Teachers in Frisco ISD are breathing a sigh of relief. Unlike in neighboring school districts where teachers are getting pink slips due to the state’s budget crisis, Frisco says it won’t be laying off any of it’s staff positions.
“We know we're going to have to make some cuts right now. In the best case scenarios, that doesn't involve a reduction in force per se,” said FISD Communications Director, Shawna McKay-Wortham.
Frisco will instead try to cut $10 million from its budget in anticipation of funding shortfalls by things like streamlining bus routes, limiting new library purchases, cutting back on the use of substitutes for teacher in-service days, and allowing vacant positions to stay vacant.
“In another year we might have hired 300, 400 people to help meet the needs of those students,” said McKay-Wortham.
The result will be slightly larger class sizes in a district that anticipates adding 3,500 students to its ranks next school year, but, for teachers, at least there is next year to look forward to.
“I think our teachers are confident that the pink slips aren’t coming,” said Principal of Lone Start HS, Karen Kraft.
Kraft says that fact has gone a long way toward keeping morale high.
