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[I. Call to Order and Determination of a Quorum]
AND I'M CALLING TO ORDER THE GARLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES BUDGET WORKSHOP WORKING MEETING FOR TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 2024.I ASSERT THAT A QUORUM IS PRESENT, AND WE WILL PROCEED AS FOLLOWS.
MISS HOGAN, ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC FORM, COMMENTS?
>> THANK YOU. ITEM THREE AGENDA ITEMS FOR THE BUDGET WORKSHOP.
[III.A.1. Receive Budget Planning Presentation for 2024-2025]
ITEM A, OUR INFORMATION ITEM.WE'RE GOING TO RECEIVE THE BUDGET PLANNING PRESENTATION FOR THE 2024, 2025 SCHOOL YEAR. DARRELL DODDS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. SELDERS, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, DOCTOR LOPEZ.
THIS WILL BE OUR FINAL BUDGET WORKSHOP AS WE MOVE INTO APPROVING THE BUDGET AT THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING, JUNE 25TH.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET AND PROPOSED TAX RATE AT THAT TIME ALSO.
MOST OF THIS YOU HAVE SEEN, THIRD TIME'S A CHARM.
WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS FAIRLY QUICKLY, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE BEEN HOLDING FOR THE OTHER TWO MEETINGS THAT YOU WANT TO ASK, FEEL FREE TO GO AHEAD.
THE AGENDA IS THE SAME AS WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
AS WE MOVE INTO THE GENERAL FUND AND WHERE WE THINK WE WILL FINISH FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, WE'VE NARROWED IT DOWN TO RIGHT AT ABOUT 52 MILLION THAT WILL GO INTO FUND BALANCE ON.
WE STILL HAVE SOME THINGS HAPPENING.
THE STORM HAS CREATED SOME PROBLEMS FOR US, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT IN THE BUDGET AMENDMENT AND THE FACILITIES MEETING THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO.
BUT THERE'S ALWAYS THINGS THAT POP UP HERE AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
ALSO YOU ALWAYS HAVE JOURNAL ENTRIES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN CARRIED OVER FROM THE PAST AUDIT THAT CAN MAKE SOME CHANGES TOO.
WE FEEL PRETTY COMFORTABLE WITH THE YEAR ENDING AT 52,000,392 GOING INTO FUND BALANCE FOR THIS CURRENT YEAR.
AS YOU CAN SEE, OUR EXPENDITURE COST RIGHT AT ABOUT 86.8% OF OUR TOTAL FUNDING GOES TO PAY ROLL COST.
THEN WE TALK ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION TAX RATE, WHAT CAN BE DONE AND WHAT WE DO WITH THAT, WHICH IS GENERALLY ALL OF OUR OPERATING FOR OUR DISTRICT, AND THEN THE I&S TAX RATE THAT IS ONLY FOR PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENTS, THAT IS VOTER APPROVED BONDS FOR A TOTAL TAX RATE.
SORRY, I WAS ALREADY JUMPING AHEAD, YOU CAN SEE WE'RE LOOKING AT $1.0509.
THAT'S THE M&O TAX RATE AT $0.6669, AND THEN OUR I&S RATE AT $0.3840.
YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE ARE WITH OTHER DISTRICTS ON OUR TOTAL TAX RATE.
I WANT TO SPEND JUST A FEW MINUTES ON THIS.
I KNOW I TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT LAST TIME, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I COVER PROPERTY VALUES.
THAT IS INDICATED ON THE FIRST THAT WE TALK ABOUT PROPERTY VALUES.
AS YOU SEE WHAT OUR PROPERTY VALUES HAVE DONE SINCE 2015, 2016, THEY'VE RISEN TREMENDOUSLY, AND IN THE LAST THREE YEARS HAVE GONE UP A LOT MORE THAN THEY HAD IN THE PAST.
