December 16, 2025 at 5:30 PM - Rescheduled Regular Board Meeting

I. Rescheduled Regular Board Meeting Called to Order.

II. Moment of Silence.

III. Pledge of Allegiance.

IV. Roll Call:

V. Recommend approving the agenda of the Rescheduled Regular Board Meeting of Tuesday, December 16, 2025 with any corrections/deletions.

VI. Recommend approving the minutes with any corrections:

VI.A. Regular Board Meeting of Tuesday, September 2, 2025.

VI.B. Special Called Board Meeting of Thursday, September 25, 2025.

VII. Superintendent's Report:  * SB1566

VII.A. Conference Presentations:

VII.A.1. Recognition of BISD Elementary School Science Fair Winners.

VII.A.2. Recognition of Bilingual/ESL/Title III Department Annual Evaluation. 

VII.A.3. Recognition of Security Officer, Domingo Garza, for outstanding work in preventing a life-threatening incident. 

VII.A.4. Recognition of Rotary Club of North Brownsville. 

VII.A.5. Recognition of Brownsville Historic Rotary Club, Los Fresnos Eye Clinic & Optical, & Youth Connection Project. 

VII.A.6. Recognition of Texas Retired Association BARSEA. 

VII.A.7. Recognition of U.S. News & World Report Best High School (BECHS).

VII.A.8. Presentation of Education Week New Organization Visit.

VII.A.9. Recognition of TXLR (Texas Leads Reads) Grant.

VII.A.10. Recognition of U.S. News & World Report Best Elementary (Ortiz Elementary School).

VII.A.11. Recognition of Cameron County Bar Association Women’s Law Section Sneakers for All.

VII.A.12. Presentation of the Brownsville Independent School District Financial Report for the period ended November 30, 2025.

VII.A.13. Presentation of the TASB Leadership Visit.

VII.A.14. Presentation of Board of Trustees training (Credit Hours) required by the State Board of Education. 

Description: 

Persons wanting to address the Board during Public Comment shall before the beginning of the meeting print their names and the subject matter on the sign-in sheet provided at the entrance of the Board Room.  As per Policy BED (Local) all Board Meetings, Public Comment shall be limited to items on the agenda posted with notice of the meeting.  The Board allots 30 minutes for Public Comment.  Speakers shall limit comments to a maximum of 5 minutes or the allotted time, depending on the number of speakers that have signed up. Complaints or grievances on the following subjects; employee complaints, personnel matters, student complaints, removal of alternative education program, complaints against individual board members, and expulsions, shall be directed to the appropriate policy for attempted resolution before bringing the matter before the Board.  The Board President shall determine if the topic shall be redirected to the appropriate policy or redirected to Administration. Comments on issues shall be constructive and courteous.

The Board may deliberate or take action regarding the following agenda items.

Board policy BE (Local) and Robert's Rules limits debate to two opportunities.  A Trustee may debate a motion for three minutes on the first speaking opportunity and two minutes on the second opportunity.
 

IX. Recommend approving the Consent Agenda. The Board has agreed to discuss the following items. All of the items below that are not called out will be approved by consent. 

                                              (All presentations limited to five (5) minutes)

X. Consent Agenda:

X.A. Recommend approval of the following General Function Item(s):

X.A.1. Recommend approval of  Resolution #021/25-26 authorizing the Resale of Foreclosed Real Estate Properties for failure to pay and valorem taxes.

X.A.2. Recommend approval of Resolution #024/25-26 to authorize and approve Maria del Rosario Peña to serve on the Board of Trustees of the TASB Local Government Purchasing Cooperative d/b/a BuyBoard.

X.A.3. Recommend approval to increase RFP #26-114 BISD Food and Nutrition Service Large Cold Storage Freezer for $16,807.81.

X.A.4. Recommend approval to accept the Region One JC2S-GU Grant from the U.S. Department of Education, in partnership with Brownsville ISD. The grant will support students at Besteiro, Faulk, Garcia, Lucio, Manzano, Oliveira, Stell, Stillman, Perkins, and Vela Middle Schools, and will follow the student cohort through their transition to the Early College High Schools. Funding will be used to support academic and college preparatory activities, provide teacher training, and purchase instructional equipment. The grant period is October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2032.

X.A.5. Recommend approval  of the 2025–2026 Phone-Free Schools Grant from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in the amount of $252,149. The grant will support schools in purchasing secure storage solutions and implementing the necessary infrastructure to enforce the personal communication device ban in compliance with House Bill 1481. The grant period is September 22, 2025, through August 31, 2026, and carries no cost to the District.

