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A forum to field questions about Port Arthur Independent School District’s $300 million bond propositions saw inquiries on the reasoning behind the decisions to create a Newcomers Addition, new middle school and new stadium complex among other issues.

Upwards of 60 people attended Monday’s Community Forum at Strong Tower Ministries where the PAISD Bond Committee and Superintendent Dr. Mark Porterie provided information. 

The issues: 

Construction of new middle school

Part of Proposition A includes building a new middle school that would include students from the district’s two middle schools. Currently Lincoln is over 100 years old and Jefferson is 65.  To renovate Lincoln would cost at least $117 million; to renovate Jefferson would take over $200 million, Porterie said. To build two new middle schools would be more than $300 million. 

There are concerns with both of the schools structure-wise, he said. 

Currently, there are about 864 students at Jefferson and 650 at Lincoln. Should the bond pass, there would be a merging of teachers from the two campuses and the curriculum is based on the Texas Education Agency. 

Neither school would see instructional interruption as the move would be done several years down the road and not in the middle of a school year. 

One question submitted asked for the district’s plan to uphold the cultural and historical significance of Lincoln and Jefferson.  Porterie harkened back to the consolidation of PAISD’s three high schools, Lincoln, Jefferson and Stephen F. Austin, that was done 22 years ago. Memorial High School was born from the consolidation.

The community was upset then and some still are, he noted.

There is discussion of tearing down a portion of Lincoln and leaving the front and having it designated a historical landmark or even a museum. That idea is being explored. 

There is also a problem with attendance at the Lincoln campus, he said. School lines have been drawn in a way to add students to the attendance zone but the district often faces parents with signed documents saying they don’t live in that particular area. 

 

Newcomers Addition

The Newcomers Addition will be an extension at the Administration Building.  

Porterie explained there are more than 18 different ethnicities in PAISD with students coming in from all over the world. There needs to be a buffer for the students to become acclimated not only to the United States but Texas and Port Arthur. 

“People have a notion of what Port Arthur should look like but over the years Port Arthur has changed,” he said. “Right now, we’re 54.9% Hispanic and 37% African American. And it’s climbing every day. We have to address the students that are coming to this community.”

To meet the federal requirements outlined in Title III, Part A (Language Instruction for English Learners) and Title I, Part C (Education of Migratory Children), it is essential to establish a dedicated Immigrant and Migrant Parent Resource Center. This center will empower emergent bilingual, immigrant, and migrant families by providing resources, information, and support that promote active participation in their children’s education, fostering academic success and engagement in school communities, according to information from PAISD.

Also part of Proposition A is adding to the Career and Technology facility, doubling it in size while adding a number of programs, some of which include auto transportation technology, pipe fitting, barber school, graphic arts, advanced manufacturing and engineering, engineering/computer-aided design, cyber security and administrative programming. The cost comes in at $42 million.

Proposition A also includes HVAC upgrades district-wide and the purchase of buses, which will be implemented with savings from projects.

Proposition B — Sports Complex, $78 million

Proposition B includes a sports complex for multiple sports. Texas law requires that certain types of projects be in their own standalone proposition, one of which is a stadium.

Porterie said the issue of a sports complex was brought to the district by residents. 

According to information from the district, PAISD’s I&S tax rate will not increase if these bond proposals are approved by voters. However, state law requires every school district to include the statement “This is a property tax increase” on the ballot, regardless of the actual impact on the district’s tax rate.

 

Voters have more chances to attend a community forum in the coming days. 

• Monday, April 7, 6 p.m., Travis Elementary School, 1115 Lakeview Ave.
• Tuesday, April 8, 6 p.m., Washington Elementary School, 1200 Freeman Ave.
• Thursday, April 17 at 6 p.m., Port Acres Elementary School, 5900 Jade Ave.
• A Spanish language forum is planned, date/location to be announced

 

For more information on the bond go to paisdbond.com

Early voting for the May 3 election is from April 22 to April 29.