Education
BY GRANT CRAWFORD
Education Edition
2025
Readers, welcome to your annual CI Education Edition! Thank you for reading our annual Education Edition, your guide to the latest news about K-12 education. Our journalists have been busy uncovering what's new in your community, from new and renovated facilities and enrollment projections in both Hutto and P ugerville ISDs, to how local education foundations are supporting students and teachers in their districts. You'll also nd helpful information and deadlines for admissions to colleges in Central Texas. Every story you read is a result of our local team's dedication to providing free and useful news about P ugerville and Hutto. Every advertisement is by a local business or organization that partners with Community Impact for their print and digital marketing. Show your support for their commitment to our community by patronizing their businesses.
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P ugerville ISD p sd.net 512 594 0000
P ugerville ISD supports students to explore, grow, and reach their potential through engaging education that prepares them for the future.
What's inside
Learn about college admission requirements (Page 18)
Catch up on school accountability ratings for PfISD, HISD (Page 24)
Read about the state’s latest education laws (Page 27)
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PfISD budget shortfall shrinks as district applies state funding P ugerville ISD board of trustees approved a pay increase for teachers over the summer, as required by House Bill 2, which also provided the district with some additional funding to help reduce its budget de cit for the 2025-26 scal year. Overview House Bill 2, which was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott in June, mandated pay raises for $58.3K P ugerville ISD $57.5K Hutto ISD $57K Leander ISD $56.8K Round Rock ISD $56.5K Georgetown ISD $56.3K Austin ISD Del Valle ISD Area starting teacher salaries SOURCE: PFLUGERVILLE ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT $60K
While not required by HB 2, the board also approved raising the starting salary for teachers by $600 to $58,300, and signed o on $800 pay increases for teachers with one to two years of experience. A 1% increase of the pay range midpoint for all other employees, including teacher-related positions that didn’t qualify for the teacher reten- tion allotment funding, was also passed. The total compensation increase will cost about $10.8 million What it means In June, the board of trustees approved the district’s FY 2025-26 budget with a $10.3 million shortfall. However, Land said the Texas Legislature allo- cated money for districts in the form of “allotment of basic cost,” which can be used to fund or help support the bene ts associated with the teacher retention funding. It can be used to support increased costs due to in ation, such as property
educators and support sta to bolster teacher and employee retention. It also created new funding allotments for xed costs and other expenses. Chief Financial O cer Jennifer Land said at a July board meeting that the district expects to receive an estimated $16.8 million in state funding related to HB 2. Per the state mandate, PfISD board trustees approved a $2,500 pay raise for quali ed classroom teachers with three to four years of experience; and a $5,000 raise for teachers with ve years of experience.
insurance and fuel costs, she said. A $55 increase to the district’s basic allotment and additional school safety dollars, among other funding sources, helped PfISD reduce its $10 million de cit. “We are looking at a revised budget de cit of $4.3 million,” Land said. “That is a $6 million decrease in the de cit that we presented [in June]. I know this is not where we want to be in terms of a balanced budget, but it is a signi cant improve- ment from where we were last month.”
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PFLUGERVILLE HUTTO EDITION
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