Week 3, Part 4: Reviewing & Analyzing My District's M&O Fund

In the LISD, the Maintenance and Operations, or M&O, general fund revenue totaled $25,487,076. The source of funding is from local property tax revenues, other local sources (such as grants), state revenues, and federal sources. The local property tax rate of $1.46 consists of $1.17 for the M&O, and $0.29 for the I&S, Interest and Sinking debt service fund. Local property tax, excluding the I&S fund totals $10, 915,000. Other local sources included in the local revenue totals $275,360. State revenue for the M&O amounts to $14,256, 716. Federal funding sources equal $40,000. Local property tax accounts for 42.83% of total revenues. Other local sources total 1.08%. State revenues account for 55.94% of budget funding, while the federal sources amount to 0.16% of the budget.

The LISD Board of Trustees adopted a deficit budget of $26,124,116. The majority of the budget, $13,066,184 or 50.02% of the deficit budget is allocated to instruction. $12,008,209 in the instruction function is dedicated to salaries, including teachers and instructional aides at all five campuses. The remaining instruction funds are dedicated to contract services, supplies, and materials. Plant and maintenance operations is the next largest category, which accounts for 16.68% or $4,358,565. Of this, $1,825,108 is payroll cost. This includes the maintenance and custodial positions in the LISD. The remaining portion of plant and maintenance operations is allocated for contracted services, supplies and materials, and capital outlay. Maintaining facilities district-wide is accomplished through this allocation. Student transportation accounts for 7.04% or $1,838,411 of the local maintenance and operations budget. The transportation payroll totals $1,328,316. The remaining allocations to student transportation are for transportation routing software, fuel, and vehicle maintenance costs. Transportation costs account for a significant portion of the district because our district consists of over 600 square miles and encompasses seven populated areas (Bend, Copperas Cove, Izoro, Kempner, Killeen, Lampasas and Lometa) and portions of three counties (Bell, Burnet and Coryell). During the school year district buses travel over 500,000 miles. 5.96% of allocations of the district M&O ($1,557,400) are for school leadership, the majority of this being for payroll costs. The remaining allocations for the budget are no greater than 4% each and include Instructional Resources, Curriculum and Staff Development, Instructional Leadership, Guidance and Counseling, Social and Health Services, Co-curricular Activities, General Administration, and other services the district uses in day-to-day operations. Of the total M&O general fund 78% is designated for district payroll.