August 4, 2026 - The Comal ISD Board of Trustees has called a $567 million bond election for November 3, 2026. The proposal includes two propositions addressing safety and security, aging facilities, enrollment growth, student transportation, and classroom technology.
Comal ISD currently serves more than 30,300 students across 589 square miles. The district has added approximately 10,000 students during the past decade and continues to grow by an estimated 900 to 1,000 students each year. Enrollment is projected to exceed 40,000 students by 2035.
The bond package was developed following a review by Comal Forward, a community planning committee made up of more than 60 parents, taxpayers, retirees, business owners and community members from across the district. From January through May, committee members received school finance and demographic information, reviewed facility needs, toured campuses, evaluated project priorities and considered the district’s financial capacity before making a recommendation to the Board.
“Our community continues to grow, and that growth affects schools throughout the district,” Superintendent Dr. John Chapman said. “This proposal reflects the work of community members who carefully reviewed our needs and helped identify priorities related to safety, existing facilities, student capacity and technology. Our responsibility now is to make sure voters have clear, factual information about each proposition before the election.”
The bond will appear on the ballot as two propositions:
Proposition A: Facilities, Land and Buses, $539,955,000
Proposition A would fund:
- Safety and security improvements, including surveillance cameras, secure entry vestibules, upgraded door hardware and card-reader access controls
- Replacement of aging buses, including some with more than 200,000 miles and no seat belts, with buses equipped with seat belts
- Replacement and modernization of aging heating and cooling, roofing, electrical and plumbing systems
- Energy-efficiency improvements intended to reduce operating costs
- Two new elementary schools along the I-35 corridor near New Braunfels
- Land for future school sites
- Additional instructional space at Canyon High School
- A multipurpose addition at Davenport High School
- Career and Technical Education spaces and other campus improvements district wide
District projections show elementary schools along the I-35 corridor could face a shortage of approximately 1,300 seats by 2032. The district also estimates construction costs are increasing by at least 5 percent annually, which could add approximately $27 million to project costs for each year they are delayed.
Proposition B: Classroom Technology, $27,045,000
Proposition B would fund:
- Replacement of student laptops and classroom devices on a planned schedule
- Upgrades to the district’s network infrastructure
- Improvements to network speed, connectivity, reliability and security
Technology purchases would be financed with short-term bonds structured to reflect the expected useful life of the equipment.
Tax Rate Remains at 30-Year Low
Both propositions can be financed within Comal ISD’s existing tax rate. The district’s current total tax rate is the lowest it has been in 30 years, and the debt-service portion of the rate has remained at $0.35 per $100 of taxable value for more than a decade.
State law requires every Texas school bond proposition to include the statement “THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE” because property taxes are used to repay bond debt. While Comal ISD projects that the bonds can be financed without increasing its current tax rate, an individual property owner’s tax bill may change based on property values established by the county appraisal district.
Bond funds may be used only for capital expenses such as facilities, land, buses and technology and are not subject to state recapture, meaning 100 percent of the money raised would remain in Comal ISD.
The last day to register to vote is October 5. Early voting will be held October 19 through October 30. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voters will have the opportunity to vote on both propositions.