Aug 12, 2025 Special Board Meetings

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GOOD AFTERNOON. THIS IS A GARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES SPECIAL MEETING TUESDAY, AUGUST THE 12TH, 2025. AND THE TIME IS 2:02. AND WE CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AND DETERMINE THAT THERE IS A QUORUM HERE.

[II.A. Conduct a Public Hearing to Discuss the District's 2025-2026 Proposed Tax Rate - Darrell Dodds, Elisa Cordova-Long]

ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS IN GARLAND ISD IS THAT WE OWN BIG DECISIONS.

WE INVOLVE OUR COMMUNITY. OUR COMMUNITY IS SUCH A LARGE PART OF THE DECISION MAKING THAT GOES ON IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.

WE HELD A COMMUNITY STEERING. WE HAD A COMMUNITY STEERING COMMITTEE THAT CAME TOGETHER THAT HAD MEETINGS IN MAY, AN JUNE TO GO OVER THE SITUATION WE'RE IN HERE AT GARLAND ISD.

THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60 COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

WE HAD BUSINESS PEOPLE. WE ALSO HAD JUST COMMUNITY LEADERS AROUND BOTH, ALL IN GARLAND, SACHSE AND ROWLETT. WE HAD PARENTS. WE EVEN HAD STUDENTS THAT WERE ALL A PART OF THIS COMMITTEE TO GO THROUGH ALL THE INFORMATION.

AND IF YOU REMEMBER AFTER DELIBERATION THEY CAME OUT AND SAID, WE UNANIMOUSLY SAY THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SHOULD GO FOR A 12 CENT INCREASE IN OUR TAX RATE.

THEY PROPOSED THAT SAME PROPOSAL TO THE BOARD IN JUNE TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE, AND THAT THEY THEY VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO DO THAT. THAT IS ONE GREAT THING LIKE I SAID, THAT THAT WE DO HERE IN GARLAND IS WE INVOLVE OUR COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND THAT THEY WILL THEY HELP GUIDE THE DISTRICT AND THE BOARD ON SOME OF THESE LARGE DECISIONS. IT'S THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED IN THE BOND IN 2023.

SO WE'RE VERY THANKFUL FOR OUR STEERING COMMITTEE.

THEY HAD TO PUT IN A LOT OF LONG HOURS. THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH A LOT OF INFORMATION.

BUT WE THANK THEM FOR ALL THEIR SUPPORT AND VOTING TO INCREASE THE TAX RATE.

SOME FINANCIAL BACKGROUND. THE BOARD APPROVED A DEFICIT BUDGET THIS YEAR OF $60 MILLION IN JUNE.

THIS WAS ACTUALLY A DECREASE, IF YOU REMEMBER YOU KNOW, PAST YEAR WE WERE RIGHT AT $90 MILLION DEFICIT BUDGET.

SO WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF, A LOT OF WORK TO DECREASE THE DEFICIT BUDGET.

SOME OF THAT IS DUE TO SOME DECLINING ENROLLMENT.

THE DISTRICT WENT HAS NOT PASSED A TAX RATE ELECTION, WHICH THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE MAP OVER THERE, YOU SEE, GARLAND ISD IS THE ONLY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN DALLAS COUNTY THAT HAS NOT PASSED A TAX RATE ELECTION THAT'S THAT BOX THAT THAT GOES AROUND DALLAS COUNTY.

WE DO HAVE SOME SURROUNDING DISTRICTS THAT HAVE NOT PASSED ONE.

OUR NEIGHBOR TO THE EAST, ROCKWALL, AND THEY ARE LOOKING AT GOING OUT FOR A TAX RATE ELECTION.

ALSO, THE BIGGEST THING THAT HAS PUT THE BUDGET IN THIS SITUATION IS STATE FUNDING HAS NOT INCREASED SINCE 2019. THAT IS THE LAST TIME THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAD VOTED TO INCREASE THE BASIC ALLOTMENT TO A LEVEL THEY FELT LIKE SCHOOL DISTRICTS COULD HANDLE IT.

WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN 2020, AND SINCE THAT TIME, INFLATION HAS INCREASED TREMENDOUSLY.

AND SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS FELT THAT. OUR EMPLOYEES HAVE FELT THAT THE DISTRICT HAS MAINTAINED AND WANTED TO SUPPORT OUR

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THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IT WAS WAS ROUGHLY AROUND $96 MILLION IMPACT OVER THE SAME TIME.

WE REMAIN COMPETITIVE AS BEING COMPETITIVE WITH PROVIDING OUR RAISES.

AND ANOTHER THING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND IS UNDERFUNDED MANDATES.

THE STATE REQUIRES US TO DO MANY THINGS. BUT THEY DON'T ALWAYS GIVE US THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT IT TAKES TO GET THESE PROGRAMS, GET THESE MANDATES WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.

SOME OF THOSE ARE LIKE SECURITY WHERE WE GET SOMEWHERE AROUND $3.4 MILLION TO FUND SECURITY.

BUT THE PROGRAM, IN ORDER TO FOLLOW THE LAW TO THE T LIKE WE DO HERE IN GARLAND.

MANY DISTRICTS ARE NOT DOING THIS, BUT WE ARE, BECAUSE WE THINK SECURITY IS A VITAL PART OF MAKING SURE OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF ARE SAFE.

AND SO THAT PROGRAM COSTS THE DISTRICT AROUND $13 MILLION.

SO THERE IS ABOUT A $10 MILLION DELTA THERE THAT THE DISTRICT IS TAKING ON TO MAKE SURE WE FOLLOW THE LAW THE WAY IT NEEDS TO BE.

THIS PROPOSITION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROP A, A TAX RATE ELECTION WILL WE HAD FOUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN OUR COMMITTEE. THOSE GUIDING PRINCIPLES WERE TO PROTECT OUR TEACHER AND STAFF RETENTION, OUR STUDENT PROGRAMS, WHICH, IF YOU HEARD THE PRESENTATION BY THE COMMITTEE, THE STEERING COMMITTEE, BOTH THE ONES THAT PRESENTED TO THE BOARD MOVED HERE BECAUSE OF THE STUDENT PROGRAMS THAT WE OFFER, NOT ONLY TO OUR STUDENTS, BUT OUR FAMILIES BEING ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

AND THEN OUR OUR MOST VULNERABLE KIDS SPECIAL EDUCATION.

WE DO A GREAT JOB IN OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION, AND OUR DYSLEXIA PROGRAM IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST IN THE STATE.

WE HAVE MANY DISTRICTS THAT COME AND LOOK AT OUR DYSLEXIA PROGRAM BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING SUCH SUCCESS IN OUR DYSLEXIA PROGRAM AND OF COURSE, SAFETY AND SECURITY. THIS PROPOSITION WILL YIELD ABOUT $56 MILLION OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO THE DISTRICT. AND AROUND 41 MILLION WILL BE LOCAL CONTRIBUTION THAT'S THROUGH INCREASING THE TAX RATE, THE 12 PENNIES. ANYTIME WE MAXIMIZE OUR LOCAL REVENUE OUR LOCAL CONTRIBUTION, THE STATE KICKS IN MORE MONEY FOR US TO DO THAT. AND SO THE STATE CONTRIBUTION WOULD BE SOMEWHERE AROUND $15 MILLION FOR A TOTAL OF 56. WE ALL REMEMBER THE BOND ELECTION IN 2023.

AND SO THERE'S ALWAYS CONFUSION AROUND WHAT THAT TAX RATE IS THE I&S TAX RATE.

THE LEGISLATURE DID PASS WHERE WE CANNOT USE THAT MONEY THAT WAS PASSED IN THE BOND ELECTION TO HELP US WITH OPERATIONS ON THE OTHER SIDE. AND SO THAT IS ONE OF THE KEY THINGS, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE HEAR OUT IN COMMUNITY SAYING WE JUST PASSED THAT BOND.

WHY DON'T YOU MOVE THAT MONEY OVER AND, HELP WITH THIS.

WE CAN'T BECAUSE ONE IT'S THE LEGISLATORS PASSED LAWS THAT SAYS WE CAN'T.

TWO, WE WOULD NEVER GET A PROJECT DONE BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS NEEDS INTO IN THE OPERATIONS SIDE.

SO A QUICK WAY TO THINK ABOUT THIS. BONDS ARE FOR BUILDINGS.

THIS PROPERTY ELECTION IS FOR THE PEOPLE INSIDE THOSE BUILDINGS, THE STAFF AND THE STUDENTS, TO PROTECT THE THE STAFF RETENTION AND TO KEEP OUR PROGRAMS THE WAY THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING AND HAVING SUCH GREAT SUCCESS IN THAT AND THIS PROPOSITION WILL ONLY AFFECT THE M&O PORTION, THE M&O RATE OF OUR TAX RATE.

SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO OUR TAXPAYERS, OUR HOMEOWNERS? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS ALSO UP FOR ELECTION IN NOVEMBER IS THE LEGISLATURE APPROVED AN INCREASE TO OUR

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THE LEGISLATURE INCREASED THAT TO 140. SO THIS IS WHAT THESE NUMBERS ARE BASED OFF OF.

IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT THAT IS, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT EVERY ELECTION FOR A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION INCREASE HAS PASSED. AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WILL IT WILL CONTINUE THAT WAY.

I DO THINK IT WILL CONTINUE THAT WAY. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS FOR 65 AND OLDER THAT HAVE THE HOMESTEAD, THE 65 AND OLDER HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. THEIRS GOES FROM $100,000 TO $200,000.

AND SO THAT IS A LARGE INCREASE. AND SO LOOKING AT HOMES VALUED AT $400,000 WE WILL START THERE BECAUSE ANYTHING 350 OR LESS WILL NOT SEE AN INCREASE ON THEIR TAX STATEMENT FROM LAST YEAR FROM THE SCHOOL. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS FROM THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THIS DOESN'T HAVE TO DO WITH ANY OF THE OTHER TAXING ENTITIES.

BUT IF YOU LOOK AT A $400,000 HOME AT $140,000 EXEMPTION, THE INCREASE WOULD BE $3.77 A MONTH FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT $45 ANNUALLY.

IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT $500,000 HOME, THAT'S OUT OF $140,000 EXEMPTION FROM THE STATE.

THAT'S ABOUT 377. EACH 100,000 GOES UP $10 PER MONTH.

IF AT A $500,000. IT'S BEEN SAID I LIKE TO GO TO WHATABURGER, AND THE NUMBER FIVE MEAL IS ABOUT THAT RIGHT THERE IS ABOUT $13.77 FOR THAT. JUST TO KIND OF PUT WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.

ANYTHING BELOW, LIKE I SAID, $350,000, WHICH IS ROUGHLY OUR AVERAGE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION WOULD NOT SEE AN INCREASE AND MOST WILL SEE A DECREASE FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR.

AND THEN OUR TAX RATE WOULD BE GOING FROM 6669 TO 7869, ON THE M&O SIDE, I HAVE ANOTHER SLIDE THAT KIND OF SHOWS THAT COMING UP. SO WHO WILL NOT SEE AN INCREASE IN TAX FROM LAST YEAR? HOMES VALUED OVER AT 350 OR LESS WILL NOT SEE AN INCREASE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TAX RATE OR TAX STATEMENT.

SENIORS 65 AND OLDER. THEIR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION THEIR 65 AND OLDER LOCKS IN THEIR TAX AT THE TIME THEY TURN 65, SO THEY WILL ALSO RECEIVE ANOTHER ADDITIONAL HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AT $200,000.

BUT THIS TAX ELECTION DOES NOT AFFECT THEM IN ANY WAY.

THEIR TAX AMOUNT WOULD NOT INCREASE DUE TO THIS TAX ELECTION.

AND ALSO FULLY DISABLED VETERANS WOULD NOT SEE.

I WANT TO TOUCH BACK ON THE SENIORS BECAUSE WE DID DO A SURVEY ON THIS, AND ONLY ABOUT 60% OF OUR SENIORS EVEN KNEW THAT THERE WAS A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR SENIORS FOR 65 AND OLDER.

AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR SENIORS KNOW THAT THEY NEED IF THEY HAVEN'T FILED FOR THIS, THEY NEED TO GO AHEAD AND FILE FOR THIS HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION FOR 65 AND OLDER TO PROTECT THEM.

AND SO THEY KIND OF LIVE IN A IN A DEAL WHERE THEY HAVE SOME WILL GET A ZERO TAX BILL.

WE SAW THAT LAST YEAR. I CAN TELL YOU OUR TAX OFFICE RECEIVED MANY CALLS ON, HEY, WE GOT A ZERO TAX BILL.

IT'S BECAUSE THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION HAD INCREASED THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION ALSO.

SO SOME MAY GET A ZERO TAX BILL FROM THE SCHOOL BASED ON THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.

ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF DOING A PUBLIC HEARING IS WE MUST ADVERTISE THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE TAX RATE. THIS WAS POSTED IN THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS ON AUGUST 2ND, AND GRS TV, ALSO ALONG WITH THE GARLAND INDEPENDENT WEB AND ISD.

SORRY GARLAND ISD WEBSITE. THIS EXPLAINS WHERE THE MEETING IS.

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SO LOOKING AT THE PROPOSED TAX RATE, THE RATE LAST YEAR FOR 24-25 WAS M&O AT 6669.

AN INTEREST AND SINKING TAX RATE AT 0.3840 FOR A DOLLAR ZERO FIVE NINE TAX RATE.

LOOKING AT OUR PROPOSED TAX RATE, IT'S STILL AT A FLOOR OF 6669.

PLUS THE 12 PENNIES THAT OUR STEERING COMMITTEE PROPOSED AND WE ARE PROPOSING TODAY WOULD INCREASE THAT RATE AT 7869. THE I&S RATE STAYS THE SAME. AND SO YOU WOULD SEE A 1.1709 TAX RATE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AS YOU SEE OUR HISTORY SINCE 19-20 THROUGH THE PROPOSED TAX RATE, YOU WILL SEE OUR TAX RATE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN GOING DOWN OVER THE YEARS. AND IF YOU LOOK ACROSS WHAT OUR PROPOSED TAX RATE WOULD BE AT $1.1709, THAT IS ACTUALLY LESS THAN THE TOTAL TAX RATE WE HAD IN 2023, 2022 2023 SCHOOL YEAR.

SO THIS IS STILL A LOWER RATE THAN THAT. I WANT TO GIVE YOU A A WHAT A SAMPLE OF THE BALLOT WILL LOOK LIKE. AND SO AS YOU LOOK AT THIS IT WILL SAY GARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT SPECIAL ELECTION PROPOSITION A. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN PRESENTING IS PROPOSITION A.

IT WILL HAVE THE BOXES TO PLACE AN X FOR, FOR OR AGAINST AND THEN THE LANGUAGE ON THE BALLOT.

AND THIS IS REQUIRED. WE WE DON'T HAVE ANY SAY SO ON THE LANGUAGE.

IT IS REQUIRED. AND RATIFYING THE AD VALOREM TAX RATE OF $1.1709 IN GARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR THE CURRENT YEAR AT THE RATE THAT WILL BE AT 16.49% INCREASE IN MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS TAX REVENUE FOR THE DISTRICT AND FOR THE CURRENT YEAR AS COMPARED TO THE PRECEDING YEAR, WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL $41,996,738.

SO I WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING. IF YOU GO BACK TO THE SLIDE.

THIS IS ONLY THE LOCAL SIDE. IT DOESN'T INCLUDE WHAT IS THE CONTRIBUTION FROM THE STATE, BECAUSE THIS IS ONLY DOING WITH WHAT IS DONE ON THE TAX RATE. AND SO IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE LOCAL CONTRIBUTION ENDS AT 41 MILLION AND THE CONTRIBUTION FROM THE STATE IS ESTIMATED AT 15 MILLION, THAT WOULD YIELD THAT 56 MILLION.

WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE TRUTH IN TAXATION LAWS ON SETTING THE BALLOT LANGUAGE AND SETTING THE PERCENTAGE TO 16.46.

ALL OF THAT IS BUILT IN THE TEMPLATE THAT THE TEXAS CONTROLLER MAKES US FILL OUT EVERY YEAR, AND THAT PERCENTAGE COMES OFF OF THAT. AND SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY THAT NUMBER IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING IT 56 MILLION BECAUSE IT'S NOT INCLUDING THE STATE.

NOT. YES. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE ON MY PRESENTATION.

THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. ANYONE FROM A PUBLIC CAN ASK A QUESTION, OR THE BOARD MAY HAVE QUESTIONS.

WELL, LET'S START FIRST WITH THE BOARD. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? MR. MILLER? YEAH, I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT.

HAVE YOU FOLLOW UP FOR ME, IF YOU WILL? WHAT WE'VE NOTICED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS IS THE IMPACT OF THE STATE OF TEXAS WITH COMPRESSION ON THE OVERALL TAX RATE. WHEN I GOT ON THE BOARD, I THINK IT WAS CLOSER TO $1.45 OR $1.49.

EVEN BACK IN TWO 17. AND NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT A A TAX INCREASE THAT RAISES THE RATE TO $1.17.

SO COMPRESSION IS THE TOOL WITH WHICH THE STATE IS USED TO BATTLE PROPERTY APPRECIATION, ALL THESE HYPER INFLATED PROPERTY VALUES THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL LIKE WHERE THEY'RE GETTING RUN OUT OF THEIR HOUSE AND HOME.

SO WILL YOU TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THAT AND THEN AGAIN, MAKE VERY SURE, MAKE VERY CLEAR THAT EVERY TIME

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JUST MAKE SURE WE COVER THAT TODAY. OKAY. SO WHAT MR. MILLER IS REFERRING TO IS OUR SCHOOL FINANCE SYSTEM.

