At the May 7, 2026 Board meeting, RISD leadership shared an overview of the district\u2019s financial outlook and proposed compensation plans for the 2026\u20132027 school year. The goal remains aligned with the district\u2019s \u201cNorth Star Goal\u201d of ensuring academic growth for all students and leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
RISD\u2019s multi-year general fund forecast shows a gradual decline in revenue, projected to decrease from approximately $420.3 million in 2025\u20132026 to $381.9 million by 2029\u20132030. To address this, the district has planned annual budget reductions of $25.7 million beginning in 2026\u20132027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a result, the fund balance is expected to steadily decrease and could reach a projected deficit of $4.59 million by 2029\u20132030 if district expenses are not reduced and enrollment trends continue to decline locally, statewide, and nationally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To remain competitive in attracting and retaining talent, RISD reviewed compensation data from neighboring districts, including Northwest ISD and McKinney ISD. RISD continues to pay the highest level of compensation in DFW for experienced teachers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two compensation options were presented to the board for 2026\u20132027. Both include salary increases for teachers and staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the goal of supporting and retaining high-quality staff for student success, the board is moving forward with adopting compensation option A, which will be officially approved during the June board meeting as part of the 2026-2027 Budget adoption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Option A:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n The board heard a report on the district\u2019s Middle School Transformation<\/a> initiative, which aims to prepare facilities for the arrival of 6th-grade students by August 2028. The construction plan encompasses the six current junior high campuses and follows a phased approach to ensure all schools remain fully operational throughout the process. Forest Meadow Middle School and Lake Highlands Middle School were completed as part of Bond 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The project includes comprehensive additions, renovations, and replacements for: Apollo Junior High, Liberty Junior High, Richardson North Junior High, Park Hill Junior High, Richardson West Junior High, and Westwood Junior High. Information and updates on these projects can be found under the Feature Projects section of the Bond 2025 Project webpage.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n All projects align with the district’s North Star Goal to ensure every student, teacher, and leader meets or exceeds academic growth goals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Maintaining student and staff safety is the top priority. All campuses will remain operational during construction. Additional project milestones include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Middle School Construction<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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