[CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:04]
>> NOW CONVENE THE TIME IS 05:32 P.M.
I WOULD ASK EVERYONE TO PLEASE SILENCE ALL CELL PHONES.
A QUORUM OF THE BOARD MEMBERS IS PRESENT IN THE BOARD AUDITORIUM.
THEY ARE FROM MY RIGHT ON THE PLATFORM, CASSANDRA AUZENNE BANDY, MICHELLE CRUZ ARNOLD, JANETTE GARZA LINDNER, ANGELA LEMOND FLOWERS, MYSELF, AUDREY MOMANAE, RIC CAMPO, ROLANDO MARTINEZ, PAULA MENDOZA, AND ADAM RIVON.
THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO HEAR FROM SPEAKERS TWO AGENDA ITEMS.
[SPEAKERS TO AGENDA ITEMS]
WE ARE GLAD YOU ARE HERE AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.FOR THOSE SPEAKERS WHO ARE IN OUR OVERFLOW ROOMS, PLEASE NOTE THAT THE PODIUM IN THOSE ROOMS IS CONNECTED TO THE AUDITORIUM VIA ZOOM SO WE CAN SEE AND HEAR EACH OTHER, AND YOUR COMMENTS ARE LIVE-STREAMED.
PUBLIC COMMENT DURING SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE TO THOSE PERSONS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK PRIOR TO THE MEETING TIME PER CURRENT PROTOCOL.
VERBAL AND OTHER DISRUPTIONS BY PERSONS DURING THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE AS THEY INHIBIT THE BOARD'S AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT BUSINESS AND THE PUBLIC'S ABILITY TO OBSERVE THOSE PROCESSES.
PERSONS WHO PARTICIPATE IN SUCH BEHAVIOR WILL BE GIVEN ONE WARNING, AND IF THE BEHAVIOR IS REPEATED THEY WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE MEETING.
WE HAVE 33 SPEAKERS REGISTERED THIS EVENING.
EACH SPEAKER WILL BE GIVEN ONE MINUTE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF SPEAKERS.
WE ASK THAT YOU STAY ON TOPIC AND REFRAIN FROM NAMING INDIVIDUALS, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS, AS THEIR IDENTITY IS PROTECTED UNDER THE LAW, BUT YOU MAY NAME YOUR OWN CHILD.
I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE RESPECT OUR PROCEDURES AND THE OTHER SPEAKERS AND END YOUR COMMENTS PROMPTLY WHEN YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED AND THE TIMER RINGS.
IF YOU'RE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK VIA ZOOM, WE MUST SEE YOU LIVE WITH YOUR CAMERA ON AS YOU SPEAK.
THE FIRST ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS THE PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS BUDGET AND PROPOSED TAX RATE WITH BUDGET WORKSHOP.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOLANDA JONES, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
WE WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATIVE JONES FOR HER LONG SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING AS A FORMER HOUSTON CITY COUNCIL MEMBER AND FORMER BOARD OF EDUCATION TRUSTEE.
REPRESENTATIVE JONES, WELCOME. PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> I WANT MY MINUTE FROM THE TIME THIS IS ON.
VERY RARELY AM I AT A OF LOSS FOR WORDS.
YOU'RE NOT ELECTED, THERE WAS NO REASON FOR YOU TO BE HERE.
I CAME TO LISTEN TO WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY AND TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET THAT YOU'RE GOING TO PASS, YET THERE'S NO PUBLIC IN HERE.
THERE'S 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, NOT EVEN 15 PEOPLE FOR THE PUBLIC.
YOU'VE RELEGATED SPEAKERS THERE, THEN I GO OVER THERE AND THEY TELL ME THAT IF THE SPEAKER SPEAK, THEY HAVE TO SPEAK OVER THERE.
NO ONE'S GOING TO RESPECT YOU.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING MYSELF AND OTHERS, UNTIL YOU MEANINGFULLY INCLUDE THE PUBLIC.
YOU HAVE MORE ROOM, YOU'VE GOT EMPTY SEATS HERE, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE OUTSIDE.
I'M EMBARRASSED FOR HISD, IF I WERE A TEACHER, I WOULDN'T WORK HERE, I'D QUIT.
IF I HAD CHILDREN IN HISD, I WOULD TAKE MY KIDS OUT OF HISD.
BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT WORKING FOR THE PUBLIC AND THE CONSTITUENTS OF HISD, YOU'RE WORKING FOR YOURSELF OR THE GOVERNOR OR WHOEVER.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY, I'M INCREDIBLY DISAPPOINTED. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANN EAGLETON, FOLLOWED BY ISHA ARCHER AND MICHELLE WILLIAMS. MS. EAGLETON.
>> HI, IT MUST BE SNOWING IN HELL, BECAUSE I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD COME AND DEFEND THE RIGHT FOR THE BOARD TO HAVE AN ATTORNEY.
YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR ATTORNEY, YOU NEED TO GET A BACKBONE AND DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO FOR THE TAXPAYER.
REGARDING THE BUDGET, WE GAVE YOU OUR TAX DOLLARS AND YOU HAVEN'T GIVEN US AN EMAIL ADDRESS.
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO CONTACT YOU? I'M SERIOUS, THIS IS TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION, WHICH IS TYRANNY.
YOU LEARN THAT IN HISTORY CLASS, AND WE'RE ALL LEARNING IT ONCE AGAIN HERE IN THIS BOARDROOM. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. ISHA ARCHER? [BACKGROUND] WE CAN'T HEAR IN THE BOARDROOM.
[BACKGROUND] HOLD ON, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY KNOW. [BACKGROUND]
>> THERE YOU ARE. MRS. ARCHER, GO AHEAD. I THINK WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> OKAY. GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS ISHA ARCHER, [INAUDIBLE] HISD PARENTS.
I AM HERE TODAY TO SPEAK ABOUT HOUSE BILL 3.
[00:05:01]
HB 3 WAS SIGNED BY GOVERNOR ABBOTT YESTERDAY AND IT IS AN UNFUNDED MANDATE FOR AN ARMED PRESENCE ON EVERY SCHOOL CAMPUS BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1ST OF THIS YEAR.AS PART OF HISD'S BUDGET DISCUSSIONS, I EXPECT THAT YOU MIGHT BE EVALUATING DIFFICULT OPTIONS TO COMPLY WITH THE ARMED PRESENCE REQUIREMENT.
I AM HERE TODAY TO VOICE MY OPPOSITION TO USING EITHER THE SO-CALLED GUARDIAN OR MARSHAL PLANS, BOTH OF WHICH ENABLE TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND STAFF TO BRING FIREARMS TO SCHOOL WITH AS LITTLE AS 15-20 HOURS OF TRAINING.
I NEVER THOUGHT I'D HAVE TO SAY THIS, BUT I DO NOT WANT MY CHILDREN TO BE TAUGHT, COACHED, OR DISCIPLINED BY AN ARMED EDUCATOR.
I WANT TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND STAFF TO BE FOCUSED ON CREATING A POSITIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR OUR CHILDREN.
EDUCATORS ARE NOT SHARP SHOOTERS AND SHOULD NOT BE BURDENED WITH THESE RESPONSIBILITIES.
I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR ACCIDENTS OR MISUSE OF FIREARMS AT SCHOOL.
NO ONE CAN DENY THAT INTRODUCING GUNS INTO CLASSROOMS INCREASES THE RISK OF VIOLENCE.
THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL NEWS REPORTS ABOUT SO-CALLED GUARDIANS AND MARSHALS MISPLACING GUNS ON SCHOOL GROUNDS WHERE CHILDREN CAN FIND THEM.
WHILE WE CANNOT CHANGE THE STATE LAW AT THIS POINT, WE MUST ADMIT THAT ARMING TEACHERS AND STAFF THROUGH THE GUARDIAN AND MARSHAL PROGRAM IS A TERRIBLE IDEA. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. MS. MICHELLE WILLIAMS. MA'AM, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
>> MICHELLE WILLIAMS WHO SAID [INAUDIBLE] CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT [INAUDIBLE]
>> MA'AM, CAN YOU PLEASE SPEAK DIRECTLY INTO THE MIC.
>> CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT TEACHERS IN HISD, THERE'S SOME IRREPLACEABLE TEACHERS THAT YOU'RE TARGETING IN THESE 29 [INAUDIBLE].
IN 2012, THE NEW TEACHER PROJECT SAID THAT URBAN SCHOOLS WERE NOT DOING ENOUGH TO KEEP THEIR IRREPLACEABLE.
WHAT TEACHERS CAN UNDERSTAND IS RECONSTITUTION, BUT WHAT WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND IS WHY YOU ARE NOT PREPARING THESE TEACHERS FOR INTERVIEW PROCESS THAT IS BEING USED IN OTHER PLACES, AND THOSE INTERVIEW APPLICANTS ARE BEING GIVEN PREPARATION MATERIAL FOR THE INTERVIEW PROCESS AND TO YOU BUSINESS OWNERS, Y'ALL KNOW THAT IT TAKES MORE TO REHIRE SOMEONE.
GIVE THEM THE PREPARATION THAT THEY NEED.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. THE NEXT [APPLAUSE] HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM ONE FROM THE AGENDA REVIEW, BUSINESS AGENDA AUTHORIZATION TO FILE AN APPLICATION TO WAIVE THE SUPERINTENDENT CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH SPEAKERS WHO ARE SIGNED UP TO ADDRESS THE BOARD IN-PERSON.
WILL LUCIANA MARINO PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE.
THE SPEAKER WILL BE FOLLOWED BY COURTNEY REBELS.
[BACKGROUND] IS MS. MARINA IN THE OVERFLOW ROOM? [BACKGROUND] IS SHE IN THE OVERFLOW ROOM? [BACKGROUND] SHE LEFT.
OKAY. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS COURTNEY REBELS.
MS. REBELS, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE.
>> I'M SPEAKING ON THIS IDIOTIC AGENDA ITEM TO SUSPEND THE REQUIREMENTS FOR MIKE MILES.
IF HE WAS SO QUALIFIED, WHY WOULD WE HAVE TO SUSPEND THE REQUIREMENTS? IF YOU GUYS ARE SO QUALIFIED, WHY NOT GROW A BACKBONE AND SPEAK ON IT? LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS IF ONE OF YOU GUYS VOTES AGAINST IT.
WILL WE HAVE A CASE TO SUPPORT YOU GUYS, OR WILL Y'ALL HAVE YOUR JOB? WE DON'T KNOW, BUT THIS IS IDIOTIC.
THERE ARE PEOPLE IN TEXAS THAT ARE CERTIFIED, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THEIR CERTIFICATIONS UP-TO-DATE, AND HE'S A LOSER, HE'S A FAILURE AND THEY BROUGHT HIM IN TO LOSE AND FAIL, AND Y'ALL GOING TO LOSE AND FAIL RIGHT ALONG WITH HIM, BUT NOT US.
WE KNOW OUR RIGHTS AND WE WILL BE HERE.
WE'RE GOING TO [INAUDIBLE], WHETHER WE GOT TO SUE Y'ALL OR WHATEVER WE GOT TO DO.
YEAH, YOU MIGHT WANT TO KEEP YOUR ATTORNEY TOO. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. MR. NEIL AQUINO, FOLLOWED BY DR. PAMELA BOVELAND AND THEN SARAH RIVON.
>> YEAH. MY NAME IS NEIL AQUINO I'M A CITIZEN OF HOUSTON.
AUTHORIZATION TO FILE AN APPLICATION TO WAIVE THE SUPERINTENDENT CERTIFICATION OF REQUIREMENT WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION.
[00:10:04]
THAT WOULD MEAN, LET'S GET THE AUTHORITARIAN STATE GOVERNMENT TO WAIVE A QUALIFIED SUPERINTENDENT.THEY THEMSELVES INFLICTED UPON US. IT'S A JOKE, RIGHT? IT'S A FARCE, 60 YEARS AGO, HOUSTON WAS A JIM CROW CITY.
PEOPLE MARCHED AND DIED FOR THE RIGHT TO VOTE.
MY DAD WAS A CORPORAL AND MEDIC AND THE KOREAN WAR, HE ESPECIALLY AND MY MOM AND MYSELF ALSO PAID A PRICE FOR THAT SERVICE.
HE ALSO TOOK PRIDE IN THE FACT SOUTH KOREA HAS FREE ELECTIONS.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO GUARANTEE OUR FREEDOMS, EVIDENT THAT THE STATE REMOVING OUR ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD IN THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN AMERICA AS AN ACT OF VIOLENCE AND EACH OF YOU ARE ACCESSORIES TO THIS DEEP ACT OF RACIAL VIOLENCE.
FIRE MR. MILES RESIGN AND CALL FOR THE REINSTATEMENT OF THE ELECTED BOARD.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. DR. PAMELA BOVELAND IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER.
>> IS IT ON. OKAY. GREAT. OKAY. YOU'VE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB AT GASLIGHTING EVERYBODY.
YOU WANT US TO ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT HISD, THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE AND THIRD IN THE COUNTRY, DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO EDUCATE PEOPLE, IT KNOWS.
AND WE KNOW THAT IT REQUIRES FUNDING TO DO THAT.
LIVING IN A STATE THAT IS 49TH IN TERMS OF FUNDING OF EDUCATION IS EMBARRASSING, AND TO HAVE YOU ALL SIT THERE AND ACT AS THOUGH THIS DISTRICT HAS NOT CONTRIBUTED HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO SUPPORT OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
THAT IF THEY KEPT THAT MONEY, IT WOULD BE ABLE TO SUPPLY THE RESOURCES TO THE SCHOOLS THAT NEED IT.
SO YOU CAN SIT THERE AND I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO GO WITH WHAT AJ TAUGHT YOU-ALL THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ANY SAY IN ANY OF THIS AND NONE OF THAT MATTERS, AND WE'RE GOING TO ALL BE VERY DISTRUSTFUL OF YOU.
WE'RE DISTRUSTFUL OF YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE PART OF A CONSPIRACY TO BREAK UP A HISD INTO SMALLER DISTRICTS.
>> THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO.
>> YOU NEED TO GET ME CLOSER TO THE CLOCK IF YOU WANT ME TO SEE IT.
>> YES, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SARAH RIVON, FOLLOWED BY SAM SMITH AND JONATHAN BRYANT.
MS. RIVON, YES, MA'AM YOU HAVE A MINUTE.
>> OKAY. HI. MY NAME IS SARAH RIVON AND I'M AN HISD TEACHER.
I HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM PRINCETON AND MASTER'S DEGREES FROM NYU IN COLUMBIA.
AS A CHILD, I WENT TO ONE OF THE BEST PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTRY.
BY LIBRARIAN, PUT THE RIGHT BOOKS IN MY HAND AND TURNED ME INTO A READER, SETTING ME UP FOR SUCCESS.
THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT FOR YOUR OWN CHILDREN, ISN'T IT? THEN YOU SHOULD WANT IT FOR ALL HISD CHILDREN REGARDLESS OF THEIR STAAR SCORES.
THE REAL REASON MILES IS REMOVING LIBRARIANS FROM THE 28TH SCHOOLS IS BECAUSE THOSE STUDENTS WON'T BE READING BOOKS.
WHEN I TAUGHT AT ABROAD ACADEMY STYLE SCHOOL LIKE HIS, OUR STUDENTS NEVER READ BOOKS.
THEY READ STAAR TEST PASSAGES.
I WAS ONCE REPRIMANDED HARSHLY WHEN AN ADMINISTRATOR CAUGHT ME SECRETLY ALLOWING MY STUDENTS TO READ BOOKS.
THERE'S A REASON ROAD RATING SCORES NEVER IMPROVE.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER. THANK YOU, MA'AM.
IS SAM SMITH, FOLLOWED BY JONATHAN BRYANT. MR. SMITH.
MS. MARINA, YOU HAVE A MINUTE.
>> OKAY. AN HONOR OF A FRIEND, JERRY MONROE, I WILL ADDRESS YOU HIS WAY.
TO THE GRAND WIZARD SITTING UP THERE AND HIS CLAMPS BOARD TILL THE WAIVER HAS BEEN GRANTED, YOU CANNOT HIRE A MILES.
IT IS ILLEGAL IN DOING SO YOU'RE ACKNOWLEDGING THE REAL PLAN TO FILL CLASSROOMS WITH UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS IN OUR BROWN AND BLACK SCHOOLS.
AND IF YOU ARE MODELING AS A HOSPITAL, THEN HELLO, CAN A DOCTOR OPERATE ON YOU WITHOUT A LICENSE OR CERTIFICATION? I DON'T THINK SO.
THIS IS THE OPENING AT, FOR MORATH AND ABBOTT, ESPECIALLY BY LOCKING US ALL OUT OF A ROOM THAT HAS A CAPACITY OF 400.
WE WILL NEVER GO AWAY AND WE'LL CONTINUE [NOISE] TO KEEP OUR EYES ON YOU.
ALL OF YOU, THIS IS A BUSINESS PLAN FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS, NOT BECAUSE YOU CARE ABOUT OUR CHILDREN.
YOU CARE ABOUT THE ALMIGHTY DOLLAR.
IT IS A SCHEME TO TREAT STUDENTS AS PRISONERS NOT STUDENTS.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. IT SEEMS SMITH, HE'S NOT HERE.
[00:15:02]
OKAY. MR. JONATHAN BRYANT.>> HE'S HERE. HE GOT [INAUDIBLE]. HE'S HERE.
>> OKAY. JONATHAN BRYANT? SIR YOU HAVE A MINUTE.
>> FOR ITEM 1, I URGE THE BOARD TO VOTE AGAINST WAVING THE SUPERINTENDENT CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT.
MILES WOULD BENEFIT FROM REFRESHING HIMSELF ON THE OBLIGATIONS OF A SUPERINTENDENT.
COMPETENCY 2 OF THE SUPERINTENDENT CERTIFICATION STANDARDS READS, THE SUPERINTENDENT KNOWS HOW TO SHAPE DISTRICT CULTURE BY FACILITATING THE DEVELOPMENT AND STEWARDSHIP OF A VISION OF LEARNING THAT IS SHARED AND SUPPORTED BY THE EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY.
IT IS CLEAR BY NOW THAT THE VISION MILES BRINGS TO HISD IS NEITHER SHARED NOR SUPPORTED BY THIS COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE DEEPLY CONCERNING ASPECT OF THIS VISION, PAY FOR PERFORMANCE.
IT'S A DIVIDE AND CONQUER TACTIC JUST LIKE THIS SETUP IS.
COMING SOON TO A SCHOOL NEAR YOU, ALL ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS WILL BE PAID ON A SLIDING SCALE.
YOU HEARD THAT RIGHT? IF YOU ARE A TEACHER OR ADMINISTRATOR, SOON YOU WILL BE PAID JUST LIKE A USED CAR SALESMAN.
FOR MANY, 20% OF YOUR SALARY WILL BE BASED ON STAAR SCORES.
THIS SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO DRIVE A WEDGE BETWEEN TEACHERS BY MAKING THEM COMPETE FOR PAY AND TO ALIENATE TEACHERS FROM THEIR STUDENTS, TURNING STUDENTS INTO DATA POINTS AND DOLLAR SIGNS.
PAY FOR PERFORMANCE PROMOTES A CYNICAL AND DYSTOPIAN VISION OF EDUCATION.
THAT BETRAYAL [NOISE] OF COOPERATION THAT DRIVES PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATORS.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARIA BENSON.
>> YES, MA'AM. YOU HAVE A MINUTE.
>> MY NAME IS DR. MARIA BENSON.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT FIVE AGENDA ITEMS, 1 AND 21 TO 24.
FIRST, WE ALL KNOW WHAT WAIVING THAT SUPERINTENDENT CERTIFICATION, THAT SUPERINTENDENT CERTIFICATION IS RIDICULOUS.
IF MIKE MILES KNEW HE WAS GOING TO BE APPOINTED TO HISD SUPERINTENDENT MONTHS AGO AND HE DIDN'T EVEN SUBMIT THE PAPERWORK AND PAY THE FEE TO BECOME RECERTIFIED.
CHARTER SCHOOLS MAY NOT CARE IF AN EDUCATOR CERTIFIED, BUT THAT'S WHAT MAKES PUBLIC ISDS BETTER.
WE HOLD OUR PROFESSIONALS TO A MINIMUM STANDARD OF HAVING A CERTIFICATION.
PROVING THAT AGENDA ITEM SHOWS THE COMMUNITY THAT QUALIFICATIONS DON'T REALLY MATTER.
NOW THE OTHER AGENDA ITEMS, POLICIES CAN ALWAYS BE IMPROVED, BUT YOU CLEARLY COMMUNICATE ANY, BUT YOU'RE NOT COMMITTING ANY CHANGES.
WHAT EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES WILL BE CHANGING, HOW WILL TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS BE EVALUATED? WILL IT BE LIKE YOUR EVALUATION? YEAH. HOW ARE YOU EVALUATED? IT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT BASED ON THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE TO VOTE YOU OUT.
I SUSPECT TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS EVALUATIONS WILL BE LIKE YOURS, SOLELY BASED ON THE WHIMS OF KING MIKE MORATH AND UNCERTIFIED SUP MIKE MILES.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER WHO SIGNED UP TO ADDRESS THIS TOPIC VIA ZOOM.
MS. SMITH CAN YOU PLEASE ADMIT MS. SONYA LUCAS ROBERTS?
>> SHE'S NOT IN ZOOM IN THE CUBE. SHE'S NOT ON ZOOM?
>> OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM 4 FROM THE REGULAR MEETING AGENDA APPROVAL OF THE 2022, 2023 REMOTE HOMEBOUND INSTRUCTION FOR ELIGIBLE SPECIAL AND REGULAR EDUCATION STUDENTS.
WILL CHRISTY BREWSTER, PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE.
I AM A CERTIFIED REGISTERED NURSE, RECENTLY RETIRED, 35 YEARS SCHOOL NURSING EXPERIENCE.
AND BY THE WAY, MY SBEC IS STILL VALID.
THE WAIVER THAT YOU'RE REQUESTING FOR THE REMOTE HOMEBOUND INSTRUCTION HOPEFULLY IS GOING TO BE SPEAKING TO FUTURE PANDEMIC SITUATIONS.
BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY IN THE 10TH HANDBOOK FOR TEA, BUT WE'LL FIGURE THAT OUT WITH YOU LATER.
THIS RECENT PANDEMIC CRISIS REQUIRED REMOTE HOME INSTRUCTION AND IT WAS DEVASTATING FOR THE STUDENTS FOR A LOT OF REASONS.
THEY STILL TO THIS DAY, MANY OF THEM ARE NOT EXHIBITING PROFICIENCY IN READING OUR MATHEMATIC SCALES. HOW WE KNOW? STUDENT, PERFORMANCE, OUTCOME, DATA, THE TERM YOU GUYS LIKE. IT SHOWS THAT.
SO IF WE CONTINUE WITH YOUR REMOTE, IF YOU HAVE TOO, WE MIGHT GET THE SAME RESULTS WE GOT IN THE PREVIOUS PANDEMICS, SUB-PAR PERFORMANCE.
SINCE YOU GUYS LIKE AND I'M A NURSE AT [NOISE] THE HOSPITAL MODEL PLEASE TAKE THE ZOOM ROOM, THAT'S MY CONCERN, TO THE OPERATING TABLE AND GET YOU SOME QUALIFIED CERTIFIED EDUCATION EXPERTS TO HELP YOU DEVELOP AN ALTERNATIVE FOR YOUR CLASSROOM DISCIPLINE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM 19, APPROVAL FOR THE 2023, 2024 RECOMMENDED BUDGET.
WE WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE BOARD OF EDUCATION TRUSTEES JUDITH CRUZ AND KATHY CLIFFORD DANIELS WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON THIS TOPIC.
MS. CRUZ, PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE.
[00:20:01]
>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT MILES, I AM TRUSTEE JUDITH CRUZ.
I AM ALSO THE TEXAS ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE EDUCATION TRUST AND A MOM OF TWO HISD STUDENTS AND ONE RECENT HISD GRADUATE.
I HOPE THAT COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS IS A PRIORITY FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION.
FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023, THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION ALLOCATED 1% OF THE GENERAL FUND AND 0.5% OF EXTRA FUNDS TO COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS.
