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Board advances TASB-recommended policy updates and class-rank revisions on first reading; bullying reporting clarified
Summary
Trustees approved on first reading TASB Policy Update 1-25 and local EIC policy changes, including clarifying class-rank/GPA rules and adding bullying incidents to school-safety reporting that could affect "unsafe school" designation. Administration will return with detailed clarifications before second reading.
The Harlingen CISD Board of Trustees approved on first reading the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) Policy Update 1-25 and local revisions to policy EIC on class rank and GPA. The package includes changes to board officer duties, board and advisory committee language, attendance-for-credit clarifications and school-safety reporting that adds certain bullying incidents to offenses the district must track. Presenters told the board the update clarifies language across multiple local policies. Dr. Fernando Reyes explained the EIC revision now uses "average of both halves" instead of a previous phrase that said "combined grade," and the district proposes adding pre‑AP Algebra I and specified Spanish course designations to the GPA/class-rank list. The policy would calculate class rank at the end of the school year for the highest-ranking graduate certificate used for state recognition. On school-safety language, the policy change adds incidents that meet listed criminal offenses or repeated bullying to the list of reportable incidents; administrators said the change aligns district policy with recent legislative and TEA guidance and requires campuses to report counts to TEA. Dahlia Garcia and staff said the district already follows state protocols for bullying and cyberbullying investigations and will provide the board with further definitions and administrative regulations. Trustees asked for an administrative update before second reading: board members requested written definitions for bullying and the removed references to the penal code, confirmation of what is state requirement versus local policy that is more stringent, and a separate admin memo noting any edits made after today—s committee discussion. Administration agreed to return with clarifying materials and to allow modification at second reading if needed. The board approved the policy package on first reading and directed staff to provide the requested clarifications ahead of the August second reading.
