The Austin ISD Police Department recognizes that one of the most critical components of effective law enforcement is the establishment and maintenance of public trust. Our Community Engagement Division was created to further the Department’s goal in building and maintaining lasting meaningful relationships with the students, staff, parents, and community stakeholders we serve on a daily basis.
Mission Statement: The Officers of the Austin ISD Police Department are committed to creating a safe educational environment and protecting our future by providing a diverse level of service, utilizing problem solving techniques, and embracing lasting partnerships for all students, staff, and the community.
The Austin ISD Police Department employs 82 full-time police officers, including 43 School Resource Officers (SROs), 8 Patrol Officers and, 4 Detectives. There are two SROs assigned to every high school campus and one SRO assigned to every middle school campus. The Patrol Officers primarily assist with calls for service and safety patrols at our elementary campuses, and supplement our secondary campuses as needed.
The department also employs 15 civilian staff, including dispatchers, office support staff, evidence technicians, and data clerks. The department provides general law enforcement, security and safety services for Austin ISD year-round, and establishes strong working relationships with Austin area first responder agencies to provide the safest environment for our students, staff, and stakeholders.
With the introduction of Texas House Bill 3 on September 1st, 2023, the Austin ISD School Board voted to hire additional Austin ISD Police Officers in order to comply with the law. This includes Austin ISD Police Officers who will be assigned to all campuses across the District where students are present, along with the additional sworn and non-sworn staff needed to support them. As such, the Austin ISD Police Department is currently hiring for multiple positions, and encourage those interested to visit our Recruitment page or contact our Recruiting Division at 512-414-1129, or recruiting@austinisdpolice.org.
Austin ISD is navigating a difficult budget season as the district works to address a projected $181 million budget gap while continuing to prioritize students, staff and school communities.
As we review the budget, our focus remains on protecting the student and family experience, supporting campuses with the greatest needs and making thoughtful, strategic decisions rather than broad, across-the-board reductions. With the majority of the district’s budget dedicated to staffing, some difficult decisions may impact programs, services and positions across the district.
Austin ISD is committed to transparency throughout this process. This site provides budget updates, financial data, timelines, community engagement opportunities and resources to help our community understand the challenges ahead and how decisions are being made.
To date we have identified $73.8M in reductions to central and department budgets, including eliminating vacancies such as the Deputy Superintendent of Business and Operations. We also anticipate $45 million in revenue from real estate monetization. We have also identified 33.9M in proposed reductions to campus budgets. While we still have some work to do to fully close the gap, we anticipate limited additional impacts to campus budgets beyond what we're sharing today and will not propose eliminating librarian or counselor positions.
The comment card form is an opportunity to share your thoughts about 2026-27 budget.
Please enter your contact information, select a topic, and let us know your comments. You may fill out a form for each topic you are interested in commenting on. We have assigned appropriate subject matter experts to review and consider responses.
This comment card will be open May 5 through June 18 at 5PM.
The Board will vote on the final plan at their meeting on June 18.
Visit the Get Involved page for more information.
Austin ISD is committed to maintaining a transparent budgeting process. The budget is driven by the AISD strategic plan, which is the product of genuine consensus‐building and embodies the vision of our community. The AISD board of trustees established a policy that requires the district to maintain a minimum of 20 percent of operating expenditures in its general fund balance, which is also a driving factor in the budgeting process.
Austin ISD has earned the highest ratings for budget management from Moody’s Investors Service, Standard & Poor’s, Kroll Bond Rating Agency and Fitch Ratings. Austin ISD also carries the highest bond and state financial accountability ratings that school districts can earn in the state of Texas.
Maintaining transparency about the AISD budget includes providing financial information to the public. On this site, you will find a host of resources, including data on district revenues, expenditures, tax rates, cost drivers and comparative data with other school districts.
The district expects to end the current 2025–26 fiscal year with a $49 million deficit. This is despite an estimated $54 million in spending cuts and efficiency measures over the year. Looking ahead to the 2026–27 school year, the shortfall is projected to be $181 million.
