Apr 14, 2025 Board Meeting

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SERGEANT. THE TIME IS 6:02 P.M.

[1. Call to order]

[00:00:04]

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 CLEMENTS HIGH SCHOOL BAND ENSEMBLE AND REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

PLEASE REMAIN STANDING FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

YOU MAY BE SEATED. I'LL ASK THE TRUSTEES TO JOIN ME IN FRONT OF THE DAIS FOR RECOGNITIONS.

[4. Recognitions]

TONIGHT WE BEGIN OUR RECOGNITIONS BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE THAT WE ALL ENJOYED A FEW SECONDS AGO.

TONIGHT, I WANT TO THANK THIS EVENING'S NATIONAL ANTHEM.

PERFORMERS. THE BAND ENSEMBLE FROM CLEMENTS HIGH SCHOOL, DIRECTED BY MR. JEFF JOHNSON. THE ENSEMBLE IS MADE UP OF MRS. CHRISTINA COBB CLEMENTS HIGH SCHOOL, CLASS OF 1997 ALUMNI AND CURRENT BAND PARENT, ALONG WITH HER CHILDREN SOPHIA COBB SENIOR FROM CLEMENTS HIGH SCHOOL, AVA COBB, SOPHOMORE FROM CLEMENTS HIGH SCHOOL.

AND CARSON COBB, AN EIGHTH GRADER AT FORT SETTLEMENT MIDDLE SCHOOL.

IF EVERYBODY COULD GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

NOW TIGHTEN UP JUST A LITTLE BIT, PLEASE. NOW LET'S SEE.

HERE WE GO. ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE MORE. ONE. TWO.

THREE. THANK YOU.

OUR FIRST RECOGNITION GOES TO SARTARTIA MIDDLE SCHOOL HONORS ORCHESTRA UNDER THE DIRECTION OF HEATHER DAVIS AND GUILLERMO TNT, THE DIRECTORS. FIRST, WE HAVE HEART SPECIALISTS.

FIRST PLACE FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STRING ORCHESTRA AND AN AMERICAN STRING TEACHERS ASSOCIATION'S NATIONAL ORCHESTRA FESTIVAL.

REPRESENTING THE HONORS ORCHESTRA. TONIGHT IS STUDENT RENEE.

[00:05:02]

LET'S GO JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE. THERE'S A GAP RIGHT THERE. JUST KIND OF CLOSE IT UP.

CAN I GO PAST THIS LINE? YES. THERE YOU GO. THERE WE GO.

ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE MORE. ONE. TWO. THREE. THANK YOU.

OUR NEXT RECOGNITION MADE A HUGE SPLASH RECENTLY.

KEMPNER HIGH SCHOOL SWIM TEAM PARTICIPATED IN THE FIVE, A STATE SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIP WHERE THEY WERE.

THEY MADE HISTORY AS THE FIRST FORT BEND ISD SWIM TEAM TO EARN FOUR GOLD MEDALS IN THE SAME STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AND SET 35A STATE RECORDS, INCLUDING THE FOUR BY 100 MEN'S RELAY.

TONIGHT HERE WITH US TODAY IS HAYLEY FINDLAY.

SILVER MEDAL 50 FREESTYLE. JACK BOYSEN WHO IS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE TONIGHT, WON TWO GOLD MEDALS AND A NEW FIVE A STATE RECORD IN THE 50 AND 100 FREESTYLE.

WE HAVE AUTHOR NEWTON GOLD IN THE 100 BACKSTROKE AND SILVER IN THE 200 FREESTYLE.

AND OUR MEN'S 400 FREESTYLE RELAY TOOK HOME A GOLD MEDAL AND A NEW FIVE, A RECORD, AS WELL AS THE MEN'S 200 FREESTYLE RELAY GOLD MEDAL.

WE HAVE HERE WITH US JACK BOYSEN, AUTHOR NEWTON, JUSTIN CHACON, TYLER THURMAN.

AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO HEAD SWIM COACH JEROME MUNOZ AND ASSISTANT COACH JAMIESON FRYE.

COUNCILWOMAN. THANK YOU, DANIELLE.

THANK YOU.

WELL, ACTUALLY, IT'S A LITTLE BIT THIS WAY. HERE.

RIGHT THERE. THERE WE GO. ONE. TWO. THREE. ONE MORE.

ONE. TWO. THREE. GOT IT.

AND THIS CONCLUDES TONIGHT'S RECOGNITIONS.

READY? YEAH. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP IS THE SUPERINTENDENTS UPDATE, DOCTOR SMITH.

[5. Superintendent Update]

I HAVE THE FOLLOWING SUPERINTENDENT UPDATES FOR THIS EVENING.

FIRST, WE HAVE RECEIVED SOME RECENT GOOD NEWS FROM COLLEGE BOARD RELATED TO OUR PERFORMANCE ON THE SAT TEST.

ACROSS THE BOARD IN JUST ABOUT EVERY CATEGORY IN FORT BEND ISD.

OUR NUMBERS ARE UP AND THAT'S A GOOD THING. SO AS WE TAKE A HIGH LEVEL LOOK, WE SEE THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO MET THE BENCHMARK IN MATH AND IN READING AND WRITING WENT FROM 35% LAST YEAR TO 37% THIS YEAR.

[00:10:02]

SO WE ARE SUPERSEDING THE STATE AND THE NATION IN MATH, READING AND WRITING IN OUR S.A.T.

SCORES. THE PERCENTAGE OF OUR STUDENTS WHO MET OR EXCEEDED THE STATE BENCHMARK FOR READING AND WRITING WENT FROM 58% LAST YEAR TO 62% THIS YEAR, COMPARED TO STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE STATE.

OUR STUDENTS ARE SIX PERCENTAGE POINTS HIGHER.

THEY ARE FIVE POINTS HIGHER THAN STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE NATION.

AGAIN, EXCELLENT RESULTS THERE FOR US. OUR STUDENTS WHO MET OR EXCEEDED THE BENCHMARK IN MATH WENT UP A NOTCH FROM 37% LAST YEAR TO 38% THIS YEAR. THE STATEWIDE NUMBER WAS 30% AND THE NATIONWIDE NUMBER WAS 29%.

AND SO AGAIN, ACROSS THE BOARD, OUR STUDENTS, OUR DISTRICT ARE PERFORMING AT A HIGH LEVEL, OUTPERFORMING THE STATE AND THE NATION IN TERMS OF THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS THAT ARE MEETING AND EXCEEDING THE BENCHMARK.

SO THAT'S A CREDIT TO OUR STUDENTS, OUR PARENTS, THE LONG NIGHTS, THE STUDYING, THE PREPARATION.

OUR TEAM THAT'S SUPPORTING THAT EFFORT. AND SO ALTHOUGH THESE NUMBERS ARE REALLY ENCOURAGING FOR US, WE STILL KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO LIFT EVERYBODY UP.

BUT THIS IS AN INDICATOR THAT WE ARE TRENDSETTERS AND FOR BEING ISD.

AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THAT WORK.

THE NEXT ITEM THAT I HAVE IS OUR TEACHER OF THE YEAR WINNERS ON.

LAST WEEK WE HAD A LOT OF FUN AND CELEBRATING OUR TEACHERS OF THE YEAR FROM ACROSS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WE ANNOUNCED OUR 2025 TEACHER OF THE YEAR WINNERS AT OUR ANNUAL BANQUET.

THEY ARE MISS ASHLEY EAST, WHO IS A TEACHER AT BLUE RIDGE BRIARGATE ELEMENTARY, AND MISS MONIQUE WILLIAMS, WHO IS AN UPPER LEVEL MATH TEACHER AT MR. WOODS CENTER FOR LEARNING.

SO I JUST WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO BOTH OF THEM.

IT WAS A GREAT CELEBRATION AT SAFARI TEXAS. THE BALLROOM LOOKED AMAZING.

SO THANK YOU TO THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM FOR REALLY SETTING UP A GOOD ENVIRONMENT TO RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE HARD WORK OF OUR TEACHERS ALL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

AND SO I WANT TO THANK THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM.

I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THEIR HARD WORK, THAT DEDICATED SERVICE TAKING A LOT OF HOURS TO PERUSE A LOT OF INFORMATION, AND PICKING THE TWO WINNERS OUT OF SUCH A STRONG, TALENTED POOL. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE NEXT ITEM WAS IS AN AIR TALENT SEARCH.

SO A FEW DAYS AGO, A COUPLE OF WEEKENDS AGO, OUR DISTRICT HAD A HIRING EVENT AT DULLES HIGH SCHOOL, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY A REALLY BIG HIT. REALLY PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO THERE.

WE HAVE MORE THAN 1500 JOB CANDIDATES ATTEND.

I KNOW SOME BOARD MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO MAKE THE JOB FAIR AS WELL.

AND YOU SAW THE ENERGY AND THE EXCITEMENT AND THE INTEREST FROM CANDIDATES ALL ACROSS OUR AREA AND OUR REGION AND FORT BEND ISD, WE WERE ABLE TO ISSUE 74 LETTERS OF INTENT. THESE ARE LETTERS THAT REALLY PRETTY MUCH SOLIDIFIED A CANDIDATE FOR US ON ON THE SPOT.

AND SO THOSE TEACHERS AND THOSE CANDIDATES ARE GOING TO BE JOINING US.

WE MADE HUNDREDS OF GREAT CONNECTIONS. OUR HIRING MANAGERS CONTINUE TO CONDUCT THOSE INTERVIEWS.

SO GREAT JOB TO ALL THE TEAMS THAT WORK TO MAKE THIS EVENT A SUCCESS.

AND AGAIN, ESPECIALLY TO OUR HR DEPARTMENT. THE NEXT ITEM I HAVE IS ONE OF OUR STUDENTS WHO HAD REALLY A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT.

I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET HIM AND HIS MOM LAST THURSDAY.

WE INVITED THEM TO THE TEACHER OF THE YEAR EVENT, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO HAVE DINNER WITH US AND JUST REALLY CELEBRATE HIS SUCCESS.

JUST REMARKABLE YOUNG MAN. WE HAVE A SENIOR AT GEORGE BUSH HIGH SCHOOL WHO HAS BEEN ACCEPTED TO ALL EIGHT OF THE NATION'S IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS.

ONLY A HANDFUL OF STUDENTS. ONLY A HANDFUL OF STUDENTS IN THE ENTIRE NATION ARE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS EACH YEAR. AND SO TEN FAM.

AGAIN, I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING HIM. AS YOU CAN SEE, HE CHOSE MIT.

SO HE'S GOING TO MIT, AND HE'S GOING TO MAJOR IN COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, AND, AND HE'S GOING TO DO GREAT THINGS IN HIS CAREER.

THIS IS A HUGE ACHIEVEMENT FOR TIN AND HIS FAMILY.

IT'S ALSO JUST A HUGE ACHIEVEMENT FOR THE BUSH EDUCATORS AND EVERYONE WHO WORKS WITH TIN TO HELP HIM MAXIMIZE HIS TALENT AND BE THE BEST THAT HE CAN BE. SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HIM GOING AND DOING GREAT THINGS AT MIT, AND CONTINUING TO TELL HIS STORY ABOUT HOW HE GOT HIS START HERE IN FORT BEND ISD.

SO, MADAM PRESIDENT, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORTS THIS EVENING.

[00:15:04]

[6. Board Activity Report]

STUDENT LEADERSHIP 102 ENCOURAGED THE HEART FORT BEND CHAMBER ANNUAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR.

RECEPTION TASB ANNUAL SPRING COMMITTEE SLASH BOARD MEETING.

CLASS VISIT TO JAMES BOWIE MIDDLE SCHOOL. DISTRICT WIDE HIRING EVENT.

BOARD. STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING.

SHACK. COMMITTEE MEETING. GCA, SB SPRING WORKSHOP.

CELEBRATION OF BUSH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ACCEPTANCE TO EIGHT IVY LEAGUE COLLEGES.

TEACHER OF THE YEAR BANQUET AND THE 2025 FORT BEND ISD AT FORT BEND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

[7.A. Annual Board Training Report]

WE HAVE THE ANNUAL BOARD TRAINING REPORT THAT I WILL NOW DELIVER.

UNDER THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION RULE, COMPLETING REQUIRING REQUIRED CONTINUING EDUCATION EACH YEAR OF SERVICE IS A BASIC OBLIGATION AND EXPECTATION OF ANY SITTING BOARD MEMBER. AS BOARD PRESIDENT, I AM REQUIRED TO ANNOUNCE THE NAME OF EACH MEMBER WHO HAS COMPLETED THE REQUIRED CONTINUING EDUCATION, HAS EXCEEDED THE REQUIRED CONTINUING EDUCATION AND IS DEFICIENT IN MEETING THE REQUIRED CONTINUING EDUCATION.

THE REQUIREMENTS FOR TRAINING ARE MEASURED AS OF THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE DATE OF THE TRUSTEE'S ELECTION OR APPOINTMENT, OR TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY, IF HIS OR HER PREVIOUS TRAINING IS AS APPLICABLE.

THERE ARE EIGHT TRAINING AREAS FOR BOARD MEMBER CONTINUING EDUCATION.

LOCAL DISTRICT ORIENTATION, INTRODUCTION TO THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE, SCHOOL SAFETY, EVALUATING AND IMPROVING STUDENT OUTCOMES.

POST LEGISLATIVE UPDATE TO THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE.

IDENTIFYING AND REPORTING ABUSE, TRAFFICKING AND OTHER MALTREATMENT OF CHILDREN.

TEAM BUILDING AND CONTINUING EDUCATION TO THE EXTENT APPLICABLE TO EACH BOARD MEMBER, I WILL ANNOUNCE THE COMPLETION OR DEFICIENCY AS TO THE REQUIRED TRAINING FOR MEMBERS WHO STILL HAVE TIME REMAINING TO COMPLETE REQUIRED TRAINING.

I WILL ANNOUNCE THOSE BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE SCHEDULED TIMELY TRAINING AND THOSE WHO HAVE NOT YET SCHEDULED THE TRAINING.

REIGNING. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, I WILL ANNOUNCE ANY BOARD MEMBERS TRAINING IN EXCESS OF THE CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS. FIRST LOCAL DISTRICT ORIENTATION AS OF APRIL 14TH, 2025.

ALL FORT BEND ISD TRUSTEES HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENTS.

SECOND, INTRODUCTIONS TO TEXAS EDUCATION CODE.

AS OF APRIL 14TH, 2025, ALL FORT BEND ISD TRUSTEES HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENTS EXCEPT ADAM SHOAF THIRD SCHOOL SAFETY.

AS OF APRIL 14TH, 2025, ALL FORT BEND ISD TRUSTEES HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENTS EXCEPT ADAM SHOAF AND DAVID HAMILTON.

FOURTH, EVALUATING AND IMPROVING STUDENT OUTCOMES.

AS OF APRIL 14TH, 2025, ALL FORT BEND ISD TRUSTEES HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENTS EXCEPT DAVID HAMILTON.

FIFTH POST-LEGISLATIVE UPDATE TO THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE.

AS OF APRIL 14TH, 2025, ALL FORT BEND ISD TRUSTEES HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENTS.

SIX. CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION. AS OF APRIL 14TH, 2025, ALL FORT BEND ISD'S HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENTS EXCEPT ADAM SHOAF.

SEVEN. TEAM BUILDING. AS OF APRIL 14TH, 2025, ALL FORT BEND ISD TRUSTEES HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENTS.

EIGHT. CONTINUING EDUCATION. AS OF APRIL 14TH, 2025.

ALL FORT BEND ISD TRUSTEES HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENTS AND LAST AS OF APRIL 14TH, 2020.

FIVE. THE FOLLOWING FORT BEND ISD TRUSTEES HAVE EXCEEDED THE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS.

KRISTIN THOMPSON, ANGIE HANNON, RICK GARCIA, SHIRLEY ROSE GILLIAM, AND SONJA JONES.

THIS CONCLUDES MY REPORT. NEXT, THE PRESIDENT'S UPDATE.

[8.President's Update]

THE THREE TOPICS UPON WHICH WE WERE CHOSEN. SO WE WERE CHOSEN FOR THREE.

THE BOARD PRESIDENT AND SUPERINTENDENT RELATIONSHIP, WHICH DOCTOR SMITH AND I WILL PRESENT.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, WHICH TRUSTEE JONES, DOCTOR SMITH AND MYSELF WILL PRESENT.

AND THEN CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT THROUGH INTERNAL AUDIT, WHICH WILL INCLUDE OUR INTERNAL INTERNAL AUDIT COMMITTEE MEMBERS, WHICH ARE MYSELF MR. GARCIA AND MISS HANNON, ALONG WITH DOCTOR SMITH AND OUR INTERNAL AUDITOR GIBSON

[00:20:07]

[9. Public Comment]

BECAUSE OF THE EXCESSIVE NUMBERS, WE ARE GOING TO LIMIT.

COMMENT TO ONE MINUTE. I'M SORRY TO HAVE TO DO THAT.

MY LIST I WILL READ THE NAME OF THE PERSON REGISTERED TO SPEAK, AND THEN I'LL READ THE NAME OF THE NEXT PERSON WHO WILL FOLLOW THAT PERSON SO THAT YOU GUYS CAN GET READY TO COME ON UP.

AS I SAID, YOU WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE. MR. HAMILTON WILL KEEP TIME, AND HE WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE 30S REMAINING.

YOUR TIME WILL NOT START UNTIL YOU BEGIN TO SPEAK.

FIRST UP IS DANIELLE DANCER, AND FOLLOWING WILL BE GABRIEL WHITFIELD.

OKAY. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS DANNY DANCER. I'M A FORT BEND ISD PARENT, AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN STRONG OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED PARENTAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES POLICY.

I HAD THREE MINUTES WORTH OF REMARKS PREPARED, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO FOCUS IN ON THIS IDEA THAT IT'S SOMEHOW ABOUT PARENTAL RIGHTS.

LET ME BE CLEAR. THIS DOES NOT RESPECT PARENTAL RIGHTS.

IT PROHIBITS THE REQUIRED USE OF PERSONAL NAMES AND PRONOUNS, EVEN WITH A PARENT'S FULL AND WRITTEN SUPPORT.

IF I, AS A PARENT, TELL YOU WHO MY CHILD IS AND YOU REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM, YOU'RE NOT RESPECTING MY RIGHTS, YOU'RE UNDERMINING THEM. AND ALSO, WHAT THIS POLICY WILL DO IS IT WILL ABSOLUTELY LIMIT COMPASSION, TURN EDUCATORS INTO ENFORCERS, SILENCE CRITICAL CONVERSATIONS, AND ENDANGER TRANS AND NON-BINARY STUDENTS NON-GENDER-CONFORMING STUDENTS.

THIS POLICY IS NOT ABOUT EDUCATION, SAFETY OR EVEN PARENTAL RIGHTS.

IT IS ABOUT IMPOSING A SINGULAR WORLDVIEW ON EVERY STUDENT, EVERY FAMILY, EVERY TEACHER, REGARDLESS OF INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.

AND BEFORE YOU VOTE, I WANT TO.

NEXT UP IS GABRIELLE WHITFIELD, AND THEN NEXT WILL BE CHERYL BUFORD.

30S. HELLO. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS GABRIELLE WHITFIELD, AND I'M SPEAKING ON NAMING OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL NUMBER 16, FORT BEND COUNTY. AND I PREPARED SOMETHING LONGER, SO I'M GOING TO TRY TO CUT THIS SHORT.

BUT WHAT I WANTED TO SPEAK ON. IS NOEL PINNOCK BEING NAMED FOR THE SCHOOL? HE WAS A TRUE PILLAR IN THE COMMUNITY, THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY.

HE WAS AN ADVOCATE FOR EDUCATION. HE DEDICATED HIS CAREER IN EDUCATING AND MENTORING YOUTH IN MISSOURI CITY AND SURROUNDING AREAS.

30S. HE WAS A SERVANT LEADER WHO LIVED HIS PURPOSE EVERY SINGLE DAY.

NO TASK WAS TOO BIG FOR HIM WHEN IT CAME TO HIS COMMUNITY.

THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM, HIS STATE, HIS CITY, AND I CAN'T THINK OF A SINGLE PERSON THAT WOULD BE MORE DESERVING OF THIS WHO ACTUALLY LIVED IN THIS COMMUNITY, WAS MENTOR TO A LOT OF OUR CHILDREN, INCLUDING MINE AND MANY OTHERS IN FORT BEND.

AND I THINK THAT THIS WOULD BE AN HONOR TO DEDICATE THIS MIDDLE SCHOOL TO HIS COMMITMENT AND SELFLESS CONTRIBUTIONS.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS CHERYL BUFORD, AND FOLLOWING WILL BE SERENA ARZU.

GOOD EVENING. I AM SPEAKING TONIGHT IN SUPPORT OF THE PARENTAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITY POLICY.

THIS POLICY OFFERS A COMPASSIONATE AND COMMON SENSE APPROACH THAT WILL MAINTAIN A WELCOMING SCHOOL CLIMATE WITH GUARDRAILS TO PROMOTE SAFETY, OPPORTUNITY, AND WELL-BEING FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.

AS THE NAME IMPLIES, IT ENSURES THAT PARENTS RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED AND THAT THEY ARE FULLY AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THEIR SCHOOLS.

30S. WE MUST LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF OTHER DISTRICTS.

LOUDOUN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN VIRGINIA ALLOWS STUDENTS TO USE RESTROOMS CORRESPONDING WITH THEIR GENDER IDENTITY, AND A 15 YEAR OLD TRANS GIRL SEXUALLY ASSAULTED TWO BIOLOGICAL GIRLS.

[00:25:01]

WHILE NOT THE NORM. THANK YOU. NEXT IS SERENA ARZU.

AND THEN WILL BE JOSH JENKINS. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. MY NAME IS SERENA ARZU. SHE THEY PRONOUNS.

AND I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF EQUALITY TEXAS, THE STATE'S LARGEST LGBTQ PLUS ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION.

I AM SPEAKING TO YOU ALL AND EXPRESSING MY DEEP CONCERN ABOUT THE PROPOSED PARENTAL RIGHTS POLICY.

IF PASSED, THIS POLICY WILL HARM LGBTQ PLUS STUDENTS BY ALLOWING STAFF TO MISGENDER STUDENTS AND IGNORE THEIR IDENTITIES.

SCHOOLS SHOULD BE A SAFE SPACE FOR EVERY STUDENT, ESPECIALLY IN A DIVERSE DISTRICT LIKE FORT BEND ISD.

INSTEAD OF 30S, INSTEAD OF ALIENATING TRANS YOUTH, WE SHOULD BE SUPPORTING THEM.

THESE STUDENTS JUST WANT TO EXIST PEACEFULLY AND LEARN WITHOUT FEAR OF BEING SINGLED OUT.

THIS POLICY ALSO OPENS THE DOOR TO FORCIBLY OUT STUDENTS TO UNSUPPORTIVE FAMILIES, PUTTING THEM AT RISK OF MENTAL HEALTH CRISES.

UNSAFE HOME ENVIRONMENTS AND EVEN HOMELESSNESS.

RIGHT. TRANS YOUTH ALREADY FACE HIGH RATES OF BULLYING, VIOLENCE AND SUICIDE.

POLICIES LIKE THIS ONLY MAKE THINGS WORSE. I URGE YOU TO VOTE NO AND CHOOSE INCLUSION.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS JOSH JENKINS AND THEN WILL BE DARCY PETT.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JOSHUA JENKINS, AND I'M A HAPPILY MARRIED GAY MAN OF TWO WITH ONE CHILD WHO ATTENDS THE SCHOOL IN THIS DISTRICT.

MY GREATEST SUPPORTER, MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY TWO MONTHS AGO AND SHE ALWAYS TOLD ME, SPEAK YOUR TRUTH.

SO THIS ONE'S FOR YOU, MOM. HERE'S WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE.

MY FAMILY DYNAMIC MAKES PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE, AND I WOULD BE NAIVE TO THINK OTHERWISE.

BUT I'M NOT HERE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD. THE DECISIONS, THIS ONE AND MANY OTHERS WERE MADE LONG BEFORE THESE MEETINGS.

THEY HAD THE VOTES. THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT. I'M NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT BATHROOMS, SPORTS OR SO-CALLED PARENTAL RIGHTS.

SO-CALLED EXPERTS WILL SPEAK ON THAT. I'M HERE FOR THE COMMUNITY, FOR THE FAMILIES, THE MOST IMPORTANT, THE KIDS. AS SOMEONE WHO WROTE TWO SUICIDE LETTERS IN HIGH SCHOOL AFTER BEING RELENTLESSLY BULLIED FOR BEING GAY, I WANT TO SAY THIS WITH MY WHOLE HEART. I AM TERRIBLY SORRY.

THEY CAN PASS THEIR POLICIES, THEIR HATE, BUT THEY CANNOT SILENCE YOU.

YOU MATTER. YOU ARE SEEN, YOU ARE LOVED AND YOU BELONG HERE.

THERE IS SO MUCH LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE OUTSIDE OF THESE WALLS, I PROMISE.

HOLD ON. FIND YOUR SPACE. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO LIFT YOU UP.

THIS MOMENT DOES NOT DEFINE YOU. THESE POLICIES DO NOT DEFINE YOU.

FEAR AND IGNORANCE. THANK YOU.

NEXT IS DARCY PETT, AND THEN WILL BE GLENN HOPKINS.

MY NAME IS DARCY PETT. I'M AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER IN FORT BEND ISD.

A FORMER CAMPUS TEACHER OF THE YEAR FOR 2023 2024.

AND I'M ALSO THE PARENT OF A NON-BINARY STUDENT IN THE DISTRICT.

I LOVE MY JOB. I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT ALL STUDENTS, ALL OF THEM.

AND THAT'S WHY I'M HERE TODAY. AND I HAVE A FEW PRACTICAL QUESTIONS THAT I WANTED TO ASK THAT ARE REAL ISSUES THAT TEACHERS AND PARENTS SUCH AS MYSELF HAVE TO THINK ABOUT AS A MANDATED REPORTER UNDER STATE LAW.

TEACHERS ARE TRAINED TO WATCH FOR SIGNS OF DISTRESS, SELF-HARM OR BULLYING.

IF A STUDENT'S GENDER IDENTITY IS TIED TO THOSE RISKS BUT TEACHERS ARE RESTRICTED FROM DISCUSSING GENDER, HOW CAN THEY FULLY SUPPORT STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH? WHAT GUIDANCE WILL BE PROVIDED FOR COUNSELORS WHO ARE TRAINED TO PROVIDE CONFIDENTIAL SUPPORT.

WHAT TEACHERS RECEIVE TRAINING ON HOW TO IMPLEMENT THIS POLICY, AND HOW TO HANDLE STUDENTS DISCLOSURES AROUND IDENTITY IN WAYS THAT ARE LEGALLY COMPLIANT, BUT STILL TRAUMA INFORMED. IF SOMEONE IS BOTH A TEACHER AND A PARENT OF A TRANS OR NON-BINARY STUDENT, ARE THEY FORBIDDEN? THANK YOU, GLEN HOPKINS AND THEN KARINA ANDERSON. LET ME JUST SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT FAA POLICY LOCAL.

IN SHORT, I DON'T SEE ANY UNSOLVED PROBLEMS THAT THIS POLICY ADDRESSES.

NONE AT ALL. AS FAR AS WHAT'S TAUGHT IN THE SCHOOL AS TEACHERS AND THE CURRICULUM FOR THE DISTRICT.

AS FAR AS BATHROOMS, I THINK STUDENTS KNOW WHICH BATHROOMS TO USE AND WHICH BATHROOMS NOT.

AS FAR AS SPORTS, I THINK YOU NEED FLEXIBILITY TO JUST SAY WHAT PERSON WHO CAN CAN COMPETE IN WHAT SPORT?

[00:30:06]

I DON'T KNOW WHAT 30S BASKETBALL PLAYER, BUT CLEARLY MALE AND FEMALE PEOPLE CAN PLAY SPORTS.

THAT NEEDS TO BE DECIDED ON AN APPROPRIATE CASE BASIS.

TEACHERS ARE HUMAN BEINGS. GOOD TEACHERS FORM BONDS WITH THEIR STUDENTS.

THEY CARE ABOUT THEM, AND THE STUDENTS CARE ABOUT THE TEACHER.

SOMETIMES TEACHERS CREATE A SAFE SPACE WHERE STUDENTS CAN FEEL.

THEY CAN SPEAK ABOUT TOPICS THEY CANNOT SPEAK WITH THEIR PARENTS ABOUT.

WHEN A STUDENT ASKS A QUESTION ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY, THE TEACHER NEEDS TO BE FREE.

THANK YOU, KARINA ANDERSON AND THEN DOCTOR IVAN YOUNG.

DEAR MEMBERS OF THE FORT BEND ISD SCHOOL BOARD, WE, THE 533 MEMBERS OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INCORPORATED, SUBURBAN HOUSTON FORT BEND ALUMNAE CHAPTER ARE WRITING TO URGE YOU NOT TO ADOPT THE BLUEBONNET LEARNING CURRICULUM FOR OUR SCHOOLS.

WHILE EFFORTS TO ENHANCE THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IN TEXAS ARE COMMENDABLE, THIS CURRICULUM RAISES SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS ABOUT ITS IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY.

INCLUSION AND FORT BEND ISD'S MISSION. LACK OF INCLUSION AND INDIVIDUALIZATION.

THE CURRICULUM IS RIGID DESIGN AND UNIFORM LESSON PLANS LIMIT TEACHERS ABILITY TO ADAPT TO INDIVIDUAL STUDENT NEEDS.

32ND DIFFERENTIATION A CORE PRINCIPLE OF EFFECTIVE TEACHING.

THE BLUEBONNET CURRICULUM ALSO RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT TEACHER PREPAREDNESS.

MANY OF US VALUE THE ROLE OF FAITH IN OUR PERSONAL LIVES.

HOWEVER, PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS, PARTICULARLY FROM DIVERSE RELIGIOUS BACKGROUNDS, ARE NEITHER TRAINED OR EQUIPPED TO NAVIGATE SUCH SENSITIVE MATERIALS WHILE ENSURING CONSTITUTIONAL BOUNDARIES ARE UPHELD. EXPECTING TEACHERS TO ADDRESS THIS CONTENT WITHOUT ADEQUATE PREPARATION ONLY ADDS TO THEIR BURDEN, EXACERBATING BURNOUT AND POTENTIALLY LEADING TO MORE ATTRITION.

THE POTENTIAL. THANK YOU. NEXT, DOCTOR IVAN YOUNG.

AND THEN WILL BE DUSTIN RHODES. GOOD EVENING.

I'M DOCTOR YVONNE YOUNG. IT IS WITH GREAT PRIDE AND HEARTFELT CONVICTION THAT I SUBMIT THE NAME OF NOEL PINNOCK FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL, NUMBER 16. HIS TIRELESS COMMITMENT TO JUSTICE AND THIS COMMUNITY HAS CAUSED NOEL TO INCREASE STUDENT GRADUATIONS, TO BRIDGE GAPS IN COMMUNITIES WHERE THE GAPS BETWEEN POLICE, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ACADEMICS TYPICALLY WOULD FAIL. SOME OF THESE STUDENTS THAT WERE MARGINALIZED.

NOEL CARED. HE MADE A DIFFERENCE, AND HE DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO THE 30S THAT THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS, THE WHITE HOUSE, THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND MANY ELECTED OFFICIALS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE CELEBRATED HIS LEGACY.

AND I URGE YOU TO NAME THAT SCHOOL AFTER NOEL PINNOCK.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS DUSTIN RHODES AND THEN ERICA RICHIE.

HELLO. I'M DUSTIN RHODES, A SOPHOMORE AT HIGHTOWER HIGH SCHOOL IN FORT BEND ISD.

AND I'M HERE TO INFORM YOU OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE POLICIES PRESENTED TODAY.

SORRY. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT IF YOU IF THIS BOARD CHOOSES TO ENACT THE HATEFUL, DISCRIMINATORY, AND FACTUALLY INCORRECT GENDER POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED, YOU THREATEN THE LIVES OF MY FRIENDS.

IF THE PRECEDENT IS SET TODAY THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE NOT SAFE FOR GENDER NON-CONFORMING STUDENTS, THEN THERE WILL BE BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS. AND NONE OF YOU GET TO SIT THERE AND BELIEVE THAT I AM BEING HYPERBOLIC OR INSINCERE.

I'M THE FOUNDER OF A SAFE SPACE FOR QUEER STUDENTS IN MY SCHOOL, AND I HAVE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND WHAT HAPPENS THERE.

MY PEERS ARE INVALID SIMPLY BECAUSE OF HOW THEY WERE BORN.

IF YOU DECIDE TODAY TO MANDATE HATRED IN OUR SCHOOLS, THEN YOU STRIP THE STRUGGLING STUDENTS OF THE LITTLE COMFORT THEY MAY FIND IN THE SYSTEM.

YOU DESTROY ANY SAFETY THEY MAY BE CLINGING TO AT HOME.

IF YOU PASS THESE POLICIES, YOU WILL SPILL THE BLOOD OF MY FRIENDS.

DO NOT THINK THAT THERE IS ANYTHING AMBIGUOUS ABOUT THAT.

THAT IS ALL. THANK YOU. NEXT, ERICA RICCI AND THEN LANDON RICHIE.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ERICA RICCI. MY PRONOUNS ARE SHE HER, AND I AM THE PROUD PARENT OF THREE CHILDREN WHO HAVE ATTENDED OR ARE CURRENTLY ATTENDING FBISD SCHOOLS. I'M HERE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE GENDER POLICY YOU ARE CONSIDERING TO ADOPT INTO YOUR BYLAWS.

MY OLDEST SON REALIZED HIS TRUE IDENTITY WHILE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

AFTER HE TOLD ME AND HIS FATHER, HE FELT SAFE ENOUGH TO CONFIDE IN HIS TEACHERS BECAUSE THEY MADE HIM FEEL SAFE IF HE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE SPACES TO THRIVE.

HIS TIME AT FBISD COULD HAVE LOOKED VERY DIFFERENT.

NOT EVERY STUDENT HAS A LOVING HOME WHERE THEY CAN BE THEMSELVES.

SCHOOLS SHOULD BE AND CAN BE THAT PLACE. I WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE NOT UNFAMILIAR WITH THE UNPOPULAR, HOW UNPOPULAR THESE POLICIES ARE WITH THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

[00:35:03]

TIME AND AGAIN, PARENTS, STUDENTS, TEACHERS, ALLIES HAVE COME OUT TO SPEAK OUT FOR THEMSELVES OR THOSE WHO CANNOT.

DO YOU KNOW HOW EXHAUSTING WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR TEN YEARS FOR TRANS RIGHTS TIME.

THANK YOU, LANDON RITCHIE. AND THEN JARED BURTON.

MY NAME IS LANDON RITCHIE. I USE HE HIM PRONOUNS ON THE POLICY COORDINATOR FOR THE TRANSGENDER EDUCATION NETWORK OF TEXAS.

I'M ALSO A PRODUCT OF FBISD, HAVING BEEN A STUDENT AT DULLES FROM FOURTH GRADE UNTIL MY GRADUATION IN 2020.

I WAS SUPPORTED AT SCHOOL. LIFE SAVING SUPPORT THAT THIS POLICY WOULD PROHIBIT.

THIS POLICY WILL ENSURE THAT TRANS AND GENDER EXPANSIVE STUDENTS STIFLE THEMSELVES, AND WILL EXPOSE TRANS YOUTH TO THE RISK OF BEING OUTED TO UNSUPPORTIVE PARENTS. IT WILL EXACERBATE THE RISK OF SUICIDE AND SELF-HARM THAT TRANS AND GENDER EXPANSIVE YOUTH FACE BECAUSE OF DISCRIMINATION, LACK OF SUPPORT AND SOCIAL STIGMA. IT WILL MAKE SURE THAT TRANS AND GENDER EXPANSIVE YOUTH ARE SEGREGATED, OTHERED AND WILL PLACE ADDITIONAL TARGETS ON THE BACKS OF ALREADY VULNERABLE STUDENTS. WHEN STUDENTS SECURE AT SCHOOL, THEY ARE BETTER ABLE TO LEARN AND THEIR EDUCATIONAL NEEDS ARE BETTER MET.

ENSURING THOSE CONDITIONS SHOULD BE THE PRIMARY CONCERN OF EDUCATORS AND ADMINISTRATORS, NOT, AS WE ARE SEEING BY THE PROPOSAL OF THESE POLICIES USING VULNERABLE STUDENTS AS POLITICAL PAWNS. QUEER, TRANS AND GENDER EXPANSIVE YOUTH ARE NOT ASKING FOR SOMETHING OUTRAGEOUS.

WE'RE SIMPLY ASKING NOT TO BE BULLIED OR HARMED BY THE ADULTS, OR THE SCHOOL BOARDS AND THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIONS WITH THE POWER TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR LIVES. TRANS AND QUEER YOUTH BELONG IN SCHOOL.

THEY BELONG IN TEXAS, AND THEY DESERVE DESERVES.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS JARED BURTON AND THEN SCOTT PETT.

HELLO, BOARD. MY NAME IS JARED BURTON, AND I'M A STUDENT FROM KATY ISD WHICH PIONEERED THE GENDER FLUIDITY POLICY.

I'VE. I'VE LIVED UNDER THIS POLICY FOR HALF OF MY HIGH SCHOOL CAREER, AND I WILL TELL YOU SHORTLY, I KNOW MANY CLOSETED STUDENTS AND THEY DON'T HIDE BEING QUEER FROM THEIR FAMILIES FOR FUN. IF THEIR PARENTS EVER FOUND OUT THEY COULD FACE ABUSE, OR BE KICKED OUT OF HOME, OR WORSE, SOMETIMES THEY SIMPLY FEAR THAT IT COULD CHANGE THEIR PARENTS LOVE FOR THEM.

AND BELIEVE ME, THESE FEARS ARE NEVER UNFOUNDED.

I'M PRESIDENT OF MY SCHOOL'S GAY STRAIGHT ALLIANCE, AND FOR THE LAST WEEK STRAIGHT, ONE STUDENT WAS SPECIFICALLY TARGETING AND TEARING DOWN OUR CLUB POSTERS EVERY SINGLE DAY DURING THIS, ALL I COULD THINK ABOUT WAS THIS STUDENT'S HOME LIFE.

I RAISE YOU THIS QUESTION. THE PARENTS WHO RAISED THEIR KIDS TO THINK IT'S OKAY TO TARGET QUEER KIDS AT SCHOOL.

WHERE DO YOU THINK THEY STAND ON THIS ISSUE? IS THAT WHO YOU WANT BEHIND THIS POLICY? AND THESE ARE JUST POSTERS. IMAGINE HOW THIS CHILD FEELS ABOUT ACTUAL QUEER PEOPLE.

