BRENHAM ISD BUDGET OUTLOOK TRENDING UPWARD
Brenham ISD continues to work towards righting the ship financially.
During Monday’s Brenham School Board meeting, Interim Chief Financial Officer Robert Lindemann explained how several strategic initiatives created to maximize budget efficiency are expected to save the school district millions of dollars.
Through efforts including principals and department heads cutting back on their own budgets where they can, engaging with a new firm for the collection of delinquent property taxes, absorbing non-essential staff positions, monitoring investments and developing incentives to boost school attendance, projections are that the district can reduce the budget deficit from $4.5 million down to around $1.9 million.
Reviewing individual pieces of the district’s plan, Lindemann said working with principals and directors to see where they can reduce their costs without compromising programs or teacher resources will yield an anticipated return of $162,300 to reserves.
According to Lindemann, switching from Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP to Perdue Brandon Fielder Collins & Mott, LLP increases the projected collection rate for delinquent property taxes to 95 percent, meaning the district can potentially collect $900,000 in additional revenue.
A comprehensive review of budgeted full-time equivalent (FTE) positions for the 2023-24 Fiscal Year identified non-critical positions that came open through role changes or departures and can be left unfilled. Lindemann expects the district can save upwards of $850,000.
By moving investment accounts and funds around to where they can accrue higher interest, Lindemann said the district has gained $60,000 thus far and should expect continued gains as monitoring continues.
Campus leadership teams have created incentives to help encourage students to attend school, thereby increasing the amount the district receives in average daily attendance (ADA) funding from the state. Some of those programs include recognizing weekly class attendance winners, honoring students who have perfect attendance, and giving away prizes to students with excellent attendance. On the opposite side, action steps have been outlined for students with frequent absences, including parent notification, home visits and intervention meetings.
So far, according to Lindemann, the district’s average ADA percentage has increased from 91.9 percent to about 94 percent. If that increase is maintained, the district can receive an extra $625,000 in state aid, from $15.4 million to $16.1 million.
Acting Superintendent Clay Gillentine reiterated that the numbers presented are estimates, but the district feels confident that the plans in place will allow it to reach the goals laid out.
Lindemann said this has been a collaborative effort by all school stakeholders, adding, “It’s not my show. It’s our show.” Gillentine and Board President Natalie Lange thanked the teachers, department heads and everyone stepping up to make these changes happen.
