001That's hard. Get this. The time is now 5:30 on November 18th, 2025. This meeting of the Midland Independent School District Board of Trustees is duly open for the transaction of business or any matters that may be properly presented. First agenda item number one, call the role of everyone's here. >> All right. We are quorum two, verification of compliance with open meeting law. This is to certify that the provisions of section 551.01 of the Texas government code have been met in connection with public notice of this meeting. Number three and four is a moment of silent and pledge to the US flag and Texas flag and Saneno Junior High principal Miss Miller students will lead us in that. If y'all will please stand. >> Good evening, President Hodes, members of the board, and Dr. Howard. My
002name is Laura Miller and I am the principal of Saneno Junior High School. The mission of Midland ISD is that all students will graduate college, career, and mil or military ready. In MISC, we work toward that mission every day. This evening, I am pleased to introduce two Santo Junior High students to lead us in our pledges. Grant McCain, son of Casey and Anaise McCain, is in the seventh grade and loves English because he has loved reading and writing since kindergarten. A fun fact about Grant is he wants to be a lawyer when he grows up because he loves to argue. Lane Chisum is in eighth grade and she is the daughter of David and Corey Chisum. She loves his social studies because it's a small class and she has friends in that class. Her favorite
003hobby is dance. When she graduates, she wants to attend Louisiana State University to become a dance instructor. Together, we are educating the future with excellence. At this time, our students will lead us in our pledges. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, one liberty and justice for all. >> Honor the Texas flag. I aliance to thee, Texas. One state under God. One and indivisible. Moving on to agenda item number five, public forum. I got no public forum request. >> We have one. >> Amber Davidson. Davidson. Thank you. >> Good evening. I'd like to thank each of you for your willingness to serve. I hope that we all share the same goal, a district where my student and
004every student is successful and where our district improves outcomes. While I may not agree with each of you on how to achieve these goals, I have the right to stand before you and voice my concerns, as does every other moveer. Per guidelines found in Robert's rules, public form is typically structured to allow citizens and attendees to express their views to the board. The key guidelines regarding board remarks during such forums are following. The listening role during public comment period, the board members are generally expected to listen attentively to the speakers. This is a time for the public to share their thoughts, not for the board to engage in dialogue or debate. No immediate responses. Board members typically do not respond directly to comments or questions raised during the forum. This ensures the session remains focused
005on hearing public input without turning into a back and forth session. Clarifications or follow-ups. If necessary, the board may choose to address specific issues raised during the forum at a later point in the meeting or in future sessions. However, this is not usually done outside, excuse me. However, this is usually done without outside the public forum period. Respect into quorum. Board members should maintain a respectful and neutral demeanor, avoiding any remarks that could be perceived as dismissive or argumentative. Time management. The chairperson or presiding officer ensures that the public forum adheres to the allotted time and that speakers follow any established rules. I thank you for the opportunity to stand before you this evening. I thank you for the opportunity for others to stand here. But there are many who feel that the opportunity to
006stand here will result in retaliation against them or into interrogation. I would hope and request honestly that these guidelines be followed moving forward as this are you are our elected officials. We're here to speak out and sometimes this is the best time to do it. Thank you so much for your time. Have a good evening. >> Thank you very much. Moving on to agenda item six, public hearing a discuss turnaround plan based on the 2025 accountability rating for Legacy Freshman High School. Miss Piles. >> Good evening, President Hodes, members of the board, and Dr. Howard. Have a clicker. Just one second. Good evening, President Hodes, members of the board, and Dr. Howard. I'm here tonight to present the turnaround plan for Legacy Freshman High School. TE Annual TEA annually ranks all title one campuses based
007on the closing the gaps scaled scores. Title one campuses which rank in their school types bottom 5% are identified for comprehensive support and improvement or CSI. The first time a school meets CSI low performance criteria they are identified CSI identified. Each following year a school is identified for CSI they are considered CSI reidentified. Legacy freshman has been reidentified CSI based on 2025 accountability in domain three closing the gaps. This turnaround plan or TAP will identify the key strategy legacy freshman has selected to improve performance in domain three and overall performance in the 2526 school year. The following plan has been created in conjunction with stakeholder feedback as required and is aligned to both BQ local and the previously board approved legacy freshman campus improvement plan. Pages are stuck. This slide gives you a current picture
008of legacy freshmen, its demographics and recent performance. Please note in the righth hand corner the improvement in attendance this school year as Legacy Freshman continues to communicate the importance of regular attendance to support student learning. Something to note is since Legacy Freshman is a single grade campus each year they start over with an entirely new group of students. The need for this turnaround plan is noted in the bottom left corner under comprehensive support and improvement based on closing the gap scores needed or targets. Legacy Hushman did not meet the target in 2025 and is therefore reidentified comprehensive support and improvement. A turnaround plan must include specific areas of success criteria. A school improvement strategy, progress and performance milestones, resources for implementation, and feedback from key stakeholders. Legacy freshman has selected an overall improvement strategy of
009intensive curriculum and instruction improvements. A turnaround plan must describe the planning and implementation stages and outline how and when progress and performance measures will be reported. All stakeholders must also be notified of the campus turnaround requirements and be given an opportunity to provide input. Legacy freshman held their in-person stakeholder meeting on October 27th. An updated detailed plan is also on the Legacy Freshman website and in the school's front office. Parents were notified of the plan and were able to view and provide feedback in its entirety. Once a turnaround plan is approved, it is then submitted to TEA. On this slide, you will see the legacy freshman scorecard with adopted Midland ISD board goals and baseline data from the 2025 accountability and goals through 2030 were applicable. The turnaround plan will focus on improvements related to
010board goal A and student performance on end of the course assessments in both algebra 1 and English one. By increasing the percentage of students performing at or above the grade level on these end of course assessments in student groups as measured in domain three, closing the gaps will improve. The purpose of a turnaround plan is to is to strategically target areas of improvement while building capacity across all areas. The strategy and milestones described within the plan are not only aligned to performance in domain three, but will increase the overall success of Legacy Freshman High School. At this time, I ask Mrs. Ring, Legacy Freshman High School principal, to describe the strategy and implementation her campus has selected. Good evening. As Mises Pile said, our turnaround plan centers on intensive curriculum and instruction improvement. We're implementing
011STEM scopes, which does qualify as a high quality instructional material or HQIM to support student performance in algebra 1. And the our teaching and learning department has increased their support of our English one team specifically to allow our teachers to focus more on lesson preparation and internalization. Teach like a champion serves as the found their techniques serve as the foundation of our professional learning plan. Each each week we communicate observation folky or look fors and continue to build capacity in our team with Friday focus sessions. Teachers engage in these brief actionable lessons before school on Friday mornings. Opportunity culture is designed to extend the reach of excellent teachers and we're looking to take that to the next level. We have opportunity culture leadership teams for both algebra 1 and English one. Those teams meet every
012other week. And importantly, I meet with one of those teams every single week. In these key meetings, we analyze student performance data in coordination with or in conjunction with uh classroom observation data. And this allows us to set clear action steps both for coaching for teachers and those to be carried out in those daily PLC meetings for algebra 1 and English one. We take time to see the gaps and to build bridges to close them. The state requires us to submit this turnaround plan, but we are living the work. What we're documenting is what we're doing. We're monitoring and adjusting our plan just as we expect teachers to do in the classroom. Thank you. >> And that does conclude our presentation regarding the turnaround plan for Legacy Freshman High School. At this time, I will
013turn it back to President Hodes. >> Agenda item 6A, discuss turnaround plan based on the 2025 accountability rating for Legacy Freshman High School. Uh after the let's see we will now open the public hearing for the turnaround plans based on the 2025 accountability ratings. Do we have anyone present tonight who would like to provide comment on this agenda item? Seeing no one uh we will now move to agenda item 6B financial integrity rating system of Texas first report. Good evening, President Hodgees, members of the board, and Superintendent Howard. This evening, the administration is bringing the financial integrity rating system of Texas in front of the board and public to discuss the ratings for 2024 2025, which is based off fiscal year 2023 2024 data. Annually, districts are required to hold a public meeting within two
014months of receiving the final accountability rating. This report is for public hearing purposes only. It does not require board approval. The financial integrity rating system of Texas, better known as the first reading, was developed in 1999 by TEA in response to Senate Bill 875 of the 76 legislative session. In an effort to improve the management of school districts financial resources, districts are rated according to indicators developed by the commissioner of education on an annual basis and the information is tied to the audited financial statements. There are currently 21 indicators scored throughout the first grade. Those indicators are made up of the financial audit, debt management, administrative cost, cash and investments, student enrollment, student to staff ratio, and fund balance. Each indicator has a rating scale which is listed on the following slides or a past
015fill Indicator one is measured on whether the complete annual financial audit and data were submitted by TEA by the deadline for our July 1 fiscal year. as shown the district was in compliance with submitting the documents by the deadline and passed this indicator. Indicator two is measuring on whether the district's external auditors issued an unmodified opinion which is a clean opinion without instances of deficiencies on the annual financial report and as shown the district passed this indicator. Indicator three is measured on whether the district was in compliance with all debt obligations um payment terms at year end and as shown when the district was in compliance. Indicator 4 is measured on whether the district was timely in paying TRS, TWWC, the IRS and other governmental um agencies. And we did pass this indicator. We have
016just covered the four indicators which may lead to an automatic rating of substandard achievement. The remaining indicators are very important. However, answering no to any one of them does not automatically lead to a rating of an F. Indicator five is measured on whether the district net position was greater than zero. And as shown, the district has a net position greater than zero and pass this indicator. Indicator six is in regards to the district having less than a 25% change in fund balance over the last three years. If a district fails this indicator, the maximum points and highest rating that the school district may receive is an 89 points given the district of B rating. The district did pass this indicator and had less than 25% change in fund balance over the past three years. Indicator
0177 is in regards to cash on hand to cover operational expenditures. Only 90 days are required to receive maximum points and we had approximately and pass this indicator. Indicator 8 ensures the debt due within one year or less can be paid with current assets. Districts must receive a ratio of at least 3 to one to receive 10 points and as shown we did receive the entire 10 points. Inaccurator 9 is in regards to revenues being equal to or greater than expenditures and the number of days of cash on hand. Revenues are greater than operating expenditures of more than 60 days cash on hand and the district received the entire 10 points. Indicator 10 is not being measured or scored this year. However, this is the indicator um that I discussed during the October um board
018meeting for the budget amendment which compares um the variances between um budget to actual on revenues. Indicator 11 is in regards to the ratio of long-term liabilities to total assets to ensure sufficient assets to support long-term solveny. As shown, the district received a total of 10 points. Indicator 12 measures the ratio of cash available for debt service to ensure there's sufficient funds to cover debt repayments. The district receives the entire 10 points. Indicator 13 is in regards to the administrative cost ratio to equal to be equal or less than the threshold ratio. The threshold ratio is based off expenditures in function 41 to all other expenditures and the ADA style of the district. The district received the entire team. Indicator 14 is in regards to district not having more than a 15% decline in studentto
019staff ratio over three years. If student enrollment did not decrease, the district automatically passes the indicator and as such MISD received the entire 10 points. Indicator 15 is in regards to the district ADA being within the allotted range of the district's bannual pupil projection submitted to TEA. If the district's actual ADA is within 7% of the projected ADA, the district receives total payments and we did pass this Indicator 16 will be considered pass for receiving if a comparison of team's expenditure data to the annual financial report data has a total variance of less than 3% and we did pass this indicator. Indicator 17 will be considered pass for the ceiling if the external auditor reported no material weakness in the audit report and as shown there was no material weakness and the district passed this
020indicator. Indicator 18 is in regards to the district's annual financial report being free of instances of material non-compliance. The district received the entire 10 points. Indicator 19 is in regards to required financial information on the district's website which the district received full points for and is in compliance with all laws and regulations. Indicator 20 will be considered passed for this evening if the school board discussed property values at a meeting within 120 days before the district adopted its budget. And we did pass this indicator and discuss the property values within 120 days of passing the budget. And the last indicator 21 will be considered passed for decision if the district does not receive an adjusted repayment schedule for more than one fiscal year after an overallocation um of funds from the state. And the district
021did pass this indicator. Shown is the um rating determination based on the points on this slide. And I'm happy to announce that the district received a score of 80 for Superior um with receiving um a perfect score of 100. Um one thing that I will note is um we did increase um our score by four points um and that was directly related to us receiving our bond funds um in March of last year. And so assets were a lot higher than the liabilities. However, do not be alarmed um if and when the the um indicator goes back down to only receiving um six out of approximately 10. And the reason for that is because of how the district is required to book our um annual recapture permit. Um that is the reasoning why we only
022scored a 96 out of a possible 100 points last year. Um I did submit a appeal on that. However, um since we already received a score of an A, um the govern or the commissioner um did not grant that. So, I just wanted to make sure um that was brought to you guys attention. Um there is a few additional reporting requirements and disclosures. Um this slide shows um the superintendent and board reimbursements for the period ending June 30th of 2025. Um this shows reimbursements for meals, lodging, transportation, mileage, um reimbursements um registration um and then other fees as deemed um members and then um also shows the current board members um and the um previously elected board members um that were part of the board for um a short time during last fiscal year. Um,
023there are no business transactions between the school district and any board members for the 202425 fiscal year. And then the current superintendent's contract is located on the district's website. There were also no outside compensation or fees received by the superintendent for professional consulting or other personal services during last fiscal year. And there were also no gifts received with a value of over $250. And this concludes my presentation and I will hand it back to President Hodgees. >> We will now open the public hearing for the financial integrity rating system of Texas first report. Do we have anyone present tonight to provide comment on the agenda item? Seeing none, we will now move prior to moving to agenda 7. I've got a question for you though before we go and you probably already answered it, but
024so given the first systems focus on fiscal efficiency with the uh Texas administrative code section 10 uh 109.101, 101. Are there any specific indicators that you anticipate going forward that we might start planning on that this board should put in the back of their mind that might change in the upcoming fiscal landscape? >> Um so the biggest one, let me find where it is, um is indicator 8. Um this measures whether the um current assets to current liability ratio for the school district is sufficient to cover short-term debt. Um that is the one that I was referring to. Um and the reasoning why the school district only received 96 out of a possible 100 points um last year. Um that is because our fiscal year is July to June. However, recapture payments are due in
025August. And so we have to book the um payment to TEA on a liability account. Um and that is the only reasoning why if you do the calculation and take out the recapture payment um we actually receive 100 points for that. Um other than that I do not know of anything at this time that the board needs to be um aware of andor planning for in the future. However, um if anything comes up, I'll definitely um make sure to inform you all in finance committee meeting along with the board in a board presentation. >> Perfect. >> Thank you very much. Oh, and by the way, before he leaves, everyone congratulate Mr. Durham on being a new father by Thank you very much. Moving on to agenda item number seven, consent agenda. A, approval of board
026board meeting minutes. B, approval of monthly financial. C, approval of donations over 20,000. D, approval of the tax role certification 2025. E, approval of the following revised policies and new local policies. BE local board meetings. FEA local attendance compulsory attendance. FEC local attendance for credit. GBAA local uh access to public information request for information. GKD community relations non-school use of school facilities. FMG local student activities travel. New policies. EMIA, local study of religion, release time course, FDD, local admissions, military dependence, and GC local public notices. Does anyone F approval of out of state student travel? Does any board member want to pull any of those for discussion? Miss Bson, >> I want to pull FMG. >> Hold on one second. 7E. >> Can you say that again? >> 7E FMG. >> FMG. And what? >>
027That's it. FMG. >> Okay. Miss Burlson would like to pull agenda item seven consent agenda item FMG local student activities travel. You just want to talk about it then we'll put it back in and vote on all of them or do you want to pull it and we vote on a block and then talk about that one? >> Okay. >> So I really don't have any questions. I just uh have a comment that this is one of those that we passed quickly in May and it's been something that we've had to consistently bring up and that's one of the reasons why I asked for us to um pause on the policy update that we were doing that was so large without vetting it. Um I wasn't against policies but they need to go through the
028proper proper vetting when it directly affects students. We want the right people in the room when making policy. So also many of the other policies above that we're passing tonight are state legislative items, state laws. This is why we as board members and we as a community members need to be involved in connecting with our state senator Kevin Sparks and our state representative Speaker Tom Kretic to let them know our wishes as a community for our public schools. The time is now for that connection and I just want it out there that we need to advocate. Thank you. >> Anyone else? Anyone else? So, Mr. Burlson, we're going to That one goes back in. We're pushing it back in and we're going to vote on these as a block. Correct. So, can we have a
029motion? >> I'll move to approve. >> Second. It has been motioned and seconded that this board consider agenda item seven, consent agenda. A, approval of board meeting minutes. B, approval of monthly financials. C, approval of donations over $20,000. D, approval of the tax ro certification 2025. E, approval of the following revised policies and new local policies. The revised policies being BE local board meetings. FEA local attendance compulsory attendance. FEC local attendance for credit GBA local access to public information request for information GKD local community relations non-school use of school facilities FMG local student activities travel new policies EMIA local study of religion release time course FDD local admissions military dependence GC local public notices and F approval of out of state student travel. All those in favor, raise your right hand. So moved. It's unanimous.
