BURTON ISD PROJECTING TO END FISCAL YEAR IN THE PLUS

  

Burton ISD trustees on Monday received information on the district’s financial standing heading into the new school year and adopted the new year’s employee compensation plan.

Burton ISD Business Manager Caitlyn Blakey-Staal said the district currently expects to end the fiscal year with an extra $825,845 in its fund balance.  She cited “very strong tax receipts” as the main reason for obtaining more revenue than what was budgeted for.

Superintendent Vikki Curry said the higher collections are not something that should be expected every year.  She said Burton ISD will continue to do what is best to meet the needs of students and that she always wants to budget within the district’s means, even if it is tight.

Looking ahead to next year’s budget, the district is proposing general fund expenditures of $11,520,000, which is up from the existing adopted general fund budget of $11,401,555.

Some notable changes in the budget include increases for instructional expenses, going from $4,982,293 to $5,145,000; general administration, from $545,907 to $600,000; and debt service payments, from $132,460 to $480,000.  Projections also call for a reduction in what the district pays in recapture to the state, from $2.5 million to $2 million. 

Blakey-Staal cautioned that the budget estimates are still early and are not set in stone, as the district is still waiting to see what the state will say in terms of the tax rate that can be adopted.

Certified property values are expected late this month.  A public hearing on the proposed budget and tax rate will be held in early- or mid-August, with the board’s vote to adopt coming in late August.

The proposed budget will have employee pay raises that were approved during the board’s meeting in May and officially adopted as part of the compensation plan approved during regular session on Monday. 

Teachers and bus drivers will receive their annual step scale increases – and the teacher step scale is expanding its cap from 23 to 30.  Meanwhile, non-teaching staff, including support personnel and administrative/professional employees, will get a 1.5 percent pay raise based on the midpoint salary.  Minor additions were made to the overall supplemental pay schedule.

During the bond construction update, when asked about when the gym will be ready, Weaver and Jacobs Constructors Project Manager Ryan Malinovsky said the recent hard rain led to some water intrusion in the gym.  If the issue is corrected quickly, installation of the gym flooring is scheduled to start Monday and last for eight weeks, meaning it would be ready by mid-September.

The board also honored members of the Burton Beta Club for their national achievements, including multiple high placings in events, Remi Draehn running for National Beta President, and Brenna Glaesmann being selected as 2026-27 National Beta Ambassador. 

Trustees also welcomed new School Resource Officer and Safety Coordinator Jacob Newsome.  Newsome has worked with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in the SRT Team, and he has most recently been working with the athletic department at Texas A&M University.

Also at Monday’s meeting, the board:

• Accepted a safety and security audit report. 
• Approved an agreement designating Lee County extension agents as adjunct staff members.
• Reviewed Texas Association of School Boards investment policy and approved the appraisal calendar. 
• Approved an annual item to delegate contractual authority to the superintendent regarding the purchase of attendance credits for the 2026-27 school year.

Click here to view the budget workshop presentation from Monday's Burton School Board meeting.

Click here to view Burton ISD's 2026-27 compensation plan adopted by trustees on Monday.