Feb 13, 2023 February 13, 2023 - Work Session - 3:00 p.m.

[A. Meeting Opening]

[00:00:03]

GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'D LIKE TO CALL THE FEBRUARY 13TH, 2023 SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET WORK SESSION TO ORDER.

I FIRST WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH, IS SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER APPRECIATION DAY IN VIRGINIA.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS FOR THEIR DEDICATION AND MAKING SURE OUR SCHOOLS ARE SAFE FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, STAFF AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.

[B. State Update]

I WANT TO GIVE YOU KIND OF A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY RIGHT NOW, AND SOME OF MY REMARKS WILL OVERLAP MR. MEISTER'S PRESENTATION AS WELL, AND THAT'S FOR GOOD REASON AND REINFORCEMENT AS WELL.

SO AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRACKING CLOSE TO 200 EDUCATION RELATED BILLS THAT ARE OUT THERE THIS YEAR.

MORE THAN EVER, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT BILLS EMERGE ON ONE SIDE OF THE CHAMBER ONLY TO BE KILLED BY OTHER SIDE OF THE CHAMBER.

THAT'S TYPICAL IN MOST YEARS.

THIS YEAR, IT'S CANCELING EACH OTHER OUT, QUITE FRANKLY, MORE SO THAN OFTEN SEEING SOME THINGS THAT ARE EMERGING THEME WISE.

CERTAINLY THESE LAST TWO WEEKS TAKE PLACE.

WE'LL SEE THINGS REFINE AND HOPEFULLY HAVE HEAD UP TO THE GOVERNOR.

ALSO, WE'RE HEARING SOME WORD THAT THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN KILLED MAY REAPPEAR IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, WHICH IS USUAL, AND ALSO CERTAINLY LEGISLATORS REACHING OUT TO THE GOVERNOR FOR AMENDMENTS ON CERTAIN LEGISLATION THAT HASN'T PASSED, AS THEY'D LIKE TO SEE AND THAT'S PRETTY NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR, BUT IT'S THE KIND OF ALERT YOU ALONG THE WAY.

THERE'S OBVIOUSLY DIFFERENT PRIORITIES THAT ARE EMERGING ACROSS THE BOARD.

WE'RE SEEING, OBVIOUSLY AND I'M TALKING A SECOND ABOUT THE BUDGET, SOME WEAKNESS WITH REGARD TO COMPENSATION.

A LOT OF AGREEMENT THERE WITH REGARD TO THE HOUSE AND SENATE, CERTAINLY FROM LEGISLATION LOOKING CLOSELY TO MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS, AS WELL AS THE LITERACY ACT AND CONTINUING THE WORK THAT [INAUDIBLE] HAS DONE WITH THAT AND SOME INVESTMENTS THAT GO WITH THAT AS WELL, AND ALSO A LOT OF CONVERSATION WITH REGARD TO PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT, PARENTAL NOTICES.

WE'RE FORTUNATE RIGHT NOW FROM THE WORK THE BOARD'S DONE WITH THE SCHOOL DIVISION, WE'RE AHEAD OF THE CURVE WITH REGARD TO SOME OF THE NOTICES THAT WE ALREADY DO, AND SO I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO ADAPT FOR THINGS THAT MAY STILL PASS THROUGHOUT THE SESSION.

AS I SAID, THERE ARE TWO WEEKS STILL LEFT TO OCCUR.

THE [INAUDIBLE] PLANS TO ADJOURN A WEEK FROM THIS SATURDAY, AND WITH REGARD TO THE BUDGET, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF MOVING PARTS THAT COME WITH THAT.

THE HOUSE AND SENATE UNVEILED THEIR PROPOSALS LAST WEEK, LAST SUNDAY, A WEEK AGO SUNDAY, AND THEY'RE PRETTY FAR APART ON THEIR BUDGET PROPOSALS.

THE ONE PART THAT WE'RE SIMILAR IN WITH REGARD TO IS THE COMPENSATION MOVING THE TEACHER COMPENSATION FROM 5% TO 7%.

AS WE KNOW. WHEN THAT MOVES, THERE IS A LOCAL COST THAT COMES WITH IT, NOT JUST FOR THE SHARE OF THAT SOQ INSTRUCTIONAL INVESTMENT, BUT ALSO THE INVESTMENT WE MUST MAKE IN OUR ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES AS WELL.

ON THE HOUSE SIDE, THEY TOOK KIND OF A DIFFERENT APPROACH THAN THE SENATE.

THE HOUSE AGAIN DID THE 2% SALARY INCREASE.

THEY STILL INVEST A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY, $50 MILLION, WITH REGARD TO LAB SCHOOL FUNDS, THE SENATE DID NOT MAKE THAT INVESTMENT.

SO THAT WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT TOPIC OF CONVERSATION, AND THE BUDGET CONFEREES AND THE HOUSE REALLY TOOK AN APPROACH, MORE POSITION BASED IN THE SENSE THAT THE SENATE DID REMOVE THE SUPPORT CAP, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE'VE ADVOCATED FOR SINCE 2010 WHEN IT PUT IN PLACE, QUITE FRANKLY.

SO IT IS VERY SIGNIFICANT TO SEE THAT EMERGE FROM THE SENATE.

IT HAD BEEN OUR HOPE THE HOUSE WOULD EMBRACE THAT AS WELL, BUT THAT'S A PRETTY BIG GAP BETWEEN THEIR APPROACHES.

SO THE HOUSE LOOKED AT INDIVIDUAL POSITIONS WHERE THE SENATE DID THE FULL SUPPORT CAP REMOVAL.

SO THAT WILL BE AN AREA OF CONVERSATION, HOPEFULLY NEGOTIATION.

ON THE SENATE SIDE, THEY DID ALSO INCLUDE, UNLIKE THE HOUSE, FULLY FUNDING 1000 BONUS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT POSITIONS.

THE HOUSE DID NOT INCLUDE THAT INVESTMENT, AND ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS TO LOOK AT WITH THE HOUSE BUDGET, THE HOUSE REALLY ESSENTIALLY I'M REALLY PARAPHRASING THE WORK THEY'VE DONE, BUT THEIR APPROACH REALLY WAS INVESTING MORE IN TAX REFUNDS, TAX CREDITS, AND ON THE SENATE SIDE, THEY DIDN'T TAKE THAT APPROACH.

THE FLIP SIDE OF NOT TAKING THAT APPROACH IS OBVIOUSLY IT FREED UP MONEY.

THE SENATE GREATLY INVESTED THAT MONEY IN EDUCATION, AND THAT'S NOT A DIRECT COMPARISON TO THE TWO CHAMBERS.

IT'S JUST PHILOSOPHICALLY HOW THEY APPROACHED IT.

ALL THAT TO SAY THAT WILL HAVE THAT'S A VERY DRAMATIC GAP, ONE IN PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACHES AND TWO IN FINANCIAL APPROACHES.

SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE NOW IS THEY'RE GOING TO PUT IN PLACE BUDGET CONFEREES.

THE HOUSE WILL ANNOUNCE THEIR CONFEREES, THE SENATE WILL ANNOUNCE THEIRS AS WELL.

THEY'RE TYPICALLY THE SAME LEGISLATORS YEAR IN, YEAR OUT.

ONCE THEY DO THAT, THEY'LL SPEND THE NEXT TEN DAYS NEGOTIATING THE BUDGET BY THEIR SELF-IMPOSED RULES.

THEY WOULD HAVE A SESSION THEY WOULD HAVE 48 HOURS BEFORE THEY WOULD ACTUALLY VOTE ON THE BUDGET.

SO BY THEIR OWN SELF-IMPOSED RULES BY NEXT THURSDAY, THEY SHOULD HAVE A BUDGET ANNOUNCEMENT.