THAT WAS TYPICAL ACROSS THE STATE, ESPECIALLY UP WHERE YOU HAVE JUST REGULAR PROPERTY VALUES, YOU GET WHERE ALL USED TO BE IN OIL FIELD VALUES AND WHAT THE PRICE OF OIL IS, THOSE CAN CHANGE DRAMATICALLY FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
BUT TYPICALLY IN A URBAN AREA, YOU HAVE A STEADY RISE, THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN TOLD THAT CONTROLLER RAISES THE VALUES ABOUT 4-5% EACH YEAR, AND SO THAT WAS EXPECTED.
BUT SINCE '21 '22, WE'VE HAD SOME LARGER INCREASES AS WE GO THROUGH THIS.
IF YOU GO BACK BEFORE 2019, WHEN HOUSE BILL 3 WAS APPROVED, BUDGETS WERE BUILT ON PRIOR YEAR VALUES,
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AND SO YOU HAD A YEAR LAG IN VALUES.FOR MOST SCHOOLS, THAT YEAR LAG, THEY KNEW THEY WERE GOING TO INCREASE AROUND 4-5%, THAT WAY, THAT ALLOWED THEM TO ACTUALLY EARN A LITTLE MORE MONEY THAN WHAT THE STATE THOUGHT THEY WERE EARNING.
THAT ALLOWED SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO MAKE JUST A LITTLE MORE, AND SO YOU WERE STILL GETTING ADDITIONAL STATE REVENUE, EVEN THOUGH YOUR VALUES HAD INCREASED.
AFTER 2019 IN HOUSE BILL 3, THEY CHANGED THAT TO CURRENT YEAR VALUES.
WHEN THEY DID THAT, THAT YEAR LAG IS NOW GONE.
YOU'RE NOW BUILDING YOUR BUDGET ON WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR CURRENT YEAR VALUES ARE, AND THE STATE IS USING THAT CURRENT YEAR VALUE TO DO OUR STATE REVENUE.
WE GET AN ESTIMATE OR OUR CERTIFIED VALUES JULY 25TH.
THAT'S WHY YOU CAN'T SET A TAX RATE ANYMORE DURING THE JUNE MEETING.
YOU CAN PROPOSE A TAX RATE, BUT YOU HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL YOU GET YOUR CERTIFIED VALUES.
THEN NOW THAT CERTIFIED VALUE GOES BACK TO THE CONTROLLER, WHICH SENDS IT OVER TO TEA.
TEA LOOKS AT WHAT YOUR VALUE GROWTH IS, THEY WILL SET THE ACTUAL TAX RATE NOW FOR YOU.
THAT'S CALLED THE MAXIMUM COMPRESSED RATE, THE MCR.
WE HAVE VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH OUR M&O TAX RATE SETTING BECAUSE THAT IS ACTUALLY SET BY TEA.
ABOUT THE ONLY THING THAT WE HAVE IS WE'RE ALLOWED TO ADD FIVE PENNIES TO THAT.
THAT IS A MAX THAT YOU CAN ADD TO A TAX RATE, AND SO THAT'S WHAT ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS DO, BUT WE WON'T GET THAT BACK FROM TEA TILL THE END OF AUGUST.
WE'LL GET A PRELIMINARY 1ST OF AUGUST.
WE'LL GET OUR FINAL TAX RATE CALCULATION AT THE END OF AUGUST, AND THEN WE'LL SET A TAX RATE IN SEPTEMBER IN THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING.
THAT IS THE TIMELINE ON A TAX RATE AND OUR VALUES AS IN THE CODE, IF IT GOES OVER ABOUT 2.5%, THEN IT PUSHES YOUR TAX RATE DOWN.
WE'VE HAD LARGE INCREASES OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, SO WE'RE ACTUALLY AT THE FLOOR AT WHAT THE TAX RATE CAN BE.
THAT IS REALLY HOW OUR TAX RATE IS SET NOW SINCE 2019, THAT'S HOW IT'S GONE.
JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON HOW OUR VALUES AFFECT OUR TAX RATE.
THEN THE LAST THING WE GET, WE'RE STILL OPERATING ON ESTIMATES, REALLY.
WE GET OUR FINAL VALUES JANUARY 31ST.
WE'RE SEVEN MONTHS INTO BUDGET WHEN WE GET OUR FINAL VALUATION FROM THE COMPTROLLER AFTER THEY'VE DONE A PROPERTY VALUE STUDY.
