Sep 14, 2023 Board Meetings

[CALL TO ORDER]

[00:00:22]

I BELIEVE THERE'S AT LEAST ONE ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THE AUDIENCE THIS EVENING.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US THIS EVENING.

WE WILL NOW BE JOINED BY A MEMBER OF THE JUNIOR RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS TO LEAD OUR PLEDGES.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK BOARD MEMBER MICHELLE CRUZ ARNOLD TO INTRODUCE TONIGHT'S PLEDGE LEADER.

THANK YOU. PRESIDENT MOMANAEE CADET MAJOR ROBERT JACKSON IS A SENIOR AT THE HIGH SCHOOL FOR LAW AND JUSTICE AND IS IN HIS FOURTH YEAR IN THE JROTC PROGRAM.

HE IS RANKED SECOND IN HIS CLASS WITH AN OVERALL GPA OF 4.3, DEMONSTRATING HIS COMMITMENT TO ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE.

HIS LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION TO COMMUNITY ARE EVIDENCED BY HIS UNANIMOUS SELECTION AS LJ'S BATTALION COMMANDER AND HIS SERVICE OF OVER 100 VOLUNTEER HOURS.

CADET JACKSON HAS VOLUNTEERED FOR ORGANIZATIONS AND EVENTS, INCLUDING THE HOUSTON FOOD BANK AND THE SUSAN G.

KOMEN BREAST CANCER WALK.

HE PLACED FIRST IN THE JROTC ACADEMIC COMPETITION AND HAS PARTICIPATED IN THE ALL SERVICE NATIONAL COMPETITION CALLED THE JROTC LEADERSHIP AND ACADEMIC BOWL.

UPON GRADUATION.

HE PLANS TO ATTEND TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY AND MAJOR IN HISTORY.

HIS GOAL IS TO ATTEND LAW SCHOOL AND BECOME AN ATTORNEY.

CADET JACKSON.

THANK YOU. I WOULD ASK THAT THE AUDIENCE PLEASE RISE FOR THE US AND TEXAS PLEDGES.

NOW, THE TEXAS PLEDGE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, CADET JACKSON.

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK BOARD MEMBER MENDOZA TO READ OUR RECOGNITION IN HONOR OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.

[RECOGNITIONS]

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ THE PROCLAMATION FOR HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH, WHICH IS CELEBRATED SEPTEMBER 15TH THROUGH OCTOBER 15TH. WHEREAS HISPANIC HERITAGE AND CULTURE HAVE PLAYED AN INVALUABLE ROLE IN THE HISTORY OF OUR CITY, STATE AND OUR COUNTRY, MAKING POSSIBLE MANY SUCCESSES THAT PAVE THE WAY FOR OUR MODERN SOCIETY.

AND. WHEREAS, HISPANIC CITY AND COMMUNITY LEADERS CONTINUE THIS RICH TRADITION, CONTRIBUTING TIME, EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES, MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON CITIZENS, FAMILIES AND STUDENTS IN THE HOUSTON AREA.

AND. WHEREAS, HISPANIC PARENTS, PTA, PTO MEMBERS AND FAMILY MEMBERS BRING TO OUR SCHOOLS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE, LEADERSHIP SUPPORT AND AN ABILITY TO VASTLY ENHANCE THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF STUDENTS.

AND. WHEREAS, HISPANIC ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS AND STAFF ARE MAKING A LIFELONG DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OUR CHILDREN BY SHARING THEIR WISDOM AND GUIDANCE AND BY DEDICATING THEMSELVES TO PROVIDING THE TOP QUALITY EDUCATION ALL STUDENTS NEED TO SUCCESSFULLY PURSUE THEIR DREAMS. AND. WHEREAS, HISPANIC STUDENTS ENRICH THE LIVES OF FELLOW STUDENTS, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE THAT BROADENS THE EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF ALL.

NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS OF THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT DO HEREBY PROCLAIM SEPTEMBER 15TH TO OCTOBER 15TH, 2023, HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IN HISD.

AND WE ENCOURAGE ALL TO CELEBRATE THE RICH TRADITIONS OF OUR HISPANIC CULTURE IN WITNESS THEREOF ON THIS 14TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2023.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

THANK YOU.

AT THIS TIME, WE WILL HEAR FROM ALL OF OUR REGISTERED SPEAKERS, BOTH THOSE WHO SIGNED UP TO ADDRESS AGENDA ITEMS AND THOSE WHO SIGNED UP FOR HEARING OF THE COMMUNITY.

[SPEAKERS TO AGENDA ITEMS]

[00:05:01]

VERBAL AND OTHER DISRUPTIONS BY PERSONS DURING THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE AS THEY INHIBIT THE BOARD'S ABILITY TO CONDUCT BUSINESS IN 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 51 REGISTERED SPEAKERS WHO WILL BE LIMITED TO ONE MINUTE EACH PER BOARD POLICY AS WE HAVE MORE THAN 30 PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO ADDRESS THE BOARD TONIGHT, WE ASK THAT YOU STAY ON TOPIC AND REFRAIN FROM NAMING INDIVIDUALS, ESPECIALLY STUDENTS, AS THEIR IDENTITY IS PROTECTED UNDER 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 IS EXPIRED AND THE TIMER RINGS.

IF YOU ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK VIA ZOOM, WE MUST SEE YOU LIVE WITH YOUR CAMERA ON AS YOU SPEAK.

IF YOU ARE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK VIA ZOOM, PLEASE CHECK THE EMAIL THAT YOU REGISTERED WITH BECAUSE A NEW ZOOM LINK HAS BEEN SENT TO YOU AT THAT EMAIL THAT YOU REGISTERED WITH.

OUR FIRST ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM ONE, THE 2023 2024 HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT COMPENSATION MANUAL.

WHILE JACKIE ANDERSON PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.

MICROPHONE IS NOT ON.

ONE SECOND, MA'AM, PLEASE.

CAN YOU TRY IT AGAIN? ONE MINUTE.

ONE MORE TIME. NO.

HELLO? YES. WORKING.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YES, MA'AM. I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT YOU HAVE ADOPTED A PLAN TO ADOPT TONIGHT THE COMPENSATION MANUAL.

WE STILL HAVE MANY EMPLOYEES WHO STILL DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMPENSATED FOR THE HARD WORK THAT THEY DO EVERY DAY.

WE GET NUMEROUS CALLS, PEOPLE WHO ARE ASKED TO WORK EXTENDED HOURS FOR NO ADDITIONAL PAY.

WE STILL GET CALLS FROM PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE OFFER LETTERS FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF MONEY.

THAT AND THEIR PAY DOES NOT REFLECT THAT.

SO I HOPE THAT THE COMPENSATION MANUAL TONIGHT THAT YOU ADOPT WILL ADDRESS THE FACT THAT YOU ARE A BOARD IS A COMPANY OF INTEGRITY AND THAT YOU WILL HONOR THOSE PLEDGES THAT YOU HAVE MADE, THOSE OFFER LETTERS THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN TO PEOPLE AND THAT YOU PLAN TO PAY THEM WHAT YOU HAVE PROMISED THEM.

WE GOT AN OFFER LETTER AS A CONTRACT, AND IF YOU HAVE OFFERED TO PAY THEM A CERTAIN AMOUNT, YOU SHOULD NOT BE BACKING DOWN NOW, SAYING TELLING THEM THAT YOU HAVE TO FIND THE MONEY.

YOU SHOULD HAVE HAD THAT DONE BEFORE YOU MADE THAT PROMISE.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM TWO APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION ADOPTING TAX RATE AND LEVYING AD VALOREM TAXES FOR TAX YEAR 2023. WE'LL BEGIN WITH SPEAKERS REGISTERED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD IN THE AUDITORIUM.

WILL ADAM ONUFER PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE? THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE ANN MCCOY.

MR. ONUFER.

NO. SIR.

IS THAT YOU, IN THE PLAID? NO. OKAY. MA'AM, ARE YOU ANN MCCOY? I AM. YES, MA'AM.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. IN THE JULY MEETING, YOU APPROVED A $168 MILLION IN FUNDING THAT HISD DOES NOT HAVE.

IN AUGUST, YOU APPROVED AN ADDITIONAL $77 MILLION IN FUNDING THAT HISD DOES NOT HAVE FOR A TOTAL OF $245 MILLION IN DEFICIT SPENDING.

WITH THIS PROPOSED TAX RATE DECREASE, YOU WILL DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY HISD HAS FOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS.

WHY WOULD YOU VOTE TO APPROVE THIS TAX DECREASE BEFORE VOTERS HAVE HAD THEIR SAY ABOUT THIS ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER? HISD NEEDS TO HOLD ON TO ITS MONEY.

VOTING FOR THIS DECREASE IN HISD'S TAX RATE THREATENS THE FINANCIAL VIABILITY OF THE DISTRICT.

WHY HAS THERE BEEN NO DISCUSSION OF WITHHOLDING RECAPTURE PAYMENTS FOR THE COMING YEAR OR JOINING THE LITIGATION AGAINST TEA? EITHER OF THOSE ACTIONS WOULD DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU ARE FIGHTING FOR HOUSTON AND PUBLIC EDUCATION.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. YOUR DECISIONS, MA'AM.

OTHERWISE, YOUR MA'AM, YOUR TIME IS UP.

THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT MA'AM.

YOUR TIME IS UP.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER ON THIS TOPIC IS REGISTERED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD VIA ZOOM.

MRS SMITH.

PLEASE ADMIT YEN RABE.

NOT YET ON ZOOM. OKAY.

[00:10:03]

CONSIDER AND TAKE POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE FORMATION OF A LOCAL DISTRICT OF INNOVATION PLAN COMMITTEE TO DRAFT A LOCAL INNOVATION PLAN.

WELL, RUTH KRAVITZ, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.

THE SPEAKER IS ALSO REGISTERED FOR ITEMS 12 AND 13.

I HAVE YOU, MA'AM.

PLEASE GO AHEAD.

AN HISD TEACHER ASKED ME TO SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF TONIGHT BECAUSE SHE'S REQUIRED TO BE REQUIRED AT A SCHOOL TRAINING HELD EVERY SINGLE THURSDAY.

SO I'M GOING TO SAY WHAT SHE SAID.

THE KIDS WE HELP THE MAJORITY ARE BEHIND.

WE WERE REQUIRED TO GIVE A DOL TEST AFTER A 40 MINUTE LESSON OVER MATERIAL WE HAVEN'T FINISHED AND THAT THE STUDENTS HAVEN'T LEARNED YET.

AND THE NEXT DAY WE HAVE TO TEACH A NEW LESSON.

OUR STUDENTS ARE FRUSTRATED AND IT'S KILLING THEM MENTALLY.

WE ARE TOLD WE CANNOT TEACH KIDS WHEN WHERE THEY ARE OR EVEN STOP INSTRUCTION TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND TRUST EVEN ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

RIGHT AFTER THAT.

RIGHT AFTER I TALKED TO THAT TEACHER, A FORMER STUDENT VIA FACEBOOK, TEXTED ME ASKING FOR HELP EXPLAINING A MATH PROBLEM TO HIS SIXTH GRADE SON.

I HELPED HIM, BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT.

HE REACHED OUT TO ME 20 YEARS AFTER I TAUGHT HIM BECAUSE HE TRUSTED ME, BECAUSE I WAS ALLOWED TO TREAT THE STUDENTS I TAUGHT LIKE HUMAN BEINGS. WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO TEACHERS IS WRONG.

YOUR SYSTEM IS.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MEG [INAUDIBLE].

[INAUDIBLE].

IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY ALLISON CHAPIN AND [INAUDIBLE].

MS. STEPH HELLO. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

THANK YOU. I'M CONTINUING.

WHAT? YOU'RE PROHIBITED.

EXEMPTIONS ARE FOR DOI.

I'M TALKING ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION.

YOU CAN NOT IGNORE THE POPULATION BECAUSE THEY DON'T FIT YOUR AGENDA.

REFUSING THEIR SERVICES, REFUSING TO GIVE CHILDREN INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL ON THEIR LEVEL IS AGAINST THE LAW.

REFUSING INCLUSION BECAUSE THEY STRUGGLE IS ALSO AGAINST THE LAW.

REFUSING SPECIALISTS IS PART OF THEIR PROGRAM IS AGAINST THE LAW.

WE HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SERVICES, BUT THERE'S NO SPEECH AND LANGUAGE TEACHER IN THE BUILDING.

THAT'S NOT ALLOWED.

NOT DOING PAPERWORK ON TIME IS ALSO AGAINST THE LAW.

YOU CANNOT SIDESTEP SPECIAL ED REGULATIONS FOR DOI.

OPEN MEETINGS.

WE HAVE CODES FOR OPEN MEETINGS.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JAY ALLISON CHAPIN.

