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Uvalde trustees hear heated discussion over pre-K eligibility, students urge reinstatement of college adviser
Summary
Trustees and the superintendent discussed possible tuition and stricter eligibility verification for pre-K after administrators discovered years of unrecorded state funding; students and parents urged the board to keep pre-K universal and asked the board to reconsider a dismissal of UHS college adviser Michelle Torres.
UVALDE, Texas — The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District board of trustees spent major meeting time debating how to fund and register prekindergarten students after administrators disclosed the district had not been collecting required state enrollment/eligibility documentation for years, a gap that officials said has cost the district money.
The discussion, which included public comments by high school students urging the board not to dismiss Uvalde High School college adviser Michelle Torres, focused on whether the district should (1) institute a sliding-scale tuition for families whose children do not meet state pre-K eligibility criteria or (2) continue universal, open enrollment while improving data collection to recoup state allotments.
Why it matters: District leaders said accurate PEIMS and eligibility data could bring millions in state funding the district has missed. Parents, students and teachers said making pre-K contingent on tuition or perceived qualification risks reducing enrollment, losing staff positions and sending a signal that may push families toward private or out-of-district options.
Superintendent Colas told the board the district discovered it has not been coding pre-K students to collect the state’s half‑day funding for family-eligible slots and that “we have to qualify kids because otherwise we don't collect our money at all from the state for pre-K.” She said the district could recoup some funding by registering and coding qualifying students and by seeking grants and partnerships, while warning that rising energy and maintenance costs have created an urgent budget shortfall that will force program and staffing adjustments unless revenue is recovered.
Students urged patience and protection for pre-K services. Victoria Martinez, a Uvalde High School senior who said she spoke for the student body, told trustees: “Miss Torres is not just a college adviser. She is the bridge that carries us over to the next phase of our lives.” Natalie Arias, another student speaker, criticized a district social-media post about pre-K registration that she said was confusing, saying: “The post should have read: important announcement. Students enrolling in pre-K for the 25‑26 school year must now qualify to learn for free.”
District staff outlined a three-part approach: begin a public FAQ and enrollment campaign, collect missing eligibility documentation at registration events, and craft a proposed fee schedule and sliding-scale tuition that would be brought to the board for approval. Staff said the maximum tuition contemplated for a nonqualifying pre-K slot would be up to $4,000 annually but that the district planned scholarship options and partnerships to limit family burdens.
Board discussion centered on messaging and timing. Trustees warned that even discussing tuition publicly before a formal vote had raised community alarm. One trustee said repeatedly that the board should “pump the brakes” and bring a full proposal back with precise numbers and mitigation plans. The superintendent said staff will present a proposed fee schedule with supporting numbers to the board in June or July and that the district will host an in-person pre-K registration/“roundup” so families can complete eligibility documentation with staff assistance.
What was decided/directed: Trustees did not adopt a tuition policy at the meeting. The board agreed to place pre-K enrollment procedures and any proposed fee schedule on a future agenda so trustees can vote after staff presents detailed numbers, scholarship options and communication plans. The district also committed to run a targeted registration event to collect eligibility documentation and to continue searching for grant funds and partner support.
Community reaction and context: Several trustees and staff repeatedly emphasized that the district’s instructional and community goals — “Domain 1, 2 and 3,” as presenters referenced the district framework — support keeping students in school, but that the district’s operating shortfall requires either increased revenue or program changes. Multiple speakers, including two senior students and a junior who said they relied on Torres for college application help, asked the board to reconsider a reported personnel decision involving Michelle Torres and to prioritize stability for students transitioning to college or the workforce.
The board said it would not reduce pre-K to half‑day instruction and that any change to tuition or enrollment must come back to the board for a vote.
Ending: District staff will return with an FAQ, payroll and budget estimates, and a draft fee schedule for trustee consideration. The superintendent urged families to attend the district’s pre-K registration event so staff can help complete missing documentation and explained that accurate data collection is the first step to restoring lost state allotments.
