FAQs

This school year, Rockwall ISD has hired 239 new teachers. While some of these positions were filled due to normal attrition from resignations and retirements, approximately 45 of these hires were for new positions created to accommodate student enrollment growth as more families move into the district.

Over the past five years, the trends in teacher recruitment and hiring have shifted due to the national teacher shortage. According to the Texas Education Agency Academic Performance Report, the following data shows teacher positions and turnover rates for Rockwall ISD:

School Year	Total # of Teachers	District Turnover Rate	State Turnover Rate
2022-23	1,114	19.9%	21.4%
2021-22	1,076	15.4%	17.7%
2020-21	1,041	13.0%	14.3%
2019-20	1,014	13.5%	16.8%
2018-19	1,013	12.0%	16.5%
2017-18	971	13.7%	16.6%

 

 

Recruiting and retaining educators is a budget priority for the District each year, with various strategies implemented within the financial considerations of the Maintenance & Operating and the long-term financial stability of the District. Below are some of the measures the District has taken in recent years:

• Conducted market salary studies and adjusted pay to stay as competitive as possible against other districts that have VATRE funding.
• Provided additional pay increases above the general pay increases for experienced staff, such as veteran teachers.
• Issued one-time incentive and retention checks to all staff.
• Provided free after-school care (ROCK) for children of teachers and staff.
• Increased stipends to enhance market competitiveness.
• Offered one of the highest health insurance contributions among surrounding districts to help offset staff premiums.
• Raised substitute, bus driver, child nutrition, and groundskeeper pay several years in a row.
• Implemented higher starting pay for custodial staff through a third-party contractor.
• Established a new bereavement leave policy for staff.

Over the past 10 years, Rockwall ISD’s student enrollment increased by 3,914 students (27%), and the number of teacher positions grew by 230 (26%). In comparison, central administration positions increased by just 4.5 (16%) staff, reflecting a much slower growth rate and the prioritization of support for students and teachers.

10-year Comparative Increase in Central Administration, Teacher, and Student Enrollment

Source: 2012-2013 and 2022-2023 Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR). Texas Education Agency

	2012-2013	2022-2023	10-year Change
	District Totals	District Totals	Total Increase		Percentage Increase
Students	14,359	18,273	3,914		27%
Teachers	884	1,114	230		26%
Central Administration	27.5	32.0	4.5		16%

 

Additionally, Rockwall ISD spends $72 less per student on general administration compared to peer districts and $121 less than the state average, respectively. A summary comparison is below from the recent Agreed-Upon Procedures Efficiency Audit.^[1]

Peer District General Administration Expenditures Comparison

Source: Rockwall ISD AUP House Bill 3 Efficiency Audit

 Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS). Texas Education Agency

	District		Peer Districts Average[2]		State Average
	Expenditure Per Student	Percentage of Total	Expenditure Per Student	Percentage of Total	Expenditure Per Student	Percentage of Total
General Administration	$290	2.98%	$362	3.20%	$411	3.32%

 

^[1] Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) financial reports

^[2] Rockwall ISD AUP House Bill 3 Efficiency Audit

 

 

Yes. The bond proposal includes new construction, facilities updates and campus renovations that will benefit the approximately 19,000 existing students and preparing for projected student enrollment. Below are specific examples:

• New Cullins-Lake Pointe Elementary School: The current facility, nearly 40 years old, would be replaced with a new facility, similar in scope to replacements for Dobbs, Reinhardt and Rochell Elementary Schools. A cost-benefit analysis determined that constructing a new building would be more financially practical than investing in extensive repairs.
• Utley Middle School Phase 2: This project involves demolishing the existing classroom wing and rebuilding it to accommodate the move of 6th grade to the middle school level and renovating the building.
• Rockwall High School & Rockwall-Heath High School Additions & Renovations: Both high schools were originally designed for smaller student populations (4A classification) but have grown to the 6A level. The proposed additions and renovations would provide space for the number of students participating in extracurricular programs. Currently, 97% of all secondary students participate in Fine Arts, Athletics or Career and Technical Education programs.
• Career and Technical Education Program Additions: Expansions of CTE programs to include cosmetology and additions to culinary arts and Marines JROTC and a new agricultural science center. Approximately 370 student were wait-listed this year due to a lack of space. Students earned nearly 900 professional certifications through the Career and Technical Education programs.
• Safety, Transportation, and Technology Enhancements: Projects in these areas focus on upgrading safety systems, new buses, and student technology devices.

