La Jolla ISD projects multimillion-dollar shortfall as enrollment falls; district outlines staffing, curriculum and budget timeline

At a March 12 La Jolla Independent School District Board of Trustees meeting, district staff said the district faces a sizable budgeting gap driven by long‑term enrollment declines, rising costs and uncertainty in pending state legislation.

Mirjette Crespo, a district staff member who presented the update, said, “La Jolla Independent School District must reconcile critical realities with difficult choices.” She told the board the district has lost thousands of students over the last decade and is projecting a reduction of about 900 students next year, a decline that lowers state funding tied to average daily attendance.

Crespo laid out the financial picture and what is known and unknown. She said the district had lost “around more than 5,000 students in 10 years, almost 8,000 students in 10 years,” and projected an additional 900‑student decline for the coming year. Crespo said the district’s revenue model—based largely on attendance—means those enrollment losses translate directly into lower funding. She also said payroll accounts for roughly 79% of the district’s budget and that…