>> THIS MEETING IS NOW CONVENE AT 5:04 P.M.
[00:00:05]
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK EVERYONE TO PLEASE SILENCE ALL CELL PHONES.A QUORUM OF THE BOARD IS PRESENT IN THE BOARD AUDITORIUM.
THERE ARE FROM MY BRIGHT ON THE PLATFORM, CASSANDRA OZAN BANDY, JANETTE GARZA LENNER, MYSELF, ANGELA LEMOND FLOWERS, ROLANDO MARTINEZ, AND ADAM RAVAN.
AS BOARD SECRETARY, I'M PRESIDING OVER TONIGHT'S MEETING IN THE ABSENCE OF OUR BOARD PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT, AUDREY MOANAI, HENRY CAMPO AND PAULA MENDOZA, ALL HAD PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED COMMITMENTS AND COULD NOT ATTEND TONIGHT.
MICHELLE CRUZ ARNOLD WILL BE JOINING US LATER IN THE EVENING.
I WOULD LIKE TO STATE ON THE BOARD'S BEHALF THAT WE ARE ALL DISAPPOINTED WITH THE DEFEAT OF THE BOND ELECTION LAST WEEK.
[APPLAUSE] WE ARE PROUD TO PUT THE BOARD ON THE BALLOT FOR THE VOTERS TO CONSIDER.
WE FUNDAMENTALLY BELIEVE OUR STUDENTS DESERVE THE CHANCE TO GET THE NEEDED HEALTH, SAFETY, AND BUILDING QUALITY UPGRADES PROPOSED BY THE BOND.
WE'RE VERY DISAPPOINTED FOR OUR STUDENTS, BUT WE WILL CHARGE AHEAD TO CONTINUE TO SERVE THEM TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES WITH THE FACILITIES WE HAVE.
WE ARE FOCUSED ON MOVING FORWARD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN FOR EVERY SINGLE HISD CHILD.
WE WILL NOW BE JOINED BY A MEMBER OF THE EXCUSE ME.
IF THERE ARE ANY ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE AUDIENCE THIS EVENING, PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.
[APPLAUSE] BOARD OF TRUSTEE SAVANT MORE, BOARD OF TRUSTEE, GOMEZ. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING. WE WILL NOW BE JOINED BY A MEMBER OF THE JUNIOR RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS TO LEAD OUR PLEDGES.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK BOARD MEMBER JANETTE GARZA LENNER TO INTRODUCE TONIGHT'S PLEDGE LEADER.
CADET LIEUTENANT COLONEL MIGUEL MILEZ IS A SENIOR AT FUR HIGH SCHOOL AND ENTERS HIS THIRD YEAR IN THE JROTC PROGRAM.
HE HAS DISTINGUISHED HIMSELF THROUGHOUT HIS HIGH SCHOOL YEARS THROUGH EXCELLENCE IN ACADEMICS, JROTC AND EXTRACURRICULAR SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.
CADET MIREZ SERVES AS A BATTALION COMMANDER.
FOR 1ST -14TH JROTC BATTALION.
HE HAS A 3.2 GRADE POINT AVERAGE.
AMONG HIS MANY ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE JROTC PROGRAM.
HE HAS RECEIVED THE SUPERIOR INSTRUCTOR AWARD AND COMMENDATIONS FROM THE AMERICAN LEGION AND THE MILITARY OFFICERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA.
HE SERVES AS THE COMMANDER OF THE RIFLE TEAM AND A MEMBER OF THE PRIMARY COLOR GUARD AND FLAG FOLDING TEAM.
HE HAS ALSO SHOWN HIS SKILLS IN NUMEROUS PLAYS AS A MEMBER OF THE THEATER CLUB.
HE PLANS TO COMMISSION IN THE ARMY AFTER GRADUATING FROM THE NEW MEXICO MILITARY INSTITUTE, WITH THE GOAL OF BECOMING ONE OF THE GREATEST ARMY OFFICERS IN THE WORLD.
WELCOME, CADET LIEUTENANT COLONEL MIREZ. [APPLAUSE]
>> GREETINGS. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND PLEDGE TO THE TEXAS STATE FLAG.I PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN TO THE REPUBLIC, FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
I PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE TEXAS, ONE STATE, UNDER GOD, ONE INDIVISIBLE. THANK YOU.
>>THANK YOU TOUT COLONEL MIREZ.
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK BOARD MEMBER ADAM RAVAN
[RECOGNITIONS]
TO READ OUR RECOGNITION REGARDING VETERANS DAY.WHEREAS MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES HAVE PLAYED A VITAL. CAN YOU HEAR? DON'T NEED TO SPEAK UP HERE HERE? LET ME SLIDE UP A LITTLE BIT.
VETERANS DAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2024 WHEREAS MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES HAVE PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN AMERICA'S SECURITY SINCE THE FOUNDING OF OUR NATION AND DESERVE OUR DEEPEST APPRECIATION AND RESPECT.
WHEREAS VETERANS HAVE ALSO DEMONSTRATED THEIR DEVOTION TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE BY VOLUNTEERING THEIR TIME AND EXPERTISE TO IMPROVE THEIR COMMUNITIES AS PUBLIC SERVANTS, MENTORS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND WHEREAS THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT APPLAUDS IT'S MANY EMPLOYEES AND FORMER STUDENTS WHO HAVE FAITHFULLY AND LOYALLY SERVED OUR COUNTRY IN THE ARMED FORCES.
NOW, THEREFORE, WE, THE SCHOOL BOARD,
[00:05:01]
AND THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS OF THE HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, RECOGNIZE NOVEMBER 11, 2024 AS VETERANS DAY.ALTHOUGH THIS DAY HAS PASSED, WE URGE ALL HOUSTONIANS TO PAY TRIBUTE TO AND SHOW THEIR APPRECIATION OF OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL AND THEIR EFFORTS TO SECURE PEACE AND FREEDOM AROUND THE WORLD.
IN WITNESS THEREOF, ON THIS DAY, 14 NOVEMBER 2024, I'D ASK IF THERE ARE ANY VETERANS WHO SERVED IN THE MILITARY WOULD STAND THAT JUST TO BE RECOGNIZED.
[APPLAUSE] WE THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR SERVICE.
>> THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO BREAK FROM
[SPEAKERS TO AGENDA ITEMS (Part 1 of 2)]
OUR USUAL ORDER NOW AND HEAR FROM PUBLIC OFFICIALS, STUDENT SPEAKERS, AND SPEAKERS WISHING TO ADDRESS AGENDA ITEM 2, UPDATE AND ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE BOARD AUDIT COMMITTEE.PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SPANISH LIVE CAPTIONING IS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE VIEWING THE MEETING VIA LIVE STREAM AND LIVE SPANISH INTERPRETATION IS AVAILABLE IN PERSON IN THE AUDITORIUM.
PUBLIC COMMENT DURING SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE FOR 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 GIVING ONE WARNING AND IF BEHAVIOR IS REPEATED, THEY WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE MEETING.
WE HAVE 139 TOTAL REGISTERED SPEAKERS THIS EVENING.
SPEAKERS WILL BE LIMITED TO ONE MINUTE EACH PER BOARD POLICY, IF 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 THE TIME RINGS.
WE WILL START WITH PUBLIC OFFICIALS.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE JELANDA JONES, I KNOW YOU'RE JUST WALKING IN, BUT WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN THE PODIUM.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>> AS AN ELECTED STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND ELECTED FORMER HISD TRUSTEE, I REMAIN COMMITTED TO FIGHTING FOR HISD CONSTITUENTS.
MIKE MILES, YOUR UNCERTIFIED SUPERINTENDENT, AND YOU, THE UNELECTED REPUBLICAN APPOINTED BOARD OF MANAGERS, ARE ACTING LIKE STRAIGHT DOPE, BEGGING FOR 4.4 BILLION DOLLAR TO FUEL YOUR ADDICTION TO DESTROY HISD AND PUBLIC EDUCATION.
AFTER LOSING THE BOND FIGHT, BECAUSE WE FOUGHT YOUR MILLIONS WITH OUR HEARTS YOU'VE RESORTED TO STEALING AND SELLING OFF HISD ASSETS, INCLUDING 19 PROPERTIES, AND WASTING TAXPAYER DOLLARS ON ARMORED CARS.
WE SEE THROUGH YOUR CON, WE DON'T TRUST ANY OF YOU OR YOUR PLANS, WHETHER IT'S ANOTHER BOND OR SOME OF YOU RUNNING FOR OFFICE, WE WILL CAMPAIGN AGAINST YOU.
THE BOND DEFEAT WAS ABSOLUTELY A REFERENDUM ON YOUR COLLECTIVE FAILURE AND ON GOVERNOR AVERAGE INTERFERENCE.
YOU ALL NEED TO GO, WE WILL FIGHT UNRELENTINGLY TO KICK YOU OUT OF HISD.
WE HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO IN THE FIGHT TO OUR FUTURE [INAUDIBLE].
>> THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE JONES.
WE WILL NOW HEAR FROM HISD BOARD OF EDUCATION TRUSTEE SAVANT MOORE.
>> THE BIBLE SAYS THAT IT WAS GOOD THAT I WAS AFFLICTED.
AT THE ELECTION POLLING PLACE, EVERY DAY, AN ELECTION JUDGE WAS CALLED ON ME.
SECURITY WAS CALLED ON ME SAYING THAT I COULD NOT BE THERE ADVOCATING FOR MY COMMUNITY, EVEN THOUGH I WAS 150 FEET AWAY.
MY COMMUNITY IS TIRED OF BEING ON THE MENU, WE WANT TO SIT AT A TABLE.
ON YOUR NEXT BOND PROPOSAL, MAKE SURE THERE'S NO SCHOOL CLOSURE OR LOCATION, OR IT WILL FALL AGAIN.
YOU CAN SPEND MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS, BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE THE PEOPLE'S BACKING.
KIDS CAN'T WAIT, REVERSE YOUR BUS POLICY, BECAUSE I'M STILL WAITING ON YOU AS EVERY DAY, I TAKE KIDS TO SCHOOL BECAUSE YOU DON'T PROVIDE A BUS.
HEALTHY SCHOOLS NOW, MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALLOCATE FUNDS TO FIX THE ISSUES IN OUR SCHOOL WHILE WE WAIT FOR A NEW THE BOND.
WE'LL TAKE POLITICS OUT WHEN YOU TAKE THE BUSINESS OUT BECAUSE IT'S FUNNY THAT THE TWO PROPERTIES THAT YOU HAVE FOR SALE NOW WERE SUPPOSED TO BE CTE IN THE BOND PROPOSAL.
[NOISE] LET'S MAKE IT BETTER THAN THE PLACE THAT WE LIVE WHILE WE'RE HERE AND REMEMBER REMEMBER THAT THIS IS PUBLIC EDUCATION.
YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO THE PEN. [APPLAUSE]
[00:10:01]
WE'LL NOW HEAR FROM HISD BOARD OF EDUCATION TRUSTEE, PASIDA GOMEZ. THANK YOU.>> I WANT TO IMPLORE YOU TO STOP SAYING THAT PEOPLE WHO DISAGREE WITH YOU ARE JUST PUTTING ADULT INTEREST OVER STUDENTS.
I VOTED FOR THE BOND, AND I'M ALSO DISAPPOINTED IN THE OUTCOME.
BUT THAT PEOPLE WHO VOTED NO CARE ABOUT KIDS JUST AS MUCH AS ANYBODY ELSE.
I KNOW THIS FOR A FACT BECAUSE I'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS, AND EVERYBODY AGREES THAT OUR KIDS DESERVE BETTER FACILITIES.
IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, I'LL BE WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE AGAINST THE BOND AND PEOPLE WHO ARE FOR THE BOND TO CRAFT SOMETHING WITH COMMUNITY INPUT THAT ADDRESSES OUR STUDENTS NEEDS IN A WAY THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN GET BEHIND.
MR. MILES, YOU AND I HAVE ROOTS IN THE SAME REGION OF THE UNITED STATES, AND DO YOU UNDERSTAND BETTER THAN MOST HOW UNLIKELY IT IS FOR SOMEONE WHO WENT TO THE SCHOOLS THAT I WENT TO TO BE HERE RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE ON THE EXACT SAME PAGE ABOUT THE URGENCY THAT OUR BLACK AND LATINO STUDENTS FACE, PARTICULARLY WITH THE ELECTION OF A CRAZY PERSON TO THE OVAL OFFICE.
BUT WHAT I WANT EVERYONE TO TAKE AWAY IS THAT EVERYBODY HERE IS ALSO ON THAT SAME PAGE.
THAT INCLUDES HOUSTON GPS, GOOD REASON HOUSTON, AND CVPE.
THE UNION OUR KIDS DESERVE MORE THAN ANYTHING.
ALL OF US RECOGNIZE OUR ENEMY IS NOT EACH OTHER, EVEN THOUGH IT'S MORE FUN TO BATTLE SOMETIMES FOR THE ENEMY IS THE FACT THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE GONE AGAINST CENTURIES OF RACISM AND OPPRESSION.
THEY DESERVE ALL OF US TO WORK TOGETHER ON THEIR BEHALF. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
WE WILL NOW HEAR FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE LAUREN SIMONS.
>> HEY, BEST FRIEND. REMEMBER ME? WE HAD A CUTE LITTLE CONVERSATION A LITTLE WHILE AGO, PROBABLY A YEAR AND SOME MONTHS NOW.
I WILL SAY, I'LL TAKE IT BACK BECAUSE I SAID YOU'VE NEVER INSPIRED ANYBODY IN YOUR LIFE, BUT YOU DID, YOU INSPIRED ME TO RUN FOR OFFICE, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
[APPLAUSE] I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY DISAPPOINTMENT SPECIFICALLY WITH YOUR RESPONSE TO THE BOND FAILURE.
YOU ALL ON THIS, YOU KNOW WHAT? I REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL LOOKING AT ME.
I GUESS GETTING ELECTED MAKES THINGS CHANGE 'CAUSE Y'ALL NEVER EVER LOOK AT ME.
COOL. YES, IT'S A ONE SIDED CONVERSATION BECAUSE YOU'RE SITTING AT THE DESK.
THAT'S YOUR JOB JUST A QUICK REMINDER, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT I'M NOT HERE JUST FOR ME I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF MY CONSTITUENTS.
SOME IN A PART OF THE DISTRICT WHO WERE NOT HAPPY ABOUT YOU FROM THE BEGINNING.
BUT I HAD MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT I REPRESENT, BECAUSE I WAS ELECTED TO REPRESENT PEOPLE WHO INITIALLY WELCOMED THE TAKEOVER.
THEY WANTED IT, AND THEY WERE GOING TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE.
YOU'VE LOST THEM I WAS ONE OF THE USUAL SUSPECTS.
I WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE UPSET, BUT YOU LOST PEOPLE WHO WERE WELCOMING YOU.
I'M DISAPPOINTED AT THE CONTENT.
TO STAY ABOUT WHAT A CO LOCATION FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL DOES FOR KIDS WHEN WE HAVE AN UNDER ENROLLED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN.
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU MAKE EYE CONTACT MR. MISS GOES A LONG WAY.
I'M HEARING DIFFERENT CAPACITY.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO TEMPER MYSELF A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE I DO THE SAME PEOPLE.
BUT AT THE VERY SAME TIME I HEAR THIS FIGHT HAS JUST BEGUN.
YOU NEED TO SIT WITH US IN OUR MAS EXPLAIN WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I WANT TO SAY [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE].
>> WE WILL NOW HEAR FROM SPEAKERS WHO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AS STUDENTS WHEN THEY CHECKED IN THIS EVENING.
SPEAKERS PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF WHEN YOU STEP TO THE MICROPHONE.
OUR FIRST STUDENT IS LUKA CANDIDA.
ARE YOU HERE? IF WE COULD HAVE ALL OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE HERE, IF YOU COULD MOVE TO THE FRONT.
THANK YOU. ROME CARDENAS, ARE YOU HERE? I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME LATE ARRIVALS.
I'M GOING TO KEEP CALLING NAMES, AND WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR NAME, THEN WE CAN START.
ELIANA GOTTLIEB, SOPHIE GRACE ROJAS. THANK YOU, SOPHIE.
>> MY MOM SAYS I HAVE TO BE NICE AND NOT ROLL MY EYES, I WON'T SAY WHAT I REALLY WANT TO SAY ABOUT YOU LOSING YOUR BOND MONEY.
HI, IT'S ME, SOPHIE GRACE ROJAS.
REMEMBER ME, THE KID WHO STILL ISN'T GETTING HELP I NEED BECAUSE MY TEACHERS ARE TOO BUSY MOVING FAST AND TALKING FAST FOR ME.
SHE FOR SAYING, YES, YES IS SO GREAT.
DID YOU KNOW THAT ONE OF MY ACCOMMODATIONS IS SMALL GROUPS AND IN NES,
[00:15:09]
SMALL GROUPS MEANS I GET SENT TO THE TEAM CENTER TO DO MY DOL IN WITH THE LEARNING COACH WHO ISN'T CERTIFIED TO HELP ME WITH MY LEARNING NEEDS.IN MY RD MEETING ON TUESDAY, I HEARD MY TEACHER ASK HOW I WOULD [INAUDIBLE].
>>THANK YOU, SOPHIE. [APPLAUSE] LUKA CANDIDA, YOU READY?
>> OKAY. WE'D LIKE TWO MINUTES, BUT THIS TIME HE'S DOING IT IN ITALIAN.
HE DECIDED HE WANTED TO DO IT IN ITALIAN AND I'LL TRANSLATE FOR HIM. OKAY.
STUDENTS AND TEACHERS DESERVE TO FEEL SAFE AND HAPPY AT SCHOOL.
WHEN ONE PERSON IS VICTIM OF BULLYING, EVERYONE SUFFERS.
>> MANY TEACHERS AND STUDENTS HAVE LEFT HISD, IN OUR SCHOOLS, INCLUDING MINE SINCE THE TAKEOVER OF THE TEA.
>> GOING TO SCHOOL ISN'T AS MUCH FUN AS IT WAS BEFORE.
>> PLEASE START TREATING EVERYONE BETTER.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS LUCAS MAROSI, AND I'M A STUDENT AT HARVARD ELEMENTARY.
DR. C MADE HARVARD A SPECIAL PLACE.
SHE WOULD ALWAYS WALK AROUND AND TALK TO US KIDS AND ASK ABOUT HER DAY.
I WAS REALLY SAD WHEN DR. C LEFT, BUT WE STILL HAD DR. PEREZ.
I'VE KNOWN DR. PEREZ SINCE KINDERGARTEN.
SHE ALWAYS MADE ME FEEL LIKE SHE CARED ABOUT ME AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE I WAS DOING WELL.
WITH HER GONE TOO, IT FEELS LIKE I'M LOSING THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED ME FEEL SUPPORTED AT SCHOOL. IT'S SAD.
IT'S HARD TO GO TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY NOT KNOWING WHO'S GOING TO STAY AND WHO'S GOING TO LEAVE.
I WISH WE COULD KEEP THE PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND US AND WANT TO MAKE OUR SCHOOL BETTER.
PLEASE DON'T TAKE ANY MORE OF OUR PEOPLE AWAY.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. [APPLAUSE]
>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS.
MY NAME IS MATHIS MAROSI, AND I AM A THIRD-GRADER AT HARVARD.
SINCE THE START OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR, MY DAYS AT SCHOOL FEEL REALLY RUSHED.
EVERY MINUTE OF THE DAY IS PLANNED FOR SOMETHING.
AFTER WE FINISH ONE SUBJECT, WE HAVE TO START THE NEXT ONE RIGHT AWAY.
THERE'S NO TIME TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK OR EVEN THINK ABOUT WHAT WE JUST LEARNED.
IT'S HARD TO KEEP UP AND IT MAKES ME FEEL VERY STRESSED LIKE I CAN'T CATCH MY BREATH.
I THINK HAVING A FEW MINUTES BETWEEN SUBJECTS WOULD HELP US FEEL MORE READY TO LEARN AND FOCUS BETTER.
WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF DOLS AND EXIT TICKETS AND TESTS.
WE GET TESTED SO OFTEN IT FEELS LIKE I'M SPENDING MORE TIME TAKING SOME TEST THAN LEARNING.
MY PARENTS SAY WHAT I LEARN IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN GRADES, BUT IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THAT AT SCHOOL.
SCHOOL FEELS LIKE IT'S ALL ABOUT TESTS.
I WISH WE HAD FEWER OF THESE SO I COULD SPEND MORE TIME LEARNING AND READING.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. [APPLAUSE]
>> MY NAME IS JASPER PEARSON, AND I'M IN FOURTH GRADE AT HARVARD.
THE LIBRARY AT MY SCHOOL IS MY FAVORITE PLACE.
I GO EVERY WEEK WITH MY CLASS AND I CAN PICK ANYTHING I WANT.
[00:20:03]
I READ NON-FICTION BOOKS ABOUT CATS AND FANTASY BOOKS WITH DRAGONS.MY LIBRARY HAS SO MANY KINDS OF BOOKS.
MY SCHOOL HAS A BOOK FAIR AND EVERY YEAR WE HAVE THE 40 BOOK CHALLENGE.
I GET TO GO TO A DONUT PARTY WHEN I READ 40 BOOKS.
I LEARNED THAT I LIKE FANTASY BOOKS AND POETRY BOOKS THROUGH THE 40-BOOK CHALLENGE.
THIS YEAR, I'M ON THE NAME THAT BOOK TEAM FOR MY SCHOOL.
MY LIBRARIAN AND MY TEACHER TAUGHT ME HOW TO DO RESEARCH AND CITE REFERENCES.
THIS SUMMER I SAW PICTURES OF THE SCHOOL LIBRARY AT ASKEW.
BEFORE IT HAD BOOKS ON THE SHELF AND LOOKED LIKE MY LIBRARY AT HARVARD, THEN HISD CLOSED THE LIBRARY THERE AND AT 27 OTHER SCHOOLS.
NOW THE LIBRARY AT ASKEW LOOKS SAD.
KIDS HAVE TO GO THERE TO DO EXTRA WORKSHEETS.
IT ISN'T FAIR THAT SOME KIDS IN HISD DON'T HAVE THE LIBRARY AT THE SCHOOL.
ACCORDING TO THE NET, NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS MORE THAN 50 YEARS OF RESEARCH ACROSS MORE THAN 60 STUDIES SHOW THAT STUDENTS WITH ACCESS TO WELL-RESOURCED SCHOOL LIBRARIES WITH CERTIFIED LIBRARIANS PERFORM BETTER ACADEMICALLY.
IF YOU WANT STUDENTS TO IMPROVE ACADEMICALLY, PLEASE PUT LIBRARIES AND LIBRARIANS BACK INTO SCHOOLS THAT YOU TOOK THEM OUT OF.
BOOKS AND LIBRARIES ARE IMPORTANT FOR KIDS.
IT'S NOT A LIBRARY IF IT DOESN'T HAVE A LIBRARIAN IT'S JUST A ROOM WITH BOOKS. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU, PEARS. ROSE WALTER, PLEASE.
>> MY NAME IS WILLIAM WRIGLEY AND I AM A FIFTH GRADER FROM HARVARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
FIRST, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY DR. C HAS BEEN FIRED AND DR. PEREZ IS NO LONGER AT OUR SCHOOL.
THEY ARE PRETTY GOOD LEADERS OF HARVARD.
IT'S CONFUSING WHEN THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THE SCHOOL KEEP CHANGING THE FORMAT.
THE IMPACT SCHOOL FACED WAS LIKE WHEN WE GOT ADDED TIMERS WHICH MADE ME AND MY PEERS MORE STRESSED OUT.
THEREFORE, WE RUSH AND GET A BAD GRADE ON OUR WORK.
WHEN THEY GET ASSIGNED, I ASK FOR WAYS TO DO IT BETTER.
IT'S SUPER EXCITING WHEN I PRESENT THEM.
THE PROBLEM IS THERE'S ALMOST NO MORE PROJECTS.
I'VE ONLY HAD THE ONE PROJECT THIS YEAR.
THIS DOES NOT FEEL LIKE MY IB SCHOOL THAT I LOVE.
IN CONCLUSION, MY SCHOOL AND ALMOST ALL THE HISD SCHOOLS HAVE CHANGED FOR THE WORST.
PLEASE KEEP OUR SCHOOL FUN SO I CAN KEEP LEARNING AND MAKE YOUR TEACHER.
>> ARE THERE ANY OTHER STUDENTS IN THE ROOM THAT WERE NOT HERE WHEN I CALLED? ARE THERE ANY OTHER STUDENTS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA TO SPEAK IF YOU COULD PLEASE? YES, SIR. IS THIS ROME?
>> ROME. LET'S PULL THAT MIC DOWN TO YOUR MOUTH.
>> HI. MY NAME IS ROME [INAUDIBLE].
I GO TO HARVARD ELEMENTARY AND I'M IN FIRST GRADE.
I DON'T WANT SOME CHANGES THAT WE HAVE MADE.
WE HAVE FIRED UP OUR BELOVED PRINCIPAL, DR. CALABRESE AND SHE CARED ABOUT ALL HER STUDENTS AND SHE CARED ABOUT STAFF.
SECOND, I'M AFRAID THAT YOU MIGHT TURN MY LIBRARY INTO A DETENTION HALL BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY BEEN TO OTHER SCHOOLS.
THIRD, I HAVE TIME LIMITS IN MY CLASS, AND I DON'T LIKE IT SO IT MAKES ME RUSH AND I'M AFRAID TO TIE MY SHOE OR EVEN GO TO THE BATHROOM.
THIRD, I LOVE HARVARD, AND I WANT YOU GUYS TO WORK WITH HARVARD TO KEEP HARVARD SPECIAL, AND I LOVE HARVARD.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. WE ALSO HAVE STUDENT SPEAKERS ON ZOOM.
BEFORE WE MOVE ON, ARE THERE ANY OTHER STUDENTS IN THE ROOM? WE ALSO HAVE STUDENT SPEAKERS ON ZOOM.
MS. SMITH, PLEASE ADMIT ADITA SAGE BITTNER.
>> ADITA SAGE BITTNER, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON, YOU MAY BEGIN.
[00:25:10]
>> MY NAME IS ADITA SAGE BITTNER AND I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM ONE.
BECAUSE OF THE BORING AND AI-CREATED NES CURRICULUM AND COOKIE-CUTTER, FACTORY-STYLE, MRS STRATEGIES, STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ARE LOOKING AT EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS LIKE MOVING OUT OF HISD, HOMESCHOOLING, AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
I VISITED SOME PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND THEY DON'T HARP ON STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES AND SPOT SCORES.
TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND PARENTS ARE HAPPY AND FEEL SUPPORTED BY THEIR COMMUNITY.
THIS HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE IN HISD SINCE MIKE MILES ARRIVED.
PLEASE, BRING BACK JOY TO LEARNING.
BRING BACK READING BOOKS AND NOVELS, BRING BACK CERTIFIED TEACHERS.
UNTIL THEN, I'M REMINDED OF SIRIUS BLACK WHO TOLD HARRY POTTER, WE'VE ALL GOT BOTH LIGHT AND DARK INSIDE US, WHAT MATTERS IS THE PART WE CHOOSE TO ACT ON.
BOARD OF MANAGERS CHOOSE TO FIRE MIKE MILES.
>> THANK YOU. MS. SMITH, ARE THERE ANY OTHER PEOPLE IN THE ZOOM QUEUE? NO. ONE MORE IN THE ZOOM.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN, WILL YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR US?
>> HELLO, I'M MELIANA GOTTLIEB. GOOD EVENING.
IT'S BEEN JUST OVER A WEEK SINCE VOTERS OVERWHELMINGLY DENIED CONTROL OF A $4.4 BILLION BOND TO THIS UNELECTED ADMINISTRATION.
FOLLOWING THE ELECTION, SUPERINTENDENT MILES SAID THAT THE RESULT WAS NOT A REFERENDUM ON HIM AND WAS DUE TO THE SPREAD OF MISINFORMATION FROM CRITICS.
I'M PRETTY SURE THAT THIS PACKED HOUSE BEHIND ME WILL DISAGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT.
YOU SEE, THIS MISINFORMATION IS COMING DIRECTLY FROM THE TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND FACULTY THAT YOU OVERSEE.
IS IT MISINFORMATION THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO STUDY A NOVEL IN ENGLISH THIS YEAR BUT ARE NOW ANALYZING SHORT PARAGRAPHS THAT ARE FRANKLY QUITE BORING AND ALL SOUND EXACTLY THE SAME? IS IT MISINFORMATION THAT MY TEACHERS ALWAYS SEEM STRESSED OUT OR THAT MY PRINCIPAL WAS FORCED TO RESIGN? NO, THESE ARE FACTS DIRECTLY FROM THE SOURCE.
I HOPE YOU WILL LISTEN TO THEM AND IN THE LIGHT OF THE BOND VOTE, WHICH WAS DEFINITELY A REFERENDUM ON THIS BOARD, YOU WILL INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY IN MORE DECISIONS THAT AFFECT US. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] NEXT, WE WILL CALL IN-PERSON SPEAKERS TO THE MICROPHONE FOR AGENDA ITEM 2.
IF THE SIX PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP FOR AGENDA ITEM 2 CAN COME SIT IN THE FIRST ROW.
SPEAKER 1, ANAR ABASOV. THANK YOU, SIR.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ANAR ABASOV, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE HARVARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PTA.
OUR JOURNEY TO THIS POINT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS A FAILURE OF DISTRICT LEADERSHIP.
HOWEVER, DESPITE THE OBSTACLES, OUR COMMUNITY IS STARTING TO FEEL OPTIMISTIC WITH THE RECENTLY SELECTED LEADERS AT OUR SCHOOL.
WE HAVE RECENTLY NOTICED THAT YOU ARE HEARING OUR NEEDS AND HAVE PLACED A SIGNIFICANT EMPHASIS ON THE IB PROGRAM.
WE APPRECIATE THIS POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE COMMITTED TO CONTINUALLY WORKING WITH YOU TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF THE HARVARD COMMUNITY.
THIS INCLUDES PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF THE IB PYP FRAMEWORK AND FOSTERING A POSITIVE AND PRODUCTIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR DEDICATED TEACHERS.
BY SUPPORTING THEM, WE ENABLE THEM TO FOCUS ON EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN AND ENCOURAGING THEM TO RETURN YEAR AFTER YEAR.
LASTLY, IT'S CRUCIAL TO ADDRESS THE NEED FOR HISD TO IMPROVE ITS COMMUNITY AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
THE CURRENT LEVEL HAS BEEN SO INSUFFICIENT THAT OUR COMMUNITY FELT COMPELLED TO SACRIFICE ITS NEEDS BY VOTING DOWN THE BOND.
WE URGE YOU TO TAKE THE MEANINGFUL STEPS TO [NOISE].
>> THANK YOU. CHRISTIE BREWSTER, PLEASE.
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M CHRISTIE MICHELLE BREWSTER, RETIRED CERTIFIED SCHOOL NURSE.
WE THE CONCERNED COMMUNITY OF HOUSTON ISD CONDUCTED OUR OWN EXTERNAL AUDIT, THE BOND ELECTION.
THIS WAS ALSO A SPOT CHECK ON ALL OF YOU ALL IN THIS HOSTILE TAKEOVER.
F, MIKE, YOU SAID THAT THE VOTERS FAILED THE KIDS BY FAILING THE BOND.
WELL, LET'S REVIEW WHO REALLY FAILED THE KIDS.
MIKE, YOU INITIATED THAT FAKE PHONY MADE UP NOT EVER SUCCESSFUL CURRICULUM THAT IGNORES SPENT ACCOMMODATIONS IN 504.
YOU DISSOLVE WHAT WE HAD AS A WRAP-AROUND PROGRAM.
NOW THE PARENTS HAVE TO SWIM THROUGH MUDDY WATER, SWING ON POISON IVY VINES TO GET SOMEWHERE TO HOPE THEY GET HELP.
WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR RISK MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT? YOU KNOW THE ONE THAT'S SUPPOSED TO KEEP UP WITH THE AEDS.
[00:30:02]
YOU DO RECALL MARSHALL MIDDLE SCHOOL, DON'T YOU? THAT SUNSET SANTA, IT'S NOT A SUNRISE.SO HELP US TO MAKE THIS WORK, BOARD.
>>GOOD AFTERNOON. I'M A FIRST-TIME SPEAKER, AND AS A PARENT, LIKE MANY OTHERS IN THE ROOM, I ALSO RECEIVED THIS EMAIL FROM MIKE MILES ON NOVEMBER 5TH.
HOW DARE YOU SEND THIS TO PARENTS? WE ARE HERE SUPPORTING OUR CHILDREN, AND YOU ARE SAYING THAT WE ARE PLAYING POLITICS.
YOU'RE UNELECTED, AND YOU NEED TO BE GONE.
WE WANT YOUR RESIGNATION TONIGHT.
THIS IS WHAT YOU JUST DID TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
MS. CARLY PAGET. MS. JESSICA ROSS.
>> HI. I'M A MOTHER AND A PREVIOUS DISTRICT INSTRUCTIONAL LEADER.
IT IS TIME TO UNDERSTAND THE LACK OF TRUST THAT LED TO THE FAILED BOND PROPOSAL AND KEEPS THESE MEETINGS PACKED.
THE COMMUNITY CIRCLE OF TRUST-BUILDING FRAMEWORK IDENTIFIES 14 BEHAVIORS AND PRACTICES TO BUILD TRUST.
I WILL LIST AREAS OF NECESSARY IMPROVEMENT IN HISD'S TOP LEADERSHIP.
LISTENING WELL, CHAMPIONING AUTONOMY, VOICE AND CHOICE, CREATING SAFE SPACES RATHER THAN TOXIC ENVIRONMENTS EVIDENCED BY THE UNPRECEDENTED EXODUS OF TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS.
TRANSPARENCY, SHARED DECISION MAKING, ADDRESSING EXISTING DISTRUST WITH HUMILITY, VALUING AND RESPECTING OTHERS, VULNERABILITY, INTEGRITY, AND CONSISTENCY, DEMONSTRATING COMPETENCE RATHER THAN INEFFICIENT EXPENDITURES DURING A DEFICIT, THE RAPID EXPANSION OF COSTLY NES SCHOOLS, DESPITE RESISTANCE FROM THE BOARD AND COMMUNITY, OR FORCING COMPLIANCE, RATHER THAN HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION.
>> THAT CONCLUDES OUR HEARING OF SPEAKERS TO AGENDA ITEM TWO.
[DISCUSSION AND REPORT ITEMS (Part 1 of 2)]
WE WILL NOW ADDRESS THE AGENDA ITEM.MISS GARZA LINER, CHAIR OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'D LIKE TO INVITE RSM DIRECTOR, LAURA MANLOVE TO THE MICROPHONE TO PRESENT TONIGHT ABOUT THE INTERNAL AUDIT COMMITTEE TO MY COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU.
>> IS THIS WORKING? CAN YOU HEAR ME? THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TONIGHT.
I'M A DIRECTOR AT RSM, AND I LEAD THE INTERNAL AUDIT SERVICES FOR HISD.
RSM HAS BEEN SERVING THE HISD SCHOOL BOARD SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 2023.
ANNUALLY, YOUR AUDIT COMMITTEE FORMALLY PROVIDES A WRITTEN REPORT TO THE BOARD, AND TONIGHT I WILL PROVIDE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THIS ANNUAL REPORT.
WHAT IS THE AUDIT COMMITTEE? THE AUDIT COMMITTEE'S ROLE IS TO OVERSEE AND MONITOR THE GOVERNANCE AND RISKS AT HISD PRIMARILY BY OVERSEEING THE EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL AUDITORS.
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AUDITORS SERVE VERY DIFFERENT PURPOSES, BUT BOTH ARE IMPORTANT ROLES TO SUPPORT HISD'S TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE PUBLIC.
IN GENERAL, YOU CAN THINK OF INTERNAL AUDITORS AS THE AUDITORS WHO ARE LOOKING TO SEE THAT OPERATIONS ARE GOING WELL ALL YEAR LONG, WHILE THE EXTERNAL AUDITORS ARE THE AUDITORS WHO FOCUS ON THE ACCURACY OF HISD'S ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
HISD HAS UNDERGONE SIGNIFICANT REORGANIZATION IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND THE INTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTION IS NO EXCEPTION.
THE SCHOOL BOARD DESIRED TO INCREASE THE INDEPENDENCE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTION AND DECIDED TO DISSOLVE ITS INTERNAL AUDIT DEPARTMENT AND OUTSOURCE THE DEPARTMENT TO AN OUTSIDE FIRM.
THIS IS A TREND WE SEE MORE AND MORE WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, SINCE THIS CAN BE COST EFFECTIVE AND CAN ALSO ADDRESS MORE OF THE DISTRICT'S NEEDS BECAUSE NOW YOU'LL HAVE ACCESS TO A WIDE VARIETY OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS RATHER THAN A SMALL GROUP OF INTERNAL EMPLOYEES.
IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023, AFTER A RIGOROUS COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS, INCLUDING ORAL PRESENTATIONS BY MULTIPLE FIRMS, RSM WAS SELECTED AS THE OUTSOURCED FIRM.
THIS CHART DEPICTS THE ORGANIZATIONAL REPORTING STRUCTURE OF THE INTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTION.
THIS STRUCTURE IS CONSIDERED A BEST PRACTICE FOR MAXIMUM INDEPENDENCE, AND THIS IS RSM'S PREFERRED REPORTING STRUCTURE.
NOT ONLY ARE WE AN OUTSIDE FIRM, BUT WE REPORT DIRECTLY TO YOU, THE SCHOOL BOARD, THROUGH YOUR AUDIT COMMITTEE.
