Hit with budget cuts, La Joya ISD is planning to let go 22 of its teachers--after grants for three programs are set to run out.
La Joya ISD Superintendent Alda Benavides said this affects social studies class. Those grants will no longer be available.
Two programs that are still up for debate is pre-kindergarten and gear up, a college prep program.
“We are going to do our best to ensure education is at its highest level. Regardless of what cuts come down, education will remain our focus," Superintendent Benavides.
While this might be true, there are some resident who feel the state’s disregard for education will have a negative effect on some children’s lives.
"We push them to stay in school and then they hear this,” Maria Valdez said. “It will take them back and be worst than it is right now."
Valdez lives just a one mile from the border. She said there is not one day that goes by that she does not see some type of illegal activity happening in her front yard.
"I see a lot of ugly things," Valdez said.
Valdez said if the state continues to cut much needed programs, like Gear Up, she is worried what path some student might take.
"My biggest worry is that they're going to get into illegal things that we have here in our area,” Valdez said. “We don't need any more of that. It's horrible here."
Valdez said she knows the school district does what it can for the children—but said when the state ties their hands there is not much the District can do about it.
According to Benavides, the 22 teachers facing cuts were aware their jobs only lasted as long as the grants did.
She said if the school district has vacancies, these employees will be considered first for the job.
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