VATRE 2025 Frequently Asked Questions

A Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE) is a special election that allows school districts in Texas to seek voter approval to increase the district’s maintenance and operations (M&O) tax rate above the state-mandated threshold.

📌 Note: This information is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended to advocate for or against Proposition A.

The Hitchcock ISD Board of Trustees adopted a maintenance and operations (M&O) tax rate for the 2025 fiscal year that exceeds the state’s voter-approval tax rate, which automatically requires the district to call a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE). While this action triggers an election, it also provides an opportunity for our community to decide whether Hitchcock ISD can access additional state-matched funding to support students and staff.

Like many Texas school districts, Hitchcock ISD faces rising costs for salaries, utilities, fuel, insurance, and day-to-day operations that have far outpaced state funding increases. Despite a $33 billion state budget surplus, the Legislature did not approve meaningful new dollars for public education during the 88th Legislative Session. At the same time, districts have been required to implement new state mandates without additional funding from the state.

📌 Note: This information is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended to advocate for or against Proposition A.

What is the difference between M&O and I&S?

• M&O funds day-to-day operations, including salaries, benefits, supplies, and programs.
• I&S pays debt on voter-approved bonds (construction, major renovations).

📌 Note: This information is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended to advocate for or against Proposition A.

Rising costs, the need to offer competitive compensation, and lower attendance rates following the pandemic all contribute to school funding challenges across Texas. Since 2019, there has been no significant increases in the basic allotment per student. When adjusted for inflation, Texas is actually spending less on students today than a decade ago. According to the state’s Legislative Budget Board (LBB), per-student spending decreased by $590 in inflation-adjusted dollars over the last 10 years. During that time, the state’s share of public education funding has steadily declined while the local share — funded by property taxpayers — has increased.

At the same time, the amount of money school districts send back to the state through “recapture” has grown. Recapture dollars, collected from districts considered property-wealthy, are used to balance the state’s overall budget rather than going directly back into classrooms. The Texas Association of School Boards has also noted that the state’s reported per-pupil spending figures include dollars that never reach districts, such as property tax compression costs and contributions to the Teacher Retirement System insurance program.

State law requires voter approval when a district adopts an M&O rate above the compressed rate.

📌 Note: This information is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended to advocate for or against Proposition A.

The district must adopt the state-compressed rate in 2026 and Hitchcock ISD would not receive the additional local funding or the additional state match funding.

📌 Note: This information is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended to advocate for or against Proposition A.