San Marcos - Buda - Kyle Edition | September 2024

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San Marcos Buda Kyle Edition VOLUME 15, ISSUE 5 SEPT. 18OCT. 15, 2024

2024 Education Edition

Elizabeth Lara, Hays CISD Cullen Elementary School principal, meets students at the door on the rst day of school.

AMIRA VAN LEEUWENCOMMUNITY IMPACT Local districts navigate school year as costs rise

us further into debt. … We are asking for that tax rate election to occur in order to close the gaps,” said Michael Doyle, SMCISD executive director of business and nance.

Due to budget constraints, SMCISD ocials have placed a voter-approval tax rate election, or VATRE, on the November ballot. “We’re using the current revenue rates that we have, and because we’re doing that, it’s pushing

BY SIERRA MARTIN & AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

San Marcos and Hays CISDs are facing budget shortfalls in scal year 2024-25, and the state Leg- islature has not increased basic allotment funding, despite district calls to do so.

CONTINUED ON 22

Also in this issue

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Government: Read about how San Marcos plans to limit intake at the local animal shelter (Page 10)

Transportation: Learn about why residents have voiced concerns over the Fitzhugh road construction project (Page 26)

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Owners John and Jennifer Garrett launched Community Impact in 2005, and the company is still locally owned today with editions across Texas. Our mission is to provide trusted news and local information that everyone gets. Our vision is to build communities of informed citizens and thriving businesses through the collaboration of a passionate team. Our purpose is to be a light for our readers, customers, partners and each other by living out our core values of Faith, Passion, Quality, Innovation and Integrity.

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Impacts

BLANCO RIVER

5 Gameday Men’s Health Owned by Alfonso Hernandez and Ismael Rodriguez, the franchise offers testosterone replacement and hormone pellet therapy, vitamin wellness and more. • Opened Aug. 6 • 1340 Wonder World Dr., Ste. 104, San Marcos • www.gamedaymenshealth.com/san-marcos 6 Spirit Halloween The seasonal store sells costumes, makeup, decor and other Halloween-themed items. • Opened in August • 3941 N. I-35 frontage road, Ste. 108, San Marcos • www.spirithalloween.com 7 Serene Serenity The massage studio’s services include Swedish, deep tissue, prenatal, couples massages and more. • Opened Aug. 1 • 1330 Aquarena Springs Dr., Ste. 109, San Marcos • www.sereneserenity.org 8 Shinko88 Asian Cafe & Boba Owned by Dao Tran—who owns Pho Tran88—and Edy Kan, the cafe will serve sushi and boba. • Opened Sept. 9 • 210 N. Edward Gary St., Unit 112, San Marcos • https://shinko88.square.site Bobcat’s Paddle Shack The mobile paddle board equipment rental services is operated by Zach Lay and Aiden Post. • Opened July 1 • www.bobcatspaddleshack.com

CHESTNUT ST.

11 12

WEST AVE.

AQUARENA SPRINGS DR.

HOPKINS ST.

1984

WONDER WORLD DR.

SAN MARCOS RIVER

123

San Marcos

MAP NOT TO SCALE

3 Heart of the Home Gifts and More The shop sells rosaries, religious statues, crucifixes, journals and more and is locally owned by Irene Brazeal and her husband, Mike. • Opened July 16 • 411 S. LBJ Drive, San Marcos • Facebook: Heart of the Home Gifts and More 4 Over the Moon Popcorn and Sweet Shop The sweet shop, owned by local Michael Applegate, sells gourmet popcorn, candy and unique soda flavors. • Opened Aug. 5 • 4015 I-35 frontage road, Ste. 319, San Marcos • https://otmpopcorn.myshopify.com

Now open

1 Kikko Ramen & Poke The restaurant serves various dishes including miso and Korean seafood ramen, according to its website. • Opened Aug. 13 • 403 N. Guadalupe St., San Marcos • www.kikkoramentx.com 2 Baskin-Robbins Locally owned by Carlos Garza, the shop will have 36 ice cream flavors and late night hours. • Opened Aug. 26 • 925 Hwy 80, Ste. D, San Marcos • Facebook: Baskin-Robbins San Marcos Texas

Relocations

9 Showplace Mattress & Furniture The furniture store locally owned by Hugo Perez Jr. relocated from 1330 Aquarena Springs Dr., Ste. 109. The store offers mattresses, furniture and more. • Relocated in June • 1946 I-35 frontage road, San Marcos • www.showplacemattressandfurnituretx.com

