{ "id": "2026-03-17_regular", "meeting_date": "2026-03-17", "meeting_type": "regular", "meeting_types": [ "regular" ], "title": "Conroe ISD Board Meeting — March 17, 2026", "date_display": "March 17, 2026", "type_display": "Regular Meeting", "types_display": [ "Regular Meeting" ], "item_count": 26, "has_agenda": true, "has_notes": true, "pdf_filename": "agenda_2026-03-17_regular.pdf", "packet_url": "https://aptg.co/0DSdhH", "generated_at": "2026-06-18T19:45:22.080086Z", "highlights": "- The board will consider appointing principals for seven campuses: Bradley Elementary, Suchma Elementary, Cox Intermediate, Travis Intermediate, Stockton Junior High, York Junior High, and Grand Oaks High School 9th Grade Campus — an unusually large number of leadership changes in a single meeting.\n- The board will vote on the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for a renovation project covering Irons Junior High, Peet Junior High, York Junior High, and Conroe High School 9th Grade Campus, authorizing the Superintendent to finalize and sign the contract.\n- The board will formally accept as complete the renovation project at four elementary campuses: Armstrong, Austin, Birnham Woods, and Broadway.\n- The board will vote on approving specific library materials under Policy EFB and Senate Bill 13, continuing the district's board-centric library approval process adopted in September 2025.\n- An outside firm, the Docentus Group, will present findings from a personnel audit of district staffing — the first such presentation noted in recent meeting records.\n- The board will discuss how the district applies Policy EMB regarding commemorative months and controversial topics, following that policy's significant expansion in October 2025 under S.B. 12.\n- The board will approve mascots for two newer campuses: Kacy Arnold Elementary and Lynn Cartwright Junior High School.\n- The board will also formally accept the completion of the Conroe High School 9th Grade Campus tennis court project and receive enrollment projection data from Zonda Demographics.", "sections": [ { "name": "Meeting Highlights", "items": [] }, { "name": "Procedural Items", "items": [] }, { "name": "Closed Session (Section II)", "items": [] }, { "name": "Section III — Action on Executive Session Items", "items": [ { "id": "III.A", "title": "Consideration and Possible Action on Level III Grievance", "context": "Following the closed-session grievance hearing, the board may take a formal vote on the outcome. A Level III grievance is the final internal appeal step for an employee or other party who believes a district decision was improper or unjust. This item allows the board to act publicly on whatever was deliberated privately.", "history": "Level III grievance hearings appear periodically on CISD board agendas as part of the district's standard employee complaint and appeals process. No specific prior history for this particular grievance is available from the provided records.", "vote": null } ] }, { "name": "Section IV — Special Recognitions", "items": [] }, { "name": "Section VI — Consent Agenda", "items": [ { "id": "VI.A", "title": "Consider and Approve Minutes", "context": "The board is asked to approve the official minutes from a previous meeting, confirming the written record is accurate. This is a routine administrative requirement for all public bodies in Texas.", "history": "Approval of meeting minutes appears as a standard consent item at every regular CISD board meeting across all reviewed agendas.", "vote": null }, { "id": "VI.B", "title": "Consider and Approve Amendment to the Budget", "context": "This item asks the board to approve a change to the district's current operating budget. Budget amendments are common mid-year adjustments that reallocate funds to reflect actual spending needs or unexpected costs. Approval by the board is required under Texas law.", "history": "Budget amendments appear regularly on CISD consent agendas. This type of item was also present on the January 20, 2026 and prior regular meeting agendas, reflecting ongoing fiscal management throughout the school year.", "vote": null }, { "id": "VI.C", "title": "Receive Human Resources Report and Consider and Approve Employment of Professional Personnel", "context": "The board will receive a staffing update and vote to formally approve the hiring of professional staff, such as teachers or administrators, as recommended by district leadership. Texas law requires board approval for the employment of professional personnel.", "history": "HR reports and employment approvals are standard items on every CISD regular meeting consent agenda, consistent across all reviewed prior meetings.", "vote": null }, { "id": "VI.D", "title": "Receive Financial Reports", "context": "The board will receive routine financial reports summarizing the district's current revenue, expenditures, and fund balances. This is a standard transparency and oversight practice required of Texas school districts.", "history": "Financial reports are a standing item on CISD consent agendas and have appeared on all reviewed prior meeting agendas.", "vote": null }, { "id": "VI.E", "title": "Consider and Approve Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS) Appraisers", "context": "T-TESS is the state-approved framework for evaluating teacher performance in Texas. The board is asked to formally designate which administrators or staff are authorized to conduct teacher appraisals under this system. Board approval of appraisers is required annually.", "history": "T-TESS appraiser approvals appear periodically on CISD consent agendas, typically on a recurring annual cycle. No specific prior action from the reviewed meetings is noted for this exact item.", "vote": null }, { "id": "VI.F", "title": "Request Ratification of the District's 2026–2027 Certification of Provision of Instructional Materials Form", "context": "Texas requires school districts to certify annually that they are providing required instructional materials to students for the upcoming school year. This form is submitted to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the board's ratification makes the certification official.", "history": "Certification of instructional materials is an annual state compliance requirement. No specific prior board action on this exact form is noted in the reviewed meeting records, but it is consistent with routine annual filings.", "vote": null }, { "id": "VI.G", "title": "Consider Authorizing the District to Enter into an Interlocal Agreement with Region 16 Education Service Center and Interlocal Agreement with ESC 16's Sponsored Cooperative TexBuy", "context": "This item authorizes the district to join purchasing cooperatives administered by Region 16 Education Service Center, which allow school districts to buy goods and services at pre-negotiated prices. Participating in these cooperatives can reduce costs and simplify procurement while maintaining legal compliance with Texas purchasing laws.", "history": "Interlocal purchasing agreements are a routine tool used by Texas school districts. Similar cooperative purchasing agreements have appeared on prior CISD consent agendas. No record of a specific prior action on this Region 16 / TexBuy agreement is available from the reviewed meetings.", "vote": null } ] }, { "name": "Section VII — Human Resources", "items": [ { "id": "VII.A", "title": "Discuss and Possibly Approve Principal for Bradley Elementary", "context": "The board will consider appointing a principal for Bradley Elementary School. Principal selections are among the most consequential staffing decisions a board makes, as campus leadership directly affects school culture and student outcomes.", "history": "Principal appointments appear periodically on CISD agendas when vacancies occur. The February 17, 2026 meeting agenda also appears to have included personnel discussions. The volume of principal appointments on this agenda (seven campuses) is unusually high and may reflect a coordinated district leadership transition or reorganization.", "vote": null }, { "id": "VII.B", "title": "Discuss and Possibly Approve Principal for Suchma Elementary", "context": "The board will consider appointing a principal for Suchma Elementary School. As with all principal appointments, this requires board approval following a candidate review process led by district administration.", "history": "See VII.A. above. No specific prior history for this campus is available from the reviewed records.", "vote": null }, { "id": "VII.C", "title": "Discuss and Possibly Approve Principal for Cox Intermediate", "context": "The board will consider appointing a principal for Cox Intermediate School. Intermediate schools typically serve students in grades 5–6, and campus leadership plays a key