[00:00:02]
          EVERYONE IS ABLE TO HEAR THE PROCEEDINGS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SERGEANT. THE TIME IS 6:01 
          [1. Call to order]
P.M. AND THIS MEETING IS HEREBY CALLED TO ORDER. WE HAVE THE PRESENCE OF A QUORUM ATTENDING IN PERSON. AND NOTICE OF THIS MEETING HAS BEEN POSTED ONLINE AND AT THE FORT BEND ISD ADMINISTRATION BUILDING FOR AT LEAST 72 HOURS. IF EVERYONE WILL, PLEASE STAND FOR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM PERFORMED BY THE DULLES HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR. 
          OH, SAY, CAN YOU SEE. FOR THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT. WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAVE AT THE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING. WHOSE BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS. THROUGH THE PERILOUS FIGHT. OR THE. PARTS WE WATCHED. WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING. AND THE ROCKETS RED GLARE, THE BOMBS BURSTING IN. AIR. GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE. OH, SAY, DOES THAT STAR SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE. O'ER THE LAND OF. THE FREE. AND THE HOME. OF THE BRAVE. PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE. 
          YOU MAY BE SEATED. FOR THE FIRST RECOGNITIONS. DUE TO THE LARGE COUNT OF HONOREES, I'D LIKE TO 
          [4. Recognitions]
PLEASE ASK THE BOARD TO REMAIN ON THE DYESS FOR THE FIRST SET OF PHOTOS. AND WE CAN JUST ALL STAND. OKAY. 
          MISTER SHOW. THANK YOU. TO THIS EVENING'S NATIONAL ANTHEM. PERFORMERS FROM DULLES HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR ENSEMBLE, DIRECTED BY ALICIA DEAN. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PERFORMANCE. THAT WAS ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE. WE WELCOME YOU TO TAKE YOUR PHOTO. 
          AND ENTER. OKAY, EVERYONE LOOKING HERE. ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE MORE. ONE. TWO. THREE. THANK YOU. TONIGHT WE BEGIN WITH RECOGNIZING FORT BEND ISD'S FINE ARTS STUDENTS WHO WERE SELECTED FOR TEXAS ALL STATE BAND, CHOIR, AND ORCHESTRA SPONSORED BY THE TEXAS MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION. THESE STUDENTS WERE CHOSEN THROUGH A SERIES OF RIGOROUS AUDITIONS, AND THEY WERE SELECTED AMONGST OVER 70,000 STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE OF TEXAS. FIRST UP, WE HAVE ALL-STATE BAND, AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL, MICHAEL SANDERS WITH DIRECTORS ADRIAN CASWELL, JAY LOPEZ, AND LEE WILLIS. CRAWFORD HIGH SCHOOL, JOSEPH CANDLER, CHRISTY CHUNG, DIRECTORS JASON FINLEY AND SCOTT ALDRIDGE. CLEMENS HIGH SCHOOL. THE. TALLY SCHULHOF YASH A.R, AVA COBB, JONATHAN LEE, ALEXANDER CHO WITH DIRECTORS JEFF JOHNSON, LESLIE 
          [00:05:09]
FLYNN, BRIAN WAITES, AND KYLE EMILIANI. DULLES HIGH SCHOOL CATHERINE HUANG, DIRECTORS ARNEL DAYRIT, SPENCER CLAYTON, AND ZACHARY GUTIERREZ. ELKINS HIGH SCHOOL MATTHEW RIGGEN, WITH DIRECTORS JOSEPH CHEN, WILLIAM FEE, AND CRYSTAL DIAL CHRISTOPHER DIAL. KEMPNER HIGH SCHOOL, ANGELICA LOPEZ, TARIQ ZAMAN, WITH DIRECTORS PAUL BREAUX, STEVEN DRATLER, AND CAMERON ROBILLARD. LAST UP, TRAVIS HIGH SCHOOL, TAYO ROCHELLE'S, WITH DIRECTORS KYLE BARAJAS, ZACHARY REYNOLDS, DANIELLE DJONDO, AND GARRETT TAGLIABUE. ARE ALL STATE BAND. 
          CONCERT GREEN POLO. OKAY, AND YOU JUST PICKED UP A LITTLE BIT WHITE. OH YEAH. EVERYONE GOOD? OKAY. CAN WE SHIFT ON THE LEFT PLEASE? AND THEN COME OUT A LITTLE BIT? THERE YOU GO. 
          PERFECT. PERFECT. THANK YOU. EMILY. ALL RIGHT. LET'S SEE HERE. ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE MORE. 
          ONE. TWO. THREE. THANK YOU. WOO! THANK. NOW UP OUR ALL-STATE CHOIR. WHAT AN ACHIEVEMENT FROM CRAWFORD HIGH SCHOOL. JENOVA TRAN WITH DIRECTORS JARED DEESE. CLEMENS HIGH SCHOOL SARAH GENTLE, ANGELINA SMITH KAITLYN WHEATLEY WITH DIRECTORS JADE BLAKEY AND JUSTIN SHEN. ELKINS HIGH SCHOOL, ZAINA BATZARIA, DEVYANI DAYAL, DAVIDA. GUCCIARDI, ZOFIA HARRELL, JAY JOSHI, SALIMA MUHAMMAD, BRETT ROSNER, EMMA ZITO WITH DIRECTORS JOHN RICHARDSON AND ZOE SIMONSON. BUSH HIGH SCHOOL ANGEL RODRIGUEZ WITH DIRECTOR MARINA MACIAS. 
          RIDGE POINT HIGH SCHOOL MEGAN DAVIS, WITH DIRECTORS CHELSEA BURNER AND STUART GARCIA. AND WILLOWRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL. MISS HEAVEN ABOU, WITH DIRECTOR WARREN HOLLEMAN. THANK YOU. 
          EVERYONE SMILE BIG. MA'AM, COULD YOU SHIFT OVER TO YOUR RIGHT? LOOK AT THAT. PERFECT. GOOD MAN. 
          HEY, EVERYONE LOOKING HERE. ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE MORE. ONE. TWO. THREE. THANK YOU. GREAT JOB. 
          AND NOW FOR OUR ALL STATE ORCHESTRA, AUSTIN HIGH SCHOOL. KEVIN CHEN, XU GAO, ANDREW. NAN. 
          REAGAN. PANDJAITAN FELICITY SUN. WITH DIRECTORS MATTHEW MADONIA, JUDY CHUNG, AND MARGARET DAVIS. 
          CLEMENTS HIGH SCHOOL. HANNAH ZHOU, IRIS JONES, AMANDA LEE, FELIX SHEN, JULIE. SONG, HENRY 
          [00:10:10]
SHU, AND JULIA SHU, SOPHIE SHU, ANDY, JOE, LORENA, ZOU WITH DIRECTORS NEIL SPRINGER, SALLY KIRK, AND STEPHANIE GUSTAFSON AMFAR. DULLES HIGH SCHOOL. SHAYAN AYADI, JOSHUA CHANG, GAVIN LAPOINTE, LIV YANG, WITH DIRECTORS PETER PALOMO AND STEPHANIE GUSTAFSON AMFAR. LAST BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST, ELKINS HIGH SCHOOL LAWRENCE FANG, LAWRENCE, AND DIRECTOR JOE GARCIA. THANK YOU. IT'S GOOD. YEAH. MARIA. HERE WE GO. ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE MORE. ONE. TWO. 
          THREE. THANK YOU. ONE MORE TIME FOR ALL OF OUR ALL STATE MUSIC COMPETITORS. THANK YOU. 
          BEFORE WE CONTINUE WITH THIS EVENING'S RECOGNITIONS, I'D LIKE TO ASK THAT OUR TRUSTEES AND DOCTOR SMITH JOIN US IN FRONT OF THE DAIS. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR MAKING THAT QUICK ADJUSTMENT FOR OUR LARGE, ALL STATE FINE ARTS RECOGNITIONS. 
          THIS YEAR. FIRST UP, WE HAVE A REALLY FUN RECOGNITION. THIS IS RIDGE POINT HIGH SCHOOL'S THEATER PRODUCTION OF THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL. PRESENTED FORT BEND ISD AT THE TEXAS THESPIANS FESTIVAL. THIS GROUP WAS ONE OF THE ONLY TWO PRODUCTIONS CHOSEN TO BE PERFORMED IN THEIR PERFORMANCE, RESULTING IN THE FOLLOWING AWARDS. BEST MAKEUP. BEST ENSEMBLE. BEST TECH CREW. BEST STAGE MANAGER, MASON MASTERS. BEST PROPS. BEST CAMEO MEGAN EDWARDS AS PEARL KRABS. EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE. RATINGS FROM BRAYLON MCMORRIS AS MR. CRABB ASHLEY JONIAK AS MRS. MAYER ETHAN SIKES AS FRENCH NARRATOR. SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE RATINGS FROM KENNEDY. MALVEAUX AS SANDY CHEEKS. EMERY JONES AS PATRICK STARR ALISA HOOKS AS SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS. BEST PERFORMER AWARD BY PATH PATRICK CASHIN AS SQUIDWARD TENTACLES, AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THEIR DIRECTORS ALEXANDRA NOVELLA AND BLAKE WARE. 
          FOR. THEIR. THERE WE GO. EVERYONE HERE! ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE MORE. ONE. TWO. THREE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. APPROXIMATELY 200,000 STUDENTS REPRESENTING 99 PUBLIC AND 55 PRIVATE SCHOOLS PARTICIPATED IN THIS YEAR'S HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO SCHOOL ART PROGRAM, WITH ABOUT 4000 WORKS OF ART GOING THROUGH PRELIMINARY JUDGING AND 819 OF THOSE BEING SELECTED TO ADVANCE FOR FINAL JUDGING. THIS YEAR, WE ARE PROUD TO SAY THAT ELKINS HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR JOY PARK WAS 
          [00:15:04]
AWARDED WITH THE RESERVE GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP FOR HER PAINTING NIGHT AT THE ARENA. JOY IS HERE THIS EVENING WITH HER ART TEACHER, MR. RYAN MORALES. AND. I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT MR. MORALES IS ALSO A FORT BEND ISD GRADUATE. AND A FORMER GRAND CHAMPION. HERE WE GO. ONE. TWO. 
          THREE. ONE MORE. ONE. TWO. THREE. THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. ANOTHER ONE OF FORT BEND'S FINEST, MISS JULIE BETTINGER. FORT BEND ISD COORDINATOR OF ELEMENTARY MUSIC, RECEIVED THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN CODY EDUCATORS OUTSTANDING ADMINISTRATOR AWARD. THIS NATIONAL AWARD IS AWARDED TO A MUSIC SUPERVISOR WHO HAS DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL COMMITMENT TO THE CODY PHILOSOPHY BY FOSTERING AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE MUSIC EDUCATION CAN THRIVE. WE THANK YOU, MISS BOEDEKER. FOR. OH THANK YOU. I LOVE YOU. GOOD MORNING. ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE MORE. ONE, TWO. YEAH. ONE, TWO. ONE. TWO. THREE. THANK YOU. FORT BEND ISD HAS BEEN SELECTED AS ONE OF 20 SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO EARN THE TEXAS THESPIANS PREMIER COMMUNITIES FOR THEATER EDUCATION AWARD. THIS PROGRAM RECOGNIZES SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT PROVIDE THEATER PROGRAMS WITH THE RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE ABOVE STANDARD AS ROOTED IN THE EDUCATIONAL THEATER ASSOCIATION'S OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN STANDARDS. TEXAS THEATER, FINE ART TEACHERS, AND SUPPORT OF INTERNATIONAL THESPIAN SOCIETY TROUPE INVOLVEMENT. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL UP TO THE DAIS NONE OTHER THAN JIM DREW, FORT BEND ISD'S DIRECTOR OF FINE ARTS, AND JARED BERRY, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FINE ARTS. WEST. SIDE OF THE. YOU'RE UP. 
          ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE MORE. ONE. TWO. THREE. THANK YOU. FOR OUR FINAL RECOGNITION, WE HAVE SEVEN FORT BEND ISD TEACHERS WHO RECEIVED THEIR NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATIONS. THE PROGRAM IS A VOLUNTARY ADVANCED PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION FOR EDUCATORS THAT IDENTIFIES TEACHING EXPERTISE THROUGH A PERFORMANCE BASED, PEER REVIEWED ASSESSMENT. NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION PROVIDES TEACHERS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONE THEIR PRACTICE, DEMONSTRATE THEIR PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE, AND REINFORCE THEIR DEDICATION TO THEIR STUDENTS AND THEIR CAREERS. HONOREES. AS I CALL YOUR NAME, WE ASK THAT YOU ALSO BRING YOUR PRINCIPAL UP FOR A PHOTO. THESE TEACHERS ARE. LINDSEY ARONSON OF SCHIFF ELEMENTARY GENERALIST. MIDDLE CHILDHOOD. WE'RE GOING TO DO THESE INDIVIDUALLY OR GROUP SOLO OR AS A GROUP GROUP. WE HAVE MISS RACHEL BUTIKO HODGES, BEND MIDDLE SCHOOL, ENGLISH AS A NEW LANGUAGE. EARLY ADOLESCENCE THROUGH YOUNG CHILDHOOD. PROGRAM. MISS WHITNEY CUEVA GARCIA MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE, 
          [00:20:06]
ADOLESCENCE AND YOUNG ADULTHOOD. SERGIO MACHADO, RIDGEMONT EARLY LITERACY CENTER, EARLY CHILDHOOD. MICHELLE ROSE DRABEK ELEMENTARY ART. 
          WE ALSO HAVE MISS AND REPRESENTING TRAVIS HIGH SCHOOL. MR. BAROCIO RAMIREZ, WORLD LANGUAGES. I KNOW. AND WE HAVE. ONE MORE MISS CYNTHIA JOHNSON OF WILLOWRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL, ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS. 
          AS WELL. I BELIEVE. THAT YOU ALL RIGHT NOW, CAN WE JUMP IN FOR PHOTO? THERE WE ARE. WHAT DO YOU THINK? I THINK? YOU KNOW, I THINK. IT'S JUST THE ONE. YOU KNOW? YOU. YOU SEE. THE. SO, GUYS, WE'RE GOING TO DO ONE PHOTO WITH EVERYONE HERE. AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A SECOND ONE WITH JUST OUR TEACHER RECIPIENTS. OKAY. OKAY. EVERYONE HERE. 123. ONE MORE. ONE. TWO THREE. THANK YOU. OKAY. IF THE TEACHERS WOULD STAY BEHIND. I WON'T GO ANYWHERE. THERE WE GO. 
          ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE. ONE. TWO. THREE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND THIS CONCLUDES THIS EVENING'S RECOGNITIONS. MR. SCHOOL. IS THERE ANY OF YOU? THAT JUST. ONE? RIGHT. YEP. YEAH. JUST ONE QUESTION. OKAY. ARE WE GOOD? ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU FOR THOSE AMAZING RECOGNITIONS. AND ALL THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS AND LEADERS WHO POUR IN TO OUR STUDENTS. NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA 
          [5. Superintendent Update]
IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE. THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE, AND I ECHO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE OUTSTANDING STUDENTS THAT WE WERE JUST ABLE TO RECOGNIZE, AND IN PARTICULAR, THE LEADERS OF THE TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS WHO HELPED THEM TO ACHIEVE THEIR SUCCESS. I HAVE THE FOLLOWING ITEMS THAT I WANT TO PROVIDE IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT TONIGHT. THE FIRST ITEM IS THE RECOGNITION OF FEBRUARY AS CTE 
          [00:25:05]
CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION MONTH. IT'S THAT TIME WHERE WE RAISE AWARENESS OF THE ROLE THAT CTE PLAYS IN PREPARING OUR STUDENTS FOR COLLEGE AND FOR CAREER SUCCESS. YOU MAY NOTICE THE FLORAL DESIGNS THAT YOU SEE TO YOUR LEFT AND TO YOUR RIGHT ON THE DAIS. THESE WERE CREATED BY OUR VERY OWN FLORAL DESIGN STUDENTS. SO WE WANT TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR EFFORTS. A FEW NICE DATA POINTS THAT THE CTE TEAM WANTED ME TO MENTION THIS EVENING IS THAT WE HAVE 24,246 STUDENTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN CTE COURSES THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, AND THERE'S A GOAL TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE THOSE NUMBERS, AND THAT OUR PROGRAM IS TRACKING TO EARN MORE CERTIFICATIONS THAN WE'VE EVER SEEN BEFORE. CURRENTLY, WE HAVE 2355 INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS. THIS WAS LAST SCHOOL YEAR, AND THE TEAM IS HAS SET A GOAL TO EXCEED THOSE NUMBERS THIS CURRENT YEAR. AND THEY ARE SHARING THAT THEY ARE ON TRACK TO DO SO. SO WE'LL BE EXCITED TO HEAR WHAT THOSE FINAL NUMBERS ARE. THE CTE STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT, THEY LEARN SO MANY SKILLS FROM WELDING TO COSMETOLOGY TO ANIMAL SCIENCE TO ARCHITECTURE AND SEVERAL OTHER PROGRAMS THAT NOT ONLY POSITION THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL CURRENTLY. AS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH THEIR K-12 EXPERIENCE, BUT ALSO POSITIONING THEM. AS THEY MOVE BEYOND K-12 AND EXPLORE EITHER TRADITIONAL COLLEGE TRACK OR BE PREPARED FOR THE WORKFORCE. AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE BRIGHT FUTURE THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF OUR CTE PROGRAM. A FEW BOARD MEETINGS AGO, WE GAVE AN UPDATE ON ALL THE EXCITING THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN OUR PROGRAM, AND JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONTINUED GROWTH. AND SO WE WANTED TO RECOGNIZE ALL THE EFFORTS DURING THIS MONTH. THE NEXT ITEM THAT I HAVE IS OUR DISTRICT'S AUSTIN ADVOCACY TRIP. AND SO LAST WEDNESDAY, ABOUT 100 DISTRICT STAKEHOLDERS MET WITH LAWMAKERS IN AUSTIN TO ADVOCATE FOR FORT BEND ISD LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES. I ALSO WANT TO GIVE JUST A SHOUT OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY DEPARTMENT, COMMUNITY RELATIONS DEPARTMENT. THERE IS A PACKET THAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER THAT REALLY CAPTURES THE BOARD'S LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES, CAPTURES KEY DATA POINTS OF INFORMATION ON OUR DISTRICT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE AND HAND TO LEGISLATORS AND ANY COMMUNITY MEMBER WHO MAY BE OF INTEREST. HE DID A GREAT JOB. IT REALLY TELLS THE STORY. 
          SO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS, OUR BOARD PRESIDENT, HAD THIS INFORMATION WITH THEM LAST WEEK AS THEY WERE VISITING WITH VARIOUS LEGISLATORS. SO THE GROUP DID CONSIST OF BOARD MEMBERS. WE HAD EXECUTIVE TEAM MEMBERS THERE. WE HAD OUR BOARD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY COHORT, WHICH ARE OUR STUDENT LEADERS IN THE DISTRICT. AND JUST DOZENS OF STUDENT LEADERS THAT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE AT THE CAPITOL AND TO INTERACT WITH LEGISLATORS, LAWMAKERS. THEY LISTENED. WE ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS, EVEN RECEIVE SPECIAL RECOGNITION FROM OUR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE ON THE HOUSE FLOOR. YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THE VIDEO CLIP. WHERE WE WERE RECOGNIZED FOR OUR EFFORTS FOR THE TURNOUT AND BEING THERE, AND FOR THE PREPARATION THAT OUR STUDENTS AND OUR LEADERS EXHIBITED. THE TRIP WAS EXTREMELY WORTHWHILE. IT WAS WORTHWHILE ENDEAVOR, AND WE HOPE IT RESULTS IN SUPPORT OF OUR DISTRICT AND THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE. AND OUR LEGISLATIVE SESSION. AND JUST A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT AGAIN TO THE STUDENTS. 
          THEY WERE SO ARTICULATE IN HOW THEY COMMANDED PRESENCE, COMMANDED INFORMATION. AND WE GOT A LOT OF ACCOLADES FROM A LOT OF THE LEGISLATORS WHO WERE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH OUR STUDENTS. SO KUDOS TO EVERYONE WHO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE. THE NEXT ITEM THAT I HAVE IS JUST SPECIAL DISTINCTIONS AND AWARDS. IN FORT BEND ISD, WE CELEBRATE EXCELLENCE. WE HAD A LOT OF EXCELLENCE TONIGHT TO CELEBRATE, BUT RECENTLY OUR DISTRICT RECEIVED SEVERAL DISTINCTIONS, SEVERAL AWARDS. AND SO I WANT TO SHARE A FEW OF THOSE WITH YOU THIS EVENING. FOUR OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS EARNED A GOLD RIBBON AWARD FROM THE NONPROFIT CHILDREN AT RISK. ANNUALLY, THEY PRODUCE A REPORT WHERE THEY RANK PERFORMANCE OF SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS ON SEVERAL INDICATORS. AND WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE FOUR OF OUR ELEMENTARIES RECEIVE THE GOLD RIBBON AWARD. THOSE CAMPUSES WERE HOLLY ELEMENTARY, JORDAN ELEMENTARY, HUNTER'S GLEN ELEMENTARY, AND MISSION WEST. THE GOLD RIBBON SCHOOLS RECEIVED THE AWARD FOR PROVIDING SUPERIOR ACADEMICS, WHILE ALSO SERVING STUDENT POPULATIONS THAT ARE MORE THAN 75% ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED. SO REALLY, KUDOS TO THE ACHIEVEMENTS FOR THOSE CAMPUSES. ADDITIONALLY, SEVERAL OF OUR SCHOOLS EARNED AN A RATING FROM THE ORGANIZATION, SO WE APPLAUD THESE CAMPUSES AS THIS DESIGNATION IS A TESTAMENT TO THEIR DEDICATION TO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND TO STUDENT 
          [00:30:03]
GROWTH. AND THEN LASTLY, WE HAVE RECEIVED THE DISTINGUISHED SCHOOL DISTRICT AWARD FROM THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOR OUR ROBUST IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STAND STRONG AND STAY SAFE PROGRAM. IT'S DEDICATED TO PROMOTING STRONG MENTAL HEALTH AND SKILLS IN OUR STUDENTS. IN THE 2324 SCHOOL YEAR, FORT BEND ISD COUNSELORS IN 31 SCHOOLS REACHED MORE THAN 15,000 STUDENTS WITH THE PROGRAM. SO IT'S REALLY A DEMONSTRATION OF OUR COUNSELORS REALLY MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS. SO I WANT TO SAY A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR COUNSELORS FOR EMPOWERING OUR STUDENTS FOR LIFE, BOTH IN AND OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM. AND SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, THAT CONCLUDES THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT TONIGHT. THANK YOU, DOCTOR SMITH. NEXT UP IS OUR 
          [6. Board Activity Report]
BOARD ACTIVITY REPORT. MR. HAMILTON. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THIS IS THE BOARD ACTIVITY REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 24TH, 2025. YOUR FORT BEND ISD SCHOOL BOARD AT WORK. WE HAD TRUSTEES ATTEND THE DULLES HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL. LEGALLY BLOND, GARCIA MIDDLE SCHOOL VISIT H-E-B EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AWARD. CORNERSTONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TMEA SENDOFF CONCERT STUDENT SOCIOLOGY PRESENTATION AT WILLOWRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL, 2025 TEXAS ECONOMIC OUTLOOK, HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW AND RODEO WRANGLERS AND RHINESTONE DANCE JAMES C NEAL ELEMENTARY CAMPUS VISIT BUILDING TOMORROW'S WORKFORCE EDUCATION AND COLLABORATION AND OPPORTUNITY, FORT BEND CHAMBER, AUSTIN ADVOCACY DAY. 2025 ALUMNI OUTREACH, CONNECT AND IGNITE CONFERENCE AND ALUMNI REUNION. BUTCHER ELEMENTARY SECOND ANNUAL CHILI COOK OFF CONTEST. STUDENT LEADERSHIP 101 AND 102 ELEMENTARY STUDENT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE BOARD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY MEETING AT FORT BEND DAY IN AUSTIN, TEXAS. GULF COAST REGIONAL DESTINATION IMAGINATION TOURNAMENT AT DULLES HIGH SCHOOL, GULF COAST BOARD ASSOCIATION MEETING AT IN PASADENA ISD. NATIONAL SIGNING DAY EVENT FOR FORT BEND ISD AT WHEELER FIELDHOUSE. SCHOOL BOUNDARY ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING UT LAW SCHOOL CONFERENCE LT ASB CONNECT AND INVITE CONFERENCE AND ALUMNI REUNION KEYNOTE ADDRESS TASB DINING WITH DIVAS GALVESTON, TEXAS AUSTIN PARKWAY ELEMENTARY CAREER DAY. FRIENDS OF SUGARLAND 95 PRAYER VIGIL AND GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYOFF. HIGHTOWER HIGH SCHOOL VERSUS TAYLOR HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH THEY WON. THEY'RE GOING TO THE STATE STATE SEMIFINALS TOMORROW NIGHT I BELIEVE VERSUS TAYLOR HIGH SCHOOL. THANK YOU. THANK 
          [7.A. FBISD Board Code of Ethics Agreement Form]
YOU, MR. HAMILTON. OKAY. NEXT UP IS THE PRESIDENT'S UPDATE. SO THAT'S ME. FIRST OF ALL I WANT TO HAVE THE TRUSTEES. IF YOU'LL LOOK AT YOUR SPOT, YOU SHOULD FIND A COPY OF OUR CODE OF ETHICS. THAT WAS PASSED IN BBC LOCAL BACK IN ON NOVEMBER 8TH OF LAST YEAR. SINCE IT'S BEGINNING OF A NEW YEAR. WE NEED TO SIGN OUR UPDATED CODE OF ETHICS. YOU SHOULD HAVE A PIECE OF PAPER. IT SHOULD HAVE A SIGN HERE ON IT. SO I'M GOING TO ASK ALL THE TRUSTEES TO PLEASE SIGN OUR UPDATED CODE OF ETHICS THAT WE APPROVED IN NOVEMBER. AND MISS MARTINEZ IS GOING TO COLLECT THOSE. AND THAT'S HOUSEKEEPING FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BOARD POLICY IS UP TO DATE. SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ASK OUR TRUSTEES TO DO THAT. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, IT IS FEBRUARY 24TH IS MY OLDEST DAUGHTER'S 25TH BIRTHDAY. I'M GIVING A SHOUT OUT TO HER. SO SINCE I'M HERE AND NOT THERE. SO LET'S PASS THEM DOWN TO SERGEANT, PLEASE. AND THEN MISS MARTINEZ WILL. WE'LL COLLECT THEM FOR US. SO THANK YOU GUYS. WHILE WE'RE WAITING, I WANT TO I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT AN ADDITIONAL SHOUT OUT TO OUR LEADERSHIP GROUP. OUR OUR BOARD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY MEMBERS WHO ATTENDED OUR ADVOCACY DAY. AND THEN OUR STUDENT LEADERS AND STUDENT VOICES. I ALWAYS LOVE THAT TRIP, BUT I. I WILL TELL YOU THAT IT'S ONE OF THE MOST INSPIRING AND PROUD DAYS THAT I GET TO SPEND WITH OUR STUDENT LEADERS. IT IS AN AMAZING LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM, BUT I ALWAYS FIND A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR ME AS WELL. THEY ARE REALLY SOME INCREDIBLE KIDS. THEY WORK VERY HARD. THEY DO THE ADVOCATING THEMSELVES. THEY INTERACT WITH THE LEGISLATORS AND THEY REALLY DID A GREAT JOB. SO SHOUT OUT AGAIN TO OUR, OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM AND EVERYONE WHO WORKS SO HARD TO PUT THAT DAY TOGETHER. AND ANOTHER SHOUT 
          [7.B. Board Planning Calendar Review]
          [00:35:05]
OUT TO THE STUDENTS. NEXT UP IS OUR BOARD PLANNING CALENDAR REVIEW. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE US ALL AN UPDATE. IF YOU'LL TURN BACK TO OUR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND ACADEMIC REPORTS, MISS JONES, WHO IS OUR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT LIAISON, HAS BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH DOCTOR SMITH AND DOCTOR JORDAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING COMING TO US EVERY MONTH. AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, OUR MIDDLE OF THE YEAR LITERACY AND MATH, SCIENCE AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT UPDATE TONIGHT. BUT I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT COMING UP NEXT MONTH, WE NOT ONLY HAVE THE TAPER PUBLIC HEARING, WE WILL HAVE THE A DISCIPLINE UPDATE. THIS IS IN PREPARATION FOR OUR STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE VOTING ON IN JUNE. AND I WANTED TO ALSO POINT OUT THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE WHAT I'VE BEEN CALLING A MINI WORKSHOP, SO TO SPEAK. I FELT LIKE THAT ONE THING THAT WE SHOULD TRY IS TO MAYBE DO SOME, SOME HOUR LONG WORKSHOPS WHERE WE START AN HOUR BEFORE OUR REGULAR REGULARLY SCHEDULED BOARD MEETINGS OR AGENDA REVIEW WORKSHOP AND AGENDA REVIEW MEETINGS WHERE WE CAN GO OVER ISSUES THAT MAY BE MAY TAKE A LITTLE MORE TIME. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO START WITH OUR FIRST ONE NEXT MONTH ON MARCH 17TH. 
          AND THAT'S GOING TO BE AROUND THE CURRICULUM AND THE OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO VOTE ON BEFORE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. SO THIS WILL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEND THE COMPLETE HOUR ASKING QUESTIONS, GETTING AN UPDATE AND INFORMATION ITEM FROM THE ADMINISTRATION. AND WE'RE GOING TO BE TRYING THAT OVER THE NEXT YEAR. AND WE'LL SEE HOW THAT WORKS. AND MAYBE THAT KEEPS US FROM FROM HAVING EXTRA DAYS OF MEETINGS. IF WE DO NEED THE LONGER MEETINGS, 2 OR 3 HOURS, WE WILL CERTAINLY SCHEDULE THOSE. BUT WE'LL SEE HOW THESE GO. WE'LL ALSO BE GETTING AN UPDATE IN APRIL ON THE ACADEMIES AND CHOICE PROGRAMS. THAT'S SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING. AND THEN IF YOU'LL TURN OVER TO THE BOARD CALENDAR, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT DOCTOR SMITH AND I WORK OFF OF. WHEN WE WERE PLANNING OUR AGENDA OR PLANNING OUR AGENDAS. HE'S GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT AT THE END OF THE MEETING, BUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT. IN MARCH OR APRIL, WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING OUR COST SAVINGS AUDIT AUDIT WE THINK SHOULD BE COMPLETED ABOUT THAT TIME. THE AUDIT COMMITTEE STILL HAS TO SCHEDULE A MEETING, SO IT MAY NOT COME IN MARCH. IT MAY BE MORE LIKE APRIL, BUT I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT IF YOU'LL FLIP OVER, WE HAD A BUDGET WORKSHOP SCHEDULED FOR JUNE 16TH, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BUMP THAT UP TO THE MAY TO A MINI WORKSHOP BEFORE THE MAY 19TH MEETING THAT WE ALREADY HAVE SCHEDULED. AND THAT WAY WE THAT WILL ALLOW US TO REVIEW BEFORE WE HAVE TO VOTE IN JUNE, WHICH I THINK IS A LITTLE BIT BETTER. SO IF WE NEED ANOTHER MEETING AND THE HOUR IS NOT ENOUGH, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GOING TO BE MEETING AND TALKING OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. 
          MR. GWEN IS GOING TO BE PRESENTING A LOT OF INFORMATION TO US AS WE BUILD THE BUDGET, BUT I REALLY WANTED TO DEDICATE THAT WORKSHOP TIME FOR US. AND WE'LL DO THAT IN MAY, AND THEN WE WILL VOTE ALSO ON THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT IN JUNE, AS USUAL. AND WE WILL HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER UPDATES ON THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT, PROBABLY IN THE APRIL MAY TIME FRAME. SO I HAVE ASKED DOCTOR SMITH TO ADD THAT TO OUR CALENDAR. WE'LL HAVE A COUPLE OF POLICIES COMING TO US RELATED TO THE COMMITTEE FORMATIONS FROM OUR WORKSHOP LAST YEAR. I KNOW THE POLICY COMMITTEE IS WORKING ON THAT. AND THEN SOMETHING TO ADDRESS. SOME OF THE BILLS THAT ARE HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED THIS SESSION ON PARENTAL RIGHTS. SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT AS WELL, PROBABLY IN THE APRIL MAY TIME FRAME. AND THEN WE ARE STILL WORKING ON THE MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL FEEDER MOU, AND WE'RE TARGETING THE MAY JUNE TIME FRAME FOR GETTING THAT DONE. SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THOSE FEW THINGS OUT SO THAT THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY CAN TRACK KIND OF WHERE WE'RE HEADED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. AND THEN DOCTOR SMITH WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE AT THE END ABOUT BUILDING OUT THE CALENDAR. ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO POINT OUT. WE HAVE A TEAM BUILDING SCHEDULED ON THE BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES AND THE CODE OF ETHICS AND LEADERSHIP FOR AUGUST 25TH OF THIS YEAR, AND WE HAVE A SECOND TEAM BUILDING THAT WE ARE 
          [00:40:06]
WORKING TO GET SCHEDULED. MORE THAN LIKELY, DECEMBER 8TH IS WHAT WE'RE TARGETING. JUST TO GIVE THE TRUSTEES A HEADS UP. HEADS UP. THIS IS ANOTHER LEADERSHIP TYPE TEAM BUILDING THAT WE WILL TRY TO DO JOINTLY WITH THE EXECUTIVE TEAM. SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THAT. AND THEN POTENTIALLY ANOTHER ANOTHER ONE IN THE SPRING TIME FRAME SO THAT WE CAN UPDATE OUR BOARD GOALS AND PRIORITIES. AS WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT DOING, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE FORT BEND EDUCATION FOUNDATION, BECAUSE THESE TEAM BUILDINGS ARE BEING FUNDED BY A GRANT THAT WAS AWARDED TO THE FORT BEND ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES. SO WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF OUR DISTRICT, AS ALWAYS, AND PARTICULARLY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF OUR OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM BUILDINGS. THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO BECAUSE THEY HAVE FUNDED THESE. SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE. AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM. I HAVE A QUESTION. 
          YES. SORRY I WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION, MISS JONES. IT'S NOT A QUESTION. IT'S JUST AN ADD. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TAIL PASS WINDOW HAS OPENED. LAST WEEK, AND IT ENDS AT THE END OF MARCH, I THINK, ON THE 28TH. AND SO CAN WE SOMEHOW PUT THAT EITHER IN APRIL OR MAY ON OUR CALENDAR AS WELL. SO THAT WON'T BE LEFT OUT TO FIND OUT HOW OUR ELLS ARE DOING. YES. NO PROBLEM. WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND WE'LL GET THE TEACHING AND LEARNING TEAM TOGETHER AND WE'LL INCORPORATE IT. OKAY, THANKS. THANK YOU, MISS JONES, MISS HANNON. SO THANK YOU. THIS CALENDAR IS VERY HELPFUL. AND I WOULD ACTUALLY LOVE FOR THIS TO BE IN OUR BOARD PACKET EVERY TIME SO THAT IT WHEN IT SHIFTS AND MOVES, I DON'T HAVE TO DIG THROUGH THE FLOOR OF MY UPSTAIRS OFFICE TO FIND IT. SO ANYWAY, I DO THINK THAT'S HELPFUL. SO I WANT TO PIGGYBACK ON MISS JONES, BECAUSE I HAD WRITTEN ON THE FRONT OF MINE. IS THAT I, YOU KNOW, WHILE I BELIEVE THE BOARD ADDRESSING AND HEARING UPDATES ABOUT SPED IS IMPORTANT, AND I KNOW THERE ARE ABOUT 12% OF OUR POPULATION, WE HAVE, IN MY OPINION, HAVE BEEN MISSING A VERY BIG AUDIENCE OF CHILDREN. IN OUR BILINGUAL AND ESL. AND I THINK TELEPASS IS ONE OF THOSE VERY IMPORTANT PIECES OF DATA WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT. BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, ANNUALLY WE ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE AN EVALUATION PROGRAM EVALUATION DONE FOR THOSE STUDENTS. SO AT LEAST BEFORE THE SCHOOL STARTS NEXT YEAR, I WOULD ASK THE BOARD PRESIDENT AND THE SUPERINTENDENT IF WE COULD PLEASE HAVE AN UPDATE. LOOKING AT A LITTLE BIT MORE GRANULAR LEVEL ON STUDENT OUTCOMES, INCLUDING TEL PASS AND THE MAP AND ANY OTHER PERTINENT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE ON THOSE STUDENTS. THE OTHER, I DO BELIEVE THAT'S ABOUT 22% OR MORE OF OUR KIDS. SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THEM, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR TARGETED CAMPUSES, I KNOW THAT MANY OF THOSE HAVE A HIGH POPULATION. THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE, I KNOW THAT GIBSON DID DO AN AUDIT. I BELIEVE IT WAS IN 2021. I MAY BE WRONG ON THAT FOR GT, AND I WOULD LIKE WE HAVE NOT ADDRESSED THAT AT ALL THIS YEAR. 
