NEISD budget cuts/layoffs/schedule changes (merged threads) (Bowie, Howe: mortgage, school districts)

[catriona]

An administrator that addressed our band meeting last night said that the legislature passed a law 4-5 years ago that capped all school district tax rates. NEISD has reached the cap and cannot raise taxes without going to the voters. Since the district is in this 'emergency', they have to go back to the 7 period day now. The vote would be in November, after the next school year started and if they lost the vote, they would really be up a creek. Therefore, they are switching now and looking at more options. And don't forget about the 'robinhood' plan that gives part of the tax dollars collected to the state to dole out to the less fortunate districts.

I fail to see why NEISD couldn't see this coming and do something sooner. As Bowie said, this has been bantered around for several years. My husband reminded me that a tax increase wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in Hell with the economic situation in the country today. So that would fit for this year or even last year. What about the 4+ years prior? Do we need an investigation?

The news last night showed a packed crowd in that board room, and most of them were against the change. However, I think they already had their minds made up. I wish they would go to the voters and see what the chances are that they would raise taxes, but I highly doubt they will.

If the teachers with 10 years or less risk losing their jobs, where are they going to go? Currently, there is an influx of alt-certified teachers trying to find jobs, to no avail. I guess they might as well forget it for good now.

Someone at the meeting stated that when NISD went to the 7 period day, their numbers of National Merit Scholars fell. Does anyone know if that's true?

Will the legislature give more money to the schools or get rid of "robinhood"? Do Texas school districts need a bail out?

[sapphire]

Well, is she telling them facts? Or just what she thinks may happen?

[smuboy86]

This should have been a campus by campus decision, let the largest campus in NEISD test it out next year and if it works then roll it out for the rest of the High Schools. One of the largest problems that no one has discussed is the falling commercial property tax rate facing NEISD. The district in the last 10 years has lost a major mall and several smaller department stores that constituted it's tax base.

[Bo]

Originally Posted by sapphire

That's sort of an odd thing for teachers to be discussing with students, IMO. I'm sure others feel differently, they always do, but seriously, spend your time teaching, not discussing district business that she is most likely speculating on.

I agree that it's unusual and potentially disruptive, although I remember having some class discussions like that with teachers when I was in high school. FWIW, this wasn't one of my son's more rigorous courses that this was discussed in, so the loss of instructional time was less of a big deal.

On a related note, we went to the school's electives fair tonight with my younger kid. The principal and counselor who presented before the fair were determined to convey that education would still proceed just fine at the school without the block schedule. At the electives fair booths, we got the hardest sell from language teachers and technology teachers. I wouldn't like to see either of those electives options go away.

BTW, the school principal said that the block schedule was first introduced to the district in 1995. So I guess it's not a tradition that transcends multiple generations.

[sa_rushfan]

Went last night as well for my daughter who is in 8th going into Fresh in HS. Wont be much of change for her since its going from a traditional schedule setting in 8th to a now traditional setting in 9th.

The interesting point I heard from last night (principal and counseler both made mention of it) was the legislation that was passed a few years ago that capped the amount a district could recieve due to taxing of property. If that was passed a few years ago and just like any business or economic years, costs go up...the surplus amount that they could spend would keep on getting cut. Granted they should have seen this coming a few years ago, but then again, the state isn't really helping either in this matter.

[alphagaiter]

I graduated from a smaller area high school back in the late 90s and we didn't have block scheduling and still had room for electives and didn't consider it difficult for homework or to carry around books. And I had no problem adjusting to the college schedule after high school. Is this really that big of a change for people?

[TXtrkgrl]

I know this has been posted before but since we're talking about NEISD finances I thought I would post up again.
Here is the NEISD check register:
North East Independent School District

[pr57001]

All this discussion is great, but none of it answers how this can happen. It's not as if NEISD is a car-dealership, and people stopped buying cars. It's not as if 50% of the property owners stopped paying taxes.

They must have been relying upon continued hyper-growth on the northside and appraisals that would continue to go up 20% each year to meet their budget. Sounds to me like tremendous mismanagement.

Most of us have to make money and spend money to make a business tick. These guys only have to spend money, and they still can't get it right.

[stoneoak]

Originally Posted by pr57001

All this discussion is great, but none of it answers how this can happen. It's not as if NEISD is a car-dealership, and people stopped buying cars. It's not as if 50% of the property owners stopped paying taxes.

They must have been relying upon continued hyper-growth on the northside and appraisals that would continue to go up 20% each year to meet their budget. Sounds to me like tremendous mismanagement.

Most of us have to make money and spend money to make a business tick. These guys only have to spend money, and they still can't get it right.

I don't know, I think it has been explained. Just compare it to a household. You've been making the same salary for the past four years. But each of those years, you're rent, groceries, utilities, insurance, gas, etc. etc. have gone up little by little. So you cut what you can (as NEISD did in Jan. 2009) get rid of the cable, cancel the paper, stop eating out in order to make ends meat each month. Eventually, there is nothing left to cut, you're down to the basics needed to live. Still costs go up, you've had to take in a few relatives, and now you're taking from your savings account to cover the bills, but realize that will be wiped out in six months. So where do you go from there?

Add to which your rich uncle, who has always sent you a huge check every Christmas, is seriously ill. For the past few years, you've relied on that check to pay some big bills. But, now you don't know if Uncle Moneypants will live and if you'll see that extra money this year. So now you have to budget that possible loss in as well.

NEISD has received millions in federal stabilization dollars, but those funds are ending. The state is suppose to pick up that tab to the tune of $3.3 billion. But, the state is having heavy financial problems of its own due to this economy and NEISD is anticipating those dollars -- which is something like $18 million for them -- won't be there soon.

And they have known about this problem for a while. I was at a PTA meeting last year and the superintendent was very frank about the district's money problems. I think they have waited until the last possible moment to wait and see if the state would stop freezing the amount of money schools receive knowing parents and students would not be in favor of changing the high school schedule. And they were right, that board meeting was packed with parents and students actually wanting a tax increase if it meant keeping the A/B schedule.

[pr57001]

Originally Posted by stoneoak

I don't know, I think it has been explained. Just compare it to a household. You've been making the same salary for the past four years. But each of those years, you're rent, groceries, utilities, insurance, gas, etc. etc. have gone up little by little. So you cut what you can (as NEISD did in Jan. 2009) get rid of the cable, cancel the paper, stop eating out in order to make ends meat each month. Eventually, there is nothing left to cut, you're down to the basics needed to live. Still costs go up, you've had to take in a few relatives, and now you're taking from your savings account to cover the bills, but realize that will be wiped out in six months. So where do you go from there?

I don't follow the analogy. Slowly rising costs over time do not cause an "emergency". A district in a slowly evolving financial emergency wouldn't build a 50 million dollar high school (or whatever they cost these days), court teachers with the highest salaries and renovate every other school.

To follow your analogy, this is more the $30,000 millionaire with a huge mortgage he couldn't afford who had his ARM reset, had his payment triple, and was then "surprised" it happened who was planning to flip it for a profit in 4.5 years.

I do agree, however, that it does not change what you have to do now--it is what it is--but my concern is that the inputs to a school district's funding are hardly volatile enough to make the (undeniable, actual) "emergency" excusable.