El Campo ISD facilities committee backs roughly $81 million bond package for high school, elementary work

The El Campo ISD facilities committee endorsed a recommendation to present a single bond proposition to the school board that would fund replacement and renovation work at the high school and new construction at an elementary school, the committee said during its final meeting. The committee summarized the package as two projects totaling roughly $80.9 million and said it will present its recommendation to the board at the board meeting next Wednesday, the 22nd; the board could vote at a special meeting Feb. 5 to call a bond election.

The proposal calls for a new administration building; a new cafeteria sized to serve 500 students (up from an earlier plan for 300); a counseling suite; a two‑story academic wing to match existing buildings; a library; academic classrooms including special education; culinary classrooms; a dance studio; a band hall and choir room; and expanded CTE (career and technical education) space. The committee also recommended renovating parts of the existing CTE/shop areas (automotive, ag mechanics, construction systems) and renovating the A building for larger CTE classrooms. The committee said it would demolish the existing administration building, the cafeteria, the C building, H building, portables, the east side of the ABS building, parts of the construction systems area and the band wall.

The committee gave a rough cost breakdown in the presentation: the high‑school project is “just under $56 million,” and the elementary project is…