[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-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",[32,76,88,100],{"_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":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6230208,"mediaKeyId","3442671-6338e63a11529f6b7602a005fdd6cbb7","parentId",3442671,"title","SHAC and MAST recommend grade‑band cell‑phone expectations; board to await legislative clarity before formal adoption","audioSeconds",340,"startMs",5711000,"endMs",6051000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3442671-6338e63a11529f6b7602a005fdd6cbb7&start=5711&end=6051","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3442671-6338e63a11529f6b7602a005fdd6cbb7/thumbnail_5711000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6230208/Texas/SHAC-and-MAST-recommend-gradeband-cellphone-expectations-board-to-await-legislative-clarity-before-formal-adoption","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6230208-1c1cc1e0371819e928596f5f9bd7c307/orig.mp4?Expires=1771084452&Signature=Uh31uUDu7kJRL-NrOsXKjvD9beVbQSQQh~haY9y6z0KEyq60u2LpxKVkTYoVEc0yeokn24hxxOr5qHZQlBAjdbaaXL7Ad5IU2Fny5U-x5GqLEuqNgbweqwhimvdfYyUisv044nAUGwoL3lDoF4gxGI0i~KSMRjfYG-wtYjeqWiLUwJ-1VCJhhagMh~IjecpyN8XoAdL~7CWfrgpB99O7KBv3o7zzcVbtBWsSShbX8zXEWEbfKwyQw34RJBX3~a-1FL75GTIu2q3m-qn4HVhrl6MINVk-ZcjFDPOnmqEg2FdJUt7FEf-cmDuJTDETbF1nvyhAIRP18vA2pCuYiO8jUA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Midway ISD","date","2025-05-22T11:17:10.107Z","article","Midway ISD staff presented School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) and MAST committee work on student cell‑phone expectations and told trustees both bodies favored a graded policy that restricts phone use during instructional time and allows limited use at non‑instructional times.

Anne Marie (staff member) summarized SHAC’s four meetings and said the committee reviewed parent and staff surveys, sample policies and legislative language. She said SHAC examined options and that both SHAC and MAST favored \"sample B,\" a model that tightens restrictions for younger students and provides more limited freedoms for older students.

Dr. Allen (superintendent) explained the implementation choices and legal context: the district typically places expectations in the student handbook or Student Code of Conduct (the latter is board‑approved and carries more formal weight). He said the board was not being asked to adopt a policy at the meeting and that staff would wait for any clear legislative requirements before bringing a formal policy forward. \"We're not asking the board for any approvals tonight,\" he said, noting pending state legislation might require boards to adopt a policy.

Under the SHAC/MAST recommendation, pre‑K through fifth‑grade expectations would be most restrictive (no classroom use), grades 6–8 would permit limited use before school, during dismissal and on buses, and grades 9–12 would allow supervised, limited use in transition times and cafeterias while keeping phones out of instruction. The committees also suggested accommodations for health needs and other exceptions.

Board members sought clarity on logistics such as whether classrooms would use phone bins or backpacks; trustees and staff said classroom‑level implementation could vary and that the district will seek teacher input and consider costs for options such as classroom caddies or bins. Several trustees said they wanted a full board discussion and approval of final language once legislative clarity is available.

