001All right. Good evening everyone. Welcome back to school year. Awesome. So, in compliance to with the Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, chapter 551, I call this meeting of the Mayor Independent School District to order on um August the 18th at 5:00 p.m. >> Let the record show that a quorum is present. This meeting has been duly called and notices of this meeting have been posted in accordance with the Open Meetings Act. So now the board will adjourn into executive session at >> 5 p.m. >> Pursuant to the following sections of the Texas Open Meetings Act 551.071, 551.072, 551.074, 551.076, and 55129. Good evening. Once again, we're back from open session and um the board will reconvene in open session at 5:44 p.m. >> All right, we'll begin with the pledge of allegiance. I aliance
002to the flag of the United States of Americ I am going to get volunteers for the vision and mission statement. I have trustee Patterson. >> The MA the Mayor ISD is the best district in Texas where we provide an equitable education for all scholars and graduate them ready to become leaders in our community. >> Thank you. Trusty Patterson, can I have someone for the mission statement? >> I can do the mission statement. >> Go ahead. Collectively as a community, Mayor ISD provides equitable resources, a safe learning environment, and highquality educational services for all scholars to successfully achieve and reach their full potential. >> Thank you, Trusty Lowry. Now, we're going to move on to sixth public forum. And we do sh show one that we have one speaker. Go ahead. Um, Trusty Rodriguez Barnett. >>
003For each person present in the boardroom who wishes to address the board, you will have three minutes to speak. There are timers on each of the screens and one in front of you. I, the acting board secretary, will let you know when you have one minute remaining. Because of the topic posting requirements of the open meetings act, board members are not permitted to answer any questions posted to the board by the patron and no action can be taken on any issue presented during this time. Due to this being a regular board meeting, you will be allowed to speak on any topic, whether it is on the agenda or not, that is relevant to the district's business or affairs. If you wish to ask questions of the board, you may submit them in writing, address them
004to the superintendent's office, and the board may consider them at a subsequent meeting. If you are an employee or employees representative, please be advised that the grievance policy deadlines are not waved. you have any documents to pass out to the board, please identify those documents and provide them to the board secretary. Finally, please be aware that the rules of decorum will be enforced during the public comment period as noted in policy BED regulations. Each participant is legally responsible for the content and consequences of his or her statement. The speaker for this evening is going to be Michelle Ponish and this pawnish. P O E N I S C H. And the topic of discussion is budget cut. That is pish by the way. >> Okay. Dr. S, good evening. Dr. Smani and school board. I
005come to speak to you today about the current budgeting crisis that teachers are facing in this district. the inability to print print copies that are needed for student learning. As of the beginning of this school year, teachers were informed that we had $2 per month for printing. Prior to this meeting, I have been informed that it was increased just this morning. However, for many teachers, this still leaves us at a loss for doing what is right by our students. I am speaking based on personal experience. However, I know many others are struggling with this as well. I teach eighth grade social studies at Decker Middle School. This is, as you know, a star tested subject area. In order for students to be successful in the class, they need to be exposed to written text about
006what they are learning. Students need copies of maps, reading passages, primary source excerpts, and so much more. While we do have textbooks, they are poorly organized and somewhat outdated as standards have changed since these books were printed. We do not have consumables and our digital textbook is not userfriendly. In order to provide grade level readings that are organized in a manner that supports student learning, teachers are often creating their own using a variety of online tools. Personally, I use an online tool that allows me to develop passages that directly align with my tees. It'll site the sources from which it develops the reading passages, allowing me to ensure accuracy of information. It also allows me for raising and lowering reading levels and changing languages to allow for differentiated materials for students with IEPs or are
007emergent bilingual. To do this, teachers must have the ability to print what is needed for their students. In my 20 plus years of teaching, I've learned that technology is a great >> One minute remaining. >> But it is not the epitome of teaching. Students need paper and pencil activities. They need to be taught physical learning skills and strategies before they are released to use those skills digitally. This need for physical pencil and paper activities has been evidence since pandemic learning when students were thrown into the digital learning deep end. Students were often left to their own devices to learn and it is still showing through our star and EOCC scores. As I mentioned when I last addressed you in the spring, I understand that we need a budget to be in the black, but we
008cannot cut teachers off at the knees and expect continued growth and teacher retention. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. We will now move on to close session action items. Consideration and approval of educator chapter 21 contract abandonment 7.1 Janet >> Dynamo and I will entertain a motion for 7.1 there is no motion we will if there's no motion no discussion we will move on to 7.2 two. >> Uh, Victor Moreno. >> Madame President, I move that the board make a finding that there is not good cause to support Victor Marino's resignation from his position at Mayor ISD. >> Thank you, Trusty Patterson, for the motion of uh 7.10 7.2 Victor Moreno. Do I have a second? A >> second. >> I have a second from Trustee Rodriguez Barnett. All those in favor? Okay, we
009have 70. >> Thank you very much trustees. We will move on to superintendent update 8.1 student safety update. >> Thank you very much uh uh team of eight here and thank you very much for those of you who got a chance to travel with me on a first day. It was a wonderful first day and I I not um exaggerating when I see that was the best first day we've had um certainly since I've been here. Um and uh I know I was with Trusty Barnett and I was telling her that she was looking at the transportation website and looking for the late buses and I said, "No, there's got to be more late buses than that." But no, there were not. So, special hats off to our transportation department. And um I think I
010saw Arando out there. Um want to say your grounds were were beautiful. Um, the guys did a really good job. I saw them sitting out there in the sun trying to get it mowed right before the the first day and it showed. So, want to special shout out to them as well. Uh, so can we give them a class? >> Thank you. >> And I would like to say that just to echo the first day of school, I think some of us uh the trustees when we were there were like it's too quiet. Does it look like feel like the first day? Normally it's a lot more chaotic and we were very you could feel the difference. So hopefully the break in July really helped everyone but thank you so much for your hard work.
