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EMS ISD staff present $12 million projected deficit, board weighs pay scenarios and staffing tradeoffs
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Summary
District staff told the board the preliminary budget shows about a $12 million deficit and presented compensation scenarios (0.5%–3% or one‑time payments) that would widen the gap; staff said a $3M special‑education staffing request is insufficient and proposed phasing hires over three years.
At a special board workshop, district finance staff said the preliminary model shows the district sitting "at a $12,000,000 projected deficit" and outlined how compensation choices and revenue levers would affect the fund balance.
The presentation walked trustees through four compensation scenarios and a one‑time payment option, each shown with modeled impacts on recurring deficits and days of fund balance. Staff said a 2% recurring raise would push the district further from its goal of a balanced recurring budget by the 2029–30 school year and reduce days of reserve; a one‑time payment tied to successful revenue actions (for example, a bond or enrollment changes) was presented as a lower‑recurrence option.
Rob (district finance/operations staff) said the base model assumes about $12 million in structural pressure and that the scenarios show the tradeoffs clearly: "If we add compensation, you'll get down to that deficit versus target after compensation," he said, urging trustees to weigh competitiveness for staff against long‑term balance.
Trustees pressed staff for more granular comparisons to peer districts, market studies, and the recurring versus one‑time cost distinctions. Board members asked staff to return in May with district‑by‑district compensation comparisons and mid‑point versus actual salary impacts.
Special education was a central concern. Staff presented a $3,000,000 request for additional special‑education positions for the coming year (staff only, not supplies). Trustees asked whether $3 million would meet needs; staff replied it would not. "The answer is no," a staff speaker said, adding that the district estimates roughly $10,000,000 would be needed to fully staff special services and that hires would be phased over three years.
Other revenue and cost items discussed included a potential $590,000 employer contribution increase for TRS ActiveCare benefits; a facilities‑rental strategy with a vendor that could generate up to $1,000,000 in time (staff estimated a reasonable near‑term yield near $500,000 after implementation considerations); and a solar feasibility study estimating roughly $9,000,000 in installation costs across 16 campuses with possible energy savings near $500,000 per year and available incentives that could return about 40% of installation costs if acted on quickly.
The board asked for additional detail on several points: identifying which departmental reductions were one‑time or recurring, a detailed breakdown of the $2,000,000 in departmental savings already identified, the composition of the 403 voucher‑related applications reported as tied to EMS ISD students, and a more detailed TRS ActiveCare employer‑cost scenario. Staff agreed to return with updated analyses and peer comparisons at the next meeting.
The meeting produced no binding fiscal decisions; trustees used the workshop to narrow options and request follow‑up information before formal budget adoption steps in June and August.