YOU ALWAYS SEE AN ADJUSTMENT GENERALLY, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BUDGET AMENDMENTS WE MAKE USUALLY IN FEBRUARY IS ADJUSTING TO WHATEVER THOSE VALUES ARE THAT ACTUALLY COME FROM THE COMPTROLLER AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT. THAT'S MORE OF A LITTLE LESSON ON HOW OUR VALUES AFFECT OUR BUDGET.
>> LESS OF A QUESTION AND MORE OF JUST SOMETHING I THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE REALLY HIT HOME, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.
YOU'RE BASICALLY SAYING THAT OUR CURRENT TAX RATE IS THE LOWEST TAX RATE THAT TEXAS LAW ALLOWS, CORRECT?
>> WE CAN'T GET IT ANY LOWER THAN IT IS RIGHT NOW.
>> NO. IF YOU TRY TO CHANGE THAT, THAT COULD AFFECT YOUR FUNDING FROM NOW ON.
>> MR. DODDS, ON THE PAGE 7 OF THE TAX RATES, THE DISTRICTS THAT ARE ABOVE US THERE WHEN WE LOOK AT WYLIE, DALLAS, DENTON, RICHARDSON, ARLINGTON, MESQUITE, GRAND PRAIRIE, DUNCANVILLE, AND PLANO.
HAVE THOSE DISTRICTS HAD PASSED A TEA, IS IT THEY'RE ON THEIR TAX RATE?
>> SOME HAVE. SOME HAVE GONE FOR SEVERAL PENNIES, SOME HAVE GONE TO THE MAX PENNIES,
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AND THAT'S DESIGNATED IN THE M&O SIDE, WHICH IS THE YELLOW OR GOLDISH, WHATEVER LINE.MOST OF THOSE HAVE APPROVED A TAX RATE ELECTION.
YOU SEE DALLAS WAY UP THERE, THEY WERE ALLOWED TO GO WAY ABOVE WHAT THAT WAS BACK IN THE DAY, AND THEIR M&O TAX RATE IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. GLICK?
>> THANK YOU, SIR. WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING AT THIS MOMENT IS UNENCUMBERED FUND BALANCE, GIVE OR TAKE, AROUND 210 MILLION, WOULD THAT BE RIGHT?
>> MOVING ON. LOOKING AT OUR PROPOSED TAX RATE OF $1.0509, THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE PROPOSED.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE INFORMATION ON OUR VALUES INCREASE, OUR COLLECTION RATE, WHAT WE'RE PROJECTING ENROLLMENT BEING, AND WHAT WE PROJECT OUR AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE, WHICH WE KNOW THAT IS GOING TO BE ONE OF OUR INITIATIVES TO REALLY WORK TO INCREASE THE AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.
SOME OF OUR THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHTSIZING IN THE DISTRICT, AND THEN SOME OF OUR INVESTMENTS AND BUDGET ADS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EACH AND EVERY MEETING THAT WE'VE HAD.
THIS IS JUST A ADA VERSUS ENROLLMENT THAT YOU'VE SEEN THE LAST TWO MEETINGS, THE SAME NUMBERS THAT I SAID WHILE AGO.
THEN THIS IS WHERE WE'RE PREDICTING OUR FUND BALANCE, AS MR. GLICK SAID THAT GOING 52 MILLION INTO THE FUND BALANCE, WE SHOULD END SOMEWHERE AROUND 210 MILLION, STILL LEFT IN OUR FUND BALANCE.
A NEW SLIDE IS WHAT WE APPROVED AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING.
THIS IS OUR RAISES IN WHICH EVERYBODY WILL BE RECEIVING A 3% RAISE EXCEPT THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF THAT ARE IN THESE PAY GRADES, PAY GRADES 110-116 AND 210-211, THEY WILL RECEIVE A 2% INCREASE.
WHAT THIS ESSENTIALLY IS IS ANYBODY THAT IS A DIRECTOR AND UP WILL RECEIVE 2%, EVERYBODY ELSE WILL RECEIVE A 3%.
THERE WILL BE SOME EQUITY ADJUSTMENTS AS WE INCREASE THESE PAY GRADES.
