001Good evening and welcome. My name is Taylor Kingman, president of the board of trustees for San Angelo ISD. I would like to welcome all of you who are present at tonight's pre-aggenda board meeting, as well as those who will be watching the recording online or on our public access channel. Today is May 11th. All items on tonight's agenda have been posted as required by state law and most items will be discussed tonight and voted upon at our regular board meeting. As a board, our work includes setting goals, hearing reports from our superintendent, approving budgets, contracts, and personnel items, and making policy decisions for the district. Please keep in mind that this is a meeting of the board held in public and not a meeting of the public. These proceedings are recorded and will become part
002of the district's permanent record. to help us maintain a clear recording. Please refrain from speaking while others have the floor and please silence your cell phones. Thank you for being here and for your support of SASD. We do have a quorum. Our entire board team is present and we'll begin with our first item on the agenda which is our pledges. If please stand to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands nationy and justice for all the flaggis. All right. Next on our agenda is public comment. We have no speakers signed up tonight. So, we'll proceed with board updates and reports. And first, we have summary findings for our TA intruder detection audit conducted by ESC staff. And Dr. Brand's going to help us with that. >> Dr. Dr. Cuman. Um,
003Miss Bacera was not able to be with us this evening, but we do not have any intruder detection audits to report for this month. >> And I'm going to stick with you and skip um bond construction update for a minute until Mr. Lopez gets here. Um, we're going to do a budget update. So, as we kind of as we uh Dr. Keeman, Dr. Ren, members of the board, uh so this evening as we move into May, we begin to get information, you know, from um employee insurance, from our TRS, uh we begin to see numbers uh on property values. And so we just wanted to spend a few minutes this evening to just visit with you about what student enrollment is looking like and then what the budget impact will be uh from that. We
004track monthly uh the student enrollment and you can see from blue line first semester, red line second semester. I think what was probably surprising this year compared to last uh was the student drop over the summer. We've talked about normally we finish a school year in May and then when we come back in August, very similar number. We have students that move, students that move in, but we start about the same that we finish. But in particular this last summer uh we lost right at 200 students over the summer and then as we moved into uh the first semester you see where the jumped up to uh 12,498 uh but then a steady decline and then we saw that over the Christmas holiday when some families move we see that drop uh come going into
005second semester and then at the moment we have a total loss of 466 students which we've adjusted this year's budget due to that loss of student enrollment. And then we take that and we roll all classes forward. So kindergarten to first, first to second, we roll out the seniors, move in uh a new kindergarten prek group. And then you can see in the orange they projected if you just roll the students forward at the very bottom of the that light orange column 12,135 if you apply >> I'm orange is maybe showing up pink on our screen >> maybe salmon >> salmon okay just making sure we're all looking good the right numbers thank you >> at the very bottom the 12,135 is strictly roll forward um and then if we apply the percent per campus
006of student decline. A few campuses increased, but if we apply that student decline and then we have the adjusted uh on the far right, the blue column, uh we see 11,875. So went in between those two numbers at 12,000. So you can see where it was this last year. We saw that big dip uh 4.6%. And we know we've talked about uh student uh staff reductions. We need to match student, but they always come a year after uh as we make those adjustments. So, everyone has worked hard and some hard conversations as we've looked at staffing counts and staffing reductions uh across the district. Uh we've categorized this by family. uh A being administrative, I is instructional technology, M manual trades, uh P parrofessional and T teacher group, teacher family. And then you can see
007the number of reductions in each one of those. And we've talked about when 83 84% of the budget is in staffing, uh that's where it has to happen. Um, so you see where we are now with 89 reductions just over the 4.8% I mean just over where the students drop is at 4.6 uh 4.8 uh% in staffing reductions and you can see right now that's just over $5 million as we apply look looking to the 2627 school year. Um in the far right column you see the revenue estimates projected 26 27 12,000 students and then we know the decline in student enrollment applying that and then 92 to 92.5% ADA being paid at 11,000 students by TEA. All things being equal within our local tax base, you see the difference comes in in the white
008section uh for state aid. You see a drop uh in foundation school print program which comes right off of attendance 54 million down to 50 and then a little loss in the FSB tier 2 golden pennies and the Elmano hold harmless. altogether a $4 million loss in revenue projected next year over this year. If we apply that um you see available revenue at 128 million for May of 2026 and then if we take the $5 million reductions off of payroll, you see that drop from $12 million to 107 million. And then we've asked every program to cut 5% out of their budget. So you see those reductions in uh the other three categories. With that uh we're projecting um 4 million deficit for 2627. That does include the $1 million in buses. It's a little
009tricky. They may they may come in August 15th and they may come in September 15th. So, one way or the other, if they come in after September one and we take possession, they'll need to come off of capital um for the 26 27 school year. So, that's why you see a a $1 million capital outlay. Otherwise, if they come in before September 1, we'll pay them out of this year's budget and that would drop by a million in the deficit. questions. >> Can you go back to the where you had the state aid and stuff like that? The state Yeah. Right there. So the school fund is what? Not the school from the foundation school program. That's from our ADA, right? >> The Yes. From the foundation school program. >> So I guess um Yeah.
