>> GOOD EVENING. ARE WE READY?
[00:00:01]
>> GOOD EVENING. THIS MEETING IS NOW CONVENED AT 5:04 P.M.
[CALL TO ORDER]
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT EVERYONE PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELLPHONES.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, MYSELF, AUDREY MOMANAEE, RIC CAMPO, ROLANDO MARTINEZ, PAULA MENDOZA, AND ADAM RIVON WHO WILL BE OUT HERE SHORTLY.
IF THERE ARE ANY PUBLIC OFFICIALS IN THE AUDIENCE THIS EVENING, PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.
[APPLAUSE] THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING.
WE WILL NOW BE JOINED BY A MEMBER OF
[RECOGNITIONS]
THE JUNIOR RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS TO LEAD OUR PLEDGES.I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT BOARD MEMBER MENDOZA, IF YOU DON'T MIND, INTRODUCE TONIGHT'S PLEDGE LEADER.
>> THERE'S ADAM. [LAUGHTER] YOU'RE ON IT.
MR. RIVON, IF YOU'LL GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT MOMANAEE.
CADET COLONEL ELIZA RODRIGUEZ RANKS 37TH IN A CLASS OF 260 SENIORS WITH A 3.9 GRADE POINT AVERAGE.
HE SERVES AS A BATTALION COMMANDER FOR THE FIFTH BATTALION, JRTC PROGRAM AT NORTHSIDE HIGH WITH FOUR YEARS IN JRTC.
HE HAS DEMONSTRATED LEADERSHIP ABILITIES, A STRONG WORK ETHIC, AND ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS.
CADET RODRIGUEZ IS ALSO THE TREASURER OF THE STUDENT COUNCIL, A MEMBER OF DECA, A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY, THE CAPTAIN OF THE WATER POLO AND SWIM TEAMS, A MEMBER OF THE JRTC COLOR GUARD, DRILL TEAM, SWIM, AND PHYSICAL TRAINING TEAMS. AS AN USHER AT THE CHURCH OF THE KING CATHOLIC CHURCH, HE ALSO SERVES AS A SENIOR LEVEL MEMBER IN THE COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECTS WITH HOUSTON FOOD BANK AND GULF COAST REGIONAL BLOOD CENTER, FOCUSED ON PROVIDING FOOD TO THE COMMUNITY AND SAVING LIVES.
AFTER GRADUATION, HE WILL ATTEND THE CITADEL MILITARY INSTITUTE, [APPLAUSE] WHERE HE'LL PURSUE A CAREER IN INTELLIGENCE AND CYBERSECURITY STUDY AND DEGREES IN THOSE AREAS. CADET RODRIGUEZ.
>> MY APOLOGIES. [LAUGHTER] I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS, ONE STATE, UNDER GOD, AND INDIVISIBLE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, AND CONGRATULATIONS.
NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK BOARD MEMBER ROLANDO MARTINEZ TO PLEASE READ OUR PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING ASIAN-AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH. MR. MARTINEZ.
>> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT MOMANAEE.
WHEREAS ASIAN-AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER STUDENTS IN THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT ENRICH OUR SCHOOLS AND PROVIDE A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE THAT BROADENS OUR EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING.
WHEREAS ASIAN-AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER PARENTS, BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVES, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS BRING STRONG SUPPORT AND COMMITMENT TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF ALL STUDENTS.
WHEREAS ASIAN-AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS, AND STAFF MEMBERS MAKE A LIFELONG DIFFERENCE IN OUR CHILDREN'S LIVES, PROVIDING THE GUIDANCE AND EDUCATION OUR STUDENTS NEED TO SUCCESSFULLY PURSUE THEIR DREAMS. NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, PROCLAIM MAY 2024, ASIAN-AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH IN HISD, AND ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO CELEBRATE THE TRADITIONS OF ASIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER CULTURES, AND WITNESSED THEREOF, ON THIS DAY, NINTH DAY OF MAY 2024.
>> THANK YOU. THIS EVENING, MR. CAMPO IS GOING TO SERVE AS THE PRESIDING OFFICER OVER THE MEETING BECAUSE I HAVE TO STEP OUT FOR A WHILE.
>> WELL, THANK YOU. LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU BACK SOON.
[00:05:06]
WE WILL NOW HEAR FROM OUR REGISTERED SPEAKERS.[SPEAKERS TO AGENDA ITEMS]
WE'LL BEGIN WITH PUBLIC OFFICIALS FOLLOWED BY STUDENT SPEAKERS, BOTH IN-PERSON AND ON ZOOM.WE'LL THEN HEAR FROM IN-PERSON SPEAKERS TO THE AGENDA AND HEARING HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY, FOLLOWED ALL BY ZOOM SPEAKERS.
PLEASE NOTE THAT SPANISH LIVE CAPTIONING IS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE VIEWING THE MEETING VIA LIVESTREAM, AND LIVE SPANISH INTERPRETATION IS AVAILABLE IN-PERSON IN THE AUDITORIUM.
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 ABILITY 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'LL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE MEETING.
WE HAVE 134 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 HAS EXPIRED AND WHEN THE TIMER RINGS.
PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND YOUR TOPIC WHEN YOU STEP UP TO THE MICROPHONE, AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH PUBLIC OFFICIALS.
WE'LL START WITH STATE REPRESENTATIVE SHAWN THIERRY.
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M HERE TODAY TO TESTIFY ON PLANNED BUDGET CUTS THAT WOULD ELIMINATE SEVERAL CAMPUS-LEVEL WRAPAROUND RESOURCES FOR SPECIALIST POSITIONS IN THE UPCOMING ACADEMIC YEAR.
AS STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR DISTRICT 146, I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT I HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE BENEFIT OF WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR OUR STUDENTS GETTING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
MANY STUDENTS THAT I REPRESENT COME FROM UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, AND I'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT IF EDUCATION IS THE GREAT EQUALIZER, WE HAVE TO ALLOW OUR STUDENTS TO COME TO SCHOOL ON AN EQUITABLE PLAYING FIELD.
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, ADDITIONAL FOOD, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, AND SOMETIMES EVEN SHOES, THEY MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.
WHILE WE UNDERSTAND AND RECOGNIZE THAT WE DON'T WANT TO CUT WITHIN THE CLASSROOM, WRAPAROUND SPECIALISTS ACTUALLY HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON WHAT HAPPENS IN THE CLASSROOM.
I URGE YOU WHILE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, AS A MEMBER OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE, IF I RETURN, MY COMMITMENT IS TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE FUNDING TO HISD, SO THAT WE DO NOT HAVE [INAUDIBLE].
>> SENATOR ELECT COOK, ARE YOU HERE? THERE YOU GO. WELCOME. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.
MY NAME IS MOLLY COOK AND I AM THE SENATOR ELECT FOR DISTRICT 15, AND I AM VERY HONORED TO CONTINUE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE AFFECTED COMMUNITY.
I'M AN EXPERIENCED AND CERTIFIED EDUCATOR.
WARNING, YOUR SCHOOLS WILL BE UNRECOGNIZABLE NEXT YEAR.
FAMILIAR TEACHERS, STAFF, AND ADMINISTRATORS GONE.
RECENTLY, ALL THE WRAPAROUND SPECIALISTS WERE TOLD THAT THEIR POSITIONS WILL CLOSE.
OVER 20 PRINCIPALS ON ONE DAY AND ONE DIVISION WERE TOLD THAT THEY WILL NOT BE RETURNING, AND HUNDREDS OF TEACHERS WITH CONFERENCE OF THE RECORDS HAVE TERMINATIONS LOOMING.
THOUSANDS OF TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF ARE TO BE LAID OFF BECAUSE THE BUDGET REQUIRES A REDUCTION IN FORCE.
PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN CVPE, AND TEACHERS AND UNIONS HAVE BEEN SOUNDING THE ALARM SINCE MILES WAS SECRETLY VOTED INTO THIS JOB.
THEY DIDN'T HAVE A PREDICTION RING THAT MILES WAS GOING TO DESTROY HISD.
THEY LISTENED TO THE WARNINGS OF THE DALLAS ISD COMMUNITY.
THEY CONNECTED THE DOTS FROM ABBOTT AND VOUCHERS TO MORATH CHARTER SCHOOLS, AND MILES.
BOARD OF MANAGERS, STOP THE GASLIGHTING AND FIRE MIKE MILES. [APPLAUSE]
>> WILL HISD BOARD OF EDUCATION TRUSTEE PLACIDO GOMEZ, PLEASE COME UP. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
IF YOU LIKE STUDENT OUTCOMES GAINS TO PERSIST WHEN WE INEVITABLY TRADE PLACES,
[00:10:01]
IT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA TO INVOLVE THE ELECTED BOARD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.SO FAR, I FELT LISTENED TO, WHICH IS GREAT, BUT TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL WOULD BE INVOLVING US IN WHAT YOU DO.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, IN MY OPINION, IS THE MOST NATURAL PLACE TO WORK TOGETHER.
IN THE SAMPLE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SCRIPT, YOU HAVE LINES FOR BOARD MEMBER 1, BOARD MEMBER 2, THE TWO OF YOU WHO WOULD LEAD ANY GIVEN MEETING.
I WOULD SUGGEST HAVING ELECTED BOARD MEMBER 1, ELECTED BOARD MEMBER 2 ALSO IN THOSE COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
WE SHOULD BE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS AND LEADERS IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS.
I'VE BEEN GOING TO SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEETINGS, GIVING UPDATES ON HISD, RECEIVING FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE, SERVING ON PANELS, ETC.
THE REST OF THE ELECTED BOARD HAS ALSO BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
WE WOULD ALL BE MORE EFFECTIVE IF WE COORDINATE OUR EFFORTS.
IF WE WERE MORE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, NOT ONLY WOULD THIS MAKE YOUR ACTIVITIES MORE SUSTAINABLE IN THE LONG RUN, BUT IT WOULD HELP [INAUDIBLE]. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] WE WILL NOW HEAR FROM SPEAKERS WHO HAVE IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES AS STUDENTS WHEN THEY CHECKED IN THIS EVENING.
LET'S START WITH CHRISTINA THOMAS.
>> TODAY, I'M PROPOSING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF LONG TERM PLANNING COMMITTEES OR LPCS AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE HOUSTON ISDS BOND PLAN AS A CONDITION FOR THE BOND THAT YOU'LL WANT.
LPCS ARE COMPOSED OF PARENTS, STUDENTS, STAFF, COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ENSURE EQUITABLE DECISION MAKING.
THEY'RE TASKED WITH DEVELOPING PLANS FOR KEY AREAS SUCH AS ACADEMICS, ATHLETICS, ARTS, EXTRICULUS, FACILITIES, SAFETY, TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY.
LPCS FACILITY INFORMED DECISION MAKING BY ASSESSING SCHOOLS IN NEED FOR EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES AND THEN ALLOCATING BOND MONEY FOR THEIR NEEDS.
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ARE VITAL, SO THESE MEETINGS WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR DISCOURSE.
ADDITIONALLY, THE BOND STEERING COMMITTEE, THE GROUP IN CHARGE, ONCE THE BOND IS ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTED.
WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY THE COMMUNITY BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE COMPOSED SOLELY OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS SAFEGUARDING THIS BOND INTEGRITY.
LPC IMPLEMENTATION IS KEY FOR A MORE INCLUSIVE AND ACCOUNTABLE HISD LANDSCAPE.
I EMPLOY THE COMMUNITY AND YOU TO MAKE.
>> THANK YOU [APPLAUSE] NEXT STEP IS.
>> HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK BOARD OF MANAGERS.
MY NAME IS NOVA, AND I GO TO MILES PERFORMING VISUAL ARTS MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WHEN I CAME TO THE PAST FEW SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, I NOTICED THE PICTURES AROUND THIS BUILDING.
THERE ARE PICTURES OF STUDENTS USING LABORATORY EQUIPMENT, STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN MUSIC, ART, DANCE AND SPORTS PROGRAMS. STUDENTS READING BOOKS IN LIBRARIES, WOW.
WHAT DID THESE STUDENTS ALL HAVE IN COMMON? THEY WERE HAPPY.
CONTRARY TO WHAT HE MIGHT TELL YOU.
THIS ISN'T BECAUSE OF MIKE MILES.
THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE CERTIFIED TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS, AND PROGRAMS THAT SCHOOLS ALREADY HAD BEFORE MILES ALREADY TRIED TO RUIN IT.
WHEN HE TAKES AWAY THESE AMAZING PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS AND PROGRAMS, HE TAKES AWAY THE JOY OF LEARNING CHARTING SCHOOL INTO A MILITARY PRISON. COME ON.
IT'S TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK AND HE PROPOSES APPROVING A REDUCTION IN FORCE.
HOUSTON DOESN'T NEED MIKE MILES AND IT ART, MUSIC, LIBRARY TEACHERS.
ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT MAKE IT UNIQUE.
BOARD OF MANAGERS, STOP REPEATING GOOD THINGS ABOUT HISD, REMOVE THE BAD REMOVE MIKE MILES [APPLAUSE]
>> NEXT UP IS JAMES GARRETT. JAMES, THERE YOU ARE.
I'M A SECOND DEGREE BLACK BELL UNDER KICKSTART KIDS AN ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BENEFITED ME GREATLY THROUGHOUT THE PAST SEVEN YEARS.
CROTTY NOT ONLY IS IT A FORM OF SELF DEFENSE.
IT IS ALSO PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY, A WAY OF ONE'S SELF DEVELOPMENT, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY.
WHEN I JOINED KICKSTART KIDS, I LEARNED TO BE CONFIDENT IN MYSELF, TO BE DISCIPLINED AND EMPATHETIC.
IT ALSO HELPED ME FIND A PASSION AND A GOAL IN LIFE.
IT LED ME TO WANT TO LEAVE A LEGACY ON THIS ROAD.
KICKSTART GAVE ME A PLACE TO BE MYSELF, TO BECOME BETTER THAN YESTERDAY.
KICKSTART LED ME TO FIND PEOPLE IN MY LIFE THAT CARED ABOUT ME, RESPECT ME, AND DRIVE ME TO BECOME THE BEST VERSION OF MYSELF POSSIBLE.
KICKSTART HELPED ME BECOME THE PRIME EXAMPLE THAT YOU SHOULDN'T BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF, WHETHER THERE'S PERSONALITY OR APPEARANCE.
[00:15:01]
NOBODY IS CONSIDERED PERFECT, BUT RATHER UNIQUE.WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE IS NATURAL.
THERE'S NO NEED TO CHANGE FOR PEOPLE TO ACCEPT YOU.
THE RIGHT CROWD WILL LOVE YOU FOR WHO YOU ARE.
KICKSTART HELP ME FIND THAT OUT.
>> THANK YOU [APPLAUSE] ANABETH GOLDEN.
ARE YOU HERE? ANABETH, ARE YOU?
>> HELLO. MANY, IF NOT ALL OF THE PEOPLE HERE TODAY HAVE HEARD THE HORROR STORIES OF THE PRISON LIKE PRACTICES MILES HAS INSTITUTED AT HIS PRIZE IN ES SCHOOLS.
HOWEVER, HIGH ACHIEVING STUDENTS ARE ALSO FACING UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES OF MILES' RECKLESSNESS.
INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON THEIR GROWTH AS ACADEMICS, STUDENTS LIKE ME ARE MORE FOCUSED ON WHAT MILES IS GOING TO DO NEXT.
TONIGHT, I WAS INVITED TO THE GT PROJECT EXPO FOR MY AWARD WINNING CAPSTONE PROJECT THAT WAS VERY CLOSE TO MY HEART.
BUT INSTEAD, I'M HERE BECAUSE THE ABSURD ACTIONS OF MIKE MILES BECAME A MORE URGENT ISSUE THAN SHARING SOMETHING I SPENT MONTHS ON AND LEARNING FROM MY PEERS WHO DID THE SAME.
IF MILES HAD A TRUE INTEREST IN MY OUTCOMES AND PROGRESS, I WOULDN'T BE STANDING HERE TODAY SPEAKING BEFORE YOU.
THUS, UNTIL THE BOARD OF MANAGERS REMOVES MIKE MILES AS THE SUPERINTENDENT, STUDENTS SIMPLY CANNOT SUPPORT A BOND AND WILL CONTINUE TO SHOW UP TO MEETINGS TO MAKE THAT KNOWN, EVEN AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR OWN EDUCATION.
NO TRUST, NO BOND. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE]
>> I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE BOARD MEMBER FLOWERS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. NEXT UP IS AVERY MOORE.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS AVERY MOORE, AND I AM IN THIRD GRADE IN HISD.
TODAY I WILL SPEAK ON LIBRARIANS.
HAVING A LIBRARIAN IN MY SCHOOL IS IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE MY LIBRARIANS HAVE JUST BOOKS TO READ THAT ARE BIGGER AND BETTER.
MY LIBRARIAN HAS ALSO HELPED ME BY COACHING MY NAME THAT BOOK TEAM.
THE BOOKS WE READ HAVE HELPED ME TO BUILD UP MY STAMINA FOR READING.
IF MY SCHOOL DID NOT HAVE A LIBRARIAN, I WOULD FEEL SAD BECAUSE I WOULD NOT GET TO CHECK OUT NEW BOOKS EACH WEEK WITH MY CLASS.
I WOULD ALSO FEEL UNSETTLED BECAUSE OUR GIANT LIBRARY WOULD BE TOO QUIET.
PLEASE KEEP LIBRARIANS IN OUR SCHOOLS TO HELP KIDS LIKE ME [APPLAUSE]
>> NEXT UP IS MADELINE BECHER.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
I'M HERE TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR THE INCLUSION OF KICKSTART KIDS KARATE PROGRAM AS A VALUABLE PROGRAM FOR US MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS.
KARATE ISN'T JUST ABOUT PHYSICAL MOVEMENTS, IT'S ABOUT BUILDING CHARACTER AND RESILIENCE.
FOR STUDENTS LIKE ME, KARATE PROVIDES A STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE CAN LEARN DISCIPLINE, RESPECT, AND HARD WORK.
FOR EXAMPLE, I HAD A GOAL TO GET STRAIGHT A AND I WAS COMMITTED TO WORKING HARD WITHOUT ANY OTHER MOTIVATION, OTHER THAN THE DISCIPLINE I LEARNED FROM KARATE.
THESE SKILLS ARE ESSENTIAL BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM.
MOREOVER, KARATE BOOST CONFIDENCE.
EARNING BELTS THROUGH HARD WORK AND DEDICATION, WE DEVELOP A SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT AND BELIEF FOR OUR ABILITIES.
I WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN BRAVE ENOUGH TO COME UP HERE BEFORE KARATE.
THIS CONFIDENCE TRANSLATES INTO BETTER ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AND A HEALTHIER MINDSET ACCORDING TO A STUDY IN THE JOURNAL OF SPORT AND HEALTH SCIENCE.
WE'RE EQUIPPING OURSELF WITH ESSENTIAL LIFE SKILLS THAT SERVE US WELL BEYOND OUR SCHOOL YEARS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. I BELIEVE WE HAVE THREE STUDENTS ON ZOOM.
LET'S GO AHEAD AND GET THOSE FOLKS TEED UP.
>> HANY, DUART, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON AND YOU MAY BEGIN. DR. ANITA WADHWA, IS SUHANI DUART AVAILABLE?
[00:20:29]
ARE YOU READY FOR SUHANI?>> MR. MILES, EVER SINCE YOU CAME UNFAIRLY TO HISD, UNELECTED, ALL YOU'VE DONE IS ACT LIKE A DICTATOR.
YOU HAVE ALL THE POWER WHILE THE BOARD OF MANAGERS JUST RUBBER STAMPS EVERYTHING YOU SAY.
EXCEPT INSTEAD OF FORCE OR VIOLENCE YOUR WEAPONS ARE REMOVAL AND CHANGE.
REMOVAL, LIKE REMOVING BOOKS AND LIBRARIANS, PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS WHO DID NOTHING WRONG BUT THEIR JOBS, WHICH THEY LEARNED HOW TO DO CORRECTLY BEFORE NES, FREE WRITING, AND THE LATEST WRAPAROUND SPECIALISTS.
ALSO CHANGE, BAD CHANGE, LIKE FIRING CERTIFIED TEACHERS, HIRING UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS, AND CHANGING THE CURRICULUM TO A SCRIPT.
ALMOST EVERY WEEK, WE FOUND OUT THAT THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT HAS, AGAIN, AFFECTED OUR DISTRICT.
PLEASE BOM, CHANGE SOMETHING SO WE DON'T HAVE TO KEEP SAYING THAT YOU RUBBER STAMP WHAT MR. MILES SAYS BECAUSE EVENTUALLY WE WON'T TRUST YOU AT ALL.
>> ADIDAS SAGE BITNER, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON. YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> WAIT. I KNOW, BUT WE GOT TO TURN THIS OFF, OTHERWISE.
YOU GOT TO TURN OFF THE VIDEO.
>> HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.
MANY [INAUDIBLE] TEACHERS HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A LOT OF YEARS.
THEY MAKE SURE THAT WE READ BOOKS, GO ON FIELD TRIPS, AND EVEN LEARN TO CARE FOR CHICKENS IN THE CHICKEN COOP.
I WANT TO THANK OUR VERY ACTIVE PTO WHO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS.
THE PTO HOSTS BOOK FAIRS TWICE A YEAR, [INAUDIBLE] WITH TREATS AFTER SCHOOL TWICE A MONTH, AN ANNUAL FALL CARNIVAL BOOSTERS ON AND FUNDRAISING GALA, AND ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR LIKE UIL ACADEMICS, NAME THAT BOOK AND ODYSSEY OF THE MIND.
[INAUDIBLE] IS GREAT, BUT IT MAY NOT LAST.
THE AGENDA ITEMS WITH OVER 10 PAGES OF [INAUDIBLE] TROOPS THAT TO POSSIBLY BE CLOSED MAKES ME CONCERNED FOR ME, MY CLASSMATES, AND FUTURE HISD KIDS.
OUR PTO WOULD PAY FOR MORE CERTIFIED TEACHERS IF THEY COULD BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A PROFESSIONAL TEACH THEIR CHILDREN.
I WISH YOU ALL VALUE TEACHERS THE SAME WAY.
>> WE HAVE ANOTHER STUDENT IN PERSON, ISABELLA PEREZ.
IS ISABELLA HERE. THAT CONCLUDES STUDENT SPEAKERS, MR. CAMPO. ISABELLA.
>> I HAVE TWO MORE ON MY LIST HERE, TOO. SHE'S HERE.
>> THERE YOU GO, ISABELLA. COME OUT.
>> FIRST OFF, HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.
MY NAME IS ISABELLA PEREZ, AND I'M AN AP STUDENT IN HISD, AND I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF A TEACHER FOR ITEM 14. TO HISD.
I WILL BE RESIGNING FROM MY POSITION AS A TEACHER WITHIN THIS DISTRICT.
THE MICROMANAGEMENT AND REFUSAL TO TREAT TEACHERS AS PROFESSIONALS HAS RENDERED MY EFFORTS FUTILE.
I REFUSE TO CONTINUE PARTAKING IN AN INSTITUTION THAT VALUES BUREAUCRACY, SHOWMANSHIP, AND WANT TO MICROAGGRESSIONS OVER EMPATHY, MUTUAL RESPECT, AND UNDERSTANDING.
THE DISREGARD FOR BOTH STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS IS DISGRACEFUL.
I LEAVE WITH A HEAVY HEART, MOURNING THE POTENTIAL SQUANDERED UNDER YOUR MISMANAGEMENT.
MAY THIS LETTER SERVE AS A WAKE UP CALL TO ADDRESS THE SYSTEMIC ISSUES POISONING OUR SCHOOLS.
UNTIL THEN, I WASH MY HANDS OF THIS TOXIC ENVIRONMENT SEEKING REFUGE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
SINCERELY, HISD TEACHER OF NINE YEARS.
>> LOUIS [INAUDIBLE] ARE YOU HERE? WE HAVE YOU ON THE LIST, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CHECKED IN OR NOT? NO. THEODORE FERRERA? EVIDENTLY NOT.
[00:25:01]
THAT CONCLUDES OUR STUDENT PORTION.I SEE THAT TRUSTEE SAVANT MOORE HAS JOINED US.
WELCOME, AND GREAT TO HAVE YOU.
YOU WANT TO COME UP AND COME TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE. THANK YOU.
>> HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.
THIS IS MY SON. HE'S 13 YEARS OLD, HAS A 4.0 GPA.
HE RECEIVED THE $80,000 SCHOLARSHIP TO THE TOP BOARDING SCHOOL IN AMERICA.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, AT HIS SCHOOL THAT'S IN NES SCHOOL, HE WON'T HAVE A EIGHTH GRADE GRADUATION.
I HOPE THAT SOMEONE CAN CHANGE THAT BECAUSE HE DESERVES TO HAVE HIS NAME CALLED AND ALL THE OTHER STUDENTS.
THERE WAS A LITTLE GIRL, SHE EXPERIENCED HER FIRST PERIOD AND THE WRAPAROUND SPECIALISTS ARE ONES THAT GAVE HER THE PASS THAT SHE NEEDED.
WE NEED THOSE WRAPAROUND SPECIALISTS.
THERE'S ELEMENTARY KIDS IN MY DISTRICT THAT ARE USING PORTA-POTTIES.
WHY DOES MY SON HAVE ON THIS JACKET? BECAUSE HIS ROOM IS EXTREMELY COLD.
HE CHALLENGED ME SHOULD WE VOTE TO GET THIS BOND PASSED? HE SAID, DAD, YOU KNOW WHAT, TO BUILD TRUST, LET'S HAVE A PLANNING COMMITTEE THAT HAS EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL ON THAT PLANNING COMMITTEE THAT HELPS TO IMPLEMENT THIS [INAUDIBLE] MY SON AND OTHER CHILDREN IN MY COMMUNITY ACTUALLY GET THE RESOURCES BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED THOSE RESOURCES FOR DECADES, SO WE EXPECT [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. NEXT, WE WILL CALL AGENDA SPEAKERS TO THE MICROPHONE AND GROUPS, BEGINNING WITH THE AGENDA SPEAKERS 1-10.
IF YOU WANT TO COME UP AND SIT IN THE FRONT, THAT WOULD BE EFFICIENT AND HELPFUL.
THANK YOU. WE HAVE SEATS IN THE FRONT, SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND DO THAT.
AGAIN, PLEASE, WHEN YOU DO COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME BEFORE BEGINNING YOUR REMARKS.
SPEAKER 1 CAN COME TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE.
DO YOU NEED SOME HELP WITH THAT? LET'S GET SOMEBODY TO HELP WITH THAT MICROPHONE, PLEASE.
THANK YOU. THERE WE GO. HE'S COMING.
>> TESTING. MICHELLE COVARD, HISD MOM.
I HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF SITTING WITH MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSMATES WHILE MY SCHOOL LIBRARIAN READ TO US.
SHE FOUNDERED MY LOVE OF READING AND I WANTED TO BECOME A WRITER.
ONE YEAR, SHE BROUGHT IN AN AWARD WINNING VIETNAMESE AUTHOR.
I BECAME FASCINATED BY TALES FROM OTHER LANDS AND I WANTED TO BECOME AN ANTHROPOLOGIST.
BY FIFTH GRADE, I WAS CONVINCED I HAD READ EVERY SINGLE BOOK IN THAT LIBRARY.
I WAS BORN WITH SPINA BIFIDA AND EXPERIENCED MANY CHALLENGES GROWING UP.
MEDICAL BILLS ADDED UP AFTER 20 SURGERIES.
BUT BOOKS IN SCHOOL LIBRARIES WERE ALWAYS THERE FOR ME FOR FREE AND LIBRARIES BECAME MY ESCAPE POD FROM REALITY AND LATER, MY LAUNCH PAD TO A SUCCESSFUL CAREER.
AT RISK KIDS FACE MANY CHALLENGES, BUT EXPOSURE TO READING PROGRAMS AND MUSICAL INSTRUCTION AS WELL, HAVE THE POWER TO HELP KIDS ESCAPE THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES.
DECADES OF EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE DEMONSTRATES THAT SUCH PROGRAMS ROBUSTLY CONTRIBUTE TO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, STOP CUTTING FUNDING FOR SCHOOL LIBRARIANS AND MUSIC PROGRAMS. I WON'T BE VOTING FOR A SCHOOL BOND OTHERWISE. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 2.
>> HELLO. THERE YOU GO. SHANNON SCOOP, I'M SPEAKING ON NUMBER 4.
I'M A PARENT TO TWO HISD STUDENTS AT A NON NES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I HAVE SENT MY CAREER IN HIGHER EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE ON TRANSFORMATIONAL AND OPTIMIZATION PROJECTS.
THEY TOO ARE FACING AND HAVE FACED ELIMINATION OF FEDERAL FUNDS.
EFFECTIVE BUDGET MANAGEMENT IS PARAMOUNT FOR CLOSING THE 2035 COMPETENCY SKILLS GAPS OF CREATIVITY, CRITICAL THINKING, TEAMWORK, PROBLEM SOLVING, AND RESILIENCY WHILE ENSURING FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY.
I ENCOURAGE HISD TO BUILD A BUDGET, NOT TAKE AN F MYLES AX TO THE PREVIOUS BUDGET.
THIS REQUIRES ANALYZING EXPENDITURE PATTERNS, IDENTIFYING AREAS OF INEFFICIENCY, DELAYING CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, UTILIZING DATA TO MAKE DECISIONS, AND REALLOCATING EXISTING FUNDS.
THIS PROCESS INVOLVES STREAMLINING ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES AND CONSOLIDATING PROGRAMS AND LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY TO AUTOMATE TASKS.
IMPLEMENTING A TRANSPARENT BUDGET PROCESS FOSTERS ACCOUNTABILITY AND COMMUNITY TRUST.
COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS AMONG ALL PARTIES ARE CRUCIAL TO
[00:30:02]
DEVELOPING BUDGETS THAT ALIGN WITH [INAUDIBLE] HIGH PERFORMING STANDARDS [APPLAUSE]>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 3?
MY PLAN TONIGHT WAS TO TALK ABOUT BUDGET CONCERNS, THE FACT THAT PRINCIPALS DO NOT HAVE FORMULA CALCULATIONS, THE FACT THAT THE DISTRICT WON'T ANSWER STANDARD PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS.
THE FACT THAT ADMINISTRATION LIED TO THE DAC IN OUR LAST MEETING BY SAYING THAT FORMULAS AND SUBSIDIES WOULD REMAIN THE SAME. THEY HAVEN'T.
BUT THE DECIMATING OF OUR COMMUNITIES THAT IS HAPPENING ON CAMPUS THIS WEEK IS WORSE THAN ANYTHING THAT I THOUGHT WAS POSSIBLE.
HUGE SWATHS OF TEACHERS BEING PUT UP FOR FILE REVIEW AND PRINCIPLES OF WELL RATED SCHOOLS BEING FORCED TO RESIGN OR GO UP FOR REVIEW. IT'S ENOUGH.
WE'RE DONE AS A LONGTIME SUPPORTER OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS WITH A CHILD AT A SCHOOL THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS REPAIR, I WANT TO VOTE FOR A BOND.
BUT I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS BIGGER THAN MY CHILD OR OUR COMMUNITY.
IT'S NOW MY PERSONAL MISSION TO CONVINCE EVERYBODY I KNOW TO NOT VOTE FOR A BOND IN HISD.
IF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT OUR KIDS OR OUR EDUCATORS OR OUR FAMILIES, MAYBE YOU'LL CARE THE MILLIONS OF CHILDREN [INAUDIBLE]. [APPLAUSE]
>> I HAVE VOLUNTEERED WITH HISD FOR 51 YEARS.
I WANT TO ASK YOU, MYLES TO PLEASE STOP GETTING RID OF OUR PROGRAMS THAT HELP OUR KIDS.
STOP GETTING RID OF OUR TEACHERS THAT LOVE OUR STUDENTS.
I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU ALL WERE HERE TO HELP US, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE YOU ARE HERE TO DISMANTLE OUR SCHOOLS.
I THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO VISIT WITH GREG ABBOTTS AND HE'S BEHIND ALL THIS.
IT'S SAD TO KNOW THAT HE DOES NOT CARE ABOUT OUR KIDS' EDUCATION.
IF WHAT HE WANTS IS A A FIGHT IS WHAT HE'S GOING TO GET BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE. WE'RE HERE TO STAY.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NUMBER 5.
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M JACKIE ANDERSON, PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSTON FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, SPEAKING FOR A TEACHER WHO FEARS RETALIATION.
WHAT DO THESE THINGS HAVE IN COMMON? LIBRARIES, LOSS TO DISCIPLINE CENTERS, FIELD TRIPS ELIMINATED.
