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Trustees for San Antonio’s Judson Independent School District voted on Thursday to approve a $271 million operating budget for the 2025-2026 school year.
Including last-minute cuts made Monday night, Judson trustees and district leaders have shaved off nearly $10 million from next year’s projected deficit since April, including nearly $9 million in reduced expenses.
But without further changes, Judson’s newly adopted budget is still projected to cut the district’s fund balance almost in half by June 2026.
Before the vote Thursday evening, Board President Monica Ryan said this was not a budget she was happy to approve.
“This is a deficit I'm not happy with. It is taking us to a fund balance I am not happy with,” she said. “But I'm going to push the 'Yes' button because I have confidence and hope that we have started a path where we are looking across the entire district at efficiencies. And I know that's going to move a lot of people's cheese, but I can at least see a path and a commitment of this board to getting us right sized.”
“And I don't believe this will end up being the 25-26 budget,” she told the superintendent. “We're going to make changes, and we're going to find things, and your whole team is committed to this.”
The budget adopted Thursday projects a $37 million deficit next year, which would leave less than two months of operating expenses in Judson’s fund balance. Because budgets set limits on expenditures, districts usually spend less than their budgets.
Judson officials will bring an amendment to the budget in July that will take into account the new school funding law.
CFO Larry Guerra said the district expects to gain roughly $5.7 million in “new money” from House Bill 2, beyond funding earmarked for raises. But he’s budgeting for most of that new money to be eaten up by an increase in health insurance costs.
District administrators want to ask voters for a tax rate increase in the fall, which would give Judson a new revenue stream. But even if voters agree, further cuts will be needed to keep Judson’s fund balance above the recommended three months of reserves.
Ryan is skeptical of the idea of a Voter Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE). But Trustee José Macias Jr. is eager for it.
“That way, we don't have to make drastic cuts,” Macias said. “Because I can promise you, if we don't put it on the ballot, and if we don't vote and it doesn't win, we're going to have to cut in a manner that is going to be very painful for our community.”
Guerra said a 3.5 cent VATRE — the same rate Judson adopted temporarily last year — would reduce the deficit to $23 million.
A VATRE for the full amount of enrichment pennies allowed by the state would cut the deficit to about $14.5 million. But without cutting expenses too, even the full VATRE would leave Judson with just 2.9 months of expenses in the fund balance next year.
Judson ISD is the fourth largest district in Bexar County, with more than 23,000 students.