AND ALL OF THE CAMPUS-BASED COLLEGE AND CAREER ADVISORS ARE CURRENTLY FUNDED SOLELY WITH ESSER.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT YEAR, WHEN THIS FUNDING RUNS OUT? HAVE ANY OF THESE ALLOCATIONS CHANGED FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024? THE BUDGET IS YOUR STRATEGY AND DEMONSTRATES WHAT YOU VALUE.
HOUSE BILL THREE REQUIRES THE BOARD TO PRIORITIZE AND SET GOALS AROUND EARLY LITERACY, EARLY MATH IN COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS.
ADDITIONALLY, HB3 ADDED THE CCMR OUTCOMES BONUS FUNDING THEN INCENTIVIZED DISTRICTS WITH BONUS DOLLARS FOR STUDENTS BY NOT JUST CHECKING A BOX FROM A LIST OF PREPAREDNESS METRICS, BUT ACTUALLY EARNING [NOISE] OR MATRICULATING INTO COLLEGE.
OUR DISTRICT HAS AN INTERNAL ANALYSIS OF WHAT TO DO TO EARN MILLIONS OF ADDITIONAL DOLLARS THAT CAN THEN BE REINVESTED INTO SUPPORTS FOR POSTSECONDARY ACCESS AND SUCCESS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
THE TWO PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS IGNORED THAT ANALYSIS.
I UNDERSTAND THERE WILL NOT BE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES MADE TO THE BUDGET AT THIS JUNCTURE.
I URGE YOU TO PRIORITIZE COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS AND TO LEAVE IT WHOLE AND TO INVEST EVEN MORE MEANINGFULLY IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS.
I ALSO URGE YOU TO ADOPT MORE RIGOROUS COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS METRICS. THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. CLIFFORD DANIELS.
>> THANK YOU. I ACTUALLY CAME HERE TO TRY TO BE THE CONDUIT TO TRY TO HELP YOU ALL MAKE THIS THING WORK.
BUT WHEN I CAME IN HERE TODAY, AND I SEE A SETUP, AND SEE THE PEOPLE THAT'S LEFT OUT OUTSIDE, AND YOU'RE NOT ALLOWING THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN HERE, AND HAVE THEIR VOICES MAY HEARD, NO MATTER HOW DIFFICULT IT IS THAT I'M THOROUGHLY DISAPPOINTED.
YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO BRIDGE ANY RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY BY THESE ACTIONS THAT YOU'RE TAKING RIGHT HERE TODAY.
I'LL TELL YOU OPENLY, I CANNOT ACCEPT THE WAY THIS IS BEING DONE.
I'M LISTENING TO THE COMMENTS OF THE PREVIOUS TRUSTEE WHO WASN'T SUPPORTIVE WITH SO MANY OTHER CTE PROGRAMS THAT WE ASKED FOR FOR THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
THE CTE PROGRAMS IN THIS DISTRICT SO FAR, AND I HOPE YOU ALL WILL CONSIDER THIS.
IN DISTRICT 1 THERE ARE 25, IN DISTRICT 2 THERE ARE 20 THAT ARE NOT SUPPORTED, IN DISTRICT 3 THERE ARE 27, IN DISTRICT 4 THERE ARE 36, THEN DISTRICT 5 THERE ARE 38, IN DISTRICT 6 THERE ARE 19, [NOISE] IN DISTRICT 7 THERE ARE 21, DISTRICT 8 THERE ARE 20, AND DISTRICT 9 THERE ARE 19.
THE BUDGET ITEM THAT YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED ONLINE, ITEM 81 SAYS $0, AND I EMPLOY YOU TO STILL GIVE THOSE KIDS AT NORTH FAR EAST THAT BARN THAT WAS PROMISED THEM TWO YEARS AGO.
DO NOT LET THAT GO BY THE WAYSIDE AND CHIEF PAUL, I'LL BE REACHING OUT AGAIN TO ENSURE THAT THOSE CHILDREN WHOSE LIVESTOCK WAS KILLED THREE DAYS BEFORE THEY WERE SHOWING IT AT HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW IN RODEO, BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE COVERING OR THE BARN TO PROTECT THEIR ANIMALS, SO I EMPLOY YOU LOOK AT EVERYTHING, DON'T JUST DO THIS SURFACE BOATING, BE YOUR OWN PERSON, MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS.
BUT IF YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO DO THAT, BECAUSE YOU WANT TO BE ON A PODIUM AND BEING APPOINTED PERSON, THEN OBVIOUSLY.
>> THEN WE WILL HAVE SOME ISSUES.
OUR STUDENTS NEED STABILITY, THE DISTRICT NEED STABILITY, AND AS YOU ADDRESS THESE 29 FOR SCHOOL, LET'S BE CLEAR.
>> MS. CLIFFORD DANIELS [OVERLAPPING].
>> THOSE ARE CAMPUSES THAT DIDN'T HAVE HISTORICALLY HAVE NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY SUPPORT EVEN FROM TRUSTEE CRUZ AND TRUSTEE DIEGAARD [OVERLAPPING] SO I SAY THEIR NAME OPENLY NOW.
>> THANK YOU. WE HAVE ANOTHER SPEAKER SIGN UP TO ADDRESS THIS TOPIC VIA ZOOM, MS. SMITH, PLEASE ADMIT ALLISON NEWPORT.
THE NEXT ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM 20, APPROVAL TO SUSPEND BOARD POLICY BDD LOCAL BOARD INTERNAL ORGANIZATION ATTORNEY.
WILL SARAH TAROL PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM.
THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE KARINA QUESADA.
>> WHEN YOU JOIN A CORPORATE BOARD, YOU GET DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS INSURANCE TO COVER LAWSUITS FROM YOUR SERVICE.
DOES HIST GIVE YOU D&O INSURANCE? IT DOES HAVE BOARD ATTORNEYS.
MILES ASKED YOU TO VOLUNTARILY WAIVE YOUR RIGHT TO THAT ATTORNEY,
[00:25:01]
JUST USE HIS, SMART? FOR MILES IT IS.YOUR FIRST MEETING, NO DISCUSSION.
WHEN DID YOU DISCUSS THOSE AGENDA ITEMS? IS VIOLATING THE SPIRIT OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT OKAY? WHAT ELSE IS INSTORE? MILES SAYS TO WAIVE HIS CERTIFICATION AND HR POLICIES A $2 BILLION BUDGET IS NUMBER 19 OF 24.
TRUSTEES HAD A QUESTION, WRITTEN QUESTION PROCESS FOR ADMIN, DID YOU KNOW THAT? LEGAL EXPOSURE IS ONE THING, YOUR REPUTATION IS ANOTHER.
MILES SAYS TO APPROVE HIS SLASH AND BARN PERSONNEL POLICIES AND TO STRATIFY RICH AND POOR SCHOOLS.
WHAT'S NEXT? YOUR APPROVAL MEANS HIS [NOISE] [INAUDIBLE] BECOMES YOUR REPUTATION.
>> THANK YOU MA'AM, MS. QUESADA, KARINA QUESADA.
>> AGENDA ITEM 20 VOTE NO, Y'ALL ARE STILL WET BEHIND THE EARS.
WHY WOULDN'T YOU WANT BOARD CONSUL? I HAVE A SUSPICION, YOU ALL KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO ENGAGE IN THINGS NOT ABOVE BOARD AND YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO CLAIM IGNORANCE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A SOLID STRATEGY BUT, OKAY.
ON AGENDA ITEM 24, WHY DON'T YOU ALL DO AWAY WITH MAGNETS THAT TH ROGERS AND TRAVIS DO WHILE YOU'RE AT IT.
MAGNETS ARE SUPPOSED TO BRING DIVERSITY TO SCHOOLS WHO ARE PRIMARILY LOW SOCIOECONOMIC AND THOSE SCHOOLS CLEARLY AREN'T DOING THAT, SO WHY ARE THEY STILL MAGNETS? I WANT TO CHALLENGE Y'ALL IF YOU TRULY BELIEVE IN MILE'S PLAN AND ALL THESE CHANGES TO BOARD POLICY, LINDER AND BANDY.
WELL, YOU GET THAT TRAVIS AND TH ROGERS AND PLACE THEM AT ONE OF THE NES SCHOOLS.
IF IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR OTHER PEOPLE'S KIDS, IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOUR KIDS.
YOU WANT TO BE A LEADER, LEAD BY EXAMPLE.
ALL OF YOU PUT YOUR KIDS IN THE 29 SCHOOLS.
JUDITH CRUZ, YOU TOO SINCE YOU WANT TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE, YOU ARE ALL A BUNCH OF COWARDS HIDING BEHIND POPS, [INAUDIBLE] UP WITH THE REST.
THAT ROOM IS EMPTY AND WE'VE BEEN KICKED OUT, YOU DON'T DESERVE TO BE HERE.
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO FACE US.
>> THE NEXT ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM 21, APPROVAL TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND CERTAIN PORTIONS OF BOARD POLICY DC LOCAL EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES.
WILL KENDRA, YARBOROUGH, COMARINA PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE.
UNFORTUNATELY, I HAD THIS WHOLE GREAT THING TO SAY, AND THEN I GOT PUT IN THIS ROOM WHERE I CAN'T LOOK AT YOU IN THE FACE, AND ACTUALLY SAY THE THINGS THAT I NEED TO SAY.
I'VE BEEN ISOLATED OUT HERE AND IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING.
I HOPE YOU DO BETTER IN THE FUTURE.
BUT THEN AGAIN, IF THIS IS WHAT WE CONTINUE TO SEE AS MANY UPSET, I GUESS IT IS.
I WAS GOING TO SAY TO YOU TO ALL WHO SIT IN FRONT OF ME.
I HOPE YOU'VE LISTENED CAREFULLY TO THE PARENTS, STUDENTS, ADVOCATES, AND EDUCATORS.
FOR THOSE BEHIND ME, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR STANDING UP FOR ALL OF OUR CHILDREN.
FOR THOSE LISTENING, PLEASE WATCH AND LISTEN CAREFULLY.
I WAS AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING AND IT SEEMED REHEARSED AND RED TRAP.
I EVEN HAD A PERSON TELL ME, WHEN DID THEY HAVE TIME TO REHEARSE THAT? AND I THOUGHT, WOW, IT REALLY WASN'T JUST ME, THEN THE CHRONICLE CAME OUT WITH THEIR PIECE AND I SAID, WAIT, IT REALLY ISN'T JUST ME.
THIS IS HOW THE SENTIMENTS OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE YOU HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO SERVE FEEL, AND I HOPE THAT YOU DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE, AND ASK QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE JESSICA CAMPOS FOLLOWED BY LARRY MCKINSEY.
MS. CAMPOS, YOU HAVE A MINUTE.
>> OKAY, MY NAME IS JESSICA CAMPOS.
I'M A MOTHER OF THREE GIRLS AGE OF 2, 10 AND 14.
TWO OF MY GIRLS HAVE ADHD AND ONE HAS DYSLEXIA.
I'M A VERY ACTIVE MOM IN THEIR SCHOOL.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS ARE GROWING UP HEALTHY AND LIVE SUCCESSFUL LIVES DESPITE THEIR DISABILITIES.
TODAY, I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT OUR SCHOOL, PUGH ELEMENTARY, ONE OF THE 29 HISD SCHOOLS THAT ARE CURRENTLY UNDERGOING YOU'RE DISMEMBERMENT.
I AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH SOME OF THE DECISIONS THAT YOU HAVE MADE FOR MY CHILD WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE OR MY CONSENT.
FAMILY SOMETIMES STAY IN THEIR HOMES SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOLS IN THEIR AREA.
I'M ONE OF THOSE PARENTS, SURE.
I AM AWARE OF THE SCHOOL OF CHOICE PROGRAM.
I ALREADY HAVE ONE CHILD WHO ATTENDS NPBA, 20 MILES AWAY FROM HOME AND HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO DEBAKEY HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THIS PROGRAM.
SO I'M VERY PLEASED WITH THE PROGRAM, BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME.
YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY.
SO FOR MY MIDDLE CHILD, SOPHIE, I'VE ALWAYS CHOSEN PUGH.
[00:30:01]
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LARRY MCKINSEY, FOLLOWED BY STEFAN HESTER, AND THEN SELENA MANZANO.
MR. MCKENZIE, YOU HAVE A MINUTE BUT WE CAN'T HEAR YOU UNTIL YOU'RE BY THE MIC.
>> ALL RIGHT, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
>> MS. MOMANAEE, CAN YOU SEE ME NOW? ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO.
ACCOUNTABILITY, THE FACT OR CONDITION OF BEING ACCOUNTABLE, RESPONSIBILITY.
THEIR LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY HAS CORRODED PUBLIC RESPECT.
THIS IS THE DEFINITION FROM ONLINE.
NOW, I WAS TAKING A LOOK AT SOME OF YOU PEOPLE THAT ARE UP THERE.
REALIZE THIS, YOU'RE SAFE AT 4,400 WEST 18. YOU'RE SAFE HERE.
WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO AROUND.
I LOOKED UP AND PLEASE TELL JEFF [INAUDIBLE], I SAID HELLO.
>> SIR, YOU'RE NOT PERMITTED TO MAKE THREATS TO THE PEOPLE ON THE BOARD.
I SAID TELL JEFF [INAUDIBLE] I SAID HELLO, AND ALL OF US AREN'T WORTH $97 MILLION.
AND I KNOW I RECOGNIZED THE- [OVERLAPPING]
>> SIR, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE.
>> I CAN'T HEAR YOU, YOU GOT TO- [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE STOP NAMING FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
>> EXCUSE ME, I DIDN'T SAY THAT WAS YOUR FAMILY MEMBER.
>> IS IT MY WAY? I'M GOING TO STEP BACK, TELL ME WHAT TO DO.
NOW, I RECOGNIZED SOMEBODY BECAUSE THE CHILDREN TO KARATE, A SECOND RAMBO.
I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT YOU CAUGHT A BAD DEAL ON THAT.
BUT FROM THE LADY THAT WORKED AT JONES HIGH SCHOOL, MY NAME IS LARRY AND I STAY OVER THERE BY [INAUDIBLE].
THESE ARE ADDRESSES THAT YOU GO ONLINE AND YOU GET FRONT WOOD FENCE WITH NEIL, AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY GO AND PROTEST IN FRONT OF PEOPLE JOBS LIKE MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER, AND THEIR PLACES OF BUSINESS LIKE THIRD HOME INSPECTIONS.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MR. STEFAN HESTER, MR. HESTER. OKAY.
>> HE CAN'T SPEAK BECAUSE HE WAS UNJUSTLY TRESPASSED A FEW [OVERLAPPING] AGO.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SELENA MANZANO, MS. MANZANO.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MADAI HERNANDEZ.
SPANISH SPEAKERS OR FOREIGN LANGUAGE SPEAKERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE GRANTED ADDITIONAL TIME FOR INTERPRETATION SO THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS SHARED.
>> I DON'T THINK SHE HAD AN INTERPRETER.
WE'LL COME BACK. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MADAI HERNANDEZ.
>> GOOD EVENING, MY NAME IS MADAI HERNANDEZ AND I'M GOING TO DO THIS IN SPANISH BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH, BUT WE WANT TO GET THIS KNOWN.
[00:35:01]
>> CAN YOU HOLD PLEASE JUST FOR A MOMENT? GIVE US A MOMENT, MA'AM. [BACKGROUND] MA'AM, BECAUSE YOU'RE PLANNING TO SPEAK IN BOTH SPANISH AND ENGLISH IT SOUNDS LIKE, WE'RE GOING TO PAUSE ON YOU AND WILL COME BACK TO YOU IN A FEW MOMENT.
IS THAT OKAY? SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT'S INTERPRETED, OKAY? OUR NEXT SPEAKER THEN IS MELISSA YARBOROUGH, WHO I BELIEVE IS ON ZOOM.
>> MS. YARBOROUGH, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.
YOU MAY BEGIN. SHE'S NO LONGER IN THE QUEUE.
>> MS. YARBOROUGH, PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERA AND YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> THANK YOU. WE WERE NOT ASKED FOR OUR OPINIONS ABOUT THE NES THAT FORCES TEACHERS AND STAFF TO REAPPLY FOR THEIR JOBS.
SO I'M HERE TO TELL YOU AS A PARENT AT PUGH ELEMENTARY, THAT WE WANT TO KEEP EVERY SINGLE TEACHER AND STAFF MEMBER AT OUR SCHOOL ALONG WITH THE CLASSES AND PROGRAMS THAT THEY TEACH.
EVERY SCHOOL IS UNIQUE BECAUSE OF THE PEOPLE IN IT.
WHEN MY KIDS WALK INTO PUGH EVERY OFFICE WORKER, TEACHER, KNOWS AND GREETS THEM BY NAME.
THEY LOVE MY CHILDREN AND MY CHILDREN LOVE THEM.
THEY ARE OUR VILLAGE, OUR FAMILY.
WE'RE NOT JUST DATA ON YOUR SPREADSHEETS.
WE'RE A COMMUNITY THAT YOU'RE TEARING APART.
I MADE THE CHOICE TO SEND MY KIDS TO PUGH AND I'M PICKY ABOUT THEIR EDUCATION BECAUSE I MYSELF, I'M A TEACHER.
I SEE MY KIDS' TEACHERS AT PUGH, TEACHING THEM ANTIQUES AND THEY'RE GETTING MY KIDS TO PASS THE ASSESSMENTS.
BUT BEYOND THAT, I SEE THEM INSPIRING A LOVE FOR LEARNING IN MY CHILDREN.
THAT INCLUDES OUR ART TEACHER, DUAL LANGUAGE TEACHERS, WRAP AROUND SPECIALIST, AND LIBRARIANS, WHICH ARE ALL PROGRAMS THAT YOU HAVE FAILED TO GUARANTEE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO KEEP.
[NOISE] TEACHERS DON'T DESERVE TO BE TREATED THIS WAY AND NEITHER DO OUR CHILDREN SO I ASK YOU TO PLEASE LET US KEEP OUR THRIVING PROGRAMS AND OUR EXCELLENT AND BELOVED TEACHERS AND STAFF AT OUR SCHOOLS.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. THE NEXT ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS, ITEM 22.
APPROVAL TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND BOARD POLICY, DNA, LOCAL PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL, EVALUATION OF TEACHERS.
WILL DANIEL SANTOS PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE?
I AM DANIEL SANTOS, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON FEDERATION OF TEACHERS AND I RISE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 22.
THE COMMUNITY HAS EVERY REASON TO BE ALARMED BY THE PROPOSED TEACHER EVALUATION MODEL THAT WILL UNJUSTLY SLANDER NOT ONLY TEACHERS, BUT ALSO SCHOOLS IN LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS.
THIS IS A MODEL SIMILAR TO THE ONE IN DALLAS, PROMISING TO IDENTIFY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS.
HOWEVER, THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS TWO YEARS AGO EXPOSED THOSE FALSE CLAIMS. IT REVEALED THAT UNDER A MODEL LIKE THIS ONE, THE BEST TEACHERS CONTINUE TO BE ASSIGNED TO MAGNET SCHOOLS AND CONTINUE TO BE ASSIGNED TO SCHOOLS IN WEALTHIER NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE INEQUITIES IN HISD WILL EXACERBATE UNDER THIS MODEL AND GREAT TEACHERS WILL BE FORCED TO ABANDON HISD.
WE ARE BEING SOLD A BILL OF GOODS AND THE COMMUNITY SEES THROUGH THIS DECEPTION.
WHEN SOMEONE SHOWS YOU WHO THEY ARE, BELIEVE THEM THE FIRST TIME.
>> WE HAVE OTHER SPEAKERS WHO SIGNED UP TO ADDRESS THIS TOPIC VIA ZOOM.
MS. SMITH, CAN YOU PLEASE IDENTIFY AND ADMIT OUR ZOOM SPEAKERS?
>> I BELIEVE IT'S MS. ROSIE CURTS,
[00:40:01]
KYLIE DALAGER, AND ANDREW KIRK IN THAT ORDER.>> [NOISE] MS. CURTS, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON AND YOU MAY BEGIN.
[BACKGROUND] PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF AND YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> HI, SOMEONE HERE SAID EARLIER TO ASK DALLAS, SO HERE I AM.
MY NAME IS ROSEMARY CURTS I'M A CURRENT TEACHER IN DALLAS ISD AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT TEI, THE TEACHER EVALUATION JUST LIKE MILES HAS PUT IT HERE AND NOW SEEKS TO INSTITUTE IN HOUSTON.
MOST IMPORTANT THING TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT TEI DAMAGES THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION THAT OUR DISTRICT IS ABLE TO OFFER OUR KIDS. THERE'S NO WAY AROUND IT.
WHEN YOU DIRECTLY TIE TEST SCORES TO TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATOR PAY, YOU CAUSE THIS FOCUS TO SHIFT FROM CRITICAL THINKING TO ROAD TEST PREP. I WISH IT WERE DIFFERENT.
EVEN TEACHERS THAT RESIST TEACHING TO THE TEST THEN GET PRESSURED BY ADMINISTRATORS TO FALL BACK ON TEST PREP TRICKS TO KEEP THE SCORES UP.
AS A HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEACHER, TEACHING UNDER TEI MEANS THAT WE ARE PUSHED TO TEACH CALCULATOR TRICKS AND SHORTCUTS, ENGLISH TEACHERS DON'T HAVE TIME TO FOSTER TRUE LOVE OF READING, SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHERS DON'T HAVE THE CHANCE TO DELVE INTO CRITICAL THINKING, SCIENCE TEACHERS DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO LABS THAT HELP BREED SCIENTIFIC CURIOSITY.
INSTEAD, OUR KIDS GET TEST PREP AND MORE TEST PREP.
AND MEANWHILE, THE NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS OR NAEP SCORES, THE STANDARDIZED TESTS THAT CAN'T BE GAMED BY GET TOGETHER [NOISE] DECLINE IN VIRTUALLY EVERY AREA.
OUR KIDS ARE HURTING, BUT I HOPE THAT IT'S NOT TOO LATE FOR HOUSTON KIDS.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KYLIE DALAGER.
>> [BACKGROUND] KYLIE DALAGER, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON AND YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS KYLIE DALAGER, AND I'M A REGISTERED VOTER OF HARRIS COUNTY AND MY SON IS ZONED TO AN HISD SCHOOL.
I'M A MASTER'S STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON AND THEY'RE BILINGUAL IN ESL CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION PROGRAM.
I URGE THE BOARD AND MR. MILES TO CONSIDER COMMUNITY SCHOOL FORMATION ESPECIALLY WHEN CONSIDERING THE STUDENTS ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS NEW EVALUATION AND PERFORMANCE.
WE ARE MUCH MORE THAN OUR STUDENTS STATE TEST SCORES.
SO WHEN CONSIDERING THESE EVALUATION PROCEDURES FOR ADMINISTRATORS AND EDUCATORS, I URGE YOU TO PLEASE INCLUDE PARENTS AND COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY IN THESE 29 NES SCHOOLS.
THE POSITION OF WRAP AROUND SPECIALIST THAT IS CURRENTLY ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK IS A POSITION THAT WOULD BE ESSENTIAL TO CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY WITH OUR SCHOOLS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDREW KIRK.
>> MR. KIRK, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON AND YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> YES, SIR. YOU HAVE A MINUTE.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ANDREW KIRK AND I'M JOINING YOU TONIGHT FROM DALLAS WHERE I'VE WORKED FOR THE LAST 10 YEARS.
AND I'M ALSO THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS VICE PRESIDENT FOR ALLIANCE/AFT, OUR DISTRICT'S LARGEST UNION LOCAL FOR EDUCATION WORKERS.
I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT ON THIS AGENDA ITEM TO URGE THAT YOU ALL OPPOSE A SO-CALLED PERFORMANCE PAY INSTRUMENT FOR TEACHERS.
I ASK THIS EVEN AS I'M CONSIDERED DISTINGUISHED UNDER OUR CURRENT SYSTEM, TEI OR THE TEACHER EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE.
HERE'S SOME REASONS TO VOTE AGAINST ANY EVALUATION INSTRUMENT THAT DIRECTLY TIES TEST SCORES TO SALARY.
ONE, FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, TEI NOT ONLY DID NOT IMPROVE STUDENT LEARNING IN DALLAS, IT ACTIVELY UNDERMINED IT.
SINCE THE ADOPTION OF TEI IN DALLAS, OUR SCORES IN THE NAEP, NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS HAVE DECLINED RELATIVE TO OUR PEERS IN ALMOST EVERY AREA.
TO SUPPOSE IT GAINS AN ACHIEVEMENT ARE LARGELY THE RESULT OF SCORE INFLATION AND THE PREDICTABILITY OF TESTS LIKE STAR.
WHEN THAT PREDICTABILITY AND TESTED CONTENT DISAPPEARS, SO TOO DID THE GAINS.
TEI [NOISE] TEACHING TO THE TEST, NOT AUTHENTIC TEACHING AND CERTAINLY NOT AUTHENTIC LEARNING.
[OVERLAPPING] EVEN ACCORDING TO THE NARROW METRICS OF STATE ACCOUNTABILITY, HOUSTON ISD ALREADY OUT PERFORMS DALLAS WITHOUT PERFORMANCE PAY.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. [OVERLAPPING] I THINK YOU'RE OUT OF TIME, SIR.
>> THE LAST ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM 24, APPROVAL TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND BOARD POLICY [INAUDIBLE] LOCAL SPECIAL PROGRAMS,
[00:45:02]
INNOVATIVE, AND MAGNET PROGRAMS. [INAUDIBLE], PLEASE APPROACH THE MICROPHONE. THANK YOU. YOU HAVE A MINUTE, SIR?I'M THE PTA BOARD PRESIDENT OF WAINWRIGHT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT AGENDA NUMBER 24, I RECENTLY READ A HOUSTON CHRONICLE ARTICLE [INAUDIBLE] TAKE NO ACTION ON MAGNET PROGRAMS OUTSIDE OF THE NES SCHOOLS NEXT YEAR.
I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THE [INAUDIBLE] PROGRAM FOR WAINWRIGHT ELEMENTARY.
WE ALSO WANT TO INVITE ALL OF OUR BOARD OF MANAGERS AND THE SUPERINTENDENT TO COME TO OUR LITERACY PROGRAM ON SEPTEMBER 28TH AT WAINWRIGHT ELEMENTARY, WHERE [INAUDIBLE] MUSEUM, HARRIS COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, AND OTHER LIBRARIES WILL BE JOINING US AT THAT NIGHT.
I WILL WORK WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT TO SUBMIT THE INVITATION TO ALL OF THOSE BOARD OF MANAGERS, AND WE INVITE YOU TO BE THERE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. MS. JACQUELINE BANKS IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER ON THIS TOPIC, AND THEN FOLLOWED BY JEREMY EUGENE.
MS. BANKS IN THE ROOM? MR. JEREMY EUGENE.
>> ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S ANOTHER SPEAKER THAT CAN'T SPEAK BECAUSE HE WAS UNJUSTLY TRESPASSED AND ARRESTED.
>> WE HAVE SPANISH INTERPRETATION AVAILABLE NOW?
>> SPANISH INTERPRETATION IS AVAILABLE NOW.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS SELENA MANZANO.
>> MA'AM, TO THE INTERPRETER, CAN YOU PLEASE GET CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE? WE CAN HEAR MS. MANZANO, BUT WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON MY NAME IS SELENA MANZANO.
I BELONG TO PUGH ELEMENTARY WHERE 97% OF THE STUDENTS ARE HISPANIC.
THIS IS WHY WE ALWAYS NEED BILINGUAL TEACHERS.
MY SON IS A SIX-YEAR-OLD WHO HAS AUTISM PROBLEM.
HE HAS PROBLEMS WITH HIS CONDUCT AND HYPERACTIVITY.
HE ALSO HAS A SPEECH IMPEDIMENT AND THANKS TO THE TEACHER, HE WAS ABLE TO GRADUATE FROM KINDERGARTEN KNOWING, SAY, 25 WORDS.
WE NEED MORE TEACHERS AS THE ONES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY.
WE NEED [INAUDIBLE] ANYBODY ELSE.
OUR TEACHERS ARE LIKE THE SECOND PARENTS OF OUR STUDENTS.
THEY SPEND MORE TIME AT SCHOOL THAN AT HOME. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR LAST SPEAKER IS MS. HERNANDEZ.
[00:50:01]
[NOISE] THANK YOU, MA'AM.MA'AM, THE INTERPRETER CAN IF YOU CAN HOLD THE MIC CLOSER TO YOU AS YOU INTERPRET, THAT'D BE HELPFUL. THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS MADELINE HERNANDEZ AND MY SON IS A STUDENT AT THE PUGH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE WORLD IS FAMILY AND LOVE, AND IT'S WRITTEN BY JOHN WOODEN.
TODAY, I'M HERE SPEAKING TO YOU IN REPRESENTATION OF EVERY STUDENT AND PARENTS OF OUR SCHOOL.
WITH OUR HEART IN OUR HANDS, WE ASK YOU THAT YOU DO NOT DESTROY OUR FAMILY BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT THEY ARE FOR US, OUR FAMILY.
THEY HAVE BECOME SECOND PARENTS TO OUR STUDENTS.
THEY FILL THEM WITH KNOWLEDGE.
THEY HAVE LEFT AN IMPRINT IN THEIR LIVES, BUT MOSTLY, THEY LOVE THEM.
THEY RECEIVE OUR CHILDREN EVERY MORNING WITH A SMILE AND WITH OPEN ARMS AND WE KNOW EVERY NAME AND LAST NAME OF CHILDREN OF OUR SCHOOLS.
OUR STUDENTS WAKE UP EXCITED EVERY MORNING BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT THEY HAVE ACTIVITIES AWAITING FOR THEM THAT ARE GOING TO BE FUN AND FULL OF KNOWLEDGE, AND THESE ACTIVITIES ARE PAID BY OUR TEACHERS OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKETS.
MY CHILD AS WELL AS HIS OTHER COMPANIONS OR STUDENT FRIENDS ARE ALSO SAD ABOUT KNOWING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD HAPPEN.
AS A PARENT, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE THINK ABOUT THE EMOTIONAL DAMAGE THAT THIS MAY CAUSE TO OUR STUDENTS.
DO NOT TAKE THIS AWAY FROM OUR HAND.
>> SO THAT THEY CONTINUE TO BE EDUCATED BY THESE TEACHERS THAT ARE DEDICATED AND LOVE THEM AND DO THEIR WORK WITH ALL THEIR HEART.
>> THE ONLY INHERITANCE WE LEAVE OUR CHILDREN IS THEIR EDUCATION.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES OUR HEARING OF REGISTERED SPEAKERS FOR THIS MEETING.
THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE SPEAKERS.
WE ARE NOW GOING TO TAKE A BRIEF BREAK BEFORE ADDRESSING THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
THIS MEETING IS RECESSED AT 6:25 P.M.
[PUBLIC MEETING TO DISCUSS BUDGET AND PROPOSED TAX RATE, WITH BUDGET WORKSHOP]
WE WILL HOLD A PUBLIC MEETING ON THE DISTRICT BUDGET AND PROPOSED TAX RATE WITH THE BUDGET WORKSHOP.MR. MILES, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THANKS FOR GIVING ME SOME TIME.
BEFORE WE START ON THE BUDGET PRESENTATION IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE CABINET SINCE THEY ARE THE FIRST TIME HERE.
MEMBERS OF THE CABINET, IF YOU'LL COME AND STAND OVER HERE SO THEY CAN SEE YOU, I'LL INTRODUCE YOU QUICKLY [BACKGROUND].
[00:55:10]
JUST QUICKLY, YOU'LL GET TO KNOW THEM AND I KNOW YOU'VE ALREADY MET MANY OF THEM.KERRI BRIGGS IS OUR CHIEF OF STAFF, WANDA PAUL CHIEF OPERATIONS, IMELDA DE LA GUARDIA IS ONE OF THE DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT, KRISTEN HOLE IS CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER, AND THEN YOU HAVE LUZ MARTINEZ WHO'S ONE OF THE DIVISION SUPERINTENDENTS, DELL CHEW, CHIEF OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES, JIM TERRY, CFO AND CHIEF OF BUSINESS SERVICES, SANDI MASSEY WHO IS THE CHIEF OF LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, TONNIS HILLIARD WHO IS THE CHIEF OF HR, HART SCOTT IS OUR CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER.
LET'S SEE, WHO'S THAT? [BACKGROUND] YES, SORRY.
SHE'S BEEN HERE AND SHE'S A DEPUTY CHIEF RIGHT NOW AS AN INTERIM, AND THEN YOU HAVE MONICA GRAZINS DRALLASKI, DEPUTY CHIEF, AND MATTHEW GILES IS NOT A CHIEF, BUT HE'S MY RIGHT-HAND MAN.
HE'S A SPECIAL ASSISTANT, AND YOU ALL KNOW CATOSHA, YOU'VE BEEN WITH HER FOR A WHILE AND ORLANDO RIDDICK IS ONE OF THE DIVISION SUPERINTENDENTS AND CHIEF GARNER YOU ALSO KNOW CHIEF OF POLICE AND WANDA PAUL CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER.
>> ALL RIGHT, AND AT THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO GO OVER THE BUDGET.
AND WHAT I'M GOING TO DO BOARD MEMBERS, I'LL GIVE YOU THE OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET, AND THE BUDGET PROCESS BECAUSE THIS IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL PROCESS FOR A BUDGET.
THEN JIM TERRY THE CFO IS GOING TO GO OVER THE ACTUAL BUDGET.
THEN WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS AT THE END OF THAT.
IS THAT OKAY, MADAM PRESIDENT?
>> AS I SAID, THIS IS NOT A TYPICAL BUDGET PROCESS, BECAUSE WE'RE COMING INTO LATE IN THE BUDGET NEEDS TO BE APPROVED BY THE END OF JUNE.
SO WE ARE TAKING THE BUDGET THAT'S ALREADY BEEN PRESENTED TO THE LAST BOARD WITH SOME CHANGES.
I'M GOING TO GO OVER THAT AND ASK THE BOARD TO GIVE ME INPUT ON THAT.
FIRST, ONE OTHER THING BEFORE WE GET STARTED IF YOU DON'T MIND.
WE'VE ONLY BEEN HERE TWO WEEKS, AND SO THE QUESTION THEN BECOMES HOW OFTEN OR HOW WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN INFORMATION? WITH MY TIME, I PRIORITIZE PRINCIPAL TRAINING AND COMMUNICATING WITH DISTRICT STAFF.
I HAVE TALKED TO OVER 3,000 HISD TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS, AND STAFF.
WE HAVE EXECUTED FOUR DAYS OF TRAINING FOR PRINCIPALS AP LEADERS IN THE DISTRICT, ABOUT 1,200 PEOPLE FOUR FULL DAYS.
I'VE SPOKEN TO OVER 25 ELECTED AND APPOINTED LEADERS, EITHER IN PERSON OR OVER THE PHONE.
I MET WITH OVER A DOZEN BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS.
I'VE ENGAGED WITH OVER 20 NEWS OUTLETS AND JOURNALISTS THROUGH CALLS, INTERVIEWS, BRIEFING, AND RADIO CALLING.
I ATTENDED A TEACHER JOB FAIR AT LAMAR HIGH SCHOOL, PREPARED FOR TWO BOARD MEETINGS, BEGAN OUR FULL CABINET MEETING FOR THE FIRST TIME ON MONDAY.
I'VE HAD TIME TO DO TWO LOADS OF LAUNDRY.
THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE IN TWO WEEKS.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT PACE THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.
A LOT MORE INFORMATION, A LOT MORE COMMUNITY EVENTS.
YOU CAN SEE THERE WE ALREADY HAVE SCHEDULED EIGHT FAMILY EVENTS FOR HISD IN JUNE AND JULY, NUMEROUS STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS TO FOLLOW, AND THEN NES COMMUNITY MEETINGS WILL FOLLOW.
ON TOP OF THAT, I KNOW THE BOARD HAS BEEN OUT TALKING TO A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS ALSO.
WE FEEL THAT IN TWO WEEKS, NO WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REACH EVERYBODY, AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO GET ALL THE INFORMATION YET, BUT THAT'S COMING.
WE THINK WE'VE DONE A FAIR JOB OF GETTING AS MUCH OUT AS POSSIBLE.
[01:00:08]
THE FOUR MEETINGS WITH THE PRINCIPALS OUT OF THE 10 WORK DAYS THAT WE'VE BEEN HERE FOR THOSE DAYS WE WERE WITH PRINCIPALS.THAT WAS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK.
THE PRINCIPALS' TRAINING HAD BEEN VERY GOOD.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU ONE BIT ON HOW WELL IT WAS RECEIVED.
IF I KNOW THE PRINT SMALL YOU PROBABLY HAVE IT IN YOUR BOARD PACKET, BUT ON THE VERY LEFT IT SAYS, RELIEVED I'M GLAD THAT I'M HERE, I'M READY TO EXECUTE ON OUR NEW DISTRICT VISION.
THE NEXT IS, I'M STILL PROCESSING ALL THE NEW INFORMATION AND LEANING INTO CURIOSITY, AS I CONTINUE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW I CAN BEST IMPLEMENT THE DISTRICT'S NEW VISION.
THE THIRD ONE IS, I'M FEELING PRETTY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE CONTENT SHARED OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS.
I DON'T AGREE WITH THE DISTRICT'S NEW VISION FOR HOW THIS WORK IS UNFOLDING.
NUMBER FIVE OR THE LAST COLUMN IS, I'M CHECKED OUT.
THIS WAS ANONYMOUS. THIS IS VOLUNTARY SURVEYS.
ABOUT HALF THE PARTICIPANTS FILLED OUT THAT SURVEY.
YOU CAN SEE THAT MOST OF THE PARTICIPANTS FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THE DIRECTION ONCE THEY FIND OUT ABOUT IT, AND THEY GET SOME DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT IT.
IT IS TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE STILL PROCESSING THE SECOND COLUMN, THERE'S A LOT OF NEW INFORMATION, A LOT OF CHANGE.
PROCESSING IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN EXPECT.
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE FIRST SEVERAL MONTHS, PROBABLY UNTIL THEY REALLY GET USED TO IT.
THEN I'M VERY SYMPATHETIC TO THE PEOPLE ON THE FAR RIGHT OF THE GRAPH.
IN SOME SENSE, WE'RE SPRINGING NEW THINGS ON THEM.
THEY VOLUNTEERED, THEY WERE HERE IN THE DISTRICT WITH AN OLD WAY OF DOING BUSINESS OR THE CURRENT WAY OF DOING BUSINESS, AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THAT STATUS QUO FOR THEM.
NOTHING, IT'S NOT BAD BEHAVIOR, BUT I'M SO HAPPY THAT IT'S NOT A VERY LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE PRINCIPALS AND OTHER LEADERS THAT WERE IN THE ROOM.
I JUST THOUGHT, YOU SHOULD KNOW WE'VE HAD TRAINING ALREADY AND IT'S FAIRLY WELL-RECEIVED.
STILL HAVE A WAYS TO GO. THE BUDGET.
THE CONCEPT OF BUDGETING IS THE FOLLOWING FOUR THINGS.
ONE, THE BUDGET PROCESS SHOULD BE ALIGNED, AND FOLLOW THE ACTION PLANNING.
YOUR FINANCES SHOULD FOLLOW ACTIONS.
THEY SHOULD BE TIED TO AND ALIGNED WITH YOUR ACTIONS AND YOUR PRIORITY WORK AREAS.
SECOND, SCARCE RESOURCES SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED.
THIRD, A MODIFIED ZERO-BASED BUDGETING PROCESS MOST EFFECTIVELY ALIGNS THE BUDGET AND PRIORITIZES RESOURCES.
WE'LL BE FOLLOWING AT 60/20/20 BUDGET PROCESS.
WE'RE GOING TO EXPLAIN THAT TO OUR STAFF, BUT BASICALLY, IT'S A MODIFIED ZERO-BASED BUDGETING PROCESS, WHERE 60% OF A DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET IS IDENTIFIED AS A PRIORITY, 20% IS IDENTIFIED AS B PRIORITY, 20% IS IDENTIFIED AS C PRIORITY.
THAT FORCES THE PRIORITIZATION.
YES, WE ALREADY HAD THE BUDGETS WE HAVE BECAUSE THEY'VE ALREADY BEEN DESIGNED, BUT WE'LL TWEAK THEM AND WE'LL FOLLOW THIS PROCESS.
THEN FINALLY, AND MAYBE NOT OBVIOUSLY, THE PROCESS MUST BE FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE DISTRICT TO ADJUST THE BUDGET BASED ON NECESSARY COURSE CORRECTIONS.
THIS IS WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE, THIS IS A SIMPLER SLIDE, THIS COMES FROM A SLIDE WITH ABOUT THREE OR FOUR PAGES OF FINER PRINT.
BUT THIS IS GENERALLY WHAT THE BUDGET PROCESS SHOULD LOOK LIKE AND WE'LL LOOK LIKE IN HISD GOING FORWARD.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE DRAFT DISTRICT ACTION PLAN COMES FIRST AND IT SHOULD COME IN JANUARY, SO NEXT JANUARY YOU'LL SEE A DRAFT DISTRICT ACTION PLAN FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
THEN THE BUDGET THEN FOLLOWS THAT YOU CAN SEE AT THE SAME TIME.
THEN WE PRIORITIZE SPECIFIC ACTIONS, WE ALSO ESTABLISHED DEPARTMENT BUDGET PARAMETERS.
THAT HAPPENS FAIRLY EARLY, THE BUDGET PARAMETERS, ARE HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO SPEND, HOW MUCH WE WANT TO USE FOR SALARIES THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY ARE PARAMETERS THAT THE BOARD WILL WORK WITH ME TO SET ON THE BUDGET.
THEN WE PRESENT THE PRELIMINARY REVENUE FORECAST,
[01:05:01]
SO WE'LL KNOW IF WE HAVE MORE MONEY COMING IN, MONEY LEAVING AND THAT DEPENDS ON A LOT OF VARIABLE, SOME OF WHICH ARE IN OUR CONTROL, SOME NOT.FINALLY, WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP THE DEPARTMENT ACTION PLANS, YOU SEE THAT IN THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN THERE.
WE FINALIZED DEPARTMENT BUDGETS FIRST IN APRIL.
THEN WE PRESENT A DRAFT DISTRICT ACTION PLAN TO THE BOARD IN MAY.
AGAIN, SO THAT WE ALIGN OUR BUDGET TO THE ACTIONS.
WE PRESENT THEN A DRAFT THE BUDGET TO THE BOARD IN MAY.
WE PRESENT THE DISTRICT ACTION PLAN TOWARDS THE END OF MAY, AND THEN WE ADOPT THE BUDGET.
YOU CAN SEE THAT IS A PROCESS FOR ALIGNING THE BUDGET WELL WITH YOUR PRIORITIES, AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT THIS TIME, OF COURSE.
INSTEAD OF CHANGING THE BUDGET, AND WE'VE ONLY HAD A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO REALLY DIG INTO THE BUDGET, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO PRIORITIZE OUR NEEDS, YOU KNOW THAT THESE ARE THE PRIORITY WORK AREAS OF THE DISTRICT.
MORE INFORMATION ON THIS NEXT TIME DURING THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, BUT THOSE OF THE SIX FOUNDATIONAL PRIORITIES AND THESE ARE THE FIVE INNOVATIVE PRIORITIES.
AS RESULT OF THOSE PRIORITIZATIONS AND THOSE WORK AREAS, YOU HAVE IN YOUR BOARD PACKET HOW WE ARRIVED AT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR EACH PRIORITY WORK AREA.
THIS IS MONEY OVER AND ABOVE THE CURRENT BUDGET.
OVER AND ABOVE THE CURRENT BUDGET, THIS IS THE $106 MILLION.
NOW, THE TOTAL BUDGET IS CLOSE TO $2.2 BILLION, AS YOU CAN SEE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE.
I ONLY PUT THAT UP THERE, THEY SHOW YOU BY COMPARISON HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THE REGULAR BUDGET, WE'RE NOT REALLY TOUCHING MUCH OF THE BUDGET THAT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE PRIOR BOARD A MONTH AGO.
WE'RE ONLY PRIORITIZING 106 MILLION OUT OF 2.2 BILLION.
NOW, WE HAVE SOME CHALLENGES AS YOU KNOW.
THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT GOING FORWARD IS THAT IF WE DO NOTHING DIFFERENT THEN WE WILL REACH A FISCAL CLIFF AND THIS IS A SLIDE THAT COMES FROM THE LAST BOARD PRESENTATION, SO I'M NOT MAKING THIS UP.
THIS IS THE LAST ADMINISTRATION NUMBERS AND THE BUDGET CONSULTANTS THAT WERE BUILDING THE BUDGET BACK THEN.
AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR REVENUE GOES DOWN CONSIDERABLY IF WE DO NOTHING, BUT SPEND THE SAME MONEY SAME PROGRAMS. THEN THIS IS ANOTHER CHALLENGE THAT YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW, AGAIN, I CREATED, THIS AS A GRAPH FROM THE LAST ADMINISTRATION.
THE CENTRAL OFFICE BUDGET PER STUDENT EXPENDITURES HAVE GROWN 61% IN SIX YEARS, THAT'S THE TOP LINE.
MEANWHILE, THE ENROLLMENT HAS GONE DOWN CONSIDERABLY, 27,000 STUDENTS.
CENTRAL OFFICE EXPENDITURES HAVE GONE UP CONSIDERABLY, AT THE SAME TIME, ENROLLMENT HAS GONE DOWN.
I JUST POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE YOU'LL SEE THE PART THAT WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE OR ASK YOU TO CHANGE IS RELATED PARTLY TO THIS PROBLEM.
THEN HERE'S SOME OTHER CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING.
THERE IS AN OVER-RELIANCE ON VENDORS AND CONTRACTED SERVICES.
IN THE 2017, 2018 LBB REPORT, THIS WAS MENTIONED AS A PROBLEM AND IT'S STILL A PROBLEM.
DURING THAT YEAR $305 MILLION OF ALL FUNDS OR 9% OF HOUSTON'S TOTAL EXPENDITURE WAS VENDORS AND CONTRACTED SERVICES.
THAT IS WAY TOO HIGH, IT PROBABLY SHOULD BE MORE IN THE RANGE OF 2 OR 3%, DON'T GET ME WRONG WE CANNOT EXIST, FOR TOO BIG ASSISTANT WE NEED VENDORS AND CONTRACTED SERVICES THAT'S FOR SURE, SO WE NEED TO STATE THAT CLEARLY.
AT THE SAME TIME 9% OF YOUR BUDGET GOING TO VENDORS AND CONTRACTED SERVICES IT SHOULD RATHER GO TO ART EMPLOYEES,
[01:10:04]
RAISE ART TEACHERS SALARIES IF WE COULD CUT SOME OF THAT.KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, WE'VE DONE THIS IN THE DISTRICT FOR A WHILE.
SMALL SCHOOL SUBSIDIES WERE BROUGHT TO THE BOARD AT THE LAST ADMINISTRATION BOARD.
HOLD HARMLESS ON ENROLLMENT WAS ANOTHER ITEM THAT WAS BROUGHT TO THE LAST BOARD.
I'M GOING TO HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOU IN A MINUTE.
USING ESSER FUNDING FOR RECURRING EXPENDITURES.
RIGHT NOW THERE ARE $54 MILLION WORTH OF SALARIES IN ESSER MONEY, ESSER IS ELEMENTARY SECONDARY SCHOOL ACT FUNDING.
WHAT THAT IS, THREE YEARS AGO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDED A LOT OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND IT WAS FUNNELED THROUGH THE STATE.
EVERY DISTRICT HAS BENEFITED FROM ESSER FUNDING.
THE PROBLEM HERE IS, THAT MONEY STOPS NEXT YEAR IN SEPTEMBER.
IF YOU PUT IT INTO SALARIES OR YOU PUT IT INTO POSITIONS FOR EMPLOYEES THAT'S WHAT WE CALL A RECURRING EXPENSES, THAT SALARY IS GOING TO CONTINUE AS LONG AS YOU HAVE THAT POSITION.
THE POSITION CONTINUES THE MONEY STOPS, THOSE ARE CALLED RECURRING EXPENSES AND MOST DISTRICTS, ALL DISTRICTS WERE WARNED AGAINST PUTTING TOO MUCH MONEY IN RECURRING EXPENSES.
THAT'S A CHALLENGE I'M NOT SAYING WE CAN'T OVERCOME IT I'M JUST SAYING THAT'S THE CHALLENGE.
THE LAST CHALLENGE IS WE HAVE A NEED TO PRIORITIZE OUR SCARCE RESOURCES AND THAT MEANS MAKING SURE THAT SOME DOLLARS GET SHIFTED TO OUR MOST UNDESERVED SCHOOLS OR ANY NEW DOLLARS GET PLACED IN OUR MOST UNDESERVED COMMUNITIES.
