Educational jobs are getting slashed at the School of Science and Technology in San Antonio, as the tap of federal COVID-19 relief funds dries up and student numbers dwindle. An estimated 40 teacher aides at eight campuses have been given the chop, raising alarms among parents about the potential rise in student-to-teacher ratios.

The charter school confirmed that pre-K, kindergarten, special education, and physical education classes would keep their aides. Anna Ruiz, the charter’s spokeswoman, cited the expiration of the ESSER Covid Funds and the Texas state government’s decision not to bolster education funding in their 2024-2026 Biennial Budget as the culprits behind the layoffs. "The State of Texas has not allocated increased funding to all public schools for the 2024-2026 Biennial Budget," Ruiz told the San Antonio Report. "This has resulted in significant cuts, which will unfortunately continue into the next school year as we won’t have access to ESSER Covid Funds."

This sting is felt throughout the school which prides itself on a cumulative student population of around 10,000. Yet, in a bid to soften the blow, the School of Science and Technology is proactively attempting to relocate the displaced employees to other available roles within its before- and after-school initiatives. Despite the uncertainty swirling around, no word has come down yet regarding potential cuts at the school's other campuses in Corpus Christi and Houston.

News of the cutbacks stirred San Antonio parents into vocal concern on social media, worried that their children would be left in oversized classes with insufficient support. The charter network, however, continues to boast an impressive cadre of 113 teachers awarded under the state's Teacher Incentive Allotment program—a point of pride indicating that one-third of it's core class teachers are distinguished performers.

Financial strains are not exclusive to the School of Science and Technology; districts in the region are locked in a tight embrace with fiscal realities as they set their budgets. Earlier this year, South San Antonio Independent School District trustees green-lit the superintendent to issue layoffs if deemed necessary. Similarly, the San Antonio Independent School District had to let go of hundreds of employees due to the evaporating ESSER funds. Jaime Aquino, SAISD's Superintendent, has echoed the resounding call for increased state educational funding.

Coming back to the School of Science and Technology, their Monday's communiqué reflected a unified front with other districts seeking better state support. "We hope that this issue brings to light the importance of state funding for all students in the public school system," a spokeswoman said on behalf of the school, as per the San Antonio Report. They implored the collective strength of parents, teachers, and staff to keep pushing for public education advocacy.