Midland, Texas (Midland County) was formed in March of 1885. According to the U.S. Census Bureau as of July 2023, Midland, Texas has an estimated population of 177,108 residents (U.S. Census Bureau).

Community Demographics

Midland, Texas is known for its strong economy based on oil and gas industries which attract a variety of residents from different backgrounds. Midland, Texas includes a diverse population with various ethnicities, ages, and income levels. The community is primarily White (87.2%) and Hispanic (48.9%) with a lesser percentage of African American, American Indian, and Asian residents (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). Midland, Texas is also the home of many veterans. Midland is home to an estimated 6,759 Veterans (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.).

Economically Disadvantage

The percentage of economically disadvantaged residents is 11.6% (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.). This percentage is not far from the state average of 13.9% (Salhotra, 2023).

Single Parent Households

For single parent households in Midland, Texas there is a five year estimate stating that as of January 2022, the percentage of single parent households was around 28% which is lower than their record high back in 2013 of 33% of single parent households facing distinct challenges. (Single-parent households with children as a percentage of households with children (5-year estimate) in Midland County, TX., 2022)

Community Unemployment Rate

The unemployment rate of Midland, Texas in 2023 was 2.70%, and as of January 2024 the unemployment rate is 2.50%. The current unemployment rate is lower than the long term average of 4.35% (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024).

Educational Status of Most Households

According to the U.S. Census Quick Facts 84.4% of households are a high school graduate, with 29.4% obtained a bachelor's degree or higher. (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.)

Citations:

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024). Midland, TX unemployment rate (I:MTXUNP2C). YCharts. https://ycharts.com/indicators/midland_tx_unemployment_rate#:~:text=Midland%2C%20TX%20Unemployment%20Rate%20is,long%20term%20average%20of%204.35%25.

Salhotra, P. (2023, December 15). Texas’ statewide poverty rate declines, but several rural counties see increase in poor residents. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2023/12/15/texas-poverty-rate-census-2022/#:~:text=An%20average%20of%2013.9%25%20of,poverty%20from%202013%20to%202017.

Single-parent households with children as a percentage of households with children (5-year estimate) in Midland County, TX. Single-Parent Households with Children as a Percentage of Households with Children (5-year estimate) in Midland County, TX - 2024 Data 2025 Forecast 2009-2022 Historical. (2022). https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/single-parent-households-with-children-as-a-percentage-of-households-with-children-in-midland-county-tx-fed-data.html

U.S. Census Bureau quickfacts: Midland County, Texas. (n.d.). https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/midlandcountytexas/PST045222

Midland Independent School District is located in the heart of the nation's largest oil patch. Midland ISD serves over 28,000 students (P-12) providing them with endless amounts of opportunity to set them on a path to success and to graduate. (Midland Independent School District, 2024) Midland ISD contains 41 campuses (24 preschools that are within the elementary schools, 27 elementary schools, and 29 middle schools, housed within some of the elementary schools, and 5 high schools) (US News and World Report, n.d.). Within Midland Independent School District, 100.0% of teachers are licensed, and 84.6% have three or more years of experience (US News and World Report, n.d.).

Demographic Review

The districts minority enrollment is 80% while 39.5% of students are economically disadvantaged (US News and World Report, n.d.). The student body of Midland ISD is 22.7% White, 7.1% Black, 2.5% Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander, 65% Hispanic/Latino, 0.3% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.1% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander (US News and World Report, n.d.). Additionally, 49% of students are female, and 51% of students are male (US News and World Report, n.d.). Within Midland Independent School District, 39.5% of students are eligible to participate in the federal free and reduced price meal program and 11.8% of students are English language learners. (US News and World Report, n.d.)

