Northwest ISD calls VATRE to prevent cuts to student programs
Northwest ISD calls VATRE to prevent cuts to student programs
As school districts across Texas feel the effects of a lack of legislative action to address public education funding, the Northwest ISD Board of Trustees has called a VATRE – Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election – to generate funding for student programs and staff salaries.
If approved by voters within district boundaries, the additional funds would be used to balance the district budget to protect class size ratios and student programs as well as continue to provide competitive teacher and staff salaries. Approval of the VATRE would generate nearly $16 million in new funding not subject to state recapture. This means all additional funds raised would stay within Northwest ISD, instead of a portion being sent to the state’s general fund as other operations taxes are subject to.
What’s Happening: School districts across Texas are facing significant budget shortfalls because of a lack of legislative action to increase public education funding despite substantial inflation. Northwest ISD adopted a deficit budget of $15.8 million for the 2024-2025 school year, while some districts adopted deficit budgets exceeding $100 million.
What Are State Leaders Doing: State leaders have approved $4 billion in funding increases to Texas schools but have declined to provide it despite the state’s historic $32 billion budget surplus, some of which comes from recapture payments sent by school districts.
What is NISD Asking Voters: If an election is approved by voters, the M&O tax rate would increase by 3 cents from the 2024-2025 rate of $0.6669 to $0.6969. This represents an annual tax increase of $120 per year – or $10 per month – to a home assessed at $500,000 with a homestead exemption on file.
What The Funds Are For: By generating nearly $16 million this year, and more each year going forward, Northwest ISD can continue to provide current class sizes and student programs while funding teacher and staff raises. As the district continues its exponential growth, the new funding would increase per year to benefit student programs and competitive salaries.
Why It Matters: Without additional funding, Northwest ISD will face the same circumstances neighboring districts have: increasing class sizes, cutting student programs and reducing overall staff – including both teachers and non-teaching staff alike.
Northwest ISD continues to work to maintain or reduce class sizes, which provides a stronger learning environment for students. Northwest ISD also plans to expand its student programs, such as award-winning career and technical education programs, to prepare students for success after high school, whether in college or the workforce. A lack of funding would reverse both these plans.
Northwest ISD currently operates at the lowest maintenance and operations – or M&O – tax rate possible in the state with its current 2024-2025 rate of $0.6669 per $100 of taxable property. This figure marks the district’s lowest M&O tax rate in more than 30 years. In Texas, a school district’s M&O tax rate funds day-to-day operations, such as staff salaries, student programs and utility payments.
What’s Next: Voters who live in Northwest ISD will have the opportunity to cast ballots in the VATRE during early voting – which lasts from Monday, October 21, to Friday, November 1 – or on Election Day, which takes place Tuesday, November 5. Monday, October 5, marks the final day to register to vote in the election in any capacity. To learn more about the VATRE and Northwest ISD’s tax rate, visit www.nisdtx.org/vatre.