Alief Independent School District’s Board of Trustees voted unanimously Monday to call a local school funding election for November 5. The election aims to generate funds to potentially address budgetary shortfalls caused by rising costs for staff, healthcare, fuel, and utilities.
Known also as a Voter Approval Tax Ratification Election or VATRE, the local school funding election will ask AISD voters to consider whether or not the district can increase the maintenance and operations tax rate by 6.09 cents so the additional money can be used to better compensate staff, improve school safety, and address rising costs.
“It is important that our district remains competitive as it relates to salaries and educational opportunities,” Alief ISD Board President Dr. Darlene Breaux said. “We continue to remain financially solvent and do the most with what we have been given by our taxpayers, but unfortunately, without the full support of the state, districts across Texas will continue to have to make very difficult decisions.”
School tax rates and budgets are made up of two main parts - maintenance and operations (M&O) and interest and sinking (I&S). M&O tax collections are used to pay daily operating expenses like salaries, utilities, supplies and fuel. I&S can only be used to pay principal and interest on debt issued through voter-approved school bond elections.
If voters approve the November 5 VATRE, the District will receive $11.3 million more in local funding annually and $4.1 million more in state funding annually to be used for staff salaries and daily operations. If voters reject the November 5 VATRE, the district will not receive the additional $15.4 million in funding annually, which would adjust the 2024-25 budget to a net $6.2 million deficit.
School officials report that approximately 88% of the district’s operating budget goes toward salaries and benefits. The district is proposing to use money generated from the November 5 VATRE to fund salary increases and to address the budgetary gaps caused by inflation.
Voters will be asked on the ballot if they are FOR or AGAINST the proposed school funding for AISD. Early voting for the November 5 election begins October 21 and continues through November 1 at any Harris County voting location. Election day voting will be done by precinct from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 5. To participate in the November election, you must be registered to vote in Texas by Monday, October 7. To learn more about the 2024 Alief ISD VATRE Election, click here.
Alief ISD launched a Fiscal Fitness information campaign in June to help staff and families better understand Texas's public school funding system. The project helps break down complex school funding formulas and explains the impact decisions at the state level have on local school districts.
To learn more, visit the Fiscal Fitness website.