WE DO NOT REPORT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT OR SENIOR LEADERSHIP,
[00:35:01]
SO THERE IS NO CONCERN OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN OUR WORK.RSM HAS REGULAR MEETINGS WITH YOUR AUDIT COMMITTEE CHAIR, AND WE HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO YOUR BOARD PRESIDENT IF WE SHOULD EVER NEED TO ESCALATE ANY ISSUES OR CONCERNS.
THE AUDIT COMMITTEE HAS BEEN BUSY THIS YEAR.
MOST NOTABLY, THEY WORKED DILIGENTLY WITH GENERAL COUNSEL TO AMEND HISD'S OUTDATED CHARTER AND HAVE REFINED THEIR MISSION AND FOCUS AS A COMMITTEE.
FOLLOWING ADOPTION OF THE CHARTER, THEY HAVE TURNED THEIR ATTENTION TOWARDS ESTABLISHING PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES FOR MEETING AGENDAS IN CADENCE, REPORTING EXPECTATIONS FROM INTERNAL AUDIT, AND COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS BETWEEN MANAGEMENT, THE COMMITTEE, THE AUDITORS, GENERAL COUNSEL, AND THE FULL BOARD.
ALL OF THESE PARTIES HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN MONITORING AND OVERSIGHT OF HISD, AND WE HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN SETTING EXPECTATIONS AND PROCESSES TO PROVIDE MAXIMUM TRANSPARENCY TO THE PUBLIC IN THE MOST EFFICIENT MANNER.
THIS PAST YEAR WAS A TRANSITION YEAR TO THE NEW INTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTION THAT IS OUTSOURCED TO RSM.
AS SUCH, WHILE RSM WAS DELIVERING INTERNAL AUDIT REPORTS, OTHER PROVIDERS HAD BEEN WORKING ON AUDITS BEFORE RSM CAME ON BOARD.
THESE ARE NOW COMPLETE AND WERE DELIVERED TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE FOR A TOTAL OF 25 INTERNAL AUDIT PROJECTS OVERALL.
THE REPORTS WE DELIVERED COVERED A WIDE VARIETY OF AREAS, RESULTING IN 35 REPORTED FINDINGS AND SIX PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS.
FOR EACH REPORTED FINDING, MANAGEMENT PROVIDED A WRITTEN ACTION PLAN TO REMEDIATE THE RISKS THAT WE NOTED IN OUR AUDIT.
THE AUDIT COMMITTEE REVIEWS EACH REPORT, AND WE DISCUSS EACH FINDING WITH THE COMMITTEE WHO ASKS QUESTIONS OF RSM AND OF MANAGEMENT TO ENSURE THEY FULLY UNDERSTAND THE RISKS THAT WERE FOUND AND WHAT MANAGEMENT'S PLAN IS TO ADDRESS THOSE RISKS.
FOR REFERENCE, WE ALSO PROVIDED THE DETAILS OF THE OTHER AUDITS PROVIDED BY OTHER AUDIT PROVIDERS.
IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH INTERNAL AUDITS, WHAT DO WE DO EXACTLY? WE'LL START ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THIS PICTURE, WHICH IS OUR RISK ASSESSMENT.
WE WILL CONDUCT THIS EVERY YEAR.
THIS IS A RIGOROUS ANALYSIS, WHERE RSM WILL NARROW IN ON WHERE HISD SPECIFICALLY HAS RISK.
ONCE WE NARROW IN ON THE LIST OF RISKS, WE WILL THEN PRODUCE A PROPOSED INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN.
THIS PLAN LISTS THE AUDITS WE WANT TO CONDUCT IN THE COMING FISCAL YEAR.
AFTER THE PLAN IS APPROVED, WE CAN BEGIN PERFORMING OUR INTERNAL AUDITS.
WE PRODUCE WRITTEN REPORTS THAT ARE PRESENTED TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE THEN TRANSMITTED TO THE BOARD FOR REVIEW AND ADOPTION.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT THIS PLAN MUST REMAIN FLUID AND BE ABLE TO REACT TO NEW AND EMERGING RISKS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMETHING UNFORESEEN OCCURS DURING THE YEAR, SUCH AS A NEW CYBERSECURITY THREAT, WE CAN AND SHOULD UPDATE THE PLAN IN REAL TIME AND REACT AS A RESPONSIVE INTERNAL AUDIT FUNCTION.
DESCRIBING OUR RISK ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY A LITTLE BIT DEEPER AND HOW DO WE DECIDE WHICH INTERNAL AUDITS WE WANT TO INCLUDE IN THE INTERNAL AUDIT PLAN? YOU CAN REFER TO THE GRAPHIC ON THE RIGHT.
OUR GOAL IS TO USE HISD'S RESOURCES WISELY AND NOT AUDIT IN AREAS THAT ARE LOWER RISK OR NOT AS LIKELY TO HAVE A VALUABLE IMPACT.
WE FOCUS OUR AUDITS THAT WILL FALL IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND QUADRANT, THE AREAS WITH THE HIGHEST POTENTIAL IMPACT TO HISD, IF SOMETHING WERE TO GO WRONG, AND A HIGH LIKELIHOOD THAT THIS WILL OCCUR.
FINALLY, ONCE WE ISSUE OUR INTERNAL AUDIT REPORTS, WE DON'T JUST PUT THE REPORT ON THE SHELF AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT AUDIT.
WE PERFORM WHAT WE CALL FOLLOW UP.
WE COME BACK AND AUDIT AGAIN TO MAKE SURE THAT MANAGEMENT HAS REMEDIATED THE FINDINGS FROM OUR ORIGINAL AUDITS.
WE FORMALLY TRACK THESE AND REPORT THIS BACK TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE AND BOARD ON A REGULAR BASIS.
IN SUMMARY, WE TELL YOU IF MANAGEMENT DOES OR DOESN'T FIX WHAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE'S ANNUAL REPORT.
RSM IS VERY PROUD TO SERVE HISD AND CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR MISSION IN EDUCATING THE STUDENTS IN OUR HOUSTON COMMUNITY.
I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISS MANLOVE.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? PLEASE INDICATE YOUR REQUEST TO SPEAK WITH YOU.
>> THANK YOU AGAIN MISS MANLOVE FOR PRESENTING TONIGHT.
ONE THING I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU WAS THAT THE PROCESS TO DO THIS, TO MAKE THIS CHANGE ACTUALLY STARTED BEFORE ANY OF US WERE HERE.
THE PREVIOUS BOARD WORKED REALLY HARD TO TRY TO DO THE BEST THEY COULD WITH THE RESOURCES THEY HAD, BUT MADE THE DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A SEARCH FOR AN EXTERNAL FIRM TO DO THE INTERNAL AUDIT WORK.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S UNDERSTOOD THAT I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE PREVIOUS BOARD, AUDIT COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DID TO MOVE US TO THE PROCESS WE'RE AT TODAY.
THIS DIDN'T JUST START WITH US.
[00:40:01]
>> THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
AND THANK YOU FOR THAT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, JANET.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THERE WAS THE PREVIOUS BOARD THAT STARTED WORKING ON THIS.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS AN EXTERNAL VENDOR THAT REPORTS DIRECTLY TO THE INTERNAL AUDIT AND THE BOARD.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE COMMUNITY OFTEN BRINGS ABOUT IS THE QUESTION ABOUT TRUST.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY HEAR THIS TODAY THAT THIS IS AN EXTERNAL ORGANIZATION OR AGENCY THAT REPORTS TO THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I'LL BE VERY SPECIFIC.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS ABOUT TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF FUNDS, IN YOUR FINDINGS, DID YOU FIND ANY MISMANAGEMENT OF FUNDS OR ANYBODY STEALING INTENTIONALLY OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT?
>> NONE TO DATE. AND ALL OF OUR REPORTS THAT ARE ADOPTED BY THE BOARD ARE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON THE WEBSITE.
>> AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION, BECAUSE WE NEED TO KNOW FROM YOU DIRECTLY IF THERE'S ANY FINDINGS.
SO THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW IF THERE'S NO MISMANAGEMENT OF FUND, NO ONE'S STEALING MONEY, NO ONE'S TAKING MONEY, SO THAT'S IMPORTANT.
WHEN YOU SAY FOLLOW UPS, WHAT'S THE CADENCE OF FOLLOW UP? NOW THAT YOU HAVE THESE FINDINGS, HOW SOON WILL YOU FOLLOW UP WITH THAT?
>> SO DEPENDING ON THE STEPS MANAGEMENT NEEDS TO TAKE TO REMEDIATE THE FINDING, WILL DEPEND ON HOW LONG WE WILL TAKE BEFORE WE PERFORM OUR FOLLOW UP.
SOME ACTIONS CAN BE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF EMPLOYEES HAVE IMPROPER ACCESS TO A SOFTWARE SYSTEM, THAT ACCESS CAN BE TERMINATED IMMEDIATELY DAY ONE.
SOME PROCESSES TAKE MORE TIME TO IMPLEMENT.
ADOPTING NEW PROCESSES, PROCEDURES, OR TECHNOLOGY WILL TAKE SOME TIME TO IMPLEMENT AND TRAIN, AND YOU MIGHT SEE A FOLLOW UP THAT TAKES ABOUT SIX TO 12 MONTHS IN AN EXAMPLE LIKE THAT.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES, SIR. MR. ADAM..
>> JUST AS A COMMITTEE MEMBER, I'D LIKE TO THANK MISS MANLOVE AS WELL FOR THE WORK YOU ALL HAVE DONE THIS YEAR.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU ALL, AND YOU'VE BROUGHT A LOT OF PROFESSIONALISM, AND YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK TO CULMINATE TO THE POINT WHERE WE'VE COMPLETED THIS MANY AUDITS AND ARE ON TRACK FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THE OTHERS. THANK YOU MISS MANLOVE WE APPRECIATE IT.
WE WILL NOW HEAR FROM THE REMAINING REGISTERED SPEAKERS,
[SPEAKERS TO AGENDA ITEMS (Part 2 of 2)]
BEGINNING WITH THOSE WHO ARE IN PERSON FOR BOTH THE AGENDA AND THE HEARING OF THE COMMUNITY.THEY WILL BE FOLLOWED BY SPEAKERS WHO ARE ON ZOOM.
WE'LL CALL SPEAKERS TO THE MICROPHONE AND GROUPS BEGINNING WITH THE SPEAKER NUMBERS ONE THROUGH TEN.
SO IF YOU HAVE A NUMBER ONE THROUGH TEN, IF YOU COULD PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT SEATS.
WE WILL SIT IN THE FRONT ROW RESERVED FOR THE NEXT GROUP OF SPEAKERS, SO PLEASE OCCUPY THOSE SEATS.
AGAIN, PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF AND YOUR TOPIC BEFORE BEGINNING YOUR REMARKS.
SPEAKER NUMBER ONE, IF YOU COULD PLEASE JOIN THE MICROPHONE.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS CLAMEN NUNTIL.
MR. MILES, I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD STOP TELLING THE MEDIA THAT WE DID NOT PUT OUR KIDS FIRST.
THAT'S WHY WE VOTED AGAINST THE BOND.
WE WERE WORRIED THAT IF YOU ALL GOT YOUR HANDS ON THOSE BILLIONS, THEY MIGHT END UP IN COLORADO.
THAT'S WHY WE VOTED AGAINST THE BOND.
YOU ALSO SAID THAT YOU WERE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR OUR KIDS.
IF YOU'RE FIGHTING FOR OUR KIDS, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE FIRED OUR PRINCIPALS, OUR TEACHERS THAT CARE ABOUT OUR KIDS.
YOU WOULDN'T BE DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO HARVARD ELEMENTARY.
WE ARE SO TIRED OF JUST WATCHING YOU DO THINGS BECAUSE YOU CAN DO IT, NOT BECAUSE IT'S NEEDED TO BE DONE.
WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR OUR KIDS.
AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW YOU HAVE GOTTEN AWAY WITH DOING.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER TWO.
>> LEST I BE ACCUSED OF BEING MISINFORMED.
>> I'M SORRY, WILL YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME?
>>THANK YOU. LEST I BE ACCUSED OF BEING MISINFORMED, A NAYSAYER OR NOISE.
MR. MILES, YOU WERE ASKED BY CITY CAST HOUSTON IN A PODCAST PUBLISHED ON OCTOBER 15TH.
IF VOTERS REJECT THE BOND, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT'S A REFLECTION ON YOUR LEADERSHIP? YOUR DIRECT QUOTE. "LOOK, WE ARE A TEAM OF TEN.
AND YES, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT LEADERSHIP IS ALWAYS ACCOUNTABLE OR AT LEAST RESPONSIBLE IN SOME WAYS FOR ANYTHING MAJOR THAT HAPPENS OR FAILS TO HAPPEN IN A DISTRICT.".
I HAVE HALF A YEAR LEFT WITH MY OWN CHILDREN IN HISD,
[00:45:02]
BUT I AM A TEACHER AT A SMALL PRESCHOOL IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I AM HEARTBROKEN FOR THE STUDENTS AND PARENTS IN MY MIDST AS THEY DECIDE ON MOVING TO ANOTHER DISTRICT OR OUT OF HOUSTON ALTOGETHER TO AVOID HISD.AND BOARD, YOU HAVE BEEN IMPLICATED.
>> BOARD OF MANAGERS, MR. MILES.
>> I'M SORRY. WE'RE GOING TO START THE TIME OVER.
EVERYONE, IF YOU CAN STATE YOUR NAME BEFORE YOU SPEAK.
SO IF YOU CAN STATE YOUR NAME, PLEASE, WE'LL START THE TIME.
>> SERENA HULAHAN. BOARD OF MANAGERS, MR. MILES, THIS WAS YOUR BOND VOTE TO LOSE, AND BOY, DID YOU LOSE IT? IN A DEEPLY DIVIDED COUNTRY, A CLEAR MAJORITY OF BIPARTISAN VOTERS VOTED AGAINST YOU.
THAT SHOULD TELL YOU AND YOUR SUPPORTERS SOMETHING SERIOUS.
YOU MAY CLAIM THE VOTE WASN'T ABOUT YOU, BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT'S TOTAL NONSENSE.
IT WAS A FULL ON NO CONFIDENCE VOTE IN YOUR ABILITY HERE.
WE DID NOT HAVE A PACK TO FUND OUR EFFORTS AGAINST THE BOND, BUT WE PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE THE TRUST AND EAR OF OUR COMMUNITIES, AND WE HAVE EARNED IT, UNLIKE YOU ALL.
AND NOW THE WHOLE CITY IS LISTENING.
THEY READ, MR. MILES, YOU ARE VERY PUBLIC, AND UNPROFESSIONAL MELTDOWN OVER EMAIL, SAYING PARENTS WERE TO BLAME FOR THE BOND FAILING.
HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE US OF NOT CARING ABOUT OUR OWN CHILDREN AND OUR OWN SCHOOLS? PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WAKE UP, EXHIBIT SOME ACCOUNTABILITY AND LEADERSHIP THOUSANDS OF VOICES THAT ARE URGING YOU TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY YOU'RE MEANT TO SERVE.
THESE ARE OUR KIDS AND OUR SCHOOLS.
>> SPEAKER NUMBER FOUR, PLEASE.
EVERY ONE OF US HAS HAD A TEACHER THAT INSPIRED AND GUIDED US, AND YET YOU WANT TO DESTROY THAT.
YOU HAVE REFUTED THIS AND YOUR REBUTTALS TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE LEGITIMATE COMPLAINTS AND WHO ARE PASSIONATELY AGAINST THE DESTRUCTION OF THE DISTRICT OR CONDESCENDING.
DISSENSION IS DEMOCRATIC AND IN THIS CASE, CORRECT.
THE SHEER INCOMPETENCE ACROSS HISD IS ASTOUNDING, AND I DON'T HAVE TIME HERE TO ENUMERATE THE SAD, APPALLING, AND OFTENTIMES KEYSTONE COP LIKE MISADVENTURES THAT HAPPEN ON A WEEKLY BASIS.
IT'S A MUSICAL CHAIRS OF PRINCIPALS, APS, AND TEACHERS.
ONE CAN ONLY WONDER WHAT'S NEXT.
WE ARE A COMMUNITY THAT WILL NOT BE DETERRED IN OUR FIGHT AGAINST THIS TAKEOVER.
THANKFULLY, WE VOTED AGAINST THE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED BOND THAT WAS TINGED WITH THE STAIN OF AVARICE.
WE DO NOT NEED YOUR HELP, AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE SHOWN WE HAVE NO TRUST IN YOU.
>> LUIS MARTINEZ, YOU BETTER PAY ATTENTION.
ISN'T IT IRONIC? THE DEFINITION OF BULLY IS SEEKING TO HARM, INTIMIDATE OR COERCE PEOPLE SEEN AS VULNERABLE.
IT'S IRONIC THAT DR. MARTINEZ COMPLAINS ABOUT BEING BULLIED WHEN SHE RUNS THE CENTRAL DIVISION OF HISD THROUGH INTIMIDATION TACTICS, SUCH AS FIRING, CARING, AND EXPERIENCED PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS WHO DON'T CONFORM TO NOT EDUCATING STUDENTS OR ANY AS SYSTEM IN HISD.
ON THE HISD WEBSITE, SHE DESCRIBES HERSELF AS CHARISMATIC, VISIONARY, INNOVATIVE, BERATE, AND EQUITY DRIVEN EDUCATOR LOOSE.
I CAN USE CHATGPT-2 TO DESCRIBE MYSELF TOO, BUT AI DOES NOT STAND FOR ACTUAL INTELLIGENCE.
IT STANDS FOR ARTIFICIAL OR FAKE INTELLIGENCE, WHICH DESCRIBES YOU AND YOUR EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES [INAUDIBLE].
ISN'T IT IRONIC? DON'T YOU THINK? ALSO, MIKE MILES, IF YOU WANT AN ARMORED CAR, YOU DON'T NEED AN ARMORED CAR.
YOU NEED A CLOWN CAR, AND ALL YOU GUYS CAN GO.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 6, PLEASE.
>> LAUREL ARA. MR. MILES, I AM HERE FOR MY SON, WHO'S IN THE FIFTH GRADE, A GT STUDENT AND STRUGGLING NOW IN HIS CLASSES AT A NON NES SCHOOL THAT YOU ARE STILL INFILTRATING.
AS A SINGLE MOTHER, WITH ONE MAIN INCOME, WE HAVE GREAT PLANS TO ATTEND A PUBLIC VANGUARD OR IB SCHOOL THAT YOU ARE DISMANTLING LIKE A NARCISSISTIC MAN HAVING A TEMPER TANTRUM.
NOW, WITH ALL YOUR RIDICULOUS MISHANDLING OF HISD, IT'S FANTASTIC TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATIONS, PRINCIPALS, AND PROGRAMS, ALONG WITH THE LACK OF CARE THAT YOU TRULY HAVE FOR OUR CHILDREN.
I AM NOW WORKING TWO EXTRA JOBS TO SET ASIDE MONEY SO THAT I CAN REMOVE MY SON FROM YOUR WRATH AND PUT HIM INTO A PRIVATE SCHOOL.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT EVEN THOUGH I'M REMOVING HIM AND DOING THIS, I WILL NEVER STOP FIGHTING AGAINST YOUR WRONGDOING.
[00:50:01]
I WILL ALWAYS BE HERE, AND I WILL ALWAYS FIGHT FOR OTHERS, AND WHEN YOU'RE LONG GONE, I WILL COME BACK AND HELP WITH THE CLEAN UP.[APPLAUSE] OUR KIDS, OUR SCHOOLS.
>> THANK YOU. CAN I ASK SPEAKERS 10 THROUGH 20 TO MOVE TO THE FRONT AND HAVE OUR FIRST FEW SPEAKERS TO GO BACK TO YOUR SEATS? THANKS SO MUCH, AND WE ARE WITH SPEAKER NUMBER 8, MICHELLE WILLIAMS, PLEASE.
IF YOU ARE 10 THROUGH 20, YOU CAN MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE FRONT SEATS.
>> MICHELLE WILLIAMS, HOUSTON EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, I WARNED Y'ALL.
WHAT A FEELING? Y'ALL GOT DEFEATED BY PEOPLE POWER.
THERE'S NO AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT CAN BEAT A GRASSROOTS EFFORT.
Y'ALL NEED TO ADD THAT TO YOU.
BUT ANYWAY, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON.
Y'ALL TRYING TO BAN THESE CHILDREN FROM THESE EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.
THEY'RE CHILDREN. THEY MAKE MISTAKES.
I UNDERSTAND SOME INFRACTIONS, NOT BEING ABLE, YOU GO TO DAP, NOT BEING ABLE TO GO TO HISD FACILITIES, BUT Y'ALL MADE MISTAKES.
YOU TRIED TO GET INTO OUR HISD TEACHER GROUP, NOT HAPPENING.
Y'ALL PUT A FAILED BOND ON THE BALLOT.
WE DIDN'T BAN Y'ALL FROM HATTIE MAY.
THEY DESERVE TO GO TO THEIR SCHOOLS, AND THEIR PARENTS ARE TAXPAYERS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE MISTAKES. YOU NEED TO TAKE [INAUDIBLE]
>> THANK YOU, SPEAKER NUMBER 9.
>> GOOD EVENING, CLARE WIGLEY.
THE SUPERINTENDENT RECENTLY TRIED TO SCOLD THE COMMUNITY WITH A QUOTE FROM NELSON MANDELA.
I WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND WITH AN ADDITIONAL QUOTE FROM THE SAME SPEECH.
OUR ACTIONS AND POLICIES AND THE INSTITUTIONS WE CREATE SHOULD BE ELOQUENT WITH CARE, RESPECT, AND LOVE.
IT HAS BEEN MADE CLEAR THAT THERE IS NO RESPECT FOR THE COMMUNITY OR THE LEADERS AT OUR SCHOOLS.
THE POLICY WHICH RESULTED IN THE SUDDEN REMOVAL OF OF MULTIPLE SCHOOL LEADERS RECENTLY UNDERMINES THE STABILITY NEEDED FOR EFFECTIVE LEARNING.
RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT HIGH PRINCIPLE TURNOVER LEADS TO DECREASES IN TEACHER RETENTION, LOSS OF COMMUNITY TRUST, AND HAS A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
THE ACTIONS IN DISREGARD AND COMMUNITY COST OUR CHILDREN MUCH NEEDED RESOURCES IN A FAILED BOND.
WE ARE PARENTS, AND WE ARE ASKING YOU TO LISTEN TO THOSE WHO ARE HERE TO TAKE IN THE TIME TO SHOW UP AND SPEAK AND TO DO BETTER FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR [INAUDIBLE]
>> HI THERE. I'M A FIRST TIME SPEAKER AND A FORMER EDUCATOR.
MY KIDS HAVE BEEN IN AN IB PROGRAM FROM THE TIME WE STARTED IN HISD.
I'M A SINGLE MOM AND I CAN'T AFFORD PRIVATE SCHOOL.
THEY'RE IN HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEY ARE THRIVING.
THEY WRITE POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS, THEY READ NOVELS, THEY WRITE COMPARATIVE ESSAYS. THEY WORK IN GROUPS.
MY DAUGHTER WAS STUDENT AT THE YEAR OF HER MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SHE'S LEARNED LIFELONG SKILLS BEING IN AN IB PROGRAM.
THERE IS NO ROOM FOR NES IN AN IB SCHOOL. YOU KNOW WHAT? BOARD MEMBERS WE'RE PARENTS.
ALL WE WANT IS FOR YOU TO LISTEN TO US.
MY DAUGHTER LAST WEEK CAME HOME FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
MOM, I'M TERRIFIED. WHAT'S GOING ON? I HAVEN'T SEEN MY GEOMETRY TEACHER FOR FIVE DAYS. RUMOR HAS IT.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN TEACHERS LEAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE STRUGGLING.
MY KIDS ARE A AND B STUDENTS, AND NOW SHE HAS A C IN GEOMETRY.
WHERE IS HER TEACHER? WHY ARE WE BREAKING UP THIS LEADERSHIP? STOP THE MADNESS.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 11, PLEASE.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LAWRENCE DEAN.
I'M AN HISD PARENT TIMES TWO, AND I'M ALSO AN HISD TAXPAYER TIMES TWO BECAUSE BOTH MY HOME AND THE BUSINESS THAT I OWN ARE WITHIN HISDS BOUNDARIES.
THAT MEANS I THINK I'M FUNDING A LOT OF ADULT SPIN BIKES AND STRANGE LITTLE TRIANGLE SHAPED DESKS THAT BOOKS SHOULD BE.
MIKE MILES, YOUR MEDIA COMMENTS AFTER THIS ELECTION,
[00:55:02]
JUST PHOTO SHOW THAT YOU ARE SO ENSCONCED IN YOUR OWN ECHO CHAMBER, THAT YOU ARE IMPERVIOUS TO LEARNING AND IMPERVIOUS TO COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.BUT I APPLAUD THE SELF REFLECTION OF THE BOARD OF MANAGERS IN RECENT DAYS.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF AUTHENTIC TRUE ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE BOM, NOT JUST DE-SCRIPTED MEETING TELLING US WHAT WE SHOULD THINK AND WHAT WE SHOULD FEEL ABOUT THINGS.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. SPEAKER NUMBER 12, PLEASE.
I HAVE BEEN AT AN UTTER LOSS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS BOARD CAN WATCH DAY IN AND DAY OUT AS MILES AND HIS ADMINISTRATION DECIMATE OUR SCHOOLS.
IT FINALLY OCCURRED TO ME THAT YOU MUST JUST HAVE BAD INFORMATION, THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE ACCOUNTABILITY SCORES THAT HAVE BEEN METICULOUSLY ENGINEERED BY THIS ADMINISTRATION AND TAKING THEM AT FACE VALUE.
THAT MAYBE IT HASN'T OCCURRED TO ANY OF YOU, THAT ANY AS PEDAGOGIES BASED ON STRICT STATE MANDATED CURRICULUM MIGHT SHOW AN ARTIFICIALLY GREAT RETURN ON STATE MANDATED TESTS.
PERHAPS YOU'RE UNAWARE THAT AT MANY OF THE DISTRICT'S BEST SCHOOLS, WHICH HAVE SEEN A PRECIPITOUS DROP IN THEIR ACCOUNTABILITY SCORES, THAT STUDENTS SCORED 20-30 PERCENTILE POINTS HIGHER IN EVERY CATEGORY ON MAP TESTS THAN THEY DID ON SR EXAMS. MAP IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AND RESPECTED METRIC, WHICH AUTOMATICALLY ADJUST A STUDENT SKILL LEVEL.
THAT IS A SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER INDICATOR OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
THE ACCOUNTABILITY SCORES HAVE BEEN COOKED TO MAKE NES LOOK LIKE A CURE ALL FOR STRUGGLING SCHOOLS.
BUT FROM EVEN A LITTLE DISTANCE, IT'S CLEAR THAT THEY'RE NOT REMOTELY REFLECTIVE OF ACTUAL STUDENT CAPACITY OR GROWTH AND ARE DECEPTIVELY BIASED TOWARDS MILES NES AGENDA. GET BETTER INFORMATION.
>> [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, SPEAKER NUMBER 13.
>> JESSE DUGAN. LOOK, WE TRIED TO WARN YOU THAT THE COMMUNITY WOULD NOT PASS YOUR 4.4 BILLION DOLLAR BOND.
NOBODY TRUSTS YOU BECAUSE OF THE ONGOING FAILURES OF THE HISD STATE TAKEOVER.
YET YOU LIED TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HERE, DISMISSING US AS A COUPLE OF NAYSAYERS AND WASTED MILLIONS OF THEIR DOLLARS TRYING TO RAM THIS BOND.
I BET WE CAN ADD THEM TO THE LONG LIST OF PEOPLE PISSED OFF AT YOU.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM YOUR HISTORIC DEFEAT DELIVERED TO YOU BY NONE OTHER THAN THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON.
WHEN YOU CAN'T MAKE UP THE NUMBERS, YOU FAIL.
WHEN YOU DEMONIZE PARENTS, TEACHERS, ACTIVISTS, UNIONS, AND BIPARTISAN EFFORTS, YOU FAIL.
ANOTHER THING. I KNOW MONEY IS CONSIDERED SPEECH IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT DO YOU REALLY THINK A COUPLE OF TEXAS BILLIONAIRES SHOUT LOUDER THAN A BUNCH OF PISSED OFF BOMBS? YOU FAIL.
FIRE THIS FAILURE AND FREE OUR KIDS FROM THE STATE TAKEOVER.
>> WE'RE ASKING FOR A NO ON THE HISD SCHOOL BOND, WHILE THE STATE IS IN CONTROL OF OUR SCHOOLS WITHOUT ANY CITY ELECTED OFFICIALS IN PLACE.
THIS WAS MY SPELL AS I WORKED EARLY VOTING AND ELECTION DAY FOR 12 DIFFERENT TIMES, WHICH WAS ABOUT 50 TOTAL HOURS. IT WORKED.
IF IT DIDN'T, ALL I HAD TO SAY WAS HALF OF OUR DISTRICT SCHOOLS HAVE LOST THEIR LIBRARIES.
WHEN THE BOARD VOTED TO PASS THE BOND, THERE WERE MANY OF US HERE SAYING THAT THE DISTRICT WASN'T READY FOR THIS AND THAT YOU NEEDED TO PUT COMMUNITY INPUT FIRST.
YET ON NOVEMBER 6, AFTER THE BOND FAILED, PARENTS IN THE DISTRICT RECEIVED AN EMAIL STATING THAT THE BOARD WOULD CONTINUE ITS WORK TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE CURRENT COMMUNITY.
TODAY, THERE ARE 138 COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
SAVE YOURSELF AND DISTANCE YOURSELF FROM MILES BECAUSE HIS LEADERSHIP IS PULLING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT APART.
>> MY NAME IS VICTORIA FREDETT.
I'VE BEEN CONTINUED TO HEAR THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD WANT TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH THIS COMMUNITY.
I'M HERE AS A PARENT, A TAXPAYER, AND A CONCERNED CITIZEN, AND I WANT NOTHING MORE FOR YOU TO ENGAGE AND LISTEN TO US.
MS. BANDY, YOU ARE RECENTLY QUOTED IN THE HOUSTON ADDING ARTICLE, SPEAKING TO THE NEED FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
I CAN ATTEST THAT THERE ARE PARENTS AT MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL THAT HAVE EMAILED YOU MULTIPLE TIMES AND YOU HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO DATE. I'M HOPEFUL.
I AM BEGGING YOU FOR THOSE THAT HAVE EXPRESSED THIS ARE GENUINE, AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE AS PARENTS HAVE NOTHING BUT OUR CHILDREN'S BEST INTERESTS IN MIND, AS YOU STATE AS WELL.
OUR CHILDREN, INCLUDING LAND AND PEYTON, OUR COMMUNITY.
SPEAKER NUMBER 18. IS THIS SPEAKER NUMBER 17? YES, MA'AM.
[01:00:08]
>> IF YOU WERE SPEAKERS 20-30, YOU COULD COME UP TO THE FRONT ROW. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> I'M CHRISTINE. THIS IS MY YOUNGEST DOUGIE.
HE MISSES GOING TO THE LIBRARY.
MY DAUGHTER ONLY GETS TO GO DURING PUSHOUT, BUT NOW IT'S A TEAM CENTER, NOT A LIBRARY, BUT WE WILL SURVIVE NES.
I KNOW MY KIDS WILL COME OUT OKAY.
IT'S THE KIDS WHOSE ADVOCATES CAN'T BE HERE EVERY MONTH THAT WE SHOW UP FOR TWO.
YOU SAY OUR KIDS CAN'T WAIT, BUT THERE'S A GOOD REASON HOUSTON PARENTS SAID NO TO YOUR BOND.
YOU SENT OUR SCHOOL PALETTE SPIN BIKES WHEN OUR KIDS CAN'T WAIT FOR A LANGUAGE SUPPORT.
YOU WASTED MONEY ON SMARTBOARDS TO SET IN FRONT OF OUR ALREADY NEW SMARTBOARDS.
WHEN OUR KIDS CAN'T WAIT FOR A DEDICATED WRAP AROUND SPECIALIST TO COME BACK.
PLEASE STOP SENDING US STUFF WE DON'T WANT OR NEED AND LISTEN TO US WHEN WE TELL YOU WHAT OUR KIDS NEED.
NOT A SINGLE ONE OF YOU HAS EVER STEPPED FOOT ON OUR CAMPUS.
HOW ELSE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO ENGAGE WITH YOU WHEN YOU DON'T RESPOND TO EMAILS? [APPLAUSE]
>> SPEAKING NUMBER 18, PLEASE.
>> CAN YOU START YOUR NAME BEFORE YOU [INAUDIBLE]
>> YES. MY NAME IS TOM HURLEY, AND TODAY, I'D LIKE TO OFFER SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
SINCE WE'LL SOON HAVE A DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY, IT SEEMS FITTING HISD SHOULD ALSO WORK ON EFFICIENCY.
EVERY MINUTE A STUDENT LEARNING MATTERS.
UNFORTUNATELY, SINCE I STILL HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT HOW TO BECOME A PAID ADVOCATE, I'LL BE OFFERING MY CONSULTING SERVICES PRO BONO TODAY.
UP TO THIS POINT IN THE YEAR, SCHOOLS HAVE ALREADY GONE THROUGH OVER TWO MILLION SHEETS OF PAPER COPIES.
THAT'S EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT 250 TREES PER SCHOOL.
ADDING IN THE COST OF BRAND NEW TONER CARTRIDGES SINCE THEY ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED TO REFILL THEM.
AT THIS RATE, YOU WILL BE SPENDING ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY IN ONE SCHOOL YEAR AS BUYING EVERY STUDENT TAKING DOLS A CHROME BOOK.
NOT ONLY WOULD THAT LAST FOR MULTIPLE YEARS, BUT BY TAKING DOLS ON THE CHROME BOOKS, THE CHILDREN WOULD ALSO BE LEARNING HOW TO TYPE BETTER.
TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE, DOLS TYPING AND ALL THE TEACHING TIME BACK FROM NOT HAVING TO MAKE SO MANY COPIES.
SECONDLY, LET'S GET THE KIDS BACK INTO THE CLASSROOMS FASTER.
HOW ABOUT INSTEAD OF LUGGING TRAFFIC CONES TO THE BATHROOM TO INDICATE THAT IT'S IN USE, WHY DON'T USE A SIMPLE PUSH BUTTON, [INAUDIBLE] LIKE MORE SENSE.
>> THANK YOU. NUMBER 19, PLEASE.
>> MY NAME IS KATIE PEARSON, AND AS A FIRST TIME SPEAKER, YOU CAN CONSIDER ME A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF THE COMMUNITY.
I HOPE THAT MEANS YOU'RE WILLING TO LISTEN TO MY FEEDBACK.
I'M A PARENT TO THREE KIDS IN HISD, AND LAST NIGHT I SPOKE TO DR. LOUIS MARTINEZ AT THE HARVARD MEETING.
DR. MARTINEZ SAID THAT SHE HAD NOT BEEN AWARE OF FORMER PRINCIPAL PABONITOS EMAILS WITH MR. MILES. SHE TOLD ME THAT IF SHE HAD BEEN AWARE OF THOSE EMAILS, SHE WOULD HAVE NEVER SELECTED HER FOR THE HARVARD PRINCIPAL ROLE.
THAT THE EMAILS BASICALLY DISQUALIFIED HER FOR THE JOB.
MR. MILES, WE KNOW YOU SAW THE EMAILS BECAUSE YOU RESPONDED TO THEM.
YOU SAW THOSE EMAILS AND YOU WEREN'T SHOCKED, YOU WEREN'T PUT OFF. YOU WERE INTO IT.
YOU THOUGHT FLATTERY LOOKED LIKE GOOD LEADERSHIP.
YOU WERE ATTRACTED TO SOMEONE WHO SAID SHE WOULD DO WHAT YOU WANTED, AND I QUOTE HER EMAIL TO GET THOSE NON NES GOING NES ON POINT.
THIS IS THE PERSON YOU PUT UP FOR THE JOB AT HARVARD.
TONIGHT, I WANT TO INVITE YOU TO BE INTROSPECTIVE ABOUT WHAT A TRUE LEADER LOOKS LIKE.
TRUE LEADERS SHOW RESPECT, TRUE LEADERS HAVE INTEGRITY, AND TRUE LEADERS ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR MISTAKES [INAUDIBLE]
>> THANK YOU, SPEAKER NUMBER 20.
>> MY NAME IS CHRISTINE GONZALEZ.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF A TEACHER, BECAUSE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, THEY CANNOT EXPRESS THEIR FEEDBACK WITHOUT FEAR OF REPERCUSSION.
I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE RECENT CHANGES IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP.
WE ALL KNOW THAT TEACHING IS ABOUT MORE THAN JUST WHERE WE SHOW UP EVERY DAY.
IT'S ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS, TRUST, AND THE COMMUNITIES WE BUILD AROUND OUR STUDENTS.
THESE CONNECTIONS TAKE TIME AND CONSISTENCY, TWO THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SUDDENLY DISRUPTED WITH THESE LEADERSHIP SHIFTS.
WHEN PRINCIPALS AND ADMINISTRATORS ARE MOVED ABRUPTLY, WE LOSE THE CONTINUITY THAT OUR STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND STAFF RELY ON TO THRIVE.
BUILDING TRUST WITH STUDENTS AND FAMILIES ISN'T JUST A NICE BONUS.
IT'S A CORE PART OF HOW WE HELP THEM SUCCEED, HOW OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES ARE STRONGER WHEN RELATIONSHIPS ARE ALLOWED TO GROW OVER TIME, NOT CONSTANTLY UPROOTED.
