May 18, 2026 Brazosport ISD Board Meeting

001I'd like to call this meeting to order. It is 6 pm according to Google and declare that a board forum is present. The mission of Brazesport ISD is to graduate each student to be future ready. If you will please stand. Mr. Dunn will lead our invitation and our pledges of allegiance will be led by this. Join me in prayer. Heavenly Father, Lord, uh we just come to you tonight. We just thank you. Thank you for taking care of us. Thank you for providing this place for us to be take care of business. Father, we ask that uh your presence would be felt uh amongst the tragedies that we've experienced this past week. Father, reminded that you are the God of the mountains and also the valleys. Father, there are lots of people that are hurting

002and we just pray that they might know that uh that we're thinking about them, that we love them. Father, I just pray that they just might feel your presence um in in a great way. Father, thank you for our visitors here tonight. We get to celebrate so many great things that uh our kids and our faculty, we're so proud of them. Uh this is a great time of year that they feel honored and and know how special they are. Father, I just pray that the business that's done tonight uh that our hearts might see clarity, make the right decisions, and that the things that are said and done honor. Amen. >> I just Algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God

003indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> The Texas flag to the Texas one and indivisible. I would like to ask our board to make the front transition to our awards achievements and recognition time. All right. Good evening. It is my honor and privilege to begin tonight's recognition with four outstanding BISD students. Tonight we celebrate our class of 2026 validictorians and saludiatorans. These students represent the pinnacle of academic excellence, leadership, and service within our district. I will mention a few highlights about each of these outstanding scholars, but each of their accomplishments goes well beyond this brief recognition tonight. Representing Brazeswood High School graduating class of 2026, validictorian Elizabeth is graduating with both her high school diploma and an associates degree from Brazesport College. She is an AP scholar with honor and a Texas leadership scholar.

004She served as international travel club president and spent four years teaching English to Ukrainian students. She will attend the University of Southern California and major in human technology interaction. Congratulations, Elizabeth. Also representing Braziswood High School graduating graduating class of 2026, saludiatoran Sarah Aan, a leader in the Braziswood rocketry program. Sarah served as space shot coordinator for the Gddard 2026 rocket team. She is also a longtime member of the Brazeswood art program and was named a Houston rodeo art competition finalist this year. Sarah earned the seal of biiteracy in Spanish and is a member of the national honor society. She will attend Texas&M University in the fall and study aerospace engineering. Congratulations Sarah. Great job. Congratulations. Next, representing Brazport High School graduating class of 2026, valadictorian Sophie Sters A four-time state swimming medalist and district champion,

005Sophie holds multiple school records and is a Texas Interscolastic Swimming Coaches Association academic allstate selection. Beyond the pool, she founded two community service initiatives, Ever After Collective, and Second Chances. She plans to attend Texas A&M in the fall to study chemical engineering to champion women in STEM. Congratulations, Sophie. Also representing Brazenport High School graduating class of 2026, saludiatoran Ashley Blanco. A multi-year business professional of America National Qualifier and officer of the National Honor Society. Ashley is an advanced placement scholar with multiple medical certifications. Recognized for her academic grit and leadership, she plans to attend medical school to become a pediatric oncologist, Ashley is considering pursuing higher education through either Stephen F. Austin or Texas State University. Congratulations, Ashley. >> Congratulations. Thank you so much. Next, we'll have athletic director Coach Zeller to present some awards

006to our basketball team. Good evening, Mr. Massie, trustees and community. It is it's an exciting night to be here celebrating a lot of BISD athletes tonight. So, I'm going to be here for just a minute. Up first, our Braza Sports Exporter basketball team. The Exporters made a historic run to the state semifinals, showcasing exciting basketball, relentless grit, disciplined team play, and unwavering commitment throughout the season. and their success reflected not only athletic excellence, but also the character, resilience, and unity that define Brazport athletics in our community. And tonight, it's my privilege to introduce you to these state semifinalist exporters. First up, number zero, and also if you will hold your applause until the end, that way we get through all of them. Number zero, Payton Harris. Number one, Isaiah Lehop. Number two, Legend Williams. Number

007three, Nigel Perry. Number four, Darien Wilson. Number five, Darion Ramsey. Number 10, Cameron Hinton. Number 11, Jeremiah Quayar. Number 13, JJ Barklay. Number 14, Dion Jackson. Number 15, Adarius Wadi. Number 23, Lamario Hunter and manager Jose Mon. Coaches Julian Sheepard, Daryl Johnson, Cam Jackson, and head coach Jordan Rose. No, it's okay. It's okay. Miss Appreciate James. Okay, we're back again. This one's going to look a little bit different, so I'm going to need the middle aisle. We're going to They're not leaving. They're just making room because it's a large crowd. Tonight we are celebrating our Braziswood Ladybuck soccer team and their prestigious honor of being awarded the Grant Taft Beyond the Game Team Award for service to the community. The Lady Bucks were formally honored during the Texas Sports Hall of Fame ceremon ceremony held

008on April the 18th, 2026 in Waco. This statewide recogn recognition is a tremendous accomplishment for the student athletes, coaches, campus, the district, and our community. And now I will announce the program because this is a program award. Angelina Akuna, Sheay Aguire, Camila Banda, Kinley Beetle, Alan Buno, Haley Boat, >> Reagan Bry, Addie Burkhard, Bella Cannon, Hadley Collins, >> Angelina Dear Rosa, Melanie Vorte, >> Blanca Estrada, >> Kaylee Flores, >> Adeline Garza, >> Talon Gibbons, Callie Gillum, Nikki Gillum, Maline Golder, Abigail Golder, Sophia Gomez, Mercy Goodling, Avery Lewis, Olivia Lewis, Kyrie Malone, Zoe Martinez, Kylin McGee, Bella Meritt, Olivia Mitchell, Rayan Mott, Audrey Moholland, Sandy Marura, Corin Minsky, >> Presley Newsome, Emily Carrot, Laura Perez, Reagan Perkins, Macy Pritz, Jasine Ramirez, Alyssa Reyes, Natalie Reyes, Payton Richards, Reese Wy, Kaylee Roberts, Melissa Rodriguez, Delila Ruiz, Adriana

009Ruiz, Sanchez, Chrysa, Ella Schmidz, Kylie Stein, Brooklyn Surgeons, Maya Talbat, Amamira Walton, and Trinity Whitley. >> And then Coach Spear, coaches, if you'll bring the seniors in for the picture, that may be parapit. We were going to test you, Tammy. So, in coaches Kim Blank, Laney Spear, and Darren Tomkins and then our seniors will come back and join us. Just for >> All right. Outstanding. Thank you ladies. And now we'll move on to our Brazeswood High School powerlifterss. >> And again, we'll hold our applause for the whole group at the end. But I'm going to read because these are individual awards. Our first powerlifter, sophomore Marissa Cruz. Marissa finished third overall in her weight class at regionals with a total lift of 935 pounds qualifying for the state meet. Marissa performed well at the state

010meet, finishing ninth overall. We're excited about Marissa's f future. >> Congratulations, Savannah Trillo. >> Congratulations. >> Savannah is a junior. She finished second overall in our weight class at regionals with a total lift of 500 lb qualifying for the state meet. Savannah competed well at her first state competition and looks to build on this year's success in the future. Congratulations, Savannah. Aiden Cisneros, sophomore. Aiden finished sixth overall in his weight class at regionals with a total lift of 1360 lbs qualifying for the state meet. Aiden competed well at state meet, finishing 11th overall, and it was his first state meet. Sophomore Aiden Cisneros. Junior Grayson Morris. Grayson finished second overall in his weight class at regionals with a total lift of 995 lbs qualifying for the state meet. Grayson competed and finished fourth at the

