The overview
During the meeting, the NISD board of trustees heard a series of presentations detailing the tax rates and budget for the 2025-26 school year.
The roughly $278 million general fund is based on an average daily attendance of 91,500, and includes a general pay increase for all employees.
- The legislatively mandated salary increases for classroom teachers, such as a $2,500 increase for teachers with three to four years of experience and a $5,000 increase for teachers with five or more years of experience
- A 4% increase for for nonexempt employees, such as auxiliary, hourly and paraprofessional positions
- A 2% increase for exempt employees, such as teachers with less than three years of experience, counselors, nurses and librarians
"Eighty-eight percent of our budget is for payroll, and the related house for payroll. ... People is our business, our students, and then the teachers that are with them," Bradley said.
Despite pay increases, Bradley said the district’s expenditures have decreased. Revenues have also increased by $62 million. Additionally, in keeping with the district’s goal of achieving a balanced budget by fiscal year 2026-27, the approved budget for the NISD FY 2025-26 school year will use approximately $26.8 million from the district's existing instructional continuity fund to cover expenses.
According to district officials there will be no change to the 76 Community Eligibility Provision Campuses, or CEP. Students at CEP campuses will receive meals at no cost. For other campuses, NISD officials said there won’t be an increase to student paid meals for breakfast or lunch. Additionally, students that qualify for reduced-priced meals will eat at no charge, with the Texas Department of Agriculture covering the cost of reduced-price meals.
What else?
The budget will maintain the current total tax rate of $1.0049 per $100 valuation, including maintaining the general operations tax rate of $0.6694 per $100 valuation and the interest and sinking tax rate of $0.3355 per $100 valuation.
