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Heads up, Texas taxpayers: we’ve reviewed the upcoming MANOR ISD agenda and found 6 items that deserve your attention before the gavel falls.
| ALERT (LEVEL 8) |
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District to Approve Official Lobbying Platform
The board will vote to approve its official ‘Legislative Priorities,’ which is a formal plan to use district resources to lobby the Texas Legislature. This action turns the school district into a political advocacy group, often lobbying for policies that increase spending and taxes, directly against taxpayer interests.
Response
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Contact the board before the vote on Item 12.2. Ask: ‘Please publicly release the full draft of the Legislative Priorities before any vote is taken. Taxpayers have a right to know what you plan to lobby for in their name and with their money.’
💰 Impact: Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
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| WARNING (LEVEL 7) |
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New Staff Positions Hidden on Consent Agenda
The board plans to approve an unknown number of ‘New FTEs’ (full-time employees) as part of the bundled consent agenda, which is passed with a single vote and no discussion. The documents that would detail the new positions and their total cost to taxpayers have not been included, preventing public scrutiny of new, recurring salary costs.
Response
DEMAND A RECORDED VOTE: Contact the board and demand Item 11.4 be pulled from the Consent Agenda for a separate discussion and a roll-call vote. Ask: ‘What are these new positions and what is their total annual cost to taxpayers?’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Staffing Costs
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| WARNING (LEVEL 7) |
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School ‘Turnaround’ Plans Include SEL & Restorative Discipline
The board is set to approve lengthy ‘Turnaround Plans’ for eight low-performing schools by bundling them into a single vote on the consent agenda. The attached plans confirm the use of ‘restorative discipline practices’ and reference a separate ‘SEL plan,’ shifting focus from academic recovery to behavioral and emotional programming on the taxpayer’s dime.
Response
PULL THE ITEM: Contact the board and ask them to pull Item 11.3 from the Consent Agenda. Ask for a separate discussion on each school’s plan and question the role of non-academic programming like SEL and ‘restorative discipline’ in fixing failing schools.
💰 Impact: Politicized Classroom Practices
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| WARNING (LEVEL 6) |
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District Discussing New 2026 Bond Debt
The Superintendent will lead a discussion on a 2026 bond, the first step toward asking voters to approve new long-term debt that will be paid back through property taxes. This is the critical stage for taxpayers to get involved and ensure any proposed bond is for essential needs, not luxuries, and that the process is transparent.
Response
GET INVOLVED EARLY: Contact the board regarding Item 9.2. Ask: ‘As you begin bond discussions, will you commit to a transparent process, a taxpayer-led oversight committee, and a promise not to use Certificates of Obligation to bypass voters?’
💰 Impact: Future Property Tax Hikes
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| WARNING (LEVEL 6) |
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Undisclosed ‘Retention Compensation’ Payout
The board is scheduled to vote on an undefined ‘Retention Compensation’ package for staff without providing the public with the total cost or funding source. While retaining good teachers is important, approving a blank check for bonuses without transparency is an abuse of the public trust.
Response
DEMAND THE DETAILS: Contact the board regarding Item 12.3. Ask: ‘What is the total cost of this retention compensation, what is the funding source, and what specific, measurable performance metrics are being used to justify these payments?’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed
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| WATCH (LEVEL 5) |
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Vague Investment Policy Change on Consent Agenda
The board is approving a change to its investment policy, ‘CDA Local,’ on the consent agenda, but the text of the new policy is not attached. Such changes can be used to introduce ‘ESG’ (Environmental, Social, Governance) criteria, which prioritizes political agendas over the safe, fiduciary return of taxpayer money.
Response
INVESTIGATE: Open the file for Item 11.5 in the Official Agenda (linked above) to confirm whether it introduces ESG scoring or other non-fiduciary criteria. If so, demand it be pulled from the consent agenda for a full discussion.
💰 Impact: Politicized Investment Strategy
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