WHEN THE POLICY WAS PASSED IN OUR DISTRICT, QUEER STUDENTS WERE HARASSED AND CALLED SLURS AT ONE SCHOOL. THEY'RE GAY. STRAIGHT ALLIANCE COULD HARDLY FIND A TEACHER SPONSOR BECAUSE THEIR PREVIOUS ONES ARE HARASSED BY STUDENTS AND PARENTS UNTIL THEY GAVE UP THE CLUB OR LEFT THE SCHOOL.

IT HURTS STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. YOUR STUDENTS DESERVE BETTER.

DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE WE DID. DO BETTER.

DO NOT PASS THIS POLICY. THANK YOU. NEXT IS SCOTT PET AND THEN CAROLYN HOPKINS. GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS DOCTOR SCOTT PET. OTHER PEOPLE ARE BEING MORE ELOQUENT THAN ME, SO I'LL JUST SAY I ONLY MENTIONED THAT I'M A DOCTOR, AN ENGLISH PHD, BECAUSE I TEACH WRITING AT RICE, AND THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT PRONOUNS.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY. I'M HAPPY TO EXPLAIN THEM AND USE MY FANCY DEGREE TO DO THAT.

MY SPOUSE TEACHES FIRST GRADE. SHE COULD ALSO EXPLAIN THEM TO YOU, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED.

I'M THE DAD OF A NON-BINARY STUDENT HERE IN THE DISTRICT.

BUT I'M ALSO JUST WORRIED ABOUT ALL THE KIDS.

30S. ONE DAY, ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO ENTER A WORLD FULL OF PEOPLE WHO THINK AND LIVE DIFFERENTLY FROM THEM.

AND ARE WE PREPARING THEM TO THRIVE IN THAT WORLD OR TO FEAR IT? THIS IS A SOLUTION IN SEARCH OF A PROBLEM. OUR SCHOOLS ARE NOT IN CRISIS BECAUSE A FEW KIDS GO BY A DIFFERENT NAME, BUT THEY COULD BE IF WE DRIVE OUT THE EDUCATORS WHO MAKE THOSE KIDS FEEL LIKE THEY MATTER, PLEASE VOTE NO. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, CAROLYN HOPKINS AND THEN SARAH ROBERTS.

GOOD EVENING. IN REVIEWING THE POLICY OF THIS DOCUMENT.

I FELT LIKE IT WAS AN ATTACK ON A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS IN THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND LIMITS THE INTERACTION BETWEEN TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.

THERE IS A PROVISION IN THE POLICY FOR PRIVATE BATHROOMS, SO THAT SOLVES THE PERCEIVED PROBLEM OF TRANSGENDER STUDENTS USING THE WRONG BATHROOM.

[00:40:03]

THEY WANT TO WATCH THEIR STUDENTS LEARN AND GROW, AND THEY WANT TO GO BEYOND THE FACTS TO UNDERSTAND 30S.

APPRECIATE THE DIVERSITY OF THE WORLD AROUND THEM.

STUDENTS. SOME STUDENTS SOMETIMES FEEL SAFE ENOUGH WITH A TEACHER TO CONFIDE IN THEM ABOUT SOMETHING THEY ARE PERSONALLY STRUGGLING WITH.

IT COULD BE VARIOUS ISSUES. I BELIEVE THAT IF THE STUDENT FEELS SAFE ENOUGH TO SHARE, THEN WE SHOULD ALLOW THE TEACHER TO USE HER DISCRETION IN HELPING THE STUDENT.

SHE OR HE IS NOT INDOCTRINATING THE STUDENT. SHE IS LISTENING.

HE OR SHE WILL BE ABLE TO BE DISCREET. THE TEACHER CAN SEEK GUIDANCE FROM THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR OR PRINCIPAL AND THERE TOGETHER THEY CAN EXPLORE WITH THE STUDENT HOW TO HANDLE.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS SARAH ROBERTS AND THEN DOCTOR ELWYN LEE.

HERE FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS. I WANTED TO SAY THAT NO PERSON, ESPECIALLY A CHILD, SHOULD EVER FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T BELONG OR THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXIST. THE HATE, MISINFORMATION AND FEAR MONGERING TACTICS BEING POSTED ON A DAILY BASIS AMONG SOME MEMBERS OF OUR VERY OWN SCHOOL BOARD AND THEIR FRIENDS IS NOT ONLY UNPROFESSIONAL, BUT ABSOLUTELY APPALLING.

30S THE RHETORIC. THESE RULES ARE BEING PROMOTED ON AND BASED ON FALSE INFORMATION AND HURT NOT ONLY OUR YOUTH, BUT THE GENERAL PUBLIC. ANTI-TRANS POLICIES ARE HURTING CHILDREN AND CREATING FURTHER DIVIDE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES.

I WOULD ASK THAT JUST FOR ONE MOMENT. YOU HAVE AN OPEN MIND AND GET TO KNOW SOMEBODY IN THAT COMMUNITY.

TRANS PEOPLE EXISTING DOES NOTHING TO HURT YOU.

TRANS LIVES MATTER JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO PROTECT THESE CHILDREN.

AND I AM A VOLUNTEER FOR A SUICIDE PREVENTION.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS DOCTOR ELWYN LEE AND THEN RANDY DAOUDA.

I RISE IN SUPPORT OF THE NOMINATION OF THE NAME OF NOAH PENNOCK FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL.

16 FBISD TO NO. NO. WAS TO BE IMPRESSED AND TO BE INSPIRED.

STUDENTS GOING TO SCHOOL THAT BEARS HIS NAME WOULD SIMILARLY BE INSPIRED FOR FIVE REASONS.

QUICKLY HE MADE THE MOST OF HIS EDUCATION AND BE INSPIRED TO MAKE THE MOST OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, BECAUSE HE DID. THERE HAVE BEEN INSPIRED TO HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT CHALLENGES IN THEIR LIFE CAN BE OVERCOME.

BECAUSE HE OVERCAME 30S, IT WILL BE INSPIRED TO FIND CAREER GOAL AND PURPOSE IN THEIR LIFE.

BECAUSE HE DID. THEY WILL BE INSPIRED TO GIVE BACK TO HIS COMMUNITIES BECAUSE HE DID.

AND FINALLY, THEY WILL BE INSPIRED TO BE A ROLE MODEL IN THEIR PERSONAL LIFE.

BECAUSE HE WAS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS BRANDY, DAOUDA, AND THEN DOCTOR CHRISTINE GENTRY.

THANK YOU. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS BRANDY DOWD AND I AM A TEACHER IN FORT BEND ISD. EVERYTHING CREATED BY GOD IS GOOD, AND NOTHING IS TO BE REJECTED PROVIDED IT IS RECEIVED WITH THANKSGIVING.

FIRST TIMOTHY FOUR FOUR. I AM HERE TO SUPPORT MY STUDENTS, TO SUPPORT A TEACHER THAT I WORK WITH WHO HAS A TRANS STUDENT.

THIS POLICY IS HARMFUL TO OUR COMMUNITY. I HAVE SEEN COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS SAYING THAT THIS IS NOT A DISCRIMINATORY POLICY, THAT WE ACCEPT ALL AND ARE WELCOMING OF ALL IN FORT BEND ISD, AND I BELIEVE THAT TO BE TRUE.

BUT THIS POLICY IS THE OPPOSITE. THIS POLICY ENDANGERS THE LIVES OF STUDENTS.

I WISH I COULD SAY, AS AN EXPERIENCED EDUCATOR WHO GREW UP WITH LOVING PARENTS, THAT EVERY CHILD HAS A HOME WHERE IF THEY CAME OUT OR THEY WERE OUTED BY SOMEONE ELSE, THE PARENTS WOULD SUPPORT THEM AND LOVE THEM. THAT IS NOT THE CASE.

TOO MANY TIMES I'VE HAD TO MAKE CPS CALLS. I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO BE FORCED TO OUT MY STUDENTS IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY MAY NOT NOT BE SAFE.

THANK YOU. NEXT, DOCTOR CHRISTINE GENTRY AND THEN DEREK DAWSON.

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I'M DOCTOR CHRISTINE GENTRY.

SHE HER PRONOUNS. I'M A PARENT IN THIS DISTRICT AS A CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGIST WHO SPECIALIZES IN SEX,

[00:45:05]

THE GENDER BINARY IS IS NOT BIOLOGICALLY UNIVERSAL.

IT'S A CULTURAL MODEL, NOT A BIOLOGICAL FACT.

MANY INDIVIDUALS, PARTICULARLY, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE INTERSEX OR TRANSGENDER, DO NOT FIT NEATLY INTO IT.

TO PRETEND OTHERWISE IS NOT JUST INACCURATE, IT'S DANGEROUS.

THIS POLICY, THE FA, LOCAL PARENTAL RIGHTS AND 30S GENDER FORCES TEACHERS TO MISGENDER STUDENTS.

BANDS. HONEST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY AND REQUIRES ADDING CHILDREN TO THEIR PARENTS EVEN WHEN IT'S NOT SAFE.

THAT IS NOT PROTECTION. THAT IS STATE SPONSORED TRAUMA.

WHY? TO SOLVE WHAT PROBLEM? PARENTS ARE TELLING ME THEIR TRANS KIDS ARE DOING WELL.

RESPECTED BY PEERS, SUPPORTED BY TEACHERS, HELPED BY COUNSELORS.

WHY ARE WE DOING THIS? TRANS KIDS FACE HIGHER RATES OF DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE.

EVERY MAJOR MEDICAL CENTER. THANK YOU.

NEXT IS DEREK DAWSON, AND THEN OMOWALE ALLEN WILL BE NEXT.

OKAY. OMOWALE ALLEN. AND THEN WILL BE JOHNNY RHODES.

BY TONIGHT. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT TRANS, BUT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT TRANS IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

AND THAT'S TRANSFORMATIONAL. CATALYST CHANGE AGENT.

THAT'S HOW WE KNOW NOAH PENNOCK. WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS LAUNCHING MY BROTHER'S KEEPER, HE NEEDED SOMEBODY TO UNDERSTAND THE MILESTONES FROM 0 TO 6, GETTING KIDS READY TO LEARN BEFORE THEY ENTER SCHOOL, TO DEALING WITH COLLEGE AND CAREER AND DEALING WITH 30S KIDS WHO NEEDED A SECOND CHANCE.

THEY HAD TO SELECT SOMEBODY, AND THEY LOOKED AT THE FIELD OF CANDIDATES WHO HAD TO GET THIS OPERATIONAL IN DOZENS OF SITES, MAYBE TEN SCHOOLS, IN A FLASH. AND THE PERSON THAT THEY CHOSE WAS NOAH PENNOCK. MR.. ALWAYS.

TIME. I HOPE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE THE HIGHEST CONSIDERATION TO A TRANSFORMATIONAL AGENT.

NOAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS JOHNNY RHODES AND THEN COREY STEVENSON.

I'M THE PARENT OF THREE FORT BEND ISD CHILDREN, AND I'M NOT FOOLED BY THE SO-CALLED PARENTS RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES POLICY.

LET'S NOT PRETEND THIS BOARD CARES ABOUT PARENTS RIGHTS.

WE JUST WATCHED YOU COMPLETELY IGNORE THE OVERWHELMING VOICES OF FORT BEND PARENTS LAST MONTH, PARENTS WHO SPOKE UNANIMOUSLY AGAINST RELIGIOUS INDOCTRINATION VIA THE BLUEBONNET CURRICULUM.

BUT THE BOARD VOTED AGAINST FREEDOM OF RELIGION FOR FORT BEND FAMILIES.

NOW YOU'RE PROPOSING A POLICY THAT WILL EFFECTIVELY GREENLIGHT TEACHERS AND STAFF TO MISGENDER DISRESPECT AND EMOTIONALLY ABUSE TRANSGENDER AND GENDER NONCONFORMING STUDENTS, ALL UNDER THE FALSE BANNER OF RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

LET'S CALL IT WHAT IT IS. DISTRICT SANCTIONED BULLYING.

THIS POLICY IS NOT ABOUT RIGHTS. IT'S ABOUT PUNISHING CHILDREN FOR EXISTING.

PLEASE PROTECT OUR MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN FROM BULLYING BY OTHER STUDENTS, BULLYING BY ABUSIVE PARENTS, BULLYING BY FACULTY AND STAFF, AND BULLYING BY THIS BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT. COREY STEVENSON AND THEN SHEL MCCLUE.

GOOD EVENING TRUSTEES. MY NAME IS CORRIE STEVENSON.

I HAVE TWO KIDS IN THIS DISTRICT AND I CHOSE THIS DISTRICT FOR A REASON.

I BOUGHT MY HOUSE HERE. I WANTED MY KIDS TO HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN A CULTURALLY DIVERSE, WONDERFUL NEIGHBORHOOD. AND THAT'S WHY I CHOSE HERE.

THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO SPEAK ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF TRANS KIDS, AND I'M GOING TO LET EXPERTS TALK ABOUT THAT EXPERIENCE.

[00:50:01]

30S. DO WE WANT TO BE KNOWN AS A DISTRICT? WHO IS SO CAUGHT UP IN THE CULTURE WARS THAT OUR STUDENTS DON'T COME OUT PREPARED? IS INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS THAT ARE TALKING ABOUT GENDER FLUIDITY GOING TO BE CANCELED BECAUSE A BIOLOGY TEACHER CAN'T TALK ABOUT ASEXUALITY AND CERTAIN ANIMALS AN L.A. CLASSROOM TEACHER CANNOT TALK ABOUT ROMEO AND JULIET BECAUSE DURING SHAKESPEARE'S TIME, WOMEN WERE NOT ALLOWED ON THE STAGE AND ROMEO WAS PLAYED BY A MALE.

TIME. NEXT IS CHELLE MACLEOD AND THEN SUMITA GHOSH.

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I'M CHELLE MACLEOD. I HAVE EIGHT KIDS HERE.

I'VE BEEN IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT VERY PROUD, MOM, BUT I'M HERE TO STAND IN THE GAP FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BULLIED, INCLUDING ONE OF MY BABIES IN PARTICULAR. MY CHILD HAS BEEN BULLIED FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND I'M GOING TO READ THIS SO THAT I WON'T GET TOO EMOTIONAL.

BUT MY CHILD HAS BEEN BULLIED SEVERELY TO THE POINT TO NOW THAT MY BABY HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH AN EATING DISORDER AND I'M SEVERELY FIGHTING FOR HER LIFE.

30S. SHE'S ON A 504 PLAN. THE SCHOOLS SHOULD KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON WITH HER.

BUT I GET A PHONE CALL FROM THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT ONE DAY AFTER SHE HAD A PANIC ATTACK ON THE SCHOOL BUS, COMPLAINING THAT MY BABY TOOK TOO LONG TO GET ON AND OFF THE BUS BECAUSE THEY HAD OTHER STOPS TO MAKE.

THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. AND I'M SPEAKING UP FOR ALL THE PARENTS WHO ARE QUIET AND SILENT BECAUSE WE WANT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT TO WORK.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE AND I'M GOING TO KEEP.

THANK YOU. NEXT, SUMITA GHOSH AND THEN ANDY MARX, MARK SAMMER.

I GUESS I HAVEN'T NOTED THIS BEFORE, BUT IT'S DOCTOR SUMITA GHOSH.

I HAVE A PHD IN BIOCHEMISTRY FROM RICE AND I, POSTDOC AT UCSF.

NSF. ALSO WAS WORKED FOR I WAS VICE PRESIDENT AT SCOTT AND WHITE HEALTHCARE IN THE OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL.

SO I DO KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BIOLOGY AND THE HARD SCIENCE BEHIND THIS POLICY, AND IT'S USING A TECHNICAL TERM.

IT'S BULLSHIT. IT'S NOT VALID. THE DEFINITIONS THEMSELVES OF BIOLOGICAL SEX ARE COMPLETELY WRONG.

IT HAS ABSOLUTELY ZERO CONSIDERATION FOR BIOLOGICAL BASIS FOR INTERSEX AND ALL THAT.

I CAN THINK OF NOTHING MORE VILE AND SMALL AND PATHETIC THAN TERRORIZING THE SMALLEST, MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO WANT NOTHING FROM YOU EXCEPT THE RIGHT TO EXIST. AND THAT'S IN THE WORDS OF THE PHILOSOPHER PEDRO PASCAL.

I, I'M HERE ON WHY QUESTIONING WHY THE FOCUS IS ON THE GENITALIA OF CHILDREN.

TEACHERS DON'T NEED THE BURDEN OF EXAMINING WHAT WHAT KIDS ARE.

AND I ASK THAT YOU DELAY THE VOTE ON THE FAA.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS ANDY, MARK, AND THEN ANDREW'S HERNANDEZ.

OKAY. MY NAME IS ANDY MARKS. I'M A PARENT OF A MIDDLE SCHOOLER HERE IN FORT BEND ISD.

YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS PARENT RIGHTS ACT POLICY.

YOU SAY IT'S ABOUT PARENTAL RIGHTS, EXCEPT IF THE PARENT APPROVES THE NAME AND THE GENDER CHANGE, THE SCHOOL HAS NO OBLIGATION TO USE IT. TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATION CAN CAN CONTINUOUSLY CALL STUDENTS ANYTHING THEY WANT, REGARDLESS OF THE PARENTS RIGHTS. SO THAT'S NOT A PARENT'S RIGHTS ACT AT ALL.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT BATHROOMS BECAUSE NOBODY'S REALLY TALKED ABOUT IT AND ABOUT TRANS PEOPLE BECAUSE I HAVE A VERY CLOSE FAMILY MEMBER WHO'S TRANS WHO, LIKE, PRETTY MUCH CAN'T VISIT ME IN TEXAS ANYMORE BECAUSE THE STATE DOESN'T REALLY BE VERY FRIENDLY TO THEM.

OKAY. TRANS PEOPLE ARE ROUTINELY SUBJECTED TO HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT IN BATHROOMS. 68% OF TRANS PEOPLE ARE VERBALLY HARASSED AND 9% ARE PHYSICALLY HAVE BEEN PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED IN A PUBLIC RESTROOM IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS.

SADLY, 8% OF TRANS PEOPLE HAVE FACED KIDNEY INFECTIONS AND URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS.

TRANS PEOPLE ARE NORMAL PEOPLE. THEY HAVE NORMAL JOBS.

THEY PAY TAXES. THEY HAVE FAMILIES. THEY ARE NORMAL PEOPLE.

THEY HAVE SPOUSES. NEXT, ANDREWS HERNANDEZ AND THEN TEGAN MORGAN.

GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ANDRES HERNANDEZ, AND I'M A CURRENT JUNIOR AT TRAVIS HIGH SCHOOL.

[00:55:02]

THIS POLICY WILL MAKE OUR SCHOOLS, SCHOOLS THAT I ATTEND, AS WELL AS MY PEERS, INCREDIBLY UNSAFE.

IF THIS POLICY WERE TO BE PASSED, NOT ONLY WILL THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS IN OUR YOUTH RISE, BUT THE HOMELESSNESS AND SUICIDE RATES AS WELL.

TO BE FRANK, I'M INCREDIBLY SCARED NOT ONLY FOR MY PEERS BUT FOR MYSELF AS I AM A GAY MAN MYSELF.

MY MOM WAITING IN THE CAR FOR ME HAS NO IDEA.

30S OF THIS MEETING I'M ATTENDING. IF THIS POLICY WERE TO BE PASSED, I WOULD BE KICKED OUT OF MY HOUSE AND I'M SORRY I'D BE KICKED OUT OF MY HOUSE AND BE HOMELESS MYSELF.

SO I BEG YOU, PLEASE. HAVE COMPASSION IN YOUR HEARTS WHEN YOU ARE VOTING ON THIS POLICY.

THANK YOU.

NEXT IS TEGAN MORGAN AND THEN BERTA NEEDHAM. GOOD MORNING.

I AM A SOPHOMORE AT TRAVIS HIGH SCHOOL. MY NAME IS TEGAN MORGAN.

AND FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR GIVING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SPEAK ON THESE ISSUES.

I THINK THIS IS A GREAT DEMONSTRATION OF THE FREEDOMS THAT THIS COUNTRY CLAIMS TO STAND FOR.

BUT THIS POLICY WILL ERASE THOSE FREEDOMS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY A MARGINALIZED GROUP IN THIS COMMUNITY.

SCHOOL IS THE PLACE WHERE WE SHOULD BE DISCUSSING THESE ISSUES. TONS OF KIDS ARE LEARNING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE WORLD AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHO THEY ARE, WHO OTHER PEOPLE ARE, AND HOW TO LIVE IN A WORLD WITH PEOPLE OTHER THAN JUST THEIR FAMILY AND 30S.

AND THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT THIS DISTRICT. AND THIS POLICY WILL REMOVE OUR ABILITY TO DISCUSS THESE TOPICS.

IN ADDITION, IT STANDS ON A FALSE PRECEDENT WITH SCIENCE.

OUR DISTRICT VALUES ITS ACADEMICS, AND IN DOING SO, WE'RE PUTTING OUR STUDENTS BEHIND IN THE SCIENCE ASPECT.

AS OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID, THIS HAS NO ACTUAL STANDING.

THERE ARE 136 MILLION INTERSEX PEOPLE WHO ARE UNACCOUNTED FOR IN THIS POLICY IN THE WORLD, AND UNFORTUNATELY, NOT ALL KIDS ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE PARENTS WHO UNCONDITIONALLY LOVE.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS BERTHA NEEDHAM AND THEN ERIC DIEKMANN.

HI, MY NAME IS BERTHA NEEDHAM. I'M A PARENT OF TWO MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND AN ELEMENTARY STUDENT.

I'M ALSO A NURSE, A WIFE, AND A FORMER FOSTER PARENT.

I'VE SPENT MY ADULT LIFE AND CAREER SERVING THE UNDERSERVED, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I AM TOTALLY AGAINST THE PROPOSED PARENTAL RIGHTS POLICY. STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT SEEN OR HEARD AS THEIR WHOLE AUTHENTIC PERSON WILL GROW UP TO ADULTS WHO DO NOT FEEL SEEN OR HEARD OR RESPECTED. THIS POLICY IS TEACHING OUR KIDS THAT THEY DON'T NEED TO RESPECT OR BE KIND TO ANYONE IF THEY DON'T AGREE HOW THEY'RE LIVING THEIR LIVES.

WE ALL DESERVE AND NEED TO BE SEEN AS OURSELVES AND TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT REGARDLESS.

TEACHERS ARE THERE BECAUSE THEY LOVE TEACHING AND THEY LOVE THEIR STUDENTS.

THIS DISTRICT CLAIMS TO HAVE THE BEST INTERESTS OF STUDENTS IN MIND.

I'M JUST GOING TO SKIP TO THE END. AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS PARENTS TO KEEP THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN WITH OUR KIDS.

THIS ISN'T AN OPTION, THEN. IT'S OFTEN THE TEACHERS WHO FILL IN THE GAPS.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS ERIC DIECKMANN AND THEN KON HO.

NO NEED FOR A 32ND WARNING. THANK YOU. ALL STUDENTS RELY ON THE LEADERSHIP AT THEIR SCHOOL FOR SUPPORT AS THEY ENDURE THE HARROWING EXPERIENCES OF ADOLESCENCE.

TRANS AND NON-BINARY STUDENTS RELY ON THESE PEOPLE AS WELL, BUT THE POLICIES FORT BEND ISD IS LOOKING TO SET IN PLACE WILL NOT PROVIDE THIS SOLACE.

THESE POLICIES WILL ONLY SERVE TO ALIENATE THESE STUDENTS EVEN FURTHER.

THESE POLICIES WILL SERVE TO BULLY THEM AND MAKE THEIR LIVES EVEN MORE UNBEARABLE.

TRANS AND NON-BINARY STUDENTS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO HAVE THEIR OFFICIALLY DOCUMENTED GENDER REFLECTED THE GENDER WITH WHICH THEY IDENTIFY.

IT IS CRUCIAL. THESE STUDENTS SHOULD NOT BE FORCIBLY OUTED TO THEIR FAMILIES.

COMING OUT MUST BE THEIR DECISION ONLY. TRANS RIGHTS ARE NOT SPECIAL TREATMENT.

TRANS RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

NEXT IS CON HO, AND THEN JOANNE GONZALEZ.

HELLO. MY NAME IS CON HO. I AM A COMMUNITY MEMBER AND A FORMER EDUCATOR, AND A FORMER SPONSOR FOR AN LGBT ORGANIZATION IN AUSTIN ISD.

[01:00:03]

AND IF WE ALLOW POLICIES LIKE THIS TO EXIST AND PASS IN OUR EDUCATION IN IT ALLOWS A SLIPPERY SLOPE. 30S ALLOWS A SLIPPERY SLOPE FOR FUTURE MINORITIES TO BE TARGETED BASED ON IDEOLOGY THAT IS NOT BASED IN FACT OR STATISTIC.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IN THE FUTURE IS AND HOW IT'S PASSED IN KATY ISD AND CY-FAIR ISD IS PREEMPTIVE MEASURES TO MATCH POLICIES THAT GOVERNOR ABBOTT IS PROPOSING AND EXPECTED TO PASS.

AND IT IS JUST TO PREVENT PUBLIC FUNDING TIME TO BE DIMINISHED.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS JOANNE GONZALEZ AND THEN JEN SHURMUR.

THANK YOU. HI I'M DOCTOR JOANNE GONZALEZ. I DON'T KNOW HOW WE GOT HERE WITH THIS POLICY. SO MANY ISSUES WITH IT. PARENTS WE NEED TO TALK TO OUR KIDS.

THIS POLICY IS UNFAIR TO ALL STUDENTS. AND IT DOES NOT ADDRESS A STUDENT THAT IS INTERSEX.

IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE OR ETHICAL TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT IF SOMEONE IS OR 30S.

SOME TRAITS MAY BE SUBTLE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO RESPECT THAT STUDENT'S PRIVACY AS IT IS DEEPLY PERSONAL.

YOU SHOULDN'T MAKE ANY ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT A STUDENT'S BIOLOGY OR IDENTITY BECAUSE SOME AREN'T AREN'T UNCOMFORTABLE UNCOMFORTABLE SHARING THAT.

WE ARE NOT IN THEIR SHOES, AND I CAN'T IMAGINE BEING IN THEIR SHOES AND FEELING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE THIS POLICY IS SINGLING THEM OUT.

SOMEONE AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU. NEXT IS JEN SCHIRMER AND THEN MICHELLE BOWIE.

HI. MY NAME IS JEN SCHIRMER. SHE HER PRONOUNS.

AS A TEXAN AND A PARENT OF TWO GIRLS, THE POLICY ON STUDENT WELFARE, PARENTAL AUTHORITY, AND GENDER FLUIDITY MATTERS IS A HARMFUL POLICY FOR ALL OF YOUR STUDENTS. THE PROPOSED POLICY IS HARMFUL TO EVERY CHILD, BUT ALSO COMPLETELY ERASES THE FACT THAT SOME OF YOUR STUDENTS MAY BE INTERSEX OR GENDER EXPANSIVE. JUST BY USING A CHILD'S CHOSEN PRONOUNS AND LETTING THEM EXPLORE THE GENDER SPECTRUM.

YOU COULD SAVE 30S FROM DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE IDEATION, ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATION.

JUST A QUICK SEARCH SHOWS DOZENS OF RESEARCH PAPERS THAT EXPLAIN THAT GENDER FLUIDITY IS REAL AND NOT NEW.

I ASKED MY GIRLS, ONE IN ELEMENTARY AND ONE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, HOW THEY FELT ABOUT HAVING A TRANSGENDER PERSON IN THE BATHROOM OR LOCKER ROOM WITH THEM, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IF A PERSON FEELS THEY ARE A GIRL, THEY SHOULD USE THAT ROOM BECAUSE THAT'S WHO THEY ARE.

THEY WOULD FEEL AWKWARD. THANK YOU. NEXT IS MICHELLE MICHELE BUIE AND THEN PASTOR CARLOS JONES.

HELLO. DON'T START CLOCKING ME YET, PLEASE.

I AM HERE TO TALK ABOUT A GREAT MAN WHO WAS A PUBLIC SERVANT TO THIS COMMUNITY.

WHOM CAST HIS NET TO MANY. I MET MR. NOEL PENICK THROUGH OUR BOYS PLAYING BASKETBALL IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

HOW BEFITTING FOR THE OCCASION. FROM THE BEGINNING, I WAS AMAZED AT HOW HE INTERACTED WITH THE CHILDREN AND THE PARENTS.

APPEARANCE. HE WAS A MAN OF SCRUPLES AND STRONG IN HIS FAITH.

[01:05:02]

I'M OLD. I NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME. I CAN'T READ PROPERLY.

OKAY. WORK WITH ME, PLEASE. OKAY. THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND IN PERSON, HE OFTEN WATERED OTHERS, EVEN IF EVEN IN HIS OWN DROUGHT. HE WAS A DEVOTED HUSBAND AND LOVING FATHER.

ALTHOUGH HE WAS BUSY AND LEADING THE COMMUNITY, HE ALWAYS MADE TIME.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU MA'AM. NEXT UP IS PASTOR CARLOS JONES. YOU YOU CAN GIVE. YOU CAN GIVE YOUR PAPER TO THE SERGEANT NEXT TO YOU AND HE'LL BRING IT TO US. AND THEN WILL BE ELWYN LEE.

HE ALREADY SPOKE. HE'S ALREADY SPOKEN. OH. THEN WILL BE MONICA RILEY.

I'LL BE HERE.

THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. I AM PASTOR CARLOS JONES, THE PRESIDENT OF THE FORT BEND PASTORS ASSOCIATION. AND WE ARE FOR THE PARENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

SINCE WHEN DID OUR SCHOOLS TURN INTO A BATTLEGROUND AND BREEDING GROUND FOR ISSUES OF SEXISM.

WHY ARE OUR CHILDREN BEING THE TARGET OF AN OVERSEXUALIZED AGENDA? WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT A TWO MINUTE EXPERIENCE TO THE RESTROOM WOULD THEN MAKE ITS WAY TO THE FORT BEND ISD BOARD ROOM AS A SYMBOLIZING MOMENT OF IDENTITY? TODAY WE EMBARK UPON A CRUCIAL MOMENT IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM.

WHERE THE VOICES OF PARENTS, THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN, AND THE PRINCIPLES OF OUR COMMUNITY MUST UNITE.

WE GATHER NOT AS INDIVIDUALS, BUT AS A COLLECTIVE FORCE COMMITTED TO THE WELFARE OF OUR YOUTH.

WE MUST BE CLEAR THE FOUNDATION OF OUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS RESTS ON THE BEDROCK OF BIOLOGY BIOLOGICAL TRUTH.

THIS POLICY IS ABOUT SAFEGUARDING OUR CHILDREN, ENSURING THAT ALL STUDENTS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND, HAVE ACCESS TO SPACE THAT RESPECT THEIR DIGNITY AND PRIVACY, AFFIRM IDENTITY AND PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.

MOREOVER, WE MUST ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF GENDER FLUIDITY IN OUR CLASSROOMS. I. THANK YOU. NEXT IS MONICA RILEY, AND THEN WILL BE AARON RITCHIE. GOOD EVENING, BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

DOCTOR SMITH. MADAM PRESIDENT, I HAVE TWO AGENDA ITEMS THAT I'LL BE ADDRESSING WITH MY ONE MINUTE TIME.

MY NAME IS MONICA RILEY, AND I AM. AND I AM HERE TO REQUEST THE MIDDLE SCHOOL 16 BE NAMED NOEL PINNOCK.

AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, I AM NOT A NOSTALGIC PERSON, BUT I'M A PURPOSE DRIVEN PERSON.

FOR 27 YEARS I'VE ADVOCATED IN FORT BEND ISD, AS ALWAYS, BEEN TIED TO PURPOSE.

MY REQUEST TO HAVE MR MS MIDDLE SCHOOL 16 NAMED NOEL PINNOCK, IS BECAUSE OF HIS PURPOSE, HIS STRONG COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC EDUCATION, YOUTH MENTORSHIP, TRAINING OF CHILDREN, AND EVEN SOME ADULTS IN THE WAY THEY SHOULD GO FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE FUTURE.

PLEASE ACCEPT THIS NOMINATION AND NAME MIDDLE SCHOOL 16 FOR NOEL PINNOCK.

MY SECOND ITEM IS TO EXPRESS MY FULL SUPPORT FOR THE PARENTS RIGHTS POLICY, AS WRITTEN AS RECOMMENDED BY THE STAFF FOR ISD HAS ALWAYS BEEN ACCOMMODATING AND INCLUSIVE TO ALL STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF THEIR SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL, EDUCATIONAL, MENTAL OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

AS THE BOARD MEMBERS DECIDE TO DO, IF THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE DECIDED TO DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND UNDERSTAND THAT THE PARENTS HAVE RIGHTS TO AND VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS.

THANK YOU. NEXT IS AARON RITCHIE AND THEN RYAN FREUND.

GOOD EVENING, BOARD MEMBERS. MY NAME IS AARON.

I'M A FATHER OF THREE. ALL THREE OF MY KIDS HAVE ATTENDED OR GRADUATED FROM FBISD CAMPUS.

ONE OF MY KIDS TRANSITIONED IN MIDDLE SCHOOL TEN YEARS AGO THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION, STUDENTS, TEACHERS. THIS WAS A VERY SMOOTH TRANSITION.

AND BECAUSE OF THE SUPPORT THAT MY KID RECEIVED AT THE CAMPUSES THEY ATTENDED.

THEY WERE ABLE TO GO FROM DREADING GOING TO SCHOOL TO LOOKING FORWARD TO SCHOOL AND PARTICIPATING IN SCHOOL.

30S. THE SUPPORTIVE POLICIES WERE INSTRUMENTAL FOR MY KID TO HAVE WHAT ALL KIDS SHOULD HAVE GOING TO SCHOOL FEELING SAFE AND RESPECTED SO THAT THEY CAN

[01:10:01]

THIS BULLYING HAS NOW MADE IT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

I'M ASKING A FEW OF YOU TO STAND UP AND SAY NO TO BULLYING AND VOTE NO AGAINST THIS POLICY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. NEXT IS RYAN FREUND AND THEN TANYA.

HELLO, I'M RYAN. WHEN I WAS A KID, I DIDN'T HAVE THE WORDS FOR HOW I FELT, BUT I KNEW WHO I WAS.

I QUICKLY LEARNED THAT I WASN'T THE SAME AS SOME OF MY PEERS, AND A LOT OF THOSE DIFFERENCES WERE LOOKED AT NEGATIVELY.

I HID MY FEELINGS AWAY AS MUCH AS I COULD, BUT BY THE TIME I WAS IN SEVENTH GRADE, I WAS SELF-HARMING TO COPE WITH DEPRESSION.

HALFWAY THROUGH MY JUNIOR YEAR, I WAS AT MY WORST.

MY DEPRESSION AND SELF-HARM WAS BRINGING ME TO A POINT OF NO RETURN.

I HAD NO PLANS TO LIVE TO GRADUATION. I HAD TO LIVE AUTHENTICALLY AND I ASKED THOSE AROUND ME TO CALL ME RYAN.

ONCE SENIOR YEAR STARTED, I WAS SELF-HARM FREE FOR OVER SEVEN MONTHS.

I FINALLY HAD PLANS TO CONTINUE LIVING, GRADUATE AND TRANSITION.

THE BLESSING THAT MADE THAT POSSIBLE WAS THE SIMPLE ACT OF THOSE AROUND ME CALLING ME BY MY CHOSEN NAME.

MY HEART BREAKS KNOWING THAT WITH THIS NEW RULE, THERE WILL BE KIDS WHO WON'T HAVE THAT CHANCE THEMSELVES.

I AM PRIVILEGED TO HAVE PARENTS WHO RECOGNIZE TRANSITIONING SAVED MY LIFE.

ALL CHILDREN DESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIVE AUTHENTICALLY.

I WAS A TRANS KID AND I SURVIVED DUE TO BEING ABLE TO LIVE AUTHENTICALLY.

THESE POLICIES ATTEMPT TO ERASE TRANS PEOPLE.

BUT WE ARE NOT. THANK YOU. NEXT OFF.SHE CHARANIA. AND THEN COURTNEY COVELL. IS SHE NOT HERE? OKAY. COURTNEY COBBLE AND THEN CARA MASSERONI.

HELLO. I'M THE PARENT OF THREE STUDENTS IN FORT BEND ISD.

MY CHILDREN ARE NOT LGBTQ, BUT I AM A STRONG BELIEVER IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH, INCLUDING A PERSON'S RIGHT TO DESCRIBE THEMSELF.

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. ONCE A CELEBRATED AMERICAN VALUE WOULD BE INHIBITED BY THIS POLICY AND I AM APPALLED IT IS BEING CONSIDERED.

IT IS NOT ABOUT BATHROOMS. IT IS NOT ABOUT PARENTS RIGHTS.

THIS POLICY IS NOTHING MORE THAN A FORM OF BULLYING BY ADULTS AGAINST STUDENTS WHO DO NOT SHARE THEIR POLITICAL BELIEFS.

IT IS ABOUT STOMPING DOWN ON INDIVIDUALS RIGHTS, TARGETING THOSE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE, IN THIS CASE, CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU CAN.

IT IS NOT A TEACHER'S RIGHT OR BUSINESS TO OUT A STUDENT.

A TEACHER'S JOB IS EDUCATION, AND THE SCHOOL'S JOB IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE PLACE FOR THAT EDUCATION TO TAKE PLACE.

IF A STUDENT HASN'T TOLD THEIR PARENT THEY WANT TO BE CALLED A DIFFERENT PRONOUN OR NAME, BUT THEY FEEL LOVED ENOUGH BY A TEACHER TO ENTRUST THEM WITH THAT.

MAYBE THERE'S A REASON THEY HAVEN'T TOLD THEIR PARENTS, AND OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE AWARE OF THIS POLICY. ARE THEY GOING TO ENTRUST A BELOVED TEACHER WITH THIS PRIVATE INFORMATION, ONLY TO HAVE THAT TEACHER TURN AROUND AND HAVE TO TATTLE ON THEM? THANK YOU. NEXT IS KARA AND THEN NEXT UP WILL BE NINA AHUJA.

WE ARE OPPOSED TO THE ADOPTION OF THIS NEW GENDER POLICY.

SO-CALLED PARENTAL RIGHTS POLICY. THESE RULES PROMOTE HATRED AND BIGOTRY.

ALL CHILDREN HAVE THE RIGHT TO THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN AND TO PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL LIFE, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR GENDER, GENDER IDENTITY OR EXPRESSION, THEIR RACE OR NATIONALITY.

HUNDREDS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE POLICIES THAT BAN DISCRIMINATION BASED ON GENDER IDENTITY OR EXPRESSION OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

I'VE BEEN PROUD TO SEND OUR KIDS TO FORT BEND ISD SCHOOLS.

