Del Valle ISD approves emergency repairs at Daley Middle School, amid concerns about districtwide deferred maintenance

The Del Valle ISD Board of Trustees approved a facilities-repair package for Daley Middle School at its June special meeting, with the motion passing 4-1-1.

Facilities presenter Steven Gonzales told the board the work is intended to ready Daley for the new school year and a new principal. Gonzales detailed the scope: machine stripping and cleaning restroom floors and grout, applying grout sealant and clear silicone; a paint refresh across about 150,000 square feet including drywall repairs and two coats of paint; repair or removal (or possible restoration) of damaged classroom tack/marker boards; replacement or cleaning of sound-dampening boards; and miscellaneous repairs to hallway and gym signage and fixtures. He estimated the work would take approximately five weeks.

Vice President Ledesma Woody asked whether work orders had been filed earlier; she said she was "extremely disturbed" that visible damage noted during a facility walkthrough had not been addressed sooner. Gonzales said the damage reflected "multiple years' worth of neglect" and that some work orders may have been lost. "That's why we're having to reach out for additional support to be able to prepare the campus for the start of school," he said.

Dr. Gutierrez told trustees the district does have a facilities assessment but the full report has not yet been shared because the district is transitioning operations leadership. "My recommendation is to give our new chief operations officer the opportunity to review that assessment," Gutierrez said, adding the assessment had not been reviewed with the operations team and that the COO would present findings in mid to late July. Gutierrez characterized conditions at Daley as resulting from both aging and campus-level neglect and said the campus is a "failing school" that needs a transformed learning environment.

Board discussion included concerns about precedent for approving repairs at a single campus without presenting the full facilities assessment to the board. One trustee noted board operating procedures that favor an initial review before action and said approving items tonight could set a precedent. Secretary Guadion moved approval and Trustee Cisneros seconded; the motion carried with a 4-1-1 vote.

Board members identified bond savings as the funding source for the Daley work during the discussion. Trustees requested that a committee of superintendent leadership, board and community members be convened to help prioritize district facility needs once the assessment is reviewed.

No contract vendors, costs, or a detailed budget breakdown for the Daley repairs were provided in the meeting record.