[00:01:27]
WAIT, WHERE DID, WHERE DID THE BOARD SECRETARY GO TO
WELL, AS SOON AS THE SECRETARY TO THE BOARD GETS BACK, I'M GONNA CALL US INTO ORDER AND GET HER TO TAKE THE ROLE.
MADAM SECRETARY, I GAVELED THE, I THINK WE'RE DOING PRAYER FIRST.
LET'S DO THE ROLL CALL FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL DO THE PRAYER AND PLEDGE.
[A. Meeting Opening]
ALL RIGHT.CALL ON THIS MEETING OF THE, THIS WORKSHOP OF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD TO ORDER.
UM, MADAME SECRETARY, PLEASE CALL THE ROLE DISTRICT THREE PRESIDENT POWELL LEWIS, DISTRICT ONE, VICE PRESIDENT.
UM, THE INVOCATION WILL BE LED BY SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER EMILY SOLE, AND THEN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE WILL BE LED BY CADET SECOND LIEUTENANT MALIA FINLEY MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
ACCOMPANIED BY SENIOR ARMY INSTRUCTOR, LIEUTENANT COLONEL RETI.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TOGETHER TONIGHT AS WE SERVE THE COMMUNITY OF EBR SCHOOLS.
MAY WE LOOK AT THINGS TONIGHT WITH, UM, OUR HANDS OPEN AND OUR HEARTS OPEN, AND OUR MINDS OPEN, AND OUR EARS OPEN TO HEAR FROM EACH OTHER AND TO RESPOND IN KINDNESS AND BOLDNESS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE TOGETHER.
LEADING US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
THIS EVENING IS CADET SECOND LIEUTENANT MALIA FINLEY.
SHE'S JUST COMPLETED HER FRESHMAN YEAR AT MCKINLEY SENIOR HIGH AND SERVES AS THE PANTHER BATTALION ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER, WHERE SHE'S MADE AN IMMEDIATE POSITIVE IMPACT WITH HER GREAT ATTITUDE AND PRINCIPLED LEADERSHIP STYLE.
HER DUTY, HER DUTIES INCLUDE MAINTAINING ACCOUNTABILITY, PROMOTIONS, AND AWARDS FOR ALL CADETS.
IN THE PANTHER BATTALION, SHE MAINTAINS A 4.0 GRADE POINT AVERAGE WHILE ENROLLED IN DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSES FOR GEOGRAPHY IN US HISTORY.
SHE'S ALSO A MEMBER OF THE MCKINLEY BLUE DIAMONDS DANCE TEAM.
DRILL TEAM GIRL SCOUTS ATTENDS BALLET AND CHEER CLASSES.
THIS SUMMER, CADET FINDLAY WILL PARTAKE IN AN INTERNSHIP WITH MAYOR WESTERN BROOM'S OFFICE.
MOST INTRIGUING QUALITIES INCLUDE HER HIGH CHARACTER, INTEGRITY, EMOTIONAL GOVERNANCE, RESPONSIBILITY, AMBITION, AND MATURITY.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, CADET SECOND LIEUTENANT LEAH FINDLEY.
[00:05:02]
OKAY.I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
DOES SHE HAVE A WELL, WE OWE YOU A MET WITH RECOGNITION, BUT I VERY RIGHT NOW, SO CONGRATULATIONS VERY MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR EXEMPLARY GRADE CORN AVERAGE AND ALL THE GOOD THINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING WITH THAT.
AND MAKE SURE IT GETS DELIVERED.
WE ALL GONNA GO, MARK, WE'RE ALL GOING DOWN.
WE, WE ALWAYS HAVE SUCH IMPRESSIVE J-R-O-T-C CADETS THAT COME UP HERE EVERY TWO WEEKS.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE SO SPECTACULAR AND WE'RE VERY PROUD OF 'EM.
WE DON'T ALWAYS GET TO, TO REALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THEM, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S REALLY IMPRESSIVE THAT PROGRAM AND THE QUALITY AND CALIBER OF STUDENTS IT PRODUCES.
SO, UH, MANY THANKS TO, TO THE COLONEL AND ALL THE PEOPLE IN OUR JR ROTC PROGRAM FOR THE WORK THEY DO FOR OUR KIDS.
[B.1. Presentation of the Proposed 2024-2025 General Fund Budget ]
UM, OKAY.MOVING RIGHT ALONG, UH, TO ITEM B, ONE, PRESENTATION OF THE PROPOSED 20 24, 20 25 GENERAL FUND, UM, UH, BUDGET.
NOW, UM, MR. SANDLIN, UH, UH, OR MS. ARMAN, UM, WE, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, WE, WE WILL NOT BE TAKING PUBLIC COMMENTS TONIGHT 'CAUSE THERE ARE NO VOTES TO BE TAKEN OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, BOTH EMAIL US AS THEY ALWAYS DO, AND TO, UH, UH, UH, GIVE THEIR INPUT AT ANY OF THE THREE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS WE'RE GONNA HAVE AT SEVERAL SCHOOLS, WHICH WE'LL ANNOUNCE A LITTLE BIT LATER, AS WELL AS AT THE, UH, NEXT BUDGET HEARING, WHICH WILL BE ON JUNE 6TH, UH, RIGHT HERE.
AND OF COURSE, THE FINAL, UH, BUDGET HEARING HOPE, PERHAPS FINAL BUDGET HEARING ON JUNE 20TH.
SO, UM, UH, TODAY IT IS JUST GONNA BE A PRESENTATION FROM, UH, MS. LOPEZ, AND THEN THE BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO ASK QUESTIONS.
AND WITH THAT, MAY I HAVE A FEW COMMENTS, PLEASE.
UH, BEFORE MS. LOPEZ STARTS, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO, UH, THANK STAFF, THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM ALONG AS WITH OUR PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF FOR THE FEEDBACK THAT THEY'VE GIVEN ME OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS ABOUT, UH, BUILDING THIS 24, 25 BUDGET.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD, AS WELL AS DEMEANING QUESTIONS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ASKED AND PROBABLY WILL ASK THIS EVENING.
UH, NOT TO STEAL KELLY'S THUNDER, BUT THERE'LL BE A FEW THINGS THAT YOU THEMES THAT YOU'LL HEAR THROUGHOUT HER PRESENTATION.
UH, WE SORT OF STARTED WITH THE END IN MIND.
STEPHEN COVEY TALKS ABOUT, UH, HIS SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE.
YOU START WITH THE END IN MIND.
SO WE KIND OF BACKFILL LOOKING AT THE 20 2021, UH, STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES THAT THE, UH, BOARD ADOPTED, UH, BACK THEN.
UH, ALSO YOU'LL HEAR HOW, UH, WE PLAN TO TACKLE, UH, TEACHER AND, UH, EMPLOYEES PAY RAISES, UH, IN THE BUDGET.
AS YOU PROBABLY ARE AWARE, WE OFFERED A, UH, PERMANENT RAISE OF $1,300, AND I'M SURE THERE'LL BE MORE CONVERSATIONAL HOW WE, UM, UM, PAY OUR STAFF IN THIS DISCUSSION THIS EVENING.
ALSO, YOU'LL HEAR, UH, HOW, UH, STAFF AND I, WE WERE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE NOT DEFICIT SPEND, UH, BY BUILDING A, UH, A RESERVE ACCOUNT AND SO THAT WE CAN ACCESS FUNDING.
UH, AS I APPRECIATE IN THIS CURRENT
[00:10:01]
BUDGET, THAT WAS, UH, $111 MILLION SURPLUS.AND, UH, WE DID SOME DEFICIT SPENDING.
SO WE DIDN'T WANT TO PUT, UH, THE DISTRICT OR THE BOARD IN JEOPARDY WITH CONTINUOUS DEFICIT SPENDING.
AND KELLY WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
UH, HOW DISTRICTS ARE PENALIZED IN THE STATE IF THEY, I THINK IT'S FIVE YEARS, THREE TIMES, UH, DEFICIT SPENDING THAT YOU GET DEEMED BY THE STATE.
SO WITH, UM, THIS INNOVATIVE WAY THAT WE WOULD ABLE TO ACCESS THAT RESERVE ACCOUNT BECAUSE, UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE ALMOST TRIPLE THE ALLOTTED AMOUNT.
I THINK WE WERE RIGHT AT 24%, UH, FUND BALANCE.
SO STILL, KELLY, KELLY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO STEAL SOME OF YOUR PRESENTATION RIGHT NOW ANYTIME, BUT I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE THINGS AS WE, UH, GET INTO YOUR PRESENTATION.
SO, GOOD EVENING, UH, BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT SMITH.
I WILL BE PRESENTING THE 24 25 PROPOSED BUDGET.
THE ENTIRE BUDGET WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON MAY 20TH.
AS AS STATUTE REQUIRES THE BUDGET OF EVERY LOCAL GOVERNMENT MUST FOLLOW THE REVISED STATUTE 39 13 0 7 NOTICE HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO THE ADVOCATE.
A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD ON JUNE 6TH IN ALIGNMENT WITH STATUTE.
AN ADDITIONAL HEARING WILL BE HELD PRIOR TO THE JUNE 20TH BOARD MEETING.
WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET ON THE AGENDA.
THE DISTRICT HAS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 15TH TO APPROVE A BUDGET.
THE BUDGET IS NOT APPROVED BY JULY 1ST, WHICH IS THE BEGINNING OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
THE DISTRICT WILL BE ALLOWED HALF OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S BUDGET, AND THE SALARY SCHEDULE WILL REMAIN AS IT IS APPROVED IN THE 2324 BUDGET.
A BALANCED BUDGET IS ONE OF WHICH REVENUES EXCEEDS EXPENDITURES.
AS A DISTRICT, OUR FINANCIAL STABILITY IS OF OUR UTMOST IMPORTANCE.
IT ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS, STUDENTS, AND THE NEEDS OF OUR STAFF.
OUR GOAL IS TO ALIGN OUR FINANCIAL NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT ALONG WITH THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS.
AS, UH, SUPERINTENDENT SMITH EARLIER STATED, WE THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT WERE THE STRATEGIC GOALS, THE PLANS OF THE BOARD AS WERE APPROVED IN JULY OF 2021.
WHAT WERE WE LOOKING FOR IN THIS BUDGET? THESE WERE OUR TOP FIVE PRIORITIES IN NO SPECIFIC ORDER.
EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY, HIGH DOSE TUTORING TO SUPPORT CORE CONTENT MASTERY COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS AND ATTENDANCE AND TRUANCY.
AGAIN, THESE ITEMS ALIGN WITH THE COMMITMENTS AND ACTION FOUND ON PAGE EIGHT AND THE BOARD APPROVED, APPROVED STRATEGIC PLAN.
REVENUES INCLUDE FUNDS THE DISTRICT RECEIVES IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR STUDENTS.
THE GENERAL FUND RECEIVES FUNDING FROM PROPERTY AND SALES TAXES.
OTHER LOCAL SOURCES ARE INCLUSIVE OF MEDICAID.
WE RECEIVE MFP FUNDS AS WELL AS INDIRECT COSTS FROM OUR FEDERAL GRANTS.
SPECIAL REVENUE SOURCES ARE OUR GRANTS THAT ARE IN A SEPARATE BUDGET THAT INCLUDE OUR FEDERAL FUNDS, SUCH AS TITLE AND IDEA STATE GRANTS.
AS EARLY CHILDHOOD AND LITERACY AND LOCAL GRANTS, FEDERAL DOLLARS ARE RECEIVED FROM ALL FROM EACH OF THESE SOURCES.
AND WE WILL GET INTO FURTHER DETAIL INTO THESE WITH THE SPECIAL REVENUE PRESENTATION.
THIS CHART SHOWS MULTIPLE ITEMS TO UNDERSTAND THE REVENUES OF THE DISTRICT.
IN TOTAL, THE NAVY BAR SHOWED THE TOTAL REVENUES RECEIVED BY THE GENERAL FUND FOR EACH OF THE YEARS LISTED.
THE GRAY BAR SHOW THE TOTAL RECEIVED FROM THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS INCLUSIVE OF THE PROPOSITIONS AND GRANTS FOR EACH OF THE YEARS LISTED.
THE GREEN IS A SUMMATION OF THE TOTAL REVENUES RECEIVED BY THE DISTRICT FOR EACH YEAR.
THE BLUE LINE AT THE TOP SHOWS THE TOTAL ENROLLMENT POPULATION OF TRADITIONAL RUN SCHOOLS, AND THE GREEN LINE IS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS AT ALL SCHOOLS INCLUSIVE OF TYPE ONE, TYPE TWO, AND TYPE FIVE CHARTER SCHOOLS.
THE NUMBERS AT THE BOTTOM ARE INCLUSIVE OF PROPOSED BUDGETED STAFF FOR EACH OF THOSE YEARS, AS WELL AS THE ACTUAL STAFF AS OF FEBRUARY 1ST OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO COUNT THE STUDENTS AND THE STAFF AT THE SAME TIME SO WE CAN CONSISTENTLY PROVIDE ACTUAL NUMBERS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IN 2018 19, THE TOTAL REVENUE OF THE DISTRICT WAS 630.1 MILLION WITH TRADITIONAL STUDENTS AT 37,503 AND TOTAL STUDENTS OF 44 745.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO OUR 24 25 FISCAL YEAR, THE DISTRICT IS PROPOSING TOTAL REVENUES OF 802 MILLION WITH PROJECTED TRADITIONAL STUDENTS OF 32,000 6 0 7 AND PROJECTED TOTAL STUDENTS OF 43,963.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REVENUES RECEIVED THROUGH THE DISTRICT AND THE TOTAL FUNDS PROVIDED TO CHARTER SCHOOLS.
THE SAME POPULATION STAFFING INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AS IT WAS ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE.
THIS SLIDE INCLUDES THE REVENUES FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND THE THREE PROPOSITIONS LESS THE CAPITAL PROJECT FUND.
AS YOU KNOW, WHEN THE TAXPAYERS APPROVED OUR PROPOSITIONS, SPECIFIC SITES WERE CHOSEN AS WHAT WE WOULD DO FOR BUILDING SCHOOLS OR IMPLEMENTING NEW FACILITIES AT THE SCHOOLS.
WE CANNOT USE THAT MONEY FOR ANYTHING ELSE
[00:15:02]
WHEN THE LOCAL PER PUPIL IS CALCULATED BY THE LDOE.THESE ARE THE REVENUE FUNDING SOURCES USED TO DETERMINE THESE NUMBERS.
WHILE THE ENTIRE COLLECTION AMOUNT IS USED IN ARRIVING AT LOCAL PER PUPIL, THE DISTRICT IS BOUND BY TAXPAYER VOTE TO BUILD THOSE SCHOOLS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IN 2018 19, A TOTAL OF 488.8 MILLION WAS RECEIVED IN 2018.
1980 1 MILLION WAS PROVIDED TO CHARTER SCHOOLS FOR AN ENDING NET REVENUE OF $407.4 MILLION.
FOR 24 25, A TOTAL OF 631.9 MILLION IS PROJECTED TO BE RECEIVED.
153 MILLION IS PROJECTED FOR CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENTS FOR AN ENDING NET REVENUE REVENUE PROJECTION OF 4 78 0.5 EXPENDITURES OF THE PURCHASES THE DISTRICT MAKES TO PROVIDE FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS.
I HAVE COMPILED THE SAME CATEGORIES THAT THE DISTRICT REPORTS TO THE LDOE, SO IT'S ALWAYS CONSISTENT FOR THE 2324 YEAR.
YOU WILL SEE THAT 54% REPRESENT SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
WHILE WE HAVE ALWAYS STATED THAT 70% OF THE GENERAL FUND IS SALARIES AND BENEFITS, THAT IS NOT TRUE OF ALL FUNDS.
FOR EXAMPLE, PROPOSITION ONE, A LOT OF VERY FEW IS SALARIES.
THE VAST MAJORITY IS CONSTRUCTION PROPERTY AND CONTRACTED SERVICES.
AS THIS IS A COMPILATION OF ALL FUNDS, IT SHOWS AN OVERALL PICTURE.
THIS CHARGE SHOWS MULTIPLE ITEMS TO UNDERSTAND THE EXPENDITURES OF THE DISTRICT AND THE TOTAL.
THE NAVY BAR SHOW THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES BY THE GENERAL FUND FOR EACH YEAR LISTED.
THE GRAY BARS SHOW THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES FOR THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS INCLUSIVE OF PROPOSITIONS IN THE GRANTS FOR THE YEARS LISTED.
THE GREEN IS A SUMMATION OF THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES BY THE DISTRICT FOR EACH OF THE YEARS.
THE BLUE LINE AT THE TOP SHOWS THE TOTAL ENROLLMENT POPULATION FOR THE TRADITIONAL DISTRICT RUN SCHOOLS, AND THE GREEN LINE SHOWS TOTAL ENROLLMENT FOR ALL SCHOOLS INCLUSIVE OF TYPE ONE, TYPE TWO, AND TYPE FIVE CHARTERS.
THE NUMBERS AT THE BOTTOM SHOW THE PROPOSED BUDGET STAFF FOR EACH OF THE FISCAL YEARS AS WELL AS THE ACTUAL STAFF AS OF FEBRUARY ONE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IN 2018 19, THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF THE DISTRICT WERE 651.4 MILLION, WITH TRADITIONAL STUDENTS AT 37,503 AND 44, 745 FOR TOTAL DISTRICT TOTAL DISTRICT STUDENTS.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD TO 24 24, THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE OF THE DISTRICT IS 755.1 MILLION WITH PROJECTED TRADITIONAL STUDENTS AT 32,000 6 0 7 AND PROJECTED TOTAL STUDENTS AT 43,963.
AS YOU CAN SEE, BEGINNING WITH 20 20 20 21 EXPENDITURES AND SPECIAL REVENUES BEGAN TO INCREASE WITH ESSER FUNDING.
WITH 24 25 PROPOSED EXPENDITURES ARE COMPLETED.
YOU WILL SEE AS IT'S SLOWLY GOING BACK DOWN.
AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM WORKED THROUGH THE PROPOSED 24 25 BUDGET, WE SAW BOTH CHALLENGES AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.
WITH THE ENDING OF ESSER FUNDING THE POSITIONS CURRENTLY ESSER HAVE ALLOWED US TO STRATEGICALLY PLACE STAFF WHERE WE CAN BEST AFFECT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
THE DISTRICT ENDED THE 2223 FISCAL YEAR WITH AN ANY BALANCE OF $141.4 MILLION WITH 35 AND A HALF MILLION IN ASSIGNED FUNDS.
THE REVISED BUDGET ON THE AGENDA TO BE APPROVED TONIGHT HAS A DEFICIT ENDING BALANCE OF 5.2 MILLION WITH AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $136.2 MILLION AND AN ASSIGNED FUND BALANCE OF $35.5 MILLION.
THE PROPOSED 24 25 JOURNAL FUND BALANCE PROVIDES FOR AN ENDING BALANCE OF 2.3 MILLION.
THE TOTAL ASSIGNED FUNDING BALANCE WILL BE 83.5 MILLION WITH AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF $90.6 MILLION.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS THE GROWTH OF THE FUND BALANCE OVER THE PERIOD, AND I THINK IT'S A REALLY SHOWING SLIDE.
SO WE STARTED IN 1819 WITH $43.4 MILLION.
AND YOU CAN SEE AS IT'S GONE ALONG THE INCREASES, WHICH IS 100% DUE TO ESSER, WE WERE ALLOWED TO NOT ONLY MOVE EXPENDITURES, BUT COLLECT INDIRECT COSTS.
THE ENDING BALANCE IS STATED EARLIER FOR 2324 IS $136.2 MILLION.
SO ADMINISTRATION IS RECOMMENDING A BALANCE BUDGET, TOTAL REVENUE OF 5 78 0.2, TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF 5 75 0.9 FOR AN ENDING BALANCE OF $2.3 MILLION.
WITH ESSER ENDING, THE DISTRICT'S GONNA BENEFIT FROM THE FACT THAT 24 20 20 24 IS A REASSESSMENT YEAR FOR THE PARISH.
PROPERTY TAXES ARE BEING REASSESSED AND WE ARE PROJECTING A 10% INCREASE OR $20.9 MILLION INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES.
SALES TAXES ARE BEGINNING TO FLATTEN.
WE ARE PROJECTING 1% INCREASE OR $1.3 MILLION INCREASE.
MFP WILL INCREASE BY $7.8 MILLION.
AND THIS IS INCLUSIVE OF THE DIFFERENTIATED STIPENDS PROJECTED BY LDOE.
