By Edmond Ortiz
Voters in the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District will go to the polls May 2 to decide the fate of the district’s proposed $295.6 million bond.
What you should know
The school board voted unanimously Feb. 12 to call a May 2 election, where district voters will be asked to consider three propositions.
Proposition A would allocate $230.7 million to support district-wide physical improvements to existing facilities, including upgrades to campus security systems, classrooms and learning spaces, fine arts, physical education, and play areas, as well as transportation and technology updates.
Proposition B proposes $55.3 million for renovations at Lehnhoff Stadium, including expansion of capacity, and bolstering safety, security, lighting, sound systems, and the scoreboard. Additionally, Prop P would fund replacement of the artificial stadium turf at Steele High School, and installation of new artificial stadium turf at Corbett Junior High School.
Proposition C would provide $9.1 million for technology replacements, specifically new computers, iPads, and Chromebooks for students and staff.
The school district’s Community Advisory Committee, involving 70-plus SCUCISD parents, staff and community members, met eight times last fall to review district data, hear presentations from district officials, and tour campuses and facilities. SCUCISD last floated a bond for voter approval in 2016.
This time, the committee initially looked at a potential $600 million bond, but because SCUCISD lacks the bonding capacity to support such a package, committee members worked with district staff to whittle down the proposed projects to around $220 million total. However, that amount increased in later committee meetings.
Still, the CAC ended up scrapping ideas such as replacing Lehnhoff Stadium with a new 10,000-seat athletic complex that was estimated to cost $104 million.
The committee and district staff also had to find a way to finance a new bond after SCUCISD voters narrowly rejected the district’s proposed property tax hike in a November 2025 referendum.
District officials said keeping the currently proposed $295 million bond allows SCUCISD to remain below the state-allowed maximum debt service tax rate of $0.50 per $100 valuation, a limit that has been in place since 1991. District leaders added approval of this year’s proposed bond will not result in an increased property tax rate.
SCUCISD may not be the lone local school district having a bond election this year. Northside Independent School District officials are exploring the possibility of floating a bond package this November.
What they are saying
SCUCISD board members lauded CAC and district staff for their work to develop the $295 million bond proposal. Trustee Bill Paschal, one of two new board members elected last fall, said he was originally skeptical about the district’s ability to float a bond.
But Paschal said in the few months he has been in office, he has taken time to tour facilities and talk with district and campus-level leaders about their present challenges to update aging infrastructure and keep pace with community growth.
Paschal said he is now ready to back the bond proposal.
“(The CAC has) really come up with a fabulous (bond) package that the board could consider,” he said. “This proposal reflects a serious, structured effort to address real district requirements and shortfalls while respecting the taxpayers’ trust.”
What comes next
SCUCISD voters have until April 2 to register to vote in the May 2 elections, which at least for Universal City residents inside the same school district may also include contested races for Universal City City Council. Early voting takes place April 20-28.
