Georgetown Edition | February 2026

Education

BY CHLOE YOUNG

Georgetown ISD will no longer open its 12th elementary school and fth middle school this fall. Instead, the district will delay the opening of both campuses until the 2027-28 school year, GISD Superintendent Devin Padavil said at a Feb. 2 board meeting. Padavil’s decision comes as the district looks to reduce a mounting budget shortfall amid slowed enrollment growth. GISD has been preparing to open Jessie Daniel Ames Elementary and Middle School No. 5 in August o Patriot Way and SH 130 near East View High School. The construction of both buildings was funded by the district’s $649 million bond election that was approved by voters in 2024. At a Jan. 12 workshop, district ocials said GISD was projected to face a $1.75 million budget shortfall in scal year 2026-27 if both campuses opened as planned this fall. The district would need to make $1 million-$1.5 million in budget cuts, raise class sizes and not provide raises for sta, district ocials said. By not opening any new schools in August, GISD is projected to realize a $1.86 million budget surplus next scal year, according to district documents from the Feb. 2 meeting. Opening Ames Elementary and Middle School No. 5 in the fall of 2027 will cost the district an additional $6.3 million in sta salaries, resulting in a projected $1.1 million shortfall in scal year 2027-28, interim Chief Financial Ocer Kenneth Adix said. District delays school openings

What else?

costing $1.5 million in FY 2027-28, Adix said. GISD may need to consider raising class sizes at middle and high schools, and eliminating block scheduling whether or not the VATRE passes, district ocials said.

GISD may ask voters to approve a $0.07 per $100 valuation increase to its maintenance and opera- tions tax rate by calling a VATRE in November. The district could provide a 2% pay raise for sta next school year totaling $3 million and a 1% raise

Georgetown ISD budget scenarios based on tax rate

FY 2026-27 (no new schools)

FY 2027-28 (ES 12 & MS 5 opening)

2028-29 (HS 4 opening)

Scenario

FY 2025-26

Surplus/shortfall without VATRE ($1.0506 tax rate) Surplus/shortfall with VATRE ($1.1206 tax rate)

$8M

$1.9M

-$1.1M

-$5.7M

$8M

$5.3M

$827K

-$3.8M

SOURCE: GEORGETOWN ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Updated district growth

The context

Mid-growth projections Enrollment

GISD has seen a slowing in its projected enrollment growth. In December 2023, the district was estimated to start the 2026-27 school year with around 14,500-14,800 students, according to GISD data. Now, GISD is projected to enroll about 14,000-14,200 students next school year. The district went from gaining around 500 or more students each school year to 100 new students this school year, Padavil said. Texas public schools receive funding based on the average number of students that attend class each day. By enrolling around 100 new students each school year, the district would bring in about $1 million in new revenue per year, Adix said.

17,845

20K

14,601

15K

10K

SOURCE: GEORGETOWN ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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