[1. Call to order and establishment of a quorum]
          [00:00:10]
          LAMAR CONSOLIDATED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT IS CALLED TO ORDER AT 6:32 P.M. THIS IS THE REGULAR MONTHLY BOARD MEETING BEING HELD ON FEBRUARY 17TH, 2026. WE HAVE A QUORUM WITH ALL MEMBERS PRESENT. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE TO OBSERVE AS YOU FEEL APPROPRIATE. 
          PLEASE STAND AND JOIN ME FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND THE PLEDGE TO THE TEXAS FLAG. 
          LED BY SAANVI SHARMA, A SIXTH GRADER AT ROBERTS MIDDLE SCHOOL. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. HONOR THE TEXAS FLAG. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEE. TEXAS. ONE STATE UNDER GOD, ONE AND INDIVISIBLE. PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE. YOU MAY NOW BE SEATED. THANK YOU. ZOMBIE. OKAY. GOOD EVENING, BOARD 
          [3. Recognitions/awards]
PRESIDENT DOCTOR NIVENS, THE LAMAR CISD COMMUNITY AND THOSE WHO HAVE JOINED US IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY TONIGHT. THIS EVENING, THE SPOTLIGHT IS ON OUR SCHOOLS AS WE CELEBRATE STATE AND NATIONAL HONORS EARNED BY SEVERAL OF OUR LAMAR CISD CAMPUSES. SO THIS EVENING, WE'RE GOING TO KICK IT OFF, CELEBRATING THE FACT THAT THREE OF OUR LAMAR CCSD HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE EARNED A NATIONAL RECOGNITION FROM THE COLLEGE BOARD FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO EXPANDING ACCESS TO ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSEWORK WHILE SUPPORTING STRONG ACADEMIC OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS. AND COLLEGE BOARD'S 2025 AP SCHOOL HONOR ROLL. FULSHEAR HIGH SCHOOL AND GEORGE RANCH HIGH SCHOOL EACH EARNED SILVER RECOGNITION, WHILE FOSTER HIGH SCHOOL EARNED A BRONZE RECOGNITION. THE PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS SCHOOLS THAT DELIVER MEASURABLE RESULTS IN COLLEGE READINESS, STUDENT PARTICIPATION, AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. LAUNCHED IN 2023, THE AP SCHOOL HONOR ROLL PROGRAM RECOGNIZES CAMPUSES AT FOUR LEVELS BRONZE, SILVER, GOLD, AND PLATINUM. SILVER DISTINCTION. BOTH GEORGE RANCH HIGH SCHOOL AND FUTURE HIGH SCHOOL ACHIEVED THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA. IN 2425, MORE THAN 50% OF GRADUATES TOOK AT LEAST ONE AP EXAM. DURING HIGH SCHOOL. MORE THAN 30% OF GRADUATES SCORED A THREE OR HIGHER ON AT LEAST ONE AP EXAM, AND MORE THAN 5% OF GRADUATES TOOK FIVE OR MORE AP EXAMS DURING HIGH SCHOOL, WITH AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE EXAMS TAKEN IN NINTH OR 10TH GRADE. MEANWHILE, AT FOSTER HIGH SCHOOL, MORE THAN 40% OF THE GRADUATES TOOK AT LEAST ONE AP EXAM, WITH MORE THAN 25% OF GRADUATES SCORING A THREE OR HIGHER. NOW, THROUGH AP PARTICIPATION, WE KNOW THAT STUDENTS CAN EARN VALUABLE COLLEGE CREDIT, SAVING BOTH TIME AND MONEY TOWARDS A DEGREE WHILE GAINING VALUABLE ACADEMIC SKILLS AND INCREASED CONFIDENCE. 
          WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE THREE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS PRESENT THIS EVENING WHO SERVE. WHO MADE THE AP HONOR ROLL. AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO INVITE OUR CAMPUS PRINCIPAL, BRIAN FORSHEE FROM FOSTER HIGH SCHOOL. ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL CARRIE YANTA FROM GEORGE RANCH HIGH SCHOOL. AND CHRISTOPHER WOOD FROM FOSTER HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, TO JOIN US FOR A PHOTO. THANKING THEIR FUTURE. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP, THIS EVENING, WE'RE CELEBRATING THE FACT THAT LAMAR CCSD HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED ONCE AGAIN THIS YEAR AS A TEXAS HONOR ROLL SCHOOL DISTRICT BY THE EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS. WHILE 11 INDIVIDUAL CAMPUSES HAVE ALSO BEEN SINGLED OUT BY THE ORGANIZATION FOR INCLUSIVE ON THIS YEAR'S LIST OF TEXAS HONOR ROLL SCHOOLS, THE ERP HONOR ROLL HIGHLIGHTS SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT DEMONSTRATE HIGH ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, CONSISTENT GROWTH, AND MEASURABLE PROGRESS IN CLOSING ACHIEVEMENT GAPS. THIS RECOGNITION IS BASED ON RIGOROUS, DATA DRIVEN ANALYSIS OF PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA, UNDERSCORING LAMAR'S COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION. 
          WE'RE HAPPY TO CELEBRATE TONIGHT WITH CAMPUS LEADERS FROM SCHOOLS NAMED TO THE 2025 
          [00:05:05]
ERP HONOR ROLL, WHICH INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING FROM AUSTIN ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL STEPHANIE HAULICA, WHO. FROM ARREDONDO ELEMENTARY, PRINCIPAL AMBER BARBARO. FROM BENTLEY ELEMENTARY, PRINCIPAL REGINA INGRAM. FROM CAMPBELL ELEMENTARY, PRINCIPAL MANDY CASEY. FROM DICKINSON ELEMENTARY, PRINCIPAL SHANNON ALMENDAREZ. FROM MACNEIL ELEMENTARY, PRINCIPAL SHEMIKA FIELDS. FROM TAMRON ELEMENTARY, PRINCIPAL TAMELA ALLEN. FROM TAYLOR ELEMENTARY, PRINCIPAL BRITTANY CARPENTER. FROM THOMAS ELEMENTARY, PRINCIPAL TRACY MILLS. FROM WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY, PRINCIPAL LACEY CROWSON, AND FROM BRISCOE JUNIOR HIGH PRINCIPAL JENNIFER ZIEBOLD. 
          SORRY. Y'ALL ARE SO CUDDLY. OKAY, EVERYBODY BACK IN FOR THE GROUP PHOTO. 
          SORRY. OKAY. OKAY. ONE, TWO. ONE TWO. OH THAT'S GOOD. ALL RIGHT. AND FINALLY THIS EVENING, AS YOU ALL KNOW, LAST THURSDAY IN NASHVILLE, OUR VERY OWN SUPERINTENDENT AND FEARLESS LEADER, DOCTOR ROOSEVELT EVANS, WAS NAMED THE 2026 NATIONAL SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR. OKAY, DJ LAMBERT ON THE 1 TO 2. BY THE AASA, THE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION. 
          NOW THE ROAD TO THE 2025 REGION FOR SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR TO BEING NAMED TO 2025 TEXAS SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR. TO BEING RECOGNIZED AS A TOP FOUR FINALIST IN THE NATION. TO NOW BECOMING THE NATIONAL SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR HAS BEEN AN EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY, REFLECTING BOTH HIS INCREDIBLE LIFE AND LEADERSHIP, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE AMAZING THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN LAMAR ON THE LOCAL, REGIONAL, STATE AND NATIONAL STAGE. IN SHARING NEWS ABOUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT WITH ITS CONFERENCE ATTENDEES, AASA REMARKED ON BOTH DOCTOR NIVENS BOLD AND INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP, INCLUDING HIS OVERSIGHT OF INITIATIVES LIKE THE INNOVATIVE SCHOOL DAY PROGRAM HERE IN LAMAR ISD, AS WELL AS HIS COMMITMENT TO BUILDING GENUINE CONNECTION, RELATIONSHIPS AND COMMUNITY, WHETHER ONLINE THROUGH HIS NIVENS NEWS, 90S OF VIDEO MESSAGES OR THROUGH HIS CLOSET FULL OF FREE HUGS TEE SHIRTS THAT HELPED CONVEY JUST HOW WARM AND APPROACHABLE HE REALLY IS. HE'S A BIG OLD TEDDY BEAR, AND NOW HE'S A BIG OLD DEAL ACROSS THE NATION. DOCTOR NIVENS, WE WISH YOU A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS HONOR. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOR BRINGING SOME POSITIVE SPOTLIGHT TO LAMAR ISD, TO THE INCREDIBLE WORK DONE BY OUR TEACHERS, OUR STAFF, OUR ADMINISTRATORS, AND OF COURSE, OUR STUDENTS, VOLUNTEERS AND ALSO COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND THOSE WHO MAKE OUR DISTRICT REALLY SPECIAL AND WHAT IT IS TODAY. DOCTOR, WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU INSPIRE US ALL TO FIND AND BRING OUT THE VERY BEST IN OURSELVES, AND YOU EMPOWER US TO RISE TO MEET ALL THE CHALLENGES, ACT WITH INTEGRITY AND COMPASSION, AND WE CELEBRATE ALL ALONG THE WAY, ESPECIALLY WITH JOY. IT WAS A PLEASURE CHEERING YOU ON TO THE NATIONAL STAGE. AND NOW I THINK NEXT WEEK WE'LL WORK ON THE GALAXY APPLICATION. WE'LL TRY TO BEAT OUT MARS AND VENUS AND SEE IF WE CAN GET SUPERINTENDENT OF THE GALAXY KNOW. BUT AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO, EVERYBODY. CONGRATULATIONS TO DOCTOR ROOSEVELT, NEWMAN'S NATIONAL SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR. 
          [00:10:03]
ONE, TWO. THOSE ARE ALL MY ANNOUNCEMENTS AT THIS TIME. 
          I'LL TURN IT OVER TO PRESIDENT HARTZELL. 
          OKAY. WELL, BEFORE WE GET INTO SHOUT OUTS AND BOARD MEMBER REPORTS, I JUST WANT TO SAY THE TRUSTEES, MOST OF US AND A LOT OF THE ADMINISTRATION HAD THE CHANCE TO GO TO NASHVILLE AND WATCH DOCTOR NIVENS WIN THIS AWARD. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL SITTING THERE AND WE'RE WAITING. WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE GENERAL SESSION TO TO FIND OUT IF HE WINS. AND IT'S LIKE AN HOUR AND A HALF AND I'M JUST, LIKE, SWEATING. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY BRING THE TOP FOUR OUT AND AND THEY ANNOUNCE THE WINNER. BUT THEY DON'T THEY DON'T. THEY SAY IT'S DOCTOR NIVENS, BUT THEY DON'T REALLY SAY WHY, YOU KNOW. AND HE GOT UP THERE AND DURING HIS ACCEPTANCE SPEECH, YOU, YOU HEARD WHY IT WAS NOT ABOUT HIM, IT WAS ABOUT EVERYBODY ELSE BUT HIM. AND HE HE DIDN'T CRY. HE HE DID. HE DID SHED A TEAR OR TWO. I KNOW THERE WERE SOME BITS GOING ON. HE DID SHED A TEAR. I SAW IT, BUT BUT I WAS CRYING. HONESTLY, I WAS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, MOST OF US HAVE KIDS IN THIS DISTRICT AND AND THIS IS THE MAN WHO, WHO LEADS THE DISTRICT, AND IT'S JUST EXTREMELY SPECIAL. AND HE IS EXTREMELY HUMBLE. AND HE WILL NEVER SAY IT'S ABOUT HIM. IT'S ABOUT EVERYBODY ELSE. BUT I HOPE YOU'RE NOT SICK OF WINNING BECAUSE YOU'RE YOU'RE STILL JUST WINNING EVERY DAY. AND THANK YOU. WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOU AND PROUD OF YOU AND GREAT JOB. YEAH. OKAY. SO WE WILL NOW HAVE BOARD MEMBER 
          [5. Board members' reports]
REPORTS AND SHOUT OUTS. TRUSTEES, KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO 1 TO 2 MINUTES. WHO WOULD LIKE TO GO FIRST I WILL GO. MY SHOUT OUT GOES TO MR. EMILIANI WITH FOSTER HIGH SCHOOL. HE'S THE ASSISTANT BAND DIRECTOR. EARLIER THIS MONTH I TOOK MY DAUGHTER RIN, WHO WILL BE GOING TO STEENBERGEN TO OUR INSTRUMENT PICK OUT DAY AND I'M TALKING TO REN ON THE WAY THERE, I'M LIKE, BABY GIRL, LET'S GET THE TRIANGLE. WE CAN JUST DO THAT. AND SHE'S LIKE, DAD, I WANT TO PLAY THE SAXOPHONE. I SAID, BUT BABY GIRL, THINK HOW LIGHT THE TRIANGLE IS. AND SO SHE WAS JUST EXCITED ABOUT THE SAXOPHONE. AND SO WE GO THERE, SIGN UP, SIT, WAIT, ALL THAT STUFF. AND THEN WE GOT TEAMED UP WITH MR. E, AND I FOUND OUT THAT HE IS THE ASSISTANT BAND DIRECTOR AT FOSTER. THIS MAN MET MY DAUGHTER'S EXCITEMENT ABOUT THE SAXOPHONE. HE DIDN'T DO IT BECAUSE HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT I WAS A BOARD MEMBER, AND HE WASN'T DOING ANYTHING SPECIAL BECAUSE OF THE BOARD MEMBER'S DAUGHTER. HE HAD NO IDEA, BUT THE MAN SHOWED UP WITH THE EXCITEMENT AND PROVIDED A CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT WAS TOP NOTCH AND TOP TIER. 
          HE SAW MY DAUGHTER'S EXCITEMENT, AND SO NOW I WILL HAVE A SAXOPHONE IN THE HOUSE. THANKS MR. E, BUT NO, BUT SERIOUSLY, THE THE MAN'S EXCITEMENT ABOUT INSTRUMENT AND SHARING OUR BAND WITH STUDENTS ALL ACROSS THE DISTRICT, NOT JUST STUDENTS ON THE GOAL TRACK, BUT HE WAS MEETING EVERY AND I WATCHED. I SAT AND WATCHED AFTERWARDS, AND HE MET EVERY SINGLE FIFTH GRADER COMING UP WITH THE EXACT SAME EXCITEMENT. SO I TALKED TO MR. WOODS EARLIER IN THE NIGHT AND JUST LET HIM KNOW THAT HIS ONE OF HIS TEACHERS, FROM A DAD'S PERSPECTIVE, DID AMAZING. 
          AND SO AND I ALREADY MISS MISS AMBER KINGSLEY WITH THE PERFORMING AND VISUAL ARTS DEPARTMENT. KNOW THAT ONE OF HER EMPLOYEES, JUST FROM A DAD'S PERSPECTIVE, PROVIDED MY FIFTH GRADE DAUGHTER WITH TOP TIER CUSTOMER SERVICE. I, I TODAY I WAS GOING TO THE HOSPITAL TO VISIT SOMEONE WHO WAS IN THE HOSPITAL. AND AS I WAS WALKING UP TO THE DOOR, AN LCISD BUS PULLED UP AND OUT, FILED A TEACHER AND ALL THESE STUDENTS IN THEIR SCRUBS. AND SO I SPOKE TO THE TEACHER. HER NAME IS MISS CASPER AND SHE'S FROM FOSTER, AND SHE WAS JUST KIND OF TELLING ME WHAT THE STUDENTS WERE DOING. AND THEY'RE THERE WITH A CLINICAL CTE CLASS, AND I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS SO COOL. I MEAN, THEY WALKED IN, THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING. THEY WASHED THEIR HANDS, AND THEN THEY ALL LIKE, WENT 100 DIFFERENT WAYS. AND SO 
          [00:15:04]
SHE SAID, YEP, THEY ALL HAVE ASSIGNMENTS. THEY KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, THEY KNOW WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE AND WHAT TO DO. AND SHE WAS JUST SAYING HOW MUCH SHE ENJOYED THAT CLASS. 
          AND SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY NEAT. AND I JUST WANTED TO GIVE HER A SHOUT OUT FOR WHAT SHE DOES. I'LL GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE PRINCIPAL OF PINK ELEMENTARY, CARLA THOMAS. 
          I WAS THERE WITH MISS MASTERS MRS. BOX NOT TOO LONG AGO, AND IT WAS THE DAY AFTER SHE HAD INTERVIEWED FOR THE PRINCIPAL, THE ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR, AND SHE WAS CONVEYING TO US THAT SHE DIDN'T FEEL TOO CONFIDENT IN IT. AND THEN WE FOUND OUT EITHER THAT AFTERNOON OR THE NEXT DAY. AND THE BOARD HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT AWARD, THAT SHE ACTUALLY WON IT. 
          SO CONGRATULATIONS TO HER. IT WAS IT WAS FUN TO SEE HER THE DAY BEFORE AND THEN TO SEE HER AFTERWARDS, A COUPLE DAYS LATER AND TO CONGRATULATE HER. I, I WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO DOCTOR MELISSA EARLS EARLIER THIS MONTH. IT WAS NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELORS WEEK, AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN TWO AND STEP INTO COUNSELOR SHOES, AND I PERSONALLY VISITED ALC 1621. SPECIAL SITES BANKS JUNIOR HIGH, FOSTER HIGH SCHOOL, AND ELEMENTARY. SO I WANTED TO SAY THAT THAT WAS A VERY REWARDING EXPERIENCE AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. I TEND TO GET A LITTLE BIT PASSIONATE DURING THESE SHOUT OUTS, SO I FIGURED I'D I'D WAIT, DO IT, BUT I'LL START OUT WITH JUST WANTED TO SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE PARENTS WHO SERVED ON THE BECERRA AND ADAMS ELEMENTARY ABC COMMITTEE. WE'RE GOING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT LATER. BUT MY HEART GOES OUT TO THE PARENTS FOR TAKING TIME AWAY FROM THEIR BUSY SCHEDULES TO TO MEET WITH US. IT WAS A VERY ROBUST DISCUSSION, AND I GOT TO SEE DOCTOR MAXWELL AND MR. ORTEGA IN ACTION. SO THANK YOU ALSO FOR YOUR EXCELLENT PROFESSIONALISM. I'D LIKE TO THANK THE PRINCIPAL AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS WHO HOSTED US. THEY WERE VERY GRACIOUS IN HOSTING THOSE ABC COMMITTEE MEETINGS AT BEASLEY ELEMENTARY. I'D LIKE TO ALSO CONGRATULATE DOCTOR NIVENS ON THAT. ON SUCH A MOMENTOUS AWARD. I REGRET THAT I COULDN'T BE THERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS THERE IN IN SPIRIT AND IN PRAYER AND I EMPHASIZE IN PRAYER. AND I'M SO PROUD OF YOU FOR SO MANY REASONS, AND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE. I'M A STUDENT AS WELL. I MADE A COMMITMENT TO LIFELONG LEARNING. AND I KNOW THAT WHEN I TOLD YOU EARLY ON THAT I COULD I COULD SENSE I WAS IN THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS. AND I MEAN THAT FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. I APPRECIATE YOU MODELING THAT BEHAVIOR, BECAUSE IT'S THAT LEVEL OF BEHAVIOR OF NOT, YOU KNOW, OF WHAT JACKIE JUST SHARED, THAT YOU GIVE ALL THE CREDIT TO THE TEACHERS. YOU GIVE THE CREDIT TO YOUR TEAM, TO YOUR BOARD. YOU GIVE THE CREDIT TO EVERYBODY ELSE AND EVERY AND STAFF AND EVERYBODY FOR FOR THAT PARTICULAR AWARD. YOU DON'T MAKE IT ABOUT YOU. 
          YOU NEVER HAVE. AND YOU AND I KNOW THAT YOU NEVER WILL. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND IN THANKING YOU AND PRAISING YOU, I'M PRAISING EVERYBODY ON STAFF, ALL OF THE BOARD WHO CONTINUALLY MODEL GREAT BEHAVIOR FOR OUR STUDENTS. I APPRECIATE THAT SO MUCH. AND I THINK IT'S THAT IT'S THAT GREAT BEHAVIOR THAT HELPS OUR STUDENTS THRIVE. I BELIEVE THAT A RISING TIDE RAISES ALL SHIPS. AND AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT, THAT, THAT THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR MODELING BEHAVIOR IS, IS THE REASON THAT WE'VE HAD THESE SCHOOLS COME IN TODAY AND, AND WHO HAVE WON THESE AWARDS FOR BEING ON ON THE NATIONAL HONOR ROLL. I WANT TO SHARE A COUPLE OF REAL QUICK STORIES THAT SOME OF YOU HAVE HEARD ALREADY. BUT IF YOU'LL PLEASE INDULGE ME, I WANT TO POINT OUT A COUPLE OF OF OF ITEMS WHERE I HAVE NOTICED GREAT BEHAVIOR. 
          MOST OF YOU KNOW THAT MY GRANDDAUGHTER DANCES ON THE RANDALL ROYAL'S DANCE TEAM. 
