COUPLAND — Library books for the new school and bus upgrades are on the minds of Coupland Independent School District trustees making plans for the summer.
During the April 9 school board meeting, trustees approved the purchase of 1,300 books to fill the empty library shelves of Coupland Junior High and High School, which opens in August.
The library can hold up to 2,000 books.
“It equals 13 books per student,” Superintendent Earl Parcell said, noting there are plenty of volumes for each student to read with room for more.
The proposed book list has been available and posted online since February, adhering to state Senate Bill 13 that provides parents with the opportunity to view the books and share any potential concerns.
In other business, trustees also discussed the state of the district’s school buses and applying for a grant or other assistance to cover the cost of adding threepoint seat belts now required by state law.
Like many other East Wilco school districts, Coupland ISD cannot afford to retrofit all its buses to have the restraints in place by fall 2029.
The district has to provide the Texas Education Agency with an update on the seat belts, its transports and financial status by the end of May.
Parcell will inform the state agency the district faces financial hardship.
“We may be able to receive a grant or apply for a grant to help us pay for new buses,” Parcell said.
TEA has already suggested financial assistance may be available to help school districts meet the requirements of state Senate Bill 546, but critics say the plan could cost the agency millions of dollars.
The next school board meeting is 6 p.m. May 14 in the library at Coupland School, 620 S. Commerce St.
