BRENHAM SCHOOL BOARD DISCONTINUES FEES FOR OUT-OF-DISTRICT TRANSFERS
Brenham ISD will no longer charge transfer fees to out-of-district students attending classes in Brenham.
On Monday, the Brenham School Board voted unanimously to discontinue the district’s transfer fee policy, effective at the end of the current semester.
Superintendent Dr. Tylor Chaplin said none of the school districts around Brenham continue to charge transfer fees, as with changes to school finances over the years, districts are provided the same basic allotment—roughly $7,488 per student—by the state, whether the student lives inside or outside the district.
According to Dr. Chaplin, Brenham ISD receives 88 transfers, but “well over three quarters of them” are children of teachers in the district, so they are not charged the $2,500 a year per the transfer fee policy. Currently, 26 students pay transfer fees.
Dr. Chaplin said he wants Brenham ISD to be “a destination district for all students,” and called this “a great opportunity for us to be able to provide a quality education for people around us.”
Dr. Chaplin noted that students have to meet certain criteria in order for the district to accept them as transfers, including attendance, discipline and availability of space in a grade level, subject area or special program.
Any transfer students who have already paid for the second semester or the full school year will be reimbursed for the second semester.
Also on Monday, the board approved an agreement of collaboration between Brenham ISD and Brazos Valley Teach. Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Brandi Hendrix said the program allows students, namely 8th and 9th graders, to take Dual Credit courses along an education pathway. Schools in Bryan, Hearne and Caldwell are currently participating in the program, which comes at no cost for Brenham ISD to join.
Trustees also recognized the teacher, student and paraprofessional of the month at Brenham Middle School, as well as the district’s child nutrition employee and maintenance employee of the month. This month’s honorees include:
- Teachers of the Month: Kassey Wiesepape and Caylee Rocka
- Student of the Month: Edgar Martinez
- Paraprofessional of the Month: Pamela Hutchinson-Richardson
- Child Nutrition Employee of the Month: Louise Rogers
- Maintenance Employee of the Month: Randy Steinfeld
- Department of the Month: Brenham Police Department School Resource Officers
In other action, the board:
- Approved the purchase of new radios for use throughout the district for $126,894. Health and Safety Director Jamie Woodall said the new radios will be implemented through a three-step process, from allowing campuses to communicate with each other and with district officials, to allowing the district to patch in to dispatch and other agencies.
- Approved the asbestos abatement of pipes at the Brenham Community Education Building. The board accepted the bid of AAR, Inc. for $26,779 for the abatement, and approved King Consultants to use their license to monitor the air quality for $8,900.
- Heard a COVID-19 report from Jamie Woodall, who told the board there is one active case of COVID-19 throughout the district.