role during this transitional period for students.", "history": "See VII.A. above. No specific prior history for this campus is available from the reviewed records.", "vote": null }, { "id": "VII.D", "title": "Discuss and Possibly Approve Principal for Travis Intermediate School", "context": "The board will consider appointing a principal for Travis Intermediate School. This appointment, like others on the agenda, follows district HR processes including the closed-session candidate discussion.", "history": "See VII.A. above. No specific prior history for this campus is available from the reviewed records.", "vote": null }, { "id": "VII.E", "title": "Discuss and Possibly Approve Principal for Stockton Junior High School", "context": "The board will consider appointing a principal for Stockton Junior High School. Junior high principals oversee students typically in grades 7–8, a critical developmental period, making this a significant leadership appointment.", "history": "See VII.A. above. No specific prior history for this campus is available from the reviewed records.", "vote": null }, { "id": "VII.F", "title": "Discuss and Possibly Approve Principal for York Junior High School", "context": "The board will consider appointing a principal for York Junior High School. This is one of several junior high and high school principal appointments on this agenda, suggesting broader leadership changes across the district.", "history": "See VII.A. above. No specific prior history for this campus is available from the reviewed records.", "vote": null }, { "id": "VII.G", "title": "Discuss and Possibly Approve Principal for Grand Oaks High School 9th", "context": "The board will consider appointing a principal for the Grand Oaks High School 9th Grade Campus. Ninth-grade campuses are separate facilities in some CISD high schools designed to ease the transition from junior high to high school.", "history": "See VII.A. above. No specific prior history for this campus is available from the reviewed records.", "vote": null } ] }, { "name": "Section VIII — Administration", "items": [ { "id": "VIII.A", "title": "Receive Information and Approve the Campus Mascot for Kacy Arnold Elementary", "context": "The board will be presented with a proposed mascot for Kacy Arnold Elementary, a newer CISD campus, and asked to give official approval. Mascot selection is a community-connected milestone for new schools and typically involves input from students, staff, and families before coming to the board.", "history": "Mascot approvals for new campuses have appeared on prior CISD agendas as the district has opened new schools in recent years. No specific prior action on Kacy Arnold Elementary's mascot is noted in the reviewed records.", "vote": null }, { "id": "VIII.B", "title": "Receive Information and Approve the Campus Mascot for Lynn Cartwright Junior High School", "context": "Similarly, the board will consider approving an official mascot for Lynn Cartwright Junior High School. This is likely also a newer campus going through the standard identity-establishment process. Board approval makes the mascot official.", "history": "See VIII.A. above. No specific prior action on Lynn Cartwright Junior High's mascot is noted in the reviewed records.", "vote": null }, { "id": "VIII.C", "title": "Receive District and Campus Future Enrollment Projection Information from Zonda Demographics", "context": "Zonda Demographics will present enrollment projections for the district and individual campuses. These projections are used to plan for future facility needs, staffing levels, and budget decisions. This is an informational item — no vote is expected.", "history": "Demographic and enrollment projection presentations appear periodically on CISD agendas to support long-range planning. The district's growth trajectory in Montgomery County makes this an important planning tool. No specific prior presentation from Zonda is noted in the reviewed records.", "vote": null }, { "id": "VIII.D", "title": "Discuss and Possibly Consider Local School Library Advisory Council (LSLAC)", "context": "The board will discuss the Local School Library Advisory Council (LSLAC), a body established under Texas law (Texas Education Code §33.026) to assist with library oversight at the district level. This item may involve establishing, reviewing the composition of, or receiving an update on the LSLAC's activities related to library materials. This item is related to the district's library governance structure under Policy EFB.", "history": "The LSLAC is directly connected to the district's significant library policy overhaul. CISD's Policy EFB (Library Materials) was comprehensively rewritten and adopted on September 16, 2025, replacing a decentralized librarian-driven model with a Board-centric approval process that requires Board approval of all library acquisitions and donations, Superintendent certification of materials, and alignment with Texas Education Code §33.027. The LSLAC discussion likely relates to implementing or overseeing that new framework. [View Policy EFB in Policy Tracker](https://cisd-policy.boardmonitor.app/policy.html?code=EFB)", "vote": null }, { "id": "VIII.E", "title": "Discussion of Commemorative Months and Other Issues Under School Board Policy EMB", "context": "The board will discuss how the district handles recognition of commemorative months (such as nationally observed heritage or awareness months) and other related instructional concerns under Policy EMB, which governs how staff approach controversial topics in the classroom. This is a discussion item and may or may not result in a formal vote.", "history": "Policy EMB (Teaching About Controversial Issues) was significantly updated and adopted on October 21, 2025, expanding coverage to include employees, volunteers, and contractors and adding new restrictions aligned with S.B. 12 (89th Texas Legislature) on topics including holidays and commemorative months, human sexuality, diversity/equity/inclusion, and gender identity. This discussion likely addresses how the district is applying those new provisions. [View Policy EMB in Policy Tracker](https://cisd-policy.boardmonitor.app/policy.html?code=EMB)", "vote": null } ] }, { "name": "Section IX — Teaching and Learning", "items": [ { "id": "IX.A", "title": "Consider and Possibly Approve Library Materials in Accordance with Texas Education Code §33.026, School Board Policy EFB, and Senate Bill 13", "context": "The board will vote on approving specific library materials for district school libraries, as required by the updated Policy EFB and Texas Education Code §33.026. Under current district policy, the board must formally approve all library material acquisitions — this item puts that approval process into action. Senate Bill 13 references state legislation that shapes library material selection standards.", "history": "This item is a direct implementation of CISD's revised Policy EFB (Library Materials), which was adopted on September 16, 2025. That policy replaced the previous librarian-driven collection model with a Board-centric approval process, requiring the board to vote on all library acquisitions. Approval of specific library materials has been appearing on agendas since that policy change took effect. [View Policy EFB in Policy Tracker](https://cisd-policy.boardmonitor.app/policy.html?code=EFB)", "vote": null }, { "id": "IX.B", "title": "Receive Information Regarding Beginning and Middle of Year NWEA MAP Growth and Reading Fluency Assessment, House Bill 3 Progress Measures 1.2 and 2.2, and Bluebonnet Learning ELAR K–5", "context": "The board will receive a data presentation on student academic performance, including results from the widely used NWEA MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) assessment and reading fluency testing, as well as progress metrics tied to House Bill 3 literacy requirements. Bluebonnet Learning is the state-aligned English Language Arts curriculum for grades K–5. This is an informational item to keep the board informed about student progress.", "history": "Academic progress reports, including assessment data and HB 3 literacy measures, are presented to the CISD board on a recurring basis throughout the school year. Similar reporting items appeared on prior meeting agendas. No specific prior action is required for this informational presentation.", "vote": null } ] }, { "name": "Section X — Business/Finance", "items": [ { "id": "X.A", "title": "Receive Personnel Audit Presentation by the Docentus Group", "context": "The board will receive the findings of a personnel audit conducted by the Docentus Group, an outside firm. Personnel audits examine district staffing structures, compensation, or HR practices to identify efficiencies or areas needing improvement. This