INDIRECT COSTS WILL DECREASE BY 12.9 MILLION AS SRNS AND THESE REVENUES WILL RETURN TO PRE COVID COST.
UM, THE INCREASE IN MFP IS BASED LARGELY ON THE FACT THAT LAST YEAR WE WERE AFFECTED BY THE
[00:20:01]
WEALTH FACTOR, WHICH DECREASES BY $5 MILLION AS NONE OF OUR PROPERTY, OUR SALES TAX WILL INCREASE, REACH THAT LEVEL.WE WILL NOT BE AFFECTED THIS YEAR.
WHILE ESSER HAS ENDED, THE DISTRICT HAS WORKED TO ALIGN EXPENDITURES WITH THE NEEDS OF OUR DISTRICT.
SALARIES WILL INCREASE TO $212.7 MILLION WHILE ESSER POSITIONS WILL STILL BE NEEDED.
PRIMARILY PEOPLE LIKE OUR ESL TEACHERS, OUR ESL INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALISTS, THESE POSITIONS AND OTHERS HAVE RETURNED BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND.
THE DISTRICT IS EXPANDING LITERACY AND FUNDING CURRICULUM NEEDS OF ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, AS WELL AS THE TRANSPORTATION ROUTING NEEDED TO MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR STUDENTS GET TO SCHOOL.
AS YOU WOULD SEE THE SALARIES INCREASE, OF COURSE, OUR BENEFITS ARE GONNA INCREASE AS WELL.
HOWEVER, WE DID HAVE A SLIGHT BENEFIT IN THE FACT THAT TRSL IS REDUCING THEIR EMPLOYEE OR CONTRIBUTION AMOUNT TO 21.51% AND LESSERS IS REDUCING IT TO 25.8%.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS WILL DECREASE TO 18.2 MILLION.
AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM REVIEWED EACH OF THESE CONTRACTS AS WELL AS MET WITH BOARD LEADERSHIP, THIS ALLOWED THE DISCUSSION OF GOALS, NEEDS AND COMMITMENTS OF THE DISTRICT TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN TO ALIGN WITH OUR CONTRACT SERVICES.
PROPERTY SERVICES WILL INCREASE SLIGHTLY AS THE DISTRICT MOVES TO LEASING MORE BUSES RATHER THAN PURCHASING.
THIS WILL ENSURE THAT MORE BUSES ARE ON THE ROAD AND AS OUR ALLOWS OUR MECHANIC SHOP TO CATCH UP, OTHER PURCHASE SERVICES WILL INCREASE BY $12.7 MILLION.
AS OUR PROPERTY INSURANCE HAS INCREASED, AND WE WILL CONTINUE DUAL ENROLLMENT IN THE DISTRICT.
AS THE GRADE LEVELS CONTINUE TO GROW OUT, MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES WILL INCREASE TO $31.3 MILLION AS LIBRARY BOOKS, TEXTBOOKS.
MATERIALS OF INSTRUCTION AT OTHER ITEMS THAT WERE FUNDED BY ESSER IN PREVIOUS YEARS ARE RETURNING TO THE GENERAL FUND.
PROPERTY WILL INCR WILL DECREASE TO 2.1 MILLION.
AS WE STATED EARLIER, WE ARE GONNA FOCUS ON LEASING MORE OF OUR BUS FLEET RATHER THAN PURCHASING BUSES.
APPROPRIATIONS WILL DECREASE AS THE BOARD STIPENDS HAVE ENDED AND THE DISTRICT WILL NO LONGER BE FUNDING THE 10% OF NON-REFUNDABLE FEMA PORTION OF THE FLOOD FROM 2016.
CHARTER SCHOOLS WILL GROW, BUT THEY'RE GONNA GROW AT A SLOWER RATE.
ONLY FIVE SCHOOLS ARE INCREASING GRADE LEVELS AND NO NEW TYPE ONES ARE OPENING THIS YEAR.
AS STATED BEFORE, THE ADMINISTRATION IS CLEAR ON THE INITIATIVES AND THE COMMITMENTS THE BOARD HAS INCLUDED IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN WHEN THEY APPROVED IT IN 2021.
THESE ARE ALIGNED WITH THE GOALS OF LDOE WHEN BUILDING THE BUDGET ADMINISTRATION ENSURED THESE AREAS WERE KEPT TOP OF MIND SO THAT FUNDING WOULD FOLLOW THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS.
SO LET'S GO THROUGH EACH OF THESE KEY INITIATIVES AND TALK ABOUT THE GENERAL FUNDS SPECIAL REVENUES AND THE TOTAL FROM ALL FUNDS.
AS ALL KNOW, WE DO NOT RECEIVE MFP FOR OUR YOUNGEST STUDENTS.
THESE WILL BE FUNDED THROUGH OUR GRANTS AT $18.1 MILLION FOR NEXT YEAR.
LITERACY WILL BE FUNDED AT A TOTAL OF 17.1 MILLION.
HIGH DOSE TUTORING WILL BE COVERED AT $3.7 MILLION.
TOTAL COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS WILL BE AT 17 POINT A HALF MILLION.
AND ATTENDANCE AND TRUANCY WILL BE AT $7.7 MILLION.
TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IS A TOP PRIORITY OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
WE ARE PROPOSING A $1,300 RAISE FOR ALL STAFF, EXCLUDING 81 0 1, WHICH IS YOUR TOP LEVEL CHIEFS.
FURTHER, THE DISTRICT IS PROPOSING A SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT STIPEND BASED UPON SCHOOL SITE PERFORMANCE MEETING CERTAIN GOALS.
THE LDOE PROPOSED DIFFERENTIATED STIPEND WILL FUND THE CONTINUATION OF THE EFFECTIVE RATING STIPEND FOR OUR HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS IS THE 2324 COMPENSATION FOR A TEACHER OF THIS YEAR.
SO FIRST YEAR TEACHER, IT WAS 47,800.
THIS IS A FIRST YEAR TEACHER WITH JUST A BACHELOR'S DEGREE.
A BOARD PROVIDED A STIPEND OF $2,000.
LDOE PROVIDED A STIPEND OF $2,000 FOR A TOTAL COMPENSATION OF $51,800.
AS THESE WERE BOTH STIPENDS, THEY WERE NEVER BUILT INTO THE SALARY SCHEDULE AND WERE ONE-TIME PAYMENTS ARE.
THEY WERE PAID TWO DIFFERENT TIMES DURING THE YEAR.
FOR THE 24 25 SCHOOL YEAR, THE DISTRICT IS RECOMMENDING A $1,300 RAISE FOR ALL STAFF.
WE WILL CONTINUE WITH THE EFFECTIVE RATING STIPENDS FOR HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS AND THE SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT STIPEND THAT IS POSSIBLE FOR INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF AT ALL SCHOOL SITES.
FOR AN A SCHOOL, THERE IS A POSSIBLE 5% INCREASE ABOVE THE CURRENT SALARY SCHEDULE, OR FOR A FIRST YEAR TEACHER, 50,150.
FOR AN F SCHOOL, THERE IS A POSSIBLE 6% INCREASE ABOVE THE CURRENT SALARY SCHEDULE ARE 51,150.
SO HOW WILL WE CONTINUE THIS ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION? A TRANSFER WILL BE MADE INTO FROM THE UNASSIGNED GENERAL FUND BALANCE INTO A SPECIAL GENERAL FUND RESERVE.
THAT MUST BE DONE THROUGH A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD MOVING 50% OF ANY FUNDS REMAINING
[00:25:01]
AT THE END OF THE YEAR OF THE GENERAL FUND, INCLUDING ALLOWING THE FUND TO INCUR ALL OF ITS INTEREST EARNED ON ITS PORTION OF THE MONEY TO ASSIGN FOR THE USE OF ONLY SALARIES AND STIPENDS.IT WILL BE VERY SIMILAR TO PROPOSITION THREE AT ANY TIME THE SPECIFIED RESERVE FUND WAS UNABLE TO SUSTAIN THE FUNDING FOR THE RAISES, THEN THE ADMINISTRATION WILL HAVE TO WORK TO DETERMINE THE FUNDING SOURCE FOR EACH OF THEM.
HOWEVER, THROUGH CONTINUED IDENTIFYING OF EFFICIENCIES IN THE RIGHT SIZING OF THE DISTRICT, THE ADMINISTRATION'S CONFIDENT THAT THIS FUND WILL REMAIN HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE.
AND IT WILL BEGIN WITH A BALANCE OF $45 MILLION.
SO WHAT IS THE SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT STIPEND? SO THE ADOPTION OF THE SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT STIPEND ALLOWS THE ENTIRE INSTRUCTIONAL FACILITY STAFF TO INCREASE THEIR COMPENSATION THROUGH MEETING CERTAIN GOALS.
SO THEY WORK TOGETHER TO MEET THESE GOALS, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT AS WE WORK, OUR STAFF WORK TOGETHER WITH OUR STUDENTS AND BECOME A GROUP WORKING AS ONE.
SO FOR OUR SPS RANGE OF 80 OR HIGHER, THESE ARE OUR A OR B SCHOOLS.
THEY EARN TOP GAINS AND OPPORTUNITY HONORS LABELS, WHICH IS NOT ONLY DO YOU EARN TOP GAINS, BUT YOU MOVE SUBGROUPS, WHETHER THAT BE OUR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED OR AN ESL POPULATION.
YOU RECEIVE $500 FOR EACH INSTRUCTIONAL EMPLOYEE OFFICIALLY LISTED AT THAT SCHOOL SITE FOR SCHOOLS WITH AN SPS OF 50 TO 70.9, THESE ARE OUR C OR D SCHOOLS.
IF THEY INCREASE THE SPS BY A LETTER GRADE OR BY FIVE POINTS, THEY RECEIVE $750.
SCHOOLS WITH AN SPS OF 49.9 OR LOWER WOULD RECEIVE $1,500 IF THEY EXIT A US STATUS FOR THE SCHOOL THAT HAS A LIFE BELOW A 40.
IF THEY MOVE THE SCHOOL EIGHT POINTS, WHILE THAT WILL NOT GET THEM OUT OF A US STATUS, EIGHT POINTS IS AN AMAZING, AMAZING EFFORT BY OUR STAFF.
THEY WOULD STILL RECEIVE THE $1,500.
SO WHAT IS THE DISTRICT STRATEGIC INITIATIVE FUND? THE DISTRICT DISTRIBUTOR EVENT WILL PROVIDE A TOTAL OF $3 MILLION FOR BOARD LEADERSHIP TO WORK THROUGH BOTH THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE MASTER FACILITIES PLAN WITH THE RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD.
THE FUND WOULD ALLOW ONLY CONTRACTED SERVICES TO BE FUNDED, NO POSITIONS, NO SALARIES, AND NO BENEFITS WOULD BE INCLUDED.
ALL CONTRACT SERVICES, REGARDLESS OF THE AMOUNT, WOULD BE SUBJECT TO AN RFP TO ENSURE THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND THE TRANSPARENCY OF ALL, UM, EXPENDITURES TO THE PUBLIC.
AS THESE ARE ONE-TIME ITEMS FOR THE BOARD.
THAT WOULD BE COMPLETED BY JUNE OF 2026.
THE FUND WILL NOT BE REPLENISHED AND ANY REMAINING FUNDS WOULD GO BACK TO THE GENERAL FUND.
SO WHILE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, LET'S TOUCH ON THE BOARD PRIORITIES FOR THE OPERATIONS TO SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN.
SO TRANSPORTATION IS GOING TO WORK WITH GPS ON ALL THE BUSES AND BEGIN WORKING WITH VENDORS ON CAMERA INSTALLATIONS FACILITIES.
THAT'S ARAMARK $500,000 FOR FENCING AND A MILLION DOLLARS FOR GROUNDS WORK.
WE ARE THE ADMINISTRATION'S ALSO WORKING RIGHT NOW ON DIFFERENT GRANT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL FENCING TO BE PURCHASED SO WE CAN GET MORE SCHOOLS DONE QUICKLY AND QUICKER.
SECURITY IS INCREASING BY $300,000 FOR OUR DAY-TO-DAY OFFICERS AT OUR SCHOOLS.
AND IT IS WORKING DILIGENTLY TO PLACE CAMERAS AT OUR CAMPUSES TO ENSURE THE ABILITY TO MONITOR BOTH OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF.
SO WHAT ARE OUR OPPORTUNITIES? NUMBER ONE IS ROLLING FORWARD TO THE MILLAGE.
AS I SAID BEFORE, WE ARE VERY THANKFUL OF THE FACT THAT IT HAS LANDED IN 2024 AND IS A REASSESSMENT YEAR SO THAT WE ARE ABLE TO INCREASE OUR PROPERTY TAXES.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY EFFICIENCIES TO THE DISTRICT FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO REVIEW LAND SALES AND THE EVALUATION OF UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.
AND THE ADMINISTRATION HAS CHARGED EACH DEPARTMENT WITH LOOKING FOR DUPLICATED PROCESSES AND DEVELOPING INDIVIDUAL STRATEGIES FOR EFFICIENCIES.
AGAIN, THIS IS OUR BUDGET TIMELINE.
WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS AGAIN, AS STATED BEFORE ON JUNE 6TH AND JUNE 20TH.
THE DISTRICT IS PLANNING THREE SCHOOL-BASED BUDGET MEETINGS THAT WILL BE ANNOUNCED SOON THROUGH BOARD DOCS SO THAT WE ARE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT WITH ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH THIS ENTIRE PROCESS.
ANY QUESTIONS? GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, UM, WITH COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS FIRST THAT WE HAVE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. LOPEZ FOR SHARING.
IT'S SUCH A DETAILED PRESENTATION, MS. STEWART.
SO I HAVE A QUESTION AS IT RELATES OF COURSE, TO THE PROPOSED OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASED COMPENSATION.
AND, UM, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED BECAUSE,
[00:30:01]
UH, I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION WHEN IT WAS INITIALLY EXPLAINED TO ME MM-HMM.SO IF THEY DON'T EXIT OUT OF A US OR MOVE THE NEEDLE, THEN THAT COMPENSATION ISN'T CONSIDERED.
MY UNDERSTANDING WAS TO INCENTIVIZE THOSE PERSONS OR STAFF THAT ARE AT THOSE FAILING SCHOOLS TO TRY TO, UH, ENCOURAGE OUR TEACHERS TO WANT TO GO TO THOSE SCHOOLS.
'CAUSE WE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH, UH, STAFFING AT THE FAILING SCHOOLS.
SO THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, RIGHT.
AS FAR AS WHAT I'M SAYING AND WHAT ACTUALLY THE INCENTIVE IS, NO, THE INCENTIVE IS BASED ON MOVING THE SCHOOLS THERE.
IT, IT BENEFITS, IT BENEFITS THEM TO WANT TO GO TO THAT SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY GET ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION AS IF I'M AT AN A SCHOOL, I WOULD ONLY GET 500, BUT IF I GO TO AN A US SCHOOL OR A FAILING SCHOOL, I WOULD GET 1500.
BUT REGARDLESS OF WHAT SCHOOL THEY'RE AT, THE PURPOSE OF THE STIPEND IS TO ASSIST OUR STAFF TO BE MOTIVATED TO MOVE THE NEEDLE.
BUT MY REQUEST AND, UM, SOME OF THE BOARD MEMBER DISCUSSION WAS TO ACTUALLY TRY TO INCENTIVIZE TEACHERS TO WANT TO GO TO THE FAILING SCHOOLS PERIOD VERSUS, UH, GOING THERE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE.
AND DON'T GET ME WRONG, WE WANNA MOVE THE NEEDLE.
UM, BUT IF GOING THERE, UH, ENTAILS THAT I HAVE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE AT CERTAIN POINTS OR OUTTA A US AND THEY DON'T GET THERE, THEY WON'T RECEIVE THAT STIPEND.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT SOME TYPE OF CONSIDERATION BE GIVEN TO THE BUDGET TO GIVE, UH, AN INCENTIVE TO THOSE, UH, FACULTY AND STAFF THAT ARE ALREADY AT THE EXISTING FAILING SCHOOLS OR FOR, SO FOR, FOR THOSE STAFF TO WANT TO GO TO THOSE EXISTING SCHOOLS TO BE THERE BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING HARD PROBLEMS STAFFING THOSE SCHOOLS.
AND MOST DEFINITELY OUR BOARD MEMBER STUART, WE CAN TAKE THAT UNDER CONSIDERATION.
UH, THIS PAST MAYBE A FEW MONTHS AGO, WE DID APPROVE, UM, A DIFFERENTIATED STIPEND WHERE FOR RECRUITING WITH HR WITH, UH, DR. HALL.
UH, BUT ALSO WHAT HISTORY HAS TOLD US IS THAT HAS SHOWN US THAT SOMETIMES THEY START OFF THERE BUT THEY DON'T STAY.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO BUILD IN A PERFORMANCE BASE STIPEND TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY STAY THERE AND STAY WITH THE DISTRICT.
BECAUSE OFTEN THAT WE GIVE THE STIPEND UP FRONT AND THEN THEY GONE BY SEPTEMBER.
AND YEAH, I UNDERSTAND THAT AND THAT MAKES SENSE.
BUT I WAS JUST TRYING TO SEE HOW WE CAN MAYBE COLLABORATE AND THAT IT MAKES SENSE, UM, NOT TO JUST GIVE THE MONEY AND NOT HAVE ANY TYPE OF, UH, THINGS SET IN PLACE FOR THEM TO STAY, BUT I WANTED TO INCENTIVIZE THEM AT LEAST TO GO THERE AND THEN MAYBE KIND OF BREAK IT DOWN AND STAY THE, YOU KNOW, GET THE OTHER PORTION OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU MS. KELLY AND YOUR STAFF AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED ON THIS WITH YOU.
UH, I VIEW THIS BUDGET PRESENTATION AND THE BUDGET AS IT'S PRESENTED IN A CONSOLIDATED MANNER WITH THE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES OUTLINED AND THINGS LIKE THAT AS A VAST STEP FORWARD THAT, UH, I, I REALLY WANT TO SEE US CONTINUE, UH, AND, AND GET MORE INVOLVED AND DEEPER AND DEEPER INTO THAT.
UH, I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE RECOGNIZES THAT DESPITE THE, UH, THOUGHTS OF MANY, UH, WE HAVE HAD VERY PRUDENT FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP BY THIS BOARD AND THE PAST ADMINISTRATION LEADING US TO THIS POINT WITH A VERY MINOR DEFICIT THIS YEAR.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE ONLY ENDED UP WITH THE $5 MILLION DEFICIT THIS YEAR AND PEOPLE WERE SCREAMING THAT WE WERE $30 MILLION AND SO ON AND SO ON, AND WE'RE NOT FALLING OFF A CLIFF.
AND SO PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.
THAT UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS I I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO, AND PARTICULARLY I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS FUND THAT WE'RE ESTABLISHING FOR SALARIES.
THE PURPOSE OF THAT FUND, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IS TO BE ABLE TO SMOOTH TRANSITIONS INTO SALARY INCREASES AND THINGS LIKE THAT WITHOUT TECHNICALLY HAVING A DEFICIT SPIN.
NOW I JUST WANT MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS.
[00:35:01]
OF A, A PUBLICLY TRADED COMPANY, THIS WOULD BE ILLEGALBUT IT'S NOT, I'M NOT SAYING WHAT WE'RE DOING IS ILLEGAL AT ALL.
BUT THE AUDITORS AND THE LAWYER SAID IT'S OKAY.
IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL IF WE WERE A PRIVATE COMPANY OR SURE.
OR FOR-PROFIT COMPANY, UH, DOING THIS.
BUT RECOGNIZE, AND I WANT TO ASK YOU TO AMEND SOMETHING YOU SAID.
PROP THREE IS PUT IN BY A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE BY LAW.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE AS A BOARD ARE ESTABLISHING BY A RESOLUTION AND BY A RES RESOLUTION IT COULD BE DONE AWAY WITH.
THERE IS NOTHING IN HERE EXCEPT THE WILL OF THE BOARD KEEPING THIS FUND TOGETHER.
AND GOING IN THIS, SO IT IS NOT LIKE PROP THREE.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT.
NOW I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO WALK THROUGH WITH ME THE SALARY INCREASES.
SO LAST YEAR, A STARTING TEACHER, AND I'M LOOKING AT SALARY SCHEDULE RIGHT NOW, A STARTING TEACHER WITH ZERO EXPERIENCE WOULD MAKE $47,800.
AND THEN TO THAT $47,800 WE HAD AN EBR BONUS OR EBR STIPEND OF $2,000.
AND A STATE STIPEND OF $2,000.
