Trustees of Liberty-Eylau Independent School District heard a financial report, a report on charter schools and approved the district's improvement plan during its regular meeting Thursday.
Chief Financial Officer Darla Moss said the district ended the month of August with a balance of $28.4 million, which includes the $20.8 million in funds the district received earlier in the month from the bond election which was passed in May. Voters cast their ballots to improve Harris Field, a new building at the Primary School, a new CTE building at the high school, additions to the pre-K campus and a new roof at the middle school.
The district spent $15,834 of the bond funds in the 2015-16 school year for architectural fees. A total of $857,780 has been spent in fiscal year 2016-17 for the beginning portions of the district's improvements, including installation of the turf on the football field and the roof at the middle school.
Superintendent Ronnie Thompson gave an enrollment report, saying that as of Aug. 21, 2,566 students were enrolled, compared with 2,578 at the end of the 2015-16 school year.
"Right now we're right at the number we budgeted for, so we're right on target," he said.
Thompson also gave a report on proposed legislation to fund vouchers for charter schools and home schooling. He pointed out what he sees as red flags in the proposal, including the state giving $500 per child to home-school them and not having strict guidelines for those who choose this route of education.
"If I'm in a situation with generational poverty, and we know the only way out of generational poverty is education what I'm doing is, I'm encouraging that family to stay there, because now I'm going to give them $500 per month to home-school their kid," he said. "That's kind of an incentive to home-school my kid at home and maybe not pay so much attention to the education that's going on with my child."
He also spoke on a part of the program to use public funds for educational savings accounts, saying that there were 600,000 students in the state who were either attended private schools or were home schooled. These students aren't being funded with tax dollars, he said, adding that if the voucher program is passed in the state, an additional $3.2 billion would be needed to balance the state budget.
"Those are some of the problems I see rising with this whole issue," Thompson said.
Assistant Superintendent Lewis Lincoln presented both the campus and district improvement plans to the board, saying the campus plans didn't require board approval, but the district plans were approved annually.
"These plans are developed by parents, staff members, teachers community representatives and several stakeholders who work together to get these plans in place," he said. "I think they've done a great job. These plans are a working document and constantly being changed every day."
For the district plans, Lincoln said they are aligned with the campus plans in two areas.
"To make sure student performance is increased and it's aligned with the budget so we can make sure we have the resources it takes to help our students get to where they need to be," he said.
In other business, the board approved a second reading of Texas Association of School Boards Update 105, which includes the prominent display of both the U.S. flags and Texas flags in each classroom.
Thompson said 90 percent of the district's classrooms were properly equipped, and they would work on outfitting the rest of the rooms throughout the year.
A first reading of Update 106 was also approved, which requires the district to place cameras in certain special education settings at the request of a parent or staff member. It also outlines the procedures for responding to those requests, including equipment installation and filing complaints for alleged incidents.