League City families shopping for back-to-school basics can skip the 8.25% sales tax this weekend, with the state's annual tax-free holiday landing just days before Clear Creek ISD students return to class.
The Texas Comptroller's Office sales tax holiday runs Friday, Aug. 7, through Sunday, Aug. 9. Most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks priced under $100 per item are exempt from state and local sales tax, whether purchased in-store or online.
CCISD's first day falls Tuesday, Aug. 11, for sixth graders, ninth graders and pre-kindergarten students. All other grades start Wednesday, Aug. 12, as we reported July 29.
That gives families a three-day window to finish their lists.
What qualifies
The $100 cap applies to each item individually, not the cart total. A $99 backpack is tax-free; a $100 backpack is not.
Qualifying school supplies include binders, calculators, notebooks, pencils, pens, crayons, folders, glue, highlighters, rulers, scissors, lunch boxes and composition books. Clothing covers everyday apparel: jeans, shirts, shorts, socks, underwear, school uniforms, jackets, sneakers and sandals.
Items that do not qualify: textbooks, computers, jewelry, sports helmets and cleated athletic shoes.
Online shopping counts
Orders placed online qualify as long as payment goes through by midnight Sunday, Aug. 9. One catch for online shoppers: shipping and handling charges count toward the $100 per-item limit. A $95 shirt with $6 shipping becomes a $101 purchase and loses the exemption.
At League City's 8.25% combined rate, a family spending $300 on qualifying items keeps roughly $25 in their pocket, according to Houston Mom.
Budget hearing ahead
The savings come as CCISD navigates a projected $23.4 million budget shortfall for fiscal year 2026-27. The district will hold a public hearing Monday, Aug. 24, at the Education Support Center, 2425 East Main St. in League City, to discuss and adopt the proposed tax rate, which Community Impact reported remains unchanged from the prior year.
At the board's July 28 meeting where trustees approved a smaller teacher raise amid that shortfall, board trustee Arturo Sanchez urged residents to talk to state legislators about school funding, Community Impact reported. "We really invite our community to engage in discussions with their state elected officials," Sanchez said. "While we all appreciate lower taxes ... we also appreciate an environment where students can learn and thrive."
The Aug. 24 hearing is open to the public at the Education Support Center board room, 2425 East Main St.
