001The time is now 5:30 on May 20th, 2025. This meeting of the Midland Independent School District Board of Trustees is now duly open for the trans open for business or the transaction of matters which may be properly presented. First, we'll call a role. All board members are present. We make a quorum. to verification of compliance with open meeting law. This is to certify that the provisions of section 551.001 of the Texas government code have been met in in connection with public notice of this meeting. Um next we'll have a moment of silence and then we'll be led in the pledges by great house elementary and Miss Tanya Sanchez will present. Good evening, President Hodgees, members of the board, and Dr. Howard. The mission of Midland ISD is that all students will graduate college, career, and
002military ready. In MISD, we work together towards that mission every day. Tonight, I am I am pleased to introduce two Great House elementary students to lead us in our pledges. Presley Talbert, daughter of Heather and Zachary Talbert, is currently a sixth grader and loves loves reading because of her teacher, Miss Luna. She plays soccer and wants to study cosmetology. Olivia Nutting, also in the sixth grade, is the daughter of Lauren and Blair Nutting. She loves reading and has a passion for books. She plays volleyball and plans to become an interior designer. Thank you for having us tonight, and 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
003it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Honor the Texas flag. I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas. One state under God and one indivisible. So good. Next agenda item number five, public forum. Tonight we will have 26 total folks coming up to speak. Want to remind everybody tonight should be essentially a joyful night for some on some focusing on academic opportunities and improved outcomes for students. Others it's not. One thing that is going to be a constant uh is we are not going to allow any type of cursing or foul language. So if you have something you're going to say about books or what have you, make sure to stay within the confines or we're going to just cut your mic off and your time will be up. Anyway, Mr.
004Hernandez, will you call? Our first speaker will be Jared Sparks speaking on specifics to consent agenda on board policy. Hello and good evening, Dr. Howard and MISD board of trustees. I want to speak out specifically to the consent agenda item six regarding the um revised board policies. For full disclosure, I believe you all are not legally allowed to vote tonight as pursuant to the Texas Open Meetings Act as materials associated were added and altered less than 72 hours before the meeting with additional pages added late yesterday. Nonetheless, here are some additional concerns of mine to those policy changes. One, why has TASBY not been allowed to present like TE was allowed? For a group that indicates they are open and transparent, this appears to be purposeful to ensure TASBY is not heard by other board
005members in the public. Brandon, you already know you generally have control through the votes, but you aren't even willing to provide the optics of objectivity by allowing TASBY to present before looking at or changing and modifying board policies. Two, the changing policies have not had ample time to be reviewed or allowed for feedback from the community. These are going to have lasting impacts and appear to be rushed through. I would also add that as an engineer sometimes transparency is more than just sharing data or info. It's providing explanation as to the reason for changes. Nowhere in the document or any in additional documentation that has been shared has been done to explain why certain changes are being made to the policy. Three, here are some certain specifics I have in regard. One example is for
006the budget in the policy. Your language does not allow for multi-year budgeting. As I'm sure you all know, Texas state legislation lasts for 2 years. Dr. Freeze, you mentioned in a social media post that you wanted to apply budgets as to this fact. Yet, it is not addressed at all. It also neglects to discuss if surpluses are created preemptively to help offset future forecasted deficits like the previous board did. Your policy literally creates waste by not allowing for surpluses and does not reflect flexibility in legislative funding situations. Another example is working to ensure all campuses meet a grade of a B. Look, we want to have high expectations and goals, but let's be realistic. When you have a gifted and talented program effectively removing high performers to their own campus, it creates a removal of
007high-end performance to average a B per campus. Additionally, what flexibility is given with potential varying metrics, i.e. moving goalposts based on standardized tests like what happened previously with STAR? Also establishing rules and duties for the superintendent with in my opinion unrealistic goals appears to provide an avenue to remove a superintendent and disregard actual performance or improvement. Maybe it was not intended to read this way, but if it does, this flies in the face of communications some of you on the board have had me with me personally. Finally, Brandon, under the board's role, paragraph 4, it states that the board shall behave in a manner that demonstrates the unity of the board, superintendent, and the district. It would appear you have been in violation of this. So what are the consequences? With all this in mind,
008I ask that you all pull this from consent and allow for ample time review and work that ensure policy is made. Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker will be Patricia Mau uh speaking about agenda item six. Good evening. In February, the board authorized Texas for Educational Excellence to review board policies. May 15th at 11:30 p.m., Board President Hajes added without warning this 109page document, including 35 unique policies, to the consent agenda. added it during the busiest week of the year where graduations, awards ceremonies, and field days have many Midlanders distracted. The secretive way this document emerged is reprehensible, clearly lacking in transparency. It deletes large chunks of previous policy, replacing them with new policies with potential to change the lives of children on every campus in this district. These new policies did not involve
009input from school personnel and have not been reviewed by the entire policy committee, much less the public. Instead, the document was developed by a shadow political action group filing articles of incorporation in Delaware to avoid disclosure of leadership or monetary support. We have no idea who backs this initiative and for what purpose. Um, and yet our board president wants to hand over the direction of our school district to someone from outside this community. I cannot address every significant change, but I will address two. In AE local, someone rewrote district goals. Someone new goals require all students to be at or above grade level. All campuses to achieve a minimum rating of B. all students to graduate college, career or military ready and all uh teacher students to be taught by a highly qualified teacher. It
010signals the clear intent to make the district, its leadership and its teachers look like failures. Students have different levels of ability and readiness to learn. Period. A success rate of 80% on any of these indicators would be a miracle. But the headline would focus on the 20% failure rate. Second in BJ local item six or any school rated less than a B, a plan first entertaining turnover to a thirdparty partnership or charter school must be written. Here we go again. This provision may affect my neighborhood school, Sanorita. Always a solid B school. This board approved transfer of 350 bilingual students to our campus in September. A C rating this year will be a demonstration of remarkable growth, not failure. This is not fair and not what the parents of my community want. Pull this document
011from the consent agenda. It does not, as written, well serve this community and its students. Time ma'am. Thank you. Thank you, ma'am, for sharing your feelings. Our next speaker is Matthew John's speaking on agenda item 6F. Good evening to you all and thank you for your time today. My name is Matthew Johns and I have been a teacher of Midland ISD for 18 years and a resident of Midland for longer. I have served our community and many board members during that time. It has been my pleasure to serve and do the my very best to reach and impact our community with positive outcomes for our student. However, the recent controversies involving our school board president have finally come to a head with the changes listed in agenda item 6F. Why are the 34 policy changes
012being hidden away from discussion as a consent agenda item? Consent agenda designation is reserved for topics that are non-controversial items or routine items that are discussed at every meeting. Items such as approval of previous minutes, financials, reports, and items that have been thoroughly discussed in previous meetings. When was the extended discussion of these PE changes being proposed behind closed doors? Perhaps as an educator, I must ask, what is the improvement in educational outcomes for most of these items? What proven instances are there of CRT being taught in Midland? It has been illegal in the state of Texas since 2019. What does extending a board officer's term for a full year do for educational outcomes of students? What is the president being the sole spokesperson of the board have to do with improving educational outcomes for
013students? The list of unrelated changes which have nothing to do with educational outcomes goes on and on. And while there are some changes that this community likely supports, a great many of them are just a power grab to ensure that this community can escape the ever tightening grip of Mr. Hodgees in his ultra-conservative agenda, which has very little to do with educational outcomes and is instead chasing phantoms and imaginary problems like litter boxes. Did you ever find that litter box, Mr. Hodes? Mr. Hodes, if you're truly concerned about education, why have you fought so hard to chase ghosts, limit curriculum, and attack our district instead of improving funding, access, and student outcomes? Real patriotism means preparing kids to think critically, not just teaching them to obey. Mr. win. You and I spoke at your campaign
014event and you said something to the effect I don't always agree with Brandon and we argue a lot. Ladies and gentlemen of the board, this is one of those moments in which history in this community will judge you and what your actions are in this attempt at a power grab by Mr. Hodes. Please prove that you are men and women of independent thought and table this item for further review and have an actual discussion that is not clo behind closed doors but out in the open and transparent. Members of this board, it's simple. This is just a power grab from a man who has fallen to the age-old adage, power corrupts. I believe that I come before you at great personal risk to my professional career under this current board president. Therefore, I must appeal
015to all of you to resist this power grab and vote it down so that these items can be reviewed one by one to ensure good policy is directed towards student outcomes, not one man's vanity. Thank you for your time. Thank you, sir. For Our next speaker is Bonnie Wallace speaking on agenda item 6F. We'll get them later. Howdy. Thank you for letting me speak tonight. I want to applaud you for seeking a different pathway because as the second speaker said that it would be a miracle if your children had an a an 80 rating. Really? An 80 an 80 is a miracle. That's a B minus. That's pathetic. So I want to tell you that the definition of doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is lunacy. And so
016I applaud y'all for looking for a different approach, pivoting to try to find success for your students. I'm here to talk about books in your libraries. Um, I was going to read one. I have um I have copies there for y'all. I hope that y'all will read it. The book that I was going to talk to you about is prohibited to prisoners in Texas. And so that's just one of them. You'll have five in your library that I have found. One of them is called the Freedom Writers Diary. It's in Parker Elementary. So, it is prohibited to prisoners in Texas because it's too graphic for their minds. And you have it in Parker Elementary, Goddard Junior High, and Legacy High School. And so, y'all need to think about that for a second. Why are the
017minds of hardened criminals better protected than minors in Midland ISD? That's a good question to think about. And so the rest of the time, I just want to say that I'm going to leave you with my favorite Bible verse, which is Joshua 1:9. I hope you all know it. And if you don't, uh, it says, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified. Do not be discouraged. The Lord your God goes with you wherever you go." But that's the world's version of it. The rest of it that's always cut off on um wall art and t-shirts and coffee cups and Bible covers is have I not commanded you be strong and courageous? It is not if you wake up today on May 20th and you say I think I'm going to feel strong and courageous
018at this schoolboard meeting. No, it's a command from God to be strong and courageous. And you who are there serving your community, you have even a higher authority to be strong and courageous for the children in your district. The left is very loud and very obnoxious. But the fact is that your schools are failing. More children are failing reading and math than are passing. And so I applaud y'all for trying to do something different. I hope you will read the excerpts that I gave you and there's about at least 200 books that I know of in your district. Please do something differently. Please vote for the success of your students. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you for sharing. Next, our next speaker is Dale Strauss speaking on agenda item six. My name is Dale Strauss. I'm
019a former board member, former president of this board, and I had the privilege of serving my last two years with Mr. Bishop uh back in 2007208. What I wanted to address with the board is the policies proposed bringing these policies forward at this time in such short order and such fast and is shortsighted. And besides that, it's out of sync with your current legislative session, which doesn't even end until June 2nd. But the most critical thing that bothered me was the parts that basically solidify the executive authority on the board. Can you not hear me? My apologies. I want to talk about the campus performance that the others have talked about. Campus performance is a extremely complex matter. It involves campus populations, socioeconomic groups, learning, leadership, teacher ability. Charters are not a panacea for this.
020Charters were invented to provide enhanced academics and innovation, not as a solution for low performing campuses. That's the district's responsibility. Furthermore, giving that authority to convert these low performing campuses to partnered or charter schools breaks the promise we made to this local community when I was on the board when we were released from unitary status and that was to maintain local schools and local campuses. But charter schools must be open enrollment. So there's no assurance that those children at those charter at those campuses will be attending their home school. Most all of the changes that I've seen and it's been a very short time in looking at this uh intrude on matters such as this that should be superintendent recommendations not the board president not even a small group in the board. Give me let
021me give you a particular example. There's in BBE local page one of six the the first sentence was deleted stating that the back the which required that the board must discuss and make decisions on proposals before it. Moving things to consent agenda, moving that language and removing that responsibility on the board severely restricts your transparency. People have to wonder why have you removed the obligation of the board to discuss and make decisions on proposals. The board presidency is an administrative position for the board. It is not an chief executive. It is not a CEO of a corporation. Please keep that in mind. Withdraw this proposal, this consent agenda item, and move forward with a more thorough discussion and decision-making process on these proposals. Thank you. Next, our next speaker is Candace James speaking on agenda
022item 6F. Hello everybody. I'm glad I didn't have to follow the lovely lady from Sanita. If you like file one, Jerry Lee Lewis. Uh I'm here to talk about some things that are probably not really important to people. They are important to me and they're important to the parents of these kiddos. I spent six hours going through that on Sunday night. Wrote y'all a very long email. I appreciate anyone who read it. I'm sure you went, "Oh god, that lady." Uh, so I want to talk about someone about CRT. Why is that in there? Banned in 2021, K through 12, banned in higher education in 2023. Why would we put that in there? It seems to me like board manual should be about what the board does. Uh, another thing that really disturbed me was
023the added responsibilities for Sorry, I'm very nervous. I don't I also am worried about my career. So, Miss Howard, Dr. very hard the additional responsibilities, but the board took out where they would where they had to consider her input. It seems pretty important. I've only been here since 2013 and this is the fourth superintendent. At what point do we kind of look at what we're doing? Something that really bothered me was the changes about gender facility use. I would really like to know how many transgendered students we have at MISD. I taught one perfectly lovely young man. There was never any problems. Uh, I would also like to know how many occurrences we've had of sexual misconduct and violence perpetrated by these students. I fully expect with the upcoming legislation, we're going to see more
024violence toward them. Again, this is important to their parents. I I'm not transgender, nor do I have any children that are, but they're children and they deserve respect and protection. Um, transgenders are already four times more likely to be the victims of violent crime, including rape, sexual assault, aggravated or simple assault. When you create a target, you can expect people to use it. Considering the small population of students, why are there so many restrictions? Again, I I do think it's a distraction based on the meat, but I want to address it. How are we going to enforce the rules? I made a joke earlier today. Are they going to carry around little laminated birth certificates? And who's going to check it? Public I want to know what the point is other than cruelty. Public safety
025is not the point as they're more likely to be victims of violent crime. In addition, there have been more sitting legislators arrested for bathroom misconduct than transgender people. Both very small numbers, by the way. Protecting women bathrooms is not the point either. Current language being used is almost word for word to that used during the Jim Crow era to explain why bathrooms can remain segregated to protect white women. Protecting girls ability to compete fairly is not the point because the same restrictions for trans athletes are detrimental to to biological girls. Invasive verifications, hormone testing, it's it's ugly. And those girls are also overall, sorry, I'm running out of time. Um, transgender non-binary youth face high rates of depression and suicide often due to social rejection, lack of family support, bullying, and rejection. Putting a spotlight
026on them will only make it worse. I encourage you to please remove these if they're inappropriate at best harmful words. Thank you so much. Thank you. You did you did those parents well. You spoke well. Next, our next speaker will be Reagan Yoohoo speaking on agenda number 6F. This recent board agenda item, initially titled TE policy updates, is just another example of this board trying to turn MISD into Keller ISD. The Midland community rejected the TEE attorney. Mr. Hajes stated at minute 4728 during the January 23rd meeting, I told Ally, who is the junior attorney, I said, "We're not going to put our community through this and we're no longer going to consider you all. So, why do you think the community is going to want to implement TE in our schoolboard policy? Members of
027this board do not and continue to not give constituents the same courtesy and asking for information. I hear frequently that some of you do not return phone calls or emails. I've seen invoices from constituents in regard to records requests. I've seen four records requests sent to the Texas Attorney General. That has never happened in the years of my involvement with MISD. Other examples include the property where Encore Academy sits. It was placed on the board agenda to be put up for sale on Friday. The same Friday evening, the parents of the Encore Academy were notified that the location was changing where my son goes to school. Mr. Hodgees, you failed to inform the public that your boss is married to the Texas director of Third Future Schools, a potential a current charter partner. This may
028be legally permissible, but it is a fact. But it is a fact that most constituents found to be very important to disclose. At the last board meeting, an erroneously released letter limiting public comment with your signature and the new MISD logo and letter head was given to the public as they walked in the building. At no time was the public given notice that they would be stifled in the right to protest issues that they have with their elected officials. constituents present were presented with another insult to their trust when you released the board agenda and and placed an almost entirely new board policy on consent agenda where the possibility of public discussion would be impossible if the board approved the consent agenda giving constituents two business days to seek information and clarification. I'm requesting answers
029to the following questions. Who is on policy committee? COI COI policy committee. Did the policy committee approve these new board policies? Were the academic and instructional professionals consulted about the impacts of these policies on students? Why was this placed on consent agenda? And I would like to end by uh quoting Mr. Freeze who took it upon himself to accuse other leaders in the community of corruption. Corruption isn't just about stealing money. It's abusing public power. This is the same Mr. freeze that defended the decision to place these board policies on the consent agenda. Thank you for sharing your feelings. Peace be with you. Next, our next speaker, uh, Karolina Roua speaking on early grad. Hello everyone, my name is Karolina. I'm new to the MISD district since I just recently moved here from January. I'm
030from Fort Worth. I'm here today because I'm one of the few students who are affected from being able to walk the stage due to sto uh star test scores not coming in. I just wanted to start by saying that I have worked so hard since freshman year by taking dual credit classes, AP uh AP classes, extra classes, sorry, and I've been taking online classes and attending any needed classes on the side in order for me to graduate a whole year early. My cla my counselor from Midland High even pointed out my transcript, something that we don't even see every day. That was her own words that she told me. We have we haven't seen any students that have came to our school that have achieved this much. If we take time to look at my
031transcript and my current grades right now, I have never failed a progress report, a single a single class or especially history since that's the star test that we are waiting for. Many other schools around Texas right now are allowing their early grad students to walk the stage without even receiving their scores because they have worked so hard on their own to even be able to achieve finishing a whole year early. I think that it's wrong that we only received three weeks of a notice to the students about how we were not able to walk the stage. It really makes you wonder all the effort, the late night studying, the tutoring you attended, the moments of giving up, but you kept on pushing just thinking about how proud your family will be when they watch they
032watch you walk that stage. But now this y'all are telling me this that I am not allowed to walk. The district is telling me that my effort doesn't matter and that basically I don't matter. Why would I want to walk to stage in August with the rest of my uh class? The goal and the plan and the dream is to walk the stage on Friday with the entire class of 2025 with all my peers and family and friends watching. The excitement, the memories and the moment of will not be the same as it will be on Friday. Most of my peers have will already be gone or moved out and that moment the energy the excitement will also be gone by then. Finally, I want to conclude by saying that no one walks the stage
033with a diploma in their hands. The folder is empty but everyone walks away with the feeling, the energy and the excitement that cannot be recreated in August. So I stand here and I plead to you to allow us to walk the stage on Friday. And thank you for allowing me to speak. Thank you. Next, Austin Beam speaking on agenda item 6F. Dr. Howard, members of the board, thank you for your time today. I'd like to express my concern with the way agenda item 6F has been brought forward. This is a comprehensive sweeping overhaul of board policies that to my understanding has not been properly reviewed by the board. Based on my review of agend of the agenda materials, the policy committee report from today's agenda indicates that only 10 of the more than 30 policies
034to be voted on have been through the policy committee. How is it that policies which were only made available on Friday are ready to be adopted on Tuesday without discussion? Since TE made these changes, who from the board is engaging with them? Are all board members being made aware of communications to TE? What were the results of the TE policy audit referenced in the policy committee report? I believe the community deserves answers to these questions. Mr. Hodge, you previously stated that is your desire to build a bridge of trust with the community. Here's an opportunity to do so by ensuring adequate time for review and discussion of these proposed changes. My recommendation is to table the policy changes have not been properly vetted by the board andor the board's policy committee. I also recommend establishing
035establishing clarity around why the various changes are being implemented and communicating that to the public. That being said, I would like to highlight some of my most pressing concerns with the policies has is proposed currently within the educational philosophy policy AE. The goals stated are simply not achievable, meaning they are not smart goals. All students at or above grade level and 100% CCMR, while great aspirational outcomes, are simply not realistic. Furthermore, focusing only on the achievement domain of accountability ratings, as stated, disregards progress and the great work our educators do to achieve growth with our children. AE also disagrees with the planning and decision-making process policy, BQ, where these student outcome goals are to be recommended by the superintendent to the board. These thoughts aside, in the board meeting on February 25th, as the board
036was discussing Lonear governance, Mr. Hajes, as you said, and I quote, "We have said a million times, we're not moving the goalposts. We're not changing any of that. We've hired very smart people to go figure that out. We already have it." This was in reference to the goals that this proposal aims to change. Despite that statement, it sounds like the goalposts are being moved. My next major concern is with the board members authority reports, presentations, and calendar policy, BBE. This policy change eliminates board discussion regarding proposals when transacting business. It's unclear to me how a public school board can effectively fulfill its role without explicitly allowing public discussion while transacting business. A perfect example is this agenda item which has broad implications and little supporting information such as would come from a proper discussion. I
