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Royse City ISD pauses sale of additional bonds and slows Worthy Fayette High School work
Summary
Trustees decided not to sell more bonds now after advisors found certified values and state exemptions reduce capacity; construction will slow to protect completed work while the district pursues community updates and re-evaluates next year.
Royse City Independent School District trustees announced they will not proceed with additional bond sales now and will slow construction on Worthy Fayette High School while preserving completed work and monitoring local property values.
Dr. Anderson, the district’s lead in the work session, told the board that “that is not coming. There’s not any available bond funding,” signaling a pause on previously planned bond-driven work. The decision followed presentations from demographers, the county chief appraiser, bond advisors and finance consultants showing the district’s taxable base and projected state aid are weaker than earlier forecasts.
Advisors from Hilltop Securities and Moak Casey modeled multiple scenarios. Jeff Robert of Hilltop said the district would have needed approximately 7.5% growth to issue about $35 million this summer; Leo Lopez of Moak Casey concluded “your district does not have capacity to actually, issue any more bonds at this time.” The consultants warned that appeals, recently increased homestead and other exemptions and lower projected growth together reduce the district’s levy capacity and could push its debt rate toward the 50¢ cap the state uses to review bond sales.
District staff and Northstar Builders outlined a slowdown plan intended to protect site work and materials: contractors will prioritize closing in buildings (roof and exterior), secure climate-controlled storage for sensitive items and delay interior finishes until funding is available. Jack Ream of Northstar said the firm can “slow down the job, keep progress going,” but warned that no area of the school would be fully complete in 2027 under the reduced schedule.
Board members said transparency with the community is a priority. The district will draft a community letter, hold in-person updates and focus-group meetings with school staff, PTO leaders and teachers to explain the revised timeline and revisit the funding decision next year if property or commercial values recover.
The move is procedural rather than a formal rescission of voter authorization; trustees emphasized the voters’ approvals remain and that timing — not the decision to build — is what is changing. President Scott Muckenstein closed the session and adjourned the meeting.