Several factors have converged to create the $181 million projected shortfall for the 2026–27 school year:
Additionally, the current state funding model does not cover the full cost of essential programs and services that Austin ISD prioritizes for a holistic student experience.
Our budget is primarily driven by enrollment and property values, two factors that are finalized after the budget development process begins.
Because of this timing, we build our budget using the most current projections available at the time. As updated data is released by the state and appraisal districts, we adjust to reflect the most accurate financial picture.
In a district of our size, even small changes in these key drivers can have a significant impact on available funding. The changes you’re seeing reflect updated information, not a change in priorities, but a refinement based on the latest data.
Property values used during budget development are based on preliminary estimates provided by the Travis Central Appraisal District. Final certified values are released later in the process and reflect updated market conditions, including the outcome of property owner protests and other adjustments.
As Austin’s property market has shifted from rapid growth to a more moderate trend, and as protest activity has increased, certified values have come in lower than earlier estimates, reducing projected revenue.
Austin ISD has an extensive track record of receiving the highest financial ratings and accolades. These ratings provide objective, third-party verification that the district operates with high fiscal discipline and transparency. They confirm that we are maximizing taxpayer dollars by maintaining low borrowing costs, prioritizing classroom spending over administration and ensuring accounting accuracy.
For years, we have tightened our belts at the administrative level to keep the classroom experience untouched. We are nearing the limit of what can be saved through administrative efficiency so the district must now evaluate campus-level reductions, including:
The district has already taken significant steps to reduce central office costs, including staffing reductions and ongoing constraints on non-essential spending.
Central Office functions primarily exist to support campuses and meet state and federal requirements; such as payroll, transportation, special education services, compliance, and instructional support. These are not isolated administrative functions; they directly enable school operations.
Because of this, further reductions to centralized staffing would result in reduced services and support for campuses and teachers.
As part of the current budget process, the district is continuing to evaluate all spending, including a proposed reduction to non-staffing budgets and the elimination of vacant positions. Moving forward, any additional reductions will require careful consideration of the specific programs and services that support students and schools.
An external hiring freeze is currently in effect, with an exception for hard-to-fill positions, which historically include bilingual, special education and Teacher Incentive Allotment-qualified for school improvement campuses. This ensures that any staff members displaced by school consolidations or program changes are given priority for open positions within the district. As we consider possible reductions to close the $181 million deficit for the 2026–27 school year, we have extended the hiring freeze until reductions have been identified.
Yes. Austin ISD is exploring creative revenue streams, such as:
In November, the Board of Trustees voted to close 10 campuses for the 2026–27 school year. This move is expected to save the district approximately $21 million. However, $17 million of those savings will be invested in supports at schools with state-required school improvement plans.
It is important to note that these are costs the district would have to pay regardless of school closures; using these savings simply allows us to cover those necessary investments without deeper cuts elsewhere.
Yes, thanks to Austin voters, Prop A generates tens of millions of dollars in additional funding for Austin ISD each year. The amount we receive depends on multiple factors such as our student enrollment and property values. Last year it generated $39M and we anticipate it will generate $35 million dollars this year. Without this boost in tax collections, Austin ISD would face a significantly larger shortfall.
We will have a preliminary recommendation to the Board of Trustees on May 1 in anticipation of the May 7 Board Information Session. Staff may be notified as early as May 15 of any position change that would be in effect for the 2026–27 school year.
A number of strategies have been used over the past few years to save money in ongoing efforts to tighten belts. Ahead of the 2025–26 school year, Central Office underwent a restructuring to reduce administrative costs relative to the student enrollment.
Knowing staffing is the largest expenditure in the budget, the district also implemented an external hiring freeze to ensure new external employees were not being onboarded. This also served as an opportunity for any staff displaced by school consolidations or program moves to receive priority in choosing positions.
Additional spending protocols have also increased spending oversight to limit non-essential purchases. These controls include adjusting spending limits on district credit cards and pre-approval on discretionary spending to ensure alignment with district priorities.
