Judson ISD staff outline $16.8M in first‑round cuts and warn of larger gap tied to health‑insurance run‑out

District staff laid out a plan Dec. 10 to reduce a projected multi‑million‑dollar deficit over two years, telling the Judson ISD Board of Trustees the administration can deliver roughly $16.8 million in first‑round reductions but that another roughly $11.9 million will be needed to eliminate the recurring gap.

Dr. Greg Gibson, who framed the discussion, urged trustees to set clear budget parameters so staff can produce scenarios that respect board priorities such as class size and safety. "We’ve got to build a plan to get from approximately 91% to approximately 85% payroll," Gibson said, describing payroll‑to‑revenue ratios the staff used to model options.

Superintendent Dr. Fields and finance staff presented assumptions and projections. Finance staff said current audited fund balance is about $86.5 million and,…