AISD PRESS RELEASE
Rumor: Based on the states student to teacher ratios, if the Alvin ISD Bond Election fails the State will build schools to accommodate overcrowding.
Fact: Alvin ISD is currently dealing with over-crowding at half of the District’s campuses. After a school district bond issue is passed the State may provide support to the school district that will lessen the tax burden and improve the district's bond rating which may result in lowering the bond interest rate. However, when a bond issue does not pass, the state does not provide any additional funding or support. The District would accommodate the addition of 900 students a year with the purchase and utilization of temporary classroom buildings at existing campuses.
Rumor: Alvin ISD debt is $483,626,570.50 with a per student debt of $25,770.00
Fact: The most recent Alvin ISD audited financial records indicate the District currently has a principal debt of $311,612,987 with a debt per student of $16,499.68. When comparing Alvin ISD to other Texas districts that have grown by more than 5,000 students since 2002-2003, with a debt of $100M, the average debt per student debt is $18,156 while Alvin ISD’s figure is less than $16,500.
Rumor: The location of the new [Manvel] Jr. High is good for AISD but not for the community they serve.
Fact: Alvin ISD Jr High Campuses are built for 1,000 students yet Nolan Ryan Jr. high currently serves 1,185 and Manvel Jr. High at Rodeo Palms, which opened last year, already serves 883 students. By 2016, Templeton Demographics projects these two schools are projected to serve 2,477 students, 477 over capacity.
The utilization of property just north of Manvel High School was deemed as an ideal location for the students of Alvin ISD after a multi-year land search. The construction of Manvel Jr. High on this site already owned by the District will reduce the cost of land and adequate drainage, which in turn saves tax payers money. Additionally, this location provides the needed infrastructure such as roads, utilities, water and sewer. The District commissioned an in-depth traffic analysis to ensure that traffic at McCoy Rd. and Hwy 6 would be acceptable. The combination of staggered school start and end times at Manvel High School and the proposed Manvel Jr. High, in conjunction with minor adjustments to driveways and turn lanes ensures the community will not see a substantial impact to the traffic in the area.
Rumor: AISD has $28 million dollars in their slush fund.
Fact: Alvin ISD does not have a slush fund of any kind. Each year the District undergoes the mandatory scrutiny of an outside auditing firm to review the Districts financial records. A public hearing was held on October 8, 2013 to share that the District received a Superior Score on the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas.
The District maintains a fund balance; however, this is not synonymous with available funds. The state of Texas recommends that the District maintains up to three months of available operating expenses in the fund balance. Also calculated into this account is uncollected taxes and property held in trust, as well as required reserves for various insurance accounts.
The Board of Trustees recently reviewed the funds currently in the fund balance to determine what was available for current use. Out of the District’s current fund balance, $38M is held for future operating expenses and contingencies in accordance with state recommendations, $14M has been committed to the construction, furniture and fixtures for Elementary #15 (opening in Fall 2014), $3.1M for preconstruction of High School #3 and $1.1M for the preconstruction of the new Manvel Jr. High. Additionally the Board of Trustees has allocated $8.6M toward current bond projects such as technology and band instruments. A remaining district fund balance of *$11M remains to respond to any unanticipated expenses for our 22 schools.
Fact: Alvin ISD is currently dealing with over-crowding at half of the District’s campuses. After a school district bond issue is passed the State may provide support to the school district that will lessen the tax burden and improve the district's bond rating which may result in lowering the bond interest rate. However, when a bond issue does not pass, the state does not provide any additional funding or support. The District would accommodate the addition of 900 students a year with the purchase and utilization of temporary classroom buildings at existing campuses.
Rumor: Alvin ISD debt is $483,626,570.50 with a per student debt of $25,770.00
Fact: The most recent Alvin ISD audited financial records indicate the District currently has a principal debt of $311,612,987 with a debt per student of $16,499.68. When comparing Alvin ISD to other Texas districts that have grown by more than 5,000 students since 2002-2003, with a debt of $100M, the average debt per student debt is $18,156 while Alvin ISD’s figure is less than $16,500.
Rumor: The location of the new [Manvel] Jr. High is good for AISD but not for the community they serve.
Fact: Alvin ISD Jr High Campuses are built for 1,000 students yet Nolan Ryan Jr. high currently serves 1,185 and Manvel Jr. High at Rodeo Palms, which opened last year, already serves 883 students. By 2016, Templeton Demographics projects these two schools are projected to serve 2,477 students, 477 over capacity.
The utilization of property just north of Manvel High School was deemed as an ideal location for the students of Alvin ISD after a multi-year land search. The construction of Manvel Jr. High on this site already owned by the District will reduce the cost of land and adequate drainage, which in turn saves tax payers money. Additionally, this location provides the needed infrastructure such as roads, utilities, water and sewer. The District commissioned an in-depth traffic analysis to ensure that traffic at McCoy Rd. and Hwy 6 would be acceptable. The combination of staggered school start and end times at Manvel High School and the proposed Manvel Jr. High, in conjunction with minor adjustments to driveways and turn lanes ensures the community will not see a substantial impact to the traffic in the area.
