League of Women Voters Provides Dallas ISD Proposed Bond 2015 Fact Sheet
to Inform Voters
The League of Women Voters of Dallas releases its Dallas Independent School District (DISD) Proposed 2015 Bond Program Fact Sheet.
The Fact Sheet is available for all parents, teachers, principals, and other registered voters interested in learning the details of the Dallas Independent School in order to be informed voters during the November 3, 2015 election.
The purpose of the LWV Dallas Bond Fact Sheet is to provide information for DISD voters and the public about the various issues to consider in determining their decision how they vote on the proposed 2015 DISD Bond Program.
Early voting began on Monday, October 19, 2015. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015. For more information go to Dallas County Elections Department at:
http://www.dallascountyvotes.org/wp-content/uploads/EVLocations.pdf
League of Women Voters of Dallas is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging informed and active participation in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy. The League supports neither political candidates nor parties and membership is open to everyone.
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF DALLAS
Dallas Independent School District 2015▬$1.6 Billion Bond Initiative Fact Sheet
The Dallas Independent School District Board of Trustees approved a resolution calling for a $1.6 billion bond election. Information can be found at www.dallasisd.org. Note: “all bond projects, project amounts, and program allocations are estimates, and could change in the future.”
AREAS OF CONSIDERATION:
-
|
Are there specific plans by project for how $1.6 billion bond money will be spent that was approved by an official vote of the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees?
|
NO
|
-
|
Was a bond election approved by a vote of the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees?
|
YES
|
-
|
Did the Future Facilities Task Force vote on a plan to be approved by DISD Board?
|
NO
|
-
|
Are there minutes of the Future Facilities Task Force meetings?
|
NO
|
-
|
Did the DISD Board approve a list of priority schools to receive the first, second and third set (tranche) of bond moneys (March 2016, 2018 & 2020) to make school improvements & build new ones?
|
NO
|
-
|
Did the list of schools proposed to receive 2015 bond money continue to change on the DISD web site after the Board of Trustees’ vote authorizing the bond election?
|
YES
|
-
|
Is the district legally bound to use $1.6 billion bond proposal money as published on the DISD website?
|
NO
|
-
|
Does the DISD Board of Trustees determine the list of priority schools which receive the money for the first projects if the voters approve the bond?
|
NO
|
-
|
Do the DISD staff and administration determine the list of the priority schools which receive the money for the first projects if the voters approve the bond?
|
YES
|
-
|
Can parents lobby the DISD Trustees and administration to have their school chosen as a priority school to get their school funded in the early stages?
|
YES
|
-
|
Were current attendance records used and boundaries modified to equalize capacity utilization at as many schools as possible before decisions were made to expand or build new schools?
|
NO
|
-
|
Do many other independent school district capital improvement plans provide a specific list of priority schools which will receive the bond money first?
|
YES
|
-
|
If the economy declines, could the district defer selling the bonds?
|
YES
|
-
|
Will there be an immediate tax rate change on property owners?
|
NO
|
-
|
Will the bond increase property taxes, if you are over 65 years old and own your own home?
|
NO
|
-
|
Will the 2015 bond immediately affect taxes for landlords and renters?
|
NO
|
-
|
Is it possible that the DISD Board of Trustees will raise the tax rate in the future?
|
YES
|
-
|
Will the 2015 bond reimburse DISD for facilities already built for $40.2 million for the Bridge Plan Projects? (Page 7 of Proposed Capital Plan with estimated costs)
|
YES
|
-
|
If the voters do not approve the current 2015 bond program, is it possible for another bond program with more public, teacher and principal participation be presented to the public?
|
YES
|
|
|
The following questions focus on equal treatment of all students
|
|
-
|
Will schools with the greatest need as identified by the Parson’s report get the first improvements?
|
NO
|
-
|
Are schools with “good condition” Facility Condition Index (FCI) ratings among those being proposed for replacement in spite of their FCI ratings being better than over 130 other schools? (See Rosemont, Stone and Hotchkiss)
|
YES
|
-
|
Will the proposed PreK-8 schools in the bond serve a disproportionately more affluent segment of the DISD student population?
|
YES
|
-
|
Will DISD “choice schools” serve the more underperforming segments of the DISD student population since the goal is to improve achievement?
|
NO
|
-
|
Were population growth studies used to identify future student growth?
|
YES
|
-
|
Does District 6 have the largest concentration of charter schools yet get less bond money to improve their school buildings?
|
YES
|
-
|
Because the Parson’s Report indicates that the needs for repairs and renovations are so great throughout the district, could a new bond proposal be presented to the voters with only repairs being made throughout the district in the future?
|
YES
|
-
|
Superintendent Mike Miles focused on creating more “choice” schools as opposed to creating more quality neighborhood schools throughout the district. Is the DISD bond designed to promote his 20/20 plan to promote choice schools?
|
YES
|
-
|
Around 40% of the proposed bond funds are dedicated to classroom expansion and new schools, but is the district student population growing?
|
NO
|
-
|
Is it customary for school districts to use bonds to build and improve school buildings?
|
YES
|
-
|
Are school bonds sold to the public?
|
YES
|
For more information, including the balloon debt payment graph and other information, go to www.lwvdallas.org and other information can be found at http://www.dallasisd.org/bond2015
Media Contact: Susybelle Gosslee; 214-732-8610; sgosslee@airmail.net