,
19 tweets,
3 min read
Read on Twitter
The Waco ISD board meeting is starting now. Board member Stephanie Korteweg is either late or absent tonight.
The Waco ISD police department tonight is retiring K9 Gero, whose name means "spear." He served the district for four years. He is a 9 1/2 year old German Shepard from the Netherlands. And I just want to pet him, but we're not supposed to.
I mean, look at this cuteness. 
The board unanimously voted to hire two new assistant principals from outside the district, Anthony Baney from Copperas Cove ISD and Daneric Johnson from Aldine ISD.
The district also promoted Samantha Craytor to principal of Crestview Elementary, Mathew Rambo to principal of Tennyson Middle School, and Jennifer Lundquist to principal of Hillcrest PDS.
The board unanimously adopts the consent agenda, except an item to discuss and take possible action to adopt a resolution regarding relocation of Paul Tyson Stadium, a project with the city of Waco and McLennan County. Board could discuss item later.
Now, the board moves onto discussion of House Bill 3. District CFO Sheryl Davis says "this changes daily."
The new basic allotment for Waco ISD is $6,160 per student, an increase of $619 from prior years, Davis says. This impacts @TransformWaco, as well.
@TransformWaco Davis says under House Bill 3 the district will receive an additional $6.5 million for "regular education" but will lose $438,423 for Gifted & Talented education.
Waco ISD will gain almost $2 million for CTE, which is now funded for grades 7-12, not just 9-12, Davis says. Special education will receive $1 million more under HB3.
Davis says overall the district will receive an extra $16.9 million in state funding, under HB3.
Districts and open enrollment charters must increase salaries for full-time staff other than administrators, Davis says. 30% of funds must go toward these raises, and 75% of those funds must go toward raises for teachers, librarians, nurses and counselors.
Davis says the district must allocate $3.9 million for salary increases. $2.9 million of that will go toward raises for teachers, nurses, counselors and librarians.
Had to pause tweeting to write my story on deadline. You can read it soon.
The board is looking at preliminary STAAR scores. I already wrote about these scores: bit.ly/2F8Ic1b
Twice. This story focuses on scores in Waco ISD's in-district charter system, an SB 1882 partnership: bit.ly/2XyLoxf
The state will publicly release accountability ratings for school districts, based in large part on STAAR scores, on Aug. 15. Districts receive their grades the day before.
Board president Angela Tekell says board won't have a regularly scheduled meeting in July, but board will meet to interview superintendent candidates. 84 people applied to be the new Waco ISD superintendent.
And that adjourns tonight's meeting. See you next time.
