CCISD seeks solutions to $4 million deficit, reviews STAAR results

The Calhoun County Independent School District (CCISD) Board of Trustees met July 13 to brainstorm plans to overcome the district’s $4 million fiscal deficit in its 2026-27 budget, as well as to review the district’s performance in the 2025-26 STAAR tests.

The workshop was held ahead of a July 20 meeting, which includes agenda items regarding the closure of Port O’Connor Elementary and the consolidation of grades 7th and 8th from Seadrift School to Travis Middle School.

The July 13 workshop discussion began with a presentation delivered by CCISD Superintendent Evan Cardwell, who reviewed the current budget. Breaking it down into quadrants, Cardwell explained that 79.56% of the district’s operational expenses are attributable to staffing costs.

“This is a long-term project and I call it a project because this is something we’re going to have to continuously work on,” Cardwell said. “Our employees are compensated for their skills. Teaching students requires a special skill set, especially in certain areas. We’re looking at our budget and trying to find where we can help out, and that’s going to be looking for the most.”

Going further into detail, Cardwell explained that 20.44% of expenditures were related to professional and contracted services, supplies and materials, other operating costs, capital outlay and debt services. He also reviewed the current staffing recommendations issued by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) and stated that, excluding special staffing, such as special education and career and technical education instructors, the district was in accordance with the state guidelines.

“They conducted a staffing survey of CCISD and what they did was take our enrollment and look at all our staff and fees and compared us to see if we were over staffed or understaffed, or how we should shift people around to be better efficient,” Cardwell said. “What they’re essentially saying, for example, is that it should be one assistant principal per 450 students, one counselor per 350 students.”

The deficit, Cardwell explained, is derived from a combination of factors, including a consistent year after year decrease in student enrollment within the district. Coupled with a decrease in state-provided funding, and the continued recapture of funds by the state provided under Texas Senate Bill 7, the district’s deficit grew yearly, Cardwell said. 

“I want to point out that in that snapshot of October 2026, we were at 3,388 and we ended the school year at 3,302. I did some rough math and so, we lost 86 … The basic allotment [is at] a little over $6,000, so 86 times 6,000 is $516,000. Over the course of six months, that revenue, which we were budgeting on, decreased [by $516,000]” Cardwell said. “We’re sitting at a $4 million deficit now, but going down the timeline that doesn’t mean it won’t increase, as well.”

Following Cardwell’s presentation, board members discussed potential avenues for revenue generation and expense cutting. Among those measures suggested were reducing student travel times by merging bus trips, cutting overtime pay, not covering employee travel costs and re-evaluating rental agreements.

“I just want to reiterate that long term financial stability is the goal. Some of these things we’re talking about will generate a few thousand dollars, ten thousand dollars. I think a lot of it will add up over time to a good amount, but I don’t know if time is on our side at this point,” Cardwell said. “Eventually, we’re going to have to make a decision and it will not be a fun or popular decision.”

One suggestion, pitched by trustee Cynthia Alford was to bus students from Magnolia Beach and Alamo Beach to Port O’Connor, as well as to consider releasing properties rented from Formosa located in Point Comfort, currently used for teacher housing, in order to reduce maintenance fees.

“There is a better way to move 103 country kids that ride the bus. We could move those kids from the beach to Port O’Connor Elementary for the elementary students and Seadrift Schools for the middle schoolers,” Alford said. “If we could get rid of those buildings, it won’t be a huge savings every year, but it would give us a chunk of change in our coffers so we could maneuver. With the rent houses, we could talk with Formosa.”

This received pushback from trustee Dana Dworacyzk, who cited the homes as being important recruitment tools for the district. Also discussed was removing positions as they open up through attrition, such as retirement or staff leaving for other jobs.

“I don’t think any of our principals are going to say ‘Oh, I have an assistant principal who is leaving, I don’t really need her but I’m going to get another person.’ They’re not saying that, they’re saying ‘I have to have this person,” Dworacyzk said.

“If we don’t make the changes that’s necessary, the state is going to take us over in 2028,” trustee Vinson Philips said.  

Another proposed solution, which was met by the board positively overall, was a potential voter approved tax rate election. According to CCISD Chief Financial Officer Robin Martinez, a $0.03 increase would allow the district to capture $1.5 million in revenue, compared to saving $18,000 by closing down Port O’Connor Elementary as suggested in a previous meeting.

“On a $300,000 home and presuming you have no exemptions on it, it would cost you about $30 a year. That right there alone would fund $1.5 million that would not be part of recapture,” trustee Bill Shrader said.

“Closing a school would not save us money. The positions that were open that were eliminated, that was saved from the budget, not actual expenditures,” Martinez said. “We have to cut expenditures by $4 million, and the largest and simplest way is staffing. That and the voter approved tax rate election are the only ways we can get out of this.”

Overall, board members and Cardwell reiterated the need for long-term sustainability. In the face of decreasing student enrollment, efforts should be centered around measures that will counteract the diminishing state returns while preserving educational standards for students, members said.

“I just don’t feel like we really have a clear path forward and I’m not comfortable with that. A lot of the options being discussed are one-time shots in the arm that aren’t going to be sustainable. They’re a good chunk of money here and there, but none of it is sustainable,” Trustee Tyler McAfee said. “I have zero faith in the state of Texas. That’s why we’re having this discussion.”

Alongside discussion about the budget, board members also reviewed CCISD student STAAR test scores. According to district reviewed results, student STAAR test scores for fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh grades all had overall positive improvements over last year. Reading language arts STAAR tests also had overall positive improvements for sixth, seventh and eighth grades, alongside the end of course exam.

“I do have one celebration to end the night on, as Seadrift School had one algebra student that scored 100% on their algebra STAAR test,” Alford said.

For more information about the board, visit calcoisd.org. The board's next meeting is scheduled for July 20.