Board Brief - 05.19.25

A quorum of the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD Board of Trustees met for a Regular Board Meeting on May 19, 2025, at 6:30 PM at Austin Elementary. The following items were presented, discussed, acted upon, or approved.

Strategy III, Result 1: Showcase students and staff throughout the District.

View the full recognition presentation here.

Congratulations to the following Teachers of the Year at their respective campuses:

• Austin Elementary: April Luevanos

• Zavala Elementary: Nikki Matta

• Crockett Middle School: Caroline Tapac

• Pecos High School: Jonathan Wood

Congratulations to PBTISD Elementary Teacher of the Year, Nikki Matta, and Secondary Teacher of the Year, Jonathan Wood!

Congratulations to Austin Elementary Principal, Alicia Mitchell, for being named 2025 Principal of the Year.

Individuals who wish to participate during the portion of the meeting designated for public comment shall sign up with the presiding officer or designee before the meeting begins, as specified in the Board's procedures on public comment. BED(LOCAL)

• Drew Matthews - Community Comment

Items approved 6-0

View Minutes here.

• ESC 18 for Bluebonnet Math Implementation Support

In preparation for the 2026-2027 budget to provide transparency and fiduciary accountability, Whitley Penn has provided an engagement letter to conduct an efficiency audit of PBTISD. The primary purpose of an efficiency audit is to provide information about a school district's fiscal management, efficiency, and resource utilization.

PBTISD operates an Open Enrollment Pre-Kindergarten program, which means that we enroll students who meet the state eligibility requirements and children who do not. The administration recommends that the board approve a $0.00 tuition rate for non-eligible PreK students for the 2025-2026 school year.

The MOU between PBTISD and the Discovery School outlines PBTISD's formal partnership. The partnership will facilitate at least two PreK-3 classrooms at the Discovery School and expand our current open enrollment PreK program to include eligible and non-eligible students. A Certified Early Education Teacher would teach each classroom.

When it originally opened, the Discovery School operated on a nine-month schedule. As the Discover School enters its first year as a "year-round" facility, the district is now aware of the operating costs needed for the facility. Therefore, tuition will be raised by $50 to balance the Discovery School and make it "whole."

Opening the Discovery School to the community will cultivate a ‘good’ neighbor environment between PBTISD and the community. To ensure equitable access and support for staff, the district will set a portion of spots for PBTISD Employees and local entity employees. Once places have been identified, a waiting list and a first-come, first-served system will be used to place community children once availability is determined.

Board Policy BE (Legal) and (Local) outline the requirements for Board meetings. As policy states, the Board's regular meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m.

For the last several years, the district has allowed teachers and counselors to be reimbursed for purchases to support their classrooms and students. Teachers and Counselors will be provided up to a $400 reimbursable allotment, including sales tax, to buy supplies for their classrooms as they prepare for the start of the 2025-2026 school year. This initiative is also intended to better support our teachers and reduce their need to rely on DonorsChoose.org, Amazon Wish List, or other fundraising methods to obtain classroom supplies.

For the past two school years, PBTISD has taken the initiative to purchase school supplies for all students—a gesture that parents and teachers have greatly appreciated. The current district budget is in a strong position to support this initiative, which would provide meaningful benefits to students and parents.

Annually, the district reports the number of eligible miles for regular program students, defined as students living two or more miles from the student’s campus of regular attendance. Throughout each school year, we have families that experience temporary hardships or exceptional circumstances that make it unsafe or impractical for students to travel to school within two miles or less of their campus of regular attendance.

Pulled by Trustee Orosco. Amended the proposed dress code not to include the allowance of head coverings in school. The motion passed 6-0.

The proposed dress code for the 2025–2026 school year includes two revisions and one addition of note: a revision to the Facial Hair Policy, a revision to Head Coverings, and the requirement that students (2nd-12th) wear a school-issued ID at all times. View the adopted dress code here.

Approved 6-0

Student Outcome Goal 1: The percentage of 3rd-grade students who score meets grade level or

above on STAAR Reading will increase from 32% in August 2022 to 52% by August 2027. (August

2025 Goal = 44%)

• Goal Progress Measure 1.1: The percentage of Kindergarten students who score at the “Average” level or above on the end-of-year Reading NWEA MAP-Growth will increase from 62% in June 2022 to 82% by June 2027. (June 2025 Goal = 74%)
• Goal Progress Measure 1.2: The percentage of 1st-grade students who score at the “Average” level or above on the end-of-year Reading NWEA MAP-Growth will increase from 47% in June 2022 to 67% by June 2027. (June 2025 Goal = 59%)
• Goal Progress Measure 1.3: The percentage of 2nd-grade students who score at the “Average” level or above on the end-of-year Reading NWEA MAP-Growth will increase from 59% in June 2022 to 79% by June 2027. (June 2025 Goal = 71%)

Student Outcome Goal 2: The percentage of 3rd grade students who score meets grade level of

above on STAAR Math will increase from 28% in August 2022 to 43% by August 2027. (August 2025

Goal = 37%)

• Goal Progress Measure 2.1: The percentage of Kindergarten students who score at the “Average” level or above on the end-of-year Math MAP-Growth will increase from 64% in August 2022 to 79% by August 2027. (August 2025 Goal = 73%)
• Goal Progress Measure 2.2: The percentage of 1st Grade students who score at the “Average” level or above on the end-of-year Math MAP-Growth will increase from 51% in August 2022 to 66% by August 2027. (August 2025 Goal = 60%)
• Goal Progress Measure 2.3: The percentage of 2nd Grade students who score at the “Average” level or above on the end-of-year Math MAP-Growth will increase from 55% in August 2022 to 70% by August 2027. (August 2025 Goal = 64%)

View the presentation here.

Approved 6-0

Superintendent Constraint #2 - The Superintendent shall not allow the collaborative partnership between home, school, and community to deteriorate.

• 2a. An administrative report on community communications will increase from 0 per year in June 2023 to 2 per year by August 2025.

Approved 6-0; Board is in compliance.

Board Constraint #2 -The board shall not be involved in day-to-day operations.

7:24 PM

EXECUTIVE SESSION may be called for the purposes permitted by the Texas Open Meeting Act, Texas Government Code Section 551.001 through 551.146, Section 551.071 Consultation with Attorney, Section 551.072 Real Property, 551.074 Personnel Matters (Appointment, Employment, Evaluation, Reassignment, Duties, Discipline, Dismissal, Complaint)

• 7.A. Discuss Personnel Matters
• 7.B. Discuss High School Principal position

• 7.C. Discuss the Director of Federal Programs position

8:10 PM

• 8.A. Consider and possible action to hire a High School Principal (Approved 6-0)
• 8.B. Consider and possible action to hire a Director of Federal Programs (Approved 6-0)

• 8.A. Date for next meeting
  • Regular Meeting - Monday, June 16, 2025

• 8.B. Request items for the next agenda

The Board adjourned at 8:12 PM on May 19, 2025.

This newsletter aligns with Strategy III: We will broaden and strengthen partnerships with staff, families, and communities through transparency and effective communication.