EPISD budget workshop lays out deficits, school‑closure savings and tradeoffs as trustees weigh reopening options

El Paso Independent School District administrators told trustees on Thursday that their latest budget snapshots show a multi‑million‑dollar shortfall that varies sharply depending on state funding and whether previously closed campuses are reopened.

"When we look at this snapshot ... our shortfall at this point is $17,000,000," said a district presenter summarizing a budget projection that assumes six campus closures carried forward. In a separate scenario that assumes no closures, staff showed a possible shortfall of roughly $31,600,000.

Nut graf: The presentation framed closures as a fiscal strategy to right‑size facilities and maximize classroom allocations. Staff also described how different state basic‑allotment outcomes would alter the district's revenue outlook and flagged a proposed legislative requirement that 40% of any new state money be allocated to compensation.

Key figures and drivers: Staff told trustees the district is currently using an 87.5% ADA (average daily attendance) projection for revenue snapshots—down from an earlier 90% assumption—and explained this more conservative attendance estimate reduced projected revenue. Staff…