is an informational presentation; the board may follow up with action items at a future meeting.", "history": "No prior reference to a Docentus Group personnel audit is found in the reviewed meeting records. This appears to be a new engagement or the first time results are being presented to the board.", "vote": null } ] }, { "name": "Section XI — Planning and Construction", "items": [ { "id": "XI.A", "title": "Consider and Approve the Guaranteed Maximum Price Amendment for the Irons, Peet, York, and Conroe High School 9th Renovations Project and Authorize the Superintendent to Complete Negotiations and Execute Contract Documents", "context": "The board will vote on approving the maximum cost cap (Guaranteed Maximum Price, or GMP) for a renovation project covering four campuses: Irons Junior High, Peet Junior High, York Junior High, and Conroe High School 9th Grade Campus. The GMP is a contractual ceiling on what the district will pay the contractor. The board will also authorize the Superintendent to finalize and sign the contract. This is a significant spending decision.", "history": "CISD has had multiple active construction and renovation projects across the district, consistent with its growth and bond program. Renovation projects at various campuses have appeared on prior agendas, including the Armstrong, Austin, Birnham Woods, and Broadway elementary projects referenced in Item XI.B below. No specific prior board action on this particular four-campus renovation GMP is noted in the reviewed records.", "vote": null }, { "id": "XI.B", "title": "Consider and Accept as Complete the Armstrong, Austin, Birnham Woods, and Broadway Elementary Renovations Project", "context": "The board will formally vote to accept the renovation work at four elementary campuses — Armstrong, Austin, Birnham Woods, and Broadway — as complete. Formal board acceptance is a required step to close out a construction contract, release final payment to the contractor, and begin any applicable warranty periods.", "history": "Renovation projects at these four elementary campuses were previously underway as part of the district's broader capital program. Formal completion acceptance items appear on CISD agendas as construction phases wrap up. No specific prior action on this project's completion is noted in the reviewed records, but the project's existence is consistent with CISD's ongoing facilities work.", "vote": null }, { "id": "XI.C", "title": "Consider and Accept as Complete the Conroe High School Tennis Courts at the 9th Grade Campus Project", "context": "The board will vote to formally accept the completion of tennis court construction or renovation at the Conroe High School 9th Grade Campus. Like Item XI.B, this board acceptance is required to officially close out the project and authorize final contractor payment.", "history": "No specific prior board action on this tennis court project is noted in the reviewed meeting records. It is consistent with the district's ongoing capital improvement and athletic facility work.", "vote": null } ] } ], "agenda_breakdown_md": "# Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2026-03-17\n*Regular Meeting — Agenda Breakdown*\n*Generated 2026-04-11 19:57 UTC*\n\n---\n\n\n## Meeting Highlights\n*Summary generated 2026-04-16 00:55 UTC*\n\n- The board will consider appointing principals for seven campuses: Bradley Elementary, Suchma Elementary, Cox Intermediate, Travis Intermediate, Stockton Junior High, York Junior High, and Grand Oaks High School 9th Grade Campus — an unusually large number of leadership changes in a single meeting.\n- The board will vote on the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for a renovation project covering Irons Junior High, Peet Junior High, York Junior High, and Conroe High School 9th Grade Campus, authorizing the Superintendent to finalize and sign the contract.\n- The board will formally accept as complete the renovation project at four elementary campuses: Armstrong, Austin, Birnham Woods, and Broadway.\n- The board will vote on approving specific library materials under Policy EFB and Senate Bill 13, continuing the district's board-centric library approval process adopted in September 2025.\n- An outside firm, the Docentus Group, will present findings from a personnel audit of district staffing — the first such presentation noted in recent meeting records.\n- The board will discuss how the district applies Policy EMB regarding commemorative months and controversial topics, following that policy's significant expansion in October 2025 under S.B. 12.\n- The board will approve mascots for two newer campuses: Kacy Arnold Elementary and Lynn Cartwright Junior High School.\n- The board will also formally accept the completion of the Conroe High School 9th Grade Campus tennis court project and receive enrollment projection data from Zonda Demographics.\n\n---\n# CISD Board Meeting — March 17, 2026\n**Regular Meeting | 5:00 PM | Walter P. Jett Continuing Education Center, 19403 David Memorial Drive, Shenandoah, TX 77385**\n*Virtual access available at: [http://tiny.conroeisd.net/R78KV](http://tiny.conroeisd.net/R78KV)*\n\n---\n\n## Procedural Items\nThe following items are standard meeting procedures and will not be summarized individually:\n- **I.A.** Invocation\n- **I.B.** Pledge of Allegiance\n- **V.** Citizen Participation\n- **XII.** Take Requests from Trustees Regarding Future Board Agenda Items\n- **XIII.** Adjournment\n\n---\n\n## Closed Session (Section II)\nThe board will meet privately before the public meeting. Texas law permits school boards to meet in closed session for specific purposes. Three topics are listed:\n\n- **II.A.1** — Intruder detection audit report (security matters, per §551.076)\n- **II.B.1** — Legal update (attorney consultation, per §551.071)\n- **II.C.1** — Level III grievance hearing (personnel matter, per §551.074)\n- **II.C.2** — Principal candidate discussions (personnel matter, per §551.074)\n\nNo formal votes may be taken in closed session; any decisions must occur in open session.\n\n---\n\n## Section III — Action on Executive Session Items\n\n### III.A. Consideration and Possible Action on Level III Grievance\n\n**Context:** Following the closed-session grievance hearing, the board may take a formal vote on the outcome. A Level III grievance is the final internal appeal step for an employee or other party who believes a district decision was improper or unjust. This item allows the board to act publicly on whatever was deliberated privately.\n\n**Historical Summary:** Level III grievance hearings appear periodically on CISD board agendas as part of the district's standard employee complaint and appeals process. No specific prior history for this particular grievance is available from the provided records.\n\n---\n\n## Section IV — Special Recognitions\n\nThe board will recognize the following student athletic achievements. These are ceremonial items and require no board vote.\n\n- **IV.A.** 2026 USA Co-ed Cheerleading National Champions — Caney Creek High School\n- **IV.B.** 2026 NCA Game Day Cheerleading National Champions — College Park High School\n- **IV.C.** 2026 UIL Girls Wrestling State Champion — The Woodlands High School\n- **IV.D.** 2026 UIL Boys and Girls Wrestling State Champions — College Park High School\n- **IV.E.** 2026 UIL Boys Freestyle Swimming State Champion — Oak Ridge High School\n- **IV.F.** 2026 UIL Girls Team Swimming State Champions — The Woodlands High School\n\n---\n\n## Section VI — Consent Agenda\n\n*Consent agenda items are typically approved together in a single vote. Any trustee may request that an item be pulled for separate discussion.*\n\n### VI.A. Consider and Approve Minutes\n\n**Context:** The board is asked to approve the official minutes from a previous meeting, confirming the written record is accurate. This is a routine administrative requirement for all public bodies in Texas.\n\n**Historical Summary:** Approval of meeting minutes appears as a standard consent item at every regular CISD board meeting across all reviewed agendas.\n\n---\n\n### VI.B. Consider and Approve Amendment to the Budget\n\n**Context:** This item asks the board to approve a change to the district's current operating budget. Budget amendments are common mid-year adjustments that reallocate funds to reflect actual spending needs or unexpected costs. Approval by the board is required under Texas law.\n\n**Historical Summary:** Budget amendments appear regularly on CISD consent agendas. This type of item was also present on the January 20, 2026 and prior regular meeting agendas, reflecting ongoing fiscal management throughout the school year.