Budget Update

Dear BISD Community, 

I am relieved to say that we have handed out all Reduction In Force notices for the 2025-26 school year. We do still have reassignments to make for our paraeducator staff, and there are going to be lingering attrition pieces in all employee groups (i.e. as leaves or retirements continue to come in, that will impact employee recall as well as reassignment) but for the most part, the dust is starting to settle – phew. I fully understand that this has been an incredibly difficult and draining last few (or 18?!) months for our entire community, but I am truly hopeful that we are starting to see the light at the end of this long and dark tunnel. 

The good news is that we have achieved our total cost savings amount of $6.6 million, and we even exceeded this by an approximate $230,000*. The target of $6.6 million was set to achieve a balanced budget, yet it does not allow for contingency funds to address unexpected expenses or the possibility of actual enrollment coming in lower than projected enrollment. By surpassing our reduction amount, it will help to ensure that we are on the right fiscal track and have some (albeit a small amount) of breathing room to stay out of binding conditions. We were also able to do this in a way that allows for continued student access to almost all programs and opportunities that we hold dear. That said, we have also experienced loss–a loss of colleagues, grade-level and department teams, and the current structure and delivery of several important programs. I do not want to minimize or gloss over these losses–they are real, and they are hard to bear. 

The legislature has provided a small ray of light with a slight increase in newly expected revenue and the possibility of running a supplemental levy which could positively impact us in 2026, 2027 and 2028! I am grateful to Senator Hansen, Representative Nance and Representative Simmons for voting in favor of legislation that supports our BISD students. 

The irony is not lost on me that this is staff appreciation week, and yet, here I am talking about staffing reductions and changes. Our educational landscape continues to exemplify how we can hold multiple emotions in tension at the same time: sadness and hope, exhaustion and determination, grief and relief. I am forever grateful for the impactful work BISD staff accomplish every day, for every one of our students. And, I also mourn our losses, as we look ahead to a bit of a changing landscape next year. 

In my heart, I know that while we do have to hold space for our losses, we still have so much to be thankful for, such as the collaborative work achieved to create a cost savings plan like nothing we have ever seen before. Most importantly, I can say that we kept our promise of keeping students at the center of every single decision, by holding on to our guiding question, “Whose interests are being served?” I am so proud and honored to be a part of such a heart-forward community where the answer to this question is always, “Our students.” 

Amii Thompson
BISD Superintendent 

*If you would like to understand more specific details about our approximate $6.8 million cost savings plan, please view this slide deck, and this video recording of the School Board meeting from last night. The budget overview starts at the 38-minute mark.