EAGLE PASS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
PROGRESS REPORTIntroduction
In November 2000, Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander began a review of the Eagle Pass Independent School District (EPISD) as part of a three-district project that also included reviews of the neighboring Crystal City and La Pryor school districts. These three districts are located near each other in Maverick and Zavala Counties. In July 2001, a final Texas School Performance Review (TSPR) report was issued detailing 64 recommendations that could save the district nearly $10 million by 2005-06. During
August 2002, TSPR staff returned to assess the district's progress in implementing the recommendations.Since 1991, TSPR has recommended more than 7,000 ways to save taxpayers more than $700 million over five-year periods in more than 80 public school districts and higher education institutions throughout Texas. TSPR also conducts follow-up reviews of districts that have had at least one year to implement the recommendations. These 47 subsequent reviews showed that more than 90 percent of TSPR's proposals have been acted upon, saving taxpayers more than $112 million, with the full savings estimated to grow in the future.
Improving the Texas School Performance Review
Comptroller Rylander, who took office in January 1999, consulted school district officials, parents and teachers from across Texas and carefully examined past reviews and progress reports in an effort to make TSPR more valuable, even vital, to the state's more than 1,000 school districts. With the perspective of a former teacher, and school board president, the Comptroller has vowed to steer TSPR toward increased accountability to local school districts and the communities they represent.
Rylander began by establishing new criteria for selecting school districts for future reviews. Priority is now given to districts judged poor performing academically or financially, and to hands-on reviews that benefit the greatest number of students. To ensure this process also serves small districts, reviews of numerous school districts in close proximity, regardless of academic or financial status, are also completed to achieve some economy of scale, as was the case with the smaller districts reviewed in Maverick and Zavala Counties.
Recognizing that only about 51 cents of every education dollar is spent on instruction, Comptroller Rylander's goal is to drive more of every education dollar directly into the classroom. In addition, no longer are school districts' best practices and exemplary models left buried inside individual TSPR reports. Instead, Comptroller Rylander has ordered TSPR to share best practices and exemplary programs quickly and systematically among all the state's school districts and with anyone who requests such information. There is simply no reason for a district that has solved a problem well to keep the solution to itself. Comptroller Rylander has directed TSPR to serve as an active clearinghouse of the best and brightest ideas in Texas public education. Best practices identified in the original review will be included in the Comptroller's best practices database, A+ Ideas for Managing Schools (AIMS), which is on the Web at www.aimsdatabase.org.
Under Comptroller Rylander's approach, the TSPR team and consultants work with districts to:
- ensure students and teachers receive the support and resources necessary to succeed;
- identify innovative options to address core management challenges;
- ensure administrative activities are performed efficiently, without duplication and in a manner that spurs education;
- develop strategies to ensure the districts' processes and programs are continuously assessed and improved;
- understand the links among the districts' functional areas and determine ways to provide a seamless system of services;
- challenge any process, procedure, program or policy that impedes instruction and recommend ways to reduce or eliminate obstacles; and
- put goods and services to the "Yellow Pages test"-government should do no job if there is a business in the Yellow Pages that can do that job better and at a lower cost.
Finally, Comptroller Rylander has opened her door to Texans who share her optimism about TSPR's potential. Suggestions to improve school reviews are welcome at any time. The Comptroller is a staunch believer in public education and public accountability.
Detailed information can be obtained from TSPR by calling 1-800-531-5441 extension 5-3676, or by visiting the Comptroller's Web site at www.window.state.tx.us.
When contacted by the Comptroller's office in August 2000, the EPISD board and Superintendent Mona Hopkins voiced their support for the review. The superintendent and her staff have worked with the review team throughout the project.
The Comptroller contracted with WCL Enterprises, a Houston-based firm, to assist with the review. The team interviewed district employees, school board members, parents, business leaders and community members and held public forums on Wednesday, November 8, 2000, at the Memorial Junior High School from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on Thursday, November 9, 2000, at Eagle Pass Junior High School. To obtain additional comments, the review team conducted small focus group sessions with teachers, principals, employees, students, parents and community members. The Comptroller's office also received letters and phone calls from a wide array of parents, teachers and community members.
A total of 698 respondents answered surveys. Of this total, 257 campus and central administrators and support staff members, 67 parents, 340 teachers and 34 principals and assistant principals completed written surveys.
The review team also consulted two databases of comparative educational information maintained by the Texas Education Agency (TEA)-the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) and the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS).
During its more than seven-month review, TSPR developed recommendations for improving operations and saving taxpayers nearly $12.4 million by 2005-06. Cumulative net savings from all recommendations (savings minus recommended investments or expenditures) would reach nearly $10.4 million by 2005-06.
