College Station ISD gave an update on the five-year curriculum and assessment plan at its July 21 board meeting after falling short of standards in an audit the district underwent last year.
The big picture
During the second semester of the 2024-25 school year, College Station ISD underwent a deficit audit by five independent auditors who interviewed teachers, administrators and board members. According to the auditor review practices, the audit committee received more than 2,000 responses from people in all departments in the district, along with sitting in on 282 classes.
The auditors were looking for five specific focus areas to hit, which include in part:
- The district has a clear vision for responsibilities and accountability, along with clear objectives, support for teachers, and promoting equality among the staff and student body.
- Equitable distribution of resources when it comes to all students of differing backgrounds.
- Consistency in assessments and good productivity among classes.
After the audit was complete, auditors presented the district with many recommendations for improvement and changes.
- Develop a multi-year plan to address findings and recommendations, a curriculum management plan, a comprehensive assessment system and processes to ensure planning documents have result-oriented strategies and/or action steps to allow for consistent monitoring.
- Update organizational charts and job descriptions and district policies that govern management of the written, taught, and tested curricula.
- Create processes that allow for the development of a performance-based budget system.
The presentation featured a breakdown of the implementation within the first year and plans for the next four years, along with what focus areas will be covered at different points.
What the board is saying
Trustee Darin Payne said he commended the amount of data the board was given and that they can move forward confidently.
“Getting 350 pages of how to do these things gives us a lot of data,” Payne said. “Making more data-driven decisions so we can be better is great.”
Board President Kim Ege said she looks forward to continue implementing the changes and is excited about the prospect of moving forward with improvements in the areas suggested.
“I look forward to improving on these things,” Ege said. “Acknowledging the teachers and students who have been working really hard in the classrooms; our students are in a great place too.”
Trustee Kimberly McAdams complimented the information presented to the board, and she also said there will be a lot happening soon with the policy changes.
“We will continue to share what we do along the way, and some of those things will be the policies at some point,” McAdams said.
Associate Superintendent Penne Liefer described the process as a “moving target” and said that making adjustments would be necessary throughout the plan.
What’s next
The district will continue to implement the changes and improvements in the coming years while developing new systems to replace previous systems and assessments. This audit covered grades 9-12.
