Just as homeowners borrow money in the form of a mortgage to finance the purchase of a home, a school district borrows money in the form of bonds to finance the construction of new schools and other capital projects. Both are repaid over time. A school district is required to seek approval from voters in the form of a bond election in order to issue bonds.

The 2021 bond referendum is for $183,650,000 and is made up of two propositions as required by law. 

Proposition A for $177,829,000 includes the following projects throughout the district:

• Two new schools and land - $64,380,440
• Safety and security upgrades - $9,410,584
• Growth and instructional capacity projects - $76,065,235
• General renovations and improvements - $27,972,741

Proposition B for $5,821,000 includes improvements for Erhard Field and athletic buildings at Bastrop High School.

The final projects included in the 2021 bond were recommended by a group of informed men and women from all across our community called the Citizens Advisory Task Force (CATF). They were parents, grandparents, business owners, civic leaders, clergy, retirees, and others who are interested in the needs and mission of our school district.

The CATF met numerous times in 2019 and 2020 to learn about demographics, school finance, teaching and learning, educational adequacy results, facility assessment results, economic trends, construction market trends, and more. In addition, the team toured various facilities to gain a complete understanding of the immediate and long-term needs of the district. After digesting and analyzing all of this information, the group voted on each individual project.

The 2021 bond calls for two new elementary schools to accommodate the district’s growth in enrollment, to help relieve crowding and to accommodate fifth grade. Right now elementary schools stop at fourth grade. The District has identified a 12-acre site off of FM 969 in Bastrop near new residential construction. This would be the location for elementary school #7. Elementary school #8 would be built on district-owned property near FM 812 and Highway 21 in Cedar Creek.

Yes, attendance boundaries will likely change, although not right now. Should voters approve the bond, a detailed timeline for all projects will be outlined including the consideration of new boundary lines. The District will examine demographic information and other data to ensure each school’s enrollment is balanced.

The list of campuses, along with the improvement they would receive, can be found on our Bond Resources page

Portables have been a necessity for Bastrop ISD and other fast-growth school districts like ours due to the steady growth in enrollment we have experienced. Although portables are a viable temporary solution, they are not a replacement for high-quality, permanent school buildings to house the 14,000 students we expect to have within the next five years. 

Bastrop ISD’s current total tax rate is $1.32. Should voters approve the 2021 bond, the district’s total tax rate will still be $1.32. Bastrop ISD lowered its tax rate in 2020 by 5 cents and in 2019 by 7 cents, for a 12 cent total reduction in the last two years. In addition, for property owners with a “65 and Older Homestead Exemption”, taxes are frozen at their present rate for as long as they own and occupy their home, unless they make improvements such as an addition.

Each year the Central Appraisal District issues valuations to every homeowner or property owner in the county after it assesses the value of your property. Given the growth in our area, it's likely that your property has seen an increase in its appraised value. Although the school district’s tax rate is NOT increasing as a result of the 2021 bond, the appraised value of your property is, which results in an increase to your total tax bill even though the ISD's total tax rate is not changing. You can read more about the Bastrop ISD tax rate here.

In 2019, the Texas Legislature passed legislation requiring the ballot for all school district bond referendums to include the sentence, “This is a property tax increase.” The sentence is required even if no actual tax rate increase will occur. For the Bastrop ISD 2021 bond, taxpayers will NOT see an increase to the tax rate as a result of approving the bond propositions on the ballot. 

As required by law, Bastrop ISD will have two propositions on the ballot. Prop A is a general purpose proposition and covers the bulk of projects in the 2021 bond. Prop B is a special purpose proposition and covers renovations and improvements to stadium facilities and related buildings at Bastrop High School.

