As parents and board members continue to fight, the Dallas Independent School District voted to cut funding to magnet schools and learning centers early Friday morning.
After debating for weeks whether or not to cut funding to DISD magnet schools or risk losing $100 million in federal funds, the Dallas school board voted 5-4 at about 1 a.m. to defund the schools and put them in line with other campuses.
The district said the cuts are necessary because the magnet schools receive more money per student than traditional campuses. The additional funding goes against a federal mandate that says all districts who receive Title I funds must fund all schools equally.
Board member Carla Ranger said Friday's vote is invalid since board policy dictates at least seven board members must approve any funding changes. DISD attorney Jack Elrod told KERA that Ranger was wrong and a majority vote is all that was needed to pass the measure.
Because of that, district officials said, the magnet schools will have to give up around 300 teachers and staff to other DISD schools. If the district were to ignore the rule, they would risk forfeiting about $105 million in federal funding.
But not everyone is so sure of that risk.
Board member Ron Price told KERA that he consulted with lawyers and found that the magnet schools and learning centers could keep their funding if the district requested it. Price and Ranger pushed unsuccessfully to postpone the vote before the board voted in favor of changing DISD funding.
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Dallas' magnet schools and learning centers are specialized campuses that have a focus on business, science and the performing arts.
