Judson trustees approve grievance-policy DOI exemptions but delay corrective budget plan after tense debate
Summary
Trustees approved District of Innovation exemptions affecting grievance procedures in a 4'3 vote, drawing heated questions about filing timelines and open-session hearings; later the board postponed a major corrective-action budget (CAPA) until January after members raised concerns about late posting, the size of proposed cuts and the need for additional workshops.
The Judson ISD Board of Trustees approved proposed District of Innovation (DOI) exemptions that amend how the district will implement portions of recently passed grievance-related state law, then debated and ultimately postponed a wider corrective-action budget plan pending additional review.
On DOI exemptions: Trustee Suzanne Conoyer moved to approve amendments that would seek local exemptions under the relevant Texas Education Code sections related to grievance procedures. The board discussed multiple technical changes recommended by the district site-based DOI committee, including (1) whether a three-member board committee should be permitted to hear and decide a Level 3 grievance, (2) how to route grievances filed with the wrong administrator without penalizing the filer, (3) filing deadlines for parents (committee recommended 30 business days but the board considered extending to 60 days), (4) timeliness handling for out-of-time grievances, (5) whether initial hearings should be scheduled in business days versus calendar days, and (6) whether to require open-session hearings when a grievant requests them.
Board members raised competing concerns: some trustees favored opting out of specific statutory provisions to preserve board-level review and privacy protections; others supported adopting the new law's expanded parent rights. After debate the board voted to approve the package of DOI amendments as presented (recorded vote: 4–3). Several trustees said specific timeline language would be revisited and that policy language could be amended later.
On the CAPA and budget cuts: administration presented a working corrective-action and preventive-action plan that included recommended reductions and possible school consolidations intended to address a multi-million-dollar shortfall. Trustees expressed two tensions: some said the district needed to act now to provide clarity to employees and families; others objected that a materially changed CAPA document was posted to the board book less than 24 hours before the meeting and cited the board'established 72-hour packet expectation for adequate review. Superintendent Fields said a $3 million revenue reduction came from updated state guidance and had forced revisions to the CAPA.
Trustee Monica Ryan moved to postpone CAPA action until January to allow additional workshops and community engagement; after extended debate the motion to postpone carried (board recorded the postponement vote as passing). The board gave administration direction to continue refinement and to return with more fully documented proposals and stakeholder input.
Other action items: the board approved a December budget amendment (including a $4.5 million transfer to cover estimated self-insured health-insurance runout) and approved several personnel actions after closed session, including the appointment of Amber Parma as director of counseling.
What happens next: The DOI amendments will be incorporated into the district's policy packet with clarifications to timing to be returned for board review. The CAPA will be reworked and the board plans workshops and additional meetings in January to give trustees and the public more time to evaluate proposed cuts and consolidations.
