Trustees from each of San Antonio’s four largest school districts are headed to Washington this weekend for a national conference that connects local school board members with their congressional representatives.
Most years, that wouldn’t make news.
But school districts across Texas are looking for ways to shave tens of millions from their budgets while having a limited impact on students. Spending is under a microscope.
I first heard that local trustees were going to the Federal Relations Network conference when a board member in a suburban district was mistaken for a San Antonio Independent School District trustee and chastised by someone in another district who disapproved of SAISD’s plans to send trustees.
“If it’s true it’s heartbreaking,” said the trustee, who asked not to be named, speaking critically of another district. The trustee said the FRN conference, which is hosted by the National School Boards Association, is worthwhile but this year isn’t the time to be shelling out for board travel.
SAISD isn’t the only district sending trustees to the conference. Judson, North East and Northside are sending at least one board member. SAISD is sending two.
Most districts have funds set aside for board expenses, including travel and fees to membership organizations, but some trustees have suggested cutting back or eliminating those pots of money as they look for ways to pare back spending.
The truth is, in a district looking to shave $50 million or more from its annual spending plan, a trip to D.C. won’t make much difference one way or the other. Except, maybe, in the minds of the public.