AND SO THE WAY THE SCHOOL FINANCE SYSTEM IS SET UP AS PROPERTY VALUES INCREASE A LOT OF PEOPLE SEE THEIR TAX BILL GO UP, AND THAT DOES COME TO THE SCHOOL. AND SO BUT THE STATE DOES SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

WE DO RECEIVE OUR LOCAL TAX MONEY, BUT AS MORE DOLLARS COME IN FROM THE LOCAL SIDE THAN THE STATE REDUCES THEIR SIDE, WE'RE LOCKED INTO WHAT WE CALL TARGET REVENUE.

WE'RE GOING TO GET SO MUCH PER STUDENT NO MATTER WHAT OUR VALUES DO.

NOW OUR REVENUE IS GENERATED NOT OFF ENROLLMENT, BUT HOW MANY TIMES A STUDENT IS SITTING IN THAT CHAIR.

AND SO THEY HAVE TO ATTEND FOR US IN ORDER TO COUNT THAT ATTENDANCE, THE AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE FOR OUR FUNDING SYSTEM TO WORK AT ITS MAXIMUM CAPACITY. WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE SINCE COVID KNOCKED DOWN EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE NATION.

WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN OUR STUDENTS COMING, AND WE'VE CONTINUED TO WORK ON THAT.

BUT MR. MILLER IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT IN THAT OUR FUNDING SYSTEM IS BASED OFF ATTENDANCE, NOT ENROLLMENT.

AND SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE SITTING IN THE CHAIR.

ONE, IF THEY'RE NOT SITTING IN THE CHAIR, THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE ACADEMIC INFORMATION THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

BUT TWO THAT'S HOW OUR FUNDING SYSTEM IS SET UP ON.

AND SO WE AS IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE TO MONITOR ALL THE ATTENDANCE EACH AND EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THE MOST MAXIMIZING THE MOST FUNDING WE GET. BUT WE ALWAYS WILL STAY AT A TARGET REVENUE VALUES GO UP.

STATE PUTS LESS IN. SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.

YEAH. AND TO RESTATE IT, THE ONLY WAY THAT REALLY REVENUE INCREASES FOR A SCHOOL DISTRICT IS INCREASED ATTENDANCE.

AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE INCREASED TAX RATE OR AN INCREASE IN THE BASIC ALLOTMENT FROM THE STATE OF TEXAS? YES. WHICH WE GOT VERY LITTLE OF NET THIS YEAR.

WE WON'T GO INTO THAT, BUT. WELL, WE CAN JUST FOR THE PUBLIC SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE STATE DID PUT NEW FUNDING INTO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE OF THE LARGEST AMOUNTS THAT THEY HAVE.

BUT EVERYBODY HAS TO UNDERSTAND EVERY PART MOST OF ALL, THAT MONEY THAT WAS GIVEN BY THE STATE WAS TARGETED.

SO MOST OF IT WENT TO STRAIGHT TO THE TEACHERS, SO IT'LL COME THROUGH THE SCHOOL AND GO TO TEACHER PAY.

OVER 50% OF THE MONEY WE RECEIVED IN THAT STATE BILL GOES TOWARDS THE NEW TEACHER PAY, AND IT'S NOT FOR ALL TEACHERS.

IF IT'S ONLY THREE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND ABOVE.

SO WHEN OVER 50% OF YOUR MONEY FROM THE STATE IS DOING THAT, IT ALSO WAS TARGETED ALL THE WAY THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT THEY PASSED.

THEY CREATED A LOT OF NEW ALLOTMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW, HOW THE STATE WANTS US TO SPEND THAT MONEY.

SO THERE WAS THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD BEFORE THIS SESSION, PUT FORTH TO THE LEGISLATURE IN ORDER TO GET SCHOOLS FUNDED TO THE AMOUNT THEY WERE IN 2019, THEY WOULD HAVE TO INCREASE THE BASIC ALLOTMENT BY $1,400 IN ORDER TO MATCH THE FUNDING LEVELS WE HAD IN 2019.

THE LAST TIME WE HAD ANY INCREASE IN FUNDING AND THROUGH THIS BILL WE ONLY GOT $55.

SO THAT'S THE HUGE DELTA THAT WE HAVE. AND ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE IS FACING THAT.

OKAY. AND THEN ONE MORE POINT. I'M SORRY, BUT ONE MORE POINT.

WOULD YOU TALK? I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE AREA, THERE ARE ONLY A FEW THAT HAVEN'T GONE AFTER THE REMAINING PENNIES. WOULD YOU WOULD YOU TALK ABOUT THAT AGAIN JUST TO DRIVE HOME THE POINT THAT AND ALSO TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE ARE DISTRICTS THAT ARE CALLED PROPERTY RICH AND THE DISTRICTS THAT ARE NOT, AND WE FALL IN THE GROUP THAT IS NOT.

AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE LIKE THE THIRD OR FOURTH LOWEST TAX RATE AMONG ALL OF THEM.

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LOW PROPERTY VALUE AND LOWEST TAX RATE THIRD OR FOURTH LOWEST TAX RATE.

SO IF YOU WOULD EXPOUND UPON THAT. SO WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO IS THERE IS PROPERTY WEALTHY SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND PROPERTY POOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

WE HAVE SOME NEIGHBORS RIGHT NEXT ARE CLOSE TO US THAT ARE PROPERTY WEALTHY.

THEY HAVE ALL INCREASED THEIR TAX RATE TO WHERE THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE IN THAT.

A PROPERTY WEALTHY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS RECEIVING MORE FUNDS THAN IS ABOVE AND ABOVE THAT TARGET.

SO A PROPERTY, WEALTHY SCHOOL DISTRICT, EVEN THOUGH THEY COLLECT IN TAXES, THEY GET VERY LITTLE MONEY FROM THE STATE.

BUT ANY EXCESS REVENUE THAT THEY GET IN, THEY HAVE TO SEND BACK TO THE STATE THAT'S PUT INTO THE STATE BUDGET.

FIRST, GARLAND, WE'RE CONSIDERED PROPERTY POOR, AND SO WE DON'T FOLLOW IN THAT SAME DEAL, BUT WE'RE ALSO NOT FUNDED AT THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT LIKE A PROPERTY WEALTHY SCHOOL DISTRICT IS BECAUSE THEY'VE REACHED THE THRESHOLD AND NOW HAVE TO RETURN MONEY, WHEREAS A PROPERTY POOR IS GOING TO BE LOWER THAN THAT THRESHOLD.

AND THAT'S JUST HOW THE SYSTEM IS SET BEEN. AND SO YES, THERE ARE SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND US.

ROCKWALL WENT OUT FOR A TAX RATE ELECTION LAST YEAR.

IT DID NOT PASS. IT WAS CLOSE. BUT THEY LOOKED LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO CALL FOR ANOTHER TAX RATE ELECTION COMING UP THIS THIS YEAR IN NOVEMBER. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. MR. SELDERS. YES, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

YOU HAD A SLIDE WHERE YOU SHOWED THAT THE TAX PROPOSED TAX RATE IS LESS THAN IT WAS IN 22-23.

AND THEN YOU ALSO SHOWED A SLIDE THAT KIND OF GAVE FOUR DIFFERENT HOME VALUES WHAT THE POTENTIAL TAX WOULD BE? YES. HOW? IN KNOWING THAT, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERYBODY'S WATCHING THIS MEETING.

HOW WILL WE COMMUNICATE OR HOW ARE WE COMMUNICATING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TAX RATE INCREASE AND THEN A TAX BILL INCREASE TO OUR COMMUNITY. SO IT IS A LITTLE DIFFICULT BECAUSE PEOPLE SEE TAX RATE INCREASE AND THINK EVERYTHING'S GOING TO GO UP.

AND SO THERE WILL BE COMMUNICATIONS GOING OUT.

AND INFORMATION WE WILL BE, YOU KNOW, HOLDING TOWN HALL MEETINGS ALSO AS WE GET AS WE VOTE TODAY. WE WILL HAVE WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME IN AND ASK AND SEE WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING THROUGH FOR THEMSELVES. BUT THERE WILL BE ALSO INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE THAT WILL GIVE INFORMATION ON THE TAX TAX BASE AND HOW IT'LL AFFECT PEOPLE. OKAY, ONE LAST QUESTION.

IF YOU GO TO THAT SLIDE WHERE YOU TALKED ABOUT THE HOME VALUES AND YES, THAT ONE.

WHAT PERCENTAGE? YOU MIGHT HAVE SAID THIS. WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVE HOME VALUES THAT EXCEED $350,000.

SO I MEAN IT'S I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT OUR AVERAGE FROM IN GARLAND, SACHSE, AND ROWLETT.

THE AVERAGE HOME VALUE IS AROUND $350,000. JUST RIGHT AT IT.

I WILL SAY I DO KNOW THE NUMBERS JUST OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD OF, YOU KNOW, ONE THIRD OF OUR HOMESTEADS ARE 65 AND OLDER. AND SO ONE THIRD OF OUR POPULATION WILL NOT SEE AN INCREASE IN THEIR TAX BILL.