Social Media Direct Links Found:

https://www.facebook.com/midlandisd

Citations

Midland Independent School District / Overview. (2024). https://www.midlandisd.net/midlandisd

US News and World Report . (n.d.). Midland Independent School District - U.S. News Education. Overview of Midland Independent School District . https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/texas/districts/midland-isd-102969

Midland College

Midland College is a public institution located in Midland, Texas. Midland College focuses on providing higher education, community services, and cultural enrichment to the Midland Community (Thomas, 2024). Midland College offers degrees and certificates in 28 different fields and also offers dual credit for students that are still in High School (US News and World Report, n.d.). Midland College's total enrollment is about 4,437 students. The student-faculty ratio is 13:1 (US News and World Report, n.d.) which provides students with a more individualized one on one instruction. The ethnicity distribution of Midland college is predominantly Hispanic (51%) and White (32%), with less percentages of African American, and Asian (US News and World Report, 2024). The age ranges of students attending Midland College range from under 18 to 64 with 26% of students under the age of 18, 48% of students are 18-24, and 26% of students are ages 25-64 (US News and World Report, 2024).

Midland College Website - https://www.midland.edu/

The University of Texas of the Permian Basin (UTPB)

The University of Texas of the Permian Basin is located 15 miles West of Midland, Texas and offers modern affordable higher education. UTPB offers a variety of certificates, bachelor degrees, post-bachelor certificates, and master degrees (US News and World Report, n.d.). Some programs are offered online as well. The University was founded in 1973, and as of the Fall of 2022 it accumulated an undergraduate enrollment of 4,640 (US News and World Report, n.d.) and now has an enrollment of over 7,000 students (UTPB Home, n.d.) The student-faculty ratio is 18:1 with 54.3% of its classes with less than 20 students (US News and World Report, n.d.) The ethnic diversity of UTPB mainly Hispanic and White with 54% Hispanic and 27% White with lesser percentages of African American, International, and Asian. (US News and World Report, n.d.).

University Website: https://www.utpb.edu/

Social Media Direct Links Found:

Midland College -

https://www.facebook.com/MidlandCollege

University of Texas of the Permian Basin -

https://www.facebook.com/MidlandCollege

Citations:

Thomas , S. (2024). Welcome to Midland College!. Welcome to Midland College! - Midland College - Acalog ACMSTM. http://catalog.midland.edu/content.php?catoid=14&navoid=2610

US News and World Report . (n.d.). Midland College in Midland, TX | US News Education. Midland College . https://www.usnews.com/education/community-colleges/midland-college-CC12306

US News and World Report . (n.d.-b). University of Texas Permian Basin - profile, rankings and data ... https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/university-of-texas-permian-basin-9930

You belong here. The University of Texas Permian Basin | UTPB Home. (n.d.). https://www.utpb.edu/

Local Radio Stations:

There are several local radio stations for the West Texas, Midland/Odessa area. The top three radio stations are KZBT- FM 93.3, Lonestar 92.3, and KCRS-FM 103.3 (Radio Stations in West Texas, n.d.) While providing the community with great music, these local radio stations also provides the community with local news updates, talk shows, and local business advertising.

Local Television Outlets

The most watched television outlets for community are News West 9, CBS 7 News, and Yourbasin Big 2 - Fox 24 (Station Index, n.d.) While there are several stations, I chose the ones that I know are the most watched and beneficial to the community. These local television channels provide important information and are trusted sources for breaking news, weather updates, school updates, and sport updates. The previously mentioned local television stations have social media accounts some of which include Facebook, and Twitter.

Direct Website Links -

News West 9: https://www.newswest9.com/

CBS 7: https://www.cbs7.com/

Yourbasin Big 2 - Fox 24: https://www.yourbasin.com/

Newspapers

Midland Reporter- Telegram: The Midland Reporter Telegram is a local newspaper that provides the latest important information in our community. The information that the this newspaper provides is local breaking news, information on local sports, public notices, information on businesses in town, and more (Midland Reporter-Telegram, n.d.).

Direct Website: https://www.mrt.com/

Community Online Forums Social Media Links:

Each of these outlets has Social Media profiles. I have provided at least one social media profile for each outlet as there may be more. In having these social media profiles it allows these outlets to have a broader stage for giving out information to the community.

