[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6587996,"mediaKeyId","5496362-8075599471325862d41647c18ad59570","parentId",5496362,"title","WISD previews new student cell-phone policy; staff recommends banning use, not possession","audioSeconds",322,"startMs",4998000,"endMs",5320000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5496362-8075599471325862d41647c18ad59570&start=4998&end=5320","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5496362-8075599471325862d41647c18ad59570/thumbnail_4998000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6587996/Texas/WISD-previews-new-student-cell-phone-policy-staff-recommends-banning-use-not-possession","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6587996-b91a99b8d91e889f60e0c13ee9caf401/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137069&Signature=NyG7CK9GadlnHcCgwwrBxGprKCU63VE~4VzBhmpXrintcMdwl2QkMrLF6yWiuqqKp~Dk8UpIZM3mUeXA1eUnLSh3LAinAkzp3~EvSo-zQxwHHktfdbOYbEIaqOvNaRHSn0EyDW6ze1QNmO~XRUj5Ubqwh0oR3rlMvKmg1-2vsdyd3F5s8ucK-U0XcotenabrlI1vNTd3axhE88e5vlAIGgakLhkd5x1LFY4XcV5nbAl9IauO3jfvaDdtqdG9L~HIdZvbM7LqP2Ot4-L4HBkSlTZ9TXaObmT0xO9KWsVfXeq0qw1JL6ymjqAAAXlZHqTKZAdeCREfn2XSmoIJBdy1kw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-07-29T10:58:47Z","article","District staff presented an informational report on a draft student personal-communication-device policy that the board will consider for approval at an upcoming meeting.

Under the recent state law the district must adopt a local policy addressing cell phones and similar devices during school hours. Staff said the draft policy focuses on prohibiting use rather than possession; as the presenter summarized, \"Our policy is not asking to prohibit possession. It is prohibiting use.\" The draft would require devices to be put away or placed in a secure location during school hours. Staff noted a range of secure-location options used by other districts, including backpack storage or lockable lockers, and said the Texas Education Agency (TEA) is expected to issue further guidance.

The presentation noted the policy includes processes for confiscation and return of devices and a required notification process before the district may dispose of an unclaimed device. The draft also includes accommodations: students with IEPs, 504 plans or physician-directed medical needs would be allowed to use devices when those plans permit it. Staff emphasized that administrative staff (principals and assistant principals) — not classroom teachers — would be the primary enforcers to avoid classroom disruptions.

Staff said formal board action will be requested at the next regular meeting; the presenter noted the policy is required to be in place before Sept. 18.

Ending: The board received the informational presentation and asked staff to prepare the policy for action at the next meeting, pending TEA guidance and further local refinement.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Waxahachie ISD Board Meeting 7-28-25","oneSentenceSummary","Waxahachie ISD staff presented a draft local cell-phone policy that would prohibit student use of personal communication devices during school hours while permitting possession and allowing accommodations for IEPs and medical orders.","taxTitle","WAXAHACHIE ISD, School Districts, Texas","taxId",14390,"location","Texas","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6588006,"Waxahachie ISD budget workshop lays out $3.5 million staff-pay proposal; board directs staff to seek improvements",6074,306000,6380000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5496362-8075599471325862d41647c18ad59570&start=306&end=6380","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5496362-8075599471325862d41647c18ad59570/thumbnail_306000.jpg","/articles/6588006/Texas/Waxahachie-ISD-budget-workshop-lays-out-35-million-staff-pay-proposal-board-directs-staff-to-seek-improvements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6588006-21b0254da61f2c6e89839111bce916ea/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137069&Signature=VD3chZtW9G5k-nq~ICEw-R7XrOdNOBgqz-bCK9MT~j2uyOEPNXPykKPud3XUK9L-mF4fTH6J1jdmdy~GKe0j89tLEbEqQUQrNrl5yMAIspkNwqu~2pRCtjCG4EDXFnRk9wcpW7Q~ES36w~EQp1GKIh45RbwbtTKeLPv8x5hxFOKOekQI8CY~nkYY53gu2w0ei9ZRgvoWfp3cY8Aj48jM~xL6vXM4Z~1h6Gd1XJsQYYwhVY7YHttN7YENR~ASV2qEjPVnxvRyte~ea~UVNv2MDet0YfTtywjlQE~hu1MrJqK11YxjowiVUyj5w0EMNwKW9q~z4TrpnHUTY~hUPKa~vw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Waxahachie Independent School District trustees approved a staff compensation plan on a 5–1 vote after a multi-hour budget workshop in which staff described new state allotments and a draft pay package that district leaders say would keep the budget balanced.

