Northwest ISD trustees hear annual reports on academic progress, counseling, technology and campus construction

Board members spent the remainder of the meeting receiving multiple departmental reports on the district’s progress and operations for 2025–26.

Dr. Griffin and cabinet summarized the district improvement plan, highlighting literacy work (progress monitoring, writing across content, vocabulary and discourse), MAP/MClass results that show growth at many grade levels and targeted areas for improvement (certain middle grades and math). The cabinet reported expanded career and technical education exposure at the elementary level, limited open enrollment (roughly 100 students), and continued emphasis on strategic goals through 2027.

The counseling director described implementation of the parental‑consent requirement under Senate Bill 12, reporting that 86% of parents consented to routine counseling services, about 2% opted out, and approximately 12% had not responded; the district’s student wellness center served 128 students and staff‑training goals for mental‑health first aid exceeded the state benchmark (66% trained).

Technology leadership presented an effectiveness report that emphasized emerging uses of AI and a corresponding rise in cybersecurity incidents (staff said attack volumes rose about 150% year over year). The district has published an AI student framework, launched dashboards for staff surveys and PK/K reporting, and automated an MTSS workflow that recorded roughly 9,000 entries this school year. The technology team also described an ongoing stakeholder process around screen‑time safeguards and a parent portal for device transparency.

Finance staff recapped a June bond refunding that refunded about $90 million of authorized refunding capacity, producing roughly $4.6 million in near‑term savings and a restructuring of debt service intended to protect hold‑harmless state funding. The May financial report showed revenues slightly above year‑to‑date budget and expenditures trending under budget.

Facilities staff provided progress updates on multiple construction projects (middle schools, an early childhood center, Byron Nelson, the performing arts center and Davis High School), listed furniture‑installation and move‑in timelines, and noted several campuses on track to open for the fall; the central transportation facility work is expected to complete in December.

Why it matters These reports summarize operational performance, student supports, cybersecurity and major capital projects that shape the district’s capacity and services for the coming school year. Several items (counseling consent rates, AI and cybersecurity, and construction timelines) will affect parents, staff and students directly.

What’s next The district will bring final STAR and MAP comparisons in August; finance will complete June close and present final budgetary results; facilities will continue construction and report readiness for August openings.