August 20, 2024 — Regular Meeting
Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2024-08-20
Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes
Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.
Generated 2026-03-28 17:17 UTC
Unofficial Meeting Notes
Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees
Regular Meeting — August 20, 2024
These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript and may contain errors or omissions.
Meeting Called to Order
- Time: 6:00 PM
- Quorum: Present
- Invocation: Misty Odenweller
- Pledge of Allegiance: Melissa Duncan
Special Recognitions (Item 2)
Breaking News Announcement
Dr. Null announced that Forbes released its 2024 "Best-in-State Employers" list, ranking Conroe ISD as the #13 overall best employer in the state of Texas and the #1 school district on the list. This follows previous Forbes recognitions as #37 best employer nationally and #62 best employer for women nationally.
2A — Ambassador Awards: Special Education Department
Dr. Kendra Wiggins, Executive Director of Special Education, presented awards recognizing outstanding staff. The department oversees 400+ department staff, 612 special education teachers, 689 paraprofessionals, and serves approximately 15,000 students (9,500+ special education, 6,504+ Section 504).
Honorees:
- Mara Dantony — Oversees physical therapists, occupational therapists, and assistive technology; 42 years in school districts, 18 in Conroe ISD
- Cheryl Meadows — 34 years in the district
- Laura Orange — Regional Day School specialist for deaf students; received the Texas Association of Parents and Educators of the Deaf Leadership Award (only one given per year statewide); serves Conroe ISD students plus eight other districts
- Kayla Riley — Lead homebound teacher, 12th year in Conroe ISD; oversees 50-80 homebound students annually
- Narina Rivera — Assistant Director of Special Education; oversees 200+ assessment staff; 39th year in education, 11th in Conroe ISD
2B — Ambassador Awards: District Support Staff
Dr. Sarah Blakelock, Executive Director of Communications, presented awards to:
- Hector Ming — Communications/Print Shop driver
- Sammy Joe Barnhart — Human Resources secretary (since October 2022)
- Pina Medina — HR Hiring Generalist (5 years in CISD)
- Benny Jingles — Network Services
- Tancy Foster — Construction coordination
- Michelle Pike — Purchasing/Travel Coordinator
- Josh Algaze, Andrea Salazar, and Marian Patterson — JET Center management team
2C — District of Distinction: Career and Technical Education
Tally Joe Stout, CTE Director, announced that Conroe ISD was named the first and only Career and Technical Association of Texas (CTAT) District of Distinction at the 25th anniversary 2024 CTAT Summer Conference. This is the inaugural year of the award. Also recognized: Alex Everett (CTE Specialist) and Dr. Jamal Willis (CCMR Specialist).
2D — District of Distinction: Texas Art Education Association
Dr. Bob Horton announced Conroe ISD received its third consecutive TAEA District of Distinction designation for 2024. Out of 1,200+ eligible districts, only 94 met the standards — placing Conroe ISD in the top 8% of all Texas districts for visual arts education. Over 20 of the district's 132 visual arts teachers attended. Fine Arts Specialist Dr. Lisa Davis was also recognized. A district art show with 438 student pieces will be posted online, with an open house September 14.
Citizen Participation (Item 3)
Deborah Portalis — Thanked the board for community support regarding tennis courts. Reported that bus transportation is now provided, April Sound Tennis Complex was acquired for practices and tournaments, and the 43-person tennis roster has straight A's and won their matches that evening.
Teresa Neeman — Referenced Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 to argue against book restrictions. Stated that approximately 20 individuals (most without children in CISD) pressured the district to remove books, out of a community of 74,000 students and 25,000+ families. Urged the board to return book policies to "reasonableness."
Teresa Allen — Expressed concern about book banning in the district. Argued it is disrespectful to the district's professional librarians and educators. Mentioned Slave Narratives and The Tao of Pooh as examples of banned books (not necessarily in CISD).
Brenda Cooper — Argued that exposing children to diverse ideas is essential for developing critical thinking skills. Stated community values are not uniform and drafting policies to regulate every book is impractical. Urged the board to trust trained educators.
Mark Fusa — Reported his son started at Grand Oaks High School with a positive experience. Raised concerns about a teacher at York Junior High who allegedly refused to follow his son's IEP, denied him access to tutorials, wrote retaliatory referrals related to his autism, and manipulated grades. Asked why the teacher still has a job and called for accountability.
Susan Scruggs — Quoted Dr. Ben Carson regarding declining educational standards. Cited Conroe High School math proficiency at 26% and reading at 49%. Questioned incumbents on efforts to increase proficiency scores and suggested too much time was spent on book policies and "gender ideologies."
Carrie Freemer — Speaking as President of TSTA Conroe (Texas State Teachers Association), welcomed the new school year and thanked the board. Called for setting differences aside and maintaining collaborative goals to make Conroe ISD the #1 public school district in Texas.
