Frequently Asked Questions

Last day to register to vote is April 2, 2026

Early voting is April 20-24 and April 27-28, 2026

Election Day is Saturday, May 2, 2026

Anyone who is a registered voter and lives within the Friendswood ISD district boundaries is eligible to vote in this election.

To see if you are registered to vote, visit 

www.texas.gov/living-in-texas/texas-voter-registration/

You are able to cast a vote “for” or “against” each of the propositions individually.

The May 2026 bond proposal is a direct response to community feedback after the November 2025 bond election. Projects that are not included in the current bond are: Bales replacement campus, turf for baseball and softball, athletic facility upgrades, inclusive playgrounds, and tax note refinancing. The Career and Agricultural Science Center project has been adjusted to reduce the scope and budget. 

Based on the results of the November 2025 bond election, feedback from the community survey, and additional public input, there did not appear to be sufficient support from voters for athletics-related projects at this time.

Following the election, the Board of Trustees conducted a series of workshops to review the 2025 proposal and evaluate potential revisions. Early in that process, the Board identified a target bond range of approximately $80–$90 million and agreed that any revised bond proposal should remain under the $90 million limit.

The Board studied options to modify or reduce the scope of athletics projects to determine whether they could be included within the established financial threshold. After review and discussion, it was determined that scaled-back versions would not fully address the identified long-term space and programmatic needs, including locker rooms, weight rooms, and athletic training facilities.

Given the established bond amount range and the scope of other identified facility priorities, athletics projects were not included in the 2026 bond proposal.

Maintenance requests are submitted through the district’s work order system and reviewed by the Operational Support Services Department. Requests are evaluated for safety and urgency, prioritized based on operational impact, assessed for in-house repair versus contracted services, and matched with available funding. Emergency issues, such as water leaks, electrical hazards, and safety risks, are addressed immediately.

The Board of Trustees of Friendswood Independent School District adopts the annual budget. Budget oversight includes the leadership of the Superintendent, financial management of the Chief Financial Officer, and collaboration of principals and department leaders. Friendswood ISD procures an annual audit conducted by independent external audits and also adheres to all public reporting requirements under Texas law. All expenditures must align with Board-approved budgets.

Operating funds (Maintenance & Operations) are used to support the district’s day-to-day operational costs with payroll representing approximately 83% of the maintenance and operations budget. Large infrastructure projects are typically funded through bonds, capital reserves, or designated funds. Deferring necessary infrastructure work can increase long-term costs. The district maintains multi-year capital planning to prepare for major repairs and replacements.

Public school districts in Texas must follow state procurement laws. For major projects, public notice is issued, vendors submit sealed proposals or bids, evaluation criteria are published in advance, contracts are awarded based on “best value”, and Board approval is required. All bid results are documented and publicly available. 

Cost-control strategies include preventive maintenance to extend asset life, competitive bidding, cooperative purchasing programs, value engineering during design, phased project planning, and energy efficiency initiatives. The goal is to balance fiscal responsibility with long-term reliability.

If approved, taxpayers in Friendswood ISD may see a three-cent tax increase per $100 of property value. On a $500,000 home, this equates to approximately $10 a month. To calculate the impact on your home, use the tax calculator below.

Homeowners age 65 and older or those disabled will not incur an increase of FISD taxes above their current exemption ceiling as long as a homestead and over 65 or disabled exemption have been filed with the Galveston Central Appraisal District or Brazoria Central Appraisal District. Texas law provides a school tax ceiling for homeowners who are 65 and older or disabled, meaning their school district tax bill will not increase above their ceiling as a result of this bond election.

If approved, the maximum impact is expected to be 3.49 cents per $100 of property value. This is approximately 13 cents lower compared to the November 2025 proposal.

The district’s current total tax rate is $1.03, the lowest it has been in a decade. The FISD tax rate has been lowered by 35.7 cents since 2016. 

For large projects like the Westwood replacement or the Career and Agricultural Science Center, it is similar to a mortgage. The district will repay the bonds over a 32-year period, refinancing if/when appropriate.

For technology or bus purchases, these are financed on shorter terms, so the life of the loan doesn’t exceed the life of the asset.

Friendswood ISD earned a Superior rating from the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas for the last five years. Superior is the highest rating given by FIRST. 

Friendswood ISD earned an "AA" long-term rating from S&P Global Ratings and is considered financially stable and capable of repaying its debts 

The total amount of all propositions in the 2026 bond proposal is $81,525,000.

If approved by voters, the district would issue bonds to fund the authorized projects and repay the debt over time, similar to how a mortgage is structured. Bonds carry an interest rate and follow an amortization schedule, meaning each payment includes both principal (the amount borrowed) and interest (the cost of borrowing). The exact interest rate and repayment schedule are determined at the time the bonds are issued, based on market conditions and the district’s financial plan.