EPISD selected peer districts for comparisons based on similarities in student enrollment, student performance and community and student demographics. The districts chosen were South San Antonio, Mission Consolidated, San Benito Consolidated, Harlandale, Weslaco and San Felipe ISDs. TSPR also compared EPISD with districts in TEA's Region 20 Education Service Center, to which EPISD belongs, and the state as a whole.
Eagle Pass ISD is located in Maverick County on the Rio Grande River near its juncture with the Rio Escondido. The twin cities of Eagle Pass, Texas and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico are approximately 140 miles southwest of San Antonio and about 260 miles north of Monterrey. EPISD has two high school campuses (grades 9 -10 and grades 11-12), two junior high schools, 13 elementary schools and seven special campuses. Enrollment for 2001-02 was 12,778, making the district the state's 73rd largest district.
In 2001-02, EPISD's students were 97.1 percent Hispanic, 1.3 percent White, 0.1 percent African American and 1.5 percent Asian/ Pacific Islander or Native American. Ninety-one percent of EPISD's students were classified as economically disadvantaged.
In 2002, two of EPISD's campuses received an Exemplary rating from TEA, including Henry B. Gonzales and Austin Elementary Schools; 12 schools received a Recognized rating including the Eagle Pass High School, the C.C. Winn Campus, the Eagle Pass Junior High, the Rosita Valley Literacy Academy as well as eight elementary campuses. All other schools were Academically Acceptable and the district overall received a Recognized rating.
In 2001-02, 89.1 percent of all EPISD students passed the reading portion of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS); 91.4 percent passed the math portion of the test, 88.5 percent passed the writing portion of the test and 82.6 percent of students passed all tests taken.
In 2001-02, the district employed a staff of 1,889 employees, with 731 teachers, or 38.7 percent of EPISD's staff. The district spent $96.7 million, including $12.4 million for 2000 Bond issuance, in 2001-02. That same year, 12.4 percent of EPISD's budgeted revenues were generated through local taxes; 4.5 percent came from other local and intermediate sources; 67.5 percent came from the state, and 15.6 percent came from the federal government.
In 2001-02, EPISD budgeted 52.8 cents of every tax dollar on classroom instruction, compared with the state average of 51 cents.
In 2002, stability was restored to the district. Much of the controversy that existed at the time of the review has been cleared up and the superintendent and her staff have reorganized to provide support for academics and tighter control over financial management.
EPISD's staff and the TSPR team members have a sense of steady progress. Thirty-seven of the Comptroller's recommendations have been implemented; 20 are in various stages of progress; and seven have been reviewed but not implemented. (See Appendix A for details on the recommendations' status.)
Eagle Pass ISD Report Card
Excellent = More than 80% complete
Chapter Total Complete In
ProgressNot
ImplementedRejected Percent Complete/
In ProgressGrades District Organization and Management 2 2 0 0 0 100%/0% Excellent Educational Service Delivery and Performance Measures 5 2 3 0 0 40%/60% Satisfactory Community Involvement 3 1 2 0 0 33%/67% Satisfactory Personnel Management 4 3 0 1 0 75%/0% Needs Work Facilities Use and Management 7 3 3 1 0 43%/43% Satisfactory Financial Management 9 5 3 1 0 56%/33% Satisfactory Purchasing 6 3 2 1 0 50%/33% Satisfactory Computers and Technology 8 3 4 1 0 38%/50% Satisfactory Transportation 8 5 2 1 0 63%/25% Satisfactory Food Services 10 9 0 1 0 90%/0% Excellent Safety and Security 2 1 1 0 0 50%/50% Satisfactory Overall Grade 64 37 20 7 0 58%/31% Satisfactory
Satisfactory = 80% to 100% complete or in progress
Needs Work = Less than 80% complete or in progressExemplary Programs and Practices
EPISD is a school district with some notable successes, and TSPR has identified numerous "best practices" in the district. Through commendations in each chapter, the original report highlighted model programs, operations and services provided by EPISD administrators, teachers and staff members. Other school districts throughout Texas are encouraged to examine these exemplary programs and services to see if they could be adapted to meet local needs. TSPR's commendations are listed below, followed by updated information on each topic.
- Using staffing allocations to distribute staff resources equitably. In 2000-01, EPISD developed and began applying staffing formulas for campus personnel at each school. This change helps the district better distribute educational resources and helps campus and other personnel better understand the district's desired staffing levels.
Since the review, EPISD continues to use staffing allocation formulas for campus personnel, and has expanded the staffing allocation formulas to include maintenance and custodial staffing as recommended by the Comptroller's review. Administrators said that the staffing formulas in place for custodians allowed the district to avoid hiring four additional staff when they opened new facilities in September 2002.
