We didn't go back to completely normal after the first year after that COVID year. We went back to four days normal and then we had a delayed opening on Wednesday and it was almost a wellness Wednesday where the kids came in a little bit late and teachers had um professional learning in the morning and they also had time to work together knowing that we had kids coming in with gaps and they needed time to work together. Um, and I think that that was we had to do a lot of explaining because it was either the parents either loved it or they didn't. Um, kids either loved it or they didn't. And um, the teachers appreciated it but wanted a little more control over it. So in some cases it was a little bit of a pushpull on how much of that is their time to prepare for their kids which they needed and how much of that was time where we needed to provide them some professional support professional development on how to help them um fill the gap the learning gap that we were seeing um in students.
The exception to that would be sometimes we notice a student would be let's say one class shy um and they have an extensive plan to make that up in our summer school programming. we allow them to walk and participate in the graduation that occurs one time a year in June. Um and then uh they would finish up their credit requirements and upon completion we would then award the diploma. Um there are a couple other and that's under um it also allows for um and I'm not aware of using this very frequently but um again in the K recommended policy if we had a foreign exchange student for example that may not be uh accepting our diploma but here in their senior year we could give consideration for that. Um, and then number three really refers to other exceptional circumstances. Um, and I will give you an an instance or for example, um, with our students with special needs.
Okay. Are you online? >> Okay. not present on Zoom. Chair. >> Okay. Thank you. Hawaii State Board of Education >> Thomas. Can you identify yourself, please? >> Aloha, Chair Marcato Kim, Vice Chair Kedani, and members of the uh committee. Uh my name is Bill Araki. I'm the vice chair for the Hawaii Board of Education, and I'm so happy to be here. Uh it's been a while since I've come and have made any statements. >> Did you miss this? [laughter] >> Um again, um the board appreciates the legislaturator's concern regarding fiscal accountability and stands on the written testimony offering comments to this measure. >> Okay, we may have questions for you. So, thank you. >> Okay, thank you. Okay, Edno. Good afternoon, Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kedani, members of the committee. Danny Vascatales, Jr., finance director with the state public charter school commission. >> I was going to say, you don't look like [laughter] I'm up to on this one.
Any questions? >> Um for clarity, could you just summarize our like options for renewal? >> Yeah. Yeah. So right now looking at the underwriting um the recommendation the presentation what we proposed when we came out for the renewal not trying to commit one way or the other was a 13.4% 4% increase and that's both to the employee and the employer [clears throat] looking at one of the things we always as a CFO when I was sitting there I was always saying well what are option are we outside the norm if we're an outlier what is it going to take to get us to the end to get back in line and so we saw the only thing that really stood out was that maximum out-of- pocket change and so we wanted to present the option if you wanted to move to ox maximum out of pocket with that would then yes there's a cost shift it's not being representative of what who's paying picking up that extra 2,000 or 1,000 depending on what plan.
Absolutely appreciate it. You're awful quiet up there, Barbara. >> Wow. I I just want to thank the select board in Michael and Jim Adams and Deputy Chief Morahan, Rob Silva and Joe White for their letters and words of support. We are proud to serve the town of Ashland as your community media center and we look forward to many many more years of our partnership with town government, the schools and to the residents of Ashland. Um, I can't thank you um enough. Thank you so much. >> Thank you for all the work that you and your your staff has done over the years. You've done a yman's job. >> Thank you, Joe. [laughter] >> It's always appreciated. Always appreciated for sure. Okay. Is there anybody else that would like to speak on WA WACA's behalf? No, we're good. If can I add uh two absolutely brief comments.
Similarly, the after school part, you all know this, but you run into the >> Well, there's nothing like this. I can say again, I only can speak for middle school, only my personal experience. I've never filled anything out. Like I know my child stays after this day and this day, but I've never been asked if I need a late bus. So, there's nothing really official saying like there we know that we need x amount of seats because there's like 20 kids on student council and they all need a bus ride home. >> I'm going to defer that to the club thing. We know we know where you live. We know that if you ride home on the traditional yellow >> correct >> bus, >> but I'm saying like on the after school bus, we don't have any. >> There's nothing I filled out saying I need.