SO THAT TEACHER SAW IN HER PAYCHECK, HER NET OR TAKE HOME, NOT NET HER OR NOT TAKE HOME, HER GROSS PAY WAS $51,800.
AND WE STILL HAD THE PERFORMANCE STIPEND AVAILABLE TO THEM IN THAT YEAR.
THE EFFECTIVE WRITING, CORRECT.
SO THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ANOTHER, WAS IT $500, $550 FOR HIGHLY EFFECTIVE IF, IF YOU GET THAT.
AND THAT'S AN IF YOU GET THAT CORRECT.
SO THIS YEAR WHILE WE HAVE RAISED THE SALARY SCHEDULE MM-HMM.
SO WE'VE RAISED THE SALARY SCHEDULE BY $1,300.
WHICH I FULLY AND A HUNDRED PERCENT SUPPORT.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE DONE IT LAST YEAR.
BUT I FULLY AND SUPPORT THAT BECAUSE ONCE IT'S IN THE SALARY SCHEDULE, IT BECA IT IS MUCH MORE PERMANENT.
'CAUSE WE HAVE TO BE IN SEVERE FINANCIAL DISTRESS YES.
SO I'M TOTALLY INVOLVED IN THAT, BUT I JUST WANTED PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT A TEACHER THIS YEAR, BECAUSE THE STATE STIPEND IS UP IN THE AIR AND WE REALLY CAN'T DO THAT.
AND WE HAVE NO STIPEND OF OUR OWN IN HERE TO DO THAT.
SO THAT STARTING TEACHER THIS YEAR WHO LAST YEAR MADE $51,800 PLUS A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE OPPORTUNITY THIS YEAR WOULD ONLY BE MAKING 49,001, UH, $49,100, OR SEE THAT THEIR CHECK BE $2,700 LESS THIS COMING YEAR THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THE 1300, LIKE YOU POINTED OUT, IS IN THE SALARY SCHEDULE WHERE THE OTHER ONES WERE STIPENDS THAT WERE PAID TWO TIMES THE YEAR.
SO, SO THERE IS MORE MONEY IN THE SALARY SCHEDULE, BUT THE NET IMPACT IS THE TEACHERS TAKE HOME $2,700 LESS THAN THEY TOOK ON THIS YEAR.
BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE IT IN A SALARY SCHEDULE, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THE TOTALS.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PAY RAISES, I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY CLEAR BECAUSE IT'S NOT REALLY A PAY RAISE, IT'S A SALARY SCHEDULE CHANGE.
AND TO ME, CALLING THAT A PAY RAISE IS A LITTLE BIT DISINGENUOUS BECAUSE WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BE PAYING THEM LESS AND I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS BUDGET WITH THAT IN THERE.
AT A MINIMUM, I THINK WE OUGHT TO HAVE AS A BOARD A MINIMUM OF $700 STIPEND GOING IN THERE.
SO AT LEAST OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE TEACHER SALARY IS EQUAL TO LAST YEAR.
AND WITH INFLATION AND EVERYTHING ELSE, I DON'T THINK THAT'S EVEN ENOUGH.
I'D PREFER US TO SEE A THOUSAND DOLLARS STIPEND COMING FROM US AND WE CAN ROLL IT INTO THIS FUND THAT WE ARE ESTABLISHING AND TAKE IT OUT OF THAT FUND.
SO WE DON'T IMPACT THE NEGATIVE IMPACT.
BUT I CAN'T SIT HERE IN GOOD CONSCIOUS, SAY I'M GONNA PAY TEACHERS LESS THAN I PAID THEM THIS YEAR.
I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE STATE.
THE STATE IS THE STATE AND THAT'S UP TO THE LEGISLATURES AND WHAT THEY DO.
BUT I REALLY FEEL VERY, VERY STRONGLY THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS AND NOT AS A DISTRICT PAY THEM LESS NEXT YEAR THAN WE PAID THEM THIS YEAR.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM, I'D LIKE TO SEE US EVEN PAY THEM.
LIKE I SAID, I'D LIKE A THOUSAND DOLLARS STIPEND ON TOP OF THIS TO AT LEAST WE GIVE 'EM A $300 RAISE ACROSS THE BOARD, UH, FOR THIS.
AND I, AND THE SUPPORT STAFF IS, IS THE SAME THING, BUT A LESS LESSER NUMBER BECAUSE IT WAS A THOUSAND DOLLARS STIPEND, I BELIEVE IT WAS.
I PUT THAT ON THE BOTTOM OF SLIDE, UH, 19 SO
[00:40:01]
I COULD REMIND EVERYTHING.SO I I I'M JUST SAYING, I, I THINK, I THINK WE'RE NOT BEING PRECISE WHEN WE CALL THIS A A PAY RAISE.
IT'S A SALARY SCHEDULE INCREASE, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT PAY AS TO WHAT PEOPLE GET IN THEIR PAYCHECK, IT'S NOT A PAY RAISE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE DONE.
AND I REALLY HAVE A HARD TIME.
I, I CAN'T ACCEPT THE SCHEDULE, UH, AS THIS ALSO, UM, WE DID TALK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I'M GRATEFUL THAT YOU PUT THIS IN, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A HUGE AMOUNT OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AT SCHOOLS AND I THINK WE OUGHT TO LOOK AND SEE AND IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING, BECAUSE WE GOT LOTS OF AIR CONDITIONERS COMING UP.
I GO AROUND SOME OF THE SCHOOLS AND WE GOT RELATIVELY, I WAS AT HIGHLAND AND WE GOT RELATIVELY NEW BUILDINGS AND THE FASCIA BOARDS ARE STARTING TO ROT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UH, I, I THINK WE OUGHT TO THINK ABOUT IS THERE SOME WAY WE CAN START MAKING A PRIORITY PRIORITIZED SCHEDULE AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE TO GET SOME OF THESE THINGS THROUGH.
I RECOGNIZE I'M ASKING FOR A WHOLE LOT AND WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF THAT THIS YEAR.
AND THEN THE LAST THING YOU MENTIONED, AND I WANT TO KEEP COMING BACK TO HIGHLIGHT, PART OF THE REASON WHY WE GOT THIS TYPE OF PRESENTATION IS YOU AND YOUR TEAM UTILIZE THE NEW COMPUTER SYSTEMS THAT WE GAVE THEM.
I HAVE TALKED WITH, UH, PURCHASING AND THEY'RE NOW USING THE WORKFLOW AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WE HAVE TO GET ALL OF OUR SYSTEMS ON THAT NEW SYSTEM.
WE, I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US SET DEADLINES FOR WHEN WE NO LONGER WRITE PAPER CHECKS TO VENDORS SURE.
AND SET DEADLINES FOR WHEN HR IS FULLY ON BOARD, UH, IN THIS.
SO WE CAN COORDINATE PAYROLL AND WE CAN COORDINATE ALL OF THE HIRING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND THE OTHER THING ON TRANSPORTATION, I REALIZE I'M GIVING YOU A LAUNDRY LIST.
THE OTHER THING I WANT TO HAVE ON HERE IS AS WE ADDRESS TRANSPORTATION, IT IS CRITICAL AND WHETHER OR NOT WE GO, BECAUSE I THINK WE OUGHT TO GO WITH THIRD PARTY SOLUTIONS FOR CAMERAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE POSITIVE CLOCK IN, POSITIVE CLOCK OUT FOR BUS DRIVERS SO THAT WE CAN START TO MAKE SENSE OF HOW WE PAY, PAY OUR BUS DRIVERS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GONNA LEAD INTO, BUT UNTIL WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION, WE'RE, WE'RE FLYING IN THE DARK BECAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND I, WHEN I RUN THE NUMBERS, I COME UP WITH INSTANCES WHERE WE'RE PAYING.
I'M NOT SAYING BUS DRIVERS ARE OVERPAID, SO DON'T ATTACK ME.
BUT WE ARE PAYING SOME BUS DRIVERS AT AN HOURLY RATE HIGHER THAN TEACHERS.
AND I THINK WE REALLY HAVE TO GET OUR ARMS AROUND THAT AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT IS.
SO THOSE, THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS AND THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I'D LIKE TO SEE.
BUT THE MOST IN PARTICULAR IS, UH, I THINK WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY THAT WE DON'T REDUCE THE TEACHER TAKE HOME.
AGAIN, I CAN'T DO, I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT THE STATE DOES, BUT I CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT WE DO HERE IN THIS DISTRICT.
BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD, I JUST HAVE A, A QUESTION TO ASK MR. SHALIN, AND NO, NO OFFENSE TO YOU, MR. GOD.
SHOULD WE HAVE BEEN SETTING TIME LIMITS FOR OUR COMMENTS OKAY.
WORKSHOP, RIGHT? THAT'S, YEAH.
UH, I'VE ENTERED INTO THE QUEUE AS WELL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. GODDE, FOR SHARING.
UM, AND MY QUESTIONS OR FOLLOW UP TO MR. GOD'S QUESTIONS.
UM, MS. LOPEZ, JUST FOR THE SAKE OF TEACHERS AND, UH, EMPLOYEES WHO MAY BE LISTENING, UH, AS WELL AS THOSE EVEN IN THE ROOM THAT MAY NOT HAVE CLARITY ON WHAT THIS PROCESS IS LIKE.
SO THE FIRST IS MR. GODDE MENTIONED ABOUT, UM, PROP THREE MM-HMM.
COULD YOU GIVE MORE CLARITY IN REGARDS TO THAT IN LAYMAN'S TERMS? SURE.
I USE PROPOSITION THREE JUST AS A COMPARISON BECAUSE PROPOSITION THREE IS ONLY FOR SALARIES.
IT WAS ONLY USED FOR COMPARISON'S SAKE.
HE IS CORRECT THAT IT'S NOT EXACTLY THE SAME.
SO PROPOSITION THREE IS IN THE TAX PLAN, VOTERS VOTED TO ALLOW US TO HAVE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE PENNY.
SO 51% GOES TO PROP ONE, 8% GOES TO PROP TWO, AND THE REMAINDER GOES TO PROPOSITION THREE.
AND THAT IS ONLY TO BE USED TO COVER A PORTION OF SALARIES FOR ALL NON-GRANT FUNDED EMPLOYEES.
AND THAT IS WHAT WE USE IT FOR.
IT CAN BE ADJUSTED UP OR DOWN AND THE PERCENTAGE WISE BASED UPON THE GENERAL FUND, BUT IT IS USED ONLY FOR SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
SO THAT'S HOW I USED IT IN THE COMPARISON.
SO THE RESOLUTION THAT Y'ALL WOULD BE DOING IS WE'RE TAKING UNASSIGNED GENERAL FUND MONEY AND WE'RE PLACING IT IN A SEPARATE FUND CALLED THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE.
AND THE REASON I USE THAT EXAMPLE WAS THE INTENT OF ADMINISTRATION IS THIS IS
[00:45:01]
TO ONLY BE USED FOR SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR OUR STAFF.THAT IS THE THOUGHT, THAT IS THE PURPOSE.
AND BY PUTTING IN A RESOLUTION, A A, A SINGLE PERSON OR A SINGLE ADMINISTRATOR, A SINGLE BOARD MEMBER COULD NOT SAY, I WANNA USE ALL OF THIS AND BUY A THOUSAND BUSES.
THE ONLY WAY TO UNDO THIS IS BY A FIVE VOTE RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD.
SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE A LITTLE SAFETY NET.
YOU GOT SOME GUARDRAILS ON IT.
THIS IS WHAT IT IS MEANT TO DO AND IT'S MEANT FOR THE GOOD OF THE DISTRICT.
SO THAT IS WHY I USE THAT COMPARISON THOUGH.
PROP THREE IS TAXPAYER MONEY SPECIFICALLY VOTED ON FOR THAT REASON.
SO FOR CLARITY, THAT MEANS, AND DID YOU WANNA RESPOND FIRST? NO.
AND I WAS JUST GONNA ASK KELLY JUST TO SAY THE ALTERNATIVE, IF WE DIDN'T ASSIGN IT, WE WOULD PROBABLY DEFICIT SPIN.
SO THEN MY, MY FOLLOW UP QUESTION IN REGARDS TO THAT MEANS THAT AT ANY POINT WITH ANY FUTURE BOARD MM-HMM,
THE OTHER IS, UM, MR. GODDE MENTIONED MR. SALARY SCHEDULE CHANGE VERSUS PAY RAISE.
WILL YOU EXPLAIN THAT FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING? SURE.
SO MR. GODES, AND, AND HE'S AGAIN, 100% CORRECT
SO LAST YEAR THE TAKE HOME YEARLY PAY FOR A TEACHER WAS MORE BECAUSE SHE HAD THE $2,000 LDOE STIPEND AND THE $2,000 BOARD STIPEND.
SO THE OVERALL YEARLY PAY FOR A TEACHER WAS AN ADDITIONAL $4,000 IN THIS BUDGET.
WE ARE PRO PRODUCE, WE ARE ASKING TO GIVE A $1,300 RAISE.
THE REASON THAT THIS IS BUILT INTO THE SALARY SCHEDULE IS IT'S PERMANENT.
IT DOESN'T GO AWAY UNLESS WE, AS HE SAID, POLICY.
IF WE ARE IN COMPLETE DIRE STRIKES BANKRUPTCY, THEN YOU CAN ADJUST A SALARY SCHEDULE.
THAT'S ABOUT THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN TAKE AWAY A RAISE.
AND, AND CAN I, CAN I ADD ALSO THERE IS NO STIPULATION ON THE $1,300 LIKE WE PUT ON STIPENDS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF A TEACHER START IN NOVEMBER, THEY MAY NOT GET THE STIPEND, BUT IF YOU START IN NOVEMBER, YOUR SALARY IS THAT $1,300 RAISE THE PAYMENT PROCESS FOR A STIPEND AND FOR A RAISE ARE DIFFERENT.
SO A RAISE IS JUST WHAT IT SAYS.
SO FOR A TEACHER WHO GETS 20 PAYCHECKS, THAT $1,300 IS DIVIDED BY 20.
YOU GET A LITTLE BIT EVERY TIME.
IF YOU QUIT, OF COURSE YOUR SALARY GOES AWAY.
A STIPEND IS A ONE-TIME PAYMENT.
SO WE PAID IT TWICE THIS YEAR, SO WE PAID ONE IN OCTOBER AND WE PAID ONE IN MARCH.
SO THEY RECEIVED $2,000 LESS RETIREMENT AND TAXES AND $2,000 LESS RETIREMENT AND TAXES THOSE TWO TIMES OF THE YEAR.
IT'S NOT BUILT INTO THEIR PAYCHECK.
AND ALSO I'D LIKE TO ADD, SO IF YOU WERE A FIRST YEAR TEACHER, ZERO EXPERIENCE, AND YOU WAS DECIDING WHICH A PARISH THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK FOR, WELL THIS $1,300 WOULD PUT US AHEAD OF SOME SURROUNDING PARISH.
WHICH WAS THE GOAL OF THE SUPERINTENDENT.
SO WHAT THAT, AND, AND YOU'VE ALREADY ANSWERED THIS QUESTION, BUT I JUST THINK ABOUT, LIKE I SAID, MYSELF AS I WOULD APPLY FOR A JOB.
THE FIRST THING THAT I'M GONNA DO IS CHECK OUT THE SALARY SCHEDULE AND IT'S GOING TO DETERMINE WITH MASTERS AND HOWEVER MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, HOW MUCH WOULD I MAKE? AND AUTOMATICALLY WE'RE SAYING THAT THAT WOULD BE PLUS $1,300 AS COMPARED TO PRIOR YOUR SALARY SCHEDULE.
OKAY, MR. RUSS PUT ME ON MY BACK FOOT.
MR. MARTIN, I WAS WAITING FOR YOU TO SEE WHAT YOU HAD TO SAY.
UM, SO FIRST OFF, THANK YOU TO, UM, OUR CFO AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT, UM, FOR DOING THEIR ABSOLUTE BEST TO, TO PUT TOGETHER AN ORGANIZED BUDGET FOR US.
UM, I CAN, I CAN AT MINIMUM SAY THAT AT LEAST THE, THE PRESENTATION AND THE PROCESS OF, OF HOW YOU'RE PUTTING THIS IN FRONT OF YOUR BOARD IS IMPROVED.
UM, THE, THE, THE, THE FIRST THING I DO WANNA SPEAK ON THOUGH THAT I WOULD BE REMISS IF, IF WE DON'T KIND OF COME BACK TO THIS WELL, IS THAT WE, WE'D STILL NEED A VASTLY IMPROVED BUDGET PROCESS.
AND MY CONCERN HERE IS WE ARE IN A VERY, VERY SIMILAR SITUATION TO WHERE I FOUND MYSELF A YEAR AGO WHERE FOR THE FIRST TIME I'M SEEING A, UH, A BUDGET PROPOSAL IN MAY.
AND WE'VE GOT A VERY TIGHT TIMELINE, UH, TO GET A BUDGET PASSED IF, IF WE WANT TO,
[00:50:01]
UH, PREVENT, YOU KNOW, DISRUPTIONS IN HOW WE PAY OUR EMPLOYEES AND, AND KEEP THE DISTRICT RUNNING.AND, UH, I CERTAINLY APPRE APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN PUT INTO THIS, UH, THE, THE PRIORITIES THAT YOU PUT INTO THE BUDGET.
UM, BUT, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, THAT WE NAME THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A BETTER PROCESS BEFORE WE GET TO THIS POINT FOR HOW, HOW OUR ADMINISTRATION ENGAGES WITH ITS BOARD, EITHER THROUGH WORKSHOP FORMAT OR, OR EVEN JUST SIMPLE MEETINGS AND ENGAGES WITH THE PUBLIC IN DECIDING WHAT, WHAT YOUR PRIORITIES ARE GOING TO BE WHEN BUILDING A BUDGET.
AND, AND I DON'T, I CERTAINLY BELIEVE AND AGREE THAT A BIG PRIORITY FOR OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR HAS TO BE HOW WE COMPENSATE OUR TEACHERS AND SAY, YOU'RE NOT OFF THE MARK THERE.
UM, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAD A GOOD PROCESS FOR HOW WE GOT HERE.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S NOT TO, UM, JUST TO, YOU KNOW, STICK ANYBODY IN PARTICULAR.
IT'S JUST THAT WE HAVE ALL TALKED ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM AS A BOARD, UH, SINCE I JOINED THE BOARD.
AND I WANT TO CONTINUE TO HARP ON THAT UNTIL WE DO BETTER, RIGHT? AND, AND THAT TAKES ALL OF US, UM, FIGURING OUT HOW WE'RE GONNA DO THAT.
WHETHER THAT'S WE WE BRING IN OUTSIDE HELP OR WE'RE LED BY OUR SUPERINTENDENT OR BY OUR STAFF, OR WE DO IT AS A BOARD.
UM, I I, I SWEAR IF WE GET TO NEXT MAY, AND IT'S NO DIFFERENT, I'M JUST GONNA LOSE MY MIND.
BUT WE GOT A YEAR, SO LET'S TRY TO DO OUR BEST.
SO SPECIFIC FEEDBACK ON THE BUDGET THAT I DO WANT TO GIVE, UM, I'M GONNA TRY TO KEEP IT REALLY HIGH LEVEL.
I'VE GOT A LOT OF OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT I'M JUST GONNA TRY TO SEND THOSE, UM, TO OUR SUPERINTENDENT, UH, TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF WHAT WAS BUDGETED AND WHY.
UM, I, I THINK THAT THE, THE IDEA OF CREATING A $45 MILLION FUND, UM, I THINK IS A NOVEL WAY OF SOLVING TWO PROBLEMS, RIGHT? UM, WE, OF COURSE, WE DON'T WANT TO BE OUT OF COMPLIANCE WITH WHAT THE STATE SAYS WE SHOULD BE DOING FINANCIALLY, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, WE ALSO WANT TO SHOW COMMITMENT TO OUR STAFF.
UM, AND SO I I, I, WHEN I WAS PRESENTED WITH THIS IDEA, I KIND OF SAW IT AS WELL, WE'RE, WE'RE EFFECTIVELY, WE'RE DOING MULTI-YEAR BUDGETING, RIGHT? WE'RE DRAWING ON THE SURPLUS WE HAVE AND WE'RE SETTING ASIDE SOME MONEY FOR THE FUTURE.
AND, AND THAT SENTIMENT I CAN GET BEHIND WHAT CONCERNED ME IS A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE $45 MILLION IS A HECK OF A LOT OF MONEY.
THAT IS AN INCREDIBLY, UH, LARGE DECISION TO BE MAKING HERE.
AND I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE MAKE THAT DECISION CAREFULLY.
