Allen ISD’s bond election day is Nov. 5, 2024. Developed over the past year, the bond proposal adds campus renovations, safety improvements and technology upgrades for all campuses within Allen ISD. The bond proposal’s projects can all be accomplished by 2029 and funded by Allen ISD with the existing tax rate. 

“A bond, it’s a loan that the school district would take out, but it has to be approved by voters,” Chief Communications Officer David Hicks said. 

This bond, or loan that the district takes out, isn’t borrowed all at once. Chunks of the budget will be taken, if the proposal is approved, to fund specific aspects at a time.

“I’ll go work with our financial advisor staff to go to the market and say ‘we want to borrow $100 million of the $447 million,’” Chief Financial Officer Brian Carter said. “We only borrow what we need for the next 12 to 15 months, because we don’t want to pay interest for money on a project we’re not due. Whereas, the difference, when you go and approve for a $400,000 house, you’re borrowing all of that money at one time.”

Funding for school districts falls into two categories: the General Operating Fund, consisting of maintenance and operations (M&O), and the Debt Services Fund, consisting of interest and sinking (I&S). 

“So the budget deficits exist in one bucket of money (M&O), the bond is in another bucket (I&S). The bond bucket [can be used to] build our buildings on. We can’t use a penny of that to give to your teachers. But we also can’t use a penny of [I&S] to build the buildings,” Carter said. 

A team of community members, named “Project Kids,” determined the details for the bond proposal beginning in February. 

“This room of 81 community members, parents, grandparents, students, staff, went through this process of meeting from February until May to determine what are the projects that would be recommended to the Board of Trustees for a potential bond election,” Hicks said. “They came to consensus at their last May meeting, May of 24, presented their recommendation to the Board of Trustees. The Board considered it over the summer months, and then the Board of Trustees officially voted to bring forward a bond election to the voters of this community at an August meeting.” 

During their meetings, Project Kids toured facilities, viewed demographics and analyses and determined campus needs to develop their proposal. 

“The committee felt very strongly about including a modern multi-purpose complex near Allen High School,” Assistant Superintendent of Operations Brent Benningfield said. “We don’t currently have a space where we can have simultaneous programming taking place at one time for our students.” 

This plan was developed minding the fact that there has been a 30% increase of student involvement in extracurricular activities. Additionally, in inclement weather, including heat advisory, the district is under a requirement to constitute no outdoor activity when conditions reach a specific threshold. 

“People always think of sports, but it’s also your marching band, your JROTC, other groups that participate outside,” Benningfield said. “And we don’t have a space that they can utilize. Our band can’t even begin to take formation in [the 40-yard current Activity Center]. So, this space would be large enough (120 yards) for all of our fine arts groups to utilize. The band can take full formation, march, and drill. There’s ways to segment and divide it off. During the school day, you can schedule multiple activities at one time.” 

This complex will not have air conditioning systems and will manage temperature through induction fans and garage doors. On the other hand, some campuses will also be receiving full renovations. For example, these renovations will include redesigns to match modern teaching methods, geothermal heating and cooling systems, and cost-effective electricity management. 

“Ereckson’s already been [renovated.] So, that would make it so that every single student in Allen ISD experiences a fully renovated campus if we get [Curtis and Ford] middle schools done as well,” Benningfield said. “Also, we would be adding Olson, Cheatham, Green, Norton [elementary schools] and our Anderson Early Childhood school.” 

Regarding security, the bond proposes upgrades to life safety systems and equipment for fire-related safety, as well as the addition and enhancement of new cameras and intruder alert systems within campuses. The bond also proposes transportation updates. 

“We typically get 10 years [of] use out of a bus before you start having to put more money into it for maintenance,” Benningfield said. “Then, it’s cost-effective just to sell it and replace it. So, every 10 years you’re replacing about 20% of the fleet. [The bond] would provide us [the ability] to continue updating the fleet. We’re also looking at different types of buses with some different capabilities.”

The 2024 proposal will improve technology infrastructure and refresh devices for students through 5-year Life-cycle Management, in accordance with the Empower 1:1 program providing students with devices such as Chrombeooks. The bond will also improve competition surfaces, such as tennis courts and track surfaces, at the Lowery Freshman Center and Curtis Middle School. However, these surfaces will be part of a different proposition.

“On the ballot, there will be three propositions: Proposition A, Proposition B, Proposition C,” Carter said. “Proposition A will include all of those campus renovations…Proposition A will also include the field replacement for Ford Middle School. Proposition B includes [the] track surfaces…And Proposition C [includes] the technology and devices for the students and the staff.”

Ford] middle schools done as well,” Benningfield said. “Also, we would be adding Olson, Cheatham, Green, Norton [elementary schools] and our Anderson Early Childhood school.” 

Regarding security, the bond proposes upgrades to life safety systems and equipment for fire-related safety, as well as the addition and enhancement of new cameras and intruder alert systems within campuses. The bond also proposes transportation updates. 

“We typically get 10 years [of] use out of a bus before you start having to put more money into it for maintenance,” Benningfield said. “Then, it’s cost-effective just to sell it and replace it. So, every 10 years you’re replacing about 20% of the fleet. [The bond] would provide us [the ability] to continue updating the fleet. We’re also looking at different types of buses with some different capabilities.”

The 2024 proposal will improve technology infrastructure and refresh devices for students through 5-year Life-cycle Management, in accordance with the Empower 1:1 program providing students with devices such as Chromebooks. The bond will also improve competition surfaces, such as tennis courts and track surfaces, at the Lowery Freshman Center and Curtis Middle School. However, these surfaces will be part of a different proposition.

“On the ballot, there will be three propositions: Proposition A, Proposition B, Proposition C,” Carter said. “Proposition A will include all of those campus renovations…Proposition A will also include the field replacement for Ford Middle School. Proposition B includes [the] track surfaces… And Proposition C [includes] the technology and devices for the students and the staff.”