001an image. testing. It's hot. Good afternoon everyone. We'll go ahead and call the meeting to order at 401 and Evette will read the language under public content. >> Thank you, Madam President. In order to help assure compliance with the Brown Act and in order to make our board meetings more effective and more efficient, trustees will speak only when recognized and trustees who speak on a topic other than the agenda item currently under consideration will be out of order. Board meeting protocols. The safety and decorum of the school board meetings are important to Stockton Unified School District and the community. SUSD promotes the public's right to free speech and we want to make sure that all community members, parents, and students are able to participate in a safe environment. We want to ensure all community members
002have a seat during the board meeting. We will have the maximum number of chairs allowed per fire code, which is 132. We ask that members of the public do not stand along the side of walls or block the walkway. Anyone standing up during the board meeting will be asked to take a seat. If they do not comply, they will be asked to leave. Any accredited news media representative who is standing will have a press credential clearly visible. There's a podium positioned in front of that first row of chairs. No one other than the person who is speaking may be at the podium except for a guardian, administrator, or translator. For safety, people may not line up behind the speaker to wait their turn. We want to give the person at the podium the time and
003respect they deserve. Each speaker will be allowed 3 minutes. Attendees are not allowed to enter the area past the table where board members are sitting. No profanity or obscinity. During the board meeting, if there is a disruption, the board president or designate will give a verbal warning to the person or persons causing the disruption. If the disruption continues after the verbal warning, the individual will be asked to leave or be removed from the premises for the remainder of the board meeting. After the meeting is concluded, we ask community to clear the lobby area in a respectful manner. Back to you, Madam President. Thank you. Item 1.2, roll call taken by Evette. Thank you. President Sophia Cologne, present. >> Vice President Priest, >> present. >> Clerk Martin, >> absent. >> Clerk Martin, okay. Trustee Daire, >>
004present. >> Trusty Perez, >> present. >> Trustee Stevens, >> present. And Trusty Silva, >> present. >> Student representative Kiana Labau, >> thank you. and student representative Jackson Brooks. >> He's absent. >> Absent. Thank you so much. Back to you, Madam President. >> Thank you. We like to turn to item 1.3, moment of silence for Dr. Brian Bobbit, teacher at Franklin High School, read by Vice President Shauna Priest. Good evening. Tonight, we pause to honor the life of Dr. Brian Bobbit, a dedicated Spanish teacher at Franklin High School, a cherished member of our Franklin family. Mr. Brian Bobett began his career with Stockton Unified School District as a Spanish teacher at Franklin High School on July 29th, 2020 and served our students and community with dedication until the day of his passing. Dr. Bobett was very
005involved in the community. He always was looking for ways to support organizations that supported students in our communities. He was a part of the commer >> commercantes unidos being that they provided scholarships to students. He also took part in milechasers coffee club and reading club that builds community with our educators and former students. Dr. Bobett also supported the lions club. Dr. Brian Bobbit also was beloved by was a beloved EL Spanish and IB teacher at Franklin. Dr. Bobbit was a instructor who excelled at both the collegic and secondary level. Dr. Bobbit was more than a teacher. He was a mentor who pushed his students to become the best versions of themselves. He was a lifelong learner and inquirer. Whether he was seeking knowledge in a book, through travel, or by experiencing new cultures, he tried
006to instill the same passion in his students. Dr. Bobett didn't just teach. He made everyone feel seen and significant. We honor his commitment to education by the lasting impact he made on the Franklin community. Dr. Brian Bobbit will be missed by many. We now ask for a moment of silence to reflect on the life of Dr. Bobbit and to hold his family, friends, and students in our thoughts. Thank you. >> Thank you. Item 1.4, student board representative report by Miss Kiana Labau, Stag High School, 12th grade. And uh we will hear from Jackson next time. Thank you. >> Good evening everyone. First, I want to highlight on Stag's ASB St. Patty's treasure hunt. It was a two-eek long event where teachers got to hide gold coins and leprechauns in their classrooms and students got to
007find them to trade in prizes at ASB. Students had a blast and it motivated students to get to class on time to find the coins first. Next, Stag's FFA program is preparing for state conference where they will have an opportunity to represent our school and develop leadership skills. In addition, Stag Skills USA will be going to the competition in Ontario. So, I want to wish them good luck. Our FA program is also continuing to work with animals including goats, lamb, pigs, turkeys, and rabbits, giving students hands-on motive experience in animal care and agricultural e education. FFA is also starting up a plant sale soon where they'll be selling house plants and succulents. SAG is also had the opportunity to come together with a program called the Lord T-Rexes. We gathered with DAG and PLA's key
008club along with some softball and baseball players in ASB to teach kids with autism how to play baseball. We had a great we had great feedback and the event was a blast. Additionally, Stags online released their first episode of the royalty report video series which highlights events and student achievements on campus. Stags PLA Stags BSU and PLA BSU is taking a trip during spring break to explore H.B.CU CU campuses giving students exposure to college life. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Now we will turn to item 1.5 with our student honore. Um and if Mr. uh Dasi, principal of Stockton Early College, please introduce your student. Thank you. >> Uh good evening board president Cologne, SUSD trustees, and superintendent Dr. Rodriguez. It's a privilege to introduce Prit Bowedge, a standout scholar leader at Stockton
009Early College Academy, who embodies the highest standards of academic excellence and civic duty. As our current ASB president and a national merit scholarship finalist, Patre maintains a remarkable 4.7 GPA. This May he will achieve a significant milestone of graduating with both his high school diploma and associates arts degree. Patre's influence extends well beyond the classroom. He represents Samuel King County on the California Youth Council for Friday Night Live and recently served as a featured speaker at the youth summit at state conference. He founded Habachi, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing fresh and affordable food to underserved communities within Sanwaqin County. He is currently awaiting admission at decisions from several of the nation's most prestigious universities including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and the University of the Pacific and various UC's. Although I grew up UCLA fan, but
010Creed has also applied to USC. Since Dr. Rodriguez is a proud USC alumnist. Will graciously respect his decision to apply there. Regardless of where he lands, Pree plans to major in government with an emphasis on public health to eventually work in health law policy. He remains one of the finest representatives of the SEC community. I present to you Patreed. Uh thank you for that introduction, Mr. De Rosi. I'm not used to that kind of thing, so pardon me if I'm a little speechless. Um, to the trustees, uh, Superintendent Rodriguez and the district staff in attendance, I truly appreciate the opportunity to be up here today, not just as the student honore, but as the representative of an incredible school that has been able to create leaders in our most underserved communities. Today, I have the
011privilege of speaking on behalf of Stockton Early College Academy. And this is not a responsibility I take lightly. The diversity of our school's interests, organizations, and identities are what bring our campus to life. So, I want to make an effort to recognize that as much as I can today. A pinnacle of SECA has always been our collective push for academic excellence. By the time they graduate, each SECA student is poised to have taken multiple advanced placement courses and enough dual enrollment courses through Sanwaqin Delta College to earn an associates degree. This type of academic rigor creates an already high standard. But our Timberwolves still decide to strive for more and they do. In the last year alone, our mock trial team became twotime county champions. Our academic decathlon teams won big with division 3 taking
012home gold in division one clinching silver. And our Mesa program took home 40 medals, including a first place trophy in quiz bowl for the first time in over a decade. Even through my years at SECA, I've been involved in our competitive academic teams, meddling as a freshman starter on the academic team and staying active in Mesa all through high school. Almost every student at SECA becomes a part of an academic team at some point in their high school career, and that just goes to show the fighting spirit that we foster on campus. However, not everything is as competitive. Our students also take up roles as leaders in their communities through avenues like service and education. Our key club chapter is served as a hub for on and off-campus volunteering, encouraging underclassmen and upperassmen alike to
013pursue community service and have fun in the process. Our Friday Night Live Club, sorry, our Friday Night Live Club covers the other side of community involvement, creating substance abuse prevention workshops that get presented across California and local events that bring participants from all walks of life. I personally have had the opportunity to serve as a leader through both of these clubs. Being our key club division spirit task coordinator and our county's first FNL California Youth Council representative SKA's emphasis on leadership and setting an example is not only what gets us college and career ready, but ready to take on any sort of challenge in the future. I'm grateful to have called Stockton Early College Academy a second home for the past four years. And I know that it's that education that prepped me to be
014the student honore today. Thank you. >> Thank you so much um for sharing all of your accomplishments with us. We wish you well. Please come back and we have a an award for you. And if there's any family or staff that would like to take pictures with you, yes, come join us at the at the front here. All right. Moving on to more recognition. We have item 1.6, recognition. Winners of the belonging writing contest. Come on up. I have my ELA curriculum specialist. My name is U. Melissa Sigers. I'm the director of curriculum and professional development. And we have Amanda Walter and Allison Silva, Dr. Allison Silva, our ELA curriculum specialist. Good evening. Um board president Cologne, board of trustees, and superintendent Dr. Rodriguez. Um we want to thank you for the opportunity for us
015to share a few words tonight about our SUSD writing contest. This year's theme was belonging. A topic that encouraged students to reflect on connection, identity, and the communities that make them feel valued. And I say students, but there was also a teacher that um teachers were um allowed to submit as well. So, we were excited to receive a large number of thoughtful and creative submissions for from students and staff across the district. Each piece demonstrates the voices, perspectives, and experiences of our students. Using our SUSD writing rubrics, a review team carefully read and evaluate the entries, considered elements such as clarity, creativity, organization, and voice. After this process, we selected seven outstanding winners whose writing truly captured the spirit of belonging. Their work um represents the talent, reflection, and diversity of our student community. Um,
016so I'm going to say their names and we actually have a couple of readers tonight. So we have Flor Seria Marquez, a first grader at Commodore. Elelliana Elelliana Vas Vallesquez um, first grader at Commodore. >> Yeah, they will read. Uh, Naelli Torres Ortiz, a third grader at Rio Rio. Jovanna Guadalupe Aoyo, a sixth grader at McKenley, and Danielle Barahas, a 10th grader at Pacific Law Academy. Um, Delila Garcia, a 10th grader at Pacific Law Academy. And finally, Alana Gibbons, a teacher at Pacific Law Academy. These two are going to read their entries. >> Before they start, can we have them come a little uh to the front so we can see them on camera? You look great. All right. A little bit more. >> Okay. Oh, yeah. >> Okay. Look this way. You say your
017name. >> My name is Elelliana. >> Can you read your paper? >> I felt like I belonged. When I was sad with my work, Flora told me it's okay. Just do your best. I felt good. >> My name is Flor. >> Good job. I felt like I belonged when I was sad because I had no one to play with. Elelliana asked me to play with her. I felt good. >> They wrote about each other. >> Well, wonderful job. Let's give them all a round of applause again. And we do have more more students that I believe joined if they would like to come up >> or is that everyone here? >> Do you want them all together or >> Well, we were going to do a group photo. So, make sure everybody everybody comes up.
018>> We need our teacher winner. >> Okay, great. Before you step down, All right, one more round of applause for our belonging writing winners. Okay, item 1.7, oral suggestions. Abby will announce the number of public comments and request each person to provide their public comment in the order they were received. Christina will be the timekeeper. Trustees, we do not have any comment cards for item 1.7. Thank you. >> Thank you. Item 1.8, public employee discipline dismissal release. Um, do we have any cases? >> We do not. >> Okay, great. Thank you. Moving on to item 1.9, the board will consider in close session items listed in close session by Vice President Shauna Priest. Item 2.1, public employee appointment certificated. Government code 54957, leave of absence, resignation, retirement, job abandonment, appointment closed positions. Item 2.2, public
019employee appointment classified. Government code 54957, leave of absence, resignation, retirement, appointment, closed positions. Item 2.3, public employee discipline, dismissal release. Item 2.4, 4 adoption of resolution number 25-55 for release reassignment of for certificated administrators. Item 2.5 student suspended expulsion C-9. Item 2.6 student expulsion C-20. Okay. And we will now close to recess to close session. You better hit that a little harder. >> Get mad at it. >> It's already got some like dents in it. Oh, got Okay, good evening everyone. Thank you for joining us. We'll go ahead and call the meeting back to order at 5:46. Iet will read the language under public content. >> Thank you, Madam President. In order to help assure compliance with the Brown Act and in order to make our board meetings more effective and more efficient, trustees will
020speak only when recognized. Trustees who speak on a topic other than the agenda item currently under consideration will be out of order. Board meeting protocols. The safety and decorum of the school board meetings are important to Stockton Unified School District and the community. SUSD promotes the public's right to free speech and we want to make sure that all community members, parents, and students are able to participate in a safe environment. We want to ensure all community members have a seat during the board meeting. We will have the maximum number of chairs allowed per fire code, which is 132. We ask that members of the public do not stand along the side of walls or block the walkway. Anyone standing up during the meeting will be asked to take a seat. If they do not comply,
021they will be asked to leave. Any accredited news media representative will who is standing will have a press credential clearly visible. There is a podium positioned in front of the first row of chairs. No one other than the person who is speaking may be at the podium except for a guardian, an administrator, or translator. For safety, people may not line up behind the speaker to wait their turn. We want to give the person at the podium the time and respect they deserve. Each speaker will be allowed three minutes. Attendees are not allowed to enter the area past a table where board members are sitting. No profanity or obscinity. During the board meeting, if there is a disruption, the board president or designate will give a verbal warning to the person or persons causing the disruption.
022If the disruption continues after the verbal warning, the individual will be asked to leave or be removed from the premises for the remainder of the board meeting. After the meeting is concluded, we ask community to clear the lobby area in a respectful manner. Back to you, Madam President. Thank you. We'll move on to item 4.1, pledge of allegiance, led by students Zuniga and Thundi, mock trial students from Stockton Early College Academy. I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. So they want to speak to mock trial >> and could you please come back to the podium and and tell us about your experience? >> Our experience in mock trial has been going very
023well. We have recently won our county competition for Sanwaqing and we will be representing Sanwaqing County at the state level competition. We also have a couple of awards for you if you'd like to come up. Uh, and if you have any family or your school staff want to come and join you, this is um, Trusty Daire. We'll hand those out to you. Let's give them another round of applause for the As superintendent just reminded us, the second year in a row you'll be going to state. So, give him another round of applause. All right, we're excited. Good luck to you. Sorry. Sorry about that. Uh, item 4.2, action taken in close session by Vice President Shauna Priest. Item 2.1 public employee employee appointment certificated government code 54 957 leave of absence resignation retirement job abandonment
024appointment closed position motion carried 70 item 2.2 2 public employee appointment classify government code 54957 leave of absence resignation retirement appointment closed position motion carried 70 item 2.3 public employee discipline dismissal release motion carried 70 item 2.3 public employee discipline dismissal release police officer traininee motion carried item 2.3 public employee discipline release assistant principal 2 motion carried 70 item 2.4 Four, adoption of resolution number 25-55 for release reassignment for certificated administrators. MO motion carried 70. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. And now we'll move on to item 5.1 oral suggestions and comments from the community regarding open session agenda items. Abby will announce the number of public comments and request each person to provide their public comment in the order they were received. Christ. >> Madam President, can we go back to 4.3, the order of
025the agenda? >> Yes. I apologize. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Item 4.3, order of agenda. Abby will read the oral announcement. Thank you. >> This is the opportunity for the board of trustees to make any changes to the order of the agenda. Otherwise, the order of the agenda will be as published. Thank you. Can I get a a motion for >> a motion? Oh, a motion to approve the order of the agenda. >> A second. >> Okay. Any discussion hearing? None. Roll call vote, please. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Thank you. Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. Trusty Silva. >> Yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Thank you. Now
026on to item 5.1. Oral suggestions and comments from the community regarding open session agenda items. Abby will announce the number of public comments and request each person to provide their public comment in the order they were received. Christina will be the timekeeper. Individual speaker shall be allowed three minutes to address the board. The board shall limit the total time for public input on each item to 20 minutes. Trustees, we have several comment cards for item 7.1 and we'll address those common cards when we get to that item. For item 5.1, we currently have five common cards regarding item 10.3. First common card is from Erica Richard. Good afternoon, board uh President Cologne and board trustees and superintendent uh Rodriguez. My name is Erica Richard and I have been a preschool teacher in Stockton Unified since
0272006. I've had the opportunity to teach and support, advocate, and lead in various capacities during my time. I believe that early childhood education is one of the most essential grade levels in our district and needs clear comprehensive voices and representation here at the schoolboard level in the form of a committee. As an ECE educator, I cannot tell you how many times the issues and concerns of our specific group go unnoticed or overlooked. issues such as teacher compensation, parent accountability, teacher safety, student support and intervention. We also need our voices to be heard and on comprehensive goals for all of the learners under five, especially students identified with high behavior support needs, EL learners, socioeconomic conditions, trauma survivors, and sped students. As teachers of our youngest and most diverse and most vulnerable students, we need our
028issues, ideas, and concerns to be centered in many of the policy and program discussions and inter interventions in by this board. Our preschool programs represent the gateway into our SUSD learning community. Voices of those who are at the front lines such as teachers such as myself of providing this care and support for learning and development are not only important by essential but essential to this process and must be heard, respected and amplified. Thank you. Next common card is from Tina Torres. Good evening, President Cologne, trustees and superintendent Dr. Rodriguez. My I'm sorry. My name is Tina Torres. I'm an associate teacher in the district's Head Start program. Thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. I'm here to respectfully ask for your approval of article 10.3, which proposes the creation of an early childhood subcommittee.
029Early childhood education plays a critical role in a child's long-term success. The early years are when children develop foundational language, social, and cognitive skills that shape their readiness for kindergarten and beyond. When districts invest time and attention in these early stages, students are better prepared to succeed academically and socially throughout their educational journey. Creating an early childhood subcommittee would provide a dedicated space to focus on the needs of our youngest learners. It would allow for collaboration, thoughtful planning, and ongoing discussion about how to strengthen early learning programs across a district. This group could this group could help identify opportunities for improvement, strengthen the transition into kindergarten, and ensure that policies and resources supporting learners are aligned and effective. By having a focused subcommittee, the district can give these critical early years the attention they deserve.
