EDUCATION BRIEFS
News from San Marcos & Hays CISDs
COMPLIED BY AMIRA VAN LEEUWEN & ERIC WEILBACHER
Process begins to create a school marshal program
Hays CISD will meet May 22 at 5:30 p.m. at the Historic Buda Elementary Campus, 300 San Marcos St., Buda 512-268-2141 • www.hayscisd.net San Marcos CISD will meet June 2 at 6 p.m. at San Marcos High School, 2601 Rattler Road, San Marcos 512-393-6700 • www.smcisd.net MEETINGS WE COVER a decision on teachers and other positions was put off until a later date as the district’s budget for next year could change. Mike Doyle, the district’s executive director for business and finance, said a number of factors are still in play that could determine the district’s total budget for salaries, such as House Bill 100 in the Texas Legislature. Should the bill pass, it would increase the state’s basic allotment for each student and increase salaries further than budget projections. A vote will take place at a later date. NUMBER TO KNOW place at 74 school districts across Texas, according to San Marcos police Chief Stan Standridge. 299 The number of school marshals already in HIGHLIGHTS HAYS CISD The board of trustees approved two new administrative hires at its meeting April 25. Lockhart ISD Chief of Staff Christina Courson will now serve as the district’s chief of human resources. Tim Robinson, the district’s director of talent acquisition, has been promoted to the deputy chief position. SAN MARCOS CISD Some classified employees will see their annual salaries increase by 3% and other professionals by 2% after a board of trustees vote May 1, though
Bus service opens on busy roads was the single dissenting vote. SMCISD’s proposed marshal program advocates for using staff whose sole responsibility would be to protect elementary campuses, such as retired law enforcement or military members, as opposed to arming teachers. According to board documents, the district’s proposed program would mirror that of the Wylie ISD’s model, consisting of one marshal on each elementary campus, who would act as a safety officer. It would include consistent, regular training as well as a stipend. SAN MARCOS CISD A new school marshal program is slated to be inte- grated into the district following a 6-1 vote April 17 from the school board, despite pleas from the community to vote against it. Trustee Mari Salmi HAYS CISD Students who previ- ously did not qualify for school bus service because they lived too close to their schools now can catch rides if they live on roads near campus deemed hazardous for walking. The board of trustees approved a resolution April 25 declaring 54 hazardous routes—streets near schools that are too busy or unsafe for walkers—throughout the district. With this resolution, students who live within the hazardous walking routes can catch the bus even if they reside 2 miles or less from campus.
House Bill 1009, passed by the 83rd Texas Legislature in 2013, allows public school districts and open-en- rollment charter schools to appoint school marshals to “prevent the act of murder or serious bodily injury on school premises.” To be certified by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, applicants must pass a psychological exam, a written state exam and complete the commission’s training program. Applicants must also possess a current handgun license. In SMCISD, school marshal duties will include assisting in planning, tracking and executing drills as well as with nursing through Stop The Bleed training. Audits and reviews on security—such as weekly checks on exterior doors—are part of the Preventing crashes Additional students will be eligible to ride the bus following a change in the district’s policy on walking on hazardous streets. • 23 of the district’s 26 campuses have one or more roadways identified as hazardous. • Students who live on or adjacent to the identified roadways can now catch the bus. • The district estimates about 3,000 students who live within these areas are now eligible for bus service. • An extensive list of campuses
Funding approved for evaluations HAYS CISD Amid an increasing need for special education evaluations and a lack of staff to conduct them, the board of trustees approved a payment of $78,262.25 to Trinity Education Services on April 25 to conduct an additional 20 screenings by June 30. The district screens students for special education needs and those 20 must be completed to remain compliant with the Texas Education Agency in timely evaluations of students. Each assessment costs about $1,500. program as well. The approval of the program is the first step, though it is unclear when it will be fully implemented into the district and a position has not opened. PROJECTED COST The projected cost for eight marshals—one at each elementary school in the district—in total is as follows: First year: $515,280 Second year: $518,896 Third year: $525,351 According to SMCISD, there are 74 school districts with a marshal program in Texas. SOURCE: SAN MARCOS CISD/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
and the roadways deemed hazardous can be found at www.bit.ly/3nTzqxx
SOURCE: HAYS CISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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SAN MARCOS - BUDA - KYLE EDITION • MAY 2023
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