Lamar CISD adopts $507.3 million budget, approves staff pay plan using state retention funds

The Lamar Consolidated Independent School District board on June 17 adopted the district’s 2025–26 budgets — general fund, debt service and child nutrition — and approved a compensation plan that incorporates newly authorized state retention allotments.

Board members approved an overall proposed budget with $507.8 million in revenue and $507.3 million in expenditures, producing an estimated $545,000 excess before later legislative-driven amendments. The board also endorsed a district compensation approach (Option 3) for distributing the state’s support-staff allotment and the teacher retention allotment passed by the Texas Legislature.

Miss Lewitt, who opened the public hearing on the budgets, told trustees the presentation was based on current law and that final figures will be amended before the Sept. 1 fiscal year start to reflect legislative guidance and certified property values. "We are presenting an excess revenue budget of about $545,000," she said during the hearing, outlining revenue sources: about $215.5 million local, $290.7 million state and roughly $1.6 million federal.

The board used a taxable value estimate of $29.4 billion (a 4.81% increase over the 2024 tax year) to model tax revenue. Staff presented a proposed tax rate in the published notice of roughly $1.13 per $100 of assessed value — about 65 cents for maintenance and operations and 48 cents for interest and sinking — and said the final rate will be set after certified values arrive in July. The presentation said the district expects the eventual adopted rate to be equal to or lower than the published proposed rate.

On compensation, the district previously approved a flat $2,000 raise for licensed staff. The Legislature created a teacher retention allotment (TRA) and a support-staff retention allotment in the 2025 session. Under TRA as explained to the board, qualifying classroom teachers in districts of Lamar CISD’s size receive $2,500 if they have three to four years of experience and $5,000 if they have five or more years of experience; district staff said those state funds will be passed through to eligible teachers.

The board also approved how to use the roughly $2 million in state support-staff allotment. Trustees selected Option 3, which staff described to the board as: a $1,000 increase for teachers on step 0, 1 and 2 on the teacher salary schedule; $500 for other employees paid on the teacher salary schedule (for example, counselors, librarians, nurses); and a $825 adjustment for other nonadministrative staff categories (teacher assistants, custodial staff, food service, bus drivers, administrative assistants and similar positions). Staff estimated Option 3 would cost slightly more than $2.1 million before payroll withholding costs.

Miss Lewitt noted that some enacted legislative provisions still require interpretation, and the district will amend the adopted budget later this summer as required. "Amendments to the adopted budget will be necessary," she said during the public hearing, citing the need to reflect final guidance on salary supplements and other pass-through funds.

Trustee Welch moved to adopt the 2025–26 budget as presented, including Option 3 for distribution of the support-staff allotment and the district’s compensation plan, and Trustee Box seconded. The motion carried in open session.

The board also received budget summaries for the child nutrition fund (a self-supporting budget projected at about $31.2 million) and the debt service fund (a balanced plan around $173.6 million). Staff described the debt service fund as dedicated to bond principal and interest payments and explained state ‘‘hold harmless’’ debt service payments that offset local revenue reductions tied to changes in exemptions.

Trustees and staff said they will continue public communication about the budget and will present any required amendments to the board before the fiscal year begins on Sept. 1.