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During a special meeting this week, the Frisco ISD Board of Trustees finalized the debt service, general operating and child nutrition budgets for the 2023-24 school year. Here are a few things to know about the general operating budget:
1. It was developed with the FISD mission in mind: "Know every student by name and need.”
The classroom is the District’s first priority when developing a budget to ensure the continued academic and operational excellence for which the District is known.
Unfortunately, FISD is not immune to the economic challenges facing the rest of the state and nation. Inflation has put a strain on all school districts and their staff. State funding for public schools was last increased four years ago; however, the cost of living and doing business as a school district has become increasingly more costly since then.
Knowing every student by name and need is reflected in the District’s student-opportunities model that has guided the District through three decades of explosive enrollment growth. It is also reflected in the deliberate manner in which FISD builds and configures schools. Elementary schools are built to serve 700-plus students in grades K-5, middle schools serve 800-1,000 students in grades 6-8 and high schools serve up to 2,100 students in grades 9-12.
2. Without an increase in revenue from the 88th Texas Legislative session, FISD has again approved a deficit budget for the school year.
You may recall that the 88th Texas Legislative Session took place this spring. School districts around Texas began the session hopeful that the state's historic $33 billion surplus would provide some much-needed relief for districts across the state.
Frisco ISD was also hopeful that state lawmakers' declaration of support for teacher recruitment and retention would translate into meaningful legislation benefiting the hundreds of thousands of teachers and staff that educate and care for 5.4 million public school children in Texas. Instead, the legislature focused on education savings accounts, or "vouchers," to fund private schools, and public education bills were held hostage as a negotiating tool. Ultimately, $17 billion for property tax relief and school funding was left on the table.
District leaders developed a deficit budget for the second year in a row without a funding adjustment to combat inflation. Every Frisco ISD department and campus reviewed their budgets for potential cost-saving measures.
The 2023-24 budget was built with three goals in mind:
Find as much cost savings as possible without sacrificing student opportunities or the quality of education Frisco ISD is known for.
Ensure the hundreds of new students and families that will call Frisco ISD home next year have all the support they need to succeed.
Provide a cost of living adjustment to staff without sacrificing long-term sustainability.
3. Frisco ISD teachers and staff are the heart of the District and deserve more than the approved budget allows. Unfortunately, Frisco ISD is at the mercy of the Texas Legislature. Without their support, FISD will continue to fall short.
Despite adopting a deficit budget for the second year in a row, the District wants to continue to offer competitive pay for Frisco ISD staff. The starting salary for new teachers with no prior experience will increase from $58,250 to $59,000, with corresponding increases for new hires based on their years of experience.
Increased Compensation
$1,200 raise for those on a teacher pay scale
1.5% raise for all other staff
Employees who work at least four hours a day will receive a minimum $600 raise.
Employees who work less than four hours a day will receive a minimum $300 raise.
All raises will be capped at $1,200.
The average teacher will receive a 2.1% increase in salary from this year’s raise. Find the average percent increases for various employee types on slide 28.
Increased Benefits
Frisco ISD employees will receive two wellness days, in addition to the five state days and five local days currently provided.
Benefits can also be found on the FISD website and on this helpful graphic.
4. FISD will continue the complex process of rebalancing the budget.
A sustainable financial plan is critical to the ongoing success of this District, and changes should never impact students’ learning environment or employees' livelihoods.
FISD will evaluate all options and continue working with elected representatives to help them understand the impact of their actions (or lack thereof) during this legislative session. Frisco ISD remains hopeful that lawmakers will return to Austin in the fall to fund public education appropriately.
If they do, the District’s first priority will be to amend the compensation plan and pass that funding on to Frisco ISD teachers and staff.
Visit friscoisd.org/budget for more details about the 2023-24 budget and compensation plan.