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Boerne ISD trustees press state funding case after Austin advocacy trip; approve personnel and routine finance reports
Summary
Trustees reported on a volunteer-led legislative visit to Austin and reviewed preliminary state budget signals while approving a personnel report, the consent agenda and routine finance updates. Superintendent gave enrollment and upcoming budget timeline; CFO outlined workshop schedule.
Boerne ISD trustees met Jan. 27 and, after routine commendations and presentations, spent the bulk of the evening on finance and advocacy matters. The board approved a personnel report and the consent agenda, received a status update on district enrollment and operations, and heard trustee accounts of a volunteer-led legislative advocacy visit to Austin that trustees said stressed the district's four priorities for the session.
The advocacy trip was described as volunteer-driven and bipartisan. Trustee Rich Senna summarized the delegation's work, saying volunteers met with legislators and staff to press four priorities the board adopted in August: keep the basic allotment aligned with inflation, create a permanent teacher retention allotment, increase state support for school safety, and pursue property tax relief. Senna and other trustees said preliminary House and Senate spending plans propose roughly $5.2 billion in new public-education funding but that the Senate proposal did not include an increase to the basic allotment that generates local entitlements.
Why this matters: Trustees said the session's early budget signals could affect the district's June adoption of the 2025–26 budget. The board and district staff explained that state action on the basic allotment and proposed teacher-retention funding would change local budget scenarios and the district's advocacy priorities.
Trustees and staff gave details on timing and local preparation. Dr. Kristin Craft, the district superintendent, reported enrollment of 11,117 and said executive leaders will use a demographic (PASA) report to support the budget work. Wes Scott, the district chief financial officer, laid out the budget workshop schedule: an initial workshop in early February followed by workshops through May and a required June adoption. Scott said the district assembled a 47-member community budget advisory group from more than 80 applicants to evaluate revenue and expenditure options and to generate recommendations for the board.
On finance, trustees heard routine operating results through December. Scott said the district's investment portfolio increased in market value over the six-month period and reported year-to-date investment earnings to date; he also noted the district's tax collections were 81.21% of the current levy through December and that daily wire transfers from the county assessor-collector have improved cash timing. Scott and trustees discussed an early defeasance of a 2016 bond maturity that the finance staff said will save the district interest expense.
Trustees characterized the Austin advocacy meetings as constructive. Several trustees noted they brought students and community volunteers to some meetings and that legislative staff in many offices engaged with the delegation's briefing points. Trustees said the state preliminary budget proposals include both dedicated safety and teacher-incentive funding lines but that uncertainty about the basic allotment size remains a central issue for local budgeting.
Votes at a glance: - Approval of the meeting agenda — approved (unanimous). 7–0 yes. - Approval of the personnel report (considered in closed session) — approved (unanimous). 7–0 yes. - Approval of the consent agenda — approved (unanimous). 7–0 yes. - Approval of budget amendments, donations report and tax collection report — approved (unanimous). 7–0 yes. - Motion to adjourn — approved.
Public comment and community notes: Sarah Falconberry, representing the Boerne Education Foundation, thanked trustees for their support and described how foundation grants and community fundraising support classroom programs. The board also presented multiple commendations and videos for School Board Appreciation Month and heard student artwork and leadership recognitions.
The board next meets Feb. 3; trustees said the February meetings will begin the formal budget workshop process using the PASA demographics report and the scenarios staff prepare pending the legislature's actions.
