2026-04-28 Board of Education Special Meeting and Work Session

001All right. Thank you all for being here today. Let's call this to order. The public regular meeting of the board of education for April 28th, 2026 is called to order. All items being considered this evening are posted on PPS website under the board and meetings tab. This meeting is also streamed on PPS YouTube page as well as being replayed on channel 28. Uh good evening and welcome. Thank you all for taking your time out of your day to care about public education. Uh before we get started, some housekeeping reminders. Uh we have a lot of community members in attendance today. Uh we just uh if you brought some signs, couple reminders. Uh please hold your signs below your chin level so people behind you can see it. Also, signs must be kept on your person

002at all times. Please do not post it around the room. Uh for safety reasons, we uh need to keep all the walkways and aisles clear. Don't trip on your way up or down. And al lastly, and most importantly, be respectful to each other. All right. First off, we're going to begin with the consent agenda. Uh board members, if there's any items you would like to pull for a separate discussion, please indicate that. Now, >> I do have some general questions. Um >> let's put on the table first or unless you want to pull something. Um, I'm actually not sure how to do it, Eddie, because it's related, sorry, Chair Wong, it's related to um the pool RFP process of which these contracts are part of. So, I'm not sure. >> Yeah, let's put on the

003table because there's afterwards. >> Um, Miss Powell, are there any changes to the consent agenda? >> Thank you. Do I have a motion and second to adopt the consent agenda? >> So moved. >> Vice Chair to pass moves. Second. >> Director Sullivan seconds the adoption of the consent agenda. Right. Let's begin uh with board discussion. Miss uh Director Lefort. >> So um um for I guess I would be directing this to um the RISE department. Is there anyone here? All right. Sarah Norman, executive director. Rise. >> You snuck right in there. I didn't even see you like this. Will be quick. Um, so since you we function as the local contract review board. So I just want to make sure that um I'm understanding what's happening here as we continue to see um contracts come

004into a pool. So we're establishing contractor pools for bond work which means and I'm I'm going to tell you my interpretation. you tell me if I'm right that we are putting out an RFP to multiple vendors to be selected to be part of a pool from which we will assign work. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. Once we have that pool established, how is the work assigned? >> We have a metrics that we use with our purchasing and contracting department and I'm going to allow TJ to go ahead and walk through that. I believe we answered this question to you in writing previous previous to this prior to this meeting. >> Just got it right before I got here, but I do like to do it publicly. So, just give you guys a heads up. Yeah.

005What about what I'm going to ask? >> Hi, good evening. My name is TJ Hopkins, senior program director of the RISE bond program. Um, and your question again, Director Lefort, >> once the contractor pool is established, how is the work within the pool assigned? So it's assigned based on RFP ranking order and there may also be other considerations given. Let me um let me find that. Such as the firm's capacity, current workload, current workload. >> Yes, I apologize. Their current workload and um their fit to perform the specific work. So the note says that Prescidio will implement a selection matrix. Does that selection matrix already exist? >> It does. >> Okay. I would love to have a copy. And does it include cost? >> It it they actually no it does not. But um because

006they have to be assigned a scope of work that then they put in a proposal for and then that contract comes back before the board for approval. So, how where's the competitive process in there? Because I know that the the RFPs that have been attached to what we're looking at today, um cost is not a factor to get into the pool. So, if you're in the pool and let's say, you know, we're looking at a bunch of um you know, I think it's HVAC contracts today. >> Um there's a job. >> Where's the competitive process in there? >> The competitive process is in qualification. We're not looking for best price. We're looking for best value for the district. So what we are doing is we're qualifying every our outreach goes to every firm within the

007with that wants to work for PPS and then we qualify them ranked on the qualifications within the RFP and then we go through a process of send putting them through a matrix looking at their they've already been qualified by the RFP then we do another matrix workload type of service uh their capacity and what they can serve for the district and then they are assigned a project that then they put in a price proposal for. >> So at no point once you're in that pool is there any sort of like mini any sort of quoting between multiple vendors within the pool. >> No, there is not. >> Huh. >> It's again we are not doing a low price lumpsum compet bid competitive bid process. We are doing a a qualified best valuebased bid for the

008district not low price. But there's no point in the process that I'm seeing right now where price is even a factor. It's not even in the RFP. Correct. >> That's correct. Yeah. >> Okay. That's that's a problem for me. >> I have a question or a comment as well that was very similar to my my question. Um I've worked for the city of Portland and did this type of work where we established a pool based on qualifications. So you're looking at can they do the work and you're looking for references. Um and my question had to do with also how to how you're assigning them. I know in the department I worked in, we um we didn't look at whether they could do it on their schedule. We looked at if we'd used them for

009every project. So we tried to pull from the diversity of that pool. >> Correct. >> Um so we assigned like numerical value to you went first last time, you went second. So >> Exactly. Exactly. And that is part of the consideration is the ranking order. And then on top of that, we also have the discretion to look through for best fit capacity. Um, as Sarah had stated, >> right? And and with this type of work, you want to get a contractor that's done that kind of work before, so they're not learning on your project. So I understand that. Um, when you say ranking, is it are they ranked based on a point system >> or is it just assigned your number one in the door, number two, number three? >> It is. based on the

010criteria. It's based on the >> there's a ranking criteria within the RFP and then there's an evaluation committee that ranks every every there is an evaluation committee that looks at every proposal that is submitted to the district. Okay. And then that is that is ranked in accordance with the with the weighted uh percentages within the RFP. And then at the end of that evaluation period with that uh committee then the the awarded uh contractors uh partners are ranked in that order with that number with that number matrix >> and so they would be called first if they're ranked higher. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> It's like a one two three four five six. There's you know depending on what the how large the pool is. Okay, great. Thank you. >> Yep. >> Who's on the

011evaluation committee? >> We would have to pull. So, purchasing and contracting keeps record of who's on that. We would have to go back and look and and see who's all on the individual proposals on the committee. >> Can you I was going to say, can you which one which RFP and which pool are you asking or are you asking for all? We just have to >> You just said there was an evaluation committee. So, I just was asking >> there's an there was an evaluation committee for every single pool RFP that we sent out and they were all different people and that's run through our purchasing and uh contracting department and we would have to follow up with that information. >> And when you say our do you mean PPS or Presidio? Yes. Okay. Just

012wanted to clarify. And then so if a piece of work goes out within this contract pool that is let's just pretend it's $150,000 which would normally be um our threshold for board approval of a contract with the current setup. Would we see that? Because it sounds to me like we wouldn't because we've already approved this pool and this large number of $3 million that we're being asked to approve today. How would that come back to the board or would it >> it it would not come back to the board based on my conversation with >> that's what I thought >> the senior contract analyst. >> Yeah. And I I just wanted to just step in and and say that it's the the similar same way that um we have processed contracts for for years and

013years. I know we had this conversation back in December about low bid and and what um you know triggers an acceptance or an approval and it's um I don't I don't know if um Chief Tonrey wants to speak more to just the legal aspect of that but um but yeah it's a the way in which we've operated for quite some time. >> Did you want to add to that? I I think I learned my lesson at the last meeting where I spoke off the cuff about contractual statute. So, if there are questions, I'm happy to follow through in detail, but I probably shouldn't just give you an answer off the cuff. I failed the exam last time. >> Okay. Thanks. >> And I'd just like to say, uh, Dr. Armstrong, you're correct. We've had other

014contracts in this manner that support the bond program services such as the move contracts, seismic and roofing architectural services were sent out this way as well as um hazardous material consulting and abatement to support the bond program. And not only not only the ones that we've recently done just for the 20 2020 and 2025 bond, but this has been this is Oregon procurement law. And so these so this statute has been in place for well before we even stepped into the role that we are currently serving within PPS. >> That that's what I was pulling. Uh >> sorry to talk to about like there's some some legal things that we have to mine with the public contracting but >> and I don't want to get into the details of them. I'm sorry I wasn't I

015wasn't being very specific. >> There is a legal framework for exactly this process and I think the best thing to do if you have questions is let us outline that for you. It is what was done before. It is what PPS has done. It isn't unique to Prescidio. But beyond that, then we I would want to kind of have Emily or our purchasing and contracting team come and explain the exact process they go through for each contract. >> Did I answer the question now? >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Right. Any other questions? >> I do have one more question. Is there um maybe a comment that when the work is assigned I'm I am a bit surprised that within the pool that there wouldn't be at least a request for quotes, the competitive quotes

016from the vendors that are in the pool. So, um right now it sounds like give us your number and we write the check and >> I mean I'm sure the team can speak to that but I >> they have to submit their hourly rates. Yeah. So, um, you have to remember that every single RFP that we're talking about right now is professional services. So, what they are what they are and we are following every Oregon uh purchasing statute that is currently on the books. And this is ve it is a very typical purchasing um manner that we're doing. And the one of the reasons we went through this competitive model was to show the competitiveness like how many people wanted to do work with PPS and then narrowing that down and making sure that we

017had the best value and uh best qualified contractors to or professionals to work with the district. And so now that they're in the pool, we are able to look at those professionals and we're able to assign them work in accordance with what they are best at and what they are best to do for the district. And so we then do an evaluation. It's not like they write us a proposal and we say, "Oh, yeah, that's great. We don't like we don't do evaluate it. We actually do a costbenefit eval evaluation of the proposal that's presented to us prior to it ever coming back to the board. So, we'll go back and we'll negotiate with that contractor or that uh services back and forth as much as many times as we want to to make sure

018that they we get provide best value to the district. If I could add one other concept under the statutory scheme, they're not that it's not actually permitted under Oregon law to award it based solely on price. I just I realize that's not what you're asking, >> but we don't have any requirement in here for price at all because the RFPs are attached to the contracts and there is no requirement for price. And I realize we may meet Oregon statute, but we have our own purchasing policies and part of that policy is that the board will see contracts that are over $150,000. And what I just heard is with this format we will not. So for that reason I'll be voting no. >> Great. Any other questions or comments? >> Can I ask a clarifying question

019about process? Do we want to pull those contracts out or just you're going to vote just vote no on the consent agenda? I is that fair question to ask? Sorry. >> That makes sense. >> Pull for a separate vote is what's typically done? I think Yeah. >> Can you indicate which um >> um let's see >> which numbers you would like to pull? >> It's like all of them except for the last two. The architectural >> I think you're right. >> It would be Sorry, I'm waiting on the internet. So it looks like the McDonald Miller Facility Solutions >> 97770. >> Yes. Street. >> Any others? >> Sarah, >> if I call these out, can you tell me? So otherwise my computer s >> I don't have I don't have it in front of me.

020Sorry. >> Uh >> I think all of them except for the final two. Um half of them are for HVAC and the other half are for um building commissioning. >> Okay. I mean this will this will affect uh this is these are um commissioning services for some of the modernization. So this will affect schedule um in regard to lead credits that we are going for for the um for the program. >> We'll still be voting. >> Yeah, we're still voting on it today. >> Okay. I'm sorry. Thank you. >> We're just pulling it for a separate vote. >> Okay. >> So is it New Dorfer? Yeah, first 97772 >> and >> 9774 >> 9. You're going you're faster than me. I just want to make sure they're all nine. Yeah, 9774th. Thanks. >> Johnson Controls.

021>> I don't Johnson Controls is not part of that. I don't think I think that's part of a co-op, but it's for goods and services, so I wasn't concerned about that one. It's um it's it's not part of the HVAC. The Johnson services is not part of HVAC, is it? >> I'm looking it up right now. >> I believe it might be controls. >> Yeah, it's controls. >> It's controls. >> Oh, okay. For HVAC. So, yeah, let's include that. And I'm going to check looking at 97781. So, you're wanting all these to be kicked >> separately. Hold on one second. Yeah. So, 97781 scan tech. I wish this was faster. I think that's the last one. >> I think it's every single one except for the last one. It's all or the ones that are

022the not to exceed number with the amount listed I think are the ones that director Leaffort is referring to. >> 97800 and 97808 >> are not Could we just pull them all in if you're going to vote no on all of them? Well, no, because I'm not going to vote no on Musco because that is separate. We have a separate agreement with them as a district and they're not part of of this. We already have an agreement. >> We could still vote separately on all of them. >> Yes. Oh, sorry. I had my mic off. We could still vote separately on all of them, which might be cleaner than trying to have a consent agenda with one item on it. >> That was what I was trying to to get at. >> Thank you. >>

023I have a question, Andy. >> Yeah. >> Is it okay? I understand that we did this whole process so we have a lot of people in the pool so when we need somebody they're there and we don't have to do an RFP for everybody. Is that correct? >> I mean every I mean we do it but not >> that's every time we need an HVAC person we don't have to go out. >> That's correct. That's correct. And um it's also going to support concurrent projects, multiple projects, and give give us the ability to keep moving those those consolidated projects forward. And it's the ability for us, it's the ability for the district to plan and get things going in a design process prior to having to go into construction. We the whole reason we did

024these pools is so that we could move faster for the district. We have to have these design professionals and all of the professionals that we have we have required and put out for competitive bid so that when we ident when we were identifying a project within the 2025 2020 bond or even anything left over from 2017, we have to have a professional that can create documents for us to then be able to go to the land use committee, go to the city and then be able to go out for procurement for for contracting and construction. And so the whole point of this was to do a competitive process so the district would have at their disposal those professionals that we then could assign projects to get a get a get a price proposal for that