\n\n---\n\n### VI.C. Receive Human Resources Report and Consider and Approve Employment of Professional Personnel\n\n**Context:** The board will receive a staffing update and vote to formally approve the hiring of professional staff, such as teachers or administrators, as recommended by district leadership. Texas law requires board approval for the employment of professional personnel.\n\n**Historical Summary:** HR reports and employment approvals are standard items on every CISD regular meeting consent agenda, consistent across all reviewed prior meetings.\n\n---\n\n### VI.D. Receive Financial Reports\n\n**Context:** The board will receive routine financial reports summarizing the district's current revenue, expenditures, and fund balances. This is a standard transparency and oversight practice required of Texas school districts.\n\n**Historical Summary:** Financial reports are a standing item on CISD consent agendas and have appeared on all reviewed prior meeting agendas.\n\n---\n\n### VI.E. Consider and Approve Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS) Appraisers\n\n**Context:** T-TESS is the state-approved framework for evaluating teacher performance in Texas. The board is asked to formally designate which administrators or staff are authorized to conduct teacher appraisals under this system. Board approval of appraisers is required annually.\n\n**Historical Summary:** T-TESS appraiser approvals appear periodically on CISD consent agendas, typically on a recurring annual cycle. No specific prior action from the reviewed meetings is noted for this exact item.\n\n---\n\n### VI.F. Request Ratification of the District's 2026–2027 Certification of Provision of Instructional Materials Form\n\n**Context:** Texas requires school districts to certify annually that they are providing required instructional materials to students for the upcoming school year. This form is submitted to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the board's ratification makes the certification official.\n\n**Historical Summary:** Certification of instructional materials is an annual state compliance requirement. No specific prior board action on this exact form is noted in the reviewed meeting records, but it is consistent with routine annual filings.\n\n---\n\n### VI.G. Consider Authorizing the District to Enter into an Interlocal Agreement with Region 16 Education Service Center and Interlocal Agreement with ESC 16's Sponsored Cooperative TexBuy\n\n**Context:** This item authorizes the district to join purchasing cooperatives administered by Region 16 Education Service Center, which allow school districts to buy goods and services at pre-negotiated prices. Participating in these cooperatives can reduce costs and simplify procurement while maintaining legal compliance with Texas purchasing laws.\n\n**Historical Summary:** Interlocal purchasing agreements are a routine tool used by Texas school districts. Similar cooperative purchasing agreements have appeared on prior CISD consent agendas. No record of a specific prior action on this Region 16 / TexBuy agreement is available from the reviewed meetings.\n\n---\n\n## Section VII — Human Resources\n\n*The board will consider approving principals for seven campuses. These items likely follow the closed-session discussion of principal candidates in Item II.C.2. Each item involves a significant personnel decision.*\n\n### VII.A. Discuss and Possibly Approve Principal for Bradley Elementary\n\n**Context:** The board will consider appointing a principal for Bradley Elementary School. Principal selections are among the most consequential staffing decisions a board makes, as campus leadership directly affects school culture and student outcomes.\n\n**Historical Summary:** Principal appointments appear periodically on CISD agendas when vacancies occur. The February 17, 2026 meeting agenda also appears to have included personnel discussions. The volume of principal appointments on this agenda (seven campuses) is unusually high and may reflect a coordinated district leadership transition or reorganization.\n\n---\n\n### VII.B. Discuss and Possibly Approve Principal for Suchma Elementary\n\n**Context:** The board will consider appointing a principal for Suchma Elementary School. As with all principal appointments, this requires board approval following a candidate review process led by district administration.\n\n**Historical Summary:** See VII.A. above. No specific prior history for this campus is available from the reviewed records.\n\n---\n\n### VII.C. Discuss and Possibly Approve Principal for Cox Intermediate\n\n**Context:** The board will consider appointing a principal for Cox Intermediate School. Intermediate schools typically serve students in grades 5–6, and campus leadership plays a key role during this transitional period for students.\n\n**Historical Summary:** See VII.A. above. No specific prior history for this campus is available from the reviewed records.\n\n---\n\n### VII.D. Discuss and Possibly Approve Principal for Travis Intermediate School\n\n**Context:** The board will consider appointing a principal for Travis Intermediate School. This appointment, like others on the agenda, follows district HR processes including the closed-session candidate discussion.\n\n**Historical Summary:** See VII.A. above. No specific prior history for this campus is available from the reviewed records.\n\n---\n\n### VII.E. Discuss and Possibly Approve Principal for Stockton Junior High School\n\n**Context:** The board will consider appointing a principal for Stockton Junior High School. Junior high principals oversee students typically in grades 7–8, a critical developmental period, making this a significant leadership appointment.\n\n**Historical Summary:** See VII.A. above. No specific prior history for this campus is available from the reviewed records.\n\n---\n\n### VII.F. Discuss and Possibly Approve Principal for York Junior High School\n\n**Context:** The board will consider appointing a principal for York Junior High School. This is one of several junior high and high school principal appointments on this agenda, suggesting broader leadership changes across the district.\n\n**Historical Summary:** See VII.A. above. No specific prior history for this campus is available from the reviewed records.\n\n---\n\n### VII.G. Discuss and Possibly Approve Principal for Grand Oaks High School 9th\n\n**Context:** The board will consider appointing a principal for the Grand Oaks High School 9th Grade Campus. Ninth-grade campuses are separate facilities in some CISD high schools designed to ease the transition from junior high to high school.\n\n**Historical Summary:** See VII.A. above. No specific prior history for this campus is available from the reviewed records.\n\n---\n\n## Section VIII — Administration\n\n### VIII.A. Receive Information and Approve the Campus Mascot for Kacy Arnold Elementary\n\n**Context:** The board will be presented with a proposed mascot for Kacy Arnold Elementary, a newer CISD campus, and asked to give official approval. Mascot selection is a community-connected milestone for new schools and typically involves input from students, staff, and families before coming to the board.\n\n**Historical Summary:** Mascot approvals for new campuses have appeared on prior CISD agendas as the district has opened new schools in recent years. No specific prior action on Kacy Arnold Elementary's mascot is noted in the reviewed records.\n\n---\n\n### VIII.B. Receive Information and Approve the Campus Mascot for Lynn Cartwright Junior High School\n\n**Context:** Similarly, the board will consider approving an official mascot for Lynn Cartwright Junior High School. This is likely also a newer campus going through the standard identity-establishment process. Board approval makes the mascot official.\n\n**Historical Summary:** See VIII.A. above. No specific prior action on Lynn Cartwright Junior High's mascot is noted in the reviewed records.\n\n---\n\n### VIII.C. Receive District and Campus Future Enrollment Projection Information from Zonda Demographics\n\n**Context:** Zonda Demographics will present enrollment projections for the district and individual campuses. These projections are used to plan for future facility needs, staffing levels, and budget decisions. This is an informational item — no vote is expected.\n\n**Historical Summary:** Demographic and enrollment projection presentations appear periodically on CISD agendas to support long-range planning. The district's growth trajectory in Montgomery County makes this an important planning tool. No specific prior presentation from Zonda is noted in the reviewed records.