DeSoto Independent School District meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

DeSoto ISD board to weigh tax rate, contracts at Aug. 24 meeting

The DeSoto Independent School District board met twice in the past week but took no published action; both meetings were agenda-only, with minutes not yet available. The board will next convene on Aug. 24 for a regular meeting that includes a public hearing and action on a tax rate ordinance, along with multiple contract approvals and curriculum adoptions.

Recent meetings

Regular Meeting — Aug. 17

The board reviewed student progress on math and reading goals for grades 5–7, including specific progress measures (GPM 4.1–4.3 for math, GPM 5.1–5.3 for reading). Trustees also received a first reading of the 2026–2027 Board Operating Procedure Manual and considered possible approval of recommendations and a progress monitoring report. No vote tallies or dollar amounts were listed.

Board Workshop — Aug. 18

The workshop covered a data walk, a Frontline update, and NAVEX reporting. Public comments were limited to agenda items. No decisions or dollar amounts were listed.

Grievance Level III — Aug. 18 (cancelled)

A Level III grievance hearing for James Thomas was on the agenda, including closed-session legal and personnel discussions under Texas Government Code sections 551.071 and 551.074, followed by possible open-session action. The meeting was cancelled; no minutes were published.

Upcoming meetings

Regular Meeting — Aug. 24

The board will hold a public hearing and take action on an ordinance setting the tax rate. It will also consider:

• An amendment to the HES Custodial Services contract
• Interlocal agreements for property/casualty, automobile, workers’ compensation, and unemployment insurance
• Adoption of materials from McGraw Hill, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and Curriculum Associates
• A facility lease agreement at North Side Elementary and an agreement for purchase of attendance credit

The agenda also includes discussion of appointing another interim superintendent and the current interim superintendent’s contract.

Grievance Level III — Aug. 24

A closed-session Level III grievance hearing for Briana Stanley is scheduled, with legal advice and personnel matters under §§ 551.071 and 551.074. Public comments are limited to agenda items, and the open session is expected to be brief.

Coming up

• **Aug. 24, regular meeting** — tax rate ordinance, contracts, curriculum adoptions, and interim superintendent discussion.
• **Aug. 24, grievance hearing** — closed session for Briana Stanley’s Level III grievance.

Both meetings are open to the public; check the district’s official agenda for times and locations.

DeSoto ISD board weighs budget, code of conduct, and compensation items; decisions pending

The DeSoto Independent School District Board of Trustees held four meetings in the past two weeks, addressing the 2026-2027 student code of conduct, budget amendments, a compensation manual, and an academic calendar. As of Aug. 10, minutes from these meetings have not been published, so no official decisions are confirmed.

Regular Meeting (July 27)

The board discussed the 2026-2027 General Fund budget for substitute and extra duty pay and considered several consent items. Agenda items included possible approval of the 2026-2027 Student Code of Conduct, budget amendments, dual credit and early college agreements with Dallas College and Lamar State College, purchase agreements for Mind Sphere software and catastrophic student insurance, and special education curriculum resources and contracted services. The board also reviewed math goal progress and various college partnership agreements for the upcoming school year.

Lone Star Governance Training (July 31-Aug. 1)

The board participated in two days of Lone Star Governance training, led by Dr. Cinto Ramos and Monica Barnes from the Texas Education Agency's Director of Board Coaching and Development. The sessions focused on governance practices; no action items were listed.

Special Called Meeting (Aug. 7)

The board met to consider and possibly approve the 2026-2027 Compensation Manual, the hiring of a Director of Accounting, the 2026-2027 Academic Calendar, and revisions to Board Policy DEC (LOCAL). The meeting included a closed session under Texas Government Code sections 551.071 (legal advice) and 551.074 (personnel matters).

All four meetings were listed as agenda-only, with minutes not yet published. The board's decisions on these items will be available once official minutes are released.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed for the next 14 days.

DeSoto ISD board set to weigh student code of conduct, budget amendments; trustees complete governance training

DeSoto ISD's Board of Trustees had a busy late July, with a regular meeting agenda covering the 2026-2027 Student Code of Conduct, budget amendments, and college partnership agreements, followed by two days of Lone Star Governance training. Because minutes have not yet been published for any of the three sessions, what follows reflects what was scheduled for discussion or possible action — not confirmed outcomes.

July 27 Regular Meeting

The board's regular meeting agenda listed several items up for possible approval or consideration:

• **2026-2027 Student Code of Conduct** — listed for possible approval.
• **Budget amendments** — consideration of the General Fund budget for substitute and extra duty pay.
• **College partnership agreements** — possible approval of dual credit and early college agreements with Dallas College and Lamar State College.
• **Purchases** — consideration of purchase agreements for Mind Sphere software and catastrophic student insurance.
• **Special education** — possible approval of special education curriculum resources and contracted services.

The agenda also included reviews of math goal progress and various college partnership agreements for the upcoming school year.

Minutes for this meeting have not yet been published, so it is not possible to confirm which items were approved, amended, or postponed. Readers should check the district's official minutes once posted for vote tallies and final outcomes.

Lone Star Governance Training — July 31 and August 1

The board convened for a two-day Lone Star Governance (LSG) training on July 31 and August 1. Both sessions were led by Dr. Cinto Ramos and Monica Barnes, identified in the agenda as being with the TEA Director of Board Coaching and Development.

Lone Star Governance is a Texas Education Agency-aligned training framework focused on board oversight of student outcomes. The agendas for both days listed only the training itself — no separate action items were noted.

Minutes for the training sessions have not yet been published.

What this means for residents

The July 27 agenda touches on several areas that directly affect families: the Student Code of Conduct sets discipline rules for the coming school year; the General Fund budget amendments for substitute and extra duty pay relate to staffing costs; and the Dallas College and Lamar State College agreements govern dual credit and early college programs that can help students earn college credit while in high school.

Because no minutes are available yet, residents looking for confirmed decisions — including any vote counts or dollar amounts approved — should consult the official DeSoto ISD meeting records once they are posted.

Coming up

No additional DeSoto ISD meetings are listed for the next 14 days. Residents can monitor the district's official posting channels for future agenda notices and for the minutes of the July 27 regular meeting and the July 31–August 1 governance training.