WE CHOSE TO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

IT'S EMBARRASSING TO ME THAT WE'RE SLIDING BACKWARDS INTO THE DARK AGES INSTEAD OF MOVING FORWARD TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE.

PLEASE DO NOT ADOPT THIS POLICY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

NEXT IS NINA AHUJA AND THEN WILL BE ANNETTE MORGAN.

I'M NEENA AHUJA AND I'M A HIGH SCHOOLER FROM FORT BEND WITHIN THE PARENTS RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES POLICY.

THE BOARD BELIEVES, QUOTE, A PARENT'S ROLE IN GUIDING THE BELIEFS AND PROTECTING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THEIR CHILDREN IS PARAMOUNT.

IT'S INSANELY IRONIC THAT POLICY ADVOCATES FOR PROTECTING THE HEALTH OF CHILDREN WHEN IT DOES THE EXACT OPPOSITE.

PROPONENTS OF THE POLICY MAY CITE THE SUICIDE RATES AMONG TRANS STUDENTS AS A REASON FOR PARENTS TO GET INVOLVED,

[01:15:04]

IT'S BECAUSE OF THE PERSECUTION AND PREJUDICE THEY FACE WHICH THIS POLICY CHAMPIONS.

NOT TEACHING ABOUT GENDER FLUIDITY OR NOT INTRODUCING STUDENTS TO THE IDEA DOESN'T MAKE IT GO AWAY.

THIS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF TELLING YOUR STUDENTS THEIR IDENTITY ISN'T NORMAL IN 2024.

MPR FOUND THESE ANTI-TRANS LAWS CAUSED SUICIDE RATES TO INCREASE BY OVER 72%.

IT'S HYPOCRITICAL TO PRETEND TO CARE ABOUT STUDENTS MENTAL HEALTH WHEN THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEPRESSION IS THEIR IDENTITY BEING LIMITED TO THE SPACES OF CONSENT? WHERE DOES THE DISTRICT'S CONCERN FOR STUDENT HEALTH GO.

WHEN PARENTS AND EDUCATORS BEGIN TO DENY THEIR CHILDREN THEIR IDENTITY.

THIS IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. THANK YOU.

NEXT IS ANNETTE MORGAN, AND THEN FINALLY WILL BE JENNIFER MCCLURKIN.

HI. FORT BEND ISD HAS A CORE BELIEF WE BELIEVE IN STUDENT SUCCESS IS BEST ACHIEVED THROUGH AN EFFECTIVE TEACHERS AND INSPIRED LEARNING IN A SUPPORTIVE CLIMATE AND A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.

THAT IS YOUR COMMITMENT AND THIS POLICY DOES NOT FOLLOW THROUGH ON THAT COMMITMENT.

I AM A PARENT OF A STUDENT IN FORT BEND ISD, AND INCIDENTALLY, MY EVERY TIME I REFER TO MY CHILD, I REFER TO THEM AS MY KID. AND EVERY TIME. FORT BEND ISD RETURNS WITH, OH, HE SHOULD DO THAT.

MY CHILD IS BORN FEMALE AND HAS BEEN FORCED INTO MALE BATHROOMS BECAUSE THEIR HAIR WAS SHORT.

SO IF FORT BEND ISD THINKS THAT THEY KNOW THE RIGHT GENDER AND THE RIGHT BATHROOM, THEY DO NOT.

THEY USE THE WRONG PRONOUNS BECAUSE THEY DON'T CARE OR THEY DON'T LISTEN.

SO I AM HERE TO SAY PLEASE, PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS POLICY.

LISTEN TO ALL THE VOICES OF WHO SPOKE MORE ELOQUENTLY THAN I HAVE, AND BRING THEM IN AND FORM A POLICY THAT CREATES A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT ALLOWS TRANSGENDER PEOPLE TO REFLECT WHO THEY ARE, THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO USE THE PRONOUNS.

FINALLY, AS JENNIFER MCCLURKIN.

HI. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I'M A STRAIGHT PARENT WITH STRAIGHT KIDS AND FORT BEND ISD, AND I'M A VOLUNTEER AND I VOLUNTEER FOR ALL KIDS.

THIS POLICY, THIS POLICY'S PHILOSOPHY, STATES, QUOTE, THE BOARD BELIEVES IN A CAMPUS CULTURE THAT EMBRACES CARE, RESPECT, AND SAFETY. THE DENIAL OF SUPPORT OR MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING RELATED TO DIFFERENT GENDER IDENTITIES IS NOT CARING.

THE LACK OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF DIFFERENT GENDER IDENTITIES IS NOT RESPECTFUL.

THE OBVIOUS OUTREACH OF YOUR OWN RELIGIOUS BELIEFS IS NOT SAFE.

WHY IS A STUDENT'S PERSONAL CHOICE THAT CAUSES NO HARM TO ANYONE, ANYONE'S ELSE'S BUSINESS, BUT THEIR OWN? WHERE IS YOUR EMPATHY FOR OTHERS WHO DIFFER FROM YOU? THE MAJORITY OF OUR GLOBAL SOCIETY ALREADY SEES AND ACCEPTS THE FULL SPECTRUM OF GENDER GENDER IDENTITIES.

SO IN CLOSING, I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERY BOARD MEMBER TO VOTE AGAINST APPROVING THE CHANGES IN THIS POLICY TIME.

THANK YOU. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A FIVE MINUTE RECESS, AND THEN WE'LL BE BACK TO START WITH INFORMATION ITEMS. THE TIME IS 721 AND WE STAND IN RECESS. THE TIME IS 7:28 P.M. AND WE ARE BACK IN SESSION. NEXT UP ARE INFORMATION ITEMS.

[10.A. Health Plan, Legislative and Budget Updates]

CAN I ASK EVERYONE TO PLEASE, PLEASE BE SEATED.

THANK YOU, DOCTOR SMITH. YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU.

MADAM PRESIDENT, THIS EVENING YOU WILL BE HEARING FROM THE FOLLOWING.

YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM GALLAGHER, WHO IS OUR BENEFITS CONSULTANT.

WE HAVE TWO TEAM MEMBERS THAT WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR BENEFITS DEPARTMENT AND WITH OUR FINANCE TEAM.

AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE JOINING OUR STAFF IN PRESENTING SOME UPDATES ON BENEFITS ALONG WITH LEGISLATIVE UPDATES.

AND THEN WE WILL ALSO PROVIDE SOME GENERAL BUDGET UPDATES FOR THE BOARD.

[01:20:02]

GOOD EVENING, MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND DOCTOR SMITH.

AS YOU'VE HEARD DOCTOR SMITH SAY, WE WILL. WE'RE DELIGHTED THIS EVENING TO HAVE OUR DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND WELLNESS, MRS. LASHONDA WALTZ. WHO WILL BE GIVING YOU AN OVERVIEW OF OUR HEALTH PLAN.

AND SHE'LL SPECIFICALLY BE FOCUSING ON OUR PLAN STATISTICS.

OUR HEALTH PLAN. COST. AND THEN THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THOSE COSTS.

YOU'LL ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM MR. ECO. HE'S OUR CONSULTANT FROM GALLAGHER. AND HE'LL BE TALKING TO US THIS EVENING ABOUT OUR PLAN CHANGES.

THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE SEEN FROM 2023 UP UNTIL THIS POINT, AND WHY THOSE CHANGES WERE RECOMMENDED AND THEN IMPLEMENTED HERE IN THE DISTRICT.

AFTER THAT HE WILL ALSO SPEND A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT THE FINANCIAL PIECE.

IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO NOTE THAT WHEN HE IS SPEAKING AND WHEN MRS. WALLS IS SPEAKING, THEY ARE SPEAKING FROM THE PLAN YEAR.

OUR PLAN YEAR HERE IN FORT BEND ISD RUNS THROUGH FROM JANUARY 1ST THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST.

MR. GWEN WILL THEN FOLLOW MR. ECO AND SPEAK TO US AS IT RELATES TO OUR FISCAL YEAR AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

AND HOW WE OFFSET THOSE COSTS IN THE DISTRICT INTERNALLY WITH OUR FISCAL YEAR STARTING JULY 1ST THROUGH THROUGH JUNE 30TH.

AFTER THAT, MISS WALLACE WILL COME BACK UP AND SHE'LL DISCUSS WITH US WHAT OUR CURRENT PLAN OFFERINGS LOOK LIKE.

AND ALSO OUR EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS. WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THOSE CONTRIBUTIONS AS IT, AS THEY COMPARE TO OUR NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS.

AND THEN FOLLOWING THAT, WE'LL CLOSE OUT WITH SOME SOLUTIONS AND NEXT STEPS.

WE ALL KNOW WHERE WE SIT CURRENTLY. AND WE WANT TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT OUR PLANS ARE MOVING FORWARD.

FOLLOWING THAT PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION, MR. GWEN WILL CLOSE US OUT WITH PROVIDING SOME LEGISLATIVE UPDATES AND BUDGET UPDATES.

SO AT THIS TIME, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MISS WALLACE.

I DO WANT TO BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO A DOCUMENT THAT WAS PASSED OUT TO YOU.

THERE'S A ONE PAGER THAT HIGHLIGHTS AND GIVES AN OVERVIEW.

YES, MA'AM, OF THE INFORMATION THAT MISS WALLACE WILL BE SHARING WITH YOU.

AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE TWO SLIDES. AND THOSE TWO SLIDES WILL BE REFERENCED BY MR. ECO DURING HIS PART OF THE PRESENTATION. THANK YOU, MISS WALLACE.

SO FORT BEND ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES. YEAH. SPEAKING OF MIKE.

THANK YOU. FORT BEND ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES. EXECUTIVE TEAM.

SUPERINTENDENT. DOCTOR. SMITH. MADAM PRESIDENT AND OTHER BOARD MEETING MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE.

GOOD EVENING. I AM LASHONDA WALLS, THE DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS AND WELLNESS.

AND THIS EVENING, I WILL SPEND TIME WITH YOU PROVIDING AN OVERVIEW OF THE EMPLOYEE BENEFITS PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING ON THE PLAN PERFORMANCE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, AND ALSO LOOKING AT WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE GOING INTO 2026 2027.

SO IF YOU LOOK AT THIS SLIDE, WE WANT TO LOOK AT WHAT THE CURRENT LANDSCAPE IS OF OUR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS PROGRAM.

WE CURRENTLY OFFER THREE MEDICAL PLANS TO OUR EMPLOYEES, THOSE BEING THE SUREST KELSEY CHARTER AND THE CHOICE HSA PLAN, WITH US HAVING OVER 10,000 BENEFIT ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES.

WE HAVE CLOSE TO 7000 THAT ARE ACTUALLY ENROLLED IN OUR EMPLOYEE BENEFITS PROGRAM.

AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO LOOK AT THE GRAPH TO THE RIGHT, BECAUSE WHAT IT DOES IS IT PROVIDES US WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE PLAN COSTS FOR EACH OF THESE PLANS THAT WE OFFER EMPLOYEES LOOKING AT IT FROM A PER EMPLOYEE, PER MONTH STANDPOINT.

WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS THAT THE SUREST PLAN IS COSTING THE DISTRICT $1,153 ON A PER EMPLOYEE BASIS.

THE KELSEY CHARTER PLAN IS COSTING $696 PER EMPLOYEE PER MONTH, AND THE CHOICE HSA PLAN IS COSTING $722 PER EMPLOYEE PER MONTH. AND SO A GOOD WAY TO LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS IS WHAT IS THE DISTRICT CONTRIBUTING TO THE OVERALL PLAN COST.

SO WE KNOW WHAT THE PLAN COST IS FOR THE PLAN.

BUT WHAT IS THE DISTRICT CONTRIBUTION? SO IF YOU LOOK AT THAT $6,840 NUMBER, THAT IS HOW MUCH THE DISTRICT CONTRIBUTES TO OUR HEALTH PLAN ON AN EMPLOYEE BASIS PER PLAN YEAR. IF WE WANT TO LOOK AT IT FROM A MONTHLY BASIS, WE BREAK THAT NUMBER DOWN INTO $570, AND THAT'S THE DISTRICT CONTRIBUTION PER EMPLOYEE PER MONTH.

AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON THAT NUMBER, BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE OVERALL DEFICIT, WHICH WE'LL GET A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO LATER IN THE PRESENTATION, THE DISTRICT CONTRIBUTION AND THE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY PAY IN PREMIUMS, PLAY A FACTOR INTO OUR OVERALL DEFICIT.

[01:25:02]

AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HEALTH PLAN COST DRIVERS, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF VARIABLES THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

THOSE VARIABLES INCLUDE PLAN DESIGN. ARE WE OFFERING THE RIGHT MIX OF PROGRAMS TO OUR EMPLOYEES WHEN LOOKING AT CO-PAYS, DEDUCTIBLES, CO INSURANCES. ANOTHER IS CONSUMER BEHAVIOR.

OUR EMPLOYEES CHOOSING THOSE PROVIDERS THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST QUALITY AND ARE MOST EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF COST INAPPROPRIATE UTILIZATION IS ANOTHER FACTOR THAT PLAYS INTO THIS. OUR EMPLOYEES CHOOSE TO GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM IN THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE THEY COULD BE GOING TO AN URGENT CARE.

AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, THE ADMINISTRATIVE COST IS THE DISTRICT GETTING A RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT BASED ON THE EMPLOYEE PROGRAMS THAT WE ARE PROVIDING, SUCH AS OUR SURGERY PLUS PROGRAM. SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE VARIABLES THAT PLAY A PART WHEN LOOKING AT OUR OVERALL HEALTH PLAN COST.

BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS FROM A 2024 BENEFIT PLAN PERSPECTIVE, THERE ARE THREE FACTORS THAT ARE ATTRIBUTED TO OUR OVERALL PLAN COST, AND THOSE ARE THE MEDICAL INFLATION, PHARMACY CLAIMS AND HIGH COST CLAIMANTS.

WHEN WE LOOK AT MEDICAL INFLATION SPECIFICALLY THAT 14.9%.

A HUGE FACTOR THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THAT IS OUR INPATIENT HOSPITAL STAYS.

WE TYPICALLY AVERAGE ABOUT $29,000 PER HOSPITAL STAY.

BUT IN 2024, THAT NUMBER INCREASED TO $33,000 PER HOSPITAL ADMISSION STAY.

AND SO THAT ACCOUNTED FOR OVER $3.5 MILLION IN OUR OVERALL PLAN COST.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PHARMACY CLAIMS, WE HAD TWO HUGE FACTORS THAT PLAYED A PART.

ONE WAS THE SUREST PLAN PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT.

AND SO THAT PLAN USED TO BE A COINSURANCE TYPE BENEFIT.

BUT WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED IT, WE SWITCHED TO A COPAY BENEFIT.

SO WHAT THAT MEANT WAS THE DISTRICT ITSELF INCURRED ADDITIONAL COSTS BY GOING FROM A COPAY FROM A COINSURANCE TO A COPAY TYPE BENEFIT.

AND SO WE DID SEE INCREASED PLAN COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PLAN.

BUT ONE OF THE LARGEST FACTORS GOES BACK TO THE RECENT FDA APPROVAL OF THE GPL ONES.

AND SO THOSE MEDICATIONS THAT TREAT DIABETES THAT HAVE ALSO BEEN APPROVED FOR WEIGHT LOSS MANAGEMENT CONTRIBUTED OVER $5 MILLION TO OUR OVERALL HEALTH PLAN COST. TWO OF THE HIGHEST COST MEDICATIONS THAT WE HAVE THAT WERE DISPENSED LAST YEAR, IN 2024 IS THE MANJARO AND THE OZEMPIC.

SO THOSE TWO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN MANAGED ON OUR PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT, ACCOUNTED FOR OVER $5 MILLION IN SPEND. AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE HIGH COST CLAIMANTS.

AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HIGH COST CLAIMANTS, I'M REFERRING TO CLAIMS THAT EXCEED $245,000.

AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HIGH COST CLAIMANTS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE GETTING TREATMENT TO TREAT CHRONIC CONDITIONS, THINGS SUCH AS CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, CANCER AND PREMATURE BIRTHS, WHICH ARE THREE OF THE TOP DIAGNOSES THAT WE SEE WITHIN OUR PLAN.

AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE IN TERMS OF HIGH COST CLAIMANTS AND HOW MUCH THEY THE PERCENTAGE THAT THEY PLAY INTO OUR OVERALL PLAN COST, WE USUALLY AVERAGE ABOUT 20%, BUT IN 2024, THAT AVERAGE INCREASE TO ALMOST 30%, WHICH IS A 29.3% YOU SEE THERE.

AND SO AGAIN, WE HAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT WERE INCLUDED IN OUR HEALTH PLAN COSTS IN 2024 BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN HIGH COST CLAIMS, BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN UTILIZATION OF SOME OF THOSE HIGH COST SPECIALTY MEDICATIONS.

AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST, IN TERMS OF OUR MEDICAL INFLATION.

SO THIS SLIDE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF HOW THE PLAN HAS PERFORMED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.

AND SO I'M GOING TO ASK OUR BENEFIT CONSULTANT, DEREK ECO, TO COME UP AND SPEAK TO HOW THE PLAN HAS PROJECTED OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.

AND THEN ONCE HE GOES INTO THAT INFORMATION, HE WILL TURN IT OVER TO MR. GWIN, WHO WILL ALSO SPEND TIME TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE DISTRICT HAS DONE IN RESPONSE TO THE PROJECTIONS.

THANK YOU. LASHONDA BOARD. IT'S IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO BE HERE TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY.

AND I GET TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO YOUR STAFF EVERY SINGLE DAY.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO INTERACT WITH THESE BENEFITS THAT ARE ON IT.

AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE HEALTH OF OUR EMPLOYEES, THAT IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE.

AND WE DO NOT TAKE THAT LIGHTLY. OUR JOBS ARE NOT TAKEN LIGHTLY.

EVERY SINGLE DAY I WORK WITH DISTRICTS ACROSS HOUSTON, AND EVERY SINGLE DAY I HAVE TO WAKE UP AND THINK, HOW ARE WE MANAGING AND WORKING WITH OUR DISTRICTS TO HELP KEEP OUR PLANS ALIVE AND CONTINUE TO KEEP THEM HELD SO THAT OUR EMPLOYEES CAN BE TAKEN CARE OF? SO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A HUGE IMPORTANCE, AND WE PUT IT OFF SOMETIMES AND WE DON'T THINK ABOUT IT.

[01:30:02]

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY, IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH YOUR TEAM TO TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR PLAN IS RUNNING AND HOW CAN WE GET IT TO RUN MORE EFFECTIVELY AS YOUR BENEFIT CONSULTANT? MY JOB IS TO LOOK AT THE DATA, TO UNDERSTAND THE DATA, UNDERSTAND THE TRENDS, AND THEN TO TRY TO MAKE INFERENCES OF THOSE TRENDS TO GET AHEAD OF IT. HOW DO WE STOP THE GROWING INFLATION OF COST? AND THAT COST IS GROWING. CURRENTLY, MEDICAL AND RX COSTS ARE SOARING, ABOVE AVERAGE, INFLATION WELL ABOVE IT.

AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU ALL ARE SEEING THE PRICE OF EGGS GO UP.

JUST IMAGINE THE PRICE OF GOING IN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR, THE PRICE TO GO INTO A FACILITY WHERE THEY HAVE TO PAY NURSES MORE AND MORE NOW.

RIGHT. WE'VE SEEN THE INFLATION OF THOSE COSTS.

WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE COMING AND WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT.

SO OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST THREE YEARS, WE'VE BEEN MAKING SPECIFIC PLAN CHANGES TO HELP US DEAL WITH THAT AND UNDERSTAND THERE ARE A FEW METHODS TO DEAL WITH THE GROWING COSTS OF DEFICIT. ONE. FIRST AND FOREMOST IS TO BE ABLE TO INCREASE YOUR BUDGET.

NOW WITH JUST LIKE YOU ALL, WITH ALL OTHER DISTRICTS.

RIGHT? WE HAVE A HARD TIME INCREASING THAT BUDGET.

WE UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE EXISTING RIGHT NOW.

OUR BUDGETS DON'T JUST GROW RIGHT. OUR HEADCOUNT IS NOT JUST GROWING.

IS OUR AVERAGE ATTENDANCE GROWING RIGHT? THOSE ARE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS.

SO INCREASING OUR BUDGET BECOMES DIFFICULT. THE THE NEXT STEP IN BEING ABLE TO DEAL WITH IS HOW MUCH DOES THE PLAN COST? WHAT DOES THE PLAN PROVIDE AND WHAT DOES THAT DO? WHERE CAN WE SHIFT THE COST. AND SO WE CHANGE PLAN DESIGNS.

THAT INCLUDES CHANGING A DEDUCTIBLE OR A COPAY.

SO WHEN SOMEBODY GOES AT THE POINT OF SALE AND PURCHASES AND GOES TO SEE A DOCTOR, THAT MAY RISE, THAT MAY COST MORE. AND THEN LASTLY IS THE EMPLOYEE PREMIUMS. HOW MUCH DOLLARS COME OUT OF THEIR PAYCHECK EVERY SINGLE TIME TO PAY FOR THIS.

ALL OF THOSE GROW TOGETHER TO HELP US MANAGE OUR BUDGET, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO WORK TOWARDS IN 2023.

WE HAD FIVE PLANS A CHOICE PPO, A NEXUS ACO, AND A CHOICE HRA, AS WELL AS WHAT YOU KNOW TODAY AS THE KELSEY CHARTER AND THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN. THOSE FIVE PLANS, WHEN WE LOOKED AT A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS ON HOW THEY WERE RUNNING, THE THREE WORST PERFORMING PLANS WERE THE CHOICE PPO, THE NEXUS ACO, AND A CHOICE HRA.

THOSE ARE A LOT OF WORDS TO SAY. THEY DIDN'T RUN WELL, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF REASONS FOR IT, WHETHER IT WAS A GROWING COST TO THE NETWORK, OPEN ACCESS TO REALLY EXPENSIVE FACILITIES, OR JUST POTENTIALLY THAT'S WHERE THE SICK PEOPLE WENT.

BUT REGARDLESS, WE OUTLINED THAT THOSE PLANS NEEDED TO BE DEALT WITH.

OKAY. WE MOVED IN WITH A REALLY LARGE DEFICIT IN 2023.

WE SHOWED 8 MILLION IN A MINUTE. WE'RE GOING TO DO A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF OUR DEFICIT YEAR OVER YEAR TO SAY, HEY, THIS IS HOW WE PROJECTED THIS IS WHERE THE DEFICIT ENDED, AND THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE DID TO COMBAT THAT IN 2023, AFTER WE SAW THE LOOMING AND GROWING DEFICIT AND WORKING WITH YOUR TEAM, WE MADE THE DIFFICULT CHOICE OF DISBANDING THREE OF THOSE PLANTS AND INSTEAD INCENTIVIZING THE KELSEY AND THE HIGH DEDUCTIBLE HEALTH PLAN AND THEN ADDING IN THE SUREST PLAN.

SUREST WAS A BRAND NEW PLAN TO THE MARKET. AND LET ME BE VERY CLEAR, THIS IS THE LARGEST AND MOST AGGRESSIVE SWING THAT ANY DISTRICT IN THE AREA HAS DONE WITH THEIR BENEFITS. ALL RIGHT. IT WAS A NEW PROGRAM.

AND IT WAS WHAT, IN OUR ESTIMATION, THE RIGHT MOVE AT THE RIGHT TIME.

NOW, SURE, THIS WAS PROJECTED AT THAT POINT TO HELP US CLEAR THE DEFICIT.

WE WORKED WITH UNITEDHEALTHCARE TO BUILD A DECREMENT, ASSUMING THROUGH THEIR THROUGH THEIR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL, BECAUSE THEY WERE OUT TO MARKET IN 2023 AS WELL FOR THE 2024 PLAN YEAR.

AND THEY PROVIDED INFORMATION TO HELP US UNDERSTAND WHAT COULD THE IMPACT ASSURE US BE? WE PLACE THAT INTO THE PLANS AND WE MOVE TO THE SUREST PLAN AS OF 2024.

OFFSET THAT IN 2024. WE ALSO HAD OUR WORST YEAR PERFORMING AS A DISTRICT EVER.

WE HAD INFLATION OF ABOUT 13%. YOUR OVERALL, YOUR OVERALL COSTS GREW AT 13%.

AVERAGE TREND AT THAT MOMENT WAS ABOUT 7 TO 9% IF YOU'RE FACTORING IN MEDICAL AND PHARMACY.

SO WE ADDED A NEW PLAN AT THE SAME POINT, HAD THE WORST YEAR THAT WE'VE EVER HAD FROM A HEALTH CLAIMS PERSPECTIVE.

LASHONDA JUST SHARED WITH YOU JUST SHARED WITH YOU THE REASONS WHY WE HAD AN INCREASE IN INFLATION OF INPATIENT AND OUTPATIENT CLAIMS. WE HAD AN INCREASED INFLUX OF DIABETIC MEDICATIONS.

MOUNJARO BECAME THE PREFERRED PRESCRIPTION OVER SMALLER AND CHEAPER MEDICINES THAT COULD MANAGE DIABETES, BUT NOT AS EFFECTIVELY. ALL RIGHT. WE SAW AN INCREASE IN HIGH COST CLAIMS. AND SO WE MOVED INTO 2024 PLAN YEAR WITH A THOUGHT THAT CHERISE WAS GOING TO SAVE US.

[01:35:04]

IT DIDN'T DO THAT. SO IN 2025 WE MADE EVEN GREATER PLANNED DESIGN CHANGES.

WE CHANGED THE COACH. WE CHANGED OUR COPAY MODEL ON SUREST PLAN TO A COINSURANCE MODEL FOR A FOR THE PHARMACY PRESCRIPTIONS.

THAT WAS NUMBER ONE TO HELP US BRING DOWN BRING DOWN THE COST OF PHARMACY FOR THE ORGANIZATION.

WE MADE CHANGES TO THE KELSEY CHARTER AND THE CHOICE HRA.

WE HAD TO MAKE SOME REALLY, REALLY SIGNIFICANT DECISIONS.

MEANWHILE, WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH A GROWTH OF TREND.

A TREND THAT WE CAN'T JUST STOP, IT WILL NOT STOP, AND IT WILL KEEP COMING.

NOW, ADDITIONALLY, IN THE HAND PACKETS, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT SLIDES THAT WE DID PROVIDE.

THE REASON THAT WE WANTED TO DO IS GIVE IT CONTEXT BECAUSE LIKE I SAID BEFORE, ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS FOR US TO DO AS A DISTRICT AND FOR ANY DISTRICT TO DO IS TO INCREASE THEIR BUDGET. RIGHT? IT JUST WHERE DOES THE MONEY COME FROM? AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SO MANY OTHER FACTORS THAT GO INTO IT IN YOUR IN YOUR HANDOUTS.

WE SHOWED OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEARS FROM 2020 TO 2024, YOU'LL SEE THAT FBISD BUDGET HAS REMAINED STEADY.

NOW WE HAVE HAD GENERAL FUND PULLS AND OTHER ITEMS TO HELP US DEAL WITH IT, BUT WE'VE NEVER PUT IT ON THE DOCKET.

RIGHT? WE'VE NEVER PUT IT IN TO SAY WE NEED TO INCREASE OUR BUDGET.

AND YOU'RE JUST LIKE SO MANY OF YOUR OTHER PEER DISTRICTS.

IT HAS HAPPENED OVER AND OVER AGAIN. IT IS DIFFICULT TO INCREASE OUR BUDGET, BUT EVERY YEAR WE HAVE A TREND THAT GROWS AND GROWS AND COMPOUNDS YEAR OVER YEAR.

AND WITHOUT A CHANGE TO THE BUDGET, THE ONLY THINGS THAT WE CAN DO ARE INCREASE OUR EMPLOYEE PREMIUMS AND CHANGE OUR PLAN DESIGNS.

AT SOME POINT OR ANOTHER, THE PLAN DESIGNS HIT A MAXIMUM.

THEY BECOME A PLACE WHERE THEY ARE NO LONGER COMPETITIVE.

YOU'RE NO LONGER COMPETITIVE TO YOUR TO THE NEIGHBORS, TO THE SOUTH OR TO THE NORTH.

RIGHT. SO DO WE LOSE TEACHERS? DO WE HAVE DO WE LOSE PEOPLE BECAUSE OF BENEFITS? WE DON'T WANT THAT. SO THEN WE TAP OUT ON OUR PLAN DESIGN CHANGES.

WELL THEN THE NEXT POINT IS, WELL, THEN WE HAVE TO INCREASE EMPLOYEE PREMIUMS. WE ARE INCREDIBLY, INCREDIBLY. AND I SAY WE I FEEL LIKE I'M A PART OF THE ORGANIZATION.

ALL RIGHT. YOU CAN LAUGH AT ME ALL YOU WANT, BUT I'VE BEEN WITH THE DISTRICT FOR THREE YEARS. WE'VE BEEN CONNECTED TO THE DISTRICT FOR YEARS, AND I TAKE THIS PERSONALLY. FBISD CONTINUES TO BE AHEAD OF THE GAME WITH REGARDS TO OUR CONTRIBUTIONS.

WELL AHEAD FROM A DISTRICT PERSPECTIVE ON A EMPLOYEE ONLY.

BUT REALLY WHERE WE PACE EVERYBODY IS OUR CONTRIBUTIONS FOR FAMILY MEMBERS, WHETHER IT'S HAVING YOUR SPOUSE ON THE PLAN, YOUR CHILDREN ON THE PLAN, OR YOUR WHOLE FAMILY, WE CONTINUE TO OUTPACE OUR NEIGHBORS IN THAT REGARD.

THAT BECOMES A PROBLEM WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO COMPETE AGAINST THEM, AND THEIR PLANS MAY STAY THE SAME, BUT THEIR COSTS HAVE GROWN, SO WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, AND SAY, DO THOSE COSTS HAVE TO INCREASE ON THIS PACKET? YOU'LL ALSO SEE THE NET COST PER ENROLLED. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, YEAR OVER YEAR OUR COSTS HAVE INCREASED.

THE ONE TIME THAT WE DID SEE IT IN 2022 TO 23, WE ACTUALLY DID HAVE A DECREASE IN COSTS.

WE RAN MOST EFFECTIVELY IN 2023 OUT OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

NOW WE DON'T CALL THAT AN ANOMALY. WE CALL THAT GOOD LUCK.

WE ALSO CALL THAT GOOD PLAN STEWARDSHIP. YOUR PLAN CONTINUES TO WORK EFFECTIVELY VERSUS NATIONAL TREND.

YOU ALL ARE WELL UNDER NATIONAL TREND. IF WE DID NOTHING, WE DIDN'T RUN IT EFFECTIVELY.

YOU ALL WOULD BE SOARING PAST IT. BUT YOU DO RUN EFFECTIVELY VERSUS NATIONAL TREND.

NOW IF YOU CAN SEE TO THE RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE HOW OUR BUDGET HAS BEEN IN 2020.

WE HAD WE ENDED THE YEAR WITH A SURPLUS OF ABOUT $7.75 MILLION.

NOW, I'M GOING TO BE FAIR, THAT WAS A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM THAT WAS A LOT OF DISTRICTS AND ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS, BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE DID NOT GO TO THE HOSPITAL DURING 2020, DID NOT UTILIZE THEIR BENEFITS IN 2020 BECAUSE IT WAS COVID.

THEY WERE LESS LIKELY TO GO IN AND HAVE THESE THINGS.

WE SAW A SURGE IN THOSE CLAIMS AFTER COVID YEARS AND THAT WAS IN ALL PLANS, NOT JUST YOU ACROSS DISTRICTS, ACROSS THE ACROSS TEXAS AND ACROSS THE NATION.

AND IT'S NOT JUST DISTRICTS, IT'S PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS, TOO.

ONCE WE MOVE FROM THAT DEFICIT, WE MOVED INTO AN $8.6 MILLION DEFICIT THE NEXT YEAR.

WE MANAGE THAT A LITTLE BIT. ONCE WE HAD A GOOD YEAR TO $6.12 MILLION, AND THEN IN 2024, WE ENDED AT FOUR $14.4 MILLION.

IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, WE GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF UNDERSTANDING IN OUR METHODOLOGY.

ALL RIGHT. WE'RE LOOKING AT WE'RE LOOKING AT AN ANALYSIS FROM 2020 MOVING INTO 2026.

AND THERE'S A REASON THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS IS BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE AWARE OF WHAT OUR DEFICIT IS, AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE BIG CHANGES.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO DEAL WITH IT.

SO ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE GROSS BUDGET THAT INCLUDES YOUR $570 PER MONTH PER ENROLLED EMPLOYEE AND WHAT THE EMPLOYEES PAY TO IT.

[01:40:04]

AND AS YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE, WE STARTED AT $77.7 MILLION IN 2020.

WE SHOWED THE BUDGET SIMILAR TO THE LAST PAGE.

NOW PROJECTION COMES FROM GALLAGHER. ALL RIGHT.

THIS IS OUR METHODOLOGY. WE UTILIZE ACTUARIAL SCIENCE TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU ARE GOING TO RUN.

ALL RIGHT. WE UTILIZE A 24 MONTH PERIOD OF CLAIMS GIVING THE HEAVIEST WEIGHTING TO THE MOST 12 MONTHS.

SAYING, HEY, WHAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS IS PROBABLY THE MOST INDICATIVE OF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.

WE TAKE THAT AND WE APPLY TREND, TREND, BECAUSE THAT IS HAPPENING.

WE KNOW THAT INFLATION IS GOING TO HAPPEN AND SO WE ADD THOSE THINGS TOGETHER.

OUR JOB IS TO TRY TO PREDICT HOW WE ARE GOING TO END THE END OF THE NEXT YEAR.

WE PROJECT OUT IN AROUND MAY OF EVERY YEAR FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR, SO WE'RE PROJECTING OUT ALMOST 18 MONTHS OF DATA TO TRY TO GUESS AND GET TO WHERE WE THINK YOU ARE GOING TO RUN. AND THEN WE COME TO AN ACTUAL AND ACTUAL IS HOW YOUR PLAN RAN AFTER WE REMOVE OUT REBATES, ALL OF THE REIMBURSEMENTS, EVERYTHING LIKE THAT THAT WE GET, WHAT DID OUR PLAN ACTUALLY END? AND THE REASON THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH THIS IS BECAUSE AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR GROWTH BUDGET HAS DROPPED.

WE CONTINUE TO DROP IN OUR BUDGET, BUT OUR SURPLUS CONTINUES TO GROW.

OUR PROJECTIONS ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE WERE TRYING TO MIRROR WHAT WE ARE DOING VERSUS WHAT WE'RE DOING FROM AN ACTUAL BASIS.

I WANT TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO 2024. 2024 IS THE YEAR THAT WE BELIEVE THAT SURESTE WOULD SOLVE THE DEFICIT.

WE BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE WE THOUGHT PEOPLE WOULD MIGRATE INTO CERTAIN PLANS THAT THEY DID NOT. WE BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE UNITEDHEALTHCARE GAVE US A DECREMENT THAT STATED THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HELP US GET TO IT. IT DID NOT DO THAT AGAIN.

THIS WAS THE MOST AGGRESSIVE SWING THAT ANY DISTRICT HAD MADE.

YOU WERE ONE OF THE LARGEST GROUPS TO TAKE ON SURESTE, BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT WE COULD DO TO SOLVE THE DEFICIT.

NOW, WHILE IT DID NOT SOLVE THE DEFICIT, WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT IF WE DID NOTHING THAT IT WOULD BE ABOUT 5%.

THERE WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL 5%. IN FACT, AFTER GROWING COSTS, IF WE HAVE DONE NOTHING FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS WE'D BE ABOUT AT 23 TO $25 MILLION WORTH OF A DEFICIT.

SO THERE ARE ACTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

EVERY SINGLE YEAR. WE EVALUATE YOUR HEALTH PLAN, WE EVALUATE WHERE IT'S GOING, AND WE TRY TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT HELP THE OVERALL POPULATION BUT HELP US ACTUALLY HAVE A PLAN. BECAUSE IF WE CAN'T AFFORD THE PLAN, IT FALLS APART.

SO WE HAVE TO DO THINGS. AND SO THE REASON THAT WE BRING ALL OF THIS UP IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET WILL CONTINUE TO GROW, OR THE BUDGET DEFICIT WILL CONTINUE TO GROW WITHOUT ACTION, WITHOUT NEXT STEPS, WE WILL HIT A WALL, WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH A PLAN, DESIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, WHATEVER.

WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR THE NEXT STEPS. AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE WORK WITH YOUR TEAMS ON EVERY SINGLE YEAR, EVERY SINGLE MONTH TO UNDERSTAND WHERE ARE THE GROWING COSTS AND HOW CAN WE FIX IT NOW? NOW THAT THAT'S DONE, BRIAN IS GOING TO COME UP AND WALK THROUGH OUR HOW HE HANDLES THE FISCAL YEAR BUDGET AND WORKS WITH US AS FAR AS DEALING WITH THE PROJECTION AND DEALING WITH THE GROWING COST OF INFLATION.

OKAY. THANK YOU, DEREK. AND WE'LL START OUT WITH IS IF WE GO BACK, ONE OF THE CONFUSING THINGS ABOUT BUDGETING FOR THE BENEFITS PLAN IS THAT WE OPERATE ON A FISCAL YEAR FROM JULY 1ST THROUGH JUNE 30TH.

AND OUR PLAN YEAR RUNS ON A CALENDAR YEAR BASIS FROM JANUARY 1ST THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST.

AND SO AS WE TALK ABOUT THAT, SO WHAT I'M GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU, AS YOU'VE JUST HEARD DEREK TALK ABOUT, HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE PLAN YEAR, I'M GOING TO SAY WHAT HAS HAPPENED SPECIFICALLY FROM THE FISCAL YEAR BASIS.

AND SO IF WE GO BACK TO PLAN YEAR 2023. SO THAT WOULD BE OUR 2324 FISCAL YEAR.

WE WERE PROJECTING TO END WITH AN $8 MILLION DEFICIT.

AND SO IN THE GENERAL FUND, WE TRANSFERRED $8 MILLION OVER TO THE PLAN.

AND WE ENDED UP WITH ABOUT AN $800,000 POSITIVE BALANCE, MEANING WE TRANSFERRED SLIGHTLY MORE THAN WHAT WE NEEDED TO.

AND SO IN REALITY, WE HAD A $7.2 MILLION NET DEFICIT IN THE 23 PLAN YEAR MOVING INTO 2024.

WE WE HAD THE DEFICIT OF ROUGHLY $12.1 MILLION.

PART OF THE WAY THAT WE ADDRESSED THAT WAS THROUGH INCREASING THE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE GENERAL FUND WORKERS COMP AND UNEMPLOYMENT FUND.

