The Judson ISD Board of Trustees on Monday authorized the superintendent to proceed with district purchases of letterman jackets after trustees and staff debated whether eliminating the district-provided jackets produced the claimed savings.

A motion from Trustee Stanford asked the district to regain the ability to provide jackets; trustees discussed whether the earlier efficiency recommendation to eliminate district-funded letterman jackets applied to athletics only or to all activities (band, choir, student council, athletics). The athletics director and an athletics coach provided figures showing athletics-only costs near $8,000 per year for jackets; staff said a district-wide total had been reported in the efficiency list as roughly $20,000.

Trustees also heard conflicting legal advice during the meeting: one email from a UIL athletic director quoted by an athletics staff member said the value of an award may be considered the district
s purchase price (so a bulk $25 jacket would be UIL-compliant), while district counsel earlier advised that UIL rules treat an award's value by retail equivalent. After discussion the board chose to authorize the superintendent to arrange purchases (often at a bulk price below retail) and to reconcile budget coding and department-level amounts.

Trustee Stanford moved and the board approved a motion giving the superintendent authority to arrange bulk purchases of jackets. Trustees asked administration to return with a reconciled accounting of the fiscal effect, and to ensure that any award program complies with UIL rules and district policy on awards.

Why this matters: Letterman jackets and similar awards are visible student recognitions. Eliminating district provisioning of jackets shifts costs to families and can affect access for students from lower-income households. District purchases at a bulk price can keep costs lower for families but require clarity about accounting and UIL compliance.

The board asked staff to provide a department-level breakdown and to correct prior budget allocations that had already been adjusted. Athletics staff said they could proceed under the bulk-purchase authority if the board preferred that approach; coaches and trustees noted that district support for awards can be an important recognition for many students.