The Longview ISD Board of Trustees approved naming the district's new multipurpose indoor facility for Longview High School graduate Trent Williams during its regular meeting Monday, July 27. Williams' support for Longview students has included free youth camps, health screenings, footwear, and dual-credit scholarships. Trustees also received updates on the district's 2024 bond program and proposed 2026-27 budget. The board also approved changes involving teacher incentives, classroom technology, and instructional resources, and Place 2 Trustee Brett Miller took the oath of office for another term.
Indoor Center to carry Trent Williams' name
Longview ISD's new massive indoor facility will be named the Trent Williams Multipurpose Center. Williams graduated from Longview High School in 2006 and has remained involved with district students and programs throughout his professional career.
Since 2011, Williams has supported Longview students through projects involving athletics, health, basic needs, and college access. He helped fund improvements to the Lobo varsity football locker room that year and established the Silverback Football Camp in 2013. The annual event is free of charge to all, bringing him back to Lobo Stadium to provide free instruction and mentorship to about 100 young athletes.
In 2015, Williams contributed $25,000 to help launch electrocardiogram screenings for district student-athletes in partnership with CHRISTUS Good Shepherd. More than 1,000 students have since been screened. He partnered with Nike in 2016 to provide more than 1,000 pairs of shoes for Longview students, has supported recurring Christmas toy and bicycle distributions for local children and families since 2015, and established the Silverback Dual Credit Scholarship in 2022 to help Longview High School students pay for college-credit courses.
Williams told KLTV in 2023 that he modeled the free camp on opportunities former Lobo and NFL player Bobby Taylor provided him as a child. The example has continued: Baltimore Ravens defensive lineman and former Lobo Broderick Washington Jr., who hosts his own annual Longview youth camp, said in July that he followed Williams' lead and that "Trent was always the standard."
The board's decision followed a public input and committee review process. Of the 161 public responses received, 145 supported naming the facility for Williams, representing 90.1% of respondents. The district's naming committee also voted 10-0 in favor of the recommendation.
Presenting the recommendation, Mr. Matthew Prosser, Chief of Strategic Initiatives & Special Projects, said the naming process is intended to connect district facilities with the people they serve. "The goal is that our facilities reflect our community and that members of our community see themselves in our facilities," he said.
"He didn't go off and forget about the place that raised him," he said. "He remembered his hometown, poured into his community, and represented what we hope for our students: that they go out into the world, achieve great things, but remember where they came from, and remember to give back."
"If can always be said of Trent Williams that he 'didn't forget where he came from,'" Prosser added.
Entering his 17th NFL season, Williams has been selected to five Associated Press All-Pro teams, including three consecutive first-team selections from 2021 through 2023. His selection to the 2026 Pro Bowl Games broke a tie with three Hall of Famers for the most Pro Bowl selections by an offensive tackle in NFL history.
An annual ESPN survey of NFL executives, coaches, and scouts ranked him the league's No. 1 offensive tackle for four consecutive years through 2024. Pro Football Focus credits his 2021 season with the highest offensive grade it has recorded for any player since its grading began in 2006; four years later, at age 37, he ranked third among 89 qualifying tackles overall and second in run blocking.
At Longview High School, Williams helped the 2005 Lobos complete an undefeated regular season and win a district championship. He later played at the University of Oklahoma before Washington selected him fourth overall in the 2010 NFL draft. Longview High School retired his No. 71 jersey in 2017.
The approximately 112,000-square-foot facility will include a 120-yard turf field for marching band and athletics, batting cages, golf-simulation areas, a weight room, locker rooms, and coaches' offices. Construction began in October 2025, with substantial completion tentatively scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2027.
The facility is being constructed through Longview ISD's voter-approved 2024 bond program.
Board Reviews Districtwide Bond Projects
Trustees received updates on construction and renovation projects underway throughout Longview ISD. Work at Longview High School includes the second summer of interior renovations, an expansion of the dining hall, and restroom improvements. Construction also continues on the softball complex and the high school's north parking lot expansion, with ancillary buildings at the softball complex reported to be on schedule. E4 Contracting's John Erickson said the two high school renovation packages were "either on schedule or ahead of schedule," adding, "We are moving at a very rapid pace."
The Career & Technical Education Center is approximately 35% complete and was reported ahead of schedule. Procedeo Program Director Paul Miller said an approximately three-week production delay involving pre-engineered wall panels had affected the multipurpose center, but panels had begun arriving. "I don't anticipate there being any issue with SCI making up this time," Miller said. The project's tentative fourth-quarter 2027 completion date remains unchanged. The natatorium also remains tentatively scheduled for substantial completion in the fourth quarter of 2027.
The Early Childhood Learning Center's substantial-completion date has moved from November 2027 to February 2028 following a 101-day contract extension. Miller said Jackson Construction was unable to proceed with portions of the work while permits were under review; the process also included the design and approval of an added detention pond. Foundation work is now underway across the six-building project. The Transportation Center addition is preparing to move from design and preconstruction into construction.
The board also authorized Dr. Marla Sheppard, Superintendent, to negotiate a guaranteed maximum price with Jackson Construction for the Transportation Center project. The proposed guaranteed maximum price is not to exceed $7,656,596, including a combined owner and contractor contingency of $500,000. The approximately 10,000-square-foot addition is designed to address space limitations at the existing center and is tentatively scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2027.
