Districts adjusting to tighter budgets From the cover
Zooming in
Current situation
JISD budget data Revenue
Expenses
Judson ISD During a budget presentation on June 25, JISD sta said the revenues in the FY 2024-25 budget were estimated at around $236 million with total expenses around $272 million, with a shortfall of around $36 million. With the approval of disaster pennies, which leverage a tax rate as a way to increase revenue, the total revenue was increased to around $248 million, reducing the shortfall to around $24 million. The disaster pennies will raise additional funds through an increase in the maintenance and operations, or M&O, tax rate. This strategy avoids an increase in the tax rate to taxpayers. On Aug. 15, Superintendent Milton “Rob” Fields III explained that throughout the year, budget amendments will be approved due to unexpected costs related to equipment or other emergencies. Any further budget cuts would be to essential services, Fields said. “It is not cutting fat anymore,” Fields said. “There is no fat in the budget. It is muscle, so that means we are going to have to do away with something that we felt like we thought we had to have before.” Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD For SCUCISD, Moy explained that the $11 million shortfall in the general fund will most likely not be the actual decit by the end of the scal year. This is the largest approved shortfall by the district in the past ve budget cycles. Moy said he expects that the actual decit will be much less. “We don’t spend every dollar that we allocate,” Moy said. “We will still be well above our ending fund balance targets at the end of the year.” Board President Ed Finley on Aug. 8 said the district will run out of money without some sort of
$258.6M $264.2M $278M $286.8M $297.1M $322M $315.8M $333.8M $323.3M $350.4M
2020- 21
If districts cannot nd a way to reduce budgets further, budgets might dip below the required fund balance of 90 days of operating costs, which Moy said could occur by scal year 2026-27. This means that districts would need to make essential cuts in order to sustain mandatory services for students and sta. Despite passing budgets with shortfalls, districts are increasing employee salaries and incentives to stay competitive and promote employee retention.
2021- 22
2022- 23
2023- 24
2024- 25*
*PROJECTED
NOTE: FIGURES ARE THE SUM OF GENERAL, CHILD NUTRITION AND DEBT SERVICE FUNDS.
Top budget changes JISD and SCUCISD both made changes to the scal year budgets prior to adoption, with some changes including reductions in shortfalls and raises for employees.
SCUCISD budget data Revenue Expenses
$168.6M $169.3M $173M $175.9M $188.1M $194.2M $201.1M $208.5M $205.3M $220M
2020- 21
Judson ISD $12 million in disaster pennies to oset shortfalls 1% raise to teachers, librarians, nurses and counselors
2021- 22
2022- 23
$500 incentive for all other employees $160,000 agreement with Communities in Schools to support elementary schools Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD $5.68 million in major expenditure changes 3% raise across the board $1.44 million to support items previously funded by pandemic relief funds $324.6 million in outstanding debt
2023- 24
2024- 25*
*PROJECTED
SOURCES: JUDSON ISD, SCHERTZCIBOLOUNIVERSAL CITY ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT NOTE: FIGURES ARE THE SUM OF GENERAL, CHILD NUTRITION AND DEBT SERVICE FUNDS.
support from legislation. “Even a conservative district will eventually run out if they don’t help us in Austin,” Finley said.
SOURCES: JUDSON ISD, SCHERTZCIBOLOUNIVERSAL CITY ISD COMMUNITY IMPACT
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