Board considers energy-saving efforts
The Ector County Independent School District’s board members heard discussions centered around two subjects at their workshop on Tuesday: cost saving options and increased class sizes.
The board first heard a presentation from the outside agency, Energy Education, about energy cost saving options. The Dallas-based company works on energy savings for more than 1,200 organizations, which are mainly school districts, across 48 states. The company presented itself to the board, aiming to strike a future contract with the district.
Leonard Merrell, marketing vice president for Texas, said he estimated that in the first 18 months, ECISD would be able to see a savings of about $1 million, and a total savings of $16 million within 10 years.
“Everything we talk about is going to come from dollars you’ve already budgeted from your energy budget,” Merrell said. “We pay for the cost of the program.”
Merrell said the changes would occur through hiring two energy specialists, bringing in company consultants, creating a district energy-saving plan and putting in place software to measure and verify energy usage.
Tom Pace, board president, said the information provided on the potential energy cost savings to the district was rewarding.
“Obviously we’re interested in doing that,” Pace said.
Pace said the board will need to get more information and fully examine the options, but said it seemed like a good option at this time.
Hector Mendez, superintendent of ECISD, said this is something the board will very strongly consider in the next several weeks.
“This is a direct way to save on money we are already spending,” Mendez said.
Mendez said the savings could come at a good time considering last year the district had to deal with state cuts to its budget and will again this year.
“We work in a two-year budget and obviously last year we had a round of cuts that was most severe,” Mendez said. “And as we’re looking at our budget for next year, we are still looking for ways of savings and that brings us to today’s presentation.”
Following the presentation the board heard a report from Wendy Hines, assistant superintendent for elementary operations, on additional class size waivers needed in the district.
As is required by state law, schools may only have 22 students per class in kindergarten through fourth grades. The district must apply for a waiver to the Texas Education Agency if it must go beyond the limit of 22.
Hines said in that September the district applied for 82 class-size waivers, which spanned across 20 elementary campuses. Hines said more students have enrolled since the fall and 52 additional class-size waivers are needed for a total of 22 elementary campuses with 134 waivers in ECISD.
“We now have the need to add two schools,” Hines said. “The reason for that is because of the growth and enrollment.”
H.T. Sanchez said the problem can be fixed with an additional teacher hire. Portables are the temporary solution to the problem.
“There is not space to add a teacher,” Sanchez said.
Hines said the TEA used to require districts to monitor class sizes and apply for waivers at two separate times a year, both times requiring board approval. Now, Hines said, they are required to apply in the fall and send amendments to the waivers as needed.
“Any teachers that hit over 25 students have been assigned an aide,” Hines said, noting only about five teachers have aides in the district for that reason.
Hines also discussed the limitations the schools have with space and that there is not room for additional teachers or students at most campuses, especially the Westside schools like Jordan Elementary. She said between kinder and fourth grades, the district currently has 260 more students than this time last year.
“It’s all over town, but the west side has the most challenges,” Hines said.
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