January 21, 2020 — Regular Meeting
Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2020-01-21
Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes
Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.
Generated 2026-03-27 22:16 UTC
Unofficial Meeting Notes
Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees
Regular Meeting — January 21, 2020
These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript and may contain errors or omissions.
Public Hearing: 2018–2019 Annual Performance Report
Presenter: Dr. Chris Hines
Key Highlights:
- District Rating: B from the state; met requirements for special education determination
- Enrollment: 64,855 students with steady growth trend over several years
- Demographics: 8.1% African American, 36.6% Hispanic, 47.2% White; 40% economically disadvantaged; 8.2% special education; 14.2% English Language Learners
- Languages: Approximately 2,500 students speak a language other than Spanish or English (Arabic, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, and various Indian dialects among them)
- STAAR Performance: 85% of all students at "Approaches" or above in all subjects; English Language Learners at 67% (below state average of 72%) — identified as area for improvement; economically disadvantaged students at 74% (above state average of 71%)
- Attendance: 96.2% for the year (96.3% current year); upward trend over 10 years
- Dropout Rate (Class of 2018): 0.2% annual rate (grades 9–12); 4-year cohort graduation rate of 95.3%; 5-year cohort graduation rate of 97.3%
- College Readiness: 62.2% of 2018 graduates deemed college ready; SAT average 1,162 (state: 1,036); ACT average 23.6 (state: 20.6)
- AP Testing: 34.4% of juniors/seniors took AP tests; 65.4% scored at criterion (state: 50.7%)
- Dual Credit: 24.4% of graduates had taken dual credit courses
- Disciplinary Placements: Down from 2% to 1% over 10 years
- Financial: District received 5 stars and Texas Smart Schools Award for 10 consecutive years (one of only two districts along with Cy-Fair); tax rate at $1.23; 60.39% of spending on instruction (state: 55.79%); district administration at 1.64% (nearly half the state average)
- Staff: 49.4% teachers; average teacher experience 10.9 years; teacher turnover 13.9% (state: 16.5%); average teacher salary $57,478 (state: $54,002)
- Criminal Incidents: 53 reportable incidents at 11 campuses; 37 were felony controlled substance (THC vaping cited as significant uptick)
- Counselors/Librarians: 142 total counselors and 63 total librarians across all campuses
- College Enrollment: 1,418 graduates from Class of 2018 enrolled in higher education; top destinations: Lone Star College Montgomery, Texas A&M, UT Austin, Sam Houston State
Board member discussion included questions about whether financial comparisons were apples-to-apples given district size differences, with Dr. Hines explaining the calculations use percentages of total dollars.
Public Comment on Annual Report: None.
Regular Board Meeting
Called to Order: 6:19 PM
Quorum Present: Yes (Members noted: Mr. Moore, Mr. Husbands, Mr. Williams [President], Mr. Hubert, Mr. Sanders, Ms. Eckman)
Invocation: Mr. Moore
Item 2: Awards and Recognition
2A: Patriots Influencing Education Award — Education for Tomorrow Alliance (EFTA)
- EFTA recognized for 30 years of partnership with CISD
- Nonprofit grew from 1989 Woodlands Chamber of Commerce project
- Sponsors STEM programs including SciTech Exposition, Career Connections, robotics, science fairs, engineering competitions, and more
- Over 100,000 students have participated with 25,000+ educators and volunteers
- EFTA President Monica Baumcamp and Program Director Corrine Coulter accepted the award
- President Williams noted EFTA's broader role including dropout prevention programs (formerly called "Choices"), connecting the district's improvement from ~2% dropout rate to 0.2%
2B: Board of Trustees Recognition (School Board Appreciation Month)
- Mr. Chris McCord (McCullough Junior High principal) spoke on behalf of all CISD administrators, educators, staff, and students
- Students provided cards, posters, banners, drawings, and candy
- President Williams thanked everyone and asked that appreciation be conveyed back to students and staff
Item 2C: Citizen Participation / Public Comments
Nicole May — Dyslexia
- Discussed HB 3 implementation and new dyslexia allotment (~$2 million expected for CISD)
