1 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:30,740 Noting that a quorum is present, I hear by call this work study, meeting of the Board of Trustees of Katie Independent School District Order. Today is Monday, September 14th, 2026, and the time is 5.03 p.m. Dr. Gregorci, we verify that we are in compliance with the provisions of the Texas Open Meetings Act with regard to notice for this meeting. Mr. Raven, I do confirm we're in compliance with the provisions of the Texas Open Meetings Act for our meeting tonight. 2 00:00:30,740 --> 00:00:31,540 All right. 3 00:00:31,620 --> 00:00:34,360 The move will start off our meeting tonight with the Pledge of Allegiance. 4 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:38,560 And KDI ST Police Officer Lister will lead us in our Pudges of Allegiance tonight. 5 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:50,920 Our Pledge of Allegiance is to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic 6 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:57,440 for which it stands, one nation, under God, and invisible, the liberty and justice are 7 00:00:57,440 --> 00:00:57,600 all. 8 00:00:59,530 --> 00:01:01,030 Honor with the Texas flag. 9 00:01:01,630 --> 00:01:07,030 Our Pledge of Allegiance to the Texas, one state, under God, one individual. 10 00:01:07,030 --> 00:01:07,170 is. 11 00:01:09,900 --> 00:01:12,980 Thank you. Do we have any scouts in the audience this evening? 12 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:19,700 No, we do not. We will move on to our public comments portion of our board meeting. 13 00:01:20,380 --> 00:01:24,140 At this time, the Board of Trustees will give members of the public an opportunity to speak in accordance 14 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:30,760 with the KDI-ST board policy BED local. As defined by board policy, speakers who signed up by 2 p.m. 15 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:35,720 on Mondays, September 14th, 2026 provided their first and last name, mailing address, 16 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:38,700 and list the number of specific agenda items they intend to address. 17 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:44,720 Designate whether they reside in KDISD and if they have children in KDISD schools will be allowed to address the board. 18 00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:49,020 Speakers that fail to sign up in advance with the required information will not be called to speak. 19 00:01:49,700 --> 00:01:55,400 At the outset of public comment about 5 p.m. speakers that properly signed up in advance will be called forward individually 20 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,960 and allowed to address the board on posted agenda topics only. 21 00:02:00,460 --> 00:02:04,040 Speakers who signed up to speak on a posted agenda item will be allowed three minutes to speak 22 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:08,700 And if a speaker is not finished speaking at the end of their three minutes, the audio will turn off. 23 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:19,980 The speakers wish to share written material with the board, please provide 10 copies to the secretary of board services before the meeting begins for board members, the superintendent, the chief communications officer and permanent record. 24 00:02:20,500 --> 00:02:30,540 If a speaker is not attempted to solve a matter administratively through proper channels as stated in board policy, the presiding officers says it needs to advise the speaker to seek resolution through the appropriate policy. 25 00:02:31,300 --> 00:02:39,060 Finally, pursuant to Texas government code section 551.074 and 551.0821, the board will not 26 00:02:39,060 --> 00:02:44,340 permit the presentation of personally identifiable information regarding a student, and will not 27 00:02:44,340 --> 00:02:48,960 discuss the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal 28 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:53,620 of a public officer or employee, or to hear a complaint or charge against an officer or employee. 29 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,780 Should a speaker wish to address one of these issues, they must do so through the appropriate 30 00:02:57,780 --> 00:03:04,200 local grievance policies, FNG local, DGBA local, CKE local, or GF local. 31 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:08,020 Our speakers will be called forward in the order that they signed up to speak. 32 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:13,400 Tonight we have one speaker, is Omar Pena? 33 00:03:14,820 --> 00:03:15,320 Mr. Pena. 34 00:03:22,850 --> 00:03:24,010 Good afternoon, good evening. 35 00:03:25,130 --> 00:03:26,210 Name's Omar Pena. 36 00:03:26,430 --> 00:03:28,010 I have two kids that go to KDIST. 37 00:03:28,750 --> 00:03:30,150 I live in Cross Creek Ranch. 38 00:03:31,270 --> 00:03:32,930 My kids go to Stanley Elementary. 39 00:03:33,510 --> 00:03:34,770 My wife teaches there as well. 40 00:03:34,770 --> 00:03:44,050 Well, I'm also a city councilman in the City of Folstria District 3, which primarily a lot of residents in the KDI State and the Folstria area live. 41 00:03:45,350 --> 00:03:55,750 And the one of the things I wanted to bring up today was the M&O and the new tax rate you guys are about to get voting on soon. 42 00:03:56,230 --> 00:03:59,930 And I see you guys have no change on year over year so far. 43 00:04:00,290 --> 00:04:03,810 I'm not sure where this is going to go, but one of the concerns I have is I have 44 00:04:05,930 --> 00:04:11,350 We've dealt with this in the City of Folst, where cell towers going up, and that creates revenue for you guys. 45 00:04:11,470 --> 00:04:17,250 So I wanted to make sure that you know you guys have a cell tower that might be going up at one of your high schools 46 00:04:17,250 --> 00:04:24,570 and I wanted to make sure to let you know that in the City of Folst, there's quite a bit of strong opposition to this. 47 00:04:24,610 --> 00:04:31,030 So if you guys are counting on this revenue for you guys to have the cell tower there, I would like to inform you 48 00:04:31,030 --> 00:04:33,770 that there's strong opposition to this. 49 00:04:34,110 --> 00:04:37,990 And if you would like to create a different side of this, 50 00:04:38,130 --> 00:04:41,330 we have public hearing tomorrow and potential vote tomorrow. 