Round Rock ISD to set tax rate, call election Aug. 13

Round Rock ISD will set its tax rate for the 2026-27 financial year and call a tax rate election to fund staff raises during its Aug. 13 meeting.

The election, which will be held in November, will also include three school board seat races.

In a nutshell

The proposed rate of $0.9848 per $100 valuation comprises a $0.7654 maintenance and operations rate, and a $0.1830 debt service rate.

The M&O rate funds the district’s general fund and supports day-to-day operations, while the debt service rate pays down district debt, such as bond payments.

Diving in deeper

The proposed rate assumes the successful passage of a voter-approval tax rate election, which would allow the district to raise the tax rate $0.06 above its current rate, which is made up of the maximum compression rate and eight golden pennies.

The maximum compression rate is the lowest base tax rate the district can set, and is tied to changes in property value. Golden and copper pennies are tax rate increments school districts can use to increase their revenues if they find that the funding formula does not generate enough funding for operations. RRISD has already added all eight golden pennies at its disposal to its tax rate.

The proposed increase would be made up of "copper penny" increments, district staff said earlier this year. Unlike "golden pennies," which generate property tax revenue that remains totally with the school district, a portion of revenue generated by copper pennies is subject to recapture, according to the TEA.

Recapture is the repayment of some local tax revenue back to the state if a school district generates more property tax revenue than the state's funding formula determines it is entitled to.

What residents need to know

RRISD Chief of Human Resources Eddie Curran said the VATRE would generate funds needed to provide a 2% general pay raise, increase starting teacher pay to $58,000 and address pay compression throughout the district.

Under the proposed 2026 rate of $0.9484 per $100 of valuation, residents with a home with a taxable value of $500,000 would pay $4,742 in district taxes. This is about $276 higher that what residents in a home of the same taxable value paid under the 2025 rate.

What else?

Trustees will also vote on whether to call an election for board seats with terms expiring in November.

Those seats are Places 3, 4, 5 and 6, currently occupied by trustees Amber Landrum, Alicia Markum, Amy Weir and Fabian Cuero. The latter was appointed to serve the remainder of the term for Place 6 following the departure of former trustee Tiffanie Harrison.

The filing period to appear on the ballot remains open through Aug. 17.

Candidates who win in November will serve on the board for four years, representing the district at large. RRISD trustees are unpaid.

What’s next?

The board will meet Aug. 13 at 5:30 p.m. for a public hearing on the tax rate. That will be followed by a called meeting at 6 p.m. to deliberate on the tax rate and potential ballot items.

An agreement with the Austin Area Boys & Girls Club and updates to the district’s student code of conduct are also on the evening’s agenda.