September 21, 2023 at 6:00 PM - Regular Meeting

Description:  Policy BED local states that audience participation at a Board meeting is limited to the public comment portion of the meeting designated for that purpose.  At all other times during a Board meeting, the audience shall not enter into discussion or debate on matters being considered by the Board, unless requested by the presiding officer.  An open forum will be conducted at each regular monthly meeting. At special meetings such as this one, public comment is limited to items on the agenda posted with notice of the meeting. 

Description:  Description: Academic Success/Instruction 
Background: Administration will present information on Comal U. Each summer, Comal U is offered to provide teachers and staff members with high quality, conference-style learning opportunities aligned to the mission and needs of Comal ISD teachers, staff, and students. All sessions for Comal U 2023 were predominantly facilitated by teacher leaders, aligned to the District’s Collaborative Vision, District Improvement Plan and Board Goals. Comal U also serves as an avenue for teachers to gain Continuing Professional Education hours required by the TEA for certification renewal and maintain the 30-hour local Exchange Day requirement. Educators engaged in 28,900 hours of learning and based on feedback surveys, 95% of educators feel motivated to continue building upon and applying my new knowledge and understandings. 

Description:  Description: Academic Success/Instruction  
Background: As required by the Texas Education Code §89.1265, administration will provide an update on the district’s Bilingual and ESL programs that will include program clarification, student academic and linguistic performance data, professional learning provided to teachers and paraprofessionals, and goals of the program. 

Description:  Description: Academic Success/Instruction 
Background: Administration is providing an update on 2023 STAAR grades 3-8 performance for Comal ISD. Spring 2023 was the first administration of STAAR 2.0 - a redesign that includes online testing, new question types, cross-curricular passages, and evidence-based writing. Elementary and Middle School STAAR assessments include 3-8 Math, 3-8 Reading, 5th & 8th Science, 8th Social Studies. STAAR measures the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) curriculum standards and provides districts with analytical resources to support the teaching of the state mandated TEKS curriculum. 

Description:  Description: Facilities/Growth and Planning 
Background: Various vendors from the Comal ISD approved pool of professional service providers will provide required services for Bond 2021, Bond 2023 and capital projects.? On September 24, 2015, District staff presented a process to help expedite design work related to Bond and other approved capital projects. Under the approval, administration was delegated the authority to execute agreements ranging from $50,000 to $350,000 with Board ratification at the next regularly scheduled meeting. 

Description:  Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve the consent agenda items as presented.

Description:  Description: Facilities/Growth and Planning  
Background: The Technology Department plans to purchase network equipment for both Bulverde MS and Hill Country College Preparatory HS. Lead times on this equipment necessitate ordering as early as possible so that the technology needs of the new campuses will be met when the campuses open in August 2024. The recommendation for consideration will be from an awarded vendor through a District subscribed purchasing cooperative contract. 

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve the network equipment purchases as presented.

Description:  Description: Employee Recruitment/Retention, Safety & Student Support, Facilities Growth and Planning 
Background: Retainer Agreements establish a limited attorney-client relationship only between the Law Firm and the District. The relationship exists only as to the consultations and additional legal work that are initiated by the District and accepted by the Law Firm pursuant to this Agreement. Retainer Agreements do not impose any duty upon the Law Firm to provide advice or work to the District regarding legal matters absent a request by the District's Board of Trustees or designees for such advice or work on a matter. The Law Firm and the District acknowledge and represent that this Agreement does not establish an attorney-client relationship between the Law Firm and any individual Trustees or Employees of the District. 

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve a retainer agreement with Walsh, Gallegos, Trevino, Kyle and Robinson and a legal services agreement for Thompson & Horton LLP for the 2023-2024 school year as presented. 

Description:  Background: TASB Policy Update 121 includes revisions to LEGAL policies based on updates to the Texas Administrative Code. Update 121 was presented in June and August. Most of the LOCAL policy recommendations from TASB in this Update are intended to clarify current policy language and are reflected in the following LOCAL policies:
Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve the TASB Policy Update 121 as a final reading with the removal and exception of CKE (Local) and CKEC (Local) as presented.

Description:  Description: Goal # Safety and Student Support  
Background: Comal ISD has utilized an MOU with Bexar County JJAEP for disciplinary services for those students who are expelled from the school district due to mandatory/discretionary infractions. This MOU continues the terms of our agreement for another school year.  

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve the MOU with Bexar County JJAEP as presented.

Description:  Description: Goal # Safety and Student Support  
Background: Security protection of student, staff and property

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve the Interlocal Agreement with the Bulverde Police Department for the provision of security services as presented. 

Description:  Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve the resolution authorizing the Comal Independent School District to join the litigation regarding the Texas Education Agency Accountability Rating System.

Description:  Description: Academic Success/Instruction 
Background: The Texas Education Code and the Texas Tax Code require school districts to calculate several tax rates. Certified property values were submitted to TEA to set the District’s Tier I tax rate within the limits of Senate Bill 2. The M&O tax rate is a combination of the Tier I rate of $0.6192 and the Tier II rate of $0.12 for a total M&O tax rate of $0.7392. The I&S tax rate is $0.35 for a total tax rate of $1.0892. The proposed tax rate is $0.1854 less than the 2022 rate. 

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent that the Board of Trustees approve the recommendation for a total tax rate of $1.0892 comprised of $0.7392 for Maintenance and Operations and $0.35 for Interest and Sinking as presented. 

Description:  Description: Academic Success/Instruction 
Background: Every two years, appraisal districts hold Board of Directors elections. Comal ISD works with five different districts - Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Hays, and Kendall. The number of votes Comal ISD has is very minimal in four of the five counties.  

The exception to this process is Kendall CAD. In September 2017, the Kendall CAD Board passed a resolution to adopt staggered terms and for their Board members to be appointed rather than go through the nomination and voting process. Comal ISD did not oppose this action by the Kendall CAD and at least three-fourths of their taxing entities supported the Kendall CAD resolution. Kendall CAD Board members are appointed by the taxing entities that had Board members in place in 2017. Boerne ISD will appoint three of the seven Board members. Kendall County, the City of Boerne, Comfort ISD and Fair Oaks Ranch appoint the other four members. 

Recommendation: It is the recommendation of the Superintendent to defer to the Board for nominations to Appraisal District Boards as presented.