THANK YOU, SERGEANT. THE TIME IS 6:01 P.M. AND THIS MEETING IS HEREBY CALLED TO ORDER.
[00:00:05]
WE HAVE THE PRESENCE OF A QUORUM ATTENDING IN PERSON.PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLAYING OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM PERFORMED BY THE RIDGE POINT HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA, FOLLOWED BY A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
YOU MAY BE SEATED. WILL THE BOARD PLEASE JOIN ME IN FRONT OF THE DAIS FOR RECOGNITIONS?
[4. Recognitions]
THANK YOU. THANK YOU.THANK YOU. THANK YOU. VERY MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. ALL RIGHTY. THANK YOU. TO THIS EVENING'S NATIONAL ANTHEM.
PERFORMERS FROM THE RIDGE POINT HIGH SCHOOL SAXOPHONE QUARTET.
EVERYONE. THANK YOU. SO MUCH. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. BIG SMILES. AND THEN JUST PACK IN JUST A LITTLE BIT HERE.
BIG SMILES LOOKING HERE. ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE MORE.
ONE. TWO. THREE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. TO START OFF OUR RECOGNITIONS TONIGHT, I WILL FIRST RECOGNIZE THE CORNERSTONE ELEMENTARY CHAMELEON CHOIR, AS THEY WERE CHOSEN BY A COMPETITIVE AUDITION TO PERFORM AT THE 2025 TEXAS MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE.
THE CHAMELEON CHOIR IS DIRECTED BY CINNAMON DOVE AND JOSHUA ARNOLDI, AND THEY ARE JOINED BY STUDENT LEADERS AALIYAH CLARK AND ISHU MANDAVA.
AND THEIR FRIENDS. AND. HOW? CAN WE HAVE THE PRINCIPAL COME UP AS WELL? WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE PRINCIPAL TO JOIN THE GROUP. THANK YOU.
[00:05:06]
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COME. ON. ALL RIGHT. BIG SMILES.AND JUST PACK IN HERE. PERFECT. ALL RIGHT. LOOKING RIGHT HERE.
ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE MORE. ONE. TWO. THREE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. EACH JANUARY. FORT BEND ISD JOINS THE STATE IN AND CELEBRATING SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH, A TIME TO RECOGNIZE THE CRITICAL ROLE ELECTED BOARDS OF EDUCATION PLAY IN IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITIES AND ENSURING THE SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS.
IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO GIVE A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE TO OUR FORT BEND ISD TRUSTEES PRESIDENT KRISTEN TARZAN, VICE PRESIDENT RICK GARCIA, SECRETARY DAVID HAMILTON, AND TRUSTEES ANGIE HANNON, DOCTOR SHIRLEY ROSE GILLIAM, SONJA JONES, AND ADAM SCHOOF.
12 RODEO ARTWORK PIECES WERE PUT INTO A SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE CALENDAR FOR YOU.
HERE TO PRESENT THIS GIFT ARE THOSE STUDENT ARTISTS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE MISS LISA DIXON FROM SETTLERS WAY ELEMENTARY.
WE HAVE TATUM WALTERS FROM PARKS ELEMENTARY, ACCOMPANIED BY TEACHER SHELBY MOONEYHAM.
HEY, DARLIN. HEY, DARLIN. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. WE HAVE TITA MICHAELINE FROM HIGHLANDS ELEMENTARY, ACCOMPANIED BY TEACHER SUZANNE MILLER.
HOW ARE YOU? THANK YOU. AWESOME. FROM THORNTON MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE HAVE CAMILLA RANGEL, BIGHAM, SEAVER, EMERSON, FABIAN, ACCOMPANIED BY TEACHERS CHRISTINE JACKSON AND JENNIFER CRANE.
THANK NEXT UP WE HAVE CHLOE FRISK, MICHAELA SANCHEZ, ELISA ZAHIR FROM RIDGE POINT HIGH SCHOOL, ACCOMPANIED BY TEACHERS TAYLOR MALLETTE.
[00:10:06]
AND LAST BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST, ALVARO RIOS FROM CRAWFORD HIGH SCHOOL, ACCOMPANIED BY TEACHERS MEGAN GLADDEN.DAN, YOU WANT THEM OUT? IF WE CAN HAVE ALL OF OUR ARTISTS TO COME FORWARD FOR A PHOTOGRAPH.
YEA YEA. YEA YEA YEA YEA. YEA YEA YEA. YEA YEA YEA YEA. GOOD. ALRIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK. YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. BIG SMILES. EVERYONE PLEASE. THE WINDOW.
OKAY, MA'AM, IF WE COULD SCOOT IN JUST A LITTLE BIT RIGHT THERE.
AND THEN YOU CAN COME FORWARD TO THE FRONT ROW.
RIGHT THERE. PERFECT. PERFECT. YEAH. MAKING SURE I CAN SEE EVERYONE.
CAN YOU SEE ME? DAVE? ALL RIGHT, EVERYONE LOOKING HERE, PLEASE.
ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE MORE. ONE. TWO. THREE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU EVERYONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
TONIGHT WE ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY FAMILY MEMBERS OF OUR TRUSTEES WHO ARE PRESENT.
PLEASE STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED. WE EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO ALL OF YOU FOR SACRIFICING VALUABLE TIME TOGETHER WHILE YOUR LOVED ONE SERVES FOR OUR DISTRICT.
I WOULD FIRST LIKE TO CALL UP TO THE PODIUM MR. ALI HASSAN ALI, CHIEF OF STAFF FROM COMMISSIONER DEXTER MCCOY'S OFFICE.
THANK YOU, CHASITY, AND THANK YOU TO THE BOARD FOR ALLOWING US TO BE HERE.
ON BEHALF OF COMMISSIONER MCCOY, WHO APOLOGIZES THAT HE COULDN'T BE HERE TODAY IN PERSON.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT A PROCLAMATION FROM OUR OFFICE TO RECOGNIZE THIS GREAT SCHOOL BOARD.
SO WHEREAS THE MONTH OF JANUARY HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNITION MONTH IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND WHEREAS THE FORT BEND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT FBISD IS COMMITTED TO COMMITTED TO THE ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL SUCCESS OF ALL STUDENTS, AND THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN ACHIEVING THIS MISSION.
AND WHEREAS THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ELECTED BY THE COMMUNITY SERVES AS A VOICE FOR THE VALUES, PRIORITIES AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE PEOPLE THEY REPRESENT, WORKING TOGETHER TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT, POLICY DIRECTION AND SUPPORT TO THE DISTRICT'S ADMINISTRATION, STAFF, STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
AND WHEREAS, THE MEMBERS OF THE FBISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES DEDICATE COUNTLESS HOURS TO ENSURING THAT EACH CHILD RECEIVES A QUALITY EDUCATION, FOSTERING INNOVATION, EQUITY AND OPPORTUNITY THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
AND WHEREAS, THE MEMBERS OF THE ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES DEMONSTRATE A COMMITMENT TO THE EXCELLENCE AND EDUCATION, PROMOTING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, ENHANCING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, FOSTERING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, AND CONTRIBUTING TO THE OVERALL WELL-BEING OF THE COMMUNITY.
NOW, THEREFORE, DEXTER L, MCCOY, COUNTY COMMISSIONER OF FORT BEND COUNTY PRECINCT FOUR, DOES HEREBY RECOGNIZE THE MONTH OF JANUARY 2025 AS SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH AND HIS SIGNATURE IS AFFIXED BENEATH US. THANK YOU ALL.
LOOKING RIGHT HERE. ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE MORE.
ONE. TWO. THREE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
[00:15:04]
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.NEXT, FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE RON REYNOLDS OFFICE, MISS ROSALYN.
GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS ROSALIND GARY.
THIS IS ONE OF HIS FAVORITE EVENTS, BUT HE'S BUSY IN AUSTIN FIGHTING FOR ALL OF US.
AND IT READS. WHEREAS WHEREAS SCHOOL BOARD BOARDS PLAY AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN, AND THE OBSERVANCE OF SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNITION MONTH IN JANUARY 2025 PROVIDES A WELCOME OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THE TRUSTEES OF THE FORT BEND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. AND WHEREAS, WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH ADMINISTRATORS, CLASSROOM TEACHERS AND PARENTS, THE BOARD FURTHERS THE DISTRICT'S MISSION OF PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS NECESSARY TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL AND PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS.
ITS RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE SETTING POLICY AND ENSURING THE EFFICIENT OPERATION OF SCHOOL FACILITIES, WITH THE GOAL OF FOSTERING AN OPTIMAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS.
AND WHEREAS THE SIXTH LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN TEXAS, FORT BEND ISD ENCOMPASSES 83 CAMPUSES AND MORE THAN 79,000 STUDENTS IN FORT BEND COUNTY. THE DISTRICT WORKS TO MEET THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF EACH STUDENT THROUGH A VARIETY OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, SERVING FAMILIES THAT SPEAK OVER 100 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES AND DIALECTS.
AND WHEREAS THE DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS PRESENTLY SERVING ON THE FORT BEND ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES ARE PRESIDENT CHRISTINE TASSAN, VICE PRESIDENT RICK GARCIA, SECRETARY DAVID HAMILTON, AND MEMBERS ANGIE HANON, ADAM SCHOOF, DOCTOR SHIRLEY, ROSE GILLUM, AND SONJA JONES.
THE DISTRICT ALSO BENEFITS FROM THE ABLE GUIDANCE OF SUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR MARK SMITH.
AND WHEREAS EACH OF THESE NOTABLE TEXANS HAS DEMONSTRATED AN EXEMPLARY COMMITMENT TO AREA STUDENTS, AND THROUGH THEIR VISION AND LEADERSHIP, THEY ARE CONTRIBUTING IMMENSELY IMMEASURABLY TO THE FUTURE OF THE LONE STAR STATE.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE FORT BEND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES BE COMMENDED ON THE OCCASION OF SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNITION MONTH AND THAT ITS MEMBERS BE EXTENDED SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING SERVICE.
SIGNED BY STATE REPRESENTATIVE RON REYNOLDS OF DISTRICT 27.
LOOK HERE. ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE MORE. ONE. TWO.
VERY MUCH. AGAIN, THANK YOU TO OUR HARD WORKING BOARD FOR THEIR SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO THE FORT BEND ISD COMMUNITY. IF EVERYONE WOULD PLEASE JOIN ME AND STAND FOR A LARGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE AS WE CONCLUDE TONIGHT'S RECOGNITIONS.
HEY, Y'ALL. HEY. WHAT'S UP? HEY, Y'ALL DO ALL KINDS OF GOOD STUFF FOR US ALL THE TIME.
WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. HELLO. HELLO. HOW ARE YOU? YEAH. SO, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A PUBLIC SERVICE. YEAH. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF MONEY INVOLVED.
WHAT'S UP? OH, HEY, CAN WE START? KRISTEN? GIRL SCOUTS ARE WAITING.
[00:20:02]
OKAY. YEAH, THEY GOT COOKIES FOR THE GIRL SCOUTS AND COOKIES.I DON'T KNOW. THEY GOT COOKIES. IF THESE COOKIES WE GOTTA GET SHOW UP FOR ME.
YOU BETTER SHOW UP WITH THE COOKIES. CASSIE. A LOT OF BABIES.
SHE FOUND IT AND SHE HAD TO PUT IT ON. THANK YOU FOR TELLING ME THIS.
LET'S GO RIGHT BACK OUT. I HEARD HIM SAY THAT TO YOU.
YEAH, YEAH. IT WAS LIKE I WAS LIKE, MAN, I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN.
SO HE'S GOT A CONDITION. NO, HE'S THE CHIEF OF STAFF.
CHIEF OF STAFF FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER. HE'S GONNA GO GET THE COOKIES.
WHAT ARE WE DOING? OH, OKAY. SCOUTS COOKIES EVERY YEAR.
REALLY? I CALL THE THIN MINTS. WELL, WE HAVE A SPECIAL GIFT HERE TONIGHT. OUR GIRL SCOUT TROOP HAS DROPPED IN TO DELIVER SWEET TREATS AND COOKIES TO OUR TRUSTEES. SO WE WOULD HATE FOR THEM TO NOT BE ABLE TO COME UP AND GIVE THEIR COOKIES TO OUR TRUSTEES.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. YES. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRECIOUS GIRL.
YES, YES. YEAH, RIGHT. THANK YOU. OH. ARE YOU.
SURE. OH, YEAH. ALRIGHTY, GIRLS, IF Y'ALL WANT TO JOIN IN FOR A PHOTO.
I THINK I FOR A PHOTO RIGHT THERE.
SO HERE I GO. READY? ONE MORE. ONE. TWO. THREE.
STAND BY. STAND BY. WE GOT IT. CAN I GET ONE HERE, PLEASE? RIGHT HERE. THANK YOU. MA'AM? MA'AM. COULD YOU.
THANK YOU. MA'AM? COULD YOU. SORRY. YEAH. THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT. LOOKING HERE. ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE MORE.
ONE. TWO. THREE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. LADIES.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. HI, MOM. AND THIS CONCLUDES TONIGHT'S THANK YOU. OH, THAT'S ALL WE NEED IS TO SEE NOBODY.
NOBODY HAS THIN MINTS, RIGHT? THOSE ARE PRETTY GREAT.
CAN WE GO GET TAGALONGS? OH, LOOK AT THAT.
YOU GOT CARAMEL? DELITES. PEANUT BUTTER. I MEAN, FIRST OFF, ON BEHALF OF MY FELLOW TRUSTEES THANK YOU TO DOCTOR SMITH.
TO THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK AND MISS CHASTITY AND EVERYBODY ELSE ON THE TEAM WHO WORKED SO HARD TO MAKE THIS, THIS RECEPTION AND THIS EVENING. SO NICE FOR ALL OF US.
WE APPRECIATE THE RECOGNITION. WE APPRECIATE THE GIFTS.
WE ALWAYS LOVE SEEING THE KIDS. SO THAT'S MY FAVORITE PART.
SO THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THAT. NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE.
[5. Superintendent Update]
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. GOOD EVENING TO EVERYONE. I HAVE THE FOLLOWING UPDATES THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THIS EVENING.THE FIRST IS JUST TO GIVE A KUDOS AND A SHOUT OUT TO OUR OPERATIONS TEAM, OUR FACILITIES TEAM, AND OUR MAINTENANCE TEAM. LAST WEEK WE HAD A SNOW EVENT.
I GUESS THAT'S A NICE WAY OF SAYING IT, BUT WE HAD A LOT OF SNOW, WHICH WAS FUN.
I ENJOYED THE PICTURES. THANK YOU EVERYONE! BUT A LOT OF SNOW, ICY WEATHER.
AND SO WE HAD WHAT WE CALL OUR UNSUNG HEROES.
THEY DON'T ALWAYS GET A LOT OF ATTENTION. THEY WORK BEHIND THE SCENES AND JUST MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
[00:25:05]
AND WE SOMETIMES TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT THE WORK THAT THEY DO.BUT I WANTED TO JUST LET THEM KNOW WE APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THEY DID ON LAST WEEK.
JUST CHECKING OUR SCHOOLS COMING OUT AND ALL THE INCLEMENT WEATHER, GIVING ME REPORTS AND UPDATES SO THAT I WAS ABLE TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH THE BOARD, WHICH ULTIMATELY LED TO ME BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH THE BOARD AND MAKE DECISIONS ON WHAT OUR STATUS WAS.
I WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT WE APPRECIATE THEM VERY MUCH.
THEY WORKED REALLY LATE, WORKED REALLY EARLY, SPOT CHECKING ALL THE ROADS FOR US.
A LOT OF EXTRA DUTY AND LONG HOURS THAT THEY PUT IN.
AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE OPERATIONS, FACILITIES AND MAINTENANCE TEAM.
THE NEXT ITEM THAT I HAVE IS TO SHARE THAT WE HAD 49 TMA, TMA STUDENT POSITIONS BE RECOGNIZED FOR AN ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING HONOR.
SO I'M PROUD TO BE ABLE TO REPORT THIS EVENING.
THESE STUDENTS FROM OUR HIGH SCHOOLS WERE CHOSEN FROM AMONG 70,000 YOUNG PEOPLE WHO AUDITIONED.
SO JUST THINK ABOUT THAT. 70,000 ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS AUDITIONED.
AND OUR STUDENTS ARE 49 OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE RECEIVED THIS HONOR.
IT'S ACTUALLY THE HIGHEST HONOR THAT'S GIVEN TO A STUDENT MUSICIAN IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND SO IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT AT CRAWFORD HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH HAS ONLY BEEN OPEN A YEAR, WE HAD TWO BAND STUDENTS THAT WERE NAMED TO THE ALL-STATE AND ONE CHOIR STUDENT THAT WAS NAMED ALL-STATE.
AND SO THAT WAS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE FOR FOR A BRAND NEW PROGRAM.
OUR STUDENTS WILL JOIN THEIR PEERS FROM ACROSS TEXAS TO PERFORM IN ONE OF 18 ENSEMBLES DURING THE ANNUAL TEXAS MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION CONVENTION, WHICH IS HELD NEXT MONTH IN SAN ANTONIO. SO AGAIN, JUST WANTED TO APPLAUD OUR STUDENTS AND FOR ALL THE EDUCATORS AND SUPPORTERS IN OUR FINE ARTS PROGRAM THAT ASSISTS THEM IN BEING GREAT.
THAT'S JUST A LONG WAY OF SAYING WE'RE REALLY GREAT.
SO IT RECOGNIZES THIS AWARD, RECOGNIZES AND HONORS THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT PROVIDE THEATER RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE ABOVE STANDARD RATINGS. THIS HONOR REFLECTS THE TALENT AND THE DEDICATION OF OUR THEATER ARTS STUDENTS.
AND WE WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR FINE ARTS DIRECTOR, JIM DREW, WHO I SAW EARLIER.
NOT VERY MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS RECEIVE THIS AWARD, AND SO WE WANT TO LET HIM KNOW WE APPRECIATE HIM.
THE NEXT ITEM IS THE TEXAS AP HONOR ROLL. SCHOOLS.
ANOTHER DISTINCTION FOR OUR DISTRICT THAT I AM SO PROUD TO SHARE.
WE HAVE SEVEN HIGH SCHOOLS THAT WERE NAMED TO THE TEXAS AP SCHOOL HONOR ROLL LIST.
THOSE HIGH SCHOOLS ARE AUSTIN, CLEMENTS, DULLES, ELKINS, KEMPNER, RIDGE POINT, AND TRAVIS.
AND WE HAD MORE SCHOOLS ON THE LIST THAN ANY OTHER SCHOOL IN OUR REGION.
AND SO THE STATE'S AP SCHOOL HONOR ROLL, IT RECOGNIZES HIGH SCHOOLS WHOSE ADVANCED PLACEMENT PROGRAMS DELIVER STRONG RESULTS FOR STUDENTS AND MAKE THE COURSEWORK ACCESSIBLE TO OUR STUDENTS. SO AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES.
AND NEXT YEAR WE HOPE TO SEE ALL 12 OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ON THAT LIST.
THE NEXT ITEM IS TO APPRECIATE OUR MENTORS. MENTORS PLAY SUCH A CRUCIAL ROLE IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
HERE'S A REALLY GOOD FACT TO KNOW. FORT BEND ISD IS UPLIFT.
WE HAVE 136 MENTORS FROM ACROSS THE DISTRICT, AND THEIR SOLE FOCUS IS TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS.
AND THIS INCLUDES COMMUNITY MEMBERS. IT INCLUDES DISTRICT STAFF.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE A SMALL ARMY OF STUDENTS WHO ALSO MENTOR OTHER STUDENTS.
THAT'S JUST MORE POSITIVE DEPOSITS IN OUR STUDENTS.
AND WE, OUR STUDENTS NEED AS MUCH POSITIVITY AS POSSIBLE.
[00:30:09]
STUDENTS THAT HAVE A MENTORING OPPORTUNITY, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO VOLUNTEER IN THEIR COMMUNITY, AND THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO BECOME SCHOOL LEADERS AND THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO SKIP SCHOOL.NEXT, I HAVE THE HAPPY HONORS. WE WERE WELL REPRESENTED AT THE HAPPY AWARD DINNER LAST WEEK.
SHE WON SECOND PLACE FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
THESE ARE TEACHERS FROM ALL ACROSS THE REGION.
REGION FOUR. ADDITIONALLY, WE HAVE BRAZOS BEND PRINCIPAL DOCTOR FELICIA BOWDEN AND SHE IS SHOWN HERE WITH ME WITH TRUSTEE ANGIE HANNON AND TRUSTEE DOCTOR SHIRLEY ROSE GILLIAM.
I'M TRYING TO THINK, DID ANY OTHER TRUSTEES ATTEND THAT NIGHT WITH US? OKAY. I DIDN'T WANT TO MISS ANYBODY, BUT WE HAD A GREAT WE HAD A GREAT EVENT AND A GREAT TIME CELEBRATING OUR OUR TEACHERS AND OUR PRINCIPALS.
AND THEN LASTLY, I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUST SHARE A FEW WORDS ABOUT OUR BOARD, JUST FROM MY PERSPECTIVE AS SUPERINTENDENT AND DURING BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH, IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN TO TAKE PART IN ALL THE DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO THIS PAST MONTH, TO SHOW OUR APPRECIATION AND THANKS FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
AND SO THE CARE AND KINDNESS THAT YOU DEMONSTRATE FOR OUR BOARD, EACH OTHER, OUR STAFF, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR SCHOOLS, ALL THOSE THAT HAVE A HAND IN DOING THE WORK OF EDUCATING STUDENTS IN FORT BEND ISD, IT IS INDEED COMMENDABLE. COLLABORATION IS HARD WORK.
IT REALLY IS. IT REQUIRES SACRIFICE. IT'S NOT EASY TO COLLABORATE.
YOU HAVE TO LISTEN. YOU HAVE TO EXERCISE PATIENCE.
AND YOU ALL DO THAT AND HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT.
I AM HAPPY TO BE IN THIS SERVICE WITH YOU ALL AND ON THIS JOURNEY WITH YOU ALL.
AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO CELEBRATE TOGETHER.
AND JUST BECAUSE IT'S HARD WORK DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT GOOD WORK.
A LOT OF TIMES, THE HARD WORK IS REALLY WHAT IT TAKES TO GET TO THE PLACE THAT WE WANT TO BE.
AND YOU ALL PROVIDE THAT MOTIVATION AND SUPPORT FOR ME EACH AND EVERY DAY.
AND SO I THANK YOU AND DON'T TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED.
WE RAN A VIDEO DURING OUR SOCIAL MEDIA BLITZ OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, AND I THINK IT'S JUST FITTING TO END WITH THAT VIDEO THIS EVENING WITH OUR STUDENTS THAT HAVE SOME THINGS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT. WE APPRECIATE YOU.
IF YOU WANT TO START THE VIDEO. IT'S SCOREBOARD APPRECIATION MONTH.
AND WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR FORT BEND ISD.
TRUSTEES ARE PHENOMENAL. THEY WORK HARD TO MAKE OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE OF THE BEST.
THEY MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE BEST RESOURCES AND THE COOLEST TEACHERS.
THANKS TO THEM, OUR SCHOOLS ARE SAFE PLACES TO LEARN AND PLAY.
OUR TRUSTEES PREPARE US FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE.
THEY REVIEW AND APPROVE PROJECTS THAT IMPACT STUDENTS ON THE FIELD IN THE CLASSROOM.
ORDER. ARMS. AND IN VARIOUS ELECTIVES AND PROGRAMS. BUT BEST OF ALL, THEY LISTEN TO OUR FAMILIES AND MAKE DECISIONS TO HELP EVERYONE.
BOARD MEMBERS ARE VOLUNTEERS, BUT YOU STILL SEE THEM DEVOTE THEIR TIME.
JOIN US AS WE CHEER THEM ON THIS MONTH AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THANK YOU FOR REPRESENTING US AT VARIOUS EVENTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND DEDICATION. THANK YOU FOR CARING FOR US.
HAPPY SCHOOL BOARD APPRECIATION MONTH. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU. BOARD, ONE LAST ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
AND, MADAM PRESIDENT, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOCTOR SMITH. AND THANKS TO THE TEAM FOR PUTTING TOGETHER SUCH A GREAT VIDEO.
NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA IS OUR BOARD MEMBER REPORTS OUR BOARD ACTIVITY REPORT.
[6.A. Board Activity Report]
[00:35:04]
MR. HAMILTON. YES. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.THIS IS YOUR FORT BEND ISD SCHOOL BOARD AT WORK.
BOARD MEMBERS, DISTRICT ACTIVITIES REPORT FOR JANUARY 29TH, 2025.
WE HAD SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ATTEND THE FOLLOWING EVENTS.
FORT BEND LEGACY FOR THE FORT BEND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, STEM FEST AND CTE EXPO.
ROADMAP TO SUCCESS. FORT BEND ISD. HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO DISTRICT ART COMPETITION SHOW.
SPECIAL CALLED MEETING SUPERINTENDENTS. SUMMATIVE EVALUATION.
BETTER TOGETHER, FORT BEND CHAMBER TASB FEDERAL ADVOCACY CONFERENCE.
DESTINATION IMAGINATION APPRAISER TRAINING HOUSTON TO FORT BEND WITH MAYOR JOHN WHITMIRE.
THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR AND PRINCIPAL OF THE YEAR CEREMONY.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR BREAKFAST. ACADEMIC.
DECATHLON. REGION SEVEN TOURNAMENT. BOWIE CAREER DAY AND ONE OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS ATTENDED THE INAUGURATION OF THE 45TH AND 47TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, DONALD J. TRUMP. OH, THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON.
NEXT UP IS OUR TASB UPDATE. MISS HANNON. YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[6.B. TASB Update]
SO I AM A TASB DIRECTOR APPOINTED BY MY COLLEAGUES HERE ON THE BOARD.AND SO THIS IS JUST A BRIEF UPDATE. I DO WANT TO JUST LET THE FULL BOARD KNOW THAT THE BOARD BRIEFS FROM OUR BOARD MEETING IN DECEMBER FOR TASB ARE ONLINE. A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT TO YOU, IN CASE YOU WANT TO GO BACK OR YOU WANT TO ASK ME QUESTIONS, IS THAT THAT WE DID RENEW AND EXTEND MR. TROXEL.
TROXEL CONTRACT. HE LEADS THE THE ORGANIZATION OF TASBIH WE REVIEWED.
BUT THOSE ARE IN YOUR BOARD BRIEFS AND YOU GET THOSE AFTER THE BOARD MEETING.
I DID WANT TO BRING UP ONE THING, AND I RAN THIS BY DOCTOR SMITH BEFORE SHARING IT.
AND IT WAS IT LOOKED LIKE THIS. AND IT WAS IN YOUR BOARD PACKET.
AND THE REASON I THOUGHT THIS WAS IMPORTANT TO SHARE, AND I'LL SHARE SOMETHING WHEN WE GO BACK.
BEFORE YOU GO HOME, THAT DESCRIBES ALL OF THE THE WAYS THAT TASBIH SUPPORTS THE DISTRICT.
IT'S IN THIS, THIS FLIER. BUT WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU WAS THE FORT BEND ISD TASBIH MEMBERSHIP SNAPSHOT, BECAUSE WE, YOU KNOW, TO THE COMMUNITY, WE WE DON'T GO LINE ITEM BY LINE ITEM IN OUR, YOU KNOW, $83 MILLION BUDGET. BUT I DO I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND HOW TASSIE IS SUPPORTING US.
WE DON'T PAY MEMBERSHIPS IN ALL AREAS. BUT THE ONE THAT I REALLY WANTED TO POINT OUT TO YOU, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, IS ON PAGE THREE OF THIS DOCUMENT AND IT SAYS FOR THE YEAR 20 2324, FORT BEND ISD WILL RECEIVE A REBATE OF $40,703.
AND THAT IS THROUGH THE SERVICES THAT WE USE THROUGH BY BOARD.
AND SO SOME OF OUR VENDORS ALSO USE BY BOARD, IF I UNDERSTAND THAT CORRECTLY.
AND SO THAT THAT $40,000 IS QUITE A SAVINGS. AND TO ME IT SORT OF GIVES BACK AND SORT OF NOT NOT EXACTLY, BUT COVERS SOME OF THOSE MEMBERSHIP COSTS THAT, THAT WE THAT WE THAT WE PROVIDE TO TSB.
BUT THAT'S REALLY ALL I WANTED TO SHARE. AND IF ANYONE EVER HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOARD BRIEFS THAT YOU GET, YOU WEREN'T QUITE SURE YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WHAT SOME OF THE ITEMS WERE THAT WE WE VOTED ON.
I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO TO GO OVER THOSE WITH YOU.
NEXT UP IS PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE 12 SPEAKERS THIS EVENING.
[7. Public Comment]
OUR BOARD SECRETARY, MR. HAMILTON, WILL KEEP THE TIME.YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK, AND HE WILL GIVE YOU 30S A 32ND WARNING.
FIRST UP THIS EVENING IS MR. RAINWATER. THANK YOU.
DOCTOR. I DO THE STRAW. AIN'T NO PROBLEM. GOOD EVENING.
AND FIRST THING I'D LIKE TO SAY IS, THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE WONDERFUL JOB THAT ALL OF YOU DO.
[00:40:09]
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, FIRST OF ALL, YOU GUYS GIVE THE STAFF AND THE ADMINISTRATION A RAISE, THE ADMINISTRATORS LIKE THE SECRETARIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. COULD YOU GIVE THEM A RAISE WITHOUT RAISING THEIR INSURANCE AND STUFF LIKE THAT? AND CAN YOU DO SOME THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, HELP OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT MAKING SIX FIGURES AND THINGS LIKE THAT? BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL TRYING TO LIVE AND THEY'RE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL.IT'S BEEN PERFORMING BADLY FOR A LONG TIME AND STILL CROSSING THE I'S AND DOTTING THE T'S AIN'T GOING TO GET IT BECAUSE ALL YOU'RE DOING THERE IS YOU'RE JUST MOVING STUFF AROUND. IF YOU KEEP DOING THE SAME THING THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS DONE, YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE SAME THING YOU'VE ALWAYS GOTTEN, WHICH IS FAILING STUDENTS.
WE DON'T NEED TO BE SENDING OUR STUDENTS FROM HIGH SCHOOL, FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEY'RE FAILING WHEN THEY GET TO HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY'RE READING ON AN ELEMENTARY LEVEL.
AND ALSO, WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS YOU'RE SETTING THEM UP FOR THEM TO GO INTO A PRISON PIPELINE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING, IS OUR KIDS GO FROM HIGH SCHOOL OFF TO THE PRISON SYSTEM, AND THAT'S IT'S AN UNNECESSARY THING. SO I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO SEE OUR CHILDREN DO BETTER.
AND I THINK THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THIS MOU IS FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
WHAT I APPRECIATE THE OUTSTANDING COMMITMENT AND LEADERSHIP OF YOUR DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT, WHO IS DOCTOR JORDAN AND ALL THE TRUSTEES WHO HAVE HAD THE VISION AND THE TRUST AND WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS IS POSSIBLE, IT'S POSSIBLE TO DO A CHANGE. AND ALSO TO THOSE WHO MAY BE ON THE FENCE.
I PRAY FOR YOU THAT YOU WILL SEE THAT CHANGE IS SCARY, BUT SOMETIMES NECESSARY TO MOVE FORWARD, BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING IS EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN, NOT REPRESENTING A BRAND OR R OR D OR WHATEVER, BECAUSE I KNOW EVERYBODY'S NONPARTIZAN BUT WE ALL HAVE OUR BIASES AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S THERE.
SO THAT'S ALL I'D LIKE TO SAY TO YOU ALL. THANK YOU.
WATER. NEXT UP IS CHERYL BUFORD. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND DOCTOR SMITH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO YOU THIS EVENING.
SO THERE'S A FAMILIAR MAXIM THAT IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD.
AND I WANT TO SAY TONIGHT THAT PASSING THE MOU BEFORE THAT, YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU THAT BETWEEN THE FORT BEND SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP 41 AND FORT BEND ISD.
IF THAT IS PASSED, THAT WILL SHIFT THE THAT MAXIM FROM A CLICHE TO A REALITY.
THERE ARE SIMILAR PROGRAMS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
FOR EXAMPLE, IN OAKLAND THERE IS A PROGRAM CALLED OAKLAND REACH, AND IT HAS RESULTED IN STATISTICALLY IMPROVING STUDENT PERFORMANCE. AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU A SNAPSHOT TONIGHT OF THE WORK THAT IS ALREADY BEING DONE BY VOLUNTEERS, EVEN WITHOUT AN MOU. I AM PART OF A GROUP OF COMMUNITY RESIDENTS THAT ARE VOLUNTEERING AT BLUE RIDGE BRIARGATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WE WORK UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE THE LITERACY INTERVENTIONIST TEAM, AND WE ARE AUGMENTING WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO DO. THEY WORK WITH STRUGGLING STUDENTS, AND WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME ENRICHMENT TO STUDENTS WHO ARE ALREADY MEETING OR EXCEEDING GRADE LEVEL EXPECTATIONS.
SO SINCE SEPTEMBER, TWICE A WEEK I TUTOR FIFTH GRADERS.
I HAVE FIVE FIFTH GRADERS, THREE BOYS AND TWO GIRLS.
THEY ARE BRIGHT. THEY ARE ATTENTIVE. WE READ A SELECTION THAT THE SCHOOL PROVIDED US FROM SCHOLASTIC
[00:45:09]
AND WE TALK. THEY ANSWER QUESTIONS AND THEY'RE VERY ENGAGED.SO I AM PROVIDING THEM, AS ARE THE OTHER TUTORS, AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH THE MATERIAL AND WITH AN ADULT IN A SMALL GROUP, WHICH, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, WILL GIVE THEM CONFIDENCE AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS IN A SMALL GROUP THAT IS FAR LESS INTIMIDATING THAN WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO DO IN A CLASSROOM.
SO, AS THEY ARE APPROACHING MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH ALL ITS CHALLENGES AND PEER PRESSURES, I HOPE THAT THE TIME THAT WE HAVE TOGETHER THAT THEY RECOGNIZE THEY ARE SEEN, THEY MATTER. AND THERE IS ONE MORE ADULT IN THEIR VILLAGE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS BUFORD. NEXT UP IS REGINA GARDINER.
GOOD EVENING, TRUSTEES AND SUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR MARK SMITH.
MY NAME IS REGINA GARDNER, AND I AM THE VICE CHAIR FOR THE FORT BEND NEIGHBORHOOD EDUCATION COMMITTEE THAT WORKS IN THE WILLOW RIDGE FEEDER PATTERN. I WANT TO SINCERELY THANK EACH OF THE BOARD MEMBERS, ESPECIALLY PRESIDENT TYSON.
TYSON FOR YOUR COOPERATION, COLLABORATION, AND COMMITMENT TO FOLLOWING THROUGH ON YOUR PROMISE MADE TO OUR FEEDER PATTERN COMMUNITY WITH THIS MOU. IN RESPONSE TO A THOUGHTFUL QUESTION FROM ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS ABOUT WHO IS VETTING THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS PROCESS BEGINS WITH THE FOUNDATION OF OUR DEMOCRACY, THE TAXPAYERS AND VOTERS WHO MAKE UP THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD AND ITS COMMITTEES.
CHANGE BEGINS WITH A SINGLE COMMITTEE, A PRINCIPLE DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION.
IN ESSENCE, WE THE PEOPLE HAVE VETTED OURSELVES THROUGH THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS.
THE ROAD HAS NOT BEEN EASY, BUT IT HAS BEEN WORTH EVERY EFFORT.
THIS BOARD HAS PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN TURNING OUR VISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY INTO REALITY, OR AT LEAST GIVING US THE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON THAT BY PRIORITIZING EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND SUPPORTING INITIATIVES THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT STUDENT SUCCESS. WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE YOUR WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN, COLLABORATE, AND AND INVEST IN SOLUTIONS THAT PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS WITH A STRONG FOUNDATION THEY DESERVE. WE ESPECIALLY COMMEND SUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR MARK SMITH AND HIS OUTSTANDING TEAM OF ADMINISTRATORS DOCTOR DORETHA JORDAN, DOCTOR ANDREA SHAW, AND DOCTOR ADAM STEPHENS FOR THEIR UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO STUDENT SUCCESS. WE STAND HERE TODAY AS WELL. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND DEDICATION TO OUR STUDENTS AND COMMUNITY. WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE GREAT WORK AHEAD.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS PASTOR WILLIE DAVIS.
GOOD EVENING, DOCTOR SMITH. AND TO THE TRUSTEE BOARD MEMBERS AND PRESIDENT SON.
AND YOU MAY BE ASKING YOURSELF, WHY AM I HERE? WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE MY MONEY IS STILL SPENT IN FORT BEND, BECAUSE ALL OF MY CHILDREN AND MY GRANDCHILDREN WHO ARE STUDENTS WITHIN FORT BEND.
[00:50:08]
I WANT TO TONIGHT, JUST TO COMMEND ALL OF YOU FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING AND HAVE DONE IN CONSIDERING, PARTICULARLY THIS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.MANY OF YOU, SOME OF THEM KNOW, OUR PRESIDENT KNOW, AND SOME OTHERS MAY KNOW THAT I ALSO SERVED AS THE PRESIDENT OF PRESIDENT OF THE FORT BEND PASTORS ASSOCIATION. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS PUSHED FOR WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A SUPERINTENDENT AND A BOARD OF TRUSTEES THAT WORK COMPREHENSIVELY TO ADVANCE PARTICIPATION BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE SCHOOLS, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE STUDENTS COME FROM.
AND SO I WANT TO JUST COMMEND ALL OF YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AND HAVE DONE.
I THINK TO PUSH THIS FORWARD WOULD BE A GREAT HALLMARK ON A MATTER GOING INTO 2025 THAT WILL CHANGE THE THE THE COMMUNITY TRAJECTORY OF FORT BEND ISD AND ALSO HAVE A COLLABORATION.
YOU KNOW, NOW THAT I LIVE IN HOUSTON AND OF COURSE, I RAISED ALL OF MY KIDS IN FORT BEND, MISSOURI CITY, WHERE I USED TO RESIDE. COLLABORATION IS SO IMPORTANT.
I HEARD DOCTOR SMITH SAY THAT EARLIER ABOUT COLLABORATION.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS DOES. THIS ENHANCES BECAUSE I'M MAYOR IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AS WE MEET WEEKLY, HE'S ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT COLLABORATION. AND, YOU KNOW, COLLABORATION BEATS ALL DIVISIONS, WHETHER IT BE HATRED, WHETHER IT BE POLITICAL LINES.
BUT WHEN WE COLLABORATE, WE BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THAT'S A PLACE WHERE WE CAN ALL COME TOGETHER.
SO I WANTED TO COME TONIGHT AND THANK YOU. COMMEND YOU.
I THINK YOU ALL ARE DOING AN OUTSTANDING WORK AND JOB IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND I WISH AND PRAY FOR THE BEST OF ALL OF YOU.
GOD BLESS YOU. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, COUNCILMAN.
DOCTOR SMITH. BOARD PRESIDENT. TASSAN. BOARD MEMBERS.
STAFF. COMMUNITY. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JANE EDWARDS.
MCFARLAND AND I COME IN STRONG SUPPORT OF THE MOU THAT WILL BE PLACED BEFORE YOU, REFLECTING ON THE OPEN EARS AND HARD WORKING MINDS AND HANDS THAT JOINTLY RECOGNIZE THAT THESE ISSUES REQUIRE BOLD YET THOUGHTFUL ACTIONS THAT AT TIMES MAY NEED AN AGILE ADJUSTMENT WHEN NEEDED, AND I ASK YOU TO SUPPORT IT.
THERE ARE TWO ITEMS I WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION.
ONE IS THAT THESE ARE NOT JUST RETIRED TEACHERS.
THE TUTORS THAT ARE THAT WE'RE USING WERE THE BEST IN THEIR GROUP.
THEY WERE THE ONES WHO WERE ASKED TO JOIN DISTRICT CURRICULUM WRITING PROGRAMS. THEY WERE THE ONES THAT PUBLISHERS OF THE CURRICULUMS CALLED UPON TO GIVE FEEDBACK.
MANY OF THEM WERE ON DMCS. THEY WERE MENTORING TEACHERS.
THEY WERE IN THE TRENCHES HELPING PARENTS. THAT'S WHO WE HAVE AS TUTORS.
AND IF A CHILD SEES THAT YOU SEE GREATNESS IN THEM, THEY BEGIN TO SEE IT IN THEMSELVES.
AND SO WE WANT THIS KIND OF PROGRAM IN OUR FEEDER PATTERN BECAUSE IT'S CONTAGIOUS.
RIGHT NOW WHAT WE KNOW IS ABILITY DOESN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
IT'S A JOURNEY. A CONSISTENT, DILIGENT EFFORT OVER TIME.
AND SO WE DO WORK WITH THE L.A. COACH ON THE CAMPUS.
WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE TEACHERS BRING AN EXCELLENCE AND AN INFECTION THAT MENTORS THESE OTHER TEACHERS, BUT THEY DON'T DO IT HEAVY HANDEDLY BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT'S DONE.
SO I WANT TO I STAND IN AWE OF THEM. I THINK A FEW OF THEM ARE HERE.
STAND UP YOU GUYS, AND BE RECOGNIZED BECAUSE THEY BRING A LOT TO US AND WE THANK THEM FOR IT.
THE SECOND ONE. THANK YOU. AND THE SECOND POINT AND THE LAST POINT IS COMMUNITY.
[00:55:01]
THE COMMUNITY IS ACTIVELY ENGAGED AND INCLUDING ENGAGED.AND THAT'S INCLUDING HOMEOWNERS. AND WHEN I CALL YOUR GROUP, I WANT YOU ALL TO STAND UP.
HOMEOWNERS, COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION MEMBERS, BUSINESS, POLITICAL, CIVIC LEADERS.
WE ALL STAND BEHIND THIS MOU BECAUSE WE RESOLVE TO SEE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES IN OUR COMMUNITY, LEADING TO A TRAJECTORY OF CHANGE IN OUR CHILDREN.
AND I PUBLICLY THANK DOCTOR SMITH AND DOCTOR JORDAN AND HER TEAM FOR REMINDING US THAT WHERE THERE IS UNITY, GOD COMMANDS A BLESSING. AMEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS STEPHANIE BROWN, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE BOARD, THE SUPERINTENDENT, FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO FOR OUR STUDENTS ALL OVER FORT BEND ISD.
I'VE SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE COME THROUGH HERE WITH BRIGHT IDEAS.
501 C THREES. I'VE SEEN PASTOR ORGANIZATIONS.
I'VE SEEN INDIVIDUALS CLAIM TO DO GREAT THINGS IN THAT FEEDER PATTERN.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU GUYS HAVE SOMETHING CONCRETE TO SAY.
IT'S GOING TO WORK. SO I COMMEND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS PROJECT.
I LIVED IN THAT COMMUNITY. MY NEPHEWS GRADUATED FROM THAT COMMUNITY.
AND WHEN WE DO THINGS, WE JUST WANT THE RESPECT THAT YOU GIVE.
ANY OTHER FEEDER PATTERN, YOU DON'T PUT THEM UNDER ONE UMBRELLA.
THEIR INDIVIDUAL FEEDER PATTERNS AND YOU RESPECT THEM AS SUCH.
SO WE'RE ASKING YOU AND I'M ASKING YOU ON BEHALF OF MY FEEDER PATTERN AND A FRIEND OF THE WILLOWRIDGE FEEDER PATTERN, GIVE THESE PEOPLE WHAT THEY'RE DESIRING. AND THAT'S JUST TO GIVE THESE KIDS A QUALITY EDUCATION.
IN 2018, THURGOOD MARSHALL HAD A PARTNERSHIP WITH FORT BEND ISD, AND IT WAS GREAT.
SO MUCH SO THAT YOU GUYS TOOK SOME OF OUR IDEAS AND IMPLEMENTED IT THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
I KNOW THAT'S COMING BACK AGAIN, AND WE'RE WAITING ON OUR FINALIZATION FOR THAT.
SO AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO ALSO ADD THE REGARDING THE BOND.
AND YOU PUT IT BACK IN THE CONTINGENCY FUNDS.
I'VE COME UP HERE AND ASKED FOR A YEAR FOR CONTINGENCY FUNDS.
HOW IN THE WORLD ARE YOU TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM US? PUTTING IT BACK INTO THE CONTINGENCY FUNDS? I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADDRESS THAT.
WE ARE ON A CONTRACT WITH A BUS COMPANY CALLED GOLD STAR.
MARSHALL AND WILLOW RIDGE ARE USING GOLD STAR.
THEY HAVE NINE CAMERAS FOR SAFETY. GOLD STAR HAS FOUR.
FOR $20 AN HOUR. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. WE DESERVE THE SAME QUALITY OF BUS SERVICE AND SAFETY THAT EVERY OTHER SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT IS GETTING. THANK YOU.
HAVE A NICE DAY. THANK YOU, MISS BROWN. NEXT IS CLAIRE PERRODIN.
CLAIRE. CLOSE IT. CLAIRE. CLAIRE. PERRODIN. OKAY.
NEXT IS AUDREY WILLIAMS. GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
[01:00:02]
MY NAME IS AUDREY JORDAN WILLIAMS, AND I AM THE DRAFTED CHAIR OF THE FORT BEND HOUSTON SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 41 EDUCATION COMMITTEE.AND I EMPHASIZE DRAFTED. I WANT TO APPLAUD SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 41 FOR TAKING THE STEPS TO INITIATE A COLLABORATION WITH FORT BEND ISD TO TACKLE A MAJOR PROBLEM IN THEIR EAST END SCHOOLS. THE INABILITY TO READ HERE IS A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM.
SINCE A PORTION OF FORT BEND COUNTY WAS ANNEXED TO HOUSTON, THAT PORTION WAS DELEGATED TO DISTRICT K COUNCILWOMAN MARTHA ARTHUR TATUM. SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 41 INCLUDES BRIARGATE, SOUTHWEST CROSSING, CHASE WOOD, MAYFAIR PARK, RIDGEGATE, QUAIL GLEN, GREEN VALLEY ESTATES, AND QUAIL RUN.
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 41 IS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF MR. WILLIE RAINWATER. AS A RESULT, WITH THE APPROVAL OF FORT BEND ISD AND THE PRINCIPAL OF BRIARGATE BLUE RIDGE DOCTOR SONYA EVANS WILLIAMS. THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 41 EDUCATION COMMITTEE WAS ABLE TO SECURE LICENSED ELEMENTARY TEACHERS, WHO ARE RETIRED TO TAKE PART IN TUTORING KIDS IN THAT SCHOOL.
STRICTLY FOLLOWING THE GUIDELINES OF FORT BEND ISD, THIS BRINGS ME TO THE RECENT BOARD MEETING OF JANUARY 13TH, WHICH INCLUDED ON ITS AGENDA DISCUSSIONS OF THE MOU MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REGARDING THE SCHOOLS THAT FEED INTO WILLOWRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL. AS ONE BOARD MEMBER STATED.
FREE CREDENTIALED RETIRED TEACHERS. YOU CAN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT.
WITH ALL SCHOOLS THAT FEED INTO WILLOWRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL RATED BELOW 69%.
SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE. THE FORT BEND ISD SCHOOL SHOULD LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE.
AS THE BOARD PRESIDENT AVOWED, IT'S TIME TO TRY A NEW APPROACH.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE AND THE VILLAGE IS HERE. IT'S YOUR MOVE, FORT BEND.
IT'S TIME FOR ACTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS WILLIAMS. NEXT IS KIM TRUDEAU. TRUDEAU. GOOD EVENING. I WANT TO START OFF BY THANKING YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND EFFORTS FOR OUR DISTRICT.
MY NAME IS ALLISON TRUDEAU, AND I'M AN EIGHTH GRADE STUDENT AT JAMES LEE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
LET ME PAINT A PICTURE OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A STUDENT IN AN OVERCROWDED SCHOOL.
YOU RAISE YOUR HAND FOR HELP, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY OF US AND ONLY ONE TEACHER.
IT IS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR EVERYONE TO GET THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.
EVEN SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS LUNCHTIME IS A CHALLENGE.
THE CAFETERIA IS OVERCROWDED AND FINDING A PLACE TO SIT DOWN IS NOT ALWAYS GUARANTEED.
THE LINES ARE LONG AND THE NOISES ARE OVERWHELMING, AND SOMETIMES THERE IS BARELY ENOUGH TIME TO EAT BEFORE WE'RE RUSHED OFF TO OUR NEXT CLASS. THE CHALLENGES DON'T STOP WHEN THE SCHOOL DAY ENDS.
SOME MORNINGS, STUDENTS ARE LEFT WAITING AT BUS STOPS, UNSURE IF A DRIVER WILL EVEN SHOW UP.
AND IN THE AFTERNOONS, WE ARE FORCED TO WAIT IN AN EMPTY SCHOOL LONG AFTER DISMISSAL.
FOR TOO MANY OF US, SOMETHING AS BASIC AS TRANSPORTATION HAS BECOME UNPREDICTABLE AND UNFAIR.
FOUR NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WERE PROMISED AS PART OF THE 2023 BOND.
[01:05:06]
THE BOARD VOTED IN OCTOBER 2024 TO TAKE ONE OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CONSTRUCTIONS TO MEET TO CANCEL ONE OF THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CONSTRUCTIONS TO MEET BUDGET SHORTFALLS. THIS GREATLY IMPACTS MY COMMUNITY BY OVERCROWDING JAMES NEAL ELEMENTARY AND SURROUNDING SCHOOLS.SCHOOLS ARE MEANT TO BE A PLACE OF LEARNING, SUPPORT AND OPPORTUNITY.
BUT HOW CAN WE THRIVE IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS FAILING TO MEET EVEN OUR MOST BASIC NEEDS? WE NEED ACTION NOW AND WE NEED 55 REINSTATED 30S.
WE NEED REAL LONG TERM SOLUTIONS TO OVERCROWDING AND NOT JUST TEMPORARY FIXES OR EXCUSES.
WE ARE THE FUTURE OF FORT BEND AND WE DESERVE BETTER.
WE WILL NOT STOP SPEAKING UNTIL WE ARE HEARD.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT. TRISHA MIHAJLOVIC.
GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS TRISHA MIHALJEVIC AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.
I AM HERE TO RAISE AN IMPORTANT QUESTION REGARDING THE LONG TERM PLAN FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
WITH THE ELIMINATION OF SCHOOL IS 55 AND AN ONGOING OVERCROWDING CRISIS AT NEILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND HOW THIS WILL AFFECT THE OVER 2000 PLUS STUDENTS AT BOTH NEILL AND PECAN GROVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COMBINED.
AT THE BOARD MEETING I ATTENDED IN ATTENDED IN NOVEMBER. YOU ALL GAVE A GREAT PRESENTATION ABOUT THE CHILDREN'S STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT UPDATE, AND I LISTENED TO YOU ALL TALK ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THIS WAS TO EACH OF YOU AND HOW PROUD YOU ALL WERE FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS SEEN.
HOW IS THAT GOING TO HELP OUR STUDENTS CONTINUE TO LEARN AND EXCEL? WITHOUT A NEW SCHOOL OR PLAN, WHAT KIND OF ENVIRONMENT ARE YOU PUTTING OUR CHILDREN IN? WHILE EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT, SAFETY ALSO NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
NOT ONLY ARE OUR CLASSROOMS FULL, BUT SO IS THE PLAYGROUND AND THE CAFETERIA.
THIS YEAR, THAT OPTION IS GONE. THEY SIT THEM AT THE END OF THE TABLE AND JUST HOPE NOTHING HAPPENS.
SORRY. AND THEIR SAFETY IS IMPORTANT. AND NOT HAVING ENOUGH ROOM IN THE CAFETERIA IS JUST ONE MORE EXAMPLE OF HOW OVERCROWDING AFFECTS THE CHILDREN, NOT TO MENTION THE LOSS OF SPACE ON THEIR PLAYGROUND FROM ADDITIONAL PORTABLES OR LONG TERM, OR THE LONG LINE AT DROP OFF THAT I HAVE YET TO SEE EVER GET THROUGH WHEN THEY TIME STARTS AT 730.
THE ELIMINATION OF S 55 IS A SIGNIFICANT OVERSIGHT.
THE LAND IS THERE AND PAID FOR AND THE NEED IS DEFINITELY THERE.
OVERSPENDING ON OTHER PROJECTS FOR NOT ONLY INFLATION, BUT POOR MANAGEMENT AND PROJECTS BUILT BIGGER AND GRANDER THAN THE ORIGINAL SCALE SHOULD NOT BE THE REASON KIDS IN OUR AREA HAVE TO SUFFER, BOTH IN THEIR EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES AND THEIR SAFETY AT SCHOOL.
I NOW ASK, WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR ZONING WITHOUT S 55? IS IT TO SEND KIDS FROM ONE OVERCROWDED SCHOOL IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD TO ANOTHER OVERCROWDED SCHOOL ON BUSSES THAT THE DISTRICTS CURRENTLY ARE UNDER STAFF AND DON'T HAVE WHILE PASSING TWO SCHOOLS ON THE WAY WITH THE WITH THE DECISION TO ELIMINATE IS 55.
AS A PARENT AND ADVOCATE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND ITS STUDENTS, I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER WHAT IS THE LONG TERM VISION FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CHILDREN? HOW CAN WE ENSURE THE STABILITY AND SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS INTO THE FUTURE WITHOUT A PLAN FOR THEM, WITHOUT WITHOUT S55? WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THESE STUDENTS AND WHERE WILL THEY GO WHEN THE THREE NEIGHBORING SCHOOLS ARE AT OVERCAPACITY? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSES AND UPDATES ON THESE CRITICAL ISSUES.
THANK YOU. NEXT IS MISS DOLORES COLLINS.
GOOD EVENING TO THE BOARD, TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, TO OFFICER WALTON.
OFFICER JOHNSON, WHO ALWAYS HAD MY BACK. I HAVE THREE QUICK POINTS.
AND SO I'M GOING TO WEAR THREE DIFFERENT HATS.
THE FIRST ONE IS A NAME THAT CAME UP ON THE I CALL IT A BANNED BOOKS LIST FOR FORT BEND ISD
[01:10:09]
BY RESHONDA TATE BILLINGSLEY, WHO IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE AUTHORS.I USED HER WHEN I WAS A PARENT EDUCATOR, AND WE HAD PARENTS AND STUDENTS DOING BOOK STUDIES AND A TEA PARTY, AND JUST A GREAT AUTHOR. A LOT OF HER BOOKS HAVE THINGS IN FORT BEND IN IT.
THAT'S THE FIRST THING. SECOND THING IS THE MOU FOR THE WILLOW RIDGE FEEDER PATTERN.
I HOPE THAT YOU WILL APPROVE THAT. IT'S NOTHING BUT GOOD THAT CAN COME OUT OF IT.
I APPLAUD JANE EDWARDS FOR HER LEADERSHIP IN THIS AND MR. RAINWATER FOR SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 41. IT'S A GOOD THING.
I HAVE VOLUNTEERED IN THE PAST AT BRIARGATE, AND I KNOW THAT THAT MENTORING PORTION IS REALLY NEEDED AT OUR SCHOOLS, SO I APPLAUD THEM FOR DOING THAT. THE THIRD THING IS THIS IS MY THIRD HAT.
I ENCOURAGE ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO PLAY GOLF, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT GOOD AT IT, COME OUT AND JOIN US BECAUSE WE RAISE MONEY TO SUPPORT STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS FOR WILLOW RIDGE AND GRANTS FOR TEACHERS FOR THINGS THAT THE DISTRICT CANNOT COVER.
THANK THANK YOU, MISS COLLINS. LAST IS LYNN PRINCE.
OKAY, SO I NORMALLY COME IN HOT. I'M NO STRANGER TO SPEAKING BEFORE THE STAIRS.
I'M GOING TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I'M GOING TO TRY TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS. IN LIGHT OF THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT SAYING COLLABORATION IS A HARD PROCESS AND IT TAKES WORK AND PEOPLE HAVE TO LISTEN TO EACH OTHER. SO I'M GOING TO TRY THIS AGAIN.
I WANT TO KNOW WHETHER OR NOT I'VE SENT EMAILS.
AND IT ENDS ON I THINK IT'S FEBRUARY 15TH. MAYBE NOT.
IN THIS DISTRICT. I GRADUATED WITH MY FIRST DEGREE 30 YEARS AGO.
COURSE SELECTION GUIDES. STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT AND A STUDENT HANDBOOK.
THOSE BOOKS, THOSE PIECES OF INFORMATION WERE A PACT.
A PACT OF WHAT THEY EXPECT FROM US AS STUDENTS AND A PACT OF WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM THEM AS THE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION THAT WE WERE GOING TO TO GET OUR DEGREES. HERE WE ARE IN COURSE REGISTRATION TIME ALREADY UNDERWAY.
I REQUESTED IT. YOU'VE DONE IT THE YEARS PAST.
WHY IS THERE NO PDF OF THE FULL COURSE SELECTION GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES TO USE TO REGISTER? NOT EVERY STUDENT KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT COURSE THEY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN, EXACTLY WHAT COURSE THEY WOULD NEED.
I SENT AN EMAIL AND I APPRECIATE THAT SOMEONE WENT AND UPDATED THE SITE AND PUT A COUPLE OF GLORIOUS PARAGRAPHS ABOUT WHAT THE COURSE SELECTION GUIDES THE INFORMATION THAT'S IN THERE, AND IT'S ALL ACCURATE BECAUSE I'VE READ THEM FROM COVER TO COVER.
YOU INCREASE, YOU INCREASE THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE COURSE SELECTION GUIDE.
YOU TOLD EVERYBODY HOW IMPORTANT IT IS AND THEN YOU DIDN'T PROVIDE IT.
AND ACCORDING TO MY KID, THERE'S NO WAY TO GET THE FULL GUIDE OR TO SEE MULTIPLE THINGS AT ONCE.
YOU CAN SEE ONE PAGE AT A TIME OR WHATEVER. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PURPOSE IS OF NOT PROVIDING THE COURSE SELECTION GUIDES FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, NOT JUST THIS YEAR 30S EVERY YEAR. I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT FOR A STUDENT LIKE MINE WHO DIDN'T HAVE THE HAVE THE CHANCE TO GET THEIR ACADEMIC PLAN AND ENDORSEMENTS CORRECT THE FIRST TIME AROUND BECAUSE THE DISTRICT DIDN'T HAVE THE RECORDS.
CORRECT. YOU ALSO SAID DURING A CHANGE YOU WERE MAKING FROM NAVIANCE TO SOMETHING ELSE THAT YOU WOULD, THAT THERE WERE MEMBERS OF THE CURRENT BOARD WHO SAID THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO THEM THAT STUDENTS BE ABLE TO ALTER AND UPDATE THEIR ENDORSEMENTS AND ACADEMIC PLANS IN
[01:15:03]
SKYWARD. FOR THOSE OF US WHO COULDN'T EVEN GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THE RECORD, WE STILL WON'T HAVE ACCESS TO HOW YOU'RE DOING IT.THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT UP IS OUR ACTION ITEM
[8.A. Memorandum of Understanding for Willowridge High School Feeder Pattern]
THIS EVENING, WHICH IS THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR WILLOW RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL.FEEDER PATTERN. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THE BOARD.
APPROVE. ACTION ITEM EIGHT, A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR WILLOWRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL.
FEEDER PATTERN AS PRESENTED. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY MISS HANNAN. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? MR. HAMILTON? YES. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE HERE WHO WHO SPOKE AND THOSE WHO ARE HERE IN SUPPORT BUT DID NOT SPEAK.
SO THERE WERE SOME QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS THAT WERE ADDRESSED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.
AND I WANT TO SAY THAT THOSE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS, I THINK, WERE ENTIRELY VALID.
AND I HAD SOME INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT BLUE RIDGE.
SO I KNEW THAT THOSE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS HAD BEEN ASKED AND ADDRESSED BY THE CAMPUS.
AND SO I THINK I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANY ISSUE NECESSARILY WITH THOSE QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS.
IF YOU'RE DOING ANYTHING INSTRUCTIONAL, WHAT KIND OF CREDENTIALS ARE THERE, THAT KIND OF STUFF. AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT THAT DOCTOR JORDAN CAME BACK AND AND ADDRESSED SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS IN KIND OF A SECOND UPDATE, IF YOU WILL, TWO WEEKS AGO.
BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK THE THE PARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH THIS.
AND I WANT TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THIS MOU. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES IN PUBLIC EDUCATION, AS EVERYONE KNOWS. I THINK THE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL READING RATES JUST CAME OUT AND THEY ARE THE WORST IN HISTORY.
AND AND SO WE NEED A COMMUNITY EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION WE'RE IN.
AND SO I LOVE WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE COMBINED BLUE RIDGE BRIARGATE CAMPUS TODAY.
WHAT WILL SOON BE ALDRIDGE ELEMENTARY. AND AND I JUST I HOPE THIS PASSES.
AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED.
I'M EXCITED TO SEE THAT. I'M HOPEFUL THAT THAT HAPPENS.
AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT WHAT HAPPENS AS WE FORMALIZE THAT THAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THIS MOU TONIGHT AND AND AND MOVE FORWARD AND EXPAND ON THIS AND IDEALLY REPLICATE IT IN OTHER FEEDER PATTERNS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
SO GO AHEAD. MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH ME AND THE TEAM.
I APPRECIATE THEIR GUIDANCE AND THEIR FEEDBACK AND THEIR PERSISTENCE, GRIT AND DETERMINATION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I KNOW THAT I SHARED WITH YOU TWO WEEKS AGO SOME KEY COMPONENTS THAT WE WOULD EMBED IN THE MOU AT YOUR SEAT.
TONIGHT WE HAVE AN UPDATED MOU FOR YOU. I WANT TO FIRST APOLOGIZE THAT YOU ARE RECEIVING THE UPDATE TODAY WITH THE SNOW AND THE WEATHER DELAY. IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN ANTICIPATED, BUT WE DID NOT WANT TO DELAY HAVING THIS MOU GO INTO FEBRUARY BECAUSE WE KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR US TO BEGIN THE WORK. WHAT I PROVIDED FOR YOU IS THE CHANGES HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU BRIEFLY ABOUT THOSE CHANGES.
IT'S MAINLY ON PAGE FOUR. IF YOU LOOK ON PAGE FOUR IT'S UNDER THE TERMS. WE INITIALLY HAD THE TERM OF THIS MOU STARTING JANUARY 30TH AND ENDING ON JUNE 30TH, 2027.
WE WOULD LOVE FOR THIS TO EXTEND LONGER. HOWEVER, WE'RE UNDERGOING A CURRICULUM AUDIT.
[01:20:04]
WE ALSO HAVE A LITERACY AUDIT. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED, SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 41 AND OUR TEAM IS WE WANT TO SEE THE RESULTS OF THAT AUDIT AND THEN COME BACK AND REVISIT THE COMPONENTS IN THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.AND SO WE ADDED THE INFORMATION BELOW STATING THAT IN JUNE 2026, A NEW MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WILL BE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, AND AT THAT TIME, BOARD OF TRUSTEES WILL BE WILL BE ABLE TO EITHER GRANT AN EXTENSION OR PROCEED FORWARD.
AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I HIGHLIGHTED THAT CHANGE FOR YOU ALL.
THANK YOU, DOCTOR JORDAN. MR. GARCIA. THANK YOU.
I KNOW THAT WHEN I BELIEVE IT WAS LAST APRIL, I MET.
I SAT DOWN AND I VISITED WITH MR. RAINWATER. MISS REGINA GARNER, MONICA RILEY, AND THE COMMUNITY.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS VERY THING. AND THE EXCITEMENT IN THAT ROOM AT THE TIME AND THE IDEAS THAT WERE FLOWING, THE PRESENTATION THAT THAT MISS GARNER HAD HAD SHOWED US.
AND I KNOW THAT PRESIDENT DAWSON AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, TRUSTEE HAMILTON, TRUSTEE JONES, I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE ALL SEEN THAT THAT PRESENTATION GOT EVERYBODY'S WHEELS TURNING AND AND THE CLICHE, YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A VILLAGE. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COLLABORATION AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT COLLABORATION.
A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK COLLABORATION AMONG STAFF AND THE TRUSTEES, THIS EXTENDED FAR BEYOND THAT, AND IT EXTENDED STRAIGHT INTO THE COMMUNITY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WERE OUT THERE FIGHTING FOR THEIR KIDS, FIGHTING FOR THEIR SCHOOLS YOU KNOW, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I DECIDED TO RUN THREE YEARS AGO WAS BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE A VILLAGE AND SOMEONE NEEDED TO STEP UP, AND THAT COMMUNITY DEFINITELY STEPPED UP.
I'M VERY PLEASED WITH WITH THIS, I SUPPORT THIS.
I KNOW THAT SOME OF THE CONCERNS WAS THE WAS THE TERM.
I THINK WE HAD A YEAR AND A HALF. WE CHANGED IT TO TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
AND THE GOAL AND THE IDEA, I THINK BEHIND A SHORTER TERM WAS TO SEE THAT, THAT IT'S WORKING.
AND THEN IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO TO ADJUST THAT WE CAN ADJUST.
AND WE WANTED SOMETHING THAT'S LONG ENOUGH TO SORT OF OUTLIVE THE CURRENT BOARD.
SO BRAND NEW BOARD CAN'T FLIP AND NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WHAT IT IS AND SEE THAT MAYBE IT IS WORKING, BUT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND. SO I THINK THIS IS IT'S GOT A GOOD BALANCE.
DO THOSE ADJUSTMENTS HAVE TO BE UPDATED TO THE MOU.
WE COME AND RE RE RE ADJUST, OR ARE WE JUST SORT OF MAKE SOME CHANGES ON THE FLY OR, OR IF THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 41 HAS MEETINGS AND THEY'RE REALIZING THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO ADD THIS COMPONENT TO, YOU KNOW, THIS LEVEL OF TUTORING OR SOME THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHAT FLEXIBILITY DO WE HAVE WITH WITH THOSE TYPES OF MINOR, MINOR CHANGES? SO SOMETHING THAT WE RECENTLY DISCUSSED IN OUR MEETING TOGETHER.
SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 41 AND I IS DEVELOPING SOME STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
THAT IS OUR NORMAL PROCESS HERE IN FORT BEND ISD.
AND SO WE WILL ADHERE TO THE COMPONENTS WITHIN THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.
THAT'S THE WHAT. BUT THE HOW IS WHERE WE HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY.
SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TUTORING PROGRAM AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE VET THE TEACHERS IN OUR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES, WE'RE GOING TO DEVELOP SOME GUIDELINES SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO BRING THAT BACK TO THE BOARD.
AND SO WHAT YOU WILL SEE HOPEFULLY AS WE WORK THROUGH THIS SPRING IS AN ADDENDUM WHERE WE ARE REALLY GOING DOWN AND HASHING ALL OF THE DETAILS OUT, NOT SO TIGHT THAT WE WON'T HAVE VOLUNTEERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT DO NOT WANT TO PARTNER WITH US, BUT TIGHT ENOUGH THAT IT IS VERY BLACK AND WHITE AND WE ELIMINATE AS MUCH GRAY AS POSSIBLE.
SO MUCH LIKE HOW WE WE CREATE POLICY, AND WE DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF TO CREATE THE PROCEDURES THAT FOLLOWS WHAT THE POLICY IS, IN THIS CASE, THE MOU. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS STATED AND CLEAR SO THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT.
BUT I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS AND I FULLY SUPPORT THIS.
AND I THANK EVERYBODY FOR THEIR HARD WORK IN GETTING THIS DONE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. MR. SHOAFF.
YEAH. SO RECENTLY, A WISE OLD MAN TOLD ME DON'T BRING FORWARD A PROBLEM WITHOUT BRINGING A SOLUTION.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE PROBABLY THE SOLUTION.
AND I'M FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS. I BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, COMING FROM MILITARY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE FIRE SERVICE, A TEAM IS ONLY AS STRONG AS THEIR WEAKEST MEMBER.
[01:25:03]
AND, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER SCHOOL IS THE LEAST PERFORMING IS, IS THAT'S AS STRONG AS THE DISTRICT IS.SO WE'VE GOT TO FOCUS ON THE LOWER PERFORMING SCHOOLS AND PUT FORWARD THINGS LIKE THIS.
AND THIS WAS AN OUTSTANDING IDEA. AND I THINK THAT I THINK THAT IT'S THAT IT'S GOING TO DO SOME VERY GOOD THINGS FOR THE STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT, AND I FULLY SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. SHOAF. MISS JONES. I'M GOING TO START BY SAYING I FULLY SUPPORT SUPPORTING OUR KIDS.
YOU'RE SHOWING UP FOR YOUR KIDS, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT.
I CAN SAY I'VE WORKED IN A NUMBER OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND I'VE SEEN HOW PARENTS INVEST IN THEIR KIDS, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHER PERFORMING KIDS, HIGHER PERFORMING CAMPUSES.
AND IT DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN MONEY, BUT IT MEANS TIME.
AND THIS MOU GIVES EXACTLY THAT INVESTMENT IN TIME TO ADDRESS THAT THERE WAS A NEED.
AND SO THEY SHOWED UP AND THEY SHOWED UP TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THEIR KIDS, IN THEIR COMMUNITY.
AND THIS IS JUST NOT A THING THAT, OH, I'LL JUST DO IT.
THIS IS AS PARENTS, AS TEACHERS, THIS IS OUR FUTURE.
AND SO I COMMEND EVERY COMMUNITY MEMBER, REMEMBER EVERY TEACHER, EVERY PASTOR, EVERY MAMA, GRANDMA, AUNTIE, WHOMEVER IS SHOWING UP TODAY FOR THEIR KIDS BECAUSE THIS IS HOW IT'S DONE.
AND I AM IN TOTAL 100% IN SUPPORT OF THIS MOU.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS JONES. DOCTOR GILLIAM.
WELL, I HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS AND IT WAS A MATTER OF HOW DO THERE ARE FOLKS THAT DO WANT TO HELP AND DO WANT TO COME? HOW HOW IS THAT GOING TO WORK? SO IF THEY'RE LET'S JUST SAY I DON'T WANT TO PUT NUMBERS ON IT.
THEY WANT TO BE ONE OF THOSE TUTORS. HOW HOW DOES THAT WORK? SO FOR THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING, I AM THE DISTRICT LIAISON FOR FORT BEND ISD.
AND THEN MR. RAINWATER IS THE LIAISON FOR THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD 41.
SO THOSE INDIVIDUALS WILL CONTACT ONE OF US, AND THEN WE WILL TAKE THEM THROUGH OUR COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITIES PARTNER SHIP PROCESS, WHICH IS WHAT WE DO FOR ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS.
AND THEN THEY WILL GO THROUGH THE VETTING PROCESS THAT WE USE FOR THE TUTORS AT THE CAMPUS.
SO THEY JUST NEED TO REACH OUT TO ONE OF US. SO I TRANSFER THEM TO YOU OR MR. RAINWATER. CORRECT. OKAY. AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SHARE.
I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS. I THINK THE ENTIRE BOARD IS.
AND WE THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR YOUR, YOUR STRATEGIES AND DOING THINGS IN A WAY THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KEPT IT GOING. YOU KEPT IT GOING, YOU WORKED AND WORKED AND WORKED.
AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, DOCTOR GILLIAM. BEFORE I CALL FOR THE VOTE, I VOTE.
I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK OF NOT ONLY THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE HERE TODAY FOR THE SUPER NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP, BUT ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY OVER THE YEARS TO BRING SOMETHING LIKE THIS ABOUT.
AND THEN ALL THE DEDICATION THAT YOU HAVE TO THE STUDENTS REALLY, NOT JUST WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITIES, BUT EVEN IN YOUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES. AS STEPHANIE BROWN SAID EARLIER.
SO I JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS NEVER CAME, NEVER GAVE UP.
JUST LIKE THE MARSHALL COMMUNITY NEVER GAVE UP.
AND THERE'S COMING NEXT. AND AND I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU ON ON THE HARD WORK.
[01:30:07]
I WANT TO THANK DOCTOR SMITH AND DOCTOR JORDAN AND THE AND THE ENTIRE TEAM FOR WORKING SO HARD ON THIS AND FOR BEING OPEN AND WILLING TO THIS BECAUSE WE AS TRUSTEES ARE THE GOVERNING BODY, AND WE CAN CERTAINLY TRY TO SEND US DOWN AN EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY.BUT IT'S A LOT HARDER WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A LEADER AND AND A TEAM THAT WORKS WITH HIM TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. SO I WOULD JUST WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL THE SPEAKERS WHO CAME THIS EVENING AND WHO WHO OFFERED NOT ONLY THEIR SUPPORT, BUT JUST THEIR KIND OF INSIGHTS. FOR A LOT OF THIS.
THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THE, THE REASON. SO I OBVIOUSLY SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE.
BECAUSE, AS MISS BROWN ALLUDED TO EARLIER, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT GET PUT IN PLACE.
AND THEN, AS YOU KNOW, LEADERSHIP CHANGES, WHETHER IT'S ADMINISTRATION, ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP OR BOARD LEADERSHIP, THINGS CAN GO BY THE WAYSIDE. REALLY GOOD IDEAS OR THINGS THAT ARE HELPING THE KIDS FOR WHATEVER REASON.
AND THAT'S NOT TO DISPARAGE OR THROW STONES, BUT IT IS TO RECOGNIZE THAT SOMETIMES NEW PEOPLE COME IN AND THEY DON'T REALIZE WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON, OR THEY HAVE NEW IDEAS OR FOR WHATEVER REASON.
AND SO THROUGH THAT LENS, YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO THINK, AS A TRUSTEE, HOW DO THESE THINGS OUTLAST US? THE THINGS THAT HELP THE KIDS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO THEY HOW DO THEY CONTINUE BEYOND US? AND GET BETTER? BECAUSE THIS IS, YOU KNOW, STARTING FROM STEP ONE, AND, YOU KNOW, WE WE HAVE TO CONTINUE DOING THIS EVERY DAY.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THAT I SUPPORT THIS IS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT MAY LOOK A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT TEN YEARS FROM NOW, BUT IF YOU HAVE AN MOU THAT'S ONGOING AND THAT CONTINUES TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP, AND THAT'S WHAT IT IS. IT'S A PARTNERSHIP. YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT HAVING A VILLAGE, BUT REALLY, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A TEAM WHO'S WORKING ALL IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
YOU KNOW, ROWING ALL IN THE SAME DIRECTION, TRYING TO GET TO THE SAME PLACE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER. THEN IT'S A LOT HARDER TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. SO I'M VERY GLAD THAT WE HAVE THIS. THANK YOU FOR ADDING THE PARAGRAPH ABOUT BRINGING IT BACK TO THE BOARD, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT, IS THAT THIS HAS TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR CONSIDERATION AND APPROVAL EACH TIME THAT IT EXPIRES, BECAUSE YOU DON'T EVER WANT IT TO GET LOST. WE DON'T WANT IT TO GET SHUFFLED IN SOME PAPERWORK AND FOR THE BOARD TO NOT RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS OUT THERE AND THAT THE GOOD WORK IS HAPPENING. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
AND NOW I'M GOING TO CALL FOR THE VOTE. YEAH.
OH, WELL. THAT'S OKAY. OKAY. MISS HANNON, SORRY, I WASN'T LOOKING FOR THE THE CARD.
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. I ALWAYS THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO EVALUATE WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR SUCCESS.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? AS A LITERACY PROFESSIONAL, I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO MENTOR KIDS.
AND AND I WORK TO MENTOR AT HUNTERS GLEN FOR TWO YEARS.
BUT WHAT I'M, I'M GOING TO ADD TO THAT IS IT'S ALSO SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT YOUNG MAN, HE KNEW I WAS COMING, RIGHT? AND IF I DIDN'T SHOW UP AND THE OTHER MENTORS DIDN'T SHOW UP, THERE WERE KIDS THAT WERE MISSING INSTRUCTION AND THEY WEREN'T GETTING MENTORING.
AND SO SOMETIMES I ASK QUESTIONS SOMETIMES I ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
[01:35:01]
IS ONE OF THE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DRIVERS IN A COMMUNITY'S SUCCESS AND A SCHOOL'S SUCCESS.AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW WELL OUR TOES AND OUR TOES ARE, WE COULD PROBABLY FIND A CORRELATION OF, OF OF HOW OUR STUDENT OUTCOMES ARE DOING. AND WHEN WE LOOKED, I SPENT SOME TIME ON THE TOWN HALL TODAY WATCHING THAT BECAUSE I DIG DEEP WHEN I DIG. AND SO WE'RE NOT BRINGING OUR, OUR, OUR KIDS WHO ARE STRUGGLING LIKE KIDS IN THE WILLOW RIDGE FEEDER PATTERN.
THE GAP IS WIDENING. AND SO I CLEARLY SUPPORT ANYTHING THAT IS GOING TO HELP STUDENTS.
BRINGING CLARITY IN THE MOU BECAUSE THE MOU IS WRITTEN VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE BULLET POINTS THAT I HAVE RECEIVED IN THE PAST BOARD MEETINGS, AND THIS MOU HELPS ME UNDERSTAND BETTER WHO IS DOING WHAT.
I KNOW THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES, DOCTOR JORDAN, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO ADD. SO I REALLY I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CLARITY THAT'S HERE. SO I BETTER UNDERSTAND THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE STAFF AND OF THE VOLUNTEERS THAT THAT MEANS A LOT TO ME THAT THAT CLARITY IS THERE. SO I DO SUPPORT THIS.
AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT PARENTS SOMETIMES PARENTS DON'T HAVE THE TIME.
I'M SO GLAD THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE IN HERE THAT ARE RETIRED TEACHERS THAT HAVE THE TIME TO GIVE BACK.
NOT EVERY PARENT HAS THAT KIND OF TIME, BUT THEY WANT TO BE INVOLVED.
AND SO I HEARD A PARENT TODAY, SHE WANTS TO BE INVOLVED WITH COURSE SELECTION.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK ON THIS, AND I'LL TURN IT BACK TO MISS TYSON.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS HANNON. NOW I'M GOING TO CALL FOR THE VOTE.
NEXT UP ARE OUR INFORMATION ITEMS. SO I'LL PUT THE ACTION ITEMS IN FRONT OF THE INFORMATION ITEMS.
[9.A. Budgetary & Legislative Update ]
DID YOU GUYS SEE I DID THAT? DO IT RIGHT. NEXT UP, INFORMATION ITEMS. ALL RIGHT. FIRST WE'LL HAVE OUR BUDGETARY AND LEGISLATIVE UPDATE, DOCTOR SMITH. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.MR. GWYNNE, OUR CFO WILL BE TAKING US THROUGH THE BUDGETARY INFORMATION AND OUR LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.
ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND DOCTOR SMITH.
THIS EVENING WILL BE PROVIDING YOU WITH A LEGISLATIVE AND BUDGETARY UPDATE.
THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION STARTED ON JANUARY 14TH, AND WE ARE EARLY IN OUR BUDGET PLANNING PROCESS.
SO MUCH OF THIS INFORMATION IS GOING TO BE PRELIMINARY, BUT WE WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME INSIGHT INTO INTO HOW WE PLAN TO PROCEED THROUGH JUNE, WHEN THE BUDGET WILL BE BROUGHT FORWARD FOR BOARD CONSIDERATION.
THERE ARE THREE KEY TAKEAWAYS THIS EVENING. THE FIRST, ANYTIME THERE IS A LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THERE'S GOING TO BE UNCERTAINTY. AND THIS YEAR WON'T BE ANY DIFFERENT.
AND SO WE WANT TO REMIND YOU OF THAT. SECOND, I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE STARTED TO FACE IN THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR THAT WE ANTICIPATE WILL CARRY FORWARD INTO THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR.
AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE BUDGET SINCE JANUARY 13TH, SEVERAL KEY PIECES OF INFORMATION HAVE EMERGED FROM THE STATE THAT WILL GIVE US INSIGHT INTO THE 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION. FIRST, THE STATE COMPTROLLER HAS RELEASED THE BIENNIAL REVENUE ESTIMATE, AND THE STATE IS EXPECTED TO HAVE ALMOST $195 BILLION IN REVENUE TO WORK WITH THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THAT IS SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE LAST SESSION. HOWEVER, THERE WERE ONE TIME ITEMS THAT THEY INTENTIONALLY ACCOUNTED FOR WHEN THEY DID THAT, AND SO IT'S NOT EXPECTED TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE OVERALL BUDGET FOR THE STATE.
[01:40:07]
SENATE BILL ONE AND HOUSE BILL ONE HAVE BOTH BEEN RELEASED FOR PUBLIC REVIEW AND HAVE THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD ESTIMATES ATTACHED TO THEM.AND SO BOTH BILLS, AS WE LOOK AT THOSE, PROVIDE $4.9 BILLION FOR NEW PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING.
AND SO WE'RE NOT AWARE OF ANY CHANGES TO THE BASIC ALLOTMENT, CHANGES TO SPEND ALLOCATIONS OR ANY OTHER FUNDING THAT MAY COME ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, INCLUDING TEACHER RAISES. AND SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD, THAT'S GOING TO BE AN AREA THAT WE ARE CLOSELY WATCHING.
THE SECOND ITEM IS THE CHANGE TO THE GOLDEN PENNY YIELD.
THERE'S $800 MILLION INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET CURRENTLY BOTH HOUSE BILL ONE AND SENATE BILL ONE, AND THIS WILL BE AN ALMOST NEAR CERTAINTY IN TERMS OF PASSAGE.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S STATUTORILY REQUIRED.
THERE'S ALSO $400 MILLION INCLUDED FOR SCHOOL SAFETY ALLOTMENT.
WE ENACTED THE VA THAT PROVIDED FUNDING FOR THAT.
AND SO THIS WILL PROVIDE AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF FUNDING.
AND SO THE FINAL ITEM THAT'S PROBABLY ON MOST EVERYONE'S MIND IS VOUCHERS.
THEY'RE TITLED EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNTS IN THIS CASE.
AND SO YESTERDAY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION THROUGH K THROUGH 16 VOTED OUT OF COMMITTEE THE ESSA SPENDING BILL AT THE $1 BILLION IN SENATE AS PART OF SENATE BILL TWO.
AND SO THEY HAVE NOT INTERMINGLED THOSE FUNDS.
THAT 14. $9 BILLION IS FOR PUBLIC ED FUNDING.
BUT AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT TO US WILL BE LOCALLY.
AND SO WE DON'T HAVE ANY INITIAL ESTIMATES IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR US.
HOWEVER, WITH THE CHANGE TO THE GOLDEN PENNY YIELD INCREASE, THAT WOULD RESULT IN ABOUT $2.3 MILLION IN NEW FUNDING FOR THE DISTRICT AND THE SAFETY ALLOTMENT, IF IT STAYS THE SAME. SAME WITH THE WITH THE GOLDEN PINWHEEL.
IF IT STAYS THE SAME THROUGHOUT THE SESSION, WE WOULD SEE ABOUT $2 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
SO WE WILL NO LONGER HAVE TO SAY THAT THAT IS AN UNFUNDED MANDATE.
I'LL MOVE ON NOW TO OUR CURRENT BUDGET. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'LL SAY IS THAT AS WE'VE PROVIDED YOU ALL WITH THAT, YOU ALL HAVE ADOPTED THE THE BUDGET BACK IN JUNE, AND THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES MADE TO THAT IN THE OCTOBER TIME FRAME.
THOSE ARE THOSE ARE ITEMS THAT WERE BUDGETED LAST FISCAL YEAR BUT WEREN'T COMPLETELY EXPENDED.
AND SO THE BUDGET HAS TO BE REESTABLISHED. THAT ADDED ABOUT $5.1 MILLION TO THE BUDGET.
BUT WE HAD A SMALL SURPLUS, AND IT WAS INTENTIONAL IN TERMS OF THAT FUND BALANCE DRAWDOWN.
AND THEN THE OTHER SOURCES AND USES THAT YOU SEE, THERE IS A $2.6 MILLION TRANSFER INTO THE GENERAL FUND FROM OUR EXTENDED LEARNING AND ENTERPRISE FUNDS THAT PROVIDES ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
AND SO WE HAVE A, AGAIN, A PLANNED DRAWDOWN OF FUND BALANCE OF $4.1 MILLION.
THAT LEAVES US WITH A FUND BALANCE, ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $208 MILLION, WHICH IS WITHIN THE 90 DAY POLICY AS ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD, WERE ACTUALLY ABOUT TWO DAYS OVER THAT. HOWEVER, WE WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD SOME RECOMMENDED ADJUSTMENTS TO THE BUDGET AS WE GO FORWARD AND STARTING WITH REVENUES, WE WILL BE RECOMMENDING CHANGES THERE.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE ANTICIPATING ABOUT $6.1 MILLION IN REIMBURSEMENTS FROM BOTH INSURANCE AND FEMA.
[01:45:01]
BUT IT'S ONLY ABOUT $300,000. WE'VE ALSO SEEN A DECLINE IN OUR DELINQUENT TAXES.WORKING WITH THROUGH THE CHIEF APPRAISER IS THE ONE WHO ESTABLISHES THE PROPERTY VALUES.
IN CASES WHERE THERE IS A SETTLEMENT OF THE DELINQUENT, TAXES ARE ASSESSED ON THOSE PROPERTIES.
THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL CASES WHERE THE APPEALS THAT THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE MADE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL, AND SO THAT'S RESULTING IN LESS DELINQUENT TAXES OWED TO THE DISTRICT.
AND THAT'S ABOUT $700,000. AND THEN WE THE DISTRICT, AS YOU'RE AWARE, HAS A 1 TO 1 GRANT THAT WAS APPROVED AND HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED, PROVIDING 1 TO 1 DEVICES AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL.
THERE IS A CORRESPONDING EXPENDITURE THAT EQUALS THAT AMOUNT AS WELL. AND SO IF IT COMES TO THE POINT THAT WE NEED TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE GENERAL FUND, WE WOULD BRING THAT FORWARD AS AN AMENDMENT. IT IS A LARGE FIGURE, BUT AGAIN IT IS COMPLETELY COVERED BY THE GRANT.
THOSE ARE ALL ONE TIME ITEMS THAT WE WOULD BE LOOKING TO SEE ADJUSTED WITHIN OUR BUDGET.
THE SECOND ITEM IS MOVING INTO NON-RECURRING ITEMS. YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD US TALK ABOUT TRES TRES ON BEHALF IN THE PAST.
THAT AMOUNT IS COMING IN COMING IN SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN WHAT WE EXPECTED.
SO WE'LL SEE A CORRESPONDING EXPENDITURE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AS WELL.
THE LAST TWO ITEMS THAT YOU SEE ON THERE, ONE OF WHICH YOU'RE AWARE OF, BUT STARTING WITH STATE REVENUE, OUR ENROLLMENT CAME IN SLIGHTLY LESS THAN WHAT WE EXPECTED FOR THE CURRENT YEAR.
AND SO WE ARE EXPECTING THAT WILL IMPACT OUR STATE REVENUE.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL FOUND THAT TEXAS WAS RECEIVING AN OUTSIZED PORTION OF THE SHAH'S REVENUE, AND THAT STANDS FOR STUDENT HEALTH AND RELATED SERVICES.
AND SO THE STATE HAD TO CLAW BACK THAT FUNDING AFTER IT WAS ALREADY APPROPRIATED BY THE STATE.
THIS IS AN IMPACT STATEWIDE, NOT JUST TO FORT BEND ISD, BUT WE ARE LOSING THAT $3.6 MILLION.
AND SO THERE'S ABOUT A $7.5 MILLION HIT IN REVENUES THAT WILL CARRY FORWARD INTO THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, THAT WILL BE HAVING TO DEAL WITH AS WE GO FORWARD AS A RESULT OF THAT LOWER ENROLLMENT.
ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, WE HAVE THE ONE TIME BARREL EXPENDITURES THAT I MENTIONED.
WE ALL ARE ALSO EXPECTING TO HAVE ABOUT $4.5 MILLION IN OPERATIONAL SAVINGS.
AS WE WORK THROUGH THE BUDGET, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT THOSE FUNDS ARE ALIGNED WITH WHAT THE BOARD PRIORITIES AND GOALS ARE BEFORE WE REESTABLISH THAT, BUT THAT IS EXPECTED IN THE UPCOMING YEAR. AND THEN YOU SEE THAT 1 TO 1 GRANT EXPENDITURE THAT I MENTIONED JUST A MOMENT AGO ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE.
SO SIDE. SO AGAIN, THE GRANT FOR THE 1 TO 1 AND THE TRS ON BEHALF ARE IN AND OUT.
THERE'S NO IMPACT TO OUR BOTTOM LINE. THAT LAST ITEM I WANT TO COVER THAT HAS CREATED IS CREATING SOME PRESSURE ON THE GENERAL FUND SIDE, AS WE HAVE HAD SUCCESS THIS YEAR FILLING VACANT POSITIONS.
HISTORICALLY, OUR VACANCY RATE HAS BEEN CONSISTENTLY AT 95%, MEANING THAT THERE'S ABOUT 5% OF OUR BUDGETED EXPENDITURES FOR OUR PERSONNEL EXPENDITURES WE NEVER FILL. THIS YEAR, WE HAVE FILLED THAT AT ABOUT 95.5%.
SO WE HAD ABOUT A HALF A PERCENT MORE ON OUR FILL RATE THAN WHAT WE NORMALLY DO.
MEANING THERE ARE MORE TEACHERS IN FRONT OF STUDENTS.
THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS. BUT THAT MEANS WE'RE ALSO EXPENDING THAT FUND.
WE'VE ALSO HAD HIGHER SUB COSTS AND OVERTIME COSTS, BUT THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THAT EXPENDITURE IS THAT HIGHER FILL RATE FOR CLASSROOM STAFFING. AND SO THAT EQUATES TO ABOUT $8.8 MILLION.
AS WE GO INTO THE UPCOMING YEAR, I WOULD EXPECT THAT WE WILL PROBABLY SEE THAT VACANCY RATE BE MAINTAINED AT A 95.5%, OR PERHAPS AN EVEN 96%. RATE, MEANING THAT WE'RE FILLING MORE POSITIONS FOR TEACHING STAFF.
AND SO WE'LL BE WORKING THROUGH THAT AS WE PUT THE BUDGET TOGETHER.
AND SO AS WE MOVE FORWARD FOR THE FINAL BUDGET THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT FOR THE END OF THE YEAR,
[01:50:01]
WE EXPECT THAT WE WILL BE BRINGING AN AMENDMENT TO YOU ALL IN THE FUTURE TO INCREASE REVENUES BY ABOUT $21.9 MILLION, WITH A VAST MAJORITY OF THAT BEING THAT 1 TO 1 GRANT, AND THEN EXPENDITURES BY ABOUT $34.7 MILLION.AND THAT'S ASSOCIATED AGAIN WITH THOSE ITEMS WE JUST DISCUSSED.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE OVERALL BUDGET COMPARED TO WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE CURRENTLY, WHEN YOU ACCOUNT FOR THOSE ITEMS, IT WOULD RESULT IN A DRAW DOWN OF FUND BALANCE OF ABOUT $12.8 MILLION.
