I read this article and was excited to know that there is yet another strong proponent of public school education who feels as I do. Laura Elder, managing editor of the Galveston News, authored this piece titled, Investing in public schools is an investment in democracy. Her premise is that public schools are essential for our society to be able to manage and promote our democracy, much as Mirabeau B. Lamar, the Father of Texas Education, who stated, “The educated mind is the guardian genius of democracy. Laura Elder sees current bond issues during the pandemic as opportunities to invest in our democracy. I thought some of you might take this article as a model article for your schools and communities. - Thank you, Laura Elder - js - webmaster@texasisd.com read more

Yesterday, I shared the 10 largest bond referendums in dollar value going before voters, on November 3rd. The largest one is Dallas ISD with a bond of almost $4 billion, the smallest is $2.4 billion in Oakwood ISD.  read more

School superintendents and CFOs must constantly monitor the pulse of our state in order to make good financial decisions for local taxpayers. This week, counties impacted by the recent hurricane all of a sudden have different needs. The Governor’s disaster declarations contain tax and finance provisions that can impact a district's financial well being.  read more

I’ve been thinking a lot about the phrase “proceed with caution” lately.  That should be the goal in this COVID-19 age. Eradicate the disease, yes, though that seems like a longer-term mission. In the meantime, figure out how to proceed with life as cautiously as possible.  It’s been a nerve-fraying week for those involved in high school sports in Greater Waco. Coaches, athletic directors and, most of all, students, have seen their emotions batted and bounced around like a racquetball. They journeyed from the nervous uncertainty of not knowing what form fall classes and activities would take, to the elation over the UIL’s announcement of a plan for regularly scheduled activities for smaller schools and a delayed start for the state’s biggest, to the confusion and outrage over the Waco-McLennan County health authority’s order that extracurricular activities could not begin until Sept. 7. view article