[00:05:04]

THE GOOD, BAD PART ABOUT IT IS THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS JUST LAST YEAR, ACTUALLY, AND SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WATCH THAT PROGRESS OR LACK OF PROGRESS THEREOF.

IF THEY DON'T ADJOURN, OBVIOUSLY ON THAT SATURDAY, THEY WOULD THEN LOOK TO OTHER CHANCES TO EITHER COME BACK INTO SESSION, HOPEFULLY BEFORE THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A VETO SESSION, WHICH WOULD OCCUR IN MID APRIL AND THAT'S JUST IMPORTANT, AS WE KNOW, AGAIN, HAVING LIVED THROUGH IT LAST YEAR, BUT UNDERSTANDING THE PROCESS AND THE TIMING IMPACT IT HAS, NOT JUST IN OUR LOCALITY, THE DECISIONS THAT YOU MAKE AS A BOARD OR SUPERVISORS AND OTHER LOCALITIES.

WE'RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT WITH REGARD TO THAT.

THE LAST THING I WANT TO MENTION IS WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE HOUSE AND SENATE PROPOSALS, THEY ARE DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT, AND BOB'S GOING TO TOUCH UPON THIS, TOO, BUT WE SEE SOME DRAMATIC NUMBERS HERE, AND BASICALLY ON THE SENATE SIDE, WE COULD SEE UPWARDS AN ADDITIONAL $12 MILLION IF THEY WERE TO ADOPT IN MASS THE SENATE PROPOSAL, WHEREAS THE HOUSE PROPOSAL, OUR INITIAL ESTIMATES SHOW WE WOULD BE DOWN BY ABOUT $10 MILLION.

SO, AGAIN, A DRAMATIC GAP BETWEEN THE TWO.

WE'RE WAITING FOR THE STATE TO UNVEIL WHAT THEY CALL THE CALC TOOL LATER ON THIS WEEK.

IT TYPICALLY HAPPENS ABOUT THAT TIME OF YEAR.

CERTAINLY IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THIS YEAR.

ONE PIECE TO MENTION WITH REGARD TO THAT AS WELL AS OBVIOUSLY FOR YEARS AND YEARS OUT, WE'VE ALWAYS COUNTED ON THE TOOL TO BE HOW WE MEASURE AND MAKE OUR BUDGETS.

CERTAINLY THERE WAS A, LET'S SAY, A MISCALCULATION AND THE CALC TOOL BY THE STATE THAT OCCURRED, AND WITH THAT, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS SAID AND THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT THEY THEY'RE GOING TO HOLD LOCALITIES HARMLESS WITH THAT.

WE'VE SEEN A DIFFERENT APPROACH WITH THAT, QUITE FRANKLY, ON THE HOUSE AND SENATE SIDE, THE HOUSE HAS MADE A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE HELD HARMLESS.

THE HOUSE THE SENATE HAS MADE THAT INVESTMENT.

THE HOUSE HAS NOT MADE THAT SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT HOLD US HARMLESS.

EVERYBODY HAS SAID THE RIGHT THINGS.

SO WE JUST WANT TO SEE, OBVIOUSLY, THE INVESTMENT IN THE MONEY THAT COMES WITH THAT AS WELL.

SO AGAIN, AS I KIND OF CONTINUE TO TRACK LEGISLATION, I'LL BE LOOKING TO KEEP YOU UPDATED WITH REGARD TO LEGISLATION, SPECIFIC THINGS THAT KIND OF THEMATICALLY EMERGE THESE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS, AND CERTAINLY THE BUDGET PIECE IS GOING TO BE THE KEY FOCUS AS USUAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR.

BOB'S GONNA TOUCH UPON A LOT OF THE BUDGET PIECES AS WELL, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU, MR. SMITH.

BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? SORRY, MISS HEFFRON.

LOOKING BACK THIS WAY. SO JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY.

SO THE GAP IS APPROXIMATELY $22 MILLION BETWEEN BOTH PROPOSALS? SO THE HOUSE WOULD BE A NEGATIVE TEN AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR HIT TO OUR BUDGET, AND THE SENATE WOULD BE A POSITIVE $12.5 MILLION.

THAT'S OUR ESTIMATE INTERNALLY RIGHT NOW.

WE WANT TO SEE THE TOOL FROM THE STATE TO SHOW US EXACTLY.

OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YES, MA'AM. NEXT, WE HAVE OUR DISCUSSION ON THE FY 2024 OPERATING BUDGET.

[C. School Board Discussion: FY2024 Operating Budget]

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE AND TALK TO YOU ONCE AGAIN ABOUT THE BUDGET.

A LOT OF THIS YOU WILL HAVE SEEN A LOT OF THIS.

YOU WILL HAVE JUST HEARD FROM MR. SMITH AS WELL, BUT WANTED TO PUT YOU BACK IN THE MINDSET OF WHERE WE ARE OVERALL AND GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO WEIGH IN ON THE BUDGET AS WE SEE IT NOW.

A BIT OF A REMINDER ON THAT TIMELINE AND AS YOU KIND OF GOT THE GIST OF IN MR. SMITH'S CONVERSATION, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT WEIRD, RIGHT? WE ARE AT THE POINT WHERE WE ARE CLOSE TO REQUIRING OR REQUESTING THE SCHOOL BOARD'S APPROVAL OF A BUDGET, WHICH WILL THEN GO TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

THEIR PROCESS KICKS OFF EARLY MARCH AND RUNS THROUGH MARCH.

ALL THE WHILE, BOTH SIDES, QUITE FRANKLY, ARE STILL WAITING ON MANY OF THESE ANSWERS FROM THE STATE, WHICH PUTS, QUITE FRANKLY, US, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, EVERYBODY ELSE IN A BIT OF AN AWKWARD SITUATION.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT, BUT THE FACTS ARE WHAT THEY ARE, AND WE'RE AT THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO BEFORE WE NEED TO SUBMIT SOMETHING.

SO I JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE OF WHERE WE ARE IN THAT PROCESS.

I'LL SPEND THE NEXT SEVERAL SLIDES.

JUST RECAPPING THE BUDGET THAT WE'VE LARGELY TALKED TO.

THERE IS A PROPOSAL FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THIS AS WE GO FORWARD, MOSTLY REGARDING THE COMPENSATION THAT MR. SMITH SPOKE OF EARLIER.

I WILL REMIND THE BOARD THAT THIS BUDGET HAS REALLY BEEN FOCUSED ON THREE THINGS, RIGHT? IT'S BEEN IN RECRUITING AND RETENTION, WHICH IS LARGELY A COMPENSATION, MAINTAINING THE SERVICE LEVELS THAT WE HAVE AND DEALING WITH INFLATION AS IT SHOWS UP, AS WELL AS ADDRESSING A FEW SIGNIFICANT CRITICAL NEEDS THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS DEEMED APPROPRIATE FOR THIS BUDGET.

WHAT THAT IS ALL ADDED UP TO IS A REQUEST FOR AN ADDITIONAL $63.3 MILLION SPLIT OUT IN THOSE CATEGORIES THAT I JUST MENTIONED.

[00:10:07]

WE'RE CONTINUING TO HOLD ON TO THIS FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER FEW MINUTES AS I GO THROUGH THIS.

ONCE AGAIN, THOSE THREE PRIORITIES, JUST TO QUICKLY FLIP THROUGH THOSE TO REMIND YOU, RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, THE FIRST PIECE OF THAT WAS THE STEP SCALE ADJUSTMENTS, WHICH ADDED UP TO ABOUT A SIX AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE FOR THOSE TEACHER AND SCHOOL BASED POSITIONS OR ABOUT 27 MILLION.

