College Station ISD Board Approves 2024-25 Budget and Tax Rates

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Board of Trustees of the College Station Independent School District (ISD) has unanimously voted to approve the district’s tax rate and budget for the 2024-2025 academic year.

The Tax Rate

In a push toward fiscal responsibility and securing better remuneration for its staff, the district proposed a 2.8% increase to its tax rate. With this increase, the average home in College Station will be burdened with an additional $100 in taxes. The total proposed tax rate will now stand at roughly $0.97 per $100 of valuation.

The school district’s taxes are sorted into two main categories: a debt service tax and a maintenance and operations tax. For this year, the district will be increasing the maintenance rate, which funds fixed costs and salaries.

The Budget

Following the trend of school districts across Texas, College Station ISD has also passed a deficit budget. The district expects to generate around $202 million in revenue, with a projected expenditure of $207 million. The budget has been divided into three categories: the general fund, the debt service fund, and the child nutrition fund.

Most of the district’s costs will collocate within the general fund, with a significant portion reserved for teacher and staff pay. More than half of the district’s budget will be spent directly in the classroom. This allocation will result in a wage increase of 2% across all school staff and a 2.5% for bus drivers.

Despite having a deficit budget, the district acknowledged a 10-month budget. This adjustment in the fiscal year has led to a near $2 million surplus through cost savings.

Looking Ahead

While the projected savingsna provide some relief, the conversation at the meeting largely centered on the need for substantial public education funding from state.

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