June 16, 2026 — Regular Meeting

Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees — Regular Meeting

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Conroe ISD Board of Trustees – Unofficial Meeting Notes

Date: June 16, 2026

Type: Regular Meeting

Time: Called to order 5:00 PM; Adjourned 10:22 PM

Meeting Highlights

Summary generated 2026-06-18 18:42 UTC

The board upheld a Level 3 grievance decision and directed the superintendent to improve campus safety procedures, approved 7–0.
The board approved the 2026–2027 compensation plan, which sets certified teacher starting pay at $63,500, adds no across-the-board raises, and costs approximately $700,000, approved 7–0.
The board approved changing the construction delivery method for Washington High School Master Plan Phase 1 from CM at Risk to Competitive Sealed Proposals, pushing the opening target to August 2028, approved 7–0.
The board adopted Board Policy GKD (Local) governing non-school use of school facilities, approved 4–3.
The board tabled the Board Operating Procedures Manual with no set return date, approved 7–0.
A motion to nominate Trustee Semmler for the TASB Board of Directors Region 6 seat failed 2–5.
The board voted 6–1 to conditionally direct the superintendent to develop a standalone CISD Education Foundation plan, to be presented July 21 only if no MOU with the existing Conroe Education Foundation is in place by then.
The board tabled the resolution designating non-business days for 2027–2028 and directed staff to bring it back at the next meeting, approved 6–1.

Note: These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript. They may contain errors in names, spellings, or details. Official minutes should be consulted for the authoritative record.

Session Overview

The board convened at 5:00 PM, moved immediately into closed session for a Level 3 grievance hearing, and returned to open session at 6:48 PM. The meeting covered citizen participation, consent agenda, several pulled items, and extended presentations on cell phone policy, special education, employee compensation, and construction. The meeting adjourned at 10:22 PM.

Closed Session & Grievance

The board entered closed session at 5:04 PM pursuant to Texas Government Code §551.074 to conduct a Level 3 grievance hearing. Upon returning to open session at 6:48 PM, the board voted to uphold the district's Level 2 decision and directed the superintendent to proactively improve campus procedures to keep students safe.

Vote: 7–0

Citizen Participation

Six members of the public addressed the board. Key themes:

Virginia Arens (parent of two CISD students) criticized what she described as escalating literary censorship — book removals, purged classroom libraries, restricted research databases, and the potential adoption of an AI content review tool. She quoted Virginia Woolf on censorship.

Destinee Milton criticized the board's decision to leave CISD's TASB seat vacant, arguing this silences the district's voice in statewide education advocacy. She contrasted this with the board's support for Texas Education (TE), which she said lobbies for legislation including Ten Commandments posters, chaplains in schools, and vouchers.

Mark Brooks argued the board is legally required to hear his appeal of the January 20 board vote removing I Am Billy Jean King from all school libraries. He cited SB 13 and local policy EFB, contending that the general counsel's interpretation — that an appeal cannot be filed for a book no longer in the catalog — "effectively neuters" the appeal process.

Teresa Kenney addressed the connection between LGBTQ-related book removals and student wellbeing, referencing a prior trustee comment that the board is "not responsible" for student suicide risk. She argued the board is responsible for creating schools where every child feels safe and seen.

John Sherrill (pastor) expressed gratitude for the district and its staff after 10 years of renting CISD facilities for his church, and announced plans to build a permanent church building while remaining committed to the district.

Susan Scrubs raised concerns about screen time in schools, citing research by Dr. Horvath presented to Congress, which she said shows declining NAEP scores and neurological impacts in children with high school-based screen time. She asked the board to investigate given CISD's expansion of virtual education.

Consent Agenda

After discussion, items I, Q, R, and S were pulled from the consent agenda. Item K (Board Policy CH) was initially requested for removal but was subsequently withdrawn and remained on consent. Items N (Policy DP) and the originally-requested removal of Q (Policy FOA) were also resolved — FOA remained pulled for separate discussion.

