August 5, 2026 at 6:00 PM - Special Meeting

Description:  The Administration develops the annual employee handbook for board review. The handbook is an administrative document that refers to official board policies as needed. We use the TASB Model and it ensures our compliance to federal and state laws and current adopted board policies. I will explain any changes from the prior year in which there were minimum. Changes from 2025: 1. Most TASB changes are policy references 2. Proposed Sick Leave Bank 3. Bereavement Leave-allows up to 5 days for immediate family and 3 for extended family 4. Dress Code-allows jeans to be worn with stipulations 5. Reporting Child Abuse timelines 6. Reports to Texas Education Agency-timelines for employee misconduct

Description:  As we prepare for the upcoming meeting on August 24, 2026, which we
will approve a budget and set a tax rate. Tonight's exercise we will have
Mr. Montgomery explain and present his Near Final Budget for School
Year 2026-27. We have been diligently working on updating our budget
projections and finalizing personnel costs. He will explain unusual
items in revenue and expenditures.
The Near Final proposed budget will be posted on our website and
central office posting. Our Public Notices will be posted this week in
the paper.

Description:  Appraisal Districts certified their tax rolls on July 25, 2026. Here is our
breakdown for each of our districts:

M&O Net Taxable I&S Net Taxable
Wilbarger $938,789,778 $1,061,171,673
Foard $802,550 $802,550

Total Net 2026 $939,592,328 $1,061,975,223
Total Net 2025 $905,694,410 $1,071,314,967
Total Variance $33,897,918 ($9,339,744)

Description:  The Board must approve a tax rate to be published, so as to post the Public Notice
to Discuss the Budget and Proposed Tax Rate. That Notice must be published
before August 14 if we intend to adopt those rates on August 24. We intend to
publish this week and it will be in the paper on Thursday, August 13, 2026.
Our Maintenance and Operations Tax Rate which is also called our Maximum
Compressed Rate (MCR)is set by TEA at .6254 with an additional 5 Golden
Pennies which equals a rate of .6754. This is a decrease of approximately 1 cent
compared to last year.
A few things to consider on the I&S rate. Our payment is $2,427,225. We are
basing our collections on a 99% rate. At that collection rate, .2300 will make the
payment sufficiently. Property Values did go up 4% for M&O and down 1% for
I&S.

Description:  Present policy is not an effective or equitable system of dealing with catastrophic
sick leave. In the past years we have had several employees request the use of the
pool. In no instance has any employee received more than 10 days of donated sick
leave and in one instance they only received 2 days donated. The first reason is
that employees from a campus that has over 50 people have an advantage over an
employee that may only have less than 10 people that may contribute to the pool.
This certainly creates inequity and unfairness. The second reason is that our system
is based on popularity, or the present situation of staff, and maybe a sense that
someone else will take care of people. The new bank policy is not based on any of
these factors and creates a sense of community. All depositors have an interest in
others and there is a sacrifice for both employees and the district as the employer.
We will go over the policy and the administrative guidelines that go with it.
The policy was vetted and written by our TASB policy expert Lexi O’Hair.

Description:  If during the course of the meeting covered by this notice the Board should determine that a closed meeting or session should be held or is required in relation to any item presented to the Board in this agenda, then such Closed Meeting or Session as authorized by Chapter 551, Texas Government Code (the Open Meetings Act) will be held by the Board at that date, hour, and place given in this notice as the Board may conveniently meet in such Closed Meeting or Session concerning any and all subjects and all purposes permitted by Chapter 551, Texas Government Code of said Open Meetings Act including the following sections and purposes:

Texas Government Code Section 551.074 for the purpose of considering the appointment, employment, evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public officer or employee;  or to hear a complaint or charge against an officer or employee.