If you live in Garden Ridge, drive FM 3009 toward I-35, own a home in New Braunfels or have watched development spread along the corridor between San Antonio and New Braunfels, the school-growth conversation probably does not feel abstract.

New neighborhoods, additional traffic, new commercial development and changing school attendance zones have become part of living in one of the fastest-growing parts of Central Texas.

Now another major decision is approaching.

On November 3, 2026, Comal ISD voters will consider a $567 million bond package divided into two propositions. The proposal addresses new school capacity, existing campuses, safety, transportation and technology.

For homeowners and people considering a move into the district, however, the important question is not simply, “Is there another school bond?”

It is:

What is being built, where is the growth occurring, what could change around existing schools, and what should homeowners pay attention to over the next several years?

Those questions deserve a closer look.

Why Is Comal ISD Proposing Another Bond?

The simplest answer is continued enrollment growth combined with the need to maintain schools that already exist.

Comal ISD reports serving more than 30,300 students across approximately 589 square miles. The district says it has added roughly 10,000 students in the past decade, is currently adding approximately 900 to 1,000 students per year, and could exceed 40,000 students by 2035.

That school growth is occurring within a larger regional growth story.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that Comal County grew from a 2020 population base of approximately 161,449 to 209,166 residents in 2025, an increase of 29.6%. New Braunfels grew even faster, from a 2020 estimate base of about 90,394 to 122,492 residents in 2025, or 35.5%.

That does not mean every part of Comal ISD is growing at exactly the same pace. It doesn't.

And that distinction is important.

School-capacity pressure can be highly localized even within a fast-growing district.

For the 2026 bond, Comal ISD is specifically pointing toward elementary-school capacity along the I-35 corridor near New Braunfels.

What Is Included in the Comal ISD Bond 2026?

Voters will see two separate propositions.

Proposition A: Facilities, Land and Buses — $539,955,000

The larger proposition includes:

• two new elementary schools along the I-35 corridor near New Braunfels;
• land for future school sites;
• expansions and improvements at existing campuses;
• safety and security improvements;
• replacement and modernization of HVAC, roofing, electrical and plumbing systems;
• replacement buses;
• additional instructional space at Canyon High School;
• an academic, CTE and educational addition at Davenport High School; and
• other Career and Technical Education and campus improvements.

Proposition B: Classroom Technology — $27,045,000

This proposition would finance student and classroom devices along with network-infrastructure upgrades intended to improve speed, connectivity, reliability and security. The district says student and teacher devices would be replaced on a planned replacement cycle.

One distinction is especially important:

Bond money is intended for capital projects. It is not the same pool of money used for teacher salaries and normal day-to-day district operations.

Where Would the Two New Comal ISD Elementary Schools Be Built?

As of August 23, Comal ISD's published Bond 2026 information identifies the proposed schools as two new elementary campuses along the I-35 corridor near New Braunfels.

The district has not identified final public locations for those two campuses in the bond materials reviewed for this article.

That distinction matters for homeowners.

A proposal for two schools in a general growth area does not yet tell us exactly:

• which neighborhoods will eventually be assigned to them;
• which existing elementary schools will receive the most relief;
• where future attendance boundaries will fall; or
• how close a particular subdivision will ultimately be to one of the new campuses.

Comal ISD projects that elementary campuses in this part of the district could face a shortage of approximately 1,300 seats by 2032, which is the capacity issue the proposed schools are intended to address.

For a buyer considering a fast-growing area, this is why relying exclusively on today's school assignment can be risky.

A home's current attendance zone is not a guarantee of its future attendance zone.

Aren't New Comal ISD Schools Already Being Built?

Yes—and this is an important point because the 2026 proposal can easily be confused with projects from earlier bond programs.

Projects funded through previous bonds include schools that have recently opened or are already under development.

For example, Mayfair Elementary School, located within the Mayfair development along the I-35 corridor, opened in fall 2025. The district's new middle school in Mayfair, now named Dr. Jerry S. Major Middle School, is scheduled to open in fall 2027. Another new elementary campus is also listed by the district for a planned fall 2027 opening.