A new 77-passenger school bus with the District’s standard safety and technology features costs about $150,000 each. To meet the needs of a growing student population and new facilities, the District estimates it will need to purchase 10 additional buses annually, totaling $1.5 million per year.

Eighty-five percent of the District’s operating budget is allocated to personnel costs. The basic student allotment (state funding) has not increased since 2019, while inflation has significantly raised operational expenses. This financial pressure limits the District’s ability to cover additional costs like bus purchases without making cuts elsewhere.

While the bond proposal includes funding for buses, they will not be financed over 30 years like other bond projects. Instead, repayment will be aligned with the buses' typical 15-year lifespan.

Funding bus purchases from the operating budget would require substantial cuts, primarily in personnel, given that 85% of the budget is dedicated to staffing and 10-12% to essential expenses like utilities. To cover the $1.5 million cost, the District would need to eliminate approximately 25 teaching positions, each averaging $60,000 in salary.

Replacing and adding technology across the district is a significant ongoing expense. The proposed technology projects total about $18.6 million and focus on devices and infrastructure set on a refresh cycle of 5-7 years to ensure up-to-date technology for students and staff.

If these technology refresh cycles were funded through the annual operating budget, it would cost approximately $2.65 million per year ($18.6M divided by 7 years). However, the District’s budget allocates 85% to personnel costs and 10-12% to essential expenses like utilities, leaving limited room for additional spending. To accommodate this $2.65 million annual cost, the District would likely be unable to fund the equivalent to approximately 44 teaching positions, each averaging $60,000 in salary.

The District uses several strategies to estimate future inflation costs accurately, including:

a. Analyzing short-term (2-3 years) and long-term (5-10 years) historical trends,
b. Reviewing recent bids from District projects,
c. Comparing bids from similar projects in neighboring districts,
d. Evaluating changes in construction estimates across different design phases,
e. Consulting with construction management firms about current and future market conditions,
f. Consulting with architectural firms on anticipated market conditions,
g. Considering the timing of each project within the overall bond schedule to estimate future inflation, and
h. Estimating the design schedule relative to the bid date.

There are several reasons for considering another bond:

a. Growth: Texas, especially the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, is one of the fastest-growing regions in the U.S. According to the Census Bureau, Rockwall County is the 2^nd  fastest growing county in America in 2023.  With many campuses nearing or exceeding capacity, the District must plan for current and future growth, which can take years to address through construction projects.

b. Inflation: Since the 2021 bond election and due to historical inflation, the District delayed capital improvement projects, such as roofing, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical.

c. Career and Technical Education (CTE) Opportunities: Expansions of CTE programs to include cosmetology and additions to culinary arts and Marines JROTC and a new agricultural science center. Approximately 370 students were wait-listed this year due to a lack of space. Students earned nearly 900 professional certifications through the Career and Technical Education programs.

d. Extracurricular: The fine arts and athletic spaces were designed for 4A schools while student participation numbers are at a 6A level. Ninety-seven percent of all secondary students participate in Fine Arts, Athletics or Career and Technical Education programs. 

Check out this video to see how previous bond projects have addressed overcrowding and created learning environments for our students.

Rockwall ISD currently has about $860 million in outstanding bond debt. Among the top 10 fastest-growing districts in the DFW metroplex, Rockwall ISD has the lowest Interest & Sinking (I&S) tax rate and the third-lowest ratio of outstanding bond debt to taxable property value. As a fast-growing district, funding for new facilities comes through bonds.

Construction costs have significantly increased, with recent projects nearly doubling in price compared to 2016. This is due to inflation affecting the commercial construction market. For growing districts like Rockwall ISD, bond sales—approved by voters—are the main way to expand and add facilities.

Rockwall ISD actively seeks ways to minimize the tax impact on local residents and maximize financial efficiencies. The district’s excellent financial ratings have allowed it to refinance bonds under favorable conditions, saving taxpayers over $91 million in debt service costs. Below are savings details from recent bond refunding efforts: 

Taxpayer Debt Service Cost Savings Due to Bond Refundings

Source: Hilltop Securities. Financial Update Report. 2024

Refunding Bond Series	Debt Service Savings
Series 2015	$16,711,525
Series 2015A	$16,872,326
Series 2017	$7,448,775
Series 2019	$8,578,286
Series 2020	$40,842,904
Series 2023A	$683,472
TOTAL TAXPAYER SAVINGS	$91,137,288

 

Rockwall ISD has one of the lowest ratios of outstanding debt to taxable property value among comparable districts in the area. Additionally, the I&S tax rate remains one of the lowest, making the cost of funding bond projects relatively lower compared to other districts. On average, residents in comparable districts face an additional I&S tax cost of $653 per year.

