August 20, 2024 at 5:00 PM - Regular Meeting

Description:  Students from Hyer Elementary will lead the pledges.

Description:  The Highland Park Independent School District is required to hold a public hearing before adopting property tax rates for the 2024/2025 school year.
In accordance with the Texas Comptroller's of Public Accounts, ""Truth-in-Taxation"", a school district must publish a ""Notice of Public Meeting to Discuss Budget and Proposed Tax Rate"" in a local newspaper. The notice must appear in the newspaper no later than 10 days or earlier than 30 days before the date of the public meeting.

Description:  The recommendation is that the Highland Park Independent School District Board of Trustees approve the following gifts presented for August 2024.

Description:  The recommendation is that the Highland Park Independent School District Board of Trustees approves the items listed on the Human Resources Report.
The following Human Resources Report is presented for approval for the month of August 2024.
The District will not incur additional expenses with the approval of the Human Resources Report for the month of August 2024.

Description:  Highland Park Independent School District appraises teachers using the Self-Directed Appraisal System (SDAS) model. Each year the board approves the SDAS appraisal calendars and the list of appraisers. The 2024-2025 SDAS Appraisal Calendars and List of Appraisers are attached and submitted for your consideration.

Description:  The HPISD Student Code of Conduct is updated and Board-approved annually, then posted on the HPISD website. Although the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) typically does not send a new model in a non-legislative year, TASB did send the following addition to the list of possession of prohibited items: Nicotine products, including nicotine pouches.

Description:  The Scots Wrestling Club is donating funds to remodel the wrestling.  The remodel will include adding more mat space including adding an area for parents/spectators to watch practice.  Additionally, the remodel will add storage areas for wrestlers to store belongings. 

Description:  The attached order authorizing the defeasance of certain outstanding bonds authorizes the Superintendent or the Assistant Superintendent for Business Services, as "Authorized Officers", to defease up to $6,000,000 in par amount of available outstanding Bonds. The District has the ability to choose the maturities and the defeasance date and also authorizes an escrow agreement. The District can execute the defeasance at any time.

The District has the opportunity to use monies in the I&S fund balance to defease the $6M of debt discussed above, thereby reducing the principal amount of outstanding bond indebtedness and also reducing the amount of interest paid over the current life of the bonds. 

Description:  Options to Reduce Local Revenue in Excess of Entitlement

A district with local revenue in excess of entitlement has the following five options available to reduce the district's revenue level under TEC, Chapter 49:
1) Consolidation with another district as provided by Subchapter B;
2) Detachment of territory as provided by Subchapter C;
3) Purchase of average daily attendance credit as provided by Subchapter D ("Option 3");
4) Education of nonresident students as provided by Subchapter E ("Option 4"); and/or
5) Tax base consolidation with another district as provided by Subchapter F.

Districts, including Highland Park ISD, have historically selected Option 3. Successful elections conducted under TEC, former Chapter 41, carry over into TEC, Chapter 49.

The District has submitted to TEA its intent to reduce the property value for the 2024-25 school year using Option 3. 

Description:  Each year the Board is required by TEC to select an option to reduce local revenue in excess of entitlement. The option for HPISD is the purchase of average daily attendance credit as provided by Subchapter D ("Option 3"). In conjunction with this requirement, Boards are also required to delegate the authority to obligate the school district under chapter 49 to the superintendent and the superintendent must be the person that submits the contract to TEA via the Excess Local Revenue module.

The Administration recommends that, for the 2024-2025 school year, the Board delegates contractual authority to obligate the school district under Texas Education Code (TEC) §11.1511(c)(4) to the superintendent, solely for the purpose of obligating the district under TEC, §48.257 and TEC, Chapter 49, Subchapters A and D, and the rules adopted by the commissioner of education as authorized under TEC, 49.006. This includes approval of the Agreement for the Purchase of Attendance Credit or the Agreement for the Purchase of Attendance Credit (Netting Chapter 48 Funding). 

Description:  The final change order is per review of the Whitley Penn Multi-Purpose construction audit with Lee Lewis Construction. The final cost of the project is $20,786,943, a savings of $215,949 versus the original GMP of $21,002,892.  Per Board Policy CV(LOCAL), the District shall not make final payments for construction until the work has been completed and the Board has accepted the work.

Description:  Attached is the Ordinance to adopt the 2024-25 Tax Rate for the Maintenance & Operations Budget and the Debt Service Budget. Budgets and proposed tax rates have been reviewed by the District Finance Committee; all appropriate notices have been posted and/or published; and a public hearing has been held and completed as required.