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Leander ISD administration asks trustees to adopt 2026–27 budget with $9.9M projected deficit
Summary
Leander ISD administration recommended the Board adopt the 2026–27 General, Child Nutrition and Debt Service budgets, showing a proposed General Fund deficit of $9,902,058 and a Child Nutrition planned deficit of $5,883,692; administration cited enrollment of 41,841 and cost pressures from ESSER expiration and legislative changes.
Leander Independent School District administration asked the Board of Trustees to adopt the district’s 2026–27 budget, which proposes $465.9 million in General Fund revenues and $476.2 million in expenditures, producing a projected General Fund deficit of $9,902,058.
Gina Mitschke, Executive Director of Business, told the board the budget was built to support a projected enrollment of 41,841 students and complies with Texas Education Code §44.002 filing requirements. "The proposed General Fund Operating budget includes gross revenues of $465,934,821, expenditures of $476,186,879, and other uses/transfers of $350,000," the packet states as the administrative recommendation attributed to Mitschke.
The packet cites several drivers of the deficit: expiration of ESSER funds (ending Sept. 2024) that required the General Fund to absorb positions, reductions in certain state "hold harmless" funding reported by administration at more than $10.5 million, and ongoing inflationary pressures. The Child Nutrition Fund shows projected revenues of $15.2 million and expenditures of $21.1 million, a planned operating deficit of $5,883,692 the packet says is intentional to spend down excess federal fund balance under program rules.
Budget highlights in the recommendation include no pay increase for 2026–27, a monthly medical contribution of $510 per full-time employee, identified reductions of roughly $11 million, funding to continue establishing the district police department, and one-time costs to open Faubion School for Early Childhood. The packet also notes the district will post the legally required taxpayer impact statement under HB 1522 before adoption.
The administration recommended adoption but the agenda materials include only sample motions and budget tables; the packet does not record a board vote or any amendments to these figures within the provided text. If the board adopts the numbers as presented, the district will file the approved budget with the Texas Education Agency through PEIMS by the prescribed deadline.
