The state allots school districts $6,160 per student based on daily attendance, an amount that has not increased since 2019. Since that time, districts like CISD and LISD have experienced enrollment decline; expiring COVID-19 relief funds; underfunded mandates; and a rise in inflation.
These additional financial burdens have spurred different mitigation tactics such as dipping into fund balances; calling voter-approval tax rate elections; and forgoing staff raises. The conversations have progressed to school closure and consolidation with CISD trustees voting to close Pinkerton Elementary Sept. 30 after weeks of deliberation and LISD beginning to consider consolidations on Oct. 7.
LISD plans to advocate for more funding for public schools as its costs are not being met amid rising inflation, Superintendent Lori Rapp said in an email.
“This funding is critical to making sure we can continue to provide the quality education our students deserve,” Rapp said.
Two-minute impact
Since state funding plateaued in 2019, CISD and LISD have experienced around 22% inflation, exacerbating the effects year over year.
Statewide school funding would need to increase by around $1,400 per student to provide CISD and LISD the same buying power they had in 2019, according to documents from both districts.
Additionally, underfunded state mandates and enrollment decline have forced CISD to adopt a $7.5 million shortfall budget in fiscal year 2024-25, per district documents. Similarly, the LISD board in August approved the FY 2024-25 general fund budget, which included a $4.5 million shortfall.
“There is no doubt that in 21 years in the central office that this is one of the hardest budgets I have ever been a part of working on,” Rapp said at the August meeting.
Effects on Coppell ISD
In addition to inadequate state funding, Texas school districts are facing mandated initiatives, like employing school resource officers, for which the state funds less than half of the over $1.3 million cost in CISD. In June, CISD also approved $3.3 million for staff raises despite its budget shortfall.
The district also anticipates elementary enrollment decline by 550-660 students in the next three to four years, according to CISD Chief Financial Officer Diana Sircar. This is nearly 5% of the total enrollment and would lead to a loss of around $4.4 million in that time, Sircar added.
Throughout 2024, CISD reduced positions through attrition and cut district-level expenses, Superintendent Brad Hunt said. Administration also expanded open enrollment and increased facility rental fees.
Despite this, the board voted 4-3 to close Pinkerton Elementary, the oldest school in the district. The change will take effect for the 2025-26 school year and is expected to save around $2.1 million.
“These are very tough decisions, but we are at a point where we have got to move forward and now is the time to take action,” Hunt said.
With the consolidation of Pinkerton Elementary, students there will attend Wilson and Austin elementary schools. The district will adjust Denton Creek Elementary attendance zones to Town Center, Cottonwood Creek and Lakeside elementary schools based on enrollment, according to district documents.
Buildings considered for consolidation were rated on capacity, age and condition; cost to run and maintain; and proximity to neighborhoods. Based on a facilities evaluation tool created in June, Pinkerton scored the lowest of all facilities in the district in the age and condition category.
District staff said the consolidations would not affect the state-mandated elementary class student-to-teacher ratios of 22:1.
Effects on Lewisville ISD
In addition to state funding challenges and declining enrollment, LISD is burdened with inflation, increasing appraisal district revenue contributions and the inability to provide raises. To help mitigate this, officials trimmed electives, dipped into existing fund balances, and began considering building consolidations and boundary changes on Oct. 7, Rapp said in an email.
The district’s mitigation efforts reduced the FY 2024-25 budget shortfall from around $8 million to about $4.5 million, according to district documents.
“We still have a lot of work to do before we figure out which, if any, of these campuses need further review,” Rapp said.
LISD currently has around 48,000 students enrolled. The district predicts an enrollment decline until it levels out around 45,000 students in the next decade, Rapp said. This is primarily attributed to lower birth rates and a high average home price within the district.
Looking ahead
CISD anticipates having enough vacancies at other campuses to transfer Pinkerton Elementary teachers, and no staff will be terminated as a result of the closure, Director of Communications Amanda Simpson said in an email. However, the amount of teachers the district expects to leave is currently unknown, Simpson added.
Likewise, the LISD board is going to go over the committee’s findings carefully, Rapp said. Once officials identify campuses for further consideration, families at those campuses will have a chance to ask questions, express concerns and share feedback in person.
Families affected by these decisions will get more information directly about these upcoming meetings. The board will provide further direction in late October before district officials hold listening tours in November, Rapp said. The final decision will be in December and will go into effect in the 2025-26 school year.
“Throughout this process, our focus remains on providing the best possible education for our students,” Rapp said. “We’re making these decisions carefully to balance our district’s financial health with the needs of our families.”
