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Heads up, Texas taxpayers: we’ve reviewed the upcoming DECATUR ISD agenda and found 7 items that deserve your attention before the gavel falls.
| ALERT (LEVEL 8) |
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Vague Title — Manual Review Required
The board is voting to approve a ‘Guaranteed Maximum Price Proposal’ for a major construction project without making the proposal public. This commits taxpayers to a significant, undisclosed financial obligation without any opportunity for public scrutiny.
Response
INVESTIGATE: Open the file for Action Item 10.D in the Official Agenda (linked above) to find the total cost of this project. Email the board: ‘A vote on a Guaranteed Maximum Price is a major financial commitment. Postpone the vote on Item 10.D until the full proposal is published for public review.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Construction Cost
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| WARNING (LEVEL 7) |
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District Approves Lobbying Groups as ‘Independent’ Trainers
The board is voting on a resolution that lists the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) and Texas Municipal League (TML) as approved trainers for its investment officers. These are lobbying organizations that use taxpayer money to work against taxpayer interests in Austin. This vote uses a routine investment policy review to endorse and potentially send more funds to these groups.
Response
DEMAND A RECORDED VOTE: Email the Decatur ISD Board (contact info on district website): ‘Pull Consent Item 9.A for a separate vote. Taxpayers should not be funding lobbying groups like TASB and TML that work against our interests. Vote NO on approving them as trainers.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Lobbying Fees
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| WARNING (LEVEL 7) |
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Taxpayer Funds Paid to Lobbying Groups
The September check register reveals multiple payments to the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) and the Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO) for vague ‘services,’ ‘membership,’ and ‘risk management.’ These organizations actively lobby the Texas Legislature for policies that often lead to higher taxes and less local control, using money from local taxpayers to do it.
Response
DEMAND AN AUDIT: Email the board (contact info on district website): ‘The check register (Item 11.F.4) shows numerous payments to TASB and TASBO. I request a full accounting of all money paid to these lobbying groups and a review of the value taxpayers receive in return.’
💰 Impact: Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
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| WARNING (LEVEL 6) |
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Vague Title — Manual Review Required
The board is set to approve ‘Purchase(s) Greater Than $25,000’ on the consent agenda without providing any details, contracts, or vendor information. This lack of transparency makes it impossible for the public to scrutinize significant spending.
Response
INVESTIGATE: Open the file for Consent Item 9.F in the Official Agenda (linked above) to see what major purchases are being hidden. Demand this item be pulled from the consent agenda for a full explanation and separate vote.
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Major Purchase
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| WARNING (LEVEL 6) |
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Vague Title — Manual Review Required
The board is scheduled to take action on purchasing ‘new devices for student instructional devices’ but has not attached a proposal, cost breakdown, or vendor contract. This prevents public review of what could be a multi-million dollar technology purchase.
Response
INVESTIGATE: Open the file for Action Item 10.A in the Official Agenda (linked above) to find the cost and vendor for this technology purchase. Email the board: ‘Please postpone the vote on Item 10.A until the full proposal and costs are made public.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Technology Cost
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| WATCH (LEVEL 5) |
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Vague Title — Manual Review Required
The board plans to vote on unspecified ‘Budget Amendment(s)’ as part of the bundled consent agenda, with no supporting documents attached to the public agenda. This prevents taxpayers from seeing how their money is being moved before the vote.
Response
INVESTIGATE: Open the file for Consent Item 9.E in the Official Agenda (linked above) to confirm whether it contains hidden spending or fund transfers. Demand this item be pulled from the consent agenda for public discussion.
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Fund Transfers
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| WATCH (LEVEL 3) |
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District Expands Student Data Collection
An informational report details the district’s use of the NWEA MAP Growth assessment to ‘monitor student progress.’ While common, these platforms collect large amounts of student data that can be used for purposes beyond academic tracking without full parental transparency.
Response
ASK FOR TRANSPARENCY: Email the board (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding the MAP Growth assessment in Item 11.C, what specific student data is collected, who is it shared with, and what are the parental opt-out policies? Please ensure this information is easily accessible to all parents.’
💰 Impact: Student Data Harvesting
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