Link to Board Docs
Link to Video Recording
Public Hearing – Proposed Tax Rate
Proposed 2025-25 Budget and Tax Rate:
CFO and COO Dennis Covington gave an update on the 2025–26 budget and tax rate, with context that TEA has told districts to approve budgets without budget codes related to House Bill 2. The budget as passed shows the district facing an $11 million deficit. However, it is not finalized as districts throughout the state wait for the information from TEA. There was no price increase for school meals or change in the district’s tax rate.
Regular Board Meeting:
Recognition of Staff and Students
Staff Welcome
Mandy Masters – Laurel Mountain Elementary Principal
Superintendent Reports:
F1. LSG Monitoring Report Goal 1
Dr. Natalie Nichols, Erica Simmons, and Principal Sara Nelson from Purple Sage Elementary shared data and information for Early Literacy K–2 (Goals 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3) and Early Math K–2 (2.1, 2.2, 2.3).
- The district will increase the percentage of students who score Meets Grade Level or higher on 3rd-grade STAAR reading from 53% to 76% by 2026, with an end-of-year goal of 2025 being 70%.
- Principal Nelson explained how her campus targets progress monitoring weekly among teams, analyzing that data to help direct actions and move students among tiers, while keeping families informed.
- The district will increase the percentage of students who score Meets Grade Level or higher on 3rd-grade STAAR math from 40% to 76% by 2026, with an end of year goal of 2025 being 72%.
F2. Strategic Plan: 2.3 and 4.1
Dr. Natalie Nicols, Erica Simmons, and Kayren Gray reviewed the district’s Strategic Plan Goals 2.3 and 4.1.
- Kayren Gray reviewed how the district is leveraging the resources and voices of our diverse community to create a collective sense of ownership of student success.
- The district is focused on aligning mission, vision, and branding while growing our community engagement and outreach with community groups and events, growing digital engagement, providing consistent communications, and using student groups such as The Voice to make informed decisions that will help create a better sense of belonging.
- Erica Simmons reviewed how the district is developing a streamlined strategy to track, gather, and measure student growth data throughout the upcoming school year.
- The district will progress monitor K–2 with mClass and aimswebPlus, 3–8 with Eduphoria and iReady.
F3. Administration Response to the School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) Recommendations
Dr. Byron Gerard and Rodrigo Portillo presented the district’s plan to implement the four recommendations provided by SHAC.
- Recommendation 1: In accordance with HB 3908, provide lessons on the dangers of opioids to students in grades 6-12.
- The district met with the curriculum and counseling departments to plan where this lesson would be provided to students.
- Recommendation 2: The district should host community health fairs.
- Student Support Services hosted a community health night in March 2025. Students had access to organizations that could provide additional health resources to families while also being able to choose breakout sessions for workshops related to planning and mental health. The goal is to have the district host a health fair event at each VLC.
- Recommendation 3: The district should streamline the consent for Human Development lessons.
- In Texas, districts are mandated to include a specific health education curriculum offered to grades 6–8.
- A written notice and consent will be provided through a Google form to families by teachers, and reminders of information from campus administration prior to lessons.
- Recommendation 4: Adopt a district-level policy to include 45 minutes of recess and ensure that recess time isn’t taken away for academic reasons or as punishment.
- The district currently provides elementary school students with 20 minutes of recess time per day, but will expand to 30 minutes for K–1 students.
2024–25 End-of-Year Budget Update
Dennis Covington and Rhonda Rhode reviewed the 2024–25 budget updates related to the school’s fiscal year that runs from July 1 to June 31.
- The district provided a plan to decrease costs in the future by eliminating substitute coverage for non-teachers, completing utility projects, and reviewing facility use fees, among other things.
Discussion Items
G1. Board Student Outcome Goals Time Tracker
The board spent 45.2% of its time on Student Outcomes in May.
G2. Legislative Committee Update – Trustee Markum
The Lege Committee is moving into the wrap-up phase and will continue to review policy changes from this legislative session, as well as develop advocacy plans.
- For year two, the goal is to spend more time with the staff and community on specific legislative topics.
G3. First Reading of Policy DCD (Local) – Employment Practices At-Will Employment
Eddie Curran and Cindy Hill reviewed the first reading of Policy DCD (Local), related to employment practices, at-will employment, to provide an extra layer of protection to the district’s support staff.
- The district will update the employee handbook and provide training to staff as well as communicate the updates related regarding this policy.
Action Items for Consideration by Consent
H1–H12 approved 7-0
Action Items:
I1. Adoption of the 2025-2026 Round Rock ISD Budget
The board approved 7-0.
The proposed 2025-2026 Adopted Budget reflects the following:
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- General Fund: $461.0 million in Revenue; $472.4 million in Expenses; proposed tax rate: $0.7101. This represents no change from the prior year tax rate.
- Debt Service Fund: $106.1M in Revenue; $105.6 million in Expenses; proposed tax rate of $0.1830. This represents no change from the prior year tax rate.
- Food Service Fund: $20.2M in Revenue; $19.3 million in Expenses; proposed net income of $0.9 million. The budget proposes no increase in meal prices.
I2. Discussion and Possible Action on the Employee Worksite Health Clinic
The Board approved 7-0 to enter negotiations to approve the contract award for the implementation and administration of the Employee Worksite Health Clinic.
- Eddie Curran, David Beech, and Christen Gray reviewed the policy’s background, comparison, and outline to create possibilities for the employee worksite health clinic, which will help decrease staff insurance costs while promoting a more efficient and consistent resource for staff to keep themselves healthy.
I3. Appoint Delegate and Alternate to the 2025 TASB Delegate Assembly
Trustee Amber Landrum nominated Trustee Melissa Ross as the delegate and Trustee Michael Wei as the alternate for the 2025 TASB Delegate Assembly, approved 7-0.
Next Meetings:
Aug. 21 Regular Board Meeting