          CORRECTION NATIONAL CHAMPION RANDALL ROYAL'S DANCE TEAM. AND AND INCIDENTALLY, ON ONE VERY COLD WEEKEND, WE WERE IN IOWA COLONY WATCHING THEIR COMPETITION. AND, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL HAD BEEN CANCELED BY THEN ON MONDAY. BUT LO AND BEHOLD, THERE WAS A PRINCIPAL THERE WITH TERRY HIGH SCHOOL. DOCTOR SMITH WAS THERE WITH TERRY HIGH SCHOOL. AND I THOUGHT, WHAT IN THE WORLD? YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER WARMER PLACES A PRINCIPAL COULD 
          [00:20:01]
BE. BUT SHE WAS THERE AND I ASKED HER, I SAID, DOCTOR SMITH, IS THAT THE WAY YOU GET AN A RATING? AND SHE, SHE SAID, WELL, NOW, NOW THAT YOU ASK, SHE HAS AND I HAVE CONFIRMED THIS, 40 STUDENTS AT TERRY HIGH SCHOOL WHO ARE ON TRACK TO GRADUATE WITH AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE THIS YEAR. OKAY. FOR ANYBODY WHO'S NOT INTIMATELY FAMILIAR WITH HOW THIS WORKS, ASSOCIATE'S DEGREES, YOUR FIRST TWO YEARS IN COLLEGE. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WILL GRADUATE SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND AN ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE THEIR FIRST TWO YEARS IN COLLEGE. SO THEY ONLY NEED TWO MORE YEARS TO GET TO EARN THEIR BACHELOR'S DEGREE. 
          SHE IS SETTING THOSE STUDENTS UP FOR SUCCESS. AND IT'S AND IT'S NOT JUST, YOU KNOW, DOCTOR SMITH. I SEE THAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER. THERE ARE A LOT OF GOOD THINGS HAPPENING HERE AT LAMAR CONSOLIDATED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND AND I AM YOUR BIGGEST FAN. IT IS JUST A THRILL TO HAVE A FRONT ROW SEAT TO WITNESS THIS FOR, FOR YOU AND THE ENTIRE TEAM TO CONTINUALLY GO ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY. ONE LAST SHOUT OUT THAT I'VE ALREADY TOUCHED ON IS COACH SHANE O'HAVER, WHO IS THE COACH OF THE RANDALL ROYALS DANCE TEAM FOR LEADING THEM, GUIDING THEM, SUPPORTING THEM. SHE NEVER WANTS TO POSE IN PICTURES. ONE DAY I ASKED HER, I SAID, COACH O'HAVER, YOU'VE GOT TO STAND THERE WITH YOUR WITH YOUR DANCE TEAM. AND AND MY SHOUT OUT IS THAT AS MOST OF US KNOW, THE RANDALL ROYALS EARNED A REPEAT NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AT IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA THIS WEEK. AND SO I'M SO PROUD OF THAT POSITIVE BEHAVIOR THAT THAT EVERYONE IS MODELING. AND AND I KNOW THAT THAT RESONATES TO OUR STUDENTS AS WELL. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. THANKS, MISTER ARROYOS, I ALWAYS HATE TO FOLLOW YOU. I DO HAVE A SHOUT OUT THIS TIME. MY SHOUT OUT IS TO MISS SUZANNE LOWE. SHE'S THE COUNSELOR AT DICKINSON. I ALSO GOT TO DO THIS STEP INTO A COUNSELORS WORLD EXPERIENCE. AND THAT WAS, I THINK, THE IDEA OF DOCTOR EARLES AND DOCTOR EARLES AND KATHERINE REEVES, WHO'S THE ELEMENTARY COORDINATOR, COUNSELOR, COUNSELING COORDINATOR, MET ME THERE AND AT DICKINSON, AND WE JUST HAD A WONDERFUL EYE OPENING CONVERSATION. AND I COULD TELL THAT THEY THEY GET A LOT OF JOY OUT OF OUT OF WHAT THEY DO, EVEN THOUGH SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ALWAYS JUST GUIDANCE COUNSELING. A LOT OF TIMES COUNSELING IS HEAVY. AND WE JUST HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION ABOUT THEIR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME COME BE A PART OF THAT. SO WITH THAT, DO WE HAVE 
          [6. Board committees' reports]
ANY BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS? YES. THE MISS ROYAL'S MR. WELCH AND MYSELF MAKE UP THE CTE COMMITTEE, AND WE MET RECENTLY AND WE TALKED ABOUT ADVANCED ACADEMICS. SO WE GOT A PREVIOUS MONTH WITH CTE COMMITTEE. AND THEN THE OTHER THIS MONTH WAS ADVANCED ACADEMICS. AND SO WE JUST GOT TO SIT AND LEARN ABOUT ALL THE STUFF REGARDING THAT IN OUR DISTRICT. SO THAT AND WE ASKED THEM, OKAY, NOW WE LEARNED YOU DO THE WORK, WE LEARN NOW, HOW CAN WE ADVOCATE BETTER FOR YOU AS TRUSTEES. SO WHETHER IT'S TALKING TO THE STATE SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES, JUST LEARNING WHAT WE CAN DO TO BETTER SPEAK UP FOR THAT. SO WE MET RECENTLY. 
          THE THE SHOCK COMMITTEE MET. THAT'S THE SCHOOL HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL. IT HAD ITS THIRD MEETING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. AND THE COMMITTEE CONTINUES TO FOCUS ON STUDENT WELLNESS, SAFETY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. THERE WILL BE A DISTRICT WIDE COMMUNITY HEALTH FAIR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FORT BEND COUNTY HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND THAT'S SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 28TH AT TERRY HIGH SCHOOL, FEATURING HEALTH SCREENINGS AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES. WE ARE ALSO SUPPORTING A FAMILY RUN AND HEALTH FAIR AT HUGGINS ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS A WINNER OF AMERICA'S HEALTHIEST SCHOOL AWARD IN 2025 ON FEBRUARY 28TH, WHICH INCLUDES A BLOOD DRIVE AND MCNEILL'S HEALTH FAIR, IS ON THE 21ST. ADDITIONALLY, WE RECEIVED AN UPDATE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON THE ROLLOUT OF THE RAPTOR WEARABLE BADGE ALERT SYSTEM TO ENHANCE CAMPUS SAFETY. THAT'S IT. DOCTOR NIVENS, IS THERE A 
          [7. Superintendent's report]
NATIONAL SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR REPORT? WELL, MR. ARROYO'S KIND OF STOLE MY THUNDER, BUT I WANT TO, I WANT TO I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO MR. ARROYO'S MISSUS MASTERS. MR. WELCH, PRESIDENT HUTSELL, MISS BOX, MR. LAMBERT AND MISS HENDERSON. Y'ALL HAVE NO IDEA THE STRESS THAT THESE SEVEN PEOPLE ARE UNDER. AND, YOU KNOW, I TELL PEOPLE ALL THE TIME, YOU 
          [00:25:05]
KNOW, WE MAKE THIS THING LOOK EASY. AND ON THE INSIDE, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE TEN PILLS EACH TO MAKE SURE WE MAKE IT LOOK EASY. BUT I ASKED THEM TO MAKE SOME VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS. YOU KNOW, BEING A HYPERGROWTH SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT'S ADDING 2000 STUDENTS A YEAR AND 6500 EMPLOYEES AND 385MI■!S AND BUSSS AND CHILD NUTRITION AND ALL THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. I ASKED THEM TO MAKE SOME VERY HARD DECISIONS, AND WHEN THEY MAKE THOSE DECISIONS, THEN THEY GET SOME, YOU KNOW, SOME FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY AND THEY CAN'T SAY A WHOLE LOT. AND I JUST CONTINUALLY WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PUBLICLY, BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY IN THE WORLD THAT LAMAR ISD WILL BE MOVING TOWARDS AN ELITE SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND I WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL YOUR STORY ON THAT STAGE. IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE A STRONG GOVERNING BODY. AND I MEAN THAT WITH ALL MY HEART, IS THAT I'VE SEEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITHOUT A STRONG GOVERNING BODY, AND THEY'RE NOT SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE LEADERSHIP MATTERS, LEADERSHIP MATTERS, AND WE HAVE STRONG LEADERSHIP, THEN YOU HAVE GREAT SUCCESS. WE HAVE WEAK LEADERSHIP. YOU DON'T. AND SO I ALWAYS WANT TO CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE THEM BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET A LOT OF THAT. NOBODY JUST WALKS UP TO PRESENT AND SAY, HEY, THANK YOU. I MEAN THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. IT HAPPENS SOMETIMES, BUT ALL THE TIME. AND SO I WANT TO ALWAYS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND LET YOU LET YOU KNOW THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. AND FOR YOU TO TAKE TIME OUT OF YOUR SCHEDULES TO COME TO NASHVILLE TO CELEBRATE WITH ME. AND THE TEAM SPEAKS VOLUMES. AND SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. THANK Y'ALL. ALL RIGHT, MISS JOHNSON, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO. OKAY. AT THIS TIME, WE WILL OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE 
          [9.A. Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) - Instructional Update]
2024 2025 TEXAS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE REPORT AT 6:59 P.M. ALL RIGHT. I HAVE MR. MOORE, THE PODIUM. GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT. HONORED BOARD MEMBERS, DOCTOR NIVENS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC PRESENT. WE'RE HERE TO REVIEW THE PAPER REPORT FROM THE 2425 SCHOOL YEAR. THIS REPORT WAS FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE ACADEMICS. THE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE INDICATOR SYSTEM REPORT. IT'S BEEN PUBLISHED SINCE 1990 91. THE REPORT PROVIDES PERFORMANCE AND DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION FOR EACH SCHOOL AND DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS. THE REPORT PROVIDES EXTENSIVE DATA ON STUDENT PERFORMANCE AS WELL AS STUDENT AND STAFF DEMOGRAPHICS. 
          ACCESSING THE TAPIR REPORT CAN BE DONE EITHER THROUGH THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY WEBSITE. 
          THE LAMAR CISD WEBSITE, OR THROUGH THE REPORTING, ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY DEPARTMENT. CAMPUS OFFICES, OR THE REPORTING, ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE. THIS EVENING WE'LL DISCUSS FOUR DIFFERENT AREAS OF REVIEW. THE FIRST ONE IS STUDENT PERFORMANCE, PRIMARILY CENTERED AROUND THE STAR TEST DEMOGRAPHICS AND DISCIPLINE, INCLUDING AN OVERVIEW OF DEMOGRAPHICS AND ENROLLMENT AND ALSO SERIOUS DISCIPLINARY INCIDENTS, COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS, INCLUDING GRADUATION RATES, COLLEGE CAREER MILITARY READINESS INDICATORS, AND COLLEGE ENROLLMENT AND PERFORMANCE. AND FINALLY, WE WILL COVER SOME INFORMATION ON STAFF DEMOGRAPHICS, STARTING WITH STUDENT PERFORMANCE ON THE STAR TEST. AS A REMINDER, STUDENTS TAKING THE STAR TEST CAN SCORE AT THREE DIFFERENT PERFORMANCE LEVELS. APPROACHES MEANS THAT THEY PASS THE STAR, BUT WOULD NEED CONSISTENT AND PRESCRIBED INTERVENTIONS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE NEXT YEAR. MEETS MEANS THEY MET GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS AND WILL NEED SOME INTERVENTIONS TO BE SUCCESSFUL FOR THE NEXT YEAR. 
          AND THEN MASTERS MEANS THEY MET GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS AND WOULD NEED FEW, IF ANY, INTERVENTIONS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE NEXT YEAR. OUR READING LANGUAGE ARTS PERFORMANCE FOR EACH GRADE LEVEL AND SUBJECT WAS AT 80% OR HIGHER AT THE APPROACHES GRADE LEVEL, WE OUTPERFORMED BOTH THE STATE AND THE REGION AT EVERY GRADE LEVEL IN READING LANGUAGE ARTS. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DISAGGREGATION BY APPROACHES, MEETS, AND MASTERS, WE WERE AT 85% APPROACHES, 67% MEETS 32% MASTERS, WHICH WAS AHEAD OF BOTH THE STATE AND THE HOUSTON 
          [00:30:08]
REGION. FOR MATHEMATICS. IN ALMOST EVERY GRADE LEVEL, WE WERE AT 80% OR ABOVE IN APPROACHES, WHICH WAS ONCE AGAIN AHEAD OF THE STATE AND REGIONAL AVERAGES. OUR ONLY AREA WHERE WE WERE NOT AT THAT POINT WAS IN SEVENTH GRADE MATH, WHICH IS A STATEWIDE CONCERN, PRIMARILY DUE TO THE FACT THAT MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND ACTUALLY NOW STATE LAW, THAT STUDENTS THAT ARE MORE ADVANCED IN MATHEMATICS SKILLS USUALLY WILL SPLIT OFF AT THAT POINT AND WILL TAKE ADVANCED MATH FOR EIGHTH GRADE AND THEN ALGEBRA ONE IN EIGHTH GRADE TO GET INTO MORE ADVANCED MATHEMATICS COURSES SUCH AS CALCULUS, PRE-CALCULUS, COLLEGE ALGEBRA. 
          ONCE THEY GET TO HIGH SCHOOL. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS A STATEWIDE ISSUE, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR OUR TEACHING AND LEARNING TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON TO IMPROVE. LOOKING BY PERFORMANCE LEVEL, WE WERE AT 81% AT APPROACHES, 56% AT MEETS AND 28% AT MASTERS, WHICH ONCE AGAIN WAS AHEAD OF BOTH THE STATE AND THE REGIONAL PERFORMANCE AVERAGES. IN SCIENCE, THE TEST IS GIVEN AT THE FIFTH, EIGHTH, FIFTH AND EIGHTH GRADE, AS WELL AS HIGH SCHOOL BIOLOGY. AT FIFTH GRADE, WE WERE AT 76%. EIGHTH GRADE 79 AND BIOLOGY WAS AT 95. OUR PERFORMANCE IS AHEAD OF BOTH THE STATE AND THE REGION IN THIS AREA AS WELL. JUST AS A REMINDER, THE BIOLOGY TEST IS A HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, WHICH MEANS THERE'S USUALLY HIGHER PERFORMANCE SO STUDENTS DON'T HAVE TO RETEST. LOOKING BY PERFORMANCE LEVEL, WE WERE AT 83% FOR APPROACHES, 57 FOR MEETS, 23% AT MASTERS, WHICH MEANS ONCE AGAIN, WE WERE AHEAD OF BOTH THE STATE AND THE REGIONAL PERFORMANCE LEVELS. FINALLY, AT SOCIAL STUDIES EIGHTH GRADE, WE HAD 66% AT APPROACHES, 97% PASSED THE US HISTORY TEST, BUT ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S GRADUATION REQUIREMENT. WE DON'T HAVE TOO MANY RETESTS FOR US HISTORY LOOKING BY PERFORMANCE LEVEL. 82% AT APPROACHES, 60 AT MEETS, 37% AT MASTERS. WE'RE AHEAD OF BOTH THE STATE AND THE REGION IN SOCIAL STUDIES AS WELL. LOOKING AT OUR DEMOGRAPHICS AND DISCIPLINE, FIRST THING WE LOOK BACK AT IS OUR CHANGE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, FROM THE 2021 SCHOOL YEAR TO THE 2425 SCHOOL YEAR, WE GREW BY 10,257 STUDENTS, OR ROUGHLY 2,022%. 
          CHANGE IN GROWTH. WELL, THE REASONS WHY WE'RE KNOWN AS A HYPER GROWTH DISTRICT. WE ARE A VERY RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE DISTRICT WITH GROWTH IN WITH AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS, HISPANIC STUDENTS, NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENTS. BUT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IS WITH THE ASIAN STUDENT POPULATION. WE HAVE MORE STUDENTS FROM ASIA COMING TO US. LOOKING AT STUDENT PROGRAMS. OUR BIGGEST GROWTH AREAS FOR STUDENT PROGRAMS WAS BILINGUAL ESL, WHICH GREW BY 43%. WE HAVE OVER 90 LANGUAGES SPOKEN LCISD AT THIS POINT. WE ALSO HAD SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. THE GREW BY 31% IN THAT FIVE YEAR TIME PERIOD. OUR ATTENDANCE RATES HAVE CONTINUED TO GO UP POST PANDEMIC. OUR ATTENDANCE RATE THIS LAST YEAR WAS 94.8%, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF 1.2% OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS. AND THAT CONTINUES TO 
          [00:35:01]
THAT CONTINUES TO TREND HIGHER EVEN THIS YEAR. SERIOUS DISCIPLINARY INSTITUTE INCIDENTS. TECH 39.053 REQUIRES EVERY DISTRICT TO PUBLISH A SEPARATE ANNUAL REPORT ON VIOLENT CRIMINAL INCIDENTS AT CAMPUSES IN THE DISTRICT. INCLUDED IN THE REPORT ARE INCIDENTS THAT REQUIRE PLACEMENT IN EITHER DIEPPE, WHICH IS THE DISCIPLINARY ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM PROGRAM, OR JJAEP, WHICH IS THE JUVENILE JUSTICE ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM PER EDUCATION CODE. CHAPTER 37, INCLUDING IN THIS FIGURE WOULD BE THE POSSESSION OF VAPE OR VAPING MATERIALS. STARTING WITH THE 2223 SCHOOL YEAR. WHILE THIS REPORT IS NOT DIRECTLY IN THE TAPER, IT IS REQUIRED THAT WE BRING THIS TO THE BOARD FOR IN THIS PRESENTATION. A DETAILED COPY OF THE REPORT WILL BE PUBLISHED ON OUR WEBSITE. LOOKING BACK OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF SERIOUS INCIDENTS AS A PERCENTAGE OF OUR ENROLLMENT, WE HAD A SLIGHT INCREASE THE PAST YEAR. BUT THAT INCREASE IS NOT OUT OF PATH OF WHAT WE'VE SEEN THE LAST FEW YEARS. WE ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT STILL ONE OUT OF THREE OF OUR SERIOUS DISCIPLINARY INCIDENTS IS RELATED TO VAPING, BUT THAT IS DOWN FROM 54% IN THE 2223 SCHOOL YEAR. LOOKING FORWARD TO COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS. 
          FIRST OF ALL, LOOK AT OUR DROPOUT AND GRADUATION RATES. THE DROPOUT RATE HERE IN LAMAR ISD IS 0.8%, WHICH IS LESS THAN HALF OF WHAT YOU SEE AT THE STATE AND REGIONAL LEVELS. OUR FOUR YEAR GRADUATION RATE IS ABOVE BOTH THE STATE AND THE REGIONAL LEVELS, AND HAS REMAINED ROUGHLY AROUND 94.8 TO 94.7%. OUR FIVE YEAR GRADUATION RATE HAS ACTUALLY RISEN SLIGHTLY TO 96%, BUT IS STILL AHEAD OF BOTH THE STATE AND THE REGIONAL GRADUATION RATES. 
          LOOKING AT COLLEGE CAREER MILITARY READINESS OVER THE PAST FIVE GRADUATING CLASSES IN 2021, WE HAD 57.6% OF STUDENTS THAT WERE CONSIDERED AS READY ONCE THEY LEFT OUR DOORS. WE'RE PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT HAS INCREASED IN THE LAST TWO GRADUATING CLASSES TO 95%. AND WHILE WE HAVE A PROJECTION IN PLACE FOR 2025, WE EXPECT THAT THAT COULD BE EVEN HIGHER THAN 95%. SO WE HAVE DONE VERY WELL IN EXPANDING OUR OPPORTUNITIES FOR CMR. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE INDIVIDUAL INDICATORS, AND JUST AS A REMINDER, THESE INDICATORS ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. ONE STUDENT CAN MEET SEVERAL DIFFERENT INDICATORS ON THIS. ON THE SPECTRUM, ABOUT ONE OUT OF THREE OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE AN INDUSTRY BASED CERTIFICATION, DUAL CREDIT, 34% HAVE DUAL SOME KIND OF DUAL CREDIT WHEN THEY GRADUATE, 6.7% ARE IN THE ON RAMPS PROGRAM, WHICH IS A PROGRAM FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS STUDENTS TO GET INTO IT, AND IT HELPS THEM BUILD A PATHWAY TO GETTING DUAL CREDIT. MAY MEETING TSI CRITERIA AND AP CRITERIA. ABOUT ONE OUT OF FOUR OF OUR STUDENTS MEET AP CRITERIA BY GETTING A THREE OR HIGHER ON THE AP TEST. WHICH CAN BE MET EITHER BY SAT, ACT OR THE TCIA TEST, OR THROUGH COLLEGE, WHAT WE CALL THE COLLEGE BRIDGE PROGRAM. ABOUT 81%, 82% OF OUR STUDENTS WILL MEET THE TSI REQUIREMENT. AND THEN FINALLY, WE HAVE ABOUT 9.3% OF OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE SPECIAL ED, BUT GET AN ADVANCED DIPLOMA OR HAVE WORKFORCE READINESS WHEN THEY GRADUATE. 
          LOOKING BACK TO HOW MANY STUDENTS GO TO A TEXAS INSTITUTION OF HIGHER ED AFTER 
          [00:40:07]
GRADUATION, WE HAD A DECLINE. IN THE EARLY 2020S. THE CLASS OF 2020 WAS AT ABOUT 59.4%. 
          THAT DECLINED BACK TO 54%, BUT EVERY SUBSEQUENT GRADUATING CLASS, WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ATTENDING A PUBLIC INSTITUTION OF HIGHER ED HERE IN TEXAS. 
          WE'RE BACK TO ACTUALLY JUST ONE TENTH OF A POINT ABOVE WHERE WE WERE IN 2020. SO WE KEEP GOING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION. DOES THAT INCLUDE LIKE TRADE SCHOOL OR JUST ANY KIND OF SCHOOLING AFTER HIGH SCHOOL THAT THAT INCLUDES ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY COLLEGES, TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE, OUR UNIVERSITIES, ANY OF OUR PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS, OUR HIGHER ED INSTITUTIONS IN TEXAS. 