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

BY SARAH HERNANDEZ & AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

10 MyCity Locating The free apartment locating service relocated from 120 Riverwalk Drive, Unit 300. The business is owned by husband and wife duo Jonathan and Christina Norphy. • Relocated July 1 • 130 S. LBJ Drive, San Marcos • https://citylocating.com 11 Solidago—Wade Vetiver’s Apothecary & Esoterica The apothecary shop relocated from 323 W. Hopkins St. Solidago sells crystals, herbs and natural soaps. • Relocated Aug. 3 • 504 Burleson St., San Marcos • https://wadevetiver.com 12 Green Heron Bookshop The new and used book store is owned by San Marcos local Wade Vetiver and relocated from 323 W. Hopkins St. • Relocated Aug. 3 • 504 Burleson St., San Marcos • https://greenheronbookshop.square.site 13 AnyLabTestNow! The testing clinic relocated from 1941 I-35 frontage road and is owned by Sarah and Sean Toney. AnyLabTestNow! offers blood work, vitamin B-12 injections and more.

16 Sign Arts The locally-owned sign-making shop offered banners, business cards, logo creation and more. • Closed spring 2024 • 205 Cheatham St., San Marcos 17 Steger’s Chiffonade Owned by Pamela Steger, the business offered catering and weekly food deliveries. Steger said the economy was “too rough” right now, but she will continue to do catering from a different kitchen. • Closed July 1 • 700 N. LBJ Drive, Ste. 102b, San Marcos • Facebook: Steger’s Chiffonade 18 DoubleDave's Pizzaworks The pizza restaurant closed, citing various factors including “economic challenges and personal circumstances.” DoubleDave’s served pizza, wings, sandwiches and salads. • Closed Aug. 28 • 748 N. LBJ Drive, San Marcos • www.doubledaves.com

• Relocated mid to late July • 102 Wonder World Dr., Ste. 301, San Marcos • www.anylabtestnow.com/san-marcos-78666

In the news

14 The Junction The student housing apartment is under new management after BWE, a national commercial and multifamily mortgage banking company, purchased the property in June. Campus Realty Management will be making a series of upgrades to the complex. • 109 West Ave., San Marcos • https://thejunctionapartment.prospectportal.com

Closings

15 Thad Ziegler Glass After 50 years in San Marcos, the glass supply store has closed. Thad Ziegler Glass specialized in residential, commercial, auto glass replacements and more. • Closed July 31 • 1660 S. I-35 frontage road, San Marcos • www.zieglerglass.com

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Impacts

4 Synthetic Grass Warehouse The California-based company supplies artificial grass for football fields, playgrounds and putting greens. • Opened Sept. 3 • 16753 N. I-35 frontage road, Bldg. 1, Ste. 100, Buda • www.syntheticgrasswarehouse.com 5 Remnant Boutique & Gifts The apparel and gift boutique offers a selection of curated items. • Opened Sept. 14 • 201 Miller St., Kyle • www.theremnantboutique.com 6 Heirloom Church The family-owned Christian church, owned by Lead Pastor Dakota Adair with his wife, Maggie, operates inside Laura B. Negley Elementary School. • Opened Sept. 11

967

MCKINNON LOOP

45 TOLL

HARDIN LOOP

1 9 10

1626

BARTON CROSSING

2001

Buda

HILLSIDE TERRACE

WINDY HILL RD.

1626

2001

150

Kyle

FAIRWAY

• 5940 McNaughton, Kyle • www.heirloomchurch.org

MCNAUGHTON

Coming soon

OLD STAGECOACH RD.

BLANCO RIVER

7 1400 Hillside Storage The storage facility is owned by local Merlin Friesenhahn and his wife Bernadette. 1400 Hillside Storage will have 88 units and 24-hour access, Site Manager Lane Dittmar said. • Opening in September • 1400 Hillside Terrace, Buda • www.1400hillsidestorage.com

MAP NOT TO SCALE

SCOTT ST.

150

OPAL LN.

costume jewelry, sterling silver, art, collectible cards and other knick knacks. • Opened Aug. 23 • 204 S. Main St., Buda • Instagram: Retro Ranch ATX 3 The Vine Community Church Joshua and Amanda Clark opened the church in the Onion Creek Senior Center. The Baptist-affiliated church has a non-denominational feel, Joshua said. • Opened Sept. 8

Now open

Relocations

1 Doxa Coffee Roasters The South Austin-based coffee truck owned by duo Nick Shock and JT Sivils sells coffees, teas and pastries. • Opened Aug. 31 • 1710 N. FM 1626, Buda • https://doxacoffeeroasters.com 2 Retro Ranch ATX The shop is owned by Buda locals Holland May and Colton Stephens. Retro Ranch ATX sells vintage

8 Carsandpickups.com The used car dealer relocated from 1481 Robert S. Light Boulevard in Buda. Carsandpickups.com specializes in diesel trucks and some custom cars, internet salesman Tom Cruz said.

