San Marcos CISD board receives update on district equity audit

Dr. Tracey Benson discussed preliminary findings for an equity audit being conducted for San Marcos CISD during the board of trustees meeting Monday night. 

Benson, whose firm Tracey A. Benson Consulting will provide a report to the district in May, highlighted several recommendations from his team’s findings. 

“These are just a very few high-level recommendations that we have right now,” Benson said. “We’re on track to provide the full report in May. Actually, it will be done a little before May but we’re on track and we’ll be prepared to share all of our findings — our data findings — as well as very specific recommendations in each of the areas of curriculum support as well as practices and procedures.” 

Benson said there is a need for a more coherent data collection process regarding dropout rates by race and gender.

“It was very hard to comb through the data in terms of coding,” Benson said. “We’re going to offer services and trying to really get data that’s more accessible, usable and more coherent so there can be more analysis of the district level as well as the school level.” 

Benson also highlighted that there’s a significant trend in dropout data by race and gender, while in-school and out-of-school suspension data has shown improvement at specific schools.

Benson also said the early findings through a campus racial climate survey found incidents of interpersonal racism in almost every school. 

“What we’re finding is, one, the incidents are low but they are there,” Benson said. “With students and faculty who have been witness or have experienced incidents indicate that they feel comfortable with reporting but then when it comes to the question of actually reporting that number is low. And so, we’re finding an infrastructure around education as well as a responsive way to respond in a timely and appropriately manner is necessary.” 

Benson recommended that SMCISD should consider sending administrators to a his consulting firm’s anti-racism leadership institute to “deepen their racial literacy and develop sustainable and proactive anti-racist strategies and infrastructure for the school district.” 

Monday’s presentation from Benson came off the heels of a lively public comment period, highlighting an alleged racist incident at Miller Middle School where a student witnessed a teacher using a racial slur. 

The district’s equity audit was put into motion prior to the alleged incident discussed in public comment. 

“I understand parents' concerns raised tonight,” Trustee John McGlothlin said. “This isn’t addressed to them specifically but if this report is transparent and the way this board deals with these issues and these findings after I’m gone and it’s transparent then I think we can start building trust back among the community that was probably lost 50 years ago. And then, when there’s an incident on campus it just brings back those memories. So, I hope that the board follows through with the recommendations of Dr. Benson and his team.” 

In other business, the SMCISD Board of Trustees took action regarding the district’s central office. 

SMCISD has had its central office located at 631 Mill St. after it had to abandon the old building in 2017 because of mold and other air quality issues. 

The board approved authorization to the superintendent or his designee to reauthorize the district’s current lease agreement at the Mill Street location pending staff exploring alternative options prior to May 1. 

The trustees also approved Trustee Margie Villalpando as a member of the district’s Central Office Subcommittee. Appointment to the committee will be reexamined in August following the upcoming May 1 election. 

The trustees approved Proclamation 2021, which adopts Frog Street as SMCISD’s Pre-Kindergarten curriculum beginning during the 2021-22 academic year. 

The board approved a contract for an annual financial auditor to ABIP.

Trustee Miguel Arredondo pulled an item which proposed a resolution to authorize a one-time COVID-19 vaccination incentive stipend for all district employees who are vaccinated against COVID-19. Arredondo said he would like to postpone the item until May. 

The board approved several budget amendments regarding reallocating funds to purchase art, theatre art, band and music supplies and materials at Miller Middle School, funds to purchase new computers for counselors and funds to pay for security for graduation.

Following executive session, the trustees postponed approval of administrator contract renewals and extensions as well as action regarding superintendent's contract. The board approved teacher and other professional personnel contract renewals as well as a resolution authorizing reimbursement for damage to vehicles on district property at Bowie Elementary School. 

The next regular board meeting will take place on May 17 at 6 p.m.