025and start having projects on the shelf for the district to be able to move forward with. >> Yes. So my question for Virginia is so now you think they've been approved but now you think we should approve again by looking at different prices. What I'm saying is that they got into the they were accepted into the pool with criteria that not did not include price. So it's can they are they capable of doing the job? Yes. So we've got this large pool of vendors. Once a job becomes you know once we have a job for them for this pool of let's just say if these HVAC contractors how is that business assigned if there let's say there's 10 10 businesses in it who gets the work? What I'm hearing is that the matrix that has

026been developed does not include any sort of competitive any sort of cost analysis or competitive pricing. Like I would love to see something like that where if you're interested in the work you submit a quote >> we've already let me finish. Um I understand that they're pre-qualified but they're not pre-qualified on anything related to cost methodology. And even the second step within the pool cost still isn't a factor. We're a public school district. We have to have quotes. We need to have RFQS. Like I don't feel comfortable as a board member not evaluating price. We get audited. We have a bond auditor. Like we have to, you know, we cross our >> May I just interrupt and call a question. And I have an anecdote because we've had uh since I've been on the board,

027we've had schools that had uh the heating and cooling go out. And if you don't have that pool, >> we can have the pool. They can just bid on it. If you don't have the pool, you have a school that goes several days without heat in the winter time. So, I'm just saying I Let's just Can we just go ahead and vote as one with all of these and see where we land? Um, and then continue the conversation in the interest of time. >> Yeah. Or maybe we could just rename it the non-consent agenda. >> One question. >> Yes. Uh, Director Englesman. >> Sorry. I I have one question that just popped up when I'm hearing all of this. Um so in my world when the court system or anybody does something similar there is

028a market rate above which or below which that they just have a rate. Um and if an attorney wants to contract in the state or federal system, they have to agree and and even in the civil system when an when um a court is assigning attorneys fees at the end of a case, there's a market value which is often much lower than many of the civil practitioners earn in their private lives. Is there anything like that? So the so so within the they did have they do have to all of these are professional services and everyone had to submit professional rates within their pro within their within their scope of work and so then once they are assigned a project they evaluate how many hours and how many people will need to work on that

029and then that is provided to the district and that is the quote that is given for the pro for the project and so that again we are only talking about the design and development of a project we're not talk this does not include construction This is just design and development and so professional services. That's that those are the contracts that we're talking about. And so as a followup to that in this committee, if this if this group is a on this list and you say we're pulling you because you're at the top of today's list and then they submit values that are much higher than market rate, >> we can reject them. Okay, >> we can absolutely reject that >> and they know that. And then there's B and C and D waiting. >> Exactly.

030It's not a free-for-all. It's not like open checkbook. It's it's they're they're still competitive within the pool, but they but we go through that sequence. We can always reject the initial proposal if we're unable to negotiate to fair terms or market rate. We can always reject and kick them out and go to the next person that's within the pool. Absolutely. >> And all of that, I'm assuming, is all of that is getting kept track of. So if somebody wants to look and say, >> "Yes." Okay. >> Yes. >> All right. >> I think we need a motion to take all of the So, I'm going to do Do you want to make the motion? >> We'll just vote on each one separately. >> Do we need a motion to say we're going to pull each

031out and vote? >> No, because I think it's within any in the consent agenda. Any board member can pull because then it becomes a non-consent >> agenda. So, I guess that's what we have a non-consent agenda. >> So, um we will vote on each one of these one by one. All right. Actually, I do have a question for legal. Do we have to move and second for each one now? >> Yes. I'm sorry. Technically, >> I'm sorry, too. Can Can I ask one more question? I just want to be clear. We will not see any of the contracts for the work in these pools. They will not come to board. >> No. >> Okay. >> Please, Sarah, correct me and I will triple check with Emily who has been our contracting expert. listening to this

032and she's saying no as well. You are approving the $3 million threshold and this is or what is it three million? >> It is. Yes. >> And it can be 500,000 within there. It can be 400,000. Whatever. Okay. >> Yes. >> Do you want to be buddies make a bunch of motions? I'll second them. >> Um, >> is that okay? >> But I'm just trying to be fast. >> Absolutely. >> Yes. Do I have a motion and second to adopt resolution 9770? So moved. >> Second. >> Director split moves. >> I'm sorry, Rosianne's asking. >> Those are the contract numbers. The resolution numbers are starting in a different >> We have to start with the most recent um resolution number. >> So the next resolution number is >> uh it's 7298. >> 7298 and then

033>> and then ABCD. Okay. >> Sure. >> Doesn't make sense. Chair Wong, I think we're suggesting that you do nine or resolution 7298A 7298B and it'll just be simpler than trying to create new numbers. >> Okay. Are they labeled as such? AB? >> No. >> They're not. >> They're now you lost me because I have no idea. >> Okay. So, we're going to assign resolution 7298 and this will be a C. >> And I'll just name which one is A and which one's B. >> Yes. Maybe you say A. McDonald B. Got it. Thank you. >> All right. Yeah, I'll just go off this just because um All right. Do I have a motion in a second to adopt resolution 7298A, which is 9770? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you, director. So moved.

034I don't have to read this over and over again. Uh let's now let's we'll now vote on resolution 7298A. All those in favor, please indicate by saying >> Yes. Opposed. >> No. >> Abstensions. Student represent. >> I think I'm abstaining. I have a I have another question. So I I don't have all the information. I have one question and it sounds like there's no more questions. >> You recall the question. >> I know. >> So I >> do you want to ask the question for the next one? >> Sure. >> Okay. All right. Um >> Resol 7298A has been approved by a vote of 5 to one to one. and student representative Rardo voting yes. Uh do I have a motion and a second to adopt resolution 7298B which is 9772. >> So moved. >>

035Second. >> Thank you. And do you want to ask your question? >> Yes. Sorry I should have asked this earlier. I have a question about the language in the second column the contract term. So if we approve these, it's not 3 million, it's 15, 12 million, 15 million. Is that right? Am I reading that right? Because it's option to renew for four additional one-year terms through April of 2031. >> It's over five years. It's 3 million over five years. >> Oh, okay. Thank you. I'm >> sorry. Sorry. >> It's not 3 million each year. >> No, it's 3 million over five years. >> 30 million. >> Three million. 3 million. >> Okay, that's >> 3 million >> over five years. Okay, thank you. >> All right, we'll now vote on resolution 7298B. All those in

036favor, please indicate by saying yes. >> Yes. Opposed? >> No. >> Abstensions. Student representative RTO. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> B has passed by a vote of 6 to1 with student represent RTO voting yes. Uh, do I have a motion in a second to adopt resolution 7298 C 79 or sorry 977 74. >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> All right. We'll now vote on resolution 7298C. All those in favor please indicate by saying yes. >> Yes. >> Opposed. >> No. >> Abstensions. Student representative Torto. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Resolution 7298C has been approved by a vote of 6 to1. Student representative retardo voting yes. Do I have a motion and second to adopt resolution 7298D which is contract 97780. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. We'll now vote

037on resolution 7298D. All those in favor, please indicate by saying yes. >> Yes. Opposed. >> No. >> Abstensions. Student represent. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Uh resolution 7298D has been approved by a vote of 6 to1. Student represent voting yes. Uh do I have a motion and second to adopt resolution E uh 97781. >> So moved. Second. >> Thank you. Uh we'll now vote on resolution 7298E. All those in favor, please indicate by saying yes. >> Yes. >> Opposed? >> No. abstensions. Student representative RTOR. >> Yes. >> Thank you. All right. Uh do I have a motion res uh second to adopt resolution 7298F which is 97784. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you. We'll now vote on resolution 7298F. All those in favor? >> Yes. >> Opposed? No >> abstensions. Student represent RTO.

038>> Yes. >> Thank you. Uh resolution 7298F has been approved by voter 6 to1 with student represent RTO voting yes. Uh do I have a motion second to adopt resolution 7298G which is 97788. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you. resol uh we'll now vote on resolution 7298G. All those in favor, please indicate by saying yes. >> Yes. >> Opposed? >> No. >> Abstensions. Student representative. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Uh Resol 7298G has been approved by a vote of 6 to1. Student representative voting yes. Resolution H. I know my alphabet. All right. Uh 97794. All those sorry >> moved. >> Thank you. >> And do I have a second? >> Second. >> Thank you. Uh we'll now vote on resolution 7298H. All those in favor indicate say yes. >> Yes. Opposed. >> Uh

039abstensions. Student representative. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Resolution 7298H has been approved by voter 7 to zero. Student representative voting yes. Uh do I have a motion to second to adopt resolution 7298 I which is 9780. >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. Uh we'll now vote on resol 298 I please uh all those approved. Those please say yes. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Opposed >> abstensions. Student representative. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Uh 9 7298 I approved by a vote of 7 to zero. Student represent voting yes. And last one uh resolution 72 98K or sorry J my bad I don't know my but uh 97808. >> So moved. Second. >> Thank you. We'll now vote on resolution 7298J. All those in favor? >> Yes. >> Opposed? No >> abstensions.

040Student representative. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Resolution 7298 J has been approved by a vote six of six to one. Student representative voting yes. Thank you. Now with all that done and we are now at public comment. General public comment. As just a reminder, as those of you know, we have increased the number of public comment spots through this new process. Uh this time it is again full. So you'll have two minutes. Um we'll first start with our student comments and then move to our general comments. Uh before we begin, some general guidelines. Uh first, the board thanks you for taking your time to attend this meeting and provide your comments, your input. uh it helps improve our work and we look forward to hearing your thoughts and reflections. As board members, just some uh

041reminders, as board members, we are here to listen uh not engage in conversation with those who are testifying. Our board office may follow up on board related issues raised during public testimony. We also request that individual complaints or sorry, complaints about individual employees be directed to superintendent office as a personnel matter. As you know, the board does not uh uh manage personnel matters. I will also remind PPS staff who are giving public comment that they may not provide public testimony about students that could violate confidentiality protections under FERPA. This includes testimony using information that could identify students, especially their school community, by use of direct or indirect link linkages such as school grade, special education, or other status. for materials you would like the board to have such as handouts or pictures, please um hand

042them over to Miss Powell over there on your left. In order for the board to conduct its business, we ask that audience members please refrain from calling out interrupting speakers or otherwise disrupting the meeting. We appreciate everyone's cooperation uh in maintaining a respectful environment for all in attendance. Thank you. Uh with that, oh sorry, my bad. Um, if you would have additional items you would like the board to receive, you you are always free to email them at public comment all one word pps.net. If also if you did not get a chance to finish your public comment and would like to have the board and we do read all the emails. Um, you may also send that in as well. Uh, when you are up at the do um, what is that called table dis?

043Yeah, you have 2 minutes to speak. After about 2 minute, when you see the yellow light go off, you have 30 seconds before the end. And when it turns red, please finish up your comment. Let's start with our students. Uh, Miss Powell, could you call up the first three students? >> Uh, we don't have any students signed up. >> We don't have any students signed up. We >> do not. >> All right, let's move on to general. Can you call the first three? >> Yes. Beth Kavanagh, Boommy Helicker, and Ayah Erin. >> Chair Wong, as they're walking up, just for the record, you had a motion and a second on your se on resolution 7298, and you probably just want I wanted to state it's mooded by moving all the other ones. It's pretty obvious,

044but want to call that out. >> All right. Uh, you may begin in the order that you're called. Uh, Isa Erchin, er, I am the parent of a P of a PPS student and co-chair of the parent advisory committee of the Fund for PPS. I'm here asking for your help today to fix a broken system that's producing significantly worse outcomes for our children. As I think you all know, the parent advisory committee has almost no money to distribute for staffing next year. The money we were able to distribute this year was all from legacy foundation funding. Um, that money is going to go away. The equity grants from foundation funds are also now a thing of the past. I'll use Roosevelt High School as an example. In the 23 24 school year, Roosevelt received a

045$50,000 grant from foundation money. Looking at the PFSP union salary scale, that would be enough to pay the half-time salary of the college career coordinator at Roosevelt that is set to be cut in next year because of budget cuts. So, these are real people who are uh losing their jobs because of these decisions. Similar, the education assistant union scale starts at $20 an hour. The average equity grant at a school is $18,000. Um, so every school could have some uh part-time EA work. Now is not the time to refuse funding when we're advocating for the state to increase funding and working to convince legislators that we use our resources wisely. Um, we cannot rebuild trust until the system is fixed. Unfortunately, I've seen that from the inside. The current head of the fund describes significant

046governance and organizational problems at the fund that have to be overhauled before it can be successful. Let's fix it all at the same time. At our school, parents want to help, but when they have to choose between their teachers who are asking them for help with a 33k elementary school classroom or a fund that its own leaders describe as poorly set up, of course, they're going to choose that local giving with direct accountability as opposed to a black hole. Unfortunately, we can't rebuild. We can rebuild trust and build a system that works, but our kids can't wait. So, either pause the foundation policy now while we fix this and create a transition plan, or decide tonight to implement a pause if the fund does not raise its promised $1 million in unrestricted money for staffing

047by the end of June. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Hi, my name is Beth Kavanaaugh, CA. I'm a parent of two Cleveland High School students and I'm here today to express my gratitude for the work that has been happening behind the scenes to build the fund for PPS and my curiosity and interest in where we go from here. So, thank you to Nick Broadniki, the interim executive director who I saw as I walked in tonight who's been working tirelessly for the last few months to build relationships that strengthen our district community and Jackie Wor serving as the the fund's board chair. I signed up to be a school liaison to the fund and I'm very excited to start meeting the other liaison. I'm looking forward to bringing my school community into the loop of

