After RISD trustees called for its creation at the Jan. 16, 2025 meeting, the 2025 RISD Bond Steering Committee held its first meeting on Mar. 31, 2025. The group of community members, parents, and school staff have begun meeting to study RISD’s bond needs, capacity, tax rate, and overall financial picture to arrive at recommendations for RISD trustees to consider later in May of 2025 .
Beginning with Bond 1996, RISD has maintained a five year bond cycle to fund building construction and renovation, along with equipment with a useful life of more than one year. Bond packages are considered by RISD voters, and approval allows the district to issue bonds that generate funds to pay for items in the bond package.
RISD’s most recent bond was Bond 2021, which funded the first two middle schools in district history. At the time, RISD trustees resolved that the next bond should consider funds to transform the remaining six junior highs into middle schools, which is a topic the bond steering committee will consider.
