Voters passed three of five bond proposals from North East Independent School District on Tuesday, unlocking roughly $483 million for capital projects focusing on massive technology, cybersecurity and HVAC upgrades. 

NEISD can now move forward with most of the projects outlined in its bond package, initially set at $495 million. 

Moments after the first election numbers came in, Chrystal Payne, co-chair of the Friends of NEISD political action committee, thanked voters at a watch party “for recognizing the fact that our children and our teachers are the future.” 

Payne is also a mother of two NEISD graduates and still lives in the district’s boundaries. 

From the district’s bond package, voters said “no” to Propositions D and E, accounting for only 2.43% of the package. These propositions would have funded stadium and natatorium renovations. 

Just over 60 percent of voters approved Proposition A, the largest of the bond package, including funding for huge HVAC renovations and chiller replacements. The district plans to replace R-22 chillers at more than 30 locations across the district, most of which are school campuses. 

Prop A will also pay for updated cybersecurity measures, library and plumbing renovations, new school buses, new police vehicles and new fire alarm systems. 

Overall, Prop A accounted for more than 80% of NEISD’s initial $495 million bond package.

Proposition B was approved by 56% of voters. This means the district will be able to pay for technology upgrades such as replacing teacher laptops and student devices. 

Payne thinks voters were more supportive of Props A and B since they seemed like “basic” needs.

“Especially in South Texas… air conditioning [is a priority],” she said. “[Voters] don’t like the thought of kids having to go to school where there’s no air conditioning.”

The vote for Proposition C was the narrowest with a favorable majority of only 140 votes. 

This proposition focuses on upgrading several of the district’s athletic facilities and replacing old equipment, and it covers less than 6% of the bond package. The measure passed with 50.1% of voter support. 

Linda Comeaux , who works in NEISD’s adults education services, (left) sits with Chris Carruth and Chrystal Payne, co-chairs of the Friends of North East ISD PAC, at an election watch party at Willie’s Grill and Ice House on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. Credit: Gisell Campos / San Antonio Report

Voters reject stadium, natatorium upgrades

Proposition D would’ve funded upgrades and renovations to several of the district’s sports facilities, including to the Blossom Athletic Center and Heroes Stadium. The measure failed with 53% of voters against it. 

Proposition E, the smallest of the bonds, was meant to pay for upgrades at the Josh Davis Pool and a dehumidification system at Walker Natatorium. The measure failed with just 50.3% of voters in opposition. 

Voters don’t tend to like funding school stadiums, Payne said, often assuming funds will go toward large vanity projects. 

“We’re not talking about fancy stadiums. We’re not talking about fancy schools. We’re not talking about new schools. We’re talking about just maintaining what we already have. The state doesn’t give our district money to do so,” she said. 

The last time the district called for a bond election was in 2015. The $499.5 million measure passed with more than 66% approval. Before that, voters approved NEISD bonds in 2011, 2007 and 2003.

Currently, the district is paying off approximately $1 billion in debt from previous bond projects. While the figure alarmed some fiscal conservatives in the district, it’s not unusual for local government bodies to take out large bonds for capital improvements. 

The bond won’t result in a tax increase, district officials say, even though the ballot language said the measures were “property tax rate increases.” 

Payne said the language could be misleading to voters, especially in a part of town that tends to vote fiscally conservative. 

NEISD is the second largest school district in San Antonio, serving 55,000 students across 75 campuses. Its boundaries cover 12 million square feet, and the district owns 458 buildings and 240 portables. 

Given the district’s large size, NEISD superintendent Sean Maika previously said the district could’ve gone for a bond election years ago.

Reporter Gisell Campos contributed to this article.