October 20, 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: October 20, 2026

Type: Regular Meeting

Time: Called to order 5:01 PM; Adjourned 9:58 PM

Meeting Highlights

Summary generated 2026-10-22 03:33 UTC

The board approved the 2026–27 District Improvement Plan performance objectives 7–0, including an amendment to record the actual 2026 third-grade reading baseline as 54% (not the projected 59%), with a goal of 61% by June 2027.
The board adopted an amendment to Policy FL (Student Records) 7–0 requiring the district to establish clear procedures for parents to request student records and to provide them timely at no more than reasonable cost.
The board adopted Policy DC (Employment Practices) on second reading 7–0, consolidating "Employment Assistance Prohibited" language into Policy DH to eliminate a conflict between two policies.
A motion by Trustee Dungan to reverse the administration's recent addition of minutes to the school day failed 1–6; the board heard that the change was made to comply with a mid-year TEA requirement that districts maintain two inclement weather days or equivalent banked minutes.
The board adopted five legislative priorities for the 90th Texas Legislative Session 7–0, authorizing the superintendent to collaborate with peer districts and educational organizations to advance them; highlighted areas include student discipline, accountability subgroups, facility impact fees, school funding gaps, and safety and security.
The board voted 7–0 to nominate Dr. Jerry A. Nash to the Montgomery County Central Appraisal District Board of Directors.
The board approved the consent agenda 7–0, including a budget amendment, employment of professional personnel, library materials under Policy EFB and Senate Bill 13, and award of RFP #26-07-01 for automotive parts and fleet repair services.
Two planning and construction items were tabled 7–0 pending additional information and legal research on wastewater and water contracts.

Conroe ISD Board of Trustees — Regular Meeting

Unofficial Meeting Notes | October 20, 2026

Meeting Opening

The board was called to order at 5:01 PM. The invocation was delivered by Trustee Semmler, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and Texas Pledge, led by Sea Troop 772 from The Woodlands (George Strake District), including Cole Pate (District Chair) and scouts Asher Marrow, Alex Creel, and Tucker Pate.

Citizen Participation

Six speakers addressed the board during the public comment period:

International Mothers Committee (two speakers): Representatives announced the committee would independently launch a communication channel to support international families in the district, after a previous proposal to convert onboarding materials into video format was not accommodated by district staff. Anna Karolina Garcia was introduced as the new committee lead.

Classroom Library Concerns (two speakers): Two speakers — a parent and library volunteer, and a 20-year CISD teacher — raised urgent concerns about a recent administrative directive requiring teachers to catalog their classroom libraries using a scanning app. Key concerns included:

The app (described as having one-star reviews) flags books like The Magic School Bus and If You Give a Moose a Muffin for redundant approval processes due to alternate ISBNs or missing barcodes.
Teachers filling out duplicate forms for the same books without knowing approvals are already pending.
Books being removed or set aside pending approval, including classroom staples.
Both speakers requested the board: (1) amend Policy EFB (Policy Tracker) to allow title and author matching to address the ISBN issue, and (2) extend the December 31, 2026 compliance deadline to give teachers more time and clarify the process.

AP Exam Access for Private School Students: A parent described their child's inability to take the AP Chinese exam anywhere in the area after 10 years of study, as their private school does not offer it and CISD declined to accommodate non-enrolled students. The speaker proposed expanding CISD's AP exam access — currently available to homeschool students — to district residents attending private schools that do not offer certain AP exams, including less common language exams. A board member noted they would follow up directly.

Special Education Parent Advisory Council: The co-chairperson of the CISD Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) reported on the group's first meeting of the year, attended by over 40 families. She shared survey results: more than 8 in 10 attendees were first-time SEPAC participants; only about half feel confident explaining their child's IEP goals or understanding progress measurement; only 6 in 10 said supports were in place from the first week of school. She noted that students receiving special education services make up 27% of CISD's student population.

