August 1, 2022

During a special meeting on July 27, the DSISD Board of Trustees approved Elaine Cogburn by a 6-0 vote as the district’s Deputy Superintendent for Finance and Operations. 

Cogburn brings 27 years of experience working in school district finance, developing and overseeing fast-growth school district budgets of varying sizes. She served as the DSISD Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations from August 2013 until December 2018.

As the Deputy Superintendent, Cogburn will be the senior administrative officer of the district in the absence of the Superintendent. The Deputy Superintendent is designated as the Chief Operational Officer and is granted primary authority to substantially and effectively support the Superintendent’s role to ensure high levels of performance and collaboration across all district functions, schools, and departments.

Most recently, Cogburn spent three years as the Chief Financial Officer for Leander ISD where she has been in charge of all financial aspects for the 43,000-student district, including budget and compliance, accounting, payroll, accounts payable, federal grants and investments, and Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS).

While with Leander ISD, Cogburn developed a November 2022 plan for a 6-cent tax rate reduction, introduced and implemented more transparent financial reports and budget documents, implemented an improved budgeting process, and revamped an accounting/reporting system for outstanding bond authorizations and funds.  

Prior to Leander, Cogburn served as the Executive Director for Financial Services for Plano ISD where she oversaw a $755 million budget. She assisted in the implementation of House Bill 3 raises and funding changes, and formulated a more equitable method for allocating funds to the district’s 72 campuses.
 

While with DSISD, Cogburn assisted in the development and passage of two bond elections and a Tax Ratification Election (TRE) with no overall tax rate increase. She also redesigned the employee benefits package creating Health Savings Accounts and Health Reimbursement Accounts.

“Having Elaine return to DSISD to serve as Deputy Superintendent is going to bring exceptional value to our team and our taxpayers. She is a trusted and respected leader in the area of school finance in the state of Texas and we are thrilled she has made the decision to come back to Dripping Springs. Fast-growth districts face many complex challenges and I am confident her expertise will be invaluable as we work to serve the students, families, and staff of DSISD. I appreciate the board’s full support to add this valuable position to our leadership team,” commented Superintendent Dr. Holly Morris-Kuentz. 

Cogburn began her career as a Programs Accountant for Lubbock ISD in 1995 before serving as Assistant Director of Finance and CFO for Frenship ISD for 10 years. She also worked for three school districts in the DFW area before arriving in Dripping Springs. 

Cogburn holds a Master’s Degree in Accounting and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). She is also a Registered Texas School Business Administrator (RTBSA) and a Licensed Insurance Agent (Texas) in property, health, and life, and serves as a two-term board member for the Texas Association of School Business Officials, a statewide organization that provides training and resources for school districts across the state. She will begin her role as Deputy Superintendent for DSISD in September.