Burnet CISD cuts budget in light of legislative inaction
The Texas Legislature’s lack of action on school finance pushed Burnet school board trustees to cut about $1.2 million from the district’s current budget during their June 26 meeting.
“The (Burnet Consolidated Independent School District) is facing a budget deficit for the 2023-24 school year due to inaction on the part of the Legislature,” BCISD Superintendent Keith McBurnett said in a media release. “Even with these reductions, the board will still need to utilize Fund Balance (the district’s savings account) to cover the funding gap caused by the Legislature’s inaction during the 88th legislative session.”
Most of the savings come from not filling positions or from reassigning employees to hold down positions that were eliminated. None of the reductions will result in layoffs, McBurnett said.
Cuts range from a high of $272,000 for five elementary school positions that will remain unfilled to $3,500 for trustee meals before meetings.
Other cuts include eliminating:
- four currently vacant teacher positions, two at Burnet Middle School and two at Burnet High School, for a cost savings of $218,000;
- one instructional partner at Burnet Middle School and another at Burnet High School for a savings of $54,000;
- one counselor at Burnet High School, while maintaining two traditional counselors and one intervention counselor (this represents the same staffing level as last school year), for a savings of $60,000;
- one floating elementary school counselor position that was not filled last school year for a savings of $60,000;
- one currently vacant ESSER-funded elementary bilingual teacher for a one-year savings of $54,000;
- and a part-time bus trainer, one grounds worker, one central office clerical worker, and part-time student custodians for a savings of $102,500.
The Board of Trustees also voted to:
- reduce campus and central department budgets by 5 percent for a cost savings of $100,000;
- pull instructional classroom enhancement funds from campus activity funds instead of the district operating budget for a savings of $7,000;
- have campus Parent-Teacher Organizations fund elementary field trips for a savings of $18,000 ($6,000 per campus);
- and temporarily move Quest High School and disciplinary alternative education programs to the annex located at the north end of Burnet Middle School for a cost savings of $140,250 and cost avoidance of $85,000.
“A (legislative) special session for school finance has been all but guaranteed to be called for some time in September,” McBurnett said. “The (BCISD) board and administration will continue to review the budget for revenues, efficiencies, cost avoidances, and reductions.”
The district’s compensation plan will be on the agenda for consideration at the July 27 board meeting. The board will also approve the 2023-24 general operating budget at a meeting on Aug. 28.
IN OTHER ACTION
Trustees:
- approved the hirings of three new assistant principals — Lissa Nichols at Bertram Elementary, Rachel Cohen at R.J. Richey Elementary, and Cindy Cox at Burnet Middle School;
- increased adult lunch prices to $4.50 from $4.15 and adult breakfasts to $3 from $2.35;
- agreed to continue at no cost to employees 100-percent employee-only coverage for health, dental, vision, and telehealth;
- recognized Burnet High School student Riley Arrington for winning first place in the State Star Chapter Degree in Agribusiness at the 2022 State FFA Convention.
- recognized BHS softball player Addie Grace Hernandez for being named to the 2023 Texas High School Coaches Association’s and Texas Girls Coaches Association’s academic all-state teams and players Maddi Moise and Presley Crawford for being named to the 2023 TGCA academic all-state team.