Book Restrictions / Library Policy: A speaker referenced a Texas Freedom to Read Project report finding a 400% increase in book restrictions in Texas public schools during the 2025–26 school year, noting CISD alone removed more than 200 books. The speaker encouraged the community to ask candidates about book censorship and make informed decisions at the ballot box, and offered to provide the full report to the board.

Special Recognition

Destination Imagination — Academy of Science and Technology

Julie G., Coordinator of Gifted Programs, presented the Da Vinci Award, among the highest honors at Destination Imagination Global Finals, to two CISD teams that competed among over 600 teams at the May 2026 global competition:

Stacked Six (combined team from Woodlands College Park High School and Academy of Science and Technology): Competed in the Technical "Win It Big" category; built a card-themed game show about the organ transplant crisis featuring infinity mirror effects, a responsive LED EKG monitor, and a spinning illuminated heart; wrote their entire script in AABB rhyme scheme with symbolism and satire.
Expanding Elephants (Academy of Science and Technology): Competed in the Engineering "Above and Beyond" category; honored influential women in American history, each depicted in the art style of her era, with a handbuilt operational mechanical flower that opened on stage.

Team managers and members were recognized. A student team member expressed gratitude to CISD and the GT program for providing the opportunity. The board offered congratulations, with a board member sharing personal experience attending DI competitions.

Recognition of Trustee Dungan

The board recognized Trustee Dungan at her final meeting after four years of service. Remarks highlighted her commitment to fiscal responsibility, discipline reform, better processes and procedures, and student safety. Trustee Dungan thanked her family, fellow trustees, and community supporters, and noted she would remain active in the district as a parent.

Closed Session

The board entered closed session at 5:36 PM under Texas Government Code §§551.076, 551.071, and 551.074. The board returned at 6:29 PM with no action items from closed session.

Public Hearing — Financial Integrity Rating of Texas (FIRST Report)

This was a public hearing required by state law. No public speakers signed up.

Presenter: Karen Garza, CFO

The board received the annual FIRST (Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas) report. Key points:

Conroe ISD received an "A" (Superior Achievement) rating for the 24th consecutive year, scoring 96 out of 100 points.
There are 21 indicators scored; four are "critical" (automatic F if failed) and seven are "ceiling" indicators (a failure caps the score at a B).
Two indicators were not scored at maximum:

- Indicator 7 (Days Cash on Hand): Lost 2 points due to $50 million being placed in a 36-month investment ladder (long-term investments not counted in the ratio). Staff noted the higher long-term returns were deemed worth the point reduction.

- Indicator 12 (Long-Term Liabilities vs. Assessed Value): Scored 8 (not 10) due to CISD's fast growth and ongoing 2023 bond projects — anticipated and within acceptable standards.

The full FIRST report and required disclosures, including the superintendent's contract, will be posted on the district's transparency page.

The board did not vote on this item; it was an informational public hearing. Board members praised the CFO's team for their work.

Consent Agenda

The board voted to approve the following consent agenda items together in a single motion. No items were pulled for separate discussion.

VI.A. Approve Minutes from a previous board meeting
VI.B. Approve Amendment to the Budget
VI.C. Receive Financial Reports
VI.D. Receive Human Resources Report and Approve Employment of Professional Personnel
VI.E. Consider and Possibly Approve Library Materials in accordance with Texas Education Code §33.026, Policy EFB (Policy Tracker), and Senate Bill 13
VI.F. Award RFP# 26-07-01 — Automotive Parts, Equipment, and Fleet Repair Services, per Policy CH (Policy Tracker)

Vote: 7–0 in favor

Administration

A. Legislative Priorities — 90th Texas Legislative Session

Presenter: Hedith Upshaw, with support from district staff

Hedith Upshaw presented an update on the district's legislative priority development process, which began in July with preliminary discussions and was followed by meetings with community members, elected officials, executive staff, and board members. Tonight's meeting was the formal adoption step.

Five proposed priority areas:

1. Student Discipline — Building on gains from HB 6 (89th Legislature); seeking mandatory state-funded teacher discipline management training (similar to Reading/Math Academies) and full funding for students requiring therapeutic or intensive day school care.