SOME MAY GET JUST A TAD MORE THAN TWO OR 3% DEPENDING ON ON WHERE THEY'RE IN THEIR PAY GRADES.
THEN OUR STARTING SALARY FOR TEACHERS IS 615, AND THEN OUR AUXILIARY STAFF WILL GO FROM A BEGINNING SALARY OF 15, THAT WILL BE BUMPED TO 1550.
THEN ON THE NEXT PAGE, THIS IS A COMPARISON OF WHAT OUR CURRENT TEACHER SALARIES ARE FROM OUR CURRENT YEAR SALARY SCALE TO WHAT WAS ACTUALLY APPROVED IN THE MAY.
YOU CAN'T GO STRAIGHT ACROSS BECAUSE THAT WON'T ADD UP TO THE 3%, BUT YOU GO FROM STEP 1 TO STEP 1 AS A TEACHER GOES.
AS YOU GO ON DOWN, THAT IS HOW THE 3% INCREASE IS, AND WHICH IS ROUGHLY ABOUT A $1,960 RAISE PER STEP.
THIS IS WHAT OUR PROPOSED BUDGET LOOKS LIKE WITH THE RAISES.
WE ALREADY HAD, AS BEFORE, I HAD TOLD YOU WE HAD HAD SOME MONEY SET ALREADY FOUR RAISES.
IT'S NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE PROPOSED, WAS SHOWING AT THE LAST BUDGET WORKSHOP.
WE'RE LOOKING AT TOTAL REVENUE OF 511 MILLION, TOTAL EXPENSES OF 600 MILLION.
THERE'S AN $88.9 MILLION DIFFERENCE.
WE'LL BE PROPOSING A DEFICIT BUDGET OF 88,910,000.
THIS IS HOW IT LOOKS IF YOU BREAK IT OUT INTO THE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS.
YOU GOT TO LOOK AT ON THE '23 '24, THAT'S WHERE OUR CURRENT BUDGET SETS,
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NOT WHAT WAS APPROVED LAST YEAR.THAT'S WHERE WE AS IF WE'VE DONE BUDGET AMENDMENTS AND MOVE MONEY AROUND, THAT'S WHERE IT SETS, AND THEN OUR PROPOSED BUDGET, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR NEXT YEAR.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE AT THE SECOND BUDGET WORKSHOP, WHERE WE'RE PROPOSING FOR OUR '24 '25 SCHOOL YEAR, AND THEN WHAT WE WILL BE LOOKING FORWARD IN THE '25-'26, '26-'27, AS WE ALSO LOOK AT THESE HAVE THE VOTER APPROVED TAX RATE ELECTION INCREASE IN THAT BUDGET.
SCHOOL NUTRITION SERVICES, LOOKING AT THE PROPOSED BUDGET OF 36,500,000 FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET AND EXPENDITURES OF 45,268.
YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THEY ARE WORKING DOWN THEIR FUND BALANCE, AND THAT'S WHY THIS IS A DEFICIT BUDGET BECAUSE THEY'RE MAKING SOME CAPITAL INVESTMENTS IN THE CAFETERIAS.
>> THEN OUR DEBT SERVICE BUDGET TO MAKE OUR DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS, REVENUE OF 127 MILLION AND PROPOSED BUDGET OF 114.
WE MAY LOOK AT DEFUSING SOME BONDS.
I'LL BE WORKING WITH OUR FA TO LOOK AT AS WE COLLECT THIS REVENUE, OUR TAX REVENUE, AS WE GO THROUGH IT, WE'LL LOOK AND SEE IF WE COULD DEFE SOME BONDS EARLY AND PAY DOWN SOME OF OUR DEBT.
LOOKING AHEAD OR LOOKING BEHIND, I GUESS, WE DID PUBLISH OUR BUDGET FOR OUR PUBLIC HEARING, OUR BUDGET AND PROPOSED TAX RATE ON MONDAY THE 10TH.
THAT WAS IN THE NEWSPAPER, AND IT'S ALSO ON OUR WEBSITE.
