The Burnet Consolidated Independent School District recently passed its 2026-27 school year budget, narrowing in on key spending targets and sticking closely to last year’s expenses.

The district will approve its tax rate for the school year in August to fund the budget, which was passed by the BCISD Board of Trustees during its regular meeting on Monday, June 22.

The approved 2026-27 budget, totalling roughly $58.5 million, will support the district’s maintenance and operations, food service, and debt service funds. The total comes in at $312,000, or about 0.53 percent, more than BCISD’s budget for the 2025-26 school year.

BCISD Chief Financial Officer Clay Goehring explained to trustees that the budget’s slight increase was based on several factors going into next year, including somewhat stagnant enrollment, a small increase to student attendance, and a previously-approved teacher pay raise.

“We’re projecting enrollment of 3,213 (students) – that was the average enrollment for last year,” Goehring said during Monday’s meeting. “Our attendance percentage was up 0.41 percent, so we are budgeting for that to continue. And these expenditures include the 3 percent pay raise you guys approved in May.”

Goehring added that a small surplus in state revenue could bolster the district’s finances going into the next school year, allowing more flexibility in the budget.

Budget by fund

BCISD has budgeted about $45.3 million for its maintenance and operations fund, which will support things like most staff salaries, instruction, transportation services, extracurriculars, and more. This is a $229,000 increase from the district’s budget last year.

A total of $10.64 million was set aside for the debt services fund, which will cover principal, interest, and defeasance costs on loans taken out by the district. For reference, the recently-passed 2026 $135 million bond package payments will fall under this category. This total amount remains unchanged from the prior year’s budget, but will likely be updated once bond repayment begins.

The district’s food service fund was budgeted near $2.48 million, covering a bulk of the district’s meal preparation costs and any associated employment costs. This is a $83,000 increase from the district’s budget last year. Of note, student meal prices will stay the same as they were last year, which include free breakfast, free elementary school lunch, $2.60 middle school lunch, and $2.85 high school lunch.

Where’s the money?

The district expects to receive the bulk of its revenue from local property taxes. BCISD splits property taxes into two categories – maintenance and operations, and interest and sinking.

While the tax rate for the coming year will be set in August, the district provided expected revenue numbers at its Monday meeting using a projected I&S tax rate of 0.195, which is the same rate as the current year.

M&O property taxes, which can be used only for day-to-day operations, are expected to pull in roughly $37.5 million in revenue. 

I&S taxes, which can only be used to pay down debt, are expected to draw $10.64 million in revenue.

BCISD expects to garner several million additional dollars from state and federal sources to round out its revenue.

Budget breakdown

A closer look at the budgeted dollar amounts for each fund is as follows.

Maintenance and operations

• Instruction – $21,475,000
• Library and media – $281,000
• Profession growth and development – $587,000
• Instructional leadership – $503,000
• School leadership – $2,589,000
• Guidance and counseling – $1,250,000
• Health services – $374,000
• Transportation services – $2,423,000
• Extracurricular activities – $1,559,000
• General administration – $1,789,000
• Facilities and operations – $5,451,000
• Security and monitoring – $971,000
• Data processing services – $1,029,000
• Community services – $6,600
• Recapture – $4,351,000
• Undefined (tax appraisal) – $675,000

Debt services

• Debt principal payment – $2,775,000
• Debt interest payment – $1,868,875
• Debt costs and fees – $2,250
• Defeasance payment – $5,993,875

Food Services

• Payroll costs – $952,000
• Contracted services – $44,000
• Food and supplies – $1,362,000
• Other operating costs – $17,000
• Capital assets – $100,000

caden@thepicayune.com