FACTUAL PUBLIC INFORMATION

Bartlett ISD 2026 Election Information

Election Day – November 3, 2026

Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election and Two Proposed Refunding Bond Propositions

Bartlett ISD voters will consider three separate propositions on November 3, 2026. The measures address two different parts of the district's financial plan:

1. The VATRE concerns recurring Maintenance and Operations (M&O) revenue.
2. The two bond propositions concern whether eligible existing 2024 note obligations may be refunded and repaid through the Interest and Sinking (I&S) fund.
3. Approval of one proposition does not automatically approve either of the others.

1. Actual tax bills depend on the taxable value certified by the appropriate appraisal district and all exemptions that apply to the property.
2. The state school-district residence-homestead exemption is $140,000. A taxpayer may qualify for other exemptions.
3. A school-district tax ceiling generally limits school taxes on a qualifying age-65 or disabled residence homestead. New improvements, changes in ownership or eligibility, and individual circumstances can affect the result.
4. Businesses and non-homestead property do not receive the residence-homestead exemption.
5. Qualified agricultural or open-space land is generally appraised using productivity value rather than market value; the property-specific effect depends on the appraisal record.

1. The district would be authorized to issue refunding bonds for all or a portion of the eligible obligation identified in that proposition.
2. After issuance and closing, eligible debt service could be paid through I&S rather than M&O.
3. The M&O capacity released by the completed refunding could be available for lawful operating needs and the district's liability-repayment plan.
4. Final amount, term, interest rate, issuance costs, timing, and eligibility would be determined through the financing process and validated by the district's financial adviser and bond counsel.

If a Refunding Proposition is Not Approved:

1. The district would not have voter authorization to issue the refunding bonds described in that proposition.
2. The related scheduled note payments would continue to be paid from M&O under the current documents unless another lawful arrangement is made.
3. For 2026-27, the scheduled payments are $303,193.90 for the Maintenance Tax Notes and $98,823.90 for the Time Warrants.

What the Propositions Do Not Do:

1. They do not erase the underlying debt; taxpayers continue to fund debt service through the applicable fund.
2. They do not directly pay the separate approximately $3.3 million construction-related and payroll-loan liabilities.
3. They do not authorize new construction projects.

Bond Authorization Amounts and Current Scheduled Debt:

How the Three Propositions Interact:

The table below describes planning consequences, not guaranteed outcomes. Bond-related M&O relief begins only after eligible bonds are issued and close. VATRE revenue and bond economics remain subject to the assumptions described elsewhere in this document.

If only one bond proposition is approved, only that proposition's eligible obligation may be refunded.

Illustrative Repayment Context

At $600,000 per year, applying every incremental VATRE dollar to a $3.3 million starting liability would be a mathematical paydown of approximately 5.5 years before interest or changes in the balance. If both bonds close and release roughly $400,000 of annual M&O capacity, the combined gross planning capacity would be about $1.0 million per year and the mathematical period would be about 3.3 years.

Frequently asked questions

1.  Why are there three propositions?

2. Does the VATRE change the I&S rate?

No. The VATRE proposition changes the M&O rate by $0.12. The district's current plan keeps I&S at $0.5000.

3. What does the 18.174 percent language mean?

It is the required comparison of M&O tax revenue for the current year with the preceding year under the ballot calculation. An individual's bill depends on taxable value and exemptions, so the percentage is not a uniform household tax-bill increase.

4. Why can $0.12 generate about $600,000 when local taxes add about $220,000?

Texas school funding formulas can provide additional state aid for eligible Tier II tax effort. The district estimate includes about $220,000 local revenue and $380,000 state aid. The final amount can vary.

5. Is the proposed total rate higher than the district's 2022-23 rate?

No. The proposed $1.2804 combined rate is $0.0742 lower than the $1.3546 combined rate adopted for 2022-23.

6. Does a $140,000 home automatically pay no school tax?

The example assumes a $140,000 residence homestead that qualifies for the $140,000 state school-district exemption and has no remaining taxable value. Property-specific records and other taxing units may produce a different overall tax bill.

7. Will a qualifying age-65 or disabled homeowner pay more?

A school-district tax ceiling generally limits school taxes on a qualifying residence homestead. Improvements, ownership or eligibility changes, and individual circumstances can affect the result. The appraisal district or tax assessor should provide a property-specific answer.

8. Why does each bond proposition say 'THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE' if the I&S rate is planned to stay at $0.50?

That sentence appears in the official ballot language. The district's current financing assumption is no increase above the existing $0.5000 I&S rate. The words “THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE” appear because Texas law requires that exact statement on every school district bond proposition. It is required even when the bonds would refinance existing debt and the district does not currently plan to increase the I&S tax rate. Future rates are adopted annually, taxable values can change, and the levy must be sufficient for bond debt service.

9. Do the bond propositions eliminate debt?

No. They would change the authorized repayment source for eligible existing obligations after refunding bonds close. The debt service payment would move from the M&O budget and would continue through I&S.  It does not decrease or increase the debt.

10. Do the bonds pay the approximately $3.3 million liabilities?

No. Bond proceeds would refund eligible Maintenance Tax Notes or Time Warrants, depending on the proposition approved. They would not directly pay the separate construction-related balance or payroll loan.

11. Do the November bond propositions include new construction?

No. The official propositions are limited to refunding the identified 2024 obligations and related authorized costs.

12. What happens if only one bond proposition passes?

Only the eligible obligation named in that proposition could be refunded. The other note category would remain scheduled in M&O.

13. Is the approximately $600,000 VATRE estimate guaranteed?

No. It is a planning estimate based on current local values, collection assumptions, state funding formulas, attendance, and other inputs.

14. What controls are expected regardless of the vote?

District planning materials identify a board-approved repayment plan, monthly public financial reporting, staffing and purchasing controls, cash-flow monitoring, and publication of material changes in assumptions.

Voting information

County-specific voting locations, weekend hours, and other election details will be listed in the official election notice and posted at bartlett.txed.net.

Sources and document notes

• Texas Education Agency - School District Property Values and Tax Rates - historical Bartlett ISD M&O and I&S rates
• Texas Comptroller - Property Tax Exemptions - $140,000 school-district residence-homestead exemption and exemption guidance
• Texas Secretary of State - November 3, 2026 Election Law Calendar - statewide election dates and hours
• Texas Ethics Commission - School District Political Advertising Guide - public-resource and political-advertising restrictions
• Texas Ethics Commission Ethics Advisory Opinion No. 582 - example of factual VATRE communication
• Bartlett Independent School District website - official district contact and election postings

Accuracy and legal-review note