The board of trustees of an independent school district must carry out listed governance, budgeting, reporting, audit, complaint, and personnel actions, and it may also take certain tax, bond, contract, and hearing-related actions.
Sec. 11.1511. SPECIFIC POWERS AND DUTIES OF BOARD. (a) In addition to powers and duties under Section 11.151 or other law, the board of trustees of an independent school district has the powers and duties provided by Subsection (b), except as otherwise provided by Sections 39A.201 and 39A.202. (b) The board shall: (1) seek to establish working relationships with other public entities to make effective use of community resources and to serve the needs of public school students in the community; (2) adopt a vision statement and comprehensive goals for the district and the superintendent and monitor progress toward those goals; (3) establish performance goals for the district concerning: (A) the academic and fiscal performance indicators under Subchapters C, D, and J, Chapter 39; and (B) any performance indicators adopted by the district; (4) ensure that the superintendent: (A) is accountable for achieving performance results; (B) recognizes performance accomplishments; and (C) takes action as necessary to meet performance goals; (5) adopt a policy to establish a district- and campus-level planning and decision-making process as required under Section 11.251; (6) publish an annual educational performance report as required under Section 39.306; (7) adopt an annual budget for the district as required under Section 44.004; (8) adopt a tax rate each fiscal year as required under Section 26.05, Tax Code; (9) monitor district finances to ensure that the superintendent is properly maintaining the district's financial procedures and records; (10) ensure that district fiscal accounts are audited annually as required under Section 44.008; (11) publish an end-of-year financial report for distribution to the community; (12) conduct elections as required by law; (13) by rule, adopt a process through which district personnel, students or the parents or guardians of students, and members of the public may obtain a hearing from the district administrators and the board regarding a complaint; (14) make decisions relating to terminating the employment of district employees employed under a contract to which Chapter 21 applies, including terminating or not renewing an employment contract to which that chapter applies; and (15) carry out other powers and duties as provided by this code or other law. (c) The board may: (1) issue bonds and levy, pledge, assess, and collect an annual ad valorem tax to pay the principal and interest on the bonds as authorized under Sections 45.001 and 45.003; (2) levy, assess, and collect an annual ad valorem tax for maintenance and operation of the district as authorized under Sections 45.002 and 45.003; (3) employ a person to assess or collect the district's taxes as authorized under Section 45.231; and (4) enter into contracts as authorized under this code or other law and delegate contractual authority to the superintendent as appropriate. (d) The board may require a school district's chief business official or curriculum director or a person holding an equivalent position to appear at an executive session of the board or to testify at a public hearing held by the board. A superintendent may not interfere with an appearance or testimony required by the board under this subsection. Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1244 (H.B. 2563), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2007. Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 895 (H.B. 3), Sec. 7, eff. June 19, 2009. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 925 (S.B. 1566), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2017. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1046 (S.B. 1365), Sec. 1.03, eff. September 1, 2021.