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Superintendent outlines $4.2M projected deficit, enrollment decline and cost-saving steps
Summary
CEDAR HILL ISD Superintendent Camille presented a 2026-27 budget workshop showing an estimated $4.2 million deficit, identified a $1.7 million recapture (Robin Hood) obligation, and proposed bringing transportation in-house to save about $200,000 while continuing department-level reductions.
Superintendent Camille presented the board with an initial budget workshop for 2026-27, outlining revenue assumptions, enrollment trends and cost-saving measures. She told trustees the district is projecting a preliminary deficit of about $4,200,000 for 2026-27 while noting that concerted departmental efforts have reduced the previously adopted larger deficit.
Camille described enrollment declines since 2021-22 and said the district's funding depends on enrollment rather than attendance. She said the district's projection for next year is roughly 5,800 students and that planning assumes a conservative 100-student reduction in the coming year. "Originally, we adopted a little over $6,000,000 deficit. We will come in below that," she said, adding that the preliminary 2026-27 projection sits at "a projected deficit of 4,200,000."
The superintendent identified recapture (Robin Hood) as a material expenditure and reported a projected recapture payment of about $1.7 million. She also outlined cost-saving steps: bringing transportation fully in-house, which the presentation estimated could save about $200,000, and reviewing voluntary employee benefits (including employer-paid identity-theft coverage) to reallocate underutilized expenditures.
Camille said the district ended 2024-25 with about $13,000,000 in fund balance and cautioned that those reserves should be reserved for one-time needs such as turf replacement or roof repairs. She reviewed the budget timeline: present a budget for adoption by June 30, receive taxable values from the appraisal district, adopt a tax rate by Sept. 30 and bring any amended budget based on final enrollment.
Trustees asked for templates showing revenue with and without the Robin Hood recapture and requested a clear breakout of how much of the district's revenue depends on the recapture arrangement. The superintendent said she would add that comparison in the next presentation.
