The following letter from Superintendent Dr. Schnautz was shared with GCISD parents and staff on Tuesday, June 10.
GCISD Family,
I hope you are enjoying the first few weeks of summer and a slight reprieve from the hustle and bustle of a school year. While you typically do not hear from me again until closer to the beginning of the school year, the 89th Legislative Session officially came to an end on June 2, and there are some key updates that I want to share with you.
This session, of the nearly 1,500 bills and joint resolutions filed for public education, 107 bills and joint resolutions passed. While we do not have enough details yet to communicate the impact of all of those on GCISD, this will be our first update of many as we prepare for the 2025-2026 school year.
You are all very aware that our main priority in this session was an increase to public school funding. House Bill 2, which addressed this need, was signed by the governor June 4. However, as you may know, this bill saw many changes from the original house version and the majority of this increased funding is not in the form of raising the basic allotment.
Here are the highlights of House Bill 2:
$4.2 billion for new teacher retention and support staff allotment
$1.3 billion in the “Allotment for Basic Costs”
$430 million increase in the school safety allotment
$250 million for new special education funding system
$55 increase in the basic allotment (reflects a .89% increase in funding while experiencing more than 20% inflation since the last increase to the basic allotment in 2019)
We are grateful for the efforts made by our elected officials this session to prioritize funding for public education, but our district must continue to make adjustments that are sustainable for any hope of continued compensation increases for our staff and to maintain the high level of educational programming and opportunities for our students.
As we move forward, the continued support and partnership of our entire GCISD community will be more crucial than ever. It's vital that we rely on accurate information and direct communication from the district as we navigate these changes together. We understand that not every decision will be universally popular, but our shared goal is to maintain a focus on our students and their success, and achieving that requires a united and informed community.
Last night, we held a Budget Workshop where important information was shared about legislative finance updates, compensation options, and other funding sources as we head into the 2025-2026 school year. Click here to hear the discussion. Additionally, at the Board of Trustees regular monthly meeting, set for 5:30 p.m. Monday, June 16, the final budget for the 2025-2026 school year will be presented for adoption, as well as the compensation plan for the 2025-2026 school year. This meeting will be available to live stream on the district’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/GCISDTV.
The months and years ahead will undoubtedly be full of challenges, but our priority remains providing the best possible education and opportunities for every student in GCISD and taking excellent care of our dedicated employees and staff. Your partnership is invaluable as we prepare for the 2025-2026 school year and beyond.
I’ll be in touch again soon.
Dr. Brad Schnautz
Superintendent
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD