Education
BY THOMAS LEFFLER
Judson ISD approves 2025-26 budget with over $37 million shortfall
The options Judson ISD provided three options with its 2025- 26 projected budget: one without a voter-approval rate, one that maintains the current rate of 3.5 disaster pennies and a voter-approved rate with all disaster pennies available to the district.
After finalizing a litany of cost reductions, the Judson ISD board of trustees approved its 2025-26 budget on June 26 with $234.16 million in total revenues and $271.38 million in total expenditures. The estimated total fund balance, according to agenda documents, will fall from $80.35 million to $43.12 million by June 2026. The shortfall and fund balance numbers presented do not account for a voter-approved tax rate election, or VATRE. What you need to know Three different budgets were presented to the board, one without extra revenue from a VATRE, one with the current revenue amount of 3.5 disaster pennies and one with all disaster pennies currently available under a VATRE. According to the Texas American Federation of Teachers,
disaster pennies allow school districts to generate supplemental revenue by levying property taxes beyond a maximum compressed rate. Board President Monica Ryan said she voted for the budget despite her reservations. “This is not the budget that’s going to help Judson ISD long-term ... but I am going to push the yes button because I have confidence and hope that we have started a path where we are looking across the entire district at efficiencies,” Ryan said. Trustee José Macias Jr. said his hope comes from the community considering approval of a VATRE. “I’m hopeful that our community will consider, in the future, a VATRE to increase revenue in our district,” Macias Jr. said. The district intends to call for a VATRE on Aug. 6 meeting, after press time.
No VATRE VATRE with 3.5 pennies
VATRE with all pennies
$234.1M
$247.1M
$256M
$36.3M
$23.2M
$14.6M
$44M
$57M
$65.8M
SOURCES: JUDSON ISD, TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, 2023-24 TEXAS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE REPORT/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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