Lubbock ISD board ratifies principal assignment, approves STEM curriculum and a package of purchases and contracts

The Lubbock ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously on a series of personnel, curriculum, finance and procurement items after reconvening from an executive session.

Trustee Miss Wilson moved to ratify the assignment of Matthew Bickley as principal of Parsons Elementary; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote. The board then approved the district’s January 2025 financial reports, adopted STEMscopes as the middle school mathematics instructional materials not to exceed $250,000 (to be paid from the Instructional Materials Allotment), and authorized several district purchases and contract renewals.

The actions matter because they set school leadership, commit district instructional funds, and clear procurement and contracting that affect operations and classrooms. Dr. Wilkins, presenting the financial report, told trustees the district is “on pace” and cited a healthy debt-service fund balance and a tapering capital projects program tied to the 2018 bond. He also noted investment yields had begun to fall from recent highs.

Chief operations staff presented the procurement items. The board approved a not-to-exceed purchase for firewall/network security services, a pre-purchase authorization for about 7,000 student Chromebooks to maintain the 1:1 program, and adoption of elementary K–5 reading and math curricular materials paid from IMA funds. The board also approved renewals including property and boiler insurance (with broker Gallagher), audiological services in partnership with Texas Tech Health Sciences Center for regional programs for the deaf, and web-hosting services with App2G.

Trustees also delegated authority to the superintendent to use the construction job order contracting delivery method and to select criteria, weighting and evaluation for proposals related to Rush Elementary improvement projects. Staff said those procedural approvals will allow project work to proceed to the pricing stage and returned to the board later for contract awards.

All motions recorded in the meeting carried 5–0 unless otherwise noted. The board took no additional action after the workshop concluded.

Votes at a glance • Ratify assignment of Matthew Bickley as principal of Parsons Elementary — Motion by Miss Wilson; second — approved (5–0). • January 2025 financial reports (budget summary, tax and investment reports) — Motion and second — approved (5–0). • Instructional materials adoption: STEMscopes for middle school mathematics, not to exceed $250,000 (Instructional Materials Allotment) — Motion and second — approved (5–0). • District purchases (firewall/network security; pre-purchase of ~7,000 Chromebooks; K–5 reading and math materials) — Motion and second — approved (5–0). • Contract renewals (property/boiler insurance, audiological services with Texas Tech HSC, App2G web hosting) — Motion and second — approved (5–0). • Delegation of authority for construction job order contracting for Rush Elementary projects to the superintendent — Motion and second — approved (5–0).

The board’s consent agenda also included approval of minutes from several February meetings and other routine items.

The board adjourned the business portion of the meeting and moved to workshop presentations on leadership development, accountability metrics and a school consolidation framework.

Ending: Staff said follow-up reports and contract awards would be returned to the board as required; the board provided direction to proceed with procurement and project preparations.