011state meet representing Braziswood and BISD. We're excited about his senior season. And finally, senior Ethan Garza. Ethan finished second overall in his weight class of regionals with a total lift of,485 lbs, qualifying him for the state meet. He competed and finished seventh at the state meet. Congratulations, Ethan, on a great senior season. Great job. Thank you. All right, congratulations. All right, our next group is Bradiswood High School Wrestling. First up, junior Kinley Scout. Kinley finished the 2026 season with 42 wins and looks to build upon her success as she returns for her senior season. Kinley was a district runnerup, regional placer, and state qualifier. Congratulations, Kinley. Senior Maria Gonzalez. Maria finished her career as a two-time district champion, a three-time regional qualifier, and two-time state qualifier. Maria holds the all-time win record at Brazeswood High

012School with 124 wins. Congratulations, Maria. Senior Luis Garcia. Luis had a stellar season and led the Bucks to 45 wins and scored 392 points on the season. Luis was the district champion regional runner up and made the state podium finishing fifth in a very very tough 6A division. Congratulations Luis. We have head coach Herbert, assistant coach Frankoto. Thank you so much. >> You're short. You're shorter. I congratulate. >> All right, our most recent uh competitors. We'll start with Brazeswood track state qualifier Raj Lucel. Raj qualified for the UIL state championship track meet and competed this last Saturday, May the 16th, 2026 at the region championship. Raj lifted himself into the second place spot on the podium in the pole vault, securing his ticket to state and ultimately a fourth place finish at the state championships

013with a uh jump of 15'6 Coach, >> school record. Congratulations. >> All right. And last, but certainly not least, Brad Sport Track three-time state qualifier, senior Nalia White. Nalia qualified for the UIL state championship track meet uh which was held on Thursday, May the 14th, 2026 in Austin. Nalia has worked hard and secured the title of region four champion in the triple jump, securing her third trip to the state championships where she competed uh just last week and earned fifth position in the state on her third attempt um to Austin. Congratulations on a great career. Nalia and committed in going to the University of Houston. Coach Richard Davis and coach Arion Short are with her tonight. >> Wait, can y'all speak? >> Thank you. We have some gestures in the back. >> Are you serious?

014Good evening, Superintendent Massie, our distinguished board of trustees, and our community and family members. It's an honor to continue the celebration tonight with academic and CTE recognitions. Emma Joerger is here tonight as a state qualifier for the Texas History Day competition. Emma is a fifth grader at Rasco. She competed in at uh the Bob Bullet Center in Austin on September 11th for a projectbased statewide research program and competition for grades 3 through 12. It's affiliated with the National History Day. She was among the state finalists who investigated primary sources and created original projects then advanced from the regional contest to Texas History Day state competition. We are so excited for you, Emma, and proud of your accomplishments. And earlier today, she told me that her aspiration is to be the valet Victorian and to attend

015Harvard University. And accompanying Emma is her sponsor, Miss Hawkins. Thank you, Miss Hawkins, for your dedication and support. Congratulations, Emma. to round out our awards tonight with some CTE recognition for the Brazeport High School seniors. These Brazport FFA students recently participated in the agricultural technology and mechanical systems event which recognizes students compet competencies emphasizing problem solving modern technology and practical hands-on teamwork skills. The event aims to prepare students for workforce development, effective communication, teamwork, and an understanding of complex systems making them competitive in the job market. Please join me tonight in congratulating Jose Leiddesma first place individual competition all around at Texas Area 3. Congratulations, Jose. And joining him in a cam competition was Travis Hoden and Chris Alvarez. Their sponsor is Miss McKenzie Mer. These students also placed 30th at the Texas FFA CDE

016concept and we're so proud of them. Congratulations on your accomplishment. Damn. Our next recognition of the evening is our mission first team always educators staff who put student success first. Build strong collaborative teams and embrace innovation to prepare students for the future. When I call your name, please come stand next to Superintendent Nathy Monica Jones from Bre Best Brandon Elementary. and Holly Spear from Brad's Success Academy. We will begin with Mrs. Monica Jones who serves as a third grade teacher at Best Brandon Elementary. Her campus shared that Mrs. Jones embodies what it means to be a mission first team always future ready educator. As a dedicated third grade math teacher, she consistently places student success at the center of every decision, creating a classroom where students feel supported, confident, and excited to learn. This year,

017she went above and beyond by taking on two additional math classes while a teammate was on maternity leave to ensure students remained prepared for STAR success. Mrs. Jones fosters strong relationships with students, families, and colleagues while creating engaging learning experiences that inspire pride and enthusiasm evident in the ocean animal projects currently displayed throughout her classroom. Her commitment to innovation, collaboration, and student growth along with her positive attitude and strong leadership make her an invaluable asset to the Brandon to Brandon Elementary. Thank you. Next up, we have Holly Spear, who is an English teacher at Brazen Success Academy. Miss Spear exemplifies what it means to be a Mission First team always educator. After a mid-year teacher retirement, she stepped in to take on an additional class with unwavering commitment, ensuring students stayed on track for EOC

018success through intentional planning, tireless effort, and extra support for struggling learners. Holly not only inspires academic growth, but also builds meaningful relationships with students through respect, consistency, and genuine care. As colleagues shared, she helps students find their voices and believe in their ideas. Beyond the classroom, Holly fosters a positive campus culture where everyone feels valued and supported, and her leadership, compassion, and dedication have a lasting impact on both students and staff. Thank you both. appreciate your call. >> Thank you. Thank you so much for the camera. >> Good evening, Mr. Massie, board members and guests, it is my honor to recognize our um outstanding this outstanding teacher for going the extra mile for our district and for supporting students and families in the community. Would Miss Julia Jackson please come and stand next to Mr.

019Massie? Today we would we would like to recognize Miss Jackson and the staff at Laneir Elementary for demonstrating extraordinary compassion and generosity toward a family in need. After hearing about a family's needs, Miss Jackson quickly stepped in to help by creating and sharing an Amazon wish list. Within just a day and a half, Miss Jackson and the Laneir staff members came together and donated an entire truckload of essential items needed to help meet the family's needs. and doing this all without even personally knowing this family. This act of kindness is a powerful reminder of the caring hearts within Lineer Elementary in the Lineer Elementary family and the incredible impact we can make when we come together to support others. Thank you to Miss Jackson and the Laneir staff for exemplifying compassion, generosity, and community support

020in action. Thank you so much. And I would like to invite our the guest the family members to please come join us. Hi baby. All right. For our final award of this evening, I would like to ask Miss Melinda Gonzalez to please join Mr. Massie and the board here at the front. And we have a short video we would like to show you for this award. I came from another country and I didn't know anything about English. Nothing at all. Maybe just how are you? What's your favorite color? my basics. So I didn't know anything. I was like a little bit scared. I came here without basically my family. I came here without my siblings, without my parents. It was hard. So whenever I heard uh that community schools could help me if something I

021was like I can have a place where I can maybe feel comfortable. I won't feel lost. with time as we spoke he broke out of his shell. He needed that support you know somebody who was going to be there for him to have stability. It was the only place that I was getting understand I felt like I I wasn't alone. So during my senior year, it was one of the most difficult years because I had a stuff going on at home. It was already affecting me like you will never be what people expect. You will be always a disappointment. Then even more stuff going on in Mexico which I couldn't do anything about it. Then the end of a relationship that meant so much to me. I felt it was the only good thing that

022was going on in that moment. I felt like I just I just can't do anything right. Maybe I'm just not made for this life. I felt like the only solution to put an end to all this was well just put an end to my life. The day that I got the call um from the assistant principal, he told me that a student had let him know that yo was sending out messages through social media saying goodbye and I told the assistant principal I'm going to go find him. I actually felt that if somebody came it it should mean that I should keep living. And the fact that Miss Gonzalez was the only one who showed up, I knew that she she actually meant to be there for me whenever I I I needed. >> The

