The Ector County ISD Board of Trustees approved a tax total tax rate of $1.014 per $100 valuation for the 2024-25 school year at their meeting Tuesday night.
The tax rate is the same as last year, however, Chief Financial Officer Deborah Ottmers said it will be a 1.4 percent increase due to an increase in values.
The maintenance and operations rate will be $.7596 per $100 valuation and $.2544 per $100 valuation for debt service.
Taxable value has gone down for school districts because the exemptions have increased on properties, Ottmers said.
The average market value of a home was $202,000 last year and $220,000 this year, a 9 percent increase. However, the exemptions increased so the taxable value of that average home is right under $86,000, Ottmers said.
Based on property values in July 2024, the total tax rate is at or below the voter approval rate, and therefore, is equal to the maximum tax rate allowed without a tax rate election, the board recap said.
The maintenance and operations tax rate is at or below the voter approval tax rate and the debt service rate is at or below the allowable to cover bond costs.
According to the recap, this tax rate will raise more taxes for maintenance and operations than last year’s tax rate.
The tax rate will effectively be raised by 1.4% and will raise taxes for maintenance and operations on a $100,000 home by approximately $15 for the year. However, Ottmers said there aren’t many $100,000 homes here, it’s easier for people to think in terms of $100,000.
Also the recap said the Ector County Appraisal District calculates the proposed rate as less than the No New Revenue tax rate, the state’s template calculator shows the No New Revenue/Rate to Maintain to be lower ($0.99971).
On a separate item, it was announced that the district reached an 88 percent college, career and military readiness rate, which plays a factor in state accountability ratings. The rate jumped 15 points from last year to earn an A.
College, Career and Military Readiness is a measure that exists to ensure Texas students are prepared for life after high school. CCMR for short, is a score given to each school district and each high school, and it makes up a large percentage of the school’s TEA Accountability Rating, the board recap said.
TEA defines College Ready as: meets Texas Success Initiative (TSI) criteria (this includes SAT and ACT); earns dual course credits; meets criteria on AP/IB exams; or earns an associate’s degree.
TEA defines Career Ready as: earns an industry-based certificate; graduates with a completed IEP and workforce readiness; graduates with an advanced diploma plan and received special education services; or earns a Level 1 or 2 certificate.
TEA defines Military Ready as: enlists in the U.S. Armed Forces/Texas National Guard.
Since 2020, ECISD’s CCMR score has increased from 58% to 63% to 65% to 73% last year. Just released publicly, ECISD’s 2024 CCMR score is 88% which well outpaces the state’s score of 76. A score of 88% earns ECISD an A grade for College Career and Military Readiness. A quick note, this is a lagging indicator, meaning the 2024 accountability scores include the CCMR number for the Class of 2023.
“We are on fire and we are unstoppable,” Associate Superintendent of Student and School Support Alicia Syverson said.
Trustee Wayne Woodall said the college, career and military readiness rate “matters more than any STAAR test.”
In other business:
- In July 2021, ECISD entered a partnership with Acceleration Academies to provide a high quality and high impact program targeting dropout prevention and recovery of students under 21 years of age. To date, 159 students have graduated through Ector Acceleration Academies (with an estimated economic boost of $87.75 million when considering their increase in lifetime potential earnings as a high school graduate and societal cost savings). The vast majority of those students (85%) are ages 17, 18, or 19. The agreement, with a few minor amendments, is set to be renewed for a two-year term.
In the public comment section, two students spoke about the benefits of Ector Acceleration Academies.
Jhki Atchison said he was not a bad kid; he got hurt and was wheelchair bound for a time and it put him in a bad frame of mind. He dropped out but Ector Acceleration Academies (EAA) gave him a flexible alternative and helped him mature and graduate. He said he now attends UTPB and is majoring in pre-med.
Johnathon Cox said he felt like he was trying hard but couldn’t pass his classes so he dropped out. He said EAA gives him time to figure things out at his own pace with individual attention.
- Trustees voted 7-0 to approve purchases over $50,000 related to the bond. On the list this month are $25 million to Accurate Air Solutions and The Bosworth Company for HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) for Priority 1 and Priority 2 HVAC projects; $25 million for Bluefin, LLC and PBK for replacement and roof repair projects as they relate to Priority 1 and Priority 2 roofing issues; and $2.75 million for Agnew Associates, Inc. for electrical code upgrades and specifications for main distribution panel replacements; plumbing inspections, drawings, and code upgrades; and mechanical specifications for HVAC and pump sizing.
- In opening comments, Interim Superintendent Keeley Boyer announced the Mexican American School Board Association, at its annual conference last week, presented ECISD with its awards for Outstanding Workforce Development Initiative and Outstanding Special Education Initiative. Additionally, Yaretzi Barrera Alapizco, a junior at Permian High School, won first place in the conference’s student artwork exhibit. The two awards and Yaretzi’s artwork were on display in the board room.