THE GRADED RANGE ADJUSTMENTS WHERE WE'RE TARGETING THE $14 PER HOUR MINIMUM AND A 6 TO 7% TARGET INCREASE, WE HAD ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS FOR BUS DRIVERS, IAS FOOD SERVICE AS PART OF THAT AS WELL. TO GET TO A TOTAL ASK HERE OF ABOUT 11 MILLION, AND LASTLY, SOME OTHER RECRUITING AND RETENTION MOVES, INCLUDING SUBSTITUTE PAY AND LICENSURE.

I WON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON EACH OF THESE.

YOU'RE PROBABLY TIRED OF THEM AT THIS POINT, BUT THEY ARE SUPER IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL KEEPING OUR HEAD IN THE RIGHT SPOT ON THESE MAINTAINING SERVICE LEVELS.

GROWTH AND INFLATION, RIGHT? YOU CAN SEE THE STUDENT GROWTH COST JUST UNDER 14 MILLION IN THIS PROPOSAL, WHICH IS PRIMARILY JUST ADDRESSING THE INCREASED NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY AND WE'LL SEE GOING FORWARD RISING COSTS.

THIS IS LARGELY YOUR INFLATION BUCKET UTILITIES CONTRACTS, HEALTH CARE, SOME REGIONAL TUITION, ETC.

ALL ADD UP TO JUST UNDER 11 MILLION IN THAT BUCKET, AND LASTLY, THERE ARE SOME REDUCTIONS FROM THE STATE SIDE WITH RESPECT TO REMEDIAL SUMMER SCHOOL, WHICH YOU CAN SEE ABOUT A $1.4 MILLION. I WILL REMIND THE BOARD THAT WILL NOT RESULT IN A LOSS OF SERVICE OVER THE SUMMER AS WE WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST ESSER FUNDS TO PROP THAT UP TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GIVING OUR KIDS THE SUMMER SCHOOL THAT THEY NEED, AND THE LAST BUCKET HERE IS OTHER CRITICAL SERVICE LEVELS WHICH YOU CAN SEE HERE ADDRESSES A LOT OF THE MANDATES THESE POTENTIALLY WILL GROW.

YOU HEARD MR. SMITH TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE LEGISLATION THAT'S FORTHCOMING.

WE'LL SEE HOW THAT EVOLVES.

IN THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET A BIG PIECE OF THAT WAS READING IN MATH SPECIALISTS, WHICH WE'VE ESTIMATED ABOUT A $2 MILLION COST TO THOSE AS PROPOSED BY THE GOVERNOR.

IF YOU RECALL, IN VARIOUS OTHER WORK SESSIONS, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONSENSUS ON THAT INCREASING NOT JUST K TO FIVE, BUT K TO EIGHT, WHICH WOULD INCREASE THIS GAP AS WELL.

WE HAVE NOT TAKEN THAT INTO ACCOUNT YET.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOW THE HOUSE AND SENATE MOVE FORWARD ON THAT BUS AIDES RECORD RETENTION, SOME SCHOOL STAFFING ADJUSTMENTS WITH RESPECT TO ESL TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS, AND SOME SECURITY ADJUSTMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL STAFF AND SUPPORT FOR THAT PARTICULAR POSITION ALL ADDS UP TO ABOUT SIX AND ONE HALF MILLION OF EXCUSE ME, ADDITIONAL SPEND FOR WHAT WE'RE CALLING CRITICAL SERVICE LEVELS IN THE BUDGET IN FRONT OF YOU.

ONCE AGAIN, YOU PUT THAT ALL TOGETHER, 63.3 MILLION.

I WILL REMIND THE BOARD THAT THE BULK OF OUR BUDGET, JUST UNDER 900 MILLION, REMAINS PERSONNEL IN THIS BUDGET AND PROBABLY ALL BUDGETS GOING FORWARD.

YOU SEE 79% OF OUR SPENDING IS PERSONNEL BASED AT THIS POINT.

SORT OF MY SPIN ON THE STATE UPDATE, YOU'VE HEARD MOST OF THIS FROM MR. SMITH A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.

AS HE TOUCHED ON THE SENATE PROPOSAL IS MUCH MORE GENEROUS TO K-12 THAN IS THE HOUSE PROPOSAL, THE LEGISLATION A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES HERE, BUT THERE ARE MANY, MR. SMITH SAID ABOUT 200 THAT ARE SO THAT HE'S TRACKING SOME OF THESE DO COME WITH EXTRA COSTS TO US.

WE'RE CONTINUING TO MONITOR THOSE.

I MENTIONED READING SPECIALISTS ALREADY BONUSES WOULD COME WITH THE MATCH AS WELL, THAT'S IN ONE SIDE, NOT ON THE OTHER.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS STILL BEING WORKED OUT NATURALLY AT THE STATE LEVEL.

AS WE AWAIT FOR THESE CALC TOOLS, THERE WILL BE TWO OF THEM PRODUCED OVER THE COURSE OF THIS WEEK, ONE REPRESENTING THE HOUSE PROPOSAL, ONE THE SENATE PROPOSAL.

OUR ESTIMATE OF THAT, BASED ON WHAT WE'VE SEEN AND HEARD, IS THAT MINUS TEN AND A HALF ON ONE SIDE, ALL THE WAY TO PLUS 12 AND ONE HALF ON THE OTHER.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT AS A NET IMPACT, THAT'S BOTH REVENUE AND OUR EXPECTATION OF EXTRA EXPENSE THAT MAY COME FROM ADDITIONAL UNFUNDED MANDATES AS YOU GO FORWARD.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HASN'T BEEN EXPLICITLY ADDRESSED IS THE CALC TOOL ERROR.

IF YOU REMEMBER, THAT WAS ABOUT A $7 MILLION HIT TO OUR EXPECTATIONS GOING FORWARD.

THE SENATE PROPOSAL ADDRESSED IT THROUGH THE CALC, THROUGH THE SUPPORT CAP.

THE HOUSE DID NOT EXPLICITLY ADDRESS IT.

SO YOU SEE SOME OF THE DELTAS THERE, AND WE'LL SEE HOW BOTH THE CALC TOOL COMES OUT LATER THIS WEEK, AS WELL AS THE ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN HOUSE, SENATE AND GOVERNOR TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE, AND THAT DOES LEAD, AS MS. HEFFRON TALKED ABOUT, TO ABOUT A 22 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLAR NET EXPECTED DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ONE PROPOSAL AND THE OTHER FOR CHESTERFIELD COUNTY.

SO ALL THAT SAID, ONE PLACE AND MR. SMITH MENTIONED THIS AS WELL, THAT WE DO SEE A FAIR AMOUNT OF ALIGNMENT BETWEEN BOTH LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES AND WE HEARD SOME GOOD THINGS FROM THE GOVERNOR AS WELL, IS REALLY INCREASING THAT STATE FUNDED RAISE FROM 5%, WHICH WAS IN OUR ORIGINAL BUDGET TO 7% FOR BOTH THE STEP AND GRADED POSITIONS.

WE'D LIKE TO FOLLOW THAT IN THIS PROPOSAL TO INCREASE OUR RAISE FROM THAT SIX AND A HALF TO 7%, AND THE GRADED RANGE FROM WHAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AS 6 TO

[00:15:03]

THIS WOULD MOVE THE STEP ZERO BACHELOR'S SALARY TO 52.4 THAT WAS ABOUT 52.2 IN THE PREVIOUS PROPOSAL.

SO NOT A HUGE CHANGE, BUT AN IMPORTANT ONE AS WE GO FORWARD, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT THAT IA STRATIFICATION AS WELL.

THIS WOULD MOVE THE IA RANGE FROM A MINIMUM OF 7% WITH AN ADDITIONAL 5% INCREASE IN THE SCALE FOR THE LEVEL TO IAS.

THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY THREE AND A HALF.