023one of the first things he said is, "Why did you come?" >> How can I not? How can I not come? We sat on the concrete for about 3 and 1/2 hours. The police officers and I did our best to convince him to receive help by the mental health deputies. He finally said yes and he went. After that day, I realized that whenever you feel like maybe nothing, that you don't worth anything, there will be someone that believe you you're worth it, that you deserve more, that you should keep going, that you should dream, that you should keep believing. And I found a person on Males. >> I remember the day that he was getting ready to take pictures for graduation and he walked in with his gown. He's like, "I'm here." He's like, "Because

024because of you, cuz you were there for me, you know, I'm I'm going to make it." I think some little schools on only stops on on school like just with me they they make sure that you're okay that everything is going good on your life on school and and out in school. These kids have to know that they're loved. I think that being a caring adult can make attendance better and being a caring adult can help a kid make their grades better. But when they know their love, man. And I think that's what community schools does for these kids and their families. We help them move mountains. So that's what community field schools does. And I think it's the best thing they they could support the children. We love you. Yeah, he gave me my

025Thanks. Thank you to all of our awards recipients and families for blessing us tonight. This concludes our awards and recognitions for this evening. I know. All right, clear. >> So excited about what our kids and our folks in our district accomplish every day. and just uh continues to uh bring hope in sometimes a world that doesn't seem very very full of hope. So, we have a great district. We have great kids. We have great teachers. We have great everything. And I'm so proud to be a part of our district. All right. That concludes our awards and recognitions for the evening. At this time, in accordance with local the board will provide an audience with individuals who have signed up before the meeting to address uh board regarding only non-aggenda items. We don't have anyone who

026signed up tonight. So we will move uh forward. The next item that we have on our agenda is our consent agenda. Are there any items requested to be pulled from the consent agenda by the board? >> All right. Hearing none. Then do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented? >> It's been moved by Mr. Dunn. Do I have a second? Second by Miss Quay. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> All opposed by nay. All right. Passes. The next item that we have then are action items. Public comment will be allowed before a vote is taken on each action item for those who have signed up prior to the meeting. Uh beginning of this meeting uh Tonight, the first action item that we have is the Citizens Bond Oversight

027Committee related action items. Miss Ludy Canino, our chief financial officer with a much better voice. >> Good evening. Uh, good evening board members. Uh section CH legal of the board policy supports the district's responsibility to exercise fiscal accountability and ensure financial strength while maintaining quality facilities and educational programming. The citizens bond oversight committee was established by the board to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent according to the border approved bond project list and managed as efficiently as possible. In addition, the committee reviews and evaluates any proposed changes or reallocations to the approved bond program and comm and communicates recommendations to the board of trustees when necessary. The Citizens Bond Oversight Committee met on April 22nd, 2026 to review current bond program activity and proposed reallocation. As a reminder, the 2019 bond program originally allocated $267 million

028for new facilities and district-wide improvements, including carryover funds from the 2014 bond program in previously approved reallocations. The total available bond uh funding increased to approximately $33.6 million. As of April 2000, uh, as of April 22, the district has expended approximately 273.7 million, leaving an available balance of roughly 29.9 million uh for remaining projects and priorities. Uh, one of the identified technology needs includes a projector replacement and upgrades throughout the district. The estimated cost for this software and equipment need is $1.3 million. Uh these upgrades are intended to support instructional delivery, improve classroom technology reliability, and maintain consistent educational resources across district campuses. I do have one correction on the header. should read the 2014 uh facility renovation. Uh to support the projector replacement initiative, the administration and the CEO are recommending a bond reallocation

029within the 2014 bond program. The proposed reallocation would increase the technology, software, and equipment account by approximately $1.4 million. Funding for this increase would come from completed or adjusted projects. Approximately $44,000 uh from the replacement of mechanical units at the administrative uh building and $900,000 from the repurposing of libraries into collaborative media centers. The project has been completed and these are excess funds. This reallocation results in a net zero change overall while allowing the district to address current instructional technology needs. The administration recommends that the board of trustees approve the seabach related items as presented and approve the citizens bond oversight uh committee approved by the citizens bond oversight committee. >> That concludes my >> Are there any questions from the board about the district's recommendation? >> Just like to point out that administration did

030not All right, then. Do I have a motion to approve the recommendation? >> Mr. Atkins uh moves. Do I have a second? >> Second by Mr. Schulty. All those in favor signify by saying I. All by n. All right, that carries. Thank you, Miss. The next item that we have on our agenda is to schedule a public meeting to discuss the 2627 budget and the proposed tax rate. Also, our chief financial officer. >> Thank you. Um, tonight we are presenting information related to the district's 2026 27 proposed budget and tax rates. This presentation provides an overview of the proposed tax rate and the next steps in the adoption process. Before the board can formally adopt the budget and tax rate, the district is required to complete several public notice uh notice and hearing requirements established

031under Texas law. Chapter 44 of the Texas Education Code requires school districts to provide public notice and conduct a public hearing prior to adopting both the annual budget and the tax rate. Throughout this process, administration has provided the board with regular budget updates since January to ensure transparency and ongoing discussion regarding the district's financial outlook. The proposed 2026 27 budget includes a proposed total tax rate of 08546. That rate consists of an M tax rate of 6393 and an INS tax rate of 2153. With this proposed rate, the district's M tax rate will have decreased by a total of 40 cents over the past seven years, reflecting the district's continued effort to reduce the tax burden on taxpayers while maintaining district operations and services. Certified property values are expected to be received on July 25th,

0322026. And under state law, the district has 60 days from that date to formally adopt the tax rate. To provide additional context to the proposed tax rate, this information compares the district's rates to prior years in neighboring districts. Compared to last year's total tax rate of 08975, the proposed rate reflects a reduction of 4.29 cents. The chart also illustrates how Bransport ISD tax compares favorably with surrounding districts. Based on the comparison shown, Francesport ISD has the second lowest tax rate in the area, demonstrating the district's ongoing commitment to responsible tax rate management while continuing to support the district's operations and student programs. The administration recommends that the board vote to schedule and publish notice for a public hearing on June 18, 2026 at 6 PM at which the 2026 tax rate will be discussed in

033the 2026 27 budget will be presented for formal consideration and adoption. That concludes my presentation. >> Are there any questions? from the board. Do I have a motion to approve recommendation? I'll make a motion. >> It's been moved by Multi. Second, >> second by Miss Clar. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> All by name. >> All right. that passes. Looking forward to it. Next item that we have on our agenda are our reports. Public comment will be allowed on each report uh before those on each report item for those who sign up prior to the meeting. Our first uh report is the compensation planning update for 2627. Min Jennifer, chief human resource officer. >> Good evening. In alignment with DEA legal, I'll be presenting a compensation plan update for the 2627 assignment

034year. In January, the district collaborated with TAZY to begin working on a pay maintenance review. Tazby conducted a market analysis for all paygrades and has shared some data along with potential teacher pay schedules and potential raise scenarios. We've also been working in conjunction with our new benefits broker, McGreth, on new medical and supplemental benefit options. We'll begin this evening with an update related to employee benefits with annual highlights and next steps. This was our second year with United Healthcare. We stayed with the plan we had in place to make sure we kept our rate cap and they could not increase our premiums more than 14.9%. Our next level prime participation increased which has been a great benefit option for our employees. After analyzing, reviewing potential plan ideas, supplemental offerings, and provided supports, we made the

