Conroe ISD 2023-24 Tax Rate, Budget Hearing

CONROE, Texas – Conroe Independent School District officials are preparing to gather community input regarding the district’s financial path forward as the school year begins. The district has scheduled a public hearing for Tuesday, August 15, at 5 p.m. to discuss the proposed budget and tax rate for the 2023-24 fiscal year.

The meeting will be held at the Conroe ISD Administration Building, located at 3200 W. Davis St. in Conroe. This hearing serves as a precursor to the formal adoption of the budget and tax rate, which the Board of Trustees is scheduled to vote on during a subsequent meeting on Tuesday, September 19, at 5 p.m. at the same location.

The district is putting forward a total proposed tax rate of $1.0792 per $100 of valuation. If approved, this would represent a decrease of $0.0355 from the current rate of $1.1147. The proposed rate is comprised of a $0.7892 maintenance and operations (M&O) rate and a $0.29 interest and sinking (I&S) rate, which is used to pay down district debt.

District officials note that the tax rate compression is largely influenced by state-level legislative mandates and local voting outcomes. Specifically, the reduction aligns with the requirements of Senate Bill 2, a 2019 measure designed to limit the growth of property tax revenue for school districts. Furthermore, the district’s tax planning accounts for the voter-approved increase to the homestead exemption, which provides additional relief to local homeowners.

Despite the tax rate decrease, the district’s overall spending plan is seeing significant growth. The proposed budget for the 2023-24 school year is $762.7 million, a $67 million increase over the previous year’s budget of $695.7 million. Of that total, $577.9 million is allocated for maintenance and operations, while $184.8 million is set aside for debt service.

The primary driver for the increased expenditure is the rapid population growth in Montgomery County. Conroe ISD projects an enrollment increase of 2,787 students for the current academic year. To manage this influx, the district has budgeted to hire 289 additional teachers and 148 support staff members.

The expansion of the district’s physical footprint also requires increased funding. Conroe ISD is opening three new campuses this year: Hope Elementary, Meador Elementary, and Stockton Junior High.

Beyond personnel and facilities, the budget proposal earmarks funding for district-wide safety and security enhancements, as well as expanded resources for special education programming. Compensation also remains a priority for the district, with the proposed budget including a 5 percent raise for teachers, librarians, nurses, counselors, and diagnosticians, and a 4 percent raise for administrative and support staff.

Community members who wish to review the full budget proposal or specific tax rate documentation can find additional details on the official Conroe ISD website at www.conroeisd.net. The district encourages residents to attend the public hearing to provide feedback or ask questions before the Board of Trustees takes final action in September.