Ramos returned to the PfISD board of trustees on June 18 and said his staff has ultimately identified more than $5 million in cuts from the remainder of the district's 2019-20 fiscal year budget.
“I’m happy to report that through our analysis ... we have been able to identify $5.2 million in expenditure cuts,” Ramos said. “We feel really confident that is going to prepare us for the 2020-21 school year and put some money into fund balance.”
Ramos added these cuts are not coming from payroll expenses. PfISD Superintendent Douglas Killian commended Ramos and his staff for finding the budget savings without cutting staff during the pandemic.
“We’re really looking at those areas where we can trim. ... That sets us up really well for next year,” Killian said.
Budget discussions with trustees for the 2020-21 school year are expected to begin soon. PfISD’s fiscal year begins Sept. 1, according to state records, and last year’s budget and tax rate were accepted in late August.
The deadline for PfISD to submit its tax rate and adopted budget to the Texas Education Agency is Aug. 31, according to state documents.
OTHER NOTES FROM PFLUGERVILLE ISD
District working to accommodate vulnerable populations for campus returns
Killian told trustees June 18 that he and staff are working on solutions to ensure students and staff with medical conditions that make them especially vulnerable to COVID-19 are able to return to learning environments safely.
“Something we are mindful of is medically compromised staff and students, who we are looking at options for,” Killian said.
The superintendent’s remarks come the same day Gov. Greg Abbott told state lawmakers that the state’s public schools will return with in-classroom instruction this fall. Killian said the announcement came as he and staff were preparing alternative teaching scenarios for the upcoming school year.
“Luckily, since we didn’t have instruction [from the state], we were working on three different ways,” Killian said.
Trustees approve Pflugerville High School renovations contract
In a June 18 vote, the PfISD board of trustees approved a guaranteed maximum price contract for renovations at Pflugerville High School to the tune of $576,752.
Chaney-Cox Construction Inc., based out of Temple, was awarded the contract for the renovations.
District documents show renovations at the high school will include new locker room flooring, lockers, lighting and repainting in the athletics department. Further renovations include Americans With Disabilities Act-compliant hardware upgrades and other accessibility upgrades, including handrails, bollards, sidewalk and curbs.
