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I HAVE TO DRESS NOW 7:26, AND I'M CALLING TO ORDER THE GARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT[I. Call to Order and Determination of Quorum ]
BOARD OF TRUSTEES DISTRICT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING FOR DECEMBER 7TH 2021.TO DETERMINE THAT A QUORUM IS PRESENT AND WE WILL PROCEED WITH OUR AGENDA.
I DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC FORUM ITEMS AND SO THIS WILL JUST PROCEED.
ANYBODY HERE FOR PUBLIC FORUM? [LAUGHTER] NO, WE'RE CLEAR.
AND THAT WILL LEAD US TO OUR SUPERINTENDENTS REPORT.
WELL, LET ME CIRCLE BACK MS. HOGAN.
[LAUGHTER] I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GOOD.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC FORUM ITEMS. THANK YOU.
LOPEZ SAID HE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING, SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO INFORMATION ITEMS. ONE THING WE ARE CELEBRATING THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF PEARL HARBOR ATTACK.
SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE VETERANS OF WORLD WAR TWO AND BEYOND.
[IV. Information Items ]
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO HEAD TO INFORMATION ITEM A..I WANT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE UPDATE ABOUT OUR VACCINES.
THEY HAVE CHANGED THE GUIDELINES AGAIN.
WELL, IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT AGO.
THAT ANYONE CAN GET A BOOSTER DOSE OF THE VACCINES JOHNSON AND JOHNSON'S AFTER TWO MONTHS AND EVERYTHING EVERYBODY ELSE IS AFTER SIX MONTHS.
AND THEN IF YOU ARE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED, WE'RE NOT CALLING IT A BOOSTER DOSE.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT CALLING IT AN ADDITIONAL DOSE.
ANYHOO, WE DID OUR ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES, COVID VACCINE CLINICS.
SO FAR, WE HAVE SEVEN HUNDRED AND NINETY TWO 5 THROUGH 11 YEAR OLD'S THAT HAVE RECEIVED THEIR FIRST COVID VACCINES.
THIS IS JUST THE ONES THAT WERE ON OUR CAMPUSES.
THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO GET THEIR CHILDREN VACCINATED, BUT SOME OF THEM WANTED TO BE THERE WHILE THEIR CHILD WAS VACCINATED.
SO WE SET UP TIMES IN THE MORNING AND THEN IN THE AFTERNOON SO THAT WAY WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THEM.
JUST TO REITERATE, HEALTH SERVICE STAFF WAS AT EVERY ONE OF THESE VACCINE CLINICS, MAKING SURE THAT SAFETY PROTOCOLS WERE FOLLOWED AND THAT THEY WERE GETTING THE CORRECT VACCINE AND THE CORRECT DOSAGE.
SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
IN TOTAL, TWELVE HUNDRED AND THIRTY VACCINES WERE GIVEN.
IF ANYBODY HASN'T GOTTEN THEIR VACCINES AND THEY STILL WANT TO GO, YOU CAN GO, EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS SECOND SHOT CLINICS, YOU CAN GO THERE TO GET YOUR BOOSTERS.
THEY HAVE EVERY VACCINE AVAILABLE.
JOHNSON & JOHNSON, PFIZER AND MODERNA.
OUR COVID TESTING, PCR TESTING IS GOING VERY WELL AT THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
WE HAD OVER 400 TESTS ADMINISTERED AND WE FINALLY GOT IT DOWN WHERE THEY'RE COMING BACK WITHIN THE TWENTY FOUR-- A LITTLE BIT OVER 24 HOURS.
I'M STILL HAVING TO CONTACT EVERYBODY, BUT HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE RESOLVED SHORTLY.
THIS IS OUR COVID POSITIVE CASES FOR THE DISTRICT, BUT BECAUSE WE TURN THIS PRESENTATION IN A LITTLE BIT EARLY WE ARE ON THE DOWNWARD TREND.
HOWEVER, STAFF IS SLIGHTLY GOING UP COULD BE ALL THE CHRISTMAS PARTIES WE'RE ENJOYING.
BUT ANYWAY, FOR WHATEVER REASON, STAFF IS GOING UP A LITTLE BIT.
STUDENTS ARE GOING DOWN, BUT OVERALL WE'RE GOING IN THE DOWNWARD TRAJECTORY.
RECEIVE OUR PRE-K EXPANSION PRESENTATION BY DR.
GOOD EVENING, MR. SELDERS, TRUSTEES, DR.
LOPEZ, I AM ALWAYS EXCITED TO GET TO STAND UP HERE AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT OUR FANTASTIC PRE-K PROGRAMING HERE IN GARLAND ISD.
I WANTED TO START TONIGHT WITH SOME TERMINOLOGY, SO JUST SO EVERYONE HERE AND EVERYONE THAT MIGHT BE WATCHING AT HOME IS GOING TO BE FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF THE TERMS I'M
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GOING TO USE.WE USE PRE-K AS OUR BIG UMBRELLA, BUT REALLY THERE ARE VERY SPECIFIC PROGRAMS THAT FALL UNDER THAT UMBRELLA.
SO TONIGHT I'M GOING TO REFERENCE ESL DUAL LANGUAGE EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION, FORMALLY KNOWN AS PPCD.
A FEW YEARS AGO, MONTESSORI HEAD START AND OUR EMPLOYEE INCLUSION PROGRAM.
SO ALL OF THOSE PROGRAMS FALL UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF PRE-K.
SO JUST TO START WITH WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW WITH OUR FOUR YEAR OLD PRE-K ENROLLMENT, SO AS YOU ALL KNOW, THROUGH HOUSE BILL THREE, WE ARE REQUIRED TO LAUNCH FULL DAY PRE-K FOR ELIGIBLE FOUR YEAR OLD'S.
SO WHAT COMMIT HAS GIVEN US HERE IS OUR LAST FIVE YEARS OF ENROLLMENT DATA, SO YOU CAN SEE THE SHIFT FROM WE MOVED FROM HALF DAY FOUR YEAR OLD PRE-K TO FULL DAY FOUR YEAR OLD PRE-K AND JUST TO COMMEND THE BOARD AGAIN.
THAT WAS A BIG RISK IN A COVID YEAR, AND WE WEREN'T QUITE SURE HOW OUR COMMUNITY WOULD RESPOND TO LAUNCHING FULL DAY PRE-K FOR FOUR YEAR OLD'S WHEN THERE WAS A LOT OF UNCERTAINTIES OUT IN THE WORLD.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY HAVE REALLY RESPONDED.
SO YOU CAN SEE OUR NUMBERS HAVE GONE UP ON AVERAGE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
WE'VE ENROLLED SIXTY SIX PERCENT OF OUR ELIGIBLE FOUR YEAR OLD'S IN OUR THREE CITIES, AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE ENROLLING SEVENTY TWO PERCENT OF OUR ELIGIBLE FOUR YEAR OLD'S IN FULL DAY PRE-K.
SO RIGHT NOW, WE ARE CURRENTLY ENROLLING 2,098 PRE-K FOUR STUDENTS, AND WE DO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO ENROLL TWO THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND TWENTY EIGHT BASED ON WHAT OUR DEMOGRAPHICS SHOW IS ARE ELIGIBLE STUDENTS ACROSS OUR THREE COMMUNITIES.
WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE IN THE 21 22 SCHOOL YEAR IS ON THIS SLIDE, AND AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE SOME FORM OF PRE-K IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES.
SO THERE ARE THOSE TERMINOLOGIES.
AGAIN, WE HAVE ESL CLASSROOMS AGAIN WHERE THE INSTRUCTION IS DELIVERED IN ENGLISH, BUT THERE ARE LANGUAGE SUPPORTS FOR STUDENTS WHO NEED THEM.
WE HAVE DUAL LANGUAGE WHERE INSTRUCTION IS GIVEN IN BOTH SPANISH AND ENGLISH OR VIETNAMESE AND ENGLISH.
WE HAVE EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS, MONTESSORI AT BOTH HERFURTH AND LUNA.
AND THEN WE HAVE A PRE-K THREE AT OUR HEAD START PARTNERSHIP, WHICH IS AT PARSONS, PRE-K CENTER, AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OUR EMPLOYEE INCLUSION PROGRAM, WHICH SERVES THREE YEAR OLD STUDENTS AS WELL AT THOSE SIX CAMPUSES.
SO WE HAVE A TOTAL OF CLASSROOMS AS WELL, TOO, BECAUSE AT MOST OF OUR LOCATIONS THAT ARE LISTED ON THIS SLIDE, THERE ARE MORE THAN ONE.
WE TRY TO ALWAYS PUT TWO PRE-K'S TOGETHER, SO THOSE TEACHERS HAVE A PARTNER TO PLAN WITH TO WORK WITH.
AND THEN MANY OF OUR CENTER OR MANY OF OUR CAMPUSES HAVE THREE, SOME EVEN FOUR PRE-K CLASSROOMS AT THEIR CAMPUSES.
I ALSO WANT TO TALK TO YOU TONIGHT ABOUT OUR ENROLLMENT FOR PRE-K THREE, SO I JUST LISTED ON THE SLIDE BEFORE THAT, WE HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO ENROLL THREE YEAR OLD'S IN GARLAND ISD.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE PRE-K THREE STUDENTS, PRIMARILY THOSE ARE IN OUR MONTESSORI AND OUR EMPLOYEE INCLUSION PROGRAMS. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE THOSE TWO CLASSROOMS AT PARSONS, WHERE WE ARE PILOTING PRE-K FOR THREE YEAR OLD'S THROUGH OUR HEAD START PARTNERSHIP, WHICH ALSO FULFILLS OUR REQUIREMENT OF HOUSE BILL THREE THAT WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE SERVING WITH OUR HEAD START.
WHAT WE DO HAVE OUT IN OUR COMMUNITIES IS THE POTENTIAL FOR TWO THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND FORTY NINE ELIGIBLE PRE-K THREE STUDENTS.
SO THE STATE OF TEXAS CONSIDERS PRE-K THREE AND PRE-K FOUR BOTH AS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, SO THEY FUND THEM THE SAME WAY, WHICH UNFORTUNATELY IS ONLY HALF DAY, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE SERVING THOSE STUDENTS IN FULL DAY, HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION.
BUT WE DO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO ENROLL PRE-K THREE STUDENTS.
SO IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING WHY I'M TALKING TO YOU MORE ABOUT PRE-K THREE STUDENTS, I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME CONSIDERATIONS TONIGHT.
WE HAVE SOME LEGAL REQUIREMENTS WHEN IT COMES TO EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION SO THAT TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE REQUIRES THAT WE PROVIDE WHAT'S CALLED COMMENSURATE SERVICES FOR OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS WHO ARE THREE YEARS OLD THROUGH THE ARD PROCESS ARE DETERMINED TO NEED FULL DAY PRE-K.
SO SINCE WE OFFER FULL DAY PRE-K FOR THREE YEAR OLD'S THROUGH SOME OF OUR SPECIFIC PROGRAMING, WE ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT OPPORTUNITY IS AVAILABLE FOR ELIGIBLE EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.
WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITY INTEREST, SO I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT FOR JUST A MOMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS TEAM.
OUR STUDENT SERVICES TEAM DID AN AMAZING JOB OF PROMOTING FULL DAY PRE-K IN OUR COMMUNITIES, SO THEY DIDN'T JUST SHOW UP A LITTLE BIT.
SINCE WE STARTED OUR ENROLLMENT THIS YEAR, WE ACTUALLY OPENED SEVEN ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS FOR PRE-K FOUR AFTER THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTED, SO WE DIDN'T JUST ENROLL IN OUR
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JUNE KICKOFF.THEY KEPT COMING AFTER THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTED AND WE KEPT OPENING CLASSROOM AFTER CLASSROOM, AFTER CLASSROOM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A SPOT FOR EVERY ELIGIBLE STUDENT WHO WANTS TO COME.
ALONG WITH THAT WE ALSO HAD UNSOLICITED, APPLICATIONS FOR PRE-K, THREE STUDENTS, SO FAMILIES WHO CAME TO OUR ENROLLMENT EVENTS, OF WHICH OUR STUDENT SERVICES TEAM HAD COUNTLESS EVERY SINGLE CAMPUS THAT HOSTED PRE-K HAD ESSENTIALLY AN OPEN HOUSE ENROLLMENT OPPORTUNITY SO FAMILIES COULD COME AND SEE WHERE THEIR STUDENT WOULD LEARN.
AND I THINK THAT REALLY CONTRIBUTED TO THAT FEELING OF THIS IS NOT JUST GOING TO BE A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION, BUT ALSO IS A SAFE SPACE FOR MY STUDENT.
EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE STILL SOME FEARS IN OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT RETURNING STUDENTS TO SCHOOL, THAT TEAM JUST DID SUCH AN AMAZING JOB.
AND AS WE CONTINUE TO OPEN THOSE CLASSROOMS, I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT AND JUST RECOGNIZE OUR ENORMOUS EARLY CHILDHOOD DISTRICT SUPPORT TEAM MS. CHASITY BASS.
IT'S A SINGLE PERSON BACK THERE ON THE BACK ROW WHO HAS BEEN OUT SUPPORTING ALL OF OUR PRE-K TEACHERS, OPENING THOSE NEW CLASSROOMS, DELIVERING MATERIALS, REARRANGING FURNITURE JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY STUDENT WHO WANTS TO COME TO SCHOOL IN GARLAND ISD HAS THAT OPPORTUNITY.
BUT IN DOING THAT, WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE'S A COMMUNITY DESIRE TO POTENTIALLY OPEN SEATS FOR PRE-K THREE STUDENTS.
WE ALSO ARE SEEING INCREASED EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION IDENTIFICATION, WHICH MEANS EVEN AS A THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLD, WE ARE JUST LIKE OUR ELIGIBLE FOUR YEAR OLD'S REQUIRED TO HAVE SEATS FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS AND THAT GROWING POPULATION AS WELL, TOO.
WE ARE ALSO, AS ALWAYS, LOOKING AT OUR COMPETING DISTRICTS.
SO THE DISTRICTS LISTED ON THIS SLIDE ARE ALSO MOVING INTO PRE-K THREE.
THEY ARE EITHER ALREADY SERVING PRE-K THREE OR EXPANDING THEIR PRE-K THREE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ELIGIBLE STUDENTS IN THEIR DISTRICT AS WELL, TOO.
SO THAT'S JUST ONE MORE CONSIDERATION THAT I WANTED TO BRING TO YOU TONIGHT AS WE LOOK AT OUR ENROLLMENT POSSIBILITIES AND WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE FOR US HERE IN GARLAND ISD.
SO I HAVE TWO DIFFERENT SCENARIOS, AND THERE ARE SOME BUDGET NUMBERS HERE, BUT THEY ARE, OF COURSE, JUST ESTIMATES BECAUSE WE ALWAYS COME BACK TO YOU IN THE SPRING WHEN IT'S BUDGET TIME TO TALK ABOUT REAL DOLLARS.
BUT KNOWING THAT WE HAVE SOME CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE MUST ADDRESS THROUGH OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AND KNOWING THAT WE ARE ALREADY CONTINUING TO EXPAND THAT PRE-K FOUR.
THIS IS ESSENTIALLY A KIND OF STAY THE COURSE SCENARIO.
WE HAVE START, OF COURSE, WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, WHICH ARE TWO THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY NINE PRE-K FOUR STUDENTS AND ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE PRE-K THREE STUDENTS.
AS A REMINDER, WE SERVE THEM AT TWO CENTERS AND AT TWENTY NINE SATELLITE ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES.
AND THAT'S NINETY FIVE DIFFERENT CLASSROOMS. AND WE HAVE EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION AT ABOUT HALF OF THOSE LOCATIONS.
FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR WE KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADD A MINIMUM OF 13 CLASSROOMS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE OPEN UP THAT COMMENSURATE SERVICES THOSE REQUIRED SEATS FOR THOSE EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION THREE YEAR OLD STUDENTS WHO ARE DETERMINED THROUGH THE ARD PROCESS TO NEED FULL DAY PRE-K.
SO WE ANTICIPATE OUR SPECIAL ED TEAM THINKS THAT WE CAN DO THAT BY ADDING AT LEAST 13 MORE CLASSROOMS. WE ARE ALSO GOING TO CONTINUE TO SEEK PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR QUALIFYING LOCAL CHILD CARE GROUPS.
AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, WE DON'T DETERMINE THE CRITERIA FOR WHAT MAKES A QUALIFYING CHILD CARE GROUP.
TEA SETS WHAT DETERMINES THAT SORRY, THAT CHILD CARE GROUP MEETS THEIR DEFINITION OF HIGH QUALITY.
SO THE STUDENT SERVICES TEAM AND TEACHING AND LEARNING WILL BE REACHING OUT TO INTERESTED CHILD CARE GROUPS TO LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL.
BUT WE ANTICIPATE HAVING ABOUT FIVE CLASSROOMS THAT COULD BE HOUSED AT AN EXTERNAL CHILD CARE GROUP BUT SERVED BY A GARLAND ISD TEACHER.
SO THERE'S SOME BUDGET IMPLICATIONS FOR THAT EXPANSION, WHICH WE NEED JUST TO MEET THAT LEGAL REQUIREMENT OF MAKING SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH SEATS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION THREE YEAR OLD'S.
YOU'LL NOTICE THERE ARE SOME CLASSROOM RENOVATION COSTS.
AS WE TALKED ABOUT BUDGET LAST SPRING, I FELT VERY CONFIDENT THAT WE HAD ENOUGH EXISTING APPROPRIATE CLASSROOMS AS WE HAVE CONTINUED TO OPEN NEW CLASSROOMS SINCE THE SCHOOL YEAR STARTED.
WE HAVE RUN OUT OF SPACE, SO WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS WE HAVE SOME WHAT WE FORMALLY CALLED OPEN CONCEPT SCHOOLS WHERE THE FACILITIES TEAMS HAS BEEN WORKING TO MAKE THOSE SECURE BY PUTTING HALLWAY DOORS.
BUT THERE'S NOT ALWAYS A DOOR IN BETWEEN INTERNAL CLASSROOMS. AND I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL HAVE FOUR YEAR OLD'S.
SO FOR TWENTY TWO STUDENTS, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE CLASSROOMS HAVE A DOOR THAT SEPARATES SO THEY HAVE A DEDICATED LEARNING SPACE.
SO THOSE TEACHERS HAVE THAT HIGH QUALITY ENVIRONMENT THAT OUR STUDENTS NEED.
SO WE KNOW MOVING INTO NEXT YEAR.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOME RENOVATION AND WORK WITH OUR FACILITIES TEAM TO ADD SOME DOORS IN THOSE INTERNAL CLASSROOMS AND THE STAY THE COURSE MODEL REALLY MEANS THAT WE MAY NOT EXPAND ANY MORE PRE-K THREE OPPORTUNITIES FOR 23, 24 AND 24, 25.
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WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO GET EVERY ELIGIBLE FOUR YEAR OLD WE CAN.BUT WHAT THIS DOES IS MEETS OUR MINIMUM LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AND THEN MAINTAINS OUR CURRENT ELIGIBLE PRE-K FOUR ENROLLMENT, WHICH IS ALL WE ARE TECHNICALLY REQUIRED TO DO THROUGH HOUSE BILL THREE.
SCENARIO B IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EXPANSION.
DO I NEED TO STOP MR. GLICK, I'M SORRY, I SAW YOUR HAND GO, ROBERT.
WHEN YOU PROJECTED ABOUT TWENTY NINE HUNDRED POSSIBLE PRE K FOUR, YOU'RE LEAVING THE NUMBER THE SAME.
IS THERE A REASON? JUST BASED ON THAT ORIGINAL SLIDE, THIS ONE SORRY THAT WE AVERAGE SIXTY SIX PERCENT OF OUR ELIGIBLE ENROLLMENT.
THAT MEANS THAT WE AREN'T GOING TO REALLY CAPTURE ANYONE ELSE.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT 800, I THINK EIGHT HUNDRED AND FORTY ELIGIBLE FOUR YEAR OLD'S STILL OUT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THAT'S JUST MAKING AN ASSUMPTION THAT WE AREN'T GOING TO CAPTURE ANYMORE.
AND IS THAT TYPICAL OF OTHER DISTRICTS GETTING ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THE KIDS.
ACCORDING TO COMMIT? YES, IT IS.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY STARTING TO OUTPACE OUR HISTORICAL ENROLLMENT, WHICH IS WHY WE'RE CONTINUING TO ADD THOSE ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS SO WE DON'T SEE AND DR.
WE DON'T SEE A POTENTIAL FOR DECREASING ENROLLMENT.
I KNOW OUR DEMOGRAPHIC REPORT SHOWED THAT TOO THAT, THAT'S AN AREA THAT'S GROWING IS OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD.
SO I'M GOING TO BE HONEST, WE WANT TO WE WANT THEM ALL.
BUT WE JUST KNOW THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE FAMILIES FOR WHATEVER REASON THAT DON'T WANT TO PUT THEIR CHILDREN IN SCHOOL BEFORE KINDERGARTEN, SO.
ARE YOU PLANNING DOESN'T SAY YOU SAID YOU'RE AT TWENTY NINE CAMPUSES WILL IT STAY AT TWENTY NINE CAMPUSES NEXT YEAR BASED ON YOUR PROJECTIONS? NO, WELL, WE'LL HAVE TO MAINTAIN ALL OF OUR EXISTING CLASSROOMS, BUT WE KNOW WE HAVE TO ADD A MINIMUM OF 13 MORE.
WILL THEY BE AT THE SAME SCHOOLS OR YOU'RE GOING TO ADD MORE SCHOOLS? WE WILL MOST LIKELY HAVE TO ADD ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS.
SO THE OTHER THING WE HAVE TO CONSIDER WHEN PICKING THESE LOCATIONS IS HIGH INELIGIBLE ENROLLMENT AREAS.
SO NOT EVERY SINGLE CAMPUS IS IN AN AREA WHERE WE HAVE A HIGH POPULATION OF ELIGIBLE STUDENTS.
WE DO NOT PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FOR PRE-K STUDENTS, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE PICK CLASSROOMS, IT'S NOT JUST AN EMPTY CLASSROOM AT ANY SCHOOL.
WE KNOW THERE ARE SPECIFIC AREAS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHERE WE CAN REACH THE MOST AMOUNT OF ELIGIBLE STUDENTS, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE MORE LIKELY IF THEY'RE IN A WALK ZONE OR IN A VERY CLOSE AREA WHERE THEIR PARENTS CAN DROP THEM OFF AND PICK THEM UP.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE LOOK AT FIRST IS WHEN WE'VE ADDED THESE CLASSROOMS, DR.
HILL, I NEED CLASSROOMS IN THE SOUTH GARLAND AREA.
WE NEED CLASSROOMS IN OFF OF FIREWHEEL PARKWAY IN THAT AREA WHERE WE HAVE A HIGH, POPULATION OF ELIGIBLE STUDENTS.
ARE YOU HAVING ANY PROBLEMS FINDING EMPTY CLASSROOMS? YES.
WHICH IS WHY WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE NEXT SCENARIO AS WELL TOO.
YOU ALWAYS PROVIDE THE BEST TRANSITIONS FOR ME.
AND IS THAT BECAUSE YOU'VE MAXED OUT? WE HAVE BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF WHAT'S AN APPROPRIATE CLASSROOM FOR FOUR YEAR OLD'S, A FIFTH GRADE CLASSROOM OR A CLASSROOM THAT HAS SCIENCE, LAB TABLES, THINGS LIKE THAT.
CAN WE MAKE JUST ABOUT ANYTHING WORK? YES, WE ARE.
BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S THE ABSOLUTE BEST LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE GO FIRST IS, WE DON'T WANT TO PUT FOUR YEAR OLD'S IN A HALLWAY WITH FOURTH GRADERS AND FIFTH GRADERS WHERE THEY'RE REALLY FAR FROM THE RESTROOM AND WE CAN PUT LITTLE CHAIRS AND LITTLE TABLES IN ANY ROOM.
BUT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AN IDEAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
I THINK I HEARD IT SAY WE'RE NOT PROVIDING BUS TRANSPORTATION.
IT'S ALL PARENTS DROPPING OFF.
MAN AND FOR THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE.
IT'S BEEN A REALLY POWERFUL TESTAMENT TO THE COMMUNITY AND WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.
AND I'LL JUST TELL YOU THIS TOO, WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT IT.
ORIGINALLY, WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT PRE-K IN MARCH OF 2020.
WE FELT LIKE SATELLITE LOCATIONS WERE A TEMPORARY MEASURE.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS WONDERING HOW YOU ARE SURVEYING, FINDING OUT WHERE THE DEMAND IS GOING TO BE, WHERE YOU NEED TO OPEN UP SOME NEW CLASSROOMS. CORRECT.
AND WE'RE ALSO FINDING THAT FAMILIES WANT TO PUT THEIR LITTLE ONES WHERE THEIR OLDER CHILDREN MIGHT GO OR WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO GROW INTO KINDERGARTNERS AND FIRST GRADERS ALL THE WAY THROUGH FIFTH GRADE.
SO WE'RE REALLY SEEING THAT FEEDBACK FROM OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL TOO OUR CENTERS ARE AS POPULAR AS EVER.
PARSONS AND CISNEROS DO A FANTASTIC JOB.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT FAMILIES WANT TO GROW UP THEIR SIBLINGS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL.
SO SCENARIO B, WHICH FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS IS EXACTLY WHAT WAS IN SCENARIO A
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BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS SOME BUDGET CONCERNS.OF COURSE, DR. RINGO HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
WE KNOW WE STILL NEED TO MEET THAT LEGAL REQUIREMENT OF ADDING THOSE 13 CLASSROOMS. AND EVEN IF WE WERE NOT IN A DIFFICULT BUDGET SITUATION, WE KNOW THE TIMING FOR DOING ANYTHING AS FAR AS CONSTRUCTION IN A REALLY BIG WAY IS NOT NECESSARILY ON OUR SIDE.
SO WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN SCENARIO B IS LOOKING AT THE 24 25 SCHOOL YEAR AND BEYOND, AND WHAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND IS OPENING UP OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRE-K THREE.
AND IN DOING THAT, WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE ARE GOING TO NEED A SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER AMOUNT OF CLASSROOMS. WE KNOW WE'RE ALREADY SCRAPING THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL AS FAR AS APPROPRIATE VACANT SPACES.
