The Colorado ISD Board of Trustees met in a Special Meeting on September 8, 2026.
The Board approved an abbreviated school day for Homecoming so students can attend the Homecoming Parade and still have time to return to the stadium before the game. The shortened day will not have to be made up.
Before beginning the facilities discussion, the Board voted to remain in open session for transparency purposes, keeping the conversation about future bond and facility priorities open to the public.
A large part of the meeting focused on what comes next for CISD. Trustees discussed future facility needs, the district’s tax rate, possible bond capacity and the expected increase in property value from the data center.
The Board recently lowered the district’s tax rate from $1.12 to $1.06 per $100 of taxable value. During the September 8 meeting, trustees discussed what future growth in property value from the data center could mean for CISD and how to balance the opportunity to continue lowering the tax rate with taking care of needed improvements across the district.
That balance was a big part of the conversation.
Trustees discussed how much bond capacity CISD may have, how much of that capacity should actually be used and what those decisions could mean for taxpayers. The numbers being considered are still projections, and the Board discussed bringing financial advisors and tax professionals back for another workshop before making final decisions.
The Board then worked through possible priorities for a May 2027 bond referendum.
The high school was one of the biggest priorities discussed. Engineers completed a facility assessment of the current high school on September 2. Dr. Polk shared that the completed assessment will help the Board determine whether it makes more sense to renovate the current building or build a new high school.
Trustees also discussed what could happen to the current high school if a new one is built. Rather than automatically tearing it down, the Board discussed possible uses for the building including administration, district operations, adult education, community space and other district needs.
Life skills and special education spaces were also discussed by several trustees. Board members shared the need for spaces that help students learn everyday skills and prepare for life after school, along with behavioral and sensory spaces. Dr. Polk explained that those services must remain inclusive and part of the school environment.
Teacher and staff housing was another priority. Trustees discussed the need for housing and how it could help CISD recruit and keep employees.
The Board also discussed water reliability and backup water storage. The conversation focused on having enough backup water to help campuses remain open during outages while CISD continues working alongside the city and county on larger water issues.
Other needs discussed included improvements to existing facilities, HVAC systems, buses, technology, CTE programs, an indoor facility, field house and locker room improvements, concession stand and restroom cooling, and traffic improvements.
Trustees also discussed ways a future bond could help cover some larger expenses that would otherwise come from the district’s maintenance and operations budget. Buses, HVAC and technology were among the examples discussed. The Board also discussed shorter-term or “rolling” bond options for those types of expenses, with the goal of keeping more maintenance and operations dollars available for teachers, students and the day-to-day needs of the district.
Career and Technical Education was also part of the conversation. Dr. Polk shared information about partnerships that allow CISD students to access programs offered by neighboring districts while students from those districts can come to CISD for programs offered here. The discussion also included adult education, workforce training and the district’s partnership opportunities connected to data center technician certification.
Throughout the meeting, the Board continued to come back to the same question: How can CISD take care of the needs of students, staff and facilities while also being mindful of the tax burden on the community?
No bond amount, final project list or new tax rate was approved during the September 8 meeting. The meeting was part of the planning process as CISD continues looking at its needs and a possible May 2027 bond referendum.