ECISD Pushes For Funding Equity, Reducing Burden For Taxpayers

Photo Above: Dr. Mario H. Salinas, Edinburg CISD Superintendent of Schools

“This is not mean to disparage South Texas ISD,” Edinburg CISD Superintendent Mario Salinas stated as the urged the ECISD Board of Trustees to support a move to change the taxing structure for South Texas ISD and reduce the tax burden for local taxpayers.

“They do excellent work. They have good administration, but our concern is the issue of inequity that exists between South Texas ISD and the other school districts in Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy counties. It is unfair to the citizens that no other taxpayers are subject to,” Salinas said.

In his presentation, Salinas made the following points:

• Willacy, Cameron and Hidalgo County taxpayers are required to pay for two independent school districts for comprehensive middle and high schools.
• There exists an inequitable funding formula that provides STISD on average $5,343 more per WADA (weighted average daily attendance) for students who reside in the same counties, however, enroll in STISD.
• Under what authority is STISD still authorized to collect property taxes from Chapter 26 allowances as a Rehabilitation District for handicapped persons
• As STISD has expanded throughout the Region, they have developed programming to include extra-curricular activities under UIL resulting in adopting the comprehensive high school model.

STISD was organized to serve disabled students.”There was a need sixty years ago. They have abandoned that mission. STISD has abandoned the mission of serving children with disabilities. Very few children with disabilities attend STISD schools,” Salinas said. “Taxpayers are paying for services that ECISD is already providing. They are not providing any services that regular school districts are not providing.

Salinas pointed out that STISD collects approximately $6,000 in tax dollars from Edinburg property owners for every Edinburg student they serve. ECISD collects approximately $2,543 in tax dollars from Edinburg property owners for every Edinburg student they serve. 

One board member added that STISD collects 230% more for every Edinburg student they serve.

Board members also explained that state law limits how much property taxes school districts can raise. However, because STISD was created under a separate legal authority, those restrictions do not apply to STISD.

Salinas explained that regular school districts have to accept any student who lives within their taxing district. However, STISD accepts students based on a first-come, first-served basis as space is limited. Enrollment at STISD is based on an application process; however, taxpayers are required to pay taxes even if their child is not accepted.

Salinas shared that STISD does not have pass bond issues because they have so much cash. As the table below points out, STISD has enough of fund balance every year to be able to pay for new campuses and construction from its available fund balance without issuing bond issues as most other school districts do.

Enrollment & Funding Comparisons
(Region One Website Data, 2021-2022 School Year)
	Region One	ECISD	STISD
Enrollment	422,858	32,000	4,251
Special Ed.	10.39%	11%	3.88%
Economically Disadvantaged	84.62%	81.70%	51%
At Risk	69.94%	61.62%	24.89%
Gifted & Talented	8.10%	8%	16.07%
Fund Balance		$64,000,000	$88,000,000
Fund Balance/Student		$2,000	$20,701
Number of Campuses		43	6

Pointing to the differences in the percent of economically disadvantaged students attending STISD compared to other school districts, Salinas said, “There is not a community anywhere in South Texas that reflects that. The majority of students in South Texas are poor.”  

Salinas pointed out that, while almost 85% of the students in Region One are poor, almost half of the students attending STISD schools are affluent. The closest community comparable in affluence would be Alamo Heights in San Antonio, which he termed one of the wealthiest school districts in the state.

“We feel that it is an unfair system. It is unfair to the tax payers,” Salinas said. It’s a good school. That’s not the point. We’re talking about the inequities in funding, and unfairness to the tax payer. We feel STISD should be funded as other charter schools are funded. We request that the independent school districts in Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy Counites withdraw from the STISD taxing district. They would be funded a little better than us, but no the 40% better than us, and unburden our tax payers of the additional five cents in taxes.”

Asking board to support us in asking our legislators to make thiese changes

Met with Terry Canales and is one hundred percent support. To have this change requiest.

Mike: we just them to have the same formulas charter schools have for funding. Even at that, they get paid more than we do.

It doesn’t matter to me if they’re funded as a charter school or not. Just give us equity for out tax payers. Give them what everyone else gets, the same WADA (weighted average daily attendance). We want equity without our taxpayers being burdened. White haired guy

“School board members, this is the first time I agree with this board having a discussion concerning the public funding of South Texas ISD. For those of you that did not hear that, I agree with you,” said noted local public advocate Fern Carter McClaugherty, to chuckles and smiles from the board during the public comments section. McClaugherty echoed Salinas’ comments regarding the tax burden for Edinburg property owners. “Tax payers are wondering why they are paying double and getting less.”

The board approved the resolution.

Salinas said they will work with the South Texas legislative delegation about how to change the tax issue.