The Round Rock ISD board approved Sept. 20 setting the property tax rate at $1.38 per $100 valuation for the 2012–13 school year and spending $13.8 million for technology and maintenance needs throughout the district.

The higher tax rate is the same rate from 2010. Because of surplus funds from the 2011–12 school year, the board decided to provide relief to taxpayers and reduced the rate by 4.5 cents for one year, Deputy Superintendent of Administration Ramiro Flores said.

"From my perspective, we were upfront that it would be a one-year reduction only," Flores said. Because the economy is doing better this year, the tax rate was reset back to what it was previously, he added.

The increase to homeowners with an average home value of $192,962 will be $51 per year, or about $4 per month, Flores said.

Funds for technology, maintenance, curriculum

The board also voted to disperse about $13.8 million in funds from its undesignated fund balance for one-time items such as netbooks, computer carts, smart boards and an upgrade to an athletic field.

The fund balance, which Superintendent Jess Chvez describes as a "savings account" for the school district, will be dispersed to elementary, middle and high schools. Martha Salazar-Zamora, the district's deputy superintendent of instruction, said she hopes to have the new technology available to students by January.

"We have developed a good fund balance over an extended period of time—we're talking 20 to 25 years to get to this level," Chvez said. "One of the other good things about the fund balance is that it allows the board the flexibility not only to cover the cash flow needs as suggested by the [district's staff], but in addition to that to also to designate money for emergencies."

Chvez said the fund balance is also allotted for major maintenance projects, technology updates and other initiatives.

"This board, historically, has been very prudent in making sure that you set aside dollars for specific reasons, so that as the need becomes necessary, we can use those dollars," he said.

Among the items approved, the district will spend:

$1.65 million for the high school laptop initiative that will provide laptops to freshmen students for use at school

$200,000 for a new radio emergency system for the safety and risk management department. The existing system is set to expire in 2014

$168,000 for netbooks at six elementary schools

$95,000 for the resurfacing of the football field and replacement of the sprinkler system at Chisholm Trail Middle School

$43,750 for the replacement of the gym floor at Anderson Mill Elementary School

To see the full list of approved items, visit the Round Rock ISD website and click on "One time item requests" under the Sept. 20 meeting.