Trustees reviewed the amendment at a Jan. 21 meeting and will consider the item for approval in February. Last year, trustees approved a budget for fiscal year 2024-25 with a $1.29 million shortfall.
The revenue would balance the deficit and provide additional funding and resources for teachers, Superintendent Courtney Carpenter said. The district is already in the process of implementing these funding measures as not all require board approval. The funding allocations were informed by recommendations from a teacher advisory council.
The details
Going into the 2024-25 school year AISD officials expected to serve around 5,800 students. However, that number came in closer to 6,100, around 700 more students than the previous school year, according to Zonda Education data.
The 2024-25 average daily attendance, which is the metric that determines how much state funding schools receive, was around 263 more students than anticipated, Chief Financial Officer Liz Stewart said. This increase multiplied by the state funding allotment and additional weighted funding for special groups like career and technical education students and special education resulted in almost $2.5 million in additional revenue.
Officials plan to pay the $1.29 million shortfall to balance the budget and funnel the remaining funds into teachers, campuses and support services, according to district documents.
Zooming in
The decisions were based on recommendations from the Superintendent Teacher Advisory Council, a group of AISD teachers that provides input and direction on addressing district teaching needs. To facilitate the recommended actions, it would cost nearly $1.2 million, using the additional revenue from the enrollment spike, Carpenter said.
One of these measures will allow each elementary campus to hire two paraprofessionals and each secondary campus to hire one paraprofessional to assist with intervention support for this spring only, as a result of losing some intervention services staff positions in the 2024-25 school year. Hiring these employees would cost around $176,000, according to district documents.
“They knew that they could use paraprofessionals in these roles, so they have been actively recruiting for those roles,” Carpenter said.
Around $68,000 is being allocated for special education support that will add a special education class section at Argyle South Elementary and a life skills class at Argyle West Elementary. Additionally, $375,000 is being used to hire four teachers at Jane Ruestmann Elementary, two teachers at Hilltop Elementary and two aides at Argyle South Elementary to help address increased enrollment at those campuses, according to district documents. These initiatives are ongoing and will not require board approval, Carpenter said.
The final item would provide a one-time supplemental payment for staff after the district was unable to provide a percentage raise, opting instead for a one-time payment last June. This would cost around $560,000 dollars and requires future board approval. The payment would be dispersed in May, Carpenter said.
“Everything is funded by the overage in enrollment, after paying the deficit back,” she said.
Going forward
Officials said the budget amendment to balance the shortfall will be brought back for trustee approval along with the one-time payment request at a February board meeting. The board has scheduled meetings for Feb. 12 and Feb. 17.
