The Longview Independent School District Board of Trustees approved SCI Construction as construction manager at risk for Longview High School cafeteria expansion and restroom renovations, adopted a targeted amendment to the 2026-27 academic calendar, and advanced a slate of planning, property, academic, and governance items during its regular meeting, March 23, 2026.
Bond Progress
The Board approved SCI Construction as construction manager at risk for the Longview High School cafeteria expansion and restroom renovations, adding another major project to a bond program that district leaders said continues to move with discipline on both schedule and cost.
Mr. Samuel Kington, Chief of Facilities and Operations, said SCI was selected after the District received seven responses, interviewed four firms, and evaluated each proposal through the district's scoring process. He said SCI received the highest overall score, submitted the most competitive proposal, and already has active Longview ISD projects on campus that are on schedule and within their established guaranteed maximum price.
"We cast a fairly wide net, and this was a real competition," Mr. Kington said. "Seven firms responded, four were interviewed, and SCI emerged with the strongest overall package. They know our campus, they know our standards, and they have already shown they can deliver major work here on time and within the guaranteed price structure."
Mr. Kington said the work will focus on expanding and improving one of the busiest daily-use spaces on campus while the broader Longview High School renovation effort continues through staged summer work.
Longview ISD Superintendent Dr. Marla Sheppard said the District is not treating bond oversight as a ceremonial exercise.
"When voters entrust public dollars to us, they expect visible progress and close management," she said. "That is exactly how we are approaching this work. We are not improvising. We are sequencing projects carefully, checking costs constantly, and keeping our eyes on the student experience while the work gets done."
The Board also received an E4 Contracting renovation update from John Erickson IV, owner-operator of E4 Contracting, who reported continued progress under Proposition A at Longview High School.
"Current work includes Summer renovations on the first-floor hallways, common areas, and classrooms, along with half of the ninth-grade wing on the second floor," he said. "Completed and commissioned sports lighting at the softball complex, permanent power from American Electric Power, an installed concrete retaining wall, a north parking lot expansion currently out for bids with an April 9 target, and high school roofing upgrades."
Erickson said the work has been intentionally sequenced so that the District can keep pressing forward without losing control of timing.
"We are not drifting from one project to the next," he said. "The renovation work is moving in planned phases. The softball complex has cleared major milestones, the roofing work is advancing, and the parking package is already moving through the next approval stage. That kind of sequencing matters if you want real momentum and not just the appearance of momentum."
Financials presented to the Board showed bond proposition budgets and expenditures across multiple packages, including Proposition A with a bond-approved budget of $148,462,627 and expenditures of $14,159,183 to date; Proposition B with a budget of $14,700,000 and expenditures of $1,617,000 to date; Proposition C with a budget of $33,500,000 and expenditures of $3,350,000 to date; and Proposition D with a budget of $21,000,000 and expenditures of $1,887,342 to date. The renovation report also showed Proposition A construction paid to date at $8,183,356, with $94,159,072 remaining in the construction balance.
Dr. Sheppard said those numbers matter because they show the District is pairing visible construction with fiscal control.
"It is one thing to have renderings and another thing to have a project ledger that makes sense," she said. "We intend to keep showing both."
New Construction
Trustees also received a new construction update from Mr. Paul Miller, project manager for Procedeo, covering the District's major new-build bond projects.
The update showed the Career and Technical Education Center carrying a construction budget of $27,579,353, a 95,000-square-foot footprint, 100 percent design procurement progress, 100 percent design progress, 100 percent construction procurement progress, and 11 percent construction progress, with tentative substantial completion in the second quarter of 2027. The Mega Multipurpose indoor facility carries a construction budget of $35,085,523, a 120,000-square-foot footprint, full design procurement and design progress, full construction procurement progress, and 8 percent construction progress, also with tentative substantial completion in the second quarter of 2027.
Program-wide bond budget figures presented to the Board as of March 15 showed a total bond-approved budget of $50 million for the Career and Technical Education Center, $40 million for the multi-purpose facility, $37 million for the natatorium, $50 million for early childhood, $7 million for transportation, and $23,983,151 for owner-direct purchases.
Mr. Miller said the District's larger projects are no longer in the abstract.
"These are not conceptual placeholders anymore," he said. "The CTE center and the multi-purpose facility have both moved through procurement, design is complete, site activity is underway, and the schedule is now being measured in construction progress, not just planning meetings."
