[{"_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",6652070,"mediaKeyId","2496635-7d932e18a8449824ca8593087a4dca49","parentId",2496635,"title","Waxahachie ISD reports bond progress: Wyoming STEAM opens, Hancock and junior-high projects move forward","audioSeconds",3080,"startMs",9358000,"endMs",12438000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2496635-7d932e18a8449824ca8593087a4dca49&start=9358&end=12438","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2496635-7d932e18a8449824ca8593087a4dca49/thumbnail_9358000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6652070/Texas/Waxahachie-ISD-reports-bond-progress-Wyoming-STEAM-opens-Hancock-and-junior-high-projects-move-forward","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6652070-62297168d54880257dd6dc1ae08f0c39/orig.mp4?Expires=1777170121&Signature=bMI2Id409JKNTXkkio~VZ9Bf~ZYxPv2cYkWGn6AMkpbNLa0E-5KPV22tZfi5v~3t92Bfcv8~KSMOc0QoDwTNUOR2n5iIEX5QfrQuIBxvGsNChaY7JsRcvKq7xkYfnZqvPo8fuQSZCQsJIkdMVto0~wMed1VwlX0mxfL9GBMLlILbCw3xBaeIjkC4spJUdCAdZMnslAqBSsCldWNQN-7iqeqcN21VjsO2yNHuIPkeUZD6TrXTV6Y87EFPQkPzA~aUsA0CpswciN807OQtLPcq-w6GCtA2HJdmFGQlcsTRX6Z5SGnnhvSZ2W1dqUl~C7mVh-cvZKAQyGZcF~lggwFr9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-04T01:38:33Z","article","District construction staff updated the Waxahachie ISD Board of Trustees on progress under the 2023 bond and asked the board to approve a remaining guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for the new high school.

Project status and budget

Construction director Ryan Mott reported that Wyoming STEAM Academy had a grand opening and came in under the construction guaranteed maximum price by $3,343,951.14. He said BTC (the construction manager) had completed the contractor punch list and that warranty follow-up would be managed through regular district processes.

Mott said the Hancock Building renovation is about 70% complete and showing approximately $650,000 in current savings; work there is focused on a storm shelter and conversion of an old agriculture shop into locker/weight-room space. He said the Hancock storm shelter and related spaces were being sheet‑rocked and readied for power activation once painting and finish work allow safe access.

Howard and Findlay junior-high projects were listed at about 25% complete; Findlay requires replacement of a transformer and other demolition and interior work. Mott said the projects are on schedule for August completion and that many interior renovations will happen over the summer to avoid disruption while school is in session.

Prop C progress and next steps

Mott told trustees that, by the end of summer, roughly 75% of the originally identified bond items will be complete and that the district is using identified savings to address additional facility needs beyond the original scope. He noted a districtwide list of several hundred facility items; about 206 specific tasks were planned for the coming summer, including full bathroom remodels, floor replacement, locker-room work, exterior painting and some cafeteria upgrades.

Mott also described reuse of an older district building (the former brick building near the Wallen campus) that had been slated for demolition under the bond; instead, the district will rehabilitate it as a shop/lab space for the Global campus, adding a roll-up door and new HVAC, roofing and finishes.

New high school GMP and local participation

District project manager Gordon Collins presented the board the fourth and final GMP for the Waxahachie Creek High School project (the remaining scope of work). GMP 4 covers the rest of the building not previously bid. Collins said the bid process drew wide local and regional interest — more than 300 trade responses across GMPs — and the GMP 4 packages came in competitive enough that the district established a contingency/allowance and remains under the project budget.

Board action

Trustees approved acceptance of the completed Wyoming STEAM (Wollman/Wyoming) project and authorized the release of retainage consistent with board policy. They also approved the remaining GMP for Waxahachie Creek High School at $229,146,852; the vote carried with one board member abstaining because of a potential conflict of interest related to neighboring property ownership.

