Bond FAQs

A bond is similar to a home mortgage. It is a contract to repay borrowed money with interest over time. Bonds are sold by a school district to competing lenders to raise funds to pay for the costs of construction, renovations and equipment. Most school districts in Texas utilize bonds to finance renovations and new facilities.

School districts are required by state law to ask voters for permission to sell bonds to investors in order to raise the capital dollars required for projects such as renovation to existing buildings or building a new school. Essentially, the voters are giving permission for the District to take out a loan and pay that loan back over an extended period of time, much like a family takes out a mortgage loan for their home. A school board calls a bond election so voters can decide whether or not they want to pay for proposed facility projects.

Bond funds can be used to pay for new buildings, additions and renovations to existing facilities, land acquisition, technology infrastructure and equipment for new or existing buildings. Bonds cannot be used for salaries or operating costs such as utility bills, supplies, building maintenance, fuel and insurance.

1. The last bond was in 2013.

2. It was $29,900,000

3. Construction of a new Silsbee Elementary, Demolition of John H. Kirby Elementary School and gymnasium and Read-Turrentine Elementary school and gymnasium, conversion of Laura Reeves Elementary into a primary campus, and rehabilitation, renovations, and additions to Edwards-Johnson Memorial Silsbee Middle School

The total amount for the 2023 bond proposal is $84,500,000

The high school bond expires in August 2023. The 2013 bond is structured to phase out in 2039. In 2020, a portion of the bond was refunded saving taxpayers $1,000,000.

The 2023 Bond includes the construction of new facilities, major renovations to existing facilities, and other improvement projects impacting multiple campuses and programs throughout the district, with safety as the highest priority.  The $84,500,000 bond package includes:

• New Middle School for grades 7th through 8^th only. Will include:
  • Band Hall
  • Choir Room
  • Art Room
  • Ag Science Facility
  • Gymnasium
  • 4 lane track
  • Renovations made to current middle school gyms
• Major Renovation to Laura Reeves Primary Campus to be reconfigured as a Intermediate Campus for grades 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th.  Pre-K and Kindergarten will be relocated to the SES  campus. Renovations include:
  • Band Hall
  • Choir Room
  • Art Room
  • Gymnasium
  • Additional employee restrooms to meet the needs of staff
  • New 6^th grade wing
  • New expanded entrance to provide additional office space and enhance safe and security
  • Expanded employee and visitor parking
• High school renovations that include the following:
  • Installing a vestibule at the front entrance of building to enhance safety and security
  • Relocate special education classrooms to more efficiently and effectively serve the needs of students
  • Add student restrooms in the cafeteria to increase student safety and security
  • Add additional employee restrooms to meet the needs of staff
• New CTE building to include floral design, technology, culinary arts, robotics, and nursing
• New Ag Barn
• Improvements to baseball and softball field, including installation of synthetic turf and drainage improvements
• Resurfacing of tennis courts including drainage improvements
• Relocation of the DAEP

Visit the Bond 2023 website to see a breakdown of each proposition and more information about the Bond 2023.

The State Property Tax Code allows for school property taxes on an individual homestead to be “frozen” at the age of 65. If you are 65 years of age or older and you have filed for the “Over 65 Homestead Exemption” in Hardin County, there is a ceiling on the amount of school taxes to be paid. The only exception is if improvements are made to a home. As such, a tax increase from a new bond program cannot increase the applicable tax ceiling of a taxpayer that has qualified for the “Over 65 Homestead Exemption” unless improvements are made to the home.

State law requires this language on all school bond referendums. If economic conditions in the district became adverse, the district would be legally required to levy an I&S tax rate sufficient to repay the bonds. Equally if the conditions improve the I&S tax rate could be reduced accordingly.

Any registered voter who lives within the SISD boundaries — and whose voter registration is based on their current SISD residence — is eligible to vote in this bond election.

The deadline to apply for voter registration is October 10 in order to vote in the November 7, 2023 election.

The proposed bond has been developed through the collaborative efforts of the superintendent, campus administration and the Facilities Advisory Committee (FAC), a distinguished task force composed of campus administration, classroom teachers, community leaders and business owners. Their mission was to identify the district's needs and present a comprehensive plan to the Board of Trustees.

Over the course of one year, District Administration has been planning to identify the scope of work for the bond project. The FAC undertook an extensive process that involved facility tours, thorough needs analysis, and assessments of current facility requirements.