In one of the most unique elections in Texas public education history, Galveston and Bolivar voters will be asked to cast their ballots on Tuesday to decide whether the district will buy into the school finance system or have property deannexed to another school district by the state. The latter option will cause an increase in property taxes for all residents and commercial buildings in Galveston ISD boundaries.
Last chance to vote in GISD Special Election is this Tuesday. Galveston and Bolivar voters to cast ballots in single proposition election to determine whether Galveston ISD can get in line with school finance system.
From 1992-2006, GISD received funding from the state as a property-poor, also known as Chapter 42 district. In 2006, taxable property increases put GISD into the property wealthy category also known as Chapter 41 district. GISD would now have to send a portion of its funding back to the state to be redistributed to property poor districts. However, state law mandated the district hold an election to get voter permission to allow it to use local funds to purchase attendance credits, one of five options GISD could use to pay the state the funding that was owed. Out of over 10,000 votes cast in a November election, the attendance credit proposition lost by less than 200 votes, mostly due to a lack of concise educational outreach in the community. GISD was the only district in Texas that did not pass the vote.
The state created the “Galveston offset,” which from 2006-2009, actually sent money to GISD. Eventually, taxable property again rose to the point that the district owed the state money. Only this time, there were no legal options for the district to pay. Despite that, the district set aside the funds to pay the state from its existing budget. The Texas Education Agency recently decided the district would have to hold a special election in order to get in line with the state education finance system to legally send funding to the state. If not, state officials said they would deannex $1 billion in property to another property poor school district, namely to Hitchcock ISD, the closest district of that distinction.
The election will be held on Tuesday, August 27 from 7 am – 7 pm at the Joe Faggard Community Center, 1750 Highway 87, Crystal Beach, TX
For additional information, please go to www.gisd.org/election2013.
Posted in 
Hello Darlene and all of Bolivar Peninsula,
The election that Galveston ISD is holding really will not have an impact on High Island ISD, whether it passes or not. However, if the proposition does not pass and the Texas Education Agency DOES deannex part of Galveston ISD’s property, it would be our hope that the peninsula would be united into one contiguous school district. Our belief is that we offer a high quality education that is available and free, through transferring, to ALL students of the Bolivar Peninsula – from K – 12, regardless of the school district in which they reside. In fact, the majority of our students are transfer students from the peninsula and other surrounding districts. Keeping in mind the needs, best interests and safety of all students, I believe it could be a WIN – WIN for the students of the Bolivar Peninsula and both school districts if the Texas Education Agency and Galveston ISD would agree to redefine the boundary lines so that High Island ISD includes all of the Bolivar Peninsula.
Regarding taxes, High Island ISD has reduced our tax rate over the past four years by 23 cents per hundred dollars of value, dropping from a high of $1.60 per hundred in 2009 to the proposed amount of $1.37 per hundred for 2013. This was accomplished in spite of a major reduction in appraised values due to Hurricane Ike. The district’s appraised values are still about $40 million less than they were before the storm. Our enrollment has not completely returned to the pre-storm levels causing a drop in state funding. However, the district, due to the steadfast and determined attitude of its residents, has managed to survive and continue to successfully educate its students. We are High Island strong and proud and will continue to encourage all the students of the district and the peninsula to achieve at their maximum potential!
Thanks for including us!
D’Ann Vonderau, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
High Island ISD
Could we have some opinions and insight from High Island ISD? Just asking about the impact on that school and us in Bolivar from their perspective since more than half our children attend there now, as in years past.
Of course we are all concerned about taxes and the rest of the kids in Galveston ISD but please let us know what the impact if any, would be for this majority of kids.
I really hope this proposition while helping GISD does not harm HIISD. Thanks and let us hear a reply from D’Ann Vondereau, Ph.D, Superintendent or the School Board.