          I DO KNOW THAT BEST PRACTICE IN THE TEXAS STATE HANDBOOK FOR THE EDUCATION OF GIFTED AND TALENTED STUDENTS IS THAT ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE TRAINED. I DON'T KNOW THAT ALL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN THAT. SO I WOULD ACTUALLY ALSO JUST REQUEST IF THAT WE COULD LOOK AT, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT DOCTOR SMITH IS EXPECTING A YEAR OF GROWTH OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. RIGHT. SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT WITH OUR OUR BILINGUAL ESL STUDENTS. 
          BUT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT WITH THE GT STUDENTS. AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO LOOP BACK AROUND TO SEE WHERE WE ARE IN THE RESPONSES TO THE GT AUDIT THAT GIBSON DID FOR US. 2 OR 3 YEARS AGO, THOSE WOULD BE MY COMMENTS. AND OH, I HAVE ONE MORE. ONE MORE IS I KNOW THAT PROBABLY WOULDN'T LAND HERE BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY VOTED ON IT, BUT AS FAR AS THE CURRICULUM AUDIT PIECE GOES, WOULD THERE BE ANYTHING ELSE THAT NEEDS TO COME TO THE BOARD BEFORE THAT TOSA AUDIT HAPPENS, OR IS THAT JUST GOING TO. NOT AT THIS POINT. OKAY. AND THAT'S GOING TO BEGIN NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. YES. OKAY. THEN MY FINAL QUESTION IS REGARDING THE BLUEBONNET CURRICULUM ON HERE IN MARCH. IS THAT ALSO GOING TO BE WHEN THE STAFF WOULD BE BRING A RECOMMENDATION FOR WHETHER TO THAT STAFF ACCEPTS OR REJECTS THAT CURRICULUM? WHAT? OR IS 
          [00:45:01]
THIS WHAT. YES. YES. SO THE PURPOSE OF THE WORKSHOP ON, ON 317 IS TO HAVE THE STAFF PRESENT AN INFORMATION ITEM AND TO BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING ON CONSIDERATION OF THAT CURRICULUM AND HOW THAT'S GOING TO FIT IN AND WHAT AND WHAT A RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO THE BOARD AND HOW THAT NEEDS TO BE PHASED IN IF IT'S APPROVED OR WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE. OKAY. 
          I JUST I HEARD YOU SAY WE HAVE TO VOTE ON IT BEFORE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. SO THAT WOULD BE OBVIOUSLY BEFORE JULY. RIGHT, RIGHT. SO THE POINT IS TO OF THE AUGUST WORKSHOP IS TO. YES, I MEAN, SORRY, THE MARCH WORKSHOP IS TO. YES. GET THE INFORMATION ITEM FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND GET THE RECOMMENDATION SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. SO THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE COMING IN THE MARCH WORKSHOP. DOCTOR SMITH TELLS ME HE'S NOT PREPARED, BUT THEY'VE BEEN WORKING TO BE PREPARED BECAUSE THAT IS PART OF OUR POLICY THAT THEY BRING. THAT'S A RECOMMENDATION TO US. OKAY. I JUST WASN'T I WASN'T SURE IF WE WOULD BE EXPECTING IT THEN. SO THEN THEY'RE GOING TO BRING US INFORMATION, BRING US A RECOMMENDATION. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY IF IT'S SITTING THERE THEN IS, IS THAT A BOARD AGENDA WORKSHOP OR IS THAT THE BOARD WORKSHOP. ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ON THE BOARD ON THE MARCH. YEAH. YES. SO IT IS THE IT'S BOTH. OH IT'S ON BOTH. SO IS IT COMING BACK FOR A ONE IS INFORMATION TWO IS COMING BACK FOR A VOTE. 
          THAT'S RIGHT. OKAY. SO WE WILL VOTE ON IT IN MARCH. THAT IS THE PLAN TO VOTE ON IT IN MARCH. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THE CLARIFICATION I APPRECIATE THAT. AND JUST TO RESPOND TO YOUR SO I'VE WRITTEN DOWN THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE ASKED. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID WANT TO MAKE THE BOARD AWARE, WE OBVIOUSLY HAD THE REGULAR SPECIAL EDUCATION UPDATES BECAUSE OF THE COMPLIANCE ISSUES. AND NOW THAT WE HAVE MOVED PAST SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, WE WILL NOT BE DOING THE SAME. YOU KNOW, THE EXPECTATION IS NOT TO CONTINUE ON THOSE EVERY OTHER MONTH UPDATES. SO WE'LL BE PHASING THOSE INTO A MORE REGULAR UPDATE, JUST LIKE WE WOULD SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT MISS JONES HAS BEEN. I'D LIKE ACTUALLY THE PLACEHOLDER FOR SPED TO BE THERE AND FOR SOME OF OUR SPECIAL PROGRAMS, IT WILL BE THERE ON A REGULAR BASIS SO THAT IT'S WE'RE NOT JUST SEEING IT ONCE A YEAR. YEAH. NO, WE THOUGHT OKAY, WE WILL. SO THE CALENDAR WILL BE BUILT OUT AGAIN FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. AND SO FOR THE MOST PART, WHAT WE HAD DISCUSSED IS THAT THIS GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT'S GOING TO BE PRESENTED WHEN. BUT IF WE HAVE PARTICULAR ISSUES RELATED TO A PARTICULAR AREA LIKE WE DID WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION, THEN OF COURSE WE'LL HAVE THOSE MORE OFTEN. SO AND THEN ADDING THE CALENDAR TO EVERY BOARD BOOK IS YES, I MEAN THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. AND THAT WAY WE CAN SEE WHAT'S COMING. AND WE'VE ADDED TO OUR REGULAR BOARD MEETING AGENDA AS WELL AS YOU'VE SEEN FOR DOCTOR SMITH TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHAT TO EXPECT FOR NEXT MONTH. SO THAT'S THE AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THAT. AND SO IT MIGHT EVEN BE HELPFUL JUST LIKE YOU'VE DONE HERE. YOU'VE DONE SOME STRIKETHROUGHS SO THAT WE KNOW WHEN SOMETHING IS REMOVED. AND THEN MAYBE EACH SIX MONTHS OR SO WE CAN JUST START OUT, YOU CAN TABULA RASA AND START ALL OVER AGAIN. THANKS AGAIN, MISS THOMSON. THANK YOU, MISS HANNAH. 
          MISS JONES. I JUST WANTED TO PIGGYBACK ON TRUSTEE HANNAN ABOUT THE GT. I KNOW FOR A FACT I NEED TO BE RENEWED ON MY END, SO I NEED TO REALLY ASSESS THAT. BUT THEN ALSO, WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CALENDARS AND CREDITS AND RENEWALS OR WHAT HAVE YOU, I THINK WE ALL SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AND SPEAK WITH KIM ABOUT IF WE HAVE ANY OUTSTANDING CONTINUING CREDITS AS WELL. SO AND HOPEFULLY PRESIDENT THOMPSON AND I WILL GET THE CALENDAR STARTED. WHAT, JUNE? YEAH, AROUND JUNE FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. YEAH. AND MAY I JUST BE CLEAR THAT THE, THE TRAINING I WAS REFERRING TO WAS ACTUALLY FOR BOARD MEMBERS, RIGHT. AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S AN EXEMPLARY COLUMN AND JUST KIND OF AN ACCEPTABLE COLUMN. AND THE ACCEPTABLE IS WELL, EITHER WAY, WE ALL NEED UP TO DATE. I KNOW FOR A FACT I WASN'T I WASN'T, I WASN'T I KNOW FOR A FACT I'M NOT WATCHING YOUR PD. I'M NOT I'M NOT SAYING YOU NEED TO GET YOUR. YEAH, YEAH, BUT I'M GLAD YOU PUT IT ON MY RADAR BECAUSE NOW THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, I WAS LIKE, OH, I HAVEN'T RENEWED THIS YEAR. 
          I SHOULD JUST GO GET YOUR CERTIFICATION AND THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO. I'M ALREADY CERTIFIED. 
          IT'S JUST I'M UP FOR RENEWAL, SO. YEAH. YEAH, I TOTALLY LEFT THAT OUT. SO. YEAH. SO HOPEFULLY JUNE WE COULD. YES. BUILD OUT THE ONCE WE GET TOWARDS THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. THAT'LL BE OUR NEXT STEPS. OKAY. THANK YOU, MISS JONES. NO PROBLEM. AND DOCTOR GILLIAM I SEE THAT YOU'RE ON. YOU'RE ON MY SCREEN. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR OR NEED TO SAY ANYTHING, JUST WAVE AT ME. 
          [8. Public Comment]
THANK YOU. OKAY, NEXT UP ON OUR AGENDA IS PUBLIC COMMENT. MR. HAMILTON WILL KEEP TIME. THE. WE 
          [00:50:05]
HAVE SIX SPEAKERS THIS EVENING, AND I WILL ASK MR. HAMILTON TO KEEP THE THREE MINUTE TIME AND TO LET THE SPEAKERS KNOW WHEN THEY HAVE 30S REMAINING. FIRST UP IS MARILYN MOORE. 
          GOOD EVENING TO THE BOARD AND TO DOCTOR SMITH. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS MARILYN ONE. I'M PRESIDENT OF FRIENDS OF THE SUGAR LAND 95. WE ARE A 500 AND 1C3 NONPROFIT FORMED IN JUNE OF 2023, AND YOUR OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PARTNER ON THE SUGAR LAND 95 MEMORIAL PROJECT. THE BOARD APPROVED AND SIGNED AN AFFILIATION AGREEMENT WITH US IN SEPTEMBER OF 2024. AND SO WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO THANK THE BOARD MEMBERS, MR. RICK GARCIA AND MISS ANGIE HANNON, FOR SHOWING YOUR SUPPORT AND YOUR PRESENCE AT THE FRIENDS OF THE SUGAR LAND 95. FORT BEND ISD COMMEMORATION DAY AND PRAYER VIGIL THAT WAS HELD AT THE JAMES REESE CAREER AND TECHNICAL CENTER ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND. WE DO KNOW THAT PRESENCE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER. THE VIGIL WAS HELD AT THE SUGAR LAND 95 EXHIBIT AREA. THE APPROXIMATELY 30 ATTENDEES HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW THE SUGAR LAND 95 EXHIBIT. ABC 13 WAS PRESENT AND THE EVENT WAS INCLUDED IN THE NEWS REPORTS ON CHANNEL 13 AT SIX AND TEN, AND CHANNEL 39 AT 9 P.M. ON SATURDAY NIGHT. WE PRAY AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN FORT BEND COUNTY COMMISSIONER ANDY MEYERS SIGNS THE MOU WITH THE FORT BEND ISD TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE SUGAR LAND 95 MEMORIAL PROJECT. AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU, THE ENTIRE BOARD, FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF FRIENDS OF THE SUGAR LAND 95 AND THIS MOST IMPORTANT PROJECT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS MOORE. NEXT UP, JANET DENNIS. 
          GREETINGS FROM ALAMEDA CRAWFORD HIGH SCHOOL IN ROSHARON, TEXAS, WHERE I AM A PROUD PARENT, COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDER AND EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER OF THE CRAWFORD BAND BOOSTERS. OUR BAND MOTTO IS PRIDE IN EXCELLENCE. AND UNDER THE PHENOMENAL LEADERSHIP OF OUR BAND DIRECTORS, OUR STUDENTS HAVE AMASSED AN IMPRESSIVE LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND IS VERY FIRST VARSITY SEASON. I WILL LIST SOME OF THOSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS. NOW YOU ARE REGION 13 MARCHING CONTEST, FIRST DIVISION FROM ALL THREE JUDGES ADVANCED TO AREA D MARCHING CONTEST TWO STUDENTS ADVANCED TO THE STATE SOLO AND ENSEMBLE FIRST DIVISION. FOUR STUDENTS MADE THE TMEA ALL REGION BAND. TWO STUDENTS ADVANCED TO TMEA. AREA H. TWO STUDENTS ADVANCED TO THE FIVE EIGHT OMEA ALL-STATE BAND IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS. OUR DRUMLINE IS TO PERFORM AT THE FORT BEND EDUCATION FOUNDATION GALA THIS WEEKEND, MARCH THE 1ST NINTH PLACE AT THE TEXAS COLOR GUARD CIRCUIT AT ANGLETON HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLASTIC REGION, A CATEGORY SIXTH PLACE AT THE TEXAS COLOR GUARD CIRCUIT AT JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL. SCHOLASTIC REGIONAL, A CATEGORY. WE ALSO DO COMMUNITY OUTREACH. WE HAVE PERFORMED FOR THE VETERANS AT THE VA HOSPITAL, WHERE WE ALSO LED A SUPPLY DRIVE FOR THEM. WE PERFORMED AT A BLACK HISTORY CONCERT IN OUR COMMUNITY AT WORD OF RESTORATION CHURCH, WHERE WE RECEIVED A STANDING OVATION. OUR GUARD CAPTAINS PERFORMED A FLAG ROUTINE IN CONJUNCTION WITH LIONETTI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR VETERANS DAY. THE STUDENTS AT ALAMEDA CRAWFORD HIGH SCHOOL ARE DOING AMAZING THINGS DOWN IN ROSHARON, AND WE AS A COMMUNITY ARE BEAMING WITH PRIDE. OUR STUDENTS HAVE A REPUTATION OF EXCELLENCE, BUT EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT, A REPUTATION OF HIGH CHARACTER. THEY NOT ONLY REPRESENT OUR SCHOOL WITH DIGNITY, BUT THE ENTIRE DISTRICT. SO I AM HERE TO MAKE SURE THE BOARD, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE FBI'S, THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE KNOWS JUST THAT. WE MAY BE SMALL, BUT WE ARE MIGHTY AND WE TAKE PRIDE IN EXCELLENCE. THANK YOU AND GO, CHARGERS. THANK YOU, MISS DENNIS. AND CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE STUDENTS AND MR. FINLEY. 
          AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. NEXT UP IS WILLIE RAINWATER. 
          [00:55:21]
GOOD EVENING. HOW ARE YOU? EVERYBODY'S DOING. HEY, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT I'D LIKE TO THANK DOCTOR SMITH AND DOCTOR JORDAN AND THE WHOLE BOARD FOR THE MOU THAT THEY CRAFTED WITH WILLOW RIDGE AND OUR FEEDER PATTERN. AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU GUYS ALWAYS DO AND ARE DOING. I'D ALSO LIKE TO TELL YOU ALL THAT I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS SOME WORK THAT THE DISTRICT HAS TO DO, AND I WOULD SAY THIS FOR THE TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT THEY NEED TO GIVE YOU THE ROOM AND OPPORTUNITY TO DO THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. I SAY THIS ABOUT THE HIGH SCHOOL, THAT SORRY, MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE BUILT. I DO NOT SEE HOW YOU GUYS CAN BUILD A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL. I MEAN, I JUST DON'T SEE THAT. AS FAR AS THE FINANCES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY. BECAUSE, NUMBER ONE, NOBODY SAW THAT THE STATE WAS GOING TO MANDATE THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE SECURITY AT MIDDLE SCHOOL, AT YOUR SCHOOL, ALL YOUR SCHOOLS. NOBODY SAW THAT COMING. NOBODY KNOWS WHAT VOUCHERS ARE GOING TO DO WHEN THEY DO PASS AND THEY WILL PASS. SO WHEN THAT HAPPENS, NOBODY KNOWS WHAT YOUR BUDGET IS GOING TO BE. NOW, WE ALL KNOW THAT THE UNEXPECTED SHOULD BE EXPECTED ALL THE TIME BECAUSE IT'S COMING. YOU ALREADY $60 MILLION IN THE HOLE. YOU CANNOT BUILD ANOTHER SCHOOL. I MEAN, I KNOW EVERYBODY WANTS. WE WANT WHAT WE WANT AS A TAXPAYER. I ASK YOU RIGHT NOW, DOES ANYBODY IN THIS ROOM WANT TO RAISE YOUR TAXES? RAISE YOUR HAND. ANYBODY? NO. OKAY. SO WE HAVE TO BE REALISTIC AS TO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO AND WHAT WE CAN DO. NOW, WE CAN KEEP FLAILING AND DOING THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST. BUT WHEN YOU DO THE THINGS YOU'VE DONE IN THE PAST, YOU COME OUT RIGHT WHERE YOU WERE IN THE PAST, MAYBE A LITTLE AHEAD, MAYBE A LITTLE BEHIND, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO COME OUT THE SAME WAY. AND I'M SAYING THIS, PLEASE. FORT BEND ISD PARENTS, TEACHERS, TAXPAYERS GIVE THIS ADMINISTRATION AN OPPORTUNITY. DON'T FORCE THIS. DON'T MAKE PEOPLE MAKE DECISIONS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO REGRET LATER. AND YOU'RE GOING TO REGRET LATER BECAUSE YOU'RE STILL GOING TO BE IN A SITUATION FINANCIALLY THAT YOU CANNOT GET OUT OF, AND YOU'RE JUST GOING TO HURT 30S THAT YOU BELIEVE YOU'RE HELPING, WHICH ARE OUR STUDENTS? WE'RE ALREADY IN A HOLE. LET'S STOP DIGGING THE I'M FOR ANOTHER SCHOOL, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE'S A TIME TO DO IT, AND THE TIME TO DO IT IS NOT NOW. THANK YOU, MR. RAINWATER. STEPHANIE BROWN. 
          HELLO. RESPECT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, THE BOARD, THE STAFF. TODAY IS THE LAST DAY OF A BOARD MEETING FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH. SO I WORE MY SHIRT TODAY. THAT SAYS BLACK BY POPULAR DEMAND. AND I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FORT BEND ISD AND BLACK HISTORY. AND IT'S REGARDING ZONING. THE QUESTION WAS ASKED AT THE BOARD MEETING OR THE SPECIAL CALL MEETING LAST WEEK. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THERE WAS A DISTRICT WIDE BOUNDARY CHANGE? AND I THINK SOMEONE SAID MAYBE 2017 OR 2018. WELL, THAT'S NOT TRUE. SO I HAVE A LITTLE HISTORY FOR YOU HERE. IN 2017, FORT BEND ISD IMPLEMENTED BOUNDARY CHANGES TO ALLEVIATE OVERCROWDING AT CERTAIN SCHOOLS, INCLUDING THE OPENING OF NEW SCHOOLS LIKE RONALD THORNTON MIDDLE SCHOOL IN SIENNA PLANTATION. NOW, NONE OF OUR KIDS WERE IN OR OUR SCHOOLS WERE IN ON THAT. IN 2019, THE DISTRICT PROPOSED HIGH SCHOOL BOUNDARY CHANGES, BUT LATER WITHDREW THE RECOMMENDATIONS DUE 
          [01:00:01]
TO COMMUNITY FEEDBACK. AT THAT TIME, QUAIL VALLEY ISSUED A LAWSUIT. IT WAS ISSUED TO THE BOARD. THE BOARD PUT A HALT TO THE PLANS ALL WITHIN PROBABLY A WEEK OR SO. THERE WERE UNDERLYING PROBLEMS AND ISSUES LIKE INEQUITIES, SEGREGATION, UNDERLYING ISSUES LIKE RACIAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC SEGREGATION. AHEAD OF THE JANUARY 22ND BOARD MEETING. FORT BEND ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SAID IT WOULD BE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL PORTION OF THE BOUNDARY CHANGES, AND A JANUARY 18TH LETTER TO PARENTS. SUPERINTENDENT CHARLES DUPREE EXPLAINED THAT THE BOARD WAS GOING TO BE ASKED TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION FOR HIGH SCHOOL BOUNDARY CHANGES. INSTEAD, THE DISTRICT PUT A HALT TO IT. AGAIN, OUR SCHOOLS WERE LEFT OUT IN 20 AND THEN IN THAT I DON'T I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE OUT. THINGS WERE SAID LIKE PUTTING LIPSTICK ON A PIG WHEN IT CAME TO COME TO OUR SCHOOLS AND OTHER SHIRTS AND, AND PROTEST AND EVEN A NOOSE AROUND A NEIGHBORHOOD SAYING THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GO TO THOSE CERTAIN SCHOOLS. FEBRUARY 2023. THE ONLY SCHOOLS THAT WERE RECOMMENDED WERE THE NEW SCHOOLS. THE OVERCROWDING AT RIDGE POINT HIGH TOWER GOT SOME OF THOSE SCHOOLS. OUR SCHOOLS WERE LEFT OUT AGAIN. I WAS A CO-CHAIR FOR THE BOUNDARY CHAIR COMMITTEE. AND SO NOW WE'RE HERE AT 2025 AND YOU GUYS ARE STILL SAYING, LET'S WAIT 2 OR 3 YEARS. THE TIME IS NOW. THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MISS BROWN. NEXT UP IS BRANDON LAWSON. I HOPE I SAID THAT RIGHT. CAN CAN WE ASK THEM TO PLEASE TURN OFF PHONES? OKAY. THANK YOU. NOT ME. OKAY. I THOUGHT YOU WERE SAYING. TURN MY PHONE OFF. NOT YOU. GOOD EVENING. ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF FORT BEND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD. I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A CONCERNED PARENT AND COMMUNITY MEMBER, NOT AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF ANY OF THE BOARDS I SERVE ON. DEEPLY TROUBLED BY THE DISTRICT'S CURRENT POLICIES REGARDING PARENTAL NOTIFICATION DURING CRITICAL INCIDENTS. RECENT EVENTS HAVE UNDERSCORED THE URGENT NEED FOR IMMEDIATE AND TRANSPARENT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE DISTRICT AND PARENTS TO ENSURE THE SAFETY AND WELL-BEING OF OUR STUDENTS. ON FEBRUARY 20TH. ON FEBRUARY 1ST, 2025, DURING A BAND COMPETITION AT PASADENA MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL INVOLVING SEVERAL FBISD SCHOOLS, AN 83 YEAR OLD MAN ENTERED THE PREMISES AND DISCHARGED A FIREARM INJURY AND A BYSTANDER. IN THE AFTERMATH OF SUCH INCIDENCES, THE EXPECTATION IS CLEAR PARENTS MUST BE PROMPTLY INFORMED TO MAKE DECISIONS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THEIR CHILDREN. HOWEVER, ON AT LEAST THIS OCCASION, FBI ISD HAS INTENTIONALLY CHOSEN NOT TO NOTIFY PARENTS DURING THIS SIGNIFICANT EVENT, OPTING INSTEAD TO WITHHOLD INFORMATION. 
          THE APPROACH IS NOT ONLY A BREACH OF TRUST, BUT ALSO A BLATANT DISREGARD FOR PARENTAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. EVERY OTHER SCHOOL BOARD THAT HAD STUDENTS AT THE COMPETITION HAD STATEMENTS OF FACT OUT WITHIN 30 MINUTES OF THE INCIDENT THAT INCLUDED KATY ISD AND PASADENA ISD. THANK GOD PAUL BROCK IS THE EPITOME OF COMMUNICATION AND LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT ALL THE STUDENTS WERE SAFE. FBISD FAILING TO RESPOND IN A IN A SIMILAR MANNER OR TO NOTIFY PARENTS, LEFT THE COMMUNITY RUNNING RAMPANT WITH RUMORS. IT WAS ALL OVER FACEBOOK PAGES THAT THE KEMPNER BAND DIRECTOR WAS SHOT AND WOULD PROBABLY DIE. HE WASN'T EVEN THERE. MY CHILD WAS THERE THOUGH, AND I GOT ABSOLUTELY NO NOTIFICATION FROM YOU. I WANT THE COMMUNITY LISTENING TO THIS TO KNOW IF THERE'S A MAJOR SECURITY INCIDENT INVOLVING YOUR CHILD. YOU WILL NOT BE NOTIFIED. DO NOT ASSUME, LIKE I DID, THAT SUCH A SUPPOSEDLY HIGH FUNCTIONING SCHOOL DISTRICT LIKE FBISD HAS A SYSTEMS IN PLACE TO DO THE RIGHT THING. IN LIGHT OF THESE CONCERNS. I URGE THE BOARD TO REEVALUATE AND STRENGTHEN OUR PARENTAL NOTIFICATION POLICIES. 
          TRANSPARENCY AND TIMELY COMMUNICATION ARE PARAMOUNT. PARENTS SHOULD NEVER BE LEFT IN THE DARK, ESPECIALLY FOR THE SAFETY OF THEIR CHILDREN'S AT STAKE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. THANK YOU, MR. LAWSON. NEXT UP, MISS PRINCE. I WOULD LIKE TO AGREE WITH MR. LAWSON THAT A TIER ONE DISTRICT WOULD NOTIFY PARENTS. SO I SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR REQUEST. 
          WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SAY IS A CONTINUATION OF WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING SINCE JANUARY. HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR SCHOOLS AS PARENTS. IT'S ABOUT THINGS THAT HAPPEN AS A RESULT OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM. SO THE ONE AREA THAT NO EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION SHOULD EVER MOVE TOWARD LESS TRANSPARENCY IS THAT OF THE TOOLS NECESSARY FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS. THERE IS NO 
          [01:05:05]
GOOD REASON TO HAVE REMOVED THE ACCESS TO THE COMPLETE HIGH SCHOOL COURSE SELECTION GUIDE, OR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL COURSE SELECTION GUIDE. DOES FORT BEND ISD NOT WANT ALL STUDENTS TO KNOW AVAILABLE COURSES WITH THE CORRESPONDING PRE-REQUISITES, CO-REQUISITES OR COURSE EQUIVALENTS? DOES FORT BEND ISD NOT WANT STUDENTS TO KNOW HOW SPECIFIC COURSES AFFECT ENDORSEMENTS, GRADUATION, OR GPA? DOES FORT BEND ISD NOT WANT STUDENTS AND PARENTS TO HAVE USEFUL STANDARD ACADEMIC DOCUMENTS THAT ANY TIER ONE DISTRICT WOULD PROVIDE? OR DOES FORT BEND ISD NOT ASPIRE TO BE A TIER ONE DISTRICT? WE SUFFER FROM INFLATION, SHORTAGE OF BOND FUNDS TO COMPLETE PROJECTS, UNDERPAID STAFF THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. REPORTEDLY, THE DISTRICT DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO ACHIEVE MANY LOFTY GOALS. HOWEVER, PROVIDING A PDF OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL COURSE SELECTION GUIDE AND THE HIGH SCHOOL COURSE SELECTION GUIDE COST NOTHING FOR $0. YOU COULD PROVIDE THE TOOLS FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION IS WHY HAVE YOU CHOSEN TO NOT PROVIDE THESE RESOURCES? AND WHY DO YOU BELIEVE STUDENTS ARE NOT WORTH THE INVESTMENT THAT COST? FORT BEND ISD $0.00. 
          PARENTS SHOULD ASK THEMSELVES, WHY DENY ACCESS TO THE COURSE SELECTION GUIDES AND THAT HAVE RELEVANT INFORMATION, RELEVANT INFORMATION THAT'S IMPORTANT TO MORE THAN JUST YOUR REGISTRATION. THAT'S THE QUESTION YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF. WE'VE BEEN GETTING THESE GUYS YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR. WHY NOW ARE THESE GUYS NOT BEING PROVIDED FOR US? THE FULL, COMPLETE GUIDE WITH A BUNCH OF INFORMATION THAT YOU AS PARENTS, NEED TO KNOW TO PROTECT YOUR STUDENTS. IF YOU ARE NOT IN THIS ROOM TONIGHT AND YOU SEE ME ON THE STREET AND YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY, I THINK YOU'RE NOT GIVEN ACCESS TO THAT GUIDE. I'LL TELL YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS 
          [9.A. Intruder Detection Audit Report]
PRINCE. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT UP ARE OUR INFORMATION ITEMS. FIRST IS OUR INTRUDER DETECTION AUDIT REPORT, DOCTOR SMITH. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. MR. ROSENBERG IS GOING TO BE PRESENTING THE REPORT THIS EVENING. GOOD EVENING, DOCTOR SMITH. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I'M HERE TO REPORT OUR INTRUDER DETECTION AUDITS. SINCE OUR LAST REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD UPDATE REGARDING OUR AUDITS. AND SO SINCE OUR LAST BOARD UPDATE, WE'VE HAD 14 ADDITIONAL INTRUDER DETECTION AUDITS. THESE ARE UNANNOUNCED AUDITS. THE RESULTS OF THOSE AUDITS ARE WE HAD TEN CAMPUSES WITH NO FINDINGS AND FOUR CAMPUSES THAT HAD FINDINGS. 
          SO THIS IS THE END OF MY REPORT. I'LL BE GLAD TO TAKE QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE ANY. THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE FINDINGS REAL QUICK, PLEASE, SIR? THE SPECIFICS. OH, SORRY. 
          YEAH. I'LL. I'LL ANSWER THE SPECIFICS OF THE AUDIT. SHOULD BE DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION FOR SECURITY REASONS. THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. OKAY, MY SAME QUESTION WHEN I WAS, I GUESS, A CLOSED SESSION. RIGHT? CLOSED SESSION? YES. CORRECT. YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS 
          [9.B. Student Achievement Middle of the Year Update]
THE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT MIDDLE OF THE YEAR UPDATE, DOCTOR SMITH. YES, MA'AM. BOARD MEMBERS, TEACHING AND LEARNING DIVISION. LED BY DOCTOR JORDAN. DOCTOR STEPHENS WILL BE PRESENTING TONIGHT. WE HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION IN FRONT OF YOU THAT WE HOPE WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU TO FOLLOW ALONG IN THE DATA. DOCTOR JORDAN WILL KICK US OFF, AND THEN DOCTOR STEPHENS WILL FOLLOW HER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT. BOARD OF TRUSTEES, DOCTOR SMITH. IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU HAVE YOUR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT NOTE GUIDE. BEFORE I TURN THE PRESENTATION OVER TO DOCTOR SMITH. DOCTOR STEPHENS, I WANT TO JUST SHARE A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION WITH YOU THIS EVENING. DOCTOR STEPHENS WILL PROVIDE YOU A MIDDLE OF THE YEAR UPDATE, SPECIFICALLY ON OUR CIRCLE DATA FOR PRE-K. OUR MAP ACHIEVEMENT DATA, OUR MAP GROWTH DATA, AND THEN SOME INFORMATION THAT WE ARE GIVING TO PARENTS. WE HAVE A LOT OF DATA THAT WE WILL BE SHARING WITH YOU THIS EVENING. AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE FOR EACH DATA POINT IS PROVIDED YOU A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS. SO IF YOU COULD JUST TURN TO PAGE THREE, I WANT TO GIVE YOU A HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHAT YOU WILL SEE. SO ON PAGE THREE IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT WE WILL PRESENT DATA TO YOU. YOU WILL NOTICE THAT WE HAVE HIGHLIGHTS FOR YOU. WE ALSO HAVE AREAS OF OPPORTUNITIES. AND THEN WE ALSO WILL NOTE MEASURABLE ACTIONS. SO WHEN WE COME TO YOU FOR OUR END OF THE YEAR PRESENTATION, AND YOU WANT TO KNOW IF WE ARE EXECUTING WITH EXCELLENCE AND DELIVERING ON OUR RESULTS, THESE MEASURABLE ACTIONS ARE COMMITMENT TO SEE THE DATA IN THOSE AREAS GROW. AGAIN, WE HAVE AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT WE WILL BE SHARING WITH YOU. BUT I WANTED TO FIRST POINT YOU OUT TO THAT INFORMATION. NEXT, BEFORE DOCTOR STEPHENS BEGINS, WE'RE GOING TO LAUNCH INTO SOME DATA. AS IT RELATES TO MAP, AND I WANT 
          [01:10:02]
TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY JUST EXPLAIN THIS YEAR FOR MAP. MAP IS NEW FOR US. AND SO THIS YEAR MAP IS BASELINE DATA FOR US. I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO TAKE LAST YEAR'S RENNES 360 DATA AND COMPARE IT TO THIS YEAR'S MAP DATA, BUT THAT IS US COMPARING APPLES AND ORANGES. SO RENNES 360 IS ALMOST IT'S A DIAGNOSTIC. THINK ABOUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON YOUR DASH, RIGHT. A LIGHT COMES ON YOUR DASH. IT ALERTS YOU THAT SOMETHING IS NEEDED. MAYBE YOU NEED GAS, MAYBE YOU NEED OIL, BUT YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING PRETTY SOON. IF NOT, IT COULD BE A MAJOR INCIDENT WITH YOUR CAR. MAP IS MORE LIKE YOUR HEIGHT AND WEIGHT. WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR BABY TO THE DOCTOR AND THEY GO, OH, DAVID IS MEASURING IN THE 90TH PERCENTILE FOR HIS HEIGHT AND WEIGHT AND YOU'RE LIKE, THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND WHAT? RIGHT. MAP LINES OUR STUDENTS UP IN A NATIONAL NORM AND TELLS US WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE, ACHIEVEMENT AND GROWTH WISE COMPARED TO OTHER STUDENTS OF THEIR AGE. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DATA TONIGHT, IT IS DIFFERENT THAN OUR MIDDLE OF THE YEAR PRESENTATION WITH RENNES 360. WE ARE ABLE TO TAKE THAT DATA AND IDENTIFY GAPS AND DEFICITS AND TELL YOU WHAT PROGRAM WE'RE USING TO FILL THOSE GAPS AND DEFICITS, AGAIN, LIKE GOING TO THE DOCTOR 90TH PERCENTILE. WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY GIVING YOU THE GAPS AND DEFICITS. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DATA SLIDES YOU MAY NOT SEE AS MUCH MOVEMENT. 
          BUT I ASSURE YOU WE ARE DRILLING DOWN TO THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT LETTER STUDENT LEVEL. AND WE ARE CLOSING THOSE GAPS AND DEFICITS. SO I JUST WANTED TO SET THE TONE. BUT AGAIN, AS YOU SEE THE DATA PRESENTED TO YOU, YOU WILL SEE HIGHLIGHTS, YOU WILL SEE AREAS OF OPPORTUNITIES. AND THEN YOU WILL SEE SOME MEASURABLE ACTION STEPS THAT WE WILL BE TAKING FROM NOW TO THE END OF THE YEAR. AT THIS TIME, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DOCTOR STEPHENS. THANK YOU, DOCTOR JORDAN. GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT. DOCTOR SMITH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD. SO, AS DOCTOR JORDAN SAID, I'M GOING TO WALK US THROUGH SOME SUPER HIGH LEVEL DATA. WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED WITH PROBABLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE GRADE LEVELS. THAT'S OUR PRE-K DATA. SO WE ARE REQUIRED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS TO ASSESS EVEN OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR. SO THAT'S DONE THROUGH THE CIRCLE DATA. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY EXCITING ABOUT THIS DATA IS WE SET IT INTO THE YEAR GOAL OF AT LEAST 85% OF OUR STUDENTS ON TRACK. WE ARE ALREADY AT 81%. 
          AND SO YOU MIGHT SAY, WELL, WHAT IS ON TRACK MEAN? SO ON TRACK MEANS THEY ARE ON TRACK TO ACQUIRE THE READINESS SKILLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN READING OR MATH. AND SO THIS MEANS THAT OUR CURRICULUM IS WORKING. OUR STUDENTS ARE LEAVING US ON TRACK, PREPARED FOR KINDERGARTEN, PREPARED FOR THAT LEVEL OF RIGOR AND CHALLENGE. SO. SO WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WE ALSO SAW SOME GREAT GROWTH IN OUR MAP DATA. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'LL NOTE, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR PRE-K MIDDLE OF THE YEAR MATH DATA, IS WE ACTUALLY HAVE ALREADY EXCEEDED OUR GOAL OF 92%. SO WE'RE AT 93% OF OUR PRE-K STUDENTS ARE HAVE ACQUIRED THOSE SKILLS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN KINDERGARTEN. AND SO WE THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE EARLIER THAT WE CAN GET THE STUDENTS THE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS, THE BETTER. SO AS DOCTOR JORDAN ALLUDED TO, REMEMBER, MAP SUPER, SUPER HIGH LEVEL IS GOING TO TELL US WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE. WHEN'S THAT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. IT'S THAT DIAGNOSTIC. WE GAVE IT THREE TIMES THREE. WE GAVE IT EVERY THREE WEEKS LAST YEAR. WE GAVE IT REALLY OFTEN GAVE US DIFFERENT KIND OF DATA POINTS. 