THOSE ARE THE CURRENT CHALLENGES.
HERE'S WHAT WE LIKE TO DO AND HERE'S HOW WE CAN PAY FOR THE $106 MILLION.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS SCHOOLS HAD AN ENROLLMENT FIGURE THREE YEARS AGO.
LET'S SAY A SCHOOL HAD 600 STUDENTS.
IF NOW THEY ONLY HAVE 500 STUDENTS.
THE DISTRICT HAD BEEN GRANTING THEM MONEY ON A PER PUPIL BASIS AS IF THEY HAD 600 STILL.
SO THAT'S CALLED HOLD HARMLESS ON ENROLLMENT.
IT COST THE DISTRICT ABOUT $28 MILLION.
I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE ALSO NOT CHANGE IT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO THE BOARD DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.
THE PRO SIDE OF KEEPING IT WHERE IT IS, IS THAT WE HAVE LESS DISRUPTION BECAUSE BUDGETS ARE ALREADY MADE.
THE DOWNSIDE OF THAT IS THAT AT SOME POINT WE GOT TO STOP SUBSIDIZING SCHOOLS THAT DON'T HAVE THAT MANY KIDS BECAUSE IT DOES IMPACT THE BUDGET DOWN THE ROAD.
THE NEXT LINE ITEM IS THE SMALL SCHOOL SUBSIDY THAT IS ABOUT $33 MILLION.
THAT MONEY IS TO PROVIDE FOR SOME OF OUR SMALLER SCHOOLS SO THEY CAN RUN EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS. IT KEEPS THEM OPERATING EFFECTIVELY.
MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO ALSO KEEP THAT GOING THIS YEAR UNTIL WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO ANALYZE ENROLLMENT COUNTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT TO KEEP IT THE SAME, SO RECOMMEND KEEPING THE HOLD HARMLESS ON ENROLLMENT AND THE SMALL SCHOOL SUBSIDY.
AGAIN, THE DOWNSIDE OF THAT IS THESE TWO THINGS IMPACT THE BUDGET CONSIDERABLY, AND DOWN THE ROAD WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE MAYBE EVEN LARGER DECISIONS.
THEN THERE ARE VARIOUS CONTRACTS FOR SERVICES.
I TALKED ABOUT THAT ALREADY, SO MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE DON'T [NOISE] CUT HUGE PERCENTAGES BUT JUST 50 MILLION OUT OF CONTRACTED SERVICES.
SO I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE CUT 50 MILLION FROM CONTRACT TO SERVICES FROM OUR BUDGET THAT STILL LEAVES ABOUT $200 MILLION IN CONTRACTED SERVICES, WHICH IS TOO LARGER PERCENTAGE BUT WE CAN'T CHANGE EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW.
[01:15:06]
ESSER STAFFING, AGAIN I TOLD YOU $54 MILLION IS WRAPPED UP IN ESSER.AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO STOP DOING THAT, THOSE ARE RETURN EXPENSES.
I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT MANY EMPLOYEES WERE TOLD THAT THEIR POSITIONS WOULD END WHEN ESSER ENDED OR RIGHT BEFORE ESSER WOULD END.
INSTEAD OF CUTTING $54 MILLION FROM ESSER STAFFING, MY RECOMMENDATION IS 25 MILLION FROM ESSER FUNDING.
THEN FINALLY, IN RED YOU HAVE WITH DESTINATION 2035, COST THAT'S FROM THE OTHER SLIDE.
JUST TO SUMMARIZE, REDUCTION IN EXPENDITURES WOULD BE THE VARIOUS CONTRACT FOR SERVICES.
THE SMALL SCHOOL SUBSIDY AND THE HOLD HARMLESS ENROLLMENT ARE ALREADY IN THE BUDGET.
THIS IS A CHANGE OF THE BUDGET I WOULD LIKE THE INPUT FROM THE BOARD WHEN WE GET TO THAT PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
SO VARIOUS CONTRACT FOR SERVICES, CENTRAL OFFICE RIGHTSIZING, ESSER STAFFING, THOSE ARE THE THREE THAT I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE REDUCE IN EXPENDITURES WHICH IS ABOUT 105 MILLION.
DESTINATION 2035, THE PRIOR WORK AREAS IS 106 MILLION.
THE INCREASE IN EXPENDITURES WOULD BE 106,770,000, APPROXIMATELY AND THE REDUCTION WOULD BE ABOUT 105 MILLION.
THAT MEANS DESTINATION 2035 WILL BE COST NEUTRAL IF THE BOARD GRANTED PERMISSION TO DO THE THINGS AT THE TOP.
KEEP IN MIND AGAIN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 106 MILLION OUT OF A BUDGET OF 2.2 BILLION.
ALL IN ALL, WE'RE BRINGING THE SAME BUDGET, THE SAME EXPENDITURES AS WAS REQUESTED IN THE LAST ADMINISTRATION.
THE REASON AGAIN IS WE DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO PROPERLY GO THROUGH A BUDGET PLANNING PROCESS AND DON'T WANT TO CUT THINGS WITHOUT SEVERAL MONTHS TO REALLY DO IT RIGHT.
AT THIS TIME, I KNOW YOU HAVE QUESTIONS BUT MADAM PRESIDENT IF WE CAN LET JIM TERRY SPEAK TO THE ACTUAL BUDGET JUST FOR A FEW MINUTES, THEN I'LL COME BACK UP AND WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU.
>> MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER JIM TERRY, AND HE'S GOING TO GO THROUGH THE BUDGET.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THE BUDGET.
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THIS BUDGET WAS BROUGHT TO US AND CREATED BY THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
I DO WANT TO THANK GLEN READ, TIMMY, MOMANAEE, AND ESPERANZA TORRES WHO HELPED ME PUT THE PRESENTATION TOGETHER.
I'M GOING TO PRESENT TO YOU WHAT IS REQUIRED BY STATUTE FOR YOU TO APPROVE IN A WEEK FROM TONIGHT.
AND THAT'S GOING TO BE THREE FUNDS, IT'S GOING TO BE THE GENERAL FUND, THE DEBT SERVICE FUND, AND THE FOOD SERVICE FUND AND THE NUTRITION SERVICES.
AND DO REMEMBER THAT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO REMEMBER THAT AS MIKE'S PRIORITIES AND ACTION PLANS COME INTO FOCUS, WE WILL BRING TO YOU A BUDGET AMENDMENT OVER THE COURSE OF NEXT YEAR TO ALIGN THAT BUDGET WITH WHAT IT IS THAT MIKE MILES WANTS TO ACCOMPLISH.
WHAT I'M SHOWING YOU HERE IS THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE.
THIS PORTION OF THE BUDGET IS WHERE ALL OF THE OPERATIONS BASICALLY TAKES PLACE.
THAT PAYS FOR ALL OF THOSE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE,
[01:20:03]
ALL OF THE TEACHERS, ETC.THIS IS THE REVENUE PORTION HERE, I'M SHOWING YOU FISCAL YEAR END 2023 AND FISCAL YEAR END BUDGET '23 '24 WITH THE DIFFERENCE, YOU CAN SEE THAT MOST OF ALL OF THE REVENUE IS COMING IN THROUGH THE PROPERTY TAXES JUST SHORT OF TWO BILLION DOLLARS.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THE STATE SOURCES ARE JUST UNDER $200 MILLION AND THE TOTAL REVENUE IS 2.2 BILLION.
THIS HERE IS THE EXPENDITURE PORTION.
LET ME MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT BIGGER SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE YOUR EYEGLASSES LIKE I DO.
THIS IS IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
HERE'S THE ACCOUNTANT TERMS APPROPRIATION FOR EXPENDITURES.
WE HAVE TO SHOW TO YOU THE EXPENDITURES BY WHAT'S CONSIDERED FUNCTION CODES.
HERE ARE THE FUNCTION CODES AROUND THE LEFT-SIDE, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S INSTRUCTION, SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, GENERAL ADMINISTRATION, THEN COMES DOWN HERE TO THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES APPROPRIATION OF 2.3 ALMOST $2.4 BILLION WHICH WOULD LEAVES US APPROXIMATELY A $168 MILLION SHORT.
HOWEVER, WE DO EXPECT WHAT WE DO IS WE FUND A 100% OF OUR TEACHERS AND EMPLOYEES SALARIES BECAUSE PEOPLE COME AND GO.
WE ARE RIGHT NOW PROTECTING THAT WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE ABOUT $70 MILLION IN UNSPENT FUND, WHICH WOULD LEAVE US AT THE END OF NEXT YEAR APPROXIMATELY $98 MILLION SHORT.
SO THAT'S THE EXPENDITURES ON THE GENERAL FUND SIDE.
THE NEXT FUND IS THE DEBT SERVICE FUND, WHERE WE CALL THE I&S FUND.
THE DEBT SERVICE FUND PAYS BACK THE DISTRICT'S PRINCIPAL INTERESTS ON LONG TERM GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.
AND THESE WERE BONDS THAT WERE SOLD THROUGH TWO INVESTORS AND THAT MONEY WAS USED BASICALLY TO BUILD ALL OF THESE SCHOOLS AND THEY EQUIPPED SCHOOLS.
ARE THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF REVENUE AGAIN, FOR THIS PAYMENT FOR THE DEBT SERVICE FUND IS THE PROPERTY TAXES.
THE PROPOSED TAX RATE FOR I&S TO PAY THESE BONDS BACK IS $0.1667 WHICH RIGHT NOW IS WE'RE PREDICTING, WILL BE THE SAME AS IT IS LAST YEAR.
WE WILL ALSO ADD TO THAT THE M&O PORTION OF IT, BUT WE WON'T KNOW FOR SURE WHAT THAT IS UNTIL THE STATE GIVES US THE CALCULATION WHICH IS EXPECTED AT THE END OF AUGUST.
THE SCHOOL WILL ADOPT AN I&S AND A M&O TAX RATE IN SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER.
WE WILL COME BACK TO YOU WITH THAT TAX RATE.
LET ME POINT OUT THAT THE HOUSTON ISD HAS AN EXCELLENT BOND RATING FROM THE RATING AGENCY OF, MOODY'S: AAA HIGHEST POSSIBLE RATING, STANDARD AND POOR'S: AA+.
THERE ARE NOT MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITHIN THE STATE THAT HAS THAT HIGHER RATING.
THE NEXT FUND I'M SHOWING YOU IS THE DEBT SERVICE FUND, ITS REVENUES WHICH YOU CAN SEE AT THE FIRST ARROW HERE IS $386 MILLION AND THE APPROPRIATION IS TOTAL EXPENSES WHICH SHOULD 410 MILLION WE HAVE TO DO SOME TRANSFERS WHICH BALANCE OUT BETWEEN THE GENERAL FUND AND THE DEBT SERVICE, BUT WE EXPECT THAT THE FUND BALANCE AND ENDING FUND BALANCE WILL BE THE SAME AT IT WAS AT THE END OF THE YEAR 121, JUST SHORT OF $122 MILLION.
THE FINAL FUND THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO APPROVE IS THE NUTRITION SERVICE FUND OR THE FOOD SERVICE FUND.
AGAIN, THIS FIRST ARROW IS A REVENUE OF 134 JUST SHORT OF 135 MILLION AND THE EXPENDITURES IS
[01:25:01]
$149 MILLION AND YOU CAN SEE WE'RE SHORT 14.6 MILLION NOW.THIS IS DONE ON PURPOSE BECAUSE THE FUND BALANCE CURRENTLY IS AT 65 MILLION AND UNDER FEDERAL GUIDELINES, WE HAVE TO BRING THAT OF FUND BALANCE DOWN.
SO WE'RE SPENDING MORE THAN WE'RE BRINGING IN, AND THAT WILL REDUCE THAT FUND BALANCE TO $50 MILLION.
I KNOW YOU HAVE TO USE YOUR MAGNIFYING GLASS FOR THIS ONE.
WHAT I'M SHOWING YOU HERE, AND I'LL BLOW IT UP JUST A SECOND IS THAT, THIS IS THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO SEE IN A WEEK, THAT'S GOT THE THREE FUNDS LISTED AND THAT WHICH YOU WILL APPROVE BY STATUTE WHICH IS THE REVENUE SOURCES AND THEN THE EXPENDITURE SOURCES BY FUNCTION.
SO LET ME BLOW THAT UP A LITTLE FOR YOU.
WE HAVE GONE OVER ALL OF THESE NUMBERS, SO YOU CAN SEE THESE NUMBERS TIE TO WHAT I HAD SHOWED YOU PREVIOUSLY.
THESE ARE THE REVENUE SIDE, THIS HERE IS A EXPENDITURE SIDE, AND THEN THE LAST ARROW IS THE GENERAL FUND ENDING.
SO THAT'S MY PRESENTATION, AND IF THERE'S ANYMORE QUESTIONS AND AGAIN WE WILL BRING THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS AS THE PRIORITIES AND THE ACTIONS PLANS COMING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> THANK YOU, VUKE FOR THOSE COMMENT AND THE INFORMATION.
MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, I'LL OPEN IT UP FOR COMMENTS, QUESTIONS.
[NOISE] YOU HAVE TO PRESS THE BUTTON AT THE TOP.
I DON' THINK WE CAN HEAR YOU, JANET, IT SHOULD BE GREEN.
>> I HAD A QUESTION ON THE CONTRACT SERVICES, SLIDE.
I BELIEVE IT WAS THAT ONE, CAN WE GO BACK TO WHERE YOU SHOW THAT PLEASE?
>> THIS ONE MAAM, CONTRACT SERVICES?
>> YES. THE OVERRELIANCE AND REVENUES CONTRACT SERVICES.
COULD YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND BETTER, WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT OF THIS CUT, I'D JUST LIKE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE TO BE THE STUDENTS, WHAT SERVICES WOULD BE DROPPED?
WE HAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, ABOUT $250 MILLION IN CONTACT SERVICES.
AND SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO CUT THOSE SERVICES WHERE WE ABSOLUTELY NEED THEM FOR STUDENTS.
LIKE OT/PT SERVICES, SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST THAT WE CONTRACT OUT.
I'LL GIVE AN EXAMPLE WHAT WE WILL CUT IS RIGHT NOW THERE IS A CONTRACT FOR $125 MILLION OVER 5 YEARS, SO THAT'S 25 MILLION A YEAR AND I WON'T MENTION THE VENDOR BY NAME, AND THAT'S IS FOR LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR PRINCIPALS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THE LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR PRINCIPALS, WE'LL DO IT WELL, BETTER THAN ANY CONTRACTED SERVICES AND WE WILL SAVE 25 MILLION A YEAR.
THAT 25 MILLION, IF YOU WORK THAT OUT IT WILL BE A $2,000 RAISE TO TEACHERS.
THAT'S WHAT I MEAN BY AN OVERRELIANCE ON CONSULTANTS THAT WE COULD THEN PUT INTO OTHER THINGS IN THE DISTRICT.
WE WILL BE VERY JUDICIOUS ABOUT HOW WE CUT.
BUT WE'RE ONLY CUTTING 50 MILLION, THAT'S 25 RIGHT THERE, BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE NEED TO CUT.
>> MISS AUZENNE BANDY, GO AHEAD.
>> ALONG THESE SAME LINES AROUND THIS FIGURE AT THE TOP.
SO 2017 TO '18, THAT'S LIKE FIVE OR SIX YEARS OLD.
SO I'M CURIOUS AS TO IF WE HAVE A MORE UPDATED NUMBER.
IS IT HIGH OR LOWER THAN 305 AND NINE PERCENT?
>> I CAN GET YOU THE EXACT NUMBER.
THE ESTIMATE IS OVER 250 MILLION.
[01:30:04]
LOWER THAN 305, BUT STILL VERY HIGH.I THINK THE KEY HERE IS WHAT IS THE PERCENT OF YOUR DISTRICT'S DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING TO CONTRACTED SERVICES.
THE DISTRICT HAS A CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF.
IT'S TOO LARGE AND YET BEYOND THE CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF, WE'RE GOING OUTSIDE THE CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF TO HIRE YET EVEN MORE PEOPLE TO DO OUR JOB.
I'VE SAID FIRST, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT ALL CONTRACTED SERVICES.
WE CAN'T GET RID OF ALL CONTRACTED SERVICES OR VENDORS.
I HOPE THAT DOESN'T GET OUT THERE.
BUT WE CAN CUT DOWN ON THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO OURSELVES, AND DO IT BETTER, AND STILL HAVE MONEY TO DO OTHER PRIORITIES LIKE RAISING SALARIES OR PUTTING MORE PROGRAMS INTO SCHOOLS, OR HELPING OUR AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT WE CAN DO.
>> JUST A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION, SUPERINTENDENT, AND OF THOSE CONTRACT AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES THAT WE ARE GOING TO ELIMINATE IT.
IS IT BASED ON THE EXPIRATION OF A CONTRACT OR REOPENING UP EXISTING CONTRACTS, AND THEREFORE MAY BE EXPOSING OURSELVES TO PENALTIES? JUST THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> NO, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WE WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR LEGAL TEAM AND SOMETIMES OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNSEL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO THIS IN A WAY THAT WE HONOR THE CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE.
OR IN SOME CASES, WE DON'T FOLLOW THROUGH IF THERE'S A CLAUSE THAT SAYS IF WE DON'T USE IT, WE WON'T USE IT.
WE'LL GET LEGAL ADVICE FROM OUR LEGAL TEAM BEFORE WE END THE CONTRACT.
>> SUPERINTENDENT MILES, ALONG THE SAME LINES WITH THE VENDOR CONTRACTS.
WILL ANY OF THESE CUTS GO TO THE SCHOOL LEVEL TO PRINCIPALS TO HAVE TO CUT OUT OF THEIR BUDGET FOR THE LINE ITEM ABOUT VENDORS?
>> AT THIS POINT, I DON'T THINK SO.
WE'RE STILL REVIEWING THE BUDGET AND ALL THE CONTRACTS THAT ARE OUT THERE. THEY ARE NUMEROUS.
WHERE THE PRINCIPAL HAS ALREADY BUDGETED THEIR OWN CONTRACTED SERVICES WITH THEIR BUDGET, THEN THOSE WILL PROBABLY CONTINUE TO GO FORWARD.
WE DON'T WANT TO DISRUPT THE SCHOOLS AND THE PROGRAMMING THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE.
YES, THE NES SCHOOLS, IT'S A DIFFERENT STORY AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT.
BUT FOR THE 240 SCHOOLS THAT ARE NOT NES, IF THEY'VE ALREADY CONTRACTED FOR SERVICES, THOSE WOULD MOST LIKELY TO GO FORWARD.
BUT THE TEAM STILL NEEDS TIME TO GO THROUGH ALL THOSE CONTRACTS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. SUPERINTENDENT MILES, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
YOU MENTIONED A SMALL SCHOOL SUBSIDY.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THAT DEFINITION OF A SMALL SCHOOL YOU SAID UNDER ENROLLMENT? WHAT IS THAT DEFINITION?
>> YES. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS THAT ARE SMALL RELATIVE TO THE BUILDING, SMALL RELATIVE TO THE SURROUNDING SCHOOLS.
FOR EXAMPLE, A SCHOOL OF 167 KIDS, IT'S A SMALL SCHOOL.
WHEN YOU HAVE SMALL SCHOOLS, AND I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I'VE HAD A COUPLE OF SMALL SCHOOLS IN THE NETWORK I CAME FROM AND THERE WERE A NUMBER IN DALLAS.
TO RUN A SCHOOL WITH FEWER THAN 300 STUDENTS, YOU DON'T ATTRACT ECONOMIES OF SCALE, AND SO THEY COST MORE.
IT'S REALLY UNFAIR TO RUN THAT SCHOOL WITHOUT SOME EXTRA SUPPORT, A SMALL SCHOOL SUBSIDY.
SO THE FORMER DISTRICT AND MY RECOMMENDATION TO THIS BOARD IS TO CONTINUE THAT AT LEAST FOR ANOTHER YEAR TO SEE, WHILE WE EVALUATE HOW EFFECTIVE OR INEFFECTIVE IT IS TO RUN A SCHOOL WITH 167 KIDS AND WHETHER OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE 167 KIDS GO.
BUT AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT YOU KEEP THE SMALL-SCALE SUBSIDIES SO THAT THEY CAN RUN AN EFFECTIVE SCHOOL WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE COST EFFICIENCIES.
>> THANK YOU. I HAVE A COUPLE OF MORE QUESTIONS.
>> YOU MENTIONED $25 MILLION, I BELIEVE, CUTS AND ESSER, WHERE IT WAS ONE-TIME FUNDS THAT WE'RE GOING TO CUT.
WHERE ARE THOSE CUTS COMING FROM?
>> YES. MOST OF THOSE CUTS ARE COMING FROM CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF THAT ARE PAID FOR BY ESSER FUNDS.
MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE HAD BEEN TOLD,
[01:35:02]
BY THE LAST ADMINISTRATION, HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEIR POSITIONS WILL GO AWAY.SOME HAVE SAID THERE HADN'T BEEN TOLD AND THERE'S SOME CONFUSION AROUND.
WHEN THEY WERE TOLD OR IF THEY'VE EVER BEEN TOLD, BUT IT'S CLEAR THAT THEY'RE ESSER FUNDED.
WE'RE NOT GOING STRAIGHT 54 MILLION, BUT WE'RE DOING ABOUT HALF OF THAT.
>> THEN LAST QUESTION, YOU TALK ABOUT CUTS IN CENTRAL OFFICE, AND I WANT TO BE SENSITIVE BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO IMPACT INDIVIDUALS HAVE DEPARTMENT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED OR AREAS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED WHERE THOSE CENTRAL OFFICE REDUCTIONS WOULD BE MADE?
>> YES, SIR. WE CAN'T CUT AND WE CAN'T RE-ORGANIZE SOME OFFICES RIGHT NOW, LIKE TRANSPORTATION, CUSTODIAL, NUTRITION.
WE CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE ONE, WE'RE FEEDING KIDS, WERE TRANSPORTING KIDS TODAY.
WE ARE NOT RE-ORGANIZING THAT WANDA PAUL WILL THINK ABOUT ANY EFFICIENCIES THAT CAN HAPPEN OR ESSER MONEYS OVER THE COURSE OF THIS YEAR.
THEY HAVEN'T BEEN IDENTIFIED THERE, FINANCE IS ANOTHER AREA WE'RE NOT REALLY DOING ANYTHING RIGHT NOW.
JIM TERRY WILL LOOK OVER THE YEAR TO SEE HOW WE CAN REORGANIZE AND RIGHT-SIZE SCHOOL FINANCE.
IN THE AREAS OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, IN THE AREAS OF CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICE, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND A LITTLE BIT IN HR, AND POSSIBLY IN SPED DEPENDING ON HOW WE REORGANIZED, BECAUSE WE'RE PUSHING SUPPORTS TO THE SCHOOLS.
YES, WE WILL RIGHT SIZE, ESPECIALLY CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICE AND SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, WE WILL RIGHT-SIZE THOSE OFFICES, WHICH MEANS THAT THERE WILL BE CUTS IN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP AT CENTRAL, NOT IN THE SCHOOLS, AT CENTRAL AND AT CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICE.
>> JUST TO FOLLOW UP, DO WE KNOW FTE COUNT, HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE IMPACTED?
>> THANKS FOR ASKING. THE ANSWER IS NO, NOT EXACTLY, NOT RIGHT NOW.
MEANING THIS, WE'VE PUT OUT AN ORG CHART.
WE KNOW THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS THAT WERE LOOKING TO FILL.
BUT RIGHT NOW THE DEPARTMENTS ARE GOING THROUGH AND IDENTIFYING THINGS THAT MAY NEED TO BE KEPT OR NEED TO BE TRIMMED, AND THAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
THE CHIEFS NEED A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO DO THAT.
I'VE ASKED THEM AND THEY'RE WORKING HARD BECAUSE IT'S BEEN ONLY TWO WEEKS.
BUT THE REASON WHY WE'RE STARTING SO EARLY AS SCHOOL STARTS IN AUGUST, AT THE END OF AUGUST, TEACHERS COME BACK MID-AUGUST, AND PRINCIPALS COME BACK BEFORE THEN.
WE WANT TO TELL PEOPLE HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF JUNE, IF NOT NEAR THE 4TH OF JULY OR JUST AFTER THE 4TH OF JULY.
