FAQs

With the state’s budget crisis, why is Eanes ISD considering a bond proposal? While the state legislature confronts a budget crisis and current plans to cut public education funding, Eanes ISD’s Board of Trustees recently called a May bond election. The bond program would work as part of a comprehensive plan for District facilities and personnel. Bond money and Maintenance and Operations (M&O) money are in two separate buckets, but they work hand-in-hand.

On the M&O side, for every $2 collected from taxpayers, Eanes ISD keeps approximately $0.90. This is because Eanes ISD is categorized by the state as a “property-wealthy” district. As a result, approximately 55 percent of the M&O taxes received by Eanes is taken by the State of Texas under the “Robin Hood” plan for redistribution to other school districts. The remaining 45 percent of M&O money pays for salaries, which in the case of Eanes ISD, comprise approximately 85 percent of the budget.

On the bond side, for every $1 received, Eanes ISD keeps 100 percent. Bond money cannot be used for teacher salaries; however, bond money can be used to pay certain capital expenses that might otherwise be funded from M&O money so that more funds are available for salaries. Bond money is used for capital repairs, buses and technology. 

Strategy 3 of the District Strategic Plan says that “We will promote and support a robust digital-age learning environment to inspire student learning and creativity.” By purchasing new computers and other technology with bond funds instead of M&O funds, M&O funds can be preserved for other uses including teacher salaries.

The Performing Arts Center (PAC) was in the 2006 bond, why is it in this bond? The 2006 bond program included several projects for the PAC, but those projects were not all-encompassing and only replaced some of the equipment necessary to continue programs at Westlake High School. For example, the Technical Entertainment Crew, a program which supports events at the PAC and Chaparral Stadium, relies on equipment such as the stadium scoreboard video screen and audio consoles to learn skills in video production and real-time events production. The 2011 bond program proposes replacing the failing LED video modules (which make up the video screen) on the stadium scoreboard and audio and light consoles in the PAC.

How does the bond affect core classes? The 2011 bond program provides funds to replace and upgrade more than 4,000 workstation and mobile computers for students and teachers. Bond funds are also budgeted to upgrade the infrastructure that supports technology, which is expected to reduce downtime and improve the speed of connectivity and greatly increase wireless capacity to meet the increased demand for wireless devices, including allowing students to use their own personal laptops and other devices.

Eanes ISD teachers use a variety of technology to increase student engagement, differentiate instruction and increase achievement. Bond funds would replace current classroom presentation stations and add presentation stations. Presentation stations include an interactive whiteboard, mounted projector, document camera and dedicated work station.

What are the issues with the Hill Country Middle School (HCMS) track?  What are components of a permanent solution for the track? The HCMS track is currently on an unstable clay subsoil that causes the track to bump and dip. Water runoff coupled with irrigating the field further destabilizes the subsurface. According to engineers, the most cost-effective, long-term fix is to replace the subsoil below the track with stabilized, lime-injected soil, add a drainage system and replace the grass on the field with artificial turf. It is estimated that a turf field will need replacement after approximately 10 years and have less of an impact on M&O than a natural grass field.

How long has the District been repairing the Hill Country Middle School  track? Given the geotechnical issues explained above, Eanes ISD has been performing major maintenance to the track at HCMS for several years, including replacing portions of the track and subsurface.  However, the maintenance performed for the past five years has not been a permanent solution, but rather temporary fixes in order to allow students to continue using the track.  Eanes ISD has not performed any major repairs to the HCMS track since before the 2006 bond. The 2006 bond program did include money to  repair the track but once engineers studied the site, it was determined that not enough money was allocated to make the necessary repairs. The project was deferred to the November 2010 bond, which was not approved by the voters.

How will repairs to the HCMS track impact the surrounding neighborhood? The repairs are expected to have little negative impact on the neighborhood, aside from a brief period during the construction phase. The scope of the project has been reduced so that lights and bleachers are not included.

How much does the District spend watering/mowing middle school fields annually? On average, Eanes ISD spends $150,000 annually to water and mow the fields at both middle schools.

How is Maintenance & Operations (M&O) affected by the bond? In general, M&O costs will not significantly increase with the proposed projects in the 2011 bond program, since there is only one new facility planned. For example, replacing the Hill Country MS track and field with a new subsurface and artificial turf is less of an impact on M&O than replacing with a natural grass field, primarily because of the upkeep needed for a grass field. It is estimated that the total M&O costs for the life of a natural grass field are $960,000, while an artificial turf is estimated at $80,000. Once other factors such as installation costs, amortization and replacement costs (10 years for artificial turf, 20 years for natural grass) are factored in, the total estimated cost of a natural grass field is $2.97 million and the total estimated cost of an artificial turf field is $2.83 million. With regard to the new facility for the Adult Transition Program, the facility will be designed to be energy-efficient.

Why is there money in the bond to pay for musical instruments when parents pay participation fees? The District provides many instruments and pieces of musical equipment for student use, and bond money is proposed for the replacement of such  instruments and equipment at the middle school and high school that have exceeded their useful life. This includes the purchase of larger instruments such as pianos, tubas, harps and percussion instruments as well as cases, stands and mixers. The instruments and equipment are on a phased approach for replacement, due to wear-and-tear and damage. While participation fees help offset costs, they do not cover all of the costs of running musical programs at the secondary level.

Why does the District need telephones that could be used for another 5 years or more? Why is the existing phone system no longer deemed functional? The current estimates for telephone projects in the 2011 bond package are based on a replacement lifecycle of existing products that are becoming obsolete. As technology evolves, features become available (like e911, mobility, and multi-line displays) which cannot be incorporated into older phones (e911  allows district staff to send the specific room number information to emergency responders and automatically trigger phone and e-mail alerts to key district personnel).   

What is the new Adult Transition Program and why is a new facility included in this bond program? The Adult Transition Program (formerly the 19+ program) supports young adults with special needs who have completed a high school four-year course of study. The program focuses on assisting these young adults in developing vocational and independent living skills. By law, the district must educate these students until age 22.

The existing space for ATP students is in a portable classroom on an elementary school campus. A new facility would provide an age-appropriate adult environment to accommodate increases in this adult student population.

Los documentos se encuentran disponible en las oficinas del Edificio Central de la Administración del Distrito Escolar de Eanes en Camp Craft Road, número 601, Austin, Texas 78746.  En la red: (www.eanesisd.net) / o al llamar al número de teléfono 512-732-9011.