As local school districts approve new budgets for fiscal year 2025-26, officials are highlighting how their budgets were helped by $8.4 billion in funding from the state’s new House Bill 2.

However, while the bill pumped billions into teacher pay, special education and insurance, officials in Alvin and Pearland ISDs said the funding didn’t go far enough to address rising costs.

What you need to know

PISD approved its budget with a surplus in late June. Superintendent Larry Berger said the state funding helped, but noted that “thoughtful reductions,” the district’s fund balance and prioritizing items that directly impacted students all helped bridge the gap.

“Like many districts across Texas, we faced continued pressure from rising operational costs, inflation, and the need to remai

See Full Page