I'm sorry. >> 500,000 >> ghs correct. You just messed up my plan. >> And then we have $820,000 out of the IDA240 grant for sped tuition. And then 1 million $527,398 out of circuit breaker also for sped tuition. Are we prepaying any of those? >> Nope. >> Can't get buy one get one free or >> just try it >> for transportation. $400,000 out of the transportation revolver. >> And that's it. >> You and I had like some of the same numbers. Okay. But it's already out of there. for next year >> 27 that no 27. >> So what I'm saying is in the numbers projected in that budget have you already taken the 400,000 >> correct? If you look at the power presentation those two slides that have >> that's just >> the balance sheet income statement these numbers are already reflected in the plan.
Again, not that we don't need them, but we've limped along without them enough that we think we can continue limping for a little longer until the state does the right thing and funds education. Um, but I don't want to put us in a position of trimming, trimming, trimming before we even know what the target trim is that we're looking for, before we cut more than we even might need to depending on what comes back to us from the city. So, that's where I'm at on this. Um, and this is not our last opportunity to look at the budget. Um, so that's that's where I'm at right now. Member Dman, and please speak as loud as you can. >> Yes. >> Okay. I hope that folks can hear me. Um I wanted to point out uh for the public that um in the superintendent's messaging about this budget uh the superintendent says that the primary drivers of the increase are contractual salary obligations and special education.
So I have a couple recommendations that I met with administrative team on and shared it with them. I'm going to pass out a piece of paper and for the people that are on a line, this will be uh published tomorrow uh on our website and Amy and Jordan it I'll be able to talk right to it. So I'm not concerned that you don't have it on online and then we can just share John. Um this was no easy task and there there's a a statement around each one of these recommendations that we are making. The first recommendation is if you remember last year um we did reduce a bus route in our budget for this year and realistically we didn't really get any feedback on what the impact of that was. So what we are recommending in consultation with with Mrs. Robbins in part of my cabinet is really recommending uh a $90,000 reduction in transportation reducing and reduction of two bus routes which would affect all schools.
No, they just don't come asking for the money. So, for the um the budgets at school level, that is something we're working on. We're not disputing anything in the audit. It is something that we're working on. We do have to set budgets for the schools. Um we're figuring that out because we also need our our schools to prioritize buying local too, which is more expensive. So, we're trying to find the right threshold that it's not a open blank check, but it does allow them to to purchase more local food. And the fact that you folks uh add breakfast and snacks, that's even higher cost. So, again, we're saying free lunch and there's free breakfasts and there's free after school whatever some schools give more do more than others, but that's all a cost, right? It's got to be considered. Thank you. Thank you. Any other questions?
Sometimes the checks are done entirely on your own device. Um we also have the ability to do interruptible age checks. So, having proven your age once for one purpose, you can use it for multiple other purposes. I think it's important that the operators remain accountable for this. We can't just rely on, for example, app store age checks because people do access AI through multiple different channels, not just through an app store. Um we have an international standard ISO 27566 that this the technology can be certified to to make sure we can be confident that it protects your data security and your privacy. Um and we are innovating all the time. One thing I like about the bill is it's it's technically neutral. It allows us to use multiple methods like how you move your fingers, facial age estimation, or just resorting to a piece of ID.
The whole >> Okay. Do you guys have any other questions on this? Any comments, concerns? No, you guys are fairly quiet over there. All right, then I'll take a motion. >> I move to approve the changes to the 2026 27 work calendar as presented. >> I second. >> All in favor? >> I I motion carries five to zero. Um all right. Any future um agenda items, requests? >> I have one. Um, I would like to request a future agenda item consistent with our responsibilities under ARS15-341 and 15-721 for a presentation on reading in the classroom, specifically the use of novels in curriculum. I am requesting an overview of already approved and already district-owned novels, how they've been selected, and a snapshot of how many classrooms are currently using them. If they are not using them, why the engagement we saw during ReadAcross America reminds us that when students connect with reading, great things happen.
