Ysleta ISD board adopts $482.5 million 2026–27 budget amid transparency dispute

The Ysleta Independent School District Board of Trustees on June 17 adopted the district’s 2026–27 budget and compensation plan, approving the general fund, child nutrition and debt service budgets and salary schedules.

President Bustillos moved to adopt the resolution setting the official 2026–27 budget, which the board approved after electronic voting; the results read into the record were five in favor and one opposed, with another trustee stating he would vote "present." The adopted three‑fund total was presented by district finance staff as about $482.5 million, including a general fund of roughly $391 million, child nutrition at about $24.8 million and debt service at about $66.3 million.

Why it matters: The vote came after a public hearing and a budget presentation in which the district said preliminary property values for the district were estimated at $7.67 billion, about a 2.24% drop from prior certified values, and described a remaining projected deficit of about $12.238 million that would be covered in part by use of fund balance. Trustees and public speakers framed the budget as both a fiscal plan and a statement of priorities for employees and students.

During the meeting, Lindley Cambern, who led the budget presentation, summarized key figures: the district’s preliminary May 27 property value estimate, the revised deficit figure (after restoring certain employee provisions), and that 65.75% of spending is devoted to instruction. Cambern said the district would not have certified values until late July and that final tax‑rate actions will follow TEA’s final MCR rate.

Jeffrey Senor, representing the Ysleta Teacher Association, urged the board to protect jobs and benefits, saying "Knowing that the district is working to preserve jobs provides a measure of stability and reassurance for employees as they prepare for the upcoming school year." He told trustees the union appreciates that layoffs are not part of the current budget plan.

The budget vote was accompanied by sharp comments from a trustee who said he would register a "present" vote as a protest against governance and transparency, arguing that "it does not matter what this board votes. It matters what administration decides," and pointing to a prior instance he said showed administration did not implement a board vote. That trustee said he would not cast a conventional yes or no because he believed prior decisions had already been made outside board deliberations.

What’s next: District staff said certified property values and any rescoring of state tests due to recent legislation will arrive in July and could affect final budget and tax‑rate actions; the board will return in August or September, depending on TEA timelines, to consider adoption of the official tax rate.

The board recessed briefly after the budget vote and took up additional agenda items later in the meeting, including awards of solicitations and policy revisions.