• Relocated July 1 • 21701 I-35, Kyle • www.carsandpickups.com

• 420 Barton Crossing, Buda • www.thevinechurchbuda.org

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BY SARAH HERNANDEZ, SIERRA MARTIN & AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

9 Uncle Buda The food truck—owned by husband and wife Benjamin and Jenelle Wilson—closed at the Outskirts Eatery on Aug. 17 and relocated to Memorial Miniature Golf and Museum on Sept. 6. Uncle Buda specializes in Japanese- style Western and comfort food. • Relocated Sept. 6 10 Chilero The food truck—locally owned by Mario Velasquez— relocated from Progress Coffee + Beer at 750 FM 2001 to Memorial Miniature Golf and Museum on Aug. 22. Chilero serves from-scratch gourmet burger, wings and breakfast tacos. • Relocated Aug. 22 • 1710 N. FM 1626, Buda • https://chilero-909800.square.site • 1710 N. FM 1626, Buda • www.unclebuda.com

and rehabilitation, pelvic care and more. • 21195 I-35 frontage road, Ste. 201, Kyle • www.kylept.com

Now open

12 Starbucks The store initially closed temporarily on May 13 to complete standard renovations and reopened on June 21. • 15295 I-35 frontage road, Buda • www.starbucks.com Layne’s Chicken Fingers The College Station-based chicken restaurant is planning to open 15 locations around the Austin metro over the next several years, according to a company representative. • Locations TBA • www.layneschickenfingers.com

14 Bungalow 7 Wellness Collection The South-Austin-based massage and meditation spa is owned by Latroya Rollins and Lori Claxton- Anthony. Bungalow 7 Wellness Collection specializes in various massages, meditation and energy work, personalized retreats and body contouring. • Opened Aug. 9 • 900 Scott St., Kyle • www.b7wc.com

Closings

In the news

13 Buda Biscuit Baking Co. The bakery was owned and operated by Buda local Julia Borregales. Buda Biscuit and Baking Co. opened in January 2022 and sold breakfast, sandwiches and pastries. • Closed Aug. 25 • 1095 FM 1626, Buda • https://budabiscuitandbakingco.square.site

11 Peak Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Center

The physical therapy clinic—locally owned by Robin Dean— celebrated its 5th anniversary on Aug. 29. The business offers orthopedic outpatient physical therapy

SAN MARCOS - BUDA - KYLE EDITION

Government

BY AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

San Marcos intends to transfer regional responsibilities of their Animal Services Division to Hays County, according to a new interlocal agreement approved by the San Marcos City Council on Aug. 20. Regional animal shelter services will conclude at the end of the agreed-upon term—Sept. 30, 2026—according to the agreement. The shelter will then only intake animals from San Marcos. The animal services council committee decided that a two-year expiration date would give the county and other jurisdictions time to develop alternative options, Animal Services Manager Christie Banduch said in an email to Community Impact . The interlocal agreements for Buda and Kyle will be presented Sept. 17. Local animal shelter looks to limit intake San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter live intake 500 400 300 200 100 0 July 2023 Sept. 2023 Nov. 2023 Jan. 2024 March 2024 May 2024 July 2024 232 266 287 282 245 176 286 300 348 389 417 393 462 99.14% increase since July 2023.

Explained

The San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter has had to navigate frequent overcapacity since 2021, according to previous reporting by Community Impact . As Hays County experiences population growth, the need to make changes to the regional animal sheltering model has become more evident, Banduch explained. “Operating a regional shelter is no longer in the best interest of the taxpayers of San Marcos. The agreements were implemented at a time when the county population was much smaller and managing the animal population was easier,” Banduch said. She noted that the change would allow their staff to utilize their resources to best serve the San Marcos community. “We look forward to Hays County completing their plans and opening the Hays County Pet Resource Center to help all animals in the County,” Banduch said.

SOURCE: SAN MARCOS ANIMAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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Government

BY AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

Kyle approves budget, sets FY 24-25 tax rate The city of Kyle approved a $363.3 million budget—a slight decrease from when originally proposed—with an ad valorem tax rate of $0.4693 per $100 valuation for fiscal year 2024-25 on Sept. 3. What’s changing? The council made several budget amendments before final approval, which included allocating an additional $15,000 to support the Hays-Caldwell County Women’s Center and $15,000 to support the Hays County Food Bank. Council also eliminated the $65 million Sportsplex Capital Improvement Project from the city’s 5-year CIP spending plan, which also eliminated $7 million in CIP expenditures in FY 2024-25. Council decided against calling a bond election to help fund the sportsplex at a Aug. 6 meeting. The dais added the Lake Kensington CIP proj- ect—a signature park facility on the east side of the

New San Marcos City Hall in the works San Marcos is moving forward with plans to build a new city hall by starting the appointment process for the Hopkins Gateway Steering Committee on Sept. 4. A closer look City Manager Stephanie Reyes said the city will not be calling a bond election for this project and is looking at alternative funding mechanisms. San Marcos City Council is looking to allocate $6.8 million in funding for capital outlay in the city’s general fund in fiscal year 2024-25, $4 million of which will be set aside to fund the city hall project, according to agenda documents. The project includes a new city hall, improvements to Hopkins Street and the civic corridor on the north side of Hopkins Street.

Budget highlights

General fund budget: $83.09M

Water Utility Fund: $24.45M

Debt Service Fund budget: $12.93M Hotel Occupancy Fund: $765,935 Wastewater Utility Fund: $14.51M

Total $135.74M

SOURCE: CITY OF KYLE/COMMUNITY IMPACT

city—totaling $17 million. This project will be funded through the issuance of CO bonds in the future, Director of Finance Perwez Moheet said. As a result, the city increased CIP expenditures for FY 2024-25 by $5 million. More details The ad valorem tax rate is above the no-new revenue tax rate of $0.4562 per $100 valuation—a 2.87% increase—from the no-new revenue tax rate for tax year 2024, according to agenda documents.

Buda enters partnership agreement with Greater Austin YMCA for $15M facility

What it means The new building could serve as a community resilience hub during emergencies, Sean Doles, Greater Austin YMCA public affairs officer said. “With its location along I-35, the proposed project will provide immediate and easy access for residents of disadvantaged communities in the event of climate-related emergencies, such as flood, fire, extreme heat or power outages,” Doles said.

Buda City Council adopted a partnership agreement with the Greater Austin YMCA for the YMCA’s Environmental Protection Agency Community Change Grant Application on Sept. 3. If awarded, the grant will fund the construction of a multipurpose facility—estimated to cost $15 million—at Camp Moody, located at 1220 Old San Antonio Road in Buda.

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Government

BY AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

Kyle begins negotiations to purchase 6th downtown property

The city of Kyle is en route to purchasing its sixth downtown property. In a 6-1 vote, Kyle City Council authorized City Manager Bryan Langley to negotiate and enter into a contract with Brian Fennell, the owner of Kyle Auto- motive Service Center located at 107 N. Main St., at a special meeting Aug. 15. Council member Miguel Zuniga was the single dissenting vote. What you need to know Kyle City Council spent $4.45 million on five downtown properties in July. The city has since closed on contracts for four out of the five prop- erties. Property owners of the remaining prop- erty—106 N. Burleson St.—are under contract with the city, Mayor Travis Mitchell told Community Impact . Mitchell said he was excited about what this could mean for the revitalization of downtown Kyle. “We have a long way to go, but for the first time

the city of Kyle is gaining control of its downtown,” Mitchell said. Dig deeper To redevelop downtown, Mitchell said he would like to create a public-private partnership in which the city goes out to bid, and asks firms to put together proposals for the land the city owns and make all-ground-floor retail—and the city would master lease all of it. Mitchell said the city would utilize revenue from its downtown tax increment reinvestment zone, or TIRZ, to subsidize leases for small businesses and incubator spaces, or coworking spaces. What the owner is saying Fennell explained he had mixed feelings about his property potentially being purchased by the city as part of their efforts to revitalize downtown. “I think the city’s vision is good. I think for them to make it happen—it’s [going to] be expensive,”

"We’ve done very well in this small spot, but we have been limited. This is [going to] allow me to help and service more community members and residents." BRIAN FENNELL, KYLE AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE CENTER OWNER

Kyle

Fennell said. He also said if he and the city could come to an agreement, it would help his small business. The city has not ruled out making additional downtown purchases.

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Education

BY BRITTANY ANDERSON

Education Edition

2024

Readers, welcome to your annual CI Education Edition! This guide features the latest updates and resources about local K-12 public school options in your community, ranging from new campuses to budget details to bond elections. All of the stories were written by our team of local journalists, and all of the advertisements are from nearby businesses who support our mission to provide free, useful news—show them your gratitude by supporting them. Whether you have children in local districts, are a local resident or business owner, or are a student or alumni of Texas State University, our Education Edition includes information that is relevant to everyone. In this edition, we explore the district budgets for the 2024-2025 scal year, new buses for Hays CISD, and an update on Texas State expansion on campus.

What's inside

Learn how a nonprot preserves Hispanic history in San Marcos (Page 17)

Leslie Bradshaw General Manager lbradshaw@ communityimpact.com

Learn about what will be on the November ballot in San Marcos CISD (Page 18)

Read about Texas State University’s plans to build a hotel in San Marcos (Page 21)

For relevant news and daily updates subscribe to our free email newsletter!

