Predictions about Frisco ISD's financial troubles were true (Plano: schools, upkeep)

[UnfairPark]

I didn't see it happening so soon but apparently fears of Frisco residents were justified.

Frisco ISD looking at budget cuts after $30 million shortfall - Story | KDFW

[Aceraceae]

I have no ties to Frisco ISD.

What led you to believe ISD shortfalls were coming?

[TurtleCreek80]

Well, duh. That's exactly what the pro tax increase groups were saying would happen if the vote failed.

[Aceraceae]

I'm very skeptical of hanging my hat on pro tax increase groups. They may need the money, but I bet they will also make sure some of this will be well seen due to their unhappiness about losing out on more public money.

[numbersguy100]

This article basically says that they are in the hole because they budgeted for the tax increase to pass and it didn't. So their revenue will not meet expectations and spending will have to be adjusted accordingly. That's a problem regardless of whether the district is objectively in trouble. The options they have at their disposal to fix it don't seem too onerous to me.

I do question the longer term viability of the Frisco model, with lots and lots of smaller schools rather than a few large ones. I think there are fixed costs associated with having a higher number of overall campuses and once the buildings aren't shiny and new, I wonder what the cost of maintaining this model will be. But that isn't what this article is getting at.

[UnfairPark]

This article is focused on immediate problems but people are worried that district's huge debt, upkeep of hundreds of schools and shortage of money is going to push ISD to cut corners everywhere. Once buildings start needing repairs and remodeling then district is going to get more debt?

Even if residents agree to raise property taxes once, they can't go too high or do it every year. Their model is not suitable for such a huge district. They are predicted to have higher enrollment than Plano, how are they going to build more schools? They'll have to increase class size, which defeats the purpose of small schools.

[platon20]

There are 2 options for paying for schools:

1. business taxes

2. property taxes

Frisco has absolutely zero reason to be in this situation. They have plenty of businesses to support the schools. But they want to attract more businesses, so they openly advertise that they have very low business taxes not even close to supporting school operations.

Property tax rates are an unreliable way to finance schools UNLESS the vast vast majority of the voting public has kids in teh school system. But Frisco has a bunch of old farts who vote and have no intention of increasing their taxes to pay for the yuppies snotty school kids.

[Telegan]

I believe Plano residents voted for a tax hike when they lost this same funding a few years ago. I believe the property tax difference between Frisco and Plano is basically the difference in the 13 cent hike Plano residents agreed to during that vote (someone correct me if I'm wrong). Of course, Plano still laid off a mess of teachers and cut funding for school programs from what I recall. It'll be interesting to see what happens in the Frisco area.

[UnfairPark]

Plano pools resources by having bigger schools but smaller classes. There other smart solution is to divide Highschool into junior and senior campuses. These two measures cut operating cost and non teaching staff by many folds, Frisco can't save on administrative costs and campus maintenance expenses with their current model.

[biafra4life]

Originally Posted by numbersguy100

This article basically says that they are in the hole because they budgeted for the tax increase to pass and it didn't. So their revenue will not meet expectations and spending will have to be adjusted accordingly. That's a problem regardless of whether the district is objectively in trouble. The options they have at their disposal to fix it don't seem too onerous to me.

I do question the longer term viability of the Frisco model, with lots and lots of smaller schools rather than a few large ones. I think there are fixed costs associated with having a higher number of overall campuses and once the buildings aren't shiny and new, I wonder what the cost of maintaining this model will be. But that isn't what this article is getting at.

This.
I remember driving up either Lebanon or Teel and seeing basically a school every few blocks. Just mind blowing the number of schools they have up there and the ISD is not even halfway built out yet. The repairs and maintenance will eat their lunch when it's all built out.