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Heads up, Texas taxpayers: we’ve reviewed the upcoming MARSHALL ISD agenda and found 4 items that deserve your attention before the gavel falls.
| ALERT (LEVEL 8) |
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Potential Handover of Failing School to Charter Operator
The board will hold a public hearing and then vote on an ‘SB 1882 Performance Agreement.’ This state law allows the district to partner with an outside entity, often a charter school, to take over a failing campus, which could mean a loss of local control over curriculum and operations.
Response
INVESTIGATE & SPEAK UP: The ‘SB 1882 Performance Agreement’ is not attached to the agenda. Contact the district to demand the full agreement be posted online before the vote on item ‘Board 1’. Attend the public hearing to ask who the partner is and what control taxpayers will lose.
💰 Impact: Loss of Local Control
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| WARNING (LEVEL 7) |
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Renewal of ‘i-Ready’ Student Software Subscription
The board is voting to renew its subscription to i-Ready, a controversial student software program. Critics raise concerns about the program’s effectiveness, its high cost, the amount of screen time it requires, and how it collects and uses student data.
Response
DEMAND A RECORDED VOTE: Contact the board regarding item ‘Finance 1’. Ask for the total cost of the i-Ready renewal and for evidence that this program is more effective than teacher-led instruction before they approve it.
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Subscription Fee
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| WARNING (LEVEL 7) |
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Undisclosed Changes to Superintendent’s Contract
The board will vote on an ‘amended Superintendent Employment Contract’ after discussing it in a closed session. The financial terms, including any changes to salary, bonuses, or buyout clauses, have not been made public, preventing taxpayer scrutiny of this major financial commitment.
Response
DEMAND TRANSPARENCY: Contact the board regarding the ‘amended Superintendent Employment Contract’. Insist that the full text of the amended contract, with all financial changes clearly detailed, be made public before the vote.
💰 Impact: Potential Pay Raise/Buyout
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| WARNING (LEVEL 6) |
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Secret ‘Turnaround Plans’ for Three Schools
The board will vote on ‘Targeted Improvement Plans’ and a ‘Turnaround Plan’ for Price T Young FAA, Marshall Junior High, and David Crockett Elementary. The actual plans are not included in the agenda, preventing public review of the strategies, costs, and potential consultants involved.
Response
DEMAND THE DETAILS: Contact the board before the vote on item ‘Education 1’. Ask them to publish the full ‘Targeted Improvement Plans’ and ‘Turnaround Plan’ online so parents and taxpayers can see the strategy before it’s approved.
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Consultant Fees
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