The following items were approved together on the consent agenda by a 7–0 vote:

V.A. Approve minutes from previous meetings
V.B. Approve amendment to the budget
V.C. Receive HR report and approve employment of professional personnel
V.D. Receive financial reports
V.E. Approve election order
V.F. Approve interlocal agreement with UT Austin for the 2026–2027 OnRamps dual enrollment program
V.G. Approve interlocal agreement with Choice Partners for the Child Nutrition Department (2026–2027)
V.H. Approve submission of application for the ESC Region 10 Special Education Funding Transition Grant
V.J. Approve award of RFP #26-04-01 Concessionaire Services
V.K. Consider on first reading Board Policy CH (Local) — Purchasing and Acquisition (Policy Tracker)
V.L. Consider on first reading Board Policy CJ (Local) — Contracted Services (Policy Tracker)
V.M. Consider on first reading Board Policy DEC (Local) — Compensation and Benefits: Leave Absences (Policy Tracker)
V.N. Consider on first reading Board Policy DP (Local) — Personnel Positions (Policy Tracker)
V.O. Consider on first reading Board Policy EHBAB (Local) — Special Education: ARD Committee and IEP (Policy Tracker)
V.P. Consider on first reading Board Policy FO (Local) — Student Discipline (Policy Tracker)

Pulled Item: V.I. — Resolution Designating Non-Business Days (2027–2028)

Trustee Horton requested this item be pulled, expressing concern that the resolution adds four additional days during which public information requests (PIRs) could be delayed — including days like San Jacinto Day when the district is actually in session. Dr. Vinson acknowledged the concern and indicated the relevant administrator was unavailable to speak to the specific calendar.

Action: The board voted to table the item and bring it back at the next meeting.

Vote: 6–1

Pulled Item: V.S. — Board Operating Procedures Manual

A trustee made a motion to table the Board Operating Procedures Manual indefinitely, citing that it had become a distraction from higher priorities (employee compensation, budget, tax rate, student success) and had not served its intended purpose.

Discussion highlights:

Trustee Gambino expressed support for tabling but not indefinitely, noting that as a new trustee she values having actionable written procedures. She also noted that adopting the BOP as written would create conflicts with existing board policies (BBG, BD, AAA, BE, BF, BJC, and BP), making the document legally problematic regardless.
Another trustee agreed the document is better characterized as procedure, not policy, and suggested the right path is to align board policies first.
The original motion to table "indefinitely" was withdrawn and replaced with a motion simply to table the item (no timeline specified), after discussion about whether to set a return date.

Action: The board voted to table the Board Operating Procedures Manual.

Vote: 7–0

Administration Item A: TASB Board of Directors — Region 6 Nomination

Trustee Horton brought forward a motion to nominate Trustee Semmler for the TASB Board of Directors for Region 6 and as delegate to the TASB 2026 Delegate Assembly. The motion was seconded by Trustee Semmler. Tony Hopkins, TASB Board President (Friendswood ISD), attended and answered questions.

Discussion highlights:

Trustee Semmler argued the seat would give CISD a voice on statewide education issues and provide valuable networking and information flow.
Several trustees voiced opposition, arguing that: TASB holds too much influence over local district governance; local control is better preserved by direct advocacy in Austin; serving on the TASB board requires actively promoting TASB's mission, which could conflict with CISD's own priorities; and trustees can network with other boards independently.
Trustees opposing the nomination expressed they could not support an official board endorsement of TASB, though some said Trustee Semmler should be free to pursue participation without a board vote.
Tony Hopkins answered questions from the board, explaining TASB's compensation structure (competitive with for-profit markets for comparable roles), described TASB's service model (filling gaps in services for school districts), and noted all but one Texas school district hold TASB membership.

Action: Motion to nominate Trustee Semmler failed.

Vote: 2–5

Administration Item B: Cell Phone Policy Implementation Update

Dr. Landry presented a first-year data report on CISD's cell phone policy implementation for the 2024–2025 school year. Key findings:

12,880 total cell phone referrals districtwide
Cell phone referrals accounted for 46.6% of all high school referrals (approximately half when tardies are excluded)
6,587 unique students were disciplined; approximately 27% of high school students received at least one infraction
56% of cited high school students were one-time offenders; 74% of junior high students cited had only one infraction
High school referrals declined approximately 22% after the third marking period; junior high referrals trended upward through the year (attributed in part to students receiving phones as holiday gifts)
68 students districtwide had nine or more violations

Discussion:

Trustees praised teachers and administrators for consistent enforcement, noting high referral counts at some campuses indicate diligent application of the policy.
Staff noted positive cultural changes — more conversation, board games at lunch, reduced phone dependency — and that teachers were "pleasantly surprised" by reduced pushback.
Trustee May raised the issue of students with IEP accommodations requiring technology being misidentified during phone enforcement. Dr. Landry acknowledged this is challenging on large campuses and noted some campuses (e.g., Grand Oaks) have developed creative identification systems. Administration plans to address this as part of summer discipline matrix work.
The board discussed a planned post-Christmas communication campaign at the junior high level to reinforce policy awareness.
Staff noted plans to work with all principals in summer sessions to standardize consequence ladders and make them more graduated.

