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Fabens ISD updates student and staff travel meal per diems to match Texas Comptroller guidelines
Summary
Trustees approved raising student per diems from $21 to $35 per day and aligning staff per diems with General Services Administration/Comptroller guidelines effective Aug. 1, 2025; presenters said federal grant rules require using a single rate to simplify tracking.
Fabens ISD trustees approved updated student and staff travel meal per diems at the July 16 meeting and set an effective date of Aug. 1, 2025.
Director of Finance (presenter identified in the packet as Lili/Lily Nourish) told trustees the proposed student per diem increases would change the daily student meal allowance from $21 (breakfast $5, lunch $7, dinner $9) to $35 (breakfast $8, lunch $12, dinner $15). For staff, the district will follow the U.S. General Services Administration rates issued via the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts so one per-diem schedule applies to both local and federally funded travel.
The presenter said applying the comptroller/ GSA guidance to all travel avoids tracking separate local and federal rates and keeps the district in compliance with TEA rules for federal grant spending. She also explained that the first and last day of travel would be reimbursed at 75% of the daily maximum, consistent with federal practice.
Trustees moved and approved the administration’s recommendation with no recorded opposition. Presenters noted that when a reimbursement exceeds federal caps the district must pay the difference from local funds, and the change is intended to streamline bookkeeping for trips paid from mixed funding sources.
The administration recommended the rate change to make student meals more competitive with other districts and to align staff reimbursements with state/federal guidance. The board set the effective date of Aug. 1, 2025.