I GUESS. ALL RIGHT.

HI, I'M BACK.

FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO CLEAR UP A MISUNDERSTANDING.

I AM NOT PAID TO ADVOCATE FOR THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OF THIS.

USED TO BE GREAT SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I AM HERE BECAUSE I BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS DISCRIMINATORY AND I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED.

UM. I STAND BEFORE YOU REPRESENTING NOT ONLY MYSELF, BUT OTHER EDUCATORS THAT CANNOT ATTEND BECAUSE THEY ARE BUSY DOING DEMO DAYS, STAFF MEETINGS, REQUIRED STAFF MEETINGS, AND OTHER EXTENDED DAY DUTIES FOR WHICH MOST OF THEM ARE NOT PAID.

I'VE SPOKEN TO AND I'VE HEARD FROM EDUCATORS, CERTIFIED EDUCATORS, AND NONE OF THEM WISHED TO MOVE FORWARD.

THE COMMUNITY HAS ALREADY SPOKEN IN 19 AND 2021 AND WE SAID NO.

THE CHANGE TO BF LOCAL DK LOCAL BF LOCAL DFB LOCAL ARE JUST ANOTHER.

THANK. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LUCIA CÉSAR DE LEON.

[00:15:13]

I'M A SEVENTH GRADER, STUDENT AT HOGG MIDDLE SCHOOL.

I'M SPEAKING FOR MYSELF AND ON BEHALF OF MY LITTLE COUSINS.

THERE ARE EIGHT YEAR OLD TWINS, AND THIS IS THEIR FIRST YEAR GOING TO SCHOOL.

THEY'RE SO EXCITED, HAPPY AND LOOKING FORWARD TO GOING TO SCHOOL.

BUT NOW THEY'RE FRUSTRATED, SAD, ANGRY AND FEELING BAD ABOUT THEMSELVES.

ONE OF THEM SAID, IF I COULD TELL PEOPLE AND PEOPLE IN CHARGE ANYTHING, I WOULD TELL THEM THAT THE TIMERS MAKE ME NERVOUS.

SOME KIDS FINISH IN TIME AND I WISH I COULD FINISH LIKE THEM LIKE THEY DO, BUT I CAN'T.

I WISH WE DID MORE STUFF IN SPANISH BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND SPANISH BETTER.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO COME INTO CLASS ALL DAY AND THEY ARE DISTRACTING.

I DON'T LIKE THIS SCHOOL.

MY SCHOOL IS ALSO DIFFERENT THIS YEAR.

I DO NOT LIKE THE TIMERS.

THEY MAKE ME ANXIOUS.

I HAVE ADHD AND MY BRAIN NEEDS MORE TIME TO PROCESS.

THE TIMER PUTS PRESSURE ON ME.

IT MAKES ME HAVE A HARD TIME FOCUSING AND THEN I START FREAKING OUT ABOUT NOT FINISHING ON TIME.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE KIDS LIKE ME FIT IN YOUR PLAN.

BECAUSE I. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ON THIS TOPIC.

ARE REGISTERED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD VIA ZOOM.

MISS SMITH, PLEASE IDENTIFY AND ADMIT OUR SPEAKERS.

ALL RIGHT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MELISSA YARBOROUGH.

YES, MA'AM. PLEASE GO AHEAD.

OKAY. I'M SPEAKING FOR TEACHERS WHO CAN'T BE HERE BECAUSE THEY'RE STUCK IN DEMO DAYS, TEST TRAININGS AND OPEN HOUSE.

THE DISTRICT OF INNOVATION PLAN IS A BLANK CHECK THAT CAN WAIVE MANY LEGAL PROTECTIONS.

IT CARRIES THE SERIOUS RISK OF BEING ABUSED AND EXACERBATING A DISTRICT CULTURE OF FEAR AND MISTRUST.

FOR EXAMPLE, I'LL READ YOU A MESSAGE THAT I GOT FROM A COLLEAGUE THIS WEEK.

I KNOW COMING TO A POINT IN A VERY EMOTIONAL ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I HAVE A PASSION FOR TEACHING AND I FEEL LIKE I'M FAILING MY STUDENTS.

AND IT'S BARELY THE BEGINNING OF WEEK THREE.

I WAS PROMISED A TEACHER APPRENTICE, DON'T HAVE ONE.

THEY'RE QUITTING OR BEING PULLED TO COVER OTHER CLASSES.

A LOT OF TEACHERS HAVE BEEN IN AND OUT SINCE THE FIRST DAY BECAUSE THEIR PAPERWORK ISN'T CORRECT.

THEY TRIED TO MAKE ME STAY LATE AND COME EARLY.

THEY'RE NITPICKING ABOUT EVERY LITTLE THING.

ADMINISTRATORS HAVE TO DO TEN VISITS IN CLASSROOMS PER DAY AND BEING RECORDED AND WEARING A LAPEL MIC EACH DAY.

WE STAY AN HOUR AFTER SCHOOL EACH WEEK TO TEACH A LESSON TO OTHER TEACHERS, BUT WE CAN'T TALK TO THEM AS TEACHERS.

THEY HAVE TO ACT LIKE STUDENTS AND DO THE LESSON.

I FEEL LIKE I MADE THE WRONG CHOICE, BUT THE KIDS NEED ME AT THIS SCHOOL.

I HOPE SOMEONE CAN SAY IT FOR ME BECAUSE I'M ALSO SCARED TO LOSE MY JOB.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KARINA QUEZADA.

IS MISS QUEZADA ON ZOOM? OH. VERY GOOD.

I THINK YOU WERE REGISTERED ON ZOOM.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, THOSE ARE MY THAT'S MY NIECE AND MY NEPHEW THAT Y'ALL ARE MAKING CRY.

OKAY. THIS CURRICULUM IN PACING DOESN'T WORK FOR ANY CHILD THAT DEVIATES FROM THE STANDARD.

YOU'RE PUTTING TEACHERS IN AN AWFUL POSITION.

THEY CAN EITHER FOLLOW YOUR ORDERS AND KEEP THEIR JOBS OR FOLLOW THEIR STUDENTS.

IEPS 504 PLANS AND PROVIDE THE LEGALLY REQUIRED SERVICES TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS.

AND TO BE VERY CLEAR, MOST KIDS WHO RECEIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES SERVICES ARE IN THE GENERAL ED SETTING.

SO ARE YOU COOL WITH ALSO BREAKING FEDERAL LAW? YOU SAY YOU WANT DISTRICTS OF INNOVATION SO YOU CAN START THE SCHOOL YEAR EARLY.

HERE'S AN IDEA. WHY DON'T YOU CALL YOUR BOSS, GREG ABBOTT, AND ASK HIM TO PUT THIS IN HIS SPECIAL SESSION? HE CAN CALL IN SOME FAVORS WITH HIS BUDDIES OVER AT THE STATE CAPITOL AND Y'ALL CAN CHANGE THE LAW TO START THE SCHOOL YEAR SOONER.

OH, BUT THAT'S RIGHT.

YOU NEED THE HARMLESS SCHOOL CALENDAR.

EXCUSE TO NOT RAISE ALARM AMONG THE PUBLIC.

WOULDN'T WANT THEM TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU'RE AFTER.

REMEMBER, FOLKS, DOI IS PART OF HB 1842, THE TAKEOVER LAW.

HAVEN'T WE HAD ABOUT ENOUGH OF 1842 AND THIS TAKEOVER? OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KENDRA CAMARENA.

KENDRA CAMARENA FOLLOWED BY CARLY TREVINO.

[00:20:07]

I WANTED TO ASK A FEW THINGS.

I ASK THAT ONE, YOU PLEASE LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY AS THERE ARE MANY RESERVATIONS RIGHT NOW REGARDING THE DOI APPLICATION OR THIS PROCESS ALTOGETHER.

THERE'S SO.

RIGHT NOW, ACCOUNTABILITY IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR MOST OF US PARENTS, INCLUDING MYSELF.

WE KNOW THAT THE DISTRICT HAS NEEDED OR HAS, YOU KNOW, BEEN IN POTENTIAL VIOLATIONS, SPECIFICALLY IN SPECIAL EDUCATION THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH.

WE KNOW THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN THESE CAMPUSES TO UNDERSTAND THE PEDAGOGY AND ASK THAT YOU PLEASE BE VERY CONSIDERATE, THAT THESE CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT ARE PROVIDED CURRENTLY UNDER OUR STATE LAWS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND THAT YOU WILL NOT ACTUALLY VENTURE TOWARDS A DISTRICT OF INNOVATION.

I ALSO ASK THAT YOU LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND THEIR CONCERNS IN REGARDS TO WHAT'S GOING ON AND TRULY UTILIZE THE POWER THAT'S BEEN GIVEN TO YOU.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED.

I'M SORRY. CARLY TREVINO.

IS SHE ONLINE? OKAY.

MR. VIGNEAULT, PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERA.

YOU MAY BEGIN. I AM THE PARENT OF TWINS IN THIRD GRADE AT A DUAL LANGUAGE LITERATURE MAGNET IN IB WORLD SCHOOL, AND I DO NOT AGREE WITH THE DISTRICT OF INNOVATION PHASE.

I RECENTLY HAD A PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE WHERE I WAS TOLD THE SCHOOL WAS USING A NEW CURRICULUM AND STUDENTS ARE NOW TIMED ON ALMOST ALL ASSIGNMENTS.

I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT TEACHERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE EXTRA MINUTES FOR THESE ASSIGNMENTS BECAUSE IT THROWS THE WHOLE DAY OFF.

HOW IS TIMING KIDS TO FINISH ALL ASSIGNMENTS CONDUCIVE TO LEARNING? MY CHILDREN FEEL THAT THE TIMER IN THE ROOM IS FRUSTRATING.

THEY CAN'T FINISH ON TIME, THEY CAN'T CONCENTRATE, AND OTHER KIDS KEEP TELLING THEM HOW MUCH TIME IS LEFT.

MY DAUGHTER CRIED BECAUSE SHE THINKS SHE IS NOT SMART ENOUGH FOR SCHOOL BECAUSE SHE CAN'T FINISH WORK BEFORE THE TIMER IS DONE.

THIS SCHOOL IS SUPPOSED TO BE A DUAL LANGUAGE SCHOOL.

HOWEVER, IT SEEMS THAT THE SCHOOL IS NOW DOING THE CURRICULUM AND MY CHILDREN ARE DOING THE MAJORITY OF THEIR WORK IN ENGLISH.

SO FAR I'VE ONLY SEEN ONE SPANISH HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT.

THIS IS MY CHILDREN'S FIRST YEAR IN PUBLIC SCHOOL AND THIS IS HOW THEY'RE GREETED.

A TIMED ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY FEEL LEFT BEHIND AND ANXIOUS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

OUR NEXT ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM FOR APPROVAL OF A DIRECTOR APPOINTMENT TO THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS. WILL SAM SMITH PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE? MR. SMITH HERE.

NO. OKAY.

OUR NEXT ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM FIVE CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS BOARD MEETINGS.

WE WILL BEGIN WITH SPEAKERS WHO REGISTERED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD IN THE AUDITORIUM.

WILL CHRISTINA ACOSTA PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE? HELLO. GOOD EVENING. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND TEACHERS THAT COULD NOT COME TODAY.

I WAS INVITED TO A PARENT MEETING ON WEDNESDAY AND PARENTS CAME AND SPOKE.

HOW FRUSTRATED THEY ARE. THE STUDENTS ARE.

THE TEACHERS ARE.

DID YOU KNOW? DID YOU KNOW ONE OF YOUR CAMPUSES, MIKE MILES AND THE BOARD OF MANAGERS.

ARE YOU AWARE THAT THE ONE OF THE SCHOOLS K THROUGH EIGHT PUBLIC OR SCHOOL DID NOT HAVE ADEQUATE LUNCH TIME? THEY DID NOT HAVE LUNCH AT ALL.

WERE YOU AWARE THAT.

TEACHERS. WELL, THERE'S ONE SCHOOL THAT THERE'S NO SPED TEACHER.

THEY'RE NOT RECEIVING. THE STUDENTS ARE NOT RECEIVING ACCOMMODATIONS.

AND THIS IS AGAINST THE LAW.

SO YOU HAVE AT THIS AT SCHOOL, YOU HAVE FOUR AP'S.

WHY SO MANY AP'S? THE SCHOOL, THE PRINCIPAL IS SAYING THERE'S NO BUDGET FOR THE SPED TEACHER, BUT YOU HAVE FOUR APS.

LET GO OF ALL THREE OR ALL FOUR AND YOU'LL HAVE FUNDS FOR THE SPED TEACHER AND ALSO THE STUDENTS.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSICA CAMPOS, FOLLOWED BY ANNA LEAH ESPINOSA.

MS. CAMPOS HERE.