Mr. Miller said the long-range schedule presented to trustees still targets active construction through 2026 and into 2027 across the Career and Technical Education Center, transportation center, early childhood learning center, multi-purpose indoor facility, and natatorium.
Dr. Sheppard said the public should judge the program by visible progress and disciplined execution, not noise.
"These are large, complicated projects on active campuses, and they are being managed with the level of seriousness that kind of work requires," Sheppard said. "We are building for the next generation, but we are doing it with the responsibility the present demands."
Calendar Update
Later, board members approved a limited amendment to the 2026-27 academic calendar to comply with Senate Bill 12 while preserving state funding eligibility and avoiding any net loss of instructional time.
Under the amendment, April 5 will shift from a staff development day to an instructional day, and May 28 will become a half-day that includes dedicated parent involvement time.
Mr. Matthew Prosser, Chief of Strategic Initiatives, said the adjustment was intentionally narrow.
"This is a targeted correction, not a rewrite of the calendar," he said. "We are making two date adjustments, preserving the instructional requirement, protecting funding eligibility, and keeping the impact on families and staff as limited as possible."
Mr. Prosser said the revised calendar also aligns with the parent-engagement requirement embedded in Senate Bill 12, without adding make-up days or redesigning the school year.
"We already had the time," he said. "What we needed was the cleaner alignment. This reallocates time we already control in a more compliant and financially responsible way."
Dr. Sheppard said the amendment reflects the kind of administrative discipline the public rarely sees but should expect.
"Good governance is often quiet," she said. "Sometimes it looks like catching a compliance issue early, fixing it cleanly, and sparing families a bigger disruption later. That is what this action does."
Naming CTE Expansion
Trustees approved the recommendation emerging from the community naming process for the new Career and Technical Education building at Longview High School, with final discussion on the facility's formal name still to continue.
Mr. Prosser said the recommendation in favor of the late Mr. James Paul Brewer was "decisive, not marginal."
"This was not a split decision dressed up as consensus," he said. "Mr. Brewer received the most push for this, clearly, repeatedly, and across every major stakeholder group we measured. Alumni, staff, parents, and community members all landed in the same place, and then the committee came back with a unanimous vote."
"That is about as clean a signal as a naming process can produce," Mr. Prosser added.
Brewer led the field across every major respondent group: 85 of 112 alumni respondents (about 76 percent); 44 of 61 staff respondents (about 72 percent); 37 of 55 parents and guardians (about 67 percent); and 27 of 41 community members (about 66 percent). The naming committee then voted 6-0 to recommend Brewer to the Board.
Mr. Prosser said the survey also showed respondents strongly preferred naming the building after a person who honorably served the district and community rather than giving the facility a purely functional label.
"People understood this as a legacy decision," he said. "They wanted the building to say something about who we are, not just what happens inside it."
Mr. Brewer's record helps explain that result. Longview ISD said after his death in July 2023 that he had devoted 40 years to Texas education, nearly 30 of those as an administrator. He was preparing to begin his 17th year at Longview High School. Brewer received honors during his career, including Superintendent of the Year, Principal of the Year, and Coach of the Year.
"But more than this, he was a good friend," added. Mr. Prosser. "Mr. Brewer was a friend and mentor to students and staff alike."
Dr. Sheppard said Brewer's reputation was built on more than longevity.
"James Brewer was the kind of leader whose name still carries weight because he earned that weight over time," Sheppard said. "He led one of the most visible campuses in East Texas, he did it with steadiness and fairness, and he left a mark on generations of students and staff. It is not hard to understand why this community responded the way it did."
Property Planning
Trustees also moved forward on two property matters and approved a new demographic-planning contract designed to sharpen long-range decision-making.
Dr. Wayne Guidry, Chief Financial Officer, said the District approved the sale of two acres near Judson Middle School to Gregg County for $90,000. He said the District had previously determined the tract was excess property not needed for school purposes, and that the agreement also includes construction of a new parking lot behind Judson Middle School.
"This is a straightforward example of turning a surplus asset into direct value," he said. "The District receives $90,000, the county gets the property it approached us about, and Judson gains a parking improvement that supports campus operations. That is a practical result for taxpayers."
Dr. Guidry also reviewed the status of the 500 McGrill property negotiations. He said Christus initially offered $1.55 million, matching the District's asking price. After several rounds of negotiation, the revised letter of intent as of March 18 included the $1.55 million purchase price, a 30-day inspection period, a 30-day closing period, buyer-paid survey costs, a leaseback of the technology building for $2,333 per month, and a 3 percent Realtor fee for both buyer and seller. He said two issues still needed clarification: the possession date after May 29, 2026, and adequate parking allocation.
