After a four-hour marathon meeting, the El Paso Independent School District voted to declare a financial exigency, opening the door to layoffs.
The vote considered three options for the 2026-2027 projected budgets, each with varying degrees of job cuts and other austerity measures extending through 2028 to ensure district solvency.
How many EPISD jobs were cut?
After presentations on the district’s dire financial situation, the vote paved the way for cuts to 54 teaching positions and 40 contract positions next school year.
Was it a unanimous vote for EPISD financial exigency?
The board approved declaring financial exigency in a 5-1 vote, with District 7 Trustee Daniel Call as the only nay vote. District 6 Trustee Valerie Beals was not present for the special session on Thursday, June 4, at EPISD headquarters.
What options did EPISD have?
During the meeting, Deputy Superintendent David Bates presented the board with three options, and the district opted for a budget of $526,227,322 in revenue, $530,558,889 in expenditures, a $4,331,567 deficit, and a fund balance of $56,024,745.
The goal of the cost-cutting measures was to address the district’s spending an estimated 89% of its budget on salaries since 2005, leading EPISD to admit it lacks sufficient cash reserves and prompting a “course correction.”
For the district to avoid any further difficulties, it must be around 80%, argued MoakCasey, an Austin-based public school consulting firm the district hired to conduct an audit this month.
For that reason, the 54 teaching positions and 40 contract positions were cut to reduce salary costs.
What are the financial goals for El Paso ISD?
Bates outlined the district’s objectives for returning to financial stability in a four-pronged approach.
They included assessing financial reality that called for “budget alignment based on current conditions, like projected student enrollment, to ensure accurate fiscal planning.”
The plan also calls for “right-size staffing that protects instructional program integrity” with the right amount of personnel.
Bates also called for streamlining EPISD operations, like closing all vacant positions.
Finally, Bates called for EPISD to communicate and be transparent about improvements in its finances. That would include a dashboard where parents and stakeholders could see how the district’s finances are improving.
It would also mean the board would get a monthly report on its path out of financial exigency.
What’s next for the El Paso ISD budget?
EPISD Board of Trustees President Leah Hanany noted the 2026-2027 budget, with the approved job cuts, will include a post on Friday, June 5, in the El Paso Times and on the district website.
EPISD will officially take action on personnel cuts on Monday, June 15. The following day, on June 16, the district will approve the budget.
In August, the board will unveil a budget dashboard to ensure transparency in the financial process.
Kristian Jaime is the Top Story Reporter for the El Paso Times and is reachable at Kjaime@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: EPISD vote approves financial exigency cutting over 90 jobs
Reporting by Kristian Jaime, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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By Kristian Jaime, El Paso Times | USA TODAY Network