SO THAT HELPED BALANCE THAT. AND THEN FINALLY, AS WE LOOK INTO THE UPCOMING YEAR, THIS IS THE DEFICIT THAT WE HAVE SHARED WITH YOU ALL THE $15 MILLION. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DEREK ALLUDED TO THAT GETS THAT'S THE COMPLICATED PART IS THAT YOU'LL SEE WHAT LASHONDA PRESENTS TO YOU.

[01:45:01]

AND SO THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO MANAGE, BECAUSE IF WE INCREASE THE DISTRICT CONTRIBUTION, THAT INCREASES OUR COST. IF WE INCREASE OUR HEALTH EMPLOYER EMPLOYEE PREMIUMS, THAT INCREASES WHAT THEY PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THEIR PLAN.

AND SO IT'S A VERY DELICATE BALANCE ON ALL OF THIS TO MAKE SURE WE STAY BALANCED.

AND SO WHAT I WOULD CLOSE WITH IS AS WE LOOK AT THIS, THE DISTRICT HAS MADE ONE TIME CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HEALTH PLAN IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT IT STAYS BALANCED AND AT A NOT AT A SURPLUS, BUT BALANCE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE SEEN OTHER DISTRICTS DO. AND SO WE'RE NOT UNIQUE IN THAT RESPECT.

BUT IT IS A AS DEREK MENTIONED, A VERY DIFFICULT CONVERSATION.

AND SO AGAIN, WE HAVE MADE TRANSFERS IN THREE SUCCESSIVE PLAN YEARS TO HELP BALANCE THE HEALTH BENEFITS FUND.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE AMOUNTS HERE. AGAIN IT WAS 7.2 MILLION NET IN 23 FOR THE 2324 YEAR.

THEN THE PRIOR YEAR OR IN THE UPCOMING YEAR. I'M SAYING THAT WRONG FOR THE 2324 YEAR 2425.

LET ME GIVE ME A SECOND. I FEEL LIKE AN AUCTIONEER HERE FOR A SECOND.

FOR THE 23 PLAN YEAR, WHICH REPRESENTS 2223, THAT WAS THE 7.2 MILLION NET DEFICIT FOR THE 2324 PLAN YEAR, THE YEAR THAT JUST ENDED. THAT WAS A $12.1 MILLION DEFICIT THAT WAS OFFSET FROM THE GENERAL FUND WORKERS COMP AND UNEMPLOYMENT FUNDS.

THE $15 MILLION DEFICIT THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING FOR NEXT YEAR HAS STILL YET TO BE DETERMINED.

HOW WE WILL ADDRESS THAT. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE WORKING WITH DEREK AND HIS TEAM TO ENSURE THAT WE ADDRESS THAT.

AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO LASHONDA. THANK YOU, MR. GWIN. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE FOR ME TO SAY. I THINK MR. ECHO AND MR. GWIN SAID IT ALL. I'LL BRING THIS DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

OKAY. SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT OUR CURRENT PLAN DESIGN IS.

AND SO GOING BACK TO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT WE HAVE ENROLLED IN OUR BENEFIT PLAN, WE'RE AT ABOUT 68%. AND SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE MIX BETWEEN THE THREE PLAN OFFERINGS THAT WE HAVE, OVER 3000 OF THOSE EMPLOYEES ARE ENROLLED IN INSURANCE PLAN.

SO AS WE TALK ABOUT THAT PLAN NOT BEING THE HIGHEST PERFORMING PLAN, WHAT WE DO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT IT IS THE PLAN THAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE ENROLLED IN, BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY PLAN THAT OFFERS A $0 DEDUCTIBLE.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE PLAN COSTS, WHICH IS ON A PER MONTHLY BASIS, WHAT YOU SEE IS THAT THE EMPLOYEE ONLY COST IS A COST IN TERMS OF PREMIUMS THAT HAS REMAINED CONSTANT OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS. SO GOING BACK TO MR. GWYNN'S CONVERSATION AROUND US INCREASING PREMIUMS ON THE FAMILY TIERS, WE HAVE CONTINUED TO REMAIN CONSTANT ON THE EMPLOYEE ONLY TIERS, BUT WE HAVE INCREASED BY 6% ON THE FAMILY TIERS.

AND SO ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE FOCUSED ON THOSE TIERS, NOT ONLY BECAUSE FROM A BENCHMARKING PERSPECTIVE, WE SEE THAT WE LAG QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND THE OTHER PEER DISTRICTS.

BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, THE MAJORITY OF OUR PLAN COST IS ASSOCIATED WITH SPOUSE AND DEPENDENT CLAIMS. SO THIS IS A TELLING SLIDE, BECAUSE WHAT THIS SLIDE TELLS US IS THAT FORT BEND ISD IS ACTUALLY DOING A GREAT JOB IN TERMS OF HOW WE MANAGE PREMIUMS FOR EMPLOYEES AND HOW WE MANAGE OUR OVERALL EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION.

IF YOU LOOK AT THIS SLIDE, WHAT IT SAYS IS THAT FORT BEND ISD PAYS MORE IN TERMS OF EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION THAN ALL OF OUR PEER DISTRICTS.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE TURQUOISE BAR GRAPH, WHICH REPRESENTS THE DISTRICT CONTRIBUTION, YOU'LL SEE THAT FORT BEND ISD CONTRIBUTES, ON AVERAGE, MORE THAN $139 PER EMPLOYEE PER MONTH.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE YELLOW BAR GRAPH, WHICH REPRESENTS OUR EMPLOYEE ONLY AVERAGE CONTRIBUTION, WHICH IS THE PREMIUM CONTRIBUTIONS EMPLOYEES PAY, YOU'LL SEE THAT EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ON THE EMPLOYEE ONLY TIER ARE PAYING, ON AVERAGE, $34 LESS THAN OTHER PEER DISTRICTS.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, LOOKING AT THE EMPLOYEE PLUS FAMILY TIER, YOU'LL SEE THAT FORT BEND ISD EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ON THOSE TIERS ARE PAYING, ON AVERAGE, $193 LESS THAN OTHER PEER DISTRICTS.

AND SO THAT'S WHY OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS, WE'VE LOOKED AT MAKING INCREMENTAL INCREASES TO THE FAMILY TIERS BECAUSE OF HOW SIGNIFICANTLY WE LAG BEHIND THE OTHER PEER DISTRICTS.

SO IN TERMS OF SOLUTIONS AND NEXT STEPS, IT'S I MEAN IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE FOCUS ON MANAGING THE OVERALL PLAN COST.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE BENEFITS THAT WE OFFER TO EMPLOYEES.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE OFFERING BENEFITS TO EMPLOYEES THAT ARE COST EFFECTIVE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME HAVE A PREMIUM COST THAT EMPLOYEES CAN AFFORD.

AND I STATED THIS EARLIER, THE LAST THING WE WANT TO DO IS HAVE EMPLOYEES HAVE TO DECIDE BETWEEN PUTTING FOOD ON THEIR TABLE OR OFFERING ADEQUATE INSURANCE FOR THEIR LOVED ONES.

[01:50:04]

GOING BACK TO THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE HAD ABOUT THE DEFICIT AND THE $15 MILLION PROJECTED DEFICIT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026.

AND SO WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER BUSINESS AND FINANCE, HR BENEFITS.

AND OUR CONSULTANTS, GALLAGHER, WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS FOR THE UPCOMING 2026 BENEFIT PLAN YEAR THAT WILL TRY AND STABILIZE OUR BENEFIT PLAN, BUT DO THAT IN A WAY TO WHERE IT DOESN'T IMPACT THE EMPLOYEES TOO MUCH.

ONE THING TO NOTE IS THAT IN 2026 AND 2027, THAT IS A BIG YEAR FOR OUR MEDICAL CARRIER, WHICH MEANS WE'LL BE TAKING IT OUT TO BID.

AND SO WE JUST WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT AS WE LOOK AT SOLUTIONS FOR 2026, BECAUSE WHAT WE DON'T WANT TO DO IS IMPLEMENT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES FOR 2026.

AND THEN DURING THE YEAR OFFER, IMPLEMENT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES BASED ON POTENTIAL CHANGES TO OUR CARRIER.

AND SO OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THE OVERALL BENEFIT PLAN.

WE'LL BE LOOKING AT OPTIONS IN TERMS OF WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE THE CORRECT MIX OF BENEFIT PLAN OPTIONS THAT WE CURRENTLY OFFER, WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED TO LOOK AT CHANGING SOME OF THE CO-PAYS OR THE OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS, AND ALSO LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL PLANS AS WE, YOU KNOW, GO BACK TO TALKING ABOUT, SURE, RISK BEING OUR LOWEST PERFORMING PLAN, COSTING THE MOST AMOUNT IN TERMS OF OUR OVERALL PLAN COST.

AND SO NEXT MONTH, I'M SORRY. IN JUNE, ACTUALLY, WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT WE DO HAVE UPCOMING FOR 2026 BENEFIT PLAN YEAR IN TERMS OF SOME OF THOSE ANCILLARY PRODUCTS, WE CURRENTLY HAVE ACTIVE BIDS OUT FOR OUR DENTAL VISION, LIFE, DISABILITY AND OUR SURGERY PROGRAM. AND SO THOSE ARE BENEFITS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CHANGE IN 2026, BUT ALSO COULD REACH SOME ADDITIONAL SAVINGS.

SO WITH THAT SAID, I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE FOR US.

THANK YOU, MISS WALTZ. MR. ECO AND MR. GWYNN WILL NOW TAKE QUESTIONS FROM THE TRUSTEES, MISS JONES.

THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TYSON. THANK YOU, MR. GWYNN.

THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR THAT GREAT PRESENTATION.

PRETTY MUCH. YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS A MILLION OF MY QUESTIONS ON NUMBER EIGHT.

SO AS I WAS LISTENING TO THIS PRESENTATION I WAS THINKING ABOUT MY OUR TEACHERS AND OUR PARENTS.

YOU KNOW, THE LATE MARVIN ZINDLER ONCE SAID, IT'S HELL TO BE POOR.

AND I THINK ABOUT THAT IN REGARDS TO OUR TEACHERS WHEN THEY TAKE THEIR PAYCHECKS HOME AND THEY HAVE TO DEDUCT MONEY FROM FOR INSURANCE FOR TEACHERS AND SOMETIMES IN SOME DISTRICTS, ESCROW TO COVER FOR 12 TO 12 MONTHS. OKAY. SO I'M THINKING ABOUT THAT.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE I'M THINKING ABOUT HEALTH INSURANCE VERSUS THEIR TAKE HOME PAY.

MANY OF OUR TEACHERS ARE PAYING FOR HEALTH INSURANCE, BUT THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO GO TO THE DOCTOR BECAUSE THEY'VE PAID SO MUCH FOR HEALTH INSURANCE. AND YOU BRING THIS ISSUE UP OF MORE PEOPLE GOING TO THE ER VERSUS URGENT CARE, WHERE MORE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THE URGENT CARE BECAUSE IT'S CHEAPER THAN GOING TO THE PCP, THEIR PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER, BECAUSE OF THE PLANTS.

AND SO I'M LOOKING AT AND I HEAR YOU SAYING IT SAVES THE DISTRICT, BUT I DON'T HEAR YOU SAY IT'S SAVING OUR TEACHERS. IT'S SAVING OUR PARENTS BECAUSE THEY ARE DIRECTLY IMPACTED WHEN THEY GET THAT DIRECT DEPOSIT.

AND THEY HAVE TO BUDGET DEDUCTIBLES, CO-PAYS, CO INSURANCES AND PRESCRIPTION COSTS.

AND SO YES, IT'S GREAT FOR THE DISTRICT. BUT I DON'T FEEL GOOD GOING HOME KNOWING THAT A TEACHER SHE HAS TO WORK A SECOND OR THIRD JOB TO PAY FOR THE BASIC STUFF FOR HER CHILDREN TO PUT GAS IN THE CAR OR HER BABY GETS SICK. NOW SHE GOT TO GO PAY MEDICAL COSTS. AND THEN NOW SHE GOT A BUDGET OF GROCERIES AND NOW SHE GOT TO GET TO WORK.

SO NOW SHE GOT TO BUDGET GAS. AND SO IT'S GREAT TO HEAR THAT.

HOW MUCH IS GOING TO COST, HOW COST SAVINGS FOR THE DISTRICT.

BUT WHAT I WANT TO HEAR IS HOW IT'S GOING TO COST SAVE OUR TEACHERS AND OUR PARENTS AND OUR FACILITIES AND OUR MAINTENANCE PEOPLE.

AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO COME BACK AND SEE, BECAUSE THE NUMBERS ARE GREAT, BUT IT'S NOT IT DOESN'T FEEL GOOD FOR SOME TEACHERS WHEN THEY HAVE TO FIGURE IT OUT EVERY TWO WEEKS OF,

[01:55:07]

ARE WE A BRIAN? ARE WE ABLE TO OFFER PLANS THAT ALIGN WITH OUR FISCAL YEAR? IS THAT AN OPTION? SO I THINK THE SHORT ANSWER TO THAT IS THE WAY THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY SET UP.

WE CANNOT ALIGN THE PLANS TO THE FISCAL YEAR BECAUSE THE BENEFIT SELECTION PROCESS OCCURS IN OCTOBER FOR HEALTH BENEFITS THAT WILL BE IN PLACE FOR THE JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER TIME YEAR OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

SO AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, THE SHORT ANSWER TO THAT IS THAT IS NOT HOW WE'RE CURRENTLY CONFIGURED.

IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE COULDN'T VISIT, BUT IT WOULD PROBABLY RESULT IN SOME SIGNIFICANT DISRUPTION THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO WORK THROUGH IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT.

OKAY, OKAY. AND ARE THERE AND YOU'VE ALREADY ANSWERED MY QUESTION ABOUT ARE THERE ANY OPTIONS TO LOWER HEALTH CARE PLANS? NOW HERE'S MY NEXT QUESTION. WILL THERE BE AN OPTION FOR EMPLOYEES EMPLOYEE ONLY TO NOT BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THEIR HEALTH? BECAUSE I SEE A LOT OF EMPLOYEE EARNS BENEFITS WHEN EMPLOYEES ARE PROVIDED MEDICAL BENEFITS AT ZERO COST.

AND I'M THINKING ABOUT A LOT OF OUR 65 AND OVER EMPLOYEES IN THE DISTRICT WHO ARE PAYING $177 OR 160 OR $62 A MONTH. IS THERE AN OPTION FOR THEM NOT TO JUST PAY MEDICAL COSTS? IT SHOULD BE. AND THAT'S WHERE I'M AT. CAN YOU LOOK INTO THAT? SO I WOULD SAY, AS WE CONTINUE TO LOOK INTO BENEFIT PLAN OPTIONS FOR THE UPCOMING YEARS, THAT IS CERTAINLY AN OPTION THAT WE WILL CONSIDER.

I THINK THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, IS MANAGING THE EXISTING DEFICIT THAT WE HAVE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN BALANCE THAT SO THAT WE CAN BE ABLE TO OFFER A BENEFIT PLAN THAT POTENTIALLY COULD PROVIDE A ZERO COST SHARE FOR EMPLOYEE ONLY COVERAGE.

BECAUSE I THINK THE THE THE GOAL FOR US, AND I THINK TRUSTEE HAMILTON MADE AN ISSUE OF THIS OF HOW MUCH OUR EMPLOYEES ARE PAYING FOR HEALTH INSURANCE. AND SO THAT IS OUR CONCERN AS FAR AS WE'RE CONCERNED, ABOUT THE DEFICIT.

BUT WE'RE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT OUR TEACHERS IT DOES IT BENEFIT OUR TEACHERS TO WORK FOR US? DOES IT BENEFIT OUR PARENTS TO WORK FOR US IF THEY'RE PAYING MORE IN HEALTH INSURANCE AND THEY CAN'T EVEN AFFORD TO GO TO THE DOCTOR, OR THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO GO TO GET THEIR MEDICINE.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT. MY NEXT QUESTION IS WHAT'S THE AVERAGE DEDUCTIBLE FOR EMPLOYEE ONLY AND EMPLOYEE FAMILY FOR SPOUSE. WHAT'S THE AVERAGE FOR OUR PLAN OR JUST IN TOTAL? SORRY, WILL YOU CLARIFY. YOU'RE SAYING AVERAGE? IS THAT AMONG PEERS OR IS THAT CURRENTLY FOR YOU ALL NOW? FOR FOR OUR FOR OUR FACULTY. WHAT IS THE AVERAGE DEDUCTIBLE.

SO YEAH. SO 750 FOR KELSEY 4000 FOR THE CHOICE HSA.

AND THEN FOR SURE IT'S $0 NOW. SUREST IS IS A $0 IS A DEDUCTIBLE.

RIGHT. BUT THEY PAY A CO-PAY FOR ALL ITEMS IN THAT PLAN.

OKAY. THEY PAY A DIFFERENT CO-PAY DEPENDING UPON THE LOCATION THAT THEY GO TO.

IF IT'S A HIGH EFFICIENCY PROVIDER VERSUS A LOW EFFICIENCY PROVIDER.

SO I WOULD SAY THE AVERAGE ROUGHLY IS PROBABLY AROUND 15 TO $2000 FOR THE FOR THE EMPLOYEES FROM A DEDUCTIBLE PERSPECTIVE.

AND THEN ON THE HIGH END FOR THE FAMILIES, IT'S ROUGHLY 3 TO $4000.

NOW THOSE INTEGRATE. SO EVERY INDIVIDUAL HAS AN INDIVIDUAL DEDUCTIBLE AND THE COLLECTIVE FAMILY HAS THEIR OWN FAMILY DEDUCTIBLE, SO THEY WORK TOGETHER IN CONJUNCTION.

SO IF A FAMILY WAS ON THE KELSEY PLAN, FOR INSTANCE, AND YOU HAD FIVE MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY, RIGHT? AND ONE PERSON GOT REALLY SICK, THAT ONE PERSON WOULD HIT THAT $750 DEDUCTIBLE FIRST, OKAY. AND THEN THEIR BENEFITS WOULD KICK IN AFTER WITH THEIR CO-INSURANCE.

THAT PERSON IS COVERED RIGHT. AND THE REMAINDER OF THE PEOPLE ON YOUR FAMILY, THE MORE THAT THEY PAY INTO IT, THEY ALL EQUAL UP TO THE FAMILY DOLLAR. SO IT'S A WAY TO HELP KIND OF INDEMNIFY COSTS FOR FOR EMPLOYEES OR MEMBERS ON THE PLAN.

GOTCHA. THANK YOU. AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BENEFIT MAXIMUMS FOR COINSURANCE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR LOOKING.

SO YEAH, SO THE MAXIMUMS AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS ONE ARE ILLUSTRATED HERE.

SO OUT OF POCKET MAXIMUM MEANS THAT AFTER YOU'VE SPENT UP TO YOUR DEDUCTIBLE, EVERYTHING AFTER IS PAID AT A PERCENTAGE BASIS.

[02:00:07]

OKAY, SO IF IT'S COVERED BY THE PLAN AND IN-NETWORK WITHIN THE PLAN, YOU HAVE MET THAT MAXIMUM.

AND SO THOSE ARE VARYING LEVELS. WITH SURESTE IT IS AT A HIGHER NUMBER BECAUSE YOU HAVE A OPEN ACCESS TO THE LARGEST NETWORK.

OKAY. SO THAT'S WHY IT WORKS IN THAT REGARD. IT HAS THE HIGHEST OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE IT IS THE MOST VALUABLE OF A PLAN.

AND SO THERE HAS THERE'S A REASON FOR HAVING IT TO HAVE THE HIGHEST OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE IT DOES COST.

IT DOES COST MORE FOR US TO MAINTAIN. AND SO IT HAS A HIGHER VALUE.

KELSEY CHARTER, FOR INSTANCE, HAS RUN EFFECTIVELY FOR THE DISTRICT BUT ALSO RUNS REALLY EFFECTIVELY FOR EMPLOYEES.

SO WE MAKE THAT PLAN MORE LESS EXPENSIVE THAN THE SUREST PLAN.

AND WE ALSO MAKE IT INCREDIBLY RICH. $750 FOR A DEDUCTIBLE IS BAR NONE, ONE OF THE BEST DEDUCTIBLES IN THE AREA WHEN IT COMES TO TEACHERS.

IF YOU LOOK DOWN AT LAMAR, THEY AREN'T WITHIN A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS OF YOUR OF THAT OF THAT DEDUCTIBLE.

SAME THING WITH KATY ALIEF. ALL OF THOSE FAR COMPARE ARE FAR ABOVE THAT.

AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THAT. WE INCENTIVIZE EMPLOYEES TO GO TO KELSEY BECAUSE KELSEY HAS THE BEST OUTCOMES.

WHEN WE MEASURE THAT, WE MEASURE IF A PERSON GOES IN, DO THEY GET SICK MORE OFTEN? ARE THEY LESS SICK? RIGHT? DID THEIR SURGERY GO BETTER OR WORSE? WE HAVE ALL OF THAT DATA TO SAY. AND SO THAT'S WHERE KELSEY CAME IN OKAY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. SO I GUESS THIS IS JUST I'M GLAD YOU HAVE A PLAN OKAY.

AND THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TOWARDS THAT. SO LET ME PAINT A PICTURE, A PERSONAL PICTURE.

BEING A TEACHER MAKING LESS THAN 70,000 AND ANOTHER DISTRICT.

ONE MORNING I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK EXCITED BECAUSE I BOUGHT A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF FOR MY STUDENTS, AND OUT OF NOWHERE, I'M IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON MY WAY TO WORK WITH ALL THE STUFF FOR MY KIDS IN THE CAR, AND I WAS LIFE FLIGHTED TO MEMORIAL HERMANN AND THEN MEMORIAL HERMANN.

BILL WAS 21,000 FOR LIFE FLIGHT. AND THEN TO FIND OUT I ONLY HAD A BROKEN ARM AND I PROBABLY MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM.

MAYBE. I DON'T EVEN THINK IT WAS SIX HOURS. THE BILL I GOT WAS $65,000.

I'M LIKE, OKAY, THEY RESET MY ARM. I WAS IN HERE ABOUT TWO HOURS.

I SAT OUTSIDE IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM IN THE HALLWAY AND THEY CHARGED ME $65,000.

WELL, THEY CHARGED MY INSURANCE COMPANY WHEN I GOT THE FINAL BILL, I HAD TO PAY 6900.

OF THAT BILL BECAUSE OF MY INSURANCE. AND I'M THINKING ABOUT MY PARENTS.

MY TEACHERS. FOR THEM TO GET A BILL THAT'S HIGHER THAN THEIR SALARY.

NOT TO MENTION THE NON-CONTRACTED DOCTORS. NOT TO MENTION THE X RAYS.

NOT TO MENTION THE PHYSICAL THERAPY. AND THEN YOU'RE STILL TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET.

SO WHEN YOU GO BACK, YOU KEEP THAT IN MIND. AND YOU KEEP OUR FACULTY, AND YOU KEEP OUR TEACHERS, AND YOU KEEP OUR PARIS OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS JONES.

MR. HAMILTON. YES. THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

HOW LONG HAS GALLAGHER? HAS GALLAGHER HAD BEEN HANDLING EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FOR FORT BEND ISD? DO YOU KNOW 2019? SO IT'S BEEN SINCE. SINCE 2019, GALLAGHER HAS BEEN THE CONSULTANT FOR FORT BEND ISD.

OKAY. SO FORGIVE ME FOR A LITTLE BIT OF A CAPTAIN OBVIOUS MOMENT HERE.

SO WE ARE A SCHOOL DISTRICT IN CASE ANYONE SHOWED UP AT THE WRONG PLACE TONIGHT.

HAHA. SO THE REASON I SAY THE OBVIOUS COMMENT THERE IS THAT WHEN WE WHEN WE GO OVER BUDGET IN A NON TEACHING AND LEARNING CATEGORY, EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE GO ABOVE BUDGET IN SOMETHING THAT'S NOT DIRECTLY TEACHING, LEARNING IS A DOLLAR THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE TEACHING AND LEARNING SIDE OF THE EQUATION. AND SO IF WE GO BACK THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND THEN THE PROJECTION FOR THIS YEAR, THAT'S ALMOST $50 MILLION IN GOING OVER BUDGET.

AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S $50 MILLION THAT BECAUSE WE'RE A SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE IF IF WE HAD BEEN ON BUDGET,

[02:05:01]

SO ANOTHER CAPTAIN, OBVIOUS QUESTION FOR AN INSURANCE AGENT.

DO HIGHER COSTS HIGHER THAN EXPECTED COSTS AFFECT PREMIUMS GOING FORWARD? SO YOU'RE A SELF-FUNDED HEALTH PLAN. BUT YES.

YES. AS GROWING COSTS RISE, THEY WOULD POTENTIALLY AFFECT PREMIUMS. THAT DECISION IS MADE DURING THE OR DURING THE I GUESS, PLAN YEAR.

AND THAT'S MADE WITH YOU ALL WITH YOUR APPROVAL AS WELL AS AFTER THE BENEFITS COMMITTEE HAS MET TO DISCUSS.

IS THIS THE NEXT STEP IN WHAT WE SHOULD DO OR NOT? BUT YES, GROWING CLAIMS CAN RESULT IN THAT DEBATABLY ON WHAT WE DECIDE OR HOW WE DEAL WITH THE BUDGET DEFICIT.

RIGHT. SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE HAVE NOT REDUCED OUR CONTRIBUTIONS OVER THIS TIME PERIOD.

SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS THAT WE'VE MAINTAINED AS OUR COSTS HAVE RISEN, HOWEVER, THE INCREASING PREMIUMS COMBINED WITH OUR CONTRIBUTIONS REMAINING FLAT MEAN THAT THE HIGHER COSTS ON THE PREMIUM SIDE HAVE BEEN SHIFTED ONTO THE EMPLOYEES.

CORRECT? YES. SO IF YOU THINK OF IT IN THE WAY THAT WE'VE DEALT WITH SOME OF THE PLANNED DESIGN CHANGES, THAT DOES SHIFT THE COST BURDEN OVER TO A MEMBER.

THE SAME THING, IF WE DO INCREASE A PREMIUM THAN IT WOULD COST THE MEMBER MORE ON AVERAGE.

SO YES. RIGHT. SO JUST THIS IS MORE SUBJECTIVE, BUT JUST BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM EMPLOYEES, THE THE SENSE THAT I'VE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE DON'T GET GOOD NEWS AS OFTEN AS WE GET BAD NEWS AS, AS TRUSTEES. BUT I'VE, I'VE GOTTEN QUITE A BIT OF FEEDBACK THAT THE, THE SENSE IS HIGHER COSTS AND LESS GREAT SERVICE OR LESS GREAT QUALITY OF CARE. SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF A SUBJECTIVE POINT THERE.

BUT THEN I WANTED TO ASK WHAT ARE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S PROBABLY A LONG LIST OF THIS, BUT WHAT ARE SOME COST SAVING MEASURES THAT YOU WOULD RECOMMEND AN EMPLOYER OUR SIZE IMPLEMENT? SO WE WORK WITH THIS ON A ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, BUT EVEN MORE ON A MONTHLY BASIS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OPTIONS CURRENTLY. RIGHT NOW WE'RE WE'RE LOOKING AT PLAN DESIGN OPTIONS AND PREMIUM CHANGE OPTIONS TO BE ABLE TO HELP DEAL WITH THE GROWING DEFICIT.

AS LASHONDA HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE DO WANT TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT IS NOW THAT WE'RE THREE YEARS UP ON OUR CONTRACT WITH UNITEDHEALTHCARE TO SEE IF THERE ARE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR OTHER ADMINISTRATORS TO HELP US DEAL WITH THE GROWING PLAN COSTS, WHETHER THAT IS BETTER DISCOUNTING WITH LOCAL AND NEIGHBORING FACILITIES WHERE POTENTIALLY A BLUE CROSS OR AN AETNA NETWORK MAY HAVE A BETTER DISCOUNT WITH THE SAME SERVICES THAT YOU'RE GETTING NOW. ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE THERE ARE MORE AGGRESSIVE THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATION OPTIONS WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY DOING DIRECT CONTRACTING OR MORE INTERESTING PLAN DESIGN CHANGES THAT CAN ONLY HAPPEN DURING AN RFP BECAUSE YOU'RE IN A PUBLIC SETTING.

WE CAN'T CUT OUR WE CAN'T CUT OUR CONTRACT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT AND FLIP OUT.

WE HAVE TO TAKE A MEASURED APPROACH, WAIT FOR THAT TIME TO COME.

NOW THAT WE'RE UP ON THAT THREE YEARS, THAT IS PART WHAT WE ARE EVALUATING.

AND THEN IN THE FUTURE, EVALUATING OTHER OPTIONS AS WELL.

WHETHER THAT IS MORE AGGRESSIVE OPTIONS THERE OR ALL THE WAY UP TO IS TRES AN OPTION.

THOSE ARE ALL QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO EVALUATE, AND WE'RE EVALUATING ON A REGULAR BASIS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS.

WE DON'T EVER REST ON THESE ITEMS. SO THEY ARE CONSTANTLY GROWING AND EVOLVING AS WE'RE THERE.

SO YOU MENTIONED SORRY, I DO WANT TO POINT OUT ONE THING.

AND THIS IS THE CONUNDRUM THAT WE'RE IN, AND I THINK IT TIES IN ALSO TO WHAT MRS. JONES SAID. AND THAT IS, IF YOU LOOK AT THIS CHART IN PARTICULAR, I REALIZE THERE'S A LOT ON HERE, BUT IF YOU START WITH THAT FAR LEFT TURQUOISE LINE, THE DISTRICT'S CONTRIBUTION.

AND MR. HAMILTON, YOU POINTED OUT THAT IT'S REMAINED FLAT OVER TIME AND THAT IS ACCURATE, BUT IT'S ALSO THE HIGHEST AMONG OUR PEER DISTRICTS.

AND SO IF WE RAISE THAT RATE, THE ISSUE THAT WE RUN INTO, THAT MEANS THE DISTRICT IS CONTRIBUTING MORE TOWARDS HEALTH INSURANCE, BUT HAS LESS TO DO SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU POINTED OUT.

AND THEN CONVERSELY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE EMPLOYEE ONLY CONTRIBUTION, IT IS THE SECOND LOWEST AMONG PEER DISTRICTS.

NOW, IT DOES NOT SPEAK TO, AS YOU JUST POINTED OUT, THE EXPERIENCE THAT THE EMPLOYEE IS HAVING ON THE BACK END.

OR MISS JONES POINTED OUT WHAT THEY ARE PAYING OUT OF POCKET WHEN THEY GO TO THE DOCTOR.

BUT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM A PLAN DESIGN PERSPECTIVE, THOSE COSTS ARE LOW.

AND THEN, AS LASHONDA POINTED OUT, ON THE FAMILY SIDE, WHERE THE SECOND LOWEST.

AND SO AS WE ARE BEING FINANCIAL STEWARDS OF THIS, WE HAVE TO CAREFULLY BALANCE WHAT THE EMPLOYEE PAYS OUT OF POCKET VERSUS WHAT THE DISTRICT PAYS. AND SO IT'S I JUST POINT THAT OUT BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THE FACT IT STAYED FLAT.

[02:10:02]

AND I DO WANT TO EMPHASIZE WE'RE DOING THOSE ONE TIME PAYOUTS.

DEREK CAN ATTEST TO THE FACT WE ARE NOT ALONE IN THAT.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, THE CFO OF CONROE REACHED OUT TO ME AND ASKED IF WE WERE HAVING TO DO THAT.

THE ANSWER WAS, OF COURSE, YES. AND SO WE'RE NOT UNUSUAL IN THAT RESPECT.

BUT AS YOU ALL ARE POINTING OUT, THIS IS A VERY TOUCHY SUBJECT BECAUSE WE WANT TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT WE HAVE ON EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF TAXPAYER FUNDS. YEAH.

THANK YOU. SO YOU MENTIONED A NEW PLAN THAT WAS INTENDED TO ELIMINATE THE DEFICIT WITH THE WITH THE SPENDING.

WAS THAT NEW THIS YEAR OR NEW LAST YEAR? IT WAS NEW IN 2024.

IN 2024. SO THIS IS YEAR TWO. YES IT'S YEAR TWO.

YEAH. SO IT WAS DESIGNED TO ELIMINATE THE DEFICIT.

AND THEN WE HAD A 14.4 MILLION DEFICIT. YES. FOLLOWED BY A PROJECTED $15 MILLION DEFICIT.

YES. SO THE PROJECTED $15 MILLION DEFICIT. AND LET'S BE CLEAR, I THINK YOU SAID $50 MILLION, THAT THAT WOULD NOT BE AN ACCURATE STATEMENT.

REMEMBER THESE COMPOUND, THEY'RE HOLDING ON A DEFICIT, RIGHT.

SO WHAT WE'RE HOLDING NOW FROM A FROM A DEFICIT PERSPECTIVE ALL THE WAY UP TILL THE END OF NEXT YEAR.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S A PROJECTION. WE'RE GETTING OUT 18 MONTHS AHEAD OF OURSELVES.

WE THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO END AT ABOUT NEEDING TO GET $17.8 MILLION.

BUT WITH SURESTE, WHAT WHAT WAS ASSUMED WOULD HAPPEN IS UNITED HEALTHCARE HAS RUN THIS PLAN BEFORE.

AND SO THEY SAID WHEN ON AVERAGE IN PEOPLE THAT ADOPT THIS PLAN AND HAVE THE MIGRATION INTO THIS PLAN RUN AT A MORE EFFECTIVE PACE, AND THEY GIVE A DECREMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, WE UTILIZE THAT DECREMENT WITH OUR PROJECTIONS TO ANALYZE WHAT WE THINK THE PLAN WILL RUN.

NOW, COINCIDENTALLY, AT THE SAME POINT, YOU ALSO HAD THE POOREST YEAR THAT YOU'VE EVER HAD FROM A CLAIMS PERSPECTIVE.

AND THAT WASN'T DUE TO ANY PLANNED. DESIGN CHANGES.

THAT WAS DUE TO GROWING UTILIZATION OF PLANS IN GENERAL.

YOU HAD 20% INCREASE IN INPATIENT UTILIZATION, 20% INCREASE IN OUTPATIENT UTILIZATION.

YOU HAD AN INCREASE IN INFLUX OF NEW DIABETIC MEDICATIONS ONTO THE PLAN AND MORE HIGH COST CLAIMANTS.

IT IS NOT WHAT WE WOULD CALL A PERFECT STORM, BUT IT IS POOR EXPERIENCE.

AND WHEN WE PROJECT YOU OUT, WE PROJECT YOU OUT IN MAY.

WE LOOK AT THOSE COSTS IN MAY. SO IN 2023, PROJECTING OUT UNTIL THE END OF 2024, WE SAID, HEY, YOU HAD A REALLY GOOD 2023. LOOK AT HOW THIS IS WILL TREND YOU FORWARD.

BUT WE DON'T THINK THAT IT'S GOING TO END IN THIS DEFICIT.

AS YOU CAN SEE IN IN ROUGHLY IN THE MARCH TO APRIL TIME FRAME OF IN 2024, WE'RE PROJECTED.

SO EVERY YEAR WE PROJECT AND WE'RE FORECAST TO SEE HOW FAR OFF FROM OUR BUDGET, BECAUSE WE HAVE 6 TO 7 MONTHS NEW CLAIMS DATA TO UNDERSTAND HOW WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO RUN. AND EVEN THEN WE PROJECTED YOU OUT UTILIZING THE NEW CLAIMS DATA THAT CAME IN THROUGHOUT 2023, AND WE ENDED UP AT $80.9 MILLION IN A REFORECAST OF WHAT WE ASSUMED WE WERE STILL $5 MILLION OFF, BECAUSE YOUR PLAN CONTINUED TO RUN SO POORLY FROM A UTILIZATION PERSPECTIVE.

SO OUR GOAL IS TO BE WITHIN 2% OF THOSE PROJECTIONS, BUT WITH AN 18 MONTH LAG AND A IN AND SOMETIMES SKYROCKETING COST.

WE WILL BE OFF FROM TIME TO TIME BECAUSE WE CAN'T ACCURATELY PREDICT.

AND WITH SURESTE. THIS IS A BRAND NEW PROGRAM WE'RE RELYING ON, ON OUR ON OUR ADMINISTRATOR TO HELP US MAKE AN INFERENCE ON WHAT THEY THINK THAT'S GOING TO SAVE. AND UNFORTUNATELY, WHILE IT HAD WORKED WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, REALLY IN THE PRIVATE SIDE, MORE MANUFACTURING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WE HAVE FOUND THAT IT HAS NOT BEEN ADOPTED AS WELL BY BY THE DISTRICT'S EMPLOYEES.

AND THERE COULD BE LOTS OF REASONS FOR THAT, RIGHT? IT'S A DIFFICULT PLAN TO UTILIZE, AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO UTILIZE AN APPLICATION. AND THEN THERE'S SOMETIMES THAT YOU'RE JUST STUBBORN AND YOU WANT TO GO TO THE PERSON THAT YOU WANT TO GO WITH. AND I GET THAT YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH YOUR HEALTHCARE. SURESTE IS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU THINK, HEY, IF I GO TO THIS DOCTOR AT METHODIST, THIS MAY COST ME MORE MONEY THAN IF I GO TO THIS DOCTOR AT MEMORIAL.

IF I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THIS, I'M GOING TO GO PAY MORE TO GO.

NOW THAT COSTS THE MEMBER MORE AND IT COSTS THE DISTRICT MORE, AS OPPOSED TO THE OTHER WAY WHERE IT COULD SAVE THE MEMBER MONEY AND ALSO THE DISTRICT MONEY. SO YEAH. SO JUST TO CLARIFY. SO I ROUNDED UP A LITTLE BIT AGGRESSIVELY.

SO THE SO IT WOULD BE $48 MILLION FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS PLUS THIS YEAR.

SO NOT NOT GOING INTO. SO. SO BRINGING IN NEXT YEAR'S PROJECTED 17.8 MILLION WOULD GO TO 65 MILLION OVER SIX YEARS.

SORRY I'M LOOKING AT MY. SO I BROUGHT A FINANCIAL CONSULTANT.

SO I'M I'M LETTING HIM DO THE MATH. YES. YEAH.

ONE SECOND. YEAH. MR. HAMILTON, I BELIEVE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE COMPOUNDED AMOUNT THAT THE DISTRICT HAS PAID. SO JUST TO CLARIFY, WE HAVE CLEARED THE DEFICIT.

[02:15:04]

YES. IS GOING TO AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE WHAT DEREK JUST SAID, IF THE $15 MILLION COMES TO FRUITION AND WHAT WE ARE PROJECTING IN OUR FORECAST IS IT WILL. AND SO WE'RE ACCOUNTING FOR THE FACT THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT.

YOU ARE CORRECT. AND I DID SAY YOU ARE CORRECT.

IT WOULD BE ROUGHLY 65 MILLION. WELL, TO YOUR POINT THERE, BRIAN SO IS IS ONE KEY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE PRIVATE SECTOR PLANS AND THE GOVERNMENT SECTOR PLANS? THE TENDENCY ON THE PRIVATE SIDE TO HAVE MORE WELLNESS APPROACHES.

