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Heads up, taxpayers and parents: We’ve audited the upcoming SHEPHERD ISD agenda. There are 6 items targeting parental consent and taxpayer funds that need your immediate attention before the gavel falls.
| 🚨 Alert (LEVEL 10) |
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District Proposing Property Tax Rate Adoption
The school board is set to adopt the final property tax rate for the upcoming year. Agenda items 8.D and 8.E indicate they will consider setting the debt service portion of the tax rate higher than the minimum required to pay this year’s bills. While the stated goal is to pay off old debt faster, this still means collecting more in property taxes from homeowners now.
Response
PACK THE ROOM: Show up to the meeting and sign up for public comment. Urge the board to adopt the No-New-Revenue Rate for the maintenance and operations portion of the budget. Ask them to explain the full cost to taxpayers of setting the debt service rate above the minimum required in Item 8.D.
💰 Impact: Higher Property Taxes
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| 🚩Watchlist (LEVEL 6) |
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Board to Cancel School Board Election
The board is voting to declare two candidates for trustee positions elected and cancel the November election for those seats because they are running unopposed. While legal, canceling elections denies voters the opportunity to cast a ballot, including for a write-in candidate, and allows incumbents to avoid facing the public.
Response
DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY: Contact the Shepherd ISD board. ‘Regarding Item 8.G, while canceling the election is allowed, it reduces accountability. The public deserves the chance to vote, even for unopposed seats.’
💰 Impact: Reduced Voter Access
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| 🚩Watchlist (LEVEL 6) |
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Opaque Spending and Budget Changes on Consent Agenda
Items 7.A and 7.B bundle approvals for all federal spending over $50,000, general spending over $100,000, and unspecified budget amendments into a single vote. The specific vendors, amounts, and changes are not detailed in the agenda, requiring manual review of attached files to understand what is being approved.
Response
INVESTIGATE: Open the files for Items 7.A and 7.B in the Official Agenda (linked above) to see the specific spending and budget changes. Email the board to pull any questionable items from the consent agenda for a separate public discussion and vote.
💰 Impact: Undisclosed
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| 🚩Watchlist (LEVEL 5) |
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Waiver to Increase Classroom Sizes
The board plans to approve a waiver allowing the district to exceed state-mandated class size limits. This action uses the district’s ‘District of Innovation’ (DOI) status to gain ‘flexibility,’ which could lead to more crowded classrooms for students.
Response
DEMAND THE DETAILS: Contact the Shepherd ISD board. ‘Regarding Item 6.D, what is the maximum class size this waiver will allow? Parents deserve to know the direct impact this will have on their children’s learning environment.’
💰 Impact: Larger Class Sizes
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| 🚩Watchlist (LEVEL 5) |
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Vague ‘Policy Update 127’ — Manual Review Required
The board is set to take action on ‘Policy Update 127,’ which includes changes to at least 10 different local policies on topics ranging from financial ethics and employee conduct to student safety. The substance of these changes is not included in the agenda itself, making it impossible to assess their impact without reading the attachments.
Response
INVESTIGATE: Open the file attached to Item 8.H in the Official Agenda (linked above) to review the proposed policy changes. Contact the board to demand a full public explanation of any significant changes before the vote.
💰 Impact: Undisclosed Policy Changes
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✅ Wins to Defend
Good moves worth showing up to support so they stick.
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| Major Win (LEVEL 8) |
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District Paying Down Debt Early
Under agenda item 8.B, the board will vote on a resolution for the “defeasance of certain outstanding obligations.” This is the formal process for paying off existing district debt ahead of schedule, which can save taxpayers significant money in future interest payments.
How to Secure It
SECURE THE WIN: Attend the meeting to thank the board for taking proactive steps to pay down debt. Ask them to quantify the total interest savings for taxpayers from this action and get it on the public record.
✅ Why It Matters: Taxpayer Savings
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