Board Notes: March 29, 2022

BOARD NOTES – March 29, 2022

Workshop Items

Denton High Student Liaison
Denton High Future Farmers of America (FFA) Student Group provided the Board of Trustees with an update on their program and at the high school. This group of students shared their thoughts as students of the Denton High School FFA program and the Denton ISD FFA program. The FFA students provided many interesting agricultural facts such as most farms are now considered major corporations and that 95% of all farms in the U.S. are family owned and operated. In 2021-2022 the Denton High School FFA earned more than $52,000 in scholarships.

Budget Discussion 2022-2023
Jennifer Stewart, executive director of budget, presented the anticipated budget for the 2022-2023 School Year. The presentation included an update to the 2021-2022 Average Daily attendance under the current TEA ADA Hold Harmless guidelines. Ms. Stewart also provided the 2021-2022 variances with property value growth estimate vs. certified values, and State and Federal revenue.

Discussion of 2022-2023 Salary Recommendations
Jason Rainey, executive director of professional personnel, provided Trustees with information regarding salary increases for Denton ISD staff for the 2022-2023 school year. The proposed recommendation included both a general pay increase for all employees and equity adjustments for employees whose current salary is below the market median, or competitive compensation. Stipends will remain unchanged.

The recommended general pay increase for consideration provides models for either a 2% or 3 percent increase of each pay grade midpoint for all employees. Each teacher and librarian will receive a minimum $1,250 general pay increase. Teachers and librarians from pay grade 1  - 11 and pay grade 19  - 25 will receive an additional pay increase based on market adjustments. This positively impacts the salaries of  2,510 of our experienced teachers and librarians.

“I hope we can move forward with the larger number. Our employees have endured an enormous amount of frustration over the past two years.  They have endured it very well. We are very proud of what our employees have done and the commitment they have continued to show. We as a board to the best of our ability need to show that commitment back to them at this point. I am really optimistic as we continue to crunch the numbers and as we see hopefully the adjustment from the state that we will be able to be positive and that this will come to be.” said board member Jim Alexander. 

Discussion of Dual Language Programs
Teresa Luna-Taylor, Director of Bilingual/ESL provided information regarding the campus locations for the expansion of the dual language program in the Braswell High School (BHS) Zone and needs from the Guyer, Denton, Ryan Zones for the 2022-2023 school year. Ms. Taylor also provided an overview of the current PreK emergent bilinguals enrollment in the DHS, RHS, GHS, and BHS zones who qualify for dual language programs. She also provided information on future dual language expansion in the BHS and needs from the GHS, DHS, and RHS Zones and discussed next steps associated with the expansion of the dual language program at campuses in the east and west side of the BHS zone.

The expansion of the dual language program at Cross Oaks and Union Park Elementary in the BHS zone will allow PreK and upcoming Kindergarten Spanish-speaking emergent bilingual students to receive the recommended language services closer to their homes. Parents will have easier access to enroll their PreK & Kindergarten child in the LPAC recommended dual language program instead of accepting the ESL services currently offered at their zone campus.

Discussion of HB3 Teacher Incentive Allotment
Jason Rainey, Executive Director of Human Resources provided the Board of Trustees with information regarding the HB 3 Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA). In addition to a review of the HB 3 TIA, an update on initiating a pathway for Denton ISD teachers to obtain their National Board Certification. HB 3 Teacher Incentive Allotment is fully funded by the Texas Education Agency. Further, 90% of TIA funds received by the District must be allocated, for compensation, to the assigned campuses of the teachers earning the designation.

Report Items

COVID Update
Susannah O’Bara, Assistant Superintendent for Academic Programs provided the Board with the most recent update of student/staff Covid cases and the information from the Denton County Health Department. All indications are the COVID cases are very minimal with only one case reported this week. According to Denton County Health Department the County community level is low with .06% of Covid cases. If numbers remain low or virtually zero Ms. O’Bara will no longer provide a COVID update.