JUST ONE. ONE? NO, I THINK ACTUALLY FORT BEND IS ONE OF THE LEADING ONE OF THE LEADING ORGANIZATIONS EVEN IN THE AREA AS FAR AS WHAT YOU DO FROM A WELLNESS PERSPECTIVE. YOU ALL HAVE A WELLNESS COORDINATOR ON SITE.

YOU HAVE WELLNESS MEETINGS ON A REGULAR BASIS.

YOU INVEST A TON INTO IT, I WOULD SAY. ONE OF THE REASONS WHY A PRIVATE ORGANIZATION CAN RUN EFFECTIVELY VERSUS WHAT A PUBLIC ORGANIZATION COULD DO, IS BECAUSE THEY INCREASE THEIR BUDGET ON A REGULAR BASIS.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH A FULL BOARD APPROVAL.

THEY DECIDE HOW THEY WANT TO DO IT. AND THEY'RE ALSO A FOR PROFIT INDUSTRY, SO THEY CAN MOVE THAT STUFF AROUND AND DO THAT, RIGHT. IF WE STRESS ANYTHING, IT IS THAT THIS INTEREST AND INFLATION IS GOING TO HAPPEN REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE DO.

AND OUR JOB IS TO BEND THAT TREND DOWN AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO KEEP IT TENABLE.

BUT AT SOME POINT OR ANOTHER, IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND WE CAN MAKE MICRO CHANGES TO DEAL WITH IT.

BUT THEY OFTENTIMES BRING A LARGER BUDGET IN TO HELP THEM OFFSET IT ON A YEARLY BASIS WHERE THIS DEFICIT WE PULL IN GENERAL FUNDS TO HELP US OFFSET IT, BUT IT'S NOT ON AN ONGOING BASIS.

YEAH. THANK YOU. SO LAST QUESTION ON THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE OF IT. I KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME INTEREST IN BRINGING IN A THIRD PARTY THAT WOULD WORK ON A FEE BASED APPROACH, WHERE THEY ARE PAID NOTHING UP FRONT AND THEY WOULD WOULD EARN A PERCENTAGE OF COST SAVINGS.

HAVE HAS THE ADMINISTRATION CONSIDERED DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT? I DON'T THINK IT IS UNFAIR TO SAY THAT ANY REASONABLE OPTION, WE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN REVIEWING SOME OF THOSE THAT WE RECEIVE.

AND TYPICALLY WHEN WE DO RECEIVE THOSE, WE HAVE GALLAGHER, WHO'S OUR BENEFITS CONSULTANT, REVIEW THOSE. I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT SOME OF THEM MAKE OVERBLOWN CLAIMS, BUT THAT IS SOMETIMES THE CASE.

BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IN ADDITION TO THE EXCITEMENT OF SOMETHING NEW THAT COULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT IT FROM A PRAGMATIC PERSPECTIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT IS PROMISED WILL BE DELIVERED.

AND AS WE CAN SEE, THE SUREST PLAN WAS INDICATED THAT IT WOULD DELIVER RESULTS AND HASN'T NECESSARILY DONE IT TO OUR EXPECTATIONS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON. DOCTOR GILLIAM.

OKAY, I'M GOING TO BE KIND OF HOOKED ON PHONICS HERE.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO START FROM BEHIND. OKAY.

AS I'M SITTING HERE, I HAVE A GIRLFRIEND OF MINE WHO I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU, OKAY.

BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN I'VE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS ABOUT INSURANCE AND WHAT'S HAPPENING.

SO JUST AN FYI. FAMILIES PRESCRIPTION COST AS ALL SURPASSED ALL OF LAST YEAR.

MY FLEX SPENDING IS ALREADY DONE. WE WENT FROM LESS THAN $75 A MONTH IN COST, OR IN COST TO AROUND $300 A MONTH. A SCRIPT WENT FROM $15 TO $123, AND TWO WENT FROM $10 EACH TO $84. SO TOTAL SHOCK. AND WHEN I JUST HEARD WHAT YOU SAID, AS FAR AS WE'RE LOOKING AT, OH, WHAT IS IT THE UTILIZATION. SO UTILIZATION WOULD BE POOR IF YOU CAN'T, I MEAN, 80 BUCKS FOR SOMETHING THAT COST $10 PRIOR TO. AND SO I'LL READ ONE MORE AND THEN I'LL, YOU KNOW, THE THE MONTHLY PLAN COST IS NOT THE REAL COST THAT IS ONLY COMPETITIVE.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO USE IT. HEAVEN FORBID YOU NEED MEDICINE.

WE WILL PAY PROBABLY $5,000 THIS YEAR IN MEDICINE.

AND IT IT BASICALLY THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT. SO BASICALLY, A SELF-FUNDED PROGRAM IS NOT WORKING.

WHAT CAN WE DO? I'LL ADD THIS ONE MORE. THEY CHOOSE SUREST BECAUSE THE KIDS ARE OUT OF THE CITY, AND KELSEY IS BASICALLY THE ONLY AROUND ONLY PLACE THAT THEY CAN AFFORD AND THEY CAN'T GO ANYWHERE ELSE.

WHAT CAN WE DO? SO I'LL ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION FIRST, AND THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DEREK.

SO BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST EXPLAINED, I WOULD SAY THAT EMPLOYEE IS DEFINITELY ON THE SUREST PLAN,

[02:20:02]

AS I STATED EARLIER IN THE PRESENTATION, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE SAW INCREASED COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR PRESCRIPTION DRUG PROGRAM WAS BECAUSE WE HAD THE COPAY BENEFIT IN PLACE INSTEAD OF A CO-INSURANCE BENEFIT. SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE AT THE DISTRICT AND EVEN BEFORE I CAME, WE'VE ALWAYS MANAGED A CO-INSURANCE TYPE BENEFIT FOR OUR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.

WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED THE SUREST PLAN, IT CAME WITH A COPAY BENEFIT FOR THE RX.

AND SO DURING THE YEAR OF 2024, THAT'S WHEN WE REALIZED THAT THE PLAN WAS ASSUMING ADDITIONAL COSTS BECAUSE OF HOW THE PLAN CHANGED FOR THAT BENEFIT SPECIFICALLY.

SO ONE ONE OF 2025, WE CHANGED IT BACK TO A COINSURANCE.

AND SO EMPLOYEES DID SEE AN INCREASE COST AS IT RELATES TO THEIR PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFITS.

HOWEVER, WHAT WE TRIED TO DO IS EDUCATE THEM ON THE ADDITIONAL HEALTH OPTIMIZATION PROGRAMS WE HAVE IN PLACE TO HELP OFFSET SOME OF THAT COST.

AND SO IF YOU REFER TO THE ONE PAGER THAT YOU HAVE HERE, IT SPEAKS TO SOME OF THOSE PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.

FOR EXAMPLE, EVEN THOUGH THOSE EMPLOYEES WENT FROM PAYING A CO-PAY TO A COINSURANCE IF THEY WERE TO UTILIZE THE MAIL ORDER BENEFIT AND GET A 90 DAY SUPPLY, THE MAXIMUM THEY WOULD PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR A THREE MONTH SUPPLY IS $150.

AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE REALLY GREAT BENEFITS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR EMPLOYEES THAT YOU TYPICALLY WON'T SEE AT ANOTHER ORGANIZATION, EVEN IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BECAUSE TO PROVIDE A THREE MONTH PRESCRIPTION AT A MAXIMUM COST OF $150 IS A REALLY GOOD BENEFIT.

BUT WE HAVE A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT ARE TAKING THESE MAINTENANCE MEDICATIONS, AND THEY'RE STILL GOING TO THE RETAIL PHARMACY AND FILLING THEM, AND THEY'RE PAYING THEIR COINSURANCE NOW, WHEREAS IF THEY JUST SWITCHED TO THE 90 DAY SUPPLY BENEFIT, THEY COULD GET THOSE 90 DAY SUPPLY PRESCRIPTIONS FOR A MAX OF $150.

AND SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO TARGETED MAILINGS TO THOSE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE TAKING MAINTENANCE MEDICATIONS, AND ALSO EDUCATING THEM BY SENDING OUT EMAILS TO REMIND THEM THAT THIS BENEFIT IS AVAILABLE TO THEM.

SO THAT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT IN THAT THEY'RE SEEING AN INCREASED COST AS IT RELATES TO THOSE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.

BUT AGAIN, THAT IS BECAUSE WE SWITCH FROM THE COPAY TO A CO-INSURANCE BENEFIT FOR THIS YEAR.

AND SO WE CONTINUE TO EDUCATE EMPLOYEES. AND I'VE I'VE SPOKE DIRECTLY WITH MANY EMPLOYEES SINCE WE'VE MADE THAT CHANGE.

AND THEY'VE CALLED ME BACK AND HAVE THANKED ME FOR EDUCATING THEM ON THE 90 DAY SUPPLY BENEFIT.

IN ADDITION, I WANT TO ADD THAT THIS YEAR WE EXPANDED THAT BENEFIT TO WHERE IF AN EMPLOYEE DOESN'T WANT TO USE THE MAIL ORDER BENEFIT WHERE IT'S ACTUALLY MAILED TO THEIR HOME.

WE NOW HAVE THREE PHARMACIES THAT THEY CAN GO TO AND ACTUALLY PICK UP A 90 DAY SUPPLY.

A LOT OF EMPLOYEES DON'T LIKE TO USE MAIL ORDER BECAUSE OF THE HEAT HERE IN TEXAS.

AND SO THEY PREFER TO GO TO THE RETAIL PHARMACY.

WELL, NOW THEY CAN DO THAT AND STILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT 90 DAY COST SAVINGS BY GOING TO ONE OF THOSE THREE PHARMACIES.

SO HOW LONG HAVE WE HAD THAT. SO WE IMPLEMENTED THAT BENEFIT AS OF JANUARY 1ST, 2025.

SO OKAY. SO AND HOW HOW WAS THE COMMUNICATION.

SO WE HEAVILY COMMUNICATED ABOUT THIS BENEFIT DURING OPEN ENROLLMENT.

I'M SORRY. SAY THAT AGAIN. WE HEAVILY COMMUNICATED THIS BENEFIT DURING OPEN ENROLLMENT.

WE VISITED ALL THE CAMPUSES, ALL 90 PLUS CAMPUSES AND GAVE FORMAL PRESENTATIONS TO TALK ABOUT THE NEW BENEFIT PROGRAMS WE HAD IN PLACE.

WE ALSO SENT MAILINGS TO THE EMPLOYEES HOMES TO TALK ABOUT THIS NEW BENEFIT.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, OUR STANDARD COMMUNICATIONS THAT WE SEND VIA EMAIL.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOCTOR GILLIAM. MISS HANNON.

THANK YOU, MR. ECO AND MISS WALLS AND MR. GWEN.

AND SO I AM CERTAIN THAT YOU'VE SAID THIS, BUT I NEED YOU TO EXPLAIN IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY FOR ME, BECAUSE I DID NOT GET IT THE FIRST TIME YOU SAID IT.

SO ON THIS PAGE WHERE IT SAYS THE PROJECTED DEFICIT FOR NEXT YEAR IS 15 MILLION.

BUT THEN WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, I SEE THE PROJECTED DEFICIT IS 17.8 MILLION.

AND SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY I'M LOOKING AT TWO DIFFERENT NUMBERS.

THE NUMBER THAT WE'RE REPRESENTING HERE, THE 15 MILLION IS BASED ON OUR FISCAL YEAR.

AND SO THAT WOULD START ON JULY 1ST AND GO THROUGH JUNE 30TH OF NEXT YEAR.

THE NUMBER THAT GALLAGHER HAS PRESENTED IS BASED ON THE PLAN YEAR, WHICH WOULD RUN FROM DECEMBER.

JANUARY 1ST THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST. AND SO THERE'S SIX MONTHS OF OUR PLAN YEAR THAT IS IN ONE FISCAL YEAR AND SIX MONTHS IN ANOTHER FISCAL YEAR.

SO THAT'S THE EXPLANATION. OKAY. AND YOU DID EXPLAIN THAT I'M SORRY, BUT I WAS NOT I MY HEAD WAS NOT WRAPPING AROUND THAT.

OKAY. SO THEN THE THE THE FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO THAT IS AND I THINK YOU MENTIONED IT, BUT HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHY OUR BUDGET IS SO FAR FROM WHAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY INCUR. I MEAN, LOOKING AT THE LONGITUDINAL DATA HERE, YOU KNOW,

[02:25:07]

SO WHY, WHY, WHY IS WHEN WHEN WE'RE BUDGETING, WHY ISN'T IT CLOSER TO THE ACTUAL COST THAT WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO INCUR? SO I'LL START WITH WHEN WE MAKE THE BUDGET DECISIONS, OUR ANTICIPATION IS IT WILL MEET THE COST THAT IS BEING PROJECTED.

AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE CASES WHERE AND I'M GOING TO GO FORWARD.

ONE SLIDE IS PART OF THE WE HAVE ASSUMED THAT THE INFLATION WILL OCCUR.

AND IN THIS CASE THE INFLATION HAS OCCURRED HIGHER THAN WHAT WAS BUDGETED.

THE PHARMACY CLAIMS OCCURRED HIGHER THAN WHAT WAS BUDGETED AS WELL AS THE HIGH COST CLAIMANTS.

AND SO ALTHOUGH WE ARE BUDGETING FOR A GROWTH FACTOR, WHAT WE FOUND, AT LEAST FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, IS THAT AND CORRECT ME IF I'M USING THE WRONG TERM HERE, THE TREND IS NOT COMPLYING WITH WHAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING.

AND SO WE'RE COMING IN HIGHER. AND IT'S HAPPENED NOW THREE YEARS IN A ROW. AND SO THE QUESTION IS DO WE HAVE A RESET IN TERMS OF WHAT WE BUDGET.

IF THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS YES. AND I DON'T WANT TO REPEAT THIS TOO MANY TIMES, BUT IT WOULD.

IT WOULD MEAN REVISITING THESE NUMBERS I.E. WHAT IS THE DISTRICT CONTRIBUTING? WHAT IS THE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTING? AND IN BOTH CASES, IT WILL MEAN HIGHER CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE DISTRICT AND FOR THE EMPLOYEES.

AND SO IT'S BALANCING THAT. BUT TO GO BACK TO THE VERY BEGINNING IS WE ARE BUDGETING BASED ON THE TREND THAT WE EXPECT TO HAPPEN BASED ON THE INPUT THAT WE GET FROM GALLAGHER AND THE AND THE LAST THREE YEARS, IT JUST HAS NOT ADHERED TO THE TREND THAT WAS ANTICIPATED.

OKAY. SO YOU'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE BECAUSE THEN THEN WE'RE HAVING TO FIND THAT ESTIMATED 17.8 OR 15 MILLION NEXT YEAR FROM FROM WHEREVER THEY FIND IT. THAT IS CORRECT.

AND SO I KNOW THERE'S NOT A TRUSTEE SITTING ON THIS DAIS THAT WOULDN'T LIKE TO SEE SALARIES GO UP, PREMIUMS GO DOWN, OR A COMBINATION OF THE TWO.

BUT I ALSO PREDICT THERE'S NOT A SINGLE PERSON IN HERE THAT THINKS THAT THEIR MEDICAL PREMIUMS ARE AWESOME AND THAT THEIR DEDUCTIBLES ARE AWESOME.

IT'S JUST RIGHT. YOU KNOW, MEDICAL EXPENSES RIGHT NOW, HOMEOWNER'S INSURANCE, CAR INSURANCE.

I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE I'M THE ONLY ONE THAT'S NOT A GOOD SHOPPER FOR THESE THINGS, BUT IT'S KIND OF CRAZY AND RIDICULOUS.

SO ANY WAY WE CAN HELP OUR EMPLOYEES IS CERTAINLY HELPFUL.

WOULD YOU GO TO THE. OKAY. YOU'RE ALREADY THERE. SO LOOK AT PASADENA.

AND I AM WONDERING I SEE THAT PASADENA IS, YOU KNOW, THEIR THEIR EMPLOYEE ONLY COST IS A BIT, YOU KNOW, 34 ISH DOLLARS ABOVE WHAT OUR FOLKS ARE PAYING.

AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE OUR CONTRIBUTION IS GREAT.

REALLY. WE'RE DOING WELL. BUT MY QUESTION IS THIS IS TO BE ANSWERED OFFLINE BECAUSE THIS HAS GONE LONG.

BUT WHAT IS PASADENA DOING? LIKE WHAT IS PASADENA DOING WHERE THEIR STAFF DISTRICT'S ONLY CONTRIBUTING $322.

AND, YOU KNOW, JUST IF YOU CAN IF YOU DON'T KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER IT.

MR. GWINN CAN ANSWER IT, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING'S GOING ON IN PASADENA.

I KNOW THEY'RE MUCH SMALLER. SO ANSWER THAT OFFLINE FOR ME, AND I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS HANNON. MR. GARCIA.

SO A QUICK FEW QUESTIONS ON THE EMPLOYEE ONLY COSTS.

THAT'S PER MONTH. CORRECT. SO FOR SURE, IT'S 177.

THAT'S MONTHLY FOR EMPLOYEE ONLY. YES. CORRECT.

AND THEN FOR ROUGHLY DOCTOR VISITS, FOR SURE.

IT'S FOR PRIMARY CARE. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS US $40 A VISIT OR IS IT MORE.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA? DEPENDS. SURE. THIS IS A VARIABLE CO-PAY.

SO IT'S IT MEANS THAT IF YOU GO TO, IF YOU UTILIZE THE APPLICATION AND YOU LOOK ON IT AND YOU SAY, I NEED TO GO TO A PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR, A HIGH EFFICIENCY PROVIDER WOULD HAVE A LOWER CO-PAY.

SO A $40 CO-PAY AND THE HIGHEST AND THE POOR EFFICIENCY PROVIDER WOULD BE LABELED AT LIKE $150.

SO YOU'RE LIMITED IN THE DOCTORS AND WHAT YOU CAN GO TO.

YOU'RE NOT LIMITED IN THE DOCTORS. YOU HAVE THE WHOLE SCOPE OF THE NETWORK.

BUT TO GO TO ONE DOCTOR VERSUS THE OTHER REQUIRES A CHOICE ON HOW MUCH YOU'RE WILLING TO PAY IN THAT.

OKAY. AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE UPSET ABOUT BECAUSE THEY HAD THEIR DOCTORS, BUT THEY HAD TO SWITCH BECAUSE OF COST.

BUT THEN THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO PICK AND CHOOSE, RIGHT? SO AND I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD ASK THIS QUESTION NOW OR FOR THE, FOR THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE, BUT IF THE STATE LET'S ASSUME THE STATE INCREASES THE BASIC ALLOTMENT AND THEY MANDATE 40% FOR RAISES, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A BILL PASSED WHERE THEY GIVE TEACHERS A SEPARATE RAISE FOR 4 OR $5000 OR WHATEVER WHAT WE'RE HEARING.

[02:30:06]

DOES THAT ALSO INCLUDE BENEFITS? SO WE COULD SAY WE'LL TAKE THE 4000 OR $5000 THAT THE STATE GIVES US RAISES FOR TEACHERS.

BUT IN REGARDS TO THE BASIC ALLOTMENT, CAN WE ALLOCATE MORE OF A PORTION OF THAT TOWARD HEALTH INSURANCE AS OPPOSED TO ADDITIONAL RAISE? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE WHAT I'M ASKING. SO THAT IS A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE QUESTION, BUT I'LL ANSWER IT HERE.

IN SHORT. THE WAY THAT HOUSE BILL THREE WAS WRITTEN BACK IN 2019, IT ALLOWED DISTRICTS TO UTILIZE A PORTION OF THE HEALTH BENEFITS CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS COMPENSATION ADJUSTMENTS. THE LATEST SUBSTITUTION OF HOUSE BILL TWO, WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR A VOTE THIS WEEK, REMOVED COMPENSATION AND REPLACED IT WITH SALARY.

MEANING THAT WE CAN NO LONGER USE THE INSURANCE PREMIUMS AS AN OFFSET TO ANY SALARY ADJUSTMENT FOR TEACHERS, SO THEY GET A RAISE ON TOP OF THE RAISE WITHIN THE BASIC ALLOTMENT.

BECAUSE WE CAN'T USE IT FOR OVERALL COMPENSATION, YOU HAVE TO BE USED FOR SALARY.

CORRECT. OKAY. THANK YOU. NO MORE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. SO? SO I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

WHAT METHOD HAS THE DISTRICT USED IN THE PAST TO PAY DOWN THE DEFICIT? HOW HAVE WE HANDLED THAT? IT'S BEEN HANDLED WITH ONE TIME CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE GENERAL FUND, THE EMPLOYEE UNEMPLOYMENT FUND, AS WELL AS THE WORKERS COMPENSATION FUND.

AND HAVE WE DONE THAT EVERY YEAR? WE HAVE NOT.

NO. IT'S BEEN I CAN PROVIDE THE BOARD WITH WHEN WE HAVE DONE THAT.

IT HAS BEEN DONE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS. BUT WE'VE ALSO GONE, I BELIEVE, FOUR YEARS POST COVID WHERE WE DID NOT HAVE TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION.

PRIOR TO THAT, IT WAS ABOUT EVERY TWO YEARS WHEN WE WOULD HAVE TO DO THAT.

BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN CONSISTENT, BUT IT HAS BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN DONE, I'LL SAY, SEMI-REGULARLY IN THE PAST.

OKAY. AND SO IN IN THIS BUDGET, MISS HANNON WAS ASKING ABOUT THE BUDGET.

I THINK IT WAS MISS HANNON. ARE WE BUDGETING FOR THE DEFICIT, THE $34.7 MILLION THAT I'LL REVIEW WITH YOU IN JUST A FEW MINUTES DOES INCLUDE THAT $15 MILLION DEFICIT AS PART OF THE HEALTH PLAN.

OKAY, SO SO WE'RE NOT THAT'S THE SHORT ANSWER.

THAT DEFICIT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET. THAT'S WELL, IT'S YES IT IS BECAUSE THE 34.7 MILLION ASSUMES WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENT TO COVER THAT $15 MILLION DEFICIT, BUT IT'S NOT IN THE 71.7 MILLION THAT'S LISTED ON THE SHEET. THAT'S THAT'S THE POINT IS THAT WE'RE NOT.

YEAH. I KNOW THE ANSWER. I KNOW THE ANSWER. I'M ASKING THE QUESTION SO THAT EVERYBODY ELSE CAN HEAR IT.

YES. CORRECT. YEAH. OKAY. OKAY. DO YOU WANT. YES, MA'AM, I DID, I DID, THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.

I, I WANTED TO MAKE THAT VERY IMPORTANT DISTINCTION THAT AS WE BUILD THE BUDGET AND DEFINE WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET FOR THE NEXT UPCOMING YEAR. IT'S A CURRENT PRACTICE THAT I'M UNCOMFORTABLE WITH, AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN DO THAT DIFFERENT, BUT WE ARE NOT BUDGETING. I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT.

WE ARE NOT BUDGETING FOR THAT DEFICIT. WE KNOW IT'S COMING.

WE JUST TAKE FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO ADDRESS IT.

BUT IT'S NOT ON THE FRONT END BUILT INTO THE BUDGET.

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF WE DID THAT, THEN WE WOULD HAVE MORE CLARITY ON EVERY OTHER LINE ITEM EXPENDITURE OF WHAT CAN BE DONE AND WHAT CAN'T BE DONE. SO THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT DISTINCTION TO MAKE.

THANK YOU. THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING THE QUESTION. OKAY. THANK YOU GUYS. WE APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE IS NEXT. IS THAT RIGHT? YEAH.

YES. AND I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF ON THIS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS.

AND SO I'LL START WITH IS ON THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE AS I JUST MENTIONED, HOUSE BILL TWO, WHICH IS THE PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE FOR THE EDUCATION FUNDING FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR OR FOR THE UPCOMING BIENNIUM, INCLUDED AN ADDITIONAL INCLUDED CHANGES.

SO THE SUBSTITUTE VERSION OF HOUSE BILL TWO INCREASES THE BASIC ALLOTMENT BY AN ADDITIONAL $140, AND SO IT GOES FROM $220 TO $340. AND SO WE COULD SEE THAT OCCUR ASSUMING THE THE APPROVAL OCCURS ON THE SENATE SIDE AS WELL. THERE'S AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE GOLDEN PENNY YIELD.

AND THAT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT. IN THE PAST IT WAS LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED THAT THEY HAD TO CHANGE THE GOLDEN PENNY YIELD.

HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOW FREEZING THE TIER TWO GOLDEN PENNY YIELD AT $129.52.

AND EACH BIENNIUM BIENNIUM, THEY WOULD VISIT THAT AMOUNT AND MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT FOR IT TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT AND THE CURRENT BIENNIUM OR FOR THE UPCOMING BIENNIUM.

[02:35:04]

SO IT WOULD BE 6555 ASSUMING EVERYTHING GOES FORWARD.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SPECIAL EDUCATION CHANGES, THE PRIMARY ONE BEING THEY WOULD MOVE TO AN INTENSITY BASED MODEL.

HOWEVER, THE COMMISSIONER WILL HAVE TO SET WHAT THOSE WEIGHTS ARE. AND SO AT THIS POINT, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, BUT WE KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE ADDITIONAL FUNDING LIKELY FOR THE DISTRICT. I WOULD SAY, BASED ON WHAT I KNOW IS THAT WE HAVE A $36 MILLION GAP BETWEEN WHAT THE STATE FUNDS AND WHAT WE PAY LOCALLY.

IT LIKELY WILL NOT COVER THAT GAP, BUT IT WILL MAKE PROGRESS TOWARDS CLOSING IT TO SOME DEGREE.

AND THEN THE LAST ITEM YOU SEE ON THERE IS THAT THEY ARE NOW ADDING AN ALLOTMENT FOR THE INITIAL EVALUATIONS THAT THE DISTRICT HAS TO DO THAT HAS NOT BEEN THERE PREVIOUSLY.

IT WOULD BE $1,000 FOR EACH INITIAL EVALUATION.

AND THEN ON THE ISSUE OF RACES, 40% OF ALL THE NEW MONEY THAT THE STATE ALLOCATES THROUGH THIS HOUSE BILL TWO.

40% OF THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE SPENT ON RAISES, 75% TO CLASSROOM TEACHERS AND 25% TO NON CLASSROOM STAFF.

AND THEN THE THING THAT I'LL END WITH, I SAY ALL OF THIS, IS THAT THERE WILL BE MAJOR RECONCILIATION BETWEEN THE HOUSE VERSION AND THE SENATE VERSION. THE SENATE VERSION LOOKS NOTHING LIKE THIS.

AND SO ULTIMATELY, ONCE THE RECONCILIATION HAPPENS, THEN WE'LL KNOW WHAT WE CAN EXPECT TO RECEIVE.

AND SO THIS IS ALL AGAIN THROUGH THE LENS OF THE HOUSE, NOT THROUGH BOTH CHAMBERS FOR THE BUDGET UPDATE, AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, THE LEGISLATURE LEGISLATURE IS CURRENTLY IN SESSION.

AND AS WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE CLARITY ON WHAT THE BUDGET LOOKS LIKE UNTIL WE HAVE FINALITY ON WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO.

AND SO THAT WEIGHS HEAVILY ON US. WE'VE SHARED THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING A SHORTFALL OF $34.6 MILLION.

AND THEN LAST TIME WE WALKED THE BOARD THROUGH THREE POTENTIAL OPTIONS TO ADDRESS THAT FUNDING SHORTFALL.

AND SO I WON'T TOUCH ON EACH OF THESE BECAUSE WE ARE SHORT OF TIME.

BUT ON OPTION THREE IS WHERE WE LANDED. AND THAT IS WE WOULD USE A COMBINATION OF REDUCTIONS, POTENTIALLY DISASTER PENNIES AND FUND BALANCE TO HELP US ADDRESS THE BUDGET DEFICIT.

AND SO IF THE STATE COMES THROUGH THEN WE MAY NOT HAVE TO USE THE DISASTER PENNIES.

IF THEY DON'T COME THROUGH AT THE LEVEL THAT WE NEED, THERE MAY BE A NEED TO RELY ON THOSE. AND THE DISTRICT DOES HAVE UP TO $35 MILLION THAT IT COULD TAKE THROUGH THE DISASTER PENNIES IF IT COMES TO THAT.

SINCE WE'VE LAST MET WITH YOU, ALL STAFF HAS BEEN WORKING TO IDENTIFY AREAS OF THE BUDGET WHERE WE COULD MAKE REDUCTIONS THAT DON'T IMPACT CAMPUSES OR STUDENT PROGRAMING.

WE HAVE IDENTIFIED $4.6 MILLION THROUGH THAT WORK, AND THAT INCLUDES 19 VACANT CENTRAL ADMIN POSITIONS THAT CAN BE ELIMINATED.

THERE'S ALSO EXPECTED TO BE SOME TEACHING VACANCIES NEXT YEAR.

EACH YEAR WE'RE NOT ABLE TO FILL 100% OF OUR POSITIONS.

AND IF WE APPLY AN INNOVATIVE STAFFING MODEL USING OUR PAID TEACHER RESIDENTS TO FILL FIVE OF THOSE VACANCIES.

THAT APPROACH WOULD ALLOW US TO REDUCE VACANCIES, SAVE MONEY, AND SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR TEACHER PIPELINE.

AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON THOSE POTENTIAL SAVINGS.

AGAIN, WE'VE IDENTIFIED 4.6 MILLION AT THIS POINT AND ANTICIPATE HAVING ADDITIONAL SAVINGS THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH THE BOARD AT THE MEETING IN MAY.

AND SO THIS IS WHAT OUR CURRENT OUTLOOK LOOKS LIKE.

THE FIRST COLUMN THAT YOU SEE ON THERE IS WHAT WE'VE SHARED WITH YOU ALL PREVIOUSLY, THE $34.6 MILLION DEFICIT WITH NO CHANGES AT ALL TO THE BUDGET.

OUR FIRST SCENARIO, WHICH IS IN THE SECOND COLUMN, SHOWS THE IMPACT OF THE $4.6 MILLION IN REDUCTIONS THAT I JUST IDENTIFIED.

AND THIS SCENARIO ALSO INCLUDES THE $15 MILLION DEFICIT IN THE HEALTH BENEFITS FUND.

AND SO THAT IS INCLUDED IN BOTH THE 34.6 MILLION AS WELL AS THIS SCENARIO.

WE'RE NOT SHOWING THE USE OF ANY DISASTER PENNIES, BUT THERE IS NO NEW STATE FUNDING IN THAT SECOND COLUMN AS WELL.

AND SO WE WOULD HAVE A $30 MILLION DEFICIT THAT WE WOULD NEED TO ADDRESS, POTENTIALLY USING DISASTER PENNIES.

AND THEN THE SECOND SCENARIO THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT, THAT'S IN THE THIRD COLUMN THAT SHOWS THE IMPACT OF HOUSE BILL TWO, THE SUBSTITUTE VERSION COMING INTO PLAY, AND THE $4.6 MILLION IN REDUCTIONS THAT WE JUST DID.

AND IT SHOWS THAT THE DEFICIT IS NOW AT $13.1 MILLION, AND WE'VE IMPROVED FROM 76 DAYS TO 83 DAYS ON OUR FUND BALANCE RESERVE.

AND SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK THROUGH THOSE POTENTIAL BUDGET SAVINGS THAT WILL LOWER THE DEFICIT.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, A LOT OF THIS IS GOING TO HINGE ON WHAT THE OUTCOME OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS.

AND THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE BUDGET TIMELINE.

AND MAY WILL BE COMING BACK WITH AN ADDITIONAL BUDGET UPDATE, AS WELL AS A PLANNED BUDGET WORKSHOP WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND FINAL ADOPTION OF THE BUDGET OCCURRING IN JUNE. AND THAT COMPLETES THE PRESENTATION, AND I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THE BUDGET OR LEGISLATIVE UPDATE.

THANK YOU, MR. GWYNNE. WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS FROM THE TRUSTEES, MR. HAMILTON? YES. SO, MR. NGUYEN, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

[02:40:01]

THAT IS CORRECT. SO WE'RE IN A DIRE SITUATION FINANCIALLY.

WE'RE LOOKING AT A SIGNIFICANT BUDGET DEFICIT WITH HEALTH CARE COSTS.

COMMENTS WERE MADE RECENTLY HERE IN THIS ROOM ABOUT POTENTIALLY INCREASING THE STUDENT TO TEACHER RATIO.

WE'RE QUESTIONING WHETHER OR NOT WE CAN GIVE ADEQUATE RAISES TO OUR EMPLOYEES.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS, OBVIOUSLY. AND SO BEFORE, I WOULD SAY AT LEAST A COUPLE OF THOSE ARE ON THE EXTREME END OF OPTIONS. AND SO I THINK PLAN A IS NOT TO END CONTRACTS PREEMPTIVELY.

HOWEVER, I THINK WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT SOME CONTRACTS THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY END PREEMPTIVELY BEFORE WE GO TO RAISING TAXES ON PROPERTY OWNERS OR AND OR INCREASING THE STUDENT TO TEACHER RATIO. SO I KNOW I ASKED THAT QUESTION AS FAR AS GETTING SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHICH CONTRACTS WE MIGHT END BEFORE WE GO TO THOSE OTHER EXTREME OPTIONS.

I'LL POINT TO A COUPLE OF LINE ITEMS ON HERE.

SO YOU'LL NOTICE THAT PART OF THOSE REDUCTIONS, THERE'S $1.38 MILLION.

AND I'M AT THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THIS LIST. NOW, $1.38 MILLION IN OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE REDUCTIONS, AS WELL AS ABOUT $610,000 IN SOFTWARE REDUCTIONS.

IN SOME CASES, ON THE SOFTWARE REDUCTIONS, WE'RE ABLE TO TRANSFER THOSE TO THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ALLOTMENT AND PAY FOR THOSE.

SO EDGENUITY AS AN EXAMPLE, CAN DO THAT. AND SO SOME OF THESE WILL BE A DISCONTINUATION OF CONTRACTS BETWEEN BOTH OF THOSE LINE ITEMS, AS WE INDICATED. AND SO THIS REPRESENTS WHAT WE HAVE FOUND TO DATE, ROUGHLY $2 MILLION OF CONTRACTS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE ELIMINATED OR SIGNIFICANTLY PARED BACK. YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO JUST WOULD ENCOURAGE THE ADMINISTRATION TO CONTINUE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO CUT IN OTHER WAYS BEFORE WE GO TO THOSE MORE EXTREME MEASURES. AND THEN ALSO JUST WANTED TO COMMENT, WE I TOTALED UP THE NEW APPROVED SPENDING FOR LAST WEEK DURING THE AGENDA REVIEW. AND SO I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE'RE MAYBE THIS WAS COINCIDENCE, MAYBE THIS WAS RESPONDING TO THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, BUT THERE WAS A LOT LOWER DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WE'RE APPROVING IN NEW SPENDING TONIGHT.

AND SO JUST AS WE HAVE THESE EXTREME SITUATIONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, IT'S I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE SLOWING DOWN AND OR REDUCING SPENDING. I DO WANT TO ADDRESS ONE POINT THAT YOU MADE, MR. HAMILTON, AND THAT IS WHEN WE TALKED LAST TIME WITH YOU ALL, WE INDICATED WE WERE LOOKING AT EVERYTHING FROM UTILITY SAVINGS UP TO AND INCLUDING CHANGING THE RATIOS FOR STUDENT TO TEACHERS BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD AT THAT MEETING.

NOTHING THAT YOU HAVE SEEN HERE, NOR ANYTHING THAT WE INTEND TO PRESENT AT THIS POINT, WOULD INCLUDE ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO STUDENT TO TEACHER RATIOS.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. GWEN. THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON. MR. GARCIA. THANK YOU. AND SO IF IF, IF WE'RE INCREASING THE BASIC ALLOTMENT, $340 PER STUDENT, 80,000 STUDENTS, THAT ONLY COMES TO $27.2 MILLION, AND THEN 40% OF THAT MUST BE SPENT ON RAISES, WHICH, IF I'M DOING THE MATH, EQUATES TO SOMEWHERE AROUND IF YOU'RE JUST DIVVYING IT UP BY, YOU KNOW, THE THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, WE HAVE JUST UNDER $1,000 PER PER EMPLOYEE, AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S GOING TO BE DIVIDED EQUALLY SINCE WE HAVE.

TEACHERS AND THEN PARAS AND BUS DRIVERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO I GUESS.

IS THIS JUST FOR TEACHERS, THE FUNDING, THE 40% ON RAISES THAT JUST FOR TEACHERS.

SO THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE THE LEGISLATION WRITTEN ON THE HOUSE SIDE IS THAT IT IS.

A 40% INCREASE, 75%, WHICH MUST GO TO CLASSROOM TEACHERS, THE REMAINING 25% FOR THE REMAINING STAFF.

I DO WANT TO AND I BASED ON THE BREVITY OF THE THE PRESENTATION, IF HOUSE BILL TWO IS WRITTEN, WERE TO MOVE FORWARD, THE DISTRICT WOULD RECEIVE ABOUT 30 MILLION IN NEW MONEY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.

AND THEN SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT, BECAUSE I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT THE RAISES WILL PASS DEPENDING ON WHICH BILL WITH THIS THEN ADDITIONAL MONEY, SINCE WE CAN'T PUT THIS MONEY IN FOR COMPENSATION AND STRICTLY RAISES.

WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT SOME SORT OF A BONUS STRUCTURE.

WHETHER WE JUST GIVE THEM GIVE TEACHERS, IF THEY GET A 4000 OR $5000 RAISE BASED ON WHICH WHICH VERSION OF THE BILL COMES OUT,

[02:45:02]

MAYBE THE DISTRICT COULD CONSIDER SOMETHING WHERE THEY'RE DOING LIKE A CHRISTMAS BONUS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SOMETHING THAT THAT OCCURRED TO ME. ONE QUESTION THAT I HAD REGARDING SO VACANT POSITIONS, THESE ARE ADMIN POSITIONS. AND THEN DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY.

SO THE PAID TEACHER RESIDENCE TO TITLE TWO. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT TO ME AGAIN? SURE. SO THEY CURRENTLY THE DISTRICT HAS THE PAID TEACHER RESIDENT PROGRAM THAT WAS APPROVED AS PART OF THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET, 2425. WE FUNDED THAT WITH A ONE TIME SHAHS WINDFALL PAYMENT THAT WE RECEIVE, WHICH NOW, OF COURSE, WE'RE LOSING SHAH'S FUNDING, BUT THE INTENT WOULD BE TO MAINTAIN THAT PROGRAM GOING INTO NEXT YEAR.

