Money, bus drivers, & books
Dripping Springs ISD, Hays CISD, Fort Worth ISD and Leander ISD meeting coverage, Sept. 27, 2021 - Oct. 1, 2021
Dripping Springs ISD adopts tax rate
Dripping Springs ISD adopted their proposed tax rate in a 6-1 vote at the Sept. 27 meeting, an 11.5% total increase.
Board member Dr. Stefanie Reinold voted ‘no’ on the measure after extensive comments, seeming to be more concerned about rising property taxes for homeowners and local business owners, rather than the education of students.
Though the district would be setting the lowest allowable tax rate in alignment with increasing property values in the area, Reinold failed to grasp that the tax rate as presented would not result in an effect on federal aid, which is less than 1% of the district’s entire budget. In fact, it was explained to the Board how the formula for determining the tax rate “keeps districts from not taxing enough.”
Board Vice President Joanna Day explained how the district is mostly locally-funded and locally-controlled.
Instead of admitting any real lack of understanding, Reinold continued to deflect into issues of transparency and timelines, while asking if there had ever been in the history of Dripping Springs ISD an election to decide the tax rate.
“There are districts that have completely transparent tax rates,” Reinold said. “I envy those districts.”
She went on to question monthly expenditures, claiming she had never seen a financial statement.
The entire Board, excluding Reinold, understood the District needs to focus on educating students, which means adopting the proposed tax rate, rather than lowering it and having to cut key programs and supports.
Before the final vote, Reinold brought up concerns about infrastructure as well as the impossibility of teachers being able to reside within the school district area, as a means to deflect from her ultimate concern about increased property taxes for homeowners and business owners like herself.
“Philosophically, I’m seeing a solution that includes a lower tax rate,” Reinold said.
Of course, Reinold could not offer any reality-based solution that would encompass her “philosophical” ideal of a lower tax rate without cutting any educational services or staff, because it is impossible.
“Our charge is to do what’s best for the district,” Board President Dr. Mary Jane Hetrick said.
Hetrick said the District is already short-staffed, and a lower tax rate would mean cutting programs. Hetrick also addressed Reinold’s statements about a lack of transparent financial reports, including current and past expenditures.
Other Board members explained to Reinold where financial reports and budgets could be easily found on the District website. Reinold ignored this and re-iterated her property tax concerns one last time before the Board voted to adopt the proposed tax rate.
Hays CISD purchases air purifiers for $4.4 million
The Hays Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees unanimously approved the purchase of air purifiers as part of its COVID-mitigation plans at a pricey $4,401,907 at the Sept. 27 meeting, instead of implementing a mask-mandate.
Though he voted in favor of the purchase, Board member Willie Tenorio, Jr. became the lone Trustee to speak in favor of a mask-mandate, saying it would be the most effective strategy for mitigating the spread of the virus, as well as the most cost-effective.
“There are more studies on that [masks] than on this particular equipment,” Tenorio said.
Tenorio said the Board did not want to enforce a mask-mandate because of potential costs related to lawsuits and fines.
“The fines and the lawsuits would pale in comparison to the $4.4 million we’re spending on this item,” he said. “Also, this doesn’t stress our strong encouragement to wear masks in our classrooms.”
It boils down to the studies, Tenorio said. The air purifiers are not designed to be 100% effective.
“Masks aren’t either, but they are more effective than this,” he said. “If we’re willing to spend $4.4 million here, we could be spending that money on a fine or a lawsuit from the Governor, if he wanted to do that, which he’s not likely to do. Or what’s more likely, a lawsuit from a local DA, which the local DA is not going to do either.”
Unmasked Board member Courtney Runkle, on the other hand, rallied the purchase, claiming there are “way more benefits than just COVID.”
“I’m not voting on this to keep COVID out of our classrooms,” Runkle said. “I’m voting on this to keep all things out of our classrooms, not just COVID.”
Runkle said she was in full support of the purchase of the air purifying equipment, and commended the administration for their work.
Fort Worth ISD bus drivers and attendants plead for pay raise
Fort Worth ISD Transportation employees pleaded for increased wages at the Sept. 28 Board of Trustees meeting, while the District reports 118 vacancies in the Transportation Department.
Fort Worth Education Association President Lajon Pennix said Fort Worth ISD’s Transportation Department “has been stretched beyond measure.”
Pennix said the buses are overloaded to the point of kids sitting on floors. He also said bus drivers and attendants are being solicited by other Districts who offer increased pay, stipends and Vacation/Holiday pay.
“Our attendants here are getting paid less than minimum wage,” Pennix said. “All attendants should at least be paid $15 an hour, at least minimum. That’s only right. They can’t pay their rent. They can’t get to work. We need to do something about this.”
