Administrators expressed their frustrations during a work session Tuesday about delays in getting the necessary data to draft next year’s budget as the start of a new fiscal year looms on Sept. 1.

Their frustrations are tied to the second special session of the Texas Legislature, which ended late Thursday. The $18 million property tax cut dries up the primary revenue source for public schools.

Charlotte Bynum, chief financial officer for Lufkin ISD, said she was still waiting on worksheets from the Texas Education Agency that would reveal the new tax roll that factors in the $100,000 homestead exemption and the compressed tax rate mandated by the new legislation.

The deal will have to be approved by voters Nov. 2, which leaves local districts up in the air about the future financial picture.

State officials have vowed to make up the revenue shortfalls from the $12.6 billion surplus.

Sen. Paul Bettencourt, who sponsored the package, said homesteaders will save an average of $1,300 a year in property taxes, plus a rate cut of 10.7 cents per $100 for all homeowners and business properties, according to a July 13 article in the Texas Tribune.

That’s based on increasing homestead exemptions from $40,000 to $100,000 and compressing tax rates.

Properties that don’t qualify for the homestead exemption will be subject to a temporary 20% cap on appraisal increases — the main source of the budget-busting increases most Texas property owners have experienced.

Bynum said Gov. Greg Abbott has plans to hold another special session to address teacher pay, but it’s slated to start in September.

Superintendent Lynn Torres suggested Abbott’s scheduling was a deliberate effort to keep teachers from descending on the capitol en masse.

Middle school construction update

Stephen Berry of Berry & Clay Construction said 17 additional classrooms will be ready for students in August. Those classrooms are in the “old E” section, he added.

Although they are located in an older building, he shared photos that show new paint, cabinet fixtures and flooring that provide a brand-new appearance.

Berry expects furniture for those classrooms to arrive next Tuesday.

Masonry on the front of the building is nearly completed, as is paving at the entranceway.

Berry said workers are continuing with the planned demolition of one of the older structures, which will clear the way to pave the final segments of the entrance.

Those areas were scheduled later to prevent heavy truck traffic from damaging the new pavement.

Another 11 classrooms in the “new E” section will be turned over to the district in August — but not quite in time for the first day of school, Berry said. That section also includes a new teachers’ lounge.

The former girls’ gym has been demolished, but many of the bricks have made their way to members of the Class of 1983 girls’ athletic teams, according to Torres.

Staffing and stipends

Trustee Matt Knight questioned staff to student ratios for Lufkin ISD.

Knight said Longview ISD’s staff is 5% smaller than Lufkin’s — and Lufkin has 1,000 fewer students.

Daniel Spikes said there are 17 vacancies in the professional staff as of Tuesday’s meeting.

Torres suggested that the financial uncertainty may mean those positions remain vacant — and at least partially address Knight’s concern about a bloated staff roster.

No action was taken during Tuesday’s work session. The board will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday in the administrative building, 102 Cotton Square in Lufkin.