Cy-Fair Edition | March 2024

Education

BY DAVE MANNING

Cy-Fair ISD anticipates $73.6M budget shortfall On Feb. 12, Cy-Fair ISD ocials reported a shortfall of over $73.6 million in the district’s 2023- 24 budget. Chief Financial Ocer Karen Smith said ination is up 19% since fall 2019, and there is a lack of adequate funding from the state. The details Smith said the state determines how much fund- ing each district receives using a complex formula based on student attendance and other factors. The district is estimating $1.2 billion in expenses. After receiving an estimated $65 million in federal stimulus funds, the district will still be left with about a $73.6 million shortfall, Smith said. “School districts have no control over state funding other than increasing attendance as the state funding formula is set in statute and districts can only spend portions of the funding in a certain manner,” Smith said.

Cy-Fair ISD approves 2024 25 calendar After adjusting the calendar committee’s proposal—including shifting the recom- mended rst day of school from Aug. 14— Cy-Fair ISD’s board of trustees approved the 2024-25 school calendar Feb. 12. Ocials said there was more exibility this year since the board approved CFISD’s District of Innovation plan in January. See the full calendar at www.csd.net.

202324 funding sources

Local: $619.4M State: $423.81M Federal: $27.14M

Total $1.07B

Projected expenses: $1.2B

SOURCE: CYFAIR ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

What are the options? District actions could help alleviate the amount of the shortfall, potentially including: • Increasing the maintenance and operations tax rate in a voter-approval tax rate election • Reducing expenses through budget cuts in areas other than payroll, which makes up 90% of CFISD’s budget • Approving a minimum four-month fund balance • Seeking out new sources of revenue

Dates to know Aug. 19: First day of school Nov. 25-29: Thanksgiving break Dec. 23-Jan. 3: Winter break March 10-14: Spring break May 29: Last day of school

SOURCE: CYFAIR ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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