IF THEY DO HAVE A POSITION THAT'S BEING CUT, THEY CAN THEN FIND A JOB OR GO TO A DIFFERENT DISTRICT OR FIND ANOTHER JOB IN THE DISTRICT THAT HAS A VACANCY.
THAT'S WHY THE RUSH TO DO THIS NOW.
THE ALTERNATIVE IS TO ENTER THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH THE CONTINUALLY BLOATED CENTRAL OFFICE.
KEEP IN MIND, THE LAST ADMINISTRATION TRIED TO BRING THIS TO THE BOARD A COUPLE OF TIMES TO CUT CENTRAL OFFICE.
THIS IS NOT JUST ME DREAMING UP THINGS.
THIS IS A REALITY ON THE BUDGET.
THE IMPLICATION OF YOUR QUESTION IS IMPORTANT, MEANING THERE ARE REAL PEOPLE HERE AND THEY NEED TO KNOW SOON WHETHER THEY HAVE A POSITION OR NOT.
TRUST ME, THAT'S BEEN A CONVERSATION OF OURS SINCE JUNE 1ST.
>> A FOLLOW-UP WITH ONE OF THE QUESTIONS.
SO FOR SOME OF THESE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE FINDING THEMSELVES WITH ESSER FUNDS AND MAYBE THEY LET GO.
IF THERE'S OTHER POSITIONS THAT ARE POSTED THAT THEY'RE QUALIFIED FOR, THEY CAN TURN AROUND AND APPLY FOR THOSE POSITIONS IF THERE ARE SOME WITHIN THE DISTRICT?
>> YES, MA'AM. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
ALSO, YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING THERE THAT I FAILED TO MENTION TO YOU, WHICH IS SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS WE ARE RIGHTSIZING OUR VACANCIES TODAY.
AND SO, OBVIOUSLY, WE'LL START WITH THOSE VACANCIES AND REMOVE THOSE VACANCIES, AND THEN LOOK FOR OTHER SAVINGS.
>> SUPERINTENDENT MILES, DO YOU HAVE ANY INITIAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE TOTAL COST ON VACANCIES LIKE OF THAT 25?
[01:40:02]
DO YOU KNOW PERCENTAGE?>> YEAH, I DON'T HAVE A GOOD NUMBER.
SO IF YOU'RE OKAY, WE'LL GET THAT NUMBER TO YOU.
I'VE BEEN TOLD WE HAVE QUITE A FEW VACANCIES, BUT I'M NOT SURE WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THAT 25 MILLION ARE VACANCIES.
SO IF YOU DON'T MIND, I WILL GET THAT INFORMATION TO YOU SO I DON'T GIVE YOU AN INACCURATE NUMBER.
>> THANK YOU. I HAVE A REQUEST, NOT A QUESTION.
SUPERINTENDENT MILES, WITH RESPECT TO THE HOLD HARMLESS ON ENROLLMENT AND SMALL SCHOOL SUBSIDY, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL MOVING FORWARD EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE NOT RECOMMENDING A CHANGE THERE TO HAVE A LIST OF THE CAMPUSES AND THEIR ENROLLMENT, SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A TOTAL PICTURE OF IMPACT MOVING FORWARD.
>> WE CAN DEFINITELY GIVE THAT TO YOU.
>> SO I'M LOOKING AT MY STAFF SO THEY CAN TAKE NOTES, AND WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT TO YOU.
FIRST OF ALL, IT'S ALREADY BEEN CREATED, SO IT'S JUST A MATTER OF SENDING IT.
>> SIR, IF YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE SLIDE WITH THE $106 MILLION IN TOTAL? [OVERLAPPING] OH, SORRY, YEAH, THE ONE THAT HAS THE LINE ITEM.
>> I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. THIS ONE.
>> CAN YOU TELL US HOW, IN PARTICULAR, I'M CURIOUS, BUT YOU MAY WANT TO GO OVER IT AS A WHOLE.
HOW THE SPED SERVICES LINE ITEM THERE WILL HELP TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION IN HISD?
YOU HAVE SOME DETAIL IN YOUR BOARD PACKET ON HOW THIS NUMBER COMES.
BUT LET ME ANSWER THE QUESTION.
THE FIRST THING TO NOTE IS, THESE ARE NUMBERS OVER AND ABOVE WHAT'S IN THE CURRENT BUDGET.
SO THE SPECIAL EDUCATION BUDGET IS A LOT LARGER, AND EVEN AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE, IT'S LARGER THAN THIS.
BUT WHAT THIS DOES IS THIS IS ADDITIONAL SERVICES AND MONIES TO THE SCHOOLS WITH SPED.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, [NOISE] WE ARE ADDING SPECIAL EDUCATION SUPPORT TEACHERS TO ALL THE NES SCHOOLS, AND ALL SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVE A DF OR C1 SCORE WHEN STAAR COMES OUT IN A MONTH.
SO THAT'S MORE SUPPORTS, BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIG THINGS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION IS THAT OUR PROFESSION HAS NOT CORRECTED.
IS THAT SPECIAL ED TEACHERS HAVE WAY TOO MUCH TO DO.
THERE'S TOO MANY COMPLIANCE AND REPORTS THAT THEY HAVE TO DO, AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT, BUT THEY HAVE A HARD TIME DOING BOTH INSTRUCTION AND ALL OF THE COMPLIANCE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO DO.
SO WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE THOSE SCHOOLS WITH SUPPORTS.
A PART OF THAT FIGURE, THE 22 MILLION IS THIS ADDITIONAL SPED SUPPORT TEACHERS.
SECOND THING WE'RE GOING TO DO, WE'RE GOING TO UP THE SALARIES FOR THE SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS WHO DO RESOURCE CLASSES, NOT JUST PUSHING, BUT ALSO SPED RESOURCE, THAT MEANS THEY TEACH A BUNCH OF STUDENTS DIRECTLY WHO HAVE DISABILITIES.
USUALLY, MODERATE NEEDS, THOSE TEACHERS WILL GET IN THE NES SCHOOLS AND THE DF AND C1 SCHOOLS, $90,000 BASE SALARY THIS YEAR.
WE ARE TRYING TO INCENTIVIZE PULLING SPED TEACHERS FROM THE SURROUNDING AREAS AND BRINGING THEM THE HISD.
SO THAT'S TWO THINGS WE'RE DOING.
THE THIRD THING WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE PUSHING THE SUPPORTS TO THE SCHOOLS.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS AS WE HAVE DIVIDED UP THE DISTRICT SO THAT WE CAN LOGISTICALLY SUPPORT THEM BETTER.
WE HAVE EIGHT SPECIAL ED SUPPORT PERSONS AND A DIAGNOSTIC TEAM THAT WILL BE GOING OUT TO EACH UNIT.
A UNIT IS TWO-FEEDER PATTERNS.
WE'RE PUSHING THAT SUPPORTS CLOSER SO THAT THEY CAN HELP ALSO WITH COMPLIANCE, MONITORING IEPS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE'RE ACTUALLY EXPANDING THAT PORTION, THE PORTION OF SPED FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO THE DISTRICTS OR TO THE DIVISIONS, AND THAT'S ANOTHER PART OF THAT.
>> JUST A FOLLOW-UP ON THIS WHILE WE ARE ON THE SLIDE.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT ANY OF THESE OTHER COMPONENTS THAT SPEAK TO THE VISION THAT YOU'VE OUTLINED WITH REGARD TO THE D AND F SCHOOLS, WHERE THOSE ARE GOING TO BE MOST IMPACTED BY THESE ADDITIONAL COSTS?
>> YES, MA'AM. THANKS, AND I HOPE IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT NEXT AT THE BOARD MEETING TO, AGAIN, GO THROUGH THE DESTINATION 2035 PLAN.
I KNOW THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ALSO WANT TO SEE IT.
THE BOARD HAS HAD SOME VIEW ON IT, AND I THINK YOU'RE GETTING THE DOCUMENT.
BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION NOW ABOUT THIS,
[01:45:04]
THE PRIORITY WORK AREAS FOR THIS YEAR IS ABOUT MAKING SURE WE ADDRESS OUR NEEDIEST COMMUNITIES.THE FOUNDATION OF IT IS EQUITY.
WE ARE, AND I DON'T WANT TO GET TOO MUCH INTO IT, I'LL DO THAT NEXT TIME.
WE ARE A DISTRICT OF TWO SYSTEMS. WE HAVE A DISTRICT WHERE THERE ARE MANY GOOD THINGS HAPPENING, AND MANY SCHOOLS THAT ARE DOING FINE.
THEY DON'T NEED A LOT OF SUPPORT OR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
WHAT THEY NEED IS TO KEEP WHAT THEY HAVE AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD ON THAT.
BUT THE HONEST TRUTH IS WE HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF SCHOOLS WITH LARGE ACHIEVEMENT GAPS OR LOW PROFICIENCY.
AND MOST OF THOSE ARE IN OUR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
AND SO THIS PLAN IS TRYING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THAT WITHOUT MOVING MONEY AWAY, OR PROGRAMS AWAY FROM THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE DOING FINE, AND MOVING FURTHER RESOURCES LIKE SPECIAL ED RESOURCES TO THE SCHOOLS THAT NEED IT MOST.
WE DON'T HAVE THIS MUCH MONEY TO DO FOR ALL THE SCHOOLS.
EVENTUALLY, WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH SAVINGS THAT WE CAN EXPAND IT.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE FOCUSED ON OUR HIGHEST-NEEDS SCHOOLS.
SO WHAT YOU SEE HERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, IMPROVING READING INSTRUCTION, IMPROVING SPED SERVICES, CREATING A NEW EDUCATION SYSTEM, THE STAFFING MODEL WILL GENERALLY BE COST NEUTRAL, BUT EVEN THAT IS TO HELP OUR UNDERSERVED SCHOOLS FIRST, AND THEN EVEN DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT YEAR 2035 COMPETENCIES.
WE ARE STARTING WITH OUR HIGHEST-NEED SCHOOLS.
AND SO THAT'S, IF YOU GO THROUGH THE DETAIL OF EACH OF THESE PRIORITY WORK AREAS, THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN IT.
YOU'LL SEE MORE RESOURCES GOING TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
>> JUST GOING OFF OF THE WORDS YOU JUST USED, THAT SCHOOLS THAT ARE DOING WELL KEEP WHAT THEY HAVE, RIGHT?
>> THAT'S A COMMITMENT YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE TWO SCHOOLS TODAY, CORRECT? YOU'RE GOING TO SAY IT OTHERWISE.
>> YES, SIR. THANKS FOR ALLOWING ME TO RE-EMPHASIZE THAT.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SCHOOLS THAT ARE DOING FINE AND ARE SERVING KIDS WELL.
AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES OF TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T MESS WITH THAT, MEANING, YOU DON'T DIMINISH THE EDUCATION THAT KIDS IN EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS HAVE.
FOR EXAMPLE, MAGNET PROGRAMS, THAT'S A BIG THING.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK MORE ABOUT THAT TONIGHT PROBABLY.
BUT FOR SCHOOLS THAT ARE NON-NES, THERE'S BEEN NO INTENT, AND THERE'S NOTHING IN THE ACTION PLAN TO DO ANYTHING WITH THOSE MAGNET SCHOOLS OR MAGNET PROGRAMS, MOSTLY BECAUSE THOSE PROGRAMS SEEM TO BE WORKING WELL, PEOPLE.
THE KIDS ARE BEING SERVED WITH RIGHT-BRAINED ACTIVITIES, WHICH IS IMPORTANT FOR YEAR 2035 COMPETENCIES.
WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PROGRAMS ARE NOT DIMINISHED.
ONE OTHER NOTE ON THAT, YOU CAN ASK THE PRINCIPALS IN THE LEADERSHIP TRAINING THAT WE'VE HAD.
I HAVE TOLD THEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN, I'M TRYING NOT TO DICTATE TOO MUCH OR DO TOO MUCH TO THE SCHOOLS IN THE ENTIRE DISTRICT.
MANY OF THEM WANT US TO DO SOME THINGS FOR THEM EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE AUTONOMOUS, MORE THAN I WANT TO DO.
THERE'S A NEED EVEN IN THOSE SCHOOLS, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE AWAY, WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDITIVE.
>> OKAY, WITH THAT IN MIND, LET ME MAKE SURE THAT I GET EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE PROPOSING HERE.
WE HAVE A $2.2 BILLION BUDGET AND THE NUMBERS THAT WERE PRESENTED HERE, AND 50 MILLION OF THE CHANGE, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE $105 MILLION THAT'S IN THE BUDGET TODAY TO PAY FOR THE, CALL IT EVEN $106 MILLION FOR THE NEW PROGRAM, CORRECT?
>> OKAY. WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT'S COMING OUT OF THE 105, 50 MILLION WHICH IS, WHY DON'T YOU FLIP TO THAT SCHEDULE SO WE CAN SEE REAL QUICK.
50 MILLION ARE ESSENTIAL OFFICE SERVICE CONTRACTS
[01:50:08]
NOT STAFFING AT THE LEVEL, CORRECT OR INCORRECT?>> WE TAKE THE 50 MILLION OFF OF THAT WE GOT $55 MILLION LEFT AND THAT $55 MILLION REPRESENTS ABOUT 0.25% OF $2.2 BILLION BUDGET.
WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT KEEPING WHAT THEY HAVE, YOU'RE ONLY TWEAKING 0.25% OF THE $2.2 BILLION BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR DESTINATION 2035 THAT COMES OUT THE DISTRICT, CORRECT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT, AND THAT'S WHY WE PUT THE TOTAL BUDGET DOWN THERE JUST TO KEEP IN SOME PERSPECTIVE, FOR CHANGES HEART I'M NOT DISCOUNTING THAT EVEN WITH THE $106 MILLION, BUT FINANCIALLY [NOISE] THIS IS NOT A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE BUDGET.
>> YOU ARE NOT MAKING MASSIVE CHANGES TO THE REST OF THE BUDGET AND SCHOOLS THAT ARE DOING WELL ARE GOING TO CONTINUE DOING WELL AND CONTINUE TO KEEP WHAT THEY HAVE, CORRECT?
>> THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, OKAY.
ANOTHER QUESTION TOTALLY UNRELATED TO THE SCHOOL OF THAT SLIDE, IT SHOWS THAT THE FISCAL CLIFF THAT WE'RE ON.
>> REMEMBER, THIS IS IF WHAT WE DO NOTHING.
>> I UNDERSTAND. ON ESSER MONEY, YOU TALKED ABOUT $54 MILLION BEING PART GOING FOR SALARIES, CORRECT?
>> TELL ME WHAT THE TOTAL ESSER FUNDING FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR IS.
IT'S A LOT MORE THAN 54 MILLION, CORRECT?
>> NO, WE ARE PREDICTING THEY'LL BE 317 MILLION FOR THE NEXT BUDGET YEAR.
>> OUR $2.2 BILLION BUDGET, 300+ MILLION IS ESSER FUNDS THAT GO AWAY IN SEPTEMBER OF NEXT YEAR.
>> RIGHT. OKAY. THAT'S THE CHALLENGE, AND OBVIOUSLY, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ALL NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND KNOW.
THE THING IS INTERESTING TO ME, ESSER IS PART A SUBSET OF THE ARPA, AND ARPA WAS THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT CAME ABOUT AS RESULT OF COVID, AND IT WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT THING FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTRY TO GET THROUGH THE COVID.
BUT EVERY CITY, EVERY NON GOVERNMENT AGENCY, EVERY GOVERNMENT ENTITY, EVERY NON PROFIT HAS ARPA MONEY AND SUBSETS OF IT, WE HAVE ESSER THAT'S COMING TO AN END IN SEPTEMBER OF NEXT YEAR.
IT'S BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF FISCAL CLIFF THAT WE ALL ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH IN THE FUTURE.
THIS FISCAL CLIFF IS SCARY, SO I WONDER WHY YOU'RE NOT BEING A LITTLE MORE AGGRESSIVE ON THE CUTS THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT ON THE SMALL SCHOOLS AND OTHERS, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE FACING THIS FISCAL CLIFF IN THE FUTURE, MAYBE I'M GOING TO ANSWER THE QUESTION FOR YOU.
YOU DON'T WANT TO DISRUPT THINGS TODAY GIVEN THE ENERGY AROUND PEOPLE WORRIED ABOUT DISRUPTION, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> YES SIR. TWO THINGS, ONE IS THAT.
WHILE 240 SCHOOLS WILL HAVE VERY LITTLE CHANGE, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS WE'RE REQUIRING ACROSS THE BOARD LIKE PRINCIPAL EVALUATION, AND SO THERE'LL BE COACHING TEACHERS DIFFERENTLY, BUT THE TEACHERS ARE GOING TO BE DOING THE SAME THINGS IN THOSE SCHOOLS THAT THEY'VE ALWAYS DONE, AND SPECIAL ED, SOME COMPLIANCE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO REQUIRE ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT, THOSE SCHOOLS WILL BE MOSTLY PERFORMING THE WAY THEY ARE.
HAVING SAID THAT, IT'S STILL A DISRUPTION WHEN A NEW TEAM COMES IN AND YOU HEAR THE CONCERN AND ANXIETY.
EVEN IF NOT MUCH IS GOING TO HAPPEN, THERE'S ALWAYS THAT ANXIETY.
FOR SURE, WITH 29 SCHOOLS AND SOME OF THE OTHERS THAT ARE DNF SCHOOLS, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME CHANGE, AND CHANGE BRINGS A SENSE OF ANXIETY, AND IN SOME CASES FEAR.
IN ORDER TO NOT UPSET THE APPLE CART, BUT TO REALLY MOVE THE DISTRICT FORWARD.
IN ANY CASE, WE CAN'T JUST DO THE SAME THING WE'VE ALWAYS DONE, AND WE GOT TO BREAK THE STATUS QUO AT SOME POINT.
WE'RE ARGUING FOR LESS DISRUPTION THROUGH THE FINANCES.
THE SECOND THING IS, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A DECENT FUND BALANCE AT THIS TIME, SO EVEN IN THIS CHART RIGHT HERE, YOU CAN SEE THAT $924 MILLION IS A PRETTY GOOD FUND BALANCE THAT THE DISTRICT HAS GROWN OVER THE YEARS, AND THAT PUTS US IN A GOOD POSITION TO USE SOME OF THAT FOR THE CHANGES.
[01:55:01]
WHEN WE GET TO 500 MILLION THEN THAT'S A PROBLEM, AND IF WE DON'T DO ANYTHING WE ARE GOING TO GET TO 500 MILLION FUND BALANCE AND GO BELOW THAT, WHICH IS NOT PROBABLY FINANCIALLY PRUDENT.>> I GUESS WHAT I WOULD SAY THEN IS, I APPRECIATE YOUR NON DISRUPTIVE CUTS TO THE CURRENT BUDGET, BUT WOULD CAUTION US TO BE CAREFUL GOING FORWARD WITH THIS FISCAL CLIFF THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, IF WE DON'T GET ON A MORE SUSTAINABLE PATTERN, THEN WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT.
>> YES, SIR. YES, WE WILL IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
>> I'LL FOLLOW JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THAT PATH AND THINKING REGARDING THE CHART ITSELF, IT ASSUMES THAT SPENDING REMAINS CONSTANT, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> YES, AT THE CURRENT BUDGET, PATTERNS STAY ABOUT THE SAME.
>> BASED ON WHAT'S BEEN SHARED THIS FAR, AM I OKAY TO PRESUME THAT FOR 30 SCHOOLS TO IMPLEMENT THE VARIABLE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT IS ROUGHLY $106 MILLION.
>> NO, NOT EXACTLY, THE 106 IS ALL THE PROGRAMS, SOME OF WHICH IS THE NES SCHOOLS AND SOME OF WHICH IS SOME OF THE OTHER DNF SCHOOLS AND ACROSS THE BORDER.
>> IN RELATIONSHIP TO THAT, I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IN THE FUTURE, WHAT IS OUR PROJECT, BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM.
>> WHAT IS THE PLAN AND HOW DOES THIS SQUARE WITH US ALSO MAKING A REDUCTION IN THE FUTURE?
IF WE CUT OUR CENTRAL OFFICE STAFFING, THAT'S ALREADY GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO HELP THE BUDGET CONSIDERABLY.
IF WE THEN, AND I'M NOT MAKING ANY PREDICTIONS, WILL HAVE TO DO SOME ANALYSIS.
IF WE THEN RIGHT SIZED OUR ENROLLMENT ISSUE, WE'VE LOST 27,000 KIDS IN SIX YEARS.
MEANWHILE, WE HAVEN'T LOST ONE FACILITY.
IF WE RIGHT SIZED THAT, THAT IS GOING TO ALSO HELP THE BUDGET.
I'VE ALREADY SAID WE ALSO HAVE TO STOP THE, AGAIN THIS WILL BE UP TO THE BOARD EACH YEAR, THE HOLD HARMLESS ON ENROLLMENT.
YOU START TO ADD THAT UP, THAT'S REAL MONEY THAT WILL PAY FOR TRANSFORMATION.
>> ARE THERE ANY CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE PERCENTAGE OF THOSE CUTS THAT ARE INTENDED TO BE PERMANENT IN LONGSTANDING? WE'VE GOT A NEW ORGANIZATIONAL CHART AND IT'S GOING TO BE TIED TO WHAT THE VISION IS FOR YOUR OPERATIONS.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE STAY IN ALIGNMENT WITH THAT?
>> THAT'S A PHENOMENON THAT HAPPENS IN A LOT OF DISTRICTS WHERE WE DO SOME CUTS AND THEN WE EXPAND.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME UP WITH A GOOD WAY OF NOT EXPANDING UNLESS WE NEED TO EXPAND.
WHAT WE'VE DONE RIGHT NOW IS WE'VE SET THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS.
BEFORE THOSE NUMBERS OF POSITIONS CAN GROW, IT HAS TO GET BY THE CABINET SO THAT WE DON'T GROW UNNECESSARILY.
NOW THERE WILL BE SOME PROGRAMMATIC CHANGES THAT WILL REQUIRE EXPANSION.
BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY PURPOSEFUL FOR THE SAME PHENOMENON YOU JUST DESCRIBED, IS THAT THE REASON WHY CENTRAL OFFICE GROWS IN ALMOST EVERY DISTRICT IS BECAUSE THE PROGRAM ENDS AND THEY KEEP THE PEOPLE, OR THEY SHIFT THEM TO A DIFFERENT JOB.
THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE, I MEAN, MORE PEOPLE IS BETTER THAN LESS PEOPLE, AND IN SOME CASES NOT COST-EFFECTIVE, OR IT MAY NOT BE EFFECTIVE OPERATIONALLY, BUT THEN PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO DO THE WORK.
>> THEN THE LAST QUESTION, AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME, IS RELATED TO ENROLLMENT.
WE TALK ABOUT THE LOSS IN STUDENT ENROLLMENT OVER THE COURSE OF YEARS.
IS THERE A DETAILED PLAN THAT YOU BEGIN TO WORK ON IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE GROWTH IN THAT AREA AND REVERSE THE LOSSES?
>> YES. THE SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO BE WORKING ON THEIR ENROLLMENT, THEY HAVE BEEN.
[02:00:02]
THERE'S REALLY THE BEST WAY TO INCREASE ENROLLMENT IS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE SCHOOLS.I THINK PARENTS ARE CHOOSING MAGNETS OR THEY'RE CHOOSING OTHER PLACES BECAUSE THEY WANT HIGH-QUALITY SCHOOLS.
THEY WANT OFFERINGS THAT ALLOW THEIR KIDS TO EXCEL AND GET READY FOR THE YEAR 2035.
I THINK ONCE WE GET IN, WE SHOW THAT THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION IS GREAT, WE'RE SERVING THE NEEDS OF SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS, I THINK THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO START SEEING ENROLLMENT GO UP.
>> IS THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MS. FLOWERS.
>> YES. SUPERINTENDENT MILES, ALONG WITH THAT, YOU TALKED ABOUT SPED SERVICES AND PUSHING INTO THE SCHOOLS, BUT WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT? CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE SYSTEM THAT WAS IN PLACE BEFORE AND THEN WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE? OR MAYBE FOR A FAMILY, HOW WILL THEY SEE IT STAFF DIFFERENTLY OR SUPPORT DIFFERENTLY FOR SPED SERVICES?
>> IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'LL PULL UP A CHART. IS THAT OKAY?
>> WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH THE SUPPORTS TO THE SCHOOLS.
