Voters approve Midland ISD $1.4 billion school bond

November 7, 2023 — Midland County has released unofficial results and determined Midland voters passed a $1.415 billion school bond Tuesday. Midland ISD is grateful for the community’s support of the projects in the bond. This is the first school bond in Midland to address secondary schools in 20 years.

The bond was approved 56.12% (12,404 votes for) to 43.88% (9,699 votes against) with 22,103 voters participating in the election. The final voting results from Midland County are unofficial until the Midland ISD Board of Trustees canvass the election results at a Special School Board Meeting set for noon Friday, Nov. 17.

The called bond election was a culmination of 18 months of work that began with a Long-Range Planning Committee in 2022. From February through July of this year, a 100-member citizen, staff and student committee reviewed the work of the Long-Range Planning Committee, facilities assessments, growth projections and a demographic study to identify the needs of existing facilities and the future of infrastructure for the district. The committee identified facilities and projects to serve all students across multiple grade levels and programs, and discussed grade reconfiguration, building capacities, the budget outlook and inflationary impact on construction materials and labor.

The funds from the school bond will allow the district to implement grade reconfiguration by building two comprehensive high schools to accommodate ninth through 12th grade students; moving to a traditional middle school model of sixth through eighth grade students; and elementary schools housing pre-kindergarten through fifth grade students across the district. The bond will address safety and security and aging facility needs district-wide, as well as build a new elementary school in northeast Midland.

The website midlandbond2023.com contains detailed information on the projects and initiatives made possible by this crucial investment in the educational infrastructure of Midland. The website will continue to be updated throughout the course of the work that is part of Bond 2023.

Key projects that will benefit from the school bond include:

Grade Reconfiguration: The restructuring to a traditional sixth through eighth grade middle school model and moving ninth graders to the comprehensive high schools will allow for the expansion of advanced coursework, electives and lessen travel time.
Modernized Facilities: Aging schools will receive much-needed updates to provide students with a safe and inspiring learning environment.
Improved Safety Measures: Safety is a top priority, and the bond will provide the necessary resources to enhance security in schools district-wide.
Upgraded Technology: The bond will enable us to invest in up-to-date technology infrastructure to enhance the learning experience and prepare our students for the digital age they will encounter after graduation.

“Thank you to the Midland community for recognizing the importance of investing in our children's education and their future. In Midland ISD, we are truly educating the future,” said Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Howard. “On behalf of our students and staff, I am so thankful for the community’s trust and support.”

“Thank you to the Bond Planning Committee who, from the beginning, was committed to developing a bond program the community would get behind and support,” Howard continued. “Our community is growing, and I appreciate our community for recognizing that this growth has created needs that cannot be met in our existing aging secondary facilities.”

Midland ISD will work diligently to ensure the bond funds are utilized efficiently and to complete the approved projects on time and within budget. Monthly reports will be presented to the Board of Trustees during regularly scheduled board meetings. Quarterly reports will be presented to the Bond Advisory Committee made up of community members and stakeholders, and annual meetings will be held to bring the Bond Planning Committee back together for a recap of the year’s projects and upcoming projects.

For more information on the 2023 school bond and the exciting projects as a result of the community’s support, please visit midlandbond2023.com.

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Media Relations Contact:
Lyndsey White
Chief Communications Officer
432-240-1042 | lyndsey.white@midlandisd.net