Issues of personnel and the 2007-08 district budget headed the agenda of the DeLeon ISD Board of Trustees as they met in a lengthy session on August 13, 2007. The meeting began with a presentation by DeLeon High School Principal, Jimmie Cearley who provided an overview of the district’s new “Project Success” program.

“Project Success” is a credit recovery program designed to help students that are at risk of dropping out of school or have fallen behind in earning credits to graduate on time. The program will allow students to earn required credits at a faster pace and graduate on-time or even possibly early. It also allows those students have who dropped out of school, lacking only one or two credits to graduate, to complete their education in only two or three months, rather than an entire school year.

Those students who are interested in the program should contact the high school office for more information. Space is limited for the program and an application process is required.

The consent agenda included regular matters of district as well as the following:

• The Board approved Dr. Mohundro to serve as an adjunct instructor with Ranger College allowing him to teach DeLeon seniors college level government for college credit.

• Final agreements for the 2006-07 district financial audit to be conducted by Davis & Kinard were approved.

• The fuel bid received from Gooden Petroleum was accepted for the 2007-08 school year.

The Board was briefed on the current status of the facility projects that are nearing completion in the district. The acquisition of the DeLeon Hospital continues. The major obstacle that has arisen is in the nature of the having electrical service restored to the facility. When power was disconnected by Oncor, all transformers were also pulled. Those transformers must now be replaced at Oncor’s expense prior to service being available. Necessary steps have been taken and the current word from Oncor is that service should be provided in the next two weeks.

The projects at Bearcat Stadium also continue on schedule. Renovations to both press boxes; as well as new concrete sidewalks, are all scheduled for completion prior to “Meet the Bearcats,” scheduled for August 27.

The Board then entered into Closed Session to discuss the following:

• Reviewed the current status of a worker’s compensation claim by a former employee.

• Reviewed the recommendation of the Superintendent regarding the employment of a teacher for the coming school year.

• Reviewed and made necessary adjustments to the Superintendent’s performance goals for the coming school year.

Following the one-hour and twenty minute closed session, they reconvened in regular session and voted to accept the recommendation of the Superintendent to employ Michael Nix as a teacher for the coming school year. Mr. Nix will be assigned to the high school and will teach math. No other action was taken on any of the other items discussed during the closed session.

Information regarding a possible November 2007 bond election was presented, but no action was taken by the Board.

Following a short break, the Board entered into the 2007-08 Budget Workshop. The Board was presented with the certified property values for 2007. Overall, values for the district have risen by only $4,176,996, and now stand at $129,420,787. An overall increase of 3.22% from 2006.

The Board was then presented with a proposed pay schedule for the coming school year. The schedule as proposed calls for a step increase based on years of experience for all employees, with the schedule being increased by $300 at each step. The increase comes as a result of action taken by the legislature this past spring. The average increase for a certified teacher will be $1,148 compared to their 2006-07 salary.

In reviewing tax rates for possible adoption, the Board was presented with several options to review and consider regarding the impact that they would have on the school district. Following a lengthy discussion the Board voted to propose the 2007-08 district tax rate at $0.9900. This rate, which is $0.2592 less than the 2006-07 tax rate is composed of a maintenance and operation tax rate of $0.9630 and a interest and sinking tax rate of .0270. The tax rate that as proposed allows the district to begin the process of maximizing the district’s taxing effort under the state school finance system and leveraging all available state funds. This tax rate will allow the district to realize $68,159 in state money.

The Board then reviewed the overall budget as presented by the administration. Overall spending in non-personnel items remained constant to the same numbers utilized by the district in 2006-07. Additional spending was recommended in the area of technology, to compensate for aging technology originally acquired through state grants. Federal and state technology money will be used for a large portion of the expenditures to minimize the impact on the local budget.

The Board will vote to adopt the final budget and tax rate at a called meeting on August 28, 2007 at 12:00 p.m. in the district’s central administrative office.