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This week, the San Antonio and Plano school districts revealed their plans to consider the closure of campuses due to diminishing child populations and increased competition from charter schools.
Both urban and suburban districts vary in size and demographics, yet they are not exempt from the challenges that have impacted other school districts statewide. These challenges include increasing expenses and decreasing student enrollment.
On Monday, the San Antonio Independent School District, with an enrollment of nearly 50,000 students, made an announcement stating their recommendation to close 19 schools. Out of these, 17 schools are anticipated to shut down during the 2023-2024 academic year. Officials stated that this decision aims to address an imminent budget deficit of $300 million, ensuring the financial stability of the district.
The reason behind the district’s recommendation to close campuses is attributed to Superintendent Jaime Aquino, who highlighted enrollment losses, unaffordable housing, a decreasing birthrate, and the failure to gradually shut down schools earlier as contributing factors. Over the course of two decades, the district has witnessed a decline of more than 18,000 students.
Aquino stated that the school board expressed worry about the consequences of these patterns, which led to an unintended and increasing disparity in the allocation of student resources. This disparity encompassed not only revenue but also funds and physical spaces.
According to Teri Castillo, a member of the San Antonio City Council, she expressed concerns about the closure of five campuses in her district, stating that the process is progressing at an accelerated pace.
Castillo stated that it is challenging to identify the role of equity in this initial list of school closures if it is indeed an essential component of the process. The majority of schools on this list are located in historically neglected areas of our city, specifically in the West, East, and South sides of San Antonio.
On Tuesday, the Plano Independent School District made an announcement stating their intention to establish a committee responsible for assessing enrollment trends, facility conditions, and demographic information. The committee’s evaluation will then determine the necessity of potential closures.
According to U.S. Census data, Plano, once renowned as a thriving suburb with excellent schools, has experienced a decrease in both the number of children under 18 and the average family size over the past decade. The district, which boasted approximately 55,000 students ten years ago, has seen a significant decline, with a loss of nearly 10,000 students since then.
The pandemic had a direct impact on enrollment and, perhaps more significantly, student attendance, a crucial metric that helps determine how much money school districts get from the state. In Texas, if a student misses school, their district’s attendance average goes down and so does the amount of money it receives. And in a post-COVID-19 world in which parents are quicker to keep their children home if they’re feeling ill, some districts’ finances have become more volatile than ever.
Lawmakers haven’t made it easier for school districts. They ended this year’s regular legislative session without allocating any new funding after failing to reach an agreement on whether to create a school voucher program in the state. Gov. Greg Abbott has said he will call lawmakers back for a special session on education in October to resolve these issues, but for some districts, it may be too late.
Financial shortfalls have led school districts across the state to adopt deficit budgets, meaning their expenditures outweigh their revenues. Some schools have dipped into their savings to offer teachers minimal raises, balance their budgets or simply keep the lights on.
Closing schools to save money isn’t a new strategy but Texas has been seeing more schools go this route, or at least consider it. Last year, the Pflugerville Independent School District officials also considered closing down schools to save money in the face of declining enrollment. Eventually, the district decided not to close schools after seeking community input.
Administrators in Pflugerville attributed the shortfall to the state’s funding system, as they believed it was responsible. In Texas, schools receive a set amount of money depending on student attendance. However, school districts argue that a more precise and financially beneficial metric would be to allocate funds based on average enrollment.
In a few weeks, lawmakers will once again address public education issues, potentially leading to an influx of funds for school districts. However, it remains uncertain if changes to the funding system would effectively prevent school closures in Plano and San Antonio ISDs.
The sole bill aiming to allocate additional funds to school districts and enhance the funding formula to better align with enrollment was rejected during the regular session, as Senate Republicans attempted to incorporate a school voucher program into it. The proposal did not progress further in the House.
Will the lingering bitterness between the House and the Senate after Attorney General Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial and acquittal hinder any potential for productive negotiations between the chambers regarding school vouchers and funding?
“The fact that school choice has been previously dismissed by the Texas House needs to be acknowledged,” stated Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University. “Moreover, any potential inclination of the House to collaborate with the Senate and the governor has been completely shattered with Attorney General Paxton’s acquittal on Saturday.”
According to Monty Exter, the director of governmental relations at the Association of Texas Professional Educators, the issue of school closures is intricate and widely disliked. However, due to specific changes in demographics like declining birth rates and increasing housing expenses, school districts find themselves compelled to make this difficult decision.
Additionally, legislators neglected to allocate adequate funding proportional to the increase in inflation, further exacerbating financial challenges faced by schools.
“He stated that districts are facing significant challenges in making these decisions. Furthermore, he pointed out that the district’s control over these situations is somewhat limited.”
Disclosure: Association of Texas Professional Educators and Rice University have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
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