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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Executive Summary Overview
Summary of Costs and Savings by Recommendation (Exhibit 5)

In December 2000, Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander announced her intent to conduct school performance reviews of six districts in Tom Green County: the Water Valley, Wall, Veribest, Grape Creek, Christoval and San Angelo ISDs. Based upon more then six months of work, this report identifies Water Valley ISD's exemplary programs and suggests concrete ways to improve district operations. If fully implemented, the Comptroller's 44 recommendations could result in a net savings of $235,251 over the next five years.

Improving the Texas School Performance Review

Soon after taking office in January 1999, Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Rylander consulted school district officials, parents and teachers from across Texas and carefully examined past reviews and progress reports to make the Texas School Performance Review (TSPR) more valuable to the state's school districts. With the perspective of a former teacher and school board president, the Comptroller has vowed to use TSPR to increase local school districts' accountability to the communities they serve.

Recognizing that only 51 cents of every education dollar is spent on instruction, Comptroller Rylander's approach is designed to give local school officials in Water Valley and in other Texas communities the ability to move more of every education dollar directly into the classroom. Comptroller Rylander also has ordered TSPR staff to share best practices and exemplary programs quickly and systematically with all the state's school districts and with anyone else who requests such information. Comptroller Rylander has directed TSPR to serve as a clearinghouse of the best ideas in Texas public education.

Under Comptroller Rylander's approach, consultants and the TSPR team will work with districts to:

  • Ensure students and teachers receive the support and resources necessary to succeed;
  • Identify innovative ways to address the district's core management challenges;
  • Ensure administrative duties are performed efficiently, without duplication and in a way that fosters education;
  • Develop strategies to ensure the district's processes and programs are continuously assessed and improved;
  • 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 a business in the Yellow Pages can do that job better and at a lower cost.

Finally, Comptroller Rylander has opened her door to Texans who share her optimism about the potential for public education. Suggestions to improve Texas schools or the school reviews are welcome at any time. The Comptroller believes public schools deserve all the attention and assistance they can get.

For more information, contact TSPR by calling toll-free 1-800-531-5441, extension 5-3676, or see the Comptroller's Website at www.window.state.tx.us .

TSPR in Water Valley ISD

The Comptroller's Texas School Performance Review (TSPR) began work in Tom Green County on March 1, 2001, at the request of state Representative Rob Junell.

The review team conducted its review with the understanding that smaller districts such as WVISD face unique challenges and have only limited resources to meet them. The majority of districts reviewed by TSPR have fallen in the moderate to large range, including seven of the state's largest districts: Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Fort Bend, Ysleta in El Paso and Corpus Christi. The district responded graciously to TSPR's requests for data as well as a schedule of interviews, public forums and focus-group meetings.

Gibson Consulting Group Inc., an Austin-based consulting firm, was contracted to assist with the reviews of the six school districts at a cost of $400,000. The contract was later amended by $15,000 to allow the Gibson Consulting Group to do additional data analyses.

The review team interviewed district employees, school board members, students and parents, and held a public forum at the Water Valley Elementary School cafeteria on March 27, 2001 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. The review team also conducted focus groups with teachers and members of the district's two Site-Based Decision-Making Committees (SBDMC). TSPR also received letters and phone calls from community members.

The review team sent written surveys to parents, teachers, district administrators and students. In all, 116 respondents answered the surveys, including 55 parents, five district administrators and support staff, 17 teachers and 39 students. Details from the surveys appear in Appendices A through D.

TSPR 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).

WVISD selected peer districts for comparative purposes, based upon similarities in size, location, enrollment and property value. The districts chosen were Bronte, Eden, North Zulch and Veribest ISDs.

Exhibit 1 compares demographic information for WVISD, the selected peer districts, TEA's Region 15, which includes WVISD, and the state as a whole.

Exhibit 1
Demographic Characteristics of WVISD
And Peer School Districts
2000-01
  Student Enrollment Ethnic Groups Economically Disadvantaged
District Number 5 Year
Percent Change		 Percent
African
American		 Percent
Hispanic		 Percent
Anglo		 Percent
Other		 Percent Minority Percent 5 Year
Percent Change*
Bronte 514 25.4% 15.2% 25.7% 58.7% 0.4% 41.2% 60.1% 85.5%
North Zulch 344 6.2% 0.3% 2.9% 96.2% 0.6% 3.8% 37.2% (10.8%)
Eden 336 (16.8%) 0.6% 42.6% 56.8% 0.0% 43.2% 55.1% 7.6%
Water Valley 315 (21.3%) 0.6% 18.4% 79.4% 1.6% 20.6% 38.7% (2.8%)
Veribest 272 54.5% 0.7% 36.0% 61.4% 1.8% 38.6% 30.5% (25.4%)
Region 15 50,696 (3.8%) 3.6% 47.9% 47.8% 0.7% 52.2% 53.5% 5.1%
State 4,071,433 6.3% 14.4% 40.5% 42.1% 3.0% 57.9% 49.2% 2.3%
Source: TEA, PEIMS 2000-01.

