During the regular meeting of the Waller ISD (WISD) Board of Trustees on Monday, April 11 members of the 2022 Long-Range Planning Committee presented the results of their work this Spring; a recommendation for a November 8, 2022 Bond Election. 

After delving into demographic, financial, and construction information presented by industry experts, the committee worked through a process to come to consensus on the projects for their recommendation, which includes:

• Three new elementary school builds to relieve overcrowding and accommodate for growth 
• An agricultural science facility to expand the program by serving students who are unable to raise an animal at home and have facilities to practice for and host competitions
• A new transportation and maintenance facility to replace aging facilities, provide for existing needs, and accommodate growth
• District-wide priority one projects including items for all campuses such as interior updates to Fields Store Elementary, parking and parent queuing improvements to Roberts Road and Turlington Elementary schools, electrical and lighting upgrades, chalkboard replacements with marker boards, and more
• Renovations to the existing Holleman Elementary to become a Student Support Service Center which create space for departments such as curriculum, special education, child nutrition, the district’s alternative education program, and tax office 
• Renovations to the existing Waller Junior High (WJH) East Campus (that will be disconnected from WJH when the new WJH is complete) to become a Education Support Service Center which would create space for the growth of departments such as human resources, business services, community relations, and more
• Land, buses, and technology infrastructure 
• Waller ISD Stadium improvements to replace aging audio/visual, roofing, and turf

The total for the list of recommended projects is $300,929, 811 with no projected tax rate change due to residential and commercial property growth and the financial stewardship of Waller ISD. 

“Our demographers, PASA, have been on target in projecting our growth over the last decade. Even with a global pandemic, their projected enrollment was within 100 students of our actual enrollment,” WISD Superintendent Kevin Moran said. “That’s both exciting and scary. Exciting because we are confident in our numbers and are working hard to prepare for our future. It’s scary because kids are coming to us quickly and we need to be prepared to serve them.”

Since May 2021 alone, WISD has grown by over 650 students; nearly enough to fill an entire elementary school, and the growth is projected to rapidly increase. New communities that currently have homes under construction, especially those in Bridgeland, will contribute to the district’s projected enrollment of nearly 12,000 students by 2025. This is an increase of more than 3,500 students in just three years. 

The presenters who represented the committee during the meeting were parent Denny Patterson, parent Brittany Neel, WHS student Jordan Duncan, and WHS student Carson Webb.

“Growth is coming quickly to our district and we already have elementary schools that are overcrowded,” Neel said. “These projects will help us take care of so many wants and needs in Waller ISD. When you drive along 2920 and 290, especially on the east side of the district and see new homes under construction with dirt work happening everywhere, there’s no denying it’s here and we have to welcome our new neighbors.”

When asked about the process for the committee to come to consensus on the recommended projects, the presenters shared that it was not a difficult decision. 

“When you see the numbers of growth that’s coming to us, it’s not hard,” Patterson said. “These are all projects that support our kids and families, right? We can’t deny them these things that are needed.”

The committee was made up of a cross-section of the WISD family and included 40 parents, community members, and students who worked in collaboration together to discuss and deliberate on projects presented for consideration. 

“I want to thank all of our committee members for volunteering their time and dedication to this project,” Moran said. “This was a lot of work; a lot of information for them to digest in order to come to a conclusion that they feel is best for our community. 

The committee’s presentation to the Board of Trustees is available here: wisd.fyi/BoardPresentation. All information related to the 2022 Long-Range Planning Committee, including all materials provided, is available at wisd.fyi/BondInformation. 

The Board will now review the details of the committee’s recommendation along with all related data, before making final decisions, but a November 2022 Bond election is expected to be called in the future. Additional information will be provided upon the Board’s consideration of the recommendation.