District staff presented the budget workshop as the third in a series and centered the discussion on staff compensation, which the presenter said was the “big one” left unresolved after recent state legislative changes. The presentation laid out newly available state funding streams and how the district would use them to pay staff increases.

The district projected new state revenue from multiple allotments: an increase in the basic allotment worth roughly $55 per average daily attendance (ADA) (estimated yield about $610,000); a staff-retention allotment of $45 per ADA (about $500,000); a school-safety allotment increased to $20 per ADA plus about $33,540 per campus (estimated yield about $800,000); and a basic-cost allotment of $106 per ADA (estimated about $1,000,187). Taken together (excluding the teacher-retention allotment), staff said those items total roughly $3.1 million in new state funding.

Using those revenues plus about $300,000 net savings from the district's budget-reduction/reallocation work, staff proposed a compensation package the presenter estimated would cost about $3.5 million.

Key elements of the proposal included:
- Raising starting pay for teachers, librarians, counselors and nurses to $57,000 (present starting pay cited as $54,600).
- Providing a $2,300–$2,500 increase for teachers on early pay steps (explicitly noting state-funded teacher-retention allotment provides $2,500 for steps 3–4 and $5,000 for step 5+ where eligible).
- Granting a 5% increase for auxiliary, clerical, paraprofessional and classified professional employees.
- Granting a 3% increase for employees on the administrative scale (excluding the superintendent and the presenter's own compensation set by contract).
- Increasing the district monthly health-insurance contribution from $245 to $300 per employee.

District staff cautioned that the package depended on final counts of staff by pay step and on whether staff in roles such as diagnosticians, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists and other specialized staff qualify for the state's teacher-retention allotment; staff said they are developing a process to determine which positions meet the allotment's criteria (for example, a coding as teachers and at least four hours of direct student contact were mentioned as part of the state's qualification). The presenter said: \"We are developing a process to determine exactly who qualifies in that area.\"

Trustees and staff discussed trade-offs. Some trustees urged higher starting pay (one trustee suggested $58,000) and larger raises for lowest-paid hourly workers; one trustee asked that custodians and other low-paid employees receive an 8% increase instead of 5%. The presenter calculated that raising auxiliary/clerical/paraprofessional increases from 5% to 8% would cost roughly $700,000–$800,000 and said that adding that amount to the plan, \"would throw us into that deficit category.\" The presenter said the district would first look at the insurance contribution if it needed to create room for additional raises.

A public comment during the meeting underscored staff morale concerns. Leslie Jerkash, a Northside Elementary teacher with 16 years in the district, told the board she makes about $62,818 gross and described the household and housing-cost pressures facing long‑time teachers. Jerkash said many teachers have left the district for higher pay elsewhere and called on trustees to \"stand up for us\" if the proposed raise is not sufficient.

After discussion, Trustee Autry moved that the board approve the compensation plan as presented and direct staff to continue seeking ways to increase the proposal before the next workshop; Trustee Schofield seconded. Trustees voted to approve the plan 5–1. The board and staff noted the plan can be amended up until Aug. 31 before the fiscal year starts.

Officials asked trustees to consider the durability of the new state allotments. Staff warned that special allotments are subject to future legislative change and said: \"there is a little bit of a concern\" that special allotments could be modified or rescinded in future sessions. Staff favored relying on a mix of recurring state additions and local savings while maintaining a balanced budget.

The district scheduled a fourth budget workshop for Aug. 11 to review the tax rate and finalize the budget.

