City Lawmakers Criticize Texas Reps. For School Layoff Decision

A lot of people are upset after the Socorro Independent School District (SISD) announced layoffs affecting over 300 employees. Local lawmakers are pointing fingers at state leadership, saying Texas isn’t giving schools enough money to keep up with inflation.

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What’s Causing the Budget Shortfall?

State Representative Vincent Perez explained that back in 2019, Texas boosted education funding, but since then, the money hasn’t kept pace with rising costs. He also blamed Governor Greg Abbott’s push for school vouchers, which take students (and funding) out of public schools without replacing the lost money.

Is There Hope for More Funding?

State Representative Mary Gonzalez is optimistic. She says both political parties have money set aside for education, and there are already plans in motion to help schools. Some ideas include one-time teacher bonuses and larger, long-term changes to school funding.

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Special Education is Struggling Too

Gonzalez also pointed out a massive issue—Texas public schools are short by about $2 billion when it comes to funding special education. Right now, schools have to pull money from other areas just to make sure students with disabilities get the services they need.

The Bigger Picture

State Representative Claudia Ortaz took aim at Texas' overall education funding, saying the state spends way less per student than most other states. "Teachers are being laid off or are leaving in devastating numbers," she said. "We need to fund the system, not defund it."

For now, the fight over school funding continues, and it’s clear that many leaders in El Paso are calling for the state to step up and help.