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Response to TEA Intervention
The Texas Education Agency Is Intervening In Connally ISD
Connally ISD has received notice from the Texas Education Agency that the state shall put in place intervention measures to improve the academic performance of students in the district.
These measures are required by law and are as a result of the district having one or more campuses that have received five consecutive years of unacceptable ratings in the state’s accountability system. Both Connally Elementary School and Connally Junior High School qualify for state intervention under the law.
On Thursday, December 11, the district received ruling from TEA Commissioner Mike Morath on his plans for the district. In his letter, he outlines the following steps to be made:
- Appointment of a conservator to assist and oversee governance of decision making in the district.
- Appointment of a Board of Managers to lead the governance of the district. The elected Board of Trustees shall remain in place but shall have no decision making authority.
- Appointment of a superintendent to lead the district.
The district is moving forward with our school improvement intiatives, and we are already seeing impressive results. As we transition away from local governance over to the leadership of state appointed officials, we hope to see this progress grow even further.
Additional information regarding intervention by the Texas Education Agency can be found in the documents below.
How Can You Participate In The School Improvement Process?
Parents and community members are strongly encouraged to participate in the improvement process that guides the Connally Indpendent School District.
More information will be shared with members of our community as it is made available by the Texas Education Agency.
An informational meeting regarding the transition process will be held on Thursday, January 22 at a time and location to be announced.
One way that individuals can support the school improvement process directly is by applying to serve on the Board of Managers for Connally ISD. Additional information regarding the Board of Managers can be found in the documents below.
Click here to apply to serve on the Connally ISD Board of Managers.
Frequently Asked Questions About TEA Intervention
There are a number of uncertainties that come from the announcement of intervention by the Texas Education Agency in our district.
As we become aware of new information, we will routinely update this page with answers to commonly asked questions.
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The Texas Education Agency shall appoint a conservator to assist and oversee the governance of our district in mid-January.
Individuals may apply to serve on the Board of Managers for Connally ISD at this time. After going through initial interviews and selection processes, these individuals shall complete Lone Star Governance training and undergo necessary background checks. Upon completion of this process, the Board of Managers shall be installed. There is no definitive timeline on this process.
Once these two leadership entitites have been installed, the state shall appoint a new superintendent to oversee the leadership of the district. Current CISD Superintendent Jill Bottelberghe shall remain in her position until a replacement has been installed.
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No. The Texas Education Agency is not “shutting down” Connally ISD or forcing it to consolidate with a neighboring district. Connally ISD will remain its own entity. The TEA is temporarily removing local control, not shutting the district down.
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The Texas Education Agency hopes and intends to install a Board of Managers that closely mimics the makeup of our existing elected Board of Trustees – 7 individuals from within the Connally ISD district boundaries.
While it is our hope that the new Board of Managers will fulfill that criteria, it is not required. The Board of Managers can be as small as 3 individuals. If there are not enough qualified candidates within Connally ISD’s district boundaries, the TEA may consider applicants from outside of the district’s boundaries.
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Intervention from the Texas Education Agency will apply to all of our campuses. While these protocols were triggered specifically by accountability performances at Connally Junior High School and Connally Elementary School, those campuses are not “singled out” by state intervention.
The intervention actions (appointment of a conservator, board of managers, and superintendent) most immediately impact central administrative functions at the district level, although resulting changes in policies, procedures, and protocol may trickle down to the operations of our campuses.
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Yes!
Intervention by the Texas Education Agency does not disqualify our schools from participating in extracurricular and/or enrichment activities such as fine arts, athletics, and academic UIL. The district remains a participant member of the University Interscholastic League and remains committed to offering eligible students the opportunity to practice and compete with pride.
When new leadership (a conservator, Board of Managers, and superintendent) is installed, it is possible that they will determine different policies and programming for our district. Those scenarios remain purely hypothetical at this time.