Federal funds save Abilene ISD program, but for how long?

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – For weeks, the Abilene Independent School District (AISD) faced the possibility of losing millions in federal education funds, threatening programs that serve some of the district’s most vulnerable students. Among them: the adult education program, which helps learners of all ages. While the federal government ultimately released the money, AISD Board of Trustees Member Dr. Taylor Tidmore said the experience showed how quickly the future of vital programs can be thrown into question, and how deeply the community would feel the loss.

Federal dollars recently released will help programs like adult education and other initiatives within Abilene ISD, but Board of Trustees Member Dr. Taylor Tidmore says the situation created weeks of uncertainty.

“I think it did create a little bit of just chaos and uncertainty there for several weeks. The federal government came out and said it’s going to withhold a lot of federal educational funds. Some of those funds specifically go to our adult education program,” Tidmore shared.

The program is a partnership between the Texas Workforce Commission and AISD. Tidmore said the district anticipated a possible funding delay, but just a few weeks later, the federal government reversed course and agreed to release the money. That meant AISD could keep adult education running this year as planned, though the funds have not yet arrived.

“I think the caveat to that is those funds have not been released yet, and we don’t know when we’re going to receive those funds, and so there is some cushion right now to pay for adult education, to pay for that program and those teachers,” Tidmore explained. “But if those federal funds aren’t released in an efficient way or in a timely manner, I mean, there will be a time when that cushion runs out, and then the district may have to make some more difficult decisions, again, about the future of adult education.”

AISD budgets just under $1 million for adult education, covering salaries for teachers who work exclusively in the program and more. The potential loss was part of a larger concern, more than $3 million in federal funds were at risk, including Title II, III, and IV funds that help English learners and other students facing extra challenges.

If cuts had been necessary, Tidmore said the district’s goal was to keep the GED Testing Center and dropout prevention program running, though many day-to-day classes for adult learners would have been eliminated.

“I went to the adult education graduation last year, and those students ranged in age from 16 to 50 years old. They had overcome all sorts of obstacles in life to finish their degree, you know, to get to further their education. It’s a program that offers lots of different services. But like I said, I think the big thing we were going to lose is that day-to-day instruction that those students really need to be able to go forward and pass that GED test,” Tidmore explained.

When Tidmore first joined the AISD Board of Trustees, he says he wasn’t even aware of the district’s adult education program. Now, he’s seen firsthand the life-changing impact it can have.

“If that service goes away, no one else is really doing that work. I remember the graduation; there’s a guy there in his 50s. I think he came over here from another country, had been here a long time, working hard, and it was a big deal for him and his family to complete that next step. So those students, that’s a free service to them and so it’d be a big loss in our community if that happens,” Tidmore said.

While it once seemed the program might end, Tidmore says the district worked through some difficult conversations to find ways to keep key parts alive.

“Some of the most difficult conversations are for the gentleman, Jeff Howe, who runs that program, and the teachers who are very passionate about those students. That’s the work they pour their heart and soul into, and all of a sudden find out, ‘Oh, that it’s not going to be available. You know, I’m going to have to shift course.’ Those people are going to maintain jobs within the district, but not doing what they had been doing for a long time and felt really passionate about,” Tidmore shared.

While the program is safe for now, Tidmore warns that federal funds for education are already shrinking. For example, AISD received about $4 million a few years ago to support students with significant physical needs; this year, that amount will drop to $1 million.

“I think in our current political environment, anything’s possible,” Tidmore said. “I think a more realistic thing that might occur is that there are so many compliance guidelines and regulations attached to those funds, it almost just becomes impossible for a district to be able to keep up with all the guidelines and all the strings attached to use those funds in a way and stay compliant. So I said, can’t predict the future, but I think we’re already seeing, just the last few years, that federal money is starting to shrink a little bit, and who knows what the future of it.”

Federal funding made up $28 million of AISD’s budget last year, though most revenue comes from state and local sources. Still, with 60% of Texas school districts adopting deficit budgets, Tidmore says there’s little financial safety net when unexpected funding problems arise.

“Funding for public education really hasn’t increased since 2019, yet the cost of running a district has gone up about 20% over that time period. So districts are asked to do the same job, or even more, with fewer, inadequate resources. When you’re just struggling to make ends meet, there’s no safety net for when these sorts of things happen,” Tidmore shared.

He says that ultimately, it’s the students who are going to hurt and pay the price.

“AISD adopted a $13 million deficit budget last year, through a lot of difficult decisions and hard work, and that deficit is going to be cut in half this year. 80% of our budget comes from teacher and staff salaries. So when you want to make a big dent in a budget, unfortunately, salaries are where you have to look,” Tidmore shared. “Fortunately, we haven’t had to do a lot of forced layoffs, but as teachers and staff leave our district or retire, most of them are not being replaced, and so that means we’re asking our current teachers and our current staff to do more to pick up the slack, and as we stretch those people thinner and thinner, ultimately it’s the students who are going to suffer. If our state doesn’t change the way we fund public education in the next few years, it’s really the children of our state who are going to ultimately pay the price.”