NO. HOW ABOUT ANALIA ESPINOSA?

[00:25:06]

ARE YOU OUR SPEAKER? YES. ARE YOU SOPHIE? YES. OKAY.

GO AHEAD. HELLO.

MY NAME IS SOFIA ROJAS AND I WILL TELL YOU HOW MY DAY WAS TODAY.

SOME TEACHERS WERE NICE, SOME TEACHERS WERE MEAN.

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT TEACHERS WERE MEAN? THE NEW TEACHERS.

OKAY. SORRY.

THE OLD TEACHERS, THEY WERE NICE, LIKE LAST YEAR.

I KNOW THAT NEW CAN BE A NEW THING.

DON'T YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE GIVING US TOO MUCH WORK AT SCHOOL? I'M SORRY. IT'S OKAY.

EVERYONE IS TIRED.

SOME KIDS ARE FALLING ASLEEP BECAUSE IT'S TOO BORING.

MY FRIENDS EVEN AGREE WITH ME.

I AGREE WITH MY FIRST FRIEND.

SHE SAYS THAT SHE DOESN'T WANT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL.

SHE WANTS TO STAY HOME BECAUSE SHE DOESN'T WANT TO DO ALL THAT WORK.

AND MY SECOND FRIEND, SHE SAYS SHE DOESN'T LIKE SCHOOL ANYMORE.

SHE USED TO LOVE SCHOOL.

MY THIRD FRIEND, SHE SAID A LOT OF CHANGES HAVE BEEN HAPPENING.

AND I AGREE WITH MY THIRD FRIEND.

I'M SORRY. I'M ABOUT TO CRY.

I USED TO LOVE SCHOOL, BUT THIS YEAR I DO NOT LIKE SCHOOL BECAUSE IF I GET HOMEWORK I WILL JUST TELL MY DOG TO EAT IT BECAUSE.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS REGISTERED TO THIS ITEM.

OUR NEXT TWO SPEAKERS ARE VIA ZOOM.

MADAI HERNANDEZ AND EMILY CORTEZ.

SERRATO. SIR, IN THE BLACK SHIRT.

THIS IS YOUR FIRST WARNING.

MM. OH, MISS CAMPOS IS THERE.

IS IT JESSICA CAMPOS? YES.

OKAY, GREAT. HI.

CAN WE. IS IT ALL RIGHT TO HEAR HER? AND THEN WE'LL DO THE ZOOM, FOLKS.

OKAY. MISS CAMPOS, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

I'M GOING TO LET MY CHILD FINISH THE LAST SENTENCE.

YEAH. SURE. I'M SORRY.

I WILL PROBABLY JUST TELL MY DOG TO EAT IT BECAUSE IT'S TOO MUCH WORK.

MR. MILES, CAN YOU JUST LET SCHOOL BE FUN AGAIN? PLEASE. I JUST WANT TO BE A KID, AND YOU KEEP ON PUTTING MORE STRESS ON ME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE.

I KNOW THAT MR. MILES GAVE AN UPDATE LAST MEETING, AND HE SAID THAT EVERYONE ADJUSTED TO THE SCHOOL.

THAT IS SO NOT RIGHT.

I HAD A MEETING ON TUESDAY WITH SEVERAL PARENTS.

I WANT TO SAY ABOUT 40 PARENTS, CHILDREN AND TEACHERS THAT ARE NOT OKAY WITH WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO OUR CHILDREN.

YOU ARE SETTING OUR CHILDREN BEHIND AND I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO DO THIS TO MY CHILD.

YOU ARE NOT FOLLOWING OUR IEPS, OUR 504 PROGRAMS. I ACTUALLY HAD A TEACHER CALL ME TODAY BECAUSE I COMPLAINED ABOUT IT YESTERDAY.

MY CHILD FINALLY TOLD ME THAT SHE HAS NOT BEEN GETTING THE 504 ACCOMMODATIONS.

THIS IS NOT OKAY.

THIS IS MY CHILD AND I WILL NOT STOP UNTIL YOU STOP.

I NEED THIS TO GO AWAY.

I CANNOT ALLOW YOU TO DIM THE LIGHT OF MY CHILD AND ALL OF THE CHILDREN IN MY COMMUNITY.

CHILDREN ARE COMING HOME CRYING BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH OR THEY FEEL THEY'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

YOU'RE CREATING DIVISION.

YOU'RE CREATING A JAIL IN OUR SCHOOLS, IN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, CHILDREN ARE GOING TO FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T BELONG IN THIS WORLD BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT SMART ENOUGH AND THEY'RE NOT. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

DID ANA LAURA ESPINOSA ARRIVE? IS THAT YOU, MA'AM? YES.

OKAY. MY NAME IS AMELIA AND MR. MILES. I HAVE A FEW THINGS I WANT TO ASK YOU.

TELL ME, WHAT DID YOU FEEL? THE NEED TO CREATE CHAOS AND DISORDER IN A ONCE BEAUTIFUL AND THRIVING SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

YOU BUILT THESE PEOPLE INTO OUR SCHOOLS WHO HAVE RESORTED TO BLOCKING US OUT JUST TO GET THEIR WAY.

BULLYING US INTO SUBMISSION, THEIR UNWELCOMING AND RUDE TO BOTH OUR PARENTS AND CHILDREN ACTING AS IF WE ARE NOT NEEDED DESPITE THE SCHOOL BEING SO UNPREPARED.

WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT YOU'RE DOING ONLY CAUSES MORE PROBLEMS? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING IN THE FUTURE WHEN YOU TURN SCHOOLS INTO PRISONS INSTEAD OF DOING THE OPPOSITE? WHEN TEACHERS ARE FORCED TO ACT LIKE MACHINES RATHER THAN BRINGING EXCITEMENT TO LEARNING IN CLASSROOMS? TEACHERS ARE QUITTING LEFT AND RIGHT BECAUSE OF YOU.

CHILDREN NO LONGER WANT TO STAY IN SCHOOL.

JUST JOY OUT OF LEARNING AND DRAINED EVERY LAST BIT OF IT.

BECAUSE WHAT YOU SAW FOR OUR FUTURE WAS A PRISON RATHER THAN AN EDUCATION SYSTEM WHERE CHILDREN GROW AND FIND THINGS THEY ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT.

SOME KIDS DON'T WANT TO BE LAWYERS.

THEY DON'T WANT TO BE DOCTORS.

SOMETIMES CHILDREN WANT TO GROW UP AND BE AN ARTIST.

SOMETIMES THEY WANT TO CREATE MUSIC THAT WILL TOUCH THE HEART.

SOMETIMES THEY WANT TO CAPTURE BEAUTY AND LIFE IN A SINGLE PHOTOGRAPH IF YOU FORCE CHILDREN TO LIVE.

[00:30:06]

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VIA ZOOM.

MADAI HERNANDEZ, FOLLOWED BY EMILY CORTEZ.

SERRATO. WE HAVE A.

SPEAKER TWO ITEM TWO AVAILABLE ON ZOOM AS WELL AS MISS BOLAND FROM THE PUBLIC HEARING.

OKAY. IS SHE FIRST? MISS YIN? YIN ROB.

WHO IS IT? [INAUDIBLE] ROBBIE.

OKAY. PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERA AND YOU MAY BEGIN.

THEN, GLENN. ROBBIE, PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERA.

YOU MAY BEGIN.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. OH, YOU'RE ON MUTE, MA'AM.

MA'AM, YOU'RE ON MUTE. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE CAN HEAR ME.

MA'AM, YOU'RE ON MUTE.

OKAY. DO WE WANT TO GO TO THE NEXT SPEAKER AND COME BACK TO HER? WHAT WAS MISS BOVELL AND A SPEAKER ON? OH, SHE'S COMING FROM THE LAST MEETING.

OKAY, THAT'S FINE.

DR. DEVLIN, PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERA AND YOU MAY BEGIN.

MISS ROBERT WILL COME BACK TO YOU.

HELLO. I'M ADDRESSING THE UNCERTIFIED SUPERINTENDENT AND THE UNELECTED BOARD.

I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FEEL THAT IT MAKES SENSE TO DENY CHILDREN THE OPPORTUNITY TO ACTUALLY LEARN AND ENJOY IT AT THE SAME TIME.

THIS MILITARIZED LEARNING SYSTEM THAT YOU WANT TO CALL NEW IS NOT NEW EITHER.

THE SAME BRAINWASHING TECHNIQUES THAT WERE USED IN THE 60S.

SO PLEASE, I AM HOPING THAT YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU.

MISS ROBBIE. IT LOOKS LIKE SHE'S ON MUTE.

MA'AM, CAN YOU. HELLO? IT'S WORKING. PLEASE GO AHEAD.

OKAY. PLEASE GO AHEAD.

HELLO. MY NAME IS IAN RAAB.

I'M A MATH TEACHER AND ALSO A CONSTITUENT.

CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, MA'AM. I AM CONCERNED.

I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE BUDGET DEFICIT THAT SINCE JUNE, THE DEFICIT HAS GONE UP $77 MILLION.

AND SO NOW THE DEFICIT IS NOW AT A QUARTER OF $1 BILLION.

AT THIS RATE, THE EXCESS FUND BALANCE WILL BE BURNED VERY SOON.

AND SO I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.

AND HOW ARE WE GOING TO FUND.

THE BUDGET WHEN THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION HAS GONE UP FROM 100,000 FROM 40,000 TO 100,000.

I WOULD LIKE THIS ISSUE TO BE ADDRESSED.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

MISS SMITH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER FOLKS IN ZOOM? OKAY. OUR NEXT ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM TEN APPROVAL OF VENDOR AWARDS FOR PURCHASES OVER $1 MILLION.

WHILE SARAH TERRELL, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.

MISS TERRELL HERE.

NO. OKAY.

OUR NEXT ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM 12 APPROVAL TO WAIVE BOARD POLICY BF LOCAL BOARD POLICIES AND APPROVAL OF PROPOSED REVISIONS TO BOARD

[00:35:07]

WILL MICHELLE WILLIAMS PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE? THIS SPEAKER IS ALSO REGISTERED FOR ITEM 13 FOLLOWING MISS WILLIAMS. THE OTHER SPEAKERS ON THIS ITEM ARE CHARLES CRUZ AND LORI WHITE.

MISS WILLIAMS, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

MICHELLE WILLIAMS HOUSTON EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.

I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF EMPLOYEES TEACHERS ACROSS HISD.

HISD HAS CURRENTLY LOST APPROXIMATELY 20,000 STUDENTS, SO THAT MEANS OUR BUDGET HAS DECREASED.

AT THE FIRST MEETING AT FORESTBROOK MIDDLE, I ASKED WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN TO TEACHERS WHEN THE ENROLLMENT DECREASES, AND IT DID JUST THAT.

SO NOW WE HAVE THIS EXCESS POOL THAT TEACHERS ARE GOING TO BE PUT INTO.

SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, YOUR SENIOR STAFF ON THE EXCESS POOL TOO, BECAUSE WE DON'T NEED MORE MICRO MANAGERS AND THEY DON'T HAVE CHILDREN TO FUND THOSE MICRO MANAGERS.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

IF TEACHERS ARE GOING TO BE ON THERE, THEY NEED TO BE THERE, TOO.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHARLES CRUZ, FOLLOWED BY LORI WHITE.

YES, SIR. PLEASE GO AHEAD.

HOWDY, Y'ALL. MY NAME IS CHARLES CRUZ.

AND LIKE TED, I AM A RETIRED CHEMICAL ENGINEER AT AN EARLY AGE BECAUSE I LEARNED VERY WELL FROM A VERY GOOD SCHOOL.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT WASN'T HISD, BUT I VALUE PUBLIC EDUCATION.

AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF FOLKS THAT COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.

I'M FROM BAYTOWN, TEXAS.

THESE ARE THE WORDS OF TEACHERS WHO COULD NOT BE HERE EITHER BECAUSE OF MANDATORY FACULTY MEETINGS ON THURSDAYS OR BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO AFRAID.

TEACHERS REPORT THAT AMPLIFY AND EUREKA LESSONS ARE FULL OF MISTAKES, ESPECIALLY IN MATH, CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, A VETERAN TEACHER REPORTS CHILDREN ARE FALLING ASLEEP ON HER FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.

ONE TEACHER SAYS SHE IS TIRED OF FEELING LIKE A ROBOT IN HER CHILDREN ARE NOT LEARNING.

A PRE-K TEACHER HAS BEEN TOLD TO KEEP LIGHTS ON DURING NAP TIME.

A KINDER TEACHER IS SCARED TO SIT DOWN EVEN BRIEFLY.

TEACHERS DESCRIBE THE SITUATION AS A MESS, A NIGHTMARE, AND TALK ABOUT LEAVING MID-YEAR.

THERE'S A REASON WE HAVE DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES.

