Educational foundations support school districts by providing funds for programs the district otherwise couldn’t afford. Most districts are lucky to have one. Leander Independent School District is in the unusual position of having two. However, some board members think the additional foundation may cause more problems than it solves.
The Leander Educational Excellence Foundation has supported the district for several years, and the Hill Country Educational Foundation recently requested to partner with LISD.
The issue, discussed at the July 15 regular board meeting, is whether HCEF’s mission is too narrow. The foundation originally set out to build a library in the Four Points area and now wants to support schools in the feeder pattern to Vandegrift High School. Trustee Don Hisle said he does not want to partner with a foundation that would not support the entire district.
“There needs to be equity,” he said.
Superintendent Bret Champion said the foundation can provide money to teachers within the district with or without LISD’s approval. By signing a memorandum of understanding, he said, the district can exercise some control over the group’s activities.
“There’s no hangup on the district being, because it already is,” he said. “Their mission is to support the Vandegrift feeder pattern with teacher grants, specifically. They recognize that as a concern. We’ve had meeting after meeting on this trying to find a balance.”
The balance currently under negotiation would require HCEF to provide a website to students district-wide, and allow funds to be funneled to the schools of the group’s choice.
Hisle said that was not good enough, but Trustee Grace Barber Jordan had a different problem.
“I’m just a little concerned … that we’ll start spreading our parents too thin,” she said.
Champion said that would not be a problem, since the two groups have different fund raising efforts and business models.
Trustee Pam Waggoner said approving the MOU could only help the district, since the foundation can exist outside the district’s purview.
“They want to do nothing but help the students,” she said. “We can’t really turn away groups that are going to help us. They can form without us.”
She added the MOU gave the district a lot of authority.
The issue will be revisited at the next board meeting.