Hays CISD implements seat belt campaign, awaits new buses At an April 22 meeting, the board approved the purchase of 30 buses for $4.7 million from the 2023 bond. The new buses would enter the eet over the next few months and continue into the 2025-26 school year. The breakdown HCISD Director of Transportation Cassandra Behr

Hays CISD leaders have taken steps to ensure all buses in the district’s eet are equipped with seat belts following a fatal crash involving a Tom Green Elementary school bus in March. As the district awaits the delivery of 40 new buses with seat belts, the transportation depart- ment has implemented a “Seatbelt is Your Buddy” seat belt campaign to remind and encourage students to wear their seat belts on the bus. HCISD Director of Transportation Cassandra Behr said the buses used as support eet are older models from 2012 and 2013 that do not have the proper ooring to support a seat with seat belts. Those will be auctioned o or sold to other districts instead of retrotted. Some context The board of trustees approved a ve-component plan to accelerate equipping all district buses with seat belts during a special board meeting April 15.

said of the district’s current bus eet: 163 have seat belts , a combination of general and special education buses 13 have been retrotted with seat belts , which were 2016 and 2017 models 87 do not have seat belts and are used as support eet

Behr said this is on top of the ten buses ordered last August—which are currently in production— bringing the number of buses ordered and await- ing delivery to 40. Buses take about 14 months to be delivered after they are ordered, she said. Staying prepared A video was shared with students on how to properly wear bus seat belts, and students got to practice at elementary meet the teacher night. The Facilities and Bond Oversight Committee could call for a May 2025 bond. While a bond has not yet been discussed, Behr said 20 to 30 buses would be a comfortable number added to the eet.

SOURCE: HAYS CISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

“We did request to have additional buses put in [the bond], and part of that is for continued growth as a district. And then

just to make sure that we have enough support eet [with] buses that have seat belts.” CASSANDRA BEHR, HCISD DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION

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Education

BY ATIRIKTA KUMAR

FAFSA changes, delays lead to decrease in application numbers

Also of note

The delayed rollout of the form in 2023 is likely to impact students from low-income families because affordability comes into question, said Carla Fletcher, a research consultant at Trellis Strategies. “I think we are going to see some impacts on who is completing the FAFSA and then who is moving on to make decisions about their education because their financial aid packages have been delayed,” Fletcher said. “And so that can really impact their decision making. They might not know which school they can truly afford because they don’t know what kind of aid they’re getting.” Students whose parents do not have a Social Security number have also been “adversely impacted” by the recent FAFSA changes, Ashton said. Texans who do not qualify for FAFSA may be eligible to apply for the Texas Application for State Financial Aid. In 2001, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 1528, which allowed students who are not U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents or eligible noncitizens, who are not eligible for federal aid, to apply for state aid at participating higher education institutions. Learn more about TASFA eligibility at www.highered.texas.gov. The U.S. Department of Education has said next year’s FAFSA form is set to open for all students on or before Dec. 1, according to an Aug. 7 news release.

Fewer high schoolers have applied for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid this year than in 2023, according to data from the National College Attainment Network. The form, which usually becomes available Oct. 1, was delayed by almost three months due to changes made to the application. It was not available for students until Dec. 31. In 2022, U.S. Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act. The revamped application came with fewer questions, a new way of calculating how much aid students qualify for, and a direct exchange of data between the Internal Revenue Service and FAFSA, according to the U.S. Department of Education. However, the delayed application process likely caused a decrease in the number of FAFSA applications, and this will have lasting

FAFSA completion rates in Texas

65%

65% 60% 0% 50% 55%

54.5%

54%

SOURCE: TRELLIS STRATEGIES/COMMUNITY IMPACT *THE FAFSA SUBMISSION REQUIREMENT WENT INTO EFFECT IN TEXAS.

effects on graduating seniors, said Bryan Ashton, managing director at Trellis Strategies, a research and consulting firm focused on postsecondary education.

FAFSA completion rates San Marcos CISD seniors

Zooming in

Class of 2023

As of the end of June, 54.5% of Texas’ class of 2024 had completed a FAFSA form, down from about 61% at the same time last year. Ashton said he believes this is in part due to a state law passed in 2019 requiring all graduating seniors to either complete a financial aid application or formally opt out. The law went into effect for high school seniors graduating during the 2021-22 school year. After the law went into effect, about 65% of the class of 2022 in Texas filled out the FAFSA.