037have other concerns with the policies as presented and I also agree with some of the policy changes that are being proposed. My biggest frustration is with the approach that has been taken here, which doesn't seem to allow appropriate consider consideration prior to adoption. As I have in the past, I continue to encourage you to work together as a board and with Dr. Howard and her team. Everyone's voice on this board is valuable and maintaining an openness to hearing that input before making important decisions is how we achieve the best outcomes for MISD and our students. Thank you for your time. Thank you very much. Next, our next speaker is Allison Bracken Brown speaking on agenda item 6F. Thank you, board, and Dr. Howard. Um, I am unfortunately unable to stay for the rest of the
038board meeting because I have an orchestra concert for my freshman as M MHS is still working very hard and their students still have lots to do. Um, so I'll be leaving after this, but I wanted to address uh 6F and how it came to be, who wrote it, and why we need to replace all these board policies without much discussion. As in looking over the board policies uh that are being changed, I haven't had a lot of time. And I also have a senior who's graduating thankfully. Um and it's been a it's a busy busy time as well as teaching myself. But in looking through this there is a lot of very vague language. Um it says that you'll hide how hold the superintendent highly accountable to achieving the schoolboard goals. How? What does that
039look like? There are no answers. But being highly accountable surely means something. But that's not explained. What does that mean? In addition to that, it says that you'll behave in a manner that shows unity. Well, what do you mean by unity? Do you mean uniformity? What does that look like? If there are no differing opinions of being allowed, how are you able to represent your different districts because they all have very different constituents? In addition to that, it talks about not allowing equity audits. What is an equity audit? What does that mean? It doesn't explain it. But what do you see as equity? Can we no longer offer supports to our students that need it? Different different supports. How if we can't audit our our classroom teaching do we see that we're meeting the best
040needs of our students in the classroom and we if we can't base those on their different needs. In addition to that, there is some language that isn't vague. The goals that many many other people have expressed aren't vague. That all our students will be at above or at or above grade level and that all will be career college or military ready. Dr. Dr. Fritz, you know, this is not a standard you hold to in medicine. No drug is is required to be 100% ethicable. That's just not what we do. That medicine gets approved without that. All across in other all all aspects of boards, nothing has to be at 100% to be to work. That's unrealistic. Is that what we strive for? Absolutely. Do I want every one of my students to achieve to their
041highest? Absolutely. And do I work every day for that without fail? But that doesn't mean they don't wake up on the morning of that test and have had a bad day or maybe their parents told them the night before they're getting divorced and they can't think about that test. That test is not always the most important thing. But that's all we're basing that on. In addition, we've already talked about how CRT is mentioned, which makes no sense. Um, and the other thing that's really frustrating to me is that it says you'll mention you'll you will approve all out of town trips. Do you really have time for that? You haven't approve approved my salary for next year. I don't know what I'm making. And that is much much more important than knowing whether or not
042we can take a field trip to the Abalene Zoo with our second graders to teach them things. Please do what you need to do. Thank you. Thank you. Our next speaker is Crystal Dear. Agenda item 9B. Good evening, President Hajes, board, and Dr. Howard. My name is Crystal Dear. As you all know, I come tonight as a parent who has been a part of uh been a part of dealing with the math changes that we're having. Um I am speaking towards 9B, which is a secondary math plan. I have had an opportunity to hear about the secondary math plan and I became worrisome about the advanced math math portion that was posted this afternoon when I actually got to see it. The plan itself is good but there are some questions being worked through and
043I have spoken to those when with Damian. When I saw we are utilizing the star test as mastery to move our students through advanced math I became worried. This does not provide opportunity for all of our students. Let me give you an example. My daughter was given the opportunity to be in advanced math at YWLA. She while in junior high at YWLA, she never mastered the math star. Never mastered the math star, but she is currently a junior at Midland High, taking pre-cal, graduating a year early, and going off to be in med school. She is going to college for medical. she would not have had that opportunity if she was in onle courses. I also want you to think about what happens when a student takes a math star test and they're not feeling
044well and they don't do well, but they've mastered every test since. What are you going to do then? What about the um the fact that the star test might go away? What are we going to do instead of the star test? So, we're basing it all around the star test. There's multiple stories of students who may not master the STAR test but have had the opportunity to be in advanced math which as a math teacher I don't believe every student should be in advanced math because they need to show their mastery in math but they should also have the opportunity to try their skills at that and if that means they need to move in and out then that's what they need to be given the opportunity. I myself have suggested to some of our
045math students based on their mastery that they move out at advanced math because they're just don't have those skills. My daughter while in advanced math moved out at algebra 2 uh pre-cal. What I want you to think about is the plan and ask further questions about the implementation. And to leave you with this, a test does not define a student. I know our accountability comes from it, but remember a test does not define a student. That's Thank you. Next, our next speaker is Britney Lot speaking on the topic of reading representing Jumpstart. Good evening, members of the board. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak with you today. I want to talk about something that hits close to home, reading, or more specifically, the fact that far too many students in our school
046are not reading on grade level. They that they should be. And I know how it feels because I was one of them when I was in high school. Reading out loud in class was my worst nightmare. I remember the anxiety that I felt whenever the teacher would call on me. My heart would race, my palms would sweat, and I'll stumble with words that I should have known. It wasn't that I wasn't smart. It's that somewhere along the line, I had fallen behind and no one had caught on early enough. I learned how to fake it, to avoid eye contact, to pray someone else would get picked on. But deep down, I felt embarrassed. I felt less than. And I wasn't alone. Today, so many of our students are sitting in classroom feeling the same exact
047fear and shame. They're trying to keep up in subjects like science and history, but if they can't read the material, how can we expect them to succeed? Reading isn't just another subject. is the foundation of every other subject. This isn't just about test scores. It's about confidence. It's about opportunity. It's about equity. So, I urge you to consider the following. Early intervention. We need systems to identify struggling readers early in elementary school so we don't lose them at later on. Dedicated reading support. Let's invest into reading specialists that target programs that meet students where they are and help them catch up without shame. Culturally renovated materials where students see themselves in stories they read. They're more likely to engage. Representation matters and professional development for teachers equipped educators with tools and training to recognize reading
048struggles and support students in a meaningful way. I stand here today not only just as someone who struggled, but as someone who overcame. But I also know that it didn't have to be that hard. We can do better for the students coming up now. Let's make sure that no students have to ever feel the way that I did. Silence by the fear of reading. Thank you. Thank you. Next, our next speaker is Patricia Aragon Madison Aragon regarding the star test. Hello, my name is Patricia Aragon and I'm speaking on behalf of my daughter Madison. She was here, but she had to go back to work. Um, she's a student at Legacy High School. Um, she cannot walk the stage due to the fact that STAR test results are not coming back in from what the
049lady told me till June 6th. So, Madison has struggled since second grade trying just like that lady said, reading. We learned that she was dyslexic. You know, she gets help, all that, etc. A couple of years ago, our my son, her brother was killed here at Midland. And we all went through depression. We all went through mental health, all of that. We're still dealing with it. We're still grieving. We're doing everything. Madison dropped out of high school. I didn't think she wasn't going to graduate. She finally decided, said, "Mom, I want to go back." Supported her all the way. She went to Richard Milbour, tried it over there, wasn't doing anything. went back to Legacy this year in February 2025. In two and a half months, she was able to get all her credits, meet
050every standard thing that she needed to get done there, and because of this test, she's not allowed to graduate with her class. She's, let's say, she does pass the STAR test. Now, she has the embarrassment of not walking with her class in 2025. She's got to wait till August. Why? Why is that not why is that fair and unfair to her? I'm not saying that all the other students that have worked hard, you know, she deserves this. She has gone through so much in the last 2 years, especially with mental health, depression, the whole nine. And she has worked her tail off to get to this point so she can walk with her class. She she left to go back to work because she didn't want to speak in front of y'all cuz she was
051scared. She didn't know if she was going to be heard or if she was even important to y'all for her to hear. Just like this baby said, numbers, scores. What about everything else that she's achieved so far to get here? Please just take it into consideration that she can walk with her class in 2025 on Thursday for Legacy High and she gets that opportunity and she gets that excitement and that joy from her parents, from her sisters, her grandparents and everybody else that she comes with. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you. Next, our next speaker is Elby Brown. Uh good good evening to you all. I I just wanted as far as as a pastor and as a student of a sixth grader that just graduated from Bunch Elementary last night just to come and and
052speak uh to no particular item, but just to the culture that I've been sensing in our city. I I know that we're all passionate people. We love our children. We love our city. uh but how we uh treat one another, how we speak to one another, how we go about uh making a better community for ourselves, it matters. And so I I just wanted to speak concerning what what I sense and what I see uh that our city seemingly in so many ways turning almost into a Jerry Springer episode of some sort. uh we can disagree and we can be passionate about our beliefs, but to attack uh people to attack uh our our elected offic uh uh representatives, I just want to apologize to you all and and just give you the benefit not
053about a policy. I'm not speaking to none of that, but just as human beings and how we treat one another. Our children are watching as well and how we treat one another. And when I was in school, conduct was a big thing. And that probably was one of the only things I passed was I I I I did get a a good conduct score. Uh and so just to remind us as a community that uh caring is a big deal, but how we do that and go about that. I am concerned with Bunch. I live right across the street from Bunch and we have not uh done well for many years. I've been there to watch it, but I would not just look at you all and say and put it all on your shoulders.
054I also go to the meetings when the principles call for a meeting and to see um two to three parents come to a meeting to talk about the grades and and their students. We have to take weight as well as a as a community to say as parents there there's a level of of us pushing our students to do better is is is important as well. And so, uh, wanting to encourage you all and all of our elected officials into, um, not not being discouraged, not being totally, uh, discouraged. I know you you you ran for this position and you took it and it comes with weight, but some of it is just ridiculous and uh, unnecessary. Uh, and the other just you just got to take it on the chin, I guess, huh? Uh,
055but just wanted to come and encourage you all and say thank you for what you do. It's the end of a school year. I know you've worked hard and y'all are looking for a vacation as well. So, God bless you. Thank you, sir. Our next speaker, Beth Garza, speaking on agenda item 6F. Members of the board, Dr. Howard. My name is Beth Garza. I am an MISD graduate and a former MISD teacher. My twin boys attend an F-rated campus. Scores that, by the way, are rated from when my boys were in fourth and fifth grade. They do not even reflect the current students, faculty, or administration. But let me tell you about my boy's experience at a failing Abel Junior High School campus this year. My boys consistently made the straight A honor role while
056taking GT EAS classes. Their teachers challenged them and held high expectations. They participate in choir and orchestra where they made region choir and their ensembles earned superior and excellent scores at UIL concert and site reading. The band earned those scores as well, which is a really challenging feat. I also believe that these are the most consistently high junior high school ratings across our district for fine arts. My boys participated in just one of the sports offered at AEL and meddled several times in competition this past fall and spring, although they were brand new to tennis. I'm aware of how well our AEL football, basketball, volleyball, track, and soccer teams performed this year as well. In addition, there were multiple UIL academic competitions in which AEL students succeeded and excelled. As a parent, I noticed that
057the school was always clean and well-kept. Student expectations were readily available from the administration and most of the teachers. I heard from the principal and Dr. Howard at least once a week. Under the proposed system for failing schools, our campus would now be placed on an 1882 plan. A plan that would eliminate athletics and fine arts and would take away some of our students reasons for coming to and being successful at school. We can look at the example of Ectctor Junior High in ECISD to see the abysmal results of their charter program which they have since exited. Please look at the far-reaching consequences of your decisions. Please do not look at the politically motivated campus ratings and instead look at the whole school and whole student. I urge you to let the education experts and
058school faculty and administration work towards each campus's academic goals without the constant fear of being turned over to an 1882 program. Thank you for your [Applause] time. Thank you. Next, our next speaker is Jasmine Perez. [Applause] I feel like you need leadup music or something. Hello, Dr. Howard and school board. My name is Jasmine Pettis, a parent from the east side of Midland. As we all know, with the unofficial TEA reports coming out, we can all see that none of our schools are doing well. I'm not going to come up here and say I have the answers, but I can tell you all that I've heard the concerns. The majority of our students report cards let parents know if our kids are passing or failing. And just because a child is passing does not mean
059he or she is reading on grade level. As a single mother in this district working more than 40 hours a week, I can tell you I'm not perfect and I have dropped the ball. In those moments, I've accepted my child's report card thinking that if he is passing, I have nothing to worry about. But that is a lie told to us parents. That is where mistrust begins and it becomes a them and us instead of a we. Here with Jumpstart, we know that it will take building community to help build trust with the school board and our schools. A great brick that can be put down by the school board is to start requiring what grade level each child in our school is reading on the report card. If we are all progressing the way
060that we hear in these schoolboard meetings, that shouldn't be a hard break to be put down by the school board, especially when it comes to rebuilding trust. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you. Next, our next speaker is Amber Davidson. Agenda item 6F. Good evening. I'd like to start out and ask anybody that's in the audience tonight, if you did not make it or are here because you have concerns over the policies that are in the agenda on the consent agenda, would you please stand? I believe there is probably more people standing behind me than what is signed up to speak. And I believe that tells you that putting a policy out 72 hours prior to a meeting is not enough time for you to respond to people. You are business individuals. You have jobs. You have
061lives. You probably have unbelievable amount of unread emails in your inbox. You probably have messages that you have not had the opportunity to respond to. We have engaged family members who are concerned about what these policies hold. I will be honest with you, it started out being 101 pages and now it's 107. That means it changed from the time it was posted and I pulled it at 6:30 on Friday afternoon to today. Why are there changes after you published it? Why? Additionally, why is it a consent agenda item? 107 pages of information that is redlined should never be a consent agenda item. It should be a special board meeting. It should be a special board meeting to go one by one. Should be discussion, a motion and a vote. That is parliamentary procedure. My other
062concern is many the policies that affect the classroom. I have been a high school teacher, a junior high coach, a seventh grade teacher, a second grade teacher, a fourth through sixth grade teacher teaching computers, a third through sixth grade teacher that taught science. I have two levels of different certification in the state. You are taking away the power of curriculum. You are taking a test that is actually written at two grade levels above to determine whether or not a child meets expectation levels. What I am asking you today is for a motion to be made for this to be taken off the consent agenda, for it to become a special board meeting to discuss only that and for you to give the power back to our educators, our experts. Dr. Freeze, I'm not a medical
063person. I'm not an expert. Brandon Hodes, I'm not an expert. I'll be honest, I'm not even sure what you do and I couldn't tell you how to do your job. Mr. Mr. Bishop, I think believe you do something with finance. I don't know how to tell you to do your job. Miss Burlson is the only one sitting on that stage and Dr. Howard that I can even have a halfway conversation with. Thank you for listening to our constituents and who you represent. Thank you. [Applause] Our next speaker is Amanda Agiri uh speaking on the topic of graduation. Good evening mist school board. I am the proud parent of Aiden Compos. My name is Amanda Gary and I'm here to say please let these kids walk that stage. He went within a year to prove that
064he was able to do this. I believe in my heart that every student who has spent their time in high school, especially our seniors, deserve the opportunity to walk across stage with their classmates. Regardless if they have received their star test scores or not, the student should not be punished for the Texas education agency not providing their scores on a timely matter. Graduation isn't about academic achievement. It's the right of passage, a celebration of years of hard work, friendships, and personal growth. For some students, walking the stage might be the me biggest motivation they have to finish strong. To deny that to deny them that moment, especially after they have come so far, can be very devastating. You are sending them a message stating that their efforts weren't enough even if they were dealing with
065challenges that you might not fully understand. I understand the importance of maintaining academic standards, but I also believe in the power of encouragement and recognition. Let's give these students that final push and inspire them to complete and remaining requirements and achieve their goals by allowing every student participate in the ceremony. We are referring reinforcing the values of support and belief that every everyone deserves a chance to celebrate their goals and achievements big or small. Thank you for your time. Ma'am, ma'am ma'am ma'am ma'am before what school I'm not trying what school is Aiden at? He went from he was at Legacy but he ended up going to Coleman. My oldest daughter was also shot and killed and he couldn't handle being at the Legacy Hall anymore. So, he's a Coleman right now. Yes. All right.
066Thank you, [Applause] Jane Wolf. Good evening, Mr. Mr. President, trustees and Dr. Howard. I am here once again to brag about our school district. Are you aware that the class of 2025 is tracking at 82% or more for college, career, and military readiness? 86 of our athletes qualified for academic all-state selection, up from 67 last year. We have three national merit finalist this year, over one last year. An 11th grade student at Midland High School has been named a state finalist in the Barbara Jordan historical essay competition. We haven't had a finalist since 2016. We have 1,400 prek seats today. In the financial area, our bind rating has been upgraded. In the area of aggression, acts of aggression have decreased over 54% districtwide. The PTAs in our district include more than 6,500 folks. There is
067a lot good of good going on, and I've only touched a few highlights. I invite you trustees to become cheerleaders for our district. Despite overcrowded classrooms and limited facilities, our students are moving forward on all fronts. In three short years, our grades will be reconfigured finally in the international balorat configuration. We'll have prek through five in elementary schools, 6th through 8th grade in middle schools, and 9th graders will be on the campus with the 10th, 11th, and 12th graders, and upper level classes will be available to 9th graders if they qualify. So, we're going to have appropriate reorganization in our grades, better quality facilities, materials, equipment, and resources. Every change on any campus is a setback. In the policy documents provided for this meeting, the threat of potential changes that could affect all our campuses
068is very concerning. I implore you, leave everybody right where they are right now. affirm the progress that is happening every day and through these next three years as we prepare for this new setup. Thank you. Thank you. Next, our next speaker is Reagan Kuran uh speaking on approval of revised board policies. Good evening. Thank you members of the board for hearing me out tonight. First, I want to explain to you why I feel I'm qualified to speak to you tonight. I am one of very few nationally board certified teachers in this district. I'm a certified exceptional needs specialist. I'm also TIA recognized. I'm one of 19 preK teachers who are TIA recognized. I'm also a third generation teacher. I was born and raised in Friendship ISD, which unlike Midland is known for excellence. But you
069know what? It is never known for talking bad about our schools. I come from a place that puts everything into their schools, and it shows. Just as many people have noted tonight, change is going to come when we all come together. when we learn how to talk to each other with respect, with integrity, and to take the people that we have put in positions and let them make their decisions. There's many issues that have been proposed to be put into the board policies and there's no way I could address them all. But two of the main problems I have is that you would look to take over our schools just at the first sign of a problem. at the first sign that there might be issues that from what we know these problems have been
070here a long long time. They're not going to change overnight, but they're not going to change by people coming in and taking away our power and our voice. There are people moving here who believe in Midland ISD. I am one of those people. The sole reason me and my family moved here was to teach in Midland ISD. I moved from Levik and took my family out of that environment and brought them here because I believe in the power of education and I want to help these kids. I work even in my free time with Opportunity Tribe and I would love for you all to come listen to them and the amazing work we do over the summer. All of these students are capable of so much and I'm not saying that there's not things that
071need to be changed. Yes, we want to strive for excellence, but it doesn't come by taking away our power. I would also encourage you all to look at the prek department. They are doing an amazing job of saying, you know what, y'all don't need to hear more from me. You need to hear from each other. Who's doing this well? Who can we listen to? And we have watched, as you will hear later, our prek department has amazing growths. 91% of our students met board goals. That's amazing. And none of it happened because someone came in our classrooms and told us what to do. Thank you. Thank you. Next, our next speaker is Terry F. Garrett speaking on agenda item five. Howdy. When I was in elementary school here in Midland in the 60s, Midland had
072the number two rated school system in the entire United States. And it was well broadcast and it was well known. and Midland and all of us were very proud of that. Since then, the quality and the grade of our school system has plummeted and it keeps plummeting. Just a few months ago, I stopped to get a water burger at the water burger on the ranking highway out there. And I was applauding the two little girls that were working there because they were all dressed up in their Midland High School uh uniforms and cheerleading you and they were fresh graduates of Midland High. And I said, "Well, I I graduated there uh back before your granddad was born, and I appreciate that a lot." And uh she rang up my hamburger and my Coke and my
073French fries was $19 63. I handed her a $20 bill. She and the other little girl there who was the assistant manager could not give me back the 37 cents change. They couldn't count it out yet. They were fresh graduates of Midland High School. They they had to get help from another manager. She couldn't figure it out and they had to finally got it. B. And I kept telling them, "Look, you can keep the 37 cents. I got to go. and they insisted finally handed me my 37 cents. I don't think any of the three of them ever figured out the computer. Point I'm trying to make is our middle and school system is deteriorating at a pace uh Elon Musk can't keep up with. We need help. The Midland School District needs help. They
074don't need any more money. They don't need any more buildings. They don't need any more land. They don't need any more fancy athletic facilities. They need teachers that will teach. And if we're going to spend money on something, let's give these teachers here that are here before they all leave a raise. Let's use that $1.5 billion extortion bond that we y'all passed a few months ago and give the teachers a raise. They will raise up the standards of our kids in our system. Let them teach math, reading, writing, arithmetic, English, history. Let them teach some history. Let these kids figure out where they came from. Let them figure out why their folks came here. Let them figure it out. Teach it to them. Thank you. Next. Our next speaker is Nino Rodriguez. Agenda item five.