030Moving on to agenda item number eight, superintendent update. Dr. Howard. >> Yes, sir. Uh Mr. Hajes and members of the board. So, it's hard to believe that we have 18 days left in the fall semester. Um and Thanksgiving is next week. Uh the district for the most part is closed next week. U many people will use those two days um that are on contract to um to take vacation. Uh but we're working really hard this week finishing this out strong and then when we come back from the break we have um December retest for our EOCC retesters, semester exams, middle of testing um and all of that drives the plans that we put in place for the spring. I want to talk a little bit about enrollment and staffing. So, as of November the 14th,
031uh we were right at 29,65. That's a little over 400 less than we were this time last year, but it's 1,038 less than we projected. And so, that's not new information for you. Uh we continue to monitor that. That's why in October we brought the amended budget um for budget amendments based on current enrollment trends and decreased um anticipated ADA. Um and we dropped that anticipated ADA down as you recall. Um the revenues that were decreased based on the that enrollment projection was 7.3 million. Uh so we continue to monitor enrollment. We do that on a um a six-week basis. ADA and budget projections. Um, in December, we'll actually right after we come back from Thanksgiving, we'll project enrollment for the 2627 school year. We will be very conservative in doing that. We did see
032an update from Zonda Demographics uh yesterday and that will come to the board in December as well. So, we'll be using a lot of their information as well as historical trends. Um, and then we'll begin preparing the 2627 budget in December. Uh we anticipate bringing you the first budget preparation update in March of 2026 and then we'll do that on a monthly basis leading up to uh budget adoption in June. Uh with the understanding of bringing a balanced budget to the board in June of 2026. Um on the personnel side, our fill rates uh we have uh we're still tracking right around a 97% teacher fill rate. So still in good shape there. We were at 98. Um when we look at the district as a whole, we have about 3,200 employees and we have
033a little over 200 vacancies. So when you factor that in across the district, um that's not significant. Uh when we look at um some of our district departments, we're going to go back through um a review of that and see if those positions still need to be there considering the enrollment declines. for example, cafeteria, uh, custodial, you know, when we have fewer students, there's, um, adjustments have to be made across the board. Uh, we do have the one area that we, regardless of having positions vacant that we will not close are our police officers. So, with the uh, legislative session a couple of or two sessions ago, the mandate to have an officer at every campus. We have that budgeted. It's a matter of finding an officer for every campus. Every agency in town is
034short. um as well as every school district across the state's now looking for an officer for every campus. So, uh regardless, we would not close those positions. We'll keep those open so that if and when we have an officer, we're able to hire them. I want to give some updates related to our uh student experience strategic part of our strategic plan and advanced academics. You know, a couple of years ago, we started administering the PSAT 8 and nine. So, our eighth graders and 9th graders. Um and we attribute that to some of the increases we've seen with our National Merit Committed Scholars, our semi- finalists, giving them that early start. Um so in um October every year is when our juniors take the test. So we had 600 juniors test in October. Those results will
035come in next month and that's when we get a little bit of a look at at those that are are going to have the opportunity to compete in the National Mer uh scholarship competition. Of course, those index scores change every year, but we can typically um have a little bit of an idea of who's looking like they'll be up in those numbers. Uh we gave u in October we administered the uh PSAT 8 and 9 to 1983 students. That's 35% more students than we tested last year. Uh we gave those to our seventh grade GT students, our eighth and ninth graders who met or mastered on STAR the year before. Of course, any parent could opt their um eighth or nth grader into that test if they wanted to. And then our eighth grade AVID
036students were allowed to take that assessment as well. So some results um of that when we look at our MISD students and of course our 10th graders, they've changed that. So now 10th graders test in the spring. So they'll test in March. Uh 37% of our students who were tested in the eighth and 9th grade and some of the seventh graders. 37% met both the college readiness ben benchmarks. Um 73% met reading and writing and 40% met the math benchmarks. And so um I believe we sent a report on that but I wanted to just share that we're proud of those numbers. one that we're getting access to our students earlier to take those assessments. Um, and then they have the opportunity to get on an individualized path as they get ready to compete in
037the uh junior year to uh try to be a semi-finalist. Um, on the 1882 side in December, you'll hear a report from our 1882 campuses. That's according to our board reporting timeline. So, our 1882 campuses will be coming reporting out in a format that's very similar for every single one of them, uh, with their current performance and their progress toward meeting their goals. Uh, so we'll update you and keep you updated as we get ready for that meeting. Uh, Friday, I was able to go out to our two new high school sites right around with the job superintendent. Um, and it's really impressive. If you see the plans on paper, you see the plans in a rendering, you see them on a video, but when you're driving around and the job superintendent says, "See that
038heavy that piece of equipment? That's the auditorium stage, you know, and so it starts to really come to life and u they're making really good progress on both of the sites. Uh we had 39 of our Texas Association of Future Educator students qualify for uh state uh last weekend. 51 um including our freshman campuses. So that education and training pathway is one we've been really working on to grow our own teachers. And so we're seeing those numbers start to increase in the number of students that are involved in Taffy as well as the number of students that are taking dual credit in their freshman and sophomore year to earn an associate of arts and teaching. And um so again, next week uh the district will be open Monday and Tuesday. U many people take that
039off. It's a welldeserved break and there aren't many times in the year that that are a good time to take a break. And then like I said when we come back uh 3 weeks until the Christmas break and then the first day of the spring semester for our students is January 7th. So I'm glad to answer any questions otherwise that's all I have. >> Questions? Dr. Freeze? >> I just have a couple. So um our revenue are projected to be down 7.3 million is that correct? I think >> yes that's this current year based on the actual ADA projection versus projected. >> How about our projected costs? Do we have any number if what are what our projected costs? Are they >> right >> still the same or are they down a little bit? Yes,
040we were able to. And when we brought that amendment to you last month, it was to amend um the budget that way, but it did not impact the um deficit. >> So, they're about the same 7.3. Okay. And then fill rates, I think you mentioned I are they similar from years past? >> Yes. Uh we were at 98% um last year. We track around 97 98% >> this year. So, it's very similar. >> Very similar. >> Okay, that's all I have. >> I have a couple questions. >> Dr. Howard, you said that the uh our student population was 29,065 >> and then you said that projected we were below a th00and is,038. Is that the number you said? >> Right. Our as of November the 14th. Now, this number was probably different when we brought
041the budget amendments in October because we monitor this number every Friday. Um, 29,65 students on Friday and that's a difference of 1038 from projection. >> Okay. And then you said we're down 400 from this time last year. >> Correct. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you. >> And that's student count, not ADA, >> right? Anyone else? Thank you, Dr. Har. Moving on to agenda item number nine, districtformational reports. A bond 2023 monthly report. Presenter, Mr. J. Edwards. How are you, sir? >> Very good, President Hodgees. Good to see you and board. Thank you, Dr. Howard, for allowing me to be here tonight. We had a uh productive month on the bond program. Um things um are continuing to progress. If I can get this to work, I'm not very good with this thing. Every every month I
042have up and down. Um, again, I'll just go quickly through the packages. A lot of not a lot of changes from where we were last month. Uh, package one, of course, the element school continues to be open and continues to work through the uh, punchlift items, which we'll continue to make progress on. We do anticipate having taken advantage of uh, next week when we have the week off for Thanksgiving to take care of a few of those items that would have been disruptive for the uh, students. and we'll hopefully again also be able to take advantage of the December break and get most of these punch punch list items taken care of. Uh so I feel good that the contractors feel very responsive and the subcontractors and we're making good progress on that. Package two.
043Uh it's good to hear uh your report Dr. Howard of your tour uh with the contractors. Uh they enjoyed having you out Friday. Appreciate your involvement in that. Um it is going really well. It's nice to see concrete actually being placed uh and um a lot of um utilities being put in place and a lot of dirt work being moved. So we're we're actually uh on schedule at Milan High a little bit ahead of schedule at Milan Lee. Uh and then as you know tonight later in the agenda we'll bring you the final GMP uh for the construction cost with both the Sears and glad to be able to announce that that will be under our construction budget. So, we'll talk about that in more detail in that agenda item. Uh, package QA, which is
044the off-site infrastructure improvements. Um, since it was approved last month, we've been working through the contract. We're getting pretty close on getting that construction contract reviewed and approved. And so, we would hope that construction on that can begin in December. Uh we also are underway with design of the roadways improvements. Uh and so we expect uh that actually uh design will be complete hopefully by u May or June or next year and we'll be able to bring uh the final budget final bids for uh improvements to roadways on both those sites uh next summer. Package three, uh these eight elementary schools. Again, not a lot of uh progress over the last month, but just to bring, you know, we because the school is in in place, but we put fire sprinklers in Lamar, Long and
045Houston. Um and uh uh or actually that those have not started that will start in the summer. But the other three uh we did most of the sprinkler work this summer and then we will be finishing that up in Thanksgiving and Christmas uh breaks so that that sprinkler work will be done. As you know, uh we're trying to get as much of that done throughout the year because we can't there's a lot of fire sprinkler work to do across all of the the campuses and it's hard to push all that into three months a year. So, we're working on strategies to continue to have those contractors working throughout the year without disrupting classrooms. Uh, we do anticipate on package three uh bringing all the final GP for the work uh the safety vestibules and uh
046some of the other renovation work in January. So we we think that we'll be able to get bids in December and be able to bring those to you in at the January board meeting to finalize package three so that uh that budget will be set uh package four which is middle school and then freshman high school. Uh we uh we actually got the contract executed today with Cirrus on that and so we've been through a review process and we're excited about that. They have indicated that they will hope to start mobilizing next week and would want to get some work done over the Christmas holidays. We'll be in good shape to get that done. Uh they'll start with all the exterior construction, new construction first. Uh it will have some uh changes to the entries
047to those two schools. will have some temporary entries and uh so that we can start to build new entries and then the new classroom wings and then they'll be geared up for a lot of renovation work in existing classrooms during the summer in 26. Package 5A are the two multi-purpose buildings at Alamo and at Abel Junior High Schools. Uh dirt work in the pad is being built at Alamo right now. soon as they finish that subcontractor will move to Helale. Uh it's uh same contractor is doing both of those projects and uh and then they'll place concrete uh for the building in H Alamo in December and they'll place concrete in January for Ael and then they'll be able to erect the metal buildings both fairly quickly at that point uh and be done still
048hopefully for both projects by the end of January. Uh the rest of the work at Alamo and uh is in package five and uh we last month y'all approved the contractor and we're still in negotiations on the contract. We anticipate that to get executed the next few weeks uh and so that they can begin work uh during the Christmas holidays as well getting moved in for the exterior additions that we have in there. Package number eight, push the six and seven are complete. Uh is another elementary school package and we are continuing architects are continuing to work on the design. We've approved um the um design development phase and now we hope to uh and anticipate having the construction documents complete next month. Uh and uh so that will allow us to be able to
049bid that in the spring and uh we'll bring that to you before summer so that summer they can be ready to start construction on that those eight campuses. Uh I'm sorry those four campuses in the summer package number nine Sanento and Ael Middle Schools. There are um again um most of we've got some work done on the floorings this this summer looks really good and now we are finishing up the design development phase of that project and then construction documents the final phase of design will happen in the spring and we'll hope to bid that next summer package 10 again some more elements elementary schools and also um the map and Coleman campuses. Uh we are just about done with the schematic design and scope to budget phase on that and everything looks to be
050uh everything that was in the bond program. Um improvements look to be able to be done within the scope uh and the budget. So that's kind of the first step and then we'll release the architects to move on to completing that design work. And the final elementary school package um is just beginning. We we have about 10% of the design done. So that work is happening and that that gets all of our elementary school and uh alternative schools um within packages and at least within design if not already bid and starting construction across the whole district. Uh the only two campuses that uh were in the bond program then that have not been started um active campuses today would be Young Lim's leadership and the uh Carter School. There was some money in both of
051those bonds in the bond for both of those. And so we'll we've just begun talking about that scope and what is really needed at those campuses. Um so if you look at um all of those packages um our bond budget was 1.4 mill billion. Um we've uh expended $126 million to date. Uh with the projected expenditures and the work that's been completed and pricing lockdown, uh we're at $13 million under our budget right now. That's not including uh what we're going to ask you to approve with the GMP for the high schools tonight, which right now will be a little bit more than $6 million additional under budget. So uh so all u uh all in right now we're just under $20 million under budget with all of the packages. Uh so and that's just
052assuming the ones that have been finished or we have a GMP locked in. If uh if we're still in design, we're just a we're carrying that with budget price. And that is u my report. I'll be happy to answer any questions. >> I got I just got a kind of a one since we're getting ready to start Goddard and Midland freshman. How is this going to uh affect just the function? I don't know. Maybe administration wants to ask answer. >> Yes. So they actually meet with the contractors on a regular basis and so they've been planning for this temporary relocation of the entry uh for now probably a month and a half maybe a little longer than >> Yeah, we had about four months when we first started. >> And so um they'll have secured
053vestibules, they'll do all of the things that need to be done just to create that alternate so that we can begin that at construction. >> Yeah. And so the uh all of the rest of the construction that will be started now will be a new construction outside of the existing campus. We'll have to take safety precautions and there will be u separation walls, temporary separation walls and that sort of thing. We require, you know, all contractors that are on site have to have be badged and background checks and they're all separated their work site and everything from where the students will be so that there's no co-mingling of that. Uh once that new construction is complete, which includes the classroom wing, then that'll allow us to have some swing space. We can start to move
054people into those new classrooms and renovate section at a time as we go through the rest of that. Good question, >> Jay. Does that that 20 million estimated savings to date, does that include the cost of moving the pipeline that we voted on last month? >> Yes, sir. Yes, sir. that uh as we look at the at the high school budgets being under budget by about $6 million with this GMP tonight that we bring to you, that includes um that expenditure and and all other uh the same the expenditures we have for the infrastructure improvements with the city's developers agreement and all that. Thank you. Yes, sir. I appreciate it, Jay. Thank you very much. I think >> Thank you. I >> think we're Anybody else? Going once? Going twice. Okay, moving on to agenda
055item 9B. Goal D, high quality teacher and data and student outcomes report. Miss Garcia, how are you? Good evening, President Hodes, members of the board, and Dr. Howard. Um, tonight I will be providing an information report on board goal D, and no action will be necessary for this report. The Texas Education Agency recognizes that there are multiple avenues for teachers to enter the teaching profession. There's a standard certification for teachers who attend a university and select teaching as their specialty. There is a pathway for teachers who hold a bachelor's degree and seek certification via alternative certification. The state also knows that there are teachers who join the workforce from out of state or out of country. We also have some teachers who do not have certifications or degrees at all. And through attrition, there are
056teachers who leave and reenter the profession as well. Across the state, the Texas Education Agency has identified a growing trend of uncertified teachers. You can see the navy blue percentages at the very bottom of the screen are decreasing over time. Navy blue represents traditional certification and students who choose teaching as a profession in colleges and universities. It's also important to note that in orange, it represents uncertified teachers and that has increased over time. In Texas, 34% of newly hired teachers in 2024 were uncertified. Midland ISD is facing these challenges as well as more and more people who are not choosing teaching as a profession. Board goal D states that all students will be taught each day by a high quality teacher who is regular rigorously coached and regularly evaluated specifically on meeting the board's adopted
057student goal outcome student outcome goals in BQ local and delivering instruction that's aligned with the TES using data from 2024 to 2025 we established two metrics for this goal the percentage of eligible teachers for TIA will increase from 60 to 75% by 2030 and the percentage of certified teachers will increase from 71 to 86% by 2030. As you can see, we have already hit one of those targets but are falling behind in the other. To define highquality teachers should have a deep understanding of content knowledge, a solid grasp of instructional practices, and the ability to grow student outcomes. This slide shows how MISD is choosing to define high quality and the pathways that we're tracking for those for those uh candidates. You can see that we look at people that hold a valid and appropriate
058aspect certification. We're currently at 69% of our teachers hold a valid ASP certification or 916 teachers. They can also demonstrate subject matter competence. This includes our district of innovation teachers who have a bachelor's degree in the subject that they're teaching. 100% or 1,320 of our teaching staff holds that or they've included an educator preparation pathway. Again, this is our group who has a standard certification is teaching within their certificate or degree. That's 1,320 or they've been TIA designated and that's 274 of our current teaching staff for 21%. Ford VD also measures um that teachers are rigorously coached and regularly evaluated. To track this part of the goal, we use a platform called grow by level data. Grow by level data is used to monitor and track and track instructional coaching data. The solution is widely
059used by schools and districts seeking to improve teaching effectiveness through structured coaching and observation tools. From the start of the school year through now, teachers coached by an NCL or campus administrators receive feedback and grow. The feedback and grow is tracked as a touch point. Overall, we have had 4,256 touch points um through Grow through early November. On average, each teacher has received feedback at least three times. There are about 200 administrators and ACL's who provide feedback using row and on average the number of point touch points per coach is about 21. Alumni D is currently working on increasing the number of pathways to get teachers to become highly qualified through ongoing coaching such such as teach like a champion and opportunity culture. Our teachers are receiving daily support to help improve instruction. While we
060focus on improving the quality of all of our teachers, increasing the number of high-quality teachers is something we have heavily invested in through differentiated pathways. From early identification through our education and training or CTE pathway to our registered apprentichip program that allows our pair of professionals to complete a teaching degree and certification, we offer residency opportunities and are expanding our partnerships to increase our residency and certification numbers. Finally, the better our teachers become, more of them become designated through the teacher incentive aotment and ultimately help improve student outcomes. And at this time, I'd be glad to answer any questions you may have. >> All right, I have a few. Um I some of these I should have probably asked in advance. You may have to get them to me. Uh so 34% of new teachers