- Noted the district is under-identifying dyslexic students (4.3% vs. expert estimate of ~20%)
- Urged the district to use the allotment to hire more dyslexia teachers
Anne-Marie Kennedy — Trustee Dale Inman's Public Behavior
- Referenced a Golden Hammer radio recording from October 26, 2019, where Trustee Inman was a guest
- Alleged that during the show, the host called CPS on parents who made a Facebook post they disagreed with, repeating a child's name and address on air; Inman did not object
- Stated Inman reportedly refused to sign the CISD code of conduct
- Alleged the host assigned tasks to Inman regarding board meeting agendas and resolutions
- Noted Inman did push back when the host called Dr. Noll a "dictator"
- Objected that Inman claims not to represent CISD while publicly identified as a trustee
Jennifer Nix — Trustee Dale Inman / Other Issues
- Called for Trustee Inman to resign, citing need for someone more "equality friendly"
- Requested policy changes to allow food delivery to schools
- Requested Wi-Fi settings be changed to allow social media access in the building
Rachel Walker — Trustee Dale Inman's Social Media Posts
- Referenced a Facebook post by Inman equating the LGBTQ community to pedophiles
- Highlighted a threatening comment on the post ("put a bullet in his head")
- Stated Inman has not publicly apologized
- Urged that elected officials hold themselves to a higher standard and stop inciting hate
- Note: Trustee Inman was not present at the meeting
Christy Svoboda — Conroe TSTA
- Thanked the board for their service
- Announced the 2020 Salute to Education event: Thursday, May 7, 7 PM, The Woodlands United Methodist Church
- Event honors campus Teacher of the Year, Rising Star, Humanitarian of the Year, and Friends of Education
Item 3: Consent Agenda
Vote: Approved unanimously (no items removed)
- Motion: Ms. Eckman; Second: noted
Item 4A: Application for 2019–2021 TEA School Safety and Security Grant
Presenter: Jim Kay, Assistant Superintendent for Operations
- Senate Bill 500 authorized TEA school safety grants; CISD eligible for $1,016,765.02
- Grant period ends May 31, 2021; no matching funds required
- Largest anticipated purchase: conversion to digital two-way radios for campus communication
- Vote: Approved unanimously
Item 4B: Waiver for Exemption from Full-Day Pre-Kindergarten (2019–2020)
Presenter: Dr. Phillips
- HB 3 requires full-day pre-K; districts may request waivers if classroom facilities need construction
- CISD solicited partnership applications (Nov 20–Dec 9); five partners applied
- Committee determined CISD can implement full-day pre-K for 2020–2021 without partners
- Anticipated 1,600–1,700 pre-K students with 10% growth factor for full-day enrollment
- Plan involves portable buildings, program shifts between campuses, and possible intra-district transfers
- Currently serving ~1,600 half-day students; only Houston Elementary (~115 students) and Hauser (~80–90 students) offer full-day
- Portables already ordered; older students will use portables while younger students remain in permanent buildings
- Waiver approved by District Level Planning Committee on January 15
- Requesting one-year waiver only (current school year)
Board Discussion:
- Questions about transportation (provided within zone; not for intra-district transfers)
- Confirmed pre-K students will not be placed in portables — older elementary students will be moved to portables instead
- One-year waiver; full-day pre-K expected to launch fall 2020
Vote: Approved unanimously
Item 4C: Missed School Days Waiver — Knox Junior High
Presenter: Rebecca Colon
- Knox Junior High closed January 9–10, 2020 due to electrical transformer fire causing significant damage
- Sprinkler system deployed, causing water damage to mechanical room
- All missed minutes for the year already used (Tropical Storm Imelda)
- If TEA approves, students won't need to make up estimated 380 minutes
- Waiver approved by District Level Planning Committee
Vote: Approved unanimously
Item 4D: 2020–2021 School Calendar
Presenter: Dr. Hines
- Timeline: survey in October (30,660 responses), two draft calendars published for feedback (~1,650 responses), committee developed hybrid recommendation on January 15
- Key survey findings: 67% wanted later start; 78% preferred ending semester before winter break over starting later; Thanksgiving week off and October holiday popular
