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District budget presentation: presenter says new Comptroller method wiped out about $11 million in expected funding; Ysleta projects staff reductions
Summary
Ysleta ISD budget presenters told trustees a revised state comptroller methodology reduced the district's expected hold-harmless funding from about $12.5 million to zero (TEA later restored $1.78 million), data that presenter said left Ysleta about $10.8 million short; the district projects a loss of 1,500 students and expects to reduce roughly 83 positions via attrition.
District budget staff told the Southern Independent School District Board of Trustees that a revised state comptroller methodology sharply reduced the hold-harmless funding the district expected from the legislature, creating a substantial budget gap and prompting staffing planning.
Budget presenter Lindley Cambern said the district's hold-harmless estimate fell from roughly $12.5 million to $0 after the Comptroller revised its methodology; the Texas Education Agency (TEA) later advocated and restored $1.78 million. Cambern said, based on her review of TEA summaries, Ysleta's apparent loss was about $10.8 million.
Why it matters: trustees pressed district staff on the practical effects. "We actually found it ourselves by reviewing our summary of finance," Cambern said, describing limited notice of the change and disagreement between TEA and the Comptroller about methodology. She told trustees the state set aside $800 million to hold districts harmless, later reduced to $450 million, removing $350 million from districts across Texas.
On staffing, the district said it currently employs 2,251 teachers. Human-resources staff said the initial staffing projection showed a planned reduction of 93 positions, but corrected that number to 83 positions available to be taken by attrition after an early-incentive program in which 99 individuals participated. "So out of those 99, 83 of those positions can be taken in through attrition," the HR representative said.
Trustees asked whether lawmakers can act; presenters said TEA is following the Comptroller's methodology and recommended contacting legislators for advocacy. The district projected it would aim to reduce discretionary spending and estimated the year-end deficit could reach about $16 million while the central office evaluates expenditures.
The board did not adopt new budget policy at the meeting; staff said they would continue to refine projections, pursue contested property-value assessments where appropriate, and report back to the board.
Ending: presenters said they will continue outreach to state officials and tighten district spending where possible; trustees asked staff to report updates at future meetings.