UM, TWO, I I, WHILE I SEE ALL THE BENEFITS OF THIS PROPOSED SOLUTION, I THINK ULTIMATELY IT HOWEVER CREATES A SCENARIO WHERE WE'RE KICKING A CAN DOWN THE ROAD, UM, AS OPPOSED TO DOING THE HARD WORK AND THE TOUGH THINGS TO FIND A PERMANENT RAISE FOR OUR STAFF AND OUR GENERAL BUDGET.
WE ARE DRAWING ON TODAY'S SURPLUS AND SETTING IT ASIDE FOR TOMORROW AND THE NEXT YEAR AND THE NEXT YEAR, AND WE'RE EFFECTIVELY MAKING THIS ANOTHER BOARD, ANOTHER SUPERINTENDENT'S PROBLEM.
AND I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN AGREE WITH THAT.
UM, I DON'T DISAGREE THAT THIS MAY BE A GOOD SOLUTION, UM, TO, TO GET INNOVATIVE ABOUT HOW WE PAY OUR STAFF.
BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO GO BACK AND, AND DIG A LITTLE DEEPER.
I THINK WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO, TO EFFECTIVELY FIND THIS MONEY FOR AT LEAST THE, AT LEAST THE CHANGE IN THE SALARY SCHEDULE.
THAT $1,300 OR WHATEVER WE'RE GONNA DO NEEDS TO BE PAID FOR OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND, AND WE'VE GOTTA FIND THAT MONEY.
UH, IF WE'RE NOT, THEN WE ARE NOT DOING THE WORK FOR OUR DISTRICT.
WE, WE ARE PULLING THE WOOL OVER OUR STAFF'S EYES AND MAKING IT APPEAR THAT EVERYTHING'S FINE WHEN IT'S NOT.
WE, WE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO SUSTAINABLY PAY FOR THAT RAISE, MAYBE FOR THREE YEARS, FOUR YEARS, BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'LL BE IN THREE, FOUR YEARS.
AND IF THAT MONEY RUNS OUT, THAT'S NOW ANOTHER PERSON'S PROBLEM.
AND SO MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE, UM, THAT WE SHOULD STILL TAKE SOME OF THIS SURPLUS FUNDING AND PUT IT INTO A FUND.
BUT MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE, UH, FUND ABOUT THREE YEARS WORTH OF STIPENDS THAT WOULD INCENTIVIZE THE TOP PERCENT OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS, UM, TO GROW OR TO REMAIN IN OUR DISTRICT.
UM, SO THAT WE CAN, CAN RETAIN TOP TALENT AND ATTRACT TOP TALENT INTO OUR SCHOOLS AS WELL AS OUR, OUR STRUGGLING SCHOOLS.
UM, AND FUND THAT FOR A FEW YEARS SO THAT WE CAN MEASURE THAT, SEE IF IT IS EFFECTIVE AND PIVOT, UM, IF IT IS OR IF IT ISN'T, AND CONTINUE TO DECIDE WHETHER WE WOULD WANT OR NOT WANT TO PUT MONEY INTO THAT.
UM, I THINK WE NEED TO GIVE A REAL PERMANENT RAISE FROM OUR GENERAL FUND, UH, MAKING CHOICES IN OUR PERMANENT BUDGET ON HOW TO DO THAT.
I WOULD ALSO ASK THAT OUR, OUR
[00:55:01]
SUPERINTENDENT AND TEAM COME UP WITH A WAY, UH, ON HOW WE'RE GONNA FUND FUTURE INCREASES.WE, WE KEEP SAYING YEAR AFTER YEAR, UH, THAT WE'VE GOTTA PUT TOGETHER A MULTI-YEAR PLAN FOR HOW WE'RE GONNA ESTABLISH PERMANENT PAY INCREASES.
I, I DON'T THINK THIS $45 MILLION DOES IT.
UM, I WOULD ALSO LIKE THAT WE ASK THAT WE BUILD THE COST OF IMMEDIATE STRATEGIC INITIATIVES INTO OUR EXISTING BUDGET, THOSE THAT WOULD BE FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, I KNOW THAT MANY OF US HAVE TALKED FOR QUITE SOME TIME ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE WANT TO DO THAT'S AHEAD.
UM, BUT I WOULD ASK FOR COSTS FOR A BUDGET CONSULTANT, A FACILITIES MASTER PLAN, FUTURE STRATEGIC PLANNING, AND THEN WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO F FACILITATE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ON, UH, FUTURE POLICY DECISIONS AROUND FACILITIES, ACADEMIC AND ENROLLMENT POLICIES, BUDGET, FINANCIAL POLICIES, ALL THOSE THINGS COST MONEY.
UM, AND I THINK WE'RE GONNA NEED A LOT OF OUTSIDE HELP.
UM, AND SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE THE THREE KEY PIECES OF FEEDBACK I WANT TO GIVE ON THE BUDGET.
UM, I REALLY APPLAUD THE I, THE, THE CREATIVE THINKING THAT YOUR TEAM HAS PUT BEHIND THIS.
UH, I'M ASKING YOU TO GO BACK AND DIG A LITTLE DEEPER AND CUT A LITTLE DEEPER AND, UH, AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
UM, I, I ALSO DO AGREE, UM, WITH SOME OF MR. GOODE'S SENTIMENTS THAT, UH, WE MAY NEED TO LOOK AT AT COMPENSATION AND HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT EFFECTIVELY GIVING OUR STAFF A DECREASE IN COMPENSATION THIS YEAR.
UH, SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT TO TALK ABOUT, BUT, UM, THIS IS A GREAT PLACE TO START.
FIRST I'LL SAY, UH, SUPERINTENDENT SMITH AND YOUR STAFF, PHENOMENAL WORK STRUMMING THROUGH THIS.
UM, A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION THAT CAME OUTTA LAST YEAR, AND I'M NOT PUTTING THIS ON YOU, I'M NOT PUTTING THIS ON YOUR STAFF, BUT I WILL SAY THE RUMOR MILL HAD ENOUGH SO MANY PEOPLE THINKING THAT WE WERE IN SUCH A CRITICAL DIRE PLACE, AND WE HEARD NUMBERS AS HIGH AS $50 MILLION, $70 MILLION, WHICH HAS ESSENTIALLY PLACED US IN THE POSITION THAT WE WERE IN LAST YEAR WHERE WE WANTED TO GIVE HIGHER RAISES TO THE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR OUR DISTRICT, BUT WE DIDN'T BECAUSE WE WANTED TO BE GOOD STEWARDS.
NOW WE'RE HEARING A TOTALLY DIFFERENT STORY, WHICH I GUESS PUTS SEVERAL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS IN A PLACE WHERE, LIKE, WHAT IS TRUE AND WHAT ISN'T TRUE, RIGHT? AGAIN, NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU, BUT A LOT TO DO WITH THE INFORMATION THAT'S BEEN GIVEN OUT TO PEOPLE.
UM, ONE OF OUR FORMER COLLEAGUES, UH, MS. KATIE KENON WAS, IS ONE OF THE MAIN PROPONENTS OF SAYING THAT SHE HAD RECEIVED THE SAME LEVEL OF INFORMATION AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM.
WHAT I WILL SAY IS, THOUGH, UH, SEVERAL PIECES, RIGHT? ONE, THE STIPEND FOR THE 1500.
I JUST DON'T SIMPLY THINK THAT'S GONNA BE ENOUGH NOT TO MAKE TEACHERS GO TO, UH, ACADEMICALLY UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS AND EXPECTING TO WANNA STAY THERE.
UH, I REMEMBER WITH LAST YEAR, WE OFFERED AS MUCH AS, UH, I THINK IT WAS $5,000, MAYBE $6,000 FOR THOSE WHO WANTED TO GO INSIDE OF THOSE ACADEMICALLY UNDERPERFORM, UH, UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS.
AND I COULD SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER ONE OF THE COMMENTS THAT WERE SAID WAS, I WILL QUIT MY JOB BEFORE I GO TO SCHOOL IN NORTH BATON ROUGE AND WORK SOMEWHERE WHERE I'M NOT HAPPY AND WHERE I FEEL LIKE I'M NOT SAFE.
THOSE THINGS SETTLED REAL DEEP INTO MY SPIRIT.
AND I, AGAIN, I CAN APPRECIATE THE 1500.
I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S ENOUGH.
I THINK WE HAVE TO GIVE MORE AND WE CAN FIND MORE TO GIVE.
UM, THE $1,300, THE THING THAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT WE HAVE TO START FORECASTING THINGS THAT, UH, ARE ON THE HORIZON.
ONE OF WHICH IS GONNA BE THE BREAKAWAY.
GEORGE CREATES THEIR OWN DISTRICT.
AND WE PUT OURSELVES IN A PLACE WHERE WE CREATE A BUDGET THAT GETS BIGGER, BUT THEN OUR DISTRICTS BEGINS TO SHRINK.
DUE TO A LOT OF THOSE CHANGES IN OUR SYSTEM, THAT'S GONNA CREATE A PROBLEM.
AND I JUST WANT US TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT AND, UH, PAY VERY, VERY CLOSE ATTENTION IN KNOWING THAT WE'RE MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE.
ANOTHER THING I'LL SAY IS, UM, WE, I HEAR A LOT ABOUT US GIVING MONEY TO TEACHERS, AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT, AS I WILL ALWAYS SAY THEY'RE FRONTLINE WORKERS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE OTHER FRONTLINE WORKERS.
WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO TO COMPENSATE BUS DRIVERS WHO HAVE TO RIDE IN THE BUSES IN THE HEAT THAT THEY'RE IN? UM, I DO HAVE QUESTIONS AROUND THE BUSES, UH, IN TERMS OF LEASING, BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US GET OUR OWN FULL-TIME FLEET IF WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO.
BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THIS IS THE MEANS OF TRYING TO SAVE MONEY.
UM, WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR OUR CAFETERIA WORKERS? IF WE RECALL LAST YEAR, WE HAD OVER A THOUSAND PEOPLE THAT WALKED OUT BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT FOR YEARS THEY WERE BEING LOOKED OVER AND UNDERAPPRECIATED BECAUSE WE DIDN'T DO ENOUGH.
[01:00:01]
I HEARD THOSE SENTIMENTS, AND I'M SURE SEVERAL OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS HEARD THOSE SENTIMENTS.AND I JUST WANNA KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO COMPENSATE THEM AS WELL? UM, THEY MAKE THE SMALLEST AMOUNT OF MONEY, BUT THEY ARE JUST AS DEDICATED AS ANY OF THE EMPLOYEES ACROSS OUR DISTRICT.
WHETHER YOU ARE A BUS DRIVER, WHETHER YOU ARE A MECHANIC, WHETHER YOU ARE A, UM, UH, CAFETERIA WORKER.
I THINK ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE, AND ALSO OUR JANITORS AS WELL.
I THINK ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE DESERVE TO, UH, HAVE SOME LEVEL OF COMPENSATION THAT IS ALSO EQUAL TO WHAT IS GIVEN TO THOSE WHO ARE INSIDE OF OUR CLASSROOMS. UM, AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS IN TERMS OF OUR, UH, SUBS, THOSE SUBSTITUTES THAT'S GOING INSIDE OF THE CLASSROOMS, NOBODY EVEN ASKED THE QUESTION OR BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT GIVING THEM ANYTHING.
THE CONTRACT WITH EASS IS ENDING SOON.
SO MY QUESTION HERE WOULD BE, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO LOOK AT HOW WE'RE GONNA PAY THEM? BECAUSE WE KNOW WE HAVE TEACHER SHORTAGES AROUND THE BOARD.
ACROSS THE BOARD, AND WE MAY HAVE EVEN HAVE SOME, UH, FORTHCOMING, THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF FORECASTING.
IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH DOLLARS FOR OUR SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS? WE CANNOT IGNORE THOSE SPACES, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THOSE TEACHERS WHO ARE FULL-TIME SUBS THROUGHOUT THE EN COURSE OF THE ENTIRE YEAR.
MR. LANIS, YOU KIND OF, YOU STOLE MY THUNDER ON THE SUBSTITUTES
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD SUBSTITUTES THAT WORKED ALL YEAR LONG.
THEY WERE CALLING THEM PERMANENT SUBS, AND YOU WERE RIGHT.
THERE WAS NO CONVERSATION AROUND, UM, INCREASING PAY FOR WHETHER IT'S A TWO DAY SUB OR A PERMANENT SUB.
UM, NOW, MR. SMITH ON THE SCHOOL ADVANCE STIPEND, THOSE ARE FOR TEACHERS WHO ARE ALREADY THERE.
CORRECT? IN THE, IF I ENDED THE YEAR AT, UH, CLAYBORNE THE CLOCK STAR, THE CLOCK STARTS TE TICKING THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
SO YOU CAN BE A NEW TEACHER STAR IN THAT PARTICULAR SCHOOL, THIS UPCOMING SCHOOL.
BUT I THINK WHAT I HEARD MR. LANIS SAYING, AND MS. UH, STEWART, WAS THAT WE NEED INCENTIVES TO GET THEM THERE WHO ARE NOT ALREADY THERE.
UH, AND WE KNOW WE NEED EXCELLENT TEACHERS IN THESE SCHOOLS.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO INCENTIVIZE A TEACHER WHO MAY ALREADY BE AT AN A SCHOOL AND WE WANT HER TO COME OVER, OR HE TO COME OVER TO ONE OF OUR LOWER PERFORMING SCHOOLS, BRINGING WITH THEM THEIR, THEIR EXPERIENCE, UH, THEIR EXPERTISE AT A HIGHER PERFORMING SCHOOL.
THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE BUDGET.
AND I'VE, I'M ON RECORD SAYING THIS A FEW WEEKS AGO.
I SIT OUT THERE, I THINK IN 17 AND WATCH THE DISTRICT TAKE BACK ABOUT $450,000 THAT HAD BEEN PLACED IN A POOL TO DO, TO DO JUST THAT, TO INCENTIVIZE TEACHERS TO MOVE TO LOWER PERFORMING SCHOOLS.
I THINK MAYBE THREE, THREE OR FOUR TEACHERS TOOK, YOU KNOW, TOOK US UP ON, WELL, TOOK THEM UP ON THAT OFFER AT THE TIME.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMETHING EXTRA TO INCENTIVIZE A TEACHER FROM A, A, B, OR C SCHOOL TO GO TO GO TO A LOWER PERFORMING SCHOOL.
AND I'LL SAY THIS TOO, I, I REALLY THINK THAT WE HAVE TEACHERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO WORK IN CONCERT WITH EACH OTHER AT OUR HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOLS AND AT OUR LOWER PERFORMING SCHOOLS.
AND WE LIVE IN A TECHNOLOGY AGE WHERE THAT'S EASY.
IT JUST MAY TAKE A LITTLE CREATIVE SCHEDULING ON THOSE PRINCIPAL'S PARTS.
BUT IF WE EXPECT CHILDREN TO LEARN REMOTELY, ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER, TO LEARN REMOTELY, I THINK WE CAN EXPECT OUR TEACHERS TO LEARN REMOTELY FROM SOME OF THEIR PEERS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.
AND I AGREE WITH WHAT MR. UM, RUSS WAS SAYING TOO.
WE'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF THE BOX AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND START DOING THINGS DIFFERENT.
SOME OF THE HABITS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BREAK AROUND HERE ARE INSTITUTIONALIZED HABITS, THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE FOR YEARS, THIS JUST OVER AND OVER AND OVER.
AND YOU GOTTA PEEL THAT ONION BACK TILL YOU GET DOWN TO, HEY, WE, WE CAN DO SOMETHING NEW.
UM, SO I THINK WE WE'RE IN THE RIGHT, WE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, BUT WE STILL GOT MORE TO DO.
AND ON TOP OF ALL THAT, WE'VE GOT A, RIGHT WHEN WE START RIGHTSIZING THIS DISTRICT AND CONSOLIDATING SCHOOLS, THESE NUMBERS WILL CHANGE.
[01:05:01]
WILL CHANGE.YOU JUST TOOK THE WORDS OUTTA MY MOUTH THAT I'M LISTENING TO BOARD MEMBERS, AND THERE'S A LOT OF REQUESTS AROUND COMPENSATION, BUT YOU HAVE TO BEGIN TO RIGHT SIZE THE DISTRICT, AND THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
IT IS GOING TO TAKE SOME TOUGH CONVERSATION, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.
AND THIS IS THE REASON WHY WE HAVE THIS RESERVE BALANCE BUILT IN, INTO PLAY.
SO INITIALLY YOU DON'T HAVE TO DEFICIT SPEND BECAUSE YOU HAVE A TWO, YOUR, YOUR RESERVE IS TOO HIGH.
IT'S ALMOST FOUR TIMES THE REQUIREMENT OF THE STATE.
AND SO WE NEED TO USE THOSE ACCESS DOLLARS TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW TIME FOR THE DISTRICT TO BEGIN TO MAKE THOSE NECESSARILY SHIFTS TO RIGHT SIZE THE DISTRICT, BECAUSE IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN IN AUGUST.
AND WE, WE HAVE HOW MANY SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW? EIGHT.
HOW MANY SCHOOLS ARE WE CURRENTLY OPEN? YOU GOT 80 SOMETHING SCHOOLS AND RIGHT NOW OUR PROJECTIONS ARE ABOUT 32,000 MM-HMM.
AND, UH, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN THE FIRST 10 DAYS OF SCHOOL.
SO IT DEPENDS ON WHO SHOWS UP.
AND SO THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE A LOOK AT THIS RESERVE, THIS FUND BALANCE, AND THAT WE ALLOW THE DISTRICT SOME TIME WHEREVER YOU WANT TO GO WITH THE CONSULTANTS, UH, OUTSIDE SUPPORT WITH HOW WE BEGIN.
BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE LISTENING TO THAT.
WE WERE GONNA DO CONSOLIDATION.
I'VE BEEN HEARING THAT FOR YEARS, A FACILITY MASTER PLAN.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN IN AUGUST.
SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN A POSITION TO WHERE WE CAN COMPENSATE OUR STAFF, WHETHER WE INCREASE SUBSTITUTE PAY, OR WHETHER WE DO SOMETHING ON THE FRONT END.
BUT IT'S GONNA TAKE WHAT WE'VE DONE RIGHT NOW TO, TO ACCOMPLISH THAT.
I KNOW WE'VE BEEN HAVING A LOT OF CONVERSATION AND I HAVE A FEW MORE THINGS, UM, THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK ABOUT.
ONE IS AN AGREEMENT WITH, UM, MR. LANIS ABOUT THE 1500 BEING ENOUGH FOR ASKING TEACHERS TO GO TO THOSE FAILING SCHOOLS.
TOTALLY IN AGREEMENT THAT I'M, I'M NOT QUITE SURE THAT THAT'S, UM, ENOUGH.
AND THEN ALSO WITH MR. RUSS TALKING ABOUT THE DEEP DIVE INTO, UM, INTO SOME DEEPER THINGS, AND DEFINITELY STAYING AT THE HIGH LEVEL.
BUT LIKE, WHEN I LOOK AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE LITERACY AND THE HIGH DOSE TUTORING AND THE COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS AND THE ATTENDANCE AND TRUANCY, I WANNA SEE ACTUALLY HOW MUCH IT'S GONNA COST.
SO I KNOW LIKE WE HAVE THE ACTUAL BUDGET FROM LAST YEAR AND THE REVISED BUDGET OF WHAT IT ACTUALLY COSTS AND THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
BUT EVEN BASED ON THAT WITH, WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE HAVING TO DEAL WITH PRICE INCREASE OR CHANGES IN THINGS.
AND SO EVEN IF THE DEEP DIVE JUST STARTS WITH OUR KEY INITIATIVES, LIKE ACTUALLY MEETING WITH THE PEOPLE THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE DOING THIS HIGH DOSE TUTORING AND THIS COLLEGE AND CAREER NET READINESS TO SEE WHAT'S IT ACTUALLY GONNA COST TO DO THESE THINGS, I THINK WILL JUST HELP US IN SETTING THE BUDGET MORE APPROPRIATELY.
AND THAT MAY HELP US TO FIND THE MONEY AND THE GENERAL FUND TO GIVE THE TEACHERS A BETTER PAY NOTED.
UH, IN, IN WHAT YOU SEE IN, IN THOSE, UH, IN THOSE CATEGORIES.
FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE HIGHEST DOSE HIGH DOSE TUTORING, UH, THERE IS A DEFINITION FOR HIGH DOSE TUTORING.
AND WHAT YOU SEE IS A LOT OF SALARIES AND BENEFITS FOR OUR OWN TEACHERS TO PROVIDE THAT HIGH DOSE TUTORING.