010So, we had gotten 54 million and Yeah. Is that 54 million? Yeah. >> And it's gone down to 50 because of the loss of students. >> Yes, sir. >> Last year, you can see in um in the revised March of 2026, we were being paid by TEA at 11,400 um 12,500 students. And then with the decline and with the 92% ADA, average daily attendance. Um, and then on the right side, the projection being that we'll only be paid at 11,000 students uh going into the 2627 school year. >> Dr. Brandon, I don't have this in front of me because we do budget next month or next week, but unassigned fund balance right now >> just over 50 million >> in three months right now is 38 million roughly. >> 33 >> approximately 11 million a
011month. >> And that unassigned in that 1 million for buses is that already assigned or is that still an unassigned? >> It is unassigned. It would just be 49 fund. >> So it's really 49ish. Okay, I'm just >> And the sorry >> and the 4.8% reductions or 5% reduction across the board. That pretty much gets us to where if we knew things in advance where we really would have needed to be this year to be really balanced budget for this year's enrollment. And then depending on what enrollment does next year, there's a possibility we need to do another 5% reduction. >> Yes, it's going to take two years to catch up. >> Uh if we were if all things were equal and we were able to bring back the same number of students that are
012enrolled right now, if that was to level, uh then we could get to zero uh with a balanced budget. Um but looking at the last three years, it's really hard to predict that seeing the numbers that we're seeing. So to be conservative, um it's going to take us two years. Um a little easier next year with the two elementary closures. I mean, we'll start at about 30 reductions immediately and then we'll we'll kind of go from there. We'll be able to adjust that uh after we know what our student counts are. Sorry. >> Okay, that's kind of what my question was going to be just in regards to our school closures that we've had in the past and now the new ones that are coming up because the district had promised employees that they would
013keep their employment somehow someway. And if the enrollment continues to decline, obviously that's not going to be possible. So, if we've told if you've all have told your staff that they will still have employment, how is that going to work? If our enrollment is continuing to to decline, our staffing count, we're reducing our staff. Will the conversation be different then when those schools do close? >> It could, right? I mean, depend right now the conversation still is we do it through attrition, uh, retirement moves. Um I mean Dr. Gomez could probably tell us but we hire what at least a couple hundred teachers a year um just in the transitions in life. So >> between 70 to 100 is our average of teachers specifically each year. So between um even with these reductions that Dr.
014Brandon shared there and the T family, no one lost their job. That was all through um resignations or retirement. >> Okay. But what about the new the two schools that would be closing? >> So the 30 he's speaking to right off the bat um that comes through being able to fully staff a classroom, a full classroom and stay within the ratios of 22 to1. We have many classes that are lower than 22 and when you combine you're able to more effectively staff and that leads to the reductions without people losing their job. And also here in a little bit when I talk about DOI and the changes due to the legislative session um and certifications that will help the district meet the certification requirements that go into a law next year specifically for elementary and
015the following year for secondary. >> Yeah, you're right. that that conversation is harder to have if we continue on the slide. Um but right now that's still the goal is just attrition um for our staff. >> Even if we lost another 5% next year, we should be able to do it through attrition. >> Yes. >> But but because that's another I mean if we are only hiring seven if we're hiring 70 is till we get to where we would hire 70 teachers a year, we should be able to do it through attrition. >> Yes, sir. Okay. Um, sorry, I had a question on this all that, but and just for a reminder for board when we talked about closing um, Buoie and Reagan this year as opposed to waiting a year. One of the things
016we talked about was this budget situation that Merl's basically bringing to us in the moment. And um as a board we discussed the fact that um this is at least my memory. You correct me if I'm wrong, but we thought it was better for families and for our community to keep them going for a year and have time to plan for that closure as opposed to doing it quickly and then not be able to even though it was going to have a budget impact for us this year. So now we have to as a board look at how we're going to make the budget work which is sounding like fund balance um for this next year based on decisions we have made as a board to not close those campuses immediately. >> Mr. Kingman or
017Dr. Dr. Kingman, if I can just uh comment that one of the goals that we have is that um if we had to go deficit that by next year we'd be able to bring the board back to a an opportunity for a balanced budget. So, um I agree with that and part of that was just the whole attendance boundary discussion, making sure that we had time to go through the uh process with our community to propose new attendance boundaries, which is about a three or four month process. and then present that to the board, then get that out to the community. It just logistically didn't seem possible or right to try to make that happen this spring. But, uh, you're correct in what you're saying. And so, just one more reminder, Dr. Brandon, real quick.
