Together For Judson Schools
Join us in supporting Proposition A
and ensuring a brighter educational landscape for our children and community in the
Judson Independent School District.
Your voice matters!
Vote for Prop A #TogetherForJudson
"Your vote FOR Judson Prop A,
can impact our community to see positive change."
has
Straight & Simple.
State Funding isn't making the grade.
Underfunded
For the past six years, districts have operated without any increase from the state to the student allocation. While our tax rate dropped for four years and then stayed the same for
the next two, costs continued to
rise. Everyone has personally experienced inflation….school districts experience it as well.
Restricted
During these past few years, a lot of state funding received was designated for specific programs. Certain state funds had to be strictly used for earmarked purposes, while
more pressing budgetary needs of the school were ignored and therefore stretched thin.
Regulated
Local school districts have had several
government mandates placed on them over the years as well. These mandates were
ordered to be implemented
immediately without being fully offset with additional funds. One example is having an officer on every campus. The money provided by the state toward this requirement was a fraction of the actual cost.
Persevering
Through all of this, teachers, families, and staff have continued to serve students to the best of their abilities.
Despite these
challenges, students continue to dream and work hard toward their future. They are all depending on our community.
We could easily provide the additional support needed by voting "FOR" on Prop A.
Why a VATRE?
LET'S INVEST IN JUDSON'S FUTURE:
WHEN THE STATE DOESN’T PROVIDE FULLY FOR OUR SCHOOLS,
IT’S UP TO US!
The Voter Approval Tax Rate Election, or VATRE, gives OUR COMMUNITY a voice in
how we use local school funds – without limits set by the state.
Since 2019, there has been no increase in the per-student funding allotment from the state. During this time the Judson tax rate has been lowered for four of those years and has stayed the same for the last two. Meanwhile as we all know, the cost of supplies, services, and salaries have gone up. (The Consumer Price Index shows greater than a
17% increase in average inflation since 2019). In addition to rising costs, however, the state has put more strain on public schools by requiring services that it did not provide funds to fully cover. The Texas legislature did finally increase the student allotment in this year…by $55. That represents a .09% increase, a fraction of the inflation rate.
Many Texas school districts have looked at this action as a sign that a VATRE would be necessary if not this year, then in the next year or so.
Compared to surrounding districts, JISD’s tax rate is 9th out of 13. With the VATRE’s passage it will move up to 8th …still in the lower half of its peers.
This vote isn’t just about taxes. It’s about protecting what makes Judson ISD strong:
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Great teachers
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Excellent education for our students
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Programs and support services that help kids learn, grow, and thrive
Other nearby districts have already taken this step to support their schools and Judson is taking the same decisive action.
Here’s the good news: most homeowners will not experience an increase to their tax bill, thanks to the $40,000 increase to the homestead exemption. In fact, the average homeowner will likely see their property taxes go down by an average of $20/month from last year’s bill in spite of the .044 tax rate rise to $1.0796 (from last year’s $1.0356). Please be sure you are taking advantage of the homestead exemption: go to BCAD.org, look up your address, and check for the HS exemption designation. If you don’t have it, you can still file for it and begin experiencing those savings.
For a $300,000 home without the exemption (such as a rental property), the owner would see an increase from last year’s bill of about $11/month. Landlords are business people, and generally care about the health of the area employers (JISD is a major community employer) as well as the attractiveness of the school system. A VATRE failure would weaken these areas drastically. Investing in the strength and stability of the local school district makes good business sense.
With the VATRE’s passage, Judson ISD will continue to take deliberate, thoughtful cost saving measures and will expect to balance the budget in about a year while retaining scholastic and financial integrity. If it does not pass, drastic cuts will have to be made without the luxury of careful deliberation. Our schools will face class sizes increase, staff levels decrease, multiple school closures, and reductions to student programs and services.
Keep in mind that whether you have kids attending school here or not, the health and quality of your school district directly impacts the health and quality of your community. It benefits every resident to have a strong, successful school district.
Let’s stand together to invest in the future our community and our community’s children. Judson ISD has overcome challenges before, and with your support, it will continue to rise above and excel.
Let's Break it down even further...
Frequently Asked Questions
How did we get into a deficit position?
Main funding comes from local taxes and from the state. For the past 6 years no additional funding
came from the state. The Judson tax rate decreased for 3 straight years then remained the same for
the last 2 years (so an increase still keeps us lower than we have been in the past). Also in this time,
basic costs increased such as maintenance, fuel and insurance. Everyone has experienced the effect of
inflation, and districts experience it as well. With Prop A’s passage, JISD expects to have a balanced
budget within a year, two at most.
Source: judsonisd.org/page/vatre
What expenditures are part of the deficit?
Per the JISD CFO, teacher/staff raises in the past 3 years (prior to this year) contributed to over half of
it. Insurance losses contributed 14%.
How much has been cut so far to address the deficit?
Per the JISD CFO, about $10M (22% of the deficit at start of 2025-2026 budget)
Are cuts still being considered?
Yes, they are being continually evaluated.
How will the district use the funds raised from the VATRE (Prop A)?
It will allow JISD to be more deliberative in additional cuts that need to be made. It will enable them to
consider some retention incentives for the professionals overlooked by the state: our counselors,
librarians, and academic trainers. Overall, it will allow them to retain needed staff, continue student
programs, and maintain student support services at necessary levels.
Are school closures being considered?
One school was already closed earlier this year. All other district campuses are being evaluated, and
those that make the most sense with the least impact to the community will be considered for
closure/consolidation as need dictates. This process will be measured, deliberate, and
thoughtful…unless the VATRE fails, in which case it will be rushed and more widespread.
How do JISD’s tax rates compare to other area districts?
They are on the lower end; even with the proposed increase of 4.5 cents, they will be roughly in the middle.
JISD the only district needing a tax increase to fund education?
No, many others in Texas are as well and more plan to next year: with minimal support from the state,
local funding is the only other main source districts have to turn to.
What if the VATRE (Prop A) fails?
It would be catastrophic – more schools than otherwise necessary would have to close and our staff
cut to levels that would not serve our students well.
Should senior citizens be interested in supporting this tax increase even though it will not impact them?
Yes, the quality of a school district impacts the quality of the community as a whole.
Does the JISD board support the VATRE (Prop A)?
The board voted 7-0 to hold a VATRE for a tax rate of 1.0796
What is JISD doing about their recent D rating?
They have isolated the areas of lowest student performance and adjusted the curriculum as well as
class schedule to allow for extra tutoring during school hours (rather than after school, which does not
reach all students). High performing teachers have been sent to the weaker campuses. They have
implemented strategic professional development for math teachers district wide since that is a subject
with lower scoring. They are already seeing marked improvement from these strategies and expect to
be back to a C next year, but their goal is a district wide B.
Get in Touch
We Want to Hear
Your Questions and Comments are Welcome
Who Are We
Together For Judson Schools, is a dedicated Political Action Committee advocating for the VATER initiative
and Proposition A. We formed this group in support of Prop A because we believe that this initiative can make a difference in our schools and communities. We believe that our schools are heavily underfunded while costs have been significantly and rapidly increasing as a pattern over several years.
We aim to clear up any misconceptions regarding the VATER and Prop A
and allow a safe space for productive and healthy dialogue.