Billions in taxpayer dollars are being used to pay tuition at religious schools throughout the country, as state voucher programs expand dramatically and the line separating public education and religion fades. School vouchers can be used at almost any private school, but the vast majority of the money is being directed to religious schools, according to a Washington Post examination of the nation’s largest voucher programs. Vouchers, government money that covers education costs for families outside the public schools, vary by state but offer up to $16,000 per student per year, and in many cases fully cover the cost of tuition at private schools. In some schools, a large share of the student body is benefiting from a voucher, meaning a significant portion of the school’s funding is coming directly from the government. view article

As July comes to a close, many Texas families are preparing to send their children back to school. Meanwhile, public school district boards across Texas are adopting large budget shortfalls amid high operating costs and stagnant state funding. Last year, public education advocates urged lawmakers to increase the basic allotment, or the base amount of money schools receive per student. The basic allotment has not changed since 2019, when it was raised to $6,160. To break down the Lone Star State’s complex school finance system, Community Impact spoke with Bob Popinski, the senior policy director for Raise Your Hand Texas, an education policy nonprofit. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. view article

Katy ISD teachers will receive a one-time payment based on their years of service after board of trustees approved the measure in a special meeting July 16. The lump sum payment, which will be given to teachers in five-year intervals, is meant to encourage retention and attract tenured teachers. Teachers are eligible based on total years of service in and outside of KISD, according to a news release from KISD. view article

Pushing back against the recommendation to raise school meal prices, the Canyon Independent School District voted unanimously to forgo the state’s recommended increase and to seek a waiver for raising prices for the school year. The proposed price increase would have raised all meal prices by 10 cents across the board. All elementary lunches would have gone from $2.60 to $2.70, and secondary lunches from $2.80 to $2.90. Breakfast would have increased from $1.80 to $1.90 for both secondary and elementary students. No changes would have been made to the free or reduced lunch program. This price adjustment was to be done in accordance with the Texas Department of Agriculture’s guidance and federal standards. view article

The Granbury ISD school board meeting on July 15 commenced with a heartfelt tribute to retired GISD teacher Louise Hidalgo, who passed away recently. She was a beloved educator whose impactful career touched many students’ lives. The board highlighted her numerous contributions. School board secretary Billy Wimberley led the invocation, focusing on community, purpose, and guidance. Place seven trustee Karen Lowery led the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States and Texas flags. Superintendent Jeremy Glenn introduced the district budgeting process report, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to present. He set the stage for a video about school funding. The video, produced by Raise Your Hand Texas, detailed how school funds are allocated. Over half of every dollar spent goes toward instruction and teacher salaries, with a significant portion allocated to facility maintenance. The remaining funds cover additional staff, student needs, extracurricular programs, IT infrastructure, and safety provisions. The video emphasized the impact of inflation on school funding and called for legislative support to address rising operational costs. view article

College Station ISD school board members decide to spend another $2 million dollars out of the district’s savings account for pay raises in the soon to start school year.That’s above the $4 million dollars that will be taken out of what is officially known as fund balance to make ends meet for the 2024-2025 school year.  Superintendent Tim Harkrider pointed out what he described as “very nominal student growth” in CSISD, saying if the 1,100 students inside the district boundaries would attend CSISD schools, there would be no budget issue.The CSISD board’s unanimous vote at their July 16th meeting provided another opportunity to bring up that state lawmakers have not increased funding for the last five years. view article

On Tuesday, July 17, the Corpus Christi Independent School District's Board of Trustees unanimously approved the district's 2024-25 budget. The budget will consist of a $346.5 million package that will include raises for "all eligible permanent employees." According to a CCISD press release, the raises will be based on the consecutive years of employment. Teachers, registered nurses and librarians will be excepted from this because they are under a teacher salary schedule, which determines their pay according to their years in the field as listed on the posted salary schedule. CCISD stated that raises and stipends are calculated using the midpoint of an employee' salary range. view article

Thursday, July 18, 2024 at UNT Dallas  After six weeks of entrepreneurship instruction, 14 juniors and seniors will pitch their ideas to four judges as part of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) Start-Up Summer Camp. The winner advances to compete in a national event in NYC. view article

Commerce Independent School District staff will be getting a retention stipend. The district’s Board of Trustees announced this week that returning Commerce ISD employees will receive a $2,500 retention stipend. Also, new staff will get a $500 new hire stipend. Another open forum to discuss potential rebranding of Texas A&M University-Commerce will be held this evening at 6:30 p.m. in the Sam Rayburn Student Center. The forum is open to anyone and is available both in-person and online. Registration is required to view the meeting online. view article

