Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Finance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Wichita Falls ISD reviews enrollment and budget parameters as legislature weighs school funding
Summary
Superintendent provided detailed enrollment and budget assumptions, projecting a modest enrollment decline and outlining potential state funding impacts, staffing implications and facility costs as the Texas legislative session continues.
Wichita Falls ISD Superintendent Dr. J. Lee (identified in the transcript as "Dr. Lee") told the board the district's current enrollment stands at 12,197 and that administrators are building budget parameters to prepare for uncertain state funding from the current legislative session.
"As a measure to do that, we're building a budget parameter so that we know where we can build the budget at and what that looks like," Dr. Lee told trustees. The presentation included assumptions about enrollment trends, average daily attendance (ADA), and the potential fiscal impact if the district projects a 2 percent enrollment decline for 2025-26.
Nut graf: The superintendent outlined how small changes in enrollment and state funding could translate into large budget consequences for personnel and operations.
Dr. Lee said a projected net loss of about 251 students (a 2 percent decrease) would lower state funding by approximately $1.4 million under current basic allotment calculations and that staffing reductions could be required if revenue declines. "For every 10 students you should be averaging 1 FTE... 251, you buy that by 10, that's about 25 FTEs," she said, describing the district's staffing math as a rule of thumb used in budget planning.
The superintendent also reviewed ADA (reported at about 93.11 percent), the district's basic allotment figures and how state-level changes could alter local tax-rate compression outcomes under HB3-like formulas. She said 40 percent of any state funding increase must be used for teacher raises, which will influence how the district allocates future funds.
Dr. Lee told the board the district is compiling facility long-range plans, listing major cost drivers such as utilities (gas, electric, water), property insurance and contracted cleaning services. She emphasized that more than 80 percent of the district's budget is staffing, making personnel decisions central to any adjustment.
Ending: The superintendent urged trustees to follow the legislative calendar and said staff will return with budget proposals once the Legislature's decisions are clearer.