PLEASE AS WE MOVE FORWARD, CONSIDER THE REAL IMPACT,
[01:05:01]
THE CHANGES HAVE HAD ON EVERYONE IN OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES.LET'S PRIORITIZE STABILITY SO OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE FOUNDATION THEY NEED TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 21, PLEASE.
>> SMRITI THOMAS, AND I'M ADDRESSING AGENDA ITEM 1.
AS A PARENT, I UNDERSTAND THAT IMPROVEMENT IN TEST SCORES IS AN ESSENTIAL STEP TO REINSTATING AN ELECTED BOARD, BUT I SERIOUSLY QUESTION YOUR METHODS.
THE AUTONOMY OF CATEGORY 4 SCHOOLS IS BEING VIOLATED.
THE NES CURRICULUM IS BEING FORCED ON OUR STUDENTS AND IT IS RIDDLED WITH MISTAKES.
PARENTS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE POWERPOINTS OR A TEXTBOOK.
HOW ARE WE TO BE PARTNERS IN OUR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION WITHOUT ACCESS TO THESE MATERIALS? FURTHER, PARENTS ARE NO LONGER PERMITTED IN THE CLASSROOM.
WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO HIDE? YOU CLAIM YOU'RE TEACHING CRITICAL THINKING, YET ALL I SEE IS MEANINGLESS STATE TEST PREP AND GRADES ARE PLUMMETING.
THESE CHANGES ARE AFFECTING TEACHERS AS WELL, WITH MANY FLEEING THE SYSTEM.
THE SHUFFLING OF SCHOOL LEADERSHIP HIGHLIGHTS THAT HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOLS ARE BEING TARGETED.
INSTEAD OF TRAINING NEW LEADERS WITH WHAT WORKED AT THESE SCHOOLS, YOU'RE INSTEAD DISMANTLING THE PROVEN LEADERSHIP AT THOSE INSTITUTIONS.
WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE IN PULLING DOWN THE PERFORMANCE [INAUDIBLE]? [NOISE]
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NUMBER 22, PLEASE.
>> QUYEN T. BUI, HARVARD PARENT, FIRST-TIME SPEAKER. GOOD EVENING.
I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF A DEDICATED TEACHER WHO CANNOT SHARE HER CONCERNS PUBLICLY DUE TO FEAR OF RETALIATION FROM DISTRICT LEADERSHIPS, WHO ARE NOW ON OUR CAMPUS NEARLY DAILY CREATING A STRESSFUL ATMOSPHERE OF MICROMANAGEMENT.
SHE IS DEEPLY TROUBLED BY THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN HISD AND ITS STAFF.
RECENTLY, TEACHERS WERE BLINDSIDED BY THE REPLACEMENT OF THEIR LEADERS, NOT FROM DISTRICT LEADERSHIP, BUT FROM FAMILIES, NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE.
THIS IS NOT ONLY INSULTING, IS DISRUPTING.
HOW ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO DO THEIR JOB WHEN IMPORTANT CHANGES TO THEIR WORK ENVIRONMENTS ARE KEPT IN THE DARK FROM THEM? PLEASE DO BETTER.
PLEASE KEEP THEM IN THE LOOP. THEY'RE THERE.
THEY DESERVE A STABLE AND SUPPORTIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT.
>> THANK YOU. NUMBER 23, PLEASE.
>> BOARD MEMBERS, GOOD EVENING.
I'M A PARENT OF THIRD GRADERS AT HARVARD ELEMENTARY.
I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE RESPECT THE IB FRAMEWORK AT THE SCHOOL.
THIS HAS ALLOWED FOR YOUR STUDENTS THERE TO STRIVE.
I UNDERSTAND RECENTLY YOU CLAIMED THAT THE TEST SORES HAVE DECLINED THERE, BUT THIS WAS DONE IN A NON-TRANSPARENT WAY.
PLEASE, RELEASE THE RAW DATA, SO THAT THIS CAN BE REVIEWED, ANALYZED, AND ROOT CAUSES TO BE PROPERLY IDENTIFIED.
WHATEVER CHANGES ARE NECESSARY, THIS WILL AT LEAST THAT THE RESPONSES WILL BE APPROPRIATE AND WELL CALIBRATED.
MY VIEW IS THAT IMPLEMENTING SWEEPING CHANGES WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING AND IDENTIFYING ROOT CAUSES IS NOT WISE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. NUMBER 24, PLEASE.
>> FIRST-TIME SPEAKER, DR. RYAN SOUTHEND, SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY DAUGHTER AND THE LACK OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT THAT HAS OCCURRED.
CHANGE MANAGEMENT STARTS WITH PREPARING THE ORGANIZATION, CRAFTING THE PLAN, MAKING THE CHANGE, EMBEDDING THE CULTURE, AND THEN EXITING.
THERE HAS BEEN NO PREPARATION OF PLAN.
THERE HAS BEEN NO JOURNEY MANAGEMENT.
IT HAS STARTED WITH DUBIOUS TACTICS, DUBIOUS METRICS.
THERE HAS BEEN NO CRAFT, NO VISION, NO KPIS, NO GOALS, NO EXIT STRATEGY.
THAT'S STEP 3, YOU FORGOT 1 AND 2.
[LAUGHTER] AND YOU HAVE EMBEDDED A CULTURE, A CULTURE OF INSTABILITY AND ANXIETY, WHERE MY DAUGHTER DOESN'T DRINK WATER DURING THE DAY BECAUSE SHE CAN'T AFFORD THE TIME TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.
>> HI, GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KATHERINE ESTES.
THIS IS MY FOURTH TIME SPEAKING IN FRONT OF YOU, BUT BE ASSURED, I'M HERE AS A CITIZEN, AS A PARENT OF TWO HISD STUDENTS, AND I HAVE A NEW ROLE.
I'M NOW THE ADVOCACY CHAIR FOR HARVARD ELEMENTARY.
[APPLAUSE] WE'RE A PARENT TEAM, STRONG OF 25 AND GROWING.
I HAVE MORE ASKING TO HELP EVERY DAY.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO SHARE TODAY IS IN MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE AND WITH MY CHILDREN, I REPEAT AN ONGOING THEME, CURIOSITY.
I'D LIKE TO OFFER A CURIOSITY EXERCISE FOR THE BOARD.
[01:10:03]
IF A SCHOOL HAS A TREND OF PERFORMANCE AND ONLY ONE MAJOR CHANGE HAS BEEN MADE SINCE THEIR PERFORMANCE TRAJECTORY CHANGE, WOULDN'T THAT BE AN OUTLIER? LET'S TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION.THERE'S A LOT OF TEACHERS THAT ARE WILLING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, BUT THEY'RE NOT GETTING PROPER COACHING. GUESS WHAT? HARVARD ELEMENTARY LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCED SIX EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS OVER 17 MONTHS [NOISE] [INAUDIBLE] EVERY 90 DAYS.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 26, PLEASE.
I'M GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT PERSONNEL.
I'M A FORMER TEACHER AND MY CHILDREN ATTEND MANDARIN IMMERSION MAGNET SCHOOL.
I'M HERE ADDRESSING YOU TODAY ON BEHALF OF OUR BELOVED ART TEACHER, MR. TOMMY SAMSON.
HE TRULY CARES ABOUT HIS STUDENTS.
WHEN THERE ARE SO MANY TASKS PILED ONTO TEACHERS, MR. SAMSON FOUND A WAY TO MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH THOSE STUDENTS.
PLEASE CONSIDER HIS RETURN TO OUR CLASSROOMS. NOW I'M GOING TO READ A LETTER FROM MY SON.
MR. SAMSON WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE TEACHERS FOR MANY REASONS.
HE WAS FUNNY. HE DIDN'T RUSH US.
HE MADE SURE THAT WE KNEW THE MATERIAL AND HE MADE ME ACTUALLY WANT TO LEARN ART.
MR. SAMSON MADE ME BELIEVE THAT MY WORK WAS DECENT, WHEREAS IN PAST YEARS, I THOUGHT MY ART WAS TRASH.
MR. SAMSON'S CLASS WAS A HIGHLIGHT OF MY DAY BEFORE HE WENT ON LEAVE.
HE WAS VERY CHILL AND COOL ABOUT EVERYTHING AND BECAME STERN WHEN NEEDED.
OVERALL, HE'S AN AMAZING TEACHER WHO RESPECTED US AND GAVE US COOL PROJECTS.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] NUMBER 27, PLEASE.
IF WE COULD HAVE THE SPEAKERS 30 THROUGH 40 BEGIN TO FUN UP TO THE FIRST ROW.
>> HI. MY NAME IS JONI FINCHAM.
MIKE MILES, YOU BELIEVE THAT I'M PUTTING POLITICS BEFORE THE NEEDS OF MY SON BECAUSE I VOTED NO ON A BOND THAT WAS ALREADY BEING QUESTIONED BY THE APPOINTED OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AFTER ONE VISIT TO FLEMING MIDDLE SCHOOL.
HE FEELS SO RIGHTEOUS ABOUT THIS OPINION THAT HE USED, IN HIS RESPONSE, THE NELSON MANDELA QUOTE, "THERE CAN BE NO KEENER REVELATION OF A SOCIETY'S SOUL THAN THE WAY IN WHICH IT TREATS HIS CHILDREN." BUT HOW ABOUT THE WAY MIKE MILES AND HIS NES SYSTEM TREATS CHILDREN? I THINK WE HEARD A LOT OF THAT WHEN WE LISTENED TO THOSE KIDS EARLIER TODAY.
THEY'RE SCARED TO GO THE BATHROOM, THEY'RE SCARED TO TIE THEIR SHOES, AND THIS DESTABILIZING AND TAKING BELOVED TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS AWAY, IT DOESN'T JUST STOP THERE.
MY SON LOST HIS PRINCIPAL AT CROCKETT.
FIVE WEEKS INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR, HE ASKED ME, "DO I HAVE TO LIKE THE NEW PRINCIPAL?" I SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?" HE SAID, "BECAUSE IF I LIKE HER, MIKE MILES IS GOING TO FIRE HER." THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO THESE KIDS.
HELL HATH NO FURY LIKE A WOMAN SCORNED.
NOW YOU KNOW, SUPERINTENDENT MILES.
[LAUGHTER] SINCE YOU ROLLED INTO TOWN, THESE MOMS, MOSTLY MOMS, HAVE STOOD HERE BEGGING YOU TO BUILD CONSENSUS WITH THE COMMUNITY.
BUT MEETING AFTER MEETING YOU SIT THERE SMUGLY, THEN YOU RUN TO THE MEDIA AND GASLIGHT THEM, BLAMING UNCOOPERATIVE PARENTS AND LAZY TEACHERS FOR THE DISTRICT'S TROUBLES.
THESE MOMS TOLD YOU THAT IF YOU DIDN'T BUILD TRUST, THEY WOULDN'T SUPPORT A BOND.
LAST WEEK, AS A RESULT OF THEIR GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN, YOUR BOND FAILED BY 20 POINTS.
YOU'VE CLAIMED OTHERWISE, BUT THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY A REFERENDUM ON YOU AND YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE.
I HOPE THE MESSAGE WAS LOUD AND CLEAR, BUT BASED ON THAT TEMPER TANTRUM OF AN EMAIL YOU SENT ON ELECTION NIGHT, I SERIOUSLY DOUBT IT.
I GET THE IMPRESSION YOU DON'T REALLY DO FEEDBACK WELL.
IT WAS ALWAYS SOMEBODY ELSE'S FAULT.
AT THE VERY LEAST, I HOPE THE BOARD GETS THE MESSAGE AND STARTS TO REIN YOU IN.
AS A SUPERINTENDENT OF THIS DISTRICT, IT'S YOUR JOB TO SET THE TONE, BUT YOU LEAD WITH FEAR, CONDESCENSION, RETRIBUTION, AND BULLYING.
THIS IS WHAT YOU BROUGHT [INAUDIBLE].
>> TWENTY-NINE, PLEASE. [APPLAUSE]
>> FIRST-TIME SPEAKER, MATT WEEMS, HERE.
I HAVE TWO BOYS IN HISD, AND THEY KNOW YOUR NAME, MR. MILES. I WOULD MUCH RATHER THAT THEY LEARN ABOUT THE NAMES OF THE WONDERFUL ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES WHO CAME HERE TODAY, BUT INSTEAD, THEY KNOW YOUR NAMES, NOT BECAUSE WE'RE PLAYING POLITICS AT HOME, BUT BECAUSE OF THE DISRUPTION THAT YOU HAVE HEARD FROM ALMOST EVERY PERSON WHO HAS TOOK THIS PODIUM TODAY.
THE STUDENTS WHO SPOKE EARLIER LARGELY REPRESENTED ONE SCHOOL.
I CAME TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEM 4 FOR FONDLING IB.
IT IS ILLOGICAL THE RATIONALE THAT Y'ALL POSTED FOR ELIMINATING THAT IB SCHOOL.
OF COURSE, THOSE KIDS THAT Y'ALL SURVEYED DON'T KNOW THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE THAT IB SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORT OF IT YET.
[01:15:01]
INVEST IN THE SCHOOLS.USE SMART ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM.
DON'T JUST CARPET-BOMB THE THING.
IT'S NOT A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL HERE.
NES IS NOT SUPPORTED BY ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM.
THAT IS NOT [NOISE] [INAUDIBLE].
>> DR. DENISE LIVINGS WILBORN.
HISD BOARD RATES ITSELF ONE OUT OF 10 ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
THAT IS THE HEADLINE OF TODAY'S EDUCATION ARTICLE IN HOUSTON LANDING.
A FEW SUGGESTIONS STARTING RIGHT NOW.
DO NOT HIDE BEHIND YOUR COMPUTERS.
YOU CAN MAKE THE CHOICE TO LOOK AT US.
STOP CALLING US NAMES LIKE USUAL SUSPECTS.
THIS IS OUR COMMUNITY, AND I, FOR ONE, WILL KEEP SHOWING UP, STANDING UP, AND SPEAKING UP.
STAY IN YOUR SEATS WHEN PEOPLE ADDRESS YOU.
YOUR ACTIONS INDICATE TO US THAT YOU REALLY DON'T GIVE A DARN, AND DON'T MAKE FACES AND SHAKE YOUR HEAD AT SPEAKERS YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM.
[NOISE] DO NOT TELL THE MEDIA THAT WE SHOULD JUST TRUST YOU.
TRUST AND RESPECT ARE EARNED BY AND THROUGH, ETHICAL, HONEST, CARING ACTIONS FOCUSED SOLELY ON THE NEEDS OF OUR CHILDREN.
[APPLAUSE] [LAUGHTER] HOLD ON A SECOND.
>> TESTING. HELLO. MICHAEL LOCKE.
>> CAN SOMEONE FIX THE MIC, PLEASE?
>> SORRY. HELLO. [BACKGROUND] I REALLY DID. THIS IS [INAUDIBLE].
I REALLY DID KNOW [INAUDIBLE]. [BACKGROUND]
>> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS MICHAEL LOCKE.
I'M A FORMER STUDENT AND A TEACHER IN HISD.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I'M HERE NOT ONLY AS A TEACHER, BUT SOMEBODY WHO'S DEEPLY CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY.
MY MOTHER TAUGHT AT HARVARD FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
I WAS A STUDENT, AND ALSO I'M NOW A TEACHER.
TO ME, THE FAILURE THAT MIKE MILES' BOND IS NOT JUST A POLITICAL DISCONNECT.
IT REALLY IS A CLEAR MESSAGE FROM THE COMMUNITY THAT THE VOICES OF EDUCATORS AND PARENTS AND OF THE FAMILIES JUST SHOULDN'T BE UNHEARD, AND THEY DO FEEL UNHEARD.
PUSHING FORWARD WITHOUT LISTENING TO THESE CONCERNS DOES NOT LEAD US TO PROGRESS.
IT'S GOING TO LEAD US TO FAILURE.
MR. MILES, WE HAVE A CRITICAL OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THIS FAILURE TO NOW CHANGE COURSE.
WE MUST REBUILD TRUST THROUGH TRANSPARENCY, THROUGH COLLABORATION, AND THROUGH OPEN DIALOGUE.
THIS IS THE MOMENT TO LISTEN, TO ENGAGE, AND TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGE OF CREATING A DISTRICT THAT TRULY SERVES ITS STUDENTS AND ITS COMMUNITY.
THE FUTURE DEPENDS ON IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. SPEAKER NUMBER 32, PLEASE.
>> HI. FIRST-TIME SPEAKER, HISD PARENT, ANDRE MUNOZ.
I'M DEEPLY FRUSTRATED WITH THE DIRECTION HISD IN THE RAMIFICATIONS FOR YEARS TO COME.
WHILE THE NUMBER OF CENTRAL ADMINISTRATORS EARNING OVER $200,000 A YEAR HAS TRIPLED IN THE LAST YEAR, SCHOOLS AREN'T BEING PROPERLY SUPPORTED.
MY CHILD'S TEACHER STILL DOESN'T HAVE EUREKA BOOKS TO TEACH A CLASS, AND I'M AT MY CHILD'S SCHOOL REPAIRING BROKEN EXTERIOR SLIDING DOORS AND SPED CLASSROOMS, FIXING BROKEN WATER FOUNTAINS, SPRINKLER SYSTEM SPRAYING FOR BUGS.
IT'S MADDENING TO WATCH THE WASTEFUL USE OF RESOURCES DIRECTED AT REPLACING SUCCESSFUL PRINCIPALS THAT HAD OVERWHELMING COMMUNITY SUPPORT WITH INEXPERIENCED YES MEN AND WOMEN.
INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON SCHOOLS TRULY IN NEED, MR. MILES, YOU SAW CHAOS IN OUR SUCCESSFUL MAGNET DUAL LANGUAGE AND IB PROGRAMS, DISMANTLING WHAT ALREADY WORKS AND WHAT MAKES HISD SPECIAL.
IF THERE'S ANYONE PUTTING POLITICS BEFORE CHILDREN, IT'S YOU, MR. MILES. [APPLAUSE]
>> SPEAKER NUMBER 33, PLEASE. [APPLAUSE]
>> STAND UP [INAUDIBLE] OUR EDUCATORS.
STAND UP. [NOISE] RAISE YOUR FIST IN THE AIR.
>> SIR, THIS IS NOT WHAT WE'RE DOING.
[01:20:06]
>> SIR, THIS IS YOUR FIRST WARNING.
IF WE COULD PLEASE FOLLOW OUR PROCEDURES, WE'RE READY FOR YOU TO SPEAK. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. MY NAME IS [INAUDIBLE].
FRIENDS, HOUSTONIANS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, YOU'VE LENDED ME YOUR YEARS.
WE STAND HERE TODAY WITNESSING ONE OF THE GROSSEST BETRAYALS OF THE VERY FOUNDATION OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.
THE SEIZURE INTENDED AND HISDS BOARD OF MANAGERS APPOINTED, NOT ELECTED, HAVE SEIZED CONTROL OVER EVERY ASPECT OF OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE, FORCING THEM ON A DAILY BASIS INTO THE INDUSTRIAL DUNGEONS OF BLASTED HOPES AND SHATTERED DREAMS GROSSLY NAMED THE NEW EDUCATION SYSTEM, NES.
NO EDUCATOR IS SAFE, NO EMPLOYEE IS SECURE.
HOW DARE YOU SIT HERE AND THINK YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT IT'S LIKE TO EVEN, I CAN'T EVEN TALK.
IS SPEAKER NUMBER 34 HERE? SPEAKER NUMBER 35.
>> SEAN KUIAMA HERE. AS A PARENT OF A THIRD GRADER AT HARVARD ELEMENTARY, I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED WITH THE RECENT CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN AFFECTING OUR SCHOOL.
MULTIPLE LEADERSHIP CHANGES WERE MADE WITHOUT CONSULTATION OR EXPLANATION TO OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH UNDERMINES THE TRANSPARENCY AND FURTHER ERODES THE TRUST BETWEEN HIST AND OUR COMMUNITY HERE AT HARVARD.
WHEN IT'S TIME TO SELECT A NEW PRINCIPAL, I URGE YOU TO ENGAGE IN A MEANINGFUL WAY WITH THE HARVARD COMMUNITY AND GENUINELY LISTEN TO OUR INPUT.
ADDITIONALLY, DESPITE HARVARD'S LEVEL 3 AUTONOMOUS STATUS, THE SCHOOL HAS BEEN REQUIRED TO ADOPT CURRICULUM CHANGES THAT ARE IN DIRECT CONFLICT WITH OUR IB PROGRAM.
EVEN MORE CONCERNING, THE DISTRICT'S TEACHER EVALUATION FORMS EMPHASIZE INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS THAT ARE INCOMPATIBLE WITH IB STANDARDS.
PLACING ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON OUR TEACHERS.
WITH IB RECERTIFICATION BEGINNING NEXT YEAR, THESE IMPOSED CHANGES RISK JEOPARDIZING OUR ACCREDITATION.
ADDITIONALLY, IT'S ALSO NOT BULLYING TO CALL INTO QUESTION THE CREDENTIALS OR LACK THEREOF OF A PRINCIPAL OR PROPOSED PRINCIPAL THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE LEADING OUR CHILDREN'S SCHOOL.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. SPEAKER NUMBER 36.
Y'ALL DIDN'T, BUT I DO HAVE EXAMPLES OF FISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY AND BUDGET CUTS MADE THAT ARE FAR FROM WHAT'S BEST FOR STUDENTS.
FIRST OFF, THE $450,000 CONVOCATION, WAY TOO MANY ADULT SIZE SPIN BIKES FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF SHEETS OF COPY PAPER USED FOR THE NES CURRICULUM THAT FRUSTRATE AND SADDEN OUR STUDENTS REDUCING WRAPAROUND SPECIALISTS THAT USED TO MEET STUDENT NEEDS DAILY, BUT WITH NO WAIT TIME.
THE PURCHASING OF BRAND NEW FURNITURE AT HATTIE MAE SO THAT EVERYTHING MATCHED.
Y'ALL DISMANTLED PREVIOUSLY JOYFUL LIBRARIES AND TRASHED THE BOOKS.
YOU CLAIM THAT HISDS BOND FAILED DUE TO ADULT POLITICS AND THAT WE DON'T CARE ABOUT OUR KIDS, BUT THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF STAKEHOLDERS ISN'T NOISE.
THESE ARE VALUABLE OPPORTUNITIES TO REFINE A SYSTEM THAT SERVE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
THIS ADMINISTRATION'S REFUSAL TO LISTEN AND COMPROMISE DROVE THE BONDS FAILURE. THIS IS ON Y'ALL.
STAKEHOLDERS LIKE MYSELF SIMPLY VOLUNTEERED TIME OUT OF OUR HECTIC SCHEDULES TO INFORM VOTERS WITH FACTS, NOT ALTERNATIVE NARRATIVES.
SIXTY PERCENT OF US AGREE THAT Y'ALL AREN'T RESPONSIBLE ENOUGH FOR BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF OUR TAXES, IT'S THAT SIMPLE.
THE KIDS ARE MISERABLE AND THE PARENTS KNOW BETTER THAN Y'ALL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 37, PLEASE.
>> MY NAME IS DARCI KIRSCHEN LARODA.
I'M A FIRST TIME SPEAKER, AN HISD PARENT AND A FORMER HISD EMPLOYEE.
I'VE BEEN A NURSE FOR OVER A DECADE.
I'VE CLEANED THE WOUNDS OF DESTITUTE PATIENTS AT BEN TAUB HOSPITAL.
I'VE CARED FOR MOTHERS GIVING BIRTH IN NEW YORK CITY IN 2020 THAT WERE COVID POSITIVE.
YET THE ONLY JOB I'VE EVER QUIT IN HASTE WAS AS AN HISD SCHOOL NURSE AFTER THREE MONTHS.
THE MOST CHALLENGING ROLE I HAD WAS COMFORTING STAFF WHOSE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH WERE DETERIORATING BECAUSE OF THE TOXIC WORK ENVIRONMENT.
I WORKED AT A NON-NES SCHOOL YET THE TRADEMARKS OF NES SUCH AS MICROMANAGEMENT AND AUTHORITATIVE DIRECTIVES INFESTED THE OFFICES AND CLASSROOMS. MIKE MILES TREATS HUMANS LIKE CHEAP INTERCHANGEABLE PARTS, AND HE TRAINS HIS SUBORDINATES TO DO THE SAME.
ONE BY ONE, STAFF MEMBERS ENTERED MY CLINIC SHOWING SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND PANIC ATTACKS.
TEACHERS AND STAFF ARE NOT LEAVING BECAUSE THEY'RE LAZY.
THEY'RE LEAVING BECAUSE MILES AGGRESSIVE UNILATERAL APPROACH IS DESTROYING THEIR HEALTH, OUR CHILDREN'S HEALTH, AND PUBLIC EDUCATION.
I CALL ON THE BOARD OF MANAGERS TO REPLACE MILES WITH THE COLLABORATIVE SUPERINTENDENT WHO DEMONSTRATES THE SAME QUALITIES WE EXPECT FROM OUR CHILDREN,
[01:25:02]
RESPECTFULNESS, HUMILITY, AND CURIOSITY. [APPLAUSE]>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 38.
I WAS OPTIMISTIC WHEN I SAW THE ARTICLE THIS MORNING WHERE WE LEARNED YOU RATED YOURSELVES A ONE OUT OF 10 ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
BUT THEN I SAW MS. BANDY'S CLOSING QUOTE, "IF WE HAD THE SAME LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT AROUND FIVE YEARS AGO, WOULD WE EVEN BE UNDER INTERVENTION?" VERY AUDACIOUS TO SUGGEST THAT PARENTS ARE AT FAULT FOR THIS.
IF I WERE TO SEARCH THE LIST OF PUBLIC SPEAKERS AT THE BOARD MEETING FIVE YEARS PRIOR TO INTERVENTION, WOULD I FIND HER NAME ON THE LIST? I CAN'T BECAUSE FIVE YEARS AGO I WAS REGULARLY ABLE TO VOLUNTEER IN MY KIDS CLASSROOM.
FIVE YEARS AGO, MY KIDS HAD CERTIFIED TEACHERS WITH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.
FIVE YEARS AGO, TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS RESPONDED TO MY CONCERNS TRANSPARENCY WITHOUT FEAR OF RETALIATION.
FIVE YEARS AGO, MY SCHOOL HAD AUTONOMY TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT CURRICULUM FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
FIVE YEARS AGO, MY SON'S 504 ACCOMMODATIONS WERE BEING HONORED.
FIVE YEARS AGO, THERE WERE DISTRICT COST CONTROLS AND EXPENDITURES OVER $100,000.
FIVE YEARS AGO, WE HAD LIBRARIES OR WE'RE ON A PATH TO GET THEM.
FIVE YEARS AGO, THEY WERE OUR KIDS AND OUR SCHOOLS, AND THEY STILL ARE.
>> IF I COULD ASK SPEAKERS 40-50 TO COME TO THE FRONT ROWS AS WE TRANSITION.
DID I SAY 40-50, IS THAT RIGHT? YES.
>> I'M NOT SKIPPING YOU. WE'RE NOT SKIPPING. I'M JUST SHIFTING SEATS.
>> GOOD EVENING. CHERYL HENSLEY. NICE TO SEE YOU ALL.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME. MY PASSION IS FOR EVERY CHILD IN HISD.
>> MA'AM, I'M SORRY. CAN I PAUSE YOU ONE SECOND.
I'M SO SORRY. WE'RE GOOD? LET'S BEGIN.
>> MY PASSION IS FOR EVERY CHILD IN HISD TO EXPERIENCE THE JOY OF READING.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE? HAVE YOU READ A STORY THAT YOU COULDN'T PUT DOWN? DO YOU REMEMBER THAT TEACHER OR THAT LIBRARIAN THAT PUT THAT BOOK IN YOUR HANDS OR READ TO YOU? BOARD OF MANAGERS, PLEASE REMEMBER THOSE.
YOUR PERSISTENCE TO REMOVING THE JOY OF READING OUT OF THE CLASSROOMS AND LIBRARIES REFLECT THE GRINCH-LIKE PERSPECTIVE OF THE WORLD OF EDUCATION RIGHT NOW.
INSTEAD OF DECONSTRUCTING OF A SCHOOL WITH FULL AUTONOMY, EMULATE THEM.
EMBRACE THE LIBRARY WITH A CERTIFIED LIBRARIAN TO BRING JOY TO EVERY CHILD.
IT IS YOUR TURN TO BRING JOY AND OPEN UP THOSE LIBRARIES, A LIBRARIAN THAT PUTS THE BOOK IN EVERY CHILD'S HAND, A LIBRARIAN THAT ANSWERS THE BURNING QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE, AND A LIBRARIAN WHO CAN REFLECT ON AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING VALIDITY OUT OF THE BOOKS THAT THEY USE OR THE INTERNET STUFF THAT THEY GET.
I'M SORRY THAT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A LIBRARIAN WASN'T THAT GREAT, BUT MAYBE IT WAS, BUT YOU CAN'T BLAME ME BECAUSE I WASN'T [INAUDIBLE].
PLEASE PUT THE JOY BACK IN LIBRARIES. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. I BELIEVE WE'RE AT 39, RIGHT? ARE YOU 39? THANK YOU.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS HELEN LEE, AND I'M A HISD PARENT WITH TWO CHILDREN AT HARVARD ELEMENTARY.
IT'S BEEN A TUMULTUOUS WEEK FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO SAY THE LEAST WITH THE TERMINATION OF OUR PRINCIPAL AND MULTIPLE LEADERSHIP CHANGES.
I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT THIS DID NOT GO WELL, BUT TODAY, I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT WE'VE LANDED IN A GOOD PLACE.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE THAT INTERIM PRINCIPAL SPENCER AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL LASHWAY ARE GOOD FIT FOR OUR SCHOOL, AND WE APPRECIATE THAT IN THIS INSTANCE, HISD IS LISTENING TO OUR COMMUNITY AND ACTING ON WHAT YOU HEAR.
WE INTEND TO WORK WITH HISD TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS CONTINUES THROUGH THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR A NEW PRINCIPAL.
FINALLY, I HOPE THAT THE TURMOIL FROM ALL THE LEADERSHIP CHANGES ACROSS MULTIPLE SCHOOLS THIS WEEK PLUS THE FAILURE OF THE BOND TO PASS, SPURS THE BOARD OF MANAGERS TO REFLECT ON WHAT WENT WRONG, AND WHAT CHANGES YOU CAN MAKE FOR THE BETTER.
WE ARE SPEAKING HERE BECAUSE WE WANT WHAT IS BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN.
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. SPEAKER NUMBER 40, PLEASE.
SPEAKER NUMBER 40? SPEAKER 41. THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS COLETTE ROBICHAW AND I SPOKE LAST TIME.
I WAS, AND STILL AM OPPOSED TO THE BOND BECAUSE THERE IS NO TRUST WITH MIKE MILES AND VERY LITTLE TRUST WITH THIS BOARD.
I AM STRONGLY OPPOSED TO ANY PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF HISD PROPERTIES BEING DEPOSITED IN THE GENERAL FUNDS.
I DON'T TRUST YOUR USE OR TRANSPARENCY OF THE GENERAL FUNDS.
[01:30:04]
ALL PROCEEDS FROM THESE SALES MUST CONTINUE TO BE ALLOCATED TO THE CAPITAL RENOVATION FUND WITH FULL AND TRANSPARENT ACCOUNTING.SINCE WE HAD TO LISTEN TO THE INTERNAL AUDITOR, I CHALLENGE THIS BOARD TO ASK THE INTERNAL AUDITORS WHY HAVE THEY NOT SEEN WHAT IS GOING ON INSIDE HISD, AND THE RISK LEVEL SHOULD MANDATE INTERNAL AUDIT OF THE TURNOVER.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM, SPEAKER NUMBER 42, PLEASE.
>> MIC ON? TRAVIS MCGEE, SOUTH PARK, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENT, SUNNYSIDE C=CIVIC LEADER.
I PROBABLY HELPED ORGANIZE AND OPPOSED THIS BOND, AND WE WILL OPPOSE IT AGAIN AS LONG AS WE HAVE DICTATORSHIP VERSUS LEADERSHIP.
IT'S NEVER BEEN THE SAME THING.
I OPPOSE THE SELLING OF THE PROPERTIES BECAUSE WE PAY FOR THOSE PROPERTIES.
OUR TAX BILL SAYS, HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, NOT HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND FRIENDS.
I ALSO OPPOSE THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR REAL ESTATE BROKERS THAT SITS ON THIS BOARD.
THAT IS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
Y'ALL JUST CAN'T PISS ON OUR LEG AND TELL US IT'S RAIN.
THE BONDS WILL CONTINUE TO FAIL AS LONG AS WE HAVE DICTATORSHIP VERSUS LEADERSHIP.
MOST OF THOSE SCHOOLS IN MY AREA LIKE [INAUDIBLE] AND ROSS WERE EITHER EXEMPLARY OR RECOGNIZED SCHOOL, AND Y'ALL TRIED TO CHARTER SCHOOL PROCESSING, AND THOSE FELL HORRIBLY ALSO.
ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT UNTIL Y'ALL LISTEN TO US AND VALUE OUR OPINIONS, AND I WILL SAY SO IN OUR TAX DOLLARS, [INAUDIBLE] EVERY CHANCE WE GIVE.
Y'ALL NEED TO JUST STOP SITTING HERE AND Y'ALL QUIET LIKE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. I APPRECIATE IT.
>> SARAH TERRELL. ITEM 15 MAYBE SHOULD BE RENAMED THE CONSOLATION PRICE/FUND FOR MILES.
WHEN YOU REISSUE LOW INTEREST BONDS DUE TO MATURE IN ONLY SIX MONTHS INTO A HIGHER RATE ENVIRONMENT, THAT IS NOT DEFEASANCE.
IN THIS CASE, THE AMOUNT DURATION AND Y'ALL WILL BE "AT THE DISCRETION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT AND CFO".
WE JUST VOTED CONCLUSIVELY NO NEW DEBT.
THE Q&A MENTIONS IN ITEM 16 A NEW MONEY ORDER FOR NEW DEBT TO BE MANAGED BY A "PRICING OFFICER".
HOW CAN YOU CONSENT, APPROVE THAT WITHOUT ANY DETAILS? YOU'RE GIVING MILES A BLANK CHECK, A TOTAL BREACH OF YOUR FIDUCIARY DUTY.
SAVE OUR BORROWING CAPACITY FOR A BETTER BOND.
YOUR $4 BILLION DEBT BURDEN WOULD HAVE BANKRUPTED HISD.
VOUCHERS ARE COMING AND ENROLLMENT WILL KEEP GOING DOWN.
WE SHOULD NOT ROLL OVER DEBT IF WE HAVE THE RESTRICTED FUNDS NOW TO RETIRE THOSE DEBTS AND TO STRENGTHEN OUR FINANCIAL POSITION FOR THE FUTURE, IT'S GOING TO BE ROCKY.
OUR KIDS, OUR SCHOOLS. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. NUMBER 44.
>> HI, MY NAME IS LUIGI CANDIDA.
I'M THE GRANDPARENT OF A SECOND GRADER, AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING BECAUSE STABILITY IN SCHOOLS AND HAVING A STRONG COMMUNITY WITH LONG TIME TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF CONTRIBUTES TO THE SUCCESS OF THE CHILDREN.
BUT AFTER HAVING ATTENDED THESE MEETINGS A FEW TIMES, IT IS CLEAR TO ME THAT WHAT THIS PANEL IS DOING HERE IS PURELY PERFORMATIVE.
SO WE HAVE MR. MILES AND THE BOARD HERE, PRETENDING TO LISTEN, PRETENDING TO CONSIDER THE CONCERNS OF PARENTS, TEACHERS, SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, LIBRARIANS, AND ADMINISTRATORS.
BUT MR. MILES AND ACCOMPLICES ARE HERE HAS SIMPLY TO ENFORCE AN IDEOLOGICALLY-DRIVEN DESTRUCTIVE AGENDA TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE ENTIRE HISD COMMUNITY.
LIKE FOR THE BOND, EVERY SINGLE MAJOR DECISION BY THIS PANEL SHOULD BE SUBJECTED TO SCRUTINY AND VOTED BY US, THE CITIZENS.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. NUMBER 45, PLEASE.
[01:35:08]
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS JENNY CLAYTON.
I HAVE BEEN AN HISD PARENT FOR NINE YEARS, BOTH AT HARVARD ELEMENTARY AND HOGG MIDDLE SCHOOLS, BOTH IB SCHOOLS.
IB IS IMPORTANT TO OUR FAMILY.
OUR THREE CHILDREN ARE DUAL CITIZENS, AND WE TRAVEL INTERNATIONALLY FREQUENTLY.
A ONE-SIDED APPROACH TO TEACHING AND LEARNING DOES NOT WORK.
ALL STUDENTS ARE DIFFERENT AND ALL TEACHERS ARE DIFFERENT.
MY CHILDREN ARE TOP PERFORMING STUDENTS, BUT THEY ARE SO STRESSED.
THEY DON'T NEED DOLS AND TIMERS.
THEY NEED YOU TO STOP DISRUPTING AND OVERFILLING THEIR CLASSROOMS. THEY NEED YOU TO SUPPORT THEIR TEACHERS AND STAFF.
THEY NEED BOOKS AND LIBRARIES.
IF YOU ACTUALLY CARED ABOUT THEM, YOU WOULD LISTEN TO US AS A COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE KNOW OUR CHILDREN AND WE KNOW OUR SCHOOLS, AND THEY ALL DESERVE BETTER.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. NUMBER 46, PLEASE.
