August 18, 2020 — Regular Meeting
Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2020-08-18
Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes
Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.
Generated 2026-03-28 13:09 UTC
Unofficial Meeting Notes
Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees
Regular Meeting — August 18, 2020
These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript and may contain inaccuracies due to audio quality limitations.
Budget Hearing
Presenter: Darrin Rice, Chief Financial Officer
COVID-19 Financial Impact
Mr. Rice opened with a detailed breakdown of COVID-19's financial impact on the district:
Additional Expenditures (~$11.8 million):
- Technology and communications (software platforms, home devices, hotspots): ~$3 million
- Cleaning and sanitation (Cough 256 disinfectant, equipment, fabrics): cost noted
- Additional payroll/staff (custodial, nurses, clinic aides): cost noted
- Employee leaves/absences for COVID: estimated $5 million
Revenue Losses (~$7.6 million):
- Interest revenue decline: ~$1 million
- Game/ticket revenue: $300,000
- Building rental revenue: $850,000
- Child Nutrition revenue: $3.5 million
- Transportation funding: ~$2 million
Grand total COVID-19 impact: ~$19.5 million
Financial Highlights
- District received a superior rating on its FIRST report for the year ended August 31, 2019
- Received state comptroller transparency awards for finances, debt obligations, and procurement
- Texas Smart Schools: Conroe ISD is one of only two districts (out of 1,100+) to receive five stars for 11 consecutive years
- ERG Ranking: Ranked 2nd in the state among the 200 largest districts (academic and financial performance)
- Tax rate: At $1.23, CISD had the second lowest tax rate in the Greater Houston area; peer districts average 15 cents higher
2020-2021 Budget Objectives
- Opening Stockton Junior High School
- Moving to 12th grade at Grand Oaks High School
- Anticipating 1,500 new students
- Personnel allocation adjustments at elementary and intermediate schools
- Cost of living increases for employees
- Funding House Bill 3 requirements (full-day pre-K, reading academies, dyslexia, CCMR, special education)
- COVID-19 related costs (virtual learning transition, safety supplies/equipment)
Fund Balance
- Estimated unassigned fund balance at 8/31/20: $140.1 million (24% of budget)
- Within the target range of 20–25% of annual budget
- $24.7 million over the low-end target of 20%
- District transferred $32 million from general fund to capital maintenance fund in the prior year ($12M for technology/bond referendum; $20M to establish capital maintenance fund)
Enrollment & Attendance
- Projected enrollment increase: 1,500 students (total: 66,298)
- Average daily attendance rate used: 94.2%
- 10-year trend averages ~1,515 new students per year
Tax Rate
- Proposed 2020-2021 M&O rate: 95.25 cents (down 1.75 cents from 97 cents)
- Debt service rate: 26 cents (unchanged)
- Total proposed tax rate: $1.2125 (decrease of 1.75 cents)
- Tax rate has decreased 6.75 cents over the last three years
- TEA calculated and certified the compressed M&O tax rate
- District is recommending accessing one additional golden penny (total of 5 golden pennies, zero copper pennies)
Robin Hood / House Bill 3 Effect
- Property values grew 5.71%, adding ~$2.2 billion (total: $40.3 billion)
- Under HB3, growth compressed to 2.5%
- Tax revenue increase of $14.18 million is offset dollar-for-dollar by state funding decrease
- Net impact on available funding: essentially zero additional revenue from property value growth
Revenue & Expenditure Summary
Revenue:
- Beginning revenue: $555.6 million
- Total revenue increase: $26.83 million
- Estimated total revenue: $582.45 million
Expenditures:
- Beginning expenditures: $552.33 million
- Total expenditure increase: $24.66 million
- Estimated total expenditures: $576.99 million
- Projected surplus: $5.46 million
Pay Plan (Approved)
| Employee Group | Raise |
|---|---|
| Teachers, librarians, nurses, counselors | 3% |
| Professional staff | 2.5% |
| Hourly/admin support/instructional support | 3.5% |
| Auxiliary staff | 3.5% |