Congratulations to Sophia Perez, eighth grade student, Desert Wind Middle School. >> [applause] [applause] >> And Phoebe Holman, eighth grader from Maricopa Wells Middle School. >> [applause] >> And Elise Vianova, >> [cheering] >> junior from Desert Sunrise High School. >> [applause] >> And Joshua Perez, sophomore, Maricopa High School. Steven Seigman, freshman, Maricopa Virtual Academy. >> [applause] >> And Isaac Tuck, senior from Ram Academy. Congratulations to all of our honorees tonight. We are going to take a 5-minute break to allow everyone who was here for the recognition to make their exit, and then we'll begin the business portion of our meeting. You are all are welcome to stay. >> up in front. So, all the principals, come on up. I got front row seating right here for you. Come on. Set the example. We have to set the example. Heck, yeah. >> [laughter] >> I like to see you.
Uh I think to the level they were in FY17. Okay. Yeah, that would be good to Yeah. So, so it's not that we're adding, it's not that we're overspending. Obviously, our per pupil expenditures bear that out. Um and uh and when people ask, you know, what have you been doing? What have you been You haven't been cutting and quite frankly, we have. Yeah. Um so. I think just from the feedback that I've heard from a few people who have certain opinions about this, always the misperception that if you have uh $45 $50 million budget, you can always just cut and then you're not and there's more to be done and so I think those points are really important. Yeah, I I can prepare that slide and publish that. Just to have at least have it to so when the answer uh the question comes up, uh bring it up.
>> Thank you. So >> revolving around sustainability another big conversation topic um >> so I can just uh in particular regarding that question so if you look at the plan and I say this is a plan as of right now and also quite honestly I know you asked in your thing about potentially going back historically I won't say it's a concern but the the challenge with going back historically is because we we had the Easter funds and so when those changed those allowed us to not use the revolving accounts as historically has been used. And I know that caused a lot of contention and stuff, but again, I challenge anyone to go talk to the desi school finance and the grants people because they they will give green field credit for using ESER funds. We did not create a funding. You know, if you've seen other districts, I think of LMO for example, that they frontloaded >> tons of personnel into their Easter grant and then when they built their FY25 and 26 budget, they had to let them all go.
Um and both of these new uh expenses uh strike me as rather inflexible. uh with 51% of the increase coming from contractual salary obligations and 35% of the increase coming from uh new specialed students that have moved to the district. I believe that that's the main driver of these um there are services that we are legally obligated to provide and then there are the um contractual obligations that are also um decisions that have been made. So, uh, when we're talking about what can be cut, I think it's important to be realistic about where these possible cuts could come from. And that, as far as I can see, it it looks to me, and I I hope that um the superintendent can maybe clarify, it looks to me as though approximately 80 85% of these cuts are I mean 85% of these this increase is um unavoidable.
So what does this mean? This means and we've discussed this before um that some members of this board, some members of the committee have said there's not that many kids on the bus. We are required by law to transport children. But the question is, can we do a better job analyzing who's on that bus and and how we do our bus routes? And the answer is absolutely yes. You can do a better job with that. So I charge Mrs. Robbins to uh study this and with the help of uh Mr. Bishop and working with Martell Transportation. What we are going to do to really look at this is we're going to send out a letter this spring or early in the summer to all families and we're going to ask families to opt into transportation or opt out for transportation. And opting in means, yeah, you're going to take the bus or your van to school.
Um House Bill 13 Sorry, House Bill 1934 House Draft 1 relating to the state librarian to establish an Imagination Library of Hawaii program to provide one free book each month to children from birth through 5 years of age who reside in the state. And uh first up on this is Stacey Aldrich from the public Hawaii State Public Library. Good afternoon, G Chair Kim. Senator DeCoite uh DeCoite and uh Senator Hashimoto. Uh the Hawaii State Public Library system stands in support of the intent of this bill, which really is one of the things that we know helps kids become readers, which is having their own libraries. And so, this bill would help us make sure that kiki um 0 to 5 would be able to get a book every month um until they became five to build their own libraries and to build their literacy skills.
Thank you. Thank you so much. And the other person that's registered testify is Breanna Harman in support on Zoom. Not present, chair. Okay, thank you. That completes the list of registered testifiers. Anyone else on House Bill 1718, House Draft 3?