BECAUSE HIGH DOSE TUTORING IS INDIVIDUAL TE UH, TUTORING 1 0 1 OR SMALL GROUPS NO MORE THAN FOUR STUDENTS CENTERED AROUND CONTENT STANDARDS.
AND SO WHEN WE, WE STILL, WE DO HAVE SOME CONTRACTED SERVICES IN, IN THOSE CATEGORIES FOR VENDORS THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH IN THE PAST.
BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE ARE SERVING THE RIGHT STUDENTS, THE RIGHT DEMOGRAPHICS.
AND, UH, WE'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION.
AND SO, AND EVEN AROUND WITH THE LITERACY, A LOT OF THAT WITH THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, WE HAVE TEACHERS PARAPROFESSIONALS, UM, WE HAVE OUR LITERACY COACHES THAT STILL BUILD INTO, UH, THOSE CATEGORIES.
AND SO WE KIND OF KNOW WHAT, WHAT THAT COST IS.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, AS WE BRING, AS WE GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING THROUGH THE STATE, UM, THOSE AMOUNT CAN INCREASE.
AND SO, SO THEN WHAT BUDGET IS ACTUALLY FOR THE TEACHERS THAT ARE DOING THE HIGH DOSE TUTORING? SOME IS TEACHERS, SOME IS SOME CONTRACTED SERVICES THAT ARE BUILT INTO THIS, THAT
[01:10:01]
CATEGORY, WHAT THE FIGURES THAT YOU SAW MS. LOPEZ PRESENT.WHAT THE ACTS FOR, WHAT THE ACTS WERE FOR SOME OF THOSE VENDORS WHO I'VE MET WITH THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE A PARTNER WITH US.
SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT LIKE, WHAT THE TEACHERS ARE OFFERING OR WHAT THE DISTRICT IS OFFERING, ARE YOU GETTING THOSE BASED OFF OF LIKE THIS YEAR'S DIBBLE SCORES? LIKE HOW DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY GONNA BASED OFF STUDENT DATA? UH, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WITH TUTORING, ESPECIALLY WITH SOME OF OUR PARTNERS, SOME OF OUR PARTNERS DON'T TUTOR ON SITE, AND IT'S AN ACCESS PROBLEM FOR SOME OF OUR STUDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO THOSE VENDORS.
SO WE HAVE TO ASSURE THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THAT TUTORING ON SITE.
AND MOST OF THE TIME IT'S OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL CERTIFIED TEACHERS THAT ARE PROVIDING THAT TUTORING.
AND SO THEY'RE DOING THAT LIKE AFTER SCHOOL, AFTER SCHOOL AND THEY'RE GETTING PAID YES.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR I THINK A VERY HEALTHY DISCUSSION.
UM, I THINK WE'VE REALLY BEEN TALKING ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSUES, UM, IN, IN THE RIGHT KIND OF WAY.
ONE, UM, I AGREE WITH MS. STEWART, THAT, THAT THE, THAT THE, THAT WE NEED TO ATTRACT OUR, OUR MOST HIGHLY QUALIFIED STUDENTS TO, TO COME TEACH AT THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE MOST IN NEED OF IMPROVEMENT.
AND, YOU KNOW, $1,500 THAT YOU MIGHT GET, YOU KNOW, IF THE, IF YOU'RE SUCCESSFUL IN TURNING AROUND, IT'S A START.
IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY NOT, YOU KNOW, AS, AS COACH SAYS, PAST EXPERIENCE SUGGESTS THAT THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, AND PEOPLE WILL LEAVE THAT MONEY ON THE TABLE RATHER THAN, UM, YOU KNOW, CHANGE TO A LESS COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM, UM, FOR A THOUSAND DOLLARS OR $2,000.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO, TO CONTINUE TO EXPLORE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WILL ACTUALLY MOVE, YOU KNOW, MAKE A CHANGE IN, IN THE BEHAVIORS, UH, OF OUR TEACHERS IN TERMS OF WHERE THEY CHOOSE TO, TO PROVIDE THEIR SERVICES.
UM, I THINK THAT I AGREE WITH MR. GOE, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, I, I, I WOULD HATE TO PROVIDE THE TEACHERS LESS, YOU KNOW, FROM WHAT WE PAY FOR THAN WE PROVIDED LAST YEAR.
IF WE CAN FIND ANY WAY TO DO THAT, AS, AS YOU POINTED OUT, UM, UM, MR. SMITH, WE, WE, WE HAVE TOO MUCH MONEY IN THE BANK THAT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, THERE IS SUCH A THING AS KIND OF AN UNHEALTHY LEVEL OF RESERVE.
UM, AND, AND SO I THINK WE, UM, AND AS MR. GODDA, THE POINT MR. GODDA HAS MADE MANY TIMES IS WE, WE HAVE, AND I THINK APPROPRIATELY SO, BEEN VERY CONSERVATIVE WITH OUR BUDGET PROJECTIONS, OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS OVER THE PAST, UH, MANY YEARS.
UM, IT'S, IT'S BEEN A WHOLE COLLECTION OF REALLY WONKY YEARS, RIGHT? I MEAN, NONE OF THEM ARE REALLY REPRESENTATIVE OF ANYTHING.
SO IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT, UH, FOR MS. LOPEZ TO, TO, TO PROJECT IN THE FUTURE.
HOWEVER, THAT SAID, I THINK THAT, THAT, GIVEN THE SIGNIFICANT SIZE OF OUR RESERVES, I PERSONALLY WOULD BE COMFORTABLE, UH, YOU KNOW, GIVING GREATER INCENTIVE, YOU KNOW, ONE TIME PAY RAISE WITH, WE NEED THE $1,300 PERMANENT PAY RAISE, RIGHT? AND, AND, AND, AND I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT, AND I'M EXCITED THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
BUT IF WE CAN SUPPLEMENT THAT WITH SOME MORE ONE TIME STIPENDS AND, AND PERHAPS TARGET THOSE STIPENDS MORE THAN WE DID LAST YEAR, UM, MAYBE, MAYBE MAKE, GET EVERYBODY TO THAT EXTRA $700 OR WHATEVER THAT MR. GODDE SUGGESTED, BUT EVEN GO A LITTLE FARTHER, YOU KNOW, AND GET 2000 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
DON'T, DON'T HOLD ME TO A NUMBER
SO I'D ENCOURAGE US TO LOOK AT THAT AS WE, UM, UH, CONTINUE TO ADJUST THE BUDGET IN LIGHT OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING TONIGHT AND THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE'LL HAVE WITH THE PUBLIC OVER THE COMING, THE COMING WEEKS.
I THINK PART OF THE ISSUE, AND I THINK THIS GOES TO, TO A LOT OF WHAT MR. RUST WAS SAYING, IS, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, HOW CAN WE KNOW THAT, THAT, THAT THE BUDGET AS A WHOLE HAS BEEN REALLY SCRUBBED, RIGHT? THAT WE ARE REALLY NOT HAVING 5, 2, 3, $5 MILLION HERE OR THERE.
THAT THE, THAT IF WE ALL LOOKED AT IT, WE'D REALLY SAY NO, NO, THAT WE SHOULDN'T.
WE, WE WERE REALLY MUCH BETTER SPENDING ON LITERACY OR MORE HIGH DOSE TUTORING, OR GREATER, YOU KNOW, UH, PAY RAISES TO TEACHERS TEACHING IN OUR POOREST SCHOOLS OR WHAT HAVE YOU.
AND, AND, AND I, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S AN EASY ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION, UH, BUT I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THAT THIS BOARD IS GONNA CONTINUE TO PUSH ON THAT.
UM, AND, AND UNDERSTAND HAVE WE GOTTEN RID OF, OF,
[01:15:01]
OF ENTIAL PERSONNEL? HAVE WE MADE HARD DECISIONS TO SAY, LOOK, THIS IS, THIS IS A LOVELY SERVICE BEING PROVIDED BY SOME LOVELY PEOPLE.WE CAN'T AFFORD THIS, AND WE NEED TO JUST ASK THAT AND, AND DEVOTE THOSE RESOURCES IN AN AREA THAT IS A HIGHER PRIORITY FROM THIS BOARD.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE, UM, UM, LOOKING AT THAT AND SEE IF THEY'RE, UM, UM, ADDITIONAL, UH, IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT WOULD FREE UP TO MR. RUSS POINT MONEY IN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET TO JUST SAY, LOOK, THIS IS JUST A GENERAL FUND INCREASE.
WE CAN HAVE THE RESERVE TOO, YOU KNOW, TO DO EVEN MORE.
BUT LET'S SEE, LET'S SEE IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO SCRUB SOME OF THAT.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE EXPERTS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS, BUT I THINK THAT, WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE QUESTION OF, OF PROCESS.
AND ONE I'D LIKE TO ASK MY COLLEAGUES FOR ANY FEEDBACK ON, ON WHAT THEY THINK THE PROCESS OUGHT TO BE OVER THE NEXT MONTH.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THESE PUBLIC THINGS.
MS. LOPEZ AND I, AND, AND PRESIDENT POWELL LEWIS, UM, YOU KNOW, RECENTLY TOOK A, A CERTIFICATE CLASS THAT GEORGETOWN OFFERS ON, UM, UH, K 12 FINANCING AND BUDGETING.
AND, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT IS AS YOU GO THROUGH BUDGETING EXERCISES AND AS YOU ASK STAKEHOLDERS, THE COMMUNITY, AND ULTIMATELY THE BOARD, IT, IT'S NOT, IT, WE ALL WANT ALL OF THESE THINGS.
WE ALL WANT TO, TO GIVE BIG, BIG RAISES TO OUR FRONTLINE STAFF, WHETHER THOSE ARE TEACHERS, QUOTE UNQUOTE, OR CUSTODIANS OR, OR, OR, OR, UM, UH, NUTRITION WORKERS.
UH, I'VE SAID THE, WHAT IS TRUE MANY TIMES THAT, THAT EVERY EMPLOYEE WE HAVE IS, IS AN EDUCATOR OF SOME STRIKE, RIGHT? THERE'S NOBODY THAT WE HIRE THAT'S NOT IN THE EDUCATION BUSINESS IN SOME WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, AND IS NOT IMPORTANT TO THE ENTIRE EDUCATION OF THE CHILDREN.
SO WE WOULD ALL LIKE TO, TO, TO DO THAT.
WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THEM A $10,000 PERMANENT PAY RAISE, BUT BUDGETING IS ABOUT PRIORITIES AND MAKING DIFFICULT DECISIONS.
AND WE WILL NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO FUND EVERYTHING THAT WE THINK SHOULD BE FUNDED.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO GIVE SOME THOUGHT.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE STAFF AS YOU WORK THROUGH OPTIONS, RIGHT? RATHER THAN JUST SAY, HEY, THIS IS THE WAY IT'S GOTTA BE, RIGHT? LET'S GO THROUGH, LET'S PLAN SOME EXERCISES WHERE WE CAN, WITH THE BOARD, WITH THE COMMUNITY, WE CAN SAY, HEY, GIVEN THE CHOICE, WOULD YOU RATHER ACTS THIS DEPARTMENT AND TAKE THAT $3 MILLION AND DEVOTE IT TO LITERACY OR HIGH DOSE TUTORING? OR WOULD YOU RATHER KEEP THIS DEPARTMENT AND SPEND THE SAME AMOUNT ON THAT? RIGHT? WHATEVER.
I THINK A SERIES OF, OF THOSE KIND OF OPTIONS THAT ARE BASED IN REAL WORLD NUMBERS ON OUR ACTUAL BUDGET AND DECISIONS WE HAVE TO MAKE, CAN BE ILLUSTRATIVE AND HELP US GET OUT OF THE IDEA THAT, OH, WE WANT EVERYTHING.
IT'S EASY TO SIT UP HERE AND SAY, I WANT EVERYTHING I, I DO, I WANT EVERYTHING.
WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO, TO MR. SMITH'S POINT.
WE CAN AND NEED TO START MAKING THESE TOUGH CONSOLIDATION DECISIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT SO THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY FREE UP SOME MORE MONEY.
BUT, BUT UNTIL THEN WE GOT THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE AND, AND SPENDING IT ON THIS MEANS NOT SPENDING IT ON THAT.
AND THAT'S THE LENS THROUGH WHICH WE ALL NEED TO SEE THAT.
SO I WOULD ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO BE THINKING AND GIVE ME FEEDBACK, YOU KNOW, NOW OR LATER, UM, ON, ON HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE PROCESS WORK? DO WE WANT THE ADMINISTRATION TO JUST KIND OF KEEP, YOU KNOW, TWEAKING KIND OF LIKE HAPPENED LAST YEAR AND WE HAVE THREE BIG OPTIONS THAT WE CHOOSE FROM.
I DIDN'T FIND THAT PROCESS IDEAL LAST YEAR.
OR DO WE WANT TO HAVE A SERIES OF VOTES WHERE, WHERE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AS A BOARD TO DEBATE AND SAY, HEY, HERE'S OPTION A, OPTION B, WHAT, YOU KNOW, SORT OF, HERE'S THE WHOLE BUDGET, RIGHT? LET'S VOTE ON THESE PARTICULAR OPTIONS.
SO I, I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK ON THAT.
AND, UH, WITH THAT, AGAIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR A HEALTHY DISCUSSION SO FAR TONIGHT.
I, I KNOW I'M NOT IN THE QUEUE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE THIS THING UP HERE,
BUT, BUT, BUT TO, UH, JUST COMMENT ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
UM, MR. MARTIN, UH, WE ALL HAVE A LOT OF WANTS, BUT THE BUDGET IS NOT THE 10 COMMITMENTS.
THE BUDGET CAN ALWAYS BE ADJUSTED AND BASED OFF THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS.
'CAUSE RIGHT NOW WE WORKING OFF WHAT WE CALL IN, IN THE EDUCATIONAL WORLD, STALE DATA.
WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL WHAT WE TRULY NEED UNTIL OUR KIDS COME BACK TO US IN AUGUST AND WE DO OUR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND WE SEE WHETHER
[01:20:01]
THERE WILL PROGRESSION OR THE REGRESSION DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.AND SO WE CAN MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS WITH, IF WE NEED MORE FUNDING ALLOCATED TOWARDS LITERACY, HIGH DOSE TUTORING, BECAUSE THE BUDGET IS BASED OFF A SET OF ASSUMPTION.
WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THE STUDENTS ARE GOING TO SHOW UP.
AND SO WHAT I WOULD ADVISE IS THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADOPT A BUDGET.
WE'LL GO BACK AND MAKE SOME OF THE, THE TWEAKS, BUT WE LOOKED AT STRATEGICALLY PULLING AT LEAST, I THINK IT WAS WHAT, 17 SEVEN, 7% MM-HMM.
WELL, WE BROUGHT THE FUND, THE GENERAL FUND BY LAWS DOWN TO WHAT THE DISTRICT POLICY IS.
AND THAT'S WHERE YOU GET THE 48 40 5 MILLION, YOU KNOW, SET ASIDE TO ALLOW THE DISTRICT, THE BOARD SOME TIME TO MAKE SOME TOUGH DECISIONS.
AND SO THE BUDGET IS NOT THE 10 COMMANDMENTS.
YOU CAN ALWAYS MAKE AMENDMENTS.
YOU ALWAYS MAKE ADJUSTMENTS BECAUSE IT'S BASED OFF A SET OF ASSUMPTIONS.
I BELIEVE MAJORITY OF US HAVE ENTERED INTO THE QUEUE AGAIN.
AND SO, UH, I WILL PROCEED FORWARD AS WELL.
ARE YOUR FEET HURTING MS. LOPEZ? I'M FINE MA'AM.
SO, SO I WILL SAY THIS, THESE ARE MY NOTES, Y'ALL.
Y'ALL KNOW, I NORMALLY TRY TO HAVE THINGS TYPED IN A, IN A PARTICULAR ORDER.
BUT AS WE TALKED, I JUST REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS HAS REALLY BEEN A PLEASANT THINK TANK ABOUT WHAT OUR BUDGET AND WHERE OUR FINANCES COULD BE UTILIZED IN OUR DISTRICT.
AND SO ONE OF THE FIRST I THOUGHT ABOUT WAS COACH, JUST AS YOU MENTIONED ABOUT SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS.
ONE OF THE DELAYS IN MY COMING IN THIS ROOM WAS A LADY THAT I MET LEAVING OUT OF THIS ROOM AND I WAS COMING IN WHO SAID THAT SHE HAD A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT SHE WOULD RECEIVE A, A RAISE AS A SUB, AND SHE COULDN'T GET THE ANSWER THAT SHE NEEDED.
SO MYSELF, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, MS. KOSKI, WE MET HER OUTSIDE, GOT HER WHERE SHE NEEDED TO GO.
THE OTHER THAT I THOUGHT ABOUT WAS, UM, IN MY TIME IN SOME OTHER DISTRICTS, THERE WERE TEACHERS WHO BATTLE WITH, AND I KNOW THEY BATTLE WITH IT HERE OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY REALLY WANT TO COVER THAT CLASS WHEN THE PRINCIPAL SENDS THEM THAT EMAIL.
AND SO, OF COURSE, IN ONE OF THE MOST RECENT DISTRICTS, WHICH OF COURSE IS ZACHARY, RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD, UH, THEY OFFERED $25 FOR A TEACHER TO COVER A CLASS.
AND TEACHERS DID NOT GIVE ANY ISSUES ABOUT COVERING CLASSES.
SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
THE OTHER IS, UM, MR. RUSS, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED ABOUT HOW IT SEEMS LIKE WE JUST KEEP STARTING OVER WITH THIS PROCESS.
LIKE IN, IN LAST MAY IS LOOKING A LOT LIKE THIS MAY, AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS IF IT'S NEXT MAY? AND WHAT I THOUGHT ABOUT WAS LAST YEAR WE HAD ONE SUPERINTENDENT.
THIS YEAR WE HAVE A DIFFERENT SUPERINTENDENT, AND NEXT YEAR WE MAY HAVE ANOTHER SUPERINTENDENT.
SO IT'S GOING PROBABLY, IT MAY VERY WELL LOOK LIKE
SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
UM, ALSO, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE $45 MILLION BEING PUT ASIDE, UH, MS. LOPEZ MM-HMM,
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE LESS STAFF COST.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE 45 MILLION.
SO IN YOUR FIRST ROUND, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT $8 MILLION.
NOW, AT 4% INTEREST, YOU'RE EARNING ANYWHERE BETWEEN A MILLION AND A MILLION AND A HALF A YEAR ON THAT $45 MILLION THAT WILL GO DIRECTLY INTO THAT FUND.
AND ANY SAVINGS IN THE GENERAL FUND WILL ALSO GO IN THAT FUND UP TO 50%.
SO TYPICALLY IN A NORMAL YEAR WHERE WE'RE NOT, THINGS ARE NOT DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF ESSER OR COVID, WE ALWAYS ENDED UP WITH ABOUT FIVE OR $6 MILLION.
SO YOU'RE LOOKING AT ANOTHER $3 MILLION GOING INTO IT.
SO YOU'RE COVERING THE VAST MAJORITY OF IT.
AND ALONG WITH THAT, YOU'RE PROVIDING CUTS.
MR. SMITH AND I HAVE ALREADY HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IDEAS OF WHAT CAN BE DONE.
UM, SO I AM NOT IN ANY WAY FEARFUL OF THAT MONEY RUNNING OUT ANYTIME SOON.
I DO FEEL, AS HE HAS STATED, THAT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE DISTRICT IS GONNA HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES.
BUT THE, THE FEELING I HAVE GOTTEN FROM THIS BOARD, THE FEEDBACK I HAVE GOTTEN FROM THIS BOARD IS, Y'ALL WANNA MAKE CHANGES.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS A LITTLE SHOVE.
LET'S, LET'S CONSOLIDATE, LET'S MAKE THE BETTERMENT OF OUR KIDS SO WE
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CAN PUT OUR GREAT KIDS IN GREAT SCHOOLS WITH GREAT TEACHERS.MM-HMM,
UM, SO THE NEXT UH, IS THIS, I KNOW THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, UH, 3 MILLION FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING.
WE KNOW THAT THAT IS A LOFTY GOAL OF SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE $3 MILLION FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING.
