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In their most divided vote taken to date, members of Houston ISD’s state-appointed school board on Thursday narrowly approved a $2.1 billion budget that slashes hundreds of millions of dollars in spending in 2024-25.
The unexpected 5-4 split on the district’s annual budget — one of the most important votes taken by a school board each year — marks a rare public disagreement between some board members and HISD Superintendent Mike Miles. The nine-member board and Miles, which were appointed to run the district in June 2023 as part of state sanctions against HISD, have generally moved in lockstep while dramatically overhauling Texas’ largest school district.
None of the four board members who voted against the budget proposal — Cassandra Auzenne Bandy, Michelle Cruz Arnold, Rolando Martinez and Adam Rivon — detailed their opposition during Thursday’s meeting. Of the four, only Rivon spoke during the budget discussion, requesting that Miles present the board with more data in the future about which components of HISD’s overhaul model are having the most impact.
Cruz Arnold said she was surprised by the 5-4 result. She said she voted no because Miles did not present the board with enough evidence justifying his plans or possible ways to adjust his spending proposal.
“I asked some questions of the administration in advance of the first budget workshop and then in advance of the second one that went unanswered,” Cruz Arnold said. “I’m a processor, and without that information … I just had to vote no.”
Board President Audrey Momanaee, who voted in favor of the budget, posed the most pointed question to Miles’ over his plans, pressing him on his intention to spend roughly $2,500 more per student on children at 130 “New Education System” schools than students at other campuses.
“Do you think that the budget that we're looking at will reduce performance in the traditional schools, which are outside of the NES program?” Momanee asked.
Directly after the vote, the HISD administration and board sent a joint statement saying they would “continue to work together and have tough conversations when necessary to ensure we stay focused on improving student outcomes for all HISD students.”
Miles’ plan included roughly $500 million less spending than last year, as HISD grapples with the end of pandemic stimulus funding and enrollment losses. Miles also accused HISD’s previous superintendent, Millard House II, of overspending.
But while HISD leaders have said the majority of those cuts will come from roughly 1,500 layoffs in central office, they have not released specifics on the scale of cuts to roles and programs.
“You don’t have as many people and you have more efficient systems,” Miles said.
Meanwhile, the largest increases in spending come as Miles prepares to expand his “New Education System” from 85 to 130 schools. Those overhauled campuses, which serve high shares of low-income students and employ more staff, spend roughly $9,400 per student on average, while other campuses spend about $6,900, HISD administrators said. Most non-NES campuses had to make budget cuts this year due to enrollment declines.
The planned changes come amid community members’ criticism of the district for holding just two public meetings — compared to four last year — for feedback on the budget before ushering it through.
While many of the details have yet to come into focus, here’s what we know so far.
Half-billion in cuts
HISD leaders plan to cut roughly one-fifth of the district’s spending on operations next fiscal year. Several central office departments will see steep drop-offs in funding next year, according to a budget presentation released in May, including:
- The operations office, made up of custodians, bus drivers and other non-teaching staff, will lose roughly $101 million, equivalent to 45 percent of its 2023-24 budget.
- The human resources office, responsible for hiring, firing and other personnel matters, will lose roughly $97 million, equivalent to 88 percent of its 2023-24 budget.
- The academics office, including employees who develop curriculum and support teachers, will lose about $69 million, equivalent to 37 percent of its 2023-24 budget.
Specific reductions unknown
Despite greenlighting the most drastic budget cuts HISD has seen in roughly a decade, Miles’ team has not detailed which positions it plans to eliminate.
The Abdelraoufsinno requested a breakdown of how many staff HISD expects to employ in each position next year, but the district did not provide one. Various budget presentations and documents have referenced job cuts to the transportation, custodial and technology divisions, though none outlined how employees would be laid off. HISD administrators did confirm layoffs hitting about 200 of the district’s roughly 275 wraparound specialists, who worked on campuses to address students’ non-academic needs.
HISD board members on Thursday asked Miles about the evidence behind his budgeting priorities, but did not ask for granular information on what specific cuts he planned to make.
Big differences in campus funding
Miles’ administration has implemented a system in HISD where, for the first time, some schools receive considerably more money than others.
Schools undergoing NES system changes will receive roughly one-third more money per student than other schools in the district — bolstering their budgets while other campuses are forced to make cuts.
Miles has said the investments are worthwhile because the schools involved in the overhaul have been historically underperforming and, according to preliminary test results, have seen academic gains after the first year under the new model. The extra money pays for added staff members, new curriculum and teacher salaries that are about $10,000 to $20,000 higher than other roles in the district.
Meanwhile, most non-NES schools have had to reduce their spending for next year, with about 50 campuses required to make cuts between 6 percent and 12 percent.
The 130 NES campuses next year will serve about 72,000 students, while non-NES schools will serve roughly 95,000. Each group serves about half of HISD’s economically disadvantaged students by raw numbers, but NES schools serve those students in a higher concentration.
Sustainability questions
Despite trimming hundreds of millions of dollars, HISD’s 2024-25 budget relies on roughly $200 million in one-time revenues and tapping reserves, prompting questions about long-term plans to balance costs.
Miles’ team plans to sell $80 million in property next year, though the district has not yet finalized which buildings will be sold. HISD leaders also plan to dip into $130 million of the district’s projected $930 million “rainy day” fund. Texas officials recommend that districts with HISD’s budget keep at least $525 million in reserves.
HISD’s board of managers expressed concerns about budget sustainability, asking Miles’ team to explain its plan to “offset” the district’s current deficit spending in future years, according to a question-and-answer document published by the district in advance of Thursday’s meeting. The document doesn’t specify which board members asked about the deficit.
Miles’ team said it plans to continue cutting spending in the years to come, and to seek philanthropic donations and grants.
Controversy over wraparound cuts
The elimination of about 200 wraparound specialists ranked among the most controversial reductions in Miles’ budget plan.
Previously, wraparound specialists worked at most of HISD’s roughly 270 schools, often supporting students dealing with the effects of poverty, hunger and homelessness. However, about 60 specialists will rotate next year between the district’s campuses, according to documents released by the HISD.
Miles previously said he had made the cuts because they were funded by expiring pandemic stimulus money, but a recent HISD document showed that only a small fraction were funded by the Covid-19 grants. Most were paid for using federal Title I funds, which are not disappearing next year. Title I money largely goes toward helping students in higher-poverty campuses.
During the public comment portion of Thursday’s meeting, several community members implored HISD’s board to reject the budget because of the cuts to wraparound specialists.
“Have you ever seen the eyes of a hungry child? Have you ever seen the stomach, the skin, the confusion and the stress of a confused and traumatized child? It is very sad,” community member Monique Mason said. “Please do not take away the wraparound specialists.”
HISD has said it will continue to deliver the same resources to students in need through regional centers that provide clothing, mental health support, afterschool programs and more. However, some board members have questioned Miles on whether the regional centers will be as effective as employees assigned to campuses.
Asher Lehrer-Small covers Houston ISD for the Landing. Reach him at [email protected].
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