Education
BY CATHERINE WHITE
Local school districts plan budgets differently with declining enrollment
The details
PISD, AISD, FISD projected tax rates per $100 valuation 2025-26 2026-27*
M&O I&S
Pearland, Alvin and Friendswood ISDs each presented preliminary budget updates for fiscal year 2026-27 during April and May. PISD projects around $231 million in revenue and nearly $229 million in expenses, leaving an estimated $2.5 million surplus for FY 2026-27, according to budget documents from the district. PISD’s projected tax rate would remain unchanged at $1.135 per $100 valuation of a home. AISD projects a flat budget for FY 2026-27 of about $391.4 million and a tax rate of $1.1353 per $100 valuation of a home, both unchanged from the FY 2025-26 budget. While the FY 2025-26 budget was based on enrollment assumptions of around 30,400 students, updated projections for FY 2026- 27 estimate enrollment closer to 30,200 students, according to budget documents from the district. FISD projects nearly $70.9 million in revenue and about $70.6 million in expenses. The projected tax rate is $1.0040 per $100 valuation of a home. Calculations for the updated tax rate are still underway after three out of four bond propositions passed May 2 in FISD’s $81.5 million bond package. After salary increases and revenue adjustments made since the district’s March 23 workshop, officials anticipate a surplus of about $234,000.
Pearland ISD
Pearland ISD's budget projections for 2026-27 Revenue total: $231.28M • Foundation school fund: $131.6M
$1.1350 $1.1350
$0.7869 $0.7869 Alvin ISD $0.7552 $0.7405
$0.3481 $0.3481
• Tax collections: $79.1M • TRS on-behalf: $13.09M • Investment earnings: $3.43M • Federal revenue: $2.44M • Other local revenue: $1.6M • Other state revenue: $20K Expenditures total: $228.82M • Payroll: $191M • Contracted services: $14.14M • Other operating costs: $11.56M • Supplies and materials: $9.69M
$1.15 $1.1353
$0.3948 $0.3948
Friendswood ISD
$1.03 $1.004
$0.7869 $0.7609
$0.2431
$0.2431
*NOTE: 2026-27 RATES ARE PROJECTED.
SOURCES: PEARLAND, ALVIN AND FRIENDSWOOD ISDS/COMMUNITY IMPACT
• Debt service: $1.68M • Capital overlay: $750K
One more thing
Budget total: $460.1M
All three districts are projecting a decline in enrollment for the 2026- 27 school year. PISD Superintendent Larry Berger noted that shrinking enrollment is significant because both student enrollment and average daily attendance, or ADA, directly affect state funding. The decline reflects a broader regional trend, with several Greater Houston-area districts also declining in enrollment, including Houston, Aldine and Pasadena ISDs. For Region IV, which includes PISD, AISD and FISD, student enrollment fell 0.9% since the 2021-22 school year.
Friendswood ISD's budget projections for 2026-27
Revenue total: $70.877M
• Tax collections: $33.24M • State funding: $30.76M • Teacher Retirement System on-behalf: $3.16M
• Local revenues: $2.8M • Other resources: $770K • Federal revenues: $147K • Salaries: $57.9M • Operating budgets: $11.98M • Debt service for maintenance tax notes: $770K Expenditures total: $70.65M
NOTE: AISD'S BUDGET BREAKDOWN WAS NOT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE
Budget total: $141.527M
SOURCES: PEARLAND ISD, FRIENDSWOOD ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Pearland’s Independence Park Project
$4 million raised. $1 million to go. Your gift today gives a child who uses a wheelchair the promise of one day playing beside her brother for the first time. Help build Pearland’s All-Inclusive Playspace and Splash Pad at Independence Park. Be part of the legacy: foreverparksfoundation.org Play is for Everyone. Let’s Build It Together!
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