DISD budget screw-up: The wolves are circling

Yesterday's Back Talk post about the looming DISD budget shortfall of $64 million was unbelievably prescient, if I do say so myself: I figured that a problem of this magnitude would open the door to board-room mayhem, with some of the trustees who have been biting their tongues ready to start talking again.

Today's DMN piece on the problem, headlined with "Hinojosa says he'll stay put" even though no one (other than perhaps the DMN editorial board) has said anything about him resigning, carried some quotes from trustees Ron Price, Carla Ranger and Lew Blackburn questioning what's going on. No problem with them questioning the issue, for sure, and Hinojosa is obviously responsible for what's going on at DISD.

The DMN's editorial board opened the floodgates, too, with today's editorial calling out Hinojosa and seemingly lamenting the group's past support of him: "Dr. Hinojosa has had no greater supporter of his academic reforms than this editorial board. Continued chaos can't be tolerated indefinitely. Another scandal like this, and the DISD board of trustees should consider changes at the top."

Given the size of DISD and given that 20,000 employees are working to educate 160,000 or so students, it's always just a matter of time before the next "scandal" occurs — Belo's Robert Decherd himself couldn't run the district any better than Hinojosa. (And speaking of companies apparently not foreseeing financial shortfalls or making mistakes with budgeting, the DMN doesn't exactly have clean hands when it comes to gazing into its own crystal ball, either, as evidenced by numerous rounds of layoffs and "voluntary" retirement packages.)

All of this still tracks back to something longtime Back Talk reader Kyle Rains has always said: DISD is too big and needs to be broken into smaller districts. If we're going to start yelling at each other and pointing fingers now, why not go all the way and figure out a different way to govern the education of students here.

If Hinosoja can't run the district the way it's structured, I don't think it can be done.

Comments

[Norman Alston]

"For every complex and difficult problem, there is a simple, easy solution....and it is wrong." H.L. Mencken.

There is nothing inherently wrong with the structure of DISD. The structure should work, but it depends on those at the controls, and at all levels. Breaking up the District will only magnify the problems. You might get a district or two that operate and test more like some of the suburban districts, but you'll also get one or more reincarnations of Wilmer-Hutchins. Those having the most trouble will only have more trouble. I, for one, am not interested in abandoning any of our students.

Changing the operations is harder with single member districts. Under our current system, Board Members are free to look out for the specific needs of their limited constituencies. That's good. But they can also be obstructionist in doing so, as it is easy to hide behind that limited constituency. That's bad. That ability, without accusing anyone in particular, and accusing everyone simultaneously, may not be the root of the problem, but it's the barrier to the solution.

The better approach would be to reincorporate some single member districts. This at least gives you a chance at a District-wide approach to management. That's why this system was created originally, but it was eventually scrapped in favor of single members due to racial distrust. Perhaps we've moved beyond that distruct over the past couple of decades. Perhaps a change to single members only sought to fix a problem that changing demographics have eliminated since. It's a new day with new problems, but at a fundamental level we are relying on old solutions.

At the City, we all elect a mayor. No equivalent at DISD.

Somebody needs to be directly responsible to everybody.

[Desert Rat]

What do you expect from the enlightened minds that gave us the "new & improved" DISD grading policy???

[james]

You like to take a shot at the DMN, but my tax dollars don’t go to them they go to DISD which is in a budget shortfall. Stay on topic I know you people love to spin things, but this problem at DISD isn’t going to go away people need to go, the school district needs to be broken up and no the world won’t end Norman. You people are so afraid of change. The only way Dallas can have any chance of being a livable city is for DISD to be a good school district, but I just don’t see it unless a total wipeout happens and educational integrity is the number one goal, break it up.

[Jim Napper]

OK Rick,

How about putting on the old thinking cap! Its not a projected $64 million deficit. It could(the deficit)actually be 3 to 4 times that amount! Nobody seems to have the ability to read between the lines. Is 10 percent of the budget only $64 mil. ? Scratching your head yet? How much money does the district recieve to educate each student, from all sources, state,federal, etc. now multiply that amount by 23,000. What was the posse that was organized by Mayor Tom and DISD Sherrif Hinojosa riding around on horseback with spinning lasso's all about last saturday? Was it about the Mayor's good PR or was it actually of importance?

Last years budget was submitted to the board and approved even though it was incomplete.

This years budget was also incomplete. It was admitted that this years budget was based on last years budget. If foolish people can leave out $64 million of new teacher salaries do you honestly think they had the ability to factor 23,000 drop outs into the budget? Do you think there is that much of a fudge factor?

So Hinojosa knowingly submits an incomplete budget two years running and when he gets caught with his pants around his ankles holds a press conference and says 'I didn't know but I'm the only one who can fix it!'.

Then we have Jack Lowe who simply throws his hands up in the air and says, The money is gone and there is nothing we can do! And Hinojosa still has my full support! And the public is left to believe that if someone at TDI made a $64 million mistake that they also would still have Jack Lowe's full support? Yea,right, when lipstick wearing pigs fly!

And now the only way our school board can protect their precious political careers is to stand behind Hinojosa. They have to, they signed off on this budget.

SO what is my humble opinion of how to solve this budget problem? Kill two birds with one stone. Turn out the lights and board up the doors at 3700 Ross today. Nobody there has any thing to do with the successfull completion of the school year. The school board can run the district till the completion of school. The HANDS ON TRAINING they will recieve in how a school district operates will enable them to hire a superintendent in august who has the ability to assemble an organizational chart and a lean mean staff of facilitaters dedicated to the support of our teachers task of educating our children.

And after that transfomation I expect to watch the head roll down the street of any school board member who would even think about allowing the encrouchment of petty politics and nepotism upon 3700 ross ever again!