Here’s how the Fort Worth school district plans to put your increased taxes to use
The Fort Worth school district will immediately start putting to use funds generated from increased taxes that voters approved in the Nov. 3 election.
The VATRE, or Voter Approval Tax Ratification Election, resulted in an increase in property taxes from $1.282 per $100 valuation to $1.378 per $100 — a 7.4% increase.
The school board plans to immediately vote on the purchase of 23,000 Chromebooks computers for about $12 million.
FWISD said it plans to use revenue from the tax increase in three categories: compensation for teachers; safety and health; and security, connectivity and devices.
“We are grateful to voters for their support of Fort Worth ISD students,” said Superintendent Kent P. Scribner in a news release Thursday. “And we are taking immediate action to use VATRE funding to give our students the resources they need to be successful.”
The Chromebook purchase “will be a major step to making Fort Worth ISD a 1:1 organization (one student, one device) across the board,” school officials said in the release.
On Monday at 5:30 p.m., the Fort Worth ISD Board of Education will hold a special meeting to canvass and officially declare the results of election.
The VATRE is projected to generate $66 million annually for students. The tax increase will generate $44 million – but that money will be matched by the state of Texas with an additional $22 million, resulting in $66 million annually for students, district officials said.