048what's going on at the fund and sharing priorities that come up in my school into conversation with other liaison. In my experience serving on district committees in the past, there's no better way to inspire creativity and build trust, relationships, and understanding between school communities than by getting into a room together, learning about our commonalities and our experiences as well as the differences, and rolling up our sleeves to work together towards a common goal. These opportunities to feel connected across the district help me feel less alone and less overwhelmed, knowing that we can start taking tangible steps together toward a future that looks better, that looks better. We can't wait and see. We need to help out. We need to get involved and we need to make it work. I'm here tonight with three asks. First,

049getting involved. Reach out to the fund to find out if your school or cluster needs a representative and consider volunteering as a school liaison or member of the parent advisory committee. Second, this Thursday, day after tomorrow, April 30th, is PPS giving day. Making a $10 student per student contribution to show our support for the fund for PPS creates real tangible benefits for kids like making sure this successful reading results high-intensity tutoring program reaches kids who needs it most in all schools. You can donate at fundforppps.org/giving day. And finally, please attend the school funding forum on Thursday, May 7th from 6:00 to 8 at Lincoln High School with Senator Kate Liieber and Representative Tanais Sanchez in attendance host hosted by CPS. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> Next we have Maya Puo Van Gelden, Susan

050Carson, and Suzanne Clark. Go first. >> Good evening. My name is Suzanne Clark. C L A R ke. I'm a parent at Roosevelt High School and I'm also a former member of the inaugural parent advisory committee for the district-wide fund which I like to call our fund. Our foundation. When I learned that parents from a few schools were rallying to pause foundation reform, I immediately reached out to those parents to learn more about their concerns. One of them told me that some money is better than no money, referring to the dollars that local school foundations were willing to raise for their schools versus the zero dollars that they're currently donating to the district-wide fund. I heard them say that LSFS would need to have an incentive to donate to our foundation. On a call with

051a pause supporter, we came up with an idea. LSFs should encourage their communities to donate to our foundation to support programs like reading results, the high impact tutoring program that the district-wide foundation robustly funded last year. While some schools may need more tutors, there are certainly um children struggling with literacy in every building. Other PAUSE supporters I engaged with expressed a strong desire to support tutoring. When we talk, when we listen, when we connect, we can do better. Philanthropy should accelerate progress, not maintain the status quo. If we only choose to donate mostly to our own schools, we are missing opportunities to help the students struggling the most in all schools. And we are missing opportunities to make the greatest impact, which of course helps us all. That's what's so special and important about the

052parent advisory committee for our foundation. Philanthropy should not be an exercise of power or privilege. It should be about transparency, exploration, and coming together to communicate ideas to solve our biggest problems. Thank you so much. Let's play. >> Thank you. >> Hi, my name is Susan Carson. C A R S O N. I'm the parent of a junior at McDaniel High School and I'm here to ask you to maintain the current local schools foundation policy. The policy was adopted two years ago through a careful, thorough process that included community input from schools with and without foundations. The policy change was the right thing to do then, and maintaining it is the right choice now. Reinstating the old policy will do nothing to solve the district's current budget crisis and would be choosing inequity. Funding staff

053through parent donations at foundation schools never did and would not now free up funds for staff at non-foundation schools. Instead of writing letters to the board about revisiting this policy, we should be spending our time writing legislators and pressing the governor to call an emergency session to address the budget's shortfall. Instead of limiting our advocacy to our own schools, we can bring our communities together in shared purpose. Instead of retreading the same arguments over and over again, we can work together by volunteering as school liaison to the district-wide fund or serving on the fund's parent advisory committee, helping make decisions on where to direct funds for the greatest impact. There are many ways to get involved. I encourage everyone to attend the school funding for forum event on May 7th at Lincoln High School to

054learn more about the current funding landscape and discuss ways to bring impactful revenue back into all of our schools. Please keep the foundation policy in place and focus the district's time and attention on solutions that address the root causes of our funding crisis. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you. Good evening. Here we are again. My name is Maya Pou Van Gilder, last name spelled V O N G- L D R N. I'm here to speak tonight in support of our district-wide foundation. I'll start by saying that as a member of the DIS district-wide site council or village table, I'm constantly reminded of the saying, it takes a village to raise a child. I am a result of a strong village and I have enough experience in mutual aid and community organizing to see how collaborative

055work can change a community. At each of the recent PPS engagement sessions, we have seen that every community, while having some very unique experiences, are facing the same concerns. Too large class sizes, not enough small groupoup instruction, limited programming, crumbling buildings, etc. We are all seeing what happens to our beloved staff due to cuts. My children's school is slated to lose 5.4 FTE next year. This isn't a fundraising issue. This is a state funding issue. One of the reasons the district-wide foundation is taking time to get going is foundation schools have not engaged. And those speaking up now have said all along that they wouldn't. What? Why would a small handful of schools out of 81 schools be permitted to buy staff when it is known that PPS does not allocate funding based on expectations

056that LSFS will raise money? How would pausing the policy reform? How would pausing the policy reform get these parents invested in the district-wide fund? A pause would only prolong the action needed by our state to actually fund our schools and would continue to give foundation schools an excuse to only focus in. Private fundraising dollars were supposed to be a two to threeyear band-aid until this state figured out how to fix education funding after passing measure five and 50. Almost three decades later, we finally addressed it. We don't need to roll back this progressive step forward. The state will never figure out how to fund quality schools if we keep putting a band-aid back on an ever growing wound. And even then, when we are allowed fundraising, when we were allowed fundraising for FTE, I don't

057know a single foundation school that felt that they were fully funded. It just wasn't the fix. We've been building momentum and I think that that momentum right now is really important and I think that by going back to something that wasn't working for all, >> we lose that momentum. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. M >> can you call the next three? >> Charlie, sorry. Charlie Shu, Karen Slotsky Foresight, and Kate Gilmore. You may begin when ready. In the order you're called. So, >> I think we're out of order. Is that okay? >> Just state your name. Thank you. >> My name is Kate Gilmore. G I L M O R E. I have two boys in PPS in second grade and seventh grade. I'm here to ask you to pause the implementation of the current

058fundraising model and revert back temporarily to the former model until the district-wide fund for PPS has time to create clear processes, distribution methods, and trust. This pause is the change management phase that was skipped during the transition when instead of methodical planning, a working revenue stream was dismantled before the new infrastructure was ready to catch it. When the restrictions on foundations were enacted in 24, the district and our communities were in a very different place. The intent of decreasing the roles of these foundations and focusing on district-wide fundraising was was very good. Bring together businesses, donors, and community groups to provide extra resources beyond what the school district budget covers on behalf of all schools. Unfortunately, our financial situation is worse now. The economy is struggling. Budget cuts affect every child in the district, and

059we have yet to gain traction on increasing state funding. Although we plan to continue that advocacy, we need to revisit this decision because the impact has been negative. Donations are not keeping up with need. Part of the problem is timing and structure. The fund is introduced is not yet fully formed. Objective processes, distribution models are still being built. It's not an easy task. Potential donors see an unformed mechanism and unclear impact and understandably hesitate to give. That hesitation compounds the budget stress our schools are already facing. I'm asking for a pause. give those in charge of the fund a chance to build the system properly, establish objective governance and accountability so donors feel confident that donations will make a tangible difference to the district, including in their own neighborhood schools. During that pause, allow use

060of foundation funds for staffing needs, which will drive up local donations and have a positive effect across the district by providing badly needed funds to schools that need it. If we pause and revert back to keep funds flowing while engaging in a thoughtful and community-led process of developing a fundraising system that is compelling to local donors and grounded in equity, all of our children win. We can't afford to leave viable funding streams on the table, take a breath, and pause. >> Thank you for the opportunity to speak in favor of a pause in the fundraising model. My name is Charlotte Shu. I'm a product of a public school system K through jurist doctorate. I'm an immigrant whose first language is not English, a first generation lawyer, a former partner at a commercial litigation firm, and

061now in-house counsel for a Fortune Global 500 company. I'm also a Laurelhurst parent. I grew up as an outsider in Salt Lake City, Utah. When my father came to the United States, he had two suitcases and a $20 bill. He came here to pursue higher education and science after growing up in poverty shaped by war and the cultural revolution. My mother and I joined him later, and we built a life here without family or a familiar community to rely on. Public school is what made that life possible for me. Allowed me to integrate into American society and overcome the barriers of my childhood as an immigrant starting a new. I was that child with handme-downs and a hunger to grow. Growing up in Utah, public schools were chronically underfunded. But even those limited resources when

062implied well by dedicated principles and teachers were enough to fuel my growth. That experience shaped my belief that every dollar, every dollar matters and that small amounts of funding used effectively can have an outsized impact on students. At the April 14th schoolboard meeting, I heard students from immigrant communities speak movingly about what public school opportunities meant to them. That was me not so long ago. I've always believed my children would be public school students, but that confidence has been shaken by what I've observed in our schools and by the change in LSF policy that removes families abilities to directly support classroom experiences. At Laurelhurst, I've seen firsthand how relatively small amounts of LSF funding were used effectively by our principal to support student facing positions. Those supports make a real difference in classrooms. My first

063grade daughter, for example, had the benefit of a kindergarten reading EA in a classroom of 29 students. This year she voraciously read Harry Potter's book one through four. That kind of growth doesn't happen in a vacuum. It reflects the impact of targeted support at the right time. I worry about that loss of what loss that what that loss of support means for my younger son, a rising kindergartener. As a result, my husband and I have enrolled him in private school for now while holding out hope that he can go to public school if conditions improve. >> Thank you. >> Hi, I'm Karen Foresight. F O R S Y T H E mom to a second grader and an upcoming rising kindergartener. I'm asking the board to hit pause. Our current students, especially those who depend

064on PPS the most, are the ones who will pay the price if we don't pause now to get this right. The numbers tell us why. The fund for PPS has only raised $215,000 to date. Its goal this year is 1 million. school next year is 4 million, the minimum to cover tutoring at all elementary schools. On the current trajectory, neither goal will be met. This year's successes, high impact tutoring, 9th and 10th grade math support, food pantries were funded by legacy LSF dollars raised under the prior model. Those funds are drying up fast. The old model was scrapped before sound one was built. The current struct the current structure of the fund is set up to fail. Nick B, the new executive director is capable and committed. My concern is not with him. My concern

065is that no one could succeed in this role under the current structure. And the risk compounds when the fund misses its goal. Leadership becomes harder to retain. Corporate sponsors walk away. Compound that with a $50 million budget deficit and families with options leave, private school, a neighboring district. Enrollment declines, funding declines with it, and the children left behind will be our most vulnerable ones who depend on PPS the most. I want to address one argument that a pause will cause LSF communities to stop advocating in Salem. This does not hold up. No one believes private fundraising should replace state funding for public schools. The fight in Salem must continue and it will grow faster when this district stops alienating the parents who could be some of its strongest supporters. A rising tide lifts all boats.

066Let's grow the pot together so no school, no student, no community is left behind. I ask you to vote for the pause. Please don't let our current students, your children, my children, pay the price while we figure this out. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Next, we have Amy Fox, Cameron Evans, and Thomas Cardwell. Yes. >> Good evening. Um, my name is Amy Fox. I'm a parent of three public school uh, Portland public school students and I'm a biology teacher at Cleveland High School. I stand before you today or sit before you today um asking the board to do one of the key jobs that you've been elected to do. Um serve as the responsible uh fiduciaries of Portland public schools finance. Um we all understand inadequate state funding is a major driver

067of the budget crisis we face today. Everybody knows. Um but state funding alone does not explain the internal financial decisions that have brought us here. There's more to the story. The district office administrative structure must be independently audited and fundamentally restructured. Between 2015 and 2017, PPS operated with approximately 40 to 50 administrators between the superintendent and the building level leadership. Today, that number has ballooned to 206 administrators with six layers of administration separating the superintendent from school buildings. For comparison, Beaverton School District operates with only one administrative layer between the superintendent and the building level administrators. At a time when we're facing a loss of approximately 250 studentf facing positions next year, these numbers are unacceptable. Every student facing educator loss means larger class sizes, reduced services, diminished opportunities for our children. If PPS is

068forced to cut essential school-based staff, then district office administrative positions must also be significantly reduced, ideally by one or two administrative cuts for every student facing building position eliminated. In addition, this board must closely examine the district's growing reliance on third-party vendors. Public education funds should be invested in public schools, not diverted toward privatization whenever possible. We must prioritize building and sustaining strong in-house programs. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you to the members of the board, the chair, and Dr. Armstrong for your attention and your commitment to our kids. My name is Cameron Evans, Eban. I am the parent of a current PPS first grader with two younger siblings. I had hoped to enroll in 2027 and 2030. I asked you to vote in favor of the pause. Last week, my husband and

069I did something I never wanted to consider. We started touring private schools. We are considering leaving PPS. I am a native Oregonian and a product of Oregon public education K through 12. I love this state so much that I persuaded my Midwestern husband to move and start our family here. I volunteer in our school every week, both in the classroom and on lunch duty. We have experienced and still earnestly believe in the value of public education where each and every child belongs and belongs together. This is the best of PPS. We speak of my daughter's first grade teacher, Mrs. X, with love and reverence. In our daughter's last report card, Mrs. X wrote about her integrity and her sense of purpose in the classroom. Mrs. X truly sees and values our daughter. Next weekend, Mrs.