Proposed 2026-27 Budget Totals $141.99 Million
Dr. Wayne Guidry, Chief Financial Officer, presented the proposed 2026-27 budget, which organizes spending around the five priorities in Longview ISD's Elevate 2030 strategic plan. Proposed expenditures total approximately $141.99 million, including a $104.31 million operating budget, a $30.49 million interest and sinking budget for debt payments, and a $7.19 million child nutrition budget.
The presentation included a statement from Dr. Marla Sheppard, Superintendent: "Every student in Longview ISD deserves a future full of possibility, and our job is to make that future real."
Of the $104.31 million operating budget, approximately $64.9 million is allocated to educational excellence, including classroom instruction, curriculum, special education, college and career readiness, counseling, extracurricular activities, and other academic programs. The remaining operating funds are allocated to staff development and retention, community engagement, student and employee well-being, facilities, technology, safety, and related needs.
The proposed budget assumes enrollment of 8,000 students and average daily attendance of 7,300. District projections showed that enrollment falling 50 students below that estimate could reduce revenue by about $238,000, while a decline of 200 students could reduce revenue by nearly $1.29 million.
Trustees set a public hearing for 6 p.m. Aug. 24, when the board is scheduled to discuss and adopt the 2026-27 budget and tax rate.
Board Approves Revisions to LIFT Incentive Program
Trustees approved revisions to the 2026-27 Longview Incentives for Teachers program, commonly known as LIFT. The locally funded performance-pay program provides teachers with opportunities to earn additional compensation through student growth and performance, high-stakes retesting results, career and technical education certifications, and campus distinctions.
Under the revised eligibility requirements, classroom teachers of record must hold the appropriate State Board for Educator Certification credential for the subjects and grade levels they teach. Employees must also maintain an attendance rate of at least 96% during the applicable evaluation period. During the December 2025 payout, 634 teachers received LIFT compensation, including 485 certified teachers, 130 non-certified teachers, and 19 Teacher Apprentice Program participants.
A review of the previous payout showed that raising the attendance requirement from 92% to 96% would have reduced the number of qualifying employees by 158, from 1,172 to 1,014. Employees earning awards under the revised model must remain continuously employed through the December 2027 payment date, and written appeals must be submitted by Jan. 7, 2028.
Board Approves Classroom Technology and Instructional Resources
The board approved $871,485.33 in districtwide instructional technology purchases, including 1,000 student Chromebooks for $439,750, 100 staff laptops for $121,100, and replacement interactive displays at Forest Park Middle School and Ware Elementary for $310,635.33. The display purchase includes 107 units, installation, and wireless casting.
Mr. Benjamin Wood, Chief Technology Officer, said the district tested the Lenovo model before recommending it. "We actually purchased a few of these, tore them down and built them back up to see how long they would last for us," he said.
Trustees also approved Writable and Amira instructional programs from HMH at a combined cost of $119,702.80. Writable supports standards-aligned writing instruction in grades 2-8, while Amira provides oral reading practice, decoding support, and dyslexia screening from prekindergarten through eighth grade.
SSC Reports Summer Cleaning Progress and Retention Bonuses
Mr. Sedrick Brown, SSC Unit Director, reported that the 2026 summer cleaning program was about 75% complete, with remaining work focused largely on construction cleanup at Longview High School.
The district and SSC also plan to provide January 2027 retention bonuses to 83 eligible SSC employees. The presentation listed 66 full-time employees eligible for $1,250 each and 17 part-time employees eligible for $625 each.
Brett Miller Sworn in for Another Board Term
Place 2 Trustee Brett Miller took the oath of office to begin another term on the Longview ISD Board of Trustees. Ms. Mitzi Martin, Executive Secretary, administered the oath during the meeting.
Miller was first elected to the board in 2020 and continued in office after running unopposed in 2023. The district canceled the May 2, 2026, election for Place 2 after Miller was again the only candidate to file, and no write-in candidate was certified. He was declared elected to another term under state law.
Board Extends Superintendent's Contract
Following closed session, trustees voted 4-0 to extend the Superintendent's Contract of Dr. Marla Sheppard. Trustees Lateefah Pruitt, Michael Tubb, Crista Black and Brett Miller voted in favor. Trustee Ted Beard abstained. Trustees Dr. Troy Simmons and Dr. Samir Germanwala were not present for the vote.
Dr. Sheppard was named the district's lone finalist May 21, 2024, and trustees approved her hiring June 25, 2024. Her original contract was effective July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2027. She began leading the district that summer after 29 years in public education, including prior leadership roles in Houston ISD, Fort Bend ISD, Kansas City Public Schools and KIPP Texas Public Schools.
In Other Business
During the course of the meeting, the Longview ISD Board of Trustees also:
APPROVED the consent agenda, including minutes from June 8, Budget Amendment No. 10, setting the Aug. 24 public hearing for the 2026-27 budget and tax rate, the third-quarter investment report, and the board time-use tracker;
APPROVED a districtwide copier replacement and service agreement with Epic Office Solutions, including $301,325 in hardware and $135,360 in annual service costs;
APPROVED activation of video surveillance in certain special education classrooms as permitted by the Texas Education Code;
APPROVED 15 designated non-business days for purposes of calculating deadlines under the Texas Public Information Act, including 10 days in 2026 and five days in 2027;
DID NOT APPROVE the Texas Association of School Boards Local Policy Update 127;
APPROVED the 2026-27 Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System appraisal calendar;
APPROVED a resolution ratifying the sale of district-owned property at 500 Magrill Street to Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center, authorizing conveyance of the property and any included oil, gas, and mineral interests and execution of documents needed to complete the transaction;
RECEIVED the district's financial statements through May 31, 2026; and
APPROVED personnel recommendations following closed session by a 5-0 vote.