290

-2.8%

Class of 2024

282

Hays CISD seniors

Class of 2023

990

-13.6%

Class of 2024

855

SOURCE: NATIONAL COLLEGE ATTAINMENT NETWORK/COMMUNITY IMPACT

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SAN MARCOS - BUDA - KYLE EDITION

Education

BY HANNAH NORTON

Bob Popinski discusses Texas public school funding challenges Amid high operating costs and stagnant state funding, many public school districts across Texas have adopted budget shortfalls for fiscal year 2024- 25. Last year, public education advocates urged lawmakers to increase the basic allotment—which is the base amount of money schools receive per student and has not changed since 2019, when it was raised to $6,160. Community Impact interviewed Bob Popinski, the senior policy director for education policy nonprofit Raise Your Hand Texas, to learn more. How are Texas public schools funded? Right now, Texas is in the bottom 10 [states] for per-student funding. We’re more than $4,000 below the national average, according to a new National Education Association report. [Texas uses] what is known as an equalized system, where the Legislature sets the amount of per-student funding and a district is guaranteed that amount. [District] revenue comes from local property taxes and general revenue from the state. On average, when you look at per-student fund- ing across the state, the funding that actually gets down into the classrooms—that pays for day-to-day operations like teachers and cafeteria workers and bus drivers and school principals—is roughly $10,000 per student, on average, across the state. Why are so many districts facing high budget shortfalls? Since 2019, the last time we saw any increase to our school funding formulas, inflation has gone

up 22%. School districts are operating at roughly a $1,400 deficit from where they were in 2019. When you look at the basic allotment—[which is] kind of the building block for our school funding for- mula—it’s at $6,160, and that hasn’t been updated since 2019. Federal stimulus funding is ending. And school districts knew that ... but it doesn’t mean that the post-pandemic student achievement loss has gone away. There are still a lot of programs that are in place to help students with their academic progress that school districts would like to continue, but because that federal stimulus funding is going away, it may not be available to them. In addition to those two major driving factors, there are some school districts out there experi- encing enrollment decline. Think of it this way: if every student draws down about $10,000 to pay for teachers, and you lose 10 kids, that is $100,000 that the school district doesn’t have to pay for a teacher salary. But you still have to have a teacher in the classroom, and you still have to have a bus driver, and you still have to be able to turn the lights and the air conditioning on. So those are big, kind of fixed costs that a school district doesn’t necessarily control. There’s also a new law saying you have to have an armed security guard on each campus. School districts are trying to come up with and maintain the funding for that. When they passed that law,... they only increased the school safety allotment by 28 cents per student and $15,000 per campus. And that’s woefully short of what it actually costs to have that personnel on your campus. What kind of staffing issues are schools facing, and what can the state do to help? The state needs to implement a lot of the recom- mendations that came from the Teacher Vacancy Task Force report that was issued last year. There

COURTESY RAISE YOUR HAND TEXAS

were about 24 recommendations in there. A lot of them focused on salary; a lot focused on training and retention of teachers. School districts are struggling to find certified teachers. In the 2022-23 school year, approximately 15,300 teachers were hired in Texas without certification. That’s a drastic increase, about a 650% increase, from 2010. Hiring uncertified teachers is also causing a lot of turnover. Only about 37% of alt-certified or uncerti- fied teachers are still teaching after five years.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. For a longer version, visit communityimpact.com .

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

Nonpro t

BY SARAH HERNANDEZ

The Marcos and Fidela Garza Library has books written by Hispanic authors.

Amanda Rodriguez (left) is the board president of Centro, and Gloria Salazar is one of the original founders.

PHOTOS BY SARAH HERNANDEZCOMMUNITY IMPACT

Nonprot preserves Hispanic history in San Marcos For nearly 15 years, leaders at Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos have worked to preserve the history, heritage and contributions of San Marcos’ Hispanic population. The backstory What they oer Centro’s programs include art, youth mariachi, ballet folklorico and piano classes. The building also has the Ofelia T. Vasquez

Centro Cultural Hispano de San Marcos is located in a historically Hispanic neighborhood of San Marcos.

San Marcos

Mexican American Culture Museum, a library with books written by Hispanic authors, paintings from Hispanic artists and a community garden. Why it matters Rodriguez said she has seen how grateful par- ents and families are for Centro and its oerings. “For so many people, they want their kids to do great things, but it’s unattainable, it’s unaord- able,” she said. “We break those barriers, and they are so cognizant of that.”

Centro was founded in 2010 by Gloria Salazar, Lupe Costilla, Margie Villalpando, Rosina Ruiz Valle and Ofelia T. Vasquez-Philo. Vasquez-Philo—the leader of the group—was the rst Latina to serve on the San Marcos CISD board from 1969 to 1971. “She really began with that vision of ‘Let’s have a place where we can preserve the history of the Mexican families here in San Marcos and preserve the culture’” Salazar said.

