Dallas School District Budget Overview
Dallas school leaders want to raise the district’s minimum wage to $17 an hour and set the starting teacher salary at $64,000.
Building next year’s budget comes at a time of uncertainty for public schools.
Administrators said they are committed to leading the region on staff compensation even as they confront questions about how much money the Legislature will send their way — and whether the possible dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education could interrupt the flow of federal funds.
Assumptions and Projections
A budget overview presented to Dallas ISD trustees Thursday assumes the district will not get additional funding next year.
“We made this assumption because we must move forward with our budget,” chief financial officer Ed Ramos told the board.
“We wanted to make sure that with the current political climate, we cushion ourselves,” he said.
As a result, DISD is projecting a $127 million budget shortfall next year. Last year, officials anticipated a $187 million shortfall but they expect to end the year with a smaller hole.
Factors Affecting the Budget
Things might not end up as grim. The Legislature is still debating education funding and could kick in billions of dollars more into helping public schools.
But DISD leaders have been burned before; lawmakers have not increased the base amount of money provided per student since 2019, despite periods of inflation that saw fuel prices go up, as well as other expenses like insurance.
Inflation also stretched teachers’ personal budgets, which is part of why district leaders are prioritizing raises for its staff.
Teacher Salaries and Raises
“We want to make sure that we take care of our teachers first,” Human Capital Chief Robert Abel said.
Teachers could see an average 3.6% increase in base salary, according to the budget proposal. The size of each raise would depend on the district’s pay-for-performance system.
Enrollment and Recapture System
DISD leaders are anticipating a roughly 1,700-student decline in enrollment next year, leaving the district with 138,500 students across its campuses.
Because enrollment will likely go down and property values are expected to go up, DISD officials are anticipating a $104 million payment into the state’s recapture system, which is often referred to as “Robin Hood.” Under it, districts that are considered property-wealthy must give money back to the state to be distributed to poorer districts.
Cuts and Priorities
District officials baked millions of dollars worth of cuts into next year’s budget proposal, including reductions in administrative staffing. They said they’re carefully evaluating vacancies to see if those positions need to be filled.
Officials said they will continue funding key priorities, including early learning programs and mental health work.
Conclusion
The Dallas school district is facing a challenging budget season, with uncertainties surrounding state and federal funding. Despite these challenges, district leaders are committed to prioritizing staff compensation and funding key priorities.
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The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, Judy and Jim Gibbs, The Meadows Foundation, The Murrell Foundation, Ron and Phyllis Steinhart, Solutions Journalism, Network, Southern Methodist University, Sydney Smith Hicks, and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Lab’s journalism.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the proposed minimum wage for Dallas school district staff?
A: The proposed minimum wage is $17 an hour.
Q: What is the projected budget shortfall for the Dallas school district next year?
A: The projected budget shortfall is $127 million.
Q: How much will teachers’ salaries increase under the proposed budget?
A: Teachers could see an average 3.6% increase in base salary, depending on the district’s pay-for-performance system.
Q: What is the recapture system, and how will it affect the Dallas school district?
A: The recapture system, also known as “Robin Hood,” requires property-wealthy districts to give money back to the state to be distributed to poorer districts. The Dallas school district is expected to pay $104 million into the recapture system next year.
