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Texas school districts all struggling with lack of state funding

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Texas school districts all struggling with lack of state funding


Over the past month, 7 On Your Side has been spotlighting local districts that have been grappling with budget deficits. But it’s not just Central Texas schools that are struggling. 

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Districts all across the state say they are dealing with different versions of the same problem: a lack of funding from the state. 

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Austin ISD operates in budget deficit

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What they’re saying:

District leaders across Texas are anxiously awaiting action from the state legislature when it comes to public school funding. 

“A lot of districts have cut through a lot of the fat, and they’re getting to the bone,” said Dax Gonzalez of the Texas Association of School Boards. 

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Austin ISD is currently operating with a $92 million deficit. The school board is finalizing plans to make that much in cuts over three years. 

“There are likely going to be cuts to things that we love. And that’s part of the hard decision-making that we have to make because the state is choosing not to fully fund public education,” said Austin ISD Board President Arati Singh. 

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Other Texas school districts are struggling

What they’re saying:

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But Austin ISD is far from alone, with district after district across Texas passing deficit budgets and making major cuts. 

“We’re talking about things like closing campuses, reducing staff. That’s instructional staff as well, things like cutting bus routes, the things that families have really come to rely on. One year they’re going to start the school year and those services may not be there,” said Dax Gonzales of the Texas Association of School Boards. 

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Dallas ISD is currently dealing with a $152 million deficit. That’s about $35 million less than the original $186 million shortfall for this year. But painful cuts were made. Among them, the elimination of hundreds of positions—including cutting 55 assistant principal jobs. 

Nearby, in Coppell ISD, the board of trustees recently voted to close Pinkerton Elementary. 

“Why are we in this financial dire situation for education? Shouldn’t we be prioritizing education?” said Coppell ISD parent Josh McCrary. 

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Gonzalez says the answer to that question largely has to do with the legislature failing to raise the basic allotment, the per-student amount each district receives from the state, in six years. 

“They’re trying to figure out how to provide the same services with the same funding basically that they’ve received since 2019. And inflation, just like with everyone else, has taken a large cut out of what those districts can provide,” said Gonzalez.

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Houston ISD is facing the largest deficit of all this year, about $250 million. That’s double the original projected shortfall, after Superintendent Mike Miles said the district would dip into savings to cover things like building maintenance and classroom instruction. 

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All this comes after Houston ISD made major cuts last year. 

“And because we did so many cuts last year, we won’t have to repeat that. We might have to cut a little bit,” said Miles at a December 10 school board meeting. 

School board leaders, though, expressed concern at that meeting. 

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“I want to make sure that what we’re doing right now is not putting us in a bad position for next year,” said Houston ISD Board President Audrey Momanee. 

Miles predicts a smaller deficit for next year, but the exact size of the shortfall could have a lot to do with whether lawmakers raise the basic allotment. 

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“I’m not promising anything until we see the real numbers from the state.”

The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin’s John Krinjak

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Texas Football Opt-Outs: Who’s Likely Playing and Who’s Out for the Citrus Bowl

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Texas Football Opt-Outs: Who’s Likely Playing and Who’s Out for the Citrus Bowl


At this point in time, opting out of bowl games is nothing new, but Texas is going to have more opt-outs in the Citrus Bowl against Michigan than many—self included—expected. This problem pales in comparison to what’s going on in Ann Arbor, but the amount of lost experience will be something for Texas to overcome, primarily on defense.



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Latest in recruiting war for elite 2028 QB has Texas Football joyful

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Latest in recruiting war for elite 2028 QB has Texas Football joyful



Neimann Lawrence list the Longhorns as one school that is standing out

As the Longhorns continue to build for the future, one of their targets is four-star prospect Neimann Lawrence. The Miami native is one of the best quarterbacks in the 2028 class and is attracting interest from some of the nation’s top programs. On Monday, Lawrence revealed the schools that have stood out so far, including the Longhorns. 

While Mondays update was encouraging, Texas was not the only school Lawrence mentioned. He also highlighted Michigan, Miami, Ohio State, Texas A&M, and Tennessee. That is not an easy list of schools to go to battle with; the Longhorns have time to make themselves stand out. 

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Currently, the Miami Northwestern High star is ranked as the fourth-best quarterback in is class by 247Sports. They also rank him as the ninth-best player from Florida and the 39th-best player in the nation. With collegiate debut still over a year away, those rankings could change. 

At the moment, the Longhorns do not have a commitment in the 2028 class, but they have made offers to some of the top recruits. That includes Brysen Wright, Jalanie George, Jamarios Canton, Micah Rhodes, and King Pitts. Landing any of those players would give Texas a bright future. 

With a decision still months away, Lawrence will be a player to watch. A lot could change as his recruitment continues, but it is a good sign for Texas that they are standing out early on in the process. 



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Orange County wedding photographer deported on way to job in Texas

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Orange County wedding photographer deported on way to job in Texas


An Orange County photographer is speaking out after he was deported as he was heading to Texas to photograph a wedding.

What they’re saying:

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“I was trying to do it the right way, the legal way and it just feels like they don’t care about that,” said Adan Caceres.

Caceres came to the United States under asylum in 2014, fleeing a violent El Salvador.

“My mom’s sister was murdered and she was thrown in front of our house. She also was abused sexually before they murdered her and then my brother and I were threatened by the gangs,” said Caceres.

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He says he never received the deportation order that was issued in 2018 and only learned about it in 2023. He then started the process of reopening his case.

“I was paying my taxes. I’m a business owner, I’m a wedding photographer. I’m also married,” said Caceres.

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In October, Caceres was going through security at John Wayne Airport, heading to a job in Texas, when he was detained. He says from Santa Ana, he was sent to the Adelanto Detention Center then one in El Paso, Texas where he says the conditions were inhumane.

“We’re not even asking ‘hey let us out’ we’re asking for water, we’re asking for us to be able to use the restroom, these are basic human rights,” said Caceres.

He says now that he’s back in the country he once fled, he’s most concerned about his wife back in Orange County.

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“I was providing a lot of income for our household and now my wife has to take care of all of those things on her own; paying car insurance, the rent, all the bills,” said Caceres.

Caceres says he had no criminal history and feels he was on the path to citizenship when it was ripped away from him, leaving his future with his family uncertain.

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“I don’t know if I’m going to see them. I don’t know when I’m going to see them,” said Caceres.

The other side:

FOX11 reached out to the Department of Homeland Security asking about Caceres’ case but had not heard back at the time this story aired. 

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The Source: Information for this story came from an interview with Adan Caceres.

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