061across the state are non-certified. Do we have any numbers for how many of our new teachers are non-certified? >> I can get you those. I don't know who would be tonight. >> That would be a a good number I would like. And then the second number is we have 71% certified. Is that correct, >> sir? >> Do you know what the state number is? slightly higher but again I don't have that number with me. >> How about historically? Do we have any historical numbers for us like five last five to 10 years? >> Don't think we've been tracking certification historically. Um it's something I will be tracking moving forward but it's not something that I think we have been tracking. >> Okay. Um this is another one. So in the in the opportunity culture, we
062have MCL's and MTRTs coaching teachers. What's the reach on that percentage- wise? Do do we have any numbers on that? Like what percentage or either an MCL, an MTRT or coached by one? >> We do have reach numbers. I don't have them with me right now. I can get them to you as well. Um each campus reach is different and we have so campus reach and and overall district reach. Yeah, I think if I could get it broken down by like I mean you have math specialists and you know you have district people that also coach, but I'd like that'd be a nice number I think to track. >> Um I think that's all I have. >> I do want to point out that um when we look at our K5 core areas, 78% of
063our teachers in those areas are certified. So when we look at our secondary um and you look at that you know 71% when we think about a welding teacher that comes in from industrybased certification or industrybased experience there are some certifications that make sense to try to encourage them to go back and get that ESPC certification. There are some areas where a welder would tell us you know no thanks I'll go make more money in industry if you make me do that. Um so we we also are tracking that core certification um because that's not looking at electives. >> Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Moving on to agenda item 9 C, the school action plan. Miss Bueno. How are you doing this evening? >> Good. How are you? >> Good, ma'am. >> Good evening,
064President Hodes, members of the board, and Dr. Howard. The following presentation is in alignment to board policy BBE local systems of great schools including school action fund recommendations and no board action is required. The systems of great schools is a Texas education framework that helps um districts ensure every student has access to high quality a high quality school. It guides district leaders to think and act like a system manager, not just a school manager. Focusing on growing great schools, redesigning struggling ones, and expanding access to high quality ones. We are now in year three of this work. MISD had previously engaged in this work, but was inconsistent with the framework. Um and we began a restart of citizens of great schools two years ago. The multiple departments engage in this work as we look into
065many data points from a comprehensive view. The purpose of this work is to inform decisions for the 2025 2026 annual school plan and school action fund opportunities. In 2023, MISC set a north star a northstar goal of 70% of students attending an A or B-rated campus. We currently have 27% of our students sitting in an A or B-rated campus. As a team, we've reviewed data from multiple sources, including but not limited to STAR data, PSAT data, SAT scores, AP scores, IR graduation rates, CCMR, and early literacy. Accountability ratings play a big part of this process but is not the only deciding factor. The following shows um MISD's historical accountability ratings and you will see we have made growth the last three years from a 66% um overall rating to a 70 to a 72. The
066following data is a distribution of accountability scores by student enrollment. So student enrollment is on the left. Um and then the rating the enrollment by campus is on the right. And we currently have 8,0 students attending an A or B-rated campus. The following distribution shows A through F ratings by elementary to the left. middle school in the center and high school on the right. In 2025, while there were no IF middle school campuses, this grade band continues to have 100% of their schools at or below a C rating. Coming high school improved from a C to a B, increasing that category to one, while elementary grades had two B campuses from last year drop. Accountability ratings numerical value is important um as we look for growth or lack of growth trends. We also look at
067the two-year accountability trajectory. This is important. So, we are not um making decisions just based on one year. We always like to look at two years. So, this slide is showing you um the campuses that are strong and steady, improving, declining, or consistently underperforming. And compared to last year's trajectory, 13 more schools are no longer in the declining or consistently underperforming categories. Six schools maintained their strong and steady pace. It is important to note that TA's multi-year of unaccept unacceptable train is a is an important part of this work as we want to be proactive and begin supporting campuses in year one. Please note that TEA could potentially take action when a campus falls into year five of unacceptable ratings. The next step in this process is applying for the last grant opportunities. Um, these
068grants will provide funding and support for necessary school improvement efforts. We will be applying for several grant opportunities and will receive notification in the spring. This concludes my presentation and I am happy to answer any questions that you may have. Booker down there. Miss Pson, thank you very much. Some good news. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Moving on. Did you say Oh, okay. Uh, agenda item nine D, special services update. Presenter, Dr. Howard and Dr. Harmon. Yes. Um, President Hajes, members of the board, I'll kick this off and then turn it over to Dr. Harmon. Dr. Harmon's in week three of uh being our interim director of special services. So, what we're going to report tonight, um, you may have some questions that she may or may not can answer. Um, she's
069can definitely get those questions answered for you. Uh, but we wanted to bring this update to you. It was uh scheduled to come last month and then we postponed it to this month. I do want to point out a couple of things that have um several things that have been happening. Last week, Miss Shakley um who we've contracted with to conduct a performance review and audit of the entire department uh was here for a couple of days and visited several campuses. In addition to that, um, she reviewed current departmental processes and the special services team over the last three weeks or couple of weeks has completed 67 campus visits, providing classroom support and assisting with student needs. Supervisors attended the special ed TSCS technical training and continued to provide deescalation and nonviolent crisis intervention, which
070we refer to as NCI training for our staff. campus principles received updated training and legal on legal requirements and best practices for serving students or for serving students through special education and 504. Uh we have some upcoming professional developments. So right after the Thanksgiving break, Dr. Kathleen FAD um who I actually remember when I was a principal here, she did quite a bit of work with us at that time. Um she's a behavior specialist and she'll be in um the district supporting behavior support classrooms um and some very specific classrooms that we need that support. She plan, model and develop student specific plans and help campuses um implement those. December 2nd through the 4th, Miss Carter BCBA, >> board certified behavior analyst and a teacher will be in town. um support for life skills teachers
071focusing on classroom structure and teacher practices. And then in January 6, which is a staff development day for our teachers, Dr. Susan Cotlet um another behavior uh BCBA will be here um and focusing specifically on autism in the general education classroom. So, um, all of our special services teachers have completed the required TBSI training, NCI training, and our newly hired um staff will go through that training um at the next available sessions. So, tonight, what you're going to see is an overview of the department's organizational structure. That's going to be um a work in progress as we continue to assess the needs and as we work with Lisa Shley on what she's seeing and recommendations that she makes. um areas of oversight, program development, identified needs, and then of course ongoing initiatives that support our
072students and staff. So with that, I'll turn it over to Dr. Honey. >> Thank you. Good evening, President Hodes, members of the board, and Dr. Howard. Again, a little out of sync during this. Um I wanted the following presentation is to provide we provide you an update on the special services department as Dr. Howard said for the 25 26 school year and I talk fast and I'm going to try to slow myself down. Up down. Okay. Whoops. Now I have two pairs of glasses. I have a little problem. This is just an overview though of our staff um adopted CE from central office staff to building staff. The only addition here is that um we have added speech facilitators because we have online speech therapy now due to the lack of uh our own speech
073therapist in the district. There's a shortage of course across the state and really everywhere. Um and then um we do not have any in-house school psychologists and they are contracted as well because the availability is low here versus if we were in the San Antonio or Austin area where there are many programs for those folks. >> I ask a quick question real quick. >> You can do anything you want sir. Absolutely. >> Region 18 used to have some Region 18 used to h Does region 18 have any school psychologists left or no? >> If I may speak to that I'm from the Houston area and we had Harris County Department of Ed and they would have psychologists OTS and PTS that would travel to different districts and support them but we don't have any there
074but region 18 is being very helpful to us very very helpful. >> Thank you very much. Um I categorize the children uh we pull them by primary disability now and we have these are our numbers and you'll note that there are 600 students with the primary disability of autism and of course children can have several disabilities um and we go blind and just put them in alphabetical order for you. emotional disturbance is really uh it should have said emotionally distable and I just caught that pardon me intellectual disability that's a newer term and then um from they go into orthopedically impaired other health impaired is a large number and I think that's a lot of our oi children um excuse me our ADHD children and then of course learning disability is our largest category and
075I will say that those numbers have gone up about 300 from last year and I believe that is because disabled students well students in dyslexia are being um identified as special education students now. So that has taken a turn and then um we have support we do have BI teachers and things to support our very specific small you know less numbers in disabled students. Okay, sorry. >> These are numbers compared from what you saw last October to our October snapshot this year. 37 3,737 students were identified in special education 13 months ago and our the snapshot was 4,11 and those numbers are 300 more and it's pretty much when you look across from learning disa from learning disabled students um 504 has uh reduced but again I think that has to do with the dyslexia
076students the new ones the new identified newly identified students are being labeled special education and not 504 work. So that typically has come down and I wanted to speak to a couple of specific programs. Dyslexia right now we have 1589 students identified and we are currently serving 781 students students what the teachers call graduate from the program. So many students have successfully completed that program. Speech therapy because that has been an issue that we have identified 1,695 students and that could be a primary disab disability, secondary or tertiary. Speech therapy in person is 1,245. We're were receiving that. And then we have virtual speech therapy of around at 450 students. And of course, these numbers will change every single day because student students are qualifying and they are being dismissed from special ed. And I
077will say that I'm spending a lot of time trying to get the data right. Um I'm very much into PES being accurate and we started uh having a new system every six weeks of actually evaluating our PES data so that we are on top of it. Assessing students is a is a topic because every initial evaluation we will receive $1,000 next fall from the state in reimbursement that will go back to special education. So my mother used an expression that I won't save it, you know, kind of robbing somebody back and forth. So we won't see that money until next fall. But today and this is by month we're tracking it in of course the second and third month of the year there were a good bit more but uh 369 initial evaluations of that
078we have completed 148 of those knowing that they have come most of you in the past six weeks six to eight weeks and the re-evaluations the staff have completed are 259 did not qualify the DNQ thing you hear about sometime they have met there were 22 to date today. That number will probably change tomorrow. We are assisting students on Saturdays because we are short staffed in our diagnosticians and they're working very hard. They're a great group. Curriculum resources. I don't know why I want to look over there. I have my glasses on. We you've probably heard about Ny which is the curriculum for the life skills classrooms and it has been rebranded as Everway they got to change it but it is something that we're using to not only teach the students but to evaluate
079the students in life skills which may or may not have always been the best. Um they are still using goal books and it develops measurable goals and objectives because there is very there are very specific requirements for writing goals and the state has put an emphasis on it where everyone must actually go through training for that and it's about eight hours. Um, Teachtown was just for the uh, classes they called ASD or AS autism support classes, but we have rolled that out as a social and emotional support for anyone that can use it in special ed and resource teachers have social skills groups. It's um, pretty amazing how well it is spread out and reading of course dyslexia. We have used traditionally flight which is Orton Gillingham based. That's how I learned to read in
080the Houston Independent School District. And there is a second program, Reading by Design, that is um from Region 4, but it is widely accepted and widely used across the state of Texas. I am trained in reading by design and it is Orton Billingham based and we are going to expand that training because I firmly believe that resource teachers are going to have to help us as well. And uh we have because most many students that are being identified as learning disabled are in reading and dyslexia comes out often. Of course it does. I'm a diagnostician and so you can you know from how well the children respond to even reading by design in a resource classroom. They're really responding well and picking up the skills they're doing well. So that was just a little thing
081about what Wharton Gillingham is. Um but it's everything skyriting and games and luck direct instruction. Um professional development is a very important thing. It is not just for the teachers. It is for everyone. And there are things that are available online our principles can do and we're going to we're working on it face to face as well. But what is what is the purpose of an AR admission review and dismissal process? the AR, the famous AR. And what I am continuing to say to people, and I'm going to do this backwards for y'all since I'm facing you. Assessment drives goals and objectives, drives services, and placement is last. And that is what I keep. We don't start with placement. We start with the child's assessment. And that entails more than just the formal assessment. It's
082grades and everything. We need to focus on classroom management. The continuum of services which we would start with a child servicing in fully in general ed 25 or 30 years called the mainstream weight and then gradually backing them up to being fully self-contained in a special education classroom is the last thing not the first thing. dyslexia and related disorders. We need a lot of training on that to understand and more than just the diagnosticians, but they have done a phenomenal job of learning about it. Frontline is the new program that I was familiar with it in HR, but it is the new program that we're using to track our student data and it will also be the program to get us to have our shars and and our random time study, our Medicaid reimbursement come
083through. And the the teachers will also use the service logs to track what they how they serve the kids every day. Most of them have a a spreadsheet now of seeing the kiddos every day, but this will be part of that um multi-tered system of supports. That's not our job in special services, but it is our job to to know that we need to do that in the district or otherwise we will have large numbers of children referred for special ed. And not every child that is referred is is disabled, but um we want to be able to serve our children. Again, almost like the least restrictive environment if we can without um putting them in special ed if they don't really need it. serving students in general ed. I mean that is a very
084broad statement because we have people all serving trying to mostly it's behavior um and we everyone needs to learn how to work with children with behavior disorders because not every child a kindergartener comes to school and they are terrified and leaving their mother and they may not want to go into class and I've witnessed it many times myself but that doesn't make them disabled. It just means we need to get them over the hump of such great change and we need to have our skills in the buildings in general ed to do that. Structured classrooms when Dr. Howard and her report said teach that is from North Carolina. When I was a long time ago when I sat in this position I sent groups of educators actually to North Carolina to be trained and teach.
085It is how you structure your classroom. It is physical structure. It is individual schedules for children. It is how you really can make a difference in their lives to build independence. But you have to start small for them to be able to have more broad experience. Parent involvement. We just had a report. Um we have to increase meaningful participation. And that goes two words meaningful participation. They need to feel like they have a say in their child's education. They need to feel like they are heard at ours. And it's not just putting the parent input in the IEP, which is where they'll write that. They'll ask the parent for information. It is counsel. It's it's hearing them. It's having the parent advisory. It's trying to have look at things differently to get parents involved. Then
086the last thing, funding, because we know we're we're in a very it's a very expensive um way. It's a very expensive program and we need to look at our staffing strategically. And I'm not sure and Lisa and I have talked about it. we were kind of on the same page about we're not sure that we have our staff strategically placed as they should be. Um, I mentioned the team's verification because if they're wrong, I know from my education that we need that right because of sending money away and recapture. And so I just wanted to mention the random moment time studies and the school health the chars because we want to maximize that as much as possible. Technically that money goes back to the general fund but I think if we can increase it maybe
087there might be a tidbit to spread around with um special ed as well and health services who brings money in. And with that my presentation is completed then please ask me any questions. >> I only have one question for you real quick that first that was a great presentation. Thank you for that gives a lot of information to the board members. It's a very good introductory level to the complexity of special education. Welcome back to MISD. I look forward to seeing you be part of the solution been like that was really really good presentation that every one of these board members needed including myself. So thank you. My question is on the SHs program going back to the general fund. At one point if I remember correctly the SHs did not go to the general
088fund. it went back to special ed and then we had a superintendent in the past come over and redirect that categorization from the charge program back to the general fund if someone could speak to that and I could be making that up >> and I said Tucker knows but I know the history and I increased it back then we changed things around David Garcia let me have money when I needed it because we were generating it we bought computers for the nurses because they were generating the funds but technically it's always gone to the general fund. So, I think it's kind of a give and take situation that we can work together and Tucker can work with, you know, person. >> Perfect. Thank you very much. >> We've been working hard to get it. >>
089Thank you very much. Next, >> Miss Bson, >> I have a question on the assessment data. The initial referrals of 369, is that from the beginning of this year? Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. Yes. >> And then the re-evaluations are 259 of different students. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Those are students that are already in special education as to whether they are going to have um they still even if they don't do a full-blown assessment, you know, they've still got to sit and re review all the old data, bring it forward, new stuff, and review with the parent. >> How often are those re-evaluations done? >> A minimum of every three years. >> Okay. Just wanted everyone to know that. um >> and 4,000 students. >> Right. So, there's a lot of and there's more than 259
090re-evaluations to be done this year. >> Oh my gosh. Look, that's just what's been completed to date. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I have a few questions. You may not know all this yet, but um how many diagnosticians short do you think we are? >> Three. >> Okay. Well, you do. >> Um >> right now. >> All right. >> Three right now. Uh how about um what is do you this this one you may not know but maybe you will. Um >> what's our what's our our time from referral to assessment timeline? >> Timeline is 45 days and I will be very honest with you sitting out on a campus I hope it'll be 45 days but the timeline when you really look at it is short. They're doing them in less than 45 days.
