CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Beeville Independent School District held its State of the District luncheon on Tuesday and the district said it's facing challenges similar to other districts around the Coastal Bend, like teacher retention and recruitment and also the cost of maintaining older campuses.
Travis Fannin is the superintendent for BISD. He said that the district is spending money to help combat the teacher shortage issue.
"Roughly we spend about $35 million a year, per year,” Fannin said.
78% of that money goes to employee salaries which the district said is important for recruiting and retaining teachers, but another sizeable chunk goes to maintenance costs.
The district said they expect to spend about $21 million on maintenance over the next 5 years. The average age of school buildings in Beeville is 34 and a half years old and they haven't had a bond election in 15 years.
Laryn Willow, a parent of a BISD student, said that she believes the school district should repurpose tax money or consider a bond.
"I think new schools are really important. I think that these kids deserve something new and fresh,” Willow said.
However, the district said to invest where it can and to enhance safety measures.
The district recently invested in a new camera system for their school buses and there has been a focus on integrating technology into the classroom, showcasing the district's commitment to providing a modern and secure learning environment.
"I'm happy, I really am. My son is happy however, I always think there is room for improvement, but I am happy with the way things are right now,” she said.
The district hasn't said if it plans to call for a bond election, but they have an A+ Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas and relatively low debt.
