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Fredericksburg ISD outlines $160 million bond plan to build new high school and upgrades
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Summary
Fredericksburg ISD officials presented a proposed $160 million bond focused on constructing a new high school (about $150 million), campus improvements across district schools, and safety upgrades. Officials said the proposal stems from multi-year planning and cited rising construction costs as a key reason to act now.
Fredericksburg ISD board representatives and interim superintendent Dr. Anne Dixon presented the district’s rationale for a $160 million bond measure that the board unanimously approved to place on an upcoming ballot.
Dr. Dixon and board representatives explained the bond’s principal purpose is to build a modernized high school on district-owned land (estimated at roughly $150 million of the total) and to fund improvements to other campuses, career-technology facilities and district safety and security measures. District staff said they examined renovating existing structures but concluded that costs, seismic plumbing failures and safety vulnerabilities in the current campus constellation made new construction the preferred option.
The district described the proposed high-school site as land already owned by the district to the south of the current high school (near Billy Drive/South Milam) so no property purchase would be required. Presenters gave comparative cost estimates showing substantial escalation over recent years — staff said a comparable project would have cost about $114 million five years ago, $156 million two years ago, and estimated $210 million in several years if postponed — and said the high school portion represents roughly 150 of the $160 million total.
Board members noted the district’s conservative recent bond history — five bonds over 17 years without increasing the tax rate — and explained the flexibility bonds provide for insulating operating funds from state recapture. Officials said if voters approve the bond, some existing bond proceeds and interest earnings from the 2022 bond would also be applied to projects. Dr. Dixon invited interested residents to scheduled tours and information sessions ahead of the election.
Council members thanked the district for the presentation and asked questions about facility counts (the district cited more than 100 exterior doors across separate buildings as a security challenge) and reuse plans for vacated high-school buildings. The district said some older buildings would be demolished and others repurposed.
