TSPR Clear Creek ISD

Appendix A
PUBLIC FORUMS AND
FOCUS GROUP COMMENTS

District Organization and Management

Educational Service Delivery and Performance Measures

Personnel Management

Community Involvement

Facilities Use and Management

Assets and Risk Management

Financial Management

Purchasing and Contract Management

Food Service

Transportation

Safety and Security

Computers and Technology

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

The district is incredibly inequitable in what it provides schools west of IH-45 (the "poor" side) versus the areas east of IH-45. Even the school boundary committee gives short shift to the growing, expanding outlying areas. The school board responds to the most vocal complainers. There is no attempt to allocate limited resources in an equitable manner.
It's hard for Clear Brook to get support from surrounding businesses, as our location is not really in a city. The district should help more.
I don't understand where the district spends the money. It seems we pay much more taxes than PISD but can't afford much. Is the money being mismanaged?
We need more accountability when spending. Internal controls should be tightened. Budgets should be scrutinized by all financial management.
School taxes are constantly rising. If the money from the state government was delivered like it should, then the expenses the school taxes are often used for can be better utilized.
Where is the money going? There seems to be a problem, guess it is good you are investigating.
School taxes are capped. Homestead is being taken away. Where is the money? School taxes are higher then surrounding school districts.
Why do we pay so much in taxes and are always told our district is broke? Is this hearsay or a reality? If it is broke, why? CCISD homeowners pay their taxes. Why do we keep hearing about how broke CCISD is? Is the Robinhood plan failing us?
School taxes are very high in CCISD. I understand the need for funds. It's a shame that few schools have outside support from local industries. Some areas are overlooked when funds are distributed. This area is foreign to most of us.
Investigate where school taxes are going. I am not for raising taxes, however, I would not like to see extracurricular activities cut from schools because our children would be out on the streets looking for things to occupy their time and that could mean trouble. These activities keep our children whole responsible and out of trouble. My daughter is in drill team and pals and her friends are in Latin Band. They are wholesome kids because of these programs. Do not cut programs.
Block scheduling is a very expensive schedule to implement because it requires more teachers. Teacher salaries are the largest category in the entire school budget so even small changes have a big impact. In the 2000/2001 school years, over $40 million were spent on teacher salaries for grades 6 through 12. At this time, all CCISD schools have adopted AB block schedule. This means that teachers teach six courses and students take eight courses
(4 on A day and 4 on B day). For a traditional 1-7 schedule, the teachers teach 6 courses and the students take 7 courses. If you compare the number of teachers needed for the AB block schedule with the number needed for the traditional 1-7 schedule, you will see that 14 percent more teacher are needed. We could keep class sizes the same and actually cut staff by on average 14 percent. Even saving 10 percent of $30 million is $3 million. The other costly part of block occurs when athletic coaches and students are "double blocked" which means that the students attend that athletic period daily, for two class periods. This means a coach doesn't get to teach very many academic classes. For example, a coach may spend 1st and 5th period with varsity athletes, then the JV coach and the varsity coach are with the JV students, then two planning periods. This results in a coach only teaching 2 or 3 academic courses with block. This would be 4 with traditional.
The school district cannot account for all the money it spends. The State of Texas needs to have a CPA adult doing their books to make sure that it meets standard accounting method and that the public can have access to them. It would be nice to have them on the Internet. Also, the State of Texas needs to publicly reprimand the former superintendent and school board if mismanagement has been found. The voter needs to be aware of mismanagement.
My taxes are too high. I think the CCISD area is on the edge of a real estate crash. If interest rate increase to about 10 percent or higher, CCISD area will have a real estate meltdown.
Every institution should be accountable for its operations. If we are paying thousands of dollars in taxes to the schools, we sure need to know how those monies are managed.
We have voted and passed bonds for new schools to be built in the area. The taxes we pay are one of the highest. Our area continues to grow, but our schools are having the budgets cut. Art, Music, and the principals overall budget are cut. For one of the richest districts, I cannot understand how a school (Art teacher) is to operate with a budget of $600.00 for the year with an enrollment of 635 students. This forces the P.E. and Art department, along with the Library to hold yearly fundraisers. In turn, another tax on the parents. Fundraiser for clubs is a different area.