070X will attend her second her second soccer game of my daughters to cheer on a team that includes my daughter and four of her classmates. Of those four classmates, three are leaving PPS next year. 30% of the children in my daughter's class are leaving PPS. Not because of our beloved teacher, not because of our Energizer Bunny principal with whom I share lunch table disinfecting duty. They are leaving because we parents are losing confidence in the decision-making and direction in PPS. They are leaving because they believe this fundraising reality is not reasonable, not sustainable, and not in the best interest of our children. On the sidelines of our soccer games, in the corner at the Chuck-E-Cheese birthday parties, in the chair at the hair stylist, in defeated tones, we huddle and talk about if, when, and

071how we should leave. This should concern us all. Enrollment loss is not separate from this issue. It is a consequence of it. Please vote for the pause. A pause is not a step backward, but a practical and reasonable step to stabilize what is working while the district and the fund for PPS strengthen a better long-term approach. >> Thank you. >> All right. >> Excuse me. Uh Tommy Cardwell, uh parent of a first and fourth grader at Aworth Elementary. Um, I wrote an email in in 2024, you know, when this was happening at the beginning, and I just wanted to revisit a little bit of it because one of the things that I said was that I thought that this was a kind of a punitive decision. Uh, it seemed short-sighted and um I think education

072policy should always lift students up and I didn't see a clear path for this to lift people up in any way. um you know, funding dissolves from the from the foundations and doesn't flow to the to Portland public. Um you know, we give to our either our own kids schools, our neighborhood schools, or ones we graduate from. And I have a hard time seeing that changing. Um foundations, large donors, you know, probably are going to be a good Portland public school foundation, you know, donor list. But I think the general public is going to donate to their local school. Um and so I was concerned that that was going to erode. Um and then class size increase and as has been said um all of a sudden people start moving to the private schools and

073that's what we've seen a lot. Uh those that can afford it, you know, even though I live in a really wealthy area, you know, not everyone can leave to private schools, but those that can are. Um, and so then your public funding drops from the feds as well. Um, and you know, I think that the big issue is lobbying and trying to fix the solution long term. And I think these are two totally separate issues. They are not the same issue. Um, we are just trying to patch this up and keeping this going or or pausing keeping the LSFS going. um is not going to stop the push to change our funding overall. So, I'd like to please ask you to pause this for now. Thank you. Thank you. Do we have we have one

074more? >> We do. And I'd like to call the last person that person that didn't show up. Uh Kate Curler, Lefco, and Boommy Heler. Good evening. My name is Kate Curler Lefco, LEFCO. I'm a parent to students at Beach and Olay Green as well as the school social worker at Peninsula and the president of Olay Green's PTO. I care deeply about public education. I came here tonight because desperate times like a $50 million deficit have the board considering less than ideal solutions. However, bringing back local school foundations is not the remedy. At the end of the day, this helps a few privileged schools while our most vulnerable students are left with the scraps. There is a certain audacity to even proposing this and is not the type of audacity I want my children to witness.

075The board has the opportunity to set the record straight tonight. I hope you will say no so that the message our children are receiving is that we are all in this together and we don't abandon our values when things are challenging. For the past three years, I've gone to Salem to advocate for adequate funding. Every time our representatives say they aren't hearing that education is a priority, every student in Oregon deserves a highquality education. There are future doctors, teachers, policy makers, and neighbors. Imagine if all the time, talent, money, and effort that parents have put into their local local school foundations made its way to Salem. I invite you all to come and it could make a tangible difference. And I also wonder if change would have come sooner if some families didn't have a

076way to shield their own schools by bringing back art teachers or reading specialists when budget cuts hit. The Title One schools my children attend and I work at are no less deserving of getting these positions back. yet we don't have the same capacity to fundraise for them. What I need from my school board and my community is for us to join together and let our legislators know that our kids deserve better. Please don't allow our more privileged school communities to be immune to this budget crisis while the rest of us are forced to bear it. We can talk about intent versus impact and the real impact of allowing these foundations is we center our more privileged schools. We know better, so let's do better. Thank you. And we don't we do not have any online.

077Correct. All right. Uh thank you for taking the time to provide your public comment. Uh since we only had two minutes per and again just a reminder, if you didn't feel like you finished was able to finish your comment, you are welcome to email the rest of the board. Right. At this time, we'll now move on to the next agenda item. Again, thank you all for being here and taking your time out of your day to provide your input. All right, the board is now convened as the budget committee as we the purpose of this initial budget committee meeting is to receive the superintendent's budget message and receive the budget document. The budget committee will not discuss or end entertain public testimony on the budget proposed budget at this time. Tonight is the first time

078the superintendent is presenting us with a budget. And to clarify, we are simply receiving the budget message tonight. I know we are anxiously awaiting the today's presentation of the 2627 uh proposed budget. Board members, I want to remind you that tonight is our chance to hear from Superintendent Armstrong about her budget proposal for the upcoming upcoming year and is the official kickoff of the budget process uh before the board adopts the budget in June. Uh while tonight is the first our first full look at Dr. Armstrong's proposed budget, there are opportunities for both the board for board discussion and for public comment uh on the 2026 27 budget. We are holding a public hearing and work session on the budget on Tuesday, May 13th at 6 pm at Benson High School on May 12th. We'll

079receive the report from the community budget review committee and have time to ask questions and then we are scheduled uh to approve the budget on May 26 and vote to adopt it on June 23rd. It's a lot of dates. Got it. All right. I with that I hand it over to Superintendent Armstrong. >> Yeah, absolutely. Thank you team for being here and I look forward to starting with the budget message. Just acknowledging that the clicker is not working. It >> wasn't on. >> It was not on. >> Oh, it wasn't on. User error. >> Oh, >> right. Okay. We'll just go right into it. So the current vision of Portland public schools is clear. A graduate of Portland public schools will be a compassionate critical thinker able to collaborate and solve problems and be prepared

080to lead a more socially just world. Together we rise with excellence, with purpose. That message continues to guide us. Our students are making progress. We have stayed focused on literacy, math, attendance, and nth grade success. That focus is grounded in our district continuous improvement plan. We see the results in our classrooms. In spite of our fiscal realities and declining enrollment, our students have exceeded prepandemic performance levels in mathematics and are at preandemic performance levels in reading. Portland Public Schools is one of the few districts in the country to have achieved this feat. We built this budget with intention. We aligned it to our goals. We engaged principles early. We included community voice. This approach is reflected in our budget development framework that we have p that we have presented throughout the year. At the same

081time, we face a hard reality. The hardest thing a district does is reduce the supports it knows that students need. This includes staff and critical services. Over a four-year period, we have made the largest reductions in our history, totaling more than 170 million. This is a real concern and uncertainty across our system. For the 2627 fiscal year, we are closing a $ 56 million gap. This is driven by rising costs, limited revenues, and declining enrollment. We are reducing 336 FTE from the 2526 adopted general fund budget. These decisions impact people and services. So here's just a few key facts. Support services are at 453.2 million. These are the functions that keep schools running. For example, transportation, counseling, safety, tech. Facilities construction totals 1.4 billion reflecting the volume of capital work happening now and what we're

082planning ahead. We've seen a 12.2 enrollment drop since 1920. This is one of our biggest financial challenges and it's happening across the state and the nation. Our projected weighted enrollment is 51,390 students. That's what drives our state funding and accounts for students with higher needs. Despite the decline, 98.7% of our elementary classrooms are within target size. Our class sizes remain strong, averaging about 24 students. We currently employ over 8,000 full and part-time people across our schools and central departments. We know that we're a major employer in the city of Portland. Each role plays a part in supporting student success. We reduced 96 central office FTE from all funds in the 2526 adopted budget. This is one of the clearest signals of our commitment to protecting classrooms. We took the hardest hit where we could centrally

083so schools can stay focused on students. We hear a lot about leadership levels between myself and principles. There's three levels and that compares to many of our districts across Oregon. If we were to look at layers across our district office, those are different numbers, but between myself and principles, there's three leadership layers. The categories below that have been used throughout the early engagement process have changed relative to the current service level. So, schools have been reduced by 4.74%. On average, building supports like facilities and transportation budgets have been increased by 2.74%. Still with reductions. Specialized programs have been reduced by 8.75 from the general fund and partially restored by the student investment account grant. And central office staff and services have been reduced by 14.82%. 82%. So I also want to be clear about what

084comes next and this is important. Based on current available data, we are facing another deficit of more than 65 million for the 2728 school year. This is not a one-time issue. It's ongoing. Our expenses are growing faster than our revenue. PERS costs continue to rise. a PERS employer rate that has moved from just 4% just over 4% to just over 20%. Compensation and benefits continue to grow. Operating costs are increasing and at the same time our enrollment is declining and our revenue is limited. This creates a long-term challenge. The question is how we sustain over time. We also are operating more buildings than we can support. This limits our ability to invest fully in every school. We need to continue to plan for consolidation and closure. This is necessary for long-term stability. This is a

085fragile budget. We have limited reserves. We have little flexibility. Every dollar matters. Every decision matters. And we are taking steps to reset our system. We are lowering our cost structure. We are building a more sustainable base for future budgets. We are doing our part. We are making difficult decisions. We are staying focused on students. Now, we need partnership. We need a long-term commitment from the state. We need funding that reflects the real cost of education. Our outlook is clear. The challenges are real. The path forward requires focus, discipline, and shared responsibility. We know that together we can still rise. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Armstrong, very much for your message. It will be included in the next iteration of our budget document. Um, but she was going to verbally deliver that to you tonight

086and also for your leadership during a very challenging budget period. I also want to thank all of the board for their extra time and attention over the last several months. We've continued to talk about current state and outlook and we are finally to a point where we can propose a balanced budget for 2627. I have a lot of material to cover tonight. I'm sure you can imagine. And so I'm asking that unless it's a clarifying question on the slide that we move all the way towards the end and then have a period of questions and discussion. And with that, I'd like to invite uh my colleague uh Christina Howard to talk about our process that we've engaged with so far. >> Good evening uh board directors and student representative. My name is Christina Howard and

087I'm the senior chief of academics. I want to share an overview of the process used to develop the budget. In early fall, we convened more than 20 principles alongside central office academic leaders to form the academic program design workg group. This group informed both the core program handbook and school-based staffing. The work group met weekly beginning with a deeper analysis of how schools are currently staffed and understanding formulas and ratios grounded in our district continuous improvement plan goals. From there, the team explored different scenarios to understand how changes to programmatic features would impact staffing at the school level. This was an iterative iterative process that continued through the winter resulting in a draft proposal that was shared with the community for feedback in January. You can go to the next slide. Here is a summary

088of all the community engagement sessions we held in January. This this was when we presented that draft list um and received a lot of feedback. And after gathering that feedback, we made adjustments to the draft reduction list and to individual school staffing allocations based on that feedback. The next step in the process for was for principles to receive their school-based staffing and engage their site councils to gather input from their school communities. Following that engagement, principles then submitted their final school level staffing plans. This was around February. You can go to the next slide, please. And as previously shared, in both school and district reduction areas, we prioritize investments aligned to our district continuous improvement plan goals. Attendance, literacy, math, and 9th grade success were our focal areas. This has been a long process to

089reach this point with lots of engagement sessions along the way, and further changes to school-based staffing would be pretty challenging at this point. And we just wanted to name that here tonight. Thank you, Chief Howard. Uh, with that, I would like to invite um Dr. Adams to please speak to the equity lens in planning and how we've used that throughout this process as well. >> Thank you, Chief Morrison. Good evening, board directors, uh, student representative RTRTO, Dr. Armstrong. Pleasure to be with you and before you again this evening. Um, I'm the chief accountability and equity officer for the district. I wanted to bring the board's attention to the PPS equity lens pictured on the slide. You've seen this before. We've utilized this throughout our budget development process, beginning, as Chief Howard mentioned, with the time

090our time with the academic design program workg group of principles to our engagements with all principles and to our community conversations that were held at identified PPS high school campuses in January. When making these tough decisions, we ask staff and stakeholders to consider both who is impacted and whether or not any recommendation would reduce disparities. Given the nature of our fiscal reality, we work through some very hard conversations and some impossible decisions in order to bring forward the super the superintendent's proposed budget. >> Thank you, Dr. Adams. I'm going to spend a little bit of time talking about the process and roles, which you guys should be pretty familiar with at this point, but I think it's important to um elevate this to the community. So, this is a slide that is very familiar. We've

091moved through the year with a different highlight every time I bring it forward. And we are currently proposing the budget to you. That is our late spring activities. And then below that highlighted is are all of the activities that will follow that will continue to guide our process and we will adopt the budget in June so that we can begin spending dollars on July 1st. This slide is really more about roles and budget developments. I've shown it before and added some headers here that talk about uh the feedback and inputs that come up through the community and students and parents and the TSC, the community, the budget review committee to you all and then you will make the final decision on the budget and then it moves over to the superintendent through their leadership um

092hierarchy and down through our departments and buildings to serve our students throughout the year. With that, we're going to dig right into the proposed budget overview. Starting with our budget assumptions. This is a familiar slide. We have tuned it up a little bit uh as we move forward. So, under rising cost, we have invested in our employees compensation, also their benefits and teacher planning time. and our PERS costs continue to rise as was mentioned in the superintendent's message. Uh we do have limited revenue. Um we have less special revenue. It's not growing at the same rate it has in the past. And we have no reserve fund to support our operations. There's no surplus fund balance. There's no um PERS reserve because we have utilized those funds in the current year. We're also experiencing declining

