DEL VALLE, Texas - Voters in Del Valle have approved a $300 million bond proposition to fund a new high school and purchase land for future school facilities.
Nearly 65% of voters approved the proposition put forth by Del Valle ISD, which says that the bond is not projected to raise the school district’s property tax rate.
Del Valle ISD is projected to gain around 500 students a year as more and more people and businesses move to the Austin region over the next 10 years. The district says that a new high school and land purchases were prioritized following a community survey as part of a report from its Growth Advisory Committee.
In the committee's Feb 2022 presentation, they cited three concerns: increased traffic, an overcrowded high school and possible difficulty in obtaining land due to price increases and rapid growth.
A Fall 2021 demographics report for the district also specifically noted the recent opening of Tesla's Gigafactory Texas, where the company's headquarters is now located, as an economic condition to consider when discussing potential growth.
Del Valle High School has about 3500 students enrolled for next school year, which is projected to increase to around 4,000 by the 2028-29 school year. By the 2031-32 school year, DVHS is projected to have an enrollment of 4,936 students.
According to the demographics report, the school only has a capacity of 3,380 students.