EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The Socorro Independent School District Board of Trustees voted Monday, May 5 to not renew 43 teacher contracts as part of a districtwide effort to reduce a projected $38.3 million budget deficit for the 2025-2026 school year.
District officials say the decision was difficult, but necessary to protect the financial future of the district. Interim Superintendent James Vásquez said the administration and Human Resources Department worked “feverishly” in recent months to minimize the number of impacted staff.
“As painful as it was, it was necessary for the financial responsibility of this district,” Vásquez said during the meeting.
SISD originally projected the need to eliminate nearly 300 positions. However, more than 230 employees voluntarily resigned, allowing the district to reduce the number of non-renewals to 43.
According to a budget presentation shared at the meeting, the district expects to save $30.3 million through various measures, including closing vacancies ($9 million), adjusting staffing formulas ($10 million), program redesigns ($5 million), department cuts ($3 million), and maximizing federal funds ($3.3 million).
All items dealing with the deficit, including teacher contracts, were voted on individually by the board. Trustees Paul Guerra and Marivel Macias voted against most of the items.
Even with those reductions, the district is still projecting an $8 million shortfall.
Board Trustee Michael Najera said the financial challenges are part of a broader issue facing Texas school districts.
“The state has not provided additional funding. Funding hasn’t changed for school districts since 2019,” Najera said. “In addition to that, birth rates in the county, in the state, across the nation are down. The district is contracting.”
Andrew Kim, the state-appointed conservator for SISD, said that this trend is not unique to SISD.
“This is not just a Socorro Independent School District challenge, but rather we’re seeing this across this region in El Paso,” Kim said. “Every school district right now is trying to figure this position out.”
Teachers affected by the reduction in force were notified ahead of the vote. One of them, Elizabeth Genova, addressed the board directly.
“I will likely lose my house. I will lose my health insurance and the medications I need,” Genova said. “I will have to move elsewhere to find work or leave the teaching profession altogether.”
During a previous board meeting back in March dealing with the deficit, the board was met by protests from teachers, parents and students.
On Monday night, only a handful of people spoke before the vote.
District officials say they plan to present a balanced budget for the upcoming school year.
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