Comparison of Ratio of Outstanding P&I to Total Taxable Value & I&S Rate Needed to Support Bonds

Source: Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS). Texas Education Agency

 

School District	2023-2024 I&S Tax Rate	Estimated Annual I&S Tax Cost	Additional I&S Tax Cost	Total P&I per Taxable Value
Rockwall ISD	$0.3500	$1,663	---	10.58%
Northwest ISD	$0.4200	$1,995	$332	7.20%
Wylie ISD	$0.4550	$2,161	$498	8.14%
Celina ISD	$0.5000	$2,375	$712	18.42%
Community ISD	$0.5000	$2,375	$712	23.27%
Forney ISD	$0.5000	$2,375	$712	21.18%
Prosper ISD	$0.5000	$2,375	$712	16.35%
Princeton ISD	$0.5000	$2,375	$712	26.29%
Royse City ISD	$0.5000	$2,375	$712	16.35%
Eagle Mt.-Saginaw ISD	$0.5000	$2,375	$712	11.75%
Crandall ISD	$0.5000	$2,375	$712	19.54%

The District has a portfolio of properties available for potential future construction projects. The Board of Trustees will make the final decisions on site selection.

New developments must go through an approval process with the city or municipality where they are being built, meeting various requirements such as zoning, density, open spaces, and safety standards. However, there are typically few legal requirements for developers to address the impact on school districts. Rockwall ISD aims to maintain strong relationships with local cities to ensure open communication about new developments so that the potential impacts on schools can be considered during the planning process.

Currently, approximately 600 students across the district are in portable classrooms. The District is utilizing one portable building (two classrooms) at Amy Parks-Heath Elementary, two portable buildings (four classrooms) at Cain Middle School, four portable buildings (8 classrooms) at Lyon Elementary, two portable buildings (4 classrooms) at Shannon Elementary, three portable buildings (6 classrooms) at Garcia Elementary, and one portable building (2 classrooms) at Stevenson Elementary to address capacity issues, totaling 20 portable classrooms districtwide. Additionally, if Phase 2 of the project at Utley Middle School (which includes classroom additions) does not proceed, portable classrooms may also be required at that campus.

 

Portable classrooms serve as a temporary solution for accommodating a growing student population, but they come with significant costs. Each leased portable costs approximately $125,000 for initial setup, including utilities, ramps, awnings, furniture, technology, and more. There is also an ongoing lease cost for each portable, funded through the Maintenance & Operations budget, which also funds salaries, utilities, etc.

Under the current school finance system in Texas, rising property values do not directly increase a school district’s annual operating budget. Instead, there is an inverse relationship between the funding provided by local taxpayers and the state. As property values rise, the state’s contribution to school funding decreases proportionally.

Texas guarantees each school district a set amount of funding per student, known as the basic allotment, which is currently set at $6,160 per student and has remained unchanged since 2019-2020. This amount does not automatically adjust for inflation and can only be changed through legislative action.

School districts receive funding primarily from two sources: local property taxes and state contributions. Districts first use revenue from local property taxes to cover their budgets, and the state makes up the difference. As property values increase, the local share grows and the state’s share decreases. This shift places a larger burden on local taxpayers while the state contributes less.

For example, in 2013-2014, Rockwall ISD received about 59% of its funding from local property taxes and 39% from the state. By 2023-2024, the local contribution had increased to 83%, while the state’s share had dropped to about 17%, reflecting the impact of rising property values on funding distribution.

10-year Comparison of Proportional Education Funding between Local Taxpayer and State

Source: Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS). Texas Education Agency

School Year	Local Taxpayer Percentage[3]	State Percentage
2013-2014	58.88%	39.10%
2014-2015	65.26%	32.80%
2015-2016	65.81%	31.84%
2016-2017	68.56%	28.71%
2017-2018	71.82%	25.38%
2018-2019	75.27%	20.65%
2019-2020	71.28%	24.78%
2020-2021	75.00%	22.94%
2021-2022	71.41%	24.00%
2022-2023	78.15%	16.48%
2023-2024	82.93%	17.07%

 

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^[3]Note: Percentages shown do not equal 100.0%, as there is a small amount of other local and federal resources that the district receives.  This typically ranges from 1-3% of overall revenue received by the district.

 

School funding in Texas relies heavily on the basic allotment, which is the per-student funding each district receives. Since 2019, there has been no increase to the basic allotment, despite rising costs for supplies, utilities, and other operational expenses, which have increased by up to 20%. According to the State’s Legislative Budget Board (LBB), when adjusted for inflation, funding per student has effectively decreased by $590 over the past 10 years.

