04/25/2025
Happy Friday! Y’all Go Vote Today! 💚
Some have asked what changes are needed. I have responded to this question with the Google Doc link below to provide links to data sources that are reflected in my statements. My goals for Bangs ISD are not based on anger or agendas, just facts, data, 25 years of personal experience at Bangs ISD and a heart that cares for our teachers, students and community. Please take the time to read and consider these thoughts as you vote for the next school board members of Bangs ISD.
Why Change is Needed!
TEA (Texas Education Agency) releases the TAPR (Texas Academic Performance Reports) each year for every school and district in TX. This report provides extensive information on schools, district staff, programs and student demographics and can be found at the following link.
https://tea.texas.gov/texas-schools/accountability/academic-accountability/performance-reporting/texas-academic-performance-reports
This week, TEA also released the 2023 A-F Accountability Reports
https://txschools.gov/?view=district&id=025901&tab=schools&lng=en
From this vast amount of data, one must evaluate not just the numbers on paper, but other data as well to analyze, evaluate and determine the health and wellness of our school.
This information along with teacher, student, family and community experiences provides a crucial health check for our school.
Bangs ISD TAPR 2023-24
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G-DZKTS6xdOrKjIhImtpyE127qfrhZjR/view?usp=drivesdk
I have pulled some data from this report which indicates some alarming findings.
TEA TAPR Data Reports for Bangs ISD
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12yXmPl-e-y6WjrrriwWSocSiYjsvnXdP6BNvEqxnl08/edit?usp=drivesdk
📌Teacher turnover for Bangs ISD 2023-24 school year was 33.1%. Our state average was 19.1% and we were 10% + higher than other local districts in our county and our UIL district. I did not have to read this report to know how critical this problem was or is for Bangs ISD. I have lived this. Over the past five years, I have watched valued and highly qualified teachers and coaches leave our district or not have contracts renewed because of administration and an unprofessional or toxic work environment. Some have shared that teachers leave to go to other schools for more money. We shouldn’t take the opinion of others. If you know someone who has left, reach out to them and ask why! The teachers and staff members that I know and have worked with for many years did not leave for more money. This is the district they raised their families in and worked hours beyond any contract they signed. They loved Bangs ISD! I have a list of 23+ employees who left Bangs ISD between 2021-23, myself included, and that’s not a complete list. What have we done about this? I for one have made the school board aware of these concerns to the greatest degree possible in writing and verbally, in meetings, emails or phone calls which resulted in no change. Now the problems have only increased.
📌Our student enrollment continues to decrease and we have lost many veteran, highly qualified teachers. Many of these teachers who taught STAAR subjects had great test results and were valued employees in our district. They now teach at other districts in our county or area schools. Do we want to know why?
📌Simultaneously, we have gained many new, first year and emergency certification teachers. I have worked with some excellent emergency certification teachers, however, there should be a balance that includes veteran teachers as well.
📌Dr. Martin wrote a book, Turning a School Around: Key Considerations for Real Success. He stated in this book that “veteran teachers can take more time to train than a novice teacher, are not interested in change and can often be the hardest to train.” It is also often said in our district that you can hire two new teachers for the price of one veteran teacher. Is that why the veteran teachers who were in line to retire at Bangs ISD and are at the top of our step pay scale, (other than principals, assistant principals, directors or counselors) are often the targets of job duties removed or reassignments? They are not fired, just canceled. They often leave our district by resigning vs retiring. This is also difficult to accept when the superintendent gets a 5% raise each year, except for Jan. 2022 when he was given a 12% raise by our school board according to school board reports.
Bangs ISD School Board Reports
https://www.bangsisd.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=545402&type=d&termREC_ID=&pREC_ID=1049779
Bangs ISD Salaries
https://govsalaries.com/salaries/TX/bangs-independent-school-district?year=2024
📌We have witnessed some challenging times in our Special Education program and currently have a rating of Needs Assistance for the first time I can find record of. What are we currently doing to correct this and how can we support this department to be successful in the future? We have lost many excellent Special Education teachers, not because of the students or pay, but because of the leadership of some administrators.
📌Beyond data sheets and TEA reports, our teachers and staff work tirelessly for our students and families and we are forever grateful to them for this. Our students are more than a test score and the value of our teachers does not come from a TEA report! Let’s look for ways to support both in the classroom to provide the best learning environments possible that will yield positive reports for EVERY campus in our district once again.
These issues are concerns that must be taken seriously for the health and longevity of our school. I am appreciative of the positive changes our current school board has accomplished, however, the lack of addressing and taking measurable steps to correct these and other critical concerns are why I am running for school board. In order to serve our district well, we must prioritize these concerns to find solutions for REAL SUCCESS regardless of who is on the school board.
I am running for school board because Bangs ISD needs CHANGE and I am happy to help make a positive difference for our students, teachers and families. Schools need checks and balances! We can professionally sit down at the table together to analyze our situation and strategize a plan to correct these issues as problem solvers and world changers for Bangs ISD! I support Blu Tidwell and RC Lehman because they also desire CHANGE in these areas and are up for the challenge in making Bangs ISD the best it can be. Let’s celebrate the wins, build on our success and strive for excellence at every level.
Respectfully,
Joy Mitchell
for Bangs ISD School Board
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UbOn_7gujhlsbxJYN6P3g-ykCE45ujOu/view?usp=drivesdk