EXPERIENCED SUCCESSFUL TEACHERS LEAVING AND TWICE THE PREVIOUS RATE RESULTING IN BRAIN DRAIN OUT OF OUR CLASSROOMS. SOME OF THE LEADING PRINCIPALS IN THE NATION PLACED AT RISK OF LOSING THEIR JOBS DUE TO SUBJECTIVE EVALUATION SYSTEM.
SCHOOL NURSES JOBS THREATENED.
THRIVING LEARNING COMMUNITIES DESTROYED BECAUSE TEACHERS OR ADMINISTRATORS WHO KNOW AND CARE FOR THEIR STUDENTS ARE BEING REMOVED.
MEANWHILE, TRIPLE THE NUMBER OF HISD EMPLOYEES AT ED WHITE MAKING MORE THAN $200,000.
MIKE MYLES IS WHAT THEY HAVE IN COMMON.
DOES HE NEED TO DESTROY THE DISTRICT TO MAKE ANY SCHOOLS APPEAR SUCCESSFUL? SHOULD NON NES SCHOOLS' CHILDREN BEAR THE BRUNT OF THIS EXPERIMENT? SHOULDN'T ALL STUDENTS HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO THRIVE IN AN EDUCATION THAT IS SAFE, PROTECT OUR CHILDREN, HOLD MIKE MYLES ACCOUNTABLE, DENY THE ADJUSTMENTS.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NUMBER 6.
WE HAVE A 6? THE DEBIALES DAVID..
>> I'M A MOM OF TWO WITH A FOOT AND A HALF OUT THE HISD DOOR.
I'M COMPELLED TO SPEAK TODAY BECAUSE I WAS EVIDENTLY A FOOL.
GENUINELY OPTIMISTIC OF THE TEA TAKEOVER.
I KNEW A LOT WAS WRONG WITHIN HISD FOR SOME TIME, DESPITE MY KIDS BENEFITING FROM THEIR EDUCATION HERE.
TRAGICALLY, HISD HAS GONE FROM THE PROVERBIAL BAD TO WORSE.
MR. MILES, YOU ARE NOT HERE FOR THE GOOD OF THE CHILDREN, THE GREATEST GOOD.
YOU AND THOSE WHO HIRED YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT AGENDA, AND TO ACCOMPLISH THAT YOU ARE TERRORIZING OUR PRINCIPALS, OUR TEACHERS, AND OUR CHILDREN.
BOARD OF MANAGERS, PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING.
REALIZE THAT YOU ARE BEING USED IN THE SHAMEFUL DISMANTLING OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
YOU WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS ACCOMPLICES TO THE TOPPLING OF THE EIGHTH LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY.
YOU WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR THE DEMISE OF HISD, NOT ALL THAT OR THOSE THAT CAME BEFORE YOU.
THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE SPEAKERS 11-20, YOU CAN COME UP AT THE FRONT NOW TOO IF YOU'D LIKE.
>> I'M JESSE DUGAN AND I'M A MOTHER TO 24 YEAR OLDS WHO WILL BE ENROLLED IN HISD NEXT YEAR.
[00:35:01]
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT AGENDA ITEM 4, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.WITH THIS AGENDA ITEM, YOU ARE PROPOSING TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY.
WHEN THE COMMUNITY IS ALREADY WELL ENGAGED, YOU'RE PLANNING TO ASK US EMPTY QUESTIONS WHEN WE HAVE ALREADY TOLD YOU THE ANSWER.
IT'S OVER FOR YOU. WE ARE READY TO TAKE BACK OUR DISTRICT.
THERE'S ONLY 12 OF YOU WHILE THERE'S OVER 100 OF US, PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND THAT NUMBER CONTINUES TO GROW.
AS FOR THE STUDENTS, THEY'VE BEEN TELLING YOU HOW THEY FEEL BY PROTESTING ON YOUR CAMPUSES.
NOW, STUDENTS HAVE STARTED PROTESTING NATIONWIDE.
YOU REALLY THINK YOU CAN CONTROL THEM BY ADMINISTERING TOO MANY TESTS.
YOU HAVE YET TO REALIZE THAT YOU ARE NO LONGER TESTING THE STUDENTS.
THE STUDENTS ARE NOW TESTING YOU.
THE STUDENTS HAVE SHOWN YOU THAT THEY ARE READY TO LEAD, AND I'M READY TO.
MY LIFE WAS TRANSFORMED A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN MY SON WAS GIVEN HIS AUTISM DIAGNOSIS.
I ACCEPTED THE CALL TO SERVE, BUT I ALSO RECOGNIZED THAT I NEEDED TO BE STRONGER, SO I STARTED TRAINING AND GETTING TO WORK.
MEANWHILE, YOU REJECT YOUR CALL TO SERVE BY BEING COMPLICIT IN THIS CORRUPT SYSTEM [INAUDIBLE]
>> THANK YOU. CAN WE HAVE THE NEXT SPEAKER COME UP, PLEASE? YOUR TIME IS UP. [APPLAUSE]
>> MY NAME IS SERENA HUHAN AND I'M A MOTHER OF THREE AT HISD.
I HAVE BEEN COMING TO THESE MEETINGS FOR MONTHS.
SINCE THIS TAKEOVER STARTED, AND I HAVE BEEN CONTINUALLY DISHEARTENED BY THE BOARD OF MANAGERS' ACTIONS.
BUT I HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY THE WILL OF THIS COMMUNITY TO FIGHT FOR OUR KIDS FUTURES REGARDING AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 4.
NOW YOU ARE FINALLY READY TO LISTEN TO US, THE PARENTS, THE STUDENTS, THE TEACHERS, THE TAX PAYERS. THE VOTERS.
YOU PLAN IS SIMPLY TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE.
YOU HAVE ALREADY DECIMATED PROGRAMS LIKE SPECIAL EDUCATION, LIBRARY SERVICES AND SOON WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA? YOUR TREATMENT OF TEACHERS IS A NATIONAL DISGRACE.
IT IS SO EASY TO FEEL DEFEATED BY THIS MISCARRIAGE OF DEMOCRACY AND YOUR GROSS INCOMPETENCE, MR. MILES.
BUT IT'S CLEAR TO ME, AND ALL OF US HERE THAT OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR EDUCATORS DESERVE A WHOLE LOT BETTER, AND WE WILL CONTINUE FIGHTING UNTIL THEY GET CONSIDERED AND ENGAGED.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 9.
>> MY NAME IS DOCTOR PAMELA BOVLYNE, AND I'M ALSO HERE WITH SISTER MAMA SANYA. YOU KNOW WHO SHE IS.
THANK YOU TO ALL THE TEACHERS AND CAMPUS LEADERS WHO HAVE SUFFERED AND CONTINUE TO SUFFER UNDER THIS UNCERTIFIED LEADERSHIP AND THIS BOARD OF MANAGERS.
MY HEART BLEEDS FOR YOU AND WITH EVERY DEVASTATING DEVELOPMENT.
PLEASE VOTE NO ON THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN UNTIL YOU'RE READY TO HONESTLY ANSWER REAL QUESTIONS.
SCRIPTED RESPONSES IS NOT ENGAGEMENT.
VOTE NO ON THE CERTIFYING MYLES' CREATED CURRICULUM AS BEING 100% TIKS.
YOU REMEMBER YOUR COACH TOLD YOU YOU DIDN'T NEED TO UNDERSTAND TIK.
IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND TIK, HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT HIS CURRICULUM IS 100% ALIGNED? BECAUSE HE SAID SO.
TRY REAL HARD. PLEASE, VOTE NO ON EXTENDED [INAUDIBLE] NO TRUST, NO BOND.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NUMBER 10.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. I LOVE SEEING DEMOCRACY IN ACTION AND IT ESPECIALLY BRINGS ME PRIDE.
>> CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE?
>> CAN YOU STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE?
>> SURE. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE].
I'M A COMMUNITY MEMBER AND TEACHER HERE IN HISD.
I LOVE SEEING DEMOCRACY IN ACTION.
IT BRINGS ME GOOD PRIDE TO SEE WHAT THE COMMUNITIES OF HARRIS COUNTY ARE DOING.
RECENTLY, MANY COMMUNITIES ARE EDUCATING THEMSELVES ABOUT THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE.
THIS IS THE SAME CODE OF LAWS THAT ALLOWED THE HIC TAKEOVER TO HAPPEN.
THIS WILL ALSO BE THE SAME SET OF CODE, THE SAME CODE OF LAWS THAT SAVES US.
CHAPTER 13 ALLOWS THE COMMUNITY TO LIBERATE THEMSELVES FROM HISD.
INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THE HISD SCHOOL SYSTEM TO BE FIXED, WHICH WE KNOW WON'T HAPPEN, THE COMMUNITIES ARE COLLECTING SIGNATURES, REDRAWING THE MAPS, AND GETTING READY TO VOTE.
WHEN THEY SUBMIT THOSE SIGNATURES, HISD WILL BE FORCED BY LAW TO PROVIDE AN ELECTION WHERE THE PEOPLE WILL VOTE ON THE CREATION OF A NEW SCHOOL DISTRICT, ALLOWING THE PEOPLE TO SAY GOODBYE TO HISD, AND GOODBYE TO THE PUPPETS.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NUMBER 11.
[00:40:09]
>> I'M CHRISTI MICHELLE BREWSTER, RETIRED CERTIFIED SCHOOL NURSE 35 YEARS AND THE FORMER PRS NURSE CONSULTANT.
YESTERDAY WAS NATIONAL SCHOOL NURSE DAY.
THANK YOU COLLEAGUES FOR CHOOSING SCHOOL NURSING.
THAT'S A SPECIALTY THAT'S EXTREMELY SPECIAL BECAUSE YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN.
FIRST TO BE CALLED IN A STUDENT CRISIS, BE IT PHYSICAL OR MENTAL AND THE VERY LAST ONE TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED, IF EVER, AND RESPECTED.
THANKS FOR CONTINUING TO WEATHER THE STORM THE HOSTILE TAKEOVER THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH FOR THE SAKE OF THE CHILDREN AND THE STAFF.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO ADHERE TO THE NURSE PRACTICE ACT.
EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY BE HAVING A LITTLE PUSHBACK ON YOUR CAMPUSES ACCORDING TO THE STREET COMMITTEE, THAT YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE PRINCIPAL PERMISSION TO CALL 911, THAT YOU GOT TO HAVE PRINCIPAL PERMISSION, STATE LAW TO FILE A CPS REPORT, BUT KEEP FIGHTING ON SCHOOL NURSES, GRIT YOUR TEETH AND HANGING THERE FOR MY CHILDREN.
YOU GOT TO EDUCATE YOUR COMMUNITY, COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR COMMUNITY.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NUMBER 12.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS DIANA CANDIDA, HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 15.
I'M A PARENT OF A FIRST GRADER AND LIKE EVERY PARENT WANT THE BEST FOR MY CHILD.
MY SON'S SCHOOL HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT SHELTERED FROM THE DAMAGE BEING CAUSED BY SUPERINTENDENT MILES.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE THE REALITY IS THAT 85 SCHOOLS ARE UNDER THE NES SYSTEM, AND I AM HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF NOT JUST MY CHILD, BUT ALL CHILDREN.
WHAT'S BEING DONE AT NES SCHOOLS IS UNCONSCIONABLE AND WRONG.
SINCE THE TAKEOVER, HUNDREDS OF TEACHERS HAVE EITHER RESIGNED OR ARE BEING TERMINATED.
YOU SEE ME EVERY MONTH AND THINK OF ME AS A USUAL SUSPECT.
I WILL CONTINUE TO SPEAK OUT AND INFORM PARENTS ON WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN HISD AND HOPE THAT ONE DAY, BOARD OF MANAGERS OPEN THEIR HEARTS AND BEGIN ADVOCATING FOR ALL OF HOUSTON'S CHILDREN TOO. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NUMBER 13.
I WAS A STUDENT IN HISD IN THE '60S AND '70S.
I WAS FROM A VERY POOR FAMILY.
WE COULD HAVE USED SERVICES THAT YOU'VE ELIMINATED.
MY THIRD-GRADE TEACHER PROVIDED WITH ALL MY LUNCHES AND ALL MY CLOTHING AND WITHOUT THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH TEACHERS, WHICH IS LIKE A TURNOVER THAT'S INCREDIBLE FROM YOU, YOU NEED TO STEP DOWN.
PEOPLE NEED THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR TEACHERS AND THEY NEED SERVICES WHEN THEY HAVE TROUBLE GETTING FOOD AND CLOTHING.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NUMBER 14.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS NAYSAYER, AND USUAL SUSPECT NUMBER 14 TODAY, BUT MY FRIENDS CALL ME JESSI.
I SPOKE ABOUT THIS IN DECEMBER, BUT I JUST HEARD ABOUT ANOTHER SCHOOL THAT IS PREPARING FOR THIS LEARNING MODEL, SO I'M SPEAKING ABOUT IT AGAIN.
IN ONE OF MR. MILES'S COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS, HE SHOWED A CLASSROOM FROM HIS CHARTER SCHOOL NETWORK, THIRD FUTURE SCHOOLS.
THE PICTURE INCLUDED 50 STUDENTS IN ONE CLASS.
HE THEN SPOKE ABOUT THIRD FUTURE SCHOOLS AND HOW IT HAS ZOOM CLASSES WHERE ONE TEACHER IS TEACHING TWO CLASSES, ONE IN ZOOM AND ONE IN PERSON.
MILES THEN STATED IN HISD WE CAN DO BOTH SO 50 KIDS IN PERSON, 50 KIDS ON ZOOM.
BOARD OF MANAGERS, YOU ARE CONTINUALLY LETTING MILES CAUSE HARM TO HISD STUDENTS.
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO STOP IT.
ON THIS TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO IS FIRE MIKE MILES.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 15, PLEASE.
I'M A 12-YEAR HISD PARENT FROM TITLE I SCHOOLS.
I'M HERE SPEAKING FOR THE WRAPAROUND SPECIALISTS THAT HAVE BEEN CUT.
I'VE SEEN THE IMPORTANT WORK THEY'VE DONE AT MY SCHOOLS AND HOW THEY IMPROVE THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR MANY STUDENTS.
THEY PROVIDE SUPPORT TO OUR STUDENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, DURING THE HOLIDAYS, DURING HARDSHIPS, AND DURING THE SUMMER.
I'M ASKING THE BOARD OF MANAGERS TO RECONSIDER CUTTING THESE POSITIONS AND INSTEAD, CUT THE HIGHER-PAID POSITIONS IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NUMBER 16.
>> DAVI GARZA, READING A LETTER ON BEHALF OF A WRAPAROUND SPECIALIST.
[00:45:01]
I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING AS A WRAPAROUND RESOURCE SPECIALIST FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS.I HAVE HELPED STUDENTS OVERCOME OBSTACLES TO LEARNING FROM RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO FOOD INSECURITY.
ON MAY 2ND, I WAS INFORMED ALONG WITH APPROXIMATELY 170 OTHER SPECIALISTS THAT WE WOULD BE SUBJECT TO BUDGET CUTS.
THE ELIMINATION OF THE SPECIALISTS WILL HAVE DRASTIC CONSEQUENCES.
THE PRIMARY ISSUE IS THE SEVEN SUNRISE CENTERS ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO STUDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE TRANSPORTATION.
RAISING THE DISTANCE FROM THE STUDENTS TO THE RESOURCES THEY REQUIRE TO SUCCEED IS ILLOGICAL AND DIFFICULT TO SUSTAIN.
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME WHO WILL REMAIN THE WORK WE DO ON CAMPUS CANNOT BE DUPLICATED.
WE CONNECT WITH STUDENTS DAILY, ALLEVIATE BARRIERS IN REAL TIME, AND ARE EASILY ACCESSIBLE.
WRAPAROUND SERVICES PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN HOW STUDENTS SHOW UP IN THE CLASSROOM.
NOW IN MY OWN WORDS, BOARD OF MANAGERS, MR. MILES, NO TRANSPARENCY, NO TRUST, NO BOND. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 17.
CAN SPEAKERS 20 THROUGH 30 COME UP TO THE FRONT, PLEASE?
I'M GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO ON CURRICULUM.
I'M AN HISD PARENT, PART OF THE PTA, AND A VOLUNTEER IN THE BOY SCOUTS.
MY CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO LIBRARIES.
THEY HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THEIR CURRICULUM AND MY CHILD'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THEIR LEARNING.
LIBRARIANS, THEY CURATE MATERIALS LIKE BOOKS, DATABASES, WEBSITES TO SUPPLEMENT THE CURRICULUM THAT ASSIST TEACHERS IN THEIR CLASSROOM.
SEVENTH GRADERS DO RESEARCH AT MY CHILD'S SCHOOL AFTER BEING ON THE COMPUTER ALL DAY.
THEY GET EXCITED ABOUT PULLING INFORMATION FROM NON FICTION BOOKS THAT THE LIBRARIAN HAS SENT DOWN ON THE MOBILE BOOK CARTS.
THE EIGHTH GRADERS, THEY LEARN ABOUT CREDIBILITY OF SOURCES, CHECKING OUT NEW TECHNOLOGY, CODING, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF DATABASES, PRINTING FOR THEIR RESEARCH.
LIBRARIES TOUCH ALL FACETS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
MORE THAN 300 STUDENTS SHOWED UP FOR OUR LITERACY NIGHTS.
WE NEED OUR LIBRARIES. [INAUDIBLE]
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 18.
I'M AN HISD PARENT, AND I'M SPEAKING ON A GENDER ITEM 7 AS ARE ALL OF TEAM LIBRARY HERE TONIGHT.
NEXT YEAR, MORE THAN 70,000 STUDENTS WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS TO LIBRARY BOOKS.
THIS WEEK, AT THE WALTRIP PTO MEETING, THE SUPERINTENDENT ARGUED THAT LIBRARIES HAD NOT IMPROVED READING SCORES.
RESEARCH HAS PROVEN OTHERWISE.
UNTIL THREE YEARS AGO, HISD SCHOOLS HAD SUFFERED FROM DECADES OF NEGLECTED LIBRARIES WITHOUT DATA COLLECTIONS THAT FAILED TO MEET STATE LIBRARY STANDARDS, 95 SCHOOLS HAD NO LIBRARY STAFF AT ALL.
THREE YEARS AGO, HISD DECIDED THAT EVERY STUDENT DESERVES A LIBRARY THAT MEETS TEXAS LIBRARY STANDARDS.
IT SPENT MORE THAN $15 MILLION IN FEDERAL AS A FUNDING ON BOOKS AND OTHER RESOURCES, 7.5 MILLION WAS ALLOCATED TO SCHOOLS THAT WILL BE MOSTLY CLASSIFIED NES NEXT YEAR.
WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO TELL OUR STUDENTS AND TAXPAYERS TO USE THIS VALUABLE NEW RESOURCE.
BOOKS AT NES SCHOOLS ARE BEING COVERED UP, PUT IN STORAGE, AND GIVEN AWAY.
THIS 7.5 MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT IS WASTED.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 19.
>> BRANDIE DOWDA. I AM AN HISD LIBRARIAN AT ALMEDA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WE PURCHASE $23,816 WORTH OF BOOKS.
NEXT YEAR, OUR STUDENTS WILL NO LONGER HAVE A LIBRARY PROGRAM.
ALCOTT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PURCHASED $6,570 WORTH OF BOOKS, ANDERSON ELEMENTARY, $96,962.
BENAVIDEZ ELEMENTARY, $142,240.
ALL AT ONE SCHOOL, EVERY AMOUNT IS DIFFERENT BASED UPON THE AGE AND SIZE OF THE COLLECTION.
BERRY ELEMENTARY, $24,110. BONNER ELEMENTARY, $23,000, BLACKSHEAR ELEMENTARY, $34,232.
AT THESE SCHOOLS, STUDENTS NO LONGER HAVE ACCESS TO THIS INVESTMENT.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 20.
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M DR. JENNIFER FELDMANN, A PEDIATRICIAN.
CONTINUING THE THREAD FROM BEFORE.
BOTTOM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PURCHASED $27,000, WORTH OF BOOKS FOR SCHOOLS.
BRISCOE ELEMENTARY, $39,340, BROWNING ELEMENTARY,
[00:50:02]
$26,384. BRUCE ELEMENTARY, $29,502.COOK ELEMENTARY $59,279, DURKEE ELEMENTARY, $138,560.
DE ZAVALA ELEMENTARY, $25,190 WORTH OF BOOKS.
AT THESE SCHOOLS, STUDENTS NO LONGER HAVE ACCESS TO ALL OF THESE INVESTMENTS.
>> MY NAME IS CHRISTINE ANDERSON.
I'M AN HISD TAXPAYER AND PARENT.
TWO YEARS AGO, CROCKETT ELEMENTARY DIDN'T HAVE A LIBRARIAN OR CURRENT COLLECTION.
NEXT YEAR AS AN NES SCHOOL, CHILDREN WON'T HAVE ACCESS TO $62,736 WORTH OF BOOKS UNLESS THEY KEEP THEIR LIBRARIAN.
CROCKETT ELEMENTARY ONE LIBRARY PROGRAM OF THE YEAR THIS YEAR.
GIVE THE SCHOOL A CHANCE TO SEE ITS RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
FOERSTER ELEMENTARY $167,000, FRANKLIN ELEMENTARY $47,800.
ARC GARCIA ELEMENTARY, $184,700.
GOLFCREST ELEMENTARY, $25,000.
HARRIS RP ELEMENTARY $56,700, HARRIS JP ELEMENTARY 32,000.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 21.
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M DAWN COLE.
I'M AN HISD TAXPAYER, PARENT, EDUCATOR AND WRITER.
HENDERSON ELEMENTARY, $75,743.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY, $8,368.
HINES CALDWELL ELEMENTARY, $33,456.
JEFFERSON ELEMENTARY, $40,000.
LONGFELL ELEMENTARY, $21,712. AT THESE SCHOOLS, STUDENTS NO LONGER HAVE ACCESS TO THIS INVESTMENT.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS PAULA NINO.
I AM AN HISD PARENT, LOOSCAN ELEMENTARY, $31,000.
MONTGOMERY ELEMENTARY, 30,000.
NORTH LANE ELEMENTARY, 141,392.
PLEASANTVILLE ELEMENTARY $90,000.
THESE ARE JUST A FEW OTHER SCHOOLS WHO WON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THIS INVESTMENT NEXT YEAR.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CHRISTINA FONTENOT.
I'M AN HISD TAXPAYER AND AN HISD PARENT.
THE OTHER SCHOOLS ARE PORT HOUSTON ELEMENTARY, $30,000, P ELEMENTARY, $117,696.
ROBINSON ELEMENTARY, $169,600.
SCROGGINS ELEMENTARY, $26,256.
SEGUIN ELEMENTARY, $52,144 WHERE ANCHOR CHARTS COVER THEIR SHELVES UNTIL THEY HAVE VISITORS GIVING THE FACADE, THE CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO BOOKS.
AT THESE SCHOOLS STUDENTS NO LONGER HAVE ACCESS TO THIS INVESTMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER 25.
[00:55:03]
>> MY NAME IS ELIA MARTINALBO, AND I'M A HISD PARENT.
I'M CONTINUING THE LIST OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
THE LIST IN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, THOMPSON, $34,000.
TOGETHER, THIS IS 4,645,000 $300 WORTH OF BOX THAT HISD ELEMENTARY CHILDREN WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS TO NEXT YEAR, AND THAT JUST MAKES ME SAD. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M SARAH DALTON AN HISD TAXPAYER.
PARENTS, STUDENTS WHO HAVEN'T BUILT A LOVE OF READING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY TURN INTO READERS WHEN THEY GET TO MIDDLE SCHOOL.
FURTHERMORE, STUDENTS WHO READ A FEW PARAGRAPHS A DAY IN CLASS, AND ONLY EXCERPTS FROM BOOKS, WHILE BEING INTERRUPTED AND CALLED UPON EVERY FOUR MINUTES TO RESPOND TO AN MRS STRATEGY, WILL NOT HAVE BUILT UP THE ENDURANCE AND PERSISTENCE, [APPLAUSE] TO TAKE A FOUR HOUR STAR READING TEST.
NOW I'M GOING ON TO MIDDLE SCHOOLS, CLIFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL $89,995, COLON MIDDLE SCHOOL, 41928, DEADY MIDDLE, 121,986, EDISON MIDDLE, 25,110, FLEMING MIDDLE, 68,346, FONVILLE MIDDLE, 50,000, FOREST BROOK MIDDLE, 67,878, GREGORY LINCOLN, 26,000.
HOLLAND MIDDLE, 88,210. AT THESE SCHOOLS, STUDENTS NO LONGER HAVE ACCESS TO THESE INVESTMENTS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. [NOISE] [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NUMBER 27.
CAN WE HAVE SPEAKERS 31 THROUGH 40, PLEASE COME UP AT THE FRONT.
>> MY NAME IS MARTHA MARTINEZ, I'M AN HISD TAXPAYER PARENT.
KEY MIDDLE, 90,000, VERONA MARTINEZ, LAWSON MIDDLE, $45,000, MC GRANULES MIDDLE, 49,662, JEANETTE GARZA, NAVARRO MIDDLE, $100,746, ORTIZ MIDDLE, 25,000, PROJECT CHRYSALIS, 40,000, REAGAN, 21,000, PAULA MENDOZA.
THOMAS MIDDLE, $108, 414, MR. RIVON, WELCH MIDDLE SCHOOL, $70,910, WILLIAMS MIDDLE, 45,000, HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL, MICHELLE CRUZ ARNOLD, $40,000, FOUR FUR MIDDLE SCHOOL, $179.
YES, MS. CASSANDRA, I SEE, $179,172.
AT THESE SCHOOLS, STUDENTS WILL NO LONGER HAVE ACCESS TO THIS INVESTMENT, MR. CAMPO.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NUMBER 28.
>> CHRISTINA DE HAVEN, HISD TAXPAYER AND PARENT.
CONTINUING ON THE HIGH SCHOOL LIST OF WASTED FUNDS.
HOUSTON MSTC HIGH, 137 $292, HIGH SCHOOL FOR LAW AND JUSTICE, OVER $40,000, LIBERTY HIGH $30,000, LONG ACADEMY HIGH,35,000, MADISON HIGH, 90,000, NORTHSIDE HIGH, 80,000, AT STERLING HIGH SCHOOL, MORE THAN 5,500 BOOKS WERE RELOCATED TO HELC TO MAKE WAY FOR THE NES MODEL.
SCARBOROUGH HIGH, OVER $77,000, WHEATLEY HIGH, $100,000, AND THE GRAND FINALE WEST FERRY HIGH WITH $440, 592.
WHAT BENEFITS CHILDREN MORE? MATCHING FURNITURE IN THE DISTRICT OFFICE OR A LIBRARIAN WHO CAN MAKE SURE STUDENTS HAVE EQUAL ACCESS WITH THESE HALF MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENTS.
>> THANK YOU. FIGURE NUMBER 29.
>> GOOD EVENING, ANNE FURST, HISD TAXPAYER.
HISD IS WASTING MILLIONS OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS IN LIBRARY RESOURCES THAT ARE HIGHLY UNLIKELY TO BENEFIT STUDENTS NEXT YEAR BECAUSE THOSE LIBRARY PROGRAM NO LONGER EXIST.
LIBRARIES MUST COMPLEMENT, NOT BE REPLACED BY THE SCIENCE OF READING.
OUR RECENT INVESTMENT SHOULD BE USED TO SUPPORT THE DISTRICT READING CURRICULUM BY PROMOTING A GENUINE INTEREST IN, AND LOVE OF READING.
NEXT YEAR, HISD'S MORE AFFLUENT SCHOOLS WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE WELL STOCKED,
[01:00:01]
PROFESSIONALLY STAFFED LIBRARIES, AND OF COURSE, HIGHER STAR SCORES.YET HISD IS DISMANTLING LIBRARIES IN SCHOOLS IN HIGH POVERTY NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THROWING AWAY THIS HUGE INVESTMENT IN LITERACY.
THIS PERPETUATES THE HISTORY OF INEQUITY IN HISD.
THE MULTI MILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT WAS DESIGNED TO ADDRESS.
WHEN WE REMOVE LIBRARY PROGRAMS, WE ARE BETRAYING OUR TAXPAYERS, AND WE ARE FAILING OUR CHILDREN. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU FIGURE NUMBER 30.
>> MY NAME IS ANDREA. I AM ONE OF THE WRAPAROUND SPECIALISTS WHO WAS FIRED LAST THURSDAY ALONG WITH 208 OF MY ESTEEMED COLLEAGUES.
THIS IS A GREAT DISSERVICE, NOT ONLY TO MY STUDENTS, BUT TO THE COMMUNITY.
WRAPAROUND SPECIALISTS DIRECTLY IMPACTS STUDENT OUTCOMES BY PROVIDING ON CAMPUS SUPPORT.
NOT JUST FOR FOOD AND CLOTHING, BUT FOR MENTAL HEALTH, LIFE COACHING, DRUG AND ALCOHOL PREVENTION PROGRAMS, AND HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIPS.
THE SEVEN SUNRISE CENTERS CANNOT SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE NEARLY 150,000 ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS, AND ROUGHLY 7,000 HOMELESS STUDENTS.
THESE CENTERS ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO FAMILIES WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION.
THE HOURS DO NOT PERMIT ACCESS AFTER WORK.
SOME FAMILIES DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING ELSEWHERE BECAUSE I HAVE WORKED HARD TO BUILD RAPPORT WITH THEM, AND THEY TRUST ME TO HELP.
I'VE DONE EVERYTHING FROM GETTING NEEDY STUDENTS $150 FOR BASIC NEEDS TO HELPING A FAMILY REPLACE A BROKEN WINDOW FOR FREE AFTER A STORM.
FOR THE SAKE OF ALL STUDENTS, PLEASE BRING BACK WRAPAROUND SPECIALISTS TO ALL CAMPUSES.
>> MEGHAN STEARMAN, HISD PARENT.
THANK YOU FOR WORKING TO FINALLY IMPROVE OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
HOWEVER, THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN THAT WAS PROPOSED IS LACKING IN SEVERAL KEY AREAS, AND I URGE YOU NOT TO APPROVE IT IN ITS CURRENT FORM.
THE PLAN DOES NOT PROVIDE AN INCLUSIVE NOR ACCESSIBLE SOLUTION TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
DEFAULTING SESSIONS TO HEME WHITE, FAVORS CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHICS AND DOES NOT PROVIDE GEOGRAPHIC ACCESS FOR OUR LARGE AND DIVERSE DISTRICT.
WE NEED MORE CHANNELS, VIRTUAL OPTIONS, TRANSLATION SUPPORT AND ADDITIONAL LOCATIONS TO REACH ALL STAKEHOLDERS.
THERE'S ALSO NO PLAN FOR HOW THE FEEDBACK WILL BE USED AND INCORPORATED.
TRANSPARENCY ISN'T JUST ABOUT SHARING INFORMATION.
IT'S ABOUT DEMONSTRATING RESPONSIVENESS, SHOW THE COMMUNITY HOW OUR INPUT SHAPES DECISION.
I IMPLORE YOU NOT TO APPROVE THE ENGAGEMENT PLAN AS IS.
IT IS A ONE SIZE FITS ALL APPROACH THAT DOES NOT WORK FOR HISD.
PLEASE HONOR THE DIVERSE NATURE OF OUR DISTRICT AND EXPLORE MAKING CHANGES. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NUMBER 32.
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M KATHERINE ESTES.
I'M A PARENT OF TWO HISD STUDENTS.
I'M A WIDOW OF A FORMER HISD EDUCATOR.
I'LL BE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF AN EDUCATOR WHO WOULD WISH TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS.
THIS IS AN EXPERIENCED EDUCATOR AS A BILINGUAL EDUCATOR WITH EIGHT YEARS EXPERIENCE.
I'VE ABSOLUTELY LOVED TEACHING.
EVERY DAY, I RECOGNIZE HOW MY STUDENTS HAVE POSITIVELY IMPACTED MY LIFE.
I'M APPALLED AT THE DECISIONS OF JUSTICE, DISCRIMINATION, AND CHILD ABUSE DETERMINED BY MR. MILES AND THE SCHOOL BOARD.
I HAVE ADHERED TO THE INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDELINES, BUT IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT FOR MY STUDENTS TO PERFORM WELL WHEN MANY STRUGGLE WITH READING FLUENCY.
REMOVING LIBRARY BOOKS AND THE EVALUATION, LITERARY BOOKS.
THE EVALUATION, LITERACY BOOKS USED TO ASSESS STUDENTS READING LEVEL, SENDS THE MESSAGE THAT READING ISN'T IMPORTANT IN OUR LIVES.