51 00:04:41,330 --> 00:04:44,190 So if you would like to send one of your board members 52 00:04:44,190 --> 00:04:46,990 or anybody else that would like to address this, 53 00:04:47,170 --> 00:04:49,510 I would not want to affect the revenue 54 00:04:50,090 --> 00:04:51,510 that you guys might be voting on soon. 55 00:04:51,650 --> 00:04:54,310 So with that, I just want to give you guys a heads up 56 00:04:54,310 --> 00:04:55,790 on what's coming down the pipe tomorrow. 57 00:04:56,470 --> 00:04:58,010 All right, well, thank you so much for your time. 58 00:04:58,650 --> 00:04:59,710 Thank you very much. 59 00:05:00,970 --> 00:05:03,410 And this concludes the open form portion of our meeting. 60 00:05:03,770 --> 00:05:08,710 The board will now convene in close meeting as authorized under section 551.001 of the 61 00:05:08,710 --> 00:05:10,390 Texas government code for the following purposes. 62 00:05:10,710 --> 00:05:18,010 Texas government code 551.071 551.076 and 551.129. 63 00:05:28,790 --> 00:05:33,650 The board will now reconvene in open meeting today is Monday, September 14th, 2026 and the 64 00:05:33,650 --> 00:05:34,990 time is 7.13 pm. 65 00:05:34,990 --> 00:05:44,530 On behalf of my colleagues, I welcome everybody to this evening's work study, meeting each board member received the agenda and documentation for this meeting on Wednesday September 9th, 2026. 66 00:05:45,370 --> 00:05:51,410 The board will receive information recommendations from staff and administration and the superintendent on these agenda items at tonight's meeting. 67 00:05:52,070 --> 00:05:56,550 Board members will be able to ask questions receiving answers and should be prepared to take action. 68 00:05:56,550 --> 00:06:05,710 The board is just reconvened from closed meeting in accordance with chapter 551 of the Texas government code and any action arising from discussions and closed meeting must be taken in an open meeting. 69 00:06:06,170 --> 00:06:12,790 We will not be taking any action this evening and we will be moving on to section six discussion items. 70 00:06:13,230 --> 00:06:21,950 Our first item tonight is to discuss and consider board approval of the district performance objectives and our presenter is Miss Natalie Martinez, our executive director of school improvement. 71 00:06:21,950 --> 00:06:27,500 Good evening, President Redmond, Dr. Gregorski, members of the board. 72 00:06:28,020 --> 00:06:32,180 Each year the board is asked to review and approve the district performance objectives 73 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:34,960 that guide the district improvement planning process. 74 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:40,240 The district planning process begins with central office reviewing district data and resources. 75 00:06:40,840 --> 00:06:46,580 We then get stakeholder input during a kick meeting where community members engage in a process 76 00:06:46,580 --> 00:06:52,580 to give us feedback on four key areas which include processes and programs, demographics, student 77 00:06:52,580 --> 00:06:53,940 learning and perceptions. 78 00:06:54,860 --> 00:06:59,220 Departments review this feedback alongside their part of the needs assessment to determine 79 00:06:59,220 --> 00:07:02,660 performance objectives that fall under each district goal. 80 00:07:03,340 --> 00:07:08,900 The performance objectives are all aligned to the nine strategic goals and are created 81 00:07:08,900 --> 00:07:10,480 through three different processes. 82 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:16,680 Six of the 28 proposed district performance objectives are from legal required statutes. 83 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:21,680 14 are yearly actions, steps from the strategic design process, and 84 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:24,400 an eight are created from the needs assessment process. 85 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:28,900 You received a copy of the proposed district performance objectives, and 86 00:07:28,900 --> 00:07:30,700 at this time, I will answer any questions. 87 00:07:32,060 --> 00:07:32,960 Any questions, Ford? 88 00:07:37,860 --> 00:07:39,640 I can I just ask you a question, I'm paying. 89 00:07:40,060 --> 00:07:40,560 This is Martinez. 90 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:45,860 I really just want to commend you and your staff for all the work that you do. 91 00:07:45,860 --> 00:08:03,140 And just because you know I've looked at some of the numbers and the ratings on that and we've gone up and actually you know all of our campuses should be commended but I know it's under your leadership and Dr. Casky's and I just really appreciate you all. 92 00:08:03,540 --> 00:08:03,860 Thank you. 93 00:08:03,860 --> 00:08:03,900 Yeah. 94 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:05,580 Thanks. 95 00:08:07,770 --> 00:08:08,570 I like them all. 96 00:08:09,130 --> 00:08:09,650 That's good. 97 00:08:11,610 --> 00:08:16,870 Well then we will now move on to 6.2 discussing consider Board approval of the campus performance 98 00:08:16,870 --> 00:08:17,370 objectives. 99 00:08:17,890 --> 00:08:18,090 Perfect. 100 00:08:18,790 --> 00:08:22,630 So each year the board is required to review and approve the performance objectives that guide 101 00:08:22,630 --> 00:08:25,590 each individual campus improvement planning process. 102 00:08:26,050 --> 00:08:30,410 The performance objectives are aligned to the district strategic goals and drive their 103 00:08:30,410 --> 00:08:32,010 work throughout the year as well. 104 00:08:32,570 --> 00:08:36,210 At this time I'd answer any questions on the campus improvement plans. 