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We reviewed the upcoming agenda for EDGEWOOD ISD and found 5 items with policy significance ahead of the vote.
| PRIORITY (LEVEL 7) |
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District Adopting State-Required School Turnaround Plan
The board will approve a state-mandated Turnaround Plan for Gus Garcia Middle School, which has multiple consecutive ‘Unacceptable’ ratings. The plan is funded by state (LIFT) and federal (Title I) grants and involves intensive instructional changes, coaching, and a partnership with consultant Great Minds PBC.
Policy Use
DOCUMENT AND TRACK: The Turnaround Plan for Gus Garcia Middle School (Consent Item 6.C, attachment 3.1) is a significant state-mandated intervention using federal funds and an external consultant. Add this to the state implementation tracker for school turnaround models and provide the plan text to the education policy team.
Policy Lever: State/Federal Grant Conditions
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| PRIORITY (LEVEL 7) |
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Policy Text Not Available – Pull Before Vote
The board is scheduled to approve new courses for the 2027-2028 course catalog, but the specific courses are not identified in the agenda packet. This action would approve new curriculum offerings without public disclosure of their content in advance of the vote.
Policy Use
PULL THE DOCUMENT: Under Consent Item 6.D, the board is approving new courses, but attachment ‘4.0 Course Catalog – Board Agenda Item Nov. 2026’ does not list them. Retrieve the full course catalog or the list of new courses from the district before the vote to identify any ideologically contested curriculum.
Policy Lever: Undisclosed Curriculum
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| WATCH (LEVEL 6) |
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District Adopting State-Mandated School Improvement Plans
The board will approve Targeted Improvement Plans for two elementary schools, as required by the Texas Education Agency for low performance. The plans, funded by state (LIFT) and federal (Title I, School Action Fund) grants, detail intensive curriculum, assessment, and professional development interventions, including a partnership with consultant Great Minds PBC.
Policy Use
DOCUMENT: The Targeted Improvement Plans in attachments 2.1 and 2.2 (Consent Item 6.B) detail specific curriculum and consultant use funded by state/federal grants. Add ‘Great Minds PBC’ to the vendor tracker and file these plans as examples of state-mandated school turnaround strategies for the policy team.
Policy Lever: State/Federal Grant Conditions
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| WATCH (LEVEL 4) |
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Public Comment Rules Require Pre-Submission of Materials
The board’s public comment policy requires citizens to sign up and submit any materials they wish to share by 5:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. This procedural hurdle could limit the ability of the public to present information or react to last-minute agenda developments.
Policy Use
WATCH: Monitor how Item 4’s pre-submission rule is applied. If citizens are turned away for not submitting materials hours in advance, document for the state team as an example of a public comment restriction.
Policy Lever: Public Comment Restrictions
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| WATCH (LEVEL 4) |
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District to Approve Website Advertising Partner
The board will approve a contract with School Revenue Partners to manage an advertising program on the district’s website. The district will receive 40% of the revenue and retains ‘sole approval’ over all advertisements, giving it control over content displayed on its official platforms.
Policy Use
WATCH: Consent Item 6.H approves a website advertising partner. While the district has veto power, monitor the implementation to see what types of advertisers are approved for the district’s website.
Policy Lever: Third-Party Advertising Revenue
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America First Policy Institute |