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In Independent School District, Dallas, there is a School for the Talented and Gifted. National publications around the country have been consistently ranking this school among the top high schools in America. In the past, this school has been consciously protected from budget cuts.

Now, however, the situation is different. The current economic meltdown has affected almost all schools in the country Texas not excluded. Lean economic times have seen states trying hard to balance budgets and stay afloat.

In New York, Wisconsin, Illinois and California, just as in many other states, thousands of teachers have already lost their jobs. Job cuts have affected at least two percent of our nation’s government education workers according to estimates provided by the American Federation of Teachers.

School districts are now forced to axe enrichment activities and popular programs. Very soon, from the two-year state budget, at least $4 billion education funding will be cut by lawmakers in Texas.
This situation has been hard on almost all schools especially the highly talented and unique schools such as the Talented and Gifted. This school has been fighting to retain its quality teachers and maintain levels of staffing that has so far been responsible for its success.

According to Michael Satarino, the principle of this school, you start worrying when you get away from maintaining all class size. He says that the only gifted and talented strategy you learn is to ensure that class sizes are small.

There will be no planning period next year as most teachers at Satarino log an additional class. This prestigious school will now start taking in more students from the district. Satarino feels that we cannot do anything but adjust and hope for the best in our efforts to find the right teachers who fit in and who will stay. 

Located at the Townview Magnet Center in Dallas, Talented and Gifted is one of the very few schools that include programs for social services and education, law and government, health professions, engineering and science and management and business.

Magnet programs find a place among premier schools in Dallas by design. In a year when the entire country is struggling with historic funding shortfalls, this district is no exception. According to a district spokesman Jon Dahlander, it is inevitable that we treat everyone equally even though we would like to protect every campus including campuses that national publications laud.

He said that this spring has been hugely challenging, much more than what we have ever faced. Before end of June when trustees will approve the 1.2 billion budgets, $120 million will be axed from it most probably according to Dallas district officials.

Many valuable staffs and teachers have already been sent out. An incentive program led to the resignation of over 600 teachers in the district. In the month of April, at least 200 staff positions at the central office were eliminated.

To add to the woes, at least 858 support staff and 274 teaching staff positions are set to be cut the coming school year say district officials. Is there any respite or is the situation only going to get worse? We just have to wait and see.