Fort Worth schools face a real budget mess, even as they raise teacher, staff pay

Tough times may lie ahead for the Fort Worth school district.

Inflation and an economic downturn — problems for all governments, households and businesses, to be sure — threaten FWISD’s finances. Trustees approved a budget that makes significant cuts but also dips into reserves to cover needed pay raises for educators and staffers. Declining enrollment and finding the right superintendent to take on these and other challenges complicate the matter, too.

In the past, the school board has been advised to step back, to set broad policy and avoid meddling in day-to-day decisions. That’s still wise, but this is a time for strong oversight and accountability as well.

The board has to dig into the district’s problems. Superintendent Kent Scribner departs in August, and finding the right leader is the highest priority. But the long-term budget picture is already grim, and the economy may only make it worse. Difficult decisions lie ahead.

The $819.5 million budget for 2022-23 that trustees approved June 28 cuts spending 5.6% from the previous year. But it also dips into cash reserves, to the tune of $40 million. District officials plan to use federal COVID relief funds in the next few years to fill gaps. Neither solution is sustainable, especially as the economy sours.

The district’s poor academic performance shows signs of improvement in state assessments and end-of-course tests. But there’s a long way to go, and the district’s failures have contributed to a lack of confidence that’s a factor in FWISD’s curious position — a shrinking school district in a region where the population is booming. Some can be attributed to an increase in homeschooling or pandemic effects, but Tarrant County parents are voting with their feet.

Trustee Camille Rodriguez, one of the newest board members but one who served a previous FWISD stint, said she’s concerned that the new budget trustees approved doesn’t do enough to prepare for economic trouble.

“When I was on the board previously, we cut programs and staff when in a recession, and I know how difficult it was, the decisions we had to make,” she said. “This inflation doesn’t seem to be going away.”

The board is equipped for a fresh look at operations. Four of the nine trustees won elections and joined the board in 2021 and this year, and leadership positions recently changed. They should demand extensive finance information multiple times a year and a chance to evaluate programs.

Rodriguez says that central administrative staffing hasn’t declined, as other positions have, in conjunction with the steep drop in enrollment. The district projects nearly 73,000 students for the coming year, down 16.5 percent since 2016-17. Right-sizing will be a must for a new superintendent.

District officials did not respond to the Editorial Board’s questions about contingency plans or staffing levels.

Adding to the difficulty is competing for teacher talent when the entire industry faces a shortage of educators. Fort Worth ISD must be a top place to teach, given the need to catch thousands of children up on basics such as reading and math. Even with financial constraints, the district must find a way to compensate teachers enough to attract and retain the best. Trustees extensively debated how to raise pay even in the current environment, settling on 4% for teachers and slightly more for certain support employees.

Finding a superintendent to tackle the academic issues is the highest priority, but he or she will need to be a talented administrator, too.

“I would like a new superintendent coming from … a district with a history of fiscally sound decisions,” Rodriguez said.

It’s a tough enough job in good times. The district’s next hire steps into potential messes on several fronts. The board can help by imposing fiscal discipline and demanding a continued focus on academic improvement.