BY SIERRA MARTIN & AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN
New teacher positions in 2024-25
Also of note
Looking ahead
Regular
Special education
Elementary school
In both SMCISD and HCISD, special education enrollment has been increasing over the years. “We are not alone as far as public school districts [in] seeing an increase in the percent of students who are receiving [special education] services, but the state is not relinquishing or changing how they calculate [special education] funding,” Doyle said. In response, HCISD has made cuts to their departmental budgets, causing department heads to make more choices as to how they spend their money. Doyle said SMCISD is having to pull funding from other places to support special education students due to underfunding from the state. “Like pretty much every other school district in the state, we’re underfunded in [special educa- tion], and so we have to make up for that gap because we are going to serve our students,” Doyle said. “They deserve the service, and we’re going to make sure that they have the best learning environment possible.”
Popinski said the Texas Legislature will begin debating in January, but will not pass a state budget until May of 2025. “School districts are going to be stuck with a lot of hard decisions,” he said. Doyle said public school districts are not seeing support on the federal level, either, and there will be a tight window for the federal legislature to approve any future funding. SMCISD received and maximized Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief, or ESSER grants one, two, and three—with ESSER three ending this year. Wright said he hopes that the state legislature will have “some common sense” and come up with some sort of compromise to fully fund traditional public schools. “I know that the governor has to get a victory, so I hope it’s just a small victory and doesn’t cripple our system,” Wright said.
31 2
Hays CISD
2
San Marcos CISD
Middle school
2 4 Hays CISD
2
San Marcos CISD
NO HIRES FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS IN EITHER DISTRICT
Special education enrollment
5K 4K 3K 2K 1K 0 Hays CISD
San Marcos CISD
School year
*PROJECTED NUMBER OF STUDENTS
SOURCES: SAN MARCOS CISD, HAYS CISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
October 19th 2 - 6 PM La Verde Park
Music By All Hat No Cadillac!
Live Music, Food Trucks, Annual State of the City Address, and a Pumpkin Patch!
23
SAN MARCOS - BUDA - KYLE EDITION
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