Spring Branch ISD Featured News

Out of 1,200 school districts in the state, the Purchasing Department of Spring Branch ISD is one of only 77 to have met the stringent criteria to earn the 2024 Award of Merit from the Texas Association of School Business Officials (TASBO).

The excellence of the department’s work has been recognized with this highest award for the past 12 years running.

The award criteria, which are reviewed and updated each year, reflect the most current professional standards in the acquisition of goods and services as identified by the Texas Education Agency and other state-mandated guidelines. Some of the qualifications include: providing training and continuous learning opportunities for staff, avoiding conflicts of interest and compromising practices, and following state purchasing laws.

“I am proud of the teams’ efforts and commitment to the Core Values in maintaining integrity and high standards even when we have operated without a full staff,” said Lawanda Coffee, Executive Director for Compliance and Procurement.

“I am proud to receive this award during my first year leading the purchasing and warehouse teams,” she added.

Some impressive statistics

During the evaluation year, the SBISD Purchasing Department processed close to 12,800 purchase orders, onboarded more than 2,100 vendors, completed 1,412 background checks and fingerprinting requests – all while also processing records and public information requests.

“Everyone had to go above and beyond by taking on additional duties and learning new roles as well for some,” said Coffee.

“We’re proud of the work our honorees do to streamline school purchasing operations, comply with regulations, and set the standard for how to utilize taxpayer dollars,” said Tracy Ginsburg, TASBO Executive Director. “These organizations have not only demonstrated their professional acumen by documenting their districts’ policies and procedures but have also shared these best practices with colleagues throughout Texas.”

SBISD Proud

Districts who earned the TASBO Award of Merit, received recognition at the organization’s annual conference that took place in Houston this year. Congratulations to the Collaborative Spirit of the SBISD Purchasing team for working hard to make sure every expenditure is optimized, ultimately for the good of students.