075I would like to start with the Bible verse from our Lord Jesus. Matthew 18 4 or 18 5. And who so shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me? But who so shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me? It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Now, I love the agenda here. Unlike some people here, I was born here. My family came from here. And I want to encourage y'all to stop all the grooming and sexualization of the children in the public school system. We're failing. Uh just like the best president in my lifetime, Trump got elected. You know, elections have consequences. Amen. And I applaud y'all for the agenda. And if
076these people don't like it, I mean, they can vote and get y'all out when the time comes. That's how it works. Uh, I appreciate y'all putting the comments first. I guess uh the city Miller could learn a thing or two from y'all. But I digress. Change is scary yet necessary. Uh, what is it? 32% of our kids can read on a grade level. That's unacceptable, ladies and gentlemen. So, I applaud y'all for trying to do something different. Like Terry said, Milan has changed and it's changed for the worst. We got a bunch of woke people that came here from god knows where trying to push their wicked ideologies uh in my city. Transgenderism is a mental illness. Homosexuality is a sin. The Bible says, and I bet a lot of people here don't like to
077hear me say that and honestly don't care. Uh I also want to say that uh people that say that there's no CRT, that's a lie. I just fact checked it. Uh May 5th, Attorney General uh Ken Paxton takes legal action against Austin of all places. Wow. For teaching radical anti-American critical race theory in violation of state law. So these people are either blatantly lying up here or they're ignorant of the fact that this CRT crap is still in Texas. It's against the law. It's wicked. And again, like I said, I commend y'all for taking a stand. It might not be popular. They might not like it. But you know what? It's time to make Midland great again. And this town has gone down towards the dumps. Talk about the school system, right? There's uh propaganda,
078bullying. Uh the grades came out horrible, not really good passing grades in Midland. I'm pretty ashamed of that. And I do feel I have a right to come here and speak. Just like Terry said, we got extorted with that energized Midland sham bond where they lied uh saying that our taxes wouldn't be raised. That was a lie and their leaders lied because my taxes went up and my parents went up and they're 65 years old and older. So anyways, the problem here in Millan is uh we're going down the wrong path and I commend uh y'all and I hope that y'all do push the agenda forward and let's end the wokeness. Let's end the grooming and let's end the evil that is uh invading our city. I'm telling you right now, the warning is here
079and it's now. They can say what they want. They can get mad and pow, whatever, but we got to do what's right for the children in this in this public school system. And I just want to say that we voted y'all in. We can vote y'all out. And I hope y'all make the right decision. And again, end the wokeness and push what's right. Simple and plain. Thank you. Next, our next speaker is Lynn Rogers speaking on agenda item 6F. Hello and uh good ne evening members of the board and superintendent tower Howard and everyone here. Um my name is Lynn Rogers. Um I'm a parent with students in MISD. Um I actually went to MISD schools myself. Uh my husband is also a teacher in MISD. Um, thank you to those who have had the
080chance to reply to my email that which I sent to you and I hope that others uh will have the chance as you get more time uh to reply to some of my concerns. But I wanted to talk also tonight um in the vein of some of the things that have been mentioned, but really just being concerned with the chaos and the confusion and this infighting and a us versus them type of thing. It's not going to get solutions for our students and our teachers and the families in our district. Um uh for one um I really want to address I just don't understand this belief this all or nothing mentality that um is among some of the board and also some of the community that third future or charters are the answer to everything
081um it's going to solve our problems. They're not a magic bullet. My daughter actually attended Sam Houston before it became third future and also after it became third future. Um we saw the school and experienced it when it was led very well under Dr. Thirsten and we also experienced it when it was run terribly under uh principal bladelock. So um it was actually so bad we didn't let let her finish her sixth grade year there and we moved her. Um, so we've seen a charter run well and a charter run badly. It's just like any campus. It's about the leadership that's on the campus and in the classroom. The charters aren't going to solve everything. It's who's running the show, right? Um, and in that note, under the newly proposed uh revised board policies that
082were just released a few days ago, it says every campus should be at a B or above. What if a campus doesn't make that grade? What is going to happen? Does it say that in the policy? What if a charter comes in and the charter does not make that rating as it currently stands with Sam Houston who has a C rating? An idea Travis that has a D rating. Do they need to be eliminated from our district? Do we What do we do then? Right. And they're non-compliant. So, how many other districts also our size, our demographics, our economics do you know of where every campus has a B- rating? Like I really want to know where did that come from? Where did this expectation come from? As some others have said, yes, we need
083high standards, but we need them to be smart goals. They have to be realistic. Um, just demands of that kind are never going to end well. They always result in disaster. It's too much pressure and it creates chaos. It creates a terrible situation for the staff who are already under a lot of stress and are leaving the district. We can't have smaller classroom or smaller less teachers. We already have a shortage, right? So, I guess I'm out of time then. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. [Applause] Next, our next speaker is Nicholas Keller, speaking on agenda item number 6F. My name is Nicholas Keller. I also was born in Midland. My wife and I both graduated from MISD schools. I have two kids attending MISD schools. We live I care about the schools and want
084to see them succeed. We live in a climate where public schools, educators, and even public school students are under heightened scrutiny and being vilified by political operatives on a state and local level. Unfortunately, I think the proposed poly policy changes are a continuation of that vilification. Public education needs to be supportive and and not create a fear a climate of fear and intimidation. Contrary to this, the policies are prop we the board is proposing double down on those item restrictions on student travel, library books requiring board approval, restrictions on $50,000 spending on spending of $50,000 or more, restrictions on student speech and teacher speech, and taking away control from the superintendent. Not to mention creating a draconian rating accountability system pushing schools to chart to charter status. We're losing the plot here, conflating national issues
085with local progress. Rather than talking to teachers about what resources they need, we're going to further restrict the tools at their disposal. Rather than working on a plan with teachers to improve, we're virtue signaling about pronoun use and making sure some people get called pedophiles. I'm going to be honest with you. Reading the story in the MRT today was the first time encountered the term minor attracted person or Latin X in Midland, Texas. Rather than encouraging students and faculty to expand their opportunities or restricting student organization travel, we should be inviting educational opportunities, not creating obstacles to them. I've said a lot here and most of you have already made up your mind on your vote, but I ask that those of you that have not do a little bit of self-reflection and ask yourself,
086how does any of this improve the educational performance of MISD? Are these recommendations made in good faith? Will these changes improve literacy rates or test scores? Thank you. Thank you. Next, our next speaker is Courtney Ratliff speaking on name change and board policy. President Hajes board Dr. Howard. Um, I'm going to wear multiple hats tonight as I usually do because I like to represent the entire community in different aspects uh um of business here in Midland. Uh first off, I want to talk to you guys about uh the upcoming name change that you have. And it is my expressed honor um to hear that one of the names to be considered is John Randy Story. Um, this man was my mentor. And for those who who never were in the band, who only know of
087him, you know of someone you know of this big loud guy who was on a speaker at early in the morning standing on the roof yelling at kids. That's what you know about Ry's story. But that's not all of who Randy Story was. He was someone who was extremely passionate about music. Uh he was a passionate about uh his kids about perfection and he really uh inspired so many people to go into professions where they too sought out perfection. um the reason why I have so many such high expectations at the academy is because he had high expectations of me and I thought that that's something that those those are character traits that you want to instill in others and so uh for us to in MISD to have a school named after Randy story
088would be a an absolutely remarkable thing. Um, just one of the as you'll hear many facts about him, but I don't I know one of the things that you may not know is he was the first ever high school band director to be named the American Band Master of the Year. That's a huge feat. That's just among many of his um accomplishments. Uh, the next thing I want to talk to you is a little bit about the board policy. Uh, the next hat that I want to wear is as the uh, vice president of the Midland Odessa chapter of P Flag. P Flag is one of the oldest is the oldest uh advocacy group advocacy group uh for the LGBTQ plus community. Would you spell out the acronym real quick? Just it's P F L
089A G P Flag. And it's not an acronym. It's P flag. Um I know I know you didn't know that, right? I know, right? We all deal in acronyms. Um, I want to talk about um some of the changes that are being proposed. I want you to understand how detrimental uh some of these policy changes are to our youth. And we're not talking about large number of of kids in MISD, but those who are in MISD and who are part of the LGBTQ plus community are already suffering. I've been to a funeral of a youth who has committed suicide. I don't know if any of you have, but that's that's really a powerful thing. And that's not something that we should all take lightly. Um, I want you to really consider how detrimental some of
090those moves are. Uh, the last thing that I want to just mention real fast is that I am now the executive director of Campfire West Texas and we will be taking we will be taking um um we are Mr. Right, left time. Sorry. Oh, you did take some of my time by asking if it's wrap up real quick, please. Just simply the wrap up here is you guys made a decision on after school provider and moved from right at school to the YMCA without putting forth a an actual bid on that. And I just like some information on why that was done. So you I took some of his time. Thank you. Next, [Applause] our next speaker. Hold on real quick. Out of the audience, everybody is going to be able to speak and get
091to their time. So, let's let everybody speak. I took some time. I give it to everybody. So, let's just let's be nice in the peanut. Let's You're You're going to go if I'm just telling you, don't do that. Let's just be nice from the peanut gallery. Next, our next speaker is Miriam Ramos. Miriam Ramos. Okay, she's headed this way. Hello, my name is uh Miriam Ramos. I am a parent and also born and raised in Medlin. Um I'm here tonight to speak on the concept of the agenda policies. I am concerned about the policies that will directly affect the campuses where my students attend. A B standard minimum is stricter than the policies tea right um I commend your desire to raise the bar but this bar is too high. I have spoken before about
092the positive changes and impacts directly to my students at Devala. I trust the leadership of Mr. Dwarte and excited to see the growth our campus will show when scores are released. I'm excited about the STEM M opportunities that will be available to my student this upcoming school year. My second concern is directly related to the UIL opportunities for my students and the thousands of other students are who are in band, orchestra, mariachi, and athletics. The budget constraints will limit the opportunities our students are provided. I was under the impression that extracurriculars are to provide opportunities for our students, opportunities that otherwise they would not receive. the lessons and impacts on their scholarship in the classroom will be limited if you make these changes. So, please take that into consideration when planning the future of our
093kids. Thank you so much. Thank you. Our last one. We appreciate that. That wraps up public forum. Mr. President. Uh, I move to make a to have a a 10-minute recess. It has been motioned for a recess. 10 minutes. 10-minute recess is second. It's been second and thirded. All those in favor of a 10-minute recess, raise your right hand. Motion passes. We'll be right back in The time is 7:09 p.m. and this meeting is back in order. Anyhow, the next agenda item that we have is consumm consent agenda. A, approval of board meeting minutes. B, approval of monthly financial. C, approval of donations over 20,000. D, approval of the 2025 2026 staff development minutes waiver. E, approval of RFQ number 24268, real estate services. F, approval of a revised board policies. A education philosophy or
094AE AIB accountability performance reporting BBD board members training and orientation BBE exhibit 1, BBE exhibit 2, BBE exhibit 3, BBE exhibit 4, BBE exhibit 5, BDA local officers and officials duties and requirements of board officers. BDD local board internal organization attorney. BJA local superintendent qualifications and duties. BJC local superintendent evaluation. BQ local exhibit 1 planning and decisionmaking process. BQ local planning and decision-making process. BQA local planning and decision-making process district level. BQB, local planning and decision-making process. Campus level CAA local fiscal management goals and objectives and financial ethics. CDA CDA local other revenue investments. CH local purchasing and acquisition. CL local buildings, grounds, and equipment management. CY local intellectual property. DC local employment practices. DH, local employee standards of conduct. EFA, local instructional resources, instructional materials. EFB, local instructional resources, library materials. EHB, local curriculum
095decisions, special programs. EHB, local special programs, gifted and talented. EIA, local academic achievement, grading progress reports to parents. EMB local miscellaneous instructional policies teaching about controversial issues. FFG local student welfare child abuse and neglect FM local student activities. FMG student local student activities travel FMAA local student expression distribution of non-school literature. GKA local community relations conduct on school premises. GDA GKDA local non-school use of school facilities distribution of non-school literature. Would anyone like to pull any of these items? I do. Okay. Now, before we go through the list real quick, I want to say out to the public, we're going to have a general a general discussion about whatever items are pulled from this, but I want to say that I'm excited on a lot of the academic policies that we've been updated. And I
096wanted to address a couple of concerns that came from public forum uh that I heard this evening. One of which is that we put this on the consent agenda. When we met at agenda review, there were already policy updates that were presented to us on consent agenda. So we just swapped this policy update out for the other one. Uh the other issue is you're talking about 100% with the mission the mission statement of MISD is 100%. So that's not something that's the previous board voted on that and approved that mission statement and the vision statements there. But anyhow, go ahead and give me the list of what you would like to pull. I'm going to pull AE educational philosophy. AIB accountability performance reporting. What? Start over one more time up. AE educational philosophy. Okay. AIB
097accountability performance reporting. Yes ma'am. BBD board member training and organization. The or training and orientation. Okay. Orientation. Just make just making sure cuz both are on there. Okay. So, I've done three. Yes, ma'am. BBE board member authority. BBE1, BBE2, BB3, BBE 4, BBE 5. You caught it? Yes, ma'am. BDAA officers and officials duties and requirements of board officers. BDD attorney or counsel. BF board policies. We should ask what you don't want pulled. Yeah. BJA qualifications and duties. BJC, superintendent evaluation. BQ exhibit one, BQ local, BQA, BQB, DC, DH, employee standards of conduct. Sorry, I quit reading those. EFA, Instructional Resources, Instructional Materials. EFB, instructional materials, library materials. EIA academic achievement grading progress reports. EM FM student activities FMG student activities FNAA student expression GKDA non-school use of school facilities. Let me read these back to
098make sure. So, we're pulling off the agenda item F and consent agenda for discussion only. AE local educational philosophy. AIB local accountability performance reporting. BBD local board members training and orientation. BBE local exhibit 1 board members authority. BBE local exhibit 2 board members authority. BBE local exhibit 3 board members authority. BBE local exhibit 4 board members authority BBE local exhibit 5 board members authority BDA local officers and officials duties and requirements of board officers BDD local board internal organization attorney BF local board policies BJA local superintendent qualifications and duties BJ CD Local superintendent evaluation BQ local exhibit 1 planning and decisionmaking process BQ local planning and decision-making process BQA local planning and decision-making process district level BQB local planning and decision-making process campus level DC local employment practices DH local employee standards of conduct conduct.
099EFA, local instructional resources, instructional materials. EFB, local instructional resources, library materials. EIA, local academic achievement, grading progress reports to parents. EMB local miscellaneous instructional policies teaching about controversial issues. FM local student activities. FMG local student activities travel. F N AAA local student expression distribution of non-school literature and D or G KDA local non-school use of school facilities distribution of non-school literature. I left one out. CH purchasing and acquisition. CH local purchasing and acquisition. But the rest of them were good. Correct. Okay. So, we're adding for discussion only CH local purchasing and acquisition. Correct. Miss Blue, if you would like to take the podium. This is Miss Blue. This is the attorney for the school board. And so, she will help lead us through the questions on the legality of of these. Thank you. I Well,
100I have a motion to make. Okay, Mr. Chairman, there are important matters in all of these policies that require more than four days to study, collect public public input, administrative input, and for those affected by these policies, we there's no need to rush this large of a revision. Students are out this week. It's been a busy week and weekend and there's no good reason to rush if we really want good policy. I'm not against most of these policies. There's just little tweaks here and there, but I believe that it's not done on this stage that it's done as um in a special board meeting with us. Do I hear a motion? Yep. I was explaining why I was going to have the motion, but just it's but I move to postpone all the items I
101pulled until the June meeting or later to allow for the public, myself, staff review by P policy committee and the entire board. There is a motion on the table. Is there a second? It has been motioned and it's Can I borrow that piece of paper to read back the motion second paragraph say that it has been motioned and seconded that Miss Bolson that there is a motion moved and seconded to postpone all the items pulled until the June meeting or later to allow for the board the public staff for view by policy committee and the entire board. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Motion fails. [Applause] Do you have any qu on these policies that you pulled? Do you have specific questions that you would like to ask Miss Blue? I do have
102specific, but are we going to discuss these in in detail? And are you planning on approving these tonight? these. So, every board member has 10 minutes to speak on this and then we'll move on because it's by Robert's rules. You have 10 minutes per item policy. Okay. Well, then I will go I will go down my list then or she can do her thing and then I'll come back. I have four pages of questions. Just go if you have questions, you just ask her questions directly. I'm just a reference witness. I don't have any um presentation. I got a quick procedure question. Yes, sir. Do we need to This is for Miss Blue. Do we need to pull the other one for discussion to keep it all together? What other one? The one that we
103didn't pull for off the consented agenda. Not following you. I think we're we're fine. What? I don't I I'm not track. I think he's asking if we can vote on the ones that Oh, there was several that we didn't pull for discussion. Yeah. Can we vote on them and go ahead and pass them or whatever? Vote on. Do they need to be? We if so, if you would, we could motion to vote on those as a block. But I think we Let's just get this done and we'll vote we'll vote on everything. Parliamentary issue here. Okay. I mean, there would have to be a motion to break them up. We voting on them individually or as a block? No, ma'am. They stay in. We're only discussing these. There's not a motion to break them up.
104So, we're voting on them as as a block. We're just discussing them. Every board member has opportunity to pull an item from consent agenda and discuss it, but it hasn't there's there's no motion to break them up. Well, I make a mot to to break them into individual pieces. It has been motioned and seconded to break these up and vote on them individually. Is there a second? I second. It has been motioned and seconded to break these policies up and vote on them individually. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Motion [Applause] fails. Okay. Well, then that changes my um my speech then. The unreal realistic expectations set forth in the proposed policy has an agenda behind it. It's obvious. I have four pages of questions on these polit policies. Um, this was supposed
105to be a policy audit, not a policy revision. That's what we set forth with TEE. Um, we've had no input from this board. Do you have this? It needs to be Germaine. Do you have a specific questioner specific policy? It What specific policy are you speaking of right now? Every one of them. But I'll start. You want my questions? I'll start. No, I will. I'm just saying get the policy number in there. Let's start with AE educational philosophy. Then we collectively must decide what we want as a goal for the district. Working with the superintendent for best outcomes. Being dictated what to do with no educational background is a recipe for disaster in the district. It's easy to say yes, we want all students to be reading on grade level, but that is not a
106goal to be achieved in one year. It cannot happen and only sets everyone up for failure from the board to the students. 100% CCMR is great on paper and when talking in public, but again, you must stop and consider school is only one part of a student's life. We heard students tonight who had different life life challenges going into schools. What about undiagnosed students with dyslexia? Not every diagnosis happens before third grade. What about students who are dyslexic? It would depend on where the students are in the program. Why are you using domain one for MISD when third future and idea have been touted by you as an example and they only use domain 3? Yes, we want domain one, but you have to have domain three before you can get to do domain one.
107Growth is important and you must close the gaps to have achievement. Can you define a highquality teacher? Uh, yeah. So, you want me to start with defining a high quality teacher or just what it says? Okay. So, the Well, what are what are our how are we going to define a high quality teacher? Yeah. I think that um one of the goals the board is supposed to set running the Texas education code is clear standards for achievement. And this says that all students will be taught each day by a high-quality teacher who is rigorously coached and regularly evaluated specifically on meeting the board's adopted student outcome goals in BQ local and delivering instruction aligned with the Texas essential knowledge and skills. So it will be up to administration to define the high-quality teacher and report
108back um how they are meeting this particular objective of the board. SMART goals are written with a purpose in mind and we these none of these are smart goals. These are all just um what we would as any teacher, anyone in education would want to see happening and that we strive for every day in every classroom in this school district. But to put that as a goal, all all means all. I would like Dr. Freeze to be able to cure everything that comes through pathology to be curable. I would like for every whale to be 100% and on target and under um underpriced, whatever you call it. I would like for everyone in a courtroom um would be to be convicted or acquitted perfectly 100% of the time. That's what we're asking these teachers to
109do when you say all means all by third grade. Not every child's going to be reading on grade level in third grade. We are dealing with different brains. We are dealing with human beings. This is these are not smart goals. the district and all campuses maintaining a B or above in domain one. They don't even achieve that in in the schools that you're touting. This is this is um this one right here needs to be it should if we're voting on all of them at one time for this one alone it should be defeated. With all due respect um they are smart goals. If you look at the exhibits, every single campus has to adopt a goal for every single STAR test with consent of the principal and input of the community um for what
110they anticipate they're going to achieve that year. So, you're actually going to have far more smart goals than you ever have before because you're going to have yearly annual goals. Um, in addition, these goals say that if this the uh school district does not receive a B. Um, the principation with the board is then required to come up with a plan. It does not say you can't receive a B. It says if you do receive a B, you should come up with a plan or excuse me, a B or below. So, if we have a school system that receives an F, a D, or a C, um the in on August 15th when TEA releases the grades, then it is the policy of the board that the superintendent would present a plan. And she has
111multiple options um as part of that plan. But she will present a plan to try to bring that particular campus up to a B. I think um you know, and I'm I'm your attorney, so I'm but the philosophy behind it is we want as few students sitting in F, D, and C. We all want that. Yeah, that that's that's in our we already had that goal 70% in A and B canvases by 2028. That's a smart goal that you can actually achieve whereas this is not achievable. I'm going to go on because I cannot trust what I cannot trust is that um it's not in here as a smart goal and then later on you say well the the campuses can do it but the campuses have to come back to this goal right here.