Why it matters

The bond program funds priority facility needs across the district and opens a new STEAM campus while advancing the district’s long-term plan for a second comprehensive high school. Construction schedule adherence and under‑GMP outcomes to date were cited by staff as reasons the district could extend work into additional prioritized facility repairs.

Ending

Staff asked trustees to continue approving routine change orders and contract awards on the consent agenda; the district will proceed with the high school permit, site work and GMP 4 contracting so major building work can progress this spring and summer.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Waxahachie Board Meeting 3-3-2025","oneSentenceSummary","District construction staff reported that Wyoming STEAM Academy opened on time and under its construction GMP, Hancock and junior-high renovations are active and the board approved the final GMP for Waxahachie Creek High School.","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},6652076,"Waxahachie ISD outlines 2025–26 budget priorities, warns SHARS revenue is shrinking",2674,59000,2733000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2496635-7d932e18a8449824ca8593087a4dca49&start=59&end=2733","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2496635-7d932e18a8449824ca8593087a4dca49/thumbnail_59000.jpg","/articles/6652076/Texas/Waxahachie-ISD-outlines-202526-budget-priorities-warns-SHARS-revenue-is-shrinking","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6652076-fe303c380bf63b18b5ff902e20cab26d/orig.mp4?Expires=1777170121&Signature=ZIg4qVZUVBfXVoffipHfu06rtqBj31OAWD~i-rKQfkKzz2R51A2~oF57ap2AbPZ9bhcs-rLk2IAy6zy2F8Ta7rBqyLsPbQDnMRA2ae8SA6Xyp-I4CmnCmwu0OVSDxhL09AtVD1TEdj0AP2jh31ikt3q~MGd0xPRDVMX-BQh-toMxKl01Z~8Spe92eK90bHA4TOcZLdj7~e7B-yCpDYUQfFjm9OSs4ev3b2TEdGgR0vkaiGkdcRL~TBtkB-bHb-Id7uCpu4TznjVViQvqzn-UL6Pj4fCegaXsZUeXeMXeT0Zp8P46uSfVxzioQg~dmZ-7-mAJZ8ipismZ1KGTcSoZvg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brian Calden, the district’s finance presenter, told the Waxahachie ISD Board of Trustees at a March budget workshop that the district’s general fund has rebounded to roughly a 90-day fund balance and that leaders want to preserve that reserve while preparing for continued enrollment growth.

Calden said, “Fund balance is the fund that gives us latitude to be able to go out and do things that we otherwise weren't prepared to do,” and described the fund as the source the district prefers to use for one-time capital items rather than recurring personnel costs.

Board members were shown revenue and expenditure projections and a three-part budget workshop schedule that will continue in June and conclude with adoption in August. Calden said the district expects about 300 additional average daily attendance (ADA) next year and modeled a conservative enrollment increase of 300 students for budgeting rather than a demographer’s higher estimate of roughly 400.

Why it matters

Calden framed several trade-offs that will shape the 2025–26 budget: protecting fund balance for new campus openings, funding a districtwide staff salary increase, and a set of secondary priorities such as bus purchases, maintaining one-to-one student devices and targeted facility work. He said leaders are seeking board feedback on tiered priorities before firming the proposed budget.

Key details

- Fund balance and targets: Calden said the district’s general fund balance sits “right about that the, 90 day mark,” which he calculated at roughly $30,500,000. He cautioned against drawing down fund balance to pay recurring personnel costs. (Transcript excerpt: “We don't like using fund balance for personnel matters because fund balance is an exhaustible resource.”)

- SHARS reimbursements: Calden told trustees that the district’s federal SHARS (School Health and Related Services) revenue has fallen sharply as state rules change. He reported SHARS reimbursements of roughly $2.5 million in earlier years, about $1 million in the prior year and approximately $300,000 in the current year. He said the administration is “exploring whether or not to continue with the SHARS program as a district” and will decide before the federal fiscal year starts in October.

