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Valley school districts challenging South Texas ISD over taxing policy

Valley school districts challenging South Texas ISD over taxing policy
1 year 10 months 1 week ago Thursday, January 12 2023 Jan 12, 2023 January 12, 2023 7:31 AM January 12, 2023 in News

A battle is brewing between school districts that could affect property taxes and educational opportunities for Valley children. 

Several local districts, including Edinburg's, are now challenging the way South Texas Independent School District collects money. 

Right now, residents in Cameron, Hidalgo, and Willacy counties are taxed by South Texas ISD in addition to their home school district tax rate. 

"They wind up with more funding because the state treats them differently than everybody else," Executive Director of South Texas Association of School Jesus Chavez said. "Right, it gave them taxing authority and didn't limit that as far as what they could spend per student, and then it gives them all of their state funding as well."

South Texas Association of Schools are an advocacy group made up of districts from one region.

Like Edinburg Consolidated School District, they are supporting legislative efforts to change how South Texas ISD is funded and collects taxes.

For Edinburg CISD, the decision came during their school board meeting on Tuesday night. 

"The purpose of the meeting last night and our presentation was not to dismantle South Texas ISD," Edinburg Superintendent Mario Salinas said. "We're simply asking for them to get the same type of funding."

Right now, South Texas ISD receives over $12,600 per average daily attendance of students, while other Valley school districts, like Edinburg CISD, receive roughly $5,000 or less. 

Watch the video above for the full report. 

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