Cypress Edition | April 2026

Education

BY SARAH BRAGER

Cy-Fair ISD ocials discuss enrollment, state funding limits

Preliminary budget projections show Cy-Fair ISD could end scal year 2025-26 with a shortfall of approximately $33.7 million instead of an initial projection of $45.5 million, according to a March 2 presentation to the board. The discussion marks the start of monthly nance updates from the administration in preparation for the district’s FY 2026-27 budget adoption in June. The big picture Chief Financial Ocer Karen Smith said the decit will likely uctuate. CFISD is on track to conclude the scal year with about ve months of fund balance if the decit holds steady at approxi- mately $33 million, she said. CFISD gained about $62.5 million, or $584 per student, in state funding for FY 2025-26 as a result of House Bill 2, which increased funding for public schools by $8.4 billion. Smith said some of the funding was restricted

Per-student funding comparison in Greater Houston

Before House Bill 2

With House Bill 2

$12,000 $10,000 $8,000 $6,000 $4,000 $2,000 $0

Cy-Fair ISD

Houston ISD

Katy ISD

Tomball ISD

Conroe ISD

Klein ISD

Spring ISD

Magnolia ISD

Lamar ISD

Fort Bend ISD

NOTE: PASSED IN 2025, HOUSE BILL 2 ALLOCATED $8.4 BILLION TO TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

SOURCE: CYFAIR ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

of funding since 2019, as well as ination,” Smith told the board of trustees. Stay tuned CFISD’s administration will continue to analyze budget projections ahead of a special-called May 21 budget workshop for FY 2026-27.

to specic areas of district operations, such as teacher retention and early education allotments. CFISD was left with approximately $23.5 million in exible dollars from HB 2. “Although the district is grateful for the addi- tional funding, districts are still experiencing nancial diculty and challenges due to the lack

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