HOWEVER, WE ARE EXPECTED TO END THE END THE YEAR WITH OUR 90 DAY FUND BALANCE INTACT.
AND SO ALTHOUGH THESE WEREN'T NECESSARILY PLANNED FOR EXPENDITURE REDUCTION OR EXPENDITURE INCREASES OR REVENUE REDUCTIONS, WE ARE STILL ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT 90 DAY OPERATING RESERVE.
AND THEN ONE THING THAT I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT YOU ALL HAVE PROBABLY SEEN OVER THE LAST DAY OR SO, THERE HAS BEEN A EXECUTIVE ORDER ISSUED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT BASICALLY PUT A FREEZE ON GRANT RELATED FUNDING.
TODAY, AS OF THIS AFTERNOON, THAT EXECUTIVE ORDER HAS BEEN RESCINDED.
AND SO THERE WILL BE NO IMPACT TO THE DISTRICT.
AND JUST IF IT'S ANY CONSOLATION, IF THERE'S CONCERN THAT IT MAY COME BACK.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS EVEN IF WE ARE IMPACTED, WE HAVE OUR 90 DAY FUND BALANCE THAT WILL ALLOW US TO TEMPORARILY FUND THOSE THROUGHOUT THAT. BUT AT THIS POINT, THAT IS NOT A THREAT TO THE DISTRICT.
AND ONE FINAL ITEM THAT I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH IS YOU MAY OR MAY NOT BE AWARE, BUT THE STATE HAS TRANSITIONED AWAY FROM THE TEAM'S REPORTING SYSTEM, WHICH IS HOW WE REPORT ALL OF OUR STUDENT DATA BACK TO THE STATE AND ARE USING SOMETHING NOW CALLED EDIFY.
AND WE ARE WORKING WITH THE STATE, AND THE STATE IS WORKING TO MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS.
AND SO AT THIS POINT, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS WE HAVE NOT ACCOUNTED FOR ANY REDUCTION IN CTE FUNDING, BUT BASED ON THAT CHANGE, WE MAY SEE THAT IMPACT GOING FORWARD.
AND SO NOTHING IS CURRENTLY BUILT IN TO REFLECT THAT.
WE WILL SEE A REDUCTION THERE. BUT I DON'T WANT YOU ALL TO BE BROADSIDED IN THE FUTURE.
IF WE COME BACK AND SAY OUR CTE FUNDING IS DOWN, WE WOULD BE POINTING BACK TO THAT.
BEGINNING IN FEBRUARY, THE BOARD WILL RECEIVE AN UPDATE FROM THE DISTRICT DEMOGRAPHER, AND THAT WILL REPORT, I DON'T WANT TO STEAL THEIR THUNDER. WE'LL SHOW THAT OUR OUR ENROLLMENT IS PROJECTED TO REMAIN RELATIVELY FLAT FROM WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY TODAY.
AND SO YOU'LL GET MORE INFORMATION ON THAT COMING ON MONDAY.
IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE CRITICAL THAT WE MAINTAIN OUR ATTENDANCE AT 95%.
THAT'S WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY TRENDING. HOWEVER, EACH YEAR AS WE GO THROUGH THE WINTER SEASON, WE START TO SEE THAT PERCENTAGE DECLINE. AND SO IT'S GOING TO BE CRITICAL THAT WE HAVE AN OUTWARD FACING MESSAGING TO PARENTS TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTENDANCE.
AND SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? IT MEANS THAT IF YOU ARE PLANNING A TRIP TO DISNEY WORLD AND YOU SEE THAT WE HAVE A HALF DAY OF INSTRUCTION BEFORE AN EARLY OR AN EARLY RELEASE DATE, YOU DON'T PULL YOUR STUDENT OUT FOR EARLY RELEASE BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING DAY OFF.
THOSE ARE GOING TO BE CRITICAL MESSAGES THAT WE NEED TO MAKE GOING FORWARD.
SO WE MAINTAIN THAT 95%. WE'LL ALSO HAVE NEW OPERATING EXPENDITURES THAT WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD FOR BOARD CONSIDERATION, AND THAT WILL BE IN THE MARCH TIME FRAME. THAT WOULD BE THE STAFFING FOR FERNDALE, HENRY.
THIS WILL BE. YOU ALL HAVE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT.
THIS WILL BE THE LIBRARIANS, COUNSELORS AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR THE SCHOOL AND THEN START UP COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH FERNDALE, ALDRIDGE MISSION ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL.
AND SO WHEN WE SAY THOSE START UP COSTS WOULD BE COMING FORWARD, THIS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT NOW FOR DECEMBER, DECEMBER OF NEXT YEAR. AND SO YOU ALL WOULD BE APPROVING IT IN THE BUDGET.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE COME BACK TO YOU ALL IN THE DECEMBER TIME FRAME TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
IT WOULD BE ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE BUDGET. AND AGAIN, WE WILL PRORATE THOSE SALARIES AND BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT POSITION. ALSO IN MARCH, WE'LL BRING FORWARD INFORMATION TO YOU ALL AS PART OF HOW OUR STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS LOOK FOR SPED, CTE, ESL, BILINGUALS AND SOME OF OUR OTHER SPECIAL POPULATIONS.
THIS IS DIRECTLY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE PRIORITIES AND GOALS THAT THE BOARD HAS SET FORTH.
[01:55:06]
WE'LL BE HAVING ONGOING CONVERSATIONS, BUT WE'LL BRING FORWARD WHAT OUR PROPERTY VALUES AND THE POTENTIAL TAX RATE WILL BE FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.AGAIN, WE'LL BE WORKING TO ENSURE THAT ANY RECOMMENDATIONS WE MAKE AS PART OF THE BUDGET ARE ALIGNED TO THE BOARD PRIORITIES AND GOALS, AND WILL PRESENT INFORMATION SO THE BOARD CAN SEE HOW THAT FUNDING IS LINKED SPECIFICALLY TO THOSE PRIORITIES AND GOALS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
AND I'M GOING TO COME BACK TO THE KEY TAKEAWAYS THAT WE STARTED OUT AT WITH THE BEGINNING.
SO JUST AS A REMINDER, THE LEGISLATURE IS IN SESSION.
SHENANIGANS. SHENANIGANS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT WE WILL BE KEEPING ABREAST OF THOSE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AWARE OF HOW THAT WILL IMPACT US. WE ARE FACING BUDGETARY CHALLENGES THAT WE EXPECT TO GO INTO THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, AND THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON US. AGAIN, THIS IS BARRING ANY ADJUSTMENTS THAT THE STATE MAY MAKE FOR FUNDING.
AND THEN LASTLY, THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALIGNMENT WITH THE PRIORITIES AND TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ANY DIRECTION AND FEEDBACK THAT YOU ALL PROVIDE US AS WE DO OUR BUDGET UPDATES. AND WITH THAT, I'LL CONCLUDE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
THANK YOU, MR. GWEN. MISS HANNON. THANK YOU, MR. GWEN. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO JUST FORGIVE ME BECAUSE I WAS JUST FRANTICALLY LOOKING FOR THE SLIDE BEFORE THIS, BUT I SEE IT'S INCORPORATED IN THE SLIDE. COULD YOU GO BACK TO THE ONE THAT THE.
OKAY. THAT ONE. OH, OKAY. SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE 1 TO 1 GRANT? WELL, YES. WE'RE GETTING THE REVENUES. AND WE'RE EXPANDING IT.
RIGHT. THE 1 TO 1 GRANT. AND SO. I'M TRYING TO COME UP WITH THE WHERE WHERE THE EXPENDITURES ARE 13. HOW MUCH? 13 MILLION MORE.
RIGHT. SO THEN THEN THE REVENUE. SO YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE OF FACTORS THERE.
ONE, YOU HAVE THE LOSS OF ABOUT $7.5 MILLION ON THE STATE REVENUE AND CHARGE REVENUE SIDE, AS WELL AS THAT DELINQUENT TAXES. THAT'S A ONE TIME ADJUSTMENT.
AND SO THAT'S GOING TO PUT YOU AT ABOUT $8.2 MILLION IN REVENUE THAT IS COMING OUT OF THE BUDGET.
AND SO AT THE END, THE END RESULT IS YOUR TOTAL REVENUES WILL BE GOING UP BY ABOUT 21.9 MILLION, BUT YOUR EXPENDITURES ARE GOING UP BY THE $12.8 MILLION MORE THAN WHAT YOU'RE RECEIVING IN REVENUES.
OKAY. I'M GOING TO STUDY THAT. I'M GOING TO PROCESS THAT A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
AND I APOLOGIZE THAT IT CAME THROUGH THAT WAY ON YOUR PRINTOUT.
I CAN SEND YOU THIS SPECIFIC ITEM. AND I SEE IT'S THERE NOW.
I JUST COULDN'T I COULDN'T I COULDN'T SEE THE 1 TO 1 GRANT.
BUT I SEE THAT IT'S 17.6. OKAY. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION.
THANK YOU, MISS HANNAH AND MR. HAMILTON. YES.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, MR. GWYNNE, FOR THAT PRESENTATION. SO I WANT TO TAKE JUST A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO ADDRESS A LIE THAT NOT NOT FROM FORT BEND ISD. DON'T DON'T GET DON'T GET TOO WORRIED THERE.
THAT LIE HAS TO DO WITH THE STATE FUNDING OVER THE LAST DECADE OR SO.
AND THAT LIE IS OFTEN DIRECTED AT GOVERNOR ABBOTT.
AND SO I WANT TO ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE I THINK IT APPLIES TO THIS HERE.
SO FIRST I WANT TO SAY I AM NO FANBOY OF GOVERNOR ABBOTT.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR MY LONG AND DISTINGUISHED LIST OF GRIEVANCES WITH GOVERNOR ABBOTT, COME TALK TO ME AFTER THE MEETING. I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE. SHARE THOSE WITH YOU. HOWEVER, IT IS A LIE THAT GOVERNOR ABBOTT AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAVE NOT ADEQUATELY FUNDED EDUCATION IN RECENT YEARS. IN FACT, THE THE STATE FUNDING FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION HAS INCREASED BY 57% SINCE GOVERNOR ABBOTT HAS BEEN GOVERNOR, WHICH WAS TEN YEARS AGO THIS MONTH. AND THE INFLATION RATE, IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING, OVER THAT TIME HAS BEEN 35%, ACCORDING TO THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. AND SO PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING FROM THE STATE LEGISLATURE IN TEXAS IS CLOSER TO DOUBLE INFLATION THAN IT IS TO THE ACTUAL INFLATION RATE. AND SO I WOULD SAY IT'S OBVIOUS THAT THE STATE, THE GOVERNOR AND THE LEGISLATURE HAVE, IN FACT, ADEQUATELY FUNDED PUBLIC EDUCATION IN TEXAS, CONTRARY TO THE LIE THAT'S BEING TOLD.
AND SO WITH THAT BEING THE CASE, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE MONEY?
[02:00:02]
AND SO TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. SO IT'S CHALLENGING WHEN YOU JUST LOOK IN A, AT A, IN A YEAR AFTER YEAR FASHION.AND SO WE TYPICALLY JUST SEE THIS YEAR'S BUDGET COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.
AND SO I WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT THE SO WE HAVE THE 20 2324 APR.
SORRY. THAT IS WE HAVE THE DATA. WE HAVE THE REPORT COMING UP SOON.
AND SO I WENT BACK AND COMPARED THAT TO THE 2013, 2014 APR.
AND SO I MADE AN ASSUMPTION. SO THIS REMINDS ME OF MY SEVENTH OR EIGHTH GRADE SCHOOL LIBRARIAN.
SHE TAUGHT ME WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ASSUME. SHE TAUGHT MY CLASSMATES AND ME.
SHE DIDN'T SAY THE COMMON PHRASE, BUT SHE WROTE IT ON THE CHALKBOARD.
AND SO I ASSUMED ONCE I SAW THE LINE ITEM COST INCREASES.
SO IN TERMS OF TERMS OF TOTAL COSTS. SO THERE ARE FOUR CATEGORIES OF EMPLOYEES IN THE APR.
SO FOR FORT BEND ISD THE IN TERMS OF TOTAL COST.
SO WE HAVE INCREASED TOTAL COST FOR TEACHERS BY 44.5% OVER THAT TIME.
WE HAVE INCREASED TOTAL COSTS FOR PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT BY 86.9% OVER THAT TIME.
WE HAVE INCREASED TOTAL COSTS FOR CAMPUS ADMINISTRATORS BY 90.7% OVER THAT TIME.
AND WE HAVE INCREASED CENTRAL ADMINISTRATOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR COSTS BY 329% OVER THAT TIME.
SO WHEN I SAW THOSE NUMBERS, I MADE MY ASSUMPTION.
I ASSUMED THAT THERE HAD BEEN RAMPANT AVERAGE SALARY COST INCREASES OVER THAT TIME, AND I WAS WRONG.
SO FOR THOSE FOUR CATEGORIES THAT I JUST LISTED, NONE OF THEM HAVE KEPT UP WITH INFLATION, SO THE RAMPANT TOTAL COST INCREASES ARE NOT A RESULT OF RAMPANT SALARY INCREASES.
THEY ARE A RESULT OF RAMPANT HEADCOUNT INCREASES.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE AVERAGE SALARY WE HAVE INCREASED TEACHER SALARIES BY 21.36%, WHICH IS FAR BELOW THE 35% INFLATION IN THAT TIME PERIOD.
PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT HAS INCREASED BY 25.57%, AGAIN BELOW THE 35% INFLATION MARK.
THEY'VE BOTH BEEN A LITTLE BIT OVER 14% IN THAT TIME.
AND SO AS DECISION MAKERS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION, IF WE WANT SALARIES TO KEEP UP WITH AND EVEN EXCEED THE INFLATION RATE SO THAT OUR TEACHERS AND OTHER EMPLOYEES HAVE INCREASED EARNING POWER AND WE CAN BE COMPETITIVE WITHIN THE MARKETPLACE.
AND TO THAT POINT, I THINK IT HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE'VE BEEN OVER THE PAST DECADE.
SO THE HEADCOUNT INCREASE. SO WE'VE HAD 13% ENROLLMENT INCREASE IN FORT BEND ISD OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, AND WE'VE INCREASED OUR TEACHER HEADCOUNT BY 19%.
SO WE HAVE AN OVERALL HIGHER TEACHER STUDENT RATIO THAN WE DID A DECADE AGO.
PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT HAS INCREASED IN HEADCOUNT BY 48.8%.
AND SO, IN MY OPINION, PUBLIC EDUCATORS IN TEXAS AND THE PEOPLE WHO KIND OF CONTROL THE INFORMATION FLOW IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IN TEXAS, HAVE SCAPEGOATED GOVERNOR ABBOTT AND THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE FOR THE DECISIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT TEXAS.
AND SO AS I'VE SAID, I THINK THE THE FACT THAT NONE OF THE AVERAGE SALARIES IN ANY OF THOSE FOUR CATEGORIES HAVE KEPT UP WITH INFLATION OVER THE PAST DECADE IS NOT GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S FAULT.
AND SO I THINK I DON'T THINK ANYBODY INTENDED TO DO THAT NECESSARILY.
I THINK IT'S A YEAR OVER YEAR GRADUAL DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
[02:05:08]
IS THAT WE CAN SEE WE'RE HERE, IN PART BECAUSE WE'VE DRASTICALLY INCREASED HEADCOUNTS IN ALL FOUR OF THOSE CATEGORIES.AND SO TO ME, THE TAKEAWAY FROM THIS WAS IS THAT IF WE WANT AGAIN, I SAID THIS EARLIER, BUT I'LL SAY IT AGAIN, IF WE WANT TO INCREASE SALARIES, ESPECIALLY FOR TEACHERS, THEN I THINK WE HAVE TO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT WHETHER WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THE THE PACE OF INCREASING HEADCOUNTS IN THESE FOUR CATEGORIES, OR IF WE WANT TO AT LEAST MAINTAIN THEM, AND IF AND IF NOT, POSSIBLY ROLL THEM BACK. SO THANK YOU.
WAS THERE A QUESTION? SO I DID I DID WANT TO ASK THE QUESTION JUST TO MAKE SURE.
SO I THINK YOU CLARIFIED THIS, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING YOU. SO THE MARCH DATE FOR THE THE COST FOR THE NEW SCHOOLS, THAT IS JUST WHEN WE WILL GET THE AN UPDATE ON THE PROJECTIONS FOR THE FUTURE COST.
AND YOU SAID DECEMBER IS WHEN THOSE COSTS WILL MOSTLY HIT.
IS THAT RIGHT? YES, SIR. THAT IS CORRECT. SO WHAT WE WOULD DO IS THAT WOULD BE THE POINT WHERE WE WOULD BRING FORWARD FOR THE BOARD CONSIDERATION TO ADD THOSE POSITIONS FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR. HOWEVER, THE SALARY FOR THOSE POSITIONS AND BENEFITS WOULD NOT START UNTIL DECEMBER.
AND SO IT'S A PRORATED COST THAT'S WITHIN THAT.
YES. SO REMIND ME WHEN WE TYPICALLY WILL HIRE THE CAMPUS PRINCIPAL FOR A NEW SCHOOL.
WE TYPICALLY HIRE AT ABOUT SIX MONTHS IN ADVANCE, SO THEY CAN BEGIN THE PROCESS OF HIRING THE TEACHERS AND GETTING EVERYTHING IN PLACE FOR THE SCHOOL TO OPEN. GOTCHA. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON. SO MY ONLY COMMENTS ARE GOING TO BE SO FIRST OF ALL, THAT WAS A WHOLE LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WASN'T SENT TO YOU GUYS IN ADVANCE.
SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PROCESS SOME OF THAT INFORMATION AND PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO THE BOARD IN RESPONSE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO ALL OF US. THE THE REASON I DON'T JUST THINK.
BUT NO, GOVERNOR ABBOTT HAS NOT FUNDED PUBLIC EDUCATION FULLY IS BECAUSE MONEY WAS ALLOCATED, BUT MONEY WAS WAS AWARDED OR VOTED UPON BY THE LEGISLATURE BUT WAS NOT ALLOCATED BY THE GOVERNOR.
A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO DURING THE SESSION, AND ALSO THE BASIC ALLOTMENT HAS NOT GONE UP IN SIX YEARS.
SO WE CAN DUMP MONEY INTO THE SYSTEM. BUT IF WE DON'T RAISE THE BASIC ALLOTMENT THAT WE'RE NOT RAISING, HOW MUCH WE GET PER STUDENT. THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED.
I LOOKED AT A CHART THAT YOU PROVIDED ABOUT INFLATION THAT SHOWED THAT WE WERE NOT KEEPING UP WITH INFLATION BECAUSE THE BASIC ALLOTMENT HAS NOT RISEN. SO IF THE BASIC ALLOTMENT DOES NOT RISE AND INFLATION DOES RISE, THEN THAT'S A DIRECT IMPACT TO US.
AND IF THE BUTTS ARE NOT IN THE SEAT, THEN WE DON'T GET THE MONEY. AND THE THE STATE TELLS US HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE GOING TO GET, WHICH MEANS THAT IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER WHAT THE TAX RATE IS.
WHETHER I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING OR ANY OTHER TRUSTEES NOT UNDERSTANDING, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS. THAT'S OUR JOB AND THAT'S WHAT WE GOT ELECTED TO DO.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE GO AND DO THAT, THAT WE ARE, YOU KNOW, ARMED WITH, WITH THE TRUTH AND WITH THE FACTS AND THAT NONE OF US ARE CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
SO I ASKED YOU PERSONALLY TO MEET WITH ME TO GO OVER SOME OF THE SCHOOL FUNDING AND SCHOOL FINANCE ISSUES, TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE ALL MY FACTS CORRECT, BECAUSE ESPECIALLY AS AN ATTORNEY, I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, I'M AN EVIDENCE GIRL, RIGHT? SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OUR DATA ACCURATELY, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GO IN AND SAY SOMETHING THAT ISN'T TRUE, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND HOW THESE THINGS ARE IMPACTING OUR STUDENTS. SO MY MAIN QUESTION, AS A MOTHER OF A STUDENT WHO RECEIVED SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, WHICH IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY THEY ARE NOT GIVING US ALL THE MONEY THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO GET FOR SPECIAL ED.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS A FACTUAL STATEMENT.
TSA HAS RELEASED INFORMATION THAT AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MIKE MORATH, THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION, HAS HIGHLIGHTED TO THE LEGISLATURE, IS THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION IS UNDERFUNDED STATEWIDE BY ABOUT 2.2 $2.2 BILLION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL IN FORT BEND ISD, THAT WE ACCOUNT FOR $30 MILLION OF THAT UNDERFUNDING.
[02:10:04]
AND SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS ACKNOWLEDGED WITHIN TDA.BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING IS WE'RE NOT FUNDING THAT.
AND SO AT A LOCAL LEVEL, WE ARE FUNDING THOSE EXPENDITURES.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT IF YOU LOOK AT STATE FUNDING FOR EDUCATION, HAS IT INCREASED OVER TIME? THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS ABSOLUTELY YES IT HAS.
HAVE DISTRICTS MADE DECISIONS THAT MAY HAVE CREATED ADDITIONAL CREEP WITHIN THEIR BUDGET? I THINK THAT THAT WE CAN SAY WITHOUT HESITATION, YES, THAT HAS HAPPENED.
IT WAS ABOUT 315 STAFF MEMBERS. AND SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT I THINK THAT THERE IS A RECOGNITION WITHIN THE DISTRICT THAT WE HAVE MADE SOME OF THOSE DECISIONS AND NEED TO UNDO SOME OF THEM. IS THERE MORE WORK TO BE DONE? I DON'T THINK THAT ANYONE WOULD DISPUTE THAT EITHER, BUT I THINK THAT AS TRUSTEES, YOU ALL HAVE BEGUN TO MAKE SOME OF THOSE DECISIONS THAT ARE, QUITE FRANKLY, DIFFICULT AND ONES THAT WE DON'T LIKE TO BRING FORWARD.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF DECISIONS THAT ARE NOT EASY TO MAKE AS A, AS A, AS A GOVERNING BOARD.
BUT AS OUR FUNDING HAS GOTTEN TIGHTER AND WE START TO SQUEAL, I THINK WE CAN POINT TO WE ARE TAKING ACTION AT A LOCAL LEVEL TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MR. HAMILTON HIGHLIGHTED. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, AS YOU JUST POINTED OUT, THERE ARE GAPS IN FUNDING THAT HAVE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED CONSISTENTLY OVER THE YEARS. AND SPECIAL EDUCATION, I THINK, IS ONE THAT COMES TO THE VERY FOREFRONT.
INFLATION IS AN ISSUE, YES, BUT THAT $30 MILLION GAP IS MUCH BIGGER THAN ABOUT THE $14 MILLION GAP IN CHANGE IN EXPENDITURES THAT WE'VE HAD FROM SINCE 2019 AS A RESULT OF INFLATION, BECAUSE THE STATE HAS NOT ADJUSTED THE BASIC ALLOTMENT.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S A UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS NOT AN EASY STORY TO TELL.
AND IT'S NOT THERE'S NOT ONE SINGLE THING THAT TELLS THE STORY.
IT'S A IT'S A COMBINATION OF FACTORS. WE NEED TO DO OUR PART LOCALLY.
BUT THE STATE ALSO NEEDS TO TAKE SOME ACTIONS ON THEIR PART IS WHAT I WOULD SAY.
YEAH. AND ANOTHER STEP THAT WE'VE TAKEN RECENTLY IS OUR COST SAVINGS AUDIT THAT WE'RE UNDERGOING CURRENTLY TO ENSURE THAT THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT AND VOTING ON IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO SQUEEZE MORE JUICE OUT OF THAT ORANGE, I GUESS, SO TO SPEAK, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET OUR BUDGET AS LEAN AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
REMIND, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE OF THE PUBLIC REMIND US WHY WE HAVE A 90 DAY FUND BALANCE.
THERE'S FREQUENTLY THE STATISTIC THAT IF MOST HOUSEHOLDS FACE A $400 EXPENSE, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE THE SAVINGS TO ADDRESS THAT EMERGENCY ITEM. AND SO THE DISTRICT DOES HAVE ESTABLISHED A 90 DAY FUND BALANCE RESERVE, WHICH IS FUNDING THAT WE HOLD IN RESERVE TO ADDRESS EMERGENCIES.
AND SO IF WE HAD TO WAIT ON INSURANCE REIMBURSEMENT WITHOUT HAVING A 90 DAY OPERATING RESERVE, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SCHOOLS THAT COULD NOT OPEN.
AND SO JUST LIKE AT IN OUR HOMES, WE TRY TO STRIVE TO HAVE A SAFETY NET OR OUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT.
IT'S MONEY THAT IS SET ASIDE WITH INTENT TO ADDRESS EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT GOES INTO OUR RATING.
OUR FINANCIAL RATING AS A DISTRICT. AS A DISTRICT.
SO TWO ISSUES THE FINANCIAL INTEGRITY RATING SYSTEM OF TEXAS.
ONE OF THE CRITERIA WITHIN THAT IS, IS A DISTRICT MAINTAINING A 90 DAY FUND BALANCE.
[02:15:03]
OF HOW FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE BEING WITH TAXPAYER FUNDS.OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. GWEN. SO I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FOLLOW UP ON ON THE DATA THAT WE DISCUSSED HERE AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT ALL THE TRUSTEES ARE ARMED WITH THAT UPDATE AND THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MR. HAMILTON TALKED ABOUT ARE, ARE LOOKED INTO AND ADDRESSED.
YES, MA'AM. OKAY, MISS HAMMOND? YES. AND THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE YOU ASKING THAT. I WOULD GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER AND ASK IF IF THE INFORMATION THAT I HEARD FROM MR. HAMILTON IS SHARED IN A BOARD UPDATE, PERHAPS IN OUR NEXT BUDGET UPDATE, THAT'S PUBLIC, WE COULD MAYBE SHARE THAT OUT BECAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S CORRECT OR NOT, BUT WHAT I HEARD IS THAT EDUCATION FUNDING HAS INCREASED 57% AND INFLATION HAS ONLY BEEN 35%. AND THAT THAT IT'S OUR FAULT BECAUSE WE'RE HIRING TOO MANY PEOPLE.
THAT'S SO THAT'S VERY CONFUSING TO ME BECAUSE I CAN'T KEEP I'M A VISUAL PERSON.
I COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH ALL THE STATISTICS AND THE NUMBERS, HE SAID.
AND I'M SO I'M SURE THERE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE LISTENING WHO COULD APPRECIATE SOME CLARITY BY US, YOU KNOW, JUST PUBLICLY CLEARING THAT UP, I AGREE 100% THAT I DO BELIEVE IT IS OUR JOB TO ADVOCATE FOR PUBLIC ED, BUT I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ARM OURSELVES WITH FACTUAL AND AS ACCURATE INFORMATION AS WE CAN.
AND I KNOW IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S A IT'S A MOVING TARGET SOMETIMES BECAUSE NUMBERS CHANGE SO QUICKLY.
BUT I WOULD I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT. AND SO I WANT TO ASK DOCTOR SMITH OR MISS TYSON BECAUSE I CAN'T RECALL I'M ON THE AUDIT COMMITTEE, SO I CAN'T RECALL. DID WE ALSO APPROVE FOR THE HR AUDIT OR DID WE PUT THAT ONE ON HOLD? WE APPROVE FOR THE HR. OKAY. SO MISS TYSON MENTIONED THE COST SAVINGS AUDIT THAT WILL BE COMING FORWARD.
SO I THINK WE WE CERTAINLY HAVE TO LOOK FORWARD TO THAT.
AND THEN I KNOW WE HAVE A SPECIAL ITEM COMING UP, BUT I THINK WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY IS MORE GERMANE TO THIS CONVERSATION AND THAT I DO WANT TO I WANT TO THANK BECAUSE THE REST OF THE BOARD MAY NOT KNOW.
THE STAFF DID A GREAT JOB PUTTING TOGETHER A ONE PAGER, SO THAT WHEN I WAS IN DC THIS PAST WEEKEND AND I VISITED SENATOR CORNYN STAFFER CONGRESSWOMAN FLETCHER'S STAFFER, AND THEN I ALSO JOINED A MEETING WHERE 60 BOARD MEMBERS FROM TSB ALSO DID SOME ADVOCACY AND SO THEY WERE ADVOCATING FOR E-RATE. I DID NOT DO THAT BECAUSE WE HADN'T TALKED ABOUT THAT AT THE STATE LEVEL.
AND WE WERE PROMISED WHEN IDEA CAME OUT, I THINK THAT THEY WOULD FUND AT 40%.
I THINK THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S MORE LIKE AT 14%.
SO WE ARE IT'S A BIG BURDEN FOR US. AND WHAT THEY SHARED, IT WAS ABOUT A $3,200 DEFICIT PER CHILD IS WHAT WE'RE IS, WHAT OUR TAXPAYERS AND OUR LOCAL BUDGET ARE KICKING IN FOR.
THAT AND OUR KIDS ARE IMPORTANT AND THEY DESERVE THAT.
BUT IF WE HAD THAT MONEY, WE COULD WE COULD SHIFT THOSE MONIES INTO OTHER PROGRAMS. PERHAPS. YOU KNOW, I WON'T I WON'T SAY WHAT WE COULD SHIFT IT TO.
IF IF WE MIGHT PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER FOR A FEDERAL ADVOCACY.
BUT IF WE COULD PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER WHERE WE MIGHT SEND OUR STATE, NOT OUR STATE, OUR FOLKS IN CONGRESS, SOMETHING STATING HOW IMPORTANT THAT I'M HOPING SOMEONE WILL BRING THE THE FULL FUNDING OF SPECIAL ED ACT FORWARD AGAIN THIS YEAR.
IT KEEPS COMING FORWARD, BUT IT'S UNSUCCESSFUL BECAUSE IT HASN'T RECEIVED BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
SO I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF OUR GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MIGHT CONSIDER LOOKING AT WHETHER THAT'S A RESOLUTION OR WHATEVER, BECAUSE IT'S SUCH AN IMPACT TO OUR BUDGET. SO THANK YOU, MISS TARZAN.
THANK YOU, MR. GWEN. THANK YOU, MISS HANNON. AND THANK YOU, MR. GWEN. NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA IS OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION UPDATE, DOCTOR SMITH.
