San Angelo ISD School Board Meeting - March 9, 2026

001Good evening and welcome. My name is Taylor Kingman, president of the board of trustees for St. Angelo ISD. I would like to welcome all of you who are present at tonight's pre-aggenda board meeting, as well as those of you who will be watching the recording online or on our public access channel. Today's date is March 9th. 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 our 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 is a mean of the board held in public, not a mean of the public. These proceedings are recorded and will become

002part of 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 phone. Thank you again for being here and for your support of SASD. We do have a quorum and we'll begin with our first item this evening which are our pledges. If you all will please stand Next on our agenda is public comments. We do have individuals signed up to speak this evening. For those of you speaking tonight, please remember to follow the guidelines you received when you signed in and were displayed on the screen before the meeting began. Our first speaker is Dr. Aaron Ashworth King and it is on library holdings and book challenges. Sorry, I'm short. Okay. Thank you to the members of the school board for

003allowing me the opportunity to speak. My name is Dr. Aaron Ashworth King and I am a professor of literature at ASU. But I come to you not in that capacity but as the capacity of a parent of two daughters in SISD schools. I love books and I have instilled in my daughters a love of books. While I disagree in principle with the censorship of any kind, I am most strongly opposed to any blanket ban or challenge of texts that removes stories, poetry, and information from school libraries and from the access of my children. Blanket bans and challenges infringe upon my daughter's rights and freedom to read, but they also infringe upon my right and freedom to decide what is and is not appropriate for them. Parents can already restrict materials they deem objectionable for their

004own children. Such parental control is fair and in keeping with SISD policy and Senate Bill 13. Any removal of texts for all students is privileging one parents right over that of the others and violates not only the spirit of the law but SISD policy that promotes the freedom to read. To my knowledge, an unprecedented number of texts are being challenged and at and risk removal from our school libraries. This is on top of the unprecedented numbers from last year, which saw over 6,000 titles challenged and banned nationwide, according to PEN America, a wellrespected nonprofit dedicated to keeping fiction, poetry, art, and non-fiction available for students. Some of the titles deemed objectionable in these bands are books on such such subjects as Pokemon and Michelangelo, popular novels, poetry, book series like Percy Jackson's, which is one

005of my daughter's favorites. She's in seventh grade. Hi, Phoebe. Uh, my daughters are both voracious readers. I cur I curate what they read. I trust librarians educated and certified to aid me in this task. Let them do their job without interference. Let me do my job as a parent without interference. Protect the freedom to read. Thank you very much for your time. >> Thank you, Dr. Ashworth King. Um, next we have Aaron McKillip. I said that right? I hope. I apologize if I didn't. And this is also on challenged books and library holdings. >> Hi, my name is Aaron McKillip. I have a masters in English literature and I teach English 3, dual credit AP, and English 4 at Central High School. I also have a child who attends Lonear Middle School. Some famous band

006books we read at the high school level include Animal Farm, which explores the idea of complacency when faced with a power structure that thrives off of injustice and inequality. 1984, which explores a system of power that controls the populace through mass surveillance, censored media, and controlled information, and the unchecked and inaccurate rewriting of history. Fahrenheit 451, which explores the removal of books, the very means in which the ideas supported by freedom allows us to exist in a country that values life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And Brave New World, which explores the aftermath of the total collapse of civilization and the rebuilding of society by those who would turn morality and our understanding of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness on its head to bring awareness to potential social issues that if not

007realized could lead to unchecked hedonism. Books provide ideas through storytelling and promote critical thinking, a necessary skill that cannot be developed when only one correct an with only uh when sorry when there is only one correct answer. Um but a number of answers, outcomes and potential ramifications. Books provide insight to people, places, and cultures outside our own to allow us to imagine the world through the eyes of others. Over the last three years, um, our political climate has worked, uh, in many ways to demoralize and demonize the very educators our community relies on to prepare our youth for both university and the workforce. Removing books, limiting the readings to only pieces of books and creating an environment where educators are hesitant to fully engage those books results in our students stunted ability to explore humanity's

008issues of the past, present, and possible future with clarity and deep understanding. We are seemingly up against a wall with society's willingness to turn their thinking capabilities over to AI. And by removing the very text that would encourage original thought and subsequent problem solving skills, we are capitulating to an epsilonian or base existence. As educators, we rage against the machines, both mechanical and human, that encourage society to sacrifice their capacity to learn. and banning stories that provide human perspectives outside our own experiences and worldviews stunt our capacity to develop empathy and understanding and the necessary critical thinking skills needed for our students to su to succeed in the future. As a lover of books and someone who finds value in all stories because I find value in all human experiences, I ask that you consider

009what we lose if we remove these experiences from the hands of our future ready learners. Thank you, Miss McKill. >> Thank you. >> Uh, next we have Hunter Glass, and he's also on library holdings and challenge books. Sorry, I'm kind of tall. Good evening, everyone. My name is Hunter Glass and I graduated last year after 12 years with SISD. I now go to Angela State University. I want to start by saying that without my English classes, I would not be the person I am today. I have many people to thank for that, from my teachers to my parents. My mom's a pretty avid reader. When I was younger, I was a pretty troublesome guy. I'm be honest. I I saw racism as just another thing. Not because of how I was raised, but because it

010was so normalized among my peers. I believe that if someone didn't think the same way I did, they were against me and they were wrong. But books changed that. On the first day of English class my junior year, my teacher told us that she teaches so that those who walk through her door leave as better human beings. I didn't fully understand what she meant at the time, but looking back now, I realized she was right. Reading books forced me to question things I had never questioned before. For example, I didn't think much about casual racism until I read To Kill a Mockingbird. If that book had been banned, I might still be the same ignorant kid I used to be. That book made me stop and reflect on things I had once ignored. It helped

011me see people differently, and it helped me grow. That's exactly why books like this matter. Controversial books make make people think. They challenge us. They push us to question ideas we might otherwise accept without thinking. So why would we want to remove the avary books that help young people grow into thoughtful adults? Some people want to ban books because they contain moments they consider indecent. But these but they ignore the deeper meaning behind them. Take Brave New World for example. Books like that were meant to were written for us to reflect on the world around us. America itself was built on controversial ideas. When this country was founded, the British government feared that letting people think for themselves would weaken their control. So I ask you, are we really any different when we start restricting

012what our students are allowed to read? Is it so wrong to let teenagers encounter ideas that challenge them? I've been a Christian all my life, and I can say honestly that the Bible contains some some of the most difficult and comfortable stories. Yet the Ten Commandments are displayed in in classrooms across Texas. So why why should we remove other books simply because they challenge our views? Books don't exist exist to make us comfortable. They exist to allow us to witness other perspectives, to make us think. And if we remove the books that challenge students, we risk raising a generation that is less thoughtful, less understanding, and less prepared to lead. I want to leave you with this. Jesus himself was considered controversial at the time. The Pharisees opposed him because of his teachings and challenged

013his beliefs of the day. His ideas were seen as dangerous simply because they were they made people question the current teachings. So this qu So the question we should ask ourselves is are we willing to silence the ideas simply because they challenge our own. Thank you. >> Thank you Mr. Glass. >> Next we have Miss Karen Best and she is also on books. I'm not that tall. Thank you. It's um hard to follow all of that. And so part of what I had to say has already said, but in thinking about what this young man just said, I will add something that you know is I think in addition to the challenge that you present. It's that in my line of work, I have the privilege of working with children within the district who leave

014school and then attend the courous across the street from my office. And in those courouses, the thing the reasons they're there are some of the most heinous and uncomfortable that you can imagine. They are sexually traffked by their parents or their grandparents. They are abused. They are addicted to drugs from the point at which they are held by parents who are using methamphetamine. And the crystallization of meth never breaks down like other drugs. It just rec crystallizes and absorbs into their skin or their toys or their bottle or whatever it is they're having, right? And they're your students. And some of the content that is objected to in these books is the very content that validates them as people. It's their experience. Yes, it's uncomfortable, but it's their life. Or they read about someone else

015like them. When so much of the society around them tells them to be quiet, to stay hidden, to not say what's happening to them, the consequences for an outcry are real, right? We see that. We see them sometimes tried in media, children tried in media here in St. Angelo, being cross-examined by press that doesn't mind making a buck on advertising based upon their story. Y'all have seen that. So, when we talk about these books and when we talk about what they tell, many of them that are on the band book lists, and I'm just wondering what's in that pile of paper right there, but many of them that are on the band book lists validate children of color, validate children and their stories in poverty, validate young women in crisis, validate those of us, not

016us, Those children who are trafficked, those who are alone, those who are gay, those who are trans, those who are different, and those who by extension are more statistically likely to commit suicide, to suffer from severe depression, and who, believe it or not, in the context of the court cases that I have, when they ask for anything other than representation from their attorney, is for a book. >> Thank you, Mrs. Best. Next, we have Mr. Daniel Cardinas, and it's on boundary lines. Yeah, I don't have anything written, so I usually don't. You know, I had a problem in our in our boundary committee meeting uh last week and the first words that they were that that was asked from us was what do you expect of this committee and I got up and I said

017bear and justice then we had Mr. Morell make a presentation of how many of you you have lived in St. Angelo for the past 5 years. So many. For the next 10 years, so many. For the next 15 years, so many. The majority of that committee have not been here 71 years as I have. So I have the most experience in this community and situations like this because I've served on council before and I felt bothered that the committees consist predominantly administration appointed by the superintendent. To me, that's very unfair. It's if if I had been picked to pick the committee and I picked all Hispanics and a few Anglo-Saxons parents from the east part of town and we're going to make the decision on boundary lines. I feel very bothered and I know that

018St. Angelo feels very bothered, you know, by this. How can you look at us in the eye and the community and say we're being fair and justice will be served because I'm here as a president. I'm here as a superintendent and I'm here as a board. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Curtius. All right. Next, we're going to move on with our agenda items. Um, first is some reports and Miss Pacer is going to come up and talk to us about summary of findings of the TA intruder detection audit conducted by ESC. >> Dr. Moren, Dr. Kingman, and members of the board, thank you for your time this evening. In the month of February, in the first week of March, we have had five intruder detection audits. Any findings and corrective actions needed, if any,

019have been addressed by our campus administration. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Ber. Next, uh Dr. Brandon's going to give us an update on student membership. Good evening, Dr. Kingman, Dr. Moran, board of trustees. Uh we're going to go through just uh you know every year we track student membership month-to-month and the uh board uh receives that data. Uh in particular this year uh TEA uh for whatever reason during the fall semester uh did not update uh many of the uh tax rates and property values in the summary of finance. And then finally that came to fruition uh in January. the controllers's office, the state controller updated property values by the January 31st and in turn uh then uh TEA updated the summary of finance in February. So, now that we have all of those

020numbers updated and correct in the comprollers's office and in the summary of finance, um I wanted to share with you uh our projections, student membership, how that affects school finance uh and then what we're doing to u work through that for the remainder of the school year. very familiar chart that you see monthtomonth. Um from the first day of school till the last day of school, we track student attendance, student membership. Uh you can see certainly a slow start and then a peak at 12,498 students and then a gradual fall uh that we've seen over the last several years um 1.2 2 1.5%. But then we hit the Christmas break. It came back and in red you see January and then the fall that we've had since then uh at a higher rate of decline.