- EPISD aggressively seeks federal and state grants to support needed district programs. From 1998-99 to 2000-01, EPISD increased federal grants from $6.8 million annually to almost $8.2 million, and increased state grants from $634,000 annually to $1.6 million.
Seeking and obtaining grants for various programs, especially those related to technology, is a priority for EPISD, and is regularly used to supplement state and local funding for programs that the district might not otherwise be able to afford. During the follow-up visit, EPISD administrators said they were exploring options for assisting technology staff seeking new grant opportunities.
- Energy conservation program brings solar power to EPISD. In May 2001, EPISD's C.C. Winn Campus was selected as one of 11 schools in Texas to participate in the Solar for Texas Schools Project. This project, part of the state's Renewable Energy Demonstration Program, will fund the installation of a solar energy system in the school as a demonstration program. The state sent out requests for information to all 1,034 school districts, and 11 were selected.
As part of an overall energy management program, and in response to one of TSPR's recommendations, about 10,000 old light fixtures were replaced in September 2002 with newer and more efficient lighting systems. Also, the Heating, Venting and Air Conditioning systems were retrofitted at Eagle Pass High School, Memorial Middle School, Old Eagle Pass Junior High School and at Ray H. Darr, Seco Mines, Graves, and Glass Elementary Schools. In all, EPISD is saving more than $170,000 annually on utilities and is helping conserve resources in the process.
- EPISD developed an extensive range of programs to meet the diverse needs of students. EPISD developed many innovative programs to assist students both academically and emotionally. From programs for assisting migrant students to programs helping pregnant students and programs for Native Americans, EPISD uses a wide array of programs to give students the tools they need to succeed.
Most recently, the district began an extensive curriculum alignment project to ensure that the needs of all of the students in the district are met and that students move effectively between grade levels and between schools. Integrating these special programs into the curriculum and ensuring that each of these programs builds upon the other is a critical step toward student success.
- EPISD uses a series of strategies for recruiting and developing teachers. EPISD has had problems recruiting teachers and has had to devise innovative strategies to do so. To attract enough new teachers, the district must target graduates from non-education programs and help them become certified as teachers. The district also works more closely with the Education Service Center, Region 20, through a cooperative that helps school districts identify potential applicants.
Since the review, EPISD has undertaken an extensive staff development planning process to ensure that teachers have all of the tools needed to meet the diverse needs of the students in the district. Every campus improvement plan and the district improvement plan have a staff development component linked directly to the academic goals for the district.
- EPISD saves money by performing in-house automotive bodywork, glass replacement and upholstery. The district discovered it had employees who could perform certain maintenance for district vehicles. Now, the district determines if it would be cheaper to do some automotive work in-house, rather than automatically contracting for repairs.
According to administrators, the district has begun systematically painting the tops of buses with a white reflective paint and replacing windows to reduce the heat inside older buses. All this work is being done in-house with minimal costs to the district.
Following are some of the key recommendations that administrators and staff said had the greatest impact on district operations. The recommendations are organized by chapter and by area of operation in the original report. The comments came from district administrators during the TSPR team's follow-up visit to the district.
District Organization and Management
Recommendation 1 - Reorganize responsibilities among EPISD senior managers to enhance student performance and program evaluation.
According to the superintendent, the reorganization was extremely beneficial for the district and affected nearly all aspects of the district's organization. During the process, the board and superintendent, with input from various key administrators, prioritized the district's goals and objectives for the coming years, and have attempted to build an organization that supports those goals.
Recommendation 2 - Modify the district planning process to assign specific responsibilities by position, either districtwide or by campus, and tie the allocation of resources to the district and campus improvement plans.
At the time of the review, the district did not have a district improvement plan. In October 2002, after considerable work by the board and all levels of district staff, Region 20 and TEA are asking the district to share their plan with other districts because it is well written and contains a sound presentation of how the district is going to use its Compensatory Education funds in 2002-03; an area that is going to be audited for the first time in 2002.
Educational Service Delivery and Performance Measures
Recommendation 5 - Develop a formal program evaluation process.
An evaluation process for individual programs adds accountability and allows a district to establish criteria for evaluating new programs or for determining if old programs should be continued. According to the EPISD superintendent, the need for this type of evaluation became very apparent as they began to prepare a plan and evaluate the district's Gifted and Talented program. Principals from all campuses worked together to evaluate the program. Through classroom observations and feedback forms, the principals devised a way to monitor the programs and determine if they were effective.
