Link

Social

Embed

Disable autoplay on embedded content?

Download

Download
Download Transcript

[00:00:03]

ALL RIGHT, GOOD AFTERNOON.

[A. Meeting Opening]

I'D LIKE TO CALL THE MAY 9TH, 2023 SCHOOL BOARD WORK SESSION TO ORDER.

FIRST, WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE FY24 BUDGET FOR MR.

[B. FY24 Budget Update]

MEISTER. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MRS. CHAIR.

VICE CHAIR, DR. DAUGHERTY, OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE FY22.

FY22. WOW, WHERE AM I? FY24 BUDGET AND TO PROPOSE ADOPTION THAT WILL WANT TO MOVE FORWARD LATER THIS EVENING.

I'M A COUPLE OF YEARS BEHIND. IT'S ALL GOOD, BUT BEFORE 22 IS OVER.

YEAH, BEFORE MOVING INTO THIS PRESENTATION, THOUGH, I WANTED TO START BY QUICKLY THANKING MY BUDGET STAFF, [INAUDIBLE] CAMPBELL AND HER STAFF, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE TO GET US TO THIS POINT.

COULDN'T BE HERE WITHOUT HER.

MUCH APPRECIATED TO HER AND HER STAFF.

AS WE TURN THE PAGE ON THIS BUDGET, I WANT TO REMIND YOU OF THE SCHEDULE THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT AND HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATING TO THE BOARD SINCE THIS BUDGET PROCESS BEGAN. THE SUPERINTENDENT PROPOSED HIS BUDGET BACK IN JANUARY.

WE HAD SEVERAL WORK SESSIONS, TOWN HALLS THROUGH JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.

LATE FEBRUARY, THIS SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED A BUDGET THAT WE THEN SENT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.

THEY DID THEIR PROCESS OVER THE COURSE OF MARCH AND APPROVED THEIR BUDGET IN EARLY MAY.

IN A TYPICAL YEAR, THE STATE WOULD HAVE FOLLOWED A SIMILAR TIMELINE AND WE WOULD HAVE BEEN HERE EITHER THIS MONTH, MAYBE LAST MONTH AND THE GOOD YEAR, AND COME TO YOU WITH A FULL AND COMPLETE BUDGET.

THAT'S NOT THE CASE THIS YEAR, AS YOU ARE WELL AWARE, AS THE STATE IS STILL INVOLVED IN THEIR PROCESS, AND AS SUCH, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT TODAY IS REALLY A STOPGAP OR AN INTERIM BUDGET TO REALLY GET US STARTED OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, AND SURE, WE START THE YEAR WELL, SO WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE HERE IS WE ARE IN THIS GREEN BOX HERE TODAY WHERE WE'RE ASKING THE SCHOOL BOARD TO ADOPT WHAT I'LL CALL AN INTERIM BUDGET.

THIS BUDGET WILL ESSENTIALLY ALLOW US TO START THE SCHOOL YEAR.

THE STATE PROCESS IS ONGOING.

THE MEDIA AND OTHER FOLKS ARE PREDICTING THE STATE TO COME BACK TOGETHER AT THE END OF JUNE.

SO AFTER OUR JUNE MEETING AND NOT WELL ENOUGH IN ADVANCE OF THE JULY 1ST FISCAL YEAR, THAT IT'S NOT PRUDENT TO PLAN A DISCUSSION BETWEEN WHENEVER THE STATE DECIDES AND JULY 1ST.

SO WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE ARE ALMOST CERTAINLY GOING TO PLAY IN THAT TBD BOX AFTER JULY 1ST WITH AMENDMENTS TO THIS BUDGET WHEN WE FIGURE OUT AND THE STATE FINALIZES THEIR PLANS.

SO WHY ARE WE DOING THIS NOW, GIVEN ALL THOSE UNKNOWNS AROUND THE STATE? WELL, IT'S REALLY BECAUSE WE NEED TO START THE SCHOOL YEAR OFF WELL, WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE KIDS GET TO CLASS.

THE TEACHERS ARE THERE TO TEACH THEM AND WE ARE REALLY ENSURE THAT, QUITE FRANKLY, WE HAVE MONEY TO OPERATE BEGINNING IN JULY, ONE THAT CAN MOST EASILY BE SEEN THROUGH THE LENS OF RECRUITING, RIGHT? THE BUDGET LEADS TO SUCH FUNDAMENTAL ITEMS SUCH AS STAFFING MODELS, COMPENSATION, WHICH OF COURSE DRIVE RECRUITING, WHICH OF COURSE DRIVE WHAT WE'RE ALL HERE FOR, WHICH IS THOSE KIDS IN THOSE CLASSROOMS. SO WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS HERE TODAY AND TONIGHT TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A BUDGET IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN THOSE KEY PROCESSES.

SO PULLING BACK TO THE BUDGET IN GENERAL, I WANT TO REMIND THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PUBLIC THAT WE ENTERED THIS PROCESS IN JANUARY WITH THREE KEY PRIORITIES FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT. THE FIRST AROUND RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, WHICH WAS REALLY ABOUT COMPENSATION, MAINTAINING OUR SERVICE LEVELS, WHICH WAS REALLY ABOUT ADDRESSING THE GROWTH IN OUR STUDENT POPULATION AS WELL AS INFLATION, AND LASTLY, TRYING TO ADDRESS SOME KEY NEEDS ACROSS THE DISTRICT AND AS WELL AS SOME STATE AND FEDERAL MANDATES THAT HAVE SINCE EVOLVED.

SO WHAT HAVE WE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH EVEN WITH SOME UNKNOWNS AND WHAT WILL PROPOSE TONIGHT? WE ARE MOVING FORWARD AND WE WILL DELIVER ON OUR SALARY PROMISE FIRST AND FOREMOST, 7% INCREASE IN GIANT FONT.

HERE YOU CAN SEE WHAT THAT MEANS IS A 7% INCREASE FOR BOTH OUR STEP SCALE POSITIONS AND A MINIMUM IN OUR GRADED RANGE POSITIONS.

SO OUR TEACHERS, AS AN EXAMPLE, OUR FIRST YEAR TEACHER WILL MOVE TO START AT 52,176 WITH THE 7% INCREASE, INCLUDING THE STEP INCREASE.

FOR THE GRADED POSITIONS, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE NUANCE HERE, BUT YOU CAN SEE WE'RE MOVING TO A $14 AN HOUR MINIMUM BUS DRIVERS TO $23 PER HOUR AND ADDRESSING CERTAIN INEQUITIES WITHIN THE INSTRUCTIONAL AIDES AND FOOD SERVICE GROUP AS WELL.

ALL OF THESE PROPOSALS WILL LOOK AND FEEL EXACTLY LIKE WHAT WE WALKED THROUGH IN OUR EARLIER BUDGET ADOPTION OR APPROVAL PROCESS.

THE OTHER THING WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE WE DO AS PART OF THIS BUDGET IS ADDRESS GROWTH .

BUDGET TO BUDGET, 1600 STUDENTS GROWTH.

WHAT THAT MEANS FOR TEACHERS IS WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE SCHOOL STAFFING THAT MEETS OR EXCEEDS SOQS FOR ALL STUDENTS.

[00:05:02]

WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE THAT WE ADDRESS VARIOUS MANDATES AND OTHER STUDENT NEEDS, SUCH AS READING SPECIALISTS, COUNSELORS AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL, AS WELL AS ENSURE THAT WE HAVE THE BUS AIDES THAT WE NEED FOR OUR HEAD START STUDENTS AS WELL, AND THE LESS GLAMOROUS PIECE HERE, BUT SUPER IMPORTANT IS REALLY ADDRESSING INFLATION. WE'VE SET ASIDE CLOSE TO $10 MILLION, LARGELY FOCUSED ON UTILITIES CONTRACTS AND HEALTH CARE.

INFLATION IS REAL.

INFLATION IMPACTS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT JUST AS IT DOES YOUR HOME BUDGET.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE SURE WE CONTINUE TO SET ASIDE THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNTS TO PAY THOSE BILLS AS THEY COME IN.

SO NOW I WANT TO TAKE YOU BACK AGAIN TO FEBRUARY.