Ending: Staff will hold the recommendation for incorporation into the handbook or Student Code of Conduct after seeking any necessary legal guidance and will return with draft language or an ordinance for board consideration once the Legislature’s session outcome is known.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","May Board Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The School Health Advisory Council and MAST recommended a grade‑band approach (sample B) to limit student phone use during instruction. The superintendent asked trustees to review recommendations and said staff will wait for any legislative mandate before seeking formal board action.","taxTitle","MIDWAY ISD, School Districts, Texas","taxId",38373,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6230213,"Midway ISD reports expanded staff counseling, hunger program growth and SHAC recommendations",373,4233000,4606000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3442671-6338e63a11529f6b7602a005fdd6cbb7&start=4233&end=4606","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3442671-6338e63a11529f6b7602a005fdd6cbb7/thumbnail_4233000.jpg","/articles/6230213/Texas/Midway-ISD-reports-expanded-staff-counseling-hunger-program-growth-and-SHAC-recommendations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6230213-d533ad2544ea2fbf9ab407750e2bdf3e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771084452&Signature=PpiVVMEi2ds4JnSM92SVhCeP5qO2LSSfBzLf5cZtXHclaP2e34pcP48vx6Y6~S1meAYtnru2JEgiTM9uC-3v9wRsfz-TVOxkZHSzr8G~NcLGc3TmolkOjQTMPgREqlHEe9GVAYzK2GMyyXRbZheZeWhiif6Tv22-XTgwW-xzmEgkoMIiRRiAZKGCxzaxa1~CoOqKq2Q3yVcjHPgRURhquVyyVCQ9HlNZQfmYxwbW8-X5pj30Cb21BnyCUGmWjGN7kyD2iLHT78uVesjULDDA85ZV414euE1VLeEFkQ9L7eZHeSxi1uCBeeO5p4PdVGyHln9L9zvDGL78AmUo5q2xLg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Midway ISD’s student‑support services team told the board the district expanded mental‑health and family support during 2024–25, including the first year of an on‑site staff counselor, growth in hunger‑relief distributions, and continued partnerships for substance‑use counseling and high‑level behavioral health services.

\"She provided 317 counseling appointments with staff this year,\" Anne Marie (staff member) said of the district’s new staff counselor, Kristen Arterberry, describing the role as a flexible, confidential resource for employees and a connector to community resources. Anne Marie said the staff‑counselor role included supervision, direct support for employees in crisis, and help linking staff to housing and family resources when needed.

Anne Marie also reported the school hunger program distributed roughly 12,000 to almost 13,000 bags of food this year (more than 13,000 when holiday boxes are included). A district fundraising challenge on the 100th day of school raised about $18,000 for hunger‑free operations; individual campus drives such as a coin challenge raised thousands for single campuses.

Officials summarized other student‑support work: McKinney‑Vento (homeless) referrals and services rose districtwide; the district provided pregnancy‑related services to five pregnant students and support to eight total students in that program; the district continued a partnership with Baylor for a counseling internship program that delivers substance‑use education and counseling, including summer services; and Communities in Schools and district mentors delivered targeted transition plans and mentoring for at‑risk students returning from discipline placements.

Anne Marie presented the School Health Advisory Council’s (SHAC) year‑long work on health, counseling and cell‑phone policy. SHAC met four times with 30–35 members on average, reviewed parent/staff surveys and recommended a cell‑phone expectation model (referred to by members as sample B) that varies by grade band and limits phone use during instruction.

Ending: Trustees thanked staff and community partners and asked for continued updates; staff said they plan to sustain counseling and hunger‑relief efforts and will return with SHAC‑related proposals for board consideration, subject to any legislative action.","District student‑support staff told trustees they expanded staff counseling, distributed nearly 13,000 hunger‑free food bags this year, strengthened McKinney‑Vento support and advanced SHAC work on cell‑phone guidance.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6230218,"Midway ISD tech director reports low iPad breakage, $1 million resale gain and parent concerns about early‑grade screen time",829,2964000,3793000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3442671-6338e63a11529f6b7602a005fdd6cbb7&start=2964&end=3793","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3442671-6338e63a11529f6b7602a005fdd6cbb7/thumbnail_2964000.jpg","/articles/6230218/Texas/Midway-ISD-tech-director-reports-low-iPad-breakage-1-million-resale-gain-and-parent-concerns-about-earlygrade-screen-time","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6230218-99872ee10d50c3760964ff7ad68c4b7b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771084452&Signature=KI1xHxJVAGMa2pfej3yZxBAdtz2yrkfgyP1eygjzTHs3KCeRWcg6yZPmJxZn9Sv2~aOspflBX09opsZaQfia8kSEDozaxh3ZzdMYfhJtILfMrJ6AIGYZjNql6YjeXvbahtO~CvoEudmhYd5oNZySp7wM~jyxg0QvMxb3xQLNbNcu6ziIsDsTNimkvZJBx-dgada-uHA4SwJLuz~MOMoR-09IU~YXGxGF0F-w16X95WTumyibR9lOQQXAnQwkCVyl8gVasb7IM1zs-Cx4Vnv0WHmRorrelVjJTJ5xY9eH-Gi7wU33~HQIJ0xv-69X5-YyQoogDBCA7xtdbNVhsq7ydA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Midway ISD technology staff on May meeting night reported what they described as successful first full year of a 1:1 iPad program, and outlined several network and security projects while fielding a public comment from a parent asking the district to review device use in early elementary grades.