011It has shown. You saw it the first day. >> Yeah. Like I say to all the new new hires. I tell them it says when everybody does their job together that's what happens. You you get smiling faces. Oh and there's Fernanda out there. I didn't see her out there. So transportation director. So thank you Fernanda. >> Thank you. All right, Harvey, you're closest. You're the clicker. Thank you, sir. All right. Just uh as always, I want to give you an update. Uh some things got done over the summer. Um as you know, we've been keeping track of our recommendations. So, we completed 10 more over the summer. There are weapons detection systems installed at the high schools now. Um we are studying uh middle schools to be next. Uh last when we surveyed our community,
012the middle school parents did express and students and staff expressed a desire to have some sort of system upgrade and safety. Uh so we'll be talking with um families about that and principles about that in the future. It may be look the same as the high schools. It may not. Uh but we will see as we move forward. Uh, also, uh, just so you know that there's going to be some, uh, fencing, um, recommendations were made over the summer and we're going to be doing some different fencing projects at the Maynor High School complex on 973. I believe there's three of them going on. One of them is happening immediately to create a a secured um, walkway between um, MEX and the senior high school so a student can walk from the early college all
013the way to the athletic facilities without leaving a secure environment, which will be um, a wonderful upgrade to that facility. I want to remind taxpayers that's all being done with the the safety and security money from the 2019 bond. You can go forward. Uh some other safety moving forward. Um just a reminder, our 2025 bond proposal also um won't raise taxes, but it will also have new safety grade upgrades. Uh the 2019 bond funds paid for um the current upgrades that we have been doing, including the weapons detection system. Uh but we are going to need uh new bond money to accomplish a few of these other items that I placed up there. Uh one of them is to finally decrease not just decrease but almost eliminate the busing between the mayor high school campuses.
014One thing in talking with families at New Techch High School that's always we knew was going to take longer than a year is to change the setup of New Techch High School so that there isn't a way um to walk into the center of the school. Obviously, we could put fencing up and we are putting fencing. Uh but there's a way to make it even more secure in the design itself. Uh finally, we do need to do some camera upgrades at the elementary level and there are a few other sites around the district that we want to put some new fencing in at other campuses as well. So, uh, 2019 bond funds right now are being used, um, to upgrade the middle school cameras, but after that money is expended. Then there would need to
015be another funding source in order to do the elementary uh, cameras. I got a few points of pride for you. I want to get to you. Um, you go forward one more, sir. Oh, thank you. Uh, we got um, Titan Robotics. They've already started winning. So, um, the I was joking over this summer, but I guess they took it to heart. We have begun our world domination in robotics. >> And so, we're looking forward to the Titans and the Mustangs both moving forward this year to the state level. And we've already started off by winning the I like how they call it the Dripping Springs competition. It's called the Drip. And so, you can see our our Titans there um with their robots. So, Titans, >> love it. >> And in all seriousness, um I
016don't know, it just moved somehow. Somebody goes back. Thank you. Um, if you haven't seen Dave Lewis yet, uh, you should catch him while you can. Uh, he is the national record holder in the long jump and he is a sophomore. >> So, um, he is a junior Olympian. Uh, he was, as a freshman, he competed at the state track meet and, um, he has been offered a division one scholarship in football already as a sophomore. And so, you can see him at a stadium nearby just down the street right there if you'd like to go see him in action. So, um, he's a outstanding young man if you get a chance to talk with him and, you know, couldn't be prouder of him. So, all right. Thank you. >> So, at this point, we
017will turn it over to um, who's next on the information item, Madam President. >> Information item 9.1, the property tax public hearing, Moises Santiago. Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon. >> It's required by the education code. Uh we are required to um present to the general public our intentions as far as the uh property tax rate for the new uh school year. Even though we have already adopted a a budget, um we still have not abducted adopted a property tax rate. So here we are uh presenting uh our proposal for the uh upcoming school year. What we have here is um is a historic historical graph of what our um certified values have been over the years the last eight uh seven eight years and also the um state T2 values. Um just um as a
018reminder the um the state uses the estate value to fund us and we use our local value to um generate local revenues. Uh 2025 the um certified value decreased by a 2.38% uh keeping into account that uh the homestead exemption increased from 100,000 to 140,000 which caused the decrease in the in the certified value. uh the projected T2 value uh is projected of course to decrease um by um 1.37%. Earlier in the in the year or back in April, the uh Travis County Appraisal District um estimated that our value could decrease by up to 3%. So we came in uh right under that. Since um the implementation of House Bill 3209 um was adopted, the property value has increased by 109% and the average growth of 14.4% over the last five years. Of course, within