2. Accountability Subgroups — Seeking to streamline or standardize subgroup accountability metrics across state and federal frameworks (ESSA/Domain 3) rather than singling out particular subgroups.

3. Local School Facility Impact Fees — Exploring a local-option tool allowing fast-growing districts like CISD to charge developers fees to help fund new school construction, reducing reliance on bonds.

4. School Funding (including Employee Pay/Retention and Transportation):

- Employee Compensation: The teacher retention allotment from the 89th Legislature is not keeping pace with the market; the ask would expand raises to all support staff (paras, bus drivers, etc.).

- Transportation: State funding covers only 20–25% of CISD's actual transportation costs ($7.5M received vs. a $27.5M gap). The current formula provides $1 per mile, which has not kept up with fuel costs.

- Special Education: Despite improvements from HB 2 (89th Legislature), the district faces a $3,000-per-student assessment cost vs. a $1,000 state stipend (a $7.5M district gap). Additionally, a "disability penalty" — where the district loses a portion of a special education student's funding allotment when that student leaves the classroom — costs CISD approximately $21 million per year (statewide impact estimated at $1.5 billion).

- Safety and Security: Chapter 61 requirements and campus security allotments (~$30,000–$35,000 per campus) do not cover the full cost of a school law enforcement officer (~$90,000 per campus).

5. Safety and Security — Seeking adequate funding for school-based law enforcement officers beyond current per-campus allotments.

Hedith Upshaw noted the top three highlighted priorities — student discipline, accountability subgroups, and safety/security — received the most traction in conversations with elected officials.

Board Discussion: Board members discussed whether to focus on one or two priorities rather than a broad list for greater legislative impact, and whether specific funding stories (e.g., a per-mile transportation figure) would be more persuasive. Several trustees noted the disability penalty and transportation gaps as particularly compelling. It was clarified that adopting the list does not preclude additional priorities arising during the session, and that individual trustees and district staff would collaborate with peer districts and organizations to advance each area.

A motion was initially made and withdrawn. A revised motion was offered:

"I move to adopt the district's legislative priorities [four bullet points] for the 90th Texas Legislative Session, and authorize the superintendent to collaborate with peer school districts, fellow trustees, and educational organizations to advocate for and advance these four priorities."

Vote: 7–0 in favor

B. Proposed Change to School Day Schedule

Presenter: Dr. Murrell (administration), following a motion by Trustee Dungan

Trustee Dungan brought this item requesting the board reverse the district's recent administrative decision to add minutes to the school day (implemented between the September and October board meetings). She argued:

The 2026–27 calendar already included March 29 as an inclement weather makeup day, specifically for the September 1 tropical storm closure.
Adding daily minutes to "bank" time for a possible second weather event is speculative.
The added time causes harm to student fatigue, family logistics, afterschool care, athletics, fine arts, and staff morale.
Modest extra daily minutes do not deliver meaningful learning gains; a full instructional day on March 29 does.

Administration's Response (Dr. Murrell):

Dr. Murrell explained the decision:

After September's closure, the district had minimal banked minutes, with much of the school year remaining.
On September 24, TEA issued guidance requiring districts to have two inclement weather days on the calendar OR two days' worth of accrued minutes — a new requirement regardless of prior practice.
Using March 29 would have ADA and attendance consequences: it falls on Easter weekend (a 4-day weekend families plan around), historically resulting in low attendance, which also impacts funding.
The administration surveyed 3,917 district employees: 68.7% preferred adding 2–5 minutes to the school day over using March 29.
The time addition: Elementary/intermediate/junior high schools received 5 minutes at the start of the day; high schools received a 3-minute/2-minute split (morning/afternoon) to manage transportation tiers. Half-days required a 40-minute adjustment (5 min standard + 35 min additional) due to high school scheduling math.
The district now has 2.01 days of accrued minutes, meeting TEA's guidance.
Transportation arrival times remain within acceptable limits after the change (last bus arriving at 4:28 PM for a 4:05 PM dismissal).