          LOOKING AT WHERE OUR STUDENTS GO TO COLLEGE. MOST OF OUR STUDENTS GO TO WHARTON COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE, FOLLOWED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON, HOUSTON CITY COLLEGE, WHICH USED TO BE HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE, TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY, TEXAS A&M AT COLLEGE STATION, SAM HOUSTON STATE, THE BLINN COLLEGE DISTRICT, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, TEXAS STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE HERE IN ROSENBERG, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT SAN ANTONIO. OUR LAST AREA IS STAFF INFORMATION. IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, WE'VE ADDED STAFF IN PRETTY MUCH EVERY AREA. BUT ONE AREA I WANTED TO POINT OUT IS THAT OUR PERCENTAGE OF STAFF THAT ARE TEACHERS HAS DECLINED RELATIVE TO WHAT WAS FIVE YEARS AGO, BUT THAT'S A STATE WIDE ISSUE THAT'S REFLECTIVE OF THE TEACHER SHORTAGE THAT WE HAVE. BUT ON THE POSITIVE SIDE OF THIS, WHEN WE LOOK AT EXPERIENCE, WHILE OUR EXPERIENCE OF ADMINISTRATORS, CAMPUS ADMINISTRATORS HAS GONE DOWN SLIGHTLY, OUR EXPERIENCE OF TEACHERS HAS GONE UP. SO THE TEACHERS WERE RETAINING ARE MORE EXPERIENCED AND HAVE MORE TIME UNDER THEIR BELT. ANY DISCUSSIONS OR QUESTIONS? YES, SIR. IS IT SAFE TO PRESUME THAT THE DECLINE IN STUDENTS WHO ATTENDED HIGHER EDUCATION AFTER 2020 IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO COVID? YES. OKAY. BECAUSE THAT WAS ACTUALLY SOMETHING THAT MATCHED A NATIONWIDE TREND. SO WE SAW THAT ACTUALLY NOT ONLY IN TEXAS BUT EVERY STATE, ESPECIALLY AT COMMUNITY COLLEGE LEVEL, EVERY STATE SAW A DECLINE IN COMMUNITY COLLEGE ENROLLMENT RIGHT AFTER THE END OF THE PANDEMIC. OKAY, I NOTICED THAT WHARTON COUNTY JUNIOR COLLEGE IS THE IS THE COLLEGE THE MOST OF OUR STUDENTS ATTEND? YES, SIR. I'D SAY THAT MY CLASSES HERE AT THE RICHMOND CAMPUS CONSIST OF ABOUT GREAT, PROBABLY 95% LCISD GRADUATES. AND AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT LAMAR CONSOLIDATED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT IS PRODUCING A GREAT PRODUCT BECAUSE THOSE STUDENTS THRIVE IN MY CLASSES AND AND THEY'RE SET UP FOR SUCCESS AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL. MOST OF THE STUDENTS IN MY CLASS, SINCE MY CLASS IS A CORE COURSE THEY ARE. THEY ARE PLANNING TO TRANSFER TO UNIVERSITY, AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT ONCE THEY LEAVE US, THEY THEY THRIVE AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL. AND BUT I'M MOST PROUD OF THE FACT THAT THE STUDENTS I RECEIVED FROM LAMAR CONSOLIDATED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN COMPETE WITH ANY OTHER DISTRICT. I HAVE STUDENTS, A FEW STUDENTS FROM FORT BEND ISD, ALIEF ISD, KATY ISD, AND SO FORTH. BUT CONSISTENTLY, MY ISD STUDENTS ARE MY TOP PERFORMERS. I HAVE A QUESTION. YES, MA'AM. ONE OF THE SLIDES, YOU SAID THAT YOU HAD A FOUR YEAR GRADUATION RATE AND A FIVE YEAR GRADUATION. YES, MA'AM. 
          LET ME GO BACK TO THAT REAL QUICK. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND IT. SO IT SAID FIVE YEAR GRADUATION RATE IS 96%. SO OF THE STUDENTS THAT TAKE FIVE YEARS TO GRADUATE, 96% OF THEM ACTUALLY DO GRADUATE. IS THAT WHAT THAT MEANS? WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT ACTUALLY OF THE STUDENTS THAT START NINTH GRADE, THAT 96% OF THOSE STUDENTS WILL GRADUATE IN FIVE YEARS, 94.7 WILL GRADUATE IN FOUR YEARS, AND THEN 96% OF THOSE WILL GRADUATE IN FIVE 
          [00:45:01]
YEARS. MOSTLY THOSE ARE STUDENTS THAT THEY MAYBE DIDN'T PERFORM WELL ACADEMICALLY. THEY DIDN'T DO WELL ON THE STAR TEST. THEY MAY THEY MAY NEED AN EXTRA YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL, OR THEY MAY NEED EXTRA TUTORIALS TO BE SUCCESSFUL. BUT THAT'S THAT'S NOT TYPICAL, IS IT? WELL, I JUST JUST I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE THE 96% SORRY, THE 96%, I DON'T KNOW. LET LET'S SAY YOU STARTED HIGH SCHOOL IN 2020. YEAH. OKAY. WELL 94% OF YOUR CLASS GRADUATED IN 2024. OKAY. 
          THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE A SMALL PERCENTAGE THAT MAY NEED TO STAY OVER TO EITHER PASS OTHER CLASSES OR PASS THE STAR TEST. SO WHEN YOU MEASURE THAT AGAIN IN 2025, THEN THAT COHORT THAT YOU HAD IN 2020, NOW 96% OF THOSE STUDENTS HAVE GRADUATED THE ADDITIONAL 2%. 
          AND THEN AND ACTUALLY IN TEXAS, WE DON'T REPORT IT IN THIS HEARING, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A SIX YEAR RATE WHERE WE TRACK STUDENTS THAT GRADUATE ALL THE WAY OUT TO SIX YEARS. OKAY. 
          THANK YOU. THE THE ONES FOR THOSE. THEN WE HAVE A SUMMER GRADUATION RIGHT AFTER THE TRADITIONAL GRADUATION DATE IN MAY. WHERE DO THOSE DO THOSE GO BACK TO THE FOUR YEAR OR DO THOSE GET BUMPED UP TO THE FIVE? THEY GO THEY GO BACK IN THE FOUR YEAR BECAUSE WE DON'T ACTUALLY TURN IN GRADUATES TILL THE UNTIL THE SEMESTER AFTER. IT'S ACTUALLY IN THE FALL AFTER GRADUATION. TRUSTEE WELCH, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES. MR. MOORE, COULD YOU BRIEFLY TALK AGAIN ABOUT THE SEVENTH GRADE MATH SCORES AND WHY THEY DIP? AND WE'RE LOWER THAN OTHER SURROUNDING DISTRICTS THAT YEAR, BUT WE SEEM TO MAKE IT UP IN EIGHTH GRADE. IS THAT IS THAT ACCURATE? THAT IS ACCURATE. AND I'M ALSO GOING TO ASK FOR MEMBERS OF OUR TEACHING AND LEARNING STAFF TO JOIN ME. SO MISS COTTINGHAM. BUT WE HAVE AT THE SEVENTH GRADE LEVEL IS WE HAVE A DIVIDE WHERE NOW OVER HALF OF OUR STUDENTS GO ON TO TAKE THE EIGHTH GRADE TEST. AND WHAT THAT DOES IS THAT IT PREPARES THOSE STUDENTS TO TAKE ALGEBRA ONE IN EIGHTH GRADE, AND THEN TAKE HIGHER LEVELS OF MATH AS THEY GO ON. NOW, THERE'S BEEN SOME OTHER ISSUES THAT I BELIEVE MISS COTTINGHAM HAS MENTIONED BEFORE ABOUT ALIGNMENT OF CURRICULUM. SO I'M GONNA ASK HER TO STEP FORWARD. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR STATE COMPARISON AND OUR REGIONAL COMPARISON, THERE'S NOT A LAW THAT SAYS NOT CLEAR GUIDANCE FROM THE STATE ON WHO TESTS AND WHAT GRADE LEVEL. SO IT'S NOT NECESSARILY APPLES TO ORANGES. OUR SEVENTH GRADE ADVANCED MATH KIDDOS, JUST LIKE MR. MOORE WAS JUST SAYING TEST EIGHTH GRADE. THEY DON'T TAKE THE SEVENTH GRADE TEST. BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE IN EVERY DISTRICT. AND SO THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DISTRICTS. WE DO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO TIGHTEN UP OUR ALIGNMENT BETWEEN TEST CURRICULUM AND TEST. AND SO WE'RE WORKING REALLY TIGHTLY THIS YEAR WITH OUR SEVENTH GRADE TEACHERS TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THE CORE CURRICULUM. THEY UNDERSTAND THE TEAKS, THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT GOOD INSTRUCTION SHOULD LOOK LIKE. AND SO WE'RE DOING ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH THEM. WE'RE DOING ADDITIONAL PLANNING WITH THEM TO REALLY TRY TO SHORE UP INSTRUCTION. BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S THAT CORE GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE STRUGGLED WITH MATH TRADITIONALLY. NOW THEY'RE IN A PILOT GROUP ALTOGETHER, AND SO WE'RE REALLY PUSHING THEM. DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION A LITTLE BIT? YEAH. IT ALSO BEGS THE QUESTION OF OF WHY. AND I DON'T ASK THIS BECAUSE IT BOTHERS ME. I THINK IT'S A GOOD THING. WHY ARE OUR SEVENTH GRADERS TAKING EIGHTH GRADE MATH, THE TESTING FOR IT? WHY, WHY WHY AREN'T WE JUST CALLING THAT SEVENTH GRADE MATH SINCE WE'RE WE'RE BUMPING THEM UP A LITTLE, LIKE HALF STEP. SO OUR KIDDOS WHO ARE TAKING SIXTH GRADE PAP PRE-AP AND SEVENTH GRADE PRE-AP HAVE COMPACTED CURRICULUM. AND SO THE STATE DOES SAY THAT YOU HAVE TO GIVE THEM THE STAR TEST THAT MATCHES THE CURRICULUM THEY'RE BEING TAUGHT. AND SO OUR EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS, OUR SEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS, EXCUSE ME, THAT ARE SITTING IN THAT CLASS, TAKE ALL THE REST OF SEVENTH GRADE. THEY TOOK HALF OF SEVENTH GRADE. IN SIXTH GRADE, THEY TAKE ALL OF HALF OF SEVENTH GRADE AND THEY TAKE ALL OF EIGHTH GRADE. AND SO BECAUSE PRIMARY INSTRUCTION IS ON THE EIGHTH GRADE, BECAUSE THEY NEED TO TAKE THE EIGHTH GRADE TEST. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE SEPARATE THEM OUT AND TEST THEM DIFFERENTLY. OKAY, I APPRECIATE THAT. ABSOLUTELY. GOOD QUESTION. I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW TO FRAME THIS QUESTION, BUT BESIDES THE SEVENTH GRADE ANOMALY, WHEN YOU'RE CALCULATING ALL THE SCORES TOGETHER, IS IT EVEN BECAUSE I'M LIKE TRUSTEE WELCH? IT DOESN'T IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME. I THINK IT'S GOOD THAT ALL OUR STUDENTS ARE ADVANCED IN MATH. 
          [00:50:01]
I HAVE A SEVENTH GRADER IN MATH RIGHT NOW AND IT IS A CHALLENGE FOR HER. BUT IS IT EVEN WORTH IT TO TRY TO INTERVENE? LIKE DOES THE SEVENTH GRADE? THAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR OVERALL SCORE MATTER ENOUGH TO. BECAUSE THEY OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT IN SIXTH GRADE, THEY'RE WAY UP HERE AND IN EIGHTH GRADE THEY'RE WAY UP HERE. SO THEY'RE NOT MISSING ANYTHING. DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M WHAT? MY QUESTION. YEAH, I DON'T UNDERSTAND OKAY. SORRY, SORRY. 
          SO WOULD IT BE IS IT EVEN LIKE ARE WE TRYING TO GET THAT NUMBER UP. IS IT DOES IT MATTER? SURE. I MEAN, WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO GET IT UP BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, STILL, THERE ARE THE STANDARDS THAT THE STATE EXPECTS THE STUDENTS TO LEARN. AND THE MORE THEY LEARN AND UNDERSTAND THE SEVENTH GRADE MATERIAL, THE BETTER THEY'RE GOING TO UNDERSTAND EIGHTH GRADE MATERIAL AND ON. AND SO WE WANT THEM TO DO THE BEST THEY CAN IN SEVENTH GRADE. SO, YOU KNOW, WE DO WANT TO DO THAT. WE DO WANT TO INTERVENE. WE DO WANT TO GIVE THEM THE BEST INSTRUCTION WE POSSIBLY CAN. SO THEY'RE THEY'RE BETTER SET UP FOR THE FUTURE. BUT IT'S NOT THAT. SO IN SEVENTH GRADE THEY'RE TESTING ON EIGHTH GRADE MATERIAL. THEY HAVEN'T LEARNED YET. NOT SIXTH GRADE MATERIAL THAT THEY'RE FORGETTING REGULAR SEVENTH GRADE. THE REGULAR SEVENTH GRADERS THAT AREN'T IN THE ADVANCED CLASS ARE TESTING. THEY'RE THEY'RE BEING TAUGHT SEVENTH GRADE AND THEY'RE BEING TESTED ON SEVENTH GRADE. SO WHAT YOU HAVE SO WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT, YOU HAVE THE STUDENTS THAT ARE ADVANCED TAKING THE EIGHTH GRADE AND THEY'RE IN THE EIGHTH GRADE COLUMN. AND THEN YOU HAVE SOME STUDENTS WHO ARE DOING SEVENTH GRADE MATH, JUST ACADEMIC SEVENTH GRADE MATH. AND THAT'S THE ONLY GRADE LEVEL THAT THAT HAPPENS WHERE YOU'VE GOT THE YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THAT EVERY TIME, BUT STILL I'M LIKE, IS THE SYSTEM DESIGNED LIKE THAT WHERE IT'S KIND OF LIKE A CATCH 22? BECAUSE IF WE HAVE THESE STUDENTS WHO ARE DOING WELL, THEY'RE AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO MOVE UP. AND SO IS IT. IT IT SEEMS LIKE IT COULD BE A GOTCHA IN A SENSE OF LIKE, WELL, WE HAVE THESE STUDENTS ARE DOING SUCCESSFUL. 
          AND SO IT JUST I DON'T IT JUST SEEMS LIKE OKAY, IF THEY'RE DOING WELL AND THAT'S THE ONLY GRADE WHERE THEY DO THAT, WHERE THEY MOVE IT UP, THOSE ONES THAT ARE MEETING OR MASTERING, THEY'RE GOING TO GET MOVED UP. AND SO THEN THIS LEAVES US OTHER SUBPOPULATION OF STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT GOING TO GET IT. AND THEN ONCE THEY GET IT, THEY'RE GOING TO BE MOVING UP ITSELF. SO IT KIND OF JUST SEEMS LIKE THAT'S GOING TO BE A TARGET OR A STAGNANT TARGET. IN A SENSE, YES. AND IT'S ALL ABOUT MAKING ROOM IN THE STUDENT'S SCHEDULE SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE THAT MORE ADVANCED MATH IN HIGH SCHOOL. SO SO THE THEORY IS, YOU KNOW, THE ONES WHO YOU KNOW, ARE CAPABLE ARE ARE AT THAT ADVANCED LEVEL, MOVE THEM AHEAD SO THAT THEY CAN GET THAT ADVANCED MATH IN HIGH SCHOOL. BUT SO IT SEEMS LIKE THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO ALWAYS LET THAT SEVENTH GRADE BE. IF YOU'RE IN THE BASIC MATH, YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE IN THE LOWER HALF OF IT, BECAUSE THOSE ONES THAT ARE DOING WELL, THAT'S GOING TO BE THE EQUAL, THE RIGHT. IF YOU THINK ABOUT A GRADE IN THE CURVE GOING TO BRING THE CURVE UP IN THE GRADE, THOSE ARE GETTING MOVED ON SO THAT THE SYSTEM SEEMS TO BE DESIGNED TO KEEP IT AT THAT. 
          AND I MEAN, YOU SEE LIKE LIKE BRIAN SAID, IT'S STATEWIDE. I MEAN, YOU SEE THE DIP IN SEVENTH GRADE AND THAT'S THAT'S WHY AND THAT'S ESPECIALLY BEEN TRUE SINCE I BELIEVE IT WAS SENATE BILL 500 THAT REQUIRES DISTRICTS TO LOOK FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED AFTER FIFTH GRADE AND PUT THEM ON A MORE ADVANCED TRACK. SO THEN FOR THOSE LIKE MYSELF, I WAS NOT MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED AT ALL. AND THAT'S I OWNED THAT. I WAS IN THAT LOWER PERCENTILE, AND I STUCK THERE THE REST OF MY CAREER BECAUSE THAT SYSTEM, IN A SENSE, WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY. SO PHILOSOPHICALLY, BIGGER PICTURE. THERE'S SOME OTHER ISSUES THAT WE GOT TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE I DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW THAT SAID THOUGH, WHEN WHEN A STUDENT TAKES, YOU KNOW, AP OR I GUESS IT'S NOT AP IN EIGHTH GRADE, BUT STUDENT TAKES ALGEBRA ONE, THEIR PARENTS HAVE TO SAY, YES, THAT'S OKAY. AND THEN THE STUDENT, I MEAN, HAS TO AGREE, YOU KNOW, ALSO AGREE TO IT. SO YOU HAVE SOME STUDENTS WHO MAYBE ARE LIKE, NO, I JUST WANT TO JUST DO ACADEMIC AND DO REALLY WELL OR, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO HANG WITH WHAT I NEED TO DO AND NOT HAVE TO DO THAT. SO I THINK IT STILL COMES DOWN TO THE BASELINE OF STUDENTS CLEARLY NOT UNDERSTANDING MAYBE EVERYTHING THAT THEY SHOULD. AND SO THAT'S AN AREA WE NEED TO WORK ON. I MEAN, BOTTOM LINE, AND WHEN WHEN THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO PROMOTE THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY DOING WELL. AND THAT'S WHERE THE EMPHASIS GOES ON TO THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY DOING WELL. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS OTHER SUBPOPULATION OF STUDENTS, WHICH I OWN, WAS ME. WHEN THE GREATER PICTURE IS TO PUSH THOSE THAT ARE DOING WELL HIGHER AND HIGHER THAN THE EMPHASIS IS NO LONGER ON THIS, WHICH I KNOW. I KNOW OUR TEAM AND OUR DISTRICT IS TRYING TO CHANGE THAT NARRATIVE. I KNOW THAT FOR A FACT. BUT THE COMPLETE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE, WE'RE LOOKING AT PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND PART OF OUR ROLES AS TRUSTEES IS TO 
          [00:55:02]
ADVOCATE FOR THE COMPLETE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE, NOT JUST OUR DISTRICT. I DON'T KNOW, IT JUST MAKES ME THINK MORE THAT WE COULD HOW WE CAN HAVE MORE. FOR THOSE STUDENTS LIKE ME. THAT SUCKED. I'M WITH YOU. MATH WASN'T MY THING EITHER. I MEAN, THAT WAS ME, I OWN IT. SO WHAT DOES INTERVENTION LOOK LIKE FOR SEVENTH GRADERS THEN? IF THEY'RE APPROACHING OR MEETS, EVERY CAMPUS LOOKS DIFFERENT. EVERY CAMPUS DESIGNS THEIR OWN INTERVENTION SYSTEM. BUT WE HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, LIKE I'VE SAID THIS YEAR, WE HAVE THOSE HALF DAYS AND ARE BUILT INTO OUR CALENDAR WHERE THE TEACHERS GET A HALF A DAY FOR PLANNING. THIS YEAR, WE'VE PULLED THE SEVENTH GRADE MATH TEACHERS ALL TOGETHER, SO WITH THE PRINCIPALS AS WELL. AND SO WE'RE DOING, WE'RE GOING THROUGH AND WE'RE STUDYING THE STANDARDS AND WE'RE KIND OF DIVING THROUGH THOSE TWEAKS. WE'RE DOING SOME ACTIVITIES TOGETHER, TALKING TOGETHER SO THAT WHEN THEY LEAVE US, EVERYBODY HAS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE STANDARD REQUIRES. SOME CAMPUSES HAVE DOUBLE BLOCKED THEIR SEVENTH GRADE MATH CLASSES, SO THE KIDS WILL ACTUALLY GET TWO MATH CLASSES INSTEAD OF JUST THE ONE. AND THEN SOME OF OUR CAMPUSES JUST HAVE THAT BUILT IN INTERVENTION TIME, WHERE THEY PULL THE STUDENTS AND GIVE THEM INTERVENTION ON THE STANDARDS THAT THEY NEED. AFTER LOOKING AT THEIR DATA. OKAY. WELL, DESPITE THE MATH, ALL THE REST OF THE NUMBERS ARE INCREDIBLE. 
          AND I FEEL LIKE SOMETHING WE'VE WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF DATA AND ALL THIS, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S SOMETHING TO BE CELEBRATED YET AGAIN BECAUSE THIS IS A TESTAMENT. THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT IS THE OUTCOMES FOR OUR STUDENTS. AND THEY ARE DOING THEY ARE DOING GREAT AND OUR TEACHERS ARE DOING GREAT. SO CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE. THIS IS AWESOME. THANK YOU. I COMPLETELY AGREE. WE CONSISTENTLY EXCEED BOTH THE REGIONAL AND THE STATE AVERAGES. 
