College Station Independent School District

Success, Each Life...Each Day...Each Hour

August 2022 Board Recap

August 2022 Board Recap
Posted on 08/16/2022

Note:  This is an overview of some of the items on the August workshop and meeting agendas. This recap does not include every item on the agenda. Official meeting minutes will be made available on www.csisd.org following approval at the September board meeting.  A video and audio recording of the meeting will be made available within seven business days of the meeting at csisd.org.

  The College Station ISD Board of Trustees met Tuesday, August 16.  The following discussions and actions are of note. 

WORKSHOP

Report on 2022 Assessment and Accountability Results:  Deputy Superintendent and Chief Administrative Officer Dr. Molley Perry gave a presentation regarding the district’s 2022 STAAR performance and accountability ratings.

Highlights include:

  • CSISD students met passing standards at higher rates than the state in all subjects across every grade level and on all End-of-Course exams.
  • In reading and social studies, CSISD students’ scores were higher than prior to pandemic (2019).
  • Although some performance declines were observed since 2019 in mathematics and science, CSISD students continue to significantly outperform their peers across the state in these subjects.
  • Across content and grade levels, CSISD students demonstrated the highest level of performance (Masters) at significantly higher rates than the state.

CSISD’s overall district rating was 89 out of 100 and all of CSISD’s campuses had passing scores.

MEETING

Approval of Administrator Hires:  The board officially approved the hire of two new administrators.

  • Patricia Ayala, Director of Special Programs:  Ayala has served as an Assistant Principal for College Station High School since 2017. Prior to her time in CSISD, she served as a high school associate principal, middle and elementary school assistant principal, and elementary school principal in Mansfield ISD. Ayala began her career as a bilingual educator, and she is fully fluent in Spanish. Ayala will be replacing Dr. Marla Ramirez, who left the district for a position at Texas A&M.
  • Tracee McClendon, Coordinator of Safety and Risk Management: McClendon has served as Safety and Risk Management Coordinator for Bryan ISD for the past six years, where her duties and responsibilities are commensurate to this new position in College Station ISD. Prior to her work in BISD, she was as a Workers' Compensation Case Manager for the Baylor Scott & White system.

Approval of 2022-23 Budget and Proposed Tax Rate; Voter-Approved Tax Ratification Election Called:  The board approved the 2022-23 budget and a proposed tax rate, which will require a voter approved tax ratification election (VATRE) to be held in November.

The information presented in the August workshop by Chief Financial Officer Amy Drozd was the sixth presentation regarding development of the 2022-23 budget.

The adopted budget for 2022-23 assumes student enrollment growth of 3.5% (from the 2021 snapshot date) and overall property value growth of 10.73%.  The property value growth percentage factors in the additional homestead exemption.

In June, the board adopted a compensation plan with a two percent increase in pay for all employees.  In addition to the compensation plan, the board approved retention stipends for returning employees in March.  The stipends will be paid to eligible employees using federal COVID funds in August 2022 and January 2023 in a total amount of $2,000 for teachers and other campus professionals, and $1,000 to all other staff, including auxiliary, paraprofessionals, administrator and other professionals.

Under state law, the district’s current 2021-2022 M&O tax rate will be reduced by 6.71 cents for the 2022-2023 year without the approval of the VATRE in November.  If the VATRE is approved by voters, the tax rate will be lowered 3.71 cents instead of 6.71 cents.  

The three cents would generate an estimated $5,015,431 in additional revenue, of which $1,715,431 would be additional state revenue.  Based on a board resolution passed in June, the additional revenue will be used to provide an additional four percent increase in salaries for all employees, except administrators, who would receive an additional two percent pay increase. 

From 2017-18 to 2021-22, the CSISD tax rate was lowered from $1.398 per $100 of valuation to $1.2152.  The $.1828 lower rate represents a 13% decrease in the tax rate in those four years.  If the VATRE is approved by voters in November, the CSISD tax rate is expected to drop to $1.1852. The 21.28 cent difference since 2017-18 is a decrease of 15.2 percent.

Without the passage of the VATRE, the district is anticipated to have a budget deficit of $1,514,276.  If the board calls a VATRE and it passes in November, the additional revenue would not only allow for the additional salary increases, but also a balanced budget.

Approval of Superintendent Contract:  After deliberating in closed session regarding Superintendent Mike Martindale’s contract, Board President Jeff Horak expressed the board’s intention to extend the contract an additional year through June 30, 2025.  However, the board is researching additional information before taking final action in September.

 Purchases/Bid Approvals:

  • Approved the renewal for annual PowerSchool Software Maintenance and Support agreement in the amount of $178,537.93 for the 2022-23 school year using the 2022-23 general fund.
  • Approved the purchase of teacher laptops and devices from Avinext in the amount of $1,088,955 using 2021 Bond Funds.
    Approved the contract for internet filter upgrade from BorderLan in the amount of $271,845.29 using 2021 bond funds.
  • Approved the renewal of districtwide identity access management maintenance and support from HelloID in the amount of $78,819.59 using ESSER III funds.

-csisd-

Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © PowerSchool Corporation. All rights reserved.