What happened: The Midland ISD Board of Trustees met Sept. 16 to adopt the 2025–26 tax rate, review class sizes and attendance rates, and approve a new superintendent evaluation system. Trustees also raised concerns about undisclosed pipelines at the Midland High construction site on the former Ranchland Hills Golf Club.

Key points:

  • Budget and tax rate: Trustees adopted a new, lower property tax rate. For the average homeowner, the school portion of their bill will be about 3% lower than last year, even with higher property values. The district still faces a $7.8 million budget gap as federal funds expire.

  • Midland High construction: During the bond update, trustees raised concerns about undisclosed pipelines at the Midland High construction site, the former Ranchland Hills Golf Course. They said six pipelines run under the site, not the four disclosed earlier. Board President Brandon Hodges said, “It has become very apparent to me that due diligence was never done, and we’re gonna do it now.”

  • Class sizes: Enrollment is 772 students below projections. The district cut or moved 31 positions, mostly through transfers rather than layoffs. Only 14 classrooms have more than 30 students, and some are part of the “Opportunity Culture” program, which provides extra teacher-leadership support. Hodges asked for closer tracking of student movement and clearer communication with parents about why some classes are larger.

  • Attendance: MISD’s current attendance rate stands is 95%, slightly higher than last year. The district now intervenes after seven unexcused absences, and after 10, cases go to court. The district also expanded from one to four truancy judges, shifted to civil cases instead of criminal, and created a one-page guide for families. District staff emphasized they are tracking weekly data to catch attendance problems early.

  • Superintendent evaluation: Trustees approved a new framework for evaluating Superintendent Stephanie Howard. The system has fewer than 15 measures, with at least half focused on student outcomes like reading, math, and college readiness. Trustees added dyslexia results as a focus area. They plan to evaluate Howard’s 2024–25 performance in January.

  • DEI compliance: Trustees certified that MISD complies with state law banning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) duties, confirming the district has no prohibited programs.