Voters in nearly 60 Texas counties will decide on 109 individual school bond propositions in the May 2026 election cycle, totaling $11.6 billion in requested principal debt. According to a report by the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) released on April 21, 2026, the potential new borrowing would add to the $234.2 billion already owed by Texas school districts as of fiscal year 2025.
The upcoming elections feature several large-scale measures where the total cost to taxpayers, including interest, is projected to be nearly double the advertised principal amount.
This cycle, according to the report, represents a significant portion of Texas’ total local debt, which reached an estimated $552 billion in 2025, with school districts accounting for approximately 42% of that total.
According to data from the Texas Bond Review Board (BRB) and Voter Information Documents (VID), the 10 largest propositions on the ballot are projected to cost taxpayers nearly $18 billion upon total repayment, despite an initial principal ask of $8.9 billion.
Dallas ISD’s Proposition A seeks $5.93 billion in principal but is expected to cost nearly $12 billion once interest is accounted for. While Dallas ISD trustees state that the $6.2 billion total package would require only a one-penny property tax rate increase, the TPPF report highlights that the interest costs alone and rising property values will certainly result in higher property tax bills.
The surge in local government debt—an increase of more than $52 billion in just one year—has intensified debates over property tax rates and cost-of-living concerns for Texas families. While school districts like Lancaster ISD maintain that their $376 million bond proposals can be funded through property value increases with “no tax rate increase,” state law still requires ballots to carry the statement: “This is a property tax increase”. If home values increase, property tax bills will go up despite no increase in tax rates.
Critics of the current bond process argue that some districts “routinely pursue subsequent bonds” shortly after a defeat, leading to what TPPF describes as “hijacked” processes used against taxpayers.
“If these measures are entirely successful, then school districts will take on a staggering $11.6 billion of new principal debt,” the TPPF report states, noting that the figure does not include the long-term interest costs that will be finalized upon repayment.