          SO MAP REMEMBER WHEN WE GIVE IT IT'S A FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT. SO IT'S GOING TO COMPARE OUR STUDENTS TO EVERY STUDENT IN A SIMILAR GRADE LEVEL WITH A SIMILAR AMOUNT OF DAYS OF INSTRUCTION. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE STUDENTS IN ANOTHER DISTRICT THAT TOOK MATH BEFORE CHRISTMAS. MAYBE THEY TOOK IT AFTER CHRISTMAS. THEY'RE GOING TO BE COMPARED TO THE STUDENTS THAT HAD THAT SIMILAR AMOUNT OF INSTRUCTION. SO IT GIVES US A REALLY GOOD SENSE OF WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT MAP GROWTH, IT'S GROWTH COMPARED TO STUDENTS WITH THAT SAME INSTRUCTION. AND SO REMEMBER MAP IS INDIVIDUAL STUDENT GROWTH. 
          AND IT COMPARES TO NATIONAL NORMS. IT'S NOT SALINE. IT'S NOT TEXAS CURRICULUM ALIGNED. IT'S DESIGNED TO NATIONAL NORM. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ALWAYS COMES UP IS WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS AS YOU KNOW, DOES MAP ALIGN TO THE CURRICULUM. SO IT DOES NOT ALIGN TO THE CURRICULUM PER SE. 
          IT HAS VERY BROAD AREAS OF INSTRUCTIONAL OPPORTUNITY THAT IT ASSESSES. AND SO WITHIN THAT AS AN EXAMPLE IS, YOU KNOW, IT TESTS UNITS, IT TESTS ARGUMENT OF TEXTS AND AUTHORS CRAFT. 
          RIGHT. AND SO WE MAY HAVE TAUGHT DIFFERENT TYPES OF TEXT. AND SO WE MAYBE GO DEEPER ON INFORMATIONAL TEXTS OR EXPOSITORY TEXT. BUT THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE A GENERAL ASSESSMENT ON THE TYPES OF THE TYPES OF TEXTS. AND SO THAT'S JUST ONE SPACE WHERE YOU MAY SEE SOME DIFFERENTIATION. ALSO THEY MAY HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ON ALGEBRAIC REASONING. WE MAY NOT COVER ALGEBRAIC REASONING. SO LATER IN THE CURRICULUM. BUT WE WILL COVER ALL OF IT. AND SO IT'S JUST A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ASSESS WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE AND WHERE WE THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE. AND SO AS DOCTOR JORDAN ALLUDED TO, THERE'S REALLY TWO DIFFERENT DATA POINTS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THIS EVENING. SO YOU HAVE ACHIEVEMENT. AND THAT'S COMPARING APPLES TO THE FRUIT BASKET. SO IT'S HOW DOES THAT FOURTH GRADE STUDENT DO COMPARED TO EVERY FOURTH GRADE STUDENT IN THE COUNTRY. RIGHT. SO WHAT IS THEIR ACHIEVEMENT LOOK LIKE. 
          [01:15:03]
REMEMBER IT'S GOING TO BE ON A SCALE FROM 0 TO 100. SO 50% IS AVERAGE. SO 50% IS AVERAGE. 
          ANYTHING ABOVE 50% IS STRONG. ANYTHING BELOW 50% IS AN AREA OF OPPORTUNITY. RIGHT. AND THEN WE LOOK AT INDIVIDUAL STUDENT GROWTH. THAT'S EVERY STUDENT THAT'S HAD THAT START OF THE YEAR SCORE. AND THEN IT HAS A MIDDLE OF THE YEAR SCORE WITH A SIMILAR AMOUNT OF DAYS OF INSTRUCTION. SO THERE'S TWO DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT TONIGHT. SO AND THOSE STUDENTS ARE BROKEN DOWN INTO QUARTILE WITH RED BEING THE LOWEST QUARTILE AND BLUE BEING THE HIGHEST QUARTILE. AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT ACHIEVEMENT THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME AREAS TO CELEBRATE HERE. SO IF YOU REMEMBER WHAT I SAID IS 50% IS AVERAGE. SO IN TERMS OF MAP READING ACHIEVEMENT, ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY AREAS ARE ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. SO NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 50. WE ARE ABOVE THAT. ONE AREA THAT WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS OUR KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS. SO YOU SEE THAT 33% OF OUR KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS ARE IN THE TOP QUINTILE. SO THE QUINTILE IS THEY'RE ABOVE THE 80TH PERCENTILE. SO IF WE GO BACK, YOU SEE THAT 33% OF OUR KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS ARE ALREADY PERFORMING AT THAT REALLY HIGH LEVEL. SO IF WE GO BACK TO OUR PRE-K DATA THAT WE JUST SHARED, THAT MEANS THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE BUILDING THOSE FOUNDATIONAL LITERACY SKILLS. AND SO WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND THAT DATA CONTINUES THROUGH EVEN INTO FIRST GRADE. WE DID START THE YEAR AT 60. WE SAW A LITTLE BIT OF DROP TO 58%. WE'RE STILL ABOVE THE AVERAGE, BUT OVER 28% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE IN THAT TOP QUARTILE FOR READING ACHIEVEMENT. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY WANT TO CELEBRATE. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DOCTOR JORDAN ALLUDED TO IS, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS DATA, WHAT DO WE DO. RIGHT. WELL, WE DON'T WE DON'T RUSH AND MAKE RASH JUDGMENTS AND MAKE THESE BROAD PLANS. THIS DATA ALLOWS US TO GET REALLY GRANULAR AND GET TO THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENT LEVEL. SO THE CONVERSATION IS, HEY, I HAVE A STUDENT THAT'S IN THAT 60TH TO 80TH PERCENTILE. WHAT DO I DO TO MOVE HIM OR HER UP? WHAT ARE THOSE SKILLS THAT HE OR SHE NEEDS? WHAT ARE THOSE GAPS THAT I CAN HELP CLOSE? AND THEN CONVERSELY, IF I HAVE A STUDENT THAT'S IN THAT BOTTOM QUARTILE, WHAT DO I NEED TO PROVIDE TO HIM OR HER TO MOVE THEM UP AND ENSURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING THE SKILLS AND THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL? SO YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR A LOT AS WE GO THROUGH THE GROWTH AND THE ACHIEVEMENT PIECE, BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY ABOUT OUR INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS NEEDS. AND SO AGAIN, ELEMENTARY MATH, WE SAW SIMILAR, SIMILAR SUCCESS. OUR ACHIEVEMENT DATA ACROSS ALL THE SUBJECT AREAS IS ACTUALLY REALLY STRONG. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO CELEBRATE BECAUSE IT TELLS US ON THE SURFACE, OUR STUDENTS ARE COMING TO US AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL. THEY CONTINUE TO PERFORM AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL. AND SO AS WE GET INTO GROWTH, WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT AREAS OF OPPORTUNITIES. BUT YOU SEE ACROSS THE BOARD, AGAIN, KINDERGARTEN IS A GREAT AREA OF GREAT SUCCESS. 38% OF OUR KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS ARE PERFORMING AT THE TOP QUARTILE. 
          AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT SECONDARY READING ACHIEVEMENT. AGAIN, ANYTHING ABOVE THE 50TH PERCENTILE IS CONSIDERED ABOVE AVERAGE OR STRONG. WE CONTINUE TO SEE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE ACHIEVING AT A HIGH LEVEL. AND SO WHAT WE CONTINUE TO DO NOW IS BEGIN TO TRIANGULATE THAT SUPPORT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS IN AN AREA OF OPPORTUNITY THAT WE RECOGNIZE IS AS WE WALK CLASSES WITH DSL, AS WE WALK CLASSES WITH ODDS, HOW DO WE PROVIDE THAT TRIAGE SUPPORT FOR OUR SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS? I'M JUMPING AHEAD IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'LL SEE IS WE LOOK AT THAT GROWTH DATA. WE KNOW THAT SIXTH GRADE IS AN AREA OF OPPORTUNITY. SO AS WE START TO DIG IN, WE KNOW THAT WELL IN MATH, THEY'VE GONE FROM 120 MINUTE MATH BLOCK OR 90 MINUTE MATH BLOCK TO NOW 45 MINUTE PERIOD IN READING. THEY'VE GONE FROM 120 MINUTE LITERACY BLOCK TO NOW 45 MINUTE PERIOD. AND SO WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO WHEN WE HAVE THOSE STUDENTS IN FIFTH GRADE TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL? AND THEN HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO BUILD SKILLS FOR THEM AS THEY TRANSITION TO SIXTH GRADE? AND THEN SECONDARY MATH ACHIEVEMENT? AGAIN, EVERYTHING IS ABOVE THE 50TH PERCENTILE, YOU SAY, BUT WAIT, ADAM, I CAN LOOK AT THIS AND I CAN SEE EIGHTH GRADE. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING ABOUT EIGHTH GRADE IS THAT WE HAVE A PERCENTAGE OF OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY TAKING THE ALGEBRA ONE MATH EXAM, AND SO THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT INCLUDED. BUT WHEN WE ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE ALGEBRA ONE MATH EXAM, WHAT WE SEE AND IT'S ON YOUR HANDOUT IS THAT WE HAVE AN JUST LOST MY SLIDE. SORRY. PAGE SEVEN. YOU'LL SEE THAT THEIR GROWTH FOR THEIR GROWTH WAS ACTUALLY THE 69TH PERCENTILE. AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY ACHIEVED THEIR ACHIEVEMENT FROM 87% IN EIGHTH GRADE IN ALGEBRA ONE TO THE 89TH PERCENTILE IN ALGEBRA ONE. SO AS WE BRING THOSE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS BACK IN WITH THEIR ON GRADE LEVEL PEERS, WE SEE THAT AGAIN. OUR PERFORMANCE CONTINUES TO BE AT OR ABOVE THE 50TH PERCENTILE. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAP DOES IS IT HIGHLIGHTS AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY. ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WAS HIGHLIGHTED FOR US IS JUST TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IN THE AREA OF LOGIC CIRCLES AND PROBABILITY. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT OUR CURRICULUM TEAM IS DOING IS BUILDING MINI LESSONS ACROSS THE MATH AND THE READING CURRICULUM TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THOSE TEACHERS. SO THE TEACHERS AREN'T HUNTING AND SAYING, HEY, I GOT MY MAP DATA BACK. MY SECOND PERIOD IS LOW ON THIS. HOW DO I SOLVE FOR THAT? SO CURRICULUM TEAM IS WALKING CAMPUSES, AND WE'RE PUSHING IN WITH THE CURRICULUM, WITH THE COACHES, WITH THE TEACHERS AND THE DSL STAFF TO PROVIDE THOSE RESOURCES 
          [01:20:04]
TO TEACHERS. SO ELEMENTARY SCIENCE, SECONDARY SCIENCE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW IS THAT, YOU KNOW, AS I'VE SPENT TIME IN THE CLASSROOMS WITH MELISSA HUBBARD AND THE CURRICULUM TEAM, AS I'VE WALKED CLASSES WITH DOCTOR SHER, AS WE'VE WALKED CLASSES WITH OUR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY PRINCIPALS, WE KNOW THAT THIS YEAR WAS A YEAR FOR A NEW SCIENCE ADOPTION. WHAT WE SEE IS THAT SCIENCE IS BEING TAUGHT. IT'S BEING TAUGHT WELL. AND THIS DATA IS JUST ONE WAY TO VALIDATE. WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE CLASSROOM IS THAT SCIENCE IS BEING TAUGHT. WE SEE THAT OUR ACHIEVEMENT FOR THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR CONTINUES TO BE AT A REALLY HIGH LEVEL. THIRD GRADE. IF YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WE HAVE 43% OF OUR STUDENTS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR SCIENCE ASSESSMENT ARE PERFORMING IN THE TOP QUINTILE. AND SO WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AND SEE, AND AS OUR TEACHERS BECOME MORE COMFORTABLE WITH OUR NEW SCIENCE CURRICULUM, WE'RE REALLY CONFIDENT THAT THESE SCORES ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW. WE ACTUALLY OUTPERFORMED THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IN MATTER, FORCE AND ENERGY IN TERMS OF OUR SECONDARY SCIENCE, OUR SECONDARY SCIENCE GROWTH. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. NOW MAP GROWTH AGAIN. SO WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT IS THERE'S ALWAYS AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY. SO WE THINK THAT YOU KNOW MAP THIS BEING A BASELINE YEAR THE CURRICULUM AUDIT HAS COME ALONG AT A REALLY OPPORTUNE TIME. RIGHT. BECAUSE WHAT MAP IS TELLING US IS THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE PERFORMING AT A HIGH LEVEL. BUT IF WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO CONTINUE TO GROW, WE NEED TO REALLY ENSURE THAT WE ARE DEEPENING THOSE CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS. AND SO FOR US, THAT'S RAISING THE LEVEL OF RIGOR AND CHALLENGE IN THE CLASSROOM. AND THAT COMES FROM TWO THINGS. ONE, BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF OUR TEACHERS THROUGH OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. BUT IT ALSO COMES FROM ENSURING THAT WE ARE GIVING THEM ACCESS TO A REALLY RIGOROUS, HIGH QUALITY CURRICULUM. AND SO THE CURRICULUM AUDIT IS GOING TO TELL US, HEY, YOUR CURRICULUM HAS SOME REALLY GREAT AREAS OF STRENGTH. THERE'S AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY TO DIFFERENTIATE THAT FOR ALL THESE LEARNERS. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MAP DATA, THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS TO US, IS THAT WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO DIFFERENTIATE FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. SO IF WE LOOK AT OUR MAP GROWTH DATA, OVERALL, WE'RE IN THE 47TH PERCENTILE FOR GROWTH AS A DISTRICT. SO WE'RE A LITTLE BELOW AVERAGE. 50 IS AVERAGE. WE DO HAVE SOME AREAS TO CELEBRATE. SO OUR FIRST AND THIRD GRADE ARE ALL ABOVE THE 50TH PERCENTILE. AND SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS GRAPH THE YELLOW ARE GOLDEN ROD DIAMOND RHOMBUS IS WHERE BASED ON YOUR TEACHING BASED ON YOUR BEGINNING OF THE YEAR ASSESSMENT WHERE YOUR STUDENTS SHOULD BE. AND THE BLUE IS ACTUALLY WHERE WE ENDED UP FOR THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR. SO YOU SEE THAT FIRST GRADE, FIRST, KINDER THIRD. WE WERE THERE AGAIN, FOURTH GRADE. WE WERE A LITTLE BELOW WHERE THEY THOUGHT US TO BE. FIFTH GRADE IS WHAT WE WERE AS WELL. SIXTH GRADE. 
          THERE'S DEFINITELY AN AREA OF OPPORTUNITY. SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I ALLUDED TO. 
          SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO SIT DOWN, PEEL BACK THE LAYERS ON THIS DATA, WALK CLASSROOMS WITH DSL AND SEE WHAT JUST IN TIME SUPPORT WE CAN PROVIDE FROM THE CURRICULAR LENS TO ENSURE THAT OUR TEACHERS HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO MEET OUR STUDENTS NEEDS. SAME THING WITH MATH, SAME THING WITH READING. PARDON ME. SO OVERALL WE ARE A LITTLE BIT LOWER THAN WE ANTICIPATED. SO WE WERE IN THE 42ND PERCENTILE FOR GROWTH WAS A GREAT THING TO CELEBRATE. IS THAT ACTUALLY OUR ELEMENTARY SPANISH LANGUAGE STUDENTS WERE IN THE 54TH PERCENTILE FOR GROWTH. AND SO WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND SUPPORTS FOR THOSE STUDENTS ACROSS THE BOARD. AGAIN, SECONDARY SCHOOLS CONTINUE TO BE A SPACE IN PLACE FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUSHING IN AND PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR OUR CAMPUS LEADERS AND TEACHERS SO THEY CAN HELP MEET OUR STUDENTS NEEDS. SCIENCE, GROWTH AGAIN, SCIENCE. WE ARE TEACHING SCIENCE. OUR CURRICULUM IS WORKING. OVERALL, WE'RE IN THE 55TH PERCENTILE FOR GROWTH. EVERY GRADE LEVEL IS ABOVE THE 50TH PERCENTILE. AND THEN ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S NICE TO CELEBRATE HERE IS THAT THIRD THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE GRADE LEVELS HAD AT LEAST 25% OF THE STUDENTS IN THE TOP QUARTILE. FIFTH GRADE IS THE ONE THAT JUMPS OFF THE PAGE BECAUSE THERE'S A STAR TEST IN FIFTH GRADE. AND SO THAT CONTINUES FOR US TO BE AN AREA OF OPPORTUNITY. AND SO WE CONTINUE TO LOOK THROUGH OUR CURRICULAR RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT OUR TEACHERS AND OUR CAMPUSES HAVE WHAT THEY NEED, AND THAT OUR NEW CURRICULUM DOES MEET THEIR NEED. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ALWAYS COMES UP IS, SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? AND SO WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS, WITHOUT GETTING TOO NERDY, NWA PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DISTRICTS TO PARTICIPATE IN WHAT'S CALLED A LINKING STUDY. AND SO THEY ALREADY HAVE ALL OF OUR MAP DATA. DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS CAN GIVE THEM ACCESS TO THEIR STAR DATA. AND THEN WHAT THEY CAN DO IS THEY CAN SAY STUDENTS THAT IN THE PAST HAVE SCORED THIS ON THE MAP TEST HAVE USUALLY SCORED THIS ON THE STAR EXAM, SO THEY CAN PROJECT WITH A CERTAIN DEGREE OF PROFICIENCY HOW WELL THE STUDENT IS GOING TO DO BASED ON THEIR SCORES AT THE END OF YEAR ASSESSMENT. WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS IN TERMS OF OUR MATH AND READING ASSESSMENTS, IF THIS WAS THE END OF THE YEAR, WE WOULD OUTPERFORM WHERE WE WERE LAST YEAR IN TERMS OF JUST APPROACHES SCIENCE. WE STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF WORK TO DO, BUT AGAIN, WE STILL HAVE FOUR MONTHS OF INSTRUCTION LEFT. SO WE ALWAYS LOOK AT THIS AS THIS IS A WORST CASE SCENARIO. SO IF WE DID NOTHING ELSE WE DIDN'T CHANGE OUR INSTRUCTION. THIS IS KIND OF WHERE WE WOULD END UP. 
          LASTLY, I WANT TO BRING YOU HOME TO OUR READING FLUENCY DATA. SO READING FLUENCY IS AN IS AN ASSESSMENT THAT WE TAKE MULTIPLE TIMES PER YEAR. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IT'S EXCITING IS IT JUST GIVES US ADDITIONAL DATA POINTS. WHAT THOSE DATA POINTS TELL US IS THAT OUR LITERACY 
          [01:25:01]
CURRICULUM IS WORKING. SO WHAT YOU SEE IS THAT 7% OF OUR KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS, ROOTED UP AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO PARDON ME, AT THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR TO ORAL READING. THAT MEANS THOSE STUDENTS ARE PROGRESSING, THOSE STUDENTS ARE READING, AND THEN MORE THAN HALF OF THE STUDENTS THAT TOOK THE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS TEST ARE ACTUALLY READING IN THE UPPER ECHELONS. AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT DATA. THAT DATA CARRIES THROUGH. WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR FIRST GRADE DATA, YOU SEE THAT 28% OF OUR STUDENTS ROUTED UP TO ORAL READING. SO WE SEE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE READING, OUR STUDENTS ARE GROWING. AND 83% OF THE STUDENTS THAT TOOK OUR FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS TEST ARE SCORING IN THE UPPER RANGES OF THAT PROJECTION. 
          SO THAT'S JUST A TESTAMENT TO OUR TEACHERS, TO THE WORK THEY DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT WITH OUR STUDENTS. SO WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF THAT. THE QUESTION THAT ALWAYS COMES UP IS HOW ARE WE COMMUNICATING THIS TO FAMILIES. SO WE'RE ACTUALLY COMMUNICATING THIS IN TWO WAYS. SO ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE CREATED A FORT BEND ISD SPECIFIC REPORT THAT WE PUT INTO SKYWARD. 
          WE THOUGHT THIS WAS A NECESSARY STEP, BECAUSE WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE SCREEN IS NWA HAS A REALLY LOVELY FAMILY REPORT. IT'S ONLY AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH. WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE FAMILIES THAT SPEAK MULTIPLE LANGUAGES, SO OURS IS AT LEAST AVAILABLE IN SPANISH, BUT IT GIVES THE PARENTS A REALLY HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THIS. IS THE ASSESSMENT YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER TOOK. THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS. THIS IS WHERE WE THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE. THESE ARE SOME QUESTIONS THAT YOU CAN PREPARE AS YOU HEAD INTO, MAYBE TEACHERS CONFERENCE OR AN EMAIL. YOU CAN SHOOT YOUR TEACHERS. AND SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO KEEP THE FAMILIES INFORMED OF WHAT THE MAP ASSESSMENT IS AND WHAT IT WHAT IT MEANS FOR THEIR STUDENTS. AND SO HIGH LEVEL MOVING FORWARD. AS I SAID, YOU KNOW, WE ARE WORKING WITH THE CURRICULUM DEPARTMENT. WE ARE THE CURRICULUM DEPARTMENT. WE'RE PROVIDING INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT TO TEACHERS BASED ON THOSE TEAKS. WE'RE DATA SAYS THAT WE NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. WE'RE PROVIDING FRONTLINE SUPPORT TO CAMPUS LEADERS DURING MONTHLY PRINCIPAL PLCS FOCUSED SOLELY ON MAP. SO WE GET ABOUT THREE HOURS EACH MONTH WITH INDIVIDUAL PRINCIPAL GROUPS WHERE WE JUST SPEND TIME WALKING THEM THROUGH MAP, TALKING THEM THROUGH MAP. 
          ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS EXCITING THIS WEEK, THIS MONTH IS WE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT TRIANGULATING THAT, TRIANGULATING THEIR DATA. SO LOOKING AT THEIR MAP DATA, LOOKING AT THEIR INTERIM DATA, AND THEN REALLY LOOKING AT WHO ARE THOSE STUDENTS THAT I CAN INTERVENE FOR. WE CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN CROSS-FUNCTIONAL LEARNING WALKS. SO WE HAVE CAMPUS LEADERS, WE HAVE THE OD DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE THE DSL, AND WE HAVE OUR CURRICULUM TEAM CONTINUING TO WALK CAMPUSES AND PROVIDE SUPPORT. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO PUSHING INTO PLCS TO PROVIDE THAT REAL TIME SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS. SO THANK YOU. GOOD JOB, DOCTOR STEVENS. THANK YOU. 
          WAY TO GET US THROUGH IT. ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE QUESTIONS FROM THE TRUSTEES. 
          MISS JONES. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT THOMPSON. THANK YOU, DOCTOR STEVENS, FOR THE PRESENTATION. 
          SO I HAVE ABOUT THREE QUESTIONS, MAYBE FOUR, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU ANSWER THEM. AND MAYBE DOCTOR JORDAN CAN ALSO COME UP AND ANSWER THIS QUESTION AS WELL. AND SO JUST TO BE TRANSPARENT AND DIRECT. SO HOW HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE ACADEMIC PROGRESS OF OUR STUDENTS. BASICALLY WHERE ARE YOU PLEASED? YOU TALK ABOUT AREAS OF OPPORTUNITIES. WHERE DO YOU THINK OUR STUDENTS SHOULD BE VERSUS WHERE THEY'RE AT NOW? I THINK IT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU ASK THE QUESTION, ARE WE SATISFIED WITH ACADEMIC PROGRESS? I THINK THE ANSWER IS NO. I THINK, YOU KNOW, ANYONE WOULD WANT EVERY STUDENT TO ACHIEVE ABOVE GRADE LEVEL GROWTH, I WOULDN'T BE I'M NOT GOING TO BE SATISFIED UNTIL WE HAVE EVERY STUDENT IN THAT TOP QUARTILE. I THINK WHERE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY, AND I'M COMING FROM THE LENS OF A FORMER SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER, IS THAT EVERY STUDENT CAN LEARN. 
          AND SO WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY AS A DISTRICT TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THE SKILLS AND RESOURCES AND EQUIPPING OUR TEACHERS AND OUR CAMPUS LEADERS, AND THEN ENSURING THAT WE HAVE A REALLY ROBUST CURRICULUM THAT IS WHEN IMPLEMENTED WITH FIDELITY, EVERYONE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL. AND SO I THINK WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES JUST TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE IS SUCCESSFUL, FROM OUR CAMPUS LEADERS TO OUR TEACHERS, TO OUR STUDENTS. SO I WILL NOT BE SATISFIED UNTIL EVERY STUDENT IS SUCCESSFUL. GREAT. THANK YOU. NEXT QUESTION. SO I KNOW I'VE HEARD IT IN THE STREETS ABOUT FROM THE TEACHERS AND EVERYBODY ELSE ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE MAP. SO MY QUESTION IS, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES AND THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU'RE GETTING REGARDING THIS ADMINISTRATION'S AND WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR, I GUESS, WITH, SAY, THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS? SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT ANYTIME THAT YOU HAVE A NEW INITIATIVE OR A NEW ENDEAVOR, IT IS NOT WITHOUT ITS CHALLENGES. THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE TENDED TO LIKE MORE ABOUT. WREN OR STAR 360 WAS THAT IT WAS IT WAS PRETTY EASY. IT TOOK, YOU KNOW, NO TIME AT ALL. MAP IS A LITTLE MORE CUMBERSOME, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH IT. WE KNOW AT THE START OF THE YEAR, TEACHERS HAD TROUBLE WITH TERMINATING THE 
          [01:30:05]
TEST AND STARTING THE WRONG TEST AND ENDING THE TEST. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT IF YOU ACTUALLY LOOK AT THE DATA AND THE DOCUMENTS THAT MAP PROVIDES, THE NWA PROVIDES, A MAP ASSESSMENT SHOULD TAKE ABOUT MAYBE 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR. AND WHAT WE SEE IS THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE ARE SPENDING THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME ON TEST AS TEACHERS BECOME MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IT. SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO OUR CAMPUS LEADERS, TO OUR CAMPUS TESTING COORDINATORS, AND TO OUR TEACHERS TO HELP THEM BECOME MORE COMFORTABLE. SO THAT'S SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS SUMMER IS CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND TRAINING ON MAP, SO THEY BECOME MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IT AND ALMOST BECOME SECOND NATURE TO THEM. EXCELLENT. OKAY. MY NEXT QUESTION IS ABOUT THE LITERACY DATA. AND SO AND THE GROWTH DATA PER SE. SO MY FIRST QUESTION IS AS I WAS SITTING AND WONDERING AND LOOKING AT THE DATA FROM ALL LAST WEEK, MY QUESTION IS WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR READING TEACHERS ARE FIRST YEAR, THIRD YEAR, AND FIVE YEARS OR MORE? BECAUSE THAT IS VERY CRITICAL IN OUR READING CLASSROOMS. SO I HAD A FEELING YOU WERE GOING TO ASK ME THIS QUESTION. SO I CAME PREPARED. AND SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE 1609 READING TEACHERS. THERE'S 101,146 IN ELEMENTARY AND 99 AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL OF THOSE, WE HAVE 328 THAT TEACH ENGLISH, 36 THAT TEACH IN ESL VERSION OF ENGLISH. IN GENERAL, 9% ARE IN YEAR ONE, 4% ARE IN YEAR THREE, AND 6% ARE IN YEAR FIVE. SO THAT'S ROUGHLY I'M NOT GREAT AT MATH, 19% ARE IN YEAR ONE, THREE, OR FIVE FOR A TOTAL OF 305 TEACHERS. OKAY, OKAY. BECAUSE THOSE YEARS ARE VERY CRITICAL WHEN IT COMES TO TEACHING AND LEARNING, ESPECIALLY THE YEARS TEACHER HAS UNDER THEIR BELT WHEN IT COMES TO LITERACY. AND SO AS WE WHAT PERCENTAGE ARE THOSE ELEGANT. I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU. I DON'T HAVE THAT BECAUSE THAT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW AS WE HAVE TO KNOW THE EXPERIENCE LEVEL OF OUR TEACHERS AND HOW THAT IMPACTS OUR MAP GROWTH AND OUR STUDENT GROWTH AS WELL. 
          OKAY. LAST QUESTION. WHAT SOME OF WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES STUDENTS ARE EXPERIENCING IN THE READING CLASSROOMS AS FAR AS GROWTH? THAT THAT IS THE NUMBER ONE THING BECAUSE I SAW THE 42% AND I WAS JUST KIND OF LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON IN READING CLASSES OR WHAT HAVE YOU, WHAT WHAT IT IS THAT CHILDREN NEED, IS IT MORE SKILL LEVEL? IS IT MORE ENRICHMENT? WHAT WHAT WHAT'S HONESTLY, THEY JUST NEED MORE TIME IN GREAT APPROPRIATE TEXT AND NEED TO BE SPENDING MORE TIME READING. AND SO WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH THE TRANSITION TO THE NEW APPROACH TO TEACHING READING, AND WE WANT TO LEVERAGE THE ARBY'S, THE RESEARCH BASED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES, WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT, YOU KNOW, TEACHING, READING IN ISOLATION AND TEACHING READING TO STUDENTS WHEN THEY'RE NOT READY FOR IT IS NOT HOW IT WORKS. SO WE NEED TO GIVE KIDS A LEVEL OF TEXT THAT THEY'RE READY TO DIG INTO AND READY TO CHALLENGE. AND SO FOR US, IT'S ABOUT ENSURING THAT WE'RE GETTING THE RIGHT TEXT IN THE CLASSROOM SO KIDS AREN'T STRUGGLING. AND SO I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE SUPPORTS THAT WE NOTED ON. THE THING IS ENSURING THAT WE HAVE GREAT, APPROPRIATE TEXT THAT STUDENTS CAN LEARN, AND THEN ENSURING THAT STUDENTS JUST HAVE TIME TO ENGAGE WITH THAT TEXT AND UNPACK THAT TEXT AND KIND OF STRUGGLE WITH THAT TEXT SO THEY CAN BEGIN TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS. OKAY, SO WHAT I JUST HEARD WAS THE JUST RIGHT BOOKS. EXACTLY. MISS JONES, I WANTED TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT YOU ASKED. FIRST, WITH MATH, I WANT TO I KNOW WE HAVE A FEW LEADERS IN THE ROOM. WE IMPLEMENTED MATH WHILE WE'RE ALL LEARNING MATH AND MATH FOR MANY DIFFERENT DISTRICTS CAN TAKE ABOUT THREE YEARS BEFORE WE TAKE THOSE TRAINING WHEELS OFF. AND SO ONE OF THE CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES FOR US IS THAT WE'VE ROLLED OUT THIS FIRST YEAR, AND OUR PRINCIPALS ARE ROLLING UP THEIR SLEEVES EVERY SINGLE MONTH, AND THEY ARE IN THE LEARNING, AND OUR TEACHERS ARE DOING THE EXACT SAME THING. THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE FROM IMPLEMENTING A DIAGNOSTIC. A DIAGNOSTIC IS RESEARCH OR ONLINE BASED. YOU PUT THE STUDENT ON THE COMPUTER AND THEN IT TELLS YOU THE NEXT COMPUTER PROGRAM TO PUT THE STUDENT ON, RIGHT. SO I CAN GO TO WREN 360, I CAN GO TO DREAMBOX. AND THEN THERE'S SOME TYPE OF SOFTWARE PROGRAM WHERE I CAN PARTICIPATE IN IT. MAP TELLS YOU THAT THERE IS A DEFICIT WITH THE STUDENT, BUT THE RESOURCE TO CLOSE THE DEFICIT IS THE TEACHER. AND SO THAT IS GOING TO TAKE US SOME TIME. IN THE BEGINNING WE TALKED TO THE PRINCIPALS. THEY WERE LIKE, WHERE'S MY RING 360 LESSON? I GO, OH, YOUR TEACHERS ARE YOUR RING 360 LESSON, RIGHT. AND SO MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS CHOSE TO 
          [01:35:01]
TEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL LR FOR A REASON. THEY'RE NOT READING TEACHERS. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK ON IS BUILDING THE CAPACITY IN OUR TEACHERS SO THAT THEY CAN GO BACK AND PROVIDE INTERVENTION AND INTERVENE AT THE EARLIEST STAGE. OKAY. AND YOU LEFT THE OPERATIVE WORD OUT ABOUT MAP. IT'S A UNIVERSAL SCREENER. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT WELL VERSED IN THAT, THAT IT GOES A LITTLE DEEPER. SO THANK YOU GUYS. YOU DID A WONDERFUL JOB AND I APPRECIATE IT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS JONES. MR. HAMILTON. YEAH THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION YOU COVERED FOR US. THANK YOU. SO JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE OBVIOUS. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TRANSITION. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW FACES ON THE EXECUTIVE TEAM HERE. WE'VE GOT IT. MAP IS NEW FOR ALL OF US. WE'VE GOT THE SCIENCE OF READING TRANSITION WHICH I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT PERSONALLY. SO WE'RE WE'RE IN A PERIOD OF INTENSE TRANSITION. AND SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING THE DATA TO US. AND ALSO POINTING OUT THAT THE OBVIOUS WITH ALL THE TRANSITIONS. SO WITH THE MIDDLE OF YEAR. SO THERE ARE SOME CATEGORIES WHERE THE Y IS LOWER THAN THE BOY. SO THERE'S A IT'S A SLIDING SCALE. RIGHT. SO IT'S, IT'S COMPARING THEM TO A BOY POINT AND THEN EXPECTING GROWTH. SO THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE DECLINING. THAT JUST MEANS THEY THEY'RE NOT KEEPING UP WITH THE WITH THE MIDDLE OF YEAR STANDARD. CORRECT. YEAH. DO YOU WANT TO ELABORATE ANY OR JUST NOT NODDING YOUR HEADS IS FINE FOR ME. SO THAT IS CORRECT. SO YOU HAVE A BASELINE YOUR B O Y. AND THEN IT SAYS YOU SHOULD GROW WITH YOUR PEERS AT THIS RATE. SO THE MOAIY CONFIRMS DID YOU GROW AT THAT RATE OR DID YOU NOT GROW AT THAT RATE. IT'S NOT THAT YOU DID NOT GROW. YOU DID NOT GROW AT THE ANTICIPATED RATE. 
          YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO NEXT AND FINAL QUESTION FOR ME. SO WE'RE WE'RE ABOUT TO GET A PRESENTATION ON THE RECRUITING AND RETENTION OF TEACHERS. BUT I WANT TO BRING THAT DISCUSSION TO THIS DISCUSSION. SO HOW WOULD YOU SAY THAT. SO WE HAVE OVER 90 TEACHING VACANCIES RIGHT NOW. 