093enrollment and as you know our funding is dependent on the number of students that we have and the type of students that we are serving. Um and that impacts also our grant funds as well as our general fund. Since PPS our uh enrollment has declined 12.2% faster uh than Oregon which is at 7.4% and doc Dr. Adams will speak more to that. Sure. Thank you. As you know, each year we work with the population research center at PSU to update our enrollment projections. Based on our most recent report, PPS's student enrollment is predict pro predicted, excuse me, to decline each year for at least the next nine years. For next year, in terms of funding, we examine our a daily membership and which drives our funding as well as our weighted enrollment. do receive extra

094additional funds for example students with disabilities. Both of these are also predicted to decrease based on our projections. While these decreases are occurring, PPS will continue to serve large numbers of students who are experiencing poverty, students with disabilities, and our multilingual learners. Given the information regarding those students on this slide, you can note that while our overall enrollment is decreasing, the percentages or proportions of students with increased need is not in decline and is remaining relatively consistent. >> Next slide, please. >> Uh this slide uh shows some of the things that Chief Morrison and Dr. Armstrong already mentioned. I'd like to note that each of the percentage decreases are compared to the 1920 school year um and isn't cumulative year-over-year. This slide shows the enrollment decline comparison between PPS and the state of Oregon as

095a whole. As you can see, since the 2019 2019 2020 school year, PPS's enrollment decline is almost 12 point is is 12.2% 2% while the state's enrollment decline is 7.38% over that same period of time. Given how school funding occurs in Oregon, when a district's enrollment declines are not proportional to the overall state enrollment decline, funding could be impacted. >> Thank you, Dr. Adams. I'm going to dig in right now to our assumptions around both revenue for the 26 27 year and uh then move directly into our expenditure assumptions. And just a note on that that blue box on the right, you'll see that quite frequently throughout this presentation. And it's a reminder to the community that our projections are based on the most recent information available. So the estimates will change over time as

096our plan data becomes actual data. And so you will continue to see those changes as you should as we move through the year. So our district's uh estimate of resources is based on 51,390 uh average daily membership weighted. So that is our enrollment plus those additional weights that we receive from the state school fund based on the types of students that we serve. We are anticipating that the second year of the state school fund distribution will remain stable based on current appropriations and that will come in at just over uh 300 million. Our current year property tax revenue is uh anticipated to be 533.6 million an overall 4% increase which is fairly modest. Our local option revenue as you know is estimated to go down um because of our experience this year. We are anticipating

097that to be fairly flat for the next several years. Uh we have a 1.8% an 8% increase in assessed value and a 95% collection rate based on historical receipts. And that includes not just for our general fund, but we also have that share that assumption for our debt service fund um which is where we collect taxes specifically for uh the purpose of paying back debt service on our bonds. We have uh the Multma ESD. We have the option of they are funded on a per student basis on our behalf as well. And we have an option of using those service credits. It's a a credit equals a dollar either four services from a menu that they offer or we can pull through in transit dollars for our budget. And we are relying on $3.8 million

098for our general fund revenue. Uh for capital projects, um you guys know we sold 660 million uh in voter approved bonds specifically for capital projects authorized under the ballot titles. And that's reflected in the all funds budget. You'll see a large increase overall. And we're anticipating our beginning fund balance of $41 million, which is at that 5% minimum. And so if for any reason that's not met at the end of this current year, that number will be lower. On the expenditure side, uh we have our compensation assumptions. So, as you will find in the budget document in the overview, our cost of living uh adjustment includes STEPP, but our typical 3% cost of living adjustment has been reduced to 1%. And so, that's an important factor as we move through this process. our pension rate,

099which is our public employer um contribution blended rate of 4.18%. We also add on top of that the amount that we um pay for our debt service on our pension obligation bonds for a total combination rate of just under 23%. And we anticipate that insurance benefits will continue to increase based on current eligibility of our staff and recent experience which has been significantly um accelerated over prior years. >> Just one really quickly, Michelle, I just want to add so that you're talking about you'll be sharing another rate that is the employer rate. So those are two different impacts to the um the payroll or the budgeted. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. Just wanted to highlight and emphasize that because this is a significant impact. >> So >> yeah, thank you so much. So just for context,

100each percentage of uh percentage point increase of our PERS employer rate equals about $4.5 million to our general fund. And so you'll see uh our extended forecast um some information about that. All right. This was a special request to bring back this slide which we shared as we were doing the the planning for our 2526 budget. And really it's the information is very similar. So we have our average teacher salary. you can see uh as just under $105,000 and then the associated payroll cost that the district pays on top of that um the amount we pay for insurance and then also the PERS and um PERS UAL which is the debt service on those pension obligation bonds. So really the average teacher salary their gross wages not their net wages but their gross wages are

101about 65% of the cost of that position. And so there's um this doesn't always look the same for uh income on a paycheck. >> Can I can I ask a question on that one? I know you wanted to wait till the end, but it's like a specific one to this. So would you rather come back at the end of this slide or take it now? Go ahead. >> Um I want to clarify. So I'm a public employee, right? And I know that like I kick in toward my future retirement benefits and the state kicks in some money as well on that PERS PERS UAL line. Is that the combination of the employer's match from the district and the retired teachers or is that just the retired teachers allocation? >> That's just the district's contribution. And

102so from the gross wages that 104579 they would pay 6% uh towards their pension as well. So that is a shared burden. And there's also typically an employee portion of insurance benefits as well that come out of their paycheck. So there's there's a whole another column about what um >> what comes out of the 104579. Yeah. >> So the district doesn't kick into their >> retirement. It just comes out of their salary. >> No. So the the district >> where's that where's the line that's like this particular teacher's contribution to their future retirement benefit? >> The employee costs are not on this slide anywhere. >> What about our contribution? >> That that is the PERS PERS UAL cost. >> So that's just for them. Where's then the PERS costs for retired teachers or is that

103all of it in one bucket? that's rolled into our employer rate. So, if it's a teacher that's already retired and they're receiving a pension benefit, that's calculated within our district's funded liability or unfunded liability for the system. >> So, it's not here at all. This is just for that. >> It's not here. >> Okay. Thank you. >> This would be just to this is showing us when we think of an FT, you know, you know, mid mid-range. Yeah. It's just like this is this is the cost for the is it this the median average? Okay. Average average teacher cost. Okay. Like out the door including insurance all the things we pay that the public might not necessarily see. >> Yeah. So when we're budgeting by FTE, we budget for the total cost per FTE which

104is what we wanted to illustrate here. Even though the teachers takehome is significantly less, it's still the cost is much more significant. And I think oftentimes that's that's lost on folks. >> Can I ask one quick question on that? Um, are some of these line items stagnant regardless of the teacher salary or do they all fluctuate less for >> they are all on a percentage basis. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Thanks. >> Great questions you guys. Thank you. We have a couple slides for the all funds overview. It's just a couple bar charts um illustrating it in different ways. So you can see for in the turquoise box there our general fund and special revenue funds. Those are highlighted because that's typically where all of our school staffing and support is funded from. Uh and

105you can see that the general fund budget is actually decreasing a little bit from 2526 to and the special revenue funds are fairly flat. And the giant increase that you'll see in our all funds budget is that capital projects fund. And so I know as our our board and out in the community, you will see uh probably receive questions about the all funds budget has increased hundreds of millions of dollars and why are m we making cuts. I think that that's a a question that this slide can help answer. All right. So, our general fund, that's really been our focus. Uh, actually since we adopted this year's budget, we've been uh understanding that there would be a significant reduction needed. Um, and so that's where our focus is specifically tonight. All funds are represented in

106detail in the proposed budget book. Um, so it's really our primary operating fund. It's the most flexible resource for supporting all of our um compliance requirements and our uh policies. And the health of this is really tied closely to state funding levels, um local property tax revenues, and um even federal uh changes can impact our general fund. On the revenue side of the equation, we do have a net decrease of $6.5 million overall. Some of the line items in our budget showed an increase. So other local revenue, uh some intermediate pass through dollars. Our state school fund, you can see, is increasing significantly because we are moving from the first year of the bianium to the second year where uh the state funds us on a 49% 51% split. We have uh also listed there

107a sale of fixed asset and we will be bringing you information more about that in the future. See our overall revenue decreases. Our uh beginning fund balance we've gone down a little bit as our overall budget has been reduced. Property taxes are down. That would be primarily the local option levy. And then the PERS reserve transfer that served as a revenue source for us in the current year. And without that it creates a deficit for next year, a revenue decrease. So another bar chart showing um from year to year the adopted budget to the proposed budget. Um changes to personnel and then non-personnel. Non-personnel includes uh utilities, supplies, services, other fees. um those are actually increasing um slightly as we uh proposed this budget. As we move through the current year, we were recognizing that

108some of our budget areas were um underbudgeted for strictly for operations. And so we've made a real effort to create a budget that is less fragile in that way. So this is a pretty busy table here, but I do want to anchor us back to it. We will use a similar format as we move through staffing changes. You can see that the cost center area is really broken out into the same categories we used in our early work with the community. Um even though um in our budget book the line items don't align exactly with that. We have um brought that to you for better understanding tonight. The first the second column is our adopted budget. So that's current year, our plan for the current year. Our second, our next column over is our fiscal

109year 27 preliminary current service level. So that's if we were doing everything we're doing right now for 27, what those anticipated costs would be. And then the next column over is the gap closing reductions. And that totals just over $56 million. And that has been the work that we've been engaging with for months. The final column is our proposed budget. So that that varies slightly in our budget book. We only um use the adopted budget column and the proposed budget column. But what our buildings and departments are experiencing today are those gap closing reductions. This is a slide. I know that there's been a lot of conversation about where the reductions are coming from proportionately as we bridge a very significant gap. So again, those cost center areas and this um these percentages are tied

110to the prior slide. So on a percentage basis um the change from current service level to central office is uh 14.82% schools 4.74%. specialized programs. 8.75% a portion of those special pro specialized program supports have been re um classified to the student investment account but from the general fund they have been reduced and so that's why that number is a little larger and there's a note there and then again our building supports we recognize that that those budgets actually needed to be increased. So, here's some pie charts that you'll find in our budget document as well. Um, great feedback I got in terms of um highlighting and calling things out on these slides a little bit more. So you can see that 90 just over 90% of our budget is property taxes local option uh

111state sources and then the rest is um less including our um inter fund transfers and then our 5% beginning fund balance for expenditures. We demonstrate it in two ways in our proposed budget. One is by category or function. And so instruction and support services make up 93.2% of our budget. We have a 5% contingency uh planned and then 1.8% are transfers of funds and enterprise and community services. Transfers of funds include uh transfers to our internal service funds for liability insurance uh unemployment and workers comp. We also I put a note here that the support services category includes central and school-based activities like attendance, social work, counseling, speech administration because this doesn't represent um school versus central office. A lot of those support services are in schools. For associated expenses or objects, again, it's the

112same pie as the prior slide. We just sliced it up differently to illustrate um in alignment with our budget book, the salaries, associated payroll costs make up almost 79% of our budget um proportionately. So 16.1% is all of the other things that we need to operate our schools. Um which is it's it's very high contrast. So I wanted to bring that forward to you. Also, our contingency, we're targeting that 5% All right. Now, we're going to move into our staffing. And >> that's your slide. >> I'm going to kick us off. This slide represents um three columns. So, it represents our adopted budget. The second column that's orange represents our preliminary CSL, which is also current state. So you can see for our schools over the course of the year, we have been really responsive

113to student needs. We had an adopted budget for FTE. We've increased that over the course of the year. And then our proposed budget is uh less than both of those prior columns. That's also true for specialized programs. Again, uh the majority of that is school direct school support. And then for building supports and central office, there's a little bit more of a general step down. We started the year and then we've really held on those um hires over the course of the year. So even the preliminary CSL number was reduced and then our proposed budget is significantly reduced there. As um senior chief Howard mentioned at this time school staffing changes have been applied to all levels of schools and school and principles building leaders have locked in their organizational structures for next year. Those

114include among other adjustments elementary multi-grade classrooms or blends and adjustments to the student teacher staffing ratios across middle schools and high schools for this coming school year. Schools were provided with some discretionary FTE amounts so that building leaders could work with their school communities to identify what position might best meet the needs of their school. I just want to note on this slide before we advance that there is a live link at the bottom u to the 2627 budget development preliminary report that we circulated with community in January just for your reference. >> All right. Um so let's talk a little bit about class size at the elementary school. These are this histogram multicolored histogram represents our projected elementary class sizes. Each grade level of class size is represented by a different color. Think of

115them like Legos and the different colors being stacked on top of each other with different numbers or sizes of Legos. And here's how you read it. Class sizes are projected to range from a handful of classrooms with nine students to a small number of classrooms with 34 33, excuse me. If you want to examine a grade level, choose one from the legend on the right. For example, kindergarten is noted in the tealike color. The most frequently occurring kindergarten class sizes, 21 students with almost 20 elementary school kindergarten classrooms projected to be at this size. As the superintendent mentioned, 98.7% of our elementary classrooms, that's 738 out of 748, are projected to be below the class size target. And our projected elementary class size is 24 students, noting that some students will experience either lower or

116higher class sizes than this projected average. >> Okay, I will take this back. So, similarly to how the dollars were displayed in an earlier slide, we have presented FTE reductions. So you can see by the cost center area um moving downwards uh through the table we have broken out our staff into various categories that align with how they are represented in our budget document. We have licensed classified represented non-represented staff and then administrators. That pattern is repeated throughout the cost center areas. Um in our second column to the right you can see our fiscal year. That's the adopted budget for FTE in those areas. Fiscal year 27 preliminary service level level is really based on our current service level. What we're doing today so again you can see how for our licensed staff there was

117an increase over the course of the year for classified there was an increase over the course of the year. Non-represented a slight decrease and then administrators were fairly static from the budget to our current service level. But you can see that the next column is our gap closing reductions with the final FTE in the final column for fiscal year 27 the adopted budget. So you can see that for our schools and specialized programs we have a total FTE reduction of 254 FTE our uh the classified specifically in spec specialized programs a lot of onetoone paras although they were reduced from the general fund they were refunded by the student investment account so uh those a lot of those services will still be made available to students just a note on that. Now I'm going to

118move into central office. So central office personnel and non-personnel budgets will be reduced. That was kind of the charge as we came into this year to really examine our our services and our cost areas and see what we could do to increase efficiency and perhaps move more from specialized focused areas more into generalized uh focus areas for our staff. And we've been working to do that. um the personnel reductions impact multiple employee groups and functions and we're still working through those transitions and so thanks in advance for your patience on info request um for that. We have uh a restructure throughout the central office as well. I don't know if Dr. Armstrong you would like to add anything. >> Just that our our hope is to have org charts out across the organization by Monday.

