Overview
- The district confirmed Tuesday that Dr. John Craft will retire effective January 2027 and that the Board of Trustees will meet June 9 to discuss a transition plan for finding his successor.
- Northside serves roughly 95,000–99,000 students across more than 100 schools and has seen enrollment fall from nearly 108,000 since the pandemic, a drop that has intensified budget shortfalls.
- The district has reported multimillion-dollar deficits — local reporting cited figures around $35 million — putting pressure on staffing and operating budgets.
- Craft previously paused nine elementary projects tied to the 2022 bond that together total about $200 million, and Northside has hired a consultant to recommend cost-saving steps including possible school consolidations for 2027–2028.
- Safety controversies and investigative reporting, including KSAT’s coverage of student-on-staff injuries and the 2024 death of aide Alfred Jimenez, have left community questions that trustees and the next superintendent will face and that could shape policy and trust moving forward.