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[A. Notice and Instructions]
TO THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE, UH, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD.I WILL RE REPEAT THAT THE NOTICES ARE THE SAME.
MADAM SECRETARY, IS THERE AN ISSUE? OH, OKAY.
THE NOTICES FOR THIS MEETING, THE PUBLIC WOULD BE ALLOWED TO ATTEND A REDUCED RATE OF 50% OF CAPACITY OF THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER MEETING ROOM SPACE.
ONCE THE CAPACITY HAS BEEN REACHED ADMISSION INTO THE MEETING SPACE WILL BE CLOSED.
ALL AUDIENCE MEMBERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO WEAR A MASK AT ALL TIMES, MASS WILL BE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
ALL AUDIENCE MEMBERS WILL UNDERGO TEMPERATURE SCREENING BEFORE ENTERING THE MEETING ROOM.
THE REGULAR MEETING SCHEDULED SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2020 IMMEDIATELY.
FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC HEARING SLASH MEETING WILL BE STREAMED LIVE VIA MICROSOFT TEAMS EVENT LINK TO WATCH THE MEETING CAN BE FOUND ON BOARD DOCS LOCATED ON THE SCHOOL BOARDS WEBSITE, WWW.EBRSCHOOLS.ORG/ABOUT A PERIOD FOR WRITTEN COMMENT WILL BE PROVIDED BEFORE THE MEETING, AS WELL AS BEFORE EACH ACTION IS TAKEN BY THE BOARD ON AN ACTION ITEM, INDIVIDUALS WISHING TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT ANY OF THE POSTS THAT ITEMS WILL NEED TO CLICK ON THE AGENDA ITEM AND BOARD DOCS AND SUBMIT VIA THE HIGHLIGHTED PUBLIC COMMENT HYPERLINK ON THE AGENDA ITEM DETAILS UPON CLOSING OF THE COMMENTS, THE BOARD PRESIDENT WILL READ INTO THE RECORD, THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED.
SO WITH THAT, THIS MEETING IS CALLED
[B. Meeting Opening]
TO ORDER MADAM SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE THE ROLL CALL BOARD MEMBERS? I WANT TO REMIND YOU TO BE LOGGED INTO BOARD DOCS FOR THIS MEETING DISTRICT SEVEN, PRESIDENT GODIN HERE, DISTRICT THREE, VICE PRESIDENT HOWARD DISTRICT ONE.MR. BLUE DISTRICT TO MR. LANDIS DISTRICT FOUR, MS. COLLINS PRESENT DISTRICT FIVE, MS. WARD JACKSON DISTRICT SIX, MS. DYSON, MS. DAWSON PRESENT DISTRICT EIGHT, MS. BERNARD PRESENT DISTRICT NINE.
[C. Minutes]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MINUTES OF AUGUST 20, 20, 20 REGULAR BOARD MEETING AND THE SEPTEMBER 3RD, 2020 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE AZ MEETING AS PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL.DO I HAVE A MOTION MOTION BY MR. HOWARD? DO I HAVE A SECOND BY MR. BALLOU? IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS SAY NONE, ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE IN-PERSON AUDIENCE? WELL, SOMEONE MAKES SURE THAT IF SOMEONE IN THE OTHER ROOM WISHES TO SPEAK THAT I GET NOTIFIED, UH, BEFORE THAT, CAUSE I WOULD HATE TO PASS SOMEONE ALONG.
UM, I SEE NO COMMENTS ON THIS AGENDA ITEM, UH, ON THE LIST, BACK TO THE BOARD, MADAM SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CONDUCT A VOTE, PLEASE VOTE.
[D. Recognitions]
NEXT IS, UH, RECOGNITIONS EBR FILM FESTIVAL FILM OF THE YEAR WINNER SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL.PRESIDENT GO DAY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MR. D CASE THE EAST BATON ROUGE, PARISH SCHOOLS AND DEPARTMENT OF FINE ARTS HOSTED ITS FIRST EBR STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL.
IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR, THIS YEAR'S
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FESTIVAL BROUGHT LIFE TO 38 STUDENTS FILMS AND THE WORK OF HUNDREDS OF MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL MEDIA ARTS STUDENTS WHO BROUGHT THEIR TALENTS TOGETHER TO MAKE A PIECE OF ART ON MARCH 13TH, WE'VE HOSTED A MOVIE PREMIERE FOR ALL SCHOOLS WHO SUBMITTED FILMS, MEDIA ARTS, TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS FROM ACROSS THE DISTRICT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE PREMIERE LOCATED AT THE LSU UNION THEATER.AFTER THE PREMIERE, THE STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN A MEDIA ARTS PANEL DISCUSSION HOSTED BY BOARD MEMBER DAVID TADEMAN DURING THIS PANEL DISCUSSION DISCUSSIONS FOR STUDENTS, WELL DISCUSSIONS WERE DONE IN STUDENTS AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN AND LEARN FROM PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD OF FILMMAKING.
WE WERE UNABLE TO HAVE OUR EVENING AFFAIR, WHICH WAS A RED CARPET EVENT, OSCAR STYLE.
THIS WAS GOING TO BE A NIGHT OF CELEBRATING THE TOP FILMS WHO WERE NOMINATED IN EIGHT DIFFERENT CATEGORIES, AS WELL AS CELEBRATE EBRS FILM OF THE YEAR.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MR. TOTMAN FOR MAKING US AWARE OF FILM OPPORTUNITIES, WHICH HELPED THE DEPARTMENT TO LAUNCH OUR FIRST FESTIVAL, WHICH IN TURN GAVE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT FILMS TO THE LOUISIANA STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL.
ALSO, MR TADEMAN, THANK YOU FOR BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR OUR MEDIA ARTS PROGRAMS, MEDIA ARTS COURSES ARE BECOMING POPULAR IN OUR DISTRICT AS WELL AS AROUND THE COUNTRY COURSES AND MEDIA ARTS, GIVE STUDENTS A NEW LANGUAGE TO SPEAK THROUGH FILM, WHICH IN TURN ALLOWED THEM TO DEVELOP ANALYTICAL AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, WHICH DEVELOPS THE IDEAL OF VISUAL LITERACY, WHICH IN TURN HELPS STUDENTS SUCCEED ACADEMICALLY.
THIS MASK IS DRIVING ME CRAZY.
SO AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MINUTE TO SHOW YOU ALL THE WINNING FILM, WHICH WAS BROUGHT TO US FROM SOUTHEAST MIDDLE MAGNET AND THIS YEAR'S AWARD, NONE OTHER THAN SOUTHEAST MIDDLE MAGNET FOR THEIR FILM, CREATE CONGRATULATIONS TO SOUTHEAST THE MIDDLE.
AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE YOU SOON.
ON ANOTHER EPISODE IN YOUR CENTER CHAIR OF CENTER, STATE MYSTICALLY, I'M HERE.
REALISTICALLY NOT SEEING THAT I WALK THE HALLS, HOLLOW PARK OR SOMEONE ELSE'S NEVER ENDING DREAM.
I WANT TO SCREAM BE PART OF THE WALL.
THAT WAY THEY WON'T BUMP INTO ME AND ALL KIND OF STUFF I TRY TO CARRY ON MY DAY.
LIFE IS PACKED IN MY BACKPACK ALONE WITH BINDERS BOOKS AND TODAY'S WORRIES.
I AM IN NO HURRY, BUT I BRUSH OFF THE HOUSE ANYWAY, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT LAUGHTER IS COMING MY WAY COMING.
NOW I SHOULD HIDE AND MOVE OUT THEIR WAY, TURN INTO A SHADOW.
DOES IT NOT RECOGNIZE HIS OWN TURN? I AM TRYING TO FIND WHY KHAN IS.
DOESN'T SEE ME IN LIKE A RICK AND PAUL AFTER HE GOES, RIGHT.
AND I KNOW WE HAD A TIME BARRIER HERE, SO I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE EAST FOR THIS AWARD.
SO SINCE LAST YEAR WAS OUR FIRST FILM FESTIVAL.
THIS WILL BE A TRAVELING AWARD THAT GOES FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL.
SO IF YOU SEE THE SIDES, THAT'S WHERE THE NAMES WILL GO.
BUT MS. BOYD HAS ASSURED ME THAT IT WILL NEVER LEAVE SOUTH EAST MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO TONIGHT WE HAD EIGHT NOMINATIONS AND WE HAD SOUTHEAST ONE, FIVE OF THE EIGHT IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
SO TONIGHT WE'RE HONORED TO HAVE WITH US, THE PRINCIPAL OF SOUTHEAST MIDDLE MS. AMBER BOYD AND
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HER TEACHER, MS. AMANDA POWELL.AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE STUDENT MADE IT OR NOT.
SO MR. TAPPIN, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THESE HONORS STUDENTS.
SO IT WAS A GREAT CROSS CURRICULAR AND CROSS GRADE LEVEL PROJECT AND THE KIDS Y'ALL.
I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT WHEN YOU GIVE KIDS THE TOOLS AND THE AUTONOMY TO DO SOMETHING, THEY NEVER FAIL TO JUST BLOW YOU AWAY.
SO THERE THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIAL THERE I'M REALLY PROUD OF THEM AND MS. PAL FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT SHE PUTS INTO THIS PROGRAM.
AND I CANNOT, I CANNOT LEAVE HERE WITHOUT THANKING MS. PORTER, WHO IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ADVOCATES.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE A SCHOOL WITHIN A SCHOOL.
WE HAVE A MAGNET PROGRAM AND A TRADITIONAL PROGRAM.
AND MS. PORTER IS ALWAYS HELPING US SUPPORTING US.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A VISION AND SHE DOES NOTHING, BUT JUST ADD FUEL TO IT.
AND WITHOUT HER IN THE MAGNET PROGRAM, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THIS PROGRAM AND WE WOULDN'T HAVE THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
AND MR. TOTMAN WHO IS IN THE FILM INDUSTRY HIMSELF IS ALWAYS PUSHING AND GUIDING US AND TELLING US ABOUT NEW THINGS.
AND WE JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
IT'S BEEN A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STUDENTS, THAT ACE BANDAGE PAIR SCHOOL SYSTEM I'M GOING TO, I'M NOT GOING TO THROW THESE TO YOU, BUT THEY HAPPEN.
UM, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW EXCITED I AM ABOUT THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I AM IN THE FILM INDUSTRY, I ACT, I PRODUCE, I DIRECT, UH, CARRY CAMERAS AND ELECTRICAL.
I'LL DO ANYTHING JUST TO BE ON A FILM SET BECAUSE I LOVE THE FACT THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT FILM, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR STUDENTS, IT HAS EVERY ELEMENT OF WHAT WE'RE TEACHING, BUT FROM THE MATH OF HOW YOU SHOOT IT WITH A CAMERA TO HOW YOU ADD IT, HOW YOU BRING SOUND AND FILM TOGETHER, HOW YOU TELL A STORY, HOW YOU WRITE A SCRIPT, HOW YOU WORK WITH OTHERS, HOW YOU MANAGE A PROJECT, RIGHT? HOW DO YOU GET EVERYBODY TOGETHER? UH, AND I'M JUST, UM, IT'S A GREAT THING TO BE INVOLVED IN BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A COLLEGE DEGREE TO BE A, UH, A BIG TIME DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER OR WRITER OR WHATEVER.
THERE ARE JOBS RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA WHERE YOU CAN COME OUT MAKING 60, 80, A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR, AS LONG AS YOU'D GET TO WORK WHEN YOU NEED TO.
AND YOU DO THE THINGS YOU NEED TO, YOU GO ON, YOU GO LEARN ON THE JOB.
SO IT'S JUST AN INCREDIBLE, I HAVE GREAT PASSION FOR IT AS IF YOU COULDN'T TELL.
WE DID A FILM A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD, UH, THREE NORTHEAST STUDENTS WHO CAME AND WORKED WITH US, THEY LOVED IT.
THEY KEPT WITH THEIR PASSION FOR FILM GOING.
I HAVE NOT SURPRISED AT SOUTHEAST MIDDLE ONE, THE FIRST EVER FILM FESTIVAL.
CAUSE YOU ALL HAVE BEEN DOING SO MUCH GREAT WORK OVER THE YEARS.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK MR. JOFFREY.
I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU ONE OF THESE CAUSE YOU PROBABLY, IF YOU, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE ALREADY, WE'LL GET YOU ONE.
BUT UH, YOU PUT THIS TOGETHER VERY QUICKLY.
UH, IT WAS A GREAT EVENT AT LSU.
UM, IT WAS PART OF A LARGER PROJECT WHERE WE WERE ACTUALLY PART OF THE, UH, STATEWIDE, UH, FIRST EVER LOUISIANA STATEWIDE FILM FESTIVAL.
SO NEXT YEAR WE'RE GOING TO WIN THAT.
AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU ALL PASSION.
UH, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING FOR OUR CHILDREN.
I'D LOVE TO SEE THE, I CAN'T, UH, DICTATE IT, BUT I'D LOVE TO SEE THE PR I KNOW MS. WARE, JACKSON IS A BIG ADVOCATE OF THIS.
I KNOW OTHERS ARE ON THE BOARD, BUT I REALLY DO THINK THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE WE REALLY COULD EXPAND OUR CURRICULUM, UH, AND GET PEOPLE TO WORK WHERE THERE'S DEMAND FOR JOBS.
AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.
AND, UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH AND WHATEVER I CAN DO TO HELP OUT, I'LL GO WORK ON A CREW AND CARRIED UP THE, UH, THE EXTENSION CORD.
AND I WOULD PERSONALLY JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT, UM, NOT ONLY WAS THE CINEMAGRAPHIC TALENT DISPLAYED, BUT THE MATH, THE MESSAGE THAT WAS CONTAINED WITHIN THAT WAS OUTSTANDING.
SO IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO SEE THE ENTIRE FILM, YOU JUST SAW THE, BASICALLY THE INTRODUCTION TO IT IS A GREAT FILM WITH A GREAT MESSAGE THAT I HOPE ALL OF OUR CHILDREN AND ALL OF US SEE, AND HE, BECAUSE IT WAS VERY WELL DONE AND VERY POWERFUL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR WORK ON THAT.
I JUST WANT TO ECHO, UM, MR. TADEMAN SAID, UM, THE STATE OF IS IN DIRE NEED OF OUR TALENT AND, UH, I APPRECIATE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS FOR OUR KIDS TO LEARN ABOUT FILM AND, UH,
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AND TELEVISION, RADIO PRODUCTION, AUDIO, ALL THOSE WONDERFUL THINGS.I, I DID THAT FOR SO LONG AND I STILL HAD IT IN MY BLOOD MR. TABLET.
I'LL BE OUT THERE KICKING CABLE WITH YOU, MR. TENANT.
AND, UH, AND ENCOURAGE OUR KIDS TO PURSUE THIS BECAUSE I HATE IT.
WHEN PEOPLE FROM OTHER STATES COME HERE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR BEAUTIFUL SCENERY FOR THE FILM PRODUCTIONS, AND THEY HAVE TO HIRE OTHER PEOPLE AND THEY, THEY CAN'T HIRE OUR OWN.
SO I WANT US TO BE HOME, HOME, GROWN TO THE BONE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS SAY, NANA, WE'LL MOVE OVER TO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS ALSO A VERY GOOD ITEM.
IT IS THE 20, 20, 2021 LOUISIANA TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
MISS NATALIE, ROY MITCHELL, AND DURING THE PRESENTATION WILL BE OUR HEAD OF HR.
MS. DAPHNE DONALDSON IS THAT YOU AND ME? GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE TO MR.
UM, SHE IS THE 2021 OVERALL TEACHER OF THE YEAR FOR THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
ALRIGHT, MS. NATALIE, ROY TEACHES ROMAN TECHNOLOGY, CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY AND LATIN AT GLASGOW MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE EASTBOUND ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM.
HER CLASSES FEATURE INTERACTIVE LESSONS ABOUT THE ANCIENT ROMANS AND GREEKS INFUSED WITH STEM AND UNIQUE CURRICULAR IDEA THAT IS AFFORDED HER MANY GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.
MS. ROY IS A GRADUATE OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN A BOYLE'S PARISH WHERE BOTH HER PARENTS WERE TEACHERS, MS. ROY STUDIED CLASSICAL ARCHEOLOGY AT THE AMERICAN ACADEMY IN ROME AS A FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR AND AT THE AMERICAN SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL STUDIES IN ATHENS, A NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHER, MS. ROY HAS PUBLISHED ARTICLES ON ROMAN TECHNOLOGY WITH THE CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS AND THE AMERICAN CLASSICAL LEAGUE WITH WHOM SHE HAS PARTNERED DURING THE PANDEMIC TO OFFER FREE LIVESTREAM, HANDS ON LESSONS ON ROMAN TECHNOLOGY.
ALTHOUGH MOST OF MS. ROY STUDENTS HAVE NEVER BEEN EXPOSED TO CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY UNDER HER INSTRUCTION.
63% OF THE STUDENTS AT APPROACHING BASIC OR BASIC ROSE TO 89% AT MASTERY OR ADVANCED.
ADDITIONALLY, HER LATIN STUDENTS WENT FROM 60% AT APPROACHING BASIC OR BASIC TO A HUNDRED PERCENT MASTERY OR ADVANCE DEDICATED TO SERVICE AND CITIZENSHIP.
MS. ROY IS A LONG TIME VOLUNTEER WITH GIRL SCOUTS OF LOUISIANA EAST TOO.
AND, UM, SHE LEADS TO TROOPS AS A LIFELONG GIRL SCOUT.
SHE STRIVES THROUGH TEACHING TO BE THE PERSON OF COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, AND CHARACTER WHO MAKES THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.
WE WANTED TO PUT SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL IN HERE, SO I'M GONNA TRY TO READ IT.
UM, SO TO MS. ROY ONE TREE CAN START A FOREST.
ONCE SMILE CAN BEGIN A FRIENDSHIP.
ONE CANDLE CAN WIPE OUT DARKNESS.
ONE HOPE CAN RAISE OUR SPIRITS.
ONE LIFE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
NOW THAT WE, ROY, YOU ARE THE ONE ACTING ON VERBA.
CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING 2021 OVERALL LOUISIANA STATE TEACHER OF THE YEAR.
THAT MAKES ME SOUND SO WONDERFUL.
UM, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO THANK A FEW PEOPLE, UM, BEFORE I GO ON MY WAY.
UM, THANKS TO MR.
UM, EVERYTHING I DO IS FOR THEM.
I WANT TO GIVE THEM THE BEST EXPERIENCE THEY CAN POSSIBLY HAVE.
UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK MY PRINCIPAL, AARON HOWARD.
UM, I WISH, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE Y'ALL SOME ADVICE YOU NEED TO HIRE ONE LIKE HER FOR EVERY SCHOOL IN BATON ROUGE, EVERYONE, SHE SAYS YES TO STUDENT ENGAGEMENT ALL THE TIME.
AND SHE HAS SUPPORTED ME IN WHAT MAY SEEM LIKE SOME CRAZY IDEAS, BUT REALLY DO GET
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OUR KIDS ENGAGED.AND I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THINK, UM, THE FOUNDATION FOR EBR SCHOOLS, EXCELLENT MOBILE.
THEY HAVE ALL GIVEN GRANT MONEY TO OUR PROGRAM TO BRING STEM TO STUDENTS THAT MIGHT NEVER HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND FOR THAT, I'M VERY THANKFUL.
THE LARGE SUPERINTENDENT PEOPLE SAY TEACHING IS A PROFESSION.
IT IS A PROFESSION, BUT IT'S A COMMON.
AND I CAN SEE IN YOU THAT CALLING AND ALL THAT YOU DO FOR YOUR STUDENTS.
NEXT ON OUR LIST IS THE RECOGNITION OF THE VIPS PARTNERS IN EDUCATION FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER ATMOS, ENERGY, GREETINGS EVERYONE, HIGH SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, UM, VICE PRESIDENT HOWARD, HOW ARE YOU SOME FAMILIAR FACES PRESIDENT GO DAY, UM, MR. NICK CASE.
UM, I'M HERE WITH, UH, VOLUNTEERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I'M THE VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS, DIRECTOR, KAIA SIMMONS.
UM, AND WE'RE HERE TO RECOGNIZE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH ATMOS ENERGY.
THIS IS MRS. JENNIFER REESE, AND SHE IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE BATON ROUGE, UH, ATMOS ENERGY HERE LOCALLY.
UM, WE ARE JUST THRILLED TO HAVE BEEN INVITED HERE TO, UM, PRESENT.
WE FEEL THAT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE COMMUNITY TO BE AWARE OF AN ORGANIZATION SUCH AS VIPS, THAT BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY TO ALLOW THEM TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
A LOT OF TIMES THAT WE FOUND THAT, UM, INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEERS, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY ENTITIES, WHETHER IT BE BUSINESSES OR ORGANIZATIONS WANT TO SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION, BUT JUST DON'T KNOW HOW, AND FOR US TO BE IN A POSITION TO BE ABLE TO FACILITATE THAT AND FILL THE NEED AND RESOURCES FOR A PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS JUST AN HONOR.
UM, AND I'VE ALSO BEEN AFFORDED THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING WONDERFUL PEOPLE, SUCH AS MS. REESE HERE.
UH, WE BEGAN SPEAKING IN MARCH THIS YEAR ABOUT A POSSIBLE PARTNERSHIP AS WELL AS INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR HER EMPLOYEES AT ATMOS.
UM, AND LITERALLY ABOUT A WEEK AFTER OUR INITIAL CONVERSATION COVID-19 HAPPENS AND, UH, PRESENTED SOME CHALLENGES, UM, AND THE STAY AT HOME ORDER.
AND SHE WAS THE FIRST ORGANIZATION TO CONTACT US AND STILL SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS IT WE CAN DO? WE KNOW THIS IS HAPPENING, JUST KEEP US INFORMED.
UM, WITH THAT CONVERSATION, UM, WE WERE ABLE TO PARTNER WITH CHILD NUTRITION AND PROVIDE VOLUNTEER ASSISTANCE AND SERVICES TO THE GRAB AND GO FOOD DISTRIBUTION SITES.
SO WITH THAT OPPORTUNITY, WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, UM, SEND OUT ABOUT 50 VOLUNTEERS PER WEEK TO ALL OF THE VARIOUS FOOD DISTRIBUTION SITES AND ATMOS ENERGY WAS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE ACTIVE ORGANIZATIONS AND CONSISTENT AND COMMITTED TO GOING OUT EACH WEEK TO THE FEW DISTRIBUTION SITES.
AND AS YOU CAN SEE WITH SOME OF THE PHOTOS ON THE SLIDE TO ASSIST WITH MAKING SURE THAT OUR, OUR FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY WERE PROVIDED THE NUTRITION THAT THEY NEEDED.
UM, AND SO WE JUST APPRECIATE HER SO MUCH FOR BEING SO COMMITTED.
THIS IS A TESTAMENT OF THE RESILIENCE OF NOT ONLY OUR ORGANIZATION, BUT THE COMMITMENT AND THE LEVEL OF DEDICATION AND ENTHUSIASM OF PARTNERS SUCH AS ATMOS AND AS WELL AS OUR INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEERS.
UM, THEY EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO BE TRAINED AS VIRTUAL TUTORS FOR OUR EVERY ONE COUNTS PROGRAM.
WE HAVE TWO PROGRAMS. ONE IS FOR READING AND MATH AND WHEN, WHEN IT'S FOR MATH AND FOR OUR MATH PROGRAM, HER EMPLOYEES ACTUALLY PARTICIPATED IN OUR PILOT PROGRAM TO BECOME VIRTUAL TUTORS, WHICH WILL OFFICIALLY LAUNCH IN OCTOBER.
SO WE ARE GLAD TO HAVE THEM AS PART OF OUR VIRTUAL VOLUNTEERS FOR THE TUTORING PROGRAM THAT WE'LL BE LAUNCHING IN OCTOBER.
SO I'LL GIVE MS. REESE A FEW MOMENTS TO SAY SOME WORDS AND JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
AND IT'S BEEN A JOY TO WORK WITH YOU THUS FAR.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE KIND WORDS, KAIA.
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SO I WANTED TO SHARE JUST BRIEFLY.IT'LL BE TWO YEARS IN, UH, THIS CHRISTMAS.
AND WHEN I MOVED HERE, UM, THE, I QUICKLY LEARNED THAT IT'S ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS.
AND WHEN YOU GET HERE, PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW HOW DO YOU GET CONNECTED INTO THE COMMUNITY AND TO ORGANIZATIONS.
AND I HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY, UM, IN JANUARY, I WAS AT A NETWORKING COFFEE AND DR.
ROBIN MERRICK WITH SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY WAS THERE AND I HAD THE CHANCE TO SHARE ATLASES, UH, CAMPAIGN ON FEELING SAFE AND THRIVING COMMUNITIES.
AND IT'S WHERE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS DON'T GO HUNGRY.
AND SO WE WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FOOD INSECURITIES AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR KIDS' BELLIES ARE FULL SO THAT THEY CAN GO AND LEARN.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE WANT TO, UH, HAVE OUR STUDENTS READING AT GRADE LEVEL BY GRADE THREE.
AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY BEEN OUR FOCUS, UM, AT ATMOS ENERGY ACROSS OUR ENTERPRISE.
AND SO I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THAT AT THAT NETWORKING LUNCH, AND ROBIN CAME UP TO ME AND SHE SAID, I HAVE THE PERFECT ORGANIZATION FOR YOU.
AND IT'S THE VETS ORGANIZATION.
AND LIKE KAIA SAID, SO THAT WAS JANUARY.
I WENT TO A PARTNERS IN EDUCATION MEETING IN FEBRUARY, AND WE STARTED EMAILING IN MARCH TO SEE HOW WE COULD GET CONNECTED UP.
AND LIKE HAYA SAID, WE HAD NO IDEA THAT IT WOULD BE THE EXTENT THAT IT WAS.
AND SO I WANTED TO SHARE JUST A BRIEF STORY ON THE, THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION.
AND, UH, SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE HANDING OUT FOOD AND IT'S, IT'S, UH, JUST A PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT FOR THESE FAMILIES COMING IN.
BUT THERE WERE A FEW CARS THAT CAME IN THAT ASKED FOR 16, 18, 20 BOXES IN IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT TOOK A LITTLE BIT OF TIME GETTING IT IN THERE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE CHATTING WITH HER, LIKE, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH SO MANY BOXES? AND THESE LADIES WERE SCHOOL DRIVERS AND THEY WERE GOING AROUND ON THEIR ROUTES BECAUSE THEY KNEW THOSE FAMILIES COULDN'T COME PICK THEM UP.
AND SO THEY TOOK THE TIME TO TAKE ALL OF THOSE BOXES, DRIVE THEIR ROUTES AND HAND THEM OUT.
AND SO AS MUCH AS I THOUGHT THAT I WAS CONTRIBUTING, THESE LADIES WERE DOING SO MUCH MORE AND, UH, JUST, JUST A BLESSING, UM, WITH THAT.
AND THEN FAST FORWARD TO THE SUMMER WITH THE MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES, WE HAVE ENGINEERS ACROSS THE STATE AND, UH, THE, THE VIRTUAL WAS ACTUALLY A BLESSING FOR US BECAUSE WE'VE GOT SOME FOLKS THAT MAYBE CAN'T DEDICATE THE TIME PARTICULARLY TO COME TO BATON ROUGE, BUT THEY CAN DO IT FROM THEIR DESK.
AND SO WHILE IT WAS SOMETHING NEW AND THIS SEASON HAS BEEN NEW FOR ALL OF US, THAT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO PLUG MORE VOLUNTEERS INTO THE SYSTEM.
AND SO WE APPRECIATE THIS HONOR, AND WE DO LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH VIPS, UM, IN THE COMING SEASON.
SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT, KYLE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR CITY AND TO OUR SCHOOLS AND TO OUR CHILDREN.
[E1. Monthly Financial Report]
THING.THE AGENDA WE HAVE ITEM E ONE, THEY MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT.
THIS IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM ANY OF THE BOARD MEMBERS SEEING NONE? WE'LL GO TO
[E2. Personnel Changes Receive As Information]
ITEM E PERSONNEL CHANGES AGAIN, THIS IS INFORMATION ONLY ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS SEEING NONE.[F1. Update from Superintendent]
WILL GO TO ITEM F ONE UPDATE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT.UNFORTUNATELY, SUPERINTENDENT BROWN IS UNDER THE WEATHER, UH, TONIGHT.
AND SO SHE WILL NOT BE HERE IN ATTENDANCE, BUT IN HER PLACE, WE HAVE THE HONORABLE MR. BEN, NICK CASE.
AND AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF MS. BROWN TONIGHT, I'D LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT SHE SENDS HER REGARDS.
UH, FIRST WE WOULD LIKE TO DO A QUICK UPDATE ABOUT THE TREMENDOUS WORK THAT OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS HAVE DONE TO PREPARE FOR OUR STUDENTS TO RETURN IN THE HYBRID INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL.
