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Lake Dallas ISD CFO previews 2025–26 budget, flags enrollment dip and payroll pressures
Summary
CFO Anne Hahn outlined the district’s preliminary 2025–26 budget calendar and allocations, noting a projected enrollment decline of about 100 students, a $55 per-student basic allotment increase, ongoing reliance on payroll for 80–85% of spending, and preliminary campus and nonpayroll adjustments.
Lake Dallas Independent School District officials on June 16 reviewed preliminary budget assumptions for 2025–26 and a timetable that will lead to a public hearing and adoption later this summer.
Anne Hahn, the district's chief financial officer, told trustees the district will receive certified property values on July 25 and present final budgets on Aug. 11 before a required public hearing on Aug. 25. "For the first time since 2019, the basic allotment has now been raised. An additional $55 was added, so for each student, it's now $6,215," Hahn said.
Why it matters: Payroll is the district’s largest cost — Hahn said 80–85% of the budget — and the board will need to incorporate new state allotments for teacher and support staff compensation into the final plan.
Key budget points presented: - Enrollment and allocations: Hahn said the district used projected enrollment that currently estimates about 3,600 students, roughly 100 fewer than this year; campus allocations are based on enrollment and per-pupil formulas and will be revisited once pre-K numbers are finalized. - Payroll pressure: The district employs more than 600 staff and payroll comprises the bulk of expenditures; new state allotments for teacher retention and support staff will affect payroll planning. - Nonpayroll adjustments: Preliminary nonpayroll expenditures show a projected decrease of about $455,000 driven primarily by lower campus allocations tied to enrollment projections and reduced Chromebook repair costs under a new Apple lease. - Specific allocations: Hahn said elementary per-pupil campus allocations start at $112, rise to $117 for middle school and $151 for high school to reflect program costs; special populations (special education, bilingual, economically disadvantaged) receive additional allocations. - Revenue and tax considerations: Hahn noted TEA calculates the maximum compressed tax rate and that certified property values will determine final state and local revenue; she also flagged Senate Bill 4 increasing the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000 (subject to voter approval) and said the state intends to hold districts harmless with added state aid.
Hahn said security payroll will shift as the district completes plans for its own police department, moving those costs into payroll rather than the security department budget. She repeatedly stressed preliminary numbers and said staff will return with updated figures after certified property values and final pre-K enrollments are available. "These are very preliminary numbers and so hopefully, as these next few weeks unfold, we'll be able to come back to you guys future budget updates," Hahn said.
Ending note: The board has scheduled further budget workshops and will adopt the budget at a hearing in late August once state and local revenue figures are finalized.
