I just don't think it's in here. >> PBIS we do issue number of students receiving them students using >> care solist not necessarily like details but the utilization rates could offer us insights into >> oh there's an uptake on this that's probably going to lead to these numbers looking better. So, just some ideas on measures that would help us see like >> things are working or that that they're take being taken advantage of. >> Um, for LCAP 2, actually, we can keep going. That one was just I did have a actually can you go to it really quick with the numbers? Jay's not here, so I get to be Jay today. Um, I had a question. Are some of the percentages we're seeing here as low because it's midyear and they would go up because we're like measuring they're not at grade level because they haven't >> January.
Any discussion? Not chair votes eye. >> Senate bill 895 SD1. Chair votes I. Pass with amendments. Chair votes I. Vice chair votes I. Senator Fukuna excuse. Senator Hashimoto. >> Hi. >> Senator Dort. >> Measures adopted. Madam chair. >> Okay. Thank you. Uh takes us to our first item for public hearing which is Senate Bill 2877. Uh this requires Department of Education to establish a one-year student authored book publication pilot program for fifth graders at Khi Public Elementary Schools. It requires a report at the legislature and appropriates funds. First item, first person testifying is Keith Aayashi for Department of Education. [clears throat] Hi, good afternoon, Chair Kim, Vice Chair Kedani, and members of the committee. I'm Heidi Armstrong, Department of Education. Thank you for this opportunity to testify. The department truly appreciates the intent of this bill. A published book is something to be very proud of, and it is something that lasts a lifetime.
Uh just wanted to ask you to please support um Americ program. >> Thank you very much. Next we have um Iris Sha. Iris, are you present on Zoom? Please proceed. >> Um I have something to say about it and aloha chair, vice chair and committee members. My name is Iris. Thank you for letting me share testimony. I write in support of SB 2275. I live I am a self with >> Iris. Are you parked? >> No, she's passenger. >> Huh? >> Oh, are you a pass? Are you a passenger or or we cannot have you driving and testifying? Okay. >> Okay. I'm stopping right now. I'm stopping. Sorry, my [laughter] >> apologize. >> Yes, please. >> Yes, I understand. Okay. We cannot have an accident. So, >> Iris, I'm going to call somebody else. Okay. >> I'm going to call somebody else and after you park, okay, we'll get you back on.
26-105 approval of construction payments. There's two of those. Uh Spear Aquatics LLC uh that was for the Madison Junior High School for $25,214.09. The second one is Smith Associates for preschool it was for $131,380.10. 26-106 approval of personnel report. 26-106.1 addenda of personnel report. 26-107 approval of donations and grants. There's several of those so the first one is for MCS Child Care Facility. Uh the Tillen Foundation $350,000. The Royer Corporation $300,000. Duke Energy $10,000. Arvin Sango $20,000. Environmental Labs $1,000. Becker Services $37,400. City of Madison $280,000. Matthew and Catherine Graf $2,500. District there's two of those. German American Bank donated $1,951.10 for the Spirit Card donations. Second one German American Bank donated $2,000 for year end donations 2025. Food Services has one. The Community Foundation of Madison Jefferson County donated $3,500 to the food for students fund to be used to help students and their families with lunch expenses.
They are very talented and possess an understanding of hard work and brotherhood. I have no doubt that they will make you very proud. Finally, I would like to thank each and every member of the board. Oh my gosh, sorry. My phone. Each and every member of the board. We trust that the administration selection that you we trust that you honor the selection that our administration at West Valley has chose in great grand. And we also hope that you support our student athletes and the parents that are supporting them and gradu Thank you very much. There will be two more speakers on this subject. The 20 minutes will be up. >> Good evening board staff. My name is Steve McCarly. I appreciate the opportunity to uh share my thoughts with you tonight. Um I know you guys have a lot of tough decisions before you. Um but this decision shouldn't be very hard.
That's about 108,000 more than our current year. So, that's um only a slight increase. Uh that's because they're talking about just doing such a small COLA. Um, and that doesn't include our P2 ADA, uh, which at P1 was 20 less than last year. We haven't reported our P2 yet. That's not till April. Um, when we did the first interim, they had proposed the COLA to be 2.51 and now in the governor's budget, they reduced it to 2.41 and then I've got the numbers there for the outgoing years. Uh, our costs are increasing year-over-year around 6 to 8%. So, the COLA that we receive doesn't really address that. And there are some proposed one-time funds with um additional money that was taken away from the learning recovery block grant being given back as well as additional money for the um student support discretionary block grant. Both of which we currently had had but they've been expended.
