El Paso ISD allows residents to check out condition of its schools for themselves

The El Paso Independent School District has started the planning for a bond election. Its bond advisory committee met to tour schools on Monday.

The 70 members of the committee will be the people who recommend which schools are upgraded first. Many were hand-picked by the EPISD board and administration. These residents have the responsibility of recommending which schools EPISD spends money on, that is, if voters approve a $300-400 million bond.

The committee gathered for a quick bite to eat before starting a tour of three campuses. They’ll see three middle schools, Hillcrest, Hart and Ross. ABC-7 chose to follow Carlos Gallinar, EPISD taxpayer and parent.

“I took them to a library that is too small for the population of the campus,” said Ross Middle Principal Jason Yturralde. “I took them to a cafeteria that is too small for the population of the campus, I took them up and down stairways that, as you saw, pieces of the stairways were missing.”

EPISD wants its students to be exposed to technology, so it’s asking for millions to be spent on WiFi enabled classrooms. It wants large classrooms built for active, group learning.
Gallinar said seeing the schools for himself helps him understand the need.

“We really want our kids to be in an environment where they can thrive and learn.” Gallinar said. “Certainly better facilities would be helpful.”

Involving the community through advisory committees was also done by the Ysleta school district. The advisory committee will continue to tour schools this month. They will recommend which schools are put on the bond project list in June.