Van Alstyne Independent School District trustees recognized student leadership, reviewed enrollment data, and approved several action items during the Sept. 14 regular meeting. The board also heard public comments regarding recent policy changes.
Student Recognition and Enrollment
Students from Williams Elementary opened the public portion of the meeting by leading the pledges and invocation. The board recognized VAJH teacher Gavin Ritchie and members of the VAJH Ambassador Club. The student-led group has expanded into a media club consisting of 36 students and seven staff sponsors.
Club members photograph and record campus activities, create content for the VAJH Facebook page, and help promote upcoming events. Students meet every two weeks to brainstorm ideas and plan coverage.
District enrollment was reported at approximately 3,024 students, an increase of roughly 6% since the end of the 2025–26 school year. The district’s attendance rate was approximately 96.3% through the previous week. Administrators will continue monitoring enrollment and attendance over the next several weeks to determine the potential impact on the district’s budget.
Alternative Education and Public Comment
The board received an update on alternative education programs, including the District Alternative Education Program, Panther Academy, and PAWS. DAEP placements decreased from 46 during the 2024–25 school year to 27 during 2025–26, a 41% reduction. Administrators credited campus leaders and staff members with providing proactive support that has helped more students remain successful on their home campuses.
Twelve students served through Panther Academy and PAWS completed their graduation requirements last year. All 12 also met their identified College, Career and Military Readiness requirements. The district is developing a more structured transition process to support students returning to their home campuses following a DAEP placement.
During public comment, community members raised concerns about the level of detail provided on the agenda for the Board’s Aug. 17 consideration of district handbooks. Comments focused on changes involving extracurricular participation and whether the public received sufficient notice of the specific policies being considered.
Speakers requested additional clarification about the changes and encouraged the Board to place the policies on a future agenda for further public discussion.
Board Actions
Trustees approved the consent agenda, which included minutes from the Aug. 17 budget hearing and regular meeting and the Aug. 31 special meeting. The consent agenda passed with four trustees voting in favor and three abstaining. A proposed discussion about rescinding an action from the previous meeting did not proceed because the matter was not included on the posted Sept. 14 agenda.
Following a public hearing, trustees voted 7-0 to approve VAISD’s annual certification of compliance with Senate Bill 12 and authorized Superintendent Dr. David Brown to submit the certification to the Texas Education Agency. Administrators reported that district policies, handbooks, training materials, programs, and contracts were reviewed for compliance. Required training was also provided to district employees before the beginning of the school year.