          SO I COMPLETELY CONCUR WITH YOU. COULD WE FLIP TO THE THE TEACHER SLIDE RIGHT QUICK THE DIP AND TEACHERS. THIS MIGHT BE AN HR RELATED QUESTION. TALK ME THROUGH THE THE DECLINE IN IN NUMBER IN TEACHERS THAT THAT YOU JUST EXPLAINED. ONCE AGAIN PLEASE. THERE'S AN ACTUAL INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS. YES SIR. IT'S JUST THE PERCENTAGE OF TEACHERS AS A TOTAL OF OUR WORKFORCE. OKAY. AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY SOMETHING HERE. IT WAS AROUND 4%. BUT IF YOU NOTICE STATEWIDE IT'S IT WAS ABOUT 1.3%. AND THAT'S REALLY REFLECTIVE OF THE STAFF SHORTAGE, THE STAFF SHORTAGE TEACHERS. AND SO THEREIN LIES MY MY QUESTION IS, IS, IS AND YOU DESCRIBED THIS AS A STATEWIDE DILEMMA. YES. SO SO ARE THERE EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO FACILITATE HELPING OUR SUPPORT STAFF OR TEACHERS ASSISTANCE TO GET THE HIGHER EDUCATION CREDENTIALS THAT THEY NEED? I MEAN, ARE WE LEVERAGING OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR DUAL CREDIT PROVIDERS, FOR EXAMPLE, SO THAT SO THAT OUR OUR STAFF CAN BENEFIT FROM COURSES THAT MIGHT ENABLE THEM TO EVENTUALLY BECOME TEACHERS IN THE DISTRICT? YES, SIR. WE HAVE A GROW YOUR OWN PROGRAM THAT'S BEING LED THROUGH JAMIE VINCENT AND OUR TALENT ACQUISITION DEPARTMENT. 
          AND SO WE HAVE ABOUT 100 RESIDENT TEACHERS GOING THROUGH THAT. AND SO THEY'RE ON THE PIPELINE TO BE BACK IN OUR CLASSROOMS AS CERTIFIED TEACHERS. OKAY. I HAVE A QUESTION. WHEN YOU SHOWED YOUR THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS GOING ON TO COLLEGE TRADE SCHOOLS. YES. AND IT'S ONLY IN TEXAS. THAT'S WE WE CURRENTLY ONLY HAVE DATA FOR THOSE THAT ARE IN TEXAS. IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN GET THAT DATA FOR OUT OF STATE? BECAUSE I KNOW AT THE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE NATURE NOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR TOP TWO STATE SCHOOLS AND WITH THE FACT THAT WE'VE CREATED THE BORDER POLICIES, WHERE IF YOU BORDER TEXAS, YOU CAN GET IN-STATE TUITION, THERE'S A LOT OF KIDS GOING OUT OF STATE NOW, DO WE HAVE THOSE NUMBERS? WE DO NOT HAVE THOSE NUMBERS CURRENTLY, HOWEVER WE CAN. THERE'S AN ORGANIZATION CALLED NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE WHERE WE CAN GET OUR OUR SUBSCRIPTION AND GET THOSE NUMBERS FOR FOR OTHER STATES. YEAH. I'M JUST CURIOUS TO SEE THAT NUMBER, BECAUSE IF WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT TEXAS, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT LEAVING US NOW BECAUSE TEXAS HAS BECOME SO COMPETITIVE. ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? COMMENTS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THIS IS THE TIME IN THE PUBLIC HEARING WHERE THE PUBLIC HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN COMMENTING ON THE 2425 TEXAS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE REPORT, PLEASE COME AND STAND BY, MISS JOHNSON. EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN FIVE MINUTES TO SPEAK. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME BEFORE YOU BEGIN. HAD TO SAY IT. OKAY, WE WILL CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING AT 7:32 P.M. OKAY. AND 
          [10. CONSENT AGENDA]
NOW WE WILL DO THE CONSENT AGENDA. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO 
          [01:00:05]
PULL? NO. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA? TRUSTEE BOX MAKES THE MOTION. 
          DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? TRUSTEE ARROYO MAKES THE SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? YEAH, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS WORTH PULLING, BUT I DO HAVE QUESTIONS ON LETTER G AND LETTER L FOR THE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION. LETTER G IS FOR HVAC SERVICES, TEXAS AIR SYSTEMS. AND AS FAR AS I CAN REMEMBER, I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY COMPANY WE'VE USED TO BALANCE OUR OUR AIR AND OUR SCHOOLS. IS IS THAT A GOOD SUMMARY OF WHAT THEY DO? PRETTY MUCH SO. NO, THEY DO ALL OUR AIR CONDITIONING REPAIRS. THEY DO OUR REPAIRS OR ALL OUR AIR CONDITIONING. THEY ALSO DO OUR PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE, AIR FILTERS, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT THEY CHANGE OUT. WE HAD THEM ON A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT, AND WE JUST WENT OUT TO THE MARKETPLACE TO SEE IF WE WERE GETTING RECEIVING THE BEST VALUE. AND AGAIN, THEY WERE THE LOWEST COMPANY THAT PROVIDED THE BEST VALUE FOR THE DISTRICT. I ASK A QUESTION ONLY BECAUSE IT SAYS IN THE SUMMARY THAT THE ADMINISTRATION PROVIDES THE BOARD THAT LAMAR WILL BE PROVIDING THEM AN OFFICE. IS THAT SOMETHING NEW, OR HAVE WE ALWAYS DONE THAT DUE TO OUR HYPERGROWTH OF OUR DISTRICT, WE'RE NOT REALLY PROVIDING. WE ARE PROVIDING AN OFFICE, BUT WE'RE USING PORTABLE BUILDINGS. SO WE'RE USING TWO TEMPORARY BUILDINGS TO MOVE OVER TO HOUSE THEIR EMPLOYEES THAT THEIR THEIR EMPLOYEES. BUT THEY SPEND SO MUCH TIME IN OUR DISTRICT NOW THAT IT'S A PLACE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO SIT, BE ABLE TO DO WORK ORDERS AND THEN BE ABLE TO PICK UP PARTS AND LEAVE. AND WHERE IS THAT IN THE DISTRICT? IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS CENTER OVER THERE BY WESSENDORF MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND WE'RE NOT KICKING OUT ANY LAMAR EMPLOYEES TO PROVIDE SPACE FOR THOSE GUYS. NO, SIR. WE'RE ACTUALLY BRINGING PORTABLE BUILDINGS THAT ARE CURRENTLY NOT BEING USED, AND WE'RE PLACING THEM ON THAT SITE FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO USE THOSE TEMPORARY BUILDINGS. GOTCHA, I APPRECIATE IT. NOW ON TO EL, WHERE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE A WAIVER FOR THE WEATHER DAY THAT WE HAD. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR HOURLY EMPLOYEES ARE NOT BEING REQUIRED TO MAKE UP THOSE HOURS, AND BUS DRIVERS, CUSTODIANS, FOOD SERVICE, PARAS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES IN THE PAST, SOME OF THOSE FOLKS HAVE HAD TO MAKE UP HOURS WHEN WHEN THE OFFICIAL TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS DID NOT BECAUSE THEY GOT THE WAIVER. AND I MIGHT HAVE MY FACTS SLIGHTLY OFF, BUT I KNOW THERE WAS SOME VARIATION LIKE THAT IN THE PAST THAT ALL STAFF ARE INCLUDED IN THIS, AND SO THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO MAKE UP THAT DAY. AND EVERYONE THE RESOLUTION PROVIDES FOR PAYMENT OF ALL THOSE EMPLOYEES FOR THAT DAY OF CLOSURE, AND THEN ANY HOURLY EMPLOYEES THAT WERE REQUIRED TO REPORT TO WORK, GET ADDITIONAL PREMIUM PAY FOR THE HOURS THAT THEY HAVE TO WORK. THAT MIGHT BE THE NUANCE YOU WERE THINKING ABOUT. THAT'S THE RIGHT THING FOR LAMAR TO DO. I JUST, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE A WEATHER DAY, IT'S IT'S GOOD THAT FOLKS STAY HOME AND ARE SAFE AND IT'S GOOD WE PAY OUR TEACHERS AND OUR PRINCIPALS. IT'S ALSO GOOD WE PAY THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE HOURLY EMPLOYEES WHO DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO WORK, AND WE DON'T REQUIRE THEM TO GO SOME OTHER KIND OF SATURDAY TRAINING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO I JUST WAS CLARIFYING THAT I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. I WILL NOW CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE CONSENT AGENDA, SAY I. OKAY. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. OKAY. WE HAVE NO FUTURE ACTION ITEMS. SO AT THIS TIME WE WILL TAKE ACTION ON THE 
          [12.A. Consider approval of Lamar CISD annual comprehensive financial report for 2024-2025 fiscal year]
ACTION ITEMS. WE HAVE MISS LUDWICK COMING TO THE PODIUM. GOOD EVENING. BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND DOCTOR NIVENS. THIS EVENING WE ARE PLEASED TO PRESENT THE RESULTS OF OUR 20 2425 FISCAL YEAR AUDIT. THIS COVERS THE YEAR THAT ENDED AUGUST 31ST, 2025. AND TONIGHT WE HAVE WITH US MISS SALINAS, WHO IS A PARTNER WITH WHITLEY PENN. AND SHE IS THE ONE THAT PERFORMED THE THE HEAVY LIFTING FOR THIS ENGAGEMENT AND MANAGED THE STAFF. SO WITH THAT, I'LL ASK HER TO COME TO THE PODIUM AND GIVE THE RESULTS. THANK YOU, MISS LUDWIG, PRESIDENT HARTZELL, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND DOCTOR NIVENS. AS MISS LUDWIG INDICATED, WE'RE PLEASED TO PRESENT THE 2025 AUDIT RESULTS, AND I WANT TO TAKE YOU THROUGH OUR AUDIT PROCESS, WHICH BEGAN WITH OUR PLANNING AND RISK ASSESSMENT THAT STARTED IN THE LATE SPRING, EARLY SUMMER MONTHS. WE CAME ON SITE AND BEGAN OUR UNDERSTANDING OF INTERNAL CONTROLS, PERFORMED OUR INTERNAL CONTROL TESTING OVER VARIOUS AREAS, WHICH I'LL SHARE WITH YOU HERE MOMENTARILY. 
          [01:05:05]
AFTER THE DISTRICT CLOSED ITS BOOKS AFTER AUGUST 31ST, 2025, WE CAME BACK IN LATE OCTOBER EARLY NOVEMBER TIME FRAME TO PERFORM OUR SUBSTANTIVE TESTING. ALL OF THESE STEPS ARE REQUIRED TO ISSUE AN OPINION ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. THESE ARE THE AREAS THAT WE FOCUSED ON IN THE SUMMER MONTHS. THIS DOESN'T YOU'LL SEE HERE IN THE LAST BLOCK, ALSO INCLUDES YOUR FEDERAL PROGRAMS, NOT JUST THOSE AREAS THAT THAT IMPACT YOUR FINANCIAL REPORTING. 
          INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FEEDS ALL OF THESE AREAS. WE ALSO FOCUS ON THE PUBLIC EDUCATION INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, OR TEAMS TO FOCUS AREAS THERE FOR STUDENT ATTENDANCE, AS WELL AS YOUR FINANCIAL REPORTING TO THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY. OTHER REVENUES THAT WE FOCUS ON ARE CHILD NUTRITION, BECAUSE CASH IS COLLECTED ON SITE AT VARIOUS CAMPUSES. SO WE PERFORM TESTS THERE. PAYROLL AND HUMAN RESOURCES ARE LOOKED AT SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND WE'RE TESTING CONTROLS OVER, OVER THOSE TWO AREAS, AS WELL AS ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND PROCUREMENT, WITH SEGREGATION OF DUTIES BEING THE THE MAIN FOCUS FOR US FEDERAL SPECIFIC TEST IS ALL PROMULGATED BY THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET. AND YOU'LL SEE HERE IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES WHICH FEDERAL PROGRAMS WE TESTED. THE SUBSTANTIVE TEST HAPPENED IN THE FALL TIME FRAME. WE START WITH THE BASIC FLUX ANALYSIS. JUST LOOKING AT WHAT CHANGE FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT. MOVING ON TO RATIO ANALYSIS, WE PERFORM PREDICTIVE TESTS. ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THAT IS LOOKING AT A TEN YEAR TAX COLLECTION RATE, AND THEN COMPARING IT TO THE ACTUAL TAX COLLECTION RATES, WHICH I'LL SHARE WITH YOU HERE AS WELL. 
          VOUCHING INCLUDES LOOKING AT BANK BANK STATEMENTS, INVOICES, ETC. AND OTHER DOCUMENTATION THAT COMES FROM DISTRICT RECORDS. BUT THEN OUR CONFIRMATIONS AND THIRD PARTY REPORTS COME FROM OUTSIDE, RIGHT? SO THAT PROVIDES US WITH THE MOST REASONABLE ASSURANCE FOR OUR AUDIT PROCEDURES AND THE MOST AUDIT EVIDENCE. YOUR CONFIRMATIONS ARE FOR YOUR CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS, YOUR INVESTMENTS, YOUR LONG TERM DEBT. AND THEN THE THIRD PARTY REPORTS ALLOWS US TO SEE ALL OF THE FEDERAL AND STATE REVENUES THAT PASS THROUGH THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, AS WELL AS YOUR STATE AID PAYMENTS. AND THEN THE COMPTROLLER'S PAYMENT REPORT LETS US LOOK AT OTHER FEDERAL OR STATE FUNDS THAT FLOW THROUGH THE STATE OF TEXAS, BUT NOT NECESSARILY THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY. BEST EXAMPLE OF THAT IS THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. THESE STEPS ARE REQUIRED TO GET TO HERE TO WHERE WE'RE AT TONIGHT. WE CAN ISSUE ONE OF THREE OPINIONS UNMODIFIED, MODIFIED OR A DISCLAIMER. SO I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT OR TO REPORT THAT YOU HAVE EARNED AND I SAY EARNED BECAUSE IT IS QUITE A PROCESS TO GET HERE TO TO THIS PART OF THE THE AUDIT, BECAUSE YOU SPEND MORE THAN $750,000 IN FEDERAL FUNDS. WE HAVE TO APPLY NOT ONLY GENERALLY ACCEPTED AUDITING STANDARDS, BUT ALSO GENERALLY ACCEPTED GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS, ALSO KNOWN AS THE YELLOW BOOK. WITH THAT UNMODIFIED OPINION COMES NO INTERNAL CONTROL FINDINGS, NOR ANY FINDINGS RELATED TO COMPLIANCE. WE LOOK AT THE PUBLIC FUNDS INVESTMENT ACT PROCUREMENT AS IT RELATES TO STATE REQUIREMENTS. ON THE FEDERAL SIDE, WE WE REVIEWED YOUR SCHEDULE OF EXPENDITURES OF FEDERAL AWARDS THIS YEAR. THOSE FEDERAL AWARDS OR EXPENDITURES TOTALED $38.1 MILLION. WE GAINED 54.3% COVERAGE JUST WITH TESTING. THE CHILD NUTRITION CLUSTER THAT INCLUDES YOUR BREAKFAST AND LUNCH PROGRAMS AS WELL AS COMMODITIES. THIS PROGRAM IS RECEIVING AN UNMODIFIED OPINION WITH NO INTERNAL CONTROL FINDINGS RELATED TO THE PROGRAM. 
          ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I MOVE ON TO THE GOVERNMENT WIDE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS? YES. 
          COULD YOU FLIP BACK A COUPLE OF SLIDES TO THE NO INTERNAL CONTROL FINDINGS? YES. THIS ONE OR YES. AND JUST JUST TALK US THROUGH THE YOUR THIRD POINT THERE NO INTERNAL CONTROL FINDINGS RELATED TO FINANCIAL REPORTING. SURE. SO WE HAVE WE HAVE THREE OPTIONS TO REPORT A CONTROL DEFICIENCY A SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCY OR A MATERIAL WEAKNESS. A CONTROL DEFICIENCY WOULD BE MATTERS THAT WE WOULD PRESENT TO YOU BUT DON'T NECESSARILY MAKE IT INTO THIS REPORT. A SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCY INDICATES THAT THERE IS A BREAKDOWN IN CONTROLS, BUT IT'S NOT MATERIAL TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, AND IT DOES WARRANT REPORTING IT TO GRANTORS, THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY. AND A MATERIAL WEAKNESS SAYS THAT IT'S A COMBINATION OF SIGNIFICANT DEFICIENCY OR SUCH A GRAVE DEFICIENCY THAT IT COULD HAVE A MATERIAL EFFECT ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. OKAY. AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE? NONE. NO RED FLAG ISSUES WHATSOEVER. CORRECT. NOT NOT THIS YEAR. THANK YOU. OKAY. ON YOUR GOVERNMENT WIDE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THESE FINANCIALS MIMIC THAT OF A CORPORATION. IT PRESENTS ALL OF THE ASSETS AND THE QUASI ASSETS THAT THE DISTRICT OWNS VERSUS EVERYTHING THAT IT OWES, LEAVING A NET 
          [01:10:01]
WORTH OR NET POSITION OF THE DISTRICT. WE STARTS WITH YOUR ASSETS AND DEFERRED OUTFLOWS OF 3.6 BILLION, WITH CAPITAL ASSETS TOTALING $2.2 BILLION IN CASH AND INVESTMENTS COMING IN AT SECOND AT $1.3 BILLION. THESE ARE JUST HIGHLIGHTS. THERE ARE OTHER COMPONENTS WITHIN ASSETS, BUT THESE WERE THE TWO LARGEST ASSET CATEGORIES. LIABILITIES TOTALED $3.7 BILLION, WITH THE LARGEST COMPONENT BEING BONDS PAYABLE AT $3.3 BILLION. AND THEN THESE LAST TWO CATEGORIES HAVE ASTERISKS NEXT TO THEM, THE NET PENSION LIABILITY AS WELL AS THE NET OPEB LIABILITY. OPEB STANDS FOR OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS. THE NET PENSION LIABILITY IS THE RETIREMENT OF THE LCISD EMPLOYEES. THEY PARTICIPATE IN TRS OR THE TEACHER RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF TEXAS, AND OPEB IS THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDED TO RETIREES. THIS IS YOUR SHARE OF THE LIABILITY THAT SITS AT THE STATE LEVEL. IT IS NOT A CHECK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WRITE TOMORROW FOR 136 OR $83 MILLION. IT JUST SAYS IF TRS WERE TO FAIL, THIS WOULD BE YOUR PROPORTIONATE SHARE. YOUR PROPORTIONATE SHARE IS DETERMINED BY YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS, DIVIDED BY THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE STATE. 
          EVERYONE THAT PARTICIPATES IN TRS. SO IT'S LESS THAN A PERCENTAGE, BUT THAT THAT LIABILITY IS IS LARGE. BUT AGAIN, IT DOES NOT REPRESENT A CASH LIABILITY. THE NET POSITION IS A DEFICIT OF $153 MILLION. HOWEVER, WITH THE TEXAS EDUCATION DOES EVERY YEAR IS THEY ADD BACK THESE TWO LIABILITIES TOGETHER. THESE TWO LIABILITIES TOTALED $219 MILLION. AND SO WITH THAT, YOUR NET POSITION WOULD ACTUALLY BE $66 MILLION. THIS HAPPENS DURING THE FIRST RATING PROCESS. T WILL ACTUALLY DO THAT WITH THE FINANCIAL FIGURES THAT ARE THAT ARE PRESENTED. WHEN WE MOVE INTO YOUR OPERATING FUND OR THE GENERAL FUND, YOU'LL SEE THAT TOTAL REVENUES WERE $475 MILLION, WHICH THE WHICH THE LARGEST CATEGORY IS MADE UP OF STATE AID AT $243 MILLION, OR 51%. PROPERTY TAXES CAME IN SECOND AT $195 MILLION, OR 41%. 
          YOU HAD A COLLECTION RATE OF 98.8%. ACTUALLY, YOUR YOUR TAX RATE DECREASED SLIGHTLY BY 1,000TH OF A OF A PERCENTAGE. BUT YOUR VALUES DID INCREASE BY ABOUT $3 BILLION. THAT'S OUT OF YOUR CONTROL. BUT YOUR YOUR TAX RATE DID DECREASE SLIGHTLY. STILL, YOUR PROPERTY TAXES WERE AT THE $195 MILLION THE TRS ON BEHALF IS IS HIGHLIGHTED HERE IN YELLOW FOR YOU FOR FOR THE MAIN REASON TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IT IS NOT CASH. THIS IS THE STATE'S OR YOUR RECOGNITION OF THE STATE'S CONTRIBUTION INTO EACH OF THE EMPLOYEES PENSION PLAN AND OPEB PLANS. 
          THERE IS A SISTER ENTRY ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, SO IT HAS A ZERO EFFECT TO FUND BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND. BUT I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU DIDN'T GET ADDITIONAL $27 MILLION. IT IS A BOOK ENTRY THAT HAS TO BE RECOGNIZED AND DISCLOSED IN THE NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THE OTHER REVENUE AND THE RED PORTION OF THE OF THE PIE IS $10 MILLION, WITH $6.5 MILLION IN INTEREST EARNINGS AND THEN ABOUT $1.8 MILLION IN FEDERAL REVENUE. 
