Voters pass Austin Independent School District Proposition A

Austin Independent School District Proposition A, a tax rate election, passed with 58 percent of the vote on Nov. 5, resulting in a property tax increase for Austin residents that will invest $41 million in AISD.  

The Austin ISD Board of Trustees voted in August to place Proposition A on the November ballot after a five-year stagnation in the state’s per-student funding, which is now $4,000 below the national average. The AISD Board of Trustees put forward Prop A as a plan to increase pay for teachers and staff, reduce the district’s deficit, strengthen savings and invest in additional support staff and services for students. 

“I’m so grateful for the community’s support of Proposition A, which will help the district retain the educators and staff whose talents underpin everything we do at Austin ISD,” said AISD Board President Arati Singh.  

The district will receive approximately $41 million annually from the increased tax rate, with around $17.8 million allocated for a staff compensation plan that includes market adjustments, particularly benefiting the most experienced teachers. AISD projects that with this funding, 85 percent of all regular, benefit-eligible staff would receive pay increases. 

Around $20 million will be allocated to rebuild the district’s reserves and reduce the $92 million deficit. An additional $3.2 million will directly enhance campus support, including hiring educational specialists and expanding mental health services for students.

The influx of funding will be financed by a 9.1-cent increase in the tax rate for every $100 of a property’s taxable value. For the average Austin home – valued at $553,493 – this will result in a $412 annual increase in AISD property taxes, according to the district.

AISD estimates the tax increase will generate $171 million in total. However, the district will retain only $41 million. The remaining $130 million will return to the state through recapture, a program that redistributes property tax revenue from wealthier districts to those with lower property values.

AISD is the state’s largest contributor to the recapture program. In the 2023 fiscal year, 54.5 percent of the district’s local tax revenue – an estimated $845.9 million – was diverted through recapture, accounting for approximately half of AISD’s $1.68 billion budget.

“Austin loves our neighborhood schools, and we stand by our values. Our community has once again stepped up for our students,” Superintendent Matias Segura said. “We are thankful to Austin voters who are willing to make this investment because they know that when our students thrive, the rest of our community will too.”

The boost in pay will be implemented in December, according to AISD.

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