018So from a state recommendation, our fund balance would be where we need to stay is 33 million. >> Yes sir. Three months >> and we'll see that continue to come down to as we reduce. Yeah. Then that monthly will come down. Um, next we're going to consider formal library book challenges and Dr. Gomez is going to help us with that. >> Dr. Kingman, Dr. Moran, and members of the board, as previously presented to the board of trustees, the district had two titles go through the full formal review process as part of the book challenge. Those titles were specifically serpent and dove and blood and honey. Committee members reading one or both titles include a community member, a parent of high school students as both titles are in high school collections, a high school English teacher
019as an educator familiar with the curriculum requirements for the grade level is a required component of the process and a district instrual staff member. Committee members are required to read any formally challenged piece of literature in its entirety. So I really have to stress that. So when these individuals volunteer to go through the process, they have to read cover to cover. The committee has gone through the full formal process and the committee recommends keeping both titles in circulation at high schools only and requests that the board take official action on voting to retain both titles in SEISD's high school circulations. So once it's gone through, these are our first ones that have gone through the full process. It's ultimately the board's um responsibility to vote and take action as you see best, but that is
020just their recommendation after reviewing both titles in their entirety. >> So, just to make because I don't have that local policy in front of me, we have to vote either way. Correct. We have to vote. We have to put it on the agenda either way to either keep them or get or not keep them based on our local policy. >> That is correct. Okay, that's what I thought. Um, and neither of these books are part of the curriculum. They are just in the library. >> That is correct. >> And just for our parents and everyone else, we still have the system where parents are able to see any book their child checks out and can put restrictions on what their child is able to check out. So if if I wanted my high school kid
021to not be able to check out this book, I could preemptively make this book not available to them as a parent at our library. Correct. >> That is correct. >> That's what I thought. Okay. >> Those are my questions. Anyone else have questions? >> All right. So we will look to move forward with that. We'll have to do something one way. We'll have to vote on one way or the other. Yes. So we'll get that. >> I may I may have >> Okay. >> Yeah. So these two >> these two books would would they ever be considered to be part of the curriculum or not or do we know that? >> That's that's a hard question to say. Would they ever? Um however, just for clarification because I can't speak to all things in the
022future. I can say the district also already has a local policy. If a parent requests an alternative reading assignment of a book that is in the curriculum, the parent receives an alternative assignment for their child. We already have that policy as well. So, >> if that were to be the case somewhere down the road in future years, there would still be the option of an alternative reading assignment, >> right? So the parent, a parent can really in any grade level if a book is being read, they don't want their child to read it, there's a list of others they can choose from and and they're tested over it just like >> correct. It does not impact the grade because there's an alternative reading assignment. The requirement is it must still meet uh the standards being
023covered and assessed. >> Thank you. Other questions or comments? Do I have a motion? Either way, this is actually my computer. >> Do I have a motion either way to either retain or not retain? >> I make a motion. And it is recommended that the board of trustees retain the two challenged books in the district's high school library collections as parents are the primary decision makers for their children. Retaining these titles supports students access to the diverse instructional materials while preserving parental choice and honoring established district policy and state requirements. All right. I have a motion from Mrs. Duncan. Do I have a second? >> A second. >> I think I have a second from Mrs. Meisel Flint. >> You didn't use your microphone. >> I did. >> Um, far away from you. >> All
024right. Any further board comments or questions? All right. All in favor say I and raise your hand. >> I. >> All against say the same. Motion passes 70. All right. Now we're going to go back to item four and bond construction update. >> Hello Dr. Kingman, Dr. Moran, and members of the board. I'm pleased to give you your update on bond construction and design. We've got uh a lot going on still. A lot of projects that are uh either in design or in construction. the overall schedule between the projects uh has not changed as far as the uh deadlines go. So, we'll still be hitting those same milestones at each one of those campuses to complete the bond projects. Oh, here we go. The same thing with the detailed timeline has not changed. Uh a
025couple months ago, we added the U waterline project uh on the Central High School uh timeline, and that is still on track to start at the beginning of summer. Crockett Elementary. Hopefully, you've gotten a chance to drive by and see some of that construction underway. Got photos showing the brick complete on the uh kitchen and classroom side. And then they're uh working on uh closing up the cafeteria side is that uh gray portion there on the right. So I think these pictures are probably uh I mean they're making progress every day. So if you go by there, you'll probably see a little bit more even moving forward. And they're still on track to u open this August. And here's some of the things that you can't see going on uh from the outside. duct work
026and mechanical systems and the freezer and cooler going on in the K or being installed in the kitchen. So, a lot of work happening at Crockett McGill uh also under construction moving forward according to schedule. You can see the the site's been cleared and they're getting ready to start uh building up that pad so that they can start uh working on some of the new additions. And this is a showing where that uh new library and admin will be going. So that's the view of what it'll look like once complete. So just trying to give you kind of a uh what it looks like now and what it'll look like uh once completed. And then we'll kind of do the the same thing on the uh classroom side. So this is the the cleared side
027of what it looks like now. And then this is what the new classroom edition will look like in that that same location. And I know we've shown these previously, but now it's, you know, six months into uh since design development. Thought I'd give you all a little refresher on some of the fun images. All right. uh Glenn Middle School. We're working through construction documents, just mostly uh details so that uh when the contractor uh bids, we can get the best price out of it. As a reminder, uh this is what the exterior of the new Glenn Middle School is is currently looking like. We're still working on some of the finer details of landscaping and sidewalks and some of that, but currently we're we're looking at locking in some of the the main materials on
028the on the school. And then uh Lake View uh will be out for bid in a in a few weeks and should be receiving bids over the summer and go into construction uh by around August. Central High School. We've got uh some movement on the exterior design for that campus. I've got some uh initial uh exterior uh perspectives that show the the shade canopy that kind of wraps around the front of the auditorium and then takes you down to the gymnasium and then all the way to the entry to the cafeteria. Um, so that's that's kind of what you're you're looking at here on the left would be that there's a swooping thing kind of further back. That's the Tucker Hall. So you can kind of see where where that falls in line with that.
