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Board approves Communities In Schools interlocal agreement despite budget worries
Summary
The board approved a 2026–27 interlocal agreement with Communities In Schools after an extensive presentation from CIS leadership that highlighted expanded services, family supports and measurable student outcomes; trustees praised the work but flagged the district's fiscal constraints.
Gloria Taylor, chief executive officer of Communities In Schools (CIS) of the Coastal Bend, described the nonprofit’s work with West Oso ISD and asked the board to approve a 2026–27 interlocal agreement. Taylor said CIS served three campuses and a food pantry in 2024–25, reaching 1,357 non‑case‑managed students and 223 case‑managed students; CIS reported hours of service that included 2,136 supportive guidance hours, 870 academic support hours and 5,453 attendance and engagement hours.
Taylor highlighted expanded food‑pantry service (from 44 to 107 families), utility and rental assistance, clothing support, hygiene distributions and graduation supports (caps and gowns). She shared individual success stories to illustrate the program’s impact and emphasized data reported to the Texas Education Agency that showed improved attendance, behavior and promotion rates among case‑managed students.
Board members praised CIS’s outcomes but repeatedly raised the affordability question: with the district confronting a projected shortfall and reductions in staffing, can West Oso afford to continue CIS services at current levels? Trustees and staff discussed that CIS this year is funded in part by foundation support and that the district’s immediate finances would determine whether additional positions or sites could be maintained. Despite those concerns, a motion to approve the interlocal agreement passed on roll call (recorded as 7‑0).
The board asked staff to continue evaluating staffing and budget tradeoffs and to keep CIS leadership informed about any changes that would affect service levels. The approval allows CIS to continue delivering case‑management and family supports in the coming school year pending final budget decisions.