Those are not the two new elementary schools being requested in Bond 2026.

They demonstrate something else important, though:

Comal ISD's school-capacity planning along the I-35 corridor is not beginning with the 2026 election. It is part of an ongoing response to growth.

The district has already gone through attendance-boundary planning associated with new campuses in the Mayfair area.

That is a good example of why homeowners should watch both construction announcements and attendance-boundary discussions.

What Does the Bond Propose for Existing Schools?

One of the easiest misconceptions about a growth bond is that most of the money simply goes toward new schools.

The 2026 proposal is broader than that.

The district's campus-by-campus list includes projects at schools throughout Comal ISD, ranging from HVAC and roofing replacement to accessibility, electrical, plumbing, security, classroom technology and additional instructional space.

For local homeowners, several examples stand out.

What Is Proposed for Garden Ridge Elementary?

For Garden Ridge Elementary School, the district lists:

• HVAC replacement and upgrades;
• classroom audio/video lifecycle replacements;
• UPS battery-system replacements;
• exterior-door lock enhancements; and
• student, teacher and office technology lifecycle replacements and growth.

That is worth emphasizing for Garden Ridge residents because this bond is not solely about building schools farther north along I-35.

It includes reinvestment at an existing Garden Ridge-area campus.

What Is Proposed for Davenport High School?

Davenport High School is particularly relevant to the Garden Ridge/FM 3009 area.

The district lists:

• drainage improvements at the softball field;
• a new academic, Career and Technical Education and educational addition;
• classroom audio/video replacements;
• UPS battery-system replacements;
• exterior-door lock improvements; and
• technology-device replacements and growth.

Davenport High School's attendance boundaries align with Danville Middle School and include Garden Ridge Elementary and Morningside Elementary feeder areas.

For homeowners around Garden Ridge and FM 3009, that makes the proposed Davenport expansion one of the more directly local pieces of the package.

What About Existing Schools Around New Braunfels?

There are numerous proposed projects.

For example, the district lists improvements at Canyon High School including HVAC, electrical and plumbing work, accessibility improvements and additional instructional capacity using adjacent existing building space.

At Canyon Middle School, the package includes a CTE and art classroom addition along with other facility improvements.

Hoffmann Lane Elementary is listed for HVAC and roof work, while Oak Creek Elementary has proposed sidewalk, foundation, lighting and water-heater improvements.

And at Pieper High School, the district proposes another academic/CTE addition.

The larger point is this:

Bond 2026 combines growth capacity with reinvestment in existing facilities rather than treating them as separate issues.

Why Is I-35 Such a Big Part of the School-Growth Conversation?

Schools are only one visible sign of the growth occurring along this corridor.

Transportation infrastructure is responding to it as well.

TxDOT's I-35 Northeast Expansion program involves roughly 20 miles of improvements through northeast San Antonio, Live Oak, Selma, Schertz and toward FM 1103. The existing NEX Central project from I-410 North to FM 3009 includes major elevated-lane construction and is currently scheduled for completion in late 2027.

TxDOT has also studied the I-35 connection north toward Austin specifically in response to projected population, employment, safety and mobility needs.

None of that means a highway project directly causes school enrollment.

It does show that school planning and transportation planning are responding to many of the same underlying regional-growth pressures.

For homeowners, those pressures can show up in several places at once: school capacity, commute patterns, construction, commercial development and residential expansion.

Could New Schools Change Attendance Boundaries?

Yes.

A new campus cannot provide meaningful capacity relief unless students are assigned to it, which means attendance-boundary changes are often part of the process.

Comal ISD has already used attendance-boundary committees when opening new campuses, including those connected to growth near I-35.

That does not mean a specific neighborhood will be rezoned because Bond 2026 passes.

Those decisions come later.

But if you're buying in a rapidly developing area, it is reasonable to assume that attendance boundaries deserve continued monitoring.

A practical real-estate rule

Before buying a home where a particular school assignment matters to you:

Verify the current attendance zone directly with the school district using the property's exact address.

Do not rely solely on an MLS entry, listing portal or the fact that a school happens to be geographically closest to the property.

