A North Texas district plans in April to build a new middle school as part of its $268 million bond package approved by voters in 2022.
With an estimated construction cost of $87 million, the new campus for Argyle ISD is a two-story building that includes a classroom block surrounding an open-air courtyard, according to a state filing. The cafeteria and library will be “centrally located,” and two gyms are part of the design. A practice gym will double as a storm shelter. The filing also indicates that there will be “all new outdoor athletic elements south of the building.”
The expected completion date is April 2026.
The new middle school and the construction of two elementary schools are part of Proposition A. With funding at just over $221 million, Proposition A accounts for much of the bond funding for new schools, land acquisition, safety and security updates, buses, technology infrastructure, and other facility improvements. Proposition B ($26,915,000) covers funding for a new stadium at Argyle High School, and Proposition C ($19,885,000) provides money for an indoor activity center at the high school.
“With rapid residential growth in the area, Argyle ISD’s student enrollment is expected to double in the next five years, according to the demographer’s most recent report,” according to the district’s website page about the 2022 bond. “Approval of the bond will allow the district to manage the growth by building two new elementary schools, a new Argyle Middle School and preparing for future schools. In addition, it will allow the district to purchase land, buses, and furniture and make updates to safety and security.”
Student enrollment across the six-campus district is more than 5,300. A suburb of Fort Worth, Argyle is a community of about 7,000 in Denton County.
According to the Texas Education Agency, some 76% of Argyle ISD students scored at grade level on their STAAR exams during the 2021-2022 school year. Additionally, the district clocked a 100% on-time graduation rate that school year. For comparison, only 41% of Dallas ISD students scored at grade level on their exams, and the district only logged an 81.1% on-time graduation rate.