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Preliminary budget: Red Oak ISD projects large property‑value growth, debates staffing and certification flexibility
Summary
Superintendent presented a preliminary 2026–27 budget showing uncertain enrollment, proposed pay increases, and a preliminary property‑value spike that could trigger recapture; trustees discussed teacher certification, District of Innovation flexibility, and mentor/induction supports.
At its May 11 meeting the Red Oak Independent School District board received a detailed preliminary budget presentation from district leadership that flagged large projected property‑value increases, enrollment uncertainty and pay plan proposals for 2026–27.
Dr. Johnston told trustees the board must adopt a budget by the end of June and noted key unknowns: certified property values, final average daily attendance (ADA), enrollment and state allocations. He said the district had received a preliminary appraisal figure that, before appeals, suggested a near‑doubling of property values, and he used a working estimate of a 70% increase for planning. The district projected an M&O tax‑rate estimate of about 0.7011 in the materials shown to the board.
Dr. Johnston reviewed revenue drivers and cautioned that higher local property values can reduce state funding through recapture. He also described personnel assumptions: teacher pay increases including a $1,000 per‑step addition and step movement, and a roughly 3% midpoint increase for other staff. He said Medicaid reimbursement projections were lower than in the past (from roughly $1 million historically to an estimate near $250,000).
During consent‑agenda discussion trustees debated renewal of the District of Innovation plan, which the district uses to allow local flexibility on items such as probationary contract length, flexible start dates and class‑size ratios. Board members expressed a desire to prioritize hiring certified teachers while using DOI flexibilities only when necessary. Trustees discussed recruitment partnerships with local colleges, mentor and induction programs for new teachers, and supports to improve classroom management and retention.
A board member requested more granular assessment reporting (scatter/box plots and grade‑by‑grade distributions) when state EOC scores are released to better understand whether low averages reflect many students clustered at the middle or a wide spread of outcomes. Dr. Johnston said principals already receive that level of detail and the district could provide it to the board.
