Clear Creek ISD presents proposed 2025–26 budget showing $12.5 million general‑fund shortfall; public hearing set Aug. 25

The Clear Creek Independent School District Board of Trustees heard a presentation on the proposed 2025–26 budgets for the General Fund, Debt Service Fund and Child Nutrition Fund and approved publication of the notice for a public hearing on the budget and proposed tax rate.

Finance presenter Ms. Benzai reviewed the assumptions behind the proposal and the district’s timelines for adoption. “Back on July 14, I presented a General Fund budget with a $13,500,000 deficit,” she said, then updated trustees: “Since that time, we’ve received notice from TEA that those [title] funds would be released … and so now the estimated budget deficit that we’re looking at is $12,500,000.”

The nut graf: the proposed budget holds the district’s tax rate unchanged from 2024, with a maintenance and operations rate of 69.9¢ per $100 of assessed value (including the district’s eight…