Boerne ISD Maintains Top A-Rating Despite Funding Challenges, Highlighting Educational Excellence

Boerne Independent School District has maintained its top A-rating from the Texas Education Agency every year since the state's accountability system was established, a distinction held by only 31 of the more than 1,200 districts in Texas. BISD is the only medium-large district in the greater San Antonio area to make that claim. Board Secretary Rich Sena, who is running for re-election in the May 2 school board race, said the rating reflects a community-wide commitment to holding high standards across all 13 campuses. "We don't like the idea of being a B-rated district," Sena said. "We're an A-rated district, and we have been every year since the rating system began. Standards are not what we state. They're what we accept."

The district's results are made more notable by the financial constraints under which they were achieved. Boerne ISD receives approximately $3,000 less per student than the average Texas school district under state funding formulas, placing it well below peer districts in per-pupil spending. The district spends roughly $10,000 per student compared to local private schools that charge between $18,000 and $30,000. "We have to be efficient, and we're used to doing more with less," Sena said. "We challenged our administration, and they identified $1.5 million in efficiencies and reductions in central office and administrative overhead. That's a million and a half dollars that could go directly to the classroom to support our mission of educating our kids."

Despite the funding gap, BISD graduates at a 95 percent rate of College, Career, or Military Readiness, far above the state average of 82 percent. The district outperforms neighboring competitors including Alamo Heights, Dripping Springs, and Lake Travis while serving a student population with higher rates of poverty than those districts. The A-rating has held even as the district has managed significant growth. When Sena joined the board in 2014, BISD enrolled 7,200 students. That number has climbed to more than 11,200. Maintaining academic quality through that kind of expansion required deliberate investment in teachers and campus leadership, Sena said.

"It starts with a supportive community, people that believe in the value of education. We have that here in Boerne," he said. "You need good governance and good leadership. Governance is so key because throughout the state of Texas, there are a lot of districts that don't exhibit good governance and there's infighting and division. We have to keep our eyes focused on the children." The board has earned the Texas Financial Integrity Rating System's Superior rating for 15 consecutive years, even as nearly 60 percent of districts statewide now face budget shortfalls. Sena said the financial discipline and academic results are connected.

"Educating our students - that is our why. That's why we do what we do," Sena said. "You have to support what goes on in the classroom through proper teacher development, good recruiting, and doing everything in your power to retain talented educators. That's where the rubber meets the road." Sena was honored to testify before the Texas Senate Education Committee in support of the teacher retention allotment, which secured raises of up to $5,000 for educators across the state. Locally, a successful voter initiative last November raised starting wages for hourly district workers to $15 per hour and provided incremental raises for teachers. "As the only A-rated medium-large district in our area, our staff deserves it," Sena said. "I'm glad we were able to produce that for them." Sena is running for re-election alongside Board President Kristi Schmidt, who holds Place 6. Both are seeking to continue their service on a platform of academic excellence, fiscal responsibility, and preserving Boerne's Hill Country community values. Early voting for the May 2 election begins April 20. Early voting locations include the Fair Oaks Ranch City Police Department headquarters and the Kendall County Annex across from Boerne High School. On Election Day, voters may cast ballots at Boerne City Hall or the Fair Oaks Ranch Police Department. For more information, visit https://www.senaforbisd.com/.