Posted 9:46 pm Sunday, August 05, 2012
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TISD wants public input on possible bond
By Emily Guevara
eguevara@tylerpaper.com
Tyler ISD trustees will continue discussion about a possible November bond election during a board workshop on Monday.
eguevara@tylerpaper.com
Tyler ISD trustees will continue discussion about a possible November bond election during a board workshop on Monday.
The board has until Aug. 21 to call a November bond election and board members are seeking to get public input before that date.
The public will have an opportunity to weigh in on the issue during the workshop, which is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Monday in the Dr. Jack L. Davidson Conference Center in the Jim Plyler Instructional Complex, 807 W. Glenwood Blvd.
Last month, board members discussed different projects that could be included in a future bond election.
The district is seeking to begin implementing its long-range plan, which was created over a period of one year and approved in February by the board. The plan outlines facility upgrades and some programmatic changes with a target completion date of 2020.
Key components of the plan are the construction of new high schools to replace the existing ones, the addition of intermediate schools, and the construction of an advanced technology and career center, among other projects.
TISD spokeswoman Laura Jackson said board members will continue to seek input from the public as they have through the long-range planning process.
She said trustees will use the input they receive as they decide whether to call a November bond election and what to include.
“We want to continue to have an open dialogue with the public so that we have two-way communication with them,” Mrs. Jackson said.
TISD can fund a $150 million bond package without raising the tax rate of $1.375 per $100 home valuation, according to previous bond-related discussions.
Mrs. Jackson said board members want to be sensitive to the challenging economic times and if they opt to call a bond election, they likely would pursue one that would not increase the debt service tax rate. The district already is capped at $1.04 for its maintenance and operations tax rate.
In other business, the board will:
—Hear from Chief Financial Officer Tosha Bjork about next year’s budget. In May, Ms. Bjork said TISD would see a $2.2 million cut in state funding for the 2012-13 fiscal year. That cut comes after an almost $7 million state funding cut last year.
Last month, board members discussed different projects that could be included in a future bond election.
The district is seeking to begin implementing its long-range plan, which was created over a period of one year and approved in February by the board. The plan outlines facility upgrades and some programmatic changes with a target completion date of 2020.
Key components of the plan are the construction of new high schools to replace the existing ones, the addition of intermediate schools, and the construction of an advanced technology and career center, among other projects.
TISD spokeswoman Laura Jackson said board members will continue to seek input from the public as they have through the long-range planning process.
She said trustees will use the input they receive as they decide whether to call a November bond election and what to include.
“We want to continue to have an open dialogue with the public so that we have two-way communication with them,” Mrs. Jackson said.
TISD can fund a $150 million bond package without raising the tax rate of $1.375 per $100 home valuation, according to previous bond-related discussions.
Mrs. Jackson said board members want to be sensitive to the challenging economic times and if they opt to call a bond election, they likely would pursue one that would not increase the debt service tax rate. The district already is capped at $1.04 for its maintenance and operations tax rate.
In other business, the board will:
—Hear from Chief Financial Officer Tosha Bjork about next year’s budget. In May, Ms. Bjork said TISD would see a $2.2 million cut in state funding for the 2012-13 fiscal year. That cut comes after an almost $7 million state funding cut last year.
Ms. Bjork said in May the cuts would be spread throughout district departments with payroll and benefits seeing the largest decrease at $937,000.
Other areas that could see reductions include technology; central office department budgets; elementary school field trip funding; playoff game funding for band, cheer, etc; and advanced academics programs, according to the May report.
The board is expected to set Aug. 23 as the date for adopting the budget and proposed tax rate.
—Vote to approve the district’s new logo and slogan. TISD worked with Virginia-based K12 Insight and Tyler-based Cue:Creative on this project.
District officials decided the time was right for an updated image because of this year’s adoption of a long-range plan and the coming change of address for the district when Earl Campbell Parkway opens, according to a district news release.
K12 Insight held focus groups to gain input and ideas from community members, teachers, students, and district personnel.
Cue: Creative, which donated its services, used that input when producing the logo and slogan. The company also worked with TISD administrators and board
members to finalize the logo design and slogan wording.
TISD will phase in the new logo using nontaxpayer- generated funds or updating the image as materials need to be replaced, according to the news release.
—Receive an update about the district’s desegregation order in closed session. Since the fall, TISD has been working with the U.S. Department of Justice to see about a possible lifting of the 41-year-old order.
TISD is one of a handful of districts in the state that remained under an individual desegregation order after a federal judge lifted a statewide desegregation order in 2010.
School district attorney John Hardy said he will update trustees about where the district is in the process. He said he expects to learn more about a schedule and possible future steps in late September.
Other areas that could see reductions include technology; central office department budgets; elementary school field trip funding; playoff game funding for band, cheer, etc; and advanced academics programs, according to the May report.
The board is expected to set Aug. 23 as the date for adopting the budget and proposed tax rate.
—Vote to approve the district’s new logo and slogan. TISD worked with Virginia-based K12 Insight and Tyler-based Cue:Creative on this project.
District officials decided the time was right for an updated image because of this year’s adoption of a long-range plan and the coming change of address for the district when Earl Campbell Parkway opens, according to a district news release.
K12 Insight held focus groups to gain input and ideas from community members, teachers, students, and district personnel.
Cue: Creative, which donated its services, used that input when producing the logo and slogan. The company also worked with TISD administrators and board
members to finalize the logo design and slogan wording.
TISD will phase in the new logo using nontaxpayer- generated funds or updating the image as materials need to be replaced, according to the news release.
—Receive an update about the district’s desegregation order in closed session. Since the fall, TISD has been working with the U.S. Department of Justice to see about a possible lifting of the 41-year-old order.
TISD is one of a handful of districts in the state that remained under an individual desegregation order after a federal judge lifted a statewide desegregation order in 2010.
School district attorney John Hardy said he will update trustees about where the district is in the process. He said he expects to learn more about a schedule and possible future steps in late September.