No action was taken; this was an informational presentation.

Administration Item C: Conroe Education Foundation

The superintendent indicated the previously proposed board resolution for the Conroe Education Foundation was not legally necessary and that staff would continue working toward a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the existing foundation. The board voted to table the resolution.

Vote to table: 7–0

A second motion was then made to direct the superintendent to create a plan for a standalone Conroe ISD Education Foundation and bring it back to the board on July 21, 2026. This was amended to apply only in the event that no MOU with the existing foundation is in place by that date.

Discussion:

Trustee Gambino clarified that a standalone foundation is a backup option, not the primary goal, and noted foundation director Lindsay Ardoin has already been developing plans, donor lists, and event ideas in the meantime.
Trustee Dawson expressed preference for waiting until more details emerged before pursuing a parallel foundation, noting potential legal complexity and duplication of effort.
The motion was amended to condition the standalone plan on the absence of a signed MOU by the July 21 meeting.
Trustees generally agreed the primary goal remains finalizing an MOU with the existing Conroe Education Foundation, which has existing donors, assets, and programs.

Vote on amendment (conditional language): 5–2

Vote on amended motion: 6–1

Administration Item D: Parent Square Communication Platform

Communications Director Andrew Stewart presented an update on CISD's teacher-to-parent communication tools and a proposal for a feeder pattern pilot of Parent Square during the 2026–2027 school year.

Key points:

The existing APOG Rooms platform had low engagement (~50% download rate, ~30% active use) and created communication fatigue for families with children in multiple programs. It also provided limited oversight of staff-student communication.
Parent Square integrates district/campus communication, teacher messaging, emergency alerts, calendars, forms, and more into one platform. It auto-translates into 190+ languages, does not require app download, and offers keyword monitoring and AI moderation for student safety.
Administration proposed piloting Parent Square in the Grand Oaks feeder (approximately 10 campuses) for 2026–2027 at a cost of approximately $129,250 (replacing APOG Rooms; maintaining APOG Alerts for emergency communications district-wide).
Districtwide adoption would cost approximately $35,000/year (plus a one-time onboarding fee of ~$22,000 in year one), compared to the current ~$31,000 spending.

Discussion:

Trustees expressed enthusiasm for the platform and some interest in a more aggressive rollout timeline beyond a single feeder.
Dr. Vinson and staff noted the pilot approach allows for proper training and avoids repeating the failed rollout of Rooms. If successful, expansion could begin mid-year without waiting until the following school year.
Staff clarified this is an informational item under board policy CH (Local), which requires pilot programs to be presented to the board; no formal action was required.

No action was taken; this was an informational presentation.

Teaching and Learning: Annual Special Education Update

Kendra Wiggins delivered the first-ever annual Special Education Board Report, as required by Senate Bill 568.

Key statistics (as of June 2026):

12,139 students in special education — 16.9% of total enrollment
5,929 students on 504 plans — 8.3% of enrollment
2,634 initial evaluations completed this school year; 645 still in progress (up 24% from prior year); projected ~3,200 total evaluations for the year
Special education staff: 539 non-teacher staff including 172 diagnosticians/psychologists, 72 speech assistants, 95 dyslexia teachers, and ~200 others (OT, PT, VI, adapted PE, etc.)

Budget and funding:

Personnel cost additions: ~$4.2 million in new positions (including $920,000 in additional critical needs after initial April staffing)
District estimates it actually needs approximately $17 million in additional special education staffing
CISD has experienced a $10 million loss in Medicaid funding since 2022 rule changes
The state's new intensity-based (tiered) funding model is being implemented; CISD is manually recoding all 12,235+ special education students this summer. As of the meeting, 4,500 IEPs had been coded in the first two weeks. Full completion is expected before school starts. The ESC Region 10 grant (approved in consent agenda) provides $100,000 to help offset this cost.
Dr. Wiggins estimated the total net new funding from state changes to be approximately $4.5 million — significantly less than the district's identified gap.

