TASBO survey: 70% of Texas districts expect budget cuts for fiscal 2027, speaker tells Bryan ISD board

Amanda Brownson, deputy executive director at the Texas Association of School Business Officials, briefed the Bryan ISD board on statewide school‑finance patterns based on a survey of 263 responses representing 244 districts.

Brownson said districts are experiencing increased volatility in revenue estimation and spending, partly driven by late property value studies and the need to adjust budgets after those results. Key points presented to the board included that 70% of districts expected to make budget cuts going into fiscal 2027, and that planned use of fund balance has fallen from about 74% in fiscal 2025 to about 55% in the most recent survey. She also said only 17% of districts reported they were confident they could afford pay raises without offsetting reductions.

Brownson recommended early budget work, careful staffing‑ratio reviews and exploring limited options to increase revenue — emphasizing that districts must monitor expenditures against board‑adopted budgets at the fund and function levels.

Trustees asked clarifying questions about differences by district size and local implications; Brownson offered to disaggregate the survey by district size on request. The presentation was part of the district’s continuing budget development series; staff said the board will return to topics including fund balance dynamics and forecast modeling at a future workshop.