019those five years, you have to take account for those COVID years where we had dramatic increases in the value. Um the new uh legislation, House Bill 2, increase a homestead exemption again uh from 100,000 to 140. So uh we are looking at u now the top 10 taxpayers in our role uh which uh tax role which includes um the Samsung and the applied uh materials top 10 make up 15% of our property value at about 1.7 billion in in values. What we have here is a um again a historical graph of what our uh maximum compress rate has been and our uh maintenance and operations tax rate over the last uh 78 years. The calculated maximum compress rate for the current year is 63 cents and the M tax rate is uh $1.71 13. Since
020uh the implementation of House Bill 3 2019, our M uh has decreased by 27% or 25 cents whereas the property values have increased over 100%. And I broke down the M rate uh right below uh we have our MCR at 63 cents and the golden penny which is the max that we uh can tax 8 cents and there is no recapture on the 8 cents. Uh and then the copper penny which we don't have any pennies on the on the copper pennies which is another reason why we don't have recapture because we're not uh recaptured on the golden pies. Any questions? >> I do have a quick question. So when so last year we were in recapture right? No, we have not been. We are borderline. Um, our ADA has been uh enough to keep
021us right under uh being recaptured. >> So, no, we have not. >> Okay. Cuz I thought we were >> No. Three years ago, yes, we were. But what hap what normally happens is um we don't pay a recapture is netted against our state payment. >> Yeah. >> So, that's the reason why we don't see a recapture payment in our ledger. And I think you've probably seen at different points when we provide you information that we yes we're in recapture. We're teetering there and then we come off of recapture. So we've bounced back and forth for the last two years and so we're off again. >> Thank you. >> Here's a detailed version of our what we propose uh for the upcoming um text. So the yellow column right there is the last year um tax
022year at the homestead exemption of 100k and then we have the blue column which is the proposal for the current year at certified values of a homestead exemption of 140,000 K. So um based on the value that was submitted in July, we have about uh 11 billion um that is not under review and we have about uh 2% of the certified value that's still under uh review. I'm assuming about a 20% uh that might not be uh approved. Uh so just on the high-end conservative side um so we come um based on that we come up with a net um taxable value of 11.2 um billion uh properties increased by about uh 1,300 uh total parcels in combination of businesses and residential. Our M uh proposed M tax rate and INS are remaining uh the
023same. the uh total tax rate uh $18. Total calculated levy is 121 million. Therefore, the total tax levy of 122 uh million of that total tax levy um we are budgeting or assuming our budget at 98.5 collection rate for the M. We are uh estimating about 79 million um in M or or operating revenues and uh 41 million for debt service or INS tax revenues for a total estimated decrease of at least two 2.1 mill uh million in um in tax revenues combined uh M and I in here we have a comparison of the proposed tax rates and the revenue generated per student. Um what's highlighted right there is the $18 the last year rate and um the proposed rate of $18 which is remaining unchanged. Uh the proposed total revenue per student uh is
02415,422 uh which is uh a decrease of 539 at the local level and um a increase of 691 at the state level. Uh keep in mind that what the uh HB2 did on the homestead exemption, it only swapped the revenue from local to uh state. So you have a net increase of 153 per student. Uh that also has to do with the increase of the basic allotment by 50 uh $55. Here we have a comparison of average residences. Uh this is a snippet of what was uh posted on the newspaper. Uh we have average market residences at about uh 5 352,000 which is uh an increase or a decrease rather um by about 6% on the average residents. So um the average resident should expect a decrease on their property taxes by about $240 um
025dollars. the voter approval tax rate which is the rate um that a school district the mayor ISDC can adopt the maximum rate without going for voter approval um it's dollar 2024 and of course the rate that we are proposing is a lot less than that$18 >> so we are proposing a$18 >> a total dollar thank you >> here we have other scenarios of the different uh values of properties averaging between 275,000 and half a million. Uh the average resident 352. Uh so if your uh home was valued last year at 374 and now it's worth uh 352. You might see or you would expect a decrease in your property taxes by about 240. So there you can estimate more or less of what your value is worth and uh calculate more or less what your
026taxes are going to be for the year. In summary, uh we have our proposed ML tax rate remaining unchanged um at uh dollar and the INS at 3701. The no new revenue tax rate is a$16. The no new revenue rate is the same same rate uh or the rate that would generate you uh that would generate the district the same level of revenue the previous year. So it would require a $16 generate the same level of revenue um in the current year. Um the voter approval uh tax rate is $1.24. The total proposed uh property tax rate for the current year or the year 2020 25 is $1814. >> That would be our max. We're not doing >> No. And I was going to point out that towards the end. So, >> right. And that's
027why I asked again earlier, what is the A18 the tax? >> Yes, we are leaving our um total tax rate unchanged though. >> That concludes my public uh hearing. There's any questions? >> So, thank you so much Moises for the presentation and for uh all the um for your answers on the questions. Do we have anybody else from the audience that would like that has questions or would like to comment on this property tax rate hearing? It doesn't seem like we have anybody from the audience, so we can move forward to the next. >> Thank you so much. Okay. So, we're going to move to SE. Where am I? Get it over. Okay. >> 9.2 monthly financial report. We say Santiago. >> So, here we have a recap of the um last year um financials.