And in a rapidly growing area, check again before enrollment.

Will the Comal ISD Bond 2026 Increase Property Taxes?

This is where the explanation requires some precision.

Texas law requires school-bond propositions to display the statement “THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.”

At the same time, Comal ISD says its financial projections show that both 2026 propositions can be financed within the district's existing tax rate. The district reports that its debt-service, or I&S, portion of the rate has remained at $0.35 per $100 of taxable value for more than a decade.

Those statements are not necessarily contradictory.

The bond authorizes additional debt that is repaid through property-tax revenue. The district's position is that its existing rate can generate sufficient revenue to service the additional debt without increasing that rate.

But homeowners should remember:

Your property-tax rate and your property-tax bill are not the same thing.

Your actual bill can still change as taxable property value, exemptions and the rates of other taxing jurisdictions change.

So when evaluating the bond's potential financial impact, separate these questions:

1. Would the Comal ISD tax rate increase because of the bond?
2. Could my overall property-tax bill still change?

According to the district, the answer to the first is no based on its current financial projections. The answer to the second is yes.

For an individual property-tax estimate, homeowners should use the applicable appraisal district's information and their actual exemptions rather than relying on a general example.

Will New Schools Increase Nearby Home Values?

There is no responsible way to promise that.

School location and perceived convenience can influence individual buyer decisions, but home values are also affected by supply, condition, lot characteristics, interest rates, taxes, insurance, competing listings, transportation access and many other factors.

A new campus can also bring tradeoffs.

A homeowner near a future school might appreciate proximity while also experiencing:

• additional morning and afternoon traffic;
• school-zone speed changes;
• buses;
• lighting or activity;
• road improvements; or
• future attendance-zone changes.

For that reason, a proposed school site should be evaluated as a property-specific consideration, not treated as an automatic positive or negative.

What Should Comal ISD Homeowners Watch Next?

For homeowners in Garden Ridge, New Braunfels and other Comal ISD communities, five issues deserve attention.

1. The November 3 election

The last day to register is October 5, 2026. Early voting runs October 19 through October 30, with Election Day on November 3. Voters may vote separately on both propositions.

2. Locations of the proposed elementary schools

The general I-35/New Braunfels growth area has been identified, but precise public locations will matter considerably more for nearby homeowners once announced.

3. Future attendance-boundary discussions

New capacity eventually has to be incorporated into attendance zones.

4. Existing-campus project schedules

Garden Ridge Elementary, Davenport High School, Canyon High School and many other existing campuses have projects proposed under Bond 2026. If the bond passes, timing and implementation will become the next questions.

5. Growth beyond the school district

Continue watching I-35 construction, major residential development, local road improvements and infrastructure planning.

Schools are one part of a larger growth pattern.

What Does This Mean for Someone Buying or Selling a Home?

For buyers, the biggest lesson is not to evaluate a property using only today's conditions.

If you're considering Garden Ridge, New Braunfels or another rapidly developing part of Comal ISD, look at:

• the current attendance zone;
• planned schools;
• possible road construction;
• surrounding undeveloped land;
• your realistic property-tax payment;
• commute routes; and
• where growth appears likely to continue.

For sellers, growth-related announcements can generate questions from buyers, particularly about schools, taxes, traffic and future development.

The best approach is factual.

Avoid promising that a new school will increase property values or that an attendance zone will remain unchanged. Instead, direct buyers to authoritative sources and explain what is confirmed today versus what remains subject to future decisions.

That approach serves everyone better.

The Bigger Picture

The Comal ISD Bond 2026 is ultimately about two things happening at the same time:

planning for more students while maintaining the schools the district already has.

The proposed two elementary schools along I-35 may receive much of the attention, but homeowners should also pay attention to the less-visible pieces of the package—HVAC replacements, roofs, accessibility, security, technology and additional instructional space at existing campuses.

And for anyone buying a home in a fast-growing portion of Comal ISD, the most important takeaway may be this:

Don't evaluate a property based only on today's school map. Understand where the district, roads and surrounding community appear to be heading next.

That does not require predicting the future.