091cross our fingers that's a lot of u initials right now and then we'll have a certain timeline to go back to parents and I want to say also parent participation we are required to give the assessment the the initial evaluation val to the parent and have give them at least five days before any a could happen for them to have time to review that evaluation >> so that that's our goal or that's what we're kind of under that's a law Yes. Yes, sir. >> Okay. So, if we had three more diagnosticians, what would what do you think our our capability would be as as far as >> we might have to contract and would do Saturday or do testing with the staff we have right now. >> Okay. So, that's that's what we're doing. So,
092we're we're pushing it with everything we can just to get 45 and >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. >> pushing with everything I can't we can to >> I understand. >> Children serve, sir. >> Okay. All right. Um, and then next, so virtual speech therapy, how what's the efficacy on virtual versus in person? >> There's research that I could be happy to send you. I inherited this, you know, kind of >> do you know if if is it >> I would rather send you the research. Let me do that. >> Nothing off the top of your head >> because I know you're the probably the medical doctor that likes to read you like >> Yeah, I I would like to know. Um and is and then the second question you can maybe you know uh is
093there anything else that we could do virtually that would be beneficial? >> We have staffing shortages. >> The psychologists are doing the evaluations virtually. Um I hate this. It's like um not to be sitting in front of a child because I'm a diagnostician. I can't even imagine and it's really hard but people facilitate it. Um, and our children have learned to interact with computers so much more than we ever thought would be. And so I suspect like when you when I send you those art the article in the uh virtual speech therapy that was recently shared with me. Um, we have had to our children have learned to adapt. I wish they could talk to each other more, but they've learned to adapt. >> Absolutely. Um, and then the other thing I was going to
094ask is, you know, we're doing all this mental health training. Uh, you know, they're really ramping it up in, uh, the Perian Basin. Is there an avenue to to get trainees in or are we not allowed to use trainees or what are your thoughts on that? Well, there's the school psychologists were um there was from what I remember there was one school psychologist and one intern at the time and we did not retain them this school year but there there's their ability to have if we had a school psychologist that had a certain amount of credentials then they could supervise interns. We have um asked and spoken to Anita about um finding ways to support some of our educational diagnosticians and teachers who want to become school psychologists and in fact one of our leads
095that has been an amazing help to me and I know to Aaron um Alex Bird is in that program herself and um because it's you the think educational diagnostician and we do all that psych psycho educational training that transfer into the school site program, but very little does. It's just a different track. And the interns are large, just like the board certified behavior analyst. It's a it's a probably a year or two worth of schooling and then thousand a thousand hours a month out of just observing and internships and that's been hard around here. >> So yeah. So my question is like if is it possible to partner with either Texas Tech or UTPB in their um either psychiatry or psych psychology training programs to use their trainees because you know in hospitals we let
096we let trainees have a lot of autonomy but I just don't know how that would work in schools with the state law and you know and psychology. Well, no. I certainly don't know the answer to that, but I do know that we have um through Texas Tech the Telesych or Tella Health and they offer telesc. I don't know if we're taking advantage of that. Um but that might be something to look into. >> We don't have to answer it tonight if we don't know the answer. Well, yeah. Melissa and I have talked about this >> and check UTP, excuse me, UTPB since I teach out there, they don't have a a LSF school psychology program. They won't match their education with their psych department, but tech is a possibility here. Yes, we do uh provide
097teleaalth services through Texas Tech Health Sciences Center and um they can get those online in the school day, but the parent does have to log in with them um at that time. An adult does have to be sitting outside of the classroom or the room where they're receiving those services, but that is something that we do have available. >> And I just got one more. Um, so there was like 18 orthopedic uh disability. Is that mostly cerebral paly kids or where would cerebral I mean I'm used to I'm used to using cerebral pausy. So how where are these kids at? >> I just want to remind everyone real quick that we it's you're getting into identify any students at campuses. Well, and those 18 primary disability orthopedically impaired kind of opened my eyes because I
098don't know how that so I plan on looking at those and seeing if we have properly identified them with the correct primary disability because I suspect there are other needs there. Sir, >> Mr. Mson, >> I have one more question. Miss Pson, >> um, could you describe the role of the diagnostician and like how many how many hours it takes to evaluate one student and get their IEP up for the parent to review, etc. How much time is that per student? >> I'm going to say, Mrs. Furles, it depends on the attention of the child, the age of the child. if the child is um not going to go we when we assess a child you go until it until they get like three things that don't get correct. So a a bright child you
099could go eight hours sitting there assessing a child that may be struggling much less time. A child that has attention issues you've got to pull them in little bits during the day or over a week. And then writing a report is the thing I struggle with the most because it means so much. So I don't take writing report ever lightly and you've got a lot of data to pull in. Technology does help somewhat now. um pulling in the different school data, but you're supposed to be not just looking at the cognitive and achievement testing, but and even when you look at what we call adaptive behavior, when we're looking for possibly an ID u disability, that takes time and it also takes parents and teachers that have to provide written input for us. I've got
100one to bolt on with Mr. Pearlson that has to do with diagnosticians. Um on the on the diag side of it when we're doing the testing and the initial assessment, we need to make sure that we go through at one point it went from paper, you know, to iPads or what have you. But it could hypothetically be that at some sometimes that you move over to digital or a smart device and then you realize that the grading criteria doesn't match the testing criteria. So if you don't have apples to apples then you could be assessing incorrectly and then you're totally placing incorrectly and it is a snowball that just started downhill that's going to have years and then hypothetically you fix it down the road. So again, thanks for being here. >> Thanks for recognizing
101that because it's true. Verbal, non-verbal, what what should you be using and you do your best judgment and sometimes you have to stop and go back and do something different. I just want you to know while I'm on this board and I I will do everything I can to pull enough votes to get it is we will fully make we will make sure that you have the financial support to make sure that you match you're able to to to meet that objective with the diagnosticians and the department because if we don't get that piece right then it is not good. So anyway >> assessment is again it's is the building block of everything sir. So thank you so much. Yeah. And then the CBI. I would like to get to a point where we can
102do CBIS with these kids again. >> We got bigger fish to fry, but the CBIS are very important. Anyway, that's I'm done. >> Mr. Hajes, I'm glad you brought that up. I actually um ever since Dr. Harmon started in this role, Dr. Harmon, Aaron and I meet every Friday morning and one of the things that we talk about, are there any barriers that you need me to help you with? And so they know and that's why we started the Saturday assessment to try to catch up on some of the assessments. So they know to if they can get it done without me, great. But if not, that's what the Friday meetings are for so I can help with that. And the CBIS, I talked to her about that the first day. >> Every board Oh,
103Dr. Freeze and everybody should go on a CBI to Dairy Queen. It's pretty >> We should go to a CBI trip to Dr. Freeze's office. >> Thank you very much. I Josh, Mr. Gwen. >> Okay, thank you very much. >> What? Sorry, I had It's a quick one. What was the name of that training program in North Carolina? You >> teach e a c. I'm trained as well. Um there are a handful of people left. Laura Arthur is one of them that is a diagnostician at Legacy High School. she went in those years back when when I was director. Um, but it is phenomenal. But we can also they do abbreviated versions of it at the service center three days in the summer and it is great. I went somewhere before last. Um, and the
104people I'm bringing in are at least Dr. Catlet and Siki Carter are two trainers. There were more back 22 years ago when I came here, but um here's some younger ones we found though. Well, it's great. It's phenomenal training. >> Thank you, Dr. Herman. I I have a I guess a couple of questions if I may. Uh first and foremost, thank you for the uh for the information. A lot of times it's like being fair with the fire hose that we take, you know, in what we can and I know everybody's different on their abilities of of understanding. But, uh, I guess the questions I have, uh, is how far were we behind prior to you coming and what is it going to take to get where we need to be? >> I preface this
105with when I was hired by Dr. Nicks 22 years ago. Um, TEA had been here three times in five years. It took two or three years to turn it around. Bringing in expert outside people that just didn't drop in that were like Dr. Fad, Dr. Howard remembers her. She came, she worked, and she you stay with it. Um, a lot of training in the summer. I've got to have these the resource teachers trained in reading by design because they need to have a curriculum that supplements what's going on in the general education classroom because it is specially designed instruction when a child is pulled out. When I stopped being director of special ed five or six years later, we were a zero risk factor on the old system that is now RDA. But you can
106do it with the right outside help and with the right people in the chairs. And I hired from within and two of them ended up being directors after me. So you have to build capacity and you have to hire you need to train up these folks to be know not just one specific program but you're always training to be the school superintendent, right? Work your way up the chain. >> Okay. So next question maybe directed toward doc Dr. uh Howard is the question is you said we have people coming into the district now that's uh giving us some assistance and help and then there's an opportunity for for us to have some people that's in house and have those people certified and trained that is an opportunity right are we going to take it take
107advantage of that while we have uh these people on board to to get uh in-house training and certifications >> yes absolutely I mean one of the things that we're working on is a training plan and there's been um you've received two special education updates in the last four weeks I believe three weeks. Um there's been some training that's already occurred and the training I referenced earlier that's coming up right after Thanksgiving. Uh mapping out those trainings over the course of the spring semester and then of course building out that summer training plan and a long-term training plan. the best the best professional development is you don't just go to a training and that you have to have in-class support to reiterate that and keep you know and when I did the program about almost three
108years ago in life skills um I identified model classrooms and um I'm looking for a couple of them I think we probably already have a couple of them at least if not more um but you have to be able to see it not just with pictures you need to be able to see it, feel it, and touch it. Like anything else, it's got to be multiensory. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Dr. Harmon. Along those lines, let's talk about your pair of professionals. How short are we on pair of professionals? >> I'm not bad. Not that many vacancies. >> Give me a number. >> Tell you a number. I could bring it up if I went back and sat down and but we're not that bad. We've got um few people quitting. Um, we added, we've
109moved some positions around that need to be filled, an additional one at Abel, um, one at Jones. I looked at the list. I know in early childhood I could open up my folder and tell you in early childhood the vacancies for Paris, which I think there are a couple across the district. >> We can provide that, Mr. Anderson. What about their do they are they going to be receiving training year round and especially during summertime, summer break? >> I'm glad that you brought that up because that has always been a roadblock of how are we going to pay them because we're going to have to pay them to come to summer training. And in the old days, and I say that because I'm the oldest one in the room, in the old days, we used
110to use I'd save up money in the budget in the federal budget and we would pay our pair of professionals just like we paid our teachers to come to summer training. I intend to involve pair of professionals anytime they're on contract on a PD day in PD. They'll be able to hear Dr. Catless half a day. Um January 6th and you're telling me it's time, right? >> No, I'm thinking in my head. Well, I'm moving money around. >> You I'm always moving around. I'm I love to move money around. It's my favorite thing to do because money does make the world go around. >> How to get Paris paid. Sorry. >> Okay. Yeah, that's um as we build out the training plan, it's just like with anything else. If we identify that to be a
111need, we'll figure out how to pay for it. >> Okay. I just want to make sure that we do have I know that right now we've got a a shortage of Paris who are not bilingual. And I think it's important that we need to focus on that because there's those students that are in dire need of uh of a paraprofessional. And Dr. Howard, I'm going to leave that one with you. And that's all I have. Thank you, ma'am. >> It's nice to see you, Mr. Hernandez. >> Anything else? >> I appreciate it very much. I think we're done this time. Thank you again. >> Thank you, sir. >> President Hodge, uh, I move to make a 10-minute uh, recess. >> Second. >> It has been moved and seconded that we take a 12m minute recess
112by Mr. Booker. All those in favor, raise your right hand. I pray. improvement. The college and career prep model is fostering early college and career awareness while maintaining a focus on rigorous instruction and student growth. So looking at the slide here, initially the turnaround plan um the areas of improvement that were being implemented, they were implemented. However, these areas needed to be explicitly defined. The revised turnaround plan centers on strengthen instructional leadership, datadriven practices, and professional learning systems to accelerate student achievement and ensure long-term stability. The key improvements focus on administrator support, instructional quality, coherent data tracking, and alignment of classroom practices with district expectations. Although Miss Brown is a new principal, the district is confident in her ability to lead effectively. To support her, I am providing daily on-site coaching and oversight, including walkthroughs,
113data reviews, and implementation monitoring. This high-touch support model reinforces accountability and builds leadership capacity. The revised plan establishes a clear performance management strategy and defined metrics, structured monitoring cycles, and continuous feedback links between the campus and district teams to ensure timely interventions. It also outlines a systemic process for implementing highquality instructional materials, ensuring consistency and less design in instructional delivery across all grade levels. Our board goals drive the intentional work we are doing to break the chain of unacceptable performance. Paired with consistent checkpoints and data management systems, our board goals help guide planning, explicit instruction, and targeted interventions. So here you'll see our staff highlights and the progress that we've made. Strategic staffing continues to improve through opportunity culture. This year we saw the number of certified teachers uh that number increased from 53% to
11461%. Through our strategic st Oh goodness. Through our strategic staffing efforts, we were able to recruit uh two highly effective multiclassroom leaders which support our developing and novice teachers. Those two um multiclassroom leaders they support grades kinder first, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth. Bunch also has six teacher incentive aotment designated teachers and by spring 2026 we're appending four more. The instructional leadership team and I received ongoing support from teach like a champion and education education elements. We have developed a teach like a champion action plan based on walkthrough trends and feedback. We are building capacity in our teachers and they are making necessary shifts and adjustments in their lesson internalizations rehearsals to improve their direct instruction. We continue to plan and deliver timely professional learning to strengthen classroom management, student engagement, data management, and academic
115rigor. Now, at this time, you will hear from Miss Emily Brown, principal at Bunch Elementary. Good evening. At brunch, we identified that our highest leveraged move is to build capacity with our staff to provide Effective tier one instruction is explicit instruction with their learning targets and success criteria aligned to the rigor of the teams. It's strong modeling, active student practice, and productive struggle. and real-time check for understanding. When teachers internalize lessons, unpacking standards, anticipating misconceptions, planning questions, and rehearsing instruction, they enter the classroom prepared to deliver precise, rigorous teaching. To anchor this work, our teaching and learning department has partnered directly with our teachers, providing targeted support, coaching, and professional development to strengthen lesson internalization and tier one instructional practices. To continue strengthening our tier one instruction, we are expanding weekly internalization routines across all
116grade levels. We're providing coaching aligned to domain one and tier one look force. We're using exit ticket data daily to adjust instruction and we're monitoring progress through walkthroughs, feedback cycles, and student data. These actions anchor our broader turnaround efforts and directly support board goals A, B, and D. Our teachers use daily mastery trackers to drive targeted tier 2 instruction by identifying misconceptions early. We intervene before they become achievement gaps. Teachers analyze CFU data in real time and provide daily tutorials to ensure every student gets the support they need to master grade level content. Consistently updated public data displays make student progress visible and keep goals front and center. By strengthening tier one instruction, we are creating classrooms where students engage in productive struggle, collaborate with purpose, and think critically. Students are setting meaningful academic goals,
117and can clearly articulate what mastery looks like and the steps needed to reach it. Our college and career prep model reinforces this work by promoting ownership, high expectations, and a clear vision of what it means to be ready for college and career. We're expanding student exposure to workforce pathways and aligning academic learning with future college and career readiness. >> Good evening. My name is Trisha Tran, principal supervisor for Desabala, and I'm here today to provide you an update without coughing as best as I can. On this slide, you will see specific strategies, specific improvement strategies for Desala Elementary. We've implemented teach like a champion techniques to strengthen the lesson delivery, um increase engagement, and raise expectations in every classroom. Teachers at Desabala receive ongoing feedback from their principal supervis or from their principal and campus
118administration team and MCL teams but um campus administration receives ongoing coaching not only from myself but from our chief academic officer um feedback is as frequent as weekly um sometimes multiple times a week when I visit campuses classrooms PLC's um I give that feedback directly to Mr. or Miss Malone. Um and I have been working with them for multiple years now. So that coaching and support is is um a two-way communication um between us because of the support that um I have provided over the years with them and the relationship at Roosevela. We also have um the STEM inquiry based learning model that is the model that we've um adopted which promotes hands-on um exploration, critical thinking and real world problem solving while using the current high quality instructional materials such as STEM scopes and
119amplify. We um also track individual student growth trackers so teachers can monitor uh student individual goals and intervene in the moment with students as you've heard um at some of our other campuses. Not only that, but we celebrate the growth that we are seeing um for those students. And finally, professional learning communities drive continuous improvement as teachers plan, rehearse, and refine instruction together. If you want to see a campus, a model campus that um has the professional learning community culture where they plan and rehearse, Nazabala is where you will go. They are in year three of these systems and structures in place and are often um visited by other campuses to to see um these systems in place. Um these strategies that I mentioned are not new. We've been working on these and anything worth
120um any system that is going to show progress, it takes time. And so um because of this focused work, especially the consistent coaching and the full implementation of Teach Like a Champion during the 2425 school year, the campus accountability rating rose from a 59 an F to a 68D, which hurts when you're that close. I will say that um Desabala is building systems that will last and are not quick fixes. And so when you when you start with um true instruction and build the capacity of your teachers and your leaders, um it's much more difficult for for those systems to fall apart when um there's changes. We're proud of this progress, but we still remain committed to that continued growth. Um the way we're doing that is we have monthly teach like a champion professional
121development and continue to strengthen the instructional practices such as the high level questioning and student engagement techniques. Desabala has already started providing a targeted intervention during the school day but also after school tutorials. Those started in early September. Um during the school day they're using I Ready and Summit which also provides targeted instruction uh based on the needs for reading and math and also our emergent bilingual students um in which we focus on the English language development. We did recently have um a visit from Texas Tech University um in which we're still awaiting that feedback and hope to bring that to you. What they did was it's an implementation a fidelity of implementation um study when they came to see how how where we can what are our strengths and where we could um do
122a better job with the implementation of the STEM model. So more information will come with that along with um district benchmark um information in December. Um this is um also the example of the board goal scorecard that um which allows us to have our strategic focus on board goals. This is not only monitored by um the campus leader but by myself um and we are um making necessary adjustments based on the data but campus uh teachers also are aware of these goals. They track them in their hallway and then individualized student goals as well. I do want to mention that um the mindset has changed. Um we're not just focusing on student growth while that is really important at Desabala. We're focused on domain free because we saw that that's what um prevented us from
123achieving um that higher um rating. Um and again as I mentioned two points that that hurts a lot when you're that close to that. So what we did notice is domain three is the um encompassing domain. Domain three encompasses not only achievement, it encompasses growth and it also encompasses um all of your subrops. It um it's like the holding place. So when you focus on domain three, you're not leaving anything out. And so um Desabala is paying much closer attention to domain 3 to ensure that we do not fall short again but remain focused on um increasing achievement. We do um have a tracker for domain 3 and we'll continue to track all major benchmarks and make any adjustments and updates that we need to. Now I also wanted to provide a quick overview of
124some of the changes and um to highlight the staff and some of the progress made at DZ. Again we strategically shifted our focus to domain three which encompasses achievement growth and language proficiency. Desabala was able to recruit two MC two multiclassroom teachers who are highly effective and have already made a positive impact on campus this year. Um, you know, sometimes when you bring high um performing teachers or teachers who are just going above and beyond, sometimes that raises the bar for um others to start like, wait a minute, I can do that. I want to do that. So, you can already feel it when you walk into Desabala. It is just um another place um and those two teachers I feel like play a big role in that because they're taking other teachers under their
125wing and causing that level of performance to rise. Desabala has six teachers that received teacher incentive aotment. It has to be more pending and so we're really proud of that. We have provided ongoing uh professional development and strong focus on intervention um based on I Ready and um common formative assessment data. We provide intervention and small group instruction daily. This is built into the schedule. You can visit Desavala at any time or not at any time but during the day during that structured time and walk into any classroom and you will see a teacher not only with um students but other students engaged in small groupoup instruction. This is the way we do business and it is daily not just once a week or not um not at the at the drop of a hat.
