BEAUMONT, Texas — A judge has ruled against the appeal of the Beaumont Independent School District first brought forward in 2022.
Layoffs are not expected following the loss of the appeal.
This decision comes after a nearly year-long dispute with the Texas Comptroller's Office. A State Office Administrative Hearings (SOAH) judge made the ruling against the appeal. BISD found out about the ruling February 19, 2024, according to a BISD news release.
The judge's ruling creates a more than $6 million budget shortfall for the district, according to the release.
"Despite a compelling case by our legal team, the Comptroller's Office stood firm in not recognizing the validity of the arguments made in our defense," BISD Superintendent Dr. Shannon Allen said.
The district says they have made adjustments to accommodate the budget deficit.
Previously, BISD submitted closing arguments in appeal against the Texas Comptroller's Office.
In June 2023, school board members voted to approve a budget that didn't include teacher raises.
RELATED: Teacher raises not included in newly-approved Beaumont ISD $171M budget for upcoming school year
The $171 million budget didn't include raises due to a disagreement between Jefferson County and the comptroller's office.
District officials believe its attorneys presented a very strong case in support of Beaumont ISD receiving local values.
Beaumont ISD Superintendent Dr. Allen previously told 12News the district has had to appeal for property taxes once before a few years ago and they won. They are hoping to have that same fate again.