030Approving article 10.3 is a meaning meaningful step forward supporting strong beginnings for our students and families. Because when we invest in early childhood, we aren't just supporting our youngest learners today. We are building the foundation for the success of their entire district tomorrow. Thank you for your time and consideration. Next common card is from Julie Joint. Good evening, President Cologne, trustees and superintendent Rodriguez. Thank you for the opportunity to speak here today alongside my fellow preschool um friends over there. Um I am here today to ask for the approval of a 10.3 committee. As teachers, we play many, many roles in our classroom and we're boots on the ground every single day and we see and hear things that you guys do not. Um so a committee will provide us with the space for us
031to share our voices for particular concerns and allow us to play crucial roles in decision-making process to ensure that the goals of our program are being met by helping to develop and intimate implement these goals of our program to ensure that our vision aligns with the community needs and the educational standards. And most importantly, it will serve as a liaison between our preschool programs and the community where we can address the educational needs of our preschoolers and our families. Thank you for your time and I hope you consider our committee. >> Next comment card is from Dr. Christopher Anderson. Good evening, President Cologne, trustees, colleagues, community members. Um, you've already heard from most of our me my members here, but I just I want to make it on a practical level. We often talk about
032TK through 8 and that makes no sense at all because what we need for a TK or for any ECE is not going to be the same what we're looking for in sixth grade or seventh grade, fourth grade. They're all very different. And I feel like if we're not focusing on the groups, the grade levels, then we're not really giving them the the support and the and the uh energy we need. And I think you heard that from these folks here. It's a very special group of kids. And every start, every good start means we have a good finish. So, let's make sure that we lift these kids up and lift up these teachers and give them this committee in order for us to be able to fully support and fully um uh fully devote
033our time to our our youngest kids and our youngest students. So, we're keeping it simple. Appreciate you. >> Next comment card is from Kadesia Warren. Thank you. Good evening, members of the board, president and district leaderships and audience members. My name is Kadija War and I am a transitional kindergarten teacher in this district. I am here tonight to advocate for our youngest learners and for the educators who support them every single day. Early childhood education is where the foundation of learning begins. In our TK and preschool classrooms, we're not only teaching letters and numbers, we are building language, confidence, social skills, and the love of learning that will shape a child's entire educational journey. Because of this stage of learning is so critical, it is important that the educators who work in early childhood education
034have a voice in the conversations, decisions that shape these programs. Creating a district early childhood education committee would allow teachers to collaborate, share expertise, and help inform policies and practices that directly impact our youngest learners. An ECE committee would I'm sorry, excuse me. AC committee will create a space for collaboration between teachers, administrators, and district leaderships so we can continue to strengthen early learning programs across the districts. When teachers are a part of this conversation, we can contribute ideas, solutions, and perspectives that help programs grow in thought in meaningful ways. Our youngest learners deserve a strong program built through collaboration, communication, and shared expertise. And if we truly believe that early childhood education is the foundation of learning, then the teachers that built that foundation deserve a seat at the table. Thank you, trustees. This
035concludes comment cards for item 5.1. Thank you. Okay, thank you. We'll now move on to item 6.1, approval of consent items. And I want to note I am going ahead, right? I am I'm so sorry. Item 5.2, oral suggestions and comments from the community regarding non-aggenda items. Abby will announce the number of non-aggenda item public comments and request each person to provide their public comment in the order they were received. Christina will be the timekeeper. Thank you. Trustees, we currently have three comment cards for item 5.2. They are all regarding Franklin High School SPA. First comment card is from Lorena Duran. Miss Duran is not here. No. Okay. All right. Next common card is from Anelles Romero de Cortez. Not here either. Okay. And next comment card is from Monica Olivarez. Good afternoon. Let me
036get this stuff. Okay. Hi, good evening. Uh, my name is Monica Olivarez and I'm also here today with um representing the Franklin High School parents regarding the uh 2025 2026 Sipsa. Um what I passed around today was the ELAC minutes and maybe one of the agendas or minutes from the um school site council um September minutes or agenda and u we um want to make sure because last time we were here as parents we um were discussing and you guys were questioning um that you guys didn't have uh the information and it's still not posted on the Franklin High School website unfortunately. Um, but I just came from the school site council meeting and where they are approving um five um minutes for the month of November, December, two meetings that happened in January and
037the last meeting that happened in February which um as of right now when I left they had already approved three of those minutes. But obviously um if you go on to the website you can see um the gist of what happened in those meetings. Um some changes did happen but you know like the usual um it never it's never going to be accurate because how many times do we have to wait for minutes to be presented months later. I mean by the time we go and review them or discuss them either people forget either people add stuff and it's just unbelievable. So when you guys review the um SIPA information, these are the ELAC um minutes and agendas that we have that are not posted on the website that they so apparently they made recommendations
038for the SIPA which um clearly you will see on there that they're not being um discussed or they're not being um shown to so that from the ELAC um they go to the school site council to be approved. So, it is just um ongoing with this SPA with Franklin trying to cover um things that happened and didn't happen. Um obviously, August 26 is an important date. Um that is the date that Franklin High School wanted you guys to approve the SIPA, which you guys did approve. And then we as parents fought back and said, "No, there is nothing that we were presented. There was nothing discussed. So how can we approve something? So back then we went to September October meeting was cancelled. November we had a meeting. Finally in December they approved the SIPA
039which you guys got and you tried to approve last month two weeks ago and with no minutes and approved and till the day today there's being discussed. So I want you guys to review the information clearly before making a decision. Thank you >> trustees. And this concludes comment courts for item 5.2. Thank you. Thank you. We will now move on to item 6.1, approval of consent items. Abby will read the oral announcement. Does any trustee have any item they would like removed for separate consideration as an action item? After any items are removed for separate consideration, there will be a vote on the consent items without any discussion. Madam President, I would like to move item 6.65 to action. I'd also like to note um we're We will pull agenda item 6.43 6.43 amendment of
040van purchase for Cesar Chavez High School athletics from the from the agenda. Any other items? Okay. So we will um need a motion for consent items with the two um items pulled or one pulled from the agenda completely item 6.43 and then one pulled to action item 6.65. I motion to approve the consent calendar with pulling item 6.43 from the agenda and then moving item 6.65 to action. I second. >> Okay. Any further discussion? Right. Hearing none. Roll call vote, please. >> President Golon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. Okay. Um, now moving to item 6.65. Did you have a a question, Trusty Stevens, on
041this one? >> I do. So, CPI is critical not just for the safety of our students, but also for the safety um of our staff. Can you talk a little bit about the roll out and then how are you all um selecting staff members who will do the training? So we have mostly a group of ECBAs uh some psychologists usually under um maybe some teachers but this particular contract is to bring a trainer here to train the trainers. So more we we have a commitment to train half of the district every other year so everybody's certified because certification expires every two years. Um, so we need we're in the need of more trainers. It was less expensive for us to bring someone here rather than to send everybody on a fiveday sort of not conference
042but training that you have to pay, you know, hotel and accommodations. So the goal is to train everybody every other year. >> How does this differ from the original? Is this the original CPI training that everyone or is this the one with >> This is specifically for us to have our own in-house trainers. >> Okay. >> So, they will be certified as trainers. It's a five-day training and then we'll have our own in-house trainers. So, these mostly BCBAs or psychologists will be able to then train our staff. >> Got it. Okay, that's clear. Okay. Thank you. >> And did did you um you did say there were going to be a couple teachers with this as well. uh in general I'm not sure but I could give you that information later >> will that will
043that consist of detaining also students to >> say that again >> training and detaining the students >> so restraining detaining >> yeah and we're planning to have a presentation to the board at sometime in the future we have to set the date so to have more details um but um yes the training itself is on how to verbal deescalation um and do proper CPI certified restraints. Um there's different types of restraints like our police department is trained on more aggressive restraints, right? So that is a CPI restraints for students to try to deescalate only when necessary, >> but they will be taught properly how to actually >> correct >> physically, you know, not touching but >> the CPI holds and restraints. um yes that are very safe and proper for students. So these are the
044trainers that are going to get trained um so that they could train our staff. Have we looked into other programs other than CPI that can provide this type of training for staff? >> I think we were on board with this contract by the time I got here. So I'm not sure they went out. Yeah. >> Yeah. So part of our DOJ agreement was that we would CPI train staff. So, we would if we chose not to go back or not to use CPI, we would need to go back to DOJ and get um make some alterations there. Um as chief was mentioning at the safety committee, which he might speak to um so I won't steal your thunder. Um we are looking at an added layer specifically in terms of fights and how do we
045um break up fights. That would be an added layer of training on top of CPI. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Any further questions or did you have a question? >> Okay. Um, can we get a motion for item 6.65? And I'll go ahead and let me read out what that is so it can be clear. So approval of an agreement to furnish consultant services with crisis prevention institute incorporated CPI to provide instructor certification training in non-violent crisis intervention with advanced physical skills for selected Stockton Unified School District staff. >> A motion to approve item 6.65. I second. >> Okay. Any further no further discussion? Okay. Roll call vote, please. President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daenire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >>
046Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, thank you. On to item 7.1, consideration and action on KIP Stockton High School petition, including proposed board resolution to number 2561 to deny the petition to establish Kip Stockton High School. We will now open and convene a public hearing on the petition that was submitted to the Stockton Unified School District to establish the Kip Stockton High School charter for a 5-year term beginning on July 1st, 2026 and ending on June 30th, 2031. As required by law, the board received a detailed staff report that includes an evaluation of the petition, supporting documents, and other information. Staff in consultation with legal counsel analyze the legal requirements set forth in the education code to determine whether the petition meets the minimum standards for
047approval. The staff report includes the teams includes the review team's proposed findings of fact and determination that the petition does not meet the minimum requirements to be eligible for approval for a 5-year term. The staff report was posted on the district's website and provided to KIP at least 15 days prior to this meeting as required under the education code. The board held its second public hearing on the petition on January 27th, 2026. During the public hearing, there was a split vote on resolution 2540 and no alternative motion was made. Thus, no board action was taken on the petition. The district subsequently agreed to represent an agenda item to notice another public hearing on the petition. As part of this public hearing, the board will provide district staff and representatives of KIP with equal time and
048procedures to address the staff report, including the proposed findings and any recommendations included in that document. As for procedure, district staff and KIP representatives will each have 10 minutes to address the board and present or respond to any information concerning the proposed findings included in the staff report. Following such presentations, the board will receive comments from any members of the public, including on the admissions preferences. Then the board will have the opportunity to ask questions and make any comments, deliberate and take action on the petition. We will now turn to the statements by the district and KIP. First, we will receive a statement from representatives of KIP. You will have a total of 10 minutes to address the board and make a presentation. Please feel free to proceed. Your time will begin. >> Wait, for
049the record, I am recusing myself from 7.1. Thank you. And your time will begin now. >> Good evening, President Cologne, trustees, Superintendent Rodriguez, and members of the community. My name is Beth Thompson, and I am the leader of Kip Public Schools Northern California. I want to start by sharing gratitude for the board's willingness to bring this item back and to take action on the petition before you. We are deeply committed to the South Stockton community to a productive partnership with the school district and board and to fulfilling the TK through 12 KIP promise that was originally approved by the board in 2019. Tonight, we are at a crossroads and together with our students, families, and community, we humbly ask you to approve our high school location. I'd like to invite McKenzie Hennessy, director of policy
050advocacy and community engagement for KIP, and John Lemo from Young Mini and Core to share the details of the proposal before you. >> Good evening board members. In 2019, Stockton Unified approved a TK12 pathway for KIPP students. That approval carried with it a shared commitment between Stockton Unified in Kip NorCal. The approval meant that as students grew, we would grow with them and that finding a permanent highquality home for students was always necessary to fulfill that promise. Tonight's decision creates a pathway to a long-term solution, one that honors that commitment and provides stability for South Stockton families. Let's take a moment to understand who we are serving, the outcomes we create for students, and why that's important. At KIP, we serve all students. Our demographics represent the powerful diversity of Stockton. A vast majority of
051our students come from socio-economically disadvantaged families. And as you can see, over 20% qualify for special education services. We meet families and students where they are and provide rigorous and supportive pathways that will open doors for all students to survive, to thrive. Preparing students with the skills and confidence to pursue the path they choose, college, career, and beyond, is not just our mission. It's an outcome we create for students and will create here in Stockton. KIP has a proven track record of excellent high schools in Northern California. Our students metriculate to four-year colleges at three times the California rate for socioeconomically disadvantaged students. Our alumni graduate from college with four-year degrees and nearly four times the rate of their peers. We plan to bring the same level of excellence in high school programming to Stockton
052within University Park. Let me briefly walk through how we got here. Since 2019, Kip Stockton has grown steadily in response to clear community demand. Families have consistently chosen our schools, and our bro board approved growth plan reflects that reality. At the outset, our hope was to locate all three schools, elementary, middle, and high within Conway Homes. However, that has proved not possible. We then vetted dozens of potential high school locations across zones A, B, and Z in South Stockton over the past 5 years. Many were explored seriously, but none pro proved viable until we identified the parcel within University Park. This proposal represents a long-term investment in Stockton, not a temporary fix, but a sustainable solution that allows our students to grow through high school without disruption. Now, I'd like to invite John Limo from
053Young Minian Corps to join us to explain the proposal before the board. >> Thank you, McKenzie. >> Good evening, everyone. Um, I'm John Lemo. I've I've had the great honor of representing literally hundreds of charter schools and school districts up and down the state for almost 30 years. Um, the action tonight is to either approve or deny this charter. I know we're back for another action, but uh you need to do one of those two things by majority v vote. Um as you know, Kip's objective tonight is to to get approval to operate a high school at at its University Park location. Kip has multiple avenues to to achieve that goal, and this petition is one of them, and it's the one that's before you tonight. Technically, it's a new charter petition. However, there's no
054intent here to operate a second high school. If we're approved tonight, KIP will commit to removing the 912 component from its existing K12 charter. So, there will only be one KIP high school in Stockton. It's important for context to note here that the education code in general and the charter schools act in particular actually requires the district to take reasonable steps and commit reasonable efforts to accommodate the charter school's growth in the face of demand from parent population. And it actually prohibits the district from taking any action to impede that's the language from the from the statute any action to impede Kip from meeting uh student demand here. That's education code 47605 E2C for those of you that like to read that sort of stuff. Again, to be clear, if you vote to approve the
055petition tonight, KIP will not operate the high school uh under its K12 petition. it will just be this charter school. Um, approval of the charter provides clarity now to our families and immediate stability for us. Um, if it's helpful for you, uh, we are happy to answer any questions about any concerns noted in the staff report and to uh, explain or reinforce our strong high school outcomes. Um, the intent is to complement, not duplicate existing uh, district programs. And again, at its core, your decision tonight is to basically approve a high school, the Kip High School at this specific university um park location. Kip wants to move there and wants to build a beautiful new high school to serve uh Stockton families. So, to be fully transparent, one of two things will happen tonight. uh
056you'll approve us and my it's my hope that you will approve the charter petition. But if you deny the petition, Kip will be appealing this to the county. Um appeals to the county take time. And what'll happen if we have to go through the appeal process is that we're going to move the current high school temporarily to the middle uh Kiptock to middle school location, which will allow our 10th grade uh to to grow and beyond. Um that means we have to close or suspend operation of the Kip Stockton Middle School in the short term or near-term and impacted middle school students. Students would be encouraged to apply to a KIP University Park Middle School and we will temporarily pause our KIPP stock middle school enrollment. Um this is very disruptive to our families and
057we would like to avoid avoid it. Um, while this plan ensures students have a KIPP school to attend, it displaces really hundreds of students and educators and disrupts a deeply bonded community. I think I missed a slide here. Um, so what happens if it's approved? Um, KIP will just operate as planned. It's gonna uh it was approved in 2019 by this board um as part of the K12 petition. We don't have the university park location as part of the K12 petition. So, we will be operating the high school if approved under this petition. And again, we will not operate both. There will just be one KIP high school. Kip Stockton Middle School would remain open and serving the Conway Homes community. and KIP will remove the 912 component from its K12 petition. Um there'll be
058no displacement, there'll be no uncertainty for our families and there'll be a clear clear path forward. So our final ask here is that we ask you to please approve this petition. You could do that just by a motion to approve with a second. Just requires a majority vote. If that motion fails, we ask that you move to deny it pursuant to staff's recommendation. you've got a a very thorough staff report um from from the district staff that also requires a separate action that's also majority vote. We need to walk away from here tonight with a majority vote one way or the other. Um I'm very grateful that the that the district took this back uh for another action after the split vote that you had. It caused a bit of consternation at the county uh
059because there is an ad code provision that requires that u district actions be taken by by a majority vote. So that that's where we are. It would be two separate motions motions. Again, we ask that it be a motion to approve and then the alternative, if that motion fails, we ask that you bring a second motion to deny. Thank you very much. And we're available, of course, for any questions that you might have. Thank you for your presentation and comments. Now we will re sorry now we will receive a statement from the district. I understand the district legal council Leslie Locker will speak on behalf of district staff. Miss Locker you may proceed. >> Thank you. Good evening president or board president Cologne board member superintendent Rodriguez and cabinet. As you will recall the board
060held two public hearings on the Kip Stockton High School establishment petition. The second public hearing occurred less than two months ago on January 27th and included the opportunity for both district staff and Kip representatives to make statements to the board concerning the proposed findings of fact and recommendation on the petition. After public comment and board questions, a motion was made to adopt the resolution to deny the petition. When a roll call vote was taken, there were three votes in favor, three opposed. Um, and because no alternative motion was made, there was no formal action taken by the board on the petition that evening. Kip thereafter appealed to the Sanwaqin County Office of Education and asserted that the board's inaction resulted in what they called a quote constructive denial. However, in a letter to both the
061district and KIP, the county superintendent expressed disagreement with this assertion and stated that the county did not have jurisdiction to hear an appeal except where the governing board of a school district has taken action to deny the petition. In light of the circumstances, the district agreed to represent this item on the board's agenda this evening as another public hearing during which the board will have the opportunity to again act on the petition. Because the district already made its presentation on the staff report um at the prior hearing, we will not address the proposed findings of fact and recommendation unless there's questions from the board. However, we do want to address the options that Kip shared as part of its slide presentation if the petition is approved versus if the petition were to be denied by
062the board. Kip has expressed that if the petition is approved, it will reduce its grade level offerings at the Conway Homes location in South Stockton to just K through 8 and it will serve students in grades 9 through 12 within University Park as part of the the new high school petition if approved. Even though the Kip Stockton K12 posi petition was just renewed in December to include the high school grades, this would trigger the need for another material revision request to now remove the grades 9 through 12. In turn, the district would have to commit additional time and resources to reviewing an updated petition, financial documents, and other operational components that would be impacted by such a change. Alternatively, if the board denies the KIP Stockton high school petition, KIP now informs us that it
063will effectively displace its middle school population of students who are already enrolled in and attending the school so that it can accommodate the buildout of its high school grades. Such a statement places KIP's families of middle school students in a state of limbo in in which they do not know whether their children will be accommodated at the Kip University Park location or whether they'll be told that they need to find another school next year. This approach does not make any sense. Kip Stockton K12 does not currently serve students in grades 10, 11, or 12. Why would KIP inform families that their middle schoolers can no longer be served in South Stockton if the charter school is already serving those grade levels? Why would it prioritize the high school grades for which it doesn't even have
064students enrolled yet? KIP is attempting to put pressure on this board to make a decision that would avoid the elimination of its middle school grades, even if it's temporarily. However, to be clear, that is a choice that KIP is making, not the district. Kip has the option to operate and build out its program in a manner that is consistent with the board's original authorization of this charter school. Kip can maintain its existing grade level offerings until it obtains the facility space to support a full buildout of a high school program within the South Stockton community. Yet, KIP is now choosing instead to pri prioritize its high school program over its existing middle school program, thus creating the instability for middle school families that it serves. Again, this maneuver is not the responsibility of the district.
065Even if the board denies the petition, KIP does not have to quote close its middle school program. This is a choice that KIP is making. I also want to remind the board that if it decides to uphold the staff's recommendation to deny the petition, KIP still has the opportunity to appeal that decision to the Sanwaqen County Board of Education. If the county board were to approve the petition on appeal, it would become the authorizer. So, it would relieve your board of its authorization and oversight responsibilities. And that could likely happen for the start of the 2627 school year. Therefore, it's unclear why Kip is setting out these alternative scenarios which seem both premature and not tethered to logic. As shared during the public hearing in January, the district has been unequivocal unequivocal in its position
066that is not attempting to block KIP from expanding to a full K12. Rather, the district expects Kip to uphold its original promise to serve students in the South Stockton Conway homes community as reflected in the initial approved charter. Tonight, the board has the opportunity to decide whether to approve or deny the petition. However, to underscore, any changes that Kit makes to its middle school or other programs as a result of the board's action are its own. Nothing is preventing Kit from maintaining its current grade level configuration in South Stockton. I hope that provides the additional clarity and context around this matter and I am also available for any questions. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Walker. The board will now receive comments from members of the public who desire to address this matter. Um, how
067many comment cards have we received? >> See, we currently have 12 comment cards for item 7.1. Okay, great. The total time limit for each speaker will be a maximum of three minutes for each speaker up to max up to a maximum of 20 minutes. >> Yes. Okay. The first comment card is from Dr. Christopher Anderson. Good evening again everybody. This is really for the folks from KIP. You're all about to come up here with your anecdotal stories about KIP and how wonderful it's been. But the data tells a different story. It's story of broken promises. From a mid-performing school to a low performing school, I can tell you that if I personally had 100 students to myself for one year, they would be at grade level at the end of that year. And supposedly with
068all of your teachers and all of your resources, you can't even get your kids up to at least the midperforming level. As SUSD moves forward, KIP continues to fall backwards. You've not been much of a partner because you come up here and you denigrate our school. You talk about how you want to be a partner, but you denigrate my teachers. the teachers I know who are fully credentialed and working hard and have been improving year overyear overyear unlike Kip. So you're now talking about eliminating middle school so that you can try and create a high school. So what are you going to do? You're going to take your middle school students, stick them in SUSD, and then when they're out of SUSD, you're going to bring them back to your school. You think they're going
069to come back? It's foolish. I suggest that you fix what you have before you ask to expand. Before you continue to bleed resources and students from us, maybe you should work with what you have. And instead of painting SUSD out to be the villain, maybe you should be holding Kip accountable for what their promises were because all I'm seeing are broken promises. Thank you. That's right. >> Next common card is from Itel Velasquez. >> Oh, okay. Good evening board members. My name is Itel Velasquez. I'm a ninth grader and the student body president at Kip Stockton High School. I am I am here to respectfully ask you guys to please vote yes on our petition today. Tonight. Okay, I just want to take a second for all of us. Imagine a time where you were
070a student again. The bell rings and the hallways fill with laughter, curiosity, and students slowly discovering who they are, who they hope to become. School is not just class classes and assignments. It's the foundation where young people build their futures. My classmates and I are the founding class of Kip Stockton High School. We are taking the very first steps, leaving footprints so future students can walk a path that we help begin. Every lesson learned and every challenge overcome becomes part of that path. Just yesterday, I had the honor of serving co-chair of of the Kip Stockton rally in front of in front of media and nearly 100 community members standing there recepting oh representing my classmates and my city reminding me that students voices matter and that when community stands together we are much stronger.
071So now as the final bell begins to starts to ring, let that not be a sign of closing doors but the but the continuation of a light glow guiding students towards opportunity, leadership and the futures they are still discovering. I respectfully ask you to approve Kip Stockton High School charter. Thank you for your time. Next common card is from Lel Evans. Good evening. Good evening board members. My name is Leo Evans and I am a nth grader at Kip Stockton High School. I have been a part of KIP since seventh grade. Since coming to Kip, I've learned, I've grown so much, not just as a student, but as a person. My grades improved and I became an honoral student. Kip has taught me accountability and has pushed me to take my education seriously. When difficult
072moments happen, our teachers and staff members make sure we feel safe, supported, and heard. Kip has also helped me discover my future goals. In 8th grade, I learned not just about becoming a lawyer, but about becoming a prosecutor. I want to help people. I want to help my community feel safe and protected. Kip has given me the confidence to believe that college and that career is possible for me. That is why it's confusing and honestly frustrating to think about how our school may not have a long-term facility at the new address. If we are a good school, and we are, then we deserve the space to continue growing and succeeding. Why should we jeopardize the education of my middle school peers when there is a pathway for all of us to have a stable learning
073environment where we can thrive? Please think of students like me when you make your decision. I respectfully ask that you approve the Kip Stockton High School petition tonight and vote yes. Thank you for your time. Next comment card is from Annabella P. Hello Stockton Unified School District board members. My name is Annabella Pettit. I am currently and in seventh grade and the proud vice president here at Kip Stockton Middle School. I stand here today respectfullying respectfully asking you to vote yes. If you vote no, my school will have to close for one to two years and we will all be displaced. At Kip Stockton Middle School, we don't just learn lessons from books. We learn how to believe in our future. Our teachers are amazing. They are constantly encouraging us and reminding us that we
074matter all while challenging and teaching us. For me, Kip has been a home away from home. My mom is current my mom currently has cancer. So, I I understand the unknown of tomorrow. But now I worry about my eighth grade year and what it's going to look like too. I don't want to start I don't want to start over again for me. I mean my mom always taught me that everyone has a story to tell and that includes all of you. I may not I may not have heard yours but you have heard mine. I hope you rem I hope when you remember my story, you remember that Kip is a story about a school that gives kids like me hope, strength, and courage. This is one of hundreds of stories here at Kip. It's
075what makes us Kip Lions. I am asking you, please vote yes. This allows us to stay. Vote yes for kids like me, for mothers like mine, yes for this community right here in this room. Thank you. NEXT COMMON CARD IS FROM OMAR MONONTTOYA. HELLO, good evening and good afternoon to the board members and to everybody here. My name is Omar Mononttoya and I am an eighth grader at Kip University Park Middle School. I'm here today because I really want to go to Kip Stockton High School next year. Since I started KIP, I've grown a lot, not just in my grades, but like as a person. My teachers really take time to get to know me and all my peers. If we're confused, they sit down with us, you know, uh, one-on-one and make sure we
076understand the work that they teach us. They don't just care about our test scores. They care about who we are and what we want to become. Before Kip, I wasn't like I just wasn't confident in school. Now I feel like I could raise my hand, speak up, and try harder things to challenge myself. I feel like teachers and all my staff believe in me, and that's what makes me believe in myself. When I think about high school, I don't want to start over somewhere new. I don't want to leave behind teachers who know me and taught me. I don't want to leave behind friends that I've connected with and grown with. I want to continue a Kip Stockton High School because it feels like that's the next step not only in my education but in
077the path that I'm already on. Kip schools are connected. What happens to one campus affects all of us. If the high school isn't approved, students like me might not be able to get the chance to continue at a school where they're feel or where they feel safe and supported. This decision affects real students. It affects our futures. I'm asking you to please vote yes so students like me can keep building on what we've already started. Thank you for listening. Next common card is from Yadira Gonzalez. Good afternoon to all of you. I'm here with the paper if you can see, but I think I'm not going to read it. I'm going to come from the bottom of my heart. I'm here today representing Kip. Um my son Amari goes to A Gra. This is his
078first year going to Kip. But um you know my son um my oldest son went to Kip in Oakland. So I promise you that this is the best school for them. He has done so much and I know that you guys have a good heart and the heart is telling me today that you guys can do the right thing for each and everyone all of those kids that are here today and in front of you guys. So, I'm here today to just represent some of the parents and please vote yes to them so they can have a better um education and don't forget this is the kids of our future and KIP will be the best for them. Thank you. Next comment card is from Sarah Pettit. Good evening, Unified School District board members. It's
079an honor to stand here. So, I thank you for this moment. My name is Sarah Pettit and I'm the mother of five beautiful children. One you just heard of, Annabella Pettit. Um, one of my children attends Kip Stockton Middle School. Three other attend Kip Stockton Elementary School. and my oldest son attends Pacific Law Academy. I understand what it's like to have a school breathe life into your child and I also understand the devastation when a school does not. Speaking of devastation, you're looking at a former child who grew up in the projects. A child who understands hunger, feeling invisible, and knows what it's like to have nights of worry and days of uncertainty. Yet, here I stand today. I stand with Kip. I stand with all the families in Conway and South South Stockton. I
080stand for stability, hope, and strength. My stand comes with a fight, not just for my children, but for all the children to have a school that truly believes in them, challenges them, and shows them what they're capable of. And two years ago, I made the decision to move my big family from Sacramento to your community right here in Stockton Fort Kip and for Pacific Law Academy schools that give my children safety, rigor, and a chance. And now it's your chance, board members. I'm asking you to think about all the children, my children, the ones who are wondering and afraid of what's next. That power is yours tonight. I'm asking you from my heart. Please vote yes. Vote to keep our middle school open. Vote to allow our high school to grow. But more so, vote
081for the children who deserve to know their potential is real. Thank you for listening. Next common card is from Kim Trong Munoz. Good evening members of the board. My name is Kmen Trang Wunos and I'm the founding principal of Kip Stockton Middle School. I no longer work for Kip and I'm here tonight simply as a member of the community and also as a mother. In fact, tonight is my daughter Mai's birthday and she's here with me. And while this may not be the place where most families would choose to spend a birthday evening, it feels symbolic. When I opened Kip Stockton Middle School, I did so with a vision to build a school where I'd be proud for my daughter to attend. And we did that from the very beginning. We centered Conway Homes in
082our community. A community that has historically been underresourced, overlooked, and too often asked to wait for opportunities that other communities take for granted. And tonight, I ask you to remember something simple. That a school is more than a building. A school is the place outside of a home where children spend the majority of their waking hours. Its meals when families need support. It's mentors and mental health clinicians that know them, their family, their trauma, and are there to help load help lift the load. It's a place where children learn that their neighborhood matters and that they do, too. But a school is also an opportunity for continuity. That promise that the adults you knew in elementary school will stay with you through the joy of middle school and will continue walking alongside you into high
083school when you realize that college and career is possible. Trusty Stevens, you were there on our first day of school. Trusty Donaire, you've seen our commitment to community partnership and service. And Trusty Perez, who's not here, represents Conway Homes and has been on our campus, met our students and our team and knows the families who calls this neighborhood home. and to the rest of this board, trustees Martin, Silva, Priest, and President Cologne. Tonight's decision will help determine whether Conway Holmes keeps a school that families have come to rely on. This is one moment where your leadership matters. Years from now, children from this neighborhood will look back on moments like this and will ask whether the adults in power protected their future. So, I respectfully ask you tonight to vote yes to approve the high
084school location and protect stability for the children and families of Conway Homes. Tonight, I'm not here as a founder. I'm here as a mother asking you to protect a place that has become home for hundreds of children in Conway homes. Thank you. Next common card is from Brandon Piaeki. Good evening board members. My name is Brandon Piaeki and I am the teacher at Kipada Middle School. I've been teaching fifth grade science since the school opened almost 5 years ago. When I first came to Kip, I was drawn by a vision, Kim's vision. It was incredible. Like joy is the foundation of learning at Kip, okay? Like every single class, that is where it starts. It's St. Conway Homes, a community that has historically been asked to wait for opportunities other neighborhoods take for granted. The
085vision felt urgent and necessary, and it still does. During my time at KIP, I have built routines, relationships, systems, and a classroom culture that I am proud of. And if Kip closes even temporarily, those routines and those relationships will not transfer. I'm also here tonight as a parent, a Kip parent. My son was only one year old when I joined Kip and he's now in kindergarten at Kip Elementary School and watching him grow this past year has been one of the greatest joys of my life. He's communicating more confidently, speaking up for himself and advocating for himself. And he was so proud of a recent award he got for getting hardest worker. And as his dad, this means everything. And I I mention this because the fact that closing KSMS also has a ripple effect.