News West 9: https://www.facebook.com/newswest9

CBS 7: https://www.facebook.com/CBS7News

Yourbasin KMID Big 2: https://www.facebook.com/ABCBig2NewsKMID

Midland Reporter-Telegram: https://www.facebook.com/TheReporterTelegram

Lonestar 92.3: https://www.facebook.com/lonestar923

93.3 Radio Station: https://www.facebook.com/B93Radio

103.3 Radio Station: https://www.facebook.com/1033kissfm

Citations

Midland reporter-telegram: Midland and West Texas News - Midland ... (n.d.-a). https://www.mrt.com/

Odessa - Midland Television Stations - Station Index. (n.d.). https://www.stationindex.com/tv/markets/Odessa-Midland#google_vignette

Radio stations in West Texas. Texas Music Industry Directory - Radio Stations in West Texas | Texas Music Office | Office of the Texas Governor | Greg Abbott. (n.d.). https://gov.texas.gov/Apps/Music/Directory/radio-station/All/region/west/p4#:~:text=KZBT%2DFM%2093.3&text=KBAT%20(93.3%20FM)%20B93%20is,radio%20station%20in%20Midland%2F%20Odessa.

Non Profit Organizations

High Sky Children's Ranch

High Sky Children's Ranch is a nonprofit organization that provides therapeutic care for children and teens that are removed from their home by Child Protective Services. High Sky is home to approximately 150 children, ages 0-17 (GreatNonprofits, n.d.). High Sky has implemented several programs such as "Stay Together" which are in home services at no cost to families in conflict or in need of parenting skills. They serve over 800 families within the Permian Basin with children ages from 0-17 (GreatNonprofits, n.d.). High Sky also has a program called "LIFE" that serves as a safety net for young adults, ages 18-21, when foster care is no longer available. 24/7 support for emotional well being, job search, educational, basic living needs and more. All programs are provided at no cost to youth and families (GreatNonprofits, n.d.).

Direct Link: https://www.highsky.org/

Social Media Link: https://www.facebook.com/HighSkyRanch

Mission Agape

Mission Agape is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to helping the community when in need and show them God's love on Earth (GreatNonprofits Mission Agape, n.d.). Mission Agape helps children with weekend food bags, school supplies, and their basic needs. Mission Agape has helped serve over 300 students and at least 7 Midland ISD campuses (GreatNonprofits Mission Agape, n.d.). This organization works hard to make sure that families of the Permian Basin and their children do not go without.

Direct Link: https://www.missionagapewtx.org/

Social Media Link: https://www.facebook.com/missionagapewtx

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Permian Basin (BBBS)

BBBS is a nonprofit youth mentoring program that has been around for over 100 years that works to pair up children and teens with a mentor to help them become productive, contributing members of society (BBBS Permian Basin, n.d.). Community members can volunteer to be a "Big Brother or Sister" to provide friendship and guidance to our youth in the Permian Basin (BBBS Permian Basin, n.d.).

Direct Link: https://www.bbbspermianbasin.org/

Social Media Link: https://www.facebook.com/bbbspermianbasin

Citations

High Sky Childrens Ranch Reviews and Ratings: Midland, TX: Donate, volunteer, Review. GreatNonprofits High Sky Childrens Ranch. (n.d.). https://greatnonprofits.org/org/high-sky-childrens-ranch

Midland-odessa mentoring. BBBS Permian Basin. (n.d.). https://www.bbbspermianbasin.org/

Mission agape reviews and ratings: Midland, TX: Donate, volunteer, Review. GreatNonprofits Mission Agape. (n.d.). https://greatnonprofits.org/org/mission-agape?search=mission+agape

Nonprofit Organiziations . Midland Chamber of Commerce. (2021, May 12). https://business.midlandtxchamber.com/list/category/non-profit-organizations-461

Citations

Hernandez , L. (2020, October 16). Midland Chamber Foundation and HEB team up to help students’ classroom needs. News West 9 . https://www.newswest9.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/midland-chamber-foundation-and-heb-team-up-to-help-students-classroom-needs/513-88e54d4c-f8a9-4e25-b631-0b129faeb955