William Smith — Conroe High School student and tennis player. Described the impact of lacking tennis courts for four years due to construction, including losing 30+ hours of practice monthly from off-site travel. Urged the board to explore solutions. (Board President noted a related agenda item would be discussed later.)
Consent Agenda (Item 4)
- Motion: Approved as presented
- Vote: Unanimous (by show of hands)
Planning and Construction (Item 5)
5A — Accept Safety and Security 2022 Construction Project as Complete
Mr. Foster presented. Per board policy CV Local, projects over $1 million require board acceptance as complete before final payment.
- Project cost: $5,156,997
- Final payment to Osburn (CMaR): $431,500
- Vote: Unanimous (by show of hands)
5B — Conroe High School Tennis Courts at 9th Grade Campus
Significant Discussion: Dr. Null provided backstory explaining this was a collaborative effort after community members expressed that the lack of tennis courts had extended from an expected 3 years to potentially 6-7 years. The solution involved building a permanent varsity tennis complex at the Conroe High School 9th Grade Campus instead of waiting for space on the main campus.
Mr. Foster requested two approvals:
1. Approve Competitive Sealed Proposal (CSP) as the procurement method (instead of the standard CMaR for projects over $1M)
2. Award contract to Fielder's Choice as the highest-ranked bidder at $2,355,940
Key Points:
- Estimated project budget: $2.6 million (design and construction)
- Three proposals received; Fielder's Choice was both lowest bidder and highest ranked
- Completion target: January 2025 (students on courts when returning from winter break)
- This is the permanent home for Conroe High School tennis — no future tennis complex will be built at the senior campus
- Funds come from the original construction budget (already allocated bond money)
- Vote: Unanimous (by show of hands)
5C — Guaranteed Maximum Price Amendment: Timber Mill High School Clearing and Grading
- Timber Mill High School is a new high school set to open 2027-2028 school year
- Joris Construction (CMaR selected April 2023) submitted GMP for clearing and grading
- GMP Amount: $4,466,218
- Bids received August 13
- Main building package to be bid in coming months with a subsequent GMP approval expected this fall
- Vote: Unanimous (by show of hands)
5D — Capital Improvement Updates (Information Only)
Safety & Security 2324: On schedule; commissioning systems with jurisdictions through fall semester; completion expected December 2024.
Bartlett Elementary: Opened for first day of school; project complete.
Flex School #24 / Eiser Elementary: On schedule; foundations and drives taking shape; steel delivery in coming months; opening expected August 2025.
Campbell Elementary: Slightly ahead of Eiser; building slab going in; same opening timeline.
Grand Oaks 7-8 and 9th Grade Campus: On schedule to open January 2027; drilling foundations; developer building access roads.
Campus Renovations 2024 (David, Lamar, Hoover, Rice): Interior prep work completed; all four opened on first day of school (some were close calls); new HVAC equipment arriving through fall; completion expected end of calendar year.
Conroe High School Major Overhaul:
- Fine Arts and dining commons opened last week — served full student population lunch in one room for the first time in years
- Demolition on existing buildings delayed by heavy July rains (Hurricane Beryl effects)
- ⚠️ Schedule Update: Previously targeted December 2025 completion now looking at early 2026 due to underground obstacles discovered during demolition
- Mr. Foster noted that design decisions made 10 years ago need updating to match current standards (e.g., shade structures for courtyards, features included in newer schools like Timber Mill and The Woodlands HS renovations)
- Financial note: The $18 million contingency set aside from the 2019 Bond will be applied to Conroe HS finishing touches; no additional money beyond the existing bond contingency will be needed. A future board item will detail the allocation. Dr. Null confirmed this is reallocating existing bond contingency funds, not requesting new money.
- Culinary arts kitchen opened successfully for first day of school
Oak Ridge High School: New road open; gates on old road between campuses cannot yet be closed during the day due to ongoing legal transfer process with the county (~75% complete). District police have jurisdiction on the new road.
