Reviewing and analyzing your district’s Maintenance & Operations Fund

     In Spring Branch ISD our M&O fund is around $200,988,709 at the compressed rate.  We are housed in center of Houston with the 3 largest districts in the state surrounding us.  SBISD is a member of Region 4.  Our student population was comprised of 28.1% Caucasian, 58.3% Hispanic, 5.1% African American, and 8.4% other.  In addition, we are comprised of 58.7% economically disadvantaged, 33.1% LEP, and 52.6% at risk.

     All these figures tie in to the money we are receiving from the state.  Currently our tax rate is 1.050 with an I&S fund rate of .20 with a Weighted ADA of 42,318.888.  Since we are considered a medium sized district with over 1600 students we receive an adjustment for that as well.  Due to our growing at risk and free and reduced lunch population and other special populations we are beginning to see a substantial amount of money from the state, which in combination with the WADA funds the M&O budget.

     In visiting with the various personnel that deal with a significant amount of the budget, we spend the majority of our operating budget on personnel.  The district's priorities are focused around instruction and the work that needs to be done with students in the classroom.  The rest of the operating budget is spent on Operations.  We spend money to support our special population kids and our LEP students in order to provide them with the services that they need in order to be successful.  As times change and budgets are tightened, we have seen an increase in class size, however; as a district we have not cut programing in order to provide what our accommodate all of our students needs.  In addition, we are working to stay competitive with all f our neighboring districts in regards to teacher salary and staff salaries so that we can hire the best teachers in our system.