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Lake Dallas ISD projects enrollment decline, flags tight 2025–26 budget even with proposed state boost
Summary
CFO Anne Hahn told the school board the district expects enrollment to fall to about 3,613 for 2025–26, that required non‑discretionary costs have risen, and that a Senate proposal to increase state funding would largely come with strings and fringe costs that leave almost no new flexible dollars.
Lake Dallas Independent School District officials told the board on May 19 that enrollment is projected to fall and that the district’s 2025–26 general fund will be tight even if pending state legislation increases education funding.
Anne Hahn, the district chief financial officer, told trustees the district’s October snapshot enrollment fell from 3,900 in 2022–23 to 3,717 in 2024–25 and that current enrollment as of May 16 was 3,708. Hahn said the district’s working projection for 2025–26 is about 3,613 students, not counting Pre‑K‑3.
Hahn said required, non‑discretionary costs — including property insurance and utilities — have risen in recent years and that projected required spending across categories has grown by roughly $700,000 since 2022–23. She said the district adopted a deficit budget for the current year and that legislative uncertainty complicates planning. "We currently adopted a deficit budget for this year," Hahn said.
Why it matters: state funding for Texas public schools is calculated in the Foundation School Program and is designed to offset local tax effort. As local property values rise, state aid falls dollar for dollar; declining enrollment also reduces state revenue. That mix leaves the district constrained on where it can use new dollars.
Hahn outlined language in the Senate committee substitute to House Bill 2 that would increase statewide public‑education funding by about $8 billion; she estimated that provision as written would yield Lake Dallas ISD roughly $3.17 million, including a teacher‑retention allotment of about $2.2 million that would be dedicated to teacher raises. "But what hasn't been factored in is any fringe benefits that will come along with the added teacher retention allotment," Hahn said, referencing employer costs such as health insurance and TRS contributions. After those and an additional $209,000 in required spending are deducted, Hahn said the district’s new unrestricted funds under that proposal would be minimal — she reported an estimate of about $6,135 of flexible new dollars.
Hahn told trustees the district plans additional budget workshops on June 2 and June 16 and expects to present adopted funds for the general fund, food service and debt service on July 21 after certified values from the Denton County Appraisal District arrive. She said the board also may see a compensation proposal at the June 16 workshop.
Board action and next steps: Hahn asked whether trustees had questions and said staff will bring campus and department budgets, and a compensation plan, to upcoming meetings. She emphasized dates: certificated tax values are due from the appraisal district by late July and the public hearing to adopt the budget and tax rate is scheduled for the August 25 meeting.
Sources and limits: statements and figures in this article are taken from CFO Anne Hahn’s May 19 presentation. Several amounts reported by Hahn were presented as projections and contingent on final legislative text or certified property values.