AND SO THOSE, YOU KNOW, WE ROUGHLY HAVE A LITTLE OVER 58,000 HOMESTEADS IN THE GARLAND ISD AREA, AND SO ONE THIRD OF THOSE WILL NOT SEE AN INCREASE AND SOME WILL PROBABLY SEE A DECREASE OR A ZERO TAX BILL IN THAT ONE THIRD GROUP.

RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU, MISS STANLEY. THANK YOU.

SO THIS IS GOING TO BE PROBABLY MORE DIRECTED TO DOCTOR LOPEZ.

BUT SO CAN YOU KIND OF GO THROUGH AND GIVE KIND OF A LET THE PEOPLE KNOW HOW LITTLE WE, HOW FEW LEVERS WE HAVE IN MECHANISMS WE HAVE TO GET OUR AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE AS FAR AS ACCOUNTABILITY, THERE'S NOT A LOT THAT WE CAN DO OTHER THAN ASK PEOPLE TO COME TO SCHOOL.

BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, GET THEM TO TRUANCY AND ALL KINDS OF STUFF.

COULD YOU KIND OF ADDRESS THAT, PLEASE? SO TWO THINGS ABOUT THE AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.

WE GOT TO UNDERSTAND NO MATTER HOW MANY KIDS ARE ENROLLED, WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM ALL BOOKS,

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SO THE WAY THE AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE IS FOR MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WE RUN IN THE MID 90S, RIGHT? SO THAT'S HIGHER THAN A LOT OF STATES.

WE'RE NOT LOW. BUT WHENEVER YOU'RE MOVING UP, JUST WHEN YOU'RE IN THE 90S, IT'S KIND OF LIKE A GOLF GAME TO MOVE UP ONE STROKE IS AN ASTRONOMICAL AMOUNT OF EFFORT FOR LIMITED RETURN.

RIGHT. SO WE'RE IN THE 90S. AND SO THE ONLY WAY WE CAN GET MORE MONEY IS TO INCREASE BY A PERCENTAGE POINT.

WELL, YOU'RE TALKING THE KIDS THAT ARE CONSISTENTLY COMING TO SCHOOL, WE CAN GATHER AROUND AND IT'LL BE A MICRO FRACTION OF THOSE PERCENTAGE POINTS BECAUSE KIDS DO GET THE FLU. THEY TRAVEL. WE GOT MORE TRAVEL TEAMS THAN EVER BEFORE IN EVERY SPORT, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THE HOME DYNAMICS HAVE CONSTANTLY CHANGED, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO BE FUNDED FOR ALL THE KIDS BECAUSE THEY GOT TO HAVE THEIR SUPPLIES.

SO IT'S KIND OF A CONTRADICTORY IN WAYS OF DOING THINGS.

SO I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, INCREASE YOUR AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.

WELL, WE CAN INCREASE IT. THERE'S NO WAY YOU'LL EVER HAVE 100%.

I THINK EVERYBODY REALISTICALLY KNOWS THAT THAT STILL WOULDN'T COVER THE DEFICIT.

OKAY. AND SO EVEN WITH CONSOLIDATIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THE MARKET HAS MOVED WAY BEYOND THE FUNDING FORMULA.

SO THE ONLY MEANS NECESSARY IS THIS PROPOSITION.

AND I THINK IT'S TIME TO CALL IT, BECAUSE EVERYBODY ELSE IS NOW ON THE SAME IN OUR AREA, BECAUSE IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MARKET.

AND IN ORDER TO COMPETE, IT'S NOW OUR TIME FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGE AND SUPPORT THE PROGRAMS AND THE PEOPLE RUNNING THE PROGRAMS FROM HERE ON OUT.

DID THAT ADEQUATELY ADDRESS THE QUESTION. YEAH.

AND FOR THE MOST PART, THERE'S NOT A LOT. WE IF WE HAVE A HABITUALLY ABSENT CHILDREN FOR WHATEVER. CAUSE THERE'S NOT A LOT THAT WE CAN DO TO TO FORCE THE ISSUE.

WE STILL HAVE TO KEEP THEM ON THE ROLLS, AND WE STILL HAVE TO BE PREPARED SHOULD THEY ATTEND.

RIGHT. AND TRUANCY COURT TAKES A LONG TIME. AND THE HABITUAL ARE THIS MUCH.

THINK ABOUT IT. WE'RE DEALING WITH 50,000 KIDS.

THE ADA DOESN'T COME NECESSARILY FROM THE SAME KIDS EVERY DAY.

LIKE WE SAID, FLU SEASON HITS, TRAVELS. PEOPLE TRAVEL ALL THE TIME.

THEY'RE COMING IN AND OUT. FAMILY MATTERS HAPPEN.

SO TO BE IN THE 90S IN OUR AREA IS NOT THE PERFECT SITUATION, BUT IT'S A GOOD SITUATION TO BE IN.

BUT EVEN IF WE WENT UP TO, LET'S SAY, 98%, WE WOULD STILL BE ASKING FOR THIS PROPOSITION.

ALSO, ONE OTHER THING I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION THAT WE HAVEN'T.

THIS PROPOSITION IS THIS A TRUE STATEMENT IS A ONE AND DONE.

IN OTHER WORDS, WE WON'T COME BACK AGAIN NEXT YEAR OR THE YEAR AFTER.

ONCE WE PASS THIS PROPOSITION, THIS IS A ONE AND DONE.

YES. ONCE IT'S DONE. AND BUT THE REVENUE THE TAX RATE WILL BE THERE YEAR AFTER YEAR.

AND THE REVENUE COMING IN OFF THAT TAX RATE WILL BE THERE YEAR AFTER YEAR.

SO STEADY. IT'S A STEADY STREAM. SO YES, LIKE YOU SAID, JUST WHEN PEOPLE SAY IS THIS A ONE AND DONE.

ONCE WE VOTE ON IT, WE KEEP THE MONEY FOR PERPETUITY.

EVERYTHING STAYS. WE DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK TO IT.

RIGHT. UNLESS THE LAW CHANGES, WHICH WOULD BE VERY HARD TO DO.

SO THE ONLY THING YOU COME BACK FOR IS BONDS, NOT THIS PROPOSITION.

PERFECT. MR. SELDERS. YES, YOU MIGHT HAVE TOUCHED ON THIS A LITTLE BIT, BUT I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK TO A PREVIOUS SLIDE THAT YOU HAD EARLIER ON IN YOUR PRESENTATION ABOUT WHAT THIS PROPOSITION WILL ALLOW US TO DO THAT ACTUALLY.

THE NEXT SLIDE. AND THOSE THINGS THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY PROP A.

SO HOW WILL THE APPROVAL VERSUS FAILURE OF THIS PROPOSITION AFFECT THOSE THINGS LIKE STAFFING PROGRAMS FUND BALANCE. ULTIMATELY WHAT HAPPENS IN THE DISTRICT.

SO WE TALKED ABOUT THAT. I DON'T BELIEVE THE SLIDES UP THERE.

SO BASICALLY HOW THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED IS THE AVERAGE PERSON IN THE DISTRICT MAKES ABOUT $60,000 WITH BENEFITS.

WE'RE 60 MILLION IN THE HOLE. THAT'S A THOUSAND JOBS.

IF YOU JUST WANT TO JUST KEEP IT MATHEMATICALLY CLEAN.

THOUSAND JOBS? WHAT? A THOUSAND JOBS THAT WOULD HAVE TO GO AWAY.

OKAY. YES, SIR. AND WITH THAT WOULD BE THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY LEAD.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT WOULD BE THE MAX JUST TO BREAK EVEN.

THAT MEANS IF YOU'RE BREAKING EVEN, YOU CAN'T GIVE RAISES THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

THAT MEANS A LOT OF THINGS, SO YOU HAVE TO GO OVER THAT IN ORDER TO THEN KEEP THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE NOT DISMISSING.

AND SO IN ORDER TO ALLEVIATE ALL THAT, THIS PROPOSITION IS NECESSARY.

[00:35:05]

SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DEVASTATING CUT TO TWO PROGRAMS. IT'S NOT ONE. IT'S EVERY PROGRAM WILL BE AFFECTED IN SOME WAY.

SOME WILL BE ELIMINATED, OTHERS WILL BE DRASTICALLY MOVED BACK.

IT COULD MEAN ALL PROGRAMS GO TO AFTER SCHOOL AND ARE VOLUNTARY.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DISCUSSED, OR YOU DON'T OFFER THEM AT EVERY SCHOOL.

AND NOT EVERYBODY, NOT EVERY KID GETS THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.

OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? OKAY. SEEING NONE, ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE WHO HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS CONCERNING THIS PUBLIC MEETING TOPIC? ANYONE FROM THE AUDIENCE HERE TODAY? OKAY. SEEING NONE.

THIS NOW CONCLUDES THE PUBLIC MEETING ON THE DISTRICT'S 2025, 2026 BUDGET AND PROPOSED TAX RATE.

IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MR. PRESIDENT, I MOVE, WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC MEETING.

I HAVE A MOTION BY MR. JOHNSON TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC MEETING.

SECOND BY MRS. GRIFFIN. IT IS NOW 2:38. THE PUBLIC HEARING IS NOW CLOSED.