112So there is no out on this. This says that the campuses will adopt goals in accordance student outcome goals in accordance with BQ local. And if you look at the templates for BQ local, those are very specific templates that are all smart goals. In fact, it will require, as I mentioned, every principal in consultation with the community um to adopt a smart goal for every single STAR test that's administered at their campus. And they can um not adopt those at the grade level. They have to adopt a grade level goal, but they can adopt a goal that's reasonable and attainable. That is that is also in here for their campus. And they then make progress toward attaining that goal. And they will uh be evaluated or monitored by the board on a consistent basis toward
113that goal attainment. I'm trying to get to BQ because it's this is Hang on. I don't know if any of y'all studied it as much as I did, but I'm going to go through down to BQ. I've spent hours on this and I will not be limited to 10 [Applause] [Music] minutes. With all due respect, Representative, I'm not limiting your time. Robert's rules are uh we can decide that we don't have to follow that policy either when we're doing something this large. This should have been in a workshop, not in 10 minutes of speaking on 36 policy changes. Representative, I would remind you of a text message I sent back at the beginning April with TE's cell phone number and say right, please get into contact with them. Every board member's had the opportunity to
114be part of this policy procedure. You sent back a like. I have an Android, so it just said liked it. So any any kind of confusion on the board not being available to this is just absolutely that's that's not factual. So this is you have you've had the opportunity you've had the opportunity for a long time to be part of it due to TOMA. We can't be a walking quorum. So you have to take initiative to talk about the policies yourself. You obviously had people held their hand up. That's incorrect. Everybody was everybody was elected here. there there's been a mandate by the voters on it and there is there is a there is a significant shift on what we're going to focus and focus on student outcomes. So I appreciate it. I give your
115time back but you have been part of this. I'm going to go back and look for a text message from you. I don't believe it. Um if you can find it and you show it to me. I don't know if I have anything from you, but um something this large is that's why you have a special board workshop to work on policy. That's what it's for. I don't need them to write my policy. They can come and speak to us about it to give us the audit about what you think should be ch would be useful to change. But there you go. To do that to do that. Oh, you asked if you could give him my phone number. Yeah. I mean what I don't know what yes if you could share my anyhow any
116anyhow it's not germaine to this you've been part of it so I um well I mean it seems pretty useless so I'm just going to go through my thanks I love this school district and I love children could you go if you don't appreciate it you can go you can go if you don't appreciate it. I've researched across the state of Texas and no one has goals like this for their students and administration because they are nothing but a setup for failure for our students, teachers, and administration. Even in Highland Park ISD with 6,500 students, 0.4% economically disadvantaged, 1.1% emergent bilingual, and only 91% of all students scores meets their masters or above on reading star. 85% meet above or master on star. We're asking 29,500 students with 65 64% economically disadvantaged 24 21 to
11724% emergent and bilingual students with disabilities. I've taught every level of child in this district. They will not meet these goals. They absolutely cannot 100% meet these goals. The word all means all. I cannot trust that the all the word all means all. Doesn't mean all with this board. It's obvious there was communication between the four of y'all. Once again, Miss Berles, in all due respect, I've sat up here for six months now and I've extended olive branches. I've reached out to you guys. I've talked to Dr. Howard, I am not going to sit here and get gaslighted into I'm not gaslighting you. That I'm doing something wrong. These board these board goals that are in here are stating that this is what we'd like to see. If you don't want kids and you don't
118think they can get to a B, you probably don't need to be up here, but I'm going to set the bar real high. I'm going to set the bar real high. And if we don't get there, we will keep working till we do. It's that simple. Well, you say that kids at MISD and every month I sat here and I listen to how I hate kids and I I don't care about the district. If I didn't care about the district and I didn't care about these kids, I wouldn't be sitting here now. I absolutely did not say that to you, Mr. Gwyn. What I said was when you when you refer to the four of y'all every time you have a statement to make, I take offense to that. I take time away from my
119family right now to be here. To sit here and insinuate that I don't care about these kids cuz I want 100% of our kids to be at a bee. We all do. I mean, get out of here. We all do. But you can't write that as a goal. That's not a smart make a motion to vote on this consent item number six. Mr. Motion's on the table. Do I have a second? I still I still have questions, Mr. Hodgees, since we have 10 minutes of discuss. Hold on real quick, Dr. Howard. I I have questions but only if we're about to vote. I just need some clarification on a few things. But if No, we're the clarification is are these you now have authority to hire all your principles. There's no reason any of us
120should be up here approving who the principal of a school is going to be. We don't interview them. We don't see a resume. We don't do we don't talk to them unless we make campus visits. There's no reason any seven of us should be telling you as a CEO of this school district who you're going to hire and you're going to work. You're the one held accountable for them. You hire your people. My questions are more about making sure I implement policy correctly. Yeah. So, hold on. Let me let's do some housekeeping real quick. I want to finish my tend Yes. Let's do some I got a motion on the floor. Let's do some housekeeping. First off, Dr. Howard, you will be able to get your questions in. Mr. Bishop, you'll be able to get
121your questions in. We're not voting on it right now. Miss Burlson, you will get to finish your 10 minutes. We don't have to have a motion to vote on this because we the mo the correct motion would call to be the motion to call the question. So, if you want a motion to call the question, we can do that if you would so like to do that. But we can't vote on it without calling the question. And a calling the question takes a twothird, not just a simple majority. So, do you still have a motion where you want to call the question, take a vote to see if it passes with twothirds or do you want to revoke your motion? I'll revoke it for now. Some of these need policy revisions. So, so now that
122we've got that taken care of, real quick, if you will just give me a second. I've got it paused so your time, but I want to listen to what your concerns were were representative Burlson. And I want to rest assured this this this nomenclature this jargon that goes out into the community saying that this is a 1882 or a charter school takeover is absolutely incorrect. Any campus that is underneath AB the su it doesn't say that it's going to be taken over the superintendent is in their turnaround plan is going to give that option to and it will be so the option of the body corporate of the board whether or not they wanted to do that. These are these indicators that we have. There's a lot of miscommunication on what we're measuring, how we're
123measuring, what's important, what's not important. From a board governance level, it does not matter about anyone's emotions or their feelings. From a board governance level where we sit, we have to care about the STAR test because that is what the state of Texas requires us to look for. We are in no way changing the goals from Dr. Howard and her team. They can still continue to use the the map testing. They can do benchmark. Whatever you decision, you decide what's best for your team. But as a body corporate, from a governance perspective, it's too easy to get what's considered data intoxicated because there's too much confusion on the data that goes by. We can only go by what the Texas Education Agency requires us. these goals. Also, this former board adopted goals that said it
124was going to be at grade level. This is not this narrative of a takeover. Everyone up here loves public education and loves these kids and wants them to be successful regardless of what other people's opinions are. Nobody, you, you, you, me, him, her, him, her, would not dedicate the amount of time that we've dedicated to try and make the school district better. These goals also are not talking about neurodeivergent kids. It's not talking about kids with cognitive disabilities. It's not talking about the kids that are in a medically fragile unit trying to have to pass the STAR test. That is absolutely nonsense. So now continue on, Miss [Applause] Burlson. So you say that but it's not in here. So that's that's what's concerning is that our policy needs to be the policy that that we
125want as a board. All seven of Miss Blue, would you would you would you give us the legal ease on this? Um yes, you are required to by law as a board and you already are doing this and this is why many of these are just a resuscitation of Texas law or what you're already doing. But for example, in 11.185, which is the board adopted reading plan, you are responsible for adopting um goals for every single disagregated student group. And that is by law. None of that is changing. It's just being reinforced here. So disagregated student groups would include um all special needs students, African-American students, Hispanic students, you know, all the all the groups that are on the taper report. and you adopt an individual goal for each of those groups that makes sense
126for those groups. In addition, these goals have to be adopted in consultation with the principal at the campus. So, the principal should be able to select a goal that works for that campus that year. Um as again uh it says in here that the the goals that are the principal uh helps produce with in consultation with the superintendent that they bring to you are going to be based on what the principal thinks is a reasonable and attainable for the campus that year for their student groups. Again I would like to see this in a workshop where we can go through these one by one and truly have the explanations that we need. I'm not saying that I'm against every one of these, but until they're understood by everybody and um and that we can change
127wording in a few of them, just tweaking it here and there, that to me is a working board. This Why can't this Why can't we do a work? The board president sent out eight different dates and to get all of us on a weekend. Some people want to do it on the weekend, some want to do it during the week. We've been trying to do that, but the fact of the matter is we have board members that's been on this board now for over two years and this hasn't gotten done. There was a mandate by the voters in November and we I ran a whole campaign on this and I'm I'm just not going to change. I'm I'm just not the there's been plenty of time for other board members to bring this. Y'all have
128the same access to Tara to TASBY whoever you want to write a policy. I do not have to ask for permission to write a policy. I had to have it brought to the board and voted on, but I do not have to have permission to do that. This is my job and I'm doing it and it is what it is. Add um board goals. Don't say that we haven't done anything for two years. The percentage of students who scores meets grade level performance or above on the reading language arts start assessment will increase from 41 to 55% by 2028. We were moving in those directions. They were and we had it listed out for 5 years where everyone's going to be. We were meeting them. We were going above them. That's why they change those
129those those goals were lonear governance. Lonear governance now gone away. You said that you were going to keep vote. The the this district is keeping we are not changing anything that Dr. Howard seems fit to measure. But it doesn't matter you and I I know you used to be a teacher but and once a teacher always a teacher but from a board governance level that's not our job. That's her job. I have not told her how to do any of it. So, don't even go there with me. I'm trying. I'm doing the same thing that you're doing, Mr. Hodes. Do you Do you have any more specific questions for Miss Blue? Because you're now at 12 minutes. Um I mean, I have a lot of them, but it doesn't matter. Okay, then moving on. Mr.
130uh do you who so against Mr. Freeze? Are you for or against? would you like to talk about anything? Sure. I um I've considered this quite a bit and um I'd like to make a statement. Um tonight's policy update represents more than just routine policy updates. It is a critical step toward uh aligning our district's operation with this board's clear and stated mission to improve academic outcomes for all students at all levels in MISD. We were elected by our voters with a mandate for change. A mandate to bring greater accountability, transparency, and focus to a system that has for t far too long lacked urgency in delivering results for our students. These policy changes are foundational to that mission. They create the structure, clarity, and order needed to govern effectively and ensure our schools are
131working toward measurable academic success. Strong governance drives strong schools. These policy updates are designed to set clear expectations, define roles and responsibilities, and eliminate ambiguity so that our leadership, staff, and community know exactly where we stand and where we're going. This is about more than compliance. It's about building the conditions for sustained excellence. To my fellow board members, this is an opportunity to lead together, to establish a culture rooted in results, and to signal to our families and educators that this board is united in its commitment to putting students first. I invite you all to join in in building a governance model worthy of the hopes our community has placed in us. Let's take this step with confidence and with purpose toward a better future for Midland ISD. [Applause] Is that it? Right. Are you
132good? You have any questions for Miss Blue that you I I would like to talk a little bit about autonomy. Um, as I as I go through this, it seems like it does I'm a big believer in autonomy. It it seems like it does give autonomy to each principal to set their goals that they they uh they you know see that their their campus can achieve it. It gives autonomy to Dr. Howard to hire who she wants and to also have autonomy for her goals. Um, also as a trustee, I am a physician. Um, we shoot to cure people. Doesn't always happen. We, um, you know, we we do the best we can. We understand the challenges. Um, and I've talked to a lot several principles. Some are here tonight. And I've talked to about
133their challenges. And um I I'll tell you as a trustee I'm going to work hard with them and you know understand their concerns and I'm going to be I think having them develop their own policies will allow me as a board member to adjust and lead dynamically and help them equip them to do what they need to do to um you know get the best out of their schools. That's I guess I would like uh Miss Blue to talk about the autonomy that this gives. Well, under um first of all, I'll just talk about Texas law. What Texas law says um especially for third grade reading and third grade math, but also in college, career, and military readiness is that there should be a district and a campus plan. And those provisions are in Texas
134Education Code 1185 and 1186. Um, what those say is that each campus should have its own plan to help ensure that each campus has a plan that makes sense for that campus and their students and goals that make sense for their students. What these policies actually require is that the superintendent over the summer go to each principal and say, "How many of your students were reading at grade level last year? How many do you think you're going to have reading at grade level this year? name that number and let's monitor and hold you accountable for that. Um, so it's really giving the principles a lot of ownership over what is possible and reasonable at their campus and gives them a target that they think is attainable for them. They will present these goals to you.
135Then um I think in September they're going to present their uh their objectives. you will then adopt it as a board and then throughout the year you're going to say are our students achieving the goal that the principal said was achievable at this campus or not. So it's really allowing each individual principal even for each individual student group to determine the goals for their campus and present those to the superintendent and then for adoption to the board. So that's one autonomy piece. Another autonomy piece obviously and as has been mentioned is the um superintendent has much greater authority for hiring her own staff and holding them accountable. Representative Freeze and Miss Blue, thank you for that. I want to interrupt real quick because I don't want this to get lost in translation. When we say
136accountability or accountable, it has become this porative. It's become this political word. When we say we're going to hold these principles accountable or hold Dr. Howard accountable, we're making incremental changes. This board hired Dr. Howard. She is making incremental changes in the positive that should be celebrated. When a principal is when they develop their own circumstances or their own plan and give it to Dr. Howard, that plan is when we say accountable, we're not saying you didn't make it. You said you were going to be at 46% but you only got at 42%. So now all like everyone it's hair on fire. It is a way for the board red or green for us to look at it from a holistic perspective to say there is some warning signs what's going on here. So we
137have a conversation with our superintendent and say at this elementary school we see that we're not going where we're at. What resources? What tools? what what budgetary what can we do to help you provide the resources and tools for that campus to be successful. I feel as though one of the the the and this is on me too. I own it. Some of this is sometimes a communication style and and problem with it. Accountability does not mean you are terrible, you're not doing your job and just that's not it. This is a way for the board at our level to be able to see where we're going. We do it in our jobs. We every week we have a meeting and we have not met all of our goals that we had set out. Our
138revenues are light. We've got safety issues. Our margins, we talk about not protecting our margins constantly, but we don't when we bring that up as a group, it's not no one's getting fired or let go. It's going, why didn't we hit that? What challenges did you have? What opportunities can we give you? Do we need to do some more training over here? Accountability has become this negative porative word and that is not the intent of holding somebody accountable. I just wanted to go because I feel like it's like anytime somebody says we're going to hold you accountable, it's this it's this terrible thing. I'm held accountable all the time and we should be held accountable and I as a board member I hold myself accountable because I'm part we're not doing that. I'm holding myself
139accountable as a as a board trustee for not doing right by kids. Every one of our kids, regardless of what color they are, what wherever they come from, we should give them the opportunity to be able to read, write, and do basic arithmetic at a standard. If we do not do that successfully, then we are not giving these kids the best opportunity. And as a board member, I'm failing them. I'm not saying Dr. Howard's failing them. I'm not saying Miss Burlson's failing them or Freeze or Josh or Tommy or Booker or Angel or anyone else. I am. And we have had lack of communication for 15 years in this district because we get data intoxicated. All we're doing is trying to streamline this so we can communicate and be more respectful and stay on the
140mission and objective of giving resources to these kids. Anybody that thinks we're trying to be perfect on this, we know that. But it's not this tin foil hat conspiracy of taking over the schools. I got other things to do than that. So anyhow, back to you, Freeze. I'm putting you back on your time limit. Mine's over. I uh Good for now. Dr. Howard, do you want to go or Dr. Howard Representative Bishop, go ahead. Yeah, mine I don't have a whole lot, but uh one of the things on the uh on the AE the board goes as far as the goals that were sent uh or put out I mean who who who wrote the goals? I mean, where where did that come from? Would you like to bring up the law part of that?
141Um are you talking about AE the goals in AE? Yes ma'am. Um yes. So the very first one um says all students and dyslexic students performing at or above grade level on star assessments from f third grade through graduation or equivalent. Um student data shall be disagregated as required by state or federal law. That right there is already the law of the state of Texas. That is again in Texas Education Code um 118 185 and 186. You're responsible as a board for adopting a comprehensive plan for third grade reading and third grade math. It's actually an early education plan. Um so that goal is just coming straight from Texas law. I think the difference here is is that you had one district goal and I think there were some concerns about whether that goal was
142being achieved or not, but you would have to talk to your board members. Um, but what we wanted to do is say we're not just going to have one district goal. We're going to follow the law which says that every campus will have an early education plan. Um, and so that was just reinforcing that we're not just going to have one big district goal. Every campus, we're going to follow the law and every campus is going to have a plan. The next one, the district and all campuses maintain a beer above in domain one. Um, that domain is measuring star achievement. Um, so again, it's really trying to reinforce that we want students, um, not to be in campuses that are F, uh, D, or a C, and that if there are campuses where they're
143rated B or lower, uh, it results in the superintendent having to propose a plan. 100% of students graduating college, career, military ready, I believe, was already your policy. So, that is not different. What is different here is instead of again instead of a district plan now each campus is going to have to tell you each principal will say this is how many of my students were graduating college career military ready last year this is how many I think I'm going to be able to get next year and the year after that. So that's not a difference or change. I understand that that part. where I'm at, you alluded to earlier in your previous uh announcement that this is be something that the board should talk about, but that's something the board hadn't talked about as
144a as a as a group as this group as far as having a meeting versus one or two or three or four people, five, whatever. I just know I wasn't involved in the process. I was I I talked to them several times. Okay, now hold on a minute. if I've got the floor. So when I You do, but it needs to be germaine because this constant I'm telling you right now what ends tonight is this constant narrative conspiracy theory of saying that we were violating TOMA. We were not. All and we would be in violation of Toma if the entire board was involved with this from the get-go. All I'm asking is Mr. Hodgees is I get to say my part and when I get through then y'all can say yours if that's fair. Yes,
145sir. Okay. So then earlier you spoke on uh Miss Blue as far as it was asked about a high quality teacher. So we talk about the high quality teacher and we and it's mentioned in our in our the policies upcoming where we're talking about uh possibility of of 1882 schools or partnership schools when we have some partnership schools that only have 11% certified teachers. So I'm just trying to understand what a quality teacher is from a standpoint of where I set to have that understanding for one and speaking on high quality teachers. That's the question I had on that. Again, I would leave it to your superintendent. This is a goal um for your school system that your board is setting that you're going to have high quality teachers that are highly coached and trained
146in teaching the Texas essential knowledge and skills. And so she'll have to determine um how she wants to measure high quality. And I already think that you have a lot of um measures as you're evaluating teachers to to try to determine if they're providing high-quality education. One thing I did want to correct though is I wasn't saying the board didn't have an opportunity to talk about this. I was saying that it's my understanding that some of the board goals under board student adopted goals for the superintendent that some of those goals were not being achieved. And one of the principles that we do have and embed in here um or that you have and embed in here is that the goals should be reasonable and attainable. So if we have goals right now that are
147not working, we want to go back and say to each of the principles what is attainable for you and then we will uh set that as the baseline and we will keep um progressing as as students get better and more proficient in reading and math. Is what you just said a part of that policy though? Yes. the goal it it says in BQ that the goals that are established must be reasonable, attainable, and they must be um generated with the support of the principal and the community and the superintendent before they're presented to the board. Okay. So, the other questions I had is uh it was made made earlier about the uh that everyone was elected uh elected elected officials, but everyone didn't have input. And I'm not talking about from a standpoint of calling
148and talking to the attorney. I'm talking about as far as a board as a board. Yeah. But 10 minutes that that's not to cover 109 pages of Well, you you can call it what you want to, but I'm just saying from a standpoint. Okay. So Well, I mean, we listen to you, Brandon, so why not hear each why not have each elected official Brandon, let him talk. Let him Why not have each elected official have have the floor? You have the floor. I'm apologizing and saying let me change my phrasing. When I say I don't want to hear about it, that's not how I meant it. That's taken out of context, but I apologize. The floor's I mean I I hear you, Brandon, but I I understand the process. Then we come back and we
149talk about the uh FMG, which is out of district travel. So, are we saying that everyone that's going to go out of town, junior high and elementary going to go on all these trips? They've got to have permission from the board to be able to do that. That's one of the questions I'm asking the way I'm reading it from FMG uh FMG local out of district travel. Yes, that is correct. And so the thing about it is so if if the board approves a budget, why do we need to approve out of town travel when we've approved the budget? We should see that or ask those questions versus coming at a knee-jerk reaction saying out of district travel has to have board approval. And we've given this lady the autonomy to be able to hire
150principles, uh teachers, etc. But we got to go have board approval to take kindergarters do Odessa uh to to a fair or whatever. I I I I believe that as a board governance still there's a way to be able to streamline that to know what the what kids are going to be going where uh for that month. But I do think it's important for a board governance level to know where our our our kids are traveling to just so we know. But again, we can we we can we can just agree to disagree on that one. And I believe Dr. Howard puts that in her weekly updates on what's going on throughout the district. So I'm just trying to get my arms around while we have to approve every little old thing that every every
151student is doing when she's giving us updates and we're giving her the autonomy to operate and to run the board and not us to be Does anybody else have anything to say to that? Freeze Burlson. No, no, I'm having a direct because on that direct policy or what have you? No. Okay. I do cuz I agree with that. I mean, I don't think we should have to vote to make every like we shouldn't have to vote to send people to Odessa for a football game. That's unnecessary. I mean, most of us can't even um attend events. So, when are we going to have time to vote on an elementary kid on Odessa? Mr. I just I believe I believe there's if there's a will. We all have jobs. If there if there's a will, there's
152a way. I don't believe it's as difficult as we make it out to be. But if that is if that is up to the discretion of the board, we can we can we can uh workshop that or fix that later on. But that doesn't change the context of these policies as a bulk for me. Thank you. I do have a question on that one if I may. Um I actually was a principal in Midland when this policy was in place. So I don't know when this policy was taken out but uh back at that time FMG local this section here that required board approval was out of country travel. So out of state travel administration could approve the superintendent. So as a principle if we had kids going out of state we had to get
153superintendent approval. We had a form if it was going out of country like choir going to eur Europe something like that that had to come to the board. Um I I would have a concern with the out of district just from the number of trips that occur even on a weekly basis and we would love to think we can schedule all those a month in advance but sometimes we can't and so that would be one that I think will be difficult to implement and could cause some of us there could be times we have to tell students they can't go somewhere they should be going because of that then that's something we can workshop and amend later on. That's I mean that's that's that's that's a small change. It still doesn't change my principle of
154building out a total framework to work on from here. And I have one other two other question. I'm not trying to interrupt you. Are do you have anything else? Yeah, I have one other thing. I'll just say this. Is that okay, Dr. Question about the travel though? Cuz now you about to go to something else. Yeah, mine's still on that. Okay. The other the other piece on the outofstate adult travel eligibility and criteria chaperones must be at least 25. I started teaching when I was 22 and I was a teacher and a coach. And so if we have a teacher or a teacher and a coach or a choir director that's a new teacher, there's a chance they are not 25. And so that would be something I think we need to then then we
155could workshop that as well. Again, that we're saying that chaperones who are not school affiliated. Correct. But the sponsor, the coach, the director may very well not be 25 if they're new to the profession. Yep. Agreed. And we can talk about that later. Still doesn't change me on the total framework. And also the outofstate adult travel eligibility criteria and out of state teacher sponsor. That should be all no matter if it's in district or out of state. Okay. Noted. Dr. Mr. Bishop. I just say in closing that uh you know we know we have teacher shortage and admin shortages and and just know I'm sure all of us do that uh that people don't leave jobs they leave supervisors. So I just said that and that's that's all I have. Dr. Howard, do you have
156anything? Did you get your questions answered? Yes. I and I haven't asked my team this, but there's a good possibility we have student travel between now and June 10th. Am I going to be out of compliance with board policy if we can't get that approved? Um, there is I not looking at that policy, but there is transition language in here. So, um, but I don't know if it's in that policy. So, I'm not I'm not clear about that. Seems like you wouldn't be able to travel if the board couldn't approve it. Okay, say that one more time. I'm sorry. I'm hard. That you would be able to travel if the board would is not able to approve it prior to June 10th if you adopt these if you adopt that travel policy tonight. So, they
