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The Keller ISD finance department presented an optimistic 2026-27 budget to school trustees at their June 11 meeting: a spending plan that would close a looming $12 million shortfall and even produce a small surplus.
Finance staffers propose to erase the projected deficit by leaving open positions unfilled; reducing department budgets; and drawing down a reserve fund for workers’ compensation. Expenditures for facilities and buildings remain intact — and employees will get a small pay increase.
“We were able to do department budgets and able to decrease those and not have to touch the building budgets,” Pamela Stranathan, chief financial officer, said.
The proposed budget projects total revenues of $346.4 million for fiscal year 2026-27. The 2025-26 budget was $340.3 million as approved by trustees June 26, 2025.
Trustees are scheduled to adopt the 2026-27 budget June 25. Certified property values from the Tarrant Appraisal District and final revenue calculations will follow in July, after which any necessary amendments will be considered.
“I feel like we need a drum roll,” Stranathan said. “Because I know there are several of us in this room that are sleeping much better over the last few days after finalizing what we’ve put together.”
To help balance the budget, the district will draw on its workers’ compensation reserve fund, currently $1.4 million above the required threshold.
On the state funding front, significant uncertainty remains. Keller Superintendent Cory Wilson said that, of the $8.5 billion approved by the Legislature for public education, the Texas Education Agency has only allocated $4 billion.
“We’re hopeful that we don’t receive less than we anticipate, but we have no idea what that’s going to be,” Wilson said.
The proposed budget also includes pay raises for employees. Those who are on salary schedules with built-in raises for certain milestones would receive those “step” increases plus 1%.
All other employees would receive a 1% across-the-board raise.
“It’s a pay raise … an actual across-the-board for everybody,” she said.
Eric Zarate is a freelance journalist. If you believe anything in this account is inaccurate, please email us at news@fortworthreport.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.
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