The proposed bond projects include new school facilities,  safety and security improvements and upgrades. Bond funds will be used to improve the 21st century learning environments for CHISD students and staff.

The proposed bond projects are divided into three propositions.

Proposition A addresses new school facilities including safety improvements, and is designed to provide our students with 21st-century learning environments that are safe, secure and equipped to meet educational needs.

The following proposed projects are listed under Prop A:

Build a new Junior High School at 3102 East 5th Street, Tyler, Texas 75701

1. Description: The proposed plan relocates the Junior High School to its own property with adequate acreage, circulation access, and facilities. The relocation offers 37 acres, the recommended space for a Junior High School. The property would accommodate students by providing sufficient space for academic classrooms, science and computer labs, music rooms, rehearsal halls, and a gymnasium with locker rooms to accommodate students. 

    

2. History: Chapel Hill Junior High has been a part of the Chapel Hill community since 1974. The current facility houses seventh and eighth grade students and shares property with the Chapel Hill High School. 

    

3. Cost: The estimated cost is $60,373,000.

    

Build six new classrooms at both Jackson Elementary and Wise Elementary. 

1. Description: The proposed plan adds new classroom additions connected to the main building which are designed to ensure secure and safe connections for students during activity transitions. 

2. Cost: The estimated cost is $4,326,000 for Jackson Elementary and $3,998,000 for Wise Elementary. 

Build a new Career and Technical Education facility connecting to the Chapel Hill High School. 

1. Description: The proposed plan would fund the construction of a new facility connected to the main building and is designed to improve safety for High School students and provide adaptability for the new education model, the Academies of Chapel Hill, equipped with modern classrooms and technical workshops for 21st-century learning environments. 

2. History: The current facility was built in 1966 and is located southwest of the Chapel Hill High School grounds. The facility houses the Special Education Department including skills ready students, and 14 trade and career ready programs.

3. Cost: The estimated cost is $19,938,000.

The following proposed projects are listed under Prop B:

Build a Multi-purpose Activity Center northeast of the Chapel Hill High School.

1. Description: The enclosed facility is designed to provide a safe environment for physical wellness, allowing students to participate in a variety of activities including 19 UIL organizations in the district such as band, dance, cheer and athletics. The proposed location of the 57,000 square foot multi-purpose activity center is between Bulldog Stadium and the High School parking lot. 

2. Cost: The estimated cost is $13,595,000. 

The following proposed projects are listed under Prop C:

Build a new Operations Facility at 10777 County Road 210, Tyler, TX 75707

1. Description: The new facility aims to provide employees with safe and adequate facilities, including accommodation for the Transportation, Child Nutrition, Maintenance, Shipping and Receiving Departments. The new facility would feature adequate workshops, warehousing, in-school bus parking, wash and fueling stations. 

2. Cost: The estimated cost is $5,485,000

If the CHISD 2023 Bond is passed the projected start window for the projects would be six to eight months. Construction would take approximately 12 to 18 months depending on the project.

The proposed project locations allow for construction to take place during the school year. Safety barriers will be in place to ensure the safety of all involved.

CHISD, like all Texas school districts, has three main sources of funding. About one percent comes from federal programs and grants which are primarily focused on supporting disadvantaged students. About 53 percent comes from state revenue which are funds distributed to the district by the state based on calculations that consider enrollment totals, student demographics, property valuation and more. Finally the remaining 46 percent comes from local property taxes.

When local property taxes are collected they are split into two separate funds: maintenance and operations (M&O) and Interest and Sinking (I&S). M&O funds cover the day-to-day operations of the district including salaries, utilities, repairs, transportation costs and more. It's important to note that there are only enough M&O funds to cover the day-to-day expenses of the district. I&S funds cover the construction of new facilities, renovations and additions, land purchases and more.

For CHISD the M&O tax rate is set at .91 cents per 100 dollars of property value the I&S tax rate is set at .11 cents per $100 of property value. This brings the total tax rate to $1.02 cents per $100 of property value.

If all three propositions pass with majority “For” votes the property tax rates will increase by .27 cents. For a home valued at $100,000, the tax bill is estimated to increase no more than $13.53 per month.

If there are remaining funds from the successful passage of the 2023 Bond (Phase 1), the board will allocate those funds to the next project on the prioritized master facility list (Phase 2 and Phase 3) based on cost vs. available funds. (i.e. If item nine costs more than the available funds, the board would select the next project that can be paid for with the left over funds). The list was divided into three phases. Phase 1 includes all the projects that are proposed in the 2023 Bond, with the exception of the sewer project. Phase 2 and 3 are listed as priorities when funds are available. View the "Phased Facility Projects" here.

In 2021, throughout various public meetings, more than 50 LRFPC members openly gathered to examine data and reports. The first meeting took place at the High School Auditorium on October 5, 2021. Since then, members devoted time to reviewing TABS’s findings. Each meeting was held at a different campus, offering the community an opportunity to participate. After countless hours of in-depth reviewing and discussions, the committee finalized their findings and developed the Facilities Long-Range Master Plan. 

The master plan provides a clear direction to administrators, policy makers, and the community regarding how the district should address facility needs to support instructional outcomes. The 10 to 15-year strategy for Chapel Hill ISD aligns the educational vision with the facilities, in pursuit of accommodating student enrollment and demographics as well as addressing ongoing maintenance and operational needs. The prioritized list was presented to the school board on December 13, 2021 and approved on January 18, 2021. 

Yes, registered voters are still eligible to vote in school bond elections even if they don't have children attending schools in the district. School bonds can have a significant impact on the community as a whole.

All registered voters who reside within the boundaries of Chapel Hill ISD are qualified to vote on the CHISD 2023 Bond. For more information, visit Texas Public Law's Election Code page Voting information. 

Any purchase over $25,000 requires board approval. The district could budget for land purchases during the budget process, which the board adopts in June, if it is known at that time. Or the district could use some of our fund balance to make the purchase. We would have to ask the board to amend the budget at that point. They would also have to approve the purchase if the cost is more than $25,000. 

Residents who have an over-65 homestead exemption, and qualifying disabled veterans, have the security of knowing that their taxes were frozen at the time of their 65th birthday. Anyone who needs more information about the exemption should call the Smith County Appraisal District at (903) 510-8600 and ask for the Exemption Department or go to the appraisal district’s website at Smith CAD.