CCISD highlights progress, ongoing challenges at annual State of the District

It was a year marked by difficult decisions and major changes for CCISD. Now, district leaders are celebrating progress while looking ahead.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Corpus Christi ISD leaders say the district has made significant progress over the past year, particularly in reducing its budget deficit, while acknowledging there are still challenges ahead.

At the district’s annual State of the District, Superintendent Dr. Roland Hernandez reflected on some of the difficult decisions CCISD has faced.

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“We’ve had some really tough challenges like most districts across the state,” Hernandez said.

One of the biggest challenges has been the district’s budget deficit.

The CCISD Board of Trustees voted to close seven campuses after months of debate and pushback from families and staff. This school year is the first without those campuses.

“We’ve made some tough decisions to close some schools. We had a $30 million deficit at the beginning, but we’ve been able to bring that down to less than two,” Hernandez said.

Despite the campus closures, Hernandez said students and staff have adjusted to their new schools.

“Our students and staff are thriving in their new buildings, and so we’re very proud of that as well,” Hernandez said.

The district’s Board of Trustees has played a key role in navigating the changes, with Board President Dolly Gonzales Trolley at the helm.

“We were able to find positions for all of the teachers that wanted to stay within the district. We remain committed to making sure that those transitions go smoothly, and that’s gonna continue to be an involved process as we move forward,” Gonzales Trolley said.

Gonzales Trolley said the district’s financial focus now is making sure it does not return to the deficit it’s been facing.

“Now that we’ve really overcome this big deficit, we’re really wanting to focus on not going back there,” Gonzales Trolley said. “And so we’re very carefully scrutinizing any new programs. And if we’re adding new programs, where can we take something away or where can we balance that out?”

CCISD is also working to address shortages of teachers and bus drivers, but Hernandez said his team is working on it.

“We’re happy that we continue to get our teacher positions filled with certified teachers,” Hernandez said. “We continue to do it month after month and try to recruit bus drivers. We have increased their salaries and hope to do even more. It’s just going to take some time.”

While district leaders celebrated the progress made over the past year, they said the work continues on the budget, staffing and the transition following the campus closures.