So I think that that was um I think that that was an effective district district-wide change. Now, we did go back to a regular schedule the following year. And again, that was a decision made by a committee made up of teachers and going into that process, that schedule wouldn't have been my choice. Um, but the committee made up of students and parents and teachers, that was their choice. They needed that continuity. They needed to have that schedule in order for them to get back to normal. And in retrospect, even though it wouldn't have been my choice, it was the best choice going back to um to that regular schedule for them. >> as a time check, it is only 7:08. We have you until 7:45. Awesome. >> Hello. Welcome. Um, requesting feedback is often described as one of the most impactful practices of effective leadership, even when feedback may be critical of district decisions or working conditions.
Um, we often have students that are that have obtained their credit requirements for graduation, their 25 credits for graduation, but there is a provision under special education law that says if you still need support with transition programming, so that's vocational skills, post-secary readiness, independent or life skills that you may continue on if you are a student with a more significant um, disability and you need additional support in those areas. What we allow students to do in that circumstance though is to walk with their class. They do not get an official diploma. They come back to us in the fall um and then when they're done with their programming, we award the official diploma. So that just allows kind of that unique circumstance. I would say we have a handful of students every year um that fall into that category. Between our two vocational programs, we're currently servicing about 40 students that are eligible, let's say, for their diploma, but still need some additional support in that area and may stay on for an additional one, two, or sometimes even three years.
>> You have the commission's testimony. We did want to um clarify and point out um that charter schools as well as the commission uh conduct annual independent financial audits. Uh we currently have four local CPA firms that conduct these audits. Um we're hoping to add um a few more on shortly. Um but again, the commission does conduct these audits. Charter schools conduct these audits. we collect this information and can provide it to the committee um upon its request. So, Mahal, thank you for the opportunity. >> Okay, why don't you sit here because I don't know that we anyone else wishing to testify? We only had three three testifiers. No. Okay. So, we have questions. So, I guess I'll I'll start off. So, what is the difference between the audits that you already do now and what is being asked for in this in this bill?
But then it lowers all the rates because they know from claim standpoint they're still getting their money. It's just coming from a different source, not from the district. It's coming from an individual use basics. When they go to use it, they have to pay a little bit more because they have to hit that maximum out of pocket and that would make it a 10 9.9 or 10%. There could be others if you have other things. Unfortunately, I don't have the the underwriting table in front of me. Um if Jameson was here, you he could tell you on the fly what impact that would be. [clears throat] Um a lot of districts would say, um why not move up the deductible from 500? Let's move that up to a,000. That doesn't [clears throat] have as much uh doesn't bear as much fruit of lowering the rates as you'd think.
>> One in the spirit of these comments, I do want to thank um you know profoundly thank uh Michael Herbert and Sue Roby. They could not be more responsive. There are a lot of twists and turns in a renewal process. you know, it's a long contract and in addition to all the local facilities language, uh, you know, the insurance, rightway management, record, they're just totally committed to being responsive. And Barbber Chisum has done the same. We have to provide budgets and itemized data to Verizon when we negotiate for the funds. And at every turn, she always comes through with her team, Paul and others. very high quality, careful, credible uh uh operating capital budgets, narrative support. So, the town uh is is really uh you know, a big player in this. And I also want to mention uh you know, we did the uh renewal with Verizon not that long ago.
>> I do think we're getting a little far away from the budget and finance. >> I believe they call, but we'll we'll check that. >> Okay, >> back on topic. Sorry. >> Yeah. And I think I asked silly computer. >> We need to get one of those really long pointers on a stick. >> We might want to Well, we'll Okay. Yep, we're back. And the record uh little thingy is still next to So, we should be good. Um, where was I? I think after the March 11th report, we'll be able to discuss this in more detail with better data. So getting back to the budget update, I suppose my question would involve looking at the calendar again to figure out um roughly because we originally had it that early February would be the publication of the proposed budget. So are we looking at that early March instead or or April?
Please give an example of a time when you actively sought out and responded to feedback from teachers and IAS instructional assistants and how you validated and followed up on the responses. So the grading and reporting policy was one um where we put out open invitations to all staff on on that. We serve we survey a lot. Um sometimes that just gets lost in translation. And so with the with the grading and reporting piece I think it was really very personal and we didn't want to do a survey. I didn't want to do a survey. I wanted to sit down and talk with folks around what what was really the issue. Was it the aut was it autonomy? Was it, you know, was it the workload? You know, what was really the challenge? And in some cases, those conversations went for an hour. Um, they were great conversations.
