Round Rock ISD lowered student enrollment projections and related funding for the 2026-27 financial year, as administrators continue the budgetary planning process.
This comes as the district's chief financial officer said in February that the district is already anticipating reductions in positions ahead of the coming school year.
The overview
The February budget proposal for the 2026-27 financial year showed $492.16 million in revenue paired with $490.13 million in expenses. In the updated proposal shared March 26, revenue decreased to $482.78 million, with $480.94 million in expenses.
A reduction from 45,500 students to 45,000 projected for total enrollment led to about $9.3 million less in anticipated state funding. The district's proposed budget now includes about $5.5 million less in allocations for positions and $3.8 million less in program reductions.
CFO Dennis Covington said the updated enrollment numbers come from recent demographic updates from Zonda Education, the district's demographer.
How we got here
In a February budget presentation, Covington highlighted that the coming 2026-27 financial year planning cycle would not be exempt from consideration of reductions in expenditures, which the district has implemented for the past few fiscal years.
Lower enrollment, increased operational costs and fluctuating property values were identified as areas of concern early in the planning process, he said. Historically, the district has been able to reduce positions by reassigning employees and not backfilling open positions, avoiding reductions in headcount. Covington said reductions planned in the current budget projection are due to lower rejection.
What's next?
Budget planning will continue through the next few months, as the district adjusts and prepares its budget proposal for the board of trustees to consider in June.
RRISD has a July 1 start to its financial year, and the board will vote on its budget on or before June 30.