028The year-to-day revenues collected during the year of 2024 25 were 94 um 1 million which is a decrease of 6% over the previous year. Total expenditures were 118 million um over the previous year which co caused um the fund balance to decrease by 23 million um which is equivalent to about half a month of operating uh reserves for 18 days. Uh the actual cash for operations at the end of June uh was 13.7 million and we still had not tapped into the loan proceeds. Um we have uh 30 million that we borrowed uh back um in June. For the month of July um we have um total generated revenues 1.2 million which is a 30% increase over the previous year. Uh total expenditures 8.2 million which is also an increase of 7.5 uh over the
029previous year. Uh this is about average uh at the beginning of the year because we're paying annual commitments and so you have a lot of high-end expenditures beginning of the year. Uh actual cash for operations at the end of the month of July was 5.4 million uh with still untapped loan proceeds of 30 uh 1 million. So we made about 80,000 in interest uh on that loan. Here we have an update of our uh cash uh cash flow. The uh information that's changed is where you have the green uh arrow pointing uh downwards. At the end of the uh month of June, we finish off uh the year with a CPM of 5% which is um the fund balance is a percent of the operating um expense budget. Six uh equivalent to about 6 months
030in operations. uh we adopted a balanced budget uh so we're calculating about 5.8 um% uh CPM uh by the end of the year if we remained as we adopted uh the budget keep our expenditures under control uh generate the same revenue that we or generate at least the revenue that we projected we might end the year with a 5.8% 8% CPM or increase at least um by a point 1% on our uh monthly reserves. I am anticipating that we are going to have to borrow again uh around the same time that we did last year uh at least between 20 and 25 uh million uh for the upcoming or the next uh operating months of operations in the 26 27 fiscal year. >> And we already had anticipated this. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Yes. And
031we had a plan in place to budget to do a balanced budget until we get our cash flow all in order and then >> correct >> we can build up our fund balance. >> Correct. Yes. And um on this projections we are not counting other uh sources of revenue uh such as asset sales uh land sales uh things like that anything um or even um the appeal of our state value. None of that revenue is considered in these projections. Um, our goal of course is to widen the gap between the uh green line and the red line right there so that we can go back to how we were back in May 2023 when we had operating uh reserves of 44 4.3 uh in monthly reserves. Uh we had back then a unassigned fund balance
032of at least 35 to 40 or 40.3 million something like that. Um, so that's our goal that we won't have to again our own bar. >> Thank you. >> Here's our quarterly investment report. Uh, this is for the uh period of April 1st through June the 30th. We um earned about 1.3 million uh in interest, which is a decrease over the previous quarter. We average about uh 3.69 on yield. um breaking the 1.3 million uh in interest of interest um about 13% corresponds to the general fund 43 to the debt service and about 15 to uh to the bond and 27% uh loan proceeds. Uh most of our uh investments are in the tax pool or 86% and 14% are in our dep 40% are in our depository. The reason why we have about 86%
033in our uh tax pool is because it's yielding the highest return uh as compared to 36 um one-year uh treasuries which are averaging about 4.23 4.11 3.9 um so forth. And also when you compare the municipal bonds um averaging about 2 uh 2.3% um our tax pool um it's yielding the highest um return and uh also the safest return this u considering the market uh at this time concerning the fund balance loan the 30 million or Last year we we got a loan of about 13 million. >> Yes, sir. >> And we were able to pay that off in January, February. >> We paid it about in three months. We paid it off in March. >> Okay. Did I miss it or did you tell me when our plan is to pay off the 30?
034>> Our goal is to pay it around the same time. >> Okay. >> Yes, that is our goal. Um so we can at least have some interest savings. >> Thank Yeah, >> it might be pro probably important to remind people that uh because of the we have uh such a property tax um burden and the state doesn't really give us a whole lot of state aid. All the state aid that we're going to get is going to come in September 2026 and we'll get a little bit coming up here in September, but bulk of our money isn't till September 2026, which is confusing because it's in this fiscal year even though it's in next school year. >> So unfair. So we get about 80% uh between the months of September and October, >> but we
035get the majority of our revenue um when property taxes come in in January, which is means we can pay off the loan right away, which you know, banks know that and so they loan us the money knowing we're going to pay it off because they know exactly how much property tax we can get. But it's an unfortunate way that uh Texas uh school systems are run that they cause districts that are considered property wealthy to have to front all the expenses that the legislature wants us to expend. And so this is not something where we're worried about paying off the loan. We know we're going to pay it off. We know we're going to pay it off early. Um but it is how the legislature or the legislation works. >> I agree. Thank you, Dr.
