committee (CBAC) was formed to consider project proposals and provide a recommendation to the board of trustees.

A school district’s tax rate is comprised of two tax rates: the Maintenance & Operations tax (M&O) and the Interest & Sinking tax (I&S). The M&O rate is used to operate the school district, including salaries, utilities, furniture, supplies, food, gas, etc. The I&S rate is used to pay off school bonds. Bond sales only affect the I&S rate.

Anyone at least 18 years of age and living within the boundaries of Goose Creek CISD is eligible to vote. You must be registered by Tuesday, October 10th, in order to participate in this election

No. If a homeowner receives the Age-65 Freeze on his or her homestead, the school taxes are frozen and cannot be raised above the frozen level unless significant improvements beyond normal repairs or maintenance are made to the home. Examples of a “significant improvement” would be adding a garage, building a game room, or adding a swimming pool to your property.

How your tax dollars impact school funding is complicated, but it’s no secret that the state is funding a smaller and smaller portion of the cost of education in Texas. Data from the Legislative Budget Board shows a significant drop through the years, from 48 percent in 2008 to 38 percent in 2019 to 31 percent in 2023 of the share contributed by the state.

If the state is only funding 31 percent, that means local taxpayers are now funding 69 percent of the cost for education. In comparison, the state contributed 52 percent of the cost of education in 1985, making taxpayers responsible for only 48 percent. Aside from the share the state provides, where does school funding come from for Goose Creek CISD?

Texas has been reducing school funding for years, and as a result, property taxes are rising. When the Texas Legislature doesn’t maintain state aid, we pay higher local property taxes to provide the same amount of money to the school district, although student enrollment, needs and expectations have risen.

Overall funding formulas have allowed the state to reduce its share of the total cost and shift it to local property taxpayers. This has been accomplished by a substantial increase in property values. Local taxpayers will only see real property tax relief when the state funds its public school system sufficiently. Local property tax relief will only be felt if state legislators fix school funding. Even so, Goose Creek CISD has decreased the total tax rate by more than 15 cents, which is more than 10 percent!

2018 district tax rate - $1.4319

2023 district tax rate - $1.0825

Taxes are calculated by dividing the property’s assessed value by 100 and multiplying by the tax rate.

For example:

$250,000 divided by 100 = $2,500

$2,500 x 1.0825 = $2,706.25

Although the school district decreased the tax rate, which should have given taxpayers some relief, the increase in property values has resulted in increased property taxes. The increase in property values, set by the appraisal district and approved by the state, is so high that it overshadows the savings that taxpayers would have received due to the tax reduction.

When local taxpayers see tax bills increase to rising market value, it only means one thing:

Local taxpayers are paying a higher percentage for funding public education and the state is paying a lower percentage.

Without legislative change, the only way Goose Creek CISD will receive more funding outside of a bond election is if:

• The district raises the tax rate, or
• Average daily attendance increases (the amount the district receives per student per year from the state based on the average daily attendance total) Goose Creek CISD receives the same amount per student regardless of what percentage the local taxpayers fund and what percentage the state funds.

The I&S (debt service) tax rate is currently $0.325.

Yes, the increase is estimated to be $0.08 cents per month based on $100,000 home value. The total tax rate will be $0.405 cents per month should the bond pass.

No, the tax rate will stay the same.

No, by law, bond funds cannot be used toward teacher pay. These funds can only be used for capital improvements such as renovations, new construction, buses, and technology.

The concept images represent current school facility design standards that could be implemented when our designs our finalized. No architects have been selected for these projects. The final designs are determined after a process of meetings with stakeholders.

The state does not provide funding for new buildings. The annual maintenance budget does not cover the needs outlined by the Facility Condition Assessment due to the age of many buildings in GCCISD. Many projects proposed in this bond are not considered yearly maintenance items and require extensive renovation or complete replacement.

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List is inclusive of top priority projects requiring immediate repair or replacement and is not inclusive of entirety of FCA scope.

*Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing

In April of 2022, a structural assessment of Sterling High School was completed after concerns about the structure were discovered during renovations. In summary, the report stated "we did not identify any immediate life safety issues based on our understanding of the structural design intent from Phase 1 and Phase 2 assessments." The report also "identified multiple locations where the steel deterioration is significant, and we anticipate the need for extensive repair or replacement in the immediate future."