IF YOU DID THE MATH IN THE OLD ADJUSTMENTS, THIS WOULD PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE DELINEATION BETWEEN LEVEL ONE AND LEVEL TWO AIDES HERE.

MOSTLY YOU'VE SEEN THIS PAGE BEFORE, BUT I'LL HIT ON THE SECOND LINE, WHICH REALLY HITS ON THE DELTA THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSAL TO THE TO THE BUDGET.

YOU CAN SEE THE STATE PROPOSED 7% RAISE THAT $3.6 MILLION.

THAT'S THE HOUSE ESTIMATE FOR THE PROPOSAL.

THAT'S THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT WOULD COME TO US.

IF YOU REMEMBER, THAT WOULD BE FUNDING FROM 5% STATE SHARE TO 7% STATE SHARE.

SO TWO PERCENTAGE POINTS DIFFERENCE.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE MATCH, THE STATE 7% ON THE RIGHT SIDE, IT'S A $2.9 MILLION COST.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT'S LARGELY A SIX AND A HALF PERCENT TO 7% ADJUSTMENT.

SO WE'RE COVERING ABOUT A 50 BASIS POINT INCREASE IN OUR COSTS WITH ROUGHLY THE 200 BASIS POINT INCREASE ON THE STATE SIDE.

SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF THE STATE MATH PLAYING FORWARD, BUT THIS DOES GIVE US FUNDING HERE TO KEEP THE OVERALL BUDGET ROUGHLY NEUTRAL, BUT MEET THE WHAT WE ALL EXPECT TO BE THAT 7% MINIMUM INCREASE FOR THE STATE.

THAT LEAVES US WITH A GAP.

IT WAS PREVIOUSLY JUST ABOUT 16.9.

THIS MOVES IT TO ABOUT 16.2.

SO WE'RE STAYING IN THE SAME GENERAL AREA WITH OUR GAP AND ABLE TO PROVIDE FOLKS AN ADDITIONAL PAY INCENTIVE TO MATCH THE STATE EXPECTATIONS.

SO YOU ADD THAT ALL UP, DR.

DOHERTY'S FAVORITE SLIDE ADJUSTS THAT ADDITIONAL FUNDING NEED STILL UP 2%, BUT DOWN TO ABOUT 16.2.

AS WE SIT HERE TODAY, SHOULD THE BOARD CHOOSE TO ACCEPT THE PROPOSAL OF THE 7% FLAT AS WE GO FORWARD? AND THE LAST SLIDE, I WON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE BOARD WILL BE ASKED TO APPROVE IS NOT JUST THE OPERATING FUND, THAT TOP LINE.

WE'VE BEEN SPENDING ALL SORTS OF TIME OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, BUT ALSO THE GRANTS, FOOD SERVICE AND THE ARGS BUDGETS AS WELL.

NO REAL SURPRISES THERE.

GRANTS, FOOD SERVICE, YOU PUT THOSE TOGETHER, YOU'RE AT ABOUT 977 MILLION.

YOU ADD THE APPOMATTOX GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL TO THAT WITH WHICH WE SERVE AS FISCAL AGENTS FOR IT PUTS THE TOTAL PROPOSED BUDGET AT THIS POINT IN TIME, PENDING ALL THE CHANGES TO THE STATE AND WHATEVER MAY COME FROM OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS BUT THE ASK WOULD BE 982.3 MILLION IN THE PROPOSED.

WITH ALL THAT, A LOT OF THAT WAS REPEAT BUT SOME NEW STUFF IN THERE.

I WILL PAUSE HERE FOR QUESTIONS ON THE FY 24 OPERATING PLAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION? MS. BAILEY. I JUST HAVE A REQUEST.

IF YOU WOULD TAKE A MINUTE AND EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC WE THINK WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CALC TOOL IS AND WHAT ITS IMPACT IS TO THE COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT I THINK SOMEONE SITTING OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC WOULD WANT TO KNOW WHAT.

ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT ARE THEY WAITING FOR AND HOW DOES THAT HAVE ANY MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE TO OUR BUDGET? BECAUSE I THINK IT'S QUITE CRITICAL TO OUR BUDGET, AND SO JUST TAKE A SECOND AND EXPLAIN WHAT THE CALC TOOL IS.

ABSOLUTELY, SO THE CALC TOOL IS ESSENTIALLY AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED PROVIDES TO NOT JUST CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, BUT EVERY DISTRICT IN THE STATE, WHICH AT ITS CORE, WHAT IT DOES IS IT TAKES THE STATE BUDGET AND BREAKS IT DOWN INTO WHAT THAT MEANS FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL DISTRICT.

IT TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION THE SPECIFIC INPUTS FROM ANY GIVEN COUNTY OR DISTRICT.

SO YOU CAN THINK ABOUT IT AS ENROLLMENT NUMBER OF ELL STUDENTS, OTHER ALL THE FACTORS THAT GO INTO PRODUCING WHAT WE SHOULD EXPECT AS A COUNTY FOR THE STATE PAYMENTS TO BE IN ANY GIVEN YEAR.

THIS TOOL IS, SUFFICE IT TO SAY, COMPLICATED.

SO THERE IS A LOT OF DETAIL THAT GOES INTO THIS, WHICH INCORPORATES EVERYTHING FROM SOMETHING I THINK YOU'VE HEARD ME MENTION BEFORE, SOMETHING LIKE LCI, THE LOCAL COMPOSITE INDEX, WHICH IS THE SHARE THAT THE COUNTY IS EXPECTED TO PAY.

BASICALLY THAT'S EMBEDDED IN THIS TOOL.

BASIC AID IS CALCULATED.

LCI IS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION THERE, WHICH WOULD THEN EQUAL HOW MUCH FUNDING THE STATE PAYS AS WELL AS WHAT THE LOCAL SHARE REQUIRES. THERE'S OTHER PIECES OF THIS AS WELL, NOT JUST BASIC AID, THINGS LIKE LOTTERY FUNDING, THINGS LIKE SUMMER SCHOOL.

I MENTIONED THAT EARLIER.

THAT'S A PLACE WHERE WE WOULD SAY, HEY, HERE'S THE NUMBER OF REMEDIAL SUMMER SCHOOL CHILDREN WE EXPECT TO HAVE THIS YEAR.

THAT WOULD THEN WE'D PUT THAT NUMBER IN AND WE'D GET THE EXPECTED 1.4 MILLION IN THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET REDUCTION BASED ON THE NUMBER OF EXPECTED

[00:20:10]

SO LET'S CHAT FOR A SECOND ABOUT THAT LOCAL COMPOSITE INDEX AND WHAT THAT MEANS TO OUR BUDGET AND WHAT THE STATE IS DOING WHEN THEY'RE INDEXING THE DIFFERENT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE EXPECTATION OF THE WEALTH OF THE LOCAL COUNTY GOVERNMENTS JUST KIND OF EXPLAIN LOCAL COMPOSITE INDEX AS WELL.

SO LOCAL COMPOSITE INDEX IS 35 POINT SOMETHING PERCENT FOR CHESTERFIELD COUNTY.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE EXPECTATION FOR THE STATE IS THAT THE STATE WOULD COVER ONE MINUS 35%, SO 65% AND WE WOULD COVER 35% OF BASICALLY THE STANDARDS OF QUALITY, THE BARE MINIMUM SERVICES FOR THE COUNTY.

SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, WE'VE TALKED IN DIFFERENT DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ELL INSTRUCTORS.

FOR EXAMPLE, THEY THEY THE STATE SAYS WE'LL GIVE YOU ONE L TEACHER GIVE YOU 1LL TEACHER PAY FOR ONE ELL TEACHER FOR EVERY 50 STUDENTS AS AN EXAMPLE. THAT TEACHER IS THEN PROVIDED OR FUNDING FOR THAT TEACHERS AND PROVIDED AT THE STATE ASSUMED SALARY, WHICH IS TYPICALLY BELOW WHAT CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PAYS, AND THEN FACTORED BY THAT 65/35 SPLIT.

