First day of school, data sharing agreements shared 

Some 33,500 students are projected to attend Ector County ISD schools this year, according to an update given by Superintendent Scott Muri during the board of trustees meeting Tuesday.

So far, there are 32,712 students. A total of 27,905 meals have been served; 2,436 help desk calls and tickets; 58 teacher vacancies; and 5,326 students riding the bus. Muri said that will continue to increase.

In 2021-22, there were 32,031 students; 22,373 meals served; 4,306 help desk calls; 70 teacher vacancies; and 1,870 students riding the bus.

This year, ECISD hired 422 teachers and there are 58 vacancies. There are 29 vacancies in elementary and 29 in secondary, Muri said.

Some 7,296 breakfasts have been served and 10,497 total lunches. Muri said ECISD provides food to the early college high schools and the University of Texas Permian Basin STEM Academy.

Muri added that ECISD is a growing district and they will start sending daily reports to trustees.

Board President Steve Brown asked what the main pressure point was and Muri said it continues to be numbers.

“We have some families that have not sent their children to school in two years. We see that across the country still. Our prek numbers 3 and 4 are large, which is really good …,” Muri said.

It was mentioned that the number of homeless students has increased. Muri said families have doubled and tripled up. He added that the economy is a big driver of homelessness.

A ribbon cutting for Ector Acceleration Academy will be at 10 a.m. today. Acceleration Academy is on the sixth floor of the Prosperity Bank Building, 620 N. Grant Ave.

Assistant Superintendent of Student and School Support Alicia Syverson presented the request for approval to renew the Optional Flexible School Day program.

Syverson said it is an annual request.

Currently, ECISD’s graduation rate is the highest it’s been in a long time.

Syverson said there are students impacted by COVID who had to go to work, or are young parents and have prioritized that over school.

To be in optional flexible school day, students must be at risk of dropping out. Students may attend at their campus, Acceleration Academy or the Community Outreach Center.

Students must be approved by the principal to attend and must attend 20 hours a week; four hours a day for full funding, Syverson said.

She added that the district has partnered with Acceleration Academy to take students out of the Community Outreach Center.

This year, there 21 graduates, 9 continuers, 22 dropouts and 2 (left school for other reasons) drop out leavers. Total is 54 at the Community Outreach Center.

Ector Acceleration Academy currently has 150 students.

This year, they had 16 graduates, 127 continuers (still working toward graduation), seven dropouts, no non dropout leavers.

Between the Community Outreach Center and Acceleration Academy, 173 students were kept engaged, Syverson said.

Students at the Community Outreach Center logged 292,482 minutes and 871,933 at Ector Acceleration Academy for a total of 1,164,415 minutes.

The district also presented the Extra Mile Award to Lorraine Perryman. Lisa Wyman and Chris Cole were also winners, but could not attend Tuesday’s meeting. The award was for their efforts to pass the failed May 2022 bond.

Results on the bond were 61.45 percent, or 4,786 votes, against Proposition A and 38.55 percent, or 3,003 votes, in favor.

On Proposition B, 64.75 percent, or 5,043 voted against it and 35.25 percent, or 2,746, voted in favor. There were 7,826 voters out of 82,257, or 9.48 percent.

The Split Gavel Award was presented to Tammy Hawkins to thank her for serving as president of the board.

The announcement of NAMM Foundation Best Communities for Music Education Award was presented for the eighth year in a row.

UIL Outstanding Soloists in state solo and ensemble were Kendra Burton and Aiden Armendariz, both at Permian High School.

Trustees approved the Quail Run Carbon Reinvestment Zone in the Penwell area. Trustees Carol Gregg and Delma Abalos abstained.

The board approved a data sharing agreement between Air Tutors and ECISD. Air Tutors is one of the two major players in virtual high impact tutoring.

The only information being shared is MAP data and it’s to help personalize tutoring.

The board also approved a data sharing agreement between Brown University, ECISD and FEV Tutoring.

Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Lilia Nanez said Brown approached the district to do a study on virtual high-impact tutoring. They want to research ECISD’s model.

Nanez said the district will share MAP data, demographic data, whether students are in special programs, attendance, whether they are taking advanced placement class, whether they are GT, STAAR, SAT and PSAT data.

Nanez said about 5,000 students participated in virtual tutoring.

Retroactive personnel recommendations approved by the board are Jim Workman as princiapl of Buice Elementary; Travis Elementary Principal Ale Garcia; Executive Director of Career and Technical Education Ryan Merrit and Bowie Middle School Principal Amy Russell.