eNews Archive

March 5, 2008

Dear eNews Subscriber:

On March 4, the Plano Independent School District Board of Trustees voted to present a $490 million bond package to voters on a May 10, 2008, election ballot. The following proposal was recommended to trustees by the 2008 Plano ISD Facilities & Technology Task Force.

2008 Bond Election Proposal

Pre-funded Projects - $27,850,000
New Construction - $140,855,112
20 year renovations - $121,166,629
Additions and modifications - $62,182,369
Capital Improvements / Instruction - $10,497,000
Capital Improvements / Physical - $25,203,500
Systems and compliance (47 sites) - $36,154,394
Curriculum & Technology - $66,090,996
Total - $490,000,000

Follow this link to view a more detailed "Summary of Recommendations" for the bond proposal:
http://www.pisd.edu/about.us/board.of.trustees/agendas/
Meeting_03042008/SummaryBondCommitteeRecommendations030408.pdf

School trustees established the 20-member task force in the fall of 2007 to study facility and technology needs of the district. Comprising school district and community leaders, the task force has met monthly to review enrollment trends and projections, establish construction and renovation needs, visit school facilities and validate costs. Phil Dyer serves as task force chairman.

Plano ISD has considered major bond initiatives every four years since 1996 and has been successful in revitalizing schools in neighborhoods while implementing and utilizing the latest technology. Other local school districts whose voters have passed bond proposals in recent years include the following:

Frisco - $798 million (2006)
Prosper - $710 million (2007)
Ft. Worth - $593 million (2007)
Denton - $282 million (2007)
Irving - $250 million (2007)
Lewisville - $199.5 million (2005)
McKinney - $197 million (2005)
Mesquite - $180 million (2007)
Richardson - $145 million (2006)
Lovejoy - $78.5 million (2007)

Of Texas’ 15 largest school bond elections conducted in November, 2007, 14 passed and one failed. Cypress-Fairbanks ISD voters authorized the largest bond package at $807 million. (Source: “Texas School Business Magazine” - January, 2008)

Plano ISD Bond Information & Resources:

Hotline - (469) 752-8010

Website - www.pisd.edu/2008bond - This site contains task force meeting minutes, bond presentations, voting information, and details of prior bond programs dating back to 1997.

E-Mail – askpisd@pisd.edu

Speakers - To schedule a speaker for a PTA, church, homeowners association, club or organization, please call Nancy Long in the Plano ISD Communications Department at (469) 752-8147.

Voting - Early voting will be conducted April 28 through May 6 at regular early voting locations. Election Day is May 10. Follow this link to a list of dates, times and polling places. http://www.pisd.edu/about.us/board.of.trustees/documents/EDEVPollPlacesMay08.pdf

Thank you for subscribing to eNews. Your colleagues, friends and neighbors
may sign up for eNews at: http://elist.pisd.edu. Archived messages may be
found online at: http://www.pisd.edu/news/enews.

Best regards,

Doug Otto, Superintendent of Schools
Karla Oliver, Executive Director for Government and Community Relations
Mary Gorden, Public Information Officer / eNews Editor

“Plano ISD will provide an excellent education for all students.”