UH, STARTING THIS MONDAY, WE BEGAN TO HAVE STUDENTS RETURNED THAT OPTED INTO THE HYBRID MODEL AND, UH, MANY STAFF AND, UH, SUPERINTENDENT BROWN AND OTHERS.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUT TO SCHOOLS AND REALLY SEE THAT FIRST DAY BACK.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU REALLY THINK IT'S BEEN SIX MONTHS SINCE WE'VE REALLY HAD STUDENTS START SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, GET OFF THE BUS AND REALLY HAVE THAT SCHOOL DAY EXPERIENCE.
AND SO IT WAS A REALLY A SPECIAL DAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO SEE AT ALL THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, JUST WONDERFUL PRACTICES, UH, TEACHERS AND STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS
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REALLY PREPARED WELL, UH, STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY WERE BUS RIDERS OR COMING IN WITH PARENTS, UH, YOU KNOW, SPACING WAS APPROPRIATE.UH, STUDENTS WERE WELL ORGANIZED AND THEY BEGIN TO LEARN NOT ONLY THOSE OPENING SCHOOL, UH, PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES, BUT ALSO IN A COVEN ENVIRONMENT, THOSE NEW PROCEDURES AND PROTOCOLS THAT ARE IN PLACE.
SO AGAIN, WE JUST WANT TO DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THOSE ELEMENTARY TEAMS WHO ARE LEADING THE EFFORT INTO THE RETURN TO SCHOOL AND WHAT WE SAW WAS AMAZING.
SO AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE TEAMS. ALSO, WE WOULD LIKE TO ALSO CONGRATULATE THE SECONDARY TEAMS AS WE'VE HAD OUR SELF CONTAINED DSS STUDENTS RETURNED TODAY WAS THEIR FIRST DAY BACK.
AND AGAIN, THE SAME THING WE SAW TREMENDOUS EFFORTS TO PREPARE FOR THOSE STUDENTS RETURNING, UH, THE DEPARTMENTS DID A GREAT JOB LOGISTICALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENED EFFECTIVELY.
UM, AND AGAIN, WE WELCOME STUDENTS BACK WITH OPEN ARMS, UH, OF COURSE, DISTANCED, AND AGAIN, JUST A REALLY GREAT TO SEE STUDENTS RETURNING TO CAMPUS.
UM, AS WE CONTINUE, WE STILL HAVE STUDENTS OPTING INTO THE VIRTUAL MODEL.
WE HAVE ABOUT 14,000 STUDENTS WHO HAVE CHOSEN THAT.
AND AGAIN, CONTINUING TO SUPPORT PARENTS AND GUARDIANS AS THEY MAKE THE DECISIONS OF WHAT'S BEST FOR THEIR STUDENTS.
UM, SO MOVING INTO THIS AGAIN, A REMINDER TO EVERYONE THAT ELEMENTARY WILL CONTINUE IN THE HYBRID PHASE AND THAT OUR TARGET DATE TO REVIEW FACE TO FACE RETURN WOULD BE OCTOBER 5TH.
OUR SECONDARY STUDENTS WILL BE RETURNING TO HYBRID, WHICH IS TWO DAYS IN PERSON AND THREE DAYS VIRTUAL ON SEPTEMBER 28TH.
AND OUR TARGET DAY TO REVIEW FOR THAT RETURN FACE TO FACE FOR SECONDARY WOULD BE OCTOBER 19TH.
UH, AND AGAIN, OUR SECONDARY ESS STUDENTS RETURNED TODAY.
IN ADDITION, UH, THIS WEEK WE'VE IMPLEMENTED A FACILITY WALKTHROUGH FORM THAT WAS DIGITAL THAT OUR DEPARTMENT, UH, TEAMS AND THEIR PERSONNEL, ALONG WITH THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND PRINCIPALS AND SCHOOL LEVEL STAFF CAN USE TO EVALUATE AND JUST PROVIDE ANOTHER SPOT, CHECK ON BUILDING CLEANLINESS AND READINESS.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE COLLECTING THAT DATA EACH DAY.
AND AS WE SEE, IF ANY, IF THERE'S ANY ISSUES WE'RE QUICKLY ABLE TO REACT TO THAT AND SUPPORT SCHOOLS THAT MAY HAVE AN ISSUE, OR THEY MAY NEED ADDITIONAL ITEMS OR CLEANING AGAIN, WHERE, UH, WE HAVEN'T SEEN A LOT OF THAT, BUT WE'RE CONTINUING TO ADDRESS THAT EVERY TIME THAT SOMETHING COMES IN.
AND FINALLY, WE'D LIKE TO ALSO REMIND EVERYONE ABOUT OUR MAGNET PROGRAMS, VIRTUAL SHOWCASE THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WE'LL PRESENT A VIRTUAL MAGNET SCHOOL SHOWCASE SEPTEMBER 28TH THROUGH OCTOBER 2ND, TO LAUNCH THIS MAGNET APPLICATION PERIOD FOR THE 2021, 2022 SCHOOL YEAR.
EACH MAGNET SCHOOL WILL VIRTUALLY HOST A COMBINATION OF EITHER ALIVE OR PRERECORDED OVERVIEW OF THEIR PROGRAM, A PANEL DISCUSSION FOR STAKEHOLDERS AT THE SCHOOL, AND THEN VIDEOS FEATURING INTERVIEWS WITH PARENTS, SCHOOLS OF SCHOOL LEADERS.
AND IF YOU SELECT SCHOOLS, WE'LL ALSO HOST A MOBILE MEET AND GREET WITH DRIVE-THROUGHS FOR PARENTS WHO CAN OBTAIN PACKETS, WHICH WILL INCLUDE BROCHURES AND MATERIALS HIGHLIGHTING THE MAGNET PROGRAM.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VISIT EBR MAGNET.WORK, YOU CAN CLICK ON THE FEATURED PROGRAM TAB TO COMPLETE A VIRTUAL SHOWCASE SCHEDULE AND TO SEE ALL OF THE EVENTS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE.
AND AGAIN, THIS CONCLUDES OUR SUPERINTENDENTS UPDATES FOR THIS EVENT OR THIS EVENING.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR. GAUDETTE.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, MR. HOWARD? THANK YOU, MR.
I HEARD YOU SAY THAT, THAT WE ARE STILL ENROLLING STUDENTS INTO THE VIRTUAL MODEL.
A PARENTS CHOOSE TO MOST OF THE COMMUNICATION THAT I'VE SEEN HAS A CUTOFF DATE OF SEPTEMBER THE EIGHTH.
IS THAT OPTION STILL AVAILABLE FOR PARENTS, OR IS THAT WHAT WHAT'S THE CORRECT MESSAGE TO PARENTS? YES, SIR.
WE MADE A BIG PUSH TO TRY TO GET AS MANY STUDENTS ENROLLED BY THE EIGHTH SO THAT WE COULD GIVE SCHOOLS TIME TO PREPARE FOR HYBRID, BUT WE ALSO REALIZED THIS IS JUST A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT.
WE STILL HAVE PARENTS WHO ROLL IN AND WE'RE HONORING THAT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE'S PARENTS OUT THERE WHO ARE STILL ON THE FENCE, WE'RE MAKING THAT DECISION.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THEM FLEXIBILITIES.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS SEEING NONE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. NICK HAYES.
[G1. Board Appointees]
NEXT WE GO TO THE BOARD APPOINTEES REPORTS FROM BOARD APPOINTEES TO COMMITTEES AND AGENCIES.ANY COMMENTS MS. WHERE JACKSON THAT'S.
ON NEXT TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 22ND IS NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE DAY.
AND SO THE FUTURE FUNDS PROJECT HAS RECEIVED A GRANT FOR TEACHING TOLERANCE.
AND SO THEIR GOAL IS TO REGISTER AS MANY STUDENTS AS POSSIBLE TO VOTE.
[00:35:01]
A ZOOM SITUATION WITH COVID EXPERIENCE GOING ON.SO IF STUDENTS ARE INTERESTED IN REGISTERING TO VOTE, I'M GOING TO SEND THE INFORMATION OVER TO OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT, JUST SO IT IS AVAILABLE.
YOU HAVE A SIMPLE LOGIN, YOU LOG INTO THE ZOOM AND THEY'LL HELP YOU GET TO VOTE NO VOTER REGISTRATION DAY, WHICH IS NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT, SEPTEMBER 22ND.
I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A REPORT ON SOME ACTIVITIES THAT OUR BOARD IS PARTICIPATING IN, UH, THIS FALL, UH, THAT CAME OUT OF OUR RESOLUTION ON, UM, RACE AND EDUCATION, WHICH WE PASSED, UH, THIS SUMMER.
UM, OUR BOARD IS PARTICIPATING IN A SERIES OF EVENTS THAT ARE CONNECTED TO OUR RESOLUTION.
UM, THE ORGANIZATIONS DIALOGUE ON RACE, LOUISIANA, HUMANITIES, AMPED AND SERVE LOUISIANA ARE PARTNERING TO SPONSOR A SERIES OF EVENTS FOCUSED ON UNDERSTANDING AND DISMANTLING INSTITUTIONAL RACISM AND EDUCATION IN GENERAL.
AND THEN EBR SPECIFICALLY, UM, DIALOGUE ON RACE.
LOUISIANA IS ENGAGING LEADERS AND POLICY MAKERS THROUGH, UM, PRESCHOOL THROUGH GRADUATE SCHOOL LEADERS, INCLUDING LEADERS FROM SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY, BRCC, LSU AND OTHER POLICY-MAKING GROUPS, SUCH AS OUR, UM, CHARTER SCHOOL BOARDS IN EBR AND THE DR.
NOW THESE GROUPS WILL BEGIN AT NEXT WEEK AT 5:00 PM ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST WITH THE FIRST SET OF OF SERIES.
THE SECOND GROUP WILL BE AT 8:00 AM ON WEDNESDAYS STARTING SEPTEMBER 23RD AND THE THIRD AT NOON ON STARTING ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH, AND RUN THROUGH OCTOBER 30TH, DIALOGUE ON RACE FACILITATORS FROM HUMANITIES AMPED, AND, UH, POSSIBLY SERVE LOUISIANA WILL FACILITATE THESE GROUPS.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE HAD A PRESENTATION THAT WAS BASICALLY A GENERAL PRESENTATION ABOUT WHAT WOULD BE TAKING PLACE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.
AND IT CONSISTED OF THESE PARTICULAR GROUPS OF, OF EDUCATORS LEADERS IN EDUCATION.
AND I REALLY WANT TO EXTEND A THANK YOU TO OUR BOARD MEMBERS, UH, WHO PARTICIPATED BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A SIGNIFICANT EVENT.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WE'LL SEE THE, UM, THE BENEFITS OF THESE CONVERSATIONS FOR A VERY LONG TIME TO COME.
SO FROM OUR BOARD, WE HAD PARTICIPATION FROM OUR SUPERINTENDENT OR MRS. BROWN, UM, OUR BOARD PRESIDENT, UM, MR. GOLDADE, OUR VICE PRESIDENT, MR. HOWARD, UH, MRS. BERNARD, UM, MS. COLLINS, UM, AND, UM, MR. LANCE.
SO I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU ALL.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD GIVE HIM A HAND.
IT WAS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR PARTICIPATING IN THAT.
AND AFTER THE SERIES IS COMPLETED, THE SIX WEEKS SERIES, WE WILL CONTINUE WITH, UM, THESE ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH WILL WORK WITH EBR SCHOOLS AND THE, UH, HIGHER ED ORGANIZATIONS TO DESIGN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR PRINCIPALS, SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAMS AND CLASSROOM EDUCATORS GO THROUGH THESE THOUGH, THE DETAILS ARE NOT FINISHED OR NOT FLESHED OUT YET.
WE WILL LIKELY EMERGE FROM THE SIX WEEKS SERIES AND A DAY OF DIALOGUE EVENTS.
EBRS COMMITMENT IS A CRUCIAL COMPONENT IN DISMANTLING RACISM IN EDUCATION AND SERVES AS A MODEL TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
THE DAY OF DIALOGUE WILL HAPPEN ON NOVEMBER SIX, AND WE'LL BRING YOU MORE INFORMATION AS THAT DATE ARRIVED.
THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS WHERE JACKSON, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS SEEING NONE? WE'LL
[H1. Pupil Progression Plan-BASIS Baton Rouge]
GO TO ITEM H ONE PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN BASIS, BATON ROUGE, CONSIDERATION OF REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE BASIS.BATON ROUGE, PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN FOR THE 2020, 20, 21 SCHOOL YEAR.
DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY MR. BALLOU? DO I HAVE A SECOND BY MS. WARE? JACKSON? THANK YOU.
UM, ANY BOARD MEMBERS WISH TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME? OH, I'M SORRY.
I WAS THINKING AHEAD, UH, AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE FOR, UH, TO ALLOW BASIS TO GIVE A SHORT PRESENTATION
[00:40:01]
ON WHAT THE PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN IS AND HOW DOES IT WORK INTO THEIR PROGRAM? YOU NEED PRESIDENT GO DAY VICE PRESIDENT HOWARD BOARD MEMBERS.I'M DEANNA ROWE, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR BASIS BATON ROUGE WITH ME TODAY.
I HAVE ERIN KENDALL, WHO IS OUR CEO OF BASIS, ED, OUR MANAGEMENT COMPANY, PATRICK TASH, WHO IS THE CEO FOR BASIS, ED LEE REED, WHO IS OUR LEGAL COUNSEL.
AND OF COURSE, I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THAT ROBERTO IS WITH US TODAY.
AND I KNOW YOU ALL KNOW ROBERTO, AS ROBERTA REPORTED TO YOU, UM, AT YOUR LAST MEETING BASIS IS NOW IN ITS THIRD YEAR OF OPERATION SERVING ALMOST 700 STUDENTS IN GRADES K THROUGH SIX, AS YOU'VE SEEN IN THE DATA THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED, HALF OF OUR STUDENTS ARE MINORITY STUDENTS AND OVER 35% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE CONSIDERED ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.
WE ARE AWARE THAT THE DEMOGRAPHICS DO NOT REFLECT THAT OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT RATHER MORE CLOSELY RESEMBLE THE DIVERSITY OF THE CITY OF BATON ROUGE AS A WHOLE.
WE THINK THIS IS IN PART BECAUSE OVER HALF OF OUR FAMILIES IN OUR INITIAL AND CONTINUING ENROLLMENT TEND TO BE FROM FAMILIES THAT WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE ENROLLED IN PAROCHIAL OR PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT OUR LOCATION FACTORS IN TO THE FAMILIES THAT WE ATTRACT, I'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU FOR JUST A MINUTE.
WHY DID BASIS SELECTED ITS CURRENT LOCATION IN INDIA? IN DISTRICT SIX? WHEN WE BEGAN OUR EXPLORATION OF OPENING A CHARTER SCHOOL IN BATON ROUGE, WE MET WITH THIS FORMER SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF AND THEY PROVIDED US SOME BACKGROUND ON THE SCENARIO OF WHAT CHARTER SCHOOLS WHO CHARTER SCHOOLS WERE CURRENTLY SERVING.
AND WE WERE PROVIDED SOME VERY CLEAR DIRECTION THAT THERE WERE MEMBERS OF THIS BOARD WHO FELT LIKE THE NORTH BATON ROUGE AREA WAS SATURATED.
AND THAT RATHER WE MIGHT CONSIDER LOOKING TOWARD DISTRICT SIX WHERE THE DISTRICT THERE WAS DEMAND FOR A NEW SCHOOL, BUT THE DISTRICT HAD NO PLANS TO OPEN A NEW SCHOOL.
THEY'RE A CORPORATE PARTNERSHIP WITH WOMAN'S HOSPITAL WHO PROVIDED US THE LAND FOR OUR SCHOOL, SEALED THE DEAL ON OUR LOCATION, GIVEN THE CURRENT DEMAND AND OUR DESIRE TO SERVE ADDITIONAL STUDENTS ACROSS THE, THE PARISH AND TO BE MORE LOCAL, MORE CENTRALLY LOCATED, WE APPROACHED YOU AND PRESENTED OUR APPLICATION FOR MID CITY.
WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO COMPLETING THE DEAL ON OUR FLORIDA SITE AND WE'LL BEGIN OUR MARKETING AND OUR OPEN ENROLLMENT PROCESS NEXT MONTH, WHILE I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE YOU SOME HISTORY ON, ON OUR TIME HERE IN BATON ROUGE AND ADDITIONALLY, OUR, UM, OUR GROWTH PLAN.
THAT'S NOT WHY WE'RE HERE TONIGHT.
IT'S NOT ON THE AGENDA TO DISCUSS OUR DEMOGRAPHICS OR OUR NEW SITE, BUT RATHER TO TALK ABOUT OUR SCHOOL SPECIFIC PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN, WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS OUR EDUCATION MODEL AND TO COLLABORATE WITH YOU AS OUR AUTHORIZER AND THE DISTRICT STAFF.
BUT WE DO WANT TO MENTION THAT THE CURRENT PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN PROCESS, CAUSE THIS HAS BEEN JUST CONCERN TO APPEAR BEFORE THIS BOARD EACH YEAR, SEEKING APPROVAL DISRUPTS OUR ABILITY TO FULLY COMMIT TO THE BASIS EDUCATION PLAN WE PROMISED TO IMPLEMENT IN THE CHARTER AND OUR APPLICATION.
WE WANT TO TAKE SOME TIME TO TALK TO YOU THOUGH ABOUT OUR PLAN.
WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU UNDERSTAND OUR PROGRAM, SOME OF THE SPECIFICS IN THE PLAN AND WHY AND HOW THEY DIVERGE FROM THE DISTRICT PLAN.
AND TO DO THAT, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO ERIN AND PETRA TO PROVIDE YOU SOME MORE DETAILS.
UH, AND THANK YOU MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
WE, UM, UH, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS YOU TONIGHT.
WE KNOW YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN.
UH, SO WE APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THAT, UH, TONIGHT, UM, KNOWING SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP EARLIER, WE FELT THAT IT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL CONTEXT ABOUT THE BASIS CURRICULUM, UH, AND OUR PROGRAM.
WE THINK THAT'LL HELP TO ANSWER A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS.
SO THE PRESENTATION WE HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT IS DESIGNED TO, TO EXPLAIN A FEW THINGS AND WE THINK IT WILL ANSWER MOST OF THE QUESTIONS, BUT OF COURSE WE HAVE A, WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE THEM.
AFTER WE GO THROUGH THIS, UM, UH, AS DEANNA SAID, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, UM, UH, THAT THIS
[00:45:01]
PLAN IS ALIGNED TO THE CHARTER APPLICATION EDUCATION PROGRAM.THAT'S WITHIN THAT, UH, THAT THIS BOARD APPROVED MORE IMPORTANTLY, UH, IT IS DESIGNED TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND GIVE THEM THE GREATEST CHANCE OF SUCCESS AND A VERY RIGOROUS PROGRAM, REALLY AN EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY THEY TAKE WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO ENROLL IN A BASIS PROGRAM.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DATA DO INCLUDE NAMING AROUND OUR STUDENT ATTRITION RETENTION AND OUR ACADEMIC RESULTS, UH, AS WELL.
UH, AND I JUST REALIZED THAT I CAN'T SEE THE PRESENTATION, SO, UH, WHEN IT'S I CAN PULL IT.
UH, I THINK I'LL ALSO GRAB MY TABLET JUST SO I CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE STUFF.
AND THEN PETRA IS GOING TO HELP ME AS WELL AS WE GO THROUGH THIS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO TEAM UP ON IT SLIGHTLY.
SO THE SECOND, THE SECOND SLIDE.
SO, UM, FIRST WE WANT TO START OFF WITH, UM, THERE'S JUST A FEW BASIC, UM, THINGS YOU KNOW ABOUT THE BASIS APPROACH THAT WE THINK ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
FIRST OF ALL, WE WANT TO ELEVATE EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL STUDENTS.
WE ONLY HAVE ONE VERY SPECIFIC SCOPE AND SEQUENCE, AND IT'S SET TO THE HIGHEST INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC STANDARDS.
AND WE WANT TO PROVIDE THIS TYPE OF EDUCATION FOR ANYBODY, ANY STUDENT WHO WANTS THAT.
AND LASTLY, WE WORK REALLY HARD WITH THE STUDENTS, UH, TO SUPPORT THEM.
UH, SO ONCE THEY CHOOSE TO, TO ENROLL IN A BASIS CHARTER SCHOOL, WE'RE GOING TO WORK REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE REALLY SUCCESSFUL IN THIS VERY ADVANCED, UH, PROGRAM.
SECONDLY, THERE'S A FEW THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CURRICULUM.
UM, IT'S VERY ADVANCED FOR SURE.
UH, IT STARTS WITH A VERY STRONG FOUNDATION IN THE PRIMARY GRADES, UM, ONE OR MORE GRADE LEVELS ABOVE STATE STANDARDS, AND THEN IT ACCELERATES VERY QUICKLY FROM THERE.
SO THE DISTANCE FROM STATE STANDARDS, FROM WHERE WE TEACH GROWS AND GROWS AS STUDENTS WORK THROUGH THE PROGRAM.
AND SO GRADUATES ARE NOT ONLY COLLEGE READY, BUT ARE REALLY COMPETITIVE, UH, INTERNATIONALLY.
UH, AND AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, AGAIN, ONE SCOPE AND SEQUENCE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THEY ACHIEVE CERTAIN LEVEL OF MASTERY IN CONTENT AND SKILLS BEFORE THEY MOVE ON TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF RIGOR, NOT JUST SO THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT SO THAT, UM, UH, WELL, SO THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT ALSO BECAUSE WE FEEL IF WE DON'T HELP THEM TO DO THAT, THAT WE'RE ALMOST SETTING THEM UP FOR FAILURE.
UM, AND THEN WE DO A LOT OF, UH, STUDENT SUPPORT.
UM, AND, AND, AND BECAUSE WE KNOW THIS IS CHALLENGING AND MASTERY IS IMPORTANT AS YOU MOVE THROUGH IT, UH, WE'RE VERY COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THEY'RE GETTING LOTS OF SUPPORT IN THAT.
AND, AND PETRO IS GOING UNPACK THAT A LITTLE BIT FOR YOU.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING US ABOUT THIS.
I WANTED TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MULTILEVEL TEACHER SUPPORT THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE.
SO IN PRIMARY GRADES IN PARTICULAR, UH, TEACHERS, TEACHERS ARE LEARNING EXPERT TEACHERS.
SO THEY'RE PEDAGOGY EXPERTS, AS WELL AS THE STUDENTS HAVE MULTIPLE SUBJECT EXPERT TEACHERS THAT TEACH THEM EVERY DAY.
SO THAT'S ONE OF A PART OF OUR APPROACH.
WE ALSO HAVE A SPIRAL CURRICULUM, SO WE'RE GOING TO BUILD TO CONTENT THAT IS MORE AND MORE COMPLEX IN THE SAME SUBJECTS.
FOR INSTANCE, SIXTH GRADE PHYSICS, SEVENTH GRADE PHYSICS, EIGHTH GRADE PHYSICS.
WE REVISIT THE SAME CONCEPTS AND MAKE THEM MORE COMPLEX, BRING THE MORE COMPLEX MATH WITH IT.
UM, FINALLY STUDENTS ARE TAUGHT ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS BECAUSE WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT THAT'S NECESSARY FOR THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
THEY NEED TO HAVE THESE AND THESE STRONG IN THE MIDDLE GRADES SO THAT THEY CAN TACKLE ALL THE TALENTING SUBJECTS.
AND WE ALSO TEACH THEM TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES IN THEIR LEARNING.
SO WE REALLY WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO ASK FOR HELP WHEN THEY NEED IT, AND THE PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE.
AND WE USE MULTIPLE ASSESSMENTS TO MONITOR THEIR PROGRESS, INCLUDING THE ONES THAT WE'RE DESCRIBING, THE PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN, THE PRE COMPREHENSIVE EXAMS, THE COMPREHENSIVE EXAMS, AS WELL AS NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL BENCHMARK TESTS.
AND FINALLY, WE REALLY WANT TO PROVIDE EXTRA SUPPORT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
THAT'S BOTH IN TERMS OF INTERVENTIONS FOR THE STUDENTS AND PRIMARY GRADES, WHERE THE LEARNING EXPERT TEACHERS WORKS INDIVIDUALLY OR IN SMALL GROUPS WITH THE STUDENTS, AS WELL AS AN AMPLE STUDENT HOURS BEFORE AND AFTERSCHOOL THAT THE TEACHERS RESERVE AND PROVIDE FOR THE KIDS.
I'VE SEEN HEROIC EFFORTS FROM TEACHERS.
THEY NEVER GIVE UP ON ANY STUDENTS.
THEY REALLY WANT EVERY STUDENT TO BE COMFORTABLE IN MASTERING THE SUBJECTS.
SO IF, AND WHEN THEY GO OFF TO COLLEGE, THEY ARE ABLE TO FEEL COMFORTABLE AND ABLE TO THRIVE IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.
AND THEN THEY CAN MEET EVERY TIME AND THEY LOVE LEARNING.
UM, AND SO NOW ON THE READINESS TESTING, WE'RE STARTING TO GAIN A LITTLE BIT OF, UH, THE PPP HERE.
UM, AND THIS IS BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT AS WE START TO SERVE
[00:50:01]
THE HIGHER GRADES.UH, WE STARTED WITH K FOUR, WE'RE NOW STARTING TO WE'RE SERVING SIXTH GRADERS AS WELL.
AND SO PART OF OUR PROGRESSION PLAN IS A READINESS TESTS, UM, TO MAKE SURE AS STUDENTS COME IN TO OUR PROGRAM, THAT THEY'RE READY FOR THIS CHALLENGE, THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE STUDENTS WHO DIDN'T HAVE THE BENEFIT OF OUR PRIMARY GRADES AND THAT'S PRIMARY WHERE PRIMARILY WHERE WE USED THIS, UM, ASSESSMENT.
UM, AND IT HELPS US TO IDENTIFY STUDENTS WHO MAY NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS CHALLENGE, UH, AND IN PARTICULAR HELP STAFF AND PARENTS AND THE STUDENT KNOW WHERE ADDITIONAL, UH, CONCENTRATED HELP MAY BE NEEDED.
UH, NOW SOMETIMES IT DOES MAKE SENSE TO MOVE A STUDENT TO A LOWER GRADE, TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL, BUT THAT'S ALWAYS DONE IN CONSULTATION WITH PARENTS.
SO IT'S NOT A WAY OF COUNSELING, UH, STUDENTS OUT.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT STUDENT SUPPORT IN OUR SCHOOLS, THINK ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF THAT ARE ALWAYS DEDICATED TO FOLLOWING UP WITH STUDENTS, TO WORKING WITH PARENTS, OUR KIDS COME IN TO THE OFFICE AND TALK WEEKLY ABOUT HOW THEIR GRADES ARE, HOW THEY'RE DOING, WHAT WAY NEED SUPPORT WITH.
SO THESE ARE THE WAYS IN WHICH WE SUPPORT THEM AND THAT'S REFLECTED IN THIS PART OF OUR PLAN.
AND THEN FINALLY THE, THE, THE, THE PPP ITSELF.
AND WHY IS IT SORT OF DIFFERENT FROM EBRS? UM, AGAIN, IT'S ALIGNED TO EVERYTHING, UH, THAT WE JUST SPOKE ABOUT, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT'S DESIGNED TO REALLY SUPPORT THE STUDENTS IN THIS REALLY CHALLENGING JOURNEY THAT THEY TAKE WITH US.
SO AGAIN, THE CONTENT MASTERY REQUIREMENTS AND THE COMPREHENSIVE EXAMS, THEY HELP TO ENSURE STUDENTS ARE READY FOR THE NEXT LEVEL OF RIGOR.
BUT AGAIN, WE SUPPORT STUDENTS ALONG THE WAY.
IT'S NOT LIKE A GOTCHA TEST AT THE END OF THE YEAR TO SEE IF THEY GET TO ADVANCE THE NEXT GRADE, WE DO PROGRESS MONITORING, INCLUDING PRE COMPREHENSIVE EXAMS THAT ARE, ARE SORT OF A DRESS REHEARSAL FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE EXAM, BUT ALSO ALLOW US TO IDENTIFY ANY TARGETED AREAS.
THEY'RE GONNA NEED SOME EXTRA HELP WITH, UH, TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH IT.
UH, AND ALSO FOR THE STUDENTS WHO DON'T PASS THE COMPREHENSIVE EXAM, UH, THEY HAVE GIVEN THEY'RE GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK ON THE AREAS OF DEFICIENCY AND THEN RETAKE THE EXAM AS WELL, UH, TO PREPARE TO GO ON.
SO AGAIN, BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF THAT STRONG SUPPORT, THE PROGRESS MONITORING, ALL WE DO TO HELP STUDENTS, THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT DON'T PROGRESS IS ACTUALLY VERY LOW.