Recommendation 7 - Develop a comprehensive staff development policy including procedures that address key issues and support EPISD goals.
The superintendent said that many staff members and teachers were requesting training that didn't necessarily contribute to the instructional goals of the district. Now that staff development plans are in place in every campus improvement plan, staff development is targeted toward meeting those goals. This has cut down on travel and ensures that staff is meeting educational goals. Training is more effective when everyone understands why he or she is there and what he or she hopes to accomplish with the information obtained during training.
Community Involvement
Recommendation 8 - Redirect the Eagle Times from an employee newsletter to a district newsletter, and place it as an insert in the local paper six times a year.
The superintendent said she feels there is a lot of potential for involving the community and area business in the district, and a district newsletter could help improve community involvement. The district needs to share the good things in the district with the community to help the community more fully understand the challenges the district faces.
Personnel Management
Recommendation 12 - Adopt a districtwide incentive plan to reduce the use of substitute teachers.
Teacher absences have a profound affect on student learning, simply because a substitute is limited by a lack of familiarity with classroom routines and the children in any particular class. The district allows teachers with a perfect attendance to earn an additional $1,000 a year. The program improved teacher attendance and save the district $156,000 in substitute teacher costs.
Facilities Use and Management
Recommendation 21 - Develop an energy management plan for all EPISD's current and planned facilities and acquire a system to track/monitor associated energy costs.
The administration made this a priority because it had the potential to save more than $150,000 a year in utility costs. The district was able to implement this recommendation primarily through a series of lighting and air conditioning retrofits, where old inefficient equipment is replaced with new energy-saving equipment.
Financial Management
Recommendation 24 - Transfer EPISD's tax levy and collection operations to the Maverick County Tax Office.
The district didn't do exactly what TSPR suggested, but they did comply with the spirit of the recommendation by completely revamping the tax office and developing improved procedures for the office and for the delinquent tax attorney. The district is bringing in $343,000 more each year in local revenues as a result of improved and more aggressive tax collection efforts, but the best part is the fact that the state's funding will be enhanced as well, as a result of this improvement since state funding is tied to the collection rates of the school districts.
Purchasing
Recommendation 32 - Enhance "sole-source" purchasing procedures to include documentation requirements and a definition that matches TEA's Financial Accountability System Resource Guide.
This issue was at the heart of some major controversies in the district at the time of the review. Clarifying the policy and ensuring that all staff and vendors are aware of the procedures has ensured that the district seeks competitive bids purchases whenever possible. In all, the district believes this practice will reduce costs as well as controversies in the future.
Computers and Technology
Recommendation 39 - Develop and implement technology measurements that match the goals and objectives of the district's technology plan.
Developing measurable goals and objectives for the technology plan has helped the district focus on its technology needs. When, for example, the district was challenged to meet the needs of a particular group of students, such as the bilingual students or special education students, school officials explored the possibility of distance learning. When the district has successfully implemented a distance-learning program, success can be measured by the number and quality of courses offered, and by feedback from the teachers and students participating in the program. If adjustments need to be made to improve the program, the district can make those modifications based upon the facts, rather than on perceptions.
Transportation
Recommendation 45 - Purchase automated bus routing software.
Recommendation 50 - Perform behind-the-wheel evaluations of all bus drivers at least once a year.
The district didn't buy automated bus routing software, but instead, the former director of Transportation did an internal review of the routes, which included behind-the-wheel evaluations of not only the drivers but also the routes. From this preliminary analysis, the district discontinued the practice of picking children up at their front doors and began picking them up at designated corners. Hazardous routes, which are eligible for state funding, were designated to improve state funding and the director made the routes more efficient. As a result, children are getting to and from school quickly and safely.
Food Service
Recommendation 58 - Expand menus and recipes to include more food choices, brand name foods and meals that taste good.
Recommendation 59 - Increase breakfast participation by creating new programs and offering alternative serving methods.
During the review, TSPR heard a number of complaints about the food served in the district. Not many students were purchasing school food, compared with other districts. To address some of the complaints, a student committee samples the food, conducts surveys of the student body and has made recommendations for changes that the food service department implemented. Region 20 also reviews all menus in advance and provides feedback to the district to ensure that meals are nutritious. Breakfast is brought to most students in classrooms, and at the schools where this is not done, campus administrators and teachers encourage students to eat breakfast in the cafeteria. Not only are participation rates improving and students getting more nutritious meals, but the district's food service department has also improved its finances.
Safety and Security
Recommendation 63 - Update the Student Code of Conduct to standardize discipline policies and the consequences for violations.