>> [BACKGROUND] I'M SORRY. CAN YOU DO THE HANDLES? [NOISE]
>> AT MY LAST ART MEETING ON TUESDAY, I HEARD MY TEACHER ASK, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GIVE HER SMALL GROUP IF I HAVE TO START MY LSAE IN 10 MINUTES? I FEEL BAD FOR MAKING HER STRESS ABOUT HER SCHEDULE.
I KNOW SHE DOES THE BEST THAT SHE CAN.
I'M SORRY IF I AM A PROBLEM BECAUSE I NEED EXTRA HELP, BUT I THINK MY MOM IS RIGHT WHEN SHE SAYS I HAVE THE RIGHT TO GET THE EXTRA HELP.
SHE SAYS YOU'RE BREAKING MY RIGHTS.
SHE SAYS YOU'RE BREAKING MY RIGHTS AS A KID WITH LEARNING PROBLEMS. EVEN IF YOU THINK PUSHING US HARD IS THE BEST WAY FOR US TO GROW, I WANT TO GROW UP HEALTHY, STRONG, AND CONFIDENT TOO.
BUT I NEED REAL SUPPORT, NOT JUST MORE PRESSURE.
PLEASE REMEMBER ME WHEN YOU MAKE DECISIONS. THANK YOU.
[APPLAUSE] [FOREIGN] MY HUSBAND HAS TOLD ME TO COME UP HERE AND GIVE MY SPEECH WITHOUT CRYING OR GETTING UPSET, BUT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT WHEN I COME HERE AND I'M FIGHTING FOR MY CHILD'S EDUCATION.
THE MOMENT I PARKED MY CAR, I START TO SHAKE.
THERE'S BEEN TIMES I PARKED MY CAR AND I LEAVE, BECAUSE I'M FIGHTING FOR MY KID.
I GO TO THESE ART MEETINGS AND THEY'RE TELLING ME THEY'RE ADMITTING THAT THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO GIVE MY KID THE EXTRA TIME.
THEY'RE NOW SENDING HER OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM TO GET THAT TIME WITH A LEARNING COACH, SOMEONE WHO'S NOT CERTIFIED. I COME HERE.
I'VE BEEN COMING HERE FOR A YEAR-AND-A-HALF, AND I'M BEGGING YOU GUYS TO HELP ME GET MY CHILD OUT OF NES.
I'VE GONE THROUGH YOUR SCHOOL OF CHOICE.
I'VE ASKED THEM, THEY TOLD ME WHAT TO DO, AND I'VE DONE IT, AND THERE'S NO ROOM FOR MY KID.
PLEASE, HELP ME MOVE HER OUT OF YOUR PROGRAM INTO A REGULAR CURRICULUM, JUST LIKE HER SISTER.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. [APPLAUSE] SPEAKER NUMBER 47, PLEASE.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS GLORIA HANFORD, AND I'M A MOTHER AND A FIRST-TIME SPEAKER.
YOU CONTINUE TO PRESENT DATA THAT IS HARD TO TRUST.
MEANWHILE, OUR CHILDREN ARE NOT LEARNING AT SCHOOL AND THEY'RE EXPECTED TO SIT IN FRONT OF A SCREEN WITH A TIMER ALL DAY.
THEIR GRADES HAVE DECLINED ALONG WITH THEIR CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM.
ALL OF THIS IS HAPPENING AT OUR NON-NES, SUS, IB SCHOOL AND CAMPUSES.
WHERE IS THE AUTONOMY THAT YOU PROMISED US? IT IS NOT THERE. TEACHERS ARE STRESSED AND UNHAPPY, UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE, AND SO ARE OUR CHILDREN.
THERE IS NOT ENOUGH TIME TO ENSURE CHILDREN ARE UNDERSTANDING THE MATERIAL, TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE IB PROGRAM, OR TO PROVIDE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR CHILDREN UNDER 504 OR IEP PLAN.
RESEARCH INDICATES THAT CONSTANTLY RUSHING CHILDREN CAN SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASED ANXIETY.
PLEASE, I ASK YOU, WHAT PART OF THE NES CURRICULUM ALIGNS WITH YEARS OF RESEARCH REGARDING LITERACY, EDUCATION, CHILD DEVELOPMENT, AND MENTAL HEALTH? ABSOLUTELY NONE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. SPEAKER NUMBER 48, PLEASE.
[01:40:02]
[APPLAUSE]>> YOU GOT THE RIGHT ONE, ISN'T THAT TURNED ON?
>> I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT IS.
I WAS AN HISD TEACHER AND I LEFT HISD BECAUSE OF MILES'S SHOCKING INCOMPETENCE WHEN IT COMES TO TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE.
I HAVE MY CELTA CERTIFICATION, THE CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL GOLD STANDARD FOR TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE.
IF I HAD STAYED IN HISD THIS YEAR, I WOULD HAVE BEEN TEACHING BEGINNER EMERGENT BILINGUAL STUDENTS USING THE SAME CURRICULUM THAT IS USED IN REGULAR ENGLISH CLASSES.
CAN YOU IMAGINE SHOWING UP TO YOUR GERMAN 101 CLASS, AND INSTEAD OF STARTING OFF THE YEAR WITH BASIC VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR, YOU HAD TO READ GERMAN STAAR TEST PREP PASSAGES ON DAY 1? THE RESULT, YOU WOULD BE MISERABLE AND YOU WOULDN'T LEARN GERMAN.
I AM USED TO WATCHING MY STUDENTS SUCCEED IN LEARNING ENGLISH.
I DO NOT WANT A JOB WHERE I WILL BE FORCED TO WATCH THEM LEARN NOTHING AND FAIL.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. [APPLAUSE] WE'RE ON SPEAKER NUMBER 49 NOW.
CAN I ASK US TO TRANSITION 50-60? CAN WE REFILL IN THE FIRST ROW? SPEAKER NUMBER 49, MS. YARBOROUGH.
>> HELLO. HI. MELISSA YARBOROUGH.
Y'ALL REALIZE THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES.
EVEN THE PEOPLE WHO FALL OVER THEMSELVES TO COMPLIMENT MILES LIKE THE ONES WE SAW IN THOSE EMAILS THAT WERE RELEASED, THEY JUST DO THAT TO MOVE UP, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT FLATTERY WORKS SO EASILY WITH HIM.
HE HAS SUCH A HIGH EGO AND LOW SUBSTANCE.
REMIND ME AGAIN HOW SOMEONE WITH ABSOLUTELY NO EDUCATION DEGREE GETS TO BE SUPERINTENDENT.
AFTER SHOPPING HIS PRODUCT AT EVERY CONFERENCE AND DISTRICT IN COLORADO AND FAILING TO GET TAKERS, THE ONLY WAY HE COULD GET THIS JOB IS BY POLITICAL APPOINTMENT.
EVERYONE WITH AN EDUCATION DEGREE KNOWS HOW BACKWARDS HIS SYSTEM IS.
SOME OF US SAY IT OUT LOUD, SOME SHOWED IT BY LEAVING, AND OTHERS JUST LIE TO HIM TO GET WHAT THEY WANT, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY CAN, OR TO AVOID HIS WHINY TIMBER TANTRUMS. MILES, WHERE DID THIS SYSTEM EVEN COME FROM? YOU KNOW THE BROAD CENTER IS NOT A REAL EDUCATION PROGRAM.
THAT'S NOT A REAL EDUCATION DEGREE.
BUT YOU SURE MAKE SOME GOOD MONEY OFF OF IT.
THAT IS YOUR TIME. I APPRECIATE IT.
>> THE FUTURES OF OUR FAMILIES.
WE SEE YOU FOR WHAT YOU REALLY ARE.
WE WILL NOT PRESS UNTIL YOU LEAVE.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS KIM HOYLE.
I AM HERE DUE TO THE RECENT REMOVALS AND REASSIGNMENTS OF KEY LEADERS AT HARVARD AND PERSHING AND OTHER SCHOOLS.
I HAVE TWO HISD STUDENTS, NOT AT THOSE SCHOOLS, BUT I AM HERE IN SOLIDARITY WITH THOSE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THIS ADMINISTRATION.
THE REMOVAL OF PRINCIPALS, APS, AND KEY STAFF DISRUPTS STUDENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, AND AN ATTEMPT TO FRACTURE THE BOND BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES.
IT IS CRUCIAL TO MAINTAIN GOOD STABLE LEADERSHIP AT OUR SCHOOLS AND RETAIN SPECIAL PROGRAMMING, LIKE IB, WHICH IS GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED FOR FOSTERING A STRONG LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
AS A SUPERVISOR AT A LARGE OIL AND GAS COMPANY, I CAN ALSO TELL YOU THAT THE BUSINESS METHODS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING EMPLOYED BY MIKE MILES AND THE ADMINISTRATION ARE OUTDATED AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE.
CREATING A CULTURE OF FEAR LEADS ONLY TO COMPLIANCE, AND WHILE YOU MAY SEE GAINS IN THE SHORT TERM, YOU WILL NOT ACHIEVE THE LONG-TERM [NOISE] RESULTS THAT OUR CHILDREN NEED.
WE ARE PARENTS, NOT POLITICIANS.
WE ARE ASKING FOR HISD LEADERSHIP TO LISTEN TO US AND TO WORK WITH US ON BEHALF OF OUR KIDS AND OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. NUMBER 51, PLEASE.
>> HI. MINDAN TRAN, HISD TEACHER.
>> YOUR MIC. YOU HAVE TO HOLD THE MIC.
AT SHARPSTOWN, NON-NES CLASSES ARE HELD IN STORAGE CLOSETS AND OFFICE SPACES.
[01:45:06]
>> [OVERLAPPING] WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
>> HOLD ON ONE SEC. WILL YOU TAP FOR ME? LET ME SEE IF IT'S WORKING. NO. DO YOU HAVE A LIGHT? [BACKGROUND] THERE'S A BLINKING LIGHT.
CAN WE RESET [OVERLAPPING] THE CLOCK? THANK YOU.
AT SHARPSTOWN, NON-NES CLASSES ARE HELD IN STORAGE CLOSETS AND OFFICE SPACES BECAUSE ART OF THINKING AND TEAM CENTERS TOOK OVER THE SCIENCE LABS.
WITH 40 OR 50 STUDENTS IN NON-NES CLASSES, MANY ARE FORCED TO SIT ON THE FLOOR.
THEIR TEACHERS ARE REPRIMANDED FOR TRYING TO BORROW UNUSED CHAIRS FROM NES CLASSES THAT HAVE 10 STUDENTS IN THEM.
THEY SPENT OVER $200,000 ON NEW FURNITURE, BUT ONLY STUDENTS IN THE NES CLASSES GET TO SIT ON THE NES CHAIRS.
DID WE SPEND 200K FOR OUR KIDS TO SIT ON THE FLOOR? SHARPSTOWN SPENT $31,600 FOR EXTERIOR WINDOW GRAPHICS ON THIS WHEN KIDS ARE SITTING ON THE FLOOR. IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.
PRINCIPAL TJ COTTER GETS AWAY WITH WASTING MONEY BY KISSING MIKE'S BUTT.
SAVE THE STUDENTS OF SHARPSTOWN FROM SITTING ON THE FLOOR.
SAVE OUR STUDENTS OF SHARPSTOWN FROM TJ COTTER.
OUR KIDS CAN'T WAIT FOR Y'ALL TO LET THEM SIT ON CHAIRS.
OUR KIDS CAN'T WAIT FOR HOUSTON TO GET RID OF MIKE MILES.
>> I'M DANA CANDIDA, PARENT OF A SECOND GRADER IN HISD.
AS AN UNPAID ACTIVIST VOLUNTEERING MY TIME AT THE POLLS, I SAW THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF PARENTS AND TEACHERS WHO HAD FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN HISD WERE ALREADY PLANNING TO VOTE NO ON THE BOND.
I SIMPLY PRESENTED THE FACTS TO THOSE WHO DIDN'T KNOW AND THEY READILY AGREED TO ALSO VOTE NO.
THE ODDS WERE AGAINST US WITH A MASSIVE FINANCIAL BACKING OF YOUR PRO-BOND INITIATIVE.
ALL PAST SCHOOL BOND PROPOSALS AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEARS HAVE PASSED.
THE 60% VOTE AGAINST THE BOND IS A BIG WIN BY OUR GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT OF PASSIONATE INDIVIDUALS AND AN INDICATION OF HOW COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED YOU ARE FROM WHAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS AND NEEDS.
OUR KIDS CAN'T WAIT WHILE YOU SQUANDER MONEY ON THINGS THAT AREN'T NEEDED LIKE MATCHING FURNITURE AT HATTIE MAE.
BOARD, IT'S TIME TO LISTEN TO US, ACKNOWLEDGE NES IS A FAILURE, AND FIRE MIKE MILES. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS TIMANI MWANDANI.
I THINK I'M IN THE WRONG GROUP.
I WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TWO MINUTES, AND MY SUBJECT IS NOT WHAT EVERYONE ELSE IS TALKING ABOUT.
>> I'M SORRY, SIR, EVERYONE HAS ONE UNLESS IT'S A TRANSLATION, BUT WE ARE CERTAINLY READY TO HEAR FROM YOU.
>> BUT I'M GOING TO ROLL WITH IT.
I NEED YOU GUYS HELP ANSWERING SOME VERY SERIOUS QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST ONE IS DID HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT RELEASE A SEXUAL PREDATOR INTO THE COMMUNITY WITHOUT, AT A MINIMUM, NOTIFYING THE PARENTS OF THE CHILDREN IN THAT SPECIFIC COMMUNITY? THE MAIN QUESTIONS THE COMMUNITY COALITION WANTS ANSWERS TO IS, ONE, WAS AN ALLEGED SEXUAL PREDATOR ARRESTED ON HISD HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS IN APRIL 2024? TWO, IF THIS ALLEGED SEXUAL PREDATOR WAS ARRESTED, WHY IS THERE NO PAPERWORK OF THIS ARREST? NUMBER 3, WHY WERE NO PARENTS NOTIFIED OF THIS ARREST OF THIS POTENTIAL PREDATOR? NUMBER 4, IS THIS SEXUAL PREDATOR BEING PROTECTED?
>> IF THERE'S ENOUGH EVIDENCE FOR TEA TO PUT THIS PERSON ON A DO NOT HIRE REGISTRY, IS THAT NOT ENOUGH FOR PARENTS TO BE NOTIFIED? IF THIS PERSON IS IN THE COMMUNITY DOING WHAT HE'S BEEN DOING, THAT'S A PROBLEM, WE NEED TO BE NOTIFIED, AND I NEED YOUR HELP [NOISE] TO BRING THIS PERSON TO JUSTICE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. NUMBER 54, PLEASE.
>> CAMILLE BREAUX. I KNOW THERE ARE A FEW PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM THAT WANTED THE BOND TO PASS, DESPITE THE LACK OF REPRESENTATION, AND WHILE YOU SPENT MORE EFFORTS PUSHING A BOND THAN ACTUALLY DEVELOPING ONE, HOUSTON WAS WAKING UP.
THIS ADMINISTRATION ABRUPTLY CANCELED PARENT VOLUNTEER SPOTS DESPITE UNDER-STAFFING, COMMANDED TEACHERS NOT TO SPEAK TO PARENTS, BLOCKED PARENTAL ACCESS TO OBSERVE THEIR CHILDREN FOR UP TO SIX MONTHS, AND MORE RECENTLY MOVED ADMINISTRATORS BETWEEN SCHOOLS WITH NO RATIONALE, CAUSING UNNECESSARY DISRUPTIONS FOR STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND FAMILIES TO "LOSE".
WHILE THEY WERE BUSY COMMUNITY BUSTING, WE WERE BUSY COMMUNITY BUILDING.
WE'VE GROWN MUCH BIGGER AND MORE RESILIENT.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN COMMUNITIES ARE BUILT IN THE FACE OF INTIMIDATION?
[01:50:01]
THEY BECOME STRONGER.OUR KIDS CAN'T WAIT FOR JOY TO RETURN TO THEIR SCHOOLS.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. SPEAKER NUMBER 55, AND IF WE COULD REMEMBER TO STATE OUR NAMES FIRST.
>> HI. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JUVIE CARDENAS.
I AM A FIRST-TIME SPEAKER, AND ALSO AN INVESTED AND ENTHUSIASTIC HARVARD PARENT.
THANK YOU THIS EVENING, MR. MILES AND THE BOARD FOR HOSTING THE COMMUNITY, AND HOPEFULLY, HEARING OUR CONCERNS WITH OPEN EARS AND OPEN HEARTS.
HARVARD IS A LEVEL 3 AUTONOMOUS SCHOOL, YET THE RECENT ACTIONS OF THE BOARD HAVE SHOWN THAT OUR AUTONOMY IS UNDER ATTACK.
THE RECENT DISRUPTION AND UPHEAVAL IN OUR LEADERSHIP HAS CAUSED MUCH STRESS AND MUCH DISRUPTION IN OUR SCHOOLS AND WITHIN OUR STUDENTS, AND WE ASK THAT IT PLEASE STOP.
CAN YOU IMAGINE THIS BOARD, YOU SHOW UP TOMORROW, HALF OF YOUR COLLEAGUES ARE GONE? MR. MILES IS GONE.
THEY'RE REPLACED BY STRANGERS, PEOPLE YOU'VE NEVER INTERVIEWED, NEVER MET BEFORE, AND SUDDENLY YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO YOUR BEST AND ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS THAT YOU'VE SET OUT. THAT CANNOT HAPPEN.
THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS.
I'M AN ATTORNEY IN TEXAS AND IN FEDERAL COURTS.
I AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF THE TIME THAT TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS HAVE INVESTED IN ME [NOISE] AND SIMILAR PEOPLE IN [INAUDIBLE] HAVE INVESTED IN YOU.
I ASK YOU THAT YOU GIVE THEM THE SAME RESPECT THAT THEY INVESTED IN YOU WHEN YOU WERE CHILDREN. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. SPEAKER NUMBER 56, PLEASE.
>> I'M AMY ERICKSON, A FIRST TIME BOARD SPEAKER, HIST PARENT, AND A VOTER.
BOARD OF MANAGERS, PLEASE USE THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS FOR POSITIVE CHANGE FOR OUR CHILDREN.
MR. MILES, YOUR INABILITY TO REFLECT ON THE OUTCOME OF PROPS A AND B IS ASTOUNDING.
YOU'VE BLAMED THE LOUD FEW, THE NAY SAYERS, THE NOISE, USUAL SUSPECTS, BUT THE COMMUNITY HAS SPOKEN.
YOU SAY THIS ISN'T A REFERENDUM, BUT THE 58% OF THE COMMUNITY DISAGREES.
THE MORNING AFTER THE ELECTION, YOU CLAIMED ON LOCAL NEWS THAT BONHAM PERSHING, HERD, AND SUGAR GROVE COMMUNITY SUPPORTED YOU.
DID YOU EVEN BOTHER TO CHECK? THIS MAGNET MOM DID, AND THEY RESOUNDINGLY SAID NO.
THE 15 SCHOOLS AFFECTED BY CO-LOCATIONS RESOUNDED SAID NO.
THE 18 SCHOOLS SLATED FOR REBUILDS TO THE TUNE OF $1.9 BILLION RESOUNDINGLY SAID NO.
WE AS A WHOLE, REJECT YOUR WHOLESALE SYCHEMIC REFORM.
THIS COMMUNITY SHOWED UP FOR OUR KIDS BEFORE YOU, IT WILL BE HERE WHEN YOU'RE GONE.
IF YOU'RE READY TO LISTEN, WE'RE HERE TO WORK. [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER NUMBER 58, PLEASE. FIFTY-SEVEN.
>> MY NAME IS ZACH WOODS. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF A DIFFERENT TEACHER THIS TIME.
MR. MILES, HOW DARE YOU CALL ME A BAD ACTOR? TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY ALREADY.
I AM THE ONE THAT HAS SAT IN A TOO HOT OR TOO COLD CLASSROOM EVERY DAY FOR YEARS WITH MY STUDENTS.
I COULD HAVE LEFT, BUT I ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT THEM.
WHEN YOU TOOK OVER OUR CRUMBLING DISTRICT, YOU DECIDED OUR KIDS COULD WAIT FOR EXPENSIVE AND REDUNDANT TECHNOLOGY FOR YOUR NES PROGRAM.
IF YOU TRULY BELIEVE OUR KIDS COULDN'T WAIT, WHY DIDN'T YOU FIX THESE INFRASTRUCTURE PROBLEMS FIRST? YOU MANIPULATE SCORES AND WHEN WE SEE THROUGH IT, YOU CRY FAKE NEWS.
YOU ASK TEACHERS TO DO THINGS THAT ARE BAD, PRACTICE, THEN BLAME THEM WHEN THE KIDS DON'T PERFORM.
NOT A SINGLE PERSON HAS COME HERE TO SAY HOW HAPPY THEY ARE WITH YOU, BUT DON'T WORRY, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS.
HOUSTON WANTS TO PAY FOR THESE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, BUT WE'LL NEVER ALLOW A BOND WITH YOU IN CHARGE.
BOARD, CALL FOR AN ELECTION IMMEDIATELY SO THE COMMUNITY FEELS COMFORTABLE WITH A NEW BOND.
OUR KIDS TRULY CAN'T WAIT, AND THEREFORE, IT'S UP TO YOU GUYS TO ACT BY CALLING AN ELECTION. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. [APPLAUSE] JEFF WALTMAN, NUMBER 58.
>> THANKS, MADAM SECRETARY. I'M JEFF WALTMAN AS YOU SAID.
>> CAN YOU DO THE HANDHELD? THANK YOU, SIR.
I'M JEFF WALTMAN, AS YOU SAID.
TODAY, I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD DIRECTLY AND URGE YOU TO FULFILL YOUR OVERSIGHT OBLIGATION AND EXERCISE YOUR STATUTORY AND CONTRACTUAL AUTHORITY TO TERMINATE THE APPOINTED SUPERINTENDENT'S CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT UNDER SECTION 5.3 A2 AND A6 TO WHIT.
THE VOLUNTARY EXODUS OF OVER 40% OF HISDS TEACHERS IN A SINGLE YEAR, A STAGGERING AMOUNT OF ATTRITION OF THOSE MOST DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING HISDS CORE SERVICE WITH THE IRREPLACEABLE LOSS OF INSTITUTIONAL WISDOM THIS ENTAILS CAN ONLY BE SEEN AS A FAILURE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S BASIC FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION TO ACT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE DISTRICT.
TO SAY AS HE HAS, THAT THIS IS A WEEDING OUT OF LOW PERFORMERS IS ABSURD.
[01:55:02]
THE VAST MAJORITY OF THESE TEACHERS WERE RATED DEFECTIVE OR BETTER BEFORE MILES ARRIVED AND PUT HIS THUMB ON THE SCALE.THIS IS GROSS NEGLIGENCE AT BEST, WILLFUL MALFEASANCE, AT WORST.
DO YOUR DUTY, FIRE MR. MILES. [APPLAUSE]
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M BRIANA MOHAN.
I WOULD LIKE TO HONOR A GREAT EDUCATOR AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND TEACHER, AND SINGER, DR. BERNICE JOHNSON REAGAN, BY TEACHING ANYONE IN THE ROOM WHO WOULD LIKE TO LEARN ONE OF HER SONGS.
WE WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM WILL NOT REST.
WE WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM CANNOT REST UNTIL IT'S COME.
WE WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM CANNOT REST.
WE WHO BELIEVE FREEDOM CANNOT REST UNTIL IT'S COME.
WE CANNOT REST, OUR KIDS CANNOT WAIT.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. [APPLAUSE] NUMBER 60, PLEASE.
>> HI. MY NAME IS MICHAEL GUFFEY, RN BSN CCRN CSC CMC, FORMER FOSTER PARENT, FATHER OF FOUR REGISTERED NURSE IN SIXTH GENERATION TEXAN.
DIGITAL SCREEN, ORGANIC CHILD.
FINGER POINTER CLICKS, GRADE, CLICK, GRADE.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME? WITH MY ANSWER? WITH ME? NO ANSWER, NO TALKING, NO HELPING, NO PERSON.
ONLY FEAR. FEAR IS THE MIND KILLER.
GIVE ME MORE. NO MONEY FOR KIDS THEATER.
ART IS DEAD. THEATER TEACHER TEACH MATH OR EARN LESS.
BELOVED PRINCIPALS ESCORTED, THE FRIEND WITH THE SPECIAL NEEDS SON, MOVES, THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF THOUSANDS OF HOUSTONIANS, ALTERNATIVE FACTS.
DON'T WORRY EVERYTHING IS FINE.
THIS IS NOT A REFERENDUM ON ME.
RELAX. YOU'LL NEVER HAVE TO VOTE ON YOUR CHILD'S EDUCATION EVER AGAIN.
I VOTED NO ON PROPOSITIONS A AND B.
>> MISS GLADYS HOUSE, YOU'RE NUMBER 13.
CAN YOU APPROACH THE PODIUM AND GIVE ME JUST ONE SECOND.
THEN CAN WE HAVE THE NEXT 10 SPEAKERS, 60-70 FILL UP IN THE FIRST ROWS? THANK YOU, MISS HOUSE.
>> THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE GLADYS HOUSE L. I'M JUST HERE TO PRESENT PETITIONS TO SUPERINTENDENT MILES WHO TRIED TO HELP ME THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE, BUT NOBODY FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH ANYTHING.
WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT TRYING TO RENAME THE FOOTBALL FIELD AT GREGORY-LINCOLN TO HONOR TWO NFL GRADES.
I HAVE THE PETITIONS HERE TOO, IF YOU WANT ME TO GIVE THEM TO ANYONE, SUPERINTENDENT MILES.
I APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD ASSIGN SOMEONE WHO WOULD REALLY HELP ME ACHIEVE OUR GOAL BECAUSE I'VE JUST BEEN GIVEN A RUN AROUND. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. [APPLAUSE] NUMBER 61, PLEASE.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS ROGNIE THRUN SUONIVASON.
I'M A COLLEGE PROFESSOR AT RICE.
I'M AN HSD PARENT OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT.
FOR THE RECORD, MY VOTE AGAINST THE BONDS WAS A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE IN THE SUPERINTENDENT MILES'S LEADERSHIP AND THE BOARD OF MANAGERS.
SINCE THE TAKEOVER, WE'VE SEEN CONSTANT DISMISSAL OF THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS REGARDING TEA OVERREACH.
I'M HERE BECAUSE OUR A RATED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LOST OVER A THIRD OF ITS TEACHERS LAST YEAR.
BECAUSE MY SON'S KINDERGARTEN TEACHER LITERALLY CRIED BECAUSE SHE COULD NOT SET UP CREATIVE CENTERS FOR KIDS.
BECAUSE HIS FIRST GRADE TEACHER IS WORRIED THAT SHE CAN'T RESPOND TO STUDENTS CURIOUS QUESTIONS BECAUSE SHE HAS TO STICK TO AN ADMIN AND FORCED SCRIPT.
BECAUSE MY SIXTH GRADER REPORTS AN ATMOSPHERE OF SURVEILLANCE, INTIMIDATION AND RETALIATION AT HER SCHOOL, BECAUSE PARENT VOLUNTEERS HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY'RE NOT WELCOME, BECAUSE EVERY SCHOOL NEEDS LIBRARIES, BECAUSE THE EXPERTISE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS MUST BE RESPECTED.
WE ARE ALSO EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS, PROFESSIONALS, AND PARENTS, AND THESE ARE OUR SCHOOLS.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. NUMBER 62, PLEASE.
[02:00:05]
MR. RIVON, FIRST IN HONOR OF VETERANS DAY ON MONDAY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
I NOTICED AS MAYOR OF THE BASE AT MAZAL, YOU ORGANIZED THE CLEANUP OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TO SAVE AND PROTECT LIVES.
IMAGINE IF THE PERSON WHO SUCCEEDED YOU CLAIMED THAT COVERING HAZMAT WITH A TON OF DIRT AND MAKING A GREEN SPACE ON IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE A BETTER SOLUTION, AND HE WOULDN'T ALLOW ANY OUTSIDE EXPERTS BECAUSE HE KNEW MORE THAN ALL OF THEM.
CLEANLINESS SCORES WENT UP, PHOTOS WERE SENT TO THE STARS AND STRIPES.
FAMILIES WERE PICNICKING THERE EVERY DAY.
YOU HAD ONE MINUTE A MONTH TO EXPLAIN TO THE BASE COMMANDER THAT CLEANLINESS SCORES HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH TOXICITY.
THAT'S WHAT WE ARE ALL HERE FOR.
WE ARE BEGGING YOU TO LISTEN TO ACTUAL EXPERTS BECAUSE CHILDREN ARE BEING HARMED AND YOU ARE NOT BEING GIVEN THE FULL STORY.
WE ARE CALLED CRAZIES, PAID ADVOCATES, A LOUD FEW, ETC.
BUT WHAT WE ARE IS TRUTH TELLERS.
I ASK YOU, MR. RIVON, WOULD YOU HAVE GIVEN UP? WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH YOURSELF IF YOU DIDN'T FIGHT FOR ALL THAT YOU KNEW WAS RIGHT? WE CAN'T LIVE WITH OURSELVES.
WE'RE NOT GOING AWAY BECAUSE THESE ARE OUR KIDS.
>> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] IF WE COULD PLEASE KEEP DECORUM. THANK YOU, SIR.
>> MIC CHECK. COOL. HI. MY NAME IS ANTHONY.
I'M AN ARTIST. I WANTED TO ASK THE BOARD ABOUT NEPOTISM.
I COULD TAKE A WORTHLESS BANANA TO A CANVAS AND CALL IT ARTWORK.
I CAN VALUE IT AT $500,000, AND I CAN SELL IT TO HISD AS LONG AS I'M AN APPROVED VENDOR.
I BELIEVE THAT F. MIKE MILES CHILDREN DID THAT TWICE ALREADY.
MY QUESTION IS, WHEN IS THIS GOING TO STOP? IF NOT, I'D LIKE TO SELL ALL SOME BANANAS.
SIXTY-THREE. SIXTY-FOUR. THANK YOU.
>> GOOD EVENING. I'M KELLY BLICKERY, PARENT AND UNPAID ADVOCATE.
AFTER PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS JOINED FORCES TO VOTE DOWN A BAD BOND UNDER THE CHAOTIC LEADERSHIP OF MIKE MILES, I THOUGHT THIS WOULD FINALLY BE THE MOMENT HE'D TURN A BIT OF THAT ACCOUNTABILITY.
HE TALKS ABOUT SO OFTEN BACK ON HIMSELF.
YOU CAN'T. CAN YOU, MR. MILES? THIS IS A REFERENDUM ON YOU.
YOU'RE NOT THE LEADER TO REBUILD TRUST, REPAIR HARM, OR LEAD US ON THE PATH TO A BETTER BOND.
YOU DON'T HAVE THE TOOLS, NOT HAMMERS OR NAILS.
YOU DON'T HAVE GLUE, JUST A BULLDOZER.
BOARD OF MANAGERS, HE'S SHOWN US WHO HE IS.
CUT HIM LOOSE, AND PUSH FOR AN ELECTED BOARD TO TAKE YOUR PLACE.
OUR KIDS CAN'T WAIT. OUR KIDS?
>> SHEEN NAGEL, HISD PARENT WITH AN MA IN ENGLISH EDUCATION.
AFTER THE BOND FAILED INSTEAD OF WORKING TO BRING THE COMMUNITY ON BOARD, HISD POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT TEACHING STRATEGIES SUCH AS TURN AND TALK AND WHITE BOARDS, AS IF THESE ARE GROUNDBREAKING NEW METHODS THAT WILL MAGICALLY MAKE OUR KIDS TEST BETTER.
THESE PRACTICES HAVE BEEN USED IN CLASSROOMS FOR DECADES IF NOT CENTURIES.
HECK LAURA INGALLS WILDER WROTE ABOUT USING HER PERSONAL SITE BOARD IN THE LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE BOOKS.
FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANT THINGS.
FOCUS ON BRINGING THE COMMUNITY INTO THIS DISCUSSION INSTEAD OF BULLDOZING EVERYTHING IN ORDER TO MAKE CHANGES.
THIS INCENTIVE TO DISMANTLING OF OUR SCHOOLS JUST LEADS TO MORE CHAOS, INSTABILITY AND NO MOVING FORWARD.
MY SON GOES TO WEST BRIAR MIDDLE AND WE HAVE A NEW PRINCIPAL.
NINE WEEKS INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR, STUDENTS GOT NEW SCHEDULES.
THE SCHEDULE CHANGES WERE FOR STUDENTS WHO FAILED THE STAR, BUT EVERY STUDENT'S SCHEDULE WAS EFFECTIVE.
MY CHILD IS ON HIS FOURTH HISTORY TEACHER. LET THAT SINK IN.
THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY SCHEDULE CHANGES, TEACHER CHANGES, AND SUB [INAUDIBLE].
THE PARENTS AND STUDENTS ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT [INAUDIBLE].
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. [APPLAUSE] NUMBER 66, PLEASE.
>> TESTING. STACY HUNTER, A PROUD, USUAL SUSPECT.
FOR THE PAST MONTHS, THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON HAVE BEEN MAKING THE STATEMENT, NO TRUST, NO BOND.
[02:05:02]
BUT YOU, MR. DICTATOR REFUSED TO LISTEN TO US.YOU TELL THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE, AND I QUOTE, THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON PUT POLITICS OVER THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN.
REALLY? THEN TELL ME THIS, MR. DICTATOR.
IS ELIMINATING PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES PUTTING THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN FIRST? IS FIRING QUALIFIED LIBRARIES, PUTTING THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN FIRST? IS FIRING CERTIFIED TEACHERS AND REPLACING THEM WITH UNCERTIFIED TEACHERS, PUTTING THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN FIRST? IS FIRING QUALIFIED PRINCIPALS, PUTTING THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN FIRST? YOU SEE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW THAT THE BOND DIDN'T PASS BECAUSE OF YOU, MR. DICTATOR.
BY CONTINUALLY FIRING QUALIFIED TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS, THERE'S NO WAY WE WILL EVER SUPPORT A BOND UNDER YOUR DICTATORSHIP.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, CALL MIKE MORATH THIS EVENING, TELLING YOU'RE READY TO NEGOTIATE A SEVERANCE PACKAGE AND RESIGN AND GIVE US OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT BACK.
CAN YOU TAP? DO YOU SEE A LIGHT? I CAN HEAR YOU.
>> CARINA CASSAVA. DEFINING THE POLITICS OF ADULTS.
THE POLITICS OF ADULTS IS THE REASON WHY YOU'RE HERE.
HB 1842 IS THE POLITICS OF ADULTS, A PLAN CAREFULLY THOUGHT OUT AND EXECUTED ON OUR COMMUNITY.
THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT FLOODED INTO PACKS FROM CONTRACTORS, ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTURAL FIRMS, ETC, ALL INVESTING TO TURN A HUGE PROFIT AND LINE THEIR POCKETS, THAT IS THE POLITICS OF ADULTS.
POLITICS OF ADULTS IS MAKING KIDS DO NOTHING BUT TEST PREP INSTEAD OF EDUCATING THEM SO THAT YOU, MIKE MILES LOOK GOOD.
ME SPEAKING UP FOR MY KIDS' EDUCATION AND THEIR WELL BEING IS NOT THE POLITICS OF ADULTS.
THAT'S MY JOB. I'M SO SICK OF ALL CALLING MY CHILDREN OUR KIDS.
CHILDREN HAVE ONLY A FINITE AMOUNT OF TIME TO BE KIDS, AND THEY'RE SPENDING MOST OF IT IN THESE JOYLESS SCHOOLS.
OUR KIDS CAN'T WAIT ON RIC CAMPO TO FINISH SCHEMING AND PROFITEERING OFF OF HSD REAL ESTATE TO LEARN HOW TO WRITE.
OUR KIDS CAN'T WAIT ON YOUR ADULT POLITICS TO PLAY OUT.
THEY NEED TO READ NOVELS AND HAVE AUTHENTIC LEARNING NOW.
OUR KIDS CAN'T WAIT FOR TEA TO GO AWAY AND THEY WANT ANY [INAUDIBLE].
[APPLAUSE] NUMBER 68. THAT'S NUMBER 68? LET'S GO TO 69.
>> HI, MY NAME IS KAREN SMILEY.
AS A LONGTIME HISD PARENT, I VOTED NO ON THE BOND AND ENCOURAGED MY FRIENDS, CO WORKERS, AND FAMILIES TO DO THE SAME.
THE BONDS FAILURE IS BITTERSWEET, AS WE ALL KNOW OUR SCHOOLS NEED THE MONEY, BUT ANYONE WHO IS PAYING ATTENTION WOULD HAVE VOTED AGAINST THIS POORLY AND HASTILY PLANNED BOND.
THE FACT THAT MIKE MILES HAS CONTINUED TO DENY ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BONDS FAILURE IS TRULY DISHEARTENING.
THE FACT THAT HE BASICALLY BLAMES US ADULTS AND OUR POLITICS IS OUTRAGEOUS AND INFURIATING.
THESE ARE OUR KIDS, OUR SCHOOLS, OUR COMMUNITY.
NO ONE LOVES OUR KIDS MORE THAN THE PARENTS IN THIS ROOM AND BEYOND.
ALL OF US HATE THAT SO MANY KIDS AND TEACHERS ARE IN CRAPPY CLASSROOMS WITH WATER ISSUES, AC ISSUES, ET CETERA.
BUT WE VOTED FOR OUR KIDS, OUR TEACHERS, OUR PRINCIPALS, OVER BUILDINGS.
WE DESERVE TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION REGARDING OUR SCHOOLS.
PLEASE START LISTENING TO THE PARENTS AND TEACHERS.
STOP THE DISRUPTION OF OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES BY REMOVING OUR SHUFFLING OUR PRINCIPALS AND OUR EDS.