WE FEEL VERY STRONGLY THAT IN ORDER TO DO THIS ON A REALLY LARGE SCALE WAY, WE WOULD NEED THREE NEW ADDITIONAL EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS.
SO THAT COULD LOOK SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYS.
IT COULD POSSIBLY BE RENOVATION OF LOW ENROLLMENT CAMPUSES.
IT ALSO COULD POSSIBLY BE NEW CONSTRUCTION.
BUT NO MATTER WHAT THAT COST A LOT OF DOLLARS AND CENTS.
SO WE WOULD STILL EVEN OPENING THREE NEW CENTERS WOULD NEED TO MAINTAIN 108 CLASSROOMS AT EITHER OUR EXISTING ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES THAT HOST PRE-K RIGHT NOW AND POSSIBLY EXPANDING INTO FURTHER CHILD CARE GROUP PARTNERSHIPS.
SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE BUDGET, OF COURSE, INCREASES CONSTRUCTION COST IS, OF COURSE, TO BE DETERMINED.
BUT WHAT THAT WOULD DO IS BY THE LAUNCH OF THE 25 26 SCHOOL YEAR, GIVE US FIVE PRE-K CENTERS, FIVE TRUE EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS THAT WOULD ADDRESS ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLD'S AND THEN ALSO SPACES FOR ELIGIBLE THREE YEAR OLD'S AND ALL OF OUR POTENTIAL ELIGIBLE FOUR YEAR OLD'S.
IT ALSO GIVES US SPACE SPACE FOR INCLUSION CLASSROOMS, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION IS TO GET OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS AND AN INCLUSION CLASSROOM, WHICH THEIR GENERAL ED PEERS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND AS MUCH AS IS APPROPRIATE FOR THEM.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, THE BUDGET INCREASES WHEN IT COMES TO TEACHER POSITIONS AND PARAPROFESSIONAL POSITIONS.
AS A REMINDER, EVERY GENERAL EDUCATION PRE-K CLASSROOM HAS ONE TEACHER AND ONE PARAPROFESSIONAL, AND THEN OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS HAVE ONE TEACHER AND TWO PARAPROFESSIONALS.
SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE A DIFFERENCE IN THE NUMBER OF TEACHER POSITIONS AND PARAPROFESSIONAL POSITIONS.
YOU MENTIONED THAT ABOUT OUR COMPETITION OR COMPETING DISTRICTS EARLIER.
HOW DOES THIS PLAN OR EXPANSION PLAN COMPARE TO WHAT THEY HAVE IN A WAY OF CAPACITY? DOES THIS MAKE US COMPARABLE OR MAKE US HAVE MORE CAPACITY THAN THOSE SPEAKERS] DISTRICTS? SO WITH THE EXCEPTION OF DALLAS, WHICH IS A LARGER DISTRICT, THE OTHER DISTRICTS ON THAT LIST ARE SMALLER THAN US.
SO I'LL GIVE YOU RICHARDSON, FOR EXAMPLE.
WE'VE BEEN A LOT OF CLOSE COMMUNICATION WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN ON THE ROAD A LITTLE BIT LONGER FOR FULL DAY PRE-K AND ARE ALSO HAVE BEEN ON THE THREE YEAR OLD ROAD A LITTLE BIT LONGER AS WELL, TOO.
AND WHAT THEY DO IN RICHARDSON IS THEY PUT ALL OF THEIR THREE YEAR OLD'S IN EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTERS.
THEY DON'T PUT THEM AT SATELLITE LOCATIONS, AND IT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO US TO BECAUSE OUR CAMPUS PRINCIPALS ARE ALREADY FOR THE MOST PART, AT 29 SCHOOLS OVERSEEING PRE-K FOUR THROUGH FIFTH GRADE.
IT'S A LOT FOR A CAMPUS ADMINISTRATOR, AND PRE-K THREE IS NOT JUST.
AND PRE-K THREE IS NOT AN EXTENSION OF PRE-K FOUR IT'S NOT REPEATING.
IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT TO GET THEM READY FOR THAT NEXT PHASE OF PRE-K FOUR.
SO WE REALLY FEEL LIKE IN LOOKING AT THIS PLAN AND LOOKING AT WHAT DISTRICTS AROUND US DO, HAVING OUR PRE-K, THREE YEAR OLD'S IN A DEDICATED LEARNING SPACE DESIGNED FOR THREE, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT, THERE'S TOILETING GUIDELINES THAT ARE DIFFERENT FOR THREE YEAR OLD'S RATHER THAN FOUR YEAR OLD'S.
NO ONE HAS TO COME TO PRE-K POTTY TRAINED ALL THESE THESE THINGS.
I'VE LEARNED A LOT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS THAT I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH.
WE FEEL LIKE HAVING THOSE PRE-K CENTERS DEDICATED TO OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS WOULD BE A REALLY POWERFUL PIECE TO OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMING.
YOU KNOW, I LOVE THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DISCOVERED OVER TIME IS THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF OUR KIDS ARE COMING TO OUR FIRST GRADE CLASSES AND MAYBE NOBODY'S EVER BEEN ABLE TO READ A BOOK TO THEM OR GET THEM KIND OF UP THE LADDER WITH RESPECT TO ACADEMICS AND SO FORTH, GETTING PREPARED FOR READING AND WRITING AND MATH.
BUT WHENEVER I MEAN, WE'RE LIVING IN THE AGE OF SHORTAGES OF EVERY SINGLE THING, AND WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT HIRING NEW TEACHERS, I'M SITTING HERE GOING, OK,
[00:25:04]
WHERE? HOW? SO IF YOU WOULD JUST ELABORATE FOR ME, OUR PLAN TO BE ABLE TO FILL POSITIONS, ARE WE GOING TO REASSIGN POSITIONS? HOW DO WE DO THIS? SO I THINK IT WILL BE A COMBINATION.SO I'LL USE THE EXAMPLE OF THE SEVEN CLASSROOMS THAT WE OPENED AFTER SCHOOL STARTED.
YOU ALL HAD ALREADY APPROVED THE POSITIONS I ASKED FOR IN JUNE, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY MORE POSITIONS.
SO WE DID REALLOCATE SECTIONS THAT DIDN'T MAKE IN UPPER GRADES TO CREATE POSITIONS FOR PRE-K.
SO HR DID A GREAT JOB OF WORKING WITH US ON THAT, DEPENDING ON HOW YOU ALL FEEL ABOUT EXPANSION BEYOND THIS YEAR.
IT IT WILL LOOK DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT JOB.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE RECRUIT APPROPRIATELY FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHERS, THE STATE REQUIRES DIFFERENT CRITERIA FOR A PRE-K TEACHER THAN THEY DO FOR A REGULAR ELEMENTARY TEACHER.
THEY REQUIRE MORE QUALIFICATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS.
THAT'S HOW IMPORTANT THEY KNOW THIS WORK IS.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REALLY INVEST IN MARKETING THIS PROGRAM TO RECRUIT THE BEST.
BUT KNOWING THAT WE AREN'T LOOKING AT NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, I'M VERY HOPEFUL THAT OUR TEACHER SHORTAGE IT'S GOING TO START TO CLOSE A LITTLE BIT AS WE GET PAST ONE MORE YEAR PAST THIS.
AND THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO WORK, AND WE'VE GOT A REALLY STRONG PROGRAM THAT I THINK WILL WILL THESE TEACHERS NEED TO BE BILINGUAL? NOT ALL OF THEM NO SO OUR DUAL LANGUAGE TEACHERS ARE CERTIFIED BILINGUAL, EITHER IN FOR THE MAJORITY SPANISH, BUT ALSO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF VIETNAMESE PROGRAMS. BUT OUR ESL TEACHERS, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER GARLAND ISD TEACHER, WE REQUIRE EVERY TEACHER TO BE ESL CERTIFIED IN GARLAND ISD.
I'M GOING TO SOON ASSUME WE'RE PRETTY MUCH AT THE QUESTION SESSION AT THIS POINT.
BUT SO AM I UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY THAT THE PRE-K CENTERS ARE GOING TO BE DEVOTED PRIMARILY TO PRE-K THREE? IF THE BOARD CHOOSES TO MOVE IN THE PRE-K THREE DIRECTION, THAT'S WHAT WE FEEL LIKE WE WOULD RECOMMEND.
NOT NECESSARILY ALL FIVE, BUT AT LEAST THE NEW ONES THAT WE ADD WOULD GIVE US ENOUGH DEDICATED SPACE TO MAKE A TRULY THREE YEAR OLD LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
AND DO WE FEEL LIKE THE PRE-K FOUR AND FIVE ARE BETTER SUITED FOR SATELLITE CAMPUSES? OR WOULD THEY ALSO BENEFIT FROM BEING IN A DEDICATED PRE-K CENTER? SO WHAT YOU SEE NOW IN GARLAND ISD IS BOTH.
OUR TWO PRE-K CENTERS ARE INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL.
THEY HAVE A COMMUNITY AND CULTURE THAT IS VERY SPECIFIC TO PARSONS AND CISNEROS.
SO I THINK THERE'S JUST A NEED FOR BOTH.
AND THEN WE ALSO HEAR THE NEED FROM COMMUNITY THAT THEY WANT TO PUT THEIR KIDDOS WHERE THEIR OTHER STUDENTS MAY ALREADY ATTEND.
SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE SEEING THAT NEED FOR CONTINUING SATELLITE LOCATIONS TO SAY, I'VE ALREADY GOT A FOURTH GRADER COMING, I WANT TO BRING MY THREE OR MY FOUR YEAR OLD OVER TO THE SCHOOL AS WELL TOO.
ARE WE GIVING CONSIDERATION FOR THE INDIVIDUAL CAMPUSES THAT HAVE SATELLITE PRE-K PROGRAMS? ARE WE LOOKING AT THE ENROLLMENT TOTALS, LIKE IF A SCHOOL IS KIND OF FULL AND BURSTING AT THE SEAMS AND HAS PRE-K? ARE WE TRYING TO MOVE PRE-K OUT OF THAT? NOT NECESSARILY MOVE IT OUT.
WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S SUSTAINABLE GROWTH.
WE DON'T EVER WANT TO PUT PRE-K IN A PLACE WHERE THOSE STUDENTS ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO REMAIN FOR THE DURATION OF THEIR ELEMENTARY CAREER.
AND YOU'RE PROPOSING WE ADD AN ADDITIONAL THREE PRE-K CENTERS WITH THE OPTION B.
AND UNDER THE OPTION B, THOSE THREE THAT WOULD TAKE US TO FIVE TOTAL, BUT IT STILL AFTER EVERYTHING'S ON BOARDED.
STILL SIXTY FIVE CLASSROOMS THAT ARE SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT AS WELL.
NOW HOW MANY CLASSROOMS DOES PARSONS AND CISNEROS CURRENTLY HAVE? WELL, WE HAVE ONE OF OUR PRINCIPALS HERE RIGHT NOW.
SO WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE CURRENT AVAILABILITY FOR PRE-K CLASSROOMS ARE ALREADY ACCOMMODATED BY THE EXISTING PRE-K CENTERS? OUR PERCENTAGE OF OUR TOTAL ENROLLMENT? YEAH.
I MEAN, JUST HOW MANY CLASSROOMS DO WE HAVE GENERALLY THAT ARE DEVOTED TO PRE-K? DISTRICT WIDE? SO WE HAVE.
SORRY, I CAN'T DO MATH ON THE FLY IN FRONT OF PEOPLE OUT LOUD.
WE HAVE NINETY FIVE TOTAL SATELLITE CLASSROOMS AND THEN WE HAVE THIRTY EIGHT AT CISNEROS AND PARSONS.
ROUGHLY ABOUT 30 PERCENT THEN IS AT THE CENTERS.
ARE WE LOOKING TO TRY TO INCREASE THAT TOTAL AND GET IT TO BE ABOUT 50 50 OR? NOT NECESSARILY.
SO WITHOUT KNOWING, TRULY, BECAUSE WE'VE NOT REALLY ADVERTISED PRE-K THREE.
[00:30:04]
WE JUST KNOW BASED ON OUR UNSOLICITED INTEREST THAT THERE IS INTEREST.WE DON'T KNOW YET WHAT OUR PERCENTAGE OF ELIGIBLE THREE YEAR OLD'S WILL BE.
SO THAT'S WHERE IT'S KIND OF THAT STILL UNKNOWN VARIABLE THAT I CAN'T.
I DON'T THINK EVEN IF WE HAVE FIVE CENTERS AND THEY AVERAGE 19 CLASSROOMS EACH, IT'LL BE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER ON THE CENTER SIDE THAN ON THE SATELLITE SIDE.
BUT IT ALSO DEPENDS ON WHAT THOSE CENTERS LOOK LIKE.
DEPENDING IF WE REPURPOSE SCHOOLS, ONE MAY BE ABLE TO GET 14 CLASSROOMS, ONE MAY BE ABLE TO GET 20 CLASSROOMS OUT OF IT.
I GUESS MY CONCERN IS, IS THAT RIGHT NOW WE'RE SERVICING THE FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADER, NOT FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS, THE PRE-K FOUR AND THE PRE-K FIVE.
AND I FEEL LIKE WE'VE JUST RAMPED THAT PROGRAM UP IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GETTING READY TO DIVE INTO SOMETHING ELSE, POTENTIALLY.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE SOLIDIFIED WHAT WE'RE DOING YET WITH THE PRE-K FOUR AND THE PRE-K FIVE.
AND I'M JUST CONCERNED THAT THESE CENTERS, WHICH MAY BE DOING WONDERFUL WORK OF THESE FOUR AND FIVE YEAR OLD'S RIGHT NOW, ARE GOING TO END UP FOCUSING ON THREE YEAR OLD'S AND WE'RE GOING TO PUSH THESE KIDS OUT TO THE SATELLITE CAMPUSES.
I THINK IT'LL BE A COMBINATION.
I THINK THE IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE IS THAT WE JUST FEEL LIKE THREE YEAR OLD'S WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE AN APPROPRIATE FIT AT OUR SATELLITES.
I DON'T THINK IT NECESSARILY MEANS THAT WE WOULD DISPLACE ANY FOUR YEAR OLD'S WHO ARE AT CENTERS, BUT THE EDUCATION THAT THEY GET AT THE CENTERS AND THE SATELLITES, IT'S THE SAME CURRICULUM.
THE TEACHERS RECEIVE THE SAME TRAINING, THEY GET THE SAME LEVEL OF SUPPORT.
WE WANT OUR PARENTS TO KNOW WHETHER THEY ENROLL AT CISNEROS AND PARSONS OR AT LUNA, THAT THEIR PRE-K EXPERIENCE IS GOING TO BE THE SAME SO FOR THREE YEAR OLD'S RIGHT NOW.
WE ONLY HAVE THEM AT PARSONS IN OUR HEAD START PROGRAM, AND THEN THE REST IS SPECIFIC PROGRAMING THROUGH MONTESSORI AND OUR EMPLOYEE INCLUSION.
SO I DEFINITELY DON'T WANT THE IMPRESSION TO BE THAT WE'RE GOING TO DISPLACE ANY FOUR YEAR OLD'S.
EVERY ELIGIBLE FOUR YEAR OLD WILL HAVE A SEAT IN GARLAND ISD, AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S THE BEST LEARNING ENVIRONMENT POSSIBLE.
I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE AWARE THAT WHEN WE DESIGN THE NATATORIUM, WE ACTUALLY LEFT LAND ON THE OTHER SIDE AND HAVE A MODEL THAT OUR ARCHITECTS DREW OF A PRE-K CENTER.
SO THAT'S POTENTIALLY ONE SITE.
WHAT'S FUNNY TO ME IS WITHOUT SAYING THE WORD THAT FOUR LETTER WORD THAT I'VE REFERRED TO EARLIER THIS EVENING, OK? OR SAYING IF SOME DISTRICT HAPPENED TO HAVE AN EXCESS FUND BALANCE, THERE MIGHT BE WAYS TO BUILD THREE PRE-K CENTERS.
SO I SHOULD NOT BE ON THE FINANCE SIDE.
I MEAN, AT SOME POINT, AT SOME POINT, I MEAN, EITHER THE FUNDS COME OUT OF ONE FUND BALANCE OR THEY COME OUT OF A BOND.
POTENTIALLY THE THIRD OPTION WOULD BE REPURPOSING, BUT THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE FROM WHAT YOU'VE BEEN SAYING.
SO THE QUESTION IS, IS IT EVEN WORTHWHILE TO DO THAT? AND MAYBE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
HOW MANY BUILDINGS DO WE HAVE? HOW MANY? BUT THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING YOU EARLIER ABOUT SPACES AS YOU FILLED UP THIS CLASSROOM WOULD WORK, BUT IT'S REALLY IT WON'T WORK BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT IT NEXT TO FOURTH GRADE AS A FIFTH GRADE.
YOU DON'T WANT A SCIENCE LAB THAT WON'T WORK.
SO THERE'S CERTAIN AREAS IN SCHOOLS THAT WILL WORK CERTAIN WON'T.
AND YOU'LL START RUNNING OUT OF SPACE SOON, APPARENTLY.
AND THEN THE QUESTION IS, WHAT'S THE NEXT STEP? SO THANK YOU, SIR.
YEAH, JUST REAL QUICK AND FOCUSING IN A LITTLE BIT ON YOUR SCENARIO, A AND B PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF THE COST STRUCTURE OF THOSE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS OR THOUGHTS ON THE FUNDING SIDE WHERE THE FUNDING COMES FROM? IF I'M INCORRECT, YOU CAN LET ME KNOW, BUT I THINK WE GET, DO WE GET FULL DAY CREDIT ADA CREDIT FOR FIVE YEAR OLD'S OR FOUR YEAR OLD'S OR THREE YEAR OLD'S? WE DO.
WE ONLY GET HALF DAY FOR PRE-K, SO.
TO PAY TEACHERS FOR A FULL DAY, RIGHT? CORRECT.
SO THERE IS A BIT OF THERE'S GOING TO BE A BIT OF PRESSURE ON THE BUDGET, EVEN IF THERE ARE EXTRA STUDENTS COMING INTO THE SYSTEM, THOUGH IT'S NOT REALLY A FULLY FUNDED STUDENT, PROBABLY.
I DON'T WANT TO GUESS THAT I'M JUST.
THE MORE PRE-KERS THAT ARE IN OUR SYSTEM, ONCE THEY'RE WITH US, THEY USUALLY STAY WITH US.
AND SO OUR COMPETITORS, WHETHER IT BE A NEIGHBORING DISTRICT OR BE A CHARTER SYSTEM, ARE OFFERING THESE PROGRAMS. AND ONCE THE KIDS FALL IN LOVE WITH THE TEACHER, THE SYSTEM, THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE.
WE'RE HOPING TO GET MORE KIDS IN.
SO WE HOPE TO SEE OUR ENROLLMENT GO UP IN KINDER, RIGHT? AND THEN IN FIRST AND THEN THAT'S WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO CAPTURE YOUR ADA ON THE BACK
[00:35:04]
END.SO IT'S A FARM CLUB FARM TEAM TO TAKE A BASEBALL TERM, AND I GET THAT.
I'M NOT SAYING IT'S NOT WORTH IT.
SO WE KNOW WE JUST IT AND MAKING SURE EVERYBODY AT THE BOARD ANYWAY.
AND I KNOW STAFF'S ALREADY AWARE OF IT.
BUT FOR THE BOARD'S PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS NOT COMPENSATED THROUGH.
THERE ARE FORMULAS LIKE FIRST GRADE ON UP, SO YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST CONSIDERATIONS FOR ALL OF THAT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU MAKES SENSE TO ME ON A OR B.
I JUST KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE PROGRAM, I THINK, IS GREAT I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
WE SHOW THEM WHAT A TEAM GISD CAN DO.
AND HOPEFULLY THESE KIDS WON'T HAVE TO EXPERIENCE COVID, BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
BUT I'M JUST I LIKE THE PROGRAM.
I KNOW THAT OUR TEACHERS IN FIRST AND SECOND GRADE, WHEN THEY GRAB A KID THAT'S ALREADY TWO YEARS BEHIND AND THEY'RE ONLY IN THE SECOND GRADE.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO CATCH UP, ESPECIALLY ONCE THEY GET TO FOURTH, FIFTH, SIXTH GRADE IF THEY'RE STILL BEHIND.
SO THIS IS ALL ABOUT GETTING THEM OVER THE BAR BEFORE WE MOVE THEM TO THE NEXT GRADE.
AND IF YOU KNOW THE ACADEMIC RECOVERY PLAN AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, THAT KIND OF GIVES US A CHANCE TO CALL TIME OUT, GET THESE STUDENTS ON THE SIDE AND GIVE THEM SPECIAL TEACHING SO THAT WE CAN CATCH THEM BACK UP, I THINK ALL THOSE THINGS ARE PERFECT FOR THE NEEDS OF OUR DISTRICT.
IF WE LOOK AT OUR DISTRICT, WE LOOK AT THE GRADES, WE LOOK AT THE ACADEMIC GAP AND WE LOOK AT SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE FACE.
ALL THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO HELP US HAVE BETTER RESULTS FOR OUR KIDS IN THE FUTURE.
I THINK THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I'M REALLY WILLING TO PAY FOR.
I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND KIND OF WHAT IT IS SOMEDAY AS SOON AS WE CAN KIND OF PRO FORMA THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT.
ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS AND LET'S NOT GET INTO UNNECESSARY POLITICS, BUT THE PROGRAM THAT CONGRESS IS TALKING ABOUT BUILD BACK BETTER PROGRAM DOES HAVE A MAJOR COMPONENT FOR UNIVERSAL PRE-K THAT WOULD BE FEDERALLY FUNDED.
EVERYTHING I'VE READ, I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT PROGRAM ATTACKED FROM ANYBODY, ANY SIDE SO FAR.
SO IT SEEMS AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE BILL IS GOING TO PASS, YOU COULD CHANGE.
IT SEEMS TO CHANGE DAY AFTER DAY AFTER DAY, BUT ASSUMING THAT IT DOES PASS, I THINK WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF THE FUNDING WE'RE MISSING WILL BE COMING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO UNIVERSALLY GET ALL THOSE KIDS INTO PRE-K.
I MEAN, WE CAN INFER WHAT WE WANT OUT OF THAT, BUT I DO FEEL THAT SAME WAY ABOUT IT, AT LEAST TO GIVE US FULL DAY FUNDING LIKE WE GET FOR EVERY OTHER STUDENT WOULD BE A NICE IMPROVEMENT FOR US HERE IN TEXAS, FOR SURE.
I SAW SOME ESTIMATES AND I THINK IT WOULD.
IT WOULD PICK UP ALL THE DOLLARS WE'RE MISSING ALMOST COMPLETELY FOR ALL THE KIDS YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.
MR. JOHNSON, THIS KIND OF DOVETAILS A LITTLE BIT ON WHAT HE JUST ASKED.
WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT EVERYBODY IN THE DISTRICT GETTING PRE-K THREE, FOUR AND FIVE.
WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT CERTAIN ELIGIBLE STUDENTS GETTING PRE-K THREE, FOUR AND FIVE.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SEATS FOR ELIGIBLE FOUR YEAR OLD'S IS WHAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THROUGH HOUSE BILL THREE.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT THE POTENTIAL NUMBERS ARE FOR ELIGIBLE THREE YEAR OLD'S AS WELL TOO ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA IS BASED ON A HOME LANGUAGE, SO LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH THAT ARE SPOKEN AT HOME MAKES THEM ELIGIBLE AND THEN SOCIOECONOMIC CRITERIA AS WELL.
BY SOCIOECONOMIC CRITERIA IS THE REQUIREMENT EFFECTIVELY IF THEY WOULD QUALIFY FOR FREE OR REDUCED LUNCH? DR.
HEMPHILL IS THAT AN ACCURATE STATEMENT? I KNOW I'M FEELING LIKE.
IT ALSO INCLUDES WHILE SHE'S WALKING, SOME SPECIAL ED, RIGHT? EARLY CHILDHOOD, EARLY CHILDHOOD SECTION, RIGHT? SO IF YOU HAVE SPEECH DELAY OR THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO ONE OF THE CRITERIA WE LOOK FOR IS IF OUR STUDENTS QUALIFY FOR SOME OF THE FOOD PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE, SUCH AS TANF, AND IF THEY HAVE AN ELIGIBILITY NUMBER THAT COMES FROM THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
SO WE ASK FOR THAT AS PROOF OF ELIGIBILITY.
WE ALSO LOOK AT STUDENTS WHO WERE IN FOSTER CARE OR ARE CURRENTLY IN FOSTER CARE.
THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR PRE-K AND STUDENTS OF VETERANS OR OF OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE FAMILIES HAVE RECEIVED THE TEXAS STAR AND THAT IS A RESULT OF THEIR MILITARY SERVICE ALSO
[00:40:03]
ARE ELIGIBLE FOR PRE-K.SO THERE ARE QUITE A FEW CRITERIA THAT'S PRETTY, PRETTY EXPANSIVE PROGRAM IN FULL TRANSPARENCY.
IF WE HAD VACATED SEATS BECAUSE WE COULDN'T FILL THE CLASSROOMS, THEN WE ALLOWED ANYBODY TO GO IN BECAUSE IT'S AN EMPTY SEAT AND IT COST US NOTHING.
SO YOU'LL HEAR US HAVING THE PAST TWO YEARS DURING THE PANDEMIC, OPEN SEATS FOR STUDENTS THAT DON'T TYPICALLY QUALIFY WELL BECAUSE WE PROJECTED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF KIDS, THE FAMILIES CAME OUT AND REACHED OUT AND DIDN'T MEAN THEY'RE NOT IN NEED.
LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN NEED RIGHT NOW IN COVID, BUT WE ALLOWED THEM TO COME IN BECAUSE THE SEAT WASN'T BEING FILLED.
AND WHAT HAPPENS IF NEXT YEAR THERE'S A MANY ELIGIBLE STUDENTS TO FILL THOSE SEATS ARE THOSE ARE THEY OUT? WELL, THEY'LL BE IN KINDERGARTEN AND SO THEY SHOULD BE OK? I MEAN, WHAT IF THEY WERE IN FOURTH? WHAT IF THEY ARE PRE-K FOUR.
PRE-K FOUR? THEN THEY GO TO FIFTH GRADE.
I MEAN, THEY'RE FIVE YEAR OLD'S THEY GO TO KINDER.