035decision to shift to McGriff as our broker for medical and supplemental benefits. They're partnered with many local area and region school districts. They have shown their ability to secure and maintain affordability and competitive pricing for benefits. Knowing we'd be transitioning brokers and plans, we surveyed all employees. 50% of employees participated, which is a great response. There was a mix of those with and without district coverage that participated. These are the highlights from the survey. We had limited provider networks, limited local in network doctors and specialists. Plan design friction that there was a lot of system restrictions with the Kelseyonly plan and the referral process was lengthy. The cost exceeded the value of coverage. the affordability of plans and improved communications and education when enrolling if needed. And an additional benefit that was noted as a

036desire was women's health services because 83% of our staff is female. Plan provider network changes are coming and an employer contribution review is needed and will be pro covered later in the presentation. We'll now move into the TASBY pay maintenance review. Here we've outlined the tags compensation review process for Bradport ISTD. The study included reviewing district pay data, market comparisons, and internal equity. TASBY evaluated surrounding districts and compensation databases to assess competitiveness. Based on the findings, TASBY developed recommendations to support recruitment, retention, and long-term financial sustainability. The final step focuses on aligning pay structures and making targeted pay adjustments if needed. The district's compensation system is designed around four primary objectives. Paying for job value, recruiting employees, retaining employees, and controlling costs. First, we want to ensure compensation reflects the value and responsibilities of each

037role while avoiding both underpayment and overpayment. Second, competitive entry salaries help us attract high quality candidates in a challenging labor market. Third, retaining employees is critical. Competitive increases and opportunities for salary progression help us keep experienced and effective staff members. And finally, compensation decisions must remain financially responsible and aligned with the district's budget realities. Overall, the goal is to create a compensation system that's fair, competitive, sustainable, and supportive of student success. Now we'll move on to our TASBY findings. Our market comparison, which did not change from last year, includes regional districts within commuting commuting distance of Bradport ISD to ensure salaries remain competitive. TASBY selected peer districts to evaluate the ISD compensation and pay structures against comparable school systems. In addition to school district comparisons, TASBY used industry market data from comp analysts and pay

038factors for positions that compete with private sector wages such as finance, maintenance, police, nursing, and other specialized roles. Brazenport ISD reported 767 teachers at the time of data collection. Approximately 50% of teachers have more than 10 years of experience. 10% have 26 or more years of experience and are at or near retirement age. On average, teachers have 12.2 years of experience, which is above the state average of 11 years. Brunsport reported 55 new teachers for 2526. This represents approximately 7% of the teaching staff. Of the new hires, 35% are new to the teaching profession. Brazesport ISD continues to have a very stable teacher retention rate at 93%. The market comparison shows Brazesport ISD teacher salaries are slightly below the local market median across all experience levels. The ISD remains competitive overall, averaging approximately 96 to

03998% of market pay. The largest gaps appear at higher experience levels highlighting opportunities to improve retention and long-term competitiveness. One thing not taken into account in the market review is we're a teacher incentive aotment district and we'll be paying out two mill $2.1 million in additional compensation funded by TEA to designated teachers in August. Brazesport ISD stipen amounts are generally competitive and in several areas exceed the market median. The district offers strong incentives for hard to fill in high need positions including bilingual, math, science, and special education assignments. These stipens support recruitment and retention efforts in critical teaching areas. When comparing BISD pay levels for non-eing job groups against the market, most employee groups are positioned close to market averages supporting a competitive compensation structure. Professional and clerical support pay groups are generally aligned with

040a slightly above market benchmark. Campus administration instructional support auxiliary groups are slightly below market identifying areas that may need future adjustments. The review also showed that many BISD payrade minimums and endpoints remain competitive within the market. These findings help guide compensation recommendations focused on recruitment, retention, and maintaining internal equity. We'll now review multiple compensation models to be considered before the compensation plan is presented for approval at this board meeting in June. The district reviewed several compensation models designed to help maintain market competitiveness while balancing budget considerations. Each model provides a different approach to employee compensation with overall financial impact. Model one focuses on teacher step increases only with no general pay increase for other employee groups. We would freeze the current teacher pay scale and apply teacher steps. The cost after the teacher retention aotment

041reimbursement would be approximately $293,000. Models two and three provide across the board general pay increases for all job groups at varying percentage levels. A 1% general pay increase would cost approximately $1 million and a 2% GPI would cost approximately $2 million. In place of recurring pay increases, the district may also consider a one-time payment option as an alternative strategy. Another important com component under review is the district's employer benefit contribution and its impact on overall employee compensation. These options allow for the board to evaluate compensation strategies that support recruitment, retention, and long-term financial sustainability. While compensation increases done as a one-time payment may provide short-term support, it can create expectations for recurring compensation and does not address long-term equity concerns while also not being TRS eligible. And these are three different costs at different increments.

042Health insurance affordability continues to be an important component of overall employee compensation. Currently, Brexport ISD contributes at the state minimum level towards employee health insurance premiums. When compared to neighboring districts, BISD's employer contribution is the lowest in the region. In some cases, our current contribution structure does not meet Affordable Care Act affordability standards, resulting in penalty costs to the district. Increasing the employer contribution would help improve affordability for employees, strengthen our competitive position, and potentially reduce ACA related penalties over time. Currently, Bradport ISD contributes $225 per month toward employee health insurance. We've outlined the estimated annual costs associated with increasing the district's contribution level. For every $25 increase in the employer contribution, the estimated annual cost to the district is approximately $217,800. For example, increasing the contribution to 250 would cost approximately $217,800 annually, while

043increasing to 300 would cost about $653,000 annually. While there is a financial impact, increasing the employer contribution directly supports employee benefit affordability and overall compensation competitiveness. These increase increases could also help reduce affordability, the Affordable Care Act affordability concerns and redirect funds directly spent on penalties towards employee benefits. For review, we've provided a one-page summary of cost estimates for each of the scenarios. During the budget presentation, Miss Canino will show the budget impact of these scenarios. This information presented this evening is for report only. Administration will have a recommendation of the next board meeting to align with the 2627 budget. questions. >> Any questions? >> Um, how much is the ACA penalty cost? >> So, it every person's um amount is different. So, we have gotten penalties in up to $160,000 in previous years. Um,

044it depends on the employee who is filing. They go to the marketplace. They say our benefits are not affordable. Um they take our lowest wage and then use a calculation um with the amount that our lowest employeron plan is. And the calculation they use is based off the federal poverty um guidelines. And like right now the 25 26 year um 9%. And so they look to see if that employee is spending more than 9% of their pay towards insurance or that's how much it would take out of their check, then we are not affordable. If they determine that that employee has filed and we are not providing affordable insurance, that fee is around 360 something dollars per 12 each month. So for times 12 um and that's just for one employee. >> Is that um

045is that if they're taking our insurance, they can still file or >> No, if they they refuse our insurance because they can't afford it because it would take too much of their check, >> right? So if they have insurance with another local provider, industry provider, they they wouldn't qualify. The only people that are essentially uninsured, but going through their system, >> they would have to apply for basically the government that marketplace site and they would have to note that they work here. This is what they make and that we are unaffordable >> and everybody's going to be over 10%. insurance cost is going to be over percentage that you know I was trying to think if that was a a number that would be built into savings but it really wouldn't be because those people

046are choosing to decline it anyway so we're going to get penalized either way but it's not >> adding a little bit of 50 bucks or 100 bucks that's not not going to change >> it's not going to calcul and and I know that in the past several years ago there was a survey of people say they wanted they would rather their their pay increase. Well, along the way premiums increase too and so we really need to address that because right now we're being penalized because we're not providing enough affordable options and not no fault of our own. I mean we can't control the we can only control the insurance cost as much as we can. >> Yeah, it's kind of crazy. Any other questions? >> Well, looking at this one time payment thing versus increasing