It simply requires paying attention to the information that is already available.

How Correa Realty Group Can Help

Buying or selling in a rapidly growing area requires looking beyond the house itself.

At Correa Realty Group, we help clients evaluate the local details surrounding a property—from current school attendance zones and property taxes to road projects, nearby development, commute considerations and the differences between established communities and newer growth areas.

For buyers, that can mean identifying questions worth asking before making an offer. For sellers, it can mean understanding the information prospective buyers are likely to want about the surrounding area.

We serve Garden Ridge, San Antonio, New Braunfels, Schertz, Cibolo and surrounding Hill Country and I-35 corridor communities, and our goal is not to tell you where you should live. It is to give you the local information you need to make that decision confidently.

If you're considering a move and want to understand how school growth, taxes, transportation or future development could relate to a particular property, contact Correa Realty Group. We're happy to help you look at the bigger picture.

FAQs

What is the Comal ISD Bond 2026?

The Comal ISD Bond 2026 is a $567 million school-bond proposal on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Proposition A totals $539.955 million and addresses facilities, land, buses, security, existing-campus improvements and additional school capacity. Proposition B totals $27.045 million for classroom technology and network infrastructure. Voters may vote separately on each proposition.

Where would the new Comal ISD schools be built?

Comal ISD currently says the 2026 proposal would fund two new elementary schools along the I-35 corridor near New Braunfels. The district has identified the growth area but its published Bond 2026 materials reviewed for this article do not yet provide final locations for those two campuses. The district projects an approximately 1,300-seat elementary shortage in that corridor by 2032.

What does the Comal ISD Bond 2026 mean for Garden Ridge?

Garden Ridge residents should know that the proposal includes improvements to existing schools in the local feeder pattern, not simply new campuses near New Braunfels. Garden Ridge Elementary is listed for HVAC, security, classroom AV and technology work. Davenport High School has a proposed academic/CTE addition, drainage work and other technology and security improvements.

Will the Comal ISD Bond 2026 increase my property taxes?

Comal ISD says the proposed bonds can be financed without increasing its existing tax rate, although the required ballot language will state that the proposition is a property-tax increase because property taxes repay bond debt. A homeowner's actual tax bill can still change as taxable value and exemptions change. The district's financial projections should therefore be distinguished from an individual homeowner's future tax bill.

Will new Comal ISD schools increase my home's value?

A new school does not automatically increase the value of a nearby home. Buyers may consider school proximity when choosing between properties, but real-estate value depends on many factors including supply, condition, location, taxes, insurance, interest rates and competing properties. A nearby campus may also bring additional traffic or future attendance-boundary changes, so its effect should be considered property by property.

Could Comal ISD change my child's school after the new campuses open?

Yes, future attendance-boundary adjustments are possible when new campuses open, although no specific neighborhood should be assumed to be affected until the district formally approves new boundaries. Comal ISD has previously used attendance-boundary committees to develop recommendations when opening new campuses. Buyers should verify current attendance zones directly with Comal ISD and monitor future district announcements.

Does the Comal ISD bond affect San Antonio-area homeowners?

Only properties located within Comal ISD are directly subject to the district's school taxes and bond election. Comal ISD extends across portions of five counties, so municipal boundaries and school-district boundaries are not the same thing. A San Antonio mailing address does not by itself determine the school district. Buyers in northeast San Antonio and surrounding communities should verify the district using the exact property address.

When should I verify the school attendance zone before buying a home?

Verify the attendance zone before making an offer whenever school assignment matters to your decision, and verify it again when preparing for enrollment. This is especially important in fast-growing parts of Comal ISD where new schools and boundary adjustments are possible. The nearest campus is not necessarily the assigned campus, and third-party real-estate websites can contain outdated school information.

When can a local REALTOR® help with school growth or future development?

A locally knowledgeable REALTOR® can be particularly helpful when you are comparing properties near planned schools, major road projects, new development or changing attendance zones. The REALTOR® should not predict future school assignments or guarantee appreciation, but can help you identify public records, verify current information and understand how factors such as commute routes, taxes, development and infrastructure fit into your overall home-buying decision.