>> Said, please send me that. So, I I can't write fast enough. So, send it to me. Any others? Okay. I will make a motion to adjurnn at 450. >> I second. >> All in favor? >> I I motion carries five to zero.
It's like the only time I get to see all of you. Look at I shamed them into it. Yes. >> [laughter] >> It's like the students, right? When they Ladies, I'm proud of you. I'm so proud. >> the guys in the back. They get gold star stickers. They do. They do. Come on. You're going to be shown up. That's okay, guys. All right, you guys The boys club. >> [laughter] >> Hey, Ms. Coutré, if you would, just one one moment, please. >> Mr. Owens. >> [applause] [laughter] >> All right. >> my apologies. Just remember this, I will remember where you sit at the next meeting. All right, let's move on. >> [laughter] >> We are going to move on to our work study. Uh we have the elementary tier three behavior management work study, Dr. Pastor. Thank you. President Coutré, Dr. Lotman, members of the board, and guests.
Right now it's it's still in Excel, so I I won't bring it up here, but I I do have that. Um I have all that graph. I know that you're surprised by that. >> You're like a data ninja. Paul's a numbers person. She enjoys just part of the project, you know. >> I like that. Love it. It's very fitting. I was just going to go with geek, but you're much more awesome. Uh so, the next two slides, uh they're going to look very similar as far as um how the graphs are are are put together. Uh and this just is our uh special education costs and our transportation costs. Uh so, again, this shows um uh this far outpacing uh the annual percentage increases uh we can get. Uh and so, just like the previous slides, uh our actual cost for special education would be another $2.1 million in FY25.
You know, we did not have to do that. what we did was wise in the fact that you know to we were able to as much as it might be perceived as hoarding money. We used the Easter funds for what it should be used for and then when things even within the Easter grants were not coming to fruition we were able to do the paradigm shift I say the legitimate shell game to use easter funds and build up those reserves. So that being said, regarding the question of sustainability, if all things going according to plan in FY27 for school choice in the sped tuition revolving account, we would be using current year receipts or current year expenditures >> and that's kind of a not best practice to say the least. >> Not Yeah, >> you're not surviving. >> It's not a recommended account practice. >> I mean Greenfield is as a city is gasping for its last breath.
U Superintendent Joy, can you confirm that? >> Yes, you are correct. Thank you. >> Anything else, Member Diamond? >> Uh, I'm also concerned about the number 7.46%. I think that that see does seem very high. Um, it's it's very hard for our community to um to continue to fund our schools. We are in a very difficult situation. Um, I I would like to have some clarity about maybe what I hope more more realistic number would look like rather than 7%, you know, if it looks like there's a high likelihood of going to uh prop 2 and a half vote, right? Um, does anyone think that that can be avoided? I I don't know if we can comment on that in this particular meeting. >> Maybe not. >> Um other >> Jenny was >> Yeah. Um we'll bounce back and forth. I've got the mayor, I've got member Deniv, I've got member Goodwin, I've got member tris.
So, we're going to chart that and we're going to develop routes. If you opt out, it means when Mrs. Robbins and Martell Transportation are developing the bus routes, right now we're developing bus routes based upon every kid in our school system whether they're taking transportation or not. So, if they opt out, they're not going to be part of our bus group. But what will be very clear, and we'll have to communicate this with families on an ongoing basis, if they need to opt back in, they can opt back in anytime they want. We will just have to figure out within our roots how this is going to work. So there's a lot of hypotheticals. Could kids be on the bus longer? Maybe. I can't sit here and say definitively yes, kids are going to be on there longer. Will bus routes start earlier? Possibly. We just won't know till we we we get the analysis of who's going to opt in or opt out.
Um we do um ask respectfully to um consider two things. One is um the fully funding the program for the first 2 years. As the partnering um group that we work with, we figure out how to build the the private side. So, we would be able to pay for um uh the the program. Uh so, it'd take about 2 years and then uh we would ask for about 50% um to be covered by the state. So, it'd be a public private um partnership to ensure that um the future kiki could participate in this program. And lastly, um a coordinator uh and the funding for this project have a coordinator who could work with this program. We have a small version of the program right now and it takes a lot of time just for about 500 kids. If you imagine with I think 80,000 kids who would be eligible for this program.