Tag Archives: budget

HISD officials discuss impact of sending millions back to the state under “recapture” process

Property values in Houston are rising every year, but many of the tax dollars generated by that growth don’t stay with Houston schools. HISD must send $162 million – equal to half-a-million dollars per school – to the state of Texas this school year under a process called “recapture.”

In the latest episode of Up Close with Manuel Rodriguez, the HISD board president discusses this school funding model and its effects on HISD with Ashlea Graves, HISD director of government relations, and Glenn Reed, HISD general manager of budgeting and financial planning.

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Board of Education approves HISD budget

Spending plan addresses loss of $162 million of local taxes because of Texas school finance system

The Houston ISD Board of Education on Thursday approved a 2016-2017 budget that seeks to minimize the classroom impact of the loss of an estimated $162 million in local taxes to the Texas school finance system.

The budget proposal passed on a 5-2 vote, with trustees Manuel Rodríguez, Wanda Adams, Rhonda Skillern-Jones, Jolanda Jones and Michael Lunceford in favor. Trustees Greg Meyers and Anna Eastman were opposed, while Trustees Harvin Moore and Diana Dávila  were not present.

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HISD budget vote scheduled for Thursday

Deep budget cuts required to offset loss of  $162 million to Texas school finance formula

The Houston ISD Board of Education will meet Thursday morning to consider adopting the proposed 2016-2017 budget.

For the first time ever, due to rising property values, the state of Texas has designated HISD as a property “wealthy” district. As a result, Houston schools will lose an estimated $162 million in local tax dollars to the state, meaning deep budget cuts. In an effort to lessen the budget impact on classrooms as much as possible, Interim Superintendent Ken Huewitt’s budget proposal contains $84.3 million in cuts to central office and districtwide programs.

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HISD facing $107 million budget shortfall under current public school funding structure

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Under Texas’ current funding structure, the Houston Independent School District will be required to send millions of dollars back to the state, resulting in a projected $107 million budget shortfall for the 2016-2017 school year.

Under Chapter 41 of the Texas Education Code, the state school finance system requires districts designated as property-wealthy to send tax dollars back to the state — a process known as “recapture” and commonly referred to as Robin Hood. The money is then re-distributed to districts deemed to be property-poor, as well as to the state’s general fund for use in non-education purposes.

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HISD Board of Education approves 2015-2016 budget; raises for teachers, principals, staff

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education on Thursday adopted a 2015-2016 budget with significant salary increases designed to help the district hire and retain the most effective teachers and principals.

As part of the approved budget, teachers will get a minimum salary increase of 2 percent, with beginning teacher salaries jumping up to $51,500 — almost $5,000 more than they earned just two years ago. Certified bilingual teachers would earn an additional $4,000 annual stipend, more than triple the current stipend.

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HISD budget plan includes raises for teachers, principals and staff; no tax rate increase

Salary increases that will help the Houston Independent School District hire and retain effective principals, teachers and district staff remain a top priority for administrators as they continue to develop a budget for the 2015-2016 school year.

Under the proposed budget, teachers would get a minimum salary increase of 2 percent, with beginning teacher salaries jumping up to $50,500 — almost $4,000 more than they earned just two years ago. Certified bilingual teachers would earn an additional $4,000 annual stipend, a significant increase over the current $1,250 stipend.

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HISD Tax Rate Remains Lowest Among 24 Districts in Harris County

The HISD Board of Education on Thursday adopted a 3-cent property tax rate increase. This represents the first such rate increase since 2001. The new property tax rate of $1.1867 per $100 taxable value is nearly 24 cents less than the average Harris County school district – maintaining HISD’s position as having the lowest rate of any district in the region.

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HISD Board of Education Approves $1.62 Billion Budget for 2013-2014 Academic Year

The Houston Independent School District Board of Education has approved a $1.62 billion budget for the 2013-2014 academic year that includes $16 million to provide additional support to students at struggling schools and 2-percent pay raises for all HISD employees.

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