105 00:08:37,150 --> 00:08:38,170 Any questions, Board? 106 00:08:42,360 --> 00:09:07,920 I would just say this document is an immense amount of work put together by our campuses and the people in this room to look at how not only do we have goals for each individual, for our district, but double-clicking down into every campus and the way we apply those is that it's not just one big, like, let's throw it dart against the wall. 107 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:12,600 But the precision and analysis that goes into creating these is so 108 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:19,060 encouraging as a board member to know the detail of what we're aiming at for 109 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:23,840 improving outcomes for kids and how everything goes into that. 110 00:09:24,530 --> 00:09:27,040 More than just the academic side, but 111 00:09:27,410 --> 00:09:33,440 the way we take care of our buildings and safety and our staff and all those things. 112 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:38,480 I mean, it's 179-page document broken down across all our campuses, so what happens? 113 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:45,960 And so, we don't have a lot of questions because we have been going through, we did our ISO 114 00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:51,440 training in the month of August where we spent an entire day drilling through why these numbers 115 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:57,500 matter and why they're important and it's great to see how everybody takes those and continues 116 00:09:57,500 --> 00:09:58,220 to apply those. 117 00:09:58,320 --> 00:09:59,000 It's crazy to think. 118 00:09:59,220 --> 00:10:00,120 We would use that information. 119 00:10:00,560 --> 00:10:01,500 So, thank you very much. 120 00:10:01,500 --> 00:10:03,780 Board any other questions, Mr. President? 121 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:08,000 I was going to say the same thing, like as a former campus principal. 122 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:15,800 What I love about this is the goals are always like we're trying to get kids, you know, 123 00:10:16,060 --> 00:10:20,000 given the best education possible, help them be as successful as possible. 124 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:28,440 But each campus, as you look at each group and how they're trying to do that, and each campus 125 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,500 but also has a different path of getting there 126 00:10:31,500 --> 00:10:32,660 because they have different needs. 127 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:36,000 And it's fun to kind of line, say, I drill down. 128 00:10:36,100 --> 00:10:39,340 Oh, and all, you know, 80 campuses or whatever. 129 00:10:39,680 --> 00:10:44,140 But as I look through and I'm looking at different campuses 130 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:47,720 and kind of, well, I wonder what they're doing 131 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:49,420 different here versus this camp. 132 00:10:49,540 --> 00:10:52,940 And it was just interesting to see, like, you go, 133 00:10:53,580 --> 00:10:55,680 oh, so the hats, one of their challenges. 134 00:10:55,960 --> 00:10:56,920 Okay, that's interesting. 135 00:10:56,920 --> 00:11:15,600 So it's nice, it's what Mr. Redmond was saying, you know, that each group recognizes, you know, as they work with the district like each campus is sitting there going, yeah, this is really where the path we need to go versus somebody else may have a different path that we're all trying to get there. 136 00:11:16,060 --> 00:11:22,440 So again, kudos to all our campus folks who put a lot of work into this and the district team as well. 137 00:11:22,700 --> 00:11:23,360 Thank you. 138 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:25,380 Ms. Martin, is it you like going first today? 139 00:11:28,010 --> 00:11:29,850 Mr. President, what is the name of it? 140 00:11:29,990 --> 00:11:30,150 No. 141 00:11:31,770 --> 00:11:33,430 Mr. Taylor, I'll come to you in a second. 142 00:11:33,750 --> 00:11:39,230 I just wanted to say, having sat on campus advisory teams for the past five or six years, 143 00:11:39,390 --> 00:11:43,730 that there is a high level of fidelity to how schools are tracking their performance, 144 00:11:44,150 --> 00:11:47,410 and their commitment to ensuring these student outcomes are happening. 145 00:11:47,610 --> 00:11:49,750 So, they're actually living this document. 146 00:11:49,750 --> 00:11:52,630 It's not just a really pretty document and will written. 147 00:11:53,230 --> 00:11:54,470 So, I'm seeing it actually in action. 148 00:11:54,470 --> 00:11:55,330 Thank you. 149 00:11:55,330 --> 00:11:55,630 Thank you. 150 00:11:55,990 --> 00:12:14,010 In I asked that question and board, let's you know, we love having our finance scene normally updated as first, but moving forward, we are making a concerted effort to take all of our academic focused agenda items and put those at the beginning so that we can address that while we're fresh. 151 00:12:15,530 --> 00:12:22,590 And so just to point that out, I didn't share that with y'all, and I know Mr. Smith will not be upset about that, but I didn't notice that. 152 00:12:22,590 --> 00:12:23,410 So I put it in there. 153 00:12:23,610 --> 00:12:24,310 So thank you. 154 00:12:25,070 --> 00:12:29,230 Mr. Shipley, and kind of saying, I think if I'm in the public listening to this, 155 00:12:29,310 --> 00:12:32,870 and you hear about campus improvement plans, like this is going to be this very robust 156 00:12:33,970 --> 00:12:38,230 conversation in echoing what's been set up here, I had the opportunity to sit in on the 157 00:12:38,230 --> 00:12:42,130 Academic Performance Committee, and the level of granularity, as has been said, 158 00:12:42,130 --> 00:12:45,790 that the focus on each individual campus, and it's not a one-size-fits-all, 159 00:12:46,050 --> 00:12:47,330 every campus is different. 