August 18, 2025 at 7:00 PM - Regular Meeting

Description:  Announcement by the Board President whether a quorum is present and that notice of the meeting has been posted in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code Chapter 551 as required by law.

Description:  "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Description:   "Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible." 

Description:  The Board encourages comments about the district from members of the public.  Anyone who has signed up to speak in advance of the meeting in accordance with the Board procedures may do so at this time.  The Board asks that each participant's comments pertain to district business and be no longer than 5 minutes.  For any member of the public who is accompanied by a translator, your time will be doubled as required by law.  Remember that the Board may not discuss or act upon any issues that are not posted on our agenda.  In addition, the Board has adopted policies to provide prompt and equitable resolution of complaints and concerns for employees, students or their parents, and the general public.  Copies of our district policies and procedures on public comments and filing complaints are available on the district website. 

Description:  Mr. Birch will provide an update from the summer Safety and Security Committee Meeting.

Description:  This is the annual agreement with Bell County Juvenile Services for JJAEP.

Description:  Annually, the Board approves the Dual Credit Agreement with Central Texas College. This year, the Emergency Medical Technician Agreement is included as a separate document.

Description:  Changes to this year's agreement are based on the new space provided.

Description:  The Florence Athletic Booster Club is donating a total of $17,000.00, $1000.00 to each sport, to begin the year.

Description:  The 2025-26 budget is presented for your consideration and approval. The budget is adopted at the functional level for the General Fund (Maintenance and Operating), the Child Nutrition Fund, and the I&S Debt Service Fund.

The following schedules are included:
• Combined Functional Summary of the Proposed Budget for Adoption
• Tax rate forms (new) used to calculate the required Truth In Taxation tax rates. 
• Other Summary Tax Value and Budget Schedules are included in the Hearing presentation.

Upon adoption of the budgets at the functional level, the Board is required to approve any transfer reallocating funds from one function to another or to decrease or increase the budget totals for these funds.

 

Description:  The District adopts a tax rate each year according to the State Comptroller’s Truth in Taxation guidelines.  The tax rate is adopted after the budget is approved.  The District has published its proposed tax rates in the required meeting-notice and the hearing has been held. 

The Ordinance To Set Tax Rate is a recommended method to record the Board’s decision and it will be referred to in the minutes of the meeting.

The Maintenance and Operating tax rate is proposed at $0.7072 and the Interest and Sinking tax rate is proposed at $0.3110.  The total proposed tax rate at $1.0182 is a decrease from the prior year’s rate of $1.042, by 8.6 cents. This is due to tax rate compression related to the almost 20% increase in property values for the District.

The Truth in Taxation notice calculates an increase of $177 in taxes on the average taxable value of residences in the District, a value of $266,587. The average taxable value of residences in the District last year was calculated at a value of $228,760.

This is a general calculation and does not represent the tax impact on individual properties. In addition to the drop in the tax rate, the Homestead Exemption was increased from $100,000 to $140,000 for homeowners.

For over-65 and disabled homeowners the $10,000 additional exemption was raised to $60,000.


 

Description:  House Bill 3 from the 88th Legislative Session and later codified in the Texas Education Code Section 37.0814, requires the board to ensure that at least one armed security officer is present during regular school hours at each district campus. While Florence ISD contracts with the City of Florence Police Department to provide School Resource Officers on each campus during regular school hours, when a School Resource Officer is absent from work, the City of Florence Police Department does not have available qualified personnel to be on the campus. On June 17, 2024, the FISD Board of Trustees approved the Guardian Program and the district currently has armed staff on each campus. Under Section 37.0814(c) of the Texas Education Code, the board may claim a good cause exception if the district is unable to ensure an armed security officer (as defined by TEC Section 37.0814(b)) on each campus each regular school day.