ONE OF THE CHALLENGES OF ANY LARGE URBAN DISTRICT IS THE GROWTH OF CENTRAL OFFICE.
IT'S NOT UNIQUE TO HISD, AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE PEOPLE INTENTIONALLY HAD BAD BEHAVIOR.
IT'S JUST THE SYSTEMS PROBLEM.
WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO HERE IS TO PUSH THE SYSTEMS, THE SUPPORTS, CLOSER TO THE FIELD.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS CHART HERE, WHAT YOU SEE IS A DIVISION.
THERE'S GOING TO BE FOUR DIVISIONS.
THAT'S LIKE AN AREA, SO NORTH, CENTRAL, SOUTH, AND WEST.
EACH DIVISION HAS THREE UNITS, AND EACH UNIT HAS TWO FEEDER PATTERNS AND A SUPPORT UNIT.
THE SUPPORT UNIT LOOKS LIKE THIS, AND NOTICE THAT INSTEAD OF BEING AT CENTRAL OFFICE, THE SUPPORT UNIT WILL BE PUSHED TO THE UNIT, WHICH IS THE TWO FEEDER PATTERNS.
THERE'S 12 UNITS IN THE DISTRICT.
THEY WILL BE GEOGRAPHICALLY CLOSER AND THEY'D BE MORE ACCOUNTABLE AND SUPPORTIVE OF THOSE TWO FEEDER PATTERNS.
IT DOESN'T INCLUDE EVERYBODY, WE HAVE DIAGNOSTICIANS AND A FEW OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT ON THIS CHART, BUT THEY WILL BE PUSHED FURTHER INTO THE FEEDER PATTERNS.
THERE'S 12 OF THE SUPPORT UNITS.
IT ALLOWS US TO BE MUCH MORE RESPONSIVE, AND IT ALLOWS US TO BE MUCH MORE COST-EFFECTIVE.
THERE WILL STILL BE A GROUP OF PEOPLE AT THE DISTRICT, AT HATTIE MAE, AT THE CENTRAL, IN EACH OF THOSE AREAS.
BUT THE FOLKS WHO ARE GOING TO HELP TEACHERS, AND PRINCIPALS, AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WILL BE RIGHT THERE CLOSER TO THEM.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE MEAN BY [OVERLAPPING]
>> DO YOU LITERALLY MEAN OFFICES AND THINGS WILL BE ON CAMPUSES RATHER THAN IN CENTRAL OFFICE?
[LAUGHTER] I MEAN THAT THERE IS FOUR DIVISION HEADQUARTERS IN AWAY FROM HATTIE MAE.
>> THEY'LL BE AT A PLACE IN THE DIVISION.
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE AT EACH SCHOOL.
ALTHOUGH, I MEAN, SOME PEOPLE WILL BE AT A SCHOOL LIKE DIAGNOSTICIANS WILL GO TO THE SCHOOL OBVIOUSLY TO DO THE WORK.
BUT THEY'LL BE STATIONED AT THE DIVISION HEADQUARTERS WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE SCHOOLS.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MS. GARZA LINDNER.
>> THANK YOU. JUST ONE LAST CLARIFICATION ON THE ESSER DOLLARS THAT REMAIN.
WHAT ARE YOU ENVISIONING IS THE BEST USE
[02:05:02]
OF THOSE DOLLARS GIVEN THAT WE DO HIT THAT CLIFF, BUT WE ARE ABLE TO ENCOURAGE THAT WE USE THOSE TO IMPROVE OUR STUDENT OUTCOMES?>> YES. RIGHT NOW SOME OF IT'S SPOKEN FOR.
BUT WE CAN ALSO PAY FOR LOTS OF TECHNOLOGY, AND WE CAN PAY FOR STUDENT EQUIPMENT, WE CAN PAY FOR READING PROGRAMS AND CURRICULUM.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN CURRICULUM WE NEED TO PURCHASE.
SCIENCE OF READING CURRICULUM, CURRICULUM ACTUALLY THAT WAS PILOTED LAST YEAR AND SOME OF IT'S PRETTY GOOD AND WE NEED TO NOW EXPAND IT TO THE NES SCHOOLS, AND THE DNF SCHOOLS, AND THE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT WANT TO PARTAKE IN THAT.
THAT'S MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF MATERIALS OVER TIME, AND ESSER MONEY CAN BE USED FOR THAT.
>> ANY OTHER? MS. AUZENNE BANDY.
>> SUPERINTENDENT, BACK TO THE FUND BALANCE, THERE'S AN INTERESTING TREND THAT APPEAR TO BE HAPPENING STARTING FROM 2016 WHEN WE ARE SAYING WE STARTED LOSING ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS.
THE DISTRICT WAS ABLE TO BUILD RESERVES, AND THEN YOU SEE THIS EXPONENTIAL GROWTH ONCE, I GUESS, THE ESSER FUNDS HIT.
I'M WONDERING WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION DID TO ACTUALLY GROW THOSE FUNDS WHEN ENROLLMENT WAS GOING DOWN, AGAIN, PRIOR TO THOSE FUNDS HIT?
>> I WASN'T HERE, SO I'M NOT QUITE SURE.
JIM, YOU MIGHT KNOW, BUT LET ME TRY TO ANSWER IT FIRST AND IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD, PLEASE DO.
MY SENSE IS THAT THE ESSER DOLLARS WERE USED TO PAY FOR POSITIONS THAT THEY WOULD NORMALLY TAKE OUT OF FUND BALANCE.
THAT'S WHY THE EVENTUAL FUND BALANCE GREW, WHICH IS FINE, EXCEPT THAT YOU EVENTUALLY HAVE TO PAY FOR IT IF IT'S RECURRING.
IF IT'S NON-RECURRING, THEN THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.
MOST DISTRICTS WOULD PAY FOR THEIR READING INTERVENTION OR SOMETHING THAT HELPED THEM PAY FOR OTHER THINGS THAT ESSER MAY NOT HAVE COVERED, AND THAT'S OKAY.
THE QUESTION IS, HOW MUCH WE DID HERE? FIFTY-FOUR MILLION DOLLARS IN SALARIES THAT ARE RECURRING, THAT'S PROBLEMATIC OVER TIME.
SO I THINK THAT WAS THE LARGEST REASON WHY THE FUND BALANCE GREW.
>> THE TREND STARTED BEFORE THE FUND BALANCE HERE THOUGH.
IT STARTED, '16 IT WAS GOING UP, SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS BEFORE THAT.
>> I DON T KNOW BEFORE THE 2019 SCHOOL YEAR.
>> I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO BE A TRITE, BUT ESSENTIALLY REVENUE WAS MORE THAN THE EXPENDITURES.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTION? [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'LL ANSWER THE QUESTIONS FROM NOW.
HE TALKED ABOUT, THE HOPE IS THAT ONCE WE MAKE THESE CHANGES, ENROLLMENT WILL INCREASE.
I GUESS IN YOUR OPINION, IN THESE NES SCHOOLS BY MAKING THESE CHANGES, ARE WE ARE FORECASTING DECLINE IN STUDENT ENROLLMENT OR INCREASE IN STUDENT ENROLLMENT?
>> YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
LET ME PUT AN ASTERISK ON THE FOLLOWING, AND THAT IS THE GOAL OF NES AND ACTUALLY THE DISTRICT IS NOT TO GROW ENROLLMENT.
WE HOPE THAT'S AN OUTCOME THAT ALSO HAPPENS.
THE GOAL IS TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP, RAISE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, AND PREPARE KIDS FOR THE YEAR 2035.
ANY KID THAT COMES TO THE DISTRICT OR IT IS HERE ALREADY, THAT'S THE GOAL.
I'M PRESUMING BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE THAT THOSE THINGS WILL ALSO GET US ENROLLMENT.
I THINK FOR NES I DON'T KNOW THIS TO BE SURE IF WE DO A GOOD JOB THIS SUMMER AND COMMUNICATE WELL.
I'M HOPING THE NES SCHOOLS DO NOT LOSE ENROLLMENT.
I THINK OVER TIME, BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE OF OTHER SCHOOLS THAT HAVE DONE WHOLESCALE SYSTEMIC REFORM, ENROLLMENT WILL GROW.
THAT'S HAPPENED IN EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL WHERE WE'VE DONE TURNAROUND WORK.
BECAUSE PARENTS LIKED THE FACT THAT THERE'S EVEN MORE PROGRAMS LIKE KARATE AND PIANO AND PHOTOGRAPHY AND THEY'VE LIKED THAT THERE'S REALLY A GOOD FOCUS ON THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION.
THAT'S WHAT THEY LIKED, THE FACT THAT THERE'S GOOD DISCIPLINE AND ORDER, PARENTS LIKE THAT.
EVENTUALLY THE ANSWER IS YES TO YOUR QUESTION.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU BOTH FOR THAT INFORMATION AND EVERYBODY FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.
WE'RE GOING TO SWITCH OVER TO THE BUSINESS AGENDA.
[02:10:01]
THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC BUDGET MEETING AND WORKSHOP.THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM PROVIDES AUTHORIZATION TO FILE AN APPLICATION WITH
[1. Authorization To File An Application To Waive The Superintendent Certification Requirement With The Commissioner Of Education]
THE EDUCATION COMMISSIONER TO WAIVE THE SUPERINTENDENT CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS.>> THANK YOU. IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE. WE WILL NOW VOTE ON THE MOTION ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
OUR NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS TO CONSIDER ITEMS THAT
[AGENDA REVIEW – BOARD AUDITORIUM]
ARE TO BE PRESENTED AT THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING ON JUNE 22ND, 2023, SUPERINTENDENT MILES, UNDERSTAND ONE ITEM IS BEING WITHDRAWN.I BELIEVE THAT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 20, WHICH IS APPROVAL TO SUSPEND BOARD POLICY BDD LOCAL. IS THAT CORRECT?
>> YES, MADAM PRESIDENT, ITEM 20, THE PRIVILEGE TO SPEND BOARD POLICY BDD LOCAL, WILL NOT BE PRESENTED AT THE REGULAR MEETING.
>> THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBERS HAVE PULLED SEVERAL ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION THIS EVENING.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL PULLED AT THIS TIME, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH ITEM NUMBER 3,
[3. Authority To Renew Interlocal Partnership Agreement With The University Of Texas At Austin OnRamps For Dual Enrollment Course Offerings]
AUTHORITY TO RENEW INNER LOCAL PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN ONRAMPS FOR DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSE OFFERINGS.BOARD MEMBER CRUZ ARNOLD, DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT OR QUESTION FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT ON THIS?
>> I DO, THANK YOU. SUPERINTENDENT MILES QUESTION ON UT ONRAMPS.
WILL NES CAMPUSES AND STUDENTS AT THOSE CAMPUSES STILL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN ONRAMPS IN THE '23/'24 SCHOOL YEAR AND BEYOND GIVEN THE NEW MODEL THAT YOU'VE LAID OUT, I DIDN'T NOTICE AT LEAST THREE CAMPUSES LISTED AS NEW FOR THE COMING SCHOOL YEAR.
>> YES. MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GOING TO HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OVER THE CTE PROGRAM TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM.
IF YOU CAN INTRODUCE YOURSELF, THAT'D BE GREAT.
>> THANK YOU, SUPERINTENDENT MILES.
DAVID JOHNSTON, I OVERSEE OUR CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION HERE IN THE DISTRICT.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS, YES, STUDENTS WILL STILL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE COURSES.
THEY ARE VERY ALIGNED TO THE CURRENT RIGOR THAT IS GOING TO BE EXPECTED OF STUDENTS IN OUR NES SCHOOLS.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE A QUESTION ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM?
>> CAN YOU TALK AT ALL ABOUT EXPANSION OF ONRAMPS FOR THE YEAR? I SAW THAT THERE WAS A EXPANDED LIST FROM LAST YEAR AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S A STRATEGY IN PLACE FOR EXPANSION OR IF THIS IS AN AUTONOMOUS DECISION THAT CAMPUS PRINCIPALS DECIDE TO TAKE ON?
WHEN WE STARTED WITH THE PROGRAM, WE HAVE FOUR CAMPUSES THAT EXPANDED TO 15 AND NOW WE HAVE 30 CAMPUSES THAT WISH TO PARTICIPATE.
THE STRATEGY THAT WE HAVE IS WE GO OUT DURING OUR PRINCIPAL MEETINGS, WE REVIEW THE RICHNESS OF INSTRUCTION OF JUST WHAT THOSE COURSES BRING TO STUDENTS, TO THE OPPORTUNITIES.
JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS FOR WHY CAMPUSES REALLY GRAVITATE TOWARDS WANTING TO HAVE UT ONRAMPS ON THEIR CAMPUSES.
CAMPUSES, IT'S ESSENTIAL FOR THEM TO EARN THEIR CCMR BONUS POINT.
THAT CAN BE DIFFICULT ON SOME OF OUR CAMPUSES, ESPECIALLY WHERE WE HAVEN'T INTRODUCED A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE ADVANCED COURSEWORK.
UT ONRAMPS REALLY OFFERS A WAY FOR A STUDENT WHO'S NOT EVER TRIED TO TAKE ON A MORE RIGOROUS COURSE TO DO IT WITHOUT SOME OF THE PENALTIES THAT HAPPENED WHEN YOU TAKE LIKE A DUAL CREDIT COURSES.
BECAUSE WHEN YOU TAKE A DUAL CREDIT COURSE, YOU DON'T PASS IT.
THAT COURSE RIGHT THERE, THAT STAYS WITH YOU.
UT ONRAMPS WHAT'S WONDERFUL ABOUT THAT IS THAT A STUDENT, ONCE THEY FINISHED THE COURSE,
[02:15:01]
THEY'RE GOING TO RECEIVE A GRADE FROM THEIR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER AND ALSO GOING TO RECEIVE A GRADE FROM THEIR COLLEGE PROFESSOR.THAT GRADES ALL OF THE TESTS ONLINE.
THE STUDENT CAN CHOOSE TO KEEP THEIR COLLEGE GRADE, OR THEY CAN CHOOSE NOT TO.
ONCE OUR CAMPUS PRINCIPALS UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS JUST A GREAT WAY TO REALLY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF OFFERINGS.
CAMPUS HAS REALLY HAVE COME TO US TO WANT TO PROVIDE THAT AND ESPECIALLY AREAS LIKE IN STEM.
WE'VE HAD GREAT SUCCESS IN COURSES LIKE, SUCH AS CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS WHERE WE'VE STRUGGLED.
OTHER THINGS THAT REALLY HELP CAMPUSES IS THAT WHEN WE DO DUAL CREDIT AND THIS IS NO CUT ON DUAL CREDIT, BUT IT CAN BE CHALLENGING AT TIMES FOR THE STAFF, BECAUSE THE TEACHER HAS TO HIT THE SAME REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY HAVE TO TEACH AT A COLLEGE, A MASTER'S, AND A BACKGROUND IN THAT SUBJECT AREA.
WE CAN JUST TAP OUR OWN TEACHERS THAT WE HAVE AND JUST CURRENT TEACHER THAT'S IN THE CLASSROOM IS ABLE TO TEACH THE COURSE.
BUT THEN OF COURSE, ALL OF THE COURSEWORK FOR UT ONRAMPS IS GRADED BY A PROFESSOR.
>> THANK YOU. ARE THE TEACHER STIPENDED FOR THIS WORK?
>> THANK YOU. THIS IS CURRENTLY A SR FUNDED PROGRAM, CORRECT?
>> WE HAVE ONGOING COST, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> DO WE HAVE A FUNDING MODEL FOR THE FUTURE THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE AS BEFORE?
>> WELL, WE'LL DEFER TO THE SUPERINTENDENT ON THAT ONE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS JUST BEEN PASSED IS A HB8, WHICH JUST PASSED THIS PAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND WHAT DID THIS IS GOING TO ALLOW US TO DO IS TO RECEIVE A REDUCED COST FOR THE COURSE, WHICH IS A SUBSIDY THAT THE STATE PROVIDES.
THE STATE PROVIDES THAT FOR AP TESTING AND BRINGS THE AP TESTING DOWN FROM OVER $100 FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE DISADVANTAGED DOWN TO $39.
WE CURRENTLY COVER THAT AS REFUNDS.
WE'RE HOPING TO SEE A REDUCTION IN COST.
RIGHT NOW THE COURSE IS 149 FOR NON-FREE AND REDUCED, AND IT IS $99 FOR STUDENTS ON FREE REDUCED LUNCH.
NOW, JUST TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, WE SPEND ON DUAL CREDIT TEXTBOOKS $600,000 A YEAR.
THERE'S COST, AP TEST, THERE'S A COST.
UT ONRAMPS, IT'S REALLY AN EXCELLENT RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE ADVANCED COURSEWORK.
CONSIDERING LONG-TERM THE CTE COST OR CTE PROGRAMS, IN THE DESTINATION 2035 PLAN, ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO IS PREPARE KIDS FOR THE YEAR 2035.
AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, THAT MEANS OFFERING MORE CAREER TECH EDUCATION AND EVEN SOME DIFFERENT ONES LIKE DEALING WITH AI IN THE FUTURE.
THERE'S NO INTENT AND WILL BE NO INTENT TO REDUCE CTE OFFERINGS.
IF WE HAVE TO SPEND MORE MONEY TO PROVIDE FOR COST-EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS LIKE THE ONE I'VE BEEN DESCRIBED, THEN WE'LL DO THAT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM?
>> JUST ONE PROBLEM. [OVERLAPPING]
>> CURRENTLY, I DON'T HAVE ANY FACTS AND FIGURES RELATED TO THE ENROLLMENT FOR TEACHERS OR STUDENTS.
WILL YOU PROVIDE METRICS FOR US TO TRACK PERFORMANCE IN THE FUTURE?
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE IS WHEN THIS ITEM COMES UP FOR REVIEW EACH YEAR.
WE'RE STILL WAITING TO GET THE FINAL EXAM SCORES FROM THE COURSES, BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS WE CAN TRACK WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE AT MIDPOINT.
WE CAN GIVE YOU THAT FIGURE SO THAT YOU CAN SEE SORT OF A PROJECTION ON THE IMPACT OF THAT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? NEXT, WE'LL DISCUSS ITEM NUMBER 4,
[4. Approval Of 2022-2023 Remote Homebound Instruction For Eligible Special And Regular Education Students]
APPROVAL OF 2022-2023 REMOTE HOMEBOUND INSTRUCTION FOR ELIGIBLE SPECIAL AND REGULAR EDUCATION STUDENTS.[02:20:01]
MS. CRUZ ARNOLD, I BELIEVE YOU HAD A COMMENT OR QUESTION.HOW AND OR WILL DOES THIS WAIVER HELP US MEET THE EXIT CRITERIA REGARDING SPECIAL EDUCATION COMPLIANCE?
>> I'M SORRY. CAN YOU ASK THE QUESTION AGAIN?
>> SURE. WILL AND OR HOW DOES THIS WAIVER HELP US MEET THE EXIT CRITERIA REGARDING SPECIAL EDUCATION COMPLIANCE?
>> THERE'S A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS THAT WE WILL BE WORKING WITH IN SPECIAL EDUCATION.
AS YOU SAW ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDES, IT INVOLVES A NUMBER OF AREAS THAT MIGHT HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AT A HIGHER DEGREE.
WE'RE PUTTING 20% OF OUR PRINCIPAL'S VALUATION IS TIED TO SPECIAL EDUCATION.
WE ARE CHANGING THE LEVEL OF SUPPORTS.
WE'RE PUSHING IT TO THE FIELD.
SOME OF THAT WILL ADJUST TO THE POSITIVE.
THAT'S HOW WE EXIT SPECIAL EDUCATION CRITERIA TO GET OUT THE INTERVENTION.
I WANTED TO SAY RIGHT NOW THOUGH THAT THE FOOTNOTE IS IT'S GOING TO TAKE A NUMBER OF YEARS TO DO ALL THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO TO SPECIAL EDUCATION.
I TALKED ABOUT SOME OF IT TONIGHT.
THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG IS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
I HOPE THE BOARD SEES THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO A LOT MORE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.
YES, IT STARTS WITH THE NES OR DNF SCHOOLS, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO DO MUCH MORE OVER TIME.
>> THANK YOU. I'M GLAD TO HEAR IT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? OUR NEXT ITEM FOR DISCUSSION IS NUMBER 18,
[18. Acceptance Of Federal Funds From The Texas Education Agency Through The Every Student Succeeds Consolidated Federal Grant Application, Perkins V: Strengthening Career And Technical Education For The 21st Century Grant Application, And The Special Education Consolidated Grant Application For The 2023-2024 School Year In Support Of Districtwide And School-Specific Programs And Authorization To Negotiate And Amend Grants]
ACCEPTANCE OF FEDERAL FUNDS FROM THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY THROUGH THE EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS CONSOLIDATED FEDERAL GRANT APPLICATION, PERKINS V, STRENGTHENING CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION FOR THE 21ST CENTURY GRANT APPLICATION, AND THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CONSOLIDATED GRANT APPLICATION FOR THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR IN SUPPORT OF DISTRICT-WIDE AND SCHOOL-SPECIFIC PROGRAMS AND AUTHORIZATION TO NEGOTIATE AND AMEND GRANTS.BOARD MEMBER CRUZ, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED FOR A COMMENT OR QUESTION.
>> IT'S ALREADY ANSWERED IN THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM NUMBER 18? NEXT, WE'LL DISCUSS ITEM NUMBER 19,
[19. Approval Of The 2023-2024 Recommended Budget]
APPROVAL OF THE 2023-2024 RECOMMENDED BUDGET.BOARD MEMBER LEMOND FLOWERS, WE'LL START WITH YOU PLEASE.
ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WITH QUESTIONS CAN JOIN AFTERWARDS. MS. FLOWERS?
>> SUPERINTENDENT MILES, I THINK IT WAS PRIORITY NUMBER 7, THE 19,700,000 FOR THE NES SCHOOL MODEL.
I'M WONDERING ABOUT WRAP-AROUND SERVICES, EXTRACURRICULAR, HEALTH WELLNESS.
THERE'S BEEN LOTS OF CURIOSITIES ABOUT THE FOCUS IN THE NES SCHOOLS.
CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT OUTSIDE OF THE READING AND MATH INSTRUCTION, WHICH OF COURSE IS THE PRIORITY? WHAT OTHER THINGS MIGHT BE GOING ON IN THE SCHOOLS?
>> YEAH. SEVERAL THINGS RELATED TO SEO.
FIRST, WE'RE OFFERING A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS OUTSIDE OF READ AND WRITE, MATH, SCIENCE.
EVERY STUDENT OF COURSE WILL HAVE THEIR HOUR OF ELECTIVE.
ON TOP OF THAT, THEY WILL ALSO HAVE PROGRAMMING.
WE CALL IT THE DYAD PROGRAM, TWICE A WEEK.
THOSE ARE ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS. I SAID EARLIER IN MARTIAL ARTS, KARATE, PIANO, DANCE, PHOTOGRAPHY, THINGS LIKE THAT.
STUDENTS IN THE NES SCHOOLS WILL GET MORE THAN THE REGULAR NUMBER OF ELECTIVES.
SEL AND WRAPAROUND SERVICE WILL CONTINUE AS THEY HAVE THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF DECREASING THE AMOUNT OF WRAPAROUND SERVICES THEY HAVE.
IN FACT, WE'RE TRYING TO CREATE SIX SUNRISE CENTERS THAT WILL BE OPENED HOPEFULLY BY NOVEMBER 1ST.
THESE ARE CENTERS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE MOST TRAUMATIZED OR HAD THE MOST NEED FOR HEALTH SERVICES.
OBVIOUSLY, THEY WILL GET SERVICES AT THE CAMPUS TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN WITH SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS OR SOCIAL WORKERS.
BUT WE ALSO NEED MORE SERVICES BECAUSE THIS GENERATION OF STUDENTS HAS RECEIVED SOME TRYING TIMES, AND WE HAVE A NEED FOR EVEN GREATER SERVICES.
WE WANT TO CO-LOCATE IN SIX AREAS OF THE DISTRICT WITH COMMUNITY SERVICES THAT ARE ALREADY HELPING OUR KIDS AND OUR FAMILIES.
[02:25:05]
WE WANT TO CO-LOCATE IN SIX DIFFERENT AREAS AND PROVIDING TWO MILLION DOLLARS TO EACH AREA.OF COURSE, WE'LL DO IT LEGALLY.
WE WON'T HAVE A GIFT OF PUBLIC FUNDS, BUT WE WILL SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT US.