Board Discussion: Trustees asked about why TEA guidance came mid-year, how the calendar structure changed from prior years (when the district used a staff development waiver for 5 full days = 2,100 banked minutes, vs. only 2 days = 840 minutes this year due to the shift from asynchronous to synchronous learning requirements for exchange days), and whether community input was sought before the schedule change. A board member noted that under Policy EV Local, the superintendent has authority to approve such schedule adjustments without board action.

A motion to close discussion ("call the question") passed 6–1. The motion to reverse the schedule change was then voted on:

Vote on Trustee Dungan's motion to reverse the added minutes: FAILED — 1 in favor, 6 opposed

C. 2027–28 School Calendar — Process and Direction

Presenter: Dr. Murrell

Dr. Murrell presented the calendar development process and timeline for the 2027–28 school year, noting:

The District Level Planning and Decision-Making Committee (DLPDMC) is responsible for developing draft calendars.
Draft calendars will be posted for community review and comment in November.
The DLPDMC is expected to bring a recommendation to the board in January 2027 (possibly December or as late as February).
Key requirements: 75,600 instructional minutes (180 days × 420 min); two inclement weather days or 840 accrued minutes; holidays cannot fall on TEA-designated testing days; CISD can start before the fourth Monday in August as a District of Innovation; staff development waiver allows substituting up to 2,100 minutes of staff development for instructional time, but it must now be synchronous.

Key Feedback from Trustees:

Multiple trustees expressed support for eliminating the survey-based approach in favor of presenting two to three complete calendar options for community and board review, similar to what other districts (e.g., Klein ISD) do.
Trustees identified non-negotiables including: two days of inclement weather coverage (banked), retaining staff development days (synchronous), and ensuring dedicated teacher work days in the calendar — a priority previously added at board request that trustees noted had quietly shifted back to "professional learning days" with principal discretion.
One trustee asked the administration to ensure campuses provide equitable, designated work time for teachers.
A trustee expressed interest in adding more minutes to the school day in exchange for additional full days off (similar to surrounding districts running 475+ minutes/day).
Dr. Murrell confirmed two draft calendars are already in development and will be shared with the board for feedback before being posted publicly.

D. Safety and Security Committee Update

Presenter: Mr. McCord

Mr. McCord reported on CISD's compliance with Texas Education Code §37.109 and Texas School Safety Center requirements through the district's School Safety and Security Committee. Key points:

The committee includes board leadership, administration, teachers, local law enforcement, emergency management officials, and parents.
The committee meets publicly at least three times per year in compliance with the Open Meetings Act.
Responsibilities include annual emergency operations plan review, safety drill monitoring, mandatory staff training tracking, collaboration with local law enforcement, and annual reporting to the board.
The most recent committee meeting was October 15, 2026, covering: mental health initiatives (Dr. Taylor), committee training (Mr. Barton), cybersecurity initiatives (Mr. Bisby), and Conrad Police Department updates (Chief Blake Lock). The meeting is available on YouTube.
The next scheduled meeting is April 22 (location TBD).

This was an informational report; no vote was taken.

E. 2026 Instructional Materials Review and Approval (IMRA) — Update

Presenter: Miss Tisdale

Miss Tisdale provided an update on the district's instructional materials selection process under the IMRA cycle (established by HB 6005, which replaced the prior Proclamation process). The State Board of Education's 2026 cycle covers:

Advanced Mathematics
RLA Supplemental (K–5)
Fine Arts
Career and Technical Education (CTE) — Batch 1

Current Pilots:

Spanish Math (SAVIS, Grade 5)
SAVIS Advanced Math (Grade 6)
Amplify Texas RLA (Grades 6–8) (Board members clarified for the public that this is Amplify Texas — a version significantly revised for Texas standards after the state rejected Amplify during the COVID era — not the original Amplify product.)

