TISD to keep current tax rate, OKs slight increase in meal fees

The Texarkana Independent School District’s Board of Trustees held a public hearing on the 2017-18 budget and tax rate during its regular meeting Tuesday. The approved budget of $64.7 million is slightly higher than last year’s $64.3 million budget, with expenditures remaining the same. The district expects a slight enrollment increase, along with a $1.13 million increase in tax revenues.

TISD’s total tax rate of $1.425 will not change, and has remained the same since 2015, when voters approved an increase to build the Sixth Grade Center and Waggoner Creek Elementary School.

The 2017-18 tax rate includes $1.17 for maintenance and operations and $.255 for interest and sinking funds, which is used to repay bonded indebtedness and other costs.

The board also approved adding a dual-credit physics course in the fall, bringing the total number of dual-credit courses to 107.

A $.10 increase in meal prices was also approved for the upcoming school year. Breakfast will be $2.15, elementary lunch will be $2.65 and middle and high school lunch will be $2.75.

In other business, the board approved a one-year food service management contract with McLeod ISD, which begins in August. MISD’s Board of Trustees approved the agreement during its regular meeting in May. TISD currently has food service management contracts with several ISDs, including Bloomburg, DeKalb, LindenKildare, Malta, New Boston and Redwater.

TISD Athletic Director Gary Stanford gave a report on athletic involvement and extracurricular activities, stating that 89 percent of students at Texas Middle School participated during the past year. At Texas High, he said that 77 percent of students participated in at least one activity.

Jo Ann Rice, assistant superintendent of student and community development, also gave a report on the Partners in Education Program, reporting that 219 businesses partnered with TISD during the 2016-17 school year. She said the total value of the program’s volunteer services, monetary and in-kind contributions is $1,272,286. She added that 912 people volunteered in the Volunteers in Public Schools Program, contributing an estimated 42,709 hours of service.