Y'ALL, AIN'T IT? OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LORI WHITE.

GOOD EVENING.

I'M AN ATHEIST PARENT AND A LONGTIME TAXPAYER, NOT IN FRONT OF MY DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD.

I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF A TEACHER WHO, LIKE MANY OTHERS, CANNOT BE HERE BECAUSE OF THEIR DUTIES AND THEIR FEAR OF RETRIBUTION.

THAT TEACHER SAYS THIS.

FOR THE LAST THREE WEEKS, EVERYONE AT MY SCHOOL HAS BEEN TOLD TO USE MULTIPLE RESPONSE STRATEGIES EVERY FOUR MINUTES.

THIS INCLUDES ALL ADVANCED PLACEMENT CLASSES.

SOMETIMES A SINGLE AP QUESTION CAN TAKE MORE THAN TEN MINUTES TO READ.

THE DISTRICT MANDATED PACING AND USE OF AN MRS EVERY FOUR MINUTES LEAVES NO TIME FOR ASSIGNMENTS WITH ANY DEPTH OR COMPLEXITY.

USUALLY, THREE WEEKS INTO SCHOOL, I'M GETTING TO KNOW MY STUDENT'S STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES AND WRITING ABILITIES.

BUT NOT THIS YEAR.

SECONDLY, THE DISTRICT SET.

UNREALISTIC TEACHER EXPECTATIONS FOR AP TESTS, WITH 80% PASSING RATES WHEN MANY NATIONAL PASSING RATES ARE NOT EVEN 45%.

AS A PARENT, I'M APPALLED BY.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT ITEM HELD FOR REGISTERED SPEAKERS IS ITEM 14.

ADOPTING ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION TO APPOINT CASSANDRA AUZENNE BANDY TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE HARRIS COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT.

WHILE DAN GORDON, PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE.

MR. GORDON. HELLO.

HELLO. HEY.

HI. IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE.

I LOVE TO SEE ALL THE ACTIVISM.

OKAY? I'M AN EDUCATOR.

I'M AN ARTS EDUCATOR.

I'M A FILMMAKING EDUCATOR.

I AM HERE BECAUSE JEANETTE GARZA LINDER TASKED ME TO FIND THE DATA THAT SUPPORTED THE INCREASE IN STUDENT OUTCOMES ON HAVING LIBRARIES.

I HAVE DATA. I HAVE LOTS OF DATA.

ALL RIGHT. SO I ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW.

I'VE NEVER SEEN HER IN PERSON. BUT HERE'S SOME DATA.

ON AVERAGE, THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS SCORING ADVANCED IN WRITING IS TWO AND A HALF TIMES HIGHER FOR SCHOOLS WITH A FULL TIME CERTIFIED LIBRARIAN THAN THOSE WITHOUT ONE.

ADDITIONALLY, IN SCHOOLS WHERE LIBRARIES ARE STAFFED WITH BOTH FULL TIME CERTIFIED LIBRARIANS AND SUPPORT STAFF, THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS SCORING ADVANCED IN WRITING IS ALMOST TWICE AS HIGH AS THOSE WITH FULL TIME CERTIFIED STAFFING ALONE.

ANOTHER DATA HIGHER LIBRARY STAFFING LEVELS AT ALL GRADE LEVELS WERE LINKED TO HIGHER READING PERFORMANCE, WITH 7% OF 13% INCREASES IN ELEMENTARY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.

[00:40:11]

THANK YOU, SIR.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR HEARING OF AGENDA.

SIR, YOU'RE DISRUPTING THE MEETING.

THANK YOU. THIS IS YOUR FIRST WARNING.

THANK YOU.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR HEARING OF AGENDA SPEAKERS.

WE WILL NOW HEAR FROM SPEAKERS WHO REGISTERED FOR THE HEARING OF THE COMMUNITY.

[HEARING OF THE COMMUNITY]

MS. SMITH, WILL YOU PLEASE ADMIT HER? WE WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE MS. CRUZ FOR HER SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU, MS. CRUZ PLEASE GO AHEAD.

BUENOS NOCHES, BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT MILES, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU TO MONITOR THE CURRENT GOALS AND CONSTRAINTS ADOPTED BY THE ELECTED BOARD UNDER THE LONE STAR GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK THAT EXPIRE AT THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

PER THE MONITORING CALENDAR FOR THIS MONTH, YOU WOULD HAVE MONITORED THE END OF YEAR MATH OUTCOMES FOR FIRST THROUGH THIRD GRADERS.

YOU WOULD HAVE ALSO MONITORED CONSTRAINT THREE, WHICH MONITORS IF CAMPUSES HAVE A CAMPUS LITERACY PLAN, AND IF PARENTS OF STUDENTS WHO ARE BEHIND GRADE LEVEL AND READING ARE BEING NOTIFIED. LASTLY, YOU WOULD HAVE MONITORED CONSTRAINT FOUR, WHICH MONITORS THE QUALITY OF IEP GOALS.

AND IF STUDENTS ARE MEETING IEP GOALS, I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WERE IN THE PROCESS OF ADOPTING A NEW SET OF GOALS AND CONSTRAINTS.

HOWEVER, THE CURRENT DATA IS YOUR BASELINE DATA FOR YOUR NEW GOALS.

YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW THE STUDENTS ARE DOING AND PARENTS AND GUARDIANS AND THE GREATER PUBLIC ALSO NEED TO KNOW WHERE OUR STUDENTS CURRENTLY ARE.

IN EACH OF THESE AREAS.

YOU RECEIVED A PRESENTATION ON STAR OUTCOMES LAST WEEK FOR THE 2022, 2023 SCHOOL YEAR.

THESE OUTCOMES ARE IN AGGREGATE, BUT HOW ARE STUDENTS, GROUP STUDENT GROUPS DOING AND WHY? THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT, WE WILL HEAR FROM OUR SPEAKERS WHO WISH TO ADDRESS THE BOARD IN THE AUDITORIUM.

WILL MEGAN LUSTIG PLEASE COME TO THE MICROPHONE? GOOD EVENING. 548.

THAT'S THE NUMBER OF YEARS OF TEACHING EXPERIENCE IN OUR LOCAL SCHOOL.

52. THAT'S THE NUMBER OF DEGREES THAT OUR TEACHERS HOLD.

HISTORY IS FULL OF TALENTED AND VERY EXPERIENCED EDUCATORS IN RESEARCH STATES THAT THE BETTER EDUCATED AND YEARS TEACHING THAT A TEACHER HAS, THERE'S A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN THAT AND A STUDENT'S SUCCESS RATE.

YOUR MOST VALUABLE ASSET IN HISTORY ARE YOUR TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF WHO ARE WITH OUR CHILDREN ON THE FRONT LINES EVERY DAY.

WITHOUT OUR TEACHERS, HISTORY IS NOTHING.

I WORRY THAT THE CULTURE OF FEAR AND CHAOS THAT IS CURRENTLY WHERE WE ARE IS DOING NOTHING BUT GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE TEACHERS LEAVE.

MR. MILES, WHEN YOU WERE IN DALLAS, THE YOUR AVERAGE TEACHER RESIGNATION WAS 22%.

THE STATE AVERAGE IS 12%.

IT'S ALMOST DOUBLE.

I'M ALSO CONCERNED THAT THE CONSTANT MICROMANAGEMENT WILL NOT HAVE THE BAD TEACHERS LEAVE IS GOING TO MAKE THE GOOD TEACHERS LEAVE.

YOU SAID PUSHBACK IS JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T LIKE CHANGE.

THESE TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS HAVE ADAPTED TO A NEW SCHOOL CALENDAR.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MELISSA ASHLAND, FOLLOWED BY JAMES SONIER, FOLLOWED BY SAVANT MOORE.

MS. ASHLAND.

HELLO. I'M A PARENT OF A FIFTH GRADER WITH DYSLEXIA AND ADD AND ASD.

I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED WITH THE NEW POLICY THAT MIKE MILLS IS DIRECTING ALL HISD TEACHERS TO AVOID, QUOTE, LETTING POOR READERS READ ALOUD IN CLASS, END QUOTE.

THE LAST TIME I CHECKED, SCHOOL IS WHERE EVERY CHILD LEARNS TO READ.

HOW DARE MY CHILD WITH DYSLEXIA OR OTHER CHILDREN THAT MAY JUST BE SLOW TO READ BE SINGLED OUT.

BUILDING FLUENCY HAPPENS WHEN ORAL READING IS PRACTICED.

IF A CHILD WANTS TO READ ALOUD, THEY SHOULD BE GIVEN THE CHANCE.

HOW DEGRADING TO A STUDENT TO NEVER BE CALLED ON OR BE FLAT OUT TOLD THEY CAN'T READ ALOUD WHEN THEY RAISE THEIR HANDS.

AND I WOULD WORRY THAT STUDENTS WITH DYSLEXIA LIKE MY SON WOULDN'T BE CALLED ON BECAUSE OF THE LABEL.

READING ALOUD BUILDS CONFIDENCE.

OUR CHILDREN ARE BRIGHT INDIVIDUALS THAT JUST LEARN DIFFERENTLY, AND FOR THE LEADER OF OUR DISTRICT TO CALL THEM OUT AND MAKE THEM FEEL LESS THAN IS APPALLING.

THEY WORK HARDER THAN ANY OTHER KID IN THE CLASS, AND THEY SHOULD BE APPLAUDED FOR THIS, NOT PUNISHED.

MY SON HAD AN AMAZING FIRST GRADE TEACHER THAT KNEW EXACTLY WHAT HE NEEDED, AND SHE WORKED WITH HIM AND HAD HIM READ TO HIS KINDERGARTEN CLASS.

AND HE WOULD JUST SLEEP WITH THAT BOOK THAT NIGHT.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. MR. SONY FOLLOWED BY SAVANT MORE.

I'M A FATHER OF A SECOND AND A FOURTH GRADER IN HISD.

I WATCHED LAST WEEK'S SCHOOL BOARD MEETING AS A COMMUNITY SHARED THEIR CONCERNS AND PROBLEMS WITH THE CHANGES IMPOSED ON CLASSROOMS.

[00:45:03]

HE COMPLETELY IGNORED ALL THOSE ISSUES AND TOLD THE BOARD THAT EVERYTHING WAS GOING GREAT.

THE CONTRAST BETWEEN THE ACTUAL EXPERIENCE IN OUR CLASSROOMS AND WHAT WE WERE HEARING FROM THIS ADMINISTRATION DOES NOT PROMOTE TRUST.

WE TRUST OUR TEACHERS AND OUR PRINCIPALS.

YOU DON'T KNOW OUR KIDS.

WE DIDN'T VOTE FOR YOU.

YOU NEED TO EARN OUR TRUST.

MR. MILES HAS SAID THAT PEOPLE WHO DON'T SHARE HIS VISION OF HISD ARE PEOPLE WHO, QUOTE, WOULD RATHER SIT ON THE SIDELINES AND CRITICIZE.

END QUOTE. I'M A FATHER.

I'M NOT ON THE SIDELINES.

THIS IS ABOUT MY KIDS EDUCATION.

I'M ADVOCATING TO PROTECT THEIR SCHOOL.

I IMPLORE THE BOARD TO TAKE THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS SERIOUSLY.

GASLIGHTING US ABOUT OUR LEGITIMATE CONCERNS IS UNACCEPTABLE.

THANK YOU, SIR. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SAVANT MOORE, FOLLOWED BY WYNNE ERICKSON AND MARISSA NEWITZ.

MR. MOORE AND GOVERNOR'S TRAINING.

THEY SAID THAT ADULT BEHAVIOR, IT MATTERS.

IT WILL CHANGE STUDENT OUTCOMES.

WE NEED ADULTS TO HAVE SOME RESPECT AND DECORUM.

YOUR BODY LANGUAGE, YOUR IMPLICIT BIAS IS NOT GOOD TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY.

MY 12 YEAR OLD SON, WHO'S IN THE EIGHTH GRADE, HE HAS A 10TH GRADE, 11TH GRADE MIND.

HE SAYS, YOU TOOK MY MAGNET PROGRAM AWAY FROM THE BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS.

WE NO LONGER WILL BE ABLE TO DO MATH AND CHESS.

WE WERE THE ONLY ONES IN THE ROOM.

CAN YOU PLEASE CLOSE OUR DOORS SO THAT WE CAN LEARN DURING OUR INSTRUCTION? THEN MY 12 YEAR OLD SON SAID, WHY DO MY TEACHERS STAND FOR SEVEN HOURS? AS A PREACHER, I'M HAVING TO COUNSEL YOUR EMPLOYEES BECAUSE YOU'RE DESTROYING THEIR RELATIONSHIPS OUTSIDE OF WORK.

THEIR BACK IS HURTING.

