Preparing SAISD for the Future of Learning
Dear Families and Staff:
Every decision the SAISD Board of Trustees makes for San Antonio ISD should begin with our students and the future we are preparing them to enter. We have a responsibility to meet their needs today while building a district ready for the generations who will follow them.
As a proud public-school graduate from New Orleans, I believe deeply in the power of education to shape opportunity and change the trajectory of a family. That belief became even more personal as I became a parent involved in my children’s schools in San Antonio. I volunteered, joined the PTA, and eventually ran for the SAISD Board of Trustees, where I have served since 2019. My commitment has remained the same: every child deserves a high-quality education and the support to succeed, regardless of their ZIP code.
I served on the Board when voters approved Bond 2020. Since then, SAISD has completed more than 100 bond-funded projects, including nearly $200 million in upgrades to heating and air conditioning systems, safety and security features, and technology. These Bond 2020 improvements support the conditions our students need to learn, and our educators need to teach.
This month, my fellow Trustees and I approved upcoming Bond 2020 construction projects for Davis Middle School and the new M. L. King Academy. The district remains on track to complete the projects and commitments included in Bond 2020. Following through on those commitments is essential to maintaining the trust our community has placed in us.
Planning for school facilities requires us to look ahead. Buildings age, mechanical systems need replacement, and technology changes. At the same time, the ways students learn and the skills they need continue to evolve. Our planning must account for both.
We want students to develop strong foundations in reading and mathematics, explore their interests, and graduate prepared for college, a career, military service, or entrepreneurship. As enrollment patterns and community needs change, we must consider how our facilities can best support the students we serve.
Major construction and renovation projects are generally too large to fund through a district’s annual operating budget. Bond programs allow districts to finance those improvements over time while prioritizing needs and managing debt. Successive bond programs are part of an ongoing process of caring for public assets and preparing them for future use.
That planning also must account for changing construction costs, technology requirements, and safety, accessibility, and legal standards. A school designed to meet students’ needs 20 years ago may require updates to support learning today, and in the years ahead.
If approved, Bond 2026 would represent the next phase of SAISD’s long-term capital improvement strategy. On Nov. 3, voters will consider four proposals addressing SAISD’s facilities and operating needs. The bond proposals will appear as Propositions B, C, and D on the ballot, funding school modernization, capital system replacements, safety and security, information technology, and improvements to Alamo Stadium and Convocation Center.
Proposition A addresses a different matter. It is a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election, or VATRE, that would generate approximately $5.5 million in revenue for day-to-day operations. If approved, the district would fund a one-time staff supplement, college and career readiness programs for K–12 students, and teacher pipeline initiatives.
Our responsibility also includes being clear about the financial impact on families. If voters approve all four proposals, the estimated increase for the average homeowner in SAISD would be $1.99 per month in 2026 and $3.25 per month in 2027, rising incrementally to $5.76 per month by 2030. These amounts matter to household budgets, and we are sharing them so residents have information about the proposed costs and uses of funds serving more than 40,000 children.
Under the conditions outlined by the district, SAISD property taxes for homeowners who are senior citizens or who meet the applicable disability standard would not be affected by the four proposals if they have filed homestead, Over-65 and/or disabled-person residence homestead exemption applications with the Bexar County Appraisal District and owned their home as of Jan. 1, 2026.
Voters will determine whether these proposals move forward.
As district leaders, our responsibility is to provide accurate information, answer questions, and remain accountable to the community we serve.
Respectfully,
Alicia Sebastian, President
San Antonio ISD Board of Trustees