UM, ONE OF THE RECENT CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD WITH MR. SHALIN, JUST TO SEE IF THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, IS THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING LIKE AN, AN EDUCATIONAL GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE CONSULTANT ON RETAINER, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY EVEN IF WE USE THAT, AND YOU REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT THAT PROBABLY ABOUT A WEEK AGO IN REGARDS TO WHETHER WE USE ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE A MEMBERSHIP WITH, OR EVEN IF WE CONSIDER ANOTHER ORGANIZATION, WHATEVER THE CASE IS, IF WE STREAMLINE THAT IN REGARDS TO HAVING A CONSULTANT THAT IS ON RETAINER WITH US, THEN THAT MEANS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO UTILIZE THEIR EXPERTISE AND, AND AVOID HAVING CONTRACT AFTER CONTRACT AFTER CONTRACT THAT MIGHT LEAD UP TO THAT $3 MILLION FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING.
SO OF COURSE, IF WE REDUCE THAT NUMBER, THAT'S GONNA GIVE US, THAT WILL GIVE US MORE MONEY TO WORK WITH, POSSIBLY IN SUPPORT OF TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF AS WELL.
IT'S AT THE PLEASURE OF THE BOARD, MA'AM.
LOOK, I'M JUST CHECKING OFF MY STUFF.
OKAY, THE NEXT IS, I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO SHARE AS WELL, UH, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I'VE ASKED SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT, AND OF COURSE, UH, WE'VE KIND OF BOUNCED THIS IDEA AROUND AS WELL, AND I THINK I MENTIONED IT TO YOU AS WELL, MR. SMITH, IS I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US HAVE A CT PREP IN EVERY HIGH SCHOOL, WHETHER IT IS THE 100 THAT'S PROVIDING IT, WHETHER IT IS BRICK THAT'S PROVIDING IT, WHETHER IT'S STUDY BILL, WHETHER IT'S A DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION IN EVERY SCHOOL.
BUT WHATEVER THE CASE IS, WE NEED A CT PREP IN EVERY HIGH SCHOOL.
AND THEN ALSO THE THOUGHTS OF MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE STRONG LEAP TUTORING IN EVERY, OR AT LEAST IN OUR LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS.
AND WHAT DOES THAT FINANCIALLY LOOK LIKE.
UM, THE OTHER IS, I WAS BOUNCING AROUND SOME NUMBERS HERE.
SO IF WE THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT GIVING TO TEACHERS WHO GO TO OR WHO WILL, WHO'S WILLING TO EITHER TRANSFER OR WORK AT A LOW PERFORMING SCHOOL AND WE SAY $1,500, OKAY? AFTER THEY HAVE PERFORMED, AM I CORRECT IN SAYING THAT TEACHERS WORK 182 DAYS? YES MA'AM.
SO 1500 DIVIDED BY 180 2 IS $8 AND 24 CENTS EXTRA A DAY IF WE OFFER THEM.
CORRECT? IF WE OFFER THEM $20 A DAY TO AS AN INCENTIVE, THAT WOULD BE $3,620 AS THAT INCENTIVE IF WE OFFER THEM $25 A DAY.
BECAUSE IN ALL HONESTY, IF YOU WORK AT A FAILING SCHOOL, YOU ARE GONNA GIVE AT LEAST THREE MORE HOURS A DAY THAN YOUR WORK DAY.
MS. BROWN, AT LEAST UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOL, NOT FAILING.
OKAY? UNDERPERFORMING, THANK YOU.
YOU'RE GONNA GIVE AT LEAST THREE MORE HOURS.
ME PERSONALLY, I STAYED UNTIL 8:00 PM AT GLEN OAKS MIDDLE EVERY DAY.
SO JUST TO GIVE 'EM $25 EXTRA PER DAY, THAT'S $4,550.
I JUST WANNA PUT THAT OUT THERE FOR ANYBODY WHO'S LISTENING.
THE OTHER PART TO THIS IS, THANK YOU SO MUCH MS. STEWART.
SIGN ON BONUSES, ALWAYS DRAW PEOPLE, TRANSFER BONUSES, DRAW PEOPLE AS WELL.
IF I SEE THAT YOU'RE GONNA GIVE ME X, Y, Z AMOUNT OF MONEY TO START OFF THE SCHOOL YEAR, THAT MIGHT HELP ME TO MAKE A DOWN PAYMENT ON A CAR.
MM-HMM,
UM, AND THEN ALSO PUT YOUR JACKET
THANK YOU SO MUCH MR. LANIS FOR PULLING OUT AND, AND BRINGING TO THE FOREFRONT THAT THERE WERE LOTS OF THINGS GOING ON, ON THE RUMOR MILL LOTS, ESPECIALLY IN REGARDS TO $71 MILLION BUDGET.
31 MILLION MILLION DOLLARS BUDGET, UH, DEFICIT BUDGET DEFICIT A DEFICIT JUST IN GENERAL THAT WOULD BANKRUPT THE SYSTEM.
THOSE THAT WAS THE PHRASE THAT WAS USED.
SO MY QUESTION IS, IF WHAT HAPPENED LAST
[01:30:01]
YEAR DEALT WITH METRICS AND CREDENTIALS OF THE BALANCING OF THE BUDGET OR WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE? SO THAT'S JUST, THAT'S A RHETORICAL, I KNOW WE DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT.NOW FINALLY, GETTING TO THE LAST PART OF WHAT WAS ON MY MIND IN REGARDS TO THE SALARY SCHEDULE.
SO IF WE UP OUR SALARY SCHEDULE BY $1,300 DIVIDED BY 182 DAYS, THAT'S AN EXTRA $7 AND 14 CENTS A DAY, NOT AN HOUR A DAY.
IF WE OFFER 10 MORE DOLLARS A DAY, NOT AN HOUR, THEN THAT MEANS THAT INCREASE IN THE SALARY SCHEDULE WOULD BE $1,820.
IF WE WANTED TO OFFER $2,000, JUST AN EVEN $2,000 INCREASE TO THE SALARY SCHEDULE, THAT WOULD BE $10 AND 99 CENTS A DAY.
JUST SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO PROCESS AS WE THINK ABOUT THIS MOVING FORWARD.
UM, THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES.
I KNOW THAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS TO SPEAK AND TRUST.
I I WANT Y'ALL TO SAY EVERYTHING YOU WANNA SAY 'CAUSE I KNOW Y'ALL LET ME SAY EVERYTHING I WANTED TO SAY, BUT I WANNA REMIND YOU AS WELL, AND THIS WILL BE, UH, PUBLICIZED VERY, VERY SOON, UM, THAT OUR BUDGET COMMUNITY MEETINGS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING SO THAT WAY I DON'T HAVE TO COME BACK AND TALK AGAIN AT THE END
BUT THE BUDGET COMMUNITY MEETINGS WILL BE HELD ON MAY 30TH AT 5:00 PM AT PARK FOREST MIDDLE.
UH, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ONE HELD ON JUNE 13TH, 2024 AT 5:00 PM AT CAPITAL MIDDLE.
AND THEN THERE WILL BE ONE HELD ON JUNE 18TH AT 5:00 PM IN SOUTHEAST MIDDLE.
AND, UH, I REALLY WANT TO CONGRATULATE THIS BOARD FOR HAVING A ROBUST DISCUSSION A, AROUND THESE ISSUES IN A VERY PROFESSIONAL MANNER.
I THINK IT'S BEEN, BEEN VERY WELL AND VERY HEALTHY, UH, FOR THIS, UH, A COUPLE OF COMMENTS REAL QUICK.
I WANT TO ADDRESS, UH, WHAT MR. RUSS WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW PROCESS CAN CHANGE.
YOU KNOW, REALLY THE BUDGET STARTS WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND A COUPLE YEARS AGO WE MADE A STRATEGIC PLAN, REALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER.
AND FROM WHAT I GATHER, THAT PLAN REALLY HASN'T CHANGED.
BUT IF WE REALLY WANNA START THE BUDGET PROCESS EARLIER, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AROUND A STRATEGIC PLAN AND HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AND IN FEBRUARY SO THAT AS THE BUDGET IS PUT TOGETHER, PEOPLE ARE RESPONDING TO WHAT ARE THE ISSUES THAT CAME OUT OF THE STRATEGIC DISCUSSION.
AND IN MY MIND, THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS OUGHT TO BE AROUND WHAT IS GONNA BE OUR STRATEGY.
'CAUSE THE BUDGET IS NOTHING BUT A REFLECTION OF THAT STRATEGY.
SO WE GOTTA STOP THINKING ABOUT THE BUDGET AS BEING THE KEY DOCUMENT.
THE KEY DOCUMENT IS REALLY THE STRATEGIC PLAN, AND THE BUDGET SHOULD JUST BE A FLOW OUT OF THAT STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND I FULLY AGREE THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO SEARCH.
UH, WE, WE NEED TO CONSOLIDATE.
WE GOT WORK UNDERWAY TO GET THAT DONE.
THAT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED, THAT NEEDS TO BE IN PLACE FOR NEXT YEAR'S, UH, BUDGET AND TO WORK THROUGH THE STRATEGIC PLAN WITH THAT.
AND WE ALSO, IN MY OPINION, WE ALSO ARE TO ALMOST HAVE A, UH, YOU KNOW, INTERNAL AUDIT HERE IS REALLY AROUND CHECKING SCHOOL FINANCES AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.
WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE A PROCESS AUDIT, UH, POSITION IT, IT IS A POSITION I HELD AT ALBEMARLE FOR A WHILE WHERE, YOU KNOW, MY JOB IS TO GO AROUND, WORK WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS AND SEE HOW, WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND HOW THEY COULD DO IT BETTER, FASTER, CHEAPER, UH, AND DO THAT.
BUT A LOT OF THE DETAILED KINDS OF THINGS THAT WERE COMING OUT WITH THINGS WE WANNA SEE IN THE BUDGET, THIS IS A DISCUSSION THAT REALLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN HAD IN FEBRUARY FOR THAT.
NOW, I WANNA ASK A LITTLE BIT, AND MS. KELLY, YOU MAY NOT BE, UH, MS. LOPEZ.
MS. LOPEZ, YOU MAY NOT BE THE RIGHT PERSON TO DO THAT, BUT THE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE, UH, TEACHER STIPEND MM-HMM.
THEY, THEY RECEIVE THE QUALIFICATION BASED UPON THEIR COMPASS SCORES.
AND MR. SMITH, I'M GONNA LET YOU DIVE RIGHT IN BECAUSE YOU KNOW MUCH BETTER, BUT NO, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY THEM A STIPEND.
AND, AND I'M NOT TRYING TO TAKE IT AWAY, BUT THE POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT'S ON A COMPASS SCORE AND THAT HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEACHER, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF OUR TEACHERS HAVE RECEIVED THAT THIS YEAR? UM, I WANNA SAY IT'S, I DON'T WANNA LIE.
I WANNA SAY IT WAS 1300, BUT I COULD BE TOTALLY OFF.
I HAVE IT, BUT IT'S MANY SPREADSHEETS AGO
SO IT'S 70%? NO, NO, 30%, 50%.
IT'S ABOUT 86 TEACHERS THIS YEAR.
[01:35:01]
NUMBER WE'VE EVER HAD.SO THAT'S, THAT'S VM SO, HUH? YEAH.
WHAT'S BAM? IT'S, IT'S AT MR. SMITH
THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE IS, IT'S CONFUSING ON WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
SO I THINK AS PART OF WHAT WE GO FORWARD WITH, WE, BECAUSE WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT HOW TO COMPENSATE, I WANT TO PAY HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS MORE.
I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE RIGHT NOW IN OUR ABILITY TO DESIGNATE WHO THOSE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS ARE TO DO THAT.
I ALSO FULLY AGREE THAT WE NEED TO PAY MORE FOR TEACHERS WHO ARE GOING INTO TOUGH SITUATIONS.
YOU KNOW, ON THE, UH, THE RAISING SCHOOLS FROM SI, I THINK OUR STIPEND OUGHT TO BE $3,000 INSTEAD OF 1500, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE TOUGHEST ONES WE HAVE.
AND PART OF THE REASON WHY, 'CAUSE I SUGGESTED THIS THING OF GOING TO A PER SCHOOL BASIS, IS THAT I THINK WE NEED TO START WORKING WITH THESE UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS TO WORK ON THE CULTURE OF THAT SCHOOL'S CULTURE OF THOSE SCHOOLS SO THAT THOSE SCHOOLS TRYING TO CREATE A MORE OF A TEAMWORK IMPACT AT THOSE SCHOOLS WHERE EVERYONE'S TRYING TO PULL THE WAGON AT THE SAME TIME.
AND IF SOMEONE'S STRUGGLING, EVERYONE GOES HELP THAT STRUGGLING PERSON AS OPPOSED TO EACH INDIVIDUAL GETTING A PAY RAISE OR A STIPEND.
WHERE THE STIPEND IS A COMMUNITY STIPEND THAT IF WE ALL DO WELL, WE ALL GONNA GET A STIPEND.
AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG THINGS BEHIND THAT, TRYING TO CHANGE HOW WE THINK ABOUT THINGS.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GETTING SPS SCORES ON TEACHERS.
WE'RE GETTING SPS SCORES ON SCHOOLS.
SO I THINK WE GOTTA START FOCUSING MORE ON THE SCHOOLS.
AND THEN, I KNOW I GET SPECIFIC, WE GOT ONE LAST QUESTION ON THE LAW ABOUT THE DEFICIT SPENDING, BECAUSE THAT SEEMS TO BE DOING A LOT OF THINGS, DRIVING A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE DO.
IS THAT THE DEFICIT SPENDING AT THE END OF THE YEAR WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE? YES.
SO WE HAVEN'T HAD A DEFICIT IN YEARS.
19 8, 20 18, I THINK IS THE LAST ONE WE HAD WHEN UNDER MR. DRAKE'S ADMINISTRATION, WE HAD LIKE A $29 MILLION DEFICIT.
SO WHILE THAT IS A CONCERN, IT IS NOT A HUGE, TO ME, I DON'T VIEW THAT AS, OH GOD, THE SKY'S GONNA FALL THIS YEAR.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MINOR DEFICIT.
BUT THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE WE ADDED IN ALL OF THESE STIPENDS.
WITHOUT THE STIPENDS WE ADDED IN, IT WOULD NOT BE, AND YOU KNOW, HERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NUMBERS WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FOUR, $400 MILLION PLUS ACTUALLY 500 SOMETHING MILLION DOLLARS PLUS, YOU KNOW, 1% OF THAT IS $5 MILLION.
NOT A SINGLE THING IN THIS BUDGET IS ACCURATE TO 1%.
SO WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE, AS MR. SMITH SAID, THIS IS NOT THE 10 COMMANDMENTS.
WE, WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, I JUST LOOK BACK AND I THINK WE ENDED UP WITH 40, DO $40 MILLION MORE REVENUE THIS YEAR THAN WE HAD LAST YEAR.
SO AS WE LOOK AT SOME OF THESE THINGS, 'CAUSE TO ME YOU'RE KIND OF COOKING THE BOOKS A LITTLE BIT WITH THE, WITH THE RESERVE FUND.
WE'RE SETTING UP, AND I'M NOT CALLING COOKING THE BOOKS, BUT THERE'S ESTIMATES THAT GO ALL THE WAY THROUGH THIS.
AND ALL WE EVER TEND TO FOCUS ON IS THE ESTIMATES OF EXPENSES.
THERE ARE A LOT OF ESTIMATES THAT GO INTO ESTIMATING REVENUE.
IF SALES TAX COLLECTIONS ARE ONE AND A HALF PERCENT UP INSTEAD OF 1%, THE NUMBERS CHANGE.
AND SO, AGAIN, I'M NOT SAYING TO BE FRIVOLOUS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY UNDERESTIMATED REVENUES.
AND SO IF WE REALLY ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE DEFICIT, THE DEFICITS GONNA END UP BEING WHAT IT'S GONNA BE.
AND WE CAN ADJUST THROUGH THE YEAR AND WE CAN PULL FROM THIS RESERVE FUND IF WE NEED TO PULL FROM THIS RESERVE FUND.
BUT I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE GO BACK AND ALSO LOOK AT WHAT ARE OUR REVENUE ESTIMATES, BECAUSE SOME MINOR TWEAKS TO THOSE REVENUE ESTIMATES, BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING SACROSANCT ABOUT SAYING IT'S GONNA BE 1%.
WE COULD SAY 2% BECAUSE INFLATION'S RUNNING WELL OVER 2%.
AS INFLATION GOES UP, WE COLLECT MORE SALES TAXES.
SO I COULD SIT HERE AND ARGUE 2% INCREASES, TOTALLY VALID AS COMPARED TO 1% OR EVEN A 3%.
SO I DON'T THINK, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS TEND TO SAY, OKAY, THIS REVENUE IS LOCKED AND THE ONLY THING WE GOT TO, THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IS THIS.
SO I THINK AS WE'RE MAKING OUR BUDGET, BECAUSE THE ACTUALS CAN BE THE ACTUAL MM-HMM.
AND, AND WE CAN'T FOOL WITH THAT.
SO I DON'T WANT TO NOT PAY A TEACHER BECAUSE WE'RE BEING OVERLY CONSERVATIVE ON OUR SALES TAX REVENUE OR ON OUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
WHEN AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'VE ALWAYS SEEN THAT MONEY COME BACK IN.
[01:40:02]
AND AGAIN, I'M NOT SAYING PLAY FUNNY WITH THE BOOKS AT ALL, BUT THESE ARE ONLY ESTIMATES.AND ANY, TO ME, ANYTHING BETWEEN A 1% AND A THREE AND A HALF PERCENT WOULD BE TOTALLY DEFENSIBLE ON THESE SORTS OF THINGS.
SO WE CAN'T JUST LOOK AT EVERYTHING BUT THE, THE REVENUE BEING FIXED AND WE GOTTA FIT EVERYTHING ELSE.
I THINK WE HAVE TO ALSO LOOK AT WHAT ARE WE ASSUMING ON THE REVENUE.
AND AS WE ADJUST THIS, WE CAN ADJUST, UH, TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS.
MY, MY 2 CENTS OR 3 CENTS, OR THREE AND A HALF CENTS OR WHATEVER THAT WAS.
UH, MR. BALLOU, BEFORE YOU START TO SPEAK, YOU ALL LET US REMEMBER AS WELL, WHICH I, I, THAT WENT OVER MY HEAD, MS. LOPEZ ALSO, THAT WE DO HAVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION ON THE SPECIAL BUDGET.
SO, MR. BALLOU, I JUST HAVE A, A SUGGESTION IF WE DECIDE TO GO THE ROUTE OF A, A SPECIAL RESERVE FUND, UH, RIGHT NOW IT SAYS 50% OF THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE.
AND I WOULD JUST SUGGEST SINCE WE HAVE A 15% GOAL AS A BOARD ON THE UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE THAT WE JUST SAY 50% OR ANYTHING IN EXCESS OF 15%, UH, WHICHEVER IS LESS.
NOW YOU GOT ME FEELING GUILTY 'CAUSE WE GOT A WHOLE NOTHER PRESENTATION TO GO.
BUT AGAIN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT GETTING OUT OF THE BOX, THINKING AROUND HERE TO SOME OF THE THINGS YOU JUST MENTIONED, MR. GODDE, IF WE CAN ADOPT SOME COMMUNITY SCHOOL MODELS THAT WOULD HELP SHIFT THE CULTURE IN SOME OF THE SCHOOLS.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH COMMUNITY SCHOOLS MODELS.
IT WORKS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
UM, YOU TALKED ABOUT BETTER, FASTER, CHEAPER.
I RELATE THAT TO TEACHERS WORKING TOGETHER IN CONCERT, HELPING EACH OTHER.
THAT'S THE WAY WE CAN CHANGE OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, THERE HAS TO BE A PARADIGM SHIFT IN THIS BODY THE WAY IT DOES THINGS.
YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT HAVING THIS CONVERSATION IN FEBRUARY.
WE TALK ABOUT THE WAY OUR SCHOOLS FUNCTIONS, PARTLY BECAUSE THE WAY THIS BODY HAS FUNCTIONED OVER THE YEARS, OR DIS BEEN DYSFUNCTION OR HOWEVER YOU WANT TO PUT IT.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT SCHOOLS PERFORM IN THE WAY THEY'RE DESIGNED TO PERFORM.
SAME THING GOES FOR THIS BODY.
UM, UM, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT I WANTED TO SAY.
I JUST KIND OF WANTED TO GET THAT OUT THERE.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN GO THROUGH THE SPECIAL I DON'T PRESENTATION SPECIAL TAKE VERY LONG.
BUT, BUT ON, ON A SERIOUS NOTE, GUYS, WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE THE WAY WE OPERATE THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM AND WE JUST CAN'T STAND HERE AND POINT FINGERS AT 15 UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS AND NOT REALIZE THAT THREE FINGERS ARE POINTING RIGHT BACK AT US.
