>> So, we'll we'll have to get more information and get back to you on that. I'm sorry. >> Okay. Um, I would just say if there is an increase and that's 4,000 that's kind of substantial and I don't know if there's competitive software to this, but it might be the time then to look at what else there is out there. >> Correct. Because there may be a different software that it's better and the features and it's cheaper. So, we'll have to look at that too. So, can we put that on the agenda for res uh um for residency and technology to look at an alternative um application to our um board docs or whatever you want to call it, our board of education documentation because that's actually a a patented name. Any other questions? Uh Commissioner Suarez. >> Thank you, President Bassford. Um I did receive the email regarding the new website and I played around with it a little bit.
These partnerships would make a great impact on students to foster connections, strengthen relationships, and look into opportunities. I would like to see our district expand transportation to increase students access to art education. Thank you. So, a brief overview of our plans for next year include expanding our curriculum alignment into the visual arts courses, uh, as well as beginning the articulation, uh, and extending it in some cases with the our five partner elementary districts to start the conversation about what our collective TK through 12 grade curriculum and programming can look like. Uh we'll revise some of our theater curriculum as well as develop new courses uh for things such as acting for film and TV to address the gap between the high number of students whose interest surveys say that they want to be actors with the declining number of students who are enrolled in those courses.
How did we increase to $43 million? Do you have any questions about the item we're discussing, the TRAN? Um this is in relationship because that is um debt um that we already have that increased uh at a $26 million um over this last um year that I've asked exactly why and what caused that and I think it's valid that as a board member and this board is informed of why our non-voter approved debt went up $26 million just from last year if we did not facilitate a TRAN loan. Yeah, [clears throat] and that information is contained in the audit report and I do believe was contained in an email that you received earlier today. That answers that question. Are you not able to answer on the spot? I can read you what was sent in the email. >> it's confidential. Thank you. >> it was confi It was confidential.
It did seem very very user friendly. It was easy to navigate. Um it seems to make a lot of sense. It doesn't seem as clunky as um board docs does currently. So if it is appropriate for um the budget, how soon are we looking at to adapt this website? >> Well, there was really no we didn't even get into that discussion. he just wanted to talk about it because we all receive those update notifications on our when we go when we log into board docs. So that was one of that's where how it actually started. So um Joe is a technology guy commissioner Kenova and he was like well what's the latest update because we were we've all been complaining especially you about your board docs logging in over there Mr. Mr. Brun Commissioner Bronc. >> Yeah. Yeah. It was an AWS thing. So that that was part of the issue too.
We'll expand our teacher coaching and mentoring program to include all arts teachers who have been teaching for five years or fewer. We'll expand the youth arts council to extend to include sight-based leadership and we'll give arts community updates at our monthly meetings. We're also planning professional learning sessions for our school counselors and administrators to share strategies and practices for building healthy sequential arts programs into master schedules and into campus cultures. We'll also expand student awareness of career paths in the creative economy by creating by expanding our involvement in the OCD arts pathways event as well as working with our district aim program to develop new partners in the areas of arts, media, and entertainment. So on behalf of our amazing, truly amazing youth arts council members as well as the 450 staff members in the in the arts instructional team and the thousands of students enrolled in our arts courses.
>> It was It is confidential. I think it was confidential. >> confi It's not confidential. It's all public. content in there that is not producible, but Okay. I just worry about Yeah, cuz I think going up, you know, having an an incurring $26 million in debt this year, that's that's a significant amount of money, especially as we're considering giving a green light for another possible $25 million tran loan. Um as a board member, I need to know um because as a district I believe we need to learn to live within our means. Um you know, for my measly house I always talk to you about my budget, we don't spend money we don't have. That's not a good practice fiscally speaking. And to do it on repeat uh makes even less sense. So, I don't I do know that we have made quite a habit as a district these last 6 years to take out high interest loans.
So that spurred the conversation that they I mean so many people use AWS. So >> maybe if they use a different company for that I I don't know. But that's obviously probably >> 50% of everybody who runs their software is probably using AWS. So got got to take a look at that too. What >> what kind of server of cloud platform they use as well. I I appreciate that. Thank you, President. It'll go back to it'll go back to committee with some more details. And right now, if uh we're cutting things, we shouldn't be spending, you know, for the vinyl rooftop on the car. That's how I look at it. It was vinyl rooftops in my house was always a an extra. So, I we we equate things to that when we want to do extra. So, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to go off on that.