119>> Thank you. And then we have non-personnel reductions are in contracted services, professional development, and travel. We've really had spending restrictions in place since this time last year and a higher level of review prior to to transactions occurring for our central office staffing. You can see uh similarly to the last table that I shared, we have our cost cent's central office and building supports. Building supports include facilities, maintenance, custodians, transportation. Um so that's that's those are direct services to schools um and not central office as much but they are um managed more centrally. So you can see um over the course our fiscal year 26 um in all categories across our current service level is reduced from what was in our fiscal 26 budget as we've been uh restricting our hiring and then even further

120reduced as we propose our fiscal year 27 budget with a total of 91 FTE reductions in central office from the general fund alone. Just so I can restate, just to make sure that we're all clear. So your fiscal year 27 preliminary is where we were originally when we began the process and the fiscal year 27 is where we ultimately landed for the proposed budget. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> So we when we adopted our fiscal year 26 budget, so that would have been spring this time last year. planning for the current year we had planned on 1,035 uh FTE in these areas and then over the course of this year as we've been restricting our hiring uh our current service level is 104 FTE and then even further reduced in fiscal year 27. >> So

121ongoing >> ongoing for sure. Thank you. This is my slide that talks about the fragility of the 2627 budget. I would like to assure you that with all of the changes that you're experiencing moving into this year that it's it's airtight. Um it is still vulnerable in terms of shifts in any revenue changes and uh to our expenditures. So we do have some assumptions that are unique around negotiations and staffing. So if any reason we we negotiate a higher um cost of living for example than what's in our budget, we will have to make adjustments um in during the course of the 26 27 year. We are planning to maintain a minimal 5% contingency and then uh just a reminder no reserves are available to support any overages. Um we will continue to have restrictions

122on spending and central office hiring. We have delayed a bus purchase that was scheduled for the current year in order to help close this gap. And again, we are planning the sale of fixed assets to use as part of our revenue stream. So any additional services or staffing not included in this budget will require an identifying an equal or greater offset. I know as you hear from community that's going to be really important to remember and that this budget is a plan. If our situation changes, this plan will also change. Now, we're going to go ahead and move into our general fund forecast. As part of our budget development process and transparency for you and the community, we project out an additional few years. And so, that's what I'm going to share at this time.

123So, this is a slide that we anchored back to um several times this year when we were looking at our current state. Um, and we have updated this slide with a budget, a balanced budget for the 26 27 year, which means our expenditures do not exceed our resources. But as we look out further, and Dr. Armstrong mentioned this in her message, we are anticipating a pretty significant increase in cost uh that will put us um at a $65 million deficit for the 2728 year. And this out this outlook here is if nothing if we don't take any steps to change that that we will um be a negative 169 million in 2930. This slide is an illustration of for the 2728 year and that is a ways off yet. We do have a lot of

124planning to do before that year gets here. we would um if those are operational reductions in our system that that creates a new structural baseline for um into the future and that's actually a hopeful thing. This is a slide captures a little bit of our recent history and over um the course of uh through the 2627 year we are looking at a total of over $170 million of reductions. Um and then we are also uh anticipating further reductions needed. These are the factors that contribute to the budget deficit in the 2729 bianium. We are anticipating flat local revenue. Um and that includes our local option at that time. Uh we will not have a determination for our state school fund appropriations. The model that we use in our projections assumes a 7 and a half%

125increase for the bienium and continued enrollment decline, a 5% minimum beginning fund balance. And we're also assuming that there's no additional resources available. There's no new revenue streams. Um so if for some reason there comes one, that will impact our um projections in a positive way. For expenditures, our projections for wage and benefits are based going to be based on re recent history. We are expecting um based on the 2024 advisory rate that was published by PERS that we'll experience an increase from 4.18 to 22 20.82% for the employer portion alone not including the debt service that we are paying on pension obligation bonds. the we are unique along with other districts with expiring site accounts that have uh created a rate credit for us over recent years um to experience that increase. We will

126receive our um official employer rates in October and at that time we'll be bringing forward some um some options for you to think about. We're also anticipating that services, supplies, and other operational costs are projected to increase based on recent and forecasted trends. So now we have time for questions and discussions. >> All right. Thank you. And just a reminder, this is the first um process of the budget committee. We are receiving the superintendent's budget today. Uh with that said, there's time for quick questions. Uh as for discussions, we have opportunity in our future budget committee meetings for more thorough discussion. So this is again just a reminder just preliminary uh if there's clarifying questions uh quick comments, things like that. So let's start. We'll start on the left side, our left side. Uh student

127represent. >> Thank you. So, you just recently talked about this um structural reset um that that's going into place and I just I just wanted to hear a little bit more uh about that and and exactly what's going into that that's creating that that structural change. I just like to hear more. >> Yeah. Well, I can give a just a really quick sneak peek that if our uh assumptions are true and our employer rate with PERS increases at that level that it will start to come down over time. So, that's that's a positive that will help balance out some of the costs, excess costs that we're experiencing currently. More information to come as it becomes available. Stay tuned. >> All right. Thank you. >> But it's looking like a 400% increase, just so we're clear

128from 4% to over 20%. >> Wow. >> Director Split. >> Um, I don't think I have any particular questions at this point. Um there is one thing that I did want to bring up and I I mentioned I would bring this up. It's like kind of a pet thing that I will continue to bring up. Um we have this handy in volume two of the budget heat map. Um I'm going to ask again that we start putting um on the heat map what special or what like district programs we have like for example if we have like an ISC classroom or um which I can't remember independent skills development is that I or independent skills >> well intensive >> intensive sorry but and also social emotional skills classrooms so on I think it'd be great

129if we could see that because then we know those schools that have like additional um burdens on them um which sounds sort of pjorative. I don't mean it that way, but just like special challenges, I think would be a better way to say that. Um and then the other thing is that I one day want to look at this and have it be basically in rank order by like the schools with the greatest needs based on socioeconomic status getting the most dollars and going down that way. We continue to have an outlier in the bottom few that's 26% kids on free and reduced lunch. Another one 28 just a couple slots above. And then meanwhile we have a school that has 11% free and reduced lunch. That's that has seven title one schools getting less

130money per student. >> Director Split, can you let us know what volume and page number you're >> Yeah, I'm on the heat map. Volume two. >> Volume two. >> I'm looking at elementary schools. It's page four. >> Thank you. >> Um, sorry. Um, but but it's something I brought up before, so I'm feeling like you guys have heard me say this like three times, so I'm I'm sorry if I seemed like it came out of nowhere. Um, but I just would I really want to see that eventually change to where these schools that have the highest needs have the most dollars going toward them. And there's exceptions to the rule on here that don't make much sense to me. I just ran the numbers and um that if you were to take the outlier lowest

131like the highest uh free and reduced lunch with the lowest per student number and compare it to the school that has the lowest free and reduced lunch and the highest per student spending. It's a difference of $560,000 of investment in that school. um and you end up with um you know a $2,000 per kid or n I'm sorry $1,932 gap per kid. So I just feel like we need to just continue to work toward having um equitable school funding and I think this is a handy way to evaluate for how we're doing on that and I think we're I think we're getting better but I still think there's room for improvement and I wanted to just make that point today cuz it's really important to me. Thank you for lifting that up, Director Split. I'll

132talk to the team about that. The other thing um that I think we need to be better at communicating about the heat map is where um Chief Morrison talked about when we budget, we use that $160,000 figure for a for a teacher in the heat map, that's actual teacher salaries. So in places where teachers have been there for longer and have more tenure, they're of course earning more compensation and that drives some costs up in some of those some average costs up versus schools where there may be more teacher more um newer newer to the profession or newer to BPS teachers who don't have as much experience and that may drive the um per student cost down because their salaries aren't as high. That's a really good point. Thanks for sharing. >> I'll make sure

133that we somehow capture that. >> Yeah, love to see more experienced teachers in our lower income schools, too. Anyway, thanks so much, >> Director Split, >> Director Englesman. >> Uh, thank you. I don't have much today. Um, but I I pointed this out to you when we did our one-on-one, which I'm very grateful for the sort of introduction that I got at that um to Director Split's comment about volume two, which I find really cool. And I also was told by you that most other districts, I think, don't know other districts do it. And so I'm impressed that we put this out. That said, I do find it um I would prefer to see the actual um students per FTE of classroom teachers rather than how it is laid out because I'm looking at my

134two schools. I don't know what everyone else's schools have, of course, but I know that my two schools don't have 10 students in a class or 11 students in a class. And so the um the way that it's laid out suggests that these schools have very small classroom sizes when in fact mine are at the very top. My kids have 45 kids in their band class, for example, um 30 something in their math class, which is not laid out in their middle school. So when we're doing this, I guess I would just ask it to not include all of the staff and then divide that by the number of students and get this unrealistic number. Um, I would prefer to see at each school what the actual classroom size numbers are and that I think

135would be more helpful. So, I'll just say that. Thank you. >> Thank you. I'm very grateful that Dr. Adams is sitting next to me taking notes and uh I think at one point that that was probably a decision that was made for whatever reason to have adults in the school per student. So, that there's there's more than one way to look at that. Thank you. So I guess >> that's what I was thinking. Show the other. >> I'm not even green. You could keep the same line for whatever. There must be some reasoning that it was done. Maybe a very good reason that I don't know. So you keep that line and then the other one could be I don't know average classroom or every classroom. I mean it wouldn't be that much but anyway

136be two separate lines. >> Thank you Director Engine. And because the camera can't show it, our button turned green when we turn it on, which is what you referenced when you said I'm not green. Doesn't mean you're not a Martian. So, I just want to clarify that in case people are watching. Yes. Um I kind of don't have Okay, this is a little bit out of protocol. It's not exactly a question um about the budget, but it's actually a question for or actually I want this event to become a ask a direction for the superintendent. Um, I want to talk about layers and this is also something I want to propose to the the board as well for a future direction that I want to work with Dr. Armstrong in in in creating. Um, I

137I want to be very clear in my ask is that in public education today, there are too few people doing too many jobs and this is all up and down from custodians, the teachers to the central office, everybody. Um, and being PPS, I understand there's incredible stress as being the largest district in the state that uh, we are often the point of the spear. We get a lot of attention. We get a lot of pressure from all over and it it is a very difficult job up and down throughout the whole district. I also want to be very sensitive that we're also talking about real people's jobs and this is um very difficult to deal with especially with a lot of the recent um layoffs and things like that have have been personal and have

138uh hurt a lot to see happen. Um, at the same time, uh, we are looking at another potentially 50 plus million dollar budget hole in the future. And in also in in light of our the our school climate survey and also what a lot of our teachers, principles, and and union uh, leaders have been saying is that there there's been disconnect in terms of um, you know, like help not feeling like help. And this is this is the thing I I I wanted to address. And so as we as we look at our budget um you know a lot of people are going to lose their jobs and this very unfortunate. At the same time it also you know I want to always try to keep the glass half full point of view sometimes in

139terms of um seeing opportunity where often it people don't and and we do have to restructure central office does have to restructure. we have to be able to do more with less. And so there is an opportunity here to figure out how to restructure uh that could solve some of these issues that have been brought up, the the issues of layers or issues of principles feeling like they're not getting the help they they need. Um uh and things like that. So, one thing I want to ask is, and I'm going to, again, this is this is more for the board because I'm going to bring this a more formal version in the future after I work this through and maybe get um can't I have to get your input live, right, because of meeting laws.