"This one has taken a little more back-and-forth, but the fundamentals remain strong," he said. "The purchase price is intact at $1.55 million, the survey shifts to the buyer, and the leaseback gives us transition room for technology operations at a rate that is reasonable and market-aligned."
Long-term Planning Study
Mr. Prosser also presented the District's recommended contract with Population and Survey Analysts (PASA) for demographic study and long-range facilities planning. The two-year engagement totals $83,500, split evenly at $41,750 per year.
"At its core, this replaces anecdote with data," Prosser said. "We will have a defensible 10-year view of enrollment tied directly to where growth is actually happening on the ground. That gives the Board and administration a common operating picture before any major facilities or boundary decisions ever need to be made."
Mr. Prosser said the value of the agreement is not just about projections, but also about earlier visibility into capacity pressure, zoning strain, and competitive enrollment loss.
"This is decision-grade intelligence," he said. "It gives us a chance to act early instead of react late."
Dr. Sheppard said the three items fit together more than they may appear at first glance.
"When you sell property, retain flexibility in another site, and invest in better forecasting, you are doing the long work of stewardship," she said. "We are trying to think ahead instead of waiting for pressure to make decisions for us."
Academic Results
The Board held the required public hearing on the 2024-25 District Annual Report and received an academic update built around Texas Academic Performance Report data and current simulation results.
Ms. Latitia Wilson and Ms. Tracey Fernandez, Data-Driven Leadership Coordinators, reported that Longview ISD posted a 2025 all-grades, all-subjects "Approaches Grade Level or Above" rate of 79 percent, compared with 75 percent for the state and 73 percent for Region 7. At the "Meets Grade Level or Above" standard, the District posted 54 percent, compared with 50 percent statewide and 46 percent in Region 7. At the "Masters Grade Level" standard, Longview ISD posted 25 percent, compared with 21 percent for the state and 18 percent for Region 7. By subject, the District posted 80 percent approaches in science, 82 percent in social studies, 79 percent in mathematics, and 78 percent in English language arts/reading. The District's math "Meets" rate was 58 percent, compared with 46 percent statewide and 43 percent in Region 7.
Ms. Wilson and Ms. Fernandez also reported school progress figures showing the District at 69 percent in annual growth for all grades and both subjects, versus 65 percent for the state and 63 percent for Region 7. In all-grades math annual growth, Longview ISD posted 71 percent, compared with 64 percent statewide and 61 percent regionally. In accelerated learning, the District posted 39 percent for all grades and both subjects, and 45 percent in math, again above both the state and regional figures. They also highlighted gains in bilingual and English as a Second Language programming, including English as a Second Language content-based annual growth rising from 68 percent to 71 percent, and accelerated learning in that same category, jumping from 33 percent to 53 percent. English as a Second Language pull-out annual growth rose from 64 percent to 70 percent, while accelerated learning rose from 39 percent to 43 percent.
The annual report also showed a 2023-24 graduation rate of 97.8 percent for the District, compared with 90.7 percent statewide and 89.4 percent in Region 7. Attendance was 95.5 percent, above both the state rate of 93.6 percent and the regional rate of 94.9 percent. The dropout rate was 0.3 percent in grades 7 and 8 and 0.7 percent in grades 9 through 12. College, career, and military readiness for annual graduates measured 72.2 percent in 2023-24, down 1.5 points from the prior year but still up 20.8 points for economically disadvantaged students and up 9.4 points for emergent bilingual and English learner students over the multi-year horizon presented to trustees.
Ms. Wilson and Ms. Fernandez then walked the Board through simulation data used to project where current students are trending before the next accountability cycle. At the high school level, Longview High School hit Target 2 in English I "Meets," missed growth in English I, hit Target 3 in English II "Meets," and hit Target 3 in English II growth across the subgroups shown. LEAD Academy High School hit Target 1 in English II "Meets," missed one subgroup there, hit Target 2 in two subgroups, and missed multiple English II growth targets.
Ms. Wilson said the point of the academic update was not to flatten the story into either triumph or panic.
"The TAPR data gives us the finalized picture of the last school year, and the simulation data gives us a forward-looking picture of where current work is headed," she said. "In both views, the District has real strengths to build on, especially in math growth, graduation, attendance, and several reading and science indicators."
