This week's College Station school board meeting included a fifth review of the proposed 2019-2020 school year budget.

Deputy Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer Mike Martindale reported the state legislature's passing of HB 3 created a net addition of approximately $6 million in the CSISD budget by decreasing the district’s projected recapture payment back to the state from $18 million to $400,000 and compressing the maintenance and operations tax rate from $1.04 to $0.97.

Final action will be considered during the CSISD board's August meeting.

According to a CSISD news release, the board was presented last month a projected budget deficit of $3.8 million for the 2019-2020 school year. With the new funding system in place, CSISD was able to give substantial raises to all employees through next year’s compensation plan, which was passed by the board in June. In addition, CSISD was able add several needed positions -- many to meet increasing needs in special education.

The changes in school funding, coupled with the aggressive compensation plan and the addition of new positions totals to a projected deficit budget of approximately $3.4 million, which would be covered by the district’s $37 million fund balance, or savings account.

CSISD adopted a budget with a deficit of $4.6 million for the 2018-2019 school year and is currently tracking at a lower deficit of approximately $1.9 million.