by JENNIFER BIUNDO
Amidst the uncertainty of a massive Texas budget shortfall that could exceed $25 billion, anyone who relies on state funding is waiting to see where the axe will fall.
Last month, lawmakers released a bloodbath of a preliminary budget draft, showing deep cuts of $10 billion to school systems across the state. As Texas school districts grapple with the possibility of funding cuts, rumors have circulated though Buda and Kyle that Hays CISD might respond by shutting down school campuses.
Hays CISD Superintendent. Jeremy Lyon wants to set the record straight.
“There are zero truths to that rumor,” Lyon said. “We have absolutely no intent or desire to look at school closings.”
The coffee shop speculation may be fueled by the current excess capacity at many Hays CISD campuses, especially at the elementary level.
Rapid population growth led Hays CISD to triple its total number of campuses from 2000 to 2010.
Projections at the start of this school year showed that the district’s 13 elementary campuses would operate at an average capacity of 80 percent, with five campuses less than 70 percent full. On average, each elementary campus is built to accommodate 750 students, but has space for about 145 extra children.
Some campuses, such as Camino Real, Elm Grove and Buda Elementary, each could accommodate another 250 students.
Meanwhile, the five middle school campuses were at 84 percent capacity at the start of the school year, while Hays and Lehman high schools were at 89 and 84 percent, respectively.
Though they were built with growing room in mind, district officials expect the new campuses to reach capacity relatively quickly. The district is currently adding about 700 students each year, many of them at the elementary level.
“We’re a growth district,” Lyon said. “The money you would save from school closures would be temporary, and it would be so disruptive to families. It would be a last call kind of measure.”
But other Central Texas school districts already have hit the point of last call. Facing a $100 million shortfall, Austin ISD is floating a controversial plan to shutter 13 schools and eliminate 400 teaching positions.
This year, the state gave Hays CISD $70 million, amounting to about two-thirds of the district’s operating budget. With an additional 700 students projected to enroll in Hays next year, it’s likely that state funding would actually increase slightly, even in the face of more Spartan funding formulas.
Though school closings aren’t in the works, the looming state budget crisis could still force Hays CISD to make some tough choices. While the district has not yet raised the possibility of large-scale layoffs, Hays could see a partial hiring freeze or a consolidation of positions, district officials have said.
“The name of the game is to be very prudent with budget decisions, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” Lyon said.
School leaders will discuss possible budget cuts at the regular Feb. 21 meeting. The proposals that will be presented to board members are not yet finalized, Lyon said.