086Okay. Many of our elementary school students who walk to school with their older siblings in our middle school would also be disrupted. It's because Kip's families are woven into this community in ways that a closure would unravel quickly and painfully. The foundation Kip has created does not simply pick up and move somewhere else. It has to be rebuilt from scratch. and the students who depend on it the most are the ones who have feel the loss the deepest. I respectfully ask this board to vote yes on Kim's petition tonight. Please protect and preserve what our students and our families and our staff have built together one year, one classroom and one child at a time. Thank you. >> Next comment card is from Tristan Adams. Good evening board members. My name is Tristan Abrams. This
087is my 10th year working in education, including the last three with KIP. I'm currently serving as assistant principal for special uh populations at University Park Elementary. Um recently something happened that resonated with me that I'd like to share with you all. Um one of SUSD's program specialists was accidentally included in an internal email thread related to our special education systems. She replied to that email and said this. I think I may have been added to this email by mistake, but I want to take this opportunity to thank you for having such strong systems in place. Many of our students have transition to your program, and it brings me relief to know that they're being cared for in such a meaningful way. That moment mattered to me because it reflects something important. This work is so
088much bigger than one school system. Um, it's about being it's about doing what's right for kids. And in that moment, it was evident that we agreed. We were in alignment. Three years ago, when I joined KIP, I was a founding teacher in our specialized teaching program, which serves students with extensive needs. In our first year, we had two classrooms serving 14 students across elementary and middle school. Today we have five classrooms across three campuses each serving 12 students for a total of 60 students. Based on our enrollment data that represents a 300% growth in just three years. I've heard tonight that um you know that um we we might not be making effective change but we are partnering with you and that is evidence. Um that growth didn't happen by accident. It happened because KIP
089has made a deliberate choice that many charter schools in our area area have avoided. We take who comes through the door and we build systems that meet their needs with a standard of excellence. Um over the past three years, every uh very few students have left Kip to find services elsewhere. That stability reflects the relationships, the systems, and the daily commitment we make to our most vulnerable students and families. If KIP is forced to close, even temporarily, we risk disrupting a program that has been built brick by brick, year by year, for students who depend on consistency the absolute most. Tonight's vote is about whether those students and families get to keep the stability they have found in Kip. I respectfully urge you all to vote yes on Kip's petition so that our students can
090continue learning in a school community that is committing to ser committed to serving them fully. Thank you. Next comment card is from Emanuel Deator. >> Good evening board members. My name is Emanuel Deator and I am the ethnic studies teacher at Kip Stockton High School. This is my first year with Kip and I am here to tonight to respectfully ask you to approve Kip Stockton High School. What I am witnessing right now is ethnic studies in action. A beautiful blend of pathos, egos, ethos, and logos. For Black History Month and Women's History Month, my students have been learning about moments in history when communities faced opposition and how ordinary people stood together and created change. They've studied how progress in this c country has always required courage, unity, and the willingness to stand up for
091what is right. And yesterday, I saw that lesson come alive. Over 100 community members gathered at a rally led by our own students, young leaders who stood in front of media and our city, not with fear, but with confidence and pride. Today is another testament to the same power of community. Tonight we had 125 RSVPs and we are joined by more than 100 concerned and dedicated students, families, staff besides those who are watching online. That is what education should do. It should empower students and families to advocate for schools, their futures, their community, justice and hope. Kip intentionally invest in ethnic studies starting in ninth grade because we believe students should understand their history and their power. When students learn about mo movements for justice and equity, they begin to see themselves as leaders capable
092of shaping the world around them. We are living in national turbulent times. The last thing our community needs is more instability. We need to stand with great schools. We need to create safe and strong communities that are anchored in opportunity. Today, you have that choice to make. The choice and the opportunity to stand with our community, with your community, with this beautiful community. I ask that you vote with your hearts, your minds, and your convictions, and recognize the power of community standing before you tonight. Approve Kip Stockton High School. Thank you all for your comments. Are there any questions or are there any questions or comments from any members of the board at this time? >> Okay. Oh, yes. >> Are you okay, Clerk Martin? Um, so I just want to I just want to
093take this time to say thank you to all the community members again. Uh, Conway has been a legendary staple in South Stockton. I am a South Stockton resident. Um, but I want to talk to you all about numbers. That's that's the biggest thing right now. We want to be transparent. And so we want to start with the mathematics for the last school year. you know, um, at the Conway school, you all have declined tremendously in numbers. And when we're looking at the mathematics indicator, um, our English learners are very low and have declined. So, the current status right now is negative 122.9 and the prior was negative 117.5. Our long-term English learners very low. The current status is 167.7 and our socioeconomically disadvantaged students are very low declines significantly. The current status is negative 105.3
094and prior was negative 82.9. Then we go to the students with disabilities very low. Right now the current is -170.6 African-American students very low declined significantly. The prior is 137.2. No, the prior, excuse me, was -120.5 and the current isative 137.2 and English language arts the same thing. The numbers just decline. That's the that's the big problem right now. It's not too much transparency. And I can go over those numbers as well. We got we got enough time. >> We got enough time. Oh, I'm sorry. So, for English learners, very low decline, negative 84.7. That's the current. We have our socioeconomically disadvantaged, very low decline significantly. The the current right now is 76.5. Students with disabilities, very low decline. The current is negative 130.9 African-American students, very low increas uh significantly 96.3. Wait, there's more.
095The suspension rate right now the suspension rate for English learners very high you guys have increased 5.6% for our socioeconomically very high increased significantly 61.1 60 6.1% students with disability has declined African-Americans very high increased 13.2 the prior was 9.1%. Let me see. Our Hispanic and our and our Latino are in red. High increase significantly 4.3. The prior was 1.3%. Let's go to our chronic absenteeism. Our English learners very high increase 33.8%. The prior was 20.8%. Long-term English learners very high 35.7%. Our socioeconomically disadvantaged very high increased significantly to 35.9. The prior was 26.0. Students with disabilities very high increased 44.4% the prior was 35.3 African-Americans very high. It has declined to 43.4% the prior was 50%. And Hispanic or Latinos in the red very high increase significantly 28.7 17.8%. This is sounds boring right
096now but this is the data. This is the data. And so it's a little uh troubling when we see this data and it the confidence just kind of goes away because of the data and the numbers. And so the numbers numbers kind of speak a little louder. Again, I love how you all I love community. I love that you all are coming together, but the numbers is another thing. Now, that was just Conwood. Do I have time to go into the high school? I think >> I think I'd like to see if there's other um trustees that have a question or comment. >> Um no, the next the next step would be for us to make the motion. So this is our time of discussion, but just before is there anyone else that wanted to
097>> I have a question, but I don't know. >> So we'd um like to give uh VP priest uh the the floor. >> I was wondering if legal can clarify uh whether the proposed high school location is consistent with the geographic boundaries outlined in the existing charter. Good evening. So, this was a topic of discussion in the last staff report and there were several questions that were presented um in the last public hearing on this issue. And so, if you'll recall, the original petition that was authorized by the board was to approve facilities loc location location within the South Stockton community within the Conway Homes Division. um they Kip had referenced a footnote that was included in the educational program section. So at the very beginning of the petition to make a reference to South
098Stockton including a different zone, but it made it very explicit that it was for purposes of the chart that they were presenting which had to do with proficiency rates within that within those various you know schools and included both public schools and charter schools. So, as it relates to the location of the facilities, the original authorized petition stated that they will locate within South Stockton. If you'll recall, when the Stockton or Kip Stockton K12 petition or renewal was presented to the board and the board took action in December, that had included an additional location. It happens to be the same location that is presented in the Kip Stockton High School petition and we had indicated that because the addition of one or more facilities requires a formal material revision to the charter and they didn't
099request a material revision that the district was not considering it. And so the recommendation at the time was to approve the renewal for KIP Stockton K12 but with the exclusion of that facility's location which would have to go under a separate process consistent with the district's material revision guidelines which they followed back in the spring when they made another proposal. So does that answer your question? Okay. >> Any other questions for me before I sit down? No trusty direust. >> I'm just thinking about one of the public comments. I'm wondering is it legally required to do two separate notions? Um the first one to approve and then the second to deny. >> No. Um you a member of the board could present a motion and then it would need a second and then there would
100be a vote taken and if there's a majority vote then um the board has taken action. Okay. Um, it looks like there may be some misinformation. So, maybe you can help us clarify here just based off of what we heard today. Um, and so I want to be clear for the uh for everyone here. The question before us tonight is not whether the school can exist, right? We we heard that, right? Like you spoke no, we don't exist anymore. And help hopefully you can help us clarify that. Um, and then the question is whether the proposed location aligns um with the charter that was approved prior. Okay. So, we'll take with the first one. Okay. And any decision tonight, whether it be to approve or deny, has no bearing on the Kip Stockton K12 charter,
101which are board reauthorized for a term of 5 years. They are located at the two sites on Dallas and I believe Colorado Avenue and South Stockton. That preserves those locations. that preserves their ability to expand um if they are able to build out a high school program within within that within that area um that they state um in their petition as um where they're going to locate their program. So, as it relates to the actual charter school, it will not go out of existence if the board were to approve or to deny the petition tonight. The petition tonight concerns the high school program that they want to establish within the University Park region and that is the location that they specify within the petition where they want to operate their program. But in doing so,
102if they got approved tonight, they were representing that they would remove their 9 through 12 grade level span at their current kip Stockton K12 s or program and they would only operate a K8 in South Stockton Conway homes. The 912 would be accommodated within the University Park region under a separately authorized charter. Thank you, Miss Locker. Sure. Thank you. Okay. Are there um any further discussion or questions? All right. Is there a motion on this item? And we do we do need to make a motion on the item. Okay. Um, I'd like to make the motion to Let's see. Um, make sure I'm reading it off right. >> Like to make a motion to approve the resolution 2561 to deny the petition to establish Kip Stockton High School. I second. >> Okay, we have a
103first and a second. And there's no further discussion. Roll call vote, please. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trustee Stevens, >> yes. Trusty Silva. >> Yes. >> Motion passes. 6. Trusty Perez has recused herself. So the item has passed. Um with the six 6. The public hearing on the Kip Stockton High School charter petition is now closed. We will take a brief twominut um recess. All right. Thank you everyone. We'll now reconvene the meeting. Move on to item 7.2. Consideration and action on Aspire Langston Hughes Academy renewal petition and request for material revision including proposed board resolution 2551 to approve the renewal petition and material revision for Aspire Linken Hughes Academy. We will now open and convene a public
104hearing on the petition that was submitted to the Stockton Unified School District to renew the Aspire Langston Hughes Academy charter for a 5-year term beginning on July 1st, 2026 and ending on June 30th, 2031. This public hearing will also include consideration of the charter school's request to materially revise its charter if renewed to reflect an updated governance structure. As required by law, the board received a detailed staff report that included an evaluation of the petition, the material revision request, supporting documents, student outcomes, and other information. Staff in consultation with legal counsel analyze the legal requirements set forth in the education code to determine whether the charter school qualifies for renewal based on the academic performance criteria set out in law and whether the renewal petition meets the minimum standards for approval. The staff report includes
105the review team's proposed findings of fact and determination that if sorry that the petition meets the minimum requirements to be eligible for approval for a 5-year term. In addition, staff expressed that it is supportive of the charter school's material revision request to transition from a statewide to regional charter management structure. The staff report was posted on the district's website and provided to the charter school at least 15 days prior to this meeting as required under the education code. This public hearing is required to be held before the board before the board may take action on the renewal petition. As part of this public hearing, the board will provide district staff and representatives of the charter school with equal time and procedures to address the staff report, including the proposed findings and any recommendations included in
106that document concerning the renewal petition and material revision request. As per procedure, district staff and charter school representatives will each have 10 minutes to address the board and present or respond to any information concerning the proposed findings included in the staff report. Following such presentations, the board will receive comments from any members of the public, including on the admissions preferences. Then the board will have the opportunity to ask questions or make any comments, deliberate, and take action on the petition. We will now turn to the presentations or statements by the district and Aspire. And first first we will receive a statement from Tai Paert on behalf of the district. >> Before we before we begin uh discussing 7.2 7.3 7.4 uh I do want to disclose that I am the founder and CEO of Patrick
107Martin Foundation and from time to time the foundation might support students of the charter schools being considered for renewal. So to maintain impartiality, I am voluntarily recusing myself from the discussion and abstaining from voting on this motion. President Cologne, I will also be recusing myself from 7.2, 7.3, and 7.4. Okay. >> Thank you, Mr. Pford. Thank you. >> He can't uh begin until the two of them actually leave. Yeah. Good evening, board president Cologne, members of the board, Superintendent Rodriguez. Aspire Langston Hughes Academy has been operating under the district's authorization since 2006. Langston Hughes Academy serves students in grades 6 through 12 in a classroombased setting, offering various instructional approaches and wraparound support for its student population. District staff performed an evaluation of Langston Hughes Academyy's renewal petition and material revision request, including all supporting
108documents. We also reviewed the charter school's performance on the state and local indicators on the California school dashboard and its performance on the local assessment measures. The staff report, which was posted on the district's website, was provided to the charter schools representatives 15 days prior to this public hearing, describes legal standards applicable to charter renewal, as well as district staff's proposed findings of fact and recommendation on the combined renewal petition and material revision request to alter governance structure. To highlight some of the findings included in the staff report, I'd like to point out that the district considered Lenston Hughes Academyy's student performance both schoolwide and among subgroup populations on the state and local indicators with an emphasis on the past three years as well as the supplemental data included in the renewal petition. Based on
109that review, as well as the California Department of Education performance tier designation for the charter school, Langston Hughes Academy qualifies for renewal as a middle performing charter school, making it eligible for a 5-year charter renewal term. Over the past three years, the charter school has made minimal growth in English, language arts, and math on a schoolwide basis. However, some student groups have made consistent progress. The charter school's English learner progress indicator or LPI has declined in the last few years and its suspension rate and high chronic absenteeism rate have shown minimal change from the prior year's results. However, there was improvement as compared to its performance in 2023. Langston Hughes Academy has demonstrated strong performance on both the graduation rate and college and career indicator in which it outperformed the state on both measures in
1102025. While district staff recognizes that there are several factors that are considered in determining a school's college and career indicator performance, we remain concerned that there is a disconnect between the charter school's high preparedness rate and the overall performance of its students in ELA and math, which is significantly lower than the state average. This is also worthy of attention when considering the charter school's high chronic absenteemism rate, which resulted in its placement in the lowest performance category with a red designation. Overall, while Langston Hughes Academy qualifies for renewal as a middle- performing charter school, the district expects it to make focused and meaningful efforts through an action plan to improve student academic performance and reduce its chronic absenteeism and suspension rates. With respect to the second prong of the renewal an analysis, the district conducted
111a comprehensive review of Langston Hughes Academyy's petition, including an evaluation of its educational program, measurable student outcomes, methods for measuring student progress, fiscal and governance structures, student admissions and discipline, labor and personnel issues, facilities, operations, and legal issues. The petition included reasonably comprehensive descriptions of several legal elements. However, there are some sections that were lacking in required detail or in need of certain corrections related to the description of its educational program, including addressing the needs of the English learners, students with disabilities, and other special populations. Again, those items are detailed in the district's finding of fact included in the published staff report. We feel that the deficiencies or items in need of correction can be addressed as part of the annual charter oversight and monitoring process as well as an agreement negotiated between the parties
112for the renewal term with specific provisions that will address the areas of deficiency noted in the staff report. District staff also reviewed the material revision request submitted with the renewal petition which includes a proposal to have the charter management organization aspire public schools shift from a statewide to a regional structure. We are supportive of this change, but will expect the charter school to provide the updated governance documents once finalized that reflect this new model. Overall, the review team has determined that Aspire Langston Hughes Academy qualifies for renewal and recommends that the board approve its request for a 5-year renewal term beginning July 1st, 2026 and ending June 30th, 2031, as well as the request to materially revise its charter. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Papford. Representatives from the charter school will now have a total
113of 10 minutes to address the board and make a presentation. Please feel free to proceed. Your time will begin now. All right. Good evening, uh, President Cologne, Superintendent Rodriguez, um, trustees, staff, grateful to be here. We have three schools before you, so I promise I won't repeat myself three times. Um, it'd be easy to though. I I have been involved in all of these schools from inception. I was actually the principal of Langston Hughes Academy. I was the principal of Port City Academy, and I was um a part of the move and material revision for Apex Academy. So, I've got a lot to say, but I will keep it short. Um, today we're going to be working backwards. So, we're starting to talk about our oldest students first. So, I used to think about our
114us as a kindergarten through 12th grade program. We're actually a TK through 14 program now because all of our students attend college coursework while in high school. And so for the school and for organizing, they really are functioning as a very comprehensive 6th through 12th grade where students are taking college classes while in high school. Um excited to share there we go the impact of Langston Hughes Academy over the years. Um and it really starts with our educators. So analogy I use, I think about airlines and pilots. And an airline cannot exist without its pilots. For us, teachers are our pilots. They're the ones that make the magic happen in the room. We can do all the things around them, but without them, the magic can't happen. And so we spend a lot of time
115frequently coaching our teachers. We have lead teachers who also often serve as induction mentors. So, we're able to clear credentials internally through the state for our teachers that are are working from a preliminary to an intern or from an intern to a preliminary and from a preliminary to a clear. Um, we spend time doing intellectual prep and MTSS on our Fridays. So, we have minimum days on Fridays. And so, Friday afternoons are dedicated teacher support, uh, planning, collaborating, and PD time. Um, we do equity center professional development and teachers have one-on-one coaching weekly with a school leader. So through that we also have the relay school of education who does some training and you'll hear from one of our uh former alumni who has become a teacher with Aspire as an example of the way
116that we kind of grow and continue to support our teachers through their careers. Um so with that I would love to turn it over to Dr. Ben Nakamura to share a little bit about his leadership and how they get scholars prepared for the future. >> Good evening Superintendent Rodriguez, members of the board and distinguished guests. It's a pleasure to speak with you again this evening. I'm grateful for the opportunity to share about our school and the progress that our students have been making. Um at Aspire LHA, we're proud of the success of our students. Uh they graduate, as you've heard, at higher rates than their peers across the state. Uh we're nearly approaching 100% graduation rate. we are at 97.7% and that's about 10 percentage points higher than the state average. Um that success remains
117consistent across our student uh groups as well. Uh results like these we know don't happen by accident. Uh they're the product of intentional systems, strong instruction, and students who work incredibly hard every single day. Another point of pride is the number of college courses our students complete while still in high school. Every student is required to complete at least three dual enrollment courses and many graduate having completed their associates of arts degrees. When we look at college and career readiness, 91% of our graduates meet this benchmark. Uh we currently have four pathways for our students. They're in education, engineering, health careers, and business. Within each of those pathways, students take dual enrollment courses that are aligned to their field so that they can see a clear connection between high school, college, and career. Most of
118these courses are offered through Delta College. Um, some are also offered through UOP and Stan State as well. Um these results are not uh chance. They reflect the intentional supports that we've been putting in place uh for our students to understand the connection between college and career. So at the same time um as you've heard uh from the district report, we recognize that there is still work to do to strengthen academic achievement across our community. The data that you see displayed here shows the academic performance of our students um across all of our comprehensive high schools in the city of Stockton, including LHA in um ESPback summitive for math. So, you could see that those three-year trends there. While we're performing comparatively well in math uh negative 124 distance from standard, we know that there's
119still a gap between the comp current performance of our students and the state standard. Uh we know that CASP summitive assessments are challenging and we are implementing targeted supports to help students succeed. One strategy that we're employing this year is customized intervention based on students I Ready diagnostic results. Students receive targeted academic support during their advisory periods that happen each day on the specific skills that they need to strengthen. In English language arts, we're in the middle of the group compared to other schools in the city. To address this, we have expanded systems of support. Um, in addition to those targeted interventions, we also offer structured academic support after school via office hours. All of our English and math teachers hold office hours for one hour, three uh days a week at minimum. And it's
120very common to see 10, 15 students or more in office hours each day after class, after school for the uh entirety of a semester. During those office hours, the teachers focus on the specific concepts and standards that students need to master that they have demonstrated that they need support in both in their classes and in I Ready. So this slide here shows students performance on ESPback summitive assessments both in ELA and math and it's based on the number of years that students have been with us in Aspire. So if you look here you can see in ELA that LHA students who have been with Aspire for one year on a uh or more on average uh their distance from standard is -61. students who have been with us four years improve to aboutgative -19. And
121we see that same trend in math. If you're at one year at our school, the average is at uh negative uh 96. While students have been with us for four more years, their distance from standard is just 20 below. This tells us that the systems that we have in place are working. Our current focus is on strengthening support for those students who join us later so that they can experience that same academic success. None of these outcomes will be possible without a outstanding team of educators. Our staff includes a mix of experienced and newer teachers. For example, there on the top you see Mr. McMurray. He's been with us for about 15 years and he mentors many teachers across our campus through induction. Mr. Tran right there on the bottom, uh he's finishing his second
122year with us. He teaches 8th grade mathematics and he recently earned his preliminary credential and now he's being mentored through the induction with our 11th grade integrated math teacher. Overall, 84% of our educators hold intern, preliminary, or clear teaching credentials. That aligns with the CTC's definition of an effective educator. Uh we also invest heavily, as Tony was uh sharing initially, in instructional coaching and feedback. Every Monday morning, teachers submit their weekly lesson plans. Our instructional leadership team reviews them. We provide feedback to each of the teachers and then we go out in our teams and we visit classrooms uh throughout the week. Then we come back, we meet as a team. We identify trends and patterns where additional support might be needed and that's how we tailor our Friday professional development based on what we
