Nadia Combs: HI, I AM NADIA COMBS, CLEAR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD. WE SERVE MORE THAN 200,000 STUDENTS. THAT INCLUDE CHILDREN PRESCHOOL THROUGH ADULTS IN OUR WORKFORCE PROGRAM. Henry "Shake" Washington: I AM HENRY "SHAKE" WASHINGTON, THE BOARD VICE-CHAIR. OUR DISTRICT IS THE SEVENTH LARGENESS AMERICA AND WE ARE MADE UP OF 24,000 PEOPLE WORKING AT NEARLY 250 SITES ACROSS THE COUNTY. OUR DISTRICT IS DIVERSE AND DEDICATED. OUR BOARD MEETINGS ARE HELD IN OUR BOARD AUDITORIUM AT SELECT TUESDAYS AT 4 P.M. THE BEST WAY TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY IS TO INVOLVE YOU, THE PUBLIC, IN WHAT WE DO. YOU ARE WELCOME TO E-MAIL OR MEET WITH ANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND FOLLOW OUR DISTRICT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. BOARD MEETINGS ARE COVERED LIVE BY HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS TV ON SPECTRUM 635 AND FRONTIER CABLE CHANNEL 32.
MEETINGS ARE ALSO STREAMED LIVE ON OUR WEB SITE AT HILLSBOROUGHSCHOOLS.ORG. CLOSED CAPTIONING IS PROVIDED ON ALL BROADCASTS AND PAST MEETINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN OUR ONLINE ARCHIVE. WE ARE INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PUBLIC HAS TO SAY. WE WILL INCLUDE TIME FOR AUDIENCE COMMENTS BEFORE WE ADDRESS OUR BUSINESS ITEMS. OUR AGENDA AND ANY SUPPORTING MATERIALS CAN BE VIEWED ONLINE IN ADVANCE. THEY ARE POSTED SEVEN DAYS BEFORE EACH MEETING ON OUR WEB SITE AT HILLSBOROUGHSCHOOLS.ORG. OUR VISION IS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE. AND THAT MEANS ALL STUDENTS EVERY DAY. TODOS LOS ESTUDIANTES. TODOS LOS DIAS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN EDUCATION. WITH YOUR HELP, WE ARE MAKING DECISIONS THAT SHAPE OUR COMMUNITY'S FEATURE. Nadia Combs: THE BOARD MEETING OF JULY 26, 2022 IS CALLED TO ORDER.
MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL LEAD US IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. [MOMENT OF SILENCE] THANK YOU.
NOW PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU. YOU MAY BE SEATED. Nadia Combs: WE HAVE TWO WITHDRAWN ITEMS TODAY. 603, PURCHASE OF WATER FORD LEARNING SMART START SOFTWARE. AND 7:09, APPROVAL OF THE QUITCLAIM AT NORTH COL NGS STREET PLANT CITY. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADOPT THE AGENDA.
A MOTION BY MEMBER GRAY AND IS SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES WITH FIVE YESES AND ONE NO. LET THE RECORD REFLECT THAT ALL MEMBERS ARE PRESENT EXCEPT FOR MEMBER VAUGHN WHO WILL BE HERE SHORTLY. WE HAVE ONE SET OF MINUTES TO BE APPROVED TODAY, JULY 12, 2022 SCHOOL BOARD MEETING. I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
A MOTION BY MEMBER HAHN. AND SECOND BY MEMBER WASHINGTON. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, PLEASE VOTE WHEN YOUR LIGHTS APPEAR. AND IT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY. BOARD MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER THE FORMAT OF TODAY'S MEETING. AS A REMINDER WE ARE A NONIMPORTANT BOARD THAT BELIEVE ALL CHILDREN CAN LEARN AND EMPOWERED TO SUCCEED.
TO PAVE THE WAY FOR AGENDA STATEMENTS AND QUESTIONS, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK WITH 30 SECONDS FOR FINAL THOUGHTS. AFTERWARDS THE SUPERINTENDENT CAN RESPOND. IF UP FURTHER QUESTIONS, YOU ARE ASKED TO GET BACK IN THE QUEUE.
