**Tyler ISD Board Places $280 Million Bond on November Ballot with No Projected Tax Rate Increase**
TYLER, Texas – The Tyler Independent School District Board of Trustees has approved a $280 million bond package, setting it before voters as Proposition A on the November 5th General Election ballot. The decision was made during a special meeting held on Monday, May 20th.
A significant portion of the bond, approximately $170 million, is designated for expanding Career and Technology Education (CTE) programs across the district. This includes the construction of new 87,000 square-foot CTE centers at both Tyler High and Tyler Legacy High, alongside renovations to an additional 21,000 square feet of existing CTE spaces at each campus. The goal is to enhance program offerings, increase available certifications, and modernize facilities to meet growing student demand.
The remaining $110 million of the bond is allocated for district-wide technology and infrastructure improvements. Plans include replacing outdated projectors with new interactive display panels in classrooms and upgrading network infrastructure with improved Wi-Fi capabilities and new cabling. Additionally, the bond would fund substantial security enhancements, such as additional cameras, advanced access control systems, and updated intercom systems across all district facilities.
District officials emphasize that the bond is projected to pass without an increase to the current tax rate. Due to rising property values and the payoff of existing district debt, Tyler ISD anticipates a reduction in its tax rate from $1.0991 to $1.0337 in 2024, regardless of the bond's passage.
The bond proposal is the culmination of work by a Citizen's Bond Committee, which met multiple times throughout March and April before presenting its final recommendations to the Board on April 29th. The Board then conducted workshops on May 6th and May 13th to review the recommendations in detail before its vote. The committee focused on addressing critical needs in CTE and technology, opting to exclude other items from an initial list, such as a new performing arts center or elementary school classrooms.
This new bond is separate from the $197 million bond package approved by voters in November 2023, which focused on new elementary schools and safety upgrades. For more information, visit the Tyler ISD website.