          TOTAL EXPENDITURES TOTAL $479 MILLION. WITH THE BULK OF YOUR EXPENDITURES IN INSTRUCTION AND RELATED SERVICES, OR $301 MILLION, YOU'LL SEE THAT YOUR INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP. WE'RE AT $37 MILLION. AND IF WE CAN GO TO YOUR GENERAL ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT AND T DOES KEEP AN EYE ON THAT. THAT TOTAL $12 MILLION OR 2% OF THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES. MOST DISTRICTS, WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PEER DISTRICTS IN REGION FOUR ARE BETWEEN 2 TO 3%. AND YOU'RE ON THE LOWER END OF YOUR PEER DISTRICTS, AND THEN, OF COURSE, YOUR FACILITIES, MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS TOTALED $48 MILLION, AS MR. BUCHANAN ALSO EXPLAINED, AS WELL WITH WITH THE GROWTH OF THE DISTRICT, YOU SAW THE AN INCREASE IN THIS AREA AS WELL. HERE WE COMPARE YOUR GENERAL FUND BY CLASS, LOOKING AT IT AT PAYROLL, CONTRACTED SERVICES, SUPPLIES AND OTHER OPERATING EXPENSES. YOU'LL SEE THAT YOUR INSTRUCTION AND INSTRUCTION RELATED PAYROLL TOTALED $286 MILLION, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF $28 MILLION. AND THEN YOU HAD OTHER PAYROLL ALSO INCREASE BY $11 MILLION. THAT'S THAT'S DUE TO YOUR STIPEND THAT YOU GAVE A 3% AVERAGE INCREASE AS WELL. AND THEN YOU HAD AN INCREASE IN FTES. SO YOU SAW THE 67% OF THE INCREASE IN PAYROLL WAS RELATED TO INSTRUCTION AND INSTRUCTION RELATED SERVICES. AND SO OVERALL, YOU'LL SEE YOUR EXPENDITURES WERE 479, COMPARED TO $438 MILLION IN THE PRIOR YEAR. YOU STARTED THE YEAR WITH 
          [01:15:07]
$100 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE, AND THEN YOU BROUGHT IN THE $475 MILLION THAT WE DISSECTED EARLIER AND SPENT $479 MILLION, WITH AN OVERALL DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE OF $4 MILLION, PRIMARILY DUE TO THE RETENTION STIPEND AS WELL AS THE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS THAT CAME WITH THE PAY CYCLE CHANGE. OVERALL, YOUR ENDING FUND BALANCE TOTALED $96 MILLION. 
          YOU HAVE NON SPENDABLE OF $7 MILLION. AS THE NAME INDICATES, YOU CANNOT SPEND IT. YOU CANNOT CONVERT IT TO CASH THAT THERE'S $3 MILLION. THAT'S NON SPENDABLE. IS $3 MILLION HIGHER BECAUSE OF THAT STIPEND THAT WAS PAID EARLY. SO YOU HAD TO SHOW PART OF THAT AS A NON SPENDABLE PREPAID ITEM. AND THEN ASSIGNED AND UNASSIGNED TOTALED $88 MILLION WHICH IS 18% OF EXPENDITURES OR 66 DAYS. THE DISTRICT DOES HAVE A POLICY TO MAINTAIN 12.5% TO 25% OF FUND BALANCE IN COMPARISON TO HIS EXPENDITURES, SO YOU'RE STILL WITHIN YOUR POLICY. AND T WILL ALSO LOOK AT THOSE TWO CATEGORIES. LOOKING AT YOUR DEBT SERVICE FUND. YOU ALSO LEVY TAXES IN THIS AREA AND DO RECEIVE SOME STATE AID. YOU STARTED THE YEAR WITH $69 MILLION IN REVENUES, TOTALED $163 MILLION. THAT REVENUE IS MADE UP OF INTEREST INCOME OF $4.5 MILLION, PROPERTY TAXES OF $141 MILLION. THAT TAX RATE DID NOT CHANGE. IT STAYED AT $0.48. 
          AGAIN, YOU HAD AN INCREASE IN YOUR VALUES. YOU HAD NET OTHER FINANCING SOURCES, RESOURCES DUE TO THE REFUNDING OF YOUR BONDS, WHICH WAS ABOUT $212 MILLION AND INCREASED THAT FUND BALANCE. OVERALL, YOU ENDED THE YEAR AT $59 MILLION. YOU NOW HAVE 34% OR 124 OF EXPENDITURES IN FUND BALANCE. THE RECOMMENDATION IS 25%, AND THIS ALLOWS THE DISTRICT TO LOOK INTO FURTHER REFUNDING IN THE FUTURE OF ITS OUTSTANDING DEBT. ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME? YES, MA'AM. QUICK QUESTION. YOU'RE THE PARTNER. YES. RIGHT. AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN THE PARTNER ON OUR. THIS IS MY THIRD YEAR. OKAY. AND SO WHEN YOU SINCE YOUR FIRM OBVIOUSLY CHANGES PARTNERS PERIODICALLY, DO YOU CHANGE OUT THE FULL STAFF? YES. CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? SURE. SO THIS YEAR WE HAD EILEEN MAKALINTAL. SHE WAS THE SENIOR MANAGER AND THEN WE HAD OTHER SENIOR ASSOCIATES. PRIOR TO THAT, WE HAD LEON CARANDANG, WHO WAS THAT SENIOR MANAGER THAT ALSO SERVED WITH ME. BUT BEFORE THAT WE HAD AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT TEAM AND DIFFERENT PARTNER AS WELL. SO EVERY FIVE YEARS OR SO WE CHANGE THE PARTNERS AND AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LARGE PCOB PRACTICE AT THE FIRM. AND SO WE'RE ACCUSTOMED TO TO DOING THAT AS WELL. AND WHAT WOULD BE THE SENSE OF SWITCHING OUT PARTNERS AND FULL STAFF PERIODICALLY AS YOU IT'S A IT'S A FRESH SET OF EYES. RIGHT. AND SO THE BENEFIT OF NOT SWITCHING PARTNERS, BUT NOT FIRM IS THAT YOU STILL HAVE THE HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE, BUT THE PARTNER ALLOWS A DIFFERENT VIEW. YOU STILL HAVE THE QUALITY CONTROL PARTNER. THAT WILL CHANGE AS WELL. BUT THAT GIVES YOU A FRESH PERSPECTIVE. YES, SIR. I'D LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION THAT'S VERY RELEVANT. 
          WHENEVER PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS GET A LOT OF CRITICISM FROM FROM THE CRITICS OUT THERE, WHICH IS THE THE BUDGET OF THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION. CORRECT. AND YOU SAID WE SPEND $12 MILLION, ROUGHLY 2% OF OUR GENERAL BUDGET. IS THAT COMPARING APPLES TO APPLES WITH ALL THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT YOU GUYS? IN OTHER WORDS, ARE WE COUNTING THE SAME TYPE OF EMPLOYEES IN THE SAME NUMBERS, REGARDLESS IF THEY'RE IN THE CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING OR SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT? THAT'S CORRECT. WE DO A LOT OF EFFICIENCY AUDITS, AND SO WE HAVE DATA TO LOOK AT PEER DISTRICTS. AND SO LOOKING WE WE HAVE DATA FOR DISTRICTS WITH 45,000 KIDS IN A LOVE. AND WE COMPARED YOU TO YOUR REGION FOUR DISTRICTS. AND SO THAT DOES LOOK AT APPLES TO APPLES AND COMPARES THOSE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. AND THIS IS ACTUALLY DATA PROVIDED BY THE STATE. SO IT'S ALREADY BEEN VETTED. IT'S COMING FROM AUDITED INFORMATION FROM ALL OF THOSE AUDITORS THAT THAT AUDIT THOSE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS LAMAR CONSOLIDATED PEER DISTRICTS. 
          YES, SIR. ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU SO MUCH. OH. IS THERE ANY PUBLIC PARTICIPATION? MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO APPROVE THE LAMAR CISD ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE 2425 FISCAL YEAR? AS PRESENTED? I'LL MAKE A MOTION. TRUSTEE LAMBERT 
          [01:20:04]
MAKES THE MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND TRUSTEE? MASTERS MAKES THE SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, YOU HAVE SOME DISCUSSION. OKAY. THAT DISCUSSION. BUT JUST A COMMENT IF NO ONE ELSE HAS ONE. MR. WELSH, YOU STOLE MY THUNDER, SIR. YOU. I'M VERY PROUD OF THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE RATED, YOU KNOW, THE 2% FOR GENERAL ADMINISTRATION. BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S A BOOK TITLED WHAT GOT US HERE WON'T GET US THERE. AND YOU SAW THE ACADEMIC DATA THAT I'M VERY PROUD TO PRESENT. WE HAVE SOME TEACHERS IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM. WE HAVE SOME FOLKS THAT ARE DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB WITH STUDENTS, BUT ALSO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE TO SUPPORT THOSE CAMPUSES. AND WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO SEE HAPPEN IS WHEN A MATH TEACHER NEEDS SUPPORT AND HE OR SHE SENDS AN EMAIL, THEN IT TAKES SIX WEEKS BEFORE THEY CAN GET SUPPORT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO SUPPORT THE TEACHERS. SO I'M JUST GIVING A HEADS UP TO EVERYBODY THAT THAT NUMBER WILL HAVE TO INCREASE, AND WE CAN'T ALLOW THE CRITICS THAT DON'T HAVE STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT DON'T HAVE STUDENTS IN THAT CLASSROOM TO DICTATE HOW WE SUPPORT THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE, BECAUSE THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE DESERVE A WHOLE LOT MORE. RIGHT. AND SO I'M JUST GIVING A HEADS UP AND JUST, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT GOING TO INCREASE BY 5%. BUT WE AS WE CONTINUE TO GROW, WE HAVE TO GROW THE PEOPLE THAT SUPPORT THE CAMPUSES. WHEN TEACHERS NEED SUPPORT, WE HAVE TO BE THERE TO SUPPORT THEM. WE CAN'T JUST SAY, OKAY, TEACHER X, DO IT ON YOUR OWN, FIGURE IT OUT. WE HAVE TO SEE AN INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES. WE HAVE TO SEE IN CONTENT SPECIALISTS. WE HAVE TO SEND PEOPLE TO HELP TEACHERS, ESPECIALLY NEWER TEACHERS THAT DON'T UNDERSTAND THE CONTENT AS MUCH OR LIKE A VETERAN TEACHER. 
          WE HAVE TO SEND PEOPLE TO SUPPORT THOSE, THOSE TEACHERS SO THEY CAN SUPPORT THE KIDS. 
          AND SO THAT IS A CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE HAVING. WE HAVE NOT ADDED VERY MANY PEOPLE TO OUR OUR CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION TEAM. AND SO WE ARE STILL SUPPORTING MORE STAFF. WE'VE SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE OPENED 15 SCHOOLS. WE'VE ADDED ABOUT 14,000 KIDS AND TEACHERS COME WITH THAT. BUT WE HAVEN'T SUPPORTED OUR TEACHERS WITH OUR STAFF BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T ADDED A LOT OF OUR STAFF. SO ONE THING YOU KNOW ABOUT ROOSEVELT, HE'S GOING TO ALWAYS BE UP FRONT AND BE TRANSPARENT WITH YOU, AND I'M GOING TO TELL YOU BEFORE IT COMES. AND SO THIS YEAR, WE'RE FOCUSING ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS MORE RIGHT? WHEN THEY ASK FOR SUPPORT, WE HAVE TO BE THERE QUICKER TO SUPPORT THEM. AND SO I JUST WANT TO THE WHOLE WORLD TO KNOW THAT THAT THAT'S OUR THAT'S THAT'S THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING AND THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO SUPPORT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE. ALL RIGHT. I WILL NOW CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP. TRUSTEES, WE HAVE DOCTOR MAXWELL AND MISSUS ORTEGA. NEXT DAY, WHILE THEY'RE WHILE THEY'RE SETTING UP. I ALREADY SAID WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY. SO, YOU KNOW, I GUESS I'LL BE QUIET WHILE THEY SET UP. 
          [12.B. Consider approval of secondary schools rezoning process and draft options for Williams High School, Urbanski Junior High School, and Dresner Middle School (Secondary Complex #8)]
ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, BOARD OF TRUSTEES. DOCTOR NIVENS. TONIGHT, ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT WILL PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE REZONING PROCESS AND SHARE THE INITIAL DRAFT OPTIONS FOR SECONDARY COMPLEX EIGHT OR WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL OR JUNIOR HIGH AND DRESNER MIDDLE SCHOOL. AS A QUICK OVERVIEW, ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT SUPPORTS THE DISTRICT'S EFFORTS IN BALANCING STUDENT POPULATIONS ACROSS CAMPUSES. THIS INCLUDES LEVELING, CAPPING, AND OVERFLOW MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING FOR NEW CAMPUSES. TONIGHT, WE ARE FOCUSED ON THE OPENING OF THREE NEW SECONDARY CAMPUSES IN AUGUST OF 2027. WE CURRENTLY WILL HAVE THREE NEW SECONDARY CAMPUSES SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN AUGUST OF 2027. THESE NEW SCHOOLS ARE PART OF OUR CONTINUED EFFORT TO STAY AHEAD OF THE GROWTH AND ENSURE WE MAINTAIN MANAGEABLE CLASS SIZES AND EQUITABLE ACCESS TO RESOURCES. OUR REZONING PROCESS IS GUIDED BY SEVERAL KEY OBJECTIVES. ABOVE ALL, WE AIM TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS. THAT MEANS KEEPING NEIGHBORHOODS AND FEEDER PATTERNS TOGETHER WHENEVER THAT IS POSSIBLE, ALIGNING ENROLLMENT WITH CAMPUS CAPACITY, AND REDUCING OVERCROWDING. WE ALSO CONSIDER STUDENT PROXIMITY TO CAMPUS, SAFE TRAVEL ROUTES AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION WITH IMPACTED FAMILIES. THESE CRITERIA HELP ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND FAIRNESS IN EVERY REZONING EFFORT. OUR PROCESS INCLUDES FIVE MAJOR STEPS OUR DEMOGRAPHERS DEVELOP 
          [01:25:02]
MULTIPLE REZONING OPTIONS. THESE ARE VETTED INTERNALLY AND THEN BROUGHT TO THE BOARD TO APPROVE FOR PUBLIC REVIEW. STEP TWO WILL OPEN A COMMUNITY SURVEY FOR FAMILIES AND POTENTIALLY AFFECTED AREAS TO PROVIDE INPUT. STEP THREE THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY COMMITTEE, OR ABC, WILL REVIEW BOTH THE DATA AND THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK TO RANK THE OPTIONS. STEP FOUR WILL PRESENT THOSE RANKINGS TO THE BOARD FOR REVIEW AND THEN STEP FIVE. THE BOARD THEN SELECTS AND APPROVES THE FINAL ZONING PROCESS. THE ABC PROVIDES AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR PARENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. EACH IMPACTED SECONDARY CAMPUS WILL HAVE AT LEAST TWO REPRESENTATIVES SELECTED BY THEIR CAMPUS ADMINISTRATORS, AS WELL AS AT LEAST ONE FROM EACH IMPACTED ELEMENTARY CAMPUS. IN THE PAST, OUR PROCEDURE WAS TO ALLOW THE TRUSTEES FOR THE IMPACTED AREAS TO APPOINT UP TO TWO MEMBERS FOR THE ABC. FOR THE SECONDARY COMPLEX EIGHT SECRETARY BOX WOULD BE THE TRUSTEE REPRESENTING THE IMPACTED AREA. BUT WE HEARD LAST MONTH THAT VICE PRESIDENT WELCH HAS REQUESTED TO ALLOW TRUSTEES TO PROVIDE MEMBERS TO THE ABC, AND THAT WOULD BE AT THE BOARD'S WILL. WE WANT THIS COMMITTEE TO REFLECT OUR COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE THOUGHTFUL, BALANCED FEEDBACK TO GUIDE THE REZONING RECOMMENDATIONS. AS A REMINDER, THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY COMMITTEE FUNCTIONS ONLY AS AN ADVISORY BODY AND DOES NOT MAKE FINAL DECISIONS FROM REVIEWING MULTIPLE DATA POINTS, THE ABC DEVELOPS AND PRESENTS A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES BY SHARING THE RANK ORDER OF THE ZONING OPTIONS. AND SO HERE'S THE LIST OF RECOMMENDED ABC MEMBERS. WE ALSO HEARD FROM MISS BOX THAT SHE HAS ANOTHER CANDIDATE OF MISS CARA HAGER TO THE ABC. SO I JUST WANT TO SHARE THOSE NAMES WITH YOU. THIS SLIDE OUTLINES THE PROPOSED TIMELINE FOR THE REZONING PROCESS. WE'VE ALREADY REVIEWED OPTIONS INTERNALLY AND SHARED THEM WITH IMPACTED PRINCIPALS. TONIGHT'S MEETING WE'RE PRESENTING THE PROCESS AND THE DRAFT OPTIONS. IF APPROVED, THE SURVEY WILL OPEN IN FEBRUARY. THE ABC WILL MEET IN MARCH AND WILL BEGIN FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS OR BRING FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD IN MAY. ALSO, JUST SO YOU'RE AWARE, AN UPDATE ON THE ELEMENTARY ABC'S FOR BECERRA AND ADAMS AND ALSO SLIVINSKI AND CANTU. THEY HAVE CREATED THEIR OWN OPTIONS. BOTH ABC COMMITTEES HAVE. THUS WE ARE ACTUALLY OPENING UP ANOTHER SURVEY FOR PARENTS TO GIVE FEEDBACK ON THOSE OPTIONS AS WE HEARD FROM THE BOARD PREVIOUSLY. AND THAT SURVEY WILL RUN CONCURRENTLY WITH THE SECONDARY IF IT'S APPROVED TONIGHT. THIS AGAIN, WE'RE BRINGING BACK THE REZONING TOOL FOR THE INTERACTIVE MAP. I'VE WORKED WITH PLAN WHERE AND THEY HAVE ALREADY CREATED AN INTERACTIVE MAP WHERE PEOPLE CAN PUT IN THEIR ADDRESS AT THE TOP. ONCE THEY SELECT SECONDARY, WHEN THEY PUT THEIR ADDRESS IN, THEY'LL SELECT THEIR HOME ADDRESS AND IT WILL ACTUALLY SHOW THEM WHICH CAMPUSES THEY WOULD BE ZONED TO IN EACH OF THE OPTIONS. SO THEY GO IN, DROP DOWN TO 27, 28, PICK HIGH SCHOOL, JUNIOR HIGH OR MIDDLE SCHOOL, ENTER THEIR ADDRESS, AND THEN THEY'RE ABLE TO SEE WHERE THEY WOULD BE ZONED IN EACH OPTION. WE'VE ALSO ADDED THE ABC CREATED ZONES FOR THE ELEMENTARY, SO THE ELEMENTARY FAMILIES WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS AND USE THIS AS WELL DURING THE SURVEY. SO THESE NEXT SLIDES WILL SHOW ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS AND REZONING OPTIONS FOR HIGH SCHOOL. NUMBER EIGHT, EACH OPTION BALANCES STUDENT POPULATIONS DIFFERENTLY WHILE AIMING TO MINIMIZE DISRUPTION TO EXISTING ATTENDANCE AREAS. YOU'LL SEE COMPARISONS BETWEEN THE CURRENT BOUNDARIES AND THE PROJECTED ENROLLMENTS FOR THE FOLLOWING YEARS. AND REMEMBER, AT THIS STAGE, THESE ARE JUST DRAFT DRAFT OPTIONS FOR ABC REVIEW AND PUBLIC FEEDBACK. SO THIS IS OUR CURRENT OPTION AS YOU SEE A LOT OF OVERCROWDING THAT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING IN THE HIGH SCHOOL AREA. THIS IS OPTION ONE. THIS IS OPTION TWO. SO FROM OPTION ONE THIS IS A VERY SMALL VERY SMALL DETAIL. SO IN OPTION ONE IF I HIT THE RIGHT BUTTON. SO WE HAVE TWO SMALL PLANNING AREAS RIGHT HERE JUST NORTH OF TAMARON PARKWAY THAT WOULD THEN REMAIN AT FULSHEAR HIGH SCHOOL IN OPTION TWO. SO OUR BOUNDARY WOULD GO FROM TAMARON PARKWAY OR EXCUSE ME, IN OPTION ONE, IT WOULD GO FROM JORDAN ROAD TO TAMRON PARKWAY WOULD BE THE BOUNDARY FOR THE BETWEEN. OPTION ONE. OPTION TWO. AND THEN OPTION THREE. AT THIS POINT WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD REGARDING HIGH SCHOOL NUMBER EIGHT OR WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL OPTIONS? OKAY. NEXT WE'LL LOOK AT THE JUNIOR HIGH NUMBER EIGHT OR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL. THE REZONING PROJECTIONS. THE ZONES FOR THE JUNIOR HIGH ARE THE SAME OPTIONS BY LAND AS HIGH SCHOOL, BECAUSE OUR SECONDARY CAMPUSES HAVE THE SAME ZONES ONCE THEY'RE SELECTED. AGAIN, THESE ARE INITIAL DRAFTS AND WILL BE REVIEWED BY THE ABC AND COMMUNITY BEFORE COMING BACK TO THE BOARD. ALSO BE AWARE, BECAUSE OF ADDITIONS THAT WILL 
          [01:30:04]
BE ADDED TO OUR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND JUNIOR HIGH, WE HAD TO HAVE TWO DIFFERENT TABLES GOING FORWARD BECAUSE THOSE ROOMS ARE EXPECTED TO OPEN IN 2008. SO THIS IS OUR CURRENT. 
          HERE'S OPTION ONE. OPTION TWO. AND THEN OPTION THREE. ANY QUESTIONS ON THE JUNIOR HIGH. 
