BELTON, Texas — Belton Independent School District is putting a multi-million bond on the May election ballot.
They say it's designed to address safety, technology, growth, capacity and one of the biggest elements -- equity.
Miller Heights Elementary has been around for nearly 60 years and is one of the district's oldest buildings.
"Well, it feels like an old home," said Assistant Principal Michelle Mikeska. "It's really small but that also helps us be close to students. But, we also don't have places to go when we need space."
Mikeska says collaboration, critical thinking and empathy are important to Belton ISD but her campus is lacking opportunities because it's limited to growth and hard to reconfigure.
The district had an assessment done on all of its facilities last spring. Belton ISD reported Miller Heights as being in the worst condition out of all of them.
The campus has added five portables over the last couple of decades which were only supposed to be temporary but now they are dependent on them for space and daily school activities.
"Our music friends go into a [trailer] every day to get music class and we don't have a music facility like some of the other newer schools," Mikeska added.
Miller Heights Elementary has a very small gym inside a metal building. Mikeska says the gym just got air conditioning last year.
When you compare the old school to newer schools - there is a very noticeable difference. For some schools, classrooms are bigger and hallways are designed bigger to have space for interactive and collaborative work.
Belton ISD is attempting to address facility needs and bring older campuses to newer standards with a May bond election.
Superintendent Dr. Matt Smith told community members at the first informational meeting Thursday evening that the bond would help the issues.
"They wouldn't be exactly the same facilities but it helps us upgrade the facilities, so they have similar learning experiences," he said on the Zoom call.
Belton ISD is predicted to add more than 3,000 students in the next five years with homes going up everywhere, but some schools are already at capacity or don't have the room to grow.
Chisholm Trail Elementary is already over capacity and Tarver Elementary is projected to be by fall 2022, as well. Both campuses use portable buildings, along with Miller Heights Elementary.
The district says the multi-million dollar bonds wouldn't raise taxes. Dr. Smith credits it to an increase in property value and increase in homes.
"Because of the increased growth that we have seen, our financial advisor believes and we believe, we do not need to raise that I&S tax rate," he said on the Zoom call. "The growth allows us to address that."
I&S stands for Interest and Sinking which is the district's debt services fund. It includes new construction, renovations, HVAC systems, roofing, technology and land.
Belton ISD says they have one of the lowest I&S tax rates compared to other local fast-growth districts which they are proud of.
Officials also point out how they have lowered the tax rate three years in a row, specifically by $0.24 cents since 2018. They say they have also refinanced to save taxpayers millions of dollars.
Citizens can learn more about the propositions during community presentations this spring. The district will update its calendar as presentations are scheduled.
Belton ISD residents will have the opportunity to vote on the bond referendum during early voting, April 25 through May 3, and on Election Day, May 7. The last day to register to vote in the election is April 7.