160 00:12:54,090 --> 00:12:59,170 It's a very impressive document, but I don't have a lot of questions as I know 161 00:12:59,170 --> 00:13:00,950 the amount of work is being done on the background. So thank you. 162 00:13:00,970 --> 00:13:01,250 Thank you. 163 00:13:02,490 --> 00:13:03,290 Mr. President. 164 00:13:03,810 --> 00:13:10,150 I was sitting here thinking the same thing. There's so much work being done by every 165 00:13:10,150 --> 00:13:16,070 campus, 80 of them, and for us to be like, check the box, take so much for your presentation 166 00:13:17,530 --> 00:13:30,650 And so I appreciate what Mr. Redmond said, 179 pages of step by step by step goals for improvement and also on a campus advisory team way, way before way back there. 167 00:13:31,570 --> 00:13:37,890 It was, it was a lot of work and a lot of focus on what will be the goal. 168 00:13:38,030 --> 00:13:44,930 What's the, it needs to be a stretch, but you know, not too much that, you know, teachers run out the door. 169 00:13:44,930 --> 00:13:57,810 So, I appreciate this very much, and the recent KDISD continues to be the leader in everything, is because this is purpose-driven and students benefit. 170 00:13:58,290 --> 00:13:59,470 Thank you, thank you. 171 00:14:01,050 --> 00:14:02,310 Mr. Reddent, just one more time. 172 00:14:02,870 --> 00:14:10,090 I'm sorry, I said thank you to Mrs. Martinez and Dr. Cassie, but I can't forget our precious Dr. Bell back there, so anyway. 173 00:14:10,090 --> 00:14:21,730 I didn't want to leave you at because you are so instrumental, but everybody is, and I know I'm going to leave people out, but, you know, I apologize for that, but you're here in the audience, and you're very important to pause. 174 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:25,420 Any other questions or comments board? 175 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:28,000 Thank you very much. 176 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:28,300 Okay. 177 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:37,900 We now move on to item 6.3, discussing considered board approval of the July 2026 financial reports, and our presenter is Mr. Jamie Heinz, our assistant superintendents finance. 178 00:14:47,140 --> 00:14:50,740 Good evening, President Redmond, trustees, Dr. Gagorski. 179 00:14:51,480 --> 00:14:57,300 You have before you our financial statements, our construction report, tax report, as well 180 00:14:57,300 --> 00:14:59,900 as the summary of our check registers, all of these. 181 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:27,980 Thanks for July. Our financial statements include revenues, expenditures, and changes in fund balance for all of our budgeted funds, as well as an analysis of the expenditures by function and object. Our tax report provides information on our taxes levied. Our collection is to date and our balance is yet to be collected. And then the construction report has a summary of our district capital projects. This is the final time that you will see any financial reports for the 2026 fiscal year. 182 00:15:27,980 --> 00:15:37,280 And the reason is, at the end of the fiscal year, you've already approved our final 183 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:38,160 amended budget. 184 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:45,320 Throughout after the fiscal years over, our accounting team will spend time through 185 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:52,220 October, finalizing the fiscal year and booking our year end entries. 186 00:15:52,940 --> 00:16:19,160 After that, in November, the outside auditors will come in and audit our fiscal year, and then once they've gone through that and approved that, then our accounting team, I want to say thank you to Mrs. Brandy Heron and her team for this, but then they'll build out your final report for the year, which is our annual comprehensive financial report. 187 00:16:19,160 --> 00:16:23,320 And then we'll come back in January for your approval on that. 188 00:16:23,940 --> 00:16:27,900 And you'll see all the final numbers for the 2526 fiscal year at that time. 189 00:16:29,630 --> 00:16:32,660 And again, we won't be back next month with financial reports. 190 00:16:34,420 --> 00:16:38,220 Since this is the end of the fiscal year, this is through 11 months. 191 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:44,240 There's not a lot to go over other than we're through 91.6% of the fiscal year. 192 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:47,700 And our understanding is still significant. 193 00:16:47,700 --> 00:16:53,800 Understanding through that, our August is our biggest month for expenditures in terms of payroll. 194 00:16:54,360 --> 00:17:01,700 We had to lump some payment and TIA payments, so but there's plenty of cushion there in the expenditures to handle that, in the expenditure budget to handle that. 195 00:17:01,980 --> 00:17:09,940 And so things are in good shape, and everything's in alignment, and there are no functional, none of our functions are overspent at this point. 196 00:17:10,940 --> 00:17:13,060 I'd be glad to answer any questions at this point. 197 00:17:13,900 --> 00:17:14,900 Any questions aboard? 198 00:17:14,900 --> 00:17:15,620 the board. No 199 00:17:18,790 --> 00:17:31,750 questions? Thank you. Well, now move on to item 6.24. Discuss and consider board adoption of the 2026-2027 maintenance and operations tax rate and the 2026-2027 debt service tax rate. 200 00:17:31,970 --> 00:17:34,330 Our presenter is Mr. Christmas or Chief Financial Officer. 201 00:17:34,330 --> 00:17:38,950 All right, well, good evening, President Rebman and Secretary Gorsky and Board. 