021when we go back and compare that to our student enrollment um since the point that the district had 15,000 students and track that back year-over-year and then we see now the prediction being as we finish the school year uh at the end of May at 12,170. What's interesting is that uh we began to see that slow at 1 point a negative 1.2 to a little increase negative 1.9% and then what was unanticipated certainly is more than double uh of that for this school year at -4.6% decline in student enrollment. So the question being uh where are the students going right? So, we checked the PE's data. Um, you'll see that 80, the code right in the middle of the screen, a code of 80 is a mover, another Texas public school district. 45% are movers,

02218% homeschool, code 60, that third column, uh, you see we have 12% moved out of state. Uh, code 82, uh, we have students that have graduated. um there 55 students 3% and then the 98 code other where we did not receive a signature maybe from the parent or were not told exactly where uh the the children were going. So that's gives you at least an idea. What's interesting is when you see uh 1,670 students uh so when we are down by just over 500 then you can tell that,00 students have come and gone through the district since the start of school. So as we look forward uh we know probably uh a lot of those that are in the 98 other category are probably also homeschooled. Uh so that at least gives you an idea

023right of where the students have gone uh so far this school year. So to add to our situation with the declining enrollment uh we always receive the property values from the chief appraiser uh by July 25th every year and then we go into uh creating the budget and then the board adopting the budget in August. You can see that our property values certified were 6.9 billion right at the bottom of the screen. And so that would be the tax base for this school year at 6.9. In November, the homestead exemption was passed by voters which increased homestead exemption to 140,000 200,000 65 and older. But it also uh approved the freeze of property values. You can see in yellow uh when this was done September I mean sorry December 15th a freeze um a taxable

024loss of $498 million $500 million in that taxable freeze. So once we have their total taxable minus the freeze you see that our values dropped to 6.6 billion. So a loss of $300 million in the interim from August to December 15th. So what does that really mean to the budget impact overall? Um as we look as our general fund revenue, the column on the left, August 2025, um at the 6.9 billion at 140k exemption um and then you look at the property taxes. So that that 300 million drop in property taxes was a 2.1 million um loss to the school district. And then if you look under the foundation school program, the white uh block is state aid, the blue is local taxes, the white is state aid. Once you reduce uh for the number

025of students that we're collecting for uh you see a loss of 4.5 million. The red line in particular is uh the hold harmless the freeze. Uh the state does have hold harmless just like our bond repayment uh when the property values drop because of homestead exemption or tax freeze. You see that it was 1.1 in August, 1.1 million and then most recently at 400,000. So you see that loss figured into it as well. Some encouraging news, uh we received an email from the Texas Education Agency today uh that actually said that they felt like the comproller there may be some miscalculation in the freeze and it's going back through all of those freeze calculations across the state. And my hope being uh that we see a number closer to the 1.1 than what we saw

026January 31st. So what does that really mean uh to our what's our budget impact? Uh we're talking about revenue, but we really haven't talked about expenditures yet. I wanted the board to see what the actual fund balances look like over the last several years. You can see in fiscal year 19 and 20, the district kept a fund balance around 37 million and then COVID and then ESSER, right? We began to receive the ESSER funding um and influx into school districts. And I can still remember the very first uh commissioner of education meeting when he said if you're smart, you will supplant every dollar that you can because there will come a day you're going to need it. And I I never will forget that very first meeting across the state. You can see the the

027ESSER funds in 21 just over 2 million and 22 9 million 23 9 million and then 245 million. Uh you see that the fund balance grew to 74 million at that point. Uh the board of trustees um did a excellent job of hanging on to those esser funds when it was needed. Uh some much needed work at a couple of campuses for right sizing cafeteria size increases addition of classrooms. All of that was taken from the local budget uh to make those campuses ready for the right sizing and the addition of additional students. Uh you can see now our fiscal year 25 audit at 55 million and then the projection uh by the end of fiscal year 26 around 52 million. This is kind of what it would look like in a bar chart. um

028still much higher uh than where we were in the fiscal year 19 and 20 uh but definitely something that we want to keep an eye on year year-over-year. So when we see a drop in student enrollment uh to be fiscally responsible we also need to see a staffing drop in the same increment. So, you've seen the district uh over the last 3 years reduce staffing at that same 1.5 1.9 and now we're looking at that 4.5% drop. Usually takes one year. You can't do it in the same year that you see a big drop like that, but we make the adjustments the year after, the year after that. So you can see over the next two years a reduction uh of approximately 50 positions at at the end of this school year and then 60

029a year out. Those through attrition and retirement, not by letting anyone go. So what does that really mean to the budget impact? We've been talking about campus closure. You can see what our estimates have been uh after the closure of Altaloma and Austin. the right sizing that the board did and using fund balance uh to rightsize the the new elementarymentaries uh and allow for students to be on that campus and then the savings 900,000 per year for the closure of one elementary campus and that's from now on right those are costs that were on the district uh that the board saw fit to make that happen and I know that uh recently Recently, there was a decision to close two more. So, that $2 million also will begin to return into the maintenance and operations

030uh for the district and help offset the deficit uh as we see a continued declining enrollment. Any questions? One question on your fiscal year 26 fund balance. Uh one more back. One more back. One more back. Oh, no. Yeah, that one. Is that include purchases that have already been allocated out fund balance this year? That projected number? >> Yes. Okay. >> Yes. And it is different. I think it's probably a good uh place to point out the 6.9 is a reduction in general revenue. Uh by the same token, we also want to reduce uh our general expenditures. So that's not a number that's a hard number. By the end of the year, if we are able to uh save approximately 2% of the budget, if we get some help from the state and the whole

031harmless, our goal being to cut that number in half by the end of the year. That's why you only see a three 3.5 million reduction from fiscal year 25 to 26. Our goal being to cut that in half of what the revenue loss would be. >> So that would that projected would include the shortfall this year. Yes sir. >> Okay. Just sure. Any other questions for Dr. Brandon? Sorry. All right. Thank you, Dr. Brand. Dr. Gomez, we're going to have a report on state and federal grants. Dr. Kingman, Dr. Moran, and members of the board. This evening's report on state and federal grants is just to highlight the many ways the district seeks to find additional funding. There's a great segue there, Dr. Brandon. St. Canangel ISD operates under a comprehensive framework to ensure all

032federal and state grant funds are administered with strong fiscal stewardship, programmatic integrity, and compliance with federal and state regulations. The district maintains a robust financial management system to track all federal awards, including authorizations, obligations, expenditures, and required reporting. Grant planning integrates campus and district needs assessments. So from the CNA, again in education, we have a lot of acronyms. That's the comprehensive needs assessment. the DIP or the district improvement plan and the SIPs, the campus improvement plans, alignment to the board adopted superintendent goals, um instruct or excuse me, House Bill 3 goals and supplement not supplant requirements. All applications and amendments are reviewed by finance, human resources, curriculum and instruction and grant management prior to superintendent certification. All purchasing follows procurement standards and um time and effort documentation ensures payroll costs reflect actual work performed on

033the grant and any equipment purchased with federal funds is tagged, inventoried, and tracked per federal property rules. to give you all an overview of the district's federal grant awards for this school year. I'll go through and list our current grants and title one part A. There's 3,72,553. This supports supplemental instruction for economically disadvantaged students. Title 2 part A569,546. This funds professional learning and educator effectiveness. Title three part A for English learners. 79,139 and enhances instruction for emergent bilingual students. Title three immigrant supports immigrant student integration and academic success. Title 4 part A 277,525 provides well-rounded education, safe, healthy schools and technology integration. The Carl D. Perkins CTE 169,450. It expands and supports career and technical education programs. IDA B for formula. So it funds special education instructional and related services. Just want to clarify it

034does not cover all the funds. So that's one area where we get a little bit but it definitely does not cover everything. IDAB preschool or early childhood aotment 100,348. It supports early childhood and special education programs. Then some additional state grants. This year for the 2526 school year, the district has received the lasso 3 for Texas Instructional Leadership for 87,000. Just recently, the district has received Lasso4. This is a little different. The grant start date is March 1st, 2026 through August 31st, uh, 2027. This is for K5 RLA, K5 math, and secondary math. in the awarded amount of 718,000 with an additional school improvement professional learning community add-on in the amount of 720,000. Additionally, we have the effective advisory framework. There's another acronym. It's referred to as the EAF grant. It's in the award amount

035of $100,000. This supports districts in designing and implementing a strong individual student planning system within a comprehensive counseling program. Then we have stronger connections. This was over two years. Um again, these all kind of are done a little differently, but this was for the 2425 and ends this 2526 school year. This federal grant program uh was created to help students improve student safety, mental health, and school climate in the awarded amount of $1,235,976. So, that's just kind of an overview of the current status was not every single um grant the district works with. It's also important to note that the grant responsibilities uh fall on staff who most regularly work within that program. You all have met Mrs. Raquel Totten, our director of state and federal programs. She oversees all of the title. I do