036Shmani. Thank you, Moses. >> And now, um, changing our focus from operations into debt, um, um, debt service. Um, here's a summary of the savings analysis of debt management that our financial advisors prepared for us. Um, what this, um, tells us is how we've been able to manage our debt over the last five years. Um there are two tools that are available to school districts to manage that help manage um our debt. Um those two of them are bond refinancing and bond diffusions. The difference between the two of them is that the first one the bond refinancing. We keep our debt in our books. The principal stays in our books and uh we only shorten the the interest payments. So it's just like refinancing your mortgage or your car payment. Um on bond refinancing we
037have right refinanced about 164 uh million um over 5 years and we have um generated an interest savings of 2025 million for an average of 3.1 um million per year. >> Now >> and we've saved >> we have saved yes uh 24 um 9 million in interest savings on refinancing only. Now on the side of bond defusence, the difference between uh this and the refinancing is that um the principal payments are removed completely from our books and those um the payments are made through um through uh this account that just let my mind so um the difference an escro account. Yes, that's what I uh try to say. So that's how the m payments are made uh through a uh investments that are earning higher interest and they are able to pay out the um
038the principal payments on this uh def bonds that are being defeased. So that's the difference. Um the principal is removed from our books and um you make room for get rid of the old debt and you make room for the new debt. So that's basically um how you do your tradeoffs here. So uh from the last uh bond defeasence uh back in uh June uh of 26.5 million we were able to uh have interest savings of 13.4 million. There are several var variables that are considered of whether one is good for the other but those are all um considered by the or taken into consideration by the FA and also depending on the circumstances of the bond market at that time uh considering the current tax rate uh the new legislation that's upcoming or uh
039also our cash flow projections but the goal of the overall uh of this is to achieve the overall uh best goal or outcome um that generates the highest are the best interest uh for the district given all the all of the various that variables that have been mentioned. >> So it looks like we've saved about $38 million just in interest savings. >> Yes, ma'am. >> And we've paid off close to 27 million. >> Correct, ma'am. Combination of refinancing and bounty pieces. >> Okay. >> Mr. Santiago >> um is there any chance we might pay off any other debt in the near future? >> We might y >> any other debt in the near future? >> Do we have any defeasement options that we might be able to present to the board in the future? >>
040Uh yes. Yes, sir. Um on the bump proposal that was uh presented back in um the last board meeting um we in included in the planning about 29 million in bond defense that would help uh reduce uh eliminate some of the old debt from our books make room for new debt therefore uh allowing the district to keep the same tax rate. >> And how much was that again? >> 29 million. I believe that's what the proposal that the financial advisor >> Oh my god, that's awesome. So then that's just if you add the the all the defeasement payments we've made and the interest savings all together. I think you know you've guys done a great job. It's a lot of savings and paying off debt. >> Right. Right. and and and we can estimate more
041or less if the um interest rates remain about the same 4.3 within the four through 4.5 um average we could still um average another 13 uh to 14 million on the 29 uh principal defeasence. So just to have a rough idea of more or less how much those savings would generate uh when it's that time. >> Thank you very much. I >> think that concludes my report. >> Thank you. All right. So, we'll go on to uh information item 9 four CPM3 board monitoring report after. >> Good evening team of eight. >> Good evening. >> Good to see everyone. So with constraint progress measure three, the purpose tonight is to provide you an update. Um remember of course you know because it's your constraint but constraint progress measure three um constrains us from allowing any
042school that was has been rated an F for more than a year um to not make progress on their overall numeric score. So five days ago we got the release of accountability. You all got the release of accountability too. Um we got 2024 and 2025 um state accountability rating simultaneously which brought about some unique situations that we'll chat about a little bit in terms of implications in a couple minutes. In terms of the overall district rating, um, we stayed right there on the cusp of a low D as a district. And in terms of our elementary ratings, um, here they are for 2024 and 2025. Um, you'll see that, um, in terms of highlights, uh, one of our campuses did bump up from a D to a C. And um six out of nine of
043our campuses did grow and improve their overall numeric score um with three of our elementary campuses um able to level up from an F into that D range. In terms of CPM number three, um this is a list of of the campuses that in 2024, you can see um had an F rating from the state. And so in terms of looking at whether they grew or improved their overall numeric score, um each of those five elementary campuses did grow in their overall numeric score. And I can click back up here to um show you the the um percentage points of improvement. So, let's take a look at the secondary ratings for 2024 and 2025. you'll see that um four out of five of our secondary campuses uh did grow and improve their overall numeric score
044um with Mayor New Techch High School um getting over the hump from that C to A B in terms of constraint progress me measure three at the secondary level um that that um involves two of our campuses, Becker Middle School and Mayor Middle School, um that had an F in 2024. And when we look at whether their overall numeric score grew um it did with Decker Middle School growing 10 percentage points and Mayor Middle School growing seven percentage points in their overall numeric score. So, we know uh how essential important it is to keep you apprised of the implications for our campuses that have multiple unacceptable ratings. So, just wanted to take you through um a little bit of that right now. I know you are um very familiar with with Maynor Middle School and
045what's going on there. Um for the public, uh the imple implications of their um ratings are that um sanctions for consecutive FS has been suspended for this year and next year um due to our engagement and partnership, our 1882 partnership with Third Future Schools. Um, as I say in the slide, during that time, we need that C rating um to hit reset or we will start the clock back up where we left off. Terms of our elementary schools, we have two um right now that have three consecutive F ratings. Decker Elementary um and Shadow Glenn Elementary. Um like I mentioned earlier, it's a unique situation. uh finding out about um and getting the official accountability rating for um 2024, which was their year two, and 2025, which is their year three. Um simultaneously, um in