SO WE HAVE PRE-K THREE AND PRE-K FOUR FIVE YEAR OLD'S GO TO KINDER.
AND SO THE ONLY PRE-K THREE STUDENTS THAT WE HAD WERE DEFINITELY ELIGIBLE BECAUSE THEY MET THE HEAD START REQUIREMENTS, WHICH ARE EVEN MORE STRINGENT THAN OUR REGULAR ELIGIBILITY.
I MEAN, I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING WITH RESPECT TO THE INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE, AND THE QUESTION I WOULD HAVE IS, I THINK A LOT OF THE PEOPLE WHO I QUOTE HAVE THE OPTIONS TO EITHER CHOOSE OR NOT CHOOSE GISD IN MANY CASES ARE THE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ELIGIBLE FOR THIS.
SO I MEAN, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US MOVE IN A DIRECTION WHERE ALL OUR TAXPAYERS CAN PUT THEIR CHILDREN INTO A PRE-K CENTER, AND I DON'T SEE ANY OF OUR SCENARIOS DEALING WITH THAT, MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S JUST NOT DOABLE.
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR PRE-K EXPANSION TABLE ON HOW WE DO IT, IT WOULD HAVE TO ALSO BE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE FOUR LETTER WORD WE SPOKE TO BEFORE SO WE COULD ADD THOSE ADDITIONAL CENTERS TO WHAT WE HAVE.
BUT WHEN SHE TALKED ABOUT EXPANSION? I JUST WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE EXPANSION AND CREATING FULL DAY CENTERS, THAT MEANS WE WOULD DISPLACE A REGULAR EDUCATION CAMPUS.
THEY WILL GO TO ANOTHER SCHOOL.
WE WOULD HAVE TO GO IN AND WORK ON SOME REQUIREMENTS FOR PRE-K WITHIN THE CLASSROOMS AND THE GUIDELINES AND THEN OPEN IT UP.
AND THAT COULD BE A HUB OR CENTER.
HOWEVER, WE WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT IT.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THOSE TYPE OF TRANSITIONS.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT, THOUGH, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU SENT OUT THE EMAILS LAST YEAR SAYING, HEY, WE HAVE AVAILABLE SEATS.
ANYONE CAN CAN JUMP IN HERE AND GRAB IT.
BUT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS ONLY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT THE STATE HAS DEFINED AS ELIGIBLE ONLY FOR THE THREE AND FOUR YEAR OLD'S THEY'VE DEFINED AS ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROGRAM.
WE ARE NOT PROVIDING UNIVERSAL PRE-K IN THE GARLAND ISD YET.
WE ARE NOT PROVIDING UNIVERSAL PRE-K IN GARLAND ISD.
SO MUCH OF WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, I THINK HAS ALREADY BEEN TOUCHED ON IS THAT I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL THAT WE ARE NOT SAYING I THOUGHT WE WERE DOING UNIVERSAL PRE-K.
SO AND I THINK THAT ESPECIALLY WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT EXPANSION, I'M ALL FOR THIS.
I THINK THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD START GOING TO SCHOOL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
HOWEVER, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE WAIVERS THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TEACHERS IN ALL OF OUR CLASSES AND I THINK ABOUT THE STRUGGLES WE'RE HAVING.
CATCHING THEM EARLY ISN'T ALWAYS THE STRUGGLE.
SO GETTING THEM IN SCHOOL AT THREE AND FOUR.
DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IF WE DON'T HAVE THE TOOLS IN PLACE AND THE TEACHERS IN PLACE ONCE WE IDENTIFY IF THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, DYSLEXIA OR ONE OF THE OTHER MANY ISSUES THAT WE ENCOUNTER THESE DAYS AND THEN CAN QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY START GIVING THEM THE SERVICES THEY NEED BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE LEARNING LOSS BEGINS.
AND THAT'S WHEN ONCE WE GET TO THIRD GRADE AND FOURTH GRADE, IF WE HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED THAT PROBLEM AND GIVEN THEM THOSE TOOLS, THAT'S WHEN WE LOSE THEM.
AND YET YOU CAN HAVE A CHILD THAT'S BEEN IN PRE-K AND BEEN IN SCHOOL SINCE THREE.
BUT IF THEY HAVEN'T BEEN CAUGHT AND DIAGNOSED AND TREATED BY THE TIME THEY GET TO THAT THIRD GRADE, THAT LEARNING LOSS JUST CONTINUES TO GROW.
SO IT'S NOT REALLY JUST A MATTER OF GETTING THEM INTO SCHOOL, IT'S GETTING THEM INTO SCHOOL AND HAVING THE TOOLS AND THE PEOPLE AND THE PROGRAMS AND THE PEOPLE DID
[00:45:01]
I SAY THE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO TEACH THEM AND GIVE THEM THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO MAKE THEM SUCCESSFUL.SO I LOVE THIS AND I LOVE THE EXPANSION IDEA.
I JUST WE REALLY GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT WORK.
AND SO WE'VE GOT TO REALLY PUT OUR THINKING CAPS ON.
WELL, AND MS. STANLEY, YOU BROUGHT UP A GREAT POINT.
AND I MENTIONED IN THIS PRESENTATION THE INCREASED AMOUNT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION IDENTIFICATION, AND THAT'S EXACTLY THE POWERFUL PIECE OF PRE-K IS IT GIVES FAMILIES AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET SUPPORT FOR THEIR STUDENTS WHO NEED IT OR AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.
SO IT'S NOT A NEGATIVE TO SAY THAT OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION NUMBERS ARE INCREASING.
THAT'S A POWERFUL THING TO SAY.
THOSE STUDENTS ARE GETTING HERE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, AND WE'RE GIVING THEM THE SERVICES AND SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING THEIR NEEDS AT THEIR INDIVIDUAL LEVEL.
SO OUR SPECIAL ED TEAM IS JUST SEEING A CONTINUAL ROLLING ENROLLMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE A PLACE FOR THEM.
BACK TO LOPEZ JUST ILLUSTRATED OR DESCRIBED A SCENARIO C THAT SAYS WE WOULD BUILD HUBS FROM EXISTING CAMPUSES, BUT I THINK I HEARD SOMEONE SAY THAT WE ARE.
THAT WOULDN'T BE OUR PREFERRED METHOD.
AND IT MIGHT NOT BE PREFERRED.
BUT IT IS AN OPTION BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE I'VE SEEN IN THIS REPORT THAT THAT WOULD BE SO COST PROHIBITIVE THAT WE COULDN'T CONSIDER IT.
THEN I HEARD WE WANTED TO MOVE OUR KIDS WHERE THEY COULD GROW UP.
AND THEN WHEN WE LOOK OVER TO 23, 24, THEN WE'RE SAYING WE WANT TO EXPAND THREE MORE DEDICATED CHILD CARE CENTERS.
AND THEN WHEN WE ASK THE QUESTION, IT WAS LIKE WE WOULD HAVE BOTH.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME PROJECTED NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH POTENTIAL CAMPUSES THAT WE COULD MODIFY AND PREPARE BECAUSE WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE.
SO WE KNOW THAT WE CAN SEND SOME ELEMENTARY KIDS TO ANOTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHERE THERE'S REALLY APPROPRIATE ROOM FOR THEM.
SO I REALLY THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE BASICALLY A SCENARIO.
THEN WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH FOR NEXT YEAR, WHAT ARE WE SAYING FOR THESE POTENTIAL 13 ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS? I HEARD THAT WE WANT TO CLOSE THE OPEN CLASSROOM CONCEPT THAT WE HAD, AND THAT'S LIMITED TO CERTAIN CAMPUSES, AND SOME OF THOSE MAY BE IN DENSITY AREAS, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF ALL OF THEM ARE BASICALLY THERE.
SO WHERE ARE THESE 13 CLASSROOMS GOING TO COME FROM, FROM NEXT YEAR, EVEN IF YOU WERE IN SCENARIO A, B OR C.
SO I FEEL FAIRLY CONFIDENT THAT WITH SOME CONSTRUCTION, WE CAN COME UP WITH 13 APPROPRIATE CLASSROOMS IN APPROPRIATE AREAS AND APPROPRIATE SCHOOLS FOR NEXT YEAR TO ADDRESS BOTH SCENARIOS.
IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO BE WHAT WE HAD THIS YEAR WHERE WE HAD A MUCH LARGER POOL OF AVAILABLE CLASSROOMS AND EMPTY KINDERGARTEN OR EMPTY FIRST GRADE.
SO I DO FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO FIND THOSE CLASSROOMS. AND THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT AS I READ THE REPORT.
IT'S JUST SOME ADDITIONAL EXPENSE FOR POTENTIAL RENOVATION.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, FUNDING THE ADDITIONAL STAFFING.
THAT'S THE ONLY THING WE COULD DO BETWEEN NOW AND AUGUST ABSOLUTELY.
AND JUST ONE NOTE MS. GRIFFIN ON SCENARIO B, WE DO HAVE CONSTRUCTION TO CONVERT OR CREATE, SO CONVERSION OF EXISTING CAMPUSES IS VERY MUCH, I BELIEVE, STILL ON THE TABLE AS AN OPTION.
I KNOW WHAT'S PREFERRED AND WHAT STATISTICS HAVE SHOWN THAT.
I'M GOING TO HOLD ALL MY OPINIONS INTO MYSELF.
NO, I'M JUST BASED ON WHAT YOU ALREADY PRESENTED.
[00:50:03]
YEAR.WHAT IS OUR PRIORITY? IT'S CLASSROOMS. YES MA'AM.
SO IT'S CLASSROOMS APPROPRIATELY FURNISHED.
WITH QUALIFIED TEACHERS AND PARENTS.
AND FOR CLARIFICATION, WHAT I'M HEARING FROM BOARD MEMBERS IS THAT WHILE WE LIKE TO STAY, THE COURSE EXPANSION WOULD BE PREFERRED.
LET'S EXPLORE A DEEPER PLAN ON EXPANSION, WHAT THAT MEANS WITH COSTS WHERE IT SHOULD BE AT POTENTIAL CONVERSION FROM A CLASSROOM SETTING TO A FULL BLOWN SCHOOL SETTING.
AND WE UNDERSTAND IT WILL BE A LONG RANGE PLAN.
AND YOU KIND OF TOOK MY NEXT COMMENT OUT OF MY MOUTH BECAUSE I DON'T THINK WE'VE SAID ANYTHING CLEARLY.
I THINK WE HAVE JUST VOICED OUR OPINION BECAUSE MY VERY NEXT QUESTION WAS GOING TO BE, HOW DO WE PROCEED? BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD INFORMATION REPORTS BEFORE AND EVERY BOARD MEMBER AROUND HERE HAS ADDED THEIR TWO CENTS.
AND THEN WHEN WE OR MAYBE, IT'S A DOLLAR NOW WE'RE UP TO A DOLLAR.
IS THAT THE NEXT THING WE HEAR IS THAT THIS IS WHAT WE AGREED ON.
SO MY QUESTION WAS GOING TO BE TO YOU, DR.
HOW DO WE PROCEED WITH GIVING DIRECTION FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR IN AS MUCH AS THIS IS AN INFORMATION ITEM? SO ARE WE GOING TO MOVE IT TO AN ACTION ITEM SO THAT THERE'S NO MISCONCEPTION OF WHAT WE DISCUSSED? WE'VE DISCUSSED AN AWFUL LOT.
I THINK EVERYONE AROUND THIS HORSESHOE KNOWS, SEES THE IMPORTANCE OF PRE-K THREE, FOUR FIVE EARLY CHILDHOOD, ALL OF THAT.
BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE A DEFINITE DIRECTION.
AND I AND MAYBE I'LL YIELD TO THE BOARD PRESIDENT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DIRECTING STAFF IN.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE DIRECT IF WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY TAKEN ACTION.
SO I'M JUST SAYING THAT BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THINGS LIKE THIS BEFORE AND WE'D LIKE, NO, THAT'S NOT WHAT I REALLY SAID.
SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE THIS IS CRITICAL.
IT'S A CHANGE FOR WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW WITH FREE AND OPEN AND UNIVERSAL SEATS.
I THINK WE SHOULD PUT A CAVEAT IN ALL OF OUR LITERATURE ON HERE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS QUALIFIED STUDENTS OR STUDENTS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE.
WE CAN'T JUST SAY THIS, AND BECAUSE IF SOMEONE PICKS THIS UP, OR LOOKS AT IT OR DOWNLOAD IT FROM OUR BOARD BOOK, IT DOESN'T SAY BASED ON CRITERIA OR BASED ON ELIGIBILITY.
SO I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING OF A GUIDELINE SO THAT EVERYBODY IS IS CLEAR BECAUSE WE WERE CONFUSED AS WE STARTED LOOKING AT IT AND READING IT SO.
SO THE WAY WE ALWAYS DO OUR PRE-K IS WE START OFF WITH WHAT'S ON THE TABLE FOR, SO THE BOARD GETS IT IN BITE SIZED CHUNKS.
WHAT WE'VE AVOIDED IN THIS PLAN IS COMING IN WITH EVERYTHING AT ONE TIME.
RIGHT? SO IF WE WERE COMING IN WITH ADMINISTRATIVE RECOMMENDATION, I JUST WANT YOU ENVISION WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE THIS SCHOOL AND CONVERT IT TO PRE-K AND DO THIS.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN IT'S LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? THESE ARE BITE SIZED CHUNKS.
I THINK WE ALL FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE WITH SCENARIO B.
WE'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH A PLAN FOR SCENARIO B.
WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT A FEASIBILITY AND THEN WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS.
YEAH, THERE'S GOING TO YEAH, THE CONVERSION IS PART OF B AS WELL, TOO.
SO THEN ONCE WE COME IN, WE'LL DISCUSS IT WITH THE BOARD AND THEN WE'LL GET MORE FEEDBACK AS WE MASSAGE IT.
THEN WE'LL KNOW HOW MANY TEACHERS WE WOULD HAVE TO ADD STRATEGICALLY WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE PLACING IT AND MS. STANLEY TO GO WITH THE QUESTION BEFORE THAT.
THEN AS WE GO FOR WHAT WE NORMALLY DO WITH PRE-K IS WE TRY TO APPROVE THOSE POSITIONS BEFORE THE BUDGET.
SO THEN THAT WAY THEY CAN GET SUMMER TRAINING.
OTHERWISE, WE HAVE TO WAIT TILL JULY FOR THEM TO GET HIRED.
AND IT'S A SHORT RUNWAY INTO AUGUST, OK TO GET THEM HIRED, TO GET THEM TRAINED AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
SO FOR THESE TYPE OF PROJECTS, WE TRY TO GET SOME RUNWAY AND THEN MR. OR AS DR.
RINGO STARTS TWITCHING AND SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE, THIS IS THIS IS.
WHERE ARE WE GOING WITH THIS? AND SO IT'S A LOT OF FUN.
IT'S A LOT OF LOGISTICS, BUT WE'RE GOING, THIS IS GOING TO BE THE FIRST SCENARIO TO
[00:55:03]
OUR EXPANSION.THE REASON WHEN WE PUT THE STAY THE COURSE.
THIS IS WHAT THE BOARD WAS SAYING INITIALLY.
NOW I WILL SAY CAVEAT BECAUSE OF COVID AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
ONCE AGAIN, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO FILL THE SEAT.
SO IT DOES GET CONFUSING THAT WE HAVE UNIVERSAL BECAUSE WE WEREN'T ABLE TO FILL ALL THE SEATS.
NOT EVERYBODY'S COMFORTABLE WITH BRINGING THEIR KIDS DURING THE COVID YEARS.
WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE A LOT OF FAMILIES THAT JUST SAID, HEY, WE'RE HAVING A HARD TIME MAKING ENDS MEET.
IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING OUR KID IN, CAN WE? AND WE SAID, ABSOLUTELY.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE EVEN DENIED ANYBODY BECAUSE WE HAD THAT MANY CHAIRS LEFT.
SO THAT'S A VERY POSITIVE THING.
AND I NEED TO COMMEND BABETTA AND DR.
HEMPHILL, BECAUSE IT'S MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
SELDERS THIS TO ME, IS NOT A BITE SIZE.
BECAUSE ONCE WE SAY WE'RE MOVING IN SCENARIO B.
IT'S MULTIPLE YEARS, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL SAYING THE SAME THING BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FROM US IS ONE OR THE OTHER OF THESE SCENARIOS, WHICH IS OVER A FOUR YEAR PERIOD.
SO ONCE WE START THE COURSE, WE HAVE TO STAY ON THAT COURSE UNLESS SOMETHING MAJOR CHANGE.
SO THAT'S WHY I SAY, WHAT IS THE ACTION THAT'S NEXT FOR THE BOARD.
YEAH, I WAS GOING TO ADDRESS MS. GRIFFIN'S QUESTION.
I THINK DR. LOPEZ DID IT IS BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, THE GUIDANCE WE GIVE THE STAFF IS REALLY GUIDANCE THAT WE'RE GIVING TO DR.
I THINK HE'S BEEN TAKING NOTES ON THE COMMENTS THAT HE'S HEARD AROUND HERE.
HE SUMMARIZED IT PRETTY WELL AS TO WHAT HIS GUIDANCE IS GOING TO BE TO STAFF.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET.
LET ME SEE, IS THIS AN INFORMATION ITEM? IT'S AN INFORMATION ITEM.
YEAH, THIS IS AN INFORMATION ITEM.
SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GET IS WE'RE GOING TO GET A PLAN NEXT.
AND THEN THEORETICALLY, THAT PLAN WILL BECOME AN ACTION ITEM IF ENOUGH BOARD MEMBERS AGREE TO IT.
SO, YEAH, I THINK THERE'S STILL ROOM TO HONE THIS DOWN.
AND I THINK IT'S BEEN REAL GOOD THAT EVERYBODY HAS BEEN ABLE TO VOICE ANY CONCERNS THEY HAVE ON IT OR OPINIONS.
AND AND I THINK STAFF SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE ESSENTIALLY WHAT I'VE HEARD AROUND THE TABLE TONIGHT IS THAT WE WILL BE BACK.
YOU KNOW, THIS PLAN B, THIS EXPANSION PLAN AND THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A MATTER NOW MAKING SURE ALL THE NUMBERS WORK AND ALL THE LOGISTICS OF THIS WORK, WHICH IS PART OF THE PLAN THAT THEY'LL PUT TOGETHER FOR US.
SO IF THAT COVERS THE THE ISSUES, YOU HAD MS. GRIFFIN AND THEN I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'LL SEE NEXT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. GLICK.
SHOULD THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DECIDE TO FUND THIS, AND I THINK THEY WILL.
WHAT I'VE HEARD IS TALK MORE OF UNIVERSAL IN TERMS OF THE FEDERAL FUNDING.
SO THE NUMBERS YOU'VE GIVEN US OF THE TWENTY EIGHT THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED ELIGIBLE.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA AT ALL OF TOTAL POPULATION? I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU.
I DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT NOW, BUT WE CAN'T GET THAT FOR YOU.
AND JUST ONE MORE NOTE FROM ME.
SORRY, I KNOW THIS HAS RAN A LITTLE BIT LONG, BUT I WOULD JUST LOVE TO ENCOURAGE YOU ALL AS YOU'RE OUT VISITING CAMPUSES TO REFERENCE THIS LIST AND VISIT SOME OF OUR PRE-K CLASSROOMS. YOUR SUPPORT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE, BUT I AM CONSTANTLY AMAZED BY THE WORK I'M SEEING WITH OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS.
EVERYTHING MR. MILLER, YOU REFERENCE THE ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PLAN, EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THAT PLAN THAT'S FOCUSED ON SMALL GROUP INSTRUCTION AND PERSONALIZED LEARNING.
THAT PLAN IS FOR K THROUGH EIGHT, BUT WE'RE SEEING THOSE SAME STRATEGIES IN PRE-K AND OUR TEACHERS ARE DOING ABSOLUTELY AMAZING THINGS WITH STUDENTS WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN IN SCHOOL BEFORE.
SO I JUST WANT TO REALLY GIVE A CREDIT TO OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND OUR TEACHERS WHO HAVE JUST JUMPED INTO THIS WHOLEHEARTEDLY AND ENCOURAGE YOU ALL.
IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE TO VISIT PRE-K, YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING.
WE'LL, NOW MOVE TO INFORMATION ITEM C MONTHLY GOAL PROGRESS UPDATE FOR 2021 MAP BOY AND Q1 CBA'S DR.
[01:00:06]
I PROMISED DR. CADDELL THIS MORNING THAT IN JANUARY, I WILL PICK UP MY PEN TO FINISH MY DISSERTATION, SO I WILL BE DR.JOYNER SOONER THAN LATER, I PROMISE.
THEN I WON'T BE THE ONLY ONE COMING UP WITHOUT A DOCTORATE, SO.
COMMITTEE CHAIR SELDERS, BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND DR.
TONIGHT I'M GOING TO BE PRESENTING THE QUARTER ONE ASSESSMENT DATA REVIEW.
THIS PRESENTATION WAS ORIGINALLY PLANNED FOR THE NOVEMBER DAC THAT WAS CANCELED BECAUSE OF OUR SACHSE HIGH SCHOOL BAND GOING TO STATE WHICH THAT WAS VERY EXCITING.
SO HENCE THE DELAY IN THE REPORTING.
THE PURPOSE OF THE MONTHLY REPORTING IS TO ENSURE THAT YOU ALL HAVE A SENSE OF PROGRESS MONITORING OF OUR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.
THIS PRESENTATION REVIEWS OUR CURRICULUM BASED ASSESSMENTS AND MAP CURRICULUM BASED ASSESSMENTS START AT 3RD GRADE, WITH AN EXCEPTION IN MATH, WHERE IT DOES DIP DOWN INTO SECOND GRADE.
SOCIAL STUDIES ASSESSMENTS THOSE ARE ISOLATED TO SECONDARY GRADES FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
THESE ASSESSMENTS ARE ALIGNED TO OUR TEKS OR OUR ACADEMIC STANDARDS, AS OUTLINED BY OUR DISTRICT CREATED SCOPE AND SEQUENCE DOCUMENTS.
ASSESSMENTS ARE FORMATIVE IN NATURE, MEANING THAT OUR TEACHERS TAKE THE DATA AND THEY MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS IN THEIR PLCS OR THEIR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES AS ASSESSMENTS ARE GIVEN.
AS MENTIONED BEFORE, MAP IS A NORM REFERENCE ASSESSMENT.
WE USE K THROUGH EIGHT READING AND MATH, SO A STUDENT IS NOT ASSESSED ON THE SAME EXACT QUESTION AS THEIR PEERS.
RATHER, THE LEVEL OF QUESTIONS ADAPT BASED ON A STUDENT'S RESPONSES.
WHILE CAMPUSES AND TEACHERS ARE REFLECTING AND ACTING ON THIS DATA, THE DEPARTMENT OF TEACHING AND LEARNING AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS OF LEADERSHIP ALL MONITOR THE DATA AND WORK WITH CAMPUS PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS TO ADDRESS AREAS OF CONCERN.
THIS HELPS KEEP OUR ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PLAN IN MOTION.
IN SEPTEMBER, I SHARED THE MAP RESULTS IN A PRESENTATION, AS WELL AS PROVIDED AN ADDITIONAL VIEW OF THE DATA IN BOARD INSIGHT WRITE UP AS PART OF TONIGHT'S BOARD PACKET.
YOU ALSO HAVE A LONGITUDINAL VIEW OF THE MAP RESULTS AS THEY RELATE TO VARIOUS STUDENT GROUPS.
SO THIS WAS A DOCUMENT THAT MR. SELDERS AND I SPOKE ABOUT, AND HOPEFULLY THAT HELPS LOOK AT THE MAP DATA IN A DIFFERENT VIEW.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE ARE AGGREGATE RESULTS OF ALL OF THE GRADE LEVELS.
YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THAT THE FORMAT FOLLOWS THAT OF THE HOUSE BILL THREE REPORTS THAT WERE PRESENTED TO YOU IN OCTOBER.
IT'S MY HOPE THAT IN PROVIDING DATA IN A TEMPLATE OF SORTS, IT WILL HELP WITH THE CONTINUITY BETWEEN ASSESSMENT PROGRAMS AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CURRICULUM BASED ASSESSMENT MAP STAAR JUST HAVING A TEMPLATE TO PRESENT TO YOU ALL WILL JUST HELP WITH THAT CONTINUITY.
AND LASTLY, THE PRESENTATION IS FORMATTED BASED ON THE BOARD GOAL REFRESH THAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU BY DR.
LOPEZ ON THE OCTOBER 27TH WORK SESSION.
I KNOW THAT YOU ALL DECIDED TO REVIEW THE TARGETS AT A LATER DATE, SO PLEASE KNOW THAT THE TARGETS IN THIS PRESENTATION ARE STILL BASED ON THAT REFRESH RECOMMENDATION, BUT CAN BE ADJUSTED AS SOON AS YOU ALL VOTE ON YOUR NEW TARGETS.
SO THIS FORMAT OF THE SITE AGAIN SHOULD LOOK VERY, VERY FAMILIAR TO YOU.
DURING THAT OCTOBER 27TH WORK SESSION, DR.
LOPEZ PRESENTED A DIFFERENT WAY OF VIEWING THE DATA FROM A SAME SOURCE.
SO MEANING THAT WE CAN USE A STAAR DATA TO LOOK AT IT FROM A PERFORMANCE LENS OR LOOK AT IT FROM A GROWTH LENS OR THAT STAAR PROGRESS MEASURE BECAUSE STAAR IS A ONE TIME DEAL.
WHAT I'VE TRIED TO DO HERE IS ALIGN OR TIE ASSESSMENTS THAT WE GIVE MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR TO THE TARGETS THAT YOU MAY POTENTIALLY VOTE ON LATER.
THE SOLID LINE SHOWS STAAR PERFORMANCE IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
THE DOTTED LINES NOTES THE PERFORMANCE TARGETS THAT WERE PART OF THAT BOARD GOAL REFRESH PRESENTATION.
YOU'LL NOTICE A LITTLE STAR ON THERE IS CURRENT YOUR PROGRESS.
SO WHEN I COME BACK TO YOU WITH QUARTER TWO ASSESSMENTS, THAT STAR WILL MOVE DEPENDING ON THE AGGREGATE DATA FROM QUARTER TWO.
SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT A ONE THAT LITERACY PERFORMANCE AT MEETS GRADE LEVEL.
