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Starting off the Midway ISD budget workshop with discussion of how House Bill 3 will impact the district.
CFO Wesley Brooks says this school year's budget was $88.4M. Next year's is estimated to be $88.6M. Biggest addition is an extra 51 positions, costing $2.7M.
The 2019-2020 budget estimate also includes 2% raises, costing $920,770, Brooks says.
Midway will see less than tax revenue this year than last year because HB3 requires district to compress its tax rate, Brooks says.
Brooks says the $11.6 billion invested in education via HB3 is "unprecedented." Basic allotment increased by 20% to $6,160. That is the amount paid by the state per student.
Midway tax rate will be reduced by 7 cents for next school year, Brooks says.
Brooks says funding will be more equal between state and local sources for next two years, with 55% of Midway's funding coming from local taxes.
School board president Pete Rusek says after two years the state has no way to fund these changes to school finance, and district cannot raise its tax rate, so challenges are ahead for school finance.
Brooks estimates Midway's allotment increasing to $8,317, including local contributions. District will receive extra $3.6 million from HB3, with $1 million going toward salary increases. Out of that $! million, $813,693 going toward teachers, nurses counselors and librarians.
Supt. Kazanas says HB3 will save average Midway homeowner roughly $160 a year. Average home is valued at $225,000. Nothing in school finance bill changes way education finance works and provides no long-term funding source.
Brooks says he hopes to have more information on HB3 at July 16 meeting. Property taxes will be certified on July 25. The deadline to post budgets and tax rates for adoption is Aug. 1.
Now board pivots to discuss a voter survey to gauge community's interest in adopting a bond package.
Trustees are discussing questions for the survey and the best way to word the questions.
Steve Hafer with Huckabee Architects is presenting a bond projects summary to the board. He says bond cost is based on district's 10-year growth projections and projected construction costs for 2020, when building would begin. Also includes costs related to permits, designs, etc.
Costs also include things like furniture and technology, as well as contingency funds for unexpected items such as labor and materials cost spikes.
New elementary school would cost $38.7 million and be able to house 750 students in 99,500 square feet. It would be completed in August 2022, Hafer says.
To reconfigure Woodgate Intermediate into an elementary school would cost $14 million. School would reconfigure one wing with larger classrooms and internal bathrooms for pre-k through first grade, as well as minor renovations throughout the campus.
Trustees had to recess budget workshop to conduct regular meeting. They will resume workshop after the meeting.
I'm back at the regular Midway ISD board meeting. I had to step out to write a story on deadline. The mosquitoes devoured my feet, so I probably have West Nile now.
The board is hearing a presentation on the justification for the dress code. Students want a more egalitarian, gender-neutral dress code.
Other students feel like dress code discriminates against certain cultures and their ethnicity, such as not allowing long dreadlocks or beards.
Are there not studies on the impact of dress codes on learning outcomes?
Former Belton administrator who now works at Midway says staff never spent much time on dress code because the district did not have one, and teachers and administrators appreciated that.
Through my extensive Googling, I find there really isn't any consensus on how dress code affects student performance. Different studies have found varying results.
Dr. Shanna L Attai is now presenting results of pilot study on flexible furniture in the classroom. She is a researcher with the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative, who is conducting the study alongside Huckabee, which designs the furniture.
At Spring Valley Elementary School, 14 classrooms tried out the flexible furniture. They looked at 2nd through 4th grade and a total of 336 students.
Flexible furniture in flexible learning environments provided more opportunities for more interactive learning, Attai says, and students became more engaged with the flexible furniture.
Attai says teachers need more professional development to utilize the flexible furniture to its full potential.
Attai says next school year they will conduct longitudinal study to test out flexible furniture for an entire year to see the benefits to students at Spring Valley and Woodway Elementary schools. 30 classrooms and 600 students will participate in the study.
Now, the board has recessed the regular meeting and resumed the budget workshop. This is some intense meeting.
Steve Hafer with Huckabee architect firm back at podium. He says River Valley Intermediate renovation would cost $44 million and add a 2-story classroom for 8th grade, gym and locker rooms, as well as arts facilities. The school would become a middle school for 6th through 8th
Hafer says Midway Middle School renovation would cost $13 million and be completed in August 2022. Renovations would be done to science labs and instructional space to make room for sixth graders.
Without renovations to high school, bond package would cost about $109.5 million, Hafer says. Adding 87,200 square feet to high school would accommodate student growth for next 10 years and be done in 2023. Cost: $39.3M.
Supt. Kazanas says district will explore other options for some suggested renovations and additions for athletics and delve deeper into CTE programs’ architectural needs.
Board meeting has finally adjourned. Good night, folks.
