Larry Kilgore, who said he was North Texas regional chairman of the political party, suggested the district encourage parents to consider home schooling to thin the enrollment. We want government school ended. I can teach my kids more effectively than government school can. But now they estimate the increase will be about 11.4 cents over three years. It will be added in increments of 3.8 cents beginning next school year, if the election succeeds.
Officials also hope to get more state funding for school debt to help offset much of the increase.
The school board reduced the bond program by dropping a proposed career technology center and adding a fifth elementary school, which would be less expensive. Arlington Councilwoman Sheri Capehart, who attended the meeting, said she strongly supports the bond program but said she is concerned about retaining the center's design funding. Cunningham said the design work has to be done before the district prepares for that bond election. If voters reject it, the design would be available if the district decided to try another election. Or, he added, pieces of the design could be used if the district is forced to scrap the centralized concept and put vocational facilities at each high school.