According to the Texas Education Agency, school districts can make their necessary recapture payments by purchasing attendance credits from the state.
Recapture, also known as “Robin Hood,” mandates "property-rich" districts such as KISD give funds to the state to be redistributed among "property-poor" districts.
The details
The Texas Education Code makes provisions for certain districts with excess local revenue to pay funds back to the state for distribution to other districts. According to KISD documents, the TEC determined Keller ISD’s Tier II local share—which are dollars subject to recapture—will exceed the district’s entitlement for the 2024-25 school year.
Zooming in
The TEA has determined that Keller ISD must reduce its excess local revenue level by $3.34 million. The district will do that by purchasing average daily attendance credits, according to district documents.
District documents stated the TEA made Keller ISD’s recapture estimate based upon the following:
- Enrollment estimates for the 2024-25 school year
- Estimated property values for 2024 tax year
The district underwent a similar recapture payment scenario last year and paid $2.5 million in average daily attendance credits, according to district documents.
What they’re saying
Several board members took issue with the idea of sending money back to the state via attendance credits.
“The decision we have to make here is unpalatable,” board President Charles Randklev said. “When you look at the amount [of money] recapture has garnered over the last three to four years—I think they’re up to $5 billion—we know a lot of that money doesn’t make its way back into the classroom. We’re sending [the money] to Austin and those guys down there are using it for God knows what.”
Place 1 Trustee Micah Young compared Keller ISD’s situation with neighboring districts and said that one district is paying close to $25 million and another district is paying $35 million. He then pointed out what the Keller ISD recapture payment represented.
“That’s 30-plus teachers that could remain here,” Young said. “That’s [salary] increases for everybody in this district. This is a challenge that’s falling on deaf ears. If you’re asking me, I say to the state come and take it. This money needs to stay in this district.”
Superintendent Tracy Johnson said the deadline to inform the state how the district intends to fund the recapture payment is Sept. 1. Should the district fail to enter into the agreement by that time, Johnson said it could be subject to fines and/or the following:
- The TEA commissioner seizing district property
- The Keller ISD board will not be allowed to set a tax rate
The board passed the item 5-2, with trustees Young and John Birt opposing it.