2022-2023 Open and Closed Campuses
Angela Ricks, Director of Student Support Services provided a summary of Denton ISD’s functional capacity and projected enrollment data for the 2022-2023 school year and to compare this data to prior years. This report will also identify current Denton ISD campuses that are open or closed to intra-district and inter-district transfers. Analysis and monitoring of Denton ISD’s functional capacity, projected enrollment data, staffing ratios, programming needs and other critical factors that may arise will ensure that our current practices address the rapid growth of the district while ensuring that we remain committed to providing equitable and balanced opportunities for every student in Denton ISD.

The current designed capacity number is 740 for elementary schools, 1000 for middle schools, 2200 for DHS, 2400 for RHS, and 2800 for BHS and GHS. According to board policy, an elementary building shall be closed to transfers when campus enrollment reaches 85% of the calculated maximum capacity. A secondary building shall be closed to transfers when campus enrollment reaches 90% of the calculated maximum capacity.

In collaboration with Academic Programs, the Business Office, and Human Resource, 2022-2023 projection numbers were determined for Denton ISD schools. Based on these projected numbers, the following elementary schools will be open for transfers: Adkins, Alexander, Blanton, Borman, Evers, Hawk, Houston, McNair, Nelson, EP Rayzor, WS Ryan, and Stephens. The following elementary schools will be closed for transfers: Bell, Cross Oaks, Ginnings, Hodge, Paloma Creek, Pecan Creek, Providence, Newton Rayzor, Rivera, Sandbrock, Savannah, Shultz, and Union Park.

2021-2022 Attendance Reporting Period 4
Angela Ricks, director of student support services, provided campus and district ADA percentages for the 4th Reporting Period of the 2021-2022 school year (January 6, 2022 through February 17, 2022) and to compare this data to prior years. This report will also identify current truancy prevention measures being used on Denton ISD campuses to increase student attendance.

There are 28 instructional days in this 4th Reporting Period. The district’s average daily attendance last year was 91.60 percent, this is a decrease from last school year when attendance averaged 96.97 percent. Shultz had the highest attendance percentage for elementary campuses in Denton ISD at 94.73 percent. Harpool had the highest attendance percentage for middle school campuses in Denton ISD at 93.79 percent. Guyer had the highest attendance percentage for high school campuses in Denton ISD at 92.69 percent.

Across the district, fifth grade had the highest attendance at 92.92 percent, followed by 3rd grade with 92.68 percent. Seniors had the lowest attendance at 89.16 percent, followed by 10th grade with 89.87 percent.

The truancy prevention measures used in Reporting Period 4 include, but are not limited to; automated phone calls, flyers, student and parent communications, warning letters (4,167) online truancy class referrals (4,160), Zoom truancy class referrals (1,999), counselor referrals (1,203), attendance contracts (2,443), campus interventions (1,610), home visits (64), truancy officer referrals (46), court referrals and court contempts (38). Denton ISD campuses have provided over 15,730 truancy prevention measures in this 4th Reporting Period.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Report
Dr. Amy Harp, director of advanced academics and assessment, presented an update on the current program and activities at Denton High School, Calhoun Middle School, Borman Elementary, and Newton Rayzor Elementary. The district is one of only a few in the state to offer a K-12 continuum in International Baccalaureate. 
The workshop gave the board an update on the current DP, MYP, and PYP activities at Denton High School, Calhoun Middle School, Borman Elementary, and Newton Rayzor Elementary. The video presentation included a focus on action and service. A focus of the IB programme is creating positive change through action (PYP) and service (MYP and DP) throughout the school and local community. The IB Coordinators provided an update for
each school.

 

New Business

Consider Approval of Denton ISD District of Innovation Plan Amendment

Consider Approval and Acceptance of the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for the Renovation of Phase 2 Elementary Campuses: Evers Elementary, Hodge Elementary and Pecan Creek Elementary

Consider Approval and Acceptance of the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) for the Renovation of Phase 2 Elementary Campuses: Ginnings Elementary, Providence Elementary and Rivera Elementary

 

Other Items of Note

Youth Art Month, 18 VASE Honorees
TASBO Award of Merit for Purchasing Operations
National Bilingual Educator of the Year Award Cesar Rosales, Myers Middle School