X.A.6. Recommend approval to authorize the Villa Nueva E.S. HVAC Upgrades, Phase I (Package 3) Project, under CSP #23-164, as substantially complete.

X.A.7. Recommend approval to pay CTE teachers a Supplemental Duty Stipend of $300 per teacher for participating at the 2024 and 2025 Workforce Solutions (WFS) Cameron Summer Teacher Externship. 

X.A.8. Recommend approval to contract Lead4Ward consultants to support District-wide initiatives and practices that include priority campus support for secondary educational staff based on District needs and funding. Total amount no to exceed $9,000.00. *

X.A.9. Recommend approval to revise page 13 of the 2025-2026 Employee Compensation Plan, Administrator Business Management Pay Plan to add job title: Coordinator, Gear Up. 

X.A.10. Recommend approval to revise page 15 of the Employee Compensation Plan, Professional Instructional Support Pay Plan, job title, from Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) to School Psychologist.

X.A.11. Recommend approval to revise page 18 of the 2025-2026 Employee Compensation Plan, Police & Security Pay Plan to add job title: Coordinator, Emergency Management, Pay Grade 7. 

X.B. Recommend approval of the following Payment(s):

X.B.1. Recommend approval of payments for construction services and/or engineering services throughout the District in the total amount of $664,885.53.

X.C. Recommend approval of the following Contract(s)/Agreement(s):

X.C.1. Recommend approval to authorize appropriate District administration to accept the 2025-2026 Empowering Early Childhood Special Education Educators Grant to Improve Student Outcomes, thereby affirming the District’s and campuses’ responsibilities and expectations under the grant. This action confirms that the $60,435.90 award dispersed to the District will be allocated and expended by the District during the 2025-2026 school year. *

X.C.2. Recommend approval to authorize appropriate District administrator to sign the acceptance agreement from Texas A&M University, thereby affirming the Districts and campus’s responsibilities and expectations under the TAMU, Work-Based Learning Project. This action confirms that the $10,000.00 award – disbursed in the single payment – will be allocated and expended by the District during the first year of implementation exclusively for the approved Work-Based Learning Project. At no cost to the District. *

X.C.3. Recommend approval to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding between the Brownsville Independent School District and Grand Canyon University to provide graduate students practicum/internship sites on BISD school campuses beginning in the 2025-2026 school year through October 24, 2028. No cost to the District. *

X.C.4. Recommend approval to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding between the Texas A&M RGV Advanced Manufacturing Hub for the 2026-2027 school year ending on August 31, 2027. *

X.C.5. Recommend approval to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Region One Service Center CyberOne Cooperative for the 2025-2026 Academic year at a cost of $7,452.00. *

X.C.6. Recommend approval of the Sunrise Mall License Agreement between BISD and Sunrise Mall to provide students with the opportunity of performing at Sunrise Mall in the amount of $25.00 from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026. Categorical Funds: 199 for $25.00. *

X.C.7. Recommend approval to enter into an Agreement with Cameron County Community Service Centers and School Districts to provide Adult Basic Education/Adult Secondary Education, High School Equivalency, English as Second Language and, certification for in demand occupations classes for the 2025-2026 school year at no cost to the District.  

X.C.8. Recommend approval to enter into an affiliation agreement with Texas A&M International University College of Education to provide practicum/internship for master’s degree program students to obtain practicum/internship experience. Will be effective December 1, 2025 through August 01, 2026 and shall be automatically renewed for five additional terms of one-year through August 01, 2031, unless terminated by either party. At no cost to the District. *

X.C.9. Recommend approval to accept the amended awarded amount of $300,000.00 and enter into this grant agreement with Communities Foundation of Texas, Educate Texas with the Brownsville Independent School District. And recommend approval to utilize the ADSY Pep grant Cycle 5 grant funds in accordance to the Memorandum of Understanding as submitted to TEA and was board approved on January 14, 2025. The grant funding for this initiative will be in coordination with the concurrent summer program funding from State Compensatory and Federal Funds. *

XI. Board Member Request(s):

XI.A. Action Item(s)

XI.A.1. Presentation, Discussion And Possible Action regarding Redfish Recycling Company Contract With BISD. (Board Agenda Request Minerva Pena/Board Support Carlos Elizondo)

XI.A.2. Consideration and possible action to rename the Homer Hanna High School Band Hall to the Arcadio Guajardo Band Hall.  (Board Agenda Request Carlos Elizondo/Board Support Neida Ruth Grantland)

XII. CLOSED MEETING:  as pursuant to the Texas Government Code Sections: 551.071, 551.072, 551.074, 551.082, and 551.084.