STOP INTENTIONALLY DESTABILIZING OUR SCHOOLS BY BREAKING UP LEADERSHIP TEAMS. OUR TEACHERS CAN'T TEACH AND OUR KIDS CAN'T LEARN UNDER THESE CONDITIONS.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. NUMBER 70, PLEASE.
I'M SORRY. ARE YOU 68? I THINK I DON'T KNOW. SOME REASON WE HAS 69. THANK YOU.
>> NO PROBLEM. ARE YOU READY? GOOD EVENING.
MY NAME IS BROOK LONGORIA, AND I WANT TO QUICKLY SPEAK ON BEHALF OF PROGRESS MEASURES.
FIRST, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE MOVE TOWARDS DUAL LANGUAGE AND EXPANDING THAT IN NES SCHOOLS.
THAT IS AN EXCELLENT MODEL AND IT'S A SIGNIFICANT UPGRADE FROM TRADITIONAL EARLY EXIT BILINGUAL PROGRAMS. I DO WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DUAL LANGUAGE.
FIRST, THE GOAL OF DUAL LANGUAGE IS NOT TO ACQUIRE ENGLISH QUICKLY.
THEY ARE GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF DUAL LANGUAGE AND THEY ARE FIRST STUDENTS TO BECOME BILINGUAL, BITERATE, AND BICULTURAL.
DUAL LANGUAGE BENEFITS EMERGENT BILINGUAL STUDENTS BY GIVING THEM A STRONG FOUNDATION IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE.
IN THEIR EARLY YEARS, THEIR TEST SCORES AREN'T THAT IMPRESSIVE.
IT TAKES TIME AND PATIENCE, BUT IN THE LONG RUN, THEY'RE BETTER READERS, AND THEY'RE MORE PREPARED FOR SUCCESS.
THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO SHARE ABOUT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. HAPPY ENGAGEMENT. [APPLAUSE].
[02:10:02]
CAN WE HAVE 71 TO 80?>> I'M NICOLA NEIL, AND I DIDN'T PREPARE A SPEECH.
I JUST WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ALL AND I'M HERE AS A MOM AND I'M HERE AND BECAME INVOLVED BECAUSE I SAW THE CHANGES BEING MADE TO OUR SCHOOL CAUSING HARM TO OUR SCHOOL.
WE WERE SUCH A GEM OF A CAMPUS AND OVER THE LAST FOUR MONTHS, FIVE MONTHS, WHEN ALL THE CHANGES STARTED HAPPENING, I'VE JUST SEEN IT DETERIORATE AND IT'S BEEN REALLY SAD.
I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY COMMUNITY.
WHEN I SAY THESE THINGS, I KNOW YOU ALL RECENTLY RATED YOURSELVES AS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH US VERY WELL, AND I JUST WANT TO OPEN THAT LINE OF COMMUNICATION.
WE REALLY DO WANT TO HAVE A TRANSFORMATIVE PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION WITH YOU ALL.
THERE'S SUCH A BIG DIVIDE AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHY AND WE NEED TO START SOLVING PROBLEMS LIKE YOU ALL SAID.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. [APPLAUSE] NUMBER 71, PLEASE.
>> HELLO, BOARD OF MANAGERS, MY GOVERNMENT NAME IS JESSE HEINER, BUT YOU AND MIKE KNOW ME AS NOISE.
HI, MS. FLOWERS. MY NAME IS NOISE.
IN HONOR OF THIS LABEL, I WANT TO READ THE LYRICS FROM THE AMAZING ARTIST ALICIA KEYS ABOUT BEAUTIFUL NOISE.
STARTED OUT AS A WHISPER, TURNED INTO A SCREAM, MADE A BEAUTIFUL NOISE.
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER MARCHING IN THE STREETS.
WHEN YOU'RE ALL ALONE, IT'S A QUIET BREEZE, BUT WHEN YOU BAND TOGETHER, IT'S A CHOIR OF THUNDER AND RAIN.
NOW WE HAVE A CHOICE BECAUSE WE HAVE A VOICE.
I PLAY THIS ALICIA KEYS SONG IN MY HEAD OVER AND OVER AGAIN AS WE FIGHT TO TAKE BACK OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AS STUDENTS MARCH IN THE STREETS AGAINST YOUR EFFORTS.
AS CHILDREN STAND BEFORE YOU IN THIS ROOM AND YOU SHUT OFF THEIR MICS.
WE HAVE A VOICE, AND IT'S A DAMN BEAUTIFUL VOICE.
OUR SCHOOLS, OUR VOICE. [APPLAUSE].
>> THANK YOU. CAN I REMIND THE SPEAKERS TO KEEP YOUR NAME TAGS VISIBLE FOR ME, PLEASE.
>> GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RAI KINER.
TODAY. I AM A NEW FACE, BUT I HAVE LONG SUPPORTED THE PEOPLE YOU CALL MISINFORMED, NASERS, DETRACTORS, AND USUAL SUSPECTS.
IN THE SPIRIT OF THANKSGIVING, I WANTED TO READ PARTS OF AN EMAIL THAT I AM THANKFUL FOR.
THIS EMAIL IS FROM CENTRAL DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT LOUIS MARTINEZ TO SUPERINTENDENT MILES.
IT APPEARS TO BE ABOUT SOUTH DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT IMELDA DE LAGUARDIA.
MIKE, I AM DEEPLY TROUBLED AND DISAPPOINTED DUE TO A PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR FROM EMELDA THAT NEEDS TO STOP.
I NEED YOUR HELP TO ADDRESS IT EFFECTIVELY BECAUSE SHE'S NOT LISTENING OR TAKING FEEDBACK.
IF YOUR OWN DIVISION SUPERINTENDENTS DON'T RESPECT EACH OTHER, WHY WOULD YOU EXPECT TRUST FROM THE COMMUNITY? OUR SCHOOLS, OUR VOICE.
DR. PAMELA BOWLIN, AND HALF OF YOU ALL ARE RIGHT HERE.
VOTE NO TO SELLING OFF OUR PROPERTIES BECAUSE YOU JUST THINK YOU CAN.
I'D LIKE TO ALSO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE YOUR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT SCORE.
YATES AND TEXAS SOUTHERN WERE PUT INTO AN AGREEMENT IN APRIL OF 2023.
THAT AGREEMENT HAS AN EXTENSIVE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR CHILDREN AND OUR COMMUNITY.
WE NEED THIS CONTRACT, WE NEED THIS LEASE RENEGOTIATED OR REMOVED ENTIRELY.
HERE IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THAT YOU KNOW WHAT WE WANT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU WILL BE RECEIVING EMAILS FROM THE ALUMNI.
YOU WILL BE RECEIVING A PETITION FROM THE ALUMNI.
THIS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TSU AND YATES NEEDS TO END NOW.
>> THANK YOU. SPEAKER 74, STAY TUNE.
>>YES, IT'S WORKING. JUSTIN SINHORST, 58% AGAINST THE BOND.
THIS WAS AN INDICTMENT AGAINST CURRENT LEADERSHIP AND A STRONG STATEMENT BY THE COMMUNITY.
[02:15:02]
BUT IT'S NO VICTORY FOR THOSE OF US WHO WERE AGAINST THE BOND.IT'S ONE MORE LOSS AND A STEADY STREAM OF SUCH LOSSES.
BUT IT DIDN'T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE SPOKEN OUT AGAINST THE BOND COULD HAVE BEEN YOUR GREATEST ALLIES.
COULD HAVE BEEN BOND EVANGELISTS IF CIRCUMSTANCES HAD BEEN DIFFERENT.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE A LEADER WHO WORKS AGAINST HIS COMMUNITY INSTEAD OF WITH IT AND TURNS ALLIES INTO ENEMIES.
THIS IS A FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP OF THE HIGHEST ORDER.
WILL THIS BOARD CONTINUE TO TREAT PARENTS AND STUDENTS AS NOISE OR LOUD MINORITY, OR WILL WE BE TREATED MAYBE JUST MAYBE LIKE THE COMMUNITY YOU ARE MEANT TO SERVE? BECAUSE THIS COMMUNITY DOES NEED A BOND, AND THIS COMMUNITY DOES NEED A LEADER.
UNTIL WE GET THOSE THINGS, YOU WILL CONTINUE TO BE COMPLICIT IN THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR SCHOOLS, THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, SIR. [APPLAUSE] I BELIEVE THAT'S OUR LAST IN PERSON SPEAKER.
WE WILL NOW HEAR FROM ALL THE REMAINING SPEAKERS WHO SIGNED UP TO ADDRESS THE BOARD VIA ZOOM.
A REMINDER WE MUST SEE YOU LIVE WITH YOUR CAMERA ON WHEN YOU SPEAK, MS. SMITH, PLEASE IDENTIFY AND ADMIT OUR SPEAKERS.
>> WEI LU, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.
>> MY NAME WEI LU, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK FOR OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL ART TEACHER MR. THOMAS SAMSON.
HE'S BEEN THERE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
I ALL KIDS ARE VERY SAD TO SEE HE ON LEAVE TO SOME CONFLICT.
WE WOULD LIKE HIM TO COME BACK TO THE CLASSROOM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT OUR KIDS SAID, MR. SAMSON WAS ONE OF THE BEST TEACHERS I HAVE EVER HAD, AND WE MIGHT HAVE TO MISS SO MANY ART PROJECT AND CONTESTS.
IF HE WAS HERE, HE REALLY CLEAR FOR US.
HE'S A GREAT I BELIEVE TO HISD AND ESPECIALLY TO OUR KIDS. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. [APPLAUSE].
>> CRYSTAL NORMAN, YOU MAY BEGIN.
STUDENTS, TEACHERS, PARENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BOARD MEMBERS, AND MR. MIKE.
RESPECTFULLY, MY NAME IS CRYSTAL NORMAN, AND I'M A MOTHER OF THREE, HOUSTONIAN TAXPAYER.
I'M JUST REALLY ELATED THAT HOUSTONIANS HAVE SPOKEN.
WE ALL CAME TOGETHER, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, ALL SHADES OF HUMANITY IN THE SAKE OF OUR CHILDREN, OUR FUTURE.
HOUSTONIANS HOUSTON IS A LOVING AND WELCOMING CITY, A WORLD CLASS CITY IN SPITE OF THE RED FLAG MIKE MILES PAST.
>> I'M SORRY. IN SPITE OF THE RED FLAGS FROM MR. MIKE MILES PAST, WHAT CAN WE DO? WATCH. NOW, THE TIMELINE AND SERIES OF EVENTS ARE JAW DROPPING OUT OF THE GATE.
THE CLOSURE OF THE LIBRARY WAS A HUGE RED FLAG.
HOWEVER, MR. MIKE SHOWED HIS LIBRARY CARD TO US, WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE AGENDA TOPIC, THE SCIENCE OF READING.
HOW IS THERE A SCIENCE OF READING WHEN THERE ARE NO BOOKS? [OVERLAPPING].
>> THANK YOU MS. NORMAN OVER THE ONE MINUTE TIME LIMIT. THANK YOU.
>> BERNADETTE LINDQUIST, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON. YOU MAY BEGIN.
[02:20:03]
>> MS. SMITH, WE DON'T HAVE A CAMERA YET.
>> BERNADETTE, CAN YOU HEAR US? PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON, AND YOU MAY BEGIN.
>>I'M SORRY, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO HEAR YOU IF WE CAN'T SEE YOU.
>> HANG ON, WAIT. START MY CAMERA.
>> FRANKLIN TAMBORELLO, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON, AND YOU MAY BEGIN WHEN YOU ARE VISIBLE.
>> PLEASE BEGIN, SIR. WE DON'T HAVE ANY VOLUME?
>> WE'RE NOT ABLE TO HEAR HIM.
>> MR. TAMBORELLO, WILL COME BACK TO YOU.
BRIDGET MURPHY HUGHES , YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> THANK YOU. I SUBMITTED A PACKET WITH 33 LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR OUR TEACHER THOMAS SAMSON, AND I'M GOING TO READ FROM ONE OF THOSE LETTERS.
THIS IS MY 13TH YEAR WITH HISD.
I RESPECTFULLY RECOMMEND THAT MR. SAMSON NOT BE TERMINATED FROM HIS POSITION AS ART TEACHER AT MMS. AS HIS FORMER MENTOR AND CO-WORKER, I HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING CLOSELY WITH MR. SAMSON FOR YEARS.
I'VE WITNESSED HIS DEDICATION TO BOTH THE STUDENTS AND SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
I KNOW NO OTHER EDUCATOR WHO HAS DONE AS MUCH FOR HIS STUDENTS IN SUCH A SHORT SPAN OF TIME.
THROUGHOUT HIS TIME WITH HISD, MR. SAMSON HAS DEMONSTRATED A DEEP COMMITMENT TO FOSTERING AN ENGAGING AND SUPPORTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
HE CONSISTENTLY GOES ABOVE AND BEYOND TO ENSURE STUDENTS ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL GROWTH.
I STRONGLY URGE YOU, THE BOARD TO CONSIDER THE POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS HE'S CULTIVATED WITH HIS STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND COLLEAGUES.
HIS CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE MADE A LASTING POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS, PARENTS AND COMMUNITY, PLEASE REINSTATE MR. SAMSON IMMEDIATELY.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. [APPLAUSE].
>> BERNADETTE LINDQUIST, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON, AND YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> HI, I'M HERE TO SPEAK FOR MR. THOMAS SAMSON.
WHAT TRULY SETS MR. SAMSON'S APART IS HIS DEEP COMMITMENT TO INDIVIDUAL STUDENT DEVELOPMENT.
HE CAREFULLY CRAFTS LESSONS THAT ARE NOT JUST INFORMATIVE, BUT ALSO MEMORABLE AND PERSONALLY AND MEANINGFUL.
BY TAKING THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND EACH STUDENT'S UNIQUE NEEDS AND INTERESTS, HE CREATES A CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT WHERE EVERY INDIVIDUAL FEELS VALUED, MOTIVATED AND SUPPORTIVE.
HIS CURRICULUM GOES BEYOND TRADITIONAL TEACHING, INCORPORATING EXCITING PROJECTS LIKE HOLIDAY CARD, COMPETITIONS, AND YEAR BOOK COVER DESIGN THAT CAPTURES STUDENTS IMAGINATION.
THE POTENTIAL ABSENCE OF MR. SAMSON WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY DISRUPT THE POSITIVE EDUCATIONAL ECOSYSTEM.
HE HAS METICULOUSLY DEVELOPED UNDERSCORING THE IMPORTANCE OF HIS CONTINUED PRESENCE IN THE EDUCATION AND COMMITTEE.
HE IS CRUCIAL PART OF OUR SCHOOL. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. [APPLAUSE].
IF YOU CAN UNMET YOURSELF, YOU MAY BEGIN. GO AHEAD.
MS. SMITH, THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM. CAN WE MOVE ON, PLEASE?
>> SORRY, MR. TAMBORELLO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE ON. WE AREN'T ABLE TO HEAR YOU.
[02:25:03]
PLEASE TURN YOUR VIDEO ON. YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> MIKE, ANDREW FARACH, I'M A PHYSICIAN, HISD PARENT AND FIRST-TIME SPEAKER.
IN THIS CASE, THAT IS FAR FROM THE TRUTH.
MIKE YOU ARE SO USED TO [INAUDIBLE] PARENTS AND TEACHERS THROUGH YOUR INCOMPETENCE.
WE TEACH OUR KIDS THAT ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.
MIKE, YOU AND THE BOARD OF MANAGERS HAVE DEMONSTRATED WITHOUT A DOUBT THAT YOUR WORDS ARE MEANINGLESS, AND FOR THAT REASON, YOUR BOND WAS OVERWHELMINGLY VOTED DOWN IN BIPARTISAN FASHION.
A CLEAR REFERENDUM ON YOUR ACTIONS.
FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION AND REMOVAL OF NES CURRICULA FROM HISD SCHOOLS.
IT IS CLEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY REACTION REMOVAL OF DOCTOR AT CALIBER PRINCIPALS IN FAVOR OF NEWLY MINTED INEXPERIENCED SYCOPHANTS.
HOW CAN WE [INAUDIBLE] WITHOUT A FUNCTIONING SCHOOL DISTRICT? MIKE MILES AND BOARD, YOU AREN'T FOOLING ANYONE LEAVE OUR KIDS IN SCHOOL? WE'RE SO USED TO [INAUDIBLE] [APPLAUSE]
>> TEASHA MAYES, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON. YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> MA'AM YOU'RE ON MUTE. WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
TONIGHT WITH THE BURDENED HEART, A PARENT AT CROCKETT, WATCHING HOPES FALL APART.
YOU RATE YOURSELVES LOW AND WE FEEL IT TOO.
FOR TRUST IN THE SYSTEM FADES FROM VIEW.
AES CHANGES SWEEP THROUGH HALLS ON BRIGHT.
NOW SHADOWS LINGER WHERE THERE ONCE WAS LIGHT.
STUDENTS FEEL STRAINED, HOW MUCH LONGER YOUNG MINDS CAN BEAR THIS PAIN.
RIGOROUS RULES AND DEMAND SO STEEP, MY CHILD COMES HOME TOO TIRED TO SLEEP.
ANXIOUS THOUGHTS WHERE JOY ONCE GREW, HOW MUCH STRESS CAN A THIRD GRADER CONSTRUE? HIGH SCORES MAY COME, BUT AT WHAT COST? IN THIS SHUFFLE OF NUMBERS, YOUNG SOULS ARE LOST.
WE ASK NOT FOR SCORES, BUT A CHANCE TO RESTORE A NURTURING SPACE WHERE THEY CAN SOAR.
HEAR OUR PLEA, NOT JUST MINE ALONE.
BUILD A SCHOOL THAT FEELS LIKE HOME.
WE NEED TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY TO BRIDGE THE DIVIDE.
FOR HOUSTON'S CHILDREN, OUR VOICES LAY HIGH.
>> THANK YOU. ANNE PHAN, YOU MAY BEGIN.
IF I WERE TO TRY TO TURN AROUND IN LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS, I WOULD TALK TO EXPERTS, SEE WHAT HAS WORKED AND WHAT HASN'T WORKED.
TWO, I WOULD TALK TO HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOLS AND OR TEACHERS AND IDENTIFY BEST PRACTICES THAT CAN BE SHARED.
WHAT I WOULDN'T DO IS ASSUME I KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR EVERYONE AND IMPLEMENT IT WITH NO INPUT FROM THE LARGER COMMUNITY, INCLUDING EXPERTS, HIGH-PERFORMING SCHOOLS, OR HIGH-PERFORMING TEACHERS.
I WOULDN'T CREATE CHAOS IN SCHOOLS, CHAOS BY FIRING HIGH-PERFORMING EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING PRINCIPALS OF THE YEAR.
CHAOS, LIKE SHUFFLING PRINCIPALS AND ADMINISTRATORS AT SCHOOLS.
CHAOS BY CREATING SUCH A TOXIC ENVIRONMENT THAT GOOD TENURED HIGH PERFORMING TEACHERS ARE CHOOSING TO LEAVE HISD.
CHAOS BY CREATING SHODDY NEW INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL THAT HASN'T BEEN VETTED AND HAS NO HISTORY OF BEING SUCCESSFUL.
THESE ARE THE CHAOTIC CHANGES UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP.
IT'S OUR KIDS, OUR SCHOOLS [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. SAMUEL BRYAN, YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> GOOD EVENING. THE OBSESSION THAT THIS BOARD HAS WITH FLAWED METRICS AND SNAPSHOT INFORMATION IS FRANKLY STATISTICALLY, MATHEMATICALLY AND VERY LIKELY MORALLY ITERATE.
THE VERY IDEA SUCH STRONG DISTINCTIONS CAN BE DRAWN BETWEEN SUCH FINE MEASURES FROM SNAPSHOT MEASUREMENTS IS ONLY THE THING THAT YOU CAN GET IF YOU HAVE NO UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO MEASURE.
THIS ENTIRE EXERCISE IS SHAMEFUL, AND YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED.
>> VICTORIA HAUPTMAN BRYAN, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON.
>> I NEED A MOMENT BECAUSE I WAS TRYING TO PUT MY CHILDREN TO BED.
[02:30:03]
I LITERALLY HAVE TO RUN DOWNSTAIRS TO GET MY SPEECH. HOLD ON.>> WE CAN COME BACK TO YOU IF YOU'D LIKE.
AGAIN, LITERALLY RUNNING DOWN THE STAIRS BECAUSE THAT'S HOW MUCH THIS MATTERS. I'M READY.
>> I'M AN HISD PARENT AND A FORMER TEACHER AND DEPARTMENT CHAIR AT HSPVA.
I LEFT IN 2018, NOT BECAUSE OF Y'ALL.
THE WAY THEY USE NWEA MAP DATA IS FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED.
THE MAP TESTS ARE EFFECTIVELY SNAPSHOTS OF HOW A SPECIFIC STUDENT CAN PERFORM IN A SPECIFIC SUBJECT ON A SPECIFIC DAY.
AS SNAPSHOTS AND SNAPSHOTS ONLY THEY ARE USEFUL AND EFFECTIVE.
HOWEVER, YOU TREAT THESE TESTS AS IF THEY HAPPEN IN A VACUUM AND ARE SUMMATIVE DATA. THEY ARE NOT.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT MANY STUDENTS WHO TOOK THE TEST THIS YEAR DID SO WHEN THE AC WAS NOT WORKING ON THEIR CAMPUS OR THE HEAT LAST YEAR, LIKE MY CHILD, HOW DO YOU THINK THOSE CHILDREN DID ON THAT TEST? DO YOU THINK THAT YOU WOULD HAVE DONE WELL IN THOSE CONDITIONS? WHAT ABOUT THE ONES WHO SLEPT BADLY OR DIDN'T GET BREAKFAST? DO YOU THINK THAT THOSE THINGS JUST MIGHT AFFECT THE VALIDITY OF THE SCORES? HOW DARE YOU TREAT THESE TESTS AS THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE MEASURE OF STUDENT LEARNING AND ACT AS IF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WEIGHTED SCORE OF 205 AND 206 IS SIGNIFICANT.
IT IS NOT. THESE TESTS ARE COMPROMISED OF BETWEEN ONLY 40-43 QUESTIONS.
THEY ARE NOT AN ACCURATE MEASURE OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, GROWTH OR SKILLS, STOPPED USING THEM TO PUNISH TEACHERS, OUR KIDS, OUR SCHOOLS [APPLAUSE]
>> JESSICA CATCHER, YOU MAY BEGIN?
>> THANK YOU. MILES IS HIS OWN WORST ENEMY.
WE ARE CALLED NAYSAYERS, THE OPPOSITION, A LOUD FEW AND CRAZIES.
WE ARE NOT A SMALL FRINGE GROUP.
WE SPEAK FOR THE COMMUNITY YOU IGNORE. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> I'M SORRY [LAUGHTER] 60% OF VOTERS REJECTED THE BOND, NOT BECAUSE OF A POLITICAL AGENDA, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT TRUST YOU AND ARE UNHAPPY WITH THE DISRUPTIVE OUR SCHOOLS.
THIS WAS A MOMENT FOR SELF REFLECTION.
YET INSTEAD OF ACKNOWLEDGING THE CLEAR MESSAGE FROM THE COMMUNITY, MILES CHOSE TO LASH OUT, THIS IS NOT A REFERENDUM ON ME.
HIS REFUSAL TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS ACTIONS ONLY DEEPENS THE DIVIDE AND ALIENATES THE VERY PEOPLE HE SHOULD BE WORKING TO SERVE.
MILES IS NOT A CAPABLE LEADER, AND WITH HIM AT THE HELM, WE CANNOT MOVE FORWARD AS A COMMUNITY.
[INAUDIBLE] THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN [INAUDIBLE] MILES TO GO.
OUR KIDS, OUR SCHOOLS [APPLAUSE]
>> NOEL RUSHIN. PLEASE TURN YOUR VIDEO ON AND YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> GOOD EVENING. AGAIN, MR. SUPERINTENDENT, MADAM PRESIDENT, AND BOARD MEMBERS.
I'VE BEEN TRYING FOR A MONTH NOW TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TO TALK WITH YOU ABOUT DURING THIS MEETING.
EVERY TIME I PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER, I WOULD READ IT WITH MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER, YOUR STUDENT.
EACH TIME WE WOULD DISCUSS THESE THINGS, BOTH MY WIFE AND MY DAUGHTER WOULD AGREE.
YOU'RE GOING TO GET SOMEONE IN TROUBLE.
BOARD MEMBERS LET THAT SINK IN.
YOUR STAFF, YOUR ADMINISTRATORS, AND YOUR TEACHERS LIVE IN FEAR OF REPRISAL AND RETRIBUTION, YOUR STUDENTS AND YOUR CLIENTS, ME, MY FAMILY, WE LIVE IN FEAR OF RETRIBUTION AGAINST THE TEACHERS AND STAFF THAT WE'RE TRYING TO HELP BY SIMPLY BRINGING UP DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW AND REQUESTING THAT THE DISTRICT MAKE REASONABLE CHANGES IN THE NES PROGRAM OR TAKE IN DIFFERENT POINTS-OF-VIEW ON HOW OUR CHILDREN SHOULD BE EDUCATED BECAUSE THEY'RE OUR CHILDREN.
AGAIN, LET THAT SINK IN AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.
YOU CAN LISTEN TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SPOKE TO YOU LAST MONTH, THAT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SPOKE TO YOU THIS MONTH, AND YOU CAN LISTEN TO YOUR STAFF AND WORK WITH THEM AND NOT AGAINST THEM.
YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE [INAUDIBLE] OF LAYING THEM OUT OFF AND STARTING OVER. [APPLAUSE]
>> DR. ANITA WADHWA, YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE MEN TONIGHT.
THIS WEEK, LOUIS MARTINEZ APPOINTED A NEW PRINCIPAL AND FOUR APS AT PERSHING WITHOUT OUR INPUT.
AT THE SAME TIME, HISD INSISTS THAT NOVELS AREN'T BEING BANNED FROM THE CURRICULUM.
HOWEVER, LOW IRT SCORES ARE LEADING ADMIN TO REPLACE NOVELS WITH LOW-LEVEL SLIDES.
MY DAUGHTER, SUHANI, WRITES AND READS NOVELS ON HER OWN TIME.
[02:35:01]
SHE CAME HOME IN TEARS AFTER FAILING THE OLS.I DON'T BLAME TEACHERS. I BLAME HISD.
SHE IS BRILLIANT LIKE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, BUT THIS CURRICULUM ISN'T.
MY SISTER IN LAW IS PREGNANT AND ASK THAT I FIGHT FOR FULL NOVELS FOR MY NEPHEW.
MY ZOOM BACKGROUND, THE WASTE BASKET FULL OF BOOKS THROWN AWAY AT AN NES SCHOOL THIS MONTH.
IF ANGIE IS STILL TEACHING ENGLISH AT KINKAID IN 14 YEARS, MAYBE MY NEPHEW CAN TAKE HER CLASS. FIRE MIKE MILES.
MY KIDS ARE NOT AN EXPERIMENT, AND WE JUST GOT AN EMAIL SAYING THAT KIDS AT PERSHING ARE GOING TO GET IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSION IF THEY ARE NOT IN UNIFORM.
THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE THAT WE RAISED THIS WEEK.
WE RAISED THE ISSUE OF AUTONOMY AND INSTRUCTION THAT IS ACTUALLY, SO LISTEN TO US.
OUR SCHOOLS, OUR KIDS, OUR COMMUNITY [APPLAUSE]
>> THANK YOU. MOHAMMED BEDHAT, YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> MY NAME IS BEDHAT MOHAMMED, A FIRST-TIME SPEAKER.
THIS IS THE FIRST BOARD MEETING I ATTEND.
I'VE BEEN WATCHING IT FOR TWO HOURS NOW WITH ALMOST OVER 100 SPEAKERS.
AGAIN, THIS BOARD OF MANAGERS AND SUPERINTENDENT MILES HAVE NOT LISTENED.
NOW THE VOTERS OF THE HOUSTON ISD DISTRICT VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY AGAINST THIS.
EVEN THOUGH THE SCHOOLS DEFINITELY NEED THE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MANAGERS, YOU'RE NOT A SCHOOL BOARD, IS GOING TO PUT UP ANOTHER BOND.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE PEOPLE WILL SAY, IF OVER THE LAST TWO HOURS AND 100 SPEAKERS-PLUS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO TALK TO YOU? BUT AGAIN, YOU'RE NOT LISTENING.
YOU MAY HEAR, BUT YOU'RE REALLY NOT LISTENING TO US.
FOR NOW, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO? CONTINUE THE FAILED POLICY OF THE LAST YEAR-AND-A-HALF? [APPLAUSE]
>> LAURA HENRY. PLEASE, UNMUTE YOURSELF THEN YOU BEGIN.
>> I'M LAURA HENRY HERE TO TALK ABOUT HIGH-QUALITY INSTRUCTION.
THERE'S A 2017 FORBES ARTICLE LAST TAUGHT IN HISD AS PART OF THE ACCELERATED PACKET.
ACTIVITIES INVOLVED WRITING A NEW THESIS STATEMENT FOR AN ALREADY PUBLISHED ARTICLE AND THEN WRITING AN ESSAY.
NO TIME PROVIDED FOR REVISING, JUST 45 MINUTES TO DO WORK THAT WAS NEVER MENTIONED AGAIN.
THE ARTICLE WAS ABOUT WEWORK BEFORE THE BANKRUPTCY.
WHEN I TAUGHT IT, I REALIZED KIDS DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT WEWORK, SO WE STOPPED, NO TIMER. I SHOWED THEM A VIDEO.
WE TALKED ABOUT SOFTBANK, PRIVATE EQUITY, AND UNICORN COMPANY.
WHEN ONE OF MY CLASSES SWORE THAT UNICORNS ARE REAL, WE STOPPED GOOGLE, FOUND THE MOST RELIABLE SOURCE AND LEARNED WHAT WHILE UNICORNS WERE NOT REAL, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A SIMILAR CREATURE 350,000 YEARS AGO.
OUR PRIMARY TEAKS WAS STILL COVERED, BUT NOW THE KIDS UNDERSTOOD WHAT THEY WERE READING AND WRITING ABOUT.
WE RESEARCHED, VETTED SOURCES, AND CREATED MENTAL IMAGES, ALL IMPORTANT NON-TESTED TEAKS.
YOU CAN BEST GUESS MULTIPLE CHOICE, BUT YOU CAN'T FAKE CURIOSITY AND TRUE UNDERSTANDING.
WE LOSE A LOT WHEN WE DON'T GIVE KIDS TIME TO LEARN.
>> THANK YOU, MA'AM. JOSE ALIAS, YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JOSE ALIAS, AND I'M A PROUD FATHER OF A STUDENT OF PROJECT CHRYSALIS.
I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE, LIKE MANY OTHER PARENTS, I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE THE BEST POSSIBLE FUTURE FOR OUR CHILDREN.
I KNOW SOME HAVE SAID THAT WE DON'T CARE ABOUT OUR KIDS, BUT I GENERALLY DISAGREE THAT THERE IS NO ONE WHO LOVES OUR KIDS MORE THAN MY WIFE.
SHE WOULD FIGHT THE DEVIL HIMSELF FOR THEM.
JUST TO PUT IN PERSPECTIVE, WHEN OUR MONSTERS THIS HALLOWEEN, SHE LET GO OF MY HAND AND RAN STRAIGHT TO HER MOM BECAUSE SHE KNOWS THAT MOM WILL FIGHT ANYTHING FOR HER.
WHEN I SEE MY WIFE UP THERE PASSIONATELY SPEAKING HER MIND, I SOMETIMES TELL HER, MAYBE TRY IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY, BUT SHE HAS EVERY RIGHT TO BE UPSET.
MY WIFE HAS BEEN HERE AT EVERY BOARD MEETING ADVOCATING RELENTLESSLY FOR OUR KIDS, YET WE HAVE FELT HEARD OR SEEN ANY MEANINGFUL RESPONSE TO ADDRESS OUR CONCERNS ABOUT THE CHANGES AFFECTING OUR KIDS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE NES SYSTEM.
AS A PARENT AND A DEDICATED MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY, I URGE YOU TO REACH OUT TO THE PARENTS OF THOSE MOST AFFECTED.
LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE SOLUTIONS THAT ARE INTENTIONAL AND RESPONSIVE, ENGAGING US IN A WAY THAT COULD TURN FRUSTRATION INTO COLLABORATION. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE]
>> DR. MARIA BENZON, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF AND BEGIN.
>> HI. MY NAME IS DR. MARIA BENZON, AND I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE REPORT PRESENTED IN ITEM 1.
BUT FIRST, AGENDA ITEM 11 PRESENTS
[02:40:01]
A REPORT ON EMERGENT BILINGUAL STUDENTS THAT PROVIDES A SOLID, THOROUGH ANALYSIS [INAUDIBLE] [OVERLAPPING]>> MS BENZON, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF STATIC. WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
>> HOLD ON. LET ME STEP OUTSIDE. HOLD ON.
I'M STEPPING OUTSIDE. HOLD ON. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
>> I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU.
CAN I START OVER, IS THAT OKAY?
>> THANK YOU. SO MY NAME IS MARIA BENZON, AND I'M DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE REPORT PRESENTED IN ITEM 1.
BUT FIRST, AGENDA ITEM 11 PRESENTS A REPORT ON EMERGING BILINGUAL STUDENTS THAT PROVIDES A SOLID THOROUGH ANALYSIS WITH 31 PAGES AND 13 APPENDICES, A MODEL OF THE HIGH STANDARD WE KNOW HISD IS CAPABLE OF.
IN CONTRAST, ITEM 1 OFFERS ONLY A 17-PAGE SUMMARY AND OVERSIMPLIFIED GRAPHS WITH VAGUE DESCRIPTIONS AND LITTLE SUBSTANCE TO BACKUP ITS CLAIMS. TERMS LIKE PUA ARE LEFT UNDEFINED, AND THE FOCUS 25 SCHOOLS AREN'T LISTED ANYWHERE ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
HOUSTONIANS ARE NEITHER BLIND NOR NAIVE.
WE EXPECT CLARITY AND TRANSPARENCY, NOT SUBPAR, SHALLOW, AND INFORMATION-DEFICIENT PRESENTATIONS.
GIVE OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR STUDENTS THE FULL DETAILED INFORMATION THEY NEED AND DESERVE TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
CLEAR, THOROUGH, AND PRECISE DATA IS NOT A LUXURY.
FIRE MIKE MILES, OUR KIDS CAN'T WAIT.
>> JULIE SMITH, YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> AS A TEACHER WITH 31 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT A SENSE OF JOY, TRUST, AND SAFETY IS FOR STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO THRIVE AND GROW AS HUMANS, AS WELL AS IN ACADEMICS.
DECIMATING THE LEADERSHIP TEACHING AND ADMINISTRATIVE TEAMS AT SCHOOL AFTER SCHOOL IS TRULY DEVASTATING.
OUR CHILDREN ARE SUFFERING AS IF THEY ARE IN A WAR ZONE, YET THE BOARD CONTINUES TO TURN A DEAF EAR TO THE COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT MIKE MILES DESPITE HIS INCOMPETENCE AS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH MANY FAILURES, ABUSES IN POLICIES THAT ARE HURTING OUR CHILDREN, PERHAPS PERMANENTLY.
PLEASE STOP RUBBER-STAMPING THESE DAMAGING POLICIES AND BETTER YET REMOVE HIM FROM THE POSITION.
PLEASE PROVIDE A CLEAR AND REACHABLE MAP FOR RETURNING THE CONTROL OF OUR SCHOOLS BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY [APPLAUSE]
>> SISTER, MAMA SONYA, YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> [INAUDIBLE] MISTRUST US. Y'ALL DON'T REALLY LIKE US.
Y'ALL DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT US.
I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT YOU WILL NOT TAKE A BONUS WHEN OUR SCHOOLS, OUR CUSTODIANS HAVE BEEN LAID OFF.
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH CUSTODIANS AND PERSONNEL TO CLEAN UP OUR SCHOOLS.
CERTAINLY, YOU WILL PUT THAT MONEY BACK INTO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
PROJECT 2025, WHICH TRUMP IS PUTTING FORWARD.
I'M SO GLAD TO SEE THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN PROJECT 2025 BY TURNING OUR SCHOOLS INTO MILITARY SCHOOLS.
I BELIEVE IT'S ON PAGE 109 OF PROJECT 2025.
DISGUSTING. NUMBER 3, WHAT DR. MOVIN SAID, WE NEED TO RE-LOOK AT THAT AGREEMENT BETWEEN TEXAS NOTHERN UNIVERSITY AND THE YATES HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE WE'RE LOSING SO MUCH.
>> LISA ROBINSON, PLEASE TURN YOUR CAMERA ON, AND UNMUTE YOURSELF, AND YOU MAY BEGIN.
>> I'M A GRANDMOTHER OF A FUTURE HISD STUDENT ZONED TO AN NES SCHOOL AND AN UNPAID LIBRARY AND LITERACY ADVOCATE.
I APPLAUD YOUR RECOGNITION THAT YOU NEED TO START ENGAGING WITH THE HOUSTON COMMUNITY.
MAYBE YOU SHOULD TRY THE ADVOCATES APPROACH, ACTUALLY HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH HOUSTON RESIDENTS.
BEFORE THE BOND ELECTION, I TALKED TO DOZENS OF VOTERS IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND AT THE POLLS.
I FOCUSED ON A LOSS OF LIBRARIES, STORY TIMES, AND NOVEL STUDIES.