\n\n---\n\n### VIII.D. Discuss and Possibly Consider Local School Library Advisory Council (LSLAC)\n\n**Context:** The board will discuss the Local School Library Advisory Council (LSLAC), a body established under Texas law (Texas Education Code §33.026) to assist with library oversight at the district level. This item may involve establishing, reviewing the composition of, or receiving an update on the LSLAC's activities related to library materials. This item is related to the district's library governance structure under Policy EFB.\n\n**Historical Summary:** The LSLAC is directly connected to the district's significant library policy overhaul. CISD's Policy EFB (Library Materials) was comprehensively rewritten and adopted on September 16, 2025, replacing a decentralized librarian-driven model with a Board-centric approval process that requires Board approval of all library acquisitions and donations, Superintendent certification of materials, and alignment with Texas Education Code §33.027. The LSLAC discussion likely relates to implementing or overseeing that new framework. [View Policy EFB in Policy Tracker](https://cisd-policy.boardmonitor.app/policy.html?code=EFB)\n\n---\n\n### VIII.E. Discussion of Commemorative Months and Other Issues Under School Board Policy EMB\n\n**Context:** The board will discuss how the district handles recognition of commemorative months (such as nationally observed heritage or awareness months) and other related instructional concerns under Policy EMB, which governs how staff approach controversial topics in the classroom. This is a discussion item and may or may not result in a formal vote.\n\n**Historical Summary:** Policy EMB (Teaching About Controversial Issues) was significantly updated and adopted on October 21, 2025, expanding coverage to include employees, volunteers, and contractors and adding new restrictions aligned with S.B. 12 (89th Texas Legislature) on topics including holidays and commemorative months, human sexuality, diversity/equity/inclusion, and gender identity. This discussion likely addresses how the district is applying those new provisions. [View Policy EMB in Policy Tracker](https://cisd-policy.boardmonitor.app/policy.html?code=EMB)\n\n---\n\n## Section IX — Teaching and Learning\n\n### IX.A. Consider and Possibly Approve Library Materials in Accordance with Texas Education Code §33.026, School Board Policy EFB, and Senate Bill 13\n\n**Context:** The board will vote on approving specific library materials for district school libraries, as required by the updated Policy EFB and Texas Education Code §33.026. Under current district policy, the board must formally approve all library material acquisitions — this item puts that approval process into action. Senate Bill 13 references state legislation that shapes library material selection standards.\n\n**Historical Summary:** This item is a direct implementation of CISD's revised Policy EFB (Library Materials), which was adopted on September 16, 2025. That policy replaced the previous librarian-driven collection model with a Board-centric approval process, requiring the board to vote on all library acquisitions. Approval of specific library materials has been appearing on agendas since that policy change took effect. [View Policy EFB in Policy Tracker](https://cisd-policy.boardmonitor.app/policy.html?code=EFB)\n\n---\n\n### IX.B. Receive Information Regarding Beginning and Middle of Year NWEA MAP Growth and Reading Fluency Assessment, House Bill 3 Progress Measures 1.2 and 2.2, and Bluebonnet Learning ELAR K–5\n\n**Context:** The board will receive a data presentation on student academic performance, including results from the widely used NWEA MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) assessment and reading fluency testing, as well as progress metrics tied to House Bill 3 literacy requirements. Bluebonnet Learning is the state-aligned English Language Arts curriculum for grades K–5. This is an informational item to keep the board informed about student progress.\n\n**Historical Summary:** Academic progress reports, including assessment data and HB 3 literacy measures, are presented to the CISD board on a recurring basis throughout the school year. Similar reporting items appeared on prior meeting agendas. No specific prior action is required for this informational presentation.\n\n---\n\n## Section X — Business/Finance\n\n### X.A. Receive Personnel Audit Presentation by the Docentus Group\n\n**Context:** The board will receive the findings of a personnel audit conducted by the Docentus Group, an outside firm. Personnel audits examine district staffing structures, compensation, or HR practices to identify efficiencies or areas needing improvement. This is an informational presentation; the board may follow up with action items at a future meeting.\n\n**Historical Summary:** No prior reference to a Docentus Group personnel audit is found in the reviewed meeting records. This appears to be a new engagement or the first time results are being presented to the board.\n\n---\n\n## Section XI — Planning and Construction\n\n### XI.A. Consider and Approve the Guaranteed Maximum Price Amendment for the Irons, Peet, York, and Conroe High School 9th Renovations Project and Authorize the Superintendent to Complete Negotiations and Execute Contract Documents\n\n**Context:** The board will vote on approving the maximum cost cap (Guaranteed Maximum Price, or GMP) for a renovation project covering four campuses: Irons Junior High, Peet Junior High, York Junior High, and Conroe High School 9th Grade Campus. The GMP is a contractual ceiling on what the district will pay the contractor. The board will also authorize the Superintendent to finalize and sign the contract. This is a significant spending decision.\n\n**Historical Summary:** CISD has had multiple active construction and renovation projects across the district, consistent with its growth and bond program. Renovation projects at various campuses have appeared on prior agendas, including the Armstrong, Austin, Birnham Woods, and Broadway elementary projects referenced in Item XI.B below. No specific prior board action on this particular four-campus renovation GMP is noted in the reviewed records.\n\n---\n\n### XI.B. Consider and Accept as Complete the Armstrong, Austin, Birnham Woods, and Broadway Elementary Renovations Project\n\n**Context:** The board will formally vote to accept the renovation work at four elementary campuses — Armstrong, Austin, Birnham Woods, and Broadway — as complete. Formal board acceptance is a required step to close out a construction contract, release final payment to the contractor, and begin any applicable warranty periods.\n\n**Historical Summary:** Renovation projects at these four elementary campuses were previously underway as part of the district's broader capital program. Formal completion acceptance items appear on CISD agendas as construction phases wrap up. No specific prior action on this project's completion is noted in the reviewed records, but the project's existence is consistent with CISD's ongoing facilities work.\n\n---\n\n### XI.C. Consider and Accept as Complete the Conroe High School Tennis Courts at the 9th Grade Campus Project\n\n**Context:** The board will vote to formally accept the completion of tennis court construction or renovation at the Conroe High School 9th Grade Campus. Like Item XI.B, this board acceptance is required to officially close out the project and authorize final contractor payment.\n\n**Historical Summary:** No specific prior board action on this tennis court project is noted in the reviewed meeting records. It is consistent with the district's ongoing capital improvement and athletic facility work.\n\n---\n\n*This breakdown was prepared for informational purposes for CISD community members. For the official agenda and supporting documents, visit the Conroe ISD website or contact the district directly.*", "meeting_notes_md": "\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n# Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2026-03-17\n*Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes*\n*Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.*\n*Generated 2026-03-28 22:52 UTC*\n\n---\n\n# Unofficial Meeting Notes\n## Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees\n### Regular Meeting — March 17, 2026\n\n> **Note:** These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript. They may contain errors or omissions. Please refer to official board minutes for the authoritative record.