029And then uh this would be the the student entry. And I I realized after I put it on there, it says like the student entry. we add these notes during the meeting so that we can kind of track progress from the the principles and everybody that's involved in the meeting. So we said, "Okay, that that looks like a good student entry facing the the parking lot." So I know it's always important to make sure that the you know the entries have have a presence and a face to make way finding clear. And then these are just some more of the refined uh elevation. So, we are still finalizing, you know, brick colors and some of the metal panels and and glass uh shown, but it's getting a little bit more refined uh every time we
030come back. So, hopefully next time um come back, we'll be able to show you kind of some uh overall site context and then a little bit more realistic view of what that uh new addition at Central will look like. And then uh finally, we've been talking about the uh financial dashboard and the financial dashboard can now be accessed through the 2025 uh bond website. So, if you go to the bond website and and scroll down, uh first you'll see the big thank you splash page and then it shows a detailed schedule and then uh it shows the bond dashboard which gives you an overview of the original uh bond packages, their current budget and then the current spent to date based on that original budget. so that we can show that, you know, what was
031originally planned is what's taking place and and the progress that's been made on those original plans. All right, I think that's that's what we've been up to the the past few weeks. Uh any questions? >> Any questions? >> Yeah, I have a couple of questions. Um, my first one is just from a parent standpoint, that new playground at McGill Elementary, uh, why was it decided to be built right by, you know, the busy Sherwood Way driving area? Well, I wasn't involved in all of the design meetings, but I I believe that was already in existing uh field in the areas where we could build a parking lot and build the new building. Uh that would be the setback from the road where we couldn't put a building. >> But there will be two playgrounds there,
032right, at that school now. Two different ones. >> Yes. Yes, there'll be another one once the uh the the other classroom wings are demolished. >> Okay. I just worry myself. I know a lot of parents are questioning that too. And I am also when I drive through there, it's so busy and congested and you feel like the kids are right beside you while you're driving. >> So, I worry about that. >> Um, another question >> getting Oh, sorry. Go ahead. >> No, I'm sorry. Sorry. Go. >> Uh, getting traffic off of the main road. So, they didn't want uh in talking with the city and where people pull in to uh access the drives in the parking lot, putting a parking lot right off of the main road would have caused quite a few uh
033potential um >> accidents or something. >> Accidents. Yeah. Or or queuing that could also cause accidents. So, the the site was kind of constrained. It's pretty decent sized site, but once you start trying to get adequate pickup, drop off, and parking, it kind of constrains where you can put >> No, I understand. >> Um, the central timeline, when is that set to begin? Central High School. >> Well, the the water line is actually set to begin in in June. and June. Well, as far as building at Central, >> well, um, we're we are looking at fasttracking some of the projects potentially, but if we don't fasttrack, it'd be around October. >> Oh, okay. That's not too far away. Well, I'm just my question is um I'm just wondering if our enrollment continues to decline the
034way it is and we're building, you know, bigger, newer buildings at these high schools and we don't have students, you know, to to be enrolled in these high schools. How does that are we able to like move bond funds around or how does that work? Currently at Central, we're not uh we're not adding classrooms currently that would affect capacity. Really, it's just uh >> addressing is in current insufficient uh facilities that you have for fine arts and the gym and the cafeter. >> Right. Right. These aren't classrooms that we're adding to increase the population. Uh currently this is uh uh >> alternate facilities that don't directly impact enrollment >> except for the the cafeteria obviously is was drastically undersized. >> That'd be the drastic one. But I saw a state-of-the-art gymnasium to hold, you know,
035even more people. Those are my questions. Like if we're not going to have people in those facilities, then you know, what do we do at that point? Well, and the gym right now is being planned for 2,200 students, which I don't foresee the campus ever getting >> No, >> quite that. >> That's my question. I'm just looking at the the declining enrollment. So, >> right. I think it's a valid question and I I think right now these are sized appropriately for that, but if something comes up that we need to look at, we'll we'll definitely Yeah. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Especially because they were so undersized previously that that these are will make it adequate. >> Other questions? >> All right. Thank you. >> All right. Bye y'all. Thank you. >> All right. Now, we're
036going to go back to item six, which is reviewing our proposed agenda. Um we have an invocation pledge uh recognitions of several students and teachers um public comment information items. We'll have KFW here next um week for the regular and then update on academic programs. Dr. Gomez. >> Yes sir. So um as you know this is a very busy time as we are wrapping up this school year and planning for graduations. We're also completing all of our MOI or excuse me, not MOI, EOI testing. Uh that actually finishes this Friday. So, um we're going to try very hard, but we'd rather make sure we have like I know you all appreciate having the data in advance because it's a lot. There is no way I can give you that data in advance because I myself
037won't have complete data. Uh however, we're engaged in multiple other um strategic operations from changes in the walkthrough form. we can uh go back to the walkthroughs that have been completed this year, an update on coaching of administrators and teachers. So, we are definitely going to have a report. I'm just had a conversation with our leaders today and feel like it would be really rushed if we shared EOI testing Monday with a window finishing this Friday. But don't worry, we will have a report >> and we will get EOI in June. >> Yes. And you could even have it before June through a Friday fax. It's just to have a full presentation with that window closing. >> Yeah, I know. Obviously, we're all intrigued by EOI just because it's our best guess of where our
038star data is going to end up. >> I know y'all are also intrigued. >> Yes, that's also also going to align with preliminary data from STAR as well. So, of course, when we get preliminary data, it doesn't go back and take into account snapshot data. We have to do some of that locally and wait until TA officially releases that. But that more closely aligns um going through this EOI testing thoroughly sharing that data along with receiving >> prelim. So okay hold you to EO and prelim I won't hold you to quite yet because I know that sometimes comes at the end of June but we'll >> quite certain we'll have it a little before this year. >> Okay, perfect. Um Dr. M, we'll get elementary attendance boundary map discussion next week as well. >> Yes,
039sir. So, what we're planning to do is bring the board uh the the proposed elementary attendance boundary map that's been developed over 3 months or so with our committee and we'll give you some background. We'll talk about the process of that and then uh we'll just have a good discussion about the map in general and then we can come back in June and talk more about considering adopting that map. But we want to give you an opportunity at least a month to digest it and uh ask as many questions as you'd like and then um then we can move forward with that in June. >> All right. So we'll get an information on the map next week. >> That's correct. >> And then um we'll get the we'll plan on voting on that in June.
