Budget
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Denton ISD’s Budget Hangs in the Balance
We are in the people business. And the truth is, people cost money.
There’s no one more important to your child’s growth and learning than the classroom teacher.
Denton ISD recruits to find qualified educators who create the magic that happens when great instruction is delivered in the classroom.
The fact is, however...
Our students also need great administrators, counselors, nurses, librarians, cafeteria workers, bus drivers and office support staff. And there are some students who need special services, too, like gifted and talented, Career & Technology Education (CTE) or special education services. To add to the expense, we also try to ensure your child has a well-rounded learning experience, so we also employ coaches, band directors, theater teachers, academic and club sponsors, and more.
Currently, more than 80 percent of Denton ISD’s total operating budget is used to cover labor costs for employees, covering both salaries and benefits. This means when funding falls short, there is little to no capacity to make significant budget cuts without impacting positions and people.
School districts rely on three primary sources of funding
Local: Property taxes paid by homeowners and businesses make up the majority of the revenue (82.4 percent) Denton ISD receives. Property values are determined by the Denton County Appraisal District (DCAD).
State: Texas school districts receive funding based on student attendance. Denton ISD gets about 15.9 percent of its operating budget from the state, but this share is shrinking as property values rise. Meanwhile, the state’s basic allotment remains at $6,160 per student, unchanged since 2019 despite inflation of more than 20 percent.
Federal: Federal revenues are directed toward reimbursements only and make up 1.7 percent of the operating budget revenue.
Texas public schools need a $1,340 basic allotment increase to match inflation
That funding is divided into four main areas
The general fund accounts for the district’s operating budget and supports the district’s daily operations. It is broken down into the following main
funding areas:
Instruction: basic instruction, library and media services, professional development, instructional leadership, school leadership, guidance and counseling, social work services, health services and extra/co-curricular activities.
District operations: child nutrition, student transportation, facilities maintenance, security and data processing services.
General administration: costs primarily associated with administrative operations of the district.
Other: community services, extended school day, employee childcare centers, payments to fiscal agents.
Denton ISD has one of the best teacher retention rates in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex at 81.8 percent
Prioritizing Students & Staff
As we move forward with the budget-building process, Denton ISD remains committed to:
- retaining all of our exceptional teachers and staff within our district
- maintaining all existing employee benefits
- searching for any and all efficiencies within the operating budgets
- protecting student programs and services
- attempting to generate a balanced budget that includes some consideration for employee pay
Take a closer look at Denton ISD's Tax Rate.