123identify directly in the classrooms through observing the instructional delivery and then also through the instructional design that we're able to to really understand through their lesson plans that they submit each week. Recently, we held our black excellence celebration recognizing students from grades 6 uh through 12th for their achievements. Students were honored for academic excellence, strong attendance, social emotional growth, uh sportsmanships, and contribution to the school community. We had about 150 families attend. It was a powerful moment to celebrate students whose achievements deserve recognition. We're especially proud to highlight the success of students who have not always been well served by traditional school systems. I want to thank you again for the opportunity to share about the work that's happening at LHA. I also want to thank the district for your recommendation to renew and I'd
124like to invite any of the board members or district personnel to come visit our school um at any time. >> Thank you. Thank you for your presentation and comments. The board will now receive sorry the board will now receive comments from members of the public who desire to address this matter. Have we received uh comment cards trustees? We currently have one comment card for item 7.2. >> Okay. The total time limit for each speaker will be a maximum of three minutes for each speaker. >> Okay. Common card is from Khalib W. Good evening, trusted board members. My name is Caleb Wafer and I'm a proud graduate of Aspire Len Hughes Academy. Today I have the privilege of working as an educator here in Stockton. I'm standing here today as someone whose life was shaped by
125U. Langston Hughes Academy. I grew up in Stockton and attended LHA during my high school years. Like many students, I had hopes for the future, but didn't always know exactly what the path would look like for me. Um what what made the difference for me were the teachers and mentors at Langston use who believed in me and pushed me to aim higher than I thought possible. The school challenged me academically and gave me opportunities to take college classes while I was in high school. Sorry. Okay, here we go. What made the difference for me were the teachers and mentors at Lency Hughes Academy who believed in me and pushed me to aim higher than I thought possible. The school challenged me academically and gave me opportunities. Wait, I'm sorry. Because of the preparation I received
126there, I graduated with the opportunity to attend Mississippi Valley State University on a full academic scholarship. While I was there, I earned my degrees. Thank you. Thank you. I earned a dual a double degree in history and mathematics and later completed my master's in biioinformatics. But what means the most to me is that today I've been able to return to links academy this time not as a student but as an educator teaching integrated math 2 and serving as a head coach of the high school basketball team. Being able to work with the students both in the classroom and on the basketball court has been incredibly meaningful. Like any educator or coach will tell you, the work comes with its challenges. But those challenges are also what make it rewarding. Every day we have the opportunity
127to see and help students grow, build confidence, and realize what they're capable of. For me, the most power powerful part of this experience is that I once sat in the same seats that I'm teaching in and I've also played on the same course that I am coaching in. Now, I get to help guide the next generation. That's why I believe so strongly in the impact that lenues continue to have on the students and our community. For that reason, I respectfully encourage the Stockton Unified School District Board to approve the charter renewal of Aspiring Lacy Hughes Academy so that this work can continue for the students and families who depend on it. Thank you so much for your comment. Um, are there any questions or comments from any of the board at this time? >> Okay,
128hearing none. Is there a motion on this item? >> A motion to approve item 7.2. I'll second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, roll call vote, please. President Colon. >> Yes. >> Trustee Daire. >> Yes. >> Trusty Perez. >> Yes. >> Trustee Stevens. >> Yes. >> Trusty Silva. >> Yes. >> Motion passes 50 with trust vice president priest and clerk Martin recusing themselves. Okay, we'll move on to item 7.3. Consideration and action on Aspire Port City Academy renewal petition and request for material revision, including proposed board resolution 2550 to approve the renewal petition and material revision for Aspire Port City Academy. We will now open and convene a public hearing on the petition that was submitted to the Stockton Unified School District to renew the Aspire Port City Academy charter for a 5-year term beginning on
129July 1st, 2026 and ending June 30th, 2031. This public hearing will also include consideration of the charter school's request to materially revise its charter, if renewed, to reflect an updated governance structure as required by law. The board received a detailed staff report that included an evaluation of the petition, the material revision request, supporting documents, student outcomes, and other information. Staff in consultation with legal counsel analyze the legal requirements set forth in the education code to determine whether the charter school qualifies for renewal based on the academic performance criteria set out in law and whether the renewal petition meets the minimum standards for approval. The staff report includes the review team's proposed findings of fact and determination that the petition meets the minimum requirements to be eligible for approval for a 5-year term. In addition, staff
130expressed that it is supportive of the charter school's material revision request to transition from a statewide to a regional charter management structure. The staff report was posted on the district's website and provided to the charter school at least 15 days prior to this meeting as required under the education code. This public hearing is required to be held before the board may take action on the renewal petition. As part of this public hearing, the board will provide district staff and representatives of the charter school with equal time and procedures to address the staff report, including the proposed findings and any recommendations included in that document concerning the renewal petition and material revision request. As for procedure, district staff and charter school representatives will each have 10 minutes to address the board and present or respond to
131any information concerning the proposed findings included in the staff report. Following such presentations, the board will receive comments from any members of the public, including on the admissions preferences. Then the board will have the opportunity to ask questions or make any comments, deliberate, and take action on the petition. We will now turn to the presentations or statements by the district and Aspire. First we first we will receive a statement from Tai Hafford on behalf of the district. >> Good evening again board president Cologne, members of the board and Dr. Rodriguez and cabinet. Aspireport City Academy has been operating under the district's authorization since 2007. Port City Academy serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade in a classroombased setting. District staff performed an evaluation of Port C's Academyy's renewal petition and material revision request, including all
132supporting documents. We also reviewed the charter school's performance on the state and local indicators on the California school dashboard and its performance on local assessment measures. The staff report for Port City was posted on the district's website and provided to the charter schools representatives 15 days prior to this public hearing. The staff report describes the legal standards applicable to charter renewal as well as the district staff's proposed findings of fact and recommendation on the combined renewal petition and material revision request to alter the current governance structure of the charter schools charter management organization API Aspire Public Schools. Again, to highlight some of the findings included in the staff report, I'd like to point out that the district considered Port City Academy student performance both schoolwide and among subgroup populations on the state and local indicators
133with an emphasis on the past three school years as well as the supplemental data included with the renewal petition. Based on that review, as well as the California Department of Education's performance tier designation for the charter school, Port City Academy qualifies for renewal as a middle- performing charter school, making it eligible for for a five-year charter renewal term. The district reviewed Port City Academyy's dashboard data on all state and local indicators since 2019 with an emphasis on the past three years. Port City Academy has made strong recent growth in English language arts and steady growth in math on a schoolwide basis. The charter school's English learner progress indicator has also improved since 2023. With respect to the suspension rate, there was an increase during the 23 and 24 years. However, this rate appeared to decrease
134in 2025. Port City Academy also made some steady improvements in his chronic absentee rate absenteeism rate, but schoolwide percentage still remains high at 25.8%. Overall, while Port City Academy qualifies for renewal as a middle- performing charter o school, the district expects it to implement robust instructional interventions, MTSS frameworks, and other strategies to continue to improve academic performance as well as to reduce its suspension and chronic absenteeism rates. With respect to the second prong of the renewal ana an analysis, the district conducted a comprehensive review of Port City Academyy's petition, including an evaluation of its educational program, measurable student outcomes, methods for measuring student progress, fiscal and governance structures, student admissions, discipline, labor, personnel, facilities and operations, and legal issues. The petition, how included reasonably comprehensive descriptions of several legal elements. However, just like with Langston
135Hughes Academy petition, which contains most of the same language in the petition, there are some sections that were lacking in required detail or a need of certain corrections related to the description of its educational program, measurable student outcomes, methods for measuring student progress, governance, and closure procedures. Again, those items are detailed in the district's findings of fact included in the published staff report. We feel that the deficiencies or items in need of correction can be addressed as part of the annual charter oversight and monitoring process as well as an agreement negotiated between the parties for renewal to the renewal term with specific provisions that will address the areas of deficiency noted in the staff report. District staff also reviewed the material revision requested submitted with the renewal petition like which with Lenston Hughes includes a
136proposal to have the charter management organization Aspire public schools shift from a statewide to a regional structure. Again, we are supportive of this change but will expect the charter school to provide the updated governance documents that reflect this model once available. Overall, the review team has determined that Aspireport City Academy qualifies for renewal and recommends the board approve its request for a 5-year renewal term beginning on July 1st, 2026 and ending on June 30th, 2031, as well as the request to materially revise its charter. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Papford. Representatives of the charter school will now have a total of 10 minutes to address the board and make a presentation. Feel free to proceed. Your time will begin now. >> All right. Thanks again. So grateful to be here again. Port City Academy
137is colllocated on the same property on West Lane as Aspire Langston Hughes Academy. So both of those schools, if you have been in Stockton for a while, that used to be Meek's Lumber. though it was vacant for about 10 years after Lumberyard closed and we moved in and um rebuilt from the ground up a brand new school that could house both the elementary and the secondary school. So very excited and proud of an example of how we move into the community and try to help support improvement both from a regional standpoint and a local standpoint as well as an educational standpoint. Um so thinking about why Port City Academy matters as uh Mr. Padford shared um Port City Academy has been open since 2007, which feels like a really long time ago. Again, I was
138principal and I had hair back then. And it Caleb, I promised I wouldn't embarrass him, so I'm going to just brag about him for a minute. So, Caleb was a student at Port City Academy as well when I was principal there. And I my fondest memory is of Caleb, who was our first school president in his fifth grade year, in a suit running our town hall with the microphone while we were giving out awards. back then I looked down to him. Now I need to look up to him both figuratively and um in in reality. So just grateful and I think it shows how our community really does build from the ground up and support one another both in the growth as you know human beings as well as educators as well as learning. >>
139What's that? >> Leave it on that slide. >> Okay, that's your Got it. Um and then also talking about that Well, I need to Yeah, I got to get Sorry, it's a little out of order here, but we'll wait. What happened? Feel like we lost some slides. We lost some slides. >> That's okay. Um, but one thing I also wanted to share about um, in the staff report, one, we really appreciate the staff report. It is no joke to to do that. We submitted what was the equivalent of a phone book that I think is is sitting there on the desk and just really appreciate the staff's time taking a look at that. Um, one thing about the material revision component and the localized um, control, we're excited about regionalizing. Right now, Aspire operates in
140the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and Central Valley. So, three separate regions under one 501c3. The revision would have each region become its own 501c3 with both finance, governance, and academic support living in the local area, which means I and my team will be able to get to schools quicker and be able to support more directly than what we do presently. So, with that, I do want to give it over to our principal, Shelby Schmidt. And again, just to embarrass her a little, she was actually the first employee of Port City Academy. We opened the school in a portable um stacked with boxes and now here we are almost 20 years later back to back again for renewal. >> Good evening, President Cologne, members of the board, and superintendent Rodriguez. Thank you for take for the
141opportunity to return this evening and provide a few clarifications following the district staff report. I'm Shelby Schmidt, principal of Aspireport City Academy since 2009. Tonight, I would like to briefly highlight three things. Why Port City matters to the Stockton community, the trajectory of our student outcomes, and how we will continue strengthening transparency and alignment during the next charter term. Aspire Port City Academy has served Stockton families since 2007, and today we serve approximately 450 students in TK through fifth grade. Our student population reflects the diversity of Stockton and more than 70% of our students come from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. For nearly two decades, families have chosen Port City because of the strong relationships we build with students, our stable and experienced staff, and our focus on both academic growth and whole child development. For these
142students and families, continuity matters. Renewal ensures that they can continue learning in a school community where they feel known, supported, and challenged to succeed. The district staff report noted variability in academic performance over time, and we agree that consistency and outcomes is important. What we want the board to see is the clear upward trajectory that is emerging in our most recent data. In 2025, we saw a notable increase in the percentage of students meeting or exceeding standards in English language arts. Math performance also incre improved significantly, moving from orange to yellow with a gain of more than 12 percentage points. In addition to academic growth, other indicators of student success are moving in the right direction. Our suspension rates have declined, reflecting stronger school climate systems and chronic absenteeism has decreased significantly since its pandemic
143peak. These improvements reflect intentional changes in our instructional practices and student support systems and we are continuing to build on that progress. One of the most important shifts we have made is an increased focus on early literacy at PCA. Our team is dedicated to student literacy and we have sent our teachers and intervention instructors to KOR's science of reading training. Additionally, seven teachers across all grade levels are attending the letters training through Sanwin County Office of Education and they did this voluntarily. They came to me to request to do this. Language essentials for teachers of reading and spelling training is professional development for educators that builds deep knowledge of science of reading and teaches how to effectively instruct phmic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and spelling. It's a two-year commitment that will better equip our
144teachers to support students in becoming successful readers and learners. Across the Aspire Central Valley region, we have invested in new curriculum, expanded the use of diagnostic access assessments, and strengthen small groupoup literacy instruction at Port City. This means teachers are using data more intentionally to target foundational reading skills and language development, particularly for our English learners. Our goal is simple and clear. every student reading confidently and independently by the end of third grade. The district report staff report also identified areas where our documentation and alignment could be clearer particularly around MTSS implementation outcome measurement and connections between our LCAP goals and our instructional systems. We appreciate that feedback and agree that clarity and transparency are important. The handout provided gives a clearer explanation of our MTSS process. It's not like in-depth for sure, but it
145gives a better more clear than I can provide you now. Um, and it shows how students are identify and receive additional supports. The report also acknowledges that Port City has a sound educational system program. The work ahead is to ensure that our systems clearly demonstrate how our supports, goals, and outcomes connect. During the next charter term, we are committed to proactively sharing our progress with the district and strengthening that alignment so that the impact of our work is clearly visible. Another area where we have seen meaningful progress is student attendance. Like many schools, we experienced elevated absenteeism following the pandemic and since that time, Port City has cut chronic absenteeism nearly in half. We monitor attendance weekly, work closely with families when patterns begin to emerge, and provide targeted support when students need them. This
146year, we also implemented attendance recovery days, which have allowed us to recover more than 280 instructional days for students while supporting learning recovery. These efforts are helping ensure students are present and engaged in their learning. Ultimately, this decision is about what best serves Stockton students. Port City Academy has been a part of this community for nearly 20 years, and the most recent data shows meaningful progress in academics, attendance, and school climate. Renewal allows us to continue building on that progress, deepen our lit early literacy work, and strengthen our collaboration with the district. On behalf of our students, families, and staff, we respectfully ask for your support in renewing Aspireport City Academy for the next 5 years. Thank you for your time and your compi continued commitment to the students of Stockton. Thank you. Thank you
147for your presentation and comments. The board will now um receive comments from members of the public who desire to address this matter. We have have we received comment cards? >> Trustees, we currently have one comment card for item 7.3. >> Okay, great. Thank you. The total time limit for the speaker will be a maximum of three minutes. >> Common card is from Gabriel Tidwell. >> Hello, my name is Gabriel Tidwell and I am in the fourth grade at Port City Academy. My school is very important to me because my friends and I get to do a lot of fun things, but we also learn a lot too. Some of the things we learn can be hard at first. For me, long division and fractions were really hard. Reading long words was hard for me, too.
148But my teachers helped me practice, and over time, it started getting easier. Now, I feel proud that I can do things that used to be difficult. Another reason our school is special is the people. Our teachers and staff really care about us. They help us when we need it and they make us feel good about ourselves so we can feel confident. Some of the staff even play with us at recess and they do not have to do that but they still choose to. That shows that they really care about us. I have also made a lot of friends at Port City Academy and they are important to me. If this school was not here, I'd be sad because I would not get to see my friends every day. There were also a lot of fun
149things we get to do at our school. My favorite events are Saturday school and scholastic book fair. And after school in after school program, we also get to do experiments. My favorite one was a bouncy egg experiment. It was really cool. At recess, we play games like dodgeball, basketball, and soccer. A lot of kids love dodgeball because it is really fun and it helps us work together. Port City Academy is just is not just a place where we go to school. It is a place where we learn, make friends, and feel supported. That is why I think our school should stay open. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. Are there any questions or comments from any members of the board at this time? Okay. All right. Hearing none. Is there a motion on this
150item? >> Motion to approve. >> I second. Okay, we have a motion and a second. And um if there's no further discussion, roll call vote, please. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes 5-0 with uh Vice President Priest and Clerk Martin recusing themselves. >> All right. Thank you. Item 7.4 4 consideration and action on Aspire Apex Academy renewal petition and request for material revision including proposed board resolution 2552 to approve the renewal petition and material revision for Aspire Apex Academy. We will now open and convene a public hearing on the petition that was submitted to the Stockton Unified School District to renew the Aspire Apex Academy Charter for a 5-year term beginning on July 1st,
1512026 and ending on June 30th, 2031. The public hearing will also include consideration of the charter school's request to materially revise its charter, if renewed, to reflect an updated governance structure. As required by law, the board received a detailed staff report that included an evaluation of the petition, the material revision request, supporting documents, student outcomes, and other information. Staff in consultation with legal counsel analyze the legal requirements set forth in the in the education code to determine whether the charter school qualifies for renewal based on the academic performance criteria set out in law and whether the renewal petition meets the minimum standards for approval. The staff report includes the review team's proposed findings of fact and determination that despite several financial and other concerns, the petition meets the minimum requirements to be eligible for approval
152for a 5-year term. In addition, staff expressed that it is supportive of the charter school's material revision request to transition from a statewide to regional charter management structure. The staff report was posted on the district's website and provided to the charter school at least 15 days prior to this meeting as required under the education code. This public hearing is required to be held before the board may take action on the renewal petition. As part of this public hearing, the board will provide district staff and representatives of the charter school with equal time and procedures to address the staff report, including the proposed findings and any recommendations included in that document concerning the renewal petition and material revision request. As for procedure, district staff and charter school representatives will each have 10 minutes to address the
153board and present or respond to any information concerning the proposed findings included in the staff report. Following such presentations, the board will receive comments from any members of the public, including on the admissions preferences. Then the board will have the opportunity to ask questions or make any comments, deliberate, and take action on the petition. We will now turn to the presentations or statements by the district and Aspire. First, we we will receive statements from Tai Hafford and Dr. Michelle Hun on behalf of the district. Hello again. Good evening, President Cologne, members of the board, Dr. Rodriguez and cabinet. I will be providing a brief presentation on the Aspire Apex Academy with a focus on its student academic achievement and performance and the general content of the renewal petition. Then I will be turning over my
154my time to Dr. Hunton to address some fiscal related considerations. Aspire Apex Academy has been operating under the district authorization since 2007 and serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade. District staff evaluated Aspire Apex's renewal petition and material revision quest request in addition to its performance on all state and local indicators on the California dashboard as well as local assessment measures. The district posted its staff report 15 days prior to its hearing which included its proposed finding as a fact and recommendation. I will highlight some of the findings included in the staff report. Aspire Apex has recently designated as a middle performing charter school based on the criteria set forth in education code, thus making it eligible for a five-year term. Despite this designation, the district has serious concerns regarding Apex Academyy's academic regression in
155both English language arts and math and its students continue to perform below state averages. In addition, Apex Academyy's chronic absenteeism rate and suspension rates increased with chronic absenteeism remaining high. Apex supplemental data included with the renewal petition also suggests that few students are meeting standards or making sufficient progress to stay on path to attain grade level proficiency. Apex Academy Acknowledged its yearslong perform poor performance by including a performance improvement plan that it plans to implement the 2425 through 2627 school years. However, given recent performance on the 25 2025 dashboard, the district has questions about the effectiveness of this plan. The district questions whether a specific action plan will lead to improved outcomes. However, although the district believes that Apex Academy has failed to make sufficient progress toward meeting standards and benefit students, the district does
156not believe that the closure of Apex Academy is in the students best interests. At this time, the district will expect Apex Academy to take these academic performance concerns seriously, implement its performance improvement plan with fidelity, and participate in regular check-ins and on its progress with district staff. With respect to the review of the renewal petition content, the district observed the same omissions and deficiencies as noted for the Langston Hughes and Port City renewal petitions, particularly with respect to the description of the educational program, measurable student outcomes, and methods for measuring student progress. Again, those items are detailed in the district's findings of fact included in the published staff report. If the renewal petition is granted for the requested 5-year term, the district will expect that any items in need of correction will be addressed in
157an agreement and monitored as part of the oversight process. I will now turn it over to Dr. Hunton to discuss fiscally related concerns with Apex Academy. Thank you. >> Good evening, President Cologne, Superintendent Dr. Rodriguez, and members of the board. I will begin this evening with a brief statement on knowledge and experience. I have been blessed to have 25 plus years of school finance experience as a certified public accountant auditing school agencies, 14 years with school services of California where one of my areas of expertise was in charter schools and appointed as a fiscal advisor for a state board approved charter. The district's concerns are not new and have been communicated to the charter since 2223. As noted in the table in the staff's report on page 30, I will summarize the concerns as indicated
158in the staff report. The district's analysis reveals a school in a state of sustained financial challenge. Apex has been operating with a negative ending fund balance since 2223. As of the first interim report for 2526, the negative ending fund balance grew to approximately 2.9 million. The data shows a persistent pattern of spending more than is brought in. The district just recently received its second interim report and we will review that report and determine the validity and accuracy of that report and work with Apex. Apex relies on a projected enrollment growth as its primary solution for solveny. But the data does doesn't support this. While TK and K are gr are have grown, fourth grade has declined by 24% since 2014. This year alone, 15 students have migrated from Apex back to SUSD. Apex projects a
15910% enrollment increase for 2526, which contradicts historical trends and current year actuals. The district identified concerns regarding how Apex funds from its trigger management organization. Apex used management adjustments to artificially boost their beginning fund balance by $1.8 million. Under generally accepted accounting principles, these types of transactions should be recorded as revenue, as contributions, not direct adjustments to the ending fund balance. This masks the true operating results of the school. Apex is not currently self- sustaining. It s survives through intraorganizational loans. It also relies on the charter management organizations cash flow to cover payroll and vendor payments. And as we look at the cash flow um in nine of the 12 months in the current year, the expenditures exceed the cash flow or cash receipts that are received. Continuous borrowing is not a viable long-term strategy.