040Everyone good with that? Okay. All right. So consent items will be our pre-aggenda workshop regular board meeting and our library book titles per normal. Um Dr. Gomez, what what can we talk about district innovation plan tonight? Dr. Keman, Dr. Maran, and members of the board. Um, next Monday we'll go through a very thorough presentation, but I do want to highlight the proposed changes to the district's 2026 2031 district of innovation plan under Texas Education Code Chapter 12A. So, our updated plan ensures compliance with recent state legislative uh changes that significantly impacted district operations. House Bill Two, as we've discussed many times, that was passed this past summer in 2025, limited flexibility for hiring uncertified teachers and requires a transition plan to a fully certified workforce. So, kind of going back to Dr. Brandon's report earlier
041and also to last Friday's district celebration, just to kind of give you an idea, we've u we worked very hard to have certified teachers. However, with a n national and state shortage, uh that's a lot of heavy lifting. But last Friday, just again to give an idea of the everchanging climate in classrooms, we celebrated approximately 49 retirees. And I know we received some retirements today after Friday's celebration. So that's kind of an average number just to keep in mind too for retirees. Um but House Bill 2 again really limited uncertified teachers which it's a point of pride in St. Angelo ISTD. We've tried to be ahead of that uh for a very long time and we were very cautious and utilizing DOI for uncertified teachers. Uh we really stuck to the original concept under DOI
042for CTE which is career and technical education where we could hire um teachers that had the experience from the field. Um, some other districts use the DOI flexibility much more frequently than we do because we uh completely believe that a certified teacher is the highest quality for our students in the classrooms we serve. However, House Bill 2 completely um took that option away from school districts. So, our new plan adheres to the law. Also, Senate Bill 12, um, from this past July 2025, as you all are aware from ongoing conversations, it expanded grievance procedures under Texas Education Codes Chapter 26A, increasing timelines, procedural requirements, and administrative burden. So, our DOI plan that we're proposing to adapt uh to adopt, excuse me, addresses these mandates while preserving effective local practices and that is really um the
043importance of being a district of innovation. It allows districts to stay compliant but also have local control. So key components of our plan that was discussed and shared with our district CBAS committee back in February in preparation of moving forward to the board as our current plan actually expires this month and when you have a plan it is good for five years once approved. It can be amended at any time but only approved for five years at a time. Um so that new plan that we have key components include meeting those House Bill 2 alignments where we phase out uncertified teachers um targets having 100% certified teachers by 2029 2030. It continues to include the use of educator preparation programs partnerships which we're very fortunate in the district that we have several EP partnerships. It
044continues certification support and mentors. Just as a reminder that our HR department and other staff members in the district, we work with individuals working on certification, including providing um material to study programs to use and also even paying one-on-one tutors of effective staff members to work with teachers that are just having difficulty with the test. Testing anxiety is real for all learners, not just student learners, also for adult learners. And then lastly, our proposed plan will continue working with um workforce, the local workforce group and reporting to all of you. As you know, HR gives a board report uh Friday fact shall get information on resignations and we'll add more in the area of certifications. Then an additional key component in the proposed plan goes further into the grievance uh process. And the proposed plan
045addresses all the statutory changes that we've already adhered to under Texas Education Code 26.011 and chapter 26A. Um these provisions are intended to preserve our ability to operate in an effective, timely, and locally responsive grievance process. The the biggest change here um would be requesting relief from the timelines, processes and procedures imposed specifically by 26.011A and C 26A. A through E, 26A.2 and 26A. to the extent permitted by law. We have worked with both TASBY and our local attorney or excuse me, our district attorney to make sure everything we're requesting is allowable by law. And what this does is it aligns with the district's broader goal of maintaining efficient operations while continuing to provide a structured, fair, and compliant grievance process for students, families, employees, and the community. Additional components I have not changed from
046the proposed plan. Um the plan does allow the district calendar and scheduling modifications which we have taken advantage of and wish to continue to do. Also the proposed plan continues to request the flexibility to have our community-based accountability system um which includes staff, students, community members and parents. and being on that committee also um serves as our district sitebased committee. So it's being accountable for more than what the state holds us accountable for and celebrating all the ways students are smart. And then lastly, it allows for local control over staffing assignments and non-certification areas. So the benefits to the proposed plan to the district for being a district of innovation is it allows the district to maintain local control over operations. It supports efficient and timely decision-m reduces administrative burden from new state mandates, ensures
