Quitman ISD school board trustees approved a tax rate and the budget for the 2022-23 school year Monday.

The tax rate approved was $1.0843 per $100 of property value which is six cents lower than last year’s $1.14812. The tax rate includes $.9429 for maintenance and operations and $.1414 for debt service. With the new tax rate, the average property owner will save about $65.

The new budget approved was $15,492,145 which is $669,045 more than last year’s $14,823,100. This year’s budget includes $8,043,810 for instruction (salaries), $1,900,752 for plant maintenance ($33,059 less than last year) and $1,162,427 for co-curricular/extra-curricular activities which is $114,396 more than last year’s $1,048.031.

Finance administrator Kari Wilson reported tax collections were at 96.79%. The board approved the final budget amendment of the fiscal year for $290,000.

Assistant Superintendent Christopher Mason went over the dyslexia handbook. The biggest change in the dyslexia program is that a student must go through a full evaluation through special education.

Mason said, “Just because they go through full evaluation by special ed does not necessarily mean a student will be in special ed,” Mason said. 

Superintendent Rhonda Turner reported early student enrollment figures were at 1,222 students district-wide. She reported that dirt work has begun on the new agriculture facility.