The Socorro Independent School District (SISD) in El Paso, facing a significant $38 million budget shortfall, has announced that it will take measures including staff cuts and program eliminations. Interim Superintendent James Vasquez outlined the dire financial situation in a letter to employees, emphasizing the pressing need to establish a balanced budget for the 2025-2026 academic year. The district is considering laying off up to 300 staff members and increasing class sizes as part of its cost-saving strategy, as reported by El Paso Matters and verified by KTSM.
This development follows a loan taken out by SISD in November to make payroll and the anticipated need for another in 2025. The numbers offer a grim prospect, SISD has reported a drop of roughly 1,200 students over the last three years, translating to a loss of approximately $10 million in state funding, according to a letter from Vasquez obtained by KTSM. Chronic absenteeism and reduced birth rates have further exacerbated the funding crisis.
One particularly controversial measure includes the proposed elimination of dedicated fine arts teachers in elementary schools, which has left teachers reeling from the unexpected pivot in policy. As obtained by El Paso Matters, one teacher expressed their reaction to the news of this cut as "absolute shock, absolute betrayal, absolute fear." Vocational advocates point to the significant strides made in fine arts, which have seen Socorro students achieving state-level recognition, a testament to the value of an education enriched with arts.
The impact of these potential layoffs extends beyond the immediate district, with concerns about the availability of local positions to reabsorb displaced fine arts teachers. "If they want to continue teaching, they’ll likely have to look outside the district—or even outside the area," said Angelica Soto, president of the Socorro Education Association, as per CBS4 Local. She expressed dismay at the scale of the job eliminations, which far exceeded initial expectations of reductions through attrition.
With the Socorro ISD board meeting scheduled on February 19th, the community awaits further details on the impending layoffs and their impact on its education system. Teachers, staff, and students are bracing for the consequences of these financial constraints, and many are left hoping for less drastic solutions than those currently proposed. According to CBS4 Local, Vasquez has promised to notify affected employees by April 1st, even as school districts throughout Texas continue to grapple with similar challenges.