          CAN YOU COMMUNICATE ANYTHING ON HOW THAT'S IMPACTING OUR OUR ACADEMIC OUTCOMES. SO I WOULD SAY THAT A VACANCY IN THE CLASSROOM IMPACTS OUR STUDENTS GREATLY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I AM PROBABLY MOST PROUD OF IS THAT WHEN WE HAVE, WHETHER IT'S IAS OR TEACHER ASSISTANTS IN THE CLASSROOM OR SUBSTITUTES THAT OUR ORGANIZATIONAL DEPARTMENT OR TEACHING AND LEARNING DEPARTMENT, AND THEN OUR CAMPUS LEADERS REALLY ADVOCATE TO GET THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHAT THEY NEED. SO IS IT THE SAME AS HAVING A FULL TIME TEACHER? NO IT'S NOT, BUT I AM PROUD THAT WE'RE NOT LEAVING KIDS BEHIND. SO WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WHOEVER'S IN FRONT OF STUDENTS HAS SOME RESOURCES TO MEET THE NEEDS. BUT TO ANSWER IT, IN SHORT, IT DOES IMPACT OUR STUDENTS FOR SURE. YEAH. THANK YOU. SO I SAID I WAS DONE AND I LIED. I'M SORRY. SO I MEANT TO START WITH THIS. I WANTED TO COMMEND THE TEAM FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT IN AND THE CAMPUS ADMINISTRATION AT ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND OUR TEACHERS, THE TRANSITION AT THE TOP OF THE DISTRICT FLOWS DOWNHILL TO OUR CLASSROOMS. AND I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF TEACHERS WHO ARE WORKING EXTREMELY HARD. WE HAVE VERY, VERY COMPETENT, VERY TALENTED TEACHERS. AND SO I JUST WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO COMMEND THEM. AND A LOT OF THEM ARE A LITTLE STRESSED OUT WITH THE LEVEL OF TRANSITION THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH. SO JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THOSE TEACHERS. AND SO KEEP KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. AND I YOU YOU KIND OF GAVE THE ANSWER I WAS HOPING FOR THERE. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHY YEAR AGO THIS TIME I WAS BANGING THE DRUM ON ANY ANYTHING THE ADMINISTRATION NEEDS FROM US TO FILL THOSE TEACHING VACANCIES. AND I KNOW WE'RE ABOUT TO GET A REPORT ON THAT, BUT BUT THAT THAT OBVIOUSLY NEEDS TO BE A BIG PRIORITY AS YOU ALREADY KNOW. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON. MR. GARCIA. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TOLSON, JUST A COMMENT. ONE QUESTION AND MAYBE NOT EVEN A QUESTION, BUT I KNOW THAT THIS HAS BEEN A TRANSITION FOR TEACHERS SWITCHING FROM RENDA TO MAP. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IN TALKING TO SOME OF MY FELLOW TRUSTEES, IT'S OTHER THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE SWITCHED TO MAP TESTING. THEY'VE BEEN EXCELLING IN ALL AREAS, PARTICULARLY WITH THE STAR ASSESSMENT AND STAR ASSESSMENTS. AND ONE OF THE HUGE INDICATORS THAT THE STATE MEASURES US FOR OUR ACCOUNTABILITY. AND SO I'M SEEING VERY GOOD PROGRESS. I'M HEARING VERY GOOD THINGS. I DO KNOW THAT THERE IS SOME TEACHERS THAT SAY DOES DOES IT TAKE HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR THE MAP ASSESSMENT? IS IT A COUPLE OF DAYS OR ARE WE DOING IT THREE TIMES A YEAR? IT'S A COUPLE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A COUPLE OF DAYS BECAUSE BY THE TIME YOU DO A READING AND A MATH AND SCIENCE ASSESSMENT, YOU'VE YOU'VE SPENT SOME TIME NECESSARY EVIL. I UNDERSTAND WE YOU KNOW, WE SPENT SOME TIME AWAY FROM INSTRUCTION. BUT I THINK THIS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BEING VERY DATA 
          [01:40:04]
DRIVEN, VERY INTENTIONAL AS DOCTOR SMITH LIKES TO SAY. AND SO I THINK THE, THE EXTRA WORK THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN AND OUR TEACHERS ARE PUTTING IN IS GOING TO PAY DIVIDENDS. AND SO THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO STAFF. THANK YOU TO ALL OUR TEACHERS FOR THIS GREAT WORK. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. MR. MISS HANNON, IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN PUT SOME SLIDES BACK UP? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. CAN YOU PUT UP I THINK IT'S I'M GOING TO JUST SAY SLIDE TEN BECAUSE I AM NOT I AM NOT TRAINED IN THIS ASSESSMENT AND THIS IS ALL NEW. AND SO I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I WANT TO ACTUALLY PIGGYBACK AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE THANKING OUR TEACHERS AND THANKING SUPPORT STAFF WHO ARE WORKING WITH THEM ON THIS. SO JUST TO CLARIFY, THESE ARE ALL ON THE COMPUTER. YES, MA'AM. THESE ARE ALL DONE ON THE COMPUTER. AND I'M GOING TO JUST SAY I'M SUPER GLAD THAT I WASN'T ASSESSED IN THE DAY AND AGE WHERE I HAD TO READ ON A COMPUTER, BECAUSE THAT'S A DIFFERENT ANIMAL THAN READING WITH A BOOK AND YOUR SKILL AND YOUR WHAT YOUR, YOUR STUDENT OUTCOME MAY LOOK DIFFERENT BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY CAN READ ON A COMPUTER THE SAME WAY EVERYBODY ELSE CAN. SO WITH THIS, I WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE I'M GOING BACK AND THANK YOU, DOCTOR STEVENS AND DOCTOR JORDAN. I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND THINGS, BECAUSE ONE THING I DO UNDERSTAND IS HOW TO TEACH KIDS TO READ. SO I'M LOOKING AT THIS AND I WANT TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE COMMENTS USING THE ANALOGY OF THE GROWTH TEST WHEN YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR, BECAUSE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BOY TO THE MOAI IS ACTUALLY MEASURING INDIVIDUAL STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT. IT'S THE APPLE IN THE FRUIT BASKET. CORRECT? OKAY. 
          AND SO WHEN I LOOK FOR INSTANCE AT READING AND I'M SEEING, I WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE DOWNWARD TREND, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF KINDERGARTEN, IN ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WHO WERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR CONSIDERED ABOVE THE AT OR ABOVE THE 80TH PERCENTILE, THEN SHIFTED DOWN, NOT ALWAYS BY JUST A POINT OR TWO BY MULTIPLE POINTS. SO I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING AT AN INSTRUMENT THAT IS NOT ALIGNED TO THE TEXT. I UNDERSTAND THAT. I APPRECIATE THAT WE HAVE AN ASSESSMENT NOT ALIGNED TO THE TEXT, BECAUSE I WANT TO KNOW HOW OUR KIDS DO ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, BECAUSE WE GOT KIDS MOVING IN AND OUT OF HERE ALL THE TIME. I WANT TO KNOW EVERYBODY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL NO MATTER WHERE THEY LIVE. SO AM I UNDERSTANDING THIS CORRECTLY? AND WHAT IS DID YOU DESCRIBE THE PHENOMENON THAT IS CAUSING ALL OF THIS DOWNWARD MOVEMENT? SO OBVIOUSLY WE HAD SOME SHIFTS UP FOR OUR KIDS IN THE 61ST THROUGH THE 80TH PERCENTILE. BUT WE HAD A SHIFT DOWN IN THE HIGHER LEVEL KIDS. SO IS THERE. AND THEN AND THEN MATH FOR ELEMENTARY LARGELY WE HAD A COUPLE THAT REMAINED. YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY STAGNANT COUPLE THAT DECLINED AND THEN LOOKS LIKE FIRST AND KINDERGARTEN SHOWED SOME GROWTH. 
          SO DID I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M NOT MISUNDERSTANDING YOUR BECAUSE THIS IS ACHIEVEMENT. 
          THIS IS HOW OUR KIDS ARE ACHIEVING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. AND NOW AT THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR AS COMPARED TO A NATIONALLY NORMED GROUP OF KIDS. YES. OKAY. SO WE ARE OUR OUR UPPER KIDS. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF KINDERGARTEN IN READING ALL WENT ON A BACKWARDS SLIDE. YES. 
          SO WHAT YOU SEE IS IF YOU LOOK AT LET'S LOOK AT FIRST GRADE FOR EXAMPLE. SO FIRST GRADE, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, WE HAD 32% OF OUR STUDENTS THAT WERE IN THE UPPER QUINTILE. RIGHT NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, 28%. SO TO YOUR POINT, WHAT WE EXPERIENCED IS THAT WE HAD 4% OF THOSE STUDENTS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY SCORING IN THE TOP QUINTILE. THEY'VE NOW MOVED DOWN TO ONE OF THE OTHER QUINTILES. SO YES, ACROSS THE BOARD WE'VE SEEN STUDENTS. I WOULDN'T CALL IT REGRESSION, BUT WE'VE SEEN STUDENT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT STAGNATE IN SOME AREAS. OKAY. 
          WELL WHEN PARENTS SEE THESE REPORTS THEY THINK IT'S REGRESSION. AND HONESTLY I THINK IT'S REGRESSION. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO LOOK AT BOTH OF THE ENDS OF THE BELL CURVE FOR ACHIEVEMENT. AND I UNDERSTAND IT GETS HARDER. 
          RIGHT. IT'S HARD ON BOTH ENDS. RIGHT. BUT BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS THE BLUE AND THE GREEN WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOU HAD A QUOTE OF ALL OF OUR KIDS. ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE ACHIEVING ABOVE 
          [01:45:01]
AVERAGE. AND SO IT'S THE AVERAGE OF OUR KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS ARE ALL ACHIEVING ABOVE AVERAGE, BUT NOT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. NO, NOT ALL ARE ACHIEVING ABOVE AVERAGE. SO THAT'S NOT OKAY. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT DATA LIKE THIS, IT'S I LIKE THAT WE HAVE THE AREAS OUT. BUT WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THESE THE AVERAGE WE ALL KNOW THOSE ARE INFLATED. AND I, I WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT. SO IF WE COULD ALSO THE REPORT THAT YOU GAVE US ON THOSE WATCH SCHOOLS, THOSE 20 WATCH SCHOOLS, IF WE COULD HAVE THAT SAME DATA WHERE WE COULD LOOK AT THE BOY NOW COMPARED TO THE MOAI AND HOW THOSE KIDS ARE DOING BY SUB POP, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. THE OTHER QUICK QUESTION I HAVE IS. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR DEVISING THAT INFORMATIONAL TOOL FOR PARENTS TO GO OUT. IS THERE A JOB AID SO PARENTS UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT THAT WITH THE REPORT AND SKYWARD, DID THAT GO OUT IN SKYWARD. DID THAT GO OUT A PAPER COPY. AND THE KIDS, IT WENT IT WENT OUT IN SKYWARD AND A PAPER COPY AS WELL. YES, MA'AM. IS THERE A JOB AID WHERE THEY I MEAN, EVEN THOUGH YOU YOU KNOW, I CAN LOOK AT IT AND I READ IT AND I UNDERSTAND IT ALL, BUT I'VE HAD PARENTS REACH OUT BECAUSE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS, AND THEY FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE REACHING OUT TO ME. AND I ENCOURAGE THEM. PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR CAMPUS. YES, THERE WAS A PARENT JOB AID SENT TO CAMPUS, BUT I WILL ENSURE THAT THAT WAS COMMUNICATED CORRECTLY. OKAY, BECAUSE PEOPLE THERE ARE SOME PARENTS THAT ARE VERY CONFUSED AS TO, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHY WAS THERE? WHY DID MY KID GO BACKWARDS? YES, MA'AM. WHY DID THEY DECLINE? I THINK WE NEED WE NEED TO HELP THEM MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND, AND THEN LET'S SEE. 
          I THINK THAT WAS MY ONLY QUESTION. I, YOU KNOW, I DO LOVE TO SEE THE GAINS. I JUST I WANT TO I WANT US TO ALL ON THE DAIS UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE ACHIEVEMENT, BECAUSE I DO THINK GROWTH IS IMPORTANT. BUT WE NEED GROWTH BECAUSE KIDS ARE STILL GROWING. KIDS MAY BE STILL GROWING, BUT THEY'RE STILL BEHIND. THEY'RE STILL BELOW GRADE LEVEL. AND THE ACHIEVEMENT IS WHERE THEY ARE ON THE STARTING LINE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DOCTOR STEPHENS. THANK YOU, MISS TORSEN. MISS HANNON, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? I'M SO SORRY. I WANTED TO CLARIFY. SO WHEN WE HAVE OUR STUDENTS, THEY HAVE A RET. THAT'S A RET SCORE. SO AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, YOU HAVE A RIT SCORE. AT THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, YOUR RIT SCORE CHANGES. SO IT'S ALMOST LIKE SEVENTH GRADE MONTH ONE, SEVENTH GRADE MONTH TWO, SEVENTH GRADE MONTH THREE. SO WHEN I COMPARED IT TO THE HEIGHT, THEY EXPECT YOU TO GROW BASED UPON A FIVE YEAR OLD MONTH FOUR. SO WHEN YOU SEE A 33 TO 32, THE STUDENT HAD AN ACHIEVEMENT LEVEL OF HERE AND THEY MAY HAVE MADE IT HERE, BUT THEY DIDN'T MAKE IT THERE. SO IT'S NOT THAT THEY NECESSARILY WENT BACKWARDS. 
          THEY'RE STILL MOVING. THEY JUST DIDN'T HIT THIS TARGET UP HERE. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF, OF MAKING SURE WE EXPLAIN THAT TO PARENTS BECAUSE IT'S NOT A NECESSARY REGRESSION. NOW MAP HAS A PHENOMENAL REPORT WHERE IT CAN TELL US STUDENTS WHO HAVE HIGH ACHIEVEMENT, LOW GROWTH. IT TELLS US BY STUDENT, IT TELLS US BY TEACHER, AND IT TELLS US BY CAMPUS. THOSE ARE RED FLAGS, FLAGS FOR US. SO I USE DULLES BECAUSE COREY IS SITTING RIGHT HERE. BUT IF WE GET THE REPORT THAT AT DULLES, HE HAS HIGH ACHIEVEMENT, LOW GROWTH, THAT MEANS THAT AT DULLES THEY ARE NOT PUSHING STUDENTS TO THE RIGOR AND THE LEVEL THAT THEY NEED TO GO TO GET TO THAT. 32. BUT WE HAVE SOME STUDENTS WHERE HAVE STRETCH GOAL, SO YOU'LL SEE THEM IN THAT BLUE. BUT WE'VE STRETCHED THEM BEYOND. AND SO I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THE MESSAGE THAT THEY'RE SLIDING BACK. THEY JUST HADN'T HIT THIS TARGET YET. AND THEY STILL CAN FROM MIDDLE OF THE YEAR TO END OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE GROWTH IS FOR A YEAR AND WE'RE GIVING IT TO YOU IN A SEMESTER. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? RIGHT. AND THAT'S ACTUALLY VERY INTERESTING TO ME. AND I'M SURE THAT'S VERY INTERESTING TO THE FULL BOARD BECAUSE THAT WOULD CLEARLY BE RED FLAG IF WE HAVE SOME SCHOOLS WHO HAVE THESE STUDENTS WHO ARE COMING IN HIGH ACHIEVEMENT WITH LOW GROWTH, THAT'S A REAL PROBLEM. AND THAT IS WHAT MAYBE I AM NOT UNDERSTANDING WITHIN THE INTERPRETATION BECAUSE WE DO WE NEED WE NEED EVERYBODY. WE NEED EVERYBODY PUSHING TO THE RIGHT. 
          RIGHT. AND SO I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES WHEN THESE KIDS ARE OKAY, LET'S JUST PUT YOU 
          [01:50:05]
SOMEWHERE READING THIS BOOK WHILE THE INTERVENTIONIST WORK ON THIS SIDE. AND IT CAN'T BE THAT. YES. RIGHT. AND SO AND HOPEFULLY THIS INSTRUMENT WILL WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT. AND I WOULD ACTUALLY I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT, WHAT A SAMPLE OF THAT LOOKS LIKE ON A CAMPUS. YES WE CAN. THAT FLAG HAPPENS OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND ONE YOU KNOW I YOU YOU MENTIONED GOALS. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY SAW THAT THERE WAS A ARTICLE IN A PAPER ABOUT AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DOWN THE ROAD THAT THEY THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING IT'S IN THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE AND THEY ARE DOING SOME GOAL SETTING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT YOU MIGHT MIGHT WANT TO LOOK THEM UP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS JONES. THANK YOU. PRESIDENT. A FEW THINGS WITH TRUSTEE HENNEN. AS FAR AS YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF MAP, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023, I SENT YOU INFORMATION, A LOT OF INFORMATION WHEN I WAS BEING TRAINED ON MAP. OKAY. AND I HAVE THE EMAIL OVER HERE WHERE I SENT IT. THIS WAS LONG BEFORE DOCTOR SMITH CAME ALONG AND I SAID, HEY, YOU'RE YOU'RE THE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT LEADER. LET'S TAKE A LOOK FOR OUR KIDS, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE DOING THAT'S ALIGNED WITH STATE STANDARDS. SO I TOOK THE TIME OUT, I WENT TO THE TRAININGS. I EVEN LOOKED AND STUDIED EXACTLY WHAT THIS WAS. AND I PRESENTED IT TO YOU. OKAY, SO THIS IS NOT BRAND NEW TO YOU. OKAY. BECAUSE I CHECKED MY EMAILS AND I WAS LIKE, YEP, I SENT THAT INFORMATION TO YOU. YEAH. SO, MISS JONES, CAN YOU CLARIFY WHAT YOUR WHAT IS YOUR POINT? I'M GETTING THERE. OKAY. SO WHAT? THERE'S NO SECRET HERE. OKAY. ON YOUR END AS FAR AS YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF MAP TESTING, WHEN THE INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED TO YOU LONG BEFORE DOCTOR SMITH WAS HERE. SO I'M GOING TO JUMP IN. CAN I REQUEST THAT WE TAKE THIS? OKAY. I THINK IT PROBABLY SHOULD BE TAKEN OFFLINE BECAUSE I'M PRETTY OFFENDED BY MISS JONES POINTING THAT I'M AN EXPERT ON. 
          I'M ASKING THAT WE SAY YOU WERE OFFLINE. I SAID YOU HAD KNOWLEDGE. WELL, I'M STILL KIND OF OFFENDED AT WHERE YOU'RE GOING. I'M GOING TO ASK MY TRUSTEES TO PLEASE FOLLOW PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE, AND I'M ASKING THAT WE TAKE THE CONVERSATION OFFLINE. DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION, MISS JONES? I DID, BUT I'VE FORGOTTEN. I'LL ASK LATER. I'LL JUST SEND IT IN AN EMAIL. OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF A LOT OF FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS BECAUSE MOST OF MY QUESTIONS WERE ANSWERED EITHER IN THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU SENT OR THIS EVENING WHEN THE OTHER TRUSTEES WERE ASKING, THE ONLY THING I WANT TO SAY IS, FIRST OF ALL, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRINCIPALS, THE SCHOOL LEADERS, AND THE EDUCATORS WHO ARE HERE IN THE AUDIENCE THIS EVENING. IT REALLY MEANS A LOT TO ME AS A TRUSTEE TO SEE YOU GUYS HERE SORT OF PARTICIPATING IN THE PRESENTATION. AND I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT OF EXCELLENT TEACHERS AND LEADERS IN THIS DISTRICT WHO REALLY CARE ABOUT OUR STUDENTS. BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT IT REALLY MEANS A LOT TO ME AS A TRUSTEE AND AS THE BOARD PRESIDENT, TO SEE YOU KIND OF HAVING THE BACKS OF DOCTOR JORDAN AND DOCTOR STEVENS AS THEY PRESENT, BECAUSE THESE KIDS ARE YOUR KIDS. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I ALSO WANT TO SAY, DOCTOR STEVENS, YOUR ANSWER TO MISS JONES QUESTION ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOADED QUESTION OR A GOTCHA QUESTION, BUT YOU ANSWERED IT PERFECTLY. EXACTLY HOW I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED AND HOPED THAT YOU WOULD ANSWER IT, THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO REST UNTIL ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE IN THE TOP QUARTILE. AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOU AND FOR DOCTOR JORDAN AND DOCTOR SMITH AND THIS ENTIRE TEAM, INCLUDING OUR OUR CAMPUS LEADERS AND EDUCATORS WHO ARE PUSHING FOR THAT. I AGREE WITH MISS HANNAN THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE PUSHING OUR TOP ACHIEVERS FORWARD AS WELL, AND GROWTH IS THE KEY TO ALL OF THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR FOCUSING ON THAT. AND I DID HAVE THE SAME QUESTION AS MISS HANNAN. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE NEXT TIME IF WE CAN BREAK OUT BY THE SUB POPS. AND LET'S MAKE SURE HOW OUR SPED STUDENTS ARE DOING AND HOW OUR BILINGUAL STUDENTS ARE DOING BY GRADE IS GREAT. BUT IF WE COULD DIG IN A LITTLE BIT AND YOU COULD LET US KNOW HOW THOSE 
          [01:55:03]
OTHER STUDENTS STUDENT POPULATIONS ARE DOING, I THINK THAT WOULD HELP US. AND THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THE QUESTION ABOUT MAP, BECAUSE THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY QUESTION, BECAUSE I RECALL FROM YEARS AGO, YOU GUYS GIVING THAT SAME EXPLANATION ABOUT MIDDLE OF THE YEAR DATA. LIKE SOMETIMES IT CAN NOT LOOK EXACTLY OR TELL THE WHOLE STORY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION. BUT I THINK WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO TREND AND OF COURSE PUSH IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AND THANK YOU, DOCTOR SMITH, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE YEAR AND A HALF OF GROWTH. I MEAN, WE'RE PUSHING TOWARDS THE YEAR AND A HALF OF GROWTH BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S THE ONLY WAY WE NOT ONLY KEEP PUSHING OUR HIGH ACHIEVERS, BUT BUT KEEP, YOU KNOW, GETTING OUR KIDS CAUGHT UP. SO THOSE ARE JUST COMMENTS AND NOT QUESTIONS BECAUSE YOU GUYS DID A REALLY GOOD JOB OF PRESENTING THIS DATA. THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH MISS JONES ON GETTING IT OUT. AND WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT INFORMATION ITEM. CAN I ASK YOU TO TAKE THAT OFFLINE? I WAS JUST GOING TO WHAT YOU GUYS ARE ASKING ARE HERE IS HERE THE SPECIAL POPS. IT'S IN HERE. YEAH. AND IT'S ALSO IN A BOARD UPDATE AS WELL. YEAH. SO WHAT I, WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS TO SEE IT IN THE. YEAH IN THE PRESENTATION. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OUR COMMUNITY SEE IT. SO OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP IS OUR NEXT 
          [9.C. Update Recruitment, Recovery and Retention Task Force]
INFORMATION ITEM. LET ME GET TO IT BECAUSE I HAVE A BIG BINDER HERE FOR TONIGHT. ALRIGHT. OR IS OUR UPDATE ON RECRUITMENT RECOVERY AND RETENTION TASK FORCE DOCTOR SMITH. YES, MA'AM. 
          THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. OUR TEAM IS PREPARED TO PRESENT AND WE HAVE SUPPORT STAFF THAT ARE REALLY BEHIND THE WORK THAT WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT. MISS BROWN WILL START US OFF AND THEN MISS JOHNSON WILL FINISH US OFF. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT. BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND DOCTOR SMITH, WE'RE EXCITED THIS EVENING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE YOU ALL WITH AN UPDATE REGARDING RECRUITMENT, RECOVERY AND RETENTION HERE IN FORT BEND ISD. AND SO THE TEAM THAT THAT WE CALL THE TASK FORCE WAS CREATED PROACTIVELY TO ADDRESS THOSE THREE AREAS. AND SO SINCE DOCTOR SMITH HAS BEEN HERE, WE HAVE BEEN LASER FOCUSED ON OUR EFFORTS IN THOSE AREAS. 
          AND SO TONIGHT WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US JUST TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE FOR YOU ON THE TASK FORCE WAS ACTUALLY LAUNCHED DURING THE SUMMER, ON THE SUMMER OF THIS PAST YEAR, AND WE HAD A SURVEY THAT WENT OUT TO OUR STAFF DISTRICTWIDE AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER, BEGINNING OF OCTOBER. 
          AND SO YOU'LL HEAR SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THAT INFORMATION THIS EVENING AS WELL. ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOCUS ON A LOT IS EXIT DATA. AND WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE THE DISTRICT, THE SURVEY THAT WENT OUT AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER, AT THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER, TALKS ABOUT THE STATE SURVEY. IT'S A STATE SURVEY TO FIGURE OUT WHY DO OUR STAFF MEMBERS CHOOSE TO STAY IN FORT BEND ISD? YOU WILL HEAR SOME INFORMATION THAT WILL NOT BE NEW TO YOU AS IT RELATES TO THE NATIONWIDE TEACHER SHORTAGE, BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU, ASSURE YOU, AS WE THINK ABOUT THOSE AREAS OF RETENTION, RECRUITMENT AND RECOVERY, WE ARE EXPANDING THAT, OF COURSE, TO FOCUS ON OTHER AREAS THAT ARE WE SEE AS A SHORTAGE HERE IN FORT BEND ISD, FOR EXAMPLE, OUR BUS DRIVERS. AND SO YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT SOME OF THE NOVEL IDEAS AND THE INNOVATIVE THINGS THAT THE TASK FORCE HAS COME UP WITH. 
          AND SO BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I'D LIKE TO HAVE MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE THAT ARE HERE WITH US TONIGHT TO PLEASE STAND. WE KNOW THAT RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND RECOVERY IS NOT THE ROLE OF JUST HUMAN RESOURCES. IT TAKES THE ENTIRE DISTRICT TO MAKE THAT EFFORT. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TO SUPPORT TONIGHT. AND THEN THREE OF OUR, TWO OF OUR HR DIRECTORS AND OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES ARE HERE TONIGHT AS WELL. THEY STOOD ALREADY. BUT DOCTOR YOLANDA YOUNG, WHO IS LEADING OUR RECOVERY EFFORTS, WE HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AMBER WILLIAMS, WHO'S LEADING OUR RETENTION EFFORTS. AND THEN WE HAVE DOCTOR JENNY NICHOLS, WHO IS LEADING OUR RECRUITMENT EFFORTS. EXCUSE ME. AND SO WE ARE EXCITED TO PRESENT THIS INFORMATION TO YOU THIS EVENING. AND SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER, MISS GLENDA JOHNSON. YOU DO HAVE A BAG. I SEE THAT IT IS BEING USED AS SOME NICE DECORATION FOR YOU ALL, BUT MRS. JOHNSON WILL REFERENCE SOME OF THE ITEMS IN THAT BAG. AND SO IF WE CAN GET THOSE TO THE BOARD MEMBERS, THAT WILL BE MOST HELPFUL. THANK YOU. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU, MISS BROWN. MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS AND DOCTOR SMITH, WE ARE EXCITED TODAY, AS MISS BROWN INDICATED, TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE IN REFERENCE TO OUR RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND RECOVERY EFFORTS WITH THE DISTRICT. WE FIRST WANT TO START OFF BY DISCUSSING THE TEACHER WORKFORCE TRENDS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, WE ALL ARE FULLY AWARE THAT THERE IS A TEACHER 
          [02:00:04]
SHORTAGE NATIONWIDE. AND OF COURSE IT IMPACTS FORT BEND ISD AS WELL. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NATIONWIDE, 74% OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE DIFFICULTY FILLING THOSE VACANCIES. WHEN YOU LOOK IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, IT'S 10.9% CURRENTLY UNCERTIFIED. AND HERE IN THE DISTRICT, WE'RE DOING BETTER THAN THE STATE AND THE NATION. WE ARE CURRENTLY AT 2.8% OF CURRENTLY UNCERTIFIED INDIVIDUALS. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, THAT IS 140 TEACHERS IN THE DISTRICT. WE CURRENTLY HAVE 4900 CERTIFIED TEACHERS. THAT BRINGS US TO 97.2% OF CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN THE DISTRICT. SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE GRADING SYSTEM, WE ARE A PLUS FOR CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN FORT BEND ISD. YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE ADDITIONAL STATISTICS WHEN YOU LOOK ACROSS THE CRITICAL SHORTAGE AREAS. WE ARE PRETTY MUCH IN LINE WITH THE NATION AS WELL AS THE STATE. FOR FORT BEND ISD, OUR CRITICAL SHORTAGE AREAS ARE SPED, BILINGUAL CTE, SECONDARY MATH AND SCIENCE. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE RECRUITMENT, RECOVERY AND RETENTION TASK FORCE. AND THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN FOR BEING HERE. AND THANK YOU TO THE HR STAFF THAT HAVE LEADING THOSE EFFORTS. WE REALLY WANTED TO LOOK AT IMPLEMENTING STRATEGIES. HOW COULD WE DECREASE THOSE VACANCIES? HOW CAN WE LOOK AT REDUCING TURNOVER. AND WE DO HAVE EXPERTS IN THE DEPARTMENT THAT CAN ACTUALLY HANDLE THAT. BUT WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FEASIBLE FOR US TO GO CROSS DISTRICT AND DEPARTMENT FOR US TO GAIN SOME ADDITIONAL KNOWLEDGE FROM THOSE INDIVIDUALS. WE HAVE CAMPUS PRINCIPALS FROM EVERY LEVEL, AND WE ALSO HAVE LEADERS FROM ALL DEPARTMENTS IN THE DISTRICT. SO WITH THIS COLLABORATIVE APPROACH, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COME UP WITH SOME NEW INITIATIVES THAT I'LL DISCUSS FURTHER IN A FEW MINUTES. BUT WHEN WE TRULY LOOK AT RECRUITMENT, RECOVERY AND RETENTION, RECRUITING IS REALLY FOCUSING ON THE WHY. WHY SHOULD FORT BEND ISD BE THE DISTRICT OF CHOICE? WHEN WE LOOK AT RETAINING, WHAT EFFORTS ARE WE REALLY USING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEES ARE STAYING WITH US? AND LASTLY, FOR RECOVERY. WE ALL KNOW INDIVIDUALS LEAVE VARIOUS POSITIONS FOR VARIOUS REASONS. AND SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE PRETTY SOON, IS THE REASONS WHY AND HOW WE ARE RECOVERING THOSE GOOD QUALITY TEACHERS TO COME BACK TO THE DISTRICT. NOT ALL OF THEM WE WANT BACK, BUT MOST OF THEM WE DO. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR NEW RECRUITING STRATEGIES, WE ARE FULLY AWARE THAT OUR CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS ARE NOT CHANGING. BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL NEW INITIATIVES FROM THIS TASK FORCE THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH. OUR FIRST ONE IS OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH A J-1 VISA. THIS YEAR, WE HAVE ONE J-1 VISA TEACHER CERTIFIED TEACHER IN THE DISTRICT, AND THAT WAS WITH A PARTNERSHIP WITH SPIRIT. BUT FOR THE 2526 SCHOOL YEAR, WE ARE EXPANDING AND WILL BE USING NOT ONLY SPIRIT, BUT GLOBAL EDUCATIONAL CONCEPTS AS WELL. AND AGAIN, THIS WILL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE OUR CERTIFIED TEACHERS. WHEN WE LOOK AT GROWING YOUR OWN INITIATIVES, WE HAVE A CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR NON TEACHING STAFF. WE REALLY WANT TO HONE IN AND REALLY HAVE HONED IN ON OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS. WHEN WE LOOK AT GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY, IT'S A PARTNERSHIP THAT WE STARTED THIS YEAR. WE CURRENTLY HAVE 26 PARAPROFESSIONALS THAT ARE GOING THE ROUTE OF TEACHER CERTIFICATION, AND THEY ARE OFFERING $300,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO THESE INDIVIDUALS. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. AND WE KNOW THAT THAT WILL GROW. WOULD THEY HAVE MONTHLY I FORGOT THE WORD MONTHLY SESSIONS. THANK YOU AMBER. MONTHLY SESSIONS. GIVEN THAT INFORMATION FOR GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY. AND THANKS TO THE BOARD FOR OUR HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE PARTNERSHIP, WE CURRENTLY HAVE 13 INDIVIDUALS THAT WILL BECOME TEACHERS FOR NEXT YEAR, AND WE ARE REALLY FOCUSING ON SPED BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT'S ONE OF THE HIGHEST AREAS WE HAVE. SO WE APPRECIATE YOUR VOTE ON THAT AND YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THAT. AND WE LOOK FORWARD FOR THOSE BEING CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN SPRING OF 2026, ALTHOUGH THEIR START THEIR STUDIES IN JUNE OF 2025. AND JUST LIKE OUR STUDENTS, WE WANT ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES TO GROW. SO FOR THAT, WE NOT ONLY CONCENTRATE ON TEACHERS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A DEPARTMENT OF LABOR LABOR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM. AND FOR TRANSPORTATION. WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT OUR BUS DRIVERS, FOR OUR PILOT AND FOR FACILITIES. WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR HVAC GROUP. 
          SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO BRINGING THOSE ADDITIONAL RECRUITMENT EFFORTS TO YOU WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR FUTURE RECRUITMENT OPPORTUNITIES PLAN, IT GOES THROUGH A WIDE RANGE OF AREAS. WE FIRST STARTING OFF WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT TO REFRESH OUR CAREER PAGE. THERE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S USER FRIENDLY ONE. AND SECOND, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REALLY TELLING OUR WHY. WHY FORT BEND ISD. OUR SECOND ONE IS TO STRENGTHEN OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH ACP AND UNIVERSITIES. WE REALLY HAVE A STRONG COLLABORATIVE COLLABORATION WITH OUR ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS OTHER UNIVERSITIES. AND WHAT THAT INVOLVES IS GOING OUT HAVING 
          [02:05:02]
DESIGN SESSIONS WITH THEM. WHEN WE'RE OUT AT JOB FAIRS, WE'RE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AS WELL, IN TERMS OF INCREASING OUR NON-INSTRUCTIONAL INTERNSHIP PARTNERSHIPS. I'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT WITH OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS, WITH DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, AND WE ALSO EXPANDED OUR TARGETED MARKETING. THIS YEAR, WE ARE BRANDING FOR TEACHER PATHWAYS THROUGH REGULAR SOCIAL MEDIA SUCH AS LINKEDIN. WE ALSO HAVE A CONTRACT WITH HANDSHAKE AND HANDSHAKE IS OUR LINKEDIN FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS. AND IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO COLLEGE STUDENTS THAT ARE OUT OF STATE. WE HAVE MONTHLY JOB FAIR MEETINGS WITH THEM TO GIVE THEM INFORMATION ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY, ABOUT THE DISTRICT, EXCUSE ME, AS WELL AS INFORMATION WORKING WITH THEM DIRECTLY WITH THEIR SCHOOLS. SO THIS IS REALLY A HUGE PLATFORM. 
          IT'S ONLY TWO DISTRICTS IN THE IN THE STATE THAT HAVE THAT. SO WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ON THE TOP OF THE LIST AS GETTING THOSE INDIVIDUALS, STUDENTS FROM THOSE ORGANIZATIONS AND THEN EXPANDING OUR HIGH SCHOOL, TAFE AND DUAL CREDIT. WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR CTE DEPARTMENT TO CREATE THOSE CHAPTERS. THAT'S THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF FUTURE EDUCATORS AND WORKING WITH THE CTE PROGRAM FOR WHEN WE HAVE PARAPROFESSIONALS THAT ARE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES, WHEN THEY COME ON BOARD, FOR THOSE THAT ARE INTERESTED, THEY CAN WORK WITH US FULL TIME AS A PARAPROFESSIONAL AND THEN GO TO SCHOOL AT NIGHT OR PART TIME. 
          WHEN WE LOOK AT MISS BROWN INDICATED EARLIER ABOUT OUR STATE SURVEY RESULTS, WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE RESULTS, BUT ALSO WE'RE NOT SATISFIED. SO WE WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL EFFORTS TO ENSURE THAT WE INCREASE NOT ONLY OUR EMPLOYEES THAT RESPONDED, BUT ALSO THOSE THAT WOULD RECOMMEND FOR ISD TO APPEAR. AS YOU CAN SEE, 3700 OF OUR EMPLOYEES RESPONDED. AND OF THAT GROUP, THAT 3700, THE TOP THREE GROUPS WERE FROM ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS AS WELL AS OUR CAMPUS SUPPORT. BUT 77 WOULD WOULD RECOMMEND OR THREE FOURTHS OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS WOULD RECOMMEND FORT BEND ISD AS A PLACE DISTRICT OF CHOICE. WHAT ARE THE THREE REASONS WHY EMPLOYEES DECIDED TO STAY? YOU MAY SAY COMPENSATION. IT GOES BOTH WAYS, RIGHT? SOME EMPLOYERS ARE HAPPY ABOUT COMPENSATION WHILE OTHERS ARE NOT. AND AGAIN, THANKS TO THE BOARD FOR OUR TASBY STUDY, WE LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THAT INFORMATION SO WE CAN HAVE DATA DRIVEN INFORMATION COMING BACK AND MAKE AN ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT COMPENSATION. WHEN YOU LOOK AT PASSION FOR THE WORK, WE ALL KNOW WE HAVE DEDICATED EMPLOYEES THAT ARE PASSIONATE ONLY ABOUT THEIR WORK, BUT ABOUT THEIR STUDENTS. AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS WHERE EMPLOYEES WOULD WANT TO BE WITH VARIOUS DIFFERENT COLLABORATIONS THAT WE HAVE AROUND THE DISTRICT, AND WE WILL LOOK AT COMFORT AND CURRENT POSITION. EMPLOYEES ARE INDICATING THAT THEY ARE COMFORTABLE WHERE THEY ARE. THEY ARE HAPPY ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP AND THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE IN THE DISTRICT IN THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY GOING. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR RETENTION, NEXT STEPS, OUR PART OF OUR ONGOING COMMITMENT IS TO STRENGTHEN THOSE PARTNERSHIPS. WE'VE DISCUSSED THE TASBY COMPENSATION STUDY. WE STARTED OUR SURVEY FOCUS GROUPS THIS WEEK, AND THAT INFORMATION WILL SAY THIS WEEK, TODAY. TODAY IS JUST MONDAY. THOSE FOCUS GROUPS WILL GIVE US MORE DETAILED INFORMATION IN TERMS OF WHERE WE REALLY WANT TO FOCUS AND HAVE OUR STRATEGIC EXECUTION MOVING FORWARD, AND THEN OUR EMPLOYEE RETENTION PLAN. THAT PLAN WILL BE COMPREHENSIVE AND IT WILL BE A FULL REVIEW FROM OUR RECRUITMENT TO CAREER GROWTH, WITH GROWING AND ENSURING THOSE LONG LASTING RELATIONSHIPS, OUR RECOVERY FOCUS, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING ONES FOR US. WE DECIDED THAT WE WANTED TO REACH OUT TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS AGAIN, THOSE GOOD EMPLOYEES THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT COMING BACK. 