If you thought your school district was the only one with money troubles, think again. Many districts in Central Texas are struggling due to a combination of factors: The base level of per student funding hasn’t kept up with inflation, federal pandemic relief for schools is ending, and the Texas Legislature is requiring districts to do more without providing enough funding to cover the extra expenses. KUT News surveyed 22 school districts in Hays, Williamson and Travis counties about their budgets for the 2024-25 school year. Only three reported balanced budgets for the fiscal year — Jarrell ISD, Round Rock ISD and Thrall ISD. Round Rock ISD made roughly $30 million in spending cuts to get there. When the school board voted on the proposal last month, RRISD Board President Amber Feller Landrum said she was “thrilled” about the balanced budget, but that it was a painful process. view article

Public K-12 schools are pivotal in shaping the future of students, but they face several challenges that can hinder the educational experience. One significant issue is overcrowded classrooms. With a high student-to-teacher ratio, it becomes difficult for teachers to manage the classroom effectively and provide individualized attention. This can lead to students, especially those who need extra help, falling behind. The strain on resources means that students might not have access to the necessary materials or technology, which can further impede their learning process. Additionally, these factors can be a direct cause of behavioral issues, compounded with the onslaught of the global pandemic. view article

In June, Carroll ISD’s board of trustees adopted a balanced budget for fiscal year 2024-25 that plans for an increase in expenses largely driven by recapture payments.  The budget’s general fund plans for nearly $131.2 million in revenue and nearly $131.2 million in expenses, according to a budget presentation. The budget also anticipates an increase in recapture payments by the district. David Johnson, assistant superintendent for financial services, said recapture payments drove much of the 11% increase in expenses this year.   view article

In the weeks leading up to the adoption of the 2024-25 budget, Killeen ISD is faced with some hard choices and cuts of programs which are more than just a line item in the proposed budget, which at one time reflected a $16.5 million deficit.  At Tuesday’s workshop meeting, KISD Superintendent Jo Ann Fey presented her plan for cuts to the district’s central administration by 20% which translated to a $1 million budget reduction. view article

Bowie school trustees began the arduous task of creating a 2024-25 budget during a lengthy workshop this week. The board also reviewed some possible changes in the student/employee handbooks and codes of conduct. view article

Lubbock ISD is going into the 2024-25 school year overspending on its budget. The Board of Trustees has approved a deficit of $8.6 million. The district says this went to finance much needed pay raises for its staff, but Superintendent Dr. Kathy Rollo says she is not happy with the overall result. view article

As Fort Bend ISD enters a new fiscal year, it is doing so with a balanced budget. Other Houston-area school districts, such as Houston ISD and Spring Branch ISD, announced major cuts due to massive budget shortfalls this year. Fort Bend ISD was not among them – but that's because the district made about $39 million in cuts in recent years. view article

Bridgeport ISD’s budget will be in the red for another fiscal year. At the board’s last regularly scheduled meeting, trustees passed a $1,333,276 deficit budget. Total revenues for the 2024-2025 operating budget come in at $21,503,740 while expenditures total at $22,867,016. view article

To address potential budget shortfalls for the 2024-25 fiscal year, Carroll ISD officials have created a budget reduction advisory committee. Community members can volunteer to serve on the committee and the district will begin accepting applications July 22. view article

As Montgomery ISD Superintendent Mark Ruffin reflects on his first 100 days with the district, finding ways to continue investing in students and staff remains a top priority. Like many other Texas districts, Montgomery ISD officials project a deficit budget for the 2024-25 school year — after the district received no additional funds from the state due to lawmakers declining to pass a teacher pay raise bill or a comprehensive school funding plan, despite broad support and a record $30 billion-plus budget surplus.  view article

The U.S. Attorney's Office has arrested a former Valentine Independent School District employee who was arrested on criminal charges related to an alleged scheme to fraudulently misappropriate school district funds for personal expenses. view article

Georgetown ISD closed deliberations on its fiscal year 2024-25 budget of $150.39 million with final approval of a financial plan that includes increases to staff compensation amid stagnant state funding and higher operating costs. What you need to know At a June 17 board meeting, GISD's Chief Financial Officer Jennifer Hanna presented a budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year based on an operating budget of $150.39 million with a maximum total tax rate of $1.0567 per $100 of valuation. view article

VALENTINE — Ernesto “Ernie” Villarreal Jr., previous Valentine ISD business manager and tax assessor-collector, was arrested on Monday for criminal charges relating to an alleged scheme in which he fraudulently misappropriated school district funds for personal expenses. Villarreal, 42, of Marfa, was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 13 on one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and eight counts of wire fraud. “Defendant engaged in multiple schemes to embezzle, steal, obtain by fraud, convert, and misapply property owned, and under the care, custody, or control of the District,” states the indictment.  If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison for the federal theft charge and up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud charge, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. view article

