BISD trustees cancel November election after four candidates run unopposed

The Brownwood ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to cancel the district’s Nov. 3, 2026, election after four candidates filed for trustee positions without opposition. The decision came during the board’s regular meeting on Sept. 14, where trustees also reviewed district enrollment, recognized educators and heard about academic progress at Northwest Elementary.

The meeting began at 6:30 p.m. with Board President Michael Cloy presiding. Devon Chapa, youth pastor at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church, gave the invocation, and Northwest Elementary students Memphis Carpenter, Saige Spinks, Julian Murillo Torres and Eleanor Arrington led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Northwest Elementary reports accountability gains

Northwest Elementary Principal Christi Burks presented an update on the campus. She reported that the school’s Texas Education Agency accountability rating increased from 63 to 72.

Burks attributed the progress to work focused on closing achievement gaps and using student data to identify trends, procedural and conceptual misunderstandings, and the foundational skills students need to master grade-level content. Third-grade students also performed “Great Expectations” and “One Day” under the direction of music teacher Lauren Mays.

Teachers and volunteers recognized

BISD recognized Coggin Elementary teacher Elisabeth Johnson and Brownwood Middle School staff member Abby Flores as September 2026 Spotlight recipients. The peer-nominated award honors faculty and staff members who go the extra mile for students. Each recipient receives $250 through the Brownwood Education Foundation, with sponsorship from Jacobs Family Pharmacy.

Tori Trevino was recognized for creating fourth- and fifth-grade curriculum for tours and field trips at Howard Payne University’s Academy of Freedom Museum during the summer.

Five retired teachers were also recognized for helping campuses prepare for the school year: Martha Woods, Amy Adams, Pat Williams, Dana Cyr and Amy Hall. The volunteers assisted campuses at Northwest, East, Coggin and Woodland Heights.

Four BISD educators participated in Texas Education Agency committees that review potential items for state assessments, including STAAR, STAAR Alternate and TELPAS. They were Christina Jenkins, BMS eighth-grade social studies; Amber Michelle Villalpando, BMS seventh-grade math; Tami Hull, Brownwood High School biology; and Brittain Bright, Woodland Heights third-grade math.

The district also announced new or upgraded Teacher Incentive Allotment designations for 21 educators. Recognized-designation recipients included Tami Hull, Danielle Badillo, Christi Camp, LaPlesa Roseboom, Amber Shipman, GiGi Young, Keri John and Leah Loftin. Exemplary designations went to Mendy Green, Rhonda Tippit, Leslie Warren, Cammye Schwing, Stacy Hernandez, Jennifer DeMasters-Mares and Kalla Jones. Timothy Thomas, Susan Mora, Holly Cline and Sherri Land received Master designations, while Serena Miller received a higher designation of Master.

Enrollment and election decisions

District enrollment stood at 3,207 students as of Sept. 4, according to the report. The district said 220 students had transferred into BISD from outside the district, with most coming from Early, Bangs and Brookesmith. Superintendent Dr. Joe Young reported that transfers were up by 33 students, from 220 the previous year to 253 for the 2026-27 school year.

Young said middle- and high-school enrollment had increased slightly, while elementary enrollment had declined more significantly. He also reviewed average daily attendance and its effect on state funding, emphasizing that attendance, rather than enrollment alone, drives state funding.

The board voted to cancel the Nov. 3 trustee election because all candidates were unopposed in the applicable single-member districts. Incumbents Roderick Jones, Place 3; Connor Arrington, Place 6; and Justin Posey, Place 7, filed for re-election without opposition. Cloy did not seek re-election for Place 1, and Keith Howey filed unopposed for that seat. Howey will replace Cloy as the Place 1 representative after Nov. 3.

Trustees also unanimously approved the consent agenda, including fundraisers and out-of-state travel, examinations for credit, a TASB policy update, renewal of the BISD Guardian Security Plan, an adult meal price update, an October library-materials review and minutes from the Aug. 20 special meeting. No executive session was held.

The next BISD board meeting is scheduled for Oct. 5, 2026. The district also announced a staff and student holiday for Oct. 12. The Sept. 14 meeting adjourned at 7:17 p.m.