046fact, TEA and the state are still developing and finalizing what those requirements are going to look like for campuses um in this situation. There are many of them across the state. Um, so we've been in contact um and spent a good deal of time with TEA and region 13 um trying to finalize and and really figure out what our our next steps will be in terms of requirements. What we do know is that we will be required to um come up with a turnaround plan or a TAP and that it is due November 14th. What that means um for y'all is that we will be bringing um a plan for each of these campuses for your consideration at the board meeting on October 27th and we'll have a public hearing. Um apart from that, we
047are still expecting guidance um this week um and next week. We can't mute. >> Can we mute Dr. Thomas? >> Oh, thank you. to say >> if if you could mute I I think we're all hearing you and your daughter. Okay, >> I would never presume to mute Dr. Thomas. >> I thank you. >> Um in terms of what's next? >> Yes, >> we are continuing to work on systems alignment. Um redoubling our efforts around aligning the curriculum. um making sure we are focused on a specific set of research-based instructional strategies. And um for this year in particular, we are really redoubling our efforts to dig into data with our principles um and our instructional coaches and teachers throughout the year and making sure during tier one instruction, during class time that we are engaging
048with checks for understanding and then um reteing whether it's the whole class or or in small groups during that time um and intervening promptly at that time to ensure that our students are mastering the the grade level concepts and skills for that day in that lesson every day every time. >> And how is that different from what we did last year? So I'm thinking sure Glenn only >> jumped a point. I think >> that is true. Um, so one of the differences, well there's there's a bunch of differences and so depend you stop me when I've gone too far or into too much detail. Um, one of the things that Shadow Glenn is engaged with this year is the Texas Instructional Leadership Academy. Um it's a partnership with region 13 through the last 03 grant
049and um that is in alignment but going deeper than what we did last year with our entire principal set um in terms of the the building the capacity and that's actually on the next slide but building the capacity of our campus leadership uh to really be effective coaches effective observers discerning observers in the classroom and then effective coaches to build that teacher capacity. We will be doing things and continue to do things with our lean and mean curriculum instructional team. And there's actually some other things I'll be talking about in terms of cross district collaboration that's different too on the next couple of slides. Um, but we are focused on building that capacity to observe and make that a priority. Instructional leadership is a priority. Coaching, you know, getting into classrooms and coaching. Now the
050other thing that's new this year is really trying to narrow that focus. We we've been using and are going to continue to align with um Bam Brook Santoyo's get better faster protocol, but we are narrowing um the focus and really teasing out we have teased out the nuggets of what here are the five to six things we want to see every day and every lesson. And here's the two we're going to be focusing on in September, August, September, and October, which is um checks for understanding throughout the lesson. And then that retach that I just mentioned, whether it's um whole group or small group, I kind of I think I already kind of delved well into this slide focusing on instructional leadership. Um happy to chat about the campus leadership scorecard or the campus snapshot
051visits. Um, again, it's helping to focus our campus principles on on a few narrow but essential data points around campus culture, campus systems, um, academics, and what's going on in the classrooms, those researchbased instructional strategies, and then, um, calibrating and practicing together. um when we go in our monthly principles meetings and walking every single classroom in our host campuses each month and providing that um data on on what's going well and areas where we see that could be focused on um to that host principal so that they can use that to inform the professional development that they um want to do with their campuses. What what was the situation with Logos Elementary? Their data kind of dropped significantly. >> Well, I will say this. Logos had a exceptional and a legendary principal that is really
052hard to follow. She's sitting right back there. >> I know. >> Her name's Dr. Malakey Hawkins. And um we have Miss Parker in there taking over the helm and those are tough shoes to fill. Um we are working to ensure that there's and a tremendous amount of growth, lots of new students, um lots of new teachers and we um but it's got to get better. That drop was was substantial >> for sure. The other thing we're going to do a better job of this year um because we know if we're just depending on all the district folks in the world are not going to be enough to grow our system. What we need to do is to grow the leaders in our system um at the same time so that they can carry on the
053work. So developing and leveraging those campus experts. Um Dr. Harvey and I are partnering on this. It's we're calling it leaders of learning, but it's really leaning into the instructional coaches, department chairs, grade level leads, and then most importantly, our master teachers that, you know, there's some of the best teachers out there that they don't want to become assistant principles necessarily or instructional coaches or principles. Um, those of us who have been there might understand why, but um but we do but they do have that instructional expertise. they are um they can perform wonderfully in the mentoring role. We have a partnership with UT um called Thrive to develop and train our mentors this year and also to have our new teachers keep mentors over the course of two years. Um but we know on
054each campus we have to really um lean into to our master teachers and our department chairs. I'm working with Mr. Venegas and federal programs so we can make sure there are ways of um compensating people for the additional lift um through federal monies um for being that mentor for being that um professional development uh lead and expert and um is those those are that's how we're going to make the the work happen. opportunity culture at Decker Elementary is going to be one of the one of the cornerstones um of the turnaround plan and that again really rests on that idea of the best teachers on that site providing that mentorship and mastery and I want to thank Dr. Williams Hill for bringing that uh to us and getting that kicked off and pulling us together
