Bond Proposal Approved by Roosevelt ISD Board of Trustees

LUBBOCK, Texas — The Roosevelt Independent School District Board of Trustees approved calling a School Bond Election for May 3, 2025.

The district has worked with its architecture, engineering, and construction consultants to shape a bond package that addresses the current aging conditions at Roosevelt ISD after the bond failed in November 2024. A recommendation was then made to the district and RISD Board of Trustees.

Because construction costs increase by as much as 10 percent each year, the cost of these projects increases by at least $5 million each year they are delayed, which costs Roosevelt ISD taxpayers even more money to fund the projects.

The addition of the Leprino factory will add 650 jobs in the area. The agreement with Roosevelt ISD means that if the bond is passed, the factory will pay $30.3 million of the bond’s financial impact on the community over the next 30 years, lowering the impact per household for taxpayers in the district.

“We’ve taken the time to listen to our community and our advisors, and we believe now is the right time to present this package again to our voters,” Superintendent Dallas Grimes said. “It’s been at least 65 years since our community invested in a new academic campus through a bond package. The 2025 Bond helps address our buildings and spaces that are on average 60-70 years old and affect all Roosevelt ISD students.”

Texas school districts do not receive state funding for renovating or building new schools. Instead, they must receive funds through school bond elections. The 2025 Bond will ask voters to consider a $58.5 million package in one proposition.

Proposition A addresses the elementary school that was originally built in 1935, by replacing it with a new elementary school with modern teaching and learning spaces and a 600-student capacity. This includes a new auditorium, additional drop-off and pickup location, instructional spaces, a library, gym/tornado shelter, and support spaces.

The new auditorium replaces the one built in 1956 that is outdated and unusable by band, and most fine arts. The new one would be centrally located adjacent to the band hall.

This proposition also addresses the aging buildings with renovations at the secondary campus interiors, bathrooms, cafeteria, and locker room that are undersized for current students. A new dining hall and serving line at the campus will allow more students to access the area during lunch periods and reduce congestion in the serving area. 

The bond also adds a new grounds and maintenance facility and updated sewer and septic lines.

The district's average age of school buildings is over 60 years old. If paid for by bond funds, these repairs would help make school buildings more energy efficient and lower operating costs – allowing the district to allocate its annual maintenance and operations funds back into the classroom for other items like teacher salaries and student programs.

“Calling for a bond election in May is about more than updating these old buildings,” Grimes said. “If passed, this will allow us to provide students with modern learning spaces while freeing up funds to support our teachers and staff.”

The 2023 legislative session delivered the largest property tax cut in Texas history. The combination of compression and the $100,000 homestead exemption cut school district property taxes for homeowners around the state.

If passed, the estimated financial impact of the bond would be $8.34 a month on a home valued at $150,000 in Roosevelt ISD with a homestead exemption.

The current legislative session could also pass a new compression and additional homestead, lowering the future estimated impact of the bond if it passes.

Since 2019, state law requires all bond propositions for any school district to have the phrase “THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE” on all ballot language for bond propositions. If the bond is passed, homeowners 65 years of age and older who have filed for and received the Over 65 exemption will not see an increase over their frozen dollar amount as long as they make no major improvements. Check your most recent Notice of Assessed Value Change to see if your school district taxes will be impacted.

The district will begin providing the community with voter education information about all areas surrounding the 2025 bond package. 

“The district has an obligation to fill by keeping our voters informed about only the facts surrounding this bond,” Grimes said. “These bond funds will only be used on the projects identified in this bond package and on the ballot. We will reach out by phone, mail, digital, and social media to inform all our voters about the facts before they go to the polls in April and May.” 

More information about the bond projects and voting locations will be available on the district website at www.roosevelt.k12.tx.us. 

To register to vote or to find out your registration status, call the Lubbock County Elections Department at 806-775-1339, or visit their website at www.votelubbock.org. The last day to register to vote in the May election is Thursday, April 3.

Early voting begins April 22 and ends April 29, and Election Day is Saturday, May 3.