036work with her directly on the title too for um professional learning. And then um for example, the EAF Stronger Connections, that's Mrs. Rebecca Klein, our director of counselors and mental health. And then CTE, you all know Mrs. Roxan Ventress. So, we don't have staff just specific to the grants. It's on our regular job responsibilities within our areas assigned in the district. If you have any additional questions, I'm happy to answer tonight or bring them to the Thursday meeting. That was very good. Can you send us that in Friday facts? >> I sure can. Yes, sir. >> Thank you. >> I thought y'all were tired of my very lengthy Friday facts. >> I love your lengthy Friday facts. Um I um just a comment on the the IDEIDA um funding. Um, I've been, uh, kind of

037following that and, um, whenever I've had the opportunity to go to Washington to speak to our legislators about IDEIDA funding, um, just for the p just so the public knows, um, um, IDEIDA funding, which is for special ed, uh, passed in, uh, our Congress in 1975. And at that time, the promise was that, uh, federal would pay half and local school districts would pay half. And as of this year, um the federal is not even paying half of their half. And every year that I've gone and I've asked for um you know, for our legislators to consider funding IDA because it's so important and the number of kids with special needs has grown, you know, over the past decades. Um what I'm told is that it's not a um because it's not a bipartisan um

038bill that they won't sign on it. And so um we keep on pushing and so if you're looking for something to speak to a legislator about um a federal legislator about that would be it. >> Thank you. Any other questions for Dr. Gomez? >> Yes. Um, has the district ever considered having like a dedicated grant writer? >> Um, with our current staffing uh, situation and um, the budget, not most recently as we're having to make very hard staffing decisions. It's very I spent a the greatest amount of my career as an administrator as a campus principal. You will never have a campus principal say, "Please take staff away." we the greatest income are those individuals working directly with students. So I I know the information that Dr. Brandon just had to present that's the really

039hard information. So those reductions don't just come from the campus level, they come throughout the entire district. So that's why we assume those responsibilities and our daily um support of the the work we do in the district. >> You know, I just have to say something. I'm sorry. Um, just because um I I think I' I've been me I've been asking the same question for a long time, Miss Cartis. Um, and I think um I would really like the district to look at um the possibility of getting a grant writer. A good grant writer will will have will make their salary multiple times a year um every single year and you can write a portion of the grant to cover the salary of the grant writer. So I really very strongly agree with you and

040feel like that should be something we look into. >> Definitely understand both of um both of you and what you're sharing. I think what we need to uh whatever decision the board makes. It's really hard when you are the boots on the ground on the campus. Understanding that um it's seen as we've added more at the district level instead of the campus where they're opening car doors, where they're working with students that need extreme behavior supports, where they're working with that student who's striving and has gaps to close. It doesn't come across. They don't hear, "Well, this salary is covered from the grants." There are positives that comes with come with grants and there are negatives as well. All of these grants require multiple hours in our schedules and required compliance and deliverables. So just

041receiving the money alone isn't always um just a great benefit. Please know we are looking for all ways to find money. It's just we have to weigh pros and cons. But um just want to give a shout out from the campus level staff. Again, I've spent a lot of time there and y'all know my prek stories this year. So uh the work our teachers and our our campus staff do is a heavy lift each and every day. >> And and we do appreciate the what the administration over the comm these programs have done over the last year um and multiple years. I mean we Later tonight we'll see how much money Miss Doyle's gotten for us in grants with um well it's going to be voted on in the next meeting but as far as

042rate and the things that people are doing in our district. So taking those extra things on when we are staffing appreciate everyone's work doing that as well. So all right thank you Dr. Gomez. Um, next we're going to talk about factors considered for campus closure and Dr. Moran is going to start us off on that. >> All right, Dr. Kingman and the board. At the request of the board, I'm revisiting the factors considered for campus closure. If you'll recall in January, the board considered closing two elementary school campuses within St. Angelo ISD in response to declining enrollment. The closures of Buouie and Reagan were approved by the board of trustees effective fall of 2027. The district closed Aloma and Austin elementary schools at the end of the 2324 school year and Saninto in late July

043of 24 after being condemned by engineers and the city of St. Angelo due to structural failures of the 117year-old building. In October of 2022, the district considered elementary school closures, and the board will recall recommendations from engineers and architects at that time, identifying five of the elementary schools that I've just mentioned as the campuses that should be closed, laying out a timeline to do so. And I think you've seen that graphic in prior uh presentations. In the summer of 2024, a full facility evaluation of all St. Angelo ISD campuses was performed. The board heard updates on demographics, facility study summaries, projections on school funding as a result of declining enrollment, staffing challenges, and academic updates related to student achievement, campus growth, and closing the gaps. As a result of these critical areas, the culmination of

044planning and reporting resulted in the board's vote to close Reagan and Buoie beginning the fall of 2027. In December, the St. Angelo ISD leadership team we refer to as the cabinet discussed the past few years and the plans earlier to close Reagan and Buouie. And we al also discussed other elementary campuses in preparation for the January 26th meeting. An internal exercise was performed by the cabinet team to be sure we were in agreement with any recommendations to the board of trustees. The worksheet we used independently allowed each member to score the campuses in a number of ways and each member submitted their average score for each campus to a member of our cabinet team who compiled the averages and confirmed we were in agreement in the event we were asked by the board which campuses

045we would recommend for closure. The worksheets were really never intended to do any more than confirm what the professional engineers and architects had already recommended to us in previous years and presentations. The board of trustees heard the reports over the past 40 months and made a determination to close Reagan and Buouie for the fall of 2027. And at that January meeting, there were some questions about uh the actual worksheet that we used. for instance, uh, can we see all of the worksheets? And, uh, my my answer is to the board, I didn't have those worksheets. The averages were forwarded to a member of our team who compiled it. So, after the board meeting, I went back and asked each member to uh, provide their independent scoring sheets and then we forwarded those uh, to you

046all. But that's not something that we really intended to be the deciding point for this uh decision the board had to make. And then there was a question about what uh what was the reason one of our cabinet team members or why that member did not participate. We had one member that hadn't been on all the campuses and that member felt uh disqualified to answer and score the campuses and so therefore we just said don't participate. Um, so I think there were some questions around why we use that. We really didn't have to participate in that activity. That was really just an internal uh if you want to say a gut check before we got to the January meeting so that we could look the board in the eye and say look over the past

047uh 40 months you've heard reports from engineers prior to my coming uh and architects about the campuses that were either aging or were just an inappropriate footprint for an elementary campus. And so this was our final check within to be sure that we could look you in the eyes of board and say we agree even though we're not the professional engineer and architects that made that recommendation. And so uh there was a question about that. So tonight um I I'm making those comments to help answer any questions and help the board understand why we use that. Any board questions or comments? >> Yes, I'll begin. On my way here, um I really had to pray for for discernment for myself and and for my my colleagues here. Um this was brought back on the agenda.

048Um at my recommendation and a second by uh Mr. Gerard Gyos whose school Reagan Elementary would be impacted. Um, at that board meeting, I had several questions that went unanswered. One of them being the slideshow that was repeatedly shown to us for several meetings in a row. I really wanted to know how we got those numbers. Where are they coming from? The answers that we received were kind of just, you know, in between an answers. I was not fully satisfied with what we're getting and I wasn't comfortable with making the decision of closing, you know, these two schools, Reagan Elementary and Buoie Elementary. Um, even after the vote happened, I still pursued still pursued. How did we come to, you know, to that to that final those final numbers? Well, as our superintendent just explained

049partially, um those numbers were decided on from direct employees right below him. Now, I understand that he says that, you know, it wasn't meant to be an end all final answer for us, but nonetheless, it's still a part of the puzzle. And you can't have a complete puzzle without all pieces there. This was a piece that was given to myself, and I didn't have the answers, so I did not feel comfortable making the vote. Now I have a little bit more. So those factors when considering campus closures were given to us, but they were given to us as drafts. I knew that these were were just compiled and they were typed in and sent to us. There's no names on them. There's no dates on them. There's nothing showing me or the rest of the

050board that these are legitimate. So that last meeting several people told me to trust the process. Okay. Okay. Let me trust it. So I'm looking at there's eight cabinet members. Our superintendent is included. I still don't know. And he he also participated in this exercise. I still don't know which one is his. Surely he would at least offer that much information for us, but we still don't know there there's nothing on these. So after our sit down, I realized that, you know, the cabinet members that work directly under him were were promised that their information or their their scores would be kept confidential, which I don't agree with that either because we're dealing with public schools. We're dealing with kids. We're dealing with changing lives. Why? Wh Why would we keep that confidential? But that's

051okay. Let's move on from that. I have seven score sheets here. I don't know who they're from, but I'm hoping it's from the cabinet members that work directly under our superintendent. One of the cabinet members, like he stated, did not vote because he didn't feel comfortable grading the schools, but neither did two of the other cabinet members. One of them, there's eight categories here that we're looking at, and they span from expandability of the campus, age of the facility to spatial adequacy. Eight different categories. That was another one of my questions. Where did we get these eight categories from? But I'll I'll cover that in a little while. So, not only did the one cabinet member not even participate in this at all, but two other members didn't fully participate either. One member completely left

052out educational adequacy on all elementary schools. a second member left out scoring three categories. There's nothing on those three categories whatsoever. So for those two cabinet members, the average score was just instead of, you know, averaging it out through eight categories, it was either seven or or five. But I did not know that Dr. Moran didn't ever have these in his hands. He just received the averages and passed them along to us to to look at each meeting. And now I understand why when I was asking for that information, it wasn't given to me because, you know, he didn't have it either. But the last meeting we we had in in private between me, Dr. Keman, Dr. Moran, and and Mr. guy goes um you know he said like he stated here it wasn't meant