>> Kelly, it looks like in >> Sorry, go ahead. I apologize. >> Just a point of clarification on that. Um on the previous uh previously passed policy from 2000, it looks like there is a specific number numbered item that covers students in special education classes. >> Mhm. >> Is that so that is like a much more deliberate language, but it would be covered under this other >> category which might be more broadly applied if we needed it. >> Correct. >> Thank you. The other pieces to this policy is there is um another version. Um I would again my my opinion on this is I would not recommend doing um the other version. However, in place of what we read all the way up until here. Um for example, these two first paragraphs are in in my opinion spelled out much more detailed up above. Um but the rest of this section um talks about behavior conduct.
Not certain if there is a difference. It does seem that it's you know it clarifies against independent financial audits. So again these audits we assume would need to be conducted by CPA firms you know except for the case of the state auditors um requests. Um so again we it appears to be that these audits will be these same audits um conducted by these uh independent CPA firms and not any other state agency. >> So in essence you're saying you're already audited and that you don't feel that this bill is needed. We um I know with the inclusion of the state auditor in this measure, there are um other concerns, especially with um some of the previous conversations we've had in terms of some schools experiencing financial distress sentence that can lead to closure. Um I believe that the legislature feels that additional steps are needed to again prevent this case or at least try to get a better sense of ensuring that um not only the commission um other state agencies such as the board of education and in this case maybe um the state auditor.
And I think Jameson normally says somewhere around 0.4. four to 6%. You could lower that maybe 13 down to to 13 13.4 down to 13 or 12.9 if you move that up to a thousand, but um it doesn't really move it as much. The maximum out of pocket moves it a little bit more. And so that's why we've been sharing with some districts. Trying to think of who has said yes to go up to 6,000. Actually, everybody's looking at it right now. And I haven't I know that there's been about three or four presentations to people about moving it up from 4,000 to 6,000 or 5,500 something around there. Um [clears throat] I can't tell you that anybody's committed to that or signed off on that increase yet.
They only do five-year licenses unlike Comcast. They It's not an Ashland thing. They don't go over. So we we we you know we did a renewal with them. They came to the table recognizing that the access uh studio is very important. They they really did and they recognized that and they you know they from the get-go they were willing to just try to find you know a reasonable and strong uh way to support it that Verizon would allow. I hope the co the corporation continues in in that spirit this time around. they have in other renewals they have been similar there a lot of changes going on in the industry but the you know the local folks that they send out into the trenches are are committed to be being good negotiation partners so I want to just mention that in fairness to them too um one other thing for the benefit of the public uh even though the hearing closes the cable act says that apart from the hearing we can have an ascert a needs ascertainment record open uh on an ongoing basis outside of the hearing.
>> Um I'm going to talk to Aaron. Sorry, Aaron. They just they make it >> on the website. >> They say they chief staff or however politely this morning and she was generally told me right about a month but that she'll have better fig dates >> uh soon and she was traveling when we spoke this morning in the area but we'll get me what the mayor's calendar is so we can kind of flush that through. >> Okay. So what we're looking at is likely early March publication and then >> within the two week period or whatever the required period is our special meeting to approve the budget. Um let's see. >> Well that special meeting potentially go to April. >> Oh yes that's right. April. >> So if you took the the blue February if you kind of see that blue February. >> Yes. And just transpose it down.
Um, and I did learn a lot. So, you know, that's probably the most extensive example of where, you know, information was was sought out. Um, you know, I know in in Connecticut, and I'm sure it's the same in in Mass, it's been a minute since I've been a part of a a teachers union in Massachusetts. Um it's a long time ago, but um the Connecticut Teachers Union will will do um they'll call it a blitz where it sounds really scary and and bad, but when it's done right, it's great. Um because they will interview staff and so and then we'll we meet with the executive counsel and we'll get and so it's not a survey. It's just they have conversations and they bring back um information. They bring back what's good, what's not so good, you know, what are some areas that need to be improved.
Um it talks about um and for example if you have if we have a significant circumstance in which uh there was a behavioral disciplinary matter students may may not be able to participate. It really specifies that this is a privilege um and you need to meet our district and board policies in order to do that. It also talks about um the uh the superintendent and ultimately high school principal uh selecting um your valid Victorian saludiatoran. Um and then lastly that the superintendent has the right to talk about um to give any awards or honors or recognitions um in in the ceremony in the graduation ceremony. Um, so for those of you that have participated in the past, for example, you may see um cords that students are wearing that are representative of different levels of achievement. Um, and this policy really designates the superintendent as the person that can determine um which of those awards and achievements should be recognized in the graduation ceremony.