The Austin Independent School District is taking another hard look at how to deal with a $181 million budget deficit. According to the district, 87% of the budget is comprised of staffing, and eliminating some positions and reducing the salaries of others is considered likely. Significant cuts are on the table as Austin ISD figures out how to deal with a higher-than-expected budget deficit. view article

Austin ISD considers cuts as $181M budget gap sparks community concerns. view article

The Austin Independent School District will likely not close more schools this fall, but will consider sweeping changes to attendance boundaries, Superintendent Matias Segura said Thursday night. During a regular school board meeting, Segura said he had “concerns about taking on consolidations” for any more schools. view article

The board will meet at 5:30 p.m. June 26 in the district administration building at 200 College Street, Hutto. Outgoing Chief Financial Officer Caleb Steed said in an April 23 board meeting that the district is proposing the same tax rate as the 2025-26 financial year, $0.7552 per $100 of valuation to fund maintenance and operations and $0.45 per $100 of valuation to service district debts, such as bonds. The total tax rate proposed will be $1.2052 per $100 of valuation, but that could go down, Steed said, if property values increase. view article

Austin ISD is facing even deeper budget cuts as its deficit continues to grow. Now we’re taking a closer look at just how big that shortfall has become and what's driving it. The significant budget reductions come as the district grapples with the perfect storm: declining property values, falling enrollment, rising costs and delays in real estate deals. view article

As Austin ISD prepares next school year’s budget under a widening deficit, families and teachers face a future of school closures and potential classroom cuts to close the gap. How did the district get here? view article

Austin ISD’s proposed changes to librarian roles that would move them into support roles to save money prompted backlash among librarians, parents and students view article

HUDSON — At its monthly meeting Thursday evening, the Hudson ISD board of trustees heard student presentations and set the district’s transfer fees, in addition to other business.  Four students from Katie Martindale’s first-grade class at W.F. Peavy Primary School presented their independent research projects on wild animals such as Komodo dragons, lynxes, raccoons and river otters. They spoke on the importance of glossaries and avoiding plagiarism and explained some terms used in their reports. Trustee Reagan McClenny complimented the students on their thorough research, speaking abilities and support of their classmates.  Sarah Bunn, who sponsors the Texas Association of Future Educators at Hudson High School, said TAFE is an amazing organization that gives opportunities to students wishing to go into careers in education. Last school year was Hudson’s first with a chapter.     view article

Starting next school year, North East Independent School District plans to open its boundaries to allow all students in the San Antonio region to attend its schools, following similar moves from neighboring districts.  Part of a long-term “efficiency” plan to save the district money and boost student enrollment, the school board approved the move in a 6-0 vote on Monday, with trustee Diane Sciba Villarreal absent.   view article

After initial reports in February suggested a potential $8 million budget deficit, Conroe ISD officials now say they do not anticipate a shortfall for the upcoming school year. Through proactive planning and targeted adjustments, the district aims to maintain its financial health without resorting to employee layoffs. view article

Houston Independent School District’s state-appointed board of managers has approved a key procedural step that could open the door to possible staffing changes across the district. During a meeting on Thursday night, board members signed off on a “reduction in force,” which allows the administration to cut and reorganize staff. Now, HISD administrators have permission to cut staff or reassign virtually all teaching positions and some central office jobs ahead of the 2026-2027 school year. view article

The Austin Independent School District is facing a budget deficit of $181 million for next school year. That’s according to the preliminary budget draft presented at a work session with board members on Tuesday night. The draft is an initial version of the budget used to guide decision making. Superintendent Matias Segura said to reduce the budget deficit, the district will have to make sacrifices, including some that will directly impact students, like teacher cuts. view article

More cuts are likely coming to Austin Independent School District campuses next year — including school-level staff layoffs and teacher planning time changes — as district officials seek to reduce a deficit that could reach $181 million next school year. view article

Austin ISD Superintendent Matias Segura is warning staff and families about deeper budget cuts as the district faces a growing financial crisis. view article

Austin ISD is projecting a $181 million budget shortfall in the 2026-2027 academic year. In a message sent Tuesday night to families and staff, AISD superintendent Matias Segura said declining enrollment, rising costs and a dip in Austin's property values are all factors behind the current projections. view article

The Waco school district is expected to be the latest to contract with the charter operator founded by Mike Miles, the state-appointed superintendent of Houston schools.   School bells and announcements are absent from the school day at campuses operated by Third Future Schools.   Teachers hired by the nonprofit charter firm tend to earn premium salaries, but they must stick to a tight script and work a longer school day and school calendar than their peers. The school doors are open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., offering free before- and after-school care   Third Future and the districts that have hired it to turn around schools say the firm has a track record of success, but for a price. view article

Leander ISD officials are putting together the latest budget projections for 2026-27, and the district is estimating between a $6.8 million to $13.7 million shortfall. The projections are down from original estimates of a nearly $19.6 million shortfall.  The overview: According to executive director of business Gina Mitschke, LISD's demographer population and survey analysts is projecting an enrollment of 41,841 students next year, a decrease of 607 students from the current 2025-26 year. view article

Leander ISD officials are putting together the latest budget projections for 2026-27, and the district is estimating between a $6.8 million to $13.7 million shortfall depending on whether the board increases the budget deficit parameter to fund staff raises. The projections are down from original estimates of a nearly $19.6 million shortfall. view article