MEMBER WASHINGTON WILL LEAD US WITH THE BOARD GUIDELINES. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AS WE REVIEW THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, LET ME REVIEW THE FORMAT. PLEASE SILENCE ALL ELECTRONIC DEVICES. SPEAKERS IN THE BOARD ROOM WILL LET MEMBERS TO HEAR THE MEETING STEPPING AWAY FROM THE DAIS. YOU CAN WATCH THE MEETING ON CLOSED CAPTIONING ON CABLE BROADCAST ON LIVE TV AND HERE ON VIDEO MONITORS. IT CAN BE REVIEWED WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING ON THE ONLINE VIDEO ARCHIVES.
Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER WASHINGTON. WE HAVE SEVERAL ITEMS SCHEDULED FOR TIME CERTAIN. 5:01, PUBLIC HEARING ON MILLAGE AND REVISED POLICIES AND 6:00, EMPLOYEE INPUT. WE WILL NOW BEGIN WITH PUBLIC COMMENT. THE BOARD WELCOME COMMENTS FROM CITIZENS AND VALUES YOUR INPUT TO THE BOARD. TO PROVIDE RESPONSE, WE WILL TOMORROW UP WITH YOU AND KEEP THE BOARD UP TO DATE ON THE RESPONSES. WE APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO BE HERE. BUT IT IS REQUESTED WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD, NOT TO PERSONALLY ADDRESS TO THE BOARD MEMBER BUT RATHER DIRECT IT TO THE ISSUES. ANY ATTEMPT TO DISRUPT THE ORDERLY MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED. WHEN ADDRESSING THE BOARD, STATE YOUR NAME AND PLEASE STATE CLEARLY INTO THE MICROPHONE.
THIS AFTERNOON, EACH SPEAK WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES AND A YELLOW LIGHT WITH 30 SECONDS AND A RED LIGHT AND A CHIME TO INDICATE THAT YOUR TIME IS UP. THE FIRST FIVE SPEAKERS. FIRST SPEAKER, PLEASE COME UP. THANK YOU. GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM TERESA POTTER, PRESIDENT OF THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. OUR MEMBERSHIP VOTES ON OUR PROGRAM EACH YEAR AND THE FIRST STATEMENT UNDER OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM IS THAT OUR GROUP ADVOCATES FOR ADEQUATE FUNDING OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN FLORIDA. THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF FLORIDA ARE MEMBERS ACROSS THE STATE, HAVE VOTED TO SUPPORT FLORIDA'S CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENT TO MAKE ADEQUATE PROVISION FOR ALL CHILDREN THAT ARE UNIFORM, SUFFICIENT, SAFE, SECURE AND HIGH QUALITY. WE SUPPORT A FREE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR FLORIDA WITH HIGH STANDARDS WITH.STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND QUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL THAT IS FINANCED ADEQUATELY BY THE STATE THROUGH AN EQUITABLE FUNDING FORMULA.
