Frequently Asked Questions

General

  • School districts are required by state law to ask voters for permission to sell bonds to investors in order to raise the capital dollars required to renovate existing buildings or build a new school. Essentially, it’s permission to take out a loan to build, renovate and pay that loan back over an extended period of time, much like a family takes out a mortgage loan for their home. A school board calls a bond election so voters can decide whether or not they want to pay for proposed facility projects.

  • Yes. Recent research by the Environmental Protection Agency suggests that a school’s physical environment can play a major role in academic performance. Leaky roofs and problems with heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems can trigger a host of health problems – including asthma and allergies – that increase absenteeism and reduce academic performance. Research links key environmental factors to health outcomes and students’ ability to perform.

  • Working with the Board of Trustees, teachers, and administrators from across the district, the facilities planning committee developed a list of items to consider for inclusion in a bond package. The District has been evaluating current facilities and equipment, ongoing enrollment, growth, and other district priorities with the Board of Trustees.

  • The school district itself does not set property values. Property values are determined by the Grayson County Appraisal District, an independent government agency responsible for estimating the market value of properties in the county each year. 

    The Appraisal District looks at things like: 

    1. Recent sales of similar homes in your area 

    2. Market trends (supply and demand) 

    3. Improvements or changes made to your property 

    4. Overall neighborhood growth and development 

    In short: The school district doesn’t control your home’s value—the real estate market and the county appraisal process do. Find out more information at https://graysonappraisal.org/.

  • The Admin Building currently houses 12 Departments, 20 Offices, 43 Staff Members, 1 Training Room, and 1 Boardroom. The 43 staff members include: 18 in Education, 8 in Curriculum, 4 in Technology, 3 in Business, 3 in ESL/504/Testing, 2 in PEIMS, 2 in Administration, and 1 each in Child Nutrition, Police, and the Education Foundation.

    The Transportation and Maintenance Center includes 3 offices and supports 29 staff members. To accommodate growth, the department has utilized an old maintenance barn, as the current facility offers no additional capacity.

  • If the bond does not pass, VAISD will add portable buildings to address increased enrollment within the district. 

  • Safety & Security: Portable classrooms require additional security measures and can be more vulnerable compared to permanent buildings.

    Cost: $900k< per portable.

    Longevity: Portables are designed as temporary structures and are not a long-term solution.

    Funding: Funded by Maintenance & Operations (M&O) Fund Balance, which also pays for:

    • Teacher salaries

    • Instructional materials and programs

    • Operational costs (utilities, transportation, etc.)

Taxes

  • There will be no I&S tax rate increase if the voters approve the bonds. Likewise, there will be no tax rate reduction if the voters do not approve the bonds. The debt service tax rate will remain at $0.50/per $100 of taxable value.

    Voters are voting on the issuance of new bonds.

  • Texas legislature passed laws in 2019 requiring all school bond elections to include the following language on the ballot: “THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.” The state mandates all bond ballots to include this language regardless of what individual exemptions each voter may have. The passage or failure of this bond will not impact your school district tax amount if you have an approved homestead exemption.

  • The district is able to call a bond election without increasing school taxes because of growth within the community. The taxes collected from new homes and businesses will cover the costs, so existing taxpayers won't bear the burden of repaying additional bonds.

  • A school district’s tax rate is comprised of two components: the Maintenance & Operations tax (M&O) and the Interest & Sinking tax (I&S). The M&O rate is used to operate the school district including salaries, utilities, furniture, supplies, food, gas, etc. The I&S rate is used to pay off school construction bonds. Bond sales only affect the I&S rate.