126It is structured within our our um master schedule. Up next is Mr. Des Mr. Desabala Mr. Mr. um who's going to provide you more details on um the campus. >> Thanks. >> Good afternoon. I'm David Wat, the principal of Desabala Elementary. Thank you for having me to speak about just the great things that we're doing at Desabala. Um once again, I invite all of you to please come down. We're happy to have you. Uh we do want to be the model campus for the district. So, first of all is uh rehearsals are an important part of our campus culture. One thing that we want to do with rehearsals is that we want to build teacher confidence. We want to focus on specific techniques so insertion can be mastered. Uh we want to promote immediate feedback
127with each other as colleagues and co-workers so we can refine our lessons for students. Most importantly is we want to have a culture of excellence. We want to make sure that we have that consistency with those lessons as well. uh we went from whole group rehearsals in our library out of compliance just to make sure that teachers understand what we need to do. Once we saw that teachers were mastering that and they were able to communicate a little bit better, then we went on to break up into different groups so we can be able to be in classroom so teachers can rehearse with all the re uh resources available to them as if they were taking it live as if they were an actual lesson. Uh the most important thing is that it clearly helps
128uh teachers to articulate the lesson so there's no student confusion on what needs to be done during that moment. Uh it also helps teachers implement research based instructional strategies and it leads to high student outcomes which is our goal. So we calendar all of our assessments. Thank you. So we calendar all of our assessments so we can have a timely and effective data analysis, but we also have a data analysis protocol so we can understand the conceptual or procedural errors that we see, but we can also create effective targeted interventions based on on that data analysis. So we're we're always looking at numbers all the time. We want to try to make sure that we manipulate the numbers, but also that means we have effective instruction to be able to do so. So teachers are
129tracking mastery the mastery exit tickets daily. This is done through a daily mastery tracker. The goal is to have state cycle intervention um in that same instructional block. What that means is that we want to ensure that all students are leaving the classroom mastering the lesson for that day. If they go home and they don't master that lesson, then we're going to have a lot of things to deal with the next day. So we want to make sure that they go with the right information. they come back out in knowing the correct information with that type of mastery. Uh so as you can see on the left side there's two colors for example on that first bar graph whenever we're tracking the the daily exit tickets. Uh one example is during tier one instruction we
130can see that 57% of the students mastered the exit ticket or the lesson for that day. So what that tells that teacher for that day is to pull the rest of the kids and provide tier 2 instruction or intervention and retach the students and then reassess them. So the second part is the total amount after the retach and reassessment was 80% of the students master that that lesson for that day as well. The whole purpose is to fill those learning gaps and to also ensure that if that tier one instruction is not effective then we ensure that tier 2 instruction is effective in that moment. Then also we have uh assessment trackers or data trackers for assessments. Um and it also tracks our achievements and also our student growth goals for the next performance level
131for STAR. But we also use that to guide our instruction for tier one and tier two instruction. So we can also meet those conceptual land procedural errors that we see when students are taking the test. A big game changer for us at Dala is our STEM pedigogy scorecard. We provide peer look fors to our teachers based on teacher champion strategies. So whenever we do our walkthroughs, they know exactly what we're looking for during that lesson. And it's not perfect right away because it depends on the time of the day that you go in there. But we always try to go back to try to see if we can hit all of our lookers for our teachers. We give in the moment feedback to the teachers. And then we also use this to find in social
132trends for either the whole campus that specific grade level or that specific teacher that we see. So there's different color codes and different numbers to be what that teacher got. Um this is uh given to all the teachers. They all can see it but it also create creates a culture of learning and responding to whatever changes we are seeing on the campus to be able to adjust it as well. This also helps us uh hit board goal D by providing any clinics to teachers based on those instructional gaps that we see in the classroom. So in order to transition out of a D-rating, it's important for us to make a connection between reading, writing, and language acquisition, which is also hit under domain three for star accountability. uh every content area writes once a week
133on and basically we're our goal is to help students provide a clear understanding of how to communicate in writing and that also provides a lesson or an assignment that's at a higher rigor and then mastering that connection with writing and language acquisition will ensure that we do not fall shy of earning a higher rating for example that we missed there by two points this past year. We're also creating inquiry based learning by guiding students to make a connection with lessons. Uh the image on the right, you're seeing that students in kindergarten had a reading lesson with the three little pigs. So the way that we provided inquiry with them is that we gave them a task to create different houses to try to see which houses are going to be most stable. They used a
134blower or a haird dryer to try to blow over the houses. They saw which houses were more stable. then they learn from that to try to refine it and build even stronger houses as well. Most importantly in regards to STEM imple implementation in the campus um it's nothing additional to really what high and effective instruction is. It enables teachers to prepare lessons that are student centered and calls for crosscurricular and inter interdisciplinary connections. This leads to highly effective instruction and allows students to make meaningful connections uh with academic concepts and practical application to whatever they're learning. So, thank you for your continued support. I'll hand it over to ML. >> So, this concludes our presentation. Thank you so much. Um as Mr. Dark said, thank you for your continued support. Um and we'll continue working
135hard. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. Questions, Booker. >> Dr. Freeze, I know you've got them. >> Got a couple. I'll keep it short. >> Who wants to put a plus or minus on how many a couple is? Plus or minus 30 minutes. Um, so so I got I got a lot of confidence in both of you as principles. I'm really very impressed and I think you're both right on track for this. Um, so I I here I'll just kind of group them as one question. So, so we got all these great datadriven strategies. I I would like you just kind of explain how they're how they're working this year. Are we getting buy in from from teachers, students, and is there anything the board can help you with? And then secondly, do
136we have any data yet on any of this? >> No. >> Absolutely. >> So, um the So, I think teach like a champion, we've checked a lot. Um but that has been a critical piece in building capacity in our teachers. Um for them just to know how to build their instruction so that it's effective, it's direct, it's explicit for students. and then knowing how to ask those critical questions in the moment to help students clarify their thinking and listen for those misconceptions to then follow up with any type of intervention. Um it's not an easy task and it takes daytoday support coaching walkthroughs that feedback. Um I we're in a we did walkthroughs today with um um education elements and just seeing how far the teachers have come has been uh almost a little bit
137emotional. But we have a lot of teachers who are putting in the work um who get up every day. Uh we had teachers from Bunch the sixth grade team. They went over to Davala on Monday morning. They gave up their conference and they said we want to be better. And we hear that Miss Peralta, we hear that Miss McMahan, they have it together because they are doing these things with fidelity and integrity each and every day. So to have what I would call like sister schools, uh, DZ and Bunch, just to have that safety and knowing I can look at another teacher down the street who has the same kids and the same issues and and things that may occur and they're doing the work, I think it's been very impactful to see it in
138action. Now, as far as the data piece, we don't have comprehensive data right now. Um, I don't want to speak too much, but um I know with both campuses, as we're seeing the CFU data, we're trending in the right direction, but during the um in December for the 18th assessment, we'll have a better uh view of how we're on track. >> Can I say something, Mr. Hudson? Um, I think you all have a calendar invite for this and should have received some information. But Thursday at 10 at Days Zavala, we have the donor preview. So, if you can make it out to that, we would love for you to join us. We spend a lot of time at these two campuses. And uh, one of the things that I shared with um, Mr. Dorte the
139other day and and some of his team is uh the level of um expectations, the sense of urgency, the professionalism, the doing whatever it takes for kids is something that we see on these campuses that quite frankly we're working to to um replicate on some other campuses that are C's but should be moving to B's. I just have a um thing on lesson internalization because we've heard a lot about it and I I attended the OC opportunity culture thing this week and watched some I like that you put some examples in here today because the one from bunch I think was less an internalization. Is it not what they're doing? Yeah. So I know that for some it's a lot of it's a lot of it's a learning curve with a new program but is
140this our second year with TAC on every campus? >> Yes. Um with teach like a champion it's the second year. Um but what we have noticed is um that there just is a like you said a learning curve. um we have refreshed and reprovided all of the PD and um so that principles can revisit with their teams. I do want to to just mention that um high quality instructional materials were developed so that teachers are spending time internalizing that is why the tea developed it um instead of looking for materials they study their materials and so um what we like to or what we have been doing our best to um communicate is that internalization is making something that's already existing your own writing on it and making sure you understand it. So um you
141know just like any other performance-based industry you have to rehearse your script or your play or whatever it is right um but then the rehearsal part of it is um so your execution that's what Mr. Bar was talking about internalization is one piece of it, but then you have to make sure you can execute it well. Um but that is why one piece of why um high quality instruction material was developed so that you're spending your time there instead of >> it seems like that this would definitely move the needle for every kid in classrooms because you're you're getting a a well designed lesson and um giving it to the kids at where you really have the knowledge about what you're doing instead of And just to add and this might answer some of your
142question Dr. freeze. We have identified model campuses and um put them on an Excel sheet and that is why you're you some of them are already visiting each other and that's junior highs even um we took the junior highs actually well I wasn't there I was they took the junior high leaders to see desabella as well because um we want them to start identifying those pieces um and also like wait a minute oh you are doing these practices or this is maybe this isn't what I thought or maybe I was overthinking it you know so when they can connect with someone as Miss McClan was talking about. So, we have identified places for them to go see it. >> Carlson, anything else? >> I just have a quick question on the implementation is great job.
143You've got it handled on the implementation plan. Do y'all have like actual framework like a visual map that you can give and communicate to the parents? because I think it's very very important at these schools like we had talked about earlier focused parental involvement and the more information and visuals we give them on this is what we're doing this is who you contact this is what our plan is I think the the more benefit we're going to have long term and get buy in from them >> so we try to communicate as often as possible with the parents but I think that's a great idea for us to share what direction we're going what type of map or flow we're we're using for the implementation of of the STEM model. >> I just and again
144y'all I just know that the implementation is what you either win or lose with how you implement a great strategy and I think a visual map with those parents so they know who to contact and what's going on would be great but that's not my side of the ledger. So I'm pushing up against my boundary with love. >> Thank you. Great presentation. Moving on to agenda item number nine F, turnaround plan based on the 2025 accountability ratings for Legacy Freshman High School. Miss Piles, how are you? >> Thank you, President Hajes, members of the board, and Dr. Howard. We're here at this time just to reference the presentation that was um provided during the public hearing to see if you had any questions for myself as the supervisor of Legacy Freshman or Mrs. Ring as
145the principal of Legacy Freshman regarding the turnaround plan and the strategy. >> I have I have a few. Um, so one one thing I think we deal with a little bit more in in the upper grades versus the lower and I've kind of actually heard it vocalized um is not necessarily from Miss Ring, but is apathy. Um, how do we how are we addressing apathy at >> I think one of the biggest ways we can counter apathy is by providing quality instruction. Um, years ago when I was a instructional specialist for Mr. Cidio at Midland Freshman, um, we had a math team sit there and talk about kids not even wanting to pick up pencils. And when we made big instructional changes and started responding to students immediately, um, putting in cycles of learning, all
146of a sudden, kids that weren't picking up their pencils realized that they did have a chance and were trying. So, I don't think it's it's a simple fix, but when we improve instruction, we make an impact there. >> Um, okay. The attendance, it looks like we're up to 93 from 91.3. >> It's probably down a little bit after last week. Stomach virus that was sitting >> and then December we're probably going to go down a little bit too, I would think. So, what can we is there anything we can do as a board to help you with this >> board >> or I mean just anything you know >> I'll let Miss Ring share some of the things they're doing that's improve their attendance this year. >> I I think putting it in front of
147our APS has made a difference and maybe that's it like helping continuing the message with our community of how important it is to come to school. It doesn't matter how great the teacher is doing in the classroom if the child's not there. And so me putting those things in front of my APS continuously helps them make adjustments. And so the more we can put that information in front of the community to emphasize the importance of being at school, I think that's a way you could help. >> That's all I have. I also have great confidence in you. So you're doing a good job. Thank you very much. There's a noise up here. It's crazy. Uh, moving on to agenda item 9G, offenses eligible to be served in a juvenile justice alternative education program, JJ AE.
148Miss her, how are you? >> Good. Good evening, board president Hodes, board members, Dr. Howard. Um, this evening I'm here to inform the board of the offenses eligible to be served in a juvenile justice alternative education program or JJ. There's no action required from the board. This is for information only. This aligns directly with our district's commitment to ensuring that all students perform on grade level and are progressing toward graduation, college, career, and military and are military ready. Um, our district currently faces critical challenge in effectively addressing serious student misconduct. Last year we had 32 expelable offenses and so far this school year we've had eight that would require JJ Aap placement if we had a facility available. While new legislation, specifically speaking, House Bill 6 introduced a virtual option with the virtual expulsion program
149for counties lacking a JJ. Um, we still know that the proven mechanism, the proven effective mechanism is a juvenile justice alternative education program. Additionally, that virtual expulsion program, we're still awaiting on guidance to be able to implement that. That's expected in January. JJ AAP operates under chapter 37 of the Texas Education Code and delivers vital academic interventions in the core subjects, language arts, mathematics, science, and social study and ensuring students receive grade level instruction. Mandatory assignments to a JJ occur following serious infractions, discretionary expulsions for off off-campus incidents, court orders due to an expanded list of title N offenses. Um the severity of these title I'm sorry, title five, not title nine, title five offenses underscores the need uh for structured intervention program. the offenses that are now included but not limited to um having
150students sent to a JJ, murder, capital murder, manslaughter, criminal negligent homicide, kidnapping, aggravated kidnapping, all those serious things. I know Dr. Howard spoke about those last month. Sexual offenses such as indecency with a child, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, felony assault, offenses against vulnerable individuals, injury to a child, elderly individual or disabled individual and abandoning or endangering a child. Other serious offenses are also included like deadly conduct and terroristic threat. The list includes aiding suicide tampering and tampering with a consumer product. By utilizing the JJ model, we would be making a strategic cost-effective investment. This program ensures that young offenders receive the necessary structured educational interventions to significantly reduce recid recidivism rates, improve academic growth, and ultimately contribute to a safer and more secure community. That concludes myformational report. Yes, ma'am. Can you tell us
151what the most prevalent offense is for assignment to JJ A? >> Well, um, we don't have a JJ A, but um, really it is things students are doing outside of school that are a felony charge. And um, I could I could get you that data. I have it all pulled, but I don't have it with me today of the number of offenses. >> Thank you. >> But I I do expect now that aggravated assault and um and felony assault are included in charges on and off campus that that'll be our number one. What were the What were the eight that What were the charges on the eight that would make them eligible for this program? >> I'm sorry. Can you ask? >> It said earlier that there were eight, I believe, kids that were eligible.