Additional challenges come from new state mandates, such as House Bill 3, which requires school districts to have a School Resource Officer or Armed Security Officer on every campus. While the Legislature increased the school safety allotment in 2023 by 28 cents per student and provided $15,000 per campus to assist districts in meeting these requirements, the funding does not cover the full cost of these security measures. Special Education programs are another area underfunded by the state, despite schools held to strict legal requirements. The state’s own reports indicate that Special Education services are currently underfunded by $2.3 billion. There has been no specific increase in funding to address teacher shortages or educator compensation or special education.

10-year Basic Allotment History from 2014-2015 to 2024-2025

Source: Office of School Finance. Basic Allotment. Texas Education Agency

School Year	Basic Allotment
2014-2015	$5,040
2015-2016	$5,140
2016-2017	$5,140
2017-2018	$5,140
2018-2019	$5,140
2019-2020	$6,160
2020-2021	$6,160
2021-2022	$6,160
2022-2023	$6,160
2023-2024	$6,160
2024-2025	$6,160

 

Rockwall ISD currently has about $860 million in outstanding bond debt. Among the top 10 fastest-growing districts in the DFW metroplex, Rockwall ISD has the lowest Interest & Sinking (I&S) tax rate and the third-lowest ratio of outstanding bond debt to taxable property value. As a fast-growing district, funding for new facilities comes through bonds.

Construction costs have significantly increased, with recent projects nearly doubling in price compared to 2016. This is due to inflation affecting the commercial construction market. For growing districts like Rockwall ISD, bond sales—approved by voters—are the main way to expand and add facilities.

Rockwall ISD actively seeks ways to minimize the tax impact on local residents and maximize financial efficiencies. The district’s excellent financial ratings have allowed it to refinance bonds under favorable conditions, saving taxpayers over $91 million in debt service costs. Below are savings details from recent bond refunding efforts: 

Taxpayer Debt Service Cost Savings Due to Bond Refundings

Source: Hilltop Securities. Financial Update Report. 2024

Refunding Bond Series	Debt Service Savings
Series 2015	$16,711,525
Series 2015A	$16,872,326
Series 2017	$7,448,775
Series 2019	$8,578,286
Series 2020	$40,842,904
Series 2023A	$683,472
TOTAL TAXPAYER SAVINGS	$91,137,288

 

Rockwall ISD has one of the lowest ratios of outstanding debt to taxable property value among comparable districts in the area. Additionally, the I&S tax rate remains one of the lowest, making the cost of funding bond projects relatively lower compared to other districts. On average, residents in comparable districts face an additional I&S tax cost of $653 per year.

Comparison of Ratio of Outstanding P&I to Total Taxable Value & I&S Rate Needed to Support Bonds

Source: Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS). Texas Education Agency

 

School District	2023-2024 I&S Tax Rate	Estimated Annual I&S Tax Cost	Additional I&S Tax Cost	Total P&I per Taxable Value
Rockwall ISD	$0.3500	$1,663	---	10.58%
Northwest ISD	$0.4200	$1,995	$332	7.20%
Wylie ISD	$0.4550	$2,161	$498	8.14%
Celina ISD	$0.5000	$2,375	$712	18.42%
Community ISD	$0.5000	$2,375	$712	23.27%
Forney ISD	$0.5000	$2,375	$712	21.18%
Prosper ISD	$0.5000	$2,375	$712	16.35%
Princeton ISD	$0.5000	$2,375	$712	26.29%
Royse City ISD	$0.5000	$2,375	$712	16.35%
Eagle Mt.-Saginaw ISD	$0.5000	$2,375	$712	11.75%
Crandall ISD	$0.5000	$2,375	$712	19.54%

The total tax rate for 2023 was $1.0192. If the VATRE and Bond pass, the increase to the tax rate will be 12 cents. 

Rockwall ISD has the lowest tax rate of 18 districts in our region. If the VATRE and Bond are approved by voters, Rockwall ISD would still maintain one of the lowest tax rates in the area.

 

A public hearing was held in accordance with Texas Education Code, Section 11.184, which requires the Board of Trustees of a school district to conduct an efficiency audit before seeking voter approval to adopt a tax rate for the maintenance and operations (M&O) of the district. The statute defines an efficiency audit as an investigation of a school district’s operations to examine fiscal management, efficiency, and resource utilization. The efficiency audit is posted to the district website and can be viewed here.

Highlights of the audit include: