BOE 11/11/25

001I'm not gonna Okay, I think time to get started here. Um, we'll apologize to start the meeting for our tardiness here this evening and hopefully we'll move on through this in a in a expeditious manner this evening. Um, board of education has been in closed executive session to conduct a student discipline expulsion hearing, an employee discipline hearing, and discuss pending litigation. No action was taken in closed executive session. I'll now I will now ask everybody to join me in the >> pledgece 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. >> We have recommendations for tonight's agenda. >> Yes, we do. I recommend the board approve tonight's November 11, 2025 open session board meeting agenda as

002presented. >> Can I have a motion? >> So move. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Those opposed? >> Motion's carried. Uh we'll now turn over to Dr. Clark for district highlights. >> Thank you. Before we get started, I want to uh start by saying thank you to all of our veterans. And I'm going to read something on school board members day. Whereas school board members are elected to sit in trust for their diverse community and in that capacity are charged with meeting the community's expectations and aspirations for the public education of their children. And whereas school board members are entrusted with the guardianship and wise expenditure of sca scarce tax dollars and they are responsible for maintaining and preserving the buildings, grounds and other areas

003of the school district that the community has put in their trust. And whereas school board members are responsible for providing leadership that ensures a clear shared vision of public education for their schools that sets high standards for the education of all students and requires the effective and efficient operation of their districts. And [music] whereas school board members adopt public policy to give voice to their leadership and employ a superintendent to administer board policy and are also responsible for the regular monitoring of the district's performance and compliance with state policy. And whereas schoolboard members selflessly volunteer countless hours to public service with no compensation. And whereas school districts have faced enormous challenges over the past two years and the strong dedicated leadership provided by the Decatur Public School District 61 Board of Education has allowed student

004learning and success to continue. And whereas employers are supportive of their employees who serve as schoolboard members, generously lending support and time, employees give their employees the opportunity to better serve the needs of the school districts and communities they represent through sometimes tremendous sacrifice to the employer. And whereas decisions made by schoolboard members directly impact the quality of life and safety in their communities, placing them as a front line of American democracy. Therefore, be it resolved by Decar Public School District 61 that we proclaim November 15, 2025 as school board members day as a way to honor those citizens who devote their time and energy for the successful education of our children and our future leaders. So on behalf of Decar public school students, administration and staff, we thank you for your time, commitment, and

005service as a school board members and hope you enjoyed the small tokens of appreciation. >> Can I get a raise? >> Want to double it? [laughter] >> Double. Wow, >> that was a quick answer there, Mark. Okay, I think we'll move on here now. Craig Bundy will be making a report about the turkey tournament. >> Thanks for having me. I guess Mel did this every year, so I'm following his footsteps. Following his leadership for 23 years of running this tournament has not been an easy task, and I'm amazed at all the things that he did to make this a premier tournament throughout the state. We have a turkey tournament team consisting of Dr. Clark, Dr. Curry, Maria Robertson, both ads from the two high schools, Jason Crutcher, and Benny Phillips. Uh, and we've been working

006together to hopefully ensure that this uh this year's tournament follows uh as well as the past years have. We have a new logo this year uh that we're excited about. Um on your uh I believe Melissa, they receive you guys have received a uh a bag stuffer that the is given. Yes, that has the brackets on there. Um, if you want to refer to that, our logo is on that. Um, we haven't made a lot of changes. Uh, we're trying to follow the template for the most part, but we are changing a few things. Sponsorship donations have been fantastic. Again, everyone, the community is so giving and so, uh, I thought walking into businesses and asking for money was going to be a hard part of this job. And when I walk in, everybody's there

007with a smile and uh have been great about supporting the tournament, especially our two uh primary sponsors, Lincoln Land Credit Union, Caterpillar. They've been outstanding. Um the tournament teams are all the same that were in it in in in the past other than there is one change. uh of Allen dropped out and in their place is Champagne Central which I think is a great addition because it's more local and uh will add to the excitement at the tournament. We have uh increased ticket prices to $10, but for that $10 per session, you get two games um and uh a complimentary program. We charge for programs in the past, so that will be offset a little bit. Um we've had meetings with uh security custodial buildings and grounds and those meetings have been uh have been

008great and keeping us on track. Uh the MacArthur uh boosters will handle concessions this year. We've also met with them and and they are all ready to go. So that's uh that's exciting. And uh promotionally with social media, Lincolnland Credit Union, McDonald's, the radio, we're going to get the word out that the tournament is uh is ready to go and we'll two weeks from right now we'll be in the first quarter, maybe the second quarter. So, does anybody have any questions? I'll talk over it. Okay. Mr. B, what radio station will be broadcasting it? Do you do you know >> it's the Cromwell? >> Yeah. >> They're going to broadcast the entire tournament. In the past, they've just done Macarthur. Yeah. Or Eisenhower. Now they're going to do the entire tournament, which is great. >>

009That's Thank you. >> Okay. for our next highlight. >> Principal Ellis. [laughter] >> Thank you. Okay. Good evening, President Clevenger, Superintendent Clark, and members of the board. Um I am representing [clears throat] uh Ellsworth DNSB Junior Magnet School, home of the Flyers. And our highlight today is going to focus on being full steam ahead and our steam integration as the district steam magnet school. to start off with some data. Um, over since I took over in 2022, our summitive designation improved from intensive to targeted. It's progress over perfection and we're shooting for that commendable summit of designation. Um, our attendance rate is at 94.9%. We work very hard to make sure that our kids are at school and keep that top spot. Um and our priorities for the year are highquality datadriven tier one instruction

010in all classrooms K to8 steam integration and culture and climate. And we um approach that with small groupoup instruction making sure that our students have ma math fact fluency um steam education and our house system. So if you come by on a Friday you'll see everyone in a house shirt. Um, anyone is uh has the opportunity to spin the magic wheel and get put into a house. I know Superintendent Clark is in the house, Dr. Gray's in the house, Dr. Robinson's in the house. So, if you're interested, catch us on a Friday. >> So, the focus of our presentation is our steam integration. One of the questions that I've been asked for years is, yes, we focus on science, technology, engineering. We've added on arts and mathematics, but what does that mean for literacy? Are

011we forgetting literacy when um our test scores show that we definitely cannot forget about it? So, one of our focus areas with our learning partner, which is niu steam that we've been working with for the last two years are steam stories. So, using literacy and um stories to integrate um experiments or activities that are based around whatever that story is. So our learning partner of NIU steam comes on half days. They coach, they model, they plan with our staff and they created a building level steam team. So we have five teachers that went through professional development last year to be representing um our buildings steam team. So if someone needs something, if someone needs support, then they can go to anyone in that um on that team. The goal is to train the trainer and

012have people on site all the time that can support our steam focus. Um, our focus areas are coaching, productive talk, observation, and revision, and our steam stories. So, some of the ways that we've integrated steam into our building um, across all classrooms, I'll just briefly cover a few of them. We are very big into intentional community partnerships. So, we partnered with Papa Murphy's in kindergarten to learn how our food comes from farm to table. So, they studied and investigated how we move our food to our tables for dinner. And they were able to get the ingredients to make a pizza, bake their own pizzas, and have lunch. So, we appreciated the partnership with Papa Murphy's. In first grade, one of our examples of steam stories is they read the story the five little pumpkins and

013the students had to create a gate that would hold all five pumpkins successfully. So it's all about creation, revision, revision, and failing forward. So if it doesn't work, how do we make change? How can we change our thinking to make it work? Um, in second grade, of course, we were planting at the beginning of the year, but also given a challenge. Can we make revisions to make that challenge come to life? So, they had to create a way to protect a marshmallow. And that's what um is shown in the picture on the right. In third grade, if you've had the pleasure when the weather is nice, we have a art patio. So, our students are able to go outdoors and um experience art out on what we call the art the porch. In fourth grade,

014we did some leaf rubbings outside as well as studied the digestive system of animals for science. So, these are some pictures of some of those activities. In the middle, we have some students that gave us a thumbs down because their team was not able to keep Humpty Dumpty together. They tried a egg drop and their um protection method did not protect him from cracking. In fifth grade when we had the um unveiling of our um sign um for Mr. Dansby uh with the community foundation, one of the major things and um high stakes standards for us is presentation. When students are able to present on what they've learned, that shows mastery. So, our students learned about the process of how we came to having a new building and how our um BLDD had to create

015floor plans. And so, they created their own school with their own floor plan and they were able to present it to some of our guests. In middle school, we have an example of our ZSpace augmented reality laptops that um our middle school social studies use to close out an industrial um ages unit. And then we are getting ready to release um our flight school podcast. So, our middle school will be developing a podcast that will kind of track our journey um through the new school and what they've experienced over the last couple of months. We are really excited about that. Um, if you follow our Facebook page, you will see that we have a new agriculture and steam teacher, Mrs. Jackson, who has been a phenomenal addition, and we have a Danby Flyers FFA um,

016chapter. Um, we are so excited because they've taken first or second place in every competition that they've entered over the last couple months. So, we've had um food science, we've had a horse evaluation um and they have won either first place or second place. Currently, they are learning archery um out at the A Center. So, and they are going to their first conference on Friday. So, we are so excited um to see the growth of our middle school and hope to expand that so that our um elementary students can also experience some of those experiences. And uh Mr. Steve, as the kids call him, came out with his magic drone, as they say, and took our updated 2526 picture. So all of those uh students represented by a color are our four houses. So we

017are four houses, one Dansby family, and we all serve a purpose. And so this is our updated picture. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any [laughter] questions? >> Nice job. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, you guys are doing amazing stuff. [laughter] >> Okay, we'll move on to public participation. Miss Bradford Mills. Board of Education. Dr. Clerk. I came here tonight to talk about a very, very, very low paid group in our district that deserves some recognition. They put in really long hours and they have a high stress position. Actually receive no pay at all. Most people only see you, the board meetings, board members, here at these meetings. Um, what they don't see are the countless hours you spend studying education issues, looking into laws, talking to your union leaders that can talk for hours and

018hours and hours. Um, it might be one of those. >> Yeah. [laughter] Uh, reviewing budgets and on and on and on. Um, I know you all and I know some of you personally and I know that you stress about what you face at these meetings. um you have heavy decisions that that not only impact thousands of lives, but I know the people on this board see the the person to in front of them. So your your policy makers, your advocates, your problem solvers, we're all working towards the same goal to provide the best possible education for every child in our district. We may not always agree on what that path looks like, but we will always strive for the best learning environment for our students. And that means we should also always strive for the

019best working conditions for our staff. Thank you all for your service to the community. Other comments? Okay. Thank you, Sam. Okay. We'll move on to board discussion. Comments from board members. >> I have something. Okay. So, um I'll try to be as brief as I can here. So, uh, I drove out to West Texas, uh, last week and I had a lot of time to think and a lot of time was thinking about this board and the monumental ability we have to make change. Now, no matter what you believe of our past or where we have been, this board has often been contentious. This board has often been kind of a sore for this community. Not this specific board, but this body. And the important thing is in the six months since our new board

020members have joined us, we have entered a period where we are starting to have conversation, where the contentiousness is slipping away, where we are seeing less and less public comments coming out uh coming up to tell us what we're doing wrong and having been that person making those public comments, often those are rightfully said. Um but more importantly, things are beginning to shift and for our new board members, you've been on six months now. Next week will mark your sixth month on the board. For Mark and myself, we've been on for two and a half years as of this month. And Mr. Cleer has been on for uh three years and two months and and well, three years and three months. And the point of all of this is it is time for all of

021us on this board to engage. There are so many things that are hanging out there at the moment that the community is waiting for us to do something that we need to take the opportunity to do it to to start moving forward. One of the best things is we've restarted the conversation around roadmap. Uh if you've not read Dr. Clark's email about uh what administration is waiting on and it is specifically the seven of us to uh chart a path forward and to lead it is what we need to do. And so uh there was a calendar that was handed out uh at our last board meeting. Um I didn't give anybody forewarning that we're going to discuss this tonight. So I I don't expect anybody to be ready, but we have the opportunity next

022week in our specially called board meeting. Uh I know that we are doing some business there, but if we have a moment after [music] we get done with that to have a deeper discussion about what comes next, I believe that that we owe it to the community to make these decisions. And I think it is time for us to truly show that the seven of us can be leaders instead of showing up every uh showing up every other week and showing up every other week and only take action that's in front of us. It is our time to be take that proactive approach. So that's what I have to say. >> Thanks. Other comments. >> So will at that meeting would you like us to think about our priorities going forward? Um I a that

023and b uh when we are going to do these things. I know that there had been uh specifically with extending the superintendent search >> uh which was discussed uh which we've discussed and then also look at what roadmap looks like and put together that plan uh working alongside Dr. Clark and administration as well but to put put together that plan of where we're going this next year. >> Sounds good. >> Yeah. for clarification purposes. I think for the general audience and our viewers, the superintendent search uh is just taken a little bit. We've added a little bit of time into the process, but we'll be moving forward right after the holidays. It's a slow period during the holidays and we want to be sure that we attract a good field of [music] candidates uh for

024this position that's so important to our community. And uh so right after we get back from the holidays, we'll be jumping into that process. But the roadmap process also uh as will just articulated well uh the roadmap process really important for us to uh get going. We have a lot of long-term big issues that need to sequentially be put in place uh rather than the oneoff. It seems like over the years we've done a lot of individual issues and I think the biggest thing I noticed when I first came on this board was somebody asked me what's the superintendent do and I said she comes in every day and drinks out of a fire hose and I think that's it. We have one issue after another issue after another issue and we need to sequentially

025put in place a plan that's going to carry us through [music] the next decade. uh and provide our students a great learning environment uh throughout that throughout that time period and everything we do should be geared toward that from my perspective anyway. Okay. Anything else? >> Okay, we'll move on to reports from administration >> as um Dr. Robinson come to the podium. I just I apologize Mr. um I'm sorry Bill I apologize for interrupting. I wanted to kind of update the new board um about has it been almost two years now, Mr. Robinson, when we started this conversation? >> Yes, ma'am. >> When we started looking at the um the credits needed for graduation um and we started doing a little bit of uh research um about where we are and where other districts are.

026So, um kudos to Dr. Robinson. he took uh the lead on this and so he's going to be presenting changes that he is recommending for the board because it is a policy change. Please note that we've already gone through the policy committee and there was no um anything from the policy committee that they felt needed to be changed. So I apologize Mr. Cleger. So, good evening um board president Clevenger, remaining board members, Superintendent Clark, your excellency, Secretary Bford. All right. So, tonight I'll talk about our uh proposed new graduation requirements. Um in just a few words, it's the dawn of a new day. When we look at the graduation requirements for districts that are nearby, we are pretty much lower than any other district outside of Champagne. Um, our requirement is 22 credits. Springfield is

02724. Bloomington is 23.5. Peoria is 24. Champagne is still at 22 and if you look at their data they're not performing much better than us. Actually in terms of graduation rates we are outperforming them. U Zion is at 24 credits and uh Maroa Foresight which is very close is at 28 credits. So, we're raising the bar. So, this is the proposal. Beginning with the class of 2028, those are the current sophomores at our high schools. A minimum of 24 credit hours will be required for graduation from DPS 61 high schools. I was informed uh when I arrived that this was a journey that we began embarking on in 2020. But the pandemic occurred. So we moved away from making this adjustment. But again, it's the dawn of a new day and we're raising the bar.

028Uh last time I stepped up to the podium, I talked about how we have moved our graduation rates by eight percentage points in the last two years and how we've moved from two commendable schools to three commendable schools and a host of schools that move from intensive to targeted and a few more that move from targeted to comprehensive. excuse me, from comprehensive to targeted. So, with this being a time where we're raising the bar, we also want to raise the bar for our high school students as they get ready for the workforce, the military or postsecary learning. Um, even one of our board members said last time we spoke that many of our students arrive on campus illprepared for collegiate work. So, we're raising the bar providing electives, CTE courses, engagement for our students so

029that they will be well equipped when they leave DPS61. So for the current juniors and seniors, there will be no impact based on this proposal. They will still be required to acquire 22 credits. But the current freshman and sophomores, they have time right now, and we know that that question will probably come up, so I'm answering it now. they have time to make up the credits that are necessary to meet the 24 credit requirement. So, beginning with the class of 2028, that's the current sophomores and classes beyond, we will require students to acquire 24 credits to graduate from DPS 61. There's a second piece to this. and that is student classifications classification levels. So effective immediately students who do not acquire the appropriate number of credits to be classified at the next classification level. They

030will be reclassified each year based on their credit attainment. Now freshmen on track doesn't change. They still have to have at least five credits and not be failing any any classes. They actually can fail one class, but we don't want them to fail a class because now we're raising the bar to 24. Sophomores have to have between five and 11 credits. Juniors have to have between 12 and 17 when in the past it was 12 11 [music] to to 16. Why? because you have to acquire the proper number of credits within the four-year time frame to meet the 24 credit requirement. So, a student won't be classified as a senior unless they have 18 credits. Let me put this in perspective. So, I've been speaking with the freshman classes, those students that are struggling to

031stay on track, and I made this statement to them. When I was a teacher, you couldn't enter my class unless you knew the password to get into my classroom. And the password was don't be classified as a dummy. So a student would walk up to me say, "Hey, Mr. Robinson." And I would say, "Hey, good morning. What's the password?" And they would say, "Don't be classified as a dummy." And I would let them in the classroom. So, I told all the freshman that are struggling to be on track that the password to become a sophomore is don't be classified as a secondyear freshman. So, it's clear to every student that we're raising the bar. And we must do this because we have a stigma and we have a problem with many of our students leaving

032DPS-61 illprepared for military the workforce or post-secary learning. So we're raising the bar. So there will be questions and we've tried our best to answer these questions in this presentation. So the first question that we expected to arise was why raise the credit requirements for graduation. So the requirements are comparable to our surrounding districts and it allows us to raise the bar for the students relative to preparation for college, military or the workforce. Want that to be crystal clear. What will this do to class sizes for freshmen? It's not going to change things for freshmen because we have already started the process of adding more electives. So students will have classes that will allow them to reach the seven and we won't have overloads in any of our classes. So we've done some proactive work

033by adding these electives over the last two years. I think we actually will total this year 13 different electives that we've added in a two-year period. Third question, what will this do for students access to sports? There's no change. The student must have a C average or above in order to participate in sports. How will this impact students needing credit recovery? Apex is available for students. We still have the 50 to 59 students that um have access to the components of the course that are necessary for them to pass the course. And then we still have full Apex courses um that are equivalent in difficulty to in-person learning and we have summer school. What about current seniors? Seniors are not impacted. They still have to have 22 credits. And this is the same for juniors.

034What classes will be offered to make up the two additional credits? I just told you and you can see this in our course guide that we've expanded the number of electives available to students and we've increased the number of career and technical education courses that students can be exposed to to satisfy this issue. Number seven, does this apply to special needs children? Special needs students can earn a regular diploma by meeting the same requirements of their non-special needs peers with modifications [music] outlined in their IEPs. And we also know that special needs students have two alternative means of leaving here prepared. They can receive a certificate of completion or civic certificate of attendance. So, we're raising the bar. It's the dawn of a new day. This is a process that started back in 2020 and

035uh we're reenacting it now so that every student that leaves DPS61. Every student that traverses the hallways of all 15 of our schools will leave here prepared for the military, the workforce, or postsecary learning. Are there any questions? Have you given any thought you know you you you t like Karen Dr. Lorentes mentioned about them being prepared for college. Do we have a way or have we given thought to doing any kind of testing on our on our graduates or before they graduate to say their reading competency is good, their math competency is good? Are are we going to be able to say to the trades people yes we're graduating people no eligible? >> Yeah absolutely. So we we already have the preac which allows us to capture those uh varied areas of learning reading

036math science and so forth and their preparation for college even at the nth grade level. So 9th through 11th grade students take the uh the preac and then 11th graders they take the actual ACT in the spring. This gives us a gauge of how prepared our our students are for those three areas that I just spoke of. And we are considering right now the introduction of preac at the eighth grade level to ensure that we give students the proper exposure in advance of high school so they will have the skill sets they need to demonstrate that they're prepared for college military or the workforce. So, how do you feel about the the change from SATs that we that's been made by the state? Are are we are we increasing the have we raised the bar

037there? >> That I don't have like a definitive answer on the the difference between the SAT and ACT because they pretty much measure similar things. Um but we do know that the state has prescribed the ACT as the measuring stick and that is what we are using. Our job at the department of teaching and learning is to ensure that our teachers are preparing our students in reading, math, science and all other areas that will prepare them for their post-secary challenges. >> This is the first year for ACT for us our baseline. >> This is our second year. Perfect. >> Any other questions? >> Yes, sir. >> Yeah, Dr. Robinson and Dr. Clark, you too. I mean, this is going to require us to to stretch. I mean, absolutely. >> You're going to be providing more

038opportunities for students if I understand correctly. Um, have we started engaging the troops on the ground and everybody? I'm sure you have. Start talk about those options that can be provided to students. >> Yes. So, we've been working with our principles, working with all of our external partners, H Heartland Tech Academy, um we already have uh the prep academy, all of those um um ex external pieces that are connected to our our schools, our principles, our teachers, they are receiving the tools that are necessary to ensure our students are prepared. >> How how uh is that I guess my question is how are the selections of the new credit hours? Where is that going to come from? Is that going to be >> It's in the electives. >> Okay. Okay. Yeah. So, the teachers are

039going to have to create electives or Okay. >> So, so every year we have a process of updating our course guide. >> Okay. >> Principles and teachers can provide uh teaching and learning with course requests like I just received some. Last year we had about seven classes is where I got the number of 13 and this year we had uh six additional uh courses. that allows us to expand the number of electives that are offered to students and therefore we won't have any overloads in uh our especially in our freshman classes. So yes, we're tackling that. >> So you are going to be massaging that that I mean that development's in >> Yes, we're Yeah, we we've been proactive and we're actually doing a lot of that work now. >> Could you go to the

040attainment slide for seniors, juniors, sophomores, and freshman real quick? Yeah, it's not doing >> I'm sorry. >> Oh, it's fine. >> Okay, Matt. Matt, can you do anything with this? >> Can you go back few slides? >> I just want >> Yeah, right there. Right there. Matt, >> I I want to make sure I understand this slide correctly. Um, so if a junior is in the junior class right now, okay, and they do not reach the level of credits required, they're not going to advance as a senior. They're going to be a junior now. >> Exactly. But we do have um a stop gap in place for them because we have our Apex courses where they can make up uh these credits. This has always been in place and this is has been um instrumental

041in us increasing our graduation rates. So we do have um a soft landing pad for our students that are struggling >> and and I'm glad we have that landing pad. But I want to commend you and Dr. Clark for uh it looks like we're drawing a line. You're creating fidelity and more integrity in earning a high school diploma. >> Accountability, too. >> And I think that is I Yeah, I I commend I wanted to commend you both for that. Thank you. >> Because I think that slide, if we stick to it, um can really make people rise because you're giving them a bar now. You have to do this. >> Absolutely. >> And I think >> where I come from, I only earn money if I go make it. >> We're not accepting no for

042an answer. >> Okay. >> Quick quick correction. I go ahead. >> Okay. I apologize. Our current juniors are already in that path for graduation. >> I just use that as an example. I'm sorry. Sophomores. Okay. I'm sorry, Dr. Clark. Yeah. I just was using it as an example. >> Juniors 22 credit, seniors 22. >> I got you. I got you. >> Um questions. >> I have two questions. Sure. Um the the first is do we have enough staffing to pull this off? >> Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, we do. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um and the second is now that we uh having this do we have remedial plans in place for kids who have just been kind of passed through the system? >> Yes. So so we do have MTSS processes. We also have the apex

043courses. We have tutoring. So those mechanisms that are necessary to help students uh get over this hurdle are already in place. >> MTSS. >> Yeah. Oh, I'm up. Multi-tiered systems of support. All right. So, basically, it's it's tutoring. Let's put it that way. All right. Some students need more support, others need less support, but um it it's tutoring at at the core 101. Um at the middle, it's small groupoup instruction and uh tier one is regular instruction. And I guess a followup to here, are we doing anything for like academic inter intervention early warning now that we're going to have this? >> Absolutely. So I've been working. >> Yeah. So with student services um two weeks prior to the end of the nine weeks if a student is struggling, the early warning system alerts parents

044so that they're involved. Uh there's engagement with uh with the students by counselors. Um and every quarter counselors are required to have meetings with uh with each individual student and students that are grouped by their areas of interest. Um they also have engagement with the counselors so that we are tracking those students and on a quarterly basis and I had this meeting with counselors last week. We look at every student in every cohort and those students that are identified as struggling like we talked about freshman on track. We determine what the plan is to support them individually, whether it's phone calls home, calling the student in, providing them with Apex access, all of those pieces that will allow that student to excel. >> So, it should not be a surprise to those parents. >> No,

045it's not a surprise. >> Excellent. >> And don't forget, I mean, if this um is approved tonight, we are going to be publicizing this all over. Like, no one will not know what the expectations are. Any other questions? >> Other questions. All right. Well, thank you all. >> Thank you. Thanks, Dr. Robinson. >> Mary Brady. Hello. Hello. Well, good evening, President Clevenger, Superintendent Clark, Melissa, the board members. Tonight, I am going to give a brief summary of the designation report um that we just received uh October 30th. Um this does align with the school report card. Some of the numbers are a little bit different than what we see in the school report card, but we'll kind of talk through some of that. So all of our schools receive a summitive designation report sorry a

046summitive designation every year exemplary commendable targeted comprehensive or intensive based on the um needs of support that each of those schools need. Right now we have several who are in commendable Right now we have several that are in um commendable and have moved into targeted status and we still have a couple that are in comprehensive and then a handful that are in intensive. Um but I do want to take a minute to really celebrate the successes that we've had. We've seen about a 20% uh performance increase from the 2023 24 school year to the 2024 2025 school year. And so that is really good um overall growth for the district as a whole. That translates into schools such as bomb moving from comprehensive to targeted. So they moved up one level. Um John's Hill moving

047from targeted to commendable which is where we want to be. Muffly I want to celebrate because they move from intensive which is the lowest level to targeted and Southshore moved from comprehensive to targeted. So we have some really great successes to be seen when they have targeted status. this there are subgroups that we need to focus on. One of the biggest subgroups that all the schools need to focus on is the children with disabilities subgroup and also our um black and African-American students. Um the rest of the schools that are comprehensive or intensive, all of the areas um are an area of focus. at the high schools. Eisenhower remains targeted with that focus on students, children with disabilities and uh MacArthur received a commendable status. Um again, this kind of recognizes some of those schools

048and what they've done. Bomb moving from comprehensive to targeted. John's Hill moving from targeted to commendable. Muffley moving from intensive to targeted. and South Shores from comprehensive to targeted. All of those schools, all of the schools have worked really hard, but these schools were able to really move that bar and go to the next level. Um, this kind of quantifies what some of that movement looked like, what some of that growth looked like. Um, I'm not going to quite read this slide quite like that, but Bomb had 55% growth, South Shores had 40% growth, Hope had 31% growth. And so those are all schools that showed 30% or more. And then in the corner there too highlighting Eisenhower with 74% growth which is absolutely tremendous. But there were other places that we saw growth too

049that needs to be acknowledged. Muffley had 22% growth. Franklin Grove had 18% and Stephven Decar had 15% growth. So we are really seeing those those big changes across the board. It is showing what we're doing academically and instructionally and what we are doing is working and we are moving that bar. We are closing those gaps and that's what we are expecting to see with ninth grade on track which is um one of the focuses for the high school. We saw um Eisenhower improved to 64% on track and um MacArthur was at 76% nth grade on track. The composite graduation rate. So this composite graduation rate looks a little bit different than the adjusted cohort graduation rate. I'm going to take just a minute to kind of explain um what the composite graduation rate is. It

050looks at students at the four, fifth, and sixth year completion in order to get that rate. Our adjusted cohort rate, [music] which is just those students who graduate in four years, um is a little bit different. I it's actually a little bit higher than what we have. So, we have 76% of our students with at Eisenhower with a composite graduation rate and then 81% at MacArthur High School. Um we are doing a lot of different things across the district in order to see these improvements. We have very strategic instructional supports that are happening um within the classrooms. It's embedded um and through our professional development along with our mentoring and our supports that we have for our new educators. We are really developing our school leaders at our principal and assistant principal level, but also

051developing teacher leaders within the bu um buildings in order to really see that leadership cultivation happen across the district. And we also are really focusing specifically on literacy framework um including bringing in Orton Gillingham in order to move from a balanced literacy to a structured literacy approach which would be um that science of reading. And then we are also really working on enhancing what our human capital looks like. And that really comes from hiring domestic teachers, but also the the hiring of our international exchange program. So our students are getting a full well-rounded approach and having different cultural experiences um every day within their classrooms. flat. Once we have those certified staff members that really understand pedigogy and pedagogical practices, we are hoping to even see greater improvements over time. And then we are always

052focusing on the social emotional well-being and mental health of our students. We're doing that through our partnership with cartwheel as well as our SEAL curriculum through seven mindsets. [snorts] And as we look forward to what we're going to be doing um in the future, we're going to continue to kind of capitalize on all of those strengths and what we already have in place. Um again, making sure that those schools that are intensive and comprehensive are getting added support, whereas those schools that are making successes, we are sharing what those successes are with the other principles so that they can implement those strategies within the classroom. um really focusing on instructional coaching and leadership capacity building and having the structured literacy components to really improve um literacy and then making sure that we're meeting our students

053all the way around and really focusing on their mental health and their social emotional needs. But we don't want to not acknowledge all the hard work of all of our teachers and our leaders because without our teachers making this happen, we're not here being able to celebrate those successes. That is what I have. Are there any questions? I know I talked pretty fast and that was a lot, but >> you did. >> I'm trying to read the room. >> No, it's really good to see that there are so many like places where schools are going up and and so that's that's really good to see. Um it's also good to see that we're looking closely at what's working at some of those schools like Muffley and South Shores and seeing like how can we do

054that at other schools. So it seems like our teachers are working really hard. Um but that also they're getting the support that they need which is really important. They are. And I really think that having our teaching and learning strategists in the buildings in either one or two buildings has made a big difference because we have people who are in to be able to support teachers and leaders and provide that instructional support, but also some of that just kind of understanding that organizational support and helping focus what professional development looks like in the building so it can be customized to those buildings is really important. We also provided this for the board and it's just a snippet from Tony Sanders. He released this um information is much longer but um it's so that you can

055understand um the changes of the cut scores. >> That's that was my question. >> Yes. >> And probably maybe we need to have a session at some point in time on that very [music] issue. But there seems to be a very, if you just do a quick Google, there seems to be very mixed reviews on the new methodology for measurement. >> There is a little bit and I had the cut scores in here earlier and we decided that kind of got a little bit complicated to get into um for this um and we can have a further conversation about it. I will say um in talking to some other schools, some other schools saw decreases where we saw increases. So, we were able to benefit from those adjustments in the cut scores whereas some other

056districts who maybe had found success previously aren't finding as much success and so we are still doing we are still moving in that right direction despite the changes in the cut scores. So yeah, >> I think it's also because of the hard work that TNL is doing in our staff because for the last three years, we've been seeing scores go up. >> So I anticipated that this year [music] as well. >> Yeah. No, it was really exciting to see so many of our schools coming out of that comp commit h comprehensive rating into targeted. That's a really big success for us. So >> So these ACT scores that we have on here, that's the first year that we've had them. Is that correct? >> That is correct. But the ACT scores >> look a little

057bit different on where those scores come from as part of what I was presenting with this because we're looking at the proficiency levels and growth, not necessarily what the actual scores are on the reports to make this h make. >> So, did you interpret these ACT scores as good, not good, >> an improvement? Is there any way to tell? I haven't because that was the first year we had them. So, there's nothing to compare them to because last year was the first year with the ACT. >> Okay. >> I'm going to say we can do a little better. But I was proud because even when they were doing their their pre-EST leading up, they were still going up in score. So, and I believe now that we know what to look for, we'll be a

058better prepared because once again, we still should be looking at some of the same information that's being presented. Um, like Dr. Robinson said, is basically when are you going to start introducing all of these things? So, looking at going down as low as 8th grade, the more you see information, the better you retain it. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, >> Dr. Curry. >> Very hard to follow those two with the tax levy, but here we go. Uh, I'm going to start for the record, the first 15 slides you're about to see are Mr. Hail's fault. Um, he asked me to meet with him and discuss the tax levy. I had told him that I had been teaching a class for Western on school finance and I could share a PowerPoint with

059him. I did. We had a robust conversation over breakfast one day and he thought I should share it with you. So, um, it is very informative, but it is also Mr. Hail's fault. Thank you, Mr. Hail. So, um, understanding how the tax levy works is important. It's based on statute, um, and for some districts, not us, limitation law. Um, the tax levby is a school district's annual legal request for property tax revenue. It provides the largest single source of local funding, not all funding, local funding for most Illinois schools. The levy determines the amount to be extended by the county clerk based on our equalized assess value which is EAV which you'll hear a lot tonight and it's adopted annually by the board of education and filed by the last Tuesday in December depending on

060holidays. So for this one I'm use my glasses. So here are some key terminology. The levy the levy is the amount of the property tax revenue the district requests. So the levy is the ask. Um the EAV is the assessed value of all the property uh in the district's boundaries. One-third market value adjusted by a state multiplier. Almost always a multiplier is zero. So whatever the assessor sets is what it is. Two or three years ago, I've slept since then. Woke up one February to a 1.009% 009% state multiplier that increased our EAV unbeknownst to us when we did this in December, but that that doesn't happen very often. Then you get the tax rate. The tax rate is your levy, which is your ask against your um EAV. So, real simple, if you had

061a $45 million ask and a billion dollar EAV, you'd have a $4.50 tax rate. For us last year, our EAV was 895 million and change and our ask was 42 uh,910,000 and that came out to $4.78. The extension is the amount of money that you get from the uh or are anticipating getting from the county and the collection is what the taxpayers pay and that's what they use to pay us. So, some [clears throat] key dates. November boards review estimated levy. We'll also put this up on the web page. It'll be available for 30 days. This is tenative. There's plenty of time to change. Um December, the board will adopt the final levy and we will file it from my office with the county clerk. Uh spring and summer, the county extends the rates and

062issues of tax bills. We get some of our tax money early. most of it comes um May, June and then again in July and September. So we estimate our revenue needed by fund. We publish a truth and taxation hearing if so if it's needed, which I'll talk about on the next page. The board adopts the resolution and certificate of tax levy. That'll be next month. We'll send it to the county clerk and uh we'll move forward from that. Truth and taxation. For the last two years, the district's done truth and taxation. Um, some districts have been doing truth and taxation for 25 years because it's super easy. You just say you're going to increase taxes by 20%. You're never going to increase by 20%. You only get what you ask, right? And so when some

063districts balloon levy is what it's called, they over ask on purpose to make sure that they don't make any errors where they leave money on the table based on poor information from their county assessor. Um, we have done it for the last two years. Last year specifically, because we weren't sure about the tiff, right? And our EAV has been increasing in the 8% range every year. So, a if if your levy is increased by 105% or I just say 5% over last year, it's prudent to publish a truth in taxation. If you want to capture all the avail all the available revenue, districts must publish a notice in a local paper not more than 14 and not less than 7 days before the hearing. A public hearing must be held before the adoption of a

064levy. We did that the last two years right before the regular board meeting. Board must approve the levy by roll call, whether it be truth and taxation or not. And by putting a truth in taxation out there, it promotes transparency and community engagement, doesn't it? All right. So, understanding how the tax rate and EAV operate together. So, EAV and the tax rate um equals the tax extension. The EAV is determined by the county assessor we talked about. Um if the EAV changes, the rate automatically adjusts to produce a levy amount. So, if I were to ask for I'm just making numbers up, 50 million uh against a certain EAV and the EAV went down and the the statutory limits that I have add up to more than what I'm supposed to get. Um, with the

065low EAV, I only get what the county gives me based on. So, $257 is our ED fund tax rate. There may be a time where we only get $2.51 because the EAV drops so significantly. We haven't seen that here for some time. Mr. Clevener was here uh in the past um uh working through the park district seeing EAV go up and down. We're on a steady rise at the moment. Um so the example I have there, if the levy is 20 million and the EAV is 500 million, the tax rate is $4. If the EAV were to drop, the tax rate would become $44 and you will receive less in the limited funds. Uh if the EAV goes up 505,000 and you only ask for the original 20 million, that's all you're going to get

066when you would have been you probably likely to be able to get 21 million. Does that make sense? Because you didn't ask for it. You only get what you asked for and or what you're allowed. and you're allowed by what you your statutory numbers are, which we've talked about before. So, nonPTEL districts, that's us, we're not subject to CPI based tax caps. We may increase the levy based on EAV. We can capture all new property and inflation growth automatically, but we still must comply with the truth in taxation if increase exceeds 5%. So, Mon County is a current county without tax caps. So, what funds are in the levy? You guys, some of you know this already. Operating funds, education, on andm, transportation, IMRF, social security, working cash, and tort. Um, debt service uh is

067levied separately, and that's why you'll when I show you an example, it won't be on the levy, but you still have to pay the bill. Um, each fund has its own rate, which we've talked about, and the district may shift rates between funds with legal authority, and we don't have it, so we're not be shifting rates. The county clerk plays a role in the process. Uh it's really hard to figure out where to start here. Uh but they provide the first tax rate report to the districts after extension is probably where we end. Verifies levy uh certification and compares final extensions. Applies tax rates to the EAV. Ensures compliance. Provides final tax rate report and then applies the limiting rate. So once they determine the EAV and we give them our levy, they do the

068math, but the EAV changes. Two, three, about a month and a half ago, it was $2 million higher than it is today in the estimate. So it's constantly changing. So what are the best practices when it comes to creating a tax levy? Um, and what are some of the common challenges? One is estimating growth. Um, so you're going to have to make a decision in December and a final number will not come out until February. I'm going to have to put a number in front of you in December. That's the best guess on that day. As I watch every Friday a new number come our direction. Um, timing. If you decide to do a truth and taxation hearing, you pretty much have to decide tonight because you have to put it in the paper 14

069days before and no uh no uh no more than 14 days before and no less than seven days before uh the next board meeting. Um and then best practices include uh maintaining a levy calendar, which we have in the office, and communicating with your county clerk. I'm going to just take a second because it's really easy to run over your county assessor uh in places I've been in before, but here in Mon County, we get a snapshot. Every single taxing body gets a snapshot every Friday starting midepptember all the way until um February. So, it's um it's uh refreshing instead of trying to guess or calling your county assessor, I just add three and a half%. This is a true number that that we feel like I believe everybody in Mon County feels like they

070can they can use to their benefit as far as creating the tax levy. Here is a version of that snapshot. Okay. Doesn't have all the graphics on it. Go ahead. >> Or sorry, Will. >> So our total EAV right now is 8887 million. So if you look at the this I'm going to show you these next two slides. If you look at the top left corner on December 13, 2024 when we did the levy, we our most our our best guess was 887 million. We also were worried about the tiff, so we bumped it up. But the ironic part is in December it came in at 893 million. So that's a $5 million and change increase. The math on that, if we hadn't tried to capture it, which we did, would have left the district

071$312,000 on the table that we didn't we didn't leave on the table because we ballooned a little bit. So, does that answer the question there? Because this this that's old stuff. This is what a tax levy looks like. This is what we create and take to the county clerk. The county clerk puts in the amount we owe for our bonds. We know it. When I build your tax levy for you, it includes the bond rate, but the tax levy that I give to the county does not include the tax rate. So, this is an example of an actual levy. It's an ask in money, not percentages or tax rates. Right? You're actually asking for dollars, right? Once you ask, whatever that total is, that's the most you're going to get. Okay? If the EV goes

072up, you don't get any additional money. If the EAV goes down and you overasked, you're not going to get that either. your tax rates set your amount that you get. So, you would get less if the AB were to drop. Okay, this is a powerful slide that Mr. Clevener um references now and again. Um the city or the county, somebody had this on their website a couple years ago. It might still be there today. I don't know. Um but it just kind of shows you at this particular time sometime in the last two or three years where the count where the property tax dollars go, right? And yes, we are 49%. That's not new. It's not it's not it's not specific to just Decater. It's pretty typical across all school districts. All right. Any questions

073before I get into the actual tax levy on the process? Mr. Hail's an expert. Does anybody else have a question about the process? >> So, the amount of county taxes uh the amount of taxes from prop property taxes that uh we receive are only about what a third of what our total operating budget is. >> Oh, um not well Esser skews things, but let's say we were to get 42 million. I think we have and I didn't expect that question. I apologize, but I think we're anticipating about a $150 million budget of expenses. >> 147. I'd have to go back. So, but yes. So, it's not even half. It's We are We [music] are in the lowest tier of adequately locally funded districts in the state. Right. We've talked about this before. We're a tier

074one school. We are propped up, supported by evidence-based funding. We are a poster child for the benefit of evidence-based funding. We get about $62 million from the state. Any other questions about the process? >> Million budgets actually includes bonds and >> all every expense every expense out the door. And the bonds are 4.7 million for for um the taxpayerbacked bonds and about 4.2 million for our alt revenue bonds which we get we pay with the sales tax. Good question. All right. Any other questions before we get into the four options I'm going to give to you tonight? Okay. So, in conversations um with different board members, there's different uh different ideas. So, I'm presenting four. I always present three or four. This time I did four. Um prior to that, we have to share with

075the public our June 30 cash investments and balances. This is your treasurer's report. You've seen it before, but I have to share it tonight. Um that's what we look like June 30th. Um when it comes to all of our cash and investments, our fund balance looks quite different. slightly different, but the fund balances do not include obligations. So on the previous slide, things that we owed were still in there because we haven't paid it yet. So that's our cash and our investments. This these numbers here capture what it would be like if we'd paid all those bills, right? Or when we pay all those bills. So that's a pretty much available money for lack of a better word as of June 30. Mr. Mr. Wessle, you want to you okay for me to go? I

076noticed you're studying it. Do you want me to wait? >> I just couldn't read the paper. >> Oh, did you not get a copy? >> No, I did. I just can't read it. >> You didn't get a full page copy. I had little. >> Okay. I've got a full page for the next couple things for us. >> Microscopic. >> Yes. Okay. >> All right. So, I don't know why the highlight on my page didn't show up in the PowerPoint because it did when we look through it. And Melissa or Maria does a great job beautifying my PowerPoints. But if you look at Decar public schools currently as of Friday, last Friday, we were at 970 million, which is down from 972 million in anticipated EAV a month ago. But still, that's 8.4% over last year's

077EAV. So to capture it all, you're going to have to do a truth in taxation. That's for you to decide tonight. Um couple of the things residential is up 8 and a half% from last year and in industry the industrial line uh which would be the one two three fourth one over is up 19% from last year. So any questions on that? The next two slides are going to look really familiar to Mr. Reynolds, uh Miss Tyus and Mr. Mills, if you're still in the back, cuz they sat through a presentation um that we had at our finance committee meeting a month or two ago, talks about where Decar is. And this is 2023 data. So, uh it's it's out there. You can you can Google it. You can search it. Um and it puts

078us right there. We are number 20 out of the 44 school districts that you see up there. As far as tax rate, the highest tax rate, mine's really tiny as well, is $5.71. And the lowest is $3.60. And we're right up there. Uh well, actually not up there. We're right in the middle as you can see. But that's not as telling as the next slide. So when you look at large Luda districts with $700 million of EAV, Urbana, Springfield, Rock Island, Normal, Poria, Bloomington, Champagne, Molen, Decar, Ball, Cadam 2023 numbers. um we fall to 9 out of 10. So our tax rate of 481 two years ago, last year 478 um is nine out of 10. Um and here's the part that I think really hit home to the board members who were at that

079meeting. Ball Chadam has an tax rate of $4.52, but they bring in $2 million more dollars against that higher EAV. That's how the tax rate works. The higher the EAV, the lower the tax rate, but the median home in Chadam is going to be higher than the medium home here. So, they're still going to have a hefty tax bill, but it's at a different tax rate. So there's so many moving parts I wanted the district or the board to understand. So um the tax rate con for a $150,000 house at that $4.52 uh which is the median for Decatur selling rate over the last 6 months according to Redf Fin and Zillow is would be a $2,400 tax bill. the $452 against a $250,000 median house for sale uh sold um in the other district

080would be $3,766. So, it's not always about just the tax levy. Um all right, so I'm going to pass these out or ask Melissa to send them around if you could. They're full size. These are your four options. And and again, this is tentative. The only thing you have to decide tonight is if you're going to do a truth in taxation. Uh >> if you do a truth in taxation, does that obligate you to any percentage? >> No, I could do I could do six. I could do >> No, what I'm saying is if we if we go up to the eight point something that >> we could vote on a 4% if we wanted to. >> You could. Okay. If you don't do the truth in taxation, you can't do one. If you know

081what you can't change your mind at the meeting in December, right? That's the difference. All right. So, here we go. The first one should say full levy. The full levy based on what I know today, hence the asterk. Um, this levy includes the same total dollar amount asked last year for the three funds in the green. Okay, the three funds in the green. We've been robbing Peter to pay Paul for many many years. One year we'll do a lot in social security and IRF and very little in tort and then we just keep rotating it. TOR with security costs and the cost of uh of other things. Our our property casualty went up. Um it it's the one that needs boosted again this year, but that's the same dollar amount we asked for last year.

082Okay, we costs have gone up, but we're still trying to stay with that same ask because for probably five years, we asked for about $250,000 less. Last year, we we I convinced the board that we needed to at least find a way to gain a little ground in those in those um funds. Any questions on this one? So looking at it, you'll see that there is a 6% increase. 6.7. Mine's tiny now, too. 6.7% increase. And that would require a truth in taxation. And if you look up in the top in the top blue box, it's a $970 million EAB, which could go down, right? We've seen we've seen it decrease here over the last month. It could go down. >> Right now it's at 839. No, right now it's at 970. The EAV. >>

083Oh, yeah. 970. >> Okay. >> Million. Yeah. >> But the increase is 839. Is that what you asked about the percentage? >> That's that's where we >> That's the percentage. Yeah. Okay. That's full levy. Next one is an offset full levy. Again, we're asking for what we can ask for versus the EAV, but the obligation for the bonds for the taxpayer went up about $130,000, $140 almost. I pulled that out of the tort fund. So, it's a wash. Same dollar amount, but you're taking a little bit of that pressure off the taxpayer. Does that make sense? Make sense? Okay. The next one, sorry. Okay. I think I heard somebody tell me in my slide. Sorry guys. U the next one is a sub5% levy. So this is a levy that will not trigger a truth

084and taxation hearing. But in this particular scenario, the tax rate goes up to $4.72. So if we were to go backwards, hope this works. If not, Matt, I'm going to call you into Okay, if you look down at the bottom of the full levy, tax rate's $4.70. The offset levy, $468. Bottom right. Again, all guesstimates because we don't know what the AB is going to do. With a sub 5% levy and no change to the unlimited funds, you're still always going to get your unlimited funds first, regardless of what you ask for. So, that's going to cause the tax rate to go to $4.72. Mr. Wetzel, do you have do you have a question or just the perplexed look of everybody? >> I guess I guess could you explain that in a different way so

085I can better understand? >> Yeah, let me go back to him. So here you're asking for sorry you're asking for 45,644 against a $970 million EAV. The math comes out to $4.70. >> Okay. You're asking um for 44,962 by taking a little bit of that new money off of the taxpayer for the bond. That comes to four. Oh, I skipped one. That one's going to be $4.68 on the offset levy. And then the sub 5% levy, you're still asking for the same amount of unlimited funds. So, you're definitely going to get that regardless of what the EAV is. And so, that's going to drive the tax rate up to $4.72. The only way to combat that is to change your ask on the next page and again continue to rob Peter to pay Paul um

086and ask for less in your tort fund. So you're asking for less money to ensure that the tax rate stays down. Now all the tax rates I've shown you tonight are lower than last year. Each one of them are lower than last year but you will be in this particular scenario there'll be 350,000 less dollars in the tort fund or I could ask for the the full amount in tort and reduce the education fund by 350,000 or the buildings and grounds fund by 350,000. So the last slide just shows you the differences. The recent tax rates in 23 it was $4.81. In 24 was $4.78. Um if you do a full levy with today's numbers you're at $4.70. If you do the offset levy, you're slightly under that. If you do an actual five, it's

087actually a 4.99% levy, you can get a $4.72cent tax rate, still lower than last year, or you can um ask for less money and get a $469 tax rate. Few other things, every penny off the tax rate is $97,000 less than we would get as a district. Every penny off the tax rate on a $300,000 house, for example, saves the taxpayer $9.40. $150,000 house saves the taxpayer $4.40. And a $100,000 house minus uh is going to save you the taxpayer $2.70. If you were to do a CPI request, like a pel district, that would leave $2.5 million on the table because that's about a 2.8% increase. And then the other thing hanging out there that eventually needs addressed is the health life safe bond. Health life safety bonding which is not at all included in

088this. And that's my presentation questions. >> Refresh my memory. What was last year's EA? >> 890. I'm I'm ballparking. Oh no, I have it. 895 million. I don't want to misspeve been known to 895 million and change but I'll find it while I'm looking. Any other questions concerns? So this EAV of 839333 that is from 20. >> That's way back. Yeah. Last year was 895. Yep. >> Excuse me. >> I'm sorry. 895. >> Mhm. >> Okay. >> I just got to find it. It's in here somewhere. Any other questions while I'm looking? >> No. Um, >> so I think the balancing act is really what we're we're talking about here is about rate. And if I were sitting in your spot, I'd be talking about rate all day as well. >> The reality of it

089is we just increased our the assessed valuation of this community of a significant amount of money. >> We did not, but yes, >> right, >> we as a collective taxing body have control over at the end of the day >> what we levy >> on the greater Decar community. And I think as a whole, we as a community, and I'm talking about the city, the park district, the school district, everybody, uh we can't continue to assess our way to prosperity. And I think at this point in time, [music] that's a little bit about what we're what we're doing is the assessment keeps going up. We keep collecting more. Population is going down. Student count is going down. Yet the tax bill for a tax who pays those taxes and you it's $2 per month or

090$2 for for that that example there is just your your that's your total. >> Sorry. >> Yeah. So that's what a penny off of the current EAV would cost your house would would save you or cost you either way you can add it up >> and depending on what the value of your house is. >> Yeah, those are the three options. So >> I think right now cost of living is >> 3% >> 2.8 >> producer producer price index is about 2.6% right now. So, as we look at those numbers, I the only thing I would do is urge everybody to think through this as we move forward. [music] And I think there's some decisions facing not only Decar public schools, but Decar governmental [music] agencies as a whole and where we're going to go

091as we try to grow our community back. Where are we going to go with tax policy as a as a general statement for our whole community? And with the EAV, sure, you can do the same tax rate and you're going to grow your budget significantly. You can also we could look at the actual budgeted amount that Mike talks about and we could say we're going to raise that budgeted amount three 3% 4% 5% 6% 8% whatever that number is we could do that. So there are various ways to consider what we're going to do as a governmental unit as we move forward. So I I think everybody in their own way will think through it and I hope we have a good robust conversation about it when we come back. LA last year the board

092had discussed I know that we have a different board about doing uh setting best practice as having a truth and taxation hearing every year and I would still support that if other board members would. >> I would support that as well. Um, I will tell you that I I will be a no vote on the full max that we can get. If I may, whatever y'all decide, but if you're going to when the time comes during action, if you're going to do a truth in taxation, you need to pick one of the first two options and then we adjust it as we go. And we maybe don't do a truth in taxation, but that gives us the opportunity to do a truth in taxation. If you choose tonight not to, you can't later. That's all

093I'm saying. >> How's everybody else feel? So, we have Will and Bill are agreeable to truth and taxation hearing. >> You're for what you say? What are you What are you for, Mr. J? >> I am on board with the truth of taxation. >> Okay. >> I am too. >> Okay. And I'll have much better numbers because I'll have a month of time getting estimates. All right. Thank you. >> Could you give me just one other piece of information? We're talking about the debt and the life safety bonds. >> Correct. >> Our debt pretty significant as as I look at it. There's 852 districts in Illinois. >> We're number 21 in debt. >> We still But to to play the devil's advocate, there's a lot of room left for our statutory maximum debt. So, we

094are not over in debt. We just have a lot of debt. But there's I believe and and the expert in the back of the room, u Heather can answer, but I believe there's about $60 million of room left in there of debt capacity. As a as a percentage of our debt though, what are we? >> Asked the question, do you how much of our how much of are you asking me how much of our expenses? >> And aren't we backloaded on these previous bonds? So, those payments are going to be >> Yeah, we've got we're we're we're bonded out till 2045. And they climb they don't climb significantly, but they climb steadily. Uh our our alt revenue bonds are pretty much set same price every year. Uh there's there's increases along the way um in

095our general obligation bonds. >> So we just help me understand. So we backend loaded a lot of our debt. So it's going to come toward the end of the cycle. >> No, not so much as we we've off we started paying more on some bonds a long time ago, less on the bonds that are still left. those first bonds fell off, then the price the the amount kind of stayed the same or increased a little bit as the next bond that went I'm making these numbers up because I don't have it in front of me went from a million dollar payment to a $4 million payment because a $3 million bond ended. So, yeah, but we are bonded out till 2045. I need to clarify one thing. Uh, this just popped into my mind. We're

096talking about the next meeting is December 9th for truth and taxation. Is that >> 16th >> 13th. >> 16th. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yep. >> Okay. Got my dates wrong. >> Any other questions? >> Okay. Thank you. >> That will end our reports from administration. >> Okay. We'll move on to our consent calendar. Good recommendation for the consent calendar. >> Anybody want to pull anything from the consent? I was just moving on through. >> Item D. Okay. That to an action item. Dr. Clark, >> I recommend the board of education approve the consent items as presented, which includes A minutes open close session meeting October 28, 2025, B freedom of information report, and C bill bills. >> So move second. >> Discussion Miss Brad. >> Mrs. Ty, Mrs. Tyus, [clears throat] >> hi

097>> Mr. Wzel. >> Hi, >> Mr. Joiner. >> Hi, >> Mr. Cleger. Hi, >> Dr. Lorenson. >> Hi, >> Mr. Reynolds. Hi, >> and Mr. Hail. >> I >> seven I zero nay. Motion carried. >> Okay, we'll go ahead and go through this and I'll tack on item D out of consent as the last item on our roll call items. We have a recommendation on student 2526-00002 expulsion case. >> Yes. I recommend the board of education authorize the issuance of a decision in the expulsion case for student number 2526-00002 consistent with the findings from the hearing officer's report and that student number 2526-00002 be expelled from the Decar public school district. all events, property, and activities of the district for the remainder of the 2526 school year with a stay for alternative education. Student number

0982526-00002 can return to their home school the first day of the 2627 school year, which is Wednesday, August 12th, 207 26, I'm sorry, 26. Okay. Do I have a motion? >> So move. >> Second. >> Discussion. Miss Bradford. >> Mr. Reynolds. >> Hi. >> Mr. Hail. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Tyus. >> Hi. >> Mr. Wetszel. >> Hi. >> Mr. Cleger. >> Hi. >> Mr. J. Joiner. >> Hi. >> And Dr. Laorenson. >> Hi. >> 7 I zero. Nay. Motion carried. >> We have a recommendation for the consideration and action on the possible suspension and/or dismissal of a school security employee. >> Yes. I recommend the board of education approve the dismissal termination of Anita Curry, school security officer, effective Wednesday, November 12th, 2025 as presented. >> Motion >> second >> discussion. >> Miss Bradford, >>

099Mr. Hail, >> hi. >> Mr. Cleger, hi >> Mr. Wetzel. >> Hi, >> Mrs. Tyus. >> Hi, >> Dr. Laorenson. >> Hi, >> Mr. Reynolds. Hi, >> and Mr. Joiner. I >> 7 I zero. Motion carried. Do we have a recommendation for the personnel action items? >> Yes. I recommend the board of education approve the personnel action items listed in the memo from Monica Wils, director of human resources and the human resources department as presented. >> So motion >> second >> discussion. >> Miss Bradford >> Mr. Joiner. >> I >> Mr. Clevenger. Hi >> Mrs. Tyus. Hi >> Dr. Laoren. >> Hi >> Mr. Hail. >> Hi >> Mr. Reynolds. Hi >> and Mr. Wessel. >> Hi. Seven I zero nay. Motion carried. >> We have a recommendation for the tenative estimated tax levy 20

1002025 paid in 2026. >> Yes. I recommend the board approve the tenative estimated tax levy 2025 paid in 2026 as presented. Please note the final tax levy 2025 paid in 2026 will be recommended for approval during the December 16th, 2025 board of education meeting. >> So move. >> Any discussion? >> Sorry, who second it? >> Miss Bradford. >> Mr. Wetzel. >> Hi. >> Mr. Hail. >> Hi. >> Mr. Reynolds. >> Hi. >> Dr. Laoren. Wait, wait. >> You didn't select one. So, which one have you selected? >> That was That's why I gave you four options. >> It sounds to me if I sounds to me like you're interested in doing the truth and taxation as an ongoing practice. >> So, if you could select option A or B, that's not what we're going to

101end up doing because the numbers are going to change. But if you don't select those, you don't do a truth in taxation. So could amend the motion to select option A or B? >> I'll make a motion to amend to select option A at this point. Go back. >> Is that a second? >> So move. >> Is that a full? >> Yes, >> that's a >> we're just this is just to move it to taxation. >> We can discuss it at a later point. >> Right. >> Mr. Bradford, >> Mr. Joiner >> I >> Mrs. Tyus >> Hi >> Mr. Clevener >> hi >> Dr. Laoren >> hi >> Mr. Reynolds >> hi >> Mr. Hail >> hi >> and Mr. Wetzel. >> Hi. >> 7 I 08. Motion carried. >> Okay. Do we have

102a recommendation for the Mon Payatt Special Education FY25 annual audit? [music] >> Yes. I recommend the board approve the Mon Pest Special Education District FY25 annual audit as presented. After the motion and second, Heather Powell, auditor with Forbis Maers Mazars will present information on the Mon Pyth Special Education District FY25 audit and the Decar Public School District 61 FY25 audit. Please note each item will be voted on separately. >> So move second. >> Okay. Discussion Heather. >> Okay. Thank you so much. >> All right. I'm just going to give some highlights, but I thought quick before you want me to cover that real quick. Sure. Um just wanted to talk um page 37 is where that debt service schedule is. Mr. Clevener, if you're interested in that, um principal and interest payments. Um you show

103five-year increments and then five fiveyear chunks I guess after that. they are around 9 million each yearish if I have at the ballpark through 2045. So um the last five years they go down a little bit. So I wouldn't say there is a huge jump necessarily in payments um because the the 2031 to 2035 and 2036 to 2040 are around 46 million. So maybe just a smidge over, you know, the 9 million there. Um, but nothing I would say largely jumping. So I just thought I'd point that out if you wanted to to look at that further. And then the other thing I think that was mentioned was the legal debt margin. Um, it was at June 30, 2025 was 66 million was what was what considered left that you all could borrow on. So,

104those were just a couple things that I wasn't necessarily going to talk about, but I thought I would just jump in there. So, um just to run through the highlights, kind of summarize, um the audits for you at this point, we have issued unmodified or clean opinions on the modified cash basis, um which is what all of you you all report on, similar to what we've reported in the past. There was a new um accounting standard that was required to be adopted this year, but since you are on the modified cash basis, it didn't have an impact. So, uh nothing for us to report there. There will be a new one next year. I don't know if any of you read what's called the management discussion analysis in the front. That might change. That new

105standard is going to affect that next year. So, that might change the way that reads a little bit in the future. So, just give you a heads up there. We also issue what we call the annual financial report, which is what's required from the Illinois State Board of Education to be filed. Um, we'll be filing those tomorrow after they get approved here tonight. Um, but that's also gives you kind of a a score, I guess you will. Um, the annual financial report does, and you went from a review up to recognition, which is actually what you were in 2023. So, back to those levels. Um the main contributor to that was the expenditure to revenue ratio went um from a three back to a four. So you actually improved in that category this year. The

106one report that we typically issue that we have not issued yet this year and you are not alone. Um anyone that receives federal funds has not received their federal audit. The Office of Management Bud budget puts out the um I guess what you call testing requirements for all auditors to follow when they audit federal funds and even prior to the government shutdown that was delayed. It usually comes out in May or June each year and it's still not available. So we have a draft that we've worked off of. So hopefully once it is finally published um we could move through that fairly quickly and get that audit released. Just to give you a I guess a an idea of of timing. I do think they'll extend the deadline, but the deadline isn't until 9 months

107after your year end anyway. So it wasn't even due until March 31st, 2026, but I'm sure they will extend it since it's gone on this long for everyone. And again, like I said, anyone in the United States with federal funds has not issued their report. So you all are not alone. It's nothing that the district has done or we've done or it's just we're at the mercy of the government and obviously they're in a shutdown and even when they come back we've heard it's not necessarily their top priority. So we will keep you informed um of where that stands but we will get that issued as soon as we are able to. As far as the regular financial statements um they should look pretty similar to last year. No, no new footnotes or anything uh

108really that we added this year. Um just a couple of highlights of things to mention. There were a couple of funds with expenses over budget, the ED fund and the tort fund, but no negative fund balances. And then if you look at the overall um statement of financial position, um you had a positive change in that position of about 24 million this year. And then I talked already about the legal debt margin, but it was 66 million based on the increase in the EAV that you all just had a lengthy discussion on and uh continue to pay down of your debt that you do have your existing debt. Any questions on that before I go through just our kind of required communications? >> We paid down 3.8 million in bond debt. Do you ever look

109at our bonds and and have an opinion about whether certain ones should be paid off to to enhance our position or to help our cash flow or anything like along those lines? >> We don't as part of the audit. That's not necessarily that's probably more of a management decision which we have to be careful not to make as part of the external audit. Um so we don't typically look at that from that standpoint. >> Okay. And on page six I it says government activities general revenue accounted for 123 million in revenue or 71% of all revenues. Does that the governmental activities does that include our real estate taxes that we get? >> Yeah, that's basically everything >> everything. >> Yeah. Governmental activities is the general revenue. So, it splits it into um if you look

110at might be easier to to follow. If you look at um yes, I guess the short answer is yes, it does include that. What what it doesn't include is kind of like charges for services and then certain operating grants. So, but it the the governmental activities general revenue would include your >> think the finan isn't wouldn't the financial advisor be the person that Mark is interested in >> talking about possibly refinancing or whatever. >> Right. Refinancing right now is >> okay >> something we can talk about. It's not the market's not conducive to that at the moment, but I think we need a few in our >> Okay. Then just to kind of run through our required communications. Um there were no significant unusual transactions. Um no alternative accounting treatments, no significant estimates. We didn't

111have any difficulties in performing the audit. Um nothing we would need to report to you there. Um we did not make any adjustments that we came up with. Um, some are made with the audit, but those are usually made by the district and provided to us. And then we just have one immaterial, what we call past adjustment, which we don't make. Um, and you're not required to make because it is immaterial, but that's outlined in the back of that report if you wanted to see it. It's consistent with what we've had in the past related to internal labor costs. And then there were no new management letter comments. We just have the one segregation of duties comment that is not a significant deficiency or a material weakness. Um, and we've had it for several years.

112So, no changes in that. Um, certainly happy to answer any questions. I know I kind of went through that quickly, but >> one more thing here on corporate personal property replacement taxes. If ADM or Amaran or Primient had a major downgrade in value on their properties and stuff, could that adversely affect us? It's it's profit based. It's not >> meaning the the DAV is on their property. The the corporate replacement tax is based on profits. >> Oh, >> that's separate from tax levy that you all were talking about. >> Um there was a note about segregation uh concern about segregation of duties. Um >> it's the same one we've had. >> Same one that we've had. I think you just sometimes, you know, you look at the cost benefit and with the, you know, limited

113number of people you have in the accounting area. Um, that doesn't mean there's not compensating controls in place, >> you know, so something might be caught after the fact. It's just you don't have maybe enough bodies to actually physically segregate all of that stuff initially. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Question. >> Thank you, >> All right. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Okay. Miss Bradford, >> Mr. Clevenger. Hi, >> Dr. Laorenson. Hi, >> Mr. Wetszel. Hi, >> Mr. Joiner. Hi, >> Mr. Hail. Hi, >> Mr. Reynold. Hi, >> and Mrs. Tyus. >> Hi. >> 7 I zero nay. Motion carried. >> Do we have a recommendation for the Decatur Public School District 61 FY25 annual audit? >> Yes. I recommend the board approve the Decatur Public Schools District 61 FY25 annual audit as presented.

114>> So move. Second >> discussion. [snorts] >> Miss Bradford. >> Dr. Lorenson. >> Hi. >> Mr. Hail. >> Hi. >> Mr. Reynolds. >> Hi. >> Mr. Joiner. >> Hi. >> Mr. Cleger. >> Hi. >> Mrs. Tyus. >> Hi. >> And Mr. Wetszel. >> Hi. >> Seven. I zero. Nay. Motion carried. >> Now we'll move back to item D from the consent agenda which was [clears throat] schoolboard policy 6 col 300 graduation requirements. Can I have a motion? >> So moved. second discussion. So the reason I as this uh asked for this to be pulled is because this is something that I have had a lot of interaction with the community about. I think that this is an incredible right move for us and I think that it is such a has such a gravitational pull

115and ability for us to do well that it deserves its own roll call action vote. any other >> I just also wanted to say thank you to all the teachers in our district who have worked really hard to create these new classes and to think outside the box >> anytime we raise the bar it's a big deal >> okay Miss Bradford >> Mr. Hail >> I >> Mr. Cleger hi >> Mr. Wetszel I >> Dr. Lorenson hi >> Mr. Joiner I >> Mr. Reynolds hi and Mrs. Tus I >> seven I zero nay. Motion carried. >> Thank you. Move on to our announcements. Uh board of education send condolences to the family of David Lee Shepard who passed away Thursday, October 23rd, 2025. Mr. Shepard was the father of Dwayne Shepard, maintenance employee in Decar

116public schools. Some important dates coming up. November 12th, districtwide half day of school for all students. The 14th, interim progress reports to 24th to 25th, no school for students, but district offices are open. Uh the annual turkey tournament uh the 25th and 26th and then the 28th and 29th. That's Stephen Decator Middle School. Uh Veterans Day holiday is on the 26th uh observed in DPS-61. No school and district offices are closed. Thank all our veterans for their service. The 27th and 28th are the Thanksgiving holidays. No school district offices are closed. Due to the upcoming holiday, there will be only one regular board of education meeting in the month of December, which is Tuesday, December 16th, [music] 2025. Public portion of the next regular board meeting of the board of education will be at 6:30

117p.m. Tuesday, December 16th, 2025, the Kyle administration building. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> So move. >> Second. >> All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Verse.