Despite tax rates going down, average tax bills went up
All three school districts adopted a lower tax rate compared to the prior fiscal year, but residents in all three districts could still see an increase in the district’s portion of their tax bills.
This led officials to point at both the county and state, saying they do not control either property values or the tax rate.
Voters approved AISD’s $380.1 million bond in November
AISD’s $380.1 million bond passed in the November election, allowing the district to address enrollment growth.
By the 2033-34 school year, AISD will add nearly 7,000 more students to its current enrollment of roughly 30,000, according to Zonda Demographics.
The bond will fund more than $224.5 million for new campus construction, including two new elementary schools and a junior high school; $144 million for renovating aging campuses; $14.1 million for security upgrades; and $12.5 million for securing future land sites, according to district documents.
Projects for the bond are expected to begin in the summer, district officials said.
Alvin, Friendswood, Pearland ISDs look to state to help with funding, programming costs for special education
Ahead of the legislative session in January, district officials are looking to the state to help fund special education as enrollment increases.
Special education enrollment from 2014-15 to 2023-24 has increased by nearly 47% in PISD, and by nearly 78% in FISD, TEA data shows. In AISD, officials said the district’s special education enrollment has more than doubled in that time.
Pearland ISD sees new bond pass, approves $2.8M surplus for FY 2024-25
Out of all three districts, PISD is the only district to approve a budget surplus for FY 2024-25. AISD and FISD each approved balanced budgets.
When the budget was approved, PISD officials thanked the community for voting for the voter-approved tax rate election, or VATRE, in 2023, and the $105 million bond in May.
The bond was split into two propositions, with $75 million slated for infrastructure and $30 million slated for technology, district documents show.
Friendswood ISD employees to receive $50 monthly increase in district health insurance contributions
Employees in FISD will receive a $50 monthly increase in health insurance contributions from the district starting this fiscal year after the board of trustees approved the increase at its Aug. 12 meeting.
The $50 monthly increase required FISD officials to contribute $220 to each employee’s health care plan. When combined with the state’s $75 contribution, it brings the total to $295. This is also now equivalent to 62.6% of the cost of the lowest premium of the state employee health plan for fiscal year 2024-25, according to district documents.