047is almost equivalent to million% >> 2% is 2 million hurdle a little high. Anything else neighbors? All right. Thank you, ma'am. Next uh report that we have on our agenda is the 2027 budget planning update. Good evening trustee, superintendent and community members. Uh tonight I will present the 202627 budget planning and development update for Braisport INC. This presentation provides an an overview of our projected revenues, expenditures, fund balance, outlook, tax rate analysis and compensation considerations as we continue planning for the upcoming fiscal year. Our goal throughout this process has been to maintain fiscal responsibility while continuing to support student achievements in district operations. To begin, I'd like to review the district's overall budget outlook and the significant changes that have occurred since our previous projection. Our projected ADA is still 9,66 students and we are

048anticipating approximately 7 million in chapter 313 payments. In our previous projection, total revenues were estimated at approximately 121.9 million while expenditures were projected at 134.3 million, resulted resulting in a projected deficit of approximately 12.3 million. After additional analysis and adjustments, our updated projection still reflects revenues of approximately 121.9 million. However, expenditures have been reduced significantly, lowering the projected deficit to approximately 5.6 million. These expend expenditure reductions were achieved through several strategic adjustments, including the closure of two campuses, reductions in this discretionary department and campus budget, and decreases in projected property insurance costs. The updated projection does not include a pay increase at this time and includes approximately 3 million in contingencies to help address uncertainties and protect the districts financially moving forward. These adjustments represent substantial progress in reducing the projected deficit while preserving operational

049stability and maintaining focus on instructional priorities. One of the most important indicators of financial health is the district fund balance decision and this slide highlights how our updated projections have improved that outlook. The comparison shown here reflects the difference between the April projection and the updated projection and highlights the impact on fund balance. Under the earlier projection, the district faced a deficit of approximately 12.3 million. With the updated budget adjustments, the projected deficit has improved to approximately 5.7 million. As a result, the projected unassigned fund balance increases approximately 32 million uh from 32 million to 38.6 million. Importantly, the district moves from being approximately 7.1 million below the optimum fund balance level to approximately 1.4 million above the target. This improvement strengthens the district's financial position and provides greater stability as we continue planning for

050future years. Uh next I want to discuss the district's prop projected property tax revenue and the proposed tax rate for 2026. The proposed total tax rate for 26 is8546. Uh and this rate consists of two components. The M rate of 6393 and the INS rate of 2153 which is the same as the current year. Uh the M rate is projected to generate approximately 72.4 million in tax collection which reflects an increase of roughly 750,000 from the prior year even with the reduced tax rate. This increase is primarily due to approximately 730 million in property value growth. The INS portion is projected to generate approximately 42.7 million representing an increase of approximately 135,000. Overall, the proposed tax rate represents a decrease of 4.29 cents from the previous year and a total reduction of over 40 cents

051over the last seven years. This slide provides a breakdown of how district funds are allocated across major expenditure categories. As expected, in a school district, payroll cost continues to represent the largest portion of our operating budget at approximately 111.3 million, representing about 87% of the total budget. Contracted services account approximately uh 6.7% while supplies and materials represent about 3%. Miscellaneous expenditures account for approximately 2.5% and debt payments make up less than 1% of the total budget. This breakdown uh break uh reflects that the majority of district resources continue to be invested directly in personnel and instructional support services. Uh to further illustrate those expenditure categories, this chart provides a visual representation of how district resources are distributed. As you can see, personnel related cost accounts for the overwhelming majority of expenditures, reinforcing the BISC as

052a people center organization where staffing and employee support remain our highest investment priority. The remaining expenditure categories represent smaller portions of the overall budget. A major component of the budget development process each year is evaluating employee compensation and determining what options are financially sustainable for the district. As the board knows, our employees are the foundation of student success. The compensation remains one of our highest priorities. At the same time, we must carefully balance those considerations with the district's long-term financial stability and fund balance goals. This slide outlines several compensation scenarios that administration analyze during the budget planning process. The first scenario includes feature step increases only. This option would add approximately $511,07 in total payroll related costs, including a teach a teacher incentive allotment or TRA reimbursement and benefit increases. With this scenario, the projected

053deficit would increase lightly to approximately 6.2 million while the excess unassigned fund balance would be approximately 776,000 above the optimum level. The second scenario reflects a 1% pay increase for all employee groups. The estimated net cost of this option would be approximately 1.3 million. Under this scenario, the projected deficit would increase to approximately 6.9 million and the district would fall approximately 189,000 below the optimum fund balance target. The final scenario includes teacher step increases along with a one time $500 stipen for all staff. The estimated net cost would be approximately 1.4 million, resulting in a projected deficit of 7.1 million. This option would place the district approximately 359,000 below the optimum fund balance target. It is important to note that all of these scenarios include an additional 25 increase in health benefits as well as

054the teacher retention allotment reimburseed cost. As we continue through the budget development process, our goal remains to stay competitive in attracting and retaining high quality staff while also protecting the district's financial position and maintaining responsible fund balance levels. Another option available to the district as part of the budget planning process is the use of available capital project funds. These funds are separate from bond funds. Currently, the district has approximately 12 million available in the capital projects fund. These funds were originally set aside from the general fund balance to support future major capital and facility related projects. Because these funds originated from the general fund, they may be transferred back into the general fund if needed to help offset a projected operating deficit. As discussed in the previous slide, under the scenario of a 1% pay

055increase, the projected deficit would increase approximately 6.9 million. One option would be to utilize a transfer from the capital projects fund to offset that deficit and allow the district to adopt a balanced budget while still providing a 1% pay increase. If that approach were taken, the remaining balance in the capital project fund would be reduced to approximately 5 million. and available for future capital needs next year or available to transfer back to the general fund to help offset future deficits if necessary. This option provides additional financial flexibility and could help support employee compensation while maintaining a balanced budget. This slide highlights the impact to fund balance when transfers from the capital projects fund are used to balance the budget under both scenarios. Uh under the no pay increase and transfer in scenario, the district would

056eliminate the projected deficit and maintain approximately 7.1 million in excess unassigned fund balance above the optimum target. Under the 1% increase in transfer in scenario, the district would also maintain a balanced budget while retaining while retaining approximately 6.8 million in excess unassigned fund balance. The difference between the two scenarios is approximately 367,000 in excess on assigned fund balance. These scenarios demonstrate that the district has the flexibility to utilize available capital fund projects to support either option while still maintaining a healthy fund balance position. And in closing, the administration remains committed to responsible financial stewardship while continuing to support students, staff, and district priorities. Uh thank you for your time and I'd be happy to answer any questions. >> Any questions? Yeah, I got Mr. I don't know if we've seen it broken down. I know

057we've seen it in different lines, but now it's categorized the way it is, but it'd be interesting to see the contracted services breakdown what that looks like. I know that's special. >> The the No, actually the majority of that is our utilities. They are uh under contracted services. >> Okay. >> So, that's the majority of that expenditure. >> Okay. and the miscellaneous the majority of that is our property insurance categorized as miscellaneous. >> Okay. Um so going back to your first slide the transfer in and out that that was you were estimating transferring in three million initially and then afterwards pulling that out and then you're showing it back in later. So initially because we were I was not sure of the tax rate compression uh until we received property values. I had a pretty

058good indication that our um available revenue would be around that area, but I didn't want to put it either in taxes or in student because it would be driven by our property values. Once we we received that information in April, I was able to put it in the right category. >> And that's the increase in that M revenue from the state too. >> Correct. Um, I'm not opposed to moving the money that we set aside. I think that was probably five or six years ago now that we did that. Um, so that's what we put over there towards for times like this. And also we do something. So it's either either the defense or take that money. >> Yeah. >> And and the only the only negative to is our first score will not be