THOSE ARE CALLED SUNRISE CENTERS.
WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THEIR SEL PROGRAM THAT EXISTS AND WILL BE ADDITIVE TO IT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS TOPIC?
>> YES. JUST A FOLLOW ON TO THAT TO THAT QUESTION, THANK YOU, AROUND THE DYAD APPROACH.
THE WONDERING I HAVE IS AROUND THE ELECTIVES THAT YOU'VE MENTIONED WHERE THOSE MAY ALIGN TO FINE ARTS EXPERIENCES THAT WOULD BE MOST OFTEN LET'S SAY TAUGHT BY A FINE ARTS TEACHER.
WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR FINE ARTS TEACHERS IN OUR NES SCHOOLS?
YES, READ AND WRITE, MATH, SCIENCE IS IMPORTANT.
YES, OUR KIDS NEED TO BE ABLE TO READ.
THAT I WILL SAY UNTIL THE END OF THE DAYS.
EVEN IN THE YEAR 2035, THEY WILL NEED TO READ, IF THEY WANT THE HIGHER-SKILLED JOBS.
AT THE SAME TIME, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE NES SYSTEM WILL HAVE A DYAD PROGRAM IS WE KNOW THAT RIGHT BRAIN SKILLS ARE REALLY CRITICAL.
RIGHT BRAIN VERSUS LEFT BRAIN.
LEFT BRAIN IS ANYTHING THAT CAN BE PERFORMED BY A COMPUTER, A SPREADSHEET.
RIGHT BRAIN ARE THOSE THAT EMPHASIZE THE CREATIVE SIDE.
IT'S THE RIGHT BRAIN WHERE WE HAVE AN ADVANTAGE AND THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS EXPLORE AND EXPAND.
WE NEED TO EXPAND THEIR INTERESTS IN THAT AREA OF THEIR LIFE ALSO.
PERFORMANCE ARTS, FINE ARTS, DANCE, PHOTOGRAPHY, THEATER, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS THAT GROW OUR RIGHT SIDE, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE YEAR 2035 COMPETENCIES.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THAT.
THAT'S WHY WE'LL BE INVESTING MORE THAN YOUR SPECIALS AND ELECTIVES, WHICH ARE IMPORTANT.
YOU'LL SEE NOWHERE WHERE WE CUT BACK ON ELECTIVES OR SPECIALS FOR THE LOWER GRADES, BUT WE'RE GOING TO ADD TO IT.
LOVE THE FINE ARTS, THE PERFORMANCE ART SCHOOLS.
THOSE THAT HAVE THAT GOING FOR THEM, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE.
I'M SURE THERE'S GOING TO BE A QUESTION ABOUT THE MAGNET PROGRAMS. MAYBE I'LL WAIT UNTIL THAT TO TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE NES SCHOOLS.
>> ARE THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? NO. NEXT, WE'LL DISCUSS ITEM NUMBER 21,
[21. Approval To Temporarily Suspend Certain Portions Of Board Policy DC(LOCAL), Employment Practices]
APPROVAL TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND CERTAIN PORTIONS OF BOARD POLICY, DC LOCAL EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES.BOARD MEMBER MARTINEZ, PLEASE STATE YOUR QUESTION OR COMMENT.
>> JUST A QUICK QUESTION. CAN YOU KIND OF EXPLAIN WHAT THAT PORTION YOU'RE REFERRING TO? ADD IT TO THE Q&A AND WAS REFERRING TO EVALUATIONS, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
ADD CLARIFICATION AS TO WHAT PORTION YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
>> YES. FOR DC LOCAL, THE ONLY PORTION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS HOW WE RECRUIT TEACHERS.
RIGHT NOW IN DC LOCAL, IT'S REQUIRED THAT CANDIDATES HAVE TO APPLY THROUGH THE DISTRICT WEBSITE.
THEY HAVE TO APPLY ONLINE. THAT'S FINE.
EXCEPT THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR CANDIDATES TO APPLY IN THIS DAY AND AGE, AND WE'RE LOSING CANDIDATES.
FOR EXAMPLE, MANY TEACHERS ARE APPLYING ONLINE ON INDEED OR MONSTER OR OTHER RECRUITMENT PLATFORMS. THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
MANY DISTRICTS ARE RECOGNIZING THAT THIS GENERATION OF PEOPLE WOULD RATHER APPLY ONLINE THAN GO TO A JOB FAIR.
YOU'VE PROBABLY NOTICED THAT THE NUMBERS OF TEACHERS AT JOB FAIRS HAS DECLINED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN, SO WE NEED TO BE FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO HAVE PEOPLE APPLY ONLINE.
THERE'S STILL GOING TO HAVE THEIR RESUMES SCRUBBED.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE OPENED THE FLOODGATES.
WE'RE JUST ASKING AND OUR PRINCIPALS ARE ASKING FOR ANOTHER AVENUE FOR PEOPLE TO COME IN.
IT'S NOT ONLY APPLYING THROUGH THE WEBSITE AT HISD.
>> JUST A FOLLOW UP. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND, BUT I WOULD ASSUME THAT THE FINAL CANDIDATE WILL STILL HAVE TO SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION THROUGH THE HISD WEBSITE.
>> THERE'S CERTAIN RECORDS AND PROCESSES AND BACKGROUND CHECKS.
[02:30:04]
THEY STILL HAVE TO DO THINGS ONLINE, BUT IT'S JUST THE INITIAL APPLICATION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SO THAT WE GET MORE CANDIDATES IN THE DOOR.>> ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS TOPIC? NEXT, WE'LL DISCUSS ITEM 23,
[23. Approval To Temporarily Suspend Board Policy DNB(LOCAL), Performance Appraisal: Evaluation Of Campus Administrators]
APPROVAL TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND BOARD POLICY D AND B, LOCAL PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL, EVALUATION OF CAMPUS ADMINISTRATORS.BOARD MEMBER CRUZ ARNOLD, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT THAT YOU'D LIKE TO PRESENT?
>> ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON ITEM 23? NEXT, WE'LL DISCUSS ITEM 24,
[24. Approval To Temporarily Suspend Board Policy EHBJ(LOCAL), Special Programs: Innovative And Magnet Programs]
APPROVAL TO TEMPORARILY SUSPEND BOARD POLICY, EHBJ LOCAL, SPECIAL PROGRAMS, INNOVATIVE AND MAGNET PROGRAMS. THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO HAVE CALLED FOR THIS TO BE DISCUSSED, SO I'LL JUST OPEN IT TO WHOEVER IDENTIFIES HIMSELF WITH A QUESTION.>> THANK YOU. I ASSUME THAT THIS MIGHT BE THE MOST LIVELY CONVERSATION WE HAVE HAD TONIGHT.
MY IMMEDIATE CONCERN WITH THIS ASK IS THAT WE HAVE, AND I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS SO SOMEBODY HAS THE NUMBERS, NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ARE OUT OF ZONE WHO SELECTED A SCHOOL WITHIN NES.
AS WE KNOW, THE MAGNET APPLICATION PHASE 1 DEADLINE HAS PASSED.
WHAT OPTIONS ARE WE PRESENTING TO THOSE PARENTS WHO WILL NO LONGER HAVE THAT MAGNET OPTION IN THEIR PARTICULAR AREA? DO WE HAVE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS AND THEN WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS FOR THEM?
>> YES. IF WE HAVEN'T PROVIDED IT IN YOUR WORK PACKET, WE DO HAVE THAT INFORMATION.
LET ME ADDRESS THE QUESTION A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.
BECAUSE THERE'S AN ASSUMPTION THERE THAT THOSE PARENTS WON'T RECEIVE SIMILAR MAGNET OPTIONS.
TWELVE OF THE 28, 29 SCHOOLS OF NES, 12 OF THEM HAVE MAGNET PROGRAMS. WE SPENT TIME ASKING THOSE SCHOOLS AND THOSE PRINCIPALS OF THE SCHOOLS, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THERE ARE NO MAGNET SCHOOLS BUT MAGNET PROGRAMS. I HAVE A LIST HERE, AND AGAIN, I THINK IT'S IN YOUR PACKET.
IF IT'S NOT, WE WILL PROVIDE, I WAS GOING TO PUT IT ON THE SCREEN, BUT I SEE THAT THEY TOOK THE SCREEN DOWN.
THAT'S OKAY, I'LL JUST TALK ABOUT IT.
WHAT THAT MEANS FOR MOST OF THE SCHOOLS, AND I CAN READ THEM I'LL JUST GIVE YOU A FEW EXAMPLES AND THEN MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR BOARD PACKET.
FOR EXAMPLE, AT ATHERTON ELEMENTARY, WHAT THE MAGNET PROGRAM AT ATHERTON ELEMENTARY IS, IS DANCE, BAND, CHOIR, AND PIANO.
THEY HAVE THAT IN THEIR ELECTIVE OFFERINGS, DANCE, BAND, CHOIR, AND PIANO.
BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT ONLY ELECTIVE BUT THE DIET PROGRAM, I BELIEVE ALL THOSE FOUR THINGS WILL STILL BE OFFERED TO THE KIDS AT ATHERTON.
WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THOSE PROGRAMS THROUGH THE ELECTIVES AND THE DIET PROGRAM.
IN FACT, KIDS WILL PROBABLY GET MORE THAN THAT OR BE ABLE TO CHOOSE MORE THAN THAT.
AT BERRY ELEMENTARY, IT'S A STEAM MAGNET PROGRAM, AND THAT INCLUDES TWO COURSES FOR THE ELEMENTARY KIDS, [NOISE] ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL ART.
WE CAN OFFER ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE DURING SCIENCE.
THE KIDS WHO ARE ALREADY ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, THEY WILL GET ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, SO THAT WON'T CHANGE.
WE ARE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL ART MEANS, BUT I'M SURE WE CAN ACCOMMODATE ENVIRONMENTAL ART IN THE DIET PROGRAM.
NEXT AT BRUCE ELEMENTARY, THEY HAVE GUITAR AND DANCE, THAT'S THEIR MAGNET PROGRAM, GUITAR, AND DANCE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CHOSE BRUCE BECAUSE THEY WANT THEIR KIDS TO PLAY THE GUITAR.
WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO GUITAR AND DANCE AT BRUCE, BECAUSE NOT ONLY WILL THEY HAVE ELECTIVES, BUT THEY WILL HAVE DIET AND WE WILL KEEP THOSE TWO AND MORE.
AGAIN, I CAN GO DOWN TO THE LINE, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY THAT WE CAN'T ACCOMMODATE.
THE REASON FOR BRINGING THE SUSPENSION IS BECAUSE THE POLICY READS THAT IF THERE'S A CHANGE TO ANY OF THEM, WE HAVE TO BRING IT TO THE BOARD EVERY TIME.
YOU CAN SEE, WHILE WE'RE STILL GOING TO OFFER GUITAR, IT MAY BE ON MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY, OR TUESDAY, THURSDAY, OR 90 MINUTES INSTEAD OF AN HOUR FOR THREE TIMES A WEEK, SO THAT THE KIDS STILL GET GUITAR,
[02:35:01]
BUT IT MAY BE SHIFTING IN THE SCHEDULE BECAUSE THE SCHEDULE IS VARIABLE.SO THAT'S WHY IT SAYS ANY CHANGE.
WELL, THERE MAY BE A CHANGE BECAUSE WE'RE DOING SCIENCE AND READING, WE'RE DOING ALL THESE OTHER THINGS, BUT WE WILL STILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE PROGRAMS. I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME ANXIETY AND THAT ANXIETY BREEDS MISINFORMATION, AND THAT'S OKAY, THAT'S TOTALLY UNDERSTANDABLE, AND HOPEFULLY, WE CAN GET THE WORD OUT.
I HAVE A MEETING WITH THE NES PRINCIPALS ON TUESDAY.
BY THE WAY, WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH THEM, BUT I HAVE A MEETING WITH THEM ON TUESDAY.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW ONCE THE SCHEDULES ARE FINALIZED, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WORK WITH THEM TO ENSURE THAT THE MAGNET PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO BE OFFERED.
AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY THAT WE CAN, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE WORK WITH THEM BEFORE WE EVEN SAY THAT CAN'T BE OFFERED.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION. JUST A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION, SO FOR THOSE PARENTS WHO SIGNED UP OUT OF ZONE, DOES THAT MEAN THAT THOSE KIDS CAN CONTINUE TO GO TO THOSE SCHOOLS DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE A FORMAL MAGNET PROGRAM?
>> IF THEY HAVE SIGNED UP FOR SCHOOL IN THE NES ZONE, THOSE MAGNET PROGRAMS WILL CONTINUE.
THEY SHOULD CONTINUE TO GO TO THAT, AND THEY CAN ENROLL IN THAT SCHOOL.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS TOPIC?
>> SUPERINTENDENT MILES, AS YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW THEY ADJUST THE MAGNET PROGRAM, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN GET A FOLLOW-UP, JUST A CONFIRMATION, OR ON THIS ONE CAMPUS WE HAD TO MOVE THINGS AROUND JUST SO THAT WE GET A SENSE?
>> YOU'RE ACTING LIKE ME BECAUSE WE TRIED TO FOLLOW UP ON EVERYTHING WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO OR ANY GOAL OR METRIC WE SET.
WE WILL REPORT OUT AGAIN JUST PRIOR TO SCHOOL AND AFTER SCHOOL STARTS IF THAT'S OKAY AND WE CAN PUT THAT ON THE AGENDA FOR FOLLOW-UP.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MS. CRUZ ARNOLD?
>> YES. JUST QUICKLY, ARE THERE ANY COURSES RELATED TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS OR WILL THEY REMAIN IN THE NES SCHOOLS?
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE THAT.
I'M LOOKING AT THE MAGNET PROGRAM, BUT BEYOND THE MAGNET PROGRAM, SCHOOLS HAVE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THEIR SCHOOLS.
ONE THING THAT WE TRIED TO DO IS WE TRY TO GIVE, FIRST OF ALL, WE MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW, BUT WE TRY TO GET THROUGH THE DIET PROGRAM, EVEN MORE, PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES.
ALL THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE NES SCHOOLS WILL GET SPIN BIKES, SO STATIONARY BIKES.
THEY WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SPIN CLASS AND OTHER FITNESS ACTIVITIES.
WE WILL STILL HAVE REGULAR PE, BUT THERE'S MARTIAL ARTS, THERE'S DANCE USUALLY AT THESE SCHOOLS.
BIG BELIEVER IN KIDS GETTING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, BUT ALSO EMPHASIZING THEIR RIGHT-BRAIN ACTIVITIES.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? MR. RIVON?
>> JUST FOR CLARITY, SO THAT THE WRITE-UPS ALIGN.
THESE POLICIES HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED TEMPORARILY, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE LOGIC BEHIND?
FOR EVERY POLICY THAT'S SUSPENDED, WE WILL BRING TO THE BOARD A RED-LINED POLICY SO THAT YOU SEE EXACTLY WHAT THE CHANGES AND THE BOARD HAS TO VOTE ON IT AND THE BOARD WILL EITHER ACCEPT IT OR NOT WHEN WE BRING THE RED LINE.
BUT BECAUSE WE'RE DOING THINGS THIS SUMMER AND WE'RE DOING IT NOW, WE'RE ADJUSTING SCHEDULES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WE WANTED TO BE CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT WE'RE TRYING NOT TO VIOLATE BOARD POLICY.
WE'RE TRYING TO ADJUST THEM AS THE BOARD SEES FIT OVER TIME.
>> I JUST WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION.
COMMUNICATION IS EVERYTHING, RIGHT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN.
IS THERE SOME COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL THAT THE PRINCIPALS MAY BE TALKING WITH THEIR PARENTS AND LETTING THEM KNOW THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING, IF IT'S GOING FROM AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM TO IN SCIENCE PROGRAM, THAT THEY'LL UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE STILL GETTING THAT MAGNET PROGRAM, IT'S JUST GOING TO BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT, MAYBE?
>> YEAH, TRUSTEE MENDOZA, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
AND TO BE FAIR, WE'RE TRYING TO COMMUNICATE AS FAST AS WE CAN, BUT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DO AS GOOD A JOB AS WE SHOULD.
[02:40:04]
BEEN HERE TWO WEEKS AND THIS IS NOT A NORMAL ENTRY, RIGHT? A NORMAL ENTRY, WE WOULD HAD A TRANSITION PERIOD WITH THE LAST ADMINISTRATION.WE WOULD HAVE TAKEN FOUR MONTHS FOR LISTENING TOUR THEN WE WOULD HAVE TAKEN ANOTHER SIX MONTHS FOR IT TO DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN, PRESENT A STRATEGIC PLAN IN THE SPRING AND ACT ON IT THE FOLLOWING YEAR.
IN THE MEANTIME, COMMUNICATING ALL THE VARIOUS STEPS TO IT.
I WOULDN'T DO THAT ANYWAY, BUT THIS WE HAVE A CLEAR MANDATE TO MOVE FAIRLY QUICKLY TO TURN AROUND THE DISTRICT IN SEVERAL RESPECTS SO THAT WE CAN TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE COMMUNITY AND THE ELECTED BOARD.
SO WE HAD A CHOICE, EITHER WAIT A YEAR OR MOVE PURPOSELY BUT IN A WAY THAT MAKES SENSE TO TURN AROUND AND CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP, GET OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION RIGHT, AND ALSO PREPARE KIDS FOR THE YEAR 2035.
I WASN'T WILLING TO WAIT A YEAR AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ELSE'S HOPING THAT WILL BE HERE A YEAR LONGER, SO WE HAD TO MOVE QUICKLY.
WE COULD HAVE WAITED TO JULY AND AUGUST, BUT THEN SOME OF THOSE FOLKS WHO DID NOT GET A POSITION OR DO NOT GET JOBS, THEN IT'S RIGHT BEFORE SCHOOL YEAR.
THAT'S NOT A GOOD WAY TO TREAT PEOPLE RIGHT BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS, SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THIS FAST.
HAVING SAID THAT, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
WE'VE GOT TO DO MORE COMMUNICATING.
YOU SAW THAT SLIDE, IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE NOT BEEN TALKING TO PEOPLE.
I'VE HAD LOTS OF MEETINGS, LOTS OF MEDIA AVAILABILITIES, THERE'S ONE AFTER THIS, I THINK AFTER THIS MEETING AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
TODAY, THERE WAS A GROUP OF PEOPLE FROM PEW OUTSIDE.
I WENT OUT THERE AND TALK TO THEM.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION WE GOT TO HAVE, WE'RE ALREADY SETTING UP MEETINGS IN THE COMMUNITY.
SO OUR TASK IS TO DO AN EVEN BETTER JOB, ESPECIALLY WITH THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO EXPLAIN THIS BECAUSE I THINK ONCE PEOPLE HEAR THAT NO, WE'RE NOT CHARTER RISING, NO, WE'RE NOT CLOSING SCHOOLS.
I THINK ONCE THEY HEAR THAT, NO.
ALL THE MAGNET PROGRAMS ARE NOT GOING AWAY.
I THINK, THEN THERE'LL BE LESS ANXIETY AND THEN MORE TIME TO ACTUALLY HEAR WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING.
>> AND I APPRECIATE THAT. AND IF I CAN FOLLOW UP JUST A LOT OF THE COMMENTS TODAY THAT WE WERE ABLE TO HEAR ARE ABOUT FAMILY AND ABOUT THAT'S WHERE WE TAKE OUR CHILDREN AND WE DROP THEM OFF.
AND I THINK GETTING THAT COMMUNICATION FROM THEIR PRINCIPAL IS GOING TO MAYBE HELP WITH SOME OF THAT ANXIETY AND UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING.
>> SO IT LOOKS LIKE YOU READ MY AGENDA FOR THE NES PRINCIPLES ON TUESDAY WHEN WE MEET.
BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT PRINCIPLE AND THE LEADERSHIP TEAM THERE AND TEACHER LEADERS ARE THE KEY.
AND SO IF THEY CAN EXPLAIN SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, I THINK WE WILL LOWER THE ANXIETY.
AND I'M GLAD TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.
THANK YOU FOR AT THIS BOARD MEETING.
ALSO, IF PEOPLE ARE LISTENING, THEY GET TO HEAR MORE INFORMATION AND YES, IT WAS GOOD TO HEAR THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
YOU GOT TO HEAR THEM THIS WEEK, SO I'M LISTENING TOO.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS TOPIC, MS. GARZA LINDNER?
>> THANK YOU. SOME CLARIFICATION I THINK FROM MY PREVIOUS QUESTION RELATED TO THE PROGRAMS FOR, LET'S SAY FOR FINE ARTS, THESE MAGNET PROGRAMS WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE THE LEVEL OF, LET'S SAY, HOW YOU MEASURE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION FOR THESE PROGRAMS AND HOW WILL YOU ENSURE THAT WE AT LEAST MEET AND MOVE TOWARDS EXCEEDING THE LEVEL OF QUALITY FOR INSTRUCTION FOR THESE PROGRAMS?
>> YEAH, THAT'S REALLY GOOD QUESTION.
SO YOU KNOW THAT ON ACHIEVEMENT THAT WE CAN ASSESS READING ABILITY OF A CHILD.
AND THAT IS ONE MEASURE OF THE QUALITY INSTRUCTION.
THE BIGGEST MEASURE IS NOT THE STAAR EXAMS OR THE TEST RESULTS.
THE BIGGEST MEASURE IS THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION IN THE CLASSROOM.
AND SO FOR FINE ARTS PROGRAM, IT'S TWO THINGS, THE TWO BIGGEST THINGS ARE, ONE, THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION SO EVEN IF YOU TEACH DANCE, THE QUESTION IS, ARE YOU ENGAGED IN ALL KIDS? ARE KIDS LEARNING DANCE? SO THERE ARE CRITERIA FOR DANCE AS WELL AS THERE ARE FOR READING.
[02:45:01]
IN THE TEACHER EVALUATION SYSTEM, TEACHERS WILL SET GOALS FOR HOW THEY THINK IT SHOULD BE IMPROVING.SO A DANCE TEACHER WOULD COME UP WITH SOME METRICS THAT THEY SET FOR THE MOVEMENTS THAT THEY WANT TO TEACH THEIR KIDS OR THE VARIOUS THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED IN BALLET OR WHATEVER THE DANCE PROGRAM IS.
OR IF YOU'RE TEACHING GUITAR, WHAT ARE THE CHORDS THAT KIDS NEED TO LEARN? SO THEY WOULD SET THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE THE EXPERT AND THEN THAT WILL BE PROGRESS MONITORED.
SO THAT WAY WE ENSURE THAT KIDS ARE NOT JUST GOING IN WITH AN INSTRUCTOR THAT IS NOT ATTENDING TO THEIR SKILL.
SO IT'S CALLED SLO, STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES, MORE TO COME ON THAT, BUT THAT'S HOW.
>> ONE MORE THING, SORRY. [OVERLAPPING] WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR, LET'S SAY, HOW THOSE ARTS EXPERIENCES WOULD BE INTEGRATED INTO THEIR OVERALL CURRICULUM TO HELP ACHIEVE THE OUTCOMES WE WANT TO SEE?
SO I HAVEN'T HAD A CHANCE TO REALLY EXPLAIN THE LONG-TERM GOAL.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ME RIGHT NOW AND WE'LL DO MORE NEXT WEEK.
BUT REALLY IT'S YEAR 2035 COMPETENCIES.
WHAT THAT MEANS, IT'S NOT JUST YOU'RE WRITING MATH AND SCIENCE.
I UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE THINK IT'S JUST GOING TO BE THAT, THE STAAR EXAM, THE STAAR IS ONE PIECE.
YEAR 2035 COMPETENCIES MEANS THAT KIDS NEED TO UNDERSTAND INFORMATION LITERACY, COMMUNICATION, PROBLEM-SOLVING, LEARNING HOW TO LEARN, CRITICAL THINKING THOSE ARE NOT ON THE STAAR EXAM AND YET WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GROW THAT.
ANOTHER PIECE OF THAT IS THE RIGHT-BRAIN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SO OTHER THINGS BESIDES LEFT-BRAIN, LOGICAL, SEQUENTIAL THINGS FOR KIDS AND THEN ANOTHER PIECE OF THAT IS EXPERIENCES.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK ABOUT HOW KIDS LEARN AND IT'S NOT JUST WHAT THEY CAN GET IN THE TEXT.
IT'S ALSO EXPERIENCES LIKE ALL OF US.
