Trustees in El Paso Independent School District unanimously approved spending more than $2 million of taxpayers’ money on a bond “strategist,” even as the district faces declining enrollment, school closures, and an $18.5 million budget deficit.
The district announced last week that school board trustees had allocated up to $2.09 million for “bond strategist services” in anticipation of a future bond proposal.
The announcement stated that the money would be spent on “essential preparatory work such as community engagement, research, and the creation of strategic designs.”
Trustees chose IN2 Architecture, Inc., a Dallas firm that specializes in architectural design services for school buildings as well as bond planning and strategy.
According to the announcement, the $2 million in strategic planning will ensure that a future bond is aligned with El Paso ISD’s vision of becoming a “Destination District” that attracts and retains families—which is part of a “Strategic Blueprint” promoted by Superintendent Diana Sayavedra.
The “Destination District Redesign” involves closing several elementary schools while trying to improve the ones that stay open. Declining birth rates have left about 20 of the district’s 48 elementary schools at or below 60 percent capacity.
“El Paso ISD has so much $$$$ they can give over $2 million to ‘consultants’ to ‘help them decide’ if they need a bond or not. Imagine how many teacher pay raises that could fund,” State Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Midlothian) posted on X. “Remember this next time you hear public schools are ‘underfunded.’”
In June, El Paso ISD trustees adopted a budget for 2024-25 with an $18.5 million deficit. Last year the district also spent more than it took in and dipped into reserves to make up the difference.
Questions can be directed to El Paso ISD board members.