053to be you know the final the final call on these schools. So at our last meeting when we voted all I could go off was was the information that I had was from 2022 2023 and there the professionals or Park Hill never once stated that Reagan should be closed. In fact, they recommended that Reagan was great a a great um candidate for expandability. So, that's all I could go off of at that time. Now, knowing that there was um another report done in 2024, which I was not here for, but I got that information. U Dr. Moran provided that for me, and where did we put it? It's only two pages of that report. And on that report, there's three metric ratings. One of them is a facility condition index. And Reagan is rated as

054excellent/good. The second one was facility condition needs index. Reagan is rated as good. The third one is modified recapitalization metric. there. Reagan is is rated as replacement needed. I can only assume that now there's different categories here and I know not everybody can see this that that metric is classified as replacement needed because of the 20 to 30year down the line visual. But if we look at 2 years down the line and 5 years down the line, we're in great standing for Reagan Elementary. Um, so to me, that's a very unusual combination to have a facility condition index as excellent, but then the recapitalization as replacement needed. So, like I said, I have I'm going off of two two sheets here that Park Hill revisited Reagan in 2024. I look at, like I said, they're

055rating Reagan as excellent. My colleagues here, some have told me, you know, but the the the the basement, the foundation of Reagan is bad. Nowhere in the facility reports from 2022 or 2024 does it state that the foundation is bad. What it does state is what we got here. Thank you all for giving me the time to to speak. It says here, um, first floor framing members were observed in addition to previous repair attempts. While the flooring members can adequately adequately support code required loads, floor deflections are excessive and do not meet serviceability guidelines. That serviceability does not mean safety. That just means like there's areas that the floor is a little bouncy here and there. You're going to hear, you know, squeaking. The school was built in 1909. Our last meeting, you know, Dr.

056ran chocked it up to being old, but just because something's old doesn't mean you get rid of it. It's in good condition and it's taking care of families that that really need a school in that area. Um, so back to the factors of considering school closures that was presented to us that we didn't have the full information. Now we do. And if we're going to use data, at least we need to be going off of good data. This is bad data that was presented to us that was not directly in the hands of our superintendent where he could evaluate it, but it was presented to us so that we can see it and take it into consideration. None of us knew that it was inadequate, that it wasn't filled out in its entirety. I look

057at member one to member two. Somebody is rating Reagan's expandability as 10 being the best and the next person's rating Reagan's expandability as one being the worst. There's a really big gap in and these are opinions, but we went off of it. We took into consideration what was given to us and that was bad data. So, let's see here. I'm going to read a little bit of my notes here that I made. I I have more notes than than the Park Hill recommendation for 2024. Um, some of my notes include that these numbers raise concerns and legitimate questions because normally when buildings truly need replacement, you see something to the effect of the FIC number being above.3 and it states major structural failures, safety or code compliance issues. Um, the FCI that Reagan has been

058scored is very strong for a school building. If the building is currently rated excellent, what specific conditions justify the replacement rather than long-term capital improvement plans? Facility studies tend to focus heavily on building costs, but we as a district should also weigh community impact. The closure of Saneno and now Reagan creates an education desert. Districts should map distance between elementary campuses, which I presented all of this last meeting because I didn't know what to go off of. District should map distance between elementary campuses, walkability, bus ride times, neighborhood density. Two nearby schools closing. Entire parts of our city have lost access to a campus. And we also years back closed the neighboring junior high also. So we closed Sano. Those students were moved into Reagan Elementary. Now those same students are going to be faced

059with a second closure back to back. Now you take away that gap from the district map and you take away freshman campus, middle school, there's a big hole there. Um that is a legitimate planning concern of mine. If a district closes multiple schools in one area, you're looking at longer transportation routes. Bus routes get longer. Transportation costs rise. Students spend more time commuting. Elementary schools are designed to serve neighborhoods and families. And without one, we will lose the ability to walk or bike to school for kids, participate easily in after school activities or tutoring, and engage with campus community. We will also be experiencing more enrollment shifts like we presented today. Families have already responded by transferring to charter schools, moving students to other districts, choosing homeschool or private schools, and it's just going to

060accelerate enrollment decline. Reagan's large site is valuable and was highlighted, like I said, in our 2022 2023 sustainability plan as a great candidate for expansion. The district has not provided us with a map service radius for elementaryaries. Instead, we are reszoning with the help of our case committee and addressing these concerns after the fact after the school closure vote, which concerns me as well as a parent and as a school board member. Asking for this analysis in advance and presenting it public publicly is reasonable. A board should provide a a district should provide the board an equity review to ensure our decisions are transparent, datadriven, fair across neighborhoods. I've learned since my time on the board that I have to come with data and leave my emotions at the door, but that's part of who

061I am also. So, the emotion will stay there as well. But I I feel like I come with data every single time we talk about school closures. Um like I said previously, this is a second school closure for the same attending students. That should raise concerns for the district. Also, we have several elementary campuses that are very close together, ranging from one mile apart to a mile and a half. It's no wonder why we have such a great imbalance on our district map. Enrollment factors are being influenced by other factors. Um, we talk about demographics a lot and birth rates. Many north side neighborhoods have larger households, higher birth rates compared to wealthier areas. That's just the truth. It's not an an aging neighborhood. That term to me is is misleading. I asked the board

062to please consider our students, their stability academically and emotionally. Two closures in a short time should raise concerns for all of us in the same neighborhood. My goal is not to oppose change, but to ensure that our decisions are based on a full review of data and that it considers the needs of every single student across all of our districts, their fam and their families alike. I'm also requesting that the administration present two or three alternative consolidation scenarios for the board to review. Also, a declining enrollment today could stabilize in the next 5 to 10 years. Land value and expansion potential at Reagan Elementary would be hard um to justify. There's not a lot of schools around St. Angelo that have land like the north side schools do. The other day I was driving through

063um passing McGill, is that Sherwood Way? Sherwood Way during lunchtime, packed, crammed, and the kids laying right against that security fence. Neighborhood schools are not a thing of the past. They're essential. And they're essential to parents who still have kids in elementary. Um, when districts close schools, they often unintentionally remove campuses from lower income neighborhoods because those schools tend to have smaller enrollment, older buildings, and fewer renovations. I really recommend St. Angelo ISD conducts an equity review. We have not done that and that should have been done prior to us voting on closing another lowincome minority school for elementary schools. The recommendation is at least 10 acres. Um that the school serves a 1 to two mile service area radius. It's a safe walking zone. When two schools in the same part of town close,

064that radius can stretch up to five miles, which changes how families access schools. Obviously, we really need to exam and prepare reports to include distance to the nearest elementary school, walkability for young students, transportation time on buses for the kids, and neighborhood population density. An equity review looks at certain things like the district comparing student de demographics affected by the closure compared with the district as a whole. If one group is significantly more affected, that raises equity concerns. Geographic access, that's examining how far students will travel after a closure to include if students will lose walkable neighborhood schools. Will bus time increase? Will transportation costs rise for the district? An academic impact. We're compare comparing class sizes, teacher experience in the classrooms, program availability for the schools, and we need to confirm that students are

065being reassigned to equal or stronger schools. surrounding campuses that we will be left with by taking away Sanraino and Reagan do not fit that necess necessity. Community impact. How dependent are nearby families dependent on the campus for services and does the school anchor the neighborhood? This is extremely important especially in the lowincome neighborhoods. Transportation and safety, bus ride links, traffic safety. Will students be crossing major roads? I'm afraid that what was proposed and agreed upon disproportionately affects economically disadvantaged students compared with the district average. Community engagement can reveal concerns that the board may not have heard yet. Given the impact of recent school closures in the same area, I believe it would be helpful to gather community input in input as well as an equity review before making these decisions or the decision that was

066made prior. Just like you said earlier, it's good to get, you know, pe certain people are boots on the ground. We haven't talked to, you know, teachers. I asked for a a town hall meeting before making this decision. Um, we talk about morale in a school and my kids do attend Reagan and those teachers are upset. The morale is down. They know how much that school means to the kids and the effect that will be taken that will be had by closing Reagan today. I really want I just need one colleague to soak in what I just said, please, and back me up. I'm looking for an equity review. I'm looking for things that different factors that were not provided to us ahead of time. I'm making a motion that we postpone action on the

067close of Reagan Elementary until the board has received an equity impact analysis and full and clear answers to questions that we have not received answers to. I need one colleague to back me up with a second till we review everything that I'm requesting and from there we can really be complete with voting and knowing that we looked at everything and we're still we're still making the right decision. Thank you for for listening to me. >> Any further board comments or discussion? I mean, I I think we all hear what you're saying, Mr. Cardinas, but I mean, there are other viewpoints here. Like, I don't think it's fair to pick out the, you know, first of all, there's a lot there. So, I'm trying to trying to go through it and and discuss some of the

068points that you pointed out. As far as the rubric, um me personally, I think that if you're going to ask for a fair, um and honest review from your cabinet team, you would want it to be confidential. I think think that's important because if it wasn't, then you run the risk that you're asking your people that are your subordinates to basically provide you information that you could potentially lead them into. Is that you hear what I'm saying there? So, I think confidential is important. I don't I didn't have any issue with the rubric at all. I thought I looked at the individual scorecards. If anything, it it does it does back up the fact that not all seven were in agreement that that Reagan was the number two school. So, this goes back to your

069point that these are not always straightforward, easy decisions. That of the of the the rubrics, there were maybe one or two that it wasn't second and some it was first. Reagan was first, but some it wasn't second. So to your point, like it wasn't 100% consensus that was a second school. And I think that's a fair and honest way to do it. But the averages, the numbers speak for themselves that it was the second option as far as the rubric goes. That is a very minute piece or for me it was a very minute piece of the decision-making process. Um, as you know, we we talked to a lot of people. We've visited a lot of these campuses. We have talked to, like I said, teachers, parents, um, and and admin team about these over

070the last several years, and we we see the financial stuff, we see the loss in enrollment. So, these are these are there's no like straightforward answer here. And I know that some of the points that you're making was, you know, they didn't do this or that. And going back to the rubric, I thought it was I was impressed that Dr. Moran and the team went to the efforts they did. They didn't always do that in the past, but when I first started when we first were when they were just I wasn't on the board at the time, but when y'all were talking about closing Santo and uh uh the other two schools that we that we did close, I don't remember a rubric like that being done. Um, so I I commend them for trying

