HISD announces meetings on potential bond proposal amidst infrastructure concerns

As the HISD community continues to recover from last week’s storm, the need for investment in aging facility infrastructure has become more acute. To engage the community in this discussion, HISD is announcing dates for community meetings on the state of its facilities and naming the Community Advisory Committee that will drive engagement.

The Committee will share information about specific facility needs at neighborhood and campus levels and gather feedback on proposed priorities. The District has not had a bond since 2012, resulting in over $10 billion in overdue facilities upgrades. HISD plans to explore a bond of $4-5 billion to prioritize urgent needs—Safe and Healthy Schools, FutureReady Learning Environments, and Modernized Schools—without raising taxes.

The Committee will be co-chaired by three seasoned Houston leaders:

Judith Cruz is a former trustee and board president of HISD with over two decades of experience as a teacher, nonprofit leader, advocate, and parent within HISD. Garnet F. Coleman served 30 years in the Texas House of Representatives and was involved in significant health policy initiatives. Scott McClelland is the retired president of H-E-B and co-founder of Good Reason Houston, an education-focused nonprofit.

“I joined the bond community advisory committee because I know how long overdue and needed a bond is for the future of HISD,” said Cruz. “Our students deserve to learn in safe and healthy environments.”

Garnet Coleman emphasized supporting opportunities provided by HISD: “I am proud to be a co-chair...because our school children, teachers, and staff deserve healthy, safe learning environments.”

Scott McClelland stressed transparent communication: “It’s important that Houstonians have a clear understanding of why HISD is proposing a bond initiative.”

Joining the co-chairs are three elected trustees and nearly two dozen civic and faith leaders, educators, community advocates, and HISD parents.

The Community Advisory Committee will hold four meetings to inform community members about facility needs, preview proposed investments, and facilitate small-group workshops for feedback.

Interested community members can RSVP here.

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