Calendar Highlights:
- First day of instruction: August 12, 2020 (District of Innovation status allows early start)
- 75,600 minutes of instruction with buffer for inclement weather
- 175 instructional days (2 fewer than current year, offset by 2 fewer early release days)
- 187 staff work days
- Two early release days converted to staff development days (October 9, March 12)
- Thanksgiving break: November 23–27
- October holiday: October 12 (four-day weekend for students)
- February holiday: February 12–15
- First semester ends: December 18 (84 instructional days)
- Second semester begins: January 6 (91 instructional days) — within 10-day balance
- Spring Break: March 12–19 (same as Lone Star College, Texas A&M, UT, Klein, Humble)
- Last day of instruction: May 26, 2021
- Election Day (November 3): Staff development day, no students — noted as important for voter access
- Ends before Memorial Day (May 31) for the first time in years
- Requires renewal of 2,100-minute waiver for staff development
Board Discussion:
- Board member expressed appreciation for Election Day accommodation
- Question about graduation venue availability (Sam Houston, The Pavilion) — informal conversations indicate flexibility; will confirm
- Discussion about early August 12 start date — acknowledged as earliest ever but necessary trade-off for ending semester before winter break
Vote: Approved unanimously
Item 4E: Attendance Zone Boundary Changes — Stockton Junior High and Intermediate Schools
Presenter: Dr. Hines
- Stockton Junior High opening August 2020 (1,450-student capacity, grades 7–8, located at 2750 Excellence Avenue)
- Committee included representation from schools and geographic areas across Conroe feeder
- Developed ~20 scenarios, narrowed to 3 for public feedback, committee recommends Junior High Scenario B and Intermediate Scenario 2
Junior High Scenario B:
- Pete Junior High: Currently at 1,450 (capacity), 52% economically disadvantaged → projected 1,177 students, 62.5% economically disadvantaged
- Stockton Junior High: Projected 1,243 students, 75% economically disadvantaged
- Total impact: 492 current students (114 moving Washington→Pete; 378 moving Pete→Stockton)
- Largest impacted areas: River Plantation, Stewart's Forest, Crystal Forest
Intermediate Scenario 2:
- Moves ~32 students in Robinwood area from Cryer to Bozman to keep students on the same site as Stockton
- Acknowledged Bozman will be tight but future intermediate school will provide relief
Board Discussion:
- Question about Title I funding impact — secondary schools don't participate in Title I; state compensatory funds used instead and can be adjusted
Vote: Approved unanimously
- Board thanked the committee for their extensive work
Item 4F: Update on Elementary/Intermediate Attendance Zones (Woodlands/College Park Feeders)
Presenter: Dr. Winkler
- Committee established to address overcrowding at elementary/intermediate campuses
- Wright Elementary: 131% capacity, 12 portables
- Lamar Elementary: 111% capacity, 6 portables
- Bush Elementary: Currently under 110% but projected to reach 136% in 5 years due to River's Edge development (~1,100 lots)
- Committee met 6 times, reviewed 26 scenarios, narrowed to 3 for community feedback
Three Scenarios Presented (Information Only — No Vote):
Scenario A (impacts ~702 students / ~7%):
- Jacobs Reserve moves from Wright to Gladys (entire community stays together)
- Lakeland/North Lane Oaks from Lamar to Wright
- Some zones from Gladys to Tough, Bush to Buckelew
Scenario B (impacts ~746 students):
- Jacobs Reserve from Wright to Bush
- Lakeland/North Lane Oaks from Lamar to Wright
- Some zones from Bush to Buckelew
- Powell area to Gladys
- Some zones from Bush to Derechen (would change intermediate feeder pattern)
Scenario C (impacts ~790 students):
- Jacobs Reserve from Wright to Gladys
- Lakeland area from Lamar to Wright
- River's Edge to Buckelew
- Some Gladys zones to Colson/Tough
Community Input Process:
- Knox Junior High: January 22 (6–8 PM)
- McCullough: Friday at noon
- The Woodlands High School: following Monday
- Online feedback also available
- Final recommendation to board in February
Board Discussion:
- Significant discussion about whether these scenarios would cause the same families to be rezoned again in coming years