XII.A. LEVEL III GRIEVANCE(S):

XII.A.1. Level III Parent Grievance No. 003/25-26 on Maria Raga on behalf of Student J.C.R.

XII.A.2. Level III Parent Grievance No. 004/25-26 on Christina Leal on behalf of Student L.S.

XII.A.3. Level III Grievance No.010/25-26 on D.T. & H.R.

XII.B. INTRUDER DETECTION AUDIT REPORT(S):

XII.B.1. Discussion of the findings of the Intruder Detection Audit Report. 

XII.B.2. Discussion of the findings of the District Vulnerability Assessment (DVA) Audit Report. 

XII.C. CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS:

XII.C.1. Award the negotiated contract for RFQ #26-122 Forensic Audit Services to CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP of Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Contact shall be for a one-time engagement commencing upon the date of contract execution.

XII.C.2. Award the negotiated contract for RFQ #26-131 Board Legal Advisory Services to the law firm of O’Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo, PC from Pharr, TX.  Contract shall be for a one (1) year term with the option to renew for two (2) additional years.

XII.D. PERSONNEL MATTER(S):

XII.D.1. Presentation, acceptance and approval of Retirements. (5)

XII.D.2. Presentation, acceptance and approval of Resignations. (2)

XII.D.3. Personnel Update with Superintendent (Dr. Jesus H. Chavez)

XII.D.4. Chapter 21 contractual personnel for the 2025-2026 school year(s)- Counselor At-Risk. Subject to receipt of all outstanding documentation.(1)

XII.D.5. Chapter 21 contractual personnel for the 2025-2026 school year(s)- Counselor. Subject to receipt of all outstanding documentation.(1)

XII.D.6. Chapter 21 contractual personnel for the 2025-2026 school year(s)- Curriculum At-Risk, Specialist. Subject to receipt of all outstanding documentation.(1)

XII.D.7. Chapter 21 contractual personnel for the 2025-2026 school year(s)- Principal. Subject to receipt of all outstanding documentation.(1)

XII.D.8. Chapter 21 contractual personnel for the 2025-2026 school year(s)- Specialist, Early Childhood. Subject to receipt of all outstanding documentation.(1)

XII.D.9. Non-chapter 21 contractual personnel for the 2025-2026 school year(s)- Chief Financial Officer. Subject to receipt of all outstanding documentation.(1)

XII.D.10. Non-chapter 21 contractual personnel for the 2025-2026 school year(s)- Director, 21st Century. Subject to receipt of all outstanding documentation.(1)

XII.D.11. Non-chapter 21 contractual personnel for the 2025-2026 school year(s)- Manager, Project/Facilities. Subject to receipt of all outstanding documentation.(1)

XII.D.12. Non-chapter 21 contractual personnel for the 2025-2026 school year(s)- Speech Language Pathologist Assistant. Subject to receipt of all outstanding documentation.(1)

XII.D.13. Compensation for professional employee (S.G.) on temporary assignment to be commensurate with the Middle School Principal salary.

XII.E. ATTORNEY CONSULTATION:

XII.E.1. Staff Attorney

XII.E.1.a. Cause No. 2025-DCL-06317; Rene Cruz vs. Brownsville Independent School District. 

XII.E.2. Board Attorney

XII.E.2.a. Legal Update with Board Counsel.

XII.F. INTERNAL AUDITOR CONSULTATION:

XII.F.1. Consultation with Director of Internal Audit.

XII.G. BISD CHIEF OF POLICE:

XII.G.1. Pending investigations.

XII.H. BOARD SELF EVALUATION:

XII.H.1. Board Self Evaluation.

XIII. BOARD RECONVENES - Board action on agenda items discussed in Executive Session.

XIII.A. Recommend approval:  XII. A. 1, 2 and 3  

XIII.B. Recommend approval:  XII. B. 1 and 2  

XIII.C. Recommend approval:  XII. C. 1 and 2  

XIII.D. Recommend approval:  XII. D. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13   

XIII.E. Recommend approval:  XII. E. 1a and 2a  

XIII.F. Recommend approval:  XII. F. 1  

XIII.G. Recommend approval:  XII. G. 1

XIII.H. Recommend approval:  XII. H. 1

XIV. Announcement(s):

XV. Adjournment.