[9.B. Special Education Update ]
YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. DOCTOR JORDAN AND DOCTOR STEPHENS ARE PREPARED TO PROVIDE THE SPECIAL ED UPDATE THIS EVENING.MADAM PRESIDENT, MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, BEFORE I BEGIN THE SPECIAL ED UPDATE, I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR VISION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR ACCOUNTABILITY.
[02:20:04]
WHETHER IT'S DISCUSSING THE WILLOW RIDGE MOU AND THE VISION THAT YOU HAD, MADAM PRESIDENT, OR THE ONGOING SPECIAL ED UPDATES THAT WE PROVIDE, WE APPRECIATE JUST YOU ALL CIRCLING BACK, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR IMPACT IS THERE.SO TONIGHT, I'M HONORED WITH DOCTOR STEPHENS TO PROVIDE YOU A SPECIAL ED UPDATE.
BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO DOCTOR STEPHENS, I WANT TO TAKE US BACK TO OCTOBER.
SO WE COULD TALK ABOUT CHALLENGES EVERY NIGHT WITH YOU.
SO SINCE THAT OCTOBER 21ST BOARD MEETING AND NOW DOCTOR STEVENS, DOCTOR SHAW AND I HAVE BEEN FOCUSED, HYPER FOCUSED AND INTENTIONAL ON A HARD RESET WITH A STATE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION IN FORT BEND ISD THAT STARTS WITH CULTURE.
WE COULD TELL YOU WHAT WE THINK OR THOUGHT SPECIAL ED WAS LIKE FROM OUR OFFICES HERE AT THE ADMIN BUILDING, BUT WE DECIDED TO GO OUT TO THE CAMPUSES. AND SO WE CONDUCTED CHECK AND CONNECT MEETINGS WITH ALL OF OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF AT THE CAMPUS LEVEL.
AND IT WAS DURING THESE MEETINGS THAT WE HEARD ABOUT CHALLENGES, BARRIERS, WANTS, BIG DREAMS, LITTLE SMALL FIXES, AND WE WERE ABLE TO JUST HIT RESET AND REALLY DIVE IN.
IT'S ONE THING FOR ME TO HAVE THE PERSPECTIVE OF THIS IS A CHALLENGE AND THIS IS A NEED.
AND IT'S ANOTHER THING FOR DOCTOR STEVENS AND I TO SHARE THAT THOSE CHALLENGES WITH THE LEADERSHIP TEAM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CRYSTAL CLEAR ON WHAT WE SEE, WHAT WE FEEL AND WHERE WE ARE GOING.
AND SO WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION IN FORT BEND ISD.
AND DOCTOR STEVENS WILL TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE ADAPTIVE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING.
BUT I WANTED TO STAND BEFORE YOU BEFORE WE BEGIN TO SAY THANK YOU.
SO AS I TURN IT OVER TO DOCTOR STEVENS, HE'S GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU TONIGHT JUST OUR FOCUS ON PROFESSIONAL LEARNING EVALUATIONS, A TRANSITION PLAN, AND THEN WHERE ARE WE GOING WITH THE FUTURE? DOCTOR STEVENS, MAY I JUST SAY ONE OTHER THING? I DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE ASSISTANT DIRECTORS THAT ARE HERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY MEET THE STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE, AND THEY HAVE BEEN FILLING IN THE GAPS. AND SO AT THE CONCLUSION OF DOCTOR STEVENS PRESENTATION, I WILL JUST ASK FOR THEM TO STAND. SO AT THIS TIME, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DOCTOR STEVENS. GOOD EVENING.
AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK HERE IS NOT LOST ON US.
SO. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. SO AS DOCTOR JORDAN SAID, WE HAD A HUMBLING, VERY HUMBLING FALL SEMESTER.
AND THEN WE STOOD IN FRONT OF EVERY SINGLE SPECIAL.
SO WE REALLY HAD TO SIT DOWN WITH THE SPED LEADERSHIP TEAM AND TALK ABOUT HOW WE COULD IMPROVE.
WE CONTINUE TO FUNCTION LIKE A DISTRICT THAT ONLY HAS LESS THAN 1000 STUDENTS, THAT HAVE LEARNING DISABILITY, THAT ONLY HAS 600 KIDS IN SPEECH. BUT WHAT WE KNOW NOW IS THAT WE ARE AN 80,000 STUDENT DISTRICT AND ALMOST 12,000 OF OUR STUDENTS ARE EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS.
SO ONE OF THE BIGGEST PIECES OF FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD RIGHT OFF THE BAT FROM THE FIRST TIME WE SAT WITH OUR TEACHERS WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS DO A GREAT JOB SUPPORTING ME.
I FEEL LIKE YOU'VE THROWN MY PEARS TO THE WOLVES.
AND SO WE NEED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO THE PEARS. AND SO IN THE PAST, THE SPED DEPARTMENT HAS WORKED DILIGENTLY TO TRY TO PUT SYSTEMS IN PLACE AND SUPPORT THE PARIS. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAD COMMITTED TO WAS HAVING A PAIR OF CONFERENCE.
[02:25:07]
WHERE THEY RECEIVED SUPPORT ON SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM IN THE CLASSROOM, BUT ALSO BEHAVIOR DE-ESCALATION AND ALSO SUPPORTING STUDENTS WHEN THEY'RE JUST IN THE GENERAL ED SETTING. AND SO IT WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED.WE HAD OVER 75% OF OUR ATTENDEES COMPLETE A SURVEY.
SO THAT WAS JUST ONE THING THAT WE SAW WAS THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR PARENTS.
WE OPERATED FROM WELL, IF THEY HAVE IF THEY HAVE A NEED, THEY'RE GOING TO CALL ME.
AND SO WE TRIED TO BE MORE PROACTIVE IN SUPPORTING OUR CAMPUSES.
WE'VE GOT WE'VE HAD TRAININGS FOR TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
WE HAVE ABOUT 15 ADDITIONAL TRAININGS SET UP FOR TEACHERS.
ON EMPOWER, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S A CHALLENGE FOR THEM. WE KNOW THAT'S A NEW SOFTWARE. SO WE KNOW CHANGE IS HARD, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING THEM THROUGH THAT CHANGE.
AND SO WE CAN AVOID THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE WE GOT INTO LAST YEAR, WHERE WE HAD A CLASS THAT WAS REALLY HEAVY WITH OUR STUDENTS, OR A CLASS THAT WAS REALLY HEAVY WITH OUR SPED STUDENTS. AND SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD TOWARD A MORE INCLUSIVE MODEL FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS SO INTERESTING TO HEAR, HEAR YOU ALL TALK ABOUT SPED FUNDING. AND THIS IS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE REALLY FACING AS A DISTRICT. YOU SEE, IN 2018, WE HAD 6708 STUDENTS WITH THAT WERE IDENTIFIED WITH A SPECIAL NEED.
HERE WE ARE IN 2025 AND THAT NUMBER HAS ALMOST DOUBLED.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THE BURDEN. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T REALIZE IS THAT YES, WE HAVE DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF OUR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS. BUT STUDENTS, BUT ANYTIME WE PUT A STUDENT INTO THAT SYSTEM, THEY BRING WITH THEM TRANSPORTATION NEEDS. AND SO WE HEARD A LOT ABOUT TRANSPORTATION. BUT EVERY TIME WE GO TO AN ART, WE OFFER THAT STUDENT TRANSPORTATION. AND SO THAT'S ONE MORE THING THAT WE'VE PUT IN THE SYSTEM. SO THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL BUS.
THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL BUS DRIVER. THAT'S AN ADDITIONAL ROUTE.
AND SO WHEN WE STARTED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW DO WE HOW DO WE FALL SO FAR BEHIND IN TERMS OF OUR EVALUATIONS? ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SAW IS JUST WE CONTINUED TO ADD AND ADD AND ADD STUDENTS TO THE SYSTEM.
AND SO WHAT I WAS SO PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THE TEAM DID.
REEVALUATE OVERDUE, REEVALUATE AT THE YEAR TO ZERO.
SO WE HAVE TAKEN CARE OF LAST SCHOOL YEAR, RIGHT? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW NOW IS NOW WE'VE GOT SOME WORK TO DO FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
SO, SO FAR TO THIS SCHOOL YEAR, WE'VE COMPLETED 443 REFERRALS.
SO THOSE ARE STUDENTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED.
THEY GET A REQUEST FOR TESTING. AND WE'VE GOT 668 THAT WE'RE IN PROGRESS WITH.
SO WE LOOKED AT ON AVERAGE HOW MANY NEW REFERRALS INITIAL REQUESTS FOR TESTING DO WE GET.
WE WENT BACK OVER THE PREVIOUS SCHOOL YEAR. AND SO WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH IS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR, WE ARE PROJECTING ABOUT 1393 REMOVALS. WE'VE GOT 735 INITIALS IN PROGRESS WHEN WE ARE ANTICIPATING 198 INITIAL REFERRALS BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
AND SO THAT ADDS UP TO OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS, ABOUT 3326 THAT WE NEED TO GET DONE.
AND THEN WE'RE NOT FALLING BEHIND AND WE'RE NOT MOVING FORWARD. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF SYSTEMS, THIS IS JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE SAW. AND SO FOR US, THIS IS PART OF OUR HARD RESET BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO START THE SCHOOL YEAR BEHIND.
WE DON'T WANT TO START THE SCHOOL YEAR TRYING TO PLAY CATCH UP. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE DO HAVE A STUDENT THAT DOES HAVE A NEED, WE'RE ABLE TO MEET THOSE NEEDS ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. AND SO I WOULD BE REMISS TO SAY WE'VE DONE THIS WORK ALONE.
[02:30:01]
THIS IS DUE IN LARGE PART TO ASHLEY ASHTON, WHO IS OUR SECONDARY DIRECTOR SHERI MARSTON, WHO IS OUR ELEMENTARY DIRECTOR AND THEN SERVING AS INTERIM DIRECTOR. WE HAVE DOCTOR LORI BRUTON AS WELL.AND SO I WILL OPEN IT UP TO QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
FIRST UP, MISS JONES. WELL, I FIRST WANT TO CONGRATULATE AND COMMEND YOUR TEAM.
AND I'M JUST AMAZED BY THE FACT THAT IT TOOK YOU GUYS FIVE MONTHS TO ADDRESS OVERDUE EVALUATIONS AND REEVALUATIONS THAT HAD BEEN SITTING OUT THERE FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS.
I MEAN, THAT IS ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING AND AMAZING.
AND I JUST WANT TO SAY, I'VE BEEN WATCHING YOU GUYS ON THE FORT BEND FACEBOOK PAGE AND I'VE BEEN WATCHING THE TASK FORCE AND I'VE BEEN WATCHING THE I SAW THE PICTURES FOR THE PARENT CONFERENCE, AND I'M JUST SO IMPRESSED HOW, YEAH, WE WORK AND FUNCTIONING, I WANT TO SAY IN THE DARK AGES, BUT WE WERE OKAY.
AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR TEAM FOR ADDRESSING THIS MATTER AND MOVING US FORWARD, BECAUSE THAT WAS THE POINT TO MOVE THE DISTRICT FORWARD.
AND SO I JUST I'M JUST OVERJOYED AND JUST SIMPLY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT WE'RE ON TRACK AND WE'RE DOING GOOD WORK FOR OUR KIDS AND IN SUPPORT OF OUR KIDS, AND JUST KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS JONES, MISS HANNON? YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DOCTOR ADAMS. IS THAT RIGHT, DOCTOR STEVENS? STEVENS. OH, ADAM. I'M SORRY. I'M. HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
I'M OKAY. CAN WE JUST CALL YOU ADAM? THAT'S FINE.
YOU CAN. ABSOLUTELY. I'M SORRY, DOCTOR STEVENS.
I YOU KNOW, I'M. I'M MIXING YOU UP. OKAY, SO I JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INFORMATION.
AND THANK YOU. ASSISTANT DIRECTORS BACK THERE AND INTERIM DIRECTOR.
APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK. SO I WAS JUST I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED ON.
THE THE VERY THAT ONE WHERE IT SAYS BETWEEN JANUARY AND MAY, THE PER MONTH OF HOW MANY INITIALS WE RECEIVE, EXCLUDING INTAKE. HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS.
AGAIN. WHAT IS THE EXCLUDING INTAKE PART MEAN.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IT VARIES FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
SO WHAT WE LOOKED AT IS THIS IS THIS IS THE NUMBER.
SO THE YOUNGER OUR PRE K THREE, OUR OUR TWO YEAR OLDS, OUR YOUNGER STUDENTS, AND WE LOOKED AT SCHOOL AGE K-12 STUDENTS, HOW MANY THAT WE HAD EVERY YEAR. SO THAT'S WHERE THAT NUMBER COMES FROM.
AND THEN WE LOOK AT OUR INTAKES. RIGHT NOW WE'VE COMPLETED 138 OF THOSE.
SO THOSE ARE STUDENTS THAT ARE PRE K THREE PRE K FOUR.
AND THEN WE'VE GOT 89 IN PROGRESS OKAY. AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION WAS THE THE THE READS THAT ARE DONE IS THAT YOU KNOW I'M I DO NOT HAVE EXPERTISE IN IN EVALUATION FOR SPED BUT ARE THE READS REQUIRED UNDER IDEA.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THAT THAT THE WHO DETERMINES.
IF THE READS HAPPEN OR NOT. SO I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU INCORRECTLY.
SO I'D PREFER TO SEND THAT TO YOU IN WRITING.
OKAY. THAT'S GREAT. THAT'S GREAT. THANK YOU. I JUST I, I, I GET WHAT A RE-EVAL IS, BUT I DON'T GET QUITE I DON'T UNDERSTAND READS THE SAME WAY. SO YES PLEASE SEND IT TO US. AND THANKS AGAIN TO ALL OF YOU.
THANK YOU, MISS HANNON. MR. GARCIA, THANK YOU.
I'D LIKE TO ECHO EVERYTHING THAT TRUSTEE JONES SAID.
DITTO. IT HAS BEEN PRETTY ASTOUNDING THAT WE WENT FROM OVER A THOUSAND OVERDUE REEVALUATIONS NOT JUST LAST YEAR, BUT MULTIPLE YEARS OVER FOUR, I THINK FIVE YEARS CONSECUTIVELY.
[02:35:04]
AND FORMER TEACHER. AND WE HAD HIM TESTED AND HE DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR DYSLEXIA.SO BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GET HIM ACCOMMODATIONS.
FINAL FOUR AND WE WERE REALLY ENGAGED WITH OAKLAND.
GREAT STAFF THERE. AND THEN WE HAD HIM RETESTED IN SECOND GRADE AND HE CAME BACK.
DYSLEXIC. SO WE'RE LIKE, WELL OKAY. AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH HIM.
HE'S IN EIGHTH GRADE NOW. AND WE KNOW WE'VE KIND OF STAYED ON TOP OF HIM.
AND WE HAD HIS REEVALUATION LAST YEAR. AND AT THE TIME, IT WAS TWO YEARS OVERDUE.
AND LAST YEAR I WAS STILL ON THE BOARD. SO IT'S NOT LIKE I WAS BUMPED TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE AND THAT, YOU KNOW, OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE WANT OR ANYTHING.
WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE STAY ON TOP OF HIM.
WE'RE ON THE VERGE OF A TAKEOVER. IT WASN'T REALLY A SCARE TACTIC. THAT WAS THE REALITY. THAT WAS THE TRUTH. AND I KNOW THAT THE COMMISSIONER MORATH HAD, YOU KNOW, A LIST, AND WE WERE PROBABLY ON THAT LIST.
AND SO THE LAST THING WE NEED IS, IS A, YOU KNOW, MORE GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT.
THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF AN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT IS SO THINGS LIKE THE MOU WITH WITH WILLOW RIDGE, WE'RE PARTNERING WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, THE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. WE KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR OWN KIDS.
WE JUST NEED TO GET THE WORK DONE. AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO STEP UP, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO STEP UP AND HOLD THIS, HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE. AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT SENSE OF URGENCY COMING IN AND GETTING DONE IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
AND WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THE NUMBER OF EVALUATIONS AND WE'RE BREAKING IT DOWN AT THE HOLISTIC LEVEL, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DATA AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN STAY AHEAD OF THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I APPRECIATE.
AND SO AND YOU'RE TELLING ME I JUST JUST TO BE CLEAR THAT THAT EVEN THOUGH WE'RE STILL HAVE.
WHERE IS THAT NUMBER AT? CURRENTLY 443 HAVE BEEN DONE, 668 ARE IN PROGRESS.
SO WE DON'T START NEXT YEAR WITH ANY OVERDUE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
CORRECT. OUR GOAL IS TO BEGIN AUGUST 1ST WITH NO OVERDUE READS, NO OVERDUE, NO OVERDUE REMOVALS, NOTHING. AND SO WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT BETWEEN JANUARY AND AUGUST, WE'LL COMPLETE 3326.
CORRECT. OR DO WE GET A LETTER OF NONCOMPLIANCE FOR YOU CAN GET ONE FOR A LITANY OF REASONS.
OKAY. BUT I KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN GETTING WAS FOR THE REEDS.
CORRECT? YEAH. YEAH. OKAY. WELL THANK YOU. NO, I APPRECIATE IT AGAIN.
YOU DON'T BLOW SMOKE UP OUR THIRD POINT OF CONTACT LIKE PREVIOUS EMPLOYEES HAD.
YOU LAY OUT THE FACTS. HEY, THIS IS THESE ARE THE PROBLEMS. THIS IS WHERE WE'VE SCREWED UP. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.
GO FORWARD. BUT IT'S JUST ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE.
THE NUMBERS CHANGE, AND GETTING HONEST, LEGITIMATE, ACCURATE INFORMATION SITTING UP HERE.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU, SIR, FOR THAT.
THANK YOU, MR. SHOAF. MR. HAMILTON. YEAH. THANK YOU, DOCTOR JORDAN.
THANK YOU, DOCTOR STEVENS, FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. WON'T WON'T RAMBLE AS LONG AS I DID THE LAST TIME AROUND.
YOU'RE ALL WELCOME. BUT SIMILARLY, I THINK IT'S HELPFUL TO TO TAKE A LOOK BACK AT WHERE WE'VE BEEN.
SO WE'VE THIS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN OPEN MEETINGS AT LEAST ONCE, IF NOT MORE THAN ONCE.
SO IN THE SUMMER OF 2023, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE ADMINISTRATION WAS SERIOUSLY CONCERNED THAT WE WERE GOING TO GET A THIRD CONSECUTIVE LETTER OF NONCOMPLIANCE WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION REGULATIONS AND THEREBY BE FOUND SYSTEMICALLY NON-COMPLIANT. AT THAT TIME, T HAD RECENTLY TAKEN OVER HOUSTON ISD, AND THEY INITIALLY ISSUED A TAKEOVER ORDER FOR AUSTIN ISD WHICH WAS LATER BACKED DOWN TO JUST A MONITOR RATHER THAN A TAKEOVER OR A CONSERVATOR.
AND SO IN THAT CONTEXT THERE THERE HAD BEEN THREATS OF T TAKEOVER, BUT THEY ACTUALLY DID IT TO HISD.
[02:40:01]
AND SO THAT FACT THAT THEY HAD TAKEN OVER HISD AND WERE TRYING TO TAKE OVER AUSTIN ISD.AND THEN WE HAD OVER 2000 DELINQUENT EVALUATIONS AND REEVALUATIONS, AND THEN WE ALSO HAD A T FINDING AGAINST THE DISTRICT THAT THAT WAS EXTREMELY ALARMING TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE IN KEY ROLES SINCE THEN, BUT I THINK IT'S IT'S WORTH WALKING DOWN THAT LITTLE MEMORY LANE JUST TO SAY THAT'S WHERE WE WERE IN THE SUMMER OF 2023. AND SO FOR ME, WE WE WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF PROGRESS ON THE EVALUATIONS AND REEVALUATIONS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AS WE WERE GETTING AS WE WERE GETTING THOSE UPDATES.
WE STARTED SEEING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON THOSE EVALUATIONS AND REEVALUATIONS.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ALL COMMITTED TO MAKING PROGRESS ON THOSE CHALLENGES.
THIS WAS A MAJOR CONCERN THAT HAD US IN HOT WATER WITH CEA.
AND SO YOU'VE GOTTEN US OUT OF HOT WATER ON ON THIS FRONT WITH THE EVALUATIONS AND REEVALUATIONS.
AND SO I WANT TO COMMEND THAT AND THEN ALSO ENCOURAGE WE GET A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENTS THAT THEIR NEEDS ARE NOT BEING MET. I BELIEVE WE HAD OVER 1000 SPECIAL ED STUDENTS WHO WE EXPECTED TO ENROLL THIS SCHOOL YEAR AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, WHO DID NOT SHOW UP FOR SCHOOL. I WOULD ASSUME MANY OF THOSE FOUND ALTERNATIVES.
SOME OF THEM, I'M SURE, MOVED WITHOUT NOTIFYING US OR WHATEVER.
SO I WANT TO COMMEND THE LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR THIS INCREDIBLE PROGRESS.
BUT I MEAN, THE HARD WORK WAS DONE BY THE EVAL STAFF.
THEY'RE WORKING NIGHTS. THEY'RE WRITING ON THE WEEKENDS.
I MEAN, THEY THEY ARE DOING A TON OF WORK. AND SO WE WILL EXTEND YOUR, YOUR THANKS.
THEY'VE THEY'VE JUST DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB THOUGH. THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON. DOCTOR GILLIAM. THANK YOU. I JUST HAVE REAL SIMPLE QUESTION.
AND I'M ATTENTION DEFICIT A LITTLE BIT THIS THIS AFTERNOON.
THIS EVENING. OKAY. SO CAN YOU TELL ME, LIKE, WHAT WAS DIFFERENT? I HEARD EVERYTHING. HOW DID ALL OF THIS AUTOMATIC HOW DID IT I KNOW THAT A LOT OF WORK WAS THERE, BUT. AND I JUST HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE SAYING ABOUT OUR STAFF.
HOW CAN YOU KIND OF GIVE ME LIKE A NUMBER ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR? HOW HOW DID THIS COME LIKE THIS TODAY? YOU KNOW, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO IT, FOR US, IT WAS ABOUT RESETTING OUR SENSE OF URGENCY AND UNDERSTANDING THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT A TIMELINE, IT'S NOT A TIMELINE THAT WE JUST SET BECAUSE WE WANT TO HIT IT LIKE WE'RE LEGALLY BOUND BY THESE TIMELINES.
AND SO FOR US, IT WAS JUST RECOMMITTING TO OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILY.
AND THEN JUST JUST GETTING DOWN AND GETTING THE WORK DONE.
OKAY. I SEE DOCTOR JORDAN COMING BECAUSE I'M I'M STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.
HOW DID I UNDERSTAND EVERYONE GOT TOGETHER. BUT HOW DID THAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW.
SO DOCTOR STEVENS WAS ALLUDING TO IT. IT IS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK.
AND SO I WILL PUBLICLY SAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING THIS FED TEAM.
AM I CORRECT? AND SO IT'S NOT JUST ROLLING UP MY SLEEVES AND DOING MY ONE JOB.
THEY ARE SPREAD OUT WORKING AMONGST MULTIPLE CAMPUSES.
IF YOU CAN EVALUATE YOU ARE EVALUATING WHETHER THAT'S YOUR CURRENT ROLE OR NOT YOUR ROLE.
AND THEN THE NEXT THING IS REALLY JUST LOOKING.
SOMETIMES INFORMATION WAS LOST IN PAPERWORK. AND SO THIS STUDENT COUNTS AS AN INITIAL.
BUT THEY COULD BE A READ. SO THEY WERE ABLE THE TEAM TO TO REALLY REVIEW THE NUMBERS THAT WE INITIALLY PRESENTED AND IDENTIFY THOSE KIDS THAT WE COULD NOT NECESSARILY HAVE A COMPLETE EVALUATION, BUT WE COULD HAVE A READ, WHICH MEANS WE JUST ROLL FORWARD FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
AND SO IT STARTED WITH FIRST LOOKING AT OUR STUDENTS, MOVING PAST NUMBERS AND DIGGING INTO EACH STUDENT AND FIGURING OUT, DO WE GO TO A EVALUATION, A FULL ONE, OR DO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLETE A READ? AFTER THAT, IT WAS AN ALL HANDS ON DECK. AND SO YOU MAY BE A SPEECH PATHOLOGIST, BUT YOU CAN EVALUATE.
[02:45:05]
YOU ARE EVALUATING SO THAT WE CAN GET CAUGHT UP.BUT DOCTOR GILLIAM, EVERYONE IS EVALUATING STUDENTS.
WHO IS CERTIFIED TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW IN THE END? WELL, IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE NOW. OKAY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, DOCTOR GILLIAM AND MISS JONES. OKAY, SO I'M JUST GOING TO BE A LITTLE BLATANT HERE.
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, DOCTOR GILLIAM. BLATANT, BLATANT PEOPLE ACTUALLY DID THEIR JOBS AND SPED.
OKAY. AND THAT THEY WERE BEING PAID TO DO. AND THAT'S WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
DOCTOR STEVENS. DOCTOR JORDAN. DOCTOR SHAW ACTUALLY SET THE STANDARDS AND THE EXPECTATIONS FOR GETTING THE JOB DONE. AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE MOST ASTOUNDING PART ABOUT THIS IS THEY DIDN'T EVEN ASK US FOR ANY MONEY TO GET IT DONE.
AND FOR THE PAST TWO UPDATES, THEY HAVE NOT ASKED FOR ANY MONEY IN GETTING THE JOB DONE.
AND SO I WANT TO SAY THAT THIS IS WHAT FORT BEND, THIS IS THE DIRECTION THAT FORT BEND SHOULD BE GOING IN, HAVING HIGHER STANDARDS, RAISING THOSE EXPECTATIONS.
BECAUSE WE JUST CAN'T SAY, WELL, WE WANT EXCELLENCE.
WE HAVE TO MODEL EXCELLENCE. WE HAVE TO DEMAND EXCELLENCE FROM OURSELVES AS A BOARD, FIRST FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT AND EVERYONE ELSE IN SERVING THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS.
SO I AGAIN, I CONGRATULATE YOU GUYS AND COMMEND AND JUST KEEP UP THE WORK AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS JONES. SO INSTEAD OF ECHOING WHAT ALL MY COLLEAGUES HAD TO SAY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IF WE COULD GO BACK TO THE VERY FIRST SLIDE, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS DOESN'T GET LOST BECAUSE.
BECAUSE I THINK THIS REALLY ANSWERS THE QUESTION RIGHT HERE.
A COMPREHENSIVE RESET OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT GUIDED BY A TASK FORCE.
AND WHEN I LOOK AT THE NOW SO THE INCLUSIVITY DOESN'T DOESN'T JUST MEAN INCLUSION.
SO I THINK ALL OF YOU KNOW THAT NOT ONLY DO I HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO RECEIVED SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, BUT I'VE BEEN A SPECIAL ED ADVOCATE FOR ALMOST 25 YEARS NOW.
SO WHEN I READ THAT YOU DIDN'T JUST USE THE WORD INCLUSION, WHICH IS A BUZZWORD IN THE COMMUNITY AND IS NEAR AND DEAR TO A LOT OF US WHO WANT JUST WANT OUR KIDS TO BE PART, YOU KNOW, JUST PART OF SOCIETY, WHICH BEGINS IN OUR CLASSROOMS. BUT THE WORD YOU USE IS FEEL FULLY INTEGRATED, INTEGRATED MEANS COMBINED WITH ANOTHER TO BECOME PART OF THE WHOLE, TO BRING INTO EQUAL PARTICIPATION. SO THAT TO ME IS A BIG DEAL.
THAT IS A BIG DEAL. AND IT'S NOT LOST ON ME THAT THAT WORD IS IS USED THERE.
MAKING SURE THAT EDUCATORS VIEW THE SUCCESS OF ALL STUDENTS AS PART OF THEIR OWN OWN OWNERSHIP.
IT'S ABOUT UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS ALL OF OUR JOBS.
WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP? HOW CAN I BE A PART OF ENSURING THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE ARE LEGALLY BOUND TO DO? I WROTE THAT DOWN. YOU SAID THAT THAT'S A QUOTE WHAT WE ARE LEGALLY BOUND TO DO.
AND SO AND IN ALL MY TIME OF SITTING ON THIS DAIS, THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE HEARD ME SAY A LOT IS NON COMPLIANCE IS A BUZZWORD, BUT IT MEANS WE ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE LAW.
SO THE RULE OF LAW IS IMPORTANT AND IT'S THERE FOR A REASON.
AND YOU GUYS NOW HAVE COMMITTED YOURSELVES TO ENSURING THAT YOU KNOW WE ARE, WE ARE GOING TO DO WHAT WE'RE LEGALLY BOUND TO DO, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE AN ATTITUDE THAT EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT GETS THESE LETTERS, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY THE ATTITUDE. AND IN A LOT OF CASES IS THAT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY GETS THESE LETTERS.
[02:50:07]
HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, DONE. THERE'S A REASON WE'RE LEGALLY BOUND TO DO IT.SO I JUST WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I WROTE DOWN IN ALL CAPS, THIS IS A CULTURE SHIFT.
AND IT'S I THINK IT'S CRITICAL TO US MOVING FORWARD.
SO MY THANK YOUS ARE AROUND THE LEADERSHIP TEAM WHO ARE DRIVING THIS CULTURE SHIFT FROM DOCTOR SMITH TO DOCTOR JORDAN TO DOCTOR STEVENS TO YOU.
YOU GUYS SITTING HERE TONIGHT, AND THEN EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE DEPARTMENT THAT ROLLED UP THEIR SLEEVES AND SAID, WE GOT TO GET THIS DONE FOR KIDS. WE'RE NOT GOING TO JUST SAY, WELL, WE'RE GOING TO GET ANOTHER LETTER AND EVERYBODY GETS THEM.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. MY ONE AND ONLY QUESTION, BECAUSE YOU SAID WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS AND SPED TEACHERS AND GEN ED TEACHERS WORK REALLY, REALLY HARD.
BUT THE PARAPROFESSIONALS ARE WHERE IT'S AT BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO SIT NEXT TO MY KID ALL DAY, EVERY DAY. AND SO HOW WHAT'S OUR PLAN FOR THAT? HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THAT? SO, YOU KNOW, AND THAT WAS THE THING THAT IT'S A TESTAMENT TO, TO THE COLLABORATIVE WORK BETWEEN THE SPED DEPARTMENT AND THE OD DEPARTMENT IS THE PARENT CONFERENCE WASN'T A ONE AND DONE COME IN JANUARY.
BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY STOOD OUT AT OUR FIRST TASK FORCE MEETING. WE HAVE PARAPROFESSIONALS AND THEY SAID, LISTEN, SOME OF THESE TRAININGS, I REALLY NEED TO GO TO THEM, BUT I'M PULLED TO MAKE COPIES OR I'M PULLED TO SET UP BULLETIN BOARDS FOR THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
SO AND IT WAS REALLY VALUABLE TO HAVE PRINCIPALS IN THERE AND HEAR THAT. SO WE ARE REALLY COMMITTED TO PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR OUR PARAS AND ENSURING THAT THEY ARE A VALUABLE PART OF OUR STAFF.
THANK YOU GUYS. THANK YOU MA'AM. APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
NEXT UP IS OUR INTRUDER DETECTION AUDIT REPORT.
[9.C. Intruder Detection Audit Report]
DOCTOR SMITH. THANK YOU, CHIEF RYDER.I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU'RE ON. I'M SORRY. I THOUGHT I SAW A GREEN LIGHT THERE. I NEED MY GLASSES. GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT AND BOARD AND DOCTOR SMITH. SINCE OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, WE HAVE HAD FOUR ADDITIONAL INTRUDER DETECTION AUDITS.
AND WE ARE A PERFECT FOUR. AND. OH, ON THAT, NO FINDINGS.
SO, YES, THAT'S THE END OF MY REPORT. THANK YOU.
CHIEF. OKAY. MR. HAMILTON HAS SOMETHING TO SAY.
I'VE GOT SOMETHING TO SAY. SAY IT. SO I'LL BE.
WELL, FIRST, FIRST, FIRST, LET ME SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY FOR ATTENDING MY TED TALK EARLIER.
AND I JUST I JUST DON'T WANT TO LET CONSISTENT EXCELLENCE GO.
UNPRAISED. AND SO YOU AND MY FAVORITE TIGER, MR. ROSEBORO. HE'S FROM ARP, TEXAS, AND THEIR MASCOTS, THE TIGERS.
SO I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE CONSISTENT EXCELLENCE.
YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB. KEEP UP THE GOOD THE GOOD WORK. THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND AS I ALWAYS SAY, IT'S A TEAM EFFORT. IT'S NOT JUST MYSELF AND MR. ROSEBOROUGH. IT'S THE THE PRINCIPALS ON THE CAMPUS.
IT'S THE TEACHERS. IT'S THE SECURITY GUARDS. IT'S THE STUDENTS.
IT'S IT'S EVERYBODY ON THE CAMPUS THAT'S DOING THAT.
SO THANK YOU TO ALL OF THEM. THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON AND MR. GARCIA. THANK YOU. I ALSO WANT TO ECHO MY PRAISE, AND NOT JUST FOR ANY OTHER REASON, BUT TO REMIND FOLKS THAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF EDUCATION.
[02:55:04]
WE'RE ALSO IN THE SAFETY BUSINESS. AND SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY FOR OUR STUDENTS.AND THE THESE THESE AUDITS ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS AND SAFETY OF OUR STUDENTS. STUDENTS WILL COME AND SAY THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE.
WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO TO MAKE SURE THEY FEEL SAFE.
THIS IS ONE COMPONENT OF THAT. I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR, WE ALWAYS HAVE THE, YOU KNOW, THE THE SCHOOL THREATS AND TEACHERS AND PARENTS ARE VERY WORRIED AND UPSET.
SO WHEN WE'VE HAD A SITUATION WHERE I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR OR THE YEAR BEFORE, THE SCHOOLS WHERE MY KIDS GO TO AND WHERE MY WIFE TEACHES AT, YOU TELL US EVERYTHING'S FINE. AND I BELIEVE THAT YOU GUYS ARE ON IT.
AND EVERY TIME WE GET INCIDENT REPORTS OF SOMETHING HAPPENING OR SOMETHING FOUND IN A SCHOOL, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I ALWAYS DO IS ALWAYS ASK FOR, WELL, HOW QUICK DID IT TAKE FOR YOU ALL TO GET THERE? AND IT'S WITHIN MINUTES AND THE RESPONSE TIMES ARE EXCELLENT.
ADDITIONAL STAFF AND OFFICERS ARE THERE WHEN WHEN THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE RESPONSE AND THE CYBER SECURITY TEAM THAT YOU HAVE THAT'S ALSO TRYING TO MAKE IN DOCTOR LONG, TRYING TO MAKE KIDS SAFE FROM THE THE THREATS FROM THE PHONES AND WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM AND HOW CAN WE TRACK THIS.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IF IF YOU COULD JUST REMIND NOT ME, BUT THE PUBLIC WHAT ALL GOES ON WHEN YOU DO THE INTRUDER DETECTION AUDIT? YES, ABSOLUTELY. SO SO THE STATE COMES THERE UNANNOUNCED.
THEY'LL TELL US AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO AN INTRUDER DETECTION AUDIT. THEY DON'T TELL US WHAT CAMPUS THEY'RE GOING TO. THEY DON'T TELL US WHEN THEY'RE COMING. SO SO IT'S REALLY A SURPRISE INSPECTION.
IF IF, IF THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO PUT IT, THEY WILL COME UP.
AND THE FIRST THING THEY'LL DO IS TRY TO GET INTO THE SCHOOL THROUGH A COUPLE OF RANDOM DOORS.
THEY PICK THOSE, AND IF THEY CAN GET INTO THAT DOOR, THEN THAT'S A FINDING.
AND THEY WILL ASK TO SEE THE WEEKLY DOOR CHECK AUDITS.
AND SO THAT HAS TO BE DOCUMENTED. IF THAT DOCUMENTATION IS NOT IN ORDER OR THEY CAN'T FIND IT FOR, LET'S SAY, ONE OF THE PERSON THAT'S IN CHARGE OF IT IS OFF CAMPUS AND NOBODY KNOWS WHERE TO FIND IT, WHICH IS RARE, BUT IT HAS HAPPENED. THAT CONSTITUTES A FINDING AS WELL.
AND THEN THE THIRD WAY TO GET A FINDING IS AFTER THEY'VE CHECKED THAT, THEN THEY WALK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AROUND TO EVERY SINGLE EXTERIOR DOOR, AND THEY PULL ON EVERY SINGLE EXTERIOR DOOR TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE CLOSED AND LATCHED AND LOCKED AND THAT THEY'RE FUNCTIONAL.
AND IF ANY DOOR COMES OPEN OR IS FOUND PROPPED OPEN, THEN THAT IS ALSO A FINDING.
SO THERE ARE A ARE A NUMBER OF WAYS YOU THINK ABOUT A HIGH SCHOOL THAT HAS 75 EXTERIOR DOORS.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF DOORS. EXTERIOR DOORS IN OUR IN OUR DISTRICT.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE STAFF.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. DOCTOR GILLIAM.
WELL, I NEED TO SAY SOME THANK YOUS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, CHIEF.
AND EVERY AND ALL OF THE POLICE OFFICERS, OUR OUR CHIEFS, EVERYBODY, JUST THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I HAVE HEARD A LOT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I SEE A LOT.
AND I CAN REMEMBER YOU FROM THE DAY THAT YOU CAME IN.
AND WE WON'T TELL THAT STORY, BUT IT IT IS, IT IS SEEN AND PEOPLE ARE TALKING.
IT'S GREAT. AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SAY DOCTOR STEVENS.
OUR FOLKS OVER THERE, THEY HAVE LEFT. SO I WANT PLEASE LET THEM KNOW.
AND I JUST WANTED TO KNOW HOW WE GOT THERE. AND WE GOT THERE.
SO THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOU. THANK YOU, DOCTOR GILLIAM.
THANK YOU. CHIEF. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP IS OUR ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY.
BOUNDARY PLANNING UPDATE. I JUST WANT TO PREFACE THIS BY SAYING THAT WE HAVE A POLICY WORKSHOP
[9.D. Attendance Boundary Planning ]
THAT IS SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 3RD WHERE WE WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AS TRUSTEES TO ASK A LOT OF THE[03:00:07]
IN-DEPTH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DATA AND HAVE A LONGER DISCUSSION.SO THEY'RE NOT NOT GOING TO BE PREPARED TO ANSWER A LOT OF IN DEPTH QUESTIONS TONIGHT.
WE'RE GOING TO SAVE THAT FOR THE FEBRUARY 3RD MEETING.
AND MY HOPE IS TO BE ABLE TO BRING TO THE BOARD FOR A VOTE.
ON MONDAY, APRIL 7TH, THE BOUNDARY PLAN. IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY, I THINK I THINK I HAVE THAT DATE THAT WE DISCUSSED AND THAT THAT'S WE HAVE A LISTENING TOUR THAT NIGHT AT AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL.
SO THAT IS DURING THE REVIEW MEETING. IT'S NOT DURING THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING.
AND THE HOPE IS TO IS FOR THE BOARD TO HAVE HAD A LOT OF TIME TO REVIEW THE DATA, ASK QUESTIONS, HAVE CONVERSATIONS SO THAT DOCTOR SMITH AND HIS TEAM HAS TIME TO COMMUNICATE WHAT THE PLAN WILL BE ONCE IT HAS BEEN VOTED ON.
THANK YOU BOTH. GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT.
SO KNOW THAT IT'S IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS. SO GOOD EVENING AGAIN TO THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.
WE KNOW WE HEARD THE SWEET YOUNG LADY THIS AFTERNOON.
AND THE PARENTS WHO HAVE BEEN HERE ALONG THE WAY FROM THE COMMUNITY AND ACROSS THE DISTRICT, WITH THE WITH THE CONCERNS BEING BROUGHT FORWARD. AND WHILE THIS IS A FOCUS THIS EVENING ON VERY SPECIFIC INFORMATION AROUND THE NEXT STEPS FOR THE FERNDALE HENRY BOUNDARY, I AM GOING TO MENTION THE LONGER RANGE DISTRICT WIDE PLANNING.
I WANT TO ASSURE YOU AND THE COMMUNITY AS WELL, THAT WE'LL BE COMING FORWARD WITH CHECKPOINTS THAT MAY AT SOME POINT SOUND A LITTLE REPETITIVE OR A LITTLE THAT WE'RE REPEATING THE PROCESS AND WHERE WE ARE, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT, I THINK, THAT WE CONTINUE TO REVISIT BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY STEPS ALONG THE WAY IN THE BOUNDARY PLANNING PROCESS, WHETHER YOU'RE LOOKING AT ONE COMMUNITY'S ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY OR AS WE ARE GOING TO ENGAGE IN THE ENTIRE DISTRICT AND REALLY FOCUSING ON THOSE OVERUTILIZED AND UNDERUTILIZED CAMPUSES IN OUR NEXT STEPS. SO AS I FOCUS ON FERNDALE, HENRY, THIS EVENING, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THAT IS DEFINITELY THE VERY FIRST PHASE OR FIRST PART THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ENGAGING AROUND WITH OUR SCHOOL BOUNDARY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, BUT NOT BECAUSE WE ARE NOT COGNIZANT OF THE NEED FOR THE LONG RANGE, DISTRICT WIDE PLANNING AND ALSO ENGAGING IN THAT IN OUR VERY NEXT STEPS AFTER WE SOLIDIFY A BOUNDARY. SO WITH THAT IN MIND, I'D REALLY LIKE TO FOCUS THIS EVENING ON GIVING YOU AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT OUR SCHOOL BOUNDARY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHAT THE ROLE AND PURPOSE IS OF THE COMMITTEE AND OF THOSE MEMBERS, AND WHERE WE ARE WITH THAT COMMITTEE, WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND HOW WE SOLICITED THAT FEEDBACK.
SO TO DO THAT, I WANT TO TAKE KIND OF A WALK BACK IN TIME.
IT'S BEEN A JOURNEY, KIND OF A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT AT ALL.
REALLY ENGAGING IN THAT WORK WITH THE BOUNDARY PLANNING IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
AND ALONG THAT SAME TIMELINE, WE STARTED ENGAGING THROUGH THE WHAT'S CALLED THE COMMON.
THAT'S HOW KIDS APPLY TO COLLEGE, NOT THE COMMON APPLICATION.
PYLE WHAT IS IT? CENTRAL APPLICATION I DO THAT EVERY TIME.
MY KIDS ARE SO WAY OUT OF COLLEGE. BUT I KEEP GOING BACK TO THAT TIME.
THE CENTRAL APPLICATION DURING THAT SAME TIME PERIOD.
AND SO WE WERE READY WITH THAT GROUP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO WERE READY TO SERVE THROUGH THE APPLICATION IN THAT PROCESS AND THE VETTING OF THOSE APPLICATIONS, WHICH IS JUST SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE VET THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE THROUGH A THREE DEPARTMENT PROCESS THAT EVALUATES AND SCORES THE APPLICANTS.
[03:05:06]
AND THEN FOR THE SCHOOL BOUNDARY ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AS YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN THAT IS COMPRISED FOR EVERY FEEDER PATTERN, WE HAVE THREE MEMBERS, TWO THAT REPRESENT THEIR EITHER PARENT OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT REPRESENT THE ELEMENTARY AND THE SECONDARY LEVEL, AND THEN A THIRD MEMBER, WHICH IS AN ALTERNATE MEMBER.AND THIS IS PER THE UPDATES TO POLICY. FC LOCAL MOST RECENTLY.
AND THEN WE DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AN RFQ PROCESS TO SECURE A VENDOR.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT TO SAY THAT THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND STAFF HAVE BEEN READY.
WE'RE READY. THAT ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS READY TO BEGIN THAT WORK.
NOW, WE DO HAVE SOME CHALLENGES BECAUSE WE CONDUCTED THE ORIENTATION, LIKE I SAID, IN DECEMBER, WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE AND OUR FIRST WORK SESSION TO REALLY LOOK AT THE BOUNDARIES ASSOCIATED WITH FERNDALE, HENRY, AND GET INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY, FROM THE COMMITTEE IN THEIR ROLE AS A MEMBER, IS NEXT WEEK ON THE FIFTH SINCE THE BOARD APPROVED THE COMMITTEE IN SEPTEMBER AND AFTER THE ORIENTATION, WE'VE HAD WE'VE HAD A FEW MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WHO'VE EXPERIENCED SOME LIFE AND HAVE LET US KNOW THAT THE JOB IS DIFFERENT NOW, OR SOMETHING IS DIFFERENT IN THEIR LIFE, AND THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO SERVE BECAUSE YOU ALL APPROVED NOT ONLY THE TWO MEMBERS, BUT ALSO THE ALTERNATES. IN MANY INSTANCES, WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE UP THE ALTERNATE TO A FULL MEMBER, BUT WE NEED TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL ON SOME ALTERNATES OR IN CASES WHERE WE MAY HAVE HAD BOTH WITH SOME ADDITIONAL MEMBERS.
SO YOU'LL SEE THAT EARLY IN FEBRUARY, WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT FORWARD TO YOU FOR ANY VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE, WHICH GIVES AN OPPORTUNITY TO MORE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE APPLICATION POOL TO BE CONSIDERED TO RISE UP.
AND THEN WE HAVE AN ALTERNATE POLICY STATES THAT IN THE IN A FEEDER PATTERN THAT IS EXPERIENCING A BOUNDARY CHANGE, THE ALTERNATE BECOMES AN ACTIVE MEMBER. SO FOR FERNDALE, HENRY, WE WILL HAVE THREE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS. BUT AS WE IMMEDIATELY BEGIN TO BEGIN TO ENGAGE IN THAT DISTRICT WIDE PROCESS.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE THE MEMBERSHIP SOLID AS WE GO INTO THAT DISTRICT WIDE WORK.
WE DID, AS I SAID, ENGAGE WITH OUR BOUNDARY PLANNER, WHO IS ZONDA, NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH PASO THAT SERVES AS OUR DEMOGRAPHER, AND I KNOW A FEW MEETINGS BACK PASO SHARED SOME POTENTIAL BOUNDARIES IN THE NORTHWEST PORTION OF THE DISTRICT AND OTHER AREAS.
THEY WERE DOING THAT TO ASSIST IN LOOKING AT NUMBERS.
THERE ARE DATA PEOPLE THAT SHOW US OUR PROJECTIONS, NOT THE BOUNDARY PEOPLE.
SO I WANT TO REALLY ASSURE THE COMMUNITY THAT THAT IS NOT OUR STARTING POINT.
OUR STARTING POINT IS WITH OUR BOUNDARY PLANNER, EVEN THOUGH WE MAY HAVE SHOWN, HAD TO SHOW SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT COULD BE DONE IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS. SO MOVING FORWARD, WE WILL BE ENGAGING WITH THE COMMITTEE TO BRING FORWARD RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD AND THAT TIMELINE.
I'M JUST GOING TO GOING TO SKIP OVER THAT. WE'VE SHOWN THAT TO YOU BEFORE. OUR TIMELINE IS VERY SMALL ON THE SCREEN, BUT TRUSTEES, YOU'VE RECEIVED A BIGGER COPY AT YOUR AT YOUR SEAT. AND WE ARE HAVING THE PASTA GROUP COME ON MONDAY IN A SPECIAL CALLED MEETING TO DELIVER THE ANNUAL DEMOGRAPHIC REPORT THAT TAKES US THROUGH THE TEN YEAR PROJECTIONS AND ALSO DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE ACROSS THE DISTRICT, HOW THEY'VE RECEIVED THIS INFORMATION, HOW THEY'RE SHARING THAT INFORMATION WITH OUR BOUNDARY PLANNER. WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT NOT ONLY PASTA WILL BE THERE PRESENTING, BUT ALSO ZANDER WILL BE THERE. SO WHEN WE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES YOU HAVE AS TRUSTEES TO PROCESS THAT INFORMATION FROM PASTA, YOU'LL ALSO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BOUNDARY PLANNING PROCESS AS WELL.
AND THEN THE FIRST MEETING IS ON THE FIFTH. THAT MEETING IS IN PERSON.
BUT KIND OF THAT FIRST ROUND OF OF BOUNDARY PLANNING.
YOU, AS TRUSTEES, WILL RECEIVE THAT IN YOUR EMAIL AT THE SAME AROUND THE SAME TIME.
IF THIS WORKS WITH THE BOARD'S CALENDAR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY THE 18TH.
THAT WOULD GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK WITH FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMITTEE ON THAT BOUNDARY AND LET YOU ALL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROCESS THROUGH THAT, ASK QUESTIONS, PROVIDE INPUT LEADING INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING COMPONENT OF THE PLANNING PROCESS.
AND THAT'S WHEN WE GO TO THE COMMUNITY IMPACTED.
SO WE'LL BE OUT IN THE CRAWFORD FEEDER PATTERN AREA, ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY IN PERSON FOR FEEDBACK AND GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO SPEAK, ASK QUESTIONS, PROCESS THROUGH THAT, AND THEN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK THROUGH A VIRTUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR A WEEK FOR ANYONE WHO WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND, OR EVEN IF PEOPLE DID ATTEND, THEY CAN THEN GO BACK AND PROVIDE VIRTUAL FEEDBACK.
[03:10:07]
27TH. INFORMATION ABOUT THAT NEXT PHASE OF BOUNDARY PLANNING, WORKING TOWARD THAT ULTIMATE APPROVAL AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL.WHAT IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME WITH THE POLICY UPDATES? I MENTIONED THE MEMBERSHIP. THAT'S DIFFERENT. THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT ARE SIGNIFICANT.
THE OTHER THING THAT YOU WILL EXPERIENCE IS THE CHAIRPERSON FOR THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WILL SPEAK TO THE BOARD AND SHARE WITH YOU THE PROCESS, PROVIDE INPUT AND TELL YOU HOW IT HOW IT WENT, HOW THE RECOMMENDATION CAME TO BE AND HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATION AS AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE. SO THAT IS A IS A DIFFERENT COMPONENT OF THIS PROCESS.
SO WHERE ARE WE TODAY? WE'VE ENGAGED WITH THE BOUNDARY PLANNER.
WE ARE ENGAGING WITH THE COMMITTEE FOR THE FIRST REAL WORK SESSION THIS COMING WEEK.
THAT'S FOR THAT WORK SESSION. GEARING TOWARDS APPROVAL AT THAT APRIL 7TH MEETING.
THEN IT SAYS HERE IT WILL BE ENGAGING IN THAT LONGER RANGE, DISTRICT WIDE BOUNDARY PLANNING PROCESS THAT DOESN'T BEGIN IN APRIL, BUT IN APRIL, THAT'S WHEN IT WILL BE MORE PUBLIC FACING AND MORE WORK WITH THE SCHOOL BOUNDARY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
SO EVEN AS WE WORK THROUGH THE FERNDALE HENRY BOUNDARY, IT'S NOT AN ISOLATION OF THAT LONGER BOUNDARY PLANNING PROCESS OR THAT LONG RANGE, DISTRICT WIDE PROCESS. OUR GOAL IS NOT TO BRING YOU A BOUNDARY THAT THEN IN A YEAR, WOULD HAVE TO BE CHANGED WHEN WE GO THROUGH THAT DEEPER STUDY.
IT IS TO BRING SOMETHING THAT CAN SUSTAIN THROUGH THAT CHANGE AND MAKE SENSE WITH ANY CHANGES.
THAT WOULD BE A MORE DISTRICT WIDE PERSPECTIVE.
THAT'S WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU THIS EVENING. I REALLY DO LOOK FORWARD TO THIS WORK. IT IS MUCH NEEDED IN SO MANY AREAS ACROSS THIS DISTRICT, AS YOU ALL KNOW. ONE AREA IN PARTICULAR, THE NEAL COMMUNITY.
THAT IS ALSO GUIDED BY POLICY FC LOCAL. SO WE BRING THAT TO THE BOARD SOON AND THEN LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW WHAT THAT DECISION IS SO THAT WE CAN MANAGE THE UTILIZATION IN THAT AREA BEFORE MORE PLANNING IS CONDUCTED. THANK YOU, MISS MARTINEZ.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME BY THE BOARD, OR DO YOU GUYS WANT TO WAIT? MISS HAMMOND? I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
SO FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, MISS MARTINEZ, FOR THAT VERY BRIEF UPDATE.
ADVISORY IS IS IT ADVISORY? YES. IS THE A WRITE ADVISORY COMMITTEE? ARE THEY MEETING FACE TO FACE OR ZOOM? THEY'RE MEETING FACE TO FACE.
THAT'S GREAT. AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE FOLKS THAT STEPPED UP TO VOLUNTEER, BUT I JUST WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE. AND, BETH, IF I CAN RELY ON YOUR MEMORY.
SO I KNOW THAT WE'RE USING THE CENTRAL APPLICATION PROCESS.
SO THE CURRENT FOLKS WHO SOME HAD TO TRANSITION OFF BECAUSE IT DIDN'T WORK FOR THEM ANYMORE, CAN YOU REMIND WHEN THAT THAT CENTRAL APPLICATION PROCESS HAPPENED WHERE WE PULLED THE THE CURRENT SCHOOL BOUNDARIES COMMITTEE TOGETHER? YES. SO AS I MENTIONED, THAT COINCIDED WITH THE FIRST TIME WE WERE BRINGING THE THE BOUNDARY PLANNER TO THE BOARD.
AND SO THE PROCESS INITIALLY OPENED NOT ONLY FOR SBC BUT FOR ALL COMMITTEES.
WE STARTED THAT CENTRAL APPLICATION PROCESS IN THE FALL OF 2023.
AND SO WE WERE PREPARED TO BRING THAT TO THE BOARD AROUND THAT TIME.
WE PUSHED UNTIL JUNE, AND THEN THAT WE DID FINALLY BRING THE LIST FORWARD IN SEPTEMBER FOR APPROVAL.
OKAY. AND HAVE WE DONE ANOTHER CENTRAL APPLICATION PROCESS THIS YEAR FOR OTHER COMMITTEES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE DROPPED OFF? YES, THERE WERE A FEW TIMES IN IN SEPTEMBER. I THINK KYLE COULD MAYBE SPEAK TO THOSE DATES.
I WANT TO SAY THREE TIMES WHERE THERE WAS A PUSH. WHERE IS PILE? RIGHT HERE. THANK YOU. WHERE WE ASK THE COMMUNITY TO, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE INTERESTED AND IT IS OPEN ON THE WEBSITE, WE CAN CERTAINLY COMMUNICATE THAT THERE WAS INFORMATION SHARED IN A BOARD UPDATE THAT WE CAN RESURRECT SO THAT YOU ALL WILL HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND CAN GUIDE FOLKS ON WHERE TO
[03:15:08]
GO AS WELL. AND MAYBE PILE YOU CAN DID WE ALSO PUBLISH IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA? BECAUSE I THINK THAT MAYBE WHAT HAPPENED WAS IN SEPTEMBER, PARENTS ARE BOMBARDED BY.SO I THINK THERE ARE PARENTS THAT WANTED TO VOLUNTEER FOR THESE TYPES OF THINGS.
BUT IN SEPTEMBER, YOU'RE STILL KIND OF OVERWHELMED WITH THE BEGINNING OF SCHOOL HAPPENING HAPPENING.
SO SO JUST AS A FOLLOW UP, WHAT DO WE WHEN WE DO THE CENTRAL APPLICATION CALL RIGHT FOR VOLUNTEERS? ARE WE ARE WE WORKING ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS WELL, TRYING TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO THEIR EMAIL OR GIVING THEM DIFFERENT WAYS TO GET TO THAT APPLICATION. YES, ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S OUR GOAL TO PARTNER WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND THEN WE USE THE CENTRAL APPLICATION THROUGH VARIOUS STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE VERBIAGE THAT WILL INDICATE, HERE ARE ALL THE WAYS THAT YOU CAN ENGAGE WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, INCLUDING THE CENTRAL APPLICATION. BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY PUSH THAT OUT FURTHER.
RIGHT. AND I KNOW THAT'S PART OF THE PACK AND COMMUNICATION.
I JUST I WANT TO THINK OF, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT YOU GUYS IN MORE INVENTIVE WAYS SO THAT SOME PARENTS, NOT JUST FOR THIS COMMITTEE BUT FOR OTHER THINGS, AREN'T MISSING IT IN THE IN THE VOLUME OF EMAILS THAT THEY HAVE TO SORT THROUGH.
YEAH. SO LET ME I THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I REALLY, REALLY THIS IS, THIS IS A BIG ASK OF THE VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE ON THIS COMMITTEE BECAUSE IT WAS MR. HAMILTON, MYSELF AND ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER, AND THE STAFF WORKED VERY HARD ON FC LOCAL BECAUSE WE HEARD VOLUNTEERS NOT NECESSARILY FEELING THEY WERE PART OF THE PROCESS BACK WHEN WE DID IN 23, 22, 23.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WE REALLY PUT A LOT OF THOUGHT.
SO I'M GOING TO REALLY ASK THOSE VOLUNTEERS, I'M SURE IT WAS PART OF YOUR INTRODUCTION, BUT TO REALLY LOOK AND READ FC LOCAL, SO THEY REALLY UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS AND TO REALLY LOOK AT THE BECAUSE I KNOW YOU GUYS IN 2024 ALSO CREATED THE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AREA HANDBOOK. AND SO I JUST I KNOW THEY'RE ALREADY COMMITTING TIME, BUT THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT DISTRICT WIDE. WE'RE IMPACTING SO MANY FAMILIES AND KIDS.
I REALLY THIS IS JUST A CALL OUT TO THEM THAT I IMPLORE THEM TO TRY TO SPEND SOME TIME ON AN EVENING OR WEEKEND OR LUNCH TIME TO REALLY READ THROUGH THOSE. AND THEN THE OTHER THING THAT I REALLY, I REALLY ASK IS THAT THAT. YEAH. YOUR TIME THE THAT THE COMMITTEE, THE ADVISORY BOARD AND OUR STAFF AND POSSA AND I THINK MORE SO ZONDA IS THAT WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT PEOPLE AND KIDS AND NOT JUST PLANNING UNITS. RIGHT. BECAUSE WE HAD A PLANNING UNIT, AND I KNOW IT WAS JUST JUST A VERY BROAD STROKE AND A VERY PRELIMINARY RECOMMENDATION, BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING IN A PLANNING UNIT THAT WAS RECOMMENDED AT WILLOW RIDGE, AND IT MADE NO SENSE. WHEN YOU WENT AND LOOKED, IT WAS ACTUALLY THE LONGEST DISTANCE FOR SOMEBODY TO DRIVE FROM NEAL TO PECAN GROVE, AND IT LOOKED SO FABULOUS WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PLANNING UNIT AND THE PART.
BUT THERE'S NO ROAD LIKE DIXIE DEAD ENDS INTO A FENCE.
THIS IS HARD FOR THE BOARD. IT'S HARD FOR STAFF.
IT'S HARD FOR THE COMMITTEE. AND IT'S HARD FOR ALL OF OUR PARENTS AND STUDENTS.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MISS DAWSON. THAT WAS I DIDN'T INTEND TO SPEND THAT MUCH TIME.
BUT THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT TO A WHOLE LOT OF FOLKS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS HANNA. MR. GARCIA, THANK YOU.
SO THANK YOU FOR THIS THIS UPDATE. I GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY IN REGARDS TO, YOU KNOW, PROJECTIONS. AND I THINK I'D ASKED ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IN A BOARD UPDATE FOR ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS FOR FERNDALE.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU CAN'T REALLY PROVIDE THAT BECAUSE THERE'S NO THERE'S NO ATTENDANCE ZONE FOR IT.
[03:20:02]
RIGHT? SO ONCE THIS PROCESS IS COMPLETE, THEN WE'LL HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO START WORKING ON THE PROJECTIONS NEXT WEEK.I LOOK FORWARD TO TO THE WORKSHOP AND DIGGING INTO THE WORK.
AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 55, THE NEW COMMUNITY.
AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE ASKED MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CAP AND OVERFLOW SITUATION, AND I KNOW THAT DOCTOR SMITH, YOU ALL ARE ON IT AND VERY BEEN VERY RECEPTIVE. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE SPOKE AT THE TIME, FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THAT COMMITTEE.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO URGE THAT THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ALSO PAY VERY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE POLICY.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK THAT WE HAVE SOME CHALLENGES WITH IN THE PAST IS WHEN WE WOULD TRY TO DETERMINE SOME ATTENDANCE ZONES AND LIKE TRUSTEE HANNAN SAID THAT SOME THINGS JUST DIDN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE. BUT THEN THERE WAS SORT OF A CONFLICT BETWEEN WHAT MADE SENSE AND WHAT WAS IN POLICY.