SO WE WOULD ESSENTIALLY GET ROUGHLY HALF OF THAT ONE TEACHER AT 1 TO 50.

KEEP IN MIND WE STAFF HIGHER THAN THAT, SO THAT CONTINUES TO FACTOR INTO THAT, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, LCI IS A FUNCTION OF THE STATE'S PERCEPTION OF OUR AS A COUNTY'S WILLINGNESS TO EARN ABILITY TO PAY.

SO THEN A COUNTY OR LOCALITY WITH LESS REVENUE THAN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, BASICALLY A POOR COUNTY WOULD GET A HIGHER PERCENTAGE IN THE LCI THAN CHESTERFIELD FROM THE STATE? THEY WOULD GET A LOWER LCI, WHICH MEANS A HIGHER STATE PERCENTAGE.

IT'S A HIGHER STATE MONEY. SO BASICALLY THEN THE STATE IS ASSUMING THAT CHESTERFIELD COUNTY IS A WEALTHY COUNTY AND CAN PAY A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OUR BUDGET. SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING TO THE COUNTY FOR THIS HOLE TO BE FILLED, IT'S BECAUSE THE STATE SAYS YOUR COUNTY IS WEALTHY, IT CAN AFFORD TO PAY FOR YOUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.

WOULD THAT BE AN ACCURATE STATEMENT? OUR LCI IS, I'LL JUST SAY COMPLICATED.

I THINK OUR LCI RUNS MIDDLE OF THE PACK FOR VERSUS OTHER SORT OF COUNTIES IF YOU'RE SURE EVERYTHING'S RELATIVE, AND ACCORDING TO PRINCE WILLIAM AND LOUDOUN COUNTY ARE UP THERE, WHICH ARE VERY WEALTHY COUNTIES, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE SAYING, BUT DEFINITELY THESE THINGS MATTER TO THE BUDGET AND I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMUNITY HEAR WHAT IS LCI AND WHAT IS A CALC TOOL BECAUSE WE THROW AROUND THESE TERMS ALL THE TIME, BUT THE AVERAGE PERSON OUT THERE, THE VOTERS OUT THERE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.

I MEAN, THE STATE DEFINITELY HAS AN EXPECTATION THAT THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTES MEANINGFULLY .

MEANINGFULLY, GOOD JOB, THAT'S A GOOD WORD.

OKAY, NEXT THING, THE LOVE THAT YOU'VE APPLIED SOME MORE FUNDS TO THE DIFFERENTIAL PAY TO THE TIERED IAS.

CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT BEFORE I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THAT WAS IN SENSE, BUT WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? I THINK YOU JUST SAID IT IN A LUMP SUM THAT IS GOING TO AND THERE WOULD BE MORE OF A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GEN ED IA AND A SPED IA.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS NOW UNDER THIS? I MEAN, THE DOLLARS ARE ON THE PAGE, RIGHT? SO 16.52 STARTING.

AGAIN, THERE'S A RANGE FOR EVERYTHING.

I MUST HAVE MISSED THAT.

GOES TO 17.34, WHICH WOULD BE A 5% DIFFERENCE IN SCALES BETWEEN THE, RIGHT.

IT WAS THREE AND A HALF IN THE PREVIOUS ITERATION.

OKAY, THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL.

MS. HAINES.

I WAS CURIOUS BECAUSE I AM GLAD TO SEE THE INCREASE IN THE AIDES BECAUSE I DID RECEIVE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT THAT.

I WAS CURIOUS IF ANY FOCUS GROUP WORK WAS DONE WITH AIDES, GIVEN THE INCREDIBLE ATTRITION THAT WE'VE HAD.

I KNOW WE'VE DONE FOCUS GROUPS WITH BUS DRIVERS AND ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY.

HAVE THERE BEEN ANY FOCUS GROUPS WITH INSTRUCTIONAL AIDS TO SEE WHAT MORE WE CAN DO TO RETAIN THEM? NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE HASN'T.

I WILL DEFER TO DR.

TYLUS OR DR. HOUGH IF THERE'S ANY.

[00:25:04]

I GUESS I'D LIKE TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON IF THEY WORK, BECAUSE I CONTINUE TO HEAR A LOT ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES OF NOT KEEPING SPECIAL EDUCATION AIDES.

IT SEEMS LIKE A CRITICAL SITUATION.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE CLEARLY HEARD THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS IS THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE POSITIONS AND SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS.

HAVE WE RUN FOCUS GROUPS AT THIS POINT? NO, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE KNOW WE NEED TO GET UNDER THE COVERS OF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN BETTER, BETTER UNDERSTAND ENSURE WE'RE MEETING THE NEEDS.

ONE THING THAT I KNOW DR.

HOUGH AND TEAM HAVE DONE IS LOOKED AT IA SALARIES, COMPENSATION VERSUS OTHERS IN THE AREA.

WE ARE COMPETITIVE ON THAT REGARD.

OTHER FACTORS SHOULD ALSO BE ADDRESSED.

I AGREE WITH THAT.

I NOTICED THE INCREASE IN PAY FOR A GENERAL IA SUBSTITUTE.

IS THERE AN ADDITION FOR AN IA SUBSTITUTING FOR A SPECIAL EDUCATION IA? IT'S WHATEVER WAS IN THE PREVIOUS.

WE HAVE NOT ADJUSTED THEM FOR THIS PARTICULAR ADJUSTMENT.

IT'S WHAT WAS IN DR.

HOUGH'S PRESENTATION IS OUR CURRENT PROPOSAL, WHICH I DON'T KNOW IF TOP MY HEAD, BUT THERE WAS AN INCREASE AS PART OF THAT, I BELIEVE, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER IT OFF THE TOP MY HEAD. I APOLOGIZE. I DON'T KNOW THAT I SAW A DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN GENERAL ED AND SPECIAL EDUCATION.

[INAUDIBLE] GOT IT. THANKS. THANK YOU, KIM.

[D. School Board Discussion: Five-Year Plan]

PART TWO. OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN LOOKING AHEAD.

SO AS WE THINK ABOUT OUR FIVE YEAR PLAN, SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR'S DISCUSSION, OUR PRIORITIES OVER THE COURSE OF THE FIVE YEAR REMAINS THE SAME.

SO YOU SEE A LOT OF SIMILAR IDENTICAL THEMES TO THIS YEAR'S FIVE YEAR PLAN IS WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE FY 24 BUDGET.

RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION REMAINS THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS MAINTAINING SERVICE LEVELS, ADDRESSING GROWTH, AS WELL AS ADDRESSING SOME OF THOSE CRITICAL NEEDS.

SO AS WE LOOK FORWARD IN THE LONG TERM PLAN, A NUMBER OF THE KEY ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HERE IS FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE NEED TO FINISH SALARY STUDY TWO, WHICH IS GET MEANS GET TO THAT $16 PER HOUR MINIMUM HERE THAT WAS LOOKING AT FOR NEXT YEAR.

WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE OUR STEP AND MARKET ADJUSTMENTS EXIST IN ALL SUBSEQUENT YEARS.

YOU'VE HEARD DR. DAUGHERTY TALK ABOUT WE SHOULD START TEACHER SALARY AT $60,000.

WE'VE LAID OUT A PLAN THAT PROVIDES A ESSENTIALLY A 4% SCALE INCREASE, PLUS A STEP THAT WOULD GET YOU TO ABOUT A $61,000 STARTING TEACHER SALARY BY FY 2028. IN THIS PARTICULAR PLAN, GENERALLY, WE'VE TAKEN A LOOK AT INFLATION, LOOKING AT 3 TO 5% ANNUALLY ACROSS MOST CATEGORIES AS WELL.

