The Alamo Heights Independent School District Board of Trustees approved the 2024–25 budget, adopted a tax-rate resolution and delegated authority to the superintendent to meet state recapture obligations at its Aug. 14 regular meeting.

Mr. Stryger, speaking for district finance staff, said the budget before trustees shows a $1,600,000 general-fund deficit for 2024–25 after a series of reductions and after including retention payments for eligible staff. "The budget that we present with you, to you tonight, does show a $1,600,000 deficit," he said, and described the five-year funding context: the districts basic allotment has not increased since 2019 and projected state revenue increases earlier in the legislative cycle were not appropriated in final budgets.

Stryger said the district is budgeting a $78,000,000 general fund and forecasted that approximately $25,000,000 would be recaptured by the state. He described personnel- and contract-related reductions, including not refilling more than 20 positions and an estimated $2,164,000 reduction in payroll compared with the prior year. The proposed 2024–25 budget includes one-time retention payments: $1,000 for eligible professional staff and $500 for eligible paraprofessionals.

Trustees discussed the operational effects. One trustee said the district has not enacted layoffs but has allowed natural attrition that has increased class sizes. "Where we're all feeling it as parents and as trustees is that our class sizes have gone up as a result," the trustee said.

On the tax rate, district staff said the combined proposed rate is 0.9662 per $100 valuation, modestly lower than the prior years 0.9666. The maintenance-and-operations (M&O) component is 0.7512 and the debt service component is 0.2150.

Board action and related votes recorded in the meeting minutes include:

- Approval of the 2024–25 budget as presented (motion moved; second by Trustee Elmhurst; voice vote: motion carries).

- Adoption of the 2024 tax-rate resolution (motion moved; second: recorded; voice vote: motion carries). The combined rate was set at 0.9662 per $100 valuation.

- Adoption of a resolution to modify bank depository signers (motion moved; second recorded; voice vote: motion carries).

- Delegation of authority to obligate the district for recapture compliance: Trustee Ty moved to "delegate contractual authority to obligate the school district under Texas Education Code ... to the superintendent solely for the purpose of obligating the district under TEC 48.257 and TEC chapter 49," the motion passed by voice vote. The motion authorized the superintendent to approve agreements to purchase attendance credits or otherwise comply with statute and TEA rules.

Board members emphasized the limits of local control over revenue and the timing pressures created by state recapture and late-arriving legislative decisions. Several trustees and the superintendent said they will continue to seek state-level relief and that planning for the 2025–26 budget will begin immediately.

Why it matters: the budget and tax-rate approvals set spending and revenue expectations for the year and lock in decisions that affect staffing levels, class size and local debt service. The delegation to the superintendent formalizes a method for meeting state recapture obligations, a significant outflow from local operating revenues.

Ending: trustees approved consent items and scheduled follow-up work on facilities, curriculum and budget advisory planning for 2025–26.