THIS WAS A SLIDE I SHARED IN THE FEBRUARY APPROVAL MEETING, AND AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED A BUDGET OF 902.5 MILLION, WHICH YOU CAN SEE REPRESENTED IN THE CIRCLE, WHICH WAS A $66 MILLION INCREASE TO PREVIOUS YEAR FY23 BUDGET, IF YOU RECALL AS WELL, AND THIS WILL COME UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES. AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED THAT BUDGET WITH A $16 MILLION FUNDING GAP FROM WHAT WE THOUGHT REVENUE MIGHT BE AND WHAT WE WERE HOPING THAT THE STATE AND COUNTY WOULD FILL THAT GAP.

SO FAST FORWARD A LITTLE BIT TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS PROCESS.

SO THE SCHOOL BOARD YOU APPROVED, AS I JUST MENTIONED, 902.5 MILLION.

THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS WENT THROUGH THEIR PROCESS, AND WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS THAT THEY ASSUMED AN ADDITIONAL 8 MILLION IN FUNDING FROM THE COUNTY, 3 MILLION IN ONGOING FUNDS AND 5 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL ONE TIME FUNDS, AND AS PART OF THEIR PROCESS, THEY ASSUMED THE STATE WOULD FILL THE GAP.

SO THEY ASSUMED ESSENTIALLY THAT 902.5 MILLION IN REVENUE ON OUR BEHALF, KNOWING THAT THE STATE PROCESS IS STILL ONGOING AND WE NEED TO AMEND AS WE GO FORWARD. THE OTHER IMPORTANT PIECE YOU SEE HERE IS A $12 MILLION HOLD BACK ON THEIR SIDE, WHICH ESSENTIALLY MEANS THEY APPROPRIATED EXPENSES TO US OF 890.5 MILLION.

THAT $12 MILLION HOLD BACK IS TYPICAL COUNTY PROCESS.

THEY DO THIS EVERY YEAR.

THIS IS NOT AS A RESULT OF ANY SORT OF SPECIAL CONSIDERATION GIVEN THE STATE UNKNOWNS.

THIS IS THERE TO LARGELY PROTECT THEIR INTEREST AND MAKE SURE THAT AS THE YEAR INVOLVES, THEY HAVE SOME MEANS TO SCALE BACK SHOULD THEY NEED TO.

TYPICALLY, THEY'LL RELEASE THAT MONEY OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, AS THEY HAVE DONE EVERY YEAR THIS YEAR AS PART OF THE ADOPTION, THEY DID HOLD BACK THAT $12 MILLION AGAIN, LEAVING US WITH 890.5 MILLION OF PROJECTED EXPENSES APPROPRIATED.

OUR PROPOSAL HERE TODAY AND TONIGHT WILL BE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD TO ADOPT THAT BOARD OF SUPERVISORS APPROPRIATED AMOUNT OF 890.5 WITH ESSENTIALLY THAT $12 MILLION IN HOLD BACK. THAT WAS A LOT.

I'M GOING TO EXPLAIN THAT ONE OTHER WAY TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE TRACKS IT.

SO WHAT THIS VIEW DOES IN THE SCHOOL BOARD APPROVED BUDGET, YOU APPROVED A BUDGET WITH A $16 MILLION GAP.

WE SHOULD ALL REMEMBER THAT THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CAME IN AND CONTRIBUTED AN EXTRA 3 MILLION IN ONGOING FUNDS, AN ADDITIONAL $5 MILLION OF ONE TIME FUNDS, REDUCING THAT GAP FROM $16 MILLION TO EIGHT AT THE TIME, AND EVEN NOW WE ARE A BIT IN THE DARK ON.

WHAT THE STATE WILL WIND UP DOING.

THERE ARE THREE VERSIONS OF THE STATE BUDGET THAT EXIST AT THE MOMENT.

ONE IS THE SENATE VERSION.

YOU CAN SEE HERE VERY AT THE BOTTOM.

SHOULD THE SENATE VERSION OF THE BUDGET BECOME REALITY, WE CLOSE ALL THE GAP AND HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA TO DECREASE SOME ONE TIME FUNDING.

CLEARLY, THE BEST CASE SCENARIO IN THIS CASE, THERE'S A HOUSE VERSION THAT INCREASES THAT $8 MILLION GAP TO ABOUT $13 MILLION, AND LASTLY, THERE IS THE SCARY THING CALLED THE SKINNY BUDGET.

THIS IS THE BUDGET OF RECORD RIGHT NOW IS WHAT THE STATE LEGISLATORS LEFT WITH AND IS THE BUDGET OF RECORD, WHICH LARGELY INCORPORATED ONLY TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENTS AND ADJUSTMENTS FOR THINGS LIKE ADM AND SALES TAX AS PART OF THE BUDGET.

SO A LOT OF THE INITIATIVES AND EXTRA FUNDING THAT THE GOVERNOR AND THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE ALL PUT FORWARD WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THAT SKINNY BUDGET.

SHOULD THAT BUDGET BECOME REALITY IN THE STATE FAILS TO DO ANYTHING, THE GAP WOULD INCREASE FROM THAT $8 MILLION ALL THE WAY UP TO 20 MILLION.

SO AS YOU CAN TELL, THERE ARE A WIDE RANGE OF OUTCOMES.

THE $12 MILLION APPROPRIATION HOLD BACK FROM THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FITS NICELY IN THAT RANGE AND FORMS A LOGICAL STARTING POINT FOR WHERE TO BUILD OUR CURRENT WHAT I'LL JUST CALL PLACEHOLDER BUDGET FOR NOW.

SO YOU CAN SEE WILL PROPOSE AN APPROPRIATION HOLD BACK OF THAT $12 MILLION WITH THE HOPE THAT WE'LL SEE THE STATE COME THROUGH WITH AT LEAST THAT OR SOMETHING BETTER, BUT THAT'S STILL PENDING.

OBVIOUSLY ALL THE STATE UNKNOWNS.

SO PAUSING THERE NOW HERE'S THE MEAT, RIGHT? SO THE PROPOSED HOLD BACK REALLY IS HERE TO MINIMIZE THE IMPACT TO STUDENTS AND REALLY MAXIMIZE THE OPPORTUNITY TO START THE SCHOOL YEAR.

[00:10:06]

WELL, WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS THE 12 MILLION LINE ITEM.

I'LL WALK THROUGH EACH OF THESE IN TURN OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF PAGES, YOU CAN SEE ABOUT 2.5 MILLION OF TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENTS AND VARIOUS HOLD BACKS AND DEFERRALS THAT MAKE UP THE REMAINDER OF THE $12 MILLION MAINTENANCE LICENSURE AND POSITIONS BEING THE PRIMARY PIECES OF THESE, AND AS I SAID, I'LL WALK THROUGH EACH OF THESE AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS ON THE NEXT COUPLE PAGES.

SO HERE ON PAGE 14, THE FIRST LINE ITEM CALLED TECHNICAL ADJUSTMENTS, THERE'S REALLY TWO ITEMS INVOLVED IN HERE, ONE OF WHICH IS A BENEFITS RATE UPDATE AND ADJUSTMENT THAT REDUCED OUR EXPENSES.

IT'S LARGELY A RATE WAS OVERSTATED IN OUR FINANCIAL MODELS, SO THAT COMES WITH RELATIVELY LITTLE PAIN TO IT.

THE OTHER PIECE IS THE HEALTH CARE UPDATE, THE BUDGET WE CAME TO YOU WITH AND ASSUMED A 7% INCREASE.

WE'VE GOT GUIDANCE FROM COUNTY STAFF AND THE COUNTY THAT WE SHOULD BE ASSUMING 5.5% FOR HEALTH CARE AS OF RIGHT NOW.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HOLD WITH THAT RECOMMENDED ASSUMPTION FROM THE COUNTY.

WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF WORKING WITH THE CONSULTANTS AND ADVISORS ON THE HEALTH CARE UPDATE FOR JANUARY.

THE RESULTS OF THAT ARE STILL UNKNOWN, BUT THERE IS SOME UPWARD PRESSURE THERE, BUT AS OF NOW, WE'RE GOING TO HOLD TO THE COUNTY PROVIDED ASSUMPTION OF 5.5%.

