At a previous board meeting, trustees of the Lampasas Independent School District listened to Superintendent Randy Hoyer explain why dual-credit courses taken by high school students should be given the same weight as Advanced Placement courses or pre-Advanced Placement courses.

But after some consideration, Hoyer decided the policy is fine as it stands.

Dual-credit classes (those taken by high school students for high school and college credits) currently do not count toward gradepoint averages or class rankings.

Hoyer had earlier proposed that, due to the difficulty of the courses, they should count toward rankings and GPAs.

“I believe that changing it could negatively impact the AP program, and I agree with Mark [Kehoe, LHS principal] that if they are not weighted equally to AP classes, they could be hurting a student.”

The superintendent said he will continue to monitor the situation.

LISD Board President James Briggs said he still leans toward giving dual-credit courses the same weight as the advanced classes. “But if the administration says to leave it alone right now, then we’ll leave it alone.”

And after strong consideration, trustee Linda Floerke said she is content to leave the policy as it stands. “I agree with Dan [Claussen, a board member] that their reward is the college credit.”

In other business Monday night, trustees approved a stipend schedule with no changes to athletics.

Increases will be offered for paraprofessionals in special education classes, including Behavior Intervention Classes, Life Skills and Preschool Programs for Children with Disabilities. They will be given a $500 stipend. Teachers in those classes earn a $1,000 stipend.

Hoyer also suggested a stipend for department chairs at the high school and middle school to help improve student performance and for those who share in responsibilities for curriculum recommendations.

In addition, the superintendent recommended stipends for UIL academic coordinators, including those at the elementary school level.

“We want to beef up our UIL academics program, and that starts at the elementary schools, feeds the middle school and moves into the high school,” Hoyer said. “A strong UIL program correlates to better test performance and scores.”

The bonus will cost the district $14,000 in addition to last year’s stipends.

In her first official meeting as assistant superintendent, Nancy Yeary gave an overview of some federally funded programs as well as a new curriculum alignment model the district is implementing.

Shane Jones, LISD chief financial officer and director of support services, reported that 11 portable buildings were auctioned recently, with the LISD to receive almost $37,000 from the sale.

Jones also said a truck with an oversize load pulled down about $20,000 worth of fiber network cables that must be replaced. Administrators are working on finding out which trucking company is responsible and likely will file an insurance claim.

And trustees, in deciding to send a message to the Lampasas Central Appraisal District, unanimously declined an increase the appraisal district requested in set-aside funds for its reserve and in a vehicle replacement fund.

Briggs said the LISD could use the money -- about $8,400 -- for district needs.

In final business, new hires include Courtney Hoff, Lampasas High School; Nicholas Leopold, teacher/coach, Lampasas Middle School; and James Severa, Hanna Springs Elementary.

Resignations were accepted from Dara Richardson, former Kline Whitis Elementary assistant principal who would have been a curriculum specialist next term; Brian McBeth, teacher/coach, LHS; and Tina Van Gundy, teacher, Hanna Springs.