WESLACO, Texas — Weslaco ISD trustees used a July 31 workshop to press for clearer financial reporting after administrators presented preliminary fiscal-year closeout information showing variances between the budgeted and projected outturn and a drop in projected average daily attendance (ADA).

Chief business staff told the board that budget closeout and external audit fieldwork will occur in September–October and that an official audit report will be presented in November. Interim figures discussed at the workshop showed last year’s budgeted ADA of 14,500 was not met and that the district’s projection for the coming year was being held at 14,050. Presenters said the shortfall of roughly 66 ADA from the district goal translated to an estimated revenue difference using a weighted average of about $8,500 per ADA (roughly $561,000) and that staff will pursue other revenues and ADA efforts.

Trustees raised multiple concerns: whether the district should budget conservatively given declining re‑registration and community factors; whether the district’s “one‑time” fund balance had been used for capital projects and would be replenished; and why instructional salary costs at year‑end appeared materially higher than original budget projections. Trustee German Los Santos flagged a roughly $14 million variance between initial projected instructional payroll and a later reported figure, and said the board needed an independent review before approving more recurring costs.

“I'm not leaving the meeting very comfortable at all based on all the figures that we have,” Los Santos said. He asked the board to consider issuing a request for proposals for an independent financial review (a forensic-style assessment limited to financial transactions and accounting treatment) to verify interim numbers and identify potential corrective actions. Los Santos said such a review could be procured via professional-services procedures rather than a longer bidding process, and could be limited to financial reconciliation.

Administrators and several trustees noted factors complicating year‑end figures, including the use of ESSER and federal funds for one‑time projects and schedule differences for some construction costs. Staff said they would return detailed reconciliations, list of one‑time expenses versus ongoing operational costs, and potential offsets to cover any new recurring costs such as absorbing TIA employer obligations if the board chooses that option.

No vote was taken. Trustees asked staff to provide month‑to‑date reconciliations, a breakdown of fund-balance uses (including the $15M ESSER-related set‑aside mentioned in discussion), and options for addressing any operational deficit prior to adoption of the final budget and tax rate schedule in September.