THEY DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THEIR PARTNERS BECAUSE THEY'RE SO TIRED FROM WORK.

I NEED YOU TO LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY.

YESTERDAY, AT A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, TWO OF YOU WERE ONLY ON.

WAS FROM 6 TO 730.

THANK YOU, SIR. ONE MINUTE.

THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS.

WYNNE ERICKSON, FOLLOWED BY MARISSA NEWITZ.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. I'M HERE TODAY TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST NEW POLICIES THAT PUT IN DISTRICT WIDE DOWN TO THE MINUTE TEACHING REGULATIONS AND STRICT PAY FOR PERFORMANCE SYSTEMS THAT TIE TEACHERS TO A SINGLE TEST OR UNDULY RIGID EVALUATION CRITERIA.

I'M EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THESE LESSON PLANS THAT FORCE EVERY TEACHER TO TEACH EVERY CLASS IN THE SAME RIGID WAY.

THE BEST TEACHERS AND WE HAVE A LOT OF ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL TEACHERS IN HISTORY THAT MY KIDS HAVE HAD.

AND THEY ACCOMPLISH ALL THESE THINGS BY NOT ONLY GETTING THROUGH THE FACTS THAT NEED TO BE TAUGHT, BUT ALSO BY BEING CREATIVE AND COMING UP WITH LESSON PLANS THAT PROVIDE DIVERSITY TO THE STUDENT'S DAYS AND THEN INSPIRE AND REACH CHILDREN WITH DIFFERENT INTERESTS AND BACKGROUNDS.

THESE NEW RIGID POLICIES SQUASH THE TEACHERS ABILITY TO TEACH IN A WAY THAT THEY KNOW WILL REACH ALL THE DIFFERENT CHILDREN.

AND I'M SADDENED TO THINK THAT TEACHERS MAY AVOID ALL OF THE PROJECTS AND GROUP RESEARCH AND DRAWING AND COLORING ACTIVITIES THAT EVERY STUDENT LOVES JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO PLEASE THESE RIGID POLICIES.

ONE OF MY SON'S FAVORITE WEEKS AT SCHOOL LAST YEAR WAS WHEN HE WAS WORKING.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARISSA [INAUDIBLE] FOLLOWED BY BROOKE ROSZAK AND BRIAN FORREST.

MISS [INAUDIBLE].

GOOD EVENING. I'M HERE AS A MOM OF TWO HISD STUDENTS, A FIRST AND THIRD GRADER.

I'M A GRADUATE OF HISD AND THE DAUGHTER AND SISTER OF PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATORS.

PROFESSIONALLY, I'M A LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER WHO SPECIALIZES IN SUPPORTING CHILDREN WHO'VE BEEN EXPOSED TO TRAUMA AND LOSS.

MUCH OF MY WORK CENTERS AROUND TRAINING EDUCATORS AND BEST PRACTICES TO CREATE CLASSROOMS THAT ARE TRAUMA AND GRIEF INFORMED, AS WELL AS TRAINING THEM TO RECOGNIZE SIGNS OF THEIR OWN SECONDARY TRAUMA, COMPASSION, FATIGUE AND BURNOUT.

UNFORTUNATELY, WITH ALL THESE CHANGES, YOU'RE GOING TO BE KEEPING ME IN BUSINESS FOR A WHILE.

INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO MEET STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE, TEACHERS ARE BEING FORCED TO USE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH.

WHERE IS THE RESEARCH SHOWING THE STRATEGY IS EFFECTIVE? WHERE IS THE RESEARCH SHOWING THAT COLORING IS BAD FOR KIDS OR THAT DIMMING LIGHTS NEGATIVELY IMPACT STUDENT OUTCOMES? WHAT ABOUT DISCOURAGING STRUGGLING READERS FROM READING OUT LOUD OR KEEPING CLASSROOM DOORS OPEN TO THE CONTRARY? DATA AROUND ALL OF THESE NEW PROTOCOLS SHOWS THE OPPOSITE.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BROOKE REISCHEK, FOLLOWED BY BRIAN FIRST.

YES, MA'AM. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN IN HISD, BUT I COME TO YOU TODAY AS A FORMER PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATOR.

I REMEMBER HAVING SCHEDULED VISITS FROM ADMIN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

I DREADED THESE EVALUATIONS.

I'D SPEND SO MUCH TIME MAKING EVERYTHING LOOK JUST SO SO I COULD GET ALL THE BOXES CHECKED AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT WAS PERFORMANCE ART.

[00:50:07]

FORTUNATELY, MY VISITS WERE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN AND MY PRINCIPAL ABSOLUTELY VALUED CHILDREN OVER CHECKLISTS.

I CANNOT IMAGINE TEACHING IN A CLASSROOM TODAY TRYING TO ADHERE TO THE NEW DISTRICT MANDATES.

THE CURRENT RECOMMENDATIONS MIGHT LOOK GOOD ON PAPER AND MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THE STATE IS PRIORITIZING EDUCATION.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S PERFORMANCE ART.

OUR TEACHERS DESERVE RESPECT, SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT.

OUR STUDENTS AND VAST AND VARIED NEEDS SHOULD BE THEIR MAIN PRIORITY.

OTHERWISE, WE'RE ASKING TEACHERS TO PUT THEIR ENERGY AND FOCUS INTO ALL THE WRONG THINGS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BRIAN, FIRST FOLLOWED BY SARAH SHANNON AND THEN ANN GARCIA.

MR. FIRST, LET ME GET MY GLASSES OFF.

OKAY. AND BRIAN FIRST GOT 19 YEARS WITH THE DISTRICT, HAD TO RETIRE EARLY DUE TO AN ILLNESS.

RIC OFFERS DIFFERENT SUBJECT OFFERS A SICK LEAVE BANK, WHICH IS A I'VE GOT TO GO FAST.

SORRY. SICK LEAVE BANK, WHICH IS A VOLUNTARY SALARY REIMBURSEMENT INSURANCE FOR CATASTROPHIC ILLNESSES.

MY FIRST HOPE REVISE HIS SICK LEAVE BANK OR SLB.

THERE'S THREE SUPPORTIVE ACTION AND CHANGES THAT NEED TO HAPPEN.

FIRST, THE PERMANENT TO DUE DATE.

THE REQUIRED FORMS IS TO SOON START THE 32 DAY COUNT DOWN FROM THE FIRST DAY BACK TO WORK INSTEAD OF THE FIRST DAY OFF.

THIS WILL ELIMINATE FAVORITISM.

NOTE THERE IS NO LAW THAT REQUIRES THIS IMMEDIATE PERMANENT DENIAL OF DUE DATE.

SECOND, ADD PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL COURTESY WARNINGS INFORMING OF IMPENDING FINANCIAL DANGER.

THIRD, GIVE SECOND CHANCES.

SECOND, MY HOPE REIMBURSEMENT.

THIS IS GRIEVOUS BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF SUPPORTIVE ACTIONS JUST DESCRIBED.

I WAS DENIED SLB REIMBURSEMENT.

I WAS VERY SICK, UNKNOWING, UNSUSPECTING, TRUSTING THAT ALL WILL BE TAKEN CARE OF.

I HAVE, FOR STARTERS, $4,200 OF MEDICAL.

THANK YOU, SIR. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SARAH SHANNON, FOLLOWED BY ANNE GARCIA, WHO WILL BE FOLLOWED BY CAROLYN JONES DARVILLE.

SARAH SHANNON.

MISS SHANNON HERE? NO.

ANN GARCIA.

MEN WITH DUAL LANGUAGE IN THE DISTRICT.

MY KIDS ARE IN A DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM, AND THIRD AND MY THIRD AND FIFTH GRADERS ARE NO LONGER GETTING 50% OF THEIR INSTRUCTION IN SPANISH.

WHY? THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE REQUIRES THAT AT LEAST 50% OF INSTRUCTION MUST BE IN SPANISH AND THAT A DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM MUST CONTINUE WITHOUT INTERRUPTION THROUGH FIFTH GRADE.

IF KIDS ARE NOT BEING TAUGHT AT LEAST 50% IN SPANISH AFTER THE SECOND GRADE, IT IS NOT A DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM.

37% OF HISD STUDENTS ARE EMERGENT BILINGUAL.

THE MAJORITY ARE NATIVE SPANISH SPEAKERS.

BY ENDING DUAL LANGUAGE WITHOUT WARNING, YOU ARE LEAVING THE MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS BEHIND.

A HIGH QUALITY DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM BASED ON RESEARCH PRODUCES HIGHER READING SCORES.

THIS IS HOW ENGLISH PROFICIENCY IS BEST ACHIEVED.

PLEASE ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS IF YOU REALLY WANT TO IMPROVE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR BROWN KIDS.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CAROLYN JONES.

DARVILL FOLLOWED BY SARAH GITTENS AND STEPHANIE BELL.

YES, MA'AM. MY NAME IS CAROLYN JONES DARVILLE.

I'M A PROUD MEMBER OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INCORPORATED.

WE ARE THE LARGEST WOMEN'S ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD, AND TO DATE, OUR WORLDWIDE MEMBERSHIP EXCEEDS 350,000.

SINCE OUR CHARTERING, WE HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY WITH ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES BEING EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

RECENT REPORTS INDICATE THAT AS HISD SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, YOU HAVE DEVELOPED A PLAN TO ELIMINATE LIBRARIANS IN THE 28 SCHOOLS THAT ARE UNDER THE NEW EDUCATION SYSTEM.

THE PLAN MENTIONS REPURPOSING THE LIBRARIES AT THE 28 SCHOOLS, WHICH ARE IN COMMUNITIES ATTENDED BY STUDENTS FROM BLACK AND LATINO FAMILIES WITH LOWER INCOMES.

WHILE I AM HAPPY THAT MOST HISD STUDENTS WILL KEEP THEIR LIBRARIANS AND USE THE FACILITIES AS THEY WERE PREVIOUS, IT IS UNJUST THAT ALL HISD STUDENTS WILL NOT HAVE THE SAME ACCESS.

I IMPLORE YOU TO SUPPORT THE LEARNING NEEDS OF ALL AGES.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SARAH GITTENS, FOLLOWED BY STEPHANIE BELL AND THEN MELISSA MCPHAIL.

I'M A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY AND I HAVE A FAMILY MEMBER WHO UNTIL JUST RECENTLY WAS VERY HAPPILY EMPLOYED AT HISD.

I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.

WE'VE HEARD FROM TEACHERS AND PARENTS, BUT NOTED EDUCATOR AND AUTHOR JUSTIN BADER, PHD, HAS POSTED ABOUT HISD ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND I WOULD LIKE TO PARAPHRASE HIS COMMENTS.

[00:55:03]

THE SYSTEMS AND PLANS THAT MILES IS PUTTING INTO PLACE ARE SO INCOMPETENT, SO RIDICULOUS, SO ILL CONCEIVED THAT WHEN THEY FAIL AND THEY WILL FAIL, IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO PIN THAT FAILURE ON THE DISTRICT EMPLOYEES, TEACHERS OR PRINCIPALS.

IT IS OBVIOUS THE BLAME LIES WITH MIKE MILES AND YOU, THE UNELECTED BOARD.

MR. BADER IS A FIRM BELIEVER IN GETTING PRINCIPALS INTO CLASSROOMS. BUT WHEN YOU START ASSESSING TEACHERS TO DEATH AND STUDENTS.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STEPHANIE BELL, FOLLOWED BY MELISSA MCPHAIL AND THEN DIANE KAPLAN.

MISS BELL, I'VE BEEN AN EDUCATOR FOR 17 YEARS AND I'VE TAUGHT MY STUDENTS AS WELL AS MY CHILDREN TO SPEAK UP FOR THEMSELVES.

SO I'M PASSING IT ON TO MY DAUGHTER.

HELLO, MY NAME IS OLIVIA.

I AM 12 YEARS OLD.

I HAVE GONE TO ISC SCHOOLS MY ENTIRE LIFE AND MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN POSITIVE.

I REMEMBER THAT THE TEACHERS WERE ALWAYS HAPPY AND THE KIDS WERE ALWAYS READY TO LEARN.

NOW I AM A STUDENT AT PINOAK MIDDLE SCHOOL.

I WANTED TO COME TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT THE CHANGES I HAVE NOTICED AT SCHOOL.

I HAVE NOTICED THAT MY TEACHERS HAVE TIMERS THAT ARE CONSTANTLY GOING OFF AND DISRUPTING THE CLASS.

I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE ADMINISTRATORS ARE CONTINUOUSLY POPPING IN AND DISTURBING THE STUDENTS AND MAKING THE TEACHERS FEEL A SENSE OF ANXIETY.