Accountability:

Federal Results-Driven Accountability rating: Level 1 (best possible)
State performance plan indicators (compliance): CISD was out of compliance on 27 initial evaluation timelines but expects to be found compliant due to corrective actions already taken; TEA confirmed this in a call the same day as the meeting.
College/Career/Military Readiness (CCMR) for special education students: 89%

Homecoming Plan (returning students to neighborhood campuses):

Students previously bused to specialized programs at other campuses are being returned to their home zone schools. Orientation nights in April and May received positive family feedback; Dr. Wiggins shared quotes from parents expressing excitement about their children's new campus environments.

Other updates:

SEPAC (Community/Parent Advisory Committee for Special Education) is launching; bylaws are ready for adoption; first meetings scheduled for September at Jet (note: the board policy for SEPAC will be presented in July, not this meeting).
Parent Resource Center is being redesigned with a focus on digital resources and will be further shaped by SEPAC input.

Trustee discussion focused on the funding gap, the shift from a placement-based to a services-based funding model, staffing and retention challenges, special education teacher surveys, and the parent resource center vision.

This was an informational presentation; no action was taken.

Business & Finance: 2026–2027 Compensation Plan

Chief Financial Officer Karen Garza presented the proposed 2026–2027 compensation plan for board approval.

Key details:

Starting salary for a certified teacher with zero years of experience: $63,500 (unchanged)
Starting salary for an uncertified teacher with zero years of experience: $61,500 (new, per state requirement that uncertified starting pay be less than certified)
Statutory raises required by House Bill 2 for teachers reaching 3- and 5-year experience benchmarks are included
No across-the-board pay increase for employees this year
Total additional cost to implement the plan: approximately $700,000
Administration explained this outcome was anticipated when the 2025–2026 compensation plan was front-loaded as much as possible; the state's shift of raise funding to a biennial legislative cycle means there is no new state money available for general raises in 2026–2027

Trustee discussion noted that pay raise decisions at scale are effectively made by the legislature every two years, and that the transition to TRS Active Care insurance had drawn down approximately $15 million from reserves over two years. Ms. Garza acknowledged run-out claims will continue to affect reserves next year.

Action: The board voted to approve the 2026–2027 compensation plan as presented.

Vote: 7–0

Planning & Construction: Washington High School Delivery Method Change

Facilities Director Mr. Foster requested board approval to change the construction delivery method for Washington High School Master Plan Phase 1 from Construction Manager at Risk (CM at Risk) to Competitive Sealed Proposals (CSP).

Background:

Washington High School is 75 years old. The 2023 bond contemplated a new classroom building and renovation of the existing structure.
After pre-construction work, the team shifted strategy to building an entirely new building on site, allowing the current building to be decommissioned later without disrupting students during construction.
Construction documents are approximately 75% complete and have been submitted to the City of Conroe for permit review.
The CM at Risk contractor submitted bids that the district found unsatisfactory, so the district exercised its contractual option to end the pre-construction phase and rebid the project via CSP.

Timeline:

Revised opening target: August 2028 (pushed from January 2028)
Bidding expected in Q3–Q4 2025; construction start in spring 2027
The delay is considered acceptable because Washington High School can remain operational in its current building during construction

Discussion:

Trustees expressed enthusiasm for the CSP approach, noting the current school construction market is competitive (few districts building), which should benefit CISD's bid outcomes.
The existing design firm (Stantec) continues on the project. The current CM at Risk (Satterfield & Pontikes) is expected to submit a bid under the CSP process alongside other contractors.

Action: The board voted to approve the change in delivery method from CM at Risk to CSP for Washington High School Master Plan Phase 1.

Vote: 7–0

Board Policy Discussion

Dr. Vinson and General Counsel Kara Belew presented three policies drafted for discussion at this meeting. Dr. Vinson emphasized that first readings are drafts for feedback — no votes are taken, and staff will incorporate trustee input before second reading at the July 21 meeting.

He also noted that CISD-specific ("local") policies are the focus — policies that are simply restatements of law are being deprioritized. A new staff member (Edith) has been added to manage policy throughput, and the plan is to move toward having TASB send policy updates directly to staff rather than routing through general counsel.