          I'LL TAKE A MOMENT AND SHOW A BRIEF VIDEO OF TWO INDIVIDUALS THAT MADE THE DECISION TO RETURN BACK TO FORT BEND ISD. THANK YOU FOR THAT. BECAUSE THE WORK LOOKS GOOD, RIGHT? BUT IT'S FOR THE WRONG ONE. THAT'S A GOOD POINT. I LIKE THAT WHEN IT'S TIME FOR ME TO COME BACK, TO COME BACK HOME WAS THAT I ACTUALLY MISSED THE FORT BEND ISD WAY. I MISSED THE FEEL OF BEING VALUED. I MISSED HAVING THE FEEL OF BEING SUPPORTED WHOLEHEARTEDLY, BEING ABLE TO HAVE SOME INPUT IN THE WAY INSTRUCTION WAS BEING DELIVERED. AND I MISS THAT. I WAS EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO RETURN BACK TO FORT BEND. I REALLY, REALLY MISSED IT. SO THAT'S WHAT DROVE ME BACK TO HOME, AS I CALL IT, AS MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE AS A PARAPROFESSIONAL. IN 2018, I WITNESSED THE DISTRICT'S UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO STUDENT SUCCESS AND TEACHER DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN MY 
          [02:10:03]
JOURNEY AS A PARAPROFESSIONAL, I WAS BLESSED TO HAVE INCREDIBLE MENTORS. THEY NOT ONLY MOTIVATED ME TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN MY CAREER, BUT THEY ALSO SUPPORTED ME THROUGHOUT MY JOURNEY. THEIR ENCOURAGEMENT AND BELIEF IN MY POTENTIAL ACTUALLY PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN MY DECISION TO COMING BACK TO FORT BEND ISD AS A TEACHER. FORT BEND ISD IS NOT JUST A DISTRICT, IT'S A COMMUNITY. I THINK IT'S A PLACE WHERE TEACHERS, LIKE THEIR TEACHING IS RECOGNIZED. THEIR VOICE MATTERS. AND YOU KNOW THE IMPACT THAT WE AS TEACHERS LEAVE ON OUR STUDENTS IS MEANINGFUL. 
          SO IT REALLY LIKE FEELS HOME. IT FEELS HOME. THIS IS A DISTRICT THAT SUPPORTS YOU AS A FACILITATOR, NOT AS DICTATING YOU IN THE IN THE SYSTEM TO DO A JOB. THAT'S ALL ABOUT TEST SCORES. WE ARE HERE TO TEACH THE WHOLE CHILD. FORT BEND ISD IS WHERE I LOVE TO BE. 
          OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THAT'S WHERE WE WERE. SO WE FOCUS ON THAT. DOING OUR THIS PAST WEEKEND WERE TO CIRCLE BACK OUR EFFORTS. PUTTING IT BACK ON THE SLIDE. YEAH. OH WHAT A COOL. OH IT'S OKAY I CAN DO THAT. WHERE'S LONG. THE MOUSE IS NOT WORKING. THE MOUSE STOPS WORKING OKAY. SO WHILE WE ARE CONTINUING DOING THAT, OUR EFFORTS FOR OUR RECOVERY CAMPAIGN INCLUDED OUR DECEMBER ENGAGEMENT WITH A HOLIDAY OUTREACH. THANK YOU. LONG. WE SEND OUT POSTCARDS TO 350 FORMER EMPLOYEES AND TARGETED AREAS FOR OUR CRITICAL SHORTAGE AREA TO SPARK AN INTEREST IN THEM RETURNING TO FORT BEND ISD AND WE CONTINUE THAT EFFORT. THIS PAST SATURDAY, WE HAD REKINDLED A LOVE WITH FORT BEND ISD. THIS WAS A NETWORKING EVENT THAT WAS HELD AT THE CENTER, AND THERE WE GAVE THEM OPPORTUNITIES TO WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO HIGHLIGHT KEY REASONS FOR THEM RETURNING, AND SOME OF THE KEY REASONS THAT WE PROVIDED FOR THEM TO RETURN IS NEW LEADERSHIP, LEADING THE PACK, PD OPPORTUNITIES, OUR BOARD APPROVED CALENDAR THAT HAS MANY BREAKS IN THEM, WELL DESERVED AND ALSO OUR BOARD APPROVED DIFFERENTIATED PAY SCALE THAT FOR EXPERIENCED TEACHERS. SO THOSE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT WE HIGHLIGHTED AMONG OTHER THINGS. BUT THE TEAM DID A REALLY GOOD JOB WITH FOCUSING ON THE NEEDS AND BASICALLY SHOWING ONE ON ONE ATTENTION TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS. WE HAD ABOUT 15 PEOPLE SHOW UP, BUT THEY REALLY HAD A GREAT TIME AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THEM AT THE NEXT EVENT. WE'RE ALSO HOLDING A MARCH 5TH EVENT AT DULLES HIGH SCHOOL FOR ONLY SPED INDIVIDUALS, AND THAT'S A PRE TO OUR MAJOR JOB FAIR THAT WE HAVE IN APRIL. AND AT THE APRIL 5TH, JOB FAIR WILL BE HELD AT DULLES HIGH SCHOOL, AND WE WILL HAVE THEM WITH VIP ACCESS. WILL THEY ALL HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE CAMPUSES BEFORE ANYONE ELSE? SO THEY'LL HAVE A SPECIAL TAG ON, AND WE INVITE ALL OF YOU TO ATTEND OUR JOB FAIR, IF YOU CAN, ON APRIL 5TH. IT'S REALLY A NICE EVENT FOR US TO HAVE, AND WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT RETAINING INDIVIDUALS IS EVERYONE'S JOB, NOT JUST HR, OUR CAMPUS PRINCIPALS, BUT WE KNOW FROM THE BOARDROOM TO THE CLASSROOM IT ALL MAKES A DIFFERENCE. SO DURING OUR ANNUAL DISTRICT JOB FAIR IN APRIL, OUR CAMPAIGN WILL BE FOR THE VIP INDIVIDUALS TO COME ON BOARD TO CONTINUE TO SHOW THEM THAT WE REALLY WANT THEM BACK IN FORT BEND ISD. AND HERE AGAIN IS OUR SPRING EVENTS. 
          OUR FALL IN LOVE EVENT WAS THIS PAST WEEKEND. MARCH 5TH IS OUR EARLY HIRING EVENT FOR SPED, AND OUR TALENT SEARCH WILL BE ON APRIL THE 5TH. AND TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THE INFORMATION AND RECRUITING MATERIALS THAT WE HAVE, IF YOU LOOK INTO OUR IF YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE THE MATERIALS THAT WE'VE PROVIDED FOR SOME OF OUR SOME OF THESE EVENTS. THIS ONE IS OUR DECEMBER EVENT CARD FOR THE OUTREACH. WE ALSO HAD THE SATURDAY EVENT. WE'RE SHOWING YOU SOME OF THE MATERIALS WE USE WHEN WE GO OUT TO RECRUIT AT THE DIFFERENT UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES, AND THEN SOME OF THE OTHER NICE EVENTS THAT SOME OF THE NICE, I'LL SAY PENS, PENCILS AND OTHER ITEMS THAT WE HAVE FOR YOU. AND THEN THIS IS JUST A SAMPLE OF HOW THE BADGES WILL LOOK FOR OUR VIP EVENT IN APRIL, ON APRIL THE 5TH. AND WITH THAT SAID, ANY QUESTIONS? THE TEAM AND I ARE 
          [02:15:03]
HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. I SEE NO QUESTIONS, MR. HAMILTON. GOOD. YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS GOT. REALLY? ACTUALLY, MR. GARCIA BEAT YOU TO THAT. ALL RIGHT, MR. GARCIA. 
          OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. AND SO I THINK I'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT OF GOOD THINGS. I KNOW THAT SPED VACANCIES ARE VERY HARD TO COME BY MATH. I KNOW OF A MATH TEACHER THAT RECENTLY RETIRED AND THEY'RE, I THINK, STILL STRUGGLING TO FIND HIS A REPLACEMENT. BUT LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS, WE'RE GOING FROM WHERE WE WERE AND WHERE WE ARE NOW, WE'RE DEFINITELY HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. AND THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE STAFF THAT'S BEEN WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY IN MAKING SURE THAT WE COME UP WITH CREATIVE STRATEGIES ON RECRUITING AND RETAINING THE BEST PEOPLE, GOING TO COLLEGES, GOING TO UNIVERSITIES. I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND MY THIRD MASTER TRUSTEE TRAINING IN SAN ANTONIO, ACTUALLY, NO. IN AUSTIN. AND ONE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WE WENT TO WAS ISD, AND THEY HAD AN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM THAT WAS PRETTY INTRIGUING TO ME, SORT OF LIKE HOMEGROWN. PROGRAM, WHERE THEY THEY TAKE TEACHERS, SORT OF BRING THEM IN. IT WAS KIND OF INTERESTING. I TRIED TO GET AS MANY SCREENSHOTS AS I CAN, BUT I THINK I'LL JUST EMAIL THEM, TELL THEM TO SEND ME THE PRESENTATION. NOT NOT SO MUCH THAT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING AND JUST GOOD INFORMATION THAT I COULD SHARE WITH YOU ALL. GOING TO THE UNIVERSITIES, OBVIOUSLY A GREAT AND GREAT THING, TRYING TO GET THEM EXCITED ABOUT IT. THE DIFFERENTIATED PAY STEP AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SALARY SURVEYS, AND I REMEMBER YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS TEACHING MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, A LOT OF TEACHERS, THEY DON'T DO IT FOR THE PAY. I AT THAT TIME, I KIND OF DID BECAUSE I DIDN'T STAY TEACHING VERY LONG BECAUSE I COULDN'T DO IT FOR THE PAY. AND SO THE TREND IS NOW SWITCHED, AND THE PAY HAS BECOME A LOT MORE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE WORK HAS GOTTEN A LOT MORE INTENSE. AND SO THE VALUE OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS ALSO EQUATES TO HOW MUCH YOU MAKE. 
          AND THE BENEFITS AND THE BENEFITS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. AND SO THAT BRINGS ME TO MY NEXT POINT. I KNOW THAT WHEN WE PASSED THE VAT TEACHERS SAW AN INCREASE IN THEIR PAY, BUT THEY ALSO SAW AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT THAT THEY WERE PAYING FOR, FOR BENEFITS. AND SO I KNOW THAT WHEN WE'RE EVALUATING THESE THINGS. THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF IS THAT WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST TO. AND I KNOW AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT WE'RE SELF-FUNDED AND THOSE COSTS ARE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT COSTS TO THE DISTRICT. AND SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO RECRUIT, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO LOOK AT HOW WE STACK UP AGAINST THE BIG GUNS AROUND US KATY LAMAR, HISD AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. SO THOSE ARE THOSE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I HEAR A LOT OF, A LOT OF FEEDBACK FROM, FROM THE TEACHERS AND STAFF IN GENERAL. AND THAT THAT'S AND I KNOW THAT THE HOUSE BILL ONE, TWO AND THREE ARE OUT. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. MANDATORY RAISES AND ALLOTMENTS FOR TEACHER RAISES. AND I'M HEARING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 4 AND $5000 RAISES FOR TEACHERS. IF YOU'RE UNDER A SCHOOL DISTRICT, THAT'S OVER 10,000 STUDENTS, UNDER 10,000 STUDENTS, THEY'RE THEY'RE WANTING A $10,000 INCREASE. BUT THE WAY THAT IT READS, IT'S MORE OF AN ALLOTMENT. SO WHAT THE STATE CAN GIVE IT, THE STATE CAN ALSO TAKE IT AWAY. AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK THAT'S GOOD THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET THERE AT THE STATE LEVEL. I DON'T NECESSARILY KNOW THAT WE CAN REALLY COUNT ON ALL THAT. SO ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO HERE LOCALLY. SO WE'LL BE AND I WILL TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE NEXT PRESENTATION. BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I CAME ACROSS AND WE WERE DISCUSSING WITH SOME OF MY CLASSMATES UP IN AUSTIN IN REGARDS TO, TO THE, THE PAY INCENTIVES. SO AND THAT'S IT FOR ME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TAKE IT AWAY, TRUSTEE HAMILTON. THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. MR. HAMILTON. YES. THANK YOU. FINALLY. NO, I'M JUST KIDDING. SORRY, SORRY. SO FIRST, A COMMENT ABOUT CULTURE AND LEADERSHIP AND THEN A QUESTION ABOUT SUPPORTING TEACHERS AND THEN A QUESTION ABOUT RECRUITING TEACHERS. SO FIRST I WANT TO MENTION SO DOCTOR SMITH, I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU. SO THE WAYS THAT YOU'VE CHANGED THE CULTURE AND BROUGHT LEADERSHIP TO FORT BEND ISD HAVE BEEN ASTOUNDING TO ME. 
          AND SO I THINK THE RESULTS ARE COMING THROUGH IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS. SO THE COMMUNITY, WE'VE HEARD COMMUNITY COMMENTS WHERE JUST THE TONE OF THE BOARD MEETINGS ARE DIFFERENT. THERE'S MORE TRANSPARENCY WITH INFORMATION MORE FORTHCOMING, WITH INFORMATION, MORE LISTENING AND RESPONDING TO FEEDBACK. BUT ONE BIG WAY THAT I THINK WE SAW A 
          [02:20:06]
CULTURE SHIFT. SO WE HAD OVER 20% OF TEACHERS LEAVE FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE YEARS. AND THEN YOU WERE HERE FOR A SEMESTER. SO MAYBE NOT ALL BECAUSE OF YOU, BUT I THINK A LOT OF THAT WAS WAS PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR TEACHERS, I THINK, WANTED TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE. AND THEY THEY BELIEVED IN YOUR VISION FOR THE DISTRICT. AND SO WE SAW A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN OUR TEACHER TURNOVER RATE, WHICH IS A GOOD THING, AS THE HR DEPARTMENT KNOWS BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE. 
          EVERY TEACHER WHO LEAVES IS AN EXTRA VACANCY. SO NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO FILL THE EXISTING VACANCIES, WE HAVE TO FILL ANOTHER ONE FOR EACH ONE WHO LEAVES. AND SO MY ANALOGY IS IF WE SIMPLIFY OUR DISTRICT TO LIKE ONE BUILDING, THERE'S A BACK DOOR AND A FRONT DOOR. EVERY TEACHER WHO LEAVES IS ONE OUT THE BACK DOOR AND ONE MORE. WE GOT TO BRING IN THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR. AND SO, SO I THINK JUST REDUCING THAT THAT TEACHER TURNOVER RATE, IT GOES A LONG WAY TOWARDS BEING ABLE TO FILL ALL OF OUR VACANCIES. SO ALSO JUST I HAD A THOUGHT THAT I WAS REMINDED OF THIS IN THE BOND AUDIT REPORT OF ALL PLACES. THERE WAS A COMMENT ABOUT THE RECENT IMPROVEMENTS IN LEADERSHIP AND CULTURE. AND SO I THINK WE'RE WE'RE SEEING THE LEADERSHIP AND CULTURE IMPROVEMENTS. WE'RE GETTING THAT FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY, FROM STAFF AND EVEN FROM THE BOND AUDIT REPORT. SO AND OBVIOUSLY, A LOT OF THAT IS BECAUSE YOU'VE ASSEMBLED A GREAT TEAM AROUND YOU. AND SO WE SEE THAT WITH, WITH WITH THE, THE WAY WE'RE MOVING FORWARD IN A LOT OF WAYS. SO THEN A QUESTION ABOUT SUPPORT. SO BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW FACES, NOT EVERYBODY WAS HERE FOR A SHOWDOWN THAT WE HAD IN THE FALL OF 2023 OVER THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT AND SCHOOL DISCIPLINE. AND SO, SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, I DIDN'T INTEND TO CAMPAIGN ON SCHOOL DISCIPLINE. BUT AS I CAMPAIGNED IN 2022, THE ISSUE THAT I HEARD THE MOST FROM PARENTS AND FROM TEACHERS WAS NOT THE ONE NOT NOT THE ISSUES THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT. AND SO I, I SHIFTED AND TALKED ABOUT WHAT THEY WANTED TO TALK ABOUT INSTEAD OF WHAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, WHICH I THINK WAS A GOOD MOVE. AND SO THAT ISSUE WAS DISCIPLINED. AND SO FROM TEACHERS, FROM PARENTS, I WAS JUST HEARING, HEARING A LOT ABOUT SCHOOL DISCIPLINE AND CHALLENGES IN THAT AREA. AND SO THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD COMMUNICATED TO THE FORMER ADMINISTRATION IN THE FALL OF 2022 THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO BLOCK THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT THAT YEAR. BUT WE DID EXPECT STRONGER DISCIPLINE ENFORCEMENT BASED ON WHAT WE WERE HEARING FROM PARENTS AND TEACHERS. FAST FORWARD A YEAR WE DID NOT SEE, IN MY OPINION, THE IMPROVEMENT THAT WE CALLED FOR. AND SO WE REJECTED THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT, NOT ONCE BUT TWICE. AND THAT WAS A BIG A BIG ISSUE THAT BROUGHT DOCTOR SMITH HERE WAS THAT SHOWDOWN WITH THE FORMER ADMINISTRATION. AND SO WE'VE HAD, AS WE HEARD EARLIER, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF TRANSITION IN THE PAST YEAR. AND I THINK AS WE AS WE STRIVE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN TEACHERS, I JUST WANT TO ASK ABOUT DISCIPLINE. SO I KNOW IT WAS NOT ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES THAT WERE LISTED, BUT I ASSUME WE'RE HEARING SOME FEEDBACK AT LEAST ON, ON DISCIPLINE AND, AND WAYS THAT WE CAN SUPPORT TEACHERS BETTER BY DISCIPLINE. SO ANY COMMENTS THAT WE CAN SHARE ON SUPPORTING TEACHERS AS FAR AS CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND DISCIPLINE FROM DSL? YEAH. OH YEAH, WE'VE GOT A DISCIPLINE UPDATE. BUT BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF RETAINING TEACHERS, YEAH. AS FAR AS EXIT SURVEYS OR ANY PIECES AROUND THAT, I WOULDN'T HAVE THAT. BUT IT IS ON OUR BOARD CALENDAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT THAT IN APRIL AND MAY AND THEN VOTING ON IT IN JUNE. OKAY. SO THAT ALL THAT IS FORTHCOMING. PERFECT. SO, SO JUST KIND OF PUTTING THAT OUT THERE THAT THAT WITH WE'VE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS. I DO THINK THAT DISCIPLINE IS A BIG ISSUE. I THINK PROGRESS IN THIS AREA IS GOING TO OPEN UP SOME DOORS. SO WE I'M MAYBE A LITTLE TOO DANGEROUSLY OPTIMISTIC PERSONALLY. AND SO WHEN I SEE A CHALLENGE I SEE OPPORTUNITY. AND SO WE ALL KNOW WE'RE IN A WE'RE IN A REGIONAL STATE AND NATIONAL TEACHER SHORTAGE. AND MAYBE I'M CRAZY, BUT I SEE THAT AS AN OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE NOT ONLY HAVE WE LOST A LOT OF TEACHERS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, BUT ALL OF THE DISTRICTS AROUND US HAVE LOST A LOT OF TEACHERS. SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THAT MEANS THERE ARE A LOT OF CERTIFIED TEACHERS WHO ARE SITTING ON THE SIDELINES. MAYBE THEY'VE CHANGED PROFESSIONS. THEY MAY BE OPEN TO COMING BACK. AND IN MY OPINION, IF WE BECOME THE DISTRICT THAT IS KNOWN FOR SUPPORTING TEACHERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR SAFETY AND CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT, THEN I THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE A GAME CHANGER AS FAR AS BEING ABLE TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN TEACHERS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON. MR. SHOAFF. SO I LOOK AT TEACHERS AS 
          [02:25:07]
THE INFANTRY OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IN THE MILITARY. YOU'VE GOT THE INFANTRY AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS SUPPORT AND TO SUPPORT THE INFANTRY AND PUSH THE MISSION FORWARD. BOOTS ON THE GROUND, TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS. SO I AM CURIOUS, PARTICULARLY AMONG THE TEACHERS THAT WERE SAD TO LOSE, AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, DO WE KNOW WHAT, LIKE THE TOP THREE STATED REASONS WHY THEY'RE LEAVING? OR DO YOU HAVE? WE DO HAVE, BUT AND REASONS FOR LEAVING. THE FIRST REASON IS GOING TO OTHER DISTRICTS. I KNOW THAT OFF THE TOP. AND LAST YEAR WE HAD A SURVEY AND THEY WERE GOING TO OTHER DISTRICTS OR ANOTHER PROFESSION I KNOW WAS ONE OF THE TOP REASONS FOR EXITS. SO GOING TO OTHER DISTRICTS, IS IT CITED PAY IS THE ISSUE OR IT WAS PROMOTIONS. MAJORITY OF THEM WERE PROMOTIONS. OH, THEY WERE ACCEPTING PROMOTIONS AT OTHER OTHER DISTRICTS. OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE. NOW WHAT ABOUT THE TEACHERS WHO ARE JUST GETTING OUT OF IT? WHAT ARE THEY? WHAT ARE THEY SAYING? THEIR REASONS FOR GETTING OUT OF IT IS A LOT OF THEM. WE HAVE RETIREES AND THEN WE HAVE OTHERS THAT ARE GOING TO OTHER INDUSTRIES. THANK YOU. GOING TO OTHER INDUSTRIES. AND WE DON'T HAVE THE SPECIFICS. IT'S NOT ANYTHING THAT'S MANDATORY ON THE EXIT SURVEY THAT THEY HAVE TO COMPLETE. AND SOME OF THEM DO PROVIDE US WITH THE INFORMATION. THOSE THAT DO, WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION. BUT THE EXIT FACTORS ARE AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, COMPENSATION GOES BOTH WAYS. RIGHT. WE HAVE COMPENSATION AND WORKLOAD ARE THE TOP TWO REASONS OKAY IS INCREASING ADMINISTRATIVE ROLES ANYWHERE IN ANY OF THESE SURVEYS? NO, NOT ANY THAT WE'VE SEEN SO FAR OKAY. BECAUSE AND I ONLY BRING THAT UP BECAUSE THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEAR FROM THAT I HEAR FROM TEACHERS THAT I'VE KNOWN OR MET OR SPEAK TO ME IS THEY THEY FEEL LIKE THERE'S AN INCREASE IN ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS ON TOP OF THE REGULAR CLASSROOM DUTIES. AND I'M NOT A TEACHER. SO, YOU KNOW, I'VE NEVER HAD TO EXPERIENCE THAT. BUT I DO UNDERSTAND INCREASES IN ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES MAKE IT A LOT HARDER TO DO THE DAY TO DAY ACTIVITIES. THANK YOU FOR THAT, MR. SHOAF. ABSOLUTELY. AS MISS JOHNSON INDICATED, THE WORKLOAD HAS DEFINITELY CHANGED. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS ALSO CHANGED WITH ALL OF THE NEW IS THE LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY. AND SO SOMETIMES WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ADMINISTRATORS HAVE FOR STAFF, WE SEE IT ONE WAY THAT IT'S US HOLDING STAFF ACCOUNTABLE. AND WITH THAT ACCOUNTABILITY, WE'RE ABLE TO GET SOME OF THE RESULTS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT. BUT WE DO HAVE TO BE SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT A LOT OF CHANGE AT ONE TIME AND THE IMPACT THAT THAT WILL HAVE ON OUR, ON OUR STAFF. AND SO WE DO TAKE THAT DEFINITELY INTO CONSIDERATION AS WE'RE MAKING CHANGES AND HOLDING OURSELVES AND STAFF ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GO AS A DISTRICT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. 
          AND FOR THE TEACHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED GETTING A PAY RAISE ONLY FOR YOUR BENEFIT COSTS TO GO UP AND IT ZEROS OUT. I HAVE BEEN IN THAT ROLE BEFORE AS A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE. AND I KNOW HOW IT FEELS. AND I DON'T LOOK AT THAT AS A PAY RAISE. SO THANK YOU. YES, SIR. AND AS IT RELATES TO BENEFITS, WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO PROVIDING YOU ALL WITH SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT BENEFITS AND HOW WE COMPARE WITH OTHER DISTRICTS ACROSS THE BOARD. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMPENSATION HERE IN FORT BEND ISD, WE TALK ABOUT TOTAL COMPENSATION. SO OF COURSE, WHEN YOUR BENEFITS GO UP, I MEAN, YOUR PAY DOES NOT GO UP. THAT HAS A HUGE IMPACT ON OUR ON OUR STAFF, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON HERE IN FORT BEND ISD RELATED TO BENEFITS. AND WHEN WE SHOW YOU THAT COMPARISON INFORMATION, WE HOPE THAT THAT WILL BE ENLIGHTENING TO YOU ALL. AWESOME. THANK YOU. AND I THINK THAT LOOKING AT A STATE SURVEY IS A VERY GOOD WAY OF AN INNOVATIVE WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS. SO I APPRECIATE THIS. THANK YOU. TRUSTEE. THANK YOU, MR. SHOAF. MISS JONES. SO I THINK WE TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF TRUSTEE HAMILTON, I THINK WE HAVE THE DISCIPLINE DATA THAT'S COME IN. BUT MARCH I THINK IT'S MARCH. YEAH. WE PUSHED IT TO MARCH. I'VE BEEN ASKING FOR IT. 
          WHAT SINCE DECEMBER. SO WE GOT ACTION PACKED AGENDA. SO WE JUST PUSHED IT TO MARCH. THE OTHER THING IS WHAT A DIFFERENCE A CHANGE CAN MAKE. BECAUSE I'M THINKING ABOUT A YEAR AND SOME MONTHS AGO WE DIDN'T HAVE THIS INFORMATION. WE DID NOT KNOW WHERE WE STOOD AS FAR AS TEACHING TEACHER VACANCIES, OUR RETENTION RECRUITMENT. AND I KNOW IN DOCTOR SMITH FIRST CAME, I THINK THAT WAS PART OF OUR CONVERSATIONS OF GETTING TEACHERS FOR OUR KIDS. AND SO I, 
          [02:30:07]
I HAVE TO COMMEND DOCTOR SMITH ON THE EFFORT, THE TRANSPARENCY ABOUT WHERE WE ARE. WE'RE NOT IN THE DARK ANYMORE ABOUT WHERE WE STAND AS FAR AS HIRING TEACHERS. AND I LIKE THE FACT THAT I'M OKAY WITH I'M ALWAYS TARGETING ZERO TEACHER VACANCIES, BUT 93 IS ALSO GOOD. SO I JUST WANT TO COMMEND DOCTOR SMITH, GLENDA, EVERYONE FOR THEIR THEIR EFFORTS IN RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. 
          AND I DIDN'T GET A CARD IN THE MAIL BECAUSE IT WAS NICE. I SAW IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. I WAS LIKE, WELL, WHERE'S MY CARD? SO IT'S MY BACK. OKAY, SO I APPRECIATE THAT AND JUST KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU I APPRECIATE THAT. AND WE ARE AT 75 VACANCIES AS OF TODAY. AND IT'S 93 WAS ON YOUR SLIDE. BUT THAT INCLUDES 18 VACANCIES. SO WE'RE AT 75. AND LAST YEAR I THINK THE QUESTION WAS ASKED LAST BOARD MEETING LAST YEAR WE WERE AT 182 AT THE SAME TIME. 
          WOW. THANK YOU THANK YOU. GOOD JOB. THANK YOU, MISS JONES. MISS HANNON. THANK YOU, MISS JOHNSON. 
          I, I SAW YOUR STAFF AT THE CTE ON SATURDAY. AND SO I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE WORKING. I KNOW YOU'RE DOING LOTS OF THINGS TO TRY TO PULL IN SOME REALLY GOOD QUALITY STAFF INTO FORT BEND. I JUST WANT TO TAKE A I WASN'T GOING TO DO THIS, BUT AS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT, I HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION. I STARTED AND MY FIRST YEAR SALARY WAS $23,999. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? I NEEDED EVERY SINGLE DIME OF THAT SALARY. AND SO I CHOSE THAT AS MY PROFESSION. BUT I ALSO CHOSE THAT AS A WAY TO MAKE MONEY. AND SO, YOU KNOW, TEACHERS ARE IN HERE BECAUSE THEY LOVE WHAT THEY DO OR THEY WOULD NOT BE HERE. WHAT THEY THEY WOULD NOT BE HERE. RIGHT? AND I KNOW THEY ALL NEED THE MONEY TO FOR MEDICAL EXPENSES, FOR CHILDCARE, FOR FOOD, FOR HEALTH CARE, FOR, FOR A WHOLE HOST OF THINGS SO THEY CAN PUT SOME MONEY IN THERE, YOU KNOW, 500 AND 1C3 OR AN ANNUITY OR SOMETHING TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE. RIGHT. BECAUSE TRS ISN'T GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THEM ALONE. SO I JUST I'M GOING TO ASK THAT YOU GUYS, IF ANYBODY IS LISTENING, PLEASE DON'T WAIT TILL TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK TO SEND FOLKS A THANK YOU NOTE FOR WHAT THEY DO FOR YOUR KIDS, BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU, THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT OF TEACHERS OUT HERE IN FORT BEND. THEY WOULD SAY, OH MY GOSH, THAT MISS HANNON, SHE WAS ROUGH. BUT SHE DID SEND US REALLY NICE NOTES OCCASIONALLY, I GUESS. AND SO IT MATTERS, BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET A LOT OF KUDOS AND PATS ON THE BACK, MAYBE FROM THEIR KIDS, BUT THEY DON'T. THEY DON'T GET THEM. THEY'RE TOO BUSY ALL DAY. SO PLEASE DO THAT. AND PLEASE, I IMPLORE YOU THAT TEACHING IS A PROFESSION. JUST LIKE BEING A DOCTOR LAWYER, PERSON IN TECHNOLOGY, IN THE MEDICAL FIELD THAT AREN'T WORKING IN PUBLIC EDUCATION. YOU KNOW, IT'S AN IMPORTANT AND I THINK IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT PROFESSION BECAUSE WITHOUT TEACHERS THERE ARE NO OTHER PROFESSIONS. SO, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TO GET ON MY LITTLE SOAPBOX AND GIVE A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT. BUT I JUST THINK WE HAVE GOT TO ELEVATE OUR TEACHERS. AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE THINK WE CAN'T DO SOMETHING ALONE, WELL, WE CAN, BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU'RE ONE KIND NOTE THAT YOU SEND TO A TEACHER. IT MIGHT JUST GET THEM OVER THE HURDLE TO STAY ONE MORE YEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS HANNON. SO I'M GOING TO PIGGYBACK A LITTLE BIT OFF WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER TRUSTEES HAVE SAID, IN PARTICULAR MR. HAMILTON, ABOUT THE CULTURE SHIFT. I THINK THE HARDEST THING WE DO, DOCTOR SMITH AND I TALK ABOUT THIS, IS CHANGE MANAGEMENT AND SHIFTING THE CULTURE. AND I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THAT WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. I THINK THAT THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE. AND IT IT ABSOLUTELY STARTS IN THIS BOARDROOM. IT STARTS WITH THE TEAM OF EIGHT. AND SO I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO WELL FIRST OF ALL I DO WANT TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE YOU, DOCTOR SMITH. AND LEADING THE PACK OF PROFESSIONALISM ACCOUNTABILITY AND COMMUNICATION. AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO CHALLENGE US AS TRUSTEES, AS A TEAM OF EIGHT, TO CONTINUE TO DO OUR PART, BECAUSE THEY DO WATCH THESE BOARD MEETINGS. WE ALL KNOW THAT. AND SO I APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE RESPONSIBILITY THERE. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LEAD THE PACK ALONGSIDE YOU. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT I 
          [02:35:01]
UNDERSTAND THE PRESSURES AS THERE ARE MORE THERE'S MORE ACCOUNTABILITY OR THERE'S MAYBE MORE ROLES OR RULES OR ROLES OR WHATEVER COMING FROM ADMINISTRATION LIKE MR. SHOAFF TALKED ABOUT. BUT I WANT I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT IT IT'S A CHALLENGE. I KNOW THE CHALLENGE THAT YOU GUYS FACE BECAUSE OF THE MANDATES THAT COME DOWN FROM THE LEGISLATURE OR THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION OR THE RTA, WHETHER IT'S STAR ACCOUNTABILITY, WHETHER IT'S GRADING THE SCHOOLS, WHETHER IT'S TWEAKS OR ADDITIONAL MANDATES. AND IT'S VERY HARD FOR US TO MANAGE UP HERE AND A MILLION TIMES HARDER FOR YOU GUYS TO MANAGE AT THE CAMPUS AND CLASSROOM LEVELS. SO I APPRECIATE THE STANDARDS THAT YOU GUYS ARE SETTING, BUT ALSO THE UNDERSTANDING THAT A LOT OF THOSE PRESSURES COME FROM THE OUTSIDE. NOW THAT MY DAUGHTER IS GRADUATED IN TEACHING, WE EXPERIENCED THAT IN OUR HOUSE AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, JUST ME SITTING UP ON THE DAIS. SO I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS MANAGING ALL OF THAT AS WELL. I ALSO WANT TO THE ONLY THING ON MY LIST AS MY ASK AND DOCTOR SMITH AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THIS, IS THAT WE DO TACKLE THE BENEFITS AND INSURANCE PORTION, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE WORKING ON THAT AND ARE GOING TO BRING US A PLAN FOR THAT. AND SO I'M NOT SPECIFICALLY ASKING A QUESTION TONIGHT. I JUST WANTED TO STATE FROM THE DAIS THAT I KNOW THE BOARD WANTS TO SEE IT. WE'D LIKE TO SEE A PLAN FOR THAT. WE'D LIKE TO SEE HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS AND OUR EMPLOYEES. AND REALLY, EVERYONE FORT BEND ISD FAMILY SOMETIMES. SO THAT'S A PIECE OF COMPENSATION, RIGHT? AND I ALWAYS SAY THAT THEY ABSOLUTELY WANT THE PAYCHECK, BUT THERE'S LOTS OF TIMES, WELL, I MEAN, BETTER BENEFITS AND LESS EXPENSIVE BENEFITS TRANSLATES INTO DOLLARS, AS DO OTHER SOME OF THE INTANGIBLES. SO AS YOU GUYS ARE TACKLING BENEFITS AND INSURANCE, YOU KNOW, I'D ALSO LIKE US TO CONTINUE THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX. AND WHAT OTHER BENEFITS AND INTANGIBLES CAN WE OFFER THAT ARE GOING TO NOT JUST ATTRACT, BUT HELP KEEP OUR TEACHERS HERE AS WE LEAD US TO BEING THE BEST DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS? BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HEADED. SO THANK YOU TO THE TASK FORCE. THANK YOU, MISS BROWN AND MISS JOHNSON, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ALL THE YEARS I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE PRESENTATIONS AROUND HR TEACHER RETENTION. THIS IS PROBABLY THE BEST I'VE EVER BEEN GIVEN BY THE ADMINISTRATION. SO KUDOS TO YOU GUYS AND THANK YOU FOR THAT. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP TO THE HOT SEAT. IS MR. 