AGAIN AND AGAIN, PEOPLE WERE SHOCKED AND APPALLED TO HEAR THAT THESE HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED IN SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
[02:45:03]
TO QUOTE JUDAH CRUZ, FORMER HISD TRUSTEE, AND MEMBER OF THE BOND ADVISORY COMMITTEE.THIS GOES FAR BEYOND THE FOLKS THAT SHOW UP TO BOARD MEETINGS OR ARE EMAILING BOARD MEMBERS OR THE SUPERINTENDENT.
THIS IS A MUCH LARGER COMMUNITY THAT IS SPEAKING UP WITH THEIR VOTE.
BOARD OF MANAGERS, LISTEN TO OUR COMMUNITY.
RESTORE OUR LIBRARIES AND THE USE OF LITERATURE TO OUR CLASSROOMS. OUR KIDS, OUR SCHOOLS.
>> THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE EVENING.
>> THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES OUR HEARING OF SPEAKERS.
WE WILL NOW TAKE A BRIEF BREAK.
WE WILL RECONVENE AT LET'S SAY 8:00.
THE BOARD IS RECESSED AT 7:50.
THIS MEETING IS NOW RECONVENED AT 8:04 PM.
WE ARE READY TO CONSIDER TWO DISCUSSION AND REPORT ITEMS.
[DISCUSSION AND REPORT ITEMS (Part 2 of 2)]
SUPERINTENDENT MILES, WE'LL BE PRESENTING OUR BOARD MONITORING UP DATE ON GOALS 1 AND 2, AND PROGRESS MEASURES 1.1 AND 2.1.SUPERINTENDENT MILES WHEN YOU'RE READY, PLEASE PROCEED.
>> MADAM, ACTING PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME TIME TO TALK ABOUT GOAL PROGRESS MEASURES 1.1 AND 2.1.
JUST TO GROUND YOU, WE DO HAVE THE GOAL 1 THERE, WHICH IS ABOUT THIRD RATE, READING AND MATH ON STAAR.
GOAL 1 IS READING AND GOAL 2 IS STAAR MATH.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT NWEA.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT NWA WE USE FOR PROGRESS MONITORING, STAAR SUMMATIVE.
STILL, IF YOU LOOK AT NWA MEETS AND MASTERS, SO MEETS PLUS AND STAAR MEETS PLUS, THEY OVERLAP CONSIDERABLY.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S VERY CORRELATIVE.
THE CORRELATION BETWEEN THE TWO IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 0.7 AND 0.8, AND THAT'S A HIGH CORRELATION, HIGH RELIABILITY.
IN THIS CASE, IN THE SPECIFIC INSTANCE, IT'S 84% PREDICTIVE OF WHAT THE STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO DO ON THE STAAR EXAM.
IT'S NOT 100% OVERLAP, BUT IT'S REALLY A HIGH CORRELATION.
THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT NWA AND LOOKING AT MEETS AND MASTERS.
FIRST, AGAIN, GOAL 1 AND GOAL 2, BEFORE YOU LOOK AT THE PROGRESS MEASURES, IS ABOUT THE STAAR EXAM IN READING.
I WANT TO BRING US BACK JUST A LITTLE BIT TO SHOW THE DATA FROM TEA, PEOPLE CAN GO ON THE WEBSITE AND LOOK AT IT, AND IT SHOWS HERE THE SUMMARY FROM LAST YEAR.
WE WENT OVER THIS PRETTY CONSIDERABLY, BUT THE POINT IS THIS DISTRICT OUTPERFORMED EVERY LARGE DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS BY FAR.
IF YOU JUST CONSIDER NES, THE THIRD GRADE TO EIGHTH GRADE INCREASE IN READING AND IN MATH IS THE LARGEST SINGLE YEAR AFTER YEAR INCREASE IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE EXAM, RELATIVE TO THE STATE.
EVEN WITHOUT SAYING THAT, IF YOU LOOK ON THE FIRST GREEN COLUMN, YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASE IN PROFICIENCY MEETS AND EXCEEDS THAT OUR STUDENTS DID IN READING AND IN MATH AND THE OTHER SUBJECTS, AND THEN COMPARE THAT TO HOW THE STATE DID.
OUR NES SCHOOLS, OF COURSE, DID STRONGER IN ELEMENTARY READING IN MATH, ALTHOUGH THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, INCLUDING THE NON NES SCHOOLS DID WELL.
THAT IS THE STAAR EXAM, THAT IS THE INCREASE THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR.
NOW, IN THIRD GRADE, YOU SAW IN THE LAST SLIDE THAT PINK THAT WAS THIRD GRADE READING.
WE DIDN'T MEET OUR GOAL, WHICH WAS INCREASE.
HOWEVER, JUST TO POINT OUT, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS GRAPH RIGHT HERE, WE CAME CLOSE, OF COURSE.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE NES SCHOOLS AND I'M LOOKING AT THIS COLUMN RIGHT HERE, AND THIS COLUMN, YOU SEE THAT WHILE THE DISTRICT DID NOT MEET ITS TARGET, IT DID MEET IT FOR NES IN EVERY SUBGROUP CATEGORY.
[02:50:02]
THAT'S AT LEAST SOME GOOD NEWS ON WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STAAR NOW.WE'RE GOING TO GET TO NWA IN JUST A SECOND FOR OUR THIRD GRADE READERS.
GOAL 1.1 IS THE PROGRESSIVE LOOK AT NWA AND HOW OUR KIDS ARE DOING BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, MIDDLE OF YEAR, END OF YEAR.
THE METRIC IS ABOUT THE END OF YEAR.
WE'LL INCREASE FROM 28% IN SEPTEMBER, WHICH WAS OUR BASELINE DATA TO AN END OF YEAR, MAY 2028.
YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE THAT WE ALREADY EXCEEDED THE GOAL BY SOME BIT.
THIS IS THE TARGET FOR END OF YEAR, RIGHT HERE, 30 FOR THE 24, 25 SCHOOL YEAR.
THIRTY PERCENTAGE POINTS FOR MEETS AND EXCEEDS MEETS PLUS, AND OUR BEGINNING OF THE YEAR NUMBER IS ALREADY AT 41.
NOW, LOOKING AT BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO BEGINNING OF THE YEAR IS USEFUL, BUT YOU CANNOT COUNT ON THAT AS A REAL STRONG ANALYSIS.
FIRST OF ALL, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT COHORTS.
WHILE IT'S USEFUL TO LOOK AT BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO BEGINNING OF THE YEAR ON NWA, IT'S NOT THE BEST INDICATOR OF HOW OUR KIDS WILL DO.
IT'S A PROJECTION OF HOW THEY WILL DO, AND THEN WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHAT WE DO DURING THIS YEAR.
BEGINNING OF THE YEAR IS A BASELINE FOR THIS YEAR.
COMPARING IT TO LAST YEAR OR A DIFFERENT COHORT IS STILL USEFUL INFORMATION.
BUT THE BEST THING WE CAN DO IS LOOK AT MIDDLE OF THE YEAR.
WE CAN GAUGE HOW OUR KIDS DID FROM BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO MIDDLE OF YEAR AND THEN FROM BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO END OF YEAR.
BEGINNING OF THE YEAR IS LIKE A BASE LINE FOR THIS YEAR.
EVEN THOUGH WE DID REALLY WELL, WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT THAT'S THE END OF THE WORK.
HOW WELL DID WE DO? WE'RE ONLY LOOKING AT THIRD GRADE TODAY, BUT YOU HAVE OTHER DATA THAT SHOWS THE REST OF THE NWA SCORES.
ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, YOU SEE THE INCREASE IN MEETS AND EXCEEDS, EXPECTED MEETS.
THE BLUE BAR IS LAST YEAR, THE YELLOW BAR IS THIS YEAR.
THERE IS A HUGE DATA POINT HERE, THOUGH.
LAST YEAR, THE BLUE BAR IS THE NES SCHOOLS, THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, THE THIRD GRADE STUDENTS IN 85 OUT OF THE 85 NES SCHOOLS, WHICH IS SOMEWHERE I THINK ABOUT 60.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT WERE NES. THAT'S THE BLUE BAR.
THE YELLOW BAR THIS YEAR INCLUDES 41 NEW NES SCHOOLS BECAUSE THERE WERE 45 NEW SCHOOLS, 41 OR ELEMENTARY.
IT'S NOT IN APPLES TO APPLES EXACTLY.
THE YELLOW BAR INCLUDES THE LOWEST PERFORMING SCHOOLS THAT WERE NOT NES THE YEAR BEFORE.
EVEN WITH THE LOWEST PERFORMING SCHOOLS ADDED TO THE NES FROM LAST YEAR, WE STILL HAVE OVERALL THE KIDS, THE STUDENTS, START AT A HIGHER MEETS AND EXCEEDS BAR.
IT SHOWS THAT LAST YEAR, WE DID PRETTY WELL AND IT STUCK.
THE STARTING POINTS ARE A LOT HIGHER.
YOU ALSO SEE THAT THE PUA WE'RE USING PUA SINCE THERE'S SOME CONCERN ABOUT USING NON NES, WE CALL IT PUA.
THE PUA SCHOOLS ALSO DID VERY WELL, IF YOU CAN SEE THAT.
NOW, YOU HAVE TO SUBTRACT THE LOWEST OF THE PUA SCHOOLS BECAUSE THE BLUE BAR ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE INCLUDES THE LOWEST PUA SCHOOLS FROM LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR, IT DOESN'T.
STILL, THE GROWTH OR THE STARTING POINT IS HIGHER.
THAT REFLECTS THE STAAR RESULTS, WHERE 93 A AND B SCHOOLS IS WHAT WE STARTED WITH LAST YEAR, AND NOW WE HAVE 170.
[02:55:02]
THE HIGHER PERFORMING SCHOOLS WERE NOT HARMED BY THE WORK THAT WE DID LAST YEAR, BY THE INSTRUCTION THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR.ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE DNF SCHOOLS, NOW WE ONLY HAVE 41.
EVEN ON THE LOW SIDE AND THE HIGH SIDE, WE DID WELL.
NES SCHOOLS DID CONSIDERABLY WELL ALSO.
THIS IS NOW BROKEN DOWN BY SUBGROUP. SAME THING.
BLUE BAR LAST YEAR, WHERE THEY START.
YOU CAN SEE THE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGE.
STUDENTS START AT A HIGHER LEVEL NOW.
THE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, THAT'S A MIDDLE BAR, ALSO STARTED AT A HIGHER LEVEL AND THE EMERGENT BILINGUALS.
ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, ADDITIONALLY OR SIMILARLY, THE STUDENTS THIS YEAR STARTED AT A HIGHER POINT.
ACROSS THE DISTRICT, WE'RE STARTING AT A HIGHER LEVEL.
NOW, THAT'S WHAT NWA DOES IS IT LOOKS AT THE KIDS BEGINNING OF THE YEAR SCORE AND IT SAYS, BASED ON THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OR NATIONAL NORM, THIS STUDENT WITH THIS SCORE SHOULD MEET OR EXCEED.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT MEANS, IF YOU DON'T WORK HARD THIS YEAR, IF THE KIDS DON'T GET GOOD INSTRUCTION THIS YEAR, THEN THAT PREDICTION WON'T HOLD TRUE AND THAT'S WHY THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN DO WITH THE BEGINNING OF YEAR TO THE BEGINNING OF YEAR COMPARISON.
I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT FOOTNOTE.
WE'RE NOT CELEBRATING TOO MUCH THAT WE HAVE THESE HIGH STARTING POINTS OR HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR'S STARTING POINTS.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF WE DON'T DO GOOD WORK THIS YEAR, WE WON'T HIT THE PROJECTION.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TO THE PRINCIPALS AND TO THE TEACHERS.
YOU HAVE THIS, SO I DON'T NEED TO GO OVER EXCEPT TO SAY, THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION STILL IS THE MAIN THING.
AS I GO AROUND THE SCHOOLS AND I'VE BEEN TO 45, 46 SCHOOLS THIS YEAR ALREADY, AND I'VE BEEN IN A LOT MORE PUA SCHOOLS THAN I WAS LAST YEAR.
WE ARE MOVING AT PACE, IS LOOKING PRETTY GOOD.
AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO JUMP UP AND DOWN YET, BUT WE HAD OUR IRT VISITS.
THAT'S THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW TEAM VISIT IN A WEEK AGO.
THE AVERAGE IN THE DISTRICT WAS 9.03, NINE IS THE BOTTOM OF PROFICIENCY OUT OF 15 POINTS.
THE AVERAGE OF THE SPOT OBSERVATIONS THAT PRINCIPAL HAD CONDUCTED DURING THE FIRST QUARTER WAS 9.7 SOMETHING, SO CLOSE TO 9.8.
THERE'S A LITTLE HIGHER THAN OURS, BUT THAT'S STILL PROFICIENT, AND WE THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD SIGN, GOOD CORRELATION. WE'RE NOT DONE.
WE WANT TO BE AT A PROFICIENT 2, WHICH IS AT LEAST A 12TH BY THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
BUT BEING AT A NINE AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER, WE THINK THAT'S GOOD. THAT'S PROFICIENT.
OF COURSE, IF THAT'S AN AVERAGE, THAT MEANS THERE'S SCHOOLS THAT ARE BELOW AVERAGE AND THEN SCHOOLS THAT ARE ABOVE AVERAGE.
WE STILL HAVE LOTS OF WORK TO DO.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID THIS YEAR THAT WE DIDN'T DO LAST YEAR IS WE'RE FOCUSING SUPPORTS ON WHAT WE CALL THE 25 PUA SCHOOLS THAT ARE C RATED OR D RATED, SO THAT THEY DON'T FALL DOWN TO D OR F. THERE ARE 25 OF THOSE SCHOOLS.
THEN THERE ARE 45, AS WE KNOW, NEW NES SCHOOLS.
ALL SCHOOLS ARE GETTING ATTENTION, OF COURSE, AND GETTING COACHING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PRINCIPAL TRAINING.
BUT THOSE SCHOOLS, WE CALL THEM SPECIAL FOCUS SCHOOLS, 25 PUA, 45 NES, AND A HANDFUL OF FORMER NES TO FIRST YEAR THAT DROPPED, AND THOSE ARE ALL SPECIAL FOCUS SCHOOLS.
THEY'RE GETTING A LOT MORE COACHING AND INSTRUCTION, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THEIR PROGRESS EVERY WEEK AND WE FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE AT THIS POINT.
WE STILL HAVE SIX MONTHS TO GO.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO INSTRUCTIONALLY.
>> BUT THE KIDS ARE THRIVING IN THOSE SCHOOLS.
I THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS WHO'VE COME WITH ME.
I THINK IT'S TIME FOR US TO DO ANOTHER ROUND OF SCHOOL VISITS,
[03:00:05]
LOOKING AT BOTH NES, NON NES SCHOOLS SO THAT WE CAN GAUGE THE SCHOOLS LIKE I ENGAGE A SCHOOL BEING IN THE SCHOOL SO OFTEN.THE PRINCIPALS ALSO, I THINK YOU RECEIVED THE SURVEY OF THE PRINCIPALS.
YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEIR INSTRUCTIONAL CHOPS.
THEY FEEL GOOD ABOUT THEIR ABILITY TO SUPPORT AND COACH TEACHERS.
REALLY HIGH SCORES, 97% AGREE AND STRONGLY AGREE.
I HOPE YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
YOU GOT THE REPORTS. GOOD. THAT WILL CONTINUE. LET'S LOOK AT MATH.
THE SAME THING ON THE STAR IN MATH, WE DID HIT OUR TARGET, AND AGAIN, OUR MATH WAS REALLY STRONG LAST YEAR ACROSS THE DISTRICT.
AGAIN, I'LL REMIND YOU, THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE ACROSS THE DISTRICT, AND THEN THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE IN NES.
IF WE GO BACK TO THE SLIDE, WE MET OUR TARGETS IN STAR.
HOW DID WE DO IN NWA? NWA, OUR GOAL THIS YEAR AT THE END OF THE YEAR IS 27, AND WE'VE ALREADY OUTSTRIPPED THAT.
I KNOW THE BOARD IS GOING TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER WE CHANGE THAT AND RAISE IT, BUT THAT'S A DISCUSSION NOT FOR TONIGHT.
BUT IT'S A GREAT THING THAT WE MET OUR GOAL.
WELL, WE'RE NOT AT THE END OF THE YEAR, SO WE CAN'T DROP, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE WE'LL BE MEETING OUR GOAL FAIRLY EASILY.
IT'S NOT AN EXACT APPLE TO APPLE MEASUREMENT.
WHILE WE CELEBRATE ANY SUCCESS, AND THIS IS ONE, WE ALWAYS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DATA IS ACTUALLY TELLING US.
IT CAN'T TELL US THAT MUCH WHEN YOU HAVE DIFFERENT COHORTS OF KIDS.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, THOUGH, YOU CAN SAY, WE'RE AT A HIGHER STARTING POINT, ABOUT THE SAME STARTING POINT OR LOWER STARTING POINT, THAT YOU CAN SAY.
I CAN SAY WE'RE AT A HIGHER STARTING POINT, AT LEAST IN THIRD, YOU HAVE DATA THAT SHOWS THE OTHER GRADES.
BUT YOU CAN SEE HERE, THESE ARE PRETTY HIGH DIFFERENCES IN STARTING POINT. IT'S GOOD.
THESE ARE THE STARTING POINTS FOR THE NES SCHOOLS AND THEN THE NON NES OR THE PUA SCHOOLS.
AGAIN, REMEMBER, WE TOOK THE LOWEST PUA SCHOOLS AND NOW THEY'RE NES.
EVEN THOUGH THE LOW PUA SCHOOLS ARE NOW NES, WE STILL START AT A HIGHER LEVEL.
BUT IT ALSO MADE THE PUA SCHOOLS EVEN HIGHER.
THIS IS BROKEN DOWN BY SUBGROUP.
WE HAVE WORK TO DO WITH OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, OF COURSE.
THEY'RE AT A HIGHER STARTING POINT, BUT COMPARED TO THE OTHER STUDENTS, THEIR STARTING POINT DIDN'T SEE AS BIG A JUMP.
THAT'S A LOT MORE WORK TO DO IN THE NES ORBIT WITH SPECIAL ED.
AGAIN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MATH HERE AND THEN THE SUBGROUP DATA FOR MATH.
AS FAR AS THE ACTIONS, IT'S VERY SIMILAR.
WE TALKED TO THE TEACHING IS A TOUGH ART, AND COACHING TEACHERS IS ALSO VERY TOUGH, AND SO THE PRINCIPALS GET A LOT OF TRAINING.
THEY GET TRAINING ONCE A MONTH, AN ALL DAY TRAINING, AND THEN THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS GET TRAINING EVERY WEEK.
THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS FILTER DOWN TO THE TEACHERS, BUT WE'RE PUSHING IT PRETTY WELL.
THE WAY WE PUSH IT DOWN TO THE TEACHERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TRAINING GETS DOWN IS TO DO ON THE JOB COACHING.
PRINCIPALS ARE MAINLY IN CHARGE OF THAT, BUT EDS HELP OUT.
NEXT WEEK, WE'RE STARTING WHAT WE STARTED LAST YEAR THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS IS TO TRAIN APS.
[03:05:01]
APS WILL COME TO HATTIE MAE WHITE FOR A DAY OF TRAINING.THEY'LL GET VERY SIMILAR TRAINING TO THE PRINCIPALS.
PRINCIPALS HAVE ASKED FOR THIS.
THEY BELIEVE THEY'RE GOOD COACHES, BUT THEY ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THE REAL EXPERTS IN INSTRUCTION AND IN CURRICULUM ARE AT HATTIE MAY OR AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE AND THEY REALLY LIKE WHEN WE TRAIN APS AND TEACHERS.
LET'S SEE HOW THAT WILL HELP THE CALIBRATION.
CALIBRATION LOOKS A LOT BETTER THIS YEAR THAN IT DID LAST YEAR.
STILL IT'S A NEVER ENDING CHALLENGE WHEN YOU HAVE 274 SCHOOLS AND 10,600 TEACHERS.
THAT BOARD MEMBERS IS MY REPORT.
>> WE'RE READY FOR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE INDICATE. YES. TRUSTEE RIVON.
>> THANK YOU, SIR FOR TAKING THE TIME TO GO THROUGH THIS IN DETAIL.
THE INFORMATION THAT'S PRESENTED IS GOOD NEWS FOR OUR STUDENTS, AND I'M HAPPY THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO SEE PROGRESS IN THE AREAS THAT ARE IMPORTANT.
THE THING THAT I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT THE USE OF PREDICTED AND OVER PREDICTED CAN BE MISUNDERSTOOD AS THERE ARE REFERENCES TO CORRELATION IN THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON 1.1 AND 2.1 LINKING STUDIES ARE SHOWING CORRELATION BETWEEN THE NEW STAR 2.0 OR WHATEVER THEY CALL IT.
WHILE IT IS TRUE, THE TESTING BETWEEN MAP AND STAR ARE ALIGNED AND BEING LINKED.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS TO DATE THAT NWA HASN'T GONE THROUGH THE FULL PROCESS TO HAVE ALIGNMENT THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
I DO JUST WANT US TO BE CAREFUL WITH THAT AND THEN STUDIES SHOWING THAT OUR FOCUS SHOULD BE ON THE CUT SCORE AND THE WRIT SCORE TO INDICATE THE PREDICTEDNESS SO THAT WE CAN GET TO THE PLACE WHERE WE CAN TAKE OUR BEGINNING OF YEAR INFORMATION AND BEGIN TO PREDICT WHAT THE END OF THE YEAR OUTCOMES WILL LOOK LIKE.
I HOPE TO SEE IMPROVEMENTS IN THAT SPACE AS WE CONTINUE DOWN THIS TRACK.
THEN FINALLY, OUR STUDENTS WHILE THEY ARE EXPERIENCING CONSIDERABLE GROWTH, WE STILL GOT A LONG WAY TO GO.
THE STARS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A MINIMUM THRESHOLD AND AS WE PROGRESS, TEXAS ESSENTIAL.
TEXAS ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS, THE MINIMUM STANDARD.
I THINK WE HAVE TO CONTINUALLY RAISE OUR OUTLOOK TO BEGIN TO SAY, REALLY 70, 80% OF OUR STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THIS MINIMUM STANDARD.
I DO WANT TO CONTINUE TO SEE US IMPROVE IN THAT, AS WELL AS BEING HAPPY TO SEE THAT OUR GAPS FOR OUR MINORITY POPULATIONS ARE ACTUALLY BEGINNING TO CLOSE BASED ON THE DATA.
FOR ALL THOSE THINGS, I AM HAPPY TO SEE THAT PROGRESS AND I WANT TO CONTINUE TO SEE GROWTH IN RESPECT TO ALL OF THOSE AS WELL.
>> THANKS FOR POINTING IT OUT, BOARD MEMBER ON THAT.
WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, AND I KEEP SAYING THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
OUR KIDS START BEHIND, AND WE'RE BEHIND THE STATE AVERAGE STILL.
RELATIVE TO THE STATE, WE MOVED IN READING ABOUT SIX PERCENTAGE POINTS, AND IN MATH, ABOUT SEVEN PERCENTAGE POINT, NARROWING THE GAP.
BUT WHEN YOUR GAP IS 35 POINTS OR 30 POINTS, THAT STILL PUTS US BEHIND.
WE NEED SEVERAL CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF GROWTH LIKE THAT TO WHERE WE START OFF HIGHER EVERY YEAR.
THEN WE WILL BE OVER THE STATE AVERAGE AND THEN WE CAN GO AFTER THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
IT'S NOT OVER IN A YEAR, NOT OVER IN TWO YEARS, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUOUSLY LOOK AT THAT.
WITH REGARD TO NWA, YOU'RE ALSO RIGHT.
IT'S A PROGRESS MONITORING METRIC.
IT'S NOT 100% CORRELATED TO STAR.
IT'S TWO DIFFERENT EXAM, ALTHOUGH YOU SAW FROM THE RESEARCH BECAUSE THERE'S ANOTHER RESEARCH PAPER WE SENT YOU THAT AT LEAST IT'S 0.7-0.8 CORRELATION, WHICH IS REALLY HIGH CORRELATION STATISTICALLY.
[03:10:02]
LAST YEAR, WHEN WE REPORTED OUT THE GROWTH MID YEAR, AND THEN THE END OF YEAR, YOU CAN SEE THAT IF WE HIT 55% RELATIVE TO THE REST OF THE NATION ON EXPECTED GROWTH, THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO WELL ON STAR.WE'RE GOING TO GROW OUR STAR SCORES.
WE GOT TO BE BETTER THAN AVERAGE IN ORDER TO CLOSE THE GAP WITH STAR.
WE'LL KEEP PROGRESS MONITORING.
I HOPE NOBODY EXPECTS US TO GO FROM 141-0 IN A YEAR OR EVEN TWO YEARS.
BUT WE MADE A GOOD DENT IN THAT LAST YEAR.
HOPEFULLY WE'LL MAKE ANOTHER DENT IN THAT THIS YEAR.
>> SUPERINTENDENT MILES, IF I COULD INTERRUPT BRIEFLY, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TRUSTEE, MICHELLE KUZARNOLD HAS JOINED US.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AT 8:29 PM. THANK YOU. WE CAN CONTINUE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. MILES. THE THING THAT STOOD OUT TO ME, FIRST, I THINK, WAS THE DISPARITY IN THE SCORES FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
WHILE WE SEE, AGAIN, A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE AND YOU EXPLAINED TO THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT COHORTS.
I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO EXPLAIN MORE WHAT THE DISTRICT'S REACTION IS TO THAT.
CONSIDERING THAT NES HAS I THINK ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR SPED STUDENTS, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT BETTER HOW YOU THINK THAT THOSE ARE GOING TO HELP OUR STUDENTS IMPROVE.
I'D LOVE TO HEAR MORE EXPLANATION ON THAT, PLEASE.
SECOND. I THINK ONE GOOD SIGN, IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE NES ORBIT, WENT FROM 7-19 ON THE SCHOOL PROGRESS MEASURE ON MATHS IN STAR.
THAT SUGGESTS THAT THAT HUGE INCREASE, THERE IS SOMETHING IN AND I CAN EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS IN THE NES ORBIT IN THE INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL THAT IS HELPING SPED STUDENTS.
HAVING SAID THAT, SPECIAL EDUCATION, THE REASON WHY WE'RE STRUGGLING, BY THE WAY, ALMOST ALL DISTRICTS ARE STRUGGLING WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION, THAT'S SOMETHING IN OUR PROFESSION, AND HARDLY ANYBODY HAS BEEN ABLE TO ATTACK IT LIKE THIS WITH THAT SORT DIFFERENCE.
ONE IS GREAT OR VERY EFFECTIVE IEPS BOARD MEETINGS, ALL THE COMPLIANCE PIECES, BUT IT CAN'T BE JUST COMPLIANCE.
OUR DIRECTOR, DEPUTY CHIEF A SPECIAL EDUCATION STACY BENSON HAS PUT INTO PLACE A REALLY STRONG COMPLIANCE METRIC, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT IEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE EFFECTIVE.
WE HAVE A RUBRIC FOR. WE'RE GAUGING IT.
TEAS IS MONITORING ALSO, AND SO WE'RE IMPROVING THAT DOCUMENT, THE IEP, TO MAKE IT MORE EFFECTIVE, NOT JUST CHECKING A BOX.
BUT MORE THAN THAT, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE INSTRUCTION, AND THAT GOES FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.
IN OUR PROFESSION, WE ARE TOO EASILY WALKING PAST BED CLASSROOMS AND NOT REALLY OBSERVING OR COACHING OR PROVIDING FEEDBACK ON SPECIAL ED INSTRUCTION.
WE'RE DOING THAT MORE ACROSS THE DISTRICT THIS YEAR.
LAST YEAR, FOCUSED ON NES SCHOOLS, BUT NOW WE'RE TRYING TO PUSH THAT INTO THE ENTIRE DISTRICT SO THAT SPECIAL ED TEACHERS ALSO GET OBSERVED ON A REGULAR BASIS AND BE GIVEN FEEDBACK ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION EVEN FOR OUR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS.
IN FACT, YOU CAN SAY THAT OUR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS NEED EVEN STRONGER ENGAGEMENT.
THEY NEED ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAY LIKE CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS.
THOSE ARE THE SAME THINGS WE'RE USING IN ALL OF OUR CLASSROOMS WHERE KIDS STRUGGLE.
[03:15:06]
I THINK WE'RE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.IT'S GOING TO TAKE A WHILE TO SPREAD THAT.
WE HAVE 1,879 SPED TEACHERS, AND SO WE'RE CHANGING THE CULTURE, CHANGING THE PRACTICE, CHANGING HOW WE OBSERVE, CHANGING HOW WE PROFESSIONALLY DEVELOP.
THAT WILL TAKE SOME TIME, BUT I THINK THERE'S SOME SIGNS HERE THAT WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
ONE THING I'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE I CAN UNDERSTAND BETTER IS WHEN YOU SEE THE BEGINNING OF YEAR RESULTS FOR NES VERSUS PUA, AND THERE'S A DRAMATIC DIFFERENCE THERE.
IT'S LESS THAN HALF IN THAT SCORE.
WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THAT AS FAR AS WHAT MIGHT NEED TO BE DONE DIFFERENTLY IN NES TO HELP OUR SPED STUDENTS CATCH UP.
HOW DO WE START TO REACH PARITY AT LEAST AND HELP THEM CATCH UP THERE? I THINK WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS WHAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO IN THE NSE ORBIT FOR SPED, BUT WE NEED TO DO THAT ACROSS THE BOARD.
THE NWA BEGINNING OF THE YEAR IS AN ACHIEVEMENT METRIC.
WHAT WE DO DURING THE YEAR WILL INCLUDE GROWTH.
WHAT THE DATA SAYS RIGHT NOW AND MIND YOU, WE TOOK THE 25 LOWEST PUA SCHOOLS AND PUT THEM IN THE NES SIDE OF THE HOUSE.
IF THERE'S SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS THAT WEREN'T GETTING A STRONG INSTRUCTIONAL FOUNDATION IN THOSE 25 PUA SCHOOLS, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE LOWER SCORES.
IT ALSO SUGGESTS THAT IN THE PUA SCHOOL, THE SPED STUDENTS ARE ACADEMICALLY AT A HIGHER LEVEL TO BEGIN WITH.
BEGINNING OF THE YEAR IS ACHIEVEMENT BASE, NOT GROWTH BASE.
WHAT YOU SAW IN THE STAAR COLUMN THAT I JUST POINTED OUT IS A COMBINATION OF GROWTH MOSTLY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT STAAR IS, DOMAIN 1 OR DOMAIN 2.
IT'S MOSTLY DOMAIN 2, SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THE GROWTH MATTERS MORE AND OVER TIME WE'RE GOING TO CATCH UP.
WE'LL LOOK TO SEE THAT GROWTH IN THE MIDDLE OF YEAR SCORE AND THEN SEE THAT COMPARISON.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT THAT'S CORRECT.
LAST YEAR WE ANALYZED THAT WELL, LOOKING CLOSELY AT THE GROWTH IN NWA.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT PERCENTILE, BUT MIDDLE OF YEAR IS NOT THE BEST FOR PERCENTILE.
THAT'S THE ACHIEVEMENT METRIC.
MET EXPECTED GROWTH THOUGH IS WHAT WE LOOKED AT MID YEAR, AND WE ALSO LOOKED AT THE PERCENT OF ANNUAL GROWTH.
WE'RE GOING TO DO THE SAME THIS YEAR.
I THINK THAT'S THE POINT WHERE WE ANALYZE EVEN MORE THAN BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AGAIN.
BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH YOU CAN GET OUT OF THAT DATA, AND SO WE GOT TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERANALYZE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
IT'S ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MADAM SECRETARY. FIRST OF ALL, IT'S WARM.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE AC WENT OUT AND I'M HOT, BUT LET ME SAY THIS.
CONGRATULATIONS. THE DATA IS GREAT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WHEN THERE'S SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE WE CELEBRATE PUBLICLY.
SOME OF US WENT TO COUNCIL OF GREAT CITY SCHOOLS LAST MONTH IN DALLAS.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE WOULD STOP US AND SAY HIE IS DOING GREAT FROM A DATA PERSPECTIVE.
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO WORKED IN HIC BEFORE AN HIZ ADMIN, SO THAT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION WITH REGARD TO THIRD GRADE READING.
THIRD GRADE READING IS THE ONE WE CAN GET TO LAST YEAR.
YOU MIGHT NEED TO EDUCATE ME ON THIS SUPERINTENDENT MILES.
WHEN I LOOK AT NOT THE PREDICTIVE, BUT THE SLIDE ONE OF THE SLIDES YOU PRESENTED THAT SHOWS THAT WE GREW BEGINNING OF YEAR, YEAR OVER YEAR, ABOUT 10 POINTS, WHATEVER THAT POINT IS, BUT WE'VE GROWN.
BUT THEN WHEN I LOOK AT THE NEXT NWA REPORT, I LOOK AT THE RED SCORES AND IT LOOKS LIKE A THE ELEMENTARY AGE, WE'RE NOT EVEN REACHING WHAT WE HAD LAST YEAR WHEN IT COMES TO BEGINNING OF YEAR.
YOU CAN JUST EXPLAIN THAT TO ME.
IT'S COMPLICATED AND I DON'T HAVE THE FULL ANSWER, BUT LOOKING AT WRIT POINTS, THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS TO CONSIDER.
NUMBER 1, AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT GROUP OF KIDS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT 85 OR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND 85 SCHOOLS AND THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ELEMENTARY KIDS IN 130 SCHOOLS, SO THAT'S ONE.
THE 130 SCHOOLS INCLUDE KIDS WHO WERE IN THE LOWEST PUA SCHOOLS.
THAT ADDED TO THE LOWER WRIT OF THE NES SCHOOLS.
[03:20:01]
ALSO AGAIN, BEGINNING OF THE YEAR IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE YOU DO HAVE A DIFFERENT COHORT OF KIDS.IF THERE IS 20% MOBILITY IN HISD, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THAT IS THE CASE, YOU HAVE KIDS WHO ARE COMING IN AND WHEN YOU ARE IN THE EARLY GRADES LIKE KINDER FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD, THE DISTANCE YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL TO GET TO A STAAR SCORE IS HUGE.
THIRD GRADE IS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE TESTS YOU'VE BEEN TAKING AND THE MEASUREMENTS.
UP TO THIRD GRADE, YOU'RE LEARNING TO READ.
IN THIRD GRADE, YOU START TO READ TO LEARN.
IF YOU'RE BEHIND THE CHANGE IS NOT GOING TO BE AS GREAT.
FOR THOSE REASONS THAT'S WHY I QUALIFIED ALWAYS THAT BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO BEGINNING OF YEAR IS SOMETHING YOU CELEBRATE, YES, BECAUSE OUR STARTING POINT IS HIGHER, BUT YOU REALLY HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THE COMPARISON FROM ONE COHORT TO ANOTHER BECAUSE IT IS A DIFFERENT COHORT.
IF YOU GET A BUNCH OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE HIGHER NEEDS, EMERGING BILINGUALS, THEY COME IN FIRST, SECOND GRADE, THAT DIFFERENCE IS GOING TO BE SEEN THROUGH THIRD AND FOURTH GRADE.
FOR THAT REASON, WE JUST GOT TO BE CAREFUL.
KEEP IN MIND TOO, WHEN YOU SAW THAT IN FIFTH GRADE, IT WENT FROM 200.3-200.1 OR 192 AND THIRD GRADE TO 191.
THAT'S ONE WRIT POINT OUT OF 190, TO ME THAT SHOWS FLAT.
GIVEN THAT WE HAD THE LOWEST SCHOOLS JOIN THAT GROUP, THAT PROBABLY SUGGESTS THAT HAD WE JUST DONE APPLES TO APPLES, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN HIGHER LIKE THIS SLIDE SHOWS.
THANK YOU. I HAVE TO GET USED TO JEANETTE C, SO THANK YOU. I'M ECHOING EVERYONE.
THIS IS GREAT INFORMATION, AND I'M GLAD ROLANDO BROUGHT UP OUR TIME IN DALLAS BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTED TO TALK TO US ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD THAT WE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE.
AS IT RELATES TO SOME OF THE DATA, I ASKED A QUESTION SPECIFICALLY ON SLIDE 12, I THINK.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE HYPOTHESIS ON THE ROOT CAUSE TO HOW WELL OUR THIRD GRADERS ARE DOING IS THAT THE SECOND GRADERS DID WELL.
THE LAST STATEMENT JUST SAYS, THIS WOULD BE DRIVEN BY HIGH LEVELS OF GROWTH IN SECOND GRADERS LAST YEAR, AND I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE SUPPORTING DATA FOR THAT.
I REALLY JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT BECAUSE IT WAS THE ANSWER WAS BASICALLY THAT IT WAS HYPOTHESIZE, IT WAS A ROOT CAUSE AND IT MAKES SENSE TO ME.
BUT ALSO, I THINK IT'S GOOD AND IT SHOWS OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND IT SHOULD BE EASY TO SUPPORT THIS WITH DATA FROM SECOND GRADE, EVEN FIRST GRADE, BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PREDICTIVITY, AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE LET'S SEE WHAT THE PIPELINE LOOKS LIKE.
IT'S A LOT OF WHAT WE TALK ABOUT AROUND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, PROVIDING MORE SEATS BECAUSE WE CAN'T MEET ALL OF OUR KIDS WHERE THEY ARE.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF THOSE TYPE OF LEADING INDICATORS.
HOW ARE THE FIRST GRADERS DOING? HOW ARE THE SECOND GRADERS DOING? BECAUSE I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD PREDICTION AND JUST VALIDATE WHAT WE'RE SAYING ABOUT THE GROWTH IN THOSE PRE STAAR YEARS.
