>> Somebody had something witty. It [laughter] wasn't bad. >> It wasn't me that had anything. >> Um, so yeah, let's add that to it as well. >> Any other standing items that we'll have to put on there with some things. So uh we will we are in the we are obviously in in the midst of uh best uh negotiations. So we will um have a close session that will need to occur either before after the meeting just to have some conversations about that. We'll have more information there. Um I'm pleased with the conversations uh that we're having. [snorts] best is our um our para profofessionals, our health techs, our maintenance crew, our cafeteria um crew who >> administrative assistance at the elementary schools at the school buildings. Administrative assistants um so that's that union um there. So that will be there. Uh um Chad and Scott are on that are on that team as well as Dana and Dan and um Matt and it's a whole it's a whole group.
Any discussion? >> Do we currently have any open positions or any of the special ed activities that we currently post? >> I I would say that we probably have some pair positions that are currently posted. We don't have any teaching positions currently for special ed, but we do have some PAR positions um some special ed in our some of our co-op programs that are open right now. >> And we would anticipate possibly having to hire some. >> Say again, Tony. >> We have to something. We probably have to hire additional teachers, but at this time we just don't know how much. >> Yeah. Like like right now, we host several co-op programs. Um like our applied skills programs that we have three classrooms at at Waterlue and then a therapy room as well. We have applied skills at middle school, applied skills at the high school.
>> Um because at the end of the day, you've got to consume the product. And so if you're if it's leaves and it's being consumed as a tea, then technically that's a food, right? >> Like there'd be no way to get it into the system. >> True. And again, that that's the debate, right? again a lot of lot of stuff that been happening till now right or you know even even with cannabis or TSC right everything is coming in in in in form of the food and like maybe that's the reason that the court doesn't allow it you know so that it is just you know like anybody can sell that then you know like >> and I have read a lot about it I I've seen other health department taking enforcement on that right uh even with the gummies and all that you know so >> yeah you mean THC goes, >> right?
Do you know whether or not the legislature in their grant giving every year that we have a an evaluation of of the grants that we gave and what we what was achieved? >> I need I need to get back with you on how our programs do post. >> Can you get back to us on that? >> Okay. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you. Any other questions? Seeing none. Moving on to Senate Bill 2746 relating to taxation. Uh, first of department of taxation. >> Thank you. Next up, Tom Yamama Chica on Zoom. >> Aloha and good afternoon, Colleen Terramai for Tom Yamamaica. The Tech Foundation of Hawaii stands on its written testimony. Mahalo. >> Thank you. Anyone else wishing to testify on the measure?
So, as teachers have gotten deeper into math cohort, something they've engaged in last couple of sessions is lesson study. Lesson study is where a group of teachers come together and they collaborative collaboratively design one lesson. It's not the type of thing you would do every day. It's not a prep period. They spent three hours and then an additional couple of hours paid on a Saturday um with a coach to come up with one lesson that was really really well thought out and incorporated all of the new things that they've been learning and then they all committed to go back to their classrooms and teach it and come back together and reflect on it. So, one of the really exciting things was to see the teachers create their own group chat about it to say like, "I did this in my lesson and this is how it went." Or, "Oh my gosh, I forgot to use the post-it notes that we talked about.
So, I'm really excited to uh continue the work that Mark Anderson has done and expand on that through the warm, safe, and dry initiative and and also look at other critical small and large projects. So, uh just really excited to get started with my team and can't come soon enough, but I know we got some time, but uh really excited. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it and I look forward to working with everyone. So, thank you. >> Congratulations. [applause] >> Can we get a picture of the family with you guys? >> Of course. John, your current superintendent will no longer speak to you. [laughter] >> She's already told me she's okay. >> Yeah, they were going to come come over here. >> I know. [laughter] Get out. You're good. Beautiful. [applause] >> [cough] >> All right. Foyer requests. Tom, >> uh, the board has the foyer report in front of you in our board book.
So great. All right. I now need a motion and a second to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> thank you everyone for coming. That was a light fast meeting. [laughter]
So if we were to uh withdraw from the co-op, those room those programs would then be to Cal Central programs and then we'd have to evaluate the the number of staff members. We would need to we'd need certified teachers and we would also need pair of professional support as well. And that would be based on our counts. And so we currently know the number of students that we have are current that are currently special ed students that are in those programs. And so we can get an idea of the level of support that we would need for those programs. something that we'll have to decide later on then Tony will be if we decide to leave then we'll need to decide are we going to allow students from outside our district to attend those programs and what does that look like we are an open district right now we do accept out of district transfers to which we have I think around 300 students that come to us from outside our district so some of our most atrisisk students coming to us from uh with special education needs, we would still look to allow those students to come to us, but it just might have to look a little bit different because they're going to need more support.
