Round Rock ISD seeks tax rate election to prevent budget cuts
Round Rock ISD voters will be asked for the first time to approve a tax rate increase by means of a voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, on Nov. 7 to fund compensation increases for teachers and staff.
What's happening
Trustees called a VATRE on Aug. 21 to fund additional compensation increases for teachers and staff.
Maritza Gallaga, RRISD’s interim chief of public affairs and communications, said in May the district has no record of a prior tax rate election, the mechanism by which Texas school districts can levy a higher tax rate to generate more property tax revenue.
Round Rock ISD sets tax rate, calls tax rate election for Nov. 7
The Round Rock ISD board of trustees voted Aug. 21 to ratify a property tax rate of $0.9190 per $100 valuation. Voters will be able to decide whether this rate remains in place Nov. 7.
What happened
Both measures to approve the tax rate and call the district's first voter-approved tax rate election passed 5-2, with places 2 and 7 trustees Mary Bone and Danielle Weston, respectively, representing the "no" votes. Weston and Bone expressed concern about approving a tax rate that could be voted down in November. Should voters deny the higher tax rate, budget projections show a shortfall of around $33 million, district staff said. In this scenario, the district would also be unable to give employees an additional 3% in compensation increases.
Round Rock ISD STAAR scores show most students performing at or exceeding state averages
Round Rock ISD students performed at or above the state average in most subjects in the spring administration of the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, according to results released Aug. 16.
The overview
Results for the STAAR administered to third through eighth grade students this spring show the district saw three areas in which students performed below state averages, including Spanish math in third, fourth and fifth grades; and fifth grade Spanish science, according to Texas Education Agency data.