Updating the student code of conduct helped the district clarify the roles and responsibilities of the district police compared with those of the campus administration. Until this was done, some campus administrators were more lenient than others. Each campus now enforces student conduct more consistently, and students, parents, teachers, campus and district administrators and the district police know what they are expected to do and what the ramifications are for rules infractions.
EPISD has made steady progress implementing TSPR recommendations. The district has implemented 37 recommendations; 20 are in various stages of progress; and seven have been reviewed but have not been addressed. This section addresses the key areas requiring additional attention.
Facility Use and Management
While the district has made some strides by updating its facility master plan, and by closing the de Luna campus, there is still work to be done. The district elected not to close Lee, Austin or Kirschner, (Recommendation 16) stating that they expect enrollment growth to make these campuses viable in the future. Recommendation 17 suggested that the district use Austin Elementary School as a new central administrative office building, primarily because Austin Elementary had so few students and the administrative facilities are antiquated and in general disrepair. While enrollment is increasing, there is no evidence that enrollments are increasing where these schools are located, yet the board has not adjusted attendance zone boundaries so that all of the schools in the district are used efficiently. Because the state's funding formulas are based upon attendance, the district must examine five-year enrollment trends and then explore ways to contain costs so that costs match funding for the number of students in attendance in those schools. Some ideas for containing costs include consolidating low enrollment classes, operating schools with some shared administrative staff and closing off sections of the building to save on utility and custodial expenses. TSPR encourages the district to rethink this decision and consider options that might preserve the neighborhood school concept to the extent possible, while still saving money.
Settle the Tax Issue With the County
EPISD has a seriously delinquent tax account with Maverick County for more than $300,000 in tax, penalties and interest (Recommendation #25). While the board met and considered hiring an independent attorney to pursue this account in early 2002, the account remains outstanding. This delinquency was the major reason an agreement could not be reached between the county and the district for joint tax collection efforts. This dispute needs to be resolved, not only because the district is owed money, but also because the dispute is hindering further cooperation between the two entities.
Point-Of-Sale System for Food Services
EPISD Food Service employees continue to track meals and prepare reports manually or with limited computerized assistance. Under the Federal Free and Reduced Price Meal Programs, all students in EPISD are eligible for free meals. To get sufficient federal reimbursements, the accurate tracking and reporting of meals served becomes even more critical, since this is the department's primary source of revenues. Anything not obtained through federal reimbursements must be made up through general operating budgets. When this complex process is done manually, the likelihood of error is greatly increased. Once students and staff become accustomed to a point-of-sale system (Recommendation #54), TSPR believes that reporting will be more accurate and management oversight and monitoring will be greatly improved.
EPISD's Ideas for Improving the Texas School Performance Review
The TSPR team does not assume that its process for performing school reviews works so well that it cannot be improved. Therefore, as part of the progress report preparation process, TSPR asked Eagle Pass ISD staff members and administrators to discuss what went right and what went wrong-and how the process could be improved.
The feedback TSPR has received from other districts led to improvements in the review process. For example, early reports did not include implementation strategies, and districts told TSPR they needed help getting started. As a result, the reports now include IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES AND TIMELINEs to complement the recommendations. Districts have told TSPR these blueprints are invaluable to implementing the recommendations. It is important for TSPR to continually be mindful of things that did not work as intended so the review process can be improved.
Eagle Pass administrators and board members made the following observations:
One relatively new board member stated that he felt he greatest benefit to the report was that people were made aware of the problems facing the district. The superintendent, key administrators and one board member who visited with the Comptroller's staff in Austin stated that the report has helped the district focus on issues. Because of the report, they said they were able to tackle some difficult projects, which may not have been possible without the supporting documentation provided in the report.
One of the more troubling issues, however, for the district's staff was that some recommendations did not take into account the location of the district and the resources available to EPISD. For example, Recommendation #26 for contracting for payroll processing was not practical since there were no vendors in the area able to perform these duties. Some administrators were also frustrated because many of the interviews and data gathering were confined to only a few people within the district-they simply did not talk to all of the parties involved with an issue. Consequently some of the information reported reflected only one side of an issue. They felt that consultants should have interviewed a broader base of employees and that more documentation should have been obtained to ensure all sides of an issue was explored.
TSPR takes this comment seriously, and will examine its procedures to ensure that all recommendations are thoroughly researched to determine if they can be implemented or if they are objective. One thing TSPR has already implemented since this review is the use of tracking sheets during the findings meeting, where the district officials read and comment on the near-final draft findings and background data. Instead of simply taking verbal comments, TSPR asks every individual to write their concerns on a tracking sheet. A copy is retained by TSPR and one is left for the district's records. Before the final report is issued, TSPR must address every concern on the tracking sheet.