I FEEL AS IF THE ADMINISTRATORS DON'T HAVE TIME FOR US ANYMORE BECAUSE THEY ARE ALWAYS IN A CLASSROOM, OBSERVING, OBSERVING THE TEACHERS IF I NEED THEM, THEY ARE BUSY OR NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. MANY OF MY TEACHERS ARE IN A CONSTANT FEAR OF GETTING FIRED DUE TO THE NEW OPEN DOOR POLICY.

I AND MANY OTHER STUDENTS HAVE A HARD TIME CONCENTRATING DUE TO THE MANY DISTRACTIONS IN THE HALLWAYS.

ISN'T IT YOUR FIRST PRIORITY TO HAVE KIDS IN ASD LIKE ME LEARN STUDENTS SHOULD BE IN A PLACE THEY WANT TO GO TO AND.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MELISSA MCPHAIL, FOLLOWED BY DIANE CAPLAN AND [INAUDIBLE] NO.

DIANE KAPLAN.

MS. KAPLAN. I HAVE BEEN IN READING EDUCATION MY WHOLE ADULT LIFE.

I HAD PREPARED THREE MINUTES AND NOW I'M HAVE ONLY ONE.

SO I WORKED AS A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER IN HISD.

I WAS A READING PROFESSOR AT TEXAS A&M FOR 20 YEARS AND I VOLUNTEERED MANY TIMES IN THE SCHOOL.

LUCKILY, SOMEBODY ALREADY BROUGHT THE DATA ON THE LIBRARIES.

I'M APPALLED BY THE CLOSING OF LIBRARIES, AND I HAVE A PLAN.

I HAVE A PLAN THAT I HAVE PRESENTED TO MANY PEOPLE, AND I HAVE A PLAN TO BRING VOLUNTEERS AS A STOPGAP MEASURE.

I'M NOT BELITTLING LIBRARIANS, BUT I WANT TO BRING VOLUNTEERS THIS YEAR INTO THE LIBRARIES.

IN THE 20 ELEMENTARY LIBRARIES THREE DAYS A WEEK.

I HAVE PEOPLE COMMITTED ALREADY TO BE VOLUNTEER.

I VOLUNTEER TO ORGANIZE THE PROGRAM AND AND IT HAS TO BE THE VOLUNTEERS HAVE TO BE TRAINED BY A CURRENT.

I HOPE YOU WILL TAKE ME UP ON MY OFFER.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICAH SCHWEITZER, FOLLOWED BY [INAUDIBLE] AND THEN JESSE HINER. MIKE SCHWEITZER.

NO. [INAUDIBLE].

AS YOU KNOW, I'M RUNNING FOR SCHOOL. NOT YET.

SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE TO SPEAK DIRECTLY INTO THE MIC.

TURN IT UP. BUT I DON'T THINK SO.

HOLD ON.

TESTING.

TRY AGAIN.

NOW, ONE SECOND.

HE'S GOING TO GET YOU ANYONE FOR THE FOLKS WHO ARE ONLINE.

[01:00:15]

AS YOU KNOW, I'M RUNNING FOR SCHOOL BOARD, AND I'D LIKE TO SHARE SOME FEEDBACK I'VE RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY AS I'VE BEEN KNOCKING ON DOORS, ATTENDING COMMUNITY EVENTS AND RECEIVING PHONE CALLS.

SO TODAY I HAVE ONE STRENGTH AND ONE AREA OF IMPROVEMENT TO SHARE.

I TALKED TO SOME PARENTS WHOSE CHILDREN ATTEND WHEATLEY HIGH SCHOOL.

ONE OF THEM TOLD ME THAT HER DAUGHTER, A SOPHOMORE, TOLD HER THAT THEY ARE GETTING MORE A LOT MORE WORK IN SCHOOL NOWADAYS, BUT SHE ENJOYED IT.

AND ACCORDING TO THESE PARENTS, THAT IS A HUGE STRENGTH OF THE NEW PROGRAM TO BE RECEIVING MORE WORK.

AS FOR THE GROWTH OPPORTUNITY, I'VE TALKED TO SEVERAL TEACHERS WHO SAY THERE'S A LACK OF CLARITY AS TO WHAT'S ALLOWED AND WHAT'S NOT.

FOR EXAMPLE, I TALKED TO ONE TEACHER WHO SAID THAT WORD WALLS HAD ALWAYS BEEN ENCOURAGED, BUT NOW THEY'RE BAD AND PERHAPS BANNED.

AND THE SAME TEACHER TOLD ME THAT HE'D BE FINE FOLLOWING MORE OR LESS ALL THE DISTRICT DIRECTIVES AS LONG AS THERE'S A COMPELLING EXPLANATION FOR THE CHANGES AND AS LONG AS THESE REASONS ARE CLEARLY COMMUNICATED TO THEM.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSE HINER, FOLLOWED BY JANE FRAU.

AND THEN KARTHIK FELLOWS.

JESSE HEINER HERE.

PLEASE LOOK AT THE TRIPOD IN FRONT OF ME.

VISUALIZE A WEBCAM ON TOP, FACING ALL OF YOU IN THE AUDIENCE.

VISUALIZE YOUR NINE YEAR OLD FAMILY MEMBERS IN THIS AUDIENCE WITH YOU.

YOU ARE NOW IN AN NES OR NES A CLASSROOM PICTURE A TIME WHEN YOUR NINE YEAR OLD WAS DISRUPTIVE.

PICTURE THEM, IN MR. MILES'S WORDS, REMOVED FROM THE CLASSROOM AND PLACED IN A TEAM CENTER WHERE THEY CAN ZOOM BACK INTO THE CLASS ON JULY 20TH, MR. MILES STATED, WE WE ALSO PROJECT THE KID ONLINE ONTO THE WALL.

VISUALIZE THE ZOOM FEED OF YOUR NINE YEAR OLD'S FACE FROM THE TEAM CENTER BEING DISPLAYED ON THAT BIG SCREEN RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF THE CLASS FOR ALL OF THEM TO BE ABLE TO SEE THEM AS THEY CARRY OUT THEIR SENTENCE IN THE TEAM CENTER.

THIS IS THE DISCIPLINE, THE DISCIPLINE PLAN THAT HAS BEEN LAID OUT BY MR. MILES, BUT ONLY FOR THE POOREST SCHOOLS IN THIS DISTRICT.

IT IS NOT A SURPRISE THAT NONE OF THE APPOINTED BOARD OF.

AT ANY ESSER.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS.

JANE. I THINK IT WAS FOR YOU.

IS THAT RIGHT, MA'AM? OKAY.

IS IT ON? YES.

UM, THERE WAS A SPECIAL EDUCATION REVIEW CONDUCTED IN 2017 BY THE DISTRICT AND PUBLISHED IN 2018 OF FEBRUARY AND FEBRUARY 2018.

IT WAS CONDUCTED BY A COMPANY CALLED AIR, AND IT'S STILL AVAILABLE ON THE HISD WEBSITE AND STATES TEN COMPREHENSIVE AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT.

THERE IS A CURRENT BOARD CONSTRAINT THAT IS FOR YOU, THE BOARD THAT SAYS, AND I QUOTE, THE BOARD WILL NOT ALLOW FIVE YEARS TO PASS WITHOUT A SPECIAL EDUCATION REVIEW.

IT'S NOW THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2023.

AND I AM ASKING YOU, THE BOARD OF MANAGERS, TO DO YOUR DUTY AND APPROVE A SPECIAL EDUCATION REVIEW TO NOT BE IN VIOLATION OF YOUR OWN POLICY.

AND WHILE YOU'RE CONSIDERING THINGS LIKE DISTRICT OF INNOVATION, I WOULD SAY IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR A COMMUNITY THAT WAS MAKING A DECISION TO DAC TO NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES ON A DISTRICT INNOVATION UNTIL THIS SPECIAL EDUCATION REVIEW HAS BEEN DONE.

WILL YOU COMMIT TO DOING THIS? I ALSO BROUGHT THIS UP TO THE ELECTED BOARD IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY OF 2023.

SO YOUR. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS [INAUDIBLE].

AND THEN FOLLOWED BY PAULA COBBINA.

[INAUDIBLE] OKAY.

PAULA [INAUDIBLE].

OR KARTHIK FELLOWS IS THAT.

NO. OKAY.

PAULA COBBINA. ON AUGUST 10TH, 2023, I SPOKE AND ALSO GAVE CORRESPONDENCE TO THE BOARD OF MANAGERS, PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY.

THIS CORRESPONDENCE WAS ENTITLED TOTAL DISREGARD FOR YOUR CHOSEN PURPOSE, AND IT WAS FROM A BUSINESSMAN OF THE COMMUNITY WHO IS ALSO A HOUSTON BLACK RETIRED POLICE OFFICER AND VIETNAM WAR VETERAN.

AS OF THE DATE OF THIS EVENING'S MEETING, THE BUSINESS LEADER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.

BUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS NOW THE BOARD OF MANAGERS HAS SCHEDULED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS TO CONTINUE WITH MIKE MILES BEGAN IN THE SUMMER, WHICH IS NOT PART OF A JOB

[01:05:04]

ANY SA SCHOOLS ARE OVERWORKING ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, COUNSELORS AND TEACHERS AND UNDERUTILIZING THEIR SCHOOL CAMPUSES.

SUPPORT SERVICE BUILDING PARKING LOTS ARE EMPTY GYMNASIUMS AND LIBRARIES ARE DORMANT AND STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOLS ARE BETWEEN THEIR GUINEA PIGS TO ROBOTICS STATE IN THE.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. NEXT, WE WILL HEAR FROM THE REMAINDER OF OUR REGISTERED SPEAKERS WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM SPEAKERS.

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT WE MUST SEE YOU LIVE WITH YOUR CAMERA ON AS YOU SPEAK.

MISS SMITH, PLEASE IDENTIFY AND ADMIT OUR SPEAKERS.

DR. BOEGLIN, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.

YOU MAY BEGIN. YES, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO.

IT'S HARDER ON MY PHONE.

ALL RIGHT. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND CLEARLY THAT I AM FOR EDUCATION.

I'M FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION.

BUT WHAT I'M NOT FOR IS FOR A BOARD OF MANAGERS.

A SUPERINTENDENT.

AND A NOW DAC COMMITTEE.

THAT IS ALL INTENDED TO JUST SAY, YES, I DARE ANY OF YOU TO GO AGAINST WHAT MIKE WANTS.

YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS TRUE.

THAT WE ARE NOT JUST A FEW PEOPLE, A FEW NAYSAYERS WHO DON'T WANT CHANGE.

YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE IT IN YOUR OWN FACE.

SO THERE YOU.

TO GO AGAINST THEM.

AND YOU WON'T BE ON THERE ANY LONGER.

OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AUDREY NATH.

[INAUDIBLE] IS IN THE AUDIENCE.

OKAY, LET'S GO. LET'S JUST DO THIS.

OKAY. ARE YOU PULLING UP, MS. NATH? OR. PARDON ME, MA'AM.

ARE YOU MS. LUCAS ROBERTS.

MR. [INAUDIBLE].

YES. YES, MA'AM. YOU WERE SIGNED UP BY ZOOM.

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US.

DISRESPECT US. IGNORE US.

Y'ALL AREN'T LISTENING TO US.

DO YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT US? I COME TO YOU BEFORE YOU AGAIN TO SAY THAT THIS TAKEOVER.

IF MIKE MILES AND THE BOARD OF MANAGERS YOU ARE UNELECTED SHAMS. HISD IS THE POSTER CHILD FOR TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION.

IT'S NO SECRET THAT YOU ARE THE PUPPETS OF MIKE MORATH AND ULTIMATELY YOUR BIG BOSS, GREG ABBOTT.

YOU'RE DOING THE BIDDING.

DO ANY OF YOU EVEN LIVE IN A BLACK OR BROWN COMMUNITIES? IT'S SO OBVIOUS YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO NURTURE OR CARE FOR OUR CHILDREN.

CAN YOU IMAGINE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, EVEN HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOMS WITH NO PICTURES OR INSPIRATIONS ON THE WALLS? OUR BLACK AND BROWN SCHOLARS MATTER.

WE ARE ON THE ROAD BACK TO SEPARATE AND UNEQUAL.

RACISM IS AN ILLNESS.

ARE YOU SICK? DISRESPECT US.

IGNORE US. Y'ALL REFUSE TO LISTEN TO US.

Y'ALL DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT US.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. OUR NEXT THREE SPEAKERS ARE BY ZOOM.

MISS KNAPP IS NOT ON ZOOM, BUT MARIA BENSON, YOU MAY TURN ON YOUR CAMERA AND BEGIN.

ALL RIGHT, SON.

SORRY. YOU.

I'M SORRY. SORRY.

HI, MY NAME IS MARIA BENSON, AND I'M A TEACHER AT SUGAR GROVE ACADEMY.

I AM CONCERNED ABOUT AGENDA ITEMS 12 AND 13 WHERE TEACHERS CAN BE PLACED IN THE EXCESS POOL AND THEN CAN BE TERMINATED.

