Alamo Heights ISD warns of multi‑million shortfall; board recommends tiered cuts, asks community to pressure legislature

Dr. Basheera, a district official, told parents at the meeting that Alamo Heights ISD faces a significant budget challenge heading into the next state biennium and outlined a recommendation from a budget advisory process that already led to cuts this year and would likely require further reductions if the Legislature does not increase the state basic allotment.

Dr. Basheera said the district previously cut the equivalent of $2.5 million and eliminated 22 positions to balance the current year’s budget. Looking forward, she said the district must identify an additional $5 million in reductions for the next biennium to allow for staff salary increases, inflationary cost adjustments and to protect the district’s fund balance. “We already had to make several cuts. We cut 22 positions. We ended up cutting, I think, the equivalent of $2,500,000,” Dr. Basheera said.

The district described a three‑tier plan: Tier 1 reductions are already adopted and will be implemented; Tier 2 reductions are likely and may be decided in February based on legislative activity; Tier 3 will be decided in March. The district emphasized that only amounts required by law are protected from cuts and that the advisory committee—composed of staff, teachers, parents and administrators—provided impact analyses but did not make final decisions.

District staff framed the statewide context: the 2019 House Bill 3 established the basic allotment and included automatic changes such as increases to special education funding and decreases in recapture when the allotment rises. The speaker argued that increasing the basic allotment is the most “high‑leverage” way for the Legislature to add funding to school districts because such an increase automatically adjusts multiple funding streams. “Any increase to the basic allotment automatically increases teacher salaries,” the presenter said, summarizing the mechanics described in HB 3.

Dr. Basheera explained legislative prospects and the district’s advocacy plan. She said legislators have proposed targeted teacher pay increases that may be earmarked for a specific purpose and would not address the district’s broader funding needs. She urged the community to contact state legislators weekly to press for an increase to the basic allotment of $1,340 per student (the figure provided by district materials is to adjust for inflation), and she listed local legislators and senators whose offices the district met during recent advocacy visits: Representative Mark LaHood, Barbara Gervin Hopkins, Diego Bernal, Senator Donna Campbell and Senator José Menéndez.

The presenter warned there may not be sufficient unearmarked state surplus to fully restore the allotment and urged constituents to press for partial increases if necessary. The district said the House side offers its best hope and that trustees and staff will continue to monitor the legislative session while finalizing reductions if relief does not materialize.

Ending: The district asked parents and community members to call or visit legislators and to spread the message about increasing the basic allotment; it said the board will make final decisions on tiers 2 and 3 in February and March depending on legislative action.