The district is hosting several community conversations to gather input on which programs are most vital to the student experience:
The majority of the district’s funding is derived from local property taxes, supplemented by state and federal sources.*
The Texas Legislature establishes the funding formulas for public schools, with allocations primarily based on two key factors:
*Austin ISD is subject to a state-mandated process known as "recapture," which requires a portion of locally collected property tax revenue to be remitted to the State of Texas.
Recapture is required under state law, specifically Texas Education Code Chapter 49, and districts do not have the option to opt out.
If a district does not meet its recapture obligation, the Texas Education Agency has statutory authority to enforce compliance. This can include actions such as detaching property from the district’s tax base or withholding certain state funds.
Because of these legal requirements, districts subject to recapture must plan for and meet these obligations as part of the annual budget process.
The Texas Lottery generates revenue through ticket sales for games like scratch-offs and draw games. A portion of the money collected from these sales is used to pay prizes and cover administrative costs, but a share is allocated to public education in Texas.
This education funding is transferred to the Foundation School Fund, which is the primary source of state funding for Texas school districts. The state then distributes this money to districts based on formulas that consider factors such as student enrollment, property values, and specific student needs.
Importantly, lottery funds do not go directly to individual schools or districts. Instead, they supplement the overall state education budget. This means the funding helps support public education broadly across Texas rather than being earmarked for specific programs or schools.
El distrito espera terminar el año fiscal actual de 2025-26 con un déficit de $49 millones. Esto es a pesar de $54 millones estimados en recortes presupuestarios y medidas de eficiencia a lo largo del año. Con la mira puesta en el ciclo escolar 2026-27, se proyecta que el déficit sea de $181 millones.
Varios factores han convergido para crear el déficit proyectado de $181 millones en el ciclo escolar 2026-27:
Además, el modelo actual de financiamiento estatal no cubre el costo completo de los programas y servicios esenciales que el Austin ISD prioriza para una experiencia estudiantil holística.
Nuestro presupuesto depende principalmente del número de estudiantes matriculados y del valor de los inmuebles, dos factores que no se concretan hasta después de que haya comenzado el proceso de elaboración del presupuesto.
Debido a esto, elaboramos nuestro presupuesto utilizando las proyecciones más recientes disponibles en ese momento. A medida que el estado y los distritos de tasación publican datos actualizados, realizamos los ajustes necesarios para reflejar la situación financiera más precisa.
En un distrito de nuestro tamaño, incluso pequeños cambios en estos factores clave pueden tener un impacto significativo en la financiación disponible. Los cambios que observan reflejan información actualizada, no un cambio en las prioridades, sino un ajuste basado en los datos más recientes.
Los valores de los inmuebles utilizados durante la elaboración del presupuesto se basan en estimaciones preliminares facilitadas por el Distrito Central de Tasación de Travis. Los valores definitivos certificados se publican posteriormente durante el proceso y reflejan las condiciones actualizadas del mercado, incluyendo el resultado de las reclamaciones presentadas por los propietarios y otros ajustes.
Dado que el mercado inmobiliario de Austin ha pasado de un crecimiento rápido a una tendencia más moderada, y que han aumentado las reclamaciones, los valores certificados han resultado ser inferiores a las estimaciones iniciales, lo que ha reducido los ingresos previstos.
El Austin ISD cuenta con un amplio historial de calificaciones financieras de primer nivel y distinciones. Estas calificaciones constituyen una verificación objetiva y externa de que el distrito opera con una elevada disciplina fiscal y transparencia. Confirman que estamos sacando el máximo partido a los fondos de los contribuyentes al mantener bajos los costos de financiación, dar prioridad al gasto en los salones de clases frente al gasto administrativo y garantizar la precisión contable.
Auditorías impecables: Expertos independientes verifican que nuestros libros contables son precisos y que se justifica cada dólar.