It seems as though I need my checkbook out every week to write another check for a fundraiser that is needed because money is not going to the individual schools. Teachers are shelling out enormous amount of their own money to purchase classroom supplies.
I feel our district is doing a fine job with what monies we have, considering our largest land area is NASA, which is not taxable. Over 12 years ago, our school board was made up of "good old boys," they did nothing about purchasing land for the future growth of this district. Now, in 2002, we are caught with rapid growth, no land to put schools on (that is reasonably priced) and no money to build the schools. Also, during the "good old boy" period, maintenance was not an issue. We now have dilapidating facilities and no money to fix or maintain.
Being very involved with reviewing our need for money, this district is in very bad shape. They do not have money budgeted to fix major health issues.
I am satisfied with the way CCISD manages its funds. The district is quite frugal when compared with other like districts. We have lived in several school districts and CCISD is the most fiscally responsible in my experience. Budgets seem to be very "child centered," and that is the right priority.
Now is the time for the State of Texas to face up to the problem created by the "Robin Hood" school financing arrangement. It's not working and everyone knows it. The State Legislature, as well as the Governor and his executive team need to make school financing reform a top priority. I hear a lot of dissatisfaction with the way it's working now.
Given the history of funding levels, it seems imperative that the State reviews its formula for participation in our schools. Over the past several years, our district has been in a growth phase and it appears that the current funding rules do not allow adequate additional funds to support these growth costs. Though bonds are issued for local support, none is coming from the State level to help out. I would like to encourage the Comptroller's Office to review current funding mechanisms to allow for State support to schools in a growth phase. Our future is our children and if we do not show them the State care enough to participate in their funding issues, then that is a very poor example to set. Fiscal/financial responsibilities must be addressed.
I think that the district has done an exceptional job of managing the finances of the district. It is quite unfortunate in my opinion that the financial constraint that Clear Creek, as well as districts throughout the State are suffering have resulted in a greatly increased burden on the teachers that want to serve their students to the best of their abilities. This has resulted in teachers having to purchase many of their own supplies and books, which I feel is unjust and makes it hard to compete for top quality teachers.
Notice of school taxes on the rise and budget cuts on area campuses seem to be of concern.
Overall, I think the school district does pretty good with the resources that it has to work with. But I think the district could improve on its long-term planning.
A new State funding system needs to be developed or else our district and many others will be facing a financial catastrophe in coming years. By my observation, our district is doing an admirable job with financial management and does excellent work in forecasting and proactively planning for the future with community development.
Administration staff at the district level is a little top-heavy. If several positions were dissolved, more money could go to teachers.
In 2001 tax year, taxes increased 13 percent on the average Clear Lake home. In the 2002 tax year, the average Clear Lake taxes increased 11.7 percent. Taxes increased 25 percent in two years and CCISD still has a declining budget reserve. They are driving the district into a financial hole though per student income is up from $5,164 to $6,251, 21.4 percent in one year.
CCISD has long-term budget problem. In the last two years, the average house in Clear Lake has seen its taxes go from $1,561 to $1,988. Still, the reserve continues to fall toward total obliteration.
CCISD approves 3.5 percent pay increases despite a 1.7 percent inflation rate, a declining reserve, a need to levy even greater tax increases, and true financial hardship placed in Clear Lake families.
Budget constraints make it difficult for our school to meet the needs of our very diverse population.
Internal audit should be done. Find out how expensive block schedule is. Not to mention, less classroom hours. If a teacher is absent, most substitutes do not teach, so two days are lost. First week of classes are a joke-too many schedule changes because of poor programs. Why are we on block? We did not approve this, it was directed to the schools.
CCISD operates under a credit card mentality. Prior to the spring elections, the CCISD board approved a 3.5 percent raise for all employees. The tax increase to pay for this did not happen until August. This misleads the voting public.
Budget constraints and rules and regulations make it a lengthy process for schools to purchase needed supplies. The elementary schools receive the least amount per child. We spend the majority of funds on older children.
The process by which CCISD increases pay in March before the elections for its for its employees and then levies the taxes in August fails the "funny looks test."