YOU PUT THOSE TWO TOGETHER AND THAT'S ABOUT A 2.3 MILLION REDUCTION.

THE NEXT ONE IS AROUND INCREMENTAL POSITIONS THAT WERE REQUESTED AS PART OF THE BUDGET.

THIS $2.4 MILLION ESSENTIALLY ALLOWS US TO MAINTAIN BUT NOT IMPROVE OUR ESL RATIOS AT 1 TO 25 AND 1 TO 40.

WE WERE HOPING TO MOVE THAT 1 TO 40 TO 1 TO 35, AND IT ALSO MAINTAINS OUR SECONDARY RATIOS.

WE HAD SOME TARGETED IMPROVEMENTS IN THERE, BUT THIS WILL ESSENTIALLY MAINTAIN OUR SECONDARY STAFFING TO WHAT WE HAD ASSUMED CURRENT YEAR.

THE NEXT LINE, DEFER BUILDING MAINTENANCE OF $1 MILLION.

THIS IS LARGELY WILL RESULT IN EITHER DELAYED WORK OR THE NEED TO LEVERAGE YEAR END FUNDS OR OTHER ONE TIME FUNDS THAT MAY COME AVAILABLE.

OR QUITE FRANKLY, WE CAN CROSS OUR FINGERS AND SOME OF THAT INFLATION THAT WE BAKED IN ON THINGS LIKE UTILITIES AND WHATNOT COULD COME IN LOWER THAN EXPECTED, WHICH COULD HELP REFILL THIS BUCKET AS WELL, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT ONE CLOSELY.

THE LAST ONE ON THIS PAGE IS AROUND LICENSURE.

WE HAD AN INITIATIVE AROUND I-TEACH AND INCORPORATING AN IMPROVED PATH TO LICENSURE FOR NEW TEACHERS.

THAT PROCESS IS STILL PENDING STATE APPROVAL.

SO AT THIS POINT, GIVEN THE STATE HASN'T GRANTED IT APPROVAL YET, IT FELT LOGICAL TO DEFER THAT INVESTMENT UNTIL WE HEAR OTHERWISE AND WE HAVE BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THE STATE LANDS ON BOTH THE BUDGET AND THAT PARTICULAR INITIATIVE.

THE LAST TWO ITEMS, 1.9 MILLION IS LABELED HERE FREEZE ANNUAL BUDGET RESERVE.

WHAT THE BUDGET TEAM DOES IN ANY YEAR IS IT HOLDS BACK A CERTAIN PORTION OF BOTH THE SCHOOLS AND THE DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET FUNDS, JUST IN CASE.

THOSE ARE TYPICALLY RELEASED AROUND MID-YEAR, JANUARY, FEBRUARY FOR THE DEPARTMENTS AND SCHOOLS TO SPEND IN THE BACK HALF OF THE YEAR.

GIVEN THAT FUNDING EXISTS FOR THE UNKNOWN, I THINK WE'RE IN A.

SITUATION RIGHT NOW THAT IS VERY MUCH THE UNKNOWN.

SO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE PROACTIVE STEP AS PART OF THIS BUDGET PROPOSAL TO FREEZE THOSE ANNUAL BUDGET RESERVES FOR BOTH THE SCHOOLS AND THE DEPARTMENTS NOW, WITH THE IDEA THAT WE'LL HAVE BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE STATE AND QUITE FRANKLY, OTHER FUNDING SOURCES MAY LOOK LIKE AND HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO RELEASE THOSE.

IF ALL GOES WELL AT THE SAME JANUARY PERIOD OF TIME THAT WE WOULD IN ANY NORMAL YEAR, BUT FOR NOW, THAT ABOUT $2 MILLION HOLD BACK IS PART OF THE PROPOSAL, AND THE LAST ONE IS TO HOLD BACK POSITIONS, GROWTH POSITIONS SPECIFICALLY IN EXCESS OF SOQ OR THE 22-23 STAFFING MODELS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MEET OR EXCEED SOQS FOR ALL STUDENTS AND ALL CLASSES AS A RESULT OF THIS, AND DESPITE THIS HOLD BACK, WE'RE NOT STALLING OR HALTING ANY RECRUITING EFFORTS FOR THIS.

WE HAVE RECENTLY RELEASED STAFFING MODELS IN ANTICIPATION OF NOT KNOWING THE STATE ANSWER.

WE HAVE HELD THESE POSITIONS OUT OF WHAT THE PRINCIPALS AND THE SCHOOLS ARE PLANNING NOW, SO THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO RECRUIT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE HEAR GOOD NEWS FROM THE STATE, WE WILL BE PRETTY EXCITED TO ADD AS MANY OF THESE POSITIONS BACK IN AS WE CAN.

SO THAT WAS THE BAD NEWS.

PULLING IT BACK UP TO THE GOOD NEWS AGAIN, THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD NEWS IN WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO EVEN WITH THIS HOLD BACK ON THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, I'LL REMIND YOU THAT THIS DOES INCLUDE A 7% INCREASE, AT LEAST FOR ALL STAFF BUS DRIVERS TO $23 PER HOUR, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO RECRUIT FOR MOST OF THOSE OPEN POSITIONS.

WE'RE GOING TO EXCEED STAFFING LEVELS AND ADDRESS GROWTH.

WE'RE GOING TO EARMARK COSTS TO ADDRESS INFLATION.

WE CAN'T JUST IGNORE THAT.

THAT'S PART OF THIS BUDGET, AND LASTLY, ON THOSE CRITICAL SERVICE LEVELS, WE ARE MAKING SOME TARGETED INVESTMENTS EVEN WITH THIS HOLD BACK, INCLUDING INCREASING COUNSELING RATIOS

[00:15:05]

AND INCREASING READING SPECIALIST.

I MENTIONED HEAD START BUS AIDES AS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THAT EARLIER IN THE DISCUSSION.

SO YOU PUT THAT ALL TOGETHER, YOU GET INTO FINALLY A NERDY FINANCE SLIDE WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF NUMBERS ON THERE.

THIS 900 AND OR 890.5 UP IN OPERATING FY24 PROPOSED IS MOST OF WHAT WE TALK ABOUT, AND THAT REPRESENTS ABOUT A 6.5% INCREASE WITH THESE HOLD BACKS FROM LAST YEAR.

YOU ADD IN OTHER FUNDS, GRANTS, FOOD SERVICE AND THE REGIONAL GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL.

IT PUTS OUR TOTAL FY24 PROPOSED NUMBER AT ABOUT $970 MILLION IN JUST UNDER A 7% INCREASE.

SO WE WILL COME TO YOU THIS EVENING WITH MEMO 072-23 FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.

WITH THE FIGURES LARGELY REPRESENTED ON THAT PREVIOUS SLIDE, YOU SEE THE SIX AND A HALF AND 7% INCREASES.

ALSO ACCOMPANYING THAT IS A RESOLUTION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO ADOPT THE SAME, AND LASTLY, AND PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANTLY IS THIS IS NOT YOUR FINAL BUDGET.

WE KNOW THERE ARE STILL SIGNIFICANT UNKNOWNS, MOST OF WHICH IS THE STATE.

AS THAT PROCESS FINALIZES, WE WILL BE SURE TO BE BACK HERE AFTER JULY 1ST TO RECOMMEND WHAT THOSE CHANGES MAY BE.

HOPEFULLY ALL GOOD NEWS, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE HOW THAT EVOLVES.

SO THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY LAST SLIDE, BUT SOME INFORMATION WAS RELEASED ON FRIDAY THAT I THOUGHT WAS IMPORTANT TO SHARE WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD HERE IN THE PUBLIC.

THE FY22 SUPERINTENDENT'S ANNUAL REPORT WAS ISSUED LATE FRIDAY.

WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK THROUGH THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THE WEEKEND AND YESTERDAY AND PUT TOGETHER A COUPLE SLIDES HERE FOR THE FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER THIS.

IF YOU RECALL, THIS IS THE REPORT THAT ENABLES THE COMPARISON ACROSS THE DISTRICTS IN VIRGINIA, AND THIS REALLY IS OUR FIRST LOOK AT FY22.

