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GENERAL QUESTIONS
Question 1Please outline your top three goals, objectives, or issues for your campaign—the reasons why you are running for Dripping Springs ISD School Board.
Lori Broughton
-Data and listening to experts that provide factual information will help determine when our children may return to a normal educational method or stay remote.
-Transparency; by exposing how decisions are made and the data or thought process behind those decisions, our community will be a part of the vision and work of this district.
-Communication; all stakeholders should feel they have a voice in decisions made with taxpayer funds. In the next few years, DSISD will be challenged by high growth and how to manage buildings to house future students.Stephanie Holtzendorf
I am seeking this position as an act of service to my community of 23 years. As a Trustee, I will represent my community's beliefs and values, stand up for their needs, and fight to protect their best interests. As a Trustee I want to ensure board decisions reflect the beliefs, values, and priorities of our community; to ensure property tax dollars are used efficiently and effectively in order to reduce the tax burden on property owners; to ensure that students and teachers have the resources necessary to provide every child with an excellent education.
Ron Jones
DNR
Barbara Stroud
DNR
Question 2
Regarding DSISD’s underperformance on the 2019 STAAR testing/TEA Accountability Ratings, Interim Superintendent for Learning and Innovation Joe Burns described DSISD’s performance as “not acceptable”.
Regarding these TEA ratings:
- Just TWO of DSISD's schools received overall A grades in the TEA's latest ratings, which down from four receiving As last year and a 50% drop.
- DSISD's overall score fell from 92 last year to 91 this past school year.
- DSISD's overall score of 91 places DSISD's performance closer to Austin ISD's 89 than the districts that our District typically consider peers like Lake Travis ISD that received a 94 and Eanes ISD that received a 96. Even Blanco and Wimberley ISDs also scored higher, with Blanco receiving a 94 and Wimberley a 92.
- Additionally, DSISD was the ONLY school district with more than 2,500 students and less than 15% of students who are economically disadvantaged to fall under the Texas Tribune's graph trend line of TEA overall scores by percent of students who are economically disadvantaged. DSISD's performance on this metric is ranking last among peer districts statewide.
Recognizing this underperformance, what will you do to improve the quality of our children's education and close this performance gap?Stephanie Holtzendorf
Education should be the top priority of the school board and the administration. Students and teachers should have the resources needed to provide for an excellent education. Emphasis on building new schools, new facilities, bathroom issues, etc. should not be the main focus for our schools. Students and teachers should come first.
Ron Jones
DNR
Barbara Stroud
DNR
Lori Broughton
I understand that what happens in the boardroom reflects down to every classroom. Thus understanding and focusing district goals on the achievement of our students is paramount. In the October board meeting one student was recognized as advancing as a Merit Scholar. This distinction should be achievable for more students in DSISD and be a conversation started with students in middle school. When talking about the accountability system, student subpopulations are key in ratings. Identifying which students will count more than once needs to be understood.
Question 3
Regarding the Dripping Springs ISD School Board and how it operates and conducts its business, what do you believe is the biggest change that is needed?
Ron Jones
DNR
Barbara Stroud
DNR
Lori Broughton
My first meeting, in February 2015, came after a meeting with the superintendent to share my background and offered support through volunteerism. I was not greeted by the superintendent that evening, nor any person at the meeting. The lack of welcoming from elected officials and top Administration was very disappointing. The public that attend these meetings are sacrificing time with their family to come and speak to the board. They need to be welcomed, appreciated, and acknowledged throughout a board meeting. I plan to model a welcoming and positive atmosphere if elected to this position.
Stephanie Holtzendorf
The DSISD School Board should change the methods of communication to the parents, community and teachers. Transparency is very important. Community, parents, teachers need to aware of decisions made by the board and have the opportunity to provide feedback on decisions made that affect all of us.
Question 4
What, if anything, should DSISD officials have changed or improved in their response to the COVID-19 pandemic?
If nothing, what was DSISD officials’ biggest success in their COVID-19 pandemic response?Barbara Stroud
DNR
Lori Broughton
The wearing of masks for children under ten years old needs to be a parent choice. Our littles are learning to learn at this point in their education and need to be set up for success. Both cognitively and in terms of social behavior. This policy is in contradiction with the District's support of Social and Emotional Learning.
Stephanie Holtzendorf
The Board and Administration should have been more decisive, there was unnecessary delay and they should have been more proactive. The plans to reopen should have been put into place much sooner with the PPE and safety equipment necessary for protecting against the virus available for the scheduled start of school. The decision to return to in-person school should have been made when there was 60% of students enrolled for in-person learning for the fall.
