Spring Branch ISD Featured News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HOUSTON, TX, (Dec. 12, 2023) At a Special Meeting held on Dec. 11, 2023, the Spring Branch ISD (SBISD) Board of Trustees voted to approve three separate resolutions to address the district’s $35 million budget shortfall for the 2024-25 school year.

The resolutions target Phase I and Phase II budget considerations presented by district administration and discussed over a series of board meetings this fall.

Beginning with the 2024-25 school year, the approved resolutions call for the discontinuation of the related lease and closure of the Panda Path School for Early Learning; closure of Treasure Forest Elementary; and discontinuation of the SKY partnership, a three-way partnership between SBISD and two public charter school programs - YES Prep Public Schools and KIPP Texas Public Schools. (Read a separate statement on the closure of the SKY Partnership here.)

Together, these budget reduction measures amount to a projected $8.8 million in annual savings. Resolutions approved by the Board of Trustees on November 6, 2023, totaling $2.9 million in annual savings, include changing the staffing ratios for high schools, aligning high school schedules, increasing Pre-K tuition, adjusting Pre-K Center boundaries, and pausing the bond program for the four remaining 2017 Bond Program elementary school rebuilds.

In another budget reduction action not requiring the vote of the Board, the district’s SPIRAL gifted and talented program for third through fifth grade students will be redesigned, with annual projected savings of $762,744.

Further budget decreases of approximately $23 million to close the remaining budget gap for the 2024-25 school year will largely come from central office personnel reductions. These will be reflected in the district’s budget presented to the board next spring in alignment with the district’s budget calendar.

SBISD Board President Chris Earnest stated, “Our Board of Trustees and administration take very seriously what closing schools and ending long-standing programs means for our students, families, staff and community. These are decisions we had hoped we would not have to make.”

Earnest continued, “The blame lies squarely with our state leaders and elected officials who have failed the children of Texas and SBISD. We find it reprehensible that Governor Abbott has willfully chosen to neglect 5.5 million Texas public school students and educators while sitting on the largest budget surplus in state history.”

“We remain angry and disappointed that throughout the 88^th Legislative Session and four subsequent special sessions, individuals elected to represent us could not pass a single piece of legislation to provide much needed funding for our public schools. That’s ZERO new money since 2019, while our costs have escalated due to double-digit inflation,” noted Board Vice President Lisa Alpe.

In the design of the district’s budget reduction plan, SBISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jennifer Blaine affirmed the district learned from the devastating budget cuts made in 2011 when state budget challenges forced districts statewide to take significant reductions with very little time to develop a plan. Those cuts decimated the district’s instructional supports for educators. The result was declines in student achievement from which the district has just recovered in the past few years.

“With more time than we had in 2011, this budget reduction plan includes difficult decisions that impact students and families. However, we have been thoughtful in its development to ensure we do all we can to sustain resources that positively impact all 33,500 SBISD students. We must ensure that while finding ways to achieve operational efficiencies, we maintain excellent academic and extracurricular experiences that our students need and deserve, and our community expects.”

“We will not let the leaders in Austin take us down. The harder they try to destroy public education, the harder we will work to make sure our students continue to succeed at the very highest levels and SBISD remains a destination district for families and educators, even if we have to do things differently,” Dr. Blaine affirmed.

“Our Collective Greatness is what sets the SBISD community apart. Together, I am confident we will get through this difficult time. We will ensure a strong plan and supports going forward for all students, families and staff impacted by these decisions.”

Superintendent Blaine and Board President Earnest once again thanked the SBISD community for their engagement and advocacy, noting that state leaders have left SBISD no choice but to move forward now with changes for the 2024-25 school year.

Families and staff of Panda Path, Treasure Forest Elementary and the SKY Partnership programs impacted by these decisions voted on last night will receive separate messaging with information about next steps for their communities.

The district has created a Closing the Budget Gap webpage where community messages, presentations and other related information are housed. SBISD also continues the 88th Legislative Session webpage where information and advocacy messaging will be posted should a fifth special session be called.