Olney ISD Briefs
OISD construction projects on schedule Construction projects across the Olney Independent School District remain on track for the start of the 2026-27 school year. However, work on the high school addition is expected to continue slightly longer than originally anticipated.
Superintendent Dr. Matt Caffey updated trustees on the district’s bond-funded construction projects during the June 22 school board meeting, reporting that the new connector between the elementary school and junior high should be completed by the end of July.
The district is also entering the “punch list” phase of the daycare project, during which crews complete minor items before final acceptance of the work.
Board President Summer Branum asked administrators to obtain a more detailed accounting of construction delays, including which days qualified as legitimate weather or project delays and whether any adjustments should be considered before additional payments are made to the contractor.
Trustees also asked about leftover construction materials at the baseball complex, noting that debris remained on site.
Separate from the bond projects, Dr. Caffey reported that the district’s new $68,000 commercial dishwasher has been installed in the cafeteria. The equipment is awaiting installation of its chemical dispensing system before it can be placed into service.
Homeschooling, vouchers factor as OISD enrollment hits 25-year low Olney Independent School District trustees discussed declining enrollment during their June 22 meeting, with Superintendent Dr. Matt Caffey saying the state’s new voucher program may have encouraged more parents in Olney to homeschool.
Board members reviewed a 25-year enrollment comparison showing the district’s average daily attendance has fallen to its lowest level since 2000.
“I think we’ve maintained,” Dr. Caffey said of enrollment last spring, noting that attendance has remained steady in recent months despite the long-term decline.
Board President Summer Branum pointed to the historical enrollment chart and observed that the district has now reached its lowest enrollment level in a quarter century.
The discussion turned to possible causes, including Texas’ recently approved education savings account program, also known as school vouchers, which provide public funds to families who choose alternatives to traditional public schools.
Dr. Caffey said he was not aware of any Olney students leaving specifically to attend private schools using the new vouchers.
“I’m not aware of anybody taking private school vouchers and leaving Olney ISD,” he told trustees. “But we have several that went to homeschool, and I’m sure they took a homeschool voucher.”
Trustees said homeschooling has become a growing factor in recent years.
Ms. Branum said 19 students left the district for homeschooling during the past school year and noted there had also been a significant number the previous year.
Dr. Caffey noted that enrollment declined significantly in 2017, when Olney temporarily dropped a football classification, before numbers rebounded for a time.
Looking ahead, trustees expressed optimism that incoming kindergarten enrollment could help stabilize district numbers. Although final figures were not immediately available during the meeting, board members said they had heard encouraging reports about the size of the incoming class.
The conversation reflects a growing concern among rural school districts across Texas as declining birth rates, homeschooling, and expanded school choice options combine to place additional pressure on enrollment. Because state funding is largely based on average daily attendance, even modest enrollment declines can have a significant impact on district finances.
Trustees took no action following the discussion, which was presented as part of the district’s regular enrollment report.
OISD raises coaching stipends in bid to retain staff, rebuild athletic program As Olney ISD works to rebuild an athletic program that has not posted a winning football season in almost two decades, the school board has approved a new coaching stipend plan designed to attract and retain quality coaches.
The board unanimously approved the revised stipend schedule during its June 22 meeting after hearing a presentation from Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Dustin Altmiller.
The new plan increases the base coaching stipend from $8,000 to $8,500 while raising the additional stipend for head coaches from $2,000 to $3,000. The changes will increase the district’s annual coaching stipend budget by approximately $20,000.
Coach Altmiller told trustees that Olney currently pays the lowest coaching stipends among several neighboring districts he surveyed, including Windthorst, Seymour and Archer City.
“I feel like we have some good coaches here,” Coach Altmiller said. “Money does become a factor for a lot of people, and young coaches that do really well typically look to move somewhere where they can get a little bit more money coming to them.”
He explained that Olney’s system differs from many schools because coaches receive a base stipend with the expectation they will coach at least three sports rather than being paid separately for each assignment.
“I actually like it,” Coach Altmiller said. “When you pay per sport, a lot of times you’ll get coaches saying, ‘I only want to do two sports.’ We pretty much have to have everybody doing three sports around here to make sure we have the coverage we need.”
The proposal also increases stipends for head coaches in team sports such as football, volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball, while maintaining a different structure for individual sports.
Coach Altmiller said the district’s coaches have earned the increase through their commitment to student-athletes, pointing to record participation in the summer strength and conditioning program.
“We’ve averaged probably about 35 to 40 junior high kids every day and about the same with high school kids every day this summer,” he said. “The coaches are putting in work. The kids see it. The kids are putting in work. We’re turning a corner, and we’re doing some good things here.”
Superintendent Dr. Matt Caffey said the district can afford the increase and called it overdue.
“This is a decision that is several years behind time,” Dr. Caffey said. “We shouldn’t be paying less than our neighbors.”
Trustees also noted that competitive stipends could help reduce employee turnover by encouraging coaches to remain in Olney rather than leaving for higher-paying districts.
The board unanimously approved the revised stipend schedule, which will take effect for the 2026-27 school year as the Cubs look to continue rebuilding their athletic programs under Coach Altmiller’s leadership.
OISD again bars homeschooled students from UIL participation For the second consecutive year, the Olney Independent School District Board of Trustees voted to prohibit homeschooled students from participating in University Interscholastic League activities through the district.
The board unanimously approved the decision during its June 22 meeting, continuing the policy it adopted last year following passage of Senate Bill 401, which allows school districts to decide whether to permit homeschooled students to participate in UIL extracurricular activities.
Before the vote, trustees briefly discussed the policy and whether any changes should be considered.
Trustee Hannah Stewart noted that she had recently learned districts can receive some state funding for homeschooled students who participate in UIL activities.
“There is funding,” Board President Summer Branum replied, explaining that the funding is prorated based on the amount of time a homeschooled student is enrolled on campus.
Trustees unanimously approved a motion authorizing Olney ISD to continue prohibiting homeschooled students from participating in UIL activities for the 2026-27 school year.
The discussion came during a broader conversation about enrollment trends in the district. Earlier in the meeting, Superintendent Dr. Matt Caffey told trustees he was not aware of any students leaving Olney ISD to attend private schools using Texas’s new education savings account program, but said several students had transitioned to homeschooling. Trustees estimated that 19 students left the district for homeschooling during the past school year.
Under Senate Bill 401, approved by the Texas Legislature in 2021, local school boards retain the authority to determine whether homeschooled students may participate in UIL extracurricular activities offered by their districts.