Austin ISD officials shared some preliminary reductions that may be made to the fiscal year 2026-27 budget May 5. The proposed reductions come as the district faces a budget shortfall that has grown to $181 million for FY 2026-27.
“This has been incredibly difficult work, and we know that there are real impacts to all of these reductions," AISD Chief Financial Officer Katrina Montgomery said. "Ultimately, we must have a balanced budget."
The breakdown
As of May 5, AISD officials have identified $73.8 million in reductions to central and department budgets. This will include eliminating vacancies. Staff anticipates $45 million in revenue from real estate monetization, according to district documents.
Additionally, district officials have identified $33.9 million in proposed reductions to campus budgets. This includes new student-to-teacher ratios and increased class sizes at some campuses, updated special education and bilingual stipend criteria, and changes to technology, including software transitions.
Going forward
The timeline for the final budget decision is as follows:
May 21: The recommended FY 2026-27 budget is presented to the board of trustees.
June 18: The board of trustees votes on the final budget before the deadline of June 30.
July 1: The new budget takes effect.
July 25: Travis County Appraisal District final certified values are received.
Harris Elementary students celebrated the opening of a new campus alongside AISD and city officials at an April 28 ribbon-cutting ceremony. (Chloe Young/Community Impact)
Harris Elementary students moved into a fully modernized campus in January.
The $56.28 million modernization—funded by the district's 2022 bond—includes new classrooms, administrative offices and outdoor learning areas along with a new cafeteria and gym, Principal Sonya Wyatt said at an April 28 ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The overview
Established in 1954, the original Harris Elementary building no longer met the needs of its students. Since 2023, the campus has operated out of the former Sims Elementary, which closed in 2021, while construction was underway on the new school.
The Dripping Springs ISD bus fleet is now in 100% compliance with Senate Bill 546, which requires all public school-operated buses to be equipped with three-point seat belts.
DSISD Chief Operations Officer Scott Berry gave an SB 546 Transportation Report at an April 27 meeting.
At a glance
DSISD replaced 16 buses and retrofitted 37. Retrofitting is the process of removing old seats and replacing them with seats equipped with three-point seat belts. This process occurred over several years and cost the district $4.4 million.
District officials planned to fund buses with the 2023 and 2025 voter-approved bonds.