157would would not would not would not it if Yeah, you need to. Yeah, you need to postpone that. need to table that because they about to travel and we ain't going to have we ain't going to have another meeting before Junth to approve that. Give me the give me the it's FMG. Okay noted. Anything else? Other policies? No, I but I'd be glad to make some recommendations on ways we could I want to just make sure about all that. I'm done. M Mr. Booker. Yeah, I just got one. Um are we uh voting to approve the policies that have issues like the SDI? Like we got an email earlier. There were some pages that has specially designed instruction as uh but the wording is still the same on some of these pages. I can't even
158that's 110 pages. I can't even find out which page it is. But that wording is still in there. So are we going to have to have a workshop to amend those wording that wording? I'm sorry. I'm confusing. The specially designed instruction that's worded in that has been removed. It was I don't know all the pages. Yes, it has been moved past. Yes, sir. I thought I saw it earlier again. There was one page I think it was sent in. I don't know if it's been uploaded in board book because that came in. It came in late, but it's been it's been updated. Okay. Yes. To reflect the correct definition. Is that it, Mr.? Yeah. I mean, we already talked about the travel, so the the B- rating bill. Okay. On AIB, the accountability performance reporting
159that how does SPED figure into this? Yes. Um so a couple things is that this policies say that if it's required by Texas law you have the the district and the campus have to adopt goals for disagregated student groups which would include special needs students. In addition to that this is saying that um you have to adopt a goal for dyslexic students. So you're going to be looking um very specifically at those groups if they're required by state laws and dyslexia is just a general board policy. You want to monitor how those students are doing. Which policy is that? That uh the AIB accountability performance reporting AIB I think it's about equity audits and programming. Well, I just don't want the uh the sped kids to fall, you know, in between the cracks. But I
160also at the same time we need to educate them to the level that they can receive a good education. U I think all the goals are attainable. It's going to take a lot of work. Uh Dr. Howard, you you'll remember I've mentioned at least twice that I said I want you to be successful because when you're successful, this whole board is successful and we're going to go for that goal. And I think I think we're we're on our way. Just need to take the first steps. When I first came on this board, I said I wanted improve student outcome more than anything. And I think that's that's the big elephant in the room right now. Um I think this this board is a resultsoriented board. And as of right now, if we could just pull
161in one direction without stepping on each other's toes, I think we'll we'll be making uh great progress. That's all I have. Doc uh Mr. I believe I have a few minutes left. Um just going back to that travel one, Miss Blue, to amend the actual travel piece of it, right? cuz there's a lot of stuff in this policy that I'm just not going to move on. I mean, absolutely not. I mean, we have things in here that says you must room with same with the biological sex. So, to pull this whole policy out to me, um, I'm not going to do that. But I also don't want to tell the students they can't go to a competition this weekend. So, what would it look like right now to amend the the board approval part to
162I mean could we we can I guess if there's I think that there's a motion where we can amend to amend to include an expiration date say of July 1 of 2025 a waiver on it. So that's all but I would please please wait. So, I think that we we can just motion to amend when with the motion. We can pull that separately. Motion to amend it with an expiration date to give them a grace period and then we'll come back and and and fix those issues at a later event, but would still give them the ability to go do whatever they're going to do right now. Mr. Hajes, um I did read the part about chaperon. So, up above it, I'm sorry. Up above it says chaperon or it says sponsors advisor chaperones and
163then it says chaperones must be 25 which leads me to believe these are probably nonschool related people. Is that correct? Yes. Okay. So I reread that. Um, if the board would be amanable, I would recommend that that the outofstate and out of country travel require board approval and we could report all other trips and information items. Would you would you be amanable if we pull this separate vote on the rest as a block, right? We'll pull this and we'll give a grace period. We'll say this doesn't go into effect until September. It doesn't matter. And it gives us time to meet back as a board to make sure that that policy aligns with your strategic goals. Yes. I just my concern is I'm thinking about, you know, volleyball goes to Odessa on, you know, Tuesday,
164volleyball goes somewhere else on Friday. Just the sheer volume of someone having to pull all these reports together for board approval every month. Agreed. We'll we'll we'll we'll workshop. We'll pull it, amend it to give it a grace word. That's not going to Let's just table No, we can't table it. Let's give it a grace period uh to where you don't have to you don't have to get board approval for any travel until whatever the date and we'll we'll pull that one and amend it separate than the rest. Does anybody else have any questions on any Everybody's been heard. Time's been gone on this on this consent. I have questions on other ones. Well, the time we we've taken a lot of time on this. You've answered questions. We're going to Do we have a
165motion to vote on consent agenda? Huh? Is that motion to pull it? A motion to pull a consent item uh F article or policy FMG for further consideration to table. We're going to we're going to pull it and table it for now. Pull it and table it for now. Second. Second. It's been motioned and seconded to pull consent agenda item policy FMG, the travel policy uh to amend it. All those in favor, raise your right hand. It's approved to pull uh FMG separate put on an action item that'll come up later for us to amend it. As we go through the action items later on, we'll bring back that. One quick question before Yes, sir. move forward. Is there I mean I don't know what she had but is there a possibility we can kind
166of hear out with Dr. Howard. I mean we're on time but I mean this is some stuff we can we can take we take we we can take a break here in a minute. I guess we could go to executive if we wanted to. I think I can be fast. Okay. I have questions on um well 10 but that one just got pulled so nine just from an implement implementation standpoint because these pass tonight and then our team's expected to implement tomorrow and I want to make sure I fully understand and implement appropriately what policy um AE local um that's one I think we can work through it doesn't say when that's effective so I don't know if that's in the 2526 school year that these go into place and the 2526 plans. And I
167may have just misread that. Um, and then AIB and and I honestly just have this question because we tried to think of any position we might have in the district that would meet the district programming. Does a title n coordinator meet the description of having to be removed? Cara, I don't believe so, but I'd have to understand more of the facts of the circumstances if that if that person's involved in teaching CRT or SDI. Um, no possibility sexual harassment claims. I I can't see where that's a conflict. Okay. Um, BB, I may not have that question anymore because we talked about it. That one was important for me, Dr. Howard because uh just over the last 6 months we've had these conversations, numerous conversations. I think we've worked well together and I've just heard numerous
168times. I'll do whatever the board wants. I just have to know what that is. And I think BBE really outlines our expectations, eliminates all guesswork, and gives you a clear path of what we are wanting. Unfortunately for your position, that could change after an election, right? But as of now, that that that's what it is. Okay. Thank you. Um BD AAA uh the question I have here is on president item number three review and approve prior to dissemination all official board communications or information regarding board or board meeting action intended for public release. So, for example, after every board meeting, you know, 10 minutes, you know, after it wraps up, the communications team sends out a board recap, just letting our parents, our students, everyone on that distribution list know what happened at the board
169meeting. Is that something you want to approve after each meeting? Yes, we'll approve our So, any board action that's related to the actual board, we're we're going to approve the We will approve that for it to be released. anything with the administration side of it, that's on you. But for the So if we're putting out that board recap that we send out each night, then we then it needs to be approved prior to the dissemination. Okay. And which should be very easy. Okay. uh BF. This is one and and I see there on page two of two, it takes out the part about localized updates. And if we want to strike through TASBY, this is one that sometimes auditors will refer back to if an auditor is doing an audit and wants to know what
170is the policy and for some reason there's a discretion discret um discre discrepancy can't say the word. This clarifies what is the official policy. So that's something that we may want to think about. Well, this the TASBY policy. So it and I the lift on this it's essentially just going to be go to a separate URL because we don't this policy is not going to get updated into TASBY because we don't want to get charged for it. So is that does that answer your question? Am I I was not tracking fully but no. Um the so it talks about localized update updates and and Carrick may can speak to this miss blue more than me but this just kind of clarifies that if there's a discrepion disc discrepancy I can't say that word between two
171policies that the policy manual is the one that you go by. So I mean I don't that shouldn't happen but it could happen and there's a reason why it has been yeah I mean state law supersedes it all. So, but go ahead. Okay. I mean, the response to that is just that the reason it TASBY was struck is because some of these policies are not coming from TASBY. They're coming from T. And there's a possibility, and I know that's been talked with you, superintendent, of um the policy manual coming from uh T as opposed to TASBY. So, this is just going to give the board flexibility and freedom to choose the vendor that it want, you know, if it wants to use a vendor to help support its policies. And then BJA, this is just
172in reading through it and catching, you know, trying to look everything up and be thorough on duties 6A where it references TEC 11.184. When you look that up, that's actually about efficiency audits, not partnership agreements. So, I just don't that may need to be clarified. Okay. It also says SB182 and it's talking about the but yeah, we could clarify it. And then the question I had on page 205, Mr. Durham and I read through this and I think I know what it means, but just need some clarification on the revenues up to 4% and then that expires September 1. That just means that it doesn't carry over to next year. Not that on September two it can't be a deficit budget. So yes, we So go ahead, Mr. Quinn. Yeah, same thing we talked about
173at the finance uh committee meeting. Uh if if legislative session goes into special session and we need more time, we we can extend that out. This is basically just saying again over the last couple schoolboard meetings, we've had this conversation as far as what are we going to do about the deficit budget? We've heard, you know, Mr. Bishop said money was set aside. We know it was. This just gives a clear path to get back to a balanced budget, right? or it gives y'all direction for this year. That way that it eliminates, you know, the stress. And that was my question. We're gonna we're going to cut more teachers. We're going to shut schools down. That's not happening. That this policy right here gives us clarity on that. And that that's how I read it.
174But then Mr. Duro made me nervous and said, "Does that mean on September 2nd if the budget's still deficit, we're out of policy?" I don't think that's what it means. It means we have to adopt it and then next year it it's expired. So you can't adopt another budget. It's it's a it's onetime runway, right? Yes. So we're giving taxiways because of the challenges that we have currently. We've talked about it in finance committee meetings. Miss Bolson was in that meeting. We kind of game planned where we think we're going to be based on the revenues. Y'all were comfortable with 4%. Think y'all can get down there. So, it allows 4% and then it gives y'all a little bit time to come talk to go, you know, to come up with a long-term financial strategy
175to get us back to those pre-COVID levels that we were talking about prior to with the growth and all the things that we talked about in finance. So, I think we're all on the same. Does that give you any more comfort so you start stop giving your boss heartburn? Yeah. Okay. I don't read it that way, but I'll ask the question. Well, I'm on record twice now saying we can extend that if we need to. So, I think you'll be okay. Well, and we're not even asking for an extension. We're just asking that on September 2nd. It's like just kidding. You can't have an deficit budget. That was the one way to read it. Um the BJ just don't want us to mess with your 3-day weekend. I think BJC local. I do have questions,
176but that's regarding my appraisal. So, I think that's probably better suited for executive session at some point. Um DC uh the question that I have here is and and I'm very familiar with policy and so I read it that um there was a question that I received does this mean that the board then supervises the CFO? And I don't read it that way. Um the sentence right above that says the superintendent has sole authority to make recommendations to the board regarding this election of contractual personnel in positions noted below might further clarify that uh because some of my team read that and asked me does Mr. Durham now report to the board. Mr. the CFO will report directly to you not to the board. You have you have full authority for everyone. The reason that
177we kept the CFO in there specifically is because when you read the definition of a trustee, because we hold real property, we're not just elected representatives. We have a different legal definition being elected trustee. So, we feel as though in order to keep up with our our fiduciary responsibilities, we'd at least like to interview the CFO. We don't think we're going to be interviewing any CFOs unless you're really upset about that September deadline and we need to talk about that. But I just it's just a matter of if there was ever a CFO change, the board needs to be part of that interviewing process and vote for that hire because of their legal definition of being a trustee and holding real property. But in no way will the CFO report in any indirect dotted line
178circular nothing. They report directly to the superintendent only. Uh policy EIE local just a question here. It talks about the district shall teach TESS at grade level or above, which we're all for that, but how does modified curriculum fit into that? Is it addressed somewhere else? Because we have students who have modified curriculum and are not taught at grade level. Um, I'm sorry. I'm trying to get to it. Yeah. Yeah, I think obvious well I mean obviously state law would supersede supersede this. So like if you're supposed to teach special education students a particular curriculum and that's required by state law then that's what you would teach them. But in general, um I think it's the position of the board that every student and it's actually a best practice that TEA, the Texas education agencies
179is, uh requiring as part of the Eureka Amplify, for example, they're trying to train all teachers that you should be teaching at grade level or above every day because when you don't, it really exacerbates those learning gaps. Those were the only ones I had since y'all pulled. Thank you for pulling FMG. Thank you. Got a motion. Uh vote on consent agenda item six consent agenda as block minus policy FMG already moved it out. Yeah action. So so it has been is there a second? Second. It has been motioned and seconded that this board vote on con agenda item six consent agenda. A a approval of board meeting minutes. B approval of monthly financials. C approval of donations over 20,000. D approval of the 2025 2026 staff development minutes waiver. D E. Approval of the RFQ
180number 24-268 real estate services. F. Approval of revised board policies excluding we have pulled separately to go to the action items. FMG. Uh, I'm going to go through them. AE, local educational philosophy. AIB, local accountability performance reporting. BBD, local board members training and orientation. BBE Exhibit 1 Board Members Authority. BBE Local Exhibit 2 Board Members Authority. BBE local exhibit 3 board members authority. BBE local exhibit 4 members authority. BBE local exhibit 5 board meetings authority. BD AAA local officers and officials duties and requirements of board offic uh officers. BDD local board internal organization attorney. BF local board policies. BJA local superintendent qualifications and duties. BJC local superintendent evaluation. BQ local exhibit 1 planning and decisionmaking process. BQ local planning and decision-making process. BQA local planning and decision-making process district level. BQB local planning and decision-making
181process campus level. CAA local fiscal management goals and objectives. Financial ethics. CDA local other revenue investments. CH local purchasing and acquisition. CL, local building grounds and equipment management. Cy, local intellectual property. DC, local employment practices. DH, local employee standards of conduct. EFA, local instructional resources instructional materials. EFB, local instructional resources library materials. EHB local curriculum design special programs. EHB local special programs gifted and talented. EIA, local academic achievement grading progress reports to parents. EMB local miscellaneous instructional policies teaching about controversial issues. FG, local student welfare, child abuse and neglect. FM, local student activities. FN AAA, local student expression, distribution of non-school literature. GKA, local community relations conduct on school premises. GK DA, local non-school use of school facilities, distribution of non-school literature. All those in favor of approving, raise your right hand. Consent agenda. Consent
182agenda passes. Mr. President, I'd like to be on the record that I didn't support that. the mic one more time. I said would it be for the record for the opposed? Okay. Oh, sorry. All those opposed, show of hands. Mr. Bishop, Miss Pearlson opposed. Moving on to number agenda item number seven, superintendence update. Dr. Howard, would I know it's been long, but would anybody object to can we I'll move for a 10-minute recess. All those in favor? It's been motioned and seconded. All those in favor for 10 minutes. Thank you. Booker. Booker's always Please Oh, it's so No matter what. What? Just waiting on the teacher. The time is 8:40 p.m. and this meeting of the Midland Independent School District Board of Trustees been reconvened. Next item on the agenda is item seven, superintendent update.
183Dr. Howard. Yes, thank you. Um, first of all, since policy DC was approved, uh, we will not have to take action on ease. So, I'd like for our recommendations to come on up, um, so that I can just introduce them to the board and they would have appreciated having this policy before so they wouldn't have had to sit through all of that. Uh, but if y'all will come on up and, um, Jesse, Miss Garcia, if you'll just come introduce them. Yeah. So, good evening, President Hodes, members of the board, and Dr. Howard. Tonight, we get to introduce our newest hires. Um, so we're going to start off with uh Bunch Elementary. Um, at Bunch Elementary, we are going to be hiring Dr. Alicia Zuniga. Um, she can't be with us here tonight. She is coming
184to us from Berles ISD. She has 17 years of experience as a teacher, a testing coordinator, and assistant principal. In every capacity, Dr. Zun Zuniga upholds academic excellence and emphasizes student achievement. She has worked with her previous campus leadership team to plan strategically and align goals with long-term academic culture and operational improvement. As an instructional leader who has overseen the implementation of campuswide instructional programs, Dr. Dr. Zuniga prioritizes student achievement and instructional quality, provides meaningful feedback, professional development and resources, and uses data to identify areas for improvement and celebrates success. As a future campus principal, Dr. Zuniga will continue to balance high expectations with compassion and lead not just by direction, but by example. And Dr. Zuniga, as I mentioned, is not here with us tonight, but she's coming to us from Burlington ISD, and
185she will be the principal at Bunch Elementary. Our next announcement tonight is our principal for Great House Elementary, um, Miss Tina Martinez. Tina comes to us from LEC ISD, and her diverse experience as a teacher, instructional specialist, and assistant principal has thoroughly prepared her for the principal role. Her years in the classroom give her a deep understanding of effective instruction and student needs. While her time as an instructional specialist sharpened her skills in coaching, coaching teachers, and leading professional development. As an assistant principal, Miss Martinez has demonstrated strong leadership in using data to drive instructional decisions and improve student outcomes. She is clear and thoughtful. She is a clear and thoughtful communicator able to build strong relationships with staff, students, and families. Her well-rounded background and instructional expertise position her to lead with vision, support,
186and results. So, Miss Tina Martinez, her next um recent hire is going to be our principal for Rusk Elementary. Um this recommendation or this appointee is coming as assistant principal from Santa Rita Elementary. So with the pleasure of welcoming Miss Jamie Sana. She has 10 years of experience as a teacher, a literacy strategist, and a current assistant principal in Middleton ISD. Miss Sana believes in setting high standards for students for student learning and teacher performance through creating a culture of accountability and excellence. She knows how to build strong relationships with staff, students, and the community. She encourages shared leadership and strategic decision-making through supporting and working with multiclassroom leaders. Her background as a literacy strategist in working with MCL's has played a critical role in enhancing teacher capacity through professional learning communities and in the
187classroom. As a result, she has been able to maximize teacher effectiveness and student outcomes. So, ladies and gentlemen, Miss Jamie Sana. Up next, as executive director of school leadership, we have Miss Cindy Piles. Um, Cindy is a seasoned educator and a school leader with a strong foundation in instructional leadership and campus administration with 14 years of experience teaching high school English and a variety of leadership roles across both junior high and high school, including principal, associate, principal, acade academic dean of students and assistant principal. She brings a well-rounded understanding of school operations and student needs. Currently serving as our interim executive director of school leadership, Miss Powell supports campus leaders in fostering student achievement and building effective school communities. Known for her great organizational skills, forward planning, and self-starter mindset, she consistently anticipates challenges and
188drives proactive solutions. Her broad, steady leadership and commitment to supporting staff and students make her a strong fit for the role of executive director of school leadership, Miss Cindy FS. Our next position is executive director of school leadership and we're recommending or we're bringing uh Susan Hendricks. Um Susan Hendricks is coming to us as a director of leadership and director of talent development from Ector County ISD. With 17 years of diverse experience in education, Miss Hendrickx brings a proven track record of instructional leadership, talent development, and strate strategic vision to the role of executive director of leadership. Her career spans roles as an elementary teacher, assistant principal, principal success coach, and campus curriculum coordinator, each contributing to a deep understanding of school operations and student achieve and student achievement. She's currently serving as the director
189of leadership and talent development. Susan is recognized for her ability to cultivate strong instructional leaders, implement effective coaching systems, and drive continuous improvement across campuses. Her commitment to excellence, collaborative leadership style, and focus on empowering educators make her an outstanding fit for leading district-wide leadership initiatives, Miss Susan Hendrickx. And our final person tonight is our chief of police, um, Mr. Robert Deporto. Um, Chief Deportal brings with him 33 years of law enforcement experience, including services in various command staff roles, such as deputy chief of the Odessa Police Department. He currently serves as a lieutenant with Midland ISC Police, where he has de developed a strong understanding of the department's evolving needs and growth over the past year. He is presently serving as interim chief, ensuring continuity and smooth leadership transition. His ex his extensive network
190and strong credibility within law enforcement within the law enforcement community are assets that will enhance recruitment and retention efforts. He maintains solid rapport with leaders of other local law enforcement agencies and brings valuable ex experience and insight into school-based policing. So, Chief Aubbert Deorto Okay. Uh, moving on. As we close out the year, I want to take a moment to acknowledge the work of our teachers and campus leadership teams this year. It's hard to believe that tomorrow is the last day of the school year. Uh we're closing out the year with uh 1779 students scheduled to graduate. Last week we started with Early College High School graduating 78. Um Thursday we'll have uh Coleman High School, Legacy High School, and then Friday, Young Women's Leadership Academy will graduate their first class. and Midland High will
191graduate their class. Uh to date, the class of 2025 has earned over 17.5 million dollars in scholarships. So, very proud of that and appreciate the counselors and administrators who work so hard to make sure students apply for those scholarships. Uh 1357 of these seniors have been accepted into college and 12,096 dual credit hours have been earned by our seniors. So, um, having a daughter that just graduated in three years because of dual credit, I'll say it will save money down the road, so parents will appreciate that. Uh, summer graduations on August 21st. Um, just a few highlights of the year in review and I put that out I guess about few weeks ago on our website. Um, I try to do that each year and lift up some of the successes and of course those
192continue to to happen. Uh but one of the the items that's been important to this board over the last couple of years has been literacy and making sure that we improve our student outcomes related to students reading on grade level. And when I joined the district in 2023, 56% of our K2 students were reading on grade level at the end of the year. And our results came in just um the last couple of days and 65% of our students in K2 are reading on grade level at the end of this year. So that's after two years of implementation. We still don't have those students up to second grade that have had a full three years of phonics based instruction and structured literacy. Uh so we're very proud of that progress and and that helps our
193teachers stay the course knowing that it's working and that those numbers will just continue to improve. Uh the National Merit finalist increased from one to three. That's the first time since 2015 that we've had more than one. And many of us remember years where we had, you know, seven, eight, nine. And that's the goal and what we're working to get back to back to um in athletics 53 state qualifiers. That's one of our better years that I remember um over the years. And um of course, TMEA all state band musicians. And then our graduating class of 2025. So just for a little baseline in 2023 25 seniors earned 453 IBC's. This class 555 so 300 more students earned 775 IBC's. So that's been a big focus for us the last couple of years too. We
194say students are going to college, career or military. if they're not going to college, they need to be graduating with an industry-based certification so that they can move into the workplace um at a more in a more successful way. Um fights and assaults, that's been something as far as high expectations that's been important to the board. So, as we wrap up this year, uh we're glad that the the number of those incidents is down yet again this year, 18%. Um and you may remember that I mean couple of years ago it's actually down 55 58%. So significant reductions there and that is um credit to our campus leaders uh for holding those expectations high and then of course your support in supporting uh the consequences that we then give. Um it's long and we've been
195here a while so let me see what's most important. Uh we will begin summer learning on June 2nd. that's going to be based on end ofear data and so students are being um strongly encouraged to attend based on their data and um that's going to be held at seven of our campuses including elementary and secondary campuses and then of course our coaches um are offering 16 summer sports camps throughout the year and um then our the big things we have coming up this summer legacy and Midland High groundbreings you have that information but excited about that and um I won't talk a lot about budget preparation because Tucker has a full presentation. So, that's all I have. I'm glad to answer any questions if you have any. Otherwise, I'll turn it back over. Any questions,
196comments? No. Seeing none, moving on to agenda item eight, districtformational reports, academic a academic update, board goals, measures 1.1, 2.1. Uh, Mr. Miss Messik, she's still pulling double duty. Okay. Be you are. Here you are. You're ready to go. I am. Let me guess. It's all great. This is the good news club right here. Always try. All right. It's got my clicker. Good evening, President Hodgees, members of the board, and Dr. Howard. My name is Andrea Messik and this evening I'll provide an update on goal progress measures 1.1 and 2.1 which are related to preK funological awareness and math. As you may recall, you have seen this data twice this year. Once when we reviewed the beginning of year data and again when we recently reviewed middle ofear data. The Children's Learning Institute or CLI
197assessments are utilized three times a year to quickly assess a child's progress in funological awareness and math skill development. Assessment data allows teachers to focus on lessons that target their students least developed skills throughout the school year. This assessment data is also used to grow and develop staff through professional learning and highquality support through coaching and observation feedback. Listed here are the funological awareness and math skills assessed during each test administration. For GPM 1.1, we have three years worth of data. And for GPM 2.1, we have four years worth of data. The difference in these is that GPM 1.1 was changed for the 2223 school year to include more measures than what was included in previous years. KPM 1.1 is related to the percentage of preK students who are on track to develop understanding on
198the CLI engaged funological awareness assessment. In the blue bar, you will see that we came in at 91% which exceeded our end-of-ear target of 87%. The district is excited to add even more prek seats next year, and we know that doing so will promote academic success as students enter kindergarten. GPM 2.1 is related to the percentage of preK students who are on track to develop understanding on the CLI engaged math assessment. In the yellow bar, you will see that we came in at 95% which also exceeded our end-of-ear target of 92%. We will soon be reviewing these goal progress measures as we've already exceeded the targets that were outlined for years in the future and we will make recommendations for different adjustments on these. If there are any questions, I'll be glad to answer those.