THIRTY THREE PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS PERFORM AT MEETS GRADE LEVEL AND NOTICE THAT OUR TARGET FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR IS FORTY SIX PERCENT.
LOOKING AT A TWO SO LITERACY GROWTH THAT STAAR PROGRESS MEASURE, FIFTY SIX PERCENT OF STUDENTS MET THEIR EXPECTED GROWTH ON MAP AS COMPARED TO THE 70 PERCENT TARGET FOR SPRING 2022 TESTING OUR CURRICULUM TEAM WORKS DILIGENTLY TO ENSURE THAT THEY CREATE ASSESSMENT ITEMS THAT ARE ALIGNED TO THE RIGOR OF STAAR.
OUR EDUPHORIA PLATFORM DOES PROVIDE SOME TEST ANALYTICS.
[01:05:03]
SO THE COORDINATORS ARE ABLE TO REVIEW THAT AND ADJUST ASSESSMENTS BASED ON ITEM STATISTICS, RELIABILITY, RAW SCORE, DISTRIBUTION, SO ON AND SO FORTH.ALL THAT BEING SAID, I DO WANT TO NOTE OR JUST BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT CBAS ARE NOT ALL ENCOMPASSING.
THEY'RE SNIPPETS OF THE TEKS THAT ARE ASSESSED AT THAT MOMENT IN TIME BASED ON THE CURRICULUM.
OK, SO JUST I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S VERY CLEAR.
THIS SLIDE TAKES THAT DATA FROM THE PREVIOUS SLIDE AND DISAGGREGATES IT BY GRADE LEVEL AGAIN, VERY, VERY SIMILAR TO THE SLIDES THAT YOU ALL SAW ON OCTOBER 27TH.
WHAT WAS ADDED HERE SO YOU HAVE THE AQUA THAT IS A STUDENT PERFORMANCE ON SPRING 2021 STAAR.
THAT COBALT BLUE IS THE STUDENT PERFORMANCE ON CBAS.
WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A ONE AND THEN STAAR GROWTH WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING OR OR NOT STAAR GROWTH MAP GROWTH WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT MAP.
I'D LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE GROWTH CHART.
NOTE THAT GRADE THREE AND GRADE FOUR DO NOT HAVE STAAR DATA.
THIRD GRADE WE'LL NEVER HAVE A STAAR PROGRESS MEASURE BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST YEAR OF THAT TESTING PROGRAM.
FOR 2021 FOURTH GRADERS DON'T HAVE THAT STAR PROGRESS MEASURE BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T TAKE AN ASSESSMENT IN SPRING OF 2020.
SO IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS, LIKE WHY ARE SOME OF THESE MISSING A BAR? THAT'S WHY, IN ADDITION, ENGLISH ONE ALSO DOES NOT HAVE A STAAR PROGRESS MEASURE BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THE RLA OR READING LANGUAGE ARTS GROWTH STARTS OVER.
SO WE DON'T SEE THAT PROGRESS MEASURE UNTIL ENGLISH, TWO.
AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY MAP RESULTS FOR ENGLISH ONE OR ENGLISH TWO BECAUSE WE DON'T PUSH MAP INTO HIGH SCHOOL.
ON THIS SLIDE I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT GRADE LEVEL TO GRADE LEVEL COMPARISONS DO SHOW THAT OUR STUDENTS IN GRADES FIFTH THROUGH SEVENTH ARE SHOWING INCREASED GROWTH LEVELS COHORT TO COHORT.
SO LAST YEAR'S FIFTH GRADERS ARE PERFORMING AT THE SAME GROWTH RATE, WHILE LAST YEAR'S SIXTH AND SEVENTH GRADERS ARE SHOWING INCREASED GROWTH LEVELS.
THESE SLIDES NOTE THE DATA FOR MATHEMATICS.
AGAIN, THE STAAR DENOTES THE PERFORMANCE ON CURRICULUM BASED ASSESSMENTS FOR B1 AND MAP GROWTH FOR THAT SHOULD SAY B2.
WE'VE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH THAT MATHEMATICS IS THE BIGGEST AREA OF CONCERN ACROSS THE NATION.
THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE THAT GAP, AND WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS CURRICULUM COORDINATORS THAT ARE LEADING THAT CHARGE.
SO TRACI VICKERY AND KIM WEBB LEADING THAT CHARGE ON HOW WE'RE REALLY GOING TO CLOSE THESE GAPS FOR OUR STUDENTS IN MATHEMATICS.
AND WHILE MAP GROWTH DOES NOT EQUAL A STUDENT BEING ON GRADE LEVEL, THAT 57 PERCENT JUMP IS A TREMENDOUS SIGN OF PROGRESS.
SO I'M PRETTY ANXIOUS TO SEE HOW OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO PERFORM ON MIDDLE OF THE YEAR MAP BECAUSE THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES.
BUT IF IT'S ANY INDICATION ON HOW STUDENTS WILL BE DOING ON STAAR, YOU SEE WE HAD THE STAAR PERFORMANCE AT TWENTY SIX PERCENT FOR GROWTH AND STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY OR AT BOY WE'RE PERFORMING AT THAT 57TH PERCENTILE? OK, MOVING INTO THE DISAGGREGATED DATA, THIS AGAIN IS DISAGGREGATED BY GRADE LEVEL.
NOW WHEN I SPOKE TO YOU ALL JULY OF 2021, I SHARED THE BIGGEST CONCERN, RIGHT? JUST THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM WAS THAT GRADE SEVEN MATH.
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF VARIABLES AS TO WHY STUDENTS IN SEVENTH GRADE PERFORMED SO POORLY.
A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER IS THAT IN SEVENTH GRADE, THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE A LOT OF HIGH PERFORMING STUDENTS TAKING ALGEBRA ONE, SO WE'RE TAKING THOSE KIDDOS OUT OF THE MIX.
ALSO, SEVENTH GRADE HAD THE LOWEST PARTICIPATION RATE WHEN IT CAME TO COMING TO SCHOOL AND TAKING STAAR.
AND ALSO WHEN WE DID, WHEN WE HAD STAAR, WE STILL DIDN'T KNOW THAT STUDENTS THEIR PERFORMANCE OR NOT COMING TO SCHOOL AND NOT PARTICIPATING IN STAAR WAS GOING TO MANIFEST IN HOUSE BILL 4545.
SO HAD STUDENTS HAD JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT CONSEQUENCE PIECE.
THIS IS SHOWING US THAT GRADE LEVEL TO GRADE LEVEL COMPARISON AND COHORT TO COHORT.
WE ARE COMING OUT OF THAT BIG DIP THAT WE SAW IN SEVENTH GRADE.
AND LASTLY, I'M TALKING ABOUT EOC OUR END, OF COURSE, WHICH BY THE WAY, TODAY WE DID ENGLISH ONE EOC FOR THE DECEMBER TESTING WE HAD ABOUT TWELVE HUNDRED KIDDOS
[01:10:06]
TAKE THE ASSESSMENT TODAY.AGAIN, NOT PART OF THIS PRESENTATION, BUT IT JUST SO THAT YOU GOING ON THIS WEEK.
SO THIS END OF COURSE, SLIDE DOES EXCLUDE THE GROWTH MEASURE BECAUSE WE DO NOT ADMINISTER MAP AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
SO I CAN'T GIVE YOU A COMPARISON ON STUDENT GROWTH BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE AN ASSESSMENT TOOL THAT MEASURES THAT.
OUR CBA DATA DOES SUGGEST THAT ALGEBRA ONE AND BIOLOGY STUDENTS ARE PERFORMING AT A GREATER RATE AS COMPARED TO THEIR PEERS THAT TESTED STAAR DURING THE SPRING 2021 SEASON.
WE DO NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE SUPPORT OF OUR RLA AND OUR U.S.
HISTORY STUDENTS TO ENSURE THAT THEY DON'T SEE GREATER DIPS AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THE YEAR.
SO ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU ALL TONIGHT? TRUSTEES ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
MS. JOYNER, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND HOW YOU STRUCTURED IT SO THAT IT MADE MORE SENSE FOR TRUSTEES AND IT'S AT A GLANCE AND THAT WE HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED AT OUR FINGERTIPS.
AND AGAIN, I KNOW THAT IT'S FORMATTED IN THAT REFRESH THAT YOU HAVE NOT YET APPROVED.
BUT MAYBE THIS GIVES YOU A SENSE OF LIKE, OK, NOW I CAN SEE HOW WE WOULD TAKE OUR DATA AS WE HAVE IT.
AND IT'S NOT JUST HYPOTHETICAL.
NOW YOU'RE SEEING IT TRULY AS AS YOU'RE RECEIVING THESE RESULTS.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE NOW GOING TO MOVE TO SECTION FIVE.
[V. Agenda Items for Board of Trustees’ Meeting December 2021 ]
THESE ARE AGENDA ITEMS FOR OUR DECEMBER 2021 MEETING ACTION ITEMS. NUMBER ONE FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE DECEMBER 14TH 2021 REGULAR MEETING, WE'RE GOING TO CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 2022, 2023 AND 2023 2024 SCHOOL YEAR.WELL, THAT IS CERTAINLY A MOUTHFUL, SO FEEL FREE TO JUMP IN ANY TIME IN MY PRESENTATION WHEN I NEED TO REPEAT THAT.
SO MR. SELDERS COMMITTEE MEMBERS, TRUSTEES DR.
LOPEZ AND HONORED GUESTS WHO HAVE WAITED FOR THIS PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE TODAY.
IT'S WITH GREAT EXCITEMENT AND ANTICIPATION THAT I COME BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WITH SOME OF MY FRIENDS TO SHARE OUR ACADEMIC CALENDAR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE 2022 23 AND THE 2023 24 ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEARS.
IN ADVANCE OF THIS EVENING'S PRESENTATION THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WAS PROVIDED VIA YOUR BOARD PACKET.
A FULL LIST OF CALENDAR COMMITTEE MEMBERS BY GROUP REPRESENTATION, A DRAFT COPY OF TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION, WHICH HAS CHANGED SLIGHTLY.
AND SO WE'LL GO OVER THOSE CHANGES.
INTERCESSION OUTCOMES EXECUTIVE SUMMARY DOCUMENTS FROM LAST SCHOOL YEAR, AS WELL AS THIS CURRENT FALL.
FULL PAGE VIEWS OF THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THERE WERE TWO PER ACADEMIC YEAR.
A COMMUNITY CALENDAR SURVEY RESPONSES TO OUR SURVEY AND ALSO DEIC FEEDBACK ON THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO PREVIEW.
PLEASE KNOW FOR EVERYONE IN THE ROOM AND EVERYONE WATCHING TONIGHT'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND NEXT WEEK'S VOTE HAVE NO IMPACT ON OUR CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR.
ALL OF THESE CHANGES WILL GO INTO EFFECT AUGUST OF 2022.
WE WILL BE CONTINUING WITH WINTER INTERCESSION IN JANUARY.
SPRING INTERCESSION IN MARCH OF 2022.
AND SUMMER INTERCESSION IN JUNE OF 2022.
FIRST, I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T START WITH SOME ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND RECOGNITIONS.
THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE LEADS, AS YOU SEE HERE LISTED ON THE SCREEN, COLLABORATED TO ESTABLISH THE TIMELINE, SET DISTRICT EXPECTATIONS AND GUARDRAILS, AND PROVIDE OVERALL LEADERSHIP FOR THE CALENDAR RECOMMENDATION DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
THE PROJECT WAS ACTUALLY MODELED AFTER OUR RECENT SOUTH GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL MASCOT TIMELINE AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT RECOMMENDATION.
OUR SUBCOMMITTEE FACILITATORS, REPRESENTING A VARIETY OF DEPARTMENTS AND DIVISIONS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION, ASSISTED OUR CALENDAR SUBCOMMITTEES WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CALENDAR RECOMMENDATIONS.
THIS WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE FIRST TIMES THAT I'VE SERVED ON THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE SINCE JOINING THE DISTRICT BACK IN 2004.
THAT CALENDAR OPTIONS WERE NOT PROVIDED AT THE FIRST MEETING.
OUR TIME AT OUR FIRST MEETING WAS SPENT SHARING DISTRICT GUARDRAILS AND SAYING, NOW YOU ALL DEVELOP THE CALENDARS, SO I'M REALLY EXCITED WITH WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE SHARING TONIGHT.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, THE TRUE DECISION MAKERS OF THIS WORK ARE FIFTY EIGHT COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS REPRESENTED THE VOICES OF OUR STUDENTS, PARENTS,
[01:15:03]
COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS LEADERS, TEACHERS, CAMPUS ADMINISTRATORS AND DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS.YOU'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY THIS EVENING TO HEAR FROM REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR SUBCOMMITTEES IN JUST A FEW SLIDES.
THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE DEVELOPED RECOMMENDATIONS IN AN AGGRESSIVE TIMELINE MEETING FIVE TIMES BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 29TH AND NOVEMBER 3RD.
CALENDAR COMMITTEE'S WERE HELD VIRTUALLY AND MEMBERS HAD HOMEWORK IN BETWEEN EACH MEETING TO SOLICIT FEEDBACK FROM THEIR CIRCLES OF INFLUENCE THROUGHOUT THE CALENDAR DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
ONCE THE COMMITTEE DEVELOPED THE CALENDAR RECOMMENDATIONS, THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE SHARED WITH OUR ENTIRE GISD COMMUNITY THROUGH A DISTRICT WIDE SURVEY DISTRIBUTED IN ENGLISH, SPANISH AND VIETNAMESE.
INFORMATION ABOUT SURVEY PARTICIPATION WILL ALSO BE SHARED IN AN UPCOMING SLIDE.
FINALLY, THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS AND COMMUNITY SURVEY INPUT WAS PROVIDED TO OUR DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL OR DEIC, FOR THEIR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION PRIOR TO BRINGING IT TO YOU THIS EVENING.
BEFORE THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE STARTED THEIR WORK TO DEVELOP THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
THEY WERE PROVIDED WITH DISTRICT GUARDRAILS.
THINK OF THESE AS NON-NEGOTIABLES.
THE GUARDRAILS INCLUDED A MINIMUM OF SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES AS REQUIRED BY TEXAS EDUCATION CODE.
A MINIMUM OF 180 INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS FOR STUDENTS AND ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY SEVEN CONTRACT DAYS FOR TEACHERS.
WE KNEW AFTER LAST WINTER'S WINTER EVENT THAT WE ALSO HAD TO EMBED TWO BAD WEATHER MAKEUP DAYS.
THEY'RE, EMBEDDED AS SCHOOL HOLIDAYS UNLESS WE EXPERIENCED BAD WEATHER DAYS AND NEEDED TO TRANSITION THOSE TO SCHOOL DAYS.
AND WE KNEW THAT THERE WOULD BE NO CHANGES TO OUR CURRENT SCHOOL START AND END TIMES, WHICH MEANS THAT STUDENTS RECEIVE FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES DURING A TYPICAL SCHOOL DAY.
IN ADDITION, COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE PROVIDED LINKS TO REVIEW OTHER CALENDAR DEVELOPMENT GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS, SUCH AS BOARD POLICY, OUR DISTRICT OF INNOVATION STATUS AND TESTING, AND UIL GUIDANCE.
SO AT THIS TIME, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE RECOMMENDATIONS, I'D REALLY LIKE YOU TO HEAR FROM OUR SUBCOMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES JOINING US TONIGHT.
WE HAVE JOSHUA KUBIK AND ELEVENTH GRADE STUDENT AT NORTH GARLAND HIGH SCHOOL.
FINGERS CROSSED, DRUM MAJOR NEXT YEAR, OUR PARENT REPRESENTATIVE MS. JENNIFER STETTIN, OUR TEACHER, REPRESENTATIVE, MS. MELODY SAWASAKI I GOT IT RIGHT, FROM SACHSE HIGH SCHOOL AND OUR ADMINISTRATIVE REPRESENTATIVE WHO CAME ON THE PERFECT NIGHT DISCUSSING THE PRE-K EXPANSION.
MS. DISA MCEWEN OUR PRINCIPAL AT PARSONS PRE-K.
AND JOSHUA, I'M GOING TO TURN THE MIC OVER TO YOU FIRST.
GOOD EVENING, SO MY NAME IS JOSH.
JUST TO BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE, I JOINED BECAUSE I WAS REALLY FRUSTRATED WITH HOW THE CURRENT CALENDAR WORKS FOR FINE ARTS.
I'VE BEEN IN BAND ALL THREE YEARS IN HIGH SCHOOL.
I DID IT LAST YEAR THROUGH COVID.
BUT OUR FINE ARTS ARE WORKING IN SPITE OF OUR ACADEMIC CALENDAR, EVEN WITH SACHSE'S SUCCESS.
THEY'RE WORKING WITH A CALENDAR THAT DOESN'T WORK FOR THEM.
SO THAT'S WHAT REALLY PUSHED ME TO JOIN THE CALENDAR, TO APPLY FOR THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE.
AND ULTIMATELY, WE CAN ALL SEE MUCH GREATER SUCCESS DISTRICT WIDE, IF WE HAVE A CALENDAR THAT WORKS WITH US INSTEAD OF AGAINST US.
AND WHAT REALLY WORKED AGAINST US IS HAVING THE INTERCESSION AND HAVING A REALLY EARLY START TIME BECAUSE UIL HAS VERY SPECIFIC GUIDELINES WITH HOW YOU CAN LEARN AND DO CERTAIN THINGS.
AND WHENEVER WE START SO EARLY, WE'RE RESTRICTED IN WHAT WE CAN DO.
SO THAT'S WHAT REALLY PUSHED ME TO JOIN THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE.
AND FURTHERMORE, AS I STARTED TO THINK ABOUT HOW THE CURRENT CALENDAR WORKS, IT REALLY DOESN'T MAKE A TON OF SENSE ONCE YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT, ESPECIALLY WHENEVER INTERCESSION DOESN'T REACH ALL THE STUDENTS THAT IT NEEDS TO REACH.
IT COSTS US MORE MONEY THAN WE'RE GETTING IN SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING FROM THE STATE.
AND THEN WE'RE STILL HAVING SUMMER SCHOOLS FOR THINGS LIKE AMS AND MST.
IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE MUCH SENSE TO SPEND ALL THIS EXTRA MONEY, ALL THIS EXTRA EFFORT, AND THEN ALSO HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON OUR FINE ARTS.
IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE TRE FAILING, AND I SAT THROUGH THE FINANCIAL COMMITTEE.
THINGS DON'T SEEM GREAT, SO IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE MUCH SENSE TO HAVE THAT EXTRA COST OVER THE DISTRICT.
ALSO, ADDITIONALLY, HAVING SORT OF YEAR ROUND SCHOOLING SEEMS TO HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON MY PEERS MENTAL HEALTH AS WELL AS MY OWN.
I'M JUST GOING TO BE QUITE HONEST WITH YOU ALL.
IT MAKES THINGS VERY DIFFICULT WHENEVER YOU'RE TRYING TO GROW OVER THE
[01:20:04]
SUMMER, DO OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.FOR EXAMPLE, MY SEVENTH GRADE YEAR FOR THE 2018 ELECTION, I DID A LOT OF WORK FOR MY STATE REPRESENTATIVE VICTORIA NEAVE LOVE HER TO DEATH.
HOWEVER, I DID THE MAJORITY OF THAT THROUGH THE SUMMER AND I'M NOT ABLE TO DO THAT AS MUCH, ESPECIALLY SINCE I HAVE PRIOR COMMITMENTS LIKE BAND AND OTHER THINGS THAT I HAVE TO START EVEN EARLIER FOR.
SO MY OPPORTUNITIES ARE LIMITED, MY JOB PROSPECTS OVER THE SUMMER, I CAN'T REALLY WORK AS MUCH, SO I CAN'T MAKE MONEY, I CAN'T DO INTERNSHIPS.
SO WE'RE ENCOURAGING OUR STUDENTS TO GROW OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY ALLOWING THEM TO.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER WAY OUR CURRENT CALENDAR DOESN'T WORK FOR US.
SO IN ALL HONESTY, I JOINED BECAUSE I WANTED TO HAVE MY VOICE HEARD AND I WANTED TO HELP GET RID OF INTERCESSION.
AND IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO CONTINUE SOMETHING THAT ISN'T WORKING FOR THE DISTRICT.
SO, YEAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
SO AS MS. STANTON COMES FORWARD, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REITERATE THAT MUCH LIKE THE CALENDAR DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS FOR OUR SUBCOMMITTEES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN CONTENT, AND SO THEIR VOICES TRULY ARE WHAT WENT INTO THE PROCESS.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT MADE IT PART SO POWERFUL.
AND AS A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN WHO HAVE ONE WHO IS A GRADUATE, 2021 GRADUATE OF THE GARLAND ISD AND A CURRENT FRESHMAN, I JOINED THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE I FELT THAT, WELL, I PUT MY NAME IN TO BE PART OF THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE I FELT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO VOICE MY OPINIONS AND SEE WHAT OTHER OPINIONS OF PARENTS, STUDENTS AND STAFF THOUGHT OF INTERCESSION.
THE MAJORITY OF PARENTS, I'M GOING TO SAY I BELIEVE THERE IS ONLY ONE PARENT WHO LIKED INTERCESSION AND THAT WAS AN ELEMENTARY AGE PARENT.
THE REST OF US DON'T FEEL THAT IT'S WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU REMOVE INTERCESSION AND GO WITH THE CALENDAR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE'VE PRESENTED THAT ARE GOING TO BE PRESENTED HERE TONIGHT.
THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERNS FROM PARENTS.
I DON'T HAVE DAYCARE CHILDREN ANYMORE.
BUT THE COST OF DAYCARE DURING INTERCESSION COSTS SOME PARENTS UPWARDS OF EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS PER WEEK PER CHILD BECAUSE OF THE LOW STAFFING THAT DAYCARES HAD.
AND SO THEN THEY HAD TO GO OUT TO STAFFING AGENCIES TO BE ABLE TO STAFF, AND THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO CHARGE WHATEVER THEY WANTED BECAUSE THEY KNEW PARENTS HAD TO HAVE DAYCARE.
THE HOURS OF INTERCESSION WERE NOT FEASIBLE FOR WORKING PARENTS, AND THE TIME ALLOTTED TO LEARNING AT INTERCESSION WASN'T LONG ENOUGH FOR STUDENTS.
THE SHORTENED SUMMER ELIMINATES THE KIDS ABILITY TO ATTEND CERTAIN SUMMER CAMPS THAT SOME HAVE BEEN ATTENDING FOR MANY YEARS THE ABILITY TO HAVE SUMMER JOBS IS HARDER.
AND ALSO JUST THE ABILITY TO HAVE A BREAK FROM SCHOOL AND TO BE ABLE TO DO THINGS LIKE GET A JOB AND IF YOU ARE INVOLVED, LIKE JOSHUA SAID, IF YOU HAVE A CHILD WHO IS INVOLVED IN OTHER EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES THROUGH SCHOOL, THEY MISS A LOT OF SUMMER BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GO START, BAND OR CHEER OR ALL THOSE OTHER FOOTBALL, OTHER EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES START IN THE SUMMER.
ALSO, JUST WHENEVER I STARTED RUNNING THE NUMBERS ON THESE BECAUSE I'M A NUMBERS PERSON.
AND WHENEVER YOU LOOK AT THE COST OF INTERCESSION IN 2020-2021 VERSUS THE REIMBURSEMENT THAT YOU GET BACK FROM ADSY IT ONLY GENERATES SIXTEEN DOLLARS AND THIRTY SIX CENTS PER STUDENT DISTRICT WIDE.
THAT AMOUNT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE COST OF GAS FOR RUNNING BUSSES.
IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE COST OF MAINTAINING AND RUNNING BUILDINGS, ELECTRICITY, WATER, ANY OF THOSE FEES.
IT ALSO DOES NOT INCLUDE THE COST OF OFFICE STAFF, JANITORIAL STAFF, NURSING STAFF.
SO THAT'S A LOT OF CONCERNS AS A PARENT THAT THAT IS MONEY BASICALLY, IF YOU TAKE THAT, IF YOU WERE TO PUT ALL THOSE OTHER COSTS IN, YOU'RE BASICALLY PAYING TO HAVE INTERCESSION, YOU'RE NOT MAKING MONEY OFF OF IT AND IT'S NOT BENEFICIAL.
THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY I LOST MY FRAME OF THOUGHT.
SORRY, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY DATA TO SHOW HOW INTERCESSION HAS IMPROVED THE STUDENTS KNOWLEDGE OR THEIR LEARNING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT IN THEIR GRADES.
[01:25:01]
SO WE JUST FEEL THAT GETTING RID OF INTERCESSION, USING THAT MONEY TOWARDS OTHER PROGRAMS ARE A BETTER SPEND OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR KIDS TIMES AND OUR DISTRICT'S MONEY.GOOD EVENING, MR. SELDERS BOARD ADDRESSEES AND DR.
LOPEZ, MY NAME IS MELODY SAWASAKI AND I'M THE MAGNET ADVISOR AT SACHSE HIGH SCHOOL.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY AND TO SHARE ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE ON THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE AND THE CONCERNS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP.
I'VE ENJOYED MY TIME SERVING ON THE CALEDAR COMMITTEE AND I'VE APPRECIATED EVERYONE'S OPENNESS TO CHANGE AND FINDING THE CALENDAR THAT BEST FITS OUR DISTRICT.
I FIRST WANTED TO SERVE ON THIS COMMITTEE WHEN I STARTED HEARING AND EXPERIENCING CONCERNS WITH THE CURRENT DISTRICT CALENDAR.
I THINK THE IDEA OF AN INTERCESSION CALENDAR TO HELP ADDRESS GAPS IN LEARNING FROM COVID AND THE SUMMER SLIDE ARE GREAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT I STARTED SEEING WERE MANY CHALLENGES DUE TO SURROUNDING DISTRICTS NOT ALIGNING WITH OUR CALENDAR AND SEEING THAT MANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES WHO LIVED OUTSIDE OF THE GISD DISTRICT BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE SOME CONCERNS AND HOW TORN THEY WERE BETWEEN DECIDING IF THEY SHOULD CONTINUE TO WORK IN THE DISTRICT OR IF THEY NEEDED TO FIND ANOTHER DISTRICT THAT HAD A SIMILAR CALENDAR TO THAT OF THEIR FAMILIES.