047legal compliance and audit readiness, and strengthens alignment with our district strategic priorities in the board adopted superintendent goals. And again on Monday I'll have a slide deck and a full presentation. Um but just wanted to recap as this has been ongoing since February in the district that we've been working on the proposal >> and we've done this we've we had to do this five years ago. We have other times we've done this recently was an amendment I guess. >> Yes we did an amendment. You're you're correct. >> Okay. >> So and this will give us a if the state approves our district of innovation after this another five-year window. >> Correct. Okay. >> For the proposed plan, but an amendment could be made at any time once it was approved. >> So, regular obviously if
048be okay with everybody. Okay. Um All right, Miss Heber, you got some You're busy. You got three. We'll start with our dairy RFP 27-21. Unfortunately, I am not Miss Heert. >> No, you are not. >> I'm sorry. It was labeled differently. Apologies. >> You'll get to hear from her in just one moment. I promise. >> Good evening, Dr. Kiming, Dr. Moran, and members of the board. Uh, the child nutrition department has received two proposals pertaining to the dairy RFP that is number 27-01 for the 2026 2027 school year. Uh after we have reviewed and tabulated these proposals, we are recommending that this award for this bid be granted to GH Derry Sarah uh in the amount of $74,000430 sorry $74,431.88. Uh this proposal would be awarded at an increase of $83,86366 from the current school
049year contract. Uh just for a little bit of background, this RFP of course is for the delivery of uh dairy products, mainly milk to uh campuses directly for uh weekly deliveries. Uh this is a budgeted request and we are happy to answer any questions you might have related to this request. >> Who do we get our milk from now? >> This is the current vendor GH Theory Serafresh. >> Okay, they had current then. Okay, good. Any other questions? >> Consent. >> Yeah. Everyone okay with that being consent? All right. >> Thank you. >> All right. >> Um and then we have RFP 27-16 direct delivery. >> And not Miss Heert again. >> You're saving her for the fun one. >> Yes, she does get the fun one this time. Again, good evening and thank you
050for having us. The we have uh received four proposals uh pertaining to the direct delivery RFP that was number 27-16 for 2026 27 school year. After a review and tabulation of these proposals, we are recommending that this award be granted to Cisco West Texas uh in the amount of 1,533,000 900 953.66. I should start writing those numbers out. This proposal would be awarded at an increase of $161,000 of $161,88426 from the current school year contract. Uh and again just for background on this RFP, this is for the delivery of uh high volume products for the direct delivery of high volume products directly to campuses. Uh this is where they get their uh a lot of their breakfast items, fresh produce, any allocart smart snack items. Um and again those come on a weekly basis directly
051to their campus stores. Um this award recommendation is being made based on the contract language which does state that uh this was awarded on an all ornone basis. this. I know you saw a few other uh vendors that submitted awards, but or that submitted bids, excuse me. Uh but this uh vendors did have to be able to provide all line items that were listed in the in the proposal to be considered for award. Uh and again, this is a budgeted request and we are happy to take any questions you might have. >> Cisco's been our vendor in the past. Is that correct? >> That is correct. They are our current vendor for this for this RFP. >> Great. I'm trying to decide what $13,000 worth of Lucky Charms looks like. It's crazy. >> It looks
052like a lot of happy kids. >> Yeah. >> I guess this this question is for Miss Heert. I guess Ben, right? >> Yes. >> Okay. See, I know Ben's name. Um or Miss Heert. Are we still working with Midland is or Midland on figuring out a I guess like a >> co-op? >> Like a co-op. We still doing that? >> Um yes, we're actively still participating in the board approved with Midland ISD. Um, right now actually we're currently in an extension year with that and Miss Holmes and I and uh Mr. Rojo have been in communications on whether or not to continue extending or if we're going to redo that the items on that bid separately. That extension ends at the end of June. So, we're in communications on whether or not we're going to
053um rebid or move um to extension number two of that, but we are still in the NU with >> I'll discuss all this too right here, which I'll just >> um we we have not discussed all of these items um because that bid that we're in with them is a direct delivery to the warehouse. So, it's a single location instead of the multiple location. And it gets a lot more complicated since they have I think they're moving to about 41 campuses in Midland. They're they're growing and we we have um 20 soon to be 18. So then it gets a little more complex in the bid specs to do anou. So we're still kind of triing everything that we're doing with our direct ship to our warehouses. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> You're
054very welcome. >> And we've had no pro. Sorry, I was I just had a quick question. I'm just curious like three of the four vendors primarily had no bids on the line items. Is that Could you explain that? I'm just not sure I understand that. Yeah, we so I I will be honest that confused us as well. So this uh this was an all ornone uh type bid. So vendors should have been able to uh it it did state in the contract that they had to be able to to provide all of the items in each line item. Uh there there always are some vendors that will still bid on on items that that they carry just because they want to I'm I'm I can't speculate as to why that they why they submit a
055bid, but there's always some that will submit on items that that they carry even though it is an all ornone bid. So it's it's not unusual, but it Yeah, it it does happen sometimes. >> Gotcha. Thank you. >> I have a question. Um just um in regards to the menu, I know earlier this year I learned because a lot of parents were questioning the portion sizes and now I know that that's regulated by the state. Does the same thing go for the menu? Who chooses our menu andor how can we get more nutritious u options for for our kids or students? >> Yeah, I'll I'll let Tiffany take that. So we follow the uh our software program that we use um actually helps us stay in compliance nutritionally with um the USDA and Texas Department