          [9.D. Budget & Legislative Update]
GWEN AND THE BUDGET AND LEGISLATIVE UPDATE, DOCTOR SMITH. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, BOARD, FOR THE FEEDBACK. IT'S ENCOURAGING. LAST INFORMATION ITEM I'LL JUST SAY IS ENCOURAGING FOR US TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE THE EXCELLENCE THAT YOU EXPECT TONIGHT. MR. GWEN IS PREPARED. OF COURSE, AS YOU KNOW, WE GIVE A BUDGET UPDATE. A LOT OF THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THAT WILL IMPACT SOME OF THE DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE DOWN THE LINE, AND MR. GWEN IS PREPARED TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION TONIGHT. THANK. THANK YOU, DOCTOR SMITH. AND GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. THIS EVENING, WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON HOW OUR BUDGETED REVENUES HAVE CHANGED HISTORICALLY. WE'RE GOING TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE HAPPENINGS IN AUSTIN AND AN INITIAL LOOK AT THE 2425 BUDGET. BUT BEFORE I START, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CHILD NUTRITION TEAM. AND SO THAT IS A TEAM THAT FEEDS 80,000 STUDENTS EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND YOU DIDN'T PROBABLY THINK ABOUT THEM TODAY, BUT THEY DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB. AND SO I'M TAKING A MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO ACKNOWLEDGE A GROUP THAT WORKED SO HARD BEHIND THE SCENES AND ACTUALLY ALMOST IMPACTS EVERY SINGLE STUDENT IN THIS DISTRICT. SO THANK YOU TO THAT TEAM. AND THEY ARE INCREDIBLE. THAT'S NOT WHY I'M UP HERE TO TALK THOUGH. I JUST WANTED TO TAKE THAT MOMENT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. AND SO I WANT TO START THIS CONVERSATION WITH THOSE OF YOU OF A CERTAIN AGE MAY REMEMBER A CERTAIN NEWS COMMENTER NAMED PAUL HARVEY. AND WHEN HE DID HIS STORIES, THERE WAS A SEGMENT THAT HE HAD CALLED THE REST OF THE STORY. AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THINGS THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS SAID ABOUT PUBLIC EDUCATION, HE IS MAKING FACTUAL STATEMENTS. BUT AS WITH LOTS OF THINGS, THERE'S A LITTLE MORE DEPTH TO THE STORY THAT ALWAYS GETS TOLD. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO START BY CLARIFYING HOW INFORMATION THE GOVERNMENT HAS OR THE GOVERNOR HAS SHARED PUBLICLY, DIRECTLY IMPACT FORT BEND ISD. AND SO THE INFORMATION, LIKE I SAID, SHARED BY THE GOVERNMENT IS ACCURATE. BUT THERE ARE TWO SIDES TO THAT 
          [02:40:02]
STORY. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR NOT ONLY THE BOARD TO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT OUR PUBLIC AS WELL. AND SO I'M GOING TO START THE CONVERSATION WITH THE INFORMATION PRESENTED THIS EVENING IS BASED ON THE DISTRICT FINANCIAL REPORTS PUBLISHED BY TI. AND I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO READ THESE NUMBERS, BUT I DID PROVIDE A HANDOUT. SO YOU CAN SEE SPECIFICALLY WHERE THAT INFORMATION IS COMING FROM. AND THERE ARE TWO SECTIONS ON THERE. ONE, THE DISTRICT'S ALL FUNDS REVENUE, AS WELL AS THE STATE'S TOTAL FUNDING PER STUDENT. AND SO THAT INFORMATION IS INCLUDED ON THOSE REPORTS. AND THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER PIECE OF INFORMATION THAT WE'LL LOOK AT FOR THE GENERAL FUND REVENUE PER STUDENT. AND SO THAT INFORMATION THAT YOU'LL SEE, THE INFORMATION YOU'LL SEE TONIGHT WILL COME DIRECTLY FROM THESE REPORTS THAT YOU CAN GO PULL FROM THE TI'S WEBSITE. AND SO I WANT TO EMPHASIZE WE'RE USING STATE REPORTED DATA NOT OUR INTERNAL DATA. AND SO THIS IS INFORMATION WE PROVIDE BACK TO THE STATE. AND WE'RE USING THE INFORMATION THAT THE STATE HAS PUT OUT RATHER THAN OUR OWN INTERNAL INFORMATION AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION. AND SO THE FIRST THING I'LL START WITH IS THAT HOW DOES STATE REVENUE LOOK PER STUDENT? AND IT STARTS OUT IN 2013, IT WAS ABOUT 12,600. AND THAT'S INCREASED TO ABOUT $15,900 PER STUDENT IN 2223. AND SO YOU'LL HEAR THE GOVERNOR SAYING THAT STATE FUNDING PER STUDENT IS ABOUT $15,000 PER STUDENT. THAT IS AN ACCURATE STATEMENT. IT'S ACTUALLY CLOSER TO 16,000. AND AGAIN, THIS IS COMING FROM THAT TEAM'S REPORT. AND SO THE OTHER COMPONENT IS THAT IS LOCALLY OUR FUNDING PER STUDENT HAS INCREASED FROM ABOUT $10,600 PER STUDENT TO ABOUT $14,000 PER STUDENT. AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT, THERE IS A GAP THERE. AND YOU MAY BE WONDERING WHAT THAT IS. AND STATE FUNDING PER STUDENT INCLUDES COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH TI, THEIR ACTUAL ADMINISTRATION COSTS, THE REGIONAL EDUCATION SERVICE CENTER THAT PROVIDE TRAINING AND SUPPORT TO DISTRICTS AS WELL AS TRS CONTRIBUTIONS. AND SO THAT'S BAKED INTO THAT NUMBER. THERE'S ALSO ADDITIONAL FUNDING, ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR DIFFERENCES IN STUDENT TYPES THAT GETS ALLOCATED OUT TO CAMPUSES. BUT BY AND LARGE, THE BIGGEST COMPONENT OF THAT IS GOING TO BE THE TI ADMIN COSTS, REGIONAL SERVICE CENTERS AND TRS. AND SO WHEN WE GO FORWARD, OVERALL STATE FUNDING HAS INCREASED BY ABOUT 26% SINCE 2014. AND LOCALLY WE'VE INCREASED BY ABOUT 31%. AND SO WHEN WE TAKE THOSE TWO NUMBERS IN THE CONTEXT OF INFLATION, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? AND SO WHEN WE PULL THE INFORMATION FROM THE US BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS USING JULY OF 2013, WHICH IS THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND CARRYING THAT THROUGH JUNE OF 2023, THAT RATE OF INFLATION HAS BEEN ABOUT 30.5%. AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE TWO NUMBERS THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED, THE STATE INCREASE IN FUNDING PER STUDENT HAS BEEN SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE RATE OF INFLATION BY ABOUT 4%. BUT THE DISTRICTS IS AS KEPT UP WITH THAT. BUT WE NEED TO TALK THROUGH THAT A LITTLE BIT. AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT REVENUE PER STUDENT, THERE'S ONE THING THAT THAT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THIS IS WHERE THE REST OF THE STORY BEGINS. SO THE ANALOGY THAT I'M GOING TO USE IS PROBABLY EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM AND ON THE DAIS HAS A JOB AND YOU RECEIVE A PAYCHECK. AND THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR SALARY AND YOUR ACTUAL TAKE HOME PAY. AND SO YOU HAVE DEDUCTIONS ON YOUR PAYCHECK. YOU HAVE FEDERAL WITHHOLDING FOR INCOME TAXES, MEDICARE. IF YOU PARTICIPATE IN A HEALTH CARE PROGRAM, THOSE DEDUCTIONS ARE TAKEN OUT AS WELL AS YOUR RETIREMENT. AND SO WHAT YOU STATE YOU MAKE, IF YOU MAKE $50,000 A YEAR, YOUR ACTUAL TAKE HOME THAT YOU CAN SPEND IS LESS THAN THAT. AND THIS IS SIMILAR TO THE STATE ALLOCATION THAT WE RECEIVE. AND SO FOR INSTANCE, IN THAT STATE OR IN OUR REVENUE PER STUDENT THAT THE STATE PROVIDES TO US, WE HAVE DEBT ISSUANCE INCLUDED IN THAT. AND IF YOU RECALL, WE CAN ONLY USE DEBT TO PAY ON OUTSTANDING PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON DEBT THAT WE'VE ISSUED. WE CAN'T USE IT FOR RAISES AND WE CAN'T USE IT TO CLOSE OUR DEFICIT. THE OTHER NUMBER THAT'S INCLUDED IN THERE IS CHILD NUTRITION. WE CAN ONLY USE THOSE FUNDS TO PAY FOR STUDENT LUNCHES AND BREAKFASTS. WE CAN'T USE IT TO PAY RAISES OR TO BRIDGE OUR DEFICIT. AND THEN LASTLY INCLUDED IN THERE IS FEDERAL GRANTS. AND THE FEDERAL GRANTS ARE SPECIFIED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN TERMS OF HOW WE CAN USE THOSE. AND SO ALTHOUGH IT GIVES US SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO MEET SPECIAL NEEDS LIKE SPECIAL EDUCATION OR TITLE ONE TO ADDRESS LEARNING LOSS, WE CAN'T USE THAT IN A DISCRETIONARY WAY. IT'S VERY DEFINED IN HOW WE USE IT. AND SO THAT NUMBER IS ALSO INCLUDED IN THERE. AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR NUMBER OF $14,000 PER STUDENT, IT INCLUDES ALL POINTS OF THIS DATA IN THERE. AND SO IT'S UP BY 31%. AND SO REALLY A BETTER WAY OF LOOKING AT THIS DATA IN TERMS OF WHAT THE DISTRICT HAS DISCRETIONARY FUNDS TO SPEND, IS OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUE PER STUDENT. THAT'S FUNDING THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES CAN DIRECTLY IMPACT, AND HAS THE ABILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS ON HOW THEY WANT TO 
          [02:45:04]
USE IT IN TERMS OF RAISES AND OTHER AGAIN, DISCRETIONARY TYPE USES THAT THE DISTRICT HAS. THAT NUMBER HAS GONE FROM ABOUT $7,600 TO ABOUT $9,400 PER STUDENT. AND SO THAT IS AN INCREASE. THAT'S ONLY A 23% INCREASE. AND PREVIOUSLY WE JUST SHARED THAT INFLATION HAS GONE UP BY ABOUT 3.5% SINCE 2023. AND SO OUR FUNDS THAT WE HAVE DISCRETION OVER AND THAT IMPACT OUR STUDENTS THE MOST HAVE NOT KEPT UP WITH INFLATION. AND SO ONE THING I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HERE IS THAT YOU'LL OFTEN HEAR FOLKS IN EDUCATION SAY THE BASIC ALLOTMENT OF $6,160 IS NOT KEPT UP WITH THE RATE INFLATION, AND IT HASN'T CHANGED. IT IS FACTUAL THAT THE DISTRICT RECEIVES MORE THAN JUST A BASIC ALLOTMENT. WE RECEIVED ALLOCATIONS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR CTE, FOR BILINGUAL SERVICES, AND THAT IS INCLUDED IN OUR TOTAL FUNDING PER STUDENT. AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DISTRICT, OUR FUNDING PER STUDENT AVERAGES OUT TO ABOUT $9,400 PER STUDENT. AND SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT HAS OUR REVENUE GONE UP? YES, IT HAS, BUT HAS IT KEPT UP WITH INFLATION? THE ANSWER TO THAT IS NO, IT HAS NOT. AND AGAIN, THAT'S ABOUT A 23% INCREASE OVER TIME. INFLATION HAS GONE UP BY ABOUT 30.5% IN THAT SAME TIME PERIOD. AND SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THE THING THAT WE WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS IS THAT THE 93, $9,400 IS GREATER THAN THE BASIC ALLOTMENT. IT IS IMPACTING OUR STUDENTS. BUT IS IT ENOUGH? I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT'S NOT ENOUGH, BUT IT DOES CREATE CHALLENGES WHEN WE HAVE NOT KEPT UP WITH THE RATE OF INFLATION. 
          THERE'S ALSO A BACKGROUND STORY ON OUR ENROLLMENT GROWTH TO SHARE. AND SO SINCE 2013 AND 14, OUR ENROLLMENT HAS GROWN BY ABOUT 13.5%. AT THE SAME TIME, AS WE DISCUSSED AT ONE OF OUR PRIOR MEETINGS, WE'VE OPENED 11 NEW CAMPUSES. AND WHEN I SAY 11 NEW CAMPUSES, THESE ARE BRAND NEW CAMPUSES, NOT A CAMPUS BEING CLOSED FOR A TIME WHILE IT'S REBUILT AND THEN REOPENING LIKE WE DID WITH LAKEVIEW AND MEADOW MEADOWS, THESE ARE BRAND NEW CAMPUSES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN STAFFED PREVIOUSLY. AND SO THOSE 11 NEW CAMPUSES ADDED ABOUT 275 EMPLOYEES. AND THOSE ARE THE ADMINISTRATIVE OVERHEAD POSITIONS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. THE CAMPUS PRINCIPAL, THE COUNSELORS, THE NURSE, THE LIBRARIAN, AND SOME OUTCLASSED TEACHERS. BUT IT IS NOT THE CLASSROOM TEACHERS THAT ARE WE HAVE TO MEET THE 22 TO 1 RATIO ON. AND SO AGAIN, ALL OF THAT STAFFING HAS BEEN ADDED. THAT'S ABOUT 200 STAFF MEMBERS ADDED ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE 11 NEW CAMPUSES. AND THEN THE OTHER THING TO POINT OUT, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED IS THE GROWTH IN OUR SPED POPULATION. IT'S INCREASED BY 148% IN THAT SAME TIME FRAME. SO WE WENT FROM 6.4% OF OUR OVERALL POPULATION TO 14.1% LAST YEAR. AND THE REASON THAT THAT IS IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT IS STUDENTS IN THE SPECIAL ED ENVIRONMENT REQUIRE GREATER SERVICES. AND SO THOSE CLASSES TEND TO BE SMALLER, AND THEY TEND TO BE SUPPORTED WITH CLASSROOM AIDES IN A WAY THAT REGULAR CLASSROOMS ARE NOT. AND SO WE'VE HAD GROWTH THERE AS WELL. AND SO WHAT THE POSITIONS THAT WOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT GROWTH IN SPECIAL EDUCATION INCLUDE THE LICENSED SCHOOL SPECIALIST FOR PSYCHOLOGY OR SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST, DIAGNOSTICIANS AND OTHER NON-CLASSROOM STAFF WHO ARE GOING TO SUPPORT THE IDENTIFICATION OF THOSE SPED STUDENTS. SO THAT'S WRAPPED UP IN THAT GROWTH, BUT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY ALIGN PROPORTIONATELY WITH OUR ENROLLMENT GROWTH. BUT ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE CAN EVALUATE OUR OVERALL STAFFING GROWTH OVER TIME IS TO LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS PER STAFF MEMBER, AND HOW HAS THAT NUMBER CHANGED OVER TIME. AND SO OVERALL, OUR STAFFING HAS INCREASED BY ABOUT 25.7% SINCE 20 1314. AND SO NOW BRIEFLY, I'M GOING TO POINT OUT HERE THAT OUR TIMELINE HAS CHANGED. WE'VE GONE FROM LOOKING AT THIS FROM THE 2223 SCHOOL YEAR. WE'RE NOW INCLUDING INFORMATION FROM 2324. THIS ISN'T A SLEIGHT OF HAND. THE STATE REPORTS FROM T FOR FINANCE HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED YET. AND SO FOR THE FINANCE INFORMATION WE JUST REVIEWED, IT WAS BASED ON 2223. THEY HAVE REVIEWED THIS OR RELEASED THIS INFORMATION FROM THE TABOR REPORTS. AND SO WE'RE ABLE TO STEP OUT ONE MORE YEAR. AND SO DURING THAT TIME TEACHERS INCREASED BY ABOUT 19% OR 497 NEW TEACHERS. AND AGAIN, PART OF THE REASON THAT NUMBER IS NOT PROPORTIONATE TO OUR STUDENT ENROLLMENT IS BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH IN SPED. AND AGAIN, THOSE ARE SMALLER CLASS SIZES REQUIRED. ADDITIONAL SERVICES. ALSO, PROFESSIONAL STAFF GREW BY ABOUT 48.8% OR 308 SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION BY 37.2% OR 116. AND I WANT TO NOTE HERE THAT BETWEEN PROFESSIONAL STAFF AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION, THERE WERE 424 NEW STAFF MEMBERS ADDED. AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT 
          [02:50:05]
THOSE 275 NEW EMPLOYEES THAT WERE ADDED DUE TO THE OPENING OF SCHOOLS, THEY'RE GOING TO FIT MOSTLY IN THAT CATEGORY. AND SO ABOUT 65% OF THE 275 EMPLOYEES MAKE UP THOSE TWO CATEGORIES. 
          AND AGAIN, THIS WOULD INCLUDE THOSE DIAGNOSTICIANS SLPS AND OTHER STAFF WHO SUPPORT SPED STUDENTS AS WELL. CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION INCLUDES INCREASED BY ABOUT 275%. THAT'S A HUGE PERCENTAGE GROWTH THAT REPRESENTED 32 EMPLOYEES. AND THEN THERE'S ALSO TWO OTHER CATEGORIES WORTH MENTIONING CLASSROOM AID CATEGORY THAT GREW BY 71.5%, OR 358 EMPLOYEES. AND ALMOST 100% OF THAT GROWTH IS GOING TO BE DUE TO THAT SPECIAL ED POPULATION GROWTH AND ADDING THOSE SUPPORT STAFF TO ASSIST THE CLASSROOM TEACHERS. AND THEN FINALLY WE HAVE THE AUXILIARY COMPONENT. THOSE ARE HOURLY EMPLOYEES, SUCH AS CUSTODIANS, THAT GREW BY ABOUT 12.1% OR 250 EMPLOYEES. AND THAT'S GOING TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH ASSISTING THOSE CAMPUSES. BUT IF YOU'VE BEEN WITH THE DISTRICT FOR A LONG, YOU KNOW THAT WE DON'T TEND TO ADD THOSE TYPES STAFF AS OFTEN AS WE NEED TO. AND SO THERE WAS LIKELY SOME CATCH UP IN THAT PHRASE AS WE GREW AS A DISTRICT AND THEN ADDED THE STAFF AFTER THE FACT TO HELP ADDRESS THE GROWTH. AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE OVERALL STUDENTS PER STAFF IN 2013 14, IT'S SHOWING THAT WE DECREASED FROM 8.71 TO 7.8 8 IN 2324. SO WE ADDED ADDED ADDITIONAL STAFF. AND THAT SHOWS THAT THERE ARE NOW MORE STAFF MEMBERS SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS. BUT AGAIN, THIS DOESN'T NECESSARILY SHOW THE FULL STORY. AND SO THERE'S SOME INFORMATION THAT IF YOU LOOK BACK ABOUT SIX YEARS, BEGIN TO GIVE BETTER CONTEXT TO WHAT THIS INFORMATION IS ACTUALLY SHOWING. AND SO IF WE GO BACK TO 2007 AND EIGHT, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT TWO SPECIFIC YEARS AT THE FRONT END, THE FRONT END OF THIS 2011 AND 2012. AND DURING THAT TIME PERIOD, THE DISTRICT DECLARED FISCAL EXIGENCY IN THE 2009 TEN SCHOOL YEAR, AS WELL AS IN 2000, TEN AND 11. AND FISCAL EXIGENCY IS A BIG DEAL. AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS IT REQUIRES BOARD ACTION AND IT IS SPECIFIED IN THE EDUCATION CODE. AND SO WHAT IS FISCAL EXIGENCY? IN SHORT, IT ALLOWS A DISTRICT TO LAY OFF STAFF. AND YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW A PROCEDURE IN ORDER TO DO THAT. AND SO DURING THOSE TWO TIME PERIODS IN 2010 AND 11 AND 2009 AND TEN, 900 STAFF MEMBERS WERE LET GO. AND SO THIS IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN HOW WE HANDLED THE REDUCTIONS THAT WE DID LAST YEAR, WHICH WAS THROUGH ATTRITION. THESE FOLKS DID NOT LEAVE THROUGH ATTRITION. THEY WERE LET GO. AND SO AS A RESULT OF THAT, AND IN IN IN TANDEM WITH THAT, THE STATE REDUCED PUBLIC EDUCATION BY $5.4 BILLION. AND SO IT WASN'T SO MUCH THAT WE WERE OVERSPENDING. IT WAS THERE WAS A MASSIVE DECREASE IN STATE FUNDING. AND TO PUT THAT INTO PERSPECTIVE, THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT THE STATE IS LOOKING TO INCREASE PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS $4.9 BILLION. AND SO IT IS LESS THAN THE REDUCTIONS MADE BACK THEN. AND KEEP IN MIND, THE 5.4 BILLION I AM NOT ADJUSTING FOR INFLATION. AND SO IF WE GO BACK TEN YEARS, THAT NUMBER IS ACTUALLY LARGER THAN WHAT IT IS TODAY. AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE REASON THAT WE WENT FROM 7.64 IN 2009 AND TEN STAFF PER STUDENT TO 8.73 WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF THOSE CUTS THAT WERE MADE. AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT WAS MAINTAINED FOR THREE YEARS. BUT WHEN THE STATE BEGAN TO RECOVER, THEY STARTED ADDING BACK FUNDS. AND SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS THAT WERE LOST THROUGH THE REDUCTION IN FORCE BEGAN TO GET ADDED BACK IN. BUT THEY'RE STILL TWO ABERRATIONS IN OUR DATA POINT WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE WE DIPPED PRETTY DRAMATICALLY, AND THAT'S DUE TO THE COVID ENROLLMENT DECLINES. AND SO WHEN WE DECLINED IN 2021 AND 2122, IT WASN'T BECAUSE WE WERE ADDING MORE STAFF. IT WAS BECAUSE WE LOST ENROLLMENT. THIS WASN'T IT DIDN'T MATERIALIZE AS WE EXPECTED AND IT STAYED FLAT. IT WAS THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE HAD WENT DOWN. AND SO THEREFORE THE NUMBER OF STAFF SUPPORTING THE STUDENTS THAT WE DID HAVE INCREASED. AND SO THOSE ARE KEY POINTS. AND SO AS WE CLOSE THIS OUT TODAY, WE'RE AT ABOUT SEVEN POINT OR IN 23, 24 AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE WERE AT 27.88 STUDENTS PER STAFF MEMBER. AND THAT IS HIGHER THAN THE PRE REDUCTION IN FORCE AND COVID ERA PERIOD. AND SO I THINK AS WE LOOK AT THIS, THE ANSWER IS DID OUR NUMBERS INCREASE. THE ANSWER IS YES THEY DID. BUT IT WAS BECAUSE OF A LACK OF FUNDING THAT RESULTED IN THAT. AND THE BOARD ACTION THAT WAS THAT NEEDED TO BE TAKEN AT THE TIME 
          [02:55:06]
TO ADDRESS THAT. AND SO THE KEY TAKEAWAYS THAT WE HAVE FOR THIS ARE IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WHEN THE GOVERNOR TALKS ABOUT STATE FUNDING PER STUDENT, JUST LIKE YOUR PAYCHECK, THAT AMOUNT INCLUDES FUNDS THAT ARE RESTRICTED AND CAN'T BE USED TO GIVE RAISES OR BALANCE OUR BUDGET. IT'S NOT THE FULL AMOUNT THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE AS A DISTRICT TO SPEND. SECOND, THE STATE REVENUE PER STUDENT IS ABOUT 3% BELOW THE RATE OF INFLATION AND OUR GENERAL FUND REVENUE FUND PER STUDENT, WHICH IS WHERE THE BOARD HAS THE DISCRETION TO PAY DUE RAISES AND DO OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ARE OF IMMEDIATE INTEREST TO OUR LOCAL TAXPAYERS IS ABOUT 6% BELOW THE RATE OF INFLATION. AND SO STATE FUNDING CUTS AND THE DISTRICT REDUCTION IN FORCE HAD A AN IMPACT ON OUR STUDENT TO STAFF RATIOS. AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE ADDED TREMENDOUSLY TO OUR STAFFING OVER TIME. BUT IN REALITY, IT WAS A BUILD BACK TO WHAT WE WERE PRIOR TO THE REDUCTION IN FORCE, AS WELL AS COMING OUT OF COVID. AND SO OUR STUDENT STAFF RATIO, AGAIN, IS SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN WHAT IT WAS HISTORICALLY, IF YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THOSE FACTORS. AND SO I'LL CLOSE ON THIS WITH SAYING, AND NOW YOU KNOW THE REST OF THE STORY. AND SO I'LL PAUSE HERE FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD MAY HAVE ABOUT THIS BEFORE WE MOVE INTO THE UPCOMING SECTION ON THE TAX OR THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE, AS WELL AS THE 2023 OR 2425 UPDATE. THANK YOU, MR. GWEN. MR. HAMILTON. YES, THANK YOU, MR. GWEN, FOR THAT PRESENTATION. SO I'M CONVINCED THAT VERY FEW THINGS PUT PEOPLE TO SLEEP FASTER THAN A CONVERSATION ABOUT PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCE. SO I DID NOT MEAN TO. YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SAYING I'M SAYING IT'S THE TOPIC. IT'S THE TOPIC. YOU DID A GREAT JOB PRESENTING THE TOPIC. HOWEVER, I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO DO TWO THINGS THAT I THINK ARE NOT REPRESENTED IN THIS PRESENTATION. SO IN MY OPINION. 
          SO FIRST BACKGROUND. SO I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD ALMOST THREE YEARS, AND IN THE ENTIRETY OF THAT TIME, WE HAVE FOR THE MOST PART, IF NOT EXCLUSIVELY, HEARD ONE SIDE OF THE STORY IN THIS ROOM. SO I'M GLAD THAT YOU FRAMED IT AS THE REST OF THE STORY. SO THERE IS A THERE IS TENSION, IF NOT CONFLICT, BETWEEN PUBLIC EDUCATION WITH ACTIVIST ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING PUBLIC EDUCATION. I THINK EVERYBODY SEES THAT. EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT. AND SO ALMOST ENTIRELY, IF NOT ENTIRELY, PERIOD. WE'VE WE'VE KIND OF HEARD THE ACTIVIST ARGUMENT WHEN IT COMES TO FINANCE, AND THERE HASN'T REALLY BEEN ANYBODY PUSHING BACK WITH THE STATE'S SIDE OF THE EQUATION IN, IN THE MEETINGS WHERE WE'VE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS. AND SO, IN MY OPINION, NOBODY'S REALLY CHALLENGED THE NARRATIVES THAT WE'RE UNDERFUNDED OR THE NARRATIVES ABOUT THINGS LIKE THE BASIC ALLOTMENT AND UNFUNDED MANDATES. AND SO FOR ME PERSONALLY, WHEN I SAW THE TAPER DATA IN DECEMBER, SOME OF IT WAS FAMILIAR TO ME FROM LOOKING AT THE LAST COUPLE OF THOSE. BUT I FELT LIKE I NEEDED A LONGER TERM WINDOW. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT SPURRED THIS CONVERSATION, WAS THAT I WENT BACK AND GOT A TEN YEAR, YOU KNOW, TEN YEAR SNAPSHOT TO COMPARE THE 2013 14 TO 20, 23, 24. AND SO I AGAIN, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO DO TWO THINGS. SO ISOLATE THE FUNDING. 
          AND THEN AFTER THAT THEN YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE SPENDING SEPARATELY. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT SEPARATION. IF YOU GO TOO QUICKLY TO TALKING ABOUT THE SPENDING SIDE THEN. SO THE WAY I SEE IT, YOU, YOU, YOU LOOK AT THE FUNDING FIRST YOU COME UP WITH A WITH HOW THE FUNDING IS DIFFERENT IN 20 1314 VERSUS 20 2324. AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE SPENDING SIDE OF THE EQUATION AND YOU KIND OF BRING THOSE TWO THINGS TOGETHER. THAT'S HOW THAT'S HOW IT WORKS IN MY BRAIN AT LEAST. AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS THAT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO SEPARATE THE BUCKETS OF MONEY AS, AS YOU'VE EXPLAINED SEVERAL TIMES. SO I THINK LOOKING AT THE BUDGET OR THE OPERATING BUDGET BY ITSELF IS, IS HELPFUL BECAUSE THAT'S THE THING THAT WE HAVE THE MOST CONTROL OVER, I THINK. AND SO WHEN YOU DO THAT, SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU GOT YOUR OWN INFLATION ADJUSTMENT NUMBER. IT'S ACTUALLY LOWER THAN THE ONE THAT I USED, WHICH IS WORSE FOR THE UNDERFUNDED NARRATIVE. IN MY OPINION, THE INFLATION ADJUSTMENT NUMBER THAT I USED WAS 34% YEARS WAS 30.5%. AND SO BY MINE, IF YOU COMPARE THE 20 1314 BUDGET TO THE 20 2324 BUDGET, LOOKING JUST AT OPERATING BUDGET, NO BUDGET, BOTH CASES BY MY INFLATION ADJUSTMENT WHERE WE STARTED OVERFUNDED BY 10.5 MILLION. AND THEN WITH THE LOWER INFLATION ADJUSTMENT, YOU ACTUALLY GET A $30 MILLION OVERFUNDED WHEN YOU START WITH WHEN YOU JUST COMPARE BUDGET TO BUDGET, AND THEN WHEN YOU ADD THE 35 MILLION FROM THE 
          [03:00:05]
TREE, YOU'RE EITHER 45.5 MILLION WITH MY INFLATION ADJUSTMENT, OR 60.5 MILLION WITH THE ONE THAT YOU PRESENTED HERE. AND THEN THE TAX RATE THAT WE SET IN OCTOBER. AS YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE FORMULA MUCH BETTER THAN I DID BEFORE THIS WEEK, THAT ACTUALLY INCREASED THE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IN FORT BEND ISD BY $45.7 MILLION, OR 9.47%, I THINK. AND SO YOU ADD THOSE TWO TOGETHER, LOOKING PURELY AT FUNDING, LOOKING PURELY AT MO OPERATIONS, YOU GET WE'LL USE MY NUMBERS SINCE THEY'RE LOW, SINCE THE LOWER OF THE TWO, IT'S THE MORE CONSERVATIVE OF THE TWO. 
          10.5 MILLION PLUS 35 PLUS 45.7, YOU GET A LITTLE BIT OVER $90 MILLION. OVERFUNDED. AND SO AS I SEE IT, YOU START THERE AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE SPENDING SIDE AND YOU SEE IF THE UNFUNDED MANDATES OR OTHER THINGS ADD UP TO 90 MILLION, AND IF THEY IF THEY'RE 90 MILLION, THEN WE'RE SIMILARLY FUNDED TO WHERE WE WERE TEN YEARS PRIOR. IF IT'S LOWER, THEN WE'RE OVERFUNDED. IF IT'S HIGHER, WE'RE WE'RE UNDERFUNDED. THAT'S HOW I SEE IT. AND SO IN MY OPINION, WE DON'T WE DON'T GET THERE. SO TO ME IT'S, IT'S WE'RE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE WE'RE NOT ONLY NOT UNDERFUNDED, I BELIEVE WE'RE SIGNIFICANTLY OVERFUNDED RELATIVE TO 20 1314. AND THEN WHEN WE BRING THE SPENDING AND WE BRING THE OTHER CATEGORIES IN, I'M, I'M VERY GLAD THAT YOU PROVIDED THE DATA THAT YOU DID HERE, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT, THAT WE'VE MADE DECISIONS THAT HAVE RESULTED IN BUILDING AND OPERATING AND MAINTAINING CAPACITY FOR OVER 100,000 STUDENTS, WHEN I BELIEVE WE'VE NEVER EXCEEDED 81,000 ENROLLMENT. AND WE'RE CURRENTLY A LITTLE BIT BELOW 80,000 ENROLLMENT. AND SO THE STATE DID NOT MAKE MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. THAT LED TO US HAVING OVER 100,000 CAPACITY FORT BEND ISD. 
          A LOT OF THAT IS PREVIOUS TRUSTEES, PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATORS IN THESE ROLES THAT WE'RE IN NOW. BUT BUT THE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE THAT RESULTED IN US HAVING CAPACITY FOR OVER 100,000 STUDENTS, THAT TOOK THE BOND INVESTMENTS TO BUILD THAT CAPACITY. AND THEN IT TAKES NO COST. AND THERE'S A THERE'S A HEAVY AMMO COST TO MAINTAIN AND OPERATE BUILDINGS TO THE TUNE OF OVER 100,000 SEATS WORTH OF CAPACITY. AND WE DON'T HAVE FUNDING FOR 100,000 STUDENTS BECAUSE WE OUR ENROLLMENTS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER. SO THAT'S HOW I SEE THE EQUATION HERE. THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION. IT IS HELPFUL. I THINK IT'S HELPFUL TO HAVE BOTH SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT, BECAUSE IF YOU JUST HEAR THE, YOU KNOW, THE TASBIH, THE TEACHER'S UNION, THE RAISE YOUR HAND TEXAS, IF YOU JUST HEAR THEIR SIDE OF THE ARGUMENT, YOU'RE GOING TO COME TO ONE CONCLUSION. AND IF YOU ONLY HEAR THE GOVERNOR'S ARGUMENT AND THE LEGISLATURE'S ARGUMENT, OR IT DEPENDS ON WHICH STATE REP OR STATE SENATOR YOU LISTEN TO, YOU DON'T GET THE REST OF THE STORY. AND SO AND THIS IS ALSO IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ARE WE'RE WE'RE. CONVEYING THE MESSAGE THAT WE'RE UNDERFUNDED. AND IN MY OPINION, IT'S NOT AN ACCURATE REFLECTION OF THE SITUATION. SO THANK YOU. SO I DON'T THINK THERE WAS A SPECIFIC QUESTION IN THERE, BUT I DO WANT TO MAKE, I THINK A COUPLE OF POINTS THAT ARE THAT ARE KEY TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT THAT WERE MADE. SO THE FIRST ONE I WANT TO START OUT WITH IS THAT YOU ARE CORRECT THAT WE HAVE AND I SAY WE I'M SAYING A COLLECTIVE WE HERE IS THERE HAVE BEEN DECISIONS MADE IN THE PAST THAT ARE IMPACTING US TODAY. I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE FOR THE ENTIRE TIMELINE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT I CAN SAY THAT WHEN WE MAKE DECISIONS AS A ADMINISTRATION, WE DO IT WITH THE BEST INFORMATION WE HAVE AVAILABLE AT THE TIME, WITH THE BEST POSSIBLE HOPE FOR HOPE FOR THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME. AND IN SOME CASES, AS WE'VE SEEN WITH THE BUILDING OF FACILITIES, THE ENROLLMENT HASN'T NECESSARILY MATERIALIZED. WHEN WE EXPECTED IT TO OR WHERE WE EXPECTED IT TO. AND SO ONCE THE FACILITY IS BUILT, THERE'S NO WAY TO ADJUST TO THAT. BUT WE DO HAVE TO STAFF IT. AND AS WE HAVE SEEN, ANYTIME WE TALK ABOUT CAMPUSES, IT IS AN EMOTIONAL DISCUSSION. AND SO WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AS WELL. AND THAT THAT, THAT SOME OF THE DIFFICULTY IN MAKING DECISIONS TO BE LEANER AND MORE EFFICIENT AS IT RELATES TO THE OPERATING COSTS. AND SO I THINK THAT THAT'S RIGHT. AND AS YOU POINTED OUT, THERE ARE THE ADVOCACY GROUPS ON ONE SIDE AND THE POLITICAL LEADERS ON THE OTHER SIDE, AND THEY'RE BOTH TELLING A STORY. AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THE TRUTH IS SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE. AND THE QUESTION IS, WHERE IS THAT MIDDLE AND WHAT IS RIGHT? AND SO AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET UPDATE, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT RELATED TO TAXATION AND IF YOU REALLY WANT TO FALL ASLEEP TONIGHT, I CAN GO THROUGH THAT. BUT UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE VISUALS TO REPRESENT THAT. AND YOU PROBABLY WOULD BE ASLEEP BEFORE I GOT TO THEM ANYWAY. BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT THE TAX RATE SETTING PROCESS IN TEXAS IS 
          [03:05:05]
COMPLEX AND DRIVEN BY STATUTE. THE NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED. NOTICE OF TRUTH IN TAXATION HAS TO BE DONE, AND THERE ARE CERTAIN CALCULATIONS THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO THAT DON'T NECESSARILY DIRECTLY IMPACT THE TAX RATE THAT THE BOARD SETS. 
