Bryan ISD weighs funding options as strategic planning continues

Bryan ISD is continuing to develop a long-term strategic plan focused on staff pay, student programs and safety, while district officials prepare for a potential voter-approved tax rate election.

The big picture

The district’s 2026 strategic planning process included a committee made up of community members and district stakeholders, along with focus groups involving parents, students, faith-based partners, teachers and district leadership.

The committee met throughout the spring and summer to review the district’s finances, academics and operations and identify topics for further study.

According to a July 20 board meeting presentation by Deputy Superintendent Brian Merrill and CFO Norma Friddle, the group’s top priorities based on stakeholder feedback were:

• Staff pay
• Student programs
• Safety and security

• Academic programs: International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement Capstone, Bryan Collegiate High School and dual-language programs
  • This also includes robotics and career and technical education
• Extracurricular and athletics: gymnastics and powerlifting
• Fine arts: mariachi and orchestra

"We have heard directly from parents who told us, 'please don't jeopardize these programs,'" Friddle said.

The options

A significant portion of the strategic planning process focused on how Texas public schools are funded and the district’s financial position.

The committee discussed topics including the state’s basic allotment, average daily attendance, weighted funding, tax rates, salary comparisons, district expenditures and revenue, fund balance and potential ways to increase funding.

Bryan ISD also discussed a possible voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, which could allow a district to generate additional maintenance and operations revenue through a higher voter-approved tax rate.

The district authorized an efficiency audit, Friddle told Community Impact in May. However, no VATRE has been called.

A timeline was outlined, showing how the district would need to move if it chooses to continue with a VATRE. That process includes receiving certified property values, determining tax rates, meeting taxation requirements and calling an election by the Aug. 17 deadline.

By the numbers

The presentation provided an example of how a 2-cent tax-rate increase could affect a homeowner.

For a home with a $350,000 appraised value and a $140,000 homestead exemption, the district calculated:

"In other words, the district would get to keep every dollar that those two pennies generate,” Friddle said. “The key takeaway was that this is a recurring revenue source that could provide ongoing support for the district and not just a one-time funding opportunity."

What the finance committee is saying

During the meeting, community members who participated in the strategic planning process described the work as an extensive and educational process.

Tonya Driver Jackson, a parent and community member who served on the finance committee, said the process helped participants better understand the complexity of school finance and the decisions facing the district.

She said discussions repeatedly returned to how the district could provide the best possible opportunities for Bryan ISD students.

“I never felt pressured that decisions had already been made,” she said.

Amy DuBose, who also participated in the process, said the strategic planning committee provided an opportunity for a diverse group of community members to discuss the district’s future. She called it “an extremely insightful process.”

What’s next?

The strategic planning committee is expected to continue its work through this fall.

The top two areas identified for further discussion are grade configuration and school start and end times.

Bryan ISD also plans to continue discussing the programs and services stakeholders identified as priorities.

Also on the agenda

Trustees also took action on several other items during the July 20 meeting.

• Employee health benefits: The district presented feedback from a new employee focus group created to help inform future health insurance recommendations. The district plans to return to the board with an initial recommendation Aug. 17 and a final recommendation Sept. 14 for the 2027 benefit year.
• Bryan Collegiate High School bond project: Trustees received an update on the design process for the new Bryan Collegiate High School campus, including proposed site plans, building designs and traffic flow. The design remains conceptual.
• Merrill Green Fieldhouse and scoreboard: The board received an update on the 2025 bond-funded Merrill Green Fieldhouse project, including plans for a new scoreboard. The scoreboard would be about 41 feet wide, compared with the current 26-foot scoreboard, though final specifications are still being determined.
• Head Start partnership: Trustees approved a memo of understanding with participating Head Start programs to support the dual enrollment of eligible pre-K students. The agreement includes moving students from the Head Start center at Bryan ISD’s Washington campus to Neal Elementary School.

Get involved

Bryan ISD’s board of trustees will meet again Aug. 10 for a workshop and special meeting at 6 p.m. in the admin building, 801 S. Ennis St., Bryan.