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Education

BY BRITTANY ANDERSON & AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

Texas State University to build hotel on campus Texas State University officials announced their plans to build a five-star hotel near campus in downtown San Marcos during The State of Texas State 2024 event on Aug. 23. The university is working with a private Hous- ton-based developer—Midway—which could potentially break ground on the project in early 2025, said Eric Algoe, executive vice president for operations and chief financial officer. The project is still pending The Texas State University System Board of Regents approval, according to Jayme Blaschke, senior media relations manager. What we know The hotel will be built at 101 Concho St., Ste. 200. The Richard A. Castro Undergraduate Admissions Center, which resides on the 3.88-acre property, will be removed, Algoe said.

$137M STEM building breaks ground Texas State University officials held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new $137 million STEM building Aug. 16. The details The eight-story, 168,000-square-foot building will house the mathematics and computer science departments, according to a news release. The building is expected to be operational by fall 2026, according to a news release.

San Marcos

Future university hotel

He also said they are looking to provide an “elevated, first-class” dining experience in the hotel with a high-end restaurant, rooftop bar and lounge. The hotel will also have a ground-level coffee bar and event lawn. “The design’s not finalized, but right now we’re looking at three or four stories,” Algoe said. One more thing The university also has plans to create a hospitality management program for student internships, and there may also be classes held there over time, Texas State President Kelly Damphousse told Community Impact .

JAMES ST.

San Marcos

Hays CISD celebrates opening of Cullen Elementary

Kyle

Work began on the $48.2 million, 117,611-square- foot school in early 2023. The school has a total capacity of 900 students. What’s in a name The school is named after teacher Jim Cullen, who taught middle school Texas History in Hays CISD for 14 years and won the first Hays CISD Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020.

Hundreds of Hays CISD families, staff and community members packed into the new Jim Cullen Elementary School gym Aug. 2 to celebrate the school’s official opening. How we got here Cullen Elementary was approved by voters in the 2022 bond as the district’s 16th elementary school and 27th campus overall.

Cullen Elementary School

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Education

BY BRITTANY ANDERSON, SIERRA MARTIN & AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN

Hays CISD renews student services

Texas State to expand research efforts Academic leaders at Texas State Univer- sity gave updates on the university’s aspira- tions for becoming a designated Research-1, or R1, university during The State of Texas State 2024 event on Aug. 23. The details Texas State is looking to receive R1 Carne- gie classification by 2027. The R1 designation measures research investments made to support research conducted on campus. To be considered, universities must have over $50 million in research expenditures and graduate an average of 70 doctoral degrees over three consecutive years, Chief Research Officer Shreek Mandayam said. Texas State has already surpassed the $50 million mark—as of 2024, the university has $160 million in research funding.

Hays CISD adopts lower tax rate, joins litigation The Hays CISD board of trustees unanimously adopted the 2024-25 tax rate of $1.1546 during its regular meeting Aug. 26, and approved a legal services agreement to join a litigation surrounding the Texas Education Agency’s A-F Accountability system alongside over 60 other school districts. Tax rate The adopted $1.1546 tax rate is 0.2% lower than last year, as previously reported by Community Impact , and reflects $0.6669 for maintenance and operations and $0.4877 for payment of principal and interest on debts. Despite a lower tax rate, certified property values in Hays, Caldwell and Travis counties have increased. Agenda documents show last year’s property values totaled $17.87 billion. Values were nearly $19.5 billion this year, an 8.83% increase.

Hays CISD adopted tax rate for fiscal year 2024-25 Interest and sinking: $0.4877 Maintenance and operations: $0.6669 Total $1.1546

San Marcos CISD Tax Rate FY 2024-25

Interest and sinking Maintenance and operations

If VATRE is denied If VATRE is approved

$0.9952

The Hays CISD board of trustees unan- imously approved a memorandum of understanding Aug. 26 with Communities in Schools to assist students at 14 campuses who have high absenteeism, poor academic performance or social service needs. The gist Hays CISD and CIS have entered into the MOU since 2007, per agenda documents. CIS manages students by offering tutoring, help- ing improve attendance, reducing discipline referrals, providing counseling and crisis intervention and more. Additionally, CIS will collaborate with district counseling staff for training. Agenda documents show the MOU renewal for the 2024-25 school year will cost $587,500 and from the general fund.