MY STUDENTS NEED SUPPORT TO HELP BECOME FLUENT READERS, TO BE SUCCESSFUL NOW IN THE FUTURE.
WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IS A TOTAL MOCKERY TO HISD AND CITIZENS OF HOUSTON, SURROUNDING AREAS, AND ESPECIALLY ALL CHILDREN.
RESTORE THE LIBRARY, STOP THE [NOISE] [APPLAUSE].
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 34.
>> SPEAK. HI. MY NAME IS ALISON CHAPIN, AND I USUALLY SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER, BUT I AM HERE TODAY JUST TO BE ME AND ASK YOU SOME SERIOUS QUESTIONS.
I WANT TO SPEAK TO NUMBER 1 AND 5 VERY QUICKLY.
IS THIS NES CURRICULUM SPECIFICALLY ON THE TEA LIST? I COULDN'T FIND IT, MAYBE YOU SHOULD.
IS THERE A RESEARCHED PEER REVIEWED CURRICULUM THAT YOU ARE GOING TO APPROVE TONIGHT? I DON'T THINK SO.
AND SPEAKING OF NUMBER 1, HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO SHOW GROWTH WHEN YOU'RE LETTING SPECIAL ED SERVICES GO, FIRING CONTRACTS? HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK FOR YOU NEXT YEAR? NUMBER 4, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH.
YOU'RE NOT LOOKING, YOU'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION.
YOU'RE DOING A VERY GOOD JOB, PAUL,
[01:05:03]
I MUST SAY. THANK YOU. [INAUDIBLE]>> THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT.
SPEAKER NUMBER 34, YOU'RE UP NEXT.
>> HELLO, I'M CAMILLE BROW, THE PARENT OF CHILDREN AT A FINE ART SCHOOL THAT WOULD BECOME NES NEXT YEAR.
I WAS INVITED TO TOUR AN NES SCHOOL RECENTLY, AND ALTHOUGH I OBSERVED A CARING PRINCIPAL, IT IS CERTAINLY NOT THE SCHOOL I WANT FOR MY CHILDREN.
KEY TAKEAWAYS, A SPIN CLASS WITH 30 ADULT SIZE BIKES WORTH $6,000, ONE INSTRUCTOR AND TWO KIDS. THERE WERE TWO KIDS.
A SCHOOL RECONFIGURED TO ALLOW SPACE FOR TEAMS CENTERS IN THE LIBRARY, BUT WITH NO DEDICATED SPACE FOR THEIR DYSLEXIA SPECIALIST.
CONFIRMATION FROM LEADERSHIP THAT DIAD INSTRUCTORS ARE NOT CERTIFIED TEACHERS, NO ASSURANCE THAT THEY ARE TRAINED IN HOW TO FOLLOW ACCOMMODATION PLANS, MANY OF WHICH REQUIRE ONE-ON-ONE OR SPECIAL GROUP INSTRUCTION WITH SPECIALIZED SKILLS THAT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL TRAINING.
EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEAR, I WILL BE DIRECTING MY MONEY, MY EFFORTS, AND MY NETWORK AGAINST THE BOND.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 35.
>> HEATHER STANSELL SPEAKING FOR A TEACHER.
RECENTLY, A GROUP OF ALMOST 100 TEACHERS COORDINATED A SICK OUT.
I'M SHARING A STATEMENT FROM ONE OF THOSE TEACHERS REGARDING ITEM 14.
I'M SICK OF MILES AND HIS SYCOPHANTS GAS LIGHTING US TO BELIEVE THEY ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT STUDENTS.
THEY CARE ONLY FOR THEMSELVES AND TURN A BLIND EYE TO PEOPLE WHO SPEAK AT THESE MEETINGS.
I'M SICK OF BEING SCARED OF BULLYING SUPERVISORS.
I'M SICK OF TOXIC WORK ENVIRONMENTS WHERE SPOT SCORES ARE WORSE FOR THOSE WHO SPEAK OUT.
TEACHERS HAVE GOTTEN CONTRACTS AND NOW THERE'S A REDUCTION IN FORCE EXCEPT FOR PEOPLE WHOSE SALARIES ARE OVER 200,000.
ON TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, I HOPE TEACHERS CELEBRATE THEMSELVES AND TAKE A SICK DAY FOR THEIR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH.
TAKE A SICK DAY AND SAY I'M SICK OF THE HARM MILES INFLICTS ON OUR STUDENTS.
HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK TO TEACHERS WHO STAND UP, STAND STRONG AND STAND TOGETHER IN SUPPORT OF STUDENTS AND PUBLIC EDUCATION. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 36.
IN HONOR OF TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME EXCEPTIONAL TEACHERS WHOSE DEDICATION AND EFFECTIVENESS GOES UNNOTICED BY RANDOM AUDITS, CHECK LISTS, AND TEST SCORES.
MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLERS WAKE UP AN HOUR EARLY TWICE A WEEK TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR SCHOOLS GARDEN CLUB, WHERE TEACHERS ARRIVE EARLY TO LEAD AND FACILITATE.
THE STUDENTS DIG, PLANT, WE LEARN ABOUT LIFE CYCLES, MIGRATION PATTERNS, AND EVEN INDEPENDENTLY CREATE POWERPOINTS TO TEACH OTHERS WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED.
THEY EAGERLY SPENT A SATURDAY AT THE BOTANIC GARDEN PRESENTING TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED AND HOW IT IGNITES THEIR LOVE OF SCIENCE, GEOGRAPHY, AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
MY DAUGHTER'S TEACHER ARRIVES EARLY EACH SCHOOL DAY TO OPEN HER CLASSROOM TO STUDENTS NEEDING EXTRA ASSISTANCE AND EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT.
SHE HOSTS STUDENT-LED PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES WHERE STUDENTS HIGHLIGHT SUCCESSES, OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOP ACTION PLANS.
THOUGH THE LOVE, RESPECT, APPRECIATION AND ADMIRATION OUR CHILDREN HAVE FOR THEIR TEACHERS IS NOT TALLIED WITHIN TEST SCORES OR SPREADSHEETS, WE THE PARENTS RECOGNIZE IT, AND I ASK YOU TO TAKE A 360-DEGREE VIEW AND APPRECIATE OUR EDUCATORS FOR THE PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 37, YOU CAN COME TO THE PODIUM.
SPEAKERS 41-50, PLEASE COME UP IN THE FRONT.
>> MY NAME IS JENNIFER BLESSINGTON, AND AFTER 14 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THIS DISTRICT, I AM LEAVING BECAUSE MY VALUES ARE NO LONGER IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE VALUES OF HISD.
I OFTEN GET TO SCHOOL BEFORE 7:00 A.M. TO GRADE PAPERS AND CREATE LESSONS THAT I LOVE TO TEACH.
I SPEND MY SUMMERS WRITING UPWARDS OF 70 LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION FOR MY AMAZING STUDENTS.
MY AP PASS RATE IS 30 PERCENTAGE POINTS HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
BUT I'M LEAVING BECAUSE THE CULTURE OF THIS DISTRICT IS NOW ONE OF FEAR AND SURVEILLANCE.
IT IS A CULTURE THAT VALUES ARBITRARY CHECKLISTS AND BLIND COMPLIANCE OVER AUTHENTIC TEACHING AND LEARNING.
HIGH EXPECTATIONS ARE IMPORTANT.
OUR STUDENTS DESERVE NOTHING LESS.
BUT AS ANY GREAT TEACHER COULD TELL YOU, A HIGH PERFORMANCE CULTURE CANNOT SIMULTANEOUSLY EXIST WITH A CULTURE OF FEAR.
EXCELLENT TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS HAVE LEFT, THEY ARE LEAVING, AND THEY WILL LEAVE.
BOARD OF MANAGERS, I ASK YOU, WILL THIS BE YOUR LEGACY? [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 38.
[01:10:03]
UNDER THE BUDGET PROPOSED BY HISD, THE LARGE COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOLS ARE HAVING THEIR BUDGETS FOR NEXT YEAR CUT BY BETWEEN $1-1.7 MILLION PER SCHOOL.
THROUGH A PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUEST, WE ASKED FOR THE BUDGET FOR ALL SCHOOLS WITHIN HISD SO WE CAN SEE HOW THESE CUTS ARE BEING DIVERTED.
HISD SENT THE REQUESTS TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE RATHER THAN COMPLYING WITH THE REQUESTS.
THE PROGRAMS AT HIGH SCHOOL SERVING THE HIGHEST POPULATIONS OF STUDENTS, INCLUDING A LARGE PERCENT OF TITLE 1 STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE GUTTED TO ADDRESS HISDS DEFICIT.
FOR HISD SUPERINTENDENT CONSTRAINT 3, THE SUPERINTENDENT SHALL NOT MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO PROGRAMMING WITHOUT CONDUCTING AND COMMUNICATING A RESEARCH-BASED ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS AND IMPACT ON THE ACHIEVEMENT OF STUDENT OUTCOME AND GOAL.
I'M CONCERNED THE RAPID EXPANSION OF HISD, HIGH COST NES SCHOOLS AND FUNDS BEING DIVERTED INTO NES PROGRAMS HAVE NOT BEEN TESTED OR PROVEN EFFECTIVE.
WITHOUT TRANSPARENCY INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW.
I IMPLORE THE [INAUDIBLE]. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 39.
>> MARK LABLANT. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT REQUIRES SHARED INTEGRITY AND TRUST.
THERE ARE NON NEGOTIABLE COMMUNITY VALUES THAT MUST BE HONORED.
ONE BEING HEIDS CORE VALUE NUMBER 6, EQUITY, THE QUALITY OF BEING FAIR AND IMPARTIAL.
THAT'S FOR EVERYONE, STUDENTS, PARENTS, STAFF, AND WORKERS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE NES MODEL HAS BEEN USED AS A BASE TO CREATE A SYSTEM OF STRUCTURAL DISCRIMINATION FOR THOSE THAT IMPACT OUR CHILDREN THE MOST, TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, WRAPAROUND SPECIALISTS, PRINCIPALS, AND OTHERS, INCLUDING OUR CHILDREN, BUT NOT HIGH LEVEL EXECUTIVES.
YOU ARE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
HE IS A HIRED GUN WITH NO CONNECTION TO THIS COMMUNITY.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A RETURN ON FAILURE ON HIS CHAOS AND FEAR CAMPAIGN.
THERE'S A FINE LINE BETWEEN THE UNFAIRNESS OF INEQUITY AND THE MORALLY SINFUL WICKEDNESS OF INIQUITY.
YOUR COMMUNITY WILL JUDGE YOU FOR YOUR GOVERNANCE ROLES AND MAKE SURE IT'S NOT FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF INIQUITIES.
PER YOUR OWN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN, NON NEGOTIABLE COMMUNITY AS TAXPAYERS.
>> LISTEN, AND ACT ON THE COMMUNITY VALUES.
>> I'M SPEAKING FOR A GREATLY APPRECIATED.
>> EXCUSE ME. COULD YOU STATE YOUR NAME?
>> IT NEEDS TO BE RECORDED FOR THE VIDEO. THANK YOU.
>> NEED TO TALK TO YOUR KINDERGARTEN TEACHER. TIME, PLEASE.
>> GO AHEAD AND RESTART HER TIME AND BEGIN WITH YOUR NAME. THANK YOU.
I'M SPEAKING FOR A GREATLY APPRECIATED TEACHER FEARING RETALIATION.
STUDENTS DO NOT LEARN MUCH, JUST SITTING IN CLASS, LISTENING TO TEACHERS, MEMORIZING FACTS, SPITTING OUT ANSWERS, THEY MUST TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE LEARNING? WRITE ABOUT IT, RELATE EXPERIENCES, APPLY TO THEIR DAILY LIVES.
HOW DO YOU EXPECT STUDENTS TO LEARN WITH THIS INTERRUPTION THEORY YOU CALL MRS STRATEGIES.
WE AGREE, MRS STRATEGIES HAVE A TIME AND A PLACE.
BUT WHEN STUDENTS ARE WRITING TO LEARN, PROCESSING THEIR IDEAS AND THEIR OWN DISTINCTIVE WRITING STYLES, WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD WE INTERRUPT THEM WITH? I HAVE THREE COLLEGE DEGREES.
NO PROFESSOR EVER INTERRUPTED MY LEARNING WITH ERRONEOUS QUESTIONS TO APPEASE AN ADMINISTRATOR WHO MAY HAVE NEVER TAUGHT MY SUBJECT.
>> DANIEL SANTOS. LAST WEEK, OVER 3,000 TEACHERS CALLED FOR A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE ON THE RECKLESS LEADERSHIP OF MIKE MILES, BECAUSE WE CONDEMN HIS VISION OF APARTHEID EDUCATION IMPOSED ON CHILDREN WHO MOST NEED OUR SERVICE.
WE CONDEMN THE NES EXPERIMENT AND ITS MALPRACTICES.
WE CONDEMN THE REFORMS THAT HAVE NO BASIS IN RESEARCH THAT DO NOT SUPPORT OUR SPECIAL ED STUDENTS.
THE EXODUS OF GREAT TEACHERS WILL BE A WARNING TO THE CITY THAT UNLESS WE REPLACE THE INCOMPETENT SUPERINTENDENT,
[01:15:01]
THE DAMAGE TO HISD MAY TAKE EVEN LONGER TO REPAIR.EVERY STAKEHOLDER IN THE CITY TONIGHT NEEDS TO RAISE THEIR VOICE AGAINST THIS THUG AND PROCLAIM, HISD BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON.
REMOVE F MIKE MILES TODAY AND RESTORE OUR ELECTED BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
>> SARAH TERRELL GOALS MONITORING, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS EIGHT PAGES OF VOODOO DATA.
OKAY. NO ONE UNDERSTANDS IT, AND WE'RE ONLY SUPPOSED TO SEE THE BIG GREEN ON TRACK SIGNS.
IN MARCH, YOU ASKED REAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GOALS DATA, AND NOW Q&A IS JUST ADMIN PROPAGANDA? QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HIGH GOALS SET FOR THE OUT YEARS.
YOU APPROVED THOSE GOALS IN FEBRUARY.
WHERE WERE THOSE QUESTIONS THEN? YOU SHOULD ASK WHY THE NEAR TERM GOALS ARE VANISHINGLY SMALL.
BY FEBRUARY, THE MID YEAR TESTS HAD ALREADY BEEN GIVEN.
WERE THESE GOALS REVERSE ENGINEERED? EVERY GOAL IS A SINGLE PERCENTAGE POINT, AND THE MID YEAR ACTUALS FOR ALL 10 SUB POPS ARE EACH ONE POINT AWAY FROM THIS REMARKABLY MODEST ONE POINT GOAL, MEANING NO PROGRESS AT ALL.
I'M A PARENT IN HISD AND HARRIS COUNTY.
HISD, WHY HAVE YOU ALLOWED MY CHILD'S SCHOOL TO FALL APART? WHY ARE YOU OVERWORKING OUR CHILDREN AND TEACHERS? WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S OKAY TO NEGLECT MY CHILD? WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S OKAY TO DO THIS WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES? HISD HAS FAILED ME, BUT MY COMMUNITY HAS NOT.
THE COMMUNITY WANTS THE SAME THING I WANT.
I'M PUTTING MY TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTING CHAPTER 13 OF HISD? IF HISD WON'T BE THERE FOR ME AND MY CHILD, THEN THEIR REPLACEMENT WILL FYI, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR MONEY.
WHY ARE THERE 45 PIANOS SITTING AT MULTIPLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS NOT BEING USED? WHY ARE THERE MISSING CAMERAS ALREADY FROM THESE SCHOOLS, STOLEN, LOST, WHAT? I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO GO INTO THE OTHER MATERIALS THAT YOU'VE USED UP AND MONOPOLIZED.
WHY NOT SELL A RETURN TO THEM TO PAY FOR OUR ESSENTIAL STAFF.
BY THE WAY, WHY IS RIDDICK HAVING SPECIAL SECRET MEETINGS?
>> THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS UP.
I'M ASKING YOU TO FIGHT FOR OUR DISTRICTS LIBRARIANS.
HAVING A WORKING LIBRARY WITH A CERTIFIED LIBRARIAN IS SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR KIDS.
WITHOUT RELIABLE ACCESS TO BOOKS, PARENTS AND CHILDREN WILL NOT BE ABLE TO READ TOGETHER IN THE EVENINGS.
MANY PARENTS IN OUR LOWER INCOME AREAS ARE JUST TOO BUSY TO USE THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.
MAKING THESE SCHOOLS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES TO HAVE ACCESS TO SCHOOL LIBRARIANS WHO CAN READ AND ENGAGE WITH THE CHILDREN.
YET, THEY WERE ALSO THE FIRST SCHOOLS TO LOSE ACCESS TO BOOKS AND BE PUT IN FRONT OF A SCREEN FOR DISCIPLINE, AS WELL AS BEING TOO FAR AHEAD OF F PEERS.
MORE SCREENS AND LESS BOOKS PROMOTES EMOTIONAL DYSREGULATION AND CAN NEGATIVELY AFFECT MATH AND WRITING SCORES.
IT HAS PROVEN THAT READING 20 MINUTES A DAY WILL INCREASE THE CHILD'S VOCABULARY, GRAMMAR, WRITING SKILLS, AND THEREFORE TEST SCORES.
I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT TEST SCORES ARE TO THE CITY.
AS ALWAYS, NO TRANSPARENCY, NO TRUST, NO BOND.
>> HI, SARAH RIVLIN HISD TEACHER.
MIKE MILES GRADUATED FROM THE BROAD ACADEMY.
BROAD LEADERS ARE TRAINED TO CREATE CHAOS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS SO THAT FAMILIES FLEE PAVING THE WAY FOR PRIVATIZATION.
IN 2011, A STUDY DESCRIBED BROAD SUPERINTENDENTS AS FOLLOWS.
A HALLMARK OF BROAD LEADERSHIP IS CONTINUAL REORGANIZATIONS, FIRINGS OF STAFF, PAY FOR PERFORMANCE SCHEMES, AND WASTEFUL SPENDING.
THEIR PUNITIVE MANAGEMENT STYLE OFTEN ALIENATES PARENTS AND TEACHERS AND SPARKS PROTESTS. SOUND FAMILIAR?
[01:20:04]
GREG ABBOTTS WHO WANTS PUBLIC SCHOOL TO BE AS CHEAP AS POSSIBLE, DELIBERATELY CHOSE A BROAD SUPERINTENDENT FOR HISD.HOUSTONIANS WANT GOOD SCHOOLS, NOT CHEAP SCHOOLS.
WHEN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS THRIVE, SO DO WE FORGET POLITICAL PARTIES.
LET'S SAVE OUR SCHOOLS TOGETHER.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 46.
>> HI. MIA JOHNSON, MOTHER OF AN INCOMING KINDER STUDENT.
>> MIC PLEASE, START OVER. KINDLY PUT THE MIC IN FRONT OF YOU.
>> THANK YOU. MIA JOHNSON, MOTHER OF AN INCOMING KINDER STUDENT.
READING IS THE FOUNDATION OF ALL LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE.
WE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGING OUR CHILDREN TO FALL IN LOVE WITH READING, WHICH IS SOMETHING WEEKLY VISITS TO THE LIBRARY, BOOKS PICKED BY THE LIBRARIAN THAT ARE TAILORED TO THE CURRICULUM, AND CLUBS LIKE NAME THAT BOOK DO.
THIS IS SOMETHING I HAVE SAID AT THE LAST TWO BOARD MEETINGS AND HEARD A NUMBER OF STUDENTS BEG YOU NOT TO GET RID OF AND FOR GOOD REASON.
YOU ARE IN A POSITION TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION AND SHOW THAT YOU TRULY CARE ABOUT THE EDUCATION AND SUCCESS OF OUR CHILDREN, DO THE RIGHT THING.
KEEP LIBRARIES OPEN WITH LIBRARIANS TO AID OUR CHILDREN.
AFTER ALL, A LIBRARY, WITHOUT A LIBRARIAN IS JUST A ROOM FULL OF BOOKS.
DON'T ALLOW LIBRARIANS TO BE RIFT.
FURTHER, YOU SHOULD CONSIDER DOING RIFFS FROM THE TOP DOWN, AS WE'VE ALL SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF 200 K PLUS SALARIES THIS YEAR.
INSTEAD OF CONTINUING TO GET RID OF EDUCATORS WHO KNOW OUR KIDS AND ENRICH THEIR LEARNING ON A DAILY BASIS.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 47, YOU CAN COME UP.
THEN WOULD SPEAKERS 51 THROUGH 60, PLEASE COME UP TO THE FRONT?
>> KATHERINE BUCHANAN, AN HISD PARENT.
SUPERINTENDENT MILES, YESTERDAY, AT YOUR STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE EVENT, YOU SAID YOU HAVE NO ULTERIOR MOTIVE, AND YOU'RE HERE TO HELP STUDENTS OF HISD GET THE BEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE.
YET, YOU ELIMINATE WHAT ENABLES THE BEST EDUCATION TO BE HAD, HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS, LIBRARY SERVICES, ARTS PROGRAMS, COLLEGE COUNSELING SERVICES, WRAPAROUND SERVICES, AP AND IB OPPORTUNITIES, AND CTE PROGRAMMING, AMONG SO MANY OTHER THINGS.
ALL WHILE TRIPLING YOUR CENTRAL OFFICE STAFF FRIENDS, EARNING $200,000 OR MORE.
IN FACT, YOUR ULTERIOR MOTIVES ARE CLEAR.
TOGETHER WITH YOUR BOARD OF MANAGERS, YOU'RE DOING WHAT YOU WERE SENT HERE TO DO, SYSTEMATICALLY DISMANTLING HISD WHILE HARMING THE EDUCATION OF HISD STUDENTS.
YOU KEEP PROVING THAT YOU CAN'T BE TRUSTED.
>> THANK YOU. [NOISE] SPEAKER NUMBER 48, PLEASE.
[APPLAUSE] FORTY EIGHT. HERE WE GO.
I AM AN HISD PARENT SPEAKING ON ENGAGEMENT.
BOARD OF MANAGERS, WE'RE HERE TRYING TO ENGAGE.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU WERE TOLD YOU HAVE A FAIRLY NARROW MANDATE.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE A SUPERINTENDENT WHO HAS CONTINUALLY EXPANDED HIS OWN MANDATE, AND I'M TRULY CONCERNED THAT IT'S DOING REAL HARM.
OUR VOICES HAVE SHARED THIS OVER AND OVER TONIGHT AND IN OTHER FORUMS. THE BUDGET IS YOUR NEXT OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND AND I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
HISD HAS MOVED FORWARD WITH A RAPID EXPANSION OF NES WITHOUT HAVING ANY LONGITUDINAL DATA ON ITS EFFICACY.
MR. MILES HAS ESTIMATED THAT THE NES MODEL COST ROUGHLY $100 MILLION THIS YEAR.
HOW MUCH MORE WILL WE BE SPENDING NEXT YEAR ON AN EXPANDED NES? WE KNOW WE'VE ALREADY LOST LIBRARIES, WRAPAROUND SPECIALIST THAT SERVE OUR MOST VULNERABLE, AND CUSTODIAL STAFF WHO KEEP OUR FACILITIES FUNCTIONAL.
WHAT OTHER TRADE OFFS WILL WE BE FORCED INTO? PLEASE SHOW US YOU'RE OPEN TO REAL ENGAGEMENT BY NOT RUBBER STAMPING [INAUDIBLE] [NOISE].
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 49.
>> AMANDA PARISH, HISD PARENT, COMMUNITY MEMBER, REPRESENTATIVE OF A MULTITUDE OF FAMILIES WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TONIGHT.
I'D LIKE YOU TO WRITE DOWN A WORD.
CHAOS. IT'S THE WORD THAT MS. MORATH WROTE IN THE FIRST LETTER TO US IN MARCH 23 LAST YEAR.
WHERE HE ALSO SAID, THAT THE GREAT THINGS THAT MAKE HOUSTON ISD GREAT WOULD NOT CHANGE.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE HERE SAYING, THAT'S NOT WHAT'S BEING SAID.
AS A PROFESSIONAL IN THE ENERGY INDUSTRY, INSTITUTING A NEW PROGRAM WITHOUT A BUDGET REVIEW,
[01:25:04]
WITHOUT INSIGHT AND CLARITY INTO HOW MUCH THINGS ARE COSTING, AND HAVING YOUR DEFICIT CHANGE DOUBLE IN A MATTER OF MONTHS IS SOMETHING REALM FOR REMOVAL.THE FACT THAT NEXT WEEK IS THE BUDGET REVIEW, THE LATEST THAT IT'S EVER BEEN IN MY RECALL, AND THAT IT'S DUE TO BE APPROVED IN JUNE IS COMPLETELY [INAUDIBLE] [NOISE].
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 50.
>> [INAUDIBLE] CHANG. I'M A HISD PARENT OF 17 YEARS.
I REVIEWED THE PROPOSED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN.
HISD OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT VALUE THE PUBLIC COMMENT SPEAKERS AT THE OPEN MEETINGS BECAUSE WE'RE SELF SELECTED.
INSTEAD, THE PROPOSED ENGAGEMENT SESSION ARE PLANNING FOR 10-20 INVITEES.
WOULD I BE ON THAT INVITATION LIST AFTER I SPEAK HERE TONIGHT? BUDGET CUTS AND BUDGET DEFICIT ARE NOT NEW AT HISD.
I MADE A PUBLIC INFORMATION REQUESTS ON THE PROPOSED CAMPUS ALLOCATION IN 2018 AND AGAIN IN 2022.
BOTH TIMES, HISD PROVIDED ME WITH THE INFORMATION.
THIS YEAR, HISD LEGAL SEND MY REQUESTS TO CAMP PAXSON FOR RULING CITING CONFIDENTIALITY.
WHAT HAPPENED TO TRANSPARENCY? I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF LONG TERM STRATEGIC PLAN TO ADDRESS THE DEFICIT.
IS THE PROPOSED CAMPUS CUT EQUITABLE OR IS HISD CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP BY CUTTING THE PROGRAMS AT A AND B RATED SCHOOLS.
TA APPOINTED YOU [INAUDIBLE]. [NOISE].
>> SPEAKER NUMBER 51? [APPLAUSE]
>> HI, JENNIFER HIGGINS, PARENT OF THREE HISD STUDENTS.
I AM HERE URGING YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS.
DON'T KNOW WHAT TO ASK? HERE'S A FEW.
WHY IS THERE A LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN OUR BUDGET ALLOCATION THIS YEAR? WHY ARE OVER 30 POSITIONS AT CENTRAL OFFICE EARNING $200,000 A YEAR WHILE WE CUT ESSENTIAL WRAPAROUND SERVICES? WHY ARE WE DIVERTING FUNDS FROM HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOLS, POTENTIALLY UNDERMINING THEIR SUCCESS? WHY WERE 13 TEACHERS AND CUSTODIAL STAFF SUDDENLY FIRED AT ONE CAMPUS YESTERDAY? WHY THE SEARCH AND PRINCIPAL AND TEACHER JOB POSTINGS ON THE HISD CAREERS PAGE? WHY ARE HUNDREDS OF TEACHERS STILL WAITING FOR NEXT YEAR'S CONTRACTS? WHY DOES MR. MILES SEEM EXEMPT FROM THE HISD BOARD POLICY? DOES THAT NOT SCREAM LAWSUIT? WHY THE SUDDEN PUSH FOR NES ADOPTION THAT TAKES AWAY LIBRARIES IN AMERICA? WHO BENEFITS FINANCIALLY? PLEASE, WE NEED YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS? NO ANSWERS, NO TRUST, NO BOND. [NOISE] [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 52. THERE WE GO.
>> MY NAME IS KATHY AND I AM A COMMUNITY MEMBER OF HISD IN HARRIS COUNTY.
I USED TO LOVE THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND SO DID THIS COMMUNITY.
BUT THERE IS NO LOVE HERE ANYMORE.
THE PARENTS FEEL MISTREATED, THE STUDENTS FEEL OVERWORKED, AND THE EMPLOYEES DO NOT FEEL SAFE.
BUILDINGS ARE NOT BEING MAINTAINED, AIR CONDITIONERS ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND EXPIRED FOOD IS BEING SERVED TO CHARGE CHILDREN, AND YOU'RE ASKING FOR MONEY? WHY? TO LINE YOUR POCKETS? OR IS YOUR SON WRITING ANOTHER PLAY? I DO NOT TRUST HISD WILL EVER CORRECT ITSELF.
I DO NOT TRUST HISD WILL RETURN OUR LIBRARIES OR WILL ACCOMMODATE OUR CHILDREN'S SPECIAL NEEDS.
I DO NOT TRUST HISD WILL RETURN OUR RIGHTS TO VOTE FOR WHO RUNS IT OR PRESERVES OUR COMMUNITY CULTURE.
I DO TRUST THE POWER OUR COMMUNITY HAS, I DO TRUST CHAPTER 13, I DO TRUST OUR NEW SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I TRUST WE WILL BUILD IT CORRECTLY, AND IT WILL REMAIN SAFE.
I SAY GOODBYE TO HISD, GOODBYE TO THE PUPPETS AND F MIKE MILES.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 53.
>> MY NAME IS KATHY BEASLEY. I'M A TEACHER IN HISD.
>> GO AHEAD AND START IT OVER FORWARD, PLEASE? WE MAY HAVE TO FIX IT NOW, MAYBE.
YOU WANT TO CHECK AND SEE IF YOU CAN FIX THAT?
>> BUT GO AHEAD. WE'LL TAKE A MOMENT.
[01:30:16]
WE GO WITH HAND HELD MIKE FOR A WHILE.GO AHEAD. RESET HER TIME. PLEASE. THANK YOU.
THE RECENT REMOVAL OF WRAPAROUND SERVICES IN THE DISTRICT IS EGREGIOUS.
THE FAMILIES THIS ACTION AFFECTS ARE THE POOREST AND MOST UNDER SERVED.
HOW COULD ANYONE BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE STUDENTS IN MIND? SCHOOL IS MUCH MORE THAN TESTING IN ACADEMICS.
FOR MANY KIDS IN HISD, IT IS A COMMUNITY, A MOTHER, A FATHER, A FRIEND.
YOUR GOAL IS TO DESTROY, NOT CREATE.
YOU'VE MADE IT READILY APPARENT ON THE POOR DECISIONS YOU CONTINUE TO MAKE AND YOUR CONSISTENT DISREGARD OF STUDENTS NEEDS.
[NOISE] DESPITE THIS, I FEEL THAT WE, THE REAL COMMUNITY OF HISD WILL RIDE OUT THE STORM OF THIS TAKEOVER, AND OUTLIVE THE MENACE OF TYRANNY, IF NECESSARY FOR YEARS.
EVEN THOUGH MANY SCHOOLS HAVE FALLEN OR MAY FALL INTO THE GRIP OF NES AND THE ODIOUS APPARATUS OF MIKE MILES RULE, WE WILL NOT FLAG OR FAIL.
WE WILL CONTINUE THE FIGHT UNTIL IN GOD'S GOOD TIME, THE NEW WORLD WITH ALL ITS POWER AND MIGHT STEPS FORWARD TO THE RESCUE AND THE LIBERATION OF THE OLD CREDIT PARAPHRASING TO WINSTON CHURCH HILL, 1940.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] [NOISE] HANG ON ONE SECOND.
LET'S SEE IF WE CAN DO SOME MAINTENANCE HERE.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, WE'LL TAKE A FIVE-MINUTE BREAK AND THEN SEE WHEN YOU FIX THAT. LET'S DO THAT.
I THINK THE BOARD MEMBERS NEED TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK.
WE'LL BE BACK IN ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.
[01:38:46]
WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED AGAIN, SO IF EVERYBODY CAN TAKE THEIR SEATS.I THINK WE'RE STARTING WITH SPEAKER NUMBER 54.
>> HI. MEDINA TRANS, TEACHER, SPEAKING ON ITEM 14.
HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.
SINCE THE BOARD OBVIOUSLY DOESN'T APPRECIATE TEACHERS, I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD APPRECIATE TEACHERS.
TEACHERS, IF I WERE YOUR PRINCIPAL, I WOULDN'T TERMINATE PEOPLE DURING TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK LIKE WE DID AT SHARPSTOWN HIGH SCHOOL.
IF I WERE ON THE BOARD, I WOULD TAKE A PAY CUT, SO SOME OF THAT $200,000 THAT I MAKE COULD BUY $80 WORTH OF PIZZA FOR STUDENTS WHO COME TO SATURDAY TUTORIALS.
IF I WERE THE PRINCIPAL AT SHARPSTOWN, I WOULD BUY PIZZA FOR KIDS WHO COULD BE WORKING TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES, BUT VOLUNTEER TO COME TO SCHOOL ON A SATURDAY.