[III. Public Forum]

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO MAKE COMMENTS MAY COMPLETE A PUBLIC COMMENT PARTICIPATION REQUEST IN PERSON AT HARRIS HILL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING PRIOR TO THE START OF THE MEETING INDICATED IN THE POSTED NOTICE.

COMMENTS MUST BE LIMITED TO ISSUES THAT CAN BE PRESENTED IN A PUBLIC FORUM AND ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE POSTED AND NOTICED AGENDA ITEMS. COMPLAINTS ABOUT STUDENT DISCIPLINE, SPECIFIC STUDENT ISSUES, OR PERSONNEL MUST BE ADDRESSED THROUGH APPROPRIATE ADMINISTRATIVE CHANNELS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACT AND BOARD POLICY.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT PROCEDURES, PLEASE REVIEW THE BOARD POLICY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, ACCESSIBLE AT THE FOLLOWING LINK AND IS POSTED THERE ON THE AGENDA ITEM.

WE DO HAVE ONE CARD AND IF MR. BRIAN ROBINSON, IF YOU WILL COME FORWARD.

AND MR. ROBINSON, WHEN YOU COME TO THE MICROPHONE, WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR HOME ADDRESS AND WE WILL GIVE YOU THREE MINUTES.

YOU'LL SEE A GREEN LIGHT AND THEN A YELLOW MINUTE GIVES YOU A YELLOW LIGHT, GIVES YOU ONE MINUTE LEFT.

AND PLEASE CLOSE YOUR COMMENTS IN THREE MINUTES.

YES, SIR. WELL, THANK YOU, MR. BEACH AND DOCTOR LOPEZ AND BOARD.

I'M BRIAN ROBINSON. I AM THE CHAIR OF VOTE YES, GARLAND ISD, WE'RE THE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE THAT SUPPORTS INITIATIVES FOR GARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. I'M CALLING I'M HERE TO STAND IN SUPPORT OF PROPOSITION A, PRIMARILY BECAUSE I WANT TO HELP US MAINTAIN OUR HOME VALUES IN GARLAND, SACHSE, AND ROWLETT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN OUR HOME VALUES, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE GREAT SCHOOLS.

AND IN ORDER TO HAVE GREAT SCHOOLS, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE GREAT FACILITIES, GREAT PROGRAMS AND GREAT TEACHERS.

IN ORDER TO HAVE WE'VE DID A LOT OF WORK IN 2023 TOWARD GREAT FACILITIES, PASSING THE BOND.

AND WE'RE SEEING THE WORK. WE'RE SEEING THE EFFORT FROM THAT.

THEY'RE SEEING THE RESULTS OF THAT EFFORT COME FORWARD NOW.

NOW IT'S TIME FOR US TO COMPLETE THAT PUZZLE.

WE'VE GOT TO FUND OUR PROGRAMS. WE'VE GOTTA PAY OUR PEOPLE, THE TEACHERS, THE LIBRARIANS, THE COUNSELORS, EVERYONE INVOLVED IN HELPING MAKE THIS DISTRICT GREAT NEED TO BE SUPPORTED.

WHEN WE WERE IN THE CITIZEN'S COMMITTEE, WE LEARNED THAT IT HAD BEEN QUITE A WHILE SINCE THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT RAISE.

AND THE RAISE THAT AUSTIN HAS GIVEN ISN'T QUITE SUFFICIENT.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MAINTAIN OUR TEACHERS IN THIS DISTRICT AND KEEP GARLAND GREAT.

I WANT TO ASK EVERYONE HERE TO I WANT TO ASK THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS OF TRUSTEES TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSITION A, I WANT TO ASK EVERYONE HERE TO SIGN OUR SIGN UP SHEET AND BECOME PART OF THE PACK.

AND LET'S GET THIS PASSED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISTER ROBINSON.

I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER YELLOW CARDS, SO WE WILL.

MECHELLE, DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER CARDS? THANK YOU MA'AM.

[IV.A. Receive Certified Tax Roll 2025 - Kristi Cooper]

[00:40:04]

THE ROLL THAT WE RECEIVED DID INCLUDE THE INCREASE IN HOMESTEAD AGE 65 OR OLDER, AND THE DISABLED PERSONS EXEMPTIONS THAT ARE PENDING IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION. OUR CERTIFIED ROLL REFLECTS $44.8 BILLION IN MARKET VALUE THAT'S IDENTIFIED ON THE TABLE ON THE MEMO.

THAT VALUE INCLUDES $962 MILLION OF NEW CONSTRUCTION, EXCUSE ME VALUE RESULTING IN A $31.2 BILLION IN TAXABLE VALUE. THIS YEAR, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE DISPUTED ACCOUNTS.

IN ORDER TO PROVIDE MORE ACCURATE SCOPE OF OUR 2025 TAXABLE VALUE, I PROVIDED THE TABLE.

THIS TABLE PROVIDES THE REFLECTS BOTH THE CERTIFIED TAXABLE INFORMATION AS WELL AS THE NON DISPUTED VALUES FOR THE ACCOUNTS THAT ARE UNDER DISPUTE.

WITH THIS CONSIDERED, THAT WOULD MAKE OUR ESTIMATED VALUE FOR, EXCUSE ME OUR ESTIMATED TAXABLE VALUE $32.799 MILLION. EXCUSE ME. BILLION. MILLION. BY NON DISPUTED VALUE I'M REFERRING TO THE VALUES THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER IS SAYING IS NOT UNDER DISPUTE, THAT THEY AGREE IS CORRECT ON THEIR ACCOUNT.

I CERTIFY AN ANTICIPATED COLLECTION RATE OF 100% FOR THE 2025 TAX YEAR, AND AN EXCESS DEBT AMOUNT OF $2,097,197 OF COLLECTED OF EXCESS DEBT COLLECTED FOR 2024.

BOTH OF WHICH ARE DERIVED OF OUR CURRENT DELINQUENT AND ROLLBACK TAX LEVIES, AS WELL AS OUR PENALTY AND INTEREST COLLECTED.

AND THOSE ARE ACTUAL COLLECTIONS. THE NEW CONSTRUCTION SLIDE IS THE NEXT TABLE.

THIS AS YOU CAN SEE, THE NEW CONSTRUCTION IS THE FIVE YEAR COMPARISON.

THE VALUES ARE CONTINUING TO INCREASE. HOWEVER, THE NUMBER OF ACCOUNTS IS DECREASING.

THIS YEAR WE HAVE 1507 NEW PARCELS, AND OF THAT 90% ARE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES, PRIMARILY IN GARLAND AND ROWLETT.

THE NEXT SLIDE IS THE VALUE UNDER DISPUTE. THIS SLIDE IS ALSO A FIVE YEAR COMPARISON WITH THE VALUES THAT HAVE BEEN DISPUTED.

THIS YEAR THERE WERE 8,056 ACCOUNTS THAT HAVE BEEN DISPUTED, WHICH IS $2.1 BILLION OF MARKETABLE TAX VALUE.

MARKABLE VALUE. BOTH OF THOSE FIGURES, THE ACCOUNT AND THE AMOUNTS IS A RECORD HIGH FOR OUR DISTRICT THAT THAT SURPASSES THE 2020 NUMBERS. THAT WAS, AT THAT TIME OUR RECORD HIGH.

AS OF YESTERDAY THE VALUES IN DISPUTE, THE APPRAISAL DISTRICT, THE ARP PANEL HAS SETTLED A THOUSAND OF THOSE.

AND THOSE WILL BE ABSORBED IN OUR ROLL WITH A FUTURE SUPPLEMENT.

AND THEY ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO GET THOSE ABSORBED AND RESOLVED AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE.

WE SHOULD SEE THE MAJORITY ON OUR ROLL BY NOVEMBER, IS TYPICALLY STANDARD.

I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. WHEN ARE THE TAX STATEMENTS GOING TO GO OUT? THEY WILL BE GOING OUT AFTER THE NOVEMBER ELECTION THIS YEAR.

OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'M SO SORRY. THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

AND THEY WILL INCLUDE THE STATEMENT THAT'S REQUIRED BY SENATE BILL TWO THAT SAYS WHAT THE LEGISLATURE DID AND WHAT THE IMPACT TO THEIR ROLE IS, AND WHAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IF IT HADN'T PASSED OR DID PASS, DEPENDING ON THE OUTCOME.

OKAY. QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

[V.A. Discussion and Consideration of an Order Authorizing Defeasance and Redemption of Certain Outstanding Bonds - Arturo Valenzuela]

MR. VALENZUELA. GOOD AFTERNOON, PRESIDENT BEACH.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND DOCTOR'S BRINTON AND LOPEZ, I PRESENT TO YOU AN ORDER PROVIDING FOR THE DEFEASANCE AND REDEMPTION OF CERTAIN OUTSTANDING BONDS OF THE DISTRICT AND RESOLVING OTHER MATTERS, MATTERS INCIDENT AND RELATED TO THE DEFEASANCE OF SUCH OBLIGATIONS.

THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT TO BE REDEEMED OR DEFEASED WILL EXCEED $11 MILLION AND WILL BE FUNDED FROM THE INTEREST AND SINKING FUND.