202 00:17:41,570 --> 00:17:47,090 Section of the tax code, section 26 requires you to adopt an annual tax rate. 203 00:17:47,490 --> 00:17:53,170 There are two rates that we have, maintenance and operations, which pays for the maintenance 204 00:17:53,170 --> 00:18:01,330 and operations and the salaries, et cetera, of the school district of 72 and 71 cents, 72, 205 00:18:01,330 --> 00:18:09,670 $8.271 or less than $1 per $100 valuation which will provide funding for the district's maintenance and operations. 206 00:18:10,370 --> 00:18:17,710 That tax rate is made up of $61.69 that is the compressed rate set by the Texas Education Agency. 207 00:18:17,890 --> 00:18:28,770 It includes the 11 pennies that we have on top of that which is 8 golden pennies and 3 copper pennies for again the total of $72.71. 208 00:18:28,770 --> 00:18:35,150 on. It also has an interest in sinking tax rate being recommended a 39 cents to pay for 209 00:18:35,150 --> 00:18:38,790 the district's principal and interest on the sponsor. There is an order that you have 210 00:18:40,110 --> 00:18:44,530 and it says be it ordain and resolve that the Board of Trustees of Katie and the Pinnest 211 00:18:44,530 --> 00:18:50,510 School District had on this day, the 21st of September, 2026, that's next Monday. We the 212 00:18:50,510 --> 00:18:53,810 Board of Trustees of the Katie and the Pinnest School District knew here by Levy and said 213 00:18:53,810 --> 00:18:57,090 at a tax rate on $100 valuation for the school district 214 00:18:57,090 --> 00:19:02,530 for the tax year, 2026, of $1 and $11.71 215 00:19:03,210 --> 00:19:06,390 to be assessed and collected by newly specified 216 00:19:06,390 --> 00:19:07,850 assessor and collector as follows, 217 00:19:08,210 --> 00:19:12,730 0.72714, purpose of maintenance and operations 218 00:19:12,730 --> 00:19:16,370 at 0.39 for the purpose of payment and principle 219 00:19:16,370 --> 00:19:19,290 on interest, principle and interest on debts. 220 00:19:20,010 --> 00:19:21,970 So that's taxes are to be assessed and collected 221 00:19:21,970 --> 00:19:24,650 about tax officials designated by the district. 222 00:19:25,230 --> 00:19:27,950 This tax rate will raise more taxes for maintenance 223 00:19:27,950 --> 00:19:29,990 and operations than last year's rate. 224 00:19:30,630 --> 00:19:31,470 And it would be the schools, 225 00:19:31,770 --> 00:19:33,170 the administration's recommendation 226 00:19:33,630 --> 00:19:35,450 that you approve those two rates 227 00:19:35,450 --> 00:19:37,230 as presented in the order before you. 228 00:19:39,990 --> 00:19:40,230 Thank you. 229 00:19:40,470 --> 00:19:41,110 Any questions, Board? 230 00:19:43,740 --> 00:19:45,560 Just for the sake of those of us 231 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:47,120 who do not have a finance background 232 00:19:47,120 --> 00:19:49,240 and we know school finance is very challenging. 233 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:55,140 To be clear, we are not raising our tax rate 234 00:19:55,140 --> 00:19:56,860 from last year, it's remaining flat. 235 00:19:56,980 --> 00:19:58,320 It's remaining flat, yes, ma'am. 236 00:19:58,500 --> 00:20:05,860 Can you just explain to the kindergartener how I know it may look like when homeowners 237 00:20:05,860 --> 00:20:10,280 such as myself, we pay our taxes that it looks like somehow we're paying a little bit more, 238 00:20:10,660 --> 00:20:13,740 but we're being told the rate was flat. 239 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:14,700 Can you explain that a little bit? 240 00:20:15,060 --> 00:20:21,800 When the appraisal district appraises a person's home, if that value goes up, even if it's the same tax rate 241 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:27,940 that the district is using, they may pay more in taxes. 242 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:29,640 Who benefits from that? 243 00:20:29,740 --> 00:20:34,220 The state of Texas benefits from that because of the state, the appraisal district send 244 00:20:34,220 --> 00:20:35,380 that information to the state. 245 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:41,160 And essentially if we raise more money locally through taxes, we lose state funding. 246 00:20:41,820 --> 00:20:46,320 The state legislature does try to offset that through home state exemptions, increases 247 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:47,840 or compressing the tax rate. 248 00:20:50,300 --> 00:20:55,760 But there's not a ballot, it's not on the ballot to go to the voters to increase the homestead exemption this year. 249 00:20:56,440 --> 00:21:04,360 And our values by the local appraisals districts did not rise enough to compress our rate down to offset the rise. 250 00:21:05,580 --> 00:21:10,380 But basically, when we pay more, the state pays less and vice versa. 251 00:21:10,740 --> 00:21:12,740 And that's nothing that we have control over. 252 00:21:12,860 --> 00:21:14,440 We have no control over that, I'm sorry. 253 00:21:14,780 --> 00:21:15,140 Thank you. 254 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:23,040 Mr. Shipley, and one, thank you, and one question on the tax rate will raise more money, more taxes from maintenance and operations and last year. 255 00:21:23,120 --> 00:21:27,180 That's based on the increased raise level value, you just said their, their price level values are flat. 256 00:21:27,380 --> 00:21:31,380 The price level value is by, by and large or flat, I think they're up 1.5%. 257 00:21:32,340 --> 00:21:41,120 They're down in a couple of counties, they're up in, actually, they're down in one county, they're up in two counties, which is about 1.5% increase in value. 258 00:21:41,120 --> 00:21:45,260 which is, as the same tax rate will generate more tax. 259 00:21:45,260 --> 00:21:46,680 Which is what that statement's based off of. 260 00:21:46,780 --> 00:21:46,860 Yes. 261 00:21:47,020 --> 00:21:47,720 Those kind of, okay. 262 00:21:47,900 --> 00:21:48,080 Thank you. 263 00:21:48,120 --> 00:21:48,280 Yes. 264 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:50,000 This far? 265 00:21:50,180 --> 00:21:52,480 The President, I'm going to harp the same thing. 