Southwest Austin - Dripping Springs Edition | April 2026

Education

BY SIENNA WIGHT & CHLOE YOUNG

Austin ISD officials weighing $117M-plus in cuts Austin ISD may make more than $100 million in budget cuts to staffing, academic programs and other operational expenses. What’s happening

Dripping Springs high school breaks ground Dripping Springs ISD officials held a groundbreaking ceremony for High School No. 2 on April 13. The details The new campus will have the capacity to serve 2,500 students and is the largest construction project in the district’s history. How we got here The district has been planning for a second high school for several years as a response to growing enrollment.

expenses, officials discussed four scenarios that could involve making anywhere from $117 million-$132 million in budget cuts. Additionally, the district may save $9 million-$10 million by removing vacant positions and receive $50 mil- lion from monetizing three district properties, Chief Financial Officer Katrina Montgomery said.

The cuts come as the district aims to reduce a budget shortfall of $181 million. To reduce

FY 2026-27 preliminary

Scenario A Scenario B Scenario C Scenario D

Revenue (+) Recapture (-)

$1.45B

$1.45B

$1.45B

$1.45B

$1.45B

$604M $604M $604M $604M $604M

Operating expenditures (-)

$1.03B ($181M)

$1.03B ($181M)

$1.03B ($181M)

$1.03B ($181M)

$1.03B ($181M) $10M $50M $132M

Net change

Vacancy savings (+)

$16M

$9M

$10M $50M $117M ($4M)

$10M $50M $131M $10M

SAWYER RANCH RD.

Property monetization (+)

TBD TBD

$50M $131M

Strategies (+)

Adjusted net change

($165M)

$9M

$11M

162

Unassigned fund balance percentage

ENCHANTED OAKS DR.

-2.4% +16.8% +15% +16.8% +17%

N

SOURCE: AUSTIN ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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SOUTHWEST AUSTIN - DRIPPING SPRINGS EDITION

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