I MYSELF ALSO LIVE OUT THE DISTRICT, AND SO THAT WAS ALSO A CONCERN THAT I WAS CONTINUING TO ALSO THINK FOR MYSELF AND FOR MY KIDS THAT ARE GOING TO SCHOOL.
MANY OF THESE EDUCATORS THAT LOVE WORKING IN GISD AND PLANNED ON RETIRING IN THE DISTRICT WERE NOW CONTEMPLATING FINDING A NEW DISTRICT THAT ALIGN BETTER FOR THEIR FAMILIES.
ANOTHER CONCERN THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WAS THAT MANY OF OUR COACHES, ATHLETIC DIRECTORS, TRAINERS AND SORRY ATHLETIC TRAINERS, DIRECTORS AND SPONSORS WERE NOT ABLE TO TAKE BREAKS DURING THE INTERCESSION AND FALL BREAKS DUE TO SCHEDULE GAMES AND COMPETITIONS THAT WERE ALREADY SCHEDULED BEFOREHAND.
THEY STARTED TO FEEL BURNT OUT AND DID NOT GET TIME TO RECHARGE OVER THE SUMMER OR THE BREAKS.
OUR STUDENTS ALSO SUFFERED FROM THE SCHEDULE AS THEY HAD NO TIME IN THE SUMMER FOR SUMMER JOBS, SUMMER CAMPS OR CAMPS, SUMMER JOB, SUMMER SCHOOL OR CAMPS.
WHEN IT CAME TO STAAR AND AP TESTING, TEACHERS HAD FEWER DAYS TO PREPARE FOR THEIR TESTS.
SINCE OUR SCHOOL GOT OUT A MONTH AFTER TESTING WAS OVER.
WITH THE TWO-WEEK BREAKS, WE'RE FINDING THAT TEACHERS WERE HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING STUDENTS BACK INTO SCHOOL MODE SINCE THEY WERE KIND OF ON BREAK MODE FOR A LITTLE BIT TOO LONG.
SOME OF OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE TAKING DUAL CREDIT COURSES THROUGH DALLAS COLLEGE ALSO FACE ISSUES AS SOME FORGOT TO COMPLETE WORK FOR THEIR CLASSES DURING THE BREAKS, WHILE DALLAS COLLEGE WAS STILL IN SESSION.
I KEPT ALL OF THESE CONCERNS ON MY MIND AS WE STARTED TO DISCUSS AND PLAN FOR CALENDARS.
I APPRECIATED HOW THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE PROVIDED THE GUARDRAILS AND ALLOWED FOR US TO CREATE AND PROPOSE CALENDARS TO THE TEAM.
THEY THEN GAVE US TIME TO SPEAK TO OUR CAMPUSES AND CIRCLES OF INFLUENCE TO COLLECT FEEDBACK.
MY CAMPUS APPRECIATED HOW MUCH OF A VOICE THEY HAD IN THE PROCESS AND FELT THAT THEIR CONCERNS WERE BEING HEARD.
I'M THANKFUL THAT THE LEADERSHIP ALSO HEARD OUR CONCERNS WITH THE 180 SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR AND ALLOWED FOR US TO EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS WITH ADDED PD DAYS.
ALL THE TEACHERS WERE HAPPY TO HEAR OF THE ADDITIONAL PLANNING TIME THAT MIGHT BE COMING IN THE FUTURE.
OVERALL, MY TIME ON THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND I LOVED HOW I WAS ABLE TO SEE HOW MUCH THOUGHT AND PLANNING GOES INTO BUILDING A CALENDAR.
HEMPHILL AND MR. BLAND FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK IN BUILDING THIS COMMITTEE AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR VOICES WERE HEARD.
THANK YOU, TRUSTEES, FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
HEARING OUR CONCERNS AND WONDERING WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR STAFF AND COMMUNITY.
GOOD EVENING, I'M DISA MCEWEN, THE PRINCIPAL AT PARSONS PRE-K, AS A PART OF THE COMMITTEE REPRESENTING THE ADMINISTRATORS.
WE ECHOED AND HEARD AND EXPRESSED SOME OF THE SAME STATEMENTS THAT WERE EXPRESSED EARLIER FROM STUDENTS, NOT SECONDARY STUDENTS, NOT ENABLED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE UIL COMPETITIONS AND IN AFFECTING THEM AND THEIR SUMMER PROGRAMS AND THEIR JOBS.
IT ALSO HEARD AND DISCUSSED HOW IT AFFECTED OUR PARENTS FROM PRE-K ALL THE WAY UP TO HIGH SCHOOL.
WHAT WAS THIS HAVING ON THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN AND WITH THE CURRENT CALENDAR AS IT STOOD? AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST AS ADMINISTRATORS, WE LOOKED AT THE ONBOARDING PROCESS FROM THE TIME IN WHICH THE CURRENT CALENDAR THAT WE HAD IT MADE OUR TIME TO GET UP AND GOING RAMPED FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR THAT MUCH SHORTER.
IN ADDITION TO MAKING IT HARDER FOR US TO RETAIN SOME OF OUR BEST ASSETS IN THE DISTRICT AND THAT ARE OUR TEACHERS, WE HAVE ALL NOTED THAT WE LOST TEACHERS BECAUSE THEY HAD STUDENTS IN OTHER DISTRICTS.
AND WITH COVID MAKING THAT WORK, LIFE BALANCE CHOSE TO LEAVE OUR DISTRICT, NOT BECAUSE THEY FELT LIKE THEY REALLY HAD AN OPTION, BUT THEY NEEDED TO WORK AND FIND THAT BALANCE.
AND BEING A PART OF THIS COMMITTEE, THAT WAS OUR CHARGE WE WERE LOOKING AT.
OK, WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE THAT BALANCE AS ADMINISTRATORS LOOKING AT NOT ONLY OUR PRE-K KIDDOS AND HOW THAT AFFECTS OUR PARENTS WITH YOUNG STUDENTS, THE EXTRA DAY CARE, THE TIME, GETTING THEM BACK ON CAMPUS AND GETTING THEM REACCLIMATED AFTER BEING OUT FOR TWO WEEKS, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT OUR SECONDARY STUDENTS AND SECONDARY CLASSROOMS,
[01:30:05]
CAMPUSES AND HOW IT AFFECT THEM IS THOSE STUDENTS AREN'T THE ONES THAT EVEN SHOWED UP FOR INTERCESSION.SO TAKING ALL THOSE FACTORS INTO CONSIDERATION AS ADMINISTRATORS, WE WERE SAYING, OK, LET'S LOOK AND MAKE THIS CALENDAR SOMETHING THAT WORKS BEST FOR EVERYBODY.
LOOKING AT THE MINUTES, LOOKING AT THE DAYS AND CONSIDERING OUR PARENTS AND OUR STUDENTS.
SO BEING A PART OF THIS COMMITTEE WAS AN HONOR TO REPRESENT OUR DISTRICT AND ALSO THE ADMINISTRATORS HERE AS WE TRY TO COME UP WITH A CALENDAR THAT MEETS THE BEST FOR EVERYONE.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AND REPRESENT OUR DISTRICT.
SO IT WAS MOST INTERESTING THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS IS THAT WE HAD ADVOCATES ON BOTH SIDES, WE HAD STRONG VOICES IN SUPPORT OF INTERCESSION AND WE'LL LOOK AT SOME OF THE INTERCESSION OUTCOMES IN THE UPCOMING SLIDE.
WHAT WE FOUND IS AS THE COMMITTEE STARTED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE DRAFT CALENDARS AND WITH EACH OF THE ACADEMIC CALENDARS BEING PRESENTED TONIGHT, WHEN OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS SUBMITTED DRAFT CALENDARS, WE ENDED UP EACH YEAR WITH ABOUT, I THINK, SIX TO EIGHT CALENDARS.
INTERESTINGLY, HALF OF THEM INCLUDED INTERCESSION AND HALF OF THEM DIDN'T FOR BOTH CALENDAR YEARS.
AND SO THE COMMITTEE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH THE POSITIVES AND THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS FROM EACH OF THEIR STANDPOINTS AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS AROUND THOSE.
SO WE'LL SEE SOME OF THOSE OUTCOMES.
SO FIRST, LOOKING AT INTERCESSION CONSIDERATIONS AND OUR 21 OUR 2020 2021 OUTCOMES FROM OUR FALL INTERCESSION AND SPRING INTERCESSION AT A BIRD'S EYE VIEW.
WE TOOK A LOOK AS A CALENDAR COMMITTEE AND INFORMATION SURROUNDING ENROLLMENT, PARTICIPATION, STAAR DATA AND THE COST OF OPERATING INTERCESSION, AS WELL AS THE ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING.
AS THE TRUSTEES RECALL, THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF INTERCESSION FOR THE 2020 2021 SCHOOL YEAR WAS ON STUDENT ENROLLMENT, ENGAGEMENT AND POSITIVE FEEDBACK RELATED TO THE INTERCESSION EXPERIENCE.
OUTCOME HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE AN INCREASE OF SIX PERCENT IN ENROLLMENT BETWEEN THE FALL AND SPRING INTERCESSIONS, WITH APPROXIMATELY SEVENTY FIVE TO EIGHTY FOUR PERCENT OF OUR ENROLLED STUDENTS PARTICIPATING FOR THE PURPOSE OF INTERVENTION.
DOUBLE DIGIT DIFFERENCES IN STAAR PERFORMANCE WHEN COMPARING INTERCESSION AND NON INTERCESSION STUDENTS.
NOW, THIS MIGHT BE CONSIDERED LIKELY DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE STUDENTS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN INTERCESSION VERSUS THOSE THAT ARE NOT.
SO THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY AN ANOMALY, AND IN OUR 2020 2021 INTERCESSION COSTS EXCEEDED THREE POINT SIX MILLION AND THAT'S ABOUT EIGHTY NINE PERCENT HIGHER THAN OUR TRADITIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMING THAT TYPICALLY WAS PROVIDED FOR THE SAME AMOUNT OF INSTRUCTIONAL WEEKS.
MOST OF THAT INCREASE COST WAS BECAUSE IN OUR TRADITIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMING, WE DO THAT IN HUBS.
SO WE OPERATED AT FIVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, WHEREAS OUR INNER SESSIONS WE WERE OFFERING AT EVERY CAMPUS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
LOOKING AT OUR MOST RECENT 2021 2022 OUTCOMES FROM OUR FALL INTERCESSION, REMEMBER WE STILL HAVE WINTER, SPRING AND SUMMER INTERCESSION COMING THIS YEAR.
WE DO SEE AN ENROLLMENT INCREASE AGAIN COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.
HOWEVER, THIS YEAR WE WERE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT CAPTURING ADDITIONAL PIECES OF INFORMATION TO LOOK MORE INTENTIONALLY AT THOSE OUTCOMES.
WHEN WE LOOK AT INTERCESSION ATTENDANCE, WE SEE THAT 86 PERCENT OF ENROLLED ELEMENTARY STUDENTS.
SEVENTY ONE PERCENT OF ENROLLED MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND SIXTY EIGHT PERCENT OF ENROLLED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ATTENDED INTERCESSION FOR FOUR OR FIVE OF THE FIVE DAY WEEK LONG INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM.
THIS YEAR, WE ADDED PRE AND POST TESTING TO OUR INTERCESSION SCHEDULE AT ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVELS.
DATA SUGGESTS DEPENDING ON THE GRADE LEVEL AND CONTENT AREA, THAT FORTY ONE TO FIFTY EIGHT PERCENT OF ASSESSED STUDENTS INCREASED THEIR PERCENTAGE OF CORRECT RESPONSES FROM THE PRETEST AT THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK TO THE POSTTEST AT THE END OF THE WEEK.
AND ONLY ONE LEVEL IN SUBJECT AREA HAD A PERCENTAGE THAT WAS GREATER THAN 50 PERCENT OF THOSE STUDENTS THAT PARTICIPATED.
LOOKING AT OUR GISD COMMUNITY AND THEY WERE PROVIDED WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO PREVIEW THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROVIDE INPUT.
NEARLY NINE THOUSAND UNIQUE RESPONSES WERE RECEIVED, SO IF SOMEONE WAS REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THE CALENDAR AND WANTED TO PROVIDE THEIR INPUT TWICE, WE LOOKED AT THEIR MOST RECENT RESPONSE AT THEIR EMAIL.
SO THIS IS APPROXIMATELY 9000 UNIQUE RESPONSES.
SINCE PARTICIPANTS COULD SELECT MULTIPLE ROLES.
[01:35:04]
IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THOSE PERCENTAGES BY ROLE WILL TOTAL MORE THAN 100 PERCENT BECAUSE IT'S POSSIBLE YOU COULD BE A PARENT, A TEACHER AND ALSO A COMMUNITY MEMBER.RESPONSES WERE RECEIVED ACROSS OUR DISTRICT'S TRI-CITIES, AND 16 PERCENT OF OUR PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED COMMENTARY WITH THEIR SURVEY.
TRUSTEES HAVE BEEN PROVIDED WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW THIS COMMENTARY UNDER SEPARATE COVER, AND I'M MOST PROUD OF INCLUDING TRANSLATIONS OF THE RESPONSES PROVIDED IN VIETNAMESE AND SPANISH BECAUSE THERE IS A GOOGLE FORMULA FOR THAT TOO.
AS NOTED ON THE SCREEN, SEVENTY TWO POINT TWO PERCENT OF OUR SURVEY PARTICIPANTS PREFER THE ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX INSTRUCTIONAL DAY CALENDAR FOR THE 2022, 2023 ACADEMIC YEAR AND SEVENTY ONE POINT EIGHT PERCENT OF OUR SURVEY PARTICIPANTS PREFERRED THE ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE INSTRUCTIONAL DAY CALENDAR FOR 2023 2024.
LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THESE CALENDAR RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO WHEN YOU WHEN YOU GAVE US A SLIDE WITH THE GUARDRAILS? YES, SIR.
THAT REQUIRED ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS.
HOW DOES THAT COMPARE WITH THESE RESPONSES? SO I'M GLAD YOU ASK, AND THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
SO UP UNTIL I BELIEVE THE SECOND TO THE LAST MEETING, WE WERE OPERATING WITH ALL OF OUR CALENDARS AT ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS.
AND THEN AFTER CONVERSATIONS SEEKING LOOKING AT THE INSTRUCTIONAL CALENDARS AND TOSSING AROUND THE BENEFITS AND THE COST ASSOCIATED, NOT JUST WHILE I'M TALKING ABOUT COST.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT DOLLARS, IT'S ALSO ABOUT WHAT'S THE COST TO STAFF RETENTION AND WHAT'S THE COST TO STAFF RECRUITMENT.
SO WHEN WE STARTED TO CONSIDER ALL OF THOSE FACTORS AND IN CONVERSATIONS WITH DISTRICT LEADERSHIP, THE QUESTION WAS POSED WHAT IS THE BEST THING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR OUR STUDENTS? OK.
AND SO I'M GOING TO KIND OF GO AHEAD IN MY NOTES BECAUSE THIS IS COMING UP NEXT.
AND IF YOU ASK ME WHAT IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR THAT OUR STUDENTS WILL ENCOUNTER WITHIN THEIR ACADEMIC CALENDAR YEAR, THAT IS A HIGHLY PREPARED AND WELL IN DEPTH KNOWLEDGE TEACHER.
WHEN WE ADOPTED THE INTERCESSION CALENDAR, WE INCREASED INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS FOR STUDENTS.
WE DID NOT INCREASE TEACHER CONTRACT DAYS.
SO WHAT THAT MEANT IS FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, OUR TEACHERS HAVE HAD FEWER DAYS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING AND JUST GENERAL WORK DAYS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. SO AS WE'RE APPROACHING A PANDEMIC AND WE'RE APPROACHING SIGNIFICANT ACADEMIC GAPS FOR OUR STUDENTS, TEACHERS WERE SPENDING MANY MORE HOURS OUTSIDE OF THEIR CONTRACT DAY, DOING THE INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING, DOING THE PLC-ING AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.
WE'RE CALLING IT CLC-ING, THE COLLABORATIVE LEARNING COMMUNITIES, THE DATA ANALYSIS AND THEN ALSO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT STUDENT NEEDS HAVE CHANGED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC.
AND SO THEY NEED TO RETOOL TO BE ABLE TO BETTER BE BETTER EQUIPPED TO RESPOND.
AND SO AS WE HAD THE CONVERSATION WITH SENIOR LEADERSHIP ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERY CLASSROOM IN THIS DISTRICT HAS THE MOST QUALIFIED AND MOST PREPARED TEACHER? IT WAS REALLOCATING THE TIME THAT THEY HAD WITHIN THEIR CONTRACT TO BEING BETTER PREPARED.
AND SO THEY THE OPTION WAS PROPOSED TO OUR COMMITTEE AND SAID IF THIS WERE AN OPTION, HOW WOULD IT BE RECEIVED? AND FIRST AND FOREMOST, FOR ALL OF MY TEACHERS THAT ARE LISTENING RIGHT NOW.
THE FIRST THING THEY SAID IS WE DO NOT WANT TO SPEND ANY ADDITIONAL DAYS SITTING IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH PEOPLE TALKING AT US.
WE WANT TO USE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS TO REALLY DIVE INTO OUR CURRICULUM TO PLAN INTENTIONALLY AND PURPOSEFULLY FOR THE UPCOMING UNITS OF INSTRUCTION BASED ON WHERE OUR STUDENTS ARE AND THE NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE.
AND SO WE WENT BACK TO THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE AND SAID IF WE MADE THIS CONSIDERATION, YOU ALREADY HAVE DEFINED THE 180 DAY CALENDAR.
SO LOOKING AT THAT DEFINITION, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSITION AND SWITCH A INSTRUCTIONAL DAY ON THE ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY SCHOOL DAY CALENDAR TO A TEACHER WORKDAY AND REDUCE THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS? SO WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE SURVEY, THE START AND END CALENDAR DATES WERE EXACTLY THE SAME.
IT'S JUST SOME OF THOSE DAYS WERE FLIPPED, AND IN THIS CASE OF THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR CALENDAR RECOMMENDATION, IT WAS FOUR DAYS THAT WERE FLIPPED.
ON THE FOLLOWING YEAR IT WAS FIVE DAYS.
YEAH, AND I'M GOING TO TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH YOU, AS YOU PROBABLY EXPECT.
AND PROBABLY THAT'S I IMAGINE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO END UP GOING.
[01:40:03]
BUT GOD.WE'RE TAKING AWAY EDUCATION DAYS FOR OUR KIDS, AND APPARENTLY THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY THINKS IS THE BEST WAY TO GO.
IT'S HARD FOR ME TO EVEN IMAGINE THAT.
I GUESS MAINLY BECAUSE I TRAVEL AND TALK TO PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD AND SEE THAT COUNTRIES THAT ARE BEATING US TEST AFTER TEST, AFTER TEST AFTER TEST HAVE MORE SCHOOL DAYS, LONGER SCHOOL DAYS.
I WAS REALLY HAPPY WHEN WE WENT BACK TO THE LONGER THE 180 AND I THAT'S WHAT I GOT EXCITED WHEN I SAW THAT PAGE, I SAID, WOW, WE'RE GOING TO STAY WITH THAT.
AND I SAID, REALLY? OF COURSE NOT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GO BACKWARDS.
KIDS WHO HAVE MISSED SO MANY DAYS, KIDS WHO ARE SO FAR BEHIND.
AND WE'RE GOING TO CUT OUT INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS.
AS A CHILD, AS A PARENT OF KIDS WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN THE SCHOOLS, AND I WILL COMMENT ON THIS ISSUE, ONE THE OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD AREN'T RESTRICTED BY OUR THE STATE LAW REGARDING OUR CONTRACTS.
SO THAT'S THAT IS NOT ONLY A GUARDRAIL, IT'S A COMPLETE NON-NEGOTIABLE.
OUR CONTRACTS ARE OUR CONTRACTS.
AND I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, WHAT 180 IS DOING TO MY KIDS.
THEY HAVE SUBSTITUTES, SEEMINGLY LIKE IN ONE CLASS, AT LEAST EVERY DAY, AND WE HAVE A SUB SHORTAGE, WHICH MEANS WE'RE NOT GETTING REAL SUBSTITUTES THAT ARE PAID.
WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE LIKE SUPER SUBS OR VOLUNTEERS OR WHATEVER COMING IN DOING.
THEY'RE NOT LEARNING ANYTHING ON THOSE DAYS, LARRY.
YOU'RE GETTING MORE THAN FOUR RIGHT THERE.
YOU'RE LOSING FOUR EDUCATIONAL DAYS.
YOU'RE LOSING MORE THAN THAT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THIS.
AND WE CANNOT CONTINUE HAVING TO SEND OUR TEACHERS OUT FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO HAVE IT.
AND IF WE HAVE 180 DAYS AND WE ONLY HAVE A CERTAIN CONTRACT, THAT MEANS THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.
SO I WOULD RATHER BE ABLE TO PLAN OUT WITH PURPOSE ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX DAYS AND HAVE MY KIDS HAVE A FIGHTING CHANCE OF HAVING THEM HAVE A TEACHER FOR ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX DAYS, AS OPPOSED TO THIS CURRENT THING, WHICH IS HAPHAZARD AND SLAPDASH.
AND I DON'T TO ME, I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S A BAD TRADE OFF AT ALL.
I WOULD RATHER MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE HAVE A CERTIFIED TEACHER TEACHING THEM AS MANY DAYS AS THEY CAN.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT, BUT YOU JUST GOT YOU CAN'T DIVORCE YOURSELF FROM.
THIS NUMBER IS SMALLER THAN THIS NUMBER, SO THEREFORE IT'S BAD.
I DON'T I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THAT.
WELL, IT'S IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE WE DECIDED HOW COULD WE WE HAVE WE HAD TWO CAMPUSES AND WE WANT TO DO BOOST THOSE CAMPUSES.
SO WHAT DO WE DO? INCREASE THE DAY WE HAD THE SAME DAYS, WE INCREASE THE HOURS.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY DID MAGICAL STUFF.
SO HERE WE ARE, NOT INCREASING THE HOURS AND WE CAN INCREASE HOURS.
IT'S NOT NUMBER OF DAYS WE COULD.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO DECREASE THE DAYS AND NOT INCREASE THE HOURS.
BUT IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE HOURS, WE HAD TO PAY THE TEACHERS FOR THAT.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THOSE KIDS LEARNED AN AWFUL LOT.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE THIS IS GOING TO GO.
THE ANSWER CAN'T JUST BE MORE MONEY IN EVERY, EVERY SINGLE THING, LARRY.
WE'RE FIXED ON HOW MUCH WE'RE ALREADY.
I MEAN, YEAH, I MEAN, GETTING THE KIDS TO STAY TO SEVEN O'CLOCK AT NIGHT WOULD PROBABLY TEACH MORE KIDS.
WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE NO TEACHERS LEFT TO TEACH THEM BECAUSE THEY WOULD LEAVE AND FIND DISTRICTS THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO STAY TILL SEVEN O'CLOCK.
I MEAN, AT SOME POINT, WE HAVE TO BALANCE IT OUT.
I THINK THEY'VE DONE A GOOD JOB WITH THIS.
I THINK THAT THEY'VE BALANCED THE INTERESTS WITH IT.
NOW DO WE WISH? DO WE WISH? MAYBE THE TEACHER CONTRACT WAS LONGER? MAYBE SO, BUT WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT TOO, AND WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR THAT NOW.
THE PROBLEM IS WE'RE CHRONICALLY UNDERFUNDED, EVEN AFTER HOUSE BILL THREE, WE'RE UNDERFUNDED.
AND I KNOW YOU'RE HOPING THAT WE GET SOME MONEY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BECAUSE I THINK BUILD BACK BETTER HAS MORE THAN JUST UNIVERSAL PRE-K IN IT.
AND MAYBE WE DO, AND MAYBE WE'RE ABLE TO LOOK INTO SOME OTHER OPTIONS, LIKE EXTENDING.
WE'RE ALREADY ADDING ACE LIKE CAMPUSES.
MAYBE WE ADD ACE LIKE HOURS TO SOME OF THEM TOO, BUT THAT'S FOR ANOTHER DAY.
NOT FOR US TO DISCUSS HERE, BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO LOOK BEYOND JUST LOOKING AT THAT NUMBER BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO SEE WHAT THAT NUMBER HAS CAUSED.
IT'S CAUSED SOME CHAOS AND MY KIDS HAVE SEEN I KNOW I'VE SEEN IT.
[01:45:01]
I KNOW I'VE HEARD DR.LOPEZ HAD SAID THAT THE SUB SHORTAGE AND HAVING TO DO A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DURING THE YEAR HAS CAUSED ISSUES.
AND SO JUST KEEP AN OPEN MIND WITH RESPECT THAT.
BUT LET'S ASSUME, FOR ARGUMENT'S SAKE, THAT YOU HAD ENOUGH TEACHERS.
SO THE SUB WASN'T A PROBLEM, ASSUMING FOR ARGUMENT'S SAKE THAT YOU HAD ENOUGH TEACHERS.
WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX DAYS YOUR KIDS ARE LEARNING 180? TO ME, I KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER, MY ANSWER WOULD BE.
I LIVE IN THE WORLD WE'RE IN, NOT THE WORLD I WISH WE WERE IN.
AND I'M MAKING DECISIONS BASED FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
SITUATIONS CHANGE AND WE HAVE A GLUT OF TEACHERS.
I DON'T THINK WE WILL, BUT IF IT DOES, WE CAN REVISIT IT THEN.
AND I WOULD HAVE LOVE FOR THE THE FOUR MEMBERS THAT WHEN THEY CAME IN TO TALK TO REALLY NOT TALK ABOUT JUST THEIR PERSONAL FEELINGS, BUT THE PROCESS BEHIND WHAT LED THEM THERE, RIGHT? BECAUSE WHAT THEY WOULD SEE WAS WHEN THEY FIRST GOT THE TEMPLATE, IT WAS WITH ALL THESE PARAMETERS, RIGHT? AND IT WAS LIKE IT WAS LIKE, I WOULD CALL IT.