\n\n---\n\n## Meeting Overview\n- **Called to Order:** 5:02 PM by Board President Odenweller\n- **Adjourned:** 10:56 PM\n- **Quorum:** Present\n- **Invocation:** Trustee Dawson\n- **Pledges:** Led by Scout Troop 589 (Grand Oaks Feeder Zone)\n\n---\n\n## Procedural Changes Announced\n\nPresident Odenweller announced several structural changes to board meetings aimed at efficiency:\n\n1. **Closed session moved to 5:00 PM** — to complete legal/personnel business before the 6:00 PM public session, avoiding long audience waits\n2. **Modified special recognitions** — certificates and receptions will be held before the public meeting; seniors and achievements will still be acknowledged during the meeting\n3. **Streamlined principal/leadership appointments** — approved as part of the consent agenda/HR report rather than individual votes\n4. **Upcoming venue change** — Next two meetings will be held at the administration office while the current facility is used for end-of-year student events\n\n---\n\n## Closed Session\n- **Entered:** 5:08 PM\n- **Returned to Open Session:** 6:31 PM\n- **Sections cited:** Texas Government Code §§551.076, 551.071, 551.074\n\n### Action from Closed Session:\n**Motion:** To uphold the Level 1 and Level 2 grievance decision and authorize the board president to issue a written determination.\n- **Vote: 7-0, Approved**\n\n---\n\n## Special Recognitions\n\n### Caney Creek High School Co-Ed Cheer — 2026 USA National Champions\n- Competed in Anaheim, California at USA Spirit National Championships\n- Scored 98.6 in finals; also earned silver medal in best overall fight song\n- Head Coach: Jaylen Jackson; Assistants: Chitty Noazi, Kathy Peara, Peggy Lions\n- Principal Dr. Jeffrey Stichler present\n\n### College Park High School Cheer — 2026 UCA Division 1 National Champions\n- Competed in Orlando, Florida; UCA Division 1 National High School Championships (Super Large Division 1 Game Day)\n- Earned automatic placement in finals after day one; won national championship on day three\n- Head Coach: Abby Constantino; Assistants: Maggie Meadow, Chandler Howard\n- Principal Robert MacFarlane present\n- President Odenweller gave extended personal remarks about watching both teams develop and noted the strong supportive relationship between Caney Creek and College Park cheer programs (\"coast to coast national championships\")\n\n### Claire Giden — 2026 UIL Girls Wrestling State Champion (The Woodlands HS)\n- 155-pound junior; won all matches by pin or technical fall (except district meet)\n- Coach: William Durning\n- Principal Dennis Muehsler present\n\n### College Park High School Wrestling — 2026 UIL State Champions\n- District champions 8th year in a row; dual state champions 2nd year in a row; 2nd place team at UIL state tournament\n- Coaches: Eric Spute, Lindsay Spute, Kenneth Mark, Brad Ewing\n- **Individual State Champions:**\n - **Mason Milsaps** — 132 lbs, freshman, 40-4 record; two-time US Open national champion, Pan-American champion\n - **Landry von Gotton** — 135 lbs, junior, 42-1 record; third state championship; multi-time national champion; will represent Team USA at Pan-American Games\n - **Logan Milsaps** — 144 lbs, senior, 38-3 record; two-time state champion; team captain; 4.3 GPA; committed to Arkansas Little Rock\n\n### Micah Tennyson — 2026 UIL Freestyle Swimming State Champion (Oak Ridge HS)\n- Junior; won both 100 and 200 freestyle at state\n- Holds school records in 100, 200, and 500 freestyle\n- Head Coach: Christine Ross; Assistant: Jeff Spoon\n- Principal Shawn Almond present\n\n### The Woodlands High School Girls Swimming — 2026 UIL 6A State Champions\n- **13th state title**; won the meet before the final event\n- Head Coach: Jeremy Wade; Assistants: Kevin Witt, Marty Miller, Dylan Venter\n- **Special announcement:** Brooke Miller named TGCA Swimming Athlete of the Year\n- Principal Dennis Muehsler present\n\n---\n\n## Citizen Participation (Public Comment)\n\n### Palin Lackey (Freshman, Grand Oaks High School)\n- Advocated for female flag football to become an official UIL sport\n- Cited safety concerns with girls playing tackle football (176,831 ER visits over 10 years)\n- Noted Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys are willing to help sponsor school teams\n- Requested formal district support to take the proposal to the state level\n\n### Mark Brooks\n- Thanked the board for discussing library material reviews in open session last month\n- Expressed concern that library challenge forms were not released publicly; obtained them via public information request\n- Noted the challenge form for *Ann of West Philly* included justifications about lesbian characters, drunkenness, and vomiting that were not discussed in open session\n- Argued discussions seemed \"based on feelings\" rather than local policy EFB criteria\n- Requested the board vote to establish a **library advisory council** at the next meeting\n\n### Kristen Brown (Parent, Oak Ridge feeder)\n- Expressed concern that the 590-page board packet wasn't available until approximately 3:00 PM the day of the meeting\n- Noted it would take roughly 5 pages per minute to review in the available time\n- Referenced previous meetings where packets were posted even later\n- Urged the district to make packets available earlier for public review\n\n### Michelle Taylor (Retired CISD math teacher, 21 years)\n- Referenced neuroscientist Dr. Jared Horath's testimony before the US Senate about Generation Z being the first generation not to outscore the previous one on cognitive tests, attributed to technology overuse\n- Noted Sweden is spending hundreds of millions to return to textbooks\n- Described her 10-year-old grandson's struggles with computer-based testing (dysgraphia, ADHD, anxiety)\n- Argued students cannot effectively use test-taking strategies on computers (circling, underlining, scanning, skipping questions)\n- Urged the district to move students off computers and back to textbooks and paper tests, starting with math\n\n---\n\n## Consent Agenda (Items A–J)\n- **Vote: 7-0, Approved** (no items pulled for separate consideration)\n- *Note: Principal appointments were included in the HR report within the consent agenda as part of the new streamlined process.*\n\n---\n\n## Human Resources — Principal Appointments\n\nAll principal appointments were approved as part of the consent agenda. The following individuals were publicly introduced and recognized:\n\n### Elementary Principals\n\n**Bradley Elementary — Tracy Somerville**\n- Replacing Dr. Christine Butler (retiring after career in CISD since 1999; opened two schools)\n- Nearly two decades of experience, mostly in CISD\n- Currently AP at Hines Elementary; helped with new campus opening\n- Previously AP at Wilkinson Elementary (10 years) and district literacy coach\n\n**Suchma Elementary — Nick Crawley**\n- Replacing Jamie Almond (moved to new Casey Arnold Elementary)\n- Background in Pflugerville ISD and CISD; taught elementary 9 years\n- Currently AP at Gordon-Reed Elementary\n- Also celebrating his 50th birthday\n\n### Intermediate/Junior High Principals\n\n**Cox Intermediate — Valentina Majeski**\n- Replacing Liz Koehler (resigning to stay home with family)\n- 7 years teaching in New Caney ISD; 7 years as AP in New Caney ISD; 5 years as AP at Cox Intermediate\n\n**Travis Intermediate — Dr. Denise Coello**\n- Replacing Mrs. Britton (retiring after 34 years in CISD)\n- Background in Spring ISD and CISD; currently principal at Rice Elementary (4 years)\n- Bilingual principal\n\n**Stockton Junior High — Dr. Jared Hostess**\n- Replacing Dr. Carlton Todd (moved to Timber Mill High School)\n- Six years of service in US Air Force; teaching background in Sheffield ISD and Midland ISD\n- Currently associate principal at Stockton\n- 2025 Region 6 Assistant Principal of the Year\n\n**York Junior High — Dr. Kelly McWashington**\n- Replacing Mrs. Ardoin (moved to Director of Communication)\n- 15 years teaching in Louisiana, Fort Worth, and Lewisville ISD\n- Principal at McDonald Junior High in Katy ISD (2 years); previously principal at Macawan Middle School in Denton ISD (6 years)\n\n### 9th Grade Center Principal\n\n**Grand Oaks 9th Grade Center — Sarah Dorsey**\n- 21 years in education (Aldine ISD 2005; CISD since 2013)\n- Has been at Grand Oaks High School since its inaugural year\n- First principal of the new Grand Oaks 9th Grade Center\n\n---\n\n## Administration\n\n### Item A: Casey Arnold Elementary Mascot\n- School colors: Navy blue and green\n- Finalists: Owls and Panthers\n- Students and families voted for **Owls** (Casey Arnold's sister noted the owl's connection to reading and education)\n- **Motion to approve the Owl as the official mascot**\n- **Vote: 7-0, Approved**\n\n### Item B: Lynn Cartwright Junior High Mascot\n- Top four nominees from zoned parents and students: Chargers, Colts, Mustangs, Cougars\n- **Cougars** received an overwhelming vote\n- Professional logo design work to follow; renderings expected soon\n- **Motion to approve the Cougars as the official mascot**\n- **Vote: 7-0, Approved**\n\n### Item C: District & Campus Future Enrollment Projections (Zonda Demographics)\n*Presenter: Rocky (Zonda Demographics) — Information only, no action taken*\n\n**Key housing/development