WE ALL KNOW THAT $8,000 PER STUDENT DOES NOT ADEQUATELY FUND A HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION WHERE PEOPLE ARE PAID WHERE THEY DESERVE, LET ALONE THE ADDITIONAL SERVICES NEEDED BY MANY OF OUR CHILDREN. THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAS NOT PROVIDED ADEQUATE FUNDING. INSTEAD, THEY HAVE DECREASED THE MILLAGE FOR OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FROM 5.3 IN 2010 TO 3.5 TODAY. THE TAMPA BAY TIMES EDITORIAL THAT RECOMMENDED A NO VOTE ON THE MILLAGE STATED THAT THE FUNDING IS NEEDED AND CAN WAIT FOR ANOTHER YEAR. THE LEAGUE STANDS BEHIND EVERY STUDENT AND EVERY TEACHER. THE TEACHER OF 2024 OR 2027 ISN'T MORE DESERVING THAN OUR TEACHERS TODAY. . THE STUDENTS WHO START SCHOOL IN THE FUTURE ARE NOT MORE DESERVING OF ARTS EDUCATION OR WELDING TRAINING THAN OUR STUDENTS TODAY. IT IS EASY TO SPEAK AGAINST THIS MILLAGE AND LOOK AWAY FROM THE STUDENTS WHO NEED THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM TO PROVIDE A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION WITH SERVICES SUCH AS SPEECH THERAPY OR SMALLER CLASSES OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
IN ORBED TO DO THIS, WE HAVE TO BE ADEQUATELY FUNDED AND WE NEED TEACHERS, HIGH-QUALITY TEACHERS, WAITING TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR TEACHERS' SALARIES ENSURE MORE TEACHERS LEAVING THE PROFESSION AND NOT RETURNING. TIGHTENING OUR BELTS MORE WHEN THE FUNDING IS INSUFFICIENT HAS BEEN IMPACTING ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS LONG ENOUGH. WE CAN NOT PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY SERVICES IN EVERY ONE OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY STARVING OUR SCHOOLS OF RESOURCES. THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RECOMMEND A YES VOTE FOR HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS ON AUGUST 23. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. GOOD AFTERNOON. PAULA CASTANYA. ACCORDING TO RESEARCH BY HARVARD, BROOKENS, RAND POLICY INSTITUTE, JUST TO NAME A FEW, EFFECTIVE TEACHERS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT SCHOOL-BASED DETERMINANT OF STUDENTS' EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE. TO PROMOTE STUDENTS' SUCCESS IN SCHOOL, STUDENTS MUST RETAIN CREDENTIALED TEACHERS AND ENSURE THAT TEACHING REMAINS AN ATTRACTIVE OPTION FOR COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS.
SIMPLY PUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA DOES NOT PROVIDE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM ENOUGH MONEY TO PROVIDE QUALITY TEACHERS. SINCE 2007, FLORIDA HAS DROPPED FROM 23rd IN PER PUPIL FUND TO 46 IN 15 SHORT YEARS. WE ARE 49th IN TEACHER PAY. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BEARS AN EVEN MORE OF A BRUNT DUE TO THE FACT THAT WE ARE THE SEVENTH LARGEST DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY. I AM TELLING YOU NOTHING THAT YOU DON'T ALREADY KNOW, BUT I AM PUTTING THIS ON PUBLIC RECORD FOR THOSE AT HOME. OVER 90% OF OUR DISTRICT BUDGET ALREADY GOES TOWARD PAYING SALARIES FOR TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF. AS A COMMUNITY, WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO SUPPORT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OUR TEACHERS. NUMBER ONE, OFFER A TWO-STEP INCREASE TO TEACHERS. NUMBER TWO, PROVIDE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES AND DO RESPECT FOR ADVANCED DEGREES AND LONGEVITY SO THEY STAY WITH OUR DISTRICT. NUMBER THREE, GIVE TEACHERS THE BENEFITS THEY DESERVE, TO INCLUDE THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE.
THERE IS A WAY TO DO THAT THROUGH THE STATE. THIS MILLAGE REFERENDUM, WITH AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, WILL GET SOME OF THESE THINGS FOR OUR TEACHERS. THE MILLAGE WILL ONLY BE USED ON OPERATIONAL EXPENSES SUCH AS THE ARTS, MUSEUM, PE PROGRAMS AND SALARIES, AS COMPARED TO THE HALF-CENT PENNY REFERENDUM USED FOR CAPITAL EXPENSES. THOSE AT HOME WHO ARE LISTENING, THE HALF-CENT PENNY REFERENDUM HAS BEEN CAREFULLY MONITORED BY FORMER FLORIDA EDUCATION COMMISSIONER BETTY CASTOR AND SHERIFF CHRONISTER TO NAME PEOPLE ON THE COMMITTEE. EVERY PENNY IS ACCOUNTED FOR LIKE THE MILLAGE WON'T BE ACCOUNTED FOR. I AM ON NO PARTY AFFILIATE. I WILL PERSONALLY BE VOTING FOR THIS REFERENDUM. MY HUSBAND, AS A REPUBLICAN, WILL BE VOTING FOR THIS REFERENDUM. MANY PEOPLE IN THOSE PARTIES GO ALONG AND JOIN US. THIS VOTE IS JUST A SMALL, PERSONAL FINANCIAL IMPACT. AS AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE OF TAMPA BAY.