BUT SHIFTING THE FUNDING FROM THAT ONE TIME GENERAL FUND SOURCE TO TITLE TWO FOR AN ADDITIONAL YEAR.

SO WE WOULD MAINTAIN THOSE TEACHER RESIDENTS OR MAINTAIN THE TEACHER RESIDENT PROGRAM GOING INTO THE 25, 26 SCHOOL YEAR. AND SO IT'S A REDUCTION TO GENERAL FUND COSTS, BUT WE WOULD MAINTAIN THE PROGRAM THROUGH TITLE TWO.

I UNDERSTAND. AND DOES THIS THESE REDUCTIONS INCLUDE THE COST SAVINGS FROM THE SCHOOL CONSOLIDATIONS, THE 1.5 PER CAMPUS. YES. SO BRIARGATE OR I SHOULD SAY ALDRIDGE AND MISSION, BECAUSE THOSE WERE IMPLEMENTED FOR THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR. THOSE SAVINGS ARE INCLUDED ALREADY IN OUR EXISTING BUDGET.

OKAY. AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK TOO MUCH AHEAD OF WHAT GREG GIBSON WILL SAY.

BUT WE DO HAVE THAT COST SAVINGS AUDIT THAT WILL BE COMING FORWARD FROM HIM.

ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT HE HAS MADE FROM US IS THAT, GENERALLY SPEAKING, HE'S FINDING THAT WE ARE PRETTY LEAN AND EFFICIENT.

AND SO I'M NOT ANTICIPATING TO SEE A LARGE, READILY AVAILABLE DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SAVE IMMEDIATELY.

BUT I BELIEVE HE WILL HAVE SOME LONGER RANGE ITEMS THAT WE COULD LOOK FOR FOR EFFICIENCIES.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE WE HAVE FOLLOWED THROUGH WITH MANY OF THE GIBSON AUDIT FINDINGS, WE'RE PROBABLY LEANER THAN WHAT I DON'T WANT TO SAY LEANER THAN WHAT WE SHOULD BE.

WE'RE PROBABLY WHERE WE SHOULD BE IN MANY ASPECTS, AND IT'S MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND THE SAVINGS THAT WE WERE HOPING THEY MIGHT FIND.

OKAY. THANK YOU. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. MISS HANNON. YES. SO, MR. GARCIA, JUST ASK ABOUT THE THE TEACHER RESIDENCE.

CORRECT. IS THAT WHAT YOU ASKED ABOUT MR. GARCIA? YES. OKAY. AND SO. AND YOU SAID IT WAS PAID FOR OUT OF THE ONE TIME CHARGE FOR THE CURRENT YEAR OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND.

YES, MA'AM. IT WAS PAID WITH A WE OKAY. WE RECEIVED THERE, BUT THERE ARE NO FULL TIME EQUIVALENTS THERE.

I'M NOT SURE HOW WE'RE SAVING, SO WE'RE NOT. THE IDEA IS TO MOVE THAT FUNDING SOURCE TO TITLE TWO.

AND SO THE TEACHERS WOULD FOLLOW THAT AS WELL.

AND SO IT'S THE FUNDING SOURCE FOR THOSE POSITIONS THAT WOULD MOVE TO TITLE TWO.

SO YOU'RE USING TITLE TWO INSTEAD OF OKAY INSTEAD OF ANOTHER FUNDING SOURCE.

AND THEN THE INNOVATIVE STAFFING MODEL ARE THOSE IS THAT THE MODEL AT PECAN GROVE AND MADDEN OR.

MY UNDERSTANDING IT IS NOT. BUT I'LL LEAN TO WHAT IS WHAT I MEAN.

I KNOW THAT IT'S NOT A HUGE AND IT'S FIVE FULL TIME EQUIVALENT, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE INNOVATIVE STAFFING MODEL IS.

THE INNOVATIVE STAFFING MODELS ALLOW US TO USE PAID TEACHER RESIDENTS IN TEACHER VACANCIES UNDER THE OVERSIGHT OF A HOST TEACHER.

I CAN SEND IN A FOLLOW UP THE DIFFERENT MODELS THAT WE'RE ENTERTAINING.

OKAY, BUT THAT ONLY AFFECTS THE REDUCTION OF FIVE.

YES, MA'AM. OKAY. THANK YOU, MISS WILLIAMS. THANK YOU, MR. GWINN. THANK YOU, MISS HANNON. AND THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

I'M NOT GOING TO. I'LL SEND IN ANY QUESTIONS I HAVE.

NEXT UP IS OUR ACADEMIES AND CHOICE PROGRAMS.

[10.B. Academies and Choice Programs]

DOCTOR STEVENS IS GOING TO LEAD THAT. I'M SORRY.

OUR CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER, DOCTOR STEVENS, IS GOING TO LEAD A PRESENTATION ON ACADEMIES AND CHOICE.

CHOICE PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS. THANK YOU.

I NEED YOU TO SPEAK IN THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE.

OH, I NEED YOU TO GET ANOTHER MIC. NO. I JUST DON'T WANT.

I DON'T WANT THOSE THAT ARE STREAMING TO. NOT HERE.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. HERE WE GO. SO GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

SO I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ACADEMIES AND CHOICE PROGRAMS. AND SO WE'RE GOING TO SET THE TABLE ABOUT WHAT THE VISION IS MOVING FORWARD FOR ACADEMIES AND CHOICE PROGRAMS. AND WE'RE ALSO GOING TO TALK ABOUT EXPANDING OPTIONS FOR OUR STUDENTS.

[02:50:01]

SO I HOPE YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG THERE. SO THE REALITY IS WE'RE IN A REALLY UNIQUE SPACE AS A DISTRICT.

AS WE REFLECT ON THE EDUCATIONAL LANDSCAPE, IT'S CLEAR WE NEED TO THINK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT WHAT WE OFFER OUR STUDENTS.

NO LONGER ARE WE THE ONLY OPTION IN TOWN. CURRENTLY WE HAVE FIVE CHARTERS THAT OPERATE WITHIN OUR BOUNDARIES THAT THAT TAKE OUR STUDENTS.

AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE AND I WANT TO JUST HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE FORETHOUGHT THAT YOU ALL SHARED EARLIER WHEN WE EXPANDED PRE-K.

MANY OF OUR COMPETITORS OFFER PRE-K. SOME OF THEM OFFER PRE-K THREE, SOME OF THEM OFFER TUITION PRE-K.

RIGHT? SO IF WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN TO COMPETE WITH OUR COMPETE FOR OUR OWN STUDENTS, WE HAVE TO GET THEM IN THE DOOR YOUNGER, RIGHT? BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE OUR COMPETITORS OFFER OUR STUDENTS THAT WE CURRENTLY THAT WE DON'T.

RIGHT. A LOT OF THAT COMES DOWN TO OPPORTUNITIES, RIGHT? SO IF WE LOOK AT HARMONY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE ONE IN FORT BEND IS HARMONY ACADEMY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.

WE HAVE MULTIPLE DISCOVERY SCHOOLS. WE HAVE IOT TEXAS, WHICH IS DUAL LANGUAGE.

AND SO WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, RIGHT.

SO WE WANTED TO THINK ABOUT TWO THINGS. ONE, WHAT CAN WE DO IN THE SHORT TERM TO BEGIN TO GIVE OUR PARENTS OPTIONS.

AND THEN TWO, HOW CAN WE OVERLAY THE WORK THAT BETH AND HER TEAM ARE DOING IN LONG RANGE, LONG RANGE BOUNDARY PLANNING? TO SHOW THAT WE'RE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT THIS WORK MOVING FORWARD. SO THE FIRST THING THAT WE LANDED ON IS WE'RE GOING TO BE PILOTING A PROGRAM THIS YEAR.

THESE ARE PREMIER OPPORTUNITIES, RIGHT? SO WE STARTED THIS TO THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS THAT OUR STUDENTS GET.

WHAT DO THEY LIKE MOST ABOUT THE ACADEMY MODEL.

RIGHT. THE ACADEMIES ARE RICH IN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, SO EVERY SINGLE ACADEMY MODEL STUDENT GETS TO DO HANDS ON THINGS MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR.

THEY GET TO DO FIELD TRIPS, RIGHT. SOME OF THESE ARE FAIRLY LOW COST, RIGHT? IF I'M IN THE MATH SCIENCE ACADEMY, I'M GOING TO DO THE EGG DROP AND I'M GOING TO BUILD A SKI LIFT.

I'M ALSO GOING TO TAKE A TOUR OF A MEDICAL CENTER.

RIGHT. SO THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN AFFORD FOR OUR STUDENTS, RIGHT.

BUT WHAT WOULD THIS LOOK LIKE IF WE SCALED IT DOWN TO OUR YOUNGER STUDENTS. RIGHT. SO WE'RE CALLING THESE PREMIER OPPORTUNITIES. SO OUR PLAN IS TO PILOT FIVE OF THESE IN THE FALL. FIVE PROGRAMS IN THE FALL. SO ONE IS OUR ENERGY EXPLORERS.

IT'S A FANCY WAY TO SAY THAT THESE STUDENTS WILL INVESTIGATE ENERGY AND DIFFERENT THINGS GOLF GUARDIANS.

SO THEY'LL EXPLORE THE BIODIVERSITY OF THE GULF.

SO THAT'S THE ANIMALS. THAT'S THE PLANTS, THAT'S THE HABITATS. SERVICE SENTINELS.

THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO SAY SERVICE LEADERSHIP.

SO STUDENTS WILL DO LEADERSHIP PROJECTS. WE'LL HAVE DIGITAL DEFENDERS.

SO IT'S ALL ABOUT DIGITAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION AND THEN TRANSPORTATION.

SO STUDENTS WILL EXAMINE THE DIFFERENT WAYS TRANSPORTATION HAS CHANGED. AND SO WHAT DOES THIS ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE? RIGHT. SO WE HAVE THESE CUTE LITTLE CHARACTERS THAT WE CAME UP WITH. YOU CAN KIND OF FIGURE OUT WHO'S WHO. WE HAVE OUR GOLF GUARDIAN, OUR SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP, OUR ENERGY EXPLORERS AND OUR DIGITAL DEFENDERS AS WELL AS OUR TRANSPORTATION.

BUT ON A PRACTICAL LEVEL, WHAT WOULD THIS LOOK LIKE IF I WAS A STUDENT OR I WAS A CAMPUS PILOTING THIS? SO IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO IF I WAS THE SERVICE SENTINEL CAMPUS, IT'S A GREAT WAY TO SAY THIS CAMPUS IS GOING TO FOCUS ON SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP, RIGHT? SO AT THIS CAMPUS, STUDENTS ARE GOING TO EXPLORE THE QUALITIES OF EFFECTIVE LEADERS WHO SERVE THEIR COMMUNITIES, FOSTER COLLABORATION, AND INSPIRE POSITIVE CHANGE.

THEY'RE GOING TO DIVE INTO THE PRINCIPLES OF HOW SERVANT LEADERSHIP SUCH AS HUMILITY, ACCOUNTABILITY, COMPASSION AND LEARN HOW TO APPLY THESE VALUES.

RIGHT. BUT WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE PRACTICALLY? WELL, IT'S SUPER SIMPLE. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SERVICE EXPERIENCES FOR OUR STUDENTS, ONE IN THE FALL AND ONE IN THE SPRING. WE'RE GOING TO EXPLORE PARTNERSHIPS LIKE LETTING OUR FIFTH GRADERS DESIGN A BUSINESS AND THEN TAKE A TOUR TO JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT'S BIZTOWN IN THE HEIGHTS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN INDEPENDENT LEADERSHIP PROJECT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ASSEMBLIES WITH HOUSTON FOOD BANK, UNITED WAY AND OUR SHARED DREAMS, AS WELL AS OTHER PARTNERSHIPS.

RIGHT. SO THESE ARE ALL OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS.

THEY'RE LOW COST. THEY'RE NOT NO COST. BUT WHAT THIS WILL ALLOW US TO DO IS THIS WILL ALLOW US TO KIND OF WORK THE KINKS OUT.

AND THEN AS WE COME ALONGSIDE DOCTOR BETH AND HER TEAM, WE'LL BEGIN TO GET INTO WHAT ARE OUR PREMIER PROGRAMS LOOK LIKE.

SO THIS IS SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. BUT I JUMPED A LITTLE BIT AHEAD. SO WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICAL TERMS. SO APRIL WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FLESH OUT THE PROGRAM STRUCTURE. MAY WE'RE GOING TO REFINE THE CURRICULUM.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I REALLY WANT TO MAKE MAKE CERTAIN HERE. THIS IS NOT A NEW CURRICULUM.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO GO OUT AND REWRITE EVERYTHING. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO WHAT OUR SCHOOLS ALREADY OFFER.

SO IT'S HEY, TAKING AN EXTRA 25 MINUTES HERE, TAKING AN EXTRA 30 MINUTES HERE, DOING A LESSON ON THIS, HAVING AN EXTRA ASSEMBLY. SO IT'S NOT A NEW CURRICULUM.

IT'S NOT ANYTHING NEW. IT'S GIVING OUR STUDENTS DIFFERENTIAL LEARNING EXPERIENCES.

RIGHT. SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE THE GREAT PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE DO HAVE.

SO WE ALREADY HAVE GREAT PARTNERSHIPS WITH TEXAS A&M, GALVESTON.

THAT'D BE A GREAT VISIT FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE EXPLORING THE GULF. WE ALREADY HAVE GOOD PARTNERSHIPS WITH SHARE DREAMS. WE ALREADY HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE HOUSTON FOOD BANKS. SO WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE THESE PARTNERSHIPS A REALITY FOR THESE FIVE SCHOOLS? SO WE'LL WORK ON THAT IN THE SUMMER. WE'LL HOST PD FOR THE CAMPUS LEADERS AND THE PRINCIPALS AND THE APS AND THE TEACHERS.

AND THEN WE'LL LAUNCH IN AUGUST, AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE TO REFINE THESE. AND THE PLAN WILL BE THAT AS WE REFINE THESE FIVE OVER TIME, MORE SCHOOLS CAN COME ON BOARD, AND THEY'LL EVEN BE AN OPTION FOR A SCHOOL TO SAY, HEY, I LIKE YOUR FIVE THINGS,

[02:55:03]

SO THE SHORT TERM PLAN IS TO BUILD OUT EMBEDDED OPPORTUNITIES THAT ALLOW OUR PARENTS TO SEE THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING EXPERIENCES.

THE LONG TERM PLAN IS WORKING ALONGSIDE BETH AND HER TEAM AS WE LOOK AT STANDALONE PREMIER PROGRAMS. SO THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE SPOKE ABOUT LAST BOARD MEETING. THOSE WOULD BE A EITHER A TWO WAY OR AN IMMERSION LANGUAGE PROGRAM.

IT WOULD BE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SCALING THE GT ACADEMY DOWN TO ELEMENTARY.

IT WOULD BE LAUNCHING A LABORATORY SCHOOL AND IT WOULD BE POTENTIALLY LAUNCHING AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL.

WE KNOW THAT FORT BEND COUNTY IS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE COUNTIES IN THE COUNTRY.

HOW DO WE LEAN INTO THAT DIVERSITY? HOW DO WE GIVE OUR PARENTS AND STUDENTS OPTIONS? AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THESE ELEMENTARY PREMIER PROGRAMS IS THAT THEY DON'T STOP IN FIFTH GRADE.

SO AS WE CRAFTED AN ELEMENTARY PROGRAM, LET'S SAY WE CRAFTED A DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM.

WELL, A MANDARIN IMMERSION PROGRAM DOESN'T STOP WHEN THE KIDS GET INTO FIFTH GRADE.

SO WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE FOR SIXTH GRADE AND FOR SEVENTH GRADE AND EIGHTH GRADE? IT'S THE SAME THING WITH NATIONAL SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL JUST DOESN'T STOP WHEN YOU GET TO SIXTH GRADE. RIGHT. SO ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS WOULD FEED UP INTO OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS LEVEL.

AND THEN AS WE HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL, IT'S ABOUT HOW DO WE BEGIN TO THEN BUILD A PIPELINE FOR THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO DIFFERENTLY IN HIGH SCHOOL, RIGHT. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS NOW AS THEY EXIST TODAY ARE GREAT.

HOW CAN WE MAKE THEM BETTER? IT'S ABOUT GIVING OUR KIDS OPTIONS AND HOW CAN WE? HOW CAN WE EMBED MORE STEM? SO WE'RE GOING TO SPEND TIME THIS SUMMER WORKING ON MORE STEM PD.

WE'RE GOING TO SPEND TIME WITH THE NEXT FEW YEARS THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN GET STUDENTS MORE INTERESTED IN OUR CTE.

HOW WE CAN GET STUDENTS TO TAKE THAT CAREER EXPLORATION COURSE AND HOW WE CAN PUSH THEM INTO MORE CTE.

SO WHEN IT IS TIME FOR THEM TO MAKE A HIGH SCHOOL CHOICE, THEY KNOW, HEY, I'M KIND OF INTERESTED IN THIS AND I KIND OF WANT TO DO THIS, AND I THINK THIS PROGRAM IS FOR ME. AND THAT'S GOING TO LEAD US INTO OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.

RIGHT? SO WE UNDERSTAND THE ACADEMY MODEL EXISTS.

WE UNDERSTAND THERE ARE SOME BENEFITS. RIGHT. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T THINK DIFFERENTLY AND ENSURE THAT IT EXISTS TO PROVIDE STRENGTH TO OUR DISTRICT.

SO WE WANT TO LEAN INTO THE ACADEMY MODEL, RIGHT? SO WE WANT TO BEGIN TO ESTABLISH REESE AS A HUB FOR CTE AND A HUB FOR STEM.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE SOME PROGRAMS THAT ARE OFFERED AT THE HOME CAMPUS.

SOME PROGRAMS THAT ARE OFFERED AS AN ACADEMY, SOME PROGRAMS THAT MIGHT EVEN BE OFFERED AT REESE.

BUT WE REALLY WANT TO DO IS HAVE EACH OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS OFFER A SUITE OF COMPREHENSIVE CTE THINGS.

THESE ARE NOT THINGS THAT WE JUST OFFER RIGHT NOW, BUT EVEN AS FORWARD THINKING AS WE WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO GET AN FAA DRONE PILOT'S LICENSE. SO THAT'S DIFFERENT BECAUSE RIGHT NOW OUR KIDS ARE PLAYING WITH DRONES AND THEY'RE HAVING FUN WITH DRONES, BUT THEY CAN'T TAKE THAT DRONE EXPERIENCE AND GO OUT INTO THE REAL WORLD AND GET A JOB.

SO AS WE WORK ALONGSIDE THE FAA TO GET EVERYTHING STOOD UP, WE WE PLAN TO OFFER FAA DRONE PILOT LICENSE, BUT NOT JUST AT ONE SCHOOL, NOT JUST A PART OF ONE ACADEMY THAT'S ACROSS ALL OF OUR COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOLS, BECAUSE WE WANT EACH OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS TO OFFER FIRST CLASS, CUTTING EDGE EDUCATION TO OUR STUDENTS.

BUT THEN WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO CHOOSE REESE AND GO TO REESE FOR THINGS THAT THEY CAN'T GET AT THEIR HOME SCHOOL, LIKE COSMETOLOGY, LIKE CULINARY, LIKE CYBERSECURITY. SO WE WANT THIS TO BE THAT STANDALONE PLACE.

WE REALLY ARE GOING TO HAVE LONG CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW DO WE REALIGN OUR RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE MEETING STUDENTS NEEDS, BUT AT THE SAME TIME ALLOWING US TO COMPETE AND AT THE SAME TIME ENSURING THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE PREPARED FOR HIGH GROWTH, HIGH DEMAND JOBS NOW AND IN THE FUTURE. AND SO THE GOOD NEWS IS, IS THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO WALKING ALONGSIDE BETH.

SO AGAIN, THIS IS ABOUT A 3 TO 5 YEAR PROJECT, RIGHT? SO WE CAN LOOK AT HOW DO WE UTILIZE THOSE UNDERUTILIZED ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

WHAT DO WE DO FOR THOSE UNDERUTILIZED MIDDLE SCHOOLS.

ARE THERE PROGRAMS THAT WE CAN PUT THERE THAT WILL BRING OUR FAMILIES BACK INTO FORT BEND ISD? THE SHORT TERM ANSWER IS YES, BUT WE'RE EXCITED TO WORK ALONGSIDE BETH, WORK ALONGSIDE THE REST OF THE TEAM TO EXPLORE OPTIONS NOT ONLY FOR OUR UNDERUTILIZED CAMPUSES, BUT FOR ALL 83 FORT BEND ISD CAMPUSES AS A WHOLE.

SO I KNOW I THREW A LOT AT YOU. BUT THIS IS REALLY WHAT I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT.

SO AS WE THINK ABOUT PREMIER PROGRAMS PREMIER OPPORTUNITIES, IT'S REALLY A THREE LEGGED STOOL, RIGHT? SO THE STOOL IS THE EDUCATION WE PROVIDE OUR STUDENTS.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR TRADITIONAL EDUCATION.

AND SO SOME OF THAT WORK IS GOING TO BEGIN THIS SUMMER WHEN WE GET THE RESULTS OF THE AUDIT. THE AUDIT IS GOING TO TELL US, HEY, YOU HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN YOUR INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH FOR STUDENTS. YOU'RE GOING TO ALSO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES WITH YOUR PREMIER PROGRAM. SO THOSE ARE THOSE STANDALONE PROGRAMS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, PERHAPS AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, PERHAPS A DUAL LANGUAGE SCHOOL.

AND THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES WITH YOUR PREMIER OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN THE EDUCATION THAT YOU OFFER YOUR STUDENTS.

ALL THIS TO WORK ALONGSIDE THE LONG RANGE BOUNDARY PLANNING OPTIONS TO MAKE FORT BEND ISD THE DESTINATION DISTRICT FOR FAMILIES AND STUDENTS IN FORT BEND COUNTY.

THANK YOU, DOCTOR STEPHENS. WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS FROM THE TRUSTEES.

YOU DID A GREAT. YOU DID A GREAT JOB. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, MR. GARCIA. THANK YOU, DOCTOR STEPHENS, THIS IS AMAZING.

[03:00:06]

I THINK WE'VE WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION BEFORE DOING MORE WITH WITH LESS.

AND WE, YOU KNOW, JUST HAD A PRESENTATION ON THE BUDGET.

AND THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HAVING TO MAKE HARD CHOICES AND CLOSE SCHOOLS AND CLOSE PROGRAMS. AND WE'RE NOT DOING THAT HERE. YOU KNOW, WE PUT OUR STUDENTS FIRST.

WE'RE PUTTING OUR STUDENTS FIRST. AND SO WHATEVER THE CHALLENGES WE MAY HAVE WITH THE BUDGET, WE'RE WE'RE FIGURING IT OUT. WE'RE GETTING PUTTING OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE FORT BEND ISD IS POISED TO BE THE BEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS BY THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX AND DOING MORE WITH LESS. SO I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT THE PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING FOCUSING ON THE JOBS AND THE SKILLS OF TOMORROW. DRONE PROGRAM. YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS WITH MY EIGHTH GRADER ABOUT DRONE AND GETTING HIS PILOT LICENSE AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO THAT'S THAT'S ACTUALLY REALLY EXCITING. I DOING THE LEADERSHIP TASB MASTER TRUSTEE TRAINING, AND ONE OF THE OTHER PLACES WE WENT TO WAS EL PASO.

AND EL PASO HAS HAD TO CLOSE SCHOOLS NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING VOUCHER RELATED, BUT JUST BECAUSE THE POPULATION ISN'T THERE.

THE POPULATION IS SHRINKING AND SO THEY'VE HAD TO CLOSE, I THINK 6 OR 7 SCHOOLS.

BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY DID, AND I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE THAT I THOUGHT WAS PRETTY, PRETTY INTERESTING WAS THEY WERE CONVERTING SOME OF THEIR SCHOOLS, MAYBE HALF UTILIZED AND INCORPORATING SORT OF A DUAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON ONE SIDE OF IT, AND THEN A MONTESSORI SCHOOL ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT.

AND SO THAT STARTED TO DRAW IN AND ATTRACT MORE STUDENTS TO COME IN TO THE SCHOOL.

I THINK THE PROGRAM IS NOW K THROUGH FIFTH, I THINK.

I ACTUALLY THINK IT'S PRE-K THROUGH FIFTH. AND SO AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS THAT ARE THAT ARE UNDERUTILIZED, SOME OPTIONS THAT WE COULD DO TO INCREASE CAPACITY, BE MORE COMPETITIVE WITH WITH SOME OF OUR OUTSIDE COMPETITORS.

AND I'M DRIVING DOWN WEST BELLFORT AND I'M SEEING ANOTHER CHARTER SCHOOL POP UP OVER THERE NEXT TO SOME HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN THE AREA.

AND SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO BE COMPETITIVE? AND SEEING THINGS LIKE THIS.

AND REALLY THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX. AMIDST SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE'RE HAVING.

I COMMEND YOU AND I COMMEND THE TEAM. AND I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO JUST KEEP GOING.

SO I WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE. I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN INTERESTING IDEA. I'VE GOT LOTS OF IDEAS. I JUST CAME BACK FROM COLLEGE STATION AND AND SAME SITUATION OVER THERE.

DOING. DOING MORE WITH LESS. THAT'S ALL THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE DOING RIGHT NOW IS HOW CAN WE UTILIZE THE SPACES THAT WE HAVE? HOW CAN WE INCORPORATE PROGRAMS AND AND REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, REACH OUT TO COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO, TO GET OPPORTUNITIES FOR, FOR OUR STUDENTS HERE.

SO THOSE ARE SOME, SOME REALLY GOOD, EXCITING THINGS. I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT Y'ALL ARE ON TOP OF IT.

THANK Y'ALL. THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. MR. HAMILTON.

YES, THANK YOU FOR THAT PRESENTATION. SO I THINK I MENTIONED LAST WEEK SO TRUSTEE HANNON REQUESTED A POLICY THAT CAME TO THE POLICY COMMITTEE.

AND THEN IN THAT IN THAT CONVERSATION, YOU YOU DOCTOR STEVENS, YOU WERE VERY EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE DUAL LANGUAGE EXPANSION AND ALSO THIS TYPE OF STUFF. AND SO I'M GLAD THAT THAT EXCITEMENT GOT, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY GOT TO SEE THAT EXCITEMENT TONIGHT.

AND SO THIS THESE ARE EXCITING TOPICS. SO JUST A QUESTION.

SO THIS COULD BE THE KIND OF THE FIVE CHANNELS OR THE EXPANDING THE GT PROGRAM.

IF A PARENTS MAY BE WATCHING ONLINE OR SITTING HERE AND WONDERS ABOUT LIKE CREATIVITY OR ENTREPRENEURSHIP, ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN ADD AS FAR AS INCORPORATING THOSE THINGS.

SO I THINK IN MANY WAYS WE'VE GOT COOL PROGRAMS THAT ARE TEACHING KIDS HOW TO DO ROBOTS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

AND I THINK WITH REGARDLESS OF FIELD IF WE CAN, IF WE CAN PREPARE STUDENTS TO SHIFT ON TO THE BUSINESS OWNER SIDE OF THE TABLE THEN THERE'S SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT. THAT'S DEFINITELY SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD, ESPECIALLY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL SPACE ABOUT THAT FUTURE. PRENEURSHIP RIGHT. SO NOT JUST PUTTING STUDENTS INTO A BARBERING OR A COSMETOLOGY, GIVING THEM THAT LICENSE SO THEY CAN GO ON AND RENT SOMEONE'S CHAIR, BUT GIVING THEM THE SKILLS SO THEY CAN GO OUT AND OWN THE SALON AND OWN THAT STUDIO INSTEAD OF PAYING RENT. SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO THINK ABOUT THAT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON. MISS JONES. DOCTOR STEVENS. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TYSON.

I THINK THIS IS PHENOMENAL. AND I LIKE THE FACT WHEN I READ THIS OVER THE WEEKEND, I GOT OVERLY EXCITED AND WANTED TO START PLANNING.

BUT I'M LIKE, WHAT AM I GOING TO PLAN? LET THEM DO THE PLANNING.

[03:05:04]

AND AS MY FELLOW TRUSTEES IS THINKING OUT OF THE BOX, BRINGING THOSE FIELD BASED LEARNING EXPERIENCES AS WELL AS PROJECT BASED LEARNING BACK INTO OUR CLASSROOMS. AND I ALSO APPRECIATE, AND I'M JUST GRATEFUL BECAUSE WHEN I GOT HERE TWO YEARS AGO, STEM WASN'T IN OUR DISTRICT. TIM STEM WAS TAKEN OUT OF OUR DISTRICT.

SO YOU'RE BRINGING IT BACK. AND THAT'S ESSENTIAL BECAUSE STEM IS THE FUTURE.

HOW ARE WE GOING TO OFFER TRADITIONAL EDUCATION WITHOUT STEM? AND SO STEM IS MY BACKGROUND AS A TEACHER. I ALSO LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU ARE PLANNING TO INCORPORATE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT AND BIZTOWN JUNIOR. JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT IS WHERE I STARTED.

I NEVER HAD AN IDEA OR THOUGHT ABOUT BEING A TEACHER UNTIL I ACTUALLY DID.

STARTED TEACHING JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT. LIVING OUT.

LIVING ON CY-FAIR. THAT'S WHAT THE PARENTS DID.

IT WAS LIKE, OKAY, MOMS, STAY AT HOME MOMS. WE'RE GOING TO TEACH JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT.

AND THAT'S WHAT THE SCHOOL KIND OF PUT ON US.

AND SO I LEARNED A LOT FROM SO MANY OF THOSE PHENOMENAL TEACHERS.

AND SOMEWHERE IN THIS WHOLE THING OF TEACHING J.

A FOR TWO YEARS THAT I ENDED UP BECOMING A TEACHER BEHIND BEING A JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT TEACHER.

SO I'M REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF IT. I REMEMBER YOU SAID THAT LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAMS, I'VE BEEN EXPOSED TO THAT IN ANOTHER DISTRICT.

CHINESE, MANDARIN. MANDARIN, ARABIC IMMERSION PROGRAMS, SCHOOLING AS WELL.

AS A KID GROWING UP IN HISD, THAT WAS AN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL CALLED BRIARGROVE ELEMENTARY.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S STILL IN ELEMENTARY OR IF IT'S STILL INTERNATIONAL, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE A HUGE FESTIVAL AND MULTICULTURAL DAY, AND THAT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT WOULD COME AND VISIT.

SO I HOPE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING SIMILAR SO THAT ALL STUDENTS CAN HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE THAT I HAD GROWING UP. GOING OR VISITING BRIARGROVE ELEMENTARY UAH LABORATORY SCHOOL WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE FIRST LABORATORY SCHOOLS HERE IN THE DISTRICT. I MEAN, HERE IN THE CITY, AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S STILL RUNNING, BUT I'VE HEARD SOME REALLY GREAT THINGS ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON LABORATORY SCHOOLS.

BUT THERE IS ONE GROUP OF BABIES IN THIS, IN THIS WHOLE PLAN THAT YOU LEFT OUT OUR FINE ARTS STUDENTS.

THOSE ARE I HEAR, EVERYTHING. BUT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING THAT FOSTER THE CREATIVITY AND PROMOTE OUR STUDENT WORK IN FINE ARTS, VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS.

AND LET ME TELL YOU WHY. SOMETIMES I FIND ARTS KIDS GET LEFT BEHIND.

AND LET ME TELL YOU WHY. OR THEY GO UNNOTICED.

FINE ARTS STUDENTS HAVE THE HIGHEST SAT SCORES.

THEY HAVE THE HIGHEST GRADES. THEY HAVE THE HIGHEST ATTENDANCE.

AND YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE MANY DISCIPLINARY PROBLEMS OUT OF FINE ARTS STUDENTS YET.

WE DON'T INVEST ENOUGH IN THIS DISTRICT FOR THE KIDS WHO ARE REALLY, REALLY CARRYING THE DISTRICT ON SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS. AND SO AS YOU CONTINUE WITH YOUR PLAN, KEEP OUR FINE ARTS BABIES IN MIND TOO, BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET THE RECOGNITION OR THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT FOR THEIR HIGH ACHIEVING AND THEIR HIGH PERFORMING IN OUR DISTRICT, AND THEY GENERALLY JUST GO UNNOTICED. AND SO THAT'S MY ASK OF YOU.

MY OTHER ASK IS, AS I WAS READING THIS. AND SO.

COMMISSIONER MORATH WAS TALKING ABOUT A LONG TIME AGO, HIS WORK IN NEW ORLEANS, ABOUT HOW THEY WERE PLANNING ON CLOSING CERTAIN SCHOOLS.

AND THEY DID RIGHT AFTER KATRINA. BUT WHAT ALSO THEY DID WAS SOME OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WERE LOW PERFORMING OR WERE MERGED, BECAME MAGNET SCHOOLS, AND IT INCREASED AND IT INCREASED ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.

SO AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LONG RANGE BOUNDARY PLANNING AND REZONING AND THE POSSIBILITY OF CLOSING SCHOOLS.

[03:10:02]

BUT LET'S OFFER THEM SOMETHING MORE THAN LEAVING THEIR KIDS, THEIR FRIENDS, THEIR COMMUNITY, BUT TO GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU FOR THIS PLAN. I APPRECIATE IT. AND I'M ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT WE ARE DOING GREAT THINGS IN FORT BEND ISD.

THANK YOU. YES, MA'AM. AND JUST TO JUST TO RESPOND.

SO I HAVE A BAD HABIT OF USING A LOT OF SLIDES.

SO I HAD TO CUT BACK. BUT I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH WITH JIM ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO SCALE, CONTINUE TO SCALE, WORK FOR OUR FINE ARTS STUDENTS AT THE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL SPACE. SO THAT WILL BE A PART OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE ULTIMATELY MAKE. YEAH, BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T GET THE RECOGNITION.

AND I'M LIKE, THEY ARE OUR HIGHER PERFORMING AND OUR BEST BEHAVED STUDENTS, AND THEY REALLY, REALLY NEED SOMETHING OF THEIR OWN IN A SPACE OF THEIR OWN.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS JONES, MR. SHOAFF.

THANK YOU, DOCTOR STEVENSON, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

I LOVE HOW THEY'RE ALWAYS SO SHORT AND TO THE POINT.

SO I'M A LICENSED PILOT. I'VE BEEN FLYING SINCE SINCE I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

I GOT MY PILOT'S LICENSE, AND I WAS ON TRACK TO FINISH MY AIRLINE TRANSPORT CERTIFICATE UP UNTIL THE PEOPLE ELECTED ME INTO THIS SEAT.

AND THAT HAD TO BE BACK. BURNERED. SO SOMETHING THAT'S COMMON, YOU KNOW, I HAVE MY FAA 107, WHICH IS THE DRONE OPERATOR LICENSE, AND IT TOOK ME ALL ABOUT PROBABLY 30 MINUTES TO GET.

BUT IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FOR IF YOU'RE ALREADY HOLDING, IF YOU'RE ALREADY A CERTIFICATED PILOT.

BUT WHAT'S COMMON IN THE AVIATION WORLD PARTICULARLY FLIGHT SCHOOLS THAT ARE TRAINING SPECIFICALLY FOR FLIGHT STUDENTS TO GO DIRECTLY INTO THE AIRLINES IS THEY WORK THROUGH THE PRIVATE PILOT RATING.

INSTRUMENT RATING. FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. COMMERCIAL RATING.

FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. MULTI-ENGINE. MULTI INSTRUMENT INSTRUCTOR.

SO YOU KNOW THROUGH THE RATINGS. AND THEN. OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT A YEAR SOMEBODY WHO'S NEVER FLOWN AN AIRPLANE BEFORE.

IS NOW A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. SO FAR 107 FOR DRONE OPERATOR YOU CAN GET YOUR DRONE.

OPERATING LICENSE YOUR COMMERCIAL DRONE OPERATOR LICENSE AT 16 YEARS OLD.

AND THERE'S NO AGE CAP FOR BEING A DRONE OPERATOR INSTRUCTOR.

SO HAS THE DISTRICT EXPLORED THE OPTIONS OF TRYING TO GET STUDENTS CERTIFIED? NOT JUST AS A DRONE OPERATOR, BUT AS A DRONE OPERATING INSTRUCTOR IN ORDER TO START TRAINING OTHER STUDENTS IN THEIR 107.

WE HAVEN'T HAD THOSE DEEP OF CONVERSATIONS YET.

I CAN TELL YOU WE ARE WORKING. WE'VE GOT THE CLEARANCE FROM THE FAA TO BEGIN OFFERING THAT PROGRAM IN THE COMING YEARS.

WE'RE ALSO HAVING ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT JUST AVIATION AND AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE IN GENERAL.

SO WHEN WE BRING OUR FINAL PRESENTATION BACK, OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS, ONCE THEY ALIGN WITH BOARD BUDGET PRIORITIES, WE'LL HAVE THAT INFORMATION FOR YOU. AWESOME, AWESOME.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. SO YOU KNOW, AND WHERE I'M SO EXCITED WITH DRONE OPERATOR.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE WITH THE WAY WE OPERATE WITH CTE AND THE REECE CENTER IS IT SEEMS LIKE IT REMOVED A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS FROM THE CAMPUS. AND WE ARE A MASSIVE DISTRICT, AND HAVING KIDS DRIVE CLEAR ACROSS DISTRICT TO GET A STATE CERTIFIED CLASS. KIND OF SUCKS FOR THE KID, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT WE CAN PUT IN THE CLASSROOM OR IN THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS. AND, I MEAN, JUST IN ONE SEMESTER, THEY CAN HAVE THEIR THEIR DRONE OPERATOR LICENSE.

SO I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHERE THIS GOES. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. SHOAFF. DOCTOR GILLIAM. THANK YOU.

DON'T WANT TO BE DEBBIE DOWNER, BUT I GUESS AS I WAS SITTING HERE, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA.

IT IS. I'M 100% IN BUT I'M GOING TO SAY STEPHANIE WILLIAMS, MELISSA HUBBARD, GLENDA, JIM DREW, EVEN DOCTOR SMITH. AND WE'VE HAD WE'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE.

AND SO IN FORT BEND, MEANING THAT THERE WERE I BELIEVE WE WERE TRYING TO WHAT DID WE CALL IT THEN? DOCTOR SMITH WE HAD THE ACADEMIES. THERE WAS AN ACADEMY IN EVERY SCHOOL OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

I, I LOVE THIS AND I WOULD JUST SUGGEST THAT WE REALLY GO BACK TO WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE THINGS BECAUSE WE'RE WE'RE A DIFFERENT KIND OF A COMMUNITY.

AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST DON'T WANT TO OR ARE.

OUR STUDENTS DON'T ALWAYS WANT TO DO CERTAIN THINGS.

[03:15:01]

DON'T GET ME WRONG, I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE DEBBIE DOWNER.

