Texas comptroller launches financial reviews of Austin ISD and three other districts

Governor Greg Abbott requested a state-wide look at how Texas school districts allocate funds, prompting Comptroller Don Huffines to announce audits of Austin ISD, Barbers Hill ISD, Prosper ISD and El Paso ISD. The investigations will assess whether expenditures comply with state law and prioritize classroom spending over administrative expansion. Selection criteria for the four districts were not explained, but they represent a range of sizes and regions.

Austin ISD, the largest of the group, has seen a 14% drop in enrollment since 2015 and a 75% rise in per-student administrative costs, prompting the governor to suggest a 70% classroom-spending floor. The district has already restructured its central office to cut admin costs and claims more than 75% of its general fund now goes to classroom-level spending. The comptroller’s review must be finished by Dec. 31, and a final report will be released. Abbott and Huffines are both campaigning for re-election this year.