Boerne Independent School District has maintained its top A-rating from the Texas Education Agency every year since the state's accountability system was established, a distinction held by only 31 of the more than 1,200 districts in Texas. BISD is the only medium-large district in the greater San Antonio area to achieve this consistent academic excellence. 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 high standards across all 13 campuses.
The district's accomplishments are particularly notable given the financial constraints under which they operate. 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. Despite this funding gap, BISD graduates at a 95 percent rate of College, Career, or Military Readiness, far above the state average of 82 percent.
Sena explained that fiscal efficiency has been crucial to the district's success. "We challenged our administration, and they identified $1.5 million in efficiencies and reductions in central office and administrative overhead," Sena said. "That's a million and a half dollars that could go directly to the classroom to support our mission of educating our kids." The district's financial discipline is reflected in its 15 consecutive years of earning the Texas Financial Integrity Rating System's Superior rating, even as nearly 60 percent of districts statewide now face budget shortfalls.
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. "It starts with a supportive community, people that believe in the value of education," Sena 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."
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."
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. 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/.
