Bastrop ISD is asking voters to consider a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE) in 2026, which, if approved, would provide the district with additional funding.
Bastrop ISD serves more than 13,600 students across 17, soon to be 18, schools and 433 square miles. It employs nearly 2,000 staff members dedicated to providing a safe, supportive and high-quality learning environment.
What is a VATRE?
A VATRE allows a school district to access tax revenue beyond the base property tax rate. Texas law requires voter approval to collect these additional funds.
Bastrop ISD is proposing three additional golden pennies, which would generate approximately $6 million annually, including $2.4 million from local tax collections and $3.6 million in additional state funding, based on current school finance formulas, said CFO Mike White.
The district currently has a maintenance and operations tax rate on the lower end compared to neighboring districts.
How would the VATRE affect homeowners?
The district’s estimated monthly tax impact would depend on a home's taxable value. For example:
$378,000 home value: Approximately $2.67 more per month
$500,000 home value: Approximately $4 more per month
Calculate the impact on your taxes by visiting www.bisdtx.org/vatre.
Homeowners ages 65 and older with a homestead exemption would be protected from the increase.
How would the additional funding be used?
If approved, the additional revenue would support several district priorities, including school safety and additional police officers, student support and instructional programming, competitive employee compensation, and basic operational needs and rising costs.
How is Bastrop ISD continuing to grow?
Bastrop ISD has tripled the number of campuses receiving a B rating or higher in the last year, with a goal of becoming a B-rated district with no low-performing schools by 2028.
The district has also expanded school choice through the BISD Virtual Academy, established new and innovative partnerships to benefit students and reduced teacher turnover from 27% to 17%, which is its lowest vacancy rate in a decade.
Visit www.bisdtx.org/vatre, email [email protected] or call 512-772-7100 to learn more.
Frequently asked questions
How much would the proposed VATRE increase monthly taxes for a homeowner in Bastrop ISD?
The district's estimated monthly tax impact of the proposed VATRE depends on the taxable value of the home.
For a home valued at $378,000, the estimated impact is approximately $2.67 more per month. For a home valued at $500,000, the estimated impact is approximately $4 more per month.
Homeowners who are 65 and older with a homestead exemption would be protected from the tax increase.
How much annual revenue would the proposed VATRE generate for the school district?
The proposed VATRE would generate approximately $6 million annually for Bastrop ISD.
This total includes $2.4 million from local tax collections and $3.6 million in additional state funding, based on current school finance formulas.
What specific priorities would the school district fund if the VATRE is approved?
If voters approve the VATRE, the additional revenue will be used to support several priorities within Bastrop ISD.
These priorities include school safety and additional police officers, student support and instructional programming, competitive employee compensation, and basic operational needs and rising costs.
The above story was produced by the Bastrop ISD team with Community Impact's Storytelling team, using information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.
