The Ector County Independent School District Board of Trustees adopted the district's 20252026 official budget at a special meeting in June 2025, approving a general-fund revenue estimate of $369,000,000 and expenditures of $373,000,000, producing a planned $4,000,000 deficit for the coming year.

The budget hearing included a presentation of budget highlights, a public comment from Dallas Kennedy and trustee questions; trustees voted to adopt the budget by voice vote during the same meeting. The district's budget package includes the general fund, the school nutrition fund and the debt service fund.

The superintendent described the district as serving roughly 34,000 students in 44 schools with about 4,200 staff and said the 20252026 general fund plan anticipates about $10,874 in revenue per enrolled student. The superintendent said the district intends to hold a general fund available balance near 90 days (about $120 million shown as a fund balance estimate, described in the presentation as roughly 116 days of available expenditures).

Officials told trustees the budget currently shows payroll and benefits as the largest cost category (about 76 percent of general-fund expenditures) and that instruction remains the primary function (about 57 percent). The school nutrition fund was presented as balanced at approximately $21.8 million in revenue and expenditures; the debt service fund was presented as balanced near $49 million with an anticipated fund balance that will fall after an August bond payment of about $31 million.

During the public-hearing portion, Dallas Kennedy, who identified himself as a community member, praised the district's special-education programs and transition learning center, saying, "we got 50 students, we're not even 1% of this school district and yet y'all have made us part of the district. Y'all embraced us. We appreciate it." Kennedy's remarks were made during the formal public hearing that preceded the trustees' adoption vote.

Presenters noted that several figures remain estimates until the district receives certified property values in July and final state guidance; the superintendent and finance staff said the board will revisit calculations for compressed and voter-approval tax-rate limits before the statutory tax-rate adoption in September. The presentation also noted a remaining $128,000,000 of previously voter-approved bonds that the district could sell this summer; presenters warned of a potential $7 million to $9 million revenue impact if those bonds are not sold before a statutory date tied to homestead-exemption changes.

The trustees also approved related procedural items during the meeting: a resolution appointing the district's finance officer to calculate the tax rate and several year-end budget items and amendments described on the agenda. Trustees adopted the budget by voice vote; the motion passed after the board president called for all in favor to say "aye." The public hearing was opened and closed during the meeting before trustees asked questions and voted.

The district published the full budget book online and presenters reminded trustees and the public that the book is a plan that can change as state law and certified values are finalized. The superintendent and finance staff fielded trustee questions about the homestead-exemption proposals, the district's compressed-rate calculations and the timing for bond sales.

Trustees will return in the coming months to finalize tax-rate calculations after TEA and appraisal-district certification and will adopt a final tax rate at the legally required hearing in September.