THE INTEREST SAVINGS WILL VARY DEPENDING ON THE BOND SERIES SELECTED AND THE TIMING OF THE REDEMPTION OR THE DEFEASANCE.

WE BELIEVE THAT MAKING THIS EARLY DEBT PAYMENT WILL YIELD LONG TERM BENEFITS BY STRENGTHENING GISD'S OVERALL FINANCIAL POSITION.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. QUESTIONS? ANYONE HAVE A QUESTION? OKAY. SEEING NONE. DO I HAVE A MOTION? YES, SIR. I MOVE TO ADOPT AN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE DEFEASANCE AND REDEMPTION OF CERTAIN CURRENTLY OUTSTANDING BONDS OF THE DISTRICT.

SECOND. I HAVE A MOTION BY MR. SELDERS FOR ITEM NUMBER A AND A SECOND BY MRS.

[00:45:04]

VOTE IS OPEN. VOTE.

THERE WE GO. THAT PASSES SIX ZERO. THANK YOU, MR. VALENZUELA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TAKES US TO ITEM NUMBER B, CONSIDER THE APPROVAL OF SETTING THE TAX RATE FOR THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR.

[V.B. Consider Approval of Setting the Tax Rate for the 2025-2026 School Year - Darrell Dodds, Elisa Cordova-Long]

JUST WAITING FOR THIS TO COME UP. I WILL NOT DO ANOTHER PRESENTATION.

I FEEL Y'ALL HAVE HEARD ME LONG ENOUGH. THIS IS A SETTING THE TAX RATE THAT WAS DISCUSSED EARLIER. THE TAX RATE WILL BE THE 12 PENNY INCREASE AND SET IT AT OUR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION TAX RATE AT 78.69 AND SETTING OUR INTEREST IN SINKING TAX RATE, WHICH PAYS FOR THE BOND DEBT AT 38.40 CENTS, FOR A TOTAL TAX RATE FOR OUR GISD AT $1.1709. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD, MR. MILLER? YEAH. JUST I'M GOING TO HAVE ONE QUESTION, AND THEN I'D BE HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION, MR. BEACH. BUT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, IT TALKS ABOUT IF WE PASS PROPOSITION A, THE TAX RATE WILL BE $1.17.

IF WE DON'T, IT'LL BE $1.05. THE DOLLAR 17 IS A BASICALLY A 26.8% INCREASE.

AND BY NO TAX INCREASE WHATSOEVER, THERE IS A 13.8% TAX INCREASE.

SO REALLY THE DIFFERENCE. YOU GOT TO TAKE THE DELTA.

IT'S A 13% DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE IF WE DO NOTHING AND WHAT WE DO IF THE PROPOSITION HAS PASSD.

WILL YOU EXPLAIN HOW THE 13.82 HAPPENS EVEN IF WE DON'T INCREASE TAXES? I KNOW HE'S GOING TO BE VERY DIPLOMATIC, BUT I WILL TELL YOU.

OUTSIDE OF THESE WALLS, THEY CALL IT AUSTIN MATH.

OKAY, SO. WE WON'T MENTION NAMES, BUT IT'S AN INSIDE JOKE.

GO AHEAD. EXPLAIN THE AUSTIN MATH. WELL. I'LL TRY.

IT IS AUSTIN. YOU KNOW, OUR LEGISLATURE SETS LAWS OUT, AND PART OF THIS IS PART OF THE TRUTH IN TAXATION.

SO I WILL ADDRESS THE 13.82% FIRST. SO THAT WAS THE SAME RATE WE HAD LAST YEAR.

BUT IT'S BASED OFF THE TRUTH IN TAXATION LAWS THAT IF YOU TAKE LAST YEAR'S VALUES AND IF WE HAD ZERO REVENUE, WHAT THAT WOULD BE WHAT THAT ZERO REVENUE INCREASE AT THOSE VALUES COMPARED TO OUR CURRENT VALUES OF THIS YEAR.

AND SO IT MAKES THIS VERY DIFFICULT FOR TAXPAYERS TO UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU THROW OUT THESE PERCENTAGES AND EVERYTHING, BECAUSE THEY'RE SAYING, WELL, THIS IS THE SAME TAX RATE WE HAD LAST YEAR.

AND BUT IT'S GOING TO YIELD A 13% INCREASE BASED OFF WHAT A NO NEW REVENUE RATE WOULD BE AND WHAT IT WOULD BE AT OUR CURRENT VALUES FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR IS AS MISS COOPER SAID.

THAT IS ALSO THE CALCULATION THAT YOU SEE IF THIS IS PASSED IT WOULD YIELD A 26.82% BASED OFF THAT, THAT DOESN'T MATCH THE BALLOT LANGUAGE.

AND THAT IS THE REASON HE'S TALKING THIS IS AUSTIN MATH BECAUSE THAT IS A SEPARATE CALCULATION ALSO.

SO THIS REALLY CONFUSED. IT CONFUSES ME, AND I'VE BEEN IN IT FOR 24 YEARS AND WORKING THROUGH THESE CALCULATIONS AND SOMEBODY THAT WALKS INTO A BALLOT BOOTH, IT'S VERY CONFUSING.

YOU WILL NOT SEE THIS ON THE BALLOT. YOU'LL SEE THE 1649 I BELIEVE IS WHAT IT SAID PERCENT INCREASE.

BUT THAT IS BASED OFF A SEPARATE CALCULATION IN TRUTH AND TAXATION THAT WE HAVE TO DO, AND THAT TRY NOT TO GET TOO FAR IN THE WEEDS ON THAT. BUT THAT IS IT'S EXTREMELY CONFUSING FOR EVERYBODY THAT WALKS INTO THAT BALLOT.

I DON'T KNOW. AND I THINK FROM MY WAY OF UNDERSTANDING IT, THE ONLY THE ONLY THING THAT CAN BE DONE TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR SCHOOLS THAT DOESN'T

[00:50:07]

RIGHT. BECAUSE WE GOT MORE MONEY WITH THE SAME TAX RATE.

SO THAT WAS EFFECTIVELY A TAX INCREASE. SO THAT'S THE WAY I UNDERSTAND THE 13% WE HAVEN'T TAKEN.

WE WOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN ANY ACTION IN THAT CASE.

BUT THEY'RE STILL TELLING THE PUBLIC THAT WE INCREASE THEIR TAXES.

I STILL WANT PEOPLE TO GET. YOU GOT TO LOOK, IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT WE CONTROL, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE TAX RATE.

CORRECT. IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT WHAT WE DON'T CONTROL, YOU LOOK AT THE PROPERTY TAX VALUES AND WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THAT.

WE'RE NOT THE APPRAISAL BOARD AND WE'RE NOT INFLATION.

SO I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCES HERE.

AND WE'RE NOT MONKEYING WITH THE NUMBERS. IT'S JUST A SYSTEM THAT AUSTIN HAS GIVEN US WITH WHICH WE HAVE TO WORK.

CORRECT. AND NOTICING THAT THAT 13% INCREASE, EVEN THOUGH IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ANYTHING ELSE, THE STATE WOULD HAVE PUT LESS INTO THE SYSTEM BECAUSE OF THAT.

EXACTLY. HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD? OKAY. MAKE A MOTION. MR. PRESIDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE I MOVE THAT THE PROPERTY TAX RATE BE INCREASED BY THE ADOPTION OF A TAX RATE OF $1.170900, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 26.82% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE.

IN THE EVENT THE VOTERS DO NOT RATIFY THIS RATE.

THE BOARD HEREBY ADOPTS A TAX RATE OF $1.05 POINT OR $1.05509, WHICH IS EFFECTIVELY A 13.82% INCREASE IN THE TAX RATE. WE HAVE A MOTION.

DO I HAVE A SECOND. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. MILLER FOR ITEM NUMBER B AND A SECOND BY MR. SELDERS.

PLEASE GET YOUR CLICKERS. VOTE IS OPEN. PLEASE VOTE.

VOTE CLOSED. PASSES SIX ZERO. THANK YOU BOARD.

[V.C. Consider Approval of Order Calling for a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election - Darrell Dodds, Elisa Cordova-Long]

HERE WE GO. SO, BOARD, YOU JUST APPROVED A TAX RATE THAT WAS INCREASED OUR TAX RATE.

AND SO TO DO SO, WE MUST CALL A VOTER APPROVED TAX RATE ELECTION.

AND SO THIS IS TO FOLLOW THE SEQUENCE. THIS HAS TO BE APPROVED IN ORDER TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE TAX RATE THAT WAS APPROVED. MR. JOHNSON. TO THE PEOPLE OF THE PUBLIC, YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED THAT WE ARE DOWN ONE OF OUR TRUSTEES TODAY, MR. LARRY GLICK, COULD NOT MAKE IT DUE TO A HEALTH ISSUE THAT CAME UP FOR HIM.

AND WE WISH HIM ALL A SPEEDY RECOVERY AND WANT HIM BACK HERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

BUT LARRY BEING LARRY, HE DID NOT WANT THIS MEETING TO GO IN THIS PARTICULAR VOTE TO GO WITHOUT INPUT.