| Bus drivers | Flat $1 (~5% at midpoint) |
| Police | 5% + certification pay |
- Total pay increase: $12.5 million; net of prior-year retention stipend removal: $7.5 million
- Beginning teacher salary: $57,000
- Substitute pay increased $5/day ($300,000 total)
New Personnel
- 212 campus-level positions: 128 teachers, 6 administrators, 8 professionals, 69.5 paraprofessionals
- 88 support positions: primarily transportation, police, maintenance, custodial
- Total cost: $14.9 million; adjusted to $10.5 million after $4.4M budget correction
Budget Breakdown by Category
- Payroll: 87.7%
- Contracted services: 4.8%
- Supplies and materials: 4.3%
- Equipment and other: 1.5%
- Other operating transfers: $10M to capital maintenance fund
Proposed Budget Total: $576,999,426
Surplus Plan
Funds earmarked for:
1. Preparation for potential state funding cuts (anticipated in spring 2021 legislative session)
2. Capital maintenance fund support
3. Potential bond debt reduction
4. Unforeseen expenditures
Budget Hearing Public Comment
Steward (constituent): Asked what happens to the budget if virtual learning extends through December. Response from the board: Revenue would be affected in specific areas (transportation, child nutrition), but per-student funding would not change. The district intends to be in-class on September 8th.
Tax Rate Adoption
Tax rate adoption was postponed to September 15, 2020, pending receipt of certified values from the appraisal district.
Regular Meeting
Called to order: 6:28 PM
Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance
Led by Trustee Husbands.
Public Comment (Regular Agenda)
Amya Lynch (Conroe High School Student Council): Thanked CISD administration and Dr. Null for their hard work preparing for the school year, acknowledging the difficulty of managing 50,000+ students during the pandemic. Delivered special thanks to Dr. Null for his communication efforts.
Angel Martinez (Student Body President, age 17): Thanked the board and Dr. Null for their dedication, expressing gratitude for efforts to lower the tax rate and provide electronics for students without access. Praised the community spirit across Conroe, The Woodlands, Montgomery, and Caney Creek.
Matthew Walley (Parent): Advocated strongly for reopening schools for in-person instruction. Reported his 5th and 6th grade children are struggling with online learning, getting less than two hours per day with teachers, and having difficulty typing. Referenced the Attorney General's statement that the decision to open rests with the school board. Expressed concern that disadvantaged students are struggling even more.
Kristie Swoboda (Vice President, Conroe TSTA/Texas State Teachers Association): Thanked the board and Dr. Null for listening to teachers, parents, and the community about safely reopening schools. As a part-time paraprofessional in a clinic, she noted daily changes in accommodations. Emphasized that teachers desperately want students back. Also thanked Dr. Null and Miss Blakelock for handling the teacher of the year program during the May shutdown.
Consent Agenda
Vote: Approved unanimously (motion by Trustee Williams, seconded)
Item 3A: Approval of Application for Beginning-of-Year Alternate Reading Instruction Instrument (Waiver Due to COVID-19)
Presenter: Dr. Hedith Sauceda-Upshaw, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning
- Texas Education Code requires a reading instrument at the beginning of 7th grade for students who didn't pass the 6th grade reading STAAR
- The 6th grade STAAR was not administered due to the pandemic
- District proposes using AIMSweb assessment (previously on the commissioner's list but not currently)
- AIMSweb was chosen because the four approved options were either too expensive, time-consuming, computer-based in ways not suitable for remote/in-person flexibility, or required one-on-one in-person administration
- District will apply for a waiver to use this assessment
Discussion: A board member asked why an assessment not on the commissioner's current list was chosen. Dr. Sauceda-Upshaw explained the practical limitations of the four approved options.
