School board elections
Among the state and federal races slated to take place in 2024, local elections are slated for May as well in Texas.
Clear Creek ISD will have three board seats—currently held by Jeff Larson, Jay Cunningham and Jonathan Cottrell—on the ballot in May, according to the district’s website. The terms will be for three years.
The filing deadline will open Jan. 17 and close Feb. 16, according to the district’s website.
Last year, the district had two seats on the ballot.
Bond projects to kick off
With the district’s $302 million bond receiving voter approval in November 2023, district officials will look to start some of the projects attached to the bond in 2024.
In the weeks after voter approval, the district’s board moved forward with plans to design and bid out central plant projects for six different elementary schools. Those projects will involve installing new chillers to help regulate the schools’ temperatures.
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Enrollment
With CCISD struggling with stagnating enrollment in recent years, district officials are hoping a pair of programs will help turn the trend.
An expanded prekindergarten program, as well as a new program that will allow certain students who live outside the district to enroll, could add more students to the district’s roster. Those changes will both go into effect at the start of the new school year, with the deadline to enroll in both coming in February.
Financial issues and tight budget
As was the case with many school districts across Texas, CCISD had a budget shortfall in its fiscal year 2023-24 budget that was offset with the help of a voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE. The financial tightening could continue into 2024 depending on a variety of factors.
While the district’s financial outlook for FY 2024-25 was helped with the VATRE, officials still note there is work to do to close the gap completely. The budget’s final numbers could also depend on if the state goes back into a special legislative session and passes public school funding.