SO IMAGINE ME WEARING A HAT AND IMAGINE ME HAVING BIRDS ON MY MIND, OKAY, BECAUSE I AM BECOMING LARRY GLICK FOR THIS STATEMENT. THESE ARE WORDS FROM MR. TRUSTEE LARRY GLICK, MR. PRESIDENT, TRUSTEES, SUPERINTENDENT LOPEZ AND THE GARLAND ISD COMMUNITY.

IT IS WITH GREAT REGRET I WRITE TO INFORM YOU THAT I'M UNABLE TO ATTEND THIS MEETING THIS EVENING DUE TO AN UNFORESEEN MEDICAL ISSUE.

I HAD HOPED TO BE PRESENT TO PARTICIPATE IN TONIGHT'S DISCUSSIONS.

THOSE WHO KNOW ME CAN ATTEST THAT IF I WERE ABLE TO BE PRESENT, I WOULD BE THERE TO VOICE MY FULL SUPPORT OF THE PROPOSITION.

THROUGHOUT MY TIME AS A TRUSTEE, I HAVE WORKED HARD TO SUPPORT INITIATIVES THAT STRENGTHEN OUR SCHOOLS, SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND UPHOLD THE VALUES OF OUR COMMUNITY.

WHETHER ADVOCATING FOR IMPROVED RESOURCES, BETTER LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, OR EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL.

I HAVE STOOD FIRMLY BEHIND EFFORTS THAT MOVE OUR DISTRICT FORWARD.

IT IS FROM THAT SAME PLACE OF COMMITMENT AND CONVICTION THAT I VOICED MY STRONG AND UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR PROPOSITION A.

IN MANY WAYS, THIS PROPOSITION REPRESENTS THE CULMINATION OF YEARS OF WORK.

WITHOUT IT, I FEAR THAT MUCH OF THE PROGRESS WE MADE COULD BE STALLED OR EVEN REVERSED.

THE GOALS WE FOUGHT FOR BETTER OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS, LONG TERM FINANCIAL STABILITY AND COMMUNITY TRUST HINGE ON THIS DECISION.

I CANNOT OVERSTATE HOW IMPORTANT THIS PROPOSITION IS TO ME PERSONALLY.

I BELIEVE IN IT, NOT JUST AS A TRUSTEE, BUT AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY WHO DEEPLY CARES ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR SCHOOLS.

IF I WERE THERE TONIGHT, I WOULD VOTE YES WITH FULL CONFIDENCE AND A FULL HEART.

[00:55:02]

THIS WILL ENSURE WE RETAIN THE BEST STAFF ON OUR CAMPUSES, MAINTAIN AND GROW OUR CELEBRATED PROGRAMS AND GUARANTEE CONTINUED STUDENT SUCCESS IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THIS STATEMENT IN MY ABSENCE.

THAT'S FROM MR. GLICK. THANK YOU, LARRY. ALL RIGHT.

DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM? MR. PRESIDENT? YES, SIR. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE ORDER CALLING FOR A VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE ELECTION AS PRESENTED TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES WITH AN AMENDMENT TO SECTION FIVE REPLACING HEIDER GARCIA WITH HEIDER GARCIA OR HIS DULY APPOINTED SUCCESSOR AS DALLAS COUNTY ELECTIONS ADMINISTRATOR.

SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION BY MR. JOHNSON, A SECOND BY MR. SELDERS. PLEASE VOTE. VOTE CLOSED.

PASSES SIX ZERO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. DODDS. THAT TAKES US TO ITEM D, AND WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF GO THROUGH ALL OF THESE READS IF WE CAN.

[V.D. Consider Approval of Board Resolution for One Reading for EFB (Local), FD (Local), FM (Local) and FNCE (Local) - Lisa Ray]

ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT FIRST? I THINK, SIR, THAT WE HAVE TO VOTE ON THE RESOLUTIONS.

EACH ONE OF THOSE SEPARATELY. OKAY. YES. THEN WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO ITEM D.

YES, SIR. PRESIDENT BEACH, BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

DOCTOR LOPEZ. JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND AS YOU KNOW, THIS 89TH LEGISLATURE HAD A LOT OF BILLS THAT THEY PROMULGATED FORWARD THAT REQUIRE IMMEDIATE ACTION.

THE. CAN YOU SPEAK IN THE MIC. OF COURSE THAT REQUIRE IMMEDIATE ACTION.

AND OUR BOARD POLICY ADVISORY GROUP MET ON AUGUST 7TH.

AND WE BROUGHT FORWARD FOUR POLICIES THAT NEED TO BE APPROVED BY SEPTEMBER 1ST FOR THIS 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR.

THAT'S A DEADLINE THAT'S BEEN IMPOSED BY THE SCHOOL.

I MEAN THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE. SO WITH THAT BEFORE YOU, YOU HAVE A RESOLUTION THAT ALLOWS FOR ONE READ OF THESE FOUR POLICIES. AND MR. BEACH, I'LL DEFER TO YOU WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT ME TO READ IT OR JUST HAVE THE BOARD REVIEW IT.

WELL, I WAS GOING TO PASS THE BATON ON TO MS. STANLEY, WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THAT COMMITTEE. YES, SIR.

AND LET HER HAVE HER COMMENTS. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT BEACH, SO WE WENT THROUGH THIS IN DEPTH IN THE POLICY MEETING.

AND WE SUPPORTED 100%. AND IT'S IT'S SOLID. IT'S GOING TO MEET EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION. I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RESOLUTION TO ALLOW FOR ONE READING FOR POLICIES EFB, LOCAL, FD LOCAL, FM LOCAL AND FNCE LOCAL.

SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS STANLEY ON THESE ITEMS. ON ITEM D, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF EFB, LOCAL, FD LOCAL, FM LOCAL AND FNCE LOCAL.

AND A SECOND BY MR. SELDERS. VOTE IS OPEN.

VOTE CLOSED. PASSES FIVE ZERO. THAT'S OKAY. IF YOU HAVE TO STEP OUT.

THAT'S FINE. MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER E. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF BOARD POLICY.

[V.E. Consider Approval of Board Policy EFB(LOCAL): One Read - Lisa Ray]

BOARD OF TRUSTEES. DOCTOR LOPEZ, SB 13 GRANTS PARENTS ACCESS TO RECORDS OF LIBRARY MATERIALS.

THEIR CHILD CHECKS OUT. TASB WITH THIS LAW SB 13 PROVIDES THE OPTION OF CREATING A LIBRARY COMMITTEE OR HAVING THE BOARD APPROVE THE LIBRARY BOOKS THAT WOULD BE PROVIDED.

THE DISTRICT HAS OPTED NOT TO USE A LOCAL SCHOOL LIBRARY ADVISORY COUNCIL AND HAVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADOPT A POLICY FOR ACQUIRING LIBRARY MATERIALS, INCLUDING PROCEDURES FOR PURCHASE OF LIBRARY MATERIALS AND RECEIVING DONATED MATERIALS.

BASED ON THIS OPTION, TASB HAS PROVIDED THIS MODEL POLICY.

[01:00:03]

THIS WILL REPLACE OUR CURRENT EFB LOCAL POLICY.

AND IN YOUR PACKET YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE PROPOSED POLICY UNDER RESPONSIBILITY, IT SAYS THE SUPERINTENDENT SHALL DEVELOP ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES TO ENSURE THAT LIBRARY COLLECTIONS COMPLY WITH APPLICABLE LAW, LIBRARY STANDARDS AND DISTRICT COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT.

PURPOSE AND GOALS. GARLAND ISD, AS ALWAYS, HAS BEEN VERY FORWARD THINKING AND THANKS TO THE GUIDANCE OF MR. COLEMAN BRUMAN AND HIS TEAM, THEY HAD ALREADY DEVELOPED REGULATIONS THAT ARE ACTUALLY ON OUR ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS INTRANET SITE, AND THOSE WERE PROMULGATED IN FEBRUARY 2025. AND SO WE'RE KIND OF AHEAD OF THE CURVE ON THAT.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANYBODY ON THE BOARD CONCERNING THAT? MISS STANLEY, WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT BEING CHAIR? NO, THAT IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO ALLOW US TO HAVE TRANSPARENCY.

SO I WOULD AGREE. WE'RE IN GOOD HANDS THAT'S FOR SURE.

OKAY. DO I HAVE A MOTION THEN FOR ITEM E? PRESIDENT BUSH, BEACH.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE A. SORRY. WHAT CAN I SAY? WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A MOTION I MOVE TO APPROVE THE NEW TASB MODEL EFB LOCAL POLICY, WHICH WILL REPLACE THE FORMER POLICY.

WE HAVE A MOTION TO HAVE A SECOND. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY MS. STANLEY TO APPROVE POLICY EFB LOCAL. SECOND, BY MR. MILLER. THE VOTE IS OPEN. PLEASE VOTE. THAT PASSES FIVE ZERO. THANK YOU. THAT TAKES US TO ITEM F.

