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summer_in_TX

(4,187 posts)
Thu Apr 9, 2026, 12:26 AM Thursday

Texas school districts are facing major financial hurdles.

Austin ISD is ending the current school year with a $49 million deficit. The board is closing ten schools at the end of this school year, but they are going into the 2026-'27 school year with a projected $181 million shortfall. The deficit is caused by several factors: a reduction in property tax values, enrollment decline, increased costs and delayed real estate deals led to a $30 million increase in the current year budget deficit.
https://www.austinisd.org/announcements/2026/04/08/austin-isd-faces-deeper-budget-cuts-due-growing-budget-deficit

Hays Consolidated ISD, another district in Central Texas, is having to trim next year's budget by $12 million, affecting at least 120 jobs. Record inflation and no increases in the basic student funding allotment from the state between 2019 and 2025 have taken a heavy toll.

Eastside ISD (San Antonio) projects a $49.5 million deficit.
San Antonio ISD is working to cut $19 million – including probably eliminating 220 positions – as budget deficit hits $46 million.
The Alamo Heights Independent School District (San Antonio) is projected to face a $181 million budget shortfall for the 2026-27 school year.
Fort Worth ISD is $40 million in the hole.
Dallas ISD is projected to close out the current budget year with a $16 million deficit and head into the 2026-27 budget year with a $181 million deficit.
Houston ISD is projected to have a $33 million deficit next year.
Corpus Christi is $24.5 million in the hole.
Abilene faces a $13 million deficit.
Amarillo heads into 2026-27 with a projected $181 million shortfall.
Odessa a $49 million deficit and enter the 2026-27 budget cycle with an estimated $181 million shortfall.

The Texas Legislature has refused to increase Texas's per pupil funding allotment since 2019 in spite of significant inflation. Many of our public school systems in Texas are in deep distress. Republicans in the Legislature and the governor seem determined to break public education.

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Deuxcents

(27,103 posts)
2. Not investing in educational institutions for years is no wonder they're so far under water. Teachers, students,
Thu Apr 9, 2026, 12:46 AM
Thursday

Buildings, books and learning tools are just the obvious needs. Here in Florida, the legislature is considering eliminating property taxation and they think schools, roads, police, fire and other services and infrastructure will not suffer from lack of funding. The people running these red states want everything privatized when the system has been working fine. If adjustments are needed then adjust, don’t just tear down the whole thing. Gonna be a long road back to some kind of economic recovery

summer_in_TX

(4,187 posts)
3. Last November Texans voted for a constitutional amendment to exempt a much greater portion of senior citizens'
Thu Apr 9, 2026, 12:59 AM
Thursday

property from taxes. Now the Lt. Governor, Dan Patrick, is advocating for doing the same for other age groups of Texans. Anytime they propose to amend the Texas constitution by lowering taxes, it always passes overwhelmingly. People don't make the connection to the increasingly dire financial condition of our public schools. Of course Texas places a heavy burden on property taxes because we don't pay a state income tax.

Deuxcents

(27,103 posts)
4. Florida doesn't collect state taxes, either. I don't understand how they think they can run a state's economy
Thu Apr 9, 2026, 01:15 AM
Thursday

Without taxes from property tax and fulfill the responsibilities to the people and not have sub standard education, fully staffed police and fire and other services.

callous taoboy

(4,787 posts)
5. I am a teacher in Texas with 32 years experience- just laid off.
Thu Apr 9, 2026, 05:16 AM
Thursday

But, hey, we have our Ten Commandments posters on our walls and will likely have to have Bible passages included in Language Arts.

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