Fort Bend ISD elementary school repair costs rise amid district budget concerns

FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- Fort Bend ISD says the cost to repair and upgrade foundation issues at Madden Elementary School in Richmond has climbed to about $22 million, more than double the project's original $9 million estimate approved in 2023.

District officials say the expanded cost reflects a broader scope of work, including portable classrooms, site preparation, sidewalks, and relocation expenses tied to temporarily moving students and staff during construction.

Students and staff at the 11-year-old campus will relocate to the vacant Mission Glen Elementary School for the 2026-27 school year while repairs are completed.

"I've never had this much storage in my life," one teacher said during the tour.

In a statement to ABC13, Fort Bend ISD acknowledged both the slab deficiencies and increased costs.

"As the design process progressed, it became clear the original funding level would only support partial repairs," the district said.

Some parents say they are concerned about rising costs, as the district also faces a projected budget shortfall, declining enrollment, discussions of school closures, and rezoning plans.

"I think that number is a big gap between two numbers," parent Anahr Jumaa said.

Another parent, Zanna Tulferdous, said she understands that foundation problems are common in the area but questioned why repairs could not be done sooner.

"I'm not upset. It is what it is, and I know a lot of houses in this area have foundation issues," Tulferdous said. "I just hope they could fix it in a sooner timeframe than having to move the school."

Bruno Desideiro, CEO of Houston-based Volcano Concrete, who is not connected to the project, said the overall price tag may be understandable given the relocation and construction work involved.

"You know, it's quite a bit of work," Desideiro said.

Still, Desideiro said major foundation problems in an 11-year-old school building raise concerns.

"I could say 30-40 years down the road," he said. "I wouldn't expect a school to have major foundational issues within 11 years."

"If they passed inspections, I would be looking at who designed the building, the engineers, and the soil report and all that," he added.

The district says funding for the $22 million project will come from bond savings and contingency funds.

Ruth Kraevitz, with the nonprofit Community Voices for Public Education, said the project should prompt more public discussion about accountability and future oversight of school construction.

"For me, this is an opportunity where the public can weigh in to see what went wrong, whose fault was it and how can we do it better in the future," Kraevitz said.