\"Over 9,600 iPads in the wild, we've only done 95 repairs,\" Jesse (staff member) said, noting that 95 repairs represent under 1% breakage. He told the board the district also received its final check from last year’s device resale and \"we were able to make a $1,000,000 back on that sale.\" Jesse said those resale returns and device longevity factor into total cost‑of‑ownership calculations when comparing platforms.

Jesse walked trustees through technology projects the district is carrying into summer: a new access‑control system demoed as \"On Guard by Linel s 2\" to consolidate cameras and door management, replacement of older teacher VDI workstations with new all‑in‑one PCs, migration to a new firewall platform, and replacement of old key cards with new, more secure cards. He said the district planned to complete access‑control work before teachers return in August. Jesse also reported the district had installed 87 vape sensors and planned to analyze middle/high school data over the summer.

On federal funding, Jesse said Midway has relied on E‑rate discounts tied to its free/reduced lunch rate and that a pending Supreme Court challenge to aspects of E‑rate funding could be consequential. \"Since 2021, we've received over a million dollars in funding toward Internet service and network equipment,\" he said, and the district expects a court decision in late June or early July.

Jesse described a forthcoming parent transparency tool in beta testing, \"Lightspeed Parent Portal,\" that will allow automated parent enrollment and reports of web activity for district devices. He said the vendor plans a late‑summer release and staff can manually enroll a small number of parents in the meantime.

During public comment, Ally Roten (parent) said she declined an iPad for her kindergartner and allowed only supervised, limited use for district testing. She said a substitute later gave the child an iPad and the child reported, \"something scary popped up.\" Roten asked the district to review the developmental appropriateness of frequent device use in early grades and consider stricter limits for younger students.

Jesse and board members discussed parental opt‑outs, classroom variability in iPad use, and what data the district can produce about device time and apps used. Jesse said the content‑filter provider is beta testing a parent portal that will let parents receive weekly activity PDFs and see blocked content. He encouraged parents who want a manual enrollment now to contact technology staff.

Ending: Staff will bring usage and sensor data after summer collection and continue work on access control, E‑rate items, and parent‑portal rollout; trustees asked staff to report back with implementation details and opt‑out counts if available.","Technology staff told the board 9,600 district iPads performed well this year with fewer than 1% repairs and $1,000,000 recovered from resale; staff also described E‑rate funding dependence, an access‑control upgrade, vape sensors and a new parent portal, while a kindergarten parent urged review of iPad use in early grades.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6230222,"Midway ISD staff warn of multimillion‑dollar deficits under current Texas school finance proposals",463,2032000,2495000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3442671-6338e63a11529f6b7602a005fdd6cbb7&start=2032&end=2495","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3442671-6338e63a11529f6b7602a005fdd6cbb7/thumbnail_2032000.jpg","/articles/6230222/Texas/Midway-ISD-staff-warn-of-multimilliondollar-deficits-under-current-Texas-school-finance-proposals","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6230222-5a5bab36651b371e89726384fcf8f982/orig.mp4?Expires=1771084452&Signature=FnHzt65nfdk67qbSw0STiLojOsvxydejaQxk5BcDbfOHXc-f8KfCDda5a6R3zg4l74OeSbxoI3kY~bNTQhHgcEKrhRIKa42j-KbQ8F8jNJ45mTtP4aSKniexl1VxWzId1ywjfbUjJZ8dhK2m1tel0tHK0bjQq7qt5beGr9QhgmpfqvbMmGnoil5gTzX0pLisR8L7xn2qb3wI2TlK4cHkWyqSuQMdlq8whuUEdX40tcYAVXGNImmSLrWEJKPjcBx0CYtTqMw2Zzij8iccrFMltjFgidY~TfmcDt7nm0WrvBtuaq97rTkqioFHQmiIJgoSXOXAojY1EbhzFbUUK525Rg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Midway ISD finance staff told the board on May meeting night that the district now projects a multimillion‑dollar general‑fund shortfall for fiscal 2026 under current state proposals, and recommended adopting a budget in June with options to amend later if the Legislature changes school funding.

