State lawmakers may soon be receiving an invitation to attend a school district budget workshop.

After wading into the first budget workshop of 2025 last Thursday, Mineola ISD Trustee Jill Quiambao said she would like to invite State Senator Bryan Hughes of Mineola to sit in on the session.

“I really don’t think they have a clue,” Quiambao said. “I invite them to come sit through this meeting.”

Her remarks came in response to hearing that Mineola ISD will be facing budget cuts for the second straight year in order to pass a balanced budget.

That is happening despite the fact the state lawmakers approved an education funding bill that does send some extra money to districts – unlike two years ago when the funding package died, held hostage by interests who wanted to see the state adopt education vouchers to help families pay for private schools with public money.

The voucher program was implemented this session, which just concluded, along with education funding.

But rather than put the funds into the student allotment – the amount of state money districts receive on a per-student basis, the lawmakers targeted much of the new funding into specific areas.

“The tough part is it gives districts zero flexibility,” Superintendent Cody Mize said, adding that almost all of the new funds are earmarked.

Business manager Keith Sparkman reviewed some of the ways the legislature is sending more money to districts, with restrictions.

The basic allotment went up by only $55 per students, which does not come close to covering cost increases since the allotment was last raised.

Some of the allotments fund small expenses, such as the early literacy intervention fund which will give the district $12,800.

One of the large increases is titled “teacher retention” and gives teachers significant pay raises. Those raises were a victim of the political gamesmanship in the last session two years ago.

Teachers with 3-4 years experience will get a $4,000 a year raise and those with five or more will get $8,000.

Larger districts will get less for teacher raises.

Another fund for non-teacher raises (nurses, librarians, aides, custodians and cafeteria workers) will give them about $600 each, which Sparkman said is about enough to cover the increasing cost of employee health insurance.

The district’s transportation expenses have gone up $665,000 since 2019, and Sparkman said communication with Sen. Hughes’ staff may have helped to put some state money toward those costs, but only about a third.

Sparkman said he is still gathering information to firm up the budget, with the district’s property values one of the main factors, which won’t be known until sometime later in July.

“We’re waiting on puzzle pieces,” he said.

Just like two years ago, districts will be waiting on voters to approve another increase in the homestead and senior citizen tax exemptions on they property values.

The exemption was raised from $40,000 to $100,000 in 2023 and is proposed to go to $140,000 this year, with an additional $60,000 for senior citizens to total $200,000.

Many homeowners around the state saw their property tax bills drop significantly, some all the way to zero.

Sparkman explained that the change two years ago cost MISD about $1 million, when the exemptions were made retroactive without compensation from the state.

He said the district is still “chasing” that loss.

Trustees also got a look at what is remains from the 2022 school bond that built the new primary campus.

It was also planned to build a new automotive shop and remodel the elementary school into a career and technical education center for the high school.

But with estimates for that work to cost $6-7 million, the fund is down to about $2.5 million thanks to higher costs to construct the new school.

The board accepted resignations from 4th grade science teacher Sandra Jason, who will be joining Quitman ISD as assistant junior high principal, and Joe Ryzman, middle school PE coach, who will be joining Lindale ISD as a teacher.

The board also accepted the resignation of trustee Tony Forsyth, whose term expires next May.

Among the district’s new hires, retired high school principal Mike Sorenson is rejoining MISD after two years as the 6th grade PE teacher and athletic coordinator, replacing Ryzman.

Two persons were hired for the high school to take the positions vacated by Shelby Turner.

Eddie Godina is the new soccer coach, and Doug Hearn is the new auto mechanics teacher.

Also joining the district teaching staff are Jaymi Rayna as 6th grade English language arts/reading, Kristin Webb as 7th grade English language arts/reading and Taylor Crane as 4th grade math. Rosa Pescador joins Head Start as a paraprofessional.