LET'S NOT MAKE THIS ABOUT POLITICAL PARTIES AND LET'S MAKE THIS ABOUT OUR KIDS. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HI, I AM JESSICA. AND I AM A PARENT AND EDUCATION ADVOCATE. A WISE MAN ONCE SAID, DESTROYING ANY NATION DOESN'T REQUIRE THE USE OF BOMBS OR LOW-RANGE MISSILES. IT ALSO REQUIRES LOWERING THE QUALITIES OF EDUCATION. PATIENTS DIE AT THE HANDS OF THESE DOCTORS. HUMANITY DIES AT THE HANDS OF SUCH RELIGIOUS LEADERS. THE COLLAPSE OF EDUCATION IS THE COLLAPSE OF A NATION. THAT IS WHERE WE ARE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE BRINK OF A PILE OF RUBBLE. YET WE NEED NOT ASK WHO CASTS THE FIRST STONE OR LIT THE FIRST MATCH. WE ALL NEED TO RISE TOGETHER AND LAY THE BRICKS ONCE AGAIN BY -- ONE BY ONE. EDUCATION IS FUNDING, PLAIN AND SIMPLE. WE CAN NOT SERVE EACH STUDENT AND TEACHER WITHOUT THE DOLLARS.
WE ARE IN ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING METROPOLITAN AREAS IN THIS COUNTRY, YET OUR STATE CONTINUES TO STARVE OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM, REDUCING THE AMOUNT IT GIVES US PER STUDENT OVER TEAM. I FLORIDA IS RANKED 45th IN THE COUNTRY, AND 46th IS 46th OUT OF 67 COUNTIES OF FUNDING. OVER THIRD OF THE STATE HAS SOUGHT APPROVED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND IT IS TIME WE DO THE SAME AND NOW. WE CAN NOT CONTINUE TO HOPE THE WIN WINDS WILL CHANGE IN TALLAHASSEE. THIS IS NOT ABOUT WHETHER YOU LIKE THE SUPERINTENDENT -- NO OFFENSE -- OAR THIS BOARD. IT IS ABOUT WHAT DOING RIGHT WITH THE STUDENTS AND THE TEACHERS. LET THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE DO THE JOB THEY HAVE BEEN DOING SINCE LAST YEAR BY PROVIDING TRANSPARENCY TO THE SCHOOL BUDGET AND WHERE IT IS ALLOCATED. LET THEM DO THE SAME FOR THIS REFERENDUM. THIS ISN'T FOR MY KIDS AND ANY INDIVIDUAL GROUP OF KIDS, IT IS TO INVEST IN OUR FUTURE.
IF WE ARE TEACHING OUR KIDS TO LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER, WITH TIME WE MODEL THIS BEHAVIOR. DON'T LEAVE THEM IN THE RUBBLE. SHOW THEM IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT THEM BUT EVERYONE AS A WHOLE, AS A FAMILY, AS A VILLAGE. I AM PERSONALLY VOTING YES TO THIS MILLAGE REFERENDUM AND I HOPE YOU DO THE SAME. BUT NOT JUST FOR YOU, IT IS FOR EVERYBODY. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. MARK KLUTHO, LARGO. LAST TIME I WAS HERE I SAID IT WOULD BE A SHAME IF SOMETHING LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN TEXAS SHOULD OCCUR HERE. AND IT REALLY WOULD BE. THERE WAS A BIG MOAN FROM THE AUDIENCE AS THOUGH I WAS ENDORSING THAT HAPPENING. I MEAN, WHAT KIND OF STUPIDITY IS THAT. I WASN'T ENDORSING THAT. BUT THEN THOSE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT DON'T GET UP HERE TO SAY WHY AREN'T YOU BUILDING HIGH PERFORMANCE SOLAR BUILDINGS.