Midland Fast Facts. Midland Fast Facts | Midland, TX - Official Website. (n.d.). https://www.midlandtexas.gov/1120/Midland-Fast-Facts

A community needs assessment is a way of collecting data and surveying stakeholders to understand gaps in community services, as well as the strengths and assets available in your community (Waters, 2023) Using a community needs assessment helps make the community aware of issues and can be used to improve any community development. Local community needs are gaps between the services that exist for a population and the services that should exist (Waters, 2023). Community needs are typically categorized in five groups which include perceived needs, expressed needs, normative needs, absolute needs, and relative needs. Perceived needs are gaps and services based on what the community members individually feel about their own needs and the needs of the community. To address these needs, you would need to talk specifically to the community members. A need becomes an expressed need when several community members take similar action and feel the same way about a particular need (Waters, 2023). Normative needs are based on a set of agreed-upon criteria and standards (Waters, 2023). Absolute needs are needs that are universal and are necessary such as shelter, food, water, safety, and clothing (Waters, 2023). Relative needs exist when two communities with similar needs and characteristics do not receive similar services (Waters, 2023).

Conducting a community needs assessment helps an organization gain a deeper understanding of the community needs and helps identify specific needs and issues within the community. In doing so, it allows for targeted and effective solutions to be developed. When you understand the needs of the community, resources can be distributed more productively, and interventions can be specific to address the highest concerns of the community. It is extremely important that all community members, supports, board members (all stakeholders) should be involved so that you have a variety of opinions, and can address all of their concerns and needs (Waters, 2023).

Community Needs Survey Link: https://forms.gle/i1go5t5Qm69mo1PB8

Citations:

Waters, A. (2023, December 13). How to conduct a Community Needs Assessment & Examples. How to Conduct a Community Needs Assessment & Examples. https://www.galaxydigital.com/blog/community-needs-assessment#A

On Wednesday, March 27, 2024, I attended one of Midland ISD’s school board meetings at Bowie Fine Arts Academy. In this specific board meeting, the board of trustees highlighted the concerns of where the new Midland High School would be built. In November of 2023, a school bond was passed where 56.12% of community voters approved the bond to help have some new primary and secondary campuses built and some updated renovations to some of the school campuses including safety, and security (Midland ISD 2023 Bond Program, n.d.).  

            Back in 2019 Midland ISD was on the market looking for property to serve as the new site for the new high school. The district had two viable properties that they were considering. The main property that they were considering, and ended up purchasing, was Ranchland Hills Golf Course. The second option was lacking infrastructure and would have required a significant financial investment to develop. With the current location, it is expected that the district will save approximately $2.6 million dollars. This amounts to about 20% less in site work costs based on access to existing roads, city sewer, city water, water wells, and established trees. The district bought the property in 2019 for $9.5 million dollars after a year of negotiations (Midland ISD School Board Meeting, 2024). The current issue is that some of the community members are not content with Ranchland Hills Golf Course being the selected location of the new high school. However, in recent years Midland ISD has been open to proposals about finding an alternative location for the site of the new high school. During that time, no other proposals have been presented to Midland ISD, but Midland ISD did take the initiative to look for other possible locations as the new site of the high school. The problem was that the options were either more expensive than land currently owned by the district, utilities were not in place, the sites were not large enough, or a combination of all three (Midland ISD School Board Meeting, 2024). Ideas around selling and exchanging land have also been at the forefront of conversation throughout the community. The idea of a land swap, also known as a land exchange, for Hogan Park have been explored but several questions remained unanswered, so the district did not follow through. It is imperative for the projects of Bond 2023 to stay on track to address the imminent need for grade reconfiguration, safety and security upgrades, and to address overcrowding and enrollment growth (Midland ISD School Board Meeting, 2024). On December 19, 2023, Midland ISD notified Ranchland Golf Partners, LLC. of the intent to not renew the lease agreement that expires on October 31, 2024. Advance notice will be given when sitework takes place so normal daily operations of the facility are not disrupted. Site planning and the architectural design process for Midland High School is underway for this location (Midland ISD School Board Meeting, 2024). During the bond planning process that began in February of 2023 and upon calling for a bond election in July of 2023, the district and the board were clear with voters that the Ranchland Hills Golf Course location would serve as the home of a newly built Midland High School. The Midland community solidified this decision by casting their ballots in November, and the board and district are honoring that vote (Midland ISD School Board Meeting, 2024).