A detailed list of costs and savings by recommendation appears in Exhibit 5. Many TSPR recommendations would not have a direct financial impact but would improve the district's overall operations.

On August 16, 2001 the Texas Education Agency released the TAAS results for the 2000-01 school year. Water Valley received an overall Recognized Rating, same as the 1999-2000 rating. According to these latest reports, the district has an Exemplary elementary school and a Recognized high school. Because this information came late in the review process, and because information regarding the cumulative test results will not be available until November 2001, the data presented throughout the rest of this report reflects 1999-2000 information.

Acknowledgments

The Comptroller's office and Gibson Consulting Group, Inc. wish to express appreciation to the WVISD Board of Trustees, Superintendent David Howard and the district employees, students, parents and community members who assisted the review team throughout the process.

Water Valley ISD

WVISD is located in Tom Green County, about 22 miles northwest of San Angelo. The district's facilities are located in the same area in separate buildings. These facilities include the elementary school, high school and an administrative office.

WVISD had 315 students enrolled in the 2000-01 school year. Of these students, about 39 percent are considered economically disadvantaged, 10 percent less than the state average of nearly 49 percent. The district is about 79 percent Anglo and 18 percent Hispanic. WVISD's annual budget was about $2.9 million in 1999-2000. The district's adopted tax rate has risen by 7.9 percent from $1.39 in 1997-98 to $1.50 in 2000-01 (Exhibit 2).

Exhibit 2
Water Valley Adopted Tax Rates
1997-98 through 2000-01
1997-98 1998-99 1999-2000 2000-01 Percent Change
over Period
$1.390 $1.456 $1.470 $1.500 7.9%
Source: TEA, AEIS 1997-98 through 2000-01 and Tom Green County Appraisal District.

As seen in Exhibit 3, WVISD's overall scores on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) rose by almost 22 percent between 1995-96 and 1999-2000, a rise similar to increases experienced in Region 15 and the state. WVISD's percent of students passing all TAAS tests taken in 1999-2000 was about 6 percent higher than the state average and ranked third among the peer districts. Nearly 92 percent of WVISD's students took the TAAS in 1999-2000, compared to the state average of 90.2 percent.

Exhibit 3
Percentage of Students Passing TAAS, All Tests Taken
(Grades 3-8, & 10)
1995-96 through 1999-2000
District 1995-96 1996-97 1997-98* 1998-99** 1999-2000** Percent Change
from
1995-96 to 1999-2000		 Percent of Students Tested
1999-2000
Eden 68.8% 79.6% 69.3% 82.9% 89.3% 29.8% 90.7%
Veribest 81.3% 85.0% 78.8% 92.0% 89.2% 9.7% 87.9%
Water Valley 70.3% 76.4% 66.7% 82.7% 85.7% 21.9% 91.8%
North Zulch 51.2% 66.4% 63.5% 66.1% 83.2% 62.5% 93.9%
Bronte 80.1% 89.1% 78.4% 87.4% 82.6% 3.1% 89.9%
Region 15 69.0% 76.2% 73.6% 80.7% 82.2% 19.1% 90.6%
State 67.1% 73.2% 73.1% 78.1% 79.9% 19.1% 90.2%
Source: TEA, AEIS Reports and PEIMS 1995-96 through 1999-2000.
*Recalculated from original posting to include special education and grade 3 and 4 Spanish TAAS.
** Recalculated from original posting to include special education and grade 3-6 Spanish TAAS.

TSPR believes that the main challenges facing WVISD are not education-related, but involve the following:

  • Improve financial management;
  • Planning for change.

Key Findings and Recommendations

Improved Financial Management

  • Provide additional training to board members in school finance and district planning. WVISD board members receive training required by law, but could benefit from additional training in the areas of financial management and planning, the two most critical issues facing WVISD. Through Regional Education Service Center IV (Region 15), the board could receive additional training, enhancing board member's knowledge in planning and finance and ensuring that they fully understand the district's financial position and can make appropriate decisions.
  • Increase communication with SBDM committees in developing school budgets and staff decisions by defining levels of authority within the SBDM process. In interviews with the district's site-based decision-making (SBDM) committees, committee members claimed they are not sufficiently involved in developing school budgets. Ultimately the final determination of the budget is left to the discretion of the superintendent and the board, however, increasing communication between the two SBDMs and the superintendent could ensure that various initiatives are addressed from different points of view, building consensus inside the district.
  • Establish a fund balance management policy. WVISD has operated with a shrinking fund balance for the past four consecutive years, and without a formal fund balance management policy. Such a policy sets a desired level for the district's fund balance and proposes steps needed to reach the desired goal.
  • Enter into a countywide food purchasing cooperative. The district's Food Services Department has been operating at a deficit for many years. WVISD could benefit by exploring a countywide food purchasing cooperative with other districts in Tom Green County, and realize savings of approximately 15 percent in total food costs.
  • Improve the accuracy of PEIMS data reporting. WVISD has reported inaccurate data to PEIMS. PEIMS is used for a variety of purposes, one of the most important is attendance rates which determines state funding, while the percentage of economically disadvantaged students is used to calculate state and federal compensatory funding. Region 15 provides extensive PEIMS training to school districts, and WVISD should take advantage of it.