AND THIS IS WHAT THIS DATA IS STARTING TO TALK ABOUT.
UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, IN OUR FIRST YEAR, GOING FROM OUR FIRST YEAR TO OUR SECOND YEAR, UH, IN MAY OF THAT YEAR, WE REPORTED 12 STUDENTS, UH, WHO DIDN'T MEET, UH, OR WHO WERE GOING TO BE RETAINED, BUT THREE OF THEM WORKED ON THEIR TARGETED AREAS OVER THE SUMMER AND WERE ABLE TO, UH, MAKE ENOUGH PROGRESS THAT THEY WERE PROMOTED.
SO THE NUMBER THAT WE'RE RETAINING ARE NINE, SO THAT REPRESENTS 2.3% OF OUR, OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION.
NOW THERE'S IMPORTANT UNDERSTAND OF THE NINE OF THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE RETAINED, NOT ALL OF THEM ARE RETAINED FOR, UM, ACADEMIC REASONS, SOMETIMES PARENTS AND THE SCHOOL AGAIN IN CONSULTATION, UH, UH, THINK THAT THE STUDENT'S NOT READY TO GO ON TO, TO THE NEXT LEVEL.
I'LL USUALLY SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL TYPE OF ISSUES.
THIS ISN'T ANY IN KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE IN THE YOUNG GRADES.
SO OF THOSE NINE, UH, ONE OF THEM WAS FOR NONACADEMIC REASONS.
THEY EIGHT FOR ACADEMIC, BUT, UM, OF THE NINE, SIX RETURN.
SO, UH, OF THE, OF THE STUDENTS HAVE RETAINED.
SIX OF THEM CAME BACK TO BASIS.
AND THE FOLLOWING YEAR, YOU CAN SEE THAT, UM, UH, IT WAS 21 STUDENTS WHO WERE ORIGINALLY RECOMMENDED FOR RETENTION, BUT SIX WERE ABLE TO MAKE ENOUGH PROGRESS.
SO ULTIMATELY IT WAS 15 STUDENTS WHO WERE RETAINED 2.6% OF OUR STUDENT POPULATION, UH, EIGHT OF THEM FOR NON ACADEMIC REASONS, AGAIN, UH, A SCHOOL AND PARENTS AGREED WITH THAT SEVEN FOR ACADEMIC REASONS, BUT ALL 15 RETURNED TO THE SCHOOL.
SO AGAIN, VERY FEW STUDENTS DON'T MAKE IT THROUGH.
DO YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT? OKAY.
AND THEN FINALLY, UH, I'M GOING TO END WITH THIS.
AND THEN PETRA IS GOING TO GO OVER SOME OF OUR ACADEMIC RESULTS.
UM, BUT OUR STUDENT ATTRITION RATES, UM, UH, HERE, OUR ATTRITION RATES.
SO WHAT WE'RE SHOWING YOU HERE IS OUR ATTRITION DURING YEAR ONE.
AND THEN FROM THE YEAR, END OF YEAR ONE TO THE BEGINNING OF YEAR TWO, THEN AGAIN DURING YEAR TWO, AND THEN FROM THE END OF YEAR TWO TO THE BEGINNING OF YEAR THREE.
SO YOU CAN SEE THE HIGHEST ATTRITION RATES KIND OF HAPPENED OVER THE SUMMER IN BETWEEN THE SCHOOL YEAR, WHICH MAKES SENSE.
UH, FROM YEAR ONE OR YEAR TWO, I WAS 11%.
UM, AND, AND IN THE FOLLOWING COLLINS, WE'RE SHOWING HERE IS EITHER WHY THEY LEFT OR WHERE THEY WENT TO.
SO YOU CAN SEE 5.3% OF THOSE STUDENTS.
AND FROM YEAR ONE OR YEAR TWO MOVED, THEY LEFT BECAUSE THEY MOVED OUT OF THE AREA.
UM, 3.3% OF THOSE RETURNED TO A DISTRICT SCHOOL THAT WOULD ALSO INCLUDE CHARTER SCHOOLS AS WELL.
UM, 1.3 WENT BACK TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL, ANOTHER 1%, UM, CHOSE HOMESCHOOLING, UH, FROM YEAR TO TWO YEAR THREE, YOU CAN SEE THAT NUMBER DROPPED ONLY 8.3%, UM, ATTRITION THAT YEAR ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER OF STUDENTS MOVED FOR THE SAME REASON, BUT THE NUMBER WHO TRANSFERRED FROM A DISTRICT OR TO A PRIVATE
[00:55:01]
SCHOOL, UM, WENT DOWN.SO I'LL STOP THERE AND THEN LET PETRA TALK ABOUT OUR RESULTS.
SO IN THIS NEXT SLIDE, YOU ACTUALLY SEE THE RESULTS FROM THE 1819 SCHOOL YEAR ON LEAP TESTING.
AND THAT'S THE PERCENT PASSING.
THE SECOND ONE IS MATH THREE AND SO FORTH.
AND THE VERTICAL BAR ON EACH PART OF THE PLOT IS THE STATE AVERAGE FOR THOSE.
UM, WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS 53% OF THE STUDENTS DEMONSTRATED MASTERY ABOVE, UM, ON THE STATE TESTING.
AND THIS IS 18% HIGHER THAN THE STATE AVERAGE.
UM, THE DATA ARE PRESENTED BASED ON PASSING, BUT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE MASTERY PORTIONS.
SO 69% DEMONSTRATED MASTERY IN ENGLISH, 65 DEMONSTRATED MASTERY IN MATH AND AMONG ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS.
UH, THEY OUTPERFORM THEIR PEERS IN THE STATE BY 15% AND THE STATE AVERAGE BY 6%, UM, MINORITY STUDENTS ALSO, UH, OUTPERFORM THEIR PEERS IN THE STATE BY 22%, WHICH IS 11% HIGHER THAN THE STATE AVERAGE FOR STUDENTS.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ALSO OUTPERFORMED THEIR PEERS BY STATE BY 5% ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
SINCE WE TALK ABOUT INTERNATIONAL BENCHMARKS, I WANTED TO SHOW YOU A TEST CALLED THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS TAKEN BY THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS.
AND IT MEASURES ENGLISH, MATH, AND WRITING BOTH EXPOSITORY AND NARRATIVE.
AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE HERE IS OUR STUDENT'S GOING FROM GRADE THREE TO GRADE FOUR IN EACH OF THE AREAS AND GRADE FOUR TO GRADE FIVE, THE GREEN BARS SHOW YOU THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH THAT THEY POSTED ON THOSE TESTS.
SO WE REALLY BELIEVE IN LOOKING AT INTERNATIONALLY BENCHMARK TEST AS WELL TO SEE HOW OUR STUDENTS ARE PERFORMING ON THAT INTERNATIONALLY COMPETITIVE LEVEL AND THE BASIS BATON ROUGE STUDENTS HAVE DONE FANTASTICALLY IN THEIR FIRST YEAR.
FINALLY, I THINK THE PROFILE OF A BASIS GRADUATE IS WORTH TALKING ABOUT IN 2019.
THIS CHARTER SCHOOL SERVED APPROXIMATELY 1900 AND 19,500 STUDENTS IN GRADES K THROUGH 12 IN THREE STATES.
PLUS THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UH, THEY'RE CONSISTENTLY RANKED AS THE NUMBER, UH, THE TOP HIGH SCHOOLS IN NATIONWIDE RANKINGS BY US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT, AS WELL AS BY THE FORMERLY KNOWN WASHINGTON POST CHALLENGE INDEX, UH, GRADUATES TOOK AN AVERAGE OF 11.9 AP EXAMS PER STUDENT, AND 35% WERE NATIONAL AP SCHOLARS.
SO IN TERMS OF REFERENCE AND BENCHMARKING, YOU CAN TELL THESE OTHER TYPES OF PERFORMANCES THEY HAVE ON AP TESTS.
AND YOU HAVE THE PROFILE OF A STUDENT AS A GRADUATE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN, WHICH INCLUDES $114,164.
AS THEY'RE PREPARING TO GO TO COLLEGE, I'VE PUT A FEW OTHER STATS HERE FOR YOU, INCLUDING THEIR SAT SCORES, AS WELL AS THEIR PERFORMANCE ON THE INTERNATIONAL OECD TESTS FOR SCHOOLS, WHICH IS COMPARABLE TO THE ICF, BUT AS ADMINISTERED TO 15 AND 16 YEAR OLDS AND THE STUDENTS, IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS SLIDE, GREAT, IT'S NOT CUT OFF A 58.5% OF THEM SCORE IN THE HIGHEST PROFICIENCY LEVELS IN MATH VERSUS 5.9% IN THE U S 31.9% IN READING VERSUS 9.6% IN THE U S AND 34% IN SCIENCE VERSUS 8.5% IN THE U S.
SO I THOUGHT, I'D SHARE THIS WITH YOU BECAUSE THIS IS ESSENTIAL.
THESE RESULTS ARE ESSENTIAL TO THE CORE OF OUR PROGRAM AND OUR PHILOSOPHY.
THE REASON WE'RE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THESE RESULTS IS BECAUSE WE REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW TO INSPIRE OLD FASHION, UM, BUILD A CURRICULUM, AND TO ENSURE THAT THE STUDENTS ARE REALLY ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON THIS PATH.
AND I'LL JUST ADD, THIS IS WHY THE PROGRESSION PLAN IS SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT SERVING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, YET, WE WANT TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHERE WE THINK WE CAN GET THESE GRADUATES TO, IF WE CAN, UM, SUPPORT THEM ALONG THE WAY, THIS VERY CHALLENGING WAY, MAKE SURE THEY HAVE MASTERY ALL ALONG.
AND THAT'S WHY OUR PROGRESSION PLAN IS DESIGNED, UH, THE WAY IT IS.
UH, SO, UH, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE THAT WANT TO TALK, I GUESS WE'LL TAKE QUESTIONS FIRST.
WELL, FIRST WE'LL GO TO, UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
AND WE'LL ASK THE BOARD MEMBERS IF THEY HAVE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AND THEY CAN EITHER BE DIRECTED TO YOU OR HAVE QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS.
SO, UM, WITH ANYONE ON THE BOARD, MS. COLLINS, WHAT'S THE CONFLICT, WHAT'S THE COMPETENCY LEVELS OF YOUR TEACHERS.
OUR TEACHERS ARE SUBJECT EXPERTS IN THE AREAS THAT THEY TEACH.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE, UH, MA MAJORED OR MINORED IN THE SUBJECTS THAT THEY TEACH.
SO PHYSICS TEACHER FOR INSTANCE, HAS AT LEAST 24 HOUR CREDIT HOURS IN COLLEGE AND PHYSICS, ARE THEY SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ONLY IN PHYSICS OR ENGLISH, BUT
[01:00:01]
NOT IN THEIR ABILITY TO APPROPRIATELY GRADE STUDENTS.OUR TEACHERS RECEIVE TRAINING AND SUMMER INSTITUTES BEFORE EACH SCHOOL YEAR, WHICH INCLUDES TRAINING ON HOW DO WE MET, ADMINISTER AN ASSESSMENT? HOW DO WE GRADE THE ASSESSMENT? WHAT TYPES OF ASSESSMENTS DO WE NEED TO DESIGN THAT ARE APPROPRIATE TO MEASURE THE CONTENT KNOWLEDGE OF OUR STUDENTS? SO WE DO THIS EVERY SUMMER AND WE, EVERY TIME THAT A NEW TEACHER COMES INTO A BASIS CHARTER SCHOOL, THEY GET TRAINED ON THIS BEFORE THIS.
SO THEN MY QUESTION IS MY ROOT QUESTION IS THIS, HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW THE ADDITIONAL TESTS AT THE END OF THE YEAR COMPLIES WITH THE BESSIE REQUIREMENT THAT TEACHERS DECIDE TO PROMOTE THEIR STUDENTS, BECAUSE YOU ADD IN THIS EXTRA TEST, REGARDLESS OF F LITTLE JOHNNY OR SCHIPHOL, OR BETTY SUE MADE AN A OR B OR D OR F.
AND SO I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE GAP IS.
IF THE TEACHERS ARE GETTING IT ALL ARE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, THAT MEANS THAT THEY COMPREHEND VERY WELL, WHETHER OR NOT THE STUDENTS ARE GETTING THE MATERIAL.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, Y'ALL ARE DOING EXCELLENT DUE DILIGENCE ON MAKING SURE THAT THE TEACHERS UNDERSTAND APPROPRIATE GRADING.
THEN I HAVE NO CHOICE, BUT TO BE SUSPICIOUS OF ADDITIONAL TESTING.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE THE PROGRAM IS ALL ABOUT TELLING THE STUDENTS THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARD THESE GOALS, AND THIS IS HOW WE'LL MEASURE THE GOALS TOGETHER.
THOSE TESTS ARE DESIGNED BY TEACHERS.
THEY COLLABORATE AND WRITE ITEMS AND THEY BECOME PART OF A BANK.
SO IT'S TEACHERS INFORMATION THAT IS BUILT INTO TWO PARTS, A COMMON PORTION, WHICH IS ADMINISTERED ACROSS THE ENTIRE NETWORK OF BASIS CHARTER SCHOOLS, AND HELPS US KNOW HOW THE STUDENTS FAIR ACROSS THE REGIONS, AS WELL AS A NATIVE PORTION TO THE EXAM, WHICH IS BY THE TEACHER AT THE LOCAL SCHOOL.
SO IT'S TO ASSESS IN A CUMULATIVE FASHION THINGS THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE MASTERED BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR TO ENSURE THAT YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL THE FOLLOWING YEAR, BECAUSE THE CURRICULUM WILL GET MORE RIGOROUS.
AND BECAUSE WE WANT YOU, FOR INSTANCE, IN PHYSICS SIX, TO HAVE A BASE KNOWLEDGE OF PROFICIENCY THAT WILL ALLOW YOU JUST TO REALLY THRIVE IN PHYSICS SEVEN.
SO I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THE STUDENT, THE TEACHERS HAVE, UH, BEEN TRAINED TO GRADE WELL AND HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO DELIVER THE CONTENT AND ASSESS STUDENTS.
BUT PART OF A PROGRAM IS TELLING THE STUDENTS THIS HIGH STAKES TEST IS AT THE END BECAUSE WE WANT YOU TO REALLY TAKE SERIOUSLY THE EDUCATION YOU GOT THROUGH THE YEAR, BUT DON'T WORRY.
WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU THIS.
WE'LL GIVE YOU A DRY RUN, A DRESS REHEARSAL IN JANUARY, FEBRUARY TO SEE HOW YOU'RE DOING SO WE CAN HELP YOU AS YOU CLOSE THE GAP.
IT HELPS THE CONVERSATION WITH THE STUDENTS TO BE ABLE TO SAY, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT HOW YOU'RE DOING ON THESE SUBJECTS.
LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO PREPARE YOU FOR THIS.
AND I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE ONE POINT THAT THE PETRA JUST MAY AND GOES DIRECTLY TO YOUR QUESTION, WHICH IS SO THAT THE TEACHERS PLAY A VERY SUBSTANTIAL ROLE IN THOSE ASSESSMENTS, RIGHT? IT ISN'T LIKE A TOP DOWN THING THAT COMES FROM BASIS OR SOME OTHER OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION.
IT'S ACTUALLY THE TEACHERS WHO ARE DESIGNING THE TESTS SO THAT THEY MAKE SURE THEY'RE BEING ASSESSED ON THE RIGHT THINGS.
THEY ARE PLAYING A BIG ROLE IN THIS.
SO THE TEACHERS ARE HELPING WITH THE ASSESSMENT, BUT THE PASS OR FAIL IS BASED ON THIS INTERNAL DOCUMENT, NOT A NORM REFERENCED A NATIONALLY NORM REFERENCED TEST.
SO THE CHILD CAN POTENTIALLY PERFORM WELL THE WHOLE YEAR, TAKE THIS TEST.
AND THEN BETTY SUE MAY HAVE TO STAY BEHIND.
IT'S VERY UNLIKELY THAT BETTY SUE WILL DO PERFECTLY WELL ALL YEAR AND THEN NOT PERFORM WELL ON THIS TEST.
I AGREE, WHICH IS WHY I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE GRADES WOULD NOT ALREADY REFLECT BETTY SUE, NOT PERFORMING WELL BEFORE SHE GOT TO THE TEST, I WILL STATE REGS REFLECT THAT WE BELIEVE OUR TEACHERS ARE PROFESSIONALS AND COMPETENT ENOUGH TO HELP, TO, TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT OUR CHILDREN SHOULD GO ON TO THE NEXT GRADE.
UM, ALSO WANNA POINT OUT AND I WISH I HAD PULLED THE NUMBERS I DID NOT, BUT I WOULD ALSO, BEFORE I, A YEAR BACK, THE COMMENT WAS
[01:05:01]
MADE EARLIER THAT THE INTENTION OF BASIS, UH, COMING IN WAS TO ATTRACT STUDENTS FROM PRIVATE PAROCHIAL.UM, BUT YOU DO ALSO PULL A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF FROM OUR, UH, TRADITIONAL AND MAGNET SCHOOLS, UH, FROM EBR PARIS SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND I DIDN'T, I FELT THAT WAS A VERY IMPORTANT POINT TO RAISE BECAUSE, UH, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD GO OVERLOOKED, ESPECIALLY FOR IT WAS BEING PROPOSED AS SOMETHING, UM, UNIQUELY DIFFERENT.
AND I HATE TO SEE A FAMILY, UH, LEAVE WOODLAWN.
FOR EXAMPLE, I'M GONNA JUST USE AN EXAMPLE THAT I'M AWARE OF LEAVE WITH LAWN, UH, COME TO BASIS.
AND PERHAPS IN THEIR PARTICULAR SITUATION OR REASON IT DOESN'T WORK OUT IS BECAUSE, OH, UM, SKIP HAS TO STAY BEHIND A GRADE.
NOT BECAUSE HE DIDN'T PERFORM WELL DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, BUT BECAUSE THIS, THIS TEST THAT IS NOT KNOWING REFERENCED SAID HE WASN'T READY.
I, I AGREE THAT YOUR TEACHERS PROBABLY ARE EXTREMELY COMPETENT, UH, AS, AS, AS ALL OUR TEACHERS ARE.
AND, UM, I CAN'T, I CAN'T GET BEHIND.
DO YOU MIND IF I ADDRESS THE COMMENT ABOUT SKIP AND HIS PLACEMENT, IF HE CHOOSES TO RETURN TO WOODLAWN? SO WHEN WE PROVIDE THE STUDENTS WITH A GRADE REPORT AT THE END OF THE YEAR AND THE PARENTS, WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S AT THE DISCRETION OF A SCHOOL THAT IS RECEIVING THEM TO MAKE THE DETERMINATION FOR THE GREAT PLACEMENT.
SO OURS IS OUR REFLECTION OF OUR CURRICULUM, RIGHT? IT'S IN A BASIS CURRICULUM.
THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MASTER THE SUBJECT.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO RETURN TO A SCHOOL, THEN IT IS IN THE DISCRETION OF THAT SCHOOL TO MAKE THE SAME DECISIONS.
I WANT TO ADD TO THAT AS WELL, THAT, UM, ON THE NORM REFERENCE ISSUE, DOES IT PIGGYBACK ON WHAT PETRA IS SAYING IS, UM, AS YOU, AS YOU PROGRESS THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, WE NEED, WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO DO IS TO MAKE SURE THESE STUDENTS ARE READY FOR THAT NEXT LEVEL OF RIGOR.
SO WE USE A NORM REFERENCE TEST THAT WON'T NECESSARILY TELL US THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A TEST THAT TELLS US, ARE THEY READY FOR THAT NEXT LEVEL OF RIGOR? NOW, IT'S NOT THAT WE DON'T BELIEVE IN NORM REFERENCE TEST.
WE TAKE THE LEAP AND WE USE IT INTERNATIONALLY NOR IN REFERENCE TO US.
AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT BENCHMARK FOR US TO LOOK AT, BUT IN TERMS OF DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT THE STUDENT IS READY FOR THE NEXT LEVEL OF RIGOR, WE HAVE TO HAVE AN INTERNAL ASSESSMENT DESIGNED BY TEACHERS TO MAKE SURE THESE STUDENTS ARE READY AND WE'RE VERY COMMITTED TO HELPING THEM.
I WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU JUST TO, TO, TO, TO LOOK AGAIN AT THE DATA AND SEE JUST HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE INDEED SUCCESSFUL WITH US.
THERE'S ONLY A VERY FEW THAT AREN'T IN THE MAJORITY.
I ENDED UP STAYING AND REPEATING THE GRADE AND SAYING WITH US SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
SO, UM, AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S OUR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING THE STUDENT, UH, AND WE JUST REALLY BELIEVE STRONGLY THAT IF WE DON'T SURE THAT THEY'RE READY FOR THAT NEXT LEVEL, THAT ESSENTIALLY, AGAIN, IT'S ALMOST UNETHICAL, LIKE WE'RE SAYING THEM UP FOR FAILURE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE USE A TEST THAT LETS US KNOW, DO WE THINK THEY'RE READY? AND IF NOT, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THEM AND GET THEM READY? AND TO THE PREVIOUS POINT I GET THAT THEY CAN COME BACK TO THE DISTRICT AT THE GRADE THAT THAT FAMILY FEELS COMFORTABLE WITH.
IT GOES TO THE POINT OF, IT APPEARS TO BE A WAY OF COUNSELING PEOPLE OUT.
IT HAS THAT EFFECT HAS THAT EFFECT IS YOUR INTERNAL DOCUMENT THAT YOU HAVE CONTROL OF BASED ON WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE AT THAT MOMENT.
THE IMPORTANCE OF A NORM REFERENCE TEST IS TO HAVE A BASELINE TO REFER TO WHERE PEOPLE CAN TELL WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S ANY FUNNY BUSINESS GOING ON.
UM, WHEN Y'ALL CAME HERE FROM THE BEGINNING, THINGS WERE QUESTIONABLE.
Y'ALL WANTED US TO PUT STUFF IN THE CONTRACT TO ENSURE THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING WITH EQUITY THREATENED TO NOT EVEN CALL ME IF YOU COULDN'T GET IT.
SO THE DISTRUST BEGAN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
AND SO WHEN I SEE SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S SCREENING AND COUNSELING, THAT THAT CAN BE USED AS A TOOL FOR COUNSELING STUDENTS OUT, I HAVE NO CHOICE, BUT TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE WITH IT.
AND I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THE DATA, THE DATA SUGGESTS THAT'S NOT HAPPENING AND THAT THE KIDS ARE GETTING VERY
[01:10:01]
SUCCESSFUL WITH US.I HAVE NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU, MR. VICE PRESIDENT HOWARD.
UM, I HAVE, UH, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, MY FIRST QUESTION IS, UM, DO YOU GUYS BELIEVE THAT THE ONLY WAY TO EFFECTIVELY DELIVER THE BASIS MODEL WITHIN THE EASTBOUND YEARS PRIOR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS TO HAVE A SEPARATE PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN? WE BELIEVE THE ONLY WAY TO IMPLEMENT THE BASIS MODEL IS JUST BY HAVING A PROGRESSION PLAN THAT'S ALIGNED WITH THAT AND SUPPORTS THE STUDENTS AND THAT DOESN'T, ISN'T UNIQUE TO EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH IT'S IT'S, IT APPLIES TO ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
SO, BUT THE ANSWER, THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS YES.
SO MY CONCERN IS THAT IF, IF TO ME, THIS IS A MATERIAL SHIFTS AND EFFECTIVELY DELIVERING THE BASIS MODEL WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
MY CONCERN IS THAT IF THIS WAS SUCH A MATERIAL SHIFT, WHY IS THIS THE BEGINNING OF OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLACES WITHIN THE DISTRICT AND MISSILE CONSTANTLY, YOU MAY HAVE TO COME UP HERE AND HELP ME WITH THIS CONVERSATION.
CAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WAS SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE PROGRESSION COULD LOOK LIKE WITHIN THE DISTRICT WHEN BASIS IS COMING, BUT YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN HERE AND YOU ARE EFFECTIVELY, UM, IN YOUR WORDS, BASED ON YOUR DATA, DELIVERING A MODEL WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM WITHOUT A SEPARATE PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN.
SO I JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE URGENCY AT THIS MOMENT TO HAVE A SEPARATE PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN, BECAUSE I DON'T SEE THE NEED FOR IT.
THERE ARE RIGOROUS SCHOOLS WITHIN OUR DISTRICT THAT ARE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY DELIVER A MODEL OF RIGOR AND STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT SET OUT FOR IT ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL.
I, MYSELF WAS A STUDENT IN NINTH GRADE HERE IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH AND THE MAGNET PROGRAM.
AFTER THE FIRST SEMESTER, I FOUND MYSELF ON ACADEMIC PROBATION BECAUSE I WASN'T READY FOR THE RIGOR RELATED TO A MAGNET PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE COUNSELING AND THE RESOURCES THAT WERE AVAILABLE WITH THEIR SCHOOL.
I WAS ABLE TO GET MYSELF ON LEVEL IN ORDER TO STAY AT THAT SCHOOL.
SO IF YOU ARE SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERING A MODEL ALREADY WITHOUT A SEPARATE PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN, I DON'T SEE THE POINT OF HAVING POLICY IN PLACE THAT CAN POTENTIALLY DO WHAT MY COLLEAGUES SAID AND COUNSEL STUDENTS OUT WHEN YOU CAN DELIVER THE MODEL WITHOUT THE NEED FOR SEPARATE PEOPLE, PROGRESSIVE PLANS.
SO IF YOU CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT, UM, I COULD POTENTIALLY BE IN A BETTER PLACE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT RIGHT NOW I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING SOME OF IT HAS TO DO WITH THE GRADE LEVELS WE'RE SERVING.
SO WE STARTED IN FOURTH GRADE AND IN THE PRIMARY GRADES, UM, THE PROGRESSION IS NOT SO MUCH TIED TO A TEST AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, BUT HOW THEY'RE PERFORMING ON THE CONTENT, RIGHT.
BUT WE ARE NOW STARTING INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADES WHERE THAT IS PART OF THE PROGRESSION PLAN.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY IT'S MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN IT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY.
UM, AS FAR AS THE, UM, I FORGET HOW YOU PHRASE IT, THE FACT THAT THIS IS COMING OUT NOW AND IT WASN'T TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.
I, I DO THINK, I THINK IT'S A FAIR POINT.
YOU'RE MAKING, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S BEEN SOME SORT OF MISUNDERSTANDING OR MISCOMMUNICATION ALONG THE WAY IN OUR CHARTER APPLICATION.
IT DOES TALK ABOUT THIS NOW AND IN OUR CONTRACT WITH DVR, IT DOES SAY SPECIFICALLY THAT WE CAN HAVE A DIFFERENT SCHOOL SPECIFIC PLAN.
IT SAYS THAT, SO THAT'S BEEN CONTEMPLATED NOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DIALOGUE ABOUT THAT AND I THINK THAT'S MAYBE A FAIR POINT, BUT IT IS IN THE CHARTER APPLICATION AND IN OUR CONTRACT.
AND NOW BECAUSE WE'RE MOVING UP IN THE GRADES IS BECOMING MORE IMPORTANT.
AND YOU'D LIKE TO ADD TO THAT.
SO, SO WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THIS WAS A RATHER NEW TOPIC FOR THE BOARD, UM, AT THEIR COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, THIS ISN'T IN FACT, A NEW TOPIC FOR US IN WORKING WITH, WITH DISTRICT STAFF.
I THINK ANDREA WOULD SUPPORT THAT, THAT WE APPROACHED THE DISTRICT A YEAR AGO TO START TALKING ABOUT THE NEED FOR A PLAN THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT WITH THE ADDITION OF THE SIXTH GRADE.
AND THAT AS EARLY AS FEBRUARY, THIS YEAR, WE STARTED HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF ABOUT WHAT THAT PLAN WOULD LOOK LIKE AND HOW TO GO ABOUT DEVISING THAT PLAN, BECAUSE IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO THE OPERATION AS WE WERE SERVING SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS THIS YEAR, UH, MISSILE CONSTANTLY CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, HAVE WE MADE SIGNIFICANT AMENDMENTS TO OUR OWN PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN SO THAT OUR CHARTERS WHO NEED SEPARATE, UM, REQUIREMENTS CAN FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE OPERATING WITHIN OUR OWN PEOPLE? PROGRESSION PLAN IS THAT'S A YES OR NO QUESTION.
[01:15:01]
ARE A COUPLE OF INSTANCES.AND THE PLAN THAT YOU GUYS WILL SEE LATER ON TONIGHT, OR THAT YOU'VE APPROVED PREVIOUSLY, OR THERE'S SOME SENTENCES IN THERE THAT SAY DISTRICT AUTHORIZED CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE AUTONOMY IN THIS AREA TO MS. ROSE POINT THAT CAME ABOUT BY THEM JOINING OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND POINTING OUT AREAS WHERE, UM, OUR COURSE TITLES, OR ARE THERE ARE PROCESSES OR PROCEDURES IN THE WAY WE DO CERTAIN THINGS DIDN'T NECESSARILY FIT THEIR MODELS ON A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT PLACES.