          NEXT WE'LL LOOK AT MIDDLE SCHOOL NUMBER EIGHT OR DRESNER MIDDLE SCHOOL. AGAIN WE'LL LOOK AT THE SAME ZONES. AND AGAIN THESE ARE THE EXACT SAME LAND AREAS FOR EACH OPTION. AGAIN WE'RE ADDING MORE SPACE TO ROBERTS MIDDLE SCHOOL. SO THUS THE TWO DIFFERENT TABLES. 
          HERE'S OUR CURRENT OPTION ONE. OPTION TWO. AND THEN OPTION THREE. BOARD. AS A REMINDER, THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM. WE'RE ASKING THE BOARD TO APPROVE THE PROCESS, THE TIMELINE AND THE DRAFT OPTIONS FOR THE ABC. AND IF THE ABC ARE HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO CREATE THEIR OWN OPTION. I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION. ALL RIGHT. OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO APPROVE THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY COMMITTEE? THE SLATE OF DRAFT ZONING OPTIONS FOR WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL, URBANSKI JUNIOR HIGH, AND DRESNER MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND TO ALLOW THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY COMMITTEE TO CREATE ONE ADDITIONAL ZONING OPTION. OKAY, TRUSTEE BOX MAKES THE MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND TRUSTEE WELCH MAKES THE SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION IS THIS WHAT WE'RE APPROVING ALLOWING? ALL OF US TO POSSIBLY APPOINT IF WE WANT TO CITIZENS TO THE COMMITTEE TO ABC? IS THAT WHAT AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE OPTION THAT I SHOWED HAS A MEMBER APPOINTED BY YOURSELF. YEAH. 
          MR. WELCH OKAY. SO THAT WOULD BE THE. THAT WOULD BE THE ABC. THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY COMMITTEE CLOSED AT THIS POINT. OKAY, GREAT. ALL IN FAVOR? I'LL NOW CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. MOTION CARRIES SEVEN ZERO. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. BOARD, TRUSTEES 
          [12.C. Consider approval of design development for Elementary School #40]
AND DOCTOR WILL BRING FORTH A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE APPROVAL OF DESIGN DEVELOPMENT FOR CANTU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. JUST TO REMIND THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC. CANTU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS LOCATED ON FM 359, NORTH OF DOWNTOWN FULSHEAR AND ADJACENT TO MIDDLE SCHOOL NUMBER EIGHT. THIS IS OPTION NUMBER ONE. OPTION NUMBER ONE, ALONGSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL NUMBER EIGHT APPROVED DESIGN. OPTION NUMBER TWO. OPTION TWO NEXT TO MIDDLE SCHOOL NUMBER EIGHT. 
          OPTION THREE. OPTION THREE NEXT TO MIDDLE SCHOOL NUMBER EIGHT. THESE WERE OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THE COMMITTEE VOTED. OPTION ONE HAD THREE VOTES. OPTION TWO HAD ZERO. OPTION THREE HAD SIX. SO THIS IS THE RANKING WITH OPTION NUMBER THREE ADJACENT TO MIDDLE SCHOOL NUMBER EIGHT. THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM. AND WE'RE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER AND APPROVE THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NUMBER 40. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION. I HAVE A JUST FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES. NUMBER 40 IS THAT BECERRA? WHY WHY AM I THINKING THAT'S BECERRA BECERRA ELEMENTARY? NO, SIR. IT'S CANTU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
          THIS IS SECONDARY. SECONDARY. OH, IT'S ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ADJACENT TO MIDDLE SCHOOL NUMBER EIGHT. OKAY. SO WE'RE THIS WE'RE YOU'RE SECONDARY EIGHT, WHICH IS OKAY. NEVER 
          [01:35:06]
MIND. WE'LL GO BACK TO THIS MAP. YES, SIR. THIS IS WILLIAMS HIGH SCHOOL. THIS IS THE JUNIOR HIGH. 
          THIS IS THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. AND THEN THIS IS CANTU ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. OKAY. CANTU, WHICH IS ELEMENTARY, NUMBER 40. IS IT? THAT'S CORRECT SIR. OKAY. ALL RIGHT THEN. MY NUMBERS ARE MIXED UP. THANK YOU. I'LL MAKE A MOTION. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE CALLING? SORRY, I JUST I HAD A QUESTION IN THE OPTIONS. SO OPTION I CAN SEE WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS WITH OPTION TWO. 
          WHAT ARE CAN YOU CALL OUT THE MAJOR OPTION DIFFERENCE IN THE OPTION ONE AND THREE. IS IT JUST I SEE STONE. IT'S REALLY THE THE DIFFERENCE. IF YOU'LL NOTICE THIS IS A LADDER. WHEN IT LOOKS AT THE MASONRY ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING, IT'S A LIGHTER TONE TO IT. WHEN YOU LOOK AT OPTION THREE, IT HAS DARKER TONES WITH THE STONE AROUND THE WINDOWS AND AROUND THE PARAPET WALLS ON THE ROOF. WHEN THE COMMITTEE MEETS, THEY'RE ONLY LOOKING AT THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING AND NOT NECESSARILY THE INSIDE THE WAY IT'S SET UP. THAT IS CORRECT BECAUSE WE HAVE A PROTOTYPE. THE INSIDE IS SET WITH THE PROTOTYPE, SO THAT DOESN'T CHANGE. THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE EXTERIOR OF THE FACILITY LOOKING AT LIKE THIS PICTURES. 
          THEY'RE COMPARING MIDDLE SCHOOL NUMBER EIGHT TO THE ADJACENT BUILDING NEXT TO IT IN THE COMMUNITY AROUND IT SAYING, WHICH ONE DO THEY THINK WOULD BETTER FIT WITH THAT SITE? OKAY. 
          AND THIS IS PATTERNED AFTER HAYGOOD ELEMENTARY. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT. 
          TRUSTEE WELCH, DO YOU WANT TO MAKE THE MOTION? YEAH, I WAS GOING TO MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE OPTION NUMBER THREE, SINCE THAT'S THAT GOT THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMITTEE VOTE. 
          SECOND. OKAY. ANY DISCUSSION, CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. MOTION CARRIES 
          [12.D. Consider approval of design development for Elementary School #41]
SEVEN ZERO. GOOD EVENING BOARD. NOW WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT ADAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHICH IS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NUMBER 41. YES, SIR. SO ADAMS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS LOCATED IN THE SUBDIVISION ON TEXAS HIGHWAY 59, IN THE KENDLETON AREA. THIS WAS OPTION NUMBER ONE. OPTION NUMBER TWO. OPTION NUMBER THREE. THESE WERE OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THE COMMITTEE RANKED OPTION ONE HAD THREE VOTES. OPTION TWO HAD SIX. OPTION THREE HAD ZERO. BOARD. THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM, AND WE ARE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER AND APPROVE THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT OPTION FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 41. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? MR. BUCHANAN, CAN YOU GO BACK NUMBER TWO OR DO YOU WANT THIS ONE RIGHT HERE, SIR? YES. AND AGAIN, THIS IS PATTERNED AFTER HAYGOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THE INTERIOR, YES, SIR, IS PATTERNED SINCE THIS ISN'T SITTING NEXT TO A SECONDARY SCHOOL. HOW ARE THESE DESIGNED, THESE EXTERNAL DESIGNS COME UP. WHO CAME UP WITH THEM? AND WHAT ARCHITECT DOES IS THEY GO LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY ITSELF. THEY LOOK AT THE FRONT ENTRANCES, THEY LOOK AT THEIR AMENITY CENTERS, THEY LOOK AT THEIR POOLS, THEY LOOK AT THEIR PLAYGROUNDS. THEY LOOK AT THINGS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE MATERIALS MATCH WHAT IS GOING IN, IN THAT COMMUNITY, SO THAT THE SCHOOL WILL BLEND WITH THE COMMUNITY ITSELF. THAT WAS MY THAT WAS MY LEAST FAVORITE OF THE THREE I WAS COLUMNS THROUGH ME. IT KIND OF REMINDED ME LIKE A BAD 70S JACKET OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. CAN YOU GO TO NUMBER ONE? ON OPTION THREE, JUST LIKE ON THE OTHER ONE THAT WAS BLUE AND NOW THIS ONE'S RED. I KNOW THAT WE'VE MOVED TO A MODEL WHERE THE COLORS MATCH THE SCHOOLS, THE INTERIOR COLORS MATCH THE SCHOOL COLORS, WHEREAS YOU GO WALK THROUGH RANDALL, WHO'S SILVER, AND THERE'S, I BELIEVE, GREEN INSIDE OR DIFFERENT COLORS IS THAT RED. IS THAT ABILITY TO BE CHANGED TO MATCH WHATEVER SCHOOL COLOR WE GET TO DOWN THE ROAD CURRENTLY? RIGHT NOW, IF THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THAT COLOR, WE'D HAVE TO CHANGE IT, COME BACK AND WE CAN DO THAT. BUT YES, THOSE COLORS ARE METAL. IT'S ON THE PARAPET WALL OF THE BUILDING. SO WE COULD, I MEAN CAN'T YOU COULD END UP BEING GREEN AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE A RED OUTSIDE OR A PURPLE AND THAT WOULDN'T MATCH IF WE. THAT'S CORRECT. BECAUSE THAT IS A 50 YEAR, 60 YEAR COLOR. RIGHT? ZERO. YEAH. YEAH I NEED TO GO BACK. OH THAT ONE GOT ZERO 
          [01:40:06]
VOTES. THAT ONE. THIS ONE ONE. AND YOU DON'T LIKE THE PATTERN OF THE BRICK. YEAH. AND THAT'S IMMATERIAL I MEAN IF ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT THAT. NO I WAS I WAS I WAS CURIOUS LIKE IF WE WOULD GO I MEAN, BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS NOW, THE INTERIOR DOES NOT MATCH THE MASCOT COLOR AT ALL. AND SO IF THERE WAS A LIGHT COLOR ON THE SCHOOLS. BUT IF THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE, I MEAN, IT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE TO HAVE A RED IF THE SCHOOL COLOR IS NOT. I THINK I ASKED THIS LAST MEETING. IT'S NOT NECESSARILY PAINTED RED. IT'S MORE LIKE A METAL RUST COLOR. THAT IS CORRECT. AND IT IS A POWDER COATED PIECE OF METAL. 
          SO IT IS THERE FOR 60 YEARS. SO NOT KNOWING WHAT THAT COLOR WOULD BE 30, 40 YEARS FROM NOW, THAT COLOR WOULD STILL BE THAT BURNT RUSTY COLOR. I LIKE OPTION ONE THE BEST. I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO ASK MISS TO COME UP TO ADDRESS THAT, MR. LAMBERT, BECAUSE I KNOW WE DID HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT IN THE PAST, BUT DESIGNING OUR COLOR SCHEME AND ALL THOSE THINGS NOW, WHAT'S OUR WHAT'S WHAT'S BEEN OUR PROCESS LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THE INTERIOR OF THE BUILDING. SO TO YOUR POINT, YOU'RE CORRECT. LIKE WHAT FOSTER IS GREEN. THAT WAS PRIOR TO OUR ARRIVAL. NOW, HOWEVER, WE'VE MOVED UP THE PROCESS TO SELECT THE COLOR OF THE MASCOT. 
          WE TRY TO GET THAT TO THE BOND OFFICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THEY CAN ALIGN THE INTERIOR GRAPHICS, BUT THAT'S THE GRAPHICS SIDE. LIKE THE CARPET AND OTHER PIECES, THAT'S ALREADY BEEN PREDETERMINED FOR THE NEXT FEW CAMPUSES. SHOW ME THE ONE THE COMMITTEE, THE MAJORITY VOTED FOR THIS ONE. YES, MA'AM. AND WOULD YOU CONCUR THAT THAT IS THE BEST MATCH OF EMBOLI? BECAUSE I'M NOT FAMILIAR. OPTION 1 OR 2 WOULD MATCH THE COMMUNITY ITSELF. OKAY. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION? I'M READY TO MAKE A MOTION. OKAY, I MOVE. WE APPROVE. OPTION TWO FOR THE DESIGN DEVELOPMENT OF ELEMENTARY NUMBER FOUR. YES, MA'AM. THAT'S CORRECT. ALL RIGHT. TRUSTEE ARROYO MAKES THE MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND? OKAY. TRUSTEE HENDERSON SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? I'LL NOW CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. AYE. OKAY. MOTION CARRIES. I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY ABSTAIN ON THIS. I'M JUST SORRY, TRUSTEE WELCH. ABSTAIN. MOTION CARRIES 616601. YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. BOARD. NEXT, WE HAVE MISS 
          [12.E. Discussion and  possible action on SB11 for daily prayer period]
FOSTER AT THE PODIUM TO TALK ABOUT SENATE BILL 11. OKAY. GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT. 
          DOCTOR NIVENS AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES TONIGHT I'M GOING TO REVIEW INFORMATION ON SENATE BILL 11, SENATE BILL 11 FROM THE 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION, ADDS TEXAS EDUCATION CODE, SECTION 25.0823, WHICH ALLOWS SCHOOL BOARDS TO DESIGNATE TIME EACH SCHOOL DAY AT EVERY CAMPUS FOR STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES TO PRAY AND READ THE BIBLE OR OTHER RELIGIOUS TEXTS. THE BILL REQUIRES THAT WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE, BY MARCH 1ST, 2026, EACH DISTRICT'S BOARD MUST TAKE A RECORD VOTE EITHER TO ESTABLISH THE DAILY PRAYER, PRAYER TIME, OR READING OF RELIGIOUS TEXTS BY ADOPTING THE RESOLUTION SET OUT IN THE NEW STATUTE, OR TO DECLINE TO ESTABLISH THE DAILY PRAYER TIME. SENATE BILL 11 ALLOWS SCHOOL BOARDS TO ADOPT THE POLICY FOR DAILY PRAYER PERIOD OR RELIGIOUS TEXT READING ON EACH SCHOOL DAY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW. DISTRICT POLICY MUST SPECIFY THAT A DAILY PRAYER PERIOD MAY NOT BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. DISTRICT POLICY MAY SPECIFY THAT DAILY DAILY PRAYER PERIOD WILL BE ESTABLISHED BEFORE NORMAL SCHOOL HOURS, AND PARTICIPATION IS VOLUNTARY AND REQUIRES PARENT AND EMPLOYEE SIGNED CONSENT. SENATE BILL 11 ALSO PROHIBITS PRAYER OR RELIGIOUS READING FROM BEING BROADCAST OR CONDUCTED NEAR ANYONE WITHOUT CONSENT. 
          EXISTING INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS TO PRAY OR READ RELIGIOUS TEXTS OUTSIDE THE DESIGNATED PERIOD REMAIN UNCHANGED. THE BOARD MUST TAKE A RECORD VOTE, EITHER TO ESTABLISH THE DAILY PRAYER PERIOD AND READING OF RELIGIOUS TEXTS BY ADOPTING A RESOLUTION, OR TO DECLINE A RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH THE DAILY PRAYER TIME ON OR BEFORE MARCH 1ST, 2026. SOME OF THE CURRENT PRACTICES IN LAMAR CISD INCLUDES A MOMENT OF SILENCE PROVIDED EVERY DAY TO OBSERVE ANY RELIGIOUS 
          [01:45:01]
PRACTICE WITH PARENT CONSENT. CAMPUSES PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH A SUPERVISED SPACE TO PRAY OR OBSERVE ANY RELIGIOUS PRACTICE, INCLUDING DURING RAMADAN. STUDENTS CAN GO TO THE LIBRARY FOR PRAYER. ALSO, IF FASTING, STUDENTS COULD SIT IN THE OFFICE TO AVOID THE CAFETERIA. 
          ALSO, IF REQUESTED, STUDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO GO TO THE LIBRARY OR ANY DESIGNATED SPACE DURING LUNCH TO READ THE BIBLE OR PRAY WITH AT BEING CONSENT. EMPLOYEES CAN RECEIVE ACCOMMODATIONS TO PRAY OR OBSERVE ANY RELIGIOUS PRACTICE. WE ALSO ALLOW FOR STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES TO GATHER FOR RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION DURING NON-INSTRUCTIONAL ITEMS. I MEAN NON-INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. EXCUSE ME, FOR EXAMPLE. SEE YOU AT THE POLE. STUDENT CLUBS, AS WELL AS USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES FOR MEETINGS OF COMMUNITY GROUPS. STAFF SHALL NOT ATTEMPT TO CONVERT OR ADVOCATE ANY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. TO RECAP SENATE BILL 11, IT ALLOWS FOR A DESIGNATED TIME EACH DAY THAT DOES NOT REPLACE INSTRUCTIONAL TIME AT EVERY CAMPUS FOR STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES TO PRAY AND READ THE BIBLE OR OTHER RELIGIOUS TEXTS, THE BOARD MUST TAKE A RECORD VOTE EITHER TO ESTABLISH THE DAILY PRAYER TIME AND READING OF RELIGIOUS TEXTS BY ADOPTING A RESOLUTION, OR TO DECLINE TO ESTABLISH THE DAILY PRAYER PERIOD. A RESOLUTION. IF A RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED TO ESTABLISH THE DAILY PRAYER TIME, CONSENT IS REQUIRED FOR EMPLOYEES AND PARENTS OF STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE. VOTE ON RESOLUTION SHALL BE COMPLETED ON OR BEFORE MARCH 1ST, 2026. BOARD. THE POLICY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS TO DECLINE TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION DESCRIBED BY TEXAS EDUCATION CODE SECTION 25.0823, A ONE. ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS? WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT YOU LISTED SOME THINGS THAT WE ALREADY CURRENTLY DO IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. AND I JUST WANT TO NOTE THAT STUDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO BRING THEIR BIBLE OR BOOKS TO READ, AND THEY CAN DO THAT AT ANY POINT IN TIME, AS LONG AS THEY'RE NOT DISRUPTING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. SO THAT WAS PART OF OUR REASON FOR NOT MANDATING IT, BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE STUDENTS HAD THE FREEDOM TO DO THAT. NOW, SOMETIMES DURING SCHOOL OR BEFORE SCHOOL OR AFTER SCHOOL. SO WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT THE POLICY COMMITTEE, THAT'S WHY OUR RECOMMENDATION IS WHAT IT IS, BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE WE ACCOMMODATE A LOT OF THAT RIGHT NOW ALREADY. YES, MA'AM. WE DO. AND FOR THE COMMUNITY'S SAKE, WHENEVER STATE LEGISLATORS AND STATE SENATORS CREATE THESE LAWS AND THIS CAME OUT OF THE SENATE, THEY'RE GOING TO CREATE LAWS FOR A DISTRICT, FOR A SYSTEM AS A WHOLE, NOT INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS. AND SO LAMAR CISD, WE HAVE SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES IN PLACE THAT ALREADY ALLOW THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION OF RELIGION. FOR THOSE THAT DO PARTICIPATE, THAT FAMILIES THEY CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE, AND FAMILIES THAT DO NOT. AND I THINK A LOT OF THE QUOTE ON HANG UP AND SOME CONFUSION THAT I'M HEARING IS THAT WORD, PERIOD. AND PEOPLE ARE AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO ASSUME THAT IS GOING TO BE A PERIOD OF THE DAY, LIKE A CLASS PERIOD FOR 90 MINUTES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY, WHERE IT'S THAT'S SET ASIDE FOR BIBLE INSTRUCTION OR TO READ ANY OTHER RELIGIOUS TEXTS. AND SO WITH THE DISTRICT LIKE OURS, WHERE WE ARE ONE OF THE MOST ETHNICALLY DIVERSE AND WE HAVE FAITH VARIETIES THAT COME FROM ALL DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE WORLD, WE HAVE SYSTEMS IN PLACE FOR THE COMMUNITY'S SAKE THAT THAT PROTECT THOSE THAT DO PARTICIPATE AND THOSE THAT CHOOSE NOT TO. AND ONE AFTER, YOU KNOW, DIVING IN ON THIS SENATE BILL. AND ANOTHER MISCONCEPTION THAT I'M READING AND HEARING ONLINE IS THAT THIS IS THE DISTRICT PUTTING THIS PERIOD IN PLACE WHEN A LOT OF THE INTENTION OF THIS IS TO PROTECT THOSE FEDERAL AND STATE RIGHTS THAT ALREADY EXIST FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF TO TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN A RELIGIOUS MATTER. SO SENATE BILL 11 ENFORCES FEDERAL LAW AND STATE LAW. AND SO, JUST FOR THE COMMUNITY'S SAKE, TO HEAR THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, SAY, THE DISTRICT, ANY DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, I CAN ONLY SPEAK ON BEHALF OF MYSELF, BUT YOU KNOW IT THE WAY I INTERPRET IT AND THE WAY I WOULD LEAD IF WE WERE TO GO. THAT AND THE POLICY COMMITTEE HAS RECOMMENDED THAT WE DO NOT. SOMETIMES LAWS ARE PUT IN PLACE TO PROTECT AS WELL. SO THOSE SAFEGUARDS AND ALL THAT. SO JUST FOR OUR COMMUNITY'S SAKE, TO FRAME WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE THINGS, LAWS ARE THERE TO GUIDE AND DIRECT, BUT 
          [01:50:03]
ALSO THERE TO PROTECT OUR FREEDOMS AND OUR ALL THAT. SO JUST THOUGHTS FOR THE COMMUNITY. 
          I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO SAVE MY COMMENTS FOR AFTER MOTIONS BEEN MADE IN A SECOND, AS IN OUR DISCUSSION PERIOD. ANYBODY ELSE LOOKING LIKE YOU OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO ARE WE PREPARED FOR A MOTION. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE CALLING FOR? OKAY. I'D BE HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION THAT THE BOARD THAT WE THAT THAT WE SUPPORT THE POLICY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION NOT TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO IMPLEMENT A DAILY PRAYER PERIOD AT THIS TIME, TRUSTEE RIOS MAKES THE MOTION. 
