School Board Approves $9.9M Budget for Child Nutrition and General Fund

The Victoria Independent School District (VISD) held a special school board meeting on August 28, 2025, focusing on the adoption of the 2025-2026 budgets and the tax rate for the upcoming year. The meeting began with a presentation highlighting the district's balanced budget, which includes funding for child nutrition programs and summer feeding initiatives. The total budget for these programs is set at $9,904,196, with all funding sourced from federal programs, allowing all students in the district to receive free meals.

Following the budget presentation, board members discussed the district's academic performance metrics. A key point of discussion was the district's accountability scores, which have shown improvement over the years. The overall district rating for 2025 was reported at 74, an increase from 68 in 2023 and 71 in 2024. This upward trend in scores was emphasized as a positive indicator of the district's educational progress.

Board member Mr. Swanson raised questions regarding the specific benchmarks for the upcoming year, seeking clarity on the district's performance metrics. The discussion highlighted the importance of understanding the calculations behind these scores, with an invitation extended for further discussion to enhance comprehension of the accountability system.

The meeting concluded with a call for public questions and a reminder of the next steps, which include the formal adoption of the budgets and tax rate. The board's commitment to transparency and community engagement was evident throughout the discussions, as members sought to ensure that stakeholders are informed and involved in the district's financial and academic planning.