San Antonio ISD leaders say they have identified $19.3 million in budget reductions as the district works to close a projected structural deficit of about $45.9 million. In a budget workshop Monday night, district administration told the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) Board of Trustees the reductions identified so far are aimed at cutting the deficit roughly in half in the 2026-27 budget. The district outlined the update in information released March 16, 2026. view article

Fort Bend Independent School District’s board of trustees approved a plan on March 9 to close or consolidate seven elementary schools as it tackles an expected budget deficit of $56.4 million — driven by recent enrollment declines — for the 2026-27 school year. view article

In 2020, the Texas Education Agency assigned a conservator, AJ Crabill, to DeSoto ISD. This appointment followed an audit that found the district mismanaged funds. Crabill stepped down in 2023, citing improvement “in the areas of academics, talent, and governance.” He was replaced by another conservator. view article

Austin Independent School District (AISD) is asking the community to weigh in on what should happen to several campuses that are set to close as the district works to address its budget deficit. District leaders held a community meeting Wednesday night to gather feedback on how the properties could be repurposed. The meeting is part of a series of discussions the district is hosting as it considers what to do with campuses that will no longer be in use after this school year. view article

Confusion over the program’s special education requirements is making it difficult for families to meet a looming deadline — and creating more work for Texas school districts.  Henry Herzog struggles with ADHD, anxiety and hypersensitivity to crowds and noise. The 7-year-old has a physician’s note to prove it.  The medical diagnosis will give Henry priority when Texas decides which students may receive private school vouchers for the 2026-27 school year. Most students will qualify for roughly $10,500 in public funds to pay for private school during Texas’ inaugural rollout of a voucher program. Henry is among the children with disabilities who could also qualify for nearly $20,000 more. view article

Fort Bend ISD has decided to close seven elementary schools that have angered several parents and families. In Monday’s FBISD board of trustees meeting, the board voted 4-3 to decide to close the schools as the district deals with declining enrollment and cutting its $26 million budget. view article

Fort Bend ISD board votes to close 7 schools and change attendance zones to save millions per year  Officials also said last month that the district's deficit could rise to $56.4 million next year due to enrollment declines, in part due to Texas’ new school voucher program. According to district enrollment data, the district lost 1,588 students between last school year and the current year.  view article

Four schools in the Judson Independent School District will close at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. The closures include three elementary schools and one middle school. The district had four separate superintendents in the span of about four weeks after the school board voted to begin the termination process for Milton “Rob” Fields. The school board then had a revolving door of interim superintendents before landing on the current Interim Superintendent, Robert Jaklich. view article

Northside Independent School District is facing a $35 million budget deficit. But, that’s down significantly from when it once neared $108 million. The school board has addressed roughly $70 million worth of debt without school closures, and it’s aiming to balance the books next year. Northside ISD is the largest school district in the San Antonio area, with roughly 98,000 students, towering over North East ISD, San Antonio ISD and Judson ISD. view article

Plano ISD officials are preparing for significant financial challenges ahead, with early projections showing a $43.75 million shortfall for the 2026–27 fiscal year. The district presented the outlook during the board of trustees’ Jan. 20 meeting, outlining the gap between expected revenue and rising expenditures. view article

Houston ISD is moving forward with plans to close and consolidate schools beginning in the 2026–27 school year, according to a letter sent to staff and parents ahead of Thursday night's board meeting. In the letter, Superintendent Mike Miles said the district is recommending closing 12 schools, citing declining enrollment, rising maintenance costs and the need to "make responsible and tough decisions" about aging facilities. view article

Judson Independent School District Board Trustees voted Monday to close four schools in the 2026-2027 school year as they face a budget shortfall of more $37 million. Judson ISD Board President Monica Ryan says the school district is also experiencing a decrease in enrollment which forced the trustees to make some tough decisions. view article

The Judson Independent School District board voted 6-1 to close four campuses across the district as a potential cost-saving measure to address a $37 million deficit for the 2025-26 school year. The closure plan includes one middle school and three elementary schools. It is not yet clear which schools are at risk of closing. Judson ISD interim Superintendent Mary Duhart-Toppen shared four scenarios for planning campus consolidations during the Feb. 9 special board meeting. view article

Now that parents can apply for Texas' school voucher program, one district has shared estimates on how this might affect its budget. The new private school voucher program opened for applications on Wednesday. It provides families with public funds to use for private school tuition. Education experts say it is still unclear how the program will affect public schools. However, new documents obtained by ABC13 show that Fort Bend ISD plans to share its estimates at a trustee meeting next week. view article

Round Rock ISD board members on June 17 adopted a $467.42 million general operating budget for fiscal year 2021-22. The general operating fund budget includes $444.53 million in revenues and $467.42 million in expenses, creating a deficit in this fund of $17.2 million, RRISD Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Adix said. view article

State lawmakers were prepared for a budget crunch, since the COVID-19 pandemic slashed revenues from sales taxes, energy taxes, and other sources. The question they now face is how to close the shortfall without choking off long-term growth.  The answer is far from clear, but it’s certain to involve cuts to popular programs.  In fact, such cuts are what's expected this session. The state comptroller's office says lawmakers need to close a shortfall of nearly $1 billion in revenues. And Republican state Sen. Brandon Creighton of Conroe, who serves on the Senate Finance Committee, noted that Gov. Greg Abbott has asked state agencies to reduce budgets by 5%. view article

Bryan ISD's Board of Trustees have approved a one-time $500 supplement for their salaried employees. Teachers, counselors, librarians, nurses, administrators and professional staff receive their pay bonus on their Dec 15 paycheck. view article