152You gave a number. I can't remember. >> Oh, yes, sir. We had we've had eight so far this year and most of them were an assorted assorted felonies um including felony assault um some out of school gun charges um several of those um deadly conduct serious stuff. um we have had a sexual assault um outside of school, but now that Title 5 felonies happening outside of school can be placed up for expulsion, we're seeing a lot more of those. >> So, where are those currently being where are those students currently at? currently um some of them are on the street and if they have special ed services we are trying to serve them virtually um in a partnership with MAP and um but a lot of them are on the streets >> they're expelled without
153services. >> Okay. >> Yes. Expelled without services. Yes. Thank you. Um >> so they're not at MAP and they're not on campus. They're they're that we screened them, right? >> Yes. >> When we when we can >> when we can. Yes, sir. We do expel them without services, but they're in the community because they're not in school. >> So, which ones are which ones were we not able to street? >> So, if students are served through special education, they can be placed, but they cannot be expelled. So, uh, without a JJ, that means we place them in MAP >> or virtual. >> Correct. >> Additionally, also, um, if they're served under Mckin Vento or considered homeless, they also, um, those students cannot be expelled without services. >> So, how many violent felons are we currently
154serving that weren't able to to be treated out of that eight? Are you asking currently at MAP >> or virtually or what have which ones are not fully streeted? Like what's the number of the ones that are not fully treated? >> I want to say four. It's close to four. >> So 50% of them we were not able to street and we're still responsible for educating those violent felons within our school district. Yeah. >> And I think one of the reasons that well a lot of reasons JJ is important, but you heard Miss her talk about um off-campus misconduct. So many times these felony offenses occur off campus on the weekends during the summer. Um you know, whenever they carry those charges, they're eligible for a JJ. Uh but without one, we're not able to
155place them there. >> But they do bring that stuff back to school. So now that we have that um ability for expulsion for those out of campus, it allows us to have a more a safer learning environment for our students. >> Yes. When we've appropriately placed violent felons away from when we've appropriately placed violent felons away from the general population, it makes for a safer educational environment. Agreed. Thank you. Anyone else? Dr. Freeze. So, uh, you know, it it talks a little bit about discretionary expulsions. Yes, sir. >> Not necessarily on this list. And, you know, we have repeated behavioral problems. Can you go into that a little bit? Is there how how does that work into this? >> Well, through a JJ, it's it's that part is handled through the memorandum memorandum of understanding,
156theou between the county and the um school district. And it would become a determination through that agreement uh what students was agreed upon that could be placed there through discretionary expulsion. >> So do we have anyou with the county? >> Not currently but that would be part of the process of looking at establishing a JJ. >> No current. Do do we have any current waiver >> because this is state statute. Is this appropriate question to ask or >> Yes. Um >> I can speak on it a little bit as well. >> Yeah, go ahead cuz you were there that day. >> So a couple weeks ago, me, Miss Berles, Mr. Booker, Dr. Howard met with Judge Johnson, uh Sheriff Kryer was there um and visited with them. The important thing to note here, the JJ
157is a program that's ran by the county. It's not an MISD ran program. So, uh, I think a lot of people get that confused. We supply the instruction just like we would like at Culver, but working visiting with them a couple weeks ago. We are now in the process of getting them over some information on some similar programs like from Abalene, Leach, surrounding areas. Uh, and we're working with them to hopefully get one established here. Some of the community partners were very interested in helping us out with it. So, um, they're actually looking to do it at the old, it's not courthouse, the jail, the sheriff's department off of, uh, Main Street. So, >> no, I don't believe so. >> So, we have provided sampleous to the county. Um, they referenced a waiver from 2011.
158I was a principal here in 2011. I don't recall that. I know at that time we were as principles asking about JJAP because that's around the time frame where we hit the threshold from a um population standpoint. I have not seen a waiver um but that waiver was referenced um during that um tour. >> Would this is a question for legal is a waiver from 2011. How does this factor in? Does this Well, obviously without seeing the waiver, I have no idea. So, it's it's a it could be something that's ongoing. It could be something that was just for a year. Um I I've never even seen a JJ waiver to be honest, but we have we represent all kinds of districts and all kinds of counties. Um I was kind of shocked tonight when
159I heard that Midland County did not have a JJ to be brutally honest. So, uh it's kind of news to me. And uh normally we haveus that run the gamut of agreements between school districts in their JJ AP in those counties. But without seeing the wave, it's going to be really hard for me to tell you exactly what it looks like. Sorry. >> Is there any way we could get a hold of that waiver? >> I can request that from the county and see if they can provide it because I would expect they would be the ones that had to file it. >> I do have a question. Maybe it's just kind of an off-wall question, but isn't there some type of law or something within the city for the county if you're a certain
160size as far as population that you have a JJ? >> That's what Yes, we've qualified since I believe 2011. I >> think it's 135,000. I can't remember. It's 100,000 plus. >> Do you know the number? >> Yeah, it's >> It says 125,000. >> 125,000. I was off by >> we're over 160,000 um according to the demographic study yesterday. >> So the county is required to supply a building. That's basically their requirement >> and staff, >> right? It's um >> my understanding. >> And does a waiver from 2011 I mean do you have to get a waiver every year or do we even know? Is there >> I don't do not know the answer to that. I think we Mr. Leer and Carol will probably bird dog that out to answer those questions. >> I'll be
161be blunt. I've never seen a JJ. So, like I said, most of the districts that are >> welcome to Midland. >> Those sides counties all have them. So, now are a whole another matter and that's all, you know, negotiating those is different, but I've never seen a waiver. So, >> my question I've got just one quick question. If you don't, can I jump in and ask this? I can. Um, and it's probably going to be for the police chief. Um, so with the the this the talk on the JJ um and the felonist activity, I believe that there's law state education code that identifies gangbangers or gangster organized criminal activity that would also be um available to go to the JJAP. Do we know do we have any known gang activity in MISD? >> Yes,
162sir. Yes, we do. >> So, it would behoove us to work with the county to get a JJ in a program to not only remove the violent felons out of the general education, but also probably to work on identifying active gang members and remove them as well over to the juvenile justice alternative education program. >> Yes, sir. Because basically in a gang, you would think that they are involved in serious serious crimes too. So they would fall into that. There there would be individuals that have been charged already that would probably fall under that. And I think in that law I have to look. We'd have to go to legal, but I think somewhere in the state education code is you don't even have to be a criminal. You just have to be a known
163active gang member. And so we can remove you from the we can give you your least restrictive learning environment over at the JJ. And I would just think as that's not my subject matter expertise, yours is law enforcement, but if we were to remove and there's not very many of these people at MIST, but if we remove the serious distractions, shall we say, it would have a cascading effect that would positively impact the entire student body across all the campuses of MISD. If we separated the violent felons and the known active gang members from the general population, would you agree? >> Yes, it would. And there's also some criteria that you have to meet in order for you to classify a student or a person as a gang member, right? So, there's got to be
164certain things that uh we keep track of or we can document to indicate that this that person is part of a gang or not. >> Yes, sir. I I I knew that you would also probably agree to separate, you know, to to work on positively impacting it. Thanks. Those are the only questions that I have. Thank you very much. >> Anyone else? Anyone else? Dr. Freeze. Come on. I had 10 bucks. You had one more. Okay. Moving on to the next agenda item. Agenda item 9H, the board legal council protocols. Miss Blue and Mr. Leer. See, it was good that you were there. You're close. >> Just hung out. Just kept hanging out. >> Mr. Blue, if you'd say next or or move on or something, I will hit your next slide for you. How's
165that? >> Okay. Thank you so much. Um, >> hello, wonderful um board of um Midland Board. So nice to see you tonight. Um, and Dr. Howard, it is a privilege to serve as your general counsel, and I've been serving as your general counsel for approximately six months. In this role, I've had the opportunity to support the board in reviewing and adopting transformational education policies designed to strengthen student outcomes, facilitate a team of eight training for the board and the superintendent centered on unity and effective governance and assist individual trustees in achieving a broad range of legal and strategic objectives. I want to congratulate the board on its achievement. >> Excuse me, Miss Blue. Could we turn that up some? See here. It's It's high on my end or it's as high as it'll go on
166my end. I don't know if there's something you can do on your end. Do you want me to hold for a minute while they're working on it? >> I'm sorry. Did you want me to continue? >> Let's continue. >> Okay. Um, I really want to congratulate you on all that you are achieving and continue to achieve. And my mission as always is to deliver exceptional legal counsel. With that in mind, I've been asked today to take a moment to outline the scope of my responsibilities as your board's legal counsel. So, you can go ahead. Um, yes, the next slide. So, um, what I do is your school board le general counsel is Oh, could you go back? I I apologize. Yep, there we go. Is um try to follow as closely as possible your schoolboard
167policy BDD local, which talks about my general counsel duties as well as my contract between um you and our law firm. So, I represent the interests of the entire board. I assist individual board members in carrying out their official board responsibilities. And again, I'll mention I try to be highly responsive and supportive. Um, I'm available as needed. I try to maintain at neutrality. I provide confidential advice to indivi individual board members. So, if an individual board member asks me to help with, for example, drafting a motion or a resolution or working on other information, I don't disseminate it unless it is requested. So I try to maintain some confidentiality so that you can do your um work with me and get legal advice that helps you achieve your strategic objectives. Um according to your policy
168any board member can request a formal written legal opinion from me and if you do that that is distributed to the entire board. I also consult with the superintendent and other council or entities as appropriate to represent the board's interests. Can you advance to the next slide? Okay. I wanted to because uh I think there's been a little bit of confusion about what I do routine on a monthly basis and then what are sort of ad hoc projects. So on a monthly basis this is what I will provide um regard you know nobody has to ask me to do anything. These are just the things that I've been asked to do on a monthly basis. So I review all documents that are signed by the board president and I will provide feedback to the administration
169on any of those items. I review the agenda language only. So, I'm not re reviewing the substance of any of the agenda items. I'm just reviewing the agenda um and providing some feedback on agenda items. Um I also assist if necessary with grievances or grievance hearings. I think you remember our wonderful colleague Mark came down and work with you on a recent grievance. So, those are going to be my routine monthly tasks. The non-rine monthly task that can happen is at the request and pursuant to your board policy. At the request, any board member can ask me to attend a board meeting. So I don't always attend. I retend when you guys are requesting me. I provide legal advice to the board or the district. Review schoolboard policies from T. I don't re re review
170those routinely. I just review those if asked. I re review requested documents. So sometimes I'm asked by a board member to review a particular document and provide feedback. I research and respond to legal questions. I may be asked to draft board motions, resolutions or legal memorandum. And then I le liaison with the superintendent, district council, and other entities to protect the board's interests. So those are going to be nonrine things that I do only upon request. Um and I think there's one more and that's just it questions. Um I just want to make sure everybody understood. um my responsibilities and what I do do. One thing that I really want to clarify for the board is that um as I think there's been some questions, if I work on a particular motion, like I said,
171um issue, I do not disseminate that unless it's a request by the board to disseminate that and I usually will work with administration to disseminate those things. So, with that, if you guys have any questions, feel free to ask. And I know that Mr. Leser has um a presentation for you as well. >> Yeah, I have a couple of questions. Uh one is maybe maybe I'm misunderstanding it, but it's saying provide confidential advice to individual board members. So, if a board member calls in confidentiality, is that something you're not going to share with the rest of the board or or am I misreading that? >> No. Pursuant to your schoolboard policy, BDD, any school board member can work with me individually to try to achieve the objectives and to work on their schoolboard duties. And
172I do not share that unless um it is upon the request. So sometimes I have board members that will call and ask um can you help me draft a particular motion? Maybe that board member is not sure if they're going to move forward with that motion, but they will ask me for example, how do I draft that? And I will help them draft that. and that I will not necessarily share that with the rest of the board members unless they request it. >> Well, one of the things is my my my uh interpretation of what I'm saying individually if individually if a board member wants their own private attorney, that's their prerogative to do that. But I think anything that whether it's me or any other board member is asking questions uh to the attorney
173that the taxpayers are paying for. I think the transparency is that all board members know the same information and I think that can be sent out by the attorney to the whole board. That's just my uh my two cents worth on that. And another thing >> pardon. >> Yeah, of course. And if you want if you want a policy that says that, you just have to adopt a different policy. I can only comply with the current policy that the board has in place which is BDD which does allow for anybody on the board who wants to consult and get information on how to do their job and be an effective board member can work with me >> and that's not to be shared with the rest of the other six board members. Is that what
174>> unless not unless it's requested. So, for example, you know, frequently I might have board members, for example, uh like I mentioned, they will call and they will ask about a particular issue or information or maybe they're considering a particular motion um that they may want to move forward. I might help them in passing it or um in drafting it, not in passing it, but just in drafting it. And then sometimes they decide they don't want to move forward with that motion and um you know that that's totally within their prerogative. It's also, you know, not my job, for example, to and we have to be really careful with TOMA violations. I cannot involve all board members um in all decisions and discussions because it would be deliberation outside of a duly called board meeting.