I JUST WANT US TO REALLY FOCUS AND FIND OUT WHAT WAS IT BEFORE THAT THIS DID NOT CONSISTENTLY THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO KEEP IT. AND OF COURSE, WE HAVE BRAND NEW PEOPLE AND I EXPECT IT TO, BUT I'M JUST KIND OF THROWING IT OUT THERE.

OKAY. BETH. YOU KNOW, SO. SO WE CAN DO THIS. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT, BECAUSE I WAS ONE OF THOSE TEACHERS THAT THAT WANTED TO GO AND DO THOSE THINGS. SO ANYWAY I THINK IT IS ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL.

I AM ONE, AGAIN, 100%. SOMETIMES WHEN I SAY SOMETHING NEGATIVE, THEN THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE THINKING THAT I'M NOT PUTTING IT DOWN AT ALL.

I THINK IT WILL BE GREAT. I. I JUST WANT US TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE PLAN FOR THIS, THAT WE TRULY LOOK TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST SO WE DON'T MAKE THOSE MISTAKES AGAIN.

OKAY. THANK YOU. AND NOT THAT THERE WOULD BE MISTAKES.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOCTOR GILLIAM. MISS JONES, REAL QUICK.

I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS NEXT. OKAY, I'M GOING TO PIGGYBACK OFF OF DOCTOR GILLIAM'S.

I'M GOING TO SAY THIS. THE GOAL IS TO PUSH FORT BEND FORWARD.

WE CAN'T CHANGE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST, BUT.

BUT WE CAN'T PLAY MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK EITHER.

THAT'S NOT HAPPENING. AND SO, ONE AT A TIME, PLEASE KNOW THAT THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.

SHE HAS SOMEONE TALKS AND THEN SOMEBODY ELSE HAS DOCTOR GILLIAM.

BUT I'M GOING TO SAY WHAT I NEED TO SAY TODAY BECAUSE THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID. SO PRESS YOUR BUTTON AND I'LL CALL ON YOU.

BUT MISS JONES HAS THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. OKAY.

SO WE ARE PUSHING FORWARD. WE'RE PUSHING OUR STUDENTS FORWARD.

OF COURSE WE ARE A DIVERSE DISTRICT. WE'RE A DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

PEOPLE. FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE DEALING WITH KIDS.

OKAY, KIDS. KIDS DO WHAT ADULTS TELL THEM TO DO.

AND SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE OFFERING PROGRAMS THAT WILL BENEFIT THEIR DEVELOPMENT ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIALLY IN SOME AREAS.

OKAY. SO THAT THEY CAN BE ABLE TO COMPETE WITH OTHER STUDENTS WITHIN THE COUNTRY.

AND SO I GET WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT WHO DROPPED THE BALL.

BUT WE CAN'T STAY THERE. WE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD.

WE HAVE TO PUSH OUR KIDS FORWARD. WE HAVE TO PUSH OUR DISTRICT FORWARD BECAUSE THAT'S THE PRIORITY.

YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SAY, GOD, DON'T HAVE TIME FOR PEOPLE WHO LOOKING IN THE BACK WHO ARE IN THE PAST.

HE WANTS PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING FORWARD AND WHO ARE PUSHING TOWARDS THE FUTURE.

AND THAT IS THE GOAL FOR FORT BEND ISD IS TO MOVE TOWARDS THE FUTURE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS JONES. MISS HANNON.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOCTOR STEVENS. SO I'M GOING TO SAY THANK YOU FIRST TO DOCTOR SMITH.

AND I'M ALSO GOING TO SAY THANK YOU TO THIS BOARD BECAUSE UNTIL THIS FALL, THIS BOARD THAT I'VE BEEN A PART OF, WE HAD NOT COME TOGETHER TO CREATE GOALS AND PRIORITIES.

WE WERE WE WERE HELPED ALONG BY THE STAFF. AND WHAT I'M SEEING HERE IS A PRODUCT OF OUR FIRST PRIORITY.

WHICH STATES INCREASE SUCCESSFUL STUDENT OUTCOMES THROUGH ENHANCED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES? SO I KNOW THAT DOCTOR SMITH IS LISTENING. HE'S LOOKING AT THE GOAL THAT THIS BOARD SET OR THE FIRST GOAL.

AND THAT'S THIS IS THE PRODUCT THAT WE SEE HERE TONIGHT.

OKAY. SO I, I'M ASSUMING, YOU KNOW WE GET TO LOOK AT THE SIPS.

WE NEVER REALLY I'VE NEVER REALLY LOOKED AT THE DIPS.

WE'VE LOOKED AT THE DISTRICT. THE DISTRICT I MEAN DEPARTMENT IMPROVEMENT PLANS.

BUT BY LISTENING TO THIS I CAN TELL THAT THE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO LOOKING AT IMPROVEMENT WITH GOAL ONE.

SO I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO SAY TO MISS JONES POINT, AND I'M GLAD THAT YOU AND JIM DREW ARE LOOKING AT FINE ARTS, BECAUSE I DO THINK OUR PERFORMING ARTS AND OUR VISUAL ARTS, IT WOULD BE A WONDERFUL PLACE TO HAVE THAT IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN WE HAVE THE NORMAL OUT CLASS SITUATION. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A HUGE DRAW TO BRING MANY STUDENTS INTO THIS DISTRICT.

I, I WANT TO I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PREMIER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THESE LITTLE SERVICE LEADERSHIP AND THE AQUATICS PIECE AND THE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. I THINK THAT SOUNDS WONDERFUL.

AND AGAIN, I'M GOING TO BE LIKE DOCTOR GILLIAM, I DON'T MEAN THIS ISN'T TO DISPARAGE IT, BUT I ALSO KNOW THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE ASK OUR TEACHERS TO DO A LOT. RIGHT. OUR CURRICULUM IS ALREADY, YOU KNOW, FIVE MILES WIDE AND TEN MILES DEEP KIND OF THING.

[03:20:08]

AND IN A WAY, I HOPE THAT WE'RE TRANSITIONING FROM IT BEING AN AT HOME THING AND AN ADDITIONAL THING THAN AN ACTUAL PIECE OF THE CURRICULUM.

BUT I DO KNOW IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT FROM OUR TEACHERS, RIGHT? AND SO I JUST I THINK ABOUT THOSE TWO PARALLELS.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING MINDFUL OF WHAT THE.

HOW MUCH TIME IS IN THE DAY? HOW MUCH TEACHERS CAN EXPEND THE ENERGY ON ADDING ONE MORE THING.

AND I AM ALL ABOUT ENHANCED LEARNING BECAUSE I REALLY DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.

THE OTHER THING, I'M ALSO GOING TO FOLLOW UP AND I'M GOING TO ASK DOCTOR SMITH THIS BECAUSE AT THE VERY END, YOU KNOW, YOU GET ME VERY EXCITED THINKING WE'RE GOING TO BRING, YOU KNOW, LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM OR A TWO WAY DUAL LANGUAGE BACK.

BUT AT THE VERY END, I HEARD YOU USE THE WORD PERHAPS THE WORD PERHAPS SLIPPED IN THERE WITH THAT.

AND SO WHAT I WOULD ASK IS THAT EVEN THOUGH IF THIS IS A 3 TO 5 YEAR PLANNING OPPORTUNITY, I WOULD ASK DOCTOR SMITH TO BRING THAT OPPORTUNITY AND THAT VISION TO US IN SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE A GANTT CHART, LOOKS LIKE A PROJECT MANAGEMENT CHART. NOT THAT WE'RE GOING TO MANAGE YOUR JOB, BUT WE CAN SEE WHERE ARE THESE LANDING? WHO IS OWNING THESE PROJECTS BECAUSE WE WANTED EVERYBODY ON THIS DAIS WANTS IT TO SUCCEED, RIGHT? AND THE MORE WE CAN SEE IT, THE MORE WE CAN SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR STAFF IN KNOWING SO WE CAN SEE WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROJECT. I JUST THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO THE BOARD.

SO AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS INFORMATION.

I THINK BRINGING I'M ASSUMING THE INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM WOULD BE LIKE AN INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE TYPE OF PROGRAM.

AND WE LOSE KIDS TO THE AUDI SCHOOL, RIGHT? BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THEY OFFER THERE.

SO I THINK I SEE SOME WONDERFUL IDEAS, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THEM PLAY OUT IN THE DISTRICT.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DOCTOR STEVENS AND DOCTOR SMITH.

THANK YOU, MISS HANNON. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

I JUST WOULD ECHO THOSE SENTIMENTS. IT'S EXCITING TO SEE SOME OF OUR OUR PLANNING AND OUR GOALS AND PRIORITIES COME TO LIFE.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT YOU GUYS WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS YOU BRING TO US AND THEN ALL THE SUCCESS STORIES THAT ARE GOING TO COME.

SO MY APPLAUSE AND KUDOS AND ALL THOSE GOOD THINGS.

THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION UPDATE, DOCTOR SMITH.

[10.C. Special Education Update]

YES, MA'AM. SO AGAIN, I'M GOING TO I COME TO YOU EVERY, EVERY OTHER MONTH.

AND SO I'M BACK AGAIN TO KIND OF GIVE YOU SOME UPDATES ON WHAT WE HAVE AS WE BEGIN TO WIND DOWN THIS SCHOOL YEAR IN TERMS OF HOW WE SUPPORT OUR MOST EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS.

SO WE TOOK WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH THIS YEAR.

PEOPLE LOVE, LOVE SURVEYS. AND WE LOVE A GOOD SURVEY, TOO.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR FOR US TO GET FEEDBACK FROM THE FOLKS IN THE TRENCHES.

SO THAT'S OUR TEACHERS, THAT'S OUR AIDE, THAT'S OUR DIAGS TO REALLY SEE.

ARE THERE BLIND SPOTS? DO WE CONTINUE TO HAVE AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY WHEN IT COMES TO NOT JUST MEETING OUR STUDENTS NEEDS, BUT ALSO MEETING OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF NEEDS. SO WE GAVE A SURVEY OUT.

WE GOT OVER 1200. SORRY, WE GOT 1093 RESPONSES.

THE SURVEY WAS OPEN FROM MARCH 20TH 4TH TO APRIL 9TH, AND THE SURVEY WAS JUST LIMITED TO OUR SPECIAL ED STAFF.

SO IT WASN'T CAFETERIA MANAGERS, IT WASN'T BUS DRIVERS, WASN'T P.E.

STAFF. IT WAS JUST OUR SPECIAL ED STAFF ABOUT HOW ARE WE DOING MEETING YOUR NEEDS? ARE YOU GETTING WHAT YOU NEED TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS? WE GOT SOME REALLY GREAT DATA.

WHAT WE LEARNED WAS THAT 81% OF OUR RESPONDENTS INDICATED POSITIVELY THAT IEP GOALS ARE ALIGNED TO GRADE LEVEL CURRICULUM AND INDIVIDUAL STUDENT NEEDS.

RIGHT? BECAUSE WE HEARD AT THE BEGINNING THAT THERE WAS CHALLENGES WITH IEPS.

WE DIDN'T HAVE IEPS, WE DIDN'T HAVE ACCOMMODATIONS.

SO WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOTTEN THAT IN A GOOD SPACE.

84% OF RESPONDENTS INDICATED THAT THAT POSITIVELY, THAT TEACHERS PROVIDE APPROPRIATE ACCOMMODATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS WITHIN THE STUDENT'S IEP. SO NOT ONLY ARE THEY GETTING THEM THEIR APPROPRIATE THEY'RE MEETING STUDENTS NEEDS.

THEY'RE ALLOWING OUR STUDENTS TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL, RIGHT? SO OVERALL, PRETTY POSITIVE RESULTS.

BUT WE ALSO DID THE SURVEY TO IDENTIFY SOME AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR US.

WHEN I TRANSITIONED INTO THIS ROLE IN SEPTEMBER, ONE OF THE AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY THAT WAS IDENTIFIED QUITE FREQUENTLY WAS IN POWER.

WE'VE HAD CLOSE TO 80 MEETINGS WITH THE POWER COMPANY JUST CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THEM TO HELP REFINE THEIR SOFTWARE, REFINE THEIR PRACTICES. WHAT WE FOUND FROM THIS SURVEY WAS THAT THE POWER SOFTWARE CONTINUES TO BE AN AREA OF OPPORTUNITY WHEN IT COMES TO HOW WE SUPPORT OUR SPECIAL

[03:25:03]

AND THEN ANOTHER 62% RESPONDED THAT THEY WERE EITHER THEY DISAGREED OR STRONGLY DISAGREED THAT THEY WERE SATISFIED WITH THE PROGRAM.

SO WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE THAT BETTER.

WE DO REALIZE THIS CONTINUES TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR OUR TEACHERS. BUT OVERALL, WHEN WE LOOKED AT THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY THESE WERE THIS WAS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST AREA THAT WE STILL HAVE THAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IF WE CAN TACKLE THIS EVALUATION SOFTWARE ISSUE, THEN IT'S GOING TO MAKE OUR EVALUATION ISSUE THAT MUCH LESS OF AN ISSUE.

SO WE ARE COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO INVESTIGATE THIS MOVING FORWARD AND POTENTIALLY BRING RECOMMENDATIONS OVER THE COMING MONTHS ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO TO SOLVE THIS CHALLENGE.

SO AND THEN ONE OF THE OTHER AREAS OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE KNOW IS THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO REGAIN OUR PARENTS TRUST.

SO WE CONVENED OUR SPECIAL ED TASK FORCE THIS YEAR.

ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HEARD IS THAT, YOU KNOW, PARENTS ARE REALLY COMFORTABLE IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHEN MAYBE A STUDENT HAS THAT SAME TEACHER FOR FIVE YEARS. PARENTS GET A LITTLE TREPIDATIOUS WHEN IT'S TIME TO GO TO MIDDLE SCHOOL.

AND NOW THERE'S, YOU KNOW, 6 OR 7 PERIODS IN AN OUT CLASS, AND THEN THAT CONTINUES IN HIGH SCHOOL.

AND SO WHAT WE REALLY SAW WAS THIS EROSION OF TRUST, BECAUSE I HAVE THIS ONE PERSON WHO I CAN CALL FOR FIVE YEARS, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S MAYBE A NEW PRINCIPAL EACH YEAR FOR THE GRADE LEVEL.

AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE CAN DO. SO THE IDEA WAS BANDIED ABOUT, WELL, WHAT IF WE JUST DID A NIGHT WHERE IN THE SPRING RISING.

FIFTH GRADE RISING SIXTH GRADERS CAN GO TO DULLES MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THEY CAN MEET THE PRINCIPAL.

AND JUST AN EASY SETTING WITH THEIR PARENTS. THEY CAN MEET SOME OF THE CASE MANAGERS. THEY CAN MEET SOME OF THE OUT CLASS TEACHERS AND TALK WITH THE PRINCIPALS. AND THEY WERE LIKE, THAT'S PRETTY EASY. WE WOULDN'T MIND DOING THAT.

AND SO WE'RE EXCITED THAT WORKING ALONGSIDE DSL IS THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IS GOING TO HOST AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR PARENTS OF OUR RISING SIXTH AND NINTH GRADERS TO COME CASUAL HOUR AND A HALF, MAYBE TWO HOURS, MEET THE PRINCIPAL, MEET THE TEACHERS, JUST ASK QUESTIONS SO THEY CAN BEGIN TO FEEL A LITTLE BIT MORE COMFORTABLE.

BECAUSE IT'S ONE THING TO SAY, HEY, I'M GOING TO SHOW UP TO OPEN HOUSE, AND THERE'S ANOTHER THOUSAND KIDS AND THOUSAND PARENTS THERE AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE I'M GOING TO GO. BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING TO SAY, HEY, I'M GOING TO SHOW UP AND I'M GOING TO BE ONE OF MAYBE 50 OR 60 OR 70 KIDS THAT ARE GOING TO SHOW UP AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WALK MY SCHEDULE. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE LEARNED IS SO I GOT TO SPEND SOME TIME ATTENDING OUR CPAC MEETING. SO THAT'S OUR SPECIAL ED PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETINGS.

WE LEARNED QUITE, QUITE QUICKLY THAT THOSE MEETINGS HAD DEVOLVED INTO JUST AN AREA WHERE PARENTS WOULD COME AND SHARE CONCERNS AND AIR GRIEVANCES.

BUT THEY DIDN'T REALLY FEEL LIKE THEY HAD ANY TRACTION TO SOLVE THOSE. WHAT WE ALSO FOUND OUT WAS THAT THE CPAC WAS MANAGED INTERNALLY SOLELY BY THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

SO THERE WAS NO REAL OVERSIGHT FROM THE ADMIN BUILDING.

BUT THERE WAS NO SUPPORT FOR US TO LEVERAGE WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE. AND THAT'S THE GREAT VOLUNTEER APPLICATION THAT THE COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITIES GROUP PUTS OUT. SO WE PUT THIS APPLICATION OUT. THEY CAN VET US. THEY CAN ENSURE REPRESENTATION FROM EVERY CAMPUS.

AND SO WE'VE ACTUALLY BEEN WORKING TO BRING THAT APPLICATION IN-HOUSE.

SO WHEN THE COLLABORATIVE NOT THE COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITIES, BUT WHEN THE VOLUNTEER APPLICATION GOES LIVE IN A COUPLE WEEKS, THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL IS GOING TO BE ON THAT. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE DISTRICT SUPPORT FOR THAT GROUP SO THEY CAN FEEL LIKE, HEY, I DO HAVE A GRIEVANCE. I DO HAVE A CONCERN SOMEONE CAN ACTUALLY LISTEN TO ME AND HELP ME MOVE THAT FORWARD.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. THE LAST PIECE OF FEEDBACK, WHILE WE DO PROVIDE PARENTS WITH SOME GREAT WEB RESOURCES AND ACCESS TO CERTAIN THINGS, THEY COULD PROBABLY BE BETTER. SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT ABOUT REFINING OUR WEBSITE AND OUR OTHER RESOURCES THAT WE DO PROVIDE FOR PARENTS. ANOTHER GREAT THING THAT WE HEARD IS THAT WE CONTINUE TO NEED TO PROVIDE CAMPUS SUPPORT.

WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR CAMPUS TEACHERS THIS SUMMER IS GOING TO GET 3.5 HOURS OF TRAINING ON SUPPORTING SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, AND SO WE ARE COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT WE GIVE EVERYONE A REALLY UNIQUE SET OF SKILLS TO OPERATE AND SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS.

SO THAT'S GOING TO TAKE PLACE THIS SUMMER. WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH INDIVIDUAL CAMPUSES TO ENSURE THAT WE ALIGN THE PROGRAMS THEY OFFER TO THE STUDENTS NEEDS THAT THEY DO HAVE.

SO WE CONTINUE TO ALIGN PROGRAMMATIC OFFERINGS AND PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT.

AND JUST TO ENSURE THAT THE CAMPUSES, IF THEY HAVE STUDENTS THAT HAVE A NEED, THEY HAVE THAT PROGRAM.

SO THOSE STUDENTS AREN'T HAVING TO RIDE THE BUS ACROSS TOWN OR HAVING TO RIDE THE BUS FOR THREE AND FOUR HOURS THAT THEY GET THE PROGRAMS THAT THEY NEED CLOSE TO THEIR HOME.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO REALLY LISTEN TO OUR CAMPUS LEADERS. AND WHEN THEY TELL US THEY NEED A PROGRAM, BE RESPONSIVE TO THAT.

LASTLY, WE CAN WE CONTINUE TO WORK TO REFINE OUR EVALUATIONS.

WE CAME TO YOU IN DECEMBER AND KIND OF TALKED ABOUT THE SUCCESS THAT WE HAD HAD IN COMPLETING THOSE. THE TEAM CONTINUES TO WORK DILIGENTLY DAY NIGHT, EVENING AND WEEKEND SO THEY CAN GET THE OVERDUE EVALUATIONS DONE.

STAY ON TOP OF THIS YEAR'S EVALUATION SO WE CAN BEGIN NEXT YEAR WITH ZERO OVERDUE EVALUATIONS, BECAUSE THAT IS THE GOAL. SO THIS JUST THIS JUST HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF THE WORK THAT THE TEAM HAS DONE.

AND THEN AGAIN, WE JUST KIND OF CONTINUE TO PROJECT OUT.

THIS IS SOME OF THE WORK THAT THE TEAM IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO NEED TO DO BETWEEN NOW AND JULY 30TH.

AND SO THE SPED TEAM NEVER STOPS. THE WORK NEVER STOPS.

THEY WORK TIRELESSLY. IT IS A TESTAMENT TO THEM.

[03:30:03]

AND SO THAT'S A TESTAMENT TO THEIR HARD WORK. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NOTICED WAS THAT THE OLD ADAGE IS YOU NEED TO WORK HARDER.

SORRY. YOU NEED TO WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER. RIGHT? AND SO WHAT WE FOUND OUT WAS THAT A LOT OF OUR EVALUATION STAFF IS STILL DOING EVERYTHING BY HAND VIA PAPER AND PENCIL.

AND SO WE RECOGNIZE THAT IF WE WERE ABLE TO SHIFT SOME OF OUR EVALUATIONS TO ALL DIGITAL, THAT WOULD DRAMATICALLY REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TOOK FOR THEM TO COMPLETE EVALUATIONS. AND SO I'M PLEASED THAT WE WERE ABLE TO WORK ALONGSIDE IT.

WE'VE GOT IPADS PURCHASED FOR EVERYONE. WE'VE GOT TWO IPADS, ONE FOR THE EVALUATOR, ONE FOR THE STUDENT.

SO STARTING NOW, WHEN IT IS DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE, STUDENTS WILL BE USING AN IPAD TO COMPLETE THE TESTING.

AND SO THAT WILL DRAMATICALLY REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT OUR EVALUATION STAFF IS HAVING TO DO WITH TRANSCRIBING THINGS AND REWRITING THINGS.

IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT SO MUCH EASIER. AND THAT DOES A COUPLE OF THINGS.

ONE, WE DO KNOW THAT A LOT OF THE EVALUATION PAPERS IS NOT GOING TO BE PRODUCED ANYMORE.

AND SO AS THOSE THINGS GET SUNSET, IT WOULDN'T FORCE US TO MAKE A DECISION.

WE WERE ABLE TO KIND OF PLAN, GET AHEAD OF THE CURVE, GET THE IPADS ORDERED, AND THEN BEGIN TO WORK ON A TRAINING PLAN THIS SUMMER FOR THOSE STAFF THAT DO NEED THAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT. WE REALLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS GOING TO LET US LET US BE THAT MUCH MORE EFFICIENT WHEN IT COMES.

AND THEN WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON ADDITIONAL WAYS TO NOT ONLY FIND AND RECRUIT STAFF.

SO THE SPED STAFF WAS SUPER, SUPER ACTIVE AT THE JOB FAIR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO BECAUSE WE DO WANT TO CONTINUE TO BRING IN EVAL STAFF AND WE CONTINUE TO TO RELY ON THIRD PARTY OUTSIDE COMPANIES WHEN NECESSARY. AND SO WE'RE NOT RESTING ON THAT.

WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR OTHER WAYS AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO TO BECOME MORE INNOVATIVE WHEN IT COMES TO OUR EVAL STAFF.

FINALLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEARD THAT LAST YEAR WAS THAT WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB OF TRANSPORTING OUR NEEDIEST STUDENTS.

SO I'M EXCITED TO SAY THAT WE'VE BEEN MEETING MONTHLY WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

NEXT WEEK, ACTUALLY, AT THE END OF THIS WEEK, WE'RE GOING TO START ROUTING OUR KIDS FOR SUMMER SCHOOL.

SO WE'LL ALREADY BE AHEAD OF THE GAME ON THAT. WE HAVE A DEADLINE WITHIN WHICH WE'RE GOING TO START ROUTING KIDS FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, BECAUSE WE WANT TO BEGIN THE SCHOOL YEAR IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE THAN WE BEGAN LAST SCHOOL YEAR. SO WE AS WE MADE PROGRAMMATIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE COMING SCHOOL YEAR, THE FIRST LENS THAT WHICH WE REVIEWED THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS SITTING DOWN WITH THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT. SO IF WE MOVE THIS SALES PROGRAM FROM THIS SCHOOL TO THAT SCHOOL. WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN FOR TRANSPORTATION OR IF WE MOVED IT FROM HERE TO HERE, WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN FOR TRANSPORTATION? SO ALL OF OUR DECISIONS THAT WE'VE MADE HAVE BEEN ROOTED, HAVE BEEN MADE THROUGH THE LENS OF HOW WILL THIS IMPACT OUR STUDENTS, WHERE OUR STUDENTS GO FROM SPENDING FIVE MINUTES ON A BUS TO 55 MINUTES, AND IF SO, THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR US BECAUSE THAT DOESN'T MEET OUR STUDENTS NEEDS.

SO WE CONTINUE TO BE PARTNERS WITH THE TRANSPORTATION SHOP, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT STARTING THE SCHOOL YEAR OFF ON A BETTER FOOT THAN WE BEGAN THIS YEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, DOCTOR STEVENS.

WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS FROM THE TRUSTEES, MR. HAMILTON.

SO JUST A COUPLE COMMENTS. SO I FIRST WANTED TO MENTION SO THE SURVEY DATA I APPRECIATE I'VE MADE THIS COMMENT A FEW TIMES HERE LATELY, BUT THE CULTURE SHIFT NOT TOO LONG AGO, I BROUGHT UP THE THE PARENT AND TEACHER SURVEY FOR THE END OF THE 20 2223 SCHOOL YEAR.

SO WHEN I WHEN I CAMPAIGNED, I DID NOT INTEND TO TALK ABOUT DISCIPLINE.

BUT EVERYWHERE I WENT THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT, THE ONE, THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT I WAS HEARING ABOUT FROM TEACHERS AND FROM PARENTS WAS DISCIPLINE AND BULLYING. NUMBER ONE. AND NUMBER TWO KIND OF OVERLAPPED, I GUESS.

AND SO I CAME ON TO THE BOARD AND WILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE POSSIBILITY THAT MAYBE I JUST HAPPENED TO HEAR FROM PARENTS AND TEACHERS WHO THAT WAS THEIR BIGGEST ISSUE. BUT I DIDN'T HEAR I OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T TALK TO EVERY TEACHER, DIDN'T TALK TO EVERY PARENT.

SO MAYBE THE THE PARENTS AND TEACHERS WHO CARED A LOT ABOUT DISCIPLINE WERE THE ONES WHO FOUND ME.

AND SO WE WE APPROVED THE FIRST STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT THAT YEAR.

AND THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD SAID, WE'RE GOING TO PASS IT, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE WE'VE WE ALL HAVE.

MOST OF US HAD CONCERNS ABOUT HOW DISCIPLINE WAS HAPPENING. AND THEN SO THIS IS MAYBE NINE MONTHS AFTER THAT, AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR ALMOST HALF OF OUR PARENTS AND ALMOST HALF OF OUR TEACHERS SAID IN THE SURVEYS THAT DISCIPLINE AND BULLYING WERE MAJOR ISSUES IN THE DISTRICT. AND IN MY OPINION, THE SENSE WAS THAT THE SURVEY DATA DIDN'T SHOW WHAT WE WANTED IT TO SHOW AS AN ORGANIZATION, AND THEREFORE WE JUST KIND OF ACTED LIKE IT DIDN'T SHOW WHAT WE DIDN'T WANT IT TO SHOW. AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE PUTTING THAT'S THAT'S NOT GOOD SURVEY DATA ON THE SOFTWARE PROGRAM. AND BUT I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE THERE'S JUST A CHANGE IN TONE OF, OF GENUINELY SEEKING OUT FEEDBACK AND GENUINELY RESPONDING TO THAT FEEDBACK. EVEN IF THE NEWS IS NOT NECESSARILY WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR.

SO I WASN'T REALLY CLEAR ON THE WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE SOFTWARE.

IT'S EMPOWER. EMPOWER. YEAH. SO ARE WE STILL AT A POINT OF TRYING TO MAKE THAT WORK, OR ARE WE MOVING TOWARDS FINDING A DIFFERENT SOLUTION?

[03:35:01]

RIGHT. WE HAVE TO TRAIN EVERYONE UP. WE'D HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING.

BUT THE REALITY IS WE'VE STILL ONLY BEEN WITH THIS SOLUTION FOR SIX MONTHS.

AND SO WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'VE DONE OUR DUE DILIGENCE ABOUT THE TO TO DOCTOR GILMAN'S POINT.

WHAT ARE THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS THAT WE HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT. WHAT'S THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT. SO WE WENT OUT FOR AN RFP, HAD ONE RESPONDENT.

SO THERE'S A LOT WE ARE STILL EVALUATING. YEAH.

SO BUT OVER 60% ON BOTH OF THOSE NOT SO GOOD NEWS METRICS IS IS A BIG RED FLAG WITH THAT SOFTWARE PROGRAM.

OBVIOUSLY NOT THAT I'M TEACHING YOU ANYTHING NEW THERE.

AND THEN SECONDLY I'M VERY HAPPY THAT THAT THERE'S BEEN A MAJOR SHIFT ON THE SE PACK THE CPAC, I THINK WE SAY CPAC FOR CPAC. SO THAT'S CONFUSING.

THE SE PACK. SO JUST GIVEN WHERE WE'VE COME FROM WITH THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, SO WE'RE OBVIOUSLY MOVING AWAY FROM THE SENSE THAT IT'S OKAY TO KIND OF GO THROUGH THIS CYCLE WHERE WE GET IN HOT WATER WITH NONCOMPLIANCE EVERY YEAR, AND THEN WE DO ENOUGH TO GET OURSELVES OUT OF HOT WATER. AND IT'S OKAY IF WE GO RIGHT BACK INTO HOT WATER. THAT'S KIND OF THE SENSE THAT HAS BEEN COMMUNICATED, UNFORTUNATELY, IN THE PAST. AND SO I'M HAPPY THAT THAT DOCTOR SMITH AND THE NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM ARE MOVING US AWAY FROM THAT MINDSET.

AND SO WE, WE, WE'VE WE'VE GOTTEN OURSELVES OUT OF HOT WATER.

THAT'S A, THAT'S A MAJOR SUCCESS FOR THE NEW LEADERSHIP TEAM WITH THE WE STARTED THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH OVER 2000 DELINQUENT EVALUATIONS AND REEVALUATIONS, AND WE'VE CAUGHT UP ALL OF THOSE THAT WERE DELINQUENT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

AND SO WE'RE WE'RE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

SO THAT'S KIND OF NOT TO DIMINISH IT TOO MUCH, BUT THAT'S KIND OF TYING YOUR SHOES WHEN IT COMES TO SPECIAL EDUCATION IN SOME WAYS.

AND SO I KNOW A LOT OF SPECIAL ED FAMILIES DON'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE WE'RE SERVING THEIR NEEDS OR THE NEEDS OF THEIR STUDENTS THE WAY WE SHOULD.

AND SO I THINK IF IF THE MINDSET WAS CPAC IS GREAT, LET'S KEEP DOING IT THE WAY WE'RE DOING IT, THEN I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE WRONG MINDSET. SO I'M GLAD THAT I'M GLAD THAT THERE'S A SHIFT IN HOW WE'RE APPROACHING THAT COMMITTEE. AND AGAIN, JUST THE SAME WITH THE SURVEYS. WE DON'T JUST WANT TO DO THE SURVEY, DO SURVEYS, OR DO THE COMMITTEES TO CHECK THE BOX AND THEN TRY TO CLAIM THAT WE SOLICITED FEEDBACK AND WE GOT THE FEEDBACK. WE WANT TO GENUINELY, GENUINELY ENGAGE OUR STAFF AND OUR PARENTS AND THEN AND THEN STRIVE TOWARDS IN CONSTANT IMPROVEMENT. SO ANOTHER CULTURE SHIFT THERE IS WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT ARE HERE IN OUR DISTRICT NOW.

SO I AM HAPPY WITH A CULTURE SHIFT. THAT'S NOT SO MUCH WHAT'S GOING ON THAT'S OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL WITH WHAT OTHERS WHO WE CAN'T CONTROL, ARE DOING TO SERVE FAMILIES WHO ARE LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVES AND MORE OF A COMPETITIVE MINDSET AS AN ORGANIZATION.

IF WE SERVE OUR PARENTS AND OUR STUDENTS THE WAY WE SHOULD, THEN FEWER OF THEM WILL BE LOOKING FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS OR VOUCHERS.

AND SO REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS OUTSIDE OF OUR CONTROL, AS THE MORE WE STRIVE TO TO BE THE BEST DISTRICT WE CAN BE AND SERVE OUR FAMILIES, SERVE OUR TEACHERS, SERVE OUR STUDENTS THEN ALTERNATIVES WILL BECOME LESS OF A CHALLENGE FOR US OR LESS OF A PROBLEM FOR US.

SO THANK YOU. THAT'S EXCITING TO SEE WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION.

THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON. MISS JONES. THANK YOU, DOCTOR STEVENS, FOR THE UPDATE.

I JUST ONLY HAVE MAYBE TWO QUESTIONS. YOU MENTIONED THE EMPOWER SOFTWARE.

AND SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES FOR STAFF IN USING THE THE EMPOWER SOFTWARE? IT IS IT IS NOT THE MOST USER FRIENDLY SOFTWARE.

SO IN THE PAST WHERE I LIKEN IT TO YOU EVER MAYBE SHOP ONLINE AND YOUR WEBSITE SAVES YOUR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION.

I LIKE THAT. IT MAKES IT EASY THE NEXT TIME YOU GO TO THE WEBSITE.

IT'S ALREADY THERE. YOU PUT YOUR NAME AND IT POPULATES.

IT POPULATES. YEAH. THAT WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF A CHALLENGE IS THAT IF I'M WORKING ON A STUDENT'S PAPERWORK, IT DOESN'T AUTO POPULATE. SO I HAVE TO KEEP PUTTING THIS SAME THING IN OVER.

AND THERE'S JUST THERE'S JUST A LOT OF CLICKS. THAT WOULD BE THE EASIEST EXAMPLE I COULD GIVE. OKAY.

SO IT TAKES AWAY A LOT OF TEACHER TIME. IT'S THE REDUNDANCY.

YES MA'AM OF THE SOFTWARE PROGRAM. AND UP UNTIL THIS POINT, HOW MUCH TRAINING DOES TEACHERS HAVE ON THE SOFTWARE? I CAN I CAN GIVE YOU THAT. I DON'T HAVE IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT THEY'VE BEEN PROVIDED A TRAINING.

I WOULD SAY IT'S LESS OF A TRAINING ISSUE AND MORE OF A SOFTWARE ISSUE IF I WAS BEING HONEST, BUT I'LL GET YOU THAT DATA. DO WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH EMPOWER? YES, MA'AM. OKAY. AND HOW LONG IS THAT CONTRACT? FIVE YEARS. FIVE YEARS? THREE YEARS WITH TWO YEARS OF RENEWAL.

[03:40:01]

MISS JONES, IF I CAN ADD, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH THEM, OUR CONTRACT, IN ADDITION TO THE PROVISION THAT SAYS THAT IF THEY WE DON'T HAVE FUNDING TO CONTINUE, WE CAN DISCONTINUE IT. IT ALSO HAS A CLAUSE IN THERE FOR PERFORMANCE.

AND SO IF THE SOFTWARE IS NOT PERFORMING, THERE IS A REMEDIATION PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH WITH THE VENDORS TO NOTIFY THEM OF THE DISCREPANCIES IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO MEET THEM. THAT ALLOWS US TO EXIT THE CONTRACT AND SEARCH FOR A NEW BIDDER OR NEW CONTRACT AS WELL.

OKAY. AND IS THERE AN EARLY TERMINATION FEE FOR THAT CONTRACT IF WE GET TO THAT POINT? NO, MA'AM. THAT WOULD NOT BE PART OF THAT. THAT WOULD BE A FAILURE TO MEET THE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS WITHIN THE CONTRACT.

AND SO THERE'S NO PENALTY FOR THAT. OKAY. AND SO ARE THERE ANY ALTERNATIVES TO EMPOWER THAT YOU MAY CONSIDER EXPLORING? YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'RE ALWAYS EVALUATING OUR OPTIONS. BUT IF THE TIME DOES COME I THINK WE WOULD WE WOULD WE WOULD LOOK SERIOUSLY PROBABLY AT SOME INDUSTRY LEADERS.

OKAY, SO MY ASK IS TO START LOOKING. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, AND THE MORE TIME THAT TEACHERS ARE TAKING TO DO PAPERWORK AND REDUNDANCY, THE LESS TIME THEY HAVE WITH KIDS.

AND SO THAT'S JUST MY ASK. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

I APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MISS JONES.

MR. SHOAF. HEY, THANKS, DOCTOR STEPHENS FOR THE PRESENTATION AND BEING TEN MINUTES ON THE DOT.

THAT WAS AWESOME. SHORT, SWEET AND TO THE POINT, I LOVE IT.

I'M GOING TO BE SHORT. SWEET TO THE POINT. WHAT'S THE ANNUAL COST OF ALL THIS? I'LL SEND THAT IN THIS WEEK'S BOARD UPDATE. I DON'T HAVE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, I APOLOGIZE. WORKS FOR ME, I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU, MR. SHOW. SO I JUST HAVE TWO THINGS. FIRST, THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT THE CPAC AND AND WAYS TO IMPROVE THAT.

WHEN IT FIRST STARTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE POINT WAS THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PARENT DRIVEN AND STAFF SUPPORTED.

AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO LET THE PARENTS DRIVE THAT PROCESS.

SO THAT'S JUST A COMMENT. THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT CAMPUS SUPPORT AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE 3.5 HOURS THAT ALL TEACHERS WILL RECEIVE ON SUPPORTING EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS.

THE OTHER THING I WOULD ASK THAT WE FOCUS ON FOR ALL TEACHERS IS BEHAVIOR.

IMPLEMENTING BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION PLANS, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHAT HAPPENS IS, I MEAN, REALLY, I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY MOST OF THE TIME WHERE WE HAVE ISSUES IN THE CLASSROOM, IT'S RELATIVE TO EITHER BEHAVIOR OR NOT KNOWING HOW TO INTERVENE OR NOT KNOWING HOW TO IMPLEMENT A BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION PLAN, OR NOT EVEN UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS A BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION PLAN. AND SO I THINK THAT IT WOULD BENEFIT ALL TEACHERS TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS, UNDERSTAND HOW TO RECEIVE SUPPORT IN THE CLASSROOM WHEN NEEDED AND THOSE TYPE OF TYPES OF THINGS.

I THINK WOULD GREATLY BENEFIT ALL OF OUR TEACHERS.

SO AS YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING AT PD, I WOULD THAT'S MY ASK.

I ALSO HAVE A LOT OF CONCERN AROUND EMPOWER. I'M HEARING A LOT FROM STAFF.

SO THE SURVEY RESULTS KIND OF BEAR OUT. I THINK WHAT WE'RE HEARING IN THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY.