LAYERS, SO THEN YOU GET TO LAYER IT OFF, RIGHT, SO YOU YOU FIRST HAVE THIS INTERCESSION MODEL THAT WAS NEW TO NORTH TEXAS, AND WHILE YOU COULD SEE THAT IT DID BENEFIT SOME, RIGHT, AND IT REALLY BENEFITED US, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IN THE SECONDARY LEVELS, WITH THE KIDS RECOVERING CREDIT GIVING COLLEGE CAREER READINESS, OUR GRADUATIONS WENT UP.
WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW DISTRICTS DURING COVID IN STATE OF TEXAS, WHERE WE SHOT UP.
WE DIDN'T JUST BARELY GO UP AND THEN WE, WE ALMOST HELD OUR OWN, ACTUALLY WENT AND WENT HIGHER IN CCMA RATINGS.
SO THOSE TYPE OF THINGS THAT CHECK THE BOXES AND WE KNEW THAT GOING IN, BUT WE WANTED TO SEE, WAS THIS GOING TO BE A SHORT LIVED THING OR IS THIS GOING TO BE SOMETHING WE NEED TO CARRY THROUGH? WE DIDN'T KNOW.
SO WHEN THEY FIRST SAW THAT THEY'VE HAD ALL HAVE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND NARRATIVES FROM THEMSELVES, FROM A CHILD, FROM A TEACHER, FROM A PARENT, AND THEN THEY HAVE A SOCIAL UNIVERSE OF PEOPLE THAT WORK DIFFERENTLY.
SO THEN THEY TAKE THOSE EXPERIENCES AND THEY PUT IT INTO A CALENDAR, AND IT WASN'T EASY.
BUILDING THE CALENDAR IS NOT EASY.
THAT'S WHY WE GAVE IT TO YOU, RIGHT? I'M JUST GOING TO BE HONEST.
ALL THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, RIGHT? AND THEN WE HAD THE ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DAYS SO.
PLUS TWO FOR BAD WEATHER MAKEUP DAYS.
PLUS TWO, BECAUSE YES, IF YOU HAVE ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DAYS, YOU DO NOT.
EVEN NO MATTER HOW MANY MINUTES YOU HAVE, YOU STILL HAVE TO MAKE UP YOUR BAD WEATHER DAYS, RIGHT? AND THEN SO WHAT WE DID SEE, WE TOOK THEM THROUGH A JOURNEY.
THEN WE SAID, GUESS HOW MUCH INTERCESSION MONEY WE'RE GETTING BACK? RIGHT? AND YOU HEARD IT.
OH, HOW MUCH ARE WE GETTING BACK? THIS IS HOW MUCH WE'RE GETTING BACK.
WELL, HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? WELL, THIS THIS AND THAT.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE GOT TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DAY CALENDAR AND WE HAD TO LOOK AT IT OBJECTIVELY AND WE SAID, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING WHERE KIDS WILL BENEFIT FROM LEARNING BECAUSE I HAVE TO AGREE WITH MR. JOHNSON ON THAT POINT.
RIGHT NOW, THE SUB SHORTAGE IS TOUGH AND WE NEED OUR TEACHERS THERE.
SO IF WE CAN STRATEGICALLY HAVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS, IT'S LESS STRESSFUL, RIGHT? IN SOME DISTRICTS IN TEXAS, IN ORDER TO COMPENSATE FOR THEIR DAYS, TEACHER DAYS BEING OFF, THEY'RE PAYING SUBS TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS A DAY.
THEY'RE PAYING HIM TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS A DAY.
WELL, NOW YOU HAVE PARAPROFESSIONALS QUITTING SO THEY COULD GO BE SUBS, RIGHT? IT'S IT'S THIS ENDLESS CYCLE.
SO WE HAD TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT THE COMMUNITY WILL WILL RALLY AROUND.
AND I WANT TO APPLAUD THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE FOR YOUR CANDOR, FIRST OF ALL, BUT STICKING THROUGH THE PROCESS BECAUSE IT WAS A LOT OF WORK.
SO I WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU ALL AND THANK YOU FOR LEADING THIS.
SO THAT'S WHERE IT CAME FROM MR. GLICK.
THE CONSTRAINT IS ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY SEVEN DAYS.
SO IF YOU HAVE SEVEN DAYS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND MOST OF THEM ARE UP FRONT AND SOME ARE ALREADY MANDATED BY LAW TO BE TEACHER WORK DAYS, SOMETHING'S GOT TO GIVE.
FIRST OF ALL, FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
YOU MAY THINK I'M TALKING AGAINST WHAT YOU MAY BELIEVE, BUT MAYBE BECAUSE I'VE STUDIED THE PISA TESTS, WHICH IS THE INTERNATIONAL TEST THAT'S GIVEN COMPARING STUDENTS ALL ALL THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
AND THEN I'VE BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO PROFESSIONALS IN MANY OF THOSE COUNTRIES, THEY ALL MOCK US AND THEY'RE GOING TO PASS US.
IT'S HAPPENING SLOWLY, BUT IT'S HAPPENING IN TERMS OF DAYS.
AND I EXPECTED THAT THAT'S WHAT WE WERE GOING TO SEE TONIGHT.
THAT'S WHY I FOR A WHILE, I WAS I WAS HAPPY, BUT THE WORLD IS DOING WHAT WE'RE
[01:50:04]
NOT DOING.AND YOU'LL SEE IT AS A NUMBER OF PATENTS THAT WE GET AS A NUMBER OF NOBEL PRIZES STARTS TO DECREASE.
ALL OF THESE FACTORS AND I VISITED A LOT OF THOSE COUNTRIES, SOME JUST RECENTLY AND AGAIN MORE HOURS AND MORE DAYS.
THE ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX INSTRUCTIONAL DAY AND THE ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY INSTRUCTIONAL DAY THEY STILL HAD THE REQUIRED MINUTES OF THE SAME IS THAT CORRECT? YES SO.
THE ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY INSTRUCTIONAL DAY CALENDAR WELL EXCEEDED OUR MINIMUM REQUIRED INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES BY ABOUT 3000 TO 4000.
BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS IS WE HAD TO EMBED THOSE TWO BAD WEATHER MAKEUP DAYS.
IF AND THIS IS A WEIRD LITTLE THING ABOUT TEA'S REQUIREMENTS THAT WE LEARNED LAST WINTER.
IF WE HAVE FEWER THAN THAT ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DAYS AND AREN'T TRYING TO SEEK THE ADSY ADDITIONAL DAY SCHOOL FUNDING FOR OUR PRE-K FIVE INTERCESSION PARTICIPANTS, THEN WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THOSE BAD WEATHER MAKEUP DAYS WITHIN OUR INSTRUCTIONAL CALENDAR ALLOTMENT, SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS RAISED BY OUR COMMITTEE THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS IS YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE ADOPTED OR YEAR AND A HALF AGO WHEN WE ADOPTED THE INTERCESSION CALENDAR AND I STOOD BEFORE YOU IN DOING THAT PRESENTATION, NOT ONLY DID WE EMBED INTERCESSION, WE ADDED 10 MINUTES TO THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAY, SO WE DID TWO THINGS AT ONCE.
SO WHEN THE COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES CAME TOGETHER AND I GAVE THEM THE DISTRICT GUARDRAILS WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, I HAD PROBABLY FIVE EMAILS AND A COUPLE OF PHONE CALLS.
AND THEN IT CAME UP AT THE NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING SAYING, YOU KNOW, A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, YOU GAVE US 10 ADDITIONAL MINUTES AND ABOUT FOUR YEARS, FIVE YEARS PRIOR TO THAT, YOU ADDED FOUR MORE 10 MORE ADDITIONAL MINUTES.
SO CAN WE GET BACK THOSE 10 TO 20 MINUTES? WE COULD, BUT THAT MEANS MORE DAYS TO MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS.
THE OTHER THING AND THE OTHER REASON WHY WE LEFT THAT AS A GUARDRAIL, THERE ARE NO CHANGES TO THE START AND END TIMES WE MAINTAIN THE FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY MINUTES IS THE ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PLAN THAT YOU ALL REVIEWED AND APPROVED LAST SPRING.
THE REVISION OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SCHEDULING AND THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL INSTRUCTIONAL BLOCKS.
INCREASING LITERACY AND MATHEMATICS BOTH TO ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES WAS BUILT ON THOSE 440 INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES.
SO WE KNEW IF WE MADE ANY CHANGES TO THOSE FOUR HUNDRED AND FORTY MINUTES PER DAY THAT THAT WOULD HAVE AN ADVERSE IMPACT ON OUR ABILITY TO FULLY IMPLEMENT AS INTENDED, THE ACADEMIC ACCELERATION PLAN.
THE OTHER SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE THAT YOU'LL NOTICE THIS YEAR IS THAT IN OUR INTERCESSION CALENDARS, WE CURRENTLY HAVE EARLY RELEASE DAY SCHEDULED HALFWAY IN BETWEEN EACH OF THE NINE WEEKS GRADING CYCLES.
AND THEN THERE'S TWO EARLY RELEASE DAYS FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND ONE FOR ELEMENTARY AT THE END OF EACH SEMESTER.
AND OUR PARENTS RESPONDED THAT THOSE EARLY RELEASE DAYS WERE VERY PROBLEMATIC, AND AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL WE HAD THIS HISTORICAL.
WE ADMINISTER EXAMS IN THE LAST TWO DAYS, SO THEY USE AN EXAM SCHEDULE.
WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT A LOT OF OUR SECONDARY CAMPUSES ARE USING THOSE AS INCENTIVES FOR OUR STUDENTS TO GET THE WORK DONE, BUT WE STILL NEED THE PERFORMANCE DATA.
SO WE ARE ACTUALLY ADMINISTERING OUR END OF SEMESTER EXAMS A WEEK OR TWO EARLIER THROUGH A CBA TYPE FORMAT.
AND SO WE'RE STILL GETTING THE GOOD DATA.
AND SO WE HAVE REDUCED IN BOTH OF THESE CALENDAR YEAR RECOMMENDATIONS THE EARLY RELEASE DAYS FROM SIX TO EIGHT DOWN TO TWO ONE AT THE END OF EACH GRADING CYCLE OR EACH SEMESTER.
AND I JUST WANT TO REITERATE WHENEVER THEY FIRST INCREASE THE MINUTES.
I WAS HERE FOR THE SECOND ONE.
AND UNDER THAT, WE'RE UNDER NOW A MINUTE RULE, NOT A DAY RULE.
SO WHEN MOST PEOPLE AREN'T USED TO THAT AND YOU COULD ACQUIRE EIGHT HUNDRED MINUTES, BUT THEY STILL SAY YOU HAVE TO BE IN UNTIL LIKE ALMOST MID-MAY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO JUST HAVE SIX MONTHS OF SCHOOL AND BE OUT.
ALL OF THAT IS LIKE WHEN WE HAD OUR ICE STORM, RIGHT? WHILE THE IF IT WAS ONLY A TWO DAY ICE STORM, TEA WOULDN'T HAVE GRANTED THE WEEK, WE WOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO MAKE THAT UP.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF LITTLE BENEFITS TO THOSE EXTRA MINUTES IN THE DAY.
SO WE JUST WANTED THAT FOR CLARITY.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
SO WITH THESE TWO INSTRUCTIONAL CALENDARS THAT YOU SEE THE ONE SEVENTY SIX AND THE ONE SEVENTY FIVE, AND REDUCING THE NUMBER OF EARLY RELEASE DAYS TO JUST TWO, ONE AT THE EACH SEMESTER IN BOTH OF THESE YEARS, WE EXCEED THE MINIMUM STATE REQUIREMENTS OF INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES THAT SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND SIX
[01:55:03]
HUNDRED AND EVERY TIME I SAY IT, I HEAR THE RENT SONG IN MY HEAD.WE EXCEED THOSE MINUTES BY AT LEAST EIGHT HUNDRED AND EIGHTY INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES SO THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE THOSE TWO BAD WEATHER MAKEUP DAYS.
WHAT THAT ALLOWED US TO DO, I BELIEVE IT'S IN THE 22 23 SCHOOL YEAR ON THE FULL ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DAY CALENDAR THAT THE COMMITTEE HAD RECOMMENDED.
THEY ACTUALLY IDENTIFIED GOOD FRIDAY AND THE MONDAY FOLLOWING EASTER AS BAD WEATHER MAKEUP DAYS WHEN WE MOVED AWAY FROM THAT ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DAY CALENDAR.
THEY WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO FORMALIZE THOSE AS OFFICIAL STUDENT AND STAFF HOLIDAYS AND THEN EMBED SOME PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN SOME OTHER PLACES.
YEAH, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU TO OUR GUESTS AND THANK YOU FOR YOU'VE EXPERIENCED THE VOLUNTEER.
YOU'VE GOTTEN THE VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE.
NOT EVERYTHING YOU DO IS ALWAYS APPRECIATED BY EVERYBODY, BUT THE FACT THAT YOU WERE PART OF IT MEANS YOU WERE TRYING TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION WHICH WHICH THIS ENTIRE BOARD APPRECIATES IT AND THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE.
I JUST DO HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS FOR KIM.
YES? A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO BEFORE US, YOU STOOD HERE AS A COMPLETE ADVOCATE FOR INTERCESSION.
LOOKING AT DATA ONLY DIVORCING YOURSELF FROM ANY OPINION OR BIASES.
WHAT IS THE DATA TELL US ABOUT INTERCESSION, ESPECIALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE KIDS THAT IT WAS REALLY DESIGNED FOR TO HELP CATCH THEM UP? SO LOOKING STRICTLY AT THE NUMBERS, WHAT WE FIND IS A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS THAT ARE MOST IN NEED OF INTERCESSION, EITHER ONE WEREN'T ENROLLING OR ONE OR SECOND WEREN'T FULLY PARTICIPATING.
SO THEY MAY HAVE COME TO ONE DAY OR TWO DAYS, BUT DIDN'T PARTICIPATE IN THE FULL INTERCESSION EXPERIENCE.
CAN YOU CONVERT THAT TO A PERCENTAGE APPROXIMATE? APPROXIMATE? WELL, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR ENROLLMENT FIGURES, FALL INTERCESSION, OUR VERY FIRST ONE, WE HAD 16 PERCENT OF OUR DISTRICT ENROLLMENT IN PARTICIPATING IN THAT FALL.
WE WERE ABLE TO INCREASE IT LAST YEAR TO ABOUT TWENTY FIVE PERCENT.
BUT NOT ALL OF THOSE ARE THERE THAT BECAUSE THEY NEEDED.
WELL, I GUESS WHAT I WAS GET TRYING TO GET TO IS OF THE KIDS, THE POPULATION THAT NEEDED IT, THAT WE ACTUALLY INVITED TO ATTEND.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT PERCENT ACTUALLY SHOWED UP? SO THAT'S THE OTHER PROBLEM, BECAUSE IDEALLY THEY SHOULD ALL BE INVITED.
BUT BECAUSE OF A LOT OF ISSUES SURROUNDING STAFFING, WE WERE LIMITED IN WHO WE COULD INVITE BECAUSE WE HAD TO HAVE THE TEACHING STAFF TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER THE INSTRUCTION.
AND EVEN THOUGH THE BOARD VERY GENEROUSLY RAISED THE INTERCESSION SPENDING THE HOURLY RATE FOR OUR TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS AND NURSES, I BELIEVE TO $40 STARTING LAST SUMMER, THAT STILL DID NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH INCENTIVE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO RECRUIT SUFFICIENT STAFF NUMBERS EVEN IF WE COULD GET THE STUDENTS TO COME.
AND SO THAT GETS TO MR. JOHNSON'S POINT THEN ABOUT QUALITY OVER QUANTITY.
IF THAT IS A THING AND IF THAT IS ACCOMPLISHED, IT CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED THEN I DO UNDERSTAND QUALITY OVER QUANTITY.
I HAD A COACH THAT USED TO PRACTICE US FOUR HOURS OF BASKETBALL.
I DON'T THINK YOU CAN DO THAT TODAY.
BUT LET ME TELL YOU, THE LAST COUPLE OF HOURS WE DIDN'T GET ANYTHING DONE.
AND SO THAT MIGHT NOT MIGHT NOT BE A PERFECT CORRELATION TO WHAT'S GOING ON WITHIN THE DISTRICT AND WITHIN THIS CALENDAR.
YOU KNOW WHAT, I REALLY WANTED TO KNOW TONIGHT, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE INPUT BECAUSE I'VE GOTTEN INPUT LIKE THIS TOO, AND I'VE READ AND SEEN AND RECEIVED INPUT ON BOTH SIDES.
THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT REALLY LIKE THE EXTRA WEEK, THE FALL VACATION AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT GO WITH IT.
BUT IN PLANNING FOR THE OVERALL DISTRICT AND THE OVERALL NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT AND IN LOOKING AT ACADEMIC RECOVERY AND LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH WITH CLOSING THE GAP AND DISCIPLINE ISSUES AND EVERYTHING ELSE, I MEAN, TO ME, THE CALENDAR HAS TO WORK WELL WITHIN ALL OF THOSE GOALS THAT WE HAVE.
SPECIAL ED, DYSLEXIA, ALL THE DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT THAT WE HAVE TO SERVE.
AND SO I HOPE THAT THERE WAS VOICE GIVEN BY ALL THOSE DIFFERENT GROUPS IN THIS PROCESS.
WE'VE ONLY HEARD FROM FOUR AND I CAN PRETTY MUCH TELL YOU WHICH SIDE OF THIS THEY'RE ON.
BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT PEOPLE GREATLY BENEFITED FROM IT AND FAVOR IT, AND WE MIGHT
[02:00:04]
BE MOVING AWAY FROM THAT.SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO GIVE THEM THE SAME RESULT AND THE SAME SATISFACTION.
YOU NEVER KNOW UNTIL YOU TRY IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, I DID HEAR THINGS ABOUT INTERCESSION MIGHT HAVE BEEN A WASTE OF RESOURCES AND THERE WAS NO BENEFIT TO IT.
IS THAT A OPINION YOU SHARE? AS SOMEONE WHO GOT UP IN FRONT OF YOU A YEAR AND A HALF AGO AND STRONGLY ADVOCATED FOR INTERCESSION.
I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE IN INTERCESSION.
I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ON THE ACADEMIC OUTCOMES OF OUR STUDENTS.
THE PROBLEM IS IS THAT A TWO YEAR IMPLEMENTATION IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO REALLY CHANGE THE CULTURE.
IF WE WERE AN ISOLATED DISTRICT, LET'S SAY, OUT IN WEST TEXAS AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY COMPETITORS FOR STAFF, FOR STUDENTS, WE WERE THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN.
I THINK THAT WE COULD SUSTAIN INTERCESSION FOR AT LEAST A FIVE YEAR PERIOD TO LOOK AT THE LONG TERM IMPACTS.
IN THE DALLAS FORT WORTH METROPLEX IN A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE FINE ARTS DISTRICT, ATHLETICS DISTRICT WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF OUR STAFF DON'T LIVE IN OUR DISTRICT AND THEY HAVE STUDENTS THAT ATTEND OTHER DISTRICTS.
NOT EVERYBODY IS BRINGING THEIR STUDENTS HERE, SO THEY HAVE ACADEMIC CALENDARS FOR THEIR FAMILIES THAT DON'T MIRROR WHAT THEY'RE EXPERIENCING AS A PROFESSIONAL.
I THINK THAT HAS CREATED, YOU KNOW, ADVERSE IMPACTS ON OUR ABILITY TO RETAIN OUR TEACHERS.
AND SO IF WE GO BACK TO WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE TRULY WANT TO DO? WHAT I TRULY WANT TO DO, ESPECIALLY IN MY NEW POSITION IN THE DISTRICT SITTING HERE FOR JUST OVER A YEAR NOW, I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY CLASSROOM HAS THE BEST TEACHER.
AND THE BEST WAY I CAN DO THAT IS MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE BEST RESOURCES, WHICH WE ARE PROVIDING THROUGH OUR TLD DEPARTMENT, AND THAT THEY HAVE THE MOST OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO USE THEIR DATA AND TO PLAN IT SO THAT EVERY DAY THEY ARE SHOWING IT, MR. JOHNSON, EVERY DAY THEIR CLASSROOM TEACHER IS THERE.
WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS NOT WE HAVE SUB SHORTAGES.
WE HAVE MANY OF OUR STAFF TAKING PERSONAL TIME BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING SO HARD THAT THEY JUST NEED A BREAK.
SO THEY'RE TAKING THEIR LEAVE OF ABSENCE AND GETTING A SUBSTITUTE FOR A DAY, NOT BECAUSE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE TIRED.
AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE A FULL SUMMER TO REST AND RECUPERATE, AND THEY JUST NEED THAT LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK.
WE ALSO HAVE INCREASED STUDENT ABSENCES.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR DAILY ADA FUNDING AND WHAT WE REALLY HAVEN'T TALKED A LOT ABOUT IS HOW THAT'S IMPACTED.
IF STUDENTS HAVE ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS, ARE THEY THEY'RE IN THE SEAT ? JUST BECAUSE WE'RE OFFERING IT LIKE OUR TEACHERS, IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE THERE SO.
YOU KNOW, I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT.
I MEAN, I FEEL THE WAY YOU DO.
I THINK INTERCESSION WOULD BE FINE.
IT WAS NOT FINE IN THE MIDDLE OF COVID.
I CAN GUARANTEE YOU WHAT A HORRIBLE TIME TO TRY SOMETHING LIKE THIS.
IT CAUSED ALL KINDS OF CHALLENGES.
I KNOW FOR EVERYBODY AND AND SO AND WE HEARD FROM PEOPLE.
I DON'T CARE HOW MANY DAYS OR HOW MANY MINUTES OR WHATEVER.
I USE THIS ALL THE TIME, BUT WE GOT SO MANY KIDS.
WE'VE GOT TO GET OVER THE BAR AND SOME OF THEM ARE WAY BELOW WHERE THEY NEED TO BE IF WE CAN DO IT WITH A ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY DAY CALENDAR.
I'M FINE, BUT I'M INTERESTED IN THOSE RESULTS.
I THINK IF THE REST OF OUR TEACHING OF OUR PROFESSIONALS, OUR SUPERSTARS THAT ARE OUT THERE TEACHING THE KIDS IF THEY FEEL, IF THIS ENERGIZES THEM TO STAY IN THE CLASSROOM FOR WES'S KIDS, IF THIS IS NOT, WHAT WAS THE WORD TO USE, SLAP SOMETHING.
I'M NOT SURE WE MIGHT WANT TO MARK THAT DOWN.
YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T WANT TO DO ANOTHER SLAPDASH APPROACH TO IT BECAUSE WES WILL HAVE TO USE THAT WORD AGAIN.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALWAYS TAKE GREAT CAUTION IN THESE KIND OF DECISIONS.
IT TAKES ME A WHILE BECAUSE I WANT TO TAKE INPUT FROM A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE.
YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY THAT I'M FOR OR AGAINST IT.
WHAT I'M FOR IS OUR ACADEMIC RECOVERY PLAN AND GIVING OUR TEACHERS EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO ACCOMPLISH, WHAT THEY NEED TO TO DO IN THE CLASSROOM.
AND IF THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TOOLS, THEN I'LL SUPPORT IT.
[02:05:01]
YES.WHAT LESSONS HAVE WE LEARNED? FROM WHEN WE WENT DOWN THIS ROAD.
QUESTION NUMBER TWO, ARE WE SAYING THAT THE TOTAL BURNOUT OF OUR STAFF IS BECAUSE OF INTERCESSION? WE SAID A LOT, BUT WHEN I ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED, IT'S LIKE ALL OF THE NEW THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE.
I HAVE COINED THE PHRASE OF DRIVE BY PD.
SO HAVE WE LEARNED ABOUT DRIVE BY IMPLEMENTATION? WE HAD A WE HAD THE COMMITTEE EXPLAIN CLEARLY ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT CAME BEFORE THEM, WHAT THEY THOUGHT OF THE AREA THAT THEY REPRESENTED.
BUT WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT THE CLIMATE AND THE CULTURE THAT WE'RE IN? SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BURNOUT AND TEACHERS LEAVING IS TOTALLY RELATED TO INTERCESSION BECAUSE WE SAY THAT IN ONE BREATH AND THEN IN THE OTHER BREATH WE TALK ABOUT THEY JUST WANT A BREAK.
BUT WHY DO THEY WANT A BREAK? AND THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING, WHAT LESSONS HAVE WE LEARNED WITH A MAJOR MODIFICATION, A MAJOR ADJUSTMENT? SO WHAT ARE THE LESSONS WE'VE LEARNED? AND IF WE CAN'T IDENTIFY WHAT WE'VE LEARNED THROUGH THIS PROCESS, THEN WE'RE PRONE TO REPEAT IT.
AND SO ALTHOUGH WE'RE SAYING ONE SET OF THINGS AND SLANTED IN ONE DIRECTION, I JUST WANT US TO LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE AND ALL OF THE LESSONS THAT WERE LEARNED, NOT JUST A FEW.
AND IT STILL GOES BACK TO WE ARE REQUIRED TO EDUCATE ALL STUDENTS.
EVERYONE THAT SITS IN THE CHAIR.
WE ARE GUARANTEED TO GIVE THEM THE BEST ACADEMIC EDUCATION THAT THEY CAN RECEIVE, AND THAT IS ALL ON US.
IT'S ALL ABOUT WHAT ADULTS DO.
MS. GRIFFIN I'D LIKE TO I LIKE TO SEGUE INTO THAT.
I THINK IT'S A IT'S A BEAUTIFUL FEEDBACK LOOP.
SO WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED? SO THE ANSWER IS IS INTERCESSION WHY TEAHERS ARE TIRED? THE ANSWER IS NO, IT'S A PART OF A UNIVERSE OF WHERE WE'RE AT.
YOU'RE GOING TO ASK, HOW DO I KNOW THIS? I TALK TO SUPERINTENDENTS ALL ACROSS THE STATE THAT ACTUALLY ARE EXPERIENCING THINGS WAY WORSE THAN WE ARE.
I MEAN, WAY WORSE TEACHER SHORTAGES ALL OVER THE PLACE.
BUS DRIVER SHORTAGES SOME DISTRICTS MISSING 100 BUS DRIVERS.
WE'RE BLESSED IN THE SENSE THAT WE WE DON'T HAVE THOSE.
BUT HOW CAN I PUT IT? I WANT THIS TO COME OUT CORRECTLY WITH WITH THE AMOUNT OF CHOICE THAT'S IN OUR AREA.