So these test scores specifically are endofyear tests. So we don't expect 100% of our students to do well because it's measuring the end of the year results. So at the begin or at the middle of the school year, 40% of our students are already at or above grade level is actually a positive thing. >> Okay. >> So if I'm explaining that correctly, does that make sense? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And in addition to that, you mentioned a switch in assessment tools. Yeah. So, that's another >> that's a big difference because of how we were assessing our students using data that didn't align with uh Renaissance. And so, we're using a lot of the Renaissance platform and all of the different components of it to help really tease out how to support some of these student groups. >> Okay. Um, and then for goal number three, it was similar to what I said like utilization of of care solless might help us.
While the department does have reservation with the proposed law that requires fifth graders to publish, we do and will continue to encourage publishing opportunities, classroom anthologies, and school showcases. We will continue to support writing portfolios, student choice, and demon in demonstrating their learning. With these efforts, we do expect to continue to see bookmaking in our schools. We have examples coming right from the Klehi area. Um, Fington High School several years ago published a book called Voices, which was a compilation of a lengthy project with their English learner newcomer program. Capal Lama Elementary is actually getting ready for a book signing for a book that they have worked on for a three-year project. And Kai has two schoolpublished books, though these two books aren't copyrighted like the two that I mentioned before. We will continue to support this effort, but we do ask that the schools be given the professional discretion to determine when and how the books will be decided upon.
>> Okay. Yes. >> Okay. So, Laura Sopransky in support. Leilani Kai Leava in support. Okay. Iris, are you stopped? >> Not yet. >> Yeah. Show. >> Almost. Okay. No. No. No. We don't want an accident. Don't worry, we will get back to you. Anybody else wishing to testify in SB2275? Okay. Um, so are you are you finally parked? Iris, >> she's looking for parking. >> Okay. >> Are you driving OR ARE YOU DRIVING or if you're not driving then you can testify. >> I'm not driving. It's my CLS person. >> Okay. Good. [laughter] Good. Good. Okay. Iris. Okay. Iris. Then then please okay please proceed Iris. >> Okay thank you. >> Okay go ahead. >> Okay. Aloha chair, vice chair and committee members. I am in support of SP 2275 and I'm letting I'm sharing my testimony. I live in Aahu and I want I'm a self- advocate with self- advocacy advisory council.
Deputy Elementary School had one. Coffee Creek Christian Church donated $250 to be used for school needs. Madison Consolidated High School they had three. Adam and Elizabeth Slade donated $400 to the boys volleyball team. Second one Ryan Shafer donated $131 to the boys volleyball team. Third one the Jefferson County Republican Women's donated $500 to the Turning Point Madison High School. 26-108 approval of field trip request. 26-108.1 addenda field trip request. Have several of those. First one we have an out of state field trip request from high school teacher Amanda Briggs Laura Radcliffe and Aaron Kendall to take 110 business nutrition food science students to Jungle Jim's Fairfield Ohio on March 9th of 2026. Food science and nutritional students will be looking at global food products and comparing different food labels. Marketing students will compare products between countries. Second one we have an out of state field trip request from uh high school band director to take eight winter guard students in grades 6 through 12 to Larry Rice High School on March 7th 2026 to compete in the Tri-State Marching Arts contest.
Coach Grandell uh has given his life to this community. Um I've known him pretty much all of his life. And when I first heard about what happened, first thing I thought was character. I didn't make sense to me at all. And as I looked into the first thing I did, I called my son who played for coach Grandal and I said, 'Hey, you were on the inside. I never really was I didn't play for him, but did he ever do anything out of character at all or anything questionable at all? No, Dad. He was straight up with everything he did. He was all about the boys, trying to make them better husbands, better men, better employees, better citizens all the way around. And that was his mantra. That was his passion, and that's what he did. Winning came secondary. But I would just like to encourage you not to be afraid of making the right decision because of any negative feedback you might get about Greg's past or accusations or allegations that were made against him that he's been exonerated from.
So they're talking about possibly extending that on um one more year but there nothing's been finalized yet for that. And they also have talked about a long overdue special education funding increase. Every year our special education funding has been flat, but our costs have increased. So, uh, and that, you know, it's been a big soap box for me on all my presentations that they need to increase that because those services are really important to our students. So, um, we we need to receive the funding and there's a later slide that I'll kind of address for that. Um, also the governor is proposing taking 5.6 6 billion from school funding to set it aside for other programs and that is unconstitutional because it is in law that Prop 98 which is the LCFF funding is to be fully funded. So they are not allowed to do that.
I just kind of want curious like we are doing it feels like we're doing a lot like there's a lot of investment. There's a lot of actions um across the board like with all of our goals. Um, >> so these are highlights. Also, we have lot of things our LCAP's over 150 some odd pages, >> right? Yeah. So, some of the action items specifically that you're mentioning, we just didn't put into the presentation. >> No, you did. Those are the ones I noticed I think are great. >> Um, I was curious about with the the survey and the numbers around harassment and bullying that you saw all of our eyes get big. Is there and you may not have it but I'm just curious like are we seeing that same percentage across all middleles like sixth seventh eighth like that like for every school the numbers about the same or the percentage or are we able to maybe zero in and do some interventions with the schools that are maybe higher impacted?
