College Station ISD trustees approve two terminations, hire director candidate and early CTE construction package; receive MAP mid‑year report

College Station Independent School District trustees on Feb. 18 voted to accept two recommendations to terminate employees for contract abandonment, approved an administrative hire and an early guaranteed maximum price for construction of the district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center phase 2, and received a presentation on the district’s middle‑of‑year NWEA MAP results.

The board unanimously (6‑0) approved termination recommendations for Elizabeth Torres Casas and Jonathan Knowles after district staff told trustees both employees left their assignments without providing timing or notice that would allow the district to fill their roles. The board also voted 6‑0 to issue an administrator contract to Luis Sanchez for the director of data services and PEIMS position. Trustees approved an early GMP (GMP No. 1) of $2,305,186.53 for the pre‑engineered metal building package for CTE phase 2; district staff said the work includes awnings and canopies needed now for animal areas and that the larger remainder of the project will be brought as a second GMP. The GMP was described as a roughly 12–15 month project slated to begin this summer.

Trustees heard a detailed review of the district’s MAP (NWEA) middle‑of‑year assessment results from district assessment staff. The presentation, led by Mr. Jeff Mann with support from Natalie Bala, summarized growth and achievement by grade band and content area; staff highlighted strong K–4 math growth (many grade levels meeting MAP growth projections), notable growth in elementary reading fluency, and improved science growth tied to recent curriculum adoption and teacher work. District staff also presented early implementation data for Exact Path, a supplemental digital program the district set to a usage target of 40 minutes per week per subject based on a Century Analytics study; staff said Exact Path math usage has been stronger than reading to date.

Why it matters: The termination votes, hire and the construction GMP are formal personnel and procurement actions that have immediate operational and budget implications for the district. The MAP presentation gives trustees interim data on student growth that staff said will inform campus‑level plans, PLC work, and targeted interventions for historically underperforming student groups.

What trustees voted • Termination — Elizabeth Torres Casas: Motion to accept the recommendation to terminate on grounds of contract abandonment; vote 6‑0 (approved). District staff said the recommendation follows Board Policy DFE (local) and Education Code §21.105(c)(2). Miss Cooper presented the recommendation and explained that a resignation without consent that leaves the district unable to fill the position may be treated as contract abandonment.

• Termination — Jonathan Knowles: Motion to accept the recommendation to terminate on grounds of contract abandonment; vote 6‑0 (approved). Miss Cooper presented the second similar recommendation. Staff explained that if the board approves, the district will notify the Texas Education Agency and the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC), which holds authority over certification sanctions.

• Administrative hire — Luis Sanchez, Director of Data Services and PEIMS: Motion to accept the recommendation to issue a new administrator contract; vote 6‑0 (approved). District staff described Sanchez’s background as a systems administrator at Texas A&M University and recommended his hire to lead data services and PEIMS under the business office.

• Construction — Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) No. 1, CTE Center Phase 2: Motion to approve GMP No. 1 in the amount of $2,305,186.53 for the pre‑engineered metal building package; vote 6‑0 (approved). Paul Buckner, Executive Director of Facilities, told trustees the early package addresses long lead times for pre‑engineered metal building components and includes related awnings and canopies; he said the project remains under the bond allocation and that GMP No. 2 (the remainder of the project) will be presented later.

Map report and district context District staff framed the MAP review around growth (RIT score change, MAP growth projections) and achievement percentiles. Highlights included: • K–4 math: Multiple grade levels at or above MAP’s 50% growth projection. • Reading fluency: Staff noted big gains from kindergarten to first grade and said the district’s midyear fluency rates were tracking to a year‑end goal (staff cited a 90% target for students to reach level 3 or higher by year end; midyear was 89%). • Science: Elementary grades showed strong growth; staff connected gains to new TEKS‑aligned resources and district adoption work. • Exact Path implementation: District set a target of 40 minutes per week per subject (based on a 2018 Century Analytics study) and staff reported stronger uptake in math than reading in the first semester; staff emphasized that “assessed” on Exact Path means exposure to skills rather than mastery.

Staff described the MAP data as one metric within a broader set of classroom and benchmark measures. Trustees and staff discussed how PLCs and common formative assessments are being used to group students, reteach, and set student growth goals. Mann and other staff said the district is in an implementation year for tools and training and that campuses are becoming more proficient at using data to adjust instruction.

Process and next steps Miss Cooper said the terminated employees will be notified of the board’s action and that the district will forward the matter to the Texas Education Agency and SBEC for any credential actions. For the CTE project, staff said the district will return with GMP No. 2 for the remaining work and continue coordination with the construction manager at risk (Poe Construction). The new director of data services will report to the business office; Mrs. Wilson was named in the presentation as the candidate’s future supervisor.

Speakers quoted in this article are limited to those who spoke during the meeting and are listed in the article’s speaker roster below. All votes and motions described reflect actions taken in open session and recorded in the meeting transcript.