IF I WERE THE PRINCIPAL AT SHARPSTOWN, I'D BUY LUNCH FOR THOSE KIDS INSTEAD OF BUYING SHINY NEW TRASH CANS, I'D CHOOSE TO SHOW OUR COMMUNITY THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE WORTH MORE THAN TRASH.
IF I WERE THE PRINCIPAL AT SHARPSTOWN, I WOULD TAKE 10 SECONDS ON THE MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS TO THANK TEACHERS.
[01:40:02]
IF I WERE MIKE MILES, I'D VALUE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS MORE AND I'D FIRE PRINCIPAL TJ COTTER.IF I WERE ON THE BOARD, I'D FIRE MIKE MILES.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 55.
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M BROOKER LONGORIA.
I'M SPEAKING TO AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 2, THE VOTE TO ADOPT DISTRICT CREATED CURRICULUM.
THIS CURRICULUM IS REPEATEDLY REFERENCED AS HIGH QUALITY.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK HOW A CURRICULUM THAT BANS THE READING OF NOVELS IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AT ALL NES SCHOOLS CAN BE HIGH QUALITY.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO KNOW HOW EACH OF YOU WILL EXPLAIN YOUR ANTI-LITERACY VOTE TO YOUR FAMILIES, FRIENDS, AND COMMUNITIES.
I'LL END TONIGHT BY QUOTING THE POET OF OUR TIME TAYLOR ALISON SWIFT.
AREN'T YOU ENVIOUS THAT FOR YOU, IT'S NOT? IF YOU'D LIKE TO PREPARE FOR NEXT WEEK, IT WILL BE REPUTATION.
THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS, NO TRUST, NO BOND. IT'S RIDICULOUS.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 56.
>> THAT'S JUST GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT.
DON'T WE SUSPEND STUDENTS FOR JUST WALKING AT A CLASS? ISN'T THAT SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING A LOT AND IS A PROBLEM? WHY ARE WE ACCEPTING THE SUPERINTENDENT JUST STANDING UP AND WALKING OUT OF THE BOARD MEETING? YOU ALL ARE JUST PEOPLE, JUST LIKE ALL OF US.
YOU'RE ONE BAD DAY CLOSE TO LOSING EVERYTHING JUST LIKE THE REST OF US ARE YET YOU'RE ALLOWING OUR SUPERINTENDENT AND HIS ADMINISTRATION TO HAND OUT BAD DAYS LEFT AND RIGHT LIKE THEIR CANDY.
YOU'RE ALLOWING HIM, SOMEONE WHO IS NOT FROM HERE TO DESTROY THE PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES.
YOU'RE ALLOWING HIM TO TAKE THE WRAPAROUND SPECIALISTS AND OUR LIBRARIANS AND OUR JANITORS AND OUR MAINTENANCE AND OUR NURSES AND OUR TEACHERS AND DESTROY.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 57.
THEN, COULD WE HAVE SPEAKERS 61-70 COME UP TO THE FRONT, PLEASE?
[BACKGROUND] ESTHER URIBE HISD LIBRARIAN.
IT'S BEEN SAID, IF SOMEONE TREATS YOU BADLY, JUST REMEMBER THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THEM, NOT YOU.
NORMAL PEOPLE DON'T GO AROUND DESTROYING OTHER HUMAN BEINGS.
MIKE MILES EMBODIES THIS SENTIMENT.
HIS DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR CREATES A TOXIC WORK ENVIRONMENT, DRIVING AWAY OUR BEST EDUCATORS TO THE DETRIMENT OF OUR STUDENTS.
SINCE I BEGAN SPEAKING AT THESE BOARD MEETINGS, I'VE BEEN UNDER INCREASED SCRUTINY, AND I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF MY PRINCIPAL WAS INSTRUCTED TO FIND A WAY TO GET RID OF ME.
AFTER ALL OF MY EFFORTS TO PRESERVE LIBRARY ACCESS, HE CLOSED OUR LIBRARY SIX WEEKS BEFORE SCHOOL IS OUT AND WON'T ALLOW STUDENTS TO CHECK OUT BOOKS ANYMORE.
THIS DOESN'T JUST PUNISH ME, THIS PUNISHES EVERY CHILD AT MY SCHOOL.
THEY CANNOT FATHOM WHY THEY CAN NO LONGER GET BOOKS AT THEIR FAVORITE PLACE IN THE WHOLE SCHOOL.
IT BREAKS MY HEART TO SEE THEIR TEARS AND I KNOW IT BREAKS [OVERLAPPING] TO BE DENIED THEIR BELOVED LIBRARY.
>> THANK YOU, YOUR TIME IS UP.
SPEAKER 58 IS UP NOW. YOUR TIME IS UP.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER 58.
>> I NEED YOU ALL ATTENTION. I DON'T PLAY THAT.
LAUREN ASHLEY SIMMONS, SPEAKING ON ITEM 14.
[INAUDIBLE] I NEED YOU. WE TOOK THE SAME VOW, SO YOU KNOW YOU KNOW BETTER.
HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK AND HAPPY BELATED NURSES WEEK.
MY NAME IS LAUREN ASHLEY SIMMONS AND I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM 14 ON BEHALF OF AN AMAZING WRAP AROUND SPECIALIST WHO DOESN'T HAVE A JOB AND IS NOT GOING TO SPEAK OUT.
[01:45:02]
WRAPAROUND SERVICES WAS A PROGRAM THAT CONNECTED STUDENTS TO RESOURCES ON CAMPUS, AS WELL AS CONNECTED FAMILIES TO RESOURCES WHERE THEY MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN WHERE TO GO.WRAPAROUND SERVICES AND THE SPECIALISTS WERE SEEN AS A BRIDGE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WAS EASILY ACCESSIBLE ON THE CAMPUS FOR THE STUDENT.
THEY PROVIDED CLOTHES, FOOD, RESOURCES, BILL MONEY, RENT, MEDICAL EXPENSES, AND METRO CARS, AND THEY WERE THE SCHOOL'S FIRST RESPONDERS.
YOU WERE APPOINTED TO TAKE CARE OF STUDENTS, HOWEVER, DISMANTLING WRAPAROUND SERVICES AT CAMPUSES AND REPLACING THEM WITH INACCESSIBLE SUNRISE CENTERS THAT THE COMMUNITY DID NOT ASK FOR IS POOR LEADERSHIP BY THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BOARD.
LOWER THE PAY FOR ALL THE DISTRICT STAFF OVER 200K BECAUSE YOU ALL AIN'T DOING.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 59.
>> NADIA HEFFERNAN TALKING ITEM 14. GOOD EVENING.
WE'RE ALL IN THIS ROOM BECAUSE WE HAVE THE SAME GOAL TO MAKE EDUCATION THE BEST IT CAN BE FOR THE CHILDREN OF HOUSTON.
READING, WRITING, AND MATH ARE IMPORTANT SKILLS THAT WE ALL KNOW OUR STUDENTS NEED, BUT THERE ARE OTHER EQUALLY IMPORTANT LIFE SKILLS THAT OUR STUDENTS NEED.
KNOWING HOW TO TREAT EACH OTHER WITH RESPECT, PROFESSIONALISM, AND DIGNITY.
HOW CAN WE EXPECT OUR STUDENTS TO LEARN THESE SKILLS WHEN THEY SEE AND HEAR THE OPPOSITE BEING MODELED ALL AROUND THEM? IT IS NOT RESPECTFUL TO TELL PROFESSIONALS THAT THEY'VE LOST OR MAY LOSE THEIR JOBS BY MASS EMAIL.
IT IS NOT PROFESSIONAL TO KEEP PRINCIPALS IN THE DARK ABOUT STAFFING AND BUDGET NUMBERS AT THEIR OWN SCHOOLS, AND IT IS NOT DIGNIFYING TO PAY UNCERTIFIED TEACHER APPRENTICES AS MUCH AS CERTIFIED TEACHERS WHO HAVE WORKED FOR MULTIPLE YEARS.
NOR IS IT DIGNIFYING TO INTERRUPT A PROFESSIONAL MID LESSON TO REAL TIME COACH.
I KNOW EACH OF YOU ON THE BOARD OF MANAGERS KNOWS BETTER.
YOU NEED TO TAKE THE REIGNS AND ENSURE THAT OUR TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS, AND STAFF ARE TREATED WITH RESPECT, PROFESSIONALISM, AND DIGNITY, NO MATTER HOW HARD THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
AS PARENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND TAXPAYERS.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 60.
>> I'M HEATHER ALEXANDER I'M A PARENT OF TWO, SPEAKING ON ITEM NUMBER 4.
FOR ANY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN TO WORK, YOU NEED STEPS IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT YOUR STAKEHOLDERS FEEL SAFE TO GIVE YOU THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU NEED.
RIGHT NOW, TEACHERS DO NOT TRUST THAT ANYTHING THAT THEY BRING FORWARD WON'T BE USED AGAINST THEM.
YOU'VE BEEN USING A PUT UP OR SHUT UP APPROACH THAT NOT ONLY DESTROYS MORALE, BUT IT PREVENTS YOU FROM HEARING THE TRUE IMPACT OF YOUR POLICIES.
FOR INSTANCE, YOU MOVE THE MAP TESTING SO IT FALLS THE DAYS RIGHT AFTER MEMORIAL DAY. EXCUSE ME.
TEACHERS ARE TELLING US THIS IS THE WORST TIME TO TEST, ESPECIALLY FIRST GRADERS WILL TAKE IT AS SOON AS THEY GET BACK FROM THE HOLIDAY.
HOW CAN TEACHERS TRUST YOU WHEN IT APPEARS YOU'RE HAPPY TO SET THEM UP TO FAIL? YOU'VE CREATED A CULTURE OF FEAR THAT CAN ONLY TRICKLE DOWN AND IMPACT OUR STUDENTS.
CHILDREN NEED STABILITY AND COMMUNITY.
STOP TELLING HARDWORKING TEACHERS WHO ARE GIVING THEIR HEART AND SOUL EVERY DAY THAT THEY'RE DISPENSABLE.
IF YOU WANT ENGAGEMENT, DROP THE MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY APPROACH AND START LISTENING TO THE REAL CONCERNS OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 61.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS AIMEE KERSCHEN.
HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.
I'M READING ON BEHALF OF A COLLEGE AND CAREER ADVISOR.
WE CANNOT TRUST MILES WITH HIS DESTINATION 35 PLAN, GIVEN THAT JUST LAST WEEK, HE CUT HALF THE DISTRICT'S COLLEGE ADVISORS AND EVEN THE WEEK THAT THE ENTIRE MERGE PROGRAM WAS LET GO.
THIS IS THE TEAM THAT SPENDS HOURS GUIDING STUDENTS THAT ASSIST THEM WITH THEIR COLLEGE APPLICATIONS AND THEIR FINANCIAL AID APPLICATIONS.
THIS IS THE TEAM THAT ALSO HELPS PARENTS GUIDE THEIR CHILDREN FOR OTHER POSSIBILITIES AVAILABLE FOR THEIR STUDENTS.
WITHOUT THESE COLLEGE ADVISORS HELPING THESE UNDERSERVED STUDENTS, WE WOULD FALL BEHIND BLINDING THEM FOR REACHING THEIR POST SECONDARY OPPORTUNITIES.
I HOPE THAT MR. MILES PREDICTION RING SHOWS THAT HIS DIVISION AND HIMSELF HAVE SUPS AND HIMSELF HELP THE STUDENTS IN THE HIGH SCHOOLS FILL OUT THEIR APPLICATIONS ERROR FREE FINANCIAL AID.
MY PREDICTION RING DOES NOT SHOW THAT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 62.
>> GOOD EVENING. MICHELLE WILLIAMS, HOUSTON EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.
TONIGHT I DON'T EVEN HAVE ANYTHING WRITTEN DOWN, BUT I DO WANT TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT MR. MILES VIOLATED BOARD POLICY.
THERE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN NOT ONE NOTICE SITTING OUT WITHOUT THAT RIF POLICY BEING FOLLOWED.
I'M ASKING TONIGHT THAT THE $5 MILLION CLUB HAVE THEIR SALARIES
[01:50:06]
PER BOARD POLICY EITHER REDUCED OR HE TAKE A 12% CUT IN HIS CABINET, WHICH, I ALREADY DID THE MATH IS THREE PEOPLE, HE CAN CUT THOSE THREE.THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR.
I KNOW WE HAVE FIVE OF YOU ALL THAT ARE GOING TO DO RIGHT BECAUSE YOUR LEGACY DEPENDS ON IT.
I'D RATHER BE IN MY POSITION THAN YOURS.
AT LEAST MY GRANDSON AND SON KNOW I'M ON THE SIDE OF RIGHT.
WHERE ARE YOU? YOUR LEGACY DEPENDS ON IT.
YOU HAVE TODAY. I TOLD YOU ALL MAY WAS COMING.
WE'RE HALF A BILLION DOLLARS IN.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 63.
I'M SHARING THE TEACHER'S STORY BECAUSE HE'S AFRAID OF RETRIBUTION.
HE HAS SHOWN UP EVERY DAY TO DO HIS JOB FOR 13 YEARS.
THE VALEDICTORIAN HAS DESIGNATED HIM MOST INSPIRING TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
THEY TOOK HIS PICTURE FOR THE YEARBOOK TO CELEBRATE WHAT A GREAT TEACHER HE WAS.
BUT NOW, THERE'S NO YEARBOOK BECAUSE THE YEARBOOK TEACHER WAS FIRED.
EVERY DAY IS JUST SO BAD THAT MAKING IT TO JUNE IS JUST STARTING TO FEEL SO UNNECESSARY TORTURE.
HEARING STORIES LIKE THIS AND DAILY ALERTS OF CONSTANT CHANGES AT HISD IS MENTALLY EXHAUSTING AND RECOGNITION OF MENTAL HEALTH, EVERY DECISION YOU MAKE HAS SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON US EMOTIONALLY AND MENTALLY.
PLEASE FOCUS ON HOW TO RETAIN THE TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS AND OTHER POSITIONS TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS HOLISTICALLY.
QUESTION FOR YOU, WHY ARE TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS BEING ASKED TO RESIGN BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR TESTING RESULTS ARE KNOWN? THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 64.
>> HI. MY NAME IS TAMMY REED, AND I AM TIRED.
I'M TIRED OF WATCHING MY STUDENTS BE BERATED IN THE HALLWAYS BECAUSE THEY WORE THE WRONG COLOR PANTS AND SUSPENDED BECAUSE OF DRESS CODE ISSUES, LEAVING THEM OUT OF SCHOOL FOR THREE ADDITIONAL DAYS.
I'M TIRED OF BEING KICKED OUT OF MY CLASSROOM SO THAT THEY CAN PERFORM STANDARDIZED TESTING IN THERE ALL BUT 12 DAYS FOR THIS SEMESTER.
I AM TIRED OF WATCHING MY STUDENTS BEING TREATED LIKE PRISONERS, AND I'M TIRED OF HAVING TO TELL MY STUDENTS THAT YET ANOTHER ONE OF THEIR FAVORITE TEACHERS HAS QUIT BECAUSE THEY FOUND A JOB ELSEWHERE WHERE THEY'RE BEING TREATED BETTER.
I'M TIRED OF HEARING MY PEERS IN TEARS ABOUT THEIR SPOT CHECKS OR ABOUT THEIR MEMOS IN THEIR FILES, AND I'M TIRED OF HAVING TO SHOW THEM HOW THEY CAN GO ABOUT SAVING THEIR CAREERS BY GOING AHEAD AND ACCEPTING THE RIF BY RESIGNING AHEAD OF IT SO THAT THEY DON'T POTENTIALLY GET A FLAG ON THEIR RECORD.
>> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MA'AM.
[APPLAUSE] SPEAKER 65, PLEASE.
THANK YOU, MA'AM. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER 65?
>> I'M SORRY. I WAS JUST TAKEN AWAY BY WHAT SHE WAS SAYING.
TANYA SAMPSON, I AM AN EDUCATOR, A TAXPAYER, AND A PARENT IN HISD.
NO TRUST, NO BOND TO START WITH.
I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM NUMBER SEVEN, WHERE SOMEBODY IS REQUESTING $1 MILLION IN MOVING EXPENSES.
WHO'S MOVING? AND IS THAT A TYPO? $1 MILLION IN MOVING EXPENSES.
YOU TOLD US, MR. MILES, TOLD THE WORLD THAT YOUR CUTS WERE GOING TO BE AS FAR AWAY FROM THE STUDENTS AS POSSIBLE, BUT YOU CUT WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT'S FOOD AND SHELTER.
YOU CAN'T GET ANY CLOSER TO CUTS TO STUDENTS THAN WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
WE ASKED THAT YOU REPLACE THE BOARD AS FORCE REQUEST, WHATEVER, MR. MILES TO REVERSE THAT DECISION WITH WRAPAROUND, BRING OUR WRAPAROUNDS BACK.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 66.
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT NO LIBRARY AND LIBRARIANS.
HOUSE BILL 900 THAT REQUIRES A PERSON, A TRAINED PROFESSIONAL.
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEING SPENT.
YOU'VE HEARD FROM PARENTS, KIDS, TEACHERS, ABOUT HOW THE LIBRARY IS THE HEART OF THE SCHOOL.
LET ME TELL YOU A STORY ABOUT A KID.
THE STUDENT CAME INTO THE LIBRARY NOT WANTING TO READ,
[01:55:04]
NOT LIKING BOOKS, AND NOT WANTING TO COME IN THE DOOR.YOU ASK HIM QUESTIONS. WHAT ARE YOU INTERESTED IN? WHAT ARE YOU RESEARCHING IN YOUR CLASS? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO FIND OUT? YOU FIND THE ONE BOOK THAT HE MAY LIKE AND EXPLAINS TO HIM HE GETS TO TAKE IT HOME AND HE MAY KEEP IT FOR A MONTH.
THE NEXT TIME HE COMES IN, HE'LL ASK YOU MORE QUESTIONS OR JUST BROWSE, TALK WITH FRIENDS, FIND SOMETHING THAT HE LIKES AND TAKE OUT SOME MORE BOOKS.
THE LIBRARY IS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE LOVE OF READING AND THE PURPOSE OF READING.
READING IS MORE THAN A TEST SCORE.
PLEASE TELL ME WHAT DO I TELL HIM AND SO MANY JUST LIKE HIM THE NEXT TIME THEY WALK IN THE DOOR AND IMAGINE THAT'S YOUR CHILD.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 67, I BELIEVE.
I'VE BEEN A PARENT IN THIS DISTRICT FOR 17 YEARS.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE WESTBURY HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT NAME THIS EVENING.
WESTBURY HAS WORKED VERY HARD UNDER TWO CONSECUTIVE PRINCIPALS, SUSAN MONAGHAN AND JERRI NIXON TO BECOME ZONED PARENTS FIRST CHOICE.
REAL TURNAROUNDS TAKE TIME AND COMMUNITY BUY IN.
THE UNILATERAL DECISION VIOLATING SUPERINTENDENT CONSTRAINT NUMBER 3, TO MAKE WESTBURY AN NES SCHOOL DOES NOT HAVE COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
IN THE WORDS OF A PARENT, NOT ME, WHO IS MIDDLE SCHOOLER IS OWED TO WESTBURY.
I WAS READY TO SEND MY CHILD TO WESTBURY IN TWO YEARS, BUT I GUESS THE NEW ADMINISTRATION HAD TO GET RID OF MISS NIXON BECAUSE SHE WAS ONE OF THE GOOD ONES.
I CAN'T POSSIBLY SEND MY CHILD THERE NOW.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 68.
I DON'T HAVE A 68 HERE, BUT GO AHEAD. [LAUGHTER]
>> I'M KELLY LEVAR, AN HISD PARENT AND PTA LEADER.
MR. RIVON, I'M GOING TO ADDRESS MY REMARKS TO YOU TONIGHT BECAUSE YOU'VE PROVEN YOURSELF TO BE AN ANALYTICAL LEADER.
DO YOU GRASP THE SEVERITY OF OUR TEACHER TURNOVER RATE? I DON'T BECAUSE VALID METRICS ARE NOT PUBLICLY RELEASED AND THE CURRENT SURVEYS ARE FLAWED.
THE CULTURE OF FEAR MR. MILES HAS CREATED MEANS TEACHERS FEAR RETALIATION.
SO THEY LIE ON THE SURVEYS AND MR. MILES GETS THE FAKE DATA HE WANTS, SO HE CAN FURTHER A NARRATIVE THAT HE KNOWS ISN'T UNTRUE.
I DO KNOW THAT THIS YEAR, STEVENS ELEMENTARY HAS LOST HALF OF ITS TEACHERS, 14 IN TOTAL BY MARCH OF THIS YEAR.
WHO DO YOU HOLD ACCOUNTABLE IN HISD FOR THIS METRIC? HISD PROUDLY ANNOUNCES RECRUITMENT NUMBERS.
THEY SHOULD BE AN EMBARRASSMENT.
ONLY A FAILING DISTRICT WOULD REQUIRE THIS MANY NEW HIRES TO BACKFILL THE MASS EXODUS OF QUALIFIED TEACHERS WHOSE CALLING TO THIS PROFESSION HAS BEEN DESTROYED BY MILES' COMMAND AND CONTROL LEADERSHIP STYLE.
DO NOT ALLOW MR. MILES TO BLAME THE TEACHERS FOR THE TURNOVER AND KEEP HIM ACCOUNTABLE TO THESE METRICS.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] I THINK WE'RE AT 69.
FIRST, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL THE TEACHERS DOING GREAT THINGS WITH THEIR STUDENTS DESPITE THE TOXIC CONDITIONS IN WHICH THEY WORK.
YOU ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF HOPE AND ENDURANCE THAT WE ALL NEED AS WE FIGHT FOR THE FUTURE OF ALL CHILDREN, NOT JUST THOSE IN THE ACCOMMODATED ZIP CODES.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, HERE ARE A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW YOU TOO CAN SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION FOR TEACHERS.
THEY ARE FREE BECAUSE THE BUDGET'S TIGHT.
MAY I SUGGEST YOU REJECT THE NES CURRICULUM.
[APPLAUSE] DIDN'T WE YOU TOLD YOU FOR MONTHS NOW THAT THE MATERIAL IS HARMFUL AND NOT ALIGNED TO THE TAGS OR HELPS COMPLIANCE? THEY WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE FEELING HURT.
YOU COULD ALSO QUESTION WHY MR. MILES INFLATED THE EXECUTIVE SUITES WHEN WE CAN'T AFFORD ADDITIONAL STAFF TO HELP OUR STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS, GET TO AND STAY IN THE CLASSROOM.
WE'D APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.
WHAT WE REALLY WANT THOUGH IS FOR YOU TO HONOR AND ACKNOWLEDGE OUR VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE.
>> HI, BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT MILES.
MY NAME IS JENNIFER PERRY, MOM OF FOUR HISD STUDENTS.
I'M SPEAKING REGARDING THE BUDGET TONIGHT, ALTHOUGH THERE'S A LOT WE COULD PROBABLY I'LL SPEAK ON.
I WAS AT A PRESENTATION THIS WEEK THAT SUPERINTENDENT MILES ATTENDED TO EXPLAIN THE BUDGET CLIFF THAT WE'RE FACING OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
IT WAS FULL OF SKEWED DATA AND BLAME ON ESSER FUNDS AND THEIR MISUSE FOR ALL OF OUR CURRENT FINANCIAL LOWS.
WE UNDERSTAND CUTS ARE NECESSARY AND CHANGE IS NECESSARY.
BUT I WAS SKEPTICAL OF THE DATA AND ALSO OF THE LONG TERM SUCCESS OF THE NES SYSTEM BASED ON THE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS LENS THAT WE WERE USING.
HE INSTANTLY PROVIDED ME WITH A WORKING PAPER TO PROVE THAT THEY WOULD WORK.
[02:00:02]
ATTACHED. IT'S CALLED ATTRACTING AND RETAINING HIGHLY EFFECTIVE EDUCATORS IN HARD TO STAFF SCHOOLS.WE'VE ALL SEEN THIS BEFORE AND HE CITES IT SEVERAL TIMES.
THIS IS A WORKING PAPER THAT WAS NOT PEER REVIEWED AND PUBLISHED.
IT'S ALSO AN ANALYSIS OF ONLY SIX SCHOOLS FOR THREE YEARS AND ONE OF WHICH HAD TO BE REMOVED BECAUSE THEY CHEATED ON THEIR STANDARDIZED TESTING.
BOM, PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE DATA, DIG DEEPER, NO TRUST, NO BOND.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NUMBER 71.
>> HI, FLOYD. HOW ARE YOU? BECAUSE I WILL NEVER ADDRESS YOU AS SUPERINTENDENT.
MY NAME IS REBECCA WILLIAMS, BY THE WAY.
I'M SPEAKING ON ON AGENDA ITEM 14, REDUCTION IN FORCE.
FLOYD HAS THE MIGHTIEST TOUCH.
BUT INSTEAD OF EVERYTHING TURNING TO GOAL, IT TURNS TO GARBAGE.
HOW IS THERE A REDUCTION IN FORCE WHEN THERE IS NO BUDGET? AS OF MAY 9, 2023, WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRODUCED IN FEBRUARY, YOU ARE A JOKE AND NOT A FUNNY ONE.
IF YOU WANT MORE MONEY, GO ASK THE PUPPETS, TO GO ASK YOUR PUPPETEER, YOUR ACTUAL BOSS, GREG ABBOTTS.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RUTH KRAVITZ.
I PUT TWO YARD SIGNS IN MY FRONT YARD LAST WEEK.
ONE SAID, GO AWAY, MIKE MILES, AND THE OTHER SAID, F MIKE MILES, HISD DESERVES BETTER.
SOMEONE SAID THE SIGNS WERE TACKY AND WRONG.
IT'S WRONG FOR HISD TO SPEND MORE THAN A MILLION, AS PEOPLE SAID, ON FANCY NEW MATCHING FURNITURE ON THE SECOND FLOOR AND CORPORATE RELOCATION COSTS AND ASK FOR EVEN MORE IN A BOARD VOTE TODAY.
WELL, MILES GETS RID OF EVERY SINGLE SPECIAL ED SOCIAL WORKER.
PLEASE VOTE NO. IT'S WRONG TO RF AND TERMINATE HUNDREDS OF TEACHERS DURING TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.
IT'S WRONG FOR THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP TO MOVE THEIR LUNCH INTO A DIFFERENT HOTEL TO AVOID INTERACTING WITH PARENTS, INSTEAD OF COLLABORATING WITH PARENTS AND TEACHERS TO IMPROVE OUR SCHOOLS.
IT'S WRONG TO LIE TO THE PUBLIC OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
WHY NOT WORK TOGETHER? RESPECTFULLY, I SAY, PLEASE GO AWAY, MIKE MILES.
FOR THE REST OF US, MESSAGE ME OR HOUSTONCVPE.ORG IF YOU WANT A YARD SIGN [INAUDIBLE] [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 73.
>> MY NAME IS ZOE MCCOY, AND I'M AN HISD ALUM AND PARENT OF AN HISD STUDENT.
IT WEIGHS HEAVILY ON MY HEART THAT EVERY WEEK BRINGS NEW INFORMATION THAT ADDS TO MY CONCERN FOR THE EDUCATION OF MY CHILD AND ALL CHILDREN IN HISD.
THERE'S NO WAY FOR ME TO INCLUDE ALL OF MY QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS INTO 60 SECONDS.
IMPLEMENTATION OF NES CURRICULUM THAT IS POORLY SCRIPTED, WITH ERRORS AND NOT APPROPRIATELY RESEARCHED.
WHY WOULD WE USE AN UNPROVEN MODEL ON OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS? ELIMINATING WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT ARE LIFELINE FOR SOME OF OUR NEEDIEST STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN THE DISTRICT, PRINCIPAL AND TEACHER EVALUATION SPOT CHECKS THAT ARE UNCLEAR, SUBJECTIVE, FREQUENTLY CHANGE NEWS ADMINISTRATION DISRUPTS THE SCHOOL DAY, LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND BUDGET FORMULAS, FIRING AND NON-RENEWING VETERAN CERTIFIED TEACHERS WHILE HIRING UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS, CUTTING LIBRARY SERVICES, LIBRARIAN POSITIONS, CUTTING FINE ARTS, EXTRACURRICULAR POSITIONS, AND FUNDING, INCONSISTENT APPROVAL FOR FIELD TRIPS AND CANCELING TRIPS, MOVING TESTING DATES, CHAOS.
TEACHERS ARE FLEEING THE DISTRICT, AND I'M [INAUDIBLE]
>> JUST IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING WHAT MR. MILES IS STILL HERE FOR, WE ALL ARE.
SINCE GOVERNOR ABBOTT IS GOING TO ELIMINATE THE STAR TEST.
THAT'S WHAT YOU CAME FOR, TO INCREASE THE STAR SCORES.
BUT THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE THINKING ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN, MAYBE THIS GROUP IS THE GROUP THAT WE NEED TO RECRUIT FROM.
LET ME TELL YOU A FEW THINGS THEY'RE LOOKING FOR CASE YOU DIDN'T READ IT ON THEIR WEBSITE.
THEY'RE NOT LOOKING FOR SPEAKERS WHO ABUSE THE OPEN MEETING LAWS BECAUSE THEY HAVE DEPRIVED THE MANAGERS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR BACK AND FORTH DIALOGUE.
[LAUGHTER] THEY HAVE THREE THINGS.
THE SECOND THING IS THAT THEY WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE BOARD REPRESENTS THE VISION AND VALUES OF THE DISTRICTS OWNER COMMUNITY.
[LAUGHTER] YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP.
[02:05:01]
ATTENDING A BOARD [INAUDIBLE]>> MAYBE NOT. THANK YOU, MA'AM. I APPRECIATE THAT.
WHEN MY KIDS WERE SMALL, I SPENT HUNDREDS OF HOURS RESEARCHING HISD PROGRAMS STARTING AT PTO, DOING EXTRA WORK AT SCHOOL, EVEN CUTTING MY WORK HOURS AND SALARY BECAUSE MY KIDS WERE ZONED TO A SCHOOL THAT LACKED RESOURCES THAT THEY NEEDED.
THEY LACKED CERTIFIED TEACHERS, A GT PROGRAM, SPECIAL ED COUNSELOR, DYSLEXIA SPECIALIST, AND THEY BLOCKED ACCESS TO A DIAGNOSTICIAN.
I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE IT MAKES WHENEVER WE MOVED SCHOOLS AND IN THOSE SCHOOLS HAD THOSE RESOURCES.
I GOT SOME OF THOSE PRECIOUS SHORT YEARS BACK AND GOT TO SPEND IT WITH MY KIDS.
NOT EVERYONE ELSE IS SCRAMBLING TO MAKE UP FOR THE DEFICITS.
NOW, THANKS TO MIKE MILES, HIS OVERREACH AND DRACONIAN MEASURES, I'VE SPENT THE LAST YEAR HAVING TO WORK ONCE AGAIN TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAINTAIN SOME OF THE SENSES NORMALCY AND ARE HIGHLY RATED, NAY, THE HIGHEST RATED SCHOOL, EVEN THOUGH THE MANDATE FOR HIS INTERVENTION HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR SCHOOL.
>> PAUL CALZADA, SUPERINTENDENT MILES, BOARD OF MANAGERS, AS AN ATTORNEY WHO FREQUENTLY APPEARS IN COURT, I USUALLY PRESENT MY CASE TO A JUDGE.
BUT WHEN IT REALLY MATTERS, MY CLIENTS WANT ME TO PRESENT IT TO A JURY OF THEIR PEERS.
AM I LOOKING AT A BOARD OF MANAGERS OF MY PEERS, NATIVE HOUSTONIANS, PARENTS OF HISD STUDENTS, MAY BE AN HISD GRADUATE THEMSELVES.
THE SCHOOL BOARD IS THE OFFICIAL POLICY MAKING BODY OF THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT.
ASK YOURSELVES, ARE YOU FULFILLING YOUR DUTY TO OUR COMMUNITY? OR ARE YOU LOOKING TO AN APPOINTED OUTSIDER TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO? YOUR DUTY IS TO THE COMMUNITY, TO THE SCHOOLS, THE TEACHERS, THE PRINCIPALS, THE STUDENTS, AND ALL OF THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO MAKE HISD GREAT.
NO TRANSPARENCY, NO TRUST, NO BOND. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 76.
>> STACY HUNTER, OUR USUAL SUSPECT, OF COURSE.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ALL HISD TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS FOR FEAR DICTATOR MILES WILL FIRE THEM FOR SPEAKING AT A BOARD MEETING.
