Del Valle ISD prepares for first day, opens P-TECH facility

DEL VALLE, Texas (KXAN) — Central Texas school districts are getting ready to open their classrooms once again as the summer comes to an end.

In Del Valle ISD school starts on Aug. 7, and the district held its back to school bash on Saturday.

The district handed out backpacks and helped answer questions from parents as students participated in games.

DVISD also held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of their Pathways in Technology Early College High (P-TECH) facility.

The program allows students to earn a high school diploma, Level 1 certificate, and an associate degree in applied science while still in high school.

The program offers advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity.

DVISD budget

While DVISD is gearing up for the school year they will be doing so facing a $2.8 million budget deficit.

Like many school districts in Central Texas DVISD is facing a budget because of a lack of state funding.

“Absolutely the state needs to give back more to public education,” said DVISD Board President Shaira Ramzanali. “We did know that was something that was going to happen. It was presented as a balanced budget, but we chose to go a little into deficit because we know how much we want to value our staff.”

The district approved a 3% salary increase in May. The raises move the district’s starting teacher salary to $59,600 per year, But that created a deficit and without funding from the state it was the only option.

“We are mandated to do things, but we are not given the funding, so we have to decide how to move forward,” Ramzanali said.

She she hopes to see more school funding for districts during the next legislative session.