Vote: Approved unanimously
Item 3B: Secondary 2020 Summer School Report (Informational)
Presenter: Greg Cole, Assistant Superintendent for High Schools
- Summer school planning began January/February for face-to-face; pivoted to virtual by late March
- Programs offered: high school initial credit, credit recovery, accelerated math (grades 6-8), junior high credit recovery, extended school year (ESY) services
Key Statistics:
| Program | Enrolled | Successful |
|---|---|---|
| High School Credit Recovery | 240 | 199 earned credit |
| High School Initial Credit | 328 | 321 awarded credit |
| US History Dual Credit (subset) | 133 | Earned HS + college credit (Lone Star College) |
| Accelerated Math (grades 6-8) | 176 | — |
| Extended School Year | 65 | — |
| Junior High Program | 38 | — |
- ~90% success rate for students who completed courses
- Total students served: 671+
- Enrollment lower than typical years due to (1) grace offered during 4th nine weeks reducing failures and (2) parents recognizing online learning wasn't effective for their children
Summer School Principals recognized: Victoria Brinkman (junior high), Brad Milam (high school), Lizette Fernandez (ESY)
Financial Summary:
- Total expenses: $215,722
- General fund contribution: $83,590
- Remainder covered by local sources (ESY, tuition)
Lessons learned from summer virtual instruction proved helpful for fall online learning planning.
Item 4: Capital Improvement Update (Informational)
Presenter: Mr. Foster
| Project | Status |
|---|---|
| Hope Elementary (Caney Creek feeder) | On time/schedule; roofing ~50% complete; opening August 2021 |
| Washington Junior High → High School conversion | Ready for instruction; materials arrived, classrooms set up |
| Glen Loch Elementary (campus renovation) | Complete; ceiling/systems replaced over summer; operational |
| Kaufman Elementary (paving/parent drop-off) | Complete; grass established |
| Woodlands Transportation Center (pavement) | Pavement down, lanes open; curbs to finish by end of August |
| Runyan Elementary (PE/library/pre-K additions) | Slab poured; steel arrived Monday; turnover during winter break |
| York Junior High (expansion) | Building foundations underway; steel expected late Sept/early Oct; August 2021 turnover |
| Woodlands College Park HS (classroom addition) | Building foundations in progress; turnover December 2021 |
| Woodlands High School (classroom addition) | Building foundations; Entergy power feed relocation; August 2021 turnover |
| Safety & Security (district-wide, 2020 phase) | East County locations; security monitors, alarm panels upgraded; on schedule through end of December; 2021 phase to be presented in January |
Item 5: Business & Finance
5A: Award of RFP 20-06-04 — AC Filter Media
Presenter: Mr. Reeves (Purchasing)
- Recommended vendor: Clean Air Filter Service and Sales
- Estimated annual expenditure: $80,000
- Three vendors submitted responses
- One-year contract with automatic renewal for two additional one-year terms (through August 2023)
- Funded from the general fund
- Board member noted prices were "considerably cheaper" and confirmed satisfaction with vendor quality from prior use
Vote: Approved unanimously
5B: Approval of Proctorio Online Test Security Tool
Presenter: Mr. Reeves; additional details from Terry Ross (technical expert)
- Vendor: Proctorio Incorporated
- Estimated annual expenditure: ~$160,000
- Annual subscription (12 months)
- Purpose: Greater test security for remote high school students
- Features: lockdown browser, plagiarism detection, identity verification via camera, detection of phone/secondary device use
- Integrates with Canvas (district LMS); high school only
- Purchased through Central Texas Purchasing Alliance/Katy ISD contract
- Used by University of Texas System and other universities
- Current lockdown browser (Respondus) works for in-person but provides insufficient security for remote testing
Discussion:
- Board members asked about integration with Seesaw (confirmed this is high school only, not applicable)
- Question about whether product becomes obsolete when returning to 100% face-to-face — Ms. Ross noted the added security value may be retained; subscription model allows discontinuation if no longer needed
- Board president noted this addresses a major concern from families about GPA fairness between in-person and remote students
- A board member asked about implementation timeline — answer: immediately/next week