199Anyone have questions, comments? Well done. We like exceeding. Thank you. Great job. Thank you. Moving on to B, financial and budget preparation for 2025 2026 update number four due August 31st, 2025. Mr. Durham, good evening, President Hajes, members of the board, Superintendent Howard. This evening we bring the um budget preparation update number four to the board in regards to next fiscal year. Annually, the board is legally required to adopt three um budgets. The general fund, child nutrition fund, and debt service fund at a functional level. The district may not legally spend money in a new fiscal year without a board approved budget. And the board is required to set a tax rate prior to September 30th after the budget is approved. This year, the district adopted three main budget priorities. The first creating a sustainable
200budget. The second increasing compensation and the third creating a data-driven budgeting based on board goals strategic plan and comprehensive assessment. The reasoning for the sustainable budget being our priority number one is due to the loss of the formula transition grant. Um however the board has allotted um or earmarked $55.8 million um for that. This slide is in regards to the projections for the end of the 2425 fiscal year. Um I will not take too much time in regards to some of these graphs. However, um the biggest difference between the column or the graph on the left and the graph on the right is one includes recapture and the other one excludes recapture. The reason why this is extremely important is because recapture is a budgeted item um that is a non-negotiable for school districts. And
201so whenever you look at the revenue as a whole, you'll see a approximately $388.9 million. However, the school district does not have um discretion over all of those funds. And whenever you exclude recapture, we only have um approximately $298.5 million of discretionary funds that we can use for day-to-day activities. This is a graph showing the end ofear expenditure projections um broken out by function. This just is a overall budget summary in regards to where we plan on finishing the fiscal year. Um, and you'll see uh on the left hand side is approximately a $31 million deficit. However, in June of last year, the board did adopt a $42.5 million deficit, and we've made great strides in order to reduce um that deficit throughout the current fiscal year. This slide shows the projections for the current
202fiscal year um and where we'll end. Some of the main factors attributed to this is we budgeted ADA projections at 26,568 students. Our current ADA is 26,375.8 students. Um our budgeted attendance rate was 93%. However, our current attendance rate is hovering right at 92.7%. Um and this is through the fifth uh six week cycle. Um we had increased 313 revenues. We also had higher interest rates um towards the beginning of the year that helps offset um some of the lower interest rates that we're currently receiving. And then we're also um utilizing the remaining fund balance um left over by the reach network specifically for bunch and gddard. And so bottom line, you'll see right here, um we have a projected ending, um fund balance of approximately $199 million with us going into fund balance this
203year of approximately $31 million for the 2425 child nutrition end of year um budget. We project going into um fund balance approximately 2%. However, that was a board approved. Um, TDA um requires school districts not to have more than six months of operating expenditures in fund balance um without getting dinged. Um that's actually a increase over what they had at the very beginning of the fiscal year which only allowed up to three months. Um the district is utilizing um that fund balance in order to address um equipment and and some materials that um have been much needed um throughout the past few fiscal years. Shown is the completed projects that we have um done throughout the current fiscal year along with um two uncompleted projects due to approval. This graph is a comparison summary for
204the current 2425 budget um based on actuals along with the 2526 projected. Um, one item to note is as of right now, I do not anticipate the total overall tax rate um to change. However, that is subject to the pending 89th legislative session. Um, one of their main priorities this year was continued tax rate compression. And so, um, based off the outcomes of the 89th legislative session, um, this slide will change, but as of right now, based off current law and assumptions, um, our overall tax rate will stay flat. Um you can also see the student memberships um at snapshot comparison to our projections um along with attendance rate um the ADA and then one note one item to note is our property value. So um currently um we have about 51.2 billion of values
205um based off the April um 30th preliminary values um those were down by roughly 4%. um the majority of that fluctuation down um is on the oil and gas industry. Um however, you'll see on um the next graph um that this is a comparison between April certified estimates in dark blue, the July certified in the light gray blue color, and then the October tax certifications um shown in red. And so you can see that every single year the actual um tax ro certifications on values is higher than the April certified estimates. Um we'll have a better understanding of what our um current year well our our values will be for tax year 2025 in July and then um they'll continue to update as adjustments are made to the role. Did you say oil and gas
206revenues are going up? Uh no sir. What were they doing? They're fluctuating downwards as of right now. What's the trend again? Going downwards. Thank you. I got a quick question. Um, so on that No, this is a quick one off this graph. Um, I just maybe it will, but the the the 4% decrease, is that all just going to be reduced off of the recapture? Uh, four or will we actually lose some operating funds? So for for M purposes, the way that the state has structured the the overall formula is that the district's entitlement is their entitlement. If there are properties or I'll take that back. If there are tax collections above that entitlement, then that is recaptured. And so for this case scenario, if the values do trend downwards, then that means less going
207back to the state in the form of recapture. However, where it will negatively impact us is on the INS side. But on the other part, it's just 100% recapture basically. There there's a formula, but but for the most part, if it's over that entitlement, I mean, what what are you looking like 95% 90%? What what on the M? What percent that is recaptured or Yeah. Like once you're above the once you're above the threshold, like what is the percent that's recaptured? I don't understand this. Dr. freeze and I'll let Durham because he's the subject but I I'm tracking where you're so with our oil and gas revenues trending down we're going to have less that goes back to the state on the M side where it's going to put pressure on us is on interest
208in sinking side so we're actually going to with that going down we actually get out cheaper chicken correct a little bit it depends on how you dice the pie but all right well we can talk about it later so go ahead U this graph shows the total state and local M revenue per ADA. Um one thing to mention is you'll see a a sharp increase in the overall revenue per ADA between the 2018 2019 and the 2019 2020 school year. Um this was due to changes that were made in the 86 legislative session um whenever um House Bill 3 was passed which created the formula transition grant to ensure that districts did not lose out for a certain period of time. The formula transition grant ran for a 5-year period and you can see that
209starting in the current fiscal year with the sharp decrease in overall revenues. That was the first year that we have not received the formula transition grant. Um you can also see that the first 2526 um projection is also on that trend line um of staying relatively flat flat on the revenue per ADA um compared to current year. Um this is also based off current law. Um during a finance committee meeting last week um there was a question that was asked if we can't um add a additional um uh point on this graph to show based off the um pending legislation what that number would be. And so that's the number shown on the right hand side that is highlighted in red um showing approximately $10.4,000 per ADA. Um now that is going to change. that
210was based off a template that um that I had um back uh at the very beginning of the month and there has been um some changes and discussions in regards to where the committee substitute for House Bill 2 is. Um and so we'll continue to track that and then um at the end of the day the district will bring current law to the board of trustees to adopt a budget next month. This graph is a comparison. Thank you for putting that on there. Yes, sir. Um, this graph is a comparison showing the total student enrollment versus the FTE counts. FTE means full-time equivalents. Um, one note I will make before I I um go into this slide is that on the FTE counts, this is FTE counts that were actually active. Um, if there were
211any vacancies, um, that is not taken into account um, in this data based off the October um, fall submission. And so you'll see the trend line on the green is the fall enrollment. Um the blue indicates the non-eing FTEES along with the red indicating teacher FTEES. I think it's important to point out there because you're going to see that big number in third 2324. That's the year we brought CNS back under us, the cafeteria. So the better comparison is probably the 2223 to 2425. Thank you for reminding us. This graph um is similar to the one that I showed at the very beginning. However, this is showing the projected revenue for the current well for next fiscal year for 2526. Um we won't take too much time on these slides as I have a summary
212slide um that will dive more into the um actual major factors. Um this is um similar to the um previous one as well showing the projected expenditures um broken down by function. And then this is the overall summary of the proposed budget summary. So you'll um notice right now um we're working with approximately a $15.9 million deficit. We'll we'll take some time to to really dive down into the projections for the 2526 fiscal year. So, the current enrollment projections for next year's 30,13 students with an ADA projection of 27,13, which is a 93% attendance rate. That attendance rate is based off the funded students um and not the overall enrollment. Um interest rates are continuing to fall resulting in less earnings, um which is taken into consideration on the revenues. Um there's also potential continuation
213of tax compressions resulting in less tax um collections to acrue interest and that will be finalized um after the 89th legislative session. Um a few other things um on the budget is the new elementary facilities coming online. Um that is taken into consideration on the expenditure side. And then two revenues that is not currently um in the calculation is royalty payments um based off the pending leases along with the sale of real property. Um I believe the two apartment complexes and a couple of other partals um were due last month. We did not receive a bid on those. And so the intention of the district is to utilize um our resources with the real estate um uh firm in order to make sure that we're marketing um not just at a a nationalwide but really
214um worldwide um on their contacts in order to make sure that we receive um the best ROI on on those properties. Um, so going into the actual projections for next year, um, right now looking at currently a $15.9 million deficit, um, which will leave a to total fund balance, um, of approximately 183.2 million. Um, I have also broken it out to not include the non-spendables and the restricted. And so the assigned and unassigned based off these projections is roughly $181.9 million. One item that I wanted to mention um even though it's not necessarily relevant is that if formula transition grant were still available, we would be receiving approximately $32.4 million. And so I show that to to say the district has done uh great work since September of this past year, really diving into the
215budgets and going through with a fine tooth comb um to look at all the budget efficiencies um that we can um get. I I have a question real quick on that. Will you go back to that slide just real quick? And pardon me, it's lots of papers, but do we have is there a WADA in this presentation? Do we know what the have an idea what the W ADA is going to be as far as like student counts? If we're projected enrollment is 30,000, would it be I guess this is a question. We can do it offline, but the same ratio that we use that proportion from enrollment and ADA with WADA over the trend line. Can I just use that to kind of forecast what I think Wada is going to be cuz the
216trend has been we have less schools or less students physically in our schools even though precoid but the students that we have here are more expensive because the percentage of students that are coming on a consistent basis with attendance are WADA so it's it's a significant cost. So anyway, I'm trying to I want to Will you send me the W8A projections if y'all have them? Like what you think it's going to be based on enrollment? So we typically don't project W8A. Correct me if I'm wrong, Mr. Durham, because we have no way of knowing what those actual students will be. And that gets a little trickier than projecting growth. So, we can project growth, but we don't know if they're going to be bilingual, ESL, special education, gened, at risk. But with the enrollment, like
217I I I got you. That's we typically, you know, when we we'll use October PE. So, when we and that's why there's the big budget amendment around that time because at that point we have real student counts in front of us and we know what programs they're involved in. um CTE courses, things like that. And then of course we monitor that. Tucker monitors that on a six weeks basis. I'm just I try the only reason I bring this up and I ask is because like for for instance in 2023 2024 our enrollment was 28,000 uh 28,79 and then our ADA was what is 25,795 but our WADA what we get allocate funds for was at 35,400. So if we're moving all the way up to 30,000 just an idea of do we think it's going
218to be are we going to get weighted at six or 7,000 like what's the what's that impact going to be to us finance just rough estimate but we'll talk about it offline because that's one thing I will address in that is that the revenue um projection template that I utilize it does um take into consideration all the um weighted students within that um and we look at them uh individually not necessarily as a whole in regards to comparisons. Um, and so the water is taken into consideration in all of these budgeted figures based off the overall revenue projections. Perfect. Thank you. That answers my question. Thank you. Sorry for being long-winded. No worries. Um, so this is the current fund balance as of our recent audit. Um, you'll see all the categorized um, items within
219here. Um the largest portion is in unassigned. Um and then it goes downwards from there. Um total fund balance as of 63024 was approximately $230.2 million and then the total fund balance um not including the nonspendable or the restricted was approximately $221.7 million. Some of the priority investments of the district moving into the 2526 um year are all surrounded uh with the strategic plan on the three pillars. So you can see um we're investing approximately 18.5 um almost $18.6 million for the student experience. Grow and development is right at 2 million and then engage and act is approximately 1.6 million. Um, moving forward, we will have um these types of um slides within our presentations um moving into um budget preparations to make sure that the board along with all of our constituents knows where
220all of our priority funds um are being um utilized for. On this slide shows the 25 26 projects that are also some of our um priorities. Um you'll see on the left hand side the onetime purchases and upgrades of approximately $1.3 million. Um rotation plan refreshes of approximately $2.9 million. The next slide also has additional projects um for preventative maintenance approximately 2.3 million and then routine maintenance of approximately 5.5 million. Um these are items that are crucial for overall operations um to continue um to address um so that we do not run down a year or two from now and have a very large um purchase in order to address all these outstanding items. Um some other considerations in regards to going into this budget is currently all three rounds of budget efficiencies are included
221in the overall projections that you are seeing tonight. Um some of the other major items that are not in the budget is this budget preparation does not include any compensation increases including step increases. Um it does not have some of the replacement of transportation vehicles along with a portion of scheduled facility and maintenance projects and technology rotation plans um have been taken out of the current projected um expenses for next year. Some of the unknowns is as you know the 89th legislative session um wraps up on June the 2nd. um at that point in time we'll have a better understanding of school finance um and and where that is and then um if there's any speculation of going into special sessions then that's something that we'll continue to monitor and make sure um that we
222update the board. Um a few other items though is future costs at this time um some of the enrollment while we do um have projections um enrollment can change on a on a daily basis and so that's something that we continue to monitor. And then the two additional revenue um items that is not currently taken into consideration is the sale of uh property along with oil and gas. Um in regards to fund balance, one thing that I just wanted to um make sure to point out, we had this conversation in the finance committee the other day. I think it's good for the board um to to have the same type of um understanding of this is um the district could approximately use $45 million of fund balance um next year and still have sufficient funds.
223So what this equates to is approximately um 5.14 months um including recapture and excluding partnerships along with 6 um six months excluding recapture and partnerships. But I think really the the more important one to look at is based off our current projected um uh utilization of fund balance for this upcoming year of 15.9 um we'll have approximately 6.12 months including recapture and excluding partnerships along with 7.84 months excluding recapture and partnerships. Um and then also one thing to mention is that we do have some available funds um in our local capital projects fund um that is excluded from the general fund balance. Um this is something that the board has set aside um in previous years. And so this is something that that we have um in addition um to our current fund balance that
224I have shown in with the 199. What's that amount? It's approximately $3 million. Okay. $3 million. And there's I think we talked in that meeting 108 million of unrestricted fund balance, right? Uh that that is as of right now. However, um at the end of this year, um we will have approximately 107 approximately 107.6 and unassigned fund balance. What are our monthly operational liabilities? Approximately with recapture I believe it's 35 36 million. Okay. Just you blow through 107 million pretty quick at 35 million a pop. Okay. Thank you. I don't know about that. Um one one item as well that was requested by Dr. Freeze is um a forecast of two years. And so we just showed the 2526 projections. However, um one thing that we wanted to do is show the projections for the
2252627. Um granted, this is very very very large assumptions because this is taking current law into consideration. I do anticipate um during the 89th legislative session once it's finalized there will be changes. Um however, this is all based on current law. So the enrollment projections at a 1 and a.5% increase um based off projections for this upcoming year um would be approximately 30,555 students with an ADA projection of 27,508 um which is also the one and a half% increase. Um we're um basing this off a 93% attendance rate. Um one of the considerations that uh or the assumptions is having a flat property values um in these analysis. Um, one item to also mention is at the end of the 2526 fiscal year, the Lamar um, elementary school will be coming back under MISD and
226will not will no longer be associated with an 1882 partnership. Um, so that does bring in um, some additional dollars that we've been um, providing to Third Future. Um, I'm also utilizing the same expenses other than recapture and partnerships which I've um, calculated based off the um, projections. And at the end of the day, um, we're left at approximately a $3 million deficit. Now, you might think, why is there such a large difference, um, between the 2526 projections and the 2627 projections? Um, one of the major contributors in that first of all is Lamar coming back under the increase in ADA. Um, but really where a lot of revenue is made up is the fast growth aotment. Um so based off my analysis, we'll be in the tier one um of fast growth based off
227um the comparisons and so that brings in substantial funding um for the district. Um and then this would leave if we were um to pass a $3 million deficit um for the 2627. Um this would leave approximately um six and 6.15 months including recaptured and excluding partnerships in fund balance. Um, and then with excluding recapture and partnerships approximately 7.7. I really appreciate that. Thanks. And you said that's based off current law, correct? That is correct. Yes, sir. And so once once we have a better understanding of the 89th legislative session and I'm able to um comb through everything that affects us for the 2526, then we'll start looking at 2627 um and and further years. some of the other considerations if we were um required to to pass a balance budget um which based off
228the board policy um that the board um elected to adopt this year we have um 4% of revenues that we can utilize. However, I just wanted to make sure um to put this in here is that would um result in a continued reduction in additional positions, reduction in campus budgets, reduction in department budgets, um specifically PD vehicles, maintenance and facilities for deferred maintenance, preventative and scheduled maintenance along with technology and the retention. This slide I wanted to leave in here just for illustration purposes. As I've mentioned, um there has been quite a bit of changes um just within the past probably 48 hours in regards to the um substitute um of House Bill 2. However, um like I mentioned for for illustration purposes, I wanted to review this. Um so, based off an analysis I
229did at the very beginning of the month, the increase uh district's revenues net increase um would be approximately 12.6 million. Um this would also um decrease the district's recapture by approximately 14.6. six. Based off the information from the house side, um they had a um percentage required of any increase in revenues um that must be used for compensation increases for all other than administrators. So 40% of that um would then be broken down by 75% being required to be spent on classroom teachers, librarians, nurses, and counselors. And then the remaining 25% be spent on all others other than the administrative staff. Um and then I had mentioned that this could help the district offset current budget by approximately 7.9 million. Um and this was a big if the law has was to pass as it
230was. Um there's going to be continued fluctuation um throughout the remaining um two weeks um on the Senate and House side, I project. And so um once everything has has settled um we'll make sure the board um has an understanding of of what those effects are during our June 10th special board meeting. This is also just um some legislative information. So, one of the um big priorities was continuing um to have tax rate compressions um providing an additional homestead exemption, increasing the basic aotment, increasing teacher compensation, um along with um transparency for taxpayers, and then there was one house bill um that provided a 4% discount on recapture for payments made um by February 15th. This is an item that that we had reviewed during our compensation study. We'll review this more in depth um
231during the June 10th um special board meeting where we'll bring the compensation study um to the board and approve a compensation plan for next fiscal year. Um however I just wanted to um provide this and so um based off the study and and um based off the current law um we're projecting um to have the overall um increase in compensation of roughly 3.9. Um you can see the models there on the left hand side um range from anywhere between one um to 3%. Um one thing to note is on the teachers um these the strategy around um the two to 3% was 2% um at the very beginning. However um once you start getting into 10 years and above having that 3% to really show the differentation of um teachers that continue to stay with
232the district. It cost us a lot more um in in money and in manpower um to go out and find more teachers um whenever they resign. And so really trying to do our best um to retain all those teaching staffs. Um and so as I mentioned, this will um change um depending on legislation and depending on um how it works out on the compensation increases. The projected um budget for next fiscal year for child nutrition is a balanced budget. The projected outstanding bonds um principal and interest um as of right now is approximately um $ 1.5 billion. Um later this year, actually in July, um I plan on bringing a defeasence resolution to the board in line with what was approved in September of this past year to defease the remaining um portions prior to
233series 2024. And so what that will do is um will be um only outstanding bonds related to the most recent um voter-approved election. This is the proposed debt service budget for this upcoming fiscal year. It is a balanced budget. Um and there is um approximately 19.6 um% within this budget in order to continue our aggressive defeasence. Um, as you'll know, I believe it was back in February or March this year, um, Moody's actually upgraded our, um, bond ratings to AAA. Um, I believe there's only, uh, five or six other school districts in the state of Texas that has actually rated as a AAA. And one of the main contributors to that was the aggression that we are taking um, as a district um, to continue paying down debt. Quick, I have just a quick comment
234or question for you on the previous slide when we're talking about we're talking about the defeasement right now and maybe do you have the the next trunch that we're going to sell in this presentation or no? No sir, I do not. When is the next I can't remember 20 when are we selling the next trunch give or take? So, as of right now, we've just slated it for 2026. Um, we haven't we haven't actually earmarked a specific date. Um, one thing that I will be working with our project managers on is our current cash flow. Um, current projections for our project costs and then based off our needs will depend on um, when the next tunch is sold. And I know you'll time it as well as you can because sir with the crystal ball.
