BISD Recruitment

Campus Targeted Improvement Plans

Campus Targeted Improvement Plans are hereby posted per Texas Education Agency requirements for State Accountability for schools in improvement. The plans are being posted as part of the notice for the required Public Hearing to be held on Tuesday, December 8, 2020 during the Brownsville ISD Board of Trustees meeting. The public may provide comments on plans during the public hearing prior to Board of Trustees approval of these plans. 

Los Planes de Mejora Dirigido al Campus se publican por la presente de acuerdo con los requisitos de la Agencia de Educación de Texas para la Responsabilidad Del Estado para las escuelas en mejora. Los planes se publican como parte del aviso para la Audiencia Pública requerida que se llevará a cabo el martes 8 de diciembre de 2020 durante la reunión de la Junta de Síndicos de Brownsville ISD. El público puede proporcionar comentarios sobre los planes durante la audiencia pública antes de la aprobación de estos planes por parte de la Junta de Síndicos. 

The plans are linked to the campus names below | Los planes están vinculados a los nombres del campus a continuación: 

-Lucio Middle School
-Besteiro Middle School 
-Stell Middle School 
-Morningside Elementary 
-Canales Elementary

Updated Wi-Fi Locations

TEA and BISD Update

At this time, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) is not extending additional waivers to delay the reopening of schools. Superintendent of Schools Dr. René Gutiérrez confirms with Commissioner of Education Mike Morath. Therefore, BISD’s approved waiver ends Friday, November 20, 2020, and will reopen it’s campuses for all students for face-to-face instruction on Monday, November 30, 2020. Parents will still have the option to continue distance learning instruction.

Winter Coat Drive

Advisory Board Virtual Meetings

Reopening Information for BISD Faculty and Staff

School Improvement Stakeholder Sessions

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has rated the following schools as “D” in Domain 3: Closing the Gaps under the 2019 State Accountability System. For 2020, these campuses are still required by TEA to continue with the same rating and conduct all required intervention activities.

  A public meeting is required* to discuss the campus performance, campus performance objectives, and solicit input for the campus Targeted Improvement Plan. The meetings will be held virtually using Zoom. The Zoom link for each virtual meeting will be posted on the campus and district websites the day before the meeting.

All interested stakeholders are invited to attend the campus sessions:

Campus: Besteiro Middle School
Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2020
Time: 3:00 to 4:00 PM via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83322907665?pwd=bjQ5aWt1SnpNbStLMzFMUDFCODFhdz09

Contact: Teresa Nunez, Principal, 956-544-3900

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Campus: Canales Elementary School
Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Time: 3:00 to 4:00 PM via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83535053576?pwd=Y2svc1hyRzY3eGhMM2grQ3NVOGFIZz09

Contact: Myrta I. Garza, Principal, 956-548-8900

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Campus: Lucio Middle School
Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Time: 9:00 to 10:00 AM via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83443521137?pwd=aytQZ2hkdHJwTmNDQmxhZFc3c3FxUT09

Contact: Chester Arizmendi, Principal, 956-831-4550

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Campus: Stell Middle School
Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Time: 4:00 to 5:00 PM via Zoom:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84865718210?pwd=L0gzcGtBUWIzVnRVM1dpcmh6Y0U3UT09

Contact: Obed Leal, Principal, 956-548-8560

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Campus: Morningside Elementary School
Date: Thursday, November 12, 2020
Time: 4:00 to 5:00 PM via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87833475215?pwd=YjlBVW1BNFJ4Rk85NGViRCswKzQzZz09 

Contact: Jose Martinez, Principal, 956-982-2760

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Phase Five Reopening Announcement

Important Announcement: Attention Parents and Guardians:

Election Day Polling Locations

BISD receives COVID-19 Rapid Test Program from State of Texas

Brownsville, Texas – November 2, 2020 – The Brownsville Independent School District (BISD) announces today that Governor Abbott, the Texas Education Agency (TEA), and the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) have selected BISD to receive the COVID-19 Rapid Test Program.

This program will help schools conduct rapid tests of district employees and students – with the written permission of their parents – to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on campuses. BISD received 16,000 rapid tests and is expected to receive a monthly allocation based upon the availability of tests provided by federal partners and the participation rate of school systems.

“BISD is committed to doing all we can to keep students and staff healthy and safe,” said Dr. René Gutiérrez, superintendent of schools of Brownsville Independent School District. “With this goal in mind, we are pleased to share that we will be taking part in a statewide program offering rapid COVID-19 tests for use in our district.”

Through this program, TDEM will provide BISD at no cost with COVID-19 rapid antigen tests that will be administered to students, teachers, and staff who choose to participate. BISD also received personal protective equipment (PPE) to safely administer the rapid tests, which produce reliable results within 15 minutes.

According to the Governor’s Office, this rapid test program will be an effective strategy to protect the health and safety of students and staff while helping to further ensure that Texas students have access to quality education throughout the pandemic and beyond. 

What COVID-19 tests are used in this program?
This program uses BinaxNOW tests, which provide results in 15 minutes and are administered using a nasal swab in the front area of the nostril. These tests have been shown to be highly accurate, with accuracy rates of 97-98% for symptomatic individuals.

Who will be tested and when?
BISD will be offering these tests to staff working on campus on an as needed basis. These tests are optional, but we encourage all staff who work on campus to participate in the program. Additionally, the district will test any individual who is experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19.

How will the information from the tests be used?
If a parent has given permission for BISD to administer the BinaxNOW test for their child, your child’s school will call you to let you know that your student is experiencing symptoms and that they will be administering a BinaxNOW test. The test administrator will also call to share the results after the test has been administered. Additionally, the student’s parent or guardian will receive test results via text and will also receive a confirmation e-mail within 24 hours.

The results will also be shared with BISD and with the local health department to allow for public health reporting and contact tracing and to determine the stay-at-home period for individuals who test positive. Additionally, the total number of positive tests per school will also be shared with the Texas Department of State Health Services as is required by law.

What happens next?
Tests are available to all students attending face-to-face instruction and who are showing symptoms of COVID-19. To participate, parents must complete a consent form. The first date testing will be available is Thursday, November 5, 2020.

For more information, contact the Brownsville Independent School District at 956.548.8000.


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About Brownsville Independent School District: Established in 1915, The Brownsville Independent School District is a public school district whose mission is to graduate students who are prepared to excel in higher education and successfully pursue career opportunities in a changing global society by maximizing resources to ensure equitable opportunities for all students. Recognized for its top-rated performance through the Texas Education Agency, the Brownsville Independent School District is the largest employer in the Rio Grande Valley with 54 schools, 6,458 employees, and 43,028 students. The Brownsville Independent School District provides a broad selection of academic activities and programs for all students that range from Early College High Schools to support programs for students with special needs. Thanks to the support of the local community, the Brownsville Independent School District is The Best Choice with a graduation rate of 93%. For more information, visit www.bisd.us.