Waco ISD board adopts 2024–25 budget and approves 1.04894 tax rate

The Waco Independent School District board on Aug. 20 adopted the district's 2024–25 budgets and approved a total tax rate of 1.04894 per $100 of assessed value after a required truth‑in‑taxation hearing.

Miss Davis, presenting the budget and tax analysis, told trustees the maintenance and operations rate will remain at 0.7664 while the interest and sinking (debt) rate will be 0.28254, for a combined rate of 1.04894. "The maintenance and operations tax rate is 0.7664," Miss Davis said during the hearing, and she noted the I&S portion is "about 2¢ higher than it was last year" as collections and appraised values changed.

Davis walked the board through the budget comparisons and the district's financial picture, saying total official budgeted appropriations equal roughly $200.9 million and listing the general‑fund appropriation presented to trustees. She told the board the district began the year with more students than budgeted — reporting 13,398 students on the day of the meeting versus the district projection used in the budget — which, if it holds through the PEIMS snapshot, will improve the revenue outlook.

During the public comment portion, a community member noted that rising home values account for part of the apparent percentage change in homeowners' tax bills; trustees closed the hearing after no further public comments. The motion to adopt the budgets and the record motion to set the tax rate were approved on roll calls recorded by the district, with President Quarterweg, Vice President Vidania, Secretary Davis, Trustee Guillory, Trustee Grant, Trustee Ochoa and Trustee Patton all voting in favor.

The board's adoption means the district will move forward with the amounts presented in the packet and with the tax rate that triggers normal collection by the county tax assessor‑collector. Trustees and administration said they will continue to track enrollment and revenue through count day and report any material changes to the board.