Because of this structure, the total amount paid over the life of a bond is greater than the principal amount borrowed. For example, a homeowner who finances a $500,000 home with a 30-year mortgage at 6.25% interest would pay approximately $1.1 million over the life of the loan, including principal and interest.

School bonds function in a similar manner. While the exact repayment amount for the 2026 bond will not be known until bonds are sold and interest rates are set, long-term bonds are commonly structured over 30-40 years, and like all debt, the final amount paid will be higher than the original amount borrowed. It’s important to remember, however, that FISD has a history of utilizing advantageous refinancing options known as refundings and financial strategies.

Actual repayment amounts may vary depending on:

• Interest rates at the time of issuance
• The final amortization schedule
• Portions of the bond (such as buses or technology) are issued on shorter terms
• Future bond refundings or refinancings

School districts may refinance bonds with a refunding issuance, similar to refinancing a mortgage, to take advantage of lower interest rates and reduce total interest costs. FISD has refunded outstanding debt and saved approximately $16 million in interest from the 2007 bond.

If the 2026 bond proposal is approved, the district’s Debt Transparency Report will be updated to include the new authorized debt, reflect any refundings, and updated repayment schedules.
 

Figures shown are estimates for illustration only. Actual interest rates and repayment amounts will be determined at the time bonds are issued.

Visit the Proposition A page to view a breakdown by project type and by campus.

No. The projects outlined in Prop A are based on age and lifecycle, and represent what was identified as Priority 1 critical infrastructure projects on the District's most recent Facility Study.

Priorities 2, 3, 4, and 5 are not included in the budget at this time; however, projects will be completed in priority order as determined by age, condition, safety, and operations considerations (such as minimizing disruptions to learning). Similar lifecycle replacements and/or infrastructure projects may be added in future years if bond funds are available after top priority projects are complete. 

The agricultural barn is currently located on land leased from the Galveston County Consolidated Drainage District (GCCDD).

If the GCCDD chooses to sell the land, the 2026 bond proposal includes funding to purchase the property so the district would own the land where the facility is located. Ownership would provide long-term site control and protect the district’s investment in the existing facility.

The district’s maintenance department performs routine and preventive maintenance on facilities and building systems to extend their useful life. This includes ongoing work related to roofing, HVAC systems, plumbing, electrical systems, and other infrastructure components.

When major building systems reach the end of their useful life and can no longer be effectively maintained through routine repairs, replacement becomes necessary. In Texas, school bonds are the primary funding mechanism available to districts for large-scale capital replacements and major facility improvements.

Approximately half of the district’s facilities are more than 40 years old, and the oldest campus was constructed 78 years ago. Over the past 30 years, voters have approved four bond elections to address capital projects: 1997, 2005, 2007, and 2020.

Replacing Westwood Elementary will address aging systems, operational efficiency, safety, and overall learning environments. Updating and renovating the nearly 60-year-old building to address all the systems nearing the end of life would cost nearly the same as a replacement.

A new campus layout will include a new parking lot with drive lines that loop through the parking lot for cars to line up at student drop-off and pick-up. This should reduce the number of cars on Edgewood Drive.

No. The May 2026 bond only includes a replacement budget for Westwood.

Students at Bales could share the new playground and outdoor learning center. In addition, the new Westwood campus will be designed in a way to allow for future expansion/connection to Bales. 

In Proposition A, there are funds to address science labs and end of life replacements at Bales. These include the fire alarm system, PA system, lighting, secure access control systems, replacing the roof, and converting existing space to science labs.

Currently an average of 50 students are turned away from participating in student projects due to space constraints at the existing ag barn. Renovating and adding onto the current building will expand opportunities for students to raise and show livestock and explore other careers like welding and agricultural mechanics.

Renovations to the existing 11,250 square foot building.
Proposed Ag Addition approx 6,400 square feet and Proposed CTE Addition approx 9,600 square feet:

• a welding / mechanics lab to give students hands-on experience to build career skills
• a classroom to be used for instruction, leadership training, and FFA meetings
• 150 pens (estimated) for student projects
• wash areas
• show arena

Expanded parking for cars and trailers

District-wide infrastructure replacements include student data and finance management systems, off-site backup storage, phone system, time clocks, servers, and fiber.

Technology included for campuses and departments include student devices; instructional lifecycle replacements for projectors, interactive panels and large TVs; wireless access points; and AV upgrades including sound and security camera systems.

Yes, the technology projects are the same as what was proposed in November 2025. Proposed updates are related to reliable connectivity, infrastructure to support campus networks, instructionally-appropriate and reliable technology devices, and interactive panels that support learning, communication and collaboration.