[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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],{"_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",6510183,"mediaKeyId","5392462-d4af09469a005fd544ade4cc63ebfb33","parentId",5392462,"title","Residents offer tutoring help; pastor urges board to rescind appointment and comply with open-meetings rules","audioSeconds",459,"startMs",350000,"endMs",809000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5392462-d4af09469a005fd544ade4cc63ebfb33&start=350&end=809","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5392462-d4af09469a005fd544ade4cc63ebfb33/thumbnail_350000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6510183/Texas/Residents-offer-tutoring-help-pastor-urges-board-to-rescind-appointment-and-comply-with-open-meetings-rules","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6510183-94837025889db691805ef1002ec06911/orig.mp4?Expires=1775315920&Signature=ijXd6e4e-hWZqBrdcLh7TlN1HECK7lJFlFyT1BB8-sPD9Qjpd3Gi2QKb5JyFhomnA~xNqpx4a~kM5QEmPd7YaZxs8uqvafpXdX5ULNNthglxRsCKbdW2eX2Ghptt52Wj2SWGEqUnFfDvVxJ4DFy~lQzfqBCgtFeeyzhbzztpSHOb-3Gm45I8CR5s5wjlZApWas5ygCQ3jh9wsjVvuBJMkIZiYUh7JvmpIG-ACJ4-wDvU75y74~uOxtCEBY42p0RDhNElDblJXzymwdgUXJSA~OhwZSavcC80lkLiVJEkzX9ITm7PQpIvmlU1dRkgmBkrbM7vFQkxE0bTAEf9-Cz~ug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","BASTROP ISD","date","2025-07-14T15:52:48Z","article","Three public commenters addressed trustees during the open forum, urging transparency, offering volunteer help for students and raising legal concerns about a recent board appointment.

Luis DeRusso, a Cedar Creek resident, said he is retired and willing to volunteer to tutor students during the school day. “I would be willing to volunteer and tutor students to help them catch up,” DeRusso told the board, and he asked that the district share its plan for addressing a low state accountability grade publicly so the community can help.

Deborah Carter asked the board for a written response to her remarks at the June 11 meeting and invited trustees to begin conversations with community members who want to help the district. She said local organizations and parents have ideas for collaborative solutions and asked the board to make students their “priority 1.”

Pastor Jeremy Story raised legal concerns about a board appointment. Story said he filed a lawsuit alleging the board violated the Texas Open Meetings Act by making an appointment “behind the scenes” rather than in public. He said the lawsuit is not about the appointee’s qualifications but about transparency and public notice. Story asked the board to rescind the June 11 appointment vote and to adopt a written policy to provide at least 30 days’ public notice and an opportunity for input before filling future vacancies. In his remarks he referenced the appointment by name in different parts of his statement (he referred to “mister Coy” and later to “Josh Korg”); the transcript records both names as used by the speaker.

Why this matters: public volunteers can supplement tutoring and recovery services for students, and the legal challenge raises questions about the board’s compliance with the Texas Open Meetings Act (often abbreviated TOMA) and public participation in trustee appointments.

Board response: The board clerk acknowledged DeRusso’s offer and said staff would follow up about volunteer and mentor opportunities. Trustees said the district would share updated accountability information when available.

Ending: Public commenters urged greater transparency and community partnership; the board said staff would follow up on volunteer inquiries and that legal and procedural issues raised during public comment would remain subject to the district’s records and legal process.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bastrop ISD Board of Trustees Meeting 7/15/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Members of the public urged transparency and offered to volunteer as tutors; a local pastor told trustees he had filed a lawsuit alleging the board violated the Texas Open Meetings Act in a board appointment and offered a settlement to rescind the appointment.","taxTitle","BASTROP ISD, School Districts, Texas","taxId",13515,"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},6510187,"Bastrop ISD reviews cellphone rules for students and proposes school library advisory committee",382,1350000,1732000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5392462-d4af09469a005fd544ade4cc63ebfb33&start=1350&end=1732","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5392462-d4af09469a005fd544ade4cc63ebfb33/thumbnail_1350000.jpg","/articles/6510187/Texas/Bastrop-ISD-reviews-cellphone-rules-for-students-and-proposes-school-library-advisory-committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6510187-6762334961b408d14809fafc1db32e25/orig.mp4?Expires=1775315920&Signature=AOB3y2eXeK7EKpuNWfjKRCPTa1Aukxj4NVC6ffhOZI0bZjQHncpPpKAz2893Wi1WL0o0LSahK0xsg55ELRasTFN~sMoPVDp5f8lQnMDsWE5LhLvzLYzq8xq7m8ppBKmAmUawpxCkevhWhckrDKvfaMoQbL74-FK3dDhtzHOj1GDQB~UTUrhluX~SOfvv6fgM9~PnNyvrSR-rlF404MAMIxZfwK~N89zv5aCqGMTfCiD202p-HUHtBWShYCkWVpUwM5~esIbFI7wV5wvn~SDE~uItWK9FhuUansQs0mOkkAxpxIqMvsaGaPH6A8myCMARIkc-OJ8dahq7fnvTIEhv-Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bastrop Independent School District Board of Trustees heard information about proposed revisions to the district’s communication-device policy and a recommendation to establish a School Library Advisory Committee (SLAC) to advise librarians and the director of digital learning.

Dr. Kristy Lee and district staff told trustees that a policy draft under review would allow elementary students to possess mobile phones but keep them stored in backpacks, consistent with current practice in many schools. Dr. Lee said the district wants to consider “allowing elementary students to have them, but to store them in their backpacks,” and staff will return with a revised policy for the August board meeting.