071to give as much data as possible, but I'm not sure to be honest if there's any amount of data that you will get that will allow that would ever get you to agree with closing Reagan. I don't think that data exists. Personally, I mean, I just I I think that >> we can't be sure unless we get unless we get it. >> I think we've gotten a lot of data in front of us. >> Let me ask you then, what was your determining factor? That's a that's a loaded question. There are literally years of uh stuff that goes into it. One slide on a slideshow does not >> No, no. I picked up I picked up three notebooks this big. And out of those notebooks, two pages belong to Reagan. >> Yeah. >> And I

072have them right here. >> Yeah. Well, one of the one of the pages you do you mind if I >> No, no, I don't mind. Okay. Uh, one of the biggest reasons for me was the the longterm viability of the campus. I mean, so you're talking this report that you're that you're you're referencing is saying that if we want to stay in there past 2030 that we need to invest uh $12 million in those campus. That's a lot of money that we don't have. >> But do you know what it's saying to invest in? Cracks in the wall. It's saying to invest in doors and handles that need to be replaced. >> Okay. So, but what you're just >> It's saying to invest in in repavement, >> right? >> Repaving the parking lot. >> You're

073using this as a source to to back your case up. >> What else? And then you're refuting data, >> right? And then you're refuting the the other part of it. So, you're you're using this to say why Reagan should not be closed. And then the part of the data that I'm saying of why I would want to close it, you're saying that's not valid in this document. >> No, I'm not saying that at all. But the other schools that were provided that were um also looked at, they're all kind of similar to Reagan. Matter of fact, some of them don't even have a excellent rate facility condition index. Several of the other elementary schools are not rated excellent or good, but Reagan is >> where or where or where or where or where or where

074or where or where or where does it say excellent or good? >> Right here. Facility condition index. This is Reagan Elementary. >> Excellent or good. >> It's not posted for action and this is a meeting of the board. Thank you. Um >> is this not just saying the metric ratings >> for this particular school? So this was provided for um about five or six other elementary. I was told that you all had have this already. >> We have it just this not obviously I haven't looked at it in >> I know. So this is only for Reagan Elementary. So that's why I saying this is an unusual combination. So I can only assume that this here the recapitalization we're talking about in 20 plus years. Otherwise Reagan currently in in the next few years is

075rated as excellent. >> Yeah, I I don't think that's what it's saying. I mean I I I I'm I'll have to look at this. Obviously I'm just now getting this to to look at. But either way, it's also saying that we would need to put $13 million into it. So, the same document, if this is true >> in the future, >> yeah, in the next four years, >> and it talks about right here what that investment would include, cracks in the wall, little things like that that you know, that's them. That's anybody trying to to >> Well, my my point is if you're going to take some of the information on here and say it's true, then you have to take all the information. >> I am. >> Okay. So, you're saying that it would

076be $13 million. >> That's what this report says, >> correct? Okay. And that's where that's my issue is >> long-term viability of Reagan and this is obviously my opinion. I don't speak for the board is that is not where >> where you want to invest. But correct. That is where me being born and raised in San Angelo, seeing my kids are in that neighborhood, my kids are in that school, my kids were at Saneno, I know what campus closure, how it affects families, students all the way across. I know what um truencies and I know what late happens to the parents and I know that this will continue and I know that you get court ordered and all that will be continue to be happening. I'm I'm willing >> as a board member. No, it's

077not assumptions. That's that's um those are those are real things. Those are things that I've experienced. And because I can experience those things, it makes me a better advocate and a better school board member. And that's why I'm so passionate about helping these underserved schools. And that's why I'm willing to reinvest in Reagan. and maybe the next person isn't. But I come to these meetings and and with an open heart and an open mind because maybe what I'm thinking after I hear everybody's presentations and ideas will change and I'm hoping that that everyone is the same. But I am going off of real and true data. Look, look at all this, man. I did I do my research. I do my research and that's why I try to talk slowly and >> I won't >>

078and present data. I >> will never say you're not passionate about this issue. I promise you that you're very passionate about this. I just think that that So, I guess do you agree with closing two schools? Let's just start there. We >> Okay, look. And I would never want any school to close because I know firsthand how it feels. But like I asked you all last time, is that our only option? And you all have told me that's it. That's the only option. So what what what am I supposed to say? You're telling me that that's it. This is it. Okay. So give me the information that I'm asking for so that I can make a good solid um vote. And at that time we didn't have any of this information in front of us.

079Now we do and it's bad data. >> I disagree. I think it's good data. Does any other board member >> Does any other board member have comments or >> I just want to say um everything that was said like first of all this list right here I did look at it. Okay, I did look at it circle the ones and I did notice the pages and all that but the thing is is like I didn't base my decision on this. I didn't base my decision. My decision was based back from 2008. You know, I I I've seen these schools, not just Reagan or San all of them. Buoy, >> you know, those schools were ignored in the '08 bond. >> Okay. >> Not Reagan. >> Well, Reagan got work done so Okay. But like Buoie,

080okay, McGill, Aloma, Austin, Fannon, they were all ignored. And so in 2014, we started that other study. Okay. And which was going to build up to 2018 for us to pass that bond, which it didn't pass. Okay. Then we had Park Hill come in. Okay. But my decision is just based on the fact that I've been seeing this forever. And one thing that just really just I don't know. I don't know. It's just um I have all this stuff written down. >> But you know, I made my decision like I said on the stuff that we had from 07, from 08, 2014. And I've got all that stuff at home, all them notebooks there, and I was digging through them and all that. And it's just, you know, some of them say they have viability,

081some of them don't. But the one thing they did say they didn't have, especially the two oldest schools, was viability. I mean, 109 years old, 117 years old. And that's why I voted to say, you know what, our kids deserve better. our kids is a better campus. And if if it's going 1.5 miles from that center of Reagan just to to Bradford, which is practically a new school. >> There's no room at Bradford and you can't you can't let me let me let me let me finish school. Let me let me finish this please. I'm just I gave you your time. We gave you we gave you your time and please allow our time. But like I said, it's it's a 1.5 mile distance from the center of Reagan to Bradford. Okay. It's three miles

082from Golad to Reagan. And really, to be honest with you, it's probably the other side of 19th where those kids are going to be going to go will be going to Golad. Depends on what the zoning ends up being. But, you know, you talk about the swath there. We're we're gonna equally having a swath here of of no schools once they shut Buoie down because Travis was closed. Buoie is now going to be closed. All you have over here is you've got Bonum and you have Lamar and then you've got McGill. So, it's really almost the same as you'll have Hollowman and you'll have Bradford and you'll have Golad all right in that area. So, it's kind of like an outward thing. Okay. But and when they do the zoning I guess when they do

083the zoning Dr. Moran and all that. I mean, you know, there are sorts of ways where you can these kids are especially like right there, Reagan. And I the only one I have issue is is going to Harlem. That's a long way, but I don't know how far that way. It It says three miles. But, you know, like I said, when I made my decision to go ahead and vote and before before I voted no on a lot of these on a lot of these, I voted no. There were a lot of times where I voted no just by myself or two voted no. But you know, 20 years of trying to get something when I can just say, you know what, let's just move them right here. It's a newer school form. It's better

084facilities, okay? It's something new and they'll enjoy it. You know, it's it's just like when when I was even on the board when this happened, but when they shut Real Vista down, you know, in in in in ' 07, we had a bond that was going to combine Crockett and Real Vista right here off Petrol Boulevard. 10 acres. We were going to buy 10 acres and combine both Crockett and Real Vista. That failed. That failed because people said, "No, we don't want to move from Reagan. I mean, we don't want to move from Real Vista." You know, we didn't have the room to build a big campus like that at Real Vista and we were willing to shut down Crockett, okay? Because you know how big that's not a lot of property back there. It's

085right there just along the the rest of it is the cities, okay? So, you know, we had the opportunity to do it then in ' 07 and people voted it down. It's just constantly people voting down, voting down. I said, you know what? >> You just went with it. >> You know what? More or less. No, no. I just like I said, I've got from 07 all the way to now. Well, to several, but what I'm saying is that I didn't base my decision on this one piece of paper. This was a gut check for his people going, okay, can we present honestly a recommendation to the board and that's how they felt. Okay, this is the final step. We're going to come up with we got the recommend. We have the recommendation, but I

086want to see how you really feel one last time. And you did a gut check. let's go ahead and do this. And you know, that's what he gave us. But my decision was made a long time ago. You know, it it was it was just enough's enough. I want to get this done. We passed the bond >> and they didn't want to spend $45 million. Even the bond committee back then, you were on that bond committee >> and Yes, I sure was. >> But but I'm not saying it was your recommendation. >> It was but >> the district's recommendation. Anyway, like I'm saying, >> we can keep going in circles. All All it is, >> but what I'm But but what I'm saying is, you know, we have a chance to spend $45 million on

087resizing schools or $45 million on one school. >> And at whose expense? >> And and that's that's a lot of money. >> And at whose expense? >> It's making it better for him, I feel. So that's how I see it, you know. >> Okay, man. As long as everybody >> can go to sleep and that's how I feel. I presented what is true. >> And I appreciate I appreciate what you what you >> No. And I appreciate you taking this wouldn't have happened because what I feel is that any board member should be able to express what they feel and there's nothing wrong with that. I have no problem >> I have no problem with with any of of your presentation. and it was a great presentation, but it's like, you know, so thank you

088for everything that you did. I really do appreciate that. But like I said, you know, I had made up my mind already and and that you know, my mind it it's it's our job to vote and I cast my vote a while back and >> well, you seconded me for this to conversation to happen. So, thank you or otherwise it wouldn't have happened again. And and I know how Dr. Ran felt about you seconding seconding me and now you know you're you're coming with a different different tone. But that's okay. That's okay. What I stand by is I'm a woman of my word. Yes. >> And if I say something, I follow through with it. Other people have contact me and told me certain things, if I present this idea or that idea, I'll back

