The gist
During a presentation to the Richardson ISD Board of Trustees at the Jan. 16 meeting, Assistant Superintendent of Finance David Pate said several factors contributed to the deficit reduction.
“State revenue is up and that is where the bulk of this change is,” Pate said.
State revenue is calculated based on student attendance and the district had higher attendance rates than previous years, Pate said.
State funding also increased because comptroller property values in Richardson did not increase as much as expected, meaning the district is able to keep more money per student.
Property tax revenue is estimated to be $242 million, but was budgeted for $239 million, according to district documents.
By the numbers
Total enrollment for the district for the 2024-2025 budget was estimated to be 36,359; however, estimates put the actual number at 36,989, which is still a decrease from the 37,085 enrolled students in the 2023-2024 school year.
The special education and dyslexia enrollment were also higher than expected, while the economically disadvantaged enrollment was lower than estimated.
What else?
Pate said his numbers are only estimates and that other factors would still affect the final figures.
The district is still facing a deficit, which has implications for the 2025-2026 budget, Pate said. Any additional raise or cost increases will increase it, and none of the district's decisions to rightsize the budget have changed.
“Throughout the 2025-2026 budget process, just like every other budget process, we will continue to focus on making the best financial decisions for our students, family and staff,” Pate said.