160If the board chooses to reauthorize the charter, the district recommends strict mandatory conditions to protect public funds. Apex leadership must must meet with in with the with the district in person with district staff by April 17th. AP Apex must submit monthly financial general ledgers including detail of accounts receivable and accounts payable cash flow ADA reports as average daily attendance reports as well as enrollment reports. These are reports that are already required by all charter schools. Um, proof of training. Training for the Apex and the charter management organization staff must provide evidence of fiscal training and GAP generally accepted accounting principles and California school accounting manual standards. The district's goal is not to penalize in any way, but to ensure that fiscal solveny and protects the students of the Stockton community. Apex has been demonstrating a
161structural deficit that cannot be solved by optimistic projections alone. If we move forward, it must be under the highest level of fiscal monitoring. Thank you. Okay, thank you for your report. Representatives of the charter school will now have a total of 10 minutes to address the board. Sorry. Yes. Representative representatives of the charter school will now have a total of 10 minutes to address the board and make a presentation. Feel free to proceed. Your time will begin now. >> All right. Last time. Good evening, uh, President Clone, Supernet Rodriguez, trustees, staff. Again, appreciate the report. Definitely here to receive, listen, and here. Um, also just want to highlight on our vision there for vision 2030. Prepare, empower, and transform is our motto and where we're headed. And I think that is especially encapsulated with the
162experience of Apex Academy. The school was opened in 2010 actually and was supposed to be in a temporary site located at Trinity Lutheran Church. Unfortunately, that temporary site ended up being a 10-year site and not until we began the material revision process to have the school moved to its current uh Sierra Vista location, which happened to coincide with the pandemic. So as we were in the process of submitting our material revision to move the pandemic hit and we were actually then moving to virtual and then working on trying to get the construction done whilst also navigating distance learning. So with that I just want to give some context that as um Dr. Dr. Hon mentioned that we have been running a deficit at the school site since the 22 23 school year which coincides with
163the move the increased cost of rent and so yes the organization has been working incredibly hard to continue to support the school. We're open to all feedback. Our Aspire uh CFO is here as well and available to answer any questions um in terms of details because it gets into the accounting that I am certainly not an expert but what I am an expert in is opening and running schools. And so I as I mentioned I was the Newport city founding principal and the Langston Hughes founding principal. And in the same way when we moved the schools together to the colllocated site we did run a deficit for a few years as we were authorized under Stockton Unified. And as you can see now those schools are wellrun independently fiscally um solvent. And so just wanted
164to emphasize that as such so will Port City or so will Apex Academy be in the black and running a positive cash flow. We just ran our lottery. The enrollment numbers are looking good. We're working on confirming with those families as of March 5th and we are happy to continue to report back to the district as we move forward. Um, and I think the Sierra Vista community itself as was was mentioned, you could kind of see um actually let me jump back because that's L's side, but let me just mention that the school was um adding almost 100 students a year for the first two years. And so as you think about the impact of culture and academics on a school, I just want to emphasize that taking into consideration the amount of culture lift,
165increasing staff, increasing students as part of the move. So with that, I want to pass it over to our fearless school leader who was born and raised in the area very close to our school location and was a founding teacher at Port City Academy when we opened way back in 2007, Lorice Lane. >> Thank you. Good evening, board. Thank you, community. Thank you, Miss Rodriguez, Superintendent, and all of you on here today. Thank you for just your time and dedication to the process of the hard work approving our charter. So, we moved from American Street on 3 years ago. We came into a brand new building and we have been honored to serve our community and it takes a full full group of us to support in the hard work that we are putting on.
166So, the school performance plan was put into place at the end of testing on last year. We started this improvement plan um really understanding the needs of the school. And so on tonight, I'm going to really talk about I Ready median typical growth scores from this winter, which is showing really promising achievement for the end of the year, which aligns with the improvement plan where we would like to decrease by 5% and to be on target to meet accountability measures within the plan. So we have excuse me our DFS we want to improve by 5% and so I'm going to talk about those typical growth measures and regarding suspension rate we have decreased by 5% and we are on target to meeting those accountability measures and so those measures are instructional accountability climate and culture
167along with the fiscal accountability which we will come back to. So at the current moment, we have an MTSS approach to our practices, leveraging tier 1 universal practices as our anchor. Our tier one universal program is lifted through annotated lesson plans this year with teacher next steps highlighted by teacher planning, one-to-one feedback, professional development that is guided by data, which is this slide right here. This is our MTS program with our universal practices in the green at the bottom. So, right now we are strengthening our instructional program. On last time I spoke with all of you, we were talking about our growth that our African-American scholars has made from the California dashboard from red moving into orange, which we've increased by 15 points. And then for math, we have increased by 11 points, moving from
168the red indicator all the way over to the orange. So we are making progress in that piece of it as well. Our ELPI performance improved from orange in 2022 to red in 2324 and now it is in the green. So we have increased two level in two levels in one year and the significant growth reflects the impact of targeted supports including expanded English language development, focused professional learning and designated ELD and stronger progress monitoring. But what I really want to get to on tonight is the comparisons that our school improvement plan has made to increase by 5% DFS. And so I want to share that the verified data metric on today is median typical growth. And this is what I want to refer to on today. In reading, our students are showing meaningful growth. Apex
169increased from 43% median typical growth last year to 55% this year, surpassing the 50% benchmark. This means our median student is on track to make full growth by the end of the year. We're also seeing strong progress across student groups. African-American students increased from 28% last year, middle of the grow of the road and this year we're at 75% median typical growth. So we've gone from 28 to 75% and we are placed on the track to exceed endofear expectations. Students with disabilities increased from 62% on last year to 71% median typical growth on this year. and our multil- language learners. They continue to perform above last year's growth. Instructionally, this progress reflects our revised intentional focus on foundational reading, vocabulary, and comprehension. And our strongest gains are in phonics and high frequency words, comprehension of
170literature, and informational texts on I Ready assessments. And so that shows that both of these genres are remaining consistent. The work that we are doing is consistent. In math, we have moved another possible mo positive movement. African-American students increased from last year 14% to 46% median typical growth this year. And it has helped us reduce disproportionality. Multil- language learners remain strong and steady at this year at 71% median typical growth. and students with disabilities they increased from last year's middle of the year median typical growth to from 64% to 72%. I am aware that our strongest domain is algebraic thinking which is a highle domain. It it engages our students through higher level reasoning and grade level expectations. So we attribute this growth to several key efforts. a revised tier one attendance focus, strong conceptual
171IR ready math and ongoing professional development with coaching grounded in data and integrated designated integrated ELD. In addition, this year we have integrated MA magnetic reading which is K2, but we've also piloted the core program as well on this year and it has strengthened our foundational reading instruction. So, with all that said, I really want to close out that our chronic absenteeism has dropped by 3%, transportation needs have supported attendance, and our suspension rates has decreased by 5%. I'm going to give it back to Tony to talk about finance. Thank you for considering us on today. Humbly, thank you. >> Of course, and thank you so much, Miss Lang. Yeah. So, kind of getting back, I jumped the gun. I apologize, but just just to share again, we are aware that the school is running
172deficit. We are as an organization prepared to support that deficit for as long as the school is open. We have never had a school closed for finance. We have never missed payroll. We have never missed accounts payable nor will we in the future. Aspire holds over 90 million in cash presently. And that is at the resource of the school as well. So I just want to say that we are prepared to continue to support and as the pattern has shown with Port City and Langston Hughes Academy as well that schools start out you know needing to grow into the building in which they're located and by the time they are up at full full level they are operating fully independently. Um and again I I don't want to overemphasize the fact that CO is over
173and yet the construction delays and the delays in enrollment whilst we were on distance learning did make it difficult for the return and so that was part of the delay in our enrollment growth. So with that, again, as I mentioned, we have our CFO here if there are any additional financial questions that you would like to get in the weeds with. Would also just like to add that we have been I've shared with the district around our SB740 funding and the struggle with getting that denied by the district. And so that for this school alone is $600,000 that the district has put at risk for our school that is being told we're in financial struggle. Thank you. >> Thank you, Anthony. All right. Um we will now move on to um the board will now
174receive comments from members of the public who desire desire to address this matter. We have received comment cards from how many people? >> Trustees, we currently have three comment cards for item 7.4. >> Okay. Thank you. So the total time limit for each speaker will be a maximum time of three minutes for each speaker. >> First common card is from Achal Nadan. Good morning members of the board and thank you for the opportunity to speak today. I am Achel Nadin, community school director at Apex. I am speaking tonight with the collaboration of you Julie Oavetto, our expanded learning director who is unfortunately unable to attend today. For over the past few years, our school has experienced both growth and challenges. But what we what we truly stand out about our community is our resilience. When
175we see challenges, we come together as a team and work towards solution. The true support that truly supports our students. This year, we saw an increase in our special education population. Since then, our administrative team and Central Valley leadership have worked hard to strengthen services for those students. We've also seen growth in our multilingual learner population. This has been a real positive part of our school community because it brings out so much culture, language, and diversity into our classrooms. Our teachers and staff have been intentional about supporting these students and making sure they feel included, supported, and able to succeed academically. Another area we're really proud of is our collaboration happening across our campus. All departments work together to support students and families. A great example of this is a partnership between community schools and
176expanded learning. The they work together with families to connect them with resources, provide enrichment opportunities, and support students beyond the regular regular school day. In fact, this collaboration caught the attention of Sacramento County and Sanwaqen Office of Education. They came to observe the partnership in our in action and they were so impressed that our school will actually be highlighted in the upcoming county newsletter as an example for the strong collaboration and family support. We know there's a lot more work to do, but we're proud of the progress we're making in the way our staff continues to show up for our students and our family and our community every day. Thank you for the time and support for our school. Next common card is from Genevieve Nelson. Okay. Um, good evening members of the board. Thank
177you for allowing me the opportunity to speak tonight. My name is Genevie Nelson and I am the proud parent of two scholars at Apex Academy. I'm here today because I want to share how profoundly this school has impacted my daughter and our family. Before coming to Apex Academy, my draw my daughter struggled um to feel like she belonged. In previous school districts, she often felt out of place. As a parent, it is incredibly hard to watch your child walk into school each day feeling unsure of where they fit or whether they truly matter in that space. When we found Apex Academy, everything began to change. One of the most meaningful experiences for my daughter has been her involvement in BSU. Through this group, she has been able to celebrate and connect with her cultural background
178in a way that makes her feel proud of who she is. It has given her the sense of identity and belonging that every children deserves to feel at school. She has also found her voice through choir and cheer as part of the pep squad. These activities have been giving her opportunities to express herself, be part of a team, and contribute the energy and spirit to the school community. But what sets Apex apart um are the people. The staff and scholars here have created an environment where students are seen, supported, and encouraged to grow. My daughter has built meaningful relationships with with teachers and staff who genuinely care about her success, not just academically, but as a person. When she first came to Apex, she was very shy and hesitant to step outside her comfort zone.
179Today, she is more confident and engaged and willing to try new things like standing up here with me today. The transformation we have seen in hers has been incredible. As a parent, there is nothing more powerful than seeing your child believe in themselves. Apex Academy didn't just give my daughter a school to attend. It gave her a community where she felt valued, supported, and inspired to grow. And when a child finds that kind of environment, it changes everything. Not just for the student, but for the entire family. So tonight, I want to sincerely thank teachers, staff, and leadership who make this possible every day. Your dedication creates opportunities for students like my daughter to thrive and discover who they are meant to be. Because when schools create spaces where students truly belong, they don't just
180educate them, they help transform their lives. Thank you for your time. Next common card is from Mania Heert. Good evening members of the board. My name is Maniah Abear and I'm proud and I'm a proud fifth grader at Apex Academy. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak today. Apex is more than just a school to me. It's a place where I feel seen, valued, and proud of who I am. At Apex, my culture and identity are celebrated. Being part of Black Student Union has helped me learn more about my history and who I am. It gives me It gives students like me a space where our voices matter. At Apex, our growth is also celebrated. When students work hard and improve academically, our our teachers are our teachers and school community recognize that
181progress. It motivates us to keep learning, keep trying and keep believing in ourselves. Apex is also helps helping students grow into leaders. I am part of student leaders. I am part of the student leadership team where we work hard together to make our school a better place. As a fifth grader, I also have a student job that teaches me responsibility and real world skills that will help me in the future. Another thing I love about Apex is being part of choir. Choir has helped me build confidence and express myself while working with my classmates as a team. Apex is a school where students are supported, challenged, and encouraged to be leaders. It is a place where we are celebrated of who we are and how we grow and what we can achieve. I hope many
182more students will continue to have the same opportunities I have at Apex Academy. Thank you for listening to my story and for supporting our school. All right. Thank you. So, are there any questions or comments from the board at this time? I think we're missing. >> Yeah, for me there is. Okay. So, kudos to the to the students, right? It takes a lot of boldness um to come up here and to um speak just in front of adults, period. So, kudos to the kiddos. But Tony, I do want to know how does your local structure are is there any um alignment between your new local structure and the physical health of um Apex? >> It's a perfect question, Trusty Stephen. Thanks. So, at present, the Central Valley Forpire is about 50% of the organization. So,
183we represent 8,000 kids in 16 schools out of the 15,036 schools. So a bulk of the revenue that currently exists in the organization is held in the central valley and will continue to stay with the central valley when we move forward and so we'll be able to commit. I also think it provides an increased opportunity for us to defay costs across schools and it was something that actually Dr. Hon and I discussed when we met about normalizing rent costs because really rent expense for a new school is what's really driving up a lot of the deficit that it's a disproportionate amount of rent. So, I'll have the opportunity with a new 501c3 to spread out the way in which we do our rent structure differently with the new structure. We're actually starting to pilot it
184now in our current structure, but it'll be much easier when we're our own 501c3. >> And we talk about the the deficit spending. Um, what are the markers where you guys are seeing kind of outside of rent? What are the things that you guys are actually purchasing or what are the invoices? I mean, the primary driver is staff, of course, like with any school. And so, um, you got to hear from our community schools director. We have a school social worker. We have a school attendance support. We didn't want to cut essential staff from the school in the point where they're growing and trying to build culture. And so that's where we feel very confident and comfortable kind of subsidizing the school from our broader organization because we know that we could create a netneutral
185budget right now um with the current enrollment that we have but that would also require cutting a lot of essential services that our families in Sierra Vista really need. So, it's really a costbenefit analysis to say we believe that Apex to be successful deserves a staffing model for special education, for counseling, for student supports as they're growing and so we want to make that investment now. >> Thank you. >> Good question. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any further questions? All right. Okay. Well, seeing no further discussion, is there a motion on this item? >> Oh, wait. I do have one other question. I apologize. I'm sorry. What does the relationship look like? So, you all talked about the relationship between the district and uh charter schools. What does that relationship look like? >> Yeah, it's
186it's been a long one. U you know, these schools have been authorized since 20 2007. Um we have shared a lot of best practices in terms of a lot of work at the county office of ed. So we go to a lot of the trainings that are also um attended by district staff. So our afterchool directors, our community schools grant folks have actually collaborated a lot at the county level with um folks from Loi, Lincoln, Lynen and Stockton Unified. Um, another example would be some of the instructional practices. Like for example, we were running early college high school since inception and I know SECA did as well. And so we were able to partner. I was actually on the WASK visiting committee for SECA way back when and we were able to collaborate on ideas
187about how to better um support our work with Delta College, refine our talk more about how dual enrollment can be a benefit to both the district and the our schools and Delta College. So, just a couple examples, but I think another example could be our attendance recovery work. While it's going really, really well at Port City Academy, as you heard um Shelby share, at our other schools, it's been a struggle and we're one of the few organizations in the county right now working on attendance recovery. We've got a lot of lessons learned and a lot of things that we would be willing to share and like to share because we do think it's it's a great program, but it has a lot of hoops to jump through and a lot of compliance issues that we're
188learning as we go and could could also share. My that was my last question. I promise. >> No, it's good. It's good for me. I need >> Always good questions. Thank you. Any other further discussion? >> Okay. All right. Seeing none. Is there a motion on this item? A motion to approve item uh 7.4. >> I second. Okay. Thank you. No further discussions. Roll call vote, please. >> President Colon. Yes, >> Trusty Daire. >> Yes, >> Trusty Perez. >> Yes, Trusty Stevens. Yes, Trusty Silva. >> Yes. >> Motion passes 50 with Vice President Priest and Clerk Martin recusing themselves. >> Thank you so much. Um, we have a request and I'd like to ask the board um if they would uh entertain a motion to move up item 14.2, presentation and approval of the 2026
1892027 transportation plan. If we could move that up to the next item of business. A motion to approve item 14.2 up. I second. Okay. Roll call vote, please. President Colon. >> Yes. >> Vice President Priest is not here. >> Are they supposed to be back for this vote? >> It's they don't have to. >> They don't. There's an upper forum. >> Um, Clerk Martin is not present. Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trustee Perez, yes. >> Trustee Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yeah. Yes. Motion passes 5-0 with uh well 5-0. >> Thank you. We'll take just a one minute um break while we call out our trustees to get ready. Thank you. >> Uhhuh. >> Oh, is this the peanut butter one? Good for lucky. >> Wait, it's 8:30 now. >> Yeah, >> I
190say 9. >> We're at nowhere. >> When are you? >> You think 10? >> 10:30 and 15. cuz we still got to go for our district uh reports as well as the SAR reports and then still got to vote on a few things. We going to be here late. My last go a couple. Thanks. >> I'll have some up there, too. >> Thank you. Oh, what a night. Oh, gotcha. I got you. You want to go upstairs right here. Okay, thank you. We will uh now call Katie Powell um to for item 14.2, presentation and approval of the 2020 of the 2026 2027 transportation plan. Thank you. >> Good evening, President Cologne, Superintendent Dr. Rodriguez, and Board of Trustees. I'd like to reintroduce myself as Katherine Powell. Um, and tonight I uh we have the
191pleasure of uh presenting to you the 2627 transportation plan. I have Rudy Beldorama with me to assist in that. And um so we'll go ahead and get started. Um sorry I'm a little rusty. Uh this evening we are pleased to share with you. Um I'm a little confused, but um the 2627 transportation plan, um it will go over current services and new services that we uh continue to innovate to uh support our students and families. We currently transport approximately 3,000 students, both general education and special education, um for uh Stockton Unified. Um this uh statutory provision requires that this plan be reviewed each year annually. Um and it is a living document, one that can involve overtime as our needs change. >> Go ahead, Rudy. >> Good evening once again. My name is Rudy Valdder
192with the transportation department. Uh so Stockton Unified is a district that services a largely lower soio economic community and uh we understand that transportation is a key and vital part of ensuring that our students have a clear and accessible way to access their education. So we in in understanding that we have built out a transportation system an existing transportation system that services students that live outside of each school site's uh boundaries. Uh we have existing school bus uh stops that services all of our students. And this is designed in a way to service our students uh that live outside of those bounds for our high school, our junior highs and our elementary our high school uh sites. Uh these routes will service of course our TK through 12th grade. They include also our special educ
193education and we pri prioritize our students that are that are in our TKs through sixth grade as well as students um in our lowincome households. Um all of our students who live outside of our walking boundaries of course like I stated before are part of that transportation system with uh school bus stops uh in their in their neighborhoods to make sure that they have that access. uh students um sorry Stockton Unified and we do transport our students with disabilities. Every student that has an IEP that has indicated transportation as part of that process is eligible for transportation. and we partner with certain other thirdparty vendors to ensure that we provide these services not only for students with disabilities but as well as students that are in our McKenna Vento system, foster youth um and also
194certain students that have wheelchairs at a larger capacity for our own vehicles to service. We do reach out to thirdparty vendors to make sure that there is no gaps in service for all the students within our district and then access that. >> Yeah. So we work closely and often with our SULPA department. We are working constantly to strengthen communication and implement new uh innovations to ensure that we're delivering service to our most vulnerable students. Um, and a a particular point of pride for our district or for our department is that we've secured over $26 million in grant funding which enabled us to uh purchase 50 electric buses and develop our uh sustainable star charging infrastructure. Um, that's all so that we can provide cleaner, safer transportation for our students and our community. Um, I hope
195that you guys will keep your eye out for an invitation coming for our uh, EV infrastructure ribbon cutting ceremony and um, that's going to be in April. So, just keep your eye out for that invitation. >> So, now for consultations and collaboration um, we take pride as the transportation leadership team and our constant collaboration with our local union CSEA. uh we have uh standing meetings to ensure that we can address all of the needs from our our staff. Um one of the things that Katie had mentioned was that we had secured quite a bit of funding for a lot of our EV school buses and infrastructure and part of that was part of our collaboration with some of the governmental agencies. Uh, one of them being the Sanwaqin Valley Air Pollution District and also the
196California Air E Air Resource Board and also the uh, EPA. Um, those were vital partners in making sure that no district funds were used to purchase all of our electric vehicles and also our infrastructure that went down, which Katie mentioned we're going to be doing a a ribbon cutting for. Um we also work very closely and one of the things I take pride in um being involved in this industry for as long as I have is understanding that our school bus drivers on a daily basis are interacting with our parents. So as a management team with the transportation department we take pride in working and reaching out and taking feedback from our different uh parental programs and uh communities mainly DAC and the pack meetings. We have engaged in several meetings and also looking forward
197to engaging in uh future meetings to um hear from our community and our parents about um some of the positive and constructive criticism that we may get u from our parents. Uh and then looking forward. >> Yeah, finally looking forward um we want to continue to support students access to school by promoting the good work that we are doing and we intend to go out to uh bid for supplemental services uh during the 2526 school year for implementation in the 2728 school year. So that is our presentation. Do you have any questions for us? >> Thank you. Are there any questions from staff? from board. I'm sorry. Or staff, please. Any questions from board? If not, um >> yeah, go first. >> Okay. CL. >> Um so, what is the current status of driver recruitment
198and retention? And are all drivers properly vetted and trained? >> Uh yes. So, we have a training program. We vet our drivers. Um our drivers are trained. they go through a program that is a minimum of 20 hours of classroom and 20 hours of behind the wheel training. Um, oftentimes it's much more than that to go properly through the curriculum and the skill levels of the behind the wheel guide. Um, and then to vet them, uh, we they go through a background check, drug testing, um, all of the, you know, normal district background check, but then, uh, they go through a CHP background check as well. Um, and as far as recruitment and retention, we've done really good with recruitment. Um, since I've been here, we've hired approximately drivers. Um, we had a a recruitment
199bonus going and then I think that just sunseted in December. Um, but we actually for the first time in a long time, we have people coming from the outside and applying at Stockton Unified. um and they want to be here and so we're really proud of that. >> And what is the process for addressing and resolving uh parent complaints about transportation? >> Um usually Rudy handles a lot of those. Um so I'll let you talk about that. >> Yeah. So a lot of the times we get those uh messages uh coming into our office. Um they usually come straight to me. Um and it could be a variety a variety of different things. Um, I usually handle them personally. Um, there's been a couple instances where all of our parents, they just need their concerns
200heard and I think that's been a big increase that a lot of parents have said where they've tried to get at least get somebody to speak to over the phone or even in person and unable to. And that's one of the things that I've done been able to reh resolve a lot of our issues was just providing that availability, the access of communication from uh my office primarily. Um and then then listening and seeing exactly what those needs are and how we can best meet them. Uh most of the times it's just related to services and really understanding well how can we best uh adjust services to make sure that we're meeting our parents needs and satisfying these some of the concerns. I wouldn't necessarily say complaints but a lot of them are are concerns
201um for the most part. Um I've had a lot of interactions a lot of the interactions I've had have actually turned out to be quite positive in the end and really haven't left anything unresolved to my knowledge. And I would add on to that that we I'm sorry, Dr. Rodriguez, >> maybe you're going to talk about it. So either one of you if you could talk about Zoom and how that is helping to support parent complaints and then how you differentiate between when it's our drivers and and first student. >> Yeah. And I would also add um so we we've implemented Zoom technology which is also uh very forward facing for our parents. So they have a parent app that they can see when the bus is approaching and uh to either pick up or
202drop off their student. Um so that helps a lot with the transparency. What we just learned um Dr. Rodriguez, I haven't even had an opportunity to tell you this is that First Student has a technology that's similar to that and we're rolling out the implementation. So it isn't just our SUSD uh bus riders that get to have that. First student bus riders also get to have that technology. So it will be districtwide. Um, and then I was also going to add on to the concerns is that the other thing that we've done as a management team is we've really challenged our staff to rise up in the way that uh customer service, right? Um because what we are doing is serving students is we're serving customers in in a sense, right? And so when we're
203doing that, we want our drivers to really take care of their students in the way of saying good morning, have a great day, have a good day, how are you doing, how are you feeling today? And um the drivers have really taken up taken a taken a a kind a liking to that, right? Because they've seen the change in the students and how the bus ride has gone when they've just done that little bit of customer service, right? And so, um, I think that in of in and of itself, even before Zoom, changed the dynamic on the bus. Um, and so the drivers saw that, the kids saw that, and then and then likewise the teachers and the parents felt that as well, right? And so I think that went a long way, but the
204parents having that transparency and seeing where their child is in real time opened up a whole another door for them. >> How are we pushing this information out to the public? So, we um actually are starting to uh we we've pushed it out through Parent Square. We I was going to go to an open house uh or sorry, a back to school night, but I had a little issue. Um but now that I'm back, we're starting to go to open houses. Um DAC pack a um AAB Pac I think is the initials. Um, and so we're trying to get to as many sites as we can. And um, we just got the proofs of the flyers back in I think like five or eight different languages so that we can pass them out to our
205diverse community and um, we're just going to keep hitting the ground running with that Zoom information and get it out to as many people as we can. >> Thank you so much. >> You're welcome. >> For your McKenna Vental Services, are you picking up any students from the homeless shelters or what does that look like? Yeah, we do. We pick them up from homeless shelters. We even pick them up from women's shelters. Not at the shelters though. We meet them away from the shelter, right? Like a safe safe place. Um but yeah, we go to homeless shelters. We go wherever they need us to go um to get them. Yeah. And we we do that in our own vans and then we use a third party because we have our white vans now. So we're
206even able to do our own McKenna Vento runs. Yeah. Okay, great questions. Do you have further questions? Sure. >> Um, how many transportation um, vans do you have? >> 10. >> 11. >> Okay. Any further questions? All right. Thank you so much for the presentation. I'll call for the vote on uh item 14.2. I mean, call for the motion and the second. All right. A motion to approve item 14.2. >> A second. >> Thank you. No further discussion. I see. Uh, roll call vote, please. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> And Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. All right, thank you so much. So now we will