Arlington Independent School District (ISD) passed an unbalanced budget for the 2024-2025 school year. After several months of work, the school board passed a budget that costs $1.2 billion in total. The district will spend $42 million on its Child Nutrition Fund, $132 million on its Debt Service Fund, $380 million on its Capital Projects Fund, and $676 million on its General Fund. view article

Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD Superintendent Jim Chadwell is in a position other school district leaders envy. A deluge of new houses are inbound. More residents. More students. More new schools. The downside, Chadwell said, is clear: state funding cannot keep up with his booming district. Growing districts are among the most impacted by the Texas Legislature not increasing public education funding in 2023, according to a Texas A&M University school finance expert. The others? Small districts in urban areas and rural school systems. view article

San Antonio ISD is now facing a sad reality, one its top leader called "dire." "I just want to make sure that everybody, the public, understands that we are in a dire financial situation," said Superintendent Jaime Aquino. "We find ourselves (here) because of where Austin has put us." On Monday night, the school board for San Antonio's third-biggest district approved the 2024-25 budget, which reflected a $53.7 million deficit. view article

The Judson Independent School District Board of Trustees approved a 1% pay increase for teachers, librarians, counselors and nurses on Tuesday night. The pay increase will take effect during the upcoming 2024-2025 school year. A $500 one-time incentive payment will be provided to all other staff, to be disbursed in December. view article

The San Antonio Independent School District, like many districts in Bexar County and across Texas, plans to spend millions of dollars more than its expected revenue for the 2024-2025 school year. SAISD’s board of trustees approved a $538 million budget for the general fund on Monday — nearly $54 million more than the district’s expected general fund revenue. view article

Expenses for the FY 2024-25 budget are expected to be $363.44 million, while revenue is expected to reach $343.14 million—leaving a shortfall of $20.3 million—according to a preliminary budget discussion held during a June 17 board meeting. “We’re looking at a $20 million deficit, which is hard to swallow,” PISD Chief Financial Officer Michele Seese said. In spite of budget restraints, district officials approved a 3% raise for teachers and staff in FY 2024-25. view article

Expenses for the FY 2024-25 budget are expected to be $363.44 million, while revenue is expected to reach $343.14 million—leaving a shortfall of $20.3 million—according to a preliminary budget discussion held during a June 17 board meeting. “We’re looking at a $20 million deficit, which is hard to swallow,” PISD Chief Financial Officer Michele Seese said. In spite of budget restraints, district officials approved a 3% raise for teachers and staff in FY 2024-25. view article

EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Teachers and employees at the El Paso School District will not have pay increases for the 2024-2025 school year.  On Monday, the El Paso ISD School Board voted to not offer pay increases for employees.  The board adopted its budget for the upcoming school year with a deficit of $18.4 million.  Funds from the deficit will go toward general expenses and maintenance for the district.  The district will look for funding for a possible one-time stipend for employees throughout the year. view article

Killeen Independent School District's superintendent addressed the several million dollar deficit the district is facing. This is the second time Dr. Jo Ann Fey has been in the budget planning process for KISD, but this year the district is faced with what she describes as a 'perfect storm.' view article

Northwest ISD will once again be operating in a deficit for the new fiscal year. At its regularly scheduled meeting Monday, the NISD Board of Trustees adopted the 2024-2025 budget that includes a roughly $15.8 million deficit. view article

On Tuesday night, the Beaumont Independent School District board voted to approve a proposal for employee raises. However, voters are the ones who get the final say on the November ballot. If the proposal is approved by voters, all full-time employees will receive a 5% raise that would take effect in December 2024. While the raise would come from taxpayers, BISD says the increase in salary would attract more employees amid a national teacher shortage. view article

Lockhart Independent School District will enter next year with a balanced budget. Last night, its board of trustees approved the budget for next year which will include pay raises for teachers and staff. “In Lockhart, we have a saying that we like to say, ‘Lockhart leading,’” said Lockhart ISD Superintendent Mark Estrada. view article

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Eanes ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved the budget for the 2024-25 school year at its June 18 regular meeting. It provides a 2% pay increase for teachers and staff and adjusts to declining enrollment. According to the board, the approved budget includes $189.4 million in revenue, countered by $190.6 million in expenditures, with $94.7 million “recaptured” by the State of Texas resulting in a budgeted deficit of 1.2 million. view article