089you up. And it's obvious here that nobody has backed me up. But I will stick to who I am. I will make sure that I continue to be the best advocate that I can for people who depend on me. And if I say I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it. And that's who I am. >> Any other board comments? >> And just to clarify, the board the district never, like I said five or six times, provided us an equity review before we voted. And everybody here is okay making that vote. Any further board comments or questions? >> Dr. King, I'm not sure that that as we continue to try to to cast some cloud of inconsistency or lack of trust on the administration on this board is in their decisions in the

090past. Not sure that's really a healthy environment. Uh I appreciate the information I've got uh from the four years of the past uh procedures that we've gone through uh the bond commission report uh all of that. I think as we continue to uh linger in this point we only we only keep this board from moving forward in the process of putting kids in a better place uh long term. uh any type of any type of closure will always provide some some sort of disruption for a period of time. But as these kids move, they are uh they're flexible and again as they get into their new places, I don't think the building really matters as much as it does the people that are there. >> Uh Mr. Dindle, let me just clarify, please. I'm not

091bringing up these raising these concerns to to shine a negative light on the district. I'm glad to be a part a small part of this. But it's my job and it's my duty to make sure that I'm voting with everything necessary and I felt that I didn't have it because I didn't we did not have it and that's what I'm what I'm presenting. It it nothing more than that. It's okay. You all listen to me and >> I appreciate you and we're going to move on. Sure. Yeah. >> We're going to move on. >> Any other comments or questions? And just Miss Cardas, just for um not I'm not going to keep bleagering points, but as far as uh as far as the motions and rules, if you have a second a second board member,

092I'm happy to get it as an action item on the agenda for you. Um that but that we you can't we cannot do that as part of a discussion item this evening. Does that make so I don't want you to think I ignored you in that? >> No no I just went off of your recommendation when we met together. I I had a second and you told me to discuss for the discussion >> and then make a motion and if I had a second there then we put it as an action item. Otherwise, I don't know how to I'm just learning how to do. >> Exactly. And and I apologize if I misled you in how I I try. That's not exactly what I meant to say. Maybe what I said, but what if Absolutely.

093If two board members ever want a discussion item or an action item, we can always make that happen. We will always make that happen. Um, but the way to do that legally is to post it as an action item be and to do it that way. So, okay. Got it. >> Just so you I just don't want you think I'm ignoring you. >> I don't think so. Thank you. >> Um, but thank you for your presentation. >> Any other board comments or questions? >> All right. We're going to move forward then with an our action item for this evening, which is consider library book purchases. And Dr. Gomez, >> Dr. Kingman. This is from the January order. And the reason why it had to be put as an action item this evening is because to

094meet the 30-day requirement when the February regular board meeting was moved, we didn't have the 30 days. So the 30 days has passed. We've received no parent or community feedback from their requested order. So, we are asking since we're now delayed two months, we are asking for approval on this order to be in compliance with Senate Bill 13. >> So, these are the books we all got on in one of Dr. Gomez's wonderfully long emails um with in late middle January, late January. Um, anyone have any comments or questions regarding the approval of library books? Do I have a motion to approve the library books? I'll make a motion that the board of trustees approved the proposed list of new library book titles for inclusion in the SSD library collections for the 2526 school year.

095Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Have a second. A motion for myself and a second from Dr. Mills. Any further board comments or questions? All in favor say I and raise a hand. Motion passes 6. All right, we're going to review our proposed agenda for um it's actually almost 3 weeks from now. So, um between spring break and other things, we just going. So, we're going to have invitation pledges, recognitions of some central swimmers and students. Um, recognition of cheerleaders and our district communication team public comments. We'll have an information item. We'll have both KFW and Park Hill here likely for the next meeting. Um, and I don't think we have anything tonight. Is that a Do you have anything for that tonight? Fantastic. Um, Dr. Gomez, we'll have an update on

096academic programs. I know you told me last meeting what that was going to be. >> Yes, sir. This will be additional information from last month's MOI data update and it will be specific to our campuses involved in school improvement. >> Thank you. >> And then that will segue into the presentation from Dr. Self and Mr. Colinbach. Dr. Self will be reporting on elementary and Mr. Colinbach will be reporting on secondary. So, it's just kind of a natural segue as um they work with our campuses directly. >> Perfect. Um after that, we we'll have donations as a consent items um or minutes as a consent item and then the library book purchase. That's the books from the February email. >> That's correct. And then we will get current hopefully. >> Okay. And then um I just

097wanted to make sure I was right on which email I was approved. We we as a board were approving. Um and then as far as bid 25-015, Mr. Henry, are we going down the list? Are we are we are >> this for the consent item number four? It was an it's just an adder it appears. >> I'm sorry. Yes, sir. That is an adder for the miscellaneous supply bid. >> Okay. So, we'll leave that as consent and then we're going to go through some action items and Mr. Henry, why don't we go through a few of them? You have looks like six of them in a row and we'll go ahead and just talk about each one of them and board as we're looking through these. Let's see if any of these are consent or

098regular and go from there. >> All right. The first one is our district-wide roofing bid. Uh RFP26-00006. During a 2020 hell storm, a large portion of our district was impacted with roof damage and all emergency repairs were completed and this bid will complete the remaining work at nine campuses. Specifications were created by our insurance adjuster for the covered areas. This includes multiple roofing materials, painting, and light HVAC work. Bids were received from fixed v six vendors capable of performing this type of work. The administration recommends approval of jet construction for the repair of roofs at nine campuses for the total cost of $1.5 million. Do you all have any questions over this? So, this will complete our insurance claim regarding >> from 2020. >> Correct. >> We had a storm wreck the following year, didn't

099we? You like two in a row. We all got everything. >> Men, have we used Jet before? >> We have not used Jet before. Uh Dr. Brandon and I met with the owner last week to kind of feel them out. We checked his references. Everything seems to be good. They're a larger company. uh do a little bit of GC work but also have a roofing arm to them. >> Okay. Confident in that decision? >> Yes, sir. >> Thank you. >> Uh what type of what are we replacing the roof with? What type of roofing is this? >> Uh it's going to be different roofing at different uh campuses. Some of it's going to be shingle, some of it will be built up, some of it will be tpo. There's a little bit of metal roofing

100in there. So, it's pretty much every type of trade you can think of. >> And all of these um companies here are experts at all the different type of roofs that you just mentioned. I just I'm very concerned with seeing that there's um two local companies here that we can easily talk to or you know reach out to if there's a problem and issue compared to you know someone from Cheeto Texas which I've never even heard that of that place but you know I think it's I think it's worth looking at somebody local compared to somebody out you know a roof is if you don't have a good roof, you you don't have anything. Everything will be ruined. So, that's very important. And if we spend a little bit more by contracting someone local, I

101think that's worth considering. >> Uh Jets Jet Construction's uh response time was 3 hours. When we asked them, they said they could be here within 3 hours of any uh call that we made to them, which exceeds our 24-hour request. >> And if I can jump in, uh I think there's a typo there. That should be Chico. Chico, Texas. >> Chico. >> Yeah, we we got a ch a chuckle out of that as well. It's not Cheeto, it is Chico. Yes. >> And that is west of Decar. Um >> I tried to find Cheeto, Texas. Yeah, you're not going to find Cheeto Texas, but Chico, sorry about that. >> Have we used them before? >> Uh, no we have not. >> Do we have references? >> Yes, we checked the references and Merl and I

102met with the owner of the company as well. Got a good feel for them. >> Have we used any of the other companies listed here? >> Uh, yes, we have. we have used uh actually the only other two that we've used is going to be Ramos and Harrison. It's worth mentioning that those are two local roofing companies that specialize in all the roofs that you just mentioned. Correct. >> Yes, they they do all the roof. >> Okay. >> All all biders bid everything as presented. So we'll obviously keep that as regular and then we can um the motion. So >> we can make a motion to and miss it can be um we don't we don't have to use the low bid. We can use a and we've done that previously. Um the admin usually

103um recommends the low bid because that's >> um but um and I don't know what our insurance how our insurance falls on that. Maybe Dr. Brandon, our Friday facts, could you let us know if the what the impact to our budget would be if we chose to use a local vendor instead of uh the low bid, what that would do to what that would do with our insurance coverage and what the co coverage of that. >> we be responsible for the difference or how that works. Um, all right. So, we'll keep that as a regular um RFQ uh 2026 35 the bottom playground. >> During the 2526 school year, the Bonum students, parents, and staff have had a very successful fundraising campaign. The PTO who sponsored the fundraiser partnered with the district to purchase playground

104equipment. This playground equipment, will accommodate a cut between 70 and 80 kids, has multiple play areas, and includes slides, climbers, and uh material for the functioning playground. Right now, we have uh two bid two bids where I'm waiting to meet with one more byboard vendor tomorrow, and then I should have the third one, and we'll send all pricing in after after that is completed. So, we'll have a recommendation for you next board meeting. >> Perfect. And um let's keep that as a regular for a shout out to the >> bond and PTO for >> and Jason, you'll get that off of our vendor list or you'll for someone on there. >> Yes. >> Okay. Um another one that's not ready for prime time yet. You want to tell us what we're doing? >> This one

105is this one is our athletics fields projects. Uh this includes turf replacement, additional turf, lighting, fencing, and tennis courts. Both refinishing and adding tennis courts. Uh this one's out for bid and will open on Monday the 23rd. As soon as it is opened, we'll tabulate it and we'll have a a recommendation to you at the board meeting. >> And um are they able to build bid it se just for board sake? Were they able to build it as separate pieces or is it all one piece? Because obviously we had multiple fields across the campus for the bond project. >> We bid it as line items that they could bid on every single line item and then at the bottom we have a discount for an all ornone bid that they would take off for the

