Pflugerville won't close elementary school but will transfer some students from Weiss High
The Pflugerville school board on Thursday decided to not close Dessau Elementary School, but it voted to transfer some students from Weiss High School to other campuses.
Superintendent Doug Killian, who had recommended repurposing Dessau because the school has not been a high-achieving campus while the district is projected to face a $20 million budget deficit, sent an email to district staff before the meeting saying he will not make a recommendation to close any campuses.
“Over the last several month’s we’ve been struggling with budget concerns for next year and even considering the possibility of closing schools as one of just many possible measures,” Killian said in the email. “I need your help and our community’s help. So, I am not going to make a recommendation to close the school tonight."
Killian again encouraged parents to speak to their lawmakers about more funding for schools. He said if the district does not return to at least 2019 state funding levels it will have to make cuts. Without offering specifics, Killian said the district will make budget cuts wherever it can to gain some time to make changes.
Killian has said the basic allotment the district received from the state in 2019 was ideal as it kept up with inflation. Killian said the trouble the district is facing is due to the state not increasing its payment to schools despite rising inflation. He said it would take an additional $20 million, or $900 per student, for the district not to have to consider closing any of its schools.
Currently, the basic allotment to school districts in Texas is capped at $6,160, according to the Texas Education Agency.
Some students to transfer from Weiss High
Although no school was closed, the district unanimously approved high school plan 3, which would transfer some students from overcrowded Weiss High School.
The plan will rezone 404 Weiss students to Connally High and an additional 157 to Pflugerville High to keep Weiss High from going over capacity. In the 2020-21 school year, Weiss had 2,171 students.
Sandy Baker, the district's chief of staff, said the plan would also keep all high schools in the UIL's 5A category. Under the new plan, none of the high schools should go over capacity within the next five years.
Baker said that being designated as 5A could save the schools money and host in-district events for both athletic and fine arts.
Before the vote, Trustee Brian Allen said it is a great thing for all the district high schools to be 5A as it allows them to compete against one another. He said it also helps the district save money by not having to bus students out of the district.
The plan also will have 11th and 12th graders at Weiss be exempted from the attendance realignments, Baker said. The district will not provide transportation for those students; that will be up to the families.
Out-of-district transfers to Weiss and Hendrickson Highs will be closed, but in-district transfers to both campuses can be approved on a case-by case basis.
Under the plan, Baker said, the district will have to reallocate multilingual resources to campuses for students who need it.
Baker said the realignment plan would cost the district $68,145 in operations but would save $53,953 in transportation costs. Additionally, $6,162 in costs per student at Weiss High would be reallocated to the school that each student is transferred to.
Killian said the money being transferred would help campuses offset the costs of added students.
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'A decision that is best for children'
While no parents from Dessau Elementary spoke during public comments, others thanked the board for making the right decision and not choosing to close the school.
Colleen Knowles, a parent at Pflugerville Elementary, said she attended the meeting to show solidarity with Dessau and appreciated the board's decision.
Franny Sanchez, a parent at River Oaks Elementary who supports Dessau, thanked trustees for the choice they made.
"I think that you truly made a decision that is best for children today," she said. "I just want to say 'thank you' for recognizing all of the advocacy that we did as families. "
While glad the school wasn't closed, other parents expressed their distaste for the way the process took place.
Shay Cannady said the district was not clear from the start about the way it narrowed its plans, and it did not include parents in the process.
"As we move forward, we're happy to be partners in this process," she said. "But we are asking you to be more clear and transparent. Also consider how any future decision could impact students and their families."
More:Pflugerville ISD narrows possible closure list down to this elementary school
Killian in December announced the district would begin considering the closure of several elementary campuses and shifting attendance boundaries at all grade levels. District officials blamed declining attendance rates and a lack of money from the state for its projected $20 million budget deficit, which was previously projected to be between $12 million and $14 million.
The district's expected recapture payment to the state increased due to lower attendance, student enrollment and increasing property values, officials said.
In the original plan, the elementary schools being considered for closure were Parmer Lane, River Oaks, Dessau, Spring Hill, Brook Hollow and Pflugerville. During a Jan. 19 meeting, the list of schools up for possible closure was narrowed to Dessau, River Oaks and Parmer Lane elementaries.
On Feb. 3, the list was narrowed to only Dessau due to its academic struggles over the past few years, according to an email sent to parents by Killian.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Pflugerville school board will not close campus, but will transfer some students from Weiss High