AND SO THOSE ARE THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO WEIGH.
THE THE COMMUNITY HAS TO WEIGH THE THE COMMITTEE HAS TO WEIGH.
AND SO WHEN THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE COMING, AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THAT WE'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE ENGAGING NOW WITH THE COMMUNITY THAN I FELT LIKE WHEN, WHEN I WAS ON THE COMMITTEE YEARS AGO, IT WAS, I THINK, DURING COVID.
SO EVERYTHING WAS A LITTLE BIT MORE HANDS OFF.
IT WAS A MORE VIRTUAL, SO I FELT LIKE THE COLLABORATION WASN'T THERE.
SO I THINK THAT THE COLLABORATION ASPECT OF IT, BRINGING THINGS BACK IN HOUSE AND IN PERSON, IS GOING TO, I THINK, HELP THAT PROCESS AS WELL.
SO AND I AND I APPRECIATE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS. I KNOW ONE OF THE THINGS I HAD ASKED FOR IN THE PAST WAS THAT WE'RE DOING THOSE ALSO IN, IN PERSON. AND THEN THERE'S ALSO A COMPONENT THAT'S VIRTUAL.
SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA.
MISS JONES. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TYSON. THANK YOU, MISS MARTINEZ, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
TO CLARIFY FOR FC LOCAL, I WAS A PART OF THAT COMMITTEE WITH TRUSTEE HANNAN AND TRUSTEE HAMILTON, AND WE DUG DEEP INTO AND ACTUALLY EVALUATING AND LOOKING AT THAT POLICY SO THAT WE CAN HAVE SOME TYPE OF STRUCTURE OR GUIDANCE IN THIS PROCESS.
I APPRECIATE THE TRANSPARENCY OF HOW THIS IS SUPPOSED TO GO.
SO NO ONE WILL SAY, WELL, THEY DIDN'T TELL US OR WE DIDN'T KNOW.
WELL, HERE IT IS. OKAY, WELL, I MISSED THE MEETING.
WELL, WATCH THE MEETING. SO MY ONLY QUESTION HERE, BECAUSE THE FERNDALE.
SO THAT AFFECTS MY NEIGHBORHOOD, MY AREA. AND SO I THE PARENTS HAVE BEEN PRETTY COOL ABOUT IT.
I GAVE THEM NOTICE PUBLIC HEARING. I'M GLAD YOU GAVE THE DATE.
I JUST GIVE ME JUST MORE DETAILS FOR THAT DATE.
THAT'S ALL I ASK. AND THEY'RE VERY OPEN MINDED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF REZONING.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE BOUNDARY RECOMMENDATION.
AND THEY KNOW AND THEY ARE AWARE THAT IT'S COMING.
SO THERE'S NO SURPRISE ON THEIR END. SO THANK YOU.
SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT GOES IN A BOARD UPDATE. SO YOU ALL ARE EQUIPPED AS WELL. YES.
AND THEN ONCE THIS IS CHANGED I KNOW THAT WE HAVE NEW DEVELOPMENTS.
SO WE HAVE NEW HOME BUILDERS THAT ARE COMING OUT.
AND SO THAT HAS TO BE COMMUNICATED TO THEM AS WELL.
THANK YOU. SURE. THANK YOU, MISS JONES. SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR LAYING THAT FOUNDATION TODAY.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MONDAY. AND THE OTHER I'LL GIVE THE OTHER TRUSTEES AND WE'LL SEE IF WE CAN SCHEDULE THAT OTHER SPECIAL CALLED MEETING, BECAUSE I DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY THAT, WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO DIG INTO THE DATA AND HAVE A GOOD, ROBUST DISCUSSION ABOUT IT, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO WEIGH IN AND LISTEN AND GIVE US THEIR FEEDBACK, TOO. SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
AWESOME. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING TO PULL OFF. I, I1I1 WHICH IS THE FERNDALE.
[10. Consent Agenda]
[03:25:08]
OKAY. F TEN F. F GOT IT. THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT. YES. OKAY.ANYTHING ELSE? E O. OLIVER. OLIVER. IT'S JUST ONE.
SHOULD I SAY THE NUMBER? YEAH, JUST SAY THE NUMBER. I'M SORRY.
E7E7. ANYTHING ELSE? YES, PLEASE.
NINE A AND B NINE. THERE'S NO THERE'S NO. YOU'RE LOOKING IN THE OLD ONE.
TEN. YOU MEAN TEN A, TEN A AND B ORDER OF ELECTION FOR TRUSTEES AND THE DISTRICT.
PRIORITIES. GOALS. MISS HANNON, I'M SORRY. WE'RE LOOKING.
MR. SHOAFF AND I ARE LOOKING AT AN ITEM HE WANTS TO PULL.
I BELIEVE IT IS. I WAIT, BUT YOU. I NEED TO CLARIFY YOURS.
YOU. OH, YOU SAID THE WRONG NUMBER. SO YOU WANT ORDER OF ELECTION OF TRUSTEES? CORRECT. I SAID NINE A AND B 1010 A OH 1010 A.
IT IS DIFFERENT. YES. BECAUSE WE GOT AN UPDATED AGENDA.
REMEMBER OUR ACTION ITEM. I'M SORRY I'M LOOKING IN MY HANDOUT A AND B.
GOT IT. THANK YOU FOR CATCHING THAT. SORRY ABOUT THAT.
OKAY. AND THEN MR. SHOW I FOUR AND FIVE. HE'S LOOKING IN HIS BINDER ALSO.
SO THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE IT'S THE NUMBER THAT'S DIFFERENT.
SO FOUR IS THE FLOORING SERVICES. AND THEN FIVE IS THE REORGANIZATION AND BUDGET.
OKAY. GOT IT. OKAY. SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I MOTION.
MOTION. THIS IS GOING TO BE A GOOD ONE. CAN I JUST SAY ITEM.
CAN I JUST SAY APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA ACCEPT ITEMS AND THEN LIST THE ITEMS. CORRECT. YES. OKAY. I DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT THE OTHER WAY.
THAT WOULD TAKE TOO LONG. ALL RIGHT. MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS EXCEPT ITEMS I 110 F, E SEVEN, TEN A AND B, AND ITEM I FOUR AND FIVE AS PRESENTED. DO YOU HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY MR. HAMILTON. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? EXCEPT FOR THE ITEMS WE PULLED OFF? MISS JONES? NO OR YES? GOOD. YEAH. OKAY. I'M GOING TO JUST CLEAR MY QUEUE.
MISS HANNON, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? OKAY. SO I'M GOING TO CLEAR MY QUEUE AND WE'LL COME BACK.
OKAY. NO. GO AHEAD ON. GO AHEAD. OKAY. SO, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THE.
OKAY. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO PLEASE VOTE.
[10.A. Order of Election for Trustees]
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA ITEM TEN A AS PRESENTED.SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY MISS HANNON.
DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? MISS HANNON? YES. THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR GETTING ME THE MAP THAT I ASKED FOR AND FOR THE TRUSTEES THAT MAY NOT HAVE CAUGHT THAT.
IT WAS A MAP THAT SHOWED THE LOCATION OF OUR CAMPUSES.
WITH, YOU KNOW, WITHIN FORT BEND COUNTY, AND IT SHOWED THE ELECTION, THE EARLY ELECTION SITES, AND THEN IT SHOWED THE ELECTION DAY SITES. AND THIS IS SOMETHING SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD THAT I LOOK AT VERY, VERY CAREFULLY. AND AGAIN I'M GOING TO SAY THAT THIS IS MY OPINION.
AND WHILE OTHER TRUSTEES MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH ME THAT I WOULD HOPE THAT THEY RESPECT MY OPINION.
SO I KNOW THAT ALL OF THE EARLY VOTING SITES ARE NOT YET CONFIRMED.
IF I UNDERSTAND THAT CORRECTLY, THAT THAT THE DISTRICT IS WORKING WITH MR. OLDHAM AND MR. OLDHAM IS WORKING WITH FOLKS OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM PROVIDE THEIR FACILITY FOR VOTING. AND SO I LOOKED VERY CAREFULLY BECAUSE AT THE LAST MEETING I HAD REQUESTED, IF THERE IS ANY WAY WE COULD LOOK AT THE MUSTANG COMMUNITY CENTER,
[03:30:05]
AND I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT'S AVAILABLE FROM THE COUNTY.BUT THE REASON I DID THAT IS BECAUSE I SIT DOWN AND I LOOK, AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY VOTER IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS A SIMILAR CONVENIENCE UNIONS TO GO VOTE.
AND SO THIS TIME WHEN I LOOKED, I NOTICED THAT THIS BUILDING IS AN EARLY VOTING SITE.
SUGAR LAND CITY HALL IS AN EARLY VOTING SITE.
THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 4 MINUTE DRIVE APART.
AND SO I'M JUST SAYING THIS TO MY COLLEAGUES BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND SO THAT'S A VERY DIFFERENT KIND OF SITUATION.
AND SO, YEAH, THEY COULD GO SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT IT'S A 70.
IF THEY GO TO, TO TO BOWIE IT'S ABOUT 17 MINUTES.
AND IF THEY GO TO KATY. ANYWAY, I'D USE THAT TO JUST ILLUSTRATE THE POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND POPULATION DENSITY MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT.
BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT MAYBE BECAUSE THERE'S A MAYOR ELECTION, OR BECAUSE IT IS MORE CONVENIENT FOR CERTAIN FOLKS TO VOTE THAT THEY TURN OUT MORE. AND SO WHEN I LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, I LOOKED AT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE BEYOND BRAZOS BEND ELEMENTARY BECAUSE YOU CAN LOOK AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S SOME KIND OF LITTLE VOTE.
EARLY VOTING DESERTS, SO TO SPEAK. AND SO IT'S JUST REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THERE IS THERE IS A MOSQUE RIGHT THERE OFF OF 99 IN THE NEW TERRITORY AREA, BUT IT IS NOT AN EARLY VOTING SITE. IT IS A ELECTION DAY SITE.
BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LIMITED PIECE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE PAST BRAZOS BEND, GOING TO THE CTE IS, SAY, LESS CONVENIENT THAN IF I LIVE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT HERE IN FIRST COLONY.
AND I CAN PRETTY MUCH, YOU KNOW, THROW A DART IN ANY DIRECTION.
AND IN 4 TO 6 MINUTES I'M AT A VOTING LOCATION.
ONE IS WHEN STAFF. I DON'T KNOW IF STAFF GETS TO WORK WITH MR. OLDHAM. I KNOW HE'S A VERY KIND GENTLEMAN. HE'S.
HE'S VERY RESPONSIVE. I JUST ASK THAT WE LOOK AT THE CONVENIENCE AND IT BE AS CONVENIENT IN EARLY VOTING AS IT IS IN ELECTION DAY FOR ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES.
EAST SIDE, WEST SIDE AND CENTRAL. AND SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR SHARING THE MAP WITH ME.
IT WAS VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU, MISS TORSEN, FOR ALLOWING ME TIME TO SPEAK ON THAT.
THANK YOU, MISS HANNAN, MISS JONES. OKAY. SO I DECIDED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE EARLY VOTING SITES THAT WERE ADDED IN SEPTEMBER.
YEAH, SEPTEMBER NICE THAT WE DISCUSSED AND WE ACTUALLY VOTED ON.
AND THE REASON WHY THOSE DATES, THOSE LOCATIONS WERE ADDED WAS BECAUSE IT WAS A GENERAL AND IT WAS A BIGGER ELECTION FOR THE NOVEMBER ELECTION. SO THAT WAS MORE OF AN ANTICIPATED MORE VOTER TURNOUT.
HAVING SAID THAT SO I WAS LOOKING AT IT AND THEY ADDED, WHAT WAS IT, FIVE EARLY VOTING SITES. AND THEN ELECTION DAY, THEY ADDED 13 VOTING VOTING SITES BACK THEN.
AND THEN I WENT BACK AGAIN A YEAR AGO OR MAYBE TWO YEARS AGO, LOOKING AT WHAT ARE OUR STANDARDIZED TYPE, WHAT'S THE NORM FOR VOTING SITES? AND SO I WAS LOOKING AT IT AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, THEY MAY HAVE ADDED A FEW HERE AND THERE, BUT IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME OVER THE YEARS.
AND SO I'M NOT SURE WHY THE NECESSITY TO ADD MORE VOTING SITES.
THE CONVENIENCE IS BEING ABLE TO VOTE EARLY. BETWEEN APRIL 21ST AND APRIL 29TH, BETWEEN 7:00 AND 7 P.M. AND NO PERSON IS COMMITTED TO ONE VOTING LOCATION, THEY CAN GO ANYWHERE AND VOTE. AND SO IF THE COUNTY FEELS THAT THESE ARE THE MOST APPROPRIATE
[03:35:03]
SITES THE CONVENIENCE IS BEING ABLE TO FIND A WAY TO GET TO THE ONE THAT'S EITHER NEAREST OR MAYBE NEAR YOUR JOB OR NEAR YOUR HOME OR WHAT HAVE YOU.THAT'S THE POINT OF EARLY VOTING TO SAY, I KNOW WE DID.
AND I SAW THE RESPONSE ABOUT MUSTANG COMMUNITY CENTER IN THE BOARD UPDATE.
IT WAS JUST A SPOT TO GO VOTE. OKAY. AND IT WAS FUNNY BECAUSE I LIVE TWO MINUTES AWAY FROM CRAWFORD, AND I STILL GO TO HIGHTOWER, AND I COULD WALK TO CRAWFORD.
BUT IN MY MIND, GOING VOTING IS AT HIGHTOWER, OKAY? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S AN UNDERSTOOD TYPE THING THAT WE GO TO HIGHTOWER TO EARLY VOTE OR TO VOTE.
AND MOST WITH ME, I PASS CRAWFORD RIGHT UP AND GO RIGHT ALL THE WAY OVER TO HIGHTOWER.
SO BUT THAT'S THE CONVENIENCE OF EARLY VOTING IS BEING ABLE TO GO TO ANY LOCATION, RATHER THAN BEING JUST COMMITTED TO JUST ONE. AND SO I'M FOR THIS, AND I THINK WE SHOULD JUST GO AHEAD ON AND MOVE FORWARD.
THANK YOU, MISS JONES. PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT UP IS ITEM TEN.
BE DISTRICT PRIORITIES, GOALS AND STRATEGIES.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, APPROVE ITEM TEN B AS PRESENTED.
[10.B. District Priorities, Goals, and Strategies]
WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY DOCTOR GILLIAM.DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION, MISS HAMMOND? ALL I WANT TO SAY IS THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE THE TEAM TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND TO THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT CAME TOGETHER TO CREATE THIS.
I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD FOR OVER FOUR YEARS, AND THIS IS REALLY, TO ME, THE FIRST TIME THAT IT WAS AN ACTUAL EFFORT OF THE FULL BOARD AND OF WITH WITH MANY TEAM MEMBERS INVOLVED.
AND I JUST APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE BY EVERYONE.
AND I SUPPORT THIS. THANK YOU, MISS TYSON. THANK YOU, MISS HANNON.
PLEASE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT UP IS ITEM TEN E SEVEN, WHICH IS C E C K E A LOCAL.
[10.E.7. CKE/CKEA (Local) - Safety Program/Risk Management: Security]
THE SAFETY PROGRAM. RISK MANAGEMENT. SECURITY.MAY I HAVE A MOTION? MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
APPROVE ITEM TEN E SEVEN AS PRESENTED. SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY MISS HANNON.
DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION, MR. HAMILTON? YES. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COUPLE QUICK QUESTIONS.
SO I MEAN QUICK COMMENTS. SO I GENERALLY TRY TO BE CAREFUL WHEN DISCUSSING SCHOOL SAFETY ISSUES.
I THINK THAT HELPS A LITTLE BIT. IT HELPS ONE OF MY TWO CONCERNS THE OTHER CONCERN, I STILL FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD TWEAK THE LANGUAGE OF THE PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT. I DON'T FEEL STRONGLY ENOUGH TO EITHER TRY TO REWRITE IT TONIGHT.
TO EVERYONE'S RELIEF. BUT I AND I, AND I ALSO DON'T FEEL STRONGLY ENOUGH TO VOTE NO, BUT I DO THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT TWEAKING THE NEXT TIME THIS POLICY COMES BEFORE THE POLICY COMMITTEE.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO CHIEF WRITER AND TO THE COMMUNITY THAT I HAVE A VERY HIGH LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE IN YOUR ABILITY TO DO THE JOB, AND I REALLY APPRECIATED THE WAY THAT YOU PHRASED, YOU KNOW, IN RESPONSE TO THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ASKED.
THAT'S A THAT'S A HIGH PROBABILITY THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN EVERY DAY. AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT YOU WHAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THE EXTENSIVE TRAINING THAT OUR OFFICERS GO THROUGH AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO THAT YOU'RE ALSO YOU'RE THERE'S THERE'S NO SECOND STATUS TO THE SCHOOL SAFETY AND THE STUDENT AND STAFF SAFETY COMPONENTS.
SO I HAVE A HIGH LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE IN YOUR ABILITY TO DO THAT AND TO BALANCE THOSE TWO COMPONENTS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT SAME BALANCE IN THE PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT IS THE ISSUE THAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT, WHICH I DON'T THINK I COMMUNICATED AS CLEARLY AS I HOPE TO.
SO IF YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO THAT, YOU CAME TO THE MIC, BUT OKAY.
[03:40:02]
WELL, I CAME TO THE MIC. UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.YOU'RE WELCOME. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON, MISS HANNON. SO I RESPECT YOUR OPINION ON THAT, BUT I DO I THINK WHERE WE LANDED AND I APPRECIATED MISS TYSON'S SORT OF WORDSMITHING AT THE LAST MEETING CHANGING IT TO READ AS AN EDUCATOR'S MINDSET.
I KNOW THAT'S PERHAPS NOT THE PIECE YOU'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT, BUT I THINK WHERE WE LANDED IS APPROPRIATE FOR THIS, THIS POLICY, AND I'LL SUPPORT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS HANNON.
MR. SHOAF. I'LL ECHO WHAT MR.. OR MR. HAMILTON SAID.
I, I DON'T LIKE IT. I DON'T LIKE IT ENOUGH TO VOTE AGAINST IT.
SO I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR IT TONIGHT. BUT I STILL VERY, VERY STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT A POLICEMAN'S MINDSET AND MENTALITY FIRST AND FOREMOST SHOULD BE FOR THE WORST POSSIBLE CASE SCENARIO? EVERYTHING ELSE COMES SECOND TO THAT.
THE WHOLE PURPOSE THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS ALLOWS SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO COMMISSION PEACE OFFICERS IS FOR THE WORST CASE SCENARIOS, AND THAT SHOULD BE FRONT LOADED IN EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER'S BRAIN.
IF YOU PUT ON THE PUT ON A YOU PUT ON A UNIFORM, A BADGE AND A GUN, YOU KNOW, YOU POSSIBLY HAVE TO USE THAT COMMAND PRESENCE IN THAT FIREARM ONE DAY. AND IT'S WE HOPE IT NEVER HAPPENS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER NEEDS TO ACT AND THINK LIKE, TODAY IS THE DAY.
THIS IS THIS IS THE DAY THAT THAT THE WORST IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
AND YOU NEED TO BE, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEBODY'S GOING TO WEAR THAT UNIFORM, THEY NEED TO BE MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY PREPARED FOR THE WORST CASE SCENARIO AND BEING ABLE TO RISE TO THE OCCASION TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.
I ALSO FEAR THAT IF THERE'S A SITUATION LIKE UVALDE, WHERE THERE ARE OFFICERS WHO DON'T RISE TO THE OCCASION THAT THIS, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD PREVENT THEM FROM SAYING, OH, WELL, YOU KNOW, MY POLICY SAYS MY FIRST, YOU KNOW, I SHOULD HAVE AN EDUCATOR'S MINDSET, NOT A SHEEPHERDER SHEEPDOG, YOU KNOW, MINDSET.
SO BUT I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE CONSIDERATION.
BUT IT'S BETTER THAN IT WAS BEFORE. THANK YOU, MR. SHOW. I APPRECIATE THAT. AND AND I HEAR YOU. AND AS A 34 YEAR VETERAN OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT OUR OFFICERS ARE WELL PREPARED, WELL EQUIPPED, AND READY TO RESPOND.
AND FURTHER DOWN IN THE POLICY, IT TALKS ABOUT OUR POLICE AUTHORITY AND DUTIES.
THE MINDSET PART AT THE TOP IS JUST WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR TO HIRE BECAUSE WE ARE AROUND STUDENTS, WE'RE AROUND KIDS. AND SO THAT THAT IS A DIFFERENT MENTALITY IN MY OPINION.
28 YEARS OF SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICE WORK. I'M LOOKING FOR A POLICE OFFICER WHO IS ABLE TO CONNECT WITH STUDENTS AND BE MENTORS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHILE IN ADDITION TO HAVING THAT SHEEPDOG MINDSET THAT YOU TALK ABOUT AND THEN WE KNOW ABOUT THROUGH OUR TRAINING. RIGHT. SO THIS DOESN'T EXCUSE AN OFFICER FROM NOT PERFORMING THEIR DUTIES.
I THINK IT JUST HELPS US. DEFINE WHAT TYPE OF OFFICERS WE'RE LOOKING FOR, BECAUSE WE KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE AROUND KIDS EVERY, EVERY DAY, PEOPLE'S KIDS, AND WE'RE SWORN TO PROTECT THEM.
AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY TO THAT. WELL SAID.
THANK YOU. CHIEF. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT UP IS ITEM TEN F AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT SUB RECIPIENT AGREEMENT.
[10.F. American Rescue Plan Act Subrecipient Agreement]
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, APPROVE.ITEM TEN F AS PRESENTED. SECOND. OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY MISS HANNON. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION, MISS JONES? YES. I ASKED FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM TO BE TAKEN OFF OF CONSENT AGENDA BECAUSE THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST ON MY BEHALF. AND SO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ABSTAIN FROM VOTING.
[03:45:01]
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS JONES, FOR LETTING US KNOW.ITEM PASSES SIX IN FAVOR AND ONE ABSTENTION. NEXT UP IS ITEM TEN I1.
THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR FERNDALE. HENRY. RENOVATIONS AND ADDITIONS.
[10.I.1. Additional Funding for Ferndell Henry Renovations & Additions (BP004)]
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE ITEM TEN I1 AS PRESENTED.WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY DOCTOR GILLIAM.
DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION OR DID I? MR. GARCIA.
THANK YOU. SO, THE LAST BOARD MEETING I HAD SOME QUESTIONS IN REGARDS TO THE BUDGET HIGHLIGHTING THE APPROVED BUDGET AND HOW IT WASN'T ALIGNING WITH THE INTERNAL BUDGETS AND HOW WE WERE GOING INTO CONTINGENCY ON WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS WHAT WE HAD AND IT WAS AN ALL IN NUMBER. AND THINKING THAT WE HAD WITH THE ISSUES WITH THE INFLATION ON OUR MAJOR PROJECTS AND HAVING TO GO BACK AND APPROVE ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR THE SCHOOLS. AND CLEMENS AND THEN GETTING THIS ITEM.
THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK ALL THE TRUSTEES WE TOOK NOTE OF, AND I KNOW WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME BEATING THIS, THIS ISSUE UP THE LAST, THIS LAST WEEK. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTIONS.
AND THANK YOU, DOCTOR SMITH, FOR, YOU KNOW, GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH US AND WITH TRUSTEE HAMILTON.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU KNOW, THE CHALLENGE IS THE OBVIOUS QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, THE APPROVED BUDGET BY THE BOARD WAS NOT CONSISTENT.
AND IT'S SORT OF ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE DIGGING THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE KNOW Y'ALL DIDN'T CREATE THE THE CHALLENGES AND THE PROBLEMS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DISCUSSED IS WE MAY SEE SOME OF THESE CONTINUE TO TO SURFACE, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTIONS. AND THEN SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I ASKED IN REGARDS TO IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WE CAN DO PARTIAL FFA FOR THE STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE THERE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHO'S GOING TO BE THERE UNTIL WE GO THROUGH THE BOUNDARY PROCESS, WE STILL NEED TO APPROVE THE FURNITURE AND ALL THE MATERIALS AND ALL THE YOU KNOW, FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO THIS WAS DEFINITELY A STRUGGLE. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE KIND OF OBVIOUSLY AT THE POINT OF NO RETURN IN THE SENSE THAT WE DO NEED TO GET THIS APPROVED. I FEEL JUST IN LIGHT OF KIND OF WHERE WE ARE, I KNOW THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH OUR CHALLENGES WITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 55.
AND SO WHILE THIS NUMBER IS A COUPLE OF MILLION DOLLARS OFF FROM WHERE WE WANT IT TO BE, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY IS VERY MUCH AWARE AND PAYING ATTENTION, I THINK A LOT MORE THAN THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE HARVEST GREEN COMMUNITY.
AND SO WHEN WHEN THE THE AGENDA COMES OUT AND THE ALL THE DOCUMENTS ARE POSTED, THAT'S THE FIRST THING PEOPLE DO IS THEY'LL LOOK AT IT AND THEN THEY'LL GO LOOK AT THE DASHBOARD AND THEN THEY'LL SEE THAT THERE'S SOME DISCREPANCIES. AND SO IF WE COULD AT LEAST MAKE SURE THAT THOSE TWO THINGS ARE IN SYNC AND IF THEY'RE NOT IN SYNC, THEN THERE'S AN OBVIOUS ISSUE. AND THEN THAT'S WHERE THE QUESTIONS COME UP. AND THEN WE CAN IDENTIFY THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
AND SO I DO APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S DUE DILIGENCE DIGGING IN BECAUSE WE REALLY DUG IN ON THIS ONE.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT UP AND ADDRESS THAT.
I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE, THE INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS WE'VE HAD WITH THE COMMUNITY TO LET MY COLLEAGUES KNOW SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING. AND OBVIOUSLY THE LAST BOARD UPDATE ON FRIDAY WAS IT WAS THE RICK GARCIA SHOW.
IT WAS ALL MOST OF THE QUESTIONS CAME FROM ME, I NOTICED.
AND SO I DO APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND YOUR DUE DILIGENCE AND GETTING BACK TO US.
[03:50:01]
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. MR. HAMILTON.YES. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. SO, JUST FOR OUR CLARITY AND ALSO FOR THE COMMUNITY'S CLARITY, I WANTED TO ASK. SO WE WE GOT A HELPFUL LITTLE BREAKDOWN OF THIS ISSUE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THIS RIGHT. SO THE THE $1.3 MILLION THAT IS CURRENTLY ALLOCATED FOR THE FIXED FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT, THAT'S WHAT FFA IS, RIGHT? YEAH. THE FIXED FURNITURE FIXTURES.
FIXTURES FIXTURES FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT. FIXTURES, FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT.
SO THAT 1.3 MILLION WAS ORIGINALLY IN THE BUDGET AS OF JUNE 2023.
IS THAT CORRECT? YES, SIR. YES, SIR. AND THEN.
SO THE 2.3 MILLION HERE RAISES THAT TO $3.6 $6 MILLION.
AND SO BASICALLY I UNDERSTAND THAT THE SO THE LEADERSHIP TEAM IN PLACE NOW INHERITED A VERY LARGE MESS WITH THE WHOLE BOND SITUATION. BUT SO JUST FOR CLARITY SO WE THE THE INITIALLY IT WAS BUDGETED $1.3 MILLION WHEN THE, WHEN THE ACTUAL NEED IS MORE LIKE $3.6 MILLION.
YES, SIR. AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE VOTING TO ALLOCATE FROM CONTINGENCY FUNDS.
YES. AND IF I MAY, YES. WALK YOU ALL THROUGH A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU.
SO GOOD EVENING. SO THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU HAVE THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS ONE, THE ONE PAGER, IT'S JUST TO WALK YOU THROUGH THE TIMELINE, WOULD YOU? THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. CAN WE PUT THAT ON THE SCREEN? IS THERE A WAY TO DO THAT OR. NO, NOT NOT QUICKLY.
PROBABLY. PROBABLY NOT QUICKLY. BUT JUST TO WALK YOU THROUGH THAT.
THE THE THE THE FIRST ITEM, THE THE CAPITAL PLAN BUDGET.
ONE OF ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT'S COME UP. AND SO JUST TO CLARIFY FOR THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND ALSO OTHERS WHO HAVE ASKED THAT SAME QUESTION THE $18 MILLION THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED THAT WAS THE ORIGINAL BUDGET. IT SHOWED UP ON LOTS OF DOCUMENTS, THE ONE PAGER.
BUT THAT WAS NOT THE BUDGET THAT WAS VOTED ON IN JUNE.
AND SO WHEN THAT OCCURRED, AN ADDITIONAL $2.3 MILLION WAS ADDED TO THE 18 MILLION CAPITAL PROJECT.
AND THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT US TO THAT 20 MILLION, 20.3 MILLION THAT WAS VOTED ON BY THE BOARD.
AND A PORTION, A PORTION OF THAT WAS THE CONSTRUCTION BUDGET AND APPROVED.
YES, IT WAS VOTED ON AND APPROVED BY THE BOARD.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT GOT US TO THAT $14.7 MILLION FOR CONSTRUCTION, WHICH YOU SEE IN BOX TWO.
THERE WAS A NEED. THERE WAS A GAP THERE. AND SO I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE TEAM, THE CURRENT TEAM WAS ABLE TO FIND THROUGH THAT PROCESS WAS OUR PLAYGROUND, OUR STANDARDS FOR PLAYGROUND.
I'LL USE THAT ONE AS ONE EXAMPLE. THERE WAS FUNDS THERE.
HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT WITH THE STANDARDS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT ON, ON ON LAST MEETING.
AND SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS TOGETHER TOTALED TO BE ABOUT $3.5 MILLION.
SO THAT BROUGHT OUR NEW CONSTRUCTION BUDGET TO THAT 18.2, AND THE TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET MOVED TO RIGHT OVER 23,000,023 EIGHT, ALMOST 24. AND SO I DO WANT TO CLARIFY, AS IT RELATES TO THE, THE BOND DASHBOARD THAT IS AN AREA WHICH WE TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE SURE WHAT IS THERE ALIGNS.
AND SO YOU ALSO HAVE ANOTHER DOCUMENT THAT LOOKS LIKE THIS.
