Liberty Hill ISD board approves first round of budget and staffing reductions amid projected shortfall

The Liberty Hill Independent School District board on Wednesday approved Phase 1 of proposed budget and staffing reductions as district leaders warn of a continuing shortfall and uncertainty in state funding.

The board approved about $6.3 million in suggested budget and staffing reductions but added roughly $2.6 million in new positions and services needed to cover projected student growth, leaving a net gap of about $3.7 million and short of the original $5.5 million target set by district staff. Trustees approved the package after presentations from district finance and operations staff.

Why it matters: Liberty Hill ISD officials say the district faces reduced local tax revenue stemming from state-mandated tax-rate compression and possible increases to homestead exemptions, alongside the end of some temporary federal funding. Staff told the board the district must both reduce recurring operating costs and plan for about 1,000 additional students expected for 2025–26. Without a change in revenues, officials said further reductions or revenue actions will be required.

Details of the reductions and adds

- Department and campus budgets: Staff proposed roughly $1.3 million in cuts to campus and central-department operating budgets. Finance staff noted campuses already absorbed prior reductions and administrators said schools and PTOs will be asked to prioritize fundraising and operational efficiencies.

- Central office and student-support staffing: District staff recommended eliminating about 7.5 full-time central-office positions (a mix of unfilled roles and reorganizations) and about five positions in student support services, producing roughly $800,000 and $300,000 of annual savings, respectively.

- Classroom staffing model changes at the secondary level: Middle-school core teachers would move to a 7-of-8 teaching load (retaining a daily conference); high-school teachers would move to a 7-of-8 pattern with a 90-minute alternating-day conference period. Staff estimated about 23 fewer classroom positions under the proposed allocations, with an estimated savings of about $1.5 million.

- Special-program staffing paid from state allotments: The district recommended limiting state-funded positions to what allotments will pay. That would reduce the number of gifted-and-talented specialists from nine to two (with GT work restructured as district-wide specialist support), and reduce bilingual/ESL positions to match the bilingual allotment (about 11 to 7 positions). Academic interventionists funded by state compensatory allotments were projected to be retained at current funded levels (14).

- Other nonclassroom changes: Instructional coaches would be reduced from 11 to 10; elementary STEM specials would be eliminated and some STEM and technology duties reassigned to librarians/specials teachers; elementary libraries would be restructured so some librarians work as specials teachers responsible for library/STEM/tech rotation. Mental-health counselors funded from the general fund would be reduced from five to two; staff noted grant applications were under way that might fund two counselor roles.

- Net effect and next steps: Staff presented a combined total of roughly $6.3 million in savings before accounting for required new hires to serve projected enrollment growth. The district estimated it must add about $2.6 million to staff new classes, assistant principals and counselors at rapidly growing campuses, leaving a remaining gap of approximately $1.7 million relative to the board’s original reduction goal.

Board members and staff said the district will continue to pursue additional Phase 2 reductions and look for local revenue options while monitoring legislative and appraisal-value developments that could materially change revenue estimates.

Attribution and board action

Rosanna Guerrero, who led the budget workshop presentation on the district’s revenue and expenditure assumptions, told trustees: “All this to say that the challenges that we are facing here at Liberty Hill ISD and the budget deficits … is not isolated to our district.”

Superintendent Snell warned trustees the board may need to consider local revenue options and said staff would be ready if the board chooses a future tax election. Trustee Neighbors moved to approve the Phase 1 reductions; Trustee Major seconded the motion. The board voted to approve the staff recommendations.

What remains open

District officials said they will continue scenario planning for Phase 2 reductions, track the outcome of pending state legislation affecting school funding, attend the Williamson County appraisal meeting for certified property values and revisit the budget at future workshops. Staff emphasized some proposed reductions depend on final certification of student counts and property values.

Provenance: The Phase 1 package was presented and discussed during the budget workshop and later approved during action items of the same meeting (presentation began March session; approval recorded under action item discussion).