059perfect, right? >> Because optimal fund balance that's part of the first score, right? Is that the only >> Yeah. But if we do the transfer in, we would still have a balanced budget at the end of the year when we transfer that money back in. And also we don't I don't anticipate having to unless there is a major catastrophic event. We have three million in contingencies built into the budget. So that's also that buffer that we create just in case we have anything happen and the when I came on board I you know there was those three millions that were used for barrel for the scene of a barrel and that gets reimbursed by by FEMA but it's it's a long process. Yes. So hopefully we still are owed about one and a half million

060that may come in next year or the year after. >> Um so we're in the process of finalizing that portion of it. So, do you hold that transfer in until we actually actually >> I do actually. Yes. So, for this year, if you'll remember when we did we balanced our budget this year was with a transfer in of about $2 million. I don't think we're going to realize we're going to need to make that transfer. So, we're holding those two mill those two million still in the capital project, but if there's a need, we can do it. I don't anticipate it having that need. Um the fiscal year change is yielding more savings than we had anticipated. So I think we'll be able to finish the year with a surplus and not having to use

061those $2 million. >> So yeah, so we roll >> we roll with a little bit of a desk. On paper it's balance, but um so what is the negative to to having a nonoptimal fund balance? Then it does start affecting our first rating as the f the more you deplete your your reserves because there are indicators that are tied directly to the number of cash you have on hand which basically means it and it's especially more important now that we're transitioning to a July 1 district. Um we survive basically half the year from our fund balance. We get little state revenue but the majority of our revenue comes from tax collection. And just think about when you pay your t your property bill, you pay it what either towards the end of the year or

062at the beginning of the year. So we have to operate the first six months of the year on the little we get from state and our reserves that we have in fund balance. So that's why TA tracks those 90 days or three months of operating expenses that they want to see is for cash flow purposes. So the more you start depleting it starts affecting your rating because they're categorized uh whether you have more than 90 days you get full points. If you've got between 90 and and 80 days or 70 days you get a you start getting deduction on those 10 points. >> Okay. So there it's not like a in one of your scenarios it's like $100,000 off. >> So it's not a all or nothing. It's a it's a >> tiered system there.

063>> Yes. >> So what what's the thought on the contingency spending for this year this year? >> Um so far we pulled very little out of that. I know this past week I did have to pull from uh function 34 transportation just because of the fuel cost. Uh we were on target with what the previous uh rate was going but now this this year this semester we've had to spend a lot more just because it's almost double in cost. Uh so that's where we had to pull a little bit of money about $60,000 for the year. >> That's not much effective. So if if we would um plan on being able to use some of that and also the 2 million that you hope that is holding. Would we reduce the amount that we take

064out of the this capital improvements fund by >> some of you know some >> that would still give us more of a cushion or less >> because we may be in the same scenario next year next year. >> You may reduce the contingency amount. Well, no. This >> the transfer. Hold as much as you can. >> Hold on. That way it'll reduce the amount that we take out of the capital fund or could >> could. >> Yeah. So, and we actually don't end up booking that transfer out. Like for example, for this year, we are already ending the year next month. I haven't booked any entry to reduce it. We have it budgeted, but it doesn't mean it's going to be actual. So, I'll look at the end of the year uh when we bring

065our final budget amendment next month and I have a pretty good uh I guess gues gues guesstimate as to how we'll end the year and more than likely we're not going to have to pull anything. So I will not transfer anything out even though we had projected or proposed budgeted a 2 million transfer out but if I don't see the need for that to come out of that then we leave it in in that capital project fund. So the same would would apply to to this coming year. If we don't need it then we'll hold it there. >> Yeah. And that kind of reduces the effect that we made $3 million contingency. >> Yeah. Yeah. And we'll be looking at that. >> Just just out of curiosity and I since I went to the teacher

066scient uh our ghost positions. Okay. We can reduce them. >> We we did a little bit last year,000. >> Yes. And then this year we reduced them further to half a million. >> So we still have that actually. So if you really think about it, it's like three and a half million >> that we have uh set aside >> within our budget. Yes. >> I I I forgot all about that today. Okay. You know, because you know a good teacher comes along. >> Okay. the um the increase in the uh benefits. Uh I guess I have my doubts that that's going to really affect our recruitment. And like we brought up, I'm not sure it's going to reduce our penalties. I'm not quite sure if that's worth it. Plus, it's it's kind of like it's

067kind of like a a salary increase. It's going to be there next year, too. So, it's going to continue. So, um >> I think it's something that we have to work on over time. I mean, if we could increase it to where we were meeting that affordability threshold, I we wouldn't be able to afford to do that this year, but over time, we should be able to close the gap. It's like we're behind now >> if we turn. >> It's not It doesn't affect that. That's not the calculation though because the calculation is your spend on your salary is 9% and reducing the cost. It's not reducing the cost of the insurance, it's reducing the >> it's reducing the cost of the premium the employee would have to pay, >> right, >> to have insurance.

068>> But is that going to enhance or entice anybody to I think over time it it is supposed to >> Are we are we $75? We $150 we $300 less than neighboring district. >> I would say significant >> over 100. >> Yeah. It was what somebody was 500 something at 450. >> Most surrounding districts are 3 335. Um quite a few were increasing this year as well. I my opinion on that is that if you're going to do it, it needs to be something that we commit to for to get to a number, right? If we're just going to do it kind of here and there, kind of I don't think it's worth doing. But if it's something that we're going to shoot for 300 or 350, whatever the number is, and we're going to

069do it, be committed to it over a fivey year period, three year period, whatever it may be, then I think that's a goal. But if we don't think we can afford it year over year over year, I think we're $25 is not not make an impact. >> I think if you surveyed most people, if you told them, I'll give you >> 500 bucks on your insurance or $500 in your pocket, I think most. >> Most of them would, but then we're going to turn around and have to pay penalties because they decided to file that our insurance wasn't affordable. And so, let's say that's I did the math. So if somebody does that based off the percentage that they're now, we paid 4350 for that person and penalties. Um the year that it was 160,

070that means only 36 employees filed saying that we were offering unaffordable insurance premiums. And so I mean that would be mostly like our child nutrition paras. Um we have way more than 36. >> So I'm just the fee increase. >> I I agree. But the the thing is they're they're denying it anyway. Right. If we give them $1,000 a month, they would not get our insurance policy >> possibly. But we do have a lot of people roles in child nutrition, they worked to have insurance. >> Um, and some of them have taken on the next level prime this year um when we gave that as an option, but that that's urgent care and some primary care. It does not cover specialists or anything like that. >> Do we do we know how many folks in

071our district are on the insurance? >> About 50% because y'all said that earlier. So, >> would it be better to I mean, we're trying to get more people on the insurance. So, the idea is what's the best way? So, I don't think $25 or $50 towards the Affordable Care Act is going to make them run out to do it. So, what else can we do? And I'm not asking for an answer right now. I mean, that is the question, right? What What do we do? >> We would need to significantly, >> but I think I mean >> I think what Scott And the survey because I remember the survey however many years ago it was where you want more money to go towards your insurance or do you want more money in your pocket? Almost

072everybody said in our pocket because that also goes towards their retirement versus the contribution the district makes towards the insurance. So I mean there there's a fine line in there somewhere where the the calculation is more attractive to the district to put the money into the what we put towards the healthare but I think by and large most people are going to want the money I mean I would >> and even if we made the commitment for the next five years I don't I don't think it's going to change until it gets to the fourth year so >> well I would assume 75%ish of the 50% that aren't taking our insurance because they have a spouse that's got better insurance >> I would assume >> probably about 50% because most of those people if their