CCISD does not disclose the full budget and make it available to taxpayers prior to budget approval.
Our elementary school spends less per student than the district average per child.
There is an obvious problem with financial management in CCISD. I'm not sure where the money is going but it is not always going where it directly benefits the children. Several schools were cut back this year to only have part-time assistant principals. This directly impacts our children. Whenever we have had a part-time assistant principal in the past, most parents and children did not even know the person.
In an area of Texas where the standard of living is so high and people actually care about the quality of their children's education, it is beyond belief that CCISD would ever be in a deficit. Clear out the old board and select an overseeing committee and spend our money wisely.
Budget process allows for little or no community input. The board holds poorly advertised budget workshops. Community members can attend but they cannot speak during the meeting. I guess you can write to board members after the fact and give comments but then there is no 2-way communication. Also, the board members have access to lots of information in a packet. The visitors can't follow the conversation without this information. Other school districts from committees that include a requirement for community members who are full-pledged committee members. I think this would allow the budget process to benefit from a broader range of backgrounds and perspectives.
Our teachers work so hard and compared to administration make so little. Yet there have been meetings letting teachers know ho tight the budget is and how many items must be cut. I feel this is a rich district that pays high property taxes. Yet, the more taxes we have for the schools, the further the state budget is cut. Therefore, conscientious teachers buy what they need out of their own pocket, which really reduces their salary. Somehow, it doesn't seem fair.
If money is so tight, why are all the secondary schools on block scheduling? The district has to staff for eight courses for each student at the high school. That gives the students 32 credits in four years, plus what they may have completed in middle school. They only need 24 to graduate under the recommended plan. Also, the teachers teach 3 of 4 blocks each day, leaving most of the classrooms unused 25 percent of each day. This is expensive.
The district is managing their funds but the State's support for education is too low. School districts need more State financial support.
Academic class sizes are too large. We need to find a way to either hire more teachers or reduce the number of courses students take.
As a taxpayer, I am outraged by the unfair "Robin Hood Laws" now in effect. It is obvious that the homeowners/businesses in a certain district should pay taxes to the district that serves them and no other. I wonder if the lawmakers who support this know or even care about the devastating burden this puts on a fast growing district like CCISD. Since State laws already favor developers, a swarm of developers have descended upon our district selling homes as fast as they can build them. They not only have no obligation to provide land for the necessary schools but also no obligation to reserve/sell any to the district. Then, all these new homeowners begin paying taxes to CCISD, and the State of Texas promptly takes most of it away. This leaves CCISD's existing tax basis to come up with more money to buy rare parcels at a premium price from developers to build schools for as many students as the developers can send them. Furthermore, they must do it before the students and any additional tax basis arrives so that the schools are in place to accommodate the flood (not that we'd get to keep any of the additional tax basis anyways.) The State of Texas has created an impossible scenario for "rich" districts like CCISD, which, as a result, is going broke.
We are very concerned about the school financing system currently used in the State of Texas. It seems clear that the state is not stepping up to its responsibilities or shouldering its share of paying for our educational system. We understand the need for equity across the state, but the current system is not working by any stretch of the imagination.
One way to reduce expenses in Clear Creek ISD is to better regulate the air conditioning. Many of our students wear sweaters and jackets to school because their classrooms are kept so cold during the fall and spring months.
CCISD should not eliminate or reduce the budget for the gifted and talented program.
Our travel money and author money has already been cut forcing us to raise money to bring guest speakers to our children and pay out of pocket for state association trips. I now only attend when TLA is hosted in Houston.
I think CCISD spends way too much money on things that could be reduced or made into "user fee" activities. This school district has become way too overloaded with non-teaching personnel. Their planning has proven to be terrible, as brand new schools already need temporary building to house students when they are opened. This school district has paid their superintendent an outrageous salary, thank goodness he has retired, that shows they are more concerned about lining the pockets of their administrators than they are about rewarding good teachers and cutting costs as needed.