11/02/2025
Please read the newest edition of The Elk Call written by Dr. Ingram highlighting all the great things happening at Evant ISD. We are proud to be called Evant Elks!!!
https://5il.co/3rtik
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The Elk Call
By: Dr. Jennifer Ingram, Evant ISD Superintendent
A small rural school is more than a place for learning — it’s the heart of the community. It brings people together through shared values, pride, and tradition. The school is where families connect, neighbors support one another, and generations gather to celebrate milestones. It’s a place that unites the town, creates memories, and keeps community spirit alive. It is also important to note that a strong school doesn’t just teach students — it helps the whole community grow. By offering quality education and meaningful programs, Evant ISD is preparing students for the future. Graduates leave with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed and give back to the community that supported them. This creates a cycle of growth and renewal that keeps the Evant community strong. I’m very proud to celebrate the district’s achievements and highlight the accomplishments of our students, staff, and community.
Financial Strength and Responsibility
Evant ISD earned a Superior Achievement (A) rating with a perfect score on the state’s financial accountability system (FIRST). This shows strong financial management and transparency. The district has also built a healthy fund balance, ensuring stability and readiness for unexpected expenses. Spending has been carefully managed, unnecessary costs reduced, and budgets balanced year after year. Evant has also improved transportation with three new route buses, one activity bus, and an SUV, most funded through grants—keeping students and staff safely on the move.
Academic Growth and Support
Evant ISD partners with ESC Region 12 to strengthen academics across all grades. With the Bluebonnet curriculum in place, teachers receive regular support and training to improve classroom instruction. The district also added daily planning time for teachers to meet in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to focus on student success and academic alignment. Evant ISD has also employed an instructional coach to support teachers by providing personalized guidance, modeling best practices, and helping implement effective instructional strategies in the classroom. This support leads to improved teaching, higher student achievement, and a stronger culture of continuous learning on campus.
Innovative Learning Opportunities
Innovation is at the heart of Evant ISD’s mission. Starting in middle school, students join the AVID program, which builds study habits, critical thinking, and college readiness skills. Seventh graders also explore careers through the Paxton Patterson Career Lab, where they get hands-on experience in fields like healthcare, engineering, and technology.
High school students benefit from the P-TECH program, earning industry certifications in areas such as welding, business, real estate, education, and health science. Half of the 2025 senior class is completing the EMT program, while another student will graduate as a licensed cosmetologist.
New programs like cybersecurity and nursing are being developed, offering even more career pathways. To further expand students’ horizons, the district also organizes college campus visits and hosts career speakers, giving students a look at life beyond our PK-12 school walls.
Supporting and Retaining Teachers
Recruiting and retaining teachers is a difficult task given the landscape of public education in Texas. While each year, Evant ISD has been able to begin the school year fully staffed, year over year retention is a challenge. Small schools often struggle to retain good teachers because they typically offer lower salaries, fewer advancement opportunities, heavier workloads with multiple roles, limited access to resources or support staff, and more professional isolation compared to larger districts. Despite these challenges, EISD has prioritized teachers and was able to give substantial pay raises through HB 2. Furthermore, the Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) provides additional funding to school districts to reward teachers who demonstrate strong performance, including high student growth and effective classroom practices. The application process for the TIA is not quick or easy — it is a multi‑stage, multi‑year process. As part of our ongoing commitment to our teachers, Evant ISD is proud to have a newly approved application as a TIA district and is currently in the process of data capture for the next phase. These awards could mean an additional $7,000-$23,000 for teachers each year for up to 5 years. Lastly, EISD operates Lil Elks Early Learning Center, a state licensed daycare for ages 0-4 with priority given to school employees. This daycare supports teachers by providing convenient, reliable childcare, reducing stress, and enabling them to focus on teaching and school responsibilities.
Accountability and Progress
Finally, it is important to review the EISD accountability ratings while keeping in mind the percentage of economically disadvantaged students, as schools with higher populations of these students often face additional challenges, including limited resources, higher mobility, and external barriers that can impact learning outcomes. Comparing ratings without this context can misrepresent a school’s performance, whereas factoring in these percentages provides a more accurate picture of how effectively a school is supporting all students despite socioeconomic challenges.That said, as a district, Evant ISD has an overall D rating with a 69/100 with an Economic Disadvantage percentage of more than 80%. The campus received an overall C rating with a 74/100 and a distinction designation in science. In 2024, the campus received a federal “comprehensive” label, requiring specific school improvement intervention plans. This is a 2-year label although in 2025, the campus moved to a “comprehensive progress” campus, meaning that the campus is showing improvement in addressing the issues that led to its comprehensive status and demonstrating measurable progress in student achievement.
Real Measures of Success
While test scores and ratings matter, they don’t tell the whole story as they are only one measure on one test on one day. The true measure of success is seen in Evant’s graduates, a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Evant ISD staff day after day, year after year, from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
In the past two years, 25 graduates have gone on to do great things —
● 12 attended 4-year universities, including major universities
● 2 enrolled in 2-year colleges
● 11 entered the workforce, building skills and advancing their careers
In that same time, Evant students have earned more than $155,000 in scholarships, putting money in their pockets as they move into the next chapter of their lives.
Pride, Spirit, and Giving Back
Evant ISD takes pride in its strong sense of community. Students, staff, and families work together, celebrate together, and give back through service and volunteerism. By investing in education, career readiness, and personal growth, Evant ISD is not just preparing students for success — it’s building the future of the community itself.
