Coppell ISD adopts budget, sets tax rate

October 02, 2026

Coppell — Coppell ISD trustees unanimously adopted the district’s 2026–27 General Fund, Child Nutrition and Debt Service budgets, set a total property-tax rate of 98.57 cents per $100 of taxable valuation and approved academic, construction and policy measures during their Aug. 24 regular meeting.

The adopted budgets cover the fiscal year beginning Sept. 1, 2026, and ending Aug. 31, 2027. Trustees approved the tax rate in a separate 7–0 vote. No residents spoke during the budget hearing or the meeting’s open-forum period.

Budget and tax rate

Assistant Superintendent Amber Lasseigne told trustees the district expects about $159.1 million in General Fund revenue and approximately $162.6 million in expenditures, producing an estimated $3.5 million deficit.

The district had previously projected a deficit of about $12 million before developing a three-year balanced-budget plan, a zero-based staffing plan and other cost adjustments, Lasseigne said.

The 2026–27 budget assumes a taxable property value of about $19.27 billion, up 3.73% from the prior year. The district’s tax base is approximately 60% commercial and 40% residential, according to the presentation.

The total rate is 0.38 cents higher per $100 of taxable valuation than the prior year. District officials said the increase was needed to meet the district’s debt-service obligations.

The 74.78-cent maintenance-and-operations rate includes a 60.95-cent maximum compressed rate and 13.83 cents in voter-approved Tier II pennies.

The federally funded elementary child-nutrition program is budgeted to break even, while the self-funded secondary program is expected to finish with a small surplus. The Debt Service Fund is also expected to end with a small surplus. Those funds are separate from the General Fund and cannot be freely used to cover General Fund expenses.

The district is budgeting for about 12,900 enrolled students and an average daily attendance rate of 96%, or roughly 12,350 students for state-funding purposes.

Academic goals and curriculum

Trustees received updates on state-required House Bill 3 board goals for student outcomes in early literacy, mathematics and college, career and military readiness.

In third-grade reading, 89% of Coppell ISD students scored at the Approaches level or above on the spring 2026 STAAR reading-language arts assessment, while 74% met or mastered grade-level standards. The district’s annual goal was 78% at the Meets or Masters level.

Officials said the 2026 target was a four-point stretch goal and that Coppell’s year-over-year decline was generally consistent with declines reported among neighboring districts.

To support literacy growth, the district has begun using HMH’s “Into Reading” curriculum in kindergarten through fifth grade in English and Spanish. District officials said the program received full alignment scores for the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and English Language Proficiency Standards.

The plan includes classroom implementation monitoring, unit-preview meetings, professional learning and an increased focus on constructed-response writing.

In third-grade mathematics, 88% of students scored at approaches or above and 70% met or mastered the standard, meeting the district’s 69% goal. District leaders said they will focus on small-group instruction, math-workshop practices, use of instructional materials and strategies for student groups that need additional support.

The district’s college, career and military readiness rate increased from 83% for the Class of 2023 to 91% for the Class of 2025, according to Monica Champagne, director of advanced academics and career and technical education. The district’s goal for the Class of 2028 is 93%.

Students earned 655 industry-based certifications during the 2025–26 school year, compared with 631 the prior year and 579 in 2023–24, district officials said.

Construction and operations

The board approved replacement of the wood floor in Coppell High School’s practice gym and selected Northstar Builders Group as construction manager at risk for renovations to portions of Richard J. Lee Elementary.

Trustees also approved the 2026–27 District Professional Learning Plan, final 2025–26 budget amendments, the July 31 financial report and the district’s comprehensive dual-credit agreement with Dallas College.

The board adopted the 2026 certified appraisal roll, which lists a market value of about $24.5 billion and a taxable value of about $19.3 billion. The taxable value represented a 3.73% year-over-year increase, district officials said.

Policy and compliance

Trustees unanimously approved Texas Association of School Boards Policy Update 127, which modifies 11 local policies to reflect statutory and other policy updates.

The board also unanimously approved the district’s annual Senate Bill 12 compliance certification. District officials said the certification addresses state requirements concerning prohibited diversity, equity and inclusion duties, instructional provisions, staff training and vendor and contractor compliance.

The certification must be submitted to the Texas Education Agency by the end of September.

The board also approved five House Bill 3372 exemption requests involving Mary Kennington, Gerry Miller, Dr. Anita de la Isla, Dr. Amber Lasseigne and Dan McCready.

This article was created with artificial intelligence using public meeting materials and was edited by staff.