235You got it. Thank you. And then um, this is just the timeline of upcoming events. So, you'll see um that in June we'll have budget update number five, which is what I'm um preparing to present during the special board meeting on the 10th um along with budget update number six in preparation for the budget approval that night. Um we'll also come to the board in uh June um 10th for the compensation plan approval. Um and then the regularly scheduled meeting will have the budget adoption along with final budget amendments um related to the 2425. Um and then as I just mentioned in July u we plan on bringing the defeasence resolution in August we will actually defease um all items um related to series prior to 24 and then um we'll be able to um
236specify the exact savings that we've had for taxpayers. Um just in reference since 2012 we've been able to save taxpayers um right north of $92 million um specifically due to refinancing and defeasing down debt um quick. And then the last item is setting a tax rate um for tax year 25 in September. And that concludes my presentation. Questions, comments by anyone? I I have a couple questions. I know we talked about it in the past with uh with our student enrollment where we you saying we had 29, 651 students. Is that is that a fair statement? I I believe it is approximately that. Okay. So, if if we're looking at at that and then we're only uh I guess from a standpoint at a 93% so we're roughly at what 26,000 uh students is what
237we're looking for as far as ADA for this upcoming year. No, for this current year that we're in now. That that is correct. The the 26 375 is our current ADA as of right now. Okay. So you're looking at roughly 3,600 students uh that we're missing out on every day or daily on an average. So So one thing that I'll mention on that is that um prek is only half day funding and so we only receive a portion um of revenues for all those students. However, they are counted as a one um regarding enrollment. Okay. So, if you take out the the prek students, how many students are we looking at minus that 29,000? I do not have that number off the top of my head. Okay. So, just say we roughly had what a,000
238or500 prek students. So, I guess my my question or what I'm looking at is on that 93%. So, we're we're staffing teachers for 29,651 students, but we only have 26,000 students showing up. So that eats up on the budget side of the money we're losing out on our ADA uh from the state from the water part of is that is that correct? Well, I think the the point that Mr. Durham made also is our prek students are a one. No, I I understand that part, but the part I'm looking at is the part I'm looking at is the students that were missing every day that are are counted as full. I mean students, not not the prek. But my my question is I know at one time we had truent officers. I think we might
239have what we have one now officer. How many? So I don't know what their schedules are like. I I know that one person is not enough to cover for three or 2,000 students missing daily. So what effect would a truin officer have about getting these students back to the classroom? So, you know, we we look at that the you know, students miss for all kinds of reasons and they have to hit a certain threshold before a truency officer even comes into play. Um many of our kids who miss on a daily basis never reach a threshold of being filed on for non-attendance. And so there's the normal missing school and and that cost us about what per day you said. It's approximately $3645 a day per student that misses. Yeah. But um the truency person
240that we have working, she's done a great job this year. Our Mr. Cidio and the team have met with our judges multiple times to talk about how do we try to streamline and and get cases heard. Um I don't know that another person would make a difference because at the end of the day until they hit a certain mark they don't we can't file on them anyway. I mean they can miss so many days. Is there a number that we can get on how many students that we have? truent. I mean, I I mean, for myself, it just kind of help help us gauge on where we are from a a finance standpoint of how many students we have enrolling in school versus how many students we have missing or that are are truenting that
241we're that's not that's actually in violation of of the policies. We might not want that right now. Didn't it senior skip day or something? What is that? Um how much money is that if you take it uh for the year on absences percentage wise? What how much money is the district missing? So I I I can tell you this. Last time that I um calculated it, every single percentage was approximately $1.7 million um in cost for the district. So, if you're looking at 7%, you're looking at over $7 million. More than that, yes, sir. Okay. Okay. That that was uh that was one of my questions. The other one is it's another finance question, but it doesn't pertain to this, and I don't know if we're going to executive session or not to where No,
242I asked Dr. Howard earlier. She doesn't have anything in executive for executive, and neither do I. So, no sir. Ask it now. I mean, you can ask it now if you want. Okay, I'll ask it now. Uh, I know we uh the board the board hired the uh the school attorney and the monies that we paid I guess over a month is uh is $29,000 uh from the board standpoint. Uh, so my I guess the question I have and maybe you can answer it or or uh Miss Carol can, but I was just looking at at a $900 charge that the district was charged for a prepared resume on applying for a job here at MID. I'm not understanding the $900 charge that you're talking about. Well, looking at on February where it was charged
243prepar resume and other documents to support are you talking about the total bill the 29,000 that's part of the the line item billing. So the $29,000 is an investment. The the members of the Midland community uh voted in approval for a $ 1.415 billion principalonly bond putting numerous schools online as the board president and chairman. We brought forth an attorney to represent just the board so we can have better protection and better guidance under what we're doing as a board separate than the district based by state law. And when we're doing an investment that's $3 billion plus uh for long term, I think that it is very important that this school board of trustees be protected and have subject matter experts in Texas public policy first and foremost in the Texas Education Agency code on
244how to align our goals to make sure that with those new facilities, we're focused on academics. So when you look at it when you look at it as a scale when you when you act when you act when you ask as far as scalability goes this is one of the largest if not the largest employer in Midland with almost a half a billion dollar annual budget uh billions of dollars worth of capital assets under its umbrella. 3,000 employees 30,000 students a $30,000 bill to get make sure we're in alignment doesn't bother me whatsoever and that'll come out of the budget. No that's not that wasn't my question Mr. Hodgees. My question was my question is is we're being ch the board and the district and taxpayers are being charged for a person to send a
245resume and to apply for a job. That's the question I'm asking. Uh Mr. Blue, if you want to answer that because I don't have the the the the incidentals. I don't have the bill um in front of me or the invoice. I can definitely talk about you know if you want to if you want to talk about and adjust for that amount that shouldn't have been on there. I'm not familiar that it was on there, but if it was, then let's take it off there. That's my question. I mean, anybody applies for a job, we're going to pay them just for the for I mean, that should have been on there. I mean, that that that's something that nor like goes through vendors, goes through procurement all the time. We we we credit and debit
246different contracts all the time. So, I appreciate you bringing that to our attention. We'll make sure, Tucker, that we get we we'll drill down on that billing to make sure that all of the charges are approved and go from there. I appreciate you, Mr. Bishop, for bringing that up. Well, I I don't have it in front of me either. Uh, but that may have been when I inquired about uh resumes. Uh, we can talk about it like at a whenever. I don't think it's appropriate to put the exact personnel on on on the spot, but um Dr. Howard was aware of it. We we visited with it. Like I said, I don't know exactly what you're referring to cuz I haven't looked at that invoice, but I did inquire about a resume. It wasn't it
247wasn't to create a resume. It was more a legality. Do we have the um what's the word I'm looking for? Authority. I'm not I'm not sure that that's what that one was. Okay. One thing we can do in the way that we handle the invoices that come in from laser crass is we actually use docuign and it goes out to everybody that you know has that works with the attorney and we initial every line and say yes this is right yes this is right and then once those are all complete we pay you know process the the bill. So that's I I wish we I wish we had those bills at our at our company because our legal bills on a month are higher than this one. Anybody else? Mr. Bishop, you done? Mr. Booker,
248Mr. You You good? Angel, you have anything? No. Nobody has anything. Okay. So, we're moving on to agenda item eight, districtformational report C. Bond 2023 monthly report. Mr. Smith. Thank you, President Hodes, members of the board. Um, Dr. Howard here for the monthly update. Um, we do have your updated overall progress slide that's current as of as of today. bond budgets, p percentage of completions, and scheduled finishes. Um, package one at Lonear Trails Elementary. Um, you can see the things that are completed now. We're highlighting those with the check mark there on the left side. Um, in addition to the other, uh, items that you see there on completions, we were on site today. Terzo's being poured in the common portions of the commons areas. Uh skylights are being being installed, the loading docks completed,
249and next week the parking lot will be completed in full. Uh construction 75% complete on that project. Still on track u to open uh in in August. Package two uh is our new high schools. So construction documents are 50% completed. um our construction managers at risk uh actually open bids on May 9th and they're in the process of scrubbing all of those bids um for both locations um and we're going to look at those um with MISD leadership uh before bringing it to you um in probably in July uh for a partial approval package on on this on this project. Um but they're in the process like I said scrubbing through that. Our interior selections and and furniture fixtures and equipment have been reviewed and we invite everyone out to the groundbreaking ceremony on June
25025th for the LHS campus and on June 26 um for the new MHS campus. Package three, um y'all approved the guaranteed maximum price for the fire sprinkler work to occur this summer at these schools. Um uh that will begin actually starting on Friday of this week and continue through the summer. Uh we've approved the scope to budget and happy to report that that was well within well within budget on package three. Package four is our middle school group of Goddard and Midland uh Midland freshman. Asbestous is actually contracted and ready to go. That will start um next week um on at Midland at Midland High Midland Freshman as well. That asbestous abatement is contracted and ready to go uh next week. Those both are scheduled to be completed still in May of 2027. Alamos is
251a standalone middle school package. It's the construction documents there are 95% complete. Uh portable relocation is scheduled for next week and they will also be receiving uh an asbestous abatement at at Alamo. Package six, this will be the last time that you see package six in the presentation. It will be closed out uh by next month. So, we've got some minor punch list items to get through, a couple door frames to get uh that are on order. soon as those arrive, this this package will be and the paperwork signed off on this package will be will be finished up. U packages eight and nine. Uh package eight again like package three um is well within budget um after scope to budget was approved. Design development there is about halfway done and the Sanorita drive is
252well well underway. Looking to have it opened up um for that campus before the school year next year. Um, package nine, uh, still early in design there. Um, one thing to mention here, Abel had some flooring needs across the campus. Um, and they weren't due up for carpet and some polished concrete till later on. Uh, we went ahead and pulled that out of the scope and that work will be done with bond funds this summer. Um, as promised before, we told you we would give you an update on uh, the tariffs um, moving forward on at the end of each presentation. So, um, really the main thing here is there's really no still no reason to panic. Our third party estimator as well as project managers and both Sears are keeping a close close eye
253on this. We're actually seeing a very positive bidding climate. Um, and that's in just like I talked about package three and package 8 coming in well within budget. We're just not seeing any impact um from the tariffs as of yet. And we talked a little bit about it last time, but um you know after COVID it was 16 to 18 months until we really saw any any effect um from the from that inflation. So um with that I'll be glad to answer any questions on any of the projects. So I I have some questions um kind of about I I emailed y'all um kind of with a heads up and I'd kind of like to discuss it a little bit. It's late so we can try to keep it brief but I'd kind of like
254the background on industry standards for cafeteria capacity um with regards to high school. I know this is probably discussed a couple years ago maybe um but to see where we're at because it may be advantageous at some point for us to close campuses for lunch to as great as extent as possible. especially for underassmen and for kids or students who are not in good standing academically um behaviorally or with attendance. Yes, sir. Um, so I' I'd kind of like to know what the standards are. Um, what we could do logistically to close it off if the board were at that point in consultation with administration and campus principles. Um, that's something I think the board would want to um, make that decision on and take all the heat for. It may not be popular with
255some people. Um, but I think it it is a discussion we probably will need to have given some of the the issues that we're dealing with right now. So, I'd like to kind of just get an overview of the background um logistics, how how many how many of these kids could we potentially close the campus to, and is there any way at this late stage in the game to increase that that uh logistical number? Yes, sir. So I cassidy sorry Dr. Freezy. Yes sir I can I can speak to that. Currently just to the current design of the new high school cafeterias. This will be the same for the legacy site and the Midland High site. Uh we have a total capacity of indoor seating of 504 inside. And then a large group instruction area.
256Those are like your uh learning stairs um for lack of a better term. You can house about or seat about 250 kiddos there. and then outdoor seating area for three uh around a little over 300 about 310 kids for a total of 1,54 um total total seats and that was um the initial scenario when we went through design meetings and user group meetings we thought that was the best approach. We also allowed um some areas for growth later on. So, as we got further and further into design, we actually added some additional outdoor seating. Um, depending on the orientation of the building, um, additional outdoor seating across the across the main cafeteria. Um, so that that outdoor seating number, the 310 is probably a little bit light. It's probably closer to 500. Um, so if
257you take all that into consideration, we're probably at around 1300 um, seats in the new cafeterias. about just serving food, like the logistics of that. How would that um that would most likely depend on how we um scheduled our lunch periods? Um and we'd work with high school principles on that. I know Mr. Sado has reached out to both of them to get some uh feedback from them on how that would look. Would you have two lunch periods? Would you have three? Would you have four? I I I can't answer that or I can I can speak to this a little bit too. Um, so as we were planning for this, of course, right now our high schools are 10 through 12 and they're open campus for all grade levels. So throughout the whole process,
258we had planned for bringing 9th graders up and they of course would have closed campus. Um, and that's how the design was. In addition to those spaces that Mr. Smith talked about, there's also spaces um around the campus what I'm not sure that they're called this, but little beastro type. you know, you run in, get a salad, whatever. Students at a high school this size are going to eat all over the place. They're going to go in for tutorials. They're going to go to a club meeting or something like that during lunch. And so, uh, trying to distribute that out to where they're not all trying to go to one place to eat. And then also trying to be, um, provide options that make them want to stay on campus, whether they're allowed to leave
259or not, they're they have some good options right there on campus that might be more productive. What we've asked our high school principles to do is look at um I think a good happy medium would be is if we looked at if the board wants to go that direction, we look at freshman and sophomores having closed campus. That would probably mean alternating, you know, there there' probably have to be two lunches alternating with um sophomores and freshman and then juniors and seniors open campus. From my experience, when we get students to the junior year, we tend to they tend to start behaving. they're more focused, they're determined to graduate. Um, and then also sophomores, you know, some of them drive, some of them don't. Um, but that's something that the team's working on right now.
260So, we can bring that back at some point, but I don't think we're ready to speak on that. I will say having been at the campus, um, a campus at one time that had three lunch periods, what that means is all our administrators do is spend time on lunch duty rather than instruction, right? for three solid periods, you're on lunch duty rather than being in and out of classrooms or in PLC's. And so going to more than two lunches, I would not personally recommend uh because then it also impacts how the whole day is scheduled and um having to work around all those different lunches from a master schedule perspective. Two, I think is feasible if that's the direction the board wants to go. But we can work with our team to bring a recommendation.
261I just I have a quick question. Um, do we have a dollar amount or a percentage of the total cost for building a the kitchens at those campuses like a traditional cafeteria? Sure. I can I don't have that off my head, but I can certainly get that for you because I would like to know if if if if we're going to move things around, right? Is that I'd like to see what the rate of return is on that. Are we better off using those dollars more efficiently somewhere else to invest them versus there? Yes, sir. Oh, I can understood. I can get that. Last thing we want to do is build a $30 million cafeteria and not have anybody at it because they're at the local Chick-fil-A down like at the by the art hall
262or what have you. Well, and that's one of the things that's the reason we landed on the size of cafeteria we did uh because we looked at what percent of students even at the freshman school, right? The freshman school is closed campus. Well, but what percent even go through the cafeteria line? And so we use those kind of numbers to decide how big a cafeteria needed to be because once we have spaces where they can eat outside and things like that, they're going to tend to do that. We didn't want to build a cafeteria to hold 1,200 and 300 are sitting in there. Yeah. I and and again we can do it offline but I because I think there's going to be a culinary program on these campuses and so I really don't want to
263use capital on two different commercial kitchens if we can use one. There's got to be ways to look for efficiencies. The feds don't allow us the the federal government I should say does not allow us to use cafeteria equipment for anything other than the CNS program. Well, we'll write a letter to the feds. Um, as a principal, I couldn't even have a key to the kitchen because it's, you know, with the child nutrition services. Well, I guess we need to write one to the USDA then, right? I just want to say thank you, uh, Mr. Smith, for um, your work in this bond. I know it's a lot. Um, but I also want to remind everybody that it was also a mandate from our community. Yes, ma'am. Anyone else? We're good. I do have a
264question. Sorry. Uh just a question. I know we're moving a lot of uh portable buildings around. So, where are we where are we putting these portable buildings? Um depending on the lo depending on the campus, Mr. Bishop right now we're really using them as swing space while we're doing some doing the construction on those those campuses where so I know I guess over a period of time we'll start some of them we'll start phasing those out right that's correct so so we are we selling them or we stockpile them we using for bonfire or our plan is to sell those portables you take the gddard and Midland freshman package for instance once once those renovations the new classroom wings are essentially completed um then those portables we won't have a need for the eight portables
265at Goddard and I think there's five at Midland Freshman. So, those will be auctioned off and sold and money go back into the general fund. Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Is that it? Good. We appreciate all the information. I think you're good to go. Moving on to agenda item nine, action items. A, discussion of and request for approval of the annual property insurance renewal. Mr. Smith, you're back. Yes, sir. Thank you, uh, President Hodgees. So, um, bringing forth tonight the annual approval of our our property insurance renewal. Uh, this is our second year with Gallagher Gallagher Insurance as our broker of record. Um, happy to report um around a little over 35% uh rate reduction over the last two years. Uh, renewal rate with with Gallagher. Um, no trade-offs in coverage uh were made to
266achieve our lower our lower renewal rate for this year. Just some so you can compare. In 2024, we had a $4.72 million uh property insurance renewal and this year we have a $4.66 uh renewal. So, it's about a $60,000 give or take reduction. Mr. Smith, I'm going to pause you because I've made a mistake. We're moving into agenda item nine, action items. And we need to acknowledge the fact that in the action items, we have moved an additional action item for possible discussion and to take action on and that is going to be the policy for FMG as action item J after we're done with everything. So, I apologize. Thank you, sir. No problem. Um, so about a $60,000 reduction from last year's renewal. Um, however, we did not we did not sacrifice any any
267coverage loss or or trade-offs in any coverage. We actually were able to increase our statement of values this year from $990 million uh up to $1.16 billion um even with a lower renewal. So, um just excellent work by the by the Gallagher team. We also um were able to to change our freeze deductible from uh uh uh from per per location to per occurrence. So if we have more than one occurrence of a freeze damage at a building, uh we would still be able to put a claim in on that. And I mentioned the statement of values being increased. So, um, with all that being said, uh, we would recom make a recommendation to approve the property insurance for the 2025 2026 fiscal year in the amount of 4 4,660,667. Anybody have any questions, concerns,
268comments? It's been moved. Is there a second? Second. It's been moved and seconded. Let this board vote on agenda item nine, action items A, discussion of and request for approval of the annual property insurance renewal. All those in favor, raise your right hand. It's unanimous. Passed. Moving on to agenda item 9B, discussion of and request for approval of RFP number 24-207, 6th through 8th grade math and algebra 1 instructional materials and professional development services. Miss Bueno, how are you? Good. How are you? Good evening, President Hodes, members of the board, and Dr. Howard. Tonight, I am joined by my colleagues, Damian Gthan, their secondary math coordinator, Mrs. Bettler, our interim executive director of teaching and learning, and Mrs. Boaz, our elementary math coordinator. I come this evening for approval of RFP24-207 for STEM scopes math
269for 6th through 8th grade math and algebra 1. We will provide you an overview of the benefits of this curriculum resource. But before I do that, I will give a brief overview of the comprehensive secondary math plan to be implemented for the 2025 2026 school year. Before I move into providing an overview of the plan and the resource up for recommendation, we will take a look at some data that indicates why we need to move forward with a comprehensive math plan that includes a new curriculum. I don't know. Where's the click? Oh, it's over here. Sorry, it's hiding. Didn't see that. Since 2021, seventh grade meet scores have been 10 plus percentage points below the state. Since 2022, sixth graders who perform at the meets performance level in the sixth grade drop 10 plus percentage
270points when they enter seventh grade. Since 2021, MISD 8th grade meets scores have been five plus percentage points below the state. Since 2021, algebra 1 performance at the meets level has been five plus points below the state. Also notice that in algebra 1 since 2021, the state's meets performance has remained relatively the same, while MISD meets performance since 20 since 2021 has dropped 7 percentage points. The data combined with the feedback gathered about the district's current curriculum resource was considered when de when developing the math plan that I will now provide a brief overview of. The secondary math plan will address the three areas you see here alignment schedule and academic planning. The teaching and learning department works in close collaboration with school leadership, advanced academics, and guidance and counseling departments to ensure success of
271the plan. The secondary math coordinator, Damen Gatan, will work to ensure there is curriculum alignment, grade level alignment, and professional learning alignment. School leadership has developed a schedule that will give onle seventh grade math students an increase in instructional time from 45 minutes to 90 minutes. Honors or advanced math students will maintain the 45 minutes of instructional time. The guidance and counseling department has collaborated with the advanced academics department to create well-defined criteria for students to enter into and when appropriate exit the advanced math track. Here you see a closer look at the alignment work we will lead with the approval of STEM scopes math for grades 6 through 8th and algebra 1. MISD will now have aligned math curriculum kindergarten through grade nine. This year, kinder through fifth grade implemented STEM scopes math. In
272addition, with a single aligned curriculum resource used across all campuses, common unit checks for understanding and common 9, 18, and 27 week assessments will make it easier to track student learning. The math selected committee, which I will talk about momentarily, provided feedback that common unit assessments were needed to provide a more frequent to provide more frequent data on student learning to drive instruction. Unit checks for understanding will be short, very few questions, while the 9,87 week will have increasingly more questions as would be appropriate at those times of the year. As I mentioned earlier, we will increase the instructional minutes for onle 7th grade math students from 45 minutes to 90 minutes. Teachers will adhere to a well-defined instructional minutes expectation that ensures all 90 minutes are maximized for student learning. Small group instruction is
273built into the 90minute block. The third part of the math plan centers on our advanced math track. Senate bill 2124 dictates automatic enrollment into sixth grade advanced math of students who performed in the top 40% on the fifth grade math star. Parents are allowed to opt their child out of advanced math. For students who do not meet Senate Bill 2124 criteria or for a transfer student with no star scores, we do allow students to opt in. The advanced academics department provides campus leadership with multiple data points to consider when providing parents with guidance about the best option for their child. There are also expectations for a student to stay on the advanced math track. A sixth grade advanced math student will be exited from the advanced math track if they do not meet the expectations
274of the honors course agreement or they do not meet the expectations on the sixth grade math star. A sixth grade student who does not achieve the master's level on the math star will be required to meet with the campus principal along with the parent to discuss the most appropriate placement for seventh grade math. Here you see criteria for seventh grade honors math. Seventh grade honors math students must have scored masters on the sixth grade math star. Students will be exited from the advanced math track if they do not meet the expectations of the honors course agreement or may be exited if they do not score a 65 or higher on the eighth grade math star. Each year, enrollment criteria, opt-in criteria, and exit criteria is evaluated and adjusted as needed. Communication of advanced math enrollment
275criteria and processes began in February, which is the start of the district's academic planning season. Counselor teams at our junior highs hosted parent nights to share various information related to course enrollment for next school year, including the honors course agreement and enrollment criteria for all honors courses. Next week, school leadership and secondary and the secondary math coordinator will meet with elementary principles to share information related to Senate Bill 2124. In the May edition of the district's parent newsletter, we will provide Senate Bill 2124 information so that parents are aware of the possibility of receiving notification of automatic enrollment into sixth grade advanced math. I will now turn it over to Mrs. Betler who will provide you with an overview of the STEM scopees math resource. Good evening. I have to move this down a little.