DURING THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE ONLY HAD FY21 IN THOSE RELATIVE COMPARISONS FOR OTHER COUNTIES AND OTHER LOCALITIES.

SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF SLIDES IS CHESTERFIELD COUNTY LARGELY IMPROVED IN REGULAR DAY SCHOOL AS WE'D EXPECT A LOT OF PAY RAISES IN THERE, A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS AND CONSIDERATION FOR EXTRA FUNDING, BUT OTHER LOCALITIES DID AS WELL, AND I'LL QUICKLY LAY THAT OUT FOR YOU.

THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE RESEARCH TO DO AS WE FURTHER DISSECT THIS.

THIS IS A SLIDE WE SHARED WITH YOU IN JANUARY.

THIS IS NO NEW NEWS HERE.

THIS IS REGULAR DAY SCHOOL OPERATION COST FOR CHESTERFIELD COUNTY AND OTHER NINE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN VIRGINIA.

YOU CAN SEE CHESTERFIELD THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE NEAR THE BOTTOM ON THE LEAD CHARTS.

IF I WERE TO HAVE STACKED IT, THE IMPORTANT THING ON THIS IS ONE AGAIN, REMEMBER FY21 AND REGULAR DAY SCHOOL IS LARGELY THE COST TO OPERATE YOUR NORMAL SCHOOL OPERATIONS FOR YOUR NORMAL SCHOOL YEAR.

IT EXCLUDES ITEMS SUCH AS SUMMER SCHOOL DEBT SERVICE, CONSTRUCTION COSTS.

SO THIS IS YOUR OPERATION OF YOUR REGULAR SCHOOL DAY.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT WAS RECENTLY PUBLISHED BY THE STATE FOR FY22, YOU CAN SEE SAME CHART BLUE IS FY21.

RED IS THE UPDATES FOR FY22.

YOU CAN SEE HERE MOST OF THESE COUNTIES INCREASED A FAIR AMOUNT.

YOU CAN SEE THE STATE AVERAGE INCREASED ABOUT 8.2%, UP ABOUT I DID THE MATH HERE, $1,121.

CHESTERFIELD ALSO INCREASED BY ABOUT 9.8%, JUST UNDER 10%, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS WITH A $1,071 INCREASE OF BOTH THE STATE AVERAGE AND CHESTERFIELD BOTH INCREASE BY ABOUT 1100 HUNDRED WHEN LOOKING AT THIS PARTICULAR METRIC AND YOU CAN SEE THE RELATIVE RATINGS ACROSS THE COUNTY ON THIS PARTICULAR METRIC STAYED PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS FY21, ALTHOUGH EVERYTHING INCREASED A BIT, WHICH DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT, BUT IT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT.

THE OTHER SLIDE THAT GOT A LOT OF PUBLICITY OVER THE COURSE OF THE BUDGET PROCESS WAS PRODUCED BY COUNTY STAFF.

YOU CAN SEE HERE, SEE IT HERE ON 20 ON PAGE 22.

WHAT THIS DOES IS SHOWS TOTAL PER PUPIL SPENDING.

I MENTIONED SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT THE PREVIOUS REGULAR DAY SCHOOL EXCLUDES.

THESE ARE ADDED INTO THIS THEN, WHICH INCLUDES THINGS LIKE SUMMER SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION COSTS, DEBT SERVICE BEING THE PROBABLY THE THREE BIG ONES.

THE COUPLE OF MAIN POINTS THAT THE COUNTY STAFF MADE WHEN SHOWING THIS SLIDE IS THEY REMOVED AND IT'S A REASONABLE THING TO DO.

THEY REMOVED NORTHERN VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT COST STRUCTURE UP THERE.

I TOTALLY ACCEPT AND APPRECIATE THAT, AND WHAT THE OTHER POINT THEY MAKE HERE IS ONCE YOU DO THAT AND YOU LOOK AT THIS TOTAL METRIC, CHESTERFIELD LOOKS PRETTY COMPARABLE TO OTHER SURROUNDING COMPARABLE DISTRICTS AND MADE THE POINT THAT WE RANK EXCUSE ME, 63RD IN THE COMMONWEALTH.

[00:20:09]

AS WE LOOK AT THIS CHART, I DID MY BEST TO RE RECREATE THIS WITH THE FY22 DATA.

YOU CAN SEE IN THE SAME ORDER, SAME LOCALITIES.

I DID ADD HENRICO TO THIS CHART.

YOU CAN SEE CHESTERFIELD HERE AT 14 465 IS UP $25.

I THINK I DID THE MATH FROM LAST YEAR.

THE INCREASE FROM REGULAR DAY TO THIS TOTAL SPEND DATA, YOU CAN SEE IT LISTED TO THE RIGHT IS $153 MILLION.

LAST YEAR THAT WAS TWO ACTUALLY IT WAS ON THE PAGE WAS $212 MILLION.

WHY THAT IS WHY THERE IS A SMALLER DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE TWO NUMBERS THIS YEAR IS QUITE FRANKLY FY21 HAD A NUMBER OF ONE TIME I'LL CALL THEM CHUNKY EXPENSES.

THERE WAS A CERTAIN DEBT REFINANCE THAT OCCURRED IN THAT YEAR AND WE OPENED SEVERAL NEW SCHOOLS IN 21, ESSENTIALLY INCREASING THAT PARTICULAR METRIC IN FY21.

WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE, I'LL CALL THEM ONE TIME CHUNKY EXPENSES IN FY22.

THE GOOD NEWS THAT WE SAW ON REGULAR DAY IS LARGELY FLATTENED OUT, AND YOU CAN SEE CHESTERFIELD IS BASICALLY FLAT.

OTHER DISTRICTS I CAN'T COMMENT ENOUGH NUMBERS ARE FRESH ENOUGH TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON IN EACH OF THOSE THAT CAUSED THE INCREASE, BUT YOU CAN SEE SPOTSYLVANIA, NORFOLK, HENRICO, CHESAPEAKE, ETCETERA, ALL NORTH OF 15,000 ON THIS PARTICULAR CHART.

I SHOW THIS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY.

AT THIS POINT, THERE IS A LOT MORE ANALYSIS TO DO ON THIS TO REALLY PULL OUT THE TAKEAWAYS, BUT KNOWING THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT SLIDE THROUGH THE BUDGET DISCUSSION AND THESE NUMBERS WERE RECENTLY RELEASED, I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE THE SCHOOL BOARD THIS UPDATE WITH THESE NUMBERS AS FRESH AS THEY CAN AND I'M SURE YOU'LL HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THOSE AS WE GO FORWARD AND AS WE ENTER THE BUDGET PROCESS NEXT YEAR.

WITH ALL THAT SAID, I'LL REMIND YOU THE REAL REASON I CAME HERE IS REALLY TO ENSURE THAT YOU ARE PREPARED TO ADOPT A BUDGET THIS EVENING WITH THE OPERATING FUND OF 890.5, IF ALL GOES WELL AT 6.5%, AS WELL AS A RESOLUTION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND I'LL END WITH ONE MORE TIME.

THIS WON'T BE YOUR LAST BITE OF THE APPLE AT FY24.

YOU'RE ALL JUST AS TIRED OF IT AS I AM, BUT WE STILL HAVE AT LEAST ONE MORE CRACK AT THIS WHEN WE FIGURE OUT WHAT THE STATE WILL ULTIMATELY DO.

SO WITH THAT, I WILL PAUSE FOR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

THANK YOU. MR. MEISTER, BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MS. BAILEY. I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION.

THOSE LAST SLIDES ON OUR COMPARISONS, HAVE THEY BEEN SHARED WITH THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND DR.

CASEY? NOT AS OF YET.

THIS IS PRETTY FRESH. WE JUST FINISHED THEM THIS MORNING, QUITE FRANKLY.

CAN I ASK THAT WE SHARE THEM WITH THEM? OF COURSE. THANK YOU.

MS. HEFFRON. THANK YOU.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'VE GOT OUR NUMBERS RIGHT.