findings:**\n- CISD closed 3,335 homes last year; ranked by closings (occupied homes)\n- Housing starts declining; Q4 had just over 500 starts (one of smallest quarters except Q4 2022)\n- ~1,200 homes under construction; ~600-700 finished but vacant\n- Closings likely to fall below 3,000 next year (possibly as low as 2,800)\n- 88 active subdivisions; 5,350 vacant developed lots; 22,000+ future lots\n- Interest rates and affordability identified as factors in slowdown\n- ~60% of builders now buying down interest rates for families\n- Significant multifamily construction: 2,400+ units under construction, 1,500 future units\n- Hispanic population statewide declined by 60,000 students; CISD's percentage remained stable\n- Economically disadvantaged numbers slightly declined\n\n**Enrollment findings:**\n- CISD experienced first enrollment decline in over 10 years: **-150 students** last year\n- Kindergarten enrollment declined by ~200 students\n- Leavers increased to 7,260; newcomers at 7,499 (differential less than 200)\n- Cohort growth strong (1.01 across most grade levels); once students enroll, they tend to stay\n- School of choice, homeschooling, and virtual learning identified as factors in kindergarten decline\n- Next year projected to bounce back to ~1,000 students in cohort growth\n\n**Capacity concerns:**\n- **Bartlett Elementary** — projected to grow by ~600 students; significant overcrowding anticipated\n- **San Jacinto Elementary** — projected to more than double in 10 years; 700-capacity school approaching ~200% of capacity\n- **Austin, Patterson, Stewart** — being monitored; may be managed with portables\n- District is meeting to add portables at Patterson and San Jacinto\n- Land purchased at Carter Ranch (1484/Milmac), Manvilla, Grand Oaks area, and east side of Gordon-Reed for potential future schools\n- Campbell Elementary being built in Evergreen\n\n**10-year projection:**\n- District projected to be ~71,500–72,000 students in 10 years\n- High/low enrollment scenarios presented due to voucher/housing market uncertainty\n- Low scenario: could lose 400+ students if cohort growth stays depressed\n- Total projected capacity ~4,000 students under total district capacity by 2035\n\n**Significant board discussion points:**\n- Trustee questions about what controllable factors the district can address regarding student leavers\n- Dr. Vinson emphasized virtual learning as a future strategy (referenced Hallsville ISD with 2,000 virtual students in a 4,000-student district)\n- Student engagement highlighted as critical retention tool\n- Demographics already used for staffing decisions this year, saving approximately **$6.3 million**\n- Discussion of master facilities plan development (expected May/June timeframe)\n- Board to be asked for \"guardrails\" regarding facility priorities\n- Quarterly demographic reports will continue\n\n### Item D: Local School Library Advisory Council — **TABLED**\n- President Odenweller announced the item was tabled for further research and information gathering\n- No objections from board members\n\n### Item E: Discussion of Commemorative Months and Cultural Celebrations (Policy EM)\n*Brought forward by Trustee Horton — Discussion only, no action*\n\n- Trustee Horton noted feedback that not all cultures were being celebrated equally across the district\n- Dr. Vinson presented possible solutions:\n - Heritage showcase events\n - Living museums\n - Tradition showcases\n - Curriculum-embedded storytelling and oral histories\n- Next steps: potential pilot at a school/campus\n- Board left implementation decisions to Dr. Vinson and his team\n\n---\n\n## Teaching and Learning\n\n### Item A: Library Materials (Texas Education Code 33026 / Board Policy EFB / SB 13) — **TABLED**\n- Dr. Vinson requested tabling to allow implementation of newly purchased review software\n- Emphasized importance of getting the process right\n- Board expressed support and patience for thorough review\n\n### Item B: Academic Progress Data Presentation — Information Only\n\n*Extensive presentation covering multiple assessment tools and curriculum implementation*\n\n#### Bluebonnet Learning (EL K-5) Survey Results\n*Presenter: Dayren Carlisle*\n\n**Glows (Positives):**\n- Strong parent engagement: 1,501 fall survey respondents; 934 winter respondents\n- Effective communication: teachers comfortable with Bluebonnet portal resources\n- Over 50% of parents receiving unit parent letters\n- Professional development highly praised by teachers and leaders\n- Web portal well-received by parents\n\n**Grows (Areas for Improvement):**\n- Text complexity perceived as too high (addressed as intentional per structured literacy/science of reading framework — listening comprehension vs. reading comprehension distinction)\n- Teachers creating supplementary materials (anchor charts, sentence stems) especially for emergent bilingual and special needs students\n- Preference for more student-led vs. teacher-led instructional style\n- Pacing concerns (180-day curriculum vs. actual instructional days)\n- Bilingual support scaffolds deemed insufficient\n- STAAR alignment concerns\n- Remediation and acceleration resources identified as a growth area for Year 2\n\n#### NWEA MAP Assessment Results\n*Presenter: Malinda Stewart, Director of Assessment & School Improvement*\n\n- Second year of implementation (K-8); piloted previous year\n- Computer-adaptive diagnostic assessment; administered 3 times per year\n- **Key results:**\n - 3-point jump in English achievement (BOY to MOY)\n - 4-point jump in Spanish achievement (BOY to MOY)\n - Median growth achievement **exceeds national average**\n - District growth exceeds national growth\n - 52% of students in top two quartiles at mid-year (English)\n - 37 of 40 campuses above national growth projections\n - One-fourth of CISD students reaching highest quartile\n\n#### Bluebonnet Unit Assessments\n*Presenter: Mr. Smith*\n\n- ~10 assessments per grade level (K-5), aligned to units of study\n- STAAR-aligned; electronic format via Edgehoria platform\n- Extended constructed responses added in grades 3-5 based on teacher feedback\n- **Results compared to 2025 STAAR:**\n - Kindergarten: 59% correct (vs. 54% 3rd grade STAAR benchmark)\n - Performance across K-5 shows consistency with STAAR expectations\n - Spanish assessments trans-adapted by district bilingual team (state did not provide Spanish versions)\n - Data suggests students tracking in right direction, though assessments are not designed to be predictive of STAAR\n\n#### House Bill 3 Progress Measures\n- **Early Childhood Literacy Progress Measure:** % of K-3 students reaching MAP growth projection target of 55% by 2030\n- Current year goal of 51% **achieved across all grade levels (K-3)**\n- 37 of 40 campuses above the national 51% average\n\n#### Bluebonnet Feedback to TEA/State\n*Presenter: Hedith Upshaw*\n\nCISD, as the largest district implementing Bluebonnet, has direct communication with curriculum creators. Recommendations to TEA include:\n- Timeliness of material delivery\n- Pacing reconsideration (180-day curriculum vs. actual instructional days)\n- Acceleration and remediation resource gaps (nothing approved by SBOE for Tier 2/3 interventions)\n- Material packaging improvements\n- Enhanced bilingual, ESL, and special education supports\n- Building stakeholder confidence and clarity of purpose\n\n**Notable announcement:** Hedith Upshaw named to the 10-member Texas Council of Academic Officers\n\n#### District Academic Strategy & Drive to 90\n*Presenters: Dr. Vinson, Ted Landry*\n\n- **Goal: Achieve \"A\" accountability rating by 2027**\n- Curriculum audit underway with Carrie Gain (Deputy Director, Region 13)\n- Audit examining: district accountability, campus data analytics, CCMR, graduation rates, school improvement framework\n- Comparison analysis with 10 largest Texas districts; goal to be among the best\n- **Identified areas for improvement:**\n - STAAR performance optimization\n - Dropout rate coding accuracy\n - Graduation rate improvements (particularly at Washington alternative campus)\n - CCMR coding improvements\n - 5th–8th grade math curriculum support (most new material introduced at these levels)\n - Principal experience declining (avg. from ~8 years to ~4.5 years)\n - Middle school instructional support needs\n\n**Future organizational structure:**\n- Single point of contact for campus principals through Assistant Superintendent of Schools\n- Subject area curriculum specialists by grade level (replacing generalist model)\n- School improvement staff with vertical understanding for boots-on-ground campus support\n- Dedicated professional development program for instructional leaders\n- Elementary instructional coaches being redesigned as interventionists for Tier 2/3 