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Commissioners allocate $100,000 from Precinct 3 to Summer Boost program after testimony from parents, teachers and program leaders
Summary
Bexar County approved a $100,000 outside-agency contribution from Precinct 3 to Summer Boost, a school-year recovery/summer learning program that organizers say produced measurable reading and math gains last year.
Bexar County Commissioners Court on May 13 approved Commissioner Grant Moody’s request to allocate $100,000 from Precinct 3 outside-agency funds to support the Summer Boost program, which provides academic and enrichment summer services to K–12 students in partnership with local school and charter operators.
Commissioner Moody introduced the item and the court heard presentations and public comment from program leaders, teachers and parents. Margaret Davis, chief executive officer of the Texas Council for International Studies (TCIS), said summer sites supported by the court in 2024 ran eight sites with 56 teachers, 153 instructional assistants, eight nurses and additional staff; she described broad attendance and achievement outcomes and said organizers were already enrolling students for the coming summer.
Teacher Estella Carmona said Summer Boost allowed time for one-on-one instruction, relationship building, and helped students enter the school year better prepared. Student Tabitha Ramirez described academic improvement—“I've gotten a hundred because of my algebra teacher that I met in Summer Boost.”—as a direct benefit.
Daniel Fishman, program staff, told the court Summer Boost served about 8,000 students last year and reported average gains of 17 proficiency points in reading and 18 proficiency points in math across participating students. Fishman said the program could serve up to 9,500 students this summer and that county contributions would be matched by philanthropic and national funds; he said a $150,000 county contribution would leverage roughly $16 million in outside funding, a claimed return the program described as about a 107-to-1 match.
Commissioner Moody moved to approve his outside-agency allocation of $100,000; Commissioner Rodriguez seconded. Several commissioners said they planned to consider additional contributions from their remaining outside-agency funds to reach a $50,000-per-commissioner target discussed by the program. The motion passed by voice vote with no opposition recorded.
Organizers asked the court to consider broader participation from other precincts to maximize seats and said planning and enrollment are underway; staff provided a site map and said schools and in-district charter partners serve students across Bexar County, including options for transportation paid from program funds.
