Note: This is an overview of some of the items on the June 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 July board meeting. A video and audio recording of the meeting will be made available within seven business days of the meeting at csisd.org.
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The College Station ISD Board of Trustees met Tuesday, June 21. The following discussions and actions are of note.
WORKSHOP
Report from Baselice & Associate regarding survey results: College Station ISD contracted with Baselice & Associates to survey the community regarding the failed athletic bond proposition from November 2021 and a potential Voter Approved Tax Ratification Election (VATRE).
Exactly 300 CSISD voters representing all parts of the community were polled via telephone between May 11-15. The margin of error in the survey is plus or minus 5.7 percent.
There were three main topics the survey measured.
The first was to measure the image of CSISD and assess various attitudes about the district. Second, the survey assessed initial and informed support of the failed November 2021 athletic bond proposition and determined what information was most important to voters regarding a potential bond. And finally, the survey assessed initial and informed support of a potential VATRE and determined what information was most important to voters regarding a potential VATRE.
A total of 77% of voters had a positive impression of CSISD (16% unsure, 6% negative), while 82% viewed the quality of education as excellent or good (9% fair, 8% unsure, 1% poor). According to the report, “The district’s image rating is among the best image ratings observed in over two dozen polls by Baselice & Associates, Inc. in the last two years.”
In polling the failed athletic bond proposition from November 2021 and the potential VATRE, voters were read the actual ballot language and asked whether or not they supported the referendum. They were then given a series of statements to inform the voter regarding each issue and asked to comment favorably or negatively regarding each particular statement. Following the series of statements, the participants were again asked whether they would support the referendum or not.
Regarding the failed athletic bond proposition from November 2021, 38% of voters were supportive (53% against, 9% unsure) in the initial ballot reading. In the informed ballot reading, 56% of voters were supportive of the potential bond proposition (40% against, 4% unsure).
The key findings regarding the potential bond proposition are as follows: “Results show passing a bond in Nov 2022 will be challenging despite a majority of support on the informed ballot. Challenge indicators include the 15-point deficit in support on the initial ballot, the narrow advantage in intensity on the informed ballot, and the challenge around believability with the no-rate increase statement. Informing voters about the bond will be challenging in the mid-term cycle as voters will also be receiving a lot of information from other campaigns.”
The same process was used to poll voters regarding a potential VATRE. In the initial ballot reading, 58% of voters were supportive (32% against, 10% unsure). In the informed ballot, 65% of voters were supportive (28% against, 6% unsure).
The key findings in the report regarding a potential VATRE were as follows: “There are a number of positive indicators that suggest success in passing a VATRE in Nov. 2022. This includes the 58% support on the initial ballot, the 2 to 1 advantage in intensity on the informed ballot, and high levels of broad support among voter demographic groups. The tight initial intensity among the most likely voters points to the need for a communication effort about the VATRE if an election is called.”
Report on 2022-23 Budget Development and Compensation Plan: Chief Financial Officer Amy Drozd made a fourth presentation regarding development of the 2022-23 budget and compensation plan.
The board reviewed updated 2021-22 budget numbers and a draft of revenue and expenditure projections for the 2022-23 fiscal year. Various scenarios for the 2022-23 budget were presented with assumptions of student enrollment growth of 3.5% (from the 2021 snapshot date) and overall property value growth of 11.75%.
The board approved two compensation plans during the regular meeting, with the intent that both will be implemented in 2022-23.
Plan A includes a two percent increase in pay for all employees. With plan A, total expenditures are projected to exceed revenue by $1,347,462.
In order to fund additional raises beyond two percent without creating a much larger deficit, the district must increase budget capacity by generating additional maintenance and operations (M&O) tax revenues. Under current Texas Tax Code and Texas Education Code, if a school district wishes to adopt a tax rate that exceeds the maximum tax rate allowed without voter approval, the school district must seek voter approval.
