Copperas Cove ISD residents will see their tax rate drop for the seventh consecutive year, thanks to strategic financial planning and a commitment to stewardship from district leadership.

During a special meeting held Thursday, the CCISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved a new tax rate of $0.7575 per $100 valuation for the 2025–26 fiscal year, which begins Monday. Notably, the entire rate is allocated to the Maintenance & Operations (M&O) side of the budget, with no funds required for Interest & Sinking (I&S)—a milestone made possible by the district’s payoff of its 2005 bond funds on August 15.

“This is a proud moment for our community,” said Superintendent Dr. Brent Hawkins. “We’ve worked hard to align staffing with programs and student enrollment, and that effort has allowed us to reduce the budget deficit while also providing raises to every employee for the first time in two years.”

Budget Deficit Shrinks Dramatically

On Sunday, trustees also approved the district’s $92 million budget for the coming year, which includes a deficit of just $358,000, a dramatic improvement from the $2.6 million shortfall in 2024–25 and $6.5 million in 2023–24.

Key budget highlights include:

• $130,000 in instructional capital outlay to improve facility equity across campuses.
• A decrease in total salaries through staffing studies and alignment.
• Reductions in supply and travel expenses across departments.

Chief Financial Officer Cliff Heath emphasized the district’s commitment to transparency and fiscal responsibility: “We hope our community sees that we’ve done everything we can to be good stewards of their tax dollars. We’ll continue aligning our budget with the priorities set by our trustees and community.”

Supporting Students and Expanding Opportunities

In addition to the tax rate and budget approvals, trustees voted to:

• Reimburse the Child Nutrition department $88,496.22 to cover negative student meal balances, as required by federal law
• Approve agreements with Lamar Institute of Technology and Lamar State College-Port Arthur to expand dual credit opportunities for CCISD students

Upcoming Meetings

The Board of Trustees will hold its next workshop on Sept. 8 at 6 p.m., followed by the regular meeting on Sept. 22 at 6 p.m., both at the District Service & Training Center on South Main Street. Agendas are posted three business days prior and available on the Board Meetings page.