Port Aransas Education Foundation

10/10/2026

A good party needs good food, and these three absolutely delivered. 🙌🍴

A huge thank you to Virginia’s On The Bay, Ben E. Keith Foods and Snake Farm Pie Co. for helping keep everyone well fed at this year’s PAEF fundraiser!

We’re so grateful for your generosity, your support of PAEF and, most importantly, for giving everyone one more reason to hang around, have fun and enjoy the night. 💙

Thank you for being part of such a special event!

10/09/2026

Our VIPs got a little extra spoiled this year thanks to Prickly Pair Designs! ✨

They were busy customizing bandanas and koozies for our guests and added such a fun, personal touch to the VIP experience.

We loved having you be part of the night and are so grateful for your support of PAEF!

10/09/2026

🎉 $360,000 RAISED! 🎉

We are so excited to share that this year’s Sittin' on the Dock of Port A fundraiser raised an incredible $360,000 to support PAISD students and staff! 💙

Every ticket purchased, auction bid, sponsorship, donation, volunteer hour and helping hand made this possible.

Thank you to everyone who showed up, celebrated with us and supported PAEF. We had an amazing time throwing a party for a cause that means so much to our community.

$360,000 for our PAISD students and staff... now THAT is something worth celebrating! 🥂🎉

10/08/2026

PAEF is always happy to support this grant year after year! Hands-on history makes a lasting impact!

10/08/2026

Fresh oysters + a great party = a pretty perfect VIP night. 🦪✨

A huge thank you to Texas Clear Water Oyster Gardens for shucking and serving in our VIP area!

You were such a fun part of the night, and we’re so grateful for your support of PAEF and our community!

10/07/2026

Not all of our local school tax dollars stay right here in Port Aransas, which is one of the many reasons the Port Aransas Education Foundation is so important! 💙 The support PAEF receives goes directly toward making a difference for our PAISD students and staff.

October 07, 2026

Dear PAISD Taxpayers,

As you know, public schools are primarily funded through local property taxes. The property tax statement you are receiving this month shows that the largest portion of your property taxes goes to Port Aransas Independent School District.

What your tax statement does not show is that the majority of the taxes you pay to PAISD are not actually used to educate students here in Port Aransas. Instead, most of those funds are collected and used by the State of Texas through a process called recapture.

This year, we expect approximately 76 cents of every dollar paid in Maintenance & Operations (M&O) taxes to be recaptured by the state. However, please note that none of the revenue generated from Interest & Sinking (I&S) taxes—which are used to repay voter-approved bonds—are subject to recapture. Those tax dollars stay local.

The owners of an average home in Port Aransas received a tax statement indicating that $1,765.25 will be paid in taxes to Port Aransas ISD (this amount does not include taxes paid to the city, county, etc.).

Here’s the breakdown:

~$382.37 is used for M&O daily operations in PAISD
~$172.05 is used to repay voter-approved PAISD bonds
~$1,210.83 is sent to the state of Texas due to M&O recapture

In summary, of the $1,765.25 paid in property taxes to Port Aransas ISD by this homeowner, only $554.42 stays here to be used in Port Aransas ISD.

I hope that this additional information concerning your property tax statement has been helpful. If you have any further questions concerning taxes paid to PAISD, please contact me.

Sincerely,
Dr. Sharon McKinney
Superintendent of Schools

How much of your PAISD property tax payment stays here to educate our Marlins—and how much goes to the state through recapture? Use our calculator to see the estimated breakdown for your own property.
www.tinyurl.com/calculaterecapture

10/07/2026

Cheers to Frio Vodka and Rio Agave Tequila! 🥃🌵✨

A huge thank you for helping make our VIP area such a fun place to sip, gather and celebrate.

We loved having you there and are so grateful for your support of PAEF, our event and our Port Aransas students. 🥂

10/07/2026

🎉 WE FUNDED THE NEED! 🎉

This year, PAISD asked for help creating The Deep Dive, transforming the former H. G. Olsen Elementary cafeteria into a flexible, immersive learning space that can become anything from an operating room or space station to an undersea adventure, video game world or superhero experience.

The project includes flexible furniture, organized storage, audiovisual technology, room improvements and reusable themed lesson materials, along with improvements to the OES pavilion floor.

Our community raised an incredible $50,200 during the Live Auction, and thanks to a GENEROUS dollar-for-dollar match from Cinnamon Shore, that impact grew to $100,200.

That means we are able to FULLY fund the school’s Fund A Need request! 💙

We are so grateful to every person who raised a paddle and gave and to Cinnamon Shore for stepping up in such a huge way for PAISD students and staff!

10/06/2026

A big shoutout to Texas Sign Express and D.E.A Promotions Ink for helping make all the fun little details happen!

Texas Sign Express handled our signs, decals, stickers, and even whipped up a last-minute indoor photo op frame when the weather changed our plans. ☔️

D.E.A. kept us stocked with cups, T-shirts and fun boardwalk game goodies like our floating keychains!

Thank you both for always helping us bring the crazy ideas to life! 🌴⚓️

10/05/2026

Port A sure knows how to show up and have a good time! 🧡

We’re still tallying the final numbers from Saturday night, but we can already say this year’s PAEF fundraiser was a success, and a whole lot of fun!

Thank you to everyone who came out, bid big, danced, laughed, sponsored, donated, volunteered, and helped make the night such a great one.

Here are a few of our favorite moments from last night. More photos to come soon!

We love this community! Thank you, Port A!