What happened: The Midland ISD Board of Trustees met last week on Tuesday, April 21, and rejected administration’s recommended landscaping contract over the proposed vendor’s pipeline strike at the future Midland High site, heard a budget update projecting a $4.1 million surplus on a budget that adopted a $7.89 million deficit, and approved an amended lease and a separate renovation request for the First Tee golf facility.

The board also debated screen time and data oversight on district-issued Chromebooks, and terminated the IDEA Public Schools lease at Travis Elementary, directing the superintendent to bring solutions back at an April 28 special meeting.

Key points:

  • Landscaping contract: Trustees unanimously voted down the district’s annual landscaping, maintenance, parts, and equipment contract, after three trustees said they could not approve continuing the relationship with the specific vendor.

Trustee Brandon Hodges referenced an administration email identifying the proposed vendor as the one responsible for striking a pipeline while attempting to salvage trees at the future Midland High site. Hodges said that the vendor, when interviewed afterward, denied responsibility and suggested wind damage may have caused the strike.

“We need to send a message to the vendors that we are a public entity, and we are not a cash register. We need to be tough customers for the taxpayer,” Trustee Matt Friez said. “I would like vendors to look at serving taxing entities as a service, as an act of citizenship, and not an act of just seeing how much money I can take.”
Superintendent Stephanie Howard said the district had already sat down with the vendor, identified the issues, and required remediation of the damaged pipeline at no additional cost to the district.
  • IDEA Travis: After a closed session, the board unanimously voted to terminate the district’s building lease with IDEA Public Schools, citing the provision triggered by three consecutive D ratings. IDEA Public Schools must vacate the premises by June 1. The board separately voted unanimously to direct the superintendent to bring solutions for the campus to a special board meeting on Tuesday, April 28.
  • Budget update: Trustees received the third update on the 2026–27 budget process, projecting a $4.1 million surplus on a budget that the board adopted with a $7.9 million deficit. The district reduced the budget by $35.3 million and over 8% of positions for the current year. About 78% of the district’s budget is in payroll.

Staff said that for MISD to escape recapture would require either property values to fall by approximately $15.2 billion or the district’s tax rate to drop to roughly $0.04 per $100 of valuation, resulting in a $232 million revenue loss. The district’s total projected revenue for fiscal year 2025-26 was $500.3 million.

District staff presented a financial impact for the IDEA Travis lease termination. Gross revenue loss from the partnership is approximately $12.2 million, but after they accounted for recapture, the net financial impact to MISD is approximately $318,000.

  • First Tee: The board approved 6-1 an amended lease agreement with The First Tee at the district-owned property, extending terms through April 2037. The agreement maintains a $1-per-year lease but shifts responsibility for utilities to First Tee, which will reimburse the district quarterly. MISD paid approximately $25,000 in utility costs last year.

In a separate item, the board approved, 6-1, a renovation request to add three new holes, funded by a private donor, and a covered pavilion. District staff noted that construction began before the district approved, and that they had since clarified the contractual up-front approval requirement with the operator.

  • External audit: During the consent agenda, Friez raised questions about the district’s roughly $100,000 annual external audit. District staff said the audit follows state requirements, reviews compliance with state and federal funding, and the state requires it annually.

Staff noted the audit’s depth is part of why MISD recently received an Aaa rating from Moody’s, one of only six Texas school districts at that level outside of permanent school fund support. He said the district plans to put the audit out for RFP next year and rotate auditors roughly every three to five years.

  • Technology report: Trustees spent extended time questioning how teachers use Chromebooks and instructional software in classrooms.  District staff said they use technology for limited, supplemental purposes and monitor its use, but acknowledged that enforcement depends on campus leadership. You can read The Permian Press’ in-depth coverage of this item here.
  • South Elementary: Trustees also approved a separate addendum specific to South Elementary ahead of its planned transition to an SB 1882 partnership application with Third Future Schools in the 2026–27 school year. The addendum establishes detailed financial performance expectations, defines a “menu of services” outlining which services MISD may provide and at what cost, and formalizes governance structures.