The ÁùºÏ±¦µä Board of Trustees at its June 22 Regular Voting Meeting approved the adoption of the Fiscal Year 2021 budget totaling $1.6 billion.
The budget includes a number of investments to support student learning and staff throughout the next year.
The budget includes $21 million in compensation related increases, including:
- $500 one-time incentive for classified staff for a total of $2.15 million.
- Two percent cost of living adjustment for a total of $12 million.
- $3.25 million for strategic staffing: remaining TASB compensation recommendations.
- $3.56 million for strategic staffing: bilingual and special education stipends.
"We have to make sure we support our teachers and staff, we are including an across the board two percent increase for all staff and increased stipends for bilingual and special education teachers," said Superintendent Paul Cruz. "New expenditures in the budget include funding for special education, personal protective equipment due to COVID, supporting schools that have gone through School Changes, reading on grade level and the district's new policy on a dual language approach."
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused some uncertainty in regard to funding and the FY 2021 budget was created using the administration's current knowledge. Budget amendments during the year will be necessary as data on local tax collections, enrollment and attendance, and Texas Education Agency rules are solidified. The district anticipates $7.63 million in FEMA Reimbursements and Governor's Emergency Education Relief funding related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The district is slated to send $606 million back to the state in recapture payments - an estimated decrease of $5.89 million from the previous year. The anticipated reduction is based on an estimated 4 percent reduction in local tax collections due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impact.
The approved budget includes the use of $47.55 million in reserves.