Godley ISD school board trustees held a second workshop on the 2025-26 budget on June 9, 2025, at Godley 6th Grade Campus.

Chief Financial Officer Spencer Davis led the board through a second review of the proposed budget, which is being considered earlier this year because of a change in the fiscal year for a July start.

Budget priorities are:

• Ensure current staff positions are secure through proposing a balanced budget
• Continue to invest in the safety and security of the district, including technology protections
• Increase pay across the entire staff while protecting the existing and future fund balance

Davis reviewed recently passed school finance legislation that was signed into law by the governor.  For school districts with less than 5,000 in student enrollment, the new law primarily provides a significant raise for classroom teachers - $8,000 if they have five or more years of experience and $4,000 for those with 3-4 years of experience.  Also included is a per-student allotment to increase salaries for counselors, librarians, nurses and other non-administrative support staff as well as teachers who do not qualify for raises under the allotment.

School districts are still awaiting guidance from the Texas Education Agency for the implementation of these raises, so the budget adopted later this month will not likely include those funds.  Instead, once the agency issues its guidance, a budget amendment will be proposed, and staff members will receive their salary increases on time - except for 12-month employees, who will receive retroactive pay in addition to their new monthly salary.

Other parts of the new school finance law include increases in special education funding as well as allotments for basic operating expenses, early education, small and mid-size schools, school safety and early literacy.

The homestead exemption will likely increase to $140,000 for homeowners’ primary residences, if state voters approve a constitutional amendment in November.  Homeowners aged 65 or older or those with disabilities would also see an increase, and business owners could be exempted up to $125,000 of business inventory.

The proposed tax rate of $1.2722 per $100 of property valuation includes a slight decrease in the district’s maintenance and operation tax rate from $0.7869 to $0.7722 due to mandatory tax rate compression.  The interest and sinking tax rate for debt service would remain at $0.50.

Along with breakdowns of the overall proposed budget, Davis reviewed a public meeting notice to discuss the budget and proposed tax rate during the regular monthly meeting scheduled for Monday, Jun.16, when trustees will approve the 2025-26 budget.  Salaries will likely be considered in July, with the tax rate on the August agenda.

The proposed budget is available on the district website at www.godleyisd.net/budget.