So, >> and in that House bill, is that good faith defense for the retailers protecting them that they're going to rely on the manufacturers's representation? >> Uh, I don't know if it I don't think it was in that house bill. I think I grabbed it from >> Okay. >> I actually it it might be, but I I'm sorry. I don't I don't remember. >> But but again, if that's something we should look at that also, make sure we should look at that also. Yeah. Well, and along those lines, I guess what I was getting at is like, so let's say for example that that the both the consumer and the retailer is being deceived and that the manufacturer is selling something that's got a higher level of seven hydroxy, you know, like what is uh first of all, how does that get determined? Like how do you I mean, hopefully it's not because somebody had it and had a bad reaction to it, but that might be the way that you figure it out or at least the first clue.
Uh, seeing none members, any questions? >> Senator Kim, have folks evaluated the potential tax um, losses based on this? No, I I looked at that and we did not have any numbers because I know this bill has come up in the past but um the revenue estimates were not there but we we will have them. Okay. So this is just on medical travel expenses. So if you don't have the means to travel to go to get medical and you have to just stay here that doesn't benefit them, right? Correct. People versus if you gave uh like I don't know excise tax exemptions or whatever for certain things um would have a more equalizing benefit across the board in a measure like this. I I mean I don't know if I could evaluate that because if it was a a general excise tax exemption, but if I mean if you couldn't afford it, I'm not sure.
I'm going to try it next time." Um, and then to come back together. So, that's something that we had really positive feedback on from teachers and that they would like to continue to engage in. So, we'll be continuing with that. Um, look at these pie charts. The one on the left, the sixth grade engagement and rigor. This is data directly from our learning walks and one of the things that we noticed was that particularly in there was a really big difference between engagement in sixth grade and eighth grade. Um it is important to note that not every sixth grade teacher is in that pie. Particular when we go on learning walks sometimes a teacher who teaches sixth grade might have their seventh grade group that day. So every teacher is included between the two but not every sixth grade teacher is in there. Um but we noticed in particular not just that we had a >> Can you remind us the scale for one to four?
Little heavier in volume this year or this month, but uh, you can see the status of all the reports. >> Any questions on them? >> Okay. Treasures report, not Tony. >> Well, just want to He already gave us the lowown. >> Nothing out of the ordinary. [laughter] >> Okay. All right. Nothing out of the ordinary. And then committee uh updates. Tom, you can pull that. >> Whoever's pulling that up. >> All right. So, um, I'll I'll cover dcc and then board members, if you have any that anything you'd like to add for the committees you represent, please feel free to do so. But the summary is in the board book. Um, at DCC, we uh had some large high altitude conversations about state of the district. One of the things that Brad was able to present was uh the academic progress that we had shown in our winter uh map testing pro um progress marker.
So that but that's a that's a question that can be answered after we make the decision, >> right, >> on staying or going. >> But doesn't that require a special certificate for special teachers got to have a special license or >> Yeah. >> And are those readily available? Are those individuals hard to find? I tell you special education teachers, I mean those are high needs position typically. Um but I I I believe we will be able to fill those positions because um right now they may be co-op positions. They may become Decal Central positions. And I I like to believe that people want to work at DAB Central. Um and I don't think we'll have a problem once we post those positions. I think we'll have a good number of very qualified candidates applying. reason I ask those questions because >> Oh, absolutely. >> I know it takes a lot of extra effort.
And then like you know what's the recourse in that case? Do you just work with the the retailer and say you know stop selling this stuff? Um because it I mean that that's I think where it starts to get a little bit >> I I would assume that I would assume that if there's evidence that the product isn't what uh that the labeling is wrong that based on this we can go in and there there would be repercussions >> and then there's probably some kind of reporting mechanism to the state. >> Well that's yeah and that's that's the part that I'm also kind of asking about is like how does that information get disseminated so that other retailers don't make the same mistake. I think we I think if we discovered that, we'd have to report to the state. >> Yeah. >> Um and let the state take action from there.