207go back to our uh order of agenda item 8.1 key performance indicator career technical education completion rates updates with um Nathan Haley, director of career technical education and steam STEM. Good evening, board of trustees. Um, President Cologne, Superintendent Rodriguez. Uh it is the the privilege of of mine to be able to serve the students of Stockton Unified as a director of career technical education and STEM. And tonight I am here to talk about uh where our program has come from, where it's going, and focus on some key indicators we always look at with CTE, which is our uh CT participation and completion rates. So, we're going to be looking at at those two items, but we're also going to be looking at what does C or how does career technical education play into our California
208schools dashboard, in particular, the college and career readiness indicator. So, this will dive a little bit deeper into what that looks like. Um, I know some of you have have uh become very familiar with our CTE programs and I I love the support and just the the enthusiasm that goes along with it. Uh but you know if uh just to just to reemphasize what we focus on as a program and that is really to help students explore careers, develop skills that are going to help them succeed in careers and help them determine what this next steps in the program or towards those careers is right and I always want to make the distinction a lot of people say it's great we have programs for students who are not going to college. Yes, it is. But
209it's also great that these programs exist to help any kid get where they need to be. And so it's not about not going to college or going to college. It's about helping pursue the correct route for our students. When we talk about CTE programs, we're usually focused on just the high school aspect. And that's what we're going to focus on tonight. But I do want to just give the background that when we're talking about uh preparing students for a career, that doesn't begin when we get into high school. It begins when that child is born. And I emphasize this when I'm presenting to a parent groups. You are that student's uh first teacher and you're there guiding them and helping them understand the their passions, interests, and talents about and connecting that with a future
210career. And so with our system, we have things starting all the way from kindergarten all the way up through high school that helps students to explore careers of software like Zello. We're piloting a computer science um curriculum right now in the in the lower grade levels as well just to help students start getting that um that taste of what it's like or different careers they might pursue. And of course that goes through middle school. We've talked a lot about the ELD STEM pathways um that we've opened up, but we have a lot of electives for our students that expose them to those careers in middle school and help them pursue their career teched program in high school. And so just to just to go over the terminology again, if you've if you've been around for
211a while, you know the what we're looking at with CT programs, the way we uh the way we look at it, they're two courses long. And the first course is called a concentrator. Students who have been through that, we call a participant. And that's great. We want our students getting in there. What we want them to be able to do though is to get all the way through those two courses. Once they get to the second course which is called a capstone and complete that they are now considered a CTE completer and that's where um that's where we pull our measurements from and it's also how we we guide our programs and measure the success of them. I think it's a it's really a high point of success to say that we have a lot
212of kids in CTE even when they're not completing. There's a lot of data that shows that um students who even just participate in a CTE program have much more success um as they leave high school because what it does is a CT program helps a student explore um not only some technical skills we call employability skills. How to get employed and stay employed practice those soft skills. Those are the things that the our industry partners are actually looking for. But one of the things that I'm excited to be able to show is that each year, uh, we have been able to continue to grow as a program. Um, as a matter of fact, even the dates that go prior to this, we had significant growth. And a lot of it was just how we restructured
213our program. We went from three course pathways which in our master schedule was really hard for students to complete and also because it was taking up so much schedule space limited access for other students at that school site. So the state requirement for a CT pathway is two courses. We made a decision to um reduce those to two course pathways uh which has been very effective that opened up access for almostund or sorry a thousand students in that one year and led to big growth along with the addition of additional programs as well. So over the last three years, this is gonna where you're going to see over the next couple years, just you're going to see a little bit more stability in terms of growth. What we're looking at though, because we're fortunately at
214a capacity where we can serve pretty much every student in Stockton Unified, we're looking to be able to deepen our programs and be able to increase the amount of kids who are completing those blue bands. and not completing just because we want to check a box but because they see the relevance in those programs and those programs connect and resonate with who they are. Uh I can also show you that across the school sites uh we've had that significant growth in our programs as well um in completion rates and um I know transportation was just just up here presenting and they've played a big role in helping us to grow our programs especially the internship program that you guys uh we'll look at in just a second but the the process of moving from that
215hardly any students completing pathways to last year Chavez high hopping in at 301 students completing a pathway. That was a that's a result of very intentional efforts uh collaboration between our counseling department, CTE department, and uh we have other exciting collaborations to show you that we will be able to continue to increase that. Another thing that we look at when we're looking at our programs is not just how many completers do we have, but who's completing, who's accessing our program. Uh this chart breaks down by ethnic group. Uh where are where we're seeing the the most completion. Just like anyone, we look for disproportionality. And for the most part, I'm excited to say that, you know, within a percentage point or two, most of our subgroups are um reflected well within our program both as
216and that first chart shows the participants, so students who have only done one course, but also in the completers. one area that we've noticed that there is a disparity and even though there's been growth so among our African-American students we have over the last couple years seen that steady growth getting close to matching what our district demographic is we still recognize this is an area that we want to increase access and I want to be able to also share about how we're intentionally doing that um we've had the privilege of connecting with the African-American chamber um who has the youth program. And so we've been able to share our information through them and connect and also have a follow-up meeting um just to to become aware of how we can help market each other's programs
217better, both what's going on at the chamber uh for for their youth and for for our students. um was able to present to the Sanwalken Valley Ministers Alliance uh which has been a great connection to the African-American community and uh they see many ways that we can partner to make sure the word gets out because I really think the the disparity we're seeing is just the um is just a need to be able to share what's out there uh to form relationships and to hear back from from these communities and how we better are going to serve our students and that's how I think we're going to succeed. We've also been able to present at the NA uh NAACP conference that was held the other week. And along with with all this, just in general,
218we've done a lot of push this last year um or over the last couple years, sorry, to make sure that the knowledge of our programs is out there. Um, I know that we shared a a video about the CT showcase um, back in November and that one of that's an event that really has grown and it's made an impact on students because starting at the middle school level when they're considering where they want to go to high school, they're seeing these programs, they know where they're at, they have that connection. And I think that's also another component of helping students uh identify with a program. Not just being placed in there, but saying I want to be in there. And that changes that changes the success of our students there. Another area that um that
219we look at is our our special populations. So, uh, I'm apologize I don't have the district demographics up there, but when you look at the CT participants, what we're excited about is that individuals dis disabilities, those who are economically disadvantaged, our foster youth, and our homeless are fairly reflective our different uh, district demographics. Um, our English learners are notably a little bit behind. A lot of this has to do with scheduling and their ability to access courses. Um, so we've also seen that, but what we where we have seen as much success is in completion. This where we're really digging in for students with IND uh disabilities and our English learners. We want those those participation rates to we want to be able to close those gaps. And so, uh, we have, as we presented
220on before, um, the ELD STEM pathways that we've been doing, that's had a great effect, and that's targeting before they get into high school, right? It's allowing students the opportunity when they're middle school to be able to experience a CTE type of course while, you know, having bedded designated language time. And, uh, so it provides them with opportunity and also just that idea of what comes next. Uh, another collaboration that I'm really excited about is with our sped and counseling department. Uh, we've been looking at closely how a student who when they create an IEP, what their transition plan looks like and how well we're connecting what their plan is for after high school with the coursework that they're being placed work with in high school. And so the goal of this is to be
221able to increase their number of students with disabilities um in our CTE pathways and also better serve them so that we can see them all the way through to completion. So I'm proud of these intentional efforts um that we've been partnering on. Uh this is just a real quick breakdown of our programs. And uh one thing that we do every year is we we look at how well are our programs matching labor market demand. And uh as you look over these one area to highlight the biggest labor market demand in the region is in healthcare. uh we have a we have a workforce that is retiring out but also the demand for healthcare is continuing to rise and so you can see that's one of our largest sectors there 15.5 or sorry 15% of our
222students in CT programs are in a healthcare pathway so that's part of how we look at how are we closing the labor market gaps within the region sorry allergy are drying out my mouth. So, I know I was able to present on this back in August and I did want to give a a little update because um we've had we've really had an exciting time building out our internship program. And like I said, our our focus is really shifting on how do we take our programs deeper and extend the the meaning of them. And an internship, what it allows the student to do is to get out and work out um outside of the classroom getting on the job experience. We've been able to build a lot of this capacity within our very own district.
223And you can see some of the departments who are hosting interns right now. And uh I think it is a it's been a wonderful experience and a wonderful learning. We now have 221 students across the district who are in a paid internship position. And the the exciting thing about this is we've been able to learn a lot from the process. The pay that we've been able to give them is a $500 stipen for the successful completion of their internship. We've been covering that with a grant that we got through the we collaboration. A lot of this for us was about learning the process of doing it and then measuring the effect of it. So, as we're as we're um you know, interviewing these students as they leave, we're looking at what effect does, you know,
224the stipend um have on their their success in the program. Um and but it also what we're finding helps them take one big step towards adulthood, which is learning how to fill out tax forms and do all those other things. So, I look this is something that we're excited to build out and we're looking more at how do we make this sustainable? Um grant funds are great for getting things um started, but we've been able to partner with worknet um through the WEOA and farmworker program. A lot of our students um qualify for paid work experience through that. And we can use even the internships that we host on site in the in SUSD to help pay them. And uh we've also partnered with Delta College through the community college foundation. There's a lot of
225different routes that we're looking at just how do we braid these fundings to make sure this is sustainable. All right. So, I'm going to, like I said, just touch briefly on where does career teched fit inside of one of the things that's used to measure the effectiveness of our schools, the college and career readiness indicator. Now, when we're talking about um the college and career readiness indicator, these are determined by metrics that at the state level have have shown that students who either com, you know, complete a CT pathway or complete college level courses or complete their A throughG coursework. These are things that we find help students be successful in life after high school. And CTE has been identified as one of those things. But I know Brian pointed this out last week and
226I would or two weeks ago and I'd love to emphasize it again. We've made big gains um in our students and their college and career readiness indicator. This shows the this displays the work that we're doing at our high school level. And so now this last year 30% of our students were considered college and career ready. and that excludes the students uh from our district-run charters PLA, HCA and SEKA because of how the dashboard data is is gathered. So, we've been making big jumps there and I want to be able to show what role CTE plays inside that. So, anytime you're looking at dashboard indicators, it it's not usually just one way that allows you to mark a student prepared. All right? They mark them prepared, approaching prepared, or not prepared. So with CTE, a
227prepared student if they were to complete a CTE pathway and get a passing ESPback score or complete their A throughG coursework or a semester level of college. When you combine those things together, these are things we do to identify students as prepared uh for college and career. And as you can see, this is a chart of, you know, the last couple years since 2018. You can see how the number of um students completing a CT pathway has led to um those students being marked prepared or identified as prepared on our dashboard. And that also means that those 315 students who were prepared but through CTE either passed a Smarter Balance, took a college level course, or got through A throughG. Right? And so I'm excited to to be able to say that we're having an
228impact there, but it more than just checking a box, right? These things measure what we're doing, but it it shows that we have intentionality behind what we're offering our students. The other opportunity that I look at, these are students who are marked as approaching prepared. We had 255 seniors last year who were who completed a CTE pathway. if they had com, you know, passed a smarter balance or taken a college credit course or met their UC requirements, they also would have been able to be moved up to prepared. Why do I point this out? Uh, this is the stuff that we we look over with our principles and say, how do we how do we look at how we intentionally set up our master schedule and opportunities for students to really say, hey, you know,
229the these things connect, right? These these are the things that show that um when you take them you are more successful after high school whether it and it's helpful in your pursuing your dreams right whether it's to go to college and create a particular career the payoff is big and one other opportunity that I want to highlight that is connected with the dashboard um is around um for like our alternative schools Jane Frederick and Stockton High there is an opportunity to be able to connect the completion of a DT course with a participation in the WEOA program. We learn how to capture that data and set that up there. This is a way for our students who are in um alternative high schools um to be able to classify as prepared on the dashboard. And
230these are these are options that we are actively pursuing. Another thing too is for our students with disabilities who are on a alternative dipl or pathway diploma. We already have a lot of things in place in talking with our sped department that if we capture this data, we're going to be able to show the things that we are doing for our students. And so we have students who are in the world of work um program who are getting work experience and are also in transition classrooms. You combine those together, this is another way of recognizing um the efforts that our students are putting in and uh what our system has provided. So those are the things that we're going to be um pursuing um as we go forward and that is it. >> Thank you
231so much for your presentation. I'll open the floor to our board. Any questions or comments? >> So you spoke about um having a potential plan for our sped students. What is the realistic timeline for that? So, what we're looking at for right now is um we're we're working particular at Staggh High because we're focusing on a group that um that we know we're going to be able to hit two two areas. One is special education students and more foster youth as well. But the timeline for that, we're we've already sat down and we've identified like where are some of the areas where we're getting stuck in helping students transition. What we're looking for is we've identified the students who are who have already completed part of a CTE pathway and we're saying how do we
232get them into the next part or why aren't they enrolling? Part of is discovering why they may not be enrolling in the next part as well. Um also part of the collaboration is just how do we as a student go in there provide them support as well whether it's having a pair pair professional go along with them or something like that. So the the truth is with a dashboard usually takes a couple years before you see it show up on there cuz on the dashboard you see the um those are the seniors who have already graduated and gone out. But we're also looking for where are we already doing these things and how do we capture that data to be able to to recognize the work that we're doing. So we may even see some
233results this year depending on on what we're able to discover. How are you all working with school sites to ensure that our sped students have access to this especially students who would benefit the most from hands-on education? >> Yeah, I think a lot of it's uh through through education. Uh one of the big steps forward and one of the reasons we are able to start growing as a program uh was our close connection with our counseling teams and we actually just did a very practical thing. Let's go ahead and let's tour these uh programs that are at our sites and ask them questions, make a connection between the teachers and those counselors so that they understand the programs that they're uh they're helping set up kids for. And we said, why don't we do the
234same thing with our case managers? And so part of what we've been doing this year is u educating our our case managers on the programs that are available for them at their sites, developing an understanding of how they work. And so, um, what we know we'll see is an intentionality because if you know what programs are available on your site and how to get a student in them, now you can look at those transition plans and help guide a student through what is the best one that's the best fit for you. >> How are we engaging our parents into trying to get their students um into these CTE programs? How are we motivating our students and our parents? Yeah, I think uh with our parents, we've taken every opportunity we can to get in front
235of them because what we realize that we've done a lot of work to educate our staff and our students on what's there, but the parents are one of the biggest key factors, right? So, I've I've been able to present at uh our pack meetings. Um we've been able to uh sorry, you know, be able to connect through uh through different community organizations. So a family empowerment conference that we had earlier in the year we presented our programs and also one of the things that we realized um we're saying how do we get the word out there better like I said a lot of it comes back to simple things and one thing was like I don't think we have very good marketing material and so I hand these I hand these out everywhere now we
236put a lot of effort into developing them. We sat down with parent groups. We sat down with industry groups with our old brochure and I was like, "Please tear this apart." All right. I want to make sure that what's getting in front of our our parents and our students makes sense and in such a way that they can see that and they go, "Okay, I want my student to be in this and this is how I get them there." >> You want to talk about the parent showcase that you do after the the eighth grade showcase? >> Yes. Yes. Thank you, Dr. Rodriguez. Yeah. So, uh, along with doing the CTE showcase, uh, where we bust in all our students from, uh, across the district over a course of two days, we open al also
237open them up on one night, uh, for parents to come out and see what's there. This year, we did a a pretty big push. We sent a postcard for every parent or sorry, for every student to their parent who is in anywhere from sixth up to 9th grade. So they're able to uh be able to come out and have the opportunity to see the programs in action. >> I had a question in regards to our students being paid. How how are they being paid and where are these funds coming from? >> Good question. Yeah. So currently they're being paid out of uh a grant. Uh so we're part of a a regional collaboration called We Will. And so we applied for the part of the We Will Collaboration initiative. was how do we increase work-based
238learning in this case internships for our students? And so we proposed the idea that um you know we've we've talked with people from other states like paying interns um is is a good way to motivate them and also teach the financial portion of of employment. So we we applied for and got $200,000 through that grant to be able to pay our students and also to develop the infrastructure for running internships. The infrastructure for internships is it has to be quite robust. So it's not as easy as saying like hey you're going to go out and and go shadow at this business for a little while. You have a teacher who supports them before we send out our student. we're essentially vetting for the people we're sending it to them that our student is ready to
239come work for you responsibly, right? Our programs are paying off. And so, uh, so they spend a couple weeks, they go over just, you know, all the workplace etiquette they need to think of and and those sort of logistics. And then as they're going out in the field, once a week, they meet together with that intern uh support teacher to check in and uh, you know, make sure that they're getting ahead of any problems that they're having. but also to discuss the success of what they're experiencing. So, we're paying them right now out through that grant. Um, like I said, one of the sustainable sun funding sources we see in the the long term is to be able to work with worknet to get students access through the WEOA program. >> And then what's the
240timeline for that? So, if we have students, for example, who've been doing this since January, um, >> why haven't they been paid in March? So are you referring to the student ambassadors? >> I'm referring to any student who's doing this with work and working with work net with you all on this program. >> Yeah. So part of it like I said the um the point of being able to pursue this grant and this option is to also learn the system for which we do it. And so we we wanted to make sure that our system as we distribute money for this was in place. So part of the delay in some of these these checks was to make sure that our students had um proper employment verification and had gone through that whole process >>
241and then so the student will be paid for the entire time that they worked not until the system is correct. >> Correct. Yes. Yeah. The the stipen re the covers the portion of the time in which they are working there. Nathan, uh, on page seven, it talks about the completers and then the non-completer participants. Why do we have so many non-competer participants? Do we know what the barriers are? >> Well, part of it is um there's a couple barriers that we see. So, I'll I'll address the one with uh we know that exists for English learners. Um because they're in an additional English language development class, that takes up an additional class within their schedule. So, the priority in scheduling students is to always make sure that they're meeting their gradu graduation requirements. Uh CTE
242is not a grad requirement, although it does fill the elective area. And so, in a lot of cases, that's what we're seeing. We also have students who get into a pathway and they realize like I don't think this is the one for me. And so in in a lot of ways I celebrate that because the um when a student learns what they don't want to do is just as valuable as learning what they want to do, right? So there there's often a mixture of that. Um and one of the reasons that we are seeing completion numbers grow though I think though is that because we have students who are better informed when they enroll in these pathways as to what's in there uh rather than you know just saying hey there's only room in this
243class at this time we're going to put you there. So that's what we've been trying to minimize through that outreach and education of our students and that's also where we're seeing the those uh completion of or increase in completers. So there there's multiple reasons that we see them there. >> Okay, great questions and discussion. Any further questions? >> All right, thank you. Okay. And that that'll bring us to item 10.1 for board committee reports. Abby will read the oral announcement and announce each board committee for a report. Christina will be the timekeeper. This is the opportunity to hear any reports from board committees specifically regarding prior or upcoming committee meetings. There will be a threeminute limit per report. Additionally, there will be a 3minut limit for discussion. First report is from City of Stockton Parks
244and Wreck by Trusty Donald Jonire. >> Good evening everyone. So, the parks and recreation um commission met the last Monday of February. Um we got a report of the recreational events that are happening in the city of Stockton. Um I'm going to share a couple of them right here. The Stockton Arts Commission will host its first arts night event of 2026 at the Civic Auditorium tomorrow, March 11th, 4 to 7:00 p.m. The commission's Stockton Art Nights are held quarterly throughout the year, showcasing art by a variety of local artists across multiple genres. The commission is currently accepting applications for um the 2026 events. So, I encourage um students um please join those those events. Um, a career and resource expo will take place on Saturday, March 14th, 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 at Arnold Rue Community
245Center. This is a free event that offers teenagers the chance to explore career opportunities um, and community resources. Attendees can connect with professionals, participate on hands-on demonstrations, and gather valuable info on jobs, colleges, and training programs. Registration is not required. That's it. Okay. And then the um another thing that we talked about um was uh reservations for um gyms, pools at school sites. Um we did get an explanation as to why um some schools don't offer um community use because of its uh comp competition. It's used for competitions and not for recreational use. um for the what the facilities that are are available to uh for community use is available on facilitron. So I want to thank Dr. Rodriguez and um uh facilities director Vicky Broom for making sure that it's a clear process that
246um anyone in the city can can use. So the next parks and recreation meeting will be um excuse me will be the the last Monday of March. Thank you. Thank you. Next committee is 1852 Foundation Committee by Trustee Donaire. >> Hello again. The most recent committee meeting met Monday, March 2nd. We received the financial summary of the 1853 foundation budget as of December 31st, 2025. The document discusses um a list of our donors by fiscal year. Um, since our since the 1852 Foundation's beginning in 2018, um, the foundation was able to, um, receive about $163,000. Um, and the foundation was able to see a year, sorry, the committee was able to see a year-by-year report of the revenue and expenses for each fundraiser event, the scholarship money that's been distributed since 2018, as well as
247the legal filing for financial fees. Thank you so much. Oh, I I have more time. Okay. All right. I will continue. Um, another item that we discussed again was uh revisiting the conversations about creating a new structure for the 1852 foundation. Um, Dr. Hun gave us a brief context as to how some um community foundations and other school districts work. Uh typically uh they create the there's an executive board that makes up both board members and possibly other community members. That is still up in the air. The next meeting will kind of discuss what we want to see in the new bylaws. The bylaws that we have currently right now are from 2018 and they're very outdated. Um, so we want to make sure that we um update it, that we are compliant with state
248and federal laws regarding our bylaws for the 1852 Foundation. The last item we did discuss was about an update from our COO, Melinda Mesa, on planning a fundraiser for the 1852 Foundation. We are currently looking at dates in September. Um, and then the next 1852 Foundation meeting is May 13th, 5:30 here at the district boardroom. Thanks. >> Next committee is curriculum e and student outcomes committee by vice president Shauna Priest. >> All right. Um in our curriculum committee we discuss science instruction for students grades six through 8. Um I want to extend a special thank you to Mr. Marcus Sherman and Miss Maria Castanon. Did I pronounce that correctly? Okay. Woohoo. All right. uh for their leadership and support in advancing science achievement in our district. Uh we also learned more about EWRC which supports
249our lifelong um EL learners and uh I look forward to discussing how these type of resources can help bridge gaps for students who may be performing low um academically. Um and that is it for curriculum. >> Next committee is budget oversight committee by President Sophia Colon. Good evening everyone. So we just had our budget oversight committee um just the other day and um we did review or to some time to review our purpose and responsibilities for this year um as we've kind of the our history of this uh particular committee has come to a a good place where um we can um think more proactively. So, we discussed um some of our uh goals or our intentions um to continue to review and monitor our budget and finances to support uh informed decision- making um
250ensure that our financial practices align with district priorities um promoting responsible stewardship um and ensuring uh long-term organizational stability. So some of the things that we talked about is initiating board study sessions on topics that um you know we'll we'll gather interest from the board. Um strengthening trustes understanding of our responsibilities um deepen our understanding of the LCAP and um just building an awareness of operational efficiencies. So we'll continue to review these points um and and come back with a with a firm statement soon. We also reviewed the governor's budget proposal um and that gives us an overview um of how uh of what an overview of the impacts of from the state level. So we talked uh a bit about um what that looks like um given the time frame that it was issued
251back in January to now. There's some things that have taken place. So um I'm going to go back to reading my notes. It's helpful to hear how we are calculating assumptions for the next fiscal year based on this information as well as how business services must must be cautious with recent events such as the war in Iran and how it impacts uh and and can have the impact on state budget and thus on our um financial reporting. So we're going to hear also uh we heard the second interim report but that will be on the agenda uh shortly. So we'll go into that detail. Um, and lastly, we got a really great um we we ran out of time, but the good news is we're going to bring it back. So, we um got an
252overview of the budget alignment to LCAP. Uh Dr. Crystal Andrews brought us um these wonderful packets. Um so, if you've attended an LCAP meeting, um which there will be one on Thursday, you might have seen a spiral packet like this. Um every board member will get one shortly. I >> already got it. >> Oh, you already got it. Okay, great. Great. Um and what she was able to do is show us how we can um look at the uh goals, align it to the budget, and see um from year 1 to year two um and and on um in the threeear span how um how our goals are um paid through the budget and and vice versa. How are we doing? That's my three minutes. So are there any questions? because there is a time
253if you have any questions about uh budget or any any feedback you'd like to give back to the committee on the budget um oversight. Okay, thank you. Next committee is transformative justice and safety and student conduct committee by trustee Isabelle Perez. Good evening. Last week uh March 3rd we held our transformative justice and student conduct subcommittee meeting. Uh the subcommittee meeting discussed um strategies to strengthen student safety, accountability, and supportive inter interventions across our schools. Um our focus continues to be on ensuring that student conduct policies promote safe learning environments while also providing restorative and supportive approaches that help students learn from mistakes and stay engaged in school. Uh we will continue working with district staff to review current practices, identify areas for improvement, and ensure our policies prioritize student and student and staff safety.
