Bee County superintendents react to election results, urge lawmakers to boost school funding

BEEVILLE – Following the recent elections, Bee County school leaders are looking toward the upcoming legislative session in Austin with a unified message for newly-elected and returning lawmakers: increase the basic allotment and offset rising operational costs straining rural budgets.

Administrators from Pettus, Beeville and Skidmore-Tynan school districts said stagnant state funding, unfunded mandates and inflation have squeezed local resources, making per-student funding adjustments their top post-election priority.

Skidmore-Tynan ISD Assistant Superintendent Stephanie Ashworth said rising costs for insurance, utilities, transportation and supplies have outpaced state funding, creating heightened pressure for smaller districts operating on tighter margins. Those financial constraints became even more pressing after voters rejected the district's Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election — a local ballot measure asking voters to approve a property tax rate increase to generate additional operating revenue — in November.

"With our Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election not passing in November, we're having to take an even closer look at our budget and how we can continue meeting the needs of our students and staff with the funding we have," Ashworth said. "That makes these school finance discussions even more important to us."

Ashworth said Skidmore-Tynan ISD is closely watching House Bill 376, which proposes funding public schools based on total student enrollment rather than average daily attendance. She noted that fixed expenses — such as teacher salaries, bus routes and campus utilities — remain unchanged regardless of daily student absences.

"Moving to enrollment-based funding could make a real difference, especially for smaller districts like ours," Ashworth said, adding that the district also supports expanding state-funded, full-day prekindergarten to all 4-year-olds regardless of family income or eligibility requirements.

In Pettus ISD, where enrollment sits just under 400 students, Superintendent Jesus Hernandez said the district’s financial picture is further complicated by the state’s recapture system, commonly known as "Robin Hood," which requires property-wealthy districts to send local tax revenue back to the state.

"As a small district that bears the financial burden of recapture, we are waiting to see how the entire public education funding system will be affected," Hernandez said in a post-election statement. "With the small enrollment of just under 400 students, every cent counts when it comes to providing the best possible education to our Eagles."

Hernandez noted that payroll consumes more than 80% of most districts' operating budgets, leaving little room to maneuver as facility and safety mandates expand without full state backing. He pointed out that the state's basic allotment — the baseline amount of funding districts receive per student — has failed to keep pace with a decade of inflation.

"An increase in the basic allotment would provide much-needed flexibility to invest resources directly into our classrooms, our students and their opportunities," Hernandez said, adding that his goal is to provide rural students the same academic and extracurricular opportunities found in urban and suburban districts.

In Beeville ISD, Superintendent Franklin Cahuasqui echoed those concerns, citing climbing expenses across staffing, transportation, utilities and instructional materials.

"Our biggest priority is ensuring that funding keeps pace with the actual cost of educating students," Cahuasqui said. "The reality is that districts cannot continue to absorb rising operational costs without corresponding increases in the funding provided by the state."

Beyond the state budget, Cahuasqui said Beeville ISD is closely tracking how the incoming Legislature will handle debates over teacher recruitment, school safety and potential changes to the state’s A-F accountability system. He expressed hope that lawmakers will craft policies that recognize the distinct challenges facing different Texas communities.

Despite financial headwinds, all three leaders struck an optimistic tone regarding their districts' readiness to adapt to whatever legislative changes emerge after the election.

Ashworth said Skidmore-Tynan ISD has maintained balanced budgets through conservative spending and careful expenditure reviews, positioning the district to navigate upcoming shifts while protecting staff and student programs.

Hernandez noted that Pettus ISD has maintained a B rating while improving campus performance year over year, with sights set on becoming an A-rated district.

"Overall, regardless of what happens in Austin in the near future, we are still committed to the children of Pettus ISD," Hernandez said. "Our students deserve the same opportunities as all other students across the state of Texas, regardless of their ZIP code. Our responsibility is to ensure that geography does not determine opportunity."

Cahuasqui said Beeville ISD leadership will continue working closely with its school board to monitor legislative developments and adjust strategically.

"Regardless of what comes out of the legislative session, our focus will always remain on doing what is best for Beeville ISD students and supporting the educators who serve them every day," Cahuasqui said.

Bee County superintendents react to election results, urge lawmakers to boost school funding

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