By David Taylor Managing Editor
CROSBY — Crosby ISD voters will decide this fall whether to authorize a two-part, $208.28 million bond package aimed at adding elementary school capacity, addressing districtwide facility needs and replacing the nearly 50- year-old Crosby Middle School.
The Crosby ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously Monday, Aug. 17, to call the Nov. 3, 2026, bond election. The proposal will appear on the ballot as two separate propositions, meaning voters may approve both, reject both or approve one and not the other.
District officials say the package grew out of a yearlong review by Crosby ISD’s Long-Range Planning Team, a community committee made up of parents, staff, students, business leaders and residents. The group studied enrollment projections, facility conditions and the district’s financial capacity before recommending the projects that ultimately went to the board.
The full proposal totals $208,280,000, with Proposition A set at $98,280,000 and Proposition B set at $110,000,000. Crosby ISD says the bond is intended to address continued student growth, aging facilities and long-term capital projects that are not paid for through the district’s regular operating budget. According to the district’s bond information site, bond funds must be used only for voter-approved projects and cannot pay for operating expenses such as salaries, supplies or utilities.
Proposition A, the larger and more wide-ranging of the two measures in terms of project types, would authorize $98.28 million for a new elementary school and a series of districtwide capital improvements.
The centerpiece of the proposition is a new elementary campus designed to respond to projected enrollment growth. Crosby ISD currently serves more than 7,300 students, and district officials say additional elementary capacity has become a priority as local growth continues. The new campus would serve approximately 750 students in prekindergarten through fifth grade, with core facilities designed for future capacity of up to 950 students.
The district’s planning materials describe the proposed elementary school as a complete campus, not merely an expansion of classroom space. The school would include a library/media center, cafetorium, food service area, full-size gymnasium, music and art rooms, general education classrooms for all grade levels, dedicated spaces for special education and intervention, and science/STEM lab space. Outdoor areas would include age-separated playgrounds, outdoor learning space and a covered pavilion or gathering area.
Safety and security features are also built into the proposed elementary design. Crosby ISD’s bond information lists a secure single-point entry vestibule, perimeter fencing and controlled access points among the planned components. Those campus- level security features would be paired with districtwide safety upgrades included in the same proposition.
Beyond the new school, Proposition A would fund roof replacement and building envelope improvements at selected elementary campuses identified through the district’s facility assessment. It also includes HVAC updates across aging campuses, including replacement of rooftop units, boilers, pumps and control systems.
The proposition would also pay for fire alarm systems, public address systems, security cameras and access control upgrades at campuses across the district. Technology infrastructure improvements would include network, server and other districtwide upgrades intended to support classroom technology and daily operations. Site-related work would include traffic flow, parking and drainage improvements at multiple campuses.
District officials have said that if Proposition A is approved, project planning would begin after the election, with construction and improvements occurring in phases over multiple years. The district’s frequently asked questions page says that if the bond does not pass, Crosby ISD would continue operating existing facilities and address only the most urgent needs as funding allows, while major renovations and new facilities would be delayed.
Proposition B would authorize $110 million to design, build and equip a new middle school to replace Crosby Middle School.
The existing middle school was built in 1974, and district officials say additional information about its condition helped move replacement of the campus into the bond package. The district has cited repair costs estimated at close to $40 million for the nearly 50-year-old facility.
The district’s bond information describes Proposition B as a replacement project rather than a renovation. If approved, the measure would fund the construction, design and equipping of a new middle school campus. Because voters will decide the proposition separately from Proposition A, the middle school replacement could move forward only if Proposition B receives voter approval, regardless of the outcome of Proposition A.
District officials have framed the middle school proposal as part of a broader long-range facilities strategy. While Proposition A focuses on elementary growth and districtwide infrastructure needs, Proposition B centers on replacing an aging secondary campus that would otherwise require major investment to repair. The district’s materials say bond funds must remain within the purposes approved by voters; if costs or circumstances change, the district may adjust scope or timelines, but any changes would require board action and must stay within the approved purposes.
If both propositions are approved, Crosby ISD estimates the district’s Interest & Sinking tax rate would increase by about 2 cents, from $0.48 to $0.50 per $100 of taxable value. The district breaks that estimate into roughly $0.009 per $100 for Proposition A and $0.011 per $100 for Proposition B.
Using an example taxable home value of $115,728 after applicable exemptions, Crosby ISD estimates the combined impact of both propositions would be approximately $23.15 per year, or $1.93 per month. The district also states that homeowners age 65 or older, or those with a qualifying disability exemption on file, generally would not see their school tax bill increase because of the bond unless the home is significantly improved or another legal exception applies.
School finance rules separate day-to-day district operations from major construction debt. Crosby ISD’s explanation says Maintenance & Operations funds pay for expenses such as salaries and utilities, while large facility projects are funded through bonds repaid through the separate Interest & Sinking tax rate.
Early voting is scheduled for Oct. 19-30, and Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.
Crosby ISD says it will provide factual information about the propositions, including project details, tax impact and election information, throughout the fall. The district has also emphasized that the two propositions will be decided independently, so voters will make separate choices on the elementary growth and capital improvements package and the middle school replacement proposal.
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