I DON'T CARE IF YOU GO TO UP THE UP THE ROAD, TO THE RIGHT, TO LEFT, EVERYBODY'S COMPETING FOR THAT.
AND WE'RE TO THE POINT NOW THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE RETAIN EVERYBODY.
AND IF A CALENDAR KEEPS MORE PEOPLE, EVEN IF IT'S 10, THEN IT'S WORTH IT.
THE SECOND THING WAS THAT WE LEARNED WAS THAT THE ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DAYS UNDER THESE TIMES, MAYBE UNDER DIFFERENT TIMES.
SO SOMETIMES IT'S THE RIGHT IDEA, THE WRONG TIME.
THE ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DAYS WHEN THERE'S A SUB SHORTAGE AND ALL OF THESE THINGS GOING OUT IS VERY TOUGH ON TEACHERS BECAUSE THEY STILL NEED THEIR MANDATED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PULLING THEM OUT IS NOT WORTH IT.
WHAT ELSE DID WE LEARN? WE LEARNED THAT AND THIS SOUNDS.
THIS IS GOING TO SOUND WEIRD, BUT WE LEARNED THAT THE KIDS THAT LOVE SCHOOL, LOVE SCHOOL AND THEY WILL SHOW UP TO INTERCESSION, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT SHOWED UP TO INTERCESSION TO EXCEL.
THAT'S WHY OUR A LOT OF OUR RATES WENT UP BECAUSE THE KIDS THAT LOVE SCHOOL SHOW UP TO SCHOOL, RIGHT? WE LEARNED THAT WHEN WE HAD THESE BREAKS, AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THAT SOME
[02:10:01]
OF OUR BEST TEACHERS SAID, I WOULD LOVE TO TEACH FOR THAT EXTRA MONEY, BUT RIGHT NOW I JUST DON'T HAVE THE ENERGY.AND SO WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF OUR PARENTS ARE WORKING CLASS PARENTS AND SOMETIMES IN THE CULTURE AND HAVE A LOT OF FAMILY THAT CAN WATCH THEIR KIDS WHILE THEY'RE AT WORK.
THE NOVELTY OF THAT LIFESTYLE FOR THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE ISN'T HERE AT GARLAND.
SO WE KNOW THAT IT'S A FINANCIAL BURDEN.
AND SO THEN WHEN WE PUT ALL THOSE NODES THAT WE'VE LEARNED THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE, THAT'S WHAT CREATED THIS CALENDAR.
AND THIS IS AND THE EXPERTISE AND THE VOICE.
WE KNOW THAT WE WANTED PEOPLE TO FEEL OWNERSHIP IN THIS CALENDAR PROCESS, WHATEVER CALENDAR THEY CAME UP WITH.
AND I THINK THEY CAME UP WITH SOMETHING MAGNIFICENT.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TAKING AWAY AND WE KNEW.
OK, I'M GOING TO LEAVE WITH THIS AND LEAVE IT WITH CNI.
WE KNEW THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE AN ACADEMIC SLIDE AND THE CALENDAR IS ONLY A PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE CAME UP WITH THAT ACADEMIC RECOVERY PLAN WITH ALL THAT TIME WITH STUDENTS.
I THINK THE OTHER THING WE LEARNED, MS. GRIFFIN, IS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE THE TRUST OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHEN WE IMPLEMENTED INTERCESSION A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, NOT ALL OF OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE INPUT OR FELT THAT THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND TO THE SURVEY IN AN AUTHENTIC WAY TO PROVIDE THEIR INPUT.
AND SO THAT'S WHY AS WE ASSEMBLED THIS COMMITTEE, IT WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT IT BE DONE WITH FULL TRANSPARENCY.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS WERE ASKED TO GO BACK AND SPEAK WITH THEIR CIRCLES OF INFLUENCE TO GET INPUT.
WE PROVIDED THE SURVEY FEEDBACK TO YOU ALL THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
WE SHARED KIND OF THE ONGOING DEVELOPMENT.
WE PROVIDED THE COMMENTS BECAUSE WE NEEDED TO REESTABLISH TRUST WITH OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE NOT ONLY HEARD, BUT WERE CONSIDERING AND INCORPORATING THEIR WANTS AND NEEDS IN THIS PROCESS TOO.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I'D JUST LIKE TO COME IN AND TELL YOU ONE REASON FOR THE BURNOUT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, TOO.
AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT AS THIS BOARD AND THAT'S THE THE DISCIPLINE MANAGEMENT OR THE STUDENT MANAGEMENT IN THE CLASSROOM SETTING AND THE SUPPORT THAT THE TEACHERS DON'T HAVE OR DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE AT THE CAMPUS LEVEL.
AND THAT CREATES A LOT OF WHY WE HAVE ABSENTEEISM IN THE SUBS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
BECAUSE THE TRENDS IN THIS IN THE LAST 10 YEARS AND HOW THEY'VE CHANGED AND BECAUSE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER THINGS HAVE REALLY CREATED ISSUES FOR TEACHERS BECAUSE THE DESIRE TO WANT TO TEACH IS STILL THERE.
BUT I SEE IT ON A DAILY BASIS.
I JUST CAME OUT OF THE CLASSROOM IN 2016, AND I SAW THE TRENDS CHANGING DRASTICALLY IN 2012 2013.
EACH YEAR, IT KEPT CHANGING YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR AND HOW STUDENTS WERE HANDLED OR DISCIPLINED OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
JUST LIKE I TALKED ABOUT IN SPECIAL ED THE OTHER NIGHT, THE PARENTS HAVE GOT TO BUY IN IN WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO TO EDUCATE THEIR CHILDREN.
WE COULD TEACH THEM IN ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DAYS IF WE HAD THE BUY IN.
BUT THEY SEE THE SOCIAL MEDIA TOO, AND THEY DON'T BUY IN.
SO THOSE KIDS OUT THERE THAT REALLY LOVE SCHOOL AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE THERE ARE GOING TO LEARN.
I DON'T CARE HOW MANY DAYS YOU GIVE THEM, THEY'RE GOING TO LEARN THEY WANT IT.
BUT THERE'S THOSE THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT DO NOT WANT TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO FOR THEM AND TRY TO HELP THEM AND GIVE THEM A DEGREE AND TO HELP THEM GRADUATE HAS TO BUY IN TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
SO, YOU KNOW, NOT TO BELABOR THIS, BUT AS A PARENT, INTERCESSION WAS SUCCESSFUL.
BECAUSE IT WAS TOWARDS GEARED TOWARDS THAT LEARNING GAP OF A CHILD WHO HAS THE LEARNING GAP, BUT I'M ALSO A PARENT WHO SENT MY KID TO TO INTERCESSION.
SO BUT I ALSO HAVE THE I'M LUCKY THAT I HAVE SOMEBODY WHO WORKS FROM HOME AND THEY CAN PICK HIM UP IN THAT HALF DAY.
SO I'M VERY LUCKY, VERY BLESSED, AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COULDN'T DO IT.
SO HINDSIGHT COULD WE IF WE COULD HAVE MADE IT A FULL DAY, YOU KNOW, WOULD THAT HAVE HELPED TREMENDOUSLY WITH THE PARENTS? SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M SADDENED THAT WE'RE THROWING THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATHWATER.
I WISH THAT WE COULD TWEAK IT.
I WISH WE COULD MAKE IT A FULL DAY INSTEAD OF A HALF DAY.
IT BOTHERS ME TREMENDOUSLY TO HEAR THAT IT WAS A COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE AND THAT IT COST ALL THIS MONEY.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT WE AIN'T MAKING MONEY AT ALL IN THIS
[02:15:04]
EDUCATION PROCESS THAT WE'RE IN, AND WE DIDN'T GO INTO THIS TO MAKE ANY MONEY.WE WENT INTO THIS KNOWING THAT I MEAN, WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY MONEY WITH THE VIRTUAL EITHER, BUT WE'RE DOING IT BECAUSE WE HAVE A GROUP OF KIDS THAT WE NEED TO SERVICE AND AND WE KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET OUR MONEY BACK ON IT AND WE'RE GOING TO EXPAND A PRE-K AND THREE, AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE ANY MONEY ON THAT ONE, EITHER.
SO WE'RE IN THE WRONG BUSINESS, FOLKS.
BUT SO I'M A LITTLE BOTHERED THAT WE ARE THROWING IT OUT, BUT I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND IT.
I HAPPEN TO LIVE IN AN AREA WHERE I HAVE A PRINCIPAL FROM SUNNYVALE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND TEACHER.
I HAVE A TEACHER FROM A PRIVATE AND GISD AND THEY'RE ALL BURNT OUT.
THEY DON'T HAVE INTERCESSION, BUT BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THEY'RE BURNT OUT BECAUSE THE KIDS APPARENTLY ARE UNMANAGEABLE.
THEY'RE THEY'RE DISRESPECTFUL.
THEY'RE JUST THEY'RE THEY'RE EXHAUSTED AND THEY ARE THEY'RE TAKING.
I MEAN, THEY'RE ALL MOWING THEIR LAWNS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK WHEN THEY SHOULD BE AT WORK.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'LL DO WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR TEACHERS AND I'LL DO WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR PARENTS.
BUT I WOULD JUST SAY THAT PARENTS, YOU KNOW, OUR KIDS HAVE LEARNING LOSS AND WE WE NEED TO FIGURE IT OUT.
APPEARS THAT WE'RE GOING TO COMMENT NOW ON THE PROPRIETY OF INTERCESSION.
SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND SAY, TO BE HONEST, I WAS UPSET THAT THE BOARD DIDN'T GET MORE OF A SAY ON THE FUTURE OF INTERCESSION.
I FEEL LIKE WE GOT A COUPLE OF REPORTS OF THIS IS HOW MANY KIDS WENT TO THE FALL INTER, BUT WE NEVER GOT ANY DATA ON ON REALLY HOW WELL IT WORKED, WHETHER IT'S WORKING.
AT SOME POINT I REALIZED AS I WAS DOING THAT WE DIDN'T GET MUCH OF AN OPPORTUNITY ON THIS, THAT THERE ISN'T ANY DATA REALLY TO GO WITH.
AND INTERCESSION IS A VICTIM OF COVID PERIOD.
COVID'S TAKEN A LOT FROM US AND IT TOOK THIS TOO, BECAUSE AS AT THIS POINT, RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE SO MUCH LEARNING LOSS FROM COVID.
THE ONLY BASELINE WE CAN TELL IF INTERCESSION WAS SUCCESSFUL AGAINST WAS 2019.
THAT WAS THE LAST VALUABLE STAAR DATA WE HAVE, AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO COMPARE TO THAT.
DID COVID ARREST THE FALL? I MEAN, DID INTERCESSION ARREST THE COVID FALL, DID INTERCESSION FAIL COMPLETELY AND LET IT FALL AWAY TO THE BOTTOM? I DON'T THINK SO, BUT WE'RE NEVER GOING TO HAVE GOOD DATA TO COMPARE IT TO.
AND TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, WE WOULD PROBABLY NEED FIVE YEARS OF POST COVID DATA BEFORE WE CAN ATTEMPT IT AGAIN.
SO YOU SAID SOMETHING I THINK IS IS VERY, VERY VALID WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT WEST TEXAS BECAUSE LOOK AT THE DISTRICTS WHERE INTERCESSION HAS WORKED, THEY'RE THE THREE EL PASO DISTRICTS AND THEY ALL THREE HAVE INTERCESSION CALENDARS.
SO NO ONE'S GOING TO LEAVE [INAUDIBLE] TO GO TO EL PASO JUST BECAUSE THE CALENDAR, BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME CALENDAR.
SO FROM A STAFFING PERSPECTIVE, THE PLACES THAT WE ALL POINT TO AND SAY, WHY CAN'T WE DO THAT? WELL, MAYBE THAT'S WHY WE CAN'T DO THAT, BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO SPOKE TODAY AND SPOKE KIND OF AGAINST INTERCESSION, THE SOCORRO ISD HAS THE EXACT SAME ETHNOGRAPHIC PROFILE THAT WE DO.
WHENEVER WE GET COMPARED BY CONSULTANTS OR ANYBODY OR BY TASB.
THEY'RE ALWAYS ONE OF THE DISTRICTS THAT'S RIGHT THERE WITH US BECAUSE THEY ALMOST FIT US TO A TEE.
THEY'RE IN A DISTRICT, THEY HAVE INTERCESSION.
THEY INVENTED INTERCESSION, IN FACT.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY ALSO HAVE FINE ARTS.
THEY HAVE ATHLETICS, THEY HAVE EVERYTHING, THEY MAKE IT WORK AND THEY PROSPERED UNDER IT.
WE WERE HOPING WE COULD PROSPER, TOO.
CADDELL MAY HAVE TOUCHED ON THE REASON WHY WE HAVE CHALLENGES THEY DON'T.
IN THAT WE'RE SURROUNDED BY A BUNCH OF DISTRICTS THAT DON'T HAVE INTERCESSION CALENDARS.
NOW THAT BEING SAID, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS AFTER WE PASSED, A LOT OF THEM LOOKED AT IT AND THEN COVID HIT AND THEN THAT SCRAPPED EVERYTHING.
SO I THINK IT IS SAD THAT BECAUSE MY MY THING IS I WAS ALWAYS A LITTLE SKEPTICAL OF IT TO BEGIN WITH, BUT I WANTED TO SEE IF IT WORKED OR NOT, AND I DON'T THINK WE'RE EVER GOING TO KNOW THAT ANSWER.
SO THAT'S I THINK IT'S FRUSTRATING, BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO MOVE ON WITH A TRADITIONAL CALENDAR.
WE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIKE THE FALL BREAK, AND THEY DID PRESERVE THAT.
I THINK THAT THAT WAS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A GUARDRAIL.
BUT BUT IT ENDED UP IN THERE ON EITHER OPTION.
I THANK THEM ALL FOR THEIR WORK.
TO THE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO LIKED INTERCESSION AND THEY'VE RAISED UP SINCE THE CALENDARS HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED.
ANOTHER THING ABOUT GARLAND THAT'S UNIQUE.
ANYBODY WHO FOLLOWED THE MASK DEBATE KNOWS THIS.
WHOEVER IS HAPPY WITH THE WAY THE STATUS QUO IS DOESN'T COME AND COMPLAIN OR
[02:20:05]
JOIN COMMITTEES OR ANYTHING OF THAT NATURE.BUT THE PEOPLE WHO AREN'T HAPPY WITH THE STATUS QUO GET VERY ACTIVE AND INVOLVED IN GARLAND.
SO IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME THERE WEREN'T MANY FANS OF THE INTERCESSION CALENDAR ON THE COMMITTEE.
BUT THE MOMENT THAT THEY REALIZED THAT IT WAS GOING TO DROP, THEN I HEAR COMING OUT OF THE WOODWORKS, TONS OF PEOPLE WHO WERE LIKE, WHY ARE YOU GETTING RID OF INTERCESSION? WE LOVE INTERCESSION AND SUCH.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I CAN TELL THEM.
IT'S NOT FEASIBLE MOVING FORWARD.
IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE REJECTING INTERCESSION.
THIS TIME IS TOO TOXIC FOR IT TO HAVE A GO AT IT.
AND LIKE I SAID, IT'S GOING TO BE AT LEAST FIVE YEARS BEFORE WE CAN EVEN ATTEMPT IT AGAIN.
AND DESPITE WHAT YOU MAY HAVE HEARD AND WHAT YOU MAY SEE IN THE PRESENTATION, IF YOU NEED TO HEAR SOME OF THE POSITIVE IMPACTS OF INTERCESSION, THEY'RE OUT THERE.
YOU SEE THAT IN THE SURVEY COMMENTS IN THE PROGRAM EVALUATIONS, YOU CAN GO ONTO TWITTER AND SEARCH THE INTERCESSION HASHTAGS.
NUMEROUS COMMENTS FROM EDUCATORS THAT DID PARTICIPATE THAT WEEK THAT DID TEACH THOSE HALF DAYS, WHICH, BY THE WAY, THEY TAUGHT, BUT WE DIDN'T GIVE THEM ANY PLANNING TIME TO PREPARE.
SO THEY DID THAT ALL OUT OF CONTRACT TOO.
THAT LESSON LEARNED YES, MA'AM, THAT IT REIGNITED THEIR LOVE FOR LEARNING BECAUSE THEY GOT TO WORK WITH SMALL GROUPS OF KIDS ON SPECIFIC SKILLS AND REALLY SEE SOME PROGRESS AND ENGAGE WITH STUDENTS IN A WAY THAT THEY DON'T TYPICALLY GET TO IN A WHOLE GROUP SETTING.
SO THERE WERE LOTS OF POSITIVE FEEDBACK AS WELL.
IT'S JUST WHEN THE COMMITTEE STARTED TO LOOK AT BALANCING, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE PROS AND CONS THIS IS WHERE THEY LANDED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I JUST HAD A COMMENT AND A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS IN, YOU KNOW, MS. GRIFFIN, YOU ASKED THE QUESTION, WHAT DID WE LEARN? AND TO MR. JOHNSON'S POINT.
JUST BECAUSE THIS WORKED SOMEWHERE ELSE DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT IT WORKS HERE.
SO YOU HAVE TO ASSESS WHERE YOU ARE AND FIGURE OUT THE TOTALITY OF WHAT'S INVOLVED BEFORE IMPLEMENTING THINGS THAT YOU THINK MIGHT POTENTIALLY WORK AND SEEING KIND OF WHERE THAT MIGHT END UP.
SO SINCE WE'RE GOING TO STILL HAVE INTERCESSION FOR FALL.
AND WINTER AND SPRING AND SUMMER OF 2022.
SO WHAT IS OUR PLAN NOW THAT WE KNOW THAT IT'S PROBABLY NOT AS EFFECTIVE AS WHAT WE HAD HOPED? WHAT IS OUR PLAN GOING FORWARD TO, TO AT LEAST HAVE SOME LEVEL OF EFFECTIVENESS? YOU KNOW WHAT WE HAVE REMAINING? YES.
SO WE ARE CONTINUING WITH THE REQUIRED ENROLLMENT FOR STUDENTS THAT MEET A CERTAIN PERFORMANCE THRESHOLD ON THAT MAP DATA, THEN ENROLLMENT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE CONTINUING WITH PARENT OUTREACH TO INDICATE THAT THIS IS, YOU KNOW, OUR NEXT LAYER OF DEFENSE TO HELP WITH THE ACADEMIC RECOVERY.
THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT IF WE ARE TO ADOPT THE TWO CALENDARS BEFORE YOU TODAY THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO STOP ANY OUTSIDE OF THE ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR.
INSTEAD, WHAT IT MEANS IS WE GO BACK TO MORE OF A TRADITIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL, WHICH TO MS. STANLEY'S POINT.
WE'VE HAD CONCERNS IN PRIOR YEARS BECAUSE TRADITIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMING IS ALSO A HALF DAY PROGRAM.
AND HOW MUCH CAN YOU REALISTICALLY ACCOMPLISH AND THAT HALF DAY? WE DID CONSIDER FULL DAY PROGRAMING.
WE DID CONSIDER APPROACHING INTERCESSION AND DOING IT HUBS.
THAT BECAME A LITTLE BIT PROBLEMATIC WHEN YOU LOOKED AT IT BEING A WEEK TIME FRAME AND PULLING STUDENTS FROM THEIR HOME CAMPUS TO A DIFFERENT CAMPUS WITH DIFFERENT STAFF THAT THEY DON'T SEE FOR SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
WHEREAS OUR SUMMER SCHOOL'S SEVERAL WEEKS AND I JUST GOT OFF TOPIC WITH YOUR QUESTION, CAN YOU REPEAT IT ONE MORE TIME? WHAT IS OUR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN? OKAY.
SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO ACTIVELY RECRUIT BASED ON STUDENT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE DOING THAT INDIVIDUAL PARENT OUTREACH.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE LESSONS LEARNED, MS. GRIFFIN, WAS THAT WHEN TEACHERS AND WHEN BUILDING ADMINISTRATORS REACHED OUT TO STUDENTS AND EXPLAINED WHY THEY WERE BEING RECRUITED AND HOW THEY WERE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM INTERCESSION THAT WE SAW MORE OF THOSE STUDENTS ACTUALLY ENROLL.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE LEARNED IS THAT THIS YEAR IN THE FALL, WE INCREASED OUR ATTENDANCE FOR THAT FOUR TO FIVE DAYS OVER WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO LAST YEAR.
AND SO WE DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED THAT TO INCREASE IN THAT STUDENT ENGAGEMENT DURING THIS FALL INTERCESSION COMPARED WITH KIND OF THAT FOCUS ON GETTING STUDENTS TO COME LAST YEAR THAT WE SAW.
SO WE INCREASED OUR ENROLLMENT FROM 16 PERCENT TO TWENTY FIVE PERCENT AND WE SAID THAT TWENTY FIVE PERCENT DIDN'T REPRESENT ALL OF THE STUDENTS THAT ACTUALLY NEEDED TO BE IN INTERCESSION.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TOTAL UNIVERSE OF STUDENTS THAT NEEDED TO BE IN INTERCESSION OR WE RECOMMENDED BEING INTERCESSION, WHAT DID THAT NUMBER LOOK LIKE? SO THAT NUMBER IS CLOSER DEPENDING ON THE GRADE AND SUBJECT IN WHICH ASSESSMENT
[02:25:01]
THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT ANYWHERE FROM 30 TO FIFTY FIVE PERCENT.IF IF YOU WANT TO JUST USE OUR STAAR PERFORMANCE DATA AND ALL OF THE STUDENTS THAT PERFORMED IT DOES NOT MEET GRADE LEVELS JUST IN THE STAAR TESTED GRADES AND SUBJECTS.
ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS MS. JOYNER REFERENCED HB 4545.
ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE ADDITIONAL TUTORIALS AS A RESULT OF HB 4545.
AND SO IDEALLY ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS WOULD BE PARTICIPATING IN INTERCESSION TO GET THAT ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL TIME.
I WANT TO DO AN EXTENSION ON THAT.
I WANT US TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE STRATEGICALLY MADE A WINTER INTERCESSION.
OK? AND AND IF YOU GO TO THESE OTHER MODELS, THEY DON'T HAVE A WINTER INTERCESSION.
WHY DID WE DO THAT? IT'S THAT IS FOCUSED ON SECONDARY STUDENTS CREDIT LOSS.
THAT ONE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE WONDERING, WHY DO WE HAVE THAT EXTENDED LEARNING? THAT IS GOING TO CATCH KIDS UP SO WE DON'T HAVE TO BE ROUNDING THEM UP IN THE SPRING? OK, SO WE'RE STRATEGICALLY LOOKING AT THAT.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE DID LAST YEAR WITH INTERCESSION ON CREDIT RECOVERY AND TSI AND EVERYTHING, THAT IS HUGE.
NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE NOT KIDS ARE GOING TO GET OTHER HEAD STARTS IN ELEMENTARY AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
NOW I WANT TO MAKE THIS CRITICAL POINT.
WE'RE EVALUATING IF WE COULD DO MARCH FULL DAY.
AND THE REASON WHY WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND THIS IS FOR PROBABLY K THROUGH EIGHT, WE'RE STILL EVALUATING IT.
IT'S RIGHT BEFORE TESTING AND WE FEEL THAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO GIVE A LOT OF TIME AND PARENTS ARE WILLING TO SAY IF IT'S FULL DAY AND IT'S GETTING MY KID READY FOR TEST AND THE LEARNING LOSS AND IT'S GOING TO KEEP THEM OUT OF THAT SUMMER INTERCESSION.
OK, MAYBE I'LL SEND THEM FOR THAT WEEK.
ALL RIGHT, SO WE'RE REALLY GEARING UP FOR THAT LAST ONE, AND WE REALLY HOPE THAT WE CAN MAKE UP A LOT OF LOST TIME WITH JUST THAT UNINTERRUPTED TIME FOCUSING ON THE STAAR EXAMS AND OF COURSE, EXAMS FOR THE STUDENTS.
SO ONE MORE LESSON LEARNED THAT WE DID BUILDING UPON THAT.
I DON'T WANT TO LOSE THIS QUESTION, OK, WITH RESPECT TO YOU SAYING EARLIER THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T DO BEFORE THAT WE DID THIS TIME WAS THAT WE REACHED OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY AND WE ENGAGE THEM IN THE PROCESS.
WHEN YOU GOT FEEDBACK OR QUESTIONS ASKED, DID YOU ASK PARENTS, HOW WILLING WERE THEY TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO THE DISTRICT FOR INTERCESSION IF THEY KNEW THAT THEY NEEDED THIS LEVEL OF REMEDIATION? AND HOW OR WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE RESPONSES CAME BACK IN THE AFFIRMATIVE? SO I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE THAT DATA PULLED WITH ME FOR THIS EVENING, BUT THAT INFORMATION WAS INCLUDED IN OUR INTERCESSION PROGRAM EVALUATION.
SO THERE ARE SURVEYS AFTER EACH OF THE ADMINISTRATION INTERCESSIONS WHERE A SURVEY WAS DISTRIBUTED BOTH TO TEACHERS THAT TAUGHT DURING INTERCESSION, AS WELL AS PARENTS THAT SENT THEIR STUDENTS TO INTERCESSION, ASKING FOR THAT FEEDBACK AND COMMENTS.
AND SO THOSE ARE INCLUDED IN THOSE PROGRAM EVALUATIONS.
WHAT WERE YOU GONNA SAY? AND THEN TO BUILD ON DR.
LOPEZ'S COMMENT IN ONE OF THE LESSONS LEARNED, WE DID HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF SUCCESS AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL, WHICH IS PART OF THE REASON WHY YOU SEE THERE FOUR OR FIVE ATTENDANCE RATE MUCH LOWER THAN THE ELEMENTARY AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL IS BECAUSE OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO RECAPTURE THEIR GRADES OR THEIR CREDITS WITHIN THAT INTERCESSION WEEK.
LAST YEAR, WE KEPT THE GRADING CYCLE OPEN UNTIL AFTER INTERCESSION SO THAT STUDENTS COULD DO THAT GRADING GRADE RECOVERY THAT WEEK.
THIS YEAR, WE ACTUALLY CLOSED THE GRADING CYCLE GRADES PRIOR TO INTERCESSION SO THAT STUDENTS COMING TO INTERCESSION WOULD BE COMING FOR GRADE RECOVERY NOW.