Ms. Fernandez said the simulations are useful precisely because they are not static.
"They help us make instructional decisions while there is still time to affect the outcome," she said. "That is the whole point. We are not waiting to be surprised in August by numbers we should have been addressing in March."
Dr. Sheppard said the data shows a district that is outperforming broader benchmarks in several core areas while still confronting weak spots honestly.
"There is a lot here to be proud of, and there is also work still to do," she said. "That is the mature way to read data. We are above the state and region in important measures, our graduation and attendance numbers are strong, and our teams are using live data now, not later, to keep pushing on student achievement."
Revenue Partnership
The Board also approved a memorandum of understanding with Longview Gameday for multimedia services supporting Longview ISD athletics.
Mr. Prosser said the three-year framework is designed as a revenue-generating partnership rather than a district expense. Under the arrangement, the annual value is $25,000, with $12,000 returning directly to the District in cash and another $13,000 coming through in-kind media production and promotion.
"Most districts pay for this kind of coverage and hope it helps," he said. "Here, the relationship works the other direction. We are getting professional livestream production, direct student involvement in real media roles, $12,000 back in cash, and another $13,000 in in-kind value. That is a better return than the typical arrangement."
In addition, this structure preserves district control over standards, branding, and who participates on air.
"This is a partnership, not a handoff," added Mr. Prosser. "We retain the guardrails."
Dr. Sheppard said the agreement fits the district's broader push to connect opportunity with practical value.
"It expands visibility for our programs, creates authentic experience for students, and does so in a way that produces revenue rather than another bill," she said. "That is the kind of partnership public institutions should be looking for."
Election Action
Trustees also approved an order canceling the May 2, 2026, election in District II and District IV because both races were uncontested.
Mr. Prosser said Mr. Brett Miller was the only candidate to file for District II, and Ms. Crista Black was the only candidate to file for District IV, with no write-in candidates certified in either race. As a result, both were declared elected under the Texas Election Code, and the election for those places was canceled.
"When an election is uncontested, the law gives the Board a cleaner path forward," he said. "This action saves the District the cost and administrative lift of running an unnecessary election while still preserving public notice and legal transparency."
Miller was first elected to Place 2 in 2020 and was sworn in that November. Crista Black was first elected to Place 4 in 2023.
Dr. Sheppard said the uncontested outcome should not be read as a small matter.
"Board service carries real responsibility," she said. "These trustees help govern a district serving more than 8,000 students and managing a budget well into nine figures. Continued willingness to serve matters."
Compliance Items
The Board also addressed several required governance and finance actions.
Mr. Darryl Dans, transportation coordinator, presented the Senate Bill 546 item on bus seat belts. He told trustees the total retrofit cost is estimated at $33,830 per bus, or $1,420,860 for the remaining 42 buses in the district's fleet.
Trustees then approved the required determination that the District's current budget does not permit compliance with the three-point seat belt requirement at this time.
"That figure is not theoretical," he said. "At $33,830 per bus and $1.42 million across the remaining 42 buses, this is a major capital requirement. The law requires us to report it clearly, and that is what we did."
Dr. Guidry also presented revisions to Board Policy CDA(LOCAL), which governs district investments. He said the update clarifies the titles of authorized investment officers, corrects a reference to the Public Funds Investment Act, removes outdated investment-pool language and broker-dealer requirements, and updates the acronym for the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants.
"This is not a philosophical rewrite," he said. "It is a clean-up and clarification package that makes the policy more precise and more current."
On the consent agenda, trustees approved Budget Amendment No. 6 to record current-year donations totaling $1,429, including $1,000 in E4 Contracting support for a Women's History Month brunch, $404 in Texas Bank and Trust Spirit Card donations, and $25 in Southside Bank Spirit Card donations.
Trustees also approved an interlocal agreement with the City of Fort Worth to participate in the Texas Payment Card Consortium, administered by JPMorgan Chase Bank, replacing the District's prior procurement-card arrangement and providing access to a rebate program, flexible card setup options, and dedicated customer service.
Dr. Sheppard said smaller agenda items often matter precisely because they are small.
"Public trust is built just as much in the housekeeping items as in the headline items," Sheppard said. "You show people who you are by how carefully you manage the details."
For more info
Trustees usually meet in the boardroom of the Longview ISD Education Support Center (1301 E. Young Street). The next regular meeting is tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. Nov. 17, 2025.
For more information about the Longview ISD Board of Trustees, please click here.