Ron Jones
DNR
Question 5
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, what, if anything, should DSISD be doing to reform/improve/reimagine our District’s system of education?
Lori Broughton
How our great teachers utilize technology is representative and should go beyond the crisis of a pandemic. My question would be, are we training and supporting the teachers with innovation or simply using pen and paper, to facilitate and evaluate learning? The state accountability testing certainly does not reflect a child's true understanding of subjects. This has been the complaint for decades since the inception of state accountability testing and ratings. DSISD should seek to ensure we are preparing our teachers to help our future learners down the road.
Stephanie Holtzendorf
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic there are many opportunities for creative ways of learning. In-school is the most requested while some students prefer to learn virtually and some students will now be home schooled. Building new schools and facilities at this time should be put on hold and programs put in place for the different types of learning. Educating the students in this new environment should be priority.
Ron Jones
DNR
Barbara Stroud
DNR
Question 6
What is your opinion on sidewalk that’s being installed across US-290 and RR12 between Founders Park and Dripping Springs Middle School, part of which was paid for through TxDOT’s “Safe Routes to School” program after being sponsored by State Representative Erin Zwiener on behalf of the City of Dripping Springs, which is intended to alleviate the requirement of Texas school districts to provide busing to students who live within two miles of their school due to unsafe walking or biking routes?
Should students who would have to cross or walk along dangerous roadways to school continue to have busing provided by DSISD, or should it be ended to reduce the District’s transportation costs?
Please note that none of the involved/affected entities—Dripping Springs ISD, the City of Dripping Springs, or State Representative Erin Zweiner ever responded to our inquiries.Stephanie Holtzendorf
A survey should be conducted to determine if students living within two miles of the school would walk to school while crossing dangerous roadways, would the parents take the children to school or would the parents prefer the children to ride the bus. Once that is determined the decision to continue bus service, or not, to these areas could be made.
Ron Jones
DNR
Barbara Stroud
DNR
Lori Broughton
Children walking or riding bikes are at risk when traveling along a roadway with speeds in excess of 20 mph. Transportation costs could be reduced if an innovative redesign is considered. Have other districts that have saved finances been canvassed? Does the District utilize Region 13 with solutions and collaboration? Has the community been involved? So many moving here are from other school districts that have seen innovation and could provide a great idea.
FISCAL QUESTIONS
Question 7
Many education experts believe COVID-19 is a paradigm shift for teaching, learning, and education as well as permanently reshaping America’s economy, workplaces, workforce, employers, and more.
Recognizing this change, should DSISD continue to plough tens to hundreds of millions of our community’s tax dollars into new schools that were designed under the previous paradigm or last generation system?
Or should DSISD instead take a pause to reorient to this new normal before spending additional tens of millions of our community’s tax dollars on new school facilities?
Effectively, is DSISD currently throwing good money after bad in continuing with the 2018 Bond Plan/their current course?
Ron Jones
DNR
Barbara Stroud
DNR
Lori Broughton
This was a concern I spoke to at the June 2020 board meeting. I was shocked, considering the uncertainty in school finance due to the pandemic, that a school building was being turned into an administration office. After being told this is tradition, I was shocked to see a growing and “cutting edge” district would not think outside the box. Would it not be amazing to have admin building individuals housed on individual campuses to help support, model, and teach our teachers and students.
Stephanie Holtzendorf
All spending for new schools should be put on hold at this time. It will take time to determine what the new normal will be due to the availability of virtual learning, home schooling, etc. With these at home options, the look of the classroom will be different. With less students in-person learning it will be necessary to re-evaluate the capacity available at all of the current schools. New schools may not be needed for the near future thus saving our community's tax dollars.
Question 8
According to our analysis, but using DSISD data:
- From 2012-2019, DSISD’s property taxes on an average residence have been increasing at a 7.9 times greater rate than median household income.
- And over the past 7 years, net taxable property tax values have increased by 88%, while student enrollment increased by only 35%. That means DSISD's property tax revenues are increasing at over 2 1/2 times the rate of student enrollment growth.
Do you believe that DSISD’s significant tax and spending increases are sustainable?
Are these taxes and spending increases appropriate and fair to taxpayers?
Does increased taxes and spending always result in improved schools?Barbara Stroud
DNR
Lori Broughton
Spending taxpayer money was a number one priority in my experience. I would like to know that the Financial Department is utilizing coops and purchasing groups that provide supplies at a reduced rate. With all the turnover in the past. My concern would be that the campus principals are in panic mode to support and accommodate their staff and perhaps costly solutions are being utilized. As a board member, financial expenditures should be carefully analyzed and a sound bidding and purchase processes must be followed.