          DO YOU HAVE A SECOND? SECOND TRUSTEE LAMBERT SECONDS DISCUSSION. SO TO BE CLEAR, IF WE IF WE SAY YES, WE ARE DECLINING. I HAD A LOT OF THOUGHTS THAT I HAD WRITTEN DOWN, AND I HAD ACTUALLY GONE OVER A SPEECH A COUPLE OF TIMES IN THE MIRROR THAT I WAS GOING TO GIVE RIGHT NOW AND CONVINCE EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM. BUT ACTUALLY, YOUR PRESENTATION, MA'AM, JUST COVERED MOST OF IT. SO I'M NOT GOING TO I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER THOSE POINTS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I AM FOR IMPLEMENTING THIS IN LAMAR. I BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT THE WAY THAT THE PROCLAMATIONS AND DECLARATIONS THAT ORGANIZATIONS MAKE, I THINK IT MAKES A STATEMENT TO THE PUBLIC, JUST LIKE WE CELEBRATE TEXAS HERITAGE DAY IN THIS DISTRICT, JUST LIKE WE SUPPORT DIAGNOSTICIAN DAY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT DAY AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS. I THINK IT IT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT OUR DISTRICT. I BELIEVE THERE'S A LOT OF SAFEGUARDS IN THIS LAW. THE LAW IS NOT TOO LONG TO READ. I THINK THE LAW ALLOWS A LOT OF PECULIAR THINGS FOR LAMAR TO INCORPORATE INTO IT AS WELL. SOME OTHER SAFEGUARDS, LIKE I DON'T SEE A REASON WHY WE CAN'T MAKE IT AUTO EXPIRE IN TWO YEARS UNLESS THE BOARD WERE TO PROACTIVELY RENEW IT. I BELIEVE ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM, BUT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM IS AND THIS IS A PROBLEM I'M SPEAKING GENERALLY AS WELL IN OUR SOCIETY, IS THAT WE'VE REMOVED THE LORD FROM OUR DAILY LIFE. AND THIS BILL DOES NOT ALLOW PROSELYTIZING. I DO NOT BELIEVE IN THAT. I DO NOT WANT A THEOCRACY. I BELIEVE IN FREEDOM OF RELIGION. NO STAFF OR STUDENTS WOULD BE ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE. STUDENTS WITHOUT THEIR PARENTS OPTING THEM IN. STAFF WOULD NOT BE FORCED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS. AND. THE ONLY THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO ASK IS RHETORICALLY, THE US CONSTITUTION IS OUR SUPERIOR LAW IN THIS LAND, AND IT PROTECTS OUR GOD GIVEN RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH. WELL, THE FOLKS THAT ESTABLISHED THE FREE AND REPUBLIC OF TEXAS AND THEN LATER ESTABLISH A CONSTITUTION WHEN IT BECAME A STATE. THEN AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, THEY REWROTE THE CONSTITUTION AND ALL THOSE VARIATIONS OF THE TEXAS LAW, THE HIGHEST DOCUMENT IN TEXAS. IT ALSO HAS PROTECTED THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, EVEN THOUGH THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION IS SUPERIOR. SO MY MY POINT AND MY QUESTION IS, WHY DO YOU THINK THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION PROTECTS FREEDOM OF SPEECH WHEN IT'S UNNECESSARY? AND THAT SAME LOGIC IS WHY I THINK THAT THE LAMAR SHOULD ADOPT A TIME OF DAILY PRAYER AND BIBLE READING, EVEN THOUGH IT'S ALREADY CAN ALREADY BE DONE. JUST LIKE FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS ALREADY PROTECTED IN THE UNITED STATES, NO MATTER WHAT THE STATE OF TEXAS SAYS. BUT WE CODIFIED IT IN THE STATE CONSTITUTION, AND I BELIEVE THAT WOULD SAY A LOT ABOUT LAMAR C ISD. AND SO THAT'S THAT'S MY THAT'S MY THOUGHTS. I THINK THAT'S HARD BECAUSE WE DIDN'T REALLY DISCUSS WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE. LIKE WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? OUR CURRENT PRACTICE IS NOT TECHNICALLY A BOARD POLICY, CORRECT? CORRECT. IT'S JUST PRACTICE. SO COULD WE NOT JUST MAKE THAT A POLICY INSTEAD OF MAKE OUR CURRENT PRACTICE OF POLICY? IF THE BOARD IF THE BOARD SO CHOOSES, YOU CAN I MEAN FOR ME IT'S I AND TRUSTEE WELCH I HEAR YOU ON ALL YOUR POINTS FOR AND FOR ME IT'S JUST MORE A LIKE A GOVERNANCE DECISION RATHER THAN A MY PERSONAL BELIEFS. I MEAN, I THINK I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IS ALIVE AND WELL IN LAMAR C ISD FOR SURE. 
          BUT I DO HEAR YOU. AND SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE HAS ANY. WELL, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT THIS THIS WOULD BE BEFORE SCHOOL. SO THIS CANNOT BE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. THIS 
          [01:55:03]
WOULD BE BEFORE SCHOOL. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT WHEN I MET WITH THE BOARD POLICY COMMITTEE WAS IF WE DO IT BEFORE SCHOOL, THEN OF COURSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE ADDITIONAL STAFF THERE TO OPEN UP THE BUILDING EARLY AND TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS WERE PROTECTED AND WERE SAFE, YOU KNOW, AND MONITORED. AND SO WITH THAT AND ALSO HAVING THE PRACTICES IN PLACE WHERE IF A STUDENT NEEDS ANY KIND OF ACCOMMODATIONS, WE GIVE THOSE TO THEM. SO THAT WAS THE DISCUSSION IN IN THE BOARD POLICY MEETING. BUT THIS WOULD BE BEFORE SCHOOL. AND SO IF THE BOARD DOES ADOPT THE DOES ADOPT THE RESOLUTION, THEN I WOULD HAVE TO INSTRUCT I WOULD INSTRUCT MY TEAM TO TALK TO THE CAMPUS PRINCIPALS ABOUT WHO WOULD BE THERE BEFORE SCHOOL TO OPEN UP THE SCHOOL AND HAVE THE SPACE TO MONITOR STUDENTS. 
          ANOTHER POINT OF QUESTION WOULD BE WITH OUR CURRENT PRACTICE, STUDENTS HAVE TO HAVE PARENTAL CONSENT, BUT IF IT'S SOMETHING LIKE SEE YOU AT THE POLE OR FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES, THEY DON'T HAVE TO HAVE PARENTAL CONSENT. WELL, FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIAN ATHLETES, THEY DO BECAUSE THAT'S A CLUB, RIGHT? AND BASED ON SB 12 WE HAVE TO HAVE PARENTAL CONSENT FOR CLUBS. BUT IF A GROUP WANTED TO JUST GET TOGETHER BEFORE THE BELL RINGS OUTSIDE TO PRAY OR READ THE BIBLE, ABSOLUTELY CAN. THEY DO NOT NEED PARENTAL CONSENT. SO. 
          IT'S KIND OF TO ME. I'LL JOIN IN ON THE DISCUSSION HERE. MY POSITION IS THAT. I SUPPORT THE THE POLICY COMMITTEE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THEY'VE REALLY THOUGHT THIS THROUGH AND, AND HAVE CONFIRMED THAT CURRENT PRACTICES SUPPORT THE ULTIMATE GOAL. AND. BEING A PERSON OF FAITH, I BELIEVE STRONGLY IN PRAYER. I PRAYED BEFORE THIS BOARD MEETING. I PRAYED AT THIS BOARD MEETING AND I WILL PRAY AFTER THIS BOARD MEETING. I ENCOURAGE MY GRANDKIDS WHO ARE STUDENTS TO PRAY AT SCHOOL, OKAY AND AT THEIR SCHOOL FUNCTIONS. SO SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT MY MY PRIMARY CONCERN IS THAT I LEARNED TO PRAY AT HOME. MY PARENTS TAUGHT ME TO PRAY. AND AND I BELIEVE THAT THAT'S A FUNCTION THAT WE LEARN AND FROM HOME AND BRING FROM HOME. AND IF WE WANT TO PRACTICE IT AT SCHOOL, THAT'S OKAY. THAT SHOULD BE OKAY. AND THE NICE THING ABOUT WHAT'S ALREADY IN PRACTICE AND WHAT THE POLICY COMMITTEE SUPPORTS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO RESPECT THAT, THAT NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO NOT EVERYONE'S A CHRISTIAN. YOU KNOW, THERE'S THERE ARE THERE ARE PEOPLE OF OTHER FAITHS ALSO THAT THAT OPENLY PRACTICE THEIR FAITH. AND, AND WHAT I, WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT I'M A I'M A BIG BELIEVER IN THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. AND, AND I REALLY DON'T NEED A LEGISLATURE MANDATING ME WHEN AND WHETHER OR NOT I SHOULD PRAY. FROM THE FROM THE PHILOSOPHY THAT SO LONG AS THEIR FINAL EXAMS, THERE'S GOING TO BE PRAYER IN SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, AND, AND AND SO, YOU KNOW, TO ME RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, RELYING ON THE LEGISLATURE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE PRAY, I THINK WE JUST PRAY. AND AND IF YOU SO DESIRE AND, AND WHATEVER FAITH, WHATEVER FAITH, YOU YOU CARE TO DO SO AND AND AGAIN I, I RESPECT YOUR YOUR POINT I UNDERSTAND IT, I GET IT. BUT I BELIEVE IN A LIMITED GOVERNMENT, SMALL GOVERNMENT AND AND AND I JUST DON'T NEED TO RELY ON THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO, TO, TO TO CODIFY THAT FOR MY FAITH OR FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR FOR MY FAMILY AND THAT THAT'S WHY I'M IN SUPPORT OF THE POLICY COMMITTEE'S DECISION TO TO SUPPORT CURRENT PRACTICES. AND I VERY VALID POINTS. I DO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO STATE SENATOR MIKE MAYES MIDDLETON, FOR FOR BRINGING THIS LEGISLATION. I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS WOULD NOT BE FORCING IT. THEY KICKED IT DOWN TO US. THEY KICKED IT DOWN TO THE LOWEST LEVEL, WHICH WHICH I BELIEVE IN, WE THE PEOPLE AND WE WE ARE A DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC. WE REPRESENT THE PUBLIC, THE SEVEN OF US. IF YOU'VE READ THE LEGISLATION, THE LANGUAGE OF THE BILL, AND I KNOW YOU HAVE, GEORGE, JUST FOR THE FOLKS WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING THIS, IT DOES NOT SPECIFY. IT HAS TO BE THE JUDEO-CHRISTIAN BIBLE. IT ALLOWS FOR OTHER FAITHS AS WELL. HOWEVER. AND I HEAR YOU, I AND 
          [02:00:03]
I HEAR LOCAL CONTROL. AND AT LEAST SINCE MY TIME ON THE BOARD, OUR BOARD POLICY AND I KNOW THIS IS NOT TECHNICALLY BOARD POLICY, OUR PRACTICES, BUT THIS BOARD HAS TYPICALLY BEEN AHEAD OF THE STATE IN SOME OF THESE POLICIES COMING DOWN. THE PARENTAL RIGHTS POLICY, THE CELL PHONE POLICY, WE LOCALLY CREATED THOSE POLICIES FIRST BEFORE THE STATE HAD TO KICK IT DOWN TO US. AND I LIKE IT BETTER THAT WAY. HONESTLY, I LIKE KEEPING OUR LOCAL CONTROL WHERE WE HAVE IT, CLINGING TO AS MUCH OF THAT AS WE CAN BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE KEEPS KIND OF CHIPPING AWAY AT IT. SO IF THERE'S NO MORE DISCUSSION. YEAH. ONE OF THE THINGS ALSO ABOUT THIS LAW IS THAT YOU'RE SENDING IT FOR THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE. AND SO IF ONE SCHOOL DOES IT, THEN THE REST OF THE SCHOOLS DO IT. SO WITH WITH THE INTENT BEING THAT AND THE MANDATE THAT IT HAS TO BE STUDENT LED AND THAT STAFF CANNOT LEAD OR STAFF CANNOT GUIDE OR STAFF CANNOT PRAY OUT OR STAFF CANNOT INITIATE ANY OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS. I GO THINK ABOUT A LOGISTICAL STANDPOINT. WE HAVE KINDERGARTNERS THAT SAY, I WANT TO DO THIS. WE ARE COULD BE WALKING A LINE WHERE OUR STAFF WILL FEEL COMPELLED TO STEP IN AND LEAD, WHEN THAT WOULD NOT BE LEGAL IN A SENSE, DEPENDING ON DIFFERENT FAITH, BELIEFS AND ALL THAT. SO WE COULD BUY, SAY, A POLICY IS ADOPTED AND FOR AN AREA THAT IS KINDERGARTNER AND FIRST, SECOND YOUNGER ONES THAT DON'T FULLY HAVE QUITE THE GRASP OF ORGANIZED RELIGION, YET THEY HAVEN'T BEEN TAUGHT PRINCIPLES AND VALUES AND ALL THIS AND HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED. AND I GREW UP IN THE CHURCH, AND ON THE WAY FROM THE HOSPITAL, MY PARENTS LITERALLY TOOK ME TO THE CHURCH BEFORE I WALKED IN, BEFORE I WAS CARRIED INTO MY HOUSE. AND SO I GREW UP LEARNING ABOUT THE FAITH FROM A FROM INFANT. I THINK WE ADOPT A POLICY, AND THEN WE'RE POTENTIALLY PUTTING OUR STAFF IN A SITUATION THAT COULD BE A LEGAL SITUATION. IF SOMEONE'S THAT BELIEVES THE SAME SAYS, OKAY, NOW LET'S PRAY THIS OR LET'S READ THIS OR LET'S DO THIS CERTAIN PRACTICE. AND SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING ELSE THAT WE GOT TO THINK ABOUT IS THAT IT'S WE AUTOMATICALLY ASSUME HIGH SCHOOL OR MIDDLE SCHOOL OR JUNIOR HIGH. BUT THIS WILL AFFECT ALL OF OUR AREAS. CAN YOU PUT THE SLIDE BACK UP OF THE CURRENT PRACTICES. SO CURRENTLY WE DO ALLOW THE STUDENTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO HAVE PRAYER TIME. AND THAT'S ACROSS ALL CAMPUSES. HAVE WE TOLD ANY STUDENT THAT THEY CANNOT HAVE THAT TIME BECAUSE WE CANNOT ACCOMMODATE IT? NOT THAT I KNOW OF. I SURVEYED PRINCIPALS AND THAT'S THE INFORMATION THAT I GOT BACK. IF A STUDENT MAKES A REQUEST, A PARENT, THEY HAVE PARENT CONSENT. THE SCHOOL MAKES THAT ACCOMMODATION, OKAY. AND WE DO HAVE STUDENTS OF OTHER FAITHS, NOT JUST THE JUDEO-CHRISTIAN, WHERE I KNOW IN OUR AREA THAT YOU HAVE THE TIME VARIES DEPENDING ON THE RELIGION OR THE SUN AND ALL THAT. SO THEY HAVE ORGANIZED SET TIMES OF PRAYER DURING THE DAY. AND THEN WE DO ALREADY CREATE THE SPACE AND THE ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY NEED ACCORDING TO THEIR RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. YES, SIR. WE DO. ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE A MOTION BY TRUSTEE ARROYO, A SECOND BY TRUSTEE LAMBERT. ANY MORE DISCUSSION? OKAY. I WILL NOW CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY I. MOTION AND I SHOULD ASK YOU ANYONE. ANYONE OPPOSED TRUSTEE WALSH? ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES SIX ONE. THANK YOU, MISS FOSTER. GOOD EVENING 
          [12.F. Consider approval of RFP #34-2025TB for independent auditors]
AGAIN. BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND DOCTOR NIVENS. THIS EVENING I WILL COVER THE RFP, NUMBER 34 DASH 2025 TB, WHICH IS THE SOLICITATION OF AN INDEPENDENT AUDITOR THAT IS GOING TO BE THE FIRM THAT WILL AUDIT OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE 20, THE 2025, 2026 FISCAL YEAR, WHICH IS A TEN MONTH SHORT PERIOD AS WE'RE CHANGING FISCAL YEARS. FIRST OF ALL, THE REASON WHY WE DO AN RFP IS TO ENGAGE A HIGHLY QUALIFIED AND INDEPENDENT, WHICH IS IMPORTANT AUDITING FIRM, WHICH IS CRITICAL TO ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH THE EDUCATION CODE, GOVERNMENT AUDITING STANDARDS AND GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES. THE AUDIT FINDINGS, AS YOU HEARD THIS EVENING, HELP WITH BOARD DECISION MAKING, FINANCIAL PLANNING AND PUBLIC TRUST IN FISCAL MANAGEMENT. THE PRIMARY ROLE IS TO EXPRESS AN UNBIASED OPINION ON WHETHER OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE FAIRLY PRESENTED, AND THE REQUIREMENT 
          [02:05:06]
BY THE STATE IS THAT WE HIRE A LICENSED THIRD PARTY CPA FIRM WHO PERFORMS AN OBJECTIVE EXAMINATION OF OUR FINANCIAL RECORDS, AS WELL AS OUR INTERNAL CONTROLS. THE PROCESS WAS CONDUCTED OVER SEVERAL MONTHS. THE SOLICITATION DOCUMENT WAS SENT TO ALL QUALIFIED AUDIT FIRMS IN THE REGION FOR AREA. THERE WERE FIVE PROPOSALS RECEIVED AND EVALUATED BY THE OFFICERS OF THE BOARD, FINANCE AND BUDGET COMMITTEE, WHICH IS I'LL REFER TO AS THE COMMITTEE GOING FORWARD. THREE FIRMS WERE SELECTED FROM THE RANKING FOR IN-PERSON INTERVIEW. THOSE INTERVIEWS WERE DONE BY THE FULL BOARD IN A WORKSHOP SETTING ON FEBRUARY 5TH, AND THEN THE RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL WILL BE MADE BY THE COMMITTEE AFTER CONSIDERATION BY THE BOARD. THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS MADE BY THE COMMITTEE IS TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF WEAVER AND TIDWELL LLP TO PROVIDE INDEPENDENT AUDIT SERVICES AFTER EVALUATION AND CONSIDERATION BY THE FULL BOARD. AND WITH THAT, WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION AND ANSWER QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES TO FOLLOW THE BOARD BUDGET FINANCE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE WEAVER AND TIDWELL TO PROVIDE INDEPENDENT AUDIT SERVICES FOR LAMAR C ISD. I'LL MAKE IT. TRUSTEE WELCH MAKES THE MOTION. DO I HAVE A SECOND TRUSTEE? MASTERS SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY, I'LL NOW CALL FOR THE VOTE. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. ALL RIGHT. MOTION CARRIES 
          [13.A. Demographics Report/Student Enrollment Projections]
SEVEN ZERO. WE WILL NOW HAVE REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS ON THE INFORMATION ITEMS. DOES ANYONE NEED TO TAKE A BREAK? QUICK BREAK. OH. OH, SORRY. OKAY. I'M SORRY. YOU'RE RIGHT. 
          LET'S GO. LET'S JUST GO. YOU CAN SPEED IT UP. NO NO NO NO NO, SHE'S FINE, SHE'S FINE. GO AHEAD. WE ARE NOT TAKING. WE ARE. MAXWELL, YOU'RE NOT TAKING A BREAK, ALL RIGHT? I DIDN'T EITHER, I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE TIME. GO! GOOD EVENING, BOARD OF TRUSTEES. DOCTOR NIVENS. TONIGHT, I'LL BE SHARING THE 2025 QUARTER THREE DEMOGRAPHICS PROJECTIONS PROVIDED BY DEMOGRAPHICS. JUST SO THE BOARD IS AWARE, MR. BOB TEMPLETON USUALLY PRESENTS THESE REPORTS. BUT MR. TEMPLETON HAS LEFT ZONDA FOR A DIFFERENT COMPANY. WE ARE STILL RECEIVING SUPPORT FROM ZONDA, FROM DOCTOR STEWART KEOGH AND ROCKY AND MR. ROCKY GARDNER, WHO HAS TAKEN OVER MR. TEMPLETON'S AREA. I'LL BEGIN BY HIGHLIGHTING THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS FOR Q3. UNEMPLOYMENT LEVELS IN THE REGION HAVE INCREASED APPROXIMATELY 3/10 OF A PERCENT FROM LAST YEAR'S NUMBERS. 32,934 JOBS HAVE BEEN ADDED IN THE AREA OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS. THE LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN THE AREA WERE RELATED TO TRADE, TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES, AS WELL AS PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS SERVICE SECTORS. 