$1.0152

$0.2

$0.4

$0.6

$0.8

$1.2

SOURCE: SAN MARCOS CISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

SOURCE: HAYS CISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

San Marcos CISD places new tax rate on ballot In an effort to help offset the district’s nearly $18 million budget shortfall for the 2024-25 fiscal year, San Marcos CISD officials have decided to place a voter-approved tax rate election, or VATRE, on the Nov. 5 General Election ballot. A closer look A VATRE is required when a school board adopts

a tax rate that exceeds the district’s voter-approval tax rate, according to the Texas Association of School Business Officials. The SMCISD board of trustees approved the VATRE during an Aug. 26 regular meeting with a total tax rate of $1.0152. The board-approved tax rate of $1.0152 is above the current voter-approved tax rate of $0.9952. If voters pass the VATRE in November, SMCISD anticipates receiving between $2.7 to $2.8 million in additional funding every year going forward. If the VATRE is not passed by voters, the tax rate would revert to the voter-approved tax rate.

Accountability system litigation Trustees also unanimously approved joining litigation for the TEA’s A-F Accountability system. The litigation centers around the TEA’s system of scoring the academic performance of districts, as previously reported by Community Impact . Plaintiffs in the lawsuit stated that changes to the system could make it “mathematically impos- sible” for schools to receive an “A” rating, and that artificial intelligence being used to grade the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, could impact the test’s validity.

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Local districts navigate school year as costs rise From the cover

What’s happening?

Hays, San Marcos CISD budget shortfalls since 2019

Hays CISD budget

San Marcos CISD budget

Projected shortfall

The Texas Legislature designated $4 billion for public education funding in the 88th legislative session. The funding failed to pass due to lawmakers tying increases in basic allotment funding to the approval of an educational saving account program, which would have provided public funds to families who enroll their children in private schools, according to previous reporting by Community Impact . The basic allotment for each student—$6,160— has not changed since 2019, while inflation has increased by 22%, HCISD Superintendent Eric Wright said. With a $6.2 million shortfall, HCISD officials said it is unsustainable for the district to continue dipping into its fund balance. SMCISD has been taking steps to cut costs for FY 2024-25 by the board of trustees approving attrition—or not refilling nonessential positions— a hiring freeze for noninstructional positions among other measures. SMCISD is expecting a nearly $18 million budget shortfall in FY 2024-25. If the VATRE is approved by voters, the increased tax rate of $1.0152 could help the district receive an additional $2.7 million-$2.8 million in funding every year.

FY 2019-20 FY 2020-21

FY 2021-22 FY 2022-23 FY 2023-24 FY 2024-25

-$6.29M

-$5M -$10M -$15M -$20M -$25M -$30M

-$17.62M

-$14.92M if VATRE is approved.

Projected fiscal year 2024-25 shortfall per student

Austin ISD

Comal ISD Dripping Springs ISD Hays CISD San Marcos CISD

-$566

-$266

-$324

-$500

-$806

-$1,000

-$1,500

-$2,118

-$2,000

-$2,500

SOURCES: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, SAN MARCOS CISD, HAYS CISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

The impact

What the experts say

FY 2024-25 budget breakdown Hays CISD

Gov. Greg Abbott said there are several reasons why schools are facing budget shortfalls. “One is that public schools received extraordinary funding from the federal government for COVID recovery, and that federal funding is no longer available,” Abbot said in a letter to Texas House Democrats, also stating that he cares about improving public schools, but the school choice program needs to pass to secure the funding. “If the governor doesn’t release the hostages as I call [them]—the dollars—then we would be forced to have committee meetings and decide which programs or which staff might be asked to [be] repurposed or removed,” Wright said. SMCISD Chief of Communications Andrew Fer- nandez said officials are trying to find a solution that does not impact one department or program. “I don’t think there’s any one program and one department where we’re like, ‘This is going to be cut next year.’ It’s more of a holistic approach,” Fernandez said. “How can we cut a little bit here and there so that no one feels a big impact?”

Bob Popinski, senior director of policy for Raise Your Hand Texas, said districts across the state are seeing stagnant or declining enrollment numbers, causing them to have to make tough choices. “In some instances it’s, ‘Hey, we’re [going to] have to close some schools, we’re [going to] have to cut back on programs that we know are benefi- cial to our kids,’” Popinski said.

Revenue

$232.25M

Expenditures

Other expenses: $28.82M

Personnel: $209.72M

Projected shortfall: $6.29M

Enrollment in local districts

Hays CISD

San Marcos CISD

25K

Revenue

$85.31M $85.31M

20K 15K 10K 5K 0

+12.12%

Expenditures

Personnel: $80.85M

Other expenses: $22.08M

+1.06%

2019- 20

2020- 21

2021- 22

2022- 23

2023- 24

Projected shortfall: $17.62M

School year

SOURCES: HAYS CISD, SAN MARCOS CISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY/COMMUNITY IMPACT

COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM

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