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Heads up, Texas taxpayers: we’ve reviewed the upcoming DRIPPING SPRINGS ISD agenda and found 5 items that deserve your attention before the gavel falls.
| ALERT (LEVEL 8) |
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13 Undisclosed Policy Changes Bundled for Approval
The board is set to approve updates to 13 different local policies under a single ‘District of Innovation’ consent agenda item, but the actual text of the changes has not been provided to the public. These policies cover critical areas like Board Meetings, Purchasing, Employee and Public Complaints, and Teacher Evaluations, making it impossible for taxpayers to know what is being altered.
Response
PACK THE ROOM: This is a major transparency failure. Email the Board of Trustees and demand Item 8.G be pulled from the Consent Agenda and postponed. State: ‘The public cannot provide feedback on 13 policy changes that have not been made public. Postpone this vote until redline documents are provided for community review.’
💰 Impact: Reduced Accountability
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| WARNING (LEVEL 7) |
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University Partnership Allows Classroom Video Recording
A proposed agreement with Sam Houston State University, hidden in the consent agenda, allows university candidates to video-record in Dripping Springs ISD classrooms. The agreement permits the university to store these videos, which may incidentally capture students, on a ‘secure platform’ for a period of ten years for research and evaluation purposes.
Response
DEMAND A RECORDED VOTE: Email the Board of Trustees (contact info on district website) and demand Item 8.C be pulled from the Consent Agenda for a separate vote. Ask them: ‘Why is the district allowing classroom videos to be stored by a university for ten years, and what specific opt-out rights do parents have?’
💰 Impact: Student Data Harvesting
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| WARNING (LEVEL 6) |
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Secret ‘Board Policy 127’ on Consent Agenda
The board plans to vote on ‘Approval of Board Policy 127 Updates’ as part of the bundled consent agenda. The agenda provides no description of what this policy covers, no summary of the proposed changes, and no attached documents for public review, making informed consent impossible.
Response
DEMAND THE DETAILS: Email the Board of Trustees and ask that Item 8.H be pulled from the Consent Agenda. Ask: ‘What is Board Policy 127, what changes are being made, and why has the text not been provided to the public ahead of the vote?’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Policy Change
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| WATCH (LEVEL 5) |
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District Highlights Shift to ‘Conceptual’ Math
An elementary school is highlighting its new math curriculum, which moves away from ‘passive memorization of standard algorithms’ toward ‘student-centered sense-making.’ Using programs like ‘Amplify Desmos Math,’ this ‘conceptual’ approach focuses on students defending their reasoning and evaluating multiple strategies, a pedagogical shift parents should be aware of.
Response
ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS: Contact the Board of Trustees regarding Item 4.A. Ask: ‘What data shows that de-emphasizing standard algorithms improves long-term math proficiency, and what resources will be provided to parents who want to help their children master traditional methods at home?’
💰 Impact: De-emphasis on Standard Math
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✅ Wins for Taxpayers
Good moves worth showing up to support so they stick.
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| Major Win (LEVEL 7) |
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District Adopts Contract with Strong Anti-DEI Language
An agreement with Education Service Center Region 13 for homeless student services includes powerful boilerplate language that protects taxpayers and students. The contract explicitly forbids the use of district funds for ‘diversity, equity and inclusion, critical race theory, affirmative action, or other similar, divisive agendas’ and requires all actions to reflect that there are ‘only two sexes,’ while also prohibiting the use of preferred pronouns in professional correspondence.
How to Lock It In
SECURE AND AMPLIFY THE WIN: Show up to thank the Board for approving Item 8.D. State for the record: ‘We applaud the district for adopting a contract with clear, strong language protecting our schools from divisive ideologies. This should be the standard for all future district agreements.’
✅ Why It Matters: Protects Taxpayer Dollars
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