          THAT'S ONE PIECE. ON THE OTHER SIDE, YOU HAVE STATE LEGISLATION THAT MANDATES HOW WE FUND EDUCATION IN TEXAS. AND THE ONE THING THAT I WOULD REMIND EVERYONE IS THE STATE HAS SET THE SYSTEM UP TO BE A SHARED SYSTEM WHERE LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES AND STATE REVENUE COVER PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING. THERE IS A MINIMUM TAX RATE THAT WE CAN ADOPT TO ENSURE THAT WE RECEIVE ALL TIER ONE STATE FUNDING. AND I'M STARTING TO VEER INTO THAT BORING CONVERSATION NOW, SO I'M GOING TO STOP. BUT TO SAY THAT IT IS COMPLEX, AND I WISH I COULD SAY IT WAS EASY AS SAYING THAT WE HAVE $95 MILLION MORE, OR $45 MILLION MILLION DOLLARS MORE IN REVENUES THIS YEAR THAN WE DID LAST YEAR. BUT IT'S MUCH MORE COMPLEX THAN THAT. AND AGAIN, WE CAN WALK YOU ALL THROUGH THAT, THAT EXPLANATION AS WE GET CLOSER TO TAX RATE ADOPTION. BUT I'LL SAY THIS, AND THIS IS A TRUE STATEMENT. WE ARE NOT GETTING $45 MILLION MILLION, $45 MILLION MORE IN TAX REVENUE THIS YEAR THAN WE DID LAST YEAR. THAT IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ONE TAX RATE THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO PUBLISH, AND THE ONE THAT WE NEED TO ADOPT IN ORDER TO SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION, AS REQUIRED BY THE EDUCATION STATUTES. AND SO, AGAIN, WE CAN BRING BACK MORE INFORMATION ON THAT. WE'RE NOT PREPARED TO DISCUSS IT TONIGHT, BUT I'LL JUST SAY THAT YOU HAVE HEARD US SAY FROM THIS AND PROBABLY MANY A CFOS BEFORE ME. STATE FUNDING FOR EDUCATION IS COMPLEX, AND THE ABILITY TO DESCRIBE IT AND DISCUSS IT IS JUST THERE ARE LAWYERS WE PAY TO HELP US KEEP UP WITH THAT CONVERSATION. I SAY WE PAY. IT'S PURDUE AND BRENDAN WHO IS OUR DELINQUENT. TAX ATTORNEYS ASSIST US EVERY YEAR ON THE NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETINGS. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING, LIKE I SAID, I WISH I COULD JUST GIVE YOU A THUMBNAIL SKETCH OF IT. IT'S NOT POSSIBLE. AND SO LIKE I SAID, I THINK THAT YOU'RE MAKING VERY ACCURATE STATEMENTS. IT'S A CONVERSATION THAT'S ALL OVER THE PLACE. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, HOPEFULLY WHAT YOU'LL SEE TONIGHT IS BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE. DOES FORT BEND ISD NEED ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING? THE ANSWER IS YES, WE DO. WHY DO WE NEED THAT ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING? INFLATION HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH WHAT WE SPEND. AND AGAI, I'LL I'LL HIGHLIGHT SOME EXAMPLES WHEN WE GET INTO THE BUDGET PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION. BUT THAT'S OUR BOTTOM LINE RIGHT NOW. WE DO NEED MORE FUNDING. IT HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH INFLATION. AND SOME OF THAT MAY BE FROM PRIOR DISCUSSION OR DECISIONS THAT THE BOARD HAS MADE, BUT THOSE WOULD ALSO BE DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO UNDO AS WELL. AND SO I THINK THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM DOCTOR SMITH, WE'RE WILLING TO GO DOWN THE PATH, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR FUTURE USE OF OUR FACILITIES. THAT'S PLAN THAT PLANNING IS STARTING. AND SO YOU'LL SEE RESULTS OF THAT, I BELIEVE, IN A FUTURE MEETING. BUT KNOW THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT. BUT THOSE WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND VERY DIFFICULT DISCUSSIONS. BECAUSE ANYTIME WE TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY SCHOOLS, PEOPLE WILL BECOME IMPASSIONED AND WE KNOW THAT. 
          YEAH. THANK YOU. SO I ONLY HEARD TWO WORDS. I HEARD YOU SAY YOU'RE RIGHT. SORRY. I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY. THAT WAS A JOKE. THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON. SO? SO DO SO THE PASSIVE DATA. SO I THINK IF WE LOOK AT 2017, THEN I THINK THE CAPACITY THAT WE HAVE TODAY AT THAT SNAPSHOT MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE. SO THEY WERE YOU'RE LEADING INTO THE 2018 BOND AT THAT TIME. SO THE PASSIVE DATA SHOWED THE POPULATION AND ENROLLMENT. THEY THE YEARS DIDN'T MATCH UP PERFECTLY. BUT THEY BUT THEY WERE TRYING TO GET A FIVE YEAR SNAPSHOT OF BOTH OF THOSE NUMBERS. AND SO HAD WE MAINTAINED THE SAME ENROLLMENT TO POPULATION RATIO THAT WE HAD IN 2017, WE WOULD HAVE ABOUT 95,000 STUDENTS TODAY. AND SO UNFORTUNATELY, THE POPULATION INCREASED ABOUT AS AS PREDICTED. BUT THE ENROLLMENT DIDN'T INCREASE AS PREDICTED FROM THAT POINT. AND SO I THINK THERE WAS THERE THERE WERE SOME MISTAKES MADE TO NOT ADAPT OUR BOND AND FACILITIES PLANNING TO THE ENROLLMENT NOT COMING THROUGH AS EXPECTED IN 2017. AND BUT I JUST THINK THAT'S THAT'S THE SITUATION WE'RE IN NOW. AND SO WE HAVE SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS TODAY BASED ON ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE INHERITING AS A BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION. SO AND THEN I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION, IF YOU DON'T KNOW, OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, YOU CAN ANSWER LATER. 
          BUT DO YOU KNOW THE RECAPTURE AMOUNT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, OR DO YOU WANT TO GET BACK TO US? IT'S ABOUT 1.3 MILLION ONE POINT WE HAVE THAT. I'LL SHARE THAT SHORTLY. BUT YES, 1.3. 
          THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON. MR. SHOAF. I DO ALWAYS ENJOY YOUR NUMBERS PRESENTATIONS, MR. 
          [03:10:05]
GLENN, BUT SO MY QUESTION YOUR HISTORIC STUDENT TO STAFF RATIOS WAS THAT A 25% INCREASE ACROSS ALL CATEGORIES IN THE BLUE. NO, THAT IS IT IS. AND FOR SOME REASON, JUST MY I JUST GOT LOST IN MY HEAD. OKAY. IT HAPPENS TO ME ALL THE TIME. THE SHORT ANSWER TO THAT IS THE 25.7% REPRESENTS THE OVERALL, THE TOTAL INCREASE OF EMPLOYEES IN ALL OF THOSE CATEGORIES. SO IT'S A ACROSS THE BOARD STAFFING INCREASE BY 25% ACROSS ALL CATEGORIES. OKAY. AND I'M CURIOUS AS DO WE HAVE THESE GRAPHS. ARE WE ABLE TO PRODUCE THESE GRAPHS FOR EACH OF THESE CATEGORIES INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER. YES. WE ARE OKAY. YEAH. DO YOU THINK YOU CAN GET ME THAT. SURE. OH I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MR. SHOAF. THE ONLY POINTS THAT I WANT TO MAKE ARE. YOU SAID FUNDING HAS NOT KEPT UP WITH WHAT WE SPEND. AND THE ONLY POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS THAT WHAT WE SPEND IS ABSOLUTELY DRIVEN BY SOME OF OUR DECISIONS, BUT IT'S ALSO DRIVEN BY DECISIONS OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL. AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU SAY SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE IS WHERE IT IS. THE ONLY THING I WANT US TO ALSO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT THE EXTRA FUND FUNDS THAT WE ARE GETTING OR FUNDS PER STUDENT INCLUDE THE SPECIAL ALLOTMENTS WHICH DO NOT FUND ALL STUDENTS. THEY ONLY FUND CERTAIN STUDENTS. AM I RIGHT ABOUT THAT? LIKE SPECIAL ED ALLOTMENTS? YES, THAT IS CORRECT. OKAY. AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT FOR A FACT THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT EXTRA DOLLARS WE ARE GETTING, WE ARE SHORT $30 MILLION AND WHAT IT COSTS US TO EDUCATE SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IN THIS DISTRICT, WHICH MEANS WE ARE CONSUMING $30 MILLION OUT IN ORDER TO EDUCATE SPECIAL ED STUDENTS OUTSIDE OF WHAT WE RECEIVE. SO IN ALL THOSE FUNDS WE'RE GETTING, YOU MIGHT AS WELL JUST LOP OFF $30 MILLION, BECAUSE THAT'S GOING TO FUND SPECIAL ED STUDENTS. THAT IS A FACTUAL STATEMENT. WE ARE OVER. WE ARE SPENDING MORE ON SPECIAL ED SERVICES AND WE ARE RECEIVING THROUGH THAT REVENUE. RIGHT. SO I JUST WANT TO REMIND US OF THAT. SO PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING, THE COST SAVINGS AUDIT FOR IS TO SEE WHERE WE HAVE MAYBE MADE DECISIONS IN THE PAST THAT ARE CONTINUING TO IMPACT THE BUDGET FROM NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT REVEALS TO US, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME LOOKING AT OUR CAMPUS UTILIZATION PLAN. THAT'S GOING TO COME FORWARD, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S GOING TO HELP US QUITE A BIT. OKAY. MR. HAMILTON, SO AS MR. GWIN POINTED OUT, SO WE SO WE'RE FUNDED WITH A WITH A TWO BUCKET MECHANISM. WE HAVE LOCAL PROPERTY TAXES. WE ALSO HAVE STATE FUNDING. AND SO IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY THE BASIC ALLOTMENT HAS NOT INCREASED THE LAST 2 OR 3 SESSIONS, THREE SESSIONS IT HAS NOT INCREASED. RIGHT. CORRECT. AND THEN DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO INCREASE THIS TIME. IN MY OPINION. THAT IS THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR RESPONDING TO THE UNFUNDED MANDATE, TALKING POINTS, BECAUSE WITH THE ACTIVISTS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE BEEN MAKING THIS ARGUMENT THAT WE HAVE THESE UNFUNDED MANDATES. AND IN MY OPINION, THAT'S CRITICIZING THE STATE FOR GIVING US DISCRETION OVER HOW WE SPEND FUNDS. AND SO, IN RESPONSE TO THE UNFUNDED MANDATE ARGUMENTS THERE, THERE DESIGNATED DESIGNATING MORE AND MORE OF THE FUNDING INCREASES EACH SESSION SO THAT WE REDUCE THE QUOTE UNQUOTE, UNFUNDED MANDATES. AND SO THE, THE AND HISTORICALLY, THEY'VE GIVEN US A LOT OF DISCRETION. THEY'VE GIVEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS LOT OF DISCRETION. AND THERE WERE NO NO. TWO SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TEXAS ARE ALIKE. WE'RE THE SIXTH LARGEST. SO MOST SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE A LOT SMALLER THAN US, THAN ARE THAN WE ARE. AND SO THERE'S BEEN HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT DISCRETION OVER HOW FUNDING INCREASES HAVE BEEN SPENT. AND SO AS DISTRICTS KEEP MAKING THIS ARGUMENT THAT WE HAVE UNFUNDED MANDATES FOR THINGS LIKE SPECIAL ED SCHOOL SAFETY. ET CETERA, ET CETERA. AND THEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS ALSO SAY WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY 
          [03:15:02]
TO PAY TEACHERS. AND SO THE LEGISLATURE IS RESPONDING TO THOSE THINGS BY SAYING WE'RE GOING TO INCREASE FUNDING BY THIS AMOUNT, BUT YOU HAVE TO SPEND THIS MUCH ON TEACHER RAISES. YOU HAVE TO SPEND THIS MUCH ON SPECIAL EDUCATION. YOU HAVE TO SPEND THIS MUCH ON SCHOOL SAFETY. AND I WOULD SAY IF WE WANT DISCRETION OVER HOW WE SPEND THE FUNDING INCREASES, THEN WE SHOULD STOP MAKING THESE UNFUNDED MANDATE TALKING POINTS, BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S WHY THEY'RE THAT'S WHY THE BASIC ALLOTMENT HAS NOT BEEN INCREASED IN MY OPINION. THANK YOU. SO WE DON'T NEED TO GET INTO A BIG DEBATE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE AGREE ON AND SOME THINGS WE DISAGREE ON. BUT I WILL SAY THIS SITTING IN SENATOR CRICHTON'S OFFICE, HE 100% AGREES THAT THERE ARE UNFUNDED MANDATES. LIKE, THIS IS NOT A DISCUSSION THAT'S HAPPENING IN THE LEGISLATURE. I THINK GOVERNOR ABBOTT WOULD AGREE THAT THERE ARE UNFUNDED MANDATES. SO I DON'T THINK AND I'LL JUST SAY, AS ONE OF THE TRUSTEES SITTING UP HERE, I DON'T REALLY CARE WHAT ANYBODY ELSE'S NARRATIVE IS. I DON'T CARE WHAT THE LEGISLATURE'S NARRATIVE IS. I DON'T CARE WHAT GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S NARRATIVE IS. I DON'T CARE WHAT HIS NARRATIVE IS. ALL I CARE ABOUT IS THE FACTS. AND SO UNLIKE A LOT OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND MAYBE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SIT IN THOSE SEATS IN AUSTIN, WE'RE GOING TO CARE ABOUT THE FACTS. AND SO I APPRECIATE THESE KINDS OF DISCUSSIONS, BECAUSE WE DO NEED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT AS WE BUILD A BUDGET. BUT LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE POLITICAL ASPECTS OF IT. AND WE'RE JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACTS, BECAUSE AS A 25 YEAR TODAY SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCATE FOR MY DAUGHTER AND FOR OTHERS, IT IS 100% UNDERFUNDED AND UNFUNDED IN A LOT OF CASES. 
          AND I WAS ONE OF THOSE ON THE OUTSIDE AND NOW SIT ON THIS DAIS ADVOCATING FOR KIDS TO GET WHAT THEY NEED THAT ABSOLUTELY CANNOT BE AFFORDED, CANNOT BE AFFORDED. AND IT'S ONE THING TO SAY, WELL, I MEAN, A LOT OF PEOPLE CAN MAKE A LOT OF ARGUMENTS ABOUT WHAT THEY SHOULD GET OR WHAT THEY SHOULDN'T GET. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, IS THE LAW DICTATES IT. IT DICTATES IT. WE DON'T GET TO DECIDE. AND SO I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT WE CANNOT AFFORD WHAT THE LAW DICTATES. AND EVERY ELECTED OFFICIAL. I WOULD VENTURE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO HERE, UNDERSTANDS THAT WE DO NOT WE ARE NOT GIVEN THE MONEY TO EDUCATE THOSE STUDENTS THE WAY THE LAW REQUIRES. ALL THE OTHER STUFF, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO DIG INTO. BUT BUT THAT'S REALLY NOT DEBATABLE. OKAY, MISS HANNAN. WELL, I MISS TORSEN. I AGREE WITH YOU. AND WHETHER YOU STAND ON THE SIDE OF THE PUBLIC NARRATIVE OR THE PRIVATE NARRATIVE OR YOU'RE SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, WE HAVE THE 89TH LEGISLATURE SITTING THERE, RIGHT? AND WE HAVE A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE COMING UP AS OUR NEXT ITEM. AND SO I WOULD YOU KNOW, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THIS IS HARD TO UNDERSTAND, BUT SO, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WHICH SIDE OF THE FENCE I'M STANDING ON WITH THE PUBLIC EDITOR. AND SO I WOULD JUST SAY TRY TO REACH OUT BECAUSE IF ANYTHING, IF ANYTHING, THERE IS NOT SOMETHING THAT COULD BE MORE BLATANTLY OBVIOUS THAN THE UNDERFUNDING OF SPECIAL ED. AND SO I THINK WE COULD SEE THE THREE BUCKETS. IT WOULD BE EASY FOR YOU TO SHOW US THE THREE BUCKETS. HERE'S HOW MUCH OUR KIDS ARE GETTING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. HERE IS HOW MUCH OUR KIDS ARE GETTING FROM THE STATE, AND HERE IS HOW MUCH WE ARE HAVING TO PULL OUT OF THE LOCAL EDUCATION FUNDING. RIGHT? SIMPLE. CLEAR. OKAY, SO I CAN'T I HEAR YOU, I DO NOT COMPREHEND YOU. I DO NOT KNOW WHERE YOU GET THAT. WE ARE 90 HAVING 90 MILLION. OVERFUNDED DOLLAR AMOUNT. BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REALIZE, BECAUSE I THINK THAT YOU WOULD HAVE HIS JOB BECAUSE YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO PAY WITH THAT 90 MILLION, SOME REMARKABLE TEACHER SALARIES. AND SO I JUST I THINK THAT THIS GOES BACK TO OUR LAST CONVERSATION WE HAD AT OUR LAST BOARD MEETING. I THINK THAT OUR JOB IS TO REALLY PRESENT THE FACTS AND THE NUMBERS AS FACTUAL AND TO NOT CONFUSE PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF THE NARRATIVE WHERE YOU ARE. I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T HAVE A TEACHER WHO HAS WORKED FOR 40 YEARS SITTING AT, I THINK, $86,000. RIGHT? YOU WOULDN'T BE SITTING AT THAT IN YOUR SALARY SCHEDULE IF WE HAD MONEY. RIGHT? AND NOT JUST HERE, BECAUSE THAT'S PROBABLY WAY ABOVE MANY PEOPLE THROUGHOUT TEXAS AND OTHER STATES. SO I APPRECIATE I APPRECIATE THE 
          [03:20:06]
VISUALS. I, I APPRECIATE YOUR EXPLANATION. AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT BACK TO THE BOARD PRESIDENT SO WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT INFORMATION ITEM. YEP. THAT'S LEGISLATIVE UPDATE OKAY. 
          AND SO SINCE WE LAST MET, THE GOVERNOR DECLARED A NUMBER OF EMERGENCY ITEMS, THE ONES IMPACTING SCHOOL DISTRICTS INCLUDE PROPERTY TAXES. PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, INCREASING TEACHER PAY, CAREER TRAINING, EXPANSION AND SCHOOL CHOICE. THE SCHOOL CHOICE ITEM HAS MOVED VERY QUICKLY, AND IT'S OUT OF THE SENATE AND HAS BEEN SENT OVER TO THE HOUSE FOR CONSIDERATION. AND SO THAT IS SENATE BILL TWO. INCLUDED IN THAT IS $1 BILLION FOR THE AND THAT'S IN THE SECOND YEAR OF THE BIENNIUM. SO IT DOES NOT ASSUME FUNDING FOR YEAR ONE. THIS IS STARTING IN YEAR TWO. 
          AND THAT MEANS THE TOTAL COST OF THAT SYSTEM WILL BE ABOUT $2 BILLION ON AN ANNUAL BASIS. IT INCLUDES $10,000 FOR ELIGIBLE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND 11,500 FOR THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. AND THERE'S 2000 INCLUDED FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT ENROLLED IN PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SCHOOLS. AND THAT'S JUST A FANCY WAY OF SAYING THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE HOMESCHOOLED. 
          AND THEN ONE KEY PROVISION IS THAT IT DOES HAVE AN ACCOUNTABILITY COMPONENT. AND SO IF A STUDENT IS ENROLLED IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL AND ACCEPTS A VOUCHER, THEY HAVE TO TAKE A NATIONALLY NORM REFERENCED ASSESSMENT, THE SAT OR ACT OR THE STAR EXAM. AND SO PRIOR VERSIONS OF THE BILL OR PRIOR VERSIONS OF VOUCHERS DID NOT INCLUDE THAT. THIS IS SOMETHING NEW THAT IS INCLUDED, AT LEAST ON THE SENATE SIDE. THE HOUSE STILL HAS TO CONSIDER IT AND MAKE THEIRS, AND THEN IT HAS TO GO THROUGH RECONCILIATION. AND SO AT THIS POINT, THAT'S INCLUDED IN THE SENATE VERSION, THERE IS $4.9 BILLION ALLOCATED FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND THERE IS NO CLARITY AROUND THAT. WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT THE SENATE HAS COME OUT AND SAID THAT ESSENTIALLY ALL OF THAT SHOULD BE SPENT ON RAISES. THE HOUSE HAS RELEASED THEIR INFORMATION TODAY, AND IT SAYS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT A BASIC ALLOTMENT INCREASE, WITH AT LEAST 40% BEING ALLOCATED TO RAISES FOR THE BIG FOUR TEACHERS, LIBRARIANS, NURSES AND COUNSELORS. HOWEVER, THAT NUMBER, IF YOU EQUATE IT, IS GOING TO BE FAR LESS THAN THE 4 BILLION THAT ARE THE 5000 THAT HAS BEEN FLOATED BY THE SENATE VERSION. AND SO WHAT I WOULD SAY TO ANY TEACHERS, COUNSELORS, NURSES OR LIBRARIANS LISTENING DO NOT TAKE ANY OF THE NUMBERS THAT YOU ARE HEARING AND TO THE BANK UNTIL IT UNTIL IT HAS PASSED. YES, WE HEAR THEM. YES, WE'RE LOOKING AT IT, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT END RESULT IS GOING TO BE. AND SO I'LL CLOSE WITH SAYING WE'RE WATCHING IT CLOSELY. AND AS THAT INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE, WE'LL BE COMMUNICATING IT TO THE BOARD AS WELL AS TO OUR STAFF. AT THE MEETING IN JANUARY, WE UPDATED YOU ALL ON HOW WE ANTICIPATE ENDING THE CURRENT YEAR. AND SO TONIGHT WE'LL SHARE WITH YOU WHAT OUR INITIAL OUTLOOK FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR LOOKS LIKE. AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THIS IS THE INITIAL OUTLOOK. THIS ISN'T WHAT WE FULLY EXPECT IT TO LOOK LIKE, BUT IT'S OUR STARTING POINT SO THAT THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE ARE WORKING TOWARDS AS WE WORK TO BALANCE THE BUDGET. AND SO I'LL START WITH OUR KEY BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS ON OUR REVENUES. LOCAL REVENUES ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE BY ABOUT $8 MILLION OVER THE CURRENT YEAR ADOPTED BUDGET. MOST ALL OF THAT 11 MILLION OF IT WILL COME FROM AD VALOREM GROWTH. SO PROPERTY VALUE GROWTH WE'RE ASSUMING RIGHT NOW 3%. BUT THE THING TO REMEMBER, WITH ANY PROPERTY VALUE GROWTH, ANY DOLLAR THAT WE RECEIVE IN PROPERTY VALUE INCREASES, WE SEE A REDUCTION IN STATE REVENUE. AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN JUST A SECOND INTEREST EARNINGS, AS WE'VE SHARED WITH YOU ALL THE FED IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO CUT RATES. AND SO OUR INTEREST EARNINGS WILL BE ABOUT $2.7 MILLION LESS WHAT THEY ARE IN THE CURRENT YEAR. AND THEN TUITION AND FEES IS DOWN BY ABOUT $900,000. THIS IS PRIMARILY ASSOCIATED WITH THE TUITION BASED PRE-K. ENROLLMENT THERE HASN'T MATERIALIZED THIS YEAR AS AS WE EXPECTED. AND SO WE'RE BUDGETING AT THAT LOWER AMOUNT GOING INTO NEXT YEAR, JUST SO THAT WE ARE CONSERVATIVE ON THE STATE REVENUE SIDE, WE'RE EXPECTING REVENUES TO GO DOWN BY ABOUT $9.6 MILLION. AND SO STARTING WITH STATE ALLOTMENTS, THAT'S THE FORMULA DRIVEN. AGAIN. OUR AV IS GOING UP BY 11 MILLION. SO $11 MILLION OF THAT DECREASE AS A RESULT OF THAT HIGHER AD VALOREM GROWTH IN THERE. BUT ALSO AS YOU ALL RECALL, OUR ENROLLMENT DID NOT MATERIALIZE WHERE WE EXPECTED. AND SO WE'RE ALSO LOSING REVENUE THERE AS WELL. THERE'S A COUPLE OF OTHER FACTORS IN THERE, BUT THAT'S GOING TO BE THE MAJORITY OF THAT DECLINE IN STATE REVENUES. THERE'S A PROPERTY VALUE AUDIT FOR $3.5 MILLION LISTED HERE. AGAIN, STATE FUNDING FOR EDUCATION IS COMPLEX. AND SO THE COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS DOES AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT HE THINKS LOCAL PROPERTY VALUES WILL BE. AND THEN WE HAVE OUR LOCAL CHIEF APPRAISER WHO ACTUALLY COMES UP WITH THOSE VALUES. LAST YEAR, THERE WAS A VARIANCE BETWEEN WHAT THE STATE SAID WE WOULD BE AND WHAT THE LOCAL APPRAISAL OR LOCAL APPRAISALS WERE. AND SO THE STATE PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO APPEAL IN 
          [03:25:05]
CASES WHERE THE COMPTROLLER IS FORECASTING LOWER REVENUE THAN WHAT WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED. AND SO THAT WAS AN ABERRATION YEAR, IF YOU WILL. AND SO WE RECEIVED ABOUT $3.5 MILLION MORE THAN WHAT WE NORMALLY DO THROUGH THAT AUDIT. BUT THAT'S NOT EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE WE'RE ASSUMING THAT THE STATE HAS MADE ADJUSTMENTS ON THEIR SIDE TO CORRECT THAT VARIANCE THERE. MR. HAMILTON ASKED ABOUT RECAPTURE. WE HAVE $1.4 MILLION OF RECAPTURE THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH OUR REVENUES. AND SO THE REVENUE IS COMING IN THROUGH THE VAT. BUT ABOUT WE HAVE THE TWO COPPER PENNIES NOW. SO WE'RE PAYING OUT THAT RECAPTURE THAT'S FACTORED INTO OUR NUMBERS. AND THEN THERE ARE TWO COMPONENTS TO OUR REVENUE ESTIMATES THAT WE'RE SHOWING THAT ARE OFFSETTING THE DECLINES. CURRENTLY, THE LEGISLATION THAT IS IN HOUSE BILL ONE AND SENATE BILL ONE, THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS, THE GOLDEN PENNY YIELD IS INCREASING. THAT IS A STATUTORY INCREASE. AND SO WE DO NOT EXPECT THAT THAT WILL GO AWAY, THAT WILL BE ENACTED IN LEGISLATION, AND THAT WILL INCREASE OUR TOTAL REVENUE BY ABOUT $2.3 MILLION. THERE'S ALSO THE SCHOOL SAFETY ALLOTMENT THAT WOULD INCREASE, GIVE US AN ADDITIONAL $2.3 MILLION IN REVENUE. SO ABOUT $4.6 MILLION IN NEW REVENUE. AGAIN, THIS IS PENDING STATUTORY APPROVAL OF THE LEGISLATION AND THE GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE. AND SO COULD IT GO AWAY? THE ANSWER IS YES. BUT IN ALL PROBABILITY THESE ARE HALLMARK ISSUES. AND THEN ONE OF THE TO MR. HAMILTON'S POINT, I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT YOU'RE RIGHT AGAIN. 
          SO I'M GOING TO SAY TO YOUR POINT, TO HIS POINT, THE SCHOOL SAFETY ALLOTMENT OF $2.3 MILLION WILL ACTUALLY BRING US ALMOST TO BREAK EVEN WITH THE ARMED SECURITY THAT WE HAVE AT ALL ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES. SO FORT BEND ISD, AT LEAST, AND WE CAN'T SPEAK FOR OTHER DISTRICTS, WILL BE AT A BREAK EVEN POINT. AND WE WOULD NO LONGER BE ABLE TO SAY THAT HAVING AN OFFICER AT EVERY CAMPUS IS AN UNFUNDED MANDATE. IT WOULD NOW BE FULLY FUNDED BY THE STATE IF LEGISLATION MOVES FORWARD AS IT IS CURRENTLY WRITTEN. AND THEN FINALLY, TRS ON BEHALF, WE HAVE 6.2, A $6.2 MILLION INCREASE THERE, BUT YOU'LL SEE IN JUST A MOMENT THAT THAT'S GOING TO GO RIGHT BACK OUT THE DOOR, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PAY THAT FOR OUR TEACHERS. AND THEN FINALLY, OUR FEDERAL REVENUES ARE EXPECTED TO GO DOWN BY ABOUT $1.6 MILLION. WE SHARED WITH YOU ALL AT THE LAST MEETING THAT OUR SHARS REVENUE WAS THAT WAS A STATEWIDE HIT. THIS IS OUR PROPORTION OF THAT. AND SO THAT FUNDING IS GOING AWAY. THAT'S GOING AWAY NEXT YEAR AS WELL. AND SO THAT'S FACTORED INTO OUR CALCULATION. ONE AREA WHERE WE ARE EXPECTING TO SEE AN INCREASE IS THAT ON OUR INDIRECT COSTS. 
          AND SO AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE AND I SPOKE OF EARLIER, GIBSON IS IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THEIR COST SAVINGS ANALYSIS. OR THEY SPOKE TO US VERY EARLY ON AND REMINDED US THAT THEY HAD DONE AN AUDIT ON CHILD NUTRITION SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THAT WE TAKE THE FULL INDIRECT COST THAT'S ALLOWED BY FEDERAL STATUTE AND THAT PARTICULAR REALM. AND SO WE HAVE NOT ENACTED THAT, MAINLY BECAUSE AT THE TIME, CHILD NUTRITION WASN'T IN A PLACE WHERE THEY COULD AFFORD IT. THEY ARE NOW. 
          AND SO THE MAJORITY OF THAT INCREASE IS CHARGING THE APPROPRIATE INDIRECT COSTS OR THE ALLOWABLE INDIRECT COSTS, I SHOULD SAY, TO THE CHILD NUTRITION FUND. AND SO THAT WILL COME IN AS REVENUE TO THE GENERAL FUND, PARTIALLY OFFSETTING THAT DECLINE. AND SO OVERALL, BASED ON WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW, WE'LL GO DOWN BY ABOUT $3.22 MILLION IN REVENUE COMPARED TO THE APPROVED BUDGET FOR THE CURRENT YEAR. AND IT WAS BASED ON THOSE FACTORS. 
          ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, WE'RE EXPECTING OUR SALARIES AND BENEFITS TO GO UP BY ABOUT $11.3 MILLION. $3.6 MILLION OF THAT INCREASE IS ENACTING THE TEACHER STEPS. SO THIS IS THE INCREASES THAT TEACHERS GET BASED ON THEIR YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. IT ALSO INCLUDES $1.7 MILLION FOR THE OPENING OF FERNDALE. HENRY. AND SO THIS IS AT AGAIN OVERHEAD LAYER OF COST THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH OPENING A NEW SCHOOL. THE TEACHER OR NOT, THE TEACHERS, THE COUNSELORS, LIBRARIANS, PRINCIPALS, NURSES, ETC. THAT DON'T NECESSARILY PROVIDE DIRECT CLASSROOM SUPPORT BUT ARE REQUIRED TO SUPPORT THE CAMPUS. IT ALSO INCLUDES $1.3 MILLION FOR COMPREHENSIVE STAFFING AT CAMPUSES THAT HAVE IDENTIFIED NEEDS. AND SO IF YOU ALL RECALL, LAST YEAR, THE BOARD APPROVED TO ADD CERTAIN STAFFING IN AT SPECIFIC CAMPUSES TO SUPPORT. THIS WOULD ASSUME THAT WE MAINTAIN THOSE STAFFING INTO THE CURRENT YEAR, ALTHOUGH THEY DON'T MEET STAFFING GUIDELINES. 
          AND SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THOSE CAMPUSES. IT INCLUDES $200,000 FOR THE OPENING OF MIDDLE SCHOOL 16 EACH YEAR, OR WHEN WE OPEN NEW CAMPUSES IN JANUARY, THE YEAR BEFORE THE SCHOOL OPENS, WE WILL HIRE THE PRINCIPAL AND EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF HIRING FOR THE OPENING OF THAT SCHOOL. THIS IS THE PRORATED COST OF DOING THAT. 
          SO THE PRINCIPAL FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL 16 WOULD BE HIRED IN JANUARY OF 2026, BUT IT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET SO THAT THAT PRINCIPAL HAS THE STAFFING IN PLACE FOR WHEN THAT SCHOOL 
          [03:30:06]
OPENS IN THE 2627 SCHOOL YEAR. TOURS ON BEHALF. THIS IS WHERE THAT MONEY COMES OUT OF OR GOES OUT THE DOOR, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER. AND THEN WE DO HAVE SOME MINOR SAVINGS THE WAY THAT WE HAVE HISTORICALLY BUDGETED FOR HEALTH BENEFITS AND THE GENERAL FUND OR FOR FUND IS WE ASSUME THAT 100% OF OUR VACANCIES WILL TAKE BENEFITS. IN TRUTH, ONLY ABOUT 75% OF OUR EMPLOYEES TAKE OUR BENEFITS. AND SO THIS IS INCLUDING THAT SAVINGS THERE. AND SO IT'S NOT IT WILL BE A COST AVOIDANCE RATHER THAN A TRUE BUDGETARY SAVINGS, BUT IT IS REDUCING OUR COSTS GOING INTO NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, CONTRACTED SERVICES ARE EXPECTED TO GO UP BY ABOUT $1.1 MILLION. $700,000 OF THAT IS UTILITY COSTS. SO THIS IS THE CHANGING FEE STRUCTURES THAT THE UTILITY PROVIDERS CHARGE US, BUT ALSO THE OPENING OF FERNDALE. HENRY. THAT'S ABOUT $100,000 OF THAT COST TO OPEN THAT SCHOOL. OUR TRANSPORTATION CONTRACT WITH OUR EXTERNAL PROVIDER HAS A CLAUSE IN THERE WHERE THAT WILL GO UP BY ABOUT $300,000 THIS YEAR OR IN THE UPCOMING YEAR. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE OTHER CONTRACTUAL COSTS THAT WILL GO ABOUT UP BY ABOUT $100,000. ONE OF THE LARGER ONES IN THERE IS SAVED BY THE BELL, WHICH I THINK THE BOARD IS FAMILIAR WITH. SO THAT HAS A CONTRACTUAL INCREASE INCLUDED IN IT. AND SO THE COST THAT YOU SEE HERE ARE INFLATIONARY, DRIVEN, CONTRACTUALLY DRIVEN, NOT BECAUSE WE'RE NECESSARILY INCREASING OUR SERVICES, BUT SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THE COSTS HAVE INCREASED ON SUPPLIES. 
          THOSE ARE EXPECTED TO GO UP BY ABOUT $1.2 MILLION. THERE'S $300,000 INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET FOR THE OPENING OF THE THREE NEW CAMPUSES, ALDRIDGE MISSION AS WELL AS FERNDALE, HENRY. SO THE BOND COVERS BASICALLY ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, BUT THERE'S ALSO OTHER MATERIALS THAT HAVE TO BE BOUGHT, THE OFFICE SUPPLIES, AS WELL AS BULLETIN BOARD MATERIALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT ARE NOT BOND ELIGIBLE. THIS INCLUDES THE COST FOR THAT $100,000 FOR STATEWIDE COMPETITIONS, THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE STUDENTS WHO QUALIFY FOR STATE GOING TO THOSE EVENTS. AND YOU ALL HEARD THIS EVENING THAT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CAMPUSES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE THIS YEAR, AND THIS WILL HELP OFFSET THOSE COSTS NEXT YEAR, AS YOU ALL ARE FAMILIAR, WILL BE THE FULL ROLLOUT OF THE TRANSPORTATION LOCATION SOFTWARE. IN ORDER FOR THAT SYSTEM TO WORK, ALL STUDENTS HAVE TO HAVE BADGES. AND SO WE ARE PREPRINTING BADGES AT THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR TO ENSURE THAT THOSE STUDENTS HAVE BADGES ON DAY ONE AND CAN BEGIN USING THAT SYSTEM AS IT WAS INTENDED TO NOTIFY PARENTS WHEN THEIR STUDENTS ARE ARE ARRIVING, AND THEN COSTS FOR INTERPRETING. THAT'S A DISTRICT WIDE COST THAT WE HAVE THAT WHETHER IT'S HIRING NEW EMPLOYEES OR HELP ASSISTING OUR STUDENTS, THAT'S $100,000 COST. 
