Individual Houston schools could benefit from a current surplus -- in all totaling millions of dollars -- if board members approve a proposal at Thursday's meeting.
Trustees Carol Mims Galloway, Larry Marshall and Juliet Stipeche argued during a Monday meeting that $18.5 million left over due to spending cuts totaling about $100 million for the current academic year should be allocated to individual principals.
Those three said doing so would fulfill a promise board members made to constituents during the budget-approval process.
The Houston Independent School District board will consider the idea during a 5 p.m. Thursday meeting.
HISD trustees in March voted to reduce the amount of money per student each school receives by $275.
“At the time, the Board and Superintendent Dr. Terry Grier committed to restoring some of that cut to per-student funding if the state budget cuts ended up being less severe than expected,” according to a news release issued after yesterday's meeting by HISD spokesman Jason Spencer.
HISD earlier this year laid off 700 employees on teaching contracts -- including teachers, librarians and other educators -- but has hired 44 percent of them back, the Houston Chronicle reported today.
The $18.5 million figure would equate to 411 teachers paid at the lowest rung of HISD's teacher pay scale, or about $45,000.
Some board members and district officials, however, advised caution before moving forward because they anticipate further cuts will be necessary in 2012-2013.
Texas lawmakers allocated about $33.8 million to K-12 education under an $82 billion general revenue budget adopted by the Legislature in June. HISD suffered $77.4 million in cuts for 2011-12 and $122.8 million for 2012-13.
More state funding cuts in 2012-13, combined with higher costs for fixed items such as gas, employee healthcare and utilities could decrease the HISD budget by another $41 million, district officials fear.
Principals may use money they receive any way they determine best helps their schools. With an uncertain 2012-13 funding stream, school leaders must weigh whether additional one-time money would be best spent on new hires – or campus needs such as technology, tutoring and teacher training.
Those three said doing so would fulfill a promise board members made to constituents during the budget-approval process.
The Houston Independent School District board will consider the idea during a 5 p.m. Thursday meeting.
HISD trustees in March voted to reduce the amount of money per student each school receives by $275.
“At the time, the Board and Superintendent Dr. Terry Grier committed to restoring some of that cut to per-student funding if the state budget cuts ended up being less severe than expected,” according to a news release issued after yesterday's meeting by HISD spokesman Jason Spencer.
HISD earlier this year laid off 700 employees on teaching contracts -- including teachers, librarians and other educators -- but has hired 44 percent of them back, the Houston Chronicle reported today.
The $18.5 million figure would equate to 411 teachers paid at the lowest rung of HISD's teacher pay scale, or about $45,000.
Some board members and district officials, however, advised caution before moving forward because they anticipate further cuts will be necessary in 2012-2013.
Texas lawmakers allocated about $33.8 million to K-12 education under an $82 billion general revenue budget adopted by the Legislature in June. HISD suffered $77.4 million in cuts for 2011-12 and $122.8 million for 2012-13.
More state funding cuts in 2012-13, combined with higher costs for fixed items such as gas, employee healthcare and utilities could decrease the HISD budget by another $41 million, district officials fear.
Principals may use money they receive any way they determine best helps their schools. With an uncertain 2012-13 funding stream, school leaders must weigh whether additional one-time money would be best spent on new hires – or campus needs such as technology, tutoring and teacher training.
***
Contact Mike Cronin at mike@texaswatchdog.org or 713-228-2850. Follow him on Twitter at @michaelccronin or @texaswatchdog.
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