Planning for Change

  • Develop a long-range strategic plan incorporating alternate growth scenarios. WVISD's state funding is declining due to a shrinking enrollment base, yet the district does not have a long-range strategic plan or a district improvement plan (DIP) to guide its decision-making. The district's two campus improvement plans focus on broad educational goals without regard for operational issues. A long-range strategic plan envisioning alternate growth scenarios could serve as a blueprint for future district decision-making.
  • Explore multi-age classes. WVISD is facing declining student enrollment resulting in a loss of funding. While the district has cut its staffing, its 1999-2000 student-teacher ratio in grades K through 3 still was 12-to-1, compared to a 19-to-1 state average. By creatively exploring multi-age classes, WVISD could maximize the effectiveness of its personnel and maintain a flexible instructional environment while saving the district about $40,637 each year.
  • Update facility plans based on revised enrollment projection scenarios. The district's spring bond election for a new elementary school failed and enrollment has declined past the level projected in a 1999 facilities evaluation. WVISD does not have a current facilities plan to match its present and projected enrollment. The district could benefit from an updated plan for each of three scenarios: continuing declines in enrollment; flat enrollment; and moderate growth.

Water Valley ISD Exemplary Programs and Practices

TSPR identified numerous "best practices" in WVISD. Through commendations in each chapter, the report highlights model programs, operations and services provided by WVISD administrators, teachers and staff. Other school districts throughout Texas are encouraged to examine these exemplary programs and services to see if they can be adapted to meet local needs. TSPR's commendations include some of the following:

  • The superintendent effectively uses technology and graphics to present information at board meetings. The superintendent uses a laptop computer and a TV screen to present each agenda item at WVISD board meetings. Each item is presented in a format that is easily understood by the board and community members.
  • WVISD provides a host of opportunities for involving parents and the community in the schools. The district has combined its Academic Booster Club and Athletic Booster Club to form the Water Valley Booster Club, so the two entities would not be in competition with one another. The Water Valley Volunteer Program and Grandmother Volunteer Program uses community volunteers to aid in the library and assist with district and campus clerical duties. WVISD also maintains an active alumni association that has created and maintains the district's Web site.
  • The district's online policy manual is accessible by teachers, administrators and the general public. WVISD has placed its policy manual on the district's website at http://www.watervalley.netxv.net/. A key-word search capability allows staff, students and the community to quickly identify all policies applicable to a particular issue.
  • WVISD has implemented several instructional initiatives, that have improved overall student performance. WVISD has aggressively striven to ensure high performance on the TAAS. The district has, for instance, computerized its grading system so that student records are easily accessible. The district also has used the Accelerated Reader program to make reading a top priority with students in the district.
  • The district seeks grants to improve its technological resources. WVISD has obtained state Technology Infrastructure Fund and Technology in Education grants and other grant programs stating $151,709 for adapting technology to instructional purposes during 2000-01. As a result, much of the district's computer technology is less than three years old.
  • A breakfast burrito program at the high school has increased Food Services revenues and breakfast participation. Each morning the superintendent delivers grab-and-go breakfasts consisting of burritos to high school students. This popular program allows students to develop a relationship with district administration while bolstering Food Services revenues.

Savings and Investment Requirements

Many of TSPR's recommendations would result in savings and increased revenue that could be used to improve classroom instruction. The savings opportunities identified in this report are conservative and should be considered minimums. Proposed investments of additional funds usually are related to increased efficiencies or savings or improved productivity and effectiveness.

TSPR recommended 44 ways to save WVISD $254,376 in gross savings over a five-year period. Reinvestment opportunities would cost the district $19,125 during the same period. Full implementation of all recommendations in this report could produce net savings of $235,251 by
2005-06 (Exhibit 4).

Exhibit 4
Summary of Net Savings
TSPR Review of Water Valley Independent School District
Year Total
2001-02 Initial Annual Net Savings
2002-03 Additional Annual Net Savings
2003-04 Additional Annual Net Savings
2004-05 Additional Annual Net Savings
2005-06 Additional Annual Net Savings

One Time Net (Costs) Savings		 $13,887
$55,366
$55,366
$58,366
$55,366

($3,100)
TOTAL SAVINGS PROJECTED FOR 2001-2006 $235,251

A detailed list of costs and savings by recommendation appears in Exhibit 5. The page number for each recommendation is listed in the summary chart for reference purposes. Detailed implementation strategies, timelines and the estimates of fiscal impact follow each recommendation in this report. The implementation section associated with each recommendation highlights the actions necessary to achieve the proposed results. Some items should be implemented immediately, some over the next year or two and some over several years.

TSPR recommends the WVISD board ask district administration to review the recommendations, develop an implementation plan and monitor its progress. As always, TSPR staff is available to help implement proposals.