254That's it. Thanks. Next committee is Black Students Thrive by Trustee Patrick Martin. Um, so yes, the so the Black Students Thrive Committee meeting featured an informative presentation on ethnic studies by our STA representatives. Uh, we I just want to say we appreciate our teachers dedication to serving our students within the district and we also reviewed the ongoing plan for the African-American student achievement plan and is dedicated to supporting and providing resources for our African-American pupils. And so our next meeting will be April 27th, 2026 uh at 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the district boardroom. Thank you. >> Next committee is special education committee by Vice President Shauna Priest. >> All right. Um, in special education, we discuss updates regarding um, Stockton Unifi's disproportionality status and the ongoing work being done by our sped staff
255and being able to get out of that status. Um, I want to recognize the dedication of our team um, and addressing this issue while remaining transparent with the communities that are most affected. We also discussed the importance of our UDL, our universal design for learning as a strategy to increase access and opportunity for all students. Um, I look forward to continuing conversations on how we can support classroom teachers in implementing these practices and getting them this information and strengthening and learning our sped classrooms for students, staff, and families. Thank you. Okay, great. Um, we'll move on to item 10.2, brief reports on trustee activities. Abby will read the oral announcement and Christina will be the timekeeper. >> This is the opportunity for each trustee to make a brief announcement or to give a brief report
256on their own recent activities at the district pursuant to the Brown Act Government Code section 54954.2A3. There will be a threeminute limit per report. >> Okay, great. I will start to my right, Trusty Stevens. >> It's 9:30 and I almost want to just forego my time, so I'm going to forego my time. It's 9:30 p.m. >> Understandable. Trusty Clerk Martin, >> I didn't type in my notes. I'm about to say my notes tonight. I just want to start off saying happy women's history month and I participated in the student discussion on immigration providing an opportunity for students to engage in dialogue with local elected officials about immigration concerns. Also participated in the annual Rotary reading at my home school James Monroe and I went to the NAACP. They hosted their youth summit with a summit
257offering workshops on career, college preparation and leadership development for students from our district along with the other students throughout the city and our SUSD. We had a mental health takeover event during the Stockton Kings game and it was led by our district mental health clinicians and students. They joined forces with department leaders for a halftime performance that included a studentr written mental health zone. And over the past two years, I just want to acknowledge that over the past two years, our district has um we've added 14 clinicians to work alongside 200 counselors ensuring comprehensive support for students and staff. And we have our community advisory committee. They have a business meeting on April the 30th, 2026, 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 6 o'clock p.m. um sorry, 6 p.m. at Walton Special Center. And that address is
2584131 Crown Avenue or you can go on Zoom. And then we have the Special Olympics track and field at Caesar Chavez High School on April 8th, 2026 from 10:00 am to 1 pm. And I just want to throw out that I will also be performing with Van Beerren on their they have a a jazz band. So I will be performing with them at their end of end of the year concert. >> That's awesome. What what instrument? >> The drums. Okay. All right. Nice. Nice. Okay. Great. I'll go ahead and move it on down to my my left. Uh starting with Trusty Silva. Okay. Let's see. Recently, I've visited a couple of my sites. uh Pitman and Henry. I went I was part of the Rotary Reading at Filmore Elementary. Um upon learning that they didn't
259have anybody to read to the SPE students, I volunteered and it was it was I don't know how do you say it? It's just it moves me whenever I go to see the bed students. But I hopefully they remember me and, you know, enjoyed the story and as much as I did reading it to them. Um, last Saturday my granddaughter and I attended the uh Walden's crab feed with Trusty Daire. Um, uh, Patrick Martin also and Miss Cologne. And that was fun. I think we all won a door won a prize at that at the end from the drawings. >> The prize. I didn't win the prize. >> Oh, I'm sorry about that. But, um, yeah, it was great to see, you know, majority of our board out there together doing things. I wish we
260had everybody always, you know, to do things together, but we can't always have have that. But that's about it. Try to make it >> great. Great. Thank you. >> No, it's good stuff. It's good stuff. Thank you for sharing. Trusty Daire, >> I will yield my time. >> Okay. But you've been so busy. Okay. All right. Trusty Perez. >> Mine's quick. I promise. Kita um SUSD hosted the first community advisory group uh meeting this year which brings together community members selected by trustees to provide feedback and perspectives on student safety and school policing. Uh while attendance was small this time uh the meeting provided an opportunity for meaningful discussion and information sharing. So shout out to Chief Franco and staff for hosting and bringing um the community together. Thanks Okay, great. Thank you, uh, Vice
261President Priest. >> All right, so I'd like to extend a special thank you to the administrators and staff at Primary Years Academy, Commodore School for Adults, and Victory for hosting me during recent site visits and campus tours. Uh, it was a pleasure to see the incredible work happening across our school sites. Additionally, the NAACP recently hosted their annual youth summit and it was wonderful to see our students in attendance engaging in meaningful discussions and uh gaining valuable knowledge. I also had the pleasure of participating in the Rotary reading at Victory spending time in a kindergarten class and the students certainly kept us smiling while taking some memorable pictures. I also had the opportunity to observe that class during their SIPs instruction and it was I was definitely impressed um seeing their growing reading skills. Over
262at Hoover, students and staff are building excitement uh for spring break with a spirit week and last week they had a great time with their student versus staff volleyball games. Um and I do believe some pictures got sent sent your way. Um it was a definitely a wonderful example of school pride and community. Primary Years Academy is also celebrating school spirit this week with spirit days and their book fair and they are looking forward to hosting their literacy night this Thursday. Commodore uh hosted a car seat safety workshop on Monday and will be holding their spring band concert on Thursday. They are also preparing for a day of awesomeness this Friday and community members are encouraged to come volunteer for a day of fun and excitement with the students at Victory Elementary. Uh, Lucky the
263Leprechaun has been visiting classrooms and leaving green footprints behind and creating plenty of excitement and chaos for students. Um, so he kind of messes up their classroom when he goes there. Victory will also be hosting their award assembly this Friday. And finally, school the school for adults will be hosting their student advisory group meeting this week along with a walkup grocery distribution partnership with the family resource center on Thursday. And I would just like to say thank you to our students, educators, and staff and community partners who continue to make Stockton Unified a place where learning and opportunity thrive. Thank you. >> Okay, great. Thank you. So, um I'm happy to share um so many of us participated in Rotary Readin and I did as well as at Grinsky. Um, I also appreciated seeing um
264us at the crab feed. So, Cole open and Walton really was for me it was fun to see all of our staff and their family also enjoying that time. It was um truly heartwarming for me to see that. Um just a different environment, right? Taking us out of our our day-to-day. Um this past week I visited San Francisco International High School to view their newcomer program. uh thanks to uh the uh Cababe, California Association for Bilingual Education um because I really wanted to learn uh more about this type of program and seeing it firsthand, I was really impressed. Um the students, they were um they were excited, they were engaged, and in the conversation I had with the other folks on this tour, um it just reminded us how much work goes into that kind
265of preparation so the students can have that kind of engagement. Um and um it just it just brought back a lot of thoughts and and things that I I see we're doing um so much uh of support for our staff and it's all for the student so that they can um they can truly have a a good experience in their education. Um I also um was proud to participate in a focused policy discussion hosted by hope hispas organized for polit political equity and latinas futures 2050 lab. Um, this particular group, our discussion centers around systems that impact Latina economic and political stability. So, for example, immigration enforcement and how that has been impacting our daily lives, no matter what our status is, um, our our our lives have been impacted. And I just appreciated being
266able to share our recent safety implementations and the things that our district is doing and learning from others in this group. Um, I want to thank my colleagues for meeting with me and completing our first round of individual check-ins. Um, I I really enjoyed um talking with you all. I appreciate your honesty, sincere questions, and and your suggestions as well. So, I look forward to our next check-in. Um, I do have some dates confirmed with some folks, but I'm waiting to hear from others so we can confirm the rest of of the year. And I do want to just clarify that these are general informal check-ins. um and we'll be sure to adhere to Brown Act requirements um with respect to board business and topics. And I understand following these kind of requirements, it can
267be challenging when we're trying to have good conversations, organic conversations, but I really appreciate that our board is working to strengthen our communication together. And that's what I have. Thank you. Okay, moving on to item 10.3. Discussion and approval of formation of new board subcommittee on early childhood education including state preschool, Head Start, and transitional kindergarten. Um, do you have a >> motion to approve? >> Okay. And then we do discussion. >> All right. >> Do you want to second? >> I second. >> Okay. Great. Any discussion? >> Yes. So, I would like to um bring this to the board and really um help um us understand the early literacy and what takes place and and why we need this type of committee. um we needed for to be able to provide focus oversight right
268of our early learning programs, monitoring um kindergarten readiness and early literacy outcomes align with our TK expansion and district capacity and strengthening partnerships with community uh teachers and early learning providers and ensuring equitable access to early learning opportunities. Hopefully that was fast enough for you, Kennetha. Any questions or comments for this item? >> Okay, great. Thank you. Hearing none. Roll call vote, please. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. Item 10.4 discussion and appointment of trustees to new subcommittee on early childhood education including state preschool head start and transitional kindergarten. So for this item we'll follow our the changes to our board policy
269um that we that were just initiated. I will go down the line uh we'll start from my left and gain uh or you know uh gauge your interest and uh want for participation on this committee. So remember there's three uh trustees uh per committee. So um trustee Silva, are you interested in participating on this committee? No, not at this time. I do. >> Okay. Thank you, Trusty Daire. >> I will decline. I'm in a couple committees already. >> Okay. Thank you, Trusty Perez. >> Uh, no, thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, Trusty Priest. I mean, VP Priest. >> Yes. >> Okay. And moving on down to Clerk Martin. >> Yes. And Trustee Stevens. >> No. >> Okay. So, that leaves us with >> we just have the two. So, I will go ahead. I will
270join the committee. Um, so it'll be the three of us and myself. Um, so I just want to make the balance. I know you're um >> I can share it. >> Yeah. Okay. All right. So I will choose uh Priest as the chair, Martin, and myself on the on the new committee. Um, can we get a a motion? >> Motion to approve. >> I second. >> Second. Oh, >> okay. Second by priest. >> Okay. Okay. So, we have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Okay. Hearing none. Roll call vote, please. >> President Cologne, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. Okay, great. Thank
271you. Item 10.5, approval of minutes, January 20th, 2026 regular board meeting. >> Motion to approve. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All right. Hearing none. Roll call vote, please. President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daenire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Item 10.6, approval of minutes, February 21st, 2026, special close session board meeting. Is there a motion? Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Any discussion hearing? None. Roll call vote, please. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Bri, >> yes. Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daener, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes
272unanimously. >> Item 11.1, superintendent report, stronger SUSD systems, safer SUSD schools, infographic, and student discussion on immigration event. >> Yeah, thank you so much. So something that we try to do to get out the word to have more transparent communication is to send out one sheet infographics that I then present at all the pack meetings. We put out on social media and then often we also create um press releases around it so that people know the good work that we're doing. So they're going to put up the infographic but it is actually in your packet. So something that um we're very fortunate, again, we're really fortunate that we're one of 15 school districts in the state of California that have our own police department. Um so we do have our incredible Chief Franco that is
273that works alongside us and alongside Melinda Mesa, our chief um communications officer to make sure that we're always thinking. Something that is unique is that chief these last two years has really strengthened the arm underneath actually the police department which is the school preparedness and um division and so that is under director Rick's and what we have tried to do is really increase the layers of safety. So something and I'll steal Chief's um verbiage but what she said is no one thing is going to keep you safe. And so what we have tried to do is create these layers of safety so that we are ensuring that um people are safe. And so we have invested almost $20 million in safety in the last um two almost three years. So I've almost been here three
274years. So this kind of tells you it's it's dedicated to past safety improvements and then things that we continue to do. So the top half, if you look at it, are the three things that we really focused on from the beginning and we've even made more success. So just like the safety cameras, we've almost put in 3,000 additional cameras. So I was at Roosevelt today and um they were telling me that they're almost ready to patch in their brand new cameras. They went from five to 26. So we used to have only five cameras in all of Roosevelt. We now have 26 and they are AI intelligent. Um and so um as you know we have hall passath so someone um has their picture um in a way taken um through their license and we
275can actually upload that and find that person through these intelligent systems. We know perimeter fencing is very important. Um we have actually added and now we're doing both privacy fencing and fence heightening which um means that people can't necessarily just jump over. I will say athletic people probably still can. So the super athletic and then um our PA system. So we're really looking at how do we continue to u make sure that these very old systems, very old infrastructure is continuing. And then the rest is just some really great data, some pretty interesting data. So access control. So when you go into any of our schools, it's like the ring system. They can see you, talk to you, and we have 1.16 million people that have passed through our schools through those unlocked doors um
276in one year only. So that's um pretty incredible that we have um that layer of access. again just stealing off of um Chief Franco is that um no incident critical incident shooting has happened through a locked door. So this is really important for us that our premises are locked. Um and then I won't go through all of them, but I want to go through two more. And one is the visitor management system. So now anytime anyone comes in, we scan them to make sure that they're not a sexual offender. Our first year, which was last year, we had 17 hits, which our police department got called and came out and basically according to the situation intervened as they should. This year, we've had one, which shows that the word is out there that we're checking
277who is going into our schools. And so, I think that's really important. And then lastly, it's the campus safety train team training. And so Chief has um before it was taken away from the police department um Chief and her team have really made sure that she has taken that back on. So this is the second year that we have four additional days that have been added on and you can see how much training is happening. So whether it's tactical medicine, so stop the bleed, 139 of our campus safety team members have gone through um stop the bleed and then you can see other things like CPI and the required SB390. And so we're going to only continue to make our school safer um because we know that's our number one priority is to ensure that
278kids um are safe physically, psychologically um and social emotionally. And so this is our um this is what we're going to send out um this evening or probably tomorrow by now. And then as was already mentioned, we did have our we had a convening. So we had multiple times in which um children wanted to express their civic engagement and they walked out of their schools. We obviously we want to support them. We also want to keep them safe. So something that we did is we said, you know what, we're going to um bring this together. So, President Cologne was the one who originally um reached out to um the contacts and to the different senators and we were able um we really wanted to make sure that we got a lot of kids there and
279so um Melinda really helped to make sure and work with um the different clubs, the ethnic studies teachers, and we had a really great turnout. Um and so we um want you to see this video. And so here it is. An immigration discussion at Edison High School. >> There is a lot of impersonation going on. >> Students asked questions. >> How do you guarantee our safety? >> And students asked for answers regarding the issue of immigration. So, a few weeks ago, we had our students just exercise their civic engagement through the walkouts in protest of the immigration, and we really wanted to give them the opportunity to make some significant change and speak with people that could impact that work. >> Local community leaders, including state senator Jerry Mcernney, >> those are freedoms that that
280we take for granted. >> Sat in a roundt discussion, listening and answering questions from SUSD students. It gave me a sense of joy that knowing that our district has heard our voices from these walkouts. >> We are fighting so that we our voices are heard and so that we can do what we're what we came here to do, right? The opportunities that are presented here >> and with some hot button topics, therapy dogs walked among the participants to help ease any stress. >> Been off campus, she'd be able to kind of speak to that as well. >> SUSD board president Sophia Cologne echoed Dr. Rodriguez's response that student walkouts warranted action. >> They clearly have questions, concerns, and they want to be heard. And so, we've organized this time where we can talk a little
281bit about the how uh immigration is viewed in different governments, federal, state, and local. >> So, what's next? >> I hope they feel heard. So, I hope that our students feel heard, that they see that their voices matter, that their voices have had impact, and that we will follow through on some of the next steps. in Stockton. Melinda Mesa for the Stockton Unified School District. I'd like to add that our um just in the in the debrief and the followup from our elected officials, the question they were really impressed with our students. So, um, just to pass that along, our students asked tough questions and a lot of their questions didn't get answered and that's okay because they they're they were um pointed but good is the is the response that um I heard from
282sever several of the um officials and their district directors. Sometimes um the questions are good and and the answer takes some time to come back but um those students know how to reach out to their elected officials and the action for them was to send email that question because it will get answered and so we just uh again thank the district for all the help in coordinating and um also to the students I just if we can give them a round of applause because they really brought they really brought it for the um on behalf of their students. All right. Um, on to item 12.1, approval of a revised phase three service agreement between Conscious Discipline Loving Guidance LLC and the Stockton Unified Early Childhood Education Department to provide professional development. Is there a motion?
283>> Motion to approve. >> I'll second. >> Okay. Any discussion? Hearing none. A roll call vote, please. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Item 12.2, 2 approval for all fifth grade students to attend uh SJCOE Sanwaqin County Office of Ed Science Camp at Sky Mountain for the 2627 school year. Is there a motion? >> Motion to approve. >> I'll second. Any discussion? Hearing none, roll call vote. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes.
