Questions from the Community

  • If voters approve the bond, the district plans to convert the existing cafeteria into a band hall.

  • If voters approve the bond, the new cafeteria will be constructed on the large vacant lot between the basketball courts and the high school.

  • The bond for the new district cafeteria would expand the facility’s capacity, and the district is exploring options that would allow parents to eat lunch with their student(s).

  • No, the district currently has an I&S tax rate of $0.00. If the bond passes, the district projects a tax rate impact of $0.17 (17 cents).

  • The proposed term for this bond is 15 years.

  • If voters approve the bond, the district will develop a plan to equip the new cafeteria with a generator, allowing it to provide power and serve as a community gathering space during storm-related outages.

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.

  • 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.

  • Under state law, bond funds must be used for items listed on the election ballot. In addition, if the bond passes, the district will invite community members to join a Bond Oversight Committee. This committee will meet regularly to oversee the construction of the bond projects.

  • The school district itself does not set property values. Property values are determined by the Wharton 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 www.whartoncad.net.

  • No, bond funds cannot be used for teacher salaries.

Taxes

  • If you qualify for an age 65+ or disabled person residence homestead exemption, the tax ceiling is the amount you pay in the year you qualified for your exemption. The school district taxes on your residence homestead may go below, but not above the ceiling amount. You must apply for this exemption. Apply here.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • You can apply for the homestead exemption here.

  • If the voters approve the bond, there will be a $0.17 (17 cents) I&S tax impact. For the average home in Louise ISD valued at *$234,343 that would be an impact of $13.40 a month.

    *Based on data from the Wharton County Appraisal District

Have a question?