I I suppose you mean if you have a general excise tax exemption over the board, then everybody would have more money in their pocket to be able to afford >> Well, general excess on on medical some medical treatments or whatever. >> Yeah, because >> Oh, correct. Yeah, because this is giving you tax credit on travel to the mainland, I would imagine, or the neighbor island to get medical treatment. So, it would only give you tax exemption on that portion, a travel portion, and not necessarily on the treatments or the cost to actually get get it, right? >> Yes, correct. Okay. Thank you. Well, just one quick question. Um I guess actually I'm looking on page nine of the bill says qualified expenses means travel expenses not covered by insurance incurred by a patient and one accompany caregiver to obtain medical care including air lodging ground transportation medically required incidentals parking fees incurred at near at or near the treatment location.
>> Yes. So one so one would be one would be not meeting the standard. One would be a low rigor >> um compliance-based or students students watching students watching math more than like really doing the math. Um and so or depth of knowledge. So um recall versus analysis. Um, and so one of the things that we noticed was not just that we were missing the high end of engagement and rigor, but that we had quite a few scores of a one. So we know that that's something that's a big need. Coaches are working really hard with our sixth grade teachers and with all teachers to increase engagement and rigor. We know that it's part of most schools action plans. Um, and it's about having students not just paying attention and following along, but doing the thinking, making sense of the math on their own, working collaboratively.
Um, we had also addressed and reviewed data concerning certain areas that were either identified under our significant disproportionality citation data, which was also very good news. Um, and so we're hope and then our ELA um, and math scores and our winter map uh, results were the strongest we've probably ever seen. So there was a lot of things to celebrate. Um Tony then also presented to uh DCC. We talked about the staffing plans. Um we talked about some programmatic initiatives and then one of the things he highlighted was um some of the state of economics and capital projects in our district at the moment. And um not to sound too alarmist, but you know that was obviously a critical point of conversation as well. You'll hear a little bit later on from our Iraq report. Uh Kristen, I'm sure you're you're prepared to share um with the board, but we'll also back you off with any other details that can talk a little bit about the working mechanisms of what's been discussed at the committee.
>> Y >> just to move them >> sometimes takes >> and some of our co-op programs are some of our most at risk students who need some of the the greatest supports that we can offer. >> Thank you. And this is just, you know, we're exploring this >> option with it um by approving this plan right now. Um so if there's people in the community that have questions on how things might look or whatever, I really encourage you to reach out to our administration. So I know we've had a few here and there just >> based on the rumblings, but I think um that's it's been good to get good feedback and information. So thank you. >> Any other discussion? All those in favor signify by saying I >> I oppose. Motion passes. >> Item H five. Sorry. Uh the draft policy proposal. >> Here we go.
>> Okay. >> Yeah. >> But I I I think that that is important for all of us to understand, not even not just for this product, but for any products because I'm still kind of confused. I mean, you know, we we can imagine, you know, I don't know if melatonin is one of like melatonin gummies, for example, you know, cannot be in a food. Um, it's in a gummy it's sold at CVS. Like I I I just I can imagine that there are several examples that, you know, according to that definition wouldn't wouldn't be these products some products wouldn't be allowed. So to better I' I'd like to better understand that too, >> Dr. Like that's what I have learned you know again like it'll be uncontrollable you know if this is allowed in food food you know like >> you know so how do how do we how do we regulate it you know or how do we keep it off the hands of the kids right now that was a problem with the gummies earlier with TSC now they've been instances right that kids have consumed it not knowing what's in it you know so right like that those gummies like if up in the counter and kids buy it or even if they don't buy it somebody have it and they end up consuming it you know so I guess that's one strong thing about the food part of it but again we need to look more into >> yeah yeah if you could if you could maybe >> provide us with something that that gives us some clarity around that again I think even beyond this issue that's helpful >> absolutely yes so I think at this point our next step is to see what happens on March 6th >> I think it's 20 you mean for for that next hearing >> 26.
So if this medically required incidentals could also fall under medical >> yeah would would fall under the expenses that you could get a credit for. Yeah. >> Um is it qualified? Is it any kind of medical treatment? >> Does it look like >> any kind of medical? >> Yeah, there is a definition that is referred to in the Internal Revenue Code. So, it excludes um some elective treatments like cosmetic surgery, but it's medically necessary treatments. >> So, it's the same. It refers to the Internal Revenue Code definition of medical care that they use when you take a um deduction for medical travel expenses in your itemized deduction. So using that same definition of medical care. >> So if I wanted if I needed to have cataract surgery, which I did, and I decided that I wanted to take a vacation. So I decide I'm going to go to Las Vegas and have maybe I shouldn't be Las Vegas, go to I don't know Colorado or New York to get my um cataract surgery.