Elgin Independent School District With 2,694 students, Elgin ISD is one of the smaller school districts studied by my Texas School Performance Review (TSPR) team, and slightly more than half of its students are considered economically disadvantaged, presenting unique problems to this district which has to do a lot with its small budget. We found a district with some notable successes, but as with all good districts there are significant challenges, including skyrocketing operational costs and fluctuating student performance.
Teacher hiring has kept pace with student enrollment at an estimated 5 percent increase since the 1996-97 school year. Meanwhile, the number of professional support staff, campus administrators and central administrators and auxiliary staff has grown by more than 28 percent, and the district's budget has grown 39 percent. That is why I am recommending today that the district cut non-teaching staff by 5 percent for a savings of more than $1 million over the next five years.
One of my 10 Principles for Texas in the 21st Century is to drive more of every education dollar directly into the classroom. And my TSPR team has done just that for Elgin ISD with 41 recommendations that, if fully implemented, could result in net savings of $1.1 million over the next five years.
Several additional recommendations outlined inside are designed to help the district address its fluctuating test scores on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) and to reduce the performance gap between Anglo, minority and economically disadvantaged students. The key to the district's success will be my recommendation to establish written curriculum standards to create a consistent academic standard over time.
My major recommendations would redirect administrative costs and dedicate dollars to improving the education of our children–our most precious resource. I am confident that school board members, school administrators, teachers and parents are all committed to making Elgin ISD the best it can be for their students.
Carole Keeton Rylander
Comptroller of Public Accounts