YES. YES, MA'AM. I THINK WHEN WE GET TO THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR WE'LL HAVE THE DIBBLES DATA.
I THINK WE HAVE SECOND GRADE NWA.
I'M NOT SURE WE DID IT THIS YEAR.
WE DID. WE CAN DO SOME OF THAT.
I STILL WILL CAUTION THAT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL OF THE PREDICTIVE NATURE.
I KNOW THAT THESE WRIT SCORES COME FROM NWA.
IT'S THEIR PREDICTION, BUT IT'S BASED ON NATIONAL NORMS. THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HISD.
IT'S BASED ON A NATIONAL NORM IF A KID SCORES THIS.
I'M HEARING YOU THOUGH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO WELL IN THIRD GRADE OR REALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE UNLESS WE ALSO DO MORE PRE K. STRONGER FIRST AND SECOND GRADE, SCIENCE OF READING.
THAT'S WHY DIBBLES IS IMPORTANT.
THE SCIENCE OF READING CURRICULUM IS IMPORTANT.
WE HAVE NOT SPENT AS MUCH TIME AS WE NEED TO AND WE'RE STARTING TO DO THAT MORE AND MORE, BUT WE NEED TO SPEND MORE TIME ON THE TRAINING AND PROFESSION DEVELOPMENT OF OUR K-1 AND 2 TEACHERS.
[03:25:04]
ONE OTHER QUESTION, PIVOTING A LITTLE BIT AROUND THE FOCUS 25.I DON'T KNOW IF I MISSED SOMETHING, BUT THIS IS, I THINK THE FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD THIS BRACKET OF 25 IDENTIFIED SCHOOLS.
I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO WHEN THEY WERE IDENTIFIED.
THEN ALSO, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FOCUS 25 IN WHAT WE CALL AN NESA MAYBE LAST YEAR, OR EVEN AN NES SCHOOL. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? THE DIFFERENCE IS NOT WITH THE BUDGET OR THE CLASS SCHEDULE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THE DIFFERENCE IS THOSE 25 PUA SCHOOLS RECEIVED MORE PROFESSION DEVELOPMENT, MORE COACHING AND MORE OVERSIGHT.
IT'S LIKE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COACHING ON THE JOB.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ARE THERE PROBABLY THREE TIMES A WEEK INSTEAD OF TWO, AND IN SOME CASES MAYBE FOUR COACHING PRINCIPALS.
PRINCIPALS ARE COACHING TEACHERS.
THEY HAVEN'T YET, BUT THEY WILL GET ANOTHER IRT VISIT DOESN'T COUNT, BUT IT'S JUST ANOTHER VISIT.
THIS IS IN NEXT WEEK, JUST THE 25 AND THE 45 AND THEN THEY WILL GET ONE IN DECEMBER.
WE'RE TRYING TO HELP THEM GROW THEIR INSTRUCTION QUICKLY.
I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP BECAUSE IT BEGS ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I HAVE.
THEY STILL HAVE CONTROL OF THEIR BUDGET, ESSENTIALLY, THEY WOULD HAVE IF THEY WERE.
IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE NES COMES WITH A SPECIAL SET OF EXPECTATIONS.
THESE FOCUS 25 SCHOOLS HAVE THAT, BUT ALSO DON'T HAVE THE ADMINISTRATIVE RELIEF OF CENTRAL OFFICES TAKING CARE OF MY BUDGET.
IT'S AN INTERESTING POSITION, AND THEY'RE FEELING LIKE THEY'RE I GUESS AT RISK PER SE OF BEING NES.
ARE THERE MORE SUPPORTS AROUND EVEN ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT? DEPENDING ON THE SCHOOL, IN MANY CASES WE HAVE PUT A PRINCIPAL APPRENTICE THERE, FOR EXAMPLE, OR A TEACHER APPRENTICE, AN EXTRA ONE.
BECAUSE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE THAT WOULD HELP THEM WOULD BE THE EXTRA PERSONNEL.
WE DON'T HAVE THE BUDGET FOR THAT.
DEPENDING ON HOW WE DESIGN THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR, AND IF WE HAVE THE EXTRA MONEY FROM THE STATE, WE MAY PUT TEACHER APPRENTICES THERE AND MORE APS.
BUT THAT'S THE BIGGEST THING WE CAN SUPPORT.
ANOTHER THING, THEY'RE MAKING CHOICES AROUND THEIR CURRICULUM.
I HEAR THAT SOME OF THE CONCERN, BUT 93% OF THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE USING WHAT WE CALL THE HISD CURRICULUM.
NES IS NOT A CHOICE, BUT FOR THE PUA SCHOOLS, IT IS.
THE CURRICULUM DEPARTMENT HAS ALSO HELPED WITH AMPLIFY CURRICULUM AND EUREKA CURRICULUM FOR THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE USING THAT EXCLUSIVELY.
BUT THAT'S, FOR EXAMPLE, IS A SUPPORT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PERCENTAGE OF IT IS.
I WOULD SUSPECT THAT OVER HALF OF THOSE 25 SPECIAL FOCUS GROUP ARE USING AND HAVE CHOSEN TO USE THE HISD CURRICULUM BECAUSE IT HELPS NEW TEACHERS, IT HELPS TEACHERS WHO ARE MOVING TOWARDS CERTIFICATION AND THOSE ARE THE KIND OF SUPPORTS WE WOULD GIVE.
YES, SIR. ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION.
I THINK THIS IS PART OF JANNETTE'S QUESTION ABOUT PUA VERSUS NES.
WHEN I LOOK AT Q&A QUESTION NUMBER 4, WHEN ASKED, WHY DO WE SEE GREATER IMPROVEMENTS YEAR OVER YEAR IN PUA VERSUS NES? THE RESPONSE WAS THE PRIMARY DRIVERS OF STUDENT OUTCOMES AT CAMPUS INCLUDE HIGH QUALITY, GRADE LEVEL CURRICULUM, IMPLEMENTED WITH FIDELITY.
I WANT TO DIG INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE.
WE HAVE PUA AND EVEN NES STUDENTS WHO ARE ABOVE GRADE LEVEL.
HAVE WE LOOKED AT THE IMPACT TO STUDENTS WHO ARE PROFICIENT OR ALREADY MEETS GRADE LEVEL, CNA CURRICULUM THAT IS ONLY BEING IMPLEMENTED AT FIDELITY AT GRADE LEVEL VERSUS MORE ADVANCED MATERIAL.
THE DIRECT INSTRUCTION IS GRADE LEVEL.
ONCE IT'S DIFFERENTIATED, IT'S ABOVE GRADE LEVEL.
FOR THE NES THE S2 AND ADVANCE ARE HIGHER THAN GRADE LEVEL.
THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE PERFORMING ABOVE GRADE LEVEL GET ABOVE GRADE LEVEL MATERIAL TO USE.
[03:30:04]
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT, THE BASIC FIRST INSTRUCTION IS GRADE LEVEL INSTRUCTION, WHICH IN SCHOOLS THAT ARE LOW PROFICIENCY.KEEP IN MIND, THE NES STARTED WITH THE LOWEST SCHOOLS, THE DNF CAMPUSES.
THE SCHOOLS WE ADDED WERE PUA THAT WERE F AND LOW D AND THEN SCHOOLS WITH THE HIGHER D COULD VOLUNTEER.
THE NES PREDOMINANTLY, AND YES, THEY'RE LIKE FOUR OR FIVE SCHOOLS THAT WOULD BE IN THE ORIGINAL GROUP, THE ORIGINAL VOLUNTEERS, THE 57.
BUT PREDOMINANTLY LOW PERFORMING.
HAVING GRADE LEVEL DIRECT INSTRUCTION WAS HUGE AND THEN MAKING SURE THAT KIDS WHO ARE STILL ADVANCED, EVEN IN THOSE LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS GET HIGHER MATERIAL, THAT'S TAKEN CARE OF BY THE LSA.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. I THINK I'LL SAY THIS THAT OVER THIS NEXT YEAR, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT IS EXACTLY HOW MUCH MORE ADVANCED OUR STUDENTS ARE BECOMING, THE ONES WHO ARE GOING TO THE TEAM CENTERS BECAUSE OUR DATA REFLECTS THAT SOME OF THOSE KIDS ARE GOING TO NON NES KIDS, NON NES CAMPUSES.
THAT'S MY CONCERN ARE WE CHALLENGING THEM ENOUGH IN DIFFERENT WAYS AND DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE AT THEIR LOCAL CAMPUS AS WELL. THANK YOU.
I HAVE A QUESTION, SUPERINTENDENT MILES.
IT'S ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF READING AND THE ROOT CAUSE.
I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHY WE NEED THE SCIENCE OF READING IN SUPPORT OF THE OTHER PROGRESS.
BUT IT IS A CLASS THAT'S BEING CONSTRUCTED.
>> HOW DO YOU TEASE OUT THE IMPACT OF SCIENCE OF READING AND MAKE SURE THAT IN THIS FIRST YEAR, HOW ARE YOU ALL INTERNALLY MAKING SURE FOR CONSISTENCY, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THAT?
>> THE SCIENCE OF READING, THE WAY WE HELP WITH THE CONSISTENCY IS BY PROVIDING THE CURRICULUM FOR THE SCIENCE OF READING.
THE REGULAR ELA CLASS IS NOT DEVOID OF SCIENCE OF READING EITHER. IT'S ALL CONNECTED.
IT'S JUST THAT THE SCIENCE OF READING CLASS WILL FOCUS A LITTLE BIT MORE ON FLUENCY, THE FIVE COMPONENTS OF LITERACY AND ENSURE THAT KIDS HAVE THAT ORTHOGRAPHIC MAPPING, IF THEY'RE IN THE LOWER GRADES, SO THAT KIDS WHO NEVER GOT IT WILL LEARN HOW TO READ EVEN IF THEY'RE IN FIFTH GRADE.
THE CURRICULUM DEPARTMENT HELPS WITH THAT.
IN THE HISD CURRICULUM, THERE IS SCAFFOLDING.
WE'RE WORKING ON COMPREHENSION, OF COURSE, BUT WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON FLUENCY.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT VOCABULARY THROUGHOUT.
WE'RE ALSO ADDING THROUGHOUT BOTH THE ELA AND SCIENCE OF READING, THIS NOTION OF CONTENT KNOWLEDGE, WHICH WILL ALSO HELP KIDS AND IS PART OF THE SCIENCE OF READING MATERIALS THAT THE STATE AND ANY OTHER VETTED CURRICULUM WILL HAVE.
>> CAN I ASK ONE OTHER QUESTION? JUST CONCEPTUALLY, BECAUSE WE KNOW WE'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE CLASS CALLED SCIENCE OF READING.
IS THAT AN ELA TEACHER? IS THAT TOTALLY UNRELATED? CAN YOU JUST TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT [OVERLAPPING] THAT IN WHAT?
>> YES, MA'AM. ALMOST ALL OF THEM ARE ELA TEACHERS.
BECAUSE IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO ELA, EXCEPT THAT THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE FOCUS ON THE READING.
THE TITLE MAY BE A LITTLE CONFUSING BECAUSE IT COMES FROM THE NOTION THAT WE'VE HAD IN THIS COUNTRY AND ONLY RECENTLY SETTLED THE SCIENCE OF READING WARS, THE ONE WHERE YOU HAVE WHOLE LANGUAGE VERSUS A FOCUS ON COMPONENTS OF LITERACY, ESPECIALLY PHONEMES, ORTHOGRAPHIC MAPPING, THOSE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN WELL PROVEN NOW.
THE COMPREHENSIVE WHOLE LANGUAGE APPROACH HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE INEFFECTIVE.
THAT'S ONLY IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.
YOU SEE A MOVEMENT ACROSS THE COUNTRY TOWARDS SCIENCE OF READING.
BUT IT'S STILL ELA, JUST MORE FOCUS ON FIVE COMPONENTS OF LITERACY.
>> ONE MORE, AND THEN I'LL LEAVE IT ALONE.
YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE FINALLY SETTLED WITH DATA, THE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN WHICH WAY.
SCIENCE OF READING, WE KNOW THAT WORKS.
WHAT ABOUT TEACHERS WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED FOR FIVE,
[03:35:03]
10, 20 YEARS. HOW ARE YOU FOUNDATIONALLY GOING BACK AND GETTING TEACHERS WHO'VE BEEN OUT OUT OF SCHOOL FOR A WHILE, UP TO SPEED ON WHAT THE DATA IS TELLING US ABOUT, HOW WE INSTRUCT FOR READING?>> THAT IS THE RUB ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
IN FACT, THERE ARE STATES WHERE THERE'S STILL WHOLE LANGUAGE BEING TAUGHT IN DISTRICTS WHERE WHOLE LANGUAGE IS BEING TAUGHT AND OTHERS IF THEY WANT TO MOVE TO A SCIENCE OF READING CURRICULUM, TEACHERS HAVE NOT BEEN TRAINED.
WHAT IS IT HERE? WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT THAT? THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ON.
ON THE SCIENCE OF READING, IT'S HARD TO BRING SOMEONE UP TO SPEED RIGHT AWAY.
TEA HAS TRIED TO HELP WITH THAT THROUGH REQUIRING ALL ELA TEACHERS TO GO THROUGH THE READING CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE RIGOROUS AND IN MANY CASES IT IS, BUT IT'S AN ONLINE THING WHERE PEOPLE GET CERTIFIED.
WHAT THE REAL TRAINING HAS TO HAPPEN IN THE CLASSROOM ON THE JOB, AND THAT'S WHERE THE CURRICULUM DEPARTMENT DOES CERTAIN TRAINING IN PROFESSION DEVELOPMENT.
BUT THE EASIEST WAY TO SPREAD IT QUICKLY THROUGHOUT IS THE CURRICULUM, THROUGH THE POWERPOINTS, THE LESSON OBJECTIVES.
THE OTHER THING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN IS AN INTENTIONAL FOCUS ON THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION.
YOU CAN'T JUST HAVE A CURRICULUM.
THIS IS THE PROBLEM IN MANY DISTRICTS.
YOU PUT A GOOD CURRICULUM OUT THERE, BUT THE KIDS AREN'T ENGAGED IN IT.
THESE ARE ALL RELATED TO HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION.
YOU CAN'T HAVE ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER.
HELPING OUR TEACHERS WITH THAT PART AND MAKING IT EASY, FOCUSING ON THAT AND HAVING THE SCIENCE OF READING CURRICULUM IS THE WAY WE'VE BEEN APPROACHING IT.
YOU CAN SEE, FROM THE SCORES, AT LEAST FOR THE MOST PART, WE'RE MAKING MOVEMENT.
BUT YOU IDENTIFY A PROBLEM THAT'S GOING TO BE HERE FOR A FEW YEARS BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN A DIFFERENT METHODOLOGY.
>> THANK YOU. OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YES, CHRISTY.
>> THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE'S PATIENCE.
I'M IN A VERY BAD RELATIONSHIP WITH UNITED AIRLINES, WHERE THEY ALWAYS DELAY ME, AND I STILL FLY THEM.
I APOLOGIZE. I TRIED TO LISTEN TO THE DISCUSSION ON THE PLANE WHEN I HAD SERVICE, SO I APOLOGIZE IF THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN ANSWERED, SUPERINTENDENT.
BUT WHEN I LOOK AT EXHIBITS 6 AND 7.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE MAIN TAKEAWAY IS FOR THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AFRICAN AMERICAN AND HISPANIC STUDENTS HERE IN TERMS OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IS PLUS 14 FOR NES AND PLUS 20 FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS.
IT'S A LITTLE SIMILAR FOR THE HISPANIC STUDENTS.
DO WE ANTICIPATE THAT THESE NUMBERS WILL EVEN OUT BETWEEN THE TWO OVER TIME? IS THAT THE GOAL HERE?
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S THE ANSWER.
WHAT I KNOW RIGHT NOW FOR THE SECOND PART.
THE FIRST PART, WHAT THIS DATA SUGGESTS AS FAR AS ACHIEVEMENT GOES, IS THAT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS IN THE PUA SCHOOLS, NOT THE BOTTOM 25 THAT WE REMOVED, BUT IN THE REMAINING PUA SCHOOLS ARE STRONGER ACADEMICALLY.
THEY START STRONGER ACADEMICALLY.
THAT'S WHAT THIS SAYS BECAUSE THE BOY IS ABOUT ACHIEVEMENT, NOT ABOUT GROWTH.
EVEN THOUGH OUR AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS GREW, THEIR ACHIEVEMENT IS STILL BELOW THE PUA SCHOOLS AND BELOW THE AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS IN THE PUA SCHOOLS.
I THINK THAT BEARS OUT HERE THE SAME THING.
FOR THE MOST PART WITH HISPANIC STUDENTS ON OVERALL ACHIEVEMENT.
AS FAR AS WILL THEY EVER CATCH UP, THE SECOND PART IS THAT GAP GOING TO CLOSE? I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO TRY TO DO IS MOVE THE STUDENTS IN THE PUA SCHOOLS UP TO.
NOW, WE DON'T WANT TO CLOSE THE GAP BY BRINGING THAT GROUP DOWN.
WE HAVE TO MOVE FASTER IN THE NES SCHOOLS WHILE STILL MOVING THE PUA SCHOOLS.
THAT'S GOING TO BE HARD, BUT YOU NOTICE WE DID THAT A LITTLE BIT LAST YEAR.
OUR A AND B SCHOOLS WENT FROM 93-170.
FOR THE MOST PART, AND YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS SLIDE HERE, THOSE SCHOOLS DID GO UP.
DID THE NES GO FASTER? YES. THAT IS THE WAY TO DO IT,
[03:40:02]
BUT WE GOT TO DO IT SEVERAL YEARS IN A ROW.>> THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE BOARD MONITORING UPDATE PRESENTATION OF GOALS 1 AND 2, PROGRESS MEASURES 1.1 AND 2.1? HOLD ON. THANK YOU.
>> A SECOND, I HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER ROLANDO MARTINEZ AND A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER JANETTE GARDNER LINDNER. PLEASE VOTE.
DO YOU NEED TO READ UP THE NAMES? NO. NEXT, WE WILL CONSIDER ACTION ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
[ITEMS PULLED FROM CONSENT AGENDA]
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS WITHDRAWN ITEM 7 APPROVAL TO ESTABLISH NEW BOARD POLICY, FOC LOCAL, STUDENT DISCIPLINE, PLACEMENT IN A DISCIPLINARY ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION SETTING SECOND READING.WE HAVE FOUR ITEMS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA.
BOARD POLICY REQUIRES BOARD MEMBERS TO ABSTAIN FROM ALL DISCUSSION AND VOTES PERTAINING TO CONTRACTS THAT MIGHT INVOLVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST WHERE POLICY BBFA LOCAL DEFINES A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AS A CIRCUMSTANCE THAT COULD CAST DOUBT ON A BOARD MEMBER'S ABILITY TO ACT WITH TOTAL OBJECTIVITY WITH REGARD TO THE DISTRICT'S INTEREST.
ON OUR FIRST PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA IS ITEM 4, APPROVAL OF PROGRAMMING CHANGE FOR FONDREN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 4?
>> WE'RE GOING TO GO TO A DISCUSSION, BUT I NEED A MOTION IN A SECOND FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE TO QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, AND DO I HAVE A SECOND? I HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER OZAN BANDY AND A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER CRUZ ARNOLD.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES WE WILL OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION? YES, TRUSTEE RIVON.
>> ARE THE PRINCIPALS GOING TO BE PRESENTING? I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE.
>> WE ARE ON FONDREN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
>> MS. [INAUDIBLE] PRINCIPAL JACKSON? THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
>> PRINCIPAL JACKSON, IF YOU CAN JUST LET THE BOARD KNOW WHY YOU'RE BRINGING THIS TO THEM FOR ENTERTAINMENT.
>> NO, MA'AM. DO YOU SEE THE LIGHTS?
WHEN I ACCEPTED THE POSITION AT FONDREN LAST JULY 2023, I NOTICED THAT THE IB PROGRAM HAD NOT BEEN OFFERED IN A MEANINGFUL WAY AT FONDREN FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
ONLY TWO STUDENTS ATTEND FONDREN AS IB STUDENTS.
THE SCHOOL HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE IB PROGRAMMING SINCE THE SCHOOL YEAR 21, 22.
IN MY EFFORTS TO BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT WITH MY COMMUNITY, I NOTICED IT SO I SAID, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN FUNCTIONING HERE FOR A LONG TIME AND SO IN THE BEST INTEREST OF MY STUDENTS IN MY COMMUNITY, THAT'S WHY I WANT TO MOVE FORWARD.
WE'RE FOCUSED ON HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION, AND SO NONE OF THE STUDENTS THAT POSSIBLY KNEW ABOUT THE IB STATUS ARE THERE ANYMORE, AND SO IT'S JUST IN OUR BEST INTEREST TO MOVE FORWARD.
>> WHAT MEMBERS DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
>> PRINCIPAL JACKSON, GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
I UNDERSTAND, SO THERE'S TWO KIDS ON IB MAGNET.
NORMALLY, IB PROGRAM IS NOT JUST FOR MAGNET STUDENTS.
SOMETIMES THEY'RE FOR GT STUDENTS.
[03:45:02]
I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF GT STUDENTS. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER IS?>> DO YOU KNOW WHAT ACROSS WHAT GRADE LEVELS?
THIRTEEN IN SIXTH GRADE, FIVE IN SEVENTH GRADE, AND 11 AND EIGHTH GRADE.
>> DO YOU THINK IF YOU ASKED THOSE GT PARENTS IF THEY'D BE INTERESTED IN IB PROGRAM, WOULD THEY BE?
>> I CAN'T SPEAK FOR WHAT THEY WOULD SAY.
I KNOW THE PERCENTAGE OF THE PARTICIPATION FROM THE SURVEY THAT WE SENT OUT.
I DIDN'T GET A HIGH PARTICIPATION RATE, BUT I CAN'T SAY EITHER WAY, HOW THEY WOULD FEEL.
>> SOUNDS GOOD. I WOULD SAY THE ONLY CONCERN I HAVE AND NOT SO MUCH WITH YOU, MS. JACKSON, THE CONCERN I HAVE IS THAT WE'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING OUT CONSTRAINT 3 WHEN IT COMES TO PROGRAMATIC CHANGES.
BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A NEED BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOL CHOICE PROCESS AS WELL.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT PROCESS IS IN PLACE.
THAT'S JUST WHERE MY CONCERN IS TODAY.
I'LL LEAVE IT FOR ADAM OR WHOEVER ELSE WANTS TO ASK QUESTIONS.
>> ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBER RIVON
>> GOOD AFTERNOON AND EVENING, THANK YOU FOR SHARING AS WELL, AND I CONCUR WITH BOARD MEMBER MARTINEZ.
MY GREATEST CONCERN IS ABOUT THE INFORMATION AS PRESENTED BECAUSE IT SHOWS THAT A PROGRAM THAT ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN FUNDED HASN'T BEEN SUPPORTED WITH FIDELITY.
I APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO HEAR AND LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY.
I THINK THE DISTRICT NEEDS TO ANALYZE THE OVERALL NEED AT A GLOBAL LEVEL.
FOR MAGNET PROGRAMMING, AND THAT COMPREHENSIVE VIEW SHOULD CONSIDER WHAT OFFERINGS WE HAVE AND WHAT PARTS OF THE CITY AND WHY? MY GREATER CONCERN, NOT JUST AT FONDREN, IS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE AN AD HOMINEM POLL AND PLACEMENT OF MAGNET TYPE PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.
ALSO, I'M CONCERNED THAT LIKE YOU'RE ON THE BORDER LINE WITH I THINK FORT BEN ISD.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE OVERALL PICTURE OF THE DISTRICT AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN COMPETE ON THE MARGINS ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND NOT JUST BE CONSIDERING ONE PROGRAM PER SE.
I APPRECIATE THOUGH THE THOROUGHNESS OF THE REVIEW.
BUT I'M FEELING LIKE WE NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND THINK ABOUT THE GLOBAL NATURE OF WHAT'S GOING ON WITH MAGNETS.
>> MAY I INTERJECT? I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
ONE OTHER CONSIDERATION THOUGH WE NEED TO MAKE, AND THAT IS, WHAT IS THE RIGHT INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM FOR THE BODY OF KIDS THERE, AND WHAT IS THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE AN IP? WHAT WE DID IN THE PROFESSION AND WHAT WE DO IN THE PROFESSION OFTEN IS WE THINK IF WE BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.
I'VE SEEN SO MANY SCHOOLS, NOT JUST IN HIC, I'M TALKING ABOUT IN OUR PROFESSION, WHERE THE KIDS ARE STRUGGLING, THEY'RE WAY BEHIND IN PROFICIENCY OR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.
THERE ARE SOME GT KIDS AND THERE'S EVERYWHERE, AND THEY THINK IF YOU BUILD AN IB PROGRAM OR TURN INTO AN AP OFFER AP CLASSES, THAT WILL BRING UP THE ACHIEVEMENT.
ONE OF THE REASONS PROBABLY, AND AGAIN, THIS PRECEDED ME, AND I DIDN'T ASK FOR FONDREN TO COME TODAY OR TO BRING THEIR PROPOSAL.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONCERNS ME IS, IF IT CONTINUES WILL THE KIDS COME, NUMBER ONE? THEY HAVEN'T SINCE 2021, SO THAT'S WAY BEFORE NES.
EVEN IF WE WERE TO CONTINUE IT, IS IT THE RIGHT PROGRAM FOR KIDS WHO ARE THAT FAR BEHIND? FONDREN IS THAT FAR BEHIND ACADEMICALLY.
THOSE ARE ALSO THINGS TO CONSIDER.
IT WOULD BE GREAT IF IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL IB PROGRAM.
WHERE IF THERE ARE KIDS, WE CAN PAY FOR IT, WHICH WE DO WITH OTHER SCHOOLS.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE PRINCIPAL IS CONSIDERING ALSO.
>> PRINCIPAL JACKSON, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
IN YOUR CURRENT SCHOOL ACTION PLAN, AS WRITTEN AND WHAT YOUR TEAM IS WORKING ON NOW, IS THERE ANY THREAD OR PLAN FOR
[03:50:02]
IB IN THE EXISTING PLAN THAT YOU ARE WORKING RIGHT NOW WITH YOUR STAFF?AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, IB HAS NOT BEEN FULLY FUNCTIONING FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY IB CERTIFIED TEACHERS, SO THAT WOULD COME WITH A COST.
HOWEVER, WHAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON IS HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION EVERY SINGLE DAY AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE BUILDING OUR TEACHER CAPACITY ON.
>> THEN MY QUESTION IS, RIGHT NOW, EVEN IF WE WERE TO SAY WE'RE CONTINUING IT AS IB, SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE ARE NO IB TEACHERS, THERE'S NO CURRICULUM IN PLACE, THERE'S NO PROGRAM.
IN REALITY, YOU ARE NOT SET TO IMPLEMENT AN IB PROGRAM REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON RIGHT NOW, ARE THOSE THE FACTS?
>> CORRECT. THERE WOULD BE A RECERTIFICATION IN 2025 THAT WE PROBABLY ALMOST 100% THAT WE WOULD NOT QUALIFY BECAUSE OF THE PROGRAMMING, THE NON CERTIFIED TEACHERS.
EVEN IF WE MOVE FORWARD, WE WOULDN'T QUALIFY FOR IT AND THERE IS A COST.
>> THANK YOU. THEN BORROWING SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY AND SOME MONEY FALLING OUT OF THE AIR, YOU'RE NOT SET TO HAVE IB IMPLEMENT IT NEXT YEAR.
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE IN SCHOOL CHOICE? IF I'M A PARENT LOOKING AT YOUR SCHOOL, IF WE CHANGE NOTHING AND IT STILL SAYS IB, WHAT ARE THEY SEEING IN THE CHOICE? I WANT TO KNOW FOR TRANSPARENCY.
IF IT NOW APPEARS AS IF AS I'M CHOOSING, I'D BE CHOOSING AN IB SCHOOL WITH IB PROGRAMMING IF WE LEAVE IT AS IS.
WHAT DO THE PARENTS SEE IF WE DON'T CHANGE? CHRISTINE? YES, THANK YOU.
>> YES. THE PARENTS WOULD SEE IB AS A CHOICE FOR THAT SCHOOL, A PARENT HAS 10 CHOICES, THEY COULD LIST IB AT FONDREN AS A CHOICE AND THEY WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE AN OPTION OF AN OFFERING THAT THEY WOULD BE RECEIVING.
>> AS IS, IF THEY DO THAT, RIGHT NOW THE PRINCIPAL NOR THE DISTRICT HAS ANYTHING IN PLACE TO MAKE THAT A REAL PROGRAM.
IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? IF WE LEAVE IT AS IS, IT'S FALSE ADVERTISING?
>> I JUST WANT TO SIT WITH THAT.
THANK YOU. OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
>> THANK YOU. I HAVE ONE, SO THAT LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT LAST YEAR FONDREN WAS AN IB CHOICE FOR SCHOOL CHOICE THEN.
YES. IT'S EVERY FIVE YEARS, EXCUSE ME, PRINCIPAL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING. IT'S LATE.
THE LAST CERTIFICATION WAS IN 2020, THEN, AGAIN, I KNOW THAT PRE DATES ALL OF US, BUT EVERY FIVE YEARS, CORRECT?
>> 2019 WAS THE LAST WALK THAT THEY HAD THAT BASICALLY, YOU CERTIFIED THEM.
>> I'M ASSUMING WE HAVE ACCESS TO WHATEVER THAT REPORT WAS BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT HOW THE CERTIFICATION GOES AND THEN THERE'S SOME MATTERS TO BE ADDRESSED, I GUESS, ONCE.
WAS THAT A PART OF THE EVALUATION IN '19 THAT THERE WERE SOME MATTERS TO BE ADDRESSED?
>> YES. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, BECAUSE I WASN'T THERE, BUT WHAT'S THERE. YES, MA'AM.
>> I GUESS IT JUST LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT WE HAD MATTERS TO ADDRESS FOR QUITE A WHILE, AND I'M THANKFUL THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING IT, SO THANK YOU.
>> TRUSTEES, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? YES. TRUSTEE GARZA LINDNER.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTIONS AND AGAIN, THANK YOU, PRINCIPAL FOR BEING HERE. I APPRECIATE IT.
I THINK THE QUESTION REALLY IS MORE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION AROUND THIS ONE, WHICH IS IF THIS SCHOOL HAS BEEN IB IN NAME ONLY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, AND THANK YOU FOR ASKING THE CLARIFYING QUESTIONS AROUND SCHOOL CHOICE.
I THINK IT'S IN THE QUESTIONS ALREADY, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR Y'ALL'S COMMENTS, WHICH IS WHERE ELSE COULD THIS BE HAPPENING? I'M CONCERNED THAT THIS ISN'T THE ONLY SCHOOL THAT MIGHT BE EXPERIENCING THIS, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST ONE TO COME WITH THIS CHANGE.
>> KRISTEN, PLEASE ADD, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING.
ORTIZ MIDDLE SCHOOL, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS ANOTHER ONE.
THE PRINCIPAL CAME WITH A SOLUTION TO DO PART OF THE SCHOOL.
I THINK YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT INSTEAD OF THE WHOLE SCHOOL.
I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER LIKE THE FONDREN CASE THAT HASN'T BEEN REALLY AN IB PROGRAM FOR THREE YEARS, BUT KRISTEN, DO YOU KNOW IF THERE'S ANY LIKE THAT?
>> NO, WE CAN PULL THE IB'S HISTORICAL REPORTS TO SEE.
BUT WHEN WE GOT HERE THERE WAS NOT
[03:55:02]
A SYSTEMATIC QUALITY CHECK OF MAGNET PROGRAMS IN PLACE.I THINK THAT'S THE HEART OF WHAT THIS IS GETTING AT.
THAT DIDN'T EXIST AT THE DISTRICT.
WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT DATA OR INFORMATION.
>> MAY I ASK A QUESTION BECAUSE NOW THAT BEGS THE QUESTION DO WE HAVE IT NOW?
>> IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WORKING ON PUTTING IN PLACE.
>> I JUST WANT TO PLEASE ADD ON.
WARDEN AND HELMS WAS THIS ISSUE.
LAST YEAR, THIS WAS OUR WARDEN HELMS ISSUE WITH OUR DUAL LANGUAGE.
SOMETHING BUBBLED UP DURING SCHOOL CHOICE.
THANKFULLY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS BEFORE, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO AN AUDIT OF OUR SYSTEMS JUST TO SEE HOW OUR PROGRAMS ARE THRIVING, HOW VIABLE THEY ARE, WHAT THE DEMAND IS FOR THEM AND WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING BECAUSE THIS WILL BE THE SECOND SCHOOL CHOICE THAT WE'RE GOING INTO HAVING TO CORRECT SOME THINGS.
I THINK IT'LL BE PRUDENT FOR US TO DO THAT EXERCISE.
>> OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE? ARE WE READY? LET'S PLEASE VOTE ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 4, APPROVAL OF PROGRAMMING CHANGE FOR FONDREN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
FOUR YESES, ONE NO, ONE ABSTAIN.
THE MOTION PASSES. NEXT, WE WILL ADDRESS ITEM FIVE, APPROVAL OF ENTRANCE REQUIREMENT CHANGE FOR CARNEGIE VANGUARD HIGH SCHOOL.
WE'LL FIRST START WITH OUR MOTIONS AND SECOND AND THEN DISCUSSION.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 5? DO I HAVE A SECOND? YES. I HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER OZAN BANDY AND A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER CRUZ ARNOLD.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM MY COLLEAGUES AND SUPERINTENDENT MILES, CAN YOU INTRODUCE OUR GUESTS?
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, IF I COULD HAVE PRINCIPAL RAMON MOSS COME TO THE PODIUM TO GIVE THE BOARD A BRIEFING ON WHY YOU WANT THIS CHANGE.
WHAT'S THE GIST OF THE CHANGE?
>> THANK YOU, PRINCIPAL MOSS FOR JOINING US.
>> GOOD EVENING. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> WE'VE COMPILED A FEW THOUGHTS THAT MIGHT HELP EXPLAIN THE RATIONALE FOR OUR PROPOSAL.
WE WOULD LIKE TO FIRST PROVIDE A CLARIFICATION REGARDING OUR ADMISSIONS CRITERIA, OUR CONCERN IS NOT WITH THE GPA AVERAGE AS A WHOLE, BUT WITH THE GROWING NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE A GPA BELOW 2.5.
WE ARE NOTICING THAT SOME STUDENTS ARE APPLYING AND BEING ACCEPTED EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE PREVIOUSLY FAILED CLASSES.
THIS RAISES THE QUESTION OF HOW THESE STUDENTS CAN BE EXPECTED TO SUCCEED IN ONE OF THE MOST RIGOROUS PROGRAMS WHEN THEY HAVE ALREADY STRUGGLED ACADEMICALLY BEFORE JOINING.
SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF A NEW ENTRANCE AGREEMENT, INCLUDING A GIFTED EDUCATIONAL PLAN OR GEP, ADAPTED FOR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS RATHER THAN A FULL GT PROGRAM SUCH AS OURS.
THE SCHOOL IS LIMITED BY THE INABILITY TO EXIT STUDENTS WHEN THEY ARE FAILING.
THIS HAS RESULTED NOT ONLY IN AN INCREASED NUMBER OF STUDENTS WITH VERY LOW GPAS, BUT ALSO IN STUDENTS WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ACCESS UNIVERSITY OPPORTUNITIES.
OUR PRIMARY GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS IN OUR PROGRAM ARE SET UP FOR SUCCESS AND RECEIVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED THROUGHOUT THEIR FOUR YEARS AT CARNEGIE VANGUARD HIGH SCHOOL.
IMPLEMENTING A MAGNET METRICS SCORE OF 80, WHICH COMBINES THE AVERAGE OF FINAL GRADES IN THE FOUR CORE SUBJECTS AND STAAR RESULTS, HAS SHOWN TO BE AN EFFECTIVE INDICATOR THAT STUDENTS HAVE A STRONG FOUNDATION TO START OUR PROGRAM.
CURRENTLY, MANY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE ACCEPTED BASED ON A GT OR GIFTED AND TALENTED METRICS CREATED WHEN THEY WERE IN PRE K OR FIRST GRADE.
OFTEN THESE STUDENTS HAVE NOT BEEN RE EVALUATED OR PROPERLY SUPPORTED, ESPECIALLY IF THEY LEFT THE DISTRICT AND LATER RETURNED.
THIS MEANS WE HAVE LIMITED INSIGHT INTO THEIR READINESS FOR OUR PROGRAM UNTIL WE RECEIVE THEIR FINAL REPORT CARD AFTER ACCEPTANCE.
WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASING TREND OF STUDENTS BEING ADMITTED DESPITE FAILING GRADES OR EVEN CASES OF RETENTION.
TO ADDRESS THIS, WE WOULD LIKE TO IMPLEMENT MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS ENTERING OUR PROGRAM ARE PREPARED AND POSITIONED FOR SUCCESS.
[04:00:04]
>> THANK YOU, SIR. COLLEAGUES, COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS? YES. BOARD MEMBER, YES.
>> PRINCIPAL MOSS, GOOD EVENING AS WELL TO YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE LATE.
CONGRATULATIONS. CARNEGIE IS A GREAT HIGH SCHOOL.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK THERE. JUST TO CONFIRM, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WOULDN'T DECREASE, YOU WOULD STILL ACCEPT THE SAME NUMBER OF STUDENTS; IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT. WE'LL STILL ACCEPT THE SAME NUMBER OF STUDENTS.
