How we got here
District officials first proposed blending Barton Creek and Valley View during a special budget workshop meeting Nov. 11.
Officials say the blend could garner $2 million in savings, which include a $3.3 million shortfall projected in 2024-25 that is expected to grow to $6.3 million by 2025-26.
Many community members have spoken out against the blend, voicing concerns with classroom and campus capacity, safety and security, and availability of programs and services, instead asking for districtwide attendance rezoning or to explore other cost-saving measures that don’t specifically target the two schools.
The details
District officials have held three community meetings to provide further details on the proposed blend and answer community questions.
The current goal is to look at ways to get the blended campus enrollment under 700 students and keep student to teacher ratios at 22-1, said Chad Burnett, curriculum, instruction and assessment executive director, during the final meeting Dec. 11.
Some of these objectives include:
- Looking at streamlining out-of-district and in-district transfers
- Considering how the Spanish Immersion program impacts enrollment
- Moving the Child Development Center to a nearby location, as the program occupies classroom space that could be used
- Rezoning some attendance boundaries to other EISD schools
EISD Chief of Police Matt Greer said five other campuses currently utilize portables, and said safety is a large component in the planning process.
These plans, as well as potential classroom layouts or program locations on the blended campus, will not be publicized in the interest of safety and security, he said.
Something to note
Superintendent Jeff Arnett said redrawing attendance boundaries—as some community members have suggested as an alternative option—would be a much bigger process and not address immediate financial concerns.
A new attendance map would likely not be ready until the 2026-27 school year, and Chief Financial Officer Chris Scott has stated the deficit needs to be addressed sooner than that.
“The long range facility planning committee that is meeting parallel to these conversations is looking long range, and they do foresee the need for us to redraw attendance boundaries across the school district,” Arnett said. “So we know that this is just the beginning of a district-wide solution. It has to happen in phases.”
Concerns were also raised by parents about where Valley View teachers will end up due to natural attrition, asking that they “not just [be] the ones that have to take the burden” and have to “figure it out.”
The district regularly loses teachers each year through natural attrition, such as retirement or resignations, said Molly May, assistant superintendent of curriculum, instruction and assessment.
“We will try to give teachers the most choice in where they go,” May said. “For some teachers at Valley View, coming into Barton Creek may not be their first choice. It may not be convenient. So, we’re going to be working with teachers on surveying what works for you, what works for your family and making sure that we have that data to help them.”
Stay tuned
Arnett said the board could vote on approving the blend at its next regular meeting Jan. 14.
If approved, the vote would allow the portables to be ordered and delivered by June ahead of the 2025-26 school year, he said.
The board is also planning to vote Jan. 14 on whether to implement other other cost-saving measures proposed, including:
- Eliminating or modifying the Spanish Immersion program
- Eliminating Personal Learning Communities periods
- Adopting a nonbinding resolution of intent to adopt nine copper pennies, which allow the district to collect funds beyond the state maximum compressed tax rate. A final decision on adopting the pennies can be made as late as June.
- Making staff reductions, if needed. This would only be implemented if the actions above do not offset the deficit enough.
