The Harlingen CISD Board of Trustees’ Policy and Audit Committee reviewed TASB (Texas Association of School Boards) Policy Update 124 and the board approved the recommended local policy revisions on first reading.

The committee presentation opened with Ida Ambriz, who told members, “We are bringing forward TASB policy update 1 24, which has a total of 8 recommended policy revisions.” Ambriz walked trustees through the first three proposed changes, which include updates to local fiscal-management language and federal-award disclosure to align with federal regulations effective Oct. 1, 2024.

The packet presented changes to multiple local policies: CAA Local (fiscal-management goals and financial ethics), CDA Local (other revenues and investments), CY Local (intellectual property), DH Local (employee standards of conduct, including provisions on authorized employees possessing firearms as part of the district safety plan), EHB Local (dyslexia and related disorders), EHBB Local (gifted-and-talented), FFG Local (child abuse and neglect reporting), and GKA Local (conduct on school premises, including prohibition of electronic vaporizing devices).

Committee members asked operational questions. One trustee asked whether campus accounts had been checked for compliance with new investment representative requirements; Ambriz replied they would complete that review “here in this month.” The committee also discussed whether language throughout several policies should retain or delete the phrase “or designee,” and Ambriz said deletion was recommended except where an alternate designee could legitimately stand in for the superintendent or board president.

Dahlia Garcia presented a second set of changes tied to student programs and staff conduct, including the updated dyslexia handbook references, clarification of gifted-and-talented funding usage, and revisions to child-abuse reporting to reflect changes in the Texas Family Code and Administrative Code requiring oral reports to the Department of Family and Protective Services and that reporting individuals provide name and contact information (while the policy still preserves confidentiality in accordance with law).

After committee review and public discussion at the committee meeting, administration recommended the board approve the TASB-recommended revisions on first reading. The board voted to approve the recommended revisions on first reading, sending the policies forward for the required second reading and final adoption process.

Administration said the changes are largely technical and designed to align district language with recent legislative and regulatory updates and TASB guidance. Committee members and trustees emphasized the district will verify account and vendor registration statuses and that the policy language about designees be applied only where legally appropriate.

A final staff note said the policies will return for a second reading and final vote at a subsequent board meeting after the district completes any housekeeping checks and local edits required by the board.

Ending: The board’s vote on first reading completes the committee review stage; trustees and staff said they will continue administrative checks (vendor registration, account standing and clarity on designee language) and return the policies for a final vote per normal policy-adoption timelines.