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Parent says recent band funding changes and lost stipend left boosters scrambling
Summary
A parent and band boosters president told the College Station ISD board that budget reductions and last-minute communication forced booster organizations to cover student meal expenses and challenged participation in marching band; the district later revised the student food budget after parent pushback.
Betsy Pickett, a parent of five CSISD students and president of the College Station High School band boosters, addressed the board during public comment on Oct. 21 to raise concerns about recent budget decisions affecting band programs.
"CSHS band received a significant budget reduction due to changes in state funding," Pickett said, adding that the cuts were communicated after booster budgets and student band fees were already set. She told trustees that the reductions initially removed funding to feed band students traveling to the state marching contest and that the timing of the communication caused "undue stress and frustration" for staff and parents.
Pickett also said a district director who had taken on additional administrative duties overseeing the color guard was promised a stipend last year, but that the stipend was later removed for the fall semester with the explanation that "they'd be working there anyways, and no extra work was being done during the marching season." She characterized the move as a failure to compensate staff for additional responsibilities.
Pickett said boosters pushed back and the district later revised the student food budget for the upcoming contest, but she urged clearer, timelier communication from district fiscal staff to avoid placing unexpected burdens on families. "Receiving proper funding for band programs should not require an uprising from parents," she said.
Heather Wilson, identified in Pickett’s remarks as the district CFO, and Eric Eeks, director of fine arts, were named as participants in budget communication; the public comment period does not include extended board responses because of open-meetings restrictions. No district official provided an on-the-record rebuttal to Pickett during the public comment segment; trustees later continued business items on the agenda.
