New Braunfels Edition | September 2024

Comal ISD faces $23.6M shortfall amid growth From the cover

Two-minute impact

FY 2024-25 general fund expenditures

FY 2024-25 general fund revenue

Teachers and instruction: $178.5M

Local revenue: $221.6M State aid: $77.7M Federal aid: $2M

Comal ISD is budgeting an estimated $221.6 million in local revenue, $77.7 million in state aid and another $2 million in federal dollars for a total of $301.3 million in revenue for fiscal year 2024-25. That doesn’t quite make up for the anticipated expenditures for instruction, maintenance and operations, school leadership, and other general expenses totaling $320.16 million. Debt service funds and child nutrition funds are also expected to have a shortfall this school year. Chapman said districts statewide need additional state funding, noting that a collective statewide request by school administrators for $5.4 billion in the last legislative session went unmet. Amid the funding challenges, the district is grappling with how to effectively educate its growing student body. Although funding is allocated per student, officials say it hasn’t kept pace with increasing needs, leading to strain on resources as the student population expands.

Other expenses: $90.1M

Total $320.16M

Total $301.3M

School leadership: $15.6M Plant maintenance & operations: $36M

FY 2024-25 budget for debt services and child nutrition

Expenditures

Revenues

$112.47M

Debt service fund Child nutrition fund

$111.08M

$18.13M

$14.74M

SOURCE: COMAL ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

Residential activity in Comal ISD and neighboring districts Annual starts refer to the number of new students beginning in the fall, while annual closings are students that complete a year in the same campus. Comal ISD ended the 2023-24 school year with 38.54% increase over the number of new students that began the school year from those who moved in throughout the year.

The outlook

The district collaborates with developers to plan new campuses. However, delays due to permitting issues have impacted new school construction. With 122 portable classrooms in use, the district faces space challenges, Chapman said. CISD trustee Courtney Biasatti said that the completion of Middle School No. 9 is delaying the timeline for opening new campuses planned there, adding financial pressure on the district. This contributes to overcrowding in existing schools, increasing operational costs, Biasatti said.

Annual starts

Annual closings

+27.92%

4K

+38.54%

3K

2K

+51.2%

+28.05% +40.08%

1K

+46.89%

0

Northside ISD Comal ISD North East ISD Judson ISD Schertz-Cibolo- Universal City ISD

New Braunfels ISD

SOURCE: COMAL ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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