Community Involvement Interview

            In completing my personal interview for my community involvement analysis, I decided to contact one of our nonprofit organizations that helps get the students of Midland ISD weekend food bags.  The nonprofit organization is called Mission Agape. I was honored to interview the founder, and executive director of Mission Agape, Stacy Baccus. When asked what role she plays in community relations she mentioned that “being the founder of executive director of a nonprofit organization means that your role continues to change, and that all hands must be on deck.” (Davis, A., & Baccus, S., 2024). Mrs. Baccus, and her husband started this nonprofit foundation back in 2011 when they realized that food and financial security was becoming a major issue with families within the community. In the interview Mrs. Baccus mentioned that the issues with food and financial security needs of the community were beyond what Mission Agape can fix, but she loves that she can provide some relief and assistance for families (Davis, A., & Baccus, S., 2024). Throughout the interview I learned that not only does Mission Agape serve 18 campuses within Midland ISD, but the organization also serves ten other counties, some include Howard, Midland, Pecos, Upton Crane, and Ward County. Mission Agape also works with other nonprofit organizations to help each other. “We don’t provide the same resources, but we step in and help each other making sure to complement each other in order to help our community and surrounding communities.”  (Davis, A., & Baccus, S., 2024). Some of the organizations Mission Agape work with include Field Edge, Midland Fair Havens, Hospice of Midland, Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Midland.  Mrs. Baccus mentioned “that the beautiful thing about working with the other organizations, and our community; is that our overall goal is to complement each other with what we all bring to the table and work together for the good of our community.” (Davis, A., & Baccus, S., 2024). The community is always welcome to come and volunteer to help Mission Agape. As of now Mission Agape has at least 400 volunteers a month (Davis, A., & Baccus, S., 2024) to come and help create food bags for the schools, and contribute to making this organization successful to help the community. When asked about gaps in services Mrs. Baccus mentioned that the utmost issues that she sees within the community are financial insecurity, food security, and that we as a community need to provide more scholarships for students. Mrs. Baccus mentioned that the cost of living is what is causing families not to be able to provide food and financial security for their families (Davis, A., & Baccus, S., 2024). Baccus also mentioned that if we as a community came together to help students by providing more scholarships, we may be able to lessen the financial burden and give them a better chance at succeeding in life due to their higher education. Mrs. Baccus feels that the cost of living will continue to go up, and that if we don’t come together as a community and do something to help lessen the burden more and more families will be victims of financial and food insecurities due to the economy (Davis, A., & Baccus, S., 2024). Mission Agape helps over 5,000 families to provide them with food security. Mrs. Baccus mentioned that the word “agape” means God’s unconditional love. This is the mission of her organization, to show our community, and surrounding communities God’s unconditional love, and to let them know that there is hope (Davis, A., & Baccus, S., 2024). The interview I had with Mrs. Baccus opened my eyes to the lack of food, and financial security that we have within our community and gave me a better understanding of what we need to do as a community to help each other. I look forward to one day as a helping professional to be a part of providing support and services of my own to fill in these gaps that truly affect our community.

References

Davis, A., & Baccus , S. (2024, April 9). Community Involvement Interview. personal.

Midland ISD School Board Meeting. (March 27, 2024). Midland.

Midland ISD 2023 bond program. Midland ISD Bond. (n.d.). https://midlandbond2023.com/

• food and financial security

• bullying

• teacher retention

Critical issues in a community are problems or challenges that the population face. Throughout independent research, and in working for the school district, three main critical issues that I see are food, financial security of staff, students, and their families, bullying among students, and an issue in teacher retention.