266 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:58,220 Giant bold letters at the bottom of this resolution, says the resolution. 267 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:06,360 Yes, that says, this tax rate will raise more taxes because that's the State's 268 00:22:06,360 --> 00:22:07,520 language, is that correct? 269 00:22:07,820 --> 00:22:08,100 Yes, ma'am. 270 00:22:08,340 --> 00:22:11,980 But the State does not say, but your district doesn't benefit from that. 271 00:22:11,980 --> 00:22:14,060 The schools don't benefit from that. 272 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:17,480 Teachers and kids don't get any of it. 273 00:22:17,980 --> 00:22:22,480 The excess that's raised, the school district gets the same, 274 00:22:22,780 --> 00:22:32,760 that it's always gotten from the state, that the raise more taxes goes to the state to put in a piggy bank that they use for 275 00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:34,720 G-O-F, whatever they want. 276 00:22:35,220 --> 00:22:40,480 It's not put in a education piggy bank to come back to us, is that correct? 277 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:42,400 That is 100 percent correct. 278 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:47,040 And that's why it's always been, and since the day I moved here, I was like, I don't 279 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:52,480 understand how there are so many houses coming, but we don't have more money because, 280 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:56,880 for every dollar extra that's raised, the state keeps that dollar. 281 00:22:57,720 --> 00:22:58,420 That's correct. 282 00:22:58,940 --> 00:23:03,560 That's what makes me so angry on this language here that most people won't see. 283 00:23:03,820 --> 00:23:09,700 But when they go to a ballot box and try to approve a bond election, it still says, 284 00:23:09,700 --> 00:23:12,920 This is going to raise your taxes, this is going to raise your taxes, when we've 285 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:19,920 told people all through the process that exactly how much we're trying to get, and 286 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:24,220 what we're going to get from that, this state makes it so confusing, I think, with 287 00:23:24,220 --> 00:23:24,680 their language. 288 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:26,140 Thank you. 289 00:23:27,120 --> 00:23:32,160 Luckily for you all tonight, and one more night, as all I get to rant and rave from here, 290 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:34,380 how mad I am about the state of Texas. 291 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:37,060 I'm going to have to do it from that side of the podium from now on. 292 00:23:38,860 --> 00:23:40,620 If it's on the agenda, you'll have three minutes. 293 00:23:42,340 --> 00:23:44,340 And then your microphone will turn on. 294 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:53,680 But at least I might not bore you to tears the way you accused Mr. Smith of earlier. 295 00:23:55,020 --> 00:23:56,140 That's not what she said. 296 00:23:56,420 --> 00:23:56,940 I'm teasing. 297 00:23:57,520 --> 00:23:58,900 Mr. Smith, I'm teasing. 298 00:23:59,380 --> 00:24:00,040 Thank you, Mr. Smith. 299 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:05,820 We'll now move on to item 6.5, discussing considered Board approval of claims administration 300 00:24:05,820 --> 00:24:11,600 for unemployment compensation by TASB Risk Management Fund for Plain Year 2026-2027. 301 00:24:12,060 --> 00:24:15,160 And our presenter will be Mr. Langston on the next Director of Risk Management. 302 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:20,600 Good evening, President Redmond, Dr. Gorsky and Board of Trustees. 303 00:24:21,340 --> 00:24:24,680 The district shall comply with provisions of the Texas Unemployment Act. 304 00:24:25,500 --> 00:24:31,180 The district is permitted by law to enter into joint group with other political subdivisions 305 00:24:31,180 --> 00:24:38,140 to share the cost of benefits that are attributable to the services provided in the employee of a group of account numbers. 306 00:24:38,620 --> 00:24:44,400 Katie honesty has provided the services through an inter-local agreement with Tazby Risk Management Fund. 307 00:24:44,880 --> 00:25:00,840 The fixed contribution for plan year 2526 was $296,073 with the renewal set as $296,773 for plan year 2026 27. 308 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:08,440 It is recommended the Board of Trustees approves claim administration for unemployment compensation by task-be-risk management fund for 309 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:10,500 playing your 26-27. 310 00:25:13,070 --> 00:25:13,830 Any questions, Board? 311 00:25:19,020 --> 00:25:19,480 Mr. Shipley? 312 00:25:19,860 --> 00:25:20,120 Thank you. 313 00:25:20,540 --> 00:25:27,860 My only question for you is that that number has trended down over the last three or four years, and it's holding study to, why is it trended down? 314 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:29,120 It seems like everything's going on. 315 00:25:31,630 --> 00:25:38,070 It's trending down because we've seen over the last few years of a little bit more stability in a marketplace in terms of 316 00:25:38,070 --> 00:25:39,570 claims across the state. 317 00:25:40,270 --> 00:25:44,030 So TASB is able to underwrite it a little bit more favorably 318 00:25:44,030 --> 00:25:45,310 thanks to districts. 319 00:25:45,910 --> 00:25:46,170 Good. 320 00:25:46,850 --> 00:25:47,690 Thank you. 321 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:52,680 All right, no more questions. 