The week after the Texas legislature passes property tax reform, Bryan ISD school board members and administrators react to lawmakers not adding state money for teacher raises. Assistant superintendent Kevin Beesaw said the governor is holding the legislature hostage until he gets state money for private schools. Bryan ISD teachers were in a position for a one time payment of $6,000 dollars until it was removed by state lawmakers. Board president Julie Harlin called on the governor to declare another special session to address teacher pay. Earlier this year, BISD board members approved spending federal pandemic grant money to give teachers a five percent stipend for the upcoming school year.
BISD board members and administrators, for the fourth time since November 2022, shared their opposition to changes in accountability rules from the Texas Education Agency. While school districts won’t know the results from the 2022-23 school year until September, board members were told that statewide scores were expected to drop between eight and 12 points. And applying the state’s new system to BISD data two years ago, BISD would have received a “C” grade of 75 instead of a “B” score of 86.
Click below to hear comments from the July 17, 2023 Bryan ISD school board meeting.