Right now, voters in the Houston Independent School District (HISD) are deciding whether to support two bond measures totaling $4.4 billion. I urge my fellow Houstonians to vote for Proposition A, which will improve the health and safety of our school buildings through the funding of 43 rebuilds or renovations, three new career and technical centers, and pre-K expansion, and Proposition B, which will upgrade technology districtwide.

As a HISD parent, I’ve personally witnessed the stark contrast in school facilities across the district. My kids have attended a variety of schools — some in aging, deteriorating buildings, including one where half the classrooms were in temporary buildings, others in beautiful, new facilities built with the last bond approved in 2012.

As a former HISD high school teacher, I understand the difference local bond measures can make to the everyday learning conditions experienced by teachers, students, and staff. I taught in a school that was literally sinking before it was rebuilt thanks to the 2012 bond. The air conditioning was in desperate need of replacement — freezing cold and loud every single day. Do you remember last winter when our students had to endure very cold temperatures in school buildings when it was below freezing outside? Just as a home requires regular maintenance, especially given Houston’s extreme weather conditions, so too does HISD’s infrastructure, which is long overdue for basic investments to keep facilities in good working condition.

As a former HISD trustee, I saw our maintenance needs and budgets rise dramatically every year just to pay for the costly upkeep of old and aging facilities. Even after spending over $60 million in federal COVID relief funds (link 1 and link 2) on HVAC improvements alone, we are still pouring money into repairing aging buildings and facilities that could otherwise be spent directly in classrooms. The longer we put off investing in long-term solutions and necessary upgrades, the more we will spend on deferred maintenance at the expense of instructional needs.

As a co-chair for HISD’s Bond Community Advisory Committee, I analyzed the current proposal, which included the list of campuses and how they will be prioritized for investments, and asked many, many questions to understand what voters are being asked to approve. On average, school districts bring a bond proposal every five years. Because it has been more than 12 years since HISD’s last bond, the district’s total facility needs are estimated at $10 billion, far more than the current funding proposal. Yes, this is a big investment, but it’s a necessary one that prioritizes the pressing health and safety needs of students and staff.

Do we need more funding from the state? Yes, but, per state law, those funds will not and cannot be used to meet the district’s capital needs. Bonds are the only mechanism we have to get funding for school infrastructure improvements.

But this bond is about more than buildings; it’s about creating environments in which every student, no matter where they go to school, can learn and thrive. It’s about providing equitable access to quality opportunities and programming like state-of-the-art career- and technical-education centers, where students can acquire skills and earn certificates in high-need industries that will position them to earn a living wage after high school graduation. On average, HISD graduates earn $24,000 more per year with an associate degree or higher. And having a credential beyond a high school diploma is increasingly essential, as 71% of jobs in Texas are expected to require a postsecondary credential by 2036.

Our kids and teachers have waited for critical upgrades for more than a decade already. This year’s graduating class was in kindergarten when the last bond measure of its kind was passed. How long must we ask students to “weather the storm?” Failure to pass bond measures has negative long-term consequences. For decades, our schools have had crumbling infrastructure, old HVAC systems that barely work, and temporary classrooms that are not conducive to learning. This isn’t sustainable — financially or from a safety standpoint.

Houstonians, we can wait no longer. Let’s invest in the future of our students now and vote “For” Props A and B.

Judith Cruz has over 25 years of experience as an educator, nonprofit leader, and volunteer in public schools. She is an HISD parent, former HISD trustee, co-chair for HISD’s Bond Community Advisory Committee, and assistant director for EdTrust in Texas.