EDUCATIONAL SERVICE DELIVERY
This chapter discusses the Christoval Independent School District's (CISD's) educational service delivery system and student performance measures in five sections:
- A. Student Performance and Instructional Resources
- B. Special Programs
- C. Alternative Education Programs and Dropout Prevention
- D. Safety and Security
D. SAFETY AND SECURITY
The safety and security of students and teachers has become a critical issue on both a national and state level. For many districts, safety and security is one of the fastest growing items in the budget. In 1996-97, the state started tracking expenditures for security and monitoring services as a separate expenditure item.
CISD parents and teachers are very concerned about problems with drugs and vandalism. The results of surveys issued by the review team to CISD parents show that 43.4 percent of the parents surveyed believe there are drug problems in the district while 46.7 percent believe that vandalism is a problem. Results in the teacher's surveys show that 61.2 percent of the teachers surveyed believe that there are drug and vandalism problems. Exhibits 2-23 and 2-24 are the survey results for teachers and parents.
Exhibit 2-23 Source: TSPR Parent Surveys.
CISD Parent Survey
Safety and Security
Survey Questions Strongly Agree Agree No Opinion Disagree Strongly Disagree 61. Students feel safe and secure at school. 20.0% 60.0% 6.6% 8.3% 5.0% 62. School disturbances are infrequent. 11.7% 66.7% 8.4% 10.0% 3.3% 63. Gangs are not a problem in this district. 15.0% 66.7% 13.4% 5.0% 0.0% 64. Drugs are not a problem in this district. 6.7% 26.7% 23.4% 31.7% 11.7% 65. Vandalism is not a problem in this district. 8.3% 31.7% 13.4% 36.7% 10.0% 66. Security personnel have a good working relationship with principals and teachers. 8.3% 28.3% 53.3% 6.7% 3.3% 67. Security personnel are respected and liked by the students they serve. 8.3% 18.3% 65.0% 6.7% 1.7% 68. A good working arrangement exists between the local law enforcement and the district. 11.7% 55.0% 21.6% 8.3% 3.3% 69. Students receive fair and equitable discipline for misconduct. 10.0% 53.3% 5.0% 11.7% 20.0% 70. Safety hazards do not exist on school grounds. 5.0% 40.0% 35.0% 13.3% 6.7% Exhibit 2-24 Source: TSPR Teacher Surveys.
CISD Teacher Survey
Safety and Security
Survey Questions Strongly Agree Agree No Opinion Disagree Strongly Disagree 70. School disturbances are infrequent. 11.1% 66.7% 5.6% 16.7% 0.0% 71. Gangs are not a problem in this district. 16.7% 66.7% 5.6% 11.1% 0.0% 72. Drugs are not a problem in this district. 0.0% 22.2% 16.7% 55.6% 5.6% 73. Vandalism is not a problem in this district. 0.0% 27.8% 11.1% 55.6% 5.6% 74. Security personnel have a good working relationship with principals and teachers. 0.0% 11.1% 83.3% 0.0% 5.6% 75. Security personnel are respected and liked by the students they serve. 0.0% 0.0% 94.4% 0.0% 5.6% 76. A good working arrangement exists between the local law enforcement and the district. 11.1% 66.7% 16.7% 5.6% 0.0% 77. Students receive fair and equitable discipline for misconduct. 11.1% 66.7% 0.0% 22.2% 0.0% 78. Safety hazards do not exist on school grounds. 0.0% 50.0% 33.3% 11.1% 5.6% CISD previously had a drug testing policy for students involved in extracurricular activities. This process has been put on hold until it is determined whether it is a legal procedure. The policy requires that a student and his/her parents sign a permission form for random drug testing before the district allows the student to participate. Failure to submit to random drug testing disqualifies the student from the activity. Parents of students not participating in extracurricular activities can ask that their child be included in the random testing by completing the forms when sent home.
FINDING
CISD has addressed drug problems by allowing the Sheriff's Department to train their drug dogs on the school premises. The dogs are trained inside the high school and elementary school, the parking lots and the football field. The district also invites guest speakers, such as the county judge, to come and speak to students and faculty members at school assemblies.
CISD did not have expenditures in the area of safety and security for 1999-2000, while the state average for Security and Monitoring costs is 0.6 percent.Arrangements like the one with the Sheriff's Department allow the district to increase student safety without spending local funds.
COMMENDATION
The district allows the county to use its grounds for drug dog training in the evenings, providing drug detection services at no cost to the district.
FINDING
CISD is addressing vandalism and drug issues by having officers from the Sheriff's Department patrol both schools each day. Officers drive through school parking areas and the park across from the high school lots during school hours. Officers also conduct surprise visits to both the high school and elementary schools, and they sometimes bring the K-9 dogs to search for drugs and alcohol on an unannounced basis. The officers also patrol the campuses during after school hours as well.
During school visits, review team members noticed the Sheriff's patrol car on several occasions. These services are provided at no cost to the district.
COMMENDATION
The district's arrangement with the Sheriff's Department improves safety and security at the schools with no monetary costs.
FINDING
The high school is located on Toe Nail Trail, which is a ranch road that leads to Eldorado and Menard. When walking home from school, students walk on the road, which makes them vulnerable to traffic going 35 to 40 miles per hour. In addition, students often walk home from evening events at the school.
Toe Nail Trail does not have significant traffic; however, there are no signs for traffic to slow down for students at specific times of the day. As the district and community grows, the traffic will most likely increase, and people who are unfamiliar with the area may not realize that children are in the vicinity.
Recommendation 15:
Request that the Texas Department of Transportation install signs restricting speed in front of the high school.
Flashing speed limit signs should increase student safety. The district should have control of the blinking lights on the sign so they can be turned on when needed. The speed limit should be reduced to 20 miles per hour when the sign is blinking.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINE
1. The superintendent contacts the Texas Department of Public Safety to request two blinking speed limit signs on Toe Nail Trail in front of the high school. October 2001 2. The superintendent requests the patrol officer monitor speeds closely for the first month after the signs are installed. November - December 2001 FISCAL IMPACT
The Texas Department of Public Safety will incur the cost to install the signs. There is no cost to the district for this recommendation.