Purchasing (Item 6)
6A — RFP 24-601: Golf and Utility Style Vehicles
- Contracts firm through August 2025 with two one-year auto-renewal options
- Evaluated by maintenance and athletic departments
- Uses funds set aside annually in general fund budget
- Vote: Unanimous (by show of hands)
6B — RFP 24-602: New and Used Vehicles
- Pricing firm through August 2025
- Evaluated by operations department and CTE
- Typically replaces aged-out vehicles; uses annually budgeted funds
- Vote: Unanimous (by show of hands)
Public Hearing: Budget and Tax Rate (Item 7B)
CFO Karen Garza presented the proposed 2024-2025 budget (same presentation as August 6 first hearing):
Budget Assumptions:
- Student enrollment: 74,000 (1,500 growth over 2023-24)
- Average daily attendance: 92.5%
- Final certified property value growth: 8.36% ($4.2 billion additional value)
- Proposed total tax rate: $0.9496 per $100 valuation (decrease of 1.25 cents)
Tax Rate Details:
| Component | Current | Proposed | Change |
|-----------|---------|----------|--------|
| M&O | $0.7021 | $0.6696 | -$0.0325 |
| Debt Service | $0.26 | $0.28 | +$0.02 |
| Total | $0.9621 | $0.9496 | -$0.0125 |
- The 2023 bond approval assumed a 2-cent increase to $0.9821; actual rate is 3.25 cents below that
- Tax rate has decreased 26.29 cents since 2020-21
Revenue:
- Local revenue: decreased $13.97M (due to SB 12 recalculation of over-65 tax ceiling)
- State revenue: increased $38.52M (offsets local loss + student growth)
- Total estimated revenue increase: $27.3M
Expenditures:
- Personnel additions: 147 FTE at $10.8M (over half for special education)
- Teacher step adjustments: $1.6M
- Other expenses (utilities, fuel, insurance, supplies): $2.55M
- Total estimated expenditure increase: $17.7M
Bottom Line:
- Total estimated revenue: $700.07M
- Total estimated expenditures: $711.97M
- Estimated budget shortfall: $11.9M
- Payroll: ~89% of budget
Public Comment During Hearing:
- One community member asked about current enrollment (approximately 72,200 at time of meeting; expected to reach 74,000 by October, tracking middle projections)
- One community member asked why the tax rate is being reduced if there's a shortfall — Dr. Null explained that state law requires the tax rate reduction (compression under HB 3); the board has no legal option to maintain the higher rate
Budget and Tax Rate Adoption (Items 8A & 8B)
8A — Adopt 2024-2025 Official School Budget
Ms. Garza recognized finance staff: Cindy Westrope, Janice Stowers, Desiree Smith, Rachel Battaglia, Blair DeJesus, and Laura Koyo.
Budget approved as presented in workshops and public hearings, and as recommended unanimously by the District Level Planning and Decision-Making Committee.
Board Discussion:
- Trustee Stacey Chase acknowledged the deficit has been reduced through the finance team's work
- Multiple board members expressed concern about the inability to provide employee raises due to lack of state funding
- Board President Hubert emphasized that the people (staff) are the "magic" of the district
- Ms. Garza clarified that any legislative session funding increases would not apply until 2025-26 school year
- Vote: Unanimous (by show of hands)
8B — Adopt 2024 Ad Valorem Tax Rate
Required statement read: The tax rate of $0.9496 is "effectively a 5.86% increase" compared to the no-new-revenue rate of $0.8970.
Ms. Garza explained this comparison is required by Texas Tax Code but is misleading for school districts because:
- It doesn't account for the state funding formula relationship
- Adopting the no-new-revenue rate would cost the district ~$60M (loss of "golden pennies") and would be "catastrophic"
- It doesn't account for student growth or increased operational needs
- Vote: Unanimous (by show of hands)
Financial Reports (Item 8C — Information Only)
Congratulations noted: This was Ms. Garza's first budget as CFO.
- General Fund assets: $267.8M
- General Fund YTD revenue: $583.2M; expenditures: $544M
- 2023 Bond: $75.3M expended/encumbered; $595M sold of authorized amount
- Self-funded insurance: July showed heavy utilization (typical for summer); running slight $310K surplus YTD but may use up to ~$1M of $8M fund balance if August trends similarly
- Investments: Total par value $955M; combined portfolio yield 5.37% (above 5.14% benchmark)
- Next bond sale: Parameter orders coming in September; second sale (~$600M) expected January 2025
Executive Session (Item 10)
No executive session needed; board chose to continue with open session.
Legal Items (Item 11)
11A — Purchase of ~2-Acre Parcel in Caney Creek Feeder Zone
Previously discussed in closed session. Authorized superintendent to negotiate and execute documents.
- Vote: Unanimous (by show of hands)
11B — Legislative Priorities for 89th Texas Legislative Session
Significant Discussion and Disagreement:
Trustee Odenweller requested pulling the item, noting the legislative session doesn't start until January and at least two new board members will be seated by then. She suggested Dr. Null's team compile priorities for future discussion.
Trustee Chase also requested this item and wanted to discuss it. After procedural debate about whether one trustee can pull an item another trustee also requested, Board President Hubert ruled the item would be discussed since Trustee Chase also requested it and did not want it pulled.
Dr. Null's staff provided bullet points (distributed at the meeting, not in advance) as conversation starters, noting these reflect previously discussed concerns.
