Submitted press release by Rockwall ISD Communications
ROCKWALL, TX (Oct. 30, 2025) Rockwall County voters will see a Voter-Approval Tax Ratification Election (VATRE), or Proposition A, on the Tuesday, November 4, ballot. The VATRE will determine whether Rockwall Independent School District can access more than $16.5 million in new annual local funding, every year to support teacher and staff compensation, student programs, underfunded special education, and school safety.
Rockwall ISD is one of only four districts in the area not currently accessing VATRE funds and the only district in House District 33 without a VATRE. Despite conservative budgeting and fiscal responsibility, Rockwall ISD is falling behind neighboring districts in teacher and staff pay.
What is a VATRE?
A Voter-Approval Tax Ratification Election is a local school finance election that asks voters to consider allowing the district to access additional pennies on the Maintenance & Operations (M&O) tax rate. Voters will be asked whether they are FOR or AGAINST the net 4-cent total tax rate change. The 2025 VATRE proposal carries a tax impact that is 66% less than last year’s proposal, while still generating significant new local revenue for Rockwall ISD classrooms and programs.
The local VATRE funds would be allocated as follows:
➜ 64% for pay for all employees, with an emphasis on veteran teacher pay
➜ 24% for underfunded special education and other student needs
➜ 12% for underfunded school safety
If the VATRE does not pass, the district will not have access to the $16.5 million in new local funds for students, staff, and schools, and the district will consider other options such as adjusting class sizes, modifying programs, or increasing fees for families to support teacher and staff recruitment and retention.
Tax Rate Comparison to Surrounding Districts
Even with the proposed VATRE pennies, Rockwall ISD’s total tax rate would remain among the three lowest of 18 surrounding school districts. The average impact of the VATRE on Rockwall ISD taxpayers is estimated at $160 per year, or approximately $13 per month. The rate of $1.0669, which already appears on local tax bills, includes the VATRE funds because state law requires school districts and county appraisal districts to show the adopted total rate being proposed before the election.
Rockwall ISD’s revenue per student remains the lowest among surrounding districts, underscoring the district’s continued commitment to responsible fiscal management while maintaining one of the lowest tax burdens in the region.
Rockwall ISD Will Not Send Money Back to State if the VATRE Passes
Rockwall ISD has never paid recapture and will not owe recapture next year if the VATRE passes. Under the state’s school funding system, wealthier districts that collect more local tax revenue than the state’s funding formulas allow are required to send a portion of those funds back to the state. Rockwall ISD does not meet that threshold and will continue to keep all locally collected revenue within the district.
To be clear, the district will receive additional state aid should the VATRE pass. A district cannot receive additional state aid and also be in recapture at the same time.
If Proposition A passes, 100% of all local property tax revenue will stay in Rockwall ISD, and no local dollars will be sent to the state based on the current numbers for next year. This ensures that every dollar raised by Rockwall ISD taxpayers continues to directly support Rockwall ISD students, teachers, and schools.
Submitted press release, Rockwall ISD Communications.
Rockwall ISD’s VATRE Keeps Tax Rate Among the Lowest in the Region added by Editor on
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