EPISD Budget Woes; Recent Cuts Still Upsetting

With about one month left in the Texas legislative session and in the school year, the big question is how much will education be affected?

That question was up for discussion at Tuesday night’s El Paso school board meeting.

The agenda included approval of budgets and purchases. District officials said the items that were unanimously approved on the agenda are standard and the majority were upgrades or funded through grants.

But during the public comment portion of the meeting, some were still very upset about last month’s elimination of positions.

“Really, it does. It’s like, ‘Why can’t you let me do what I’m good at?'” Linda Carvel questioned through tears.

She is a middle school at-risk coordinator whose position was eliminated. Carvel has the opportunity to go back into the classroom because she’s a certified teacher, but she said the district is cutting the wrong positions.

“They’re going to cut clerks and people who are working with the kids, the lower paying jobs and I just don’t know why that makes any sense to anybody,” Carvel said.

EPISD Superintendent Lorenzo Garcia said the focus is on the legislature’s decision. He said the district is looking at reducing $28 million from the budget over the next two years.

Garcia told ABC-7 district officials are looking at eliminating 170 positions next year, but most of those will be done through attrition.

He said he has hope the cuts won’t be as high as the projected 5 percent. Garcia said more money from the state’s rainy day fund and possible federal funds would help.

“El Paso is due to receive about $10 million of federal money that can save jobs which we can use to take a look at those positions for next year. We are playing the wait and see game from the state,” Garcia said.

But Carvel said Garcia should take a look at his own salary of about $280,000, plus incentives he’s receiving.

“When I saw the figure I just thought that would be five coordinators’ jobs for a year,” Carvel said.

Garcia had no comment about his salary.

The last day of the regular legislative session is May 30.

At Tusday’s meeting EPISD officials also approved increased meal prices for next year due to increased food and fuel costs.

It will be 10 cnets more for elementary school lunches, 15 cents more for middle and high school lunches, and 5 cents more for breakfast.