A Message from the Rockwall ISD Superintendent

ROCKWALL, TX (Nov. 13, 2024) At Monday’s Board of Trustees meeting, Superintendent Dr. John Villarreal gave the following update regarding the recent VATRE and bond election: 

Rockwall ISD would like to thank the community for their ongoing support. We believe we have outstanding students, teachers, and staff. Supporting our community’s school district that serves 19,200 plus students and the ongoing increase in student enrollment is a shared responsibility for Rockwall ISD families and the community. Maintaining high student performance in a top 5% district for academics, fine arts, career and technology education, and athletics relies on great teachers in our classrooms and great staff. To be clear, our greatest challenge will continue to be retaining and recruiting teachers for our children as we compete with other Districts in communities that have passed Voter Approved Tax Rate Elections (VATRE) to address teacher and staff competitive pay.

Problem: State-wide Teacher/Staff Shortage and Retaining and Recruiting Teachers and Staff to Address Accelerated Growth

Note 1:

9th Legislative Session Support for Teachers and Staff Competitive Pay

Moving forward, Rockwall ISD will respectfully work with state Elected Officials to provide support and assistance in addressing the need for an increase to the basic student allotment and addressing unfunded mandates from the last legislative session related to school safety, school security, and providing increased funding for our special education students.

Note 2:

Retaining and Recruiting Teachers and Staff for the 2025-2026 School Year

Rockwall ISD will recommend a one-time incentive retention payment to teachers and staff in December 2024.

Additionally, Rockwall ISD will work to provide a pay increase for teachers and staff in 2025-2026. Final approval will occur in late spring pending the outcome of the 89th Legislative Session. Decisions for teacher and staff pay increases will require an additional year of deficit budgeting to do so. Please know that the district is also preparing other cost reduction of services to address improved teacher and staff competitive pay.

Note 3:

Addressing Budget Deficits and Enrollment Growth for the 2025-2026 School Year

Without a VATRE and new facilities for growth, Rockwall ISD will be working to determine changes to our educational programming and operations to use any cost savings to address teacher and staff competitive pay. To address continued enrollment growth without new facilities, the district will explore all options regarding overcrowding of schools such as Linda Lyon ES, Lupe Garcia ES, Stevenson ES, Amy Parks ES, Sherry and Paul Hamm ES and Cain MS.

Note 4:

Plans Moving Forward for Teacher and Staff Competitive Pay

Currently, Rockwall ISD is functioning at the lowest tax rate with a $7.5 million deficit budget due to (1) teacher and staff pay, (2) addressing inflation, and (3) the 1st year opening of 9th grade campuses related to high school overcrowding. Since 2019, there has been no new funding to the state’s basic student allotment to address teacher and staff pay, safety and security (limited funding), and overall inflationary costs. Click here for understanding the district efficiency and deficit budget at the lowest tax rate. The past 88th legislative session began with an additional $32.7 billion surplus with no new funding allocated for school districts. This upcoming 89th legislative session will begin with a projected surplus of approximately $21.2 billion surplus.

Again, our greatest challenge will continue to be retaining and recruiting great teachers to the classroom and meeting the needs of continued student enrollment growth as we compete with other Districts that receive additional funding from a Voter Approved Tax Rate Election (VATRE) for teacher and staff competitive pay. In the future, Rockwall ISD will consider a stand-alone VATRE election.

Our teachers and staff are the heart of our school district and their dedication to serving our Rockwall ISD students is sincerely inspiring. Our teachers continue to go above and beyond every day to challenge and care for our students, thereby being a source that creates opportunity and hope.

We love our Rockwall ISD Teachers and Staff.

Submitted press release, Rockwall ISD. 

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