Episode 38: Texas School Finance with Austin ISD CFO Nicole Conley

“Austin is the single largest payer of recapture in the state.” - Nicole Conley On today’s episode we speak with Nicole Conley, Chief Financial Officer for the Austin Independent School District (AISD). In this role Nicole is responsible for AISD’s $1 billion+ annual operating funds and the over $800 million Bond program. She and Bingham Group CEO A.J. Bingham discuss AISD’s current fiscal position, the significant state mandated recapture (or Robin Hood) plays, and the what that means for the district. Under this system local tax dollars from property-rich districts, like Austin, are redistributed to property-poor districts. In Fiscal Year 2019, AISD anticipates the district will submit $669.6 million to the state in recapture funds. This amount is expected to increase by $115 million in Fiscal Year 2020. Both Texas House and Senate have put forth budget proposals to increase overall spending on public schools. This episode was recorded on February 20, 2019.