Ending: The board approved the compensation plan with direction to seek additional options; staff said final implementation details (including which employees qualify for the teacher-retention allotment and the exact distribution across pay steps) will be finalized before the start of the fiscal year.","Waxahachie Independent School District trustees approved a staff compensation plan on a 5–1 vote after a budget workshop in which district staff outlined newly available state allotments and a proposed package that district leaders said would keep the budget balanced.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6588001,"Board approves student code of conduct and policy updates, posts tax rate; consent agenda passes",349,3243000,3592000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5496362-8075599471325862d41647c18ad59570&start=3243&end=3592","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5496362-8075599471325862d41647c18ad59570/thumbnail_3243000.jpg","/articles/6588001/Texas/Board-approves-student-code-of-conduct-and-policy-updates-posts-tax-rate-consent-agenda-passes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6588001-8c7aa3314e960d945e68e4dfd77752d1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137069&Signature=RgYEzk6z~4FU5tSO3Kgs65e6S8WTOi4Mg0vkK7nl-XeBjf2ycRyXU95FgT9~CYJMkmRQs8L0vybFc3Ywtw7M0gW0tdfgL-iOCuaGUuobcq-~tKjb8slcQ9qOpe6ggVBsvcob5MPapwv4pJItHRZJpH9HKEGcqAP1EK~wdojOlPwxH2Dut9dO56zyWAr1rPA~VHSDFpHCBFnALxQbAXAkCe6CxIHdEu9TVhTdG7ujqYFIOoExAXLUpuLcAvsoCW~zDgpft4H51Z0wLMwBUkYamg2QoiOR6YKT7TrQSdsE3DuLPT8WDwY0Wk0AwSAxGQXXhUq98VK63rhVdavxAougSw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Waxahachie Independent School District trustees voted on several agenda items during their meeting, approving the student code of conduct and multiple local policy updates, posting proposed tax rates and passing the consent agenda.

Votes at a glance
- Consent agenda (items a–d): motion carried 6–0. (Mover: Mister Scofield; second: Mister Pitts.)
- Action item A — Approve 2025–26 WISD student code of conduct: approved 6–0. (Mover: Miss Timberman; second: Miss Kruegel.)
- Action item B — Adopt policy update 125 and local policies FD (funds) and FM (food services/local): approved 6–0. (Mover: Mister Scofield; second: Miss Timmerman.)
- Action item C — Post proposed M&O and I&S tax rates for 2025–26 (proposed M&O $0.7552, I&S $0.4129; total $1.1681): approved 6–0. (Mover: Mister Pitts; second: Mister Cooper.)
- Action item (compensation plan) — Approve 2025–26 WISD staff compensation plan: approved 5–1. (Mover: Mister Autry; second: Miss Schofield.)

Student code of conduct
District staff summarized multiple legislative changes that affect the student code of conduct, including amendments to Chapter 37 disciplinary procedures, requirements related to vaping/nicotine-delivery devices, updated review processes for students placed in in-school suspension (ISS) and changes that require districts to consider virtual or hybrid options for students removed from campus-based programs if county or regional juvenile-justice alternative education (JJ) capacity is insufficient. The board approved the code 6–0.

Tax rate posting
District staff said certified values from the appraisal district and proposed homestead-exemption changes allowed the district to post the same combined tax rate as last year. Staff presented the posting as a ceiling that could only be reduced when final numbers are confirmed; trustees approved posting the M&O and I&S rates as presented 6–0.

Procedural notes
Several approvals were unanimous (6–0). The compensation plan vote was the only split decision (5–1); the transcript does not record individual roll-call votes for each trustee on every item, so tallies are reported as announced in meeting.

Ending: The board concluded by adjourning after the final vote; district staff scheduled a follow-up workshop Aug. 11 to finalize budget and tax-rate details.","The Waxahachie ISD Board of Trustees approved the 2025–26 student code of conduct, adopted policy updates FD(Funds)/FM(Local) and posted proposed tax rates. Several routine items were approved unanimously; one notable vote (staff compensation) carried 5–1.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

WISD previews new student cell-phone policy; staff recommends banning use, not possession

Waxahachie ISD budget workshop lays out $3.5 million staff-pay proposal; board directs staff to seek improvements

Board approves student code of conduct and policy updates, posts tax rate; consent agenda passes