276I'm kind of short. There we go. So, a critical component of the success of the secondary math is the implementation of a rigorous, highquality, and consistent curriculum resource for all students in grades 6 through 8 and algebra 1. STEM Scopes math is approved by the state board of education. It is 100% aligned with the TICS and with the Elps and it allows students to engage in real world connections with authentic problem based tasks. This will allow for crosscurriculum connections. This year we also implemented a new science resource K through 12. That resource uses the daily lesson framework that aligns with the 5e model of instruction. This 5E instructional model is the same model found in STEM scopes math. This means that students will engage, explore, explain, collaborate, and evaluate in both math and science courses.
277These are the steps that design process engineers use to arrive at a solution to a problem. Approval of the STEM scopes math for 6th through 8th grade and algebra 1 will mean that the district now has math and science curriculum alignment kindergarten through 9th grade. Another value of STEM scopes math is that it provides emergent bilingual students in structural support through structured conversations and sentence stems. This will foster learning for all students as well. STEM Scopes math has embedded cross-curricular connections. Students won't just work on math problems. They will also read and write about math and speak about their own thinking and problem solving. Shown here is an example of texts that students will read where they will apply social studies knowledge before applying math and science skills just as students are asked to do
278in real life. Here you will see the timeline showing how we arrived at tonight's recommendation to adopt STEM Scopes math. In January, the request for proposal or RFP process began. We selected 6th through 8th grade and algebra 1 teachers as well as representatives from the bilingual and ESL and special services departments to review materials. This allowed all stakeholders to provide feedback on the resources submitted. A total of nine vendors submitted to the RFP. The committee met four times to review materials and during one of those meetings, the committee met with the top three vendors who delivered a presentation of their product. Committee members then voted and STEM scopes math was chosen as the recommended resource. Here you will see the names of those who served on the RFP committee. Those teachers represent a combination of
279on-grade level and advanced math teachers from all four junior highs and the two freshman campuses. This committee also included three sixth grade teachers from two elementary schools and one junior high. This committee this committee's input was invaluable in finalizing the recommend recommendation that we bring you this evening. During this process, we also formed the math select committee. This committee was assembled to gather very targeted feedback from not only teachers and counselors but also administrators about all aspects of secondary math. These individuals have the knowledge, the expertise and a current and historical perspective of math instruction. This committee was not a part of the formal RFP process, but their feedback helped us develop the future of secondary math. a s a s a a sincere thank you to those committee members. The state of Texas outlines
280how districts can purchase instructional materials such as stem scopes math. House bill6005 outlines how instructional materials are adopted and funded in Texas. First, let's look at how materials are adopted. The SBOE or the state board of education governs the review of instructional materials and has final authority on the process criteria used and ultimate approval of the submitted materials. This is called the instructional materials review and approval process otherwise known as IMRA. Districts may choose from materials on the state developed open education resource or the OEER list or from materials on the IMRA list. STEM Scopes math is on the Emer list. Next, we will review how materials are funded. Districts receive an annual entitlement of $40 per enrolled student for the purchase of materials on the EMR list. Districts have an EMRA account that is
281managed through EMAT, which is the state's online ordering system. Annually on September 1st, the $40 per student aotment for the SBOE approved materials are deposited into the district's IMRA account IMRA account. Any unspent funds carry over to the next fiscal year. Midland ISD's current balance for the SVOE improved instructional materials allotment is more than $2 million. It is from this balance that STEM scope's math math curriculum resource would be purchased. As part of the RFP process, several quotes were requested from STEM Scot Math to reflect a variety of resource components and professional learning options. After careful consideration, the cost of the package that was chosen is $453,424. This purchase includes five full days of professional learning which will support teachers with accessing and navigating all components of this resource to ensure a strong imple implementation
282can be achieved. Print and online access to teacher editions, print and online access to consumable student notebook as well as a consumable student practice book. The state board of education improved IMRA funds would be used for this purchase. Now, Miss Bueno will review the implementation plan. Implementation of the secondary math plan is already underway. Here you will see the secondary summer math implementation plan that includes giving teachers access to STEM scopes, training campus administrators, finalizing all curriculum documents, implementing a trainer of trainer model, and requiring a campus rollout plan that includes teachers creating two weeks of planning before school starts. Here you will see the implementation plan from August of 2025 to August of 2026. The implementation plan is essential to the successful adoption of the curriculum resource. The comprehensive approach involves district leadership, the
283teaching and learning department, campus leaders and teachers. You will see that we have outlined key focus areas throughout the year to ensure consistent and effective implementation. This concludes the presentation and we recommend for approval of RFP 24-207 STEM scopes math for 6th through 8th grade math and algebra 1 and we are happy to answer any questions that you may have. I'm I I know that several people have questions, but I'm going to go ahead and just cut in line. And I just want to say Dr. Howard, the team, y'all done a great job looking at this stuff. We have a superintendent because we don't get enough credit on everyone thinks we're oil and vinegar or what have you. But I have one of the things historically that has happened in MISD in the implementation plan
284is there's not fidelity and use with these these programs and curriculums. And I have 100% confidence and our leadership Dr. Howard and you like everyone thank y'all for doing this. I I I appreciate the implementation plan and it is so imperative that we have fidelity and use and I think we have it here. That's all I have to say. Thank y'all very much. And Dr. Free, so I I appreciate y'all. Um this was a really really well thought out um process and um anyway, everything was really good. You all did really good. I appreciate you showing it to us. Um I kind of want to just mention a couple things to the board that I'm impressed with. Um, and I've talked to some some of y'all and then some teachers have given me some feedback,
285but moving from 45 to minutes, a lot of people are really on board with this. They think this is going to really help the math um scores. And then they have um, you know, depending on how you're you're doing it can you can kind of go back to remediation, small group uh, instruction if you aren't getting the concept of the day. It also does a really good job of, this is something that I kind of really value is putting the pen in your hand, getting out your notebook, organizing your thoughts, and uh just basic study skills, which I think our kids um are are kind of lacking. And this this in itself is going to really help that. It also in some of the enrichment parts of it, it leads off into other subjects. So
286even though they're doing 90 minutes of math, some of the enrichment subjects, it gets them into economics, into science, into other parts of civics and, you know, kind of teaches others concepts. So it's uh I'm just very impressed with it and I think they got a really good imple implementation plan and I fully support this and thank you all. I move to adopt this um math and algebra 1 instructional. I'll second. It's been moved and seconded that this board approve agenda item nine B B. discussion of and request for approval of RFP number 24-207 6th through 8th grade math and algebra 1 instructional materials and professional development services. All those in favor raise your right hand. It's unanimous. It passes. Thank you'all very very much. What a great presentation. Thank you. Thank you. Moving on
287to agenda item 9 C, discussion of and request for approval for naming a new middle school located at 100 East Gist Avenue. Presenter, Miss Piles. Thank you for being here. Good evening, President Hodgees, members of the board, and Dr. Howard. My name is Cindy Piles, and I'm honored to be here this evening with Midland Freshman High School Principal, Miss Melanie Hall. We are here to recommend the name for our new middle school opening in 2028 in the current Midland Freshman High School building. Mrs. Hall will present the naming committee's recommendations to the board. Great. Right. The naming committee was formed to begin the naming process. Committee members included parents, teachers, community members, and district staff members. In the process of naming the new middle school, the district sought and received input from the community to
288gather viable name suggestions for the board's consideration. A nomination was made available through multiple channels such as a press release links to the bond 2023 website and announced electronically via staff and family newsletters. The naming committee was tasked with reviewing the nominations and convened three different times. During these meetings, the committee carefully reviewed and narrowed down submissions for both the middle school name and mascot. Ultimately, the committee voted on and finalized a recommendation for the middle school name and mascot. We would like to thank our committee members shown here for their time, commitment, and participation in the naming committee process. Here you can see the communication that was sent out to the MISD staff and parents. Anyone interested could complete one or both naming surveys. This communication was also sent out through a press release
289to the community. Our committees operated under policy CW local which references the naming of facilities. Policy CW states all school buildings and other school district facilities shall be named according to one of the four categories seen on the slide. Additionally, the policy states that the naming committee will submit to the board of trustees one recommend one recommended name for each school or facility to be named. The responsibility for the final decision in the naming of a new school or facility rests with the board. The survey was available to the community April 20 uh uh sorry, April 17th through the 28th. We received 59 responses for our survey. After narrowing down our submissions, the committee had uh voted between the top two selections for the middle school name and mascot. The selection of Midland Middle School
290reflects the committee's vision for a smooth and positive transition for students advancing to Midland High School. This decision honors the legacy of the current Midland Freshman building while aligning with the future academic and community goals. The existing school colors of Midland Freshman will be retained, reinforcing its role as a direct feeder campus to Midland High School. Furthermore, the mascot, the dog, commonly used and shortened version of the bulldog, will continue to foster a school spirit and continuity. Midland Middle School will grow and nurture future Midland High School Bulldogs, preserving and promoting MHS traditions while building strong a strong foundation for student success. At this time, on behalf of the naming committee, I would like to request approval for the name Midland Middle School and our as our new middle school opening in 2028 in the
291current Midland Freshman building. If approved, we will coordinate with MISD communications on a press release, notify the naming committee members, and communicate with to current Midland Freshman students, staff, and parents. Finally, the branding work will begin with a 2028 opening deadline. Dr. Freeze, I just got a quick question for administration. Is there any foreseeable scenario where this would not feed into Midland High? Is there any foreseeable scenario where this school would not feed into Midland High? Currently, uh the way our attendance zones are set up for the 2829 school year, that section of uh the city is 100% pure feeder into Milan High School. Um as of right now, I don't foresee that changing. Um so I mean I would I you know again that's I mean sure I think that's a good question and
292um you know it's hard to predict what will happen you know 10 years from now 20 years from now 30 years from now but it's hasn't been uncommon. So let me let me try to think back. There was a time when before Goddard was built that we had schools that were split. They'd go to a middle school and then split to go to a different high school. So, I see where you're going with it feeding into middle and high school. Um, I also think that if that were to happen 25 years from now, that it's it's there are times that students may go to a middle school that doesn't fully feed into the high school. I mean, that I don't know that we could predict that that would never happen or that it would happen.
293I'm just excited about the math curriculum. This is M squared, right? I mean, this is amazing. else. Do we have a motion? A motion to approve. I second it. It has been motioned and seconded that this board vote on agenda item 9 C. Discussion of and request for approval for naming of new middle school located at 600 East Gist Avenue to be Midland Middle School. All those in favor raise your right hand. It is unanimous. Motion passes. Thank you'all very much for the work. M squared. All right. Next, I would like to introduce Legacy High School principal Miss Edel and Associate Principal Chris Bryant. They're here this evening. I'm going to interrupt you real quick because I think we're moving on. This is a separate item, so I need to introduce it. I believe uh
294agenda item 9 uh D, discussion of and request for approval for naming of new middle school located at 3500 Neely Avenue. Miss Piles, the floor is yours. Thank you. Sorry. Thank you. So, I have here with me LHS head principal Miss Zel and associate principal Chris Bryant. They are here this evening to recommend the name for our new middle school opening in 2028 in the current Legacy High School building. Good evening or good night. So, the LHS the naming committee was formed to begin the naming process. Committee members included parents, teachers, community members, and district staff members. In this process of the naming naming the new middle school, the district sought and received input from the community to gather viable name suggestions for the board's consideration. A nomination form was made available through multiple channels
295such as press releases, links to the bond 2023 website and announced electronically via staff and family newsletters. We would like to thank our committee members. There were a few here earlier tonight. uh for their time, their commitment and participation. They were very thoughtful in this committee naming process and we appreciate their service. The naming committee followed the same timeline and board policy CW local as the previous presentation. The survey for the new middle school on Neely was also available April 17th through 28th. We had 163 responses to the naming of the 2028 2029 middle school LHS existing building community survey. And now the boss. After narrowing down the submissions, the committee voted between the top two selections for the middle school name. The name John Randy Story Middle School was selected with the mascot Buffalo.
296The name received the most survey nominations, reflecting strong community support. Randy Story was a legendary band director who dedicated over 30 plus years of service to Lee High School, shaping the lives of countless students through music and mentorship. Mr. Story led the Lee Band to national recognition, including performances at the Tournament of Roses Parade, Carnegie Hall, and three presidential inaugural parades. Known for his high standards, result-driven focus, leadership, and deep love for his students, he built a musical legacy rooted in excellence, accountability, family, and lifelong learning. One of one which continues to inspire others across Texas. The buffalo is a symbol of strength, resilience, and unity. Qualities we aim to instill in every student. Uniquely, buffaloos are known to run towards storms, not away from them. facing challenges head on just like we want our
297students to do. The mascot also honors Randy Sto's legacy as he was a proud graduate of West Texas A&M University, home of the Buffaloos. This concludes our presentation. At this time, we would like to request approval for the name John Randy Story Middle School for our new middle school opening in 2028 in the current Legacy High School building. Any questions, comments? Have a comment. Um, my kids went to Midland High, but were involved in band and um, well, from we took our kids to football games from the day they were born here. And watching the Lee High School band back then with Ry's story and his he always made his kids march with white shoes cuz you could see when you were out of line and when you didn't touch that line correctly. and being
298a band parent and being a band person myself, um his perfection expected of his students and re in getting that he set the bar high for everyone that he was around. So, I appreciate I think this will be a great name. Motion to approve the uh name of the new middle school located at 3500 Neely Avenue. Second. There's been motion and seconded that this board approve agenda item 9D, the discussion of and request for approval for naming of new middle school located at 3500 Neely to be John. Can you go back to that slide so I can do this? John Randy Story Middle School. All those in favor, raise your right hand. The motion passes. All those opposed. Thank you. Thank you very much. Moving on to agenda item action item F discussion of and
299request for approval of budget amendment number 10. Mr. Durham, President Hodgees, members of the board, and Superintendent Howard, this evening, the administration brings budget amendment number 10 before the board for approval. Annually, school boards are required to adopt a budget by function for the following funds. The general fund, child nutrition fund, and the debt service fund. If any changes are made throughout the fiscal year um for one of the funds and the functions, it requires board approval. Um, also the functions help just categorize um the type of expenditures that are going to occur um throughout the account code structure. This budget amendment addresses cross functional transfers requested by various budget owners and updated revenues and expenses based off um projections. And at this time, the administration recommends the board of trustees approve budget amendment number
30010 as presented. Any questions, comments? Is there a motion? Has been moved. Is there a second? It's been moved and seconded as sport approve agenda action item F, discussion of and request for approval of budget amendment number 10. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Unanimous. Thank you, Mr. Durham. Moving on to agenda item action item G discussion of and request for approval of RFP number 24-280 KN&S kitchen equipment. Mr. Smith, welcome back. Yes, sir. Thank you, President Hajes. So, our child nutrition services team put out an RFP for kitchen equipment uh range from garbage disposals, brazing pans, tilting kettles, serving lines at uh five of our five five of our schools. Um we issued 608 invitations. Uh, eight vendors submitted proposals and we're recommending approval of approval tonight to award to four separate
301vendors providing the best value to the district. Um, estimated expenditures just a little over $925,000. This is all going to be federally funded. Mr. Durham uh mentioned earlier some excess fund balance in the CNS account and those are the funds that will be uh used for this purchase for this equipment. Any comments, questions? I'll move. Moved. Second. It's been moved and seconded. This board approve agenda action item G, discussion of and request for approval of RFP number 24-280, KN&S kitchen equipment. All those in favor, raise your right hand. Is unanimous. Thank you very much. Moving on. Moving on to agenda item action item H, discussion of and request for approval of CSP number 24-282 annex building at Abel and Alamo Junior Highs. Mr. Smith again. Yes, sir. Thank you, President Hodes. Uh we went out
302for a competitive seal proposal for two standalone annex buildings. This is work associated with the bond uh package five and package 9 particularly at Abel and and Alamo uh to again construct uh two standalone annex buildings that will be utilized by our athletics and our physical education programs at both of these schools. Uh total estimated construction cost is just over $1 million for both. Um and we are recommending approval tonight of OPREX construction contractors. They were the low bidder uh on the project. have done some great work for the district before. Uh good reputation and we've been very happy with their work. So we are recommending approval of them for that for this project this evening. Any questions, concerns? Booker, is that a question or no? Is there a motion? I'll move. Is there a
303second? It has been moved and seconded that this board approve uh agenda action item I discussion no H discussion of and request for approval of CSP number 24-282 annex building at Abel and Alamo Junior high schools all those in favor raise your right hand is unanimous thank you very much moving on to agenda action item I yes Mr. Hajes with the prior approval of DC local earlier in the agenda. Okay. Y pull that item. So moving So moving on to agenda item 9. Agenda item 9J. Action item 9J discussing the policy student activities travel local FMG. Yeah, I think you had an idea on this already. Yeah. Well, I mean, that's my idea. Let me Yes. So, on FMG local on page one of three um the out of district travel if we Dr. Howard,
304hold on one sec. I'm not trying. I apologize. Miss Burlson had brought something up. Do you want what is you want to amend it some different? Do you want to go through it? What was your I think that turn your mic on, please. I thought that you were just looking for the date that it would be available, but if we're going to amend it all, we can do it all. That's Dr. Howard had said something about bringing it up for amendment, so that's why we brought it up. Yes, I would recommend on page one of three uh fourth section down where it says out of district travel that we change that to out of state and out of country travel. Any outofstate or out of country trips taken by student organizations. Everything else would stay
305the same. That would require board approval. Give me the line. Give me the number again. The lines down. So, one, two, three, four lines. four down on the left where it says out of district travel. Okay. Out of state. I guess if we said out of state, obviously out of country is covered. Would that be correct? That's what the two attorneys are saying. So out of state, you know, I wanted to go to law school, but I'm getting too old. Um out of state travel and then any out ofstate trips Right. I know. Miss Blue, come up here. Thank you. When Mark it out. Just one line straight through what needs to be marked out because I don't see it there. Do you have it, Mr. Gwen? I don't have the right policy number on
306there. Do you have it, Miss Beloo? Okay. So there where it says out of district out ofstate travel and then any outofstate trips taken by student organizations and other student groups shall require prior approval from the school board. And then the sponsor is required to and and we used to have a form for this. So I expect we can locate that form. Hopefully I've filled those out before. And uh that form then comes to the board when approved. it signed off and sent back to the sponsor that their trip is approved. I I guess my question, Miss Blue, would how how would I amend that? Make a motion to amend out of the term out of district to add a state in this policy. So, you'll you'll amend a strike and replace is what we'll
307do. We just need the actual just pay attention to the words we're striking and replacing with and we'll just write those down and then we'll do the amendment there. I would do one big motion for every every suggestion that she has though. So that's that's the main suggestion as long as when we concerned about the 22 the 25 year old yeah the chaperones had to be 22 years old. So if the policy is interpreted right above that it says sponsors advisor chaperones and administrators shall be required to travel chaperones must be at least 25 years old. Um I would interpret that as nond district non-district employees. So maybe chaperones and in parentheses non-district employees if you think it's necessary. I think it would help for down the road. Yeah. So, replace give the words again
308so I can write them down. Chaperones and then in parentheses non-district employees must be at least 25 years old. District where it says out of state adult travel eligibility and out of state teacher sponsor. Should that be I mean sometimes there's out of out of district and there's sometimes when we're in the playoffs that you have to go stay in Dallas, etc. Possibly. Should that say all adult travel eligibility or not? The only thing I would think about that is the outofstate and then of course country. When we get to this 12 students per adult, you know, if we were sending 13 students to love for an overnight trip, that's a little different than 13 students to Europe for an overnight trip. And would we want to push another sponsor to go to that and
309have a sub and pay for another room or whatever the case might be? That's a consideration. the way it's written that of state that would align with the what is required for approval. Is that correct? Yes, ma'am. Now, we could certainly develop administrative rigs for just out of town overnight travel that would align with this. I think for tonight it's just important to get this uh this out of district done just so we don't hold up any progress over the next couple weeks. So that's my recommendation. Would I motion to strike at a district and add in out of state? Yes. Okay. Then you would also motion to add in parentheses afterward the word cha chaparounds non-district employees. Yeah. Yes. Strike and replace because we're defining it. Chapron is non-district employees. Okay. So, I'm going
310to motion to strike on policy FMG. I'm going to motion to strike out the language that says out of district and replace that with out ofstate travel. and also would like to motion to add in in parentheses um nond district employees next to chaperones. Second. It has been motioned and seconded to amend uh FMG student activities travel. All those in favor of this amendment, there's two vote raise your right hand. The amendment passes. Now we're going back to vote on the policy. So do we have a motion to vote this? So let me redo it. It is no because that was the amendment. We had to amend it. So we voted on the amendment. Now we go back and we have to vote in the actual policy. It has come before this board to approve
311agenda item action item 9 J FMG student activities travel as amended. All those in favor raise your right hand. is unanimous. It passes. Thank you. Now, do we have a motion to We don't have anything in executive session. Everything left isformational only. Do we have a motion to adjurnn? Is there a second? Second. Has been moved and seconded that we adjourn this meeting of the Midland Independent School Board of Trustees meeting on May 20th. All those in favor, raise your right hand. This is unanimous. Meeting is adjourned. Thank you.