San Felipe‑Del Rio CISD adopts balanced 2026–27 budget, commits $5.96 million for projects

The San Felipe‑Del Rio Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees on Monday approved the district’s 2026–27 official budget, adopted amendments to the current fiscal year, and committed $5,960,412 of excess fund balance to specific capital and operational projects.

At a required public hearing before the vote, Amy Childress, presenting administration’s proposal, said the district’s 2026 preliminary freeze‑adjusted taxable values are $2,747,029,161 — a 2.81% increase over 2025 certified values — and described the administration’s proposed maintenance and operations tax rate as $74.86 per $100 of taxable value, unchanged from the 2025–26 rate. Childress said the proposed maintenance and operations collections are estimated at $20,395,989 and that projected total executive budget revenues are $121,820,845 with total proposed expenditures of $121,727,625 for an expected excess of $93,220 across general, food service and debt service funds.

"For the 2026–27 proposed budget, we are estimating an enrollment of 9,450 students with a proposed ADA of 8,377 students," Childress said, adding the district’s general fund proposal shows payroll representing about 81.7% of expenditures.

Childress outlined no general pay increase for 2026–27, while beginning teacher pay remains at $55,900. She also reported personnel savings of $970,875 from position deletions and reorganizations and noted other savings including reduced campus library funding and lower GT consulting costs.

Trustees discussed the enrollment forecast and state‑mandated raises tied to House Bill 2. Childress explained the district must pay mandated differentials for teachers moving into higher experience bands under the state allotment, estimating the net cost for those raises at about $130,000 for roughly 13 teachers.

After the public hearing, the board voted unanimously to approve: the district’s official 2026–27 budget (which includes the general fund, debt service and food service budgets); the 2025–26 final amended budgets; a resolution committing $5,960,412 of estimated excess fund balance to carry‑forward projects and new commitments; and a 2026–27 general fund amendment that adds those committed projects to the 2026–27 budget, increasing the general fund from $107,720,616 to $113,681,028.

Childress detailed the largest committed projects to be funded from the commitment: $1,600,000 for Del Rio High School softball field work; $1,500,000 toward insurance contributions; $1,450,000 for a return‑to‑work stipend; $469,249 for roof repairs; and various other roll‑forwards and new commitments including a gym renovation ($130,642), HVAC repairs ($127,171), a tractor for maintenance, Skyward migration costs ($80,812), and miscellaneous purchase orders ($490,548).

The board also approved the district’s compensation plan update for 2026–27; the administration stated pay bands and dollar amounts remain the same and the plan is an update of the 2025–26 schedule.

Next steps: the board’s actions put the amended budget and the committed projects into the official 2026–27 budget documents; administration indicated it will proceed with purchase orders and project planning consistent with the commitments.