THE REASON I'VE SPOKEN HERE EACH MONTH IS BECAUSE MY WIFE, WHO IS AN HISD TEACHER, BY THE WAY, TOLD ME THAT TEACHERS HAVE NO VOICE IN HISD BECAUSE DICTATOR MILES FIRES THEM.
I TOLD HER, BABY, THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
MY WIFE IS HERE WITH ME TO SHOW YOU WHAT THIS DICTATOR IS DOING TO TEACHERS. LISTEN TO THIS.
HER APPRAISER TOLD HER THAT SHE HAD TO STAND IN CLASS THE ENTIRE 90 MINUTES OR FACE BEING WRITTEN UP OR POSSIBLY TERMINATION.
SHE'S BEEN TEACHING FOR 20 YEARS AND NEVER BEEN TOLD THIS.
AS A RESULT OF TRYING NOT TO GET FIRED, SHE NOW HAS PERMANENT DAMAGE IN BOTH OF HER KNEES REQUIRING SURGERY.
IN 2022, SHE OBTAINED HER DOCTORATE DEGREE IN EDUCATION TO BE THE BEST HISD TEACHER SHE POSSIBLY COULD.
NOW SHE FACES POSSIBLE TERMINATION.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. SPEAKER NUMBER 77.
>> I CAME SICK, SO I'M SORRY MY VOICE.
I CAME SICK JUST SO I COULD SUPPORT YOU. I'M LYING.
BUT MY NAME IS DR. ANDREA BORONELL-HUNTER, I AM A 22-YEAR TEACHER, AND I HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN THEATER, COMMUNICATION, AND A DOCTORATE IN EDUCATION.
I HAVE A MASTER'S IN COMMUNICATION.
I HAVE BEEN TEACHING 22 YEARS, AND THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR I'VE GONE TO WORK EVERY DAY AFRAID.
NOT AFRAID OF MY STUDENTS, BUT AFRAID OF YOUR ED.
WHEN HE COMES BY MY ROOM, I FREEZE. CAN YOU BLAME ME? LET'S JUST LOOK AT SOME OF THE SPOT OBSERVATIONS.
I'VE ONLY HAD ONE GOOD SPOT OBSERVATION,
[02:10:01]
AND I'VE NEVER HAD BAD ONES UNTIL THIS YEAR.LET'S SEE. ONE DAY, I FORGOT TO PUT THE DATE ON MY AGENDA.
I'M HUMAN. ANOTHER DAY A STUDENT SNUCK OUT HIS CELL PHONE.
A STUDENT DIDN'T DO HIS ASSIGNMENT, SO HE DIDN'T DO THE ACTIVITY.
I GOT POINTS TAKEN OFF. NEXT ONE.
I WAS TEACHING VOCABULARY TO STUDENTS WHO READ AT THE FIFTH GRADE LEVEL WHEN THEY'RE AT THE 11TH GRADE, AND I WAS GIVEN POINTS AWAY BECAUSE [INAUDIBLE]
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
>> ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS [INAUDIBLE]
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. [BACKGROUND] YOUR TIME IS UP.
>> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT ONE.
>> WE'RE NOW GOING TO GO TO THE ZOOM FOLKS, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> GREAT. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND PASS THIS BACK TO OUR PRESIDENT.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DEREK STINSON, THEN FOLLOWED BY ROSIO PUENTE, EDUARDO HERNANDEZ, GLADYS EL HOUSE OR HOUSE-EL, RIGOBERTO GARDENA, STEVE CARPENTIER, AND THEN PATRICE WRIGHT.
YES, SIR, MR. STINSON, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> TO SUMMARIZE WHAT I'VE SHARED IN THE PAST TWO MEETINGS, KICKSTART KIDS TEACHES CHARACTER THROUGH KARATE, AND ATTRIBUTES LIKE DISCIPLINE, RESPECT AND SELF CONTROL.
I SHARE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO TEACH IN NES SCHOOLS AS WELL SINCE THEY'RE THE LOWER PERFORMING SCHOOLS.
TODAY, I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WE ADDRESS STUDENTS' SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING, AS YOU HEARD EARLIER FROM THE KIDDOS.
WE BUILD SKILLS LIKE CONFLICT RESOLUTION, WE KARATE KICKS ENTITLEMENT OUT THE WINDOW, WE HAVE TO WORK FOR EVERYTHING THEY RECEIVE, AS WELL AS RIGOR.
OVERALL, THESE ARE THE QUALITIES THAT TRANSCENDS THE KARATE MAT AND ENTERS THE CLASSROOM, AND THAT'S OUR GOAL.
OVERALL, WE PARTNERED WITH HISD, TEA, WHICH I SENT ALL OF YOU THE TEA TICKS THAT WE'RE ALIGNED IN, AND WE WANT TO NURTURE THE WHOLE CHILD AND STAY TRUE TO WHAT THE WORDS IN TEA SAYS, NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND. THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS ROSIO PUENTE AND I AM A WRAPAROUND SPECIALIST.
I WAS RECENTLY LAID OFF LAST WEEK.
I COME TODAY ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS, OUR FAMILIES, AND WRAPAROUND SPECIALISTS TO ADDRESS YOUR DRASTIC REDUCTION IN EMPLOYEES.
OUR ROLE IS CRUCIAL TO THE OVERALL WELL BEING OF OUR STUDENTS AS WE ENSURE THEIR BASIC NEEDS ARE MET, SO THEY CAN THRIVE ACADEMICALLY AND PERSONALLY.
SINCE WORKING HERE, I REALIZE HOW ESSENTIAL MY ROLE IS AS STUDENTS EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS, FOOD INSECURITY, ABUSE, ETC.
THE LIST GOES ON WHEN 80% OF HISD STUDENTS LIVE IN POVERTY.
WE HAVE FAMILIES WHO LEAVE THEIR HOME FOR AN OUTING AND COME BACK TO THEIR HOME BURNED DOWN.
WHAT ARE THEY TO DO AND WHERE ARE THEY TO GO? WE SCRAMBLE TO FIND CLOTHES, FOOD, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, AND FURNITURE, AS WE KNOW THEY CAN BARELY MAKE ENDS MEET.
YOU HAVE DECIDED TO VIOLENTLY UNLEASH YOUR REIGN, DENYING STUDENTS OF THEIR BASIC RIGHT TO SUCCESS BY DEPRIVING THEM OF ESSENTIAL SUPPORT.
HOW COULD YOU TAKE THIS AWAY FROM OUR STUDENTS. [BACKGROUND]
[APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EDUARDO HERNANDEZ.
MR. HERNANDEZ, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, FOLKS.
I AM EX ALUM OF HISD, AND I'M HERE TO TALK IN SPANISH ON BEHALF OF A TEACHER THAT IS FEARING RETALIATION. PLEASE GIVE ME THE SPACE.
>> HOLD ON ONE SECOND. I'M A TRANSLATOR.
>> HOLD ON ONE SECOND. LET'S GET A TRANSLATOR.
>> WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO ALSO DO ENGLISH?
>> IT'S YOUR CHOICE. AWESOME. I'LL DO BOTH.
[02:15:37]
NOW IN ENGLISH.AGAIN, I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF A TEACHER THAT FEARS RETRIBUTION AND RETALIATION FOR HER JOB. HERE WE GO.
IN NOVEMBER PAST, THERE WAS A COMPLAINT AGAINST MY SCHOOL WHERE ADEQUATE EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES WAS NOT BEING ADEQUATELY PROPORTIONED AS FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS DEMAND.
IN FEBRUARY, I HAD A HEARING OF LEVEL TWO WHERE AN HISD SHARED THE WRONG INFORMATION.
THE INFORMATION THEN BECAME ELIGIBLE FOR A LEVEL 3 HEARING AND HISD STARTED THE PROCESS TO FIRE ME.
I THOUGHT THAT AFTER THE CHANGES OF THE SUMMER PASSED, THE LEVEL OF EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS WOULD BE A LOT BETTER.
AS A RESULT, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES HAVE WORSE SERVICE THAN EVER BEFORE.
WE FIRE TEACHERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE AND TEACHERS THAT CARE ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN LEARNING AND GROWING.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS, YOU CAN ALL DO SO MUCH BETTER FOR OUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GLADYS HOUSE-EL.
MA'AM, DO YOU HAVE YOUR NAME TAG?
>> I'M SORRY. IT'S SO COLD IN HERE.
>> NO PROBLEM. WE GOT YOU. GO AHEAD.
>> PEACE. GLADYS HOUSE-EL HERE, REPRESENTING FRIEDMAN'S TOWN, THE LARGEST HISTORIC DISTRICT OF ITS KIND IN NORTH AMERICA.
I'M HERE TO REQUEST SOME GUIDANCE BECAUSE FOR THREE YEARS, SUPERINTENDENT, WE'VE BEEN GIVEN THE RUN AROUND, AND ALL WE WANT TO DO IS NAME THE FOOTBALL FIELD AT GREGORY LINCOLN TO HONOR TWO NFL GREATS WHO CAME.
THROUGH THE SCHOOLS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IT'S ELDRIDGE DICKEY AND GERALD TAYLOR.
I'M JUST HERE TO ASK FOR SOMEONE TO HELP ME BECAUSE ALL WE'VE GOTTEN IS JUST A RUN AROUND AND WE'VE PASSED THE DEADLINE NOW.
WE WERE TRYING TO GET THIS DONE BEFORE AUGUST OF THIS YEAR.
IF YOU CAN HAVE SOMEONE CONTACT ME, I'VE ALREADY PROVIDED YOUR SECRETARY WITH MY CONTACT INFORMATION, I WOULD CERTAINLY APPRECIATE IT.
[APPLAUSE] OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STEVE CARPENTIER.
>> IF YOU'VE PROVIDED IT ALREADY, THEN WE'VE GOT IT.
>> EMILY CAN TAKE IT. SURE. GO AHEAD, SIR.
>> THANK Y'ALL. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF HISD SCHOOL BOARD, MY NAME IS STEVE CARPENTIER.
I'M A TEACHER AT LAMAR HIGH SCHOOL.
I WAS HERE A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, AND I CAME NOT ONLY AS A TEACHER, BUT ALSO A VICTIM OF VIOLENCE IN SCHOOL, WHEN I TOOK A CELL PHONE AWAY FROM A STUDENT.
TODAY, ONCE AGAIN, I STAND BEFORE YOU TO ADVOCATE FOR A BOLD, BUT VERY NECESSARY STEP IN THE BANNING OF ALL CELL PHONES IN ALL HISD SCHOOLS.
THIS ACTION IS NOT ABOUT LIMITING OUR STUDENTS' FREEDOM, BUT RATHER ABOUT FOSTERING AN ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE TO LEARNING AND OVERALL WELL-BEING.
BANNING CELL PHONES IN ALL HISD SCHOOLS IS A DECISION THAT PRIORITIZES THE ACADEMIC SUCCESS, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS.
IT'S TIME TO TAKE A STAND AND CREATE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS WHERE OUR STUDENTS CAN THRIVE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. [APPLAUSE] OUR FINAL SPEAKER IN PERSON IS PATRICE WRIGHT.
[02:20:02]
MS. WRIGHT? YES, MA'AM. PLEASE GO AHEAD.>> HELLO. MY NAME IS PATRICE WRIGHT, AND I'M SPEAKING TODAY AS A PARENT AND PTO PRESIDENT.
THIS YEAR, OUR SCHOLARS AND EDUCATORS AT BLACKSHEAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAVE BEEN THROWN INTO AN UNSTABLE, CHAOTIC ENVIRONMENT DESPITE SOME OF OUR WINS, LIKE OUR SCHOLAR WHO GAINED NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR HER MLK SPEECH.
AS PROPOSED IN YOUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTION PLAN, EACH CECC SHOULD CONSIDER THE BOARD'S GOALS OF ENSURING THAT ALL STAKEHOLDERS ARE ENGAGED.
HOWEVER, BLACKSHEAR WENT THREE WEEKS WITHOUT ANY COMMUNICATION FROM THE SCHOOL OR THE DISTRICT, ABOUT THE SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE OF OUR PRINCIPAL, RIGHT BEFORE STAR TESTING BEGAN.
ON TOP OF THE MISSING PRINCIPAL, THERE HAS BEEN NO ENGAGEMENT FROM ADMIN TO PARENTS ABOUT THE PROGRESS OF OUR SCHOLARS, AND MINIMAL DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS TAKEN FOR THE ONES WHO DISRUPT THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
THERE IS A CLEAR LACK OF TRANSPARENCY, A LACK OF DISCIPLINE, A LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY, AND AN APPARENT LACK OF COMMUNICATION.
IT IS WRITTEN ON EVERY TEACHER'S FACE THE FRUSTRATION THEY HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING ALL YEAR.
THIS HAS BROKEN THE TRUST TO MANY STAKEHOLDERS OF BLACKSHEAR.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE DISTRICT TO PARTNER WITH BLACKSHEAR PARENTS AND SET UP A MEETING TO FOLLOW AND ALLOW THE OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON BLACKSHEAR FOR US TO MAKE UP DECISION OF A NEW PRINCIPAL.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. [APPLAUSE]
>> THERE'S ONE MORE SPEAKER. WHO'S THAT?
>> SHUN LEADER. YES, SIR PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> THE LAST ONE OF THE YEAR. IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING.
I WOULD HOPE YOU HAD BEEN GONE BY NOW.
I KEPT THINKING EVERY TIME THAT YOU WOULD JUST NOT SHOW UP TO A BOARD MEETING LIKE YOU DID IN DALLAS AND THEN I WOULD KNOW THAT YOU'VE GIVEN UP.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH TO ACTUALLY SAY THIS TIME.
I'VE WRITTEN THE FACTS THAT HE IS A LONG HISTORY OF HURTING CHILDREN.
WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW HIM AROUND OURS.
IT'S DISAPPOINTING THAT YOU WERE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO HURT AND HARM THOSE THAT ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE.
YOU PURPOSEFULLY TARGET THEM BECAUSE WHY? IS IT THE MONEY? IS IT THE GREED? IS IT JUST YOUR OWN PERSONAL JOLLIES? I DON'T UNDERSTAND IF Y'ALL ARE FROM HOUSTON, WHY WOULD YOU TRUST THIS MAN? HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT US.
THEY HAD A VOTE IN DALLAS AND ONE YEAR ABOUT WHO SUPPORTED THIS MAN AND ALMOST HALF ALREADY VOTED NO.
ARE YOU ALL GOING TO HAVE THAT SAME VOTE? ARE WE GOING TO LET HIM KNOW THAT [NOISE]?
>> THANK YOU, SIR. [APPLAUSE].
>> NOW WE'RE GOING TO SWITCH TO ZOOM SPEAKERS.
EMILY, IF YOU'LL ADMIT OUR SPEAKERS.
>> DR. ANITA WADHWA, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON. YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> YES, MA'AM. PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> HI. MY NAME IS DR. ANITA WADHWA.
I'M AN HISD MOM OF TWO AND HAVE BEEN IN EDUCATION SINCE 2001.
I'VE BEEN AN ADMINISTRATOR, PROFESSOR, RESTORED AS JUST ADMINISTRATOR AND A CURRENT TEACHER, AND I CURRENTLY TEACH 11TH GRADE.
YESTERDAY, I RECEIVED A TEACHING AWARD.
THE STUDENT WHO NOMINATED ME SAID, " [INAUDIBLE] MAKING PEOPLE TO GO TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY.
DOCTOR WADLA MAKES ME WANT TO LEARN." WHENEVER I WALK INTO HER TO A CLASSROOM AND HIM WALK SMILING.
STUDENT AFFIRMED FOR ME AS OUR STUDENTS DO EVERY DAY OF THE POWER OF RELATIONSHIPS OF A SCRIPTED CURRICULUM OF RESTORATION OVER PUNITIVE PRACTICES AND OF CONNECTION OVER TESTING.
AS I WAIT FOR MILES TO GO AWAY, I COMMIT MYSELF TO OPTING MY DAUGHTERS OUT OF STAR AND MAP, RUNNING RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMS IN THE COMMUNITY, AND TELLING EVERYONE I KNOW TO VOTE NO ON THE BOND.
THERE'S NOTHING THE BOARD OF MANAGERS CAN ENGAGE ME IN BECAUSE, TELL ME WHO YOU ARE AND I BELIEVE YOU.
>> MARIA BENSON, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.
YOU MAY BEGIN. HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.
[02:25:01]
TO THE HARDWORKING TEACHERS WHO STRIVE TO BUILD A POSITIVE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT, REGARDLESS OF THE SHACKLES TO CREATIVITY AND INDIVIDUALIZED OR SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION IN THE NES CURRICULUM.HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, TO THE CERTIFIED TEACHERS WHO HAVE ALREADY RESIGNED, BECAUSE THEY RECOGNIZE MANY HISDS NEW PRACTICES ARE NOT BASED ON WHAT THEY'VE LEARNED WORKS BEST FOR CHILDREN.
HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, TO THE HOPEFUL TEACHERS WHO BELIEVE THAT SOMEONE WOULD COME AND SAVE HISD FROM THE TAKEOVER OR THAT THE BOARD WOULD BE TIRED OF MILES AND FINALLY FIRE HIM.
HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK TO THE DISGUSTED TEACHERS WHO ARE SICK OF THE CHAOS AND ABUSE, AND TAKING FML FOR A DAY OFF FOR THEIR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH.
HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK, TO THE CARING EDUCATORS WHO WILL NEED TO FIND JOBS BECAUSE YOU WILL, DUE TO BUDGET CUTS, BE RIPPED, PLACED IN THE EXCESS POOL, AND THEN TERMINATED.
HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.
>> MELISSA ARBOR, PLEASE BEGIN.
>> HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.
TO THE TEACHERS DEEMED NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO CONTINUE IN THIS DISTRICT, DESPITE BEING RESPECTED OUTSIDE OF THIS TWILIGHT ZONE.
TO THE TEACHERS WHO USED THE INEFFECTIVE DISTRICT CURRICULUM THIS YEAR, ONLY TO GET LOW TEST SCORES, AND TO THE ONES WHO USE BETTER CURRICULUM, ONLY TO GET LOW OBSERVATION SCORES.
TO THE FIRST YEAR TEACHERS WHO HAVE DONE UNSUPPORTED ALL YEAR.
TO THE VETERAN TEACHERS WHO HAVE BEEN TOLD TO DO THINGS AGAINST YOUR BETTER JUDGMENT, WHETHER YOU STOOD UP FOR WHAT WAS RIGHT ANYWAY, OR YOU ARE KEEPING YOUR HEAD DOWN TO HANG ON FOR YOUR JOB.
TO THE ONE PERSON ON THE BOARD OF MANAGERS WHO IS ACTUALLY A TEACHER.
TO MY CHILDREN'S NES TEACHERS, THE ONES WHO LEFT, THE ONES WHO REPLACED THEM, AND THE UNCERTIFIED ONES, YOU'RE DOING THE BEST YOU CAN IN A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT, AND I APPRECIATE YOU.
MAY THE BOARD OF MANAGERS WAKE UP AND REALIZE THAT IT'S BETTER TO CUT THE LOSS OF A SUPERINTENDENT THAN TO LOSE HUNDREDS OF TEACHERS? [APPLAUSE]
>> [INAUDIBLE] FORSON, PLEASE BEGIN.
>> CAN YOU PAUSE THE TIMER? I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE BOARD HAS AGENDA NUMBER 2 IN FRONT OF THEM.
>> I WILL BE TAKING WORDS VERBATIMLY FROM AGENDA NUMBER 2.
WITH SO MANY NEWCOMERS, HISD IS LIKE AN ACADEMIC ELLIS ISLAND.
WHY DOESN'T HISD HAVE AN ESL CURRICULUM? WHY ARE ESL TEACHERS HAVING TO REINVENT THE WHEEL WHEN LANGUAGE APPS LIKE DUOLINGO EVEN HAVE A BETTER SCOPE AND SEQUENCE THAN THE SCRIPTED ONE FOR HISD.
[APPLAUSE] IN VIOLATION OF THE [INAUDIBLE] ACT, THIS APPROVED CURRICULUM DOES NOT INCLUDE ACCOMMODATIONS, THE CORRECT RIGOR AND [INAUDIBLE] THE LESSONS.
SHAKESPEARE IS ALL OF CYCLE 4 AND MR. MILES PHONICS ISN'T INTRODUCED UNTIL CYCLE 6.
MY QUESTION TO THE BOARD, ARE THESE APPROVED NES CURRICULA REVIEWED BY ESL CERTIFIED TEACHERS? HAVE THE CURRICULUM WRITERS BEEN IN CLASSROOM SINCE THE PANDEMIC? DON'T FIRE US.
HIRE US TO KEEP HISD IN COMPLIANCE.
THE TEA NEEDS TO REVIEW THE HISD CURRICULUM.
HISD HAS AUTHORITY TO SELECT MATERIAL BASED ON THE LOCAL NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT.
WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WELCOME THE HUDDLED MASSES YEARNING TO BE FREE.
>> JONES, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON, YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> HI. MY NAME IS NZINGA JONES.
AS YOU GUYS CAN SEE, I AM DRIVING HOME FROM MY NES SCHOOL.
I AM A PTO LEADER, AND I AM A HISD PARENT OF GOING ON EIGHT YEARS WITH THREE CHILDREN.
APPARENTLY, WE NEED TO REMIND YOU GUYS, THE BOARD OF MANAGERS, THAT YOU HAVE A JOB TO DO.
PLEASE DO YOUR JOB, VOTE NO ON THE CURRICULUM.
FIRE MIKE MILES. HEY, LET'S DO THAT.
LET'S STOP RUNNING TEACHERS AWAY FROM OUR DISTRICT.
LET'S STOP RUNNING PARENTS AWAY FROM OUR DISTRICT.
LET'S STOP SHUFFLING PRINCIPALS LIKE IT'S A DECK OF CARDS.
OTHERWISE, WE WILL NO LONGER HAVE A DISTRICT.
PLEASE, DO YOUR JOBS AND GET RID OF THIS GUY BEFORE WE HAVE NOTHING LEFT.
>> FRANK TAMBERERO, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON. YOU MAY BEGIN.
MY NAME IS FRANKLIN TAMBERERO.
I'M A PARENT, AND I NOTICED THAT [OVERLAPPING]
>> SIR, CAN YOU PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERA?
>> I CAN'T SEE WHAT I'VE WRITTEN OUT.
[02:30:02]
I NOTICED THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. FOR ONE MOMENT, HENRY.BUT MEANWHILE, THE FISCAL YEAR IS COMING UP, AND SHOULDN'T WE ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE BUDGET, I BELIEVE THAT IS ACTUALLY REQUIRED BY STATE LAW THAT THE BUDGET BE PUBLICLY POSTED, AND ALSO THAT A MEETING BE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE FOR THE BUDGET.
THIS IS HOW WE SET PRIORITIES.
THIS IS HOW WE DECIDE HOW TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN.
THIS IS HOW WE DECIDE HOW PUBLIC TAX MONEY IS SPENT.
NO TRANSPARENCY, NO TRUST, NO BOND.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [APPLAUSE]
>> LATRICE FERGUSON, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON. YOU MAY BEGIN.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT IS A VITAL COMPONENT OF A SUCCESSFUL DISTRICT.
I AM AN INVOLVED, FULL-TIME WORKING PARENT, THREE CHILDREN IN HISD FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS.
I HAVE SERVED ON SDMCS, LED PTO, AND HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING PARTICIPANT IN THE SELECTION PROCESS OF QUITE A FEW PRINCIPALS.
I WATCHED THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION RAILROAD A THRIVING MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT SUCCESSFULLY SERVICES CHILDREN OF A VARIETY OF SOCIOECONOMIC AND INTELLECTUAL BACKGROUNDS, AND NOT ON ANY OCCASION HAS COMMUNITY INPUT BEEN WELCOMED OR UTILIZED.
OUR PRINCIPAL OF FRANK BLACK MIDDLE SCHOOL IS LEAVING AND THE DISTRICT HURRIEDLY ACTED TO REPLACE HER WITHOUT COMMUNITY INTERVENTION OR EXPLANATION OF THE NEW EVALUATIVE SYSTEM.
SOME OTHER SCHOOLS WERE NOT AS FORTUNATE.
THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY WITH THESE CHANGES HAS FORCED MY COMMUNITY TO SPEAK UP AND DEMAND MORE TIME FOR OUR INPUT, IMPROVED DISTRIBUTION OF THE SURVEY, TRANSPARENCY WITH THE POLICY CHANGES, AND MORE RESPECT FOR OUR CURRENT LEADERS.
PLEASE SHOW US THAT YOU WILL ALSO HOLD UP YOUR [INAUDIBLE] [NOISE].
>> JENNA TAYLOR, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.
PAGE 2 OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLAN ADVOCATES FOR TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY AND SAYS THAT IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE COMMUNITY ACTUALLY SEES THEIR FEEDBACK IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.
REMOVING SDMC INVOLVEMENT IN THE NEW PRINCIPAL SELECTION PROCESS REMOVED TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FROM THE LONG-HELD PROCESS.
EXPANDING COMMUNITY FEEDBACK SURVEYS IS LAUDABLE, BUT CREATES A FIRE HOSE OF FEEDBACK THAT IS DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY.
SDMCS COMPRISE ENGAGED FACULTY, STAFF, PARENTS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO EACH HAVE A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNIQUE STRENGTHS, NEEDS OF THEIR SPECIFIC GOAL.
I URGE YOU TO LET THE OWNER-MINDED SDMCS HELP YOU SELECT THE BEST CANDIDATE TO LEAD EACH OF OUR VIBRANT AND DIVERSE SCHOOLS.
AS AN INVOLVED AND ENGAGED PARENT OF NINE YEARS, I BESEECH YOU TO DEMONSTRATE THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY [NOISE] [INAUDIBLE] YOU.
>> NIHAL SHAHIN, PLEASE BEGIN.
>> JUST A SECOND. I'M CALLING ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO TAKE AN ACTION, INVESTIGATE, AND DEMAND ANSWERS FOR THE REASON OF THE INSANE INCREASE OF CONFERENCES FOR THE RECORD FOR JOBS THAT WILL STILL EXIST NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
ALSO, PLEASE INVESTIGATE THE PERCENTAGE OF VETERAN EXPERIENCED EMPLOYEES OR EMPLOYEES WITH MASTER'S OR PHDS THAT ARE EXTERMINATED OR IN LIEU OF TERMINATION.
IS THERE AN UNTOLD AGENDA FOR REMOVING QUALIFIED EMPLOYEES AND HIRING OTHERS INSTEAD? DOES EVERY EMPLOYEE HAVE TO BE UNEXPERIENCED OR UNCERTIFIED, MR. MILES? TEACHERS, HAPPY TEACHERS APPRECIATION WEEK, ESPECIALLY THE ONES REASSIGNED TO TEACHERS JAIL, NEVER HEARD OF IT BEFORE THIS YEAR.
IS THERE ONE FOR SUPERINTENDENTS OR EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS? BACK TO TEACHERS IN TEACHERS JAIL, I'M SORRY THAT THIS YEAR THE CHANCE OF REAPING THE REWARDS OF YOUR DEDICATION, DILIGENCE, AND SUFFERINGS WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU.
ANY INSTITUTION WHERE THERE IS AN UNCHECKED POWER WILL TEND TOWARD CORRUPTION, ABUSE OVER TIME.
>> ED CLARK, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON. YOU MAY BEGIN.
[02:35:16]
CHRISTINE HURLEY, PLEASE BEGIN.>> MA'AM, YOU'RE MUTED. [OVERLAPPING] GO AHEAD.
>> THIS STATE TAKEOVER IS SUPPOSEDLY AN INTERVENTION INTENDED TO HELP A STRUGGLING DISTRICT WHICH WASN'T MEETING THE NEEDS OF ITS STUDENTS.
HOWEVER, THIS TAKEOVER WHILE MAKING BOLD CLAIMS LIKE BRAGGING ABOUT SUNRISE CENTERS, WHICH COSTS OVER $10 MILLION, THEY'VE ELIMINATED A CENTRAL WRAPAROUND SPECIALISTS, WHICH ARE THE INDIVIDUALS WHO BRIDGED THE GAP BETWEEN HOME AND SCHOOL, OFFERING COUNSELING, RESOURCES, AND GUIDANCE TO THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST.
WITHOUT THESE SPECIALISTS, WE RISK LEAVING BEHIND OUR MOST VULNERABLE AND IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE.
THE GENIUS OF THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES IS THAT THE ONE PLACE ALL STUDENTS CAN ACCESS IS THEIR CAMPUS.
[APPLAUSE] SUNRISE CENTERS ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO ALL HISD FAMILIES.
BLAMING PERSONNEL CUTS ON A TIGHT BUDGET WHEN YOU CONTINUE TO MISMANAGE TAXPAYER FUNDS, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.
[APPLAUSE] [INAUDIBLE] BAD AT YOUR JOB OR PROBABLY BOTH.
>> ED CLARK, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON. YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> MY NAME IS ED CLARK, AND I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM 14.
HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.
TEACHERS WANT TO MAKE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN STUDENTS' LIVES, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO WORK IN A TOXIC ENVIRONMENT.
BECAUSE OF MIKE MILES, WE'RE LOSING HUNDREDS OF CERTIFIED, QUALIFIED, EXPERIENCED TEACHERS, AS WELL AS NEW AND NOVICE TEACHERS.
A NEW TEACHER HIRED IN DECEMBER TO TEACH IN AN NES SCHOOL WAS RECENTLY NOTIFIED OF THEIR PENDING TERMINATION AT THE BOARD MEETING.
THE VERY NEXT MORNING, THEIR REPLACEMENT WAS GIVEN A TOUR OF THE TEACHER'S ROOM DURING CLASS.
THE STUDENTS WONDERED WHO THE VISITOR WAS.
SADLY, THE TEACHERS SHARED THAT THEY WERE BEING LET GO.
THIS IS HOW WE APPRECIATE TEACHERS BY FIRING THEM AND THEN SHOWING THEM THEIR REPLACEMENT THE NEXT DAY? IN SPITE OF MIKE MILES, TEACHERS WHO LOVE WHAT THEY DO WILL CONTINUE TO DO IT ELSEWHERE.
BOARD OF MANAGERS, STOP THIS CHAOS, FIRE MIKE MILES. [APPLAUSE]
>> CLAUDE BITNER, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON. YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK.
MY NAME IS CLAUDE BITNER, AN HISD PARENT AND ALUM.
I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM 14 ON BEHALF OF A PARENT WHO IS UNABLE TO ATTEND THESE MEETINGS.
HELLO. MY NAME IS JOSE ELIAS, A PARENT FOR PUGH ELEMENTARY.
THIS PAST WEEK, STUDENTS AT PUGH ELEMENTARY WERE SICK AND VOMITING.
THEY EXPERIENCED FOOD POISONING BECAUSE THEY WERE SERVED EXPIRED FOOD.
ALL OF YOUR BUDGET CUTS AND FIRING OF TEACHERS, PLEASE DON'T SERVE EXPIRED FOOD IN THE CAFETERIA.
IT'S HARD ENOUGH WHEN YOUR CHILDREN'S STOMACHS ACHE BECAUSE THEY ARE STRESSED OUT FROM LEARNING THROUGH THE LOW QUALITY NES CURRICULUM.
ACTUALLY, VOMITING DOESN'T MAKE NES ANY BETTER.
PROVIDING HEALTHY FOOD IN SCHOOLS IS VITAL FOR CHILDREN'S HEALTH, ACADEMIC SUCCESS, EQUITY, AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
ALSO, PLEASE DO NOT HAVE SCHOOL STAFF GASLIGHT US AND SAY THAT A BUG OR VIRUS IS GOING AROUND THE SCHOOL WHEN THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT REPORT STATES THAT THE CAUSE IS EXPIRED FOOD.
>> MAGNA GOSWAMI, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON. YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> MY NAME IS MAGNA GOSWAMI, AND I'M A MOTHER OF TWO CHILDREN AT HISD.
AS HISD, LIKE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TEXAS, FACES BUDGET CUTS WITH LITTLE TO NO CONTROL OVER THE AMOUNT OF [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'M SORRY. MA'AM, CAN YOU START OVER? WE COULDN'T SEE YOU.
>> HI. MY NAME IS MAGNA GOSWAMI, AND I'M A MOTHER OF TWO CHILDREN AT HISD.
AS HISD, LIKE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TEXAS, FACES BUDGET CUTS WITH LITTLE TO NO CONTROL OVER THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC DOLLARS THAT IT HAS ACCESS TO IN THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
I UNDERSTAND THAT HARD DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE AROUND STAFFING AND PROGRAMS. WHAT IS, HOWEVER, IN HISD'S CONTROL IS HOW IT GOES THROUGH WITH DECISION MAKING AROUND BUDGET TRADE-OFFS.
