Hays CISD proposes $12.25M in budget cuts for upcoming school year

HAYS COUNTY, Texas - Hays CISD is proposing significant budget cuts for the next school year in an effort to replenish the district's fund balance.

HCISD says the balance, also known as the district's savings account, is at a critically low level due to record inflation and no increase in student funding from the state for about seven years.

By the numbers:

Hays CISD says that nearly 90% of its entire budget goes to staff salaries and personnel costs.

The proposed $12.25 million in cuts will directly affect 125 current positions through:

• Staff attrition
• Reclassification of job duties
• Reassignments
• Reductions in work days 
• Some direct layoffs

Almost 1,000 more employees will be seeing certain stipends cut off for next school year and until funding for Texas public schools improves.

Hays CISD provided a more detailed chart of the reductions and how much they are estimated to save the district. Cuts are expected to impact many areas of the district, including central administration, fine arts & athletics, library and social services.

The district is also looking at increasing class sizes to reduce needed teacher positions by 63 districtwide, delaying the opening of the district's fourth high school and seventh middle school by one year, creating a virtual school program to receive additional state funds, selling district land and increasing school facility rental fees.

Big picture view:

The 89th Texas Legislature did increase the basic student allotment funding from $6,160 per student to $6,215, a small $55 bump.

This is the first increase from the legislature since before the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Hays CISD says that the small increase was "well short of the needed $1,000, or more, increase per student to cover the costs of post-pandemic inflation."

What they're saying:

"There is no easy way to make cuts in our district," said Superintendent Dr. Eric Wright in a release. "We are proposing these changes based on where we believe the system can best handle the additional stress – not for any adverse reasons caused by individuals. Every single position in our district is important for the education of children. And, we must remember that the affected positions do indeed represent real and very dear people to our school district family. It is the people of our district who make the amazing things that benefit our students happen."

"These cuts will, in varying degrees, affect all of us. Some will lose their jobs and the district will make every effort to help them quickly land on their feet. Others will lose money in their paychecks because of reclassifications, reductions in work days, or suspended stipends. Everyone will work harder to deliver the Hays CISD educational experience with a smaller staff," said Dr. Wright. "Though we will do our best to keep it from happening; I fear that because of school funding decisions beyond our control that have placed us in this position, a little bit of the Hays CISD magic for our students may suffer."

What's next:

Hays CISD says that staff members whose positions would be directly impacted by the proposed cuts were notified of the changes in person on Wednesday, March 25.

Staff who will have their stipends suspended were notified by email.

The Board is set to consider the proposal at its March 30 meeting. All cuts adopted in the district's final 2026-27 budget would take effect on July 1.

For more information on the proposed budget cuts, click here.