I want to thank you for making time in your annual agenda for this report and for listening to the students that make up our arts community. Your support here in this room as well as out on the campuses is appreciated by the teachers and their families. This board shows up for students deeply values arts education and knows that the arts help our students learn to be more like themselves instead of more like everyone else. Thank you.
Um two cops loans, correct, Mr. Schulenberger? Uh one COP and one that is considered a private placement debt. Okay. And then um the now this $26 million that we increased in non-voter approved debt, and now we're considering a $25 million tran loan. This is a lot of money and I'm fully aware of that as a sitting board member, but just as a human being alone. Um and I think we need to accept responsibility as a board for this idea and this accepted practice that we've kind of adopted on repeat now to take out high interest loans or even give a green light for it to potentially happen. Because if we as a board give a green light, we as a board are giving permission for that spending. Um instead, I want to encourage us to really think about what does it take to live within our means.
Uh thank you very much. Um Commissioner Ciano, uh facilities, uh Commissioner Bronzak, Thank you, President Bassford. Facilities committee met on April 28th, 2026. Those present were myself, Commissioner Ciano, President Bassford, Doc, um, Mr. Jinggerro, Mr. Uchi, Miss Cusvich, Mr. Doctor, Mr. Maldonado. Meeting start time was 4:15. The end time was 4:45. Items of discussion were buildings and ground grounds updates. School 2 is planning to install a firstf floor chair lift to accommodate a wheelchairbound student arriving in September. Currently obtaining quotes and working through city permit approvals. Maple Valley Middle School deteriorating science room tables will be removed and replaced with new tables expected this summer. School 15 maintenance team is completing a staircase, wall repairs with work expected to be finished this weekend. Stadium. The concession stat stand is undergoing equipment upgrades including new appliances and prep station along with painting. Project expected to be completed within the next two weeks.
And we're available to answer any any questions YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. VERY proud of our youth arts council and our uh VAPA team. Um it was incredible to hear from different sites and just your experience uh throughout your experience uh in different VAPA programs. Um so just really super proud um of all of you. I will open to questions if the board has any.
And what are the steps we have to take to get there because right now we have $63 million in reserves spread out throughout our um unaudited actuals uh 24 25 unaudited actuals and I know I've pointed that out um that we could pull from for any emergencies um prior to even considering a trans loan. So, I just don't think there's a dire circumstance from my perspective in my opinion where I sit. Um and then I also am concerned that neighboring districts have not adopted this way of spending and getting loans and they have over $200 million each in reserves. So, they don't even have to think about taking out a cops loan or or another high interest loan or even breach the idea of taking out a trans loan let alone year after year. So, if we want AVUSD to find its fiscal footing, we need to make different decisions than we've been making.
Referendum update. All punch list items are on schedule for completion by the end of May. CCMS elevator. The elevator is fully operational and has passed inspection. Currently awaiting installation of security swipe access before being open for use. Capital project update updates, excuse me. Roof replacements for CHS and school 12. Bid openings for the roof replacements will be held on May 14th and May 15th. Parking lot paving projects. Summer paving projects are planned for sila A, Sila S, and school number nine. CCMS CHS parking lot expansions. The district architect will develop specs for parking lot expansions at Christopher Columbus and Clifton High School which will then be sent out for bid stadium turf and track replacement. The committee agreed to recommend the administration to use the one Clifton Mustang only as the center only as the center of the football field. facilities request was recommended to allow the Jordanian American Association permit for the football stadium for a cultural speaking event to go for full board approval.
>> I don't have any questions. I just want to say first of all, thank you so much for your presentation. And this district has been known for supporting the arts through thick and thin. We've had many times when other districts were cutting the programs because of financial >> issues, but we have always maintained the programs as being very strong for us. So, uh I think the board will continue to support the arts and thank you for your presentation. We look forward to seeing it bloom in the future. blue. Yes. >> Um, amazing presentation. Great job, everybody. Um, what are some of these new partners that you're uh uh thinking about? Uh, Brian, I know you have some great ideas. And and before before you answer that, I just want to share that uh while visiting sites, how beautiful all of our campuses are look looking.