OVER THE PAST WEEKS, AS NEWS HAS POURED IN ABOUT THE HUNDREDS OF POSITIONS ELIMINATED BY HISD, I HAVE BEEN SURPRISED AT THE LACK OF COMMUNICATIONS ON ITS PLANS, IF ANY, TO MEET THE GAPS IN SERVICES THAT STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS WILL FACE BECAUSE OF THESE CUTS.
AS A PUBLIC ENTITY THAT'S TAXPAYER FUNDED, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT HISD HAS A TRANSPARENT BUDGETING PROCESS.
[02:40:03]
NOT JUST A COMPLIANT STEP AFTER BUDGET DECISIONS ARE ALREADY MADE, BUT ONE THAT IS THOUGHTFUL AND DELIBERATE AND INCLUDES COMMUNITY INPUT.>> JESSICA KHATRI, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.
YOU MAY BEGIN. [NOISE] PLEASE GO AHEAD, MA'AM.
>> OH, IS IT MY TURN? I'M SORRY.
I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS MY TURN.
>> MY NAME IS JESSI [INAUDIBLE] I AM A DAUGHTER OF A FORMER HISD TEACHER, FORMER HISD STUDENT, MOTHER OF AN HISD GRADUATE AND A CHILD AT A NINE YEAR SCHOOL.
THIS WEEK IS TEACHER, NURSES APPRECIATION WEEK YET THIS ADMINISTRATION SHOWS NO APPRECIATION FOR EITHER.
DOZENS OF STAFF AND TEACHING PHYSICIANS IN THE HISD ARE IN DANGER OF BEING CUT FOR THE 2024/25 SCHOOL YEAR.
THIS LIST INCLUDES NURSES, LIBRARIANS, COUNSELORS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, PRINCIPALS, READING, MATH AND SCIENCE TEACHERS, FINE ARTS, AND OTHER ELECTIVE INSTRUCTORS, SPEECH THERAPISTS, MAGNET COORDINATORS, AND SPECIAL EDUCATION COORDINATORS.
MAINLY, IF YOU DIDN'T RECKLESSLY BLOW MONEY ON A LOADED CENTRAL OFFICE SALARIES AND AN UNSCIENTIFIC SCHOOL REFORM THAT THIS COMMUNITY DOES NOT WANT, YOU COULD PAY OUR TEACHERS, NURSES, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL STAFF.
I THINK THE JOB WE NEED TO CUT IS YOURS.
I WON'T STOP FIGHTING IF THAT HAPPENS.
>> HELLO JOTWANI PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON. YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> HI. I'M ACTUALLY A STUDENT, SO I'VE BEEN HERE FOR A LONG TIME, SO THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME.
I NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE REASON I CAN'T BE AT [INAUDIBLE] TODAY, WHICH IS BECAUSE BOARD MEETINGS AREN'T REALLY ACCESSIBLE FOR STUDENTS.
IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S A REASON THAT A LOT OF STUDENTS AREN'T THERE.
MY PARENTS WORK, IT'S RUSH HOUR AND I HAVE A TEST ON FRIDAY.
I APPRECIATE YOU ALL TAKING THE TIME OUT OF YOUR DAY TO HEAR FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
BUT THIS WHOLE THING CAN'T BE AS EFFECTIVE UNLESS STUDENTS ARE PART OF THE CONVERSATION, AND WE DESERVE TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION AS EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IMPACT US.
WHAT? I'M SORRY. I THOUGHT YOU WERE SAYING SOMETHING.
WITH THE REDUCTIONS IN FORCE THAT ARE HAPPENING, THE PEOPLE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK ARE TRUSTED ADULTS LIKE MY WRAPAROUND SPECIALIST WHOSE DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN, AND STUDENTS ARE ALWAYS IN THERE TALKING TO HER AND SHE SOMEHOW HAS TIME FOR EVERYONE.
MY ASK IS THAT A DAY BEFORE SCHOOL YEAR ENDS, AFTER 4:10 AND NOT ON THE THURSDAY THAT STUDENTS BE INVITED TO HAVE AN IN DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH THE BOARD, ESPECIALLY ON THE BUDGET OF THE BOARD AND THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.
HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK AND THANK YOU.
MISS BRIAN, CAN YOU PLEASE TURN ON YOUR CAMERA? CAN WE SKIP HER AND GO TO WHOEVER IS NEXT? MA'AM, I THINK YOU'RE ON MUTE.
WE CANNOT HEAR YOU. MA'AM? WELL, SHE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO HEAR ME.
MINDY BRIAN, CAN YOU TURN ON YOUR AUDIO? LET'S COME BACK TO HER.
>> APOLOGIES, WE DID NOT HAVE THIS NAME IN OUR LIST. PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> SORRY. IT'S BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO CHANGE IT.
>> I'M SORRY. PLEASE GO AHEAD.
TODAY, I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM 2, SELECTION OF DISTRICT CREATED CURRICULUM FOR MY MOM, WHO WAS AT HOME FROM WORKING.
[02:45:01]
PLEASE ENSURE THE DISTRICT CURRICULUM CONTAINS ALL OF THE TIPS.FOR EXAMPLE, ENGLISH 1 AND ENGLISH 2 SHOULD INCLUDE 1C, MAKING FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND THREE INDEPENDENT READING, 10A, COMPOSING FICTION AND POETRY, AND ALL OF 11, INQUIRY AND RESEARCH.
ANY IMPROVED DISTRICT CURRICULUM SHOULD CONTAIN ALL THE TIPS.
I THINK AUTOMATICALLY ENROLLING SPEEDS INTO ADVANCED CLASSES AS LONG AS THERE'S A WAY FOR THEM TO OPT OUT.
IT IS A GREAT THING. BUT STUDENTS WHO ARE BEING PREPARED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN ADVANCED CLASSES ARE COMPLETE WITH PEERS OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT.
IF THEY AREN'T TAUGHT NOVELS, RESEARCH SKILLS, HOW TO PRESENT, AND HOW TO WORK IN GROUPS.
ALSO, TEACHER RETENTION IS IMPORTANT.
IN ORDER TO KEEP THE CREDIT, TEACHERS NEED TO HAVE GRADUATE LEVEL WORK IN THE SUBJECT AREA.
CONSTANTLY [INAUDIBLE] TEACHERS IS VERY EXPENSIVE.
IF WE WANT STUDENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, WE SHOULD TRY TO RETAIN EXPERIENCED TEACHERS WHO KNOW THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE TESTS AND THEIR STUDENTS.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] MINDY BRIAN, PLEASE BEGIN.
>> WE CAN HEAR YOU, BUT WE CAN'T SEE YOU NOW.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. MY PHONE SAYS IT'S PLAYING THE VIDEO.
I'LL STOP IT AND START IT AGAIN.
WE CAN SEE YOUR COMPUTER. SWAP IT AROUND. THERE YOU GO.
>> I AM AN HISD ALUM, CURRENT PARENT, FORMER TEACHER, AND I JUST WANTED TO REMIND THE BOARD THAT IN DECEMBER, MR. MILES TOLD THE MEDIA THAT WRAPAROUND SPECIALISTS, ALL OF THEM WERE NEEDED POSITIONS AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE SUBJECT TO BUDGET CUTS.
YET, OF COURSE, THIS WEEK ROUGHLY 170 WRAPAROUND SPECIALIST POSITIONS WERE CUT IN FACT FOR NEXT YEAR.
IN SHORT, I'M APPALLED ABOUT THE LACK OF SUPPORT THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO SOME OF MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN COME AUGUST.
I FEEL STRONGLY THAT HAVING A PERSON ON SITE AT EACH CAMPUS TO ADDRESS ISSUES IN REAL TIME IS IMPERATIVE TO FULLY MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR KIDS.
THEN AS A SPEAKER EARLIER REMINDED ME THAT THE PRACTICE OF PAUSING TEACHERS WHILE TEACHING FOR REAL TIME COACHING, I FORGOT ABOUT THAT HAVING BEEN MENTIONED BEFORE, AND HOW INTERESTING THAT REAL TIME COACHING IS A PRIORITY, BUT REAL TIME SERVICES TO ANY OF THESE CHILDREN IS NOT.
[APPLAUSE] THE [INAUDIBLE] THE WORK NEARLY 30 WRAPAROUND SPECIALISTS THAT WILL BE LEFT IN THE DISTRICT ARE TOO FAR AND TOO BETWEEN TO FULFILL THEIR PURPOSE IN ITS ENTIRETY.
IT'S NOT ENOUGH. LET ME JUST SAY THAT AGAIN. IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
MISS MORENO, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.
>> WE CAN SEE YOU, MA'AM. PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> HI. MY NAME IS LUCIA MORENO.
I AM A RETIRED TEACHER FROM HISD OF 15 YEARS AND I AM CALLING BECAUSE I WAS JUST WANTING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE [INAUDIBLE] OH, IT WENT OFF AGAIN?
>> NO, MA'AM. WE CAN SEE YOU. PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> I AM A RETIRED TEACHER FROM HISD.
THE LIGHTING IS LOW ONLY BECAUSE I JUST WALKED IN MY HOUSE.
I'M SORRY. MY DOG WAS DYING AND I WAS TAKING CARE.
>> I WAS JUST CALLING ABOUT THE BILINGUAL PROGRAM AND WONDERING IF IT WILL CONTINUE BECAUSE SO FAR, I'VE HEARD THAT WALKER HAS LET GO OF FOUR BILINGUAL TEACHERS AND THEY'RE HIRING, BUT I ONLY SEE GENERAL OR ED.
I'M JUST WORRIED ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. THIS CONCLUDES OUR ZOOM SPEAKERS.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR HEARING OF SPEAKERS.
[DISCUSSION AND REPORT ITEMS]
WE ARE NOW READY TO CONSIDER OUR DISCUSSION AND REPORT ITEM.THE FIRST OF THOSE IS PRESENTATION OF GOAL 4 PROGRESS MEASURES 4.1 AND 4.2.
MR. MILES, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, DEPUTY CHIEF, STACY VENSON WILL ADDRESS THE PROGRESS MONITORING REPORT.
[02:50:11]
>> GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS. TONIGHT I'LL BE TO THE GULF M 4.1.
STUDENTS IN GRADE 4 THROUGH 8 WILL RECEIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES.
THAT IS GROWTH AS MEASURED BY DOMAIN 2 PART 8 IN THE STATE ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM WILL INCREASE FROM 63% IN AUGUST 2023 TO 78% IN AUGUST 2028.
THE GOAL PROGRESS MEASURE 4.1 THAT FEEDS INTO THAT GOAL STATES THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS IN GRADES 4 THROUGH 8 WHO RECEIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES.
>> HOLD ON ONE SECOND. [INAUDIBLE] HOW DO YOU DO IT? MY COMPUTER?
>> DISCUSSION OF REPORTS, ACTIVE ITEM.
>> I'VE GOT IT IN PAPER [INAUDIBLE] YOU GOT IT? [BACKGROUND] OUR IT ASSISTANT.
RICK DOES IT ALL. PLEASE, GO AHEAD.
>> GOAL PROGRESS MEASURE 4.1 IS THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS IN GRADES 4-8 WHO RECEIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES THAT HAVE A CONDITIONAL GROWTH INDEX OF 0.6 OR HIGHER ON NWEA MAP IN READING WILL INCREASE FROM 32% IN JANUARY 2024 TO 47% IN MAY OF 2028.
LAST MONTH, I WAS HERE PRESENTING ON GOAL PROGRESS MEASURE 4.3, WHICH IS ABOUT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY MEETING THOSE STANDARDS.
TONIGHT'S GOALS ARE AROUND GROWTH IN READING AND MATH.
THAT 0.6, REALLY, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS THAT OUR STUDENT EXCEEDED THE NORMAL GROWTH.
LOOKING AT OUR NUMBERS AT MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, 32% OF OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES MET THAT GROWTH PROGRESS STANDARD IN READING.
YOU'LL SEE IN THAT CHART THE PROJECTION, AND WE ARE ON TRACK TO MEET OUR END-OF-YEAR TARGET, WHICH IS 33%.
UNDERNEATH THAT GOAL, YOU'LL SEE THE ACTUAL STAR ASSESSMENT FROM LAST YEAR AROUND GROWTH IN READING.
LAST YEAR, 63% OF OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES MET THAT GROWTH STANDARD, AND WE ARE EXPECTING THAT WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE THAT OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS WITH THAT GRAPH.
IF YOU LOOK ON AT THE NEXT INFORMATION, YOU'LL SEE THAT AGAIN, IN READING, IN THAT CONDITIONAL GROWTH INDICATOR, EIGHT OUT OF THE EIGHT STUDENT GROUPS ARE ON TRACK TO MEET THEIR TARGET.
ON FIGURE 3, YOU'LL SEE THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS, AS WELL AS OUR WHITE STUDENTS, WERE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THEIR NON-DISABLED PEERS.
ALL OTHER GROUPS WERE WITHIN 7% OF THEIR NON-DISABLED PEERS.
AS WE LOOK AT THE ROOT CAUSES OF THE LOW PROFICIENCY IN READING, WE CONTINUE TO JUST TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED THE LAST THREE BOARD MEETINGS AND THE PROGRESS MEASURE,
[02:55:02]
THAT HAVING THAT LACK OF QUALITY INSTRUCTION, WHICH WE'VE BEEN REALLY WORKING ON AND WE'RE AT THAT PROGRESSING LEVEL NOW, AS WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THAT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.OUR STUDENTS DID NOT HAVE THE SCIENCE OF READING, WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO REALLY PROVIDE INSTRUCTION AND DECODING AND LANGUAGE COMPREHENSION SKILLS.
THEN LAST MONTH, I SPECIFICALLY TALKED ABOUT SPECIALLY DESIGNED INSTRUCTION, WHERE OUR COMMITTEES TAKE THE INFORMATION FROM THESE REPORTS, LOOK AT THE DATA ON THOSE STUDENTS, AND CREATE INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR THOSE STUDENTS TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE CLASSROOM AND HOW WE ARE TRAINING OUR TEACHERS, AS WELL AS OUR PRINCIPALS ON WHAT SPECIALLY DESIGNED INSTRUCTION LOOKS LIKE IN HOUSTON ISD.
MOVING FORWARD, YOU'LL SEE SOME SUPPLEMENTAL DATA.
THE FIRST GRAPH REALLY SHOWS WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK, THE MEET STANDARD IN COMPARISON TO THE GROWTH STANDARD.
YOU CAN SEE THAT OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES REALLY HAVE PROGRESSED IN THE AREA OF GROWTH.
IN FIGURE 5, YOU'LL SEE THAT SAME INFORMATION BROKEN DOWN BY STUDENT GROUPS, AS WELL AS NES, NES-A, AND NON-NES/A CAMPUSES.
YOU'LL SEE THAT THE STUDENT GROUPS AND THE NES AND NES-A, CHAD, HAD HIGHER GROWTH INDEX THAN THE STUDENTS IN NON-NES.
FIGURE 6 GOES DOWN TO OUR LOWER GRADES, WHERE WE GET TO PROVIDE THE CIRCLE EXAM AND PRE-K THROUGH FOUR.
YOU'LL SEE THE COMPARISON OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AGAINST THEIR NON-DISABLED PAIRS AND LETTER NAMES AND LETTER SOUNDS.
OF COURSE, WE UTILIZE THIS INFORMATION SPECIFICALLY IN THOSE LOWER GRADES FOR INSTRUCTIONAL COMPONENTS, AS WELL AS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MOVING FORWARD.
YOU'LL ALSO SEE IN FIGURE 7, THE DIBELS AND LECTURA RESULTS OF OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AGAINST THEIR NON-DISABLED PEERS.
NOTICE THAT THESE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN THESE GROUPS WERE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE LOWER THAN THEIR NON-DISABLED PEERS BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME, THIS IS THE TIME WHERE THIS DATA IS ACTUALLY BEING UTILIZED FOR IF THEIR STUDENTS ARE STRUGGLING AND THERE MAY BE A NEED FOR IDENTIFICATION AND A REFERRAL TO SPECIAL EDUCATION IN THESE LOWER GRADES.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE SEEING MOST OF THAT EARLY INTERVENTION AND EARLY REFERRAL STATUS.
I'M GOING TO MOVE OVER THE ACTION PLAN, AND I'LL DO THAT AT THE END AS WE GO INTO MATH.
WE'RE MOVING INTO GOAL PROGRESS MEASURE 4.2, WHICH STATES THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS IN GRADES 4-8 WHO RECEIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES THAT HAVE THAT CONDITIONAL GROWTH INDEX OF 0.6 OR HIGHER ON NWEA MAP IN MATH WILL INCREASE FROM 30% IN JANUARY '24 TO 45% IN MAY OF 2025.
AT THE GROWTH PROGRESS MEASURE AT MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, 30% OF THE DISTRICT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE MEETING THAT CONDITIONAL GROWTH INDEX OF 0.6 OR HIGHER IN MATH.
THEN YOU'LL SEE THAT NEXT COMPARISON OF STUDENTS THAT SHOW GROWTH ON STAR IN THE AREA OF MATH.
LAST YEAR, WE WERE AT 63% IN MATH, AND WE'RE EXPECTING TO CONTINUE TO PROGRESS IN THAT AREA.
IN THE NEXT CHART, YOU'LL ALSO SEE THIS INFORMATION DIVIDED INTO STUDENT GROUPS ONCE AGAIN.
EIGHT OUT OF THE EIGHT STUDENT GROUPS ARE ON TRACK TO MEET THAT TARGET.
YOU'LL ALSO SEE AGAIN THE SAME INFORMATION IN COMPARISON OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES WITH THEIR NON DISABLED PEERS.
ALL GROUPS ARE WITHIN 6% OF THEIR NON DISABLED PEERS.
OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ACTUALLY SHOWING
[03:00:01]
A SMALLER DIFFERENCE OF 3% AGAINST THEIR NON DISABLED PEERS.AGAIN, IT'S REALLY THAT SAME ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS, FOCUSING ON THAT HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION, AS WELL AS THE SPECIALLY DESIGNED INSTRUCTION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
MOVING ON TO FIGURE 11, YOU'LL SEE THAT SAME TYPE OF COMPARISON, THE DATA THAT WE LOOKED AT LAST MONTH IN COMPARISON TO THE DATA WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS MONTH THAT SHOWS GROWTH.
FIGURE 12 GOES INTO THAT SAME INFORMATION BY STUDENT GROUPS AS WELL AS NES, NESA, AND NON NESA.
YOU'LL AGAIN SEE THAT THE STUDENTS IN THE NES AND NESA ARE SHOWING A HIGHER CONDITIONAL GROWTH INDEX.
LOOKING AT OUR STUDENTS AT OUR YOUNGER GRADES IN MATH, GOING BACK TO THAT CIRCLE EXAM, YOU CAN SEE HOW OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE COMPARING AGAINST THEIR NON DISABLED PEERS.
THERE AGAIN, WE WOULD USE THIS INFORMATION TO REALLY LOOK AT WHAT INSTRUCTION LOOKS LIKE IN THOSE LOWER GRADE LEVELS, AS WELL AS THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF OUR TEACHERS.
FIGURE 14, IT SHOWS NWA MAP SCORES FOR OUR STUDENTS IN K 33 WHO MET THAT CONDITIONAL GROWTH INDEX.
AGAIN, THESE NUMBERS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE LOWER GRADES ARE CONSISTENT WITH REALLY THE IDENTIFICATION AND THOSE GRADE LEVELS.
ALTHOUGH OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES DID DO BETTER IN MATH IN THIS AREA THAN THEY DID IN READING AT THIS AGE LEVEL.
WHAT AS A DISTRICT ARE WE DOING IN RESPONSE TO ALL OF THIS DATA? WE HAVE HAD A REALLY HYPER FOCUSED PLAN STARTING WITH OUR SUPERINTENDENT, AS WELL AS OUR DIVISION TEAMS, ACADEMICS, THE OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, AS WELL AS OUR CAMPUS STAFF REALLY WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE A CHANGE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE PROGRESSING AT THE LEVEL THAT WE NEED THEM TO BE AT? WITH THIS, WE CREATED A NEW PRINCIPAL EVALUATION THAT INCLUDED SPECIAL EDUCATION COMPLIANCE INSTRUCTION AS PART OF THE PRINCIPAL EVALUATION.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT OUR ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND PUSHED OUR TEAMS OUT DIRECTLY TO THOSE DIVISIONS SO THAT THEY COULD HAVE THAT SUPPORT CLOSE TO THE CAMPUS.
WE'VE INCREASED OUR SALARIES OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS SO THAT WE CAN RECRUIT AND RETAIN OUR TEACHERS SO THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE CERTIFIED SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS.
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE, OF COURSE, TO MONITOR THE MAP DATA, THE DBALS DATA, AND THE CIRCLE DATA BECAUSE WE ARE IN THIS CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT CYCLE.
AS WE CONTINUE TO REVIEW THIS DATA, WE'LL DETERMINE THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IF THERE'S ANY INSTRUCTIONAL CHANGES THAT WE NEED TO MAKE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
>> YES. FIRST, I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT ACHIEVEMENT AT THIS LEVEL IS PRETTY AMAZING.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A POPULATION OF STUDENTS THAT IS LEARNING AND GROWING AT A RATE ALMOST TWO TIMES WHAT THEY SHOULD BE IN THIS PARTICULAR SPACE.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT WE'VE ACHIEVED THIS LEVEL AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BECAUSE SOME OF MY QUESTIONS MAY SEEM COUNTER TO THAT, BUT IT'S REALLY TRYING TO GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL, IF YOU WILL.
I LOVE SEEING STUDENTS GROW AT THIS LEVEL, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE ON THAT SAME PATH GOING FORWARD.
MY CONCERN, IF I COULD SAY, IS THAT WE'RE CHARTING ON A PATH TO GET TO 47% IN FIVE YEARS.
[03:05:05]
WE'RE TAKING STUDENT GROWTH THAT IS ALREADY AMAZING.WE WANT TO SEE CONSISTENCY ALONG THE PATH FOR A CONTINUED PERIOD OVER THE COURSE OF FIVE YEARS AND BEYOND.
WE WANT TO TAKE 50% OF OUR STUDENTS, ESSENTIALLY, AND I'LL JUST ROUND IT UP AND GET THEM TO A PLACE WHERE THEY'RE LEARNING 1.5-2 TIMES IN A YEAR, WHAT A NORMAL STUDENT WOULD BE EXPECTED TO LEARN.
AGAIN, LOVE THE GOAL, I LOVE THE ASPIRATION THAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR? BECAUSE OVER TIME, THE EXPECTATION WOULD BE THAT WHILE WE'RE ACHIEVING LOW NOW, WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME RESULTS LATER THAT ARE COUNTER TO THAT.
I SEE YOUR ACTION STEPS, AND I WANT TO JUST CONNECT THE DOTS BETWEEN THE TWO AS WE MAKE PROGRESS TOWARDS THAT FIVE YEAR GOAL.
DO WE FEEL THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS SUFFICIENT IN ORDER TO SEE CONTINUAL GROWTH IN THAT SPACE? THEN HOW AND WHAT WILL THE MARKERS BE THAT HELP US IN THE COMMUNITY CONNECT WITH WHAT THAT ACTUALLY MEANS? YES.
>> EVERYONE THAT HAS COME UP IN FRONT OF THIS BOARD TO PROVIDE DATA ON PROGRESS MONITORING HAS STATED THAT THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION WITHIN THE DISTRICT HAS BEEN LACKING.
OF COURSE, AND THAT'S TIER ONE FOR ALL STUDENTS.
MOST OF OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE SERVED IN THE GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS. REALLY HAVING THAT HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION AT THE TIER ONE LEVEL IS WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEE GROWTH IN THAT RIGHT NOW IN THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, WE'RE SEEING GROWTH.
HOWEVER, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THROUGHOUT THE WAY BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE SEEING GROWTH, BUT ARE WE GOING TO SEE THAT SAME RATE OF GROWTH NEXT YEAR? WE'LL HAVE TO EVALUATE THAT AND THERE MAY NEED TO BE OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTED FOR SPECIFIC GROUPS OF STUDENTS.
I ALSO THINK THAT AS WE LOOK AT SPECIALLY DESIGNED INSTRUCTION BECAUSE LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT LAST MONTH, THAT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES BEING SERVED IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, THEY HAVE A DISABILITY AND THEY HAVE TO SHOW AN EDUCATIONAL NEED.
AS WE CONTINUE TO GATHER MORE DATA, WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC AREAS THAT THEY NEED THAT WHERE THOSE GAPS ARE, THEN OF COURSE, WE WOULD BEEF UP THE INSTRUCTION, MAYBE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IN THAT AREA AND ALSO, PROVIDE OUR TEACHERS THE RESOURCES ON HOW TO TEACH THOSE LESSONS SPECIFICALLY.
IT'S DEFINITELY A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THROUGH, EVERY SEMESTER, REALLY.
>> GOT YOU. THEN JUST TO FOLLOW UP.
IN RESPECT TO THE PARTICULAR DATA IN THIS ARENA, IS IT THAT THIS POPULATION WITHIN THE GROUP OF STUDENTS IS SEGREGATED IN THE DATA OR MEANING ARE THEY COMPARED TO OTHER SPECIALIZED STUDENTS OR WHO ARE THEY COMPARED TO?
>> IN THE MAP TESTING, THEY ARE COMPARED TO ALL STUDENTS.
I MEAN, THIS IS COMPARED A NATIONALLY NORMED TEST FOR ALL STUDENTS.
>> CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT MAP? IS IT CORRECT THAT THE EXPECTED GROWTH IS VARIABLE ACROSS ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS UNDER THE MAP STANDARDS? IN OTHER WORDS, THE KIDS AT THE LOWEST ACHIEVEMENT LEVEL HAVE AN EXPECTATION OF HIGHER GROWTH THAN THE KIDS AT THE HIGHER LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT?
>> DOES THE 0.6 TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT?
>> ON MAP, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT.
WHEN YOU WHEN WE SAY MET EXPECTED GROWTH, THEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EVERY CHILD BASED ON WHERE WHERE THEY'RE AT, THE PERCENTILE GROWTH, THEIR PERCENTILE.
BASED ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY, THEIR TARGET IS SET TO KEEP THEM AT THE SAME PERCENTILE.
IN THAT WAY, IT'S IT'S DIFFERENTIATED.
ON CONDITIONAL GROWTH INDEX, VERY TECHNICAL TERM.
[03:10:07]
IT'S IT'S A MATTER NOT JUST OF THE PERCENTILE, BUT HOW THEY'VE GROWN FROM THE START TO THE MIDDLE TO THE END.ANYBODY OVER THERE HAVE A BETTER ANSWER?
>> WHENEVER WE'RE LOOKING FOR MET, THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT'S ZERO.
>> ZERO IS THE MEAN STANDARD DEVIATION, 0.6 WOULD BE.
>> IF YOU'RE SAYING MET EXPECTED GROWTH ON NWA, WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE IS 50%.
ABOVE 50 BECAUSE THAT'S THE AVERAGE GROUP OF KIDS WILL BE ABOVE 50.
>> COULD YOU ON THIS GOAL THE ACTION STEPS, THE BOTTOM NUMBER OF THE BOTTOM BULLET POINT HERE, INCREASED SALARIES ON SPECIAL EDUCATION.
WE TALKED ABOUT INCREASE IN SALARIES FOR TEACHERS IN THE NES SCHOOLS AND ALSO IN THE SPECIAL HEADS SCHOOLS, CONNECT THE DOTS ON HOW DOES INCREASED SALARIES IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION?
>> WELL, WE KNOW THAT TEACHERS ARE THE HEART OF EDUCATING OUR STUDENTS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION, OF COURSE, IS IN A CRITICAL SHORTAGE AREA, AND THAT'S NOT JUST HERE IN HOUSTON ISD, BUT THAT'S NATIONWIDE.
AND REALLY INCREASING THOSE SALARIES, NUMBER 1, IS A WAY TO ATTRACT TEACHERS SO THAT OUR STUDENTS THAT HAVE THE MOST NEEDS HAVE THAT CONSISTENT TEACHER IN FRONT OF THEM, AS WELL AS RETAINING OUR TEACHERS THAT WE HAVE THAT MEET THAT.
FOR OUR MOST SIGNIFICANT OUR STUDENTS WITH THE MOST SIGNIFICANT NEEDS.
>> IF YOU'RE RETAINING TEACHERS AND YOU'RE ATTRACTING NEW TEACHERS, HOW ARE YOU MAKING SURE THAT THE QUALITY OF THEIR INSTRUCTION IS WHAT YOU WANT?
>> DEFINITELY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
BUT ALSO FOLLOWING UP THOSE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS WITH OUR DIVISION TEAM SUPPORT.
WITHIN OUR DIVISION ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, AS OUR PRINCIPALS ARE CONDUCTING SPOT OBSERVATIONS AND GETTING FEEDBACK, THEN OUR COORDINATORS AND DIRECTORS ARE OUT THERE WORKING ALONGSIDE THOSE PRINCIPALS TO SAY, I NEED THIS PERSON TRAINED OR CAN YOU COME IN AND DO A PLC ON THIS SPECIFIC TOPIC.
WE'RE REALLY BRINGING THAT PD INTO THE SCHOOL SO THAT WE CAN REALLY TARGET THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS THAT ARE NEEDED AT THAT CAMPUS WITH THE PRINCIPALS DIRECTION AS WELL AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FEEDER.
>> ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS END OF THE DAY? MISS OZAN BANDY.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION.
WE HAD HAD A QUESTION IN THE Q&A DOCUMENT AROUND JUST THE DIFFERENCES IN THE GROWTH FOR ALL STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AT NESA SCHOOLS AND NON NESA SCHOOLS.
YES. I'M LOOKING AT THE READING RIGHT NOW, BUT I CAN. I FLIPPED ON MY OWN.
BUT BOTH OF THEM SHOW THAT THE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AT NESA AND NES SCHOOLS ARE SHOWING HIGHER GROWTH.
THE RESPONSE TO THAT WAS AROUND BASICALLY LIKE THE NES MODEL BEING DIFFERENTIAL FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO AND IT'D BE NICE IF WE COULD GET SOME DATA ON.
WE HAVE SOME INFORMATION COMPARING THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS GROWTH, CGI, BUT DO WE ALSO HAVE THAT INFORMATION FOR THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, THE DIFFERENT SUBGROUPS AND THE MEETS GRADE LEVEL CRITERIA? I'M CURIOUS AS TO WE SEE THE GROWTH, BUT HOW ARE THEY ACTUALLY FAIRING WHEN IT COMES TO MEETING THE GRADE LEVEL IN READING AND MATH.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS?
>> LAST MONTH AT THE GOAL PROGRESS MONITORING,
[03:15:02]
WE DID THE DATA REPORT ON THE METS GRADE LEVEL.AND SO WHEN YOU SEE FIGURE 11 UP HERE AND THIS IS ACTUALLY IN MATH, THAT IS THAT BLUE LINE IS HOW OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ARE MEETING GRADE LEVEL, NOT NECESSARILY AT SCHOOLS, BUT BY SPECIFIC STUDENT GROUPS.
I DON'T HAVE THAT WITH ME TONIGHT ON SCHOOLS, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY GET IT FOR YOU.
>> I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO SEE THAT VIEW BECAUSE IF THE RESPONSE, OR I THINK THE RESPONSE IS AROUND THAT STUDENTS AT NESA AND NES SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO GROW MORE BECAUSE OF WHERE THEY ARE POTENTIALLY.
THEN IT'D BE NICE TO JUST SEE THE COMPARISON.
AGAIN, ARE WE MEETING GRADE LEVEL OR ARE WE NOT AT THESE SCHOOLS? JUST TO SEE THAT COMPARISON.
BECAUSE AGAIN, THE GOAL IS AROUND ALL STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, AND THE GOAL DOESN'T SPECIFY THE MODEL OR THE SCHOOL, IT'S ALL.
IT'D BE NICE TO SEE THAT MEETS GRADE LEVEL INFORMATION FOR BREAKING THAT DOWN.
>> THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK ON THIS.
YOU SPOKE TO THIS, BUT SOMEWHAT, BUT I WANT TO GET BACK TO THE PROGRESSION.
WE HAVE THIS MODEST MARKER FOR THIS YEAR, AND OVER TIME, THE PROGRESS TO GET TO THE END, WE'RE GOING TO DO MORE INCREASES OVER TIME.
ONE, CAN YOU TALK AT ALL ABOUT ABOUT HOW WE DECIDED WHERE TO RAMP UP.
IF WE'RE SAYING, WELL, THIS YEAR, IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE OF PUTTING THE MODEL IN PLACE.
