Liberty Hill ISD budget cuts prompt changes From the cover
Budget shortfall Budget shortfall (without cuts) LHISD budget shortfall projections
The conditions
Two-minute impact
The district has been impacted by changes to local property tax collections, Chief Financial Officer Rosanna Guerrero said. In 2023, state lawmakers increased the homestead exemption for homeown- ers from $40,000 to $100,000, reducing the district’s property tax revenue by $1.5 million, she said. The state has also compressed the district’s tax rate by $0.375 cents per $100 valuation since 2019, accord- ing to district information. In November, LHISD voters failed to approve a nearly $0.06 increase to the district’s tax rate that would’ve increased its revenue by $6 million. School board President Megan Parsons said the district had no choice but to balance its budget by making cuts after the voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE. “Our community is feeling the impact of that,” Parsons said about budget cuts following a failed VATRE. “It’s a necessary consequence of the VATRE not passing along with not getting the funding from
-$1.28M
In March, the LHISD board of trustees approved $6.37 million for the first phase of budget cuts to reduce a projected $9.1 million shortfall for FY 2025-26. The district will cut approximately 78 positions, 54% of which are nonclassroom teachers providing individualized support. For the second year, LHISD will reduce campus budgets by 10% and most district department budgets by 12%. The district also adopted a hybrid calendar that includes many four-day school weeks. Amid the cuts, the district will add $2.6 million in positions to accommodate Around 80% of 190 school districts surveyed by the Texas Association of School Business Officials reported planned budget cuts next fiscal year. State lawmakers are considering several proposals that would increase funding for public education along with a voucher-like program funding private school tuition. “No, it’s not adequately funded, … but we’re looking to change that this legislative session,” Rep. Terry Wilson, R-Georgetown, who represents Liberty Hill and Leander, told Community Impact . growing enrollment, resulting in $3.77 million in net reductions.
$0 -$5M
-$9.1M
-$9.8M
-$15M -$20M -$10M
-$17.3M
School year 2025-26 2026-27
2027-28
the state.” LHISD parent Greg Wempe said he feels the district has lacked transparency around its budget. “Every homeowner in the ISD has had their property taxes go up,” Wempe said. “Every aspect of this suggests that there is more income coming into the district. Yet, we’re being told we have to cut budgets.”
The impact
LHISD will hire 30 new teachers while cutting dozens of positions that provide additional services to students, including its 14 emergent bilingual paraprofessionals. This work will now be spread between existing staff members, such as language proficiency assessment coordinators and academic interventionists, Guerrero said. Some positions, such as behavior intervention- ists, will be split between multiple campuses, Snell said. As behavior among elementary students has been challenging for the district, LHISD officials have supported House Bill 6, which would make it easier for schools to suspend younger students,
he said. Despite the mental health needs of students growing, the district will eliminate three mental health counselors. LHISD’s police officers are trained as mental health officers, and the district is exploring grants to cover mental health positions, Snell said. The district will reduce librarians at secondary campuses, while elementary librarians will be required to teach some technology lessons, he said. “Every position you cut, somebody else has to do that job,” Parsons said.
LHISD budget cuts
Campus budget allotment reduction by 10% District budget allotment reduction by 12% Total position reductions Additional growth positions for 2025-26 The district is making the following reductions as the first phase of cuts to its fiscal year 2025-26 budget.
$2.6M
$3M $2M $1M
Liberty Hill ISD position cuts LHISD will cut 78 positions totaling $5.06 million for fiscal year 2025-26, including 42 nonclassroom positions. Nonclassroom positions Secondary teachers Central office Student support services
14 emergent bilingual paraprofessionals 7 gifted & talented teachers 7 STEM specials teachers 4 ESL interventionists/LPAC teachers 3 mental health counselors 3 behavior interventionists 2 library positions
5
$0 -$1M -$2M -$3M -$4M -$5M -$6M
8
-$477K
-$833K
Overall positions
42
23
-$5M
1 instructional coach 1 testing coordinator
SOURCE: LIBERTY HILL ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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