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As the nation's eleventh largest school district, Dallas Independent School District serves more than 160,000 students who come from homes where 58 different languages are spoken.  Operating with a $1 billion dollar budget, DISDemploys 18,613 employees including 10,000 teachers in 220 schools.

Dallas ISD Proposes Modest Tax Increase

23 Aug 2000

A proposed budget of $940,708,071 will be presented to the Board of Education for approval Thursday. The DISD's current tax rate is $1.46 per $100 of property-tax valuation. An 8-cent tax increase is projected to increase revenue by $39,535,425 in the Dallas Independent School District.

According to district officials, Dallas' proposed tax increase can be attributed to several key factors including a decrease in state funding and an increase in operating expenditures such as a $37.5 compensation plan for employees, a $2.9 million transportation expense, $14.6 million for Edison Schools, and $9 million for an enhanced dropout prevention program.

“The proposed general operating budget provides support to local campuses and a compensation increase for teachers and campus-based leadership,” said Interim General Superintendent Robert Payton. “We have set ambitious goals for this administration as evident by our Vision 2003 District Plan which should reflect in higher academic achievement and a reduced dropout rate. The 8-cent tax increase will be applied to better salaries for our 10,500 teachers, increased dropout prevention/intervention and recovery programs and continued support for local campuses.”

If Dallas approves the 8-cent tax rate, the average homeowner, with exemptions, would pay about $169 more in taxes, based on a $84,405 average market value home. Although the state provides additional funding to school districts with low property values, the DISD is a Tier 2, or property wealth district, therefore as property values in the district increase, state aid decreases. While ad valorem taxes will increase by $47 million due to increases in property values, state aid to the district will decrease by $45 million.