At its June 21 meeting, the San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District (SMCISD) elected a president, vice-president and secretary to its board of trustees and received a presentation on the district’s equity levels.
Clementine Cantu will continue her position as president. Trustee at Large Anne Halsey has been appointed vice-president. Board member Mayra Mejia will take the position as secretary.
After appointments, Dr. David Wallace presented a study over equity levels across Hernandez Elementary, Crockett Elementary, Mendez Elementary, Miller Middle School, San Marcos High School and Goodnight Middle School, focusing on calculating the attendance and dropout levels, surveying the racial climate and noting the effects of discipline.
The presentation showed that between 2017 and the past school year, there was a tripling of Hispanic female dropout levels from 10 dropouts a year to 35. In addition, the presentation noted that 24% of students reported no incidents of racism.
Wallace also speculated suspension could lead to future dropout rates. In accordance, he urges the board of trustees to examine the effects of using in-school and out-of-school suspensions as discipline tools.
“We need to investigate the intersection between suspension and chronic absenteeism,” Wallace says. “As I share it, there’s so many kids getting suspended in middle school; how can we expect for the kids to be motivated or invested when they get into high school if they actually sit out at middle school for a good chunk of the school year? So, that’s something that we need to investigate more closely.”
Wallace ended the presentation by recommending the board investigate how suspension influences future absentees and also examine different solutions to discipline. In addition, he suggests that each school and district leader should enroll in the Anti-Racist Leadership Institute, saying it will increase racial literacy and encourage more reporting of racial instances.
A public hearing was held concerning the proposed tax rate for 2021-2022. SMCISD Director of Federal Programs and Career and Technical Education Mike Doyle says the expected rates will be the same as last year’s rate. However, he says the tax rate, as of now, will not be accurate until August when certified values will be received. Because of this, he explains the proposed rates will be higher than expected but should lower when proposed tax rates are approved.
“They have not been certified, and, so, we can’t calculate that, yet,” Doyle says. “The only error in this process is going to the public and projecting over that [the proposed tax rate] is less than what it actually is. So, we’re going to project one that is slightly more and give you very clear notice that [it] will go down.”