Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Keller ISD officials outline $9.4 million shortfall, propose staffing and program cuts
Summary
District staff told trustees the 2025–26 budget faces a $9.4 million gap and proposed a mix of staffing-ratio changes, district-level position cuts, department reductions and program efficiencies — including moving early-childhood programs onto campuses and eliminating the wellness clinic — to close the deficit.
Keller ISD administrators told the board on Feb. 27 they are working to close a projected $9.4 million budget shortfall for the 2025–26 fiscal year and outlined a package of proposed efficiencies that would affect staff and programs.
"Remember, 9,400,000 is what we need to do to balance the budget next year," Interim Superintendent Dr. Corey Wilson said as administration introduced the budget presentation. Finance staff presented assumptions including a projected decline of roughly 450 students, flat property-tax growth and limited state funding changes.
Chief financial staff (Allison) said staffing and program changes could yield savings in several categories: increasing middle- and high-school staffing ratios by 0.5 (estimated savings roughly $2.3 million for high school), district-level position reductions (about $2.1 million identified), department reductions (around $800,000) and program efficiencies (about $3.4 million). Administration estimated moving early-childhood services onto existing elementary campuses would save roughly $760,000 and that eliminating the separate wellness clinic could yield comparable savings.
Trustees and members of the public asked for detail on teacher pay raises and timing. Staff said the $9.4 million figure did not include a planned 1% pay increase for employees, which they estimated would cost roughly $13 million districtwide.
Why it matters: The district explained that 86% of its general fund is personnel costs and that repeated multi-year reductions make further cuts more painful. Trustees were warned that cuts will be felt by staff and students and that administration will continue refining estimates as state funding legislation and enrollment data evolve.
Next steps: Staff will continue to refine program-level numbers, meet with principals about staffing and bring proposed budget items forward in future board packets for formal adoption.