Por años, nos hemos apretado el cinturón a nivel administrativo para mantener intacta la experiencia en el salón de clases. Nos estamos acercando al límite de lo que se puede ahorrar a través de la eficiencia administrativa, así que ahora el distrito tiene que evaluar reducciones en las escuelas, incluyendo:
El distrito ya ha tomado medidas importantes para reducir los gastos de la oficina central, entre las que se incluyen recortes de personal y restricciones continuas en los gastos no esenciales.
Las funciones de la oficina central existen principalmente para dar apoyo a los planteles escolares y cumplir con los requisitos estatales y federales; por ejemplo, la administración de nóminas, el transporte, los servicios de educación especial, el cumplimiento normativo y el apoyo a la enseñanza. No se trata de funciones administrativas aisladas, sino que facilitan directamente el funcionamiento de las escuelas.
Por este motivo, nuevas reducciones en el personal de la oficina central darían lugar a una disminución de los servicios y el apoyo prestados a los planteles escolares y a los maestros.
Como parte del actual proceso presupuestario, el distrito sigue evaluando todos los gastos, incluida una propuesta de reducción de los presupuestos no relacionados con el personal y la eliminación de puestos vacantes. De cara al futuro, cualquier reducción adicional requerirá un análisis minucioso de los programas y servicios específicos que prestan apoyo a los estudiantes y a las escuelas.
Actualmente está en efecto una congelación de la contratación externa, con la excepción de puestos difíciles de llenar, que históricamente incluyen personal bilingüe, de educación especial y maestros cualificados para asignación de incentivos en escuelas que requieren mejoramiento escolar. Esto garantiza que cualquier miembro del personal desplazado por la consolidación de escuelas o cambios en los programas tengan prioridad para los puestos abiertos en el distrito. A medida que consideramos posibles reducciones para cerrar el déficit de $181 millones para el ciclo escolar 2026-27, hemos prolongado la congelación de la contratación hasta que se hayan identificado las reducciones.
Sí. El Austin ISD está explorando fuentes de ingresos como las siguientes:
En noviembre, la mesa directiva votó por cerrar 10 escuelas en el ciclo escolar 2026-27. Se espera que este paso le ahorre al distrito aproximadamente $21 millones. Sin embargo, $17 millones de esos ahorros se invertirán en apoyo a las escuelas con planes de mejoramiento escolar requeridos por el estado.
Es importante tener en cuenta que estos son costos que el distrito tendría que pagar independientemente del cierre de escuelas; usar estos ahorros simplemente nos permite cubrir esas inversiones necesarias sin recortes más profundos en otras áreas.
Sí, gracias a los votantes de Austin, la Propuesta A genera decenas de millones de dólares de financiamiento adicional para el Austin ISD cada año. La cantidad que recibimos depende de varios factores, como nuestra matrícula estudiantil y los valores de las propiedades. El año pasado generó $39 millones, y anticipamos que generará $35 millones este año. Sin este aumento en la recaudación de impuestos, el Austin ISD enfrentaría un déficit significativamente mayor.
Tendremos una recomendación preliminar para la mesa directiva el 1.° de mayo antes de su sesión informativa del 7 de mayo. Es posible que se notifique al personal tan pronto como el 15 de mayo acerca de cualquier cambio de puesto que entraría en efecto en el ciclo escolar 2026-27.
Se han usado varias estrategias durante los últimos años para ahorrar dinero en un esfuerzo continuo por apretarnos el cinturón. Antes del ciclo escolar 2025-26, la Oficina Central tuvo una reestructuración significativa para reducir los costos administrativos en proporción a la inscripción estudiantil.
Sabiendo que la dotación de personal es el gasto más grande en el presupuesto, el distrito también implementó una congelación de la contratación externa para garantizar que no se estuvieran incorporando nuevos empleados. Esto también sirvió como una oportunidad para que cualquier personal desplazado por la consolidación de escuelas o mudanzas de programas tuviera prioridad para elegir un puesto.