THAT SENTENCE YOU'LL FIND IT IN THE DOCUMENT.
WELL, I'M JUST, I'M SPEAKING FOR ME.
I DON'T THINK THAT US NOT NECESSARILY MANDATE NOR ALLOWING THEM TO OPERATE UNDER OUR PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN IS A MICROMANAGEMENT OR TAKES AWAY FROM THE AUTONOMY THAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THE BASIS MODEL.
AS I SAID, THE LAST TIME, I BELIEVE THAT BASIS HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DELIVER HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION TO AN ARRAY OF STUDENTS.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT IT'S SEPARATE PEOPLE, PROGRESSION PLAN, LIMITS, ACCESS TO THIS HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION.
AND SO PEOPLE CAN FEEL HOW THEY WANT TO FEEL ABOUT THAT, NOT BEING THE CASE, BUT HISTORICALLY YOU SEE WHEN THERE IS PLACEMENTS EXAMS, THAT'S TIED TO PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN.
THERE WERE A GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO ARE HISTORICALLY CONTINUOUSLY LEFT OUT.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT IS YOUR INTENTIONS, BUT SYSTEMIC RACISM AND SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION OCCURRED.
WHY POLICIES WERE PUT INTO PLACE THAT DID NOT HAVE THE ATTEMPT TO DO THE THINGS THAT THEY DO.
SO I BELIEVE THAT A SEPARATE PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN WOULD LIMIT ACCESS TO THIS HIGH QUALITY SCHOOL.
AND SO I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF IT, UM, A VOTE, HOW YOU WANT.
I KNOW THAT PEOPLE WERE SAYING THAT IT'S NOT OUR DUTY TO, TO MAKE THIS DECISION I'M OKAY WITH GOING TO THE AG TO GIVE THEM A SEPARATE OPINION ABOUT THIS DECISION, BUT I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING A SEPARATE PEOPLE WHO GRESHAM PLAN FOR THIS THINGS.
I THINK IT LAYS A PRECEDENT FOR EVERY OTHER CHARTER TO COME IN HERE AND TRY TO GET THEIR OWN SEPARATE PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN.
AND I JUST DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S FAIR, UM, IN, IN THIS MOMENT.
I THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING SOME OF MY QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT THIS WEEK.
UM, BUT THAT'S JUST WHERE I AM.
I JUST WANT TO SAY IT, ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WITH QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS MR. LANDIS, LET'S CALL IT.
I CANNOT GET TO THE REQUEST TO SPEAK.
CAN YOU PLEASE KEEP ME ALL RIGHT.
UM, THERE WAS SOME, UH, BACKGROUND, UH, EMAILS AND, UH, POINTS OF INFORMATION THAT WAS SHARED WITH BOARD MEMBERS, UH, PRIOR TO THE MEETING, UM, THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS.
UM, MY COLLEAGUE JUST MENTIONED, UH, THE IDEA OF AN AG OPINION CAME UP IN SOME OF THOSE COMMUNICATIONS, UH, BECAUSE THERE IS SOME CONCERN THAT MAYBE THE BOARD DOESN'T EVEN NEED TO VOTE ON THIS.
UM, AND, AND THAT YOU HAVE AUTHORITY TO DO IT ON YOUR OWN.
AND, AND, AND THAT'S SUCH A, THAT HAS SUCH HUGE IMPLICATIONS AGAIN, AS MY COLLEAGUES JUST MEANT.
COLLEAGUE JUST MENTIONED, UH, IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN, UM, I HATE FOR PARENTS TO HAVE TO NAVIGATE, UH, DIFFERENT PER PUPIL PROGRESSION PLANS AT DIFFERENT CHARTER SCHOOLS.
UH, BUT SINCE IT DOES HAVE SUCH HUGE POLICY IMPLICATIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST GO AHEAD AND GET AN INDEPENDENT, LEGAL OPINION, UH, GET AN AIG OPINION ABOUT THE MATTER BASED ON A STATE STATUTE AND BESSIE POLICY.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER A SUBSTITUTE MOTION, UH, TO THAT REGARD, UH, I'M MOTION TO POSTPONE UNTIL THE RECEIPT OF AN ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION REGARDING WHETHER EIGHT CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD IS A CITY OR PARISH SCHOOL BOARD UNDER THE DEFINITION OF STATE LAW FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADOPTION OF A PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN, BECAUSE IT, IT, UH, THAT'S MY MO THAT'S MY SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
AND I OFFERED THAT BECAUSE, UH, IN ORDER FOR YOU TO DO YOUR OWN PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN, YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED AN LEE LEA BY YOURSELF.
AND SO, UM, IF I CAN GET A SECOND ON THE SUB MOTION MOTION BY MS. COLLINS SECONDED BY VICE PRESIDENT HOWARD, MADAM SECRETARY, DO YOU NEED TO HAVE THAT RE-READ TO YOU OR RESTATE IT TO YOU? MOTION TO POSTPONE UNTIL THE RECEIPT OF AN ATTORNEY, GENERAL OPINION WHO HAD GARDEN GUARDIAN, A CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD AS A CITY OR PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, THAT THE DEFINITION OF STATE LAW FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADOPTION OF A PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN.
AND THEN THAT WAY, YOU KNOW, IF, IF Y'ALL DO HAVE THAT AUTHORITY, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MS. COLLINS SAYING SHE DON'T TRUST YOU.
BOARD MEMBER COLLINS MAY ASK THAT YOU ALSO ADD TO YOUR MOTION, THE AUTHORIZATION OF OUR GENERAL COUNSEL TO SEEK SUCH AN OPINION.
[01:20:02]
AND BY THIS MOTION WE AUTHORIZE THE GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE SCHOOLS TO SEE IT.SO THEY SET THE CHEAT MOTION IS NOW ON THE FLOOR COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
YEAH, SO I HAVE SOME COMMENTS FOR BASIS FIRST AND FOREMOST.
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
BOARD MEMBERS, UH, PRESIDENT GO TO ANY VICE PRESIDENT HOWARD FOR LEADING THE MEETING.
UM, MY QUESTION WOULD BE FIRST FOR THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
UH, FIRST I'M GOING TO SAY I'M GOING TO VOTE NO FOR THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
I'LL TELL YOU WHY, BECAUSE IF THE FEELING IS THAT THE ENTIRE PRO THE P THE ENTIRE PPP MODEL OR PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN IS GOING TO STAGGER STUDENTS.
AND THAT WE SAY THAT WE ALLOW THIS NOW IS GOING TO GET PRESIDENTS FOR EVERY CHARTER SCHOOL TO COME IN.
EVEN IF WE GET THE OPINION, HOW DOES THAT, HOW DOES THAT FEELING CHANGE? HOW DOES THAT RULE AND POLICY CHANGE HOW A LOT OF OUR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FEEL ABOUT IT? I THINK THAT IF WE'RE, IF THE IDEA IS THAT IT'S GOING TO STAGGER STUDENTS, HINDERS STUDENTS FROM REACHING THE NEXT LEVEL, I THINK THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON IT TONIGHT.
UM, AND, UH, I WON'T SPEAK OR ASK THE QUESTIONS TOWARDS YOU ALL RIGHT NOW, CAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'RE SPEAKING TOWARDS A SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
UM, BUT THAT'S JUST MY OPINION ON IT.
I WOULD MUCH RATHER VOTE ON THIS TONIGHT IF WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON IT, BUT TO JUST SEEK AN OPINION AND ENDED UP PEEING COMES BACK AND THEN WE STILL VOTE THE SAME WAY.
I JUST DON'T SEE THE POINT OF IT WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN.
THANK YOU, MR. BALLOU, HANG IN THAT ACTUAL, THIS PROBABLY IS, IS KIND OF BUILDING ON WHAT, UH, MR. LANDIS IS POINT.
I BELIEVE THE, THE QUESTION IS NOT CLEAR IS, IS WHETHER, UH, THEY'RE REQUIRED TO GET OUR APPROVAL, TO HAVE THE SEPARATE PLAN, UM, BEYOND JUST OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE IT COMPLIES WITH STATE LAW.
WHAT MY QUESTION IS, AND PROBABLY MISS
I MEAN, WE'VE WORKED WITH THE TEAM PRIOR TO THIS, AND, UM, THERE WERE SOME EARLIER DRAFTS THAT DID NOT COME TO YOU GUYS BECAUSE WE TALKED ABOUT UNPACKING BETHY STANDARDS.
UH, JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW WHEN YOU SUBMIT A PLAN TO THE DEPARTMENT, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BOARD PRESIDENT WILL SIGN AN ASSURANCE PAGE.
THAT ASSURANCE SAYS THAT YOU ASSURE THAT THIS IS THE PLAN THAT STUDENTS WILL FOLLOW, BUT IT ALSO SAYS THAT YOU UNDERSTAND, EVEN IF THERE IS SOME LANGUAGE IN THERE THAT'S MISUNDERSTOOD OR SNUCK IN OR MISINTERPRETED, NOT THAT THAT'S THE CASE HERE, BUT IF THAT WOULD HAPPEN, OUR STATE POLICY, WHAT HAPPENED THAT YOUR LOCAL DOCUMENT CAN NOT SUPERSEDE STATE POLICY.
SO, SO IT'S VERY CLEAR WHEN YOU SUBMIT SOMETHING TO THE STATE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND, EVEN IF THERE'S SOMETHING IN THERE, IT CAN'T SUPERSEDE STATE POLICY.
AND SO YOU HAVE TO REVERT BACK TO STATE.
THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTION PERFECTLY.
THANK YOU, UH, MR. BERNARD THIS YEAR.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF MR. SHAMBLIN IS ON THE CALL AND IF HE COULD ANSWER A QUESTION FOR ME, UM, WHEN CAN WE EXPECT AN AG OPINION? IS HE ON THE CALL? YES.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? I CAN HEAR YOU.
SO HOW QUICKLY CAN WE EXPECT AN AG OPINION SINCE THE MOTION AUTHORIZES YOU TO GO AHEAD AND REQUEST THAT OPINION? AND IT'S VERY SPECIFIC.
HOW QUICKLY CAN WE EXPECT AN AG OPINION? I BELIEVE WE DIDN'T EXPECT THE RESPONSE WITHIN 30 DAYS.
UM, I'VE ASKED MR. BLUNT TO BE PRESENT AS WELL.
HE CAN PROBABLY PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF A LITTLE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE PROCESS, SO THAT REQUEST, BUT GENERALLY 30 DAYS IS THE ALLOTMENT AND YOU CAN EXPECT A RESPONSE WITHIN THAT TIME.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY, UM, THAT, UH, I AGREED WITH MR. BLANK'S LAST STATEMENT WAS THAT WE SHOULD SEEK AN ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION.
I JUST THINK THAT WHENEVER WE HAVE THIS MUCH LEGAL DIFFERENCE OF OPINION, THAT IT'S ALWAYS BEST TO HAVE AN OUTSIDE BODY TO GIVE US SOME DIRECTION.
SO I DO SUPPORT THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT MEANS THAT I WOULD VOTE AGAINST YOUR PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN ONCE WE RECEIVED THAT.
[01:25:01]
THAT FOR ALL OF US, THAT WE NEED TO HAVE THAT INFORMATION RIGHT NOW, THIS IS UNCHARTED TERRITORY FOR US.SO I WOULD ASK MY COLLEAGUES TO CONSIDER THAT THIS GIVES US SOME DIRECTION AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITHIN A MONTH.
I THINK WE'LL HAVE THIS OPINION VERY QUICKLY, AND I THINK IT CAN BE EXPEDITED.
MR. BLUNT, CAN IT BE EXPEDITED? WE CAN CERTAINLY ASK THAT THE, UH, THAT THE RESPONSE BE EXPEDITED.
I, I THINK THE UNDERLYING QUESTION IS, IS NOT NECESSARILY ONE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, TIED TO ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SPECIFIC PLAN.
IT'S, IT'S A MATTER OF WHETHER THE, WHETHER THE BASIS CHARTER ITSELF IS, IS CONSISTENT WITH, UM, BETSY REGULATION.
AND IF SO, WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF, OF IT NOT BEING? SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK MR. LANDIS ASKED A QUESTION ABOUT, UM, SORT OF, UH, WHAT WOULD THE EFFECT BE FOR OTHER CHARTERS, EACH JADA, YOU KNOW, STAN SORT OF STANDS ALONE.
IF, IF THE PROVISION THAT'S IN THE BASIS, CHARTER IS NOT CONSISTENTLY PLACED IN OTHER CHARTERS, THEN I THINK THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT WON'T PRESENT ITSELF AGAIN.
SO IT'S NOT A MATTER OF PRECEDENT, BUT, UM, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT GIVEN THE FAIRLY CLEAR CONFLICT, UM, IN MY MIND, BETWEEN THE LANGUAGE IN THE CHART ITSELF AND, UH, LANGUAGE AND IN BESSIE REGULATIONS IN PARTICULAR, THE PUPIL PROGRESSION BULLETIN, I THINK, UM, THE BOARD SHOULD, UH, SEEK, UH, AN ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION.
IS BASIS THEIR OWN LEA OR ARE WE THE LEA FOR BASIS? UM, BY BESSIE RIG, THE BOARD IS THE LEA THERE'S THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THE BOARD, I DON'T THINK IS AUTHORIZED TO CONFER, UH, THAT DESIGNATION, UM, UH, DESIGNATION SET FORTH IN BESSIE, REGS ON ANYONE OTHER THAN THE BOARD.
NOW, UH, IF, IF AN OPINION OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OR WITH ASSISTANCE FROM SOMEONE WITH THE DEPARTMENT, UM, WOULD SUGGEST OTHERWISE, THEN, THEN THAT'S THE DETERMINATION THAT THE BOARD IS LOOKING FOR.
AND, AND I WOULD THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, BASIS AND THE BOARD COULD MOVE FORWARD CONSISTENT WITH WHATEVER THAT DETERMINATION IS, BUT MY READING SUGGEST THAT YOU CANNOT, UM, YOU CANNOT, YOU KNOW, BUILD CONSISTENCY IN THE WAY THAT THE CHARTER WAS WRITTEN AND WITH BESSIE REGULATIONS AT THIS POINT, UM, I RECEIVED YOUR, UM, RESEARCH, UM, YESTERDAY I HAD INTERNET PROBLEMS TWO DAYS THIS WEEK.
UM, BUT I READ IT VERY, VERY CAREFULLY WITH THE HIGHLIGHTER.
AND WOULD YOU SUMMARIZE FOR US THE CONFLICTS THAT YOU DESCRIBE ON PAGES THREE, FOUR, FIVE, AND SOME MORE ON SIX? I MEAN, COULD, COULD YOU JUST HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE ENTIRE, CERTAINLY THE, I GUESS SO MUCH, I APPRECIATE THAT MR. BLANTON, THANK YOU.
AND THAT THE BULLETINS IN PARTICULAR, 1566, UM, REPEATEDLY RE REFERENCES THE ROLE OF THE LEA AND, UH, THAT BULLETIN IN ADDITION TO OTHER BULLETINS, UH, PROMULGATED BY, BY BESSIE SUGGEST, UM, DEFINITIONALLY WHAT THE LEA IS, UH, ALSO INCLUDED INFORMATION THAT WOULD SUGGEST, UH, DIFFERENT READINGS OF THE PROVISION THAT'S IN THE BASIS.
IF WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A SCHOOL OUT OF THIS DISTRICT, LIKELY A SCHOOL IN NEW ORLEANS, WHICH ALLOWS, UH, CHARTERS TO SERVE AS THEIR OWN LEA LEA IS, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENS IN PARISHES, OUTSIDE OF EAST BATON ROUGE.
UM, WITH THAT CONFLICT IN SPECIFIC LANGUAGE, PARTICULARLY IN, UM, THE PROVISIONS IN 2.9 0.1 OF THE CHARTER AND WITH MY READING OF, OF BULLETIN 1566 AND ONE 26 AND SEVEN 41, I THINK THE, THE BETTER COURSE FOR THE BOARD WOULD BE, UH, TO REQUEST, UM, AND OPINION THAT THAT WOULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY NOT AS AUTHORITATIVE AS A COURT RULING OR A CHANGE IN REGULATION, BUT AT LEAST WOULD GIVE THE BOARD A BASIS FOR MOVING FORWARD.
THAT IS, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST ON THE BOARDS ON FIAT, UM, THAT WOULD BE OUR RECOMMENDATION.
I FEEL THAT WITHOUT THE OPINION, WE'D BE PUTTING THE CAR BEFORE THE HORSE.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO GO AHEAD WITH GETTING THEIR OPINION.
THANK YOU, MS. COLLINS FOR BRINGING US THE OPTION TO, UM, FIRST OF ALL, MS.
[01:30:01]
YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.I KNOW YOU'VE WORKED VERY HARD WITH, UM, ALL OF OUR CHARTERS AND, UM, APPRECIATE THAT, UM, WITH CHARTERS REALLY NEEDING TO BE, UM, USED AS INTENDED AS MODELS THAT COULD BE POSSIBLY REPLICATED THAT WE WOULD LEARN FROM THAT.
UM, WE MIGHT CAN TRY TO BREAK THROUGH SOME OF THE BUREAUCRACY THAT COMES ALONG WITH SUCH A LARGE SYSTEM.
UM, WHEN, WHEN WE GRANT, I FEEL LIKE SOME OF THE CONVERSATION GETS BACK TO ARE WE APPROVING THEIR CHARTER AND WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT.
WE'VE APPROVED THEIR CHARTER, THEY'VE COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY, OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, I KNOW I CAN SPEAK FOR THE COMMUNITY OUT IN THE AREA WHERE THE FIRST SCHOOL OF THEIRS IS LOCATED AND SAY THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS THOROUGHLY EMBRACED THE MODEL.
THE COMMUNITY IS AWARE OF THAT.
UM, THEY, THE COMMUNITY HAS, UH, IN SOME CASES NOT CHOSEN BASIS BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR CHILD'S NOT READY FOR THE RIGOR AND THEY KNOW THEIR CHILD SO WELL.
UM, WHAT I HAVE SEEN AND WHAT I DO GET AS FEEDBACK IS BASIS STAFF AND TEAM BEING VERY RESPONSIVE TO WORKING WITH THE PARENT TO, UH, IDENTIFY AREAS OF CONCERN, TO HELP HIGHLIGHT SUCCESSES.
UM, I FEEL LIKE, UM, ABSOLUTELY THIS SCHOOL IS NOT FOR EVERYONE.
AND IN FACT, UM, I THINK AT OUR LAST MEETING, IT WAS MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, FLAME IS NOT FOR EVERY, UH, CHILD.
ONE OF OUR MAGNET PROGRAMS IS I THINK WE ACTUALLY LIMIT, UH, WHEN THEY CAN COME IN AND IF THEY DON'T GET IN EARLY ENOUGH, THEN THAT, THAT CURRICULUM AND THOSE FOREIGN LANGUAGE, UH, ALL OF THAT HAS GONE PAST THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO COME GET IN, UH, EXCEPT FOR VERY RARE CASES WHERE MAYBE THEY'RE SPEAKING DUAL LANGUAGE IN THEIR HOME.
BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT A LANGUAGE IS USED, AND I KNOW THAT THAT ALSO, I THINK IT, IT, IT DOES PRESENT AN ISSUE TRYING TO COME IN LATER TO CURRICULUM.
I THINK, I THINK, AND IF I CAN RELATE THIS BACK TO WHY I SUPPORT PRE-K BEING A PRIORITY TO THE CHILDREN, THAT WOULD GO TO THE KINDERGARTEN AT THAT SAME SCHOOL IN OUR OWN DISTRICT, BECAUSE YOU START TO BUILD THE, UH, COMFORT LEVEL, THE PARENTS' INVOLVEMENT AND ALL OF THAT.
AND IF YOU CAN GET THEM IN AND PRE-K, YOU MIGHT CAN KEEP THEM FOR KINDERGARTEN FIRST AND ON.
UM, SO I FEEL THE SAME WAY REALLY WITH THIS MODEL.
AND I THINK I DON'T IN ANY WAY, WANT TO HINDER THE KIND OF RESULTS THAT YOU ACHIEVE.
AND WE, WE ARE A COMMUNITY, A BIG COMMUNITY.
THAT'S NOT JUST THE PEOPLE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND THEY'RE, THERE ARE TAX PAYERS THAT DO WANT OPTIONS FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL.
AND UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVEN'T GIVEN THEM VERY MANY OPTIONS CLOSE TO HOME.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SOME AREAS THAT A BOARD MEMBER MIGHT REPRESENT THREE TIMES THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN THE DISTRICT SIX, THAT THIS SCHOOL IS IN, I REALLY BELIEVE.
UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR SECOND LOCATION, BECAUSE I THINK IT BRINGS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY AND I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND I DON'T WANT TO HINDER YOU IN ANY WAY.
WHAT I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN DO IS NOT WAIT, BUT GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THE ORIGINAL MOTION.
AND MAYBE WE COULD EVEN ADD THE, A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
[01:35:01]
EXACTLY WHO MADE THAT MOTION, UH, IN THE FIRST PLACE, THE ORIGINAL MOTION, BUT WE CAN ADD THE, UH, LANGUAGE TO INCLUDE THAT WE, WE ARE GOING TO GO AHEAD WITH AN AG OPINION BECAUSE EITHER WAY WE EITHER HAVE TO APPROVE, OR IT DOESN'T HAVE TO COME TO US.SO WE'LL KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO NEXT YEAR.
IF WE HAVE TO HAVE IT COME BACK TO US OR NOT, BUT THEY CAN CARRY ON WITH THEIR SCHOOL YEAR AND, AND, AND WITH THE KIND OF PROGRESS THAT THEY'RE HAVING, IT SEEMS TO ME IT'S A VERY EARNED AUTONOMY.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE JOB THAT YOU ARE DOING AND WHAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT TO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I BELIEVE IN COMPETITION, I'VE, WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY GOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, UM, AND I BELIEVE IN COMPETITION.
SO, YOU KNOW, AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT ONE SIZE DOESN'T FIT ALL.
AND, AND SO I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S, UH, A PLACE FOR ALL OF OUR TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO GO TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS, BUT THERE'S A PLACE FOR YOU TO IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S A BIG GAP HAPPENS TO BE A VERY BIG GAP IN MY DISTRICT SIX.
SO THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO START, FILL THAT GAP.
MR. SHAMBLIN HAS REQUESTED TO SPEAK MR. SHAMBLIN, YOU HAVE THE, YOU HAVE THE MICROPHONE, YOU HAVE THE AIRWAY.
I WAS ABLE TO SPEAK EARLY I'M OKAY.
MR. HOWARD, VICE PRESIDENT HOWARD.
UM, SO A COUPLE OF THINGS, I DON'T WANT THIS CONVERSATION TO BECOME A CONVERSATION AROUND LIKE WHATEVER WE DON'T LIKE BASIS OR BASIS.
IT'S NOT WHATEVER THE, THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT I DON'T BELIEVE SO TO DELIVER THIS MODEL, TO DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT MY COLLEAGUES SAID TALKS ABOUT GIVING FAMILIES OPTIONS AND ALL THAT.
I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S NECESSARY TO HAVE A SEPARATE PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN IN ORDER TO DO THAT.
UM, MY FIRST QUESTION IS FOR THE BASIS FOLKS, AND THEN MY NEXT QUESTION IS FOR MISSILE CONSTANTLY.
UM, IF WE, IF BASIS DOES NOT HAVE A SEPARATE PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN IN PLACE TODAY, THE NEXT YEAR DOES BASIS HAS TO SHUT DOWN.
CAN YOU NO LONGER DELIVER YOUR SERVICES TO OUR DISTRICT? NO, WE CAN CONTINUE TO DROP PARADE.
UM, THE LONGTERM PROMISE THAT WE MADE IN OUR CHARTER APPLICATION, ESPECIALLY AROUND OUR GRADUATES OR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM AND THE SUCCESS THAT WE'VE HAD IN OTHER PLACES, IT WOULD BE HARD FOR US TO DELIVER REALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DELIVER ON THAT PROMISE THAT WE MADE IN OUR CHARTER.
WE, WE, WE WOULDN'T SHUT DOWN TOMORROW OR EVEN THE NEXT YEAR AFTER THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO OPERATE, BUT IT DOES QUANTIC QUESTION OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER ON THE PROMISE LONGTERM THAT WE MAY NOT SHOW OUR APPLICATION, RIGHT.
WHICH, WHICH MAKES GETS ME TO MY POINT, THAT IF WE ARE NOT THE AUTHORITY PROVIDE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECREATE OR TO CREATE YOUR OWN PER PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN, 30 DAYS WOULD NOT HINDER BASIS FROM DELIVERING THEIR MODEL WITHIN THIS DISTRICT FOR THE NEXT TWO TO THREE YEARS.
AND SO, LIKE, I THINK THAT IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT AS MR. BARNES SAY FOR US TO GET THIS OPINION SO THAT THE AG CAN LET US KNOW, HEY, YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THIS.
YOU HAVE, YOU DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THIS.
SO I THINK THAT IT'S NECESSARY.
AND THAT'S WHY I FULLY SUPPORT MS. COLLINS, HIS MOTION IN ORDER TO GET THIS OPINION SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD MISSILE CONSTANTLY.
MY QUESTION IS IF BASIS IS ALLOWED TO HAVE A SEPARATE PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN, WE HAVE OTHER TYPE ONE CHARTERS THAT FALL WITHIN OUR LEA.
SHOULD WE PREPARE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO OPERATE WITH MULTIPLE PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLANS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT? I HAVE NOT RECEIVED OUR DIRECT REQUESTS FROM ANY OTHER SCHOOL AT THIS TIME, BUT I DO KNOW JUST FROM IN SOME INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS, ARE THERE OTHER FOLKS WATCHING THIS CONVERSATION, AND AS WE ACCEPT MORE CHARTERS, OR AS OTHER FOLKS BUILD OUT THEIR MODELS, THERE COULD BE A POTENTIAL, THANK YOU.
NO FIRST ONE IS MISSTATEMENT AND THAT, BUT WE DON'T NEED TO SHUT DOWN TOMORROW OR THE NEXT YEAR LIKE THAT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT WE ARE.
AND BY NOT DOING THIS, WE ARE ACTUALLY NOT DELIVERING THE EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT WE PROMISED IN OUR CHARTER, THE LONGTERM REVOCATION THAT REALLY HAS TO DO WHEN WE GET TO THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
BUT IN THE SHORT TERM, WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT DELIVERING ON WHAT WE PROMISED THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO SHUT DOWN TOMORROW OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT IMPLEMENTED GAIN EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT YOU APPROVED IN THE CHARTER APPLICATION.
UH, NEXT, MS. WHERE JACKSON, THANK YOU, MR. GOLDEN.
THIS IS KIND OF, KIND OF A TOUGH ONE.
IT SEEMS LIKE, UH, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT IF WE LOOK AT WHAT THE CONTRACT ACTUALLY SAYS, UM, AND, BUT BEFORE I READ THAT, I JUST WANT TO REMIND US THAT A FEW YEARS AGO WE APPROVED BASIS BECAUSE OF THEIR RIGOROUS MODEL
[01:40:02]
AND, UM, BECAUSE OF THE PARTNERSHIP, THAT UNIQUE, UM, MODEL THAT THEY HAVE WITH AS A PARTNER WITH WOMEN'S HOSPITAL.AND, UH, AND BECAUSE THERE WAS A NEED FOR A SCHOOL IN THAT AREA OF THE PARISH.
UM, SO WE, WE APPROVED BASIS AND, UM, WE SPENT QUITE A LOT OF TIME DEVELOPING THE CONTRACT, UH, FOR BASIS.
AND, UM, AND LOOKING BACK AT THE CONTRACT, UM, I'D LIKE TO READ WHAT IT SAYS ABOUT THE PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN IN SECTION 2.9, A 2.9 0.1 SAYS THE CHARTER OPERATORS SHALL IMPLEMENT AND ADHERE TO A PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN DEVELOPED IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAWS AND WRITTEN BOARD POLICY.
THE CHARTER OPERATOR MAY ADOPT THE PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN OF THE BOARD, OR IT MAY ADOPT A SCHOOL SPECIFIC PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN, WHICH MUST BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW AND STATE REGULATION.
THE CHARTER OPERATOR SHALL ANNUALLY SUBMIT HIS PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN TO THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND IT GOES ON TO ANOTHER SECTION WHICH IS AROUND, UM, EXCEPTIONALITIES, UH, TWO NINE TWO, THE SCHOOLS, PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN WILL INCLUDE PROVISIONS TO ENSURE THAT THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH EXCEPTIONALITIES OR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS ARE BEING MET, UH, CONSISTENT WITH APPLICABLE LAW AND WRITTEN BESSIE POLICY.
