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PRESS RELEASE

Authorization of First Series of Bond Sales and Increased Pay for TISD Bus Drivers Highlight January 2023 TISD Board of Trustees Meeting

Texarkana, TX-Several topics were covered during the January, 2023, regular session of the Texarkana Independent School District Board of Trustees. They included:

*Held Public Hearing on Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR). The annual report consists of a wide range of information on the performance of students in each school and districts in Texas. Performance is shown disaggregated by student groups, including ethnicity and socioeconomic status. The reports also provide extensive information on school and district staff, programs and student demographics. Information for TISD can be found at www.txkisd.net;

Approved Demolition and Asbestos Abatement of Former Pine Street Campus;

Approved Submission of TEA Expedited Waiver for Staff Development for 2023-24. Waiver provides for a maximum of 2,100 total waiver minutes to use for professional development for districts. The waiver is for staff development in place of student instruction and can be in the form of early release, all day or a combination thereof;

Approval of Amendment to the TISD 2022-2023 Compensation Plan. The TISD 2022-2023 Compensation Plan was approved in July 2022. Since that time, the District has determined a need to adjust bus driver pay. A shortage of drivers, along with an increase in programs with transportation needs, has led to a need for increased bus driver pay. The pay change will apply to all bus driver classifications and all types of driving assignments;

Approval of Amendment to TISD 2022-2023 Employee Handbook. The TISD 2022-2023 Employee Handbook was approved in July 2022. Since that time, the District has begun implementation of a Proximity Tag Control system for enhanced safety and security at all District facilities. The updated Administrative Regulation has been developed as guidance and direction for employees concerning participation in the tag system and the process for lost or stolen tags;

Approval for 2023-24 180 Instructional Day Calendar (TEA Additional Days School Year (ADSY) initiative through TCLAS grant Decision 8 Strong Summer Program). The 2023-24 180 instructional day calendar was designed to fully comply with state requirements for campus participation in the TEA Initiative for Additional Days School Year (ADSY) through the Texas Covid Learning Acceleration Support Grant, Decision 8 Strong Summer Program while increasing instructional time for students, maintaining assessment requirements, professional development, and instructional planning needs. The 2023-24 180 Instructional Day Calendar will only apply to Waggoner Creek Elementary and Wake Village Elementary;

Approval of Texas Middle School Course Description Guide for 2023-2024;

Approval of Order Calling for Trustee Election. Approval given for order calling for a Trustee Election on May 6, 2023. Incumbents Amy Bowers, representing District 4, along with Gerald Brooks from District 2 and Fred Norton, Jr. representing District 7-At Large will seek re-election for their respective positions;

Approved Joint Election Agreement between TISD and the City of Wake Village for the May 6, 2023 Trustee election. For the purposes of having a common polling place, Election Code 11.0581 allows school districts to have a joint election with a municipality, located within the school district, who would be conducting an election on the same date;

Approval of Adoption of Annual Tuition Rate for Ineligible Students. The annual rate is set based upon the Adjusted Basic Allotment the District expects to receive from the State in the 2023-24 school year. For the 2023-24 school year, the rate will be $6,160 per student;

Approve the issuance of the first series of bonds from the November 2022 bond election. The District issued $144 million of the $189 million approved by the voters at an average interest rate of 3.77% which is below the estimated interest rate used in the original bond election model. The remaining balance of bonds will be sold over time as construction progresses.

The next regular meeting for the TISD Board of Trustees will be Wednesday, February 22, 2023.

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