YOU DON'T NEED A BIG STAFF BECAUSE LOW ENROLLMENT AND LACK OF FUNDING SEND THOSE TEACHERS TO THE EXCESS POOL.

GET RID OF DUAL LANGUAGE AND MAGNET PROGRAMS. SEND THOSE TEACHERS TO THE EXCESS POOL.

CLOSE OR CONSOLIDATE SCHOOLS, WHICH IS LIKELY TO HAPPEN WITH THIS TAKEOVER.

SEND THOSE TEACHERS TO THE EXCESS POOL.

THEN IN THE EX-POST EXCESS POOL, TERMINATE THE TEACHER.

THAT IS A VERY EFFICIENT PLAN TO MAKE TEACHERS AT WILL EMPLOYEES.

VOTING YES IS A VOTE THAT DEVALUES TEACHERS AND SUPPORTS THE DESTRUCTION OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.

PLEASE VOTE NO.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

WE HAVE ONE MORE ZOOM SPEAKER FROM THE PUBLIC HEARING.

BRENDA HERNANDEZ. OKAY.

I INVESTED AND IT LEAKED EVERYWHERE FOR HOURS AND HOURS UNTIL WE FIGURED OUT EXACTLY.

[01:10:03]

INITIALLY, IT WAS BLEEDING VERY MUCH AT THE BOTTOM UNTIL, LIKE, LITERALLY JUST.

MA'AM, PLEASE TURN ON YOUR UNIT FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS.

VIDEO CAME BACK AND IT WAS A HERNANDEZ.

PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON, MISS HERNANDEZ.

PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.

ALL I CAN SAY WE HAVE TO SEE YOU.

OH, I'M SORRY. GIVE ME JUST A MINUTE.

I'M GONNA HAVE TO LET YOU GO. I'LL CALL YOU.

RIGHT. I'LL CALL YOU BACK IN A LITTLE BIT.

OKAY? MISS BENSON'S DAUGHTER ALSO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.

OKAY. THANK YOU. ARE WE READY? HOLD ON ONE SECOND. WHO ARE WE HEARING FROM? THIS WAS ADIDAS.

BITTNER. OKAY, WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. ALL RIGHT, YOU CAN READ.

HI, MY NAME IS ADIDAS H BITTNER, AND I AM A FOURTH GRADER AT PONDER ELEMENTARY.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW WHY THIS YEAR IS DIFFERENT FROM LAST YEAR AND HOW IT IS AFFECTING MY FRIENDS.

WE LOVE MATH.

THIS YEAR, HOWEVER, MATH SEEMS BORING.

MY TEACHER HAS TO USE EUREKA, WHICH WE DIDN'T HAVE LAST YEAR.

A COUPLE OF DIAGRAMS LIKE NUMBER LINES AND PLACE VALUE CHARTS ARE HELPFUL, BUT I FEEL SAD.

LIKE WE ARE PREPARING FOR THE STAR TEST EVERY DAY.

WE WANT TO BE CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVERS AND CRITICAL THINKERS.

HOW CAN WE DO THAT WHEN THE CURRICULUM IS BORING AND FEELS LIKE TEST PREP? THANK YOU.

MISS SMITH, WE HAVE ONE MORE SPEAKER FROM THE PRIOR HEARING FROM THE 4:00.

OUR LAST SPEAKER IS MISS HERNANDEZ.

MISS HERNANDEZ. OKAY.

THANK YOU. MS. HERNANDEZ, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY AGAIN NOW? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.

OH, OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

PLEASE TURN ON YOUR VIDEO.

MA'AM. OH.

NEED TO START THE VIDEO. YES, PLEASE.

OKAY. THANK YOU. HERE WE GO.

HI, MY NAME IS BRANDY HERNANDEZ.

I'M A PARENT. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN IN.

I FEEL LIKE THERE IS ONE STRONG OPPONENT TO EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON AND THAT'S THE TEACHERS UNION.

AND I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE THERE TO PROTECT THE TEACHERS, BUT THERE HAS TO BE A VOICE THAT ALSO REPRESENTS THE PARENTS INVOLVED.

AND I FEEL LIKE THERE IS A LOT THAT IS NOT BEING SAID ABOUT HOW PARENTS CAN BENEFIT FROM DIFFERENT STRUCTURES, ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF TIMING.

MY KIDS IN SUMMER, IF I WASN'T THERE, PAYING ATTENTION TO THEM THIS SUMMER SLIDE IS REAL.

THIS SUMMER THEY THEY GO IN AND THEY LOSE THE FIRST TWO WEEKS JUST TRYING TO CATCH UP FROM THE PAST YEAR BECAUSE THEY HAD SO MUCH TIME IN BETWEEN TO FORGET EVERYTHING.

I ALSO FEEL LIKE IT PUTS MORE STRESS ON PARENTS OVERALL IN THE SUMMERTIME.

AND IF WE HAD JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE BALANCE AND A LITTLE BIT MORE DAYS IN THE FALL SEASON BEFORE TESTING STARTS IN THE SPRINGTIME, IT WOULD BE.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

THANK YOU. THAT I THINK THAT CONCLUDES.

IS THAT IT? NOBODY ELSE.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR HEARING OF REGISTERED SPEAKERS.

WE ARE READY TO CONSIDER A DISCUSSION AND REPORT ITEM.

SUPERINTENDENT MILES, DO YOU HAVE A REPORT FOR US THIS EVENING? YES, I HAVE A COUPLE.

HOLD ON ONE SECOND.

CAN YOU SPEAK WITH MISS SMITH? AND IF THAT'S CORRECT, WE'LL HAVE YOU SPEAK LATER.

THAT'S FINE.

WHAT IS YOUR. MA'AM? WHAT'S YOUR NAME? OKAY. I DON'T SEE YOU ON THE LIST, MA'AM, BUT WE'RE GOING TO DOUBLE CHECK AND WE'LL COME BACK.

OKAY. PLEASE GO AHEAD, SIR.

YEAH. THANK YOU.

OH, AT FOUR.

OH, MA'AM, YOU A SPEAKER AT THE 4:00? AND WE DID CALL YOU.

PLEASE FEEL FREE. THE MICROPHONES IN THE BACK.

OH, I'M SORRY. I GUESS IT.

WHERE DID IT GO? OH, HE'S GOT IT.

HE'S BRINGING IT TO YOU.

THERE WE GO. SENATOR HERE.

[01:15:05]

WHAT IS A CEO OF A CHARTER SCHOOL NETWORK DOING ON THE RUNNING A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT? WHY IS THERE ONLY ONE TEACHER ON THE BOARD OF MANAGERS? WELL, WE KNOW WHAT THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS.

ABBOTT AND MORATH WANT TO TURN THIS PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT INTO A CHARTER SCHOOL SO THAT IT WILL CONTINUE.

IT WILL MAKE A PROFIT MAKING MACHINE FOR ALREADY WEALTHY FOLKS LIKE YOURSELVES.

MR. MILES, WE KNOW YOU'RE A MILLIONAIRE, BUT MR. CAMPOS GOT YOU BEAT.

AND ALL OF THIS WILL BE AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR CHILDREN AND COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY THE BLACK AND BROWN SCHOOLS.

SO LET'S SEE. LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE DONE SO FAR.

THAT LOOKS LIKE CHARTER SCHOOLS, REMOVING LIBRARIES, TURNING INTO DETENTION CENTERS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS.

YOU CAN KICK OUT PROBLEM CHILDREN IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WE HAVE TO EDUCATE THEM.

SO YOU'RE. YOU'RE FORCED DISTRIBUTION OF THE.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

YOUR TIME IS UP.

MA'AM, YOUR TIME IS UP.

THANK YOU. THIS IS YOUR FIRST WARNING.

MA'AM, YOUR TIME IS UP.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMMENTS THIS EVENING.

THIS IS YOUR FIRST WARNING, MA'AM.

IF YOU CONTINUE TO DISRUPT THE MEETING, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ASK YOU TO LEAVE.

THANK YOU. YOU ARE CONTINUING WELL PAST YOUR TIME.

NO, MA'AM.

YOU HAD. MA'AM, THAT'S ENOUGH.

MA'AM, THIS IS YOUR SECOND WARNING, AND I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE LEAVE.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING TO LEAVE.

OFFICERS, CAN YOU PLEASE ASSIST THIS LADY? THANK YOU, MA'AM. AND I'M NOT SCARED.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

SUPERINTENDENT. MILES, WE'RE READY FOR YOUR SECOND.

I HAD ONE MORE OUT.

RIGHT. YOU HAD TWO WARNINGS, MA'AM.

I'M ASKING YOU TO LEAVE VOLUNTARILY, PLEASE.

I AM HERE BECAUSE I CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

MA'AM, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAD MULTIPLE WARNINGS, MA'AM, AND I'VE ASKED YOU TO LEAVE, PLEASE.

MULTIPLE RESPONSE STRATEGIES TO GET HER OUT.

I WAITED. I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO NOT LET ME SPEAK.

MA'AM, YOU REGISTERED FOR A DIFFERENT MEETING, AND WE GRACIOUSLY ALLOWED YOU TO SPEAK AT THIS ONE.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS GOING ON. ALL RIGHT.

YOU ALL SHOULD BE THE BIGGER PERSON AND NOT ESCALATE AND JUST LET HER SIT.

BECAUSE NOW I HAVE TO LEAVE BECAUSE MY SON, I DON'T KNOW WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD FOLLOW THE RULES AND SHE JUST DON'T DO IT.

OH, NO.

WE'RE GOING TO RECESS FOR A MOMENT.

OH.

[01:20:21]

[DISCUSSION AND REPORT ITEMS]

I THINK THIS IS THE 11TH OR 12TH SCHOOL I'VE BEEN IN.

AND ON MOST OF THOSE VISITS, YOU HAVE BEEN WITH ME.

I THINK THAT'S GREAT BECAUSE YOU'RE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING.

AND THE MORE SCHOOLS YOU GET INTO AND YOU SEE THE TEAM CENTERS, YOU SEE THE KIDS FOCUS AND WORKING.

I SAW TODAY AND A COUPLE OF BOARD MEMBERS WERE WITH ME TODAY AND LAST WEEK, THE KIDS WHO ARE FOCUSED, TEACHERS WHO ARE TEACHING WELL, AND I'M ACTUALLY IN THE SCHOOL LOOKING AND SO ARE YOU.

SO YOU CAN PUT THE COMMENTS IN CONTEXT.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON AND ACTUALLY BELIEVE WHAT'S MISINFORMATION AND WHAT'S REAL INFORMATION IS TO BE IN THE SCHOOLS.

SO THANK YOU FOR BEING IN THE SCHOOLS WITH ME SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE WHAT'S GOING ON.

THE SECOND THING IS, LAST BOARD MEETING, I TOLD YOU I'D GIVE AN UPDATE ON ENROLLMENT.

WE'RE AT 181,493 AS OF 2:00 TODAY.

SO WE'LL KEEP WE'LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER REPORT.

AND AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING, IT'LL FLUCTUATE JUST A LITTLE BIT, BUT HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING TO STABILIZE SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO REPORT TODAY.

THANK YOU.

OUR FIRST ITEM HELD FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ITEM TWO APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION, ADOPTING TAX RATE AND LEVYING AD VALOREM TAXES FOR TAX YEAR 2023.

[2. Approval Of Resolution Adopting Tax Rate And Levying Ad Valorem Taxes For Tax Year 2023]

TEXAS PROPERTY TAX CODE SECTION.

26.05. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE THE MOTION. WHAT IS YOUR MOTION, SIR? IT'S MADAM PRESIDENT. I MOVE THAT HIS ADOPTS THE.

I GOT IT. MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THAT HISD ADOPTS A TAX RATE OF 86 AND 83 100 CENTS PER EACH $100 FOR TAX YEAR 2023.

AND FURTHER MOVE THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVES, APPROVES A RESOLUTION, AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE TAX RATE AND LEVY AD VALOREM TAXES FOR THE YEAR 2023 AS REFLECTED IN THE RESOLUTION. IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND THE MOTION.

I HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER MARTINEZ AND A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER CAMPO.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION ON THIS MATTER? BOARD MEMBERS, WE WILL NOW VOTE ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM TWO APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION, ADOPTING TAX RATE AND LEVYING AD VALOREM TAXES FOR TAX YEAR 2023. ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

YOU MAY LOWER YOUR HANDS.

THE MOTION PASSES.

OUR SECOND ITEM PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ITEM THREE.

[3. Consider And Take Possible Action To Approve The Formation Of A Local District of Innovation Plan Committee To Draft A Local Innovation Plan]

THIS ITEM WAS HELD AT MY REQUEST.

AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION UNDER CHAPTER 551 OF TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE.

OPEN MEETINGS ACT SUB SECTIONS 551 .004 THROUGH 551 .089 SHOULD BOARD FINAL ACTION, VOTE OR DECISION ON ANY MATTER CONSIDERED IN THE CLOSED SESSION BE REQUIRED.

SUCH FINAL VOTE, ACTION OR DECISION SHALL BE TAKEN AT THE OPEN MEETING COVERED BY THIS NOTICE.

UPON THE RECONVENING OF THIS PUBLIC MEETING OR TWO SUBSEQUENT PUBLIC MEETING OF THE BOARD UPON NOTICE THEREOF.

THE BOARD HAS RECESSED TO CLOSED SESSION AT 6:26 P.M.

ON SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2023.

GOOD EVENING. THIS MEETING IS RECONVENED AT 7:25 P.M..

MAY I HAVE A MOTION ON ITEM THREE? CONSIDER AND TAKE POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE FORMATION OF A LOCAL DISTRICT OF INNOVATION PLAN COMMITTEE TO DRAFT A LOCAL INNOVATION PLAN.

MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPOINTS A DISTRICT OF INNOVATION COMMITTEE TO CREATE A LOCAL INNOVATION PLAN THAT THE COMMITTEE CAN BE.

AND THAT THE COMMITTEE CAN BE COMPRISED OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS.

BILL HORWATH.

LAUREN FONTAINE.

EDUARDO COLON.

TERESA TRAN.

YUICHI NDEFO. JEANETTE GARZA LINDER.

AND JESSICA MURPHY.

MURPHY. DO I HAVE A SECOND?

[01:25:01]

THANK YOU. PLEASE DO NOT INTERRUPT.

IS THERE A SECOND? I'LL SECOND IT.

THANK YOU. I HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER, LEMON FLOWERS AND A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER CAMPO.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? WE'LL NOW VOTE ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM THREE CONSIDER AND TAKE POSSIBLE ACTION TO APPROVE THE FORMATION OF A LOCAL DISTRICT OF INNOVATION PLAN COMMITTEE TO DRAFT A LOCAL INNOVATION PLAN APPOINTING A COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF THE SPECIFIED MEMBERS.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

YOU MAY LOWER YOUR HANDS.

THE MOTION PASSES.

WE ARE NOW READY TO CONSIDER THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT'S AGENDA.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BALANCE OF TONIGHT'S AGENDA BY CONSENSUS? SO MOVED. THANK YOU.

I HAVE A IS THERE A SECOND? A SECOND. THANK YOU.

I HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER MENDOZA AND A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER AUZENNE BANDY.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? WE WILL NOW VOTE TO APPROVE THE BALANCE OF TONIGHT'S AGENDA BY CONSENSUS.

[CONSENT AGENDA]

THE MOTION PASSES.

WE HAVEN'T DONE. AT THIS TIME.

[RECESS TO CLOSED OR EXECUTIVE SESSION UNDER SECTIONS 551.004, 551.071, 551.072, 551.073, 551.074, 551.076, 551.082, 551.0821, 551.083, 551.084, AND 551.089 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE FOR THE PURPOSES LISTED IN THIS NOTICE]

SHOULD BOARD FINAL ACTION, VOTE OR DECISION ON ANY MATTER CONSIDERED IN THE CLOSED SESSION BE REQUIRED? SUCH FINAL VOTE, ACTION OR DECISION SHALL BE TAKEN AT THE OPEN MEETING COVERED BY THIS NOTICE.

UPON THE RECONVENING OF THIS PUBLIC MEETING, OR AT A SUBSEQUENT PUBLIC MEETING OF THE BOARD UPON NOTICE THEREOF.

THE BOARD HAS BEEN RECESSED TO CLOSED SESSION AT 7:28 P.M.

ON SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2023.

[RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION]

WE'RE NOW READY TO CONSIDER OTHER ITEMS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION.

[CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON MATTERS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED OR EXECUTIVE SESSION]

IS THERE A SECOND? I SECOND IT.

I HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER AUZENNE BANDY AND A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER GARZA LINDNER.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

MOTION PASSES.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER MOTIONS? I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE BALANCE OF THE CLOSED SESSION PERSONNEL AGENDA, INCLUDING SPECIFICALLY THAT THE BOARD APPROVED PROPOSED TERMINATIONS OF CONTINUING TERM AND PROBATIONARY CONTRACTS THAT THE BOARD APPROVE, END OF TERM TERMINATIONS OF PROBATIONARY CONTRACTS THAT THE BOARD APPROVE PROPOSED NON-RENEWALS OF TERM CONTRACTS, THAT THE BOARD APPROVE ISSUANCE OF FOURTH YEAR PROBATIONARY CONTRACTS AND AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT OR HIS DESIGNEE TO PROVIDE NOTICE OF SAME.

THAT THE BOARD APPROVE SEPARATION AND RELEASE AGREEMENTS, THAT THE BOARD APPROVE WITHDRAWALS OF CONTRACT RECOMMENDATIONS AND ANY REISSUANCE OF SAME, AND THAT THE BOARD APPROVE ISSUANCE OF FINAL ORDERS ON CONTRACT TERMINATIONS AND NON-RENEWALS AS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2023. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU.

I HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER AUZENNE BANDY AND A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER RIVON.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.

MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER MOTIONS? NO. WE ARE NOW READY TO HEAR REPORTS AND COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS.

[REMARKS AND REPORTS]

THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.

I WILL BE BRIEF.

I WANTED TO MAKE A FEW COMMENTS WITH RESPECT TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

EARLIER THIS EVENING, SUPERINTENDENT MILES MADE REFERENCE TO CAMPUS VISITS.

AND SUPERINTENDENT, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR INVITING MEMBERS OF THE BOARD TO JOIN YOU SINCE SCHOOL STARTED TO JOIN YOU AS YOU VISITED CAMPUS CAMPUSES

[01:30:03]

I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THE ENTIRE BOARD, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT FOR ME AT LEAST, THESE HAVE BEEN VERY ENLIGHTENING EXPERIENCES.

THEY'RE CERTAINLY WHAT WE HEAR FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BOTH GOOD AND BAD.

AND THEN THERE'S WHAT WE SEE WITH OUR OWN EYES.

AND SO THERE'S THREE KEY TAKEAWAYS THAT I WANTED TO MENTION HERE.

ONE, IT CERTAINLY GAVE ME INSIGHT INTO WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN SCHOOLS.

AND WHEN I WALKED INTO TWO SCHOOLS, IN FACT, TODAY, I SAW TEAM CENTERS NOT FULL OF DISCIPLINARY STUDENTS, BUT THOSE WHO HAD EXCELLED IN THEIR LESSONS AND WERE READY TO LEARN.

AND SO MANY STUDENTS THAT THEY HAD TO BRING IN EXTRA DESKS, WHICH WAS REALLY EXCITING.

ALSO, LIBRARIES WHERE BOTH PRINCIPALS AT CAMPUSES SAID THE STUDENTS COULD STILL CHECK OUT BOOKS IF THEY WANTED TO.

AND REALLY BEAUTIFUL HALLWAY SORT OF POSTER BOARDS DECORATED REALLY BEAUTIFULLY AT BOTH THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL WITH A LOT OF COLORS HONORING ALL SORTS OF THINGS FROM SORT OF SPECIFIC HOLIDAYS TO PAST PRESIDENTS.

IT WAS VERY AGE APPROPRIATE AND VERY INSPIRING FOR THE AGE GROUP.

THE SECOND WAS FEEDBACK.

I SAW A LOT AND HEARD A LOT OF POSITIVE CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK AND LESS CRITICAL FEEDBACK.

AND THE LAST THING IS THAT.

YOU KNOW, SUPERINTENDENT MILES, I BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE MORE OF AN INSTRUCTIONAL SUPERINTENDENT THAN MOST ANY AND I HAVE ACTUALLY WORKED FOR A COUPLE OF SUPERINTENDENTS, AND IT'S AMAZING TO SEE AND.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE REST OF YOU BOARD MEMBERS WHO ACTUALLY GOT TO SEE SUPERINTENDENT MILES INSTRUCT A CLASS TODAY WITH PERMISSION FROM THE CLASSROOM TEACHER AND THE PRINCIPAL.

AND I'LL ALSO MENTION THAT WE SHOWED UP UNANNOUNCED.

SO THIS WAS NOT THESE WERE NOT PERFORMATIVE EXPERIENCES THAT WE SAW TODAY.

AND IT WAS A LITTLE BIT SURREAL TO SEE THE SUPERINTENDENT TEACHING A CLASS ON THE SPOT AND THE STUDENTS ENGAGING IMMEDIATELY.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT EXPERIENCE AND I KNOW I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING OTHER SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

THANK YOU.

BOARD MEMBER. MS. AUZENNE BANDY, I THINK YOU HAD SOME COMMENTS.

I'LL BE BRIEF. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT SOME OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING HAVING IN SMALL SESSIONS.

THEY HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY OPEN, HONEST, INTIMATE CONVERSATIONS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO MAKE IT TO BOARD MEETINGS OR THAT WE JUST OTHERWISE WOULDN'T HEAR FROM.

AND IT'S BEEN GREAT.

WE'VE BEEN COLLABORATING WITH ELECTED BOARD MEMBERS, TRUSTEES THAT HAVE BROUGHT FOLKS FROM THEIR COMMUNITY.

WE'VE REACHED OUT TO A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS IN LEADERSHIP WITHIN OUR WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE THE WILLINGNESS FOR PEOPLE TO SPEAK WITH US SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT WE ARE PROTECTING THE VALUES THAT INFORM OUR GOALS AND CONSTRAINTS. SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THOSE.

WE'VE BEEN DOING THEM SINCE THE BEGINNING OF JUNE.

I KNOW WE HAVE A PACKED CALENDAR, SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS AS WE DIVIDE AND CONQUER THESE MEETINGS.

THEY ARE VERY INFORMATIVE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THEM.

THANK YOU. BOARD MEMBER MARTINEZ, DID YOU HAVE SOME COMMENTS TO SHARE? YES, I'LL BE BRIEF.

SO WE HAD OUR FIRST BOARD MEETING FOR BOARD GOALS AND CONSTRAINTS AT VARIOUS EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER.

WE HAVE, I BELIEVE, NINE MORE PLANNED TO WRAP UP ON WITH KASHMIR.

I BELIEVE ON THE 26TH.

THAT COULD BE WRONG ABOUT THAT DATE.

BUT WE INVITE ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO COME OUT, TALK TO US ABOUT THE BOARD GOALS AND CONSTRAINTS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETINGS ARE FOR.

THERE'S ALSO THE AVAILABILITY OF THE QR CODE, WHICH IS ONGOING.

YOU CAN PROVIDE FEEDBACK IN THAT MANNER AS WELL, AND THERE'S A SPANISH TRANSLATION VERSION AS WELL.

THANK YOU. AND I'LL JUST ECHO WHAT MR. MARTINEZ JUST SAID ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY MEETINGS.

WE DO HAVE A NUMBER STILL PLANNED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS IN THE 26TH, I BELIEVE, IS THE KASHMIR, THE LAST MEETING THAT WE HAVE PLANNED.

IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY FOLKS TO COME OUT AND TELL US WHAT IT IS THAT WE WANT FOR OUR KIDS, WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS FOR OUR KIDS AS FAR AS WHAT THEY EXPECT THEM TO KNOW AND BE ABLE TO DO WHEN THEY GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL.

WHAT WE EXPECT FOR OUR CHILDREN WHEN THEY'RE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND WHAT WE WANT FOR THEM IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

SO IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE EVENTS.

[01:35:02]

I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE UP ONE MORE ITEM.

JUST NEED TO REDO THE VOTE TO TO PROVIDE MORE CLARITY ON WHAT YOU VOTED FOR ON THE CLOSE.

OKAY. WHAT? OKAY, WE'VE GOT A CLARIFYING MOTION.

OKAY. MRS AUZENNE BANDY.

PLEASE GO AHEAD. I MOVE THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVE AUTHORITY FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY ACTIONS RELATED TO ACCEPTANCE OF THE DONATION OF LAND BY LP ENTERPRISES LIMITED, AS DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED SESSION.

THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. THANK YOU.

I HAVE A MOTION BY MS. AUZENNE BANDY AND A SECOND BY MS. MENDOZA. WE CAN NOW VOTE.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.

THE VOTE PASSES.

THANK YOU. OUR NEXT REGULAR BOARD MEETING WILL BE HELD ON OCTOBER 12TH, 2023.

THE WORK SESSION FOR THAT MEETING WILL BE ON OCTOBER 5TH, 2023.

THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THIS MEETING IS OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED AT 7:58 P.M..

THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.