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CFO presents first look at 2025–26 budget; district projecting multi-million-dollar deficit
Summary
Lubbock ISD's CFO presented an initial 2025–26 budget projection built on current law, showing an estimated deficit (roughly $7.3 million in staff presentation) and noting several moving factors: legislative action, certified property values, and one-time shifts from ESSER that will revert to the general fund.
Lubbock ISD Chief Financial Officer Duane Wilkins gave trustees a first public presentation of the 2025–26 budget, saying the draft is built on current law and carries several uncertainties tied to the ongoing Texas legislative session and pending property-value certifications.
"We're 75% at the time of this through the year, so we're sitting at 72% expended," Wilkins said, directing trustees to budget summary pages and noting the district is running slightly under the expected spending pace. He explained that the district currently shows a projected deficit of about $7,300,000 in the draft budget and emphasized that the number is a moving target driven by several variables.
Wilkins told trustees the draft budget assumes a modest reduction in average daily attendance (ADA) and reflects that one-time items carried in ESSER and other sources will return to the general budget next year — notably technology replacement costs for student computers. He also highlighted revenue changes: a slight increase in foundation school fund revenue, but reduced local operating revenue tied to ADA changes. The presentation showed a decrease in payroll expense anticipated at roughly $4 million and increases in particular contracted services and materials lines.
Trustees asked about the potential impact of proposed state funding increases. Trustee Bridges and others cautioned that proposals in Austin had not been finalized and that even a best-case outcome from the legislature would not fully erase the district's projected shortfall. Trustees also discussed the possible financial effect of a planned bond (mentioned publicly) and district efficiency efforts such as bringing trainers in rather than sending staff individually to conferences.
Wilkins said remaining steps include waiting for certified tax values, continued scrutiny of non-payroll items, and further work on staffing and attrition assumptions; the board will receive more detailed budget presentations ahead of the June adoption deadline.