SO IT'S, IT'S, IT'S GONNA TAKE A TEAM EFFORT TO DO IT.
I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK, UM, QUESTION.
UM, ACTUALLY, UM, A REQUEST RATHER BECAUSE I WAS, UM, LOOKING INTO, UH, SOME PORTION OF THE BUDGET AS IT RELATES TO THE FOUNDATION.
AND, UH, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT I GUESS THE, UH, OUR BUDGET, UH, THE PAY FOR THE DIRECTOR OF THE FOUNDATION IS PAID THROUGH OUR BUDGET.
AND I HAD, UH, SOME INQUIRIES, SOME QUESTIONS AS RELATES TO, UM, WHY ARE WE PAYING FOR THE, UM, SALARY FOR THE FOUNDATION, FOR THE HEAD, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
UM, BECAUSE I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE FOUNDATION SUPPOSED TO FUNDRAISE AND, UM, I WANTED TO KIND OF GET SOME BACK INFORMATION AS FAR AS WAS THAT THE INITIAL INTENT FOR US TO PAY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR? AND I WANT SOME INFORMATION AS FAR AS WHAT HAS BEEN THE, UH, FUNDRAISING WITHIN THE LAST FEW YEARS, UM, TO TRY TO IDENTIFY, UH, THE REASONING WHY WE ARE STILL PAYING IT.
BUT THE LAST QUESTION FOR YOU.
UM, SO BACK WHEN I STARTED WITH THIS RIGHT AFTER THE FLOW, I THINK IT WAS 1718, WHEN I GOT INTO THIS POSITION, WE WERE PAYING FOR THE FOUNDATION DIRECTOR AND AN ASSISTANT FOR HER.
UM, DURING MR. DRAKE'S TENURE, WE REMOVED THE ASSISTANT, BUT WE CONTINUED TO PAY FOR THE FOUNDATION.
I DO BELIEVE THE INTENT WAS THAT THEY WOULD GIVE HER THE FOUNDATION TWO OR
[01:45:01]
THREE MORE YEARS, AND THEN THE POSITION WOULD BE FUNDED FULLY THROUGH, UH, DONATIONS.UM, SO RIGHT NOW IN THIS CURRENT BUDGET, THERE'S ONLY HALF OF A FOUNDATION POSITION SALARY BECAUSE I WAS UNSURE AT THE TIME OF WHAT THE INTENTION OF THE BOARD WAS.
THE UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT FOR NEXT YEAR IT WOULD GO AWAY, BUT THEN THERE WAS SOME QUESTIONS.
SO I SAID, WELL, I'LL PUT A HALF OF ONE IN THERE, I'M COVERED FOR SIX MONTHS IF I NEED IT.
UM, I'M NOT REAL SURE WHAT THE INTENTION IS GOING TO BE FOR NEXT YEAR FOR THE FOUNDATION.
I'M NOT SURE OF THE FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY PROVIDED LAST YEAR.
I, I DO NOT HAVE A LOT OF DEALING WITH THE FOUNDATION.
UM, DOES THIS QUESTION GO TO YOU, UH, ATTORNEY SHAMBLIN AS FAR AS THE DATA THAT CAN BE RETRIEVED AS FAR AS, UH, WHAT THE FOUNDATION HAS PROVIDED AS FAR AS WHAT TYPE OF DONATIONS WITHIN THE LAST FEW YEARS? AND TO TRY TO IDENTIFY, UH, THE INTENT IN REGARDS OF PAYMENT BECAUSE UH, I THINK IT WAS MAYBE LIKE, LIKE 90 SOMETHING THOUSAND AS FAR AS THE SALARY.
BUT IF THAT'S HALF OF IT THAT WE ARE PAYING, I WANNA BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN PULL UP UNDER THEIR UMBRELLA TO NEGATE FROM US AS, UH, UH, MY COLLEAGUE MR. MARTIN WAS SAYING THAT, HEY, WE GOTTA IDENTIFY WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT.
AND IF THE FOUNDATION ISN'T RAISING ANY MONEY, THEN WHY ARE WE JUST GIVING MONEY OUT? YES MA'AM.
UM, I'LL WORK WITH OUR, I THINK OUR BOARD LIAISONS, MR. MARTIN, WITH REGARD TO THE FOUNDATION.
WE CAN WORK ON THE REPORT TO THE BOARD AS TO THE STATUS OF THAT POSITION AND POTENTIAL PLANS, UH, GOING FORWARD.
WE'LL TRY TO GET YOU SOMETHING BY CLOSE OF BUSINESS MONDAY.
IT'S A LOT OF CONVERSATION TONIGHT THAT'S REVOLVING AROUND CHANGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT I JUST WANNA REMIND THE BOARD THAT WE'RE GOING ON OUR FOURTH SUPERINTENDENT AND EVERYBODY CANNOT PLAY THE ROLE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR SUGGESTIONS THAT WE MAKE TO YOU ARE GOING TO FALL ON YOU.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY WORK OR IF THEY DON'T WORK.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS, IF THEY DON'T WORK, WE'LL BE GOING TO OUR FIFTH SUPERINTENDENT.
SO, I JUST WANT US TO BE CLEAR IN UNDERSTANDING.
IT IS NOT OUR JOB TO TELL YOU HOW TO MANAGE THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IT IS OUR JOB TO ONE, APPROVE A BALANCED BUDGET THAT YOU BRING TO US.
NOT TO DICTATE WHAT GOES IN IT.
WE CAN SAY WHAT WE THINK OR RECOMMEND SOME CHANGES, BUT ULTIMATELY AT THE END OF THE DAY, MR. SMITH, THAT'S GONNA FALL ON YOU.
WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR.
WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS BEFORE THAT.
I THINK THAT WE JUST HAVE TO TAKE A BIGGER ROLE IN UNDERSTANDING.
WE CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT TO DO, CAN'T TELL YOU HOW TO DO IT, BUT YOU NEED SUPPORT AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE DOING.
'CAUSE THERE'S SO MANY MOVING PARTS.
NUMBER TWO, LAST YEAR THERE WERE A LOT OF DOLLARS THAT WERE LEFT ON THE TABLE.
AND I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO STRUM THROUGH AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THOSE DOLLARS ARE.
UH, I COULD TELL YOU $2.5 MILLION RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE NOT BEEN TOUCHED.
WE PUT ASIDE $1.5 MILLION FOR SCHOOL SAFETY.
WE DIDN'T, WE DIDN'T USE ANY OF THOSE DOLLARS THAT WE SET ASIDE.
ANOTHER ONE WAS 500,000 THAT WE PUT UP FOR, UH, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INTERNSHIPS THAT WE DID NOT MOVE ON.
AND THEN ANOTHER 500,000 WAS FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INSIDE OF THE ACTUAL DEPARTMENT THAT WE DIDN'T TOUCH.
THAT'S $2.5 MILLION RIGHT THERE.
NOW, I'M SURE THERE'S SOME OTHER DOLLARS OUT THERE.
AND THE REASON WHY I'M BRINGING THIS UP IS NOT TO SAY THAT WE WERE IRRESPONSIBLE.
I'M SAYING THAT IF WE CAN KICK OR CREATE COST SAVINGS FROM THE DOLLARS THAT WE DIDN'T USE, LET'S ALSO ROLL THOSE OVER BECAUSE MAJORITY OF THE MONEY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW CAME OUTTA ESSER.
SO THAT MEANS THAT THOSE ARE DOLLARS THAT WE CAN ALSO OFFSET INSIDE OF OUR BUDGET SO THAT WE ARE NOT COMING OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND AND PAYING FOR THINGS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PAYING MORE MONEY TO ACROSS THE BOARD FOR, AGAIN, CAFETERIA WORKERS, JANITORS, SO ON AND SO FORTH, THOSE ARE DOLLARS THAT CAN BE USED FOR THAT, UH, MONEY THAT WE CAN GET OUR, UH, SUBS TO A, A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THOSE ARE DOLLARS THAT WE CAN ALSO USE FOR THAT.
SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT I WANNA SEE.
BUT I WILL SAY, UH, THIS BUDGET PROCESS WILL NOT BE AN EASY ONE BECAUSE WE WANNA PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD.
UM, CONSOLIDATIONS ARE GONNA BE A BIG CONVERSATION.
NOBODY WANTS TO SEE SCHOOLS CLOSED.
NOBODY WANTS TO SEE SCHOOLS MERGED.
BUT WE GOTTA BE MORE, UH, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR, OUR DISTRICT AT A FINE TUNED LENS SO THAT IT SHOWS MORE SUPPORT, AS YOU SAID, MS. LOPEZ, FOR OUR STUDENTS, BUT ALSO FOR OUR TEACHERS.
WE HAVE TO FIND COMMON GROUND.
[01:50:01]
SAY TO THAT.BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW, I SUPPORT YOU.
I SUPPORT THE CHANGES THAT YOU MAKE US OUT OF THIS BUDGET BECAUSE WE HAVE TO SUPPORT YOU AND WE DON'T SUPPORT YOU, THEN OUR SYSTEM FAILS.
AND FOR ME, THAT'S JUST NOT AN OPTION.
ANYTHING THAT I CAN OFFER INTO THIS BUDGET PROCESS, I ABSOLUTELY WILL.
AGAIN, I'M NOT HERE TO TELL YOU WHAT TO DO.
I'M ONLY HERE TO GIVE YOU SUGGESTIONS ABOUT THINGS THAT I THINK COULD WORK, BUT IT'S NOT MY CHOICE AT THE END OF THE DAY.
ONE, UH, I AGREE WITH MR. GOE.
YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE BUDGET PROCESS REALLY DOES START WITH A STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AS I UNDERSTAND THE, THE GENERAL BEST PRACTICES IS FOR THE BOARD IN A FEBRUARY MARCH TIMEFRAME TO GET TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE, THE GOAL, THE, THE GOALS AND GUARDRAILS IS THE PHRASE I KEEP HEARING, YOU KNOW, TO THAT, THAT, THAT THE BOARD EXPECTS TO GUIDE YOU IN PREPARING THE BUDGET.
WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO, AS WE'VE DISCUSSED MANY TIMES.
AND JUST THE BASIC STRUCTURE OF THE BUDGET, RIGHT? I MEAN, YOU, YOU'VE, YOU'VE LUMPED TOGETHER, UM, AS MS. SOLE WAS ASKING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE HIGH DOSE TUTORING, BOTH THE ONES THAT WE PROVIDE AND THE OUTSIDE THINGS.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS IN THE, IN THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES BUDGET, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THAT SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE SUBCATEGORIES.
SO WE CAN SEE WHERE WE'RE SPENDING THAT MONEY AND THE BOARD CAN EXPRESS ITS POLICY PREFERENCES IN, IN, IN, IN THAT.
AND SO AS WE EVOLVE AND GET BETTER AT THAT BASIC STRUCTURE OF THE BUDGET, THAT WILL HELP THE PROCESS AND ALLOW US TO, TO, TO, TO START.
SO, YOU KNOW, MS. LIP LOPEZ, WE, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WITH A SUPERINTENDENT POSITION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT I THINK, I THINK YOU'RE HEARING CORRECTLY FROM THE BOARD, AS YOU ALLUDED TO EARLIER, WE WANT TO DO MUCH BETTER MM-HMM.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU AS WE WORK THROUGH WHETHER WE'RE GONNA HAVE A CONSULTANT TO HELP US AND STUFF LIKE THAT, START PLANNING FOR A BETTER BUDGET PROCESS.
THAT WOULD START IN, IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY.
UM, RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, WE MEET THE LEGAL DEADLINE.
WE PUBLISHED A BUDGET MAY 20TH, RIGHT? MAYBE WE COULD SHOOT TO PUBLISH THE BUDGET IN APRIL 20TH.
AND BE AHEAD OF EVERYBODY ELSE.
UM, AFTER HAVING, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE BROADER DISCUSSIONS BOTH WITH THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN WE COULD MAYBE, HOPEFULLY GET OUTTA THE PRACTICE HAVING THREE COMMUNITY MEETINGS FOR EVERY
IT IS MORE THAN WE NEED IT, BUT WE, IT, IT'D BE BETTER IF WE DO IT IN A MORE STRUCTURED PLANNED WAY.
I THINK THE OTHER, UM, COMMENT ON A MAKE FINAL THOUGHT IS, YOU KNOW, INEVITABLY, AND I REMEMBER THIS LAST YEAR, ONE OR TWO ISSUES IN THE BUDGET, TAKE ALL THE ATTENTION, RIGHT? AND IT'S USUALLY PAY AND HOW CAN WE PAY OUR DESERVING TEACHERS AND OUR DESERVING CUSTODIANS AND NUTRITION WORKERS AND BUS DRIVERS MORE? AND THAT'S IMPORTANT AND WE ARE ALWAYS GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT A LOT.
BUT THIS IS A LOT MORE THAN JUST THAT.
THERE IS A LOT OF STUFF BUILT IN HERE.
THERE'S NOT JUST THE AMOUNT OF PAY, THERE'S THE ALLOCATION OF THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS AND THE KINDS OF TEACHERS THAT ARE GOING TO EACH SCHOOL.
THERE ARE, UM, ALL SORTS OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT ARE BURIED IN HERE THAT WE'RE APPROVING WHEN WE VOTE FOR THIS BIG THING, WHICH, YOU KNOW, FEW OF US PROBABLY READ FROM COVER TO COVER.
WE'VE ALWAYS HAD JUST THE SAME ONES.
AND, AND HOW MANY YEARS HAS THE BOARD VOTED FOR, VOTED ON THOSE THINGS WITHOUT REALLY UNDERSTANDING THEM? I DON'T THINK THEY'VE EVER ASKED ME.
A LOT OF 'EM ARE STATE STATUTES.
SO, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES.
AND SO THAT'S IN THERE, BUT NO, NO ONE EVER ASKED ME.
SO, SO WELL, YOU KNOW, CONSIDER YOURSELF ASKED.
NOT, THAT DOESN'T MEAN LIKE WE'RE GONNA COME BACK UP HERE FOR TWO HOUR, YOU KNOW, PRESENTATION JUST ON THAT.
BUT, BUT I, I CALL IT ATTENTION PARTICULARLY TO MAKE ONE, ONE PARTICULAR POINT, WHICH IS THAT ALSO BURIED IN HERE ARE THE PAY SCHEDULES, RIGHT? YES.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ARE WE GIVING TEACHERS A $1,300 RAISE OR A $1,300 RAISE PLUS A THOUSAND DOLLARS STIPEND OR WHATEVER.
UM, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE YEARS AGO RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.
AT, RIGHT BEFORE WE, I JOINED THE BOARD AS I RECALL, THERE WAS A, UM, COUNCIL OF GREAT CITY SCHOOLS HELPED, HELPED US STUDY PAY DISPARITIES.
BUT I HEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THERE CONTINUE TO BE, UM, SOME SIGNIFICANT DISPARITIES BETWEEN WHAT WE PAY OUR VETERAN TEACHERS AND WHAT WE PAY OUR NEW TEACHERS.
AND I THINK THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE COGNIZANT OF BECAUSE WE MAY HAVE A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE VETERAN TEACHER.
AND JUST BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE,
[01:55:01]
THE PAY SCALES HAVE CHANGED FROM TIME TO TIME BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO COMPETE AGAINST LIVINGSTON AND ASCENSION TO BRING THE NEW TEACHERS IN, THEY GET PAID MORE, RIGHT.OR, OR, OR MUCH CLOSER TO WHAT THAT VETERAN TEACHER WOULD 15 YEARS, 17 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN THE CLASSROOM IS MAKING.
AND THAT'S NOT REALLY WHAT I THINK ANY OF US WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO PAY THE NEW UNTESTED PERSON ALMOST IN PARITY WITH THE PERSON THAT'S PROVEN THEMSELVES TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE RESULTS WITH OUR KIDS.
SO, SO I WOULD LIKE, AT SOME POINT DURING ONE OF THE SEVERAL MEETINGS WE'RE GONNA BE HAVING AT THIS PROCESS THROUGH, THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, MS. LOPEZ, TO, TO, UM, TO, TO HAVE YOU GIVE A, A A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILED PRESENTATION ON THOSE, ON THOSE PAY SCALES AND SOME OF THOSE ISSUES THAT WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERING AS PART OF THIS, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT, IT IS EASY TO GET LOST IN A KIND OF SIMPLER, DO WE WANT TO PAY MORE? DO WE WANNA PAY THIS MUCH MORE OR THAT MUCH MORE? BUT I THINK IT IS ALSO INCUMBENT UPON US IN THE BUDGET PROCESS TO LOOK AT ALL THESE OTHER DETAILS, PARTICULARLY, UM, ANY EXISTING, YOU KNOW, EQUITY OR ISSUES OF INEQUITY, UH, THAT MAY BE IN THERE THAT AFFECT, UM, THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR TEACHERS WHO ARE GOING INTO THEIR JOB.
I MEAN, IF WE'RE ASKING THEM TO, IF WE REALLY WANT A VETERAN TEACHER TO GO INTO, UH, TO, TO ONE OF OUR, UM, UH, UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS, IS THAT THE RIGHT WORD? COACH UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS.
UM, THE, THEN, THEN, THEN, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WE'RE EXPECTING A 15 YEAR TEACHER ESTABLISHED IN THIS ONE SPOT TO, TO COME GIVE THEIR TREMENDOUS TALENTS TO KIDS WHO NEED IT REALLY DESPERATELY.
AND, AND, AND THEY'RE MAKING, YOU KNOW, A GRAND MORE THAN SOMEBODY THAT JUST STARTED AND, YOU KNOW, GRADUATED, YOU KNOW, LAST YEAR AND JUST STARTED THAT.
AND, AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT ALONG WITH THE BIGGER PICTURE ISSUES.
UM, THAT AGAIN, I THINK AS SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE SAID, I THINK THERE'S BEEN A VERY HEALTHY DISCUSSION AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, THE, THE, THE, THE, THE VERY VALUABLE, VERY HEALTHY DISCUSSION WE'VE HAD TONIGHT.
AND, AND I THANK YOU MS. LOPEZ AND, AND INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT SMITH FOR THE, FOR THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS.
WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE WORK TO DO.
BUT I THINK YOU'VE HEARD CLEARLY FROM ALL OF US THAT WE, WE APPRECIATE THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE SO FAR.
UM, AND, AND WE JUST WANT TO KEEP THE BALL ROLLING AND, AND PUSH TO MAKE AS MANY GOOD CHANGES AS WE CAN, AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.
THERE ARE NO OTHER COMMENTS, UH, UH, UM, BOARD MEMBERS IN THE QUEUE TO MAKE COMMENTS SO WE CAN NOW MOVE
[B.2. Presentation of the Proposed 2024-2025 Proposed Special Revenue Fund Budgets ]
ON TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION.ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING BOARD MEMBERS AND SUPERINTENDENT SMITHS.
TONIGHT WE WILL REVIEW THE 24 25 FISCAL YEAR SPECIAL REVENUE BUDGETS AS BUDGET LAW STATES.
AS WE STATED BEFORE, THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT HAS COMPLETED NOTICE IN THE NEWSPAPER FOR THE REQUIRED PUBLIC HEARING ON JUNE 6TH WITH ANTICIPATED APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET ON JUNE 20TH.
AGAIN, WITH THE GENERAL FUND, ALL FUNDING SOURCES MUST, UH, UH, MUST BE APPROVED AND SUBMITTED TO THE STATE BY SEPTEMBER 15TH.
SO THIS IS ALL, ALL JUST SPECIAL REVENUES.
AND SO LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT SPECIAL REVENUES IS.
THESE ARE YOUR GRANT ACCOUNTS.
SO THE 2018, YOU HAD TOTAL REVENUES OF 187.2 MILLION IN 24 25.
OUR PROPOSED IS 223.8 MILLION AND YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASE IN 20 21, 20 22.
AND THEN IT STARTS GOING DOWN IN 2023 AND THEN BACK DOWN TO WHAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER A NORMAL RATE IN 2024.
TOTAL EXPENDITURES OVER TIME, AGAIN, THIS IS THE SAME SIX YEAR PERIOD.
SO IN 2018 19, TOTAL EXPENDITURES WERE $181, $181 MILLION FOR 24 25.
THE EXPECTED IS 179.2 MILLION.
AND AGAIN, YOU SEE WHAT I AFFECTIONATELY CALL THE ESSER EFFECT.
IN TWENTY ONE, TWENTY TWO TWENTY THREE, IT GOES UP AND IT GOES BACK DOWN IN LIKE A HILL FASHION.