OF COURSE. SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A $12 MILLION EXPENSE CUT TO BALANCE THE BUDGET PREDICTIVELY.

OKAY, HOWEVER, WE ARE ALREADY LAST IN PER PUPIL SPENDING PER AMONG OUR PEERS.

[INAUDIBLE] REGULAR DAY AND WE'RE 101ST OUT OF 134 DIVISIONS IN THE STATE? 132 OR 134, DEPENDING ON WHO DOESN'T COUNT.

[CHUCKLING] I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I'VE GOT THIS STRAIGHT, BUT WE HAD AN OVERALL BUDGET INCREASE OF SIX, WHAT WAS IT, 6.2%, SIX AND A HALF AND 6.5%, AND THEN BUT OVERALL, INFLATION WAS LIKE AROUND EIGHT THIS YEAR, RIGHT? CPI, I THINK WAS UP HIGH 7 TO 8.

YEAH. OKAY, SO WE'RE NOT COVERING INFLATION WITH THIS BUDGET AND WE'RE HOW MANY NEW STUDENTS DID WE GET THIS YEAR? BUDGET TO BUDGET IS 1600.

SO 1600 STUDENTS, SO ROUGHLY A SMALL HIGH SCHOOL OR A BIG MIDDLE SCHOOL.

OKAY, SO WE ARE NOT INCLUDING THOSE STUDENTS IN THIS BUDGET AS WELL, LIKE AS FAR AS GROWTH? WE HAVE ENSURED THAT THE STAFFING MODELS REFLECTED THE GROWTH.

WE PART OF THE HOLDBACK IS SOME POSITIONS THAT MAY HAVE HELPED KEEP CLASS SIZES WHERE THEY ARE.

SO THERE MAY BE SOME INCREASE IN CLASS SIZE AS A RESULT, WE HAVE DEFINITELY COUNTED THE 1600 STUDENTS AS PART OF THE PART OF THE PROCESS.

RIGHT. SO, I MEAN, NOT THIS IS NOT DIRECTED AT YOU.

I'M JUST SAYING OVERALL, WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH AND WHAT OUR RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE, IN MY OPINION, ARE NOT SUFFICIENT TO KEEP US WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT LOSING OR INCREASING CLASS SIZES.

WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT OPERATING AT.

THE RATE OF INFLATION.

SO, I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT INTO THE CONVERSATION THAT I MEAN, IT IS I APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK.

[00:25:07]

I MEAN, THIS IS HARD WORK WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE YOU KNOW, IT'S THE SILK PURSE, SOW'S EAR AND YOU'VE MADE A REALLY NICE, YOU KNOW, ATTEMPT AT A SILK PURSE, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK, BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE SCHOOLS NEED MORE MONEY.

WE NEED MORE MONEY TO OPERATE AT THE LEVEL THAT OUR STAKEHOLDERS EXPECT AND THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE COME TO EXPECT AND THAT OUR STUDENTS DESERVE.

ONE POINT THAT I SHOULD HAVE MADE EARLIER AND I DIDN'T THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET WAS TRULY A NEEDS BASED BUDGET, WHICH GETS TO A LOT OF WHAT YOU SAY.

SO WHEN YOU CUT FROM A NEED, RIGHT, EVEN IF IT'S WHAT I THINK ARE REASONABLE GIVEN THE SITUATION NOW, IT STILL HURTS.

ABSOLUTELY. NOW, WE HAD A BARE BONES BUDGET THAT WAS PRESENTED TO US, AND THEN WHEN YOU SLICE 12 MILLION OFF OF BARE BONES, SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE.

SO AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK, AND, YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT IT IS.

THANK YOU. MS. HAINES. KIND OF ALONG THAT NOTE, WHAT I LEARNED WHEN YOU'RE DIVING INTO GROWTH AND WHY ARE WE ALWAYS BEHIND IS THAT WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION UNITS, DON'T COME ONLINE WHEN THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTS, RIGHT? THEY DON'T FINISH QUICKLY SO WE CAN COUNT THEM AND MAKE SURE THAT THEIR POSITIONS ARE FUNDED.

THEY OFTEN COME ONLINE IN JANUARY, AND SO YOU HAVE A MID-YEAR INFLUX OF STUDENTS, AND SO IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT HOLDBACK POSITIONS MEAN, WHEN WE HAVE THAT INFLUX, WE CAN'T SUPPORT THEM.

SO I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT UNTIL I LOOKED INTO NUMBERS, BUT SO THOSE CLASS SIZES THAT HAVE OUR SMALLER CHESTERFIELD CLASS SIZE WILL JUMP TO SOQ WHEN THE INFLUX OF STUDENTS AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT INFLUX IS LARGER THAN USUAL MID-YEAR.

SO. I'D LIKE TO THAT GRAPH BECAUSE I KNOW CHESTERFIELD IS ONE OF THE ONLY COUNTIES IN THE STATE THAT IS GROWING. I'D ALSO LOVE TO COMPARE THOSE NUMBERS WITH THE PERCENTAGE OF GROWTH IN STUDENTS.

THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTING.

OF NEEDS EVEN THOUGH THEIR POPULATION MAY BE SHRINKING VERSUS YEAH, WE'RE NOT GROWING AT THE SAME RATE.

YEAH, EXACTLY.

YEAH. YEAH.

SO DO WE HAVE ANY IDEA WHEN IN JULY WE WOULD.

ARE WE GOING TO COME BACK IN AUGUST? ARE WE GOING TO COME BACK IN JULY? WHAT? I SUSPECT THE STATE, IF THEY FOLLOW WHAT'S IN THE PRESS, WILL COME TO A DECISION AT THE END OF JUNE.

WE'VE GOT WHAT WE HAVE LAID OUT HERE, I THINK ALLOWS US TO START THE SCHOOL YEAR IN A GOOD SPOT.

SO I DON'T ANTICIPATE AND I'LL DEFER TO DOCTOR DAUGHERTY, DOCTOR TYLUS ON THIS, BUT I DON'T ENVISION A NEED TO COME BACK IN JULY AND HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING CALLED.

I THINK WE CAN DO THAT IN AUGUST.

DO THAT. OKAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. NEXT, WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION FROM DR.

[C. State Board of Education Update]

FOX.

ALL RIGHT, OKAY, GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM CHAIR.

VICE CHAIR, DR.

DAUGHERTY AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

TODAY I WILL BE PRESENTING INFORMATION RELATED TO ACCREDITATION FOR THE 23-24 SCHOOL YEAR BASED ON ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE VIRGINIA BOARD OF EDUCATION AT THEIR APRIL BUSINESS MEETING.

I BEGIN BY POINTING OUT THAT SCHOOLS ARE ACCREDITED IN THE CURRENT YEAR BASED ON THE PRIOR YEAR'S DATA, MOST OF WHICH IS TESTING DATA.

OF NOTE HERE IS THAT ACCREDITATION WAS WAIVED IN 20-21 AND 21-22 SCHOOL YEARS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.

ADDITIONALLY, THE CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM INDICATOR WAS WAIVED FOR THE 22-23 ACCREDITATION YEAR.

ALSO OF NOTE IS THAT DURING LAST MONTH'S STATE BOARD MEETING, THE PROPOSAL TO WAIVE CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM FOR THIS DATA YEAR DID NOT PASS AND THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF IMPACT.

WHILE ALL CCPS SCHOOLS ARE ACCREDITED, THE DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT WORKS CLOSELY WITH ANY SCHOOL WITH A LEVEL THREE INDICATOR FOR THE CURRENT YEAR.

WE HAVE 14 SCHOOLS IN THAT CATEGORY.

WE ESTIMATE AT THIS TIME, BASED ON THE INCLUSION OF CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, THAT THERE WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL EIGHT SCHOOLS WITH A LEVEL THREE INDICATOR NEXT YEAR.

[00:30:08]

THIS ESTIMATE IS BASED ON STUDENT ATTENDANCE DATA AS OF THE BOARD DECISION ON APRIL 20TH.

HOWEVER, WITH ALMOST ONE QUARTER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AHEAD OF US, THAT NUMBER IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

I WOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT WE WILL NOT KNOW STATE ACCREDITATION RATINGS AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SCHOOLS WITH THE LEVEL THREE RATING UNTIL THAT IS RELEASED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN SEPTEMBER.