Los protocolos de gasto adicionales también han aumentado la supervisión de los gastos para limitar compras que no sean esenciales. Estos controles incluyen ajustar los límites de gastos en las tarjetas de crédito del distrito y la aprobación previa de gastos discrecionales para garantizar que sean congruentes con las prioridades del distrito.
El distrito tendrá varias conversaciones comunitarias para recopilar comentarios sobre cuáles programas son más vitales para la experiencia estudiantil:
La mayor parte del financiamiento del distrito proviene de los impuestos locales sobre la propiedad, complementados por fuentes estatales y federales.*
La Asamblea Legislativa de Texas establece las fórmulas de financiamiento para las escuelas públicas, y las asignaciones están basadas principalmente en dos factores clave:
*El Austin ISD está sujeto a un proceso que requiere el estado, conocido como "recuperación", que requiere que una parte de los ingresos por impuestos sobre la propiedad recaudados localmente se envíen al estado de Texas.
¿Por qué el distrito no se niega simplemente a pagar la recuperación?
La recuperación se exige en virtud de la legislación estatal, concretamente en el capítulo 49 del Código de Educación de Texas, y los distritos no tienen la posibilidad de excluirse de ella.
Si un distrito no cumple con su obligación de recuperación, la Agencia de Educación de Texas tiene la autoridad legal para imponer el cumplimiento. Esto puede incluir medidas como excluir propiedades de la base impositiva del distrito o retener determinados fondos estatales.
Debido a estos requisitos legales, los distritos sujetos a la recuperación deben planificar y cumplir con estas obligaciones como parte del proceso presupuestario anual.
Austin ISD became the first Texas School District to earn four AAA bond ratings. This rating is the highest a school district can achieve. The rating indicates the lowest risk of default and makes sure the district will get the lowest interest rates when taking on debt.
KBRA Rating Letter
KBRA Austin ISD Series 2025 Rating Report
Awarded the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) “Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting” for thirteen consecutive years.
Awarded the "Risk Management Fund Excellence" from the Texas Association of School Boards.
Awarded the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) “Meritorious Budget Award."
Awarded the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) “Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting” for fourteen consecutive years
For the 21st consecutive year, the district earned a “Superior Achievement” rating from the TEA. This is the highest possible rating under the Schools FIRST financial accountability system.
For the FY 24-25 the district received the highest distinction of "Unmodified/Clean" from our external auditors – Whitley Penn.
Notice: This Committee is Currently Inactive
Section One. Purpose. The Board of Trustees appoints citizens to the Facilities and Bond Planning Advisory Committee (FABPAC) to evaluate capital improvement needs of the district and to provide recommendations to the Board of Trustees on long-range facilities planning; amendments to the Facility Master Plan; and the scope of work and timing of future bond programs.
Section Two. Responsibilities. To accomplish its purpose, the Committee shall have the following responsibilities:
Melissa Laursen, AICP
Director of Planning
4000 S. IH 35 Frontage, 4th Floor
Austin, TX 78703-5338
Office: 512-414-8942
Fax: 512-414-4009
Email
The Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee provides assistance to and promotes the development of Career and Technical Education programs to meet the needs of students, business and industry and the community.
To accomplish its purpose, the CTEAC provides collaborative opportunities and expertise to educators and AISD administration on matters related to CTE programs. The responsibilities of the CTEAC include:
To become a CTE Advisory member or for more information about scheduled meetings during the 22-23 school year email jordan.spears@austinisd.org
To apply for membership, please complete and submit the standard application form: English / Spanish
Notice: This Committee is Currently Inactive
The Budget and Finance Advisory Committee provides guidance and counsel to Austin ISD administration. The scope of the BFAC’s advisory capacity includes:
The Board of Trustees appointed volunteer community members to the Community Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) to ensure that the projects remain faithful to the voter-approved bond program scope of work and to monitor and ensure the bond projects are completed on time, with quality and within budget.
