AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Wednesday night, the Eanes Independent School District Board of Trustees passed a resolution to close Valley View Elementary in the upcoming 2025-2026 school year.
Eanes ISD said the decision was part of a broader effort to help address a projected $3.3 million budget deficit in 2024-2025, that deficit will grow to $6.3 million in 2025-2026. The district cited this was due to a decline in student enrollment and a lack of funding from the state for public education.
The district said during a board workshop in November the trustees directed the administration to explore several cost-saving measures that included closing Valley View Elementary and consolidating it with Barton Creek Elementary.
Eanes ISD said Valley View Elementary experienced a sharp decline in enrollment, with current enrollment at 275 students. The closure is expected to save the district a total of $2 million.
“Since 1981, Valley View Elementary has been a place where students discovered themselves, staff poured their hearts into every moment and families built lifelong connections,” said Dr. Jeff Arnett, Superintendent of Schools. “It’s unfortunate we are facing these challenges, but the reality of reduced public school funding and shifting demographics requires us to make decisions that are both complicated and emotional.”
The district said it also voted to discontinue its Spanish immersion program, which was offered at all but one elementary school. It also eliminated the PLC period for academic staff at middle schools and high schools, beginning next school year. This is the planning period for staff, which many teachers have said has improved work life balance.
Eanes ISD said without increased public school funding from the upcoming Texas Legislative Session, the budget deficit is likely to grow.
“Seeing where we have to make cuts, it’s alarming wondering what this means for my kids,” said Chandler Hatchett, a parent in the district.
Some parents wanted to know why money pledged to help the program would not be used to save the Spanish immersion program.
“With the lack of support from our state, parents should be able to fund things if they are willing,” said Hatchet.
“When you are looking at a potential deficit next year of $6.5 million you can’t take a band aid approach to an amount that large,” said Arnett. “You have to actually look at some very substantial programs to achieve the savings that we need to mitigate a deficit.”
Arnett said about 900 students are enrolled in the Spanish immersion program which is an elective.
“When you look at any program the question is really sustainability and we applaud the parents who have pledged and invested a certain amount of money to sustain the program for the next year, but that is just one year,” said Arnett. “We have to have assurances and certainty that we are going to be able to support these programs for the long term.”
According to the district, cutting the program will save about $600,000.
“It is not a program that supports all of our students and we really have to make these difficult decisions in the greater interest of the whole population,” Arnett said.
“While budget cuts and tough choices are not unique to Eanes ISD – more than 60% of school districts are projecting deficits next year – the impact feels deeply personal,” said Board President James Spradley. “We remain committed to supporting our staff, students and families through these changes and helping them adjust and thrive.”
The district said it will provide an update in the coming weeks regarding the school consolidation, the discontinuation of the SI program and the elimination of PLC periods.