055around that. Um the other thing that we are engaged with is um a comprehensive resource model. So over the last few weeks we've brought together actually there's additional people that have jumped on board. David Gonzalez and tech um is on the team. It's this coordinated crossd district uh support team that we're meeting and talking about in our areas. What do we see in the data? What do we think? what ideas do we have to improve instruction and improve student outcomes? And then how do we integrate? Um we have already kicked that off. That'll be the team that works um handinhand with the campus leadership to develop and implement the turnaround um the turnaround plans. >> Thank you. Do we does uh any of our trustees have any questions? >> I was going to ask a
056question and the instructional council might be a part of this. Um but I'm wondering I heard a lot about where we're at. I heard a lot about the systems we're going to use to move forward, but um what I didn't hear a lot about is conducting a root cause analysis specific to each campus to determine where the focus really needs to be based on each campus's scores and the areas that that really could use the most development. I was just curious what that process is looking like for you and your team. >> For sure. So, we are going to well, first of all, we're building off the campus needs assessments that um each of our campuses have done and the chief's um cabinet members are giving feedback um to over the last couple of weeks
057as campuses build their campus improvement plans. But, um then we're we're pulling in and really utilizing that I Stationation data. last year in particular using the I Ready data with a grain of salt, but um also pulling in this kind of jumps into the campus leadership scorecard too, but looking at discipline data um looking at student attendance data, teacher attendance data, um and really trying to bring in all of that information to do use some of those tools like a root canal root root root cause root canal analysis. That's kind of what it feels like >> sometimes. >> But um root cause analysis um >> and and there's a couple of other tools that we'll be using too, but um to really identify, you know, what's causing what and um that that flowchart, I can't
058remember what that's called, but you know, the one where you have like five five or six, you kind of have the m a bunch of different you identify four or five different causes and try to figure out which one's causing which. But um yes, it all starts with digging into that um so that we aren't just um throwing stuff up against the wall and seeing what sticks which um there's there's a little bit of that that happens. Um but with the people and a lot point keep pointing backwards because I see people um back there uh like Rick Bean, like Kendra Doyle, um like Ricardo Venegas, although he doesn't know I invited him to the next instructional council meeting. um that are going to be instrumental in teasing like Beth Chapaton who's not here today
059because she's not required to be at the board meetings but um so that we are looking at all of the data that we can get our hands on to make the right moves because we don't have time um or staff to to do every move um and just see what works. which is why it's important to especially emphasize at the principal level. Principles should be the instructional leaders at their schools. So, um Yes, sir. Because you all from central office, I mean, you're not there. So, the person who's running the campus has to be have to have a skill set and everybody has to know that those people are the instructional leaders. And uh uh it's been my experience that um turnarounds have to do them quick because you don't want to create a environment
060of long-term low performance. So yes sir, >> we we need to really emphasize this year we that we really need to make the jumps to continue to make the jumps that we we made. We just need to jump out of the water and not stay back in there. >> Dr. Shermani, thank you trustees. Great question. Yeah, I I do have one thing that I want to say. Uh because there's two campuses that had principal changes. Um it makes me really uncomfortable to hear it's a person because the per the one person in charge of that campus is not the only person that is making things happen every single day. There are great things going on in our classrooms. What I would like to see the administration do, and I'm a team of eight, but a
061voting member of one, is we have great people who have led those campuses. And part of that root cause analysis, I'd like to see what systems were in place and what systems are no longer in place because that can help us identify what's not happening in the classroom that was making that campus exceed um expectations. So if we could do that as part of that um I don't want it again it made me uncomfortable knowing that those roles were called out and I just want them to know that we value them as employees and we are here to support them as a team of eight and cabinet is as well. I couldn't agree more about the um strategies and structures, but I just do want to say and Miss Parker, wherever the camera is, if
062you're watching, that was a compliment, just a huge compliment to the work that was done there to bring Logos up to up to where they are. I was with I was at Logos today walking in the classrooms with Miss Parker and it looks great. Um she's working hard. We're going to get our ducks in a row at Lagos Elementary this year and Miss Parker is going to be the central person to lead that work. >> Yeah. And I do have one thing and Dr. Cermani, maybe you can help with this. Um I had a couple of documents that you all said that you're going to be using the campus leadership scorecard. Um I'm sure part of that is that balance scorecard approach that I've mentioned previously. If you could get that in addition to the
063campus snapshot visit. Um, we've got a lot of educators that sit on our board and an extra set of eyes. They have we've all worked in different disciplines. So, there may be something that cabinet may not be thinking about that we may have an idea and it might help the team. Obviously, we won't be giving specific direction. Um, but just ideas for you. I think that would be helpful if you could add that to the big rocks. >> Love that. >> Sure. No problem at all. >> Thank you. Um, and uh, you I love all the comments and um, there's at least three principles out there that where they felt themselves incredibly blessed when they found out who their thinking partner was on that root analysis because it was me. I heard a tech string
064went across the entire district. Did you get surmani who got? But, uh, anyways, I I I was a principal for many years and so I want to make sure people know that I'm willing to chip in and help as well. Um since I I do understand root analysis and I literally two hours before this meeting I was giving the feedback back to the campus principal and really what I always tell them is simplify you every principal tries to do everything you can't you got to take it a step at a time um when you're doing a turnaround there's no doubt and I just wanted to just say just um a couple comments um the first one I'm incredibly proud uh of the growth that our teachers and our our principles showed during this time and
