Bryan ISD board calls $397 million bond election for Nov. 4, 2025

Bryan ISD trustees voted unanimously on Aug. 18 to adopt an order calling a bond election for Nov. 4, 2025, asking voters to authorize $397,000,000 in bonds in three propositions.

District leaders said the proposal is intended to address immediate facility needs — roofs, aging air conditioners and priority maintenance — plus larger projects such as a complete rebuild of Bryan Collegiate High School, athletic facility upgrades and district‑wide instructional technology.

The bond steering committee and district staff presented the recommendation after more than six months of meetings. Norma Friddle, the district’s chief financial officer, said, “All along, we’ve promised our community that we can issue $397,000,000 in bonds without raising the I and S portion of the tax rate.” She and financial advisors described assumptions used in the district’s modeling: a conservative 3% annual growth in taxable value for four years, maintaining the current interest & sinking (I&S) tax rate at $0.27, a budgeted $14,500,000 prepayment scheduled for 2026, and bond amortization over 25 years for construction projects.

The package is organized into three propositions. District staff described Prop A as the largest category and said about $135,000,000 of Prop A is for priority maintenance needs; Prop B was described as a $67,000,000 athletics package; Prop C is a smaller, districtwide technology and instructional equipment proposition. Staff emphasized the committee reduced an initial list of about $800,000,000 in needs to the current $397,000,000 request with taxpayers’ capacity in mind.

The board and staff addressed the state‑required ballot language that must include a statement that can read to voters as a “property tax increase.” Friddle explained that language is legally required even though the district’s plan, as modeled, is designed to avoid an increase in the I&S tax rate.

Trustees said the district will run a public information campaign, including informational sessions and a district “roadshow,” to explain the proposals and the tax modeling assumptions to voters. The district also posted committee materials and the demographer’s enrollment projections on the district website.

Next steps: the board formally called the election and trustees and staff said they will begin voter outreach and informational meetings ahead of early voting and the Nov. 4 election.