THEN WE WILL LOOK AT ON 25 JUNE TO DO OUR FINAL BUDGET TRANSFERS AND AMENDMENTS, OUR FINAL AMENDED BUDGET, AND THEN ALL THREE OF OUR PROPOSED BUDGETS TO BE APPROVED IN THE JUNE 25 BOARD MEETING.
JULY 25, THAT'S WHEN WE WILL BE EXPECTING OUR COUNTY APPRAISAL TO PROVIDE US WITH OUR CERTIFIED VALUES THAT WE CAN SEND IN TO THE CONTROLLER AND TEA TO GET WHAT OUR TAX RATE WILL BE.
THEN THE SEPTEMBER 24, BOARD MEETING IS WHEN WE WILL ACTUALLY APPROVE A TAX RATE AT THAT TIME. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> THANK YOU. I WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT PAGE 17, THE COMPARISON OF DISTRICT TAX RATES.
JUST REAL QUICK TO ILLUSTRATE, I THINK A POINT MR. JOHNSON AND POTENTIALLY MR. BEACH WAS MAKING EARLIER.
I WENT THROUGH AND JUST CIRCLED THE M&O TAX RATES OF THOSE DISTRICTS THAT ARE LISTED.
I DON'T SEE ANYBODY BELOW 6692, $0.66, 66.992, SO THAT'S THE LOWEST, WHICH THAT'S WHERE GARLAND IS.
IT LOOKS LIKE GARLAND AND ROCKWALL AT THAT 0.6692 NUMBER.
EVERYBODY ELSE IS NORTH OF THAT, DALLAS SOMEHOW GOT ALL THE WAY UP TO 0.94.
YOU SAY THEY GOT A SPECIAL ALLOWANCE.
GLADA DON'T LIVE IN DALLAS AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH A PROPERTY RICH DISTRICT TOO.
TO ME, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, AS I ALWAYS DO, THAT GARLAND IS STILL CLASSIFIED AS NOT A PROPERTY RICH DISTRICT, SO OUR TAXING EFFORT MAY NOT GO AS FAR AS SOME OF THE OTHERS WHEN IT COMES TIME TO TAX TO ME, ONE OF THE POINTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO STRUGGLE WITH UNTIL WE FIND A WAY TO REMEDY IT IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST TAX RATES WITH A LOW PROPERTY VALUE CONSIDERED A LOW PROPERTY VALUE DISTRICT THAT IS TRYING TO COMPETE WITH FACILITIES AND SALARIES AND EVERYTHING OF DISTRICTS WHO HAVE FAR,
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FAR, FAR MORE TAX EFFORT WITH WHICH TO THROW OUT THESE THINGS THAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE, AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK THAT IS INCUMBENT UPON US TO DEVELOP STRATEGICALLY AS WE GO FORWARD AS A WAY TO REMEDY WHAT IS CURRENTLY A ALMOST $90 MILLION BUDGET DEFICIT.THE OTHER ONE IS THE WELL, YOU GOT THE TAX RATE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT, POTENTIALLY A 2025 EVENT, BUT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SIT HERE AND HAVE ANOTHER BUDGET MEETING BEFORE WE KNOW THE OUTCOME OF ANY POTENTIAL RELIEF FROM A TAX INCREASE TO FUND THE DISTRICT.
WHY I APPLAUD EVERYBODY THAT'S STRUGGLING WITH THIS, STRUGGLING TO PUT THIS BUDGET TOGETHER AND I DO APPLAUD THE EFFORTS THAT I KNOW ARE GOING ON TO FIND EVERY PENNY WE CAN TO SAVE AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE AN $88 MILLION LOSS THIS NEXT YEAR.
THIS YEAR, WE BUDGET AT 70, AND IT'S GOING TO BE AROUND 50 JUST TO USE ROUND NUMBERS.
BUT MY WHOLE CONCERN IS THAT THERE'S NO WAY A YEAR FROM NOW THAT WE CAN FIX THE REST OF IT IN ONE ACTION WITHOUT GETTING HELP FROM THE STATE AND FUNDING, WITHOUT HELPING OURSELVES BY IMPROVING OUR OWN ADA, AND WITHOUT THE TRE.