065to remember that they did it while cutting $18.5 million of expenditures. >> Can I add also they did it with a moving target too. >> Absolutely. And a moving target of the state and I and I think they need to be commended for doing that work because you know you think of cutting expenditures as a moment in time. It's not. It is a monthslong pro process that I know destabilizes things, but it was a necessary thing to get us to the point where we're at now. And where the point we're at now is everybody's proud of the growth, but no one is happy with Fs and not even with D's. That's not what we're about. And we are moving towards C or better. That's bottom line. And the staff knows it. We know it. We
066are in a good place. And we are moving forward um with all deliberate speed. And so I appreciate your support and your comments. And you said it right. We're a team. We bounce ideas off each other just like I do with principal. You do it with me and together we're going to get there. No doubt about it. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. No further comments, questions. We'll move on to consent agenda items. Do I have a motion? >> Madam President? >> Yes. Christ Bernett. >> I move that the board approve the consent agenda items 10.1 through 10.10 10 as presented. >> I have a motion by Trusty Rodriguez Barnett to uh approve consent agenda item 10.1 through 10.10 as presented. Do I have a second? >> It looks like Mr. Martinez
067has >> Okay, I have a second from uh Trustee Martinez. Um if there's no discussion, >> he said >> yes. Exactly. Yes. And uh all those in favor? Okay. 70. Thank you. We're going to move on to action items. Action item 11.1, consideration approval of the new >> Madam President. I move to approve new FTEEs for the 2526 school year as submitted. >> I have a motion by Trustee Howard to approve uh the FTEEs as presented for 11.1. Do I have a second? I have a second from Trusty Lowry. There's no comments. All those in favor say I. Raise your hand. Passes. 70. Yay. Okay. 11.2. Consideration approval of 2025 2026 budget amendment number one Santiago. And if there's no I'll entertain a motion. I move that the board of trustees for Mayor Independent School
068District adopt the 202526 budget amendment one as presented. >> Okay. I have a motion by trustee Lowry who um approve 11.2 as presented. I have a second by trustee Thomas. All those in favor? I. It passes 70. Wonderful. 11.2. Now we're going to move to 11.3 consideration adoption of 2025 property tax rate. Do I have a motion for 11.3? >> Madame President, and it's going to take me a while, so bear with me. >> Go ahead, sir. I move that the board of trustees adopt the resolution as presented making certain findings under Texas Education Code section 11.184 and Texas Tech Tax Code section 26.08A 08A concerning the setting the maintenance and operations and debt service tax rates of the Mayor Independent School District for the year beginning on January 1st, 2025 and ending December 31st,
0692025. And I further move that the district's maintenance and operations tax rate on the $100 valuation be adopted and levied for the tax year beginning January 1st, 2025 and ending on December 31st, 2025 in the amount of 7.113 on a $100 valuation payable and lawful currency. >> I said point, didn't I? Oh, I said seven. Oh. Oh, no. >> 113 on $100 valuation payable and lawful currency in the of the United States for the support and maintenance of the public schools of the mayor independent school district and the district's debt service which is interesting fund tax rate on $100 valuations be adopted and levy for the tax year beginning on January 1st 2025 and ending on December 31st 2025 and the amount of 3701 cents on $100 valuation payable in lawful currency of the United
070States for the payment principal and interest payments on approved and issued bonded and depness of the mayor Independent School District. This tax rate will raise less taxes for maintenance and operations than last year's tax rate. The tax rate will remain unchanged and raise less taxes for maintenance and operations on a $100,000 home by approximately negative $240. >> Thank you. I have a motion. >> I second. I have a second by trustee Howard of first by trustee Patterson. If there's no further discussion, just to be clear, we will be voting on a 1.00814 tax rate. When the voter approved tax rate was set at 1.2438, it'll be at 1.0814. So, thank you. Once again, it's approximately $240 less per tax hold. Well, anyways, thank you so much. All those in favor >> 70 passed. Awesome. Thank
071you so much for that long. >> Yes, >> I see. >> Thank you. You did awesome. >> Um, and now we'll go to 11.4 consideration approval of the 2025 2026 school year updated compensation manual. Do I have a motion for action item 11.4? Madam President, >> I have a mo. Yes. Go. >> I move that the board approve updates to the 2526 compensation plan at a 1% at and a 1% midpoint raise for all other employees and allow the administration to make the necessary adjustments and corrections to the plan and manual. >> Okay. I have a motion by trustee Rodriguez Barnett. Do I have a second? I have a second by Trustee Lowry. Um if there's no further discussion, I'll have I'll entertain a motion. All those in favor? >> I it passes 70 and
072um thank you so much Dr. Smani. Do you want to summarize the compensation plan? >> Uh certainly trustees obviously um this is great for our employees to be able to provide them some level of compensation. always wish we could do more. Uh but sometimes you do what you can if you can't do what you want to do. >> Uh as you can see the uh notice has already gone out to teachers to get let them know that retroactively on September 30th they'll get the pay for the checks that have already come through. Actually not just teachers all employees will and then they'll see an increased paycheck uh moving forward. Uh we have uh two different columns up there on the screen. on one column is where the funding source came from House Bill 2 of
073the 89th legislature. They did leave out some jobs uh in that compensation, but we were able to cover that using some funding from House Bill 2 that was new and then uh a little bit of our our current funding as well to cover all the rest. It I thought it was very important that going into this year that we got something to everybody and so this is uh we'll do that for our staff. So, uh thank you trustees. Appreciate it. And I also appreciate the good stewardship um for the entire staff of our budget which allowed us to do this and remain balanced. >> Wonderful. Well, thank you very much. Thank you um everyone and um like Dr. Sarmani, we wish you could do more, but it's a great start and we really appreciate all
074the hard work. Your hard work does not go unnoticed. We're going to now do the confirmation of the next regular board meeting is September the 15th. And if there's nothing else, I >> Madame President, I move to adjurnn. >> Yay. I have a motion by Trusty Patterson to adjourn at 6:52 p.m. And I have a a second by Trustee Martinez. All those in favor? 70. Thank you so much. We have It's before 700 p.m. Woohoo. [Applause] Thank you. Hey.