The estimated construction cost to repair the structural issues of the main building is approximately $80 million. A repair would only address structural concerns at the foundation and does not address other aging building systems or aesthetics. To accomplish this renovation, the main building would need to come offline, and all students and staff would need to be relocated to approximately 40 portable buildings for a minimum of two school years. The amount of land required for the portables would in turn require sacrificing parking and practice fields. The approximate cost for the installation of the portables would add an additional $6 million. Additional repairs or building replacements would be required to address the Winnie Brown Gym, Natatorium, and Vocational Building. These repairs would also need to take place within the next 1-2 years and would amount to an additional $36 million in construction costs. A repair would cost a minimum of $122 million dollars and have drastic negative impacts to the instructional environment of the campus. It is more economical to rebuild Sterling High School than to repair several buildings that are 40 to 60 years old.

The full structural report can be found here: https://www.gccisd.net/page/open/25861/0/SterlingReport2022.pdf

The district plans for students and staff to remain in the main building while the design and construction takes place. Once the new educational building is complete, we will move students and staff into the new building and begin the demolition of the current campus.

Yes, Sterling High School sits on over 68 acres of land which is adequate space for the replacement. The existing site allows space for a new facility to be constructed with minimal impact to the existing campus. The new Sterling campus will be a state of the art high school.

The demolition of the main building will allow for a green space to ultimately be used for innovative outdoor learning, spirit activities, and an amphitheater. The district will meet with campus stakeholders to deliver a space that meets the needs of student, staff, and community in an innovative way.

No, the East Annex, Cafeteria, Field House and the athletic fields will remain.

The capacity will remain the same - at 2,400 students.

There are no immediate life safety concerns. However, if not addressed, the foundation issues will continue to deteriorate.

Although Lee High School was built in 1928, the main building received a major renovation after a fire nearly destroyed it in 1987. Since then, a new cafeteria building and science building have been added to the campus. Recently, the school’s auditorium received a complete renovation, and this school year, the fine arts building was replaced with a new state of the art facility. The 2023 Bond referendum also proposes a major site renovation for Lee High School.

By comparison, Sterling High School’s main building was built in 1966. Although some renovations have occurred at Sterling High School throughout the years, there have been no major renovations that address the outdated and aging design of the building.

Yes, all areas named after individuals will carry over to the new facility. The district will work hard to preserve the historical aspects of the campus.

As Baytown grows, so does the feeling of honor and pride of attending school in Goose Creek CISD. Rightfully so, many have asked about the preservation of existing memorials as conversations continue around the GCCISD bond election.

Keeping campus memorials is one way the district proves that history and tradition are a priority for GCCISD. The commitment to this priority is a delicate balance between progress and reverence for the past.

The district is dedicated to caring for and remembering the community’s roots and stories that have shaped them. GCCISD has a rich and storied past, with several memorials and sites that stand as testaments to this history. The memorials are a source of inspiration and a reminder of the district’s core values.

Although GCCISD recognizes the need for modernization and upgrades to the current facilities to meet the ever-changing needs of the students, the district is committed to maintaining a solid connection to tradition. It is evident in the dozens of historical markers, memorials, and namesakes in Baytown, many of which are located at our campuses.

In 2022, a committee was formed to address district memorials. It was in this committee that a memorial site was approved near IMPACT Early College High School and Bicentennial Park. The planning and bid process is currently underway. Although there is no plan to remove current memorials at existing campuses, this new memorial site will serve as a reflection space for our campuses and the community.

We believe it is possible to both embrace the future and respect and honor the past. It is this commitment to preserving history and tradition that makes the GCCISD community unique and resilient.

The district is reviewing all viable options for the future use of this property. The final decision will be made with the community and the district's best interest in mind.

By law, the district as a public entity cannot donate property. However, the district is actively pursuing various options.

Various alternative uses have been considered for this facility. Unfortunately, the lack of parking and acreage for outdoor athletic fields does not lend this facility to be useful as a traditional educational facility. The district has two operational warehouse locations and does not require additional storage space.

The proposed safety and security projects provide technology to detect open doors and lock/unlock automatically in an emergency. In addition, gunshot detection technology, vape detection systems, and silent panic alert technology systems would be installed. On older campuses with large exposed windows, bullet-resistant film would be installed. This bond project will expand our police vehicle fleet and provide a refresh of aging security cameras, intercom systems, and telephones.

The following campuses will receive upgraded fencing as part of the 2023 Bond:

• Baytown JS
• Bowie ES
• Carver ES
• Crockett ES
• Highlands ES
• Robert E. Lee HS
• Ross S. Sterling HS
• Stuart Career Tech HS
• Service Center Warehouse