Description:  SB 401 signed by Governor Abbott after the 89th Legislative Session allows districts to Opt-Out of allowing non-enrolled students to participate in UIL activities on the campus they would normally attend. Previously, districts were required to adopt a policy to allow non-enrolled students to participate, which FISD did not do. If a District wants to Opt-Out of allowing non-enrolled students to participate in UIL activities, they must do so prior to September 1, 2025. If no action is taken on this agenda item, non-enrolled students will be able to participate based on the guidelines developed by the district and per UIL policy. I have written draft guidelines if the Board takes no action and thereby allows non-enrolled student participation. If no action is taken, the District is eligible for $1,500.00 per non-enrolled student per activity. UIL only governs the following programs in FISD: Athletics, Band, UIL Academics, and middle school choir. It would not allow participation in our CTE programs to include our ag programs. 

Description:  Texas Administrative Code §74.30 identifies as honors classes courses that meet the requirements of the law (Texas Education Code §33.081(d)(1)  in English Language Arts, Languages Other Than English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies and may be exempted from No Pass No Play requirements. The attachment lists the courses that qualify for the exemption offered at Florence High School. Students must earn 60 or higher in these courses to remain eligible.

Description:  The Texas Workforce Commission awards JET grants to Career and Tech Programs for curriculum and equipment.  The District has applied for a Jet Grant for the health services program at the High School, including:

TechLabs - VRNA District Set $33,435 (8)
PCS - Hospital Ready Room $168,750 (2)
zSpace - Educational Classroom Package - $141,500 (20)

The district has to pay a 5% matching amount that will come from budgeted CTE funds. Purchasing law requirements will be met through purchasing cooperatives for two of the programs.

The virtual reality program from zSpace would be a sole source purchase. This is not very common, since most items a District could purchase are available from more than one vendor. We were unable to find a similar product and zSpace has provided a sole source letter.

The attached spreadsheet provides all budget details and methods of procurement.

Description:  Mr. Banfield will review Budget Amendment Number Three.

Description:  During the year-end process, it is often necessary to transfer budget allocations between function codes. Transfers represent no change in the total amount budgeted or appropriated. Such changes are intended to represent corrections or adjustments that bring local appropriations by function in-line with expected expenditures for the year-end process and for audit purposes. State regulations require Board approval for budget transfers of appropriated funds between function codes.

In making this request, staff sought the opinion of the FISD Independent Auditor (Leiona Ledesma-McCuskey of Lott Vernon). Their original opinion received by email on July 14, 2015, concurs that such a motion is acceptable. The contents of the auditor's statement are included below:

It is acceptable to have management move budgeted amounts by functions as long as the Board has approved for management to have such authority without changing the overall budget total which requires board approval.

Staff will provide a budgeted list of any and all transfers made under this authority at the next regularly scheduled meeting following the end of the fiscal year, and provide further updates as necessary as we close 2024-2025.
 

Description:  Board Policy BDD (LOCAL) states that the Board shall retain an attorney or attorneys, as necessary, to serve as the District's legal counsel and representative in matters requiring legal services. Florence ISD has historically used Walsh Gallegos. The attached agreement sets forth the benefits of the retainer program. The cost is $1000.00 per year.

Description:  This agenda item is similar to the Walsh Gallegos Retainer Agreement. We are allowed free telephone consultation with the attorneys from Eichelbaum, Wardell as long as the call does not extend past 20 minutes. In addition, we receive reduced rates on legal work beyond the initial telephone call. The cost is $1000.00 for the 2025-2026 school year.

Description: 

TASB's 2025 Delegate Assembly will be held September 13, during txEDCON25 in Houston. Attending the Delegate Assembly gives the board the chance to participate in the democratic process that governs TASB. Delegates will elect TASB officers and directors, vote on TASB's Advocacy Agenda, have the opportunity to interact with other board members in our region, and earn continuing education training credit.

Description:  This measure is taken to ensure FHS has adequate Guardian coverage for the 2025-2026 school year. The employees authorized to carry are to remain confidential.

Description:  This item appears in the event that changes are made to the Superintendent's Contract following the executive session. The motion will need to reflect recommended changes.