Interim CFO warns Cedar Hill ISD faces $6M shortfall; trustees briefed on priority cuts and two‑path plan

Cedar Hill ISD’s interim chief financial officer told trustees Thursday the district faces an estimated operating shortfall for fiscal 2024‑25 of roughly $6 million and presented a menu of staffing and operating adjustments, revenue options and two multi‑year recovery scenarios.

Amy Drozd, who said she has served as interim CFO since mid‑September, told the board the district’s revenue picture for the current year had improved in some respects — she estimated “we're going to be about $3,000,000 better in revenue than what we budgeted” — but payroll and staffing costs have outpaced those gains and left a projected deficit. Drozd said the district had received about $1.1 million in one‑time revenue following a property‑value audit settlement, but she warned that this is not recurring funding.

Drozd outlined four priority tiers of actions the administration has grouped by feasibility and urgency. Priority 1 items are already under work and are expected to be implemented for 2025‑26 if resignations and attrition allow; examples include holding elementary…