support\n\n#### Docentus Group Update\n*Presenter: Ron Morrison*\n\n- Connected curriculum work to the district's \"Value, Voice, Vigor\" framework\n- Noted survey data confirmed the need for system stability and reduced variability\n- Highlighted that teacher input (voice) is being actively sought\n- Described the district's progress as moving toward \"systemwide consistency, not isolated excellence\"\n\n**Board Discussion Highlights:**\n- Multiple trustees expressed strong support for Bluebonnet and the science of reading approach\n- Concern raised about special education documentation burden — district working on guidance documents to help special education teachers navigate Bluebonnet lessons\n- President Odenweller suggested pushing for state-level solutions to simplify modification documentation\n- Discussion about direct instruction vs. student-led learning balance within Bluebonnet framework\n- Board members emphasized the importance of Tier 2/3 intervention resources as \"mission critical\"\n- Trustee Stewart noted communication as a cross-cutting theme across many survey findings\n- Dr. Vinson cautioned about change fatigue and emphasized the need to limit simultaneous initiatives\n\n---\n\n## Business/Finance\n\n### Personnel Audit Presentation (Docentus Group) — Information Only\n*Presenter: Tiffany (Docentus Group), reviewing Mo Casey staffing study*\n\n**Key Findings from 84-page Mo Casey Staffing Study (2021–2425 data):**\n\n- **Overall:** CISD operates with **leaner staffing** compared to peers (Cy-Fair, Fort Bend, Humble, Katy, Spring ISDs), regional, and state averages\n - CISD student-to-total-staff ratio: 7.7:1 vs. peer average 7.5:1\n- **Experienced workforce:** Over two-thirds of teachers have 6+ years of experience\n- **Support staff particularly lean:** Student support staff and auxiliary staff below peer/regional/state averages across the board\n- **Middle/junior high schools:** Student-to-total-staff ratio of 12:1 vs. district average of 7.7:1 — notably lean compared to rest of district\n- **Central administration outlier:** CISD has the **lowest** student-to-central-admin ratio compared to peers — indicates potential overstaffing\n - Sharp ratio change in 2022-23 coincided with TEA recoding instructional coaches into central administration category\n - CISD's ratio dropped much more dramatically than state/regional averages during the same recoding\n- **Funding:** District relies more heavily on local property taxes than regional/state averages\n- Enrollment grew ~12.9% over five years; demographic profile shifting\n\n**Five Recommendations:**\n\n1. **Multi-phase staffing allocation plan** using new staffing data, aligned to programmatic needs, instructional philosophy, and budgetary parameters\n2. **Attrition-based and reassignment-based reductions** if staffing reductions are necessary — implemented in staff-friendly manner with clear communication\n3. **Reorganize central administration** to address apparent overstaffing of instructional coaches and other identified inefficiencies\n4. **Programmatic review (2026-27)** if further reductions needed — objective criterion-based process; classroom ratio adjustments as last step\n5. **Priority areas for future staff additions:** student services, aides, auxiliary staff, and middle/junior high overall staffing\n\n**Sample Multi-Phase Staffing Allocation Plan:**\n- Phase 1: March–June 2026 (already underway)\n- Phase 2: Summer 2026 into 2026-27 school year (semester-by-semester if additional reductions needed)\n- Underlying principles: honor staff, maximize attrition, clear communication, provide voice and choice\n\n**Dr. Vinson's comments on actions already taken:**\n- District-level coaches reallocated; secondary-level coaching positions restructured\n- Elementary coaches being redesigned as interventionists for Tier 2/3 direct student support\n- District currently in the budgetary \"black\" due to cuts and adjustments already made\n- $6.3 million saved through demographic-informed staffing decisions\n- Customer service orientation improvements underway for central office operations\n\n---\n\n## Planning and Construction\n\n### Item A: GMP Amendment — Irons, Peet, York, and Conroe High School 9th Renovation\n- Construction manager: Angelo Bryant; Design team: VLK\n- **Guaranteed Maximum Price: $10,095,300**\n- Original construction target: $11,500,000 — came in under budget\n- Scope: Critical infrastructure (chillers, boilers, freezer coolers, roof repairs, generators, electrical service gear) and 2023 bond safety/security improvements\n- Savings remain as unspent bond money for other critical infrastructure\n- **Vote: 7-0, Approved**\n\n### Item B: Accept as Complete — Armstrong, Austin, Birnham Woods, and Broadway Project\n- Critical infrastructure project\n- Finished under GMP; **returning $639,282.24 to bond funds**\n- Financial audit completed internally; design team certified closeout documents\n- **Vote: 7-0, Approved**\n\n### Item C: Accept as Complete — Conroe High School Tennis Courts (9th Grade Campus)\n- Completed January 2025; played on for spring 2025 season\n- 13-14 months to close out due to disputed items with contractor\n- CSP project; zero change orders\n- **Final cost: $2,355,933**\n- President Odenweller commented on the importance of trust-but-verify on processes, noting the board's awareness of gaps in systems and procedures from prior administration\n- **Vote: 7-0, Approved**\n\n---\n\n## Items Tabled or Deferred\n\n| Item | Status | Reason |\n|------|--------|--------|\n| Local School Library Advisory Council | **Tabled** | Additional research and information being gathered |\n| Library Materials Approval (TEC 33026/EFB/SB 13) | **Tabled** | New review software being implemented; administration needs more time to review content |\n\n---\n\n## Summary of All Votes\n\n| Item | Vote | Result |\n|------|------|--------|\n| Closed session grievance decision | 7-0 | Approved |\n| Consent Agenda (Items A–J, including HR/principal appointments) | 7-0 | Approved |\n| Casey Arnold Elementary mascot (Owls) | 7-0 | Approved |\n| Lynn Cartwright Junior High mascot (Cougars) | 7-0 | Approved |\n| GMP Amendment — Irons/Peet/York/Conroe HS 9th | 7-0 | Approved |\n| Accept Complete — Armstrong/Austin/Birnham Woods/Broadway | 7-0 | Approved |\n| Accept Complete — Conroe HS Tennis Courts | 7-0 | Approved |\n\n---\n\n## Future Agenda Items\n- No new items requested by trustees\n\n---\n\n## ⚑ Items to Watch\n\n- **Library Advisory Council tabled** — Public comment specifically requested a vote at the next meeting; item deferred for further research. Worth monitoring for follow-up.\n- **Library Materials (TEC 33026/EFB/SB 13) tabled** — Second consecutive tabling; new review software being implemented. Public commenter raised concerns about transparency of the challenge form process.\n- **Board packet availability** — Public commenter noted the 590-page packet was not posted until ~3:00 PM the day of the meeting, limiting public review time. Raised as a recurring concern.\n- **Enrollment decline and capacity pressures** — First enrollment decline in over a decade (-150 students); kindergarten down ~200. Simultaneously, Bartlett and San Jacinto elementary schools face significant overcrowding projections. Master facilities plan expected May/June.\n- **Central administration staffing** — Docentus Group/Mo Casey study flagged CISD as having the lowest student-to-central-admin ratio among peer districts, suggesting potential overstaffing. Reorganization of instructional coaching positions already underway.\n- **Middle/junior high staffing** — Study identified middle schools as notably lean (12:1 student-to-staff ratio vs. 7.7:1 district average). Recommended as a priority for future staff additions.\n- **Tier 2/3 intervention resources** — Multiple board members flagged the absence of state-approved remediation and acceleration materials for Bluebonnet Learning as \"mission critical.\" District providing feedback to TEA.\n- **Voucher uncertainty** — Demographic projections included low-enrollment scenarios tied to potential school voucher impact; identified as a variable in long-range planning.\n- **$6.3 million in staffing savings** — Achieved through demographic-informed staffing decisions; multi-phase staffing allocation plan underway with potential further reductions in 2026-27.\n- **Commemorative months and cultural celebrations (Policy EM)** — Discussion item with no action taken; potential pilot program forthcoming. Implementation left to administration.\n\n---\n\n*These unofficial notes were prepared based on an auto-generated transcript and may contain inaccuracies in names, figures, or other details. For official records, please consult the approved board minutes available from Conroe ISD.*" }