During their regular meeting this past Wednesday, the Levelland ISD School Board conducted a swearing-in ceremony for incumbent’s Mike Stafford, Joyce Johnson and incoming member Gary Bridges.
The Board canvassed the 2025 Board of Trustee Election results. Undergoing an Oath of Office, Stafford, Johnson and Bridges were sworn onto the Board.
From there they went into the election of officers where the group annually elects a president, vice-president, and secretary for the 2025-2026 term. Carrie Ellis was elected president; Stafford was elected vice president and Treva Potter was elected secretary. Johnson was also nominated for the designation of delegate for TASA/TASB fall convention to conduct business and formulate policies for the organization. The alternate went to Bridges.
As LISD Superintendent Becky McCutchen has signed a contract with Waxahachie ISD which will take effect June 2, McCutchen has been designated with a leave status. The Board took into consideration to name an acting superintendent to carry out McCutchen’s duties in her absence.
During open comment, former board member Rusty Gibson voiced his concerns about the qualities the new superintendent should have.
“I spent 12 years on the board and hired four superintendents,” stated Gibson. “We want a fresh face, new ideas and someone who has superintendent experience. People want someone who has ties to the community, the district and I think we have several qualified people now worth looking at.”
Following an executive session, the board took action declaring Assistant Superintendent Rodney Caddell as acting superintendent going forward until they can find an interim or a permanent superintendent.
Caddell has been in education for 36 years and shared that he is grateful for the opportunity.
“It’s an honor to serve this district in this capacity,” said Caddell, “I look forward to working with staff and students to continue to make the district the best in the area. We always want things to be better and I want to make it better. It’s all about the kids.”
As the meeting progressed, the Board took in consideration an interlocal agreement with the West Texas Public Schools Employee Benefit Cooperative. In effort to enhance the costeffectiveness and quality of employee benefits, Levelland ISD is seeking to join the West Texas Public Schools Employee Benefits Cooperative.
The Cooperative allows participating school districts and governmental entities to collaborate in providing competitive and comprehensive employee benefits and risk management programs. This resolution supports the formal request for Levelland ISD to become a participant in the Cooperative. The board approved it with no issue.
Plans are in the works between LISD and South Plains College (SPC) to create a differentiated dual credit program. The differentiation aspect of this plan is to meet the needs of all the kids in the classrooms.
With each student having different learning needs and learning disabilities, SPC wants to guarantee that every teacher could differentiate their instructions and assessments to meet the needs of all their kids.
SPC is creating an organized course for their courses into a structured measurable and realistic plan that will not only increase the number of SPC enrolled dual credit students but also help students get their associate degree to improve the community with having college industry ready citizens outside of the students graduating.
A public hearing was held in regards to federal and state funded program applications. Prior to the submission of applications, the government requires each district to provide an opportunity for the public to comment. With no individuals in attendance to comment, the Board proceeded with the item.
For 2025, the school district received $769,970 and are assuming they will get the same amount next year.
In planning the budget, the school district broke it down into categories. The categories are as follows: The most funding goes to Title I for improving basic programs and to pay the paraprofessionals who are not attached to another program. This includes Special Ed programs as they are attached to Special Ed funds so they don’t get paid out of the Title I funds. Title I also helps with several other salaries, and it’s used to buy several of the curriculum programs that are used throughout the district. From there the district can dip into migrant funds, but the purchases are only for migrant children. Title II is for teacher and principal training so this pays for the staff who went to the TCEAE conference, and it also pays 40% of the instructional coordinator salaries.
Title III funds go to English language acquisition, language enhancement and academic achievement/immigrant. Specifically, the funds go to the ESL teachers to purchase supplies such as translators and headphones, to make it easier to communicate with the students.
Title IV goes to student support and academic enrichment, to support well-rounded educational opportunities, not limited to core content. Safety, health and drug education are examples.
It was added that the district has the desire to merge Title II and Title IV, which pays for student support and academic enrichment to Title I for more flexibility and not as many rules.
Perkins V is a Career and Technical Education (CTE) program whose goal is to provide students, including special population groups (such as individuals with disabilities, economically disadvantaged, single parents, limited English proficient students, and educationally disadvantaged students), with the academic, occupationally specific experiences, and entry-level employment skills necessary to compete in a global society. Head Start; the goal of this program is to increase the social competence of children from low-income families. Social competence is defined as the child’s everyday effectiveness in dealing with both his present environment and later responsibilities in school and in life. It considers the interrelatedness of social, emotional, cognitive and physical development.
IDEA-B Formula, the purpose of this program is to help school districts ensure that students with disabilities are provided a free appropriate public education as required by federal statute. The program provides supplemental services to eligible students ages three through 21 that are in addition to those basic services routinely provided by regular and special education programs.
DEA-B Preschool, the purpose of this program is to help districts ensure that eligible students with disabilities ages three to five are provided with a free appropriate public education as required by federal statute.
E-rate Discounts, the Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund, commonly known as “E-Rate,” is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) under the direction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and provides discounts to assist most schools and libraries in the United States to obtain affordable telecommunications, internet access, and internal connections.
The Board also recognized the Loboette Softball team who ranked third in state and to congratulate Saydi Mendez with receiving the Greater Texas Sport Dealers Female Athlete of the Month for March. Levelland Smith Auto Family presented the award to Mendez for her hard work, dedication and stamina. Mendez had an incredible season with a 25.43 batting average, 38 hits, 23 RBI’s and only three strike outs in 23 games.