Del Valle ISD’s board has signed off on a $142 million budget for the 2026-27 school year and is eyeing a possible voter-approved tax-rate election this fall to fund permanent staff raises. At the same time, trustees backed one-time retention payouts for employees if a tax increase fails at the ballot box, a short-term fix the district says it would convert into ongoing raises if voters say yes.
Board signs budget, plans one-time payouts
The $142 million spending plan cleared the board at its June 16 meeting, even as the district projects about $3 million less in combined local and state revenue than last year. To close the gap, district leaders outlined a mix of operational efficiencies, position reductions through attrition, and a one-time use of fund balance. The district’s budget page notes that trustees also approved $1,000 retention payouts for full-time employees and $500 for part-time staff, scheduled to hit paychecks in January 2027, according to Del Valle ISD.
What the tax vote would buy
District projections show that a voter-approved tax-rate increase could bring in about $13.6 million a year, enough to turn those one-time payouts into permanent raises. The plan on the table includes a 5% increase for hourly employees and a 3% increase for other staff, with teachers receiving their regular step increases. Officials estimate the average Del Valle homeowner would pay roughly $5.75 more per month if voters pass the VATRE, according to KXAN.
Why district leaders say it’s needed
Administrators told trustees that recurring VATRE revenue would be key to meeting staffing needs tied to opening the district’s second high school and to making raises sustainable instead of relying on one-off bonuses. Without a VATRE, the plan is to issue the retention payouts in January while continuing to comb through the budget for efficiencies that protect classroom spending. Those scenarios and the district’s salary options are detailed on its budget page, which administrators say will be updated as plans are finalized later this year, according to Del Valle ISD.
Timeline and next steps
The briefing to board members laid out a tight path to get a VATRE on the Nov. 3 ballot: adopt the budget in June, wait for certified property values in late July, set the tax rate in August, and then formally call the election before mid-August to qualify for November. Trustees asked staff for clearer reconciliations and a more detailed spending plan for any new revenue before taking the next step. The June 16 board packet includes the presentation staff used to walk through revenue scenarios and possible next moves, posted on BoardBook.
Local context
Del Valle’s choices are playing out against a familiar backdrop in Texas, where districts are trying to juggle employee pay bumps with flat state funding and rising costs. Many have turned to local tax elections to keep teachers and support staff from leaving, often weighing one-time stipends against more reliable, long-term raises. The Texas Tribune has tracked how these local ballots and budget pivots have become standard survival tools for districts under similar pressure.