WE HAVE AN ASSUMPTION FOR COUNTY SHARED SERVICES IN HERE WHERE WE'RE LOOKING FOR THOSE TO BE HIGHER IN 25, 26 AND 28 AS THEY GO FORWARD, AND THE OTHER BIG PIECE OF THIS IS OUR FAVORITE ESSER CLIFF.

WE'VE ASSUMED A $10 MILLION COST FOR THAT IN FY 25 BUDGET.

AS WE GO FORWARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MINDFUL OF THOSE CRITICAL SERVICES THAT EXIST NOW THAT WILL NEED TO BE ADDRESSED AS ESSER FUNDS WIND DOWN. SO WHAT DOES THAT ALL LOOK LIKE? YOU CAN SEE IT ON THIS PAGE.

NOTICE THE SCALE. WE DO START AT 750 MILLION.

SO THE STEPS ARE A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER THAN THIS IF YOU WERE TO DRAW THE SCALE.

836 PLUS THE INITIATIVES FROM THIS YEAR GETS YOU TO THE 902 MILLION STARTING POINT IN FY 24, YOU MOVE THAT FORWARD THROUGH 2028 AND YOU SEE ABOUT A 25% INCREASE OVER THOSE FIVE YEARS.

I MENTIONED SOME PRETTY BIG ITEMS IN NEXT YEAR, SO YOU SEE THAT AS A SLIGHTLY BIGGER INCREASE, CLOSE TO 9 TO 10%, WHICH IS REALLY THE RESULT OF TRYING TO FINISH THAT SALARY STUDY ABSORBING ESSER AS WELL AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPECT ANOTHER PRETTY SIZABLE YEAR OF GROWTH NEXT YEAR BEFORE THAT STARTS TO TAPER A LITTLE BIT.

IF YOU REMEMBER THE BROADER GROWTH SLIDE, IT WAS PRETTY STEEP AND FLATTENS AS YOU GO OUT.

SO YOU SEE ABOUT A 9% INCREASE EXPECTED IN 2025.

THAT DECREASES TO 4 TO 6% AS WE GO FORWARD.

AS WE GET CLOSER TO THAT, AS I SAID, ABOUT A 5% INFLATION, 5% INCREASE FOR SALARIES TO GET TO THAT 61,000 COST FOR TEACHER BASE ZERO TEACHER.

IF YOU JUST LOOK AT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE ON THE INCREMENTAL SO STRIP OUT THE BASELINE, THIS WOULD BE THE INCREASE EACH YEAR.

YOU CAN SEE THE 63 OR SO MILLION WE'RE ASKING FOR THIS YEAR IN FY 24.

THAT INCREASES NEXT YEAR AS WE LOOK TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN SALARY STUDIES SO THAT 37 OR SO MILLION IN COMPENSATION INCREASES TO ABOUT 41

[00:30:05]

THAT'S ABOUT A $39 MILLION PRICE TAG.

WE ESTIMATE THIS YEAR, THAT BIG SALMON COLOR IN THE MIDDLE ON FY 25 BEFORE THAT STARTS TO DECLINE OVER TIME, AND LASTLY, INITIATIVES, YOU DON'T SEE MANY OF THOSE IN 2025. WE REALIZE FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE NEED TO MEET SALARY AGAIN.

WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT ESSER CLIFF.

SO THERE'S NOT MUCH IN TERMS OF INCREASED SERVICES.

IN 2025, WE START TO ADD IN ABOUT 5 MILLION A YEAR IN 2026 AS WE EXIT THAT ESSER CLIFF, AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THOSE PLAY OUT.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY, YOU CAN SEE MY LINE THERE FOR PROJECTED REVENUE INCREASES.

THE COUNTY'S LONG TERM PLAN PROJECTS ABOUT A $17 MILLION INCREASE FOR EDUCATION OVER THE FIVE YEAR PLAN IN THEIR LAST YEAR'S PROPOSAL.

WE'VE ASSUMED THAT HERE THAT'S WHAT THEY STARTED THEIR PLANNING PROCESS WITH THIS YEAR.

STATE, WE'RE MAKING A GUESS, BUT WE HAVE PUT IN ABOUT A SIMILAR $17-18M INCREASE ON THE STATE SIDE EACH YEAR.

SO YOU CAN SEE WE'RE RUNNING A DEFICIT HERE AS WE GO FORWARD, BUT SIMILAR TO DR.

DAUGHERTY'S DESIRE TO PROVIDE A NEEDS BASED ANNUAL BUDGET, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR LONGER TERM OR FIVE YEAR PLAN REFLECTED THE WHAT WE SEE AS THE NEEDS GOING FORWARD AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS A LINE THAT'S PRETTY SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR.

YOU CAN SEE THE RED LINE IS THIS CURRENT FIVE YEAR PLAN.

THE BLUE LINE IS WHAT WE PUT IN FRONT OF THE BOARD LAST YEAR.

YOU SEE WE'RE A LITTLE BIT BELOW THIS YEAR AS WE HAD LAST YEAR ASSUMED WE WOULD START TO ABSORB SOME OF THAT ESSER CLIFF.

THIS YEAR, WE HAD ASSUMED WE WOULD FINISH SALARY STUDY THIS YEAR AND THEN AS YOU GO FORWARD, YOU START TO BUILD SOME OF THAT IN IN 25 AND BEYOND WITH THE HIGHER INFLATION WE SEE, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT GAP GROW TO ABOUT 25 TO 50 MILLION ABOVE OUR 23 FIVE-YEAR PLAN PROJECTIONS BY SORT OF THE FY 27 WHEN THE LAST YEAR OF LAST YEAR'S PLAN.

SO THAT WAS A LOT TO DIGEST.

THERE'S SOME PRETTY LARGE IMPLICATIONS EMBEDDED IN THAT GOING FORWARD FOR FOR THE BOARD AND THE COUNTY TO CONSIDER AS WE GO FORWARD.

SO MOSTLY TO SIGNAL HERE THAT WHILE WE HAVE A GAP THIS YEAR, IT'S NOT JUST A THIS YEAR PROBLEM, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THE NEEDS FOR EDUCATION AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THIS SYSTEMATICALLY OVER THE LONG TERM AS WE GO FORWARD.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL PAUSE FOR A PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS.

YOU ALSO HAVE A MORE DETAILED LINE ITEM VERSION OF THIS IN YOUR IN YOUR HANDOUTS THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT AND WE'LL HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ON THAT AS WELL.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BOARD MEMBERS, ANY DISCUSSION? MS. HAINES. I GUESS WE ALL WORRY ABOUT THE ESSER CLIFF AND I DON'T WANT TO BE THE BOARD THAT LEAVES A CLIFF FOR THE NEXT BOARD.

SO I'M WONDERING WHEN WE MIGHT START TO SEE SOME PRESENTATIONS.

I KNOW WE HAVE TO GET THROUGH THIS BUDGET SESSION THAT HELPS US KIND OF DIVE IN LOOKING AT THOSE DIFFERENT PILOT PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE BEEN VERY CAREFUL AS A BOARD.

SO KUDOS TO US FOR SAYING THEY ARE PILOT PROGRAMS BECAUSE THEY ARE CREATED WITH ESSER FUNDS, BUT JUST KIND OF LOOKING AT THEM SO WE CAN HAVE SOME THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSION UNLESS WE WIN THE LOTTERY AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE IT, BUT I GUESS I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHEN THOSE DISCUSSIONS MIGHT START TO THAT WE CAN...IT'S VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.

THE FIRST STEP OF THAT, WE WILL PROVIDE OUR TYPICAL QUARTERLY UPDATE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.

WE ARE DUE FOR ONE OF THOSE EITHER MARCH OR APRIL, DEPENDING ON HOW THE TIMING GOES.

