Killeen Educators Association
LOCAL people making a WORLD of DIFFERENCE!
Additional information can be found HERE.
Dear Members,
The health and safety of our members is of paramount concern. With that in mind I am informing you of the following event.
During the afternoon of Friday, April 29th Killeen ISD released a statement informing the public it had been informed by the Bell County Public Health Department that some students and staff of four KISD campuses may have been exposed to Tuberculosis. According to the press release, the four schools are:
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Eastern Hills Middle School
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Manor Middle School
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Charles Patterson Middle School
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Union Grove Middle School
According to the Center for Disease Control Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterium that usually attacks the lungs, but can also attack any vulnerable part of the body, such as the kidneys, spine and the brain. TB is an airborne disease, and is spread through the air from one person to the next through actions such as coughing, sneezing, speaking or singing. Infection with TB bacteria does not necessarily lead to an active infection of the disease. If an active infection occurs, and is not treated properly the disease can be fatal.
While the district has stated that the buildings in question have already been cleaned and disinfected, and that select students and staff at the above-listed campuses have been notified, the staff and population in general was not notified of the event until today. Therefore, out of an abundance of caution I am taking steps to notify you as members of Killeen Educators of the event, so that you may take whatever precautions you feel are necessary to ensure your health and that of your families.
Should you have any questions regarding Tuberculosis, preventing its transmission, its treatment or any other concerns, please contact the Bell County Public Health Department at (254) 526-8371, or visit their website at www.bellcountyhealth.org.
In solidarity,
Richard M. Beaulé
President, Killeen Educators Association
KISD Special Education Scandal Overview
On July 28, 2015 the Central Administration revealed to the Killeen ISD Board of Trustees that an in-person visit had been paid to the district by investigators from the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The reason for the visit involved concerns over the district's completion rate of testing for special education services eligibility within the 45-day timeline mandated by Federal law. The district had reported a 53% completion rate within the 45-day timeline.
It was reported that during the visit it was discovered that a clerical error was responsible for the 53% rate submission, and that the actual rate of timely completion was actually 90.7%. It was also revealed that the district had been out of compliance for the previous six years, for a total of seven straight years, with completion rates varying between 95 and 65%, all far short of the required completion rate of 100%.
Also reported at the meeting as a concern of TEA was an excessive number of complaints (18) that had entered into the TEA resolution pipeline. The district cited various issues that it stated were the causes of the problem and presented a corrective action plan to deal with the situation.
Beginning on August 2, 2015, and continuing to the present time, local newspaper The Killeen Daily Herald has been conducting a multi-part investigation into the KISD Special Education Department and the general practices and policies of Killeen ISD as it relates to Special Education. The reports have detailed additional issues and allegations that were not included by the district administration in its report of July 28, 2015, including potential abuses of policy by the district and an excessive number of lawsuit settlements involving Special Education that may have been conducted without the knowledge of the KISD Board of Trustees. Newly-installed KEA President Rick Beaule' has spoken at two Board meetings and has met with KISD Superintendent Dr. John Craft on the matter, asking for a public component to whatever solution KISD decides to implement. A timeline and listing of all pertinent documents and articles are listed below.
If you have any information regarding the practices and policies of the KISD Special Education Department, please email us at killeeneducators@gmail.com, or call KEA President Rick Beaule' at (724) 388-2139.
Public Address by KEA President Rick Beaule' to the Killeen ISD Board of Trustees - August 11, 2015
Article from the August 12, 2015 Killeen Daily Herald
Killeen ISD Special Education Scandal Timeline and Information
Board Information Packet from the July 28, 2015 Killeen ISD Board of Trustees Workshop
Article from the July 29, 2015 Killeen Daily Herald
Killeen Daily Herald Editorial - August 2, 2015
Article from the August 16, 2015 Killeen Daily Herald