IT'S GOING TO TAKE ALL THREE OF THOSE THINGS AND I HOPE THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT THIS DISTRICT IS GOING TO BE RELYING, THE STAFF AND THE KIDS ARE GOING TO BE RELYING ON SOME HELP WITH THE TAX RATE SO THAT WE CAN REMAIN COMPETITIVE ON ALL THE THINGS THAT WE KEEP GETTING ALL THESE EMAILS ON THAT WE AS A BOARD NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB AT SALARIES.
THE REALIZATION HAS GOT TO BE FOR EVERYONE IN THE DISTRICT.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY BUCKET OF MONEY TO GO TO GET MONEY FOR RAISES.
IT COMES STRAIGHT OUT OF OUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT, BECAUSE WE DON'T GET ANY MORE FUNDING.
I THINK IF PEOPLE WANT TO SPEND SOME TIME BEING PRODUCTIVE, THEY CAN PROBABLY HEAD ON DOWN TO AUSTIN, FIND A COUPLE OF YOUR STATE REPS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THE ISSUE HERE IS WITH STATE FUNDING, IT IS NOT WITH US.
WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO GENERATE THE MONEY THAT THEY KEEP ASKING US FOR.
PUTTING US BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE IS NOT A GOOD PLACE TO BE.
I PUSH BACK ON THAT, AND I'VE BEEN VOCAL HERE FOR PROBABLY THREE YEARS ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO LOOK TWO AND THREE YEARS IN ADVANCE AS TO WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN IS THE NEXT YEAR.
I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO ABSENT A TRE, OUR ABILITY TO GET TO A MORE BALANCED BUDGET.
WHAT BOTHERS ME, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE, I'LL SAY IT AGAIN IS THAT AFTER THIS YEAR, 24 AND 25, OUR GENERAL FUND BALANCE IS PREDICTED AND PROJECTED TO BE RIGHT AT OUR MINIMUM OPERATING REQUIREMENT, AND I'M FIGHTING REAL HARD TO NOT LET THAT HAPPEN.
AS I URGED YOU BEFORE, MR. DODD, DR. LOPEZ WE GOT TO START TOMORROW. IT'S NOT TOO LATE.
I THINK THE MESSAGE THAT I'M GOING TO SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
THE MESSAGE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM ME IS THAT IT'S TIME TO TAKE ACTION ON THE BUDGET NOW.
WE GOT TO START FINDING THINGS WE CAN SAVE AND GET READY.
IF WE DO GET A BOOST, THEN WE CAN TAKE THAT MONEY AND DEPLOY IT THE WAY WE WANT TO.
MAYBE NOT THE WAY WE'VE ALWAYS DONE, BUT THE WAY WE NEED TO BASED ON NOW, AND SO I THINK WE GOT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE CHANGES WE NEED TO FOR NEXT YEAR.
WE'LL START TOMORROW. THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MISS STANLEY.
NO JUDGMENT HERE BUT MY QUESTIONS ARE, WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, THERE'S SOME BIG NUMBERS THAT JUMP OUT OF INCREASES THERE'S SOME BIG NUMBERS OF DECREASES, TOO, THE 5 MILLION WE'VE DECREASED IN INSTRUCTION.
>> IT'S THE GENERAL FUND 2024/25 PROPOSED BUDGET.
IT'S OUR 2024 VERSUS OUR 2025 AND OUR DIFFERENCES.
WHEN WE SAY THE SECURITY AND MONITORING, IS THAT BASED ON SOME OF THE MANDATES THAT HAVE BEEN SENT DOWN TO US THAT ARE UNFUNDED?
>> IT IS. OF COURSE, WE'RE LOOKING AT EVERY GRANT THAT WE CAN GET FOR
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THAT AND BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE AND GET SOME OF THOSE GRANTS, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE COMPETITIVE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT TO TRY TO MAKE OUR BUILDINGS AND SECURITY AND MONITORING A BIG PART OF THAT.PART OF THAT IS SOME OF THE INCREASES THAT WE HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THAT WHETHER FROM CITIES OR WITH SROS OR WHATEVER THAT WHAT THEY PLAN TO DO.
