AISD budget deficit and the Texas Legislature
A new parliament will begin soon. Throughout this month, 7 On Your Side will be covering some of the biggest issues at the state Capitol. That includes education after Congress failed to pass a school funding measure during the last session. As a result, districts across Central Texas, including Austin ISD, are in the red.
Austin, Texas – The new parliament begins in a week. Education will be among the key issues facing lawmakers after Congress failed to pass a school funding bill last session. Against this backdrop, districts across Central Texas, including Austin ISD, are in the red.
“When I was on the board, we had never had a deficit this large,” said Arati Singh, Austin ISD board president.
Singh is concerned about the current $92 million budget deficit, which is about 10% of the overall budget.
“It’s tough. It’s not easy,” Singh said.
“I’m definitely concerned as a school leader,” said Lively Middle School Principal Melissa Rodriguez.
In fact, about two-thirds of Central Texas school districts are currently operating in the red, and many ISD leaders say state funding for public schools has stagnated.
“There is something historic happening here where our country chooses not to fund public education,” Singh said.
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In 2023, Gov. Greg Abbott’s school choice voucher plan failed, and related public school funding measures such as teacher pay increases, increased career training for students, and increases in so-called “base quotas” stalled. . The amount of money a school district receives per student from the state. Since 2019, the base allocation has been fixed at $6,160 despite significant inflation.
“We rank near the bottom nationally in per-student funding,” Singh said. “This is not based on what it actually costs to educate a child.”
Singh also pointed to increased costs associated with House Bill 3, the School Safety Act of 2023.
On top of that, Austin ISD pays hundreds of millions of dollars in school property taxes to the state each year in a method known as “capture” to equalize wealth among Texas school districts. AISD paid $699 million last year, the highest amount in the state. This amount is based on local property values.
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“Well, that’s (unfair) because the value of real estate has little to do with the needs of students in the city,” Singh said. “More than half of our students are economically disadvantaged.”
So, with the $92 million shortfall in mind, a committee was formed and spent the fall considering how to make it up over three years. The plan was presented to the board in December.
“It’s difficult,” Superintendent Matias Segura said at the Dec. 12 meeting. “Everything is affected.”
Proposed workforce reductions for the current school year include eliminating some vacancies, technology changes, department restructuring and reducing the number of special education vendors.
The district plans to have some central office staff work from home in the 2025-26 school year, allowing them to rent space in the building, changing bus routes, optimizing master schedules and reducing mobile classrooms. I plan to do it.
AISD releases latest information on special education
Austin ISD leaders provided an update on progress in meeting requirements for special education services.
What about the prey?
“We don’t yet know how much of an impact each cost reduction will have,” Segura said.
If budgets aren’t cut enough next year, district officials say that’s when the effects of the cuts will begin to be felt at the school level.
“I am concerned that we may have to consider increasing class sizes,” Singh said. “It reduces staff planning time.”
“We have to accomplish more with less,” said Lively Middle School Principal Melissa Rodriguez.
Rodriguez said the cuts to the arts will be very severe.
“Our students really love participating in music, art, theater, guitar, orchestra. They are motivated by that,” Rodriguez said. “So if we take that away from them, we’re actually taking away a big part of what they love.
Some parents and teachers are urging caution.
Maplewood Elementary School teacher Tracy Dunlap said at the AISD board meeting on Nov. 21, “I’m confused as to why we’re rushing to vote on the budget when we don’t yet know what’s going to come out of the Legislature.” . .
Abbott moves closer to passing school vouchers
On election night, Texas Governor Greg Abbott moved one step closer to passing a school choice plan that would allow taxpayers to help parents pay for private school tuition.
But with all this happening, some people are opening up their wallets to help.
Michelle Wallis, executive director of the Austin Education Foundation, said: “People have contacted us and said, ‘We’re seeing what’s going on in our public schools, we care about it, and we want to do something to support it. These are the people who say, ‘I think so.’
“The work we are doing through the Austin Ed Fund feels even more important now,” Wallis said. “This year we funded approximately $450,000 in 66 projects across Austin.”
Still, much more will need to be done to get the district out of its current hole. Gov. Greg Abbott’s recent comments about the upcoming session have some people feeling optimistic.
“We’re going to fully fund Texas public schools. We’re going to raise teacher pay,” Abbott said in November.
Austin ISD listed repossession reform among its legislative priorities. But for Singh, increasing the base allocation would be the real game-changer.
“We really need to strengthen the nation,” Singh said.
Austin’s budget deficit would be even higher without $30 million in cuts made in national government over the summer, including 12 layoffs, and $20 million from voters passing Proposition A in November. It would be.
Future cuts are expected to be finalized by the school board in the coming weeks.
Source: Information from an interview conducted by John Klinjak of FOX 7 Austin
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