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Bryan ISD hears mixed fiscal news from HB2; staff urges adopting budget on current law
Summary
District financial staff told trustees that House Bill 2 would increase per-student funding but carve-outs and a frozen local tax increment leave Bryan ISD with only a modest net gain; staff recommended adopting the 2025–26 budget on current law and amending it later when TEA guidance is final.
Kevin Besaw and Norma Bridal presented the Bryan ISD board with an update on the district’s 2025–26 budget outlook, centered on House Bill 2 pending on the governor’s desk. They said the bill includes a $55 per-ADA basic allotment increase — roughly $629,000 for the district — but other formula adjustments and a freeze on the local ‘golden penny’ cut that gain to roughly $55,000 for Bryan ISD.
Besaw said the bill adds a teacher retention allotment that pays $2,500 for teachers with three to four years’ experience and $5,000 for those with five or more years, but he warned that the allotment covers salary only and does not include employer contributions such as TRS or Medicare. Those employer costs would need to be paid from the $1.7 million “ABC” allotment or local funds, he said. He also noted a $5 million safety and security allocation in the bill that will be targeted and is unlikely to fully cover the district’s current security expenses.
The presenters emphasized that several elements remain undefined — notably the TEA definition of “classroom teacher,” which staff said is typically based on instructional hours (about four hours per day) rather than certification status. Because the law’s details and agency guidance are still coming, district consultants from TASBO and TASB advised the trustees to adopt a budget on current law and amend it in July or August after TEA issues clarifications.
During trustee questions, staff acknowledged a continuing multi-million-dollar structural shortfall: even with the bill as written, Bryan ISD would still face a substantial deficit tied to prior-year gaps and rising operating costs. Trustees pressed staff on how targeted funding, exclusions (for counselors, nurses and librarians from the teacher allotment), and unreimbursed employer costs would affect staffing and program choices; staff responded that the district is pursuing attrition, position consolidation, and other cost-savings but said larger cuts may be unavoidable if revenues do not materially change.
The board did not take action on the budget at the meeting; staff's next steps are to finalize assumptions and return with recommended appropriation language after receiving TEA guidance.