Vote: Approved unanimously
5C: Approval of Application for Coronavirus Relief Funding
Presenter: Darrin Rice, CFO
- CARES Act Title V funding through Texas Department of Emergency Management
- Covers expenditures from March 1 – May 20, 2020
- For COVID-19 response and distance learning (technology, online learning capabilities)
- Amount: $2,261,470
- District keeps 100% (no private school set-aside applies)
Vote: Approved unanimously
5D: Chapter 49 — Wealth Equalization (Robin Hood)
Presenter: Darrin Rice, CFO
- District's local yield per WADA estimated to exceed Tier 2 Level 2 guaranteed yield of $4,928
- Recommended Option 3: Purchase of average daily attendance credits (subchapter D)
- This is an administrative procedure; TEA recommends Option 3 as the least extreme choice
- No copper pennies are being proposed; recapture only applies if adopted rate exceeds compressed rate plus 8 pennies
Vote: Approved unanimously
5E: Approval of 2020-2021 Official School Budget
Presenter: Darrin Rice, CFO
- Proposed budget: $576,999,426
- As presented in budget workshops, public hearing, and recommended by the district-level planning and decision-making committee
Significant Discussion — Golden Penny vs. Copper Penny:
- TEA calculates the compressed rate; district has 8 cents available as golden pennies
- Currently accessing 4; proposing to access 1 additional golden penny (total of 5)
- Golden penny: generates $4M locally + $4M state match = $8M total
- Copper pennies (above 8 cents) generate slightly less state match
- If a penny is cut, it cuts from a golden penny (district has no copper pennies) — resulting in loss of both local revenue AND state match (double hit)
- Board members confirmed the district has never adopted a deficit budget
- Cutting one golden penny would create a deficit of approximately $4-5 million
- The budget is being approved now; the tax rate will be approved separately on September 15
- If the tax rate is not approved as recommended, the expenditure budget remains the same but it would become a deficit budget
Vote: Approved unanimously
Item 6: Financial Reports
Presenter: Ms. Karen Scott
General Fund
- State pool investments: $138.5 million
- Short-term investments: $29.7 million
- Longer-term investments (TCG): $52.2 million
- Total cash/investments: $221 million
- Total year-to-date expenditures: $431.6 million
Other Funds
- Debt service: $74.8M YTD; $28M second debt payment processed on Friday (will show next month)
- Child Nutrition: $18.3M expenditures
- Self-funded insurance: $46.1M expenditures
Self-Funded Health Plan
- July: Revenue $4M, Expenses $4.4M (net deficit $371K for month)
- Year-to-date: positive $483K
- Wellness center participation: ~459/month
Investment Portfolio (as of 7/31)
- Par value: $438.4 million
- Pool yield: 0.4251%
- Bank (Woodforest): 0.25%
- Short-term yield: 1.4% (WAM 108 days)
- Long-term yield: 1.8% (WAM 412 days)
- Combined portfolio: 0.6501% (WAM 58 days)
- Benchmark (90-day T-bill): 0.103%
Board confirmed no arbitrage concerns with recent bond fundings.
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned following the financial reports. (Exact time not stated in transcript.)
Summary of All Votes
| Item | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Consent Agenda | Approved | Unanimous |
| Alternate Reading Instrument Waiver (AIMSweb) | Approved | Unanimous |
| RFP 20-06-04 AC Filter Media | Approved | Unanimous |
| Proctorio Online Test Security Tool | Approved | Unanimous |
| Coronavirus Relief Funding Application ($2.26M) | Approved | Unanimous |
| Chapter 49 Option 3 (Purchase ADA Credits) | Approved | Unanimous |
| 2020-2021 Official School Budget ($576,999,426) | Approved | Unanimous |
Items Deferred/Postponed
- Tax rate adoption postponed to September 15, 2020 meeting (pending certified property values from appraisal district)
Notable Items
- Conroe High School Student Council provided a warm welcome and two students (Amya Lynch and Angel Martinez) delivered appreciative remarks during public comment
- Live stream experienced technical difficulties, requiring a ~5 minute recess before the regular meeting
- The budget surplus plan explicitly references preparation for potential state funding cuts anticipated in the spring 2021 legislative session
- The district emphasized it has never adopted a deficit budget in its history
- COVID-19 total financial impact estimated at $19.5 million