WASHINGTON CO. APPRAISAL DISTRICT VALUES FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS SCORED ‘VALID’ BY COMPTROLLER

  

The Washington County Appraisal District Board of Directors received positive results on Tuesday from the Texas Comptroller’s 2025 Property Value Study.

The study is conducted every two years to measure the accuracy and uniformity of the district’s appraisals.  Values must land within 95 to 105 percent of the Comptroller’s opinion of value to be considered “valid”.

According to Chief Appraiser Dyann White, Brenham ISD scored at 101 percent of the opinion of value, while Burton ISD scored at 99 percent.  As a result, White said there will not be a property value study for 2026.  The next study will be on 2027 appraisals, and those results will be released by January 31, 2028.

Texas property tax law requires property tax appraisals to reflect true market value.  Appraisals that are found “invalid” by the Comptroller can mean that, instead of using locally appraised values, the state will use values as determined by the Comptroller, leading to a potential loss of funding for local school districts. 

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board approved updates to the agricultural use policy to add intensity standards specific to pollinators.  White said the changes will allow property owners to get ag value for solitary bees, or pollinators that do not produce honey.  She added that she plans to work with Texas Parks & Wildlife to get word out to property owners about the changes.

Board members also elected who will serve as chair, vice chair and secretary for 2026.  Leslie Boehnemann was chosen as chair, Douglas Borchardt as vice chair, and Halee Stark Kalkhake as secretary.

In other business, the board:

• Approved a budget amendment to use $322,974 in surplus funds for purposes including renovating the appraisal district office; replenishing the fleet, computer hardware replacement, and legal funds; and updating the appraisal district website with videos for taxpayer education. 
• Passed a resolution authorizing the chief appraiser to make changes to the tax roll to correct clerical errors or other inaccuracies.
• Approved the appraisal district’s 2024-25 audit.
• Approved the board’s 2026 meeting calendar and the appraisal district’s 2026-27 budget calendar.
• Passed a resolution officially designating the number of Appraisal Review Board members at five members and setting staggered two-year terms.
• Met in executive session to discuss pending litigation with an attorney and to perform the chief appraiser’s annual performance evaluation.

Click here to view the agenda packet for Tuesday's meeting.