CORPUS CHRISTI — West Oso Independent School District officials said they are facing a $2 million dollar budget shortfall.
Superintendent Conrado Garcia said the money the state gives school district depends on enrollment numbers.
He said there was a drop in enrollment nationwide because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Garcia said the school board thought they would see a group of 200 kids from a government housing complex nearby.
"They remodeled or rebuilt so those students were sent to other districts and we thought they were coming back,” Garcia said. “But they didn't"
He said because of the decrease in students in the classroom, the district was forced to restructure and cut some of it’s budgets including a 25 percent cut at every campus.
“We did not have a salary increase this school year,” Garcia said. “That was also part of our effort to control cost."
There was also a hiring freeze and the district has stopped non-essential traveling.
Garcia said teachers are being reallocated to teach different classes based on their certifications.
The school board makes the decisions on where the cuts are made and they meet every month.
He said teachers don’t need to worry about supplies.
"If there's a special expense, what I call essential,” Garcia said. “Let us know and let the principal know and we will certainly accommodate that. We are still open and functioning and there's needs. Supplies is one of them."