Um we we need to not make borrowing a comfortable or a normal idea. We need to instead look at our spending and reconsider. Maybe this would be a good time to bring someone in to look at our spending and see where we can make some understanding of the reason why we're spending so much money and not saving. Um but I do think and coming back to that second interim report, the increase of $26 million from last second interim report, do did you were you able to find that? Yes. Okay. I'm ready. Uh President Buchanan, I that particular question doesn't pertain to the item at hand, but I'll be more than happy to to the increase in uh our non-voter approved debt if that's the pleasure Um I can do that. Would you guys like if that >> Maybe having this information would be I can do it real quickly.
Does anyone have any questions? >> Seeing none, thank you. Uh, Commissioner Brunak, uh, education commissioner Paris. >> Thank you, President Passford. >> Uh, the education committee met on Thursday, April 29th. Meeting began at 6 PM. President were myself uh vice president Santiago, Commissioner Suarez and Commissioner East Barnes. From administration, we had Dr. Robert Toy, uh Miss Kusalevich, uh Mr. Jenaro, Mr. Doctor, uh and Dr. Chavez, director of special services. Uh special education update was first from Dr. Chavez from and this was a comparison of from year to year on declassification of students. The question was asked um so the data here is from September 25 to April 26 there were 49 students declassified. The prior year from September to June, the full year, 157 were declassified and the prior year to that in 2024, uh 161 students were declassified. The numbers include students who have graduated from high school and were therefore declassified.
Uh I I one recent event that I went to was at Anaheim and uh I see one of our assistant principles there. She was sharing with me some of the murals and murals that will be coming up. So it's just so beautiful. But yeah, what are some of these new partners? >> Well, I can't really speak to before we make the connections officially, but let me just say that they're in the areas of technical theater. >> Okay. >> Lighting design. >> Yes. >> Um stage block. There's a lot of tech the technical theater side of things that we really want to begin to focus on. >> Um, as well as some professional musical organizations, a dance troop and, uh, two visual art organizations that we're considering working and partnering with. So, >> I love it. I love it. And also, real quick, you know, when I was at Gilbert, you know, uh, I saw some of the students making the music and a lot of alumni who were there were like, "Oh, man.
>> Okay. Yeah, I can do it really quickly. Okay. Um what trustee Longshore is referring to as non-voter approved debt appears in the audit report that is produced by our independent auditor at the end of each fiscal year. It's basically made up of five items fiscal year 24 to fiscal year 25 cuz again our last audit was June 30th, 2025. The first item on that is the certificate of participation that Ms. Longshore mentioned. In fiscal year 24, the remaining debt as of June 30th, 2024 was $14,695,876. In June of 25, it was $14,479,245, a decrease of approximately $216,000. The next item is compensated absences. Um and I'm going to read directly from the the audit report. The definition and calculation of compensated absences was affected by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, commonly known as GASB, statement 101. GASB 101 compensated absences is a new accounting standard that now expands the definition for employee leave to include sick time that is likely to be used during employment.
Preschool referrals to date are 200 and school age referrals to date are 201. Total special education enrollment as of May 4th was 2536 and that represented an increase of 2535 from the 20 231 we had in 2025. So a significant increase in student uh special education student enrollment. Uh the number of students needing more support in self-contained classes with additional services keeps increasing. The total special education budget is 40 a little over 45 million. State special education aid is 17.5 million. Uh IDEA federal special education funding is two 2 million and the remaining 25.7 million is covered by local funds. Programs at near capacity applied behavior analysis in elementary K to 5 all are full at this point in time. Group size exceptions known as waivers will be required in all 13 sections. K to8 language and learning disabled severe with ABA component are all full.
And I wish I had that when I was a student. And I wish I had that when I was a student. Maybe I'd be in a different field. Thank you very much. >> Good evening. I see Miss Zimmer um here in the audience. So I want to acknowledge her from the Anaheim Arts Alliance. So thank you very much for being here. Um you know, so I'm looking at all these students up there and I've seen you on a lot of you on stage as the leads in your musicals leading their show choirs. I just want to thank you guys for your leadership and stepping up to be part of this arts council because I think you're going to come back and look at these arts programs and go look what we did. And so congratulations. I want to know what we're doing to work with vertical articulation down to our theater districts.