THAT WILL GIVE YOU THE BROAD SORT OF HERE'S A DOLLAR, HERE'S THE WHAT WE'VE SPENT, WHAT WE'VE COMMITTED, ETC.

AT THAT POINT OF VIEW WILL COME FROM THAT.

I THINK AFTERWARDS WE'LL WORK WITH DR.

TYLUS, DR. DAUGHERTY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE RIGHT SCHEDULE IS FOR INDIVIDUAL REVIEWS OF SOME OF THOSE FUNDS.

SOME OF THOSE WILL QUITE FRANKLY, STILL NEED TO BE A BIT OF A TUMMY RUB.

RIGHT? WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE THINGS LIKE THE HARD TO STAFF BONUS.

WE NEED TIME TO SEE HOW THAT PLAYS OUT OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT, QUITE FRANKLY, SEVERAL MONTHS AS THE HIRING PERIOD GOES ON FROM THAT.

WE'LL BE LOOKING CLOSELY AT THINGS LIKE LONG TERM SUBS AS WE CLOSE THE YEAR.

HOW EFFECTIVE WERE THOSE, WHERE WERE THEY PLACED, ETC..

SO A LOT OF THAT WORK, AS YOU'VE ALLUDED TO, MS. HAINES, IS IN PROCESS AND WE'LL DEFINITELY BRING THAT FORWARD AS IT GOES FORWARD, AND I'M HAPPY TO WORK WITH THE BOARD ON WHAT THE RIGHT SCHEDULE AND TIMING OF THAT WILL BE.

THANKS, AND THEN I GUESS AS I'M THINKING ABOUT THE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE SENATE BUDGET PLUS 12.5 THAT THOSE OF US ARE PUSHING, THAT

[00:35:01]

FOX CAME IN TO US EARLIER THIS YEAR TO TALK THROUGH.

WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT WE'RE JUST SUDDENLY STARTING TO LOOK AT THAT, BUT THEY ACTUALLY HAVE STATISTICALLY TRIED TO ORGANIZE THIS IN A FASHION OF GROUPING.

SOMETIMES THESE ARE VERY HARD THINGS TO COMPARE HEAD TO HEAD, AND THEY WILL BE HARD CHOICES AT THE END.

BUT THINGS LIKE THE GRADUATION COACHES THAT WERE PUT IN, YOU NEED TIME TO SEE THAT ISN'T SOMETHING.

HEY, THIS WEEK WE WERE GOOD.

THIS IS OVER TIME.

HAVE WE MOVED THE NEEDLE WITH THE INPUT OF THESE PEOPLE, THE BONUSES THAT THE HARD TO STAFF SCHOOLS, FOR EXAMPLE, LAST YEAR THE TIMING OF THAT WAS LATE. SO WE DON'T KNOW IF IT ACTUALLY WOULD HAVE PULLED PEOPLE IN OR MORE IMPORTANTLY, WOULD IT HAVE RETAINED PEOPLE AT THESE SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY HAD TO MAKE DECISIONS BEFORE WE COULD ANNOUNCE THAT THOSE STIPENDS EXISTED? SO THIS IS THE YEAR THAT YOU LOOK AT THAT TYPE OF DATA TO SAY, WILL PEOPLE STAY IN THOSE BUILDINGS FOR THE AMOUNT THAT WAS ADDED OR WAS THAT NOT ENOUGH, OR WAS IT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND SAY WE JUST CAN'T AFFORD TO CONTINUE THAT INITIATIVE IN THE FUTURE? SO EACH OF THOSE THINGS, THEY MAY NOT LOOK LIKE IT'S EASY TO COMPARE EACH OTHER, BUT YOU'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS THE TYPE OF GAIN, DID IT MEET THE GOAL, THE INTENT IN THE FIRST PLACE? AND THAT'S WHAT DR. FOX IS STATISTICAL ANALYSIS WILL LOOK ON THE OUTSIDE OF EVERY ONE OF THESE IDEAS HAD A PURPOSE BEHIND THEM, BUT DID IT ACTUALLY ATTAIN WHAT WE'RE HOPING IT COULD ATTAIN? SO THE MAJORITY OF THOSE PROBABLY ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE IN THE FALL THAT WE WILL LOOK AT VERSUS STARTING NOW TYPE OF THING, BUT THAT'S TO GIVE THEM A FAIR CHANCE TO SAY WERE YOU ABLE TO HAVE AN AMOUNT OF TIME WHERE WE SHOULD HAVE SEEN SOME TYPE OF POSITIVE GAIN WITH WITH THEIR IMPLEMENTATION? YEAH, I AGREE AND I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE MONEY MIGHT GO AWAY BEFORE WE HAVE ALL THE TIME THAT WE NEED.

THAT'S MY MAIN CONCERN.

JUST TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION, I ACTUALLY HOPE THAT PEOPLE APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND WE'RE ACTUALLY STUDYING THE DATA AND WE'RE NOT JUST MAKING EMOTIONAL DECISIONS OR DECISIONS TO SPEND OUR MONEY BECAUSE WE JUST THINK IT'S WORKING.

WE WILL HAVE DATA TO SUPPORT IT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, AND THAT THESE DECISIONS ARE BACKED BY SOME GOOD FACTS.

I'M ANXIOUS TO SEE SOME OF THAT DATA.

I LOVED DR.

FOX'S REPORT THE LAST TIME.

THAT'S NOT HOW MY MIND THINKS.

SO I THINK IT'S REALLY AWESOME WHEN SOMEONE ELSE CAN PRESENT THAT TO ME AND SAY, THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THE DATA DIDN'T SUPPORT THAT IT MADE A DIFFERENCE, AND AS PRECIOUS AS OUR DOLLARS ARE, WE DON'T WANT TO SPEND THEM AND CHASE IDEALS THAT NEVER COME TO FRUITION.

WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, RAINBOWS AND UNICORNS ARE GREAT, BUT HOW OFTEN DO YOU SEE THEM? SO, MISS HAINES, IT'S A GREAT THOUGHT, BUT AGAIN, I WOULDN'T WANT TO REPORT THIS SPRING IF THE DATA IS NOT GOING TO BE OF VALUE TO US UNTIL THE FALL.

I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT.

I THINK LESS A REPORT AND MORE JUST LIKE REMINDING WHAT IS NOT IN THIS BUDGET.

JUST CONTINUING TO REMIND WHAT IS IN WHAT IS NOT.

SO THERE'S NO SURPRISES TO THE PUBLIC AND ALSO BRINGS URGENCY TO THE FUNDING NEED AND TO THERE'S A BILL IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT WAS GOING TO ASK THAT ESSER FUNDS BE RETURNED TO THE STATE.

IT HELPS EXPLAIN WHY THINGS LIKE THAT JUST WOULD DEEPLY HURT SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO.

YEAH. YEAH.

MS. HAINES HAS A GREAT POINT ON THAT LEGISLATION.

JUST TO CLARIFY.

ORIGINALLY, THE LEGISLATION WAS INTRODUCED ON THE HOUSE SIDE AND HAD AN EMERGENCY CLAUSE.

ORIGINALLY, IT SAID THAT LOCALITIES HAD TO SPEND THEIR ESSER FUNDS BY MARCH IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

THEY HAD AN EMERGENCY CLAUSE WHICH REQUIRED TWO THIRDS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO VOTE ON THAT.

THAT WAS REMOVED. SO IT'S BACK DOWN TO JULY 1ST.

THERE'S CONVERSATION TAKING PLACE FROM EDUCATION LIAISONS WITH LEGISLATORS ABOUT SOME OF THE LANGUAGE IN THE BILL.

IT TALKS ABOUT THE WORD OBLIGATED AND UNSPENT.

WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE PLANS WITH REGARDS TO A LOT OF THOSE FUNDS.