Thank you for this opportunity. >> Okay, thank you. Uh Cheryl Burgart. Okay, we have let's see 10 in support, none opposing. uh they're not signed up for um to speak. So is there anyone here wishing to testify on this measure?
This bill is important to me because I feel the Medicaid buyin program is right now is not working and making money makes me feel uncertain and it feels unfair. I really would like to work a job so that I can be in more of a community and I can earn my own money without losing my Medicaid. As someone with disabilities, I often need more support to help me work. If I were to work, it would matter how much money I make. If the Medicaid buy in were passed, I would feel more secure and I also would feel like things would be better to for myself if I earn money to support myself and better positive and um perspective and how Iris my life. >> Okay, I appreciate it. Anybody else wishing to testify on SB 2275?
Third one we have an overnight field trip request from high school FFA advisor Amanda Briggs to take 12 FFA students to the state FFA convention and state vet science contest on June 15th through the 18th of 2026 in Noblesville Indiana. Fourth one we have a request from high school ag teacher Shelby Ison to take 12 FFA students to the Farm Machinery Show in Louisville Kentucky on February 13th of 2026. Fifth one we have an overnight field trip request from high school science Olympiad coach Shelby Green to take 22 science Olympiad students to Evansville Indiana on February 6th through 7th 2026 to compete in a regional level science competition. Sixth one we have an out of state field trip request from junior high art teacher Eric Fagan to take 40 eighth graders to the Cincinnati Mu- Museum of Art in Newport on March 17th, 2026. Seventh, we have a request from head wrestling coach Phil Wimpy to take Sorry, 12 wrestlers to the IHSA semi-state and freshman sophomore state qualifier meet on February 13th through 15th, 2026 at Evansville.
I went to a playoff game this last year and I was very very disappointed in seeing the lack of structure and um just the the way the football program had felt like it had disintegrated a little bit after all that he had given to making it such a great program and um I just think it would be a great thing for our community um that if you would reinstate him as head football coach I know he'll do an outstanding job and you can count on him to do that. Thank you. >> Do we have any more speakers? >> Um, so I serve as the student board member and I don't have a vote in this matter. >> Thank you. Um, but I serve to represent the views of the students and you know, I know that there's a lot of concerns and that there's there's there's risk that comes with a big decision like this and I I think it's important to understand that and that the board understands that, but I think it's also important that they make the right decision for the spirit of our school moving forward and that they back up Coach Grandell on whatever decision they because this is it's a big decision and it comes with a lot of uh just echoing what other people are saying it comes with different risks and it's you can't you can't ignore that those are there for our school and this isn't a question of coach Brandell's character it's just a question of those who oppose a decision like this so I trust that the board is going to make the right decision but coming from a representation of the students I know that this is this is a good choice for um helping better West Valley as a program.
So there's a lot of people that are worked up in the state because that can't be taken um if they want to take it and put it in our reserve for schools that would be different. But um so we'll have to see how that all plays out on the uh legislation floor. But if they take that, that could also affect our LCFF funding. It could come in lower. Some other revenues such as federal funding like title one, title two, and other federal funds are flat. So, uh, this year, if you recall, title one, um, when I built the budget in June, and then when we actually, um, started off the year, title one was cut over 100,000 and title two, where we do most of our professional development for our certificate staff, was cut by 20,000. it's usually 50,000 and it was cut to 30,000.
>> Yeah, most of the schools are pretty well aligned actually. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And also what I'm not clear on to be quite honest is is that 44% is that are they saying that they have experienced that this year or is that since they've been in middle school or in school in general, >> right? >> You know, so that's something I can look further into. >> And going back to how the questions are asked too. So, we talked about how even when we're reading it, experienced harassment or bullying, they might think of it as not receive, you know, so it and it's one of those uh surveys that the teacher just says, "Go ahead and take the survey." They don't go through each section. So, some of our middle school kids in seventh and eighth grade done. So, so those are also I think we get a lot more feedback when we actually talk with students sometimes one-on-one, have little small groupoup interactions, hear how they feel school is going.
Hearing none questions members? Heidi. [clears throat] So Heidi, I'm reading from your testimony you folks submitted, right? Because you you read that testimony. That wasn't what was submitted to us. And basically uh the testimony submitted from the superintendent Keith Aayashi says respectfully the department cannot support this bill in its current form at this time given the extensive literacy investments underway in Khalihi through the comprehensive literacy state department CLLD grant which requires significant time and effort from Khali schools. Additionally, given the fiscal constraints facing the department, department feels that this might be better considered at a future time. However, the department appreciates the legislaturator's consideration of this public pilot project and looks forward to continued collaboration. So, that's the official statement of the view. >> That was the testimony and then I hope that my oral testimony um explain further our thinking on this bill. We do think it is a an excellent idea.