Alamo Heights ISD superintendent proposes $5 million in cuts, orders immediate tiered reductions

Superintendent Dr. David Becherra recommended a tiered set of budget reductions at the Alamo Heights ISD board meeting on Jan. 15, 2025, saying the district must identify about $5 million in operational savings to protect staff compensation and the district's fund balance.

Becherra opened the presentation by tracing the district's budget history since 2011 and noting the state basic allotment per pupil has not risen since 2019 despite inflation and higher operating costs. "I'm in a very different place now," Becherra said, describing the legislative outlook and urging the board to act this semester rather than wait on state funding.

The nut graph: District administrators and a budget advisory council produced 62 potential reductions and grouped them into three tiers. Becherra recommended implementing tier 1 items immediately, deciding on tier 2 by February, and deferring some tier 3 decisions until later in the spring, citing schedule and master-schedule constraints.

Board members were presented with the district's fund-balance trend, which administrators said has fallen steadily since the 2020-21 fiscal year. Staff said a $5 million reduction target would protect the district through the 2026-27 biennium while allowing limited compensation increases if feasible.

Tier 1: immediate operational and program changes

Becherra described tier 1 as changes district staff should begin implementing now. Examples he listed include eliminating or reducing certain technology and testing subscriptions, discontinuing the high-school block schedule ("no personalization next year"), combining the Excel Academy with credit-recovery offerings, eliminating a non-required summer school program, and reducing central-office and part-time secretarial staffing. "That tier 1 gets us to $2,000,000 in savings for next year," Becherra said.

Tier 2 and 3: deeper program and staff reductions

Tier 2 items, which Becherra said the board should decide on by February, include eliminating a second conference period at the secondary level and raising class-size divisors for kindergarten through second grade (example campuses named were Howard, Cambridge and Woodridge). Staff estimated tier 1 plus tier 2 would yield about $3.7 million.

Tier 3 items, which administrators said could be decided later in the spring, include reductions such as eliminating four elementary interventionists (two each at Cambridge and Woodridge), four language program assistants at elementary campuses, reducing free kindergarten assistance, and transitioning some co-teach special education staffing models to a certified teacher plus paraprofessional model. Combining tiers 1'03 raised projected savings to about $4.6 million; administrators said the remaining gap toward $5 million would be managed through further prioritization or contingency planning.

Testing and identification changes

Administrators said the district will stop using the Iowa (CogAT/Iowa) testing program in its current form for gifted-and-talented identification and will instead use existing math achievement testing plus a supplemental paper-pencil nonverbal assessment. Jenny (testing coordinator) said the change will mean "every child will be considered for GT services three times a year from kindergarten all the way through," while changing identification procedures.

Tax and revenue options discussed

Staff presented modeling for a voter-approved property-tax increment (often referred to in the meeting as "copper pennies") and showed that, after state recapture, an additional nine pennies added to the district tax rate would generate roughly $6.7 million in gross revenue and leave Alamo Heights ISD with an estimated $2.2 million after recapture. Administrators warned the board that recapture would claim a large share of any local property-tax increase and that voter approval is not guaranteed.

Process, engagement and next steps

Becherra said the district convened a budget advisory council composed of campus staff and parents that reviewed potential reductions across five lenses: academic achievement, student experience, employee satisfaction, district reputation and disparate impact on special populations. Administrators said every proposed reduction carried some negative impact.

Becherra recommended the board authorize immediate implementation of tier 1 reductions; consider tier 2 by February; continue community and legislative engagement; and plan for staff reassignment and attrition rather than involuntary layoffs where possible. He reiterated a priority to protect staff compensation where feasible and emphasized transparent communication with employees.

Votes at a glance

The meeting recorded two formal board votes during the business portion: 1) approval of a consent agenda (routine items, including acceptance of donations) and 2) a resolution calling the May 3, 2025, trustee elections. Both motions were approved by voice vote with no recorded oppositions.

Why it matters: impact and constraints

Administrators told the board the district is operating on the same basic allotment ($6,160 per pupil) that existed in 2019 while operating costs and insurance, health-care and utilities have risen. Local options such as a tax-rate election can yield revenue but are subject to state recapture and voter approval. The recommendations, if implemented, will change class sizes and program availability, and administrators cautioned trustees these changes will affect employee workload and student services.

What board members asked and flagged

Trustees asked for more details on logistics of combining programs (for example, Excel Academy and credit recovery), how student needs would be met if positions are not refilled, and what volunteer or community solutions might be used to offset operational losses. Trustees urged rapid community engagement and encouraged district leaders to continue pursuing all legislative and local revenue avenues.

The board did not take a final, binding vote on the tier 2 or tier 3 items at the meeting; Becherra asked trustees to be prepared to make further decisions in February and to continue legislative outreach and local fundraising options in parallel.

Ending

Administrators said they will return to the board with implementation plans for tier 1 items and more detailed scheduling logistics. Becherra closed the discussion by saying district staff will "walk through this in a way that makes our community proud" while acknowledging the cuts will be difficult.