056of Agriculture regulations on the nutritions. So we have to ensure that we're offering a certain amount of fruits and vegetables and reduced sugars and the cereals that like are on this bid right now are diefree. Um they have six grams of sugar or less. So when we're doing our specs for all of our bid products, we're ensuring that they meet the whole grain requirements and different things like that. So if you see a donut on there, it's not the standard doughnut that you can go out and get like at HB or anything like that. It's actually a whole grain doughut um and reduced sugar. Um I don't know if that impacts the way kids look at it or not, but um you know, they're a little denser because of the whole grain quality, but they
057do meet the whole grain requirements. And specifically at breakfast, when you're looking at the requirements of Texas Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agricultures menu requirements and nutrition requirements, they lean heavier currently on the whole grain aspect than the protein aspect. So, we have like a minimum and maximum amount of calories and and sodium and all of that that we have to meet in addition to amounts of servings of whole grains and different things. And we have software that helps us keep in line with all of that. And then we also take into account student voice. So we do um we do go out and ask students, you know, what their favorite items are and what they like to eat. And we go off of popularity of choice and different things like
058that. What are what is trending? We go to food shows so that we can see what's available and what's trending. And then we also have the consideration of meals per labor hour and labor time that it takes especially in the when you're looking at the breakfast in the classroom program that we have at the elementarymentaries. um there's not a lot of time before when the when the staff come in at 6:00 a.m. and you have to be able to transport it and have teachers serve it in the classroom. So, um you you have to be able to do that within an hour period. And so, there's a lot of considerations for breakfast menus specifically that go into all of that. And that even is considering the time that it takes to prep to prep a
059lunch meal and still keep it within your food safety regulations because you can only hold food for a certain amount of time and different things like that. but you have to have the amount of labor based on the participation to be able to produce that food. So, it's a very fine balance between what it what it takes to produce something versus so we try and keep student favorites and and different things like that. Um, and then also homemade favorites, you know, kind of midweek. So, there's a lot of considerations that we do in there because it takes time to defrost meat and depending on where you put the beef in the middle of the week. um as opposed to like on a Monday or Tuesday when if you know you may not have the you
060may have it sitting in the cooler too long and different things like that. So we have a lot of different considerations that we take into that. But we build the menu locally as opposed to using like a region 15 menu. Um but we also take into consideration using healthier meats. So like if you see a ham sandwich on there, it's a turkey ham or a chicken ham and not a pork ham. Um just because we're taking into consideration it's also going to be lower sodium. We look at all of that. We make sure that we spec things that way as well. I hope that answers your questions and that I did not go off on a tangent there. So, >> okay. Sorry. Thank you. >> Any other questions? Hubert knows a lot about USDA TV.
061Good job. Thank you. All right. Are you okay with that direct delivery being consent? Same delivery that we do. Go with that. >> Okay. We'll make that consent. We can always pull anything. If someone looks at it later and wants to make it regular, just let me know or we can do it that day. Um, now I'm guessing since Miss staying there, she wants to talk about increasing meal prices for the 2627 school year. >> Yes. Good evening, Dr. Kingman, Dr. Moran, and board of trustees. Um, the child nutrition department is requesting to increase the paid lunch meal prices for students by 25 cents per meal next school year. This request is being made after the completion of the USDA paid lunch equity tool requirement that we have to do annually. This tool is completed
062annually and calculates the weighted average of all paid lunch prices charged by child nutrition programs. So, school food authorities which is like St. Angelo ISD who on a weighted average charged less than the USDA target weighted average price of $416 for paid student lunches in the 2526 school year are to make an adjustment to their weighted average paid lunch price for the 2627 school year. The weighted average is calculated using the number of meals and the price they were charged at each level. So in the 2526 school year, St. Angelo ISD charged a weighted average of $38 for paid meals. This equates to $18 below the USDA target average pricing. In 2526, elementary students paid meals are $3 and secondary paid meals are $3.25. So the 25 increase for paid meals would increase meal prices
063for elementaryaries from the current $3 to $3.25 and the secondary paid lunch meal price from 325 to 350. This increase would move St. Angel closer to the weighted average. Please note that this does not alter free meals or campuses on C and this request also does not impact meal benefit prices for those set um on the reduced meal price benefits as those are also set at the federal level. We are happy to answer any questions regarding this request. >> When was the last increase that we had? >> June of 2023 is the last time the board approved a meal price increase for the child nutrition department. teacher lunches or adult lunches same price. >> So the teacher lunches and adult lunches uh we actually don't get to choose those prices. Those are done on an
064adult meal calculator and those are usually um that tool comes out usually in July. So that that price is unknown at this time. At this time it remains 525. >> Yes. So it's a different that's a different tool. >> So if we don't since we're not going all the way up to 416 >> Mhm. we'll probably get a similar recommendation from them next year that we would have to increase prices again. >> So, our goal is uh you if we can get into our sixmonth uh if we can reach we are allowed y'all were talking about fund balances earlier and we're allowed to have a six-month fund balance and so if we can reach our six-month fund balance then we would have the option to decide whether or not we wanted to continue increasing and