284>> Motion passes unanimously. >> Item 12.3, approval of the special education information system license agreement with Sanwain County Office of Education for the Special Education Department for three school years. Is there a motion? >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Okay. Second by Silva. Any discussion? Hearing none. Roll call vote, please. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daenire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. Item 12.4, approval of the renewal purchase of Discovery Education Experience as a supplemental addition to aid all PK through 12 students, especially in early childhood education. Is there a motion? >> Motion to approve. >> I'll second. Any discussion? Hearing none. Roll call vote, please. >> President
285Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Item 12.5, approval to use the cooperative purchasing program Sourcewell to purchase supplies, equipment, and other needs for the CTE fire science program at Chavez High School. Is there a motion? Motion to approve. >> A second. Okay. Any discussion? Hearing none. Roll call vote, please. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daener, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Item 12.6, Six approval to use the cooperative purchase purchasing program NASPO23026 to purchase
286computer equipment and other needs for the career technical education and arts program. Is there a motion? >> Motion to approve. >> I'll second Stevens. >> Okay. Any discussion hearing? None. Roll call vote. President Colon. >> Yes. >> Vice President Priest. >> Yes. >> Clerk Martin. >> Yes. >> Trusty Daire? >> Yes. >> Trusty Perez? >> Yes. >> Trusty Stevens? Yes. Trusty Silva. >> Yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Item 12.7, approval to use the education purchase agreement for the purchase of computer computer technology and equipment from Apple store for education institution. >> Motion to approve. >> A second >> for use in Stockton Unified School District CTE and arts program. I just couldn't I couldn't talk fast. All right. So, we got our first and our second. Any discussion? Roll call vote, please. >> President
287Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, great. Item 12.8, approval for purchase of technology and storage equipment required to expand the youth cinema project YCP at Harrison and Van Beurren Elementary, Jane Frederick, and Stockton High School. Is there a motion? Motion to approve. >> A second. Any discussion? Hearing none. Roll call vote. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Item 12.9, approval of an agreement to furnish consultant services between
288Middleree Incorporated and Rio Calaveris Elementary School. Is there a motion? Motion to approve. >> Second. Okay. Any discussion? Hearing none. Roll call vote. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daenire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Item 12.10, 10 approval of no cost professional services agreement with Kaisa solution incorporated for design thinking AI generated solutions by Apple. Is there a motion? >> Motion to approve. >> A second. Any discussion? Hearing none. Roll call vote. >> President Colon. >> Yes. >> Vice President Priest. >> Yes. >> Clerk Martin. >> Yes. >> Trusty Daener. >> Yes. >> Trusty Perez. >> Yes. >> Trusty Stevens? >> No. Trusty Silva. >> Yes.
289>> Motion passes 61 with Trusty Stevens voting no. >> Item 13.1 adopt the Stockton Unified School District D district initial proposal to the National Union Health Workers NUHW for successor contract negotiations and to authorize the district's negotiating team to proceed with negotiations. Is there a motion? >> Motion to approve. >> I'll second. Any discussion? Roll call vote, please. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> 13. Item 13.2, approval of the revised Stockton Unified School District salary schedule for the Stockton Pupil Personnel Association, SPA. Is there a motion? Motion to approve. >> A second. >> Any discussion? Hearing none. Roll call vote.
290>> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Adoption of resolution number 2553, waiver request, English language authorization. Is there a motion? >> Motion to approve. >> I'll second. >> Any discussion? Roll call vote. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Item 13.4, Four, adoption of resolution 2558, waiver request, variable term waiver, administrative services credential. Is there a motion? >> Motion to approve. >> I'll second. Any discussion? Hearing none. Roll
291call vote, please. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> no. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes 61 with Vice President Priest voting voting no. >> Item 13.5, approval of administrator educational equity job description and updated certificated management salary schedule. Is there a motion? I'll make the motion to approve. >> I'll second. >> Okay. And is there a discussion? I do have a question on on this one. Um I just I'd like us to take a minute to um uh just maybe briefly explain why why we're bringing it back >> and then I'll probably have a question after that. >> Yes. So it is for recruitment reasons. So we did have a
292subset of of employees or not even employees people who applied for the position. Um when we looked at who was um met all the qualifications um there were very few people who met all those qualifications. I will also note that we had no internal candidates which is not necessarily something that we want to see right um we do want promotional opportunities for people. Um and then we also looked at just experience um in other administrative positions and it did vary between three and five. Um so this would allow us to reopen it um with the 3 years of experience. Um if we can reopen it, we left it open for longer than anticipated to try to get more people to apply. Um, and at this point, um, I didn't feel that there were enough qualified
293candidates to hold an interview. Um, and so therefore, we were rem reducing the amount of years to see if we could get some additional candidates. >> How long was it open for? >> Um, do you know the timeline? I know it was left open um, about a half a week longer than anticipated. So 12 or 13 days. >> Well, that would be less. I wouldn't >> the mic. Casey, we couldn't hear you, Mr. Clapping back. Sorry. >> It normally we would leave it open for two full weeks and this time we left it for two about two and a half weeks. Over a second over another weekend, we were hoping to get more candidates. Are there other questions? Any other questions? >> It was just it was open from February 12th and it was closed
294on March 2nd. >> So I think the comment from well several comments from the community is that this job description does not open up so that our community could be able to um apply. I think we just heard the same thing when we talk about what does this position look like for um district employees to be able to um apply. I would like to table the position and then have some more framework done on it before it comes back to the board. >> Can you be u more specific when you say more framework? Yeah, I think the requirements I mean you just stated that we barely got people uh from the district who were who met the requirements. Um, I think the three and five at a district level does um ensure that a lot
295of our staff, specifically people of color, are not able to apply for this position because when we think about working at the district level, um there's not a lot of folks who can um get this position because we're asking for them to work at the district or be a site administrator. >> Okay. Yeah. So, just to just to be clear, it's not that they have to work at the district and they don't have to have district office um experience. They have to have three years of site or district level experience. >> Correct. Those are the things that will knock many people out of being able to apply for this position. Um, I do agree though they do need to be qualified if we're going to have the position be a certificated management uh type of
296position which comes with of course a certain level of education and and qualifications with the proper certificates. >> Well, then maybe it shouldn't be certificated because I think some of the work also um they need to be able to connect to the community. I think that's a big piece of this job description. Um, having those relationships, working with our community organizations, specifically those who have RFPs with us under goal number six for um the African-American student success plan. So, I think some of that work is also needed. >> So, right now, our motion is to approve the position. Is that correct? The motion is to approve reducing the number of years to three years, but it is accurate that we are asking them to be within the educational system. And part of that is what
297we have found is it's hard to work um with principles and actually have great implementations if you don't understand the world of schools. And so um we it is challenging when we have it classified as well because that means you cannot oversee you cannot supervise anyone who is certificated and that that is a challenge as well. So I would encourage us not to make it classified because if we do that then that means that that person can't can't oversee anyone who is certificated and it highly limits our ability to put staff underneath them. So wouldn't this person be under the um director of equity? So they wouldn't be managing people. It would be the director that they would be under who would be managing staff. >> So >> and implementing as well sorry and doing
298the implementation. >> So this technically was under ed services because it was linked to goal three to CRL. So the culturally relevant um learning and then also it was linked to MTSS multi-tered systems of support all which is under um ed services. >> So the job description states here that it is aligned under LCAP goal number six ensuring the um yeah this is under goal six. It is very much so. But part of that if you look at the other actions, so it's not just it's not just the RFP that they're working on. If you look at goal six, it specifically does reference goals around actions around CRL around multi-ter systems of supports interventions. And so that person would be working heavily with principles to make sure that goal six money is used properly. part
299of that um approximately two million of it is the RFP, but there's $6 million worth of goal six. So four million of goal six is actually aligned to other categories or other actions linked to goal six. >> So then how does this how does this role relate to the director of equity? So, the director of equity oversees equity for all um groups. And so, when we think of equity, we're talking not only African-American students, but other ethnicities, foster youth, um our homeless students, special education. So, all levels of barriers in terms of equity. So, it is much more global. And then this specifically is linked to goal six. So this person would be doing um goal six work but goal six has multiple goals under it right so I think now there's is there seven
300or eight actually we can look at the the elap that you guys have um so there are multiple goals underneath that several of those goals are linked explicitly to what ed services is doing um to make sure that we're supporting our students students. >> I think it's important to remember that when we're in the position for supporting students, right, we're asking this person to observe classroom instruction, assist principles, etc. And so, as a classified staff member, you would not be qualified to observe classroom instruction and provide feedback to administrators. So I think I'm just concerned about I guess now the overall way that the position is written. What I was under the impression that we were getting was someone who would be able to work directly under the director of equity. Um, who would do
301more of the leg work, but that this would offer us more support. But implementation in some of the larger work would actually come from the director of equity because that was the original request when it came to this position. So the original my understanding of the original request was to ensure that we were implementing goal six which encompasses all of those action items not just the RFP portion of it. >> So what is it I okay it's not clear to me what will the director do? So, the director will ensure that well, we have our equity audit that we will have our three-year action plan finalized by the end of this school year. Um, part of what that person will do will make sure that we're implementing the action items within each one of those
302years. So, that will be one. And then two, they have a more they will still care about African-American students, but they will also provide time and attention to the other subgroups within the district as well, whether it's English learners or the other ones that I've I've already mentioned. So, one is much more global and we can do a side by side of the two positions. This is hyperfocused on our African-American students. that that's what this position is. And so therefore, we looked at all the goals under goal six and then we wrote out responsibilities that reinforced those actions and goals um in goal six. >> Is it possible if we can if we can table this >> into a motion? >> Yeah. Can whoever put the motion, can they table it? Are they willing to
303pull back the motion? >> And the position is already approved. >> We're asking for a revision of the qualifications. >> Correct. So, we want to pull back this motion so that we can do that. Have a Do you have the motion? Who have the motion? >> So, I did make the motion and I just want to be clear. So the the position itself um the position itself is already out or I should say like we were just saying it's it itself is approved but what we're what we were asking today is the is the experience the years of experience. So we're instead of five which is what we put out there now we're reducing it to three. Um, we heard some discussion about um, >> well, I think that just that just spiraled into a
304totally different conversation, which is why we're asking if the person who made the motion would be willing to table it. I think I only if we can't come to a decision like if we cannot come to a decision then we can table it. So, do you think we cannot come to a decision on on whether or not we can agree to a three or fiveyear? >> I don't think so. >> You don't think so? >> I think we can. >> Okay. We can take the vote. Call the vote. >> Okay. But I had I did have a question about the years experience though. For me, my my um my concern is that we're reducing the experience, the years of experience, and I was concerned that that might appear that we're reducing the the level of
305responsibility. Um, I know we talked about we I'm not sure if we really talked about like what does that look like when we're we've put it out for five years and now we're saying okay instead of five now it's three years. Um, if we keep it five years but we say XYZ activities can count towards years of experience. Is that something we could talk about? That does change then the language in the job description. Um, I just I don't I don't I'm not sure quite sure like how to formulate that question, but that was my concern is that we're less lowering the years experience, but maybe if we can put in more criteria that could count towards years experience, then we wouldn't have to lower the years experience. >> Um, so it would be like
306this many years experience or >> I wanted Yeah, something like that. Yes. But what what does that look like? What does that sound like? Okay. Um, may I see? Okay. So, two things. Um, just because we're lowering the year doesn't mean that we're going to put someone there that's not qualified or experienced enough that we feel like they're able to do the job. So, there's still we're still going to do vapor screening. We're still going to choose people that we feel can do the job and then do interviews uh first round or second round if we decide to do that. So the candidate that's chosen the panel will you know they have passed all those things. If some job descriptions have five years of experience of I don't know principal experience or equivalent work or
307something like that. Um I would suggest just let's roll with this qualifications and see what candidates we get. If we don't find any qualified staff, I mean candidates, we could always bring it back. Um, it's also hard to recruit right now because we are a lot of people are in contracts because we're looking for an administrator, right? Some a credential person. A lot of people are contracted right now. So, I know we we may want to if we there's different things that we could do. If you post it for next year, we might get more people. Um, we could try this right now, post it for an additional few weeks, see what kind of candidates we get. If they're not, if we feel like they're not ready, we will not conduct interviews. Um, so it
308just kind of depends on who applies. So in that case then if we if we go ahead and lower the years's experience we approve it as as it is today give it the two weeks that you just said we normally post for two weeks that would almost be like tableabling this to bring it back to the next meeting. So, we kind of doing we're doing a little bit of what we're thinking. If we don't get if we don't get any qualified um applicants, we would bring it back to have a discussion about the job description, right? That would that would lead us to that to that possibility. >> If that's something that if if revisions is something that it's that the board wants, that's something that could be asked. Um, it will probably be I
309want to say not the next meeting but something further out and see how it goes. >> I feel like we should pull back because the position hasn't been filled as of yet. So, I feel like we should probably table it until we get all the everything in order cuz I don't think this is in order. What is it that you're looking to get in order? >> We've already put him out there. We've already posted this position. The only thing that we're asking at this point is for the years of district or site level experience to go from five to three. Everything else is exactly the same. So, I think he's saying two things, right? I think he's talking about the job description itself and then also the time frame between 3 and 5 years. So,
310we're saying all things on the job description to pull it back. That's what we're saying, but we can put it to a vote. So, just go ahead and call the vote. Let's call the vote. I mean, let's move forward with the vote. >> Okay. So we have um so just to clarify we have the the vote is um >> to yeah the motion is on the table approval of administrator um an updated salary schedule um I didn't write down I think I seconded >> and then Silva I mean I I made the motion Silva seconded >> okay so go ahead and roll call vote please >> president colon >> yes >> vice president priest Yes, >> clerk Martin. >> No. >> Trusty Daire. >> Yes. >> Trusty Perez. >> Yes. >> Trusty Stevens. >> No.
311Trusty Silva. >> Yes. >> Motion passes. 52 with clerk Martin and Trusty Stevens voting no. >> Okay. Thank you for for the discussion on that. Moving on to item 14.1 second interim report for 2025 2026. Dr. Hunton. Thank you. He was keeping it warm. >> Okay. Good evening, President Cologne. Uh, Vice President Priest, Superintendent Dr. Rodriguez, and members of the board. I will be presenting this evening the 2526 second interim report. And I will remember quickly Okay. Am I gonna Oh, he broke it and gave it back to me. Dr. Hunt, was there a doc? >> He did. He did that on purpose, I think. Thank you. That little button. Okay. Thank you. Remember always that we are rising stronger together. So, as we look at our second interim report, there is nothing different on
312this slide than what you saw before. Just as a reminder, these are the assumptions that we utilize in developing our second second interim report. Uh this is always important to us. We look at this on a monthly basis and it also um is utilized in determining revenues uh for our interim reports. And so this is uh demonstrating months five, six and seven. And we um look at month seven. And we are showing in each one of those months where our projections were at the adopted budget and where we are in each of those individual months. And as we focus on month seven because that was the month that we used um for our projections for revenues, we are currently 482 students below where our projections were at the beginning of the year. And that smaller
313table that is below that, that is our ADA. And so that is showing the difference between where we were at first interim and where we are now at second interim. And the ADA has gone down by 608. And we'll see the impact of that in just a moment. And here we are. Um and so we're looking at the revenues for unrestricted. Um and so as we look at our LCFF entitlement that did go down between the two interim reports uh by 3.4 4 million. So, it was that ADA ratio that I talk about often um looking at not just our enrollment but also that ADA the the um students um attending school and that went from about 91% I'm looking at Willie 91% down to I'm going to say 89% 88.8% to be exact. Um
314and so that was the impact there. our other state revenues. It was a a a slight um difference there went down by 122,000 that related to an adjustment to lottery funds. Our other local funds, there was an uptick there with uh coming from donations. So when we look at our total overall revenues for unrestricted, we are at a loss of uh 3.5 million. Now turning to our restricted uh looking at our certificated and classified salaries. The increases that we're seeing here between the two interim reports is related to the the settlements that we've had with our labor partners um for the one-time um the one-time expenditure, the the um the $5,000. Um and then the benefits are associated with those expenditures in each one of those categories for certificated and classified salaries. We had some
315um minor adjustments in supplies and materials going down by 70,000. Our services went up by 2.1 and that had to do with our sub agreements and also our uh professional services for ELOP. Um that's our afterchool program. And then um a capital outlay went up um by 1.8 million and that was related to our shade um pro our shade um projects that we were doing across the district. So now we are looking at our multi-year projection at a very summary level. Um and we can see that in our 2526 year um we are showing a deficit of 19 million that is leaving us with an ending balance of 89 million. And as we move into 2627 and 2728 we see that there is a positive um going into 2627 the adjustments there is um the
316reduction of those one-time expenditures being removed from that budget. So, um, we're seeing a decrease in those expenditures and therefore we're seeing an uptick in that ending balance. And as we move into 2728, um there are um several grants that are actually expiring in 2627. And so we are now seeing that some of those expenditures for those programs are moving into the unrestricted side of the budget. And we will be monitoring that very closely. Um that leaves us with um a projection of 82 million in the third year out. Um just as a reminder, we do make adjustments um at each reporting period because things do change, but we also will tell you what those changes are so you can see what's happening there. Um this and as I was looking at this tonight, there
317is a lot of numbers on this slide. So, I think some information that would be helpful for you as the board is not just to put fund numbers because you're not going to know what that is. Um, so the next time you see this, we're going to put the names of the funds. So, I apologize for that. But it is important to we talk a lot about the general fund, but we also need to to know and we need to to be transparent and socialize what's happening with our other funds as well. So, that's what we're we're introducing with this slide. Um looking at our contributions, um we can see that when we looked at our contributions on the on a slide that two slides ago, um we did have um some contributions that occur
318from unrestricted to restricted um and those are made up of our reserve office training um of 300,000 um special education of 85 million and then our routine restricted maintenance account at 23 million. So now we're looking at our um overall um I'm going to it's our overall so both restricted and unrestricted um ending fund balance components um and I will just point out so our total fund balance at 248 that is made up of several components um and 64% of that is actually sitting in our restricted funds so that 159 million is actually coming from the restricted side of the budget. And so that's where our our ending fund balance for second interim um leaves us at this point. And so um so what are those impacts as we move forward? Obviously our declining enrollment,
319we continue to monitor that and report that out to you on a regular basis. Our health benefits I think I have a little little red thing on here, don't I? Oh, it's Oh, there we go. Um and so our health benefits we can see that um in 2425 there was um an adjustment. We do um um uh provide those the health insurance to our uh to our employees and there was a change in the plan. It did increase and you can see that. But even after that you can see that we are getting close to a double-digit increase year-over-year. Um and so that is something that we also are paying close attention to. Um the other um piece of information is our contributions. Um and so as we look at our contributions, we just looked
320at that um and what makes up that contribution and what does that look like year-over-year. And so that is another um item that we do pay attention to to see what are those percentages coming out of our our general fund into our restricted fund. With that, um, we are done and I am here for questions that you may have. >> Could you just go back Dr. Hanum to slide nine on the other funds because I just want to highlight to two of them really quick. >> Yep. >> So, one is fund 17. So as you know or >> just to remind everyone fund 17 this is we have two resolutions that we have set aside funds for declining enrollment and um economic uncertainty. So fund 17 that 30 million is fund 17. So we have
321the other resolution that was noted um the 56 million and then we have this 30 and then just you may be wondering well what's fund 21? So that is our facility. So that as you may remember we sold bonds and so that is the money that we have set aside so that we can do those many projects that Vicki is so excited that we pushing to get done this summer and then for years to come. Um but I just wanted to highlight those two because um they're s one is a significant amount and then one is an added layer of protection um within the district >> and and I would just add on the the bond fund the 21 um that really is also what we can look at our facility master plan also to
322see what those projects are that are coming up. Thank you for that Dr. Rodriguez. >> All right. Thank you so much. Are there any questions from the board? >> Thank you. >> Oh, here we go. >> Thank you so much. >> Okay. Um, so we did Oh, it was an action. I'm sorry. It was an action item. So, I will need to call for a motion. So, I'll go ahead. Oh, motion by Stevens. >> Yeah. Motion. >> A second. Second by Vice President Priest. Um, no further discussion. Roll call vote, please. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daenire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Okay. And we
323did um complete item 14.2. Moving on to 14.3. Approval of notice of completion primary years academy temporary housing project number 25.978. Is there a motion? Motion to approve. >> Item 14.3, second, third. >> Oh my god. >> Whatever you need here. >> All right. Um, no further discussion. Roll call vote, please. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. Trusty Daener, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Okay, great. Item 14.4, award of construction agreement to Frontline General Engineering Construction Incorporated for Shade Structures at Elorado Elementary School. Is there a motion? >> A motion to approve 14.4. >> Second. >> Okay, any discussion? Hearing none, roll call vote. >> President Colon, >>
324yes. Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Uh, Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> And Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. Item 14.5, approval of amendment number one to agreement for architectural services with Community Architects Incorporated at Pacific Law Academy, PLA. >> A motion to approve 14.5. >> I'll second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? Uh yes. >> Okay. >> Do we know when the um portable will actually start when they're moving? When we'll start the process for PLA, the exact date. The answer to that is when DSA approves the portable. Our cradle agencies. So it's ready to roll. It's built. As soon as we get a DSA approval, we'll put it out to bid and set it. >> Okay. Thanks.
325>> They're anxious. That's why I'm asking. >> Okay, great. Thank you. So, we have a first and a second. Any other questions? All right, hearing none. Roll call vote. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Item 14.6, amendment number one to the agreement with >> Robin, sorry. Contracting incorporated for the Weber Institute Gymnasium Project 25.933. Is there a motion? >> A motion to approve. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Okay, hearing none. Roll call vote. President Cologne, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >>
326yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Item 14.7, approval of certificate certification corre corrective action audit findings for the 2425 fiscal year. Is there a motion? >> I'll make the motion. Second. >> Thank you. Any discussion? Okay. Hearing none. Roll call vote, please. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty Daener, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trustee Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. >> Item 14.8, approval of emergency procurement of supplemental charter transportation services. Is there a motion? I motion to approve 14.8. >> A second. >> Any discussion? Hearing none. Roll call vote, please. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> yes. >> Clerk Martin, >> yes. >> Trusty
327Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes unanimously. Item 15.1, student expulsion C19. Is there a motion? >> Motion to approve. Second. >> Roll call vote, please. >> President Colon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> no. >> Clerk Martin, >> no. >> Trusty Daire, >> yes. >> Trusty Perez, >> yes. >> Trusty Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion passes. 52 with Vice President Priest and Clerk Martin voting no. >> Item 15.2, student expulsion C20. Is there a motion? >> Motion to approve. >> Okay. I'll second. >> Roll call vote, please. >> President Golon, >> yes. >> Vice President Priest, >> no. >> Clerk Martin, >> no. >> Trusty Daire, >> no. Trusty Perez, >> no. >> Trusty
328Stevens, >> yes. >> Trusty Silva, >> yes. >> Motion fails. Three with four nos from Vice President Priest, Clerk Martin, Trusty Daener, and Trusty Perez. Right. I will uh item 17.1, adjournment at 10:40. Trustees, can I please ask Clerk Martin and President Golon to hang back for signatures, please?