ALRIGHT, SO TYPICALLY GRANTS MUST BE SPENT IN THE FISCAL YEAR.
THEY RECEIVE, FOR EXAMPLE, TITLE ONE, TITLE ONE.
WHEN YOU RECEIVE IT, YOU MUST SPEND IT ALL.
IF YOU DO NOT SPEND IT, YOU HAVE TO GIVE IT BACK.
YOU ARE ALLOWED TO ROLL OVER A LITTLE BIT, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE SPEND EVERY PENNY.
UM, SAME THING WITH MANY OF YOUR FEDERAL GRANTS.
THEY MUST BE USED IN TOTALITY BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
NOW, SOME OF YOUR FUNDS IN THE SPECIAL REVENUES CARRY A FUND BALANCE, FOR EXAMPLE, CHILD AND NUTRITION IS PROJECTING A $0.4 MILLION FUND BALANCE.
ICARE, WHICH IS COMPLETELY FUNDED THROUGH PROPERTY TAX.
IT HAS ITS OWN PROPERTY TAX IS $4.7 MILLION.
PROPOSITION TWO IS AT 14.7 AND PROPOSITION THREE IS AT 31.6.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR PROPOSITION TWO.
SO OUR PROJECTED REVENUES ARE $8.8 MILLION.
PROJECTED EXPENDITURES IS 6.7, AND THE ENDING FUND BALANCE IS 14.7.
PROPOSITION TWO IS THAT 8% OF THE PENNY THAT FUNDS ARE ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS. STAFFING FOR NEXT YEAR IS PROJECTED AT 93 PERSONNEL.
[02:00:01]
THREE, AS WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, IT FUNDS THAT PIECE OF EVERY NON-GRANT FUNDED POSITION SALARY.SO 24 25 PROJECTED REVENUES IS 4 4 44 0.9 MILLION.
PROJECTED EXPENDITURES IS 41.9 MILLION IN TOTAL FUND BALANCE.
ENDING BALANCE IS $28.1 MILLION, WHICH IS A GOOD HEALTHY BALANCE FOR THAT FUND.
THIS IS INCLUSIVE OF YOUR IDEA AND YOUR IDEA PRE-K.
THESE FUNDS FUND OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH EXCEPTIONALITIES AND THAT RUNS THE GAMUT FROM FROM IEPS ON BOTH ENDS OF OUR SPECTRUMS. SO PROJECTED REVENUE IS 11.6 MILLION.
AGAIN, WE WILL SPEND EVERY PENNY AT 11.6 MILLION AND OUR PROJECTED STAFF IS 210.
PERSONNEL TITLE, FUNDING TITLE FUNDING IS ONE OF OUR LARGEST GRANTS.
IT'S ALWAYS CONSIDERED A MAJOR GRANT BY OUR AUDITORS AND IT IS ALMOST ALWAYS CHOSEN TO BE AUDITED FOR THE YEAR.
THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TITLE GRANTS.
SO YOU HAVE TITLE ONE, WHICH IS FOR YOUR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND YOUR ES AND SOME OF YOUR ESL STUDENTS.
THIS IS TO SUPPLEMENT, NOT SUPPLANT.
SO THEY CAN'T TAKE OVER A BILL, BUT THEY CAN ASSIST A SCHOOL IN PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN.
THEN YOU HAVE TWO, WHICH IS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND DR.
BETLEY COULD PROBABLY SPEAK TO THIS MUCH MORE ELOQUENTLY THAN ME.
TITLE THREE AND TITLE THREE IMMIGRANT IS FOR YOUR, UM, FOR YOUR ESL STUDENTS AND FOR THAT POPULATION OF STUDENTS.
TITLE IV AND, UH, IS FOR ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE.
I KNOW MANY MATH COACHES ARE PAID FOR OUT OF TITLE IV AND TITLE IX IS FOR YOUR HOMELESS POPULATION IS ONE OF THE SMALLER PIECES OF THE TITLE.
SO TOTAL TITLE FUNDING FOR NEXT YEAR IS 24.1 MILLION.
WE ARE EXPECTED TO SPEND 24.1 MILLION FOR A TOTAL POPULATION OF STAFFING OF 207.
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IS FUNDED THROUGH MANY DIFFERENT SOURCES.
YOU HAVE MAJORITY ARE STATE, SOME ARE LOCAL.
UM, WE ARE PROJECTED REVENUE OF 15.9 MILLION.
EXPECTED EXPENDITURES OF 15.5.
THEY HAVE AN ENDING BUT FUND BALANCE OF 0.4 MILLION AND A TOTAL POPULATION OF EMPLOYEES OF 132 MILLION.
NOW PLEASE NOTE THIS IS NOT INCLUSIVE OF THE CHILDCARE CENTER STAFFING.
THOSE ARE CONTRACTED SERVICES WITH, UM, OUR DIFFERENT CHILDCARE CENTERS.
THIS WOULD ONLY BE STAFF THAT IS PROVIDED THROUGH THE DISTRICT.
SO OUR LITERACY FUNDS ARE PRIMARILY OUR FEDERAL.
THEY'RE RUN THROUGH THE STATE, BUT THEY ARE FEDERAL GRANTS.
UM, WE ARE PROJECTING $6.8 MILLION IN REVENUE, 6.8 MILLION IN EXPENDITURES AND A TOTAL STAFFING OF 42.
AND THOSE ARE YOUR MAJOR FUNDS.
ANY QUESTIONS? I TOLD YOU THAT WOULD BE MUCH FASTER,
ANY INCREASE IN ALTERNATIVE EDU ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION IN, IN MANNER ABOUT ANY DOLLAR INCREASE IN ADDRESSING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS? SO THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS IS 100% THROUGH SALES TAX FUNDING.
AND IT'S DETERMINED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT AND BY THE CHIEF OF SCHOOLS OF WHAT NECESSARY PROGRAMS THEY NEED.
WE'RE STARTING WITH THE BASE OF HOW MANY STUDENTS WE ARE PRESUMING WILL BE THERE.
UM, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE HAD 75 STAFF MEMBERS.
AND THAT'S INCLUSIVE OF ADDITIONAL NEEDS, ADDITIONAL TEACHERS, SOCIAL WORKERS, UM, BUT IT IS ALWAYS AT THE, AT THE WILL OF THE BOARD AND THE PLEASURE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT IF Y'ALL WOULD LIKE TO INCREASE ANYTHING, AS LONG AS THE FUND WILL BEAR IT.
THAT INCREASE TELLS ME THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT INCREASE IN THE FUNDS.
I JUST GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT PROP THREE.
'CAUSE THAT WAS A HUGE TOPIC OF DISCUSSION, UH, LAST YEAR.
SO IN THE CURRENT BUDGET, GENERAL FUND BUDGET WE JUST REVIEWED, RIGHT? UH, HOW MUCH MONEY IS COMING FROM PROP THREE, 13%.
THAT'S COMING FROM PROP THREE.
UM, IF NOW PLEASE HELP ME BECAUSE I GOT CONSTITUENTS WHO CALLED ME ON THAT.
SO 13% OF EVERY NON-FUNDED GRANT POSITION IS FUNDED THROUGH THE PROPOSITION.
HOWEVER, THE STATE PROVIDED RAISES ARE 100% FUNDED THROUGH GENERAL FUND.
SO IF YOU ACTUALLY DID THE MATH, IT WON'T BE A PERFECT 13% BECAUSE THE MFP PROVIDES THE RAISES, THEREFORE GENERAL FUND PAYS THE ENTIRETY.
AND SO IN THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET THAT WE JUST WENT OVER, IF I GO AND LOOK AT SOMEONE'S SALARY, I CAN TAKE AND SAY 13% THE GENERAL FUND SALARY.
CAN I LOOK AT A SALARY AND SAY 13% OF THAT SALARY CAME FROM PROP THREE? NOT A HUNDRED PERCENT BECAUSE YOU HAVE THREE YEARS OF STATE FUNDED
[02:05:01]
RAISES THAT ARE IN THERE THAT ARE FUNDED THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE THEY'RE GIVEN THROUGH THE MFP.SO THAT, THAT IS STARTING TO DESTROY MY MIND.
CAN WE SOME KIND OF WAY GET RID OF THAT AND FIGURE OUT IF IT'S, IF IT'S GONNA BE THAT AND MAKE IT 12% INSTEAD OF 13 AND, AND GET THAT SO WE HAVE A COMMON NUMBER? WELL THEN I'D HAVE TO DO LIKE A MASSIVE COMPLICATED JOURNAL ENTRY TO MOVE MONEY INTO A DIFFERENT FUND.
I MEAN, IT, IT, IT, IT, I KNOW IT'S NOT PERFECT PERCENTAGE WISE, BUT MATHEMATICALLY AND FINANCIALLY IT'S CORRECT BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THE FUNDING COMES IN.
I'M THINKING OF A POOR TEACHER TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT, WHAT IS MY SALARY COMING FROM AND WHERE IT'S COMING FROM AND THAT SORT OF THING.
SO ANYWAY, I WOULD JUST SUGGEST THAT ON THE THING, BUT I WANTED TO GET BACK TO THE PROP THREE.
SO IF I LOOK AT, 'CAUSE LAST YEAR, FROM WHAT I CAN SEE FROM HERE, UH, WE ENDED UP, WE WERE GONNA USE PROP THREE MONEY YES.
TO RAISE UP THE SALARIES AND THERE WAS A LOT OF, OR RA RAISE THAT COMPENSATION.
IT PAID PAID FOR THE STIPENDS.
MR. GODA, I DIDN'T WANNA CUT YOU OFF.
UH, I JUST, I HEAR YOU KEEP SAYING PROP THREE.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE TAX REFERENDUM FROM LAST YEAR THAT WE VOTED ON? YES.
I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT, 'CAUSE IT IS NOT THE DISCUSSION I REMEMBER HAVING MM-HMM.
AND THEN WHEN I LOOK AT THE NUMBERS HERE AND I LOOK AT THE REVISED BUDGET, THE ENDING BALANCE ONLY DROPPED FROM 31 MILLION TO 28 MILLION.
AND EVERYONE WAS RUNNING AROUND LIKE CHICKEN LITTLE SAYING THE SKY WAS FALLING.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT SALES TAX IS GONNA DO.
IT IS 100% FUNDED IN SALES TAX.
SO ALL WE CAN DO, LIKE YOU SAID, THE REVENUE IN, IN MAY MAY NOT BE WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE NEXT MAY.
IT'S A, IT'S AN EDUCATED ESTIMATE.
AND THE ONLY POINT I'M BRINGING THAT UP FOR IS, AGAIN, LAST YEAR WE PUT OURSELVES THROUGH ALL THE ANGST, THE SKY WAS GONNA FALL 'CAUSE WE WERE GONNA USE ALL OF THE PROP THREE MONEY AND WHERE WE WERE GONNA GET THE FUNDING FOR THAT FOR THE NEXT YEAR AND SO ON AND SO ON AND SO ON.
OUT OF $30 MILLION, WE ENDED UP USING LESS THAN 10% SURE OF THE BALANCE.
AND THIS CURRENT BUDGET HAS US REBUILDING BACK TO THE $31 MILLION.
AGAIN, I'M JUST TRYING TO POINT OUT THE FACT THAT ALL OF THESE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE $70 MILLION DEFICIT AND ALL THESE SORTS OF STUFF, ALL OF THESE ARE ESTIMATES.
AND EVERYONE GETS SO ENTHRALLED AND RUNNING AROUND WITH THE ESTIMATES AND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN HERE AND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN HERE.
WE HAVE TO BE PRUDENT BUT ALSO RECOGNIZE WE'RE GONNA NEED TO MAKE MIDSTREAM ADJUSTMENTS AS THINGS GO ON.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WORLD'S GONNA BE.
I KNOW MR. LANIS, YOU MENTIONED ST.
GEORGE, I DON'T EVEN WANNA CONSIDER ST.
I HAVE NO IDEA IF IT'S GONNA HAPPEN WHEN IT WOULD HAPPEN.
WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE DISTRICT BOUNDARIES WOULD BE BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING THAT PUTS ST.
GEORGE IN THE SAME DISTRICT AS THE CITY LIMITS.
'CAUSE ZACHARY'S NOT IN THE SAME CITY LIMITS.
CENTRAL'S NOT IN THE SAME CITY LIMITS.
I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING WHAT THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE.
SO IF I START SCREWING UP MY BUDGET TO DO SOMETHING THAT I HAVE NO IDEA OF WHAT OR WHEN IT'S GONNA BE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.
JUST LIKE THE ESA BILL THAT WAS IT LA GATOR OR WHATEVER IT IS.
THEY COULD CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION AND CHANGE THE, UH, MFP FUNDING AND FORMULA AND ALL THAT.
THE, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE BEYOND OUR CONTROL AND I HAVE ZERO IDEA OF WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT.
SO I JUST THINK WE GOTTA BE AWARE.
AND PART OF THE REASON OF MAINTAINING SOME BALANCES IS AS THESE THINGS HIT YOU, WE DIDN'T KNOW.
I WANT TO GO BACK TO A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE WHERE THAT BALANCE REALLY HELPED US OUT.
YOU GO BACK TO 2016 WHEN THE FLOOD CAME, WE HAD THE BALANCES AVAILABLE THAT WE COULD IMMEDIATELY GO IN AND START RECONSTRUCTION OF OUR SCHOOLS AND GET THOSE SCHOOLS BACK ONLINE.
BAKER IS STILL TRYING TO, UH, BUILD THEIR SCHOOL COMING UP BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE BALANCES TO GO IN AND DO THAT.
WE HAD THE LUXURY OF DOING IT, PAYING FOR IT FIRST AND GETTING REIMBURSEMENT FROM FEMA.
SECOND BAKER'S HAVING TO GO THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
I'M NOT THROWING ROCKS AT BAKER.
IT'S JUST THE WAY THEY WERE, THEY'RE HAVING TO WAIT FOR FEMA MONEY TO COME IN FIRST BEFORE THEY CAN GO SPEND THEIR MONEY.
SO THERE ARE RE VERY GOOD REASONS TO HAVE SOME, SOME GOOD BUDGET BALANCES IN HERE.
BUT AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE, LAST YEAR THE SKY WAS FALLING ON PROP THREE, THE SKY WAS FALLING ON THE BUDGET AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
[02:10:01]
ARC.WE DIDN'T NEED TO GO DO ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
SO WE JUST NEED TO KEEP SOME OF THESE THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE.
AND I'M NOT SAYING BE FRIVOLOUS ABOUT WHAT WE DO.
I'M JUST TRYING TO SAY, HAVE PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT WE DO AS WE GO THROUGH THESE.
I HAD A QUESTION ON OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION IDEA, UH, BUDGET.
I SEE OUR, UM, OUR SUMMARY SHOWS A PROPOSED CHANGE IN STAFFING OF ADDING, WELL IT JUST SAYS STAFFING 90 TO 210.
SO WHAT IS THAT? UM, WHAT IS THAT DIFFERENCE IN STAFFING? IS IT ADDITIONAL, UM, TEACHERS IN IN SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOMS? IS IT PARAPROFESSIONALS? WHAT IS THAT? I I CAN, I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
PART OF THE REASON WHY THAT, THAT SHIFT, WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT AT THE ELEMENTARY SPECIFICALLY AT THE ELEMENTARY IS MOVING FROM A INCLUSION MODEL VERSUS A RESOURCE MODEL.
UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, THERE ARE MORE INCLUSION WHERE KIDS STAY IN THE CLASSROOM TO RECEIVE THOSE SERVICES.
UNFORTUNATELY, AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, WE WERE, WE MAKE SOME TIME WE WOULD MAKE, I DON'T WANNA SAY THIS PUBLICLY, BUT BASED OFF STAFF IS HOW SOME OF THE IEPS WERE CREATED.
AND WHAT BEST PRACTICES TELL US IS THAT WE WANT TO KEEP THOSE STUDENTS INSIDE THE CORE CURRICULUM CLASSROOM INSTEAD OF PULLING THEM OUT FOR INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES.
AND SO WHAT THAT WILL REQUIRE MORE TEACHERS AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.
SO THIS IS A, UM, AND ESSENTIALLY BRINGING ON 120 ISH NEW TEACHERS SPECIFICALLY FOR SP SPED AND SPECIFICALLY AN ELEMENTARY.
I'M GONNA JUST FOLLOW UP WITH THAT.
THAT IS THE KIND OF MAJOR CHANGE, UH, THAT I THINK SHOULD BE HIGHLIGHTED TO THIS BOARD.
AND NOT JUST MR. RUSS FERRETING OUT IN THE, UH, IN THE BUDGET.
'CAUSE THAT TOTALLY WENT BY ME.
BUT THAT'S A MAJOR POLICY CHANGE THAT, UH, I'M ALL FOR IT, DON'T GET ME WRONG.
BUT THAT IS A MAJOR CHANGE THAT I THINK THAT SHOULD BE MADE OPENLY AND PUBLICLY THAT WE DISCUSS, UH, AND DO THAT BECAUSE ALTHOUGH I AGREE WITH IT, UH, IT IS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE WITH SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL IMPACTS AND SIGNIFICANT, UH, EMPLOYMENT, UH, IMPACTS AND ALL THESE SORTS OF THINGS.
SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT TO ME SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED IN A FEBRUARY MEETING WHERE WE DO STRATEGIES AND ALL THESE SORTS OF THINGS TO COME INTO THE BUDGET.
AND JUST BECAUSE IT'S IN THE SPECIAL FUND, DON'T THINK WE DON'T CARE ABOUT IT.
'CAUSE I REALLY LIKE THE FACT THAT WE FINALLY HAVE A CONSOLIDATED BUDGET SO WE CAN LOOK AT EVERYTHING.
'CAUSE REALLY THAT'S HOW WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THE FINANCES OF THIS DISTRICT ON A CONSOLIDATED BUDGET BASIS.
I KNOW LEGALLY WE HAVE TO DO THE, THE, UH, SPLIT, BUT WE REALLY NEED TO BE LOOKING AT IT ON A CONSOLIDATED BASIS.
SO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES LIKE THAT, I WOULD HOPE WE'D HAVE DISCUSSION AND PRESENTATION AND THAT SORT OF THING BEFORE WE DO THAT IN THE FUTURE.
UH, THE POINT MR. GODDE MADE, I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD ONE.
AND I, AND, AND I, YOU WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AGAIN, AND WE, WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS NURSING, UM, CHANGE, BUT THAT THOSE ARE, THESE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT KIND OF SHOW UP IN THE BUDGET.
THEY SHOULD SHOW UP ELSEWHERE AND THEY SHOULD SHOW UP IN BOARD DISCUSSION, WELL IN ADVANCE OF THE ACTUAL DECISION BEING MADE.
SO THE BOARD CAN, CAN MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, AS, AS, AS, AS MR. LANIS POINTS OUT, IT'S NOT OUR BUSINESS TO, TO RUN THE DETAILS OF THE SHOW, RIGHT.
BUT WE, WE, WE VOTE ON THINGS FOR A REASON.
RIGHT? AND, AND THERE'S A REASON THAT A LOT OF THESE THINGS HAVE TO COME TO THE BOARD.
AND THAT IS BECAUSE WE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE ULTIMATELY EMPOWERED TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
AND IF WE'RE PRESENTED WITH THIS KIND OF CHANGE, THIS, YOU KNOW, IN, IN THE, IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.
IF, IF WE'RE PRESENTED WITH THE NURSING CHANGE WHEN IT'S ALL BUT ACCOMPLISHED, THEN THAT REMOVES OUR ABILITY TO ACTUALLY ENSURE THAT THERE'S BEEN THE APPROPRIATE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
THAT, THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE CHANGES THAT WE'VE DONE OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT ALL THE POTENTIAL RAMIFICATIONS OF, OF, OF A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE LIKE THAT HAVE BEEN THOUGHT THROUGH.
SO I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE, UM, THE, THE DISTRICT AND I THINK THE DISTRICT, UM, HAS BEEN DOING A BETTER JOB OF THAT LATELY.
UM, BUT, BUT OBVIOUSLY HERE WE'VE GOT THIS CHANGE COMING ONTO US NOW.
SO, SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO, TO CONTINUE TO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL AND COMING TO THE BOARD WELL IN ADVANCE OF, OF, OF THE ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION OF, OF THESE MAJOR KIND OF SHIFTS.
SEEING NO FURTHER COMMENT OR QUESTION FROM THE BOARD.
[02:15:01]
MS. LOPEZ, WE WILL NOW TAKE A THREE MINUTE RECESS.WE NEED TO BE READY TO START AT SEVEN 17.