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Board weighs limited open enrollment and other revenue options amid $16M shortfall
Summary
Trustees heard a finance briefing that detailed a roughly $16 million shortfall and discussed a proposal for criteria-based limited interdistrict enrollment as one strategy to increase ADA and revenue. Board members pressed administration on program eligibility, athletic eligibility differences and impacts on current students and special programs.
Trustees spent much of March 30 discussing the district’s budget outlook and a proposed limited open-enrollment program that administrators said could help reduce a projected budget shortfall.
Mr. Welsh presented the finance briefing, saying the district faces about a $16 million deficit for 2025–26 and plans to work it down toward a $12 million gap for 2026–27 by phasing in $4 million of improvements. Welsh cited enrollment projections from the district demographer (a projected increase of 218 students) and noted the state basic allotment figures the district is using for planning.
Administrators and the FIT (financial integrity/transparency) committee discussed several revenue and savings strategies: standardizing facility rental rates, pursuing advertising and marketing to boost enrollment and using capital strategies to reduce long-term operating costs. Mr. Welsh also highlighted rising property/casualty insurance costs (from about $1 million in 2019 to over $5 million this year) and the limited one-time relief available for some eligible expenditures (roughly $1.2 million noted by staff).
In a lengthy exchange, Dr. Behringer outlined a limited, criteria-based interdistrict transfer plan that would target specific campuses with capacity (examples listed by staff) and admit applicants who meet academic, attendance and behavior standards. Administration said the program would be marketed in late April with a May application window to allow staffing and capacity planning. Target campuses mentioned included Greenfield, Northbrook, Doure, Ed Wilkkey, Marine Creek and Chism Trail High School; staff said some campuses would be closed to general applicants based on space and program needs.
Board members repeatedly raised the question of athletic eligibility and fairness. Under current district policy (FDA local) intra-district transfers face more restrictive eligibility rules than the UIL’s 365-day varsity sit-out for some transfers; trustees worried that a new interdistrict program might create two sets of rules—one for existing resident/intra-district transfers and a different standard for incoming transfer students—and asked whether policy (FDA local) should be revised first to avoid unequal treatment. Administration acknowledged the concern and said it would bring recommended policy language back if the board wants a different eligibility baseline.
Trustees also asked for clear, numeric eligibility and maintenance criteria for applicants (attendance thresholds, behavior/discipline parameters, academic progress) and for procedures to revoke a transfer if a student fails to meet standards. Administration said it is drafting specific application criteria and would return with recommended policy changes and an implementation timeline; no formal policy vote occurred on March 30.
If adopted, administrators said the criteria-based approach would generate additional ADA for each new enrolled student and thereby increase state funding tied to attendance, helping narrow the projected deficit. Board members asked staff to model enrollment, staffing and program impacts before any final decision.
