The Edgewood Independent School District School Board on Jan. 23 approved a slate of routine and governance items, including a consent agenda that contained a $55,000 purchase of Timely Services software for secondary schools, adopted revisions to board policy and operating procedures, deferred a trustee's conference travel, and authorized the superintendent to file a complaint with the State Board for Educator Certification alleging contract abandonment by an employee.

Why it matters: The board's votes change district policy language, finalize administrative procedures, and begin a state-level complaint process in a contract-abandonment case. The consent agenda also includes purchases and contracts that affect campus operations and classroom tools.

Board action and context
The board moved quickly through a consent agenda (items a–h), approved several policy updates and procedural revisions on first and final reading, and took a personnel-related action after closed session.

Votes at a glance
- Consent agenda (items a–h): Motion to approve by Trustee Michael Valdez; second by Trustee Luis Gomez; outcome: approved (board recorded “aye” votes; no recorded dissents). The consent agenda included an item described during public comment as a $55,000 Timely Services software purchase for secondary campuses.

- Finding of contract abandonment (Denise Ybarra/Ibarra): Motion made to find good cause did not exist for term contract employee Denise Ybarra to abandon her contract pursuant to Texas Education Code §21.215 and to authorize the superintendent to file a written complaint with the State Board for Educator Certification and to issue written notice. Motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved (board recorded aye votes).

- Adopt Board Policy BBE (local), first and final reading: Motion by Trustee Frank Espinosa; second by Trustee Sergio Delgado; Trustee Michael Valdez recorded an abstention; outcome: approved.

- Adopt Board Policy BBG (local), first and final reading: Motion by Trustee Frank Espinosa; second by Trustee Martha Castilla; outcome: approved.

- Adopt revisions to board operating procedures: Motion by Trustee Frank Espinosa; second by Trustee Luis Gomez; Trustee Michael Valdez recorded an abstention; outcome: approved.

- Defer Trustee Michael Valdez’s travel to the TASB Leadership Conference to the February regular board meeting: Motion moved; seconded; outcome: approved.

- Adopt EISG resolution regarding emergency closure due to dangerous weather: Motion by Trustee Frank Espinosa; second by Trustee Rudy Lopez; outcome: approved.

Public comment and board response
Three members of the public spoke during communications from citizens. Lisa Owens questioned the purpose and cost of a $55,000 Timely Services software item (identified on the agenda as for secondary schools), said she found the tool “like a daily calendar/spreadsheet” in her review and urged caution given past costs on other software. Melody Eira congratulated trustees and raised questions about board goals (TSI/college readiness targets) and transparency when operating procedures are revised. Agabita Jaramillo asked that policy changes not be used to limit board oversight and noted recent frequent amendments to board procedures.

Board members did not debate the consent agenda items at length on the record; specific policy adoptions and operating-procedures changes were handled individually and recorded with the abstentions noted above.

Closed session outcome
After returning from closed session, the board voted to find that a term contract employee (Denise Ybarra) abandoned her contract under Texas Education Code §21.215 and authorized the superintendent to file a complaint with the State Board for Educator Certification and to issue written notice. The board recorded the motion, a second, and an affirmative vote.

What the minutes show next
The board adjourned after completing the agenda. The superintendent and staff said additional board updates and workshop materials are supplied in advance to trustees, and the next workshop and regular meeting dates were announced.

Ending note
Several trustees abstained on specific governance items; otherwise the meeting’s listed motions passed as recorded. Where the transcript did not name individual yes/no votes beyond recorded abstentions, the article reflects the board’s recorded outcome rather than inferring individual roll-call positions.