CISD tax rate election could raise $3.8M in revenue From the cover
BY HEATHER MCCULLOUGH
How we got here
CISD enrollment over last 4 school years
What’s happening?
9K
The board of trustees adopted a balanced budget for fiscal year 2025-26 at a June 23 meeting under the assumption the VATRE would pass, Park said. The district had to make campus-wide cuts for fiscal year 2025-26, which included significant payroll reductions through attrition, Glenn said. CISD’s enrollment is declining, which impacts how much funding CISD receives from the state, Glenn said. Older homeowners aren’t moving out, which creates a lower regeneration of students, said Bob Templeton, the vice president of Zonda Educa- tion, an enrollment demographics firm for public education. “As you lose students, you have to be aware of what positions can be consolidated,” Park said. State revenue is mainly given through basic allotment funds, which is money provided to districts based on the average daily attendance, according to the Texas Education Agency. The district receives approximately $2,000 less
8,471
8,292
8.5K 8K 7.5K 0
CISD called a voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, to bring in $3.8 million to offset the FY 2025-26 shortfall, CISD Superintendent Jeremy Glenn said. If approved, the new tax rate will be $0.9294 per $100 property value, Park said. The rate is made up of maintenance and operation funds, which covers daily operational costs, and interest and sinking funds, which pays for district debt, according to the Texas Education Agency. The proposed maintenance and operations rate for 2025-26 increased by $0.0184, while the interest and sinking rate decreased by $0.0507 from FY 2024-25.
8,105
7,847
-7.37% percent change
2022-23 2023-24 2024-25 2025-26 School year
District officials have calculated a:
131 student decrease annually
$1.1M revenue loss
is equal to
SOURCE: CARROLL ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
per student in funding than the state average of $13,037, Park said. The annual revenue generated if the election passes would help offset the loss of revenue from declining enrollment and ensure the district is presenting balanced budgets annually, Glenn said.
Carroll ISD tax rate history
Maintenance and operations rate
Interest and sinking rate
$1.5
$0.33 $0.33
$0.33
$0.2441
$0.2948
$0.2441
$1
The impact
CISD FY 2025-26 general fund outlook
+$3.8M Increase in revenue if VATRE passes
If VATRE passes If VATRE doesn't pass
$0.5
$123.1M
The VATRE funds will go primarily toward staff pay raises and protecting student programs, CISD board President Cameron Bryan said. “We will be able to fund our programs, attract and retain staff and do the things that are at risk because the state isn’t providing enough money to public education,” CISD parent Jennifer Greever said. In June, the state Legislature passed House Bill 2, which will provide $8.4 billion to schools. “We [achieved] targeted strategies towards what
$119.3M
$0
SOURCE: CARROLL ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
will increase student outcomes and academics and what will also reward and protect our teachers,” Sen. Brandon Creighton told Community Impact when HB 2 passed.
*TAX RATE IF VATRE PASSES
**TAX RATE IF VATRE DOES NOT PASS
SOURCE: CARROLL ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Moving forward
“We are hanging on by a string. We are not going to be able to keep the great
programs and all the things that we offer if we have to come up with $4,000 a student every single year. It’s just not possible.” CAMERON BRYAN, CARROLL ISD BOARD PRESIDENT
community members to help find solutions for the district, Glenn said. Additionally, CISD would not be able to offer additional pay raises to all staff for fiscal year 2025-26, Bryan said. The last day to register to vote in the
If the VATRE doesn’t pass, the district will not bring in the anticipated revenue and may have to consider cutting student programs across campuses, Bryan said. A FY 2023-24 audit stated CISD spent $4,000 more than what it received in local tax revenue per student, Bryan said. This was possible from booster club fundraisers. Should voters deny the proposition, the board would likely form a committee of
November election is Oct. 6. Oct. 20-31: early voting period Nov. 4: Election Day
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