New Braunfels Edition | November 2022

EDUCATION BRIEFS

COMPILED BY SIERRA MARTIN, HANNAH NORTON, WENDY STURGES & JARRETT WHITENER

News from Texas, Comal & New Braunfels ISDs

QUOTE OF NOTE

Community college funds tied to outcomes and needs TEXAS Big changes may be coming to Texas’ community colleges as a commission established by the Texas Legislature in 2021 is set to recom- mend an overhaul of community college funding. The recommendations, created by the Texas Commission on Community College Finance, center COMMUNITY COLLEGE FUNDING State lawmakers will consider changing the funding model of community colleges in the 2023 legislative session. State money accounts for less than 25% of funding for Texas community colleges. Current model Schools receive a at sum of $1.3M Additional funding is based on: • enrollment • growth • operational costs • other factors

Comal ISD Meets Nov. 14 at 6 p.m. at the CISD District Oce, 1404 N. I-35, New Braunfels. 830-221-2000 • www.comalisd.org New Braunfels ISD Meets Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. at the NBISD Administration Center, 1000 N. Walnut Ave., New Braunfels. 830-643-5705 • www.nbisd.org MEETINGS WE COVER announced a new swim coach to lead the program. Bob Duin comes to the Unicorn athletics department with more than 40 years of coaching at the varsity level or above, according to the district. “MARIO DE LA ROSA WILL CONTINUE OUR SAFETY AND SECURITY INITIATIVES, WHICH FOCUS ON PREVENTING AND MITIGATING AS MANY ISSUES AS WE CAN SO THAT OUR STUDENTS FEEL SAFE.” COMAL ISD ACTING SUPERINTENDENT MANDY EPLEY SAID ON HIRING A NEW EXECUTIVE HIGHLIGHTS COMAL ISD On Oct. 4 the district honored sta members during its Night of Stars banquet, including individual campus teachers of the year as well as districtwide awards. Bill Brown Elementary, Smithson Valley Middle, Smithson Valley High and Memorial Early College High schools were recognized for highest overall academic growth during the ceremony. COMAL ISD The district held its annual INCubator Community Kick-o event Oct. 25 in which students met with local business leaders to learn how to develop products and business ideas. The program is open to students at Canyon and Smithson Valley high schools to further develop career and technical education programs. NEW BRAUNFELS ISD STAAR, or State of Texas Assessments on Academic Readiness, testing is scheduled to take place for grades 3-12 beginning Nov. 7. Dates and subjects will vary by campus, according to the district. NEW BRAUNFELS ISD The NBISD Athletic Department has recently DIRECTOR OF SAFETY AND SECURITY FOR THE DISTRICT

Proposed model Schools would receive money for credentials of value, which are post- secondary degrees or certicates. More funds awarded based on: • more credentials in high-demand elds; and • students who transfer to four-year universities. Adjustments account for higher costs of educating students who need more support. credentials of value, credentials awarded in high-demand elds and students who transfer to four-year universities, according to the draft recommendations. A credential of value is a postsecondary degree or certicate that prepares a student for economic success.

around student outcomes, such as graduation and transfer rates, credentials of value and credentials in high-demand elds. The commission is also expected to propose an increase in need- based nancial aid and expanded partnerships between colleges and local companies. Every two years, Texas lawmakers designate a specic amount of money to be distributed to individual community colleges. Each school receives a at sum of approximately $1.3 million, then the state determines additional funding based on enrollment, growth, operational costs and more. According

to the commission, state money accounts for less than 25% of funding for community colleges alongside tuition and local property taxes. Under the proposed nance system, colleges would no longer compete for funding. Instead, schools would receive money for This state funding accounts for less than 25% of a community college's budget. SOURCE: TEXAS COMMISSION ON COMMUNITY COLLEGE FINANCECOMMUNITY IMPACT

Comal ISD names John Chapman as superintendent COMAL ISD Following a mandatory 21-day waiting period, Comal ISD ocials welcomed John Chapman III as the district’s newest superintendent. Chapman was named as the district’s lone nalist Sept. 19 and replaces Mandy Epley, CISD assistant superintendent of strategic initiatives and programs, who served as acting superintendent following the resignation of Andrew Kim. Kim, who had served for 10 years with the district, announced he would leave CISD on June 7. Chapman previously served in superintendent roles for Chillicothe, Comfort, Ennis and Carroll- ton-Farmers Branch ISDs. SUPERINTENDENT EXPERIENCE Newly named Comal ISD Superintendent John Chapman has served as superintendent for districts across the state. 4 1

Air conditioning systems will be retrot on eight district buses.

NBISD purchases small buses, retrots A/C units for existing eet

NEW BRAUNFELS ISD The board of trustees on Oct. 10 approved $344,900 for the purchase of new vehicles and the renovation of existing buses for the NBISD eet. According to NBISD sta, the cost of each new bus that meets the required speci- cations is $88,700. The new buses will be smaller, white buses used for district events and sporting transportation. According to district sta, the benet of the smaller buses is that drivers do not need a commercial driver’s

license, which is required to operate full-sized buses. The total cost for the buses was $266,900. The district also pur- chased eight Bergstrom retrot air conditioning systems to be installed on existing district buses in the amount of $78,000, resulting in an overall cost of $344,900. Manufacturing on the buses is expected to begin within a few months. The purchases will be funded through allotted transporta- tion funds in the 2018 bond.

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DALLAS

1 Chillicothe ISD 2 Comfort ISD 3 Ennis ISD 4 Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD

AUSTIN

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SAN ANTONIO

SOURCE: COMAL ISDCOMMUNITY IMPACT

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NEW BRAUNFELS EDITION • NOVEMBER 2022

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