Plano South | July 2024

BY MICHAEL CROUCHLEY

Plano ISD approved budget shortfalls

The cause

Projected shortfall

recapture bill. Recapture is a program that redis- tributes tax dollars from property-wealthy districts to those the state deems property poor—PISD will have paid over $1 billion in recapture since fiscal year 2018-19 after FY 2024-25. Hill said the school closures will save the district around $5 million. He added that all four closing campuses are nearing “end of useful life,” and the cost to replace a campus is $60 million for an elementary school and $100 million for a middle school.

PISD’s enrollment has decreased every year since its peak of 55,700 in 2012. Enrollment for last school year was 47,800, and Hill said that number is expected to decrease by 3,000 students in the next three years. PISD is also facing budget concerns, Williams said. Humphrey pointed to a lack of state funding as one cause—districts across Texas have not seen an increase in funding from the Legislature since FY 2018-19. Part of PISD’s budget is a $155.6 million

$10M

$20M

$30M

$40M

SOURCE: PLANO ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT

In their own words

What’s next

concerns over Forman Elementary’s closure. In 2022, Forman’s student body was 56.7% bilingual and 60.5% Hispanic, according to Texas Education Agency data. Forman parent Sheila Torres said the school has a strong support system for bilingual students that has been built over “years and years.” Forman and Armstrong are also both located in the same neighborhood, just south of Bob Woodruff Park in southeast Plano.

Many community members have voiced concern over moving the Regional Day School Program for the Deaf to Harrington Elementary, including former Davis Elementary parent Rebecca Mattern, who has lived near the school for more than 20 years. “The Davis community has built this safety net so [deaf students] are afforded the same independence that my kids would naturally have,” she said. “It’s possible [to move the deaf school], but it won’t retain the same culture of inclusivity and care.” PISD officials have already begun to evaluate classroom design, acoustical needs and other safety considerations needed to relocate the program. “We understand that change can be challenging, especially for our deaf and hard of hearing students and their families,” Williams said in an email. “Plano ISD is dedicated to making this transition as smooth as possible.” Community members have voiced similar

PISD is set to establish “campus transition teams,” consisting of staff and parents, to help students and families impacted by the school closures. The district is also establishing legacy committees, which will work to document the history of the closing schools and organize a “culminating event for each campus to celebrate and remember its history and spirit.” Williams said that more extreme measures would need to be taken if school closures were put off. “We’re not going to grow any time soon,” trustee Jeri Chambers said. “If we don’t get ahead of this now, it’s going to be an even bigger bite to chew later on.”

“This community was built together, and we have to resize ourselves [together].” THERESA WILLIAMS, PLANO ISD SUPERINTENDENT

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