Rumor: AISD has $28 million dollars in their slush fund.
Fact: Alvin ISD does not have a slush fund of any kind. Each year the District undergoes the mandatory scrutiny of an outside auditing firm to review the Districts financial records. A public hearing was held on October 8, 2013 to share that the District received a Superior Score on the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas.
The District maintains a fund balance; however, this is not synonymous with available funds. The state of Texas recommends that the District maintains up to three months of available operating expenses in the fund balance. Also calculated into this account is uncollected taxes and property held in trust, as well as required reserves for various insurance accounts.
The Board of Trustees recently reviewed the funds currently in the fund balance to determine what was available for current use. Out of the District’s current fund balance, $38M is held for future operating expenses and contingencies in accordance with state recommendations, $14M has been committed to the construction, furniture and fixtures for Elementary #15 (opening in Fall 2014), $3.1M for preconstruction of High School #3 and $1.1M for the preconstruction of the new Manvel Jr. High. Additionally the Board of Trustees has allocated $8.6M toward current bond projects such as technology and band instruments. A remaining district fund balance of *$11M remains to respond to any unanticipated expenses for our 22 schools.
(*TEA has indicated approximately $8M dollars must be returned for overpayment which will be accounted for in the 2012-2013 audit)
Rumor: Projects such as technology, band instruments and buses will be financed for 20 years.
Fact: Technology projects including network infrastructure and computers, as well as band instruments will be funded with the current fund balance or the current Maintenance and Operations budget. No bond funds will be used for these projects.
Rumor: Projects such as technology, band instruments and buses will be financed for 20 years.
Fact: Technology projects including network infrastructure and computers, as well as band instruments will be funded with the current fund balance or the current Maintenance and Operations budget. No bond funds will be used for these projects.
The Citizen’s Advisory Committee recommended the purchase of school buses totaling $5M. The District will use $2.2M from the current maintenance and operations budget to purchase buses with the remaining $2.8M provided through the bond election. The District utilizes bonds that will range from as short as 1 year to as long as 25 years depending on multiple variables.
Rumor: “Alvin ISD has been waiting to get a multi-million dollar district stadium for years, they are trying to sneak it in the back door and get over on voters” & “Alvin ISD Plans to build a stadium west of 288 and north of 518.”
Fact: Alvin ISD has shared a great deal of information about the project described as “land, design, & related costs for additional district athletic stadium, natatorium, & satellite transportation facility.” This project was a recommendation of the Citizen’s Advisory Committee and has been included on all Alvin ISD Bond publications including the District website (alvinisd.net/bond2013) as well as multiple newspaper ads.
Fact: Alvin ISD has shared a great deal of information about the project described as “land, design, & related costs for additional district athletic stadium, natatorium, & satellite transportation facility.” This project was a recommendation of the Citizen’s Advisory Committee and has been included on all Alvin ISD Bond publications including the District website (alvinisd.net/bond2013) as well as multiple newspaper ads.
Alvin Memorial Stadium is only able to accommodate 2,500 spectators on the visitor’s side and due to a lack of space has no room to expand. The District has been forced to turn parents and spectators away from games due to limited capacity. There are no plans to discontinue the use of Alvin Memorial Stadium. The acquisition of land will allow the District to plan for the future as the limitations become more evident.
This project along with all other recommended projects was included in a community phone survey that was conducted by Baselice, Inc. All projects included in the bond election received favorable community responses. The survey results for all projects are available on the Districts website under Bond FAQs.
The District has not identified a piece of land and it would be pre-mature to speculate a specific area as the project has not been approved by voters and speculation could inflate the cost of land. The District will make every effort to centralize the location within the 252 sq. mile district. There have been no discussions to place this district facility north of 518 as that would not provide equitable access to our students and their families.
Opinion: We do not need to move the Alvin High School Ag Farm at a cost of millions of dollars when we already have one.
Consideration: The growing Alvin High School Ag Program currently serves 400 students and has exceeded the capacity of the structure donated to Alvin ISD by the Godwin Family 30 years ago.
Consideration: The growing Alvin High School Ag Program currently serves 400 students and has exceeded the capacity of the structure donated to Alvin ISD by the Godwin Family 30 years ago.
The facilities capacity limits additional animal projects with some animals already doubled up in pens. Transportation to the facility requires a 24 minute bus ride which uses nearly half of the student’s instructional class time. The facility does not include a covered show area and limits instructional space. The location of the current site is also utilized for oil production and has the associated equipment and has continual access by oil field personnel.
The Citizen’s Advisory Committee recommendation was to construct an Ag Facility that is equitable to the facility utilized by students at Manvel High School, with the addition of a district show arena that can be used for district contests as well as instruction. The recommendation was to place the facility closer to Alvin High School, as opposed to making a sizable investment at a location that provides continued limitations.
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