[V.F. Consider Approval of Board Policy FD(LOCAL): One Read - Lisa Ray]

MISS RAY. YES, SIR. PRESIDENT BEACH, BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

DOCTOR LOPEZ, SB 401 FROM THE 89TH LEGISLATURE MANDATED THAT IF A DISTRICT WANTS TO PROHIBIT HOME SCHOOL STUDENTS AND PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM PARTICIPATING IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, WHETHER THAT BE FINE ARTS OR ATHLETICS, IT MUST ADOPT A POLICY INDICATING AS SUCH, FAILURE TO ADOPT THAT POLICY BY THE SEPTEMBER 1ST DEADLINE MEANS ACCEPTANCE OF THOSE STUDENTS, REGARDLESS WHETHER THEY LIVE IN THE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES INTO THOSE PROGRAMS. SO WITH THAT THERE IS A TASB POLICY THAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED FOR US, AND THAT JUST AMENDS THE CURRENT POLICY. IF YOU LOOK BEFORE YOU THAT VERBIAGE THAT IS IN BLUE WHERE IT SAYS ON PAGE TWO OF THREE STUDENTS NOT ENROLLED, A STUDENT ENROLLED IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL, INCLUDING A HOME SCHOOL, SHALL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT IN THE DISTRICT, NOR FOR PARTICIPATION IN CURRICULAR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? OKAY, MS. STANLEY, WE WANT TO ADD TO THAT. GET A MOTION.

NOTHING TO ADD, BUT I WILL MAKE A MOTION. SURE.

I WOULD MOVE TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES OF THE CURRENT FD LOCAL POLICY.

SECOND. WHO WAS THE SECOND? JAMIE. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MS. STANLEY TO APPROVE FD LOCAL. SECOND BY MR. MILLER.

VOTE IS OPEN. WOULD YOU PLEASE VOTE? BUT CLOSE PASSES SIX ZERO.

THANK YOU BOARD. THAT TAKES US TO ITEM G. CONSIDER APPROVAL OF BOARD POLICY FM LOCAL ONE READ MRS.

[V.G. Consider Approval of Board Policy FM(LOCAL): One Read - Lisa Ray]

SIMILARLY, FM LOCAL JUST IS A POLICY THAT WORKS IN TANDEM WITH THE FD LOCAL POLICY.

AND IF YOU'LL SEE HIGHLIGHTED IN BLUE WHERE IT SAYS UNDER EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY ABSENCES IT SAYS FOR ELIGIBILITY FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS, INCLUDING HOMESCHOOL STUDENTS, TO PARTICIPATE IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.

THAT DOES NOT CROSS REFERENCE TO FD LOCAL, WHICH THE BOARD JUST APPROVED.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS HERE? MS. STANLEY. PRESIDENT BEACH, I'D LIKE TO MOVE TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDED TASB CHANGES TO THE CURRENT FM LOCAL POLICY. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY MRS. STANLEY FOR FM LOCAL TO BE APPROVED WHEN READ SECOND BY MR. MILLER. VOTE IS OPEN. PLEASE VOTE. VOTE CLOSED.

[01:05:02]

[V.H. Consider Approval of Board Policy FNCE(LOCAL): One Read - Lisa Ray, Mary Garcia]

DOCTOR LOPEZ HB 1481 FROM THE 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION REQUIRES SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ADOPT A POLICY PROHIBITING STUDENT USE OF PERSONAL COMMUNICATION DEVICES, SUCH AS ANY TYPE OF CELL PHONE, TABLET, SMARTWATCH, RADIO DEVICE, OR OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICE CAPABLE OF TELECOMMUNICATION OR DIGITAL COMMUNICATION ON SCHOOL PROPERTY DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, AND IT ALSO REQUIRES YOU TO INCLUDE DISCIPLINARY MEASURES FOR VIOLATIONS.

SCHOOL DISTRICT. SCHOOL ISSUED DEVICES LIKE OUR CHROMEBOOKS ARE NOT CONSIDERED PERSONAL COMMUNICATION DEVICES AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE PROVIDED FOR INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSES. THE POLICY DOES ALLOW THE USE OF PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES WHEN NEEDED TO IMPLEMENT FOR A STUDENT'S IEP, FOR A DOCUMENTED MEDICAL NEED BASED ON A PHYSICIAN'S DIRECTIVE, OR AS NECESSARY TO COMPLY WITH HEALTH OR SAFETY REQUIREMENTS IMPOSED BY LAW OR THE DISTRICT SAFETY PROTOCOLS. AND WITH THAT, YOU HAVE A PROPOSED POLICY BY TASB AS YOU MAY RECALL, OR IF YOU MAY BE AWARE, THE DISTRICT HAS DECIDED TO HAVE AN OPTION OF YOU CAN IF YOU DO BRING YOUR CELL PHONE OR ANY TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICE, IT MUST BE POWERED OFF.

IT MUST BE IN YOUR BACKPACK. EXCEPT FOR THOSE REASONS OUTLINED FOR AN IEP OR HEALTH AND SAFETY REASONS.

THE ONLY ADDITIONS THAT WE MADE TO THE TASB PROVIDED POLICY ARE WITH BEFORE YOU IN BLUE.

WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD THIS VETTED BY NOT ONLY MYSELF, BUT OUTSIDE COUNSEL AS WELL.

AND IN THE BLUE WE DEFINE WHAT A PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE IS.

WE ALSO SAY THAT A CONFISCATED PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE SHALL BE RELEASED FOR A FEE DETERMINED BY THE BOARD OR SUPERINTENDENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STUDENT HANDBOOK.

THE STUDENT OR THE STUDENT'S PARENTS MAY RETRIEVE THE DEVICE AFTER PAYING THE FEE.

IF YOU LOOK ON PAGE TWO OF TWO. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANTED TO PUT IN OUR POLICY AS FAR AS IF YOU ARE USING YOUR PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE IN CONNECTION WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SERIOUS MISCONDUCT TYPE OF ACTIVITIES, WHETHER IT BE DRUG RELATED VIOLENT BEHAVIOR OR THREATS, MAJOR CAMPUS DISRUPTION, UNAUTHORIZED RECORDING OF STUDENTS OR STAFF SUCH AS RECORDING A FIGHT, BULLYING, CYBERBULLYING OR HARASSMENT.

REFUSAL TO COMPLY WITH DIRECTIVES TO SURRENDER THE DEVICE, IN ADDITION TO CONFISCATION CONSEQUENCES, WILL BE ASSIGNED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT, WHICH I BELIEVE THE BOARD WILL BE APPROVING THIS MONTH OR JUST TODAY.

I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S TODAY OR THIS MONTH, AND MAY RANGE FROM ISS TO OSS OR PLACEMENT IN DAEP, DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THE OFFENSE. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? MR. JOHNSON. THANKS. MS. RAY. JUST TO CLARIFY FOR THE PUBLIC, I THINK MOST PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE STATE LAW GARNERED A LOT OF NEWS COVERAGE WHEN IT WAS FIRST PASSED. THE IMPETUS BEHIND THIS UPDATED POLICY IS THE CHANGE IN STATE LAWS AND NOT.

YES, SIR. OKAY. AND THE STATE LAW DOES REQUIRE THAT WE HAVE CONSEQUENCES.

DISCIPLINARY CONSEQUENCES FOR VIOLATIONS OF LAW.

CORRECT. YES, SIR. SO WHERE WE'VE MADE THESE CHANGES AND THINGS WE'RE SIMPLY COMPLYING.

AND WE'VE VETTED THIS THROUGH LAWYERS AND THINGS OF THE NATURE.

BUT WE'RE COMPLYING WITH THE LEGISLATIVE MANDATE WITH RESPECT TO THE STATE LAW ON THE CELL PHONE BAND.

CORRECT? YES, SIR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? GOOD POINT. MS. STANLEY. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT BEACH.

I MOVED TO APPROVE THE NEW FNCE LOCAL POLICY FIRST READ, WHICH WILL REPLACE THE FORMER POLICY.

SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE POLICY.

FNC AS WRITTEN IN OUR BOOKLET. SECOND BY MR. MILLER.

THE VOTE IS OPEN. PLEASE VOTE. VOTE CLOSED. IT PASSES SIX ZERO.

THANK YOU TRUSTEES. THANK YOU, MISS RAY. AND THANK YOU, STAFF, FOR ALL THOSE HARD WORK ON THESE.

ALL THE CHANGES THAT ARE BEING MADE THAT TAKES US TO ITEM NUMBER SIX.

EXECUTIVE SESSION. MISS STANLEY, DO WE HAVE ANY.

I MEAN, EXCUSE ME NOT STANLEY. SHE CALLED ME MR.

[01:10:03]

YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, EVEN A STUDENT CAN BE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD, RIGHT? OKAY. MISS HOGAN, DO WE HAVE ANY EXECUTIVE SESSION? DOCTOR LOPEZ DO WE NOT THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF? WE'RE GOOD TO GO.

OKAY. IT IS 3:12 TO HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

[VIII. Adjournment ]

THE SPECIAL MEETING IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.