SO KIDS IN NES SCHOOLS, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS YEAR, IF THEY PASS CERTAIN ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS, EIGHTH GRADERS WILL GO OUT OF COUNTRY, THEY'LL TRAVEL.
THE KIDS THAT WE HAVE IN THE NETWORK AND CAME FROM WHEN THEY TRAVELED, WHEN THEY GOT THEIR PASSPORT FOR THE FIRST TIME, THAT IN AND OF ITSELF WAS AN EXPERIENCE.
THAT'S NOT A TESTABLE SUBJECT, THAT'S NOT A READING TEST, THAT'S AN EXPERIENCE THAT WILL GUIDE THEM.
AND THEN WHEN THEY CAME BACK FROM JAPAN AND THE PICTURES AND THE STORIES, IT WAS JUST A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE.
OUR SEVENTH GRADERS WENT TO WATCH IT IN THE CITY.
HERE TOO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE KIDS ON TRIPS BECAUSE THAT'S AN EXPERIENCE.
WE'RE ALSO GOING TO DO OTHER THINGS LIKE PHOTOGRAPHY OR MUSEUM TRIPS OR THINGS LIKE THAT THAT SOME OF THE MORE RESOURCE FAMILIES CAN AFFORD TO DO.
IF YOU GIVE ME JUST A MINUTE MORE, I KNOW I'M GOING ALONG, BUT I THINK ABOUT MY OWN KIDS.
I'M NOT RICH, BUT I HAVE MEANS AND SO MY WIFE AND I, WITH OUR KIDS, WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE THEM A LOT OF THINGS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL.
FOR EXAMPLE, MY YOUNGEST SON, ANTHONY, WHO'S NOW 21.
HE PLAY THE PIANO. HE HAD PIANO LESSONS WHEN HE WAS SIX.
THEN HE GOT A PIANO, THEN HE GOT A KEYBOARD SYNTHESIZER, I DON'T EVEN KNOW THE NAMES OF THESE THINGS.
HE HAD SAXOPHONE LESSONS, HE HAD MARCHING BAND, HE GOT TO GO TO SOCCER CLUBS.
NOW HE'S A BLACK BELT. HE GOT TO TRAVEL.
HE WENT TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT STATES.
HE GOT TO EAT AT NICE RESTAURANTS. HE HAS A PASSPORT.
HE HAS ALL THESE THINGS THAT HOPEFULLY WE CAN GIVE.
WE CAN'T REPLICATE WHAT WEALTHY PEOPLE CAN DO FOR THEIR KIDS, BUT WE CAN GET CLOSE ON THE EXPERIENCES.
THAT'S PROVIDED MY SON AN EDUCATION OVER AND ABOVE THE READING, WRITING, MATH THAT HE GOT IN CLASSROOMS. SO THAT'S THE GOAL IS TO PREPARE KIDS FOR YEAR 2035 NOT JUST BE ABLE TO READ.
DON'T GET ME WRONG, READING IS IMPORTANT EVEN IN THAT YEAR 2035, SO WE HAVE TO DO THAT WELL.
BUT THESE OTHER THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TOO.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM BOARD?
>> SO SUPERINTENDENT, WE'VE BEEN HEARING THAT THE NEED FOR THE SUSPENSION OF THIS POLICY IS TO PROVIDE ADMINISTRATION WITH THE FLEXIBILITY TO MAKE THE CHANGES TIMELY, MODIFICATIONS TO SCHEDULES, FUNDING, AND ENHANCE ENRICHMENT.
AND WHAT WE'RE HEARING AND WHAT I KEEP HEARING IS THIS QUALIFIER IN
[02:50:01]
MOST CASES OR WE BELIEVE.THAT'S NOT VERY DEFINITIVE, SO I'M WONDERING HOW DO WE GET TO THAT? THIS WILL ENHANCE.
SCHOOLS WILL RECEIVE. HOW DO WE GET THERE?
>> YEAH. THANKS FOR THE QUESTION.
IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO TRUSTEE FLOWERS' QUESTION AND THAT IS, THE ONLY REASON WHY I'M QUALIFYING IS BECAUSE EVERY SCHOOL, EVERY PRINCIPAL HAS SOME SPECIFIC CRITERIA FOR WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TALK TO PEOPLE ON THE FIELD TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT MISSTATING.
I THINK I TOLD YOU TONIGHT, I'M ON RECORD THAT I THINK MOST OF THOSE PROGRAMS WOULD BE EASILY ADAPTABLE TO THE NES SCHEDULE.
THE ONLY REASON WHY I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE IS BECAUSE I GOT TO HAVE A FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE PRINCIPAL OR THE TEAM DOES TO MAKE SURE THAT'S A TRUE STATEMENT.
LET'S DO THAT FIRST BECAUSE, IF WE CUT IT FROM SIX HOURS OF PIANO A WEEK TO FIVE HOURS PIANO WEEK, THAT'S A CHANGE AND THAT MAY NOT BE SUCH A HUGE CHANGE, BUT IT'LL BE A CHANGE.
OR THE REVERSE, WE GIVE MORE TIME TO GUITAR THAN THEY HAVE NOW, THAT'S ALSO A CHANGE EVEN THOUGH IT'S A CHANGE TO THE POSITIVE.
I OWE YOU IS JUST WHAT YOU WERE SAYING TRUSTEE, AN ANSWER IN ART BEFORE THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS, WHAT EXACTLY HAS CHANGED? AND THEN AFTER THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS, IF ANYTHING HAS CHANGED? THAT'S THE ONLY REASON FOR THE QUALIFIER, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT TO POINT THAT OUT.
>> A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CHANGES OR AMENDING THIS POLICY BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WE'RE SUSPENDING IT FOR YOU ALL TO DO AN EVALUATION.
YOU'LL GET WITH THE PRINCIPLES AND THEN WE WILL AMEND THIS POLICY AUGUST TIMEFRAME.
DO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE OR DOES AGAIN TO YOUR POINT THAT REQUIRE MORE EVALUATION? I GUESS MY QUESTION IS ALONG THE LINES OF THAT AS WELL IS THAT, IF THIS FLEXIBILITY IS STILL DESIRED IN NEEDED MOVING FORWARD, WHAT WILL BE THE TRIGGER FOR YOU? WHAT WILL BE THE TRIGGER TO SAY, THIS IS GOING TO MEAN THAT WE HAVE FLEXIBILITY TO MODIFY, MAKE CHANGES, ETC?
>> YES, THE REASON WHY WE DIDN'T BRING A RED LINE COPY FOR THIS BOARD MEETING ON THE 22ND IS BECAUSE WE WANT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION REAL CLEARLY.
AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SETTING THE KIDS UP FOR SUCCESS AND THAT THE BOARD HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION BEFORE WE BRING IT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT WILL COME DOWN TO MATTER OF INTERPRETATION, BUT WE CAN PUT LANGUAGE IN THERE TO PUT PARAMETERS ON THE ADMINISTRATION, BUT ALSO ALLOWS THE FLEXIBILITY TO MAKE NON-CONSEQUENTIAL OR MINOR CHANGES.
FOR EXAMPLE TO THE SCHEDULE AS LONG AS WE DON'T UNDERMINE THE ESSENCE OF THE MAGNET PROGRAM, FOR EXAMPLE.
SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS EASILY DOABLE AND WE WOULD BRING THE LANGUAGE TO YOU FOR THAT, WHICH WILL ALLOW THE ADMINISTRATION NOT TO HAVE TO COME BACK EVERY SINGLE TIME.
THERE'S A SCHEDULED CHANGE, BUT COME BACK IF THERE'S A SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE TO THE MAGNET PROGRAM THAT THE COMMUNITY HASN'T VOTED ON OR GIVEN US INPUT ON, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> THANK YOU. AS IT RELATES TO THE DEFINITION OF SPECIAL PROGRAMS, THE POLICY TALKS ABOUT MAGNET SCHOOLS, THIS TALKS ABOUT VANGUARD MAGNETS, NEIGHBORHOOD, VANGUARD MAGNETS GIFTED AND TALENTED, NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL.
THERE A LOT OF CATEGORIES THAT I PERSONALLY I'M NOT REAL CLEAR ABOUT AND A LOT OF OUR SCHOOLS IN THE NES SYSTEM HAVE PROGRAMS OTHER THAN MAGNET, AP, DUAL CREDIT.
THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT I THINK ARE SPECIAL, BUT I'M WONDERING IF THEY FALL UNDER THIS UMBRELLA.
>> I DON'T KNOW. I NEED TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THE EXAMPLES THAT YOU GAVE.
OF COURSE, WE WOULD KEEP OUR AP PROGRAMS AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY WORKING WELL IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, FOR EXAMPLE.
OUR INTENT IS TO ACTUALLY ADD MORE CTE PROGRAMMING AT OUR HIGH SCHOOLS THAT ARE IMPACTED BY THE NES PROGRAM.
HIGH SCHOOL IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THE OTHERS BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY CAREER TECH ED OPTIONS AND
[02:55:01]
OTHER THINGS THAT REALLY DON'T FALL INTO, LIKE ELECTIVES.>> AND LAST QUESTION. AS THE POLICY EXISTS RIGHT NOW, IT TALKS ABOUT MEASURES, AND SUCCESS, AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND WE UNDERSTAND HOW WE WILL BE MONITORING THE GOALS THAT WE HAVE.
BUT THESE ARE GOING TO BE SEPARATE, THEY'LL HAVE TO BE MONITORED AND WILL HAVE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT ACCOUNTABILITY IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
ONE THING THAT THE POLICY STATES RIGHT NOW IS AROUND MAGNET ENROLLMENT GOAL OF 20%.
I THINK WE'VE GOT SOME STATISTICS ON WHERE WE ARE.
SOME OF THE SCHOOLS HAVE MAGNET ENROLLMENT OF LESS THAN 20% TODAY.
THIS POLICY IS UP FOR SUSPENSION.
WHAT WOULD OUR ENROLLMENT GOALS LOOK LIKE? BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, EVEN THOUGH THERE MAY BE 20% OR LESS ENROLLMENT, THOSE STUDENTS ARE STILL GETTING ENHANCED IN RICH LEARNING.
I'M CURIOUS AS TO YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT ENROLLMENT GOALS.
>> YEAH, I WOULD KEEP ENROLLMENT GOALS TO A MINIMUM.
MEANING THIS, THE GOAL FOR THE NES PROGRAM IS NOT ESSENTIALLY TO GROW ENROLLMENT AND NOT TO GROW ENROLLMENT PROGRAMMATICALLY.
THE GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS CAN READ, WRITE, DO MATH, AND ALSO PREPARE KIDS FOR THE YEAR 2035.
A WORKPLACE IN WORLD FOR WHICH WE HAVE METRICS.
WE DON'T WANT TO CLOSE IT, WE WANT TO GIVE KIDS MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW THE RIGHT BRAIN IN THOSE EXPERIENCES.
BUT FOR THE SAKE OF THE MAGNET PROGRAM, GROWTH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I THINK SHOULD BE A GOAL.
AGAIN, WE'RE NOT TRYING TO CLOSE ANY, EITHER.
BUT IF THE GOAL FOR ME WAS TO JUST GROW THE MAGNET PROGRAM, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO GIVE UP ON OTHER THINGS AND PRIORITIZE THAT VERSUS THE MANY THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO MOVE A SCHOOL IN THE NES SYSTEM.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS TOPIC? MR. MARTINEZ.
>> COUPLE OF QUESTIONS I THINK SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ALLUDED TO IT, BUT NOT DIRECTLY ASKED IT, I GUESS ONE IS, HOW ARE WE FUNDING THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS YOU MENTIONED THAT WILL COME IN TO TEACH DANCE AND SO FORTH? ARE THESE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES, ARE THESE 1099 EMPLOYEES, HOW WOULD THAT WORK?
>> YES, WE WILL STILL HAVE TEACHERS TEACHING ELECTIVES, BUT WE ALSO HAVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PEOPLE WHO CAN FIND IN THE COMMUNITY TO TEACH THE DYADS AND THOSE WILL BE CONTRACTED EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVEN'T LANDED ON A FIGURE, IT'S EITHER $30 TO $35 AN HOUR.
THERE'LL BE 1099 PEOPLE WHO ARE BACKGROUND CHECKED, OF COURSE AND ALL THAT.
BUT THEY HAVE A SKILL SET THAT THEY CAN HELP OUR KIDS WITH, SUCH AS PHOTOGRAPHY.
IT'LL BE GREAT TO GET SOMEBODY WHO TAKES WEDDING PHOTOS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, LIKE WEEKENDS AND DURING THE DAY THEY'RE HELPING ARGUMENTS.
>> JUST TO CLARIFY, YOU MENTIONED THERE WILL BE TEACHERS TEACHING ELECTIVES, IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID?
>> THERE WILL STILL BE ELECTIVE TEACHERS IN OUR CLASSES.
THERE MAY BE SOME ELECTIVES THAT ARE TREATED LIKE DYAD IF IT'S A SPECIALIZED SKILL.
>> THEN ONE LAST QUESTION. I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL, THEY DIDN'T HAVE SPORTS, I WASN'T IN BAND, I WASN'T IN [INAUDIBLE], I WASN'T IN ANY OF THAT.
DOES THIS IMPACT ANY OF THOSE EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES?
>> THANKS FOR ASKING BECAUSE I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT.
ANY SPORTS ACTIVITIES THAT OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE TODAY THAT THEY WANT TO CONTINUE, WE WILL DO.
IF THERE'S FOOTBALL IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, THAT SCHOOL WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A FOOTBALL TEAM, AND SO FORTH, ANY OTHER SPORT THAT THEY'RE ACTIVELY DOING RIGHT NOW.
>> JUST TO CLARIFY, ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TIME TO BE GOING OVER THE 2035 INITIATIVES SPECIFICALLY OR WILL HAVE JUST BE PART OF THIS INTEGRATION?
>> I THINK THIS IS THE TIME TO ASK THE QUESTION.
>> GOOD. YES, I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. [LAUGHTER]
>> WE WILL ALSO DO 2035 NEXT TIME. [OVERLAPPING]
>> GOOD. I'LL LIMIT THIS IN THAT REGARD.
FIRST QUESTION. THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGE OBVIOUSLY WITH NES.
WE WANT TO FOCUS DIRECTION AND ATTENTION SPECIFICALLY AT THIS TIME TO PRINCIPALS AND HIRING DECISIONS.
[03:00:02]
WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FOLKS REAPPLYING, AND WE'VE GOT SOME TEACHERS, STAFF, ETC., WHO ARE INTERESTED IN GOING BACK TO THEIR SAME SCHOOL.AND THOSE PRINCIPALS WHO LEAD THE SCHOOL, WHAT AUTHORITY AND FLEXIBILITY DO THEY HAVE IN REGARDS TO HIRING, AND WHAT IS THE ROLE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE PLAYING NOW, AND HAS IT CHANGED DRAMATICALLY FROM IN THE PAST?
>> SO NEXT WEEK, THE PRINCIPALS WHO ARE CURRENTLY THERE, WHO WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE PRINCIPALS OF AN NES SCHOOL, WILL HAVE THE FIRST SET OF INTERVIEWS FOR THE PRINCIPALSHIP OF THOSE NES SCHOOLS.
SO WE WILL KNOW, I THINK BY THE 21ST, IS THAT RIGHT? 21ST AND 22ND, WHETHER THE PRINCIPALS WHO ARE CURRENTLY THERE WILL BE THE PRINCIPAL OF THE NES SCHOOL.
IF A PRINCIPAL DOESN'T GET THAT POSITION, THEN THEY CAN APPLY TO OTHER VACANCIES IN THE DISTRICT.
REMEMBER WHAT I SAID, TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, COUNSELORS, PRINCIPALS, AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS WHO RECEIVE A JOB IN THE NES SCHOOLS.
IF THEY HAVE A CONTRACT, WE WILL HONOR THAT CONTRACT.
LET'S GIVE THEM A SIMILAR JOB AT A SIMILAR SALARY.
THEN WE'RE GOING TO OPEN IT UP, AND THEN INVITE PEOPLE TO INTERVIEW FOR THOSE POSITIONS.
PRINCIPALS TO BE FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL DO THE SAME PROCESS OR A SIMILAR PROCESS THE FOLLOWING WEEK WITH TEACHERS.
TEACHERS WHO ARE IN THE SCHOOL TODAY WILL BE ABLE TO APPLY FIRST AND DO THEIR INTERVIEWS.
>> THANK YOU, AND THIS GOES OVER A LITTLE BIT TO, WILL THE SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS' MODEL BE FULLY INTEGRATED BY THE FALL?
>> WHAT'S THE PLAN FOR TRAINING PERSONNEL IN NEW ROLES TO SUPPORT TEACHERS?
>> YES. WE'VE ALREADY STARTED THAT PROCESS.
THEN THERE'LL BE SOME A LITTLE BIT OF TRAINING OVER THE SUMMER, AND THEN WE START AGAIN IN A MORE PURPOSEFUL WAY AT THE END OF JULY FOR THE PRINCIPALS.
THEN APART FROM THE TRAINING THAT THE NES PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS WILL RECEIVE A FULL WEEK OF TRAINING OVER AND ABOVE WHAT THE OTHER TEACHERS GET THE WEEK AT 7TH OF AUGUST.
AND BECAUSE IT'S A WEEK EARLIER THAN ALL THE OTHER TEACHERS, THEY'LL GET A $2,000 STIPEND TO DO THAT.
>> GOT IT. THEN IN REGARDS TO A FOLLOW-UP FROM ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER, THE DIET COMMUNITY EFFORT.
I THINK I'M QUIET HERE, BUT COULD YOU REPEAT IF HE DID SAY IT ALREADY? THE FUNDING MODEL TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY EFFORT.
>> WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT'S A COMPETITIVE SALARY OR AN HOURLY WAGE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SKILLED PROFESSIONALS.
WE THINK THAT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $30-$35 AN HOUR FOR SOMEONE TO COME INTO THE SCHOOL TO TEACH KIDS PHOTOGRAPHY, OR TO TEACH KIDS DANCE OR MARTIAL ARTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND SO THOSE WILL BE 1,099 EMPLOYEES, AND THEN NINE CONSULTANTS, NINE EMPLOYEES.
THE HOURS WILL VARY, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THEY CAN GIVE US.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A COORDINATOR TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN GIVE US EITHER EIGHT HOURS TO 20 HOURS A WEEK FOR OUR KIDS.
>> GOT IT. THEN IN REGARDS TO THE TRAVEL ABROAD, WOULD YOU ALSO JUST HIGHLIGHT OF HOW WE PLAN TO FUND SOME OF THOSE EVENTS?
TRAVEL ABROAD IS EXPENSIVE, BUT THAT'S THE ONE AREA WHERE I THINK WE WILL FIRST TRY TO GET PHILANTHROPIC DOLLARS.
WE'LL WILL TRY TO RAISE MONEY FOR THAT FIRST, AND IF NOT, WE WILL TRY TO FUND IT THROUGH OUR GENERAL FUND DOLLARS.
BUT IT REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW MANY KIDS GO.
NOW, KEEP IN MIND THEY HAVE TO MEET AN ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT.
THAT MEANS THEY HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST 92% ATTENDANCE RATE.
NINETY TWO IS NOT CRAZY, BUT IT'S ALSO RIGOROUS FOR SOME KIDS.
THEY CAN'T HAVE ANY SUSPENSIONS.
ALSO, THAT'S HARD FOR SOME KIDS,
[03:05:01]
BUT THAT'S AN EXPECTATION, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO HAVE SOME LEVEL OF GROWTH, PROBABLY 0.60 OR 0.7 YEARS OF GROWTH BY MIDYEAR, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO KNOW WHO'S GOING TO TRAVEL BY MARCH.AND ALL OF THIS IS FREE FOR OUR KIDS.
WE HAVE TO START OUR PASSPORT PROCESS EARLY.
TAKES TWO OR THREE MONTHS THESE DAYS TO GET A PASSPORT, AND WE WILL PAY FOR CHAPERONES.
THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES FOR SOME OF OUR NEEDIEST KIDS TO BE ABLE TO TRAVEL.
>> ABSOLUTELY, AND IN SOME OF THE PHILANTHROPIC PIECE OR MAYBE IN THE GENERAL FUND, WOULD THERE BE CONSIDERATION FOR OVERNIGHT TRAVEL THAT THESE KIDS WON'T NECESSARILY HAVE RESOURCES FOR?
>> YES, SIR. I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION, I THINK.
ALL OF IT IS FREE FOR OUR KIDS, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S EXPENSIVE BECAUSE WE DON'T EXPECT KIDS TO HAVE MONEY EVEN FOR A PASSPORT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, AND WE'RE GOING TO GUIDE THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THE PASSPORT.
OBVIOUSLY, WE HAVE TO GET THEIR INFORMATION, THEIR PARENTS PERMISSION AND ALL OF THAT.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING, AND THAT'S WHY I'M GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE SOME PHILANTHROPIC DOLLARS.
HOUSTON IS A COMMUNITY THAT WANTS TO SUPPORT, AND HAS SUPPORTED HISD, THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY IN HOUSTON.
THEY WANT SUPPORT US, THEY HAVE SUPPORTED US.
I'VE TALKED TO MANY OF THEM ALREADY AND THEY'RE EAGER TO HELP.
THIS IS ONE AREA WHERE I'M GOING TO ASK THEM TO OPEN UP THEIR WALLETS.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS TOPIC? SUPERINTENDENT, DOES THIS INTENTION FOR TRAVEL THIS YEAR OR NEXT YEAR?
WE TRAVEL AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
TECHNICALLY, IT'S THE COMING SCHOOL YEAR.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR ANY AGENDA ITEM THAT HAVE NOT ALREADY BEEN CALLED FOR DISCUSSION THAT ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ISSUES OR QUESTIONS THEY'D LIKE TO RAISE AT THIS TIME? NO.
>> I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT POLICY THAT WAS RELATED TO, TEACHER EVALUATIONS.
I KNOW THAT HISD I BELIEVE WAS HEADING TOWARDS THE DIRECTION OF USING TEI, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO USE OUR HOMEGROWN EVALUATION SYSTEM.
DO WE LOSE ANY FUNDS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE APPROPRIATED TO US BY USING OUR HOMEGROWN EVALUATION?
>> WE'RE STOPPING THE TEACHER INCENTIVE ALLOTMENT THAT WAS TIED TO THE OLD EVALUATION, AND SO THERE WILL BE ANOTHER DELAY OF A YEAR BEFORE WE GET ANY MONIES TIED TO TIA, WHICH WERE NOT RECEIVING YET ANYWAY, AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER YEAR.
THERE'LL BE TWO YEARS BEFORE WE RECEIVE ANY TIA MONIES.
THAT'S BECAUSE WE ARE REVAMPING THE TEACHER EVALUATION SYSTEM, WHICH IS A POLICY DNA LOCAL.
BUT WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE EVALUATION SYSTEM THIS YEAR TO A TEACHER EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE.
THE REASON WHY WE'RE NOT DOING IT THIS YEAR IS BECAUSE ONE, WE NEED TO DO THE PRINCIPALS FIRST.
WE NEED TO TRAIN THE PRINCIPALS BECAUSE IT WOULD BE NOT FAIR TO TEACHERS.
THE PRINCIPALS ARE NOT REALLY STRONG AT HOW THE INSTRUCTION SHOULD BE.
AND THEN THEY'RE EVALUATING TEACHERS WHEN THEY THEMSELVES HAVE NOT BEEN TRAINED.
THE SECOND REASON WHY WE'RE DELAYING THAT IS BECAUSE WE WANT A YEAR TO GIVE TEACHERS A CHANCE TO LEARN THE SYSTEM, TO GET INPUT ON THE SYSTEM, TO LEARN WHAT OBSERVATION LOOKS LIKE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND WE'RE GOING TO DO A LOT OF TRAINING THIS YEAR.
SO DIRECTLY, THE ANSWER IS WE'RE NOT STARTING THE TEACHER EVALUATION THE NEW SYSTEM THIS YEAR EXCEPT FOR NES SCHOOLS, AND THEY WILL BE TRAINED AS WE GO.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON ANY OTHER AGENDA ITEMS AT THIS TIME? NO. THE NEXT REGULAR BOARD MEETING WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY, JUNE 22 AT 05:30 PM.
WITH NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO DISCUSS, THIS MEETING OF THE BOARD IS ADJOURNED AT 08:51 PM. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.