‘Every kid who walks out our door takes $10,000 of. . . funding’: Abilene ISD struggles with enrollment ahead of new school year

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – The Abilene Independent School District is sounding the alarm after recently announcing a hiring freeze. One of the main reasons is due to a decrease in enrollment, which is impacting state funding and leading to the district to find ways to cut costs. At the annual convocation August 6th, the new superintendent Dr. John Kuhn explained how this school year is all about maintaining and increasing enrollment.

“There are other school districts that want the message of AISD to be negative so our students will leave us and join them every kid who walks out our door takes $10,000 of school funding to the school they choose. Let them choose AISD,” explained Dr. Kuhn.

Their plan to achieve this goal is to improve test scores and to continue to provide quality education and a safe place to learn.

“First task before us is to get results and make sure the public knows the good things that we’re doing – the good things that are going on in this district. It starts with how we treat our students, then it extends to the curb appeal and cleanliness of our campuses to the orderliness and safety that we demand in our schools,” said Dr. Kuhn.

Dr. Kuhn went on and shared the best advertising for a school district is parents. When families hear positive stories from their children about their experience at school, parents then share to others about all the good things happening at every campus.

“Every time anyone answers an Abilene ISD telephone, you’re making an impression on someone, so impress them with your positivity and professionalism,” added Dr. Kuhn.

Jennifer Jordan is entering her 26th year with Abilene ISD, teaching U.S. History and Holocaust and Genocide studies at Abilene High School. What keeps her going as a teacher is her students.

“The kids they are totally my why – I love my babies. I love that I got to be their teacher, and I’m at the point in my career that I have second generation students,” added Jordan.

At the convocation, Jordan was celebrated for her accomplishment as Region 14 Secondary Teacher of the Year. Her advice to first year teachers is to focus on the small wins.

“It’s okay to fail. You get up you dust yourself off and just remember not every day is going to be a good day, but there are going to be some amazing days, and those are the ones we are most grateful for,” explained Jordan.

More than 1,500 teachers and staff were in attendance – all with the same passion as Jordan to give back to the community by building future leaders. Dr. Kuhn stresses the importance of highlighting the good the district already does to the public as well as finding new ways to build the district up.

“So if you’re a neighboring school and charter school or an online school, you want our kids. We want our kids. We have a story to tell, and we have to tell it better than we have and that’s my message,” shared Dr. Kuhn.

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