Smithville Independent School District With 1,807 students, Smithville ISD is one of the smaller school districts studied by my Texas School Performance Review (TSPR) team. When TSPR began its performance review, we found a district with some notable successes. Yet, as with any good district Smithville is also facing several challenges including fluctuating student performance, a transportation system with skyrocketing costs and old facilities badly in need of replacement and/or major renovation.
Not only has the student performance fluctuated on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS), but the exemption rates for minority students are outrageously high–31 percent of African American students and 22 percent of Hispanic students were not tested. My top recommendation is for the district to study the results of the TAAS tests to identify problem areas and to develop strategies to close the gap in student performance between those who are economically disadvantaged and those who are not, and to reduce the exemption rates of its minority students. Smithville ISD needs to raise the bar on student performance.
One of my 10 Principles for Texas in the 21st Century is to drive more of every education dollar directly into the classroom. And my Texas School Performance Review (TSPR) team has done just that for Smithville ISD with 34 recommendations that, if fully implemented, could result in net savings of $339,072 over the next five years.
Transportation stands out as one of the most rapidly growing expenses in the district. TSPR found that the number of miles driven have increased by 27 percent from the 1994-95 school year to the 1998-99 school year. During that same time, operating costs have increased by 203 percent! I strongly recommend that the district look into ways to cut costs or increase revenues including contracting with a neighboring school district or a commercial vendor for its transportation services.
Finally, I am recommending that the district refine its long-range facilities master plan. The district currently has a long-range plan and a facilities survey, but neither plan includes financing alternatives and a schedule for completion, both of which are crucial for a successful plan.
These major recommendations would help redirect administrative costs and dedicate dollars to improving the education of our children–our most precious resource. I am confident that school board members, school administrators, teachers and parents are all committed to making Smithville ISD the best it can be for their students.
Carole Keeton Rylander
Comptroller of Public Accounts