Financial and Food Security

            Financial and food security can have a significant impact on students, and their families in a district. Food insecurity currently affects nearly 50 million people nationwide – most frequently, families with children (Steven, S., 2020). It has also been reported that one in six households report the inability to afford food with the down spiral of our economy (Steven, S., 2020).  Lack of financial resources can limit access to basic needs such as nutritious food, healthcare, and stable housing. This limited access can in turn effect a student’s ability to focus on their education and success in school. Food insecurity can lead to hunger, malnutrition, and poor health outcomes which can negatively impact a student’s cognitive development, academic performance, and overall wellbeing (Steven, S., 2020).  As a community we need to come together to help support each other with resources to help with financial security and this may contribute to helping with food insecurity.

Bullying

            Bullying is a form of aggressive behavior in which someone intentionally and repeatedly causes another person injury or discomfort. Bullying can take the form of physical contact, words, or more subtle actions (American Psychological Association, n.d.).  As an educator throughout the years, I have seen an increase of bullying of all ages. This is a critical issue that needs to be addressed. Not only does bullying affect the student’s mental health, but it then turns into lower academic performance. Bullying can affect physical and emotional health, both in the short term and later in life. It can lead to physical injury, social problems, emotional problems, and even death. Those who are bullied are at increased risk for mental health problems, headaches, and problems adjusting to school. Bullying also can cause long-term damage to self-esteem (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.). As a community, teachers and helping professionals need to work together to make sure we do everything we can to properly train staff on this issue. Students should be educated at an earlier age on this issue to maintain prevention of bullying.

Teacher Retention

            Teacher retention refers to the ability of a school or district to retain its teachers over time. Even though our district has put in place extra benefits to help with teacher retention, this is still a current issue throughout the country. Salary and benefits, working conditions, school culture, peer support, teacher-to-teacher collaboration, individual and family circumstances are only a few of the elements that might affect teacher retention and turnover. To combat the problem of teacher attrition and turnover and give educators the resources they need to do their jobs well, a thorough understanding of these variables is crucial (Teacher retention and turnover: Exploring the factors that influence teacher decision-making, n.d.). Speaking from experience, I feel as a community we need to come up with more solutions to help teachers. As a first-grade teacher for Midland ISD, I have 28 first graders whom I have the responsibility of not only taking care of them throughout the day, but making sure that they know and understand everything that is required of them educationally. My district has put in place a teacher retention incentive, and a perfect attendance incentive for teachers (MISD adds retention incentives to compensation plan., n.d.). However, I feel like this is not enough to lessen the stress for teachers. While we do need more financial support, as I feel our salary is nowhere near where it should be, districts need to focus on the well being of their teachers in other ways. This should include providing teachers with smaller class sizes, mental health support, sufficient resources needed to teach our students, and more understanding that teachers are human beings who need care as well. If teachers are well taken care of, they can focus more on the students and in turn have a positive impact on everyone involved.

References

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Bullying. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/bullying#:~:text=Bullying%20is%20a%20form%20of,words%2C%20or%20more%20subtle%20actions  

Centers TX: Counseling - education - support. Centers Texas. (2023, December 19). https://centerstx.org/  

Home. Agape Counseling Ser. (n.d.). https://www.agapewesttexas.org/

Home. West Texas Food Bank. (2023, October 31). https://wtxfoodbank.org/   

MISD adds retention incentives to compensation plan. (n.d.). https://www.midlandisd.net/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&ModuleInstanceID=39285&ViewID=7b97f7ed-8e5e-4120-848f-a8b4987d588f&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=65511&PageID=31411  

Stevens, S. (2020, July 7). Food for thought: How food insecurity affects a child’s education. American Youth Policy Forum. https://www.aypf.org/blog/food-for-thought-how-food-insecurity-affects-a-childs-education/

Teacher retention and turnover: Exploring the factors that influence teacher decision-making. (n.d.). https://www.researchgate.net/publication/369010523_Teacher_Retention_and_Turnover_Exploring_the_Factors_that_Influence_Teacher_Decision-Making