Policies Discussed:

CKC (Local) — Emergency Communications (Policy Tracker)

Adds a provision requiring the district to have a documented procedure for communicating with stakeholders during threats or emergencies, consistent with state law on "real-time communication." The provision acknowledges the need to coordinate with law enforcement before public communication goes out. Trustee Semmler suggested adding language explicitly stating that notifications shall be coordinated with law enforcement and emergency response officials when applicable to prioritize student safety. Staff and administration expressed support for this concept and will incorporate it in the next draft.

DH (Local) — Employee Standards of Conduct / Staff-Student Communication (Policy Tracker)

Three proposed changes:

1. Expand the definition of electronic communications to include social media platforms beyond texting (Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, Discord, Reddit, etc.)

2. Remove the two-tiered system under which certified employees could communicate electronically with students with principal/superintendent written approval, while other employees faced stricter rules. The new approach would prohibit all employee-to-student electronic communication except through district-approved channels (e.g., Parent Square), with written procedures to define those channels.

3. Expand the definition of "service provider" to bring additional workers who interact with students on campus under the district's safety and oversight framework.

Trustees raised questions about whether social media posts visible to the public (e.g., a teacher's Instagram) would be affected, and whether the language clearly conveys that communication through approved channels is permitted. Staff agreed to clarify the wording before second reading.

DBAA (Local) — Pre-Employment Screening (Policy Tracker)

Adds an affidavit requirement to the pre-employment screening process, consistent with Texas law effective 2025. Also updates the policy to reference the relevant Texas Education Code by citation (rather than reprinting the full text) to keep the policy "evergreen" as statutes evolve. Staff noted CISD has already been using the affidavit process since before it became state law.

Trustee questions about the policy process prompted a broader discussion. Trustees asked which policies were board-initiated versus staff-initiated, and how TASB updates are being incorporated. Staff clarified that TASB provided legislative update batches in February (covering roughly 55 policies); staff reviewed them and made modifications consistent with board direction on safety and security priorities. Going forward, the plan is to adopt routine TASB updates in batches rather than piecemeal, with general counsel involved only for legal review. Trustees agreed that context about what is driving each policy change should be included when items appear on the agenda.

Pulled Item: V.Q. — Board Policy FOA (Local) — Student Discipline: Removal by Teacher or Bus Driver (Policy Tracker)

Trustee Semmler raised concerns that the proposed FOA policy exceeds the scope of the underlying legislation, particularly the "return to class plan" provisions (which require multiple signatures before a student can return to class after removal). She was also concerned this framework — familiar for suspension situations — would be applied too broadly and cause students to miss learning time unnecessarily.

Dr. Vinson confirmed that TASB had actually added requirements from some districts' preferences that went beyond what the state law (trimmed back from earlier proposals by Senator Perry) actually requires. Staff will revise the policy to align more closely with the actual statutory requirements, removing the more burdensome return-to-class plan provisions.

Trustee Horton noted the policy should also specifically address bus drivers' authority, given prior grievance issues. Dr. Vinson affirmed this is part of ongoing work to build a discipline matrix and equip transportation staff with clear discipline authority.

Note: There was no prior local policy FOA; this is a new policy being created.

No action taken; item returned to staff for revision before second reading.

Pulled Item: V.R. — Board Policy GKD (Local) — Non-School Use of School Facilities (Second Reading) (Policy Tracker)

Trustee Semmler formally withdrew her sponsorship of the policy, stating the current draft does not reflect her intent. She had sought reduced or waived fees for after-school providers working directly with students; that section was removed from the current draft. She also noted that language was added prohibiting any rental arrangement in which the district loses money — a provision she had previously advocated against.

Trustee Semmler additionally stated for the record that policies receiving dissenting votes on first reading should not be placed on the consent agenda for second reading.

Brandon Stiles (district facilities coordinator) and Mr. McCord presented a summary of the revised GKD's improvements over the original:

Adds definitions for user group categories
Moves from a paper/principal-driven process to a centralized, electronic system
Delineates scheduling priority tiers
Expands the district's ability to deny access to groups that damage facilities
Removes the 90-day advance booking limit (replaced with "as reasonably far out as possible")
Requires insurance for all renters, including fine arts instructors
Requires equipment training before use
Better reflects what the district already does in practice

Mr. McCord noted the district had a net loss of over $150,000 on facility rentals in the prior year analyzed, which informed the policy's provision against money-losing arrangements.

Action: The board voted to adopt Board Policy GKD (Local) as presented.

Vote: 4–3

Note: These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript. They may contain errors in names, spellings, or details. Official minutes should be consulted for the authoritative record.