Longview Independent School District trustees authorized the amended and restated performance contracts with Longview LEAP, Texas Council for International Studies, and East Texas Advanced Academy for Longview ISD campuses, during their regular meeting July 13th.
Dr. Craig Coleman, LISD Chief Innovation Officer said the TEA was very complimentary of the contracts and applications that were submitted, 'However, they did ask for clarity in a couple of areas.'
'Those areas include ensuring the partners have the autonomy to determine assessments utilized and to clearly show the first year operating budgets for the partners,' he said. 'The contracts have been updated to include the recommendations.
Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox added that the TEA has approved LISD’s partnership agreements that were submitted contingent upon the changes.
“The contracts presented tonight include those recommended changes,” he said. “In addition, we are recommending revision to the ETAA contract in order to ensure that we have consistency across the district.”
Governed by a 2017 state law called Senate Bill 1882, the public school charter program provides extra funding to traditional public school districts that contract with outside entities such as charter networks, non-profits, and universities to run their schools as an in-district charter.
In accordance with TEA policy, LISD maintains the authority to set the ground rules the partners have to follow.
Passed in 2017 by the 85th Texas Legislature, under the leadership of Gov. Greg Abbott, Senate Bill 1882 creates new incentives for traditional public schools to partner with outside entities to improve student outcomes.
For more information about the Longview ISD public school charter program please visit LISD.org/charters, call the LISD Department of Innovation at 903-381-2200, or visit the TEA website: TxPartnerships.org.
District Surveys
Dr. James Hockenberry, Assistant Superintendent of District Services, presented board members with the results from recent surveys given to Longview ISD families, staff, and students.
In addition to the district calendar survey that was presented to the board (during the June 24 special meeting), LISD Community Relations has gathered results from the annual 'approval rating' survey that went out June 9th, as well as a new 'back to school' survey that went out July 9th.
'Our administration is working diligently in the planning process for the coming year, and this survey is going to be an invaluable resource,' he said. 'We've had some great turnout [to surveys] recently, and we look at this as an indication that we're asking the right questions.
Fuel Storage Tank
Board members also approved a change order for the Above-Ground Fuel Storage Tank Installation Project at the LISD transportation facility.
Joey Jones, LISD Chief Financial Officer, said cost for the additional work is $40,000
'We're requesting this change order to enhance the scope of the project to include the reorganization of the fuel island,' he said.
In other news...
Board members also approved Student Accident/Athletic Insurance Coverage and Catastrophic Coverage for 2020-21; Letter of Engagement for the Fiscal year 2020 Financial Audit; Minutes from meetings on June 22nd and 24th; the 2019-20 Third Quarter Investment Report; Budget Amendment No. 11; the Board Time-Use Tracker, and a $1,000 donation from the Wal-Mart on Estes Parkway as part of the STEAM Fair Community Grant Program.
For more info
Trustees usually meet in the boardroom of the LISD Education Support Center, but often set special-called meetings at various locations around the district. The next regular meeting is tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. Aug. 10th.
Due to public health protocols currently in place, the public will not be admitted into the trustees' boardroom. The meeting will also be streamed online at LISD.org/BoardroomLive.
For more information about the Longview ISD Board of Trustees please click here.
