Questions For Your Local School Board

As most property owners know, school property taxes comprise the largest part of your annual property tax bill. Here are some questions to ask your Georgetown school board members that relate to the cost of schools.

1. Over the last 15 years, GISD has issued $400M in bonds. $350M remains to be paid plus $209M in interest for $559.2M currently owed. Do you support an increase in bond debt, and if so, how much more?

2. Over the last 5 years, enrollment has grown at 1.9% annually and inflation has been 1.22% annually for a total growth rate of students plus inflation of 3.12% annually. Why has the budget grown at a 7.46% annual rate over the same period? Do you support limiting the budget growth rate to student growth plus inflation?

3. The GISD apparently hires an architect and designs schools from scratch each time a school is created or replaced. Would you support a common school design, one each for elementary, middle and high schools that might only differ cosmetically at the entrance? Round Rock ISD proposed a bond election last year that would fund a $160M high school! That is rediculous!

4. The average GISD teacher’s salary is $49,402 while the average salaries of professionals and administrative personnel range from $61,197 to $109,782. The Superintendent makes $246,400 annually. Does that seem fair or appropriate given that the teacher is the most important person in the education of children?

A wealth of information is available online at the Texas Education Agency