State law prevents school districts from using public funds or resources to advocate for or against a bond election. District resources include an employee’s paid time, a Board member’s time in their official capacity, as well as district facilities, equipment and supplies. Below are a few helpful tips on what you can and can’t say/do, during a district bond election.

DO:

Understand the bond-planning process.

• A Bond Advisory Committee (BAC) was established to prioritize facility needs related to safety/security, programmatic needs, and replacement cycles that positively impact student learning and staff efficacy.
• The BAC was made up of parents, community members, and staff and met over the course of several months to develop a recommendation for the Superintendent and Board to consider.
• Community feedback was also provided through meetings, project surveys, and a voter survey.

Share the facts.

• Educate people about the bond proposal any time you want (but you can’t encourage them to vote for or against the bond when you’re in your official role with the school district).
• Provide factual information about enrollment, campus capacity, and campus conditions.
• Explain the projects that are included in the bond package and direct them to the bond webpage for more information.
• Provide information about the tax rate impact and how school facilities are funded.

Vote and encourage other people to vote.

• Encourage people who live within the district boundaries to register to vote if they are not currently registered.
• Share voting times and locations.
• Encourage registered voters to exercise their right to vote, but don’t tell them how to vote.

DON'T:

Don’t advocate during work hours or while attending school district meetings/events.

• You can share facts only during work hours. After hours, you can express an opinion as long as you are not serving in your capacity as a district employee or Board member at that time.

Don’t spend or authorize spending of district money for political advertising that advocates.

• Do not use, purchase or authorize the purchase of district materials to create or distribute political advertising.
• Political advertising is a communication that advocates a particular outcome of an election (encourages support or opposition) such as a flyer, newsletter, website, email, text message, radio, tv, or social media post.
• School districts are permitted under the law to educate voters about bond elections by sharing factual information across various communication platforms, but are not allowed to advocate for the bond.

Don’t conduct political advertising showing advocacy for or against the bond using district-owned resources.

• Do not use the paid time of district employees to create or distribute political advertising that advocates.
• Do not use district resources to create or distribute political advertising.
• District resources include use of district telephones, computers, email or social media accounts, copiers, facilities, etc. For example, staff may not copy, staple, or distribute political advertising on work time or with district supplies.

For more information, visit: www.ethics.state.tx.us