IN FORT BEND THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE SOFTWARE IS JUST EXTREMELY CHALLENGING AND IS CAUSING MORE PROBLEMS THAN IT'S HELPING.

SO THANK YOU FOR LOOKING INTO THAT. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU. NEXT UP IS OUR INTRUDER DETECTION REPORT, DOCTOR SMITH.

YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. MR. DENNIS REAVIS WILL BE COMING UP AND PROVIDING THE BOARD A BRIEF REPORT ON OUR INTRUDER UPDATE.

[10.D. Intruder Detection Report]

SINCE OUR LAST MEETING ON MARCH 24TH, THERE'S BEEN 11 CAMPUSES VISITED BY THE AUDITORS, AND THERE WERE THREE FINDINGS.

AND EIGHT OF THE CAMPUSES HAD NO FINDINGS WHATSOEVER.

PENDING. ANY QUESTIONS THAT WILL INCLUDE THIS REPORT? THANK YOU, MR. REAVIS. MR. GARCIA, CAN YOU SAY IF THESE WERE.

EXTERIOR DOORS THAT THE SCHOOLS OR WERE THEY THAT'S CLOSED THAT CLOSED SESSION?

[03:45:05]

I CAN SAY THAT THERE WAS A MALFUNCTIONING DOOR ON ONE THAT WAS REPAIRED INSTANTLY.

THERE WAS ANOTHER DOOR ISSUE AND THEN THERE WAS SOME DOOR SWEEP LOG ISSUES, BUT ALL HAVE BEEN RESOLVED SINCE.

IN FACT, THEY WERE ALL RESOLVED THE SAME DAY.

AND THAT'S WHAT I CAN SAY OPENLY. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. THANK YOU, MR. ELLIS. ALL RIGHT, NEXT UP IS OUR CONSENT AGENDA.

DO THE TRUSTEES HAVE ANY ITEMS THEY WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE?

[11. Consent Agenda]

DO YOU WANT TO REMOVE ALL THE POLICIES? NO, I DO NOT.

I ONLY WANT TO REMOVE F A. OKAY. F A LOCAL OUT OF ITEM 11 B.

ANY OTHERS? ALL RIGHT. MAY I HAVE A MOTION? MADAM PRESIDENT, I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

APPROVE CONSENT AGENDA. EXCEPT ITEM 11 B FOR FA LOCAL AS PRESENTED.

SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY MISS JONES.

DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

MISS HANSEN, ON THE ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. AND YOU WERE.

AND YOU WERE NOT ON MY BOARD, SO. OKAY, I'M GOING TO CLEAR THE QUEUE.

DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? HEARING NONE.

PLEASE VOTE. THAT'S OKAY.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. MAY I HAVE A MOTION FOR FA LOCAL?

[11.B. Deletion, Adoption and Revision of Polices BJCD(Local), BQB(Local), and FA(Local): Consideration and approval of proposed deletion, adoption, and revision of local policies: BJCD(Local), BQB(Local), and FA(Local).]

I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, APPROVE 11 B F A LOCAL AS PRESENTED.

SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. GARCIA AND A SECOND BY MISS JONES.

NOW, I'LL ENTERTAIN YOUR MOTION, MISS JONES. YOU WANT TO RESTATE IT? YES, PRESIDENT. I MOVE THAT WE LIMIT THIS, THE DISCUSSION OF THIS AGENDA ITEM TO TWO MINUTES, AND THAT TRUST TRUSTEES ARE NOT ALLOWED TO YIELD THEIR TIME TO ANOTHER TRUSTEE.

I'D LIKE TO AMEND THE MOTION. I DON'T HAVE A I DON'T HAVE A SECOND YET, SO I GOT TO GET A SECOND FIRST.

DO I HAVE A SECOND? NO, I DID NOT. NOT ON THAT.

I'LL SECOND. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS JONES AND A SECOND BY MR. GARCIA. NOW, I'LL ENTERTAIN YOUR MOTION TO AMEND.

I'D LIKE TO AMEND THE MOTION TO AFFORD BOARD MEMBERS.

THREE MINUTES, AND BOARD MEMBERS MAY YIELD THEIR TIME TO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS.

I SECOND THE AMENDED MOTION. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS HANNON AND A SECOND BY DOCTOR GILLIAM TO AMEND THE PRIOR MOTION TO THREE MINUTES PER TRUSTEE, AND THAT TIME MAY BE YIELDED.

DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION ON THIS MOTION TO AMEND? MADAM PRESIDENT, I HAVE DISCUSSION. OKAY. MISS JONES, I THINK WE WE HAVE EXPRESSED OUR VIEWS ON THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA ITEM, AND I THINK WE'VE SAID WHAT WE NEEDED TO SAY IN THE AGENDA REVIEW MEETING.

AND FOR THE INTEREST OF TIME THE LIMITATION OF TWO MINUTES IS SUFFICIENT AND YIELDING OUR TIME AS OUR OWN AND NOT SOMEONE ELSE'S IS ALSO ADEQUATE AND APPROPRIATE.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS JONES, MISS HANNON.

SO I DID NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY ALL THAT I NEEDED TO SAY BECAUSE WHEN THIS ITEM CAME TO US WITH THE AGENDA REVIEW, THE COMMUNITY HAD NO IDEA THAT IT WAS COMING UNTIL THE FRIDAY PRIOR.

SO THAT MEETING IS SERVES A DIFFERENT PURPOSE THAN THIS MEETING.

AT THAT TIME, I DID NOT GET TO HEAR ALL THE TEXT MESSAGES, PHONE CALLS, EMAILS, NOR HAD I HEARD THE 32 PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP THIS EVENING. SO OUT OF RESPECT FOR BOARD MEMBERS AND WHEN WE HAVE POLITICALLY DRIVEN ITEMS I THINK IT IS

[03:50:07]

THANK YOU, MISS HANNON. YOUR MIC WASN'T ON. MY MIC WAS NOT ON.

DO I NEED TO REITERATE WHAT I JUST SAID? I THINK WE HEARD IT.

I THINK WE HEARD IT. WE HEARD IT. OKAY. SO NOW WE ARE GOING TO VOTE ON THE AMENDED MOTION, WHICH IS TO CHANGE THE PRIOR MOTION TO THREE MINUTES PER TRUSTEE AND YOU MAY YIELD YOUR TIME.

PLEASE VOTE ON THAT ITEM ONLY.

MOTION PASSES FOUR THREE. OKAY. SO THEN WE'RE GOING TO NOW VOTE ON THE PRIOR MOTION, WHICH IS WHETHER OR NOT TO LIMIT TIME AT ALL.

PRESIDENT, IF THAT MOTION PASSED, THEN THAT AMENDED THE PRIOR MOTION.

CORRECT. WELL, IT AMENDED IT, BUT NOW WE HAVE TO VOTE ON IT.

RIGHT. SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON LIMITING TIME TO THREE MINUTES.

AND YOU MAY YIELD YOUR TIME. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION ON THAT.

HEARING NONE PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES. OKAY. NOW WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION WHICH IS ON FA LOCAL.

DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION. IF WE DON'T. DO WE. OKAY.

LET'S JUST VOTE. MISS HAYMAN. ARE YOU ARE YOU TIMING.

OH, SORRY. YEAH. GOOD CALL. MIGHT NEED TO DO THAT.

PROMOTING BIAS AND INTOLERANCE HAS NO PLACE IN FORT BEND ISD AND DOES NOT REFLECT OUR OWN DEFINITION OF COMPASSIONATE CITIZEN.

DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS ARE LEADING CAUSES OF ILLNESS AND DISABILITY AMONG ADOLESCENTS, AND SUICIDE IS A LEADING LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AMONG HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

THE SUBJECTIVITY OF THE WORDING AND POLICY FOR LOCAL, SUCH AS DISTRICT STAFF SHALL NOT TEACH, INSTRUCT, TRAIN, PROMOTE OR SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT GENDER FLUIDITY CREATES CONFUSION SURROUNDING CURRICULUM AND LIBRARY MATERIALS AND RESOURCES, AS WELL AS HOW STAFF CAN PROVIDE MENTAL SUPPORTS TO STUDENTS.

FALL OF 2023, A POLICY COMMITTEE MEMBER BROUGHT FORWARD THE TRANSGENDER TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION.

ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDED IT REMAIN AS PROCEDURES AND WE ALL SUPPORTED THIS.

I RELUCTANTLY AGREED WITH THE OTHER TWO MEMBERS AT THE TIME TO ADD NOTIFYING PARENTS REGARDING NAME CHANGES FOR ALL STUDENTS PRONOUNS AND RESTROOM ACCOMMODATIONS, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE PROCEDURES TOOK A FAR MORE COMPASSIONATE TONE THAN THE POLICY.

KATY ISD PASSED EARLIER THAT SAME FALL, ANTICIPATING THE BOARD WOULD PASS SUCH A POLICY.

I HOPE PROCEDURES WOULD ALLOW PRINCIPALS A MORE SENSITIVE APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES.

UNFORTUNATELY, HERE WE ARE NOW WITH A POLICY THAT FEELS EVEN MORE RESTRICTIVE THAN KATIE'S.

OUR TRANSGENDER PROCEDURES INCLUDE DIRECTION TO PROVIDE A SUPPORTIVE CLIMATE, A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, AND TO DEMONSTRATE CARE AND COMPASSION FOR EVERY SINGLE CHILD.

THIS POLICY DOES NOT. PROCEDURES ARTICULATE THAT GENDER BASED HARASSMENT INCLUDES STEREOTYPING STUDENTS WHO DO NOT CONFORM TO THE STANDARD NOTIONS OF FEMININITY AND MASCULINITY. THIS POLICY DOES NOT. I WILL RECOGNIZE CURRENT POLICY COMMITTEES MEMBERS MY COLLEAGUES HERE ON THE DAIS, ON THE POLICY COMMITTEE FOR ADDING LANGUAGE TO THE POLICY TO ALLOW ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS FOR SINGLE USE RESTROOMS AND CHANGING FACILITIES AS THE ORIGINAL DRAFT DID NOT. I BELIEVE THIS POLICY IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A GENDER FLUIDITY POLICY.

RATHER, IT IS ABOUT PARENTAL RIGHTS ACROSS MANY ASPECTS OF THE PUBLIC EDUCATION.

AS SPELLED OUT IN FAR LEGAL, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TONIGHT IS FAR LOCAL.

FOR THESE REASONS, I REJECT THIS POLICY. I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS I WOULD ASK STAFF TO ANSWER.

ONE BEING TO CLARIFY, THIS POLICY IS NOT RECOMMENDED BY STAFF.

THIS POLICY DOES NOT AFFECT AP PSYCH. THIS NAME CHANGE ISSUE IS FOR ALL KIDS, NOT JUST TRANSGENDER KIDS.

I WOULD ASK THAT SOMEONE ANSWER IF THE PROCEDURES THAT ACCOMPANY THIS POLICY CAN BE INCLUDED AS AN EXHIBIT ON THE

[03:55:06]

THANK YOU, MISS HANNON. DOCTOR GILLIAM. GOOD EVENING.

THIS EVENING, I'M GOING TO PUT MY PRINCIPAL HAT ON OF 35 YEARS OR 35 YEARS AS AN EDUCATOR.

WHO ARE WE? WE ARE EDUCATORS. I SPEAK RIGHT NOW AS AN EDUCATOR.

I KNOW WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY WHEN WE WALK INTO A BUILDING.

WE EDUCATE CHILDREN. I'M GOING TO SPEAK FOR THE 83 PRINCIPAL LEADERS.

THEY DIDN'T ASK ME TO THAT WE HAVE RIGHT HERE IN FORT BEND ISD.

PRINCIPALS WILL STILL BE SYMPATHETIC TO EACH STUDENT WITH ANY ISSUES OR CONCERNS, WHETHER IT BE BULLYING, SOCIAL MEDIA, GENDER ISSUES, OR JUST PEOPLE WHO TRY TO FIT INTO SOCIETY.

ADMINISTRATION HERE IN FORT BEND ISD HAS REGULATIONS AND AGAIN, COMPASSION FOR OUR STUDENTS FROM KINDERGARTEN TO GRADUATION. IF THIS PASSES, EDUCATORS WILL BE HERE TO WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS AND HAVE UNDERSTANDING, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO IN FORT BEND ISD. WE AS A DISTRICT WILL BE AVAILABLE AND WE WILL GET THROUGH YET ANOTHER INITIATIVE FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. AGAIN, I TRUST OUR PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS AND OUR STAFF TO CONTINUE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR STUDENTS. I DO ASK THAT THE BOARD ALLOW OUR LEADERS OF FORT BEND ISD TO CONTROL HOW THIS HAPPENS, BY ALLOWING OUR EDUCATIONAL LEADERS TO PROVIDE SAFE AVENUES FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.

WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER ISSUES, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE THIS ONE TOO.

TRANSGENDER STUDENTS ARE NOT PAWNS FOR POLITICAL GAMES, NOR SHOULD THEY BE SUBJECTED TO BULLYING MASQUERADING AS POLICY.

IMPLEMENTATION IS KEY. I DO PRAY WHEN I'M ON THIS DAIS AND WE HAVE THE TIME FOR PRAYER.

I'M PRAYING RIGHT THERE. I DO PRAY THAT MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS WILL ALSO LET THE EMPLOYEES DO THE JOB THAT WE ALL EXPECT THEM TO DO, AND THAT'S TEACH OUR STUDENTS. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU DOCTOR. MR. HAMILTON. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.

SO SO THIS ISSUE COMES INTO PLAY WHEN WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE TRANS STUDENT WHO WHO WANTS TO USE THE OTHER BATHROOM.

AND SO I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE IS BEING OVERSIMPLIFIED BY PEOPLE WHO WANT TO MAKE IT ONLY ABOUT THE FEELINGS AND THE RIGHTS AND THE DESIRES OF THE TRANS KID IN THAT SITUATION.

WE ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER THE RIGHTS OF ANYONE WHO DOES, WHO DOES NOT AGREE.

AND SO WE'RE WE'RE ALL EVERYONE WHO HAS MADE THEIR THEIR VOICE AND THEIR OPINION KNOWN HAS A RIGHT TO THEIR OPINION ON THIS, INCLUDING A GIRL OR A BOY WHO DOES NOT WANT A PERSON OF THE OPPOSITE BIOLOGICAL SEX IN PRIVATE SEX SPECIFIC SPACES WITH THEM. AND WE ALSO HAVE TO RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS WHO DON'T WANT SOMEONE OF THE OPPOSITE SEX IN THE IN THE PRIVATE AND SEX SPECIFIC SPACES WITH THEIR CHILD. AND SO IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS JUST INCLUDE THE RIGHTS OF THE TRANS KID.

YOU ALSO HAVE TO INCLUDE AND RESPECT THE RIGHTS OF ALL STUDENTS AND OF ALL PARENTS.

AND SO YES, THAT INCLUDES PARENTS WHO DISAGREE.

AND THERE IS NO WAY TO ACCOMMODATE BOTH OF THOSE DESIRES, BOTH OF THOSE WISHES, BOTH OF THOSE FEELINGS, SETS OF FEELINGS. AND SO WE WE THERE IS A PATHWAY FOR US TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS WHO IDENTIFY AS SOMETHING OTHER THAN THEIR BIOLOGICAL SEX. AND THAT'S THAT'S THE WAY THE ISSUE HAS BEEN HANDLED ALL ALONG, AND THAT'S THE WAY THAT IT'S BEING HANDLED. THAT'S AT LEAST THAT'S THE WAY WE'VE BEEN TOLD IT'S BEEN HANDLED ALL ALONG. AND SO THERE ARE SINGLE USE OR SINGLE STALL BATHROOMS AVAILABLE IN OUR CAMPUSES. AND THOSE, THOSE BATHROOMS ARE AVAILABLE FOR ANY STUDENT WHO WISHES TO USE THEM FOR THESE REASONS.

WE'VE SEEN NUMEROUS EXAMPLES WITH WITH ATHLETES COMPETING ACCORDING TO SOMETHING OTHER THAN BIOLOGICAL SEX.

AND IT'S BECOMING AN INCREASING ISSUE, INCLUDING IN ONE OF OUR NEIGHBOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

AND SO WE WE THERE'S TALK ABOUT PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF TRANS KIDS.

[04:00:05]

AND THEY SHOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO NOT COMPETE AGAINST BIOLOGICAL MALES IN FEMALE ATHLETICS.

AND THEN LASTLY, AS PRESIDENT HASSAN SAID LAST WEEK, VERY WELL AND VERY CLEARLY AND VERY FORCEFULLY.

WE'RE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF CONCEALING INFORMATION FROM PARENTS.

AND SO SO WE WE WE SHOULD NOT BE IN THE BUSINESS OF DOING THINGS WITH STUDENTS THAT GO AGAINST THE DESIRES OF THE PARENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. HAMILTON. MR. SHOAF. SO THIS MEETING BRINGS ME BACK TO MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DAYS.

GROWING UP IN THE EAST BAY OF SAN FRANCISCO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THERE WERE A LOT OF TRANSGENDER STUDENTS.

AND WE WERE ALL KIDS FRIENDS WITH EVERYBODY HAD JUST COULDN'T COMPREHEND WHAT WAS GOING ON.

I'VE KNOWN MANY PEOPLE WITHIN THESE COMMUNITIES AND CONSIDERED MANY OF THEM. MY FRIENDS AND I STAND FIRM.

I WILL ALWAYS VOTE TO PASS POLICY THAT STRIVES TO SAVE AND PRESERVE LIVES OF STUDENTS.

ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY IN THE CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF STATEWIDE HEALTH PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT.

SUICIDE RATES AMONG TRANSGENDER PEOPLE SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE AFTER TRANSITIONING.

WE NOW HAVE YEARS OF DATA ON THIS, AND WE SHOULD CONSIDER MAYBE THIS PROBLEM ISN'T BEING HANDLED OR ADDRESSED CORRECTLY.

OKAY, BASED ON THIS EXTENSIVE PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH AND THE RESEARCH OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, IF YOU'RE TRULY ADVOCATING FOR THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND PRESERVATION OF LIFE AMONG THOSE DIAGNOSED WITH GENDER DYSPHORIA AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, YOU WOULD BE ADVOCATING AGAINST TRANSITIONING STUDENTS AND BE ADVOCATING ADVOCATING FOR COMMUNICATING THEIR GENDER IDENTITY AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS TO THEIR PARENTS. GENDER IDENTITY ISSUES AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES THAT COULD LEAD TO THE CHILD'S DEATH NEED TO BE COMMUNICATED TO THE CHILD'S PARENT.

THIS ISN'T BULLYING. THIS IS COMMON SENSE. IT IS THE RIGHT OF THE PARENTS TO KNOW EVERY ASPECT OF WHAT THEIR CHILD IS EXPERIENCING WITHIN OUR CARE, ON OUR CAMPUSES. NOT ONLY AM I GOING TO VOTE FOR THIS POLICY, I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE DISTRICT TO STOP TAKING FEDERAL GRANT FUNDS WHERE UNLICENSED COUNSELORS HAVE GIVEN GENDER AFFIRMING THERAPY TO STUDENTS AGAINST PARENTS WISHES, AND FOR THE DISTRICT TO EMPLOY OUR OWN LICENSED PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS WHO CAN MONITOR WHO WE CAN MONITOR AND ENSURE THEY ABIDE BY THIS POLICY.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISS JONES. THANK YOU, PRESIDENT THOMPSON.

SO AS I WAS LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC COMMENTS AND I WROTE SOME THINGS, AND FIRST THING CAME TO MY MIND IS WE KNOW WHO'S RUNNING THE HOUSE.

AND SO I'M JUST GOING TO SAY WHAT I NEED TO SAY HERE.

ACCORDING TO THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION OF THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD.

A CHILD IS REGARDED AS A PERSON BELOW THE AGE OF 18.

AND THIS WAS INTENTIONAL TO PROVIDE PROTECTION AND RIGHTS OF PARENTS WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR HEALTH, SHELTER, EDUCATION, NUTRITION, AND SECURING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND A SECURE CHILDHOOD.

IF A LOCAL REAFFIRMS PARENTAL AND CHILDREN'S RIGHTS BY PROVIDING ASSURANCES THAT THE DISTRICT WILL UPHOLD A PARENT'S RIGHT, ACCORDING TO THIS CONVENTION, TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THEIR CHILD WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS.

IF A LOCAL PARENTS ARE NOTIFIED IF THEIR CHILD IS ASSUMING A DIFFERENT GENDER IDENTITY, ONCE HE OR SHE LEAVES THEIR HOUSE AND COMES TO SCHOOL, THIS IS THEIR PARENT'S RIGHT TO KNOW.

IF A LOCAL PROHIBITS BOYS AND GIRLS BATHROOMS AND VICE VERSA, HOW IS IT THAT CHURCHES, CHURCHES, MOSQUES, TEMPLES AND SYNAGOGUES WOULD NOT ALLOW THIS? BUT YOU'RE ASKING FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO ALLOW BOYS TO GO INTO GIRLS BATHROOMS AND GIRLS TO GO INTO BOYS BATHROOM.

ASK YOUR PASTOR, IS THIS ACCEPTABLE? ASK YOUR IMAM.

ASK YOUR RABBI. IS THIS ACCEPTABLE AT THEIR PLACE OF WORSHIP? BUT IT'S OKAY FOR SCHOOLS. AND SO IT PROHIBITS BOYS FROM PARTICIPATING IN GIRLS SPORTS.

WHAT IS DISTURBING IS THAT WOMEN FOUGHT HARD FOR WOMEN'S RIGHT TO SUFFRAGE, BUT NOW THEY'RE SO WILLING TO HAND THEM OVER THOSE SAME RIGHTS OVER FOR MEN OR BOYS TO PLAY IN THEIR SPORTS. WHAT HAPPENED TO WOMEN EMPOWERMENT HERE? AND SO THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK OR MINIMIZATION ON THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY.

[04:05:05]

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY'RE NOT OUR CHILDREN.

AND IT IS UP TO THE PARENT TO DECIDE WHAT IS BEST FOR THEIR CHILD IN THEIR HOUSEHOLDS AND NOT FOR OTHERS TO DECIDE.

30S. WITHIN THE DISTRICT. AND AS I ALWAYS SAY, THIS IS NO ONE'S BUSINESS BUT THAT PARENT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. THANK YOU. SO AS A AS A PARENT AND I HAVE KIDS, I WOULD WANT TO KNOW I WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHAT MY KID IS GOING THROUGH AND HOW I COULD BE SUPPORT, HOW I CAN SUPPORT THEM.

WHAT ARE THEY GOING THROUGH? I APPRECIATE TRUSTEE HANNON.

LAST WEEK WHEN SHE TALKED ABOUT ACCOMMODATING OUR TRANSGENDER STUDENTS BY INCLUDING THE SINGLE USE RESTROOMS. I APPRECIATE DOCTOR GILLIAM'S COMMENTS ABOUT PROVIDING SAFE HAVENS.

AND IT YOU KNOW, IT MAY COME AS A SURPRISE TO MANY THAT THIS PARTICULAR POLICY WAS IN PROCEDURES, AS TRUSTEE HANNON ALLUDED TO BACK IN 2023. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT IT WASN'T BEING ENFORCED.

AND SO TEACHERS ARE ASKING QUESTIONS WHAT DO WE DO? HOW DO WE DO IT? WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO? AND SO THAT'S WHY THIS IS BEING PUT INTO POLICY.

AND SO IT'S NOT POLITICAL I DON'T SEE IT AS POLITICAL.

I SEE IT AS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONS.

I WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF WHAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING THROUGH.

WE AREN'T SAYING KIDS CAN'T BE WHO THEY ARE. WE'RE JUST SAYING WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PARENTS ARE OKAY WITH THE TEACHERS USING THEIR PREFERRED NAMES OR PRONOUNS.

WE LET KIDS EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN FORT BEND ISD.

WE CELEBRATE DIVERSITY. WE CELEBRATE THEIR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.

LET THEM DRESS HOW THEY WANT AS LONG AS IT'S WITHIN THE CODE OF CONDUCT.

SCHOOLS HAVE LGBT STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS AND SUPPORT GROUPS.

WE DON'T PROHIBIT THOSE THINGS. BUT WE'RE SITTING HERE HAVING MORE AND MORE DISCUSSION ABOUT TRANSPARENCY.

BUT THE ONE THING WE CAN'T DO IS KEEP SECRETS FROM PARENTS.

SO IN THAT SENSE, WE WANT MORE TRANSPARENCY, BUT WE WANT TO KEEP SECRETS FROM PARENTS.

AS A PARENT, I LOVE MY KIDS. I LOVE YOUR KIDS.

I LOVE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS. AND SO. I WOULD WANT TO KNOW HOW I CAN SUPPORT THEM REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH.

JUST LIKE THE PARENTS THAT SPOKE TONIGHT DO WANT TO SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN.

I WANT TO BE THERE TO SUPPORT THEM AS WELL. I APPRECIATE TRUSTEE HANNON SAYING THAT WE HAVE PROCEDURES IN PLACE ON PROVIDING THAT SUPPORT.

THAT'S WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST WEEK, AND THAT'S WHAT I TRUST DOCTOR SMITH TO DO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROVIDE THE SUPPORT TO DOCTOR GILLIAM'S POINT, TO PROVIDE THE SAFE AVENUES FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE THAT THIS POLICY APPLIES TO.

SO WE NEED TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN AND OUR PARENTS.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE PARENTS NEED TO PARENT 30S.

IT'S NOT THE DISTRICT'S JOB TO KEEP THE SECRETS FROM THE PARENTS. AND IF WE KEEP THIS SECRET FROM THE PARENTS, WHO'S THE WHO'S TO SAY? WHAT SECRETS ARE WE GOING TO BE KEEPING FROM PARENTS NEXT? AND TO ME, THAT'S NOT TRANSPARENCY. SO AND THAT'S ALL.

THAT'S MY COMMENTS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. GARCIA. WE SIT HERE AS THE GOVERNING BODY IN THE UNENVIABLE POSITION OF HAVING TO MAKE THESE TYPES OF DECISIONS.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S OUR JOB TO BALANCE THE RIGHTS OF ALL STUDENTS AND ULTIMATELY TO DEFER TO PARENTS.

SOMEBODY UP HERE SAID, LET'S LET TEACHERS DO THEIR JOBS.

I AGREE, IT'S NOT THE JOB OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OR TEACHERS TO PARENT CHILDREN.

IT'S THE JOB OF PARENTS TO PARENT CHILDREN. I MAY DISAGREE WITH THE WAY A LOT OF PARENTS PARENT OR HOW THEY TREAT THEIR CHILDREN, AND I DO, BUT IT'S NOT MY JOB TO INTERVENE IN THAT.

PLEASE READ THE POLICY. IT IS VERY SPECIFIC FOR WHEN THESE THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN.

IT IS NOT DISCRIMINATION OR BULLYING TO REQUIRE PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AND CONSENT.

WE DO THIS IN A LOT OF AREAS AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE LEAVE THE DECISIONS IN THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR CHILDREN. WE HAVE LAWS NOW BEING PASSED THAT HOLD PARENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACTIONS OF THEIR CHILDREN.

TWO PARENTS WENT TO JAIL BECAUSE THEIR CHILD SHOT UP A SCHOOL.

BECAUSE OF THIS AND MANY OTHER REASONS, WE CANNOT DECIDE FOR PARENTS WHAT THEY DO AND DO NOT GET TO KNOW ABOUT THEIR OWN CHILD, WHO THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR. SOMEONE SAID PARENTS NEED TO TALK TO THEIR KIDS AND I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH THAT.

[04:10:02]

THAT'S THE WAY I WAS RAISED, AND MY MOTHER WAS NOT GOING TO GET CAUGHT NOT KNOWING SOMETHING, NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH ME. AND I KNOW MANY OF Y'ALL WOULD DISAGREE WITH THAT, JUST AS I WOULD DISAGREE WITH MAYBE HOW YOU CHOOSE TO RAISE YOUR CHILDREN IN YOUR HOME.

BUT THAT'S WHY WE EACH GET TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS ABOUT OUR CHILDREN, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS POLICY DOES.

IT DOESN'T AFFECT THE STUDENT AND WHAT THE STUDENT CAN OR CANNOT SAY, AS LONG AS THE PARENT CONSENTS TO IT.

AND UNDER OUR SYSTEM OF LAWS, THE PARENT IS IN CHARGE OF THE STUDENT UNTIL THE STUDENT, UNTIL THE CHILD BECOMES OF AGE.

AND SO WE CANNOT STEP IN AND IMPOSE OUR OWN JUDGMENT.

THE GOVERNMENT'S JUDGMENT FOR THE PARENTS. JUDGMENT.

PLEASE VOTE. POINT OF INFORMATION, MISS DAWSON, CAN WILL YOU ALLOW STAFF TO ANSWER MY QUESTIONS THAT I POSED? NO, BECAUSE YOU COULD HAVE SENT THOSE IN.

MOTION PASSES FIVE, TWO. WE WILL NOW CONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION UNDER THE TEXAS OPEN MEETING ACT.

[12. 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]

AND WE ARE NOW CONVENED IN CLOSED SESSION. THE TIME IS 11:14 P.M. AND WE ARE RECONVENED IN OPEN SESSION. WE WILL NOW CONSIDER ACTION ON CLOSED SESSION ITEMS.

[13. Reconvene in Open Session]

[14. Consider Action on Closed Session Items]

DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES SIX ONE. NEXT, MISS HANNON? I THE DGA? YES. YEAH. YOU HANDED ME THAT ONE? YES. OH, GOSH.

DID YOU REALLY? THAT'S OKAY. I'M SORRY. OKAY.

GOT IT. OKAY. YEAH. I'M SORRY. THAT'S OKAY. I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, ASSIGN THE LEVEL THREE EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCE APPEAL OF KATRINA COVINGTON TO THE BOARD'S DESIGNATED HEARING OFFICER UNDER BOARD POLICY IGBA LOCAL.

SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS HANNON AND A SECOND BY MR. GARCIA. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT. MISS HANNON, I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION AND APPOINT RAJ PATEL TO THE POSITION OF DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY.

SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS HANNON AND A SECOND BY DOCTOR GILLIAM.

DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, DOCTOR GILLIAM. I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

I'M SORRY. I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES, ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION AND APPOINT MARBY MUSCOLINO TO THE POSITION OF PRINCIPAL OF BAYNES MIDDLE SCHOOL. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY DOCTOR GILLIAM AND A SECOND BY MISS JONES.

DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, MR. SHOAF. I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION TO APPOINT DAVID SQUIRES AS TO THE

[04:15:09]

SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. SHOAF AND A SECOND BY MISS HANNON.

DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. MISS JONES. I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION AND APPOINT CHASITY ALEINU TO THE POSITION OF CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER.

SECOND. SECOND. SECOND. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS JONES.

AND A SECOND BY EVERYBODY ELSE ON THE BOARD. SECOND BY DOCTOR GILLIAM.

DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

OKAY, NOW WE CAN CLAP. I THINK SHE STILL OWES ME A DONUT, BY THE WAY.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. MR. HAMILTON, I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ACCEPT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION AND APPOINT DEREK WARD TO THE POSITION OF GENERAL COUNSEL.

SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. HAMILTON AND A SECOND BY MR. SHOAF. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'RE ON EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT.

MR. SHOAF, I MOVE TO TERMINATE WILLIAM FOGEL'S PROBATIONARY CONTRACT AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT YEAR.

IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE DISTRICT. AND TO AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT OR HIS DESIGNATED DESIGNATED TO NOTIFY MR. FOGLE OF THIS ACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW AND POLICY.

SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY MR. SHOAF AND A SECOND BY MISS HANNON.

DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. MISS JONES, I MOVE TO PROPOSE NON-RENEWAL OF KATINA COVINGTON'S TERM EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT YEAR, AND TO AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT OR HIS DESIGNEE TO NOTIFY MISS COVINGTON IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW AND POLICY, AND TO SPECIFY THAT THE HEARING, IF ANY, CONCERNING THE PROPOSED NON-RENEWAL OF MISS COVINGTON'S TERM EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT BE CONDUCTED BEFORE AN INDEPENDENT, INDEPENDENT HEARING EXAMINER APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH POLICY. SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS JONES AND A SECOND BY MR. SHOAF. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. DOCTOR GILLIAM. I MOVE TO PROPOSE NON-RENEWAL OF JAMES LIGON'S TERM EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT YEAR, AND TO AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT OR HIS DESIGNEE TO NOTIFY MR. LINTON. I'M SORRY IF I MESSED THAT UP. IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW AND POLICY, AND TO SPECIFY THAT THE HEARING, IF ANY, CONCERNING THE PROPOSED NON-RENEWAL OF MR. LIGON'S TERM EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT BE CONDUCTED BEFORE AN INDEPENDENT HEARING EXAMINER APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH POLICY.

DFB SECOND, WE HAVE A MOTION BY DOCTOR GILLIAM AND A SECOND BY MR. SHOAFF. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, MISS HANNON. I MOVE TO PROPOSE NON-RENEWAL OF TOMMY MACK'S TERM EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT YEAR, AND TO AUTHORIZE THE SUPERINTENDENT OR HIS DESIGNEE TO NOTIFY MR. MACK IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW AND POLICY, AND TO SPECIFY THAT THE HEARING, IF ANY, CONCERNING THE PROPOSED NON-RENEWAL OF MR. MACK'S TERM EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT BE CONDUCTED BEFORE AN INDEPENDENT HEARING EXAMINER APPOINTED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH POLICY. DFB SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS HANNON AND A SECOND BY MR. SHOAF. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

[04:20:03]

DFB SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY DOCTOR GILLIAM AND A SECOND BY MISS HANNON.

DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, MISS JONES. I MOVE TO RENEW AND TO AWARD EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS AS LISTED FOR THE SCHOOL 2025 2026 SCHOOL YEAR. UNDER SEPARATE COVER. SECOND.

WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS JONES AND A SECOND BY MISS HANNON.

DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. MISS JONES. I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVED DESIGNATING, MADDEN WROTE.

PLUS OR -20 ACRES AS SURPLUS PROPERTY AND AUTHORIZE THE BOARD PRESIDENT TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE THIS LAND SALE.

SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS JONES AND A SECOND BY MISS HANNON.

DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY, MISS JONES. I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVED DESIGNATING LAKEVIEW AUDITORIUM.

PLUS OR -1.41 ACRES AS SURPLUS PROPERTY. AND AUTHORIZE THE BOARD PRESIDENT TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE THIS LAND SALE.

SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS JONES AND A SECOND BY MR. GARCIA. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES SIX ONE. MISS JONES. I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVED DESIGNATING SHADOW CREEK PLUS OR -11.88 ACRES AS SURPLUS PROPERTY, AND AUTHORIZED THE BOARD PRESIDENT TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE THIS LAND SALE. SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS JONES AND A SECOND BY MR. GARCIA. DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES SIX ONE. MISS JONES. I MOVE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVED DESIGNATING CTC LAND PLUS OR -42 ACRES AS SURPLUS PROPERTY, AND AUTHORIZE THE BOARD PRESIDENT TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE THIS LAND SALE.

SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS JONES AND A SECOND BY MISS HANNON.

DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES SIX ONE. MISS JONES, I MOVE. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVED DESIGNATING GLENDALE LAKES DRIVE PLUS A -30 ACRES AS SURPLUS PROPERTY, AND AUTHORIZE THE BOARD PRESIDENT TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE THIS LAND SALE.

SECOND. WE HAVE A MOTION BY MISS JONES AND A SECOND BY MISS HANNON.

DO WE HAVE DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE. PLEASE VOTE.

MOTION PASSES SIX ONE. THAT WAS THAT. WAS THAT ALL? THAT'S IT, THAT'S IT. OKAY. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. NEXT UP, OUR FUTURE MEETING DISCUSSION.

DO YOU HAVE YOUR. YOU WANT MINE?

[16. Future Meeting Discussion]

[04:25:02]

HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE DEFINITIVE INFORMATION ON WHAT OPTIONS MAY BE AVAILABLE TO US.

SO WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO PROVIDE BUDGET UPDATES AND LEGISLATIVE UPDATES IN UPCOMING MAY.

WE ALSO HAVE A SHACK ANNUAL REPORT THAT WILL BE COMING FORWARD.

WE HAVE A BOND UPDATE THAT WILL BE COMING FORWARD.

THAT'S CRITICAL INFORMATION, BECAUSE WE'RE AT A POINT NOW WHERE WE'VE DEFINED PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE FUNDED AND WE HAVE CONTINGENCY FUNDS THAT NEED TO BE ALLOCATED APPROPRIATELY. AND THE BOARD OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO DRIVE THOSE DECISION MAKING POINTS.

SO WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT TO THE BOARD FOR DISCUSSION.

AND THEN THE RESULTS OF OUR TASB COMPENSATION STUDY WE HOPE WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE THAT FINALIZED IN MAY SO THAT WE CAN BRING THAT FORWARD AS WELL. AND AND THEN WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE FOR THE BOARD THE INFORMATION ON OUR ACADEMIES AND THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING BASED ON THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED TODAY.

AND WE HAVE A BUDGET WORKSHOP SCHEDULED FOR JUNE.

THAT WILL BE PREPARING FOR WITH THE FULL UNDERSTANDING OF PROVIDING SCENARIOS TO THE BOARD.

PRESIDENT AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE BEEN VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU ALL ARE NEEDING TO GUIDE DECISION MAKING.

SO WE'LL BE BRINGING THAT FORWARD. WE'RE TARGETING THAT IN MAY.

AND SO THOSE ARE THE FUTURE ITEMS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

THANK YOU. DO WE REALLY HAVE I JUST GOT ONE QUICK QUESTION, MISS JONES.

LONG TERM BOUNDARY PLANNING IS NOT HERE. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO ADDRESS THAT? THAT COMES WAY AFTER MAY. OKAY. THEY'RE JUST GETTING STARTED ON IT IN MAY.

OKAY. THAT'S ALL. MISS SHANNON, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? YES. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS ITEM BEING IN IN THE BOARD BOOK.

IT'S VERY HELPFUL. AND I KNOW IT'S ON YOUR RADAR.

AND PERHAPS JULY OR AUGUST, I'LL SEE THAT. BUT AN EB UPDATE FOR EMERGENT BILINGUALS.

AND BECAUSE I KNOW THEY'RE REQUIRED TO DO AN ANNUAL PROGRAM EVALUATION.

AND IF WE COULD ALSO GET SOME INFORMATION ON THE REQUIRED STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK FOR THE EB GROUP, THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL. THANK YOU. GOT IT RECEIVED.

AND WE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT. THANK YOU. MR. HAMILTON.

I MOVE TO ADJOURN. SECOND. ALL RIGHT. WE ARE ADJOURNED.

THE TIME IS 11:29 P.M..

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.