Community Impact reports that the board of trustees at Montgomery ISD okayed the district’s fiscal year 2024-25 budget on June 28. It includes a shortfall of around $4.3 million.
The shortfall is the result of increases to expenses of $5.1 million. Revenue, however, increased by only $798,000.
Superintendent Mark Ruffin said, “It’s not simply the lack of legislative action . . . .It’s this perfect storm we’ve found ourselves in.” He said, “It’s out of our control.” He said that although “painful” approving a deficit budget “is the most transparent thing we possibly do.”
Also included in the 2024-25 budget are:
–Added expenses for the opening of Creekside Elementary School in the amount of $780,000
–Increased expenditures for new special education positions of $1.1 million
–Cuts to expenditures of $804,000, which included trimming the substitute budget, trimming transportation expenditures and the elimination of five elementary campus positions.
Public schools were asking for an increase in public school funding before the Texas legislative session of January 2023. However, the Austin legislators ended their special session on December 5th with no legislation approved for public school teacher raises and money for public safety.
Back in May, the board of trustees okayed teacher raises in the amount of $650. They also approved a 1 percent salary increase “from the midpoint of their pay grade” for other employees. An efficiency audit was also authorized for district leaders by trustees in regard to a possible voter-approval tax rate election ballot that would take place in November, if approved. The district’s annual tax rate, usually done in August, has not as of yet received approval by trustees.