140So, I'll bring this up again at a future meeting. Um, but I want to ask the superintendent to bring a three-year staffing plan. And in that three-year staffing plan is uh a plan that will uh a obviously with the budget cuts show the reductions that are necessary. Uh but also a plan that would help reduce layers in terms of the um layers between you know our employees and the school sites to the superintendent because as we've been hearing often from a lot of our leaders in our school sites they don't necessarily feel like they have a direct connection to people who can make decisions. Again, I'm I know that there's a lot of jobs going on on here and I'm not saying anything about, you know, things like that, but I do know that things

141have to change and let's let's this is an opportunity to try to change the system. And then lastly, I want to also in this three-year staffing plan, a plan that highlights how we're going to bring teacher voice into um our leadership as well as potentially maybe not not just teachers, but also people with recent school experience and how to incorporate that in our our staffing model as well so that we do have more um connection between our schoolbased sites and the central office. And I think this is uh again it's tragic that we have these budget cuts that are happening. Um but we do have a real problem to solve which is that help needs to feel like help. And um so this is this is something I'm going to be working on. And the

142reason I'm bringing up now is because to give people time to think about it faster and I will be bringing this up more formalized plan after I talk to Dr. Armstrong a little bit more about uh what this may potentially look like. Um, but I just want you to know that this is coming up and this is something I'm I'm working on. So, thank you. And is that I didn't know if you wanted to respond to that or not or >> No, I I think Well, it's almost clear. Um, I just was wondering when you say three-year staffing plan because we've just done a a major restructure to address the 50 million deficit for the upcoming school year. So, when you say a three-year staffing plan, which with another reduction, we're going to reorganize. Are

143you speaking specifically about um a group for that staffing plan? I know you mentioned layers or is it >> Yeah, and this is these are the details I would like to work with you through to figure this out, >> but it it I guess what it is and the reason I bring it on the budget committee because it is budget related. It's about how much money we're spending here and there and what we have and what we need to do and to like solve these problems all are intertwined and so the and the reason three year is because um things take time in this district. It is a a large district and I understand that um mean also to acknowledge that our superintendent this is your second year here and to be able to turn

144a large ship like this with 82 schools to manage uh is no easy task. And not only that, but we also have a lot of amazing staff in our central office that um because of these budget reductions um we are looking at potentially losing a lot of institutional knowledge, which I want to also acknowledge is going to cost the district maybe not monetarily but functionally uh in many ways. And so um being aware of that things take time and so this is why I think a three-year plan seems reasonable. So, you're speaking >> Sorry. So, you're speaking about a three-year staffing plan for administrative reductions for the administrators in central office. >> Yes. >> Okay. Just wanted to be clear. Thank you. >> Thank you. And that that's all I got. Thank you. >> That's

145intriguing. Um Thank you. Um I just I had a question. And I know the city when they budget they um ask every um director level person to make a percentage of cuts and I was wondering if that happens here and I feel like I should know that but is everyone asked to make cuts or >> we we started off with that pattern when we looked at but budget proportionality by those cost center areas that that I shared. So we looked at, you know, what percentage of our budget is schools, what percentage of it is those other areas and then tried to target our total reduction amount in that way. But over the iterative process, things began to shift around a little bit. And so we ended up proportionally reducing less from schools than from central

146office. And then across central office departments that was that shifted as well especially as we began to recognize that our operational budget was not significant. I mean it wasn't um enough. So making those changes we tried to adjust accordingly so that our 2627 budget would be um as true to the functions that we um do as possible. >> Okay. Thank you. That's helpful. Um, and my other question I think um, student representative RTOR asked about the PERS. Is it actually going from current 4.18% to over 20%. >> That's the employer rate and that's based on the 2024 advisory rate that was published by PERS. So again, we will get our final employer rate in October of this year and then that will really inform whether or not that gap is bigger or smaller. So and

147we'll be bringing forward options to you about how to address that increase. >> Yeah, that seems really really really large. So that's all I have for now. Thank you. >> Um see it's my turn. Um, thanks for such a detailed presentation. I am taking it all in. Um, we'll definitely have uh more questions at our next meeting. Um, I do have um one question about slide 16, which was enrollment trends over time uh the state of Oregon compared to PPS and how PPS is outpacing um statewide decline. And I understand in ter Dr. Dr. You said something and I I might have been reading too much into it. Is there another way this is Okay, I understand it's funding is funding for students. >> Is there another way us outpacing this the state average in

148a non positive way is affecting our funding outside of that? >> I don't believe so. I'm going to lean on Chief Morrison. But what I what I wanted to just make sure we understood is if we all shrink proportionally, then we all sort of get the same amount of the pot. And if somehow some of us are shrinking greater than others, we might not get the same amount of the pot that we've received in the past. >> Got >> and that lags a couple years because of um the way the funding formula works. >> So it doesn't catch up with you immediately, but it does eventually catch up with you. >> Is that why the following year is also looking so bleak? >> Part of the reason? >> Yeah, part of the reason because we

149are still anticipating further decline in enrollment. Um but really the the bulk of that gap is is due to the PERS employer rate increase. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And regarding enrollment, I do want to say we um Chief Gross led the enrollment campaign for the first time in 14 years. We saw an increase in kindergarten enrollment. So our enrollment still declined, but didn't decline as much as it was projected to. And if we can continue to promote the good things that are happening across our schools, even through these time, these very difficult times, I'm hopeful that we'll be able to get out of our enrollment decline a little bit sooner than is currently projected. >> Thank you. >> You done? >> Yeah. Okay. Um, I actually had the same question, but I still don't

150think I quite understand it. You said with enrollment projections when declines are different or differently than what? Differently than other >> other districts, the state as a whole, >> then the funding could be impacted because >> because we've lost a greater proportion than everyone else. >> So then it could be possible. I'm not saying this is happening. Yeah. Yeah, >> I'm saying it could be possible that we would re we would basically receive fewer funds than of the proportion that we usually get. And I can't remember what that percentage is. Um I apologize. >> 7.74. >> Thank you. It could be possible that we could receive less than that if this um disproportionate enrollment decline continues and it's so different from the other districts in the state as a whole. >> Okay. because they think

151since they have more they should get more, but you don't know what's going to come at the moment. >> Um, and also when you talk kind of like um her director, student director Rardo said, how is the reset hopeful? I was trying to see what was hopeful in that slide. If we don't use one-time sources to close that gap, if we truly take $65 million, that's that's the current projected gap. Again, I I will say projected, it will likely change over time. That if we reduce that much operationally instead of using one-time funds as we have historically, that that's going to set a new service level for PPS. And so additional revenue may mean additional investments instead of continued reductions. And so as as we get more information, we get closer to that time period,

152I I will be bringing information to you. Um the reason we broach this topic tonight is because it's part of our budget development process to do a three-year projection. >> So it's not that we have any more money. It's just that we've learned how to deal. >> We've we've operationalized the budget. Okay. Yep. >> I see. Um, and while I'm talking here, I just want to remind people there is an education stability fund in Salem. If you want to call your representatives and say, "Why don't we use that? It just does not make sense to me. It's there and it's sitting and every single school in Oregon can use it, I'm sure." So, everybody listening to this, call your representative. Can you say the name of that again? >> Um I hope this education stability

153fund. >> That's correct. >> And it's for education and it even builds up because it gets lottery money. It's not like it's a one-time thing. So we need it. Yeah. When you wonder about those lottery dollars that are going to education, they're going there and they're just sitting there. Um okay. I have a comment and a question. Um, a few months ago, um, when we were, uh, having a more preliminary conversation about next year's budget, um, I expressed the hope that we would, uh, take a scalpel and not a chainsaw approach, um, to next year's budget. And I think that you all have really achieved that. I see the intention um and deliberate work around preserving student facing positions as much as possible. Um and I deeply appreciate that. Um and with that I want

154to say um the cuts to our central office staff are real. They're painful. Um those folks are members of our community and um any any loss uh hits hits hard, especially such significant losses. And want to offer a gentle reminder to my fellow parents that when you call or send emails and want something responded to or you want to see action taken, um you know, that's work that is done by the people who work in this building and there are fewer of them now. So, I hope that as a community we can um have some grace for each other and um those of us who are part of the system, whether we work in it um as our day job or we're parents in it or um we're board members, whatever the case may be.

155Uh my question is about our reserves. Um and Chief Morrison, I apologize if you've answered this in the past, but um I know we're at our minimum. um what is the process of rebuilding our reserves like in a time when we're making such deep cuts um and not just next year but over the years to come. What does it look like to start rebuilding that? And do you have any sense of like a timeline of when um we can anticipate having um more in reserve again? >> Yeah, thank you for that question. And it's a very sensitive topic during any period of reductions which we foresee through at least 2728 at this time potentially in 2829 depending on what level of funding we receive from the state and the true impact of our expenses and

156how they're increasing and um how our uh labor partners work together with us. I mean, all of those things will impact um when we would feel comfortable increasing that reserve as a budgeted line item, and that would be a target along with all of our other spending plan targets that we have in the budget. So, we're a little ways off from I think probably having a serious discussion about that, but that is at the direction of the board. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you everyone and uh with that that concludes >> wait I have just a couple more slides I'm sorry >> that concludes the discussion portion I do want to share we have an adoption timeline coming this includes dates for community engagement that you guys will be a part of in our

157community budget review committee they're going to prepare and present a report to you um so those things are still to come and then we do have our public comment email. So, this is just a reminder to community um to go ahead and reach out if they uh have something they'd like you to know. And then in the appendix, we have a lot of well a handful of slides about further staffing changes in our schools as a result of the academic program workg group. Um so that's for your information. Thank you. >> I just had uh one last thing. I realized I forgot to say it. Um, but thank you for talking about the org charts which are coming soon. I also received an email um with additional resources that were already available. So, I just

158wanted to say thank you. I know I asked about that last meeting. Um, and so, thank you for following up on that. >> All right. Thank you. Thank you for the presentation and answering our questions. It's a lot of work. >> Thank you. >> And with that, the board as a budget committee is now adjourned and we are now back to regular board work. Um, in a ploy to keep I know a lot of people here are waiting for the foundation discussion. In a ploy to keep you here longer, let's take a five minute break. >> So, we'll be back here at 8:27. Okay, let's get started. Thank you. >> All right, next up we have A quick update from our >> bond program in which I hand this off to Superintendent Arms Strong. >>

159Absolutely. >> Thank you. always wonderful to hear about our bond program update. So, I am excited to have the team up before you and I will turn it over to Sarah Norman. Are you kicking it off? >> I am. >> I will turn it over to Thank you. I appreciate it. >> Technical tech technical difficulty really quick. Hold on one second. wouldn't be an updated Thank you very much. You know, you name it. You got it. Okay, I'm going to get the presentation up there for everybody. Uh, Rosanne, you have to allow me to share. May I make a quick comment? I I've been doing this a long time and watching different presentations and I've never seen an all woman team and so I just want to say like I see you out here. Thank

160you. Love it. >> It's It says sharing is not turned on. Please. >> Also, we would appreciate a chocolate run. >> I just sent you a request. Did you get a request from me? >> Yeah, it came up. >> Came up and it said allow. It did. Aha. Got it. We got it. Let's see. Let's make sure it's doing the right thing over here. Let's see. There we go. All right. Well, thank you all. Uh really appreciate being here. Good evening. Um we are going to run through our monthly presentation for uh to give an update on the bond program. Um we'll start with the program status update um our schedule update throughout u for the modernizations and gry um program budget update for all four bond program open bond programs and also then um

161our consolidated project update and then we'll have questions at the end. So, all right. I'm TJ Hopkins, senior program director of the RISE Bond Program. And we're going to start off with the 2012 bond program status update. And uh what you're going to see here on these next two slides, 2012 2017 has not been visually much progress, but I can say behind the scenes what's going on as reconciliation and auditing of both of these programs. And I'd just like to acknowledge our um compliance I'm sorry not compliance our controls manager and her operations and financial team Jessica Day who's with me here um for all of that effort. It's very meticulous and tedious and uh I can assure you they've implemented a construction closeout checklist with about 20 to 25 items that need to be

162reconciled for each project. And so to have to go back through these prior bond programs and reconcile and do that work is very very uh very very tedious. So thank you Jessica. And one of the things I wanted to call the attention to as well as I moved on to the 2017 you'll note that we all of this information is coming from Ebuilder. So that is the bond management um program that PPS instituted back in um 2014 right after the 2020 bond uh 2012 bond and uh where it says that there are 48 I'm just pulling this from this slide where it says it's 48 projects in construction that actually just means that it is noted as active in the ebuilder system. It does not mean that we have 48 active projects currently going on

163in the district, but we can we are pulling all of these reports from the historical data that we have within the district. And part of that auditing process that Jessica and the controls team is doing is actually looking at all of those active projects and making sure that they are closed out properly for the district. So that is what that is what is happening. So we'll start seeing that trend down as we as we move through that process. >> Thank you Sarah. Yes. So, the board can expect to see future updates that those graphs will visually change from that green to the light blue showing that they're in post construction phase. So, moving forward, we have 2020 bond program. Um, so this program is still being scheduled out. There's about 542 million left to schedule

164out. That's where we're at right now. Um, as you can see, most of the projects are in construction and completed, but as we schedule these out, we'll get some in in the pre-planning phase. And this graph will also change. And same for 2025. Uh, again, we've got several projects in pre-planning and design phase. Uh, again, as we schedule out this bond program, you'll see that graphical change with um projects progressing through the different statuses. All right. And here's our 2025 bond schedule. You're going to see uh the three modernizations, Cleveland, IDB Wells, and Jefferson. We've also added Grace Aadair with a design phase um starting in quarter two. So, we're excited about that. Uh Cleveland is So, let me back up. You can see the dashed line up there, the gray dash line that shows

165you where we're at, our current progress on all three modernizations as well as Gryair. Um, in Cleveland, we are fast approaching a June groundbreaking with a subsequent demo and ID Wells, uh, we are in the land use process. So, we're expecting that hearing to be May or June um for land use. And Jefferson High School, we have the Southfield starting um shortly after the groundbreaking in May. I'm going to turn it over to Jessica to go over the financials. Hello everybody. Jessica Day, controls manager with Presidio and happy to be here with the team. I have here on the overall dashboard. It's really just showing everything that we have 2012, 17, 20, and 25. And we're about 50% available. So, we're we're getting in there for sure. Go to the next one. on the 2012.

