The fate of $30 million for the Frisco Independent School District will be sealed Saturday evening. The polls close for the Tax Ratification Election at 7 p.m. with voters deciding whether or not they want a 13 cent tax increase in order to increase district revenue. While the cost to taxpayers is significant, the consequences of voting no will be more costly.  

This $30 million is not the same $30 million that went to the construction of the Ford Center, or the money that goes to opening an average of four new schools per year. This is the money that pays teachers, keeps the lights on in schools, gives students the opportunities to compete in sports, and gives students one of the best educations in North Texas. The $30 million  for The Star comes from the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone of the Stonebriar Mall area with all the money for construction of new schools coming from a bond passed in 2014, not from this proposed tax revenue.

The school district has been preparing for this loss of $30 million dollars by allowing 30 percent of all kindergarten through 4th grade classes to be above the 22:1 student to teacher ratio. Furthermore, before this school year, Frisco has one of the lower starting salaries for teachers in the area.

By voting yes, everything within Frisco ISD will likely remain the same if not improve. Frisco can maintain its 93 percent STAAR pass rating while keeping its funding at a rate comparable to most school districts in North Texas.

The thought here is that many of the people against the TRE are those who do not wish to pay more in taxes or those who do not have any children enrolled in Frisco ISD. However, a no vote could lead to Frisco ISD residents paying more in the long run as the district may have to require students to “pay to play” sports and fine arts at the tune of $300 per student, per activity. For two students, each doing one thing, that $600 would likely be more than the proposed tax rate increase.

That wouldn’t be the only cost to voting no. Among the planned cuts to be considered according to the district’s website:

• A freeze on salaries, benefit contributions and hiring which could delay the scheduled opening of the four new schools slated to welcome students in 2017-18
• Increased class sizes on elementary, middle school and high school campuses
• Reduce central administration staff by up to 15 percent
• Reduce fine arts programs and staff positions at all levels
• Reduce middle and high school coaching positions
• Reduce support staff
• Reducing SRO positions at middle schools by 50 percent
• Eliminate the 5th grade environmental camp
• Reduce field trips and academic competitions
• Eliminate 9th and 10th grade access to CTE Center classes

Frisco schools have an amazing reputation throughout all of Texas. The tenth high school in Frisco, Memorial High School, is supposed to have a memorial recognizing how far Frisco ISD has come since its inception in 1903. What a shame to think that the high school that has a significant meaning behind it, might sit empty.