>> THAT DID INCLUDE SOME OF THE SRO TOO?
>> YES. BUT ALSO, REMEMBER, YOU'RE LOOKING AT A CURRENT BUDGET, IF WE WENT BACK, CURRENT BUDGET THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE'VE MADE A BUDGET AMENDMENT EVERY MONTH MOVING INTERNAL TRANSFERS AROUND.
YES, CURRENT BUDGET LOOKS LIKE THIS, BUT IT'S BECAUSE WE'VE PROBABLY MOVED SOME MONEY AROUND COMPARED TO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING.
THE ORIGINAL BUDGET MAY HAVE LOOKED A LOT DIFFERENT BUT THAT'S THAT WAS LAST JUNE, WE'VE MADE A LOT OF MOVEMENTS SINCE THEN.
THE $5 MILLION YOU SEE LESS IN INSTRUCTION MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THAT WAY WHEN WE STARTED LAST YEAR, BUT THROUGH IF WE SAW SOME BUDGET SAVES BECAUSE WE HAD VACANCIES OR DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT, WE'VE MOVED SOME MONEY AROUND TO COVER DIFFERENT THINGS IN THIS BUDGET.
>> THEN WHEN WE SEE THESE BIG ONES, WHICH WHAT STANDS OUT IS IT DOESN'T STAND OUT BECAUSE FACILITIES AND MAINTENANCE, I KNOW IT'S AN ISSUE, SIX MILLION, BUT THEN ANOTHER SIX MILLION FOR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP, AND THEN ANOTHER 2.3 MILLION FOR GUIDANCE COUNSELING AND EVALUATION.
WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT IT'S NOT I DON'T THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT A LOT OF TIMES THIS STUFF IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE CHOOSING TO DO, BUT IT'S STUFF THAT WE'RE BEING FORCED TO DO AND THAT'S WHAT I FEEL LIKE GETS MISSED THAT'S WHAT'S HARD TO PINPOINT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT SO THAT'S MY QUESTION TO YOU IS I DON'T THINK THAT WE'VE DONE SOME MASSIVE HIRING TO GET THESE NUMBERS, BUT IT'S PROBABLY PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE BEEN MANDATED FOR PROBABLY MENTAL HEALTH AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT ARE UNFUNDED, AND NOW WE'RE TRYING TO SURVIVE WITH IT.
>> PART OF THAT, SOME OF THE INCREASES IN THIS BUDGET, THERE WERE THINGS THAT WERE PUT INTO ESR AND NOW SINCE ESR IS ENDING IS COMING OUT OF ESR AND SO SOME OF THESE CHANGES INCREASES ARE DUE TO PROGRAMS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN PUT INTO THE ESR BUDGET, BUT IS NOW COMING OUT OF ESR AND NOW BEING ADDED TO OUR GENERAL FUND.
>> THIS IS SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE SUPPLANTED WITH THE ESR FUNDS, KNOWING THAT ONCE THE SSR FUNDS LEFT, WE'D HAVE TO GO BACK UP TO THOSE.
>> THAT MAKES SENSE, AND I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I JUST HAVE ONE GENERAL QUESTION.
AS WE LOOK AT WHAT THE IMPACT TO THE BUDGET HAS COME TO, AND, DR. LOPEZ, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO CHIME IN ON THIS.
WHAT CONVERSATIONS ARE YOU GUYS HAVING IN TERMS OF THE IMPACT ACADEMICALLY AND EDUCATIONALLY TO THE SYSTEM IN OUR STUDENTS? I'M JUST CURIOUS, AS YOU'RE MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT ADJUSTMENTS TO MAKE AND WHAT CHANGES AND WHAT TO CUT AND WHAT TO ADD, ARE THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING? WHAT IS THE GENERAL FEELING GOING FORWARD ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO DELIVER A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION? I KNOW THAT IT MIGHT BE IMPACTED, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT THAT CONVERSATION HAS BEEN.
>> IDEALLY, WE WOULD HAVE LOVED TO KEEP ALL THE ESR FUNDS AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
WE FELT LIKE WE HAD A VERY ROBUST SYSTEM THAT COULD WORK AGILELY.
