The district’s budget consists of $139.7 million for the general fund, $5.7 million for the food service fund and $46.3 million for the debt service fund. The budget for FY 2021-22 accounts for a 6.1% student enrollment growth, 94.5% attendance rate and 18.7% property value growth. In the general fund, GISD’s net revenue after making $19.4 million in recapture payments to the state is $120.3 million. Recapture is a set amount property-rich districts pay the state with property tax revenue to be distributed to all schools across the state. This process is intended to give all schools roughly the same amount to pay per child. GISD has not yet presented or adopted any tax rates for FY 2021-22.
Recapture is one of the district's largest expenses in the general fund. Other notable expenses include $71.6 million for instruction, $12.4 million for maintenance and $7.5 million for school leadership. Funding for salaries includes recommended adjustments from the Texas Association of School Boards and a 2% raise for all employees. The pay raise and salary adjustments were adopted in May.
GISD will pay $180,040 for staffing adjustments throughout the district, including adding two new positions for a director of teaching and learning and a bilingual learning design coach. Six $1,000 stipends will be given to secondary ESL lead teachers where stipends have not been previously given. Six $6,000 stipends will be distributed to elementary bilingual interventionists, an amount equal to the stipend given to bilingual teachers.
Projected amounts in budgets are subject to change due to amendments made to the budget throughout the fiscal year. In FY 2020-21, GISD made 12 total amendments to the budget. The 12th amendment, adopted June 29, addressed a negative balance in food service due to COVID-19 impacts. The amendment now reflects expenditures made before receiving the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief III funding—$122.7 billion in federal funds disbursed from The American Rescue Plan Act to help elementary and secondary schools affected by COVID-19. The money from ESSER III will both reimburse for past expenditures related to devices and connectivity for remote learning and continue to fund similar technology support, according to a GISD spokesperson.
