001To 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. Sorry for the delay. Diana Diana. >> Uh, at this time, public input on agenda, non-aggenda items. I welcome any members of the audience to speak at this time. Please tell us who you are or not. >> Budget discussion. Mr. Carmel. >> All right. Thank you. Tonight starts our uh the board part of the budget work. The budget work really all year round. But um you know now starts our presentations and our discussions so that we can get to the finish line in April. Um Are you going to sit there and do that? [Music] >> There you go. >> Wow. All right. I just got to get closer.
002>> Thank you. >> Appreciate that. Um, always start with our mission statement. The Choice City School District will provide a strong educational and social foundation to graduate all students college and career ready. It's the forefront of all of our decisions. I say it every year. When you're creating a budget for any organization, but certainly a school district, uh we have to have that mission statement in mind. We're trying to put a budget together that will allow that to be a reality. Um we continue to be proud of everything that's happened in the district. On in October, Dr. Watson and I gave the state of the district kind of address talking about all the great things going on. Here are just some of the highlights. Uh but that board presentation uh the whole thing is on
003our website if people are interested or weren't here for it. The district proficiency rates uh grade three through eight testing well above our prepandemic rates in both ELA and math. We met district goal number one. Remember district goal number one also talking about the grade three grade assessments talks about 20% of ones will go to twos threes and fours the following year and 20% of twos will go to threes and fours talking about continuous improvement for all of our students. So this past year uh in ELA the 27% of the ones moved up and 31% of the twos moved up and in math it was 34 and 36. So really proud of that uh district goal for wants being met. Five of our six schools have their highest math proficiency rate. Uh three out of
004our six have doubledigit math increases. School two is the highest at 19%. Carol Hill increased in both ELA and math. Uh school 16 uh outperformed the state in both ELA and math. Obviously super proud of that. and then school two removed from receiverhip after uh nine years uh in that uh status according to the state. So uh really proud of all of that stuff going on. Uh always like to kind of rehash some of it at the start of this process just so we know what we're trying to put a budget together for. The budget's going to be to keep doing that stuff, right? How do we sustain the progress and build on those successes? How do we ensure we're meeting the needs of all the students? How do we maintain our environment of continuous
005improvement? And of course, how do we do it in the most fiscally responsible way? Uh our budget calendar was approved in uh December 4th meeting. Um you'll see at the end our draft one will come at the next February meeting, 26th. And then uh we get all the way to the end where our budget will we'll get the budget vote will be May 20 May 20th. Um hopefully the state budget usually is around the first week of April. Hopefully that's still the case. Uh and then the board will be adopting the budget probably on the 22nd of April. So we got some time. We'll have some drafts in there. Uh we'll do a lot of advocacy in the middle. Uh you'll see some of the general stuff tonight uh as we go as we start
006the process. Um citizens advisory committee. Uh thank you to Nathaniel and Joelle and Erin is back. Uh the best part about these guys is that they've been with us for a few years now. Uh so their experience is going to help their knowledge of what we're doing and what we've been doing, the trends of what's been happening. uh we won't have to rehash the whole thing with them. So uh appreciate you being here and appreciate your input throughout the process. Um program review data driven decisions. Uh we do it all day long. We make all of our decisions based on data. Uh but certainly when it comes time to budget. So these last couple days have been really busy for the cabinet. uh we've met with every single principal and all the department administrator and
007all the directors uh to talk about their individual building andor uh department budgets. Um some years we asked them to come with things they would like uh to enhance it to better help the students. Some years we asked them to come with possible cuts. Last year, remember, uh we asked them to actually um prioritize one through 17 or 18 or 19, however many things they had. Um most important, most impactful for students down to least impactful. That's a tough process. It's it's it's tough enough to put things in tiers. Hey, these are the tier ones, these are the tier twos, but we actually asked them to to rank them in order. uh it gave us some really good information. This year it's a little bit uncertain which you'll see in a minute minute. So we've
008kind of asked them to be conservative. So really the meetings the last couple days have had both things. If I could add these are some things I think be helpful to students. If I have to subtract these are some things uh that I think you know although we need them uh these would be the first things I would tell you that we might be able to figure out a way to do without. Uh and then always a comprehensive thorough budget analysis. Adam's not here tonight. He's sick, but uh there's nobody better than him uh at doing what he does. And so um you know, we are looking at that stuff all year long. Uh and we're planning and um planning years ahead of time uh so that any kind of uh bump in the road
009uh we can navigate through. Um, those are the same two lenses I put up every year as well. But I think it's important to keep reminding ourselves what we're doing. Right? When you're making a budget, we want that budget to be educationally sound. We want it to be what our students need to be successful. The mission statement I had already put up there, all the district goals, you know, what staffing and programs do we need? What supports do we need? Some students take longer, need more supports for them to be successful. So, what are those supports? How do we best support our students in their academic achievement and in their whole child development, right? And all of the things that uh make them successful students. So, that's the educationally sound piece. If there was no
010worry about fiscally responsible, we could just add everything that the principles and directors and cabinet thinks we need and move on. Uh, but obviously that's not reality. You also have to balance that lens with being fiscally responsible and being good stewards of the taxpayers's money. I'm not sure there's any district that does it better than we do it. Really, I'm being serious there. Um, we've been mindful of our overburdened taxpayers. We continue to search for other funding sources. just uh the most recent one is the stronger connections grant where um is it 30% or more of our students being mentored uh you know on a regular basis through that stronger connections grant uh always looking for other grants and other funding sources. Julie Curry does a great job of that. Uh under the tax cap
011for the last 12 years um I didn't really need a reminder but I didn't look at it just to see the last four have been zero. Right. And so we've always said to the state when we're going to advocate, I'm going to get a little little I'm going to give a little history of the uh foundation aid issues that we had back uh you know 5 6 7 8 nine years ago. Um we always told the legislators if you give us the money we're due we'll make sure you know that we're keeping the taxpayers in mind. And we've done that as we got that money as the as the foundation a became fully funded as the federal money came uh we've kept that uh zero. And then I looked for the last nine years it
012was a total increase of 5%. So uh really about a half a percent a year it averaged over those nine years. So uh I think we really do a great job. I think I said last year if I didn't I'll say it now. I'm not sure we can do a zero again if the state budget stays the way it is right now for us. And you'll see that for me. Um but we had state and federal money over the last few years. Uh we did a great job with that as well. I think we put things in place that really really helped our students recover from the pandemic and uh take care of that achievement gap that a lot of uh schools were facing, a lot of students were facing. Uh and we put a
013lot of supports in place. Some of them you'll see in a minute. Uh we've kept, you know, past the federal money and now it's time to start weaning them out. uh and I said before long-term multi-year strategic planning which uh we we do regularly. >> Yeah, you know how frustrated I am when I click it. I hear you giggling, but I don't like to click it and have it not move. Is that the next slide? That's like 10. >> So from there to there. Okay. >> Thank you very much. Um so foundation day a quick look back. So for those of you that were around um I went back to 20067 you'll see if you already have your packet in front of you um Mr. Dylan gave us like every single year what the foundationary
014formula says we should have gotten and um what we actually got which there were years in that from 20067 I became superintendent uh 13 right so um I was assistant super 101 112 uh no 112 123 um and so Dr. Howard and I at that time started going down to the legislator, started talking about money, but there were years where we were $11 million underfunded. I mean, think about that. >> Our increase this year, you'll see in a minute, is 1.2 million. And it's not enough. But I mean, during those years where we were 9 million, 10 million, 11 million underfunded, I that really, really hurt our school district, really, really hurt our students. And we said it every year. So, I thought it was important to just go back and and just remind people
015of where we were and we our advocacy and it wasn't just us, you know, we're part of the small city school district group and uh throughout the state people were advocating for this foundation aid formula uh and it's time to fully fund it. So, then COVID comes, Governor Fuomo that year uh just kept everybody's aid flat. So, you got no increase. So that was a tough year uh as far as um you know trying to maintain staffing programs and then out getting out of coded co excuse me that's when the federal money started coming in and at the same time we got a commitment from the governor and the legislators uh to have a three-year phase in uh to fully fun. That's when our increases really started happening. uh and it got fully funded in
0162324 and that was great news and I think the slide that year said it's great news but then it said but right and the butt is now what happened because when student when districts are fully funded now everybody's fully funded right and so during that time from 0607 to 1819 when we were complaining we were 11 million underfunded there were I mean it kept increasing but at that time it was probably 40% of the districts were already fully funded and still getting increases, right? That was the safe harmless conversation that we always had. And so, you know, what happens for those districts that are already fully funded, they would get 1%, 2%, 3% depending on the year. So, now if everybody's fully funded, what happens? And that's that's where the uncertainty still is is in
017play uh for this year or going into next year and into the future. So, that's where we still got to be uh a little bit cautious. Uh so there's the whole history. You don't have to read the whole thing but uh goes all the way back there. Uh you see the differences. You think about that money in a cumulative sense. Uh even if you start with like 13 14 5 million and that's almost 8 million and over 9 million almost 7 million like that's a lot of money that uh we could have done great things with. Uh but then as we get closer to 2122 then 22 23 and then finally 23 24 uh we get what the formula says uh and so I mean that cumulative amount is is staggering there that we were
018underfunded over those years but that was the fight at the time. It's really great that they took care of us for three years and again at the same time that federal money was coming in. We really had to be careful and strategic about what we were spending that money on to help our students, to help the district, but also to not put us in a financial cliff when the time came for that to go away, which now has. So now we're fully funded. I put that in quotes because remember last year we didn't get as much as we thought we were going to get with the formula. She changed the CPI. Uh she, the governor, I put it in there at the bottom there, new CPI. So there's a she changed it from um the
019CPI the year before to a to a rolling average. So that hurt us. We didn't get quite as much money. She also talked a lot about the safe harmless districts that I just referenced. And she talked about I mean she tried in her executive budget last year in January to cut them and just say if you're already at the formula that's it. you're not getting anymore or you're going to be cut even to get down to the formula if you're over the formula. It's funny that was one of the biggest fights last year between the legislators and the governor and then she and maybe it's a little out of order if you go up there. She ordered a study of the foundation for the Rockefeller uh group uh did it actually did a pretty good
020job. They came out with a um a report in December. It's 300 some odd pages. Um, but it it really was comprehensive. It did a fullon review and had a lot of different things. One of the main things it said was and and coming out in December, there's no way it really could be in play for this budget season. So, they probably should have with it coming out in December. I think people thought maybe that could be part of the January budget. The governor does take a couple of things which it says not to do. It says take a look at this whole thing. Don't don't peacemeal taking pieces out, you know. Um, and it's kind of just exactly what she did, but that so that study will get reviewed and analyzed and and there's
021still supposed to be a new formula that's going to happen, but it won't come out until, you know, next year to worry about. So, this year is kind of like a transition year. She took a few of the things. Um, I guess I'm not there yet. So now that we're fully funded though, I I've been saying we need to be conservative and strategic, right? The federal fund funding was ending. There was really uncertainty and that's where I just was. There's a lot of uncertainty still about what that new foundation form is going to look like. The talk always is districts like ours that um depend on state aid more than other districts are going to be taken care of, if that's a way to say. um it didn't quite happen yet, but I hopefully when
022the new formula is uh put into place, that still will be the case. We had about 30 positions last year and because we still uh we're getting that fully funded amount coming in uh and um we had saved some of the the the federal money, we were able to absorb those 30 into the uh budget last year. And remember those were social workers. We now I think two in each building. Is that right, Fred? At least two in each building. That's great stuff. And again, coming out of the pandemic, our students and our staff needed those uh the attendance uh positions that have been so so crucial for us in each building. Um the co-e model um which means there's two certified teachers over the last three years in many of our classrooms. Uh so
023more individualized, more targeted instruction and attention to our students. All of those things paid huge dividends. So when it came time last year, we were able to put those in the general fund that we knew at that time that's not sustainable to add 30 positions. So we had a nutrition plan that went in place and we've had three or four this year uh actually the co- teachers that have left for whatever reason uh and we have not filled those and that's you know how we've been doing it over the last couple of years. There'll be some decisions to make now. Um, but we're not in a terrible spot because, and you've heard me say it before as well, and we'll talk about as we move along in the process, our class sizes are still really,
024really great at the elementary level. And again, last year, because we had the money, we didn't have to change those, but there's some there's some changes we can make and still be in the uh teams, uh, which which is still great. So, uh, but for a typical year to maintain the things we got with all the increases in health insurance and salary and all that, it's about between 2.6 and $3 million. So her executive proposal comes out and she's actually I mean one of the problems is if you listen to NISBA or NISCUS or any of the other groups they're pretty happy with it because if you see the second line there foundation a increased $1.4 million almost 6% increase. That's a pretty big increase except for those three years where we were phasing the