AND I JUST HEARD THAT MONEY THAT HAS BEEN COLLECTED FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT HAS BEEN SOMEHOW WISELY SPENT. WHAT A JOKE. LOOK AT THE HEADLINES. CO2 LEVEL HIGHEST IN HUMAN HISTORY. REPORT, SEA RISE IS CLEAR AND PRESENT RISK. STARK WARNINGS FOR THE WARMING PLANET. UN REPORTS SPELLS OUT DIRE CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE. TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO FIX CLIMATE, REPORT SAYS. CARBON DIOXIDE LEVELS AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS IN FOUR MILLION YEARS. AND HERE THIS BUILDING, A CHEM PLATE FOR BASICALLY HOW ALL BUILDINGS SHOULD LOOK. NOW NATURALLY, A SCHOOL BUILDING ISN'T GOING TO BE EXACTLY LIKE THIS, BUT THE GENERAL PRINCIPLE APPLIES. THE EAST-WEST ACCESS, THE PROPORTION. NO WINDOWS ON EAST OR WEST WA WALLS. THE BUILDING ALBIDO. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, DON'T YOU, SUPERINTENDENT? YEAH, BUT YOU DON'T GET IT RIGHT. YOU DON'T GET IT RIGHT. THE PLANET BURNS. AND, OF COURSE, WHEN WE GET TO THE BUDGET, WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE MONEY THAT IS NOT GOING RI RIGHT.
THIS IS A DOG GONE SHAME. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. HELLO, I AM PAT HALL, AND I HAVE SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS ABOUT MILLAGE. THE WORD "MILLAGE" HAS NOT BEEN WELL EXPLAINED TO THE VOTING PUBLIC AND PARENTS. SOME PEOPLE ARE CALLING IT MILEAGE. PINELLAS HAS HAD THIS MILLAGE COMPONENT BENEFITING TEACHERS AND STAFF FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS AND THEY HAVE EFFECTIVELY POACHED SOME OF OUR BEST LEADERS ACROSS THE BRIDGE. 22 COUNTIES ARE AHEAD OF HILLSBOROUGH IN VOTING FOR THIS EXTRA MONEY FOR TEACHERS AND STAFF. AND THE REASON WE NEED EXTRA MONEY IS OUR REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE HAS SQUEEZED MONEY OUTS OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR THE LAST 0 YEARS, ESPECIALLY THE LAST TEN -- LAST 20 YEARS, ESPECIALLY THE LAST 10 WITH VOUCHER FRAUD AND CHARTER SCHOOL FRAUD BY FOR-PROFIT MANAGED COMPANIES. THE LEGISLATURE AND THEIR AIDES HAD THEIR POCKETS STUFFED WITH MONEY FROM JOHN HAGE OF CHARTER SCHOOL USA AND FERNANDO ZULETA FROM ACADEMIA.
ONLY HOMEOWNERS, NOT RENTERS AND APARTMENT DWELLERS WILL HELP WITH THE EXTRA DOLLARS AND ELECTIVES. IF YOU CARE OF SCHOOLS, DO NOT VOTE FOR REPUBLICANS AT ANY LEVEL THIS YEAR. FLORIDA IS AT THE BOTTOM OF EDUCATION SPENDING NATURALLY AND COMPARED WITH OTHER STATES, LARGE COMPANIES ARE SCARED AWAY BECAUSE FLORIDA SCHOOLS ARE SO BAD, THEY ARE TOLD. THE CUTS OF TEACHERS, ELECTIVES AND OTHERS LAST YEAR WAS PAINFUL AND ONCE TEACHERS LEAVE, THEY HAVE MANY OTHER OPTIONS AND WILL NOT RETURN. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY IS AWARE, WE HAVE A TEACHER SHORTAGE. THE ALL ONE RACE SCHOOLS HAVE PROLIFERATED WITH 12 ALL-BLACK CHARTER SCHOOLS AND A NUMBER OF ALL HISPANIC SCHOOLS AND MANY, MANY MORE VOUCHER SCHOOLS. THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION BETWEEN PARENTS' EDUCATIONAL LEVEL AND CHILDREN'S SUCCESS IN SCHOOL. OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF ARE VITAL IN HELPING CHILDREN FROM LESS AFFLUENT FAMILIES TO DO WELL IN SCHOOL AND IN LIFE.