Houston quickly depleting its fund reserves

In 2022, Houston ISD had enough reserves to cover more than seven months of spending — well above the state's 75-day (2.5-month) benchmark. But after three years of increased spending and a sharp revenue drop in 2024-25, the district now ranks 6th among 11 urban districts.

Note: A district's reserves runway is calculated, according to TEA, by adding its assigned and unassigned fund balances, dividing it by their operational expenditures, then multiplying by 12. TEA’s benchmark is 75 days (2.5 months) of reserves. The Tribune’s analysis uses financial data submitted to TEA each reporting cycle and does not adjust for subsequent amendments submitted by individual districts.
Source: Texas Education AgencyCredit: Rob Reid