SO MY FIRST QUESTION WOULD BE TO OUR ATTORNEYS, UM, SINCE IT DOES NOT, THIS, THIS CLAUSE IN THE CONTRACT, UH, DOES NOT SAY THAT THE, UH, CHARTER OPERATOR HAS TO COME BACK FOR APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL.
IT SIMPLY SAYS IT SHALL ANNUALLY SUBMIT ITS PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN TO THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UM, SO DOES IT ADD HERE TO THE, WHAT IS IT, WHAT DOES HE SAY? UH, IT MUST BE IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW AND STATE REGULATION.
SO IS THERE A PLAN IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAW AND STATE REGULATION? I DIDN'T REVIEW THE PLAN TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IN, IN COMPLIANCE WITH LAW.
WHAT I REVIEWED WAS THE CHARTER AND VARIOUS BULLETINS, AND WHETHER THE BOARD HAD THE AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY TO THE CHARTER BOARD, UH, WITH REGARD TO ITS ADOPTION OF A PPP, UH, SCHOOL SPECIFIC PPP, SORTA DIFFERENT QUESTIONS.
I HAVE NO BASIS TO ARGUE OR SUGGEST TO YOU THAT THE PLAN AS PREPARED AND PRESENTED TO YOU IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH STATE LAW, BUT, AND THAT WAS NOT THE ISSUE THAT WAS PRESENTED TO ME.
MR. FAIRMONT'S ALSO IN THE REQUEST TO SPEAK MR. FAMILY.
I'LL, I'LL ADDRESS THAT BRIEFLY.
UM, YEAH, THE QUESTION, UH, TO GET TO WITH MRS. WHAT WAS SAYING HIS QUESTION IS NOT THE LEGALITY OF THE PLAN SO MUCH AS THE PROPER PROCEDURE FOR THE ADOPTION OF THE PLAN.
UM, THE ISSUE WITH LANGUAGE IN THE CONTRACT IS THAT IT SAYS THAT IT SHOULD COMPLY WITH ALL REGULATIONS, STATE REGULATIONS.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT BULLETIN OF 1566, SPECIFICALLY SECTION THREE OH ONE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAN AND THREE THROUGH, I THINK IT'S THREE OR THREE ON THE ADOPTION OF A PLAN, IT'S VERY SPECIFIC ABOUT THE LEA BEING THE PRIMARY ARBITER OF THAT RESPONSIBILITY.
AND SO IF YOU GOT TO COMPLY WITH REGULATIONS, THAT'S, THE CONTRACT SAYS MY, MY POSITION ON THAT IS THAT THE LEA, UM, SHOULD BE THE PRIMARY PARTY RESPONSIBLE FOR ADOPTING, FOR DEVELOPING AND ADOPTING THE PLAN.
UM, I, I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR.
I HAVE NO ISSUE AND I DON'T BELIEVE ANYONE ELSE, ANYONE ELSE TO HAVE CHALLENGES WITH BASIS HAVING THEIR OWN PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN.
MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT THE BOARD UNDERSTAND ITS RESPONSIBILITY IS STATUTORY.
AND SO THE ISSUE AND MR. BLOOD COULD SPEAK TO THIS BECAUSE I ASKED HIM, UH, HE AND I TALKED THROUGH THIS, THE ISSUE IS, CAN YOU CONTRACT THE WAY OF STATUTORY OBLIGATION? AND THERE'S AN OLD TENANT, THE LAW THAT SAYS YOU CAN'T.
AND SO I BELIEVE THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO SEEK AN AGS OPINION HERE IS BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE CONTRACT DOES CONFLICT WITH STATE LAW, AND WE NEED SOME CLARITY AROUND THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD AND ITS COUNSEL FOR THE BOARD.
I HAVE TO TELL YOU, I BELIEVE IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO
[01:45:01]
ADOPT ANY PROPOSAL OR ANY PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN PRESENTED FOR THE DISTRICT OF THE SCHOOLS WITHIN THE DISTRICT AND SPECIFICALLY FOR SCHOOLS WITHIN THE LEA.AND I HOPE, I HOPE THAT IT KIND OF EXPLAINS THE POSITION AND, AND THE ISSUE WITH THE LANGUAGE OF THE CONTRACT.
YEAH, I JUST WOULDN'T HAVE, I WOULDN'T WANT US TO, UM, HAVE OUR CONTRACT IN PLACE THAT SAYS ONE THING, AND THEN WE DO SOMETHING THAT CONTRADICTS WHAT, UH, OUR AGREEMENT IS.
UM, SO I WOULD LIKE TO, SINCE THERE'S SO MUCH JACKSON, MAN, I'M SO SORRY.
I'M LEE REED COUNSEL FOR BASIS.
MATT ADDRESS THAT AS WELL, PLEASE.
JUST FOR ONE BRIEF MOMENT, JUST, JUST TO MAKE THE POINT THIS EVENING THAT, UM, WE'RE NOT HERE BEFORE YOU, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION, UH, BEFORE THIS BOARD MEETING AND A LOT OF, UM, UH, OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON WHETHER YOU ALL HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO PROVE THAT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE HERE, DEBATING WITH YOU ALL THIS EVENING.
WE, AS BASIS ARE HERE THIS EVENING ASKING YOU ALL TO APPROVE THIS PLAN, UM, UH, GIVING IN TO THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY, PLEASE APPROVE THE PLAN BECAUSE WITHOUT IT, THEY CAN'T MOVE FORWARD THIS YEAR WITH THE EDUCATION MODEL THAT THEY HAVE APPLIED FOR IN THEIR APPLICATION AND THAT YOU ALL HAVE APPROVED.
UM, AND I ALSO HEARD EARLIER THAT, THAT IT MAY BE, YOU KNOW, A 30 DAY PERIOD, BUT EVEN WITH THAT, EVEN WITH THAT 30 DAY PERIOD, NUMBER ONE, IF IT'S 31 OR 32 DAYS, WE MAY MISS THE NEXT MEETING, WHICH MAKES IT 60 DAYS OR SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND THIS YEAR IS IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THEIR MODEL.
THE ONLY CONCERN THAT WE HAVE, AND THAT WE'D LIKE TO, AGAIN, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR AN AG OPINION.
IT'S REALLY AN ABILITY TO INTERACT WITH THE STAFF AND WITH THE BOARD TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS THE PROCESS GOING FORWARD? UM, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? UH, AND WE HAVE OUR OPINIONS ON THAT AND WE CAN DISCUSS THAT IN MORE DETAIL, BUT IT'S REALLY AROUND GIVING BASIS.
SOME, UH, SOME COMFORT THAT MOVING FORWARD IN THE YEARS TO COME, THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THE EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT THEY, UH, SUPPLIED IN THEIR CHARTER APPLICATION AND THAT YOU ALL APPROVED.
AND SO BY COMING BACK EACH YEAR, IT'S A LITTLE DISCONCERTING TO SEE WHETHER THEY'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD IN THAT PARTICULAR YEAR WHERE THEY'RE PRESENTING AS TO WHETHER THERE'LL BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE EDUCATION PROGRAM.
SO AGAIN, TONIGHT, WE'RE NOT HERE ASKING OR CHALLENGING YOUR AUTHORITY TO TONIGHT SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
WE'RE HERE ASKING FOR YOUR APPROVAL FOR THIS PLAN.
THANK YOU, MR. JACKSON, ARE YOU DONE? YEAH.
UM, AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE SOMETHING THAT IF, EVEN IF WE GET THE AGSM OPINION AND WE VOTE ON THIS, I JUST WANT US TO BE PREPARED TO DO THIS FOR EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL THAT COMES BEFORE US AND ASKS US TO DO THIS BECAUSE I TOO LIKE MY COLLEAGUE, I BELIEVE IN COMPETITION, BUT I ONLY BELIEVE IN COMPETITION WHEN IT IS FAIR.
SO TO SAY THAT WILL ALLOW US FOR ONE SCHOOL, BUT WE DON'T ALLOW FOR ALL OF THEM.
AND YOU CANNOT BLAME BASIS FOR USING THEIR MODEL.
AND HERE'S THE REASON WHY BEFORE BASIS GOT HERE.
WE UNDERSTOOD ALREADY THE POPULATION OF STUDENTS THAT THEY WERE TRYING TO ATTRACT, WHICH WERE PRIVATE AND PAROCHIAL FAMILIES, PRIVATE AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS DO NOT USE NORM REFERENCE TESTING AROUND THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.
THIS IS A PART OF THE REASON WHY IN THE LEGISLATURE, BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR MORE ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES AS IT REGARDS TO THAT MATTER.
SO AGAIN, I'LL JUST LEAVE THAT ON THE TABLE AND SAY, IF WE DO THIS FOR ONE SCHOOL, LET'S BE PREPARED TO DO IT FOR EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL THAT COMES BEFORE US TO KEEP IT FAIR AND BALANCED.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS WISHING TO SPEAK? CAUSE I'VE KINDA LOST TRACK.
NOW A COUPLE OF COMMENTS I'D LIKE TO MAKE IS I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN CAUGHT UP.
THERE WAS A QUESTION AND SOMEBODY BROUGHT UP THE QUESTION I WAS GOING TO ASK DO IN THE OTHER CONTRACTS.
DO WE HAVE THIS, UH, I'M WONDERING IF, WELL, I MEAN, WE HAVE CONTROL OVER WHAT WE PUT IN, UH, IN A, UH, IN A CONTRACT.
SO I'M WONDERING, UH, TO, UH, MR. LANDIS POINT, UH, IS THIS PIECE IN OUR OTHER CHARTER AGREEMENTS, AS FAR AS, UM, AROUND A PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN.
AND THAT'S ONE QUESTION AND THE OTHER ONE, I STILL WANT A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY ON, UH, AND I THINK OTHERS MIGHT NEED THIS AS WELL AS TO WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.
ASKING ABOUT A PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN WHEN BEEN IN PLACE FOR A FEW YEARS, I THINK THAT MIGHT HELP TO HAVE US UNDERSTAND WHY, WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS TODAY AND NOT LAST YEAR.
[01:50:01]
HAS TO DO WITH, UM, WE'RE NOW STARTING SIXTH GRADERS.WE STARTED WITH FOURTH GRADERS ARE NOW K THROUGH FOUR, AND NOW WE'RE SERVING SIXTH GRADERS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, SEVENTH AND EIGHTH.
SO THIS PLAN IS BECOMING MORE IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF DELIVERING AGAIN, THE EDUCATION MODEL THAT WE SAID THAT WE WOULD IN THE LOWER GRADES, UM, IT'S VITAL, IT'S IMPORTANT, IT'S LESS IMPORTANT.
WE CAN STILL KIND OF IMPLEMENT THE MODEL.
SO, AND WE'VE BEEN IN DISCUSSION WITH STAFF FOR A WHILE ABOUT THIS.
SO, BUT IT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE IMPORTANT AS WE SERVE THE HIGHER RATES.
AND DO WE HAVE D DOES ANYONE KNOW IF WE HAVE THIS PARTICULAR CLAUSE IN OUR OTHER AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER CHARTER SCHOOLS, OUR NEWER CONTRACTS, UM, THE LANGUAGE READS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT AND IT DOES MENTION A DISTRICT EXCEPTION PROCESS.
AND I MISS MISSILE KOSKY CAN PROBABLY SPEAK TO THAT PROCESS, BUT, UH, IT DOES THE LANGUAGE TRACKS DIFFERENTLY IN THE NEWER CONTRACTS THAT WE PUT IN PLACE WITH JORDAN.
THANK YOU, MR. LANDIS, ARE YOU ON THE BOARD NOW OR YES, SIR.
IT WAS JUST ONE THING I FORGOT TO SAY.
I JUST WANT THE BOARD TO ALSO BE MINDFUL THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE SAME SITUATION WITH KIP.
WHO'S ALSO GOING TO BE SERVING A DIVERSE, CHALLENGING POPULATION, GIVEN THE NEGOTIATIONS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY ENTERED WITH THEM.
SO I JUST WANTED EVERYBODY TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
ANY OTHER BOARD COMMENTS, MS. BERNARD, MR. BLONDE? UM, COULD YOU JUST CLARIFY FOR US A REAL QUICKLY, MY FIRST QUESTION, WE WILL NOT HAVE TO GO FOR ANOTHER YOUR OPINION BECAUSE THAT'S A ONETIME THING THAT WILL CLARIFY THE LAW.
AND THEN SECONDLY, ASSUMING WE, ASSUMING WE WORD THE REQUEST CORRECTLY AND GET ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED.
I MEAN, I TRUST THAT EVERYBODY READ ALL OF THE LEGAL MEMOS THAT WERE SENT TO US AND I REVIEWED THOSE.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF ATTORNEYS ON THE BOARD, UM, AND I TRUST THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, LOOKED AT THESE CAREFULLY AND AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME FOR US TO HAVE ADDITIONAL LEGAL OPINION ON THIS.
I THINK THAT PUPIL CORRECTION PROGRESSION PLAN IS SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD COME ONCE IT IS APPROVED, YOU WOULD COME EVERY YEAR AND THERE WOULD BE MINOR CHANGES FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
I DON'T ANTICIPATE BIG CHANGES AND IT'S, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO AS A DISTRICT EVERY YEAR.
SO IT'S REALLY NOT THAT BIG OF A DEAL, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN BALLED UP IN IS THE QUESTION OF MUST WE APPROVE VERSUS THE QUESTION OF, SHOULD WE APPROVE? AND THE WHOLE LEGAL ISSUE IS AROUND MUST REAPPROVE.
IF I, IF I HAVE READ EVERYTHING CORRECTLY AND THE MUST REAPPROVE IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GO TO THE AIG AND GET AN OPINION, AND THAT CAN GUIDE OUR FUTURE ACTIONS, BUT EVEN IF IT COMES BACK THAT WE MUST APPROVE, WE STILL MUST FACE THE QUESTION OF, SHOULD WE APPROVE? AND MS.
AND MR. SHAMBLIN, YOU CAN OPINE, IF YOU ALSO WOULD LIKE TO MR. GARDNER I'M BY NO MEANS A BETHY POLICY EXPERT.
SO LET ME CLARIFY THERE, BUT IT DOES FOLLOW THE STATE TEMPLATE AND IT DOES HAVE THE REQUIRED SECTIONS FROM THE STATE.
UH, WE ARE OBVIOUSLY THE BASIS IS FIRST LOUISIANA SCHOOL, AND I APPRECIATE THIS TEAM AND THEIR PATIENCE WITH US BECAUSE WE DID UNPACK WITH THEM SEVERAL LOUISIANA POLICY BULLETINS TO SHOW HOW THEY HOPEFULLY TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND HOW THEY ALL COME INTO PLAY.
BECAUSE WHILE THERE IS BOLTON IN 1566, AS MY COLLEAGUES BEHIND ME KNOW THAT THERE ARE OTHER BULLETINS THAT COME INTO PLAY SOMETIMES INDIRECTLY IMPACTING STATE PEOPLE PROGRESSION.
SO IT DOES MEET THE REQUIRED PIECES IN THE PLAN.
AND, UH, MR. BLUNT, GIVEN THAT IT MEETS THE PLAN AND MR. SHAMBLIN OVER THE PHONE, GIVEN THAT IT MEETS THE PLAN, WE, AS A BOARD, IF WE PASS IT, THERE IS NO REAL LIABILITY THAT WE ASSUME OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BY PASSING THIS ON, BECAUSE IT DOES MEET THE STATUTORY
[01:55:01]
REQUIREMENTS FOR PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN.I'LL, I'LL, I'LL AGREE WITH THAT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UH, I THINK THE, THE, THE ISSUE IS, IS, YOU KNOW, AS I SEE IT IS ONE THAT I'VE TECHNICALLY WAS NOT ASKED BY MR. SHAMBLIN, BUT I PROVIDED HIM BECAUSE I, I NOTED THE DISTINCTION IN THE LANGUAGE.
UM, SO, UM, I THINK YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD PRESIDENT GODADDY ON, ON THE DISTINCTION OF, OF WHETHER VERSUS, YOU KNOW, WHETHER YOU HAVE KANWAR.
SO, SO THE AG OPINION WOULD ONLY ADDRESS THE MUST, WE, AND THAT WILL OCCUR A COMPANY THAT WILL GUIDE US FOR FUTURE ACTIONS AS WE GO THROUGH THAT.
AND SO IF WE PASS THIS TONIGHT, WE CAN STILL GO FOR THE AG OPINION AND IT WILL GUIDE US IF WE HAVE TO DO THIS FOR EVERY CHARTER SCHOOL THAT COMES UP, OUR, IT CAN GUIDE US THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS FOR EVERY CHARTER SCHOOL THAT COMES UP DEPENDING ON THEIR CONTRACT.
BUT IT STILL DOESN'T ANSWER THE QUESTION OF, SHOULD WE PASS IT AND PASSING IT NOW DOESN'T GIVE US ANY LIABILITY BECAUSE IT MEETS THE STATE LAW.
SO MY SECOND POINT IS, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BRINGING DATA TO THIS.
AND SO I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS A FEW THINGS.
IF I LOOK AT YOUR DATA HERE IN YOUR FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, YOU HAD ABOUT 450 STUDENTS, PLUS MINUS 391, THREE 91.
391 STUDENTS OF WHICH YOU SUGGESTED TO RETAIN EIGHT OF THEM AND OF WHICH SIX STAYED IN YOUR SCHOOL.
AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR I'M READING OFF OF YOUR DATA.
THE NEXT YEAR YOU HAD 529, 529 STUDENTS.
AND YOU HAD SEVEN STUDENTS WHO WERE GOING TO BE RETAINED FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES AND ALL SEVEN OF THOSE STATED BASIS.
SO THE, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THIS IS BEING USED TO WEED OUT.
STUDENTS ARE PAST STUDENTS OUT BECAUSE OF THE PUPIL PROGRESSION OR THE TESTING THAT YOU HAVE.
COULD YOU DESCRIBE FOR ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE LOTTERY PROCESS WORKS FOR WHEN YOU HAVE INCOMING STUDENTS AND HOW, IF YOU HAVE A STUDENT COMING TO YOU OUT OF, I DON'T KNOW, PICK A SCHOOL, UH, EBR SCHOOL AT FIFTH GRADE, HOW WOULD YOU DETERMINE WHAT GRADE DID THAT FIFTH GRADE STUDENT GO INTO IT? FIRST OF ALL, ANYBODY THAT CAN APPLY, I'M SORRY.
IT'S AN OPEN, IT'S AN OPEN LOTTERY, OPEN ENROLLMENT.
SO SOMEONE COMES TO YOU OUT OF FIFTH GRADE WANTING TO GO INTO SIXTH GRADE.
HOW HAS THAT PROCESS DONE? OKAY, SO THEY APPLY AND THEN IF THERE ARE SEATS AVAILABLE, THERE'S A LOTTERY.
AND USUALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS THERE'S MORE STUDENTS WHO WANT THE SEATS THEN, UM, THEN WE HAVE SEATS.
SO THERE'S A RANDOM MODEL, I THINK, IS EVERYBODY WHO'S APPLIED IN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO SEATS.
UM, IF, UH, SHE BECOMES AVAILABLE, THEN WE GO TO THE FIRST PERSON ON THAT WAIT LIST.
AND THEN WE ASK THEM IF THEY WANT TO TAKE THAT AND MAKE THEM AN OFFER.
AND THEN THEY DECIDE IF THEY WANT IT OR NOT.
THEN IF THEY DECIDE IF THEY WANT IT, SOMETIMES WE DON'T DO RIGHT.
IT HAS IN FACT, FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF OUR OPERATION, AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN DOING ANY READINESS TESTING, DOES ANYBODY WHO GETS IN AND WE'LL GET IN.
IF THEY GO, SHE'S A LOTTERY PROCESS.
WE'RE ONLY SUGGESTING THAT WE NEED TO DO THIS NOW BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL GRADES.
AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME OLDER STUDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THE PRIMARY PROGRAM IN ORDER TO ENSURE THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IF THERE'S ANY EDUCATIONAL GAPS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HELP THEM WITH, AND THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND IT AS WELL.
UM, SO IF THEY, IF THEY TAKE THAT TEST, UH, AND WE, WE SEE, THEY HAVE EDUCATIONAL GAPS THAT IN MOST CASES, WHAT WE DO IS WE WORK WITH THEM TO HELP THEM SHORE THOSE UP.
IN SOME CASES WE SUGGEST A LOWER GRADE WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR SUCCESS IN THE PROGRAM, BUT WE DO THAT IN CONSULTATION WITH THE FAMILIES.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YES.
AND IF THE FAMILY SAID, NO, I DON'T WANT TO REPEAT, I WANT THE KID TO GO INTO THE, INTO THE NEXT GRADE.
I JUST WANT IT TO BE CLEAR ON THAT.
UM, ANOTHER THING I'VE HEARD, LOTS OF COMMENTS ABOUT IS TESTING OUTSIDE OF THE STATE REQUIREMENTS.
AND A LOT OF WORK HAS BEEN DONE AROUND BESSIE BULLETINS.
AND I JUST WANT YOU TO READ A FEW PARAGRAPHS.
IT WON'T BE LONG, TRUST ME, BUT, UH, THIS, I DUNNO WHICH BULLETIN, THIS IS OUT OF A BOAT IN 1566, UH, OF BESSIE, WHICH IS PUPIL PROGRESSION AND PROMOTION.
AND SO BOLD IN 1556 AND PARAGRAPH FIVE OH NINE LOCAL OPTIONS.
AND THIS IS, THIS IS DIRECTLY FROM THE BESSIE BULLETIN.
IN ADDITION TO STATEWIDE MANDATORY CRITERIA FOR STUDENT PLACEMENT,
[02:00:01]
LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS, AND RECOGNIZE WE HAVE THE ISSUE OF MUST VERSUS SHOULD BETWEEN WHO'S THE BOARD AND WHAT WE HAVE TO APPROVE BY WRITTEN LOCAL POLICIES MAY ALSO ESTABLISH LOCAL CRITERIA TO BE USED IN DETERMINING STUDENT PLACEMENT, SUCH CRITERIA SHALL BE COMPATIBLE WITH THE STATEWIDE CRITERIA ESTABLISHED IN CHAPTER FIVE, PARAGRAPH FIVE OH ONE AND SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO LDE AS PART OF THE LOCAL PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN B AT THE OPTION OF LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS. THE PLAN MAY INCLUDE OTHER FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN PUPIL PLACEMENTS, A AND C IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ENUMERATED LEGISLATIVE POLICIES AND DOE DIRECTIVES ALLEYWAYS MAY INCLUDE EVALUATIVE CRITERIA AND LOCAL PUPIL PROGRESSION PLANS.IF OTHER CRITERIA USED THE PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN MUST SPECIFY.
SO, AND SO, AND SO, AND SO, UM, THEN UNDER LOCAL TESTING PROGRAMS, STUDENT SCORES ON LOCAL TESTING PROGRAMS MAY BE USE AS ADDITIONAL CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING PUPIL PROGRESSION.
ADDITIONAL SKILLS MAY BE SPECIFIED AND TESTED FOR MASTERY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AS ADDITIONAL CRITERIA FOR PLACEMENT, BE WITH REFERENCE TO PUPIL PLACEMENT, THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM HIMSELF, STATE THE NAME OF THE INSTRUMENT AND PUBLISHER OF OTHER TESTING AND SCREENING MATERIALS TO BE USED LOCALLY ENGAGED GRADES K THROUGH 12 FOR GENERAL EDUCATION AND EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS.
SO THE POINT I'M TRYING TO MAKE HERE IS SOME PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, I DON'T LIKE YOU USING YOUR OWN TEST.
AND IT IS SPECIFICALLY NOT ONLY AUTHORIZED, BUT ENCOURAGED BY BESSIE TO DO THIS AS LONG AS YOU'RE MEETING THE STATE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS.
AND SO THAT IS WHY I KEEP COMING BACK.
YOU'RE NOT CONSTANTLY STUDENTS OUT, YOU HAVE AN OPEN LOTTERY FOR CHILDREN COMING IN.
IF THEY HAVE THE, THEY WANT TO TRY TO SWIM IN THE DEEP WATER AT THE GRADE LEVEL, THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, ALTHOUGH YOU MIGHT CONSOLE THEM TO DO A LOWER SET, A LOWER GRADE.
SO THEY'RE NOT BEING HELD BACK ON THAT AND SEE YOU'RE USING TESTING CRITERIA, WHICH IS ENCOURAGED BY BESSIE.
AND SO I COME BACK TO, I DON'T WANT TO GET HUNG UP IN THE MUSTARD WE APPROVED BECAUSE THAT'S A LEGAL ISSUE THAT CAN BE DETERMINED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND GRANTED AND ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINION CAN BE OVERTURNED BY A JUDGE.
IT JUST BECAUSE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS SOMETHING DOESN'T MEAN IT'S LAW.
IT DOES GIVE YOU A BASIS TO GO NO PUN INTENDED.
IT DOES GIVE YOU A PROCESS TO GO FORWARD WITH IT, BUT IT IS NOT A JUDICIAL, UH, DETERMINATION, BUT I'M TRYING TO COME BRING THE DISCUSSION BACK TO THE, SHOULD WE, AND THE, SHOULD WE SAY, YOU'RE PROVING YOU'RE USING IT CORRECTLY.
YOU'RE CONSTANTLY STUDENTS CORRECTLY.
YOU'RE GIVING THEM THE SUPPORT THEY NEED.
YOU'RE NOT DUMPING A LOT OF STUDENTS OUT OF THE PROGRAM THAT TRANSITION.
AND THIS WAS JUST THE STUDENTS HEAD BACK FOR ACADEMIC REASONS.
THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ARE TREATING OUT OF YOUR SCHOOL.
UH, MAYBE BACK TO EBR IS IN ONE AND TWO HANDFULS, WHICH MY GOD, THAT YOUR, UH, ATTRITION RATE IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, IF WE COULD HAVE THAT LEVEL OF ATTRITION RATE, WE WOULD BE ECSTATIC.
AND SO IT'S NOT THE KIND OF THING THAT YOU'RE KICKING KIDS OUT AND DOING THAT ARE CONSTANTLY THE AMOUNT WHICH I KEEP HEARING AND THE DATA DOESN'T SUPPORT THAT.
AND I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE TRACK THIS DATA AND WE DO LOOK AT IT AND WE DO DO THINGS NOW COMING INTO THE THING ABOUT, UM, AND I KNOW THIS IS THE, THE ELEPHANT ON THE TABLE THAT EVERYONE KEEPS COMING BACK TO IS THE LEVEL OF FREE, UH, THE LEVEL OF ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS.
YOU'RE RUNNING AN OPEN LOTTERY, CORRECT RIGHT NOW.
AND MISS
UM, IS THERE AN OPTION IN THE FUTURE TO HAVE A LOTTERY WHERE, UH, ACADEMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS ARE GIVEN A PRIORITY IN THE LOTTERY PROCESS? I AM SO FLATTERED THAT TONIGHT YOU'VE MADE ME A LOTTERY EXPERTS, ADVOCACY POLICY EXPERT, WHERE MY PARENTS WILL BE SO PROUD IF THEY'RE WATCHING IT HOME, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DEFEND.
MR. LOPEZ SAYS, I CAN'T GET ONE.
UM, ANYWAY, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DEFER TO MR. BLUNT ON THAT, BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE OF THE LEGALITY.
I DON'T THINK THAT ANYTHING PROHIBITS IT, BUT I HAVE NOT REVIEWED ISSUE.
AND WOULD, WOULD LIKELY BE BETTER SERVED HAVING LOOKED AT IT RATHER THAN, THAN, THAN GIVING YOU WHAT I JUST GAVE YOU.
SO AT THAT, THAT'S AN OPTION DOWN THE ROAD AND THE MID CITY, A LOCATION IS A LOCATION THAT, UH, WILL BE MUCH EASIER FOR YOU TO DRAW FROM A MORE DIVERSE, UH,
[02:05:01]
POPULATION FOR YOUR BLOTTER POOL, WHICH IS WHY THE CHAIRS, WHICH IS WHY YOU CHOSE IT.AND YOU'RE TRYING ACTIVELY TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT.
AND WITH, AND WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS AROUND THE STATE, WE HAVE SEEN THAT IN, IN, UM, IN AN ATTEMPT TO REACH THOSE, UH, THOSE, THOSE PERCENTAGES THAT ARE NECESSARY UNDER STATE STATUTE, WE'VE HAD WEIGHTED LOTTERIES TO THAT POINT.
SO TO YOUR POINT THAT WE HAVE DONE THAT AROUND THE STATE AND HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE, UM, TO BE FAIR.
AND I'M PART OF THE PROCESS, BUT YOU HAVE NOT BEEN ASKED BY THE DISTRICT TO DO THAT AND NOT AT THIS POINT.