Planned Actions:

CTE: 20 courses under review; two publishers submitted materials (ICV — 10 programs; Pearson — 12 programs); teacher feedback will be collected over the school year.
Fine Arts: Very few publisher submissions to SBOE; the Fine Arts department will recommend continuing current materials and waiting for the 2027 cycle, which may yield more options.
RLA K–5 Supplemental: Staff will first review SBOE-approved materials in November before convening a formal selection committee; a multi-stage approach is planned.
Recommendation to the board is anticipated at the March 23, 2027 board meeting for: RLA Supplemental, Advanced Math (6–8, SAVIS pilot), Managed Math K–5, and CTE.

Board Discussion: Trustees asked about the evaluation rubric used by the District Guiding Coalition, noting concerns from previous cycles about inconsistency in how reviewers assessed materials. Staff acknowledged this and confirmed rubric development is now a dedicated focus in the IMRA coordinator role. A trustee who had previously served as an IMRA reviewer emphasized the value of structured, quantitative rubrics over purely anecdotal feedback. Trustees also asked about adequacy of current supplemental resources for special education (RLA); staff confirmed that Really Great Reading was purchased and is now deployed at all campuses as a replacement for LLI. Trustees asked about the HQIM funding ($40 per student) for supplemental materials.

This was an informational report; no vote was taken.

[Break taken at 8:22 PM; board reconvened at 8:39 PM]

Academic Programs and Instruction

A. District Improvement Plan (DIP) — 2026–27 Performance Objectives

Presenter: Ted Landry, with cabinet members present

Ted Landry presented the 2026–27 DIP performance objectives for board approval. The six district goals remain unchanged from prior years:

1. Student Achievement — Six objectives, including grade-level reading/math standards for all students and emerging bilinguals; HB 3 aligned board goals (adopted June 2025, five-year plan) embedded in objectives 4–6.

2. Human Resources — 100% position fill rate at all times; professional learning addressing diverse staff needs; 90% teacher retention target; over 98% of teachers certified.

3. Safe and Collaborative Culture — Texas behavioral standards, MTSS supports, and attendance improvement initiatives.

4. Fiscal Stewardship — Maintain balanced budget, educate the public on school funding, support campuses in strategic budget use.

5. Communication and Community Relations — Two-way communication metrics, increased stakeholder engagement via social media, piloting ParentSquare in Grand Oaks feeder, and working toward a standardized campus communication framework.

6. Operations — Cybersecurity training for all employees, nursing professional learning, and transportation efficiency improvements.

Key Discussion:

HB 3 Goal / Third Grade Reading: Trustees focused on Performance Objective 4 (third-grade reading). The board-adopted baseline in June 2025 was listed as 59%, but the actual 2026 STAAR baseline came in at 54%. The goal for June 2027 is 61%. Trustees questioned how a 7-point increase in one year is achievable and whether the board would be informed if strategies need adjustment. Dr. Vinson expressed confidence based on: realignment of central office ELA expertise, deployment of interventionist/reading coaches, curriculum audit findings addressed, new bilingual instructional materials (TEA filmed CISD's approach), and improved unit assessment data.
Data Monitoring: Trustees requested a schedule for how progress on DIP objectives will be presented at future board meetings. Dr. Vinson confirmed this is being planned. It was noted that MAP data (beginning, middle, and end of year) is the primary interim progress tool, as STAAR data is only available at year-end.
Attendance: Current year attendance is running a couple of percentage points ahead of the same time last year, which has direct funding implications (one full percentage point is worth millions in ADA funding).

Motion: To approve the performance objectives as presented, with a modification to Performance Objective 4 to include the actual 2026 baseline of 54% alongside the originally projected 59%.

Vote: 7–0 in favor

B. Beginning-of-Year Student Assessment Data — MAP Growth and Blue Bonnet Learning

Presenters: Miss Stewart (MAP Growth) and Miss Carlile (Blue Bonnet/Unit Assessments)

MAP Growth (Northwest Evaluation Association):

Miss Stewart provided context for interpreting MAP data:

MAP uses an 11-million-student national norm sample; growth is tracked by grade, instructional weeks, and starting RIT score.
The 50th percentile growth means a student is maintaining their position; CISD aims for above the 50th percentile to close gaps.
The board is now able to see cohort data: students who were in CISD at the beginning of 2025–26 and are still enrolled at the beginning of 2026–27.