025full one in. Um that's as big as executive proposals have been in a long time. The problem is she problem for us is she picked a couple of things from that Rockefeller report and there they are there. Um she replaced the 2000. So the the current formula I say current but now it's not current anymore. They're not using it. But the formula that we've been using on that other slide um used the 2000 census poverty. That's too old, right? It's too old. Cities have changed. Troy has changed, but other cities certainly have changed in terms of uh how poor they are. So, that's the right change. They're now using uh the most recent census small area income poverty, which is called SAP data. Um, and they changed the free and reduced lunch uh data which
026used to be uh if you remember used to have to fill out the forms, you know, put your income in, everybody filled it out and then the people that qualify were told they get the free and reduced lunch. We are now a community education uh community eligibility plan school. So all of our kids get free free uh free lunch, excuse me, at breakfast. So people aren't filling out those forms. So that data gets a little bit skewed. So, I think both of these are the right move. Know that's a new uh economic disadvantage data and Adam's still trying to get the behind the scenes on that and figure out what what that is. So, those two are reasonable and those were both in the Rockefeller study and we want those to be changed, but when
027you just change those, it actually ended up hurting us a little bit. Um, and that's so we're we're already on the phone with John McDonald. He's been great. Actually, Senator Ashby's uh office called as well. So, we'll we started that already, which I'll say later to see. Uh and they did a slight support for high needs districts. Uh and actually um Adam wanted to change that to very high needs because it really we didn't even qualify. The very very very poor districts uh are going to get a little bit more of the of the of the money. Um, and then the bottom uh line there, every district's getting 2%. So all of those districts that for the last 13 years have already been getting the formula and then increases, everybody gets 2%. That's the minimum
028amount according to the governor and that's the amount we got which was really disappointing. So, I saw this first and I was disappointed that everybody was getting 2% because again, those districts that were overfunded all those years, you know, I still find that really hard to swallow that they still keep getting increases. Uh, when you go back, if I can go back, I can't, you know, I mean, 114 million is outrageous, but even, you know, 10 11 million, like we we've been underfunded all that time. So just because we caught up now doesn't really make sense that we should be out but every district gets at least 2% and then our number was when we did our run ours was 2%. Really disappointing. So we're on it. Um, I sent an email immediately to John
029McDonald and said the governor has a slide that says, you know, the the high needs districts like Troy uh will get the majority of the money and then we get 2% John and there's districts around us that are not high needs uh that some of them got five and 6%. So, we're trying to we're trying to figure it out. Uh again with the changes she picked and chose some things. Uh we're hoping that uh some changes are made. Again the issue is going to be when people see the people see the big number, the 1.4 million, they think, okay, she's taking care of schools. But it it matters the the devil's in the details as they say. And that's great for the state that we're afraid that nobody's going to be advocating for us. So
030we'll have to advocate for ourselves. So that 2% as I said before we're about 2.6 to three million to maintain everything we have. So that's not nearly enough to do that. Uh again high needs low wealth districts like ours are more dependent and our advocacy anal analysis has already been done. We're not I mean that's that's not a great slide and I I agree and we don't want it to end like that. If it ends like that, um, we've been cautious and conservative enough that, uh, we can get through a year, uh, we'll have to make some, again, I talked about our class sizes and that'll be where, you know, the discussions will come in as we move on in this process. Um, our class sizes can go up a little bit. Uh, so we
031can save some things there. Uh, and there's some other things that, uh, that we're looking at to try to do, but we have some work cut out for us. uh right now. I mean, there are districts that got that first run from the from the governor. They're probably going to approve their budget this week. I mean, they they got 6% uh you know, they got $8 million and and you know, they're they're in the spot we were in a couple years ago where they're trying to figure out how to spend it. So, uh we're back to going to have to fight for for our stuff. Uh so we'll get more detail on the 26 questions. >> I have a question. >> Yeah. >> So is it >> okay? So I have been familiar with the
032designation high needs >> is very high needs a new designation because I haven't heard that. >> I don't know if it's new. Um I have it sick today. So I when I sent him the presentation he said change high needs to very high need. So I don't know that that's new. It's something with the um that combined wealth ratio uh you know those things are so in the point he said skity is a good example of the barrier they're 93 now they changed from 0.91 to 0.93 he'll have to hint that next time okay >> because I'm not I don't know if it's an official designation but in this third thing here uh the maximum imum state sharing ratio. He said we don't qualify anymore and I don't know if we used to or not.
