The current situation
The board of trustees adopted the district’s budget for the 2025-26 school year during a special board meeting June 26 for $413.4 million. Chief Operations Officer John Allison said the budget is required to include a general, debt service and child nutrition fund.
Allison said some reductions were “misleading” because of the way funds had to be shifted to different functions.
“A few of those line items do create a false narrative based on those percentages,” he said.
Allison credited some of the rent reduction to moving expenses for the district natatorium to a special fund. Keller ISD also ended its dual credit program at Tarrant County College because of unanticipated fees and low enrollment from Texas Success Initiative testing requirements. The TSI assessment usually determines if a student is ready for college-level coursework. The district started a new agreement with Tarleton State University, which does not require students to pass a TSI assessment to attend classes.
During an earlier board meeting June 12, Allison said the district’s previously projected $12.4M overall shortfall for the 2025-26 school year was balanced through conservative revenue projections.
Keller ISD Public Information Officer Bryce Nieman told Community Impact that "budget efficiencies” and “work from the administration team” contributed to balancing the district’s budget.
More details
Teachers and staff will receive a 3%-8% increase to their annual salary for the 2025-26 school year through state and local funding. According to the district, some teachers will receive raises after House Bill 2 was passed at the 89th Texas Legislative session, which ended June 2.
Approved salary increases include:
- $5,000 increase for classroom teachers with 5+ years of experience
- $2,500 increase for classroom teachers with 3-4 years of experience
- 3% increase for all other teachers and district employees