- Dr. Hines noted the last rezoning (10 years ago) was successful in lasting a decade without building a new campus
- Concern raised about long bus rides in some scenarios (~40 minutes for some routes)
- Question about interaction with full-day pre-K plans — acknowledged that pre-K program placement will be determined after zoning decisions finalized
- Board members expressed preference for one-time comprehensive shifts rather than incremental changes that may need to be undone
- Dr. Hines emphasized the committee is working to avoid moves that would need to be reversed
No vote taken — information item only; recommendation expected in February
Item 4G: Selection of Construction Manager at Risk — Runyan, Wilkerson, and Collins
Presenter: Mr. Foster
- Result of 2019 bond referendum; DLR Group is architect
- Four companies responded to RFQ; all four invited to second step
- Recommended: GTT General Contractors (determined best value)
- Projects are PE classroom additions; Runyan first (starting summer 2020 due to pre-K mandate impact), ~8–9 months per campus, sequential construction
- Portables not used for young students; older students temporarily relocated
Vote: Approved unanimously
Item 4H: Selection of Construction Manager at Risk — Conroe High School Master Plan Phase 2
Presenter: Mr. Foster
- Continuation/completion of Conroe High School master plan (2019 bond)
- Architect: PBK; three firms responded to RFQ
- Recommended: Alsор Constructors (also completed Phase 1)
- Scored substantially higher on proposed personnel; same staff from Phase 1 proposed
- Board authorized Dr. Noll to negotiate and execute contract
Vote: Approved unanimously
Item 4I: Acceptance of 2017 Lifecycle Project
Presenter: Mr. Foster
- Contract value: $8,167,886
- Savings returned to district: $77,984.08
- Project accepted as complete
Vote: Approved unanimously
Item 4J: Acceptance of Clarke Intermediate Construction Project
Presenter: Mr. Foster (referenced as Flex Goal #18)
- Contract value: $25,491,428
- Savings returned to district: $581,823.26
- Project accepted as complete
Vote: Approved unanimously
Item 4K: Capital Improvement Update — Stockton Junior High
Presenter: Mr. Foster
- Final project of 2015 bond referendum; on schedule for August 2020 opening
- Solar panels producing power; glass installation ongoing
- HVAC system flushing began; building to be conditioned over next month
- Interior finishes, ceiling grid, and casework underway
Item 5A: Award of CSP 19-10-01 Maintenance Repair and Operations Job Order Contract
Presenter: Rick Reeves
- Maintenance, repair, and operations job order contract program
- Estimated annual expenditure: $1,000,000
- Pricing based on Gordian Group catalog; firm through January 31, 2021, with four optional one-year renewal terms through 2025
Vote: Approved unanimously
Item 5B: Approval of 2018–2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR)
Presenter: Daren Rice (Finance) and Sarah Roberts (Weber & Tidwell)
- Audit Committee reviewed and recommended approval on January 8
- Single audit conducted (financial statements + federal awards)
- Three reports issued:
1. Financial Statements: Unmodified (clean) opinion — highest level of assurance
2. Yellow Book Report: No material weaknesses, no significant deficiencies, no compliance issues
3. Uniform Guidance (Federal Awards): Unmodified opinion; no findings
- Major program audited: Special Education Cluster (~25% of federal expenditures)
- Next cycle anticipated to review Title I
- Board asked about best practice recommendations beyond required audit standards; auditor confirmed they proactively identify improvement opportunities as standard practice
Vote: Approved unanimously
Executive Session / Closed Hearing
- Board convened in executive session at 8:03 PM under Texas Government Code §551.071, §551.074, and §551.082
- Purpose: Complaint appeal of former CISD employee Donald Grant against officers in the district's police department
- Reconvened in open session at 8:40 PM
Board Action:
- Motion: Uphold decisions of Level 1 and Level 2 hearing officers; deny all relief requested
- Vote: Approved unanimously (by show of hands)
- Mr. Grant to receive written notice confirming the decision
Adjournment
Motion to adjourn approved.
Note: Trustee Dale Inman was not present at this meeting. Multiple public commenters addressed his conduct and social media activity.