The district's trustees are struggling to resolve budget deficits with a hotly contested school board election looming.
Unsure about future state funding for public education, San Antonio ’s largest school district is looking at a long menu of cost-saving measures — including larger class sizes — in hopes of fending off layoffs or school closures.
The Northside Independent School District board got an update on the financial outlook last week and will resume discussions Tuesday, with the start of early voting in a heavily contested school board election less than a month away. Not knowing if the Legislature will approve more funding for public schools and a separate bill designating $1 billion for private school vouchers, the district is looking to trim tens of millions of dollars from a $96 million deficit in its current budget. RELATED: New Northside ISD policy provides for trustee censure In February, Superintendent John Craft said the district needs to find $70 million in savings in its $1 billion spending plan. He was more upbeat last week, hopeful state lawmakers will provide teacher pay increases and up to $30 million more for the district to spend outside salaries. But it’s not likely to increase the $6,160-per-student basic allotment as much as public education advocates would like to address inflation, he told trustees. “There is definitely a concerted effort to try to propose or infuse about $8.2 billion into public education,” he said. “We’re still going to find ourselves in a position of having to reduce somewhere between 4 to 7 percent of our annual operating budget.” The district has found nearly $40 million in potential savings, including a $10 million cut in central office expenses; $6 million reduction in overtime and compensatory pay; and $4 million from elimination of programming and positions initially funded with federal pandemic-relief dollars that have expired. Another $19 million in reduced costs is projected from larger class sizes. Student-teacher ratios will expand from 22:1 to 25:1 for pre-K; 23:1 to 25:1 for kindergarten through fourth grade; 23:1 to 25.25 for grades 6-8; and 24.7:1 to 26.5:1 for grades 9-12. Since the fall, the district has had a targeted hiring freeze, except in high-demand slots such as special education, math, English, bus drivers and custodians. Departments are tasked with reducing expenses by 10% or more. “We’re working diligently on what our plans are for reductions going forward,” said Megan Bradley, the district’s new deputy superintendent for business and finance. Though some job functions may change, no reduction in force is planned. “No one will lose their job,” Bradley said. Without additional state dollars, Northside projects its designated instructional continuity fund, which peaked at $215 million in 2022, could be completely exhausted in 2026 to offset operating deficits. But with reductions, the district hopes to have a balanced budget in 2027. It keeps $270 million in reserves, equivalent to three months’ operating expenses, for cash flow and maintenance of its bond ratings. The district, the fourth-largest in the state with 132 schools, reported a peak enrollment of about 106,000 students before the pandemic and now has around 100,000. Texas is seeing declines statewide in children ages 3-5, suggesting future decreases in demand for education services. Meanwhile, the Legislature is considering various transferability bills giving families more school choice in athletics and fine arts programs. That could create opportunities for Northside to attract students outside its boundaries to magnet programs where openings exist and families can provide transportation, Craft said. RELATED: Four-day week concept gets mixed response in Northside ISD Trustee Karen Freeman said Northside should “market our own school choice” in the district, which allows families to send a child to any of its 83 elementary schools. “That’s a big opportunity for a lot of people,” Freeman said. Another issue of uncertainty for Northside is potential elimination of the U.S. Department of Education, as proposed in an executive order signed last week by President Donald Trump. In a release, Northside American Federation of Teachers and San Antonio Alliance of Teachers and Support Personnel called the order a “a direct attack on the very foundation of public education in this country.” Both unions blasted Gov. Greg Abbott, who supports Trump’s proposal, for “pushing a school voucher scheme that would siphon public dollars into private pockets, instead of investing in and strengthening our public schools.” Northside AFT supports candidates challenging incumbent trustees, including Freeman, in the district’s four contested school board races in the May 3 election. Early voting begins April 22. The board will discuss finances at its regular monthly meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Northside Activity Center, 7001 Culebra Road.
Legislature U.S. Department Of Education Northside American Federation Of Teachers San Antonio Alliance Of Teachers And Support Pers Northside AFT John Craft Megan Bradley Greg Abbott Karen Freeman Donald Trump Bradley Freeman San Antonio New Northside ISD Northside Activity Center Culebra Road Texas English
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