Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD School Funding Referendum
Frequently Asked Questions From Our Community.

A School Funding Referendum, also known as a Voter-Approval Tax Ratification Election (VATRE), is authorized by the Texas Legislature to provide voters with the opportunity to fund the education of local students in a manner that meets the expectations of their community. Our state leaders made this voter-approval option available after several rounds of school funding cuts by the Legislature. A VATRE allows voters the chance on November 4 to decide the district’s tax rate and maintenance & operations (M&O) funds. HEB ISD’s VATRE will be used to improve teacher salaries, and maintain and/or expand academic, job training, and safety programs in the district, among other things. It’s important to note that more than 600 school districts in Texas, including the overwhelming majority of districts in our region, have already passed a School Funding Referendum. 

Yes. The School Funding Referendum is a direct result of HEB ISD listening to citizens. Before calling for the School Funding Referendum, the HEB ISD Board of Trustees, the Superintendent, and our administrators spent countless hours reviewing funding options, analyzing academic and classroom safety programs, and seeking input from teachers, parents, and taxpayers. As with any significant decision in our district, our goal is to ensure that we continue to meet the high standards of our community, allowing our students to compete with those in other districts for college acceptance and future job opportunities.

As we do regularly, we reviewed the competitive nature of teacher salaries across the region, the academic needs of our students, class sizes, CTE offerings, programs that prepare our kids for college or careers, safety and security needs, and many other areas of our district budget.

While legislators in Austin have slightly increased the state’s portion of funding for local school districts in 2025, this funding increase has continued to lag behind inflation and does not fully compensate for the significant funding cuts made in previous years.

Yes. If voters approve the School Funding Referendum, we will collaborate with our educators and parents to address funding for these programs.

Due to a recent series of cuts to our property tax rate, combined with the district's wise fiscal management and the increase in the homestead exemption, the average homeowner in HEB ISD will see a decrease in their property tax bill. It should be noted that 100% of these new funds will remain in our district, rather than being recaptured by the state’s complex and confusing school finance system.

Homeowners 65 years of age and older will never see an increase in their tax levy because of the senior citizen homestead exemption.

If the School Funding Referendum is approved, we will continue with our efficiency policies that have earned us the highest rankings for transparency and district accountability by state agencies. In fact, HEB ISD ranks higher than every large district in the state for wise management of tax dollars, and we enjoy one of the lowest property tax rates in the region.

Please contact us at budgetwise@hebisd.edu.. The HEB ISD staff, administrators and Board of Trustees will do their best to accommodate all questions and concerns.