Ysleta ISD projects $27.3 million budget gap for 2025–26; district and unions spar over health-plan changes

Ysleta Independent School District trustees heard a budget presentation June 11 that showed continued enrollment declines, multi‑year staffing reductions and a proposed 2025–26 operating budget that would use $27.3 million of fund balance to close a deficit.

The district’s budget presenter, Lindley Camburn, told trustees the district has budgeted for annual student losses of about 1,500 but saw fewer losses this year: “This year, we only lost 851 students,” Camburn said, noting long‑term trends that drove staffing reductions and lower revenue. Camburn said the recommended budget would still leave an estimated $27.3 million gap after the district’s expense reductions and that the district plans to bring a payroll loan for board approval on June 25 to ensure July and August payroll can be met.

Why it matters: trustees were presented with several interlocking pressures — falling enrollment that reduces state funding, carryover ESSER timing that previously masked general‑fund costs, and rising health‑plan claims — leaving the district to consider use of fund balance, targeted personnel reductions through attrition, and changes to employee benefits that could materially affect staff take‑home pay.

Key numbers and context

- The district reported multi‑year enrollment declines, with recent post‑pandemic average student loss of about 1,316 per year; the current year decline was 851 students. Camburn said district staffing reductions have averaged roughly 77 classroom FTEs per year since the pandemic and about 28 central‑office FTEs per year. - For fiscal years shown in the presentation, actual revenues and expenditures were listed as: FY22 revenues $405.3 million and expenditures $388.1 million (fund balance increase $17.2M); FY23 revenues $387.9M and expenditures $405.6M (loss $17.7M); FY24 revenues $387.3M and expenditures $416.9M (loss $29.6M). - Camburn said the district expects a cash shortfall in August and will present a payroll loan for…