UM, SO I GUESS I WILL BE VOTING AGAINST A SUBSTITUTE MOTION BECAUSE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION, TO ME ONLY ANSWERS THE MUST PART OF THE QUESTION.
IT DOES NOT ANSWER THE, SHOULD WE PART OF THE QUESTION, AND EVEN IF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL COMES BACK, WHATEVER HE COMES BACK WITH, WE'RE GOING TO STILL BE FACED WITH, UH, ANSWERING THE SAME KIND OF QUESTION.
IF HE, IF HE COMES BACK AND SAYS, WE DON'T HAVE TO, THEN YOU GUYS GO, IF IT COMES BACK AND SAYS, WE DO HAVE TO WE'RE RIGHT BACK WHERE WE ARE.
SO MY VIEW IS WE OUGHT TO ANSWER IT TONIGHT, UH, AND GET IT ON WITH, AND THEN GET THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, UH, OPINION TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS SOMETHING WE MUST DO FOR OTHERS.
BUT AGAIN, I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T CONFUSE THE MUST WE WITH THE, SHOULD WE, BECAUSE IN MY BELIEF YOU HAVE LAID OUT A CASE THAT YOU'RE DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID YOU'RE DOING.
YOU'RE TRYING TO LIVE UP TO THE INTENTIONS THAT YOU GAVE US WHEN YOUR CHARTER WAS IMPROVED, APPROVED.
AND YOU'RE TRYING TO BRING THAT MODEL, WHICH IS THE WHOLE POINT OF HAVING CHARTER SCHOOLS TO HAVE DIFFERENT MODELS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET INNUENDO ASIDE AND ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE ASIDE, THE DATA YOU HAD BROUGHT ME SHOWS ME CLEARLY THAT THAT'S NOT HAPPENING AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE DATA TO MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
AND WE DO NEED TO DO THINGS AFTER YOUR MID CITY IS UP.
AND I DO THINK WE NEED TO DO THINGS TO ENHANCE THE ABILITY FOR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN TO GET IN INTO THE SCHOOL.
BUT AGAIN, AS MS DYSON, SO RIGHTLY POINTED OUT ALL OF THE KIDS IN YOUR CLASSROOMS OR TAXPAYERS ARE CHILDREN OF TAXPAYERS.
AND SO IT IS PEOPLE WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SERVING.
AND SO I APPLAUD THE EFFORTS OF GOING INTO MID CITY.
I WOULD APPLAUD EFFORTS TO EXPAND THE POOL BY GIVING PRIORITY, UH, INTO THAT.
AND THOSE ARE ALL STEPS THAT WE COULD TAKE.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WE, AS A BOARD SHOULD BEGIN TO GET INTO THE DETAILS OF HOW YOU IMPLEMENT THE BASIS MODEL, WHICH IS THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF WHICH YOU WERE GRANTED THE CHARTER.
UH, MY COMMENTS, I DO NOT KNOW.
I THINK MS. BENARD, ARE YOU NEXT NOTE, MR. LANDIS? OR HAVE YOU, THAT WAS YOUR, OKAY.
UH, SEEING ANY OTHER FURTHER, MS. COLLINS, I JUST WANT TO, UH, LIFT UP SOMETHING THAT, UM, THE CHARTER COMMUNITY FIGURED OUT EARLY ON IN THE REFORM MOVEMENT, ELEMENTARY AGE, KIDS AND GRADES ARE EASY TO MOVE AND LIFT UP ACROSS THE BOARD, ACROSS THE NATION.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT CHARTERS, ETC.
NOT JUST CHARTERS, BUT, UH, WHEN I WAS ONCE ON A CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD.
SO I'M FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THE CONVERSATION WAS AT THE TIME THERE WAS A BIG, OH HIGH SCHOOL, THEY WORK WORKING LIKE WE THOUGHT IT WOULD, OH, MIDDLE SCHOOL TOO, MAYBE TO A LESSER DEGREE.
AND I LIFT THAT UP BECAUSE BY BASIS HIS OWN ADMISSION, THIS IS IMPORTANT NOW FOR THE UPPER GRADES, THE DATA IS NOT GOING TO REFLECT THE CONCERN BEING LIFTED UP ABOUT COUNSELING THE KIDS OUT BECAUSE THE LOWER GRADES ARE EASIER.
IT'S GOING TO START HITTING IN THE UPPER GRADES.
AND I JUST, I JUST WANT TO LIFT THAT UP.
WE DO NOT HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD.
I WOULD LIKE TO NOW GIVE A ABILITY FOR THE IN-PERSON ATTENDEES IN THE OTHER ROOM OR IN THIS ROOM TO COME FORWARD WITH COMMENTS.
ARE THERE ANY PEOPLE IN THE ROOM NEXT DOOR, WISHING TO HAVE COMMENTS PLEASE COME FAR AT ONE AT A TIME
[02:10:03]
AND, AND THE, UH, THE BASIS TEAM, WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS? YES.WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR FULL NAME? YES.
UM, SO I'M ONE OF THE FOUNDING FAMILIES FOR BASIS AND I'M ORIGINALLY FROM TEXAS.
AND SO WHEN I MOVED HERE ABOUT 19 YEARS AGO, I WAS SORT OF IN TURMOIL ABOUT FINDING A GOOD SCHOOL FOR MY DAUGHTER.
AND, YOU KNOW, I WENT BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN PRIVATE SCHOOL AND THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND GETTING OPINIONS OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE ON WHAT'S THE BEST SCHOOL GO MAGNET, GO CHARTER, GO TO THIS PRIVATE SCHOOL.
AND MY DAUGHTER WAS IN PRIVATE SCHOOL FOR A WHILE, AND I FOUND THAT AS AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILD, SHE WAS AUTOMATICALLY LOOKED AT AS SOMEONE THAT DID NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITIES TO DO THE ACCELERATED PROGRAMS THAT THE SCHOOLS WERE OFFERED.
AND I FELT LIKE SHE WAS HELD BACK IN WHAT THEY CALL LIKE A DIFFERENT TRACK, WHERE THEY HAVE A TRACK ONE TRACK, TWO TRACK THREE, AND I DIDN'T WANT HER TO BE PUT IN THAT POSITION.
SO AS I RESEARCHED THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, SOME OF THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS HAD HER TAKE TESTS AND, YOU KNOW, SAID THAT SHE WASN'T ABLE TO REALLY ATTEND THE SCHOOL BASED ON WHAT SHE WAS, WHAT HER GRADE LEVEL WAS OR WHAT SHE WAS CAPABLE OF AS FAR AS HER ACADEMIC.
SO MOVING FORWARD, WHEN WE STARTED AT BASIS, WHEN SHE WAS IN FOURTH GRADE, I WAS REALLY WORRIED ABOUT LIKE WHERE SHE WAS GOING TO BE AND HOW SHE WAS GOING TO SUCCEED.
ESPECIALLY AS A BLACK CHILD AND BASIS WAS AMAZING.
YOU KNOW, SHE REALLY STRUGGLED IN MATH AND I FOUND THAT SHE WENT FROM BEING BELOW LEVEL IN MATH, FROM A PRIVATE SCHOOL TO BEING ABOVE LEVEL.
SHE'S A SIXTH GRADER THIS YEAR AND SHE'S TAKEN PRE-ALGEBRA, WHICH IS AMAZING TO ME BECAUSE EVERY OTHER SCHOOL SAID THAT SHE WAS A YEAR BEHIND.
SHE'S ALSO TAKEN PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY, AND BIOLOGY, AND SHE'S TAKING HER SECOND YEAR LATIN.
I ABSOLUTELY TRUST THE TEACHERS AS FAR AS WHAT THEY THINK SHE'S CAPABLE OF AND THE GRADES THAT SHE MAKES.
BUT I DO THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT THERE IS SOME SORT OF A STANDARD TESTS THAT THEY CAN ADMINISTER TO THE KIDS WHERE WILL BE ABLE TO ACROSS THE BOARD, COMPARED TO ALL THE CHARTER SCHOOLS AND OTHERS IN OTHER STATES, THAT'S COMPARABLE TO SHOW THAT SHE'S READY TO MOVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL, BECAUSE WHAT I DON'T WANT FOR HER IS TO HAVE THE DISAPPOINTMENT THAT SHE'S HAD AT OTHER SCHOOLS THAT HAVE TOLD HER THAT SHE'S NOT CAPABLE TO TAKE THE CLASSES THAT SHE'S ACTUALLY ABLE TO TAKE.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, I REALLY THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU GUYS PASS THE PUPIL FOR AGGRESSION PLAN, BECAUSE I DON'T WANT MY CHILD TO FEEL LIKE SHE'S FAILED.
AGAIN, WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME, PULL THIS DOWN FOR KAREN.
SO BEFORE I START, I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU WHY I'M AT BASIS WITH MY DAUGHTER AND, AND WHY WE CHOSE BASIS.
UM, BEFORE I GET TO THAT THOUGH, I DO WANT TO TELL YOU I WAS, UM, A DISADVANTAGED CHILD GROWING UP.
UH, SO WITH MY WIFE, WE BOTH, UM, WENT THROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UM, MY WIFE GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL AT 15 AND WENT TO AN IVY LEAGUE SCHOOL.
I SPENT 21 YEARS IN THE NAVY, RETIRED, AND THEN I WENT TO LSU AND GRADUATED LSU.
UM, AND WE BOTH WENT SEPARATE PATHS WITH ZERO OPTIONS IN OUR LIVES.
UM, MY MOM WAS A WIDOWED MOTHER OF FIVE KIDS UNDER SIX, UM, AND I ENDED UP DOING PRETTY GOOD.
UM, SO PART OF THAT HISTORY, UM, IS THE REASON I'M TELLING YOU THAT IS BECAUSE, UM, THAT WAS WEIGHING ON MY MIND WHEN I DECIDED, UM, TO APPLY AND IN THE BASIS, UH, PRIOR TO THAT, UM, WE WERE ACTUALLY AT THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL.
UM, SO WHY DID I COME TO BASIS? UM, SO ONE THING ABOUT BASIS WAS, UM, ARE, IS THEY ACCEPT STUDENTS BASED ON AN OPEN LOTTERY.
SO ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY COMES, THERE'S NO CLICK, THERE'S NO PICK AND CHOOSE.
THERE'S NONE OF THAT WITH THE PERSON WHO'S SITTING NEXT TO MY DAUGHTER.
UM, SO WE'D LIKE THAT, UM, NOTHING ABOUT BASIS.
IT'S THE STUDENT'S FOUNDATION.
IT STARTS FROM DAY ONE, THE SCHOOL, WHAT WE HAVE FOUND, UH, PROVIDE STUDENTS OF ALL LEVELS WITH THE RESOURCES, THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE SKILL SETS THEY
[02:15:01]
NEED IN ORDER TO, UM, PASS ANY OF THESE TESTS, EXAMS, BENCHMARKS, WHATEVER.UM, THEY GIVE EVERYONE THE PROPER RESOURCES AND TOOLS TO GIVE THEM A FAIR CHANCE OF PASSING ANY EXAM TO ADVANCE.
UM, WE LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS, WE LOOKED AT THE CURRICULUM, UH, WE LOOKED AT THE RESULTS.
YOU GUYS Y'ALL ALL HEARD THE RESULTS.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE LOOKED AT.
AND WE SAID, WHEN OUR DAUGHTERS ARE IN HIGH SCHOOL, THAT'S THE LEVEL WE WANT THEM TO BE ON.
WE KNEW IT WAS GONNA BE A LOT OF WORK ON THEM, AND WE KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE EVEN MORE WORK ON US.
UM, SO BASIS HAS A PROVEN BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS.
UM, THE BENCHMARKS, THE TESTING, THE CURRICULUM, IT'S ALL PART OF THAT BLUEPRINT PRINT, WHICH HAS YIELDED THE TOP RESULTS THAT Y'ALL HEARD.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THE NUMBERS THOUGH, MY WIFE AND I TAKE A FEW MORE SECONDS, THREE MINUTES, IS THAT OKAY? THANK YOU.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THE NUMBERS, UH, DIVERSITY IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT TO MY FAMILY.
WHO'S A THIRD GRADER, TWO YEARS AGO.
WE ADOPTED AS HISPANIC DAUGHTER, UM, WHO IS TWO NOW.
UM, SO DIVERSITY IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
WE WANT OUR CHILDREN TO GROW UP EXPERIENCED SCHOOL AND HAVE LIFELONG FRIENDS FROM ALL, ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
WE FEEL THAT BATON ROUGE BASIS IS GOING TO DO THAT.
THE NEXT I, MY NAME IS CRYSTAL HAUER.
I AM A PARENT OF A FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADER AT BASIS, AS WELL AS AN LET EM BASIS.
UM, FOR FIRST GRADE, I AM COMING TO YOU BECAUSE I WANT TO SPEAK ABOUT MY DAUGHTER, WHO IS NOW A FIFTH GRADER.
SO SHE CAME TO BASIS AND THIRD GRADER, A THIRD GRADER, AND SHE HAS TWO DISABILITIES, UM, THAT CAN REALLY HINDER A CHILD, ESPECIALLY IN AN ACCELERATED PROGRAM.
UM, BUT I WANT TO SPEAK TO A LOT OF THINGS THAT, THAT HAS BEEN SAID HERE.
WHEN I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT BASIS PROVIDES YOU WITH SOMETHING THAT I HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
AND IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE I WORKED THERE.
UM, MY CHILD CAME INTO SCHOOL WHEN FROM PREVIOUS SCHOOL, THEY WERE TELLING ME SHE'S A GREAT READER AND SHE HAS ALL OF THESE, UM, QUALITIES, BUT I WAS, AS A PARENT, I SAW SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT RIGHT.
AND I KNEW THAT SHE HAD SOME FORM OF, UM, A LEARNING DISABILITY, BUT THEY WERE NOT GIVING ME THE SUPPORT THAT I NEEDED TO HELP MY CHILD.
SHE WAS BULLIED AND I'M NOT EVEN GOING TO GO DOWN THAT ROAD, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL WE CAME TO BASIS THAT I FOUND OUT THAT, YES, SHE'S AN AMAZING READER, BUT SHE WAS NOT COMPREHENDING WHAT SHE WAS READING.
SHE WAS NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT SHE WAS READING AND IT WASN'T UNTIL THE ADMIN TEAM PULLED ME ASIDE.
AND THEY SAID, WE SEE SOMETHING HERE AND WE WANT HELP.
AND WE WANT TO PROVIDE THAT WITH YOU, MR. RAMIREZ SAT IN, HE SITS AND, UM, IEP MEETINGS AND FOLLOW FOR MEETINGS AND NOT JUST FOR MY CHILD, FOR EVERY CHILD.
AND HE GIVES YOU HIS PROFESSIONAL OPINION BECAUSE HE'S BEEN IN THIS FIELD FOR SO LONG.
AND I APPRECIATED HIM CARING ENOUGH ABOUT MY CHILD TO EMBRACE HER AND ENCOURAGE HER TO CONTINUE TO PUT FORTH THAT EFFORT.
AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF BASIS THAT I LEARNED OF MY DAUGHTER'S DISABILITIES.
AND WHEN I TOLD YOU SHE IS THRIVING, HER ENGLISH TEACHER IS HERE RIGHT NOW.
AND I KNOW MY THREE MINUTES IS UP.
HER ENGLISH TEACHER IS HERE RIGHT NOW AND IN HER BECAUSE VIRTUAL LEARNING IS DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY FOR A CHILD WITH HER DISABILITIES.
AND I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I AM STILL TEACHING, BUT HER TEACHER TOLD ME, SHE SAYS, I DO NOT WANT YOU TO READ ANYTHING TO HER.
I HAVE SET IT UP WHERE SHE HAS AN IMMERSIVE READER, AND I WANT YOU TO ALLOW HER TO ANSWER HER QUESTIONS IN HER OWN WAY.
AND WHEN I GOT HER PROGRESS REPORT THE OTHER DAY, SO MANY GREAT NOTES, AND MY DAUGHTER IS SO EXCITED BY LEARNING HER TEACHER SAID, SHE WENT AROUND THE WORLD
[02:20:01]
TO ANSWER A QUESTION, BUT SHE ANSWERED IT AND I APPRECIATE BASIS.AND I JUST, I HAVE TO SAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH NEXT.
ARE THERE ANY MORE PEOPLE WAITING TO SPEAK? OKAY, GOOD EVENING.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, CHRIS MEYER WITH NEW SCHOOLS FOR BATON ROUGE.
UH, WE WERE ONE OF THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT, UH, HAD A HAND IN RECRUITING BASIS TO BATON ROUGE.
UH, AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED AND HONORED BY THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR THE SCHOOL.
I'D TAKE YOU BACK TO A FEW YEARS AGO THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A LOT OF FAMILIES IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT FELT LIKE THEY EITHER WEREN'T ABLE TO GET INTO THE SCHOOL OF THEIR CHOICE, OR THEY FELT LIKE THEY HAD TO WRITE A CHECK TO A PRIVATE INSTITUTION.
AND, AND THIS WAS AN ATTEMPT IN A PARTNERSHIP BY US TO, TO BUILD A SCHOOL THAT FAMILIES WANT.
AND TODAY I THINK WE HAVE A LOT TO CELEBRATE.
I MEAN, WE HAVE 600 FAMILIES CHOOSING THE SCHOOL TODAY ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER WHO ARE SITTING ON A WAIT LIST, WAITING FOR THE SECOND SCHOOL.
YOU SAW THE STATS TONIGHT THAT STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL, NOT ONLY THRIVING, BUT THE ACCUSATIONS THAT THIS IS SOMEHOW AN ATTEMPT TO PUSH KIDS OUT, JUST DOESN'T LIVE UP IN THE DATA HERE OR NATIONALLY, BY THE WAY, I THINK THE MORE IMPORTANT POINT THAT, THAT REALLY I WANT TO MAKE AND, AND TRULY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR STAFF, I THINK AS AN EARNEST STAFF, TRYING TO GET THIS RIGHT, YOU JUST PASS A CHARTER POLICY FOR THE FIRST TIME A YEAR AGO.
MANY OTHER DISTRICTS IN THE STATE HAVE HAD THIS BESSIE HAS HAD A CHARTER POLICY FOR DECADES.
THERE'S BEEN STATE LAW AND CHARTER ISSUES FOR DECADES.
PART OF BEING A GOOD AUTHORIZER, I THINK, IS UNDERSTANDING HOW WE CREATE THE PROPER ROLE OF AUTONOMY FOR A SCHOOL AND THE ROLE OF THE BOARD AND OVERSIGHT SO THAT YOU DON'T TAKE UP MEETING AFTER MEETING ON ISSUES THAT, THAT FRANKLY BASIS BECOMING A FLASHPOINT.
I THINK UNNECESSARILY WHEN SO MANY FAMILIES ARE EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND SO I WOULD JUST, AND MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY LEGAL BILLS, UH, AT WHICH I'M SURE WE CAN ALL APPRECIATE IT.
UM, BUT, BUT IN FAIRNESS, I DO THINK THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY AS WE MOVE FORWARD, TO WORK MORE CLOSELY TOGETHER, TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOUR STAFF GETS THE INFORMATION YOU NEED, THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW POLICY AND NOT HAVE TO BRING EVERY ISSUE UP AS A DEBATE ABOUT WHETHER THIS WAS GOOD OR NOT.
ANYONE WHO DOESN'T THINK THE STORIES YOU'RE HEARING IS UNEQUIVOCALLY GOOD FOR KIDS.
FURTHERMORE, I THINK OUR OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND TO A SECOND SCHOOL, WHICH YOU ALSO ENDORSED AND AN AREA OF TOWN THAT'S TRYING TO REACH MORE FAMILIES IS AGAIN, SOMETHING WE SHOULD HOLD HANDS AND CELEBRATE.
I THINK EVERY KID IN THIS CITY COULD BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS MODEL, IF THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT.
AND THAT'S WHAT THEIR FAMILIES WANT.
IT'S OUR INTENTION TO SPREAD AS MANY GOOD SCHOOLS AS WE CAN WITH YOUR PARTNERSHIP TO SERVE EVERY KID IN EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
AND RIGHT NOW WE KNOW THERE ARE HUNDREDS THAT ARE WAITING FOR ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY AT THIS.
LET'S BE ABOUT THE BUSINESS TOGETHER OF EXPANDING GREAT SCHOOLS AND HAVING THE PROPER ROLE TO OVERSEE THEIR OUTCOMES, BUT NOT MICROMANAGE EVERY LITTLE INPUT, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING TO STOP AFTER THIS.
AND SO AGAIN, I DO APPRECIATE THIS SORT OF BRINGING IT TOGETHER TO THE POINT OF IS THIS GOOD FOR KIDS? AND I THINK YOU HAVE ANSWERED THAT IN THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION.
AND I APPRECIATE US MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER TO CONTINUE TO CREATE GREAT SCHOOLS FOR KIDS.
IF YOU'RE AN EXPERT SPEAKERS WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS, THE GREEN LIGHT SAYS YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES WHEN THE YELLOW LIGHT COMES ON AND SAYS, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE LEFT.
AND WHEN THE RED LIGHT COMES ON THAT SIGNIFIES, YOUR THREE MINUTES ARE UP.
SO I CAME TO BASIS AS I HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO STARTED IN KINDERGARTEN, I MOVED HERE FROM ZACHARY SCHOOL DISTRICT TO COME TO BASIS.
I CAME TO ONE OF THEIR INFO MEETINGS AND I WAS HOOKED.
I THOUGHT THEIR PROGRAM SOUNDED EXACTLY WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
SOMEONE I KNEW I COULD NOT PAY FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL.
SO BEFORE I COMMITTED TO LIVING IN EBR, I MOVED IN WITH MY MOTHER WHO LIVED IN EBR TO TRY OUT BASIS HALFWAY THROUGH BASIS.
SO I BOUGHT AN EBR NEAR THE SCHOOL TO STAY THERE.
MY DAUGHTER DID NOT ATTEND PRE-K.
SO IN KINDERGARTEN, SHE DID STRUGGLE WITH READING AND, BUT SHE DIDN'T STRUGGLE SO MUCH WHERE IT WASN'T WE NEEDED TO HOLD HER BACK.
SO SHE WENT ON TO FIRST GRADE AND FIRST GRADE, IT REALLY SHOWED THAT SHE WAS STRUGGLING.
SO THE SCHOOL NOTICED THAT RIGHT AWAY AND I'M, THERE ARE TEACHERS MET WITH ME MULTIPLE TIMES TO ADDRESS THE SITUATION SHE WENT TO.
THEY HAD, THEY TUTORED HER BEFORE SCHOOL AND AFTER SQUAT, NO COST TO ME.
SHE WENT TO A SUMMER PROGRAM WITH THE SCHOOL AND THE SCHOOL DID NOT TELL ME I NEEDED TO HOLD HER BACK.
I KNEW THAT SHE WAS HAVING TROUBLE READING.
SO I ASKED THE SCHOOL WHAT THEIR OPINION.
AND SO I MET WITH THE TEAM I MET WITH THE DEAN.
I MET WITH THREE OF HER TEACHERS, ONE LAT INTO STT, HER MATH AND HER
[02:25:01]
HUMANITIES TEACHER ABOUT HER PROGRESS.SHE'S ALSO SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAY.
SO KNOWING THOSE THINGS, YES, SHE DID STRUGGLE IN READING, BUT HER GRADES WERE FINE.
BUT AS A PARENT, I KNEW BASIS WAS GOING TO GET HARDER AND HARDER.
AND I WANTED A SOLID FOUNDATION BEFORE MOVING HER FORWARD.
SO I'M ONE OF THE FAMILIES THAT HELD THEIR CHILD BACK.
SO MY CHILD IS REPEATING FIRST GRADE.
SHE'S GETTING EXTRA HELP FROM THE SCHOOL.
AND I COULDN'T BE MORE HAPPIER WITH MY CHOICE WITH BASIS.
UH, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME A FEW MINUTES HERE TO ADDRESS, UH, THE BOARD.
I KNOW THE BOARD HAS TALKED A LOT ABOUT CHARTER SCHOOL LAW, AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU JUST A SMALL, MORE DOSE OF IT.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DON'T GET LOST IN THE WEEDS HERE.
AND WE LOOK MORE AT THE BROADER PICTURE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS AS AUTONOMOUS BEINGS UNDER THE LAW, RIGHT? UNDER LOUISIANA CHARTER SCHOOL LAW, UM, CHARTERS ARE AUTONOMOUS.
THEY ARE DIFFERENT FROM TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THAT WAY, AND THAT THEY OPERATE PURSUANT TO THEIR CHARTER AGREEMENT.
THE CHARTER AGREEMENT IS THAT CONTRACT BETWEEN THE PARTIES, BY WHICH THE CHARTER OPERATES.
THAT'S WHAT THE REGULATION PROVIDES THEM WITH THE CONTRACT PROVIDES.
SO WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO EXAMINE THE EXACT LANGUAGE OF THE CONTRACT FOR THOSE CHARTERS, BECAUSE THAT'S HOW THOSE SCHOOLS OPERATE IN LOUISIANA.
SO, UM, CHARTER SCHOOL CONTRACTS CAN, AND SOMETIMES DO PROVIDE FOR SPECIFIC PROVISIONS REGARDING PUPIL PROGRESSION PLANS.
UM, PEOPLE, REGRESSION PLANS SOMETIMES WE'LL HAVE DIFFERENT LANGUAGE IN THE CONTRACT.
SOMETIMES IT WILL FOLLOW THE DISTRICT PLAN.
AND IN THIS CASE, IN THE BASIS CONTRACT CASE EXAMINING THE EXACT LANGUAGE OF THAT CONTRACT PROVISION, WHICH SPEAKS TO THE PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN LANGUAGE, IT WAS, IT WAS READ HERE TONIGHT.
UM, IT'S VERY SPECIFIC IN THAT BASIS MAY ADOPT THE BOARDS, UM, PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN, OR IT MAY HAVE ITS OWN SCHOOL SPECIFIC PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN.
UM, LOOKING FROM A BROADER PERSPECTIVE THAT WE DON'T GET LOST TOO MUCH IN THE WEEDS HERE, THAT WE LOOK AT THE EXACT LANGUAGE OF THE CONTRACT, WHICH AGAIN IS THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE AUTHORIZER AND THE CHARTER SCHOOL FOR IT TO OPERATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE BULLETIN 1566 THAT WAS DISCUSSED AT LENGTH TONIGHT, SPECIFICALLY REFERENCES THE LEA, UM, HERE BASIS WHERE IT'S NOT AS OWN LEA UNDER THE LAW, UM, DOES NOT FOLLOW THOSE SPECIFIC PROVISIONS FOR THE LEA LIKE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, UM, WHEN IT HAS THE CHARTER AGREEMENT, AGAIN, THE CONTRACT BETWEEN THE PARTIES THAT PROVIDES FOR OTHERWISE.
SO AGAIN, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO LOOK FROM A BROADER PERSPECTIVE.
WHAT DOES THE LANGUAGE OF THAT CONTRACT SAY? WHAT ARE WE FOCUSED ON THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE PARTIES, THE LAW BETWEEN THE PARTIES THERE AND LOOK AT NOT ONLY WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE BASIS CONTRACT, BUT AS A BROADER PERSPECTIVE FOR OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS IN LOUISIANA.
NEXT I AM TOO SHORT FOR, OKAY.
MY NAME IS FANTA AND MY CHILD GOES TO BASIS AND I'M NOT BEING RUDE.
I NEED THIS BECAUSE I'M A GOLF TEST.
I'M GOING TO TRY TO RUN THROUGH IT REAL QUICK BECAUSE I FEEL THEY'RE ALL IMPORTANT.
AND MY FIRST THING IS I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW, UM, I READ THIS PLAN AND REALLY IT'S JUST LIKE THE EBR PLAN, BUT THERE WERE A FEW THINGS AS DIFFERENT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD TONIGHT, AND REALLY THE ONLY THING I KEPT HEARING TONIGHT, THE CONCERN WAS ABOUT WHY DO WE NEED THIS COMPREHENSIVE TEST? UM, WELL, WHAT, WHY DO WE NEED THIS COMPREHENSIVE TEST? IF WE FEEL OUR TEACHERS ARE COMPETENT ENOUGH, WHY, WHY DO WE NEED ANOTHER TEST? I CAN ASK THE SAME QUESTION ABOUT THE LEAP TEST.
SO WHY DO ALL THE SCHOOLS IN EBR WHO HAVE TEACHERS WHO ARE COMPETENT ALSO TAKE A LEAK TEST AND THEY HAVE TO PASS THIS LEAP TO HAVE A FOURTH, THE EIGHTH OR 10TH GRADE.
SO THE ISSUE IS NOT A BASIS ISSUE.
THE ISSUE IS WHY ARE WE TAKING THIS AND THE TEST? SO THAT'S JUST A COMPLETE TOPIC THAT REALLY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BASIS, BUT I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE AT THE CONTEST IF I HAVE TIME, BUT, BUT LET ME MENTION WHAT I REALLY THINK THE ISSUE IS.