- Enrollment and ADA: The district reported roughly 11,000 students in its enrollment roll and a projected ADA close to budget assumptions; Calden said the district’s modeled ADA-based state funding is more important than raw enrollment because Texas funding currently follows average daily attendance. He noted a small shortfall of about 100 students from earlier estimates and emphasized conservative budgeting to avoid overcounting revenue.

- State and local revenue drivers: Calden showed that local property taxes now provide roughly 50–55% of general fund revenue, with state revenue around 40–43% and federal funds under 1%. He reminded trustees that property tax compression and recapture can shift the net revenue the district receives even when overall property values rise. Calden used an estimated $70 million in property tax revenue to compute that a 1% change equals about $700,000.

- Budget-reduction staffing committee: District leaders described a multi‑year process to trim discretionary spending and review staffing. Calden said a staffing subcommittee convened monthly beginning in October and cabinet recommended approximately $1.3 million in personnel expenditure reductions as a starting point; the framework was still being finalized.

- Priorities and costs: Calden presented tiered priorities for 2025–26. Tier 1 included growing fund balance, providing staff salary increases, and improving the Lumpkins practice field (ballpark estimate about $400,000). He said a 3% districtwide salary increase would cost about $2.4 million (he estimated roughly $800,000 per 1%). He estimated approximately $4 million to cover all Tier 1 items and roughly $5.5–6 million to reach through Tier 2. Bus prices were cited at about $150,000 each. Tier 3 ideas (retirement matching, attendance buyback) were noted as desirable but unlikely this budget year.

- Instructional materials: Trustees asked about the district’s recent switch from Eureka to Bluebonnet math. Calden and staff said the district may receive an additional instructional materials allotment for HQIM (high-quality instructional materials) — roughly $40 per student for HQIM components and an additional $20 if materials are open source — and that staff would follow up with specifics.

Discussion, direction and next steps

Board members asked whether the district should pursue an enrollment-based funding change at the state level and whether pre-K funding could move to full-day. Calden said both topics have bills filed in the legislature but noted no final action yet. Trustees pressed staff to ensure the district applies for all allowable ADA waivers for low-attendance days and to bring waiver decisions to the board before submission.

Calden closed by asking trustees for feedback on the priority tiers; staff will refine the budget model and return in June for the next workshop and again in August for formal adoption. He stressed a conservative approach to avoid hiring on revenue that might not materialize.

Ending

Trustees did not take formal action at the workshop; staff will return with updated enrollment, property-value and revenue figures in June and bring a proposed 2025–26 budget for adoption in August.

","At a March budget workshop, Waxahachie ISD officials said the district is in generally good financial health but flagged declining federal SHARS reimbursements, modest enrollment changes and a set of budget priorities that would require multimillion-dollar choices for staff raises, facilities and transportation.",{"_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},6652066,"Votes at a glance: Waxahachie ISD board approves consent agenda, pre-K program, class-size waiver and high-school GMP",265,11687000,11952000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2496635-7d932e18a8449824ca8593087a4dca49&start=11687&end=11952","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2496635-7d932e18a8449824ca8593087a4dca49/thumbnail_11687000.jpg","/articles/6652066/Texas/Votes-at-a-glance-Waxahachie-ISD-board-approves-consent-agenda-pre-K-program-class-size-waiver-and-high-school-GMP","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6652066-a4d7256298e6cfc6a5137cdbd518ec28/orig.mp4?Expires=1777170121&Signature=BD8THTh7~7wrdOPKIzapWu9np9FyKcXqFERw42ayN8KOWo3JTYoXhBZ1gdGsr~7vKaShfq1kDhAo04X7GzMFK6RFFYJ9IH9AepaAsovuipCsnTvyUyj89LhOQTASXiOIAXOy6Qex2uw9XhBJShx8Es59jm-AN2YH2ubRdqqah8mSQnIJH6BZXrTx5noP68n52~s5ZgwekvY25-K4m3~eRxTgaJNHUS2bK717pGq9ZQSgdiCGnojI-TK-hE0OLBJHM9scs~ASptFGNKULs6trbLo0jNx68C3atXrodPg4XQKRhZQ21Pk4v-Qk1bbEQPDcC~AL80VXi6jCOR9lq2yvtg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Waxahachie ISD Board of Trustees took multiple formal actions during a March meeting. Key outcomes are listed below; motions, seconders and vote tallies are included where recorded.