          THAT'S INCREASED OVER TIME. AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER ADJUSTMENTS IN THERE THAT WHERE IT'S JUST MINOR, AGAIN, INFLATION RELATED COSTS THAT HAVE INCREASED, THAT WE HAVE ADDED IN THERE. AND AGAIN, THAT TOTALS $1.2 MILLION. FINALLY, TASBY, WHO WE USE FOR OUR PROPERTY CASUALTY INSURANCE, SENT US A NICE LETTER IN THE MAIL THE OTHER DAY AND TOLD US THAT, OH, BY THE WAY, YOUR PROPERTY CASUALTY INSURANCE FOR NEXT YEAR IS GOING UP BY $100,000. THIS IS NOT BASED ON AN INCREASE IN CLAIMS, IT'S JUST THE ADMINISTRATIVE COST OF THAT PROGRAM HAS INCREASED OVER TIME, AS WELL AS CLAIMS NOT NECESSARILY ASSOCIATED WITH FORT BEND ISD. AND SO THAT IN TOTAL, LOOKING AT THOSE EXPENDITURES, ARE RAISING OUR COSTS BY ABOUT $13.7 MILLION. AND AGAIN, IT'S IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE HERE, THIS IS NOT ADDING ONE NEW PROGRAM. IT'S ADDRESSING THE OPENING OF NEW FACILITIES THAT WE HAVE, AS WELL AS COST INCREASES THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH INFLATION. AND SO HOW DOES THAT LOOK WHEN WE PLUG THAT INTO OUR OUTLOOK. SO WE ADOPTED THE BUDGET THIS YEAR WITH ABOUT A $900,000 SURPLUS, 27% OPERATING RESERVE REQUIREMENT WAS MET OR 25% OPERATING RESERVE REQUIREMENT WAS MET. AND WE HAD 97 DAYS OF FUND BALANCE. IF WE TAKE THESE ANTICIPATED CHANGES THAT WE JUST WALKED THROUGH. SO REDUCING REVENUE BY $3.2 MILLION, INCREASING COSTS BY $13.7 MILLION, THAT WOULD RESULT IN A DEFICIT OF ABOUT $16 MILLION GOING INTO NEXT YEAR. AND AGAIN, THIS IS A PRELIMINARY NUMBER. IT'S NOT THE NUMBER THAT WE'RE GOING TO BRING TO YOU FOR RECOMMENDATION. IT'S JUST OUR STARTING POINT FOR THIS COMING YEAR. AND SO THAT IF THIS WERE TO BE ADOPTED AS IS, WHICH AGAIN, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BRING THIS TO YOU TO ADOPT THIS WAY. THAT WOULD PUT US AT A 23% FUND BALANCE RESERVE AS WELL AS AT 83 DAYS. AND WE WOULD NOT BE MEETING POLICY. AND SO AS I'VE TALKED THROUGH ALL OF THIS, ALTHOUGH WE SAID THE STATE IS LOOKING AT SOMETHING COMPENSATION WISE, THIS DOESN'T MAKE IT ANY STATE NUMBERS OTHER THAN THE TWO THAT I MENTIONED. THE INCREASE TO THE SAFETY ALLOTMENT AS WELL AS THE GOLDEN PENNY YIELD. AND SO WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE WERE TO DO LOCAL COMPENSATION. AND JUST SO YOU SEE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE WERE TO DO A 2% RAISE BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, THAT WOULD INCREASE OUR DEFICIT BY 
          [03:35:02]
$9.4 MILLION, AND WE WOULD BE AT 21% OR 77 DAYS. AND SO WHAT I WOULD LEAVE YOU WITH IS THAT AT LEAST AT THIS POINT, IT IS NOT CURRENTLY FEASIBLE TO DO A RAISE WITHOUT THE STATE DOING SOMETHING TO CHANGE PUBLIC EDUCATION OR CHANGE FUNDING FOR EDUCATION, OR THE DISTRICT MAKING DRAMATIC CUTS IN ORDER TO DO THAT. AND SO OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MEETINGS WITH THE BOARD, STAFF WILL BE SHARING COST REDUCTIONS THAT COULD BE IMPLEMENTED TO ELIMINATE THE DEFICIT. AND WE'LL BE DOING THAT AS WE MONITOR WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEVEL TO SEE IF ANY OF THOSE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WE MAY BE LOOKING AT COULD BE FORGONE AS A RESULT OF ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING. AND SO WE HAVE TO ADOPT OUR BUDGET IN JUNE. AND THE LEGISLATION FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION PROBABLY WON'T BE APPROVED UNTIL MAY. AND SO WE'LL BE RIGHT UP AGAINST THAT DEADLINE. AND SO WE ARE PREPARING FOR THE WORST, ASSUMING THAT THERE'S NO CHANGE TO PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING. BUT IF THERE IS A CHANGE, WE'LL BE PREPARED TO RESPOND TO THAT AS WELL. SO I DO WANT TO SHARE ONE POTENTIAL WAY THAT WE COULD OVERCOME A PORTION OF THIS SHORTFALL. AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF BARREL, WHICH WAS A DECLARED EMERGENCY. THE BOARD DOES HAVE THE OPTION TO ENACT DISASTER PENNIES AT THIS POINT. WE ARE NOT MAKING THAT AS A RECOMMENDATION, BUT IT IS AN OPTION THAT WE HAVE. WE COULD TAKE SEVEN DISASTER PENNIES THAT WOULD HELP US, I WOULD SAY, EASE INTO THOSE REDUCTIONS INSTEAD OF HAVING TO MAKE THEM ALL AT ONCE. BUT IT IS AN OPTION THAT WE CAN CONSIDER. SO THE TAX RATE DOES NOT GET ADOPTED UNTIL SEPTEMBER. WE EXPECT THAT THAT WE'LL HAVE A FINAL OUTLOOK OF WHAT THE STATE IS GOING TO DO AT THE END OF MAY. AND SO WE'RE NOT AT A POINT WHERE WE NEED TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION OR MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION. SO AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A RECOMMENDATION. IT'S JUST MAKING THE BOARD AWARE OF WHAT OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO HELP BRIDGE ANY DEFICIT THAT WE MAY GOING INTO THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR. AND SO AS I CLOSE OUT ON THIS, WE'LL BE WORKING TO ENSURE THAT ANY DECISIONS THAT WE RECOMMEND ALIGN WITH THE BOARD GOALS AND PRIORITIES, AND WE'LL BRING THOSE FORWARD FOR IMPLEMENTATION, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT ALIGNMENT. THIS IS OUR BUDGET TIMELINE. AND SO WE DO HAVE UPDATES SCHEDULED BETWEEN NOW AND THE REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING. IT'S AT THE REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING EACH MONTH. THAT GIVES US TIME TO ABSORB THAT LEGISLATIVE INFORMATION. THIS REFLECTS HAVING THE BUDGET WORKSHOP IN JUNE, BUT WE WILL MAKE THAT ADJUSTMENT TO SHOW THAT THAT IS IN MAY. AND THIS CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION, MADAM PRESIDENT, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT THE BOARD HAS. THANK YOU, MR. GWEN. MR. HAMILTON THANK YOU, MR. GWEN. 
          HOW MANY GOLDEN AND COPPER PENNIES DO WE HAVE CURRENTLY OR ARE WE USING CURRENTLY? SO AT WITH THE LAST VOTE, WE HAVE A TOTAL OF TEN PENNIES THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN EITHER THROUGH VOTER ACTION OR PRIOR BOARD ACTION. TWO OF THOSE ARE COPPER. THE REMAINING ARE GOLDEN. OKAY OKAY. 
          SO DURING THE PROCESS, IT WAS COMMUNICATED THAT THE IMPACT OF THE VAT WOULD BE ABOUT $1 MILLION IN RECAPTURE. SO WAS THAT NUMBER OFF OR IS THE OTHER 400,000 ISH. IS THAT THE OTHER PENNIES. SO AT THAT'S A COMPLEX QUESTION. SO AT THE TIME THE VAT WAS IMPLEMENTED IT WAS ROUGHLY 1 MILLION. AS OUR PROPERTY VALUE HAS GROWN AND OUR ENROLLMENT NECESSARILY DIDN'T MATERIALIZE WHERE WE EXPECTED, IT HAS INCREASED SLIGHTLY SINCE THE VAT WAS WAS PASSED. OKAY. AND THEN I HOPE THAT WE HAVE THE FUNDING FIGURED OUT BY MAY. UNLIKE LAST SESSION WHEN IT WAS MUCH LATER. 
          RIGHT. THREE SPECIAL SESSIONS, JUST FOR THE RECORD. THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON. MR. GARCIA, THANK YOU. AND I KNOW BECAUSE OF THE ENROLLMENT SLOWING DOWN, IT'S GOING TO AFFECT OUR FAST GROWTH ALLOTMENT. CORRECT. AND SO WE ARE ON THE VERGE OF NO LONGER BEING A FAST GROWTH DISTRICT. 
          AND SO THAT'S ALSO THE REASON, I GUESS, FOR THE EXTRA 400,000, CORRECT, THAT THAT IS FACTORED IN. THEIR FAST GROWTH ALLOTMENT IS ALSO BASED ON, I BELIEVE, LOOKING AT AN AVERAGE OF THREE YEARS GROWTH. SO IT DOES TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO CYCLE OUT OF THAT. BUT WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THE BEGINNINGS OF THAT. THE OTHER IS AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE CASES FOR STATE LEGISLATION. WHEN WE WERE IN AUSTIN, WE WERE ADVOCATING FOR THE STATE SETS, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR THE FAST GROWTH ALLOTMENT. AND AS MORE DISTRICT QUALIFIES, THEY DON'T INCREASE THAT FUNDING. IT LOWERS THE AMOUNT THAT EACH DISTRICT GETS. SO THE PIE STAYS THE SAME SIZE, THE SLICES OF THE PIE THAT GOES TO EACH DISTRICT GETS SMALLER. GOTCHA. SO YOU HAVE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS FOR WHEN MORE DISTRICT QUALIFY AND WE GET LESS OF THE MONEY. AND SO THAT ALSO AFFECTS THE BUDGET OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE. SO I REMEMBER LAST SESSION THEY HAD PROPOSALS FOR AN INCREASE OF $1,000 FOR THE BASIC ALLOTMENT. I THINK THE MOST RECENT PROPOSAL WITH HOUSE BILL THREE I BELIEVE WAS $220 INCREASE. AND IT USUALLY STARTS SMALL AND THEN IT THEN THERE'S 
          [03:40:04]
NEGOTIATIONS ALONG THE WAY. WE MET WITH SEVERAL STATE LEGISLATORS, AND WE VISITED A LOT OF THE FRESHMAN LEGISLATORS. AND I KNOW THAT THERE WAS AN INITIATIVE FOR, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE VOUCHERS DIDN'T PASS LAST TIME. AND SO A LOT OF THE ONES THAT VOTED AGAINST IT WERE NO LONGER NO LONGER THERE. AND IT WAS INTERESTING TALKING TO SOME OF THOSE THAT HAD REPLACED SOME OF THE STATE LEGISLATORS THAT WERE VOTED OUT. AND THEY ARE ALSO IN A PICKLE BECAUSE THEY'RE COMMUNITIES ARE STILL ON THE FENCE OF ON VOUCHERS. AND THERE'S A LOT OF SO WHILE THEIR ASSUMPTION IS THAT VOUCHERS ARE STILL GOING TO PASS, THERE ARE STILL A LOT THAT ARE STILL ON THE FENCE THAT ARE THERE BECAUSE THEY PLAN TO SUPPORT IT. AND NOW THEY'RE KIND OF LIKE, WELL, NOW THAT THEY'RE SEEING SOME OF THE THINGS ON THE INSIDE, I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING. MY CONCERN AROUND THAT IS THAT VOUCHERS SOMEHOW HOLDS UP, HOLD US UP FOR ANOTHER SESSION. AND I SAY, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT. LET'S DO IT. AND I'M NOT SAYING I'M FOR OR AGAINST IT. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DEFINITELY AND COMMISSIONER MORATH HAS GONE ON AND SAID THAT SPECIAL EDUCATION IS UNDERFUNDED AND THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND WE CAME UP WITH A NUMBER THAT HE AND IT WAS ROUGHLY AT 30, 35 MILLION FOR FORT BEND ISD. AND IF I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IF WE GOT NOTHING ELSE AND WE JUST GOT WHAT THEY WERE UNDERFUNDED IN SPECIAL ED, IT WOULD BE THAT $35 MILLION, WHICH WOULD BE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE, I THINK, FOR US. AND SO. AND. I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. I JUST WANTED TO COME AND MAKE THOSE COMMENTS. I PROBABLY HAVE A FEW THINGS THAT I'LL JUST SEND OFFLINE. SO I DO APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION. AND THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR WORKING AND PUTTING THIS TOGETHER FOR US. THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. MISS HANNON, THANK YOU. MR. QUINN. CAN YOU REMIND US, WAS IT ABOUT 6 MILLION THAT WE WERE OWING FOR THE DAMAGES FOR THE BARREL? CORRECT. OKAY. SO CAN DO YOU HAVE ANY TIMELINE OR EXPECTATION OF HOW MUCH OR WHEN THAT HOW MUCH THAT WILL BE REIMBURSED, WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH INSURANCE OR. I WISH I COULD SAY YES. WHAT WE. AND FORTUNATELY FOR ME, DOCTOR GILLIAM IS NOT HERE TONIGHT TO HEAR ME SAY THIS DIRECTLY, BUT WE ARE HOPING THAT THAT WILL BE RESOLVED BY THE END OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR. AND I KNOW HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY, BUT WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS FOR BOTH INSURANCE RESULTS. I WOULD EXPECT THE INSURANCE TO COME MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN THE FEDERAL AID IF IT DOES COME, BUT WE WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR, THAT WE'RE ACCOUNTING FOR THAT REVENUE TO BE REIMBURSED THIS CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR. AND SO WE WOULD CLOSE THIS YEAR WITH THAT BEING RESOLVED. AND THE EVENT, IT IS NOT. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT JUST MEANS THAT THE REVENUE WOULD BE RECEIVED NEXT YEAR. SO WE MAY HAVE A SLIGHT DEFICIT IN THAT REGARD THIS YEAR, BUT IT GETS OFFSET BY THE RECEIPT OF THOSE REVENUES NEXT YEAR OR THE YEAR AFTER. AND I KNOW YOU'RE NOT RECOMMENDING THE DISASTER PENNIES, BUT ARE THOSE LIKE A TEMPORARY THOSE ARE DIFFERENT. THOSE ARE A TEMPORARY ONE TIME USE. YES. AND THEN THEY GO AWAY. OR DO THEY COME BACK WITH ANOTHER DISASTER. SO THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS BOTH. SO DISASTER PENNIES WE CAN WE HAVE $0.07 REMAINING ON OUR TAX RATE. 
          THAT'S THE SEVEN COPPER PENNIES THAT WE HAVE NOT TAKEN THROUGH VOTER APPROVAL TAX RATE ELECTION. AND SO THE WAY THAT THE TAX CODE IS CURRENTLY WRITTEN, IN THE EVENT OF A DISASTER, WE CAN ACTIVATE THOSE FOR ONE YEAR. AND WE HAVE I BELIEVE IT'S 18 MONTHS FROM THE TIME OR 24 MONTHS FROM THE TIME OF HIS DISASTER TO TAKE THAT. AND SO BECAUSE BARREL HAPPENED LAST YEAR, WE'RE IN THAT WINDOW WHERE THEY COULD BE ENACTED. IT WOULD ONLY BE FOR THE ONE YEAR. 
          SO IT IS NOT AN ONGOING REVENUE SOURCE. THE INTENT OF IT IS TO HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE SHORTFALLS THAT YOU HAD AND WERE IMPACTED BY ON THE TAX RATE. NOW, I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT THAT STRATEGY IS NOT WITHOUT RISK BECAUSE THERE IS LEGISLATION THAT HAS BEEN FILED. 
          BUT AGAIN, WE KNOW HOW THAT IS. THOUSANDS OF BILLS FILED, ONLY A HANDFUL OF THEM GET PASSED THAT WOULD RESTRICT OUR ABILITY TO DO THAT. AND SO IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN, THAT WOULD PREVENT US FROM DOING THAT. BUT AT LEAST AT THIS POINT, IT REMAINS AN OPTION THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED. AND AGAIN, IT WOULD BE A TEMPORARY ONE TIME TAX RATE ADJUSTMENT. ONCE THE ONE YEAR IS OVER, IT WOULD REVERT BACK. NOW, ASSUMING LEGISLATION DOESN'T CHANGE IT IN THE FUTURE. IF THERE WAS A DISASTER, WE WOULD HAVE THE OPTION TO DO THAT AGAIN TO THIS POINT, BECAUSE OF THE TIMING OF WHEN WE RECEIVED OUR REIMBURSEMENTS, WE HAVE NOT NEEDED TO DO THAT. OKAY. AND SO I'M REALLY HOPING BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, DON'T APPRECIATE PUBLIC AID BEING HELD HOSTAGE FOR THE PRIVATE ISSUE. BUT SO. LET'S SAY THAT IN SENATE BILL ONE OR HOUSE BILL ONE, WE GET WE GET FUNDING, 
          [03:45:09]
BUT IT GETS WE GET. YOU MUST GIVE THESE 20 THE $2,500 RAISE TO YOUR STAFF. YAY. GREAT. GIVE ME SOMETHING. AND SO IF WE IF WE DON'T HAVE THINGS TIED TO MANDATE, HERE'S THE MONEY. BUT WE MANDATE YOU THIS. WHAT IS IT? AND I HEARD MR. GARCIA SAY A NUMBER DOWN THERE, BUT I MISSED, LIKE, IS THERE A MAGIC NUMBER THAT WE NEED? THE ALLOTMENT. JUST THE GENERAL ALLOTMENT. IS THERE AN ASK? LIKE, DO WE HAVE A NUMBER THAT IF WE IF I WAS REACHING OUT AS ANGIE CITIZEN, LIKE THIS IS THE NUMBER I NEED. IF YOU ARE ALSO GOING TO MANDATE THE 2500, I'M ASSUMING THAT IS THERE'S FLEXIBILITY DEPENDING UPON WHAT'S AT WHAT'S GIVEN. YES. SO WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING TO SEE WHAT WOULD FORT BEND ISD SPECIFICALLY NEED TO FULLY. TO. WHEN I SAY CLOSE THE DEFICIT, NOT SAY IN-STATE, CLOSE OUR DEFICIT, BUT ADDRESSING THE FACT THAT WE'VE HAD INFLATION, THAT WE NEED TO DO RAISES BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE IT. WE DIDN'T DO IT FOR A YEAR. WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? AND SO WE'RE CURRENTLY CALCULATING THAT NUMBER BASED ON THE NUMBER THAT MR. GARCIA MENTIONED. IT'S $220. THAT IS ON THE HOUSE SIDE. SO AGAIN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE HAVE TO RECONCILE THAT. WHAT WE HAVE SEEN BASED ON THE INITIAL CALCULATIONS IS 40% OF THAT INCREASE HAS TO BE USED ON RAISES, OF WHICH 75% HAS TO GO TO TEACHERS. AND I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT OF PERCENTAGES THERE, BUT BASICALLY NOT ALL OF IT GOES TO THE TEACHERS. YOU CAN DO OTHER STUFF AS PART OF THAT INCREASE AS WELL. IF THAT WERE TO PASS, IT WOULD ESSENTIALLY CLOSE OUR THE 16 MILLION DEFICIT THAT YOU JUST SAW. IT WOULD CLOSE THAT AND ALLOW US TO DO A MODEST RAISE. AND WE HAVE NOT CALCULATED OUT WHAT EACH GROUP WOULD GET, BUT IT WOULD CLOSE THE DEFICIT. SO IT IS A POSITIVE. BUT WHY? WHY AM I NOT SHOWING THAT IS BECAUSE THE SENATE SIDE OF THE EQUATION LOOKS 100% DIFFERENT. AND SO UNTIL THOSE TWO ARE RECONCILED, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL TO SAY THIS IS WHAT OUR IMPACT WOULD BE. BUT I WILL SAY IF THE HOUSE VERSION PASSED, WE WOULD BE IN GOOD SHAPE. I WOULDN'T SAY GREAT SHAPE, BECAUSE THE RAISES THAT WE PROBABLY SEE WILL BE VERY MODEST COMPARED TO WHAT THE SENATE IS SAYING. OKAY, SO I'M JUST ASKING DOCTOR SMITH AND THE BOARD PRESIDENT THAT I'M SEEING THAT THE BOARD WORKSHOP IS IN JUNE AND WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE ANY IDEA. 
          WE JUST WE'RE GOING TO MOVE IT UP TO MAY. THAT'S WHAT I DID. OKAY. YOU MOVED IT UP TO MAY. I WROTE THAT ON MY THING IN THE FRONT, BUT NOT BACK HERE. YEAH. PRIOR TO. AND SO IS THE COST SAVINGS AUDIT COMING BY THEN? YES IT IS. AND THEN PRESENT TO THAT MISS HANNAH TO THAT POINT, MADAM PRESIDENT, WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH GIBSON. ONE OF THE REQUESTS THAT WE MADE IS THAT IF YOU FIND SOMETHING THAT YOU FEEL COULD BE IMMEDIATELY IMPLEMENTED, LET'S NOT WAIT UNTIL THE REPORT, LET US KNOW, AND WE CAN BEGIN THE PROCESS OF ADDING THAT IN AND SHARING THAT WITH THE BOARD. AND SO LIKE YOU SAW TONIGHT, THAT 1.9 MILLION COMING FROM THE INDIRECT COST, THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE OF THAT. AND SO WHAT THEY THEY HAVE COMMITTED TO US THAT THEY CAN DO THAT. BUT UNFORTUNATELY MOST OF WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IS PRETTY COMPLEX. BUT IF THEY FIND A QUICK WIN, THEY HAVE COMMITTED TO SHARING THAT WITH US SO THAT WE CAN MOVE MORE QUICKLY GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE'RE OKAY. AND THEN YOUR STAFF IS ALSO IN ADDITION TO WHAT GIBSON IS DOING, YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING. YES. EVERY WEEK WE ARE MEETING LOOKING AT DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO SAVE COST. AND SO BECAUSE IF WE'RE AT STATUS QUO, WE CANNOT SIT AT A 83 OR 77 DAY FUND BALANCE. SO OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. GWEN, JUST TO EMPHASIZE ONE MORE TIME, OUR INTENT WOULD NOT BE TO BRING A BUDGET THAT IS NOT BALANCED. WE WILL BRING A BALANCED BUDGET. THIS IS, AGAIN, TO SHOW YOU OUR STARTING POINT THAT WE ARE WORKING OFF OF AS THE BUDGET PROCESS BEGINS. SO THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO SAY THAT, BECAUSE THAT WAS ON MY LIST TO SAY THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT THIS IS NOT WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING, BUT YOU'RE JUST GIVING US THE FULL PICTURE. CORRECT. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. SO YES. SIMILARLY, WHEN I WAS MEETING WITH SENATOR CRICHTON'S OFFICE, HE INDICATED OR HIS STAFF INDICATED THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON THOSE SPECIAL ED FORMULAS AND THAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT NOT ONLY. FIXING THE FORMULAS, AS THEY PUT IT, BUT ALSO INFUSING SOME DOLLARS INTO THAT. SO THAT WOULD BE OBVIOUSLY A POSITIVE. OF COURSE, GOVERNOR ABBOTT HAS INDICATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE MONEY FOR 
          [03:50:06]
TEACHER RAISES. AS MR. GARCIA TALKED ABOUT. AND SENATOR CRICHTON'S OFFICE ALSO INDICATED THAT THEY THOUGHT THERE MIGHT BE SOME COMMON GROUND BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE ON RAISING THE BASIC ALLOTMENT, AT LEAST SOMEWHAT. SO THERE'S A LOT OF OPTIMISM, I THINK, RIGHT NOW ABOUT ABOUT GETTING US CAUGHT UP. SO WE'RE GOING TO REMAIN OPTIMISTIC, EVEN IF CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC. ONE OF MY SO I'M GOING TO ASK THAT YOU SHOW US A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS. WE MIGHT COULD DO THE TEACHER PAY RAISE IF WE HAVE TO CUT IF WE DO A. ONE TIME POLICY CHANGE FOR ONE YEAR ABOUT THE FUND BALANCE, AND IF THAT'S EVEN RECOMMENDED, AND HOW WE WOULD GET IT BACK UP TO MEET POLICY. I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW, I'M JUST THROWING OUT SOME IDEAS, BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS, YOU KNOW, IF THIS, THEN THIS, AND LET THE BOARD CONSIDER IT. WE ABSOLUTELY WANT A RECOMMENDATION FROM YOU GUYS. WHAT YOU WHAT YOU RECOMMEND THAT WE DO. BUT I THINK WE WOULD APPRECIATE MAYBE HAVING SOME DIFFERENT SCENARIOS TO LOOK AT. DOES. SO I KNOW WE GOT A BAD BUDGET. I THAT HAS A HEFTY INCREASE. AND BEING THE LARGEST TAXING ENTITY. AND THAT. DO ANY OF THOSE NUMBERS INCLUDE THE INCREASE IN THE CAD BUDGET? SO THAT WOULD FALL INTO THAT ONE OF THOSE INFLATIONARY CATEGORIES. AND WE RECEIVE THAT INFORMATION AFTER THE PRESENTATION WAS PREPARED. AND SO THAT HAS NOT BEEN ACCOUNTED FOR. OKAY. SO I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE I WANT THE OTHER TRUSTEES TO BE AWARE THAT WE'VE RECEIVED THAT. AND DOCTOR SMITH AND I HAVE STARTED HAVING SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT. SO I'D LOVE FOR THAT TO GO INTO A BOARD UPDATE. AND LET'S MAKE SURE THE TRUSTEES ARE AWARE OF AND, AND WE CAN HAVE MORE CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE BUILDING THE BUDGET. SO OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. GWEN. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP IS OUR 
          [10. Consent Agenda]
CONSENT AGENDA. AND I WANT TO LET THE TRUSTEES KNOW ALSO THAT I'M GOING TO PULL THE ACTION, THE ACTION ITEMS TO BEFORE WE GO INTO CLOSED SESSION SO THAT WE CAN GET ALL OF OUR VOTING DONE AND THEN END THE NIGHT ON CLOSED SESSION. SO DOES ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PULL FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED IN ITS ENTIRETY. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY MISS HANNON. DO WE HAVE ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. ALL RIGHT. I'M GOING TO DROP DOWN TO 
          [14.A. Consider Contract Recommendations for Executive Team: The superintendent recommends the Board approve the contract recommendations as presented.]
ACTION ITEM 14 A, WHICH IS TO CONSIDER THE CONTRACT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE EXECUTIVE TEAM. BEFORE I HAVE A MOTION, I'M GOING TO ASK DOCTOR SMITH TO SPEAK, PLEASE. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. SO WHAT YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU ARE THE E TEAM MEMBERS, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THE BOARD APPROVE THE CONTRACTS FOR THE TEAM MEMBERS. JUST KEEP IN MIND, TEAM MEMBERS ARE THE INDIVIDUALS YOU SEE SITTING OUT BEFORE YOU. E TEAM MEMBERS, MEMBER ARE ON A ONE YEAR CONTRACT. AND SO OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, WE'LL BE BRINGING THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF EMPLOYEES TO THE BOARD. AND WE TYPICALLY START FIRST WITH THE TEAM MEMBERS. SO YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO APPROVE. MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO APPROVE THE ONE YEAR CONTRACT FOR THE TEAM MEMBERS AS PRESENTED. OKAY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THE BOARD. APPROVE. ACTION ITEM 14 A CONSIDER CONTRACT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR E TEAM EXECUTIVE TEAM MEMBERS. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY MISS HANNON. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE. 
          [03:55:02]
THANK YOU. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. CONGRATULATIONS. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP IS 
          [14.B. 2nd Quarter 2024-25 Financials: Consideration and approval of the second quarter 2024-25 Financial Report.]
ITEM 14 B WHICH IS THE SECOND QUARTER 20 2425 FINANCIALS. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVE ACTION 14 B SECOND QUARTER 20 2425. FINANCIALS AS PRESENTED. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY MISS JONES. MR. GWYNNE, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY TO US? NO, MADAM PRESIDENT, ONLY IF YOU ALL HAVE QUESTIONS. OKAY. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION BY THE TRUSTEES, MISS HANNON? YES. THANK YOU. MR. GWEN, YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M GOING TO ASK YOU THESE QUESTIONS OFFLINE, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE. LET ME LOOK AT LET ME LOOK AT MY THREE QUESTIONS. THESE WERE THE ONLY PAGES I TABBED IN THE WHOLE BOOKLET. 
          NOW. OKAY. SO LET ME GO AHEAD AND ASK YOU DO ARE YOU GOING TO KNOW WHAT I'M LOOKING AT? I'M GOING TO SIT DOWN OKAY. SO I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR ON SOME OF THE INNER FUNCTION TRANSFER ITEMS. AND I'M LOOKING SPECIFICALLY I CAN'T TELL WHICH PAGE I'M LOOKING AT. YOU'RE EITHER LOOKING AT PAGE 39 OR YOU'RE LOOKING AT 229, BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF PAGINATION NUMBERS IN HERE. I'M GUESSING IT'S PAGE 39 IN YOUR. OKAY, I HAVE ARRIVED AT PAGE 39. OKAY. 
          AND SO THERE WERE JUST TWO LARGE INNER FUNCTION LIKE CHANGES. AND SO ONE OF THEM WAS THE. 100,000 FOR FUNCTION 11 TO FUNCTION 33 OR THE OTHER WAY FOR INSTRUCTION AND HEALTH SERVICES. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I KIND OF GET THAT, I KIND OF GET THE MOVING AROUND OF THE MONEYS. BUT FOR THESE VERY BIG ITEMS, I JUST HAD A QUESTION. AND THEN THE NEXT ONE WAS THE INSTRUCTION TO THE GUIDANCE COUNSELING EVALUATION ON THE NEXT PAGE ON 40 FOR INSTRUCTION IN THE GUIDANCE. COUNSELING EVALUATION IS 200,500 AND CHANGE. I MAY HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON THE. SO THIS IS SHOWING THAT WE SENT 205,000 FROM GUIDANCE COUNSELING FUNCTION 31 TO FUNCTION 11. I DO HAVE BACKGROUND THOUGH, ON THE $100,000 SHOWING THE TRANSFER FROM INSTRUCTION TO HEALTH SERVICES. SO THERE HAVE BEEN, I BELIEVE, TWO CAMPUSES THIS YEAR THAT HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY FILLING THE NURSE POSITION. AND RATHER THAN LEAVE THOSE CAMPUSES WITHOUT A NURSE IN PLACE, A SUB NURSE WAS HIRED OFF OF A CONTRACT, ALTHOUGH THAT THOSE FUNDS WEREN'T SPECIFICALLY BUDGETED FOR THAT. SO WE'RE USING SAVINGS FROM THE INSTRUCTION SIDE TO FUND THAT CONTRACT NURSE UNTIL THE NURSE IS HIRED. SO THAT'S WHAT THAT AND THEN THAT'S REIMBURSED BACK INTO FUNCTION 11. WELL THIS WOULD BE A TRUE EXPENDITURE OUT OF THAT. AND SO WE WOULD BE DOWN BY 100,000 IN THAT. BUT WE HAVE ANTICIPATED SALARY SAVINGS THAT ARE OFFSETTING THAT. AND SO THAT WAS PART OF THE REASON FOR MOVING THOSE FUNDS DOWN. THE OTHER ONE I WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON. OKAY. YEAH. THOSE WERE JUST FLAGS WHEN WE'RE EITHER PULLING OUT OF GUIDANCE, COUNSELING AND INSTRUCTION AND BACK AND FORTH, I JUST, I JUST I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THOSE. THE OTHER ONE I'LL ASK YOU OFFLINE. IT'S ABOUT THE PORTFOLIO POSITION ON PAGE 26. I'LL ASK YOU THAT WHEN WE GO INTO CLOSED SESSION OR BEFORE WE GO INTO CLOSED SESSION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS HANNON. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. WE WILL NOW CONVENE IN CLOSED 
          [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]
SESSION UNDER THE TEXAS OPEN MEETINGS ACT, THE TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, CHAPTER 551, UNDER THE 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. THE TIME IS 
          [12. Reconvene in Open Session]
ALL RIGHT. THE TIME IS 11:32 P.M. AND WE ARE NOW RECONVENED IN OPEN SESSION. WE WILL NOW 
          [13. Consider Action on Closed Session Items]
CONSIDER ACTION ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS. MISS JONES, I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT RECOMMENDATION AND APPOINT CAMERA. SIGNED PHILLIPS TO THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF FORT BEND ISD. SECOND. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION 
          [04:00:02]
BY MISS JONES AND A SECOND BY MR. GARCIA. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, MR. GARCIA. I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION AND APPOINT DOCTOR ALFRED JAMES TO THE POSITION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS, FORT BEND ISD. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY MISS JONES. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE. NO. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, MR. HAMILTON. I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ASSIGN THE LEVEL THREE F.N.G PARENT COMPLAINT OF ROXANNE J. TO THE BOARD'S DESIGNATED HEARING OFFICER UNDER BOARD POLICY F IN G LOCAL. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. HAMILTON AND A SECOND BY MR. GARCIA. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE. NO. NOT. 
          MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT UP FOR CONSIDERATION ARE ITEM 1, A CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF CONTINGENT FEE LEGAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH THOMPSON AND HORTON LLP. ISLAND AND BONHAM, PC AND O'HANLAN, DEMERITTE AND CASTILLO PC. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THE BOARD. CONSIDER CONSENT AGENDA ITEM 13 OR ACTION ITEM 13 A AS PRESENTED NOT CONSIDER. 
          APPROVE. APPROVE. LET ME START THAT OVER. USE THE WORD ADOPT. I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ADOPT AGENDA ITEM 13 A AS PRESENTED. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY MISS HANNON. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT UP IS ITEM 13 B CONSIDERATION AND ADOPTION OF RESOLUTION APPROVING CONTINGENT FEE LEGAL SERVICES CONTRACT. I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, APPROVE ITEM 13 B ADOPT ITEM 13 B AS PRESENTED. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY MRS. JONES. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE. YES. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. LAST IS THE FUTURE 
          [15. Future Meeting Discussion]
MEETING DISCUSSION BY DOCTOR SMITH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. MADAM BOARD PRESIDENT WILL BE VERY QUICK, BUT WE'VE BEEN COMMITTED TO KIND OF GIVE A FORECAST OF THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON IN FUTURE MEETINGS. SO COMING UP NEXT MONTH, THE FIRST THING I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THE VOCA GRANT. I KNOW THAT'S BEEN ON THE BOARD'S RADAR. THE BOARD PRESIDENT HAS TASKED ME WITH BRINGING THE BOARD A COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE ON OUR VOCA GRANT, WHICH WILL INCLUDE DATA RELATED TO VENDORS, WHICH WILL INCLUDE INFORMATION RELATED TO THE PROCESS FOR PARENT APPROVAL, PARENT INVOLVEMENT. AND SO WE'LL BE PREPARING A BOARD BRIEF WHICH WILL PROVIDE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT THE BOARD HAS REQUESTED, BUT ALSO WILL PROVIDE SOME TALKING POINTS SO THE BOARD CAN HAVE THAT INFORMATION BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS. 
          THE OTHER THING IN MARCH THAT WE'LL BE LOOKING AT DOING IS THE TEACHER INCENTIVE ALLOTMENT, KIND OF CLOSELY TIED AT THIS TIME WITH OUR WITH WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE LEGISLATURE AND ALL THE CONVERSATIONS CENTERED AROUND OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS TO MAXIMIZE, YOU KNOW, THEIR, THEIR INCOME. AND SO WE'LL BE PROVIDING AN UPDATE TO THE BOARD ON OUR SPEND PLAN ON ALL THE CRITERIA ASSOCIATED WITH THE TEACHER INCENTIVE ALLOTMENT. AND THEN WE'LL BE REVIEWING SOME OF THE KEY DATA POINTS THAT THE BOARD WILL NEED TO APPROVE AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR TEACHER INCENTIVE ALLOTMENT. AND THEN OUR VISION AND PLANNING, PARTICULARLY OUR CAMPUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES, WILL BE PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION TO THE BOARD AS WELL. AND SO THAT CONCLUDES OR THAT SUMMARIZES THE KEY ITEMS THAT WILL BE LOOKING AT IN OUR UPCOMING BOARD MEETING. THANK YOU, DOCTOR SMITH. IF WE HAVE NO QUESTIONS, 
          [04:05:04]
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOVE TO ADJOURN. WE ARE
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.