THAT'S THE KEY, BECAUSE WE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO SHIFT FOR WHATEVER RESULTS WE GET.
WELL, THEY TOOK AWAY THE ESR FUNDING NOW IN THE MIDST OF A STAR 2.0 REFRESH.
WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT STRATEGIZING WHERE ARE PEOPLE IN PLACES.
YOU HEARD ME EARLIER SAYING, WE CAN'T DO MORE WITH LESS, WE'RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO DO LESS WITH LESS.
WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT WHAT WE FEEL IS NOT DIRECTLY IMPACTING STUDENT RESULTS AND REALLY MAKING SOME TOUGH DECISIONS.
NOW, IT DOESN'T MEAN PEOPLE LOSE THEIR JOBS, IT MEANS THEIR JOB CAPACITY CHANGES, WE CAN'T DO BOTH.
THERE'S SOME PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT WE WILL SAY WE'RE GREAT TO HAVE, BUT NOT GETTING THE NECESSARY IMPACT.
WE'LL USE THAT PERSONNEL TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T,
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I DON'T WANT TO SAY LOSE GROUND, BUT WE DON'T LOSE FOCUS ON THOSE INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES THAT ARE HAPPENING BECAUSE GAPS STILL EXIST IN OUR SYSTEM.IF WE DON'T KEEP THAT SACRED TO ADDRESS THE GAPS, IT'S GOING TO MAKE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE ANY TYPE OF RECOVERY AFTER CUTTING THOSE PLACES SO IT'S GOING TO LOOK DIFFERENT IT'S GOING TO BE STREAMLINED.
SOME PROGRAMS ARE NOT GOING TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT ANYMORE, AND WE'RE SHIFTING THOSE ENERGIES INTO, OUR BIGGEST NEED, AND OUR BIGGEST NEEDS ARE WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF GROUPS.
IF YOU LOOK AT FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE GAPS ARE DIFFERENT FOR EACH SO WE'RE REALLY ADDRESSING THAT.
ON THE POSITIVE NOTE WE HAVE PROVEN IF WE PUT A COLLECTIVE EFFORT INTO THINGS, WE RESPOND VERY WELL, GRADUATION RATES ARE UP, CCMR RATES ARE UP, AND OF COURSE, MATH AND SCIENCE RATES STILL STRONG.
THERE'S PROMISE THERE. NOW WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO IS TAKE THAT GAME PLAN AND THEN TRANSCEND IT TO THE DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS AND THE NEEDS OF EACH GRADE GROUP AND JUST WORK FROM THERE.
>> COOL. THANK YOU. THANKS, MR. DODDS, YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS HAVE PUT INTO THIS, AND DR. LOPEZ, YOU AND YOUR TEAM AS WELL IN TERMS OF FOCUSING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO STILL BE EFFECTIVE IN DELIVERING A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT. THANK YOU.
>> DO WE HAVE ANY EXECUTIVE SESSION ITEMS, DR. LOPEZ?
>> NO, WE DON'T. FOR THE RECORD, THIS WILL BE THE OFFICIAL VOTE COMING IN THE LATE JUNE MEETING.
THE BUDGET APPROVAL WILL BE ALL ENCOMPASSING AFTER A PUBLIC HEARING.
ONCE THIS IS APPROVED, THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE BUDGET.
THIS IS JUST THINGS THAT YOU ALL KNOW, BUT I'M JUST LETTING THE PUBLIC KNOW.
THIS IS, A NON NEGOTIABLE IF WE HAVE STORMS OR WHATEVER, WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS BOARD MEETING.
WE GOT TO BE READY FOR WHATEVER HAPPENS.
WE HAD A STORM IN OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, AND WE STILL MADE IT HAPPEN SO WE JUST WANT TO BE FOCUSED.
THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THIS PASS THROUGH.
>> WELL, THERE'S PRECEDENTS THAT WE KNOW HOW TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, SO WE'RE ALL GOOD.
[V. Adjournment ]
DO I HAVE A MOTION FOR ADJOURN? SO MOVED. THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED AT 2:33.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.