Bryan ISD examines cost-cutting measures in budget workshop meeting

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – The Bryan ISD board of trustees held a workshop meeting Monday, where an update on the district’s budget planning process was heard.

School districts across the state are tightening their purse strings, and Bryan ISD is no exception. As the district crafts its budget for next school year, they’re looking for ways to save money without sacrificing learning.

The current budget crisis is caused in part by the end of pandemic relief funds, rising inflation, and a continued lack of additional education funding from the Texas legislature.

Bryan ISD officials confirmed they are not considering layoffs, though some open positions at the central office will remain unfilled for now.

“We’re asking everybody else to step up and do more and it’s not fair that we don’t do it as well,” Kevin Beesaw, Assistant Superintendent for Business Services, said.

KBTX learned Monday that the duties of those positions are being split up among employees in the central office.

Barbara Ybarra, Associate Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, said they’re taking on the extra work to keep funding in more critical areas.

“When we do this with each other and we get this as a team, we’re more likely to find those great solutions, those great ideas. Everyone gives a little so no one has to give everything,” Ybarra said.

Nearly 90% of the district’s budget is allocated toward payroll.

As a result, the district has turned its focus toward creative solutions to cut costs, turning to individual campuses for input as they work to finalize next school year’s budget.

“We often say the brightest minds closest to the problem often have the best solutions,” Ybarra said.

The team effort is estimated to cut millions from the district’s budget, through measures such as taking on duties from open positions and adjusting student-teacher ratios in some elementary grades.

It’s all to ensure that students and staff aren’t affected by the budgetary challenges.

“It’s an atypical year for building a budget in public schools. But again, the big difference is that we’re doing this together as a team,” Ybarra said.

District officials have said the proposed budget will be presented to the board for approval in June.