Programs

On Saturday, May 2, 2026, Arlington ISD voters approved Propositions A and B of the Bond 2026 election, while Proposition C did not pass. Preliminary results — set to become official on May 12 when the Board of Trustees canvasses the votes — showed Prop A passing with 59% approval and Prop B with 59% approval; Prop C failed with 52% voting against.

“This is a great day for Arlington ISD,” said Superintendent Dr. Matt Smith. “We are extremely grateful to the families and residents of Arlington ISD who came out to vote. The approval of Propositions A & B in Bond 2026 means we can improve aging facilities and equipment and ensure our students have the exceptional learning environments they deserve for years to come.”

With Bond 2026, voters approved $469.7 million in bond authorization across two propositions:

• Proposition A — $438,755,000: Funds two new elementary school replacements (including South Davis Elementary), a dedicated facility for the district’s Special Education 18 PLUSS program, renovations to facilities 50–70 years old, new Career & Technical Education equipment, new buses, and upgraded safety and security measures.
• Proposition B — $30,955,000: Funds replacement of instructional student technology devices, infrastructure technology devices, and staff technology devices.
• Proposition C — $31,565,000 (did not pass) would have funded synthetic turf installation at six comprehensive high school baseball and softball fields, replacement/upgrade of athletic equipment, and new athletic storage facilities.

By law, bond funds may not be used for daily operating expenses or salaries — they are restricted to projects approved by district voters.

Next steps: With Props A and B approved, Arlington ISD will begin coordinating with architects on a competitive bidding process and finalize a construction timeline, while working with financial advisors to establish a bond program issuance schedule. The first step will be forming a Bond Oversight Committee of community members to provide transparency and accountability throughout the program.

Financial impact: The approved bond projects can be funded with an estimated one-cent increase to Arlington ISD’s current tax rate — roughly $1.50/month, or $18/year, for a home valued at $300,000. Homeowners 65+ with a residence homestead exemption on file with Tarrant County will see no increase above their frozen tax amount (absent substantial home improvements). Over the past two decades, the district’s tax rate has fallen from $1.74 (2005–2006) to $1.09 (2025–2026), aided by more than $119 million in interest savings from early payoff of voter-approved debt through bond refinancing.

Development process: The bond package was shaped by a comprehensive, independent third-party review of district facilities and infrastructure, including an evaluation of the Facility Condition Index and capacity at every campus. A community-led Capital Needs Steering Committee (CNSC) — composed of parents, non-parents, educators, business owners, civic leaders, and other community members — reviewed enrollment trends, facility conditions, projected costs, and tax implications before recommending the bond package to the Board of Trustees, addressing capital needs through 2029 in support of the district’s strategic plan. The Board unanimously called the election during its February 5th meeting.

Arlington ISD voters approved a $966 million bond proposal on November 5, 2019 — the district’s largest bond program to date. Designed to improve facilities, provide access and equity for all students, and build on progress made through the 2014 Bond program, Bond 2019 addresses needs across four key areas: facilities; transportation; safety, security & technology; and fine arts.

Key priorities funded by the program include:

• Rebuilding four aging schools
• Additions, renovations, and furnishings for full-day Pre-K classrooms
• New junior high and high school fine arts/dual language academies
• Facility condition and life-cycle renovations at all campuses
• New playgrounds and shade structures for all elementary schools
• An addition to the Dan Dipert Career + Technical Center to support program expansion
• A third districtwide competition athletic field at Martin High School, plus improvements to Wilemon and Cravens fields
• Athletics and fine arts facility upgrades at all secondary schools
• Classroom additions at select campuses to right-size for enrollment growth
• New fine arts instruments, uniforms, and equipment
• New school buses and service vehicles
• Additional security cameras and upgraded safety/security/communications systems districtwide
• Technology upgrades to network infrastructure and student/staff devices

Development process: The program was shaped by a comprehensive facilities assessment and a study led by a 37-member Capital Needs Steering Committee — made up of parents, teachers, principals, community members, business representatives, and college/university representatives — which evaluated instructional priorities, enrollment trends, building conditions, transportation, security, and technology needs through 2025. The Board of Trustees called the bond election on August 13, 2019, and voters approved it that November.

Post-pandemic realignment: Due to COVID-19 impacts and unprecedented construction-related inflation early in the program’s execution, AISD administration recommended a plan to realign remaining bond projects around critical program and infrastructure needs. The Board approved this realignment plan on June 28, 2022.

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Four Areas

Bond 2019 projects fall into four categories:

• Facilities — The largest area of the bond. Funds new construction, facility condition needs, and life-cycle improvements for all schools, plus new playgrounds at all elementary schools and facility upgrades for fine arts and athletics.
• Safety, Security & Technology — Additional security cameras and upgraded alarm systems; districtwide communications system upgrade; network infrastructure; device replacements; strategic 1:1 student device program.
• Fine Arts — Theater equipment and black boxes; instruments; visual arts equipment and work surfaces; piano replacements; uniforms for marching bands, drill teams, and choirs. (Fine arts facility upgrades are funded under the Facilities area; new high school band trailers are funded under Transportation.)
• Transportation — Buses (replace 55, add 32); shuttle buses (add 22); service vehicles (replace 62, add 41); new vehicles and trailers for the Dan Dipert Career + Technical Center, the Agricultural Science Center, high school bands, and security. Additional buses allow AISD to expand routes for instructional programming and safety.

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Five Phases

The 2019 Bond projects are being implemented in five phases:

• Phase 1: Gunn Junior High & Fine Arts/Dual Language Academy; Crow Elementary addition & renovations; Webb, Thornton, and Berry Elementary replacements; Food Service Center; Enterprise Centre administration building; land acquisition; Pre-K furnishings; playgrounds
• Phase 2: Arlington High School Fine Arts & Dual Language Academy; Sam Houston HS & Wilemon Field; Bailey Junior High addition & renovations; Adams, Hale, Duff, South Davis, Atherton, Foster, and Johns Elementary renovations; playgrounds
• Phase 3: Carter Junior High replacement (new build) → becomes Joey Rodriguez Junior High; Carter Junior High demolition; Knox and Roark Elementary demolitions; Amos, Goodman, Key, Short, Pope, Speer, Little, and Miller Elementary renovations; Lamar High School & Cravens Field; playgrounds
• Phase 4: Bowie High School; Dan Dipert Career + Technical Center addition & renovations; Farrell, Fitzgerald, Blanton, Butler, Sherrod, Ditto, Dunn, Hill, Swift, McNutt, and Burgin Elementary renovations; Turning Point Secondary School; Young and Workman Junior High renovations
• Phase 5: Seguin High School; Boles, Barnett, Nichols, and Ousley Junior High renovations; a large group of elementary school renovations (Ashworth, Pearcy, Bryant, West, Moore, Wood, Anderson, Remynse, Crouch, Patrick, Peach, Ellis, Larson, Bebensee, Beckham, Starrett, Williams); Corey Fine Arts & Dual Language Academy; Venture/Newcomer campus; support facilities (Mac Bernd PDC, 600 New York Annex, Transportation & Security, warehouses, Agricultural Science Center)