NEISD outlines campus consolidation logistics: majority of staff placed; buses and facility work planned

Northeast Independent School District officials told the board they are continuing work on student and staff placements, bus registration and campus improvements tied to the district's consolidation plan, and that they will report concrete fiscal results in the fall.

Chiefs of staff and consolidation leads provided a multi-week account of steps taken: human resources placement meetings across impacted campuses, site walk-throughs to identify maintenance and access needs, targeted communication to magnet families about a new shuttle registration process, and records-management actions for inactive files. “As of 06:30 this evening, of 198 employees, 147 have been placed,” said Miss Chancellor, the administration lead, noting the figure equals roughly 74% placed. “And specifically, when it comes to teachers, 95 of the 96 teachers that need to be placed have been placed.”

District staff said they created a targeted magnet bus registration for families affected by the consolidation and that program directors will follow up by phone with families who do not respond. “On May 1, an email was sent to current MAC magnet program families within the Driscoll Middle School boundaries to announce a new bus program that we’re implementing… we are tracking which students we have not heard from,” Chancellor said; staff added they will call families who have not completed the registration.

On facility work, administrators summarized walk-through punch lists and said some work (painting, minor repairs) is already scheduled for summer while other tasks will occur outside the school year so as not to disrupt students. “Some work’s already been done. Clear Spring has already had some work done, in preparation for welcoming NEAK. Some painting has been done,” said facilities staff; most identified repairs are being handled internally and district leaders said contracting out has not yet been necessary.

Board members pressed for outreach to families of special-education and Section 504 students; district staff said program coordinators have been contacting families directly, offering individual meetings and ensuring ARD and 504 processes continue. “We have campus program coordinators that work individually with each of these campuses. They’re following up with the parents,” one administrator said.

Trustees also asked about the number of staff still unplaced. Administration said roughly 31 remaining staff include custodial and food-service roles and some itinerant special-education staff whose assignments depend on student needs. Nine percent of the unplaced staff had indicated resignations or retirements. The board asked for a financial reconciliation of projected savings; district leaders said they expect to have “concrete numbers” in the fall and will notify trustees if any unexpected costs arise.

The board did not take further action on consolidation at the meeting; the update was informational and staff said they will continue coordination through the summer and return with specific cost realization figures in the fall.