Spring and Klein ISD officials are anticipating larger operating budgets and lower property tax rates for district residents for the 2014–15 school year thanks to an increase in enrollment and a surge in each district's appraised value.
With more available funding, both districts also plan to increase starting teacher salaries, provide raises for all district staff and hire new staff members.
The Spring ISD budget for the 2014–15 school year was approved June 10, while the Klein ISD budget is expected to be finalized by the end of August.
Officials from both districts said they anticipate a surge in revenue from property taxes and overall district appraisal values due to the influx of new residents and businesses moving to the area. They attributed much of the growth to the construction of the 385-acre ExxonMobil campus in the Springwoods Village Development at I-45 and the Hardy Toll Road.
Spring ISD
The SISD approved operating budget for 2014-15 is $361.4 million, an 8 percent increase over last year. With a rise in the district's overall appraised value to the tune of $1.1 billion, the 2014–15 proposed property tax rate is expected to decrease 3 cents to $1.54 per $100 valuation.
The tax rate is expected to be finalized in September once certified tax rolls are collected from the Harris County Appraisal District. SISD Chief Financial Officer Christine Porter said a homeowner with a home appraised at $200,000 would save $60 with the new rate.
"I'd say between $30 and $60 would be a typical savings for homeowners, and if you get into commercial [properties], they have a lot higher value," Porter said.
Despite rising operating budgets in recent years, SISD's enrollment has held relatively steady with a 1 percent increase expected in 2014-15, Porter said.
"About six or seven years ago, we were [at] 4 percent or 5 percent [annual enrollment growth], but we haven't had those numbers in several years," Porter said. "A couple of schools need one or two portable buildings but not too many."
SISD Communications Director Karen Garrison said an estimated 100 new employees will be added for 2014–15, including 14 new teachers, while all staff will receive raises.
The starting salary of a teacher with no prior experience will increase to $48,500. Teachers with one or more years of experience will take home an average raise of 6 percent at the control point of the salary, or a point between the minimum and maximum salary offered by the district.
All nonteaching staff will see a salary boost of 5 percent across the board.
"It's our most significant raise given to teachers in recent years, so we believe this increase will help us attract high quality teachers and support staff," Porter said.
In an effort to increase security measures, SISD is staffing 20 new crossing guards and seven police officers in 2014–15, Porter said. An estimated $4.9 million will be devoted to security services, a $300,000 increase from last year.
The murder of student Joshua Broussard at Spring High School last September prompted the district to begin planning ways to step up security efforts, SISD board members said at a June 10 meeting.
"For sure, the crossing guards I think will help the community feel a little safer," Porter said. "It's hard sometimes to expect kids to be aware of all their surroundings, so that way they've got some adults to help while they're walking. The police officers will ensure the schools have the support they need districtwide."
Klein ISD
KISD expects to increase its overall operating budget to $475.9 million—a 6.8 percent increase over 2013–14.
With a projected $1.7 billion increase in the district's appraised value, the 2014–15 proposed property tax rate is expected to decrease 4 cents from last year's rate to about $1.39 per $100 assessment.
KISD Chief Financial Officer Thomas Petrek attributes the district's lower property tax rate to a significant increase in new construction and reappraisals of properties in the area.
"We do have a surge this year because of all the development; our values are expected to increase over 12 percent," Petrek said. "With the ExxonMobil complex and with the oil and gas industry in general, there's other entities coming into the area and people are moving to Klein and bringing their kids with them."
Petrek said a homeowner with a $200,000 home will save about $67 in property taxes from 2014-15 if the rate is approved by the board of trustees in October after receiving the certified tax rolls from the HCAD.
"It's almost like if you had a mortgage on your home and all [of a] sudden you got some extra money in your budget and you could apply that to the principal on your mortgage if you wanted to," Petrek said. "Well in our case, we're not going to apply it to additional principal, we're just going to lower the [tax] rate and collect less money because we've got more [property] value."
KISD anticipates a 4 percent enrollment increase to 49,700 students in 2014–15, Petrek said. Robert Robertson, associate superintendent for facility and school services, said 12 new transportable buildings will be installed, and 11 will be relocated from other schools within the district to support the anticipated enrollment growth.
Petrek said KISD plans to add an estimated 188 new positions this upcoming school year. He said the increased staffing will help accommodate projected enrollment growth and is not in preparation of the district's 2015 bond referendum.
"Additions [will be] systemwide across all campuses, but some campuses will receive more than others because their enrollment went up more than the others," Petrek said.
At a July 14 meeting, the KISD board of trustees approved a 5 percent raise for all employees at the control point of the salary, Petrek said. In addition, the starting salary of a teacher with no prior experience will increase to $50,000 for 2014–15.
"We like to be competitive with the starting salaries," Petrek said. "It's been very well-received in our district when we give an across-the-board pay increase to all staff based upon their control point."
