The Boerne Independent School District continues to demonstrate exceptional educational performance by maintaining its top A-rating from the Texas Education Agency every year since the state's accountability system was established. This distinction places BISD among only 31 of Texas's more than 1,200 school districts to achieve this consistent excellence, making it the sole medium-large district in the greater San Antonio area with this record.
Board Secretary Rich Sena, who is running for re-election in the May 2 school board race, emphasized that the rating reflects a community-wide commitment to maintaining 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 achievement becomes more significant when considering the financial constraints under which it operates. 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 annually.
"We have to be efficient, and we're used to doing more with less," Sena explained. "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 students 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 been maintained even as the district has managed significant enrollment growth. When Sena joined the board in 2014, BISD enrolled 7,200 students, a number that has since climbed to more than 11,200. Maintaining academic quality through this expansion required deliberate investment in teachers and campus leadership, according to Sena.
"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 noted that financial discipline and academic results are directly 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 testified 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, with information available at https://www.senaforbisd.com/.