Key findings:

1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade cohorts showed growth percentiles above the 50th percentile, aligning with HB 3 MAP progress targets.
Achievement percentiles showed some increases for certain grade levels year-over-year.
MAP's College Explorer tool allows families to map a student's current RIT score against college readiness benchmarks.

Trustees asked about the status of MAP being placed on TEA's approved vendor list for interim assessments (potentially replacing or supplementing STAAR/SST). Staff indicated a decision from TEA is expected in November or December. It was noted that the new SST (replacement for STAAR) will be administered three times per year, with the accountability measure taken in April. MAP would be given after the SST.

Blue Bonnet Unit Assessments:

Miss Carlile presented comparative data from Unit Assessment 1 (UA1) and UA2 for 2024–25 vs. 2025–26:

UA1 All Students (English + Spanish): 53% in 2024–25 → 57% in 2025–26
UA2 mirrored UA1 trends: modest gains in K–2; third through fifth grades largely held steady.
K–2 gains are partly attributed to the audio-read format (students hear text read aloud, testing comprehension/thinking skills rather than decoding); beginning in 3rd grade, students read independently, which suppresses gains.
Staff are focused on lesson internalization, explicit modeling, and small group instruction planning. Walkthrough data is expected to be presented to the board next month.

Trustees asked whether unit assessments are predictive of STAAR. Staff confirmed they are not — per TEA guidance, UAs are monitoring tools for instructional adjustment, not STAAR predictors.

Trustees also noted a need for clearer rubrics in the instructional materials review process and asked about progress on differentiated/small-group instruction resources. Staff confirmed Really Great Reading has been deployed district-wide for special education intervention and that a supplemental resource for small-group reading comprehension instruction remains a goal through the current IMRA cycle.

This was an informational report; no vote was taken.

Planning and Construction

Two planning and construction items (A and B) were tabled at the request of the administration. Reasons cited:

One item requires additional information still being compiled.
Both items generated substantive trustee questions (particularly regarding wastewater and water contracts) requiring research by a specialized attorney before board action.

Motion to table both items: Vote 7–0 in favor

Board Policy — Second Reads

Policy DC (Employment Practices)

A trustee asked about the removal (via strikethrough) of the "Employment Assistance Prohibited" section. Kara Belew (legal counsel) explained the language was duplicated and has now been consolidated — with broader language — in Policy DH (adopted July 21, 2026). Having the language in two policies with slight variations created a conflict, so it was removed from DC.

Vote to adopt Policy DC as presented (second reading): 7–0 in favor

Policy FL (Student Records) — with Amendment

A trustee brought a proposed amendment to Policy FL regarding parent access to student records. The amendment adds language under "Access by Parents" requiring the district to:

Adopt procedures (including a web page or similar medium) so parents and guardians can request student records and understand the request process.
Provide records in a timely manner.
Not charge more for records than is necessary to recover reasonable district costs.

The rationale offered was that there is currently no clear procedure for parents requesting their child's records, which particularly affects special education families who frequently need full student files.

Vote to adopt the amendment to Policy FL: 7–0 in favor

Vote to adopt Policy FL as amended (second reading): 7–0 in favor

Legal

Nomination — Montgomery County Central Appraisal District Board of Directors

The board voted to submit Dr. Jerry A. Nash as a candidate for appointment to the Montgomery County Central Appraisal District (MCAD) Board of Directors, replacing a prior nominee who could not serve due to simultaneously seeking elected office.

It was clarified that this vote authorizes CISD to submit the name as a nomination — MCAD makes the actual appointment.

Vote: 7–0 in favor

Trustee Continuing Education Report

Per state requirement, the board announced that as of November 1, 2025 through October 20, 2026, all members of the Conroe ISD Board of Trustees have completed their required hours of continuing education training.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 9:58 PM.

These are unofficial meeting notes prepared for informational purposes. For official minutes, consult the Conroe ISD Board of Trustees' approved meeting records.

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.