Spring ISD stands to lose $15.5 million in combined local and state funding if voters reject Proposition A on Nov. 3.

The district posted the warning on X on Thursday, Oct. 8, saying it would need to strategically manage staffing and programs without that additional funding should the measure fail.

Prop A is a Voter Approval Tax Rate Election, or VATRE. The Spring ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Aug. 17 to place it on the ballot. If approved, the measure would raise the district's Maintenance & Operations tax rate by 2 cents, from $1.1369 to $1.1569 per $100 of property value.


That 2-cent increase would generate an estimated $5.6 million in additional local M&O revenue, according to the district's Aug. 19 announcement. The local dollars would also unlock roughly $9.9 million in state funding.

The money targets day-to-day operations: teacher and staff pay, student programs, transportation and utilities. It would not fund construction or the district's bond program.

For a homeowner with a $250,000 property and a homestead exemption, the increase works out to less than $5 per month, or about $55 per year. Homeowners 65 or older, or those with a disability homestead exemption, are generally protected by a tax ceiling and would not see an increase.

Spring ISD said it is managing financial pressure from declining enrollment, rising costs and state funding that does not fully cover some required expenses.

Chief of Business Operations Dr. Tamika Alford-Stephens presented the VATRE financial case to the board in August. "This conversation is not simply about tax rates; it's about maintaining high-quality instruction, supporting our employees and preserving opportunities for our students while also practicing fiscal responsibility," Alford-Stephens said in the district's Aug. 19 announcement.

No organized opposition to Prop A has surfaced in public records as of Oct. 8.

The voter registration deadline was Oct. 5. Early voting runs Monday, Oct. 19, through Friday, Oct. 30. Election Day polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3.