WHEN WE LOOK OVER TIME AND SEE THIS SHIFT, ARE WE THINKING IT IS A NATURAL PROGRESSION BECAUSE IT'S MORE YEARS OF THE TEACHERS WORKING WITH THE MODEL, OR ARE WE THINKING THEY ARE GOING TO BE NEW INNOVATIONS THAT ARE TO COME?
>> YES, MA'AM. I CAN SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE IT FOLLOWS THE DISCUSSION WE HAD EARLY ON WHEN WE SET THE GOALS FOR ALMOST ALL THE METRICS.
WE PROPOSED AT THAT TIME, BECAUSE THERE'S NEWNESS, THERE'S A LEARNING CURVE, THERE'S TRANSITION.
THERE'S SUPPORTS THAT NEEDED TO BE IN PLACE THAT WE WOULD GROW SLOWLY AT FIRST AND THEN PICK UP STEAM AS WE GO ON.
THAT WAS THE RATIONALE FOR ONE OR TWO PERCENTAGE POINTS, IF YOU REMEMBER THAT DEBATE.
THEN THEN GROW A LITTLE BIT FASTER.
AGAIN, THE FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS THERE'S A STEEPER LEARNING CURVE.
WE'RE CHANGING SOME OF THE SUPPORTS, WE'RE LOOKING AT IEPS DIFFERENTLY.
IT WOULD TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF LEARNING CURVE.
THEN AS MORE KIDS GET USED TO A MORE RIGOROUS INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL, IT WOULD GROW FASTER.
>> THANK YOU. THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS ABOUT ADDING THE SPED COMPLIANCE AND SPED INSTRUCTION INTO THE PRINCIPAL EVALUATION, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR PLAN TO HELP PRINCIPALS TO MEET THAT LEARNING CURVE IF THAT'S NOT THEIR SPECIALTY.
I APPRECIATE THAT IT'S NAMED AND SO IT'S NAMED AND PRESENT FOR EVERYONE.
BUT WHAT'S THE PLAN? IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER COACHING YOU'RE DOING FOR THEM TO MEET THE NEEDS OF ALL TEACHERS, HOW DO YOU GET THEM READY FOR THIS SPED ASPECT OF EVALUATION?
>> REALLY, ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING ARE PREPARING THEM TO MEET PROFICIENCY IN THAT COMPLIANCE.
AS WE'RE CONDUCTING OUR FOLDER REVIEWS, WE'RE LOOKING AT QUALITY INSTRUCTION.
SOME OF THAT DATA IS IN THE EVALUATION, AS WELL AS WE REALLY HAD A STRONG FOCUS THIS YEAR ON COMPLIANCE TIMELINES TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS WERE SERVED IN WITHIN THE TIMELINES.
THOSE ARE PART OF THE COMPLIANCE TIMELINES.
EVERY WEEK, THE DIVISION SUPERINTENDENTS AND THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS RECEIVE A REPORT FROM MY OFFICE ON THEIR SPECIFIC SCHOOLS,
[03:20:01]
AROUND COMPLIANCE, AROUND EVALUATIONS, ANY TYPE OF CORRECTIVE ACTION THAT MAY BE HAPPENING ON ANY CAMPUSES.THEY REVIEW THAT REPORT, THEY GET WITH THE DIVISION SPECIAL EDUCATION UNIT TEAMS AND THEY REALLY PLAN OUT THEIR PLAN OF ACTION.
SOMETIMES IT'S GOING TO THE CAMPUS AND WITH THE FOLDER REVIEWS, WE SAT DOWN WITH PRINCIPALS AND THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND HAD CONVERSATIONS, AND NOBODY'S NOT DOING THEIR JOB INTENTIONALLY.
SOMETIMES IT'S JUST I DIDN'T KNOW OR NOW I CAN DO BETTER.
WE'VE STARTED OUR END OF YEAR FOLDER REVIEWS, ACTUALLY THIS PAST WEEK AND SOME OF THE DIALOGUE THAT IS HAPPENING NOW IS WE'RE SEEING SO MUCH PROGRESS ACROSS THE TEAM THAT'S REVIEWING THE FOLDERS.
BECAUSE THEY'RE ACTUALLY SEEING THEY WENT BACK AND THEY TOOK THAT DATA.
REMEMBER, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IN HISD THAT I THINK PRINCIPALS HAVE ACTUALLY RECEIVED A REPORT THAT DEMONSTRATED THEIR SPECIAL ED COMPLIANCE IN THIS WAY.
THERE WERE A LOT OF HEALTHY CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT REPORT.
WHAT THEY CAN DO BETTER FOR THEIR STUDENTS.
WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS THAT THEY'RE REALLY TAKING THAT INFORMATION.
THEY'RE NOT WAITING ON US TO GET THERE.
THEY'RE, NO, LET ME SET MY PROCESSES ON MY CAMPUSES SO THAT I CAN MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING.
WE'RE ALREADY SEEING THAT JUST ON THE JOB TRAINING IN RESPONSE TO WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT FOR SPED COMPLIANCE.
WHAT I'D URGE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO ASK ABOUT AND FOLLOW UP ABOUT IS, SO COMPLIANCE IS ABOUT AWARENESS, AND THEN THEY UNDERSTAND IT AND CAN DO IT.
SPED INSTRUCTION IS THIS WHOLE SPECIALTY.
WHAT I'M INTERESTED IN, IT'S GREAT TO GET COMPLIANCE DOWN AND YOU KNOW ONCE YOU'VE GOT IT.
YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD. BUT SPED INSTRUCTION REALLY LOOKING AT A PLAN THAT USES THAT SPECIAL ED UNIT TEAM IN A WAY THAT IT HELPS THAT IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE AN INSTRUCTIONAL LEADER ON SPED, THAT'S A PRETTY HEAVY SPECIALTY.
THAT BEYOND COMPLIANCE, YOU'RE REALLY SUPPORTING THEM OR THAT THE SPED UNIT TEAM IS LEADING THERE UNTIL THAT PRINCIPLES READY BECAUSE I THINK IT SHOULD BE THERE.
I THINK IT'S RIGHT, BUT IT'S TOUGH AND THEY'RE GOING TO NEED LOTS OF SUPPORT AND A PLAN AROUND IT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OVER HERE? YOU HAVE A QUESTION? JEANNETTE, GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU. I THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE ADDRESSED MY QUESTION A LITTLE BIT, BUT I WANTED TO CLARIFY.
THANK YOU, AROUND THE ACTION STEP AROUND THE DISTRICT WIDE SUPPORT PLAN.
THE PRIORITIZATION OF SPECIAL ED INITIATIVES.
COULD YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND OR VISUALIZE A LITTLE BETTER WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IN ORDER TO MEET THE GOALS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MEET FOR OUR SPECIAL ED STUDENTS? WHAT INITIATIVES WOULD WE START TO SEE AS THIS PLAN COMES TOGETHER, AND JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THE SUPPORT PLAN WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THE DISTRICT.
>> WE REALLY HIT CHILD FINE HARD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF OUR EXIT CRITERIA.
WE TRAINED OVER 20,000 EMPLOYEES ON THE CHILD FINE MODULE FROM TEA, AS WELL AS PROVIDED PRINCIPAL TRAINING ON THAT WITHIN THE PRINCIPAL MEETING.
WE'VE SEEN AN INCREASE IN IDENTIFICATION OF OUR STUDENTS WITH THAT.
THAT'S AN INITIATIVE THAT WE'RE REALLY HAVE WORKED ON, AND WE'RE SEEING MORE STUDENTS BEING IDENTIFIED QUICKER.
THE OTHER PIECE IS THE COMPLIANCE PIECE BECAUSE WE WERE COMPLETELY WITH OUR TIMELINES, LAST YEAR, WE WERE OUT 515 INITIAL OUR TIMELINES AND WE'RE STILL HOLDING STRONG AT LIKE 10 RIGHT NOW.
REALLY WE'VE DONE A LOT AROUND JUST GETTING SYSTEMS IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN MEET THAT AS COMPLIANCE.
BUT I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE GOING WITH THE INSTRUCTIONAL PIECE BECAUSE THAT IS REALLY OUR NEXT STEP WHERE AS IN OUR FOLDER REVIEW, WE DID LOOK AT IEPS.
WE DID LOOK AT WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE IEPS TO SEE IF IT MET THE STUDENTS
[03:25:01]
NEED BASED ON THEIR DATA TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE WERE QUALITY IEPS IN PLACE.THEN NOW WE'RE REALLY WORKING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE IEP IN THE CLASSROOM.
LOOKING AT THAT DATA, THE PROGRESS MONITORING OF THE IEP, LOOKING AT HOW ACCOMMODATIONS ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED IN THE CLASSROOM AND STARTING TO HAVE THOSE COACHING CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT, WITH TEACHERS, WITH PRINCIPALS, AND THEN PLANNING OUR TRAINING BECAUSE WE KNOW OUR TRAINING HAS TO LOOK DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU CAN'T JUST GO TO TRAINING IN THE SUMMER AND THINK THAT EVERYTHING IS GOING TO JUST TRANSLATE INTO THE CLASSROOM.
WE HAVE TO CONTINUE WITH THAT ON THE JOB COACHING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE IP, NOT WITH JUST OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS, BUT OUR GENERAL EDUCATION TEACHERS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. LET ME JUST SAY I WAS ABLE TO ATTEND THE SPECIAL EDUCATION FORUM OVER AT ENERGY HIGH SCHOOL GREAT FORUM.
I REALLY WISH WE HAD MORE PARENTS THERE, BUT IT WAS GREAT RESOURCES.
I WAS ABLE TO TALK TO PARENTS AND FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, THEY ACTUALLY HAD A SESSION IN WHICH IF THE PARENT HAD A CONCERN, THEY COULD DISCUSS THEIR CONCERN WITH ONE OF THE HIZ WEBSITE.
I APPRECIATE THAT ASPECT BECAUSE I KNOW AGAIN, ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE, BUT I KNOW SOME OF THEM TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, THIS IS WHAT I'M EXPERIENCING IN MY SCHOOL.
THAT WAS GOOD. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
MY QUESTION IS ABOUT FIGURE 5.
NOW NEXT YEAR, IT'LL BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE NSA AND NES WILL BE WRAPPED INTO ONE.
BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN NES AND NSA, WHAT CAN YOU DETAIL THE POSSIBILITY OF WHY THERE'S A GAP BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME CURRICULUM, SAME MODEL.
WHAT IS THE BIG DIFFERENCE THERE BETWEEN BECAUSE SIX AND SEVEN POINTS SOMETIMES.
>> OF COURSE, IN THE NES MODEL, THE CAMPUSES DIDN'T HAVE A CHOICE IN OPTING IN WHERE NSA DID.
IN THE NES CAMPUSES, WE EXPECT TO SEE THAT HIGHER GROWTH BECAUSE THERE IS MORE GROWTH TO BE EXPECTED IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
THAT'S WHAT I WOULD CONCLUDE FROM THAT DATA.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ANYBODY ELSE? NO. VERY GOOD.
YOU CAN YOU GET OUT OF THIS SCREEN.
RICK TO HELP US. LOOK AT THAT.
>> I JUST MADE A MOTION TO BE APPROVED MOTIVE.
TAKE THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE BOARD MONITORING AND UPDATE PRESENTATION ON GOAL FOUR PROGRESS MASER 401 AND AND 402.
>> THAT'S BEEN SECONDED BY MICHELLE CRUZ ARNOLD.
ANY DISCUSSION BEFORE WE VOTE? PLEASE VOTE.
NINE IN FAVOR. THE MOTION PASSES.
NEXT, WE'LL CONSIDER ACTION ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
BOARD POLICY REQUIRES BOARD MEMBERS TO ABSTAIN FROM ALL DISCUSSION AND VOTES PERTAINING TO CONTRACTS THAT MIGHT INVOLVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
LOCAL DEFINES A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AS ANY CIRCUMSTANCE THAT COULD CAST DOUBT ON A BOARD MEMBER'S ABILITY TO ACT WITH TOTAL OBJECTIVITY WITH REGARD TO THE DISTRICT'S INTERESTS.
WE HAVE ONE ITEM PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA FOR DISCUSSION TONIGHT.
[2. Selection Of District-Created Curriculum]
ITEM 2 SELECTION OF DISTRICT CREATED CURRICULUM MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ITEM.>> I WILL BE IN THE DISTRICT INTEREST [INAUDIBLE].
>> SIR, PLEASE DON'T INTERRUPT YOU WE'RE DOING BUSINESS IN THE DISTRICT.
I'VE GOT A MOTION BY MR. CAMPO AND A SECOND BY MISS LEMON FLOWERS.
IS THERE DISCUSSION? I KNOW IT'S BEEN PULLED BY A NUMBER OF MY COLLEAGUES, SO I CAN START AT THIS END AND WE CAN WORK OUR WAY DOWN OR HOWEVER YOU LIKE.
I'LL START BY SAYING, THANK YOU, CHIEF HULL FOR PROVIDING US WITH THE MEMO AND THE ANSWERS TO OUR QUESTIONS.
I KNOW THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT CAME OUT THROUGH THE Q&A, AND SO WE APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM SPENT ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS.
I THINK THERE MAY BE A FEW THAT ARE OUTSTANDING.
MISS SPENDY, DO YOU WANT TO START?
>> YEAH, I CAN START. WE MAY LOOP AROUND AGAIN.
[03:30:03]
CHIEF, I ASKED A QUESTION. I'LL JUST SPEAK TO MY QUESTION.I WAS BEING TOLD TO MOVE SLOWLY WITH THE RESULTS THAT WE HAVE ON NWEA AS FAR AS HOW IT WILL FORECAST HOW WELL A STUDENT DOES ON STAR.
WE WERE TOLD THAT BECAUSE WE DISCUSSED THE REPORT THAT, I AS A PARENT GOTTEN, IT PREDICTED HOW WELL MY CHILD WOULD DO, BUT WE WERE TOLD TO ONE OR TWO DATA POINTS A TREND DOES NOT MAKE.
THEN WITH THE LACK OF STAR DATA, HOW CAN WE AND THE COMMUNITY BE CONFIDENT IN THIS CURRICULUM, WITH THE LACK OF PEER REVIEW RESEARCH BASED ANALYSIS, NOT A FULL YEAR OF DATA, NOT MULTIPLE YEARS OF DATA.
CAN YOU JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE SO FAR WHEN IT COMES TO MEASURING HOW WELL THE NES CURRICULUM AND MODEL HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED AT THE SCHOOLS?
>> GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR QUESTION.
I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WOULD CALL OUT IN RESPONSE.
THE FIRST IS THE PROCESS IN WHICH THE NES CURRICULUM IS DEVELOPED.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF THE CURRICULUM IS THAT IT COVERS 100% OF THE STANDARDS.
THE FIRST STEP IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IS TO DO THE BIG PICTURE PLANNING.
>> EXCUSE ME. I'M SORRY STOP THAT.
>> I APOLOGIZE. WE'RE TRYING TO HEAR FROM THE CHIEF HERE.
IF FOLKS COULD KEEP THEIR COMMENTS TO THEMSELVES, THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
>> GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY FOR THAT.
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT.
THE FIRST THING WE DO IS WE MAP OUT BIG PICTURE PLANNING TO SAY, WHAT ARE THE STANDARDS THAT WE'RE GOING TO COVER EACH DAY OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, SO THAT WE KNOW ALL OF THE STANDARDS ARE COVERED.
ONCE WE DO THAT, WE SELECT THE STANDARD WE'RE GOING TO COVER FOR A PARTICULAR LESSON, AND THEN WE USE STATE APPROVED CURRICULUM TO BUILD THE LEARNING AND THE STUDENT ACTIVITIES AND THE STUDENT PRACTICE AROUND THAT SPECIFIC STANDARD THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON FOR EACH DAY.
EVERY SINGLE LESSON IS DIRECTLY ALIGNED TO THE TEXAS STANDARDS USING THE TEA AND SPO WITH STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED RESOURCES.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE THEN BUILD THE DIFFERENTIATED ASSIGNMENTS AND LESSONS THAT DON'T EXIST IN ANY PRODUCT ON THE MARKET RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S NO PRODUCT THAT WE COULD PURCHASE THAT HAS THOSE FOUR DIFFERENTIATED ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE LSAE TIME AND NES.
AFTER THAT'S DONE, WE HAVE TEAMS OF PEOPLE THAT REVIEW THE LESSONS TOGETHER IN WHAT WE CALL A BRAIN TRUST.
THE WRITER, THE [INAUDIBLE], THE EXPERT TEACHERS, THEY REVIEW THE LESSONS TOGETHER BEFORE THEY'RE PUBLISHED EXTERNALLY FOR OUR TEACHERS.
THEY'RE THEN PUBLISHED EXTERNALLY FOR OUR TEACHERS AT LEAST TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE OF THE LESSONS, SO THAT TEACHERS HAVE TIME TO REVIEW, AND INTERNALIZE.
THEY HAVE SYSTEMS WHERE THEY CAN COMMENT AND LET US KNOW IF THERE'S ANY ISSUES, AND THEN WE CONTINUE FORWARD.
THE REVIEW PROCESS IN AND OF ITSELF, IS ONE THAT REALLY ENSURES THAT EVERY SINGLE LESSON IS DESIGNED IN ALIGNMENT TO THE STANDARDS USING TEA APPROVED MATERIALS AND SBE APPROVED MATERIALS THAT ARE AT GRADE LEVEL AND REMAIN RIGOROUS.
I THINK THAT'S ONE THING I WOULD SAY IN THE RESPONSE TO HOW WE KNOW IT'S HIGH QUALITY.
THE SECOND THING THAT I WOULD SAY, IS THAT, WE UNDERSTAND HOW TEA DEFINES HIGH QUALITY.
THEY HAVE A RUBRIC IN WHICH HIGH QUALITY IS DEFINED.
IT'S REALLY BASED INTO THREE PARTS.
ONE IS, IS THE PRODUCT ALIGNED TO THE STANDARDS? THAT'S PART OF WHAT I EXPLAINED.
ONE OF THE PRIMARY THINGS WE DO AT THE START OF EVERY SINGLE LESSON IS ENSURE THAT THAT'S TRUE.
THE SECOND IS, IS IT ALIGNED TO THE RESEARCH BASED PRACTICES THAT BRAIN SCIENCE SHOWS RELATES TO HOW STUDENTS LEARN? THEN THE THIRD IS, DOES IT HAVE STRONG TEACHER IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORTS? WHEN WE BUILD OUR CURRICULUM, WE'RE REALLY TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THOSE THREE THINGS.
OUR CURRICULUM TEAM WAS TRAINED BY TEA APPROVED PROVIDERS ON THOSE THINGS THEMSELVES, SO THEY HAVE THAT BACKGROUND AND THAT CONTEXT AS WELL WHENEVER THEY'RE DEVELOPING THE MATERIALS.
[03:35:02]
ANOTHER CAUTION I WOULD HAVE BESIDES, ONE OR TWO DATA POINTS DON'T MAKE A TREND.ONE HAS TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT TYING AN OUTCOME TO A CURRICULUM.
NO CURRICULUM COMPANY WOULD GUARANTEE AN OUTCOME BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAN CURRICULUM IN THE OUTCOME.
ONE IS HOW YOU IMPLEMENT THE QUALITY OF THE INSTRUCTION, HOW EFFECTIVE THE TEACHER IS.
IT'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
TO SAY, WE'RE GETTING RESULTS AND THEN SAY IT'S BECAUSE OF THE CURRICULUM OR WE'RE NOT GETTING RESULTS AND SAY IT'S PART OF THE CURRICULUM, THAT'S A FOOTNOTE THAT YOU'D HAVE TO MAKE IN ANY RESEARCH.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO ADD TO THAT?
EVEN IN TEA'S REVIEW PROCESS AND THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION REVIEW PROCESS, THAT'S NOT PART OF THEIR REVIEW PROCESS, BECAUSE WHILE THEY CAN EVALUATE THE QUALITY OF THE CURRICULUM, THEY CAN'T MEASURE HOW WELL IT'S BEING IMPLEMENTED, AND THEREFORE, THEY CAN'T LOOK AT THAT PEER REVIEWED STUFF.
THAT'S A BIG PART OF IT AND THAT'S WHY TEA DOESN'T TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT EVEN WHEN THEY REVIEW AND APPROVE CURRICULUMS FOR QUALITY.
>> JUST A FOOTNOTE, ANOTHER FOOTNOTE, CHIEF HULL DID THIS AT THE STATE LEVEL.
SHE WAS THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF TEA RESPONSIBLE FOR CURRICULUM ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE.
SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT.
DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE CURRICULUM IS YOU SHOULD VOTE ON.
I WANT TO GIVE HER CREDIBILITY FOR UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. THAT RAISES ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE.
CHIEF HULL, IN YOUR EXPERIENCE BECAUSE YOU HAD A VIEW OF TEXAS, IN YOUR POSITION, WERE YOU MADE AWARE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT CREATED THEIR OWN CURRICULUM? I'M JUST WONDERING HOW UNIQUE THAT IS OR HOW MUCH WE SEE THAT.
ACTUALLY, AT LEAST 100 ACROSS TEXAS DO, AND IT'S A VERY COMMON PRACTICE TO HAVE A SCOPE AND SEQUENCE THAT IS SET BY A DISTRICT, AND THEN TEACHERS WILL BUILD ALL OF THE DIFFERENT LESSONS THEMSELVES PULLING FROM A NUMBER OF RESOURCES.
THAT'S A VERY COMMON PRACTICE ACROSS THE STATE.
IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE REASONS THAT TEA DOES NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO REVIEW INDIVIDUAL LOCALLY DEVELOPED CURRICULUM ACROSS ALL OF TEXAS.
THEY REVIEW CURRICULUM THAT ARE BUILT BY NATIONAL PUBLISHERS, AND THOSE NATIONAL PUBLISHERS ARE SELLING ACROSS TEXAS.
THOSE ARE THE PRODUCTS THAT TEA AND THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION REVIEWS.
THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PRACTICE RIGHT NOW OF REVIEWING AN INDIVIDUAL DISTRICTS LOCALLY DEVELOPED CURRICULUM.
>> TO TAKE A STEP BACK FOR CONTEXT FOR NON EDUCATOR, WHEN DOES A TEACHER USING RESOURCES TO MAYBE TEACH A LESSON, VERSUS A DISTRICT CREATED CURRICULUM? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO? THEN, HOW WILL THE DISTRICT UTILIZE THE PUBLISHED AMPLIFY EUREKA CARNEGIE GO MATH, WHATEVER WE HAVE, MOVING FORWARD IF THIS CREATED CURRICULUM IS APPROVED? ACTUALLY TWO QUESTIONS. SORRY.
>> YES. I'LL TRY TO ADDRESS THE FIRST.
WHEN I WAS AT TEA, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE EXPERIENCED, IS THAT, WHEN TEACHERS AND DISTRICTS DID NOT HAVE A CURRICULUM THAT THEY WERE FOLLOWING, THEY WERE SPENDING A LOT OF THEIR FREE TIME, FINDING THINGS ONLINE, GOOGLING THINGS, PULLING THINGS FROM PAY TEACHERS, AND WHEN THAT WAS STUDIED MORE BROADLY, WHAT THAT OFTEN LED TO IS, RESOURCES THAT WERE BEING TAUGHT BELOW GRADE LEVEL.
ONE OF THE REALLY IMPORTANT COMPONENTS, WHENEVER WE'RE THINKING ABOUT CURRICULUM, IS THAT, EVERY SINGLE STUDENT, EVERY SINGLE DAY, RECEIVES ON GRADE LEVEL INSTRUCTION, EVEN IF THOSE STUDENTS ARE BEHIND.
BECAUSE IF THEY GET STUFF BELOW GRADE LEVEL CONTINUOUSLY, THEN THEY REALLY WILL NEVER CATCH UP.
THAT'S REALLY THE MOVEMENT OF LEARNING ACCELERATION.
YOU ALWAYS WANT TO TEACH YOUR STUDENTS GRADE LEVEL INSTRUCTION EVERY DAY, AND THAT WILL HELP CATCH THEM UP EVEN IF THEY'RE BEHIND.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IS TRUE ACROSS, IS THAT, THE CURRICULUM THAT'S PROVIDED, WHETHER THAT BE LOCALLY DEVELOPED, OR WHETHER THAT BE A STATE APPROVED OR TEA APPROVED RESOURCE, IS THAT IT REMAINS ON GRADE LEVEL EVERY DAY,
[03:40:01]
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REALLY HELPFUL COMPONENTS AROUND ENSURING THAT TEACHERS HAVE THAT STARTING RESOURCE IN PLACE.FOR THE NES CURRICULUM, THEY CAN TAKE THAT STARTING RESOURCE AND ADAPT IT FOR THEIR STUDENTS AS LONG AS THEY'RE STAYING FOCUSED ON THAT LEARNING OBJECTIVE FOR THAT DAY, BECAUSE THAT LEARNING OBJECTIVE IS WHAT'S DIRECTLY TIED TO OUR STANDARDS.
WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE STAYING FOCUSED ON THE RIGHT GRADE LEVEL STANDARD FOR THAT PARTICULAR GRADE AND CONTENT AREA.
THEY HAVE A BASELINE SET OF ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES, THAT ALLOW THEM TO ENSURE THEIR STARTING POINT IS ON GRADE LEVEL INSTRUCTION, AND THEN THEY CAN ADAPT THAT FOR THEIR STUDENTS AND THEIR NEEDS.
BUT THEN THEY'RE SPENDING THEIR PLANNING TIME, WHICH IS VERY PRECIOUS ADAPTING FOR THEIR NEEDS INSTEAD OF ONLINE GOOGLING THINGS, TRYING TO FIND THINGS THAT FIT TOGETHER.
THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT SUPPORT THAT TEACHERS HAVE AS A PART OF THIS MODEL.
CAN YOU REPEAT YOUR SECOND QUESTION? IT WAS?
>> SORRY TO GIVE YOU TWO. IT WAS BASICALLY HOW MOVING FORWARD WILL THE DISTRICT INCORPORATE THE PURCHASED PUBLISHED.
>> THIS ITEM IS FOR NES MATERIALS.
ALL NES SCHOOLS WILL USE THE NES MATERIALS.
FOR NON NES, THEY HAD OPTIONS FOR WHAT THEY COULD SELECT.
WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING IS MAKING SURE THAT OF ALL OF THE OPTIONS THAT WERE AVAILABLE, IF ANY OF THEM HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED BY THIS BOARD OR A PREVIOUS BOARD, WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE THAT NON NES ITEM TO THE BOARD IN JUNE.
THE BOARD HISTORICALLY HAS APPROVED MANY RESOURCES FOR CURRICULUM USE.
MANY OF THOSE ARE THE RESOURCES THAT SOME OF OUR NON NES SCHOOLS ARE USING.
BUT ANYTHING THAT WAS NOT APPROVED WILL TAKE IN JUNE FOR NON NES.
BUT THAT'S WHERE AMPLIFY EUREKA.
SOME OF THOSE OTHERS WOULD COME INTO PLAY.
>> MISS ARNOLD. JUST BEFORE YOU START, I'M JUST TO REMIND THE BOARD THAT OUR JOB WITH REGARD TO CURRICULUM IS TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THE CURRICULUM IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR GOALS AND CONSTRAINTS.
THAT'S OUR JOB. ANYWAY WITH THAT, GO AHEAD.
YOU JUST ANSWERED ONE OF MY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOARD ITEM IN JUNE.
DO YOU ANTICIPATE HOW MANY CURRICULUM PROGRAMS MIGHT BE ON THAT LIST FROM THE NON NES CAMPUSES?
>> WE PROVIDED MOST CAMPUSES WITH THREE OPTIONS IN EACH CONTENT AREA AND NON NES C&D CAMPUSES THEY'RE GOING TO CHOOSE FROM ONE OF THOSE THREE OPTIONS AND AMB CAN CHOOSE FROM THOSE THREE OPTIONS, BUT THEY CAN ALSO CHOOSE OTHER THINGS.
WE SENT A SURVEY OUT TO ALL OF OUR NON NES PRINCIPALS SO THEY COULD MAKE DECISIONS ON WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE BECAUSE WE SUPPORT THEM CENTRALLY IN MAKING THOSE ORDERS SO WE CAN GET THE BEST DISCOUNTS, AND WE'RE EVALUATING THAT NOW AND WE CAN BRING SOME OF THOSE RESULTS SOON.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, IT'S ABOUT THREE IN A PARTICULAR AREA OR [INAUDIBLE].
>> MAYBE I'M GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF HERE, BUT ON THOSE CURRICULUM ITEMS, WILL THOSE PRODUCTS HAVE PARENT PORTAL COMPLIANCE? WILL THEY MEET THOSE, OR DO YOU KNOW?
>> THE LEGISLATURE PASSED HOUSE BILL 1605, AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH TEA JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON THEIR TIMELINE AND AWARE OF THE PARENT PORTAL RULES.
FOR THE MOST PART, THE PARENT PORTAL AND HOUSE BILL 1605 REFERS TO A REQUIREMENT OF THE PUBLISHERS WHERE PUBLISHERS ARE REQUIRED TO POST THOSE MATERIALS FOR PARENTS.
THEN THEY WILL REVIEW PUBLISHERS AGAIN AS A PART OF 1605 AND ENSURE THAT THAT COMPLIANCE PIECE IS MET.
IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO, THEN WE ARE KEEPING TABS ON THAT.
>> I THINK THAT'S WHERE MY REAL QUESTION COMES WITH THE NES CURRICULUM.
IS THE INTERSECTION WITH THE PARENT PORTAL COMPLIANCE? WHAT ARE THE VISIONS FOR THE ABILITY OF PARENTS WITH STUDENTS IN NES CAMPUSES TO SEE THE CURRICULUM? WHO OWNS THAT BURDEN? IS IT THE PRODUCERS OF THE CURRICULUM? IS IT THE CURRICULUM WRITERS WITH AN HISD?
>> IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR THE NES.
IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT FOR LOCALLY DEVELOPED CURRICULUM.
>> BECAUSE IT'S NOT HQIM, CORRECT?
>> NO. I WOULD SAY OUR CURRICULUM IS HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION MATERIALS.
IT'S NOT GOING THROUGH THE STATE BOARD APPROVAL PROCESS, AND THAT IS WHERE IT'S REQUIRED.
>> YOU CAN PROBABLY TELL. I DID I ASKED QUITE A FEW OF THE QUESTIONS AROUND HQIM.
IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE REVIEW THROUGH REGION 4 MIGHT BE A FASTER PROCESS THAN GOING THROUGH THE FORMAL STATE BOARD PROCESS AT SOME POINT?
[03:45:01]
>> WHAT I WOULD GENERALLY SAY IS A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE, THE STATE HAS AND IS BUILDING A PROCESS FOR REVIEW.
I WOULD RECOMMEND AGAINST GOING THROUGH A DIFFERENT PROCESS FOR REVIEW BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT THE SAME, AND WE REALLY WANT TO STAY TRUE TO THE STATE DEFINITION OF WHAT HIGH QUALITY IS AND HOW THAT'S MEASURED.
GOING THROUGH ANOTHER AND SEPARATE REVIEW PROCESS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK COULD POTENTIALLY MOVE US AWAY FROM WHAT THE STATE WOULD BE DEFINING AND CONSIDERING HIGH QUALITY.
THAT'S THE FIRST THING. THE OTHER THING THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND IMPORTANT TO NOTE, WHEN YOU HAVE A LOCALLY DEVELOPED CURRICULUM, YOU ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY TO CONTINUOUSLY UPDATE THAT CURRICULUM BASED ON PARENT FEEDBACKS, TEACHER FEEDBACK, CAMPUS FEEDBACK.
WHEN A PRODUCT GOES THROUGH THE STATE REVIEW PROCESS, THEY HAVE TO FREEZE IT FOR ALMOST A YEAR BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO SUBMIT SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE REVIEWED AND THEN THE REVIEW PROCESS TAKES A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME.
IT'S REALLY FROZEN FOR A WHILE.
THEN EVEN AFTER IT'S FROZEN, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO REQUEST ANYTIME THEY WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE AND THAT HAS TO GO THROUGH THE STATE AND THE STATE BOARD.
YOU LOSE A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY, I THINK, TO CONTINUOUSLY ADAPT BASED ON FEEDBACK, WHICH IS JUST ANOTHER REASON WHY THERE'S ACTUALLY A BENEFIT TO LOCALLY DEVELOPED CURRICULUM.