District finance officer Wesley (staff member) told trustees the district’s first scenario — based on a Senate committee substitute for the current school finance bill — yields a roughly $5.2 million general‑fund deficit, while a no‑new‑state‑revenue scenario would show about a $5.7 million deficit. \"This first scenario ... is a $5,200,000 deficit,\" Wesley said, adding that changes in salary allotments for teachers and related increases in employer contributions to TRS are the main drivers of the gap.

The budget outlook matters because the board must adopt a budget before the fiscal year begins July 1. Wesley said the district will post the proposed budget in the local paper in June and bring it to the board for adoption, with the option to amend later if the Legislature finalizes different funding. \"We'll post the budget in the paper. And then in June, we'll bring it for adoption,\" he said.

Wesley walked trustees through specific items in the April financial packet. He said the district made a required IRS arbitrage payment after bond proceeds earned excess investment income over the IRS threshold: \"we exceeded that threshold and we had ... that's what the 364,000 is, to the ... to the IRS.\" He also presented projections for the child nutrition and debt service funds: a roughly $59,000 deficit in child nutrition next year and about a $3.8 million projected surplus in debt service assuming no defeasance.

Wesley and Dr. Allen (superintendent) explained why the planned teacher salary allotment in the committee substitute increases the district’s payroll burden even while the bill directs more money for teacher pay. The committee substitute raises teacher compensation via an allotment that districts must use largely for classroom teacher pay; Wesley said the allotment provides about $2,500 for teachers with 3–4 years experience and $5,500 for teachers with five or more years in the proposal, and that district TRS contribution increases and targeted allotments together raise payroll costs.

Board discussion highlighted uncertainty. Trustee Pam Watts and others pressed staff on assumptions — Wesley said the district expects to receive new special‑education evaluation funding of about $300,000 that reduces the worst‑case deficit to roughly $4.9 million, and he noted that the second year of any enacted biennial plan should look better because some proposed changes phase in.

Staff described contingency options if the district adopts a June budget before final state action. One scenario the board discussed would include a one‑time 1% recruitment/retention payment instead of a larger across‑the‑board permanent raise so the district retains flexibility if the Legislature later provides additional salary funding. Wesley emphasized that current budget scenarios assume no change in employer health insurance contributions and that those numbers remain another variable.

The board did not vote on a budget at the meeting; trustees were reminded the facility study committee will deliver a bond recommendation at the June regular meeting and that the district can amend an adopted budget in July or August if the legislative outcome changes.

Ending: Trustees asked staff for continued updates; Wesley said staff would refine projections as new legislative details arrive and bring the formally posted budget back for the board’s June action.","District finance staff told the Midway ISD board the district faces a projected $4.9–$5.7 million general‑fund deficit for fiscal 2026 under alternate state bill scenarios and outlined a June budget adoption timeline and contingency options.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

SHAC and MAST recommend grade‑band cell‑phone expectations; board to await legislative clarity before formal adoption

Midway ISD reports expanded staff counseling, hunger program growth and SHAC recommendations

Midway ISD tech director reports low iPad breakage, $1 million resale gain and parent concerns about early‑grade screen time

Midway ISD staff warn of multimillion‑dollar deficits under current Texas school finance proposals