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Parent and teacher urge changes on homeschool access, test-focused instruction and dyslexia program implementation
Summary
A parent and a Cedar Creek High School teacher used the BISD open forum to press trustees on three issues: allowing homeschooled students access to extracurriculars, district direction to "teach to the STAAR" and concerns that a new dyslexia program cannot be delivered with fidelity in the current resource-classroom model.
During the board's open forum, parent Scott Howard and a Cedar Creek High School teacher identified as Shelton told trustees they believed several district policies and implementation plans undermine student learning and fairness.
Scott Howard, a parent with three children in BISD, asked the board to reconsider policies that exclude homeschooled students from district sports and extracurricular activities and criticized what he described as a district directive to "teach to the STAAR test." "This choice is not just unfair, it's divisive and shortsighted," Howard said of excluding homeschooled students from activities. He said a teacher told him the district had directed instruction to prioritize STAR/STAAR testing and that such test-focused instruction "reduces education to memorization of answers instead of offering critical thinking, creativity and a love for learning."
A Cedar Creek High School teacher who identified themself as Shelton raised implementation concerns about a new, specialized dyslexia program the district is rolling out under recent state requirements (the teacher referenced a 2023 House bill by number in the meeting). Shelton said the resource classroom they teach serves 83 students on a 54-minute block, and that five students assigned as dyslexia participants cannot receive a specialized 45-minute daily intervention four to five days per week without sacrificing required accommodations for other students. "The requirement cannot be met with fidelity... without sacrificing the accommodations and the minutes of the majority of students," Shelton said, adding the expectation risks noncompliance and harms students.
Interim Superintendent Dr. Lee later reported to the board on staff feedback gathered during his initial meetings with departments. Lee said staff expressed pride in the district but also flagged workload and staffing shortages across multiple areas, including special education, nursing, discipline administration and custodial services. "Our employees feel very proud to work in Bastrop ISD... But we also talked about some challenges. I heard staff talk about the workload and the staffing shortages," Lee said, noting the district is continuing hiring efforts and plans additional communications.
Why it matters: the comments touch on district policy (extracurricular eligibility), classroom practice (instruction tied to state assessments), and program fidelity for special education interventions. Shelton's concerns highlight a potential implementation gap between a specialist dyslexia curriculum's stated minutes-and-frequency requirements and current staffing/classroom structures.
The board did not take action on these items during the meeting; speakers used the open forum to request reconsideration and further staff work. Officials offered to provide additional information where available, and the district said it would continue internal reviews.