175So, that's another reason why I'm very careful um not to disseminate information unless we've talked about those TOMA um issues as well, the Texas Open Meeting Act issues as well as what that board member is requesting. So by you being the the board's legal counsel, you can't share information with the whole board in an email or anything like that without it being you saying deliberated. So you >> can you can but again I try to respect that each board member sometimes wants some confidential advice on how to do their job draft a motion. again, they might not be interested in moving forward with that ultimately. And I also want to leave it up to each individual board member to decide um you know when they want to, for example, put it on the agenda. Um
176sometimes I'll I'll you know, a board member may ask me how how would you put this on the agenda and then they'll decide maybe I don't want to put it on the agenda even after we've discussed it. So it's just really up to each individual board member and your policy allows for that. That's policy BDD local. >> Okay. So, I guess my question, food for thought for the board as a whole, we're in a 7.7 $7.3 million deficit. We spent since March, we spent $128,000 on the board attorney, averaging about $21,000 a month. Is this something we want to continue to do? That's just a question I have for myself being transparent with our taxpayers and with our community. There just to me again there's just some things that I feel don't need the money's
177being spent for the money we spend it on for legal counsel. >> So I'll speak to that a little bit. So uh I have charged Cara and whoever is the president of the board has to sign a bunch of documents. So I'll just go I sent an email out and I essentially it's just want to reinvent the wheel. But past issues such as unreviewed documents being signed, first forms, inaccurate meeting materials, or public foreign policy alterations with an adhered signature stem directly from inconsistent review protocols. These are avoidable errors that not only create legal exposure, but also drive unnecessary expense, incorrective actions, and clarifications. Again, I sent this out an email. Dr. How is only I think the whole board got it. I can't remember. I I can't send it out because that's a toma
178violation. Uh but my view on independent legal counsel is the absence of dedicated board representation allowed management practices to proceed with without sufficient checks leading to the very missteps now requiring costly remediation. The current increase in legal expenses is not a function of overcaution today. It is the direct result of prior lapses and oversight and accountability. This is a 300 350 to $400 million annual budget. We've got billions of dollars in capital assets, a $ 1.415 billion voter approved capital bond on the INS side. We have TRS requirements. We have lots of things. There's not an organization that would have the market capitalization, if you could correlate this over to a market capitalization in the private sector, that would not have legal fees for their board of directors. Thus the reason that they have an
179annual budget for the board of directors separate than their leadership at their organizations to give them legal guidance. We would not have ended up probably in the same situation as having to make decisions on moving the pipeline which is 2.2 million >> $2.8 million if we would have had proper legal counsel looking at the easements prior to. So I just saved $2.7 million off the 130,000 that you're concerned about. right? Then so it's >> again that's that's your opinion and you're entitled to that. >> That's that's math. But Mike Leer is a great counsel and he represents the school district and he has a different agenda than the board does and the board has to have its own protection on it. The board can vote on how they want to see fit on it. But
180I just wanted to give you my opinion on it in person. >> Again, it's a waste of taxpayer money in my opinion. >> Other the 2.8 8 million is a waste in mine. >> Anyone else? >> I do. Um, how are we supposed to know when to ask you a question that that we would want something from somebody up here on this board? >> You can just read your schoolboard policy, which you guys voted for. I believe you actually voted um for that policy. It was in May and that's just policy BDD and it just says that any board member can contact >> I understand that. But you said that we could >> if we asked for it that we could get it then. How are we supposed to know that you have something that
181we need to ask for? I didn't know that you had written up a third future contract. I didn't realize you were doing policies, etc. So, I'm asking you, how are we supposed to know what it is that you have confidentiality on uh that we might be interested in uh talking to you about? Well, um, one thing that I would definitely advise the board to do is when the schoolboard agenda becomes available, if you have any questions about any items on that, um, schoolboard agenda, which again within your policies, that agenda is, um, produced by the superintendent in conjunction with your school board president, but ultimately he approves what's on the board agenda. Anything that's on that agenda that you have any questions or concerns about, you can ask. But certainly if any of you are
182interested again because you do have you know the ability to consult with me at any time. If any of you would like to consult with me about um any policies that you're interested in passing um you know any changes any any concerns that you have I I have provided you my cell phone and I'm more than willing to talk to you um and very happy to talk to you at any time. >> M not trying to interrupt. I just wanted to say this just as an idea because with Mike Liser, what a lot of times I do is I CC um the emails. I just CC the other attorneys and that way everybody's on the same page and then they can disseminate it. So that's what I do is I just CC the myer on
183it and Dr. Howard a lot almost I don't I don't think there's an email that I don't CC you on. If there is I apologize. >> I guess that what we're saying though Mr. Hajes is that there so there I'm hoping going forward this does not happen uh that we are better about communicating with each other but that um in the past 6 months there's been many things through this board lawyer that no one knew it or me some of us did not know about happening that um we would have liked to have known about at the time. It's too late to go back and redo what we've done. So, I'm not going to rehash all that, but going forward when you say I just want to get this out in the clear since we're
184having these questions. If we're able to call you, you Let me go back to what it actually says. Assist individual board members in carrying out their official board responsibilities. And then uh but then you said that if we wanted to be involved in that that we could call and ask you that but we don't know what has ever been asked of you to do. And so I just want to how how do we solve that problem? I think this is a good time to hash this out in a civil way of how do we ha um how do we know when someone has called because I don't want to waste money on a phone call if it's not worthy of I don't need to call and ask you hey what's been going on um but
185I think that it is important for the board to know if there is something going on with the lawyer that's going to come forth to the board that involves everyone up here. >> Well, again, I think that you have to be very careful about and I do not engage in violating the Texas Open Meetings Act. So, I'm not allowed to consult with all the board members. The time for the board to deliberate and consult with each other on items is to review the posted agenda. If you have any questions about the posted agenda, I can answer legal questions um about the agenda and items that are on the agenda to the best of my ability. Again, I'm not looking at every agenda item for, you know, legality. I just am generally looking at what's there
186and sometimes I'm pro advising as appropriate. But um because the the board is not allowed to deliberate outside of board meetings, the appropriate time under Texas law for you to find out would be to look at the agenda, which you get a preview of and then you can ask legal questions then. But really the time to discuss it is during an open board meeting like right now. So if a particular board member for example had an issue they want it on the agenda, your policy allows for that board member to request that the president put it on the agenda and within um uh that meeting or the near future they have to put it on the agenda and that is the first time under the Texas Open Meetings Act that the board would be alerted
187to the fact that another board member had an issue. So, for example, if you wanted to work on a policy with me, we might sit and as your general counsel, you might be saying, "I have a concern. Um, I'd like to work on a policy." We'd work on it together. Then you could ask for it to be placed on the agenda. Then at that time, any board member could call and ask legal questions if they had them. Again, can't deliberate with you, but can tell you just legally what's happening. And then the appropriate time for you to discuss it as a board is during a publicly posted open board meeting. So, I guess, you know, long story short is it's not appropriate under the te Texas Open Meetings Act necessarily for um every board member
188to to to have advanced notice because you're not allowed to deliberate prior to the meeting. The time to deliberate is at the publicly posted meeting according to Texas law. So, I hope that helps. >> I got I got one question. Yeah, I do. Hey, uh can you tell me what the hourly rate is for you to um assist individual board members? >> Yes, it's 425 and um it is listed on the bill which you receive, which board members I've been assisting assisting and what what the general topic that I've been assisting on. So, every board member is notified of that. >> Thank you. And I also the latest invoice that came out I sent an email because our legal bills have precipitably declined. But on the last invoice that came out, it looked big, but
189it's because we had days aging on not paying it prior to. So I sent an email to Shelley and we got it all fixed up there. it. There was just some unfinished business from the transition to new people to get all that pulled out. And so that bill had just not been paid, but it was not part of the most current bill. Not trying to put I You're right there. So I'm just like, anything else? No. But do you have something or just Mr. Leer? Yeah. Yeah. But Mr. Really, sir? >> Carrie, you just warmed up. >> Thank you. >> You just you were the support act for the Rolling Stones, my fisherman here. >> The uh um you can tell that the Aggies of the two partners went out to be our colors. The
190uh Rhonda went to Baylor, so it would have been green. She won't call this maroon, she calls it deep cranberry. Um so we won with maroon. So, we actually what I would call the general counsel of the district. Um, our purpose is real simple. I I did I didn't do anything fancy with this particular presentation. It's just we're going to provide our team is going to provide legal support services to the superintendent and designated staff. It's whoever she picks is what it amounts to that we talked to. I will tell you for the most part I've talked to everybody sitting on these four three or four or five rows here at one point or another or somebody on my team has. Um anybody beyond that though we we'll go go through her and get her
191permission to call us. The uh another thing that was important about our particular set is that we have something called a retainer program and for a flat fee and and uh for a district this size. It used to be $1,000. It's been 500 since co because we cut it in half coming out of COVID. Uh and that is the ability to call literally 247. I think both Mr. Sado and Dr. Dr. Howard will tell you that I'm pretty much available 247 and to or Miss Marcia, her and I have a 6:30 standing date about every night. The uh uh that um that we're available for the short phone calls, the short emails, things that don't last more than about 10, 10, 12 minutes. Those are all charged to the retainer program and those show up
192as zeros on your bill. So, I don't I haven't done the math, so I don't have any idea if you met that $500 worth of services yet or not this year. my guess is is that you have and then some probably the uh um that's another little thing that we have legal representation with what we do for the district. We advise the superintendent and staff on legal matters including personnel and student issues and compliance with the public information act. That's a dayto-day ongoing thing. We review legal documents, draft those policies, procedures, handbooks, do all the review there. We attend board meetings and other administrative meetings to provide legal counsel. Uh I get the privilege of talking to your staff tomorrow morning uh while I'm here. Coordinate legal services provided by outside law firms. For example,
193Mr. Brandt and his what he does for you guys and serve as your advocate throughout the grievance process. So if we have a grievance level one, level two, and even level three. You'll remember right, I sat with the administration. Mr. Glaze sat with the board that night, board's counsel. Um, so that's that's how it works through the grievance process. As far as an oversight setting, we comply make sure we comply with policies established by federal and state law. TEA, Board of Education rules, uh, monitor and interpret the impact of proposed or enacted legislation, uh, which has been a bear this year as you guys know. uh coordinate responses to all the investigations, tea, US Department of Education, assuming civil rights, which for the most part is not around anymore, and any other administrative agencies. Uh
194open meetings act compliance. When I'm asked a question, I I respond with regard open meetings act from a school from the district or administration point of view, uh district elections, and then trainings district staff, which is what I get to do a little bit of tomorrow. That's one of my favorite things to do as a former teacher. Um, so really that's and that's it in a nutshell. I didn't want to spend too much time on it obviously, but if you have questions about what we do and my team does. We have everything from special education experts to litigation experts to myself. We're focused on personnel and students and board governance and things like that. Um, everybody's got their own little niche, but everybody can do just about everything else. So if there's anything you have
195about us or any questions you like to ask about us, we're more than happy to answer. Thank you. You do very good work. >> Thank you very much. Appreciate it. >> We're doing it. Go ahead. >> I have a quick question just because um want to make sure that we're doing this right. So when policies when Mr. Petri sends us policies, have those been through legal review? Do we need to take them back through legal review? >> They're not reviewed by me legally by me. They might be being reviewed by Mr. Leser. I'm not sure. They're not reviewed by me unless there's a specific request. >> Okay. >> Um, >> so we'll run those through general counsel. >> Well, we review them in policy too in the policy meetings, right? Like the new policy meetings
196that Petri just had today will then go through the policy the next policy committee. So, they are reviewed and go through legal, >> right? Is there a way we could get an invoice just the board um weekly from you, Miss Belaloo? Not an invoice, but um just your what you've done for the week, weekly update. We can discuss that. Um again, because some of the stuff that I'm working on, I'm working on to support individual board members. it might not be appropriate because we don't want to violate that Texas Open Meetings Act on deliberations on particular items and also board members may be seeking some confidential counsel um to you know on on things that they're working on. So uh you know it would be up to the board. >> Miss Blue, I'm going to
197interrupt real quick. This is Brandon Hodgees. what what Miss Burlson and other have concerns with I I think that for time sake we we move this to a special meeting or another meeting and look at at at changing that policy up. Um that way that they feel like they have buy into it that they understand and come up with a clear concise protocol method with a checklist on it and we can hash it out then because we're not this isn't an action item so we can't do anything about it tonight anyway. So if everybody's agreeable to that for time sake, we can have a special meeting and deal with this then. But I want make sure everyone's agreeable to that. I'm not closing down the discussion. I'm just everyone else. Yep. Everyone else is good
198with it. Thank you, Mr. Lee. Dave, >> Dr. Freeze, did you have a question? >> I need We need a fishing update. >> I haven't been in a while. I just wanted to clarify that the you know given our budget we're spending less than or somewhere near 1 1,000th of our budget on legal services and then if you consider our building projects it's you know half or a third of that. So >> yeah I just real quick so for me this kind of goes back to Mr. Leer, if there's a grievance, right, the attorney is going to advise the district probably at some point before we get to a level three grievance. >> Oh, yes, sir. Generally by then at least. >> So, this this is really where the conflict for me was having the
199same attorney representing the district versus the school board because I mean, and technically we're two different entities, right? It's all at Midland ISD, but the school board's different from administration. So, if we get to a level three grievance and I'm sitting back there supposed to give be giving these teachers, students, whomever due process, am I really giving them due process if I'm getting advised by the same person that advised the administration already that we're now seeing a level three grievance? Not saying that the attorney gave them the district bad advice, >> but if I'm getting advised at a level three grievance by the same person that gave the advice to the administration at a level two grievance, are we are we actually given due process? And and and to me, my answer to myself was
200no, we're not. So that that to me is one that's one of the many reasons I feel like we need our own board attorney. But that's just again that's just my opinion. >> I can argue with you that that's a very valid opinion. >> I don't think any of us are against against having a lawyer. Uh I think it's the use of the lawyer that we've seen over the last 6 months and that's my only concern. But I I agree with you Mr. Hodgees that I'd be glad to hash this out in a special meeting or an executive session sometime. >> Okay. Anyone else? Thank you very much. Now, uh, before we move into auction items, can we take a 10-minute recess? >> Second. >> It has been motioned and seconded that we take a
20110-minute recess. All those in favor, raise your right hand. We are on recess. The time is 8:42. is back in session. Next agenda item, agenda item 10, action item A, discussion of and request for approval of budget amendment number four, Mr. Durham, New Dad. >> Trustees, on an annual basis, the school district, the school board of trustees is required to approve three budgets. the general fund, the child nutrition fund, and the debt service fund at the functional level. Whenever there are changes made um to the funds at the functional level and or a increase or decrease in revenue, um the administration is um required to um amend the budget um with board approval. So this evening um the district does have a slight increase um based on a miscellaneous revenue um along with cross functional
202transfers. However, um the overall net deficit um is not changing at all. And so at this time, the administration recommends the board of trustees approve the budget amendment as presented. >> Motion to approve. There's been a motion and second this board discuss and take action as presented on agenda item 10, action item a discussion of and request for approval of budget amendment number four. All those in favor raise your right hand. So moved. Motion passes unanimous. Moving on to agenda item 10B, discussion of and request for approval to cast votes for candidates to sit on the Midland Central Appraisal District Board of Directors. Mr. Durham >> trustees. This evening the um district administration is recommending the school board cast the district 1240 votes um to candidates currently on the ballot. Um there are two candidates
203um currently on the ballot, Wesley Bounds representing the county along with John Scrubber representing the city. Um both of these um candidates currently do sit on the um Midland Central Appraisal District Board of Trustees. Um the MNCAP board directives currently has two positions um terming out at the end of December. Um once this process is completed, two directors will be appointed and serve a four-year term beginning January 2026. Um the directors will be sworn in during the January 2026 meeting. Um, while the district representatives serving UKAB board of trustees, um, are not currently up, um, I did want to just mention we have Kelly Cook, John Kennedy, and Robert Kimick. Um, all three of their terms, um, are December 31st of, 2027. Um, the district has left it um, open-ended in regards to um, casting
204um, the,40 votes. Um, as I mentioned, there are two um, open um, spots. there are two candidates um and it's up to the um board of trustees to cast their votes um as appropriate um whether that is providing all 1240 votes um to one candidate or um splitting them evenly. And so this at this time the administration recommends the board of trustees cast votes for candidates to sit on the Midland central appraisal board of um directors. >> Any questions? I move we split the votes >> between two candidates. >> Been moved. Is there a second? >> It has been moved and seconded that we split agenda item 10B. Discuss. Yes. Discussion of and request for approval to cast votes for candidates to sit on the middle Midland Central Appraisal District Board of Directors to two
205separate votes. I believe there's two candidates. So, what are the candidates? So, Bounds and John, all those in favor of splitting this item to two separate votes, raise your right hand. We've approved. Okay. Uh, agenda item B1, discussion of and request for approval to cast vote for Wesley Bounds to sit on the Midland Central Appraisal District Board of Directors all the Well, is there a motion? >> Yeah, we got to split it because you got to vote on them. She wants you want to vote on them. >> I think she meant split the total number of votes in between the two candidates. Yeah, >> I I think she meant split the votes, the number of votes the board has between the two candidates is what I think she was motioning is what I understood. >>
206So, Mr. Dome, can you explain? So, we have X number of votes. >> Why don't we just >> You can give them all to one candidate. You can split them. >> Yes, ma'am. That that is correct. So there's,240 um votes and so we can split them in half which would be 620 um votes per per candidate. >> So you want to do one vote for 620 and another for 620. >> So what what you could do is actually just split them um as Dr. Howard mentioned. So you could just split the 1240 um accordingly 620 to >> I'm I'm not I need legal counsel to tell me how to make this motion because I'm not tracking at all. >> I apologize. I I think and >> do you want you or you want Miss Belaloo?
