DISTRICT ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT
This chapter describes the organization and management of the Galveston Independent School District (GISD) in five areas:
- A. Board Governance
- B. Planning
- C. Organization and Staffing
- D. Site-Based Decision-Making
- E. Policies and Procedures
- F. Bolivar Peninsula
The organization and management of a school district requires cooperation between elected members of the Board of Trustees and staff of the district. The board's role is to set goals and objectives for the district in both instructional and operational areas, determine the policies that will govern the district, approve the plans to implement those policies and provide the funding necessary to carry out the plans.
The staff is responsible for managing the day-to-day implementation of the plans approved by the board and recommending modifications to ensure the district operates effectively. The superintendent, as the chief executive officer of the district, recommends the staffing levels and the amount of resources necessary to operate and accomplish the board's goals and objectives.
BACKGROUND
The district's mission is "to develop the highest potential in each of its students by providing exemplary educational opportunities." GISD provides students these opportunities at 13 schools and a separate alternative education campus for secondary and elementary students. In 1998-99, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) rated GISD Academically Acceptable. TEA also gave one campus an Exemplary rating and two campuses were rated as Recognized. All other campuses received an Acceptable rating, except for the alternative school, which was rated Low Performing. Enrollment for 1998-99 reached 9,873 students. The district is served by Regional Education Service Center 4 (Region 4), located in Houston.
For this review, GISD selected peer districts for comparative purposes based upon certain similarities in student enrollment, student performance, and community and student demographics. Those districts are Brazosport, Bryan, College Station, Longview, Lufkin, Port Arthur, Waco and Wichita Falls.