SO IT GAVE THEM MORE OF AN INCENTIVE TO COMPLETE THEIR WORK PRIOR TO INTERCESSION THIS MOST RECENT FALL.
LOOKING FORWARD AND PROJECTING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF NOT HAVING INTERCESSION.
WE HAVE ALREADY HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH MS. [INAUDIBLE], OUR NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF MTSS, WHO OVERSEES SOME OF OUR TRADITIONAL KIND OF GRADE AND CREDIT RECOVERY OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE PROVIDE.
ONE OF THOSE LEGACY SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE IS THAT WE TYPICALLY HAVE A FALL WINDOW AND WHAT WE CALL A SPRING FREE WINDOW, AND IT'S A ONE MONTH PERIOD DURING EACH SEMESTER WHERE STUDENTS ARE BASICALLY ABLE TO RECOVER CREDIT.
AND HER BIG QUESTION IS WHY IS IT LIMITED TO A MONTH? AND THE RESPONSE IS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE.
SO LOOKING AT YEARS GOING FORWARD, THAT MAY NOT INCLUDE THESE INTERCESSION OPPORTUNITIES, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WE'LL BE LOOKING AT EXTENDING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADE AND CYCLE RECOVERY TO LONGER PERIODS OF TIME SO THAT THE
[02:30:02]
STUDENTS HAVE MORE TIME TO COMPLETE THAT WORK.WAS IT YOUR EXPECTATION THAT WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN THAT YOU OUTLINED EARLIER THAT WE'RE GOING TO REACH THE THIRTY FIVE TO 50 PERCENT OF THOSE STUDENTS WHO NEED TO BE IN INTERCESSION? WHAT IS YOUR HOPE OR EXPECTATION THERE? THAT IS MY GOAL.
BASED ON WHAT WE'RE SEEING, I DO THINK WE WILL HAVE INCREASES IN ENROLLMENT.
NOW, REMEMBER THAT 25 PERCENT IS ENROLLMENT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT NEXT LINE, THAT'S THE ACTUAL ATTENDANCE RATE FOR FOUR TO FIVE DAYS.
SO WE NEED TO DEFINE WHAT A SUCCESS LOOK LIKE.
DOES SUCCESS AT INTERCESSION LOOK LIKE ATTENDING FOUR OR FIVE OF THE FIVE DAY PROGRAM OR IS ATTENDING TWO OF THE FIVE DAY SUFFICIENT? IF YOU ATTEND TWO, YOU'RE UNLIKELY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PRE AND POST-TEST UNLESS YOU COME ON MONDAY AND FRIDAY, IN WHICH THAT DATA IS NOT GOING TO BE HELPFUL BECAUSE YOU WEREN'T THERE ANYWAY.
AND SO WHEN WE LOOK, YOU KNOW, AT OUR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS OF THOSE THAT WERE ENROLLED, 86 PERCENT ACTUALLY ATTENDED.
SO WHILE WE HAVE TWENTY FIVE PERCENT ENROLLMENT, THAT MEANS WE REGISTERED THEM AND SIGNED THEM UP FOR INTERCESSION THIS PAST FALL.
THE ACTUAL COMPLETE PARTICIPATION WAS WAS LOWER THAN THAT.
SO IF WE CAN GOING FORWARD MAINTAIN AT LEAST THAT TWENTY FIVE PERCENT ENROLLMENT AND INCREASE THE ATTENDANCE RATE, I THINK THAT WE'LL BE WELL POSITIONED FOR OUR STUDENT OUTCOMES IN THE SPRING.
AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION DURING THE PROCESS WITH THE COMMITTEES.
DID YOU GUYS DISCUSS OR HAVE ANY CONVERSATION ABOUT IF WE WERE TO TRANSITION AWAY FROM THE INTERCESSION CALENDAR TO A MORE TRADITIONAL CALENDAR THAT WE MAY POTENTIALLY ATTRACT OR RECRUIT SOME OF THE TEACHERS [INAUDIBLE] THAT LEFT BACK TO THE DISTRICT? I THINK THERE WERE SOME INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS.
SOME FOLKS HAD HAD FRIENDS THAT HAD LEFT THE DISTRICT, AND THEY MADE COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT WAS TERMED A YEAR ROUND SCHOOL.
JUST BECAUSE OF THE ABBREVIATED SUMMER WAS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THEY LEFT THE DISTRICT AND THEY DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO.
BUT DUE TO KIND OF THEIR FAMILY CONSIDERATIONS THAT THEY MADE THAT CHOICE.
LOOKING AT DESIGNING OUR CALENDAR, OUR COMMITTEE REALLY WORKED HARD TO TRY TO HAVE OUR CALENDARS CONCLUDED BEFORE THE MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY.
AND THEN ALSO, I THINK MR. BEACH FOR THAT, I SAW THE FACIAL.
AND THEN THE OTHER THING IS THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD A BALANCE IN INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS IN BOTH SEMESTERS.
YEAH, I WAS JUST GOING TO COMMENT AT ONE POINT, AS YOU REMEMBER, I ARGUED BECAUSE WE HAD SEVENTY TWO AND 103, I MEMORIZED THOSE NUMBERS.
THAT'S IN THE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE DAY CALENDAR BEFORE WE WENT TO ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY.
SO NOW WE ARE BALANCED MAYBE EIGHT, SEVEN OR EIGHT DAYS BETWEEN RATHER THAN THIRTY ONE DAYS.
THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW COMMENTS IN THIS SESSION ABOUT IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY DAYS OF INSTRUCTION.
EVERY SINGLE STUDY THAT'S EVER BEEN PUBLISHED.
SAYS THE MORE EDUCATION YOU CAN GIVE, THE BETTER THE KIDS WILL DO.
I HAVEN'T READ ONE THAT DOESN'T SAY THAT, SO I DON'T THINK WE WANT TO BE KNOWN AS A BOARD THAT DOESN'T CARE HOW MANY DAYS I CAN UNDERSTAND.
THERE MAY BE SOME FINANCIAL REASONS OR PERSONAL REASONS, BUT I THINK OUR GOAL SHOULD ALWAYS BE TO MAXIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF TIME WE ARE ABLE TO TEACH OUR KIDS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE INTEND TO DO.
IT'S THAT MAXIMIZATION OF THE TIME THAT WE DO HAVE CALENDAR FOR STUDENTS, AS WELL AS THE CONTRACT TIME FOR TEACHERS.
SO LOOKING AT THE CALENDAR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WERE PRESENTED AND THOSE THAT WERE WELL RECEIVED BY OUR COMMUNITY, WE ARE LOOKING AT THE ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX INSTRUCTIONAL DAY CALENDAR FOR STUDENTS.
IT DOES HAVE A FIRST DAY OF CONTRACT FOR OUR TEACHERS OF AUGUST 1ST.
YOU WILL BE REMINDED THAT IN OUR CURRENT ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR, OUR TEACHERS ACTUALLY STARTED THEIR CONTRACT THE LAST WEEK OF JULY.
IT HAS THE TEACHER'S LAST CONTRACT DAY OF MAY 26, AND THAT IS THE FRIDAY PRECEDING THE MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY.
LOOKING AT OUR STUDENTS, THEIR FIRST DAY OF INSTRUCTION FOR THE 2022 2023 SCHOOL YEAR WOULD BE ON AUGUST 8TH.
AGAIN, YOU SEE TWO EARLY RELEASE DAYS ON DECEMBER 20TH AND MAY TWENTY FIFTH, AND THEY WOULD IN SCHOOL ON MAY 25TH, ALLOWING FOR THE ENTIRE HOLIDAY WEEKEND TO BE
[02:35:04]
AVAILABLE FOR OUR GRADUATION CEREMONIES.YOU WILL SEE TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
THERE ARE 11 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS EMBEDDED WITHIN THIS CALENDAR THAT IS FOUR MORE THAN THE CURRENT SEVEN DAYS THEY HAVE THIS YEAR.
ALTHOUGH I WILL REITERATE AGAIN WHILE I AM USING THE TERM PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT DOES NOT MEAN FOR ALL 11 DAYS, OUR TEACHERS WILL BE SITTING LISTENING TO A PRESENTATION ABOUT LITERACY OR MATHEMATICS OR SCIENCE FROM KIM CADDELL OR ANY OF OUR TEACHING AND LEARNING STAFF.
WE WILL BE BALANCING OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS WITH INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING TIME AND WORK TIME FOR OUR TEACHERS.
YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE SEVERAL HOLIDAYS EMBEDDED THROUGHOUT THE CALENDAR.
THOSE HOLIDAYS ARE NOTED IN KIND OF THAT ORANGE COLORING.
THEY DO INCLUDE THE FALL BREAK, WHICH IS VERY POSITIVELY RECEIVED THROUGHOUT OUR COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES, AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED.
THEY DO INCLUDE A FULL WEEK AT THANKSGIVING AND THEN A WINTER BREAK STARTING ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21ST THROUGH JANUARY 2ND.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE REMAINING HOLIDAYS FOR THE SPRING SEMESTER THAT DO INCLUDE MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY, A WEEK OF SPRING BREAK IN MARCH, AS WELL AS THE FRIDAY AND MONDAY SURROUNDING THE EASTER HOLIDAY.
TRIVIAL FACT THE COMMITTEE EVEN PLAYED WITH THE DAY TO HAVE SUPER BOWL MONDAY OFF.
I DO BELIEVE THAT FEBRUARY 20TH IS SUPER BOWL MONDAY AND THAT CURRENTLY IS DESIGNATED AS A TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY.
ALL RIGHT, SO MOVING INTO THE 23 24 CALENDAR, THIS ONE AGAIN, YOU SEE SIMILAR WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT THIS DOES HAVE ONE ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY EMBEDDED WITHIN IT.
AGAIN, WE STILL DO MEET THE MINIMUM INSTRUCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS AS REQUIRED BY TEXAS EDUCATION CODE, PLUS THE EIGHT HUNDRED AND EIGHTY ADDITIONAL MINUTES TO ACCOMMODATE TO UP TO TWO BAD WEATHER INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS.
WITH THIS CALENDAR AGAIN, TEACHERS FIRST CONTRACT DAY WOULD BE ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 1ST 2023 AND STUDENTS' FIRST DAY OF CLASSES WOULD BE ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 8TH 2023.
THE LAST DAY FOR TEACHERS WOULD BE MAY 28TH.
THIS IS THE MONDAY FOLLOWING MEMORIAL DAY AND STUDENTS LAST DAY, WHICH IS ALSO AN EARLY RELEASE DAY WOULD BE ON FRIDAY, MAY TWENTY FOURTH PRECEDING THE MEMORIAL DAY.
AGAIN, YOU SEE THAT WE HAVE ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS FOR OUR TEACHERS.
THE NUMBER HERE IN THIS SCHEDULE WOULD BE 12 ADDITIONAL DAYS TO BE USED FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WHICH DOES INCLUDE INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING AND TEACHER WORK DAYS.
AND WE SEE SIMILAR HOLIDAYS IN THIS CALENDAR WITH A FALL BREAK A FULL WEEK AT THANKSGIVING.
THE WINTER HOLIDAY BEGINNING ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21ST, AND CONCLUDING ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY FOUR OR 3RD, ALTHOUGH THE FOURTH AND THE FIFTH WOULD BE TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAYS SO STUDENTS WOULD NOT RETURN FOR THE SPRING SEMESTER UNTIL JANUARY 8TH OF 2024.
AGAIN, YOU SEE THAT WE HAVE SUPER BOWL MONDAY AS A PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY.
THERE IS A STUDENT AND STAFF HOLIDAY ON GOOD FRIDAY.
IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT IN THIS CALENDAR YEAR, GOOD FRIDAY IS TWO WEEKS AFTER THE SPRING BREAK BECAUSE OF THE WAYS THAT THE DAYS WORKED IN OUR CALENDAR COMMITTEE CAN ATTEST TO.
YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T CHANGE THE THE CALENDAR YEAR.
SO IT'S A MATTER OF HOW DO WE, YOU KNOW, ACCOMPLISH ALL OF OUR GOALS WITHIN THESE DAYS ARE GIVEN SO THAT YOU WILL SEE THAT THE MONDAY FOLLOWING THE EASTER HOLIDAY IS A STUDENT HOLIDAY, BUT WILL BE A TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY ON THIS CALENDAR PROPOSAL.
I'M NOT GOING TO REHASH THESE RECURRING THEMES.
YOU ALL I KNOW HAVE SEEN THE INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY.
YOU'VE GOTTEN THE PHONE CALLS YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE VOICES THAT WERE AVAILABLE AND PRESENTED TONIGHT.
AND SO REALLY, WHAT'S BEFORE OUR TRUSTEES FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND THEN AS AN ACTION ITEM NEXT WEEK IS IT'S REALLY THERE'S REALLY TWO OPTIONS.
SO THE FIRST OPTION SORT OF ON THE TABLE WOULD BE THE APPROVAL OF THE CALENDAR RECOMMENDATIONS AS PROVIDED HERE TONIGHT.
A SECOND OPTION WOULD BE FOR TRUSTEES TO RECOMMEND SOME CHANGES TO THOSE, YOU KNOW, RECOMMENDED CALENDARS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AT THE TRUSTEES DESIRE.
[02:40:02]
SOME OF THOSE EXAMPLE RECOMMENDATIONS COULD BE IF YOU WANTED TO CHANGE SPECIFIC DATES ON THE CALENDAR.I KNOW THAT SINCE WE PUT OUT THIS CALENDAR IN THE SURVEY, WE'VE GOTTEN SOME FEEDBACK WHERE SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY IS NOT JUST OVERALL ENTHUSIASTIC WITH HAVING THE WINTER BREAK START ON A WEDNESDAY OR A THURSDAY BEFORE THEIR CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY.
SO TRUSTEES COULD CONSIDER A RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE THOSE DATES AT A DIFFERENT POINT IN TIME.
THEY COULD BE MOVED TO THANKSGIVING WEEK, THEY COULD BE MOVED TO THE FALL BREAK.
THEY COULD ALSO BE MOVED BEFORE OR AFTER THE CURRENT CALENDAR RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU SEE HERE.
THE OTHER THING THAT YOU COULD DO IS IF WE ARE COMMITTED TO INTERCESSION IN THE POWER OF INTERCESSION, AND I FELT OBLIGATED TO PUT THIS IN HERE.
WE COULD, YOU KNOW, REINSERT INTERCESSION INTO THIS CALENDAR.
AND BASICALLY WHAT THAT WOULD DO IS IT WOULD PUSH THE SCHOOL START DATE UP A WEEK EARLIER AND IT WOULD PUSH THE SCHOOL END DATE BACK A WEEK EARLIER.
AND SO THAT COULD BE DONE WITH MINIMAL ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CALENDAR.
AND THEN I THINK THERE'S ONE MORE RECOMMENDATION.
SO I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK OUR COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES FOR YOUR ATTENDANCE AND YOUR PARTICIPATION TONIGHT, ESPECIALLY IN OUR LONG NIGHT.
SO I WILL ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, TRUSTEES? SO WE WILL BE RECOMMENDING THE THE CALENDAR WITH ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SIX DAYS FOR 2022 2023.
22 23 AND THEN THE 2023 24 CALENDAR WILL HAVE ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE DAYS.
CADDELL, THANK YOU ALSO COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
SO MOVING OVER TO ACTION ITEM, THIS IS GOING TO BE THE SECOND ACTION ITEM FOR CONSIDERATION AT OUR DECEMBER 14TH MEETING, CONSIDER APPROVAL OF THE RECOMMENDED 2022 2023 NEW COURSE OFFERINGS.
SO ONCE AGAIN, I'M SO EXCITED TO BE UP HERE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO SHARE WITH TRUSTEES AN OVERVIEW OF OUR NEW COURSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO BE OFFERED BEGINNING IN THE 202 2 2023 SCHOOL YEAR OR NEXT FALL.
TRUSTEES AGAIN ARE ONCE AGAIN REMINDED THAT YOU DID RECEIVE INFORMATION IN YOUR BOARD PACKET IN SUPPORT AND TO PROVIDE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION.
IT DOES INCLUDE A DRAFT OF THE PRESENTATION, A FULL SIZE FLOWCHART DISPLAY OF THE COURSE REQUEST PROCESS THAT WAS REVISED LAST DECEMBER, A CHOICE OF SUBJECT TIMELINE THAT SHOWS THE PROCESS OF TRANSLATING THEIR COURSE OFFERINGS INTO STUDENT COURSE SELECTIONS AND CLASS SCHEDULES, AND COURSE REQUESTS FOR EACH NEW COURSE BEING REQUESTED.
THERE ARE TWO ADDITIONAL COURSES THAT HAVE BEEN REQUESTED SINCE THE BOARD DOCUMENTS WERE PREPARED FOR YOU, AND SO I HAVE PROVIDED THOSE TWO ADDITIONAL REQUEST IN HARD COPIES IN THE BLUE FOLDERS THAT YOU JUST RECEIVED FROM MS. GILMORE.
THE FUTURE DR. GILMORE NO PRESSURE.
AS NOTED IN THE COURSE REQUEST FLOWCHART, THE COURSE REQUEST PROCESS IS OVERSEEN BY A CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COMMITTEE OF INDIVIDUALS REPRESENTING DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION WITHIN THEIR KNOWLEDGE, INSIGHT AND EXPERTISE.
TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU SEE IDENTIFIED HERE ON THE SCREEN, AS WELL AS THOSE EXPERTS ACROSS OUR ORGANIZATION THAT HAVE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE NEW COURSES.
THESE DO INCLUDE MS. TIFFANY GILMORE, DR.
ERIKA CRUMP, MR. JOSEPH FIGARELLI, MS. CHRISTIE ALAN, MS. AMY MONTGOMERY AND MS. TAMARA STOVALL.
AS REQUIRED BY BOARD POLICY ED LOCAL TRUSTEES ARE REQUIRED TO ANNUALLY REVIEW AND APPROVE A NEW COURSES.
THE MAJORITY OF THE NEW COURSES BEING PRESENTED TONIGHT ARE IN RESPONSE TO RECENT CHANGES AT THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION LEVEL.
IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION IS ABOUT MAKING THE COURSES AVAILABLE.
ANY REQUEST RELATED TO ADDITIONAL STAFFING OR FUNDING WILL BE SUBMITTED TO TRUSTEES THROUGH THE H.R.
AND BUDGET PROCESSES LATER THIS YEAR.
IN THE COURSE REQUEST PROCESS, WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF NEW COURSE REQUEST NEW TO CAMPUS AND NEW TO DISTRICT.
NEW TO CAMPUS COURSES HISTORICALLY ARE OFFERED WITHIN THE DISTRICT AT A SPECIFIC CAMPUS THAT ARE BEING REQUESTED BY A PRINCIPAL OR DESIGNEE TO BE OFFERED AT A NEW CAMPUS.
[02:45:04]
GENERALLY, NEW TO CAMPUS COURSES ARE APPROVED BY DISTRICT LEADERSHIP.NEW TO DISTRICT COURSES ARE NOT CURRENTLY OFFERED BY DISD, BUT DO HAVE STATE COURSE NUMBERS MAKING THEM AVAILABLE FOR OFFERING.
THESE COURSES CAN INCLUDE THOSE THAT REQUIRE TEA INNOVATIVE COURSE REQUEST APPLICATIONS OR ON THEIR INNOVATIVE COURSE LISTING.
TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, ALL COURSES MUST HAVE A TEA APPROVED STATE PIEMS COURSE SERVICE ID.
THAT WILL BE DOCUMENTED IN OUR STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM SKYWARD AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
THIS ALLOWS FOR STUDENTS TO EARN COURSE CREDITS TOWARDS MEETING THEIR GRADUATION COURSE CRITERIA.
TONIGHT, THERE ARE 11 NEW COURSE OFFERINGS THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED TO YOU 10 AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL AND ONE RECENT MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT YOU'LL HAVE IN HARD COPY.
TONIGHT'S REQUESTS ARE SORTED ALPHABETICALLY BY CONTENT REVIEW DEPARTMENT, SO WE'LL BEGIN WITH OUR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER DEPARTMENT.
IN THE FIRST COURSE REQUEST COMES VIA THE ELL DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE FALL THROUGHOUT THE FALL.
THE ELL DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN ENCOURAGED TO THINK BIG ABOUT PROGRAMING IN ORDER TO POSITIVELY IMPACT STUDENT OUTCOMES.
ONE OF THE IDEAS GENERATED WAS THE ADDITION OF A SPANISH LANGUAGE READING LANGUAGE ARTS COURSE AT GRADE SIX IN ORDER TO ASSIST DUAL LANGUAGE PARTICIPATING STUDENTS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL WITH DEVELOPING SPANISH LANGUAGE LITERACY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE STUDENTS A PATH TO A BI LITERACY PERFORMANCE ACKNOWLEDGMENT ON THEIR HIGH SCHOOL TRANSCRIPT.
SO PUTTING THIS COURSE AS A PILOT AT SELLERS MIDDLE SCHOOL WILL ALLOW US TO DEPLOY THE COURSE, FIND OUT IF IT WILL BE ATTRACTIVE AND INTERESTED TO OUR STUDENTS, AND THEN WORK TOWARDS THAT BI LITERACY PERFORMANCE ACKNOWLEDGMENT AS THEY WORK TO THEIR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.
THE NEXT SET OF REQUESTS COME VIA OUR TEACHING AND LEARNING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT THAT INCLUDE COURSES IN THE CONTENT AREA OF MATHEMATICS, ONE COURSE, SOCIAL STUDIES, THREE COURSES AND HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION, AND THERE ARE SIX COURSES.
ALGEBRAIC REASONING IS CONSIDERED A BRIDGE COURSE BETWEEN ALGEBRA ONE AND ALGEBRA TWO, AND MOST OF THE STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN THAT COURSE WOULD BE STUDENTS THAT DID NOT MEET WITH SUCCESS ON THE ALGEBRA ONE END OF COURSE EXAM.
DUAL CREDIT INTRO TO PHILOSOPHY AND DUAL CREDIT PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS ARE NEEDED IN ORDER TO FULFILL REQUIREMENTS FOR OUR MOU WITH OUR DALLAS COLLEGE TO SUPPORT OUR P-TECH EXPANSION.
PERSONAL FINANCIAL LITERACY, ALSO PROVIDED IN HARD COPY IN THE BLUE FOLDER, IS OFFERED THROUGH THE SOCIAL STUDIES CONTENT AREA AND WILL INCLUDE LEARNING STANDARDS RELATED TO PERSONAL FINANCES AND TRADITIONAL ECONOMICS.
THIS NEW COURSE CAN BE USED TO FULFILL THE HIGH SCHOOL ECONOMICS COURSE GRADUATION REQUIREMENT AND THE REMAINING RECOMMENDATIONS FROM TLD STAFF ARE FOR SIX HIGH SCHOOL HEALTH OR PHYSICAL EDUCATION COURSES.
YOU SEE THE FIRST ONE HERE NOTED AS HEALTH ONE.
THE SIX HEALTH COURSES AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION COURSES ARE BEING RECOMMENDED DUE TO NEW COURSE ADOPTIONS BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY.
WHILE WE KNOW THAT THESE COURSES ARE COMING AND WILL BE REPLACING OTHER LEGACY COURSES TO SATISFY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND ARE INTENDED TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE 2022 2023 SCHOOL YEAR, SOME DETAILS ARE STILL PENDING FROM OUR STATE AGENCIES, SUCH AS THE PIEMS COURSE SERVICE IDS.
YOU'LL SEE THAT THOSE ARE NOTED WITH A TO BE DETERMINED ONCE THE GOVERNING BOARDS FINALIZE THOSE NUMBERS.
THOSE PIEMS COURSE SERVICE IDS ARE A UNIQUE COURSE IDENTIFIER USED TO IDENTIFY OUR COURSE COMPLETION INFORMATION THAT WE TRANSFER TO TEA.
SO AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THAT CONCLUDES THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW OUR COURSES ARE THEN TRANSLATED INTO STUDENT COURSE SELECTION AND STUDENT SCHEDULING.
ANY QUESTIONS TRUSTEES? MS. STANLEY.
SO WHEN WHEN WILL WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THESE COURSES, BECAUSE I MEAN, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE HAVE A WHOLE LOT TO GO OFF OF.
SO WITH THE HEALTH ONES, WE ARE STILL WAITING ON THE GOVERNING AGENCIES TO FINALIZE EXACTLY ALL OF THE STANDARDS.
BUT WE DO KNOW THEY HAVE PROVIDED THE GUIDANCE THAT WE WILL BE FIRST DEPLOYING THE COURSES NEXT FALL AND THEY ARE REPLACING CURRENT COURSES THAT WE HAVE ACTIVE IN OUR SKYWARDS SYSTEM AND THAT STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO.
SO WE KNOW THAT TRANSITION IS COMING.
[02:50:01]
HOWEVER, WE DO AN ANNUAL COURSE UPDATE RECOMMENDATION.AND SO THIS IS THE TIME THAT WE DO THAT ANNUAL ADOPTION.
AND SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE START TO TALK ABOUT MORE DETAILS RELATED TO IF WE NEED ADDITIONAL STAFFING OR DIFFERENTIATED TEACHER CREDENTIALING OR ADDITIONAL MATERIALS, THOSE WILL COME IN THE SPRING THROUGH OUR BUDGET PROCESS.
SPECIFICALLY, YOU'LL NOTE IN THAT SECOND COMMENT BOX, SHE REFERENCES COURSES THAT THESE WILL BE REPLACING.
SORRY, SO I CAN GO ONLINE AND LOOK AT THE TIEKS AND SEE WHAT THE CHANGES ARE? ABSOLUTELY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? THANK YOU.
WE'RE GOING TO BRING IT BACK FOR A FUTURE PRESENTATION [INAUDIBLE] ICON.
DR. LOPEZ IS REFERRING TO ITEM THREE.
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF ICON INSTRUCTION AND ATTENDANCE PLAN.
SO THAT'S THAT ITEM HAS BEEN PULLED.
WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION TO ITEM FOUR FOR CONSIDERATION OF ACTION ON A DECEMBER 14TH MEETING.
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF STUDENT SERVICES CLINIC AND GARLAND HEALTH DEPARTMENT MOU.
YEAH, WE HEARD IT IN FACILITIES.
OK, WELL, THAT JUST LEADS US TO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
DO WE HAVE ANY EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS? NO, SIR.
DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT?
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.