073spouse has insurance and let's say they work at DA they have to take offered insurance >> right >> like they they have to take the district's offer of the insurance they even if their husband has or spouse has insurance that I think it's a they have the requirement >> now I'm sure people >> one of the I don't know. Whichever way, wherever we put the money. >> So, nobody sees if you pay $25 more of my insurance. Nobody sees that. That actually means they get $25 more check. >> Nobody sees that. >> Uh because that's not the way the brain works. Um and I don't think Any efforts we do to increase the number of people we have on our insurance is going to be highly effective because the they're either on a spousal policy

074or they're at a job that pays low enough that it doesn't matter what the insurance costs they're going to they're going to client coverage. Um but I do think when we're contributing 225 and Alvin's contributing 450. That's an issue that eventually we're going to have to address and and close the gap on. >> That's 25 a month, right? >> But there's also there's also consideration there's two is a different type. I mean >> what plan Alvin or Friendswood or somebody has versus what we're trying to get. Well, and we're we're actively going for a better um policy for our our employees every year. >> Um >> I don't think there's a better policy. >> No, I mean, but I mean, we're looking at it goes into >> Yeah, it it's worth each year. >> I

075don't need to use my insurance. >> So, if you look at the 1% increase is, you know, it's a million dollars and we're, you know, 2 for the $25. If you add if you don't do the 217 and you add 800,000 to the 217, you got a 2% increase. >> 2% increase, >> you know, and that's the 2% 2 million. >> 2 million. >> Wait, what was your math there? >> If we do a 1% 1% and then we do the 217 for the 25 So, so if you if you eliminate the 217, but you add another percent, it gets you to 2 million. So, it really cost you $800,000. >> Now, I I I did print out for you guys, and I think everybody saw this just a summary of the >> everybody else's,

076but it's all over the place. So, it's >> it uh you know, it's it's very individualized uh based on uh budgets. So, but it's but it's kind of Interesting. And Chris asked me about the the before work, but obviously the state takes over, they must get some extra money somewhere someur is >> I have a even though we can transfer out 6.9 million and that may at the end of the year be 4.5 >> um I am concerned with capital expenses that we we don't have a bond. We don't have, you know, we don't have the ability. Just about anything we fix cost $2 million. Um, so I've got a reservation there, too. 38 million or 28 million bond. >> Right. Right. Right. >> And that's in the 2014. >> Okay. We still have 15

077for Boston. We still of course have 2019 a lot more. Yeah, >> that's what I'm saying to look at this 2 million and the contingency kind of because yeah, we have some >> just back to the the composition. I'm kind of jumping around. I didn't see my graph. after 12 years. >> This is just report, right? >> Yeah. >> We need to give we need to give teachers a raise. >> I mean, bottom line, >> give me a good >> Anybody else? through. >> Thank you, M. >> Interesting. >> Lots of good improvement. We should say that before we walk away, move on to the next item. This has gone a long ways this year. Mr. >> Next item that we have on our reports is the bus seat belt Senate Bill 546. Mr. and

078technology officer is going to share with us the thrilling information about being forced to have seat belts. Seat belt. >> Good evening. It's my pleasure to introduce Miss Angel Kirsten, our director of transportation, who will be providing the report on Senate Bill 546. But before she gets started, I wanted to take just a second to recognize how much we appreciate her leadership, the vast experience that she brings to the district with over 20 years in K12 transportation and also having served over a decade in various positions within the Texas Association of Pupil Transportation. This includes serving as the president in the 2024 2025 school year and currently serving as the exeicio. Last but not least, as she wraps up her first full year with Brazesport ISD, I want to recognize what a great job she's

079done ensuring our transportation department is fully staffed and safety focused. >> Good evening, board of trustees. This evening I will be presenting to you the state of our plea in regards to meeting the compliance with seat belts. It's all about seat belts. I did it this morning and do it now and I even wrote myself a note to say Senate bill. So Senate Bill 546. The the bill was prompted in part by a fatal 2024 Hayes Consolidated bus accident. And the original bill was prompted by the Houston accident where a bus went off the overpass and two students were injured or killed as far as those fatalities in both accidents. Senate Bill 546 passed during the 89th Texas Legislature strengthened standards for school buses transporting students in Texas. The bill amends Texas Transportation Code 547.71

080requiring all buses have seat belts. No longer are we only going to do 2018 and above. They're going back and saying any bus that transports the child in Texas and three points. Let me back up. Sorry. So, with the original bill, there were exceptions. With this bill, there's exceptions as well. Um, if a school board determines in a public meeting that the district's budget does not allow for uh financially support the retrofitting or the purchasing of new buses with seat belts. That's one option. The other option now allows us to look at safety components. Manufacturers warranty being negated because of retrofit fitting seat belts. That's on that's an option as well. For us, I want to focus on um the safety component. While there's been many discussions between manufacturers, transportation directors, and state industry officials,

081Bluebird has taken the biggest stand by focusing on safety. In a statement in January of 2026, in the statement, Bluebird states, "Modifications that render a safety feature inoperable are prohibited through guidelines established by the United States Motor Vehicle Safety Act. They do not and are enabled to sanction or certify compliance of any aftermarket installations or modifications made by the bus that changes the original seating configuration. They do not recommend or affirm retrofitting seats. Furthermore, they caution that anyone that remakes these performs these modifications are solely responsible for remaining in compliance with all federal motor vehicle safety regulations. Their biggest um reasoning for this is the flooring integrity. Once you replace retrofit seats, they are no longer aligned with the original configuration of the flooring and new holes are as part of the requirement. The board

082has to present an important board meeting that includes the number of buses operated by or contracted by use by the school district that are equipped with seat belts that are equipped with two point seat belts and that are equipped with threepoint seat belt as well as the estimated cost to the district to equip all buses with a three-point seat belt. This information also has to be turned in to tea by May of 29th of 2026 as part of it. and tea compiles all the information and by January 1 of 2027 they have to report the information to the governor, the lieutenant governor, um the speaker of the house of representatives and each member of the legislature. All of that being said, I want to say compared to many districts across the state, Brazesport ISD is

083in a very favorable position regarding compliance with the amendment legislation. Through discussions with transportation colleagues across Texas, several districts anticipate that as much as 75% of their fleet may fall out of compliance under the new requirements. BISD's continued commitment to to the strategic replacement of older school buses has positioned the district well to address these changes proactively. This forwardinking approach has significantly reduced the potential financial and operational impact on our transportation fleet and has us well ahead of our neighboring districts. We have 73 total buses in our fleet. 58 of ours are in compliance. We have 15 buses that we will have to address. Four of those buses have twopoint seat belts and 11 of those buses have no seat belts. What does that mean? The financial impact that we will face compared to other

084districts and I have been discussing this with several districts and they're in the 24 million to hundreds of millions. And so with our seven buses at $70,000 to retrofit, we're looking at an additional $490,000 and eight buses at an estimated cost of $165,000 to replace the Bluebirds because those are the ones that we will lose our warranty for um for for retrofitting them. That's about $1,320,000. So the estimated cost for us being compliant for September 1 of 2029 is 1 $810,000 SB5 SB546 reinforces critical importance of maintaining both safety and compliance to Texas school transportation. While the law's intent is to enhance standards moving forward with any retrofits to validate manufacturer warranties and violate Texas school bus specifications governing which buses are permitted on our state roads to transport our students. As always, our commitment

085remains focused on providing safe, reliable, and efficient transportation services for our students, staff, and community. I'll be happy to answer any questions. I assume we have periodic audience on the buses that we have state folks that maybe we send reports or uh what's what's the what's the process for having make sure that these buses are like this signing off. >> Yeah. >> Who's signing off on them >> on our buses to make sure that they are in compliance? >> Yes. >> The my shop foreman and myself. We we I work we work closely with our manufacturers, our manufacturers. We we typically you don't as a as a school district, you will not go and and buy buses through a manufacturer that you don't know. Um because there's a lot of manufacturers that that are not

