Out of 21 districts in the surrounding area, our tax rate ranks number 16. Therefore, we have one of the lowest tax rates in the group. The comparison group includes the following districts: Spring, Katy, Humble, Galena Park, Channelview, Cy-Fair, Huffman, Klein, Crosby, Sheldon, Pearland, Deer Park, Spring Branch, Tomball, Pasadena, La Porte, Barbers Hill, Aldine, Alief and Houston.

The additional cost of the $267.5M Bond (using the Exxon & Chevron plant expansions at 80% of the forecasted property value) for homesteaded properties are shown below:

The District hired a highly respected demographer, Population and Survey Analysts (PASA), to perform student growth projections in July of 2012. According to PASA, approximately 4,500 new students are projected to be enrolled in Goose Creek over the next decade, with annual gains ranging between 1.5-2%.

From the 2011-2012 school year to the current school year, the District has seen growth of over 270 students. Over the past five years, the District has gained 1,370 students or has grown by 6.7%. Our student population as of February 20 is 21,718 students.

Our current growth history has validated the demographer’s most recent predictions.

Yes, the bond issue was very successful and was completed under budget. The leftover funds were used to pay down the Interest & Sinking portion of the tax rate to keep the tax rate down for our taxpayers.

There are 67 portable buildings currently in use across the District.

It will go a long way in reducing the number of portables being used in the district; however, due to our current student growth rate and our high mobility rate, we will likely still have portable buildings at some campuses.

We believe we are functioning as efficiently as possible; however, we are always seeking more efficient solutions to reduce costs.

The Board and Administration have gone on public record supporting the utilization of local industry, business and community expertise in advising the District in the management of a bond program. This process worked well in the 2005 bond program and would be a starting point in the development of a comprehensive program management and commissioning plan. Additionally, there are funds included in the bond issue to hire outside firm(s) to oversee project management and commissioning.

The current Technology Center is in a building that was constructed over 30 years ago. The building was designed to be a skating rink. Our Technology Center is a facility used to house all district computer systems and associated components such as telecommunications, network connectivity, software applications and storage systems. The entire District is built upon a sophisticated high-speed, wide-area network with Internet connectivity.

The Technology Center is a crucial aspect of all the District’s operations. If a system, such as Payroll, Finance, Student Information Systems, E-Mail, or the Internet becomes unavailable, district operations may be impaired or stopped completely. Information security is also a concern. The Technology Center must offer a secure environment which minimizes any type of security breach. This center will provide high standards for assuring the integrity and functionality of a secure Technology Center, which includes emergency backup generation. Another concern is that our current Technology Center is not built to withstand severe weather, such as a Category 3 storm. The roofing, siding and overall structure are not at an industry-level standard for sustained operability.

We currently do not have a permanent facility for our Transportation Department. We are working out of three double-wide portable buildings at Stallworth Stadium. Our Transportation Garage/Shop at Lee Drive, built in the early 1970s, is inappropriately equipped and not large enough for our current shop staff and the fleet of 206 buses it serves.

As the District continues to grow, the support systems provided for students must also expand. The expansion of Stuart Career Center will provide students an array of academic and technical opportunities based on their interest and needs to prepare them for college and career readiness. The District will strive to provide direction for every child based on future industrial growth, interest surveys and student/community needs.

Yes. The proposed technology bond includes a substantial amount of technology, including major infrastructure upgrades, classroom technology, tablet and laptop technology, student response and collaboration systems, and interactive white boards. A summary list of technology items planned for our schools includes:

• Wireless network access with 100% coverage in all schools
• Interactive white boards and ceiling-mounted projectors
• Classroom mobile tablets and/or laptops for 4th – 12th grade in target content areas
• Take-home mobile devices for senior high school students
• Library and instructional media centers
• Computer lab replacements and expansion
• Security cameras and surveillance systems for school safety
• Video broadcasting
• New communication and telephone systems
• Data storage expansion
• Network electronics and high speed Internet communication systems
• Teacher and staff computer replacements
• Technology for the new elementary schools

The proposed technology included in the 2013 Bond will support the development of 21st Century Learners. Our children’s expectations and needs have changed. Students use digital technology in their daily lives. Students do not want to “power down” when they get to school. They need educational access and resources that are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide real world engagement. Our future students must be world-class communicators in a global society, creative knowledge workers, and college and career ready graduates. Our responsibility is to prepare them to thrive in a 21st Century workforce in an environment where technology is key to their success.

New Texas state standards now require essential knowledge and skills in the area of technology. This includes technology standards that facilitate creativity and innovation, communication and collaboration, research and information fluency, critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making, as well as digital citizenship. As early as 2nd grade, students are required to start keyboarding (typing) and use online collaboration tools and instructional games.

In 5th grade, students are required to use technology where they communicate, research, collaborate and problem solve. In secondary grade levels, students need technology tools to collect, organize, evaluate and synthesize information, using digital tools to formulate solutions in authentic problems. The high school curriculum now offers Business Information Management, Webmaster Development, Computer Program, Multimedia and Design, as well as Computer Repair and Maintenance. The State standards for technology will continue to increase.