ANOTHER AREA IN WHICH THE BOARD TOOK ACTION LAST MONTH WAS ON HOW TO CALCULATE GROWTH FOR ACCREDITATION.

THE STATE BOARD FIRST APPROVED THE USE OF GROWTH TOWARDS ACCREDITATION WITH THE 2017 STANDARDS AND AS YOU CAN SEE SUMMARIZED HERE ON THE LEFT, THE ORIGINAL METHODOLOGY ALLOWED FOR A YEAR TO YEAR COMPARISON OF SPRING SCORES AND READING AND MATH FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES FOUR THROUGH EIGHT.

2021 WAS A VERY BUSY YEAR AND SO LEGISLATIVE ACTION RELATED TO ASSESSING STUDENT PERFORMANCE AT MULTIPLE TIMES WITHIN A GIVEN SCHOOL YEAR.

BASED ON THESE NEW ASSESSMENTS, THE REVISED GROWTH METHODOLOGY SHOWN HERE ON THE RIGHT EXPANDED TO TWO COMPARISON TIME FRAMES AND INCLUDED THIRD GRADE TESTS FOR THE FIRST TIME.

FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REVISED METHODOLOGY WAS SCHEDULED FOR THE CURRENT TESTING YEAR.

HOWEVER, AT THE APRIL MEETING, THE PROPOSAL TO USE A HYBRID MODEL FOR THE CURRENT YEAR WAS APPROVED.

NOTED. HERE IS THE CHANGE FROM TWO POSSIBLE COMPARISONS FOR STUDENTS IN GRADE EIGHT.

THE ONLY APPROVED COMPARISON IS CHANGE IN THE SPRING TO SPRING SCORES.

TO BE HONEST, BASED ON THIS CHANGE, WE FULLY ANTICIPATE THAT FEWER STUDENTS IN GRADES FOUR THROUGH EIGHT WILL BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE GROWTH THROUGH TESTING.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE STATE DID PROVIDE FOR THE LIMITED USE OF THE GRADE THREE GROWTH ASSESSMENTS ARE RESTRICTED TO THE ONE COMPARISON PERIOD.

WE DO KNOW THAT SCHOOLS WILL BENEFIT FROM HAVING GRADE THREE STUDENTS ELIGIBLE FOR GROWTH THIS YEAR.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE TODAY.

WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE? THANK YOU, DR. FOX.

BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MS. BAILEY. THIS OCCURRED TO ME AFTER WE CHATTED THE OTHER DAY.

DO WE HAVE ANY OPPORTUNITY TO SIT ON ANY OF THESE COMMITTEES THAT MAKE THESE DECISIONS? AND DO WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE THAT CAN REPRESENT THE RIDICULOUSNESS OF WHAT YOU JUST PRESENTED? I DO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE STATE BOARD FUNCTIONS, I THINK, SIMILARLY TO HOW THIS BOARD FUNCTIONS AND THAT THERE ARE COMMITTEES, WHETHER THAT HAS A DECIDING VOICE IN THAT, I DON'T KNOW.

LIKE I KNOW THAT TEACHERS WILL WORK ON STANDARDS COMMITTEES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND THOSE DECISIONS ARE MADE BUT IN TERMS OF HAVING A VOICE TO INFLUENCE, I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE ON THE STATE BOARD AND VOTE YES.

SO THEY DON'T HAVE COMMITTEES THAT MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY LISTEN TO IN TERMS OF THE.

SO I DO THINK THAT THEY DO.

I ATTENDED BOTH.

I ATTENDED. I LISTENED VERY CAREFULLY KNOWING THIS WAS UP TO BOTH THE MARCH AND THE APRIL MEETING, AND THERE WAS VERY A LOT OF ROBUST DISCUSSION AROUND ATTENDANCE AND PEOPLE THAT THEY HAD BROUGHT IN WHEN THEY WERE LOOKING AT ATTENDANCE AND THEY WERE SORT OF ON OPPOSITE SIDES.

ONE GROUP WAS SAYING, WE REALLY NEED TO TAKE THIS METRIC OUT.

WE SHOULDN'T HAVE IT TO BEGIN WITH ACCORDING TO SUCH AND SUCH, AND ANOTHER GROUP WAS SAYING, WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE IT IN BECAUSE WE DECIDED IT WAS IMPORTANT UNLESS WE HOLD ACCOUNTABLE, HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE, THEY WANT TO UNDERSTAND IT'S IMPORTANT.

SO THEY DO HAVE ADVISORS.

I'M JUST NOT COMPLETELY FAMILIAR WITH WHO THOSE ADVISORS ARE.

WELL, THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

YES. THANK YOU, DR.

FOX, FOR NAVIGATING ALL OF THE CHANGES FOR SURE.

NEXT, WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON EXPANDING SECONDARY TUTORING OPPORTUNITIES FROM DR.

[D. Expanding Secondary Tutoring Opportunities Update]

POPE. HI.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

BOARD CHAIR, VICE CHAIR MEMBERS AND DR.

DAUGHERTY. IT IS MY PLEASURE TO COME TO YOU TODAY AND GIVE YOU A VERY QUICK UPDATE ON SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE PRESENTED TO THE BOARD PREVIOUSLY AND IT'S NEVER A BAD IDEA TO GET GOOD NEWS OUT AGAIN AND REPEAT IT FOR OUR FAMILIES FOR THEIR AWARENESS.

TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR EXPANDED TUTORING OPPORTUNITY AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL.

SO THIS WOULD BE FOR OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

OUR EFFORT IN OFFERING THIS OPPORTUNITY DOES ALIGN TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE REQUEST, AND THIS IS A SLIDE WE'VE SEEN BEFORE.

ALSO, WE'VE PRESENTED BEFORE OUR GOAL IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

IT WAS OUR HOPE THAT WE COULD FIND A SOLID EXTERNAL PARTNER WE DID AND PROVIDE SERVICE FOR OUR SECONDARY STUDENTS, AGAIN, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL, SO THAT EACH STUDENT WHO WISHED TO HAVE LIVE ON DEMAND ACCESS TO A LICENSED TEACHER IN A SUBJECT AREA OF THEIR CHOICE COULD HAVE THAT TUTORING FOR 30 OR 60 MINUTE

[00:35:10]

SESSIONS WITHOUT COST TO THE STUDENT OR THE PARENT.

WE ALSO SET SOME GOALS ABOUT TEACHER USAGE AS WELL THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT HERE.

YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THOSE FEATURES I JUST MENTIONED 30 OR 60 MINUTE SESSIONS WITH LICENSED TEACHERS.

THE STUDENT, PARENT OR TEACHER CAN SELECT THE TUTOR.

THERE'S A LITTLE BIO, A LITTLE VIDEO.

SO THAT CONNECTION IS IMPORTANT.

A STUDENT CAN LOOK AT THE TEACHERS AND THE TUTORS AVAILABLE AND SAY, HEY, I REALLY RESONATE WITH THIS PARTICULAR PERSON.

THERE ARE LANGUAGE OPTIONS.

THERE ARE TEACHERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.

FOR EXAMPLE, TEACHERS MAY ALSO SCHEDULE TUTORS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, AND THOSE TUTORS THAT THEY SCHEDULE COULD WORK WITH UP TO FIVE STUDENTS.

SO AS A TEACHER, I COULD BREAK OUT GROUPS IN MY CLASSROOM AND I COULD HAVE THE TUTORS THAT I'VE LINED UP FOR MY CLASS PERIOD, WORKING WITH MY STUDENTS IN DIFFERENT AREAS WHERE THERE MIGHT BE SOME INTERVENTION NEEDED, SOME REMEDIATION OR EVEN ACCELERATION.

AGAIN, THIS IS A SLIDE DECK THAT JUST OUTLINED FOR THE BOARD PREVIOUSLY WHAT OUR PLAN WAS, OUR TIMELINE.

WE HAD HOPED THE LAST TIME I STOOD IN FRONT OF YOU TO LAUNCH RIGHT AROUND THE MIDDLE OF FEBRUARY, WE ACTUALLY WENT LIVE WITH OUR FAMILIES ON FEBRUARY 28TH.

