Funds would help district raise salaries as teachers leave for higher-paying jobs
Boerne ISD board trustees voted Monday to place an item on November’s general election ballot asking voters to support a 3-cent increase in its maintenance and operations tax rate, to generate funds for staff compensation, classroom instruction and student programs.
Boerne ISD trustees unanimously supported the call for a Voter Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE) which would generate an estimated $4.8 million in annual funding for Boerne ISD — all revenue generated by the VATRE would stay in Boerne and is not subject to state recapture.
The decision to place the measure on the ballot follows several months of review by the district’s leadership team, which has been assessing operational needs, staffing costs and current funding levels.
“Our district has worked hard to be good stewards of public funds, including identifying reductions in our administrative costs,” said Dr. Kristin Craft, Boerne superintendent. “We are committed to providing the community with clear, factual information about this election and what it would mean for our schools.”
BISD is currently one of the lowest-funded school districts in Texas based on per-student state funding, according to a Boerne ISD news release. Nearly one in five BISD teachers left the district last year, many for higher- paying positions in nearby districts, the release states.
“This election gives voters the opportunity to consider whether the district should access additional state funding for ongoing operational needs,” said Kristi Schmidt, BISD board president.
Boerne ISD would receive approximately $1.8 million (37%) of the $4.8 million in additional funding from the state, triggered by local voter approval.
The district has already cut more than $1.4 million from administrative budgets through attrition and reorganization.
“Our board has advocated for Boerne ISD schools and taxpayers for years, and since 2018, we’ve lowered the tax rate by 36 cents,” Schmidt said. “We will continue sharing details with the public to ensure transparency throughout this process.”
Homeowners aged 65 and older with a homestead exemption will not see an increase above their frozen tax amount under state law. The district said it estimates they’ll see an average of a $670 reduction in their tax bill.
If both the VATRE and a proposed state property tax relief measure are approved by voters, Boerne ISD homeowners under the age of 65 may still see an estimated $80 dollar reduction in their overall school district tax bill.
Early voting begins Oct. 20 and continues through Oct. 31 leading up to Election Day on Nov. 4. Voter registration for the November election closes on Oct. 6.
The district said additional resources will be posted at BoerneISD.net/ VATRE as they become available.
Boerne ISD last week received its sixth straight “A” rating from the Texas Education Agency. The district has a 99% graduation rate and a College, Career and Military Readiness rate of 95%.
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