033So >> if you remember to ask on the 26 I'll have >> other questions we'll get there. Uh again, I wish we were uh in the position that some other districts were, but we'll uh we'll end up Thank you. >> Thank you, John. Motion on the floor for approval of minutes January 22nd, 2025. >> Second >> discussion. All those in favor? I >> opposed. >> Superintendent recommendation human resources staff matters unclassified and classified under unclassified. Motion on the floor for consent agenda items 1 through 12. Under discussion, Gina, are you in the audience? >> Gina is being tenured tonight. So, I want to congratulate you. Officially welcome you into our family. All those in favor? Opposed? under classified motion on the floor for consent agenda items 1 through five. >> Discussion. All those in favor?
034>> Opposed? Under superintendent recommendation programs motion on the floor for consent agenda items 1 through three. Second. >> Discussion. All those in favor? >> Opposed? under superintendent recommendations programs. Motion on the floor for consent agenda items one and two discussion. All those in favor under board resolution motion on the floor for cons for agenda item number one citizens advisory committee. >> Second. She didn't get approved. I didn't answer her question. >> I didn't answer it anyway. >> Discussion. >> All those in favor? >> I under board resolution. Motion on the floor to add item number two, superintendent appeal determination. >> Second. >> Discussion. All those in favor? >> I opposed. under board resolution motion on the floor for approval of the force that I'm going to read. Whereas on January 6, 2025, the board of
035education received an appeal from a student suspension imposed by the superintendent of schools on November 22nd, 2024 regarding student named confidential schedule A. And whereas the board of education has considered the appeal solely based upon the record before it. Now, therefore, be it resolved, the board of education hereby denies the appeal of the parent of the student listed in confidential schedule A. Be it further resolved, the board of education authorizes the district clerk to send a letter to the appealing parents notifying them of the board of education's determinations and their rights to appeal such determination. I have a second. >> Discussion. All those in favor? opposed. District announcements. Future board meetings. All meetings will take place at 6:00 p.m. February 25th is at Carol Hill. March 12th will be back here. Um, one of the
036announcements Quest R3 has uh their annual meeting. We don't usually we usually have a board meeting that night, but we used to go. I mean, years ago, it used to be on a Tuesday, so we could all go. And they're really interesting. So, I I'll hand out these and anybody that wants to go, um, I'll be going. So, if somebody wants to ride with me or not, uh, but if you want to go, there will be some of us going, so I will hand those out. Uh, good news. Let's see. Last Thursday, school of 14 welcomed 12 future teachers from Russell Sage College who will complete a practicum practicum. How do you say Practicum at school 14 remainder of their semester. School 14 students welcome the Russell Sage students during their monthly schoolwide morning program.
037School 18 is gearing up for their annual student talent show scheduled for next Thursday at 6 o00. We look forward to seeing what our students come up with this year. Next Friday, February 14th, Troy High is holding its annual Black History Day event. The event will feature over a dozen guest guest speakers from different professions, including local black community leaders. Troy High counselors Miss Wit and Miss Phillips took a group of ths students to the annual students together opposing prejudice or stop uh conference at the Sienna College at the end of January. These students leaders collaborated with other schools and developed an action plan to create a more inclusive and welcoming school environment for all. The boys varsity swim team merged with CBA in Colombia finished the regular season with a perfect 80 record. Yeah.
