During a special called meeting Thursday, the Brownwood ISD Board of Trustees approved a tax rate of $.9469 for 2025-26 – a full 2 cent decrease compared to the current tax rate. The maintenance tax is $.6669 per $100 valuation and the interest and sinking tax rate is $.2800 per $100 valuation.

The Board also approved a $39,098,446 budget for the 2025-26 school year, along with a $2,510,122 school nutrition budget and a $5,086,850 debt service fund budget.

“We were able to approve the tax rate which is 2 cents lower than what our current tax rate is, that was on the interest and sinking side which covers the bond debt, so we were able to pay some of that note off a little bit early and bring that rate down as much as possible,” Brownwood ISD Superintendent Dr. Joe Young said. “Our budget was also approved that was supported by the tax rate and it is a balanced budget. We were able to put a lot of money into our teacher salaries, which we’re proud of, along with other employees, and also have a balanced budget this year. A lot of hard work went into that, a lot of squeezing in certain areas that we needed to squeeze, but we appreciate everyone’s patience and we’re thankful for the extra money the legislature gave us to push on to our teachers.”

The Board also approved a Defeasance Resolution, which allows the school district to pay back its bond early, if the money is available. Dr. Young told the Board the school district was able to pay about $1 million this past year, but the total for the coming year is expected to be less, though the exact figure will not be known until taxes are collected.

The next meeting for the Brownwood ISD Board of Trustees will take place Monday, Sept. 8.