Faced with a budget crunch, Austin public school officials are considering leasing naming rights on stadiums.

Why it matters: District officials are looking for ways to bridge a budget gap in ways that don't affect teaching and learning.

The big picture: The Legislature last increased per-student funding in 2019, leaving school districts scrambling for ways to make ends meet.

• Gov. Greg Abbott has vowed to pass a voucher bill next year, which would provide public funding for private school tuition, likely further pinching school budgets.

By the numbers: The Austin school district faces a $92 million deficit on its $954 million operating budget, even after a voter-approved property tax increase.

Driving the news: During a budget reduction strategy presentation last month, Austin schools superintendent Matias Segura touched on ways to cut spending and raise money.

• That includes selling naming rights. Districtwide facilities, including House Park and Burger Stadium, could feature branded names, in the vein of Q2 Stadium or the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, per the district newsletter.
• In total, the Austin district has six athletics facilities.

What they're saying: On the naming rights matter, Segura said, "We haven't been as aggressive or put energy behind what this could look like."

Zoom out: Other potential deficit-closing measures include selling or leasing Austin ISD facilities, reorganizing bus routes, eliminating portable classrooms that are costly to maintain — the district currently operates more than 400 — and slimming down property insurance, per Segura's presentation.

The school district has not attached numbers to the strategies.

What's next: The district will hold meetings via Zoom from 6-7pm today and again on Zoom from 11am-noon Dec. 14.

• Both meetings will be available in English and Spanish.

The bottom line: "We're doing something impossibly hard that we have no choice but to do," Austin school district trustee Lynn Boswell said after the presentation.

Nearly a quarter of Austin metro area workers are still clocking in from home as of 2023, per the latest Census Bureau data.

Zoom in: The Austin figure is the second-highest percentage among American metro areas, the highest in Texas and well above the national average.

• Still, it's clear that some local workers are returning to the office. The latest figure is down from a peak of 32% in 2021 and 28% in 2022.

Flashback: Austin saw the biggest net gain of remote workers of any major city in 2020-21, per a New York Times analysis.

What's next: The incoming Trump administration is likely to push the country's federal workforce back into the office — largely as a way to trim headcount.

• That could especially affect D.C.'s ranking here.

💭 Our thought bubble: We're writing this newsletter from our couches.

💰 Local taxpayers could have to ante up nearly $1 billion to pay for a system of planned public spaces from Airport Boulevard to Holly Street as part of the I-35 expansion project. (Austin Chronicle)

🗳️ Following state Rep. Dade Phelan's exit from the Texas House speaker's race, Rep. David Cook, R-Mansfield, won the endorsement of the Republican caucus — but Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, claimed he had the support of enough Democrats and Republicans to win the gavel. (Austin American-Statesman)

📱 A state lawmaker has introduced a bill that would bar minors from using social media. (Texas Tribune)

Here's what's on deck for your work week.

Monday

🎵 Listen to music from Patty Griffin, Adrian Quesada, Spoon's Britt Daniel and more during a concert for East Austin immigrant shelter Casa Marianella. Tickets start at $40 and show starts at 7pm at ACL Live at The Moody Theater.

Tuesday

🍻 Mix and mingle at KUT & KUTX's Connections, where you'll receive a wristband to let people know whether you're looking for love or new friends. Free from 7-9:30pm at Austin Beerworks.

🚂 Ride the Zilker Eagle mini train during the Trail of Lights from 6-9:30pm. Special holiday hours kick off Tuesday and run through Dec. 23.

• Tickets are $6 and can be purchased at the train depot.

Wednesday

🎷 See Kenny G perform during his Holiday and Hits Tour at 8pm at the Paramount Theatre. Limited amount of tickets still available online.

🤠 Dance along to music by George Carver and Libby and The Loveless at Sam's Town Point starting at 7pm. Cover at the door.

Thursday

🩰 Catch Ventana Ballet's "Watchmaker's Song," a jazzy and interactive reimagining of "The Nutcracker," at the Neill-Cochran House Museum. Weekend one kicks off with a performance at 7:30pm, and tickets start at $45.

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Mosey into the backyard of South Austin's Far Out Home Fittings and you'll find more than 150 letters in every font, size and color.

They once worked together to spell the names of businesses on signs across town. Now, the letters stand on their own, scattered throughout the store's backyard.

How it works: Owner Kevin Johnson has "a letter guy," he tells Axios.

• "He's owned a sign company for like 35 years," Johnson said. "Whenever he's taking down signs he gives me a call."

Zoom in: Johnson has the letters from original ThunderCloud Sub signs and 6-foot-tall letters from an old Target sign that he once set up to spell "GREAT."

• The most popular and hardest letter to find? "X."
• "People like to do 'ATX' for their backyard" but most businesses don't have X in their name, Johnson says.

📍 If you go: Letters can range from $15-$40, depending on the size. Acrylic and LED versions can cost up to $65, Johnson says.

• Find them at 1500 W. Ben White Blvd.

The bottom line: "There's definitely a customer base of people wanting to add a little oomph to their yard," Johnson said.