SO WE WERE CLOSE TO THAT HOPE, AND SINCE THEN WE'VE BEEN GIVING UPDATES AT CABINET AND AT LEADERSHIP MEETINGS, AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR YOUR UPDATE.

SO THIS IS ACTUALLY INFORMATION YOU'VE NOT SEEN BEFORE AND OUR PUBLIC HAS NOT SEEN BEFORE.

WE HAVE BEEN AVERAGING FROM FEBRUARY 28TH THROUGH MARCH OR I'M SORRY, THROUGH APRIL 14TH, ON AVERAGE, 250 STUDENTS SCHEDULED SESSIONS PER WEEK ACROSS OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS.

A LITTLE OVER HALF OF THOSE SESSIONS HAVE BEEN IN THE AREA OF MATHEMATICS, AND OF THOSE STUDENTS SCHEDULED SESSIONS, WE HAVE A 79% ATTENDANCE RATE.

WE UNDERSTAND SOMETIMES THINGS COME UP.

SO WE'RE PRETTY PLEASED WITH THAT.

THAT SHOWS COMMITMENT AND FOLLOW THROUGH WITH OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE BOOKING THE SESSIONS, AND AT THE END OF EACH SESSION, THE STUDENT DOES HAVE A FIVE STAR OPPORTUNITY, A RATING, AND WE'RE AVERAGING FOUR AND ONE HALF SATISFACTION STARS AT THE END OF OUR SESSIONS.

ALL GOOD NEWS BECAUSE WE ARE EXPERIENCING GOOD NEWS AND THE PRODUCT IS BEING USED.

WE ARE WILLING AND ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS OPPORTUNITY THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER.

I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY STUDENTS WILL WANT TO ENGAGE IN TUTORING OVER THE SUMMER, BUT WE WOULD WANT THAT TO BE THERE FOR THEM.

IF THE PARENT OR THE STUDENT FEEL LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD STILL BENEFIT THEM OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS, WE ARE ALSO EXPLORING THROUGH AN RFP PROCESS THE CONTINUATION OF THIS OFFERING IN 23-24 AND AGAIN, JUST MONITORING THAT USAGE.

ALL SIGNS AT THIS POINT INDICATE THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS USEFUL.

SO WE WANT TO CONTINUE BEING ABLE TO OFFER THAT EVEN BEYOND THE SUMMER.

SO THAT IS OUR QUICK UPDATE FOR YOU.

WE KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS TO GET TO, BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF INFORMATION? THANK YOU, DR. POPE.

BOARD MEMBERS, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? KATHRYN. JUST A QUICK QUESTION.

MENTIONED FUNDING, AND I'M ALSO THINKING OF THAT 250 NUMBER, WHEN THEY THEY LOOK AT HOW TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS OF THIS TUTORING, WHICH OBVIOUSLY CAN BE TREMENDOUS, THAT HAVING DEDICATED STAFF TIME TO ADJUST AS NEEDED TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, I THINK IT WAS CLAY COUNTY IN GEORGIA FOUND THAT THEY ACTUALLY HAD TO INCREASE THE UNSCHEDULED TIME LIKE THE FLEX BLOCK IN SCHOOLS IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE PARTICIPATION IN TUTORING.

SO JUST GIVEN THAT WE ARE A VERY STRAINED DISTRICT, DO WE HAVE THAT KIND OF DEDICATED STAFF TIME THAT IS LOOKING AT THIS AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO GET THE 250 UP? OKAY, I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO RESPOND.

YES. THE FLEX BLOCK AND THE AMOUNT OF INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DAY AT THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL IN PARTICULAR, WHERE WE HAVE CREDIT BEARING COURSES IS SOMETHING WE TIGHTLY CALCULATE.

IT'S WHY ANY ADJUSTMENT TO THE CALENDAR IS SOMETHING THAT GETS US ALL COUNTING FRANTICALLY AGAIN BEHIND THE SCENES TO BE SURE THAT WE ARE MEETING THOSE STANDARDS OF QUALITY. SO I THINK THAT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT SCHOOLS WOULD LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE HOW TO MAXIMIZE TEACHER FAMILIARITY, TEACHER COMFORT, AND WHEN DURING THE DAY DOES IT FIT BEST? BUT IN THESE BEGINNING PHASES THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, WE DO SEE AT OUR SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE, WORLD LANGUAGE TEACHERS UTILIZING THIS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY SO THAT STUDENTS CAN ACTUALLY PRACTICE SPEAKING THE LANGUAGE WITH A TUTOR WHO IS FLUENT OVER IN THE CORNER OF THE ROOM WHILE THE TEACHER IS WORKING WITH OTHER GROUPS ON

[00:40:05]

OTHER SKILLS RELATED TO THE LANGUAGE.

SO SOME CREATIVE USES WITH OUR TEACHERS AND WE JUST HOPE IT CONTINUES TO TAKE OFF AND WE KNOW OUR TEACHERS ARE CREATIVE.

WE KNOW ONCE THEY SEE THE BENEFITS, THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGURE OUT WHERE IT WILL FIT INTO THE DAY BEST AND WHEN IT CAN SERVE STUDENTS IN THE BEST WAY.

THANK YOU. I'M JUST WONDERING, IS THERE ANY WAY TO TRACK THE DATA TO SHOW THAT THE 250 STUDENTS A WEEK THAT ARE LOGGING ON ACTUALLY IMPROVE THEIR GRADES? IS THAT AN OPPORTUNITY OR IS THAT TOO DIFFICULT OF A DATA GATHERING? WELL, I CAN FEEL PATTY FOX SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE BEHIND ME.

[CHUCKLING] DR.

FOX WAS JUST UP HERE, AND I KNOW IF SHE WAS HERE IN FRONT OF THE MICROPHONE RIGHT NOW, ONE OF THE THINGS SHE WOULD POINT OUT, THAT IS A CONSTANT STRUGGLE IN EDUCATION IS THERE ARE SO MANY VARIABLES.

IT IS DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT AND ATTRIBUTE ONE CHANGE, ONE OFFERING, ONE OPPORTUNITY, YOU KNOW, IN ANY KIND OF DIRECT CORRELATION TO AN IMPROVEMENT IN GRADES.

I DO THINK THAT STAR RATING SYSTEM IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE I THINK ANY OF US WHO WOULD PARTICIPATE IN A TUTORING EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE KIND OF HANG UP OR DISCONNECT, WE WOULD FEEL LIKE, DID THAT BENEFIT ME? IS THAT GOING TO HELP ME ON MY TEST TOMORROW? SO I DO LOVE THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO SEE SUCH POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE TUTORING SESSION.

I'M NOT SURE I COULD GET ANY OF MY STATISTICIANS TO STAND UP HERE AND VOUCH FOR NUMBERS THAT ALIGN WITH X NUMBER OF TUTORING OFFERINGS EQUALS X IMPROVEMENT IN GRADES.

I WONDER IF WE COULD DO A SURVEY OF THE STUDENTS WHO USED IT AT THE END AND SURVEY THEM AND SAY, DO YOU THINK THIS CONTRIBUTED THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS, CONTRIBUTED TO YOUR GRADE IMPROVING? QUALITATIVE WORK LIKE THAT? ABSOLUTELY. YES.

THAT'D BE INTERESTING. YEAH.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

JUST 1 OR 2 QUESTIONS, DR.

POPE. THE 30 TO 60 MINUTES SESSIONS ARE STUDENTS LIMITED TO HOW MANY TIMES A WEEK THEY CAN ACCESS THIS? THEY ARE NOT LIMITED, AND WE HAVE PRELOADED.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE FUNDS AND WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO USE IT FREQUENTLY.

THAT IS PART OF OUR STRATEGY FOR MAKING IT CONVENIENT FOR OUR FAMILIES, OUR STUDENTS.

LIKE ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW ABOUT SECONDARY STUDENTS IS THAT THEY'RE BUSY, THEY ARE REALLY BUSY, AND IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE FURTHER COVID IS MANAGED AND BEHIND US, THE MORE THEY ARE GETTING INVOLVED AGAIN.