106total cost. Go ahead. >> So they'll be they'll be making bids on turf replacements, additional turf, lighting, fencing, and tennis courts. >> Correct. >> They're going to be doing all that. So potentially you could recommend a split bid or a all-in-one bid >> in our Friday facts. Okay. Just so I know what we're looking for. So when y'all when we're all looking at that since it will be coming to us in Friday instead of >> just the it'll >> Yeah. >> We just need to make sure we >> say we leave it on regular because it's >> part of the bond project and so we can show the projects that we're completing or or bidding out and how much they cost. >> Okay. Um then the Seymour bond 2025 Fannon. Um that's the construction manager

107at risk. We approved for them to us to move to construction manager at risk, but we will not have those bids back yet until Friday facts as well. >> Thursday the 12th they will open and then we'll get you a Friday fact. >> Okay. So, and that's important that we go and I know some of these seem quick for but this one's important. So for Fannon to be ready, we need to make sure that that stay that waiting for another meeting doesn't get there. So that's why that's going to be go ahead and be on the next meeting. All right. Um so let's go to trades 25-023. >> Various departments in the school district need professional trade services at times throughout the year. This bid is to establish a pool of pre-approved vendors for various

108trades to be used on an asneeded basis throughout the school year. Bids were prepared for a variety of trades and sent to over 200 vendors. 73 vendors responded in 52 different categories for this bid. The following bid tab lists the vendors and the categories. The vendors will be used to secure quotes for projects that arise during the year. This contract period runs from April 1st, 2026 to March 31st, 2027 with an opportunity to renew for two additional one-year extensions. The administration recommends approval of the vendors listed on the following bid tab. >> Miss Chenry is 73 about a normal response on this bid. Seems like it's about right >> on this one. Consent. >> Everyone okay with that being >> everyone? We do that one every year. Is everyone okay with that being consent? If

109someone sees something on their when they're going through the 73 that needs for it to come off of consent because of either conflict or anything else, let me know and we'll um we'll pull it back to regular. But um otherwise we'll make that a consent. All right. fine art instruments. >> This one we are still working on. We're going to hold on to this one. >> Dr. Kingman, after we've kind of put together the numbers and presented those this evening on the budget, we would like to hold uh on that. That was an additional purchase from Capital Outlay. Uh it's approximately 300,000. So, we'd rather hold, see what our student population looks like, see where the movement is, where students land, and then talk to the fine arts department to see if we can't allocate

110instruments rather than purchase and not knowing what our student counts will be. So, at the moment, we'd like to hold on that. >> All right. So, that one will be pulled from the agenda. Um, which means we're pulling that one. Um, Miss Doyle is up with the egrant application for the funding year of 2627. >> Good evening everyone. So, I will be in similar vote as Jason. >> Miss I'm going interrupt you for a second. Can you give because this is the first time some board can you give us an explanation of what the - because I know you're not quite ready for all that. I'll be glad to. >> Can I give us a little >> history of what the -ate is just for everyone on the board, please? >> I'll be glad to

111do so. So, um, each of us probably has some kind of telephone bill, whether that's a house phone or a cell phone bill. And on that bill, you see um it'll either say universal service fund or it'll say um uh oh, I just forgot what the other line item is that they call it, but there is a a line item on everyone's telecom bill that um is a small tax that each of us pay per line per month and that goes into the universal service fund at the federal government. It is managed by the FCC and the suborganization under that is the um USAC organization and that funding is intended to help school districts with their telecommunications expenses. Meaning our internet, our wide area network and what our wide area network is is the connections

112from our technology center to each of our campuses and departments. And so um in most of our locations we have a lease line fiber connection from technology center to that site. There the there's a few small sites that we do an internal wireless connection but for a majority of our sites they are a lease line fiber and um and then we also have our district internet connection that comes to our technology center. And then we have a few cable modem um connections that we use in the district in some small locations. And um so this USAC or USACK is administrator and -ate is the grant and it funds discounts on all of uh any school district, public school district and charter school district who chooses to apply for the funding. And you can get anywhere

113from 10% to 90% discount on your bill. And it is based off of your free and reduced lunch numbers for the school district. And um they have a C and if you're a rural or urban. So um there's a calculation chart. In our case um the last several years and including next year's application, we qualify at the 80% funding level. And so that means we get pay 20% of the bill, the federal government pays 80% of our bill and which is a huge help to our school district. And so um in our telecom case two years ago, we bid that out and Optimum won the bid. Optimum has won our bid for a number of years um for the WAN wide area network. It's gone back and forth between Optimum and and some other vendors

114in regards to the internet part, but currently Optimum is our vendor for both. They've taken great care of us. Um I know you probably see online some people bashing Optimum. They've taken great care of St. Angelo ISD. Um we have had um to quickly move some lines over the last few years because of our construction projects and they've been there side by side with us um helping us through that move and working with us um to make those timelines to work around our school projects. They've worked nights, they've worked weekends. Um, we are preparing to do a huge move at McGill during the spring break holiday and that is moving our main fiber that is coming into the campus that supports that campus and connects them back to us. One of their technicians was on

115vacation this last week. He got on a call with us during his vacation to talk through some of that with us. He's prepping equipment for us to make the transition easier for us. They've they do a lot for us and um I have people's cell phone numbers. If we have outages or and we very very seldom have outages. Um usually if there's an outage, it's because somebody cut a fiber line in town and did not follow the rules of call dig tests and let them mark the lines and don't dig where they're not supposed to dig. But um they've been very responsive to us. So I I feel comfortable that we are under a multi-year contract. We are So for this year's the grant application I'm applying for is next school year and that will

116be be year three of that contract. We actually have um two, if I remember right correctly, two extensions that we can exercise on that contract should we choose to. So that's the priority level, first priority level of - grant. The second part is um for network upgrades and it um changed a few years ago and it revolves on a 5-year funding cycle now and they do a calculation based on your number of students and um this application will start our new 5-year window or 5-year allocation. um it'll be set based on what our student count is now and um if we increase in students then they'll increase it but if it goes down we're still locked in where we are right now. Um and so part of that is we bid network upgrades every year.

117We split our network upgrades over a 5-year cycle and so we do a portion each of the five years. And so that's what this bid is is um and we will open that on Friday. Um, and we already have several vendors who are interested and have uh sent in and told us they will be submitting a a packet. So, we'll open those bids uh Friday morning, score them, and then uh we'll get that over to Jessica and so that y'all have that in your board packet for approval. And so at the next board meeting, you will approve both that bid award and for me to submit that grant application and that application window closes April 1st for this part of the the process. >> So yeah, obviously I know you're very good about keeping us

118on timeline and I appreciate that, Mr. Do. Um but just wanted to make sure everyone knew kind of what we were proving and so we can keep I guess since we don't have the information yet we'll keep that as a >> Yeah, this will need to be an action item. number. >> Yeah. Men, in terms of maybe the last 5 years, what are the what are the real dollar savings that's come to >> the district? I mean, it's significant. >> It's significant. So, um, >> and I don't have the number off the top of my head, but it's I want to say over $10 million, >> right? Over 10 million over the last four or five years. Yeah, >> probably. Well, maybe about the last eight years. It's probably been about 10 $10 million, but

119yeah, >> significant significant funds to upgrade our wide air network, our internet capabilities and our >> and to pay for our telecom. Yes. Yeah. So, it it is definitely helped school district. It is um the only grant that I know of that funds these type of resources in the school district. Other grants will fund in end-user devices um like our iPads or Chromebooks um or software programs for our students, but they will not fund the infrastructure. This is the only one I know of that funds infrastructure. >> Sure. Thanks for your efforts on that. It's it's it's a huge win for the district. >> Sure. And I'll be glad to answer other questions if y'all think of them later. So, and I'll be back at the next one. >> Thank you, Miss Do. >> Thank

120y'all. >> Um next, Dr. Gomez, what do you want to give us tonight on Senate Bill 13 compliance and update on book challenges? See if I can balance these. There's really no way to explain without a little visual representation. So, I'll refer to this as I go along. I know I also shared in Friday facts and I know it was very lengthy and due to the amount of time complying with Senate Bill 13 the amount of time it's taking for our staff um and most importantly for um the decisions made in educating our students. I want I want to talk through it. So, the district has completed all required updates to EFB local in alignment with Senate Bill 13. That was one of the few bills that had to be done right at the beginning

121in the large 89th legislative session during this school year, the 2526 school year before the stack you see right here. So uh through midFebruary the district received 71 book reconsiderations. Of the 71 they've all been submitted by five individuals. Also in Friday facts I shared with you the entire list for the 71. Anyone submitting a reconsideration request must use the required reconsideration form. So I know that you all have been copied on these as they've been submitted. So the first form as part of the process is the reconsideration form and they're uh this form requires specific answers to questions. We didn't make these questions up. The Texas Education Agency submitted a form, but they submitted the form after the school year began. We already had a book reconsideration process and form. So once TA submitted

122theirs, we reviewed their form with our form and we kept because our form met all the requirements because we had already begun the school year. Okay, I just want to provide that clarity. So there are two specific questions on here that are very important to note whenever a reconsideration form is submitted. One of the very important questions is have you examined the entire selection. When we go through the process we can't just take an excerpt of the book. We have to read the book in its entirety. So it goes on to clarify meaning have you read the entire book? Okay. And then the last question, how is this resource educationally unsuitable? We have to know the content itself that they want reconsidered. So of all 71 through midfebruary and then I'll get to these. Every

123submission from the five individuals was submitted in the exact same way which you have copies of and I'm happy to share if you would like them again. when it said had you examined the entire selection the title of the book was selected or listed that was the response then on the question of how is this resource educationally unsuitable the listing of Texas bill Senate 13 2025 2026 89th legislative session that's the response so that's what the committee has to go from then all of the individuals submitting these they I have downloaded and attached a book report from booklooks.org. So since the state of the nation and um the consideration of challenging and banning books, there's been a wide array of websites providing book ratings. Okay, we all know that you can find lots of different

124information out on the web. We also know that in schools we are required to meet library standards and teach the Texas essential knowledge of skills. Okay, so all of that just giving you some background. It's also a regular part of our library services and all of this is found on our library services web page that we weed our collections. Okay. So, weeding in this sense you can consider it a deselection. A process of evaluating and sometimes withdrawing material that are rarely used, contain inaccurate or dated information. So, you look at the copyright of the material, are in poor physical condition. So, if they're damaged, or are no longer relevant to curriculum or student or faculty needs. This process does occur regularly and it's neither dependent on nor triggered by a book reconsideration. So I want

125to go back to the book ratings themsself. According to the comprehensive contentbased rating scale version 2.0 published by the pavement education project in partnership with ratedbooks.org. A score of three designates the age guidance youth restricted. What this means is individuals under 18 require the guidance of a parent or guardian. The intent of Senate Bill 13 was to make parents the primary decision makers for their children. Stanel ISD has recognized parents as the primary decision makers regarding their child's access to library materials by providing parents access to the district's library cataloges and establishing a process for parents to identify specific titles their child may not check out or access outside the school library. and even offering parents the option to receive notifications each time their child checks out or uses a library material outside the school

126library including the title, author, genre, and return date. So, as a result, every St. Angelo ISD parent has the authority to restrict access to individual titles for their own child. When a parent has not placed such a restriction, the student may access the material as part of the district's library collection. To date, if the with the individual submitting these book reconsiderations, the district does not have a book with a rating of a five in its library circulation. The fours that have been removed as part of the weeding process were removed due to the following instances. Age, so again, an older copyright date, lack of circulation, or condition of the book. What I know you all have seen just regular student backpacks, but think of it in terms of library and all of these instructal materials.