The Austin Independent School District values the participation and input of all community members and transparency of information and process. To that end, the district has established several advisory bodies consisting of broad stakeholder representation to provide insight and recommendations on important issues.
These advisory bodies may be called task forces, committees, or councils. Some of them are standing bodies and meet permanently on a regular basis, while some of them are ad hoc or periodic bodies and meet for a limited time to address a specific topic. Selection entities for advisory body memberships may include Trustees, the Superintendent, the administration, or the advisory bodies themselves.
Below is a list of current AISD advisory bodies, all of which have their own websites. To learn more about specific AISD advisory bodies, please use the links provided.
To find out if a particular committee currently has any vacant positions, please refer to the membership lists provided on each committee website.
To apply for membership on an AISD Advisory Committee, please complete and submit the standard application form
Resumen general sobre los cuerpos consultivos del distrito
Communication and Visitor Guidelines
Pautas para las comunicaciones y los visitantes
(Standing advisory bodies meet permanently on a regular basis.)
Advocacy Advisory Committee (AAC)
Campus Advisory Councils (CAC)
Career and Technical Education Advisory Committee (CTEAC)
Community Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC)
District Advisory Council (DAC)
Equity Advisory Committee (EAC)
Environmental Stewardship Advisory Committee (ESAC)
Head Start Policy Council (HSPC)
Multilingual Education Advisory Committee (MEAC)
School Health Advisory Council (SHAC)
School Safety and Security Committee (SSSC)
Special Education Family Advisory Committee (SEFAC)
(Ad hoc advisory bodies are formed for a particular purpose and meet for a limited time, and are discontinued when their work is completed. Periodic advisory bodies are also formed for a particular purpose, but on a recurring basis as needed.)
Ad Hoc Community Budget Committe
Calendar Task Force
Innovation District Advisory Committee (IDAC)
Bond Steering Committee (BSC)
Brooke Art Transition Taskforce
Budget and Finance Advisory Committee (BFAC)
Budget Stabilization Task Force (BSTF)
Diversity by Design Steering committee (DDSC)
Facilities and Bond Planning Advisory Committee (FABPAC)
Long-range Planning Committees (LPC)
School Renaming Task Force (SRTF)
Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC)
Student Equity Council (SEC)
To provide opportunities for local businesses that will broaden and enhance their capacities to participate on District procurement contracts which will stimulate economic growth in the community.
Join us for Thought Provoking Thursday on October 30th from 9:00AM to 10:00AM to learn how to complete the updated HUB Utilization Report.
Register here
Not able to make it? No problem, we will also be offering weekly office hours through November 20th
Register here for one of our office hour trainings.
To provide feedback about the AISD Economic Opportunity Office, or for outreach assistance call (512) 414-3120.
In April 2017, the Board of Trustees adopted a 25-year Facility Master Plan, which informed the development of a $1 billion bond investment approved by voters to modernize schools and create learning spaces worthy of our students’ talents as they prepare for an ever-changing global marketplace. The FMP calls for a minor update every two years, and a major update every five years.
The FMP was driven by seven Board-approved guiding principles:
In January 2020, the Board of Trustees adopted an update to the FMP that included a portable management and reduction strategy, and changes to the optimal utilization range Appendix G.
Additionally, Appendix H of the 2019 Facilities Master Plan creates a new vision for Athletics and Wellness, Fine Arts and Creative Learning, and Career and Technical Education and Career-Connected Learning that will
We believe that these areas long thought of as extra activities are essential for our students to grow into well rounded individuals prepared for college, career and life.
Not only do these programs promote social and emotional growth, but our research has shown that academics are also positively affected by participation in them. Our Department of Research and Evaluation found:
This means we need to provide an opportunity for every student to thrive in one or all of these pathways.
Our goal is to:
Our goal is to:
Our goal is to:
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22 pages | 1 MB
Beth Wilson
Executive Director of Planning and Asset Management
512-414-9841
beth.wilson@austinisd.org
Melissa Laursen
Director of Planning
512-414-8942
melissa.laursen@austinisd.org
