The Ector County ISD Board of Trustees heard a gloomy budget outlook during their meeting Tuesday night.
Having passed a deficit budget in June, the district was anticipating increased funding from the state legislature in light of a huge surplus. But no increased funding has been forthcoming.
With no additional funding from the state for public education the budget will be very tight next year, the board recap said. As things look now, the revenue stream looks to be the same as this year — approximately $334 million.
The school district gave raises this year and approved maintenance projects anticipating state revenue from the record surplus in the Rainy Day Fund would be allocated for public schools, however, there is no word on any legislative special session regarding public education funding.
Trustees must look at potential cuts for next year; federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds will come to end this year and district leaders do not want to use fund balance to cover more costs as that serves as the “emergency fund” for critical, immediate needs.
The board’s conversation included the idea of starting with areas farthest away from students, hiring freezes, and operational efficiencies as this work will require a look across the entire district.
Trustees expressed frustration that the school district has been prudent and responsible in creating budgets and finds itself, as do other districts in Texas, in a bad position due to the legislature choosing not to provide new funding for schools this year, the recap said.
The board also talked about making efforts to remind parents that the number one way the community can help is by sending their students to school every day. Daily attendance means revenue for public schools.
ECISD daily attendance is around 92% currently, when it was above 95% before COVID. The recap said increased daily attendance means additional revenue for ECISD.
During the meeting, trustees also named 10 people to a bond oversight committee.
They include Sarah Moore, Kevin Searcy, Thomas Blackstone, David Sovil, Charles Cotten, Willie Taylor, Darlene Mayes, Mari Willis, Feliz Abalos and Andrea Goodson.
Superintendent Scott Muri said those selected will be notified and the committee will start work in January.
The committee is meant to ensure that the funds are spent as intended. The board will elect 10 members to the committee.
The committee will meet four times a year and once a year they will present a report to the board of trustees.
ECISD will post the timeline and progress on the Bond 2023 website. In his Dec. 6 media call, Superintendent Scott Muri said ECISD will also, over time, collect images and stories on each project so the public can see what items are being completed and watch images or videos of the projects as they are being completed. Voters on Nov. 7 approved one of three ECISD bond propositions — Proposition A.
Proposition A for $424,263,000 includes a new Career & Technical Education Center to be located in south Odessa/Ector County; a new middle school to be located in west Ector County; districtwide maintenance and repairs; new bus purchases and a new transportation facility.
Also replacement of the district phone system, PA/bell/clock/fire alarm system replacements; a security camera refresh; classroom interactive flat panels; large group instruction area audio/visual equipment.
Complete renovation of the Permian High School Auditorium; replacing outdated instruments; performance risers for all middle school choirs; classroom instruments for elementary campuses; uniforms for middle school bands and mariachi; JROTC facility needs.
Additionally, the complete replacement of the Transition Learning Center for students with special needs learning to transition from school to the workforce; complete replacement of classroom buildings and barns; LED lighting at the Odessa High School baseball and tennis stadiums; LED lighting at the Permian High School baseball stadium; resurfacing of tennis stadiums at all middle schools; replacement of indoor bleachers in main gyms of all middle schools; and land purchases.
The board also approved renewing the YMCA Senate Bill 1882 performance agreement and approved the superintendent’s recommendation not to extend the performance contract with Third Future Schools, which operates Ector College Prep middle school.
Muri has said Third Future has fulfilled its mission. Ector is expected to come back into ECISD in summer 2024.
YMCA and Ector College Prep are both in the third year of their 1882 partnership contract term. The STEM Academy is in its second year of their partnership.
According to the Texas Education Agency website, SB 1882, passed in 2017, provides incentives for districts to contract to partner with an open-enrollment charter school, institutions of higher education, non-profits, or government entities.
The Texas Education Agency defines two different types of partnerships under the bill:
- Turnaround schools: the existing school received an F rating the year prior to the partnership. This was used for Ector.
- Innovation Schools: existing schools with higher than an F rating or new schools with a new campus number. This was used for the YMCA, which provides pre-K 3 education.
If upon the expiration of a charter performance contract, the board can renew the contract for up to an additional 10-year term, supplemental agenda material said.
In accordance with law, the board can renew a charter performance contract only if it finds that the campus charter has substantially fulfilled its obligations and met the performance standards in the contract and applicable law.
The board also:
- Heard a presentation on human capital exits and pipelines and budget priorities for 2024-25.
The report focused heavily on efforts to fill teacher vacancies. As of Nov. 2, ECISD had 35 teacher vacancies.
Over the last five years, the district’s teacher turnover rate has fluctuated between 18.6% and 22.1%, while the state’s teacher turnover rate has gone from 16.6% to 17.7%.
ECISD’s average teacher salary is $61,203 which is above the state’s average teacher salary of $58,887, the recap said.
The Human Resources Department uses an exit survey to try and gauge employees’ feelings upon leaving ECISD; about 44% of those employees choose to participate in it.
The two primary reasons given for leaving employment are factors specific to the school at which they taught (41%) and factors unrelated to my job (27%). Factors related to the teaching profession in general (19%) and factors related to the district in which they worked (13%) are two other responses noted in the survey, the recap said.
The survey gives some insight into things employees appreciate and other things employees believe should be improved to enhance employment.
The presentation closed with a review of the year-round recruiting efforts from job fairs to recruiting internationally, to targeted social media campaigns.
ECISD offers the highest starting teacher salary in the area and with stackable compensation/incentives teachers can (and already do) earn more than $100,000.
“Grow our Own” pipelines are in place for teachers, principals, counselors, and diagnosticians. Two of the newest initiatives are Registered Apprenticeship Programs for both teachers and principals.
- Approved a Memorandum of Understanding between Ector County ISD and Tarleton State University Regarding the Distinguished High School Partnership Program.
- Trustees voted 7-0 to approve a resolution for the district to apply for a juvenile justice truancy prevention grant from the Office of the Governor. The application would request $460,000 to pay for social services specialists through the Community Outreach Center to provide support to students in elementary and middle schools who are experiencing difficulties in attendance and discipline.
- Under special presentations, the board recognized the bond political action committee, Odessans for a Bright Future; announcement of ECISD Christmas Cards Student Design Winners; recognition of Permian High School Band State Qualifiers; and announcement of National Board for Teacher Certification Recipients.