AND WE'VE RECEIVED SOME QUESTIONS, OF COURSE, FROM YOUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES, BUT ALSO FROM OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AND SO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW THAT HAPPENED HERE. SO THAT SO THAT WE'RE CLEAR AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR WAYS THROUGH.
AND ALSO WITH A NEWSLETTER FOR FOR THE BOND PROJECTS THAT WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO OUR BOARD SO THAT YOU'LL KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING BEHIND THE BEHIND THE SCENES.
AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT DOCUMENT THIS IS A PROJECT SUMMARY.
AND IF YOU IF I DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE BOX THAT'S IN RED THAT'S THE CURRENT PROJECT BUDGET, THAT $23.8 MILLION. WHAT HAPPENS ON THE DASHBOARD DEPENDING ON WHICH TYPE OF VIEW YOU'RE LOOKING AT, RIGHT? YOU CAN PRESS THAT LITTLE PLUS SIGN AND YOU CAN EXPAND.
YOU CAN CONDENSE. AND SO DEPENDING ON THE VIEW THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT WILL DETERMINE IF IT IS TOTALING COLUMNS TOGETHER FOR YOU AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, D AND E IS THE CONSTRUCTION BUDGET.
AND SO I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE 3 MILLION.
BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE DASHBOARD TODAY IT SAYS THAT THERE'S $3 MILLION IN FFA.
[03:55:04]
AND I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHY THAT IS. SO WHEN WE CAME TO YOU IN JUNE OF 2024 AND ASKED FOR THAT ADDITIONAL $3.5 MILLION AS WE BEGIN OUR WORK AS IT RELATES TO THE CONSTRUCTION, YOU'LL NOTICE TO THE FAR RIGHT SIDE WHERE IT SAYS DASHBOARD, THERE ARE SOME NUMBERS IN RED THERE, RIGHT. AND SO THIS PROJECT IN ACTUALITY, THAT 19 THAT -$19,721 THAT'S LISTED THERE, WE MOVE THAT IN THE BACKGROUND BECAUSE WE CAN DO THAT RIGHT WITHIN THE BUDGET.WE ARE MOVING THINGS IN THE BACKGROUND TO TAKE CARE OF CARE OF OTHER ITEMS. SO IF IT'S UNDER THE BUDGET, THEN WE CAN MOVE IT WITHIN THAT PROJECT. IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE DASHBOARD, YOU DON'T KNOW THAT. SO WE ARE WORKING INTERNALLY TO SAY HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE WHEN THINGS LIKE THAT ARE HAPPENING? BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT, BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T TRUST WHAT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND.
RIGHT. AND SO YOU'LL SEE THAT 1.6 MILLION, WHICH IS THE LARGER AMOUNT THAT TOGETHER WITH THE 1.3 THAT WE ORIGINALLY HAD BUDGETED FOR FFA BROUGHT US TO THAT $3 MILLION. WE NEED THAT THAT WE NEED THAT BACK OVER IN CONSTRUCTION.
SO RIGHT NOW IT WAS SITTING OVER IN FFA BECAUSE THE TEAM REALIZED THAT THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT FUNDS FOR THE FURNITURE, THE FIXTURES, ALL OF THE EQUIPMENT THAT'S NEEDED TO BE PREPARED FOR STUDENTS.
AND SO THAT IS WHY IT LOOKS LIKE THAT, THAT 1.6 MILLION GOES BACK TO THE CONSTRUCTION SIDE, AND WE WILL BE UPDATING THAT AS OF TOMORROW. YOU'LL SEE IT UPDATED ON THE ON THE DASHBOARD.
AND THAT IS WHY WE STILL HAVE THAT NEED FOR $2.3 MILLION.
DOES THAT HELP? OKAY. THANK YOU. THAT'S THAT'S REALLY HELPFUL.
SO NEXT QUESTION. SO I'M GOING OFF MY MEMORY HERE, BUT IF MY MEMORY IS CORRECT.
SO I'VE GOT THE THE IMAGE IN MY MIND FROM THE FERNDALE FOOTPRINT.
WE EXPANDED THE FOOTPRINT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO, TO HAVE MORE CAPACITY THERE.
CORRECT OR. NO. FERNDALE. HENRY. THE CAPACITY IS ACTUALLY SMALLER.
IT'S 720 STUDENTS. THE CAPACITY IS 720. YES. OKAY.
SO WE WE DID NOT EXPAND THE ACTUAL FOOTPRINT.
NO WE DID. WE EXPANDED THE FOOTPRINT. BUT IT'S TO 720.
THE CAPACITY IS 720. CORRECT. YES. RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.
IT'S NOT. OKAY. SO SO THE EXPANDED FOOTPRINT INCREASED TO 720.
SO. RIGHT. THE 720 COME UP. MAKE SURE WE GIVE YOU THE CORRECT INFORMATION.
HE GAVE ME A HEAD NOD. YES, THAT'S SUFFICIENT FOR ME.
ONE OF YOUR COMMENTS. OKAY. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
YES. THE CAPACITY RIGHT NOW THAT WE'VE CALCULATED IS 721 STUDENTS FOR FERNDALE.
HENRY. WE DID ADD A SPACE FOR PRE-K AND K CLASSROOMS AS WELL AS EXTENDED LEARNING.
WE ALSO INCREASED THE SIZE OF THE CAFETERIA AND THE LIBRARY TO ACCOMMODATE, IN THE FUTURE, A THOUSAND STUDENTS. SO IT'S WHAT WE CALL A 1000 STUDENT CORE, BUT THE ACTUAL CAPACITY ON IN AUGUST 2025 WILL BE 721 STUDENTS. OKAY. YEAH. SO SO I KNOW WE WE WE HAD THE CONVERSATION TWO WEEKS, TWO WEEKS AGO ABOUT MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACKING.
AND SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MONEY MONDAY MORNING MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK.
SO IN HINDSIGHT, WE LEARNED, I THINK IT WAS FEBRUARY WHEN THE DOLLAR AMOUNT WAS $162 MILLION, THAT THE BOND WAS PROJECTED TO BE OVER BUDGET.
AND THEN FROM FEBRUARY THROUGH SOMETIME IN THE SUMMER, WE HAD SEVERAL VOTES WHERE WE ALLOCATED ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO THE THREE NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS FROM CONTINGENCY. AND SO I THINK NOW IT'S ALMOST CERTAINLY TOO LATE FOR US TO REDUCE CAPACITY OR REDUCE SCOPE FOR THE THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
BUT I THINK BEFORE WE ALLOCATED THOSE, BEFORE WE HAD THE VOTES TO TO ALLOCATE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM CONTINGENCY, I THINK WE WE LIKELY HAD TIME AT THAT POINT TO TO AT LEAST HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT POSSIBLY REDUCING CAPACITY.
SO WE HAD THE ISSUE WHERE I THINK IT WAS 127,000 SQUARE FOOT IS WHAT WE PLANNED, BUT WE BUDGETED FOR 100,000FT² AT THE TWO NEW CONSOLIDATION ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. AND SO I THINK IN HINDSIGHT, I THINK IT WAS DEFINITELY IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE WE SHOULD HAVE ASKED HARDER QUESTIONS, I THINK AS TRUSTEES AND I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE HAD A A CONVERSATION AMONG THE ADMINISTRATION AND TRUSTEES AND ALSO HAD OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
AND SO WE'LL HAVE A BETTER GRASP OF THINGS AT THAT POINT.
[04:00:07]
ON THOSE THREE PROJECTS. AND THEN THAT MAY HAVE AFFECTED SOME OF THE OTHER DECISIONS THAT WE'VE HAD TO MAKE.SO IN ONE SENSE, THAT'S WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE.
WE MADE THOSE DECISIONS. WE CAN'T GO BACK AND UNDO THEM. IN ANOTHER SENSE, I THINK WE AS TRUSTEES AND ADMINISTRATORS AND THE COMMUNITY, WE NEED TO LEARN FROM THOSE AND AND TRY TO MAKE BETTER DECISIONS GOING FORWARD.
SO AND ONCE YOU PROVIDED THE DOCUMENTATION TO SHOW THAT THE 20.3 MILLION, I THINK IT WAS, YEAH, 20.3 MILLION DATED BACK TO JUNE 2023. SO FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT KNOW THIS OR MAY NOT HAVE IT AT THE TOP OF YOUR MIND.
AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I EITHER DIDN'T REALIZE AT THE TIME OR HAVE FORGOTTEN.
I'VE SLEPT A LOT OF TIMES SINCE THEN. SO WE SHIFTED RIGHT AWAY.
WE SHIFTED $32 MILLION FROM THE DEFICIENCIES TO MAJOR PROJECTS.
AND AND SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK SO THE THE PROJECTED OVERAGE AND ALL THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
SO THIS KIND OF MADE ME THINK THAT AS A QUESTION I SHOULD HAVE ASKED PREVIOUSLY.
WE REALIZED WE'RE GOING TO NEED MORE MORE FUNDS ON THE MAJOR PROJECT SIDE.
AND SO AS WE LOOK TO POTENTIALLY BRING BACK SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE ELIMINATED CAN WE DO ANOTHER SHIFT FROM THE DEFICIENCY SIDE TO THE MAJOR PROJECT SIDE IS KIND OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YES. I'M GOING TO ASK MR. GWYNN THAT SHIFT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, IF YOU'LL COME UP AND TALK ABOUT THAT WITH THE IRS REGULATIONS.
OKAY. SO YOU'RE REFERENCING SHIFTING FUNDS FROM MAJOR MAINTENANCE TYPE ITEMS OVER TO ANY TYPE OF OTHER BOND PROJECTS. ANY TYPE OF SHIFTING OF FUNDING THAT THE BOARD WOULD LIKE TO DO.
SO LONG AS IT WAS, IS WITHIN THE SAME PROPOSITION.
THE BOARD DOES HAVE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT. NOW, WE WOULD NEED TO WORK WITH BOND COUNSEL TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INTENT OF THE BONDS WOULD MEET THAT. BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, OUR BOND COUNSEL HAS WRITTEN THE BOND ELECTION ORDER BROAD ENOUGH FOR YOU ALL TO HAVE THAT TYPE OF FLEXIBILITY.
BECAUSE IN SOME CASES, AS WE'VE SEEN HISTORICALLY, THINGS CHANGE FROM THE TIME THAT THE ELECTION HAPPENS TO THE POINT WHERE CONSTRUCTION NEEDS TO START. AND SO THAT'S THE INTENTION BEHIND THEM, GIVING YOU ALL THAT FLEXIBILITY IN THE BOND ORDERS AS THEY GO FORWARD FOR ELECTION.
OKAY. THANK YOU. SO YEAH, WITH THE THE TERMINOLOGY IN THE DOCUMENT THAT WE THAT WE PROVIDED.
THE DISTINCTION WAS MAJOR PROJECTS VERSUS DEFICIENCIES. BUT YES, IT'S THE THE MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.
YES. SO BUT I WAS TRYING TO GET MORE AT YOU KNOW, THE KEY QUESTION, I THINK IS MORE OF THE, THE GUYS BEHIND YOU QUESTION. SO, SO WE, WE, WE WERE IN A POSITION WHERE WE HAD A SIGNIFICANT BOND OVERAGE DUE TO USING OUTDATED COST PROJECTIONS WITH THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.
AND SO I WON'T SPEAK FOR ANYBODY ELSE. I THINK I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE UP HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE AT LEAST ONE, IF NOT IDEALLY, ALL THREE OF THOSE PROJECTS POTENTIALLY COME BACK INTO PLAY WITH THE EXISTING BOND FUNDING THAT WE HAVE IN THE 2023 BOND.
AND SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT IS WE, YOU KNOW, WE BUDGETED KIND OF KIND OF A SET AMOUNT FOR EACH OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS, WHICH GAVE US KIND OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT THAT'S DESIGNATED MAJOR PROJECTS.
AND THEN WE DESIGNATED THE DEFICIENCIES SLASH MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.
AND THEN A MONTH AFTER THE BOND PASSED, WE SHIFTED $32 MILLION TO COVER WHETHER IT'S IRS REGULATIONS AND OR WE DID I THINK I THINK THERE WAS MORE DETAILED BUDGETING THAT THAT DROVE SOME OF THAT.
THE COST PROJECTIONS ON THE MAJOR PROJECTS. AND SO I'M JUST KIND OF GETTING AT WE'VE WE'RE STILL WE'RE STILL DOING ALL THESE PROJECTS ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
[04:05:08]
BRING SOME OF THE SOME OF THE MAJOR PROJECTS BACK INTO PLAY? TRUSTEE.WE CAN DEFINITELY TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. HOWEVER, I WOULD LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT TEN, I THINK, PROJECTS AT THIS POINT. THAT HAVE NOT BEGUN.
AND MANY OF OUR PROJECTS ARE EITHER UNDER CONSTRUCTION, ARE FAIRLY FAR ALONG IN DEVELOPMENT.
SO BUT WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND GET BACK WITH YOU TO SEE.
YOU CAN. I THINK IT WILL BE FROM A PROJECT BUDGET PERSPECTIVE WHERE WE ARE NOW, IS IT FISCALLY POSSIBLE? AND THE ANSWER TO THAT MAY BE NO. AND IF I MAY ADD ONE MORE THING, I FAIL TO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IF IF STARTING FROM THE VERY BEGINNING I WAS TALKING TO THE TEAM EARLIER TODAY AND WE WERE DISCUSSING HOW PLANS DON'T MEAN ANYTHING.
AND WE ALL KNOW WE STARTED WITH 5 MILLION. RIGHT.
IN THE CONTINGENCY. AND SO WE STARTED, YOU KNOW, NOT WITH WHAT WE NEEDED.
BUT OVER 17 MILLION HAS BEEN ADDED TO CONTINGENCY.
SO WE KNEW WE ONLY HAVE 5 MILLION. HOW DO WE GET MORE THERE? AND WE COMMIT TO YOU ALL. WE WILL NEVER BRING ANYTHING TO YOU AND REQUEST CONTINGENCY.
THAT'S NOT A NEED, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO SHARPEN OUR PENCIL, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THE HARD WORK, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS MONEY REMAINING IN CONTINGENCY FOR SOME OF THOSE ITEMS THAT THAT WE'VE COMMITTED TO OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE ARE NOT FULFILLING AT THIS TIME. AND SO WE DO COMMIT THAT TO YOU.
OKAY. THANK YOU. SO ONE LAST QUESTION IF I CAN.
SO I KNOW WHEN WE DID THE BOND PLANNING PROCESS SO EACH PROJECT, ESPECIALLY THE LARGER PROJECTS, HAS A CONTINGENCY AMOUNT FOR THAT SPECIFIC PROJECT.
AND THEN WE HAD SOME CONTINGENCY FOR THE OVERALL BOND.
SO ONCE WE GOT TO THE $162 MILLION THAT WAS PROJECTED TO BE THE THE EITHER THE COST OVERAGE OR THE BUDGET SHORTFALL, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO SAY IT. SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT.
I'M READING YOUR YOUR HEAD NODS. YOU CAN PROBABLY SAY IT BETTER THAN I WAS TRYING TO.
YEAH. PROGRAM CONTINGENCY AND PROJECT CONTINGENCY.
SO THERE IS CONTINGENCY BUILT IN EACH PROJECT.
THE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE WHEN WE SAY BOND CONTINGENCY IS THE PROGRAM CONTINGENCY.
AND AS MISS BROWN STATED WHEN WE STARTED, WE STARTED WITH $5 MILLION.
AND IT IDEALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING CLOSE TO 5%, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN NORTH OF 50 MILLION.
SO WE STARTED THE $1.26 BILLION BOND PROJECT, WITH LESS THAN ONE HALF OF 1% IN BOND CONTINGENCY.
NO. NOT EXACTLY. SORRY, I WAS NOT ON. SO IT'S KIND OF A YES AND NO.
SO YES, I GUESS IT ATE UP THE SPECIFIC CONTINGENCY IN EACH PROJECT, BUT IT DID NOT EAT UP THE.
OKAY. NO. NO, SIR. SO THE WHEN WE WERE TALKING THE OVERAGE.
YEAH. SO THE 162 MILLION WAS ACTUALLY. YEAH. SO THAT'S COMPARING THE BOTTOM LINE FOR EACH PROJECT COMPARED TO THE BUDGET APPROVED BUDGET TO THE ESTIMATES THAT WE WERE RECEIVING AT THAT TIME. OKAY.
I THINK I UNDERSTAND YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON. MR. SHOAF. ALL RIGHT.
YEAH. YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO EXCUSE ME. I'M HAVING A LOT OF BRAIN FOG TODAY.
BAD CONCUSSION SYNDROME DAY, BUT WE'LL MAKE IT THROUGH IT.
THIS REQUEST. NO. NO, SIR. DID I DIDN'T GET A, YOU KNOW, ITEMIZED CONSTRUCTION COSTS. CONSTRUCTION AND ITEMIZED CONSTRUCTION COST.
OKAY. BECAUSE I SAID THIS, I SAID THIS LAST TIME, THERE'S A REASONABLE PERCENTAGE OF THE TAXPAYERS THAT THINK THAT WE'RE GETTING RIPPED OFF SOMEWHERE IN HERE. AND SO I NEED TO SEE ARE WE BUYING OBS.
ARE WE BUYING PLYWOOD? WHAT ARE WE WHAT ARE WE PAYING COST PER UNIT ON DRYWALL.
[04:10:06]
RIGHT NOW. AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO RE-INSTILL THAT TRUST UNLESS EVERYBODY CAN SEE.WHAT ARE WE PAYING FOR? WHAT'S THE UNIT COST OF EVERYTHING? THIS FURNITURE AND FIXTURES. HOW MUCH ARE WE PAYING FOR A TABLE? HOW MANY TABLES? DESKS? I MEAN, ALL OF THAT THAT NEEDS TO BE LAID OUT.
I KNOW IT'S INTENSIVE, IRRITATING, MUNDANE WORK, BUT WE WE HAVE TO DO THIS.
AND WITHOUT HAVING THAT, I MEAN, I WANT TO DO THIS PROJECT, I DO I CANNOT VOTE FOR ANY OF THIS ON THIS BOND UNLESS I'M SEEING EVERYTHING ITEMIZED FROM HERE ON OUT. ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING.
I MEAN, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE SCREWS FOR THE DRYWALL.
AND WITH THAT SAID, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO TABLE ALL OF THIS.
THE THIRD DOCUMENT, IT DOES NOT GO DOWN TO THE DETAIL THAT TRUSTEE SCHIFF HAS REQUESTED, BUT WHAT WE HAVE PROVIDED FOR YOU ON THE THIRD DOCUMENT AS IT RELATES TO THE FFA BUDGET TALKS ABOUT WHAT EACH OF THOSE LARGER CATEGORIES WOULD COST.
RIGHT. AND SO, OF COURSE WHAT IS AT STAKE? I THINK I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THAT.
AND SO WHEN THAT IS DETERMINED, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO BE IN A POSITION THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED, INCLUDING THE SCHOOL, THE FURNITURE, THE FIXTURES, THE CURRICULUM, EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED FOR THOSE STUDENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON DAY ONE, AS THAT SCHOOL IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN THE FALL OF 2025.
SO, I MEAN, I HATE TO KIND OF BE BLUNT. THAT'S GREAT.
I WANT THAT TOO. BUT THE COMMUNITY IS NOT TRUSTING US WITH THEIR MONEY AND WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE THAT MONEY IS GOING AND HOW IT'S BEING SPENT. AND DOLLAR, DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR, EVERYBODY NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO SEE DOWN TO THE PENNY BECAUSE THIS IS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SCREW UPS.
IT'S PROBABLY NOT ANYBODY'S FAULT IN THIS ROOM OKAY.
WE'RE BEYOND PUTTING BLAME ON EVERYTHING. BUT MOVING FORWARD, IF WE WANT TO RE-INSTILL TRUST IN THE COMMUNITY OR IF THE COMMUNITY, IF WE WANT TO RE-INSTILL OUR TRUST FOR US IN THE COMMUNITY, THESE THESE THINGS HAVE TO BE SEEN.
AND I WILL NOT VOTE FOR ANYTHING BOND RELATED ANYMORE WITHOUT ITEMIZED BREAKDOWNS ON EVERYTHING.
OKAY. I'VE BEEN KIND OF TRYING TO BE I'VE BEEN KIND OF BEING POLITE ABOUT IT UP UNTIL THIS POINT.
BUT I'VE GOT A I'VE GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE PUTTING PRESSURE ON ME THAT ARE THINKING THAT SOMEBODY, SOMEBODY IS WALKING AWAY WITH SOME OF THE DISTRICT'S MONEY, SOME OF OUR MONEY.
AND I MEAN, WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO SEE, I MEAN, ALL OF OUR OF OUR CONSTRUCTION EXPENSES ARE 20 TO 30% MORE EXPENSIVE THAN ANY COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. SO WITH ALL OF THAT SAID, WE GOT TO START BREAKING THIS DOWN TO THE NUMBERS.
AND I WANT TO I WANT TO TABLE THIS UNTIL I START SEEING THOSE KINDS OF NUMBERS.
THANK YOU, MR. SHOAFF. MISS HANNON. THANK YOU, MISS BROWN.
FOR THE INFORMATION. THANK YOU, MR. BANKHEAD.
ALSO FOR FOR GIVING SOME INFORMATION AND DOCTOR BILLS.
SO I'M GOING TO SUPPORT THIS. YOU KNOW, LAST TIME I WAS, YOU KNOW, LIKE, ARE YOU KILLING ME? AND, YOU KNOW, THAT IS PROBABLY STILL THE CASE, BUT I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT TO GET THESE.
WE'VE GOT TO GET THE DOORS OPEN TO THIS BUILDING. SO MY QUESTION REALLY IS AND MAYBE THIS IS MORE TO, I DON'T KNOW, THE POLICY COMMITTEE. THE SUPERINTENDENT.
DO WE HAVE A POLICY OR A PROCEDURE MECHANISM FOR BOTH RETROFITTING A SCHOOL OR A CONSOLIDATION, OR EVEN A CAP AND OVERFLOW SITUATION BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT MONEY.
SO THE REASON, THE REASON I'M ASKING THIS IS BECAUSE I DON'T RECALL SEEING ANYTHING IN POLICY, AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT WOULD BE IN PROCEDURES.
THAT GIVES OUR STAFF SOME SORT OF CHECK AND BALANCE, WHERE IF WE'RE OPENING A NEW SCHOOL OR WE'RE RETROFITTING OR WE'RE REBUILDING OR REDESIGNING OR EVEN CONSOLIDATING SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY WHO HAS TO CHECK OFF THE BOX, THIS IS EVERYTHING WE NEED IN THIS SCHOOL FOR KIDS.
SO DO WE HAVE ANY SORT OF PROCEDURES SO THAT WE KNOW THAT CURRICULUM.
[04:15:01]
THEY HAVE CHECKED OFF THE BOX PEOPLE THAT THAT THAT DO THE FURNITURE AND THE FIXTURES.THEY'VE CHECKED OFF THE BOX. DO WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN PLACE? TRUSTEE WE HAVE SOME VERY GOOD CHECKLISTS AND PROCEDURES FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AS WELL AS FOR RENOVATION.
A CONVERSION LIKE THIS ONE, WE REALLY DID NOT.
AND THE REASON THE REAL REASON I'M ASKING THIS.
I THINK WE KNOW YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T BEAT THE DEAD HORSE.
WE'RE GOING TO DO BETTER, RIGHT? WHEN YOU KNOW BETTER, DO BETTER.
BUT NOW YOU ARE ABOUT TO BRING US A COMPREHENSIVE.
RECOMMENDATION FOR BOUNDARIES. SO THERE'S LIKELY GOING TO BE EITHER CONSOLIDATIONS IN THERE OR REUSING SOME OTHER FACILITY FOR SOMETHING ELSE. MAYBE THAT'S INNOVATIVE OR WHATEVER.
SO WHAT I WANT TO KNOW, IN ADDITION TO YOU BRINGING THE BOUNDARIES SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE FERNDALE HENRY BOND SITUATION, IS WHEN YOU BRING US THOSE BOUNDARY RECOMMENDATIONS.
I ALSO I DON'T WANT TO SEE EVERY NAIL. I DON'T WANT TO I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT LIKE THAT.
I RESPECT, YOU KNOW, I YOU KNOW, I RESPECT YOUR OPINION, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S MY JOB.
BUT I DO WANT TO KNOW HOW IS IT GOING TO IMPACT THE BUDGET.
HOW IS IT SO WHEN MR. GWEN STARTS BRINGING US.
BECAUSE WHAT ARE WE IN FEBRUARY? YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALMOST INTO FEBRUARY, SO WE'RE GOING TO START SEEING THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE APPROVING. SO I JUST WANT TO I'M ASKING DOCTOR SMITH, CAN WE PLEASE, WITH THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS YOU'RE BRINGING US TO VOTE FOR, WE NEED TO KNOW OR I NEED TO KNOW. ARE WE GOING TO HAVE IT IN THE BUDGET? ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO STAY AT OUR 90 DAY FUND BALANCE, THOSE KIND OF THINGS.
SO IT'S JUST A IT'S AN ASK OF YOU. YES. LESSON LEARNED FROM OUR FRIEND DALE HENRY EXPERIENCE.
SO WE WILL MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THE SECOND THING. I'M NOT SURE WHO IS APPROPRIATE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
WHAT WOULD BE THE CHALLENGES OF US PROVIDING THAT SPECIFICITY OF INFORMATION? THE WE HAVE A WE HAVE ADDITIONAL DETAIL, DOCTOR SMITH, THAT WE CAN PROVIDE.
HOWEVER, OUR CURRENT CONTRACTS WITH THE CONTRACTORS DO NOT CALL FOR NAILS AND SCREWS.
NOW WE HAVE WE GET BINDERS FULL OF INFORMATION AND DETAIL ABOUT THE MATERIAL.
WE CAN TELL YOU WHETHER WE'RE USING OSB OR PLYWOOD AND ALL THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
AND SO I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE OR I WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE TO YOU SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF ADDITIONAL DETAIL, AND SEE IF ANY OF THOSE WILL GIVE YOU THE INSIGHTS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND IF NOT, WE'LL GO BACK AND TRY TO GET MORE.
BUT YES, THAT'S OUR BIGGEST LIMITATION. OUR CONTRACTS WITH THE VENDORS RIGHT NOW DO NOT CALL FOR THEM TO BREAK IT DOWN TO SCREWS AND NUTS AND BOLTS AND THAT TYPE OF DEAL. AND IS IT CUSTOMARY FOR CONTRACTS TO DO THAT JUST IN GENERAL PRACTICE? NOT IN THIS. NOT IN THE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AND I AND NOT IN MOST OF THAT I'VE SEEN NOW.
THANK YOU, MISS HANNON. OKAY. PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION PASSES. FIVE TWO. 652. NEXT UP IS ITEM TEN I FOR
[10.I.4. Flooring Services, Installation and Related Services]
FLOORING SERVICES, INSTALLATION AND RELATED SERVICES.MAY I HAVE A MOTION? MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
APPROVE. ITEM TEN A FOR AN EYE FOR, AN EYE FOR.
AS PRESENTED. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY MISS HANNON. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? NO. I'M THE LAST ONE. TOLD ME WHAT I WOULD GET.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT UP IS ITEM TEN I5 REORGANIZATION AND BUDGET TRANSFER BID PACKAGE.
[10.I.5. Reorganization and Budget Transfer BP010 & BP012 Packages]
BID PACKAGES TEN AND 12. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.APPROVE. ITEM TEN I'VE FIVE AS PRESENTED. SECOND.
[04:20:04]
WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY MISS HANNON.DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. CLOSED SESSION. THAT'S IT.
YEAH. YEAH. SO WE WILL NOW CONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION UNDER THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT.
[11. Convene in closed session under Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 551 under the following sections: 551.071 - For the purpose of a private consultation with the Board's attorney on any or all subjects or matters authorized by law; Section 551.072 - Consider purchase, exchange, lease, or value of real property, Section 551.074 - Personnel matters, Section 551.076 - Security matters, Section 551.082 - Student discipline matter or complaint, or Section 551.0821 - Personally identifiable information about public school student]
TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, CHAPTER 551. THOSE SECTIONS LISTED IN THE AGENDA AND FOR THE PURPOSE OF A PRIVATE CONSULTATION WITH THE BOARD'S ATTORNEY ON ANY OR ALL SUBJECTS OR MATTERS AUTHORIZED BY LAW. TIME IS 10:22 P.M.AND WE ARE NOW CONVENING IN CLOSED SESSION. THE TIME IS 11:17 P.M.
AND WE ARE NOW RECONVENED IN OPEN SESSION. WE WILL NOW CONSIDER ACTION ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS.
[12. Reconvene in Open Session]
DOCTOR GILLIAM, I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION,[13. Consider Action on Closed Session Items]
AND APPOINT ANTONIO DAVILA TO THE POSITION OF DIRECTOR OF STUDENT AFFAIRS.SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY DOCTOR GILLIAM AND A SECOND BY SEVERAL TRUSTEES.
A SECOND BY MR. GARCIA. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? NONE. HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. MISS HANNON. I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION, AND APPOINT LAUREN PRINCE TO THE POSITION OF PRINCIPAL OF GOODMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SECOND. THE WHOLE BOARD. SECONDED. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS HANNAN AND BY THE WHOLE BOARD, AND A QUORUM FOR SECOND. WHAT DID I SAY, PRINCE? SHALL I READ IT AGAIN? YES, PLEASE. I'M SORRY IT'S LATE.
WITHDRAW THAT. YES. I WITHDRAW THE MOTION AND THE 10S THAT I GOT.
I A SECOND MOTION TO WITHDRAW MY SECOND. WHO DID YOU SAY DID THE SECOND? DOES HE HAVE? I DIDN'T. OKAY, I WITHDRAW. FIVE SECONDS.
I AM SO SORRY, EVERYONE. I MOVED THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
AND PLEASE FORGIVE ME, MISS PRINCE. I MOVED THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS HANNAN AND A SECOND BY MR. HAMILTON. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? NONE. HEARING NONE.
PLEASE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS JONES AND A SECOND BY MR. SHOAF. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? NO. HEARING NONE.
PLEASE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, MR. GARCIA. I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, APPROVE THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT'S EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT AS PRESENTED.
SECOND. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY MISS HANNON.
DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? NO. HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? A MOTION TO ADJOURN. WE ARE ADJOURNED. Y'ALL GO HOME.
IT'S LIKE.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.