A key open point for trustees: whether the instructional day includes passing periods and lunch. If the instructional day includes those intervals, the policy as written would prohibit device use during passing periods or lunch except for students with an IEP or 504 plan or district-issued devices; the district plans to seek legal clarification on that interpretation before bringing a final policy forward.

School library advisory committee
Trustees reviewed a proposal to form a school library advisory committee (SLAC). The board was told the committee would meet a few times a year to advise the director of digital learning and library services and librarians on collection development. The trustees were told each trustee will be asked to appoint a parent of a currently enrolled student; the committee would include at least seven members and may include teachers, counselors and administrators. Board members may attend SLAC meetings but would not serve as appointed members in order to avoid conflicts when the board later approves SLAC recommendations.

New campus funding question
A staff member told the board that the district applies for the new instructional facility allotment (NIFA) funding for every new campus. The staff member said the district plans to apply for Adelton by an August 15 deadline and described potential funding as “up to a thousand dollars per kid” in the initial years to offset start-up costs; the board did not provide an exact district-wide dollar total at the meeting.

Why this matters: communication-device rules affect day-to-day safety and supervision; SLAC would provide a regular parent-and-staff advisory channel for library collection decisions; new campus funding affects startup budgets for opening schools.

Next steps: trustees were urged to submit feedback to Dr. Lee before the August meeting so the district can present a revised device policy and a proposed SLAC appointment process.","Trustees received information on possible changes to the district's communication-device policy for elementary students and discussed establishing a School Library Advisory Committee to advise library collection development.",{"_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},6510192,"Bastrop ISD names Dr. Kristy Lee interim superintendent; board amends June 11 minutes",58,3400000,3458000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5392462-d4af09469a005fd544ade4cc63ebfb33&start=3400&end=3458","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5392462-d4af09469a005fd544ade4cc63ebfb33/thumbnail_3400000.jpg","/articles/6510192/Texas/Bastrop-ISD-names-Dr-Kristy-Lee-interim-superintendent-board-amends-June-11-minutes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6510192-6753adc11bcf5e73716eecf9c6bb5654/orig.mp4?Expires=1775315920&Signature=JZIlCAQD3FSUcHNoznI~mGGT3l2u2PAFC3fIIkM4bsu9Cs6zln-YH5a7o38O9TyhQDMSirA9M7FTONOyzucFgdHFdCUsE68OY7MJkP2OdcMCHYv2eWTGx3wtOXJ1KBEaOaM8~5Fxzjm~3j8t8MTbf4r2msn6w68KIahEtsO8MLe-benRAoc0kA~Y-S5IV9GcxIr8uyOc3c1qyJdISY6X9Ji6UKXwzGbnmx6pNJiuBZ4BvVgJ-a~GBaCBWPGPc43jZlCdTpuCtC~KTs~YV9JO~x9NeN1JojsLkBvtrmeeOQl3ONU0LxisVHk4yeL1iNvp~mgqQiX9VRSJl0buhmpXdw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bastrop Independent School District Board of Trustees voted to name Dr. Kristy Lee interim superintendent, the board announced after a closed-session discussion.

The motion — read in open session as “I move that the Board of Trustees for Bastrop Independent School District name Doctor Kristy Lee as interim superintendent of Bastrop ISD under the terms and conditions as discussed in closed session” — was seconded and carried, the board said. In open session a board member said, “Mister Edwards is still at the helm until the 30 first of this month,” and the board welcomed Dr. Lee to the role.

The appointment followed a closed session the board said was authorized under the Texas Government Code, chapter 551. The board indicated it will continue the superintendent search process this year and said it expects to name a permanent superintendent at a future date.

Why this matters: the interim appointment places a district administrator in charge while the board proceeds with a formal superintendent search and contract negotiations. Board leadership and district operations will report to an interim superintendent during the transition.

Details and related votes
- Interim superintendent: The board moved and seconded a motion naming Dr. Kristy Lee interim superintendent; trustees voted to approve the motion (motion carried). The motion text was read into the record in open session following closed-session discussion.
- Minutes amendment: Trustees pulled the June 11 minutes from the consent agenda for clarification and moved to amend the minutes to state that an audience member “took a picture of something from the administrative assistant without permission.” That amendment was moved, seconded and approved.
- Consent items b and c: After the minutes item was removed and amended, the board voted to approve the remainder of the consent agenda items b and c as presented.

The board did not provide a roll-call vote tally in the public record for these motions during the meeting; the clerk recorded that the motions were seconded and the board announced that the motions carried.

Background and next steps
Outgoing Superintendent Barry Edwards was thanked at the meeting for his service; board members and others praised his open-door approach and years of service. Trustees said Edwards would remain “at the helm until the 30 first of this month,” after which Dr. Kristy Lee will serve as interim superintendent while the board completes the nationwide search and related steps it described in an information presentation earlier in the meeting.

The board’s external counsel and its search consultant will guide the public process for hiring a permanent superintendent, the board said. Under state law the board must name a lone finalist publicly and observe the statutory waiting period before final employment action, the consultant told trustees earlier in the meeting.

Ending
Board members thanked Edwards for his tenure and welcomed Dr. Lee in remarks at the meeting. The district’s posted agenda and future board notices will have updates on the superintendent search and any subsequent formal actions.","Bastrop Independent School District trustees voted to name Dr. Kristy Lee interim superintendent, approved consent items and amended the June 11 minutes, the board said at a regularly scheduled meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents offer tutoring help; pastor urges board to rescind appointment and comply with open-meetings rules

Bastrop ISD reviews cellphone rules for students and proposes school library advisory committee

Bastrop ISD names Dr. Kristy Lee interim superintendent; board amends June 11 minutes