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Santa Fe ISD board approves elimination of eight central-office positions amid budget shortfall
Summary
The Santa Fe Independent School District board voted unanimously March 30 to approve a resolution eliminating eight central-office and administrative positions as part of a reorganization the district says is needed to address a fiscal shortfall tied to lower enrollment and reduced program revenue.
On March 30, the Santa Fe Independent School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve a resolution declaring a program change and reduction in force that eliminates eight central office and administrative positions, district leaders said.
Superintendent Dr. Bhatt told trustees the district entered the school year with a balanced budget but that lower-than-expected enrollment, reductions in school-health and related services revenue from state and federal sources, and continuing inflationary cost increases produced a budget deficit. “The only path forward we see for Santa Fe ISD to present what would even be considered close to a balanced budget next year is for us to consider a reduction in staff,” Dr. Bhatt said as he read the list of positions the administration recommended for elimination.
The positions listed by the administration are: mentor/facilitator/intern supervisor; director for the alternative learning center; two secondary curriculum coaches; executive director of operations and capital projects; nutrition services supervisor; human resources/public relations support specialist; and a business services clerk. Dr. Bhatt emphasized no campus teaching positions were on the list. “There are no school or campus positions on this list,” he said, adding the administration had prioritized avoiding cuts to campus staff.
Board members responded with statements of regret and support for affected employees. Trustee Kelly said the decision was “probably one of the hardest things” he had done as a board member. Trustee Couch called the action “not a pleasant situation” and said trustees and administrators had little choice given current finances. Board members and administrators said district leaders will attempt to find alternative employment for affected staff where possible and that the decision followed multiple rounds of budget reductions across departments.
The board approved the resolution by voice vote. The motion, which the board read into the record, declared a program change, reorganization, or reduction in force in accordance with board policy DFFB (local) and listed the employment areas affected. Trustees recorded the vote as unanimous.
Votes at a glance (motions recorded at the March 30 meeting): - Resolution declaring program change/reduction in force (motion text: “consider resolution declaring program change, reorganization, or reduction in force in accordance with board policy DFFB local as applicable and consider employment areas affected as listed in resolution”); outcome: approved unanimously; mover/second: not specified in the transcript; notes: administratively driven personnel reductions limited to central-office/administrative roles. - Audit engagement with Mason Associates for fiscal year 2024–25, not to exceed $48,000 (motion to approve independent auditor engagement); outcome: approved unanimously; mover/second: not specified. - Approval of superintendent recommendations for administrative contracts (executive-session action): approved unanimously; mover/second: not specified. - Approval of superintendent recommendations for assignment/reassignment of personnel (executive-session action): approved unanimously; mover/second: not specified. - Consent agenda (items 10.02 through 10.10): approved unanimously.
District officials said the reductions were presented only after administration and principals had already enacted other cost-cutting measures. Dr. Bhatt and board members repeatedly framed the cuts as difficult but necessary to present a more balanced budget given current revenues. The superintendent also acknowledged long-serving staff affected by the decision, naming Bob Atkins and thanking him for 16 years of service.
Public comment was not part of the discussion: the agenda listed public comment periods and no members of the public had signed up to speak on agenda items that evening.
The resolution will be implemented according to district policy and applicable state law; the transcript does not specify effective dates for the eliminated positions or how many individual employees will be released. The board did not identify specific staff members by name in its public motion.
The meeting also included routine business and recognitions for students and staff earlier on the agenda.