AND ACTUALLY IT WAS CLEARLY SAID TODAY, THE ISSUE IS DISTRUST.
THERE IS A DISTRUST AND WHAT IS GOING ON? WHAT BASIS THERE'S A DISTRUST AT? THE BELIEF IS THIS TEST IS, UM, USED TO FILTER KIDS OUT OR TO COUNT THEM OUT.
WELL, I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT MY BROTHER.
UM, MY BROTHER HAS A CHILD WHO CAME TO BASIS IN FIRST GRADE.
HE CAME FROM A PUBLIC SCHOOL, IT'S AN F SCHOOL.
AND, UM, HE COULDN'T EVEN COUNT TO 10 K.
THE FIRST WEEK THEY CALLED HIM IN THE COUNCIL, THE TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS THERE
[02:30:01]
AND SAID, HEY, WE HAVE CONCERN ABOUT ETHAN.YOU KNOW, HE'S NOT EVEN ABLE COUNT 10.
HE REALLY SHOULD BE IN KINDERGARTEN.
IT WOULD BE BETTER IF HE WAS IN KINDERGARTEN.
AND THEY STRONGLY SUGGESTED THIS TO MY BROTHER.
HE SAID, NOPE, MY CHILD IS NOT GOING TO KINDERGARTEN.
YOU KNOW, WHAT BASIS DID THEY COULD HAVE TURNED AROUND AND SAID, OKAY, THAT'S YOUR CHOICE.
AND THAT'S THAT WHAT THEY DIDN'T, WHAT THEY DID IS THEY PULLED HIM OUT EVERY DAY AND HAD SOMEBODY HELP HIM CATCH UP ON KINDERGARTEN SKILL WHILE HE WAS DOING FIRST GRADE SKILL.
THEY PROVIDE A FREE TUTORING BEFORE SCHOOL, FREE TUTORING AFTER SCHOOL.
THE KID DIDN'T JUST LIKE SUDDENLY BECOME ON LEVEL.
HE MOVED FROM FTD AND HE GOT A WAR FOR MOST IMPROVED KID IN THAT GRADE.
THE CONFIDENCE WAS, YOU KNOW, EXCEPTIONAL WAS GREAT.
SO NOW HE'S ACTUALLY ON LEVEL.
SO THAT PROMISE THAT THEY MAKE THAT THEY PULL YOUR KIDS UP TO LEVEL.
SO IT IS NOT ABOUT TRYING TO FILTER KIDS OUT WHO CAN'T MAKE IT.
UM, ABOUT THIS TEST, THE DIFFERENCES IS WHEN THE CHILD'S IN EIGHTH GRADE, LIKE MY, MY KID'S IN SIXTH GRADE, SO I'M IN EIGHTH GRADE, THE LEAP TEST, THEIR MATH IS GOING TO BE PRE-ALGEBRA LEVEL.
MY CHILD WILL BE TAKING ALGEBRA TWO.
HE WOULD HAVE TAKEN ALGEBRA PRE-ALGEBRA ALGEBRA ONE, GEOMETRY ALGEBRA TWO.
WHY ARE WE GOING TO USE A PRE LEAK TEST AND SAY, HE'S CAPABLE IN THE NEXT GRADE? AND I KNOW IT'S, TIME'S UP.
I'M JUST GONNA WRAP IT UP REAL QUICK.
BUT I'M JUST SAYING IT WOULD BE AMAZING IF I COULD BE LIKE, OH, I WANT AN EASY TEST.
AM I KICKING? JUST PASSED ON? I WOULD BE HAPPY IF HE'S BASIS BARBER, BUT THE TRUTH IS I WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR MY CHILD.
AND WHAT'S BEST FOR MY CHILD IS TO BE READY AND SUCCESSFUL NEXT YEAR.
AND I DON'T WANT THAT FALSE CLAIM.
I WISH I COULD TALK THAT FAST.
MY NAME IS AUGUSTINE TEMPORARY, ANNIE.
I AM A FIRST GRADE TEACHER AT BASIS AND I'M ALSO A GRADUATE OF BASIS.
SO I THINK I'M UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO GIVE YOU SOME MORE INSIGHT ABOUT THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE, UM, AND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO GO THROUGH THAT.
UM, SO I LOOK BACK AT MY YEARS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND BASIS AS SOME OF THE FONDEST OF MY LIFE, WHICH IS NOT AN EXPERIENCE.
THAT'S COMMON WITH PEOPLE MY AGE, UM, IN COLLEGE.
IN FACT, A LOT OF MY FRIENDS WOULD TALK ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY HATED HIGH SCHOOL AND HOW GLAD THEY WERE TO BE OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, BUT THOSE ARE THE SAME FRIENDS WHO WERE SHOCKED AND OVERWHELMED WITH THE RIGOR OF THE SMALL LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGE THAT I WAS AT.
UM, AND SO THEY HAD NEVER BEEN IN SMALL DISCUSSION BASED CLASSES.
THEY HAD NEVER HAD TO PRESENT THEIR RESEARCH FOR A COMMITTEE.
THEY'D NEVER HAD TO GIVE TALKS AND KEYNOTE SPEECHES, UM, FOR PEOPLE OF MORE, YOU KNOW, AN AUDIENCE OF MORE THAN 50.
UM, AND I HAD THOSE EXPERIENCES, UH, I WAS UNIQUELY PREPARED TO THRIVE IN AN ACADEMIC SITUATION THAT WAS INCREDIBLY RIGOROUS.
AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T EASY TO GET THERE.
COLLEGE WAS EASY FOR ME, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I DIDN'T WORK HARD.
I SPENT MOST OF MY TIME IN THE LAB IN THE LIBRARY, BUT I WAS UNIQUELY PREPARED TO MEET THOSE CHALLENGES BECAUSE OF THE RIGOR THAT I FACED A BASIS.
UM, BUT GETTING TO THE POINT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.
I AM AN IMMIGRANT, I'M AN ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNER AND I STARTED BASIS IN SIXTH GRADE BEFORE THERE WAS A PRIMARY PROGRAM AT ALL.
UM, AND SO COMING IN FROM MY LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOL WAS INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT AND IT REQUIRED A LOT OF CATCHING UP TO DO, UM, THROUGHOUT ALL MY TIME IN HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, BUT I ENDED UP WITH ENOUGH AP CREDITS TO START COLLEGE AS A SOPHOMORE.
UM, AND SO THAT PATH REQUIRED, YOU KNOW, SUMMER SCHOOL, NUMEROUS HOURS, EVERY DAY, STUDENT HOURS, UM, WITH, WITH, YOU KNOW, ALL MY TEACHERS.
UM, AND I TOOK THE CITY BUS HOME EVERY DAY.
I NEVER HAD A NANNY, BUT WHAT I DID HAVE WAS EXCEPTIONALLY HARDWORKING TEACHERS THAT CARED.
UM, AND SO THERE ISN'T A PERFECT SCHOOL.
AND AS A TEACHER, I THINK I UNDERSTAND THAT BETTER THAN MOST, BUT ONE THING THAT BASIS DOES EXCEPTIONALLY WELL IS ATTRACT TEACHERS THAT ARE INCREDIBLY DEDICATED AND EMPOWER THEIR STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE GREATNESS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY AT THE CORE, SORRY, AT THE CORE OF WHAT BASIS IS.
UM, AND I FEEL I OWE A HUGE DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO ALL OF MY TEACHERS THAT I CAN BEST REPAY BY HOPEFULLY INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF YOUNG MINDS, THE WAY THAT THEY INSPIRED ME.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY WHAT BASIS AIMS TO DELIVER.
I HAVE TAUGHT WITH BASIS FOR SIX YEARS.
I ACTUALLY FOLLOWED MR. RAMIREZ HERE FROM TUCSON WHEN THEY DECIDED TO OPEN BASIS THREE YEARS AGO, I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS, UH, VICE-PRESIDENT HOWARD'S POINT OF RACIAL AND SYSTEMIC INJUSTICES.
[02:35:01]
AS WE KNOW THAT THAT IS A THING.WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, I WAS BORN IN EL PASO, TEXAS TO AN IMMIGRANT AND A BLACK MAN FROM BUFFALO, NEW YORK WITH A PRISON RECORD.
I GREW UP IN MANHATTAN, KANSAS, WHERE I WAS THE ONLY BIRACIAL PERSON OF COLOR IN MY CLASS ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL EIGHTH GRADE.
AND AGAIN WAS THE ONLY BIRACIAL PERSON BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS EITHER MEXICAN OR BLACK OR WHITE.
THERE WEREN'T VERY MANY BIRACIAL PEOPLE.
I DIDN'T HAVE A TEACHER THAT LOOKED LIKE ME UNTIL I WAS A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL.
I WANT TO PROVIDE THAT FOR STUDENTS IN MY GRADES AND IN MY SCHOOL.
YES, WE HAVE THESE TESTS THAT ARE COMPREHENSIVE, BUT I FEEL AS THOUGH SOME OF THE MEMBERS ON THE BOARD ARE NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THE FACT THAT WE ALSO HAVE TEACHERS THAT ARE WORKING SO HARD TO PULL OUR STUDENTS UP FROM WHERE THEY ARE.
SO WHILE STUDENTS MAY COME TO US THAT ARE BELOW LEVEL, WE ARE WORKING HARD TO GET THEM TO BE WHERE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.
I SPEND MOST OF MY TIME PLANNING AND THINKING AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW I CAN MAKE THINGS BETTER.
MY THIRD GRADERS ARE READING A BOOK THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR FIFTH GRADERS, WHERE IT'S TACKLING VERY CHALLENGING TOPICS LIKE SLAVERY.
WE'RE READING TRISTON, STRONG PUNCHES, A HOLE IN THE SKY.
AND I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER SEEN EIGHT YEAR OLDS AS EXCITED TO READ A BOOK AS THEY ARE ABOUT THIS ONE.
MY KIDS ARE TRYING, I AM TRYING.
YOU NEED TO TRUST THAT BASIS HAS TEACHERS THAT ARE GOING TO PULL THESE STUDENTS UP, NOT LIKE, OH, WE'RE GOING TO PULL YOU BY YOUR BOOTSTRAPS BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW THAT THAT MENTALITY DOESN'T WORK.
AND ALL OF THE OTHER TEACHERS THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH BASIS ARE TRYING TO BUILD THIS COMMUNITY UP BECAUSE WE WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR BATON ROUGE.
I BELIEVE IT WAS YOU MA'AM WHO SAID YOU WANTED PEOPLE TO COME HERE AND USE PEOPLE FROM THIS STATE.
AND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO AT BASIS IS MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE THE BEST.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO RE MAKE LOUISIANA ANYTHING.
WE'RE NOT TRYING TO COME FROM ARIZONA AND SAY, OH, YOU WOULD NEED TO FIX THIS.
WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE LOUISIANA BETTER BECAUSE WE WANT TO TRY WE'RE HERE, WE'RE HERE, WE'RE HERE.
AND IT'S TO HELP THIS COMMUNITY ACHIEVE EVERYTHING THAT I FEEL ALL OF YOU PEOPLE WANT IT TO ACHIEVE.
THE TEACHERS ARE WORKING HARD.
THANK YOU NEXT FROM THE AUDIENCE.
HI, I'M ANGELA WOMMACK JONES, AND WE HAVE A SIXTH GRADER AT BASIS AND WE'RE IN A JILL DYSON'S DISTRICT.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING US TO SPEAK TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF BASIS.
UM, THE REASON THAT WE CHOSE BASIS IS DUE TO THE HIGH STANDARDS.
AND IF WE LOOK AT NOT ALLOWING THEM TO PURSUE THIS PPP AND DO WHAT THEY DO BEST OR WATER IT DOWN IN ANY OTHER WAY, UM, I SEE THAT AS PRETTY INCONSIDERATE TO THE STUDENT, LIKE WE'RE SAYING THEY CAN'T ACHIEVE WHAT THEY CAN ACHIEVE.
AND I BELIEVE IN OUR STUDENTS AND, UM, I BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE, UM, THAT THEY CAN PUT THEIR BEST FOOT FORWARD AND THEY CAN ACHIEVE WHAT BASIS IS ASKING THEM TO DO.
WE STARTED WHEN OUR DAUGHTER WAS IN FOURTH GRADE AND I SAW THEM BRING STUDENTS IN FROM EVERY EDUCATIONAL WALK OF LIFE AND BRING THEM UP TO THE BASIS LEVEL.
SO I'M ASKING YOU ALL TO APPROVE THE PPP.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE IN THE OTHER ROOM? ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK, KIND OF HAVE A HAND WAVE IF ANYONE IS OUT THERE? NO.
WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE ONLINE AND SOMEONE CHANGES THEIR MIND.
THEY CAN HAVE AN, A THING, A CHANCE AT THE END.
SO THE ONLINE QUESTIONS, I MEAN, COMMENTS, UH, FIRST IS FROM DR.
JAMES FINNEY BASIS APPLIED TO OPERATE TYPE ONE CHARTER SCHOOLS WITHIN THE EAST BATON ROUGE SYSTEM.
IF THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH PUBLIC SCHOOL PROGRESSION PLAN IS SOMEHOW INADEQUATE BASIS IS JUST AS FREE AS I AM TO PURSUE YOU AS A BOARD TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE SYSTEM WIDE PLAN, THE ABILITY OF BASIS TO COMPARE THEIR BATTER'S RESULTS TO THOSE OF OTHER SCHOOLS ELSEWHERE IS NOT YOUR PROBLEM.
PLEASE DENY THE REQUEST FROM BASIS TO OPERATE OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT'S ACCOUNTABILITY NETWORK.
AND THANKS AGAIN FOR ALLOWING THE SUBMISSION OF ELECTRONIC WRITTEN COMMENTS FROM OUR BREE TURNER.
[02:40:01]
AT BASIS, BATON ROUGE, MY WIFE AND I CHOOSE TO SEND OUR SCHOLARS TO BASIS BECAUSE OF THEIR RIGOROUS EDUCATION AND ACADEMIC STANDARDS THEY HAVE HAD FOR YEARS.IT WAS A SEAMLESS TRANSITION FROM PRIVATE SCHOOL EDUCATION.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN DISAPPOINTED AS OUR CHILDREN ARE LEARNING AND GAINING KNOWLEDGE THAT WE BELIEVE WILL GIVE THEM GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR SCHOLARSHIPS AND DIVERSE OPTIONS IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION AND CAREER GOALS.
I HAVE ONE CHILD THAT RECEIVES INTERVENTIONS BECAUSE WHILE HE'S IN SECOND GRADE AND WORKING ON THE EIGHTH GRADE READING LEVEL, HE NEEDS ADDED ATTENTION TO NOT MISS BASIC INSTRUCTIONS.
BASIC PERSONNEL HAVE BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING SURE HE HAS WHAT HE NEEDS.
WE WILL CONTINUE WITH BASIS AND PLAN TO CONTINUE OUR INVOLVEMENT WITH THEIR COMMUNITY AND ADMINISTRATION FROM ANNA MARIE BLANK, OUR ACADEMIC MAGNETS THAT REQUIRE ENTRY EXAMS DON'T HAVE SEPARATE PUPIL PROGRESSION PLANS.
THE EXISTENCE OF INEQUITABLE BARRIERS AND OUR EBR.
OTHER EBR PROGRAMS IS NOT AN EXCUSE TO CREATE NEW BARRIERS WITHIN NEW PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE EQUITY RESOLUTION THAT YOU JUST PASSED.
IF THE CURRENT STUDENT PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN FOR OUR DISTRICT IS SUFFICIENT FOR THE ACADEMIC MAGNETS AND FOR SELF CONTAINED GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAM, IT IS ALSO SUFFICIENT FOR BASIS.
BASIS PLAN IS NOT EVEN A FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED NORM.
THEY CLAIM TO HAVE GOOD RESULTS IN OTHER STATES, BUT THEY HAVE CHERRY PICK THEIR STUDENTS TO GET THESE RESULTS RESULTS.
THEY THEN, THEN DEAN QUOTE, SUCCESSFUL THE STUDENTS PERFORMING ON THEIR TESTS DO NOT REFLECT THE GENERAL POPULATIONS OF THE AREAS IN WHICH THE SCHOOLS EXIST RATHER THAN SUCCESS.
THE RESULT REFLECT THE ABILITY OF BASIS TO WEED OUT STUDENTS WHO DON'T PERFORM TO THEIR EXTREME STANDARDS TO NOW ALLOW THEM TO HAVE A SEPARATE PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN FROM TANYA NYMAN BASIS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO AMEND THIS PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN AS THE 2019 2020 REPORT ON SCHOOL PERFORMANCE.
ACCORDING TO REQUIREMENTS UNDER OUR S 17 COLON 39 91 AND BESSIE BULLETIN ONE 26, CHAPTER 27, SECTION 27, 13 DOCUMENTS BASIS HAS FAILED TO COMPLY WITH STATE LAW IN REGARDS TO PROVIDING SERVICES TO ECONOMICALLY DIFF DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS.
PAGE SEVEN REPORT, THEY SERVE TOO FEW STUDENTS WHO ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED BECAUSE BASIS AT WOMAN'S BASIS AT WOMEN'S IS AT CORPORATE CHARTER.
IT IS ALREADY ALLOWED SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED BENCHMARK AND STILL FALSE FOR SHORT OF THIS REQUIREMENT THAT ALONG SHOULD COMPEL THE BOARD TO VOTE UNANIMOUSLY, TO DENY THIS PROPOSAL TO IMPLEMENT YET.
ANOTHER MEANS OF DENYING LOW INCOME STUDENTS ACCESS TO THEIR PROGRAM FROM JENNIFER HARDING, UNLESS SOMETHING HAS CHANGED RECENTLY BASIS.
HIS MODEL IS THE SAME AS IT WAS WHEN THEY FIRST APPLIED FOR A CHARTER AND EBR.
IT IS CONFUSING TO ME NOW WHY NOW THAT PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN IS SUDDENLY AN ISSUE.
WHY WASN'T THIS SOMETHING THE BOARD WAS APPROACHED WITH WHEN BASIS CHARTER WAS INITIALLY CONSIDERED, IF THIS SPECIAL PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN IS APPROVED TODAY, DOES IT SET A PRECEDENT FOR OTHER, OTHER CHARTER SCHOOLS IN OUR DISTRICT TO ALL DESIGN THEIR UNIQUE PLANS? AND IF, IF SO, IS THAT REALLY IN THE BEST INTEREST OF VBR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES FROM LA PORSCHE, A CASINO, YES, SCHOOLS ARE ABLE TO ACCEPT RETAINED AND PROMOTED STUDENTS IF THEY'RE COMING FROM ANOTHER SCHOOL, BUT STUDENTS DON'T TRY TO TAKE THAT ROAD DUE TO BELIEVING YOUR CURRICULUM IS TRUSTFUL AND HONEST FROM THE START.
SO IF A CHILD IS RETAINED AND LEAVES TO GO TO A PUBLIC SCHOOL, 10 OUT OF 10, THAT STUDENT WILL BE RETAINED EXIT OUT THE TESTING.
IF YOU TRULY BELIEVE YOUR CURRICULUM IS A HUNDRED PERCENT FOR ALL STUDENTS.
AND I WILL REFRESH ONE MORE TIME AND ONE MORE TIME, AND THAT IS THE END OF THE ONLINE COMMENTS.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL GO BACK TO THE BOARD MS. COLLINS, SHE GOT LESS CONS.
UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT A GROUP AGREED WITH THE COMMENT ABOUT THE LEAK TESTING, AND I DON'T AGREE WITH LEAKS BEING HIGH STAKES TESTING EITHER UNTIL THAT POINT, YOUR CHILDREN HAVE TO DEAL WITH LEAP AND BASIS TESTING.
UM, IF YOU WOULD MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LIFT UP THAT NO ONE IS ANTI RIGOR.
Y'ALL WANT TO KEEP FRAMING THIS AS IF WE
[02:45:01]
SAYING WE DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO HAVE RIGOR.UH, LOTS OF SCHOOLS IN EBR HAVE LOTS OF RIGOR AND NOT JUST THE MAGNET SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE SEVERAL SCHOOLS THAT ARE NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON THAT HAVE NO MAGNET OR ANYTHING ATTACHED TO IT.
NO ONE IS TRYING TO MAKE YOU DUMB DOWN ANYTHING.
UM, IT'S, IT IS PURELY A QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU ALL WEEDING USING IT AS A TOOL TO WEED OUT STUDENTS ALSO.
AND NONE OF MY QUESTIONING WAS I IN ANY WAY, DOUBTING THE ABILITY OR COMPETENCY OF BASISES TEACHERS.
IN FACT, IF ANYTHING, WHAT I WAS DOING WAS PROPPING UP THOSE TEACHERS AND WONDERING WHY BASIS DOESN'T TRUST ITS OWN TEACHERS TO DETERMINE WHAT GRADE THE CHILDREN SHOULD BE IN.
ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY MAKE AN EXERTED SPECIFIC EFFORT EVERY YEAR TO DO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND HOW TO DO GRADING.
AND THAT'LL BE MY LAST COMMENT.
I JUST WANTED TO UPLIFT THAT SAME, THAT SAME NOTION THAT THERE IS A NO WAY UNTIL THE YOUNG LADY WHO ADDRESSED ME, UM, THAT I, I, IN ANY WAY DISTRUST THE COMPETENCY OF TEACHERS AT BASIS.
IN FACT, SOMEONE WHO IS LIKE MY DAUGHTER IS A STUDENT AT BASIS.
AND SO THERE'S, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BASIS BEING RIGOROUS.
IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH TEACHER COMPETENCY BECAUSE WHAT HAS HAPPENED FOR PEYTON THAT BASIS IS GREAT FOR PEYTON.
BUT WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT THERE IS NO NEED IN MY MIND, AS A SITTING BOARD MEMBER TO HAVE TO ADDRESS OR HAVE A DIFFERENT POLICY TO DO THOSE SAME THINGS, YOU CAN DELIVER YOUR MODEL WITHOUT IT, IN MY OPINION.
AND SO YOU CAN AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH ME, BUT THAT'S MY OPINION, AS SOMEONE WHO IS A SITTING BOARD MEMBER WITH AN OPINION ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS FOR EDUCATION AND EDUCATING STUDENTS WITHIN THIS DISTRICT.
SO WHETHER YOU AGREE, WHETHER YOU DISAGREE, THAT'S MY OPINION.
I HAVE NEVER SAT HERE AND CAME FOR THE COMPETENCY OF A TEACHER OF A PRINCIPAL.
I PLAY TENNIS WITH MR. RAMIREZ RAMIRO.
IT'S ABOUT WHAT I BELIEVE IS AN EQUITABLE MODEL AND DELIVERING IT FOR ALL STUDENTS WITHIN OUR DISTRICT.
SO I WILL BE ATTACKED ABOUT COMPETENCIES OF TEACHERS AND THE STAFF OF BASIS, BECAUSE I, LISTEN, I ENTRUST MY OWN, LIKE MY DAUGHTER TO GO TO THE SCHOOL.
SO IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MY BELIEF IN WHAT BASIS CAN DO FOR STUDENTS, BUT EVERYTHING IN MY BELIEF AND WHAT IS BEST AND EQUITABLE FOR EVERY SINGLE STUDENT WITHIN THIS DISTRICT.
THANK YOU, MR. HOWARD, THERE IS, UH, NO ONE ELSE REQUESTING YOUR SPACE.
SO NOW WE WILL BE VOTING ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION.
UH, MADAM SECRETARY, COULD YOU PLEASE RE READ THE SHUTTER CHEAT MOTION SO EVERYONE CAN BE CLEAR SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO POSTPONE APPROVAL UNTIL SUCH TIME AS AN ATTORNEY, GENERAL OPINION HAS BEEN RENDERED REGARDING WHETHER A CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD IS A CITY OR A PARISH SCHOOL BOARD UNDER THE DEFINITION OF THE STATE LAW FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE ADOPTION OF THE BASIS, PEOPLE PROGRESSION PLAN AND FURTHER AUTHORIZED GENERAL COUNCIL, THE AUTHORITY TO SEEK AG OPINION ON THAT EXPEDITED BASIS ON AN EXPEDITED BASIS.
THANK YOU, MADAM SECRETARY, WOULD YOU PLEASE CONDUCT THE VOTE AND MADAM SECRETARY? I KNOW WE DO NOT NEED TO DO A ROLL CALL BOAT, BUT IS IT POSSIBLE TO SHARE THE VOTE UP THERE? OKAY.
I CAN'T SEE THAT FOR THE MOTION CARRIES FIVE.
[02:50:05]
THE MOTION CARRIES NEXT.[I. Consent Agenda]
THE CONSENT AGENDA.MS. SQUARE JACKSON, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE CONSENT AGENDA? OKAY.
AND SEND AGENDA THE FOLLOWING ITEMS TO BE APPROVED AS PART OF THE CONSENT AGENDA, THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE CONSIDERED TO BE ROUTINE AND WILL BE ENACTED WITH ONE MOTION.
THERE WILL BE NO SEPARATE DISCUSSION OF ITEMS UNLESS THE BOARD MEMBERS, SO REQUESTS IN WHICH EVENT, THE ITEM WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA AND CONSIDERED AS AN ITEM ON THE REGULAR AGENDA FOR A SEPARATE VOTE PRECEDING THE LAST ITEM ON THE REG ON THE REGULAR AGENDA.
TWO GRANTS CONSIDERATION OF THE FOLLOWING GRANTS BENEDICT EXPLORATIONS GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,500 TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE ROMAN TECHNOLOGY PROJECT AT GLASGOW MIDDLE D DEBRA.
DID YOU EVER ROCHELLE KELLY JEAN COOK SENIOR FOUNDATION IN THE AMOUNT OF 25,000 TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE GOAL, GET CONNECTED PROJECT FOR HOTSPOTS C UN UN CHARITABLE GIVING GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $18,000 TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR GO GET CONNECTED PROJECT FOR HOTSPOTS THREE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT BETWEEN THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL BOARD, AND THE FOLLOWING A INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR RESTORATIVE PRACTICES IN THE AMOUNT OF $30,292 TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TRAINING FOR SCHOOLS IMPLEMENTING RESTORATIVE PRACTICES, FUNDING SOURCE TAX PLAN B ART COUNCIL OF GREATER BATON ROUGE IN THE AMOUNT OF $29,500 TO PROVIDE ARTS INTEGRATION IN INDIA AND EDUCATION AND RESIDENCIES PERFORMANCES FOR PARK ELEMENTARY FUNDING SOURCE GENERAL FUND C DOUGLAS MANSHIP SHIPT, SENIOR THEATER COMPLEX HOLDING INC THAT'S THE MANSHIP THEATER IN THE AMOUNT OF $15,000 TO PROVIDE VIRTUAL SERVICES FOR EBR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS FUNDING SOURCE GENERAL FUND D KIDS ORCHESTRA, AND THE AMOUNT OF $20,000 TO PROVIDE AFTER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT FOR K FIVE STUDENTS FUNDING SOURCE GENERAL FUND.
HE VOLUNTEERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, VIPS IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,000 AND $58,000 RESPECTIVELY FOR THE EVERYBODY READS AND EVERYBODY COUNTS PROGRAMS, FUNDING SOURCES, TITLE ONE IN GENERAL FUND, AND FOR PUPIL PROGRESSION EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FOR THE APPROVAL OF THE DISTRICT'S PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN FOR THE 2020, 20, 21 SCHOOL YEAR.
AND THIS ENDS THE CONSENT AGENDA.
AND I SAW A MOVE FOR APPROVAL.
THANK YOU SECOND BY MR. TOTMAN.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD SEEING NONE, ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE? JUST A POINT OF ORDER YOU HAVEN'T ASKED ABOUT, UH, HAVING ANY ITEMS POOL.
DOES ANYONE, WOULD ANYONE REQUEST ITEMS TO BE PULLED FROM THE CONSENT AGENDA? NO ITEMS REQUESTED.
BOARD MEMBER BALLOU FOR REMINDING ME ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE BOARD.
ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE AUDIENCE, NO COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
NO COMMENTS ONLINE, BACK TO THE BOARD.
MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE VOTE MOTION CARRIES STANDALONE
[J1. Professional Services Contract]
ITEMS. NUMBER ONE, J ONE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, CONTRACT SIMPSON EDUCATION CONSULTING, LLC.[02:55:02]
OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD, $45,000 PER YEAR TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT PER THE 21ST CENTURY GRANT FUNDING SOURCE 21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS, GRANT, UH, MS. NEVO OR MS.SECOND BY MS. BERNARD, KEEP ME IN.
UH, DOES ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS SEEING NONE TO THE AUDIENCE? ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE? THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ON THE ONLINE COMMENT BOARD, BACK TO THE BOARD.
[K1. Resolution: Adjusted Millage Rates]
RESOLUTION ADJUSTED MILLAGE RATES, CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION TO ADJUST THE MILLAGE RATES FOR THE TAX YEAR 2020.I'M CONFUSED BY THE ORDER OF THIS AGENDA.
