The overview
SISD’s FY 2025-26 budget, approved June 24, features $353.2 million in general operating fund expenses, representing a 2.3% increase year over year, according to the FY 2025-26 budget documents, posted on SISD’s website. The FY 2024-25 budget included $345.5 million in expenses.
Multiple bills approved during the 89th legislative session, which wrapped up in June, are expected to bring in funding for districts across the state, as previously reported by Community Impact.
According to the FY 2025-26 budget documents, changes in expenses for the FY 2025-26 budget compared to the adopted FY 2024-25 budget include:
- 29.5% year over year more, or a $591,680 increase, for facility services
- 25.3% year over year less, or a $9.9 million decrease, for “districtwide” expenses
- 21.9% year over year more, or a $104,272 increase for the Office of Operations
- 5.5% year over year more, or a $272,327 increase, for the Office of Human Resources
- 8.2% year over year less, or a $2.2 million decrease, for Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title 1 funds
- 2.9% year over year less, or a $16.2 million decrease for total federal revenues
- 2.7% year over year less, or a $6.5 million decrease for total local revenues
Major takeaways
On June 10, SISD’s trustees unanimously approved employee raises for the 2025-26 school year, according to a June 12 news release from the district. The annual raises offered will be:
- $2,725 for current teachers, librarians and interventionists with up to four years of experience
- $5,000 for current teachers, librarians and interventionists with five or more years of experience
- 4% of the salary range midpoint for all other employees
“As we continue to invest in our [SISD] employees, we want to ensure our compensation remains competitive and rewarding,” board President Justine Durant said via the June 12 release. “Our teachers, support staff and administrators are the driving force behind student success, and this compensation plan reflects our appreciation for their work.”
According to SISD’s release, the raises were approved in light of House Bill 2, which Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law June 4. Texas’ nearly 9,000 public schools will see an $8.5 billion funding boost over the next two years through HB 2, and nearly half of that funding will be spent on raises for educators and support staff, such as bus drivers, janitors and librarians as previously reported by Community Impact.
Also of note
SISD’s board of trustees approved the FY 2025-26 budget in a split vote with Durant and Assistant Secretary Rhonda Newhouse dissenting. Board Secretary Kelly P. Hodges and trustee Deborah Jensen were absent from the meeting.
Before the budget vote, Durant expressed concerns that employee pay would not be high enough to retain teachers, proposing a raise to the employee retention stipend approved June 10.
“I'm opting for the board to reconsider the recommended budget ... [Durant’s budget option] not only demonstrates our commitment to our staff, but also positions us to secure the necessary resources to support our students and our staff more effectively,” Durant said.
In May 2024, SISD leaders made $9.8 million in staffing cuts due to an anticipated $25 million fiscal year 2024-25 budget gap. On June 24, trustee Carmen Correa voiced her worry that spending too much on raises at this time could lead to more employee layoffs.
“I could support coming back to this, but [not] trying to push this through now with so many unknowns. ... I wouldn't want to give raises now and then end up having to cut positions later, because that was painful, as much as I would love to give raises,” Correa said.
Trustees did not vote on Durant’s proposed additional employee retention bonus June 24.
Remember this?
On June 11, 2024, SISD’s board of trustees passed the fiscal year 2024-25 budget with funding incorporated from a voter-approval tax rate election ballot initiative that went before voters in November, as previously reported. The VATRE was rejected by voters, leaving SISD with an expected FY 2024-25 general fund shortfall of $12 million.
What happens next?
In response to budget challenges, SISD leaders have been working on optimization efforts throughout the 2024-25 school year. On June 24, Chief of Innovation and Student Success Matt Pariseau presented new draft school feeder patterns for the 2026-27 school year as part of the optimization efforts.
The district’s current feeder patterns have overlap for the elementary schools and middle schools feeding into the district’s three high schools—Spring, Dekaney and Westfield—according to a document of the proposed patterns. However, the new patterns would assign a specific high school to each elementary and middle school.
In September, district leaders will bring forward the finalized feeder patterns—and potential plans for school closure or consolidation—for board of trustee consideration, Pariseau said. In the meantime, district leaders will meet with campus principals and community stakeholders for feedback, he added.
