McKinney ISD budget cuts spark outcry from parents over loss of essential programs and staff
What some might consider essential workers and programs for public schools will soon be eliminated in McKinney.
The superintendent informed parents that budget cuts for next year would impact library aides, nurse's aides, summer school athletics, and programs for special needs and gifted and talented students.
"Devastation, this is really going to hobble our schools," said Rachel McManis, a parent of two students.
McManis is one of three mothers of McKinney ISD students CBS News Texas spoke with who have a lot to say about a letter from the superintendent outlining budget cuts that they believe could irreparably damage the schools they love.
"I'm worried that McKinney ISD is going to start losing talented educators that they have, and that affects my kids," McManis said.
She and the other mothers all have multiple students enrolled in McKinney ISD schools that, according to the superintendent's message to parents, will face reductions or eliminations of aides, including those for nurses, libraries, PE, and special ed.
That also includes intervention specialists that Melvina Montoya said had a tremendous impact on improving her child's life.
"We got an intervention teacher and were able to establish that my daughter was dyslexic in second grade because we were able to have her, and now they are taking her away," said Melvina Montoya, a McKinney ISD parent.
Also gone is summer school, which was not only helping students catch up but, in some cases, get ahead.
"My son is going to high school next year, and we're disappointed the German language program was cut, the summer school was cut, so that's going to limit how much he can take," McManis said.
Kids enrolled in gifted and talented programs also face an uncertain future with reorganization. A number of parents blame the six-year freeze on funding for public schools by state lawmakers.
"I can't think of a single thing that costs the same as it did in 2019," said Lauren Simpson, a McKinney ISD parent.
McKinney ISD leaders agree that "stagnant state funding," among other factors, has forced the district to make hard decisions, including staff cuts.
In a statement to CBS News Texas, the district said, "In the last year, our Central Office has already reduced more than 30 positions as people retired or left the district. These responsibilities and duties of the roles that were not refilled were distributed among existing staff. This approach allowed the district to maintain administrative function while reducing costs."
Simpson, who has two students in McKinney ISD, recently urged state lawmakers during a hearing in Austin to focus on repairing public education rather than passing a school choice bill.
"The state has been starving public schools for years and blaming the schools for the inevitable consequences of these actions," Simpson said.
With McKinney ISD doing away with a lot of what these parents say made it special, they worry that politics will continue to hold back the growth of their children and others across the state.
"It affects everyone's kid," McManis said.