166One thing that we did change on uh both 127 including the 20 and the 25 on these next four slides is we included the modernization language or I'm sorry the bond language in here so that we can just have that view of what it is that we are doing within each of these or in this case for 2012 what we have done um as you'll notice from this slide from the last one that we have done in at the beginning of April I believe we have now remaining balance of 377,000. As Sarah and TJ both mentioned, the team is working to really look into all of those closeouts, making sure everything is truly done, and we're taking through those assessments, and we'll be able to also have further planning for projects to be able to

167completely close out that 2012. So, we are just right on the heels or heels of being able to actually get that done. So for 2017 again we added the language just so everyone is aware just what it is that we have done um or are still continuing to do for this one in particular we have committed uh to date about 95% so they're towards the tail end of it for the 2020 um one thing that we pointed out in our last meeting as well is that we have a column here for the budget that's managed by Prescidio um that dollar value is specifically for the Jefferson the um the CE is what is listed here but that is the Gryland deer uh and the Cleveland design and Wells design >> on to 20 25 yeah

168sorry um so with 2025 um again we're giving a clear definition of what it is that we're doing in the 25 program and a large difference that we have done with this one is the amount to date column from the last uh report that we had. Uh we're we're moving in this project a lot. So, we have a a large increase from the last time. That's it. Move it on over to Jane. Okay. Jumping into Cleveland High School. So, some of the highlights here is the Marshall improvements are currently underway and those are expected to be complete for August. Um, for the swing space, we have groundbreaking at 1 PM on June 12th and we're approximately halfway through the construction documentation phase, which is our final phase of design. And those documents are due on

169May 11th. And this is the same floor plan that you've seen previously. We've updated some of the renderings. So, here's a new exterior rendering for the board and interior renderings and Jefferson High School. So, highlights here for Jefferson is the contractor has brought on trade partners to provide pre-construction input. So this helps reduce the risk and and gives some collaboration upfront um in that construction documentation phase to to work on those details and get things that are very complicated kind of dialed in. Um groundbreaking is 12:00 p.m. on May 29th and community info session on May 6th. TJ, the slide says 10 a.m. >> The we >> the slide that we submitted did say 10 a.m. It was moved to 12:00 p.m. or 12:00 p.m. So, we apologize. Yes, it's at 12. And there are

170postcards and everything going out shortly that will have the 12m date. We're we're in coordination with senior day at Jefferson and so that is why that change was made. >> Say less. Thank you. >> Thank you, Sarah. I was actually prepared to speak on it and I was kind of surprised to see the 12m Okay. So, here's the floor plan for Jefferson High School. And again, we've updated these exterior renderings. There's a new interior rendering and then IDW Wells. So, we have completed design development and moved into the construction documentation phase. Again, the land use application has been submitted and we are expecting that hearing in May or June. And here's the floor plan for IDB with also updated exterior rendering and interior renderings. and Gryair. Um we have architectural and engineering um firms approved

171by the board on the 14th. So that's allowed us to move into programming um upon our architectural task assignment and we shortly thereafter pre-planning kickoff meeting is anticipated to be scheduled in the next 30 days. And that's exterior and courtyard renderings. And I'm going to turn it over to Joanna Evenson. >> Good evening. Danny Evenson, senior director of RISE, working in consolidated projects. Um, so we have quite a bit going on. The first couple slides are in regards to seismic. Um, for this year's construction, our contractor bids are complete and this is uh work for the summer of the first four schools. That's roof that's both our roofing projects with some seismic included. um some of the seismic parts projects that we had um identified, those construction bids are due on May 7th for those

172three schools. Next, um we are anticipating Richmond and Capitol Hill for the summer of 27. You just approved those two contracts, so thank you. Um, and then some more seismic parts contracts will be for design will be in front of the board later in May. And we have begun design on the full seismic retrofit for Beverly Clearary. We're anticipating summer 2728 construction. And then for 28 and 29, we're in planning for those uh beach in the summer of 28. and then Rose City Park. We're going to start with design, which we hope to have in front of the board here um in May as well. Athletics for Grant Bowl lighting, if anybody's given a driveby, we have poll standing, so that's nice. Um all of the infrastructure is in. We are just waiting on some

173electrical gear which should be here in a few weeks and then a final connection with the power company at the end of May. Um and Marshall track and field the turf installs complete. The track installation is mostly complete. We had a couple setbacks just from some stray people on the track while it was trying to dry. So um that's getting fixed up. Um, and the tennis courts are in progress and ahead of schedule. The Jackson Athletic Hub, uh, we're nearing design completion with construction anticipated start in June for our phase zero, which is the upper field. And then the MO multi-use field has completed their um, SD review, so their initial design reviews, >> schematic design. Is West Silvin anywhere in the planning? >> West Silvin is in planning. Still >> um it's still in

174planning. >> Part of our consolidated projects is our curriculum. Um this past what is it been a week? I guess um there we're working on the device refresh for all students throughout the district. So that'll be a new computers for every single student. It's 41,500 devices that are going to be deployed. And so our technology team did a pilot deployment at six schools in the last week, which went very well. Um they did that just to ensure that we can get devices to every student for the beginning of school. And then there will be ongoing deployment support the first few weeks of school to make sure everybody's up and running properly. Our DDC controls upgrades are continuing. Uh our fier first phase was completed earlier in the year and then our second phase we've divided

175into three subp parts. We have construction complete on six schools. We're in construction right now on another six and the final six will be done this summer. And we have fire alarm upgrades going at 10 schools and we're anticipating to do the construction for those this summer. For facility improvements, we have HVAC system upgrades completed at uh Wilcox. Our Marshall water line is finally replaced. And for this summer, we're working to replace a condenser on the Franklin Buckman cafeteria trusses are actually completed. We'll be doing the dance studio and flooring this summer. Boise Elliot had a major repaint of the school. Capitol Hill or will be Capitol Hill as a flooring abatement project and subfloor repairs throughout um two wings. Jefferson stage rigging is going to be repaired this summer. Sitten, we're replacing trusses. Roast

176City Park, we're retubing the boiler, which is quite tedious. And um Vestal, we are replacing the inwall cafeteria tables, which are kind of a tough thing to replace. So, just kind of a brief overview of all the different kinds of things that are incorporated into the consolidated projects. There's many more going on at this time. And one and one thing I wanted to add on seismic is actually the Prescidio grant writing team identified a FEMA uh bond opportunity funding and we actually completed our pre-application um for $20 million for seismic um which is it's a FEMA grant that is um then um which is the state it will it will pass through the state. So, our pre-application was actually submitted on April 24th. And so, we'll wait to hear and once we hear back, we'll

177actually go in for full application. So, just wanted to make you guys aware of that as well. We're always looking, we're constantly looking for grant opportunities for the district and this was just one that was available for Seismic. So, >> that's amazing. Thank you. >> Great. Thank you. Great. We'll open up with questions. Let's I guess we'll move down the line. Let's start with Director Split. I have no questions. Thank you. >> Green. >> I'm green. I have questions. Um uh okay. So um ID IDW Wells is a little bit behind the starting construction phase for Cleveland and Jefferson. When will we get a groundbreaking scheduled for that? Is that something in the works? >> We're It is in the works. We're looking, we're trying to target um October, November, okay, >> is probably when

178IDAB Wells will will start uh or when a groundbreaking will be scheduled. We're actually currently coordinating with the school. We want to get through the land use process before we do that. And that's like I said, it's supposed to be happening here shortly. And then um that is right around the time when our um CMGC will also be mobilizing to the site. So just kind of coordinating all that activity at one time. >> Okay. Um, >> can I just chime in really quickly just in case anybody is wondering why Ida's behind and worried about it? It is a faster project. >> Also, >> thank you. >> I was going to say that too. Isn't it true that when you look at like the steps, it's actually ahead of the other two? >> Yeah, >> the

179work is different. So, you know, at Cleveland, we've got a swing space and and there's demolition to the building that's happening. So, it's just it's just the different components of work at each school. So, it appears as though it's behind, but it's not. I mean, all of the modernizations are on schedule. They're all tracking for that August 29 school opening. >> If I said behind, I meant later. I don't Did I say behind? I just >> No, you didn't. I was just worried about a listener extrapolating. So, I just wanted to clarify. >> I have friends who are Ida bound and they're really excited for groundbreaking. So, >> I am asking on we are in the planning phase. Okay. Yes. Okay. Um, okay. So, um, on the 2012 bond program status, the 2017, the 2020,

180there are line items for contingency. Is that like what contingency stands for? So, if something goes unexpected, we have money set aside to do that. >> Correct. What happens like if we're really close to closing out 2012 for example, do we get to roll is this what why the importance of closing it out is that we get to roll it into the next. >> So what so what so because it is approved under the 2020 bond, we have to go by the 2020 bond language. So, um, but what that does is one of the reasons we're doing the audit and trying to close out these bonds is because we want to identify what is that money that is remaining within that bond program so that we then can present to leadership and say, "Hey, we

181have $300,000 left. Here is a project that we could take care of within the bond language of the 2012 bond. Here's option A, B, and C. How would you like to proceed?" And then that way we can assign that work and actually close out that bond completely. Is it a It doesn't sound like it is. Is it a possibility that we could never reassign it because of the way that the bond is written >> in in all all of Let me just jump in and say that all of our bonds um 2012 17 2025 all have seismic >> and we have a tremendous amount of seismic need. So >> perfect. >> Yeah. There would never be a point where I I was going to say I I was going to say there's never a problem

182of finding a project that will fit within the bond language of any of the bond programs. So I we will spend it. Yes. >> Um okay, I'm moving on to the Cleveland High School modernization slide just so you know where I'm moving on to. Um do we have plans for what Marshall is going to look like for families who are going to be sending their kids there? I mean, I know work is happening and it's transfer transforming it from what Benson students needed into what Cleveland students will need. Are there I mean, there must there are plans out there. Is this something we can share so people can see what Marshall's going to look like for their kids? >> That's a really that's a really good point and I think we could do that. We

183>> let me just jump in and say I love that idea. I don't know if we've had that posed yet, but I do know there's a beautiful field and some other things that are happening. So, I'm wondering if because that's a project that we're getting up online if we can add that just even for public to be able to see to >> I was I was just thinking maybe kind of a a you know what we could offer like work with staff and see if we could do a walk through for incoming students or something of that nature. Let us work it's a great idea. So, let us work with staff and see what we can come up with and come back with that. Okay. Yeah. >> Thank you. Um go >> okay. Um, okay.

184Uh, thank you. Um, I also have friends who are Jeffersonbound. Um, so I'm getting questions from them. One friend called me right after we um approved the boundary changes and his kids are going there. He's very excited and he said, "The community is driving by and they don't see shovels in the ground. What is going on?" To which I said, "This is not happening immediately. This starts in the fall. I talked him through all of that or in the summer. Um I noticed that there is a community info session on this slide. It says only the date. It doesn't say what, where, or when. I would like that information now. And then I would also really like that to go out on the district socials and emails and everything tomorrow because um that's really soon

185and I think our Jefferson community wants to go. >> Yes. And I think it has already been out on our our comm's team our comm's team has already gotten it out and on and I because I'm sharing I can't flip to the time but it is in the Jefferson cafeteria but I will get the time as soon as I can take my presentation down or if I can take my presentation down I can do that but but it is on our socials currently. >> Perfect. um >> and our in and our website. Sorry. >> Perfect. I asked about groundbreaking. Almost done. Maybe not. Uh okay. Um I asked about this before. I know it's 15 months away, but do we have any update on where Beverly Clearary will swing while their school is being worked

186on for a year? We we actually have employed um one of our architecture firms to start doing feasibility studies that at some identified campuses and um and properties that um PPS owns. And so we're currently starting that process now. So we hope to have an up we'll be able to come back to the the board with an update um in the next couple of months. Yes. But we're starting that we've got to have that swing plan in place um well before next summer. So we are in the process of doing that. >> Okay. Um, okay. Moving on to the athletics projects. The Grant Bowl lighting. Um, does everywhere else have lighting and Grant just doesn't? No. Okay. Does Marshall have lighting or are Cleveland kids going to run into the same lighting problems have been

187dealing with? >> Marshall does not have lighting. I was gonna say I don't like >> which we just approved the Musco contract for lighting at Marshall. So that's what the lighting is for. >> Musco, >> we just approved it tonight. >> KC KCDA >> to put lighting out at Marshall. So >> correct as part of that um Marshall athletic um the greater project. So it's not right away. >> Yep. >> Um but it will come with the next set. >> Okay. Um, do we have any update you can give on Powell Park? >> We actually are in lease ne we're in I know that doesn't sound like an update, but it really is. We're in we're in red we're in red line. We're in redline lease negotiation with parks and recck. So that is where

188we are with it. So >> it's better than in conversation with >> I was gonna say no. So it's actually it has moved. Um, but so we are working with those partners. So >> Okay. Oh, you know what? I actually have another going back to Cleveland. I have another question that I keep forgetting to ask. So right now the Cellwood Hosford the feeder schools for Cleveland use the Cleveland fields for athletics. Um obviously a sixth grader isn't going to want to go all the way out to the Marshall fields or is that the expectation? Will the middle school sports be going out to Marshall for practice after middle school? I will have to get back to you because we'll need to um coordinate with athletics on what that programming is, but we can definitely check

189in with Dio and Marshall and find out what the plan is for the theater schools that are currently using the Cleveland Fields. >> Okay, thank you. >> Yep. >> Okay, now I'm done. Thank you. >> Okay, I messed up because I did have a question. I just forgot in the moment because I'm trying to get trying to be like efficient. Um, I um have uh I used to be a PTA president and was a PTA treasurer. So I have four years of being a PTA officer and being one of the two people that would go to the clothing center twice a year to represent our school at Marshall. And