How do you fellow midlanders feel about the bond elections coming up?
What is your opinion of the misd idea of going to three 4A high schools instead of two monster 5A schools?
First bond is for 160 million for more elementary schools and update existing schools.
Second bond in the near future will be for 500-600 million for upper schools.
I've been here since 1989 and these things don't usually pass. If it is ever going to pass, now is the time. Population is going through the roof, the question is will it hold up once the drilling activity slows down.
I would like to see some of the oil companies step up and commit bg $$$$ towards this before the elections. My kids are in private school or graduated so I don't have a dog in the hunt. But I do realize midland does need to do something now.
Thoughts?

Kinda in the same boat as you; all kids grown and gone, but I do have grand kids in the system. They need more room for sure, can't argue that point. but half a billion bothers me. I know that education does not improve by throwing money at the district. I would hope a few explanations or solutions to the current state of the education system here would be given (without $ attached to them). Having served on a school board back in the 80's I am aware that so much of a district's problems come from federal and state mandates. If they don't come forward with a better plan for day to day education I will vote no. I would really like to feel good enough about our district to be proud, but that's why all my kids save one went to private schools.

Has anyone heard about how Andrews ISD handled being Robin Hooded by Austin?

Somehow they were able to keep more money in Andrews by using a bond and tweaking tax rates instead of having their state funds taken away. I do not fully comprehend it yet.

MISD has not mentioned it, but talk radio out here has.

All the boom has done for where I work is make it harder to keep people or find replacements. The boom has also raised my tax rates while my raises are no different than years past. And finally people have totally forgotten how to drive.

I will have to see the final cut of the bond before I can say one way or the other. The first bite is big, but the whole thing looks pretty outrageous right now. I would love to see something revolutionary and imaginative done to fix the problem, but I am not going to hold my breath that throwing money will be done instead.

How much does it cost to build a school building?

I cannot comprehend why $600,000,000.00 is needed for upper level facilities.

Having wired six of the elementary's in the late 90's school bond, MISD is very efficient in their projects. They are foresighted in their technology and do not sacrifice money for excess efficiency that will not pay back in its expected life. Their building designs are clean and neat in their design. They are one of the best school districts I have contracted with in the last 25 years.

That's good to hear fuzzy.

I was discussing this with an Odessan yesterday. He told me Midland and Odessa are considering going to 4 4A high schools each. Has anyone else heard this?

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He told me Midland and Odessa are considering going to 4 4A high schools each. Has anyone else heard this?

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I don't understand this. Why not just keep Lee, MHS, Mojo and OHS 5A and maybe an additional school in each city if needed (I don't know what size it would be. Maybe 3A?). It would just be sad to see those schools drop down after being in 5A for so long.

Unless their reasoning is to create a new district, which I guess would include 8 teams in the permian basin alone.

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Having wired six of the elementary's in the late 90's school bond, MISD is very efficient in their projects

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The company I used to work for in Angelo did a bunch of the architectural millwork/casework for multiple remodels in MAF in the late 80's/ early 90's.

They seemed to have their act together, thought they were specing some outdated cabt designs. Hard to believe it is time to redo those elementary schools... Washington, Fannin and Pease were all done over one summer, IIRC.

Houston, I don't think the reason to go 4 4A has anything to do with sports. It about smaller classes proving a. Better education. With populations in M and O growing like they are, this really isn't a bad idea. As far as sports go, M and O could have an 8 team district. Andrews and Big Spring are growing too and could also be 4A soon. Then you would have a 10 team district with very little travel!

I don't think the bond is going to pass, but if it was presented with the back drop of going to smaller class size etc it might have a chance. Sorry but I am not going to vote for a .5 billion issue. I need to see some accountability and the infusion of better teachers. Bond issues don't attract better teachers, a good salary and a good educational environment will. Sorry I kinda hijacked the thread, but ultimately it will take a bond issue to go to 4 4-A's.

First off I need to clarify before I respond, that I am in the construction industry in Midland (so it would create work for us). I do think though that I keep my business and personal feeling separate.

That being said, I have been involved in many MISD construction projects over the years, along with many,if not most, other districts throughout west Texas and efficiency-wise MISD has always done a very good job in construction. They get alot of bang for the buck construction wise. I have seen very little unnecessary fluff in past projects.

Fact is that the current schools NEED more space. They are packed to the gills. I can't guarantee I will vote for every bond issue as the .5 billion price tag is for complete projects and the bond issues will be phased and voted on separately at different times but I will say I will probably tend to vote for them if they keep the efficiency up.

I get to see the designs fairly early and will decide as I see them. An example of one time not agreeing was with a proposed new Midland High campus years ago. They had 'planned' on a campus on east 250. I saw the early design and I would have voted against that one. The architecture firm had designed a Taj Majal, which was completely unnecessary. A good simple design lowers square foot costs and thats what I look at when deciding my vote.

But again, especially for newcomers to Midland, MISD in the past has spent their construction money very well in my very knowledgeable opinion.

but rabble rabble rabble 5A!


/most midlands

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Andrews and Big Spring are growing too and could also be 4A soon. Then you would have a 10 team district with very little travel!

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This is a true statement. Will be interesting to see what happens