Conroe ISD has found itself navigating a financial strain, with a $12 million shortfall in the district's 2025 budget. The budget approved on August 20 by the board stood at $711.97 million, notably excluding employee raises for the first time. This financial predicament has propelled the Conroe ISD Board to lay the groundwork for a list of legislative priorities aimed at coaxing more funds from the state, as reported by the Houston Chronicle.

The crux of the issue, according to Trustee Stacey Chase, is the funding formula, which currently hinges on average daily attendance rather than enrollment numbers. With slightly over 74,000 students and an average daily attendance of 92.5%, Conroe ISD is losing out on potential state funds. "There is an imperative to talk about these things," Chase told the Houston Chronicle, emphasizing the urgent need for action against deficit spending linked directly to insufficient state action. Additional priorities include bolstering special education funding, which swelled to supporting 11,180 students for the upcoming year, an increase from the previous 9,680.

While addressing the shortfall, Conroe ISD is considering tapping into its fund reserves, a short-term fix that will be insufficient in forthcoming fiscal years. Karen Garza, Chief Financial Officer of CISD, indicated such action is on the table as they face a $11.9 million budget gap for 2024-25, though it's clear this won’t be a sustainable solution in the end. This scenario was detailed by Community Impact, which also outlined future fiscal strategies potentially including cuts, which the district might have to confront by December or January.

An education advocacy group, Raise Your Hand Texas, voiced concerns through its senior director Bob Popinski, who said to Community Impact, “There’s just a mix of things that are really pressuring school districts into having to make and adopt deficit budgets or cut programs, ... and that is a big problem moving into not only next school year, but the school year after.” This admission underscores the imminent challenges Conroe ISD and comparable districts may face as they approach the next legislative session, carving a path in hopes of a revised funding structure.