ACC Board Adopts Balanced 2027 Budget

AUSTIN, TX 

     The Austin Community College District (ACC) Board of Trustees unanimously approved a balanced budget for fiscal year 2027 (FY27) during its regular meeting on Monday, July 6.

    The $583 million budget maintains student tuition and mandatory fees for the 13th consecutive year, includes increased employee compensation, supports continued enrollment growth, and funds ongoing campus maintenance and renewal projects.

FY27 Overall Budget at a Glance

• $583 million balanced operating budget

• Tuition and mandatory fees unchanged for the 13th consecutive year

• 2% annual raise plus a one-time lump-sum payment for employees

• $23/hour minimum wage maintained

• $10.4 million invested in repair and renewal projects across ACC campuses

      “Our responsibility as a Board is to ensure the College remains financially strong today while positioning it for tomorrow,” said ACC Board of Trustees Chair Sean Hassan. “This balanced budget reflects ACC’s long-standing conservative approach to careful financial planning, responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars, and our continued commitment to investing in the people and programs that make ACC such an important resource for Central Texas. I am proud of the work the Board continues to do to support the

College and our students, while honoring our commitment to taxpayers and balancing the challenges of economic and funding shifts in our region and across the state.

Planning for What Is Ahead: Budget Impacts

    The FY27 budget is funded through three primary revenue streams—two of which have seen significant shifts over the past year.

• State Appropriations: Changes to funding formulas and models are underway

• Property Tax Revenue: Down for the first time in 17 years

• Tuition & Fees: Remain unchanged for 13 consecutive years upon ACC’s commitment to keep college affordable

Impacts from these shifts were anticipated and factored into the budget planning.

     “At a time when so many institutions are facing cuts and other hard realities, I’m proud of the work our leadership team has done through routine planning and ongoing operational efficiencies to keep ACC in a position where we can continue investing in our community,” said ACC Chancellor Dr. Russell

Lowery-Hart. “Our responsibility is to make decisions that meet today’s challenges while preparing students and our region for tomorrow. That’s how we build a college that’s ready for what’s next.”

Supporting Students

The FY27 budget:

• Holds tuition and mandatory fees flat for the 13th consecutive year

• Supports continued enrollment growth across the district

• Continues to fund the College’s Free Tuition pilot program

• Funds additional instructional capacity to meet student demand

• Includes $10.4 million for campus repair and renewal projects, including building maintenance,

furniture replacement, and programmatic renovations that help maintain learning environments across ACC campuses

Supporting Employees

    The FY27 budget also includes:

• A 2% annual salary increase

• A one-time lump-sum stipend of $1,700 for full-time employees

• Continued support for a $23-per-hour minimum wage at the College

• No changes to employee health benefits despite a 7.5% increase in state insurance premiums

  The FY27 budget takes effect September 1, 2026.