Cleveland ISD kicked off the new school year with its back-to-school convocation for teachers, administrators, and support staff on Monday, August 5.
Due to rapid growth, this year’s convocation was split into two sessions as the Cleveland High School gym, the largest facility in the District, could not accommodate the 2,002 employees, which include 1,000 certified teachers. This marks a significant milestone for the District, reflecting the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Superintendent Stephen McCanless highlighted the pressing challenges the District faces, driven by an unprecedented increase in student enrollment. Cleveland ISD, which has seen a cut of 76 staff positions from last year, is navigating the same financial hurdles affecting school districts statewide.
“We actually cut 76 positions from last year,” McCanless stated. “That was part of our cost-cutting initiatives due to the financial crisis that is impacting all schools in Texas. There is an increased cost of commodities, insurance, and fuel, and utilities continue to go up, but our funding has not.”
Despite these challenges, no District employees were laid off as a result of the positions being cut. Instead, these reductions came from unfilled positions or those deemed non-essential to education. This strategic approach saved the District $4.7 million from the previous personnel budget.
Even with these cuts, Cleveland ISD anticipates adopting a negative budget for the upcoming year. McCanless emphasized the necessity of these expenditures, stating, “We aren’t spending money on anything foolish, just things we have to do.”
The district is budgeting $1 million for additional buses, $2 million for additional portable classrooms, and addressing other rising costs for insurance and commodities.
As the district prepares for a projected enrollment of 12,242 students, with expectations to reach 13,400 by October and 14,200 by May 2025, the need for additional resources is urgent.
“By the end of the 2024-2025 school year, we are projected to have gone up by 2,000 in a single school year,” McCanless explained, highlighting the need for 80 additional classrooms, based on 25 students per classroom, to accommodate the growth.
Looking to the future, Cleveland ISD must continue to manage its rapid growth and financial constraints. With a potential bond on the horizon in May 2025, McCanless said, “We will be asking the board to consider it because these facilities will be needed.”
Competing with larger districts such as Conroe, Spring, New Caney, and Humble, Cleveland ISD has raised its teacher starting pay to $63,500 to retain talent amidst a teacher shortage.
“With a nationwide teacher shortage, Cleveland ISD cannot afford to lose any teachers,” McCanless said.
The spirits of District staff were high on Monday as they cheered for their campuses and participated in fun dance exercises organized by motivational speaker and former teacher, Patrick Perez. Some lucky District employees had their names chosen to participate in a money grab booth with real cash prizes provided through corporate sponsors, including the Gulf Coast Educators Federal Credit Union.
Why don’t you supposed journalists outline what the cause of this unprecedented growth is? I didn’t see it mentioned.
In case anyone is wondering, it’s wet back illegal anchors babies flooding the district. Maybe we should start enforcing immigration law, and send these lawless, lice riden scum back to the shithole they came from if they won’t assimilate and respect our laws and communities, instead of begging taxpayers for another bond to build a fancy school for them to trash…
Ryan is exactly right. The headline should have read—thanks to joe Biden and Kamala, cisd is over ran by illegal aliens and now need to increase your taxes to handle the situation.
I agree. I’m sure someone will be along shortly to call everyone who is tired of the invasion of criminals into the area neighborhoods “racist”. I can guarantee they have never had to live by these lowlifes.
Crime, drugs, kidnappings, disturbances, enchilada feces piped to the ditch, but we need more tax revenue. Property taxes exponentially increased over the last few years, but you call for police and they are always “having a busy night”. I haven’t seen a proactive police patrol in EMC in years- only reactive.
Sorry to stray from the subject, but it all ties in- burdens on society is all these uncivilized shits are.
Let’s call the issue at hand like it is- not the sugar coated “exponential growth”, but an invasion of uneducated, criminal illegals.
Hell just hire more messcan administrators, they’ll show y’all how to pack em in there.
Enough with the name calling, so mean. Wishing everyone in CISD a great year.
Hey Mary, can you please repost your comment in Mexican/messcan!
She obviously must not live next to one of their nests, or she would feel differently