CYPRESS, Texas – A big discussion Monday night at Cy-Fair ISD as the board is considering drastic measures to balance the budget.
But where will the money come from? That question is leaving the Cy-Fair ISD staff and the community in limbo.
There is a $38 million deficit. The district says they haven’t seen an increase in funding in five years. It means jobs may be on the chopping block, and staff raises may not be as high as they could’ve been.
Due to a loss of federal funding and not getting additional state funding, the district won’t have at least $38 million for the upcoming school year. One idea proposed to make up for the deficit, smaller staff raises including two percent for teachers and one percent for others. One instructional coach says she’s willing to forego any raise to keep her colleagues.
“The reality is that this raise will only exacerbate the strain on our budget and necessitate severe reductions in staffing. A two percent raise with inflation does not even cover a dinner for a family of four,” said instructional coach, Kristy Owens.
Other ideas include cutting staff at the district level and custodian and maintenance positions.
“When it comes to custodial staff, they do an amazing job of keeping our buildings clean. The buildings are not shrinking. Reduction in staff would open the door for overtime. Is overtime cheaper than just keeping the staff?” said another staff member.
A committee that has been gathering ideas from the community since March also recommended cutting high school paraprofessionals and summer school receptionists. Some feel other measures could’ve been taken, such as a shorter calendar year which was rejected.
“By adopting a calendar year with more days than surrounding districts, you’ve placed an unnecessary strain on our budget. This financial strain could’ve been prevented with more thoughtful planning and acceptance of the recommendations of your community stakeholders,” Owens said.
The district said if they fill their current job openings it’ll be even worse. The cost would be $138 million.
The district is also looking to bring in money. They’re planning to increase varsity football ticket prices and facility sales. The district is recommending to sell alcohol at the Berry Center for non-school events, allow advertising on athletic tickets, scoreboards, and fences. They’re also considering a voter approved tax rate election.
The board is expected to vote on the budget cuts in June.