          SECTORS WITH THE GREATEST INCREASE IN JOB NUMBERS OVER THE PAST YEAR INCLUDE OTHER SERVICES AS WELL AS MINING AND LOGGING. THE LARGEST DECLINE IN THE PAST YEAR WAS IN THE INFORMATION SECTOR, FOLLOWED BY THE PROFESSIONAL AND BUSINESS SECTORS. NOW, LOOKING AT THE HOUSING MARKET, THE NUMBER OF ANNUAL HOUSING STARTS AND CLOSINGS ARE ALMOST IDENTICAL 37,921 COMPARED TO 38,568 RESPECTIVELY. THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA EXPERIENCED 32,584 NEW HOME CLOSINGS IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS, A DECREASE OF 8.4%. BUILDER SURVEYS REPORT THAT AFFORDABILITY AND CONSUMER CONFIDENCE ARE KEEPING CONSUMERS ON THE SIDELINES, LEADING TO A TEMPERING OF NEW HOME ACTIVITY. THIS GRAPHIC SHOWS THE 30 YEAR FIXED RATE MORTGAGE AVERAGE IN THE US. OVER THE PAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD CUT ITS BENCHMARK FEDERAL FUNDS RATE BY 25 BASIS POINTS ON SEPTEMBER 17TH, RESULTING IN REDUCTION OF THE 30 YEAR FIXED RATE MORTGAGE AVERAGE TO 6.26%. TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT LAMAR CISD STARTS AND CLOSINGS, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT THE 938 STARTS FOR Q3 IS THE LOWEST SINCE 2019. 
          AGAIN, THIS IS THIS MAY BE DUE TO ECONOMIC CONCERNS, BUT LCISD IS EXPECTED TO STILL HAVE CLOSE TO 4200 STARTS FOR THE ENTIRE 2025 YEAR. AS FOR CLOSINGS, THERE ARE 1141 CLOSINGS IN Q3 SHOWING THAT BUILDERS ARE SELLING INVENTORY. IT IS PROJECTED THAT CLOSINGS FOR 2025 WILL BE SOMEWHERE IN THE HIGH 4000 RANGE. THIS SHOWS THE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA BY ELEMENTARY CAMPUS. OUR HIGHEST ACTIVE ACTIVITY AREAS CONTINUE TO BE HAYGOOD ELEMENTARY, MORGAN ELEMENTARY, AND BEASLEY ELEMENTARY. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT VELAZQUEZ, THEY HAVE OVER 16,000 FEWER SITES, WHICH IS ATTRIBUTED MAINLY TO THE AUSTIN POINTE DEVELOPMENT. OVERALL, WE ARE STILL SEEING HYPERGROWTH NUMBERS IN MULTIPLE ELEMENTARY ZONES ACROSS THE DISTRICT. NEXT, I'LL REVIEW THE FEW FEW OF THE DEVELOPMENTS IN OUR DISTRICT. BUT FIRST, THIS IS A MAP SHOWING ALL SUBDIVISIONS, BOTH ACTIVE AND FUTURE, INSIDE LAMAR CISD. THE DISTRICT HAS 92 
          [02:10:01]
ACTIVE SUBDIVISIONS, WITH MORE THAN 1600 HOMES UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND APPROXIMATELY 5530 LOTS READY TO BE BUILT ON GROUND. WORK IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY ON MORE THAN 5400 LOTS WITHIN THE 29 SUBDIVISIONS. SO LOOKING AT ARABELLA ON THE PRAIRIE, WHICH IS IN GRAY ELEMENTARY, 983. TOTAL LOTS 498. FUTURE LOTS 187. VACANT DEVELOPMENT. DEVELOPED. LOTS 54 HOMES CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND 24 VACANT HOMES. 220 HOMES ARE CURRENTLY OCCUPIED, WITH A STUDENT YIELD OF 0.6 PER HOME. BRENTWOOD FARMS IS ALSO IN GRAY, AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT 1009 1098 TOTAL LOTS, AND THE GROUNDWORK IS UNDERWAY, AS WELL AS SOME STREETS COMING IN BLUE CREEK TRAILS IN THE ADOLPHUS ZONE, 541 TOTAL LOTS AND GROUNDWORK HAS RECENTLY GOTTEN UNDERWAY IN THIS AREA AS WELL. FISHER RANCH OR THE HINES DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS IN HUGGINS CURRENT ZONE. 7000 TOTAL LOTS. PRELIMINARY GROUNDWORK AND INFRASTRUCTURE WORK ARE UNDERWAY. DEVELOPMENT TO FEATURE A MULTIPLE BUILDERS, MULTIPLE LOT SIZES, AS WELL AS MULTIPLE PRICE OPTIONS. ALAMO RANCH IN THE BOWIE ZONE 666. TOTAL LOTS 473. FUTURE LOTS 179. 
          VACANT DEVELOPMENT LOTS. AND THERE IS ONE OCCUPIED HOME AND OUR STUDENT YIELD IS ONE. THAT HOME HAS A KID. ALL RIGHT HOLLY RIDGE BEASLEY'S CURRENT ZONE 1200 TOTAL LOTS. GROUNDWORK IS UNDERWAY. PHASE ONE WILL HAVE APPROXIMATELY 410 HOMES. LAUREL FARMS IN HAYGOOD'S. CURRENT ZONE 562 CURRENT LOTS 359 FUTURES 114 VACANT. DEVELOPED LOTS, 56 OCCUPIED HOMES WITH A STUDENT YIELD OF 0.571 PER HOUSE. THE PRESERVE AT ROSENBURG, WHICH IS IN MEYER ZONE 453. TOTAL LOTS 329. FUTURE LOTS 96 VACANT DEVELOPED LOTS AND 28 HOMES ARE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. RIVERA AND CARTER. ZONE 520. TOTAL 528. TOTAL. LOTS AND GROUNDWORK IS UNDERWAY. SOME STREETS ARE ALREADY IN AND HOME BUILDING IS SOON TO START. NOW I'LL DISCUSS MULTIFAMILY HOUSING INSIDE OF LAMAR CISD. THERE ARE CURRENTLY SIX MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION WITHIN THE DISTRICT, COMPRISING 1822 UNITS, WITH APPROXIMATELY 150 OF THOSE BEING SINGLE FAMILY RENTALS. THERE ARE CURRENTLY TEN MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PLANNING STAGES, COMPRISING NEARLY 6100 FUTURE UNITS. SO LOOKING AT ONE OF THOSE, THE ENCLAVE AT FULSHEAR HUGGINS CURRENT ZONE, THEY'RE LOOKING AT 347 TOTAL APARTMENT UNITS. 
          AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT LEASING TO BEGIN SOMEWHERE IN MID 2026. WILLIAMS RANCH VISTA, WHICH IS IN HUTCHISON ZONE 375 TOTAL APARTMENT UNITS. WE'RE LOOKING AT LEASING APPROXIMATELY FALL OF 2026. EXCELSIOR, ALSO IN HUTCHISON ZONE 160 HOMES, SINGLE FAMILY RENTAL COMMUNITY. 
          NO MOVEMENT TO DATE IS KNOWN ABOUT THIS AREA YET. THIS MAP JUST SHOWS THE STUDENT YIELD FROM THE MULTIFAMILY UNITS. THE GREEN IS LESS THAN 0.25 STUDENTS PER UNIT. YELLOW 20.25 TO 0.50, ORANGE 0.5 TO 0.75, AND THE RED IS 0.75 STUDENTS PER UNIT. THE RED AREAS IN GENERAL HAVE BEEN MOSTLY TRAILER PARK AREAS. SO NOW LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THE DATA TRENDS. THIS GRAPH SHOWS A COMPARISON BETWEEN NEWCOMERS AND LEAVERS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS IN LAMAR CISD. A NEWCOMER IS ANY STUDENT WHO DID NOT BEGIN SCHOOL IN LCISD BUT JOINS THE DISTRICT. A LEVER IS ANY STUDENT WHO LEAVES THE DISTRICT NOT INCLUDING GRADUATES. SO AS YOU CAN SEE, LAMAR ISD IS ADDING MORE NEWCOMERS TO OUR DISTRICT THAN LOSING LEAVERS. 
          THAT DIFFERENCE FOR THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR IS AROUND 1731 STUDENTS. THIS PAGE SHOWS A COMPARISON BETWEEN CHILDREN BORN IN OUR DISTRICT AND STUDENTS WHO ARE ATTENDING KINDERGARTEN FIVE YEARS LATER IN LAMAR CISD. AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR RATIO IS SHOWING MORE KINDERGARTNERS THAN STUDENTS BORN INSIDE THE ZONE OF LAMAR CISD. THIS IS ANOTHER INDICATOR SHOWING THE GROWTH INSIDE THE DISTRICT OF PEOPLE MOVING IN. SO IT'S TIME FOR PROJECTIONS. 
          THIS TABLE SHOWS THE ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS BY COHORT OR GRADE LEVEL OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. 
          FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR, OUR NINTH GRADE COHORT WAS THE LARGEST, FOLLOWED BY THE FOURTH GRADE. SO LOOKING AT OVERALL TRENDS, THE DISTRICT IS PROJECTED TO GROW BY AN AVERAGE OF 2.5% TO 4% ANNUALLY OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS. OR, TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, WE'RE PROJECTED TO ADD BETWEEN 1600 AND 1900 STUDENTS ANNUALLY. AND AS YOU'VE HEARD IN THE PAST, WE'VE SAID ABOUT 2000 STUDENTS PER YEAR. THAT HAS COME DOWN A LITTLE BIT. ECONOMIC SITUATIONS, THE WAY I EXPLAIN IT TO PEOPLE IS OUR GRAPH WAS KIND OF STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN LIKE A ROCKET SHIP. IT'S COME DOWN A LITTLE BIT. WE STILL ARE EXPERIENCING HYPER GROWTH THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. THIS IS ARE THE PROJECTIONS BY ELEMENTARY CAMPUS. AND I KNOW THOSE ARE SMALL NUMBERS, BUT THE GREEN INDICATES APPROACHING CAPACITY WHILE YELLOW INDICATES 
          [02:15:01]
OVERCAPACITY. JUST BE AWARE THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE OUR NEW CAMPUSES THAT ARE COMING ON BOARD IN 26, 27 OR IN 2728. THESE ARE THE PROJECTIONS FOR THE SECONDARY CAMPUSES. AGAIN, GREEN INDICATES APPROACHING CAPACITY WHILE WHILE YELLOW IS OVER. AND AGAIN, THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE NEW CAMPUSES COMING ON BOARD FOR 2728. SO WITH THIS REPORT, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ZONDA HAS GIVEN US A PROJECTION. RANGES LOW, MID-RANGE AND HIGH, WHICH ARE SHOWN IN THE SLIDE. 
          SO FROM DISCUSSIONS FROM OUR DEMOGRAPHERS, THEY ARE CURRENTLY LEANING TOWARDS THE MORE CONSERVATIVE PROJECTIONS FOR THE NEXT YEAR OF MID OR LOW. IN SUMMARY, LAMAR CISD ENROLLMENT INCREASED BY OVER 12,450 STUDENTS IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS. THE DISTRICT SAW AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 2000 STUDENTS ENTERING THE 2526 SCHOOL YEAR. THE DISTRICT CURRENTLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 2175 HOMES AND ACTIVE INVENTORY, ROUGHLY 5500 LOTS AVAILABLE TO BUILD ON, AND MORE THAN 63,500 PLANNED IN THE FUTURE. 2025 NEW HOME STARTS AND CLOSINGS IN LCISD ARE CURRENTLY TRENDING BELOW THE 2024 TOTALS, AND ARE ANTICIPATED TO FINISH BELOW 2024 TOTALS. IF CURRENT ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY, HIGHER INFLATION, OR MORTGAGE INTEREST RATES CONTINUE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR, LCISD IS FORECASTED TO HAVE MORE THAN 57,600 STUDENTS BY 2030 31 AND TO EXCEED 65,800 STUDENTS IN 2035 36 SCHOOL YEAR, AND AT THIS TIME, I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSIONS. CAN YOU SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY WHERE THIS WILL LIVE ON THE WEBSITE, AND DO THEY HAVE ACCESS TO IT? OH, SO YES. SO THIS IS POSTED UNDER OUR ZONING WEBSITE ON THE DISTRICT DEMOGRAPHICS PAGE. I SHOULD SAY EXCUSE ME. SO IF YOU GO TO OUR WEBSITE, HOVER OVER INFORMATION ON THE FAR RIGHT HAND SIDE DEMOGRAPHICS. WE'LL POST THIS AS OF TOMORROW. AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM, SITTING AROUND THESE TABLES IN THE CABINET, UNDERSTAND AND FEEL THE STRAIN. ALL THAT EARLY VOTING STARTED TODAY, AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE SAYING THEY'RE GOING TO DO GOOD THINGS FOR FORT BEND COUNTY. SO I ENCOURAGE OUR COMMUNITY TO WHEN ASKING, LIKE THESE CANDIDATES THAT ARE RUNNING SAYING, OKAY, ARE YOU AWARE I DON'T WANT TO ASSUME THAT THE CANDIDATES RUNNING OR KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A BUNCH OF NEW PEOPLE SWORN INTO OFFICE. THEY'RE GOING TO BE TASKED WITH GOVERNING ALL THESE NEW FAMILIES, MOVING IN AND MANAGING THE GROWTH AND CREATING THE QUALITY OF LIFE PROJECTS AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ALL THAT. SO I ENCOURAGE OUR COMMUNITY TO NOT JUST LISTEN TO THIS, BUT USE THIS DATA TO PUT STRESS ON THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MAKING THESE DECISIONS, THAT ARE WELCOMING PEOPLE TO THIS GREAT COUNTY. DOCTOR MAXWELL, JUST FOR CLARITY, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, YOU WORK FOR LAMAR. YOU DON'T WORK FOR ZONDA. YOU DO A GREAT JOB. WELL THANK YOU. SERIOUSLY, DO YOU HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT THEY OFTEN PRESENT US WHEN THEY COME AND MAKE THE PRESENTATION OF THE FASTEST GROWING DISTRICTS IN THE HOUSTON AREA? I DO NOT HAVE THAT IN THIS REPORT. I CAN GET THAT FROM ZONDA, PROVIDE IT TO DOCTOR NIVENS AND HE CAN GET IT TO THE BOARD. YES, SIR. NO PROBLEM. I ASSUME WE STILL ARE THE FASTEST GROWING FROM THE LAST PROJECTIONS THAT I'VE SEEN. IT IS. BUT AGAIN, JUST TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL, I'LL GET IT FROM ZONDA. SHARE IT WITH DOCTOR NIVENS TO GET TO YOU GUYS. 
          THANK YOU. I AGREE WITH TRUSTEE WELCH THAT YOU DO AN EXCELLENT JOB. THANK YOU, DOCTOR MAXWELL. 
          AND IN FACT, I MEAN, BUILDING ON WHAT TRUSTEE WELCH JUST ASKED, I'D VENTURE TO SAY. OR WOULD YOU VENTURE TO SAY THAT WE ARE AMONG THE FASTEST GROWING DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS? I WOULD AGREE THAT WE ARE STILL THE FASTEST GROWING DISTRICT JUST BECAUSE OF THE FUTURE. LOTS. JUST LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF FUTURE LOTS. WE HAVE OVER 65,000. AT WHAT RATE ARE WE GROWING? ANNUALLY? ANNUALLY, ANYWHERE BETWEEN FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS. PROJECTIONS 2 TO 3.9. PERCENTAGE 16 TO 1900 NEW STUDENTS PER YEAR OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND AND THAT'S PROJECTED OUT FOR THE NEXT TEN YEARS. YES, SIR. SO WHAT WOULD BE A COMPARABLE SCHOOL DISTRICT DO. 
          THERE ISN'T A COMPARABLE SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE FACT THAT LAMAR HAS 385MI■!S, WITH ROUGHLY 42% BUILT OUT, DEVELOPERS ARE COMING IN AND BUYING ACREAGE UPON ACREAGE OF LAND. THERE REALLY IS NOT ANOTHER COMPARABLE DISTRICT IN TEXAS. OKAY, SO SO LET ME LET ME TAKE THIS ANOTHER STEP FURTHER. YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT DEMOGRAPHICS. HAVE YOU? PERHAPS NOT ZONDA, BUT ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE PSYCHOGRAPHICS OF GROWING SCHOOL DISTRICTS? AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT SPECIFICALLY IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO LOOK FAR TO FIND SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE HAVING TO CLOSE SCHOOLS THAT ARE DECLINING IN ENROLLMENT. SO WHY WHY ARE WHY WOULD PEOPLE CHOOSE TO MOVE INTO THIS DISTRICT AS OPPOSED TO A DISTRICT THAT DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH STUDENTS? WHAT WHAT WHAT ARE THE PSYCHOGRAPHICS THAT YOU WOULD 
          [02:20:03]
KNOW OF OR YOU WOULD THINK OF? PEOPLE MOVE FOR A FEW REASONS, BUT THE MAIN ONE IS OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR KIDS. AND A LOT OF TIMES WHEN PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR A JOB, THEY FIND A JOB, BUT THEY'RE ALSO FINDING, AM I GOING TO LIVE THERE BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOLS AND HOW THE SCHOOLS ARE PERFORMING? AND SO THOSE ARE HUGE ASPECTS. AFFORDABILITY, OF COURSE, IS IN THERE, BUT A LOT OF IT IS ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES. AND PART OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE QUALITY SCHOOLS, QUALITY SCHOOLS, OKAY. FAMILIES WANT TO MOVE THEIR STUDENTS, THEIR THEIR CHILDREN TO QUALITY SCHOOL DISTRICTS, TO SUPERIOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS. 
          THANK YOU. TO MR. ARROYO'S POINT THERE, I SPENT THE PAST THREE WEEKS VISITING OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN WITH ANOTHER ORGANIZATION, JUDGING THEIR SCHOOL BOARDS, AND EVERY DISTRICT WE WENT TO, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE THE TOP ONE OF THE TOP SCHOOL BOARDS IN TEXAS, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM WAS FACING CLOSING SCHOOLS AND SO ON. THE NEWS ACROSS TEXAS, YOU'RE HEARING A LOT ABOUT CLOSING SCHOOLS, CLOSING SCHOOLS. AND AGAIN, FOR THE COMMUNITY. THAT IS NOT THE CASE FOR LAMAR ISD. SO WHEN WE'RE HEARING THIS NEWS OR THIS RHETORIC ABOUT SCHOOLS FAILING AND THEY'RE CLOSING SCHOOLS, AND SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS ARE GOING THROUGH THAT RIGHT NOW AND HAD MEETINGS THIS WEEK ABOUT THAT. AGAIN, FOR THE COMMUNITY'S SAKE, WE ARE NOT CLOSING SCHOOLS, AND WE DON'T FORESEE THAT. I HAVE A QUESTION. SO YOU SAID THAT RIGHT NOW, LAMAR IS ABOUT 42% BUILT OUT APPROXIMATELY. OKAY. 
          AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ANSWER THIS, BUT IN ONE OF THE SLIDES, YOU SHOWED US ALL THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS. CAN YOU ESTIMATE WHAT THAT PERCENTAGE IS? RIGHT NOW? I WOULD WANT TO ESTIMATE BECAUSE ALSO REMEMBER THE MAP THAT I SHOWED YOU SHOWS THE PROJECTED COMING DEVELOPMENTS. SO THE HINES DEVELOPMENT AMANDARA UP IN THAT AREA. THEY'RE JUST BEGINNING. 
          SO THEY'RE NOT HAVING ANY HOMES YET. AND THOSE TWO LARGE YELLOW SWATHS OF LAND, THE HINES DEVELOPMENT IS JUST BEGINNING DOWN OR EXCUSE ME, AUSTIN POINT IS JUST BEGINNING DOWN HERE. SO THAT IS TOTALLY NOT COME ON PLAY. ALL THESE YELLOW ONES THAT YOU SEE ARE JUST IN THE EARLY STAGES. SO YOU SEE A LOT OF LAND STILL AVAILABLE OR COULD BE AVAILABLE IN THE FUTURE. WE DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF AGRICULTURAL LAND STILL IN OUR AREA, BUT IF THE RIGHT BUYER COMES BY, I COULD SEE THOSE BEING SOLD FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. I THINK YOU SAID THAT WE'RE THE THEY'RE PROJECTING THE LOW TO MID LEVEL GROWTH FOR NEXT YEAR. LAST YEAR THEY PREDICTED MID TO HIGH. AND SO WE WERE ASKED WHEN IT WAS TIME TO SET THE BUDGET BASED ON PROJECTIONS OF STUDENT ENROLLMENT. YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF A GAMBLE TO TO SAY LIKE WE DECIDED TO GO WITH THE HYPER THE HIGHEST GROWTH AND BUDGET FOR THAT. AND WE TURNED OUT TO BE CORRECT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT AGAIN THIS YEAR. YES. SO LAST YEAR MR. TIMOTHY CAME, HE TALKED ABOUT THAT, BUT HE ALSO HE ALSO GAVE US A CAVEAT THAT FOR THE FOLLOWING YEARS, WE SHOULD MOVE THAT DOWN TO LOW TO MID, JUST BECAUSE OF THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE ECONOMY AND HOW THINGS ARE WORKING. AND SO THIS YEAR WHEN WE HAVE OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BOARD FINANCE COMMITTEE, WE WILL PRESENT A LOW TO MID PROJECTION, NOT A HIGH PROJECTION, JUST BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON THE SAFE SIDE. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. ARE THERE ANY ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA 
          [14. FUTURE CONSENT AGENDA]
THAT TRUSTEES WOULD LIKE TO PULL FOR DISCUSSION AT THE MARCH BOARD MEETING? I WOULD WE PULL ITEM D, THE DISCUSSION OF THE RFP FOR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT FOR INNOVATIVE SCHOOL DAY ITEM D OKAY, ANYTHING ELSE? M. OKAY, SCHOOL BUS SEAT BELTS OKAY. ALL RIGHT. IT IS 8:56 
          [15. CLOSED SESSION]
P.M. WE ARE ADJOURNING TO CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 551.071551.072551.074 AND 551.082 THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT TO DISCUSS PERSONNEL LAND ACQUISITION OR CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.