More than 11,000 people in Denton, Tarrant and Wise counties voted in support of the new tax rate, according to unofficial voting results. The opposition votes totaled 10,795, or 48.13%. All results are unofficial until canvassed.
What you need to know
The voter-approved tax rate of $1.0841 per $100 of taxable property value is a $0.0038 decrease from the 2024-25 school year. The district was required to call an election because the rate is above the state-approved maximum compressed tax rate.
With the new tax rate, the district expects to generate $12 million in additional funding for the 2025-26 school year.
“We are incredibly appreciative to have a community in Northwest ISD that values high-quality education by supporting our students and teachers,” NISD Superintendent Mark Foust said in a news release. “This new funding will support our schools while ensuring Northwest ISD retains one of the lowest tax rates in the area.”
The district plans to implement four steps after the new tax rate’s approval:
- Hiring for high-need campus positions
- Reducing class sizes for the 2026-27 school year
- Staff raises for the 2026-27 school year
- Exploring custodial adjustments
Of the $12 million, $8 million will be used for special population teaching positions to be posted in the coming weeks as well as new jobs in the spring for the upcoming school year to fill in gaps and reduce class sizes, according to the district.
The other $4 million will be used to provide staff raises. The district will also explore custodial service adjustments after feedback from families and staff in the community to ensure costs can be maintained in the upcoming school year.
The background
This is the second consecutive year NISD has called a tax-rate election. This election comes after the district eliminated more than 100 teaching positions and maximized staffing ratios to mitigate a projected $16 million budget shortfall for the 2025-26 school year, according to previous Community Impact reporting.
