Straight to Trades program launches at Boerne ISD, combining trade skills with entrepreneurship
Vocational students in Boerne ISD have a new program to take advantage of, offering 12th-grade students the opportunity to learn entrepreneurial and leadership skills before graduation.
Straight to Trades Ownership is a unique program founded in Boerne ISD designed to weld the relationship between trades and business ownership.
Started at the end of October, the program takes students through an 11-week business curriculum led by Andrew Flippo, executive director of the Hope Builds Life nonprofit, which promotes local businesses.
Flippo said this is a pilot program for the organization, which has been in development over the last year.
Boerne ISD tax rate election results canvassed, leading to higher staff pay
The Boerne ISD tax rate is officially approved following the canvassing of the Nov. 4 election results, which showed voter support for the district to use its remaining golden pennies—a funding mechanism the district can use to generate revenue not subject to state recapture.
According to a Nov. 5 news release, Boerne ISD’s voter-approval tax rate election will yield $3 million in local funding and require the state to kick in 60 cents for every dollar.
Over 80% of the total $4.8 million has been earmarked to increase staff salaries, including:
- Restructuring the pay of teachers, nurses and counselors
- Raising the minimum wage of auxiliary workers to $15 per hour and paraprofessional staff to $16 per hour
- Raising the minimum teacher starting pay from $55,142 to $60,000
- Creating special education stipends to retain special education teachers
- $500,000 additional contributions to employee health care premiums
Boerne ISD trustees review fiscal year 2024-25 comprehensive financial report
Boerne ISD leaders Nov. 17 reviewed the draft of the annual comprehensive financial report for fiscal year 2024-25, showing a surplus in the general fund compared to the projected deficit.
Wes Scott, chief financial and operations officer, shared the report showing that the district’s total combined net position as of June 30 was around $44.81 million.
According to financial documents for the fiscal year, the general fund reported a total fund balance of around $29.55 million, an increase from the projected ending balance of around $25.88 million.
When planning for FY 2024-25, district staff projected a more than $5 million deficit. Amendments adopted by the board of trustees throughout the year helped reduce that deficit estimate to around $2.8 million. At the end of the year, the budget closed with a surplus of around $1.1 million.
Boerne ISD trustees review 2023-24 financial efficiency audit
Boerne ISD trustees reviewed a financial efficiency audit for the 2023-24 school year Oct. 27.
While this audit was not required due to local disaster declarations, district leaders said the audit was conducted to help provide financial transparency. The audit was completed by Weaver and Tidwell LLP.
Audit findings show the district’s total operating revenue for all funds for fiscal year 2023-24 totaled $8,941 per student. The average for peer districts totaled $11,132 per student, while the state average totaled $13,037 per student.
Weaver and Tidwell representatives highlighted that the majority of revenue for Boerne ISD and peer districts comes from property taxes.
Additionally, the report found that the district’s operating expenditures for all funds totaled $9,361 per student, while peer districts and the state average were $10,661 per student and $12,944 per student, respectively.
Boerne ISD students show growth in advanced academics
Year over year, more Boerne ISD students are being identified as gifted or talented, and students are performing better on college-readiness exams.
Crissy Poulis, director of Advanced Academics and College, Career and Military Readiness for BISD, shared an update on student advanced academics during the Oct. 27 board meeting.
As of Sept. 15, around 10.3% of students in the district are identified as being either gifted or talented, Poulis said.
One of the primary goals of the district is to ensure students are ready for college, a career or the military upon graduation. By 2028, the district aims to have 100% of students engaging with innovative learning experiences.