038Roco Jour, the only choice swimmer on the team, finished an individual race in first or second place at every meet this season, including six first place finishes. He was also part of of several first place team finishes. According to the swim meet tracking site SwimCloud, Roco is ranked 75th in the state. The team now congratulates now begins preparing for section sectionals on February 14th and 15th. Congratulations. Good luck. The boys indoor track team finished in third place in the Colonial Council Championships on Sunday. The team also finished in third place in the conference for the season. Congratulations to the track team. Anybody else have anything? >> Okay. I always have to ask John. We view the audience and see how well everybody's looking. >> I don't think they ever do that. I suppose. >> Yeah.
039Yeah. Oh, well. Okay. So, now I throw you right under the bus. Mr. Campfield, do you have any good news for me? How you doing? Mr. Cart, right? Sure. [Music] >> Okay. >> Sure. >> Is there anybody else you can bounce out of? >> Um, this Friday, we're looking forward to a group that we've haded before, a performance group that really connected with our students. They're young, energetic actors and actresses and they're going to put on a performance regarding the Underground Railroad and all of our students will be at they're right up front. They're not even 8 ft away and we had such a good um experience last time we invited them back and we're thrilled. So, that'll be something on Friday for us to and our students to uh enjoy. >> Sounds great. >>
040Um who else? I'm Mario, you're never in our audience and it's a welcome to see you there and don't try to hide behind bridge every day anyway. >> Mario's there. He wants to talk me into a snow animal. >> On my way here, I got one of my texts. Do you know about tomorrow? I said, I don't know about today, let alone tomorrow. >> Um, Marl, how's it going in in transportation? >> We have a very good team in transportation right now. Between Mr. Hurley and Amber Thomas as a secretary, we are doing really well. >> I can honestly say in the 18 years that I've been on this board. Yeah. No, I this was a beginning from the beginning to right now. I mean, sure, the principles, you know, they they they say, you
041know, the buses are late or whatever, but parents, I mean, really, has anybody has any of us heard I mean, this is great. >> No, I mean, no. And I don't I mean, I know that, but thank you for that. >> I mean, the attendance incentive is really hard, right? >> The attendance got like 90% attendance. I I I didn't get the numbers for this month for uh for January. I didn't get those monthly last month. >> 87%. >> Wow. Isn't that nice? >> We've actually we've gotten we've gotten some uh positive feedback from parents and from administrators also that we shared with John and Nadia. Yeah, I I walked by a couple Lamont was uh putting kids on buses today. I walked by and both the bus drivers, they have no idea who we
042are or anything. They were like, "Hi, how are you?" And I was like, "My god, she probably actually likes her job." You know, I mean, which is a great thing. I mean, it makes everything, including the kids, a better environment for them. So, >> I think we deserve a snow day. I get a kick out when teachers text me and I'm like, "Yeah, you don't want to know my answer. I have to go to work." >> Great job, guys. >> Yes. Good job. >> Let's see. Uh, who else do we have? Josh, tell me something good. >> Okay. I read it. Okay. Tell me something good that's that's going on. >> I took 20 seniors to see the governor and it was a pretty interesting event. It's all political like you couldn't you couldn't make
043it. Um they told us we would have a chat with her for an hour and a half and then it went from an hour and a half to an hour and then we were with her for 28 minutes. But it was a nice experience. >> You're lucky it was her and they didn't send in somebody else. You know, that's what usually. >> No, man. Listen, that's why I said to the kids cuz they asked a lot of great questions and they really wanted more. And as we were leaving, they're like, "Is that is this it?" I said, "Yes, guys. This is this is politics. >> It was a really experience for us and me. I mean, it was great. >> Great. >> Yeah. >> Great. Well, I'll end it here, but um does anybody does
044any board member have anything?" Okay, everybody be safe tomorrow. Um, and hopefully everybody everybody in their sweats watching TV >> motion on the floor to those in favor. Thank you everybody.