PERRYTON, Texas — Perryton ISD officials told parents and the school board that the district will close one Little Troopers site beginning Dec. 18 and, effective Jan. 6, will refocus Little Troopers programming exclusively on children ages 6 and under to reduce ongoing budget shortfalls.

Desiree, a representative of the district-operated Ranger Roundup/Little Troopers program, read a prepared statement saying the district tried to secure supplemental funding and partners but that support was not available. "Beginning December 18, the Little Trooper site will close and all services will transition to. Starting January 6, our program will focus exclusively on children ages 6 and under," Desiree said.

Parents at the board meeting called the change disruptive. "This is the only after school slash summer program that is in Perryton," parent Daisy Rodriguez told trustees, warning the midyear change would "wound these children emotionally" and urged the district to "find a way to either help them stay open or help us provide an after school summer child care." Isabella Ramirez and Cassie Nash spoke about the program as a community resource that helped families after a tornado and urged the board to consider alternative sites or funding.

District finance staff provided multi-year deficit figures for the childcare operation, describing them as "net of grants": a $92,000 deficit in fiscal 2023 before opening the second location; $172,000 in fiscal 2024 after the second site opened; and $165,000 in fiscal 2025. Finance staff told trustees that trimming the older-child service would reduce the district's projected shortfall back to under $100,000 but cautioned payroll and other costs remain the primary drivers of the program deficit.

Desiree said the change will affect "between 12 and 14 children" who use the older-child after-school/wraparound service. She also noted the program holds Texas Rising Star recognition, participates in the federal CACFP nutrition program, and has worked to keep staffing at livable wages. District leaders said the program will continue to serve children 6 and younger and that families with children who age during the school year would not be immediately dis-enrolled.

No formal board vote on the Little Troopers reconfiguration was recorded during the open meeting; the superintendent presented the change as an administrative step to keep the broader Ranger Roundup services operational. Board members asked whether other community partners had been approached and expressed concern about economic impacts on families and local employers if services are lost.

Next steps: district staff said they are contacting affected families directly and will continue to provide services for younger learners while attempting to offer continuity of care through the remainder of the school year for children already enrolled.