SO AFTER SCHOOL, STAYING TO MEET WITH THAT TEACHER JUST MAY NOT WORK FOR THEM.

THIS GIVES YOU OPPORTUNITY IN A VERY FLEXIBLE WAY, AND YOU KNOW, I WOULD BE PLEASED IF A STUDENT WENT FOR 3 OR 4 CHEMISTRY SESSION TUTORING'S AT 30 OR 60 MINUTES IN A WEEK. YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, PLEASE.

AWESOME, AND THEN JUST THE LAST THING IS, HOW ARE WE ADVERTISING THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE MOST IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY SO THAT EVERYONE'S AWARE OF IT? I MEAN, I KNOW IT'S GONE OUT IN EMAIL.

I'VE SEEN IT KIND OF FLOATING AROUND A COUPLE DIFFERENT PLACES, BUT IS THERE ANY TARGETED WAYS THAT WE'RE ADVERTISING THIS TO MAKE SURE THAT IT REALLY IS IN EVERYONE'S FACE SO THAT EVERY PARENT KNOWS THAT THIS IS AVAILABLE? WELL, I KNOW SEAN SMITH'S TEAM DID AN INCREDIBLE WORK UP OF A COMMUNICATIONS PLAN ON THIS PARTICULAR ENDEAVOR, AND IT IS A MULTI-PRONGED, MULTIFACETED, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE OUR COUNSELORS ARE AWARE, MAKING SURE OUR TEACHERS ARE AWARE, BECAUSE WORD OF MOUTH IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW IS SUCCESSFUL WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS TEACHER HOLDS THE STUDENT OVER AT THE END AND SAYS, HEY, I'D LOVE TO HELP YOU SIGN UP FOR THIS, OR, HEY, DO YOU NEED HELP SIGNING UP FOR THIS? I THINK IT COULD BENEFIT YOU.

OF COURSE, SEAN'S TEAM, THEIR MESSAGES THAT GO OUT AS WELL, AND THEN I THINK IN PART, THAT'S WHY I'M HERE AGAIN IN FRONT OF YOU WITH SOME REPEAT SLIDES, EVEN BECAUSE JUST MULTIPLE AVENUES OUT WITH THE INFORMATION AND REPETITION, AND I THINK IN ADVERTISING THEY SAY YOU'VE GOT TO SAY IT TEN TIMES BEFORE A PERSON HEARS IT ONCE.

SO WE ARE REPLICATING AND REPEATING OUR MESSAGE OFTEN.

IS THERE AN APP FOR THE STUDENTS TO SIGN UP LIKE IN THE BACKPACK THAT WE HAVE? I WISH I HAD MY TECHNICAL PERSON HERE.

I'LL HAVE TO, I'D LOVE TO, I SHOULD HAVE PUT A SLIDE IN JUST TO REMIND FAMILIES HOW TO SIGN UP.

I KNOW WE EMBED IT INTO THE MESSAGES, AND RIGHT NOW I'M JUST DRAWING A BLANK ON IT.

NO, THAT'S ALL RIGHT, AWESOME.

THANK YOU. YES, THANK YOU.

OKAY.

ON THE DASHBOARD. HE'S MAKING NOTES.

HE'S TAKING NOTES.

I CAN FEEL WHAT THEY'RE DOING BACK THERE, TAKING NOTES.

[00:45:05]

DR. POPE. I JUST WANTED TO AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE RFPS THAT COME IN, SOMETHING THAT I LIKE TO SEE IN THIS PROGRAM I THINK IS REALLY VALUABLE IS THE PER SESSION FEE THAT WE'RE NOT BUYING A PACKAGE.

I KNOW SOME OTHER DIVISIONS WENT ALL IN FOR A PACKAGE, AND I THINK THIS IS REALLY STRATEGIC AND VERY TARGETED AND VERY FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.

VERY GOOD. I APPRECIATE THAT.

GOOD STEWARDS CONSIDERING WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS AGO, BUT I ALSO LIKE THAT YOU WERE SAYING THAT THIS IS A USEFUL PRODUCT, BUT IT'S ALSO HIGH QUALITY, AND COMING BACK TO THAT, FOUR AND A HALF STARS, NEARLY 80% OF THE STUDENTS ARE LIKE, THIS IS SHOWING UP, AND I THINK IF WE KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT TEENAGERS, THEY VOTE WITH THEIR FEET.

[CHUCKLING] THAT'S RIGHT, AND THEY'LL LET YOU KNOW IF THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY JUST WON'T SHOW UP.

YEAH. SO I THINK THESE ARE REALLY GREAT QUALITIES, AND, YOU KNOW, I APPRECIATE HAVING THIS , AND I GOT THE FEELING FROM MR. HARTER THAT HIS FAMILY WILL BE HARD AT WORK AS HARD AT WORK AS MINE IN THESE NEXT COMING WEEKS.

[CHUCKLING] WE'RE VERY PLEASED, AND I'LL ADD THE COKER HOUSEHOLD AS WELL UTILIZING THIS PROGRAM.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

DR. POPE, SORRY, I DO HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION.

YES. DO YOU KNOW WHICH GRADE LEVEL IS USING THE TUTORING PROGRAM? WE CAN DISSECT DOWN THAT FAR? WE CAN DISSECT TO SCHOOL.

WE CAN DISSECT STUDENTS IN A SCHOOL, TEACHERS IN A SCHOOL BY GRADE LEVEL BY SUBJECT AREA.

SO MAYBE THAT WILL BE A GREAT FUTURE UPDATE FOR THE BOARD TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE SLICED INFORMATION, BUT THAT DOES, AS I SAID ON THAT LAST SLIDE, OUR MONITORING OF USE TO BE THOSE GOOD STEWARDS OF OUR FUNDS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE PRODUCT AVAILABLE.

WHERE IT IS IN HIGH DEMAND IS ALL THAT'S ALL THAT'S HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES RIGHT NOW WITH THIS.

VERY GOOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

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

NEXT, WE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS, COMMUNICATIONS AND SCHOOL BOARD COMMENTS, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.

ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OR COMMENTS? MS. HEFFRON. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO AGAIN SEND MY REGRETS TO THE SWIFT CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO MY ENCOURAGEMENT THAT THEY ENJOY THE TRACK.

I'M UNABLE TO ATTEND THE RIBBON CUTTING THIS EVENING DUE TO A PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT, BUT I DO HOPE THAT THEY ENJOY THE FACILITY AND THE FUN RUN THAT WILL FOLLOW, AND I'M JUST SO GLAD THAT THEY GET TO HOST THEIR HOME MEETS, AND I APPRECIATE ALL OF JOSH AND SCOTT'S DEPARTMENT'S HARD WORK IN GETTING THAT PROJECT OFF THE GROUND.

VERY GOOD. THE NEXT SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE HELD THIS EVENING, MAY 9TH, 2023, AT 6:30 P.M.

IF THERE'S NO FURTHER PUBLIC BUSINESS WE NEED, WE WILL NEED TO ENTER INTO A CLOSED SESSION WHICH WILL BE HELD IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S CONFERENCE ROOM.

[F. Adjournment into Closed Session]

IT'S GOING TO BE RIGHT OVER HERE IN THE PRM ROOM.

MADAM CLERK, PLEASE ANNOUNCE THE ITEMS FOR TODAY'S CLOSED SESSION.

IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SCHOOL BOARD DESIRES TO ENTER INTO A CLOSED SESSION IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 2.2-3711.A OF THE CODE OF VIRGINIA, THE VIRGINIA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, AND SPECIFICALLY UNDER SUBSECTION ONE, THE DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF PERSONNEL DISCIPLINARY MATTERS AND TWO, THE DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION OF STUDENT DISCIPLINARY MATTERS AND MATTERS THAT WOULD INVOLVE THE DISCLOSURE OF STUDENT RECORDS.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, YOU HAVE JUST HEARD THE ITEMS REQUESTED TO BE DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION.

DO I HAVE A MOTION IN THAT REGARD? SO MOVED. IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

WE ARE NOW IN CLOSED SESSION.



* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.