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Northeast ISD adopts 2025–26 budgets; tax rate to be set later after state certifies values
Summary
The Northeast Independent School District adopted its 2025–26 general, debt service and school nutrition budgets in a June 19 public hearing. The board voted 7–0 to approve the spending plans; the district will set property tax rates after the Texas Education Agency assigns a final compressed rate and certified property values are available.
The Northeast Independent School District adopted its 2025–26 budgets for the general fund, debt service and school nutrition services during a public hearing on June 19, approving the plans by a 7–0 vote.
The budgets were presented by staff member Susie Lackhorn, who told the board the district must have the budget prepared by June 19 and adopted in a public hearing by June 30. "As our budget adoptions rule state, we must have the budget prepared by June 19 and adopted in a public hearing by June 30," she said. The board approved the three fund budgets in a single motion moved by Ms. Villareal and seconded by Ms. Landry.
The district estimates $584,000,000 in total revenue for the general fund for 2025–26 and presented $625,000,000 in total appropriations across funds. L ackhorn told the board roughly 61% of revenue is expected from property taxes and about 29% from state funding. Instructional and related functions were shown as about $400,000,000 (approximately 66% of the total), instructional leadership about $45,000,000, student support services about $62,000,000, administrative support roughly $15,000,000 (2.4%), nonstudent support about $80,000,000 and other functions about $5,000,000.
On school nutrition, the district presented a balanced 2025–26 budget of $40,000,000 in revenue and appropriations. L ackhorn highlighted a recent development on meal pricing: "Our reduced breakfast price is able to drop down to 0. The state's going to pick that up," she said, referring to new state assistance that will eliminate the reduced-price breakfast charge.
For debt service, the presentation showed $400,000,000 in revenue and $400,000,000 in appropriations to ensure the district has sufficient fund balance to meet an August 1, 2026 payment and required set‑asides for QSCAB bonds and principal payments.
L ackhorn and staff reminded the board that the district cannot adopt tax rates until the Texas Education Agency provides the district’s maximum compressed maintenance-and-operations rate after certified property values are submitted and reviewed. She said the TEA-assigned compressed rate often arrives in late July or August. The district also noted a pending constitutional amendment on homestead exemptions to be voted on in November; if that amendment and related measures take effect, homeowners could see further savings.
Separately, the board approved a final budget amendment for fiscal 2024–25 and a resolution committing certain campus activity fund balances as of June 30, 2025. Both items were approved by unanimous votes as presented in board packets.
Board members and staff acknowledged the multi-department work required to prepare the budgets and recognized staff who assisted in developing the documents.
The district will return later in the fall to adopt tax rates once TEA assigns the compressed M&O rate and county-certified property values are final.
