The Houston ISD Board of Education’s scheduled vote on the 2013-2014 budget has been rescheduled for 5 p.m. on Monday, June 24.
Board President Anna Eastman said the vote was postponed to ensure that all trustees are able to attend.
Category Archives: Budget
HISD Board of Education to consider 2013-2014 budget
• To view the official agenda, click here.
The Houston ISD Board of Education will meet Thursday, June 20, 2013 to consider adopting a $1.62 billion budget that includes $20 million to tutor more students at struggling schools across the city while ensuring that HISD continues to offer the lowest tax rate among the two dozen school districts in Harris County.
Legislative Session brings changes to STAAR, district budget
On Monday, June 10, Governor Perry signed House Bill 5 into law. The bill dramatically revises the number of high school student assessments required for graduation as well as overall graduation plans in Texas.
“HISD students will now only be required to pass five end-of-course exams to earn a diploma rather than the 15 exams that were previously required,” said HISD Government Relations Director Veronica Garcia.
HISD Statement on Texas Legislature Budget Proposal
The following statement is being issued in response to today’s announcement that the Texas Legislature has reached a budget agreement, which restores $3.4 billion of the previous $5.4 billion cut to public education and provides $530 million for the Teacher Retirement System.
“The Houston Independent School District commends the Texas Legislature for the significant restoration of public education funding this session. This increase, although positive, does not restore the $5.4 billion in education cuts that were made in 2011. We look forward to working with the Legislature and other leaders to address the obvious shortcomings in the current school finance system, which has been declared unconstitutional. For Texas to remain at the forefront of America’s economic recovery, we need a school finance system that recognizes the costs associated with helping all children achieve the high academic standards we have for them.”
Title I funding, annexation at forefront of discussion at first budget community meeting
On Tuesday, community members gathered at Madison High School for the first of nine community meetings to learn more about Houston ISD’s budgeting process.
HISD Hosting Community Meetings to Answer Budget Questions
Nine meetings scheduled across Houston in April and May
April 25, 2013 – In an effort to provide taxpayers a guide to understanding the district’s budget, the Houston Independent School District is hosting a series of community meetings across the city that will outline the budgeting process from planning, to adoption and implementation.
“We want our constituents to understand how HISD’s budget process works, how much money does each school get and even how they can get involved,” said HISD Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Huewitt. “Our goal is to ensure HISD’s budget and financial information is readily available and user friendly so that taxpayers know exactly how their tax dollars are allocated and spent.”
The meetings will cover key aspects of HISD’s budgeting process such as where the money comes from, how much is designated to each of the 276 campuses, who decides how the money is spent at each campus and who monitors the budget, among other topics.
HISD’s General Manager of Budget and Financial Planning Sharon Eaves will be leading the budget presentations at the community meetings.
Upcoming Community Budget Meetings:
- May 13 – 6 p.m. at Lamar High School (3325 Westheimer)
- May 14 – 6 p.m. at Revere Middle School (10502 Briar Forest)
- May 15 – 6 p.m. at Reagan High School (413 East 13th)
- May 16 – 6 p.m. at Milby High School (1601 Broadway)
Ryan Middle School Plan Approved By Board
Ryan students will move to nearby Cullen; Vote postponed on plan to merge Sterling and Jones high schools
The HISD Board of Education on Thursday approved a transition plan that will allow historic Ryan Middle School to be repurposed as a magnet school designed to attract students from throughout the city.
Have questions about the HISD budget process? Get answers here
Have you ever wondered how money is spent in a large school district? Do you know where the money comes from and how your child’s school is funded?
If you’d like to know just how the Houston Independent School District pays for the many educational services we provide to Houston’s children, take a look at our latest web page – HISD Budget Basics. You’ll find information on:
- Where the district’s operating budget comes from
- How the money is budgeted and spent
- Who decides how the money is spent
- Who keeps an eye on the budget
- Who decides how money is spent at your child’s school
- How to calculate your HISD taxes
Just like in your own household, HISD has a budget that requires prioritizing of needs and wise spending. And because the budget is vital to the operation of the district, HISD wants you to know how it is funded and where the money is spent. Get your questions answered and find out how you can be involved in the HISD budget process at houstonisd.org/budget.
Houston ISD Exploring Solutions to Budget Shortfall Caused by State Cuts
District has lost $120 million in annual state funding
February 21, 2013 – The state of Texas’ unconstitutional school funding system has placed the HISD Board of Education in the position of considering two options for covering a projected $72 million deficit for the 2013-2014 school year: deeper cuts to classroom spending and/or a property tax rate increase.
An update on the budget situation was presented to the Houston Independent School District Board of Education during a public workshop meeting today.
HISD Board of Education Approves Raises for Teachers, Staff
All Houston ISD teachers will receive 2-percent pay raises under the district’s 2012-2013 budget that includes pay increases for all staff without increasing the property tax rate.
The Houston Independent School District Board of Education adopted the budget Thursday on a unanimous vote. Trustees Lawrence Marshall, Harvin Moore, and Manuel Rodriguez Jr. were absent.
In September, all Houston ISD employees will receive pay increases ranging from 1.75 percent to 2.25 percent under the budget approved on Thursday.
HISD’s non-teaching staff last received a pay raise in 2009-2010, and some, but not all, teachers received a raise in 2010-2011. No employees received raises during the 2011-2012 school year. Dr. Grier said the pay increases are necessary to remain competitive with surrounding Houston-area school districts that have already proposed doing so.
All teachers will receive a 2 percent pay raise.
Other employee groups will receive the following salary increases:
- Principals, assistant principals and deans: 2 percent
- School bus operators, hourly food services employees, and salaried departmental employees on the lower end of the pay scale: 2.25 percent
- Substitute teachers and other hourly employees: 2.25 percent
- Professional employees and upper-level administrators: 1.75 percent
Click here to view the board approved 2012-13 teacher salary schedule. Click here to view a Frequently Asked Questions document about teacher salary schedules.
Other salary schedules can be found at the following links: technology employees, principals, assistant principals and deans, hourly master salary schedule, and the master salary schedule.
Employees with questions about the new salary schedules may submit them via email to compensationdept@houstonisd.org.
Addressing state funding cuts
The $1.58 billion budget addresses the loss of $47.1 million in state funding with $8.9 million from the district’s savings account, which currently stands at about $257 million.
The Texas Legislature’s decision to cut public education funding by $5.4 billion statewide cost HISD schools $125.1 million over a two-year period. Because of these cuts, the state now pays 21 percent of HISD’s budget, compared to 26 percent a year ago. The amount of HISD’s revenue that comes from local tax dollars now totals 79 percent.
About $17 million of the shortfall caused by the cut in state funding will be covered by reducing the amount of general fund money that is normally transferred to HISD’s debt service fund to help repay loans at a faster rate than is required. This reduction is a one-time option that will not be available in future years.
HISD has also identified several areas of decreased spending for the upcoming school year. These include:
- $7 million in reduced employee health and unemployment insurance costs.
- $5.5 million less for bilingual and special education programs. This is a result of the declining number of HISD students identified for bilingual and special education services.
- $5 million less in ASPIRE performance awards.
- $2.5 million in non-campus departmental cuts, primarily through departmental consolidations and layoffs. Last year, HISD eliminated 221 non-campus positions.
Although the board will not adopt a property tax rate until later this year, Superintendent Terry Grier intends to recommend that HISD maintain the current tax rate, which is the lowest of any school district in Harris County. Last week, the Board of Education agreed to continue granting an optional 20 percent homestead exemption in addition to the standard $15,000 exemption that homeowners across the state receive.