The New Braunfels ISD board of trustees adopted a balanced budget for the district’s fiscal year 2024-25, following a public hearing at a June 17 school board meeting.

In a nutshell

The $104.8 million budget covers the general fund, interest and sinking fund, as well as the child nutrition fund, said Paul McLarty, chief financial officer of New Braunfels ISD.

The budget encompasses salary increases for staff and increased contributions to employee health insurance, McLarty said.

The total tax rate remains the same as the previous year, which is $1.0419, with the maintenance and operations tax rate at $0.7011 and the debt service tax rate at $0.3408.


The budget was designed to address inflation, maintain adequate fund balances, and avoid deficits, ensuring financial stability and support for new school staffing and programs, McLarty said.

A closer look

Jose Betancourt, director of financial services at NBISD, said the primary sources of revenue for general funds for the district’s budget are:
  • Property taxes, which cover operational costs and principal and interest payments on debt
  • State aid, which includes funding provided by the state based on various formulas
  • Other local revenues including fees, interest earnings and rentals
  • Federal revenues from programs such as the child nutrition program
Here is a detailed breakdown of the expenditures for the budget, which Betancourt also presented.
The budget discussions highlighted provisions for salary increases for staff and increased contributions to employee health insurance, as previously reported by Community Impact.

What else?


The child nutrition fund was allocated a total of $4.706 million in revenues and expenditures for the child nutrition fund were projected at $4.707 million, resulting in a shortfall of $1,000.

Despite the small deficit, the fund remains operational and supports essential nutrition programs for students, Betancourt said.

The Interest and Sinking Fund projected revenues of $34.15 million, with expenditures expected at $31.1 million, leaving an excess of about $2.95 million.

These surplus funds were earmarked for debt repayment, Bentacourt said.


What they are saying

"Our budget goal was to have the 2024 budget further our mission for the strategic plan, with financial integrity, maximizing benefits from available resources,” said McLarty.

McLarty said the priorities centered around a balanced budget that:
  • Improves student achievement
  • Provides competitive salaries and benefits
  • Funds safe and secure schools
  • Increases state revenues to promote student attendance