Let's see academic turnaround results, not $1.4B bond

A new Midland nonprofit has been started to help “Love Midland” and “Move Midland.”

Move Midland is a 501©(4) organization dedicated to making Midland better. That includes coming up with a way to improve schools in terms of performance and facilities. And Move Midland believes that can be done without approving what is – by far – the largest bond in the city’s history.

Move Midland is not an anti-tax organization or one that believes Midland’s best path is not doing anything to improve development. Its conception goes back to the Midland City Council’s decision to not accept tens of millions of private dollars and deny the Hogan Park project.

And while it opposes the largest Midland ISD bond ever proposed – by a factor of more than 2 – it is not against school improvements.

According to its website, Move Midland proposes the following solution:

• The district should first build an elementary school “from its roughly $80 million in unrestricted surplus funds.”

• Then the district should begin to pay down its $200 million in deferred maintenance “out of the remaining unrestricted budget surplus.”

• Then, the community can pass a bond in 2024 to pay for a third high school, safety and security and the remaining maintenance needs (assuming student performance has shown significant improvement).

“We believe this bond could be detrimental to Midland and its students,” Move Midland states on its website. “Given MISD’s current track record of low ratings and failing schools, do you trust MISD to utilize your investment well?”

Rachel Walker, the board president for Move Midland, told the Reporter-Telegram that the organization is very aware of the facility issues the district face, and that it has a plan to address those issues. She also stated, “Giving the bond without having sound academic turnaround plan is not the fiscally responsible thing to do.”

Move Midland isn’t just about the bond. It aims to “to arm our community and local leaders with fact-based insights and policy-backed solutions regarding local issues affecting our citizens’ tax dollars, well-being, and community vision.”

Organizational leaders include former Midland Mayor Ernest Angelo and Elizabeth Moore, the daughter of another former Midland mayor, Mike Canon.

“The bond is not our main topic,” Walker said. “It is the topic at hand.

“We will be a voice in Midland to help educate our neighbors and friends on the facts behind Midland’s big issues. When the Hogan Park revitalization failed, we could see miscommunication and misunderstanding in our city. Moving forward, we will do our part to inform the community so we can all move Midland forward.”

Move Midland’s focus on the bond is for three reasons, according to its website.

• Midland spends more than enough. Move Midland states spending per student has increased 40% in 10 years, Midland’s budget has grown more than 100%, while enrollment is up 20% and more money for Midland means less accountability for performance. Midland ISD has already stated it expects a drop in performance when the Texas Education Agency releases rankings later this month.

• Midland is failing Midland’s children. Move Midland states only 36% of students meet grade level across all subjects, 42% of Midland ISD schools are projected to be D or F schools when TEA rankings come out and Midland ISD elementary schools built because of the 2012 bond are all C- or F-rated.

• MISD is deceiving taxpayers. Move Midland states this bond enables Midland ISD to ignore its current academic performance, Midland is putting building industry interests ahead of its students and Midland ISD focus should primarily be academic improvements.

Walker expects Move Midland will help provide a robust debate to the bond issue, which goes before the voters on Nov. 7 (early voting starts Oct. 23). The 33-year-old will participate in the Oct. 18 Reporter-Telegram forum about the school bond at the Carrasco Room at Midland College.

She said Move Midland will use “fact-based evidence” and “public policy-based information” in its arguments about the bond or future topics.

As far as the bond goes and those who are considering it because “we have to do something,” Walker agrees. She just asks for another year to show academic turnaround results. She said having a school built in 2028 or 2029 is not a big difference.

“Let’s meet halfway,” Walker said. “The district has to set the ship right first.”

Online: https://www.movemidland.org/