>> I'LL LET SOMEBODY ELSE GO BECAUSE MY QUESTION JUST WENT WAY.
>> DO YOU FORESEE OR DO YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE MAKEUP OF YOUR STUDENT BODY CHANGING IN TERMS OF THE DIVERSE STUDENT BODY THAT YOU HAVE NOW, OR ARE THERE GUARD RAILS AROUND THAT? IS THAT SOMETHING YOU'VE THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT ABOUT?
>> NO. I DON'T MEAN ANY SPECIFIC SUB POPULATION GROUP.
I'M ASKING THE DIVERSITY OF THE CLASS THAT YOU HAVE NOW, WHATEVER THAT IS.
HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT OR DO YOU THINK THIS WILL IMPACT THAT IN ANY WAY?
>> WE DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY KIND OF TREMENDOUS IMPACT AT ALL.
OF COURSE, WE DO HAVE SOME GROUPS THAT APPLY MUCH MORE THAN OTHER SUBGROUPS.
WE DO TRY TO ADDRESS ALL SUBGROUPS WITH OUR MAGNET RECRUITING AND THE TOURS THAT WE ACTUALLY HOLD ON CAMPUS AS WELL, BUT WE DON'T ANTICIPATE MUCH DIFFERENCE AT ALL.
>> YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL THAN WE DO, CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHY YOU FEEL CONFIDENT IN THAT ASSESSMENT?
>> SURE. BASED ON LAST YEAR'S DATA, OF 1,500 APPLICATIONS, ABOUT 85 STUDENTS, WE ACTUALLY HAD A METRICS SCORE LESS THAN 80.
WHEN WE EXTENDED INVITATIONS TO, I BELIEVE OUT OF THOSE 85, 11 ACCEPTED, AND THEN 10 ACTUALLY CAME OR ENROLLED INTO THE SCHOOL.
OF THOSE 10, WE HAVE DEMOGRAPHICS THAT SHOW IT IS PROPORTIONATELY BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS BY SUBGROUP.
>> THAT'S VERY HELPFUL AND IT'S HELPFUL FOR ME TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING ABOUT HOW MANY KIDS YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SOME HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THE SCHOOL CHANGE.
WHAT I HEARD YOU SAY WAS 85 KIDS, WERE NOT WITHIN THE METRIC AND 10 WE'RE AT THE SCHOOL.
THANK YOU. THAT JUST HELPS ME TO HAVE THOSE NUMBERS.
>> OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
>> THANK YOU, PRINCIPAL MOSS. I WAS HOPING FOR JUST A CLARIFICATION BECAUSE IN THE Q&A, IT SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO USE THE SAME DISTRICT ACADEMIC METRICS THAT OTHER SCHOOLS USE.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU'RE NOT USING THAT ONE NOW.
YOU WANT TO USE THE SAME METRICS THAT OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS USE? I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. CAN YOU CLARIFY THAT?
>> SURE. CORRECT. JOINING ME IS OUR MAGNET COORDINATOR.
YOU CAN PROBABLY TALK BEST OF THAT, BUT WE DO NOT USE A MAGNET METRICS SIMILAR TO OTHER PROGRAMS OR SISTER SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE. IF YOU WILL.
>> GOOD EVENING. MOST OF THE MAGNET SCHOOL, IF ALL THE MAGNETS DO ACTUALLY USE A MAGNET METRICS.
ON THE MAGNET METRICS, IT'S A COMBINATION BETWEEN THE STARK OR THE GPA, THE FOUR CORE CLASSES.
FOR OUR SCHOOL, WE ONLY USED WHAT WE CALL A GT METRICS.
SINCE 2016, THAT IDENTIFICATION WITH A GT METRICS IS NOT ANYMORE OF FIRST GRADE, FIFTH GRADE, AND EIGHTH GRADE.
EVERYONE COMING TO CARNEGIE USED TO TEST BEFORE.
SINCE 2016, THEY STOP AND IT'S A UNIVERSAL NOW TESTING AT FIRST GRADE.
ALL THE STUDENTS WERE ONLY TESTED AT FIRST GRADE AND NOT RE TESTED AFTER.
NOW WE HAVE STUDENTS, ALL THE GT METRICS THAT WE HAVE ARE FROM PRE-K OR FIRST GRADE.
WE HAVE NO OTHER WAY TO ACTUALLY SEE WHAT THE STUDENTS WHEN THEY'RE COMING IN, ASSETS WHERE THEY ARE.
THAT'S WHY WE RECEIVE STUDENTS THAT ACTUALLY FAILED PREVIOUSLY FOR MULTIPLE CLASSES AND SOME EVEN WERE RETAINED.
WE ARE SEEING THIS MORE AND MORE.
WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE SAME MORE CURRENT IDENTIFICATION SHOWING THAT THE STUDENTS IS ACTUALLY READY TO COME INTO THE PROGRAM.
[04:05:04]
THE MAGNET METRICS IS SHOWING ALL WHAT THEY DID IN THE SEVENTH GRADE ON THEIR STAR RESULTS, WHICH IS MUCH CURRENT THAN PRE-K OR FIRST GRADE.>> TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND IT, THEN YOUR PROPOSAL IS, GO TO THE MAGNET MATRIX, IS THAT RIGHT? NO. USE THE MAGNET, YES.
>> ALL STUDENTS IN CARNEGIE HAVE TO BE IDENTIFIED AS GIFTED AND TALENTED.
>> THEY ARE NOW USUALLY IDENTIFIED.
MOST OF THEM ARE IDENTIFIED IN HSD AND IDENTIFIED WHEN THEY ARE PRE K OR FIRST GRADE, AND THEY CHANGE THAT FEW YEARS.
BUT IT'S ALWAYS NOW DURING ELEMENTARY.
IT'S GOING TO BE SECOND GRADE NOW.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THAT THOSE STUDENTS IN HSD WHEN THEY MOVE, AUTOMATICALLY THEY HAVE A GT LABEL, AND THEN THEREFORE, THEY ARE ELIGIBLE.
WE HAVE NOTHING ELSE THAN THAT.
STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT YET GT THEN ARE TESTED, AND WE USE THE GT MATRIX FOR THEM IN ORDER TO COME IN TO THE PROGRAM.
BUT EVERYONE ELSE WHO WAS IN HSD ALREADY IS GT, AND WERE IDENTIFIED BEFORE.
>> CORRECT. WE'RE NOT REPLACING.
WE'RE ADDING. I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE [OVERLAPPING] DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE EXPLANATION.
PRINCIPAL MASH, YOUR REPUTATION PRECEDES YOU, SIR.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE IN YOUR PRESENCE.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO AND THANK YOU TOO.
YES, THIS IS VERY INTERESTING BECAUSE AS MAGNET MOMS, AND DADS.
MY CHILDREN TOOK THE GT TESTS AT FOUR-YEARS-OLD.
WHAT I ADVISE AND HAVE BEEN ADVISING YOU NOW, IT WILL CHANGE.
PARENTS IS GET YOUR KID TESTED BECAUSE THE GT LABEL WILL FOLLOW THEM.
NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IF A STUDENT IS TESTED AT FOUR-YEARS-OLD, AND THEY ARE GT, WHEN THEY GET TO APPLY FOR CARNEGIE, NOW THEY'RE BASICALLY PROFILE WILL BE EVALUATED FOR THEIR RECENT STAR RESULTS, THEIR GRADES.
IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? IN ADDITION TO THAT GT TEST, THEY TOOK WHENEVER.
>> I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND MY PROCESS FOR WHEN MY KIDS APPLY [LAUGHTER].
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO? THANK YOU FOR THAT.
WHAT'S INTERESTING IS WHEN I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS BECAUSE WE'VE ALSO MADE A CHANGE TO YOUR POINT ABOUT WE'RE DOING SECOND GRADE NOW, AND THERE'S ALSO BEEN A CHANGE IN THE GT CUT SCORES FOR ELEMENTARY.
I DON'T KNOW IF CHIEF HOLE CAN VALIDATE THAT, BUT THINGS HAVE CHANGED AS FAR AS THE CUT SCORE FOR ELEMENTARY GT QUALIFICATION.
>> IF I BELIEVE IT'S THE TEST THAT CHANGED.
>> OH, AND THE TEST. THE TEST CHANGE.
>> JUST IN PRE K IS WHEN WE MADE THE UPDATE TO THE TEST, NOT IN THE REST OF ELEMENTARY.
>> THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE THE WAY I THINK ABOUT IT, AND AGAIN, YEARS TO COME, IS THAT IF IT IS SEEMINGLY MORE RIGOROUS TO GET INTO A PROGRAM WHEN YOU'RE YOUNGER, I THINK THAT SOME OF THIS ISSUE THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH MAYBE STUDENTS WHO AREN'T PREPARED OR SUPPORTED WOULD PROBABLY TAKE CARE OF ITSELF, BUT WE'D HAVE TO WAIT FOR THOSE SECOND GRADERS TO GET TO YOU GUYS.
SO I WAS WONDERING, PRINCIPAL MASH, YOU SAID THAT 1,500 STUDENTS QUALIFIED LAST YEAR?
>> 1,500 STUDENTS ACTUALLY APPLIED.
OUT OF THOSE 1,500, ABOUT 13, USUALLY IT'S AROUND THE NUMBER BETWEEN 1200 AND 13 ARE QUALIFIED.
>> THAT'S QUITE A BIT. THOSE ARE NINTH GRADE SPOTS THAT THEY'RE VYING FOR?
>> WE HAVE 235 NINTH GRADE SPOTS FOR 12 TO 1,300 QUALIFIED WELL?
>> AGAIN, IT JUST GIVES ME AN IDEA OF DEMAND FOR YOUR SCHOOL FOR THIS PROGRAM AND HOW WE MEET THE NEEDS OF THOSE STUDENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> I HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTION.
WITH THE MATRIX AND JUST GENERALLY SPEAKING.
GENERALLY SPEAKING, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ABOUT GRADES, BUT IS IT POSSIBLE FOR A KID TO GET A D OR AN F AT SOME POINT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND STILL MAKE THE MATRIX?
[04:10:03]
BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT HAVING OUR STUDENTS BOTH QUALIFIED AND MOTIVATED TO DO THE NECESSARY WORK.BUT I ALSO, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT SAYING YOUR TEACHERS WILL ONLY TEACH A PLUS KIDS.
YOU'VE GOT GREAT TEACHERS, AND THEY CAN TEACH EVERYONE.
HOW STRINGENT IS THIS MATRIX? WHAT I MEAN IS, IS IF A SMART KID MAKES ONE MISTAKE, DOES THAT MEAN THEY'RE OUT? OR HOW DO WHAT DOES THAT AD LOOK LIKE?
STUDENTS ENTERING OUR PROGRAM WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED A FAILURE OR TWO, THAT DOESN'T IMPACT THEM GREATLY.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT INTERVENTIONS TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THOSE STUDENTS.
BUT MANY TIMES IT'S EXACERBATED.
THE MULTIPLE FAILURES THAT THEY HAVE PRIOR TO JOINING US.
AGAIN, SOME OF THEM EVEN BEING RETAINED AND HAVING TO GO TO SUMMER SCHOOL, IT TENDS TO INCREASE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A MATRIX SCORE LESS THAN 80.
>> GOT IT. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THEY HAVE TO HAVE A PRISTINE RECORD.
WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IS PEOPLE THAT MAYBE HAVE MULTIPLE FAILURES AND HAVE NOT BEEN SHOWN ACADEMIC MOTIVATION OR SOMETHING.
>> IN THE MATRIX, IF A STUDENTS HAVE, FOR INSTANCE, BETWEEN 70 AND 79 IN HIS CLASSES.
BUT THAT'S VERY WELL ON THE STAR BECAUSE HE IS GT, SO USUALLY THE STUDENT THE GT, THEY MASTER.
THEY CAN HAVE A 70 BUT MASTER, AND THAT WILL MASTER JUST THAT AND THAT WILL PULL OUT THEM TO A 80.
>> IT IS NOT PULLING IN, BUT IF THEY FAIL, THEN THAT'S WHERE IT WILL SHOW INTO THE MAGNET MATRIX.
>> GOT IT. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME EXTREME CASES THAT HAVE MADE I GOT IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU. IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU BOTH AGAIN.
I GOT A CHANCE TO MEET THEM DURING SCHOOL CHOICE LAST YEAR WHEN I BROUGHT MY SON TO COME AND VISIT THE SCHOOL.
I GOT TO DO A TOUR AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
ALSO YOU HAD A MASK ON THEN, SO I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SEE YOU FACE-TO-FACE.
[LAUGHTER] I HAD A COUPLE OF CONCERNS SIMILAR TO BEFORE WITH THE PRIOR, BUT I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO HAVE A GROUP OF COHORTS THAT ARE PREPARED FOR THE RIGOROUS NATURE OF THE PROGRAM.
ARE YOU ALSO SEEING SOME DISENROLLMENT DUE TO THIS POPULATION HAVING A CHALLENGE? THEN WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THAT WHEN STUDENTS DISENROLL FROM CARNEGIE?
>> YES. WE HAVE SEEN SOME STUDENTS WHO EXIT.
WE ALSO SEE STUDENTS WHO REMAIN IN THE PROGRAM CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE, AND NOT ONLY DOES IT TAKE IS IT A DETRIMENT TO THEM ACADEMICALLY, BUT ALSO SOCIALLY AND EMOTIONALLY.
>> GOT IT. ONCE A STUDENT DISENROLLS, CAN YOU RECOUP THAT HEADCOUNT? CAN YOU STILL GET ANOTHER STUDENT TO COME AND FILL THAT SLOT?
>> NO. ACTUALLY, ONCE THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS, WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO FILL THAT SEAT THAT HAS BECOME VACANT FROM A STUDENT WHO DECIDES TO WITHDRAW FROM OUR PROGRAM.
>> GOT IT. THAT WAS A LITTLE NUANCE THAT I LEARNED DURING LAST YEAR, I WAS LISTENING.
BUT I BRING THAT TO THE FORE BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE PROGRAM, AND KNOWING THAT WE'VE GOT SUCH A HIGH DEMAND FOR SUCH A PROGRAM, IT IS A DISSERVICE TO A NUMBER OF STUDENTS IF WE DO HAVE THIS ENROLLMENT IN ONE OF THE TOP PROGRAMS IN THE NATION.
I WOULD STILL ENCOURAGE THE DISTRICT TO COMPLETE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF OUR OFFERINGS, INCLUDING ENTRANCE EXAMS TO ALL OF OUR MAGNET PROGRAMS AND ENSURING THAT THEY'RE ALIGNED WITH THE VISIONS AND VALUES ARE IMPERATIVE, AND THAT'S FROM PRE K ALL THE WAY TO HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE DON'T LOSE OUR PRE K STUDENTS BECAUSE WE CHANGE OFFERINGS AT [INAUDIBLE] THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR COMING THIS EVENING.
>> THANK YOU. ANY MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? LET'S GO TO THE VOTE.
PLEASE VOTE ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 5 APPROVAL OF ENTRANCE REQUIREMENT CHANGE FOR CARNEGIE VANGUARD HIGH SCHOOL.
[04:15:01]
VOTING CLOSED.THE MOTION PASSES, SIX YES, ZERO, ZERO, ABSTAIN.
NEXT, WE WILL ADDRESS ITEM 6, APPROVAL OF VENDOR AWARDS FOR PURCHASES, WHICH COSTS ONE MILLION OR MORE.
SUPERINTENDENT MILES, I BELIEVE YOU HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM SOMEONE AND YOUR STAFF THAT WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US REGARDING ITEM 6.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, A MYERS, DEPUTY CHIEF WILL BE ADDRESSING THIS ITEM.
>> YES. THANK YOU GUYS. WE'RE SEEKING CLARITY ON THE AGENDA ITEM, AND THAT ITEM IS ON THE AGENDA TO HELP ADD A VENDOR TO THE APPROVAL LIST.
A PART OF OUR TEAM DOES THE PLANNING FOR STUDENT TRAVEL, AND WHICH DOES INCLUDE THE DIETS IN TRAVEL.
WE WANTED TO OPEN UP THE OPPORTUNITY FOR VENDORS TO APPLY TO BE APPROVED SO WE CAN CONSIDER MORE TRAVEL AGENCIES AND OTHER VENDORS WITH OUR TRAVEL.
THE PRIOR CONTRACT HAD EXPIRED, SO WE HAD TO DO A RENEWAL AND THAT RENEWALS THAT FOR UP TO FIVE YEARS, AND SO THAT AMOUNT WOULD INCLUDE A POTENTIAL FIVE YEAR COST.
BUT AGAIN, TODAY, WE'RE JUST APPROVING FOR THOSE VENDORS TO BE ADDED TO THE VENDOR POOL.
>> BOARD MEMBERS COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
THE VENDORS ARE TRAVEL AGENTS.
THIS IS A VENDOR POOL TO BE THE TRAVEL AGENT TO SERVE THE TRAVEL FOR THE DIETS?
>> IT WOULD BE FOR TRAVEL FOR ALL OF HISD, NOT JUST IAD, BUT IT WOULD INCLUDE THAT, YES.
>> JUST A REMINDER, WE'RE STILL UNDER THE CODE OF SILENCE.
YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PURPOSE, BUT NOT ABOUT THE VENDORS.
I HAVE A QUESTION. I THINK I'VE BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE JUST IN GENERAL ABOUT OUR PROCUREMENT STRATEGIES AND HOW WE DO THIS.
MAYBE THIS IS JUST ME NOT UNDERSTANDING AND STILL LEARNING ABOUT THESE TYPES OF ENTITIES THAT AREN'T CORPORATE OR FOR PROFIT ENTITIES.
BUT OFTENTIMES IN CORPORATE SETTINGS, WHEN THERE'S AN RFP OR THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT AND REQUEST PROPOSALS FROM VENDORS.
THE OWNERS IS ON THE VENDOR TO COME BACK WITH THE BEST POSSIBLE BID BASED ON THE SCOPE OF WORK, SCOPE OF SERVICES, WHATEVER.
OFTENTIMES WHEN I SEE THAT WE HAVE NOT ISSUED AN RFP, WE'RE SIMPLY GETTING APPROVAL TO DO SO, BUT THERE'S DOLLAR AMOUNT ASSIGNED.
IF I'M A VENDOR THAT IS VYING FOR A POSITION, I NOW KNOW THE OPPORTUNITY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW I'M INCENTIVIZED TO PROVIDE MY BEST OFFER IF IT COULD BE JUST BELOW WHATEVER THE ENTITY IS SAYING THE OPPORTUNITY IS, AM I MAKING SENSE? I'VE BEEN ALWAYS VERY CURIOUS ABOUT WHY HOW THAT STRATEGY WORKS WHEN IT SHOULD BE ABC TRAVEL AGENT GIVE US YOUR BEST DEAL FOR A FIVE YEAR CONTRACT TO GO ON THESE TRIPS TO SERVICE THESE MANY INDIVIDUALS.
TO ME, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THAT'S IT, BUT IT SEEMS WE'RE TELLING THE FOX HOW MANY CHICKENS HE CAN EAT.
>> IS THE PROCESS, WE'RE AT THE END OF THAT PROCESS.
THAT PROCESS HAS ALREADY OCCURRED IN JIM SHOP.
WE'VE ALREADY CONDUCTED THE RFP.
YOU'RE VOTING AFTER THEY'VE EVALUATED THE DIFFERENT BIDDERS, AND THIS LIST REPRESENTS US HAVING TAKEN THAT ACTION, AND THEN YOU'RE AUTHORIZING A CERTAIN AMOUNT OVER FIVE YEARS THAT WE THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO SPEND.
THAT PROCESS THAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE.
WE'VE ALREADY ADVERTISE IN THE NEWSPAPER FOR THE PARTICULAR VENDORS TO SUBMIT THEIR BEST OFFERS.
JIM HAS A TEAM, THEY EVALUATE ALL OF THE BIDS, AND THEN WE BRING TO YOU WHAT WE THINK IS THE BEST VALUE FOR YOU TO VOTE ON JUST THOSE VENDORS.
[04:20:01]
>> LET ME JUST SAY THAT I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM HAVING COME FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR ALSO IS THAT THE AMOUNT, IS THERE IN TERMS OF GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS AND SELECTING VENDORS.
BUT IF YOU NOTICE, THEY'RE LIKE 13 VENDORS THERE.
WHAT WE'VE BEEN INSTALLED IS THAT WHEN YOU GO FOR THE PARTICULAR ITEM SUCH AS TO BUY TICKETS, YOU HAVE TO THEN ASK FOR A BID FROM THREE DIFFERENT VENDORS, AND OUR RECOMMENDATION IS YOU TAKE THE LOWEST OF THOSE VENDORS OR IN SOME CASES, IT MAY BE BEST VALUE, BUT THAT'S HOW WE DO IT.
IT'S NOT LIKE, OH, MY GOODNESS, I CAN GO UP $9 MILLION BECAUSE THEY'RE BIDDING AGAINST EACH OTHER WITHIN THAT $9 MILLION FOR BEST VALUE OR BEST PRICE.
>> BOARD MEMBER BANDY, WE PUT THAT IN PLACE EXACTLY BECAUSE OF YOUR CONCERN.
MEANING WE ALSO SAW THAT IT DIDN'T SEEM COMPETITIVE TO ME WHEN YOU HAVE NINE OR 12 PEOPLE WHO COULD ALL JUST GO OUT AND GET PART OF THAT $20 MILLION, LINE ITEM AND USE UP TO WHATEVER THEY PUT FORWARD BECAUSE THEY WERE ON THE LIST.
JIM AND I AND MOSTLY JIM SAID, WE CAN MAKE THIS MORE COMPETITIVE.
WHILE THEY'RE ON THE LIST, WHEN WE HAVE A SPECIFIC PROJECT, YOU STILL HAVE TO GO OUT FOR THREE BIDS.
>> THEN I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY, THAT NUMBER THAT YOU SEE THE NINE MILLION DOESN'T ENTITLE THE VENDOR TO THAT AMOUNT.
THAT'S NOT AN ENTITLEMENT THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO BILL UP TO THAT AMOUNT.
WE STILL FOLLOW ALL OF OUR REGULAR BUDGET PROCEDURES FOR HOW WE SPEND THE MONEY.
>> YOU WILL HAVE TO ALSO UNDERSTAND THIS IS JUST THE AMOUNT THAT'S OUT THERE.
A PARTICULAR DEPARTMENT OR CHIEF HAS GOT TO PUT IN THEIR BUDGET AN AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SPEND IN THIS CATEGORY.
THIS THEN ALLOWS US TO BUILD THE BUDGET AND BRING YOU A BOTTOM LINE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CLARIFICATION.
IS THE EXPECTATION THAT BECAUSE THESE WE'RE RECOMMENDING HOW MANY? 01, 2, 3. HOW MANY VENDORS ARE HERE?
HOW MANY VENDORS PARTICIPATED IN THE RFP?
>> WELL, IT'S OPEN, I CAN'T TELL YOU RIGHT NOW.
I CAN FIND OUT HOW MANY VENDORS DID ANSWER THAT PARTICULAR.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU IN GENERAL, SOMETIMES THEY'LL BE LIKE 50 VENDORS, WE'LL CHOOSE 21 VENDORS OR SOMETIMES THEY'LL BE NINE VENDORS THAT WILL BRING ALL VENDORS ON.
IT GOES IN THAT FIRST PROCESS THAT LEGAL COUNSEL THAT NATASHA, EXPRESSED YOU HOW WE GO FOR PROJECT.
>> THEN HOW DID WE CHOOSE THESE? WAS THERE A SCORING MATRIX AND A WEIGHT, AND THEN THESE FOLKS MADE THE NUMBER?
>> UNLESS EVERYBODY THAT MEETS THE CRITERIA.
>> JIM, I'M SORRY. CAN THEY PUT THE MIC? THANKS.
>> THERE IS A CRITERIA THAT EACH ONE OF THE VENDORS HAVE TO GET PAST AND IF THEY GET PAST THAT FIRST CRITERIA, THEY'LL EITHER DO ONE OF TWO THINGS.
THEY'LL ALL BE BROUGHT IN THE PAST THE CRITERIA BEFORE AND PUT INTO THE LIST OR IN SOME CASES, WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THAT THE VENDORS WILL COME IN AND THEY'LL MAKE A PRESENTATION, AND THEN THERE IS A SCORING A COMMITTEE IS SELECTED, AND IN THAT COMMITTEE, THERE IS A SCORING SHEET.
AND THEN INDEPENDENTLY, EACH MEMBER OF THAT COMMITTEE WILL GIVE IT A SCORE, AND THEN THEY WILL BE RANKED HIGH TO LOW, AND THEN THEY'LL SELECT HOW MANY OF THOSE VENDORS THEY WANT TO GO FROM HIGH TO LOW.
>> THANK YOU. AGAIN, JUST PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE ON MY PART IS THAT ALSO, IF WE HAVE TOO MANY VENDORS, IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE BENEFIT OF A QUANTITY DISCOUNT.
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE LEVERAGE IF I GO TO SAM'S AND I BUY BULK OR I EITHER GO TO HEB AND I DON'T, IT'S WHERE I SAVE MONEY.
[04:25:01]
AGAIN, 13 SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF TRAVEL VENDORS, EVEN IF THEY DO ALL QUALIFY.I'M WONDERING IF THERE COULD HAVE BEEN MORE SCRUTINY TO GET THIS NUMBER DOWN, OR IS THIS A NUMBER THAT'S NECESSARY TO HANDLE THE AMOUNT OF TRAVEL THAT WE HAVE PLANNED?
>> WE DO NOT NEED 13 PLUS TO DO THAT, BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S NOT JUST FOR THIS, IT'S FOR HIST.
I DON'T WANT TO LIMIT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ANOTHER SCHOOL TO USE A VENDOR FOR A SMALLER TRIP, THEN WE WOULD WANT TO TO PLAN TO USE FOR DIA TRAVEL.
>> IT'S 13. JUST LIKE THERE'S STILL 13.
AND I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE TRAVEL BUSINESS, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF VENDORS.
THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS.
>> ARE THERE ANY MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
>> I WANT TO UNDERSTAND OR I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE TOTAL COST OF DIA TRAVEL.
THE PROPOSAL IS FOR NINE MILLION DOLLARS, BUT THEN WE SAID HID FOUNDATION HOPEFULLY CAN CONTRIBUTE THREE MILLION DOLLARS.
WILL THAT BE IN LIEU OF WE'LL TAKE AWAY THREE MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE NECESSARY NINE MILLION DOLLAR EXPENSE, OR IS IT IN ADDITION TO?
>> THAT AMOUNT ON THE PROPOSAL FOR THE AGENDA ITEM IS TO NOT EXCEED THAT AMOUNT FOR FIVE YEARS, SO THAT OUR CONTRIBUTION FOR TRAVEL WOULD BE UP TO 9 MILLION, NOT THAT IT IS GOING TO BE 9 MILLION, AND I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE COST WITHOUT SELECTING AN AGENCY AND LETTING US KNOW WHAT THAT COST WILL BE.
BUT WE DID PROPOSE TO THEIR POINT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT SAYING, HEY, WE WANT TO SPEND UP THIS MUCH FOR A STUDENT TO TRAVEL? WE MAKE THEM TELL US WHAT THAT AMOUNT WILL BE.
>> I'M JUST TRYING AGAIN, UNDERSTAND THE THREE MILLION DOLLARS THAT THE FOUNDATION HOPEFULLY, WILL CONTRIBUTE.
ARE WE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THREE MILLION DOLLARS PLUS ON DIA TRAVEL A YEAR? BECAUSE THAT'S THEIR CONTRIBUTION THIS YEAR? ARE WE GOING TO ASKING FOR THREE MILLION DOLLARS EVERY YEAR PLUS THE RFP AMOUNT, THE ANNUAL?
>> I CAN ONLY MAKE THAT CALL BETTER AFTER WE HAVE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING AS WELL AS THE AGENCY AND THE COST OF THE AGENCY.
BUT IT WOULD BE NO GREATER THAN NINE MILLION ON THE HIST PART.
>> THEN I'LL ASK ONE LAST QUESTION BECAUSE EVERYTHING WE DO HAS TO IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES.
SUPERINTENDENT, HOW WILL THIS IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES?
>> THE GOAL FOR OUR STUDENTS IS TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP, RAISE A PROFICIENCY IN READING AND WRITING MATH SCIENCE AND THE OTHER STAR EXAM WE GET OUT OF DNF STATUS AND PREPARE KIDS FOR YEAR 2035 ENVIRONMENT.
WE COULD HAVE THAT AS AN OUTCOME TOO BECAUSE TRAVEL IS CERTAINLY FUN.
BUT THE MORE IMPORTANT GOAL FOR THE TRAVEL IS GAINING PERSPECTIVE ON A BROADER WORLD AND WORKPLACE THAT OUR STUDENTS WILL HAVE.
MANY OF OUR STUDENTS WHO ENGAGE IN THIS TRAVEL THROUGH THE DIA PROGRAM HAVE NOT BEEN ON A PLANE, DO NOT HAVE PASSPORTS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND THIS IS JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO GAIN THAT PERSPECTIVE.
>> ANY MORE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? HAVING NONE, PLEASE VOTE ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 6, APPROVAL FOR VENDOR AWARDS FOR PURCHASES, WHICH COSTS ONE MILLION OR MORE?
>> EXCUSE ME. WE NEED A MOTION.
>> I'M SORRY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 6? DO I HAVE A SECOND? I HAVE A MOTION FROM BOARD MEMBER GARZA LINDNER AND A SECOND FROM BOARD MEMBER CRUZ ARNOLD.
ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS? PLEASE VOTE ON THE MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 6? VOTING IS CLOSED.
THAT'S SIX IN FAVOR, ZERO OPPOSED, ZERO ABSTENTIONS, THE MOTION PASSES.
BEFORE WE CONSIDER REMAINING ITEMS.
[CONSENT AGENDA]
I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE ANOTHER MOTION.>> THANK YOU, MADAM SECRETARY.
I THINK FOR ITEM 17, IT'S BENEFICIAL THAT WE HAVE MORE OF THE BOARD PRESENT, SO I MOVE THAT WE PULL ITEM 17 FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND POSTPONE IT TO THE DECEMBER 10, 2024 BOARD AGENDA TO ALLOW THE FULL BOARD TO WEIGH IN.
>> I HAVE A MOTION BY ROLANDO MARTINEZ AND A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER, ADAM RAVAN.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? EXCUSE ME. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, PLEASE VOTE.
[04:30:07]
VOTING IS CLOSED? WE HAVE FIVE YESES, ONE NO, ZERO ABSTENTIONS.WE ARE NOW READY TO CONSIDER THE REMAINDER OF TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BALANCE OF TONIGHT'S AGENDA BY CONSENSUS AND DO I HAVE A SECOND? I'M NOT SEEING A SECOND YET. DO I HAVE A SECOND? I HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER OZAN BANDY.
I HAVE A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER CRUZ ARNOLD.
IS THERE A DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE.
SIX IN FAVOR, ZERO OPPOSED, ZERO ABSTENTIONS.
THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE BOUNCE OF TONIGHT'S AGENDA BY CONSENSUS PASSES.
AT THIS TIME, THE BOARD WILL RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION UNDER CHAPTER 551 OF
[RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION UNDER SECTIONS 551.004 THROUGH 551.089 OF THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE FOR THE PURPOSES LISTED IN THIS NOTICE]
TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE OPEN MEETINGS AT SUBSECTION 551.0043, 551.089.SHOULD BOARD FINAL ACTION VOTER DECISION ON ANY MATTER CONSIDERED IN THE CLOSED SECTION BE REQUIRED? SUCH FINAL ACTION VOTER DECISION SHALL BE TAKEN AT THE OPEN MEETING COVERED BY THIS NOTICE UPON THE RECONVENING OF THE PUBLIC MEETING AT A SUBSEQUENT PUBLIC MEETING ON THE BOARD ON NOTICE THEREOF.
THE BOARD HAS RECESS TO CLOSED SESSION AT 9:50 P.M. ON NOVEMBER 14, 2024.
GOOD EVENING. THIS MEETING IS RECONVENED AT 11:31 PM.
[RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION]
[CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ON MATTERS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION]
WE'RE NOW READY TO CONSIDER ITEMS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION. ARE THERE ANY MOTIONS?>> MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVES THE CLOSED SESSION PERSONNEL AGENDA, INCLUDING SPECIFICALLY THAT THE BOARD APPROVES PROPOSED TERMINATIONS, NON RENEWALS OF CONTINUING TERM PERFORMANCE ON PROBATIONARY CONTRACTS, AND AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT OR DESIGNEE TO PROVIDE NOTICE OF SAME, THAT THE BOARD APPROVES SUSPENSIONS WITHOUT PAY FOR CONTINUING TERM AND PROBATIONARY CONTRACTS AND AUTHORIZE A SUPERINTENDENT OR DESIGNEE TO PROVIDE NOTICE OF SAME, THAT THE BOARD VOIDS TERM PROBATIONARY AND PERFORMANCE CONTRACTS AND AUTHORIZE A SUPERINTENDENT OR DESIGNEE TO PROVIDE NOTICE OF SAME.
THAT THE BOARD APPROVES WITHDRAWALS OF CONTRACT RECOMMENDATIONS AND THAT THE BOARD APPROVES ISSUANCE OF FINAL ORDERS ON CONTRACT TERMINATIONS AND NON RENEWAL AS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION EFFECTIVE NOVEMBER 14, 2024.
>> IS THERE A SECOND? I HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER GARZA LINDNER AND A SECOND BY TRUSTEE RIVON.
VOTING IS CLOSED. SIX IN FAVOR, ZERO OPPOSE, ABSTENTIONS, THE MOTION PASSES.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD DECLARES THE BROOK LINE FACILITY, I'M SORRY, LET ME CORRECT THAT. WE'RE GOING TO NUMBER.
LET ME CORRECT THAT. I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVES THE SETTLEMENT OF SANTOS GOMEZ AND CINDA QUADRA VERSUS KIMBERLY YVETTE JACKSON AND HIST IN THE 215TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT OF HARRIS COUNTY, CAUSE NUMBER 202-15-4236 ON THE TERMS DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION.
>> IS THERE A SECOND? I HAVE A MOTION BY BOARD MEMBER GARZA LINDNER, AND A SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER CRUZ ARNOLD.
SIX IN FAVOR, ZERO OPPOSED, ZERO ABSTENTIONS, THE MOTION PASSES.
[BOARD MEMBER REPORTS AND COMMENTS]
>> WE'RE NOW READY TO HEAR REPORTS AND COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS.
>> QUICK SHOUT OUT TO ALL THE GREAT JRTC GROUPS THAT MADE IT OUT TO THE HOUSTON PARADE ON MONDAY FOR VETERANS DAY.
I WAS REALLY GLAD TO SEE SO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS
[04:35:03]
AND ADMINISTRATION OUT THERE HONORING OUR VETERANS.THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN THAT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH AND TO MY LEFT.
BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY REPORTS OR COMMENTS?
>> YES. THANK YOU, MADAM SECRETARY.
MYSELF, I KNOW, CASSANDRA AND THEN ADAM WILL TALK IN A MINUTE AND AUDREY, WE ALL ATTENDED COUNCIL OF GREAT CITY SCHOOLS IN DALLAS.
IT REALLY IS DIFFERENT THAN PERHAPS OTHER CONFERENCES FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
BUT IT WAS GOOD TO HEAR GOOD FEEDBACK FROM OUR PEERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, LARGE URBAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS REGARDING OUR PROGRESS, SO THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR.
WE WERE ABLE TO MEET OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, BEST PRACTICES.
I THINK WE HAVE LEARNED THAT OUR DISTRICT IS IN SOME ASPECTS, IT'S NOT UNIQUE.
A LOT OF OUR URBAN SCHOOL PARTNERS, DISTRICT PARTNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING.
SO IT WAS JUST GOOD TIME WITH OTHERS, AND THEN WE JUST A GOOD TIME TO CATCH UP AS PEOPLE BESIDES THIS BOARD MEETING. SOUNDS GOOD.
>> YEAH. I WAS GOING TO GIVE A CONCURRENT REPORT.
I CAN'T SEEM TO FIND IT IN MY EMAIL RIGHT AWAY.
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE IT POSTED, I THINK FOR OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING, BUT WE DID WRITE A FORMAL REPORT FOR THE VISITATION AT CGSC, HAD A WONDERFUL TIME.
IT WAS GREAT TO TO MEET SO MANY OTHER DISTRICTS OF SIMILAR SIZE AND SCALE THAT, AGAIN, HAD TO DEAL WITH THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON A REGULAR AND RECURRING BASIS.
ONE OF THE MOST VISITED WELL, TWO THINGS.
DOCTOR TERRY HAD A GREAT PRESENTATION THAT HAD AN OVERFLOW ROOM.
VERY INTERESTING, TALKING ABOUT THE BOOK OF NUMBERS.
THEN WE HAD A OPPORTUNITY TO DO A MARKETING MEETING, WHICH SEVERAL OF US ATTENDED.
I THINK IT WAS VERY EYE OPENING AND GAVE SOME GREAT IDEAS FOR HOW WE CAN BRIDGE THE GAP WITH THE COMMUNITY EVEN BETTER.
AND THEN JUST OVERALL, GREAT OPPORTUNITY, GREAT MONTH.
THINGS ARE SEEMING TO BE IN THE RIGHT TRACK THERE. I APPRECIATE THE TIME.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, SUPERINTENDENT MILES.
DO YOU HAVE ANY REPORTS FOR US AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU, SIR.
THE NEXT BOARD MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2024.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS MEETING IS OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED AT 11:37 PM. THANK YOU, GOODNIGHT.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.