065cover the difference and different things like that. But as we all look at uh deficit budgets, we felt like we're getting a little big of a gap. So we need to start kind of closing the gap just a little bit. As you can see from the proposals that Mr. Rojo Settle read out, we're having we're seeing cost increases come across in our bids. U which I mean we all feel at the grocery store anyway and we've tried to push it off as long as we can because we know this affects families and we we've tried very hard not to do that. So we try and do it as little as possible. Our goal would hopefully be to not have to do it unless absolutely necessary. Again, >> I have a question on the minimum household
066income. Would that change at all to qualify for free or reduced lunch? >> So, the income eligibility guidelines for qualifying for free and reduced lunch have not actually come out yet. Those are set by USDA. And so, we're waiting on those and we do always hope that that expands. it would it would be very beneficial to families and we believe that it's being postponed so long hopefully because they're considering expanding um that program out by increasing the um the income thresholds that will qualify families for that meal uh benefit. So we're we're pending that. The good thing about the reduced price meals is typically a family if they qualify for reduced price meals has to pay the 40 cents out of pocket. this year um families that were on reduced price meals, Texas decided to
067cover that 40 cents per family and that um extends into the 2627 school year. So if you qualify for reduced price meals, you actually are essentially qualifying for free meals in the 2627 school year as well. And that's a that's a benefited program that's going to continue. Um just to note that. I'm not sure if that was ever a piece of information y'all were provided. >> Other questions? >> I think that's just a regular everyone. >> Yeah, regular. >> Thank you. You get to come back next week. >> That's okay. I understand. >> Appreciate it. >> Thank you, >> Dr. Kingman. As they are sitting down, I do want to recognize Ben to make sure I know Gerard, you said you knew Ben, but so you all Yes. But so that you all know, Ben
068or Benjamin Roettle was also one of our musically talented staff members that sang in the national anthem and Friday celebration. So thank you so much, Ben. All right. Next, we um we will have superintendent recommendations for teachers contracts next week. >> And I can make a quick comment on that if it's all right. Save Dr. Lamaster the steps. Typically in May, we have just a few leftover contracts that we've had to work through. For instance, if a teacher is trying to pass their certification exam or there's been some kind of a hiccup in making sure everything was lined up, we did not bring them to you in April, but we bring that handful in May. And usually it's just you could count them on one hand. So, we'll bring those to you next week for
069consideration. But these are people that we want to return. We're working with them. Usually, it's certification issues. Um, I guess since we don't have those yet, we'll put that as regular. >> Sure. >> And then same with administrators contracts, keep it as regular. Everyone good with that? Sorry for the master. Um, then Dr. Brandon terminating agreement the third party Medicaid billing services provider. >> Good evening again. And last year we talked about uh cancelling the contract with uh MSB for third party Medicaid billing and then it uh we were only one year out and so we talked through it. We asked them for some things to do uh if they could make those things right uh we would go ahead and stay with the year. So it started well and then a couple of months
070in then things were seem to return to normal. So, uh, we are at the end of the contract and it's our right now to get out. Uh, we have asked Walsh Gagos to examine the contract. Um, it's been way back, right, when the district signed the agreement, uh, for the $584,000. Uh, so LSB dropped their rate from 6% to 1% until the district could recover that money. So, it's gone from 584,000 down to about 112,000. Now, worst case scenario is we don't we're not able to regain that amount of money. Uh but we'll see. Uh Walsh is uh we sent them our cost reports for the last three years. They're just looking to see uh whether the district could recoup that. Uh but really what we're what we'll ask the board is just to authorize
071the superintendent to basically negotiate that settlement. So it will be somewhere between us them having to pay that full amount or us not being able to recoup that. But either way our intent is coming back to you in June. Uh we would like to sign an interlocal agreement with Houston ISD uh who has a very good reputation uh for chars billing. uh our special education staff interviewed six companies last year picked uh the Houston ISD company uh out of the six um and with that being an interlocal agreement uh we don't have to send out the RFP uh for those services. So in June uh expect that we'll come back to you and and ask to to move that service to Houston ISD. So, just as a recap, just make sure I'm remembering correctly, we
072almost got out of this contract a year ago at the cost of $584,000 roughly. A big number or it was 300. It was a bigger number than it is right now. >> Yes, sir. >> And we elected to when they dropped their fee from 6% to 1%, we elected to stay with them. But Houston ISD is who we were going to use a year ago. About this time a year ago, >> it was Yeah. Any board questions or comments on that consent? Everyone okay with that going on consent? >> Okay, let's make that consent. All right, we do have to go into executive session for a moment. It's going to be under 551.072, which is real property, and 551.071, 071 which is consultation with attorneys and we will be back. We're back from executive session.
073We took no votes, took no action. We have no announcements for this evening. And with that, we are adjourned.