Felice Stanley, a bus driver in Fort Worth ISD for 20 years, said the District is short 89 bus drivers currently, meaning most drivers are doing double-duty. Sometimes that means busing elementary and middle school students together. It can also mean busing special needs students with general education students, without the help of any bus attendants.
“The safety factor is truly an issue here,” Stanley said. “We have some good bus drivers, and we’re coming to work, doing our job, like professionals. And we’re going to keep giving you that, but we need your help to make a difference.”
Bus driver Donna Marks said she has worked in the District for almost a year, and she detailed one reason why she thought the district has issues retaining transportation employees. Marks said she began working in September 2020, got her CDL in January 2021, but didn’t start driving until April 2021. Marks said the length of time it took from her start date until she began driving as well as the lack of clear communication of requirements and processes contributes to the District’s inability to retain transportation employees.
Marks said she did not receive her pay increase until she began driving in April, meaning she made only $10 per hour for seven months --- two months after she had received her CDL certification.
“A single parent cannot afford $10 an hour, or be expected to stay,” Marks said. “Luckily, I have a husband that has a good job.”
With almost 16 years of professional bus driving experience and her daughter in tow, Bus Driver Heather Smith showed the reality of underpaying District Transportation staff.
“Y’all depend on me to get my students to and from school safely,” Smith said. “My daughter also depends on me to provide. I lost $10,000 last year, not being able to come to work. Can you look her in the eyes, and tell her that she cannot eat tomorrow, because I can’t?”
Gwendolyn Hardy said she has worked for the Fort Worth ISD Transportation Department for 25 years, and still makes under $16.50, demonstrating a need for the District to consider higher raises for long-time staff as well.
Jay Swint, a bus driver in Fort Worth ISD for seven years, said if the District wants to keep its existing staff and encourage people to apply, it needs to pay its bus drivers and bus attendants a decent wage.
“Bus drivers and attendants are professionals,” Swint said. “We may not have a PhD after our name. We may not have been to college. Drivers have CDLs. We’re considered professional drivers. Bus attendants have special skills to be able to deal with children that have special needs.”
Fort Worth ISD Chief Talent Officer Raul Pena said the District is “working on a recommendation for current drivers, as this would impact future employees.”
Trustees also approved a $5.3 million investment for one-time $500 stipends for fully vaccinated employees, in a 6-1 vote, with Board Secretary Carin “CJ” Evans voting against the measure. Trustees Anael Luebanos and Roxanne Martinez abstained from the vote.
Leander ISD votes to appoint a Board Member to fill vacant seat
The Leander Independent School District voted Sept. 30 to appoint a Board Member to replace former Trustee Jim MacKay who resigned Sept. 10 due to what he deemed as “pornographic” reading materials in classrooms as well as his belief in a lack of accountability on behalf of the administration.
While no one has been appointed yet, a 4-2 vote determined there will be an appointment to fill the vacated seat until the November 2022 election. Had the Board decided not to appoint, but to hold a special election, the seat would have remained vacant until the May 2022 election.
Leander ISD Board Secretary Elexis Grimes and Trustee Aaron Johnson opposed the idea of appointment, voting against the motion.
While Grimes did not participate in the discussion prior to the vote, Johnson had a lot to say about how he viewed an appointment.
Johnson said the community is “deeply divided and polarized and emotional,” and he believed the best option would be to hold a special election.
“I think appointment is fraught with difficulty in terms of perceived bias by members of our community,” he said.
Johnson said the community should be able to settle the question of who replaces MacKay.
“I think our community’s ability to accept that outcome [from a special election] significantly outweighs our community’s ability to accept an appointment that we select, no matter who that individual might be,” he said.
Leander ISD Board President Trish Bode brought up the possibility of deadlock 3-3 votes, with only six Board Members until a potential special election in May 2022.
Leander ISD Board Vice President Gloria Gonzalez-Dholakia said the Board needs to be able to complete Board business, and deadlock votes could stall or halt their ability to do so.
“I think going that long without being able to ensure that we can do Board business is not a risk I’m willing to take,” Gonzalez-Dholakia said.
“I think the question of a deadlock, a 3-3 deadlock, is a little bit of an academic and kind of a silly criticism,” Johnson responded.
Like MacKay, Johnson has shown serious distrust of the Board and administration throughout Leander ISD’s Book Debacle. At the Sept. 30 meeting, Johnson still questioned the administration about the Book Review Process, despite the Board having already implemented and adopted policies and processes to better vet all instructional materials, including those found in classrooms and campus libraries.