Plan B is contingent on the passage of a Voter-Approved Tax Rate Election (VATRE) on November 8 and would be in addition to Plan A. If passed by CSISD voters, the additional revenue from the VATRE would be used to increase pay an additional two percent (four percent total raise) for administrators and four percent (six percent total raise) for all other employees. Pending voter approval, Plan B would result in a balanced budget for the 2022-23 school year.
In addition to the compensation plan, the board previously approved retention stipends for returning employees in March. The stipends will be paid to eligible employees 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, it is anticipated that the district’s current 2021-2022 M&O tax rate will be reduced by at least six cents in the 2022-2023 year. If approved by CSISD voters, this VATRE would lower the tax compression by three cents and result in an expected overall decline of three cents, rather than the six-cent reduction as otherwise projected. The three cents would generate an estimated $5,015,431 in additional revenue, of which $1,715,431 would be additional state revenue.
Since the 2017-18 school year, the CSISD tax rate has been lowered from $1.398 per $100 of valuation to $1.2152. The $.1828 lower rate represents a 13% decrease in the tax rate in the past four years. If the board elects to place the VATRE on the ballot in November and it is approved by the voters, 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.
CSISD will continue to review staffing and budget requests, monitor and adjust revenue projections, and update expenditure projections until the 2022-23 budget and tax rate is adopted at the August board meeting. The board is expected to take formal action and place the VATRE on the November ballot at the regularly scheduled meeting in August.
Report regarding failed November 2021 bond proposition: Director of Communications Chuck Glenewinkel gave a report on the failed bond proposition from November 2021 that included additions and renovations to the A&M Consolidated High School Fieldhouse and renovations to the AMCHS Pressbox.
The report reviewed CSISD’s bond results from November 2021, the statewide bond results from November 2021, statewide bond results from May 2022, the voter survey performed by Baselice & Associates, and other considerations regarding the possibility of placing the proposition back on the ballot in the future.
In November 2021, CSISD voters approved three of the four bond propositions on the ballot.
The past two election cycles have not been favorable for school district bond elections across the state of Texas. In November 2022, 51 of 111 (45.9%) of all bond propositions statewide were approved by voters. Seven of 31 (22.6%) propositions related to athletic facilities were approved by voters. In May, 104 of 205 (50.7%) statewide propositions were successful, while 19 of 54 (35.2%) of propositions related to athletic facilities were approved by voters.
The results of the voter telephone survey were summarized earlier in this recap.
The needs identified within this bond proposition continue to exist. In consideration of the information available at this time, the CSISD administration and board will continue to develop facility planning recommendations related to the items included in this bond, as well as other needs that may be identified through a more comprehensive assessment of facilities.
MEETING
Approval of Administrator Hires: The board officially approved the hire of three new administrators.
- Byron Johnson, A&M Consolidated High School Assistant Principal
- John “Tommy” Newton, Oakwood Intermediate Assistant Principal
- Jordan Lauhoff, Pebble Creek Elementary Assistant Principal
Purchases/Bid Approvals:
- Approved the purchase and installation of AV upgrades for 16 campuses from Avinext in the amount of $2,008,000 using 2021 Bond Funds.
- Approved the renewal of annual license for Nearpod in the amount of $74,704 using Instructional Materials Allotment funds.
- Approved the renewal of Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) Online Resources in the amount of $146,182.75 using the 2021-22 general fund.
- Approved the renewal of Performance Matters Assessment Analytics Core+ and Professional Learning in the amount of $116,144 using ESSER III funds.
- Approved the contract for professional development services to support mathematics instruction from Great Minds PBC in the amount of $62,400 using Texas COVID Learning Acceleration Supports (TCLAS) Grant funds.
- Approved the request for bid for pizza to Heart of Texas Pizza (Pizza Hut) for one year with the option to renew for four additional one-year increments.
- Approved the Request for Competitive Sealed Proposal for the purchase and installation of canopy additions at AMCHs and CSHS in the amount of $270,500 using 2021 Bond funds.
- Approved the purchase and installation of a chiller at College Station Middle School from HTS Texas in the amount of $185,245 using 2021 Bond funds.
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