ONE OF THE KEY EXAMPLES I GIVE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS WITH REGARD TO THE LITERACY ACT.

WE INTEND AND WE PLAN TO SPEND A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY WITH REGARD TO THE STATE'S LITERACY ACT.

HOWEVER, WE NEED THE STATE TO GIVE US SOME OF THEIR GUIDANCE SO WE CAN SPEND THAT MONEY.

SO THAT'S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF HOW WE NEED TO CLARIFY WHAT SOME OF THE TERMINOLOGY MEANS.

[00:40:02]

[E. School Board Discussion: FY2024 Capital Improvement Plan]

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THIS WILL BE THE SHORTEST PIECE FOR ME AT LEAST, THE CIP.

NO REAL NEW INFORMATION ON HERE, BUT ONCE AGAIN, ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT THE BOARD WILL NEED TO OPINE ON IN THE 23RD WOULD BE APPROVAL OF THE CIP PROGRAM.

TO REMIND YOU WHAT THAT IS.

AGAIN, IN THE SPIRIT OF NOT CHANGING THE PRESENTATION, ONGOING PROJECTS FALLING CREEK AND WESTERN AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL, LARGELY FUNDED THROUGH THE VPSA FUNDING THE REFERENDUM. TOPICS YOU SEE HERE DAVIS, BENSLEY, ETC.

ARE INCLUDED IN FUNDING AS PART OF THAT THE NON REFERENDUM PROJECTS THAT YOU'LL SEE IN YOUR CIP.

OLD HUNDRED AND MATOACA MIDDLE COMPLETION AS WELL AS THE DALE DISTRICT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS THE OTHER MAIN PROJECT YOU WILL SEE ON YOUR CIP. THE SCHEDULE ONCE AGAIN JUST FOR THE BOARD'S INFORMATION, YOU CAN SEE AS LAID OUT HERE.

SUBJECT TO ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT COULD CHANGE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, OBVIOUSLY INCLUDING BOARDS REPRIORITIZATION OF THIS LIST OVER THE NEXT WEEK OR YEARS AS WE GO FORWARD BUT WANTED TO AGAIN JUST PROVIDE THIS IN FRONT OF THE BOARD FOR ADDITIONAL COMMENT BEFORE WE COME BACK FOR APPROVAL OF THE CIP, WE'VE ALSO ATTACHED AS PART OF YOUR ADDENDUM, A LITTLE BIT OF THE DOLLARS BEHIND THAT.

SO YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE TIMING AND APPROPRIATION DOLLARS OF THAT.

AS YOU LOOK AT THAT, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT SOME OF THE DOLLARS FOR SOMETHING LIKE WESTERN AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL, I THINK THAT YOU'LL SEE LISTED AS 35 MILLION.

KEEP IN MIND, WE HAVE ALREADY APPROPRIATED A NUMBER OF DOLLARS FROM THE BILL IN PREVIOUS YEARS, SO DON'T THINK THE MIDDLE SCHOOL IS COSTING ONLY 35 MILLION.

WOULDN'T THAT BE NICE? BUT JUST KEEP IN MIND THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT OVER THE FULL COST AND NOT JUST SORT OF WHAT WE'RE NECESSARILY ASKING THE BOARD TO APPROPRIATE IN FY 24.

SO WITH THAT, YOU SEE THE SCHEDULE THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT PROPOSED EARLY IN THIS PROCESS IN FRONT OF YOU FOR ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS.

BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? OH, SORRY, MS. HAINES.

SO IF YOU REMEMBER LAST YEAR, I TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW I THOUGHT THAT OLD HUNDRED AND THE WESTERN AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SHOULD KIND OF BE LOOKED AT TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY'RE BOTH IN AREAS OF EXPLOSIVE GROWTH, AND I'M HEARING A LOT FROM OLD HUNDRED PARENTS THESE DAYS, AND I GOT AN EMAIL TODAY AND SPOKE WITH A VERY CONCERNED PARENT WHO HAD HEARD THAT A SCHOOL BUILT FOR 900 IS POTENTIALLY PROJECTED TO HAVE 1200 STUDENTS NEXT YEAR.

YOU KNOW, WE ALREADY HAVE A MEGA TRAILER GOING IN THERE, AND JUST TO YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT RECESS BECAUSE I'M THE RECESS GIRL, AND WHY DID KATHRYN STOP TALKING ABOUT EXPANDING RECESS? WELL, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE LOGISTICS, SO AS RIGHT NOW, OLD HUNDRED HAS 44 DIFFERENT CLASSES AND THREE PLAYGROUNDS.

SO IMAGINE IMAGINE THE LOGISTICS OF EXPANDING RECESS AT THAT SCHOOL.

YOU BASICALLY HAVE TO HAVE KIDS GO OUT TO RECESS THE SECOND THEY GOT OFF THE BUS, AND THAT'S NOT VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE PART OF RECESS IS TO GIVE KIDS A WIGGLE BREAK SO THAT THEY PERFORM BETTER IN THE CLASSROOM.

RIGHT. SO IT'S JUST WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OVERCROWDING IN OUR SCHOOLS, IT AFFECTS EVERYTHING, INCLUDING THE ABILITY TO EXPAND RECESS, BECAUSE IT'S JUST INCREDIBLE, NOT JUST THE PLAYGROUNDS, IT'S THE CAFETERIA.

IT'S EVERYTHING. HOW DO YOU CYCLE SO MANY KIDS? THE GYM IN A SCHOOL THAT WAS NOT BUILT FOR THAT MANY PEOPLE.

SO I'M JUST I KNOW IT DOESN'T HAVE FUNDING ATTACHED TO IT.

SO WE'RE IN AN AWKWARD SITUATION, BUT I AM JUST AND THEN I'LL POINT OUT THE I MENTIONED THIS A COUPLE OF BOARD MEETINGS AGAIN, BUT ANOTHER ARTICLE WAS ON [INAUDIBLE] THAT RICHMOND IS THE FASTEST GROWING REGION IN VIRGINIA.

SO IT'S PRETTY REMARKABLE.

CHESTERFIELD GREW 4.5% BETWEEN APRIL 2020 AND JULY 2022 AND 4.5%.

WHEN YOU ALREADY HAVE A COUNTY THAT'S APPROACHING 400,000 IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN GROWING 4.5% WHEN YOU ARE A COUNTY WITH 20,000 PEOPLE.

SO I THINK THIS BOARD HAS MENTIONED IT--I KNOW DR.

DAUGHERTY HAS--WE'RE STILL TRYING TO CATCH UP FROM THE GROWTH THAT WE'VE ACHIEVED.

[00:45:03]

WE KNOW THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER NEEDS.

THAT LAST COLUMN THAT DIDN'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO BE FLESHED OUT.

AS WE LOOK AT THIS, WE WILL BUILD AS BIG AND AS FAST AS WE CAN.

THANKS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE ITEMS FOR BOARD REVIEW.

[F. Items for Board Review]

NUMBER ONE SUPERINTENDENT'S FY 2024 PROPOSED FINANCIAL PLAN AND PROPOSED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN THAT WAS PRESENTED ON JANUARY 24TH, 2023.

THANK YOU. MADAM.

[G. Announcements, Communications, and School Board Comments]

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS. ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OR COMMENTS? GREAT HEARING NONE.

THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL HOLD A SPECIAL MEETING HERE IN THE PUBLIC MEETING ROOM AT 6:30 P.M.

ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD, 2023, TO ADOPT ITS FY 2024 OPERATING BUDGET AND FY 2024 CAPITAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

SORRY ABOUT THAT. IF THERE'S NO FURTHER BUSINESS, WE NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO MOVED. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

THE MOTION CARRIES.

THE FEBRUARY 13TH, 2023 SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET WORK SESSION IS ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.