WHAT WE HAVE SEEN, AND THIS IS WITH MY TEA HAT ON IS THAT OFTENTIMES A PUBLISHER WILL CREATE A PRODUCT FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL PURCHASE UP TO AN EIGHTH YEAR LICENSE FOR THAT PRODUCT, THEY WILL NOT CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE THAT PRODUCT FOR EIGHT YEARS BECAUSE THEY ALREADY RECEIVED LONG LICENSE PURCHASES FROM MOST DISTRICTS IN TEXAS.
IT REALLY LIMITS THAT CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT AND FOR A TEACHER THAT CAN FEEL LIKE THAT'S A VERY STATIC THING.
THERE'S A REALLY A LOT OF BENEFIT TO THAT AND EVEN IN THE STATE REVIEW PROCESS, ONE OF THE REASONS THE QUALITY REVIEW IS SO IMPORTANT IS THAT IF A PUBLISHERS PRODUCT DID NOT MEET THE BAR, IT ENCOURAGED THEM TO CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE BEFORE THAT EIGHT YEARS EVEN WHENEVER THEY DIDN'T.
ALL OF THAT, TO SAY, THERE'S A CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT BENEFIT TO NOT HAVING TO GO THROUGH ONE OF THE REVIEW PROCESSES THAT TAKES A LONG TIME.
ONE, THEY DON'T TAKE THERE'S NOT A HISTORIC PRACTICE OF REVIEWING LOCALLY DEVELOPED CURRICULUM ANYWAYS, BUT ALSO IT ALLOWS US TO CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVE, WHICH WE WANT TO DO.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE SEEING THE LIST OF NON NES SCHOOLS THAT HAVE ADOPTED SOME PART OF NES CURRICULUM.
I APPRECIATE UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS THE INCENTIVE FOR THESE SCHOOLS? IS IT BECAUSE THEY FEEL THAT THIS IS GOING TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE IMPROVED STUDENT OUTCOMES FOR THEIR STUDENTS? IS THERE A FINANCIAL INCENTIVE FOR THIS? COULD YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY THESE SCHOOLS CHOSE? IF WE EXPECT LONG TERM IS THE VISION THAT MORE SCHOOLS WOULD LEVERAGE THIS CURRICULUM AND IS THERE A COST BENEFIT FOR THE DISTRICT AROUND THAT AS WELL.
>> FOR SURE. I CAN'T SPEAK ON BEHALF OF PRINCIPALS, BUT WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS WHAT WE TOLD THEM, WHICH IS, YOU HAVE THREE OPTIONS AND WE WILL PAY FOR ALL OF THOSE THREE OPTIONS.
OUR GOAL WAS TO TRULY ALLOW PRINCIPALS TO MAKE THE CHOICE THAT MADE SENSE FOR THEM IN THEIR CAMPUS FOR NON NES C AND D SCHOOLS.
MAKE THE CHOICE THAT MAKES THE SETS FOR THEIR CAMPUS, AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE THEM A FINANCIAL BURDEN IN THAT CHOICE BECAUSE WE TRULY WANTED IT TO BE THEIR CHOICE.
THEN SAME FOR AMB, AMB, WE WOULD ALSO FUND IF THEY CHOSE OFF OF THAT LIST.
THAT'S THE GUIDANCE THAT WE GAVE THEM TO ENSURE THEY STILL HAD SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THOSE SELECTIONS AND THAT THEY WERE FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED AND THAT EVEN IN THE MIDST OF WHAT IS HAPPENING, IT WAS A PRIORITY TO ENSURE HIGH QUALITY CURRICULUM WAS FUNDED..
>> I CAN ADD TO ANECDOTAL INFORMATION.
I WAS AT WALTRIP YESTERDAY OR THE DAY BEFORE.
I WAS AT RUCKER A WEEK AGO PATTERSON AND SEVERAL OTHER IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS.
THE PRINCIPALS TOLD ME THAT THE TEACHERS ARE USING AND I ACTUALLY SAW IT IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
THE NES CURRICULUM AND THE NON NES SCHOOLS.
I ASKED WHY AND IT PROVIDES GRADE LEVEL MATERIAL, AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
THAT'S SOMETHING I WANT TO EMPHASIZE GRADE LEVEL, ESPECIALLY FOR UNDERSERVED KIDS OR KIDS WHO ARE BEHIND IN OUR COUNTRY.
IN FACT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE RESEARCH FROM TNTP FROM NOVEMBER 2018, IT'S 38% OF STUDENTS WHO ARE WHO ARE
[03:50:04]
MINORITY STUDENTS NEVER RECEIVE GRADE LEVEL INSTRUCTION IN A YEAR.WHETHER YOU BELIEVE THAT OR NOT, IT IS RESEARCH SPACE.
IT IS CLEAR TO EDUCATORS THAT THAT HAPPENS.
IT'S GRADE LEVEL INSTRUCTION AND THE TEACHERS DON'T HAVE TO LOOK FOR THEIR OWN RESOURCES.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO DO LSAE, BUT IT'S THERE.
IT ALSO ALLOWS THEM TO DIFFERENTIATE.
IF THEY HAVE A GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO NEED EXTRA SCAFFOLDING, THEN THEY LOOK AT THE L WORK OR THE S1 WORK.
IF THEY HAD STUDENTS WHO ARE ACCELERATED, THEY GIVE THEM THE ACCELERATED WORK.
IT'S VERY CONVENIENT FOR THE TEACHERS AND THEY PICK AND CHOOSE.
IF THEY DON'T LIKE A PIECE, THEY THROW THAT OUT.
BUT AT LEAST A VERY SOLID CURRICULUM THAT'S ALSO PROVIDES DIFFERENTIATED LESSONS IS RIGHT THERE AND IT SAVES THEM A LOT OF TIME.
>> I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION ABOUT DIFFERENTIATION.
I KNOW THAT THE TEACHERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO ADAPT THE LESSON.
HOW DO YOU FEEL THE COMMUNICATION IS RIGHT NOW FOR THE TEACHERS IN TERMS OF UNDERSTANDING WHATEVER THAT BANDWIDTH IS ABOUT ADAPTING.
THERE'S JUST BEEN LOTS OF CONVERSATION ABOUT WHETHER THEY CAN CHANGE IT, WHETHER THEY CAN'T.
IN TERMS OF RIGHT NOW IN MAY, HOW DO YOU FEEL THE UNDERSTANDING ACROSS THE DISTRICT IS FOR THE TEACHERS IN TERMS OF THOSE PARAMETERS?
>> I THINK IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
ONE OF THE THINGS MR. MILES DOES REALLY GREAT IS HE SAYS REALLY CLEARLY WHAT THE NONNEGOTIABLE EXPECTATIONS ARE.
REALLY CLEARLY THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR LEARNING OBJECTIVE STATED, REALLY CLEARLY THAT YOU HAVE TO BE WORKING TOWARDS HELPING STUDENTS MASTER THAT DEMONSTRATION OF LEARNING.
BUT IT NEVER SAYS, FOLLOW THE SLIDE BY SLIDE.
IN FACT, WHEN THE WALKS ARE DONE WHEN WE DO SPOT OBSERVATIONS, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THAT DAY.
YOU'RE WALKING INTO A CLASS AND YOU'RE LOOKING FOR HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION.
WE'RE NOT CHECKING, WHAT ARE THE SLIDES THAT ARE BEING SHOWN THAT DAY, WHAT'S IN FRONT OF THE TEACHER? WE'RE LOOKING FOR THEM TO HAVE INTERNALIZED THOSE LESSONS, MADE THEM THEIR OWN, ADAPT THEM FOR THEIR STUDENTS SO THAT THEY CAN BE ENGAGING THEIR STUDENTS IN THAT HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION IN A PARTICULAR DAY.
>> I COULD ADD TO I WANT TO NAME THAT IN THE BEGINNING, THERE'S PROBABLY WERE SOME PRINCIPALS WHO WEREN'T SURE WHAT THEY COULD ADJUST AND THEREFORE TOLD THE TEACHERS, NO, WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW THIS EXACTLY.
TO TALK ABOUT HOW YOU INTERNALIZE.
THAT'S A WORD THAT THE SCHOOLS WILL USE AND KNOW.
DURING THE PLCS, DURING THE PLANNING, THE TEACHERS WERE ASKED TO INTERNALIZE, CHANGED THE LESSON TO MAKE SURE IT FITS NOT JUST YOUR OWN STYLE, BUT ALSO FOR THE STUDENTS.
I SUSPECT STILL THERE ARE SOME TEACHERS WHO JUST DEFER TO THE LESSON AND BUT THEY ARE GIVEN THE LEEWAY TO INTERNALIZE.
NOW, THE LESSON OBJECTIVE IN THE DOL, NO.
BECAUSE WHAT WE SAW ALSO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, SOME PEOPLE TOOK THE INTERNALIZATION TO SAY, WELL, THEN I'M GOING TO GO BELOW GRADE LEVEL, AND I'M GOING TO MAKE IT LESS RIGOROUS BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE MY KIDS ARE.
INSTEAD OF DOING WHAT IS BEST PRACTICE, WHICH IS TEACH AT GRADE LEVEL, USE A LOT OF SCAFFOLDING AND SUPPORTS AND THEN DIFFERENTIATE THE INSTRUCTION.
I THINK NOW IN MAY, IT'S MUCH BETTER.
I THINK THE PRINCIPAL IS NOT THAT THEY'RE USED TO THAT AND EVEN THE TEACHERS NEXT YEAR WE'LL HAVE MORE FROM THE BEGINNING AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WHAT INTERNALIZATION MEANS AND HOW MUCH YOU CAN DEVIATE FROM THE ACTUAL LESSONS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. MR. CAMPO, ANYTHING?
>> YOU MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE REVIEW PROCESS, AND I THINK THAT'S ONE THING I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF INSURANCE AND THEN WE HAVE QUALITY MATERIALS, WHAT IS THAT PROCESS TO AUDIT TO REVIEW FEEDBACK? AND THEN WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED FROM THIS YEAR TO MAKE THE MATERIALS BETTER THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT NEXT YEAR?
IN THE REVIEW PROCESS ITSELF, I THINK ONE OF THE BIG IMPROVEMENTS FROM THIS YEAR IS,
[03:55:02]
AND WE IMPLEMENTED IT THIS YEAR ALREADY.IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE.
BUT AFTER THE WRITER SPENDS TIME DEVELOPING THE LESSON, WE DO WHAT WE CALL A BRAIN TRUST WHERE WE HAVE THE WRITER, A CURRICULUM VETTER, AN EXPERT TEACHER, AND OFTENTIMES ANOTHER PERSON EVEN WHO REVIEW THAT LESSON TOGETHER.
IT HAS MORE PEOPLE LOOKING AT THAT LESSON, INTERNALIZING IT, GOING THROUGH IT SO THAT WE CAN CATCH ANYTHING THAT MAYBE WAS MISSED.
PEOPLE CAN ASK QUESTIONS IF THE WRITER THOUGHT ABOUT SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY, THAT MAYBE ONE OF THE OTHER EXPERTS CAUGHT OR THOUGHT ABOUT DIFFERENTLY.
SO THEY CAN HAVE REALLY HEALTHY DISCUSSION AND THEY CAN GET THAT LESSON TO A MUCH STRONGER PLACE.
THE BRAIN TRUST PROCESS FOR EVERY LESSON IS ONE OF THE BIG THINGS WE DID.
RIGHT AWAY EARLY ON TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY LESSON HAD MULTIPLE PEOPLE SPENDING TIME AND LOOKING AT IT.
THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I WOULD SAY FOR THIS YEAR HAS BEEN ONE OF THE BIG FOCUSES FOR IMPROVEMENT HAS JUST BEEN THAT REALLY STRONG FOCUS ON ALIGNMENT.
I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH, THE IMPORTANCE OF SAYING, EVERY SINGLE LESSON STARTS WITH A LEARNING OBJECTIVE THAT DIRECTLY TIES TO ONE OF THE TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS.
WHENEVER THAT LESSON IS BUILT, ONCE THAT LEARNING OBJECTIVE IS CLEARLY STATED, ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES ARE REALLY TIED DIRECTLY BACK TO THAT A LEARNING OBJECTIVE.
WE DID CONTINUOUS TRAININGS FOR THE CURRICULUM TEAM, AND FOR OUR CAMPUSES TO MAKE SURE THAT FOCUS ON ALIGNMENT WAS REALLY CLEAR SO THAT WE COULD REALLY ENSURE EACH MINUTE AND PURPOSE AND ACTIVITY WITHIN THE LESSON HAD THAT STRONG TIE TO THE STANDARDS.
ONE OF THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS MENTIONED ABOUT ESL.
TALK TO ME ABOUT THAT PROCESS.
HOW DO WE CREATE THE CURRICULUM IN SPANISH FOR US IF WE'RE DOING THAT?
>> WE DO. IN NES, DUAL LANGUAGE IS REQUIRED.
IT WAS REQUIRED THIS YEAR FOR KINDER THROUGH SECOND, NEXT YEAR FOR KINDER THROUGH THIRD.
WE KNOW WHAT THE SCHEDULE IS FOR NES, AND SO WE KNOW THE MATERIALS THAT THEY NEED TO TEACH IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH.
FOR ALL OF THE DUAL LANGUAGE COURSES THAT NEEDS MATERIALS IN SPANISH, WE HAVE WHOLE TEAMS OF PEOPLE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE IN BOTH LANGUAGES, SO THAT THEY CAN IMPLEMENT THE DUAL LANGUAGE MODEL.
YOU ASKED YOUR QUESTION EARLIER JUST AROUND EVEN CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, AND I SPOKE TO SOME OF THE THINGS WE'VE DONE SHORT TERM.
BUT WE ARE WORKING RIGHT NOW WITH FOCUS GROUPS OF PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS EVEN TO FIGURE OUT SOME CHANGES FOR NEXT YEAR.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE GOING TO WORK TO DO IS FURTHER EMBED SUPPORTS FOR OUR EMERGENT BILINGUAL STUDENTS.
THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS YOU CAN DO VISUALLY WITH SENTENCE STEMS, THERE'S WAYS WE CAN HELP THE TEACHER BETTER SUPPORT OUR EMERGENT BILINGUAL STUDENTS JUST IN THE DESIGN OF THE SPECIFIC CURRICULUM AND LESSONS THAT CAN HELP THEM AS THEY INTERNALIZE AND THEY THINK.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE EVEN FURTHER ENHANCE FOR NEXT YEAR IS THAT PIECE.
YOU CAN DO THAT IN BOTH THE SPANISH FACING LESSONS WHERE YOU CAN HAVE PREVIEWS OF THINGS, PREVIEW, REVIEW THINGS IN ENGLISH, AND THEN FOR THE ENGLISH LESSONS, YOU CAN DO QUICK PREVIEWS AND REVIEWS IN SPANISH, AND SO YOU CAN BETTER INTEGRATE AND INCORPORATE THOSE QUICK TOUCH POINTS FOR THOSE STUDENTS TO HELP MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE IMPROVEMENTS.
>> MS. MENDOZA? NO. MR. RIVON.
>> THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR EXPERTISE.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WOULD BE ALSO HELPFUL IS IF YOU COULD JUST AT A HIGH LEVEL, DESCRIBE OR DELINEATE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE OFF THE SHELF CURRICULUM VERSUS A LOCAL CURRICULUM, JUST AT A REAL HIGH LEVEL.
BECAUSE I THINK FOR MOST OF OUR CONSTITUENTS, IT'S LIKE, HEY, IS THIS A LESSON PLAN OR IS THIS A CURRICULUM AND WHETHER THEY TIE TOGETHER.
IF YOU COULD JUST AT A HIGH LEVEL TOUCH THOSE POINTS.
>> YES, I CAN. FOR THE NES CURRICULUM, I THINK ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE IS THAT IT HAS COMPONENTS OF IT THAT NO OTHER OFF THE SHELF PRODUCT WOULD HAVE, AND THAT'S THE LSAE DIFFERENTIATED ASSIGNMENTS.
YOU'LL GENERALLY HAVE YOUR CORE LESSON, AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THAT IN A SECOND.
YOU'LL HAVE YOUR CORE LESSON WITH YOUR TEACHERS TEACHING ALL OF YOUR STUDENTS TOGETHER.
BUT AFTER THAT, NO OFF THE SHELF PRODUCT HAS THOSE ADDITIONAL FOUR ASSIGNMENTS THAT TIE BACK TO THE GOAL OF THE LESSON, BUT REALLY WILL SCAFFOLD THAT GOAL IN DIFFERENT WAYS FOR STUDENTS WHO EITHER DIDN'T MASTER THAT OBJECTIVE,
[04:00:04]
OR NEED THAT ACCELERATED SUPPORT IF THEY DID MASTER THAT OBJECTIVE.THAT IS ONE THING, AND IT'S A LARGE PORTION OF WHAT THE NES CURRICULUM IS, IS WRITING THOSE FOUR DIFFERENTIATED ASSIGNMENTS THAT TIE TO THE LESSON FOR THAT DAY.
THAT'S ONE REALLY IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE.
THE OTHER THAT I WOULD SAY IS TRADITIONALLY IN OFF THE SHELF CURRICULUMS, YOU HAVE A TEACHER GUIDE, SO YOU CAN THINK OF A REALLY BIG BINDER THAT A TEACHER WILL HAVE THAT WILL OUTLINE THEIR LESSON PLAN FOR THAT DAY, WHAT THEY NEED TO DO, AND WHAT THEY NEED TO FOLLOW.
THEY MAY ALSO HAVE A STUDENT WORKBOOK, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE THAT REFLECTS THE TEACHER GUIDE.
THAT'S A VERY COMMON THING IN MOST OFF THE SHELF PRODUCTS.
ANOTHER THING THAT I THINK THE NES CURRICULUM DOES IS IT TAKES AWAY THE TEACHER HAVING TO HOLD UP A HANDBOOK AND READ THAT, AND IT PUTS IT INTO A FORM THAT GIVES THE TEACHER GUIDANCE AND OUR STUDENT FACING PRESENTATION MATERIALS.
IN OUR SLIDES, IT HAS ALREADY CREATED INFORMATION THAT THE STUDENTS CAN SEE, AND THEN IT HAS SECTIONS FOR NOTES FOR THE TEACHER, SO THEY ALSO HAVE THAT.
IT REALLY REMOVES A STEP FOR THE TEACHER OF THEM HAVING TO TAKE WHAT'S IN THIS REALLY LARGE BINDER THAT THEY MIGHT CARRY IT AROUND, AND IT MAKES IT ALREADY USABLE AND INTERACTABLE WITH THE TEACHERS.
WHEN YOU WALK INTO AN NES CLASSROOM, THEY MIGHT HAVE THE SLIDE OUT, BUT THEY HAVE MARKERS AND THEY'RE CIRCLING THINGS ON IT.
IT CAN BE VERY INTERACTIVE WITH THE STUDENTS IN A WAY THAT A BINDER IN YOUR HAND WOULDN'T BE.
I THINK TO THE EARLIER QUESTION OF, WHY DID NON NES SCHOOLS SELECT THE NES CURRICULUM? I GOT ASKED BY A COUPLE OF PRINCIPALS JUST TO COME HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT PRODUCTS, AND SO I WENT A COUPLE OF TIMES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THEY SAID IS, CAN THESE OTHER OFF THE SHELF PRODUCTS HAVE SLIDES? BECAUSE I THINK IT REALLY DOES SAVE THEM A LOT OF WORK TO SAY, HEY, HOW DO I TAKE WHAT'S IN MY GUIDE, AND PRESENT IT AND SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH THOSE STUDENTS IN A MEANINGFUL, HELPFUL WAY THAT HELPS THEM ENGAGE? THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE NES WILL ALSO HAVE THAT STUDENT FACING WORK AS WELL, LIKE A TRADITIONAL OFF THE SHELF PRODUCT WOULD.
THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK THE ADDITION OF THE LSAE DIFFERENTIATED ASSIGNMENTS ARE ONE THINGS THAT MAKE IT REALLY, REALLY DIFFERENT, AND THEN THE ADDITION OF TAKING WHAT'S GENERALLY IN A TEACHER'S GUIDE AND PUTTING IT ON A PRESENTATION IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS TEACHERS TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S READILY AVAILABLE TO WALK INTO A CLASSROOM AND INTERACT WITH STUDENTS.
>> THEN JUST AS A FOLLOW UP, SO THANK YOU.
THEN SECONDARILY, AND I'M TRYING TO WRAP IT TOGETHER, IF YOU WILL, YOU MENTIONED BEFORE THAT YOU USE HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS WITHIN THE PROGRAM TO DEVELOP THAT CURRICULUM.
IF YOU COULD JUST IN A WAY, TO WRAP IT ALL UP, TO SAY, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE ACTUALLY USING SOME OF THIS OTHER STUFF, HOW IT INTERACTS AND THEN UNDER.
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, AND THAT REALLY COMES BACK TO THE CORE PART OF THE LESSON.
WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MAKING SURE WE HAVE THAT BIG PICTURE CURRICULUM MAP IN PLACE THAT IS REALLY CLEAR ON WHAT DAY ARE WE COVERING, WHAT STANDARD? THEN WHEN WE BUILD THE STUDENT FACING PORTION OF THAT LESSON, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE REALLY PULLING FROM THE TEA APPROVED RESOURCES AND THE STATE BOARD APPROVED RESOURCES TO SAY, HEY, I MIGHT BE TEACHING ON INFERENCES.
HERE'S SOME REALLY GREAT ACTIVITIES AROUND THAT FROM THESE PRODUCTS THAT WE KNOW WE CAN USE.
THEY'RE ALREADY AT GRADE LEVEL.
THEY'RE ALREADY USING GRADE LEVEL COMPLEX TEXTS.
WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THE EVIDENCE-BASED RESPONSES FROM THE TEXT USING THOSE KEY PRACTICES AND THOSE APPROVED MATERIALS.
A LOT OF THE ACTIVITIES, THE PRACTICE IS REALLY WHERE WE CAN BENEFIT FROM THE TEA-APPROVED MATERIALS AND THE STATE BOARD-APPROVED MATERIALS THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? YES, MISS ARNOLD.
>> SORRY, BUT CHIEF, THIS MAY BE A QUESTION FOR YOU OR THE SUPERINTENDENT, IS THERE A REASON WHY WE ARE NOT WAITING UNTIL AFTER THE END OF YEAR RESULTS TO CONSIDER THIS ITEM?
>> I WOULD SAY TWO REALLY IMPORTANT REASONS.
ONE, EVEN ACROSS THE STATE, THIS IS GENERALLY SOMETHING THAT BOARDS APPROVE AROUND THE SPRINGTIME IN PART BECAUSE WHATEVER DECISION IS MADE,
[04:05:01]
YOU HAVE TO ORDER PRODUCTS, WHATEVER PRODUCT YOU CHOOSE.IF YOU'RE ORDERING SOMETHING USUALLY AROUND FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR PUBLISHERS ON THOSE TIMELINES.
IF YOU WAIT THAT LONG, ANYTHING THAT YOU ORDER FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR WILL NOT BE IN THE HANDS OF TEACHERS ON DAY 1 OF SCHOOL.
THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A TRADITIONAL ORDERING PRODUCT BECAUSE.
WE'RE A VERY LARGE DISTRICT, AND SO WE REALLY WANT TO GET AHEAD OF MAKING SURE WE HAVE A LOT OF CLARITY ON WHAT WE'RE BRINGING AND ORDERING.
TYPICALLY, YOU DON'T WANT TO APPROVE IT TOO LATE, BECAUSE YOU'LL RUN INTO THAT ISSUE OF NOT HAVING ENOUGH TIME PRIOR TO THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
>> I ASSUME WE WOULD HAVE END-OF-YEAR BY THE JUNE MEETING, IS THERE A HUGE ORDERING DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TOMORROW AND JUNE?
>> THERE FOR SURE WOULD BE IF YOU WERE ORDERING SOMETHING OFF THE SHELF.
AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR, EVERY SINGLE DAY WOULDN'T MATTER.
>> ANYTHING ELSE? ANYBODY? NO? THEN WE'VE GOT A MOTION BY MR. CAMPO AND A SECOND BY MISS LEMON FLOWERS.
IF WE CAN VOTE, PLEASE? THIS IS ON THE ITEM THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD AUTHORIZED THE DISTRICT-WIDE USE OF THE HISD DEVELOPED CURRICULUM EFFECTIVE MAY 10, 2024. PLEASE VOTE.
VOTING HAS CLOSED SEVEN IN FAVOR, ONE AGAINST ONE ABSTENTION.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, MAY I HAVE A WORD ON THAT VOTE.
>> I JUST WANT TO THANK CHIEF HULL AND HER STAFF.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE DID WAS THIS CURRICULUM AND VERY TOUGH TO DO.
I KNOW IT WAS REALLY A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT, BUT A LOT OF WORK.
>> DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA BY CONSENSUS?
[CONSENT AGENDA]
I HAVE A MOTION BY MR. MARTINEZ AND A SECOND BY MS. MENDOZA.IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? NO. PLEASE VOTE.
VOTING IS CLOSED, NINE IN FAVOR, ZERO OPPOSED.
THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT'S AGENDA BY CONSENSUS PASSES.
AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION UNDER CHAPTER 551 OF
[CLOSED SESSION]
THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, SUBSECTION 551.004-551.089.SHOULD BOARD FINAL ACTION VOTE OR DECISION ON ANY MATTER CONSIDERED IN A CLOSED SESSION BE REQUIRED, SUCH FINAL ACTION VOTE OR DECISION SHALL BE TAKEN AT THE OPEN MEETING COVERED BY THIS NOTICE UPON THE RECONVENING OF THIS PUBLIC MEETING OR AT SUBSEQUENT PUBLIC MEETING OF THE BOARD UPON NOTICE THEREOF.
THE BOARD HAS RECESSED CLOSED SESSION AT 9:13 PM.
WE ARE BACK. THE MEETING IS RECONVENED AT 10:07 PM.
WE ARE NOW READY TO CONSIDER ITEMS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION.
ARE THERE ANY MOTIONS? I HAVE A MOTION FROM MS. GARZA LINDNER. PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> YES. THANK YOU. I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVES TO CLOSED SESSION PERSONNEL AGENDA, INCLUDING SPECIFICALLY THAT THE BOARD APPROVES PROPOSED TERMINATIONS OF CONTINUING TERM, PERFORMANCE, AND PROBATIONARY CONTRACTS, AND AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT OR DESIGNEE TO PROVIDE NOTICE OF SAME.
THAT THE BOARD APPROVED SUSPENSIONS WITHOUT PAY FOR CONTINUING TERM AND PROBATIONARY CONTRACTS AND AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT OR DESIGNED TO PROVIDE NOTICE OF SAM.
THAT THE BOARD VOIDS TERM PROBATIONARY AND PERFORMANCE CONTRACTS AND AUTHORIZE A SUPERINTENDENT OR DESIGNED TO PROVIDE NOTICE OF SAM.
THAT THE BOARD APPROVES WITHDRAWALS OF CONTRACT RECOMMENDATIONS, AND THAT THE BOARD APPROVES ISSUANCE OF FINAL ORDERS ON CONTRACT TERMINATIONS AND NON RENEWALS AS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION, EFFECTIVE MAY 8TH, 2025.
>> I HAVE A MOTION BY MS. GARZA LINDNER AND A SECOND BY MS. LEMON FLOWERS.
[04:10:03]
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE.IS SHE HERE? YEAH, SHE NEEDS TO COME VOTE IF SHE'S GOING TO VOTE.
CAN YOU HAND HER WHAT YOU JUST READ? CAN YOU PUT UP THE VOTING RESULTS, PLEASE OR CAN WE NOT? SORRY. WHAT DO WE HAVE? NINE IN FAVOR, ZERO OPPOSED, THE MOTION PASSES.
IS THERE ANTHER MOTION? NO. WE ARE NOW READY TO HEAR REPORTS AND COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS.
[BOARD MEMBER REPORTS AND COMMENTS]
WE CAN START WITH MS. AUZENNE BANDY. WALK OUR WAY DOWN.>> QUICK REPORT, I ATTENDED THE ARTS CONNECT HOUSTON STATE OF THE ARTS EVENT LAST WEEK, I BELIEVE, TWO WEEKS AGO.
REALLY GREAT EVENT HIGHLIGHTING ALL OF THE GREAT WORK THAT ARTS CONNECT COMMUNITY PARTNERS BRING TO THE DISTRICT AND LOOK FORWARD TO THEM BEING ABLE TO SHARE THE DATA THAT THEY ARE GATHERING AND COLLECTING AROUND FINE ARTS ACCESS IN HISD WITH THE BOARD AND TO AGAIN, RAISE AWARENESS OF THE EFFORTS THAT THEY PUT FORTH TO INTEGRATE FINE ARTS EDUCATION INTO THE DISTRICTS CURRICULUM. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. MS. LEMON FLOWERS?
>> SURE. THANK YOU TO THE BOARD FOR ATTENDING THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP LUNCHEON.
I THOUGHT THAT WENT WELL AND ALSO, WE HAVE DONE STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE AND STRAIGHT FROM THE SCHOOL EVERY MONTH FOR THE LAST FIVE OR SIX MONTHS AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE IT NEXT YEAR, BUT PROBABLY ONLY HAVE IT ONCE A QUARTER INSTEAD OF EVERY MONTH IT'S TAXING ON THE STAFF.
BUT YESTERDAY THE STUDENTS INTERVIEWED ME AND ASKED ME A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND SO THAT WAS FUN.
>> I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT.
THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE IS DISBANDED, COMPLETED THEIR TASK.
THE NEXT COMMITTEE WILL BE SEATED TOMORROW AND OUR FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS ON THE 21ST.
WE HAVE A GROUP OF ABOUT 70 HIGH SCHOOLERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE MEETING UP WITH SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBERS FOR AN ENGAGEMENT SESSION.
THAT'LL BE FINE. THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE DOING IS ON THE 23RD THAT WE HAVE IN THE MORNING A MEETING WITH THE ELECTED TRUSTEES, AND SO THAT'LL BE A GOOD EVENT AS WELL. THAT'S IT FOR ME. THANK YOU.
>> MY TURN. I JUST WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THERE'S A LOT OF THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT NO TRUST, NO BOND.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND ONE THING AND THAT IS OUR STUDENTS DESERVE SAFE AND HEALTHY SCHOOLS THAT ARE COOL IN THE SUMMER, WARM IN THE WINTER, THAT HAVE HIGH QUALITY INDOOR AIR, AND THAT WE NEED TO HAVE TECHNOLOGY, WE NEED TO HAVE CTE PROGRAMS, AND WE SHOULDN'T PUNISH STUDENTS FOR DECADES OF MISMANAGEMENT AND LACK OF BOND PROCEEDS, GETTING OUR 65 YEAR OLD AVERAGE SCHOOLS IN REASONABLE SHAPE FOR OUR KIDS TO BE ABLE TO LEARN THE BEST WAY THEY CAN.
>> YEAH, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, I ATTENDED THE SPECIAL EDUCATION FORUM AT ENERGY HIGH SCHOOL.
I HAVE A FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL, SO WE WERE ABLE TO ATTEND I THINK IT WAS CALLED WHAT I WANT TO BE WHEN I GREW UP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THE EVENT HERE AT HATTIE MAY WAS PUT TOGETHER BY CCMR. IT WAS HOT. IT WAS OUTSIDE, BUT IT WAS WELL ATTENDED, A LOT OF INFORMATION.
THEN HAPPY TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK TO ALL OF OUR TEACHERS.
[04:15:02]
YOU ARE ESSENTIALLY THE BACKBONE OF THIS DISTRICT. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.>> THANK YOU. I TOO I WANT TO SAY I HAVE GREAT APPRECIATION FOR TWO PROFESSIONS, AND THAT'S NURSES AND TEACHERS.
THEY'RE VERY TOUGH JOBS, AND I KNOW WE ALL APPRECIATE BOTH NURSES AND TEACHERS, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK MR. GVARDIOL FROM HAGUE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I PARTICIPATED WITH THEM IN THE CINCO DE MAYO PARADE. IT WAS REALLY NICE.
THEY HAD THEIR BALLET CRITICAL, THEY HAD THEIR DRILL TEAM AND THEIR CHEERLEADERS, AND IT WAS VERY HUMID AND HOT THAT MORNING, BUT THEY DID A GREAT JOB, SO I WANTED TO THANK THEM FOR HAVING ME.
>> THANK YOU, ALSO TO THE TEACHERS.
I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THIS WEEKEND, I'LL GO TO THE ART BIKE COMPETITION AT MACGREGOR PARK, SO THAT'LL BE EXCITING.
THEN WE'RE EMBARKING ON GRADUATION SEASON AND SO I JUST LEND CONGRATULATION EARLY TO ALL THE SENIORS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH AND SEEING THROUGH THE PROCESS.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE THEM IN THE COMBINATION.
NO FURTHER BUSINESS. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 10:15 PM. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.