SAN ANTONIO – The South San Antonio Independent School District owes the Texas Education Agency $2.5 million after the district reported false attendance numbers.
A heated board meeting at the district headquarters Wednesday night had board members asking what happened.
District CFO David Landeros told board members the district reported higher attendance figures than records actually showed. The state funds schools based on attendance, and therefore doled out more money than the district deserved.
Landeros said his office didn't recognize the false attendance figures were being reported because his office is understaffed.
Several board members and the former South San ISD superintendent didn't buy that explanation, saying all departments in the district are understaffed.
The district will have to pay back the money over the next two years, but said no jobs would be cut to meet the new budgetary demand.
A consultant hired by the district said districts across the state face this problem every year, because attendance reporting is not an exact science.
Also of note, school board president Connie Prado was ousted as president in a unanimous vote. Her replacement will be current school board member Hellen Malda.