2009 FBISD Tax Hearing (On YouTube)

CLICK HERE FOR THE 2009 FBISD CONTROVERSIAL TAX HEARING (YES THEY ARE RAISING THEM AGAIN--see petition of over 500 district taxpayers asking for board accountability) --In case anyone missed it they raised the property tax rate again (4th time) in 2010 and more than likely will do so again in 2011 facing another projected 15-20 million dollar budget deficit, according to some media reports. ***NEW*** ..Petition TO STOP THE GSTC (Global Science Museum being planned at the district central office--near $30 million dollar project that superintendent Jenney is pushing): http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/stopthegcst/ (see update below on this apparently ending this project after 2 years)

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Discipline Disparity In FBISD? See this FBN Graduation Report

. . . the district didn't fare as well in the discipline category. The Schott study criticized a national tendency toward giving black males a disproportionate share of out-of-school suspensions and expulsions.

At Fort Bend ISD, the study indicates that more than 29% of out-of-school suspensions in 2005-06 went to black males, while only 6.18% went to white males.

Also, the study said, black male students were classified as gifted and talented fewer than one-third as often as white male students, and were classified as mentally retarded nearly four times as often as their white classmates.

"If Black male students had been admitted to Gifted/Talented programs at a rate comparable to that of White male students, at least an additional 1,000 students would have been able to take advantage of those program resources."

From: http://fortbendnow.com/pages/full_story?article-Report-Slams-Schools-For-Low-Black-Male-Graduation-Rates---Except-At-Fort-Bend%20=&hash=comments_167776&page_label=home&id=167776&widget=push&open=&#comments_167776

Friday, July 25, 2008

FBS: K-6 program to start at 10 FBISD elementary schools in August

K-6 program to start at 10 FBISD elementary schools in August

By Barbara Fulenwider

When Fort Bend ISD announced it was going to make some elementary schools K-6, they caught flak from parents, students and some teachers but that was a year ago and today it’s ready to be rolled out.

Marc Smith, the district’s assistant superintendent for elementary schools, brought trustees up to date on it at their July 14 board meeting. Ten elementary schools will have a pilot program of kindergarten through sixth grade students under one roof starting Aug. 25. The K-6 model is being used because in January last year trustees added a fifth criteria to the district’s rezoning efforts -- develop a plan for academic enhancements.

The K-6 pilot program will be at Ridgegate, Ridgemont, Blue Ridge, Briargate, Lantern lane, Quail Valley Hunters Glen, Glover, Jones and the new Armstrong. Missouri City, Christa McAuliffe and Quail Valley are the three middle schools that will become 7-8 grade campuses.

Parents protested the K-6 plan because they felt having sixth graders go to school with primary students might negatively impact the younger students, would cause overcrowded schools and their children didn’t like the idea, so the district postponed starting the program for a year. Smith said from January 2007 throughout the spring a series of community meetings were held and “feedback from some were not positive. The concern was we were moving too quickly.”

http://www.fortbendstar.com/072308/n_K%20thru%206%20program%20to%20start%20at%2010%20FBISD%20elementary%20schools%20in%20August.htm

FBISDWatch Comment:

Apparently most of the impacted schools in this "pilot project" are in east FBISD at older schools.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Upcoming Important Dates-

Important Dates:

August 11 - Regular School Board Meeting - 7:00 PM


August 19 - Summer Graduation, Wheeler Field House - 6:30 PM


August 25 - Regular School Board Meeting - 7:00 PM

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

FBN: FBISD Extends Audit Firm Contract At BOT Meeting

FBISD Extends Audit Firm Contract
by John Pape

Fort Bend ISD trustees voted unanimously to grant a one-year extension to the contact with the auditing firm of Hereford, Lynch, Sellars and Kirkham to conduct the district’s annual audit.

The vote came at the recommendation of the district’s audit committee. Board President Sonal Bhuchar read the recommendation.

“In May 2006, the board of trustees awarded a two-year contract for audit services to Hereford, Lynch, Sellars and Kirkham, PC, with an option for three one-year extensions subject to annual review and approval. Hereford Lynch has done good work for the district and helped business and finance produce quality comprehensive annual financial reports that have met TEA’s financial reporting requirements for the 2005-`06 and 2006-`07 fiscal years,” Bhuchar reported. “The Government Finance Officers Association and the Association of School Business Officials have also recognized the district’s CAFR with certificates of excellence in financial reporting.” . . . (get the full story at http://fortbendnow.com/pages/full_story?article-FBISD-Extends-Audit-Firm-Contract-%20=&page_label=home&id=113114-FBISD-Extends-Audit-Firm-Contract-&widget=push&instance=home_news_lead_story&open=&)

FBW comment:
In other actions taken Monday night, former school board president Cindy Knox's daughter is hired as a new principal in the district.

Update on BOT mtg from FBN: http://fortbendnow.com/pages/full_story?article-Fort-Bend-ISD-Announces-New-School-Administrators%20=&page_label=home&id=113181-Fort-Bend-ISD-Announces-New-School-Administrators&widget=push&instance=home_news_lead_story&open=&

Monday, July 14, 2008

BOT Meets Tonight--

See: http://fortbendnow.com/pages/full_story?article-Fort-Bend-ISD-Trustees-To-Meet-Tonight%20=&page_label=home&id=112445-Fort-Bend-ISD-Trustees-To-Meet-Tonight&widget=push&instance=home_news_lead_story&open=&

Work Begins On New Sienna High School

"In May, the school board canceled an initial contract with Hillwood, citing “unacceptable” conditions placed on the district. Trustees never publicized what their concerns exactly were. They then decided to place the new high school on a 65-acre site southeast of FM 521 and Texas 6, a plan that pleased residents in the Arcola area in the district’s far east but angered Sienna Plantation residents." Houston Chronicle

Comment: The district still owns the alternate property which they paid full market value for. They haven't decided what to do with it.

Question: Was our tax dollars used wisely in this exchange?

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Important Dates-

Important Dates Coming Up!

July 14 - Regular School Board Meeting - 7:00 PM


August 11 - Regular School Board Meeting - 7:00 PM


August 19 - Summer Graduation, Wheeler Field House - 6:30 PM


August 25 - Regular School Board Meeting - 7:00 PM

Thursday, July 3, 2008



In honor of the spirit of '76. Happy 4th!