Proposition A will read as follows:

THE ISSUANCE OF $177,829,000 SCHOOL BUILDING BONDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, ACQUISITION, REHABILITATION, RENOVATION, EXPANSION, IMPROVEMENT AND EQUIPMENT OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN THE DISTRICT, AND THE PURCHASE OF THE NECESSARY SITES FOR SCHOOL BUILDINGS, AND LEVYING AND IMPOSITION OF TAXES SUFFICIENT TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL OF AND INTEREST ON THE BONDS AND THE COSTS OF ANY CREDIT AGREEMENTS. REQUIRED STATEMENT FOR ALL SCHOOL DISTRICT BOND PROPOSITIONS: THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE. PURSUANT TO SECTION 45.003, TEXAS EDUCATION CODE. 

Proposition B will read as follows:

THE ISSUANCE OF $5,821,000 SCHOOL BUILDING BONDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, ACQUISITION, REHABILITATION, RENOVATION, EXPANSION, IMPROVEMENT AND EQUIPMENT OF STADIUM FACILITIES, AND LEVYING AND IMPOSITION OF TAXES SUFFICIENT TO PAY THE PRINCIPAL OF AND INTEREST ON THE BONDS AND THE COSTS OF ANY CREDIT AGREEMENTS. REQUIRED STATEMENT FOR ALL SCHOOL DISTRICT BOND PROPOSITIONS: THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE. PURSUANT TO SECTION 45.003, TEXAS EDUCATION CODE. 

In the last 10 years, voters in surrounding communities have successfully passed 34 school bond referendums of at least $50 million each. These include our neighbors in Del Valle, Hutto, Manor, Hays, Georgetown, Austin, Round Rock, Pflugerville, Smithville, Lockhart, Dripping Springs, Lake Travis, and Eanes. In fact, the majority of these districts have passed two or three bond referendums in the 14 years since Bastrop ISD passed its last bond in 2007.

The cost of the proposed projects is expected to increase due to inflation. Also, based on projected increases in enrollment, additional portable buildings would have to be utilized.

Anyone registered to vote within the Bastrop ISD boundaries is eligible to vote in the May 1, 2021 election. Eligible voters will be able to vote for school board candidates and for the bond referendum.

To verify your registration, visit the Bastrop County Elections website at www.bastropvotes.org. Click on Voter Information, then Verify My Registration.  You will be asked to enter your first and last name and your birthdate. You can also find your election day polling place.

To vote in Texas, you must be registered. Simply pick up a voter registration application, fill it out, and mail it at least 30 days before the election date. To be eligible to register to vote in Bastrop County, you must;

• be a United States citizen,
• be a resident of Bastrop County
• be at least 18 years old on Election Day,
• not be a convicted felon (you may be eligible to vote if you have completed your sentence, probation, and parole), and
• not have been declared by a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be either totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.

Early voting is scheduled for April 19 to 27 at the BISD Service Center and all BISD campuses. The voting hours for April 19 to 27 are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and for April 26 and 27 from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. Election day is Saturday, May 1, 2021, and polls are open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.

Yes, you can vote by mail if you are a registered voter who is 65 years of age or older, out of the county during the entire election, sick or disabled, or confined in jail but eligible to vote. Please contact the Bastrop County Elections Administrator at 512-581-7160 for more information. The deadline to apply for a ballot by mail is April 20 (received, not postmarked).

Yes. You must be able to show one of these forms of identification:

• Texas driver license issued by the Texas DPS
• Texas election identification certificate issued by DPS
• Texas personal identification issued by DPS
• Texas handgun license issued by DPS
• United States military identification card containing the person’s photograph
• United States citizenship certificate containing the person’s photograph
• United States passport (book or card)

For a voter who does not have one of the forms of acceptable photo ID and cannot reasonably obtain one, here is a list of supporting IDs that can be presented:

• Copy or original of a government document that shows the voter’s name and address, including the voter’s voter registration certificate
• Copy or original current utility bill
• Copy or original bank statement
• Copy or original government check
• Copy or original paycheck
• Copy or original of a certified domestic (from a U.S. state or territory) birth certificate or (b) a document confirming birth admissible in a court of law which establishes the voter’s identity (which may include a foreign birth document)

After presenting one of the forms of supporting ID listed above, the voter must execute a Reasonable Impediment Declaration.