Trustee Chase presented priorities in three categories:
Funding:
- Increase basic allotment (not increased since 2019)
- Change funding calculation from Average Daily Attendance to enrollment-based
- Increase state funding for special education
- Teacher recruitment and retention funding
- Oppose school vouchers
Student Outcomes:
- Universal pre-K funding
- Accountability and assessment reform (reduce reliance on STAAR; more holistic measures)
- Technology infrastructure and digital learning resources (especially rural areas)
Safety:
- Stable funding for mandated school safety upgrades (not just grants)
- Expand mental health services
- Digital safety and cybersecurity for student data
Board Discussion:
- Trustee Odenweller expressed support for many items but wanted more time to review
- Trustee Nelson questioned the purpose if no one would go to Austin to advocate; Trustee Odenweller noted she has extensive experience doing exactly that
- Dr. Null suggested the District Level Planning and Decision-Making Committee could provide feedback
- Some debate about whether to formalize priorities before the November election, with Trustee Odenweller suggesting new board members should have input
- Trustee Chase pushed for action, noting the deficit budget is directly tied to legislative inaction
Path Forward Agreed Upon: Board members will submit their individual lists to Dr. Null, who will compile them along with staff suggestions and examples from other districts. Discussion to continue at future meetings.
11C — Re-evaluate Board Policies EFA and EFB (Instructional Resources / Library Materials)
Significant and Extended Discussion:
Trustee Wagman opened by noting recent policy changes implemented parental notifications for book checkouts, K-4/5-6 library separations, and online catalog access. She raised concerns that AP and college-level students may lack access to books removed under current policies, and sought a procedural solution for parents to obtain materials at no cost.
Dr. Null stated he believes this can be handled procedurally within current policy — through public library cards, community donations, or personal libraries of employees/former students. He expressed confidence no AP student would be unable to access needed materials if parents request help.
Trustee Chase pushed back, arguing that access to a book is not the same as being instructed in it, and advocated for changes to both EFA (instructional materials) and EFB (library materials). She proposed working with legal counsel to redline both policies with specific recommended changes for the board to evaluate next month.
Board President Hubert made a significant personal statement:
- Distinguished between pornography (arousal/titillation) and books discussing sensitive topics (rape, incest) like The Color Purple
- Noted librarians removed books preemptively out of fear of misinterpreting policy, without formal challenge processes
- Called for a mechanism to allow removed books covering sensitive subject matter to be re-evaluated
Trustee Williams stated that in his 12 years on the board, more books have been removed in the last 2 years than all previous years combined. He alleged the book removals disproportionately target books by minority authors and argued the issue is driven by select groups forcing their agenda on the district.
Trustee Odenweller read from the policy's legal definitions of prohibited material and argued the criteria are explicit, not subjective. She expressed openness to accommodations for higher-level courses with proper parental consent.
Trustee Nelson argued the definitions are inherently subjective, noting that biblical content could meet similar criteria but is not challenged.
Outcome: Trustee Chase will work with legal counsel to prepare redlined versions of EFA and EFB policies with specific proposed changes for board review and potential action at a future meeting.
Future Agenda Item Requests (Item 12)
- Teacher Incentive Allotment discussion requested (speaker not clearly identified in transcript)
Adjournment
- Motion to adjourn approved
- Meeting adjourned (approximately 9:04 PM based on transcript timing)
Summary of All Votes
| Item | Description | Result |
|------|-------------|--------|
| 4 | Consent Agenda | Unanimous approval |
| 5A | Safety & Security 2022 project acceptance | Unanimous approval |
| 5B | Conroe HS Tennis Courts — CSP method & contract award ($2,355,940) | Unanimous approval |
| 5C | Timber Mill HS clearing/grading GMP ($4,466,218) | Unanimous approval |
| 6A | RFP 24-601 Golf/Utility Vehicles | Unanimous approval |
| 6B | RFP 24-602 New/Used Vehicles | Unanimous approval |
| 8A | 2024-25 Official School Budget adoption | Unanimous approval |
| 8B | 2024 Tax Rate ($0.9496) adoption | Unanimous approval |
| 11A | Purchase of ~2-acre parcel (Caney Creek feeder zone) | Unanimous approval |
Notable Items / Flags
- ⚠️ Deficit Budget: $11.9M shortfall adopted; board cannot increase tax rate due to state-mandated compression; no raises for employees this year
- ⚠️ Conroe HS Construction Delay: Completion pushed from December 2025 to early 2026; contingency funds from 2019 bond to be applied (no new money needed)
- ⚠️ Book Policy (EFA/EFB): Substantive disagreement among board members; Trustee Chase to bring redlined policy proposals to a future meeting
- ⚠️ Legislative Priorities: New initiative for the board; lists to be compiled and discussed at future meetings; no formal action taken
- ⚠️ IEP Compliance Complaint: Parent Mark Fusa alleged a teacher at York Junior High refused to follow his son's IEP, denied tutorials, wrote retaliatory referrals, and manipulated grades; questioned lack of accountability (board cannot respond per policy)