207Who do you want? >> Whoever. >> So the way I understood it is Miss Berles made a motion to split the votes in half and then what you would be voting on was yes to do that. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Is correct. >> That'll be $425. >> That's what I heard. That's that's cheap lawyer. >> Yeah. Uh I heard >> yes sir is that move made a motion to split the vote between the two candidates. >> Okay so let's redo all this going back. So motion again for that to split it please. >> I move is it move or motion >> what >> I move that we uh split the 1200 votes we split it in half for bounds and half for scarbor. Has been motioned and seconded that this board discuss and take action
208on agenda item action item 10B discussion of request for approval to cast votes for candidates sit on the middle and central appraisal district board of directors in half. All those in favor raise your right hand. Okay. So move 61 I abstain. Moving on to the next action item. Action item 10 C. Discussion of and request for approval of CSB number 25- or 56 marquee signs for Abel Alamo and Santo. Mr. Sado, you're making your appearance. >> Sir, President Hodes, members of the board, and Dr. Howard, I'm requesting approval of competitive sealed proposal for the marquee signed at Abel Alamo and Sanino. The Scarbor Foundation generously donated funds to support the purchase and installation of these new marquee signs. The selected vendor will be responsible for the complete scope of the work, including the signs, installation,
209and required electrical connections. Based on the evaluation, we are recommending award of the contract to MegaLed Technology. Their proposal provides the best overall value to the district. The total bid of $121,3358. At this time, I'm requesting your approval of this competitive field proposal for the marquee sign at Abel Alamo and Sano as presented. >> Questions? I do I know it's uh that we're awarding it to someone out of Grand Prairie when the Midland one was fairly close. Is there I mean are we we're required to go with the lowest, right? >> No, we're required to go over go with the um vendor that provides the best value of >> so we used this one before. Uh we have not I would have to check on that but the reason we went with them is because
210they provide the electrical work uh running to the signage and the other uh vendors did not provide the electrical work. >> Thank you for a second. >> Second motion second. Moving. Thank you. Moving on to agenda item 10, action item D, discussion of and request for approval of RFP number 25-137, heavy duty vehicle parts and repair. >> Good evening, President Rogers, members of >> Mr. Taylor, >> Dr. Howard. I'm presenting to you RFP 25137, heavy duty vehicle parts and repair. It was advertised from October 18 to October 25. 185 invitations were issued. Seven vendors submitted proposals. Purpose of this proposal is to identify and contract with a pool of qualified vendors capable of furnishing heavy duty vehicle parts and repair services to the MISD transportation transportation fleet. This will be on an as needed contract
211designed to ensure timely and efficient maintenance support to the district's need. The term of the contract is one year. Estimated annual expenditures across participating vendors are approximately $150,000. Approval of the RFP will enable MISD to maintain a safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation fleet. If there are no questions, I recommend approval of RFP 25-137. >> I have a couple questions. Mr. CDO, you might I know we talked about a little bit earlier. So, it's my understanding we're not asking for any money right now. We're want to add them to the vendor's list, right? >> That's correct. >> Yes, sir. >> What What's the chances? I think our procurement process for me, and this just where I'm at, I'm going to vote both of these down. Um or vote no on both of them, just to give
212you a heads up on that. So, I've thought about this a lot today. We've been going over our procurement pro process a lot lately and adding vendors just to add vendors doesn't really make sense to me. Especially when we're adding a mom and pop tire shop in Tyler, Texas, I'm not sure how many how many tires we're going to get serviced in Tyler, Texas. So, uh, really for me until we get our procurement process where Tucker wants it. Um, just both of these just don't make sense to me to add vendors, just to be adding vendors. If they were lo, if they were all local vendors, maybe so we can get our transportation department where it needs to be because we know we're struggling in that area as well. But to add vendors in East
213Texas when we're in West Texas just for me, it doesn't make sense. If y'all want to give some light on it, maybe change my mind. Yes, sir. No, you have a valid agreement with that. Um um with the uh with the seven vendors, uh the reason for adding all those vendors is at there's times that when we have local companies that can't provide timing services or the parts that we need. So, uh at those times we had to provide we have to reach out to other vendors outside of uh the region to provide those services or timely repairs. So, um, but, um, totally understand your your point. It is a valid point. Um, u, and so, um, >> and I'll I'll speak to this a little bit. I think Mike had been on the job
214two days when this came to y'all in agenda review. Um, this has been part of what Mr. Cidio has been working on with transportation since we identified some of our fleet issues. Um, and and to that point, sometimes when you need parts, if a local vendor doesn't have them and you're having to wait on them, uh, this is kind of that additional piece that allows us to to try to get things fixed faster. Um, >> and all all due respect, I understand that. But if we can't find a tire in Midland, Texas, uh, I I'd be really surprised. You can go to Bill Williams Tire right now. That's a wholesaler. They have all the tires you want. Discount Tire, Forest Tire. I don't I just do not think this board or this school district needs
215to have a mom and pop tire shop out of Tyler, Texas on our vendors list at at the moment. I just I just don't. If we have a bus that, let's say, is in Dallas or wherever coming back from a football game, I'm pretty sure someone has a district credit card that can bail them out. If they don't, call me and I'll pay for a tire over the phone. Just a question. I understand what Mr. Gwin's saying, but I think it's more than tires. It's about parts and other things as well. Are we just talking about just you talking about just tires in general? >> And I understand, but unless we want to break this up and take those other vendors off, I just got to vote it down. I mean, there's some vendors on
216here that's great. And if they want to take the the out of town vendors off and bring it back next month or what that I I don't know it might pass tonight. I mean that's not a I'm just telling you where I'm at. Like the O'Reilly's the soil family. Um Robert's Truck Center. Those are all good vendors, local vendors. Um you know, Leic Truck Sales, it's close enough they could probably bail us out. uh but driving 6 and 1/2 hours to get a I just think before we add a bunch of v start adding more vendors to the vendors list we have to get our procurement process figured out and I know Tucker's been working really hard getting that straightened out. So for me it's like adding a vendor right now while we're still trying
217to get that process unless we just absolutely need them. It to me it's just creating more more work. But >> is there any delay to anything we're needing to do right now if we were to bring this back next month? >> No, ma'am. So, >> okay. >> My advice to y'all for me to vote, it doesn't matter me because I'm just one vote, but I've said it. Tucker knows it. Everyone, where's the master service agreement? Where's the terms and conditions? I'm not approving vendors anymore until until this thing is squared up and topnotch and it's going to take a minute to get there. I'm somebody who's going to want to see the nuts and bolts and the master service agreements. So, there's not even any MSAs on here that shows what the protection, what value
218we're getting from these vendors. So, if it doesn't have MSA or terms and conditions, explain to me on these attachments, I'm voting on all of them. >> Mr. President, can I make a uh a motion that we table and bring this back at another time? >> That's a question. you he there's a motion on the floor, but you >> let me I'll go ahead and second that then you Okay. Thanks. I I just got a quick clarification here. I'm sorry. Uh you know, we got the reputation score. I I just don't understand how we got zero. Uh Mr. Gwyn just said Robert's Truck Center is a good company and they get a zero out of 15 and then someone else gets a 10. And I I mean >> I don't know if they're good or
219not. I don't deal with heavy machinery. >> No, but I mean >> I just know they're local. >> You know that that that seems to really negate any any price differential. So, I mean, how do we give somebody a zero? You know, it just seems very arbitrary. >> I'm actually fine if we table this because we talked um just yesterday in cabinet about some procurement processes that went into effect yesterday. So, um I think it speaks to what Dr. Freeze is talking about. Um, again, this is one of those, you know, with all due respect to Mr. Taylor, he inherited this and was presenting it tonight. Uh, we're fine taking it back and firming this up and bringing it back. >> Give him a little time to get his bearings straight, right? So, I I'm
220good. We got a motion on the floor. >> It has been, >> Mike. It has been motioned and seconded that this board dis table action item 10 E D discussion of and requ you know what let's just D discussion of and request for approval of RFP number 25-137 heavy duty vehicle parts and repair. All those in favor of table raise your right hand. Unanimous. So moved. Moving on to the next agenda item, action item or 10. Action item E, discussion of and request for approval of RFP number 25-138, light duty vehicle parts and repair. I'm assuming it's going to be the same thing. So, >> Mr. Hajes, I request we pull this item and we'll bring it back at the appropriate time. >> You can't make >> I can ask to pull it. I I
221motion that we follow that recommendation and pull it table it >> all. It has been Is there a second? >> It has been motioned and seconded that we pull the action item 10 action item E discussion of and request for approval of RFP number 25-138 light duty vehicle parts and repair uh and bring it forward at another time. All those in favor raise your right hand. So move motion passes. Moving on to action item or agenda item 10, action items F, discussion of and request for approval of guaranteed maximum price GMP number three for 2023 bond program package number two, new Midland Lee and Midland High Schools. Hello, Mr. Edwards. >> Good evening again. Thank you, M. President Hodes and board for getting to present this. excited about being able to bring the third and
222final GME uh for the two new high schools package number two in the bond program. Uh this as you know uh we've had multiple discussions about why we had multiple GMPs. We approved the first GMP in June to allow construction to begin. also was uh an effort to try to mitigate some of our market volatility uh and locked in qualified subcontractors uh to be committed to coming to Peria for extended period of time and the volume of the work that was going to be associated with projects. And uh we followed that up last month with our second GMP and are glad to present to you tonight the final GMP in the amount of 169 million120 $122,441. Um a little bit of breakdown between that as you know we have two construction managers at risk. Satderfield
223and Pontikas is our Seymour at the Midland Lee High School project and there is a breakdown of the first and the second GMP and then the third GMP tonight is for that high school is $81,16,413 for a final cumulative GMP of $414,211,177. uh a um and that is all um based on a construction budget of $420,700,000. The second uh construction manager at risk is Lee Lewis and they are uh constructing the new middle and high school and you can see their uh GMP one and two tonight. Their GMP number three would be 88,16,028 for a total uh GMP of $420,697,293. Again, both of these are under the $420,700,000 budget for each campus. Uh, one of the things that I wanted to just um highlight and the process of the work that is associated with coming
224up with these numbers. Um you'll see here on the left 25 categories that has been it has been consolidated into to summarize the different areas of work. Those 25 categories represent actually uh approximately 95 bid packages for each project that the semars have broken it up into to come out and get to to send out and get uh bids from qualified biders. And those are based on um a u spec specifications that were prepared by Fluger uh the the architect and their associated engineers. There's about 400 different sections spec sections that has specified all of the things that are being pro procured and built as a part of these packages and uh over 1,700 sheets of drawings that uh they're basing these bids upon. So, uh, they're very large buildings, very large sites, and there's
225a lot of detail, uh, that has been put into getting us to this point. And so, we're very pleased tonight, uh, to, uh, summarize, uh, that we're requesting that you, uh, approve a total final GMP for package number two, the construction of New Milan High School and New Lee High School in the amount of $834,98,470. That is $6,491,530 below the budget, the construction budget. >> Any questions? >> So move. >> It has been move. It's been moved and seconded. It has been moved and seconded that this board discuss and take action on agenda item action item F, discussion of and request for approval of guaranteed maximum price GMP number three for the 2023 bond program package number two new Midland Lee and Midland High Schools. Uh all those in favor raise your right hand. Is
226so moved. Motion passes. Thank you very much. You >> good work. >> Thank you. Uh action or I'm sorry, agenda item 11. We're going into close section in accordance with government code section 551.001 and section 551.071 for the purpose of private consult consultation with the board's attorney on any and all subject matters authorized by law. Consultation with legal counsel to receive and discuss legal updates section 551.074 074 for the purpose of considering the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee or to hear complaints of charges against a public officer or an employee. The time is now 9:14. We're going into close session. Thank you. The time is now 10:53 p.m. and this meeting we have adjourned from what I can't even remember them. We have adjourned from close
227session. So now we're moving on with action item or agenda item 12. Action arising from closed session. A a resolution of the board of trustees of Midland Independent School Districts regarding students with disabilities. Dr. Freeze is presenting. Mr. Freeze, welcome. >> Thank you, Mr. President. So tonight, I'm asking this board to join with the district in adopting a strong resolution and clear uh action steps to reaffirm our legal and ethical obligations to serve students with disabilities under IDEA section 504 and Texas law. I think this is going to this would uh send a communicate to the to the community that uh we recognize our obligations and we'll uphold them with integrity, transparency, and accountability. By adopting this resolution, we demonstrate that we are aligned, proactive, and fully committed to ensuring that MISD remains a district
228that serves all children well. I urge my fellow trustees to join me in this important step. So, you want me to read the resolution or >> Sure. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> Resolution of the board of trustees of Midland Independent School District regarding students with disabilities. Whereas the Midland ISD Board of Trustees and District is reaffirming reaffirming its existing commitment to students with disabilities and student safety. Whereas the Midland ISD Board of Trustees and District has repeatedly emphasized at public board meetings the importance of students with disabilities and student safety. Whereas in May 2025, the MISD board of trustees adopted schoolboard policy AE local and school board policy BJA local, affirming the importance of the health and safety of all Midland ISD students. Whereas in August 2025, the Midland ISD board of trustees adopted and
229the district implemented schoolboard policy BBE local, an unprecedented effort to measure dyslexic student academic outcomes, publicly monitor results at each campus, and continuously improve dyslexic student results. Whereas in August 2025, the board of trustees adopted and the district implemented school board policy BBE local to measure third grade reading and math student outcomes, publicly monitor results at each campus, and continuously improve student results. Whereas in August 2025, the board of trustees adopted and the district implemented schoolboard policy BBE local to measure the percentage of students with disabilities who graduate college, career or military ready, publicly monitor results at each campus and continuously improve students results. Now therefore, be it resolved, the district will A continue to comply with all state and federal laws related to students with disabilities. B continue to comply with MI Midland ISD
230board of trustees policy for students with disabilities and student safety. C. Continue to meet or exceed metrics in the students in the superintendent's evaluation related to students with disabilities and dyslexia. Continue to publicly report the percentage of students with disabilities graduating college, career, or military ready. >> Is that it? >> Okay. Is there a motion? >> Motion to approve. >> Second. It has been motioned and seconded that this board vote on action item 12, action arising from close session a resolution of the board of trustees, Midland Independent School District regarding students with disabilities. All those in favor, raise your right hand is unanimous. So moved. Moving on to action item 12 uh or agenda item 12, action arising from close session B, discussion of and request for approval to direct the superintendent conduct an independent
231audit of the Midland ISD special education department and make recommendations for improvement to the board of trustees. Dr. Howard, how are you this evening? >> I'm great, thank you. So, the district actually secured an independent auditor auditor, Miss Lisa Shakley, uh, related to audits and is contracting the audit not to exceed 50,000 through general counsel. She began this work on November 1st and we have secured her for the term of one year. She will conduct a comprehensive audit and make recommendations for improvements in all areas related to the special education department. She will specifically review current practices, procedures, and processes, staffing, monitoring, training, service delivery models, and all other relevant components of the department and the program. We expect the audit program review will run through June 2026, and I would recommend that we then
232give quarterly reports to the board throughout the ongoing process. Um, so if there are questions, I'm glad to answer those. Otherwise, I would recommend of approval to direct the superintendent to conduct an independent audit of the Midland DST special education department and make recommendations for improvement to the board of trustees. >> Motion to approve as presented. Second, >> there's been motion and second to vote on agenda item 12, action arising from close session. Agenda item B, discussion of an request for approval to direct the superintendent conduct an independent audit of the Midland ISD special education department, make recommendations for improvement of the board of trustees. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Unanimous. So moved. Moving on to agenda item 12, action arising from close session C. discussion of and request for approval to
233direct the superintendent provide the school board with a strategic plan related to special education. Dr. Howard, it's good to see you again. >> Um, so in conjunction with the audit um and program evaluation, the district will prepare a short-term and long-term strategic plan to include uh the following. The short term would review the current organization chart. I talked a little bit about that earlier tonight. staffing and monitoring plan outlining key leadership and staff duties, including what the role of the principal is related to serving students through special education, hiring an interim or highly qualified special education director, and outlining measurable objectives to be achieved. Uh the goal is that we bring that to the board no later than the regular board meeting in January. And that's what we plan to do. Um, from the long-term
234perspective, it's likely that the comprehensive audit performance review takes through June 2026. Uh, we'll work to present a long-term strategic plan to the board no later than the May 26 board meeting. This plan would be included in the district improvement plan that's presented to the board in May of 26 and then incorporated into campus improvement plans presented to the board in August of 2026. The plan would include three to five measurable objectives to be completed over the next five years 26 27 through the 203132 school year. This plan will be comprehensive focusing on three to five key objectives based on the findings of the comprehensive audit program evaluation with as with all plans these are living documents. So if there were a need to make any adjustments in the event that she finds something that
235last month of the audit that needs to be worked in, we could bring that back to the board for approval. The reason I recommend that May timeline is then it allows our campus leaders and department leaders to work this into their specific campus plans to come back to the board in August. So if there are any questions, I'm glad to answer those. Otherwise, I would recommend approval of the special education strategic plan. >> Second. >> It's been moved and seconded this board approve agenda item 12, action arising from close session C. Discussion of an request for approval to direct the superintendent to provide the school board with a strategic plan related to special education. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Unanimous. So move. Moving on to agenda item 12 action arising from close
236session D. Discussion of and request for approval to direct the superintendent to propose the school board amendment to the superintendent's evaluation template for the 2025 2026 school year to include objective metrics for students with disabilities that are achievable before June 2026. Dr. Howard. >> Yes. The board approved the superintendent's evaluation goals, metrics, forms, and processes at the September 25 board meeting. While this process includes goals related to students served through special education in grades K through 8 for reading, ELA and math, the superintendent will propose uh will propose additional evaluation components related to the performance review and audit and the strategic plan. Even though the school year is into its fifth month, the superintendent can propose components that can be achieved by June of 2026. >> I have a question on this one. >> Yes,
237ma'am. >> Um, the audit's not going to be ready till June 2026. I is this really necessary for us to evaluate? I mean, we already have some special ed things in there in our evaluation. I don't know that this is necessary because we already you've already presented a shortterm and long-term and uh we found someone to come in and do the audit and the audit's going to be ready probably going to take till June 26, right? I mean for a complete audit. Do you is this something we really need to add to your evaluation this in in September? So, I believe as long as it's reasonable in what can be accomplished in that amount of time, to be honest, what I plan on recommending to the board is that accountability piece that I ensure that
238we conduct the audit and I ensure that we have a short-term and a long-term plan in place. Um, honestly, when we present that long-term plan, we're going to also present how we will monitor that on an ongoing basis. As long as it's something to that extent, I think it's a very it's a fair thing to do. >> Yeah, I could see it in the next in the 26 27 school year, but pushing it for this school year by June 26 is I know that you're going to do the right thing. I guess it's my confidence in you that you're going to do the right thing. So, >> anyone else? Anyone else? Motion to approve. It's >> been motioned and seconded this board approve agenda item 12 action arising from close session. E. Discussion of and
239possible action to direct super. No, I'm sorry. D. Let me redo it. It has been It is for this board to Oh, why am I tired? It has been motioned and seconded that this board vote on agenda item 12, action arising from close session D. Discussion of an request for approval to direct the superintendent to pro to propose to the school board amendment to the superintendent's evaluation template for the 2526 school year to include objective met metrics for students with disabilities that are achievable before June 2026. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Approved. Moving on to agenda item 12. Action arising from close session E. Discussion of and possible action to direct the superintendent to retain an independent third party expert to advise the school board on easement issues. Dr. Freeze. Okay. So
240it is my professional opinion that um it it would be helpful for me to have uh an engineers's sign off or give give me a consultation or an expert opinion on any uh movement or you know change of of an easement plan. So um we're we have a lawyer or a negotiator to get terms and what exactly those terms will be we do not know. Um those terms even they they may have some engineering uncertainty and uh I just would like uh an engineer to give me give me some consultation on student and staff safety overall public safety um site and landscape design implications for the for the new Midland High campus and any other material engineering or operational regulatory or long-term risk considerations that this expert's professional judgment could provide. IDE to to help
241inform me um on you know is this is this the right decision. So I would like this uh consultation to occur um as soon as possible after we received uh proposed terms um on any easement relocation and that would give the board a fully informed objective and technical perspective before taking action. So I will make the motion or I guess is there any discussion? >> Does anybody have any questions? Seeing no questions. It is Well, there's a motion on the floor. No, it is not. You can't. Can you motion it yourself? >> I have not made the motion. >> Okay. Is there a motion? >> I will make the motion. >> Okay. I move that the board direct the superintendent to ret retain an independent conflict-free pipeline engineering expert to advise the board on matters
242related to the pipeline easement negotiation at the new Midland High School site. Is there a second? >> Second. >> It has been motioned and seconded that this board vote on agenda item 12 action arising from close session. E. discussion of and possible action to direct the superintendent to retain an independent third party expert to advise the school board on easement issues. All those in favor raise your right hand motion. Moving on. Do we have a motion to information items were done? Motion to adjurnn. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. A motion and second that this meeting of the Midland Independent School District adjourn. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Unanimous. We're adjourned. The time is 11:10.