Dripping Springs ISD portable classrooms costing $1.5M for upcoming school year

Dripping Springs ISD plans to purchase millions of dollars worth of portables to use as classrooms for the next few school years. This comes as the district deals with capacity issues at its student body continues to grow.

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) — Dripping Springs ISD plans to purchase millions of dollars worth of portables to use as classrooms for the next few school years. This comes as the district deals with capacity issues as its student body continues to grow.

According to the district, enrollment grew from roughly 4,500 to 8,500 students in the last decade. The district also expects enrollment to essentially double again, to 16,000, in the next decade.

Dripping Springs ISD is looking at spending $1,533,742 for six portables for FY 2023-24. That would provide a total of 12 classrooms.

Previous bond failing

In November, voters decided not to pass three bonds for Dripping Springs ISD. As a result, the district said it would look at several other ways to address growth and overcrowding, including more portable buildings.

Since then, the district has called for a bond this May.

Portables plan for upcoming school years

During a board of trustees meeting on Feb. 27, the board discussed its portables plan for the coming school years if the bond fails again.

Currently, Dripping Springs Elementary School already has two portables, and Sycamore Springs Middle School has three.

KXAN's Sarah Al-Shaikh will have more on this story. You can watch on KXAN News at 5 p.m.