College Station ISD presents proposed 2026-27 budget with $8.3 million deficit; district says tax rate expected to hold

College Station ISD officials on Monday presented a proposed 2026-27 budget that the administration said it will ask the board to adopt, showing a projected general-fund deficit of $8.3 million.

In a presentation to trustees, the districts finance lead, identified in the hearing as Miss Wilson, said an estimated enrollment decline of about 330 students (with an ADA decline of roughly 211) and related decreases in state funding account for a substantial portion of the revenue shortfall. Wilson told trustees the administration also budgeted for rising security requirements, increased contracted and utility costs and added staff at new facilities such as the districts CTE center.

Wilson said the proposed budget includes a 3% compensation increase for employees and a roughly $1 million increase in the teacher-incentive allotment; total compensation expenditures are expected to rise by about $4.6 million. She also said the district has set aside $2 million for roof repairs that span two fiscal years; the administration described that $2 million as already committed in prior-year budgeting.

Why it matters: the deficit, paired with staffing and facilities commitments, will shape the boards decisions about fund balance, whether to uncommit previously reserved funds and how to set the tax rate once property values are certified.

Supporting details and timing Wilson told trustees that the district received TEA approval for a new-facility allotment tied to the CTE opening, estimated at about $300,000, and that the food-service budget would lose federal supply-chain grant funding that had helped hold meal prices low. To partially address that loss, the administration proposed a $0.25 increase in school lunch prices; Wilson noted the district has not raised meal prices since 2019 and that the food-service budget otherwise balances.

On debt service and valuations, Wilson said preliminary taxable-value growth is about 7% but that the district expects a net 3.9% after appraisal-review-board (ARB) results are final. She outlined a potential July board action to refinance and possibly sell the remaining 2023 bond authorization, noting the decision would depend on market conditions. "I can promise you that" the debt-service tax pennies will not increase, Wilson told trustees when explaining the distinction between general-operating and debt-service tax calculations.

Trustee questions Trustees pressed staff on several accounting choices, including why the presentation compared the proposed budget to the amended budget rather than the original one. Wilson said the amended baseline reflects reclassifications and contingency releases made during the year and gives a clearer picture for current planning. She also walked trustees through reclassifications of functions (for example, moving instructional coaches from function 11 to function 13) and the effect of reclassifying certain copier-leases and software subscriptions between departmental budgets and debt service.

Wilson described several items that increased the fiscal picture since earlier deficit estimates: a conversion of one-time curriculum purchases to ongoing software (about $160,000), added stipends and athletic-trainer costs (about $44,000), higher substitute-pay assumptions and other adjustments. She said the district plans to roll some previously received revenue into fund balance to help cover the shortfall for one additional year while pursuing enrollment and attendance improvements.

What happens next The administration closed the public hearing after noting there were no public comments. Trustees were told the final tax-rate decision will follow certification of property values in July and that staff will return with updated figures and any refinancing proposals. The board did not record a final vote on the budget in the workshop.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this article: Miss Wilson (district finance presenter); President Eigy; board trustees (unnamed during several questions).

Proper names: College Station ISD; Texas Education Agency (TEA); Rock Prairie Elementary; CTE facility.

Clarifying details: estimated enrollment decline 330 students; ADA decline about 211; proposed general-fund deficit $8.3 million; committed roof repairs $2 million; teacher-incentive allotment increase approximately $1 million; proposed lunch-price increase $0.25; new-facility allotment estimate $300,000.