I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE HOW THIS IS READING.
UM, SO BASICALLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS YOU'RE ACCEPTING THE READJUSTMENT WITH RESOLUTION ONE WITH THE READJUSTMENT, THE PERCENTAGE IS ACTUALLY LOWER.
SO WITH THE SECOND RESOLUTION, YOU'RE BRINGING IT BACK TO WHAT IT IS NOW AT 43.45.
SO WE'VE GOT, GOTTA DO A MOTION.
YOU HAVE TO DO TWO SEPARATE VOTES.
SO I DO, I HAVE, UM, A MOTION FOR THE FIRST TO ADJUST THE MILITARIZATION FOR THE YEAR MS. DYSON AND MS. COLLINS SECONDS.
ANY DISCUSSION OR COMMENT, ANY DISCUSSION OR COMMENT FROM THE AUDIENCE? THERE IS NO ONLINE COMMENT BACK TO THE BOARD, SEEING NONE, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE VOTE MOTION, CARRIES RESOLUTION TO
[K2. Resolution: Roll Forward Millage]
CONSIDERATION OF REQUESTS, TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION, TO SET FORTH THE ADJUSTED MILISH RATES AFTER REASSESSMENT AND ROLL FAR AT THE MILLAGE RATES NOT TO EXCEED THE PRIOR YEAR'S MAXIMUM MILLAGE TAX FOR THE YEAR 2020.DO I HAVE A MOTION MOVED BY VICE PRESIDENT HOWARD? DO I HAVE A SECOND BY MS. COLLINS DISCUSSION BY THE BOARD SEEING NONE TO THE AUDIENCE, ANY COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE REFRESHING THE ONLINE? THERE ARE NO ONLINE COMMENTS, MR. BALLOU.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A POINT ABOUT THE PROCESS AND I KNOW EVERY FOUR YEARS WE HAVE, UM, GO THROUGH A REASSESSMENT AND THEN I HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER TO ROLL FORWARD.
NOW I WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR AND, UH, YOU KNOW, COUNSEL OR ANYBODY, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO MAKE THE ROLL FORWARD DECISION THIS YEAR.
WE CAN LET THE ADJUSTED RATE STAND.
UH, AS LONG AS WE MAKE THE DECISION TO ROLL FORWARD, WE CAN DO IT AT ANY, UH, IN A YEAR BETWEEN NOW AND 2024.
UM, BUT IF WE DON'T DO IT BY 2024, THAT ADJUSTED REG WOULD LOCK IN.
SO, UH, JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WE COULD BRING THIS UP FOR A ROLL FORWARD IN ANOTHER YEAR.
AND THE REASON I'M BRINGING IT UP IS THAT I'M AGAINST THE ROLL FORWARD THIS YEAR BECAUSE THE ECONOMIC HARDSHIP THAT OUR TAXPAYERS
[03:00:01]
ARE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW WITH, UH, PEOPLE OUT OF WORK AND, UH, BUSINESS OWNERS HAVING TO SHUT DOWN.UM, AND I THINK IT'S SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS A GOVERNMENT ENTITY TO, UH, UH, RAISE TAXES AT THIS POINT, I THINK IT'D BE MORE APPROPRIATE TO LOOK AT OUR ECONOMIC SITUATION A YEAR FROM NOW AND, AND DECIDE IF IT'S APPROPRIATE ROLE FOR IT.
BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE THIS YEAR.
AND, UH, FOR THAT REASON, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT WE WOULD NOT ROLL FORWARD.
UH, THIS YEAR, IF I CAN MAKE A POINT, THEY WON'T BE PAYING ANY MORE.
THEY'LL BE PAYING THE EXACT SAME MILLS.
RIGHT? SO MOTION SUBSTITUTE MOTION BY MR. LEE BALLOU.
UH, ANY ANYONE? I HAVE A QUESTION FOR, UM, MR. SHAMBLIN, BECAUSE THE SITUATION THAT MR BELLEW DESCRIBED THAT WE HAVE CAN DO AN ANNUALLY ONCE A YEAR FOR FOUR YEARS IS NOT THE UNDERSTANDING THAT I HAD.
I HAD THE UNDERSTANDING IF WE DON'T DO IT THIS YEAR, IT, WE FOREGO THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT EVER AGAIN UNTIL THE NEXT REASSESSMENT.
THAT'S THE UNDERSTANDING AND THE NEXT REASSESSMENT, THE MAXIMUM WE COULD ROLL FORWARD TO WOULD BE THE RATE THAT IS SUCCESS ASSESSED.
NOW, MR. SHAMBLIN, ARE YOU ON THE LINE? YES.
THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING AS WELL.
I'M NOT TRYING TO ARGUE, BUT I DO NOT HAVE THE SAME UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU JUST PUT FORTH.
UM, COULD MR. BALLOU REPEAT HIS QUESTION? HIS QUESTION WAS, COULD WE NOT ROLL FORWARD THIS YEAR AND MAINTAIN, MAINTAIN THE SAME MILLAGE RATE? I MEAN, YEAH, COULD MAINTAIN THE SAME DOLLAR RATE THIS YEAR, AND THEN NEXT YEAR, ROLL FORWARD THE MILLAGE RATE TO GET THE INCREASE IN DOLLARS.
AND I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION WE EITHER DID IT THIS YEAR, OR WE COULDN'T DO IT.
SO RIGHT NOW I'M GOING TO USE HYPOTHETICAL NUMBERS, RIGHT? THESE NUMBERS HAVE NO BASIS IN ANYTHING WE'RE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE DOING A, I'M GOING TO SAY FIVE MEALS AND WE COLLECT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
NOW THEY, THEY TAX ROLLS AT GOING UP BECAUSE THERE'S MORE PROPERTY.
AND SO WE CAN COLLECT THE SAME FIVE MEALS, BUT GET $110 OR WE CAN COLLECT A HUNDRED DOLLARS AND REDUCED THE MILLAGE BY THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT TO COME OUT AT A HUNDRED DOLLARS.
AND SO WOULD, MR. BALLOU IS SAYING, I THINK AND CORRECT ME IF I'M YEAH.
AND I'LL, I'LL GO AND RESTATE IT.
I UNDERSTANDING MY, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS HE WAS, HE WAS TRYING TO GET IT AS LONG AS YOU HAVEN'T, YOU KNOW, COULD YOU ROLL FORWARD AS LONG AS YOU WEREN'T AT, AT ANY POINT, EXCEEDING YOUR ALLOWED MILLAGE? WAS THAT CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU WANT? CORRECT.
SO, SO IF WE WANTED TO ROLL FORWARD TO THE MAXIMUM MILLAGE, WE COULD DO IT AT ANY POINT BETWEEN NOW AND 2024.
IS THAT CORRECT? IS THAT CONSISTENT WITH WHAT YOU WERE SAYING? I'M TRYING TO GET THE, THAT IS NOT WHAT MY UNDERSTANDING WAS, BUT I'M NOT A LAWYER, BUT THAT, AND THE REASON THAT I BROUGHT THAT UP, I SERVED ON THE CAT.
AND WE'RE HAVING THAT DISCUSSION AND THAT'S THE ADVICE, UH, OUR GENERAL COUNSEL GAVE US, UH, ON, ON THE ROLL FORWARD.
UH, I JUST WANT HIM TO, IT IS IMPORTANT WITH SURE THAT WE GET IT RIGHT.
I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE, BUT I, THAT, THAT WAS MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT, UH, UM, MR. IF MR. SHAMBLIN COULD, UH, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT BOTH MR.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE.
I THINK WE ARE BECAUSE HE MISSED THE GULU IS SAYING WE KEEP THE SAME DOLLAR AND REDUCE THE MILLAGE TO PROVIDE US WITH THE SAME NUMBER OF DOLLARS.
BUT THEN NEXT YEAR WE COULD RAISE THE MILLAGE STILL BELOW THE MINT.
AND THE MAXIMUM, IF I SAY THE MAXIMUM IS FIVE, AND WE'VE CUT IT TO 4.7 THIS YEAR TO KEEP THE SAME NUMBER OF DOLLARS NEXT YEAR, WE COULD COME AND ROLL IT UP TO THE FIVE.
I WAS NOT AN IMPRESSION THAT WAS LEGAL.
I THOUGHT IF HE WENT WITH 4.7 AT 4.7 TO THE NEXT REEVALUATION, I ACTUALLY THINK THAT THAT IS THE LATTER IS CORRECT.
YOUR UNDERSTANDING IS ACCURATE ONCE YOU AGREE.
WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH MS. LOPEZ
[03:05:01]
AND MR. CROCHET AS WELL.I AM, I HAVE TO AGREE WITH LIST OF BUTTON, MR. GOLDADE.
I DON'T THINK YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN ALSO GO BACK AND FORTH.
THIS IS WHAT, WHAT I THINK YOUR QUESTION SORT OF CONTEMPLATES.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS, UH, YOU CAN ROLL FORWARD ANY YEAR BETWEEN NOW AND 2024, BUT IF YOU DON'T DO IT BY 2024, THE ADJUSTED MILLAGE RATE WILL LOCK IN.
UM, I BELIEVE THE WAY IT'S BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME IS THAT, UH, UH, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE DONE THIS YEAR.
UH, BUT IT HAS TO BE DONE IF YOU WANT TO GO, UH, TO THE MAXIMUM MILLAGE, UH, WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE BEFORE 20, 24 AT THE NEXT REASSESSMENT.
UM, BUT MY LARGE CONCERN IS, IS, IS AS YOURS, SIR.
UM, THE ECONOMY IS STRUGGLING, WHICH MEANS OUR SALES TAX IS LOW, WHICH MEANS THAT NOT ONLY IS THE GENERAL FUND, NOT RECEIVING ITS NORMAL SHERIFF SALES TAX, BUT NEITHER IS OUR TAX PLAN, WHICH IS 100% FUNDED BY SALES TAX.
SO ANY OF OUR BUILDINGS, ANY OF OUR ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS THE ADDITIONAL SALARY PORTION OF ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES MAY HAVE TO BE PICKED UP BY THE GENERAL FUND.
AND IF THE GENERAL FUND DOESN'T GET THIS ADDITIONAL MONEY, WE CAN'T HELP OUR CHILDREN.
AND MFP IS NOT GOING TO GO UP BECAUSE THE STATE DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY EITHER WE HAVE TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN.
SO I RECOMMEND THAT WE GO AHEAD AND ROLL FORWARD.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM ANY OF THE BOARD? I'M SORRY.
UM, IF WE DON'T ROLL, THEN, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T GET IN THAT POINT.
COULD, COULD I GET, UM, ESTIMATING? WHAT, WHAT IS THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION? I'M SORRY.
I DID NOT HEAR WITH THE MOTION.
AND WHAT WAS THE SUBSTITUTE SUBSTITUTE MOTION IS TO, UH, I'M NOT TRYING TO PUT WORDS.
I DIDN'T GET IT DOWN, BUT SECOND SHEET MOTION WAS TO MAINTAIN THE SAME DOLLAR REVENUE.
I DON'T KNOW IT WAS TO NOT ROLL FORWARD THE NATURAL FORWARD.
SO IT BASICALLY IS TO REDUCE THE MILLAGE THAT HOLD THE DOLLAR VALUE, THE ELECTION TO NOT ROLL FORWARD.
SO I DON'T THINK YOU GET OUT OF, I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE THE LEEWAY TO GO BACK AND FORTH EITHER YOU DO IT OR YOU DON'T MS. COLLINS.
UH, MS. DYSON, IS THAT CONSISTENT WITH YOUR UNDERSTANDING MS. MR. SHAMBLIN YESTERDAY? IT IS MS. DYSON.
SO I AM IN COMPLETE AGREEMENT THAT FAMILIES ARE HURTING.
BUSINESSES ARE, ARE BEING LOST HOMES.
UH, PEOPLE DON'T KNOW HOW UNEMPLOYMENT, THE UNEMPLOYMENT AMOUNT THAT THE STATE ALLOTS IS 200 AND SOMETHING DOLLARS MAX, AND YOU CAN'T PAY A HOUSE NOTE OR, YOU KNOW, FEED YOUR FAMILY FOR THAT.
AND, UM, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FAMILIES WHO USE TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS WHO STILL ARE GETTING THEIR TAX BILLS AND RECENTLY RECEIVED THE, THE ENVELOPE THAT SHOWED THEIR PROPERTY VALUES GOING UP TREMENDOUSLY IN MANY CASES.
UM, SO FOR PROPERTY OWNERS, FOR RENT RENTERS AND, UH, RENTERS, I BELIEVE THAT IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO TRICKLE DOWN TO THEM BECAUSE THEIR LANDLORDS HAVE TO PAY THE BILLS.
AND IF THEY'RE NOT RECEIVING ANY RENT AND THEY STILL OWE THEIR INSURANCE ON THE BUILDING, THEIR MORTGAGE ON THE BUILDING, I JUST THINK THAT IT'S NOT THE YEAR TO DO THIS AND LET I JUST FOR THE VIEWING AUDIENCE, I WANT IT TO BE CLEAR THAT IT'S NOT THE SAME, IT'S THE SAME
[03:10:02]
MILLAGE, BUT IT'S MORE, THAT'S GOING TO BE ON THAT TAX BILL THAT HAS TO BE PAID BY DECEMBER 31ST.AND, UM, I JUST THINK THERE'S TOO MANY FAMILIES THAT ARE HURTING RIGHT NOW.
AND, UM, AND SO I ALSO AM CONCERNED THAT THERE'S A LITTLE BIT, UH, SEEMING UNCERTAINTY HERE WITH WHAT EXACTLY WE CAN AND CAN'T DO GOING FORWARD.
IF WE SAY WE'RE NOT GONNA ROLL FORWARD THIS YEAR.
UM, IS THERE ANY LANGUAGE THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY PUT INTO A MOTION THAT WOULD COVER A SCENARIO THAT WE COULD REVISIT ANNUALLY GOING FORWARD OR SOMETHING THAT MAY, AND THEN I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO GET, UH, SOME MORE RESEARCH DONE ON THIS AND SOME, UH, GREATER CLARITY ON WHAT WE WOULD AND WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO.
IS THERE A TIME LIMIT THAT THIS HAS TO BE DONE BY OCTOBER, OCTOBER, WHAT, 2020, WE HAVE TO HAVE IT SUBMITTED TO THE ASSESSOR
CAUSE THEY GAVE US OUR AS EVERYONE ELSE, EVERYTHING WAS LATE.
AND SO WE RECEIVED IT IN AUGUST FROM, UH, THE TAX ASSESSOR'S OFFICE.
SO I'M WONDERING IF ON THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE, UM, A FRIENDLY THAT WE WOULD MOVE THIS TO THE OCTOBER, UH, AGENDAS SO THAT WE COULD HAVE CLARITY IN THE MEANWHILE AS TO WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO AND HOW THIS TIES US FOR FOUR YEARS OR NOT.
WE WILL HAVE TO HAVE ANOTHER PUBLIC HEARING AND GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS.
AGAIN, I THINK WITH THE, WITH THE, UM, UNCERTAINTY OR CLARITY OR SPECIFIC WE'VE GONE AND WE'VE ASKED, AND WE'VE GOTTEN THIS DEFINITE OPINION, UH, THIS IS THE RULE.
UM, I DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN REALLY VOTE ON SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON, BUT, UM, IF WE HAVE TO VOTE TONIGHT, I CAN'T IN GOOD FAITH TO THE COMMUNITY, RAISE THIS THEIR TAXES.
YES, I TOO HAVE THE SAME CONCERN.
I WOULD ONLY ASK BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS MORE OF A LEGAL QUESTION.
UH, IF WE DO POSTPONE, I THINK THE SAME THING, UH, UH, AND THIS IS TO, UH, MR.
SO, UH, LEGAL COUNCIL CAN COME UP WITH, UH, UH, LEGAL SOUNDNESS AROUND THIS ISSUE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE PUTTING OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD AND ALSO TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THAT DEADLINE.
MS. LOPEZ, I JUST WANT, UM, FOR YOU, CAUSE I KNOW WHEN THIS WAS WHEN THE ASSESSOR FIRST HIT US UP WHEN I HIT US UP, BUT YOU KNOW, THEY REACHED OUT TO US ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THIS ON THE BOOKS AND YOU WERE LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO VIRTUAL, LIKE IN PERSON? LIKE WHAT DOES THAT DO FOR THE PROCESS? AND I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A SOUND UNDERSTANDING BEFORE MAKING A DECISION, BUT YOU KNOW, YOU WERE TELLING ME ABOUT THE 30 DAY NOTICE AND ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS, LIKE WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT IN OCTOBER SO THAT WE CAN GET THE LETTER, HONESTLY, SORRY, THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED.
UM, SO WHAT WE'LL HAVE TO DO IS I'LL CALL THE LEGISLATIVE ARMS OFFICE.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RESET THE PROCESS, BUT SINCE WE'RE ALL LIVE AGAIN, SHORT OF SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENING, IT WON'T BE A PROBLEM.
I WILL HAVE TO, TO PUT THE NOTICE IN THE PAPER 30 DAYS BEFORE THE NEXT PUBLIC HEARING.
SO WE'LL HAVE TO DO THAT FIRST PART OF NEXT YEAR.
SO WE DO HAVE TIMES, I JUST WANT, WANTED TO CLEAR THE PROCESS UP BECAUSE I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH MY COLLEAGUES, THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING FOR THE SAKE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR, IN OUR WORLD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION.
UM, AND I ALSO, WHEN WE DO COME BACK, IF YOU COULD JUST HAVE THE, THE, WHAT HAPPENS IF WE DO IT AND WHAT HAPPENS IF THE BOARD DECIDES TO VOTE AGAINST IT? CAUSE I KNOW THAT'S VERY ALSO CONCERNING WITH THE 9.2 MILLION SHARP OTHER THAN THE GENERAL FUND.
AND WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE OUR FINANCES LIE.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL OF THOSE THINGS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING A SOUND DECISION GOING FORWARD.
COULD I GET CLARITY ON THE TIMETABLE AGAIN? YEAH, THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY QUESTION.
SO IF WE HAVE TO ADVERTISE 30 DAYS AHEAD, UH, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE THAT TO GET IN THE PAPER? I CAN GET IT IN THE PAPER WITHIN A DAY
[03:15:01]
OR SO, BECAUSE IT'S NOT, IT CAN'T GO IN THE LEGAL ADS.WE, WE MAY BE LOOKING AT A SPECIAL MEETING LATE IN OCTOBER IN ORDER TO PASS THIS AT A PUBLIC HEARING.
CAUSE IT'S GOTTA BE IN THE PAPER FOR 30 DAYS.
IT HAS TO BE IN THE PAPER 30 DAYS BEFORE.
SO I'M OKAY WITH JUST RECOGNIZE WE'RE SETTING OURSELVES UP FOR A SPECIAL MEETING, BUT THE OCTOBER MEETING IS 30 DAYS FROM TODAY AND IT'S NOT GOING TO GET IN THE PAPER BECAUSE I HAVE TO, I HAVE TO CALL THE LADY AND YOU HAVE TO GIVE THE ADVOCATE TIME.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE, IF SO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING, WHICH IS FINE.
YOU CAN HAVE A SPECIAL NAME OR WE COULD MOVE THE REGULAR MEETING AND JUST THE BOARD'S PREFERENCES.
UH, I'VE GOTTEN SO CRITICIZED FOR MOVING MEETINGS.
I WILL NOT TOUCH THAT THURSDAY EVENING.
THE THIRD THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH IS SACROSANCT.
UM, SO WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE BOARD, NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM THE BOARD MEMBERS.
I STILL DON'T THINK WE HAVE CLARITY ON WHAT THE SUBSTITUTE WANTED TO MAKE SURE.
UM, SO WE'RE CLEAR THAT WE DO HAVE TIME.
IF WE DEFER IT, WE'RE GOING TO SAY, I'M GOING TO CALL THE LEGISLATIVE LARGER TOMORROW.
IF NOT, WE'LL HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING NEXT WEEK.
AND IF I'M, I WON'T HAVE TIME.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE 30 DAYS.
SO IF WE DO HAVE TIME, I'M WILLING TO DEFER IT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR, UH, UNLESS THERE'S A WAY TO, TO AMEND IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE TAKE THE VOTE AND WE'RE STILL ABLE TO HAVE ANOTHER VOTE BEFORE WE SUBMIT IT.
UM, SO LET ME ASK ANOTHER LEGAL QUESTION.
IF THE WAY I UNDERSTAND THE LAW, SINCE WE PASS STEP ONE ALREADY, AND AGAIN, I'M NOT A LAWYER, I'M JUST SAYING THE WAY I UNDERSTAND IT, THAT IF WE DO NOTHING, IT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY LOCK IN TO THE NUMBER THAT REPRESENTS THE DOLLAR APPRECIATION.
SO TECHNICALLY IF WE PASS A MOTION, THE FAIRING IT FOR 30 DAYS ARE DEFERRING IT TO A SPECIAL MEETING THAT MEETS THE TIMEFRAME.
THEN WE COULD DO THAT AND NOT LOSE ANY OF OUR OPTIONS.
I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE NOT CHANGED YOUR ACTION WITH REGARD TO THE MILLAGE BY DEFERRING.
WHAT IS THE EMOTIONAL THE TABLE THAT, THAT WE DON'T HAVE CLARITY.
I I'M, I'M WILLING TO, UM, UM, AMENDED TO SAY THAT WE, UH, DIVERT UNTIL THE OCTOBER, UH, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO HELP.
RIGHT? WE'VE ALREADY PASSED THE FIRST ONE.
SO WE'VE ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED THE FACTS.
WE'LL JUST DEFER IT UNTIL, UH, SO THE, THE SAME PRIOR TO THE DEADLINE ABOUT A SEPARATE SHEET, EXCEPT TO TAKE MOTION OR A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, JUST TO DEFER TO DATE UNCERTAIN THAT'S HUH? CAN'T DEFER TO PROCEDURALLY.
WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO IS AMEND HIS MOTION, WHICH IS THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION AND MAKE HIS SET SUBSTITUTE MOTION OR WITHDRAW IT AND MAKE ANOTHER SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO DEFER TO THE MEETING IN OCTOBER.
BUT IS IT HER FRIENDLY LIMIT STILL ON THE FLOOR? HE HAS TO BE ACCEPTED.
SO I JUST HAVE TO AMEND THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION, AMEND THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO DEFER IT.
UM, DATE, ANSWER TO A DATE UNCERTAIN.
I DON'T THINK, I THINK IT HAS TO BE A DATE, SIR.
IF MR. SHANNON WAS ON THE PHONE, MAYBE YOU CAN ANSWER THAT.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO DO IT COULD BE, YES.
IT COULD BE A SPECIAL MEETING IN OCTOBER, OR IT COULD BE THE PRESIDENT OF WHAT HAPPENED.
IT HAS TO BE A SPECIAL MEETING BECAUSE WE CAN'T DO THE 30 DAY ADVERTISING TO A MEETING IN OCTOBER.
SO IT WOULD BE, UH, UH, AMENDING THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION TO, UH, SAY WE DEFER THE MATTER UNTIL, UM, A MEETING AND, UM, OCTOBER, WOULD THAT BE ACCEPTABLE? WELL, JUST, JUST A MEDIAN.
I DON'T WANT TO SPECIFY BECAUSE IT MAY OR MAY NOT BE,
[03:20:04]
IS THERE A SECOND FOR THAT MOTION? MS. BERNARD WAS THE SECOND SHE'S AGREED ORDER POINT OF ORDER, MR. TATLIN.SO WE KNOW IT HAS TO BE A SPECIAL MEETING BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE YES.
I THINK TO MAKE SURE THE CERTAIN MEETING, I WOULD SAY THAT THE MOTION SHOULD SAY JEWISH SPECIAL MEETING FOR THE PURPOSE.
AS IN A WAY, EVEN IF WE DO MOVE THE REGULAR MEAT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO ANYWAY, WE CAN STILL, YEAH.
YOU GUYS ALWAYS PICK A DATE RIGHT NOW AND, AND THE ADVOCATE HAS AN ISSUE.
WE DON'T HAVE TO PICK A DATE AS LONG AS YOU SAY A SPECIAL MEETING IN OCTOBER.
WELL, I DON'T WANT TO PASS IT THE DAY BEFORE OCTOBER CLOSES.
CAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO GET PAPERWORK AND THE 20 SECONDS PROBABLE THAT I WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT LEEWAY FOR THE NEWSPAPER.
SO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, IF I AM CLEAR IS TO DEFER THIS ITEM TO A SPECIAL MEETING IN OCTOBER, A SPECIAL MEETING TO BE HELD IN OCTOBER.
AND THAT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED BY MR. BLUE AND ACCEPTED BY THE SECOND.
MS. BERNARD, ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT MOTION MS. WHERE JACKSON? YEAH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL HAVE A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO LEGALLY AND HAVE EVERYTHING IN PLACE SO THAT WE CAN, UM, PASS THIS.
AND IN A WAY THAT, UM, ALL OF OUR FAMILIES ARE COMFORTABLE WITH AND OUR FULL BOARD IS.
AND, UM, SO I W I WOULD SUPPORT THAT.
UM, JUST, JUST LIKE WE DID IN A PREVIOUS, UM, ARE REALLY WHERE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT HE HAD A PERFECT LEGAL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT, UM, WHAT WE ARE TO DO TWO BOARD MEMBERS.
I NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTIONS BEING ASKED.
SO I WILL CONTACT YOU AFTER THIS MEETING.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THE LEGAL QUESTION CENTERS AROUND THE ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD OR BACK, OR THE OPTIONS YOU HAVE IN THAT WAY.
IS THAT CORRECT? MR. BLUE, RIGHT? RIGHT.
WHETHER WE CAN CHOOSE TO ROLL FORWARD ANYTIME YO, ANY YEAR BETWEEN NOW AND 2024, I GUESS, AS, AS, AS CLEANLY STATED, THAT IS THE ISSUE.
IT IS, IT IS, YOU KNOW, AT WHAT POINT, YOU KNOW, CAN YOU ROLL FORWARD? AND IF YOU DETERMINE THAT YOU, YOU HAVE NO INTEREST IN DOING IT NOW, IS THERE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO IT AT ANY POINT IN THE FUTURE? RIGHT.
I THINK, I THINK YOU'VE ALREADY RIGHTLY ANSWERED A PORTION OF THAT QUESTION THOUGH.
MR. SHAMBLIN? UH, YES, BUT I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH SOME ADDITIONAL RESEARCH TO BE CERTAIN.
SO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, MADAM SECRETARY, YOU WANT ME TO READ WHAT I HAVE, OR JUST READ WHAT YOU HAD AND THEN MOVE OUT A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO THE SUBSTITUTE MOTION, TO DEFER TO A SPECIAL MEETING, TO BE HELD IN OCTOBER.
WE DID NOT GO TO THE AUDIENCE.
DOES ANYONE FROM THE AUDIENCE WHICH TO SPEAK? AND I DO HAVE A COMMENT FROM KELLY CREEL.
AN AGENCY CAN ROLL FORWARD ANY YEAR PRIOR TO THE NEXT REASSESSMENT AIG OPINION NUMBER ZERO ZERO TWO, FOUR FIVE, AND ZERO ZERO TWO, FOUR OR FIVE.
A TAXING AUTHORITY MAY ROLL FOUR IN ANY YEAR PRIOR TO THE NEXT ASSESSMENT.
THE PRIOR YEAR'S MAXIMUM IS THE YEAR PRIOR TO THE LAST REASSESSMENT.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT CITATION.
AND I'M SURE OUR LAWYERS WILL BE LOOKING THAT ONE UP.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, SEEING NONE BACK TO THE BOARD, SEEING NONE, MADAM SECRETARY, PLEASE VOTE.
[03:25:06]
THANK YOU, MS. COLLINS, WOULD YOU PLEASE READ THE ANNOUNCEMENT[L. Organizational Items]
OF MEETINGS? OKAY.ANNOUNCEMENT OF MEETINGS, COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING TO BE HELD ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2020 AT 5:00 PM AT THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE MEETING TO BE HELD ON OCTOBER 5TH AT 5:00 PM AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE.
SOME ARE ALL BOARD MEMBERS MAY ATTEND REGULAR BOARD MEETING TO BE HELD ON OCTOBER 15TH AT 5:00 PM AT THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER.
AND, UH, JUST A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO PAUL FOR AS ELEMENTARY WHO TAKES ME WHEN THEY SAW ME REPRESENTING AND WANTING TO MAKE SURE ALL BOARD MEMBERS AND AUDIENCE MEMBERS IS AWARE THAT THEY SEND SOME HAND SANITIZER, PLEASE ASK THE NURSE ON THE WAY OUT.
THANK YOU, MS. COLLINS, AT THIS TIME, I MOVE TO THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.