127So the binding's broken, it's dirty, they spilled a drink or some unknown liquid on the book. Those were removed just as part of their regular weeding process. We've also through this process, our librarians and our librarian staff, they've spent a large amount of time on this process and they found that either the books were taken and not checked out. That can happen. You try really hard, but when you have a lot of students in the library, it can happen. or they were never returned. So, our librarians and our librarian staff this year, which is Senate Bill 13, you've already approved one of those requirements this evening on the required book orders. They have to be a month in advance. So, they're either working on book list or they're working on reconsideration forms and book list

128alone through this time of the year, they've spent over 160 hours complying with Senate Bill 13 just for book list. I think it's very important that the board knows we have had no parent or no community member provide any feedback on the library material form. We have posted since the beginning of the school year to be in compliance. We've received no feedback, but we've delayed every order delaying instructional materials in our libraries and in essence in the hands of our children by up to 30 days. In the event of January, it'll be over 30 days to meet the requirement of this bill. For book reconsiderations, we are now over 100 hours for staff. This stack right here are submitted by one individual. It's 141 titles, all rated a level three since the last week of

129February. So there are real strong opinions in regards to the amount of time and what a few individuals are proposing and the repercussions it can potentially bring to the students sitting in our classrooms. >> Miss Gomez, I was looking at that all well are that list that pile you got over there. Those are the ones that we just received. Correct. These are received since the last week of February and three last week. >> Okay. You know, I'm looking at this one right here and I've looked at several of them where it says, "Have you examined the entire selection?" Meaning, have you read the entire book? If not, what? Okay. The person that submitted this on Unravel Me, for example, that's what he put. Unravel me. >> That's the title of the book. >> Exactly. He

130didn't he didn't even read anything. >> Out of the 71 and 141, they've all been that way. >> Let me finish. If they're incomplete like this, do do we have to accept them? >> Because that's an incomplete answer as far as I'm concerned. I mean, >> and I've and I've read several of them. They just >> have the title on there. >> So, I think it's really important that I'm allowed to go ahead and give the rest of the information and then you, the board, can make the decision on whether or not you have to accept them. I just have to show you what is being presented to our staff and in our offices in regards to Senate Bill 13, but ultimately that's a board decision. So again, no parents have asked for email notification

131of what their child checks out in the libraries. No parent has asked for access to block book titles for their own child. No parent or community member have submitted information to the library materials feedback form for any of the six months we've been complying with Senate Bill 13. So what that means and where we are today and why I wanted to discuss this before asking you to take action in the regular meeting is if a book is in the St. Angelo ISD curriculum. The recommendation to the board is that the book will remain in the library circulation. I have an item on the board agenda right after this where we have to annually certify that our materials protect children from obscene and harmful material. Again, with the intent of Senate Bill 13 being parents are

132the primary decision makers. So the recommendation for the regular board meeting is if the book is a part of the curriculum, the recommendation is that it remains and here's further explanation. Already in St. Angelo ISD, parents can request alternative reading assignments for any of our curriculum. We already provide that. So again, the parents are the primary decision makers. So this applies to of the 71 books, it applies to the following titles. Brave New World. You heard a teacher speak on that title this evening. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Blest Eye, and The Freedom Writers Diary. Those four books, the recommendation is that they remain in the library circulation. Three books are being recommended for formal challenge after this presentation. Red, White, and Royal Blue, Serpent and Dove, and Blood and Honey. Now, to

133do a formal review, it does take time. One of these titles, we only have one available copy, and you have to have multiple people read the book in its entirety and actually answer the question that Mr. Gayos was referring to, not simply list the title of the book. So the recommendation is that we proceed with a full formal review with a reading content selection committee and we come back to make a recommendation to the board of trustees after that full process in the regular April meeting. Okay. So what that leaves is the 141 titles right here that are all rated a three. The recommendation is that these books remain in the library circulation because the individuals who submitted these themselves are using a rating that says parental guidance for students under 18, which we fully

134adhere to. And no parent has submitted any information saying their child cannot read the book. If the board does not want to process the 141 that are level three, the librarians and our educators feel so strongly, we will take all books through a formal challenge before we will just agree to strip our libraries of literature for our students. So that is what we're bringing forward to you all for consideration. >> Can I ask just a few clarifications? >> Yes sir, please. Right now, our parents when they log on can get I just want to reiterate this can get a notification of every book that is checked out. They can set parameters based on a scoring not necessarily the scoring that is being used but they can set restrictions on what books they want their kids

135to be. They can select titles they don't want their kids >> that is correct. They can select titles. They can't select criteria. They would submit the titles. Yes, >> they can select specific titles preemptively that would not allow their student to check that book out. >> That is correct. >> Okay. And then they can also get a notification of every book that their child checks out. >> Yes. >> Okay. Just want to clarify. And we've been doing that for since we updated the library system years ago. Like as far as the new, >> it was new this year on parent notification that was in compliance with the bill and so the vendors did meet did work to meet that. >> Well, I personally don't think we should fill out do any form that isn't filled

136out correctly. one and two um I think if if the whole goal is I believe that the we've talked about other well-intended um >> legislation that has unintended consequences. Um and I think for me personally if we go too far down this road all we're doing is restricting parents rights as opposed to protecting parents rights. Um, and so I don't really I don't want anyone telling my kid they can't read Brave New World. And I don't want anyone telling my kid they can't read Fort Fahrenheit 451. And and so for me personally, um, I would tell you that that's my choice as a parent. And so I mean, and I'm open to other board comments and questions, but for me, I think that it's very simple that we should rely on our parents to decide

137what their children should read, not anywhere else. As long as we can do that within the constraint, being sure that we follow the constraints of the law as written is, you know, obviously, >> Mr. President, I've got a comment. First of all, I'd like to thank and recognize Miss Hog and her staff for the dedication. I know it's frustrating, but I want to thank you publicly for your devotion to reading, to books, and and making sure kids love to read. Thank you for that. Also would like to say publicly that Miss McKillip and Miss Sweets specifically at Central uh I have personal uh knowledge of this because my son has gone through their class. they have taught my son how to love literature and um and they've read some of the titles you've mentioned. So

138um I just want to say that I think there's safeguards in place but our staff is doing a tremendous job and they're teaching kids to love to read and challenging them to read things that they wouldn't normally read and uh and and learn to see different viewpoints. So thank you other board comments or questions before this becomes an action item >> with a recommendation next week. >> I just have to add one more thing. Um, so I I also know Miss McKillip and um and I know uh Miss Hog and know the work that they do. Um, but I think that for me the most meaningful or most effective comment tonight was by this the former student Hunter Glass. And uh when he came and said that reading those books in class actually changed the

139way that he thinks. And you know he specifically said that he was racist before and and that because he read to Kill a Mockingbird um and and understood it in school um you know along with his classmates changed his way of thinking and that's what books are for. And um you know if some of those books that were challenged might have a page or two of something that might for some people be inappropriate for others might not but in the context of the book I don't think it's right to remove any book from a shelf because of a part of a book without reading the entire story. So we'll keep that as regular but we look forward to the recommendation from admin. Um Dr. Gomez you next when you put your pile down you next

140have the uh certification of cert certification of provision of instructional materials for the 26 27 year. anything you want to tell us about that this evening? >> This is the required annual certification that districts must submit to the state board of education and the commission, excuse me, commissioner of education. Um, this requires districts to annually certify that um, students receive 100% of the Texas essential knowledge and skills for all required subjects except PE. that instructional materials protect children from obscene or harmful content and that the instructional materials technology aotment that those funds are being used appropriately. So, what districts are required to do, they're required to complete the pre-work survey and then present that to the board of trustees for ratification in an open public meeting. And then once that is done, then that is

141uploaded um through the system so that districts may then begin using their instructional material aotments for the following school year. >> I think because of the nature of that that needs to stay regular as well. So we will keep that as regular. Um Dr. Mar, you will consider superintendent's recommendations. The 26 27 administrator's contracts, >> right? And for the board's uh review in March, we do administrator contracts. In April, we take teachers and those in that job family uh to you for consideration. And then from time to time, if we have a contract that we're either considering or working through with the employee, you might have a handful of them in May. So, uh, just expect that that would be the the annual cycle, but March is administrative contract month. >> All right. Any questions

142regarding that? >> Yes. Is everyone okay with that being consent? Okay. Consent it is. All right. We do need to go into executive session. Sorry. Uh, 551.074 personnel matters and we'll be right back. All right, we are back from executive session. We took no um votes or actions. Our next board meeting is a Thursday, March 26th. And with that, we are journ.