Operations funding election called for smaller class sizes
Operations funding election called for smaller class sizes
To provide voters with the opportunity to decrease class sizes, the Northwest ISD Board of Trustees unanimously voted to call an operations funding election that, if approved, would generate revenue to add teaching positions.
If approved by voters, the district’s operations tax rate would increase by 3 cents compared to if voters do not approve the election. Either election outcome will result in a lower district tax rate compared to 2024 because of state tax rate compression. Additionally, most property owners are expected to see lower tax bills because of a $40,000 increase in the homestead exemption.
Northwest ISD plans to use all funding generated from an approved election to decrease class sizes as well as provide competitive compensation to teachers and staff. The district would decrease class sizes by hiring more teachings across all campus levels as well as in fine arts programs. In core classes at the high school level, for example, Northwest ISD expects several classes to have 40 or more students. By hiring more teachers for these classes, the class sizes would decrease.
What’s Proposed: A 3-cent increase in the 2025 maintenance and operations tax rate to fund smaller class sizes and competitive compensation. If approved, the M&O tax rate will be $0.6631 per $100 of taxable property. If not approved, the M&O tax rate will be $0.6331. Because of tax rate compression, either rate will remain lower than the 2024 M&O rate of $0.6669.
What The Funds Are For: If approved by voters, Northwest ISD expects to generate at least $12 million in new operations revenue. Two-thirds of the projected $12 million generated from a successful election would be used for decreasing class sizes ($8 million), while one-third would be used to increase compensation to retain and recruit high-quality teachers and staff ($4 million).
How Will My Taxes Be Affected: Combined with a $40,000 increase to the state homestead exemption, a voter-approved election would represent a decrease of about $448 dollars on the annual tax bill for a property owner of a home assessed at $500,000 with a homestead exemption on file. If voters do not approve the election, the same homeowner would see a decrease of about $556 on their tax bill.
Why It Matters: Without additional funding, Northwest ISD will retain increased class sizes compared to previous school years and lack additional operations funding for student programs that most area school districts have already earned through voter approval.
Northwest ISD currently operates at the lowest maintenance and operations – or M&O – tax rate possible in the state with its current 2024 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 operations funding election during early voting – which lasts from Monday, October 20, to Friday, October 31 – or on Election Day, which takes place Tuesday, November 4. Monday, October 6, marks the final day to register for voting in the election in any capacity. To learn more about the operations funding election, visit www.nisdtx.org/election.