Voters in the Spring Independent School District will decide in November whether to approve a property tax increase. The increase is projected to provide an additional $15.5 million in funding to a district facing persistent budget deficits and declining student enrollment.
Proposition A, which was unanimously placed on the November 3 ballot by district trustees in August, would authorize a total property tax rate of $1.1569 per $100 of valuation, up from last year’s rate of $1.1369.
According to the district, the proposed rate would generate approximately $5.6 million in additional local revenue while allowing Spring ISD to access another $9.9 million in state funding. The measure comes as Spring ISD continues to struggle financially.
In April, the district was projecting an $8.7 million deficit for the 2026-27 school year, following five consecutive years of budget shortfalls that depleted its available fund balance.
In June, trustees approved a $500.8 million operating budget for the 2026-27 school year. The spending plan included a $1,000 retention stipend for returning teachers, increased compensation incentives for certain special education personnel, and additional funding for marketing efforts aimed at increasing enrollment.
Declining enrollment has been a significant contributor to the district’s financial difficulties. Superintendent Kregg Cuellar said that approximately 1,500 students left the district last year, resulting in an estimated $9.3 million reduction in state funding.
Figures from Texas Education Agency data showed that enrollment had declined from the 2024-25 school year to the 2025-26 school year by 1,241 students, or 3.7 percent.
The district’s financial problems extend beyond enrollment.
According to the Chronicle, Spring ISD officials previously identified a self-funded employee health insurance program as another major financial burden, with the program costing at least $38 million since its implementation during the 2022-23 fiscal year.
Under Proposition A, the additional funding would primarily support teacher and staff compensation, existing educational programs, and other operational expenses. District officials say remaining funds could also address rising healthcare, utility, and other costs.
The district estimates that the tax increase would cost the owner of an average home valued at approximately $248,000 an additional $22 annually, assuming a homestead exemption. That figure compares the proposed tax rate with the previous year’s rate.
However, if voters reject Proposition A, that would result in a larger tax rate reduction. According to the district’s election website, the total rate would fall to $1.1069 per $100 of valuation if the proposition fails, reflecting the expiration of five cents in previously authorized disaster-related tax authority.
The difference between approval and rejection would therefore be five cents per $100 of valuation, rather than the two-cent increase compared with last year.
The district has also taken steps to reduce expenditures.
Spring ISD joined several other Houston-area school districts in voting to close campuses amid financial difficulties and declining enrollment. Two Spring ISD campuses were approved for closure.
The district has also sought substantial funding from taxpayers in previous elections.
In 2022, voters approved an $850 million bond package that included $141 million for a performing arts center.
At the time, the district already carried approximately $639 million in outstanding bond principal.
Unlike the 2022 bond package, however, the current proposition would provide funding for ongoing operational expenses rather than authorize additional borrowing for capital projects.
Cuellar said that the district’s responsibility is to inform residents about the financial implications of the election, regardless of how they ultimately vote.
Early voting begins October 19 and continues through October 30, with Election Day scheduled for November 3.
