China Spring ISD parent Jennifer Sykora values the close-knit community of the district and the support her family has received from teachers.
When her son was in third grade, staff helped identify he needed additional support through the special education program.
But she worries that the teachers, staff and community she loves are at risk if a tax rate election fails on Nov. 4.
The “Voter-Approved Tax Rate Election,” or VATRE, seeks to set a tax rate to bring in $2.16 million in operating revenue to the district to pay teachers and staff and keep programs funded.
If voters reject it, district officials say they would have to cut staff and teachers, cut field trips and add fees to extracurricular activities.
“(The) big draw to being in the China Spring area is the school district,” Sykora said. “So if we can’t get the funding that we need to operate, continue to operate at a successful level, what will that do to the rating of our district, which will then impact our property values there?”
Weighing the cost
China Spring officials are keenly aware that another VATRE election in 2022 failed, and they have been working since August to get the word out about it.
They point out that unlike the earlier election, this measure would not raise the tax rate.
The district is seeking a tax rate of 98.2 cents per $100 valuation. If it fails, the tax rate will drop to 92.2 cents. Due to state compression, the tax rate remains lower than the 2024-2025 rate of $1.02 cents per $100 whether it fails or passes.
More than half the revenue from the VATRE would be used to cover a $1.2 million operating deficit.
If the new rate is approved, the district hopes to retain staff and continue offering its current programs.
If voters turn it down, the district will face tough budget decisions – including cutting 10 staff and 10 teacher positions.
Cuts could impact class sizes and the district’s ability to offer specific programs.
Bradley Settles, one of two art teachers at China Spring High School, is concerned about how staffing cuts could impact students. Cutting either position would mean 50% of students would be unable to take an art class.
“My whole goal is to provide opportunities for success, and as we lose funding, art supplies are one of the mediums by which I can supply opportunity,” Settles said. “So as those funds dwindle in order to supply that opportunity, what we’re looking at is a loss of opportunity for students.”
Parental support
A community survey China Spring ISD conducted before calling the election showed the three priorities China Spring ISD community members cared most about were manageable class sizes, great teachers and innovative programs.
Several China Spring ISD parents interviewed for this story said the district’s reputation for excellent academics brought them to China Spring.
But some voters, including parents, remain on the fence.
China Spring ISD parent Virginia Reynolds has felt reservations about the district since the switch from a five-day school week to four days in 2023. Reynolds’ son found the adjustment to longer days to be difficult.
She wants more context as to the results of the community survey, who was voting in it and the percentages of the top three results.
At a community forum in October, Reynolds said she is leaning towards voting yes but wants more transparency from the district. She appreciates the community forums but wishes they had a more open format rather than asking questions at the end.
“It’s hard to trust the district when you only get part of the story, and when you ask questions, you kind of have to push to get more information,” Reynolds said.
Fiscal struggles
China Spring ISD is not the only school district facing financial strain. Midway ISD officials have called a $83.5 million bond election for Nov. 4, saying that the money is needed to cover improvements to existing facilities that the operating budget has not been able to cover.
The Texas Legislature this year passed House Bill 2, allocating money for teacher salary raises – but left out younger teachers and other staff.
The funding was earmarked for specific purposes and included only a modest increase in the “basic allotment” of enrollment-based state funding, allows school districts more discretion in how to spend the money. China Spring ISD was left with only $188,000 in discretionary funding, officials said.
District officials say state funding over the last several years has not kept up with rising costs and inflation, leading the district to call the tax rate election.
State funding is tied to enrollment, but China Spring ISD has seen its growth spurt slow to a trickle since 2021. Despite continued housing growth in the district, enrollment has remained stagnant and at the lower grade levels has declined.
Investing in educators
Julie Daniel, mom of two China Spring ISD students, came to China Spring for the schools three years ago. She was surprised the 2022 tax rate election failed, because she believed people would support schools. She hopes this time is different.
“It all boils down to (how) inflation in different areas has increased costs for districts astronomically over the last five years and up until, I guess, earlier this year, that state funding hadn’t changed for public education in almost six years,” Daniel said. “We have to do what we can as a local community to support the schools and help them get the dollars they need to operate.”
For Daniel, the passion of the teachers is what makes her want to remain at the district for years to come.
“They pour everything into the instruction during the day, making it fun and engaging,” Daniel said. “And even the campus administration, they plan things and make it fun for the kids to be at school. And I think that’s important, especially where my kids are at the younger grades, where, you know, you’re creating that buy-in for the next 12 years.”
After the last tax election failed, China Spring ISD in 2023 switched to a four-day school week to retain teachers. In an exit survey, pay was one of the top reasons teachers left.
The challenge in retaining teachers is not unique to China Spring ISD. However, due to lower salaries, teacher turnover has been an issue. Settles, the art teacher, hopes voters support this tax raise to help him and other teachers continue to serve the community.
“I am just begging the voter to save the future of China Spring ISD to save my way of life as a teacher who desperately wants to teach kids and to save opportunities for students,” Settles said.
Early voting begins on Oct. 20. Election day is Nov. 4. For more information, visit China Spring ISD’s VATRE page.
