Education

Belton Independent School District

Belton Independent School District’s motto of “Every Kid a Winner” expresses the heart of BISD’s mission to provide an education that challenges all students to excel. Belton ISD is a key reason that families and businesses choose to locate in Belton. For the 2008-2009 school year, BISD had over 8500 students, over 1200 employees and an annual budget of $61.9 million. Student population has increased 250-350 students each year for the past several years.

The District currently has eight elementary schools (three campuses, grades Kindergarten-5; five campuses, grades PreK-5; two middle schools, grades 6-8; and two high schools, grades 9-12.) The new Roy and Jean Potts Belton Swim Center at Belton High School opened for students in October, 2007, and to the community in January, 2008, and continues to expand its offerings to both the students and surrounding community. District administrative offices and the Educational Development Center are located at 400 N. Wall.

The District maintains consistently high standards for both students and staff. The Superintendent for Belton ISD is Dr. Vivian Baker, and Deputy Superintendent is Susan Kincannon. The Belton ISD Board of Trustees meets on the third Monday of each month at the Educational Development Center, 400 N. Wall St.
Campuses and the District as a whole show continued improvement on the increasingly stringent Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, performing better on the 2009 TAKS than ever before. Belton ISD continues to attract teachers of the highest caliber.

Belton ISD voters passed a Tax Ratification Election in October 2008 to meet the budget needs of a growing district. The Long Range Facilities Planning Committee met during the spring and fall of 2008 to consider district facilities needs and prioritized a new middle school, technology upgrades, and outdoor renovations to both the baseball and softball complexes, including seating, concessions, and restrooms. Tennis courts and athletic dressing rooms were also identified as priorities. The Committee will continue to meet during 2009 to review District facilities prior to calling a bond election to address identified needs.

According to Dr. Vivian Baker, Superintendent, “The community recognizes that our primary focus is our students and supports us by seeing that our facilities are special places for our students to learn. We work hard to be good stewards of our taxpayers’ dollars. We are a growing district and continually strive to provide the best for our students.”

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor is a Christ-centered university affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Chartered by the Republic of Texas in 1845, UMHB is one of the oldest, continuously-operating higher education institutions in the state. The historic 265-acre campus has been located in Belton since 1886.

Today, more than 2,700 students attend UMHB, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 14 to 1. UMHB offers 66 undergraduate majors and 18 graduate degree programs, including a doctorate degree in Education Administration.

The university has top tier ranking among Universities-Master’s West category of U.S. News & World Report: Best Colleges. With more than 360 full-time faculty and staff, UMHB has garnered a nationally recognized academic reputation. It also is one the most affordable private universities in the Southwest.

The mission of UMHB is to prepare students for leadership, service, and faith-informed discernment in a global society. Academic excellence, personal attention, broad-based scholarship, and a commitment to a Baptist vision for education distinguish this Christ-centered learning community.

The university offers a wide-range of extracurricular activities, from athletics to the fine arts, which are open to the public. With 12 athletic teams on campus, this Division III school has nearly 400 students participating in Crusader athletics. Home games offer exciting collegiate competition at the Crusader SpotsPlex, the Mayborn Campus Center arena or at Tiger Field. The university also provides a range of opportunities for children and youth – including a Conservatory of Music and a variety of athletic and educational summer camps. For more information, visit www.umhb.edu.

Higher Education in the Surrounding Area

Temple College, Texas A&M College of Medicine, Central Texas College and Texas A&M University Central Texas are located in Bell County, while Texas A&M University and the University of Texas Austin are among the schools located within a 95-mile radius of Belton.