Consent agenda and additional consent item

- Consent agenda (items A–W): Motion by Mr. McCutcheon, second by Mrs. Zimmerman. Vote: 7–0 in favor; outcome approved. The board approved a set of routine items, many related to Proposition C construction work and operational business.

- Additional consent (item X — Hancock Building power-line relocation authority): After the initial consent vote the board separately approved an additional consent item to authorize further work with Encore to relocate power lines related to the Hancock Building athletic fields and granted authority up to $200,000. Motion by Mr. Scofield, second by Mr. Pitts. Vote: 7–0; outcome approved. Staff reported the current quote to move lines (above ground relocation) was about $79,000; the board authorized up to $200,000 to pursue burying or relocating lines as required.

Specific action items

- Action A — TEA maximum class-size exemption waiver: The board approved a TEA class-size waiver requested so a fourth-grade student could remain at Simpson Elementary even though the class exceeded the 22:1 cap, because alternate placement would have required adding a bus route. Motion: Mrs. Kriegel; second: Mrs. Scofield. Vote: 7–0; outcome approved. Staff noted the waiver is for a single student and that after spring break the waiver requirement no longer applies.

- Action B — Tuition-based WISD pre-K program for 2025–26: The board approved a district tuition-based pre-K pilot (two full-day classrooms at Jimmy Ray Elementary) to be filled by lottery. Staff estimated the program would be roughly cost-neutral if full, with tuition in the market range (~$5,500) and two certified teachers plus paraprofessionals required. Motion: Miss Timmerman; second: Mr. Scofield. Vote: 7–0; outcome approved.

- Action C — Accept Wyoming/Wollman STEAM Academy project as complete and authorize retainage release: Staff asked the board to accept the recently opened Wyoming STEAM project as complete and authorize release of retainage to BTC upon receipt of final draw documents. Motion/second not named on record; vote: 7–0; outcome approved. Staff reported the project completed under its GMP and that BTC’s punch list work was finished.

- Action D — Approve GMP 4 for Waxahachie Creek High School (remaining scope): The board approved a guaranteed maximum price from Poe Construction for the remaining scope of the new high school at $229,146,852. Motion: Miss Timmerman; second: Mr. McCutcheon. Vote: 6 in favor, 0 opposed, 1 abstention (Mr. Pitts abstained, citing a potential conflict of interest related to ownership of neighboring property); outcome approved.

Notes on votes and process

- Where the transcript recorded named makers and seconders, those are recorded above; several routine consent items were approved by a single omnibus motion and roll. The board followed the standard motion/second/vote format; no items were tabled or failed.

Ending

The approvals clear the way for staff to proceed with construction contracting, to implement a tuition pre-K pilot for next school year and to process a narrow, one‑student TEA waiver. Staff will return with further procurement and budget details at subsequent board workshops.","At the meeting the Waxahachie ISD board approved the consent agenda, authorized an additional consent item for burying power lines, approved a TEA class‑size waiver for one student, approved a tuition-based pre-K pilot, accepted a completed STEAM project and approved the final guaranteed maximum price for the new high school (one abstention).","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Waxahachie ISD reports bond progress: Wyoming STEAM opens, Hancock and junior-high projects move forward

Waxahachie ISD outlines 2025–26 budget priorities, warns SHARS revenue is shrinking

Votes at a glance: Waxahachie ISD board approves consent agenda, pre-K program, class-size waiver and high-school GMP