322 00:25:52,700 --> 00:25:53,120 Thank you. 323 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:53,980 Thank you all. 324 00:25:54,900 --> 00:25:58,820 We'll now move on to item 6.6 discussing considered board approval 325 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:01,880 for the superintendents to prepare sign and submit a waiver 326 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:04,080 application to the state commissioner of education 327 00:26:04,620 --> 00:26:07,740 for elementary school campuses that exceeds the allowable class 328 00:26:07,740 --> 00:26:08,940 size of 22 to 1. 329 00:26:08,940 --> 00:26:15,800 In addition to campuses that could potentially exceed the ratio due to increase enrollment during the 2026, 2027 school year. 330 00:26:16,100 --> 00:26:20,180 Our presenter is Mr. Brian Schuss, our chief human resources officer. 331 00:26:20,840 --> 00:26:23,100 And President Remembrance, members of the board, Dr. Gagorski. 332 00:26:23,640 --> 00:26:25,700 This is something we bring to the board every September. 333 00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:27,080 This is for our class as waiver. 334 00:26:27,360 --> 00:26:34,000 So any classroom and pre-conregating through fourth grade that is over the 22 to one mandated student to teacher ratio. 335 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:38,480 we're required to get a waiver through TA-4 and then we're required to ask Board approval for that. 336 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:46,640 Typically, what you would have this evening is those exact number of waivers that we would be asking approval for at this time by campus. 337 00:26:47,280 --> 00:26:50,780 We don't have that for you this evening, we're going to have that for you next Monday. 338 00:26:51,360 --> 00:26:56,180 The reason is, we're still in the middle of our enrollment balancing process, and that's a process that we go through every year, 339 00:26:56,220 --> 00:26:58,900 and I've provided the board some information with a little more detail on that. 340 00:27:00,360 --> 00:27:05,780 The process starts shortly after the school year starts, but it doesn't wrap up until after Labor Day. 341 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:19,160 Well, the reason is because we could get an influx of kiddos after Labor Day, and we want to be sure we account for them in this enrollment balancing process with Labor Day being so late, and the board meeting only being a week after Labor Day, there just wasn't sufficient time to wrap that up. 342 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:24,860 So we are finishing that this week, we will have that data, that specific number of waivers 343 00:27:24,860 --> 00:27:28,900 to the board by the end of the week, and we'll present that next Monday. 344 00:27:29,140 --> 00:27:29,680 So I apologize. 345 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:33,040 We don't have that that's never happened before since I've been here, but just the timing 346 00:27:33,040 --> 00:27:34,240 was such this year. 347 00:27:34,260 --> 00:27:38,320 I mean, Labor Day, I think it was actually as late as it possibly could be this year. 348 00:27:38,460 --> 00:27:42,320 And so hopefully, it doesn't happen again in the future for a while, but we'll give 349 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:42,780 it to you Monday. 350 00:27:43,140 --> 00:27:44,400 And that's all it got. 351 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:46,600 Any questions, Board? 352 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:47,540 Mr. President. 353 00:27:47,540 --> 00:27:53,500 So Mr. Schuss, we don't have the data, but we've seen it year after year after year. 354 00:27:53,720 --> 00:28:00,440 And when people also see this as an agenda item, as a look what they're doing, they're filling our classes too much. 355 00:28:00,900 --> 00:28:09,240 This typically is minimal, it's 23 students instead of 22, and some, or it could be 24. 356 00:28:09,420 --> 00:28:17,260 But in these are kindergarten through fourth grade, the state requirement is 22 students to every teacher and no more. 357 00:28:17,260 --> 00:28:22,420 But if a teacher has 23, she's like, just leave it. 358 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:26,480 I'm good, don't separate all these out and don't get a new teacher for them. 359 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:32,360 And their instruction would be more disruptive than to leave 23, things like that. 360 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:38,800 So you will show us next week and it will be a handful of classes sprinkled across the district, 361 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:43,920 possibly with maybe two hands of happening. 362 00:28:44,260 --> 00:28:46,420 Is that what you're expecting for this year as well? 363 00:28:46,420 --> 00:28:47,880 Absolutely. It's very minimal. 364 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:52,500 Absolutely, and I present with the information that the board got, there were the previous 365 00:28:52,500 --> 00:28:57,960 three years of what we did request for waivers in those previous meetings, and I think 366 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:05,420 there were around 50 classrooms out of 1700 total sections. So, in most of those every 367 00:29:05,420 --> 00:29:11,480 year being over by one student. So, and you're exactly right, Mrs. Fox, a lot of times we 368 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:20,300 We may dare in this balancing process, let's say we have a principle that has a third grade and three sections are at 24 to 1 and they would qualify for an additional teacher. 369 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:28,560 Sometimes the principal will say, hey no, we've got a good thing going and I don't want to break up those classes and they do have the autonomy to make that decision, so a lot of times that is the reason. 370 00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:28,840 Yes. 371 00:29:29,100 --> 00:29:30,600 And parents won't like it. 372 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:35,480 Don't move my kids from our favorite teacher and the teachers don't like it. 373 00:29:35,700 --> 00:29:40,720 So this is a, the waiver is like, let us continue to do a really good job with boys and 374 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:42,400 girls and everybody's good with it. 375 00:29:42,420 --> 00:29:44,880 Absolutely, and like you said, it's an extremely small percentage. 376 00:29:45,660 --> 00:29:46,760 Thank you so much. 377 00:29:46,860 --> 00:29:47,240 Thank you, mayor. 378 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:48,020 Mr. President. 379 00:29:48,260 --> 00:29:48,380 Okay. 380 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:54,180 Yes, I noticed, thank you for the information from the previous years. 381 00:29:54,180 --> 00:29:59,840 but I've been going to my campuses and at the elementary levels what 382 00:30:00,180 --> 00:30:29,980 What a lot of principals are telling me is that it's so hard to make those predictions, you know? And you try, you know, you base it on last year, year before, whatever, and you go, oh, I'm going to have five kindergarten classes based on the trend. But then this year, hmm, I have five, but really maybe only needed four, but how could you know? And by the way, since Labor Day so late, also means they've been in school for a month now. And, you know, I've had a child 383 00:30:29,980 --> 00:30:38,960 before that was you know had to move classes because of excess students and you're right Mrs. Fox parents don't like that 384 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:46,060 I didn't like it at the time she's fine she's 27 now she did fine but I'm just saying I know that the parents don't 385 00:30:46,060 --> 00:30:52,340 like it the teachers don't like it and I I really feel for the the principals of the school because they're trying 386 00:30:52,340 --> 00:30:59,780 their best to predict what they need and probably what I think is going to happen especially as some of the schools 387 00:30:59,780 --> 00:31:05,460 that I've seen is if they have, let's say, one too many kids and another classroom, a few 388 00:31:05,460 --> 00:31:11,480 too many in first grade, they probably take a teacher that they kind of maybe don't 389 00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:16,180 need in another grade and put them there so that the teacher, unfortunately, might have 390 00:31:16,180 --> 00:31:21,420 to change classrooms but probably not schools necessarily at the time. 391 00:31:21,980 --> 00:31:28,360 So I appreciate that seems like a very difficult puzzle that has to be puzzled together every 392 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:31,800 a year by all the different campuses and by yourself, by you yourself. 393 00:31:32,180 --> 00:31:35,580 So I know that that's a challenging thing to do. 394 00:31:40,180 --> 00:31:41,160 Any other questions, Board? 395 00:31:43,220 --> 00:31:44,560 Thank you very much. 396 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:44,960 Thank you. 397 00:31:45,460 --> 00:31:50,960 We'll now move on to item 6.7, discussing, considered the Board approval of amendment 1 to the winning 398 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:55,820 turner contracting company contract related to the renovation to the support services complex. 399 00:31:56,600 --> 00:32:00,280 And our presenter is Ms. Lisa Kasman, our executive director of facilities planning and 400 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:00,740 construction. 401 00:32:02,140 --> 00:32:05,180 Good evening, President Redmond, Board and Dr. Grigorski. 402 00:32:05,260 --> 00:32:06,620 I only have one item this evening. 403 00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:10,720 It is to consider the approval of Amendment 1 to the Whiting Turner contracting 404 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:14,660 company related to the renovations that the support services complex. 405 00:32:15,100 --> 00:32:18,820 This amendment will provide funding for long-lead mechanical and electrical items, 406 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:23,560 as well as a commencement of demolition of mechanical and electrical and be incorporated 407 00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:24,700 into the final GMP. 408 00:32:28,530 --> 00:32:29,410 Any questions, Board? 409 00:32:34,050 --> 00:32:38,790 So, this is just the project that's already been approved, and this is just letting us know how much of this portion of the project is. 410 00:32:38,790 --> 00:32:42,730 Correct, back in April 25, we approved the contractor, we're going to the design process. 411 00:32:43,450 --> 00:32:48,950 We've identified at this time that we need to order these items and get this started so you could be done by August of 2027. 412 00:32:51,550 --> 00:32:53,830 All right, no questions from the board, then, thank you very much. 413 00:32:54,070 --> 00:32:54,330 Thank you. 414 00:32:55,910 --> 00:33:02,050 Board, you'll see in Section 7, our consent items on the board, are there any of those that anybody would like to pull to discuss? 415 00:33:02,050 --> 00:33:03,090 All right. 416 00:33:07,490 --> 00:33:12,650 Well, the board has received the donated items list. Mr. Secretary, I do not think we had any 417 00:33:12,650 --> 00:33:14,170 request for information, you know? 418 00:33:16,740 --> 00:33:21,280 All right. There will be a regular board meeting on Monday, September 21, 2026. 419 00:33:22,060 --> 00:33:26,820 The board will now convene and close meeting as authorized under Section 551.001 of the Texas 420 00:33:26,820 --> 00:33:29,900 Government Code for the following purposes. Mr. Redmond. 421 00:33:30,220 --> 00:33:34,540 Oh, our grade in it did not show up tonight, so we can go ahead and adjourn the meeting. 422 00:33:34,540 --> 00:33:36,800 All right, well then, I will move on to section 12. 423 00:33:37,060 --> 00:33:38,760 There being no further business before in the board, 424 00:33:38,900 --> 00:33:41,420 this meeting is adjourned, the time is 7.41 p.m.