Pflugerville ISD considers cost-cutting scenarios to solve budget woes From the cover
How we got here
The overview
of three elementary schools and half a middle school, or add as many students, in order to reach an average 75% campus utilization rate in 2027-28. “We want to be clear that this [shortfall] is about enrollment and [average daily attendance], not financial mismanagement,” Chief of Schools Laila Olivarez said.
Despite new home construction, Parker said PfISD loses hundreds of students a year, as students leaving the district consistently exceed incoming students, and fewer children are born. “It’s not unique; it’s a reality that many people are facing,” Parker said. Data from demographer Zonda Education shows PfISD would have to close the equivalent
The biggest budget risk Pflugerville ISD currently faces is its projected fund balance decline, Land said. If no changes are made, the district could see a negative balance in its savings account in the next two to three years. She said the state could intervene to enforce financial accountability oversight. “What happens when we get to that point is we will no longer be able to make the financial decisions ourselves because that is when [the Texas Education Agency] could possibly step in,” Land said. To address these concerns, PfISD and CSG created individual campus profiles that take into account operating cost per student, attendance, five-year enrollment trends, the year the campus was built and most recent renovations. The profiles also include whether a campus met certain priorities, ranging from student achievement and teacher retention rates to building costs and utilization. Using these profiles, 12 optimization scenarios have been proposed. In May, the board of trustees will vote on which scenarios to implement, if any, between the 2027-28 and 2029-30 school years. While the yearly financial impact of some scenarios is to be determined, CSG partner Olin Parker said PfISD would save $19.7 million in operating expenses in its first year if all 12 scenarios are implemented.
PfISD campus utilization
12,000 16,000 20,000
PfISD’s targeted campus utilization rate, or the number of classroom seats filled compared with total classroom capacity, is 75%.
66.5%
61.6%
65.4%
81.8%
80.1%
72.7%
65.1%
61.7%
59%
2025-26 2030-31 2035-36
Filled seats Capacity
0 4,000 8,000
% Campus utilization
Elementary schools
Middle schools
High schools
SOURCE: PFLUGERVILLE ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Breaking it down
teacher retention rates, participation in the Teacher Incentive Allotment program, and campus climte surveys. The “finance and operations” category considered the building utilization and capital investment over the last decade. Per the results, four campuses met all four priorities, 10 met three, six met two, nine met one, and four did not meet any.
Each campus profile indicated whether it met four priority criteria to help form the 12 draft scenarios. “Advancing student achievement” considered the number of students who met or mastered state testing, while “student persistence” considered the attendance and enrollment decline. The “investing in people” category considered
What are the options? Twelve optimization scenarios were proposed to address the shortfall and balance enrollment.
Draft scenario campus closures
These six campuses were identified as potential closures based on data collected from the campus profiles.
Close four elementary schools and two middle schools
Advancing student achievement
Student persistence
Investing in people
Finance and operations
School
Long-term considerations
More students transfer out to charter or private schools than any other elementary campus Zero home starts and closings with no future development planned Oldest facility in PfISD and losing enrollment at a faster rate than the district average No active subdivisions are being built in this enrollment zone Utilization is projected to be as low as a 51% over the next decade Lowest performing campus in PfISD last year
Redesign Dearing Elementary as a high- performing choice option
Dessau Elementary Parmer Lane Elementary Pflugerville Elementary Windermere Elementary Park Crest Middle School Westview Middle School
Rezone elementary schools east of Hwy. 130 and all high schools
Explore new programming at Mott Elementary, Bohls MS and Cele MS
Eight-period high school schedules
Repurpose vacant facilities for alternative programming
SOURCES: CIVIC SOLUTIONS GROUP, PFLUGERVILLE ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCE: PFLUGERVILLE ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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