Stephanie Holtzendorf
I do not believe that DSISD's tax and spending increases are sustainable and are not appropriate or fair to the taxpayers. Increases and spending do not result in improved education. It has only increased the number of school buildings which are designed small but elaborate with much wasted space, increased the maintenance on the numerous ornate buildings. Overbuilt structures do not provide our students an education.
Ron Jones
DNR
Question 9
The compensation of Dripping Springs ISD teachers lags behind many area districts.
In fact, at the April 2020 DSISD Board Meeting, a TASB study was presented to the Board that showed that DSISD continues to pay teachers less than market rates.
The six categories analyzed and DSISD's respective rank are as follows:
- First-year teacher pay ranks 13 of 17 (@ bottom 24%)
- Fifth-year teacher pay ranks 13 of 17 (@ bottom 24%)
- Tenth-year teacher pay ranks 15 of 17 (@ bottom 12%)
- Fifteenth-year teacher pay ranks 13 of 17 (@ bottom 24%)
- Twenty-year teacher pay ranks 9 of 17 (@ bottom 53%)
- And Average teacher pay ranks 12 of 17 (@ bottom 29%)
- Across all six categories, that's an average rank of 12.5 of 17, and at bottom 26%.
DSISD's uncompetitive compensation is failing to attract or driving away too many high-performing teachers each year—because they cannot afford to live within expensive DSISD, which necessitates burdensome and discouraging commutes, or cannot afford to live on less than market rate pay.
In order to keep and increase the number of high-performing teachers, DSISD must direct additional funding to students and teachers in the classroom, including increasing teacher compensation.
In order to increase teacher compensation, will you seek new dollars primarily in the form of additional tax revenues, or will you primarily work to re-prioritize DSISD's current expenditures?
Lori Broughton
At the June 2020 board meeting, the TASB report showed that the use of Block Scheduling is causing the district to be overstaffed. Many districts cut this scheduling after the 2011 state budget cuts. I feel this method of scheduling requires more staffing and manipulation of salaries. I also feel that mass development and property taxes from the district and county could play a huge role in why so many teachers cannot live in the area. Our community could look into ways for our teachers to live in this area to best serve the children they teach.
Stephanie Holtzendorf
I will work to re-prioritize DSISD's current expenditures from excessive spending on unnecessary items/building to teacher pay.
Ron Jones
DNR
Barbara Stroud
DNR
Question 10
To ensure our community's tax dollars are spent efficiently and effectively, would you support moving DSISD to, or incorporating components of, modified zero-based or performance-based budgeting instead of the current practices of (primarily) line-item and (secondarily and minimally) program-based budgeting?
If you are unfamiliar, here is some information on these budget practices.
Stephanie Holtzendorf
I would support moving to or incorporating components of a modified zero-based or performance based budget. These types of budgets provide information on the spending for programs that the administrator can review at year end to determine the cost of programs to the service provided. Knowing the exact cost of the program and its usefulness provides a way to compare and determine other spending priorities of the district.
Ron Jones
DNR
Barbara Stroud
DNR
Lori Broughton
Is performance based metrics being used to determine budgeting? Being experienced with evaluating departments and programs as a campus principal, this method is exhaustive and requires additional money to hire consultants to conduct or an entire FTE. As a principal every year my budget was reduced. Our campus leadership team (teachers, parents, and community & business leaders) would look at innovative ways to make positive opportunities continue and in some cases it helped cut areas that were not as effective, but continued due to tradition.
Question 11
To ensure our community's tax dollars are spent efficiently and effectively, would you support an independent, third-party efficiency audit of Dripping Springs ISD's finances?
If you are unfamiliar, here is some information on efficiency audits.
Ron Jones
DNR
Barbara Stroud
DNR
Lori Broughton
A professional financial staff in a district is a key part of a financially well district. Conducting a yearly “efficiency” audit could become extremely costly and might not provide the insight needed if conducted annually. Currently, state law requires an efficiency audit be conducted according to the Legislative Budget Board any time the district wishes to raise the tax rate. Additionally the FIRST rating (financial rating) of a district provides an audit of district finances.
Stephanie Holtzendorf
I would support and independent third party efficiency audit. I believe that spending in our district is not spent efficiently or effectively.
Question 12
- not what the Board envisioned in crafting the 2018 Bond;
- not what was promised to voters and other stakeholders before, during, and following the 2018 Bond's questionable passage; and
- neither the design nor project implementation was how the Board envisioned due to the Superintendent transition.
Kroll also noted that in this combined new WSE and Dripping Springs Middle School campus project that DSMS is a "red-headed step child"—Kroll effectively acknowledged that this current plan is putting lipstick on a pig!
Interim Superintendent Wellman then responded that the Board merely need to decide that despite those many failings if the new WSE's design was "sufficient" rather than "ideal."Then, despite the new WSE project's major systemic deficiencies and widespread community and teacher opposition, the Board nevertheless decided to bulldoze ahead with this new WSE project, despite it's barely passing grade being apparently undisputed by the current School Board.
For challenger candidates: do you support this new WSE project? Why or why not?
For incumbents: why did you personally and/or the Board choose to accept a "sufficient" or barely passing grade for this project rather than demanding excellence prior to investing our community's hard-earned tax dollars?
For all: might the current DSMS, a former high school campus, be better used for a 9th grade center?
And do you support using the current WSE for a new Administration Facility recognizing that remodel's over $4 million pricetag and the District's Bond FAQ acknowledging the current WSE is 40% too large for that intended use?Barbara Stroud
DNR
Lori Broughton
With the current uncertainty around school funding from the state and the pandemics effect on student enrollment I am hesitant on any building and redesign. I fall back to the wise words my father taught me, “measure twice, cut once”. I feel like these words of wisdom could help DSISD in these coming years as we talk about growth and building.
Stephanie Holtzendorf
I do not support the WSE project because it was opposed by community and by teachers at the start of the project. Using the DSMS for a 9th grade center is an option but more research on my part would be needed. I believe that WSE, needing $4 million in remodels and being too large, would not be a wise decision to use as the Administration Facility.
Ron Jones
DNR
Question 13
Instead, the Board treated this Town Center as philanthropic endeavor without any apparent understanding of opportunity-costs—and this Town Center is now part of the 2020 Hays County Parks Bond at a cost to taxpayers of an estimated $4.5 million.
This Town Center was also the subject of an investigative news report regarding systemic conflict-of-interests among Dripping Springs public officials.Recognizing above, do you support or oppose using the current Administration Building campus's land—the former High School—for a Town Center new, modern, and multi-story government offices and retail office park?
Lori Broughton
I am opposed to individual board members benefiting from district business. That being said, our District is a part of our community and community input should be taken into account for all decisions.
Stephanie Holtzendorf
I am not in favor of using the Administration Building campus's land to build a town center. The City, County and School Board should not be co-mingling taxpayer dollars to build a multi-use facility. DSISD taxpayers should not be funding City buildings and improvements. County taxpayers not in DSISD should not be paying for DSISD facilities through a bond.
Ron Jones
DNR
Barbara Stroud
DNR
Question 14
In the past nine completed fiscal years, taxes levied by DSISD on an average residence have increased by nearly 50%—48.2% exact, from $3,746 for the 2010-2011 fiscal year to $5,551 for the 2018-2019 fiscal year.
Who is responsible for those tax increases: the Central Appraisal District or the DSISD School Board?Stephanie Holtzendorf
As tax rates and appraisals continue to rise the Central Appraisal District and the DSISD School Board have a direct impact on the increases that burdened the community's taxpayers.
Ron Jones
DNR
Barbara Stroud
DNR
Lori Broughton
The board collective has the ability to levy a tax, not an individual board member. I have found through my husband’s and I’s property taxes, the value of our home has increased raising the level of our taxes. Yes, the tax rate has gone up but the value of our home has affected our tax amount much more.
Question 15
Recognizing such a significant and imminent tax rate increase for the DSISD community, is DSISD doing enough to constrain costs and identify cost-savings with their current bond projects?
What would you do to reduce the financial burden of future school facility and construction needs for DSISD taxpayers?
Ron Jones
DNR
Barbara Stroud
DNR
Lori Broughton
There needs to be a system in place for future building of schools that follow consistent and budget friendly practices. One of the high growth districts that I have experienced listened to the teachers and staff that would be utilizing these facilities. Purchase orders were kept open so if another campus needed a cafeteria table then they could purchase with campus funds at the new school costs. Costs were kept down due to all office and classroom furniture all purchased on one purchase order. Working smarter not harder was the method that kept everyone moving forward in a positive manner.
Stephanie Holtzendorf
Enough is not being done to constrain costs or identify cost-savings with the current projects. School facilities have been and are built to be more elaborate buildings instead of functional buildings.
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