On Monday night, the Frisco ISD Board met for its final meeting before the end of the school year. After recognizing numerous student athletes and academic achievements that occurred during the spring semester, the Board had preliminary conversations about its budget for the 2019-20 year. While the district is still waiting for the Legislative Session to conclude in order to know what its funding and mandates on those funds will look like from the state, the Board discussed two main principles:
1. An across the board raise, in addition to market adjustments for all staff; and
2. Increasing teacher staffing to reduce the ratio of student to teacher in the classroom, including special education which is largely possible due to the passage of the Tax Ratification Election last November.
The district must finalize its budget by June 10, 2019. The Board also discussed the results of the sale of bonds approved by voters in 2018, approved construction under the program, and discussed the creation of a new website for additional transparency of the bond program which was proposed by a Frisco ISD student in the Independent Study program. The district worked with Wells Fargo Securities for a unique opportunity to allow students interested in finance to witness the sale of the bonds in person. The $278 million of bonds priced on April 24, 2019 included $150 million of “new money,” or money to be used for new projects, and another $128 million to refinance bonds that were sold in 2009. The refinancing of 2009 bonds will save the District approximately $43 million dollars in interest costs over the life of the debt. The projects that will break ground over the summer include the turfing of baseball and softball fields at three high schools, paving of high school marching band fields to create more parking and a better surface for band practice, and the rebuilding of the Stafford Middle School track. The Board also received an update on the plan for visioning sessions for high school #12 and selected an architect for a Natatorium which is expected to open in 2021.