086in compliance with state specifications. And so we we value our vendors that we know are going to be >> there. I guess my question was, you know, our our facilities are periodically audited by folks that come and just show up and does the same apply to transportation vehicles or >> have we ever had an audit of the buses? >> Austin sending somebody down that goes to our bus bar and says, "Hey, this one's in compiance. This one isn't." That's why we expect And and then my other question would be on this Senate bill, do they require the students to be >> So it's part of the education code, but it's not part of a transportation. So that the the transportation piece of it, they put that off on the school district to say and and

087give out the consequences for students not using their seat belts. But is a police officer going to stop your bus and give tickets to students that are not seen bel? >> It's kind of a slippery slope. We've been forced. It's a mandated bill. >> A dumb bill. >> How much does a bus cost? >> I can't imagine. >> How much does a single bus cost? >> Coming back. >> Um, depending on what you get and when once you start putting your cameras and stuff like that, you're looking at between 154 to 165,000. Well, let's not register buses. >> I I get it. And you know what? 15 buses >> probably aren't on a route every morning either because they're not the newer one. >> They are not. This district, we are in a very good

088bus. I mean, you guys have had a very good replacement plan in place and gotten the buses where where they need to be. So, we're not we're not looking like others across the state. Um, I know Periland I think they're looking at uh I think they have 145 buses and I think only about 30 of theirs are in compliance there. Yeah. So when I stand here and tell you that we are in a good place while $1.8 million might look like a a a financial burden to us, it's not what it could have been if you had not been doing a replacement plan. But I mean at the end of the day this it increases our liability if even a little routine fender bender. >> That's the whole point. >> And then >> that's the

089whole point of >> Yeah. But then if you don't have the seat belt regardless whether kids would wear it or not. That's going to open you up to liabilities. >> So you mentioned the eight blueirds. Uh what how old are they? >> 2017. And then the other one typical must last >> um the a perfect replacement plan is 15 years. Um you swap them out, run them on route for five, 10 years and then put them into your subfleet for another five years. >> Do we currently have any in budget to be replaced? >> Trust me. >> Of these 15, we'll have some of these replaced. >> Four of them. Trust me, we took the first diesel buses here. We rode them till they ran out of rubber in all the United States of America.

090>> They had vehicles then. >> Yeah. >> I would uh I would be firmly against retrofitting any bus for $70,000. First of all, >> second of all, this is a perfect perfect opportunity if we were going to go out for a bond for a safety bond for a very specific issue. This would be the you go out for. Um, and so if we don't have them in a rotation that we're going to be able to replace these 15 and we needed to replace them by 2029, this would be the type of program you would use some type of specialy bond or say 15 buses and or an additional five that you may need that are on a rotational plan to meet this criteria. And but I would say don't any of these don't we just

091need to reply back and say we're >> we're service this is a burden. No, no. We got two exceptions. We meet both of them. It's a burden and what was the other exception? >> And it's a warranty. Both of them qualify. So send the response back. >> Of the of the seven buses that you know could be rented, what what brand do they >> they're internationals and those are 2010. So those are >> Yeah. There's no reason any money on that. Just to re just to emphasize the 11 that have no seat belts uh they're not a daily use is that >> they are not. >> And so what are they used for? >> Those are our subfleet that when football season um during heavy um uh field trip season we use those for spare

092buses on our rout or we send them on the field trips. Either way those are and I will say during football season that's one thing that we usually use all of our buses. The uh the three two of those buses down there are the ones that were um vandalized. So there's only three of the uh full size buses that you would consider for retrofitting of the 25th. So kind of a point honestly, but we still because we do have them, we would use them if we needed to. They have to be part of this. If they were two or three years old, I would be conserved. But it not 16, 17 year old. >> So, what are we doing? What do we do with our who do we who buys our old buses? And now

093that now that school districts aren't going to be able to >> contractors and people who >> river seven >> but you do have the options of doing things with them. I mean, for instance, we did the CTE bug. So, there's there's some things that if you wanted to consider something like that. >> Yeah. If you have a if it's running good, you know, you can just do something special. We do a lot of U-Hauls. So that's for >> band. But but if you take the seat out probably >> we're not transporting students, >> right? Wouldn't have any bus. >> Any other questions or comments? >> Thank you very much. >> So So what what uh what are we going to report? >> I guess the question >> we we have to report the number buses

094that have seat belts. Um, what type of seat belts? Um, and then we're going to say no, you guys have not. We've not made a determination of replacing or retrofitting our buses. It's just um basic questions that TEA has um for us to answer. >> So, and it's just a report >> so that they can get their information so that they can provide the information to >> provide it to. >> Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you, ma'am. >> I want to say this is my first opportunity to present to the board. I want to say thank you. I appreciate your time. I appreciate everything that you guys do for the district because again, I'm in a good place with my department because been in this district a long time. It's the first time it's

095ever been fully staffed. I won't tell you that. >> All right. Next item that we have under our reports is are the board committee reports. Are there any uh board members who have reports? >> I uh attended the Freeport Elementary kindergarten graduation last week and uh they had seven classes of 20 kids. There were so many that they did three of them on Tuesday, three of them on Friday. So it's a good deal. Well attended my parents and everything and and the teachers and staff did a great job. >> Did they give you an honorary degree or anything? >> No, I couldn't get out of my chair. >> You were pretty I think I got to attend both the senior awards and I think it was around the math correct probably didn't but right at

096three million in scholarship. It's pretty impressive. We got a great community. It's always exciting to see kids get families get helped out. >> Yeah. Also, they looked in the D project graduation with the seven seven students that finished the program and uh quite impressive. They each one of them got up and spoke and they did did a good job. It was I don't sure they wanted to, but they did a good job. I mean to speak, but they did a great job. And then uh FFA awards both high school really shows a lot of leadership in that group. I I never involved with FFA, so I didn't I don't know anything about it, but it seems like that they take a lead role in the leadership efforts and then lots of lots of athletic trainings

097recently. So kids weren't being able to continue college to college. Um and then we had our teacher signing day today. Only had one as my clue family. So I was proud of that. >> Oh yeah. >> Um on I I do plan to meet uh attend the advocacy agenda set up for the legislative in June June 11. So I will send you guys some of the preliminary stuff. If you have any comments, let me know. I'll take it back. It's going to be in San Antonio. So, I will be there for that just to kind of make sure we get some stuff and then we can start working on our legislative agenda. Getting close. I'm done. All right. Our next regularly scheduled meeting will be June 15th right here. Next item then we have on

098our agenda is executive session. It may be called for the purposes permitted by the Texas Open Meeting Act, Texas Government Code section 551.001 through 551.146 sections 551.071 consultation attorney section 551.72 for the purpose of discussing the purchase exchange lease or value of the property section 551.074 Personnel matters appointment employment evaluation assignment duties discipline dismissal or complaint sections 551.076 intruder detection audit report findings from court and section 551.082 for the purpose of considering discipline of opposed school child or complaints the charge against personnel for the faithful few. We'll be back. >> All right, we are reconvening from executive session and the time is 8:48. We need to uh >> we need to amend 7B 7B the date for our >> public budget public. >> We need to correct the date for our public meeting to discuss

099the 2027 2627 budget and proposed tax rate. uh it was meant to be on the 15th, the night of the regularly scheduled meeting in June rather than a special uh a special meeting, special call meeting. >> Okay. >> So, I make a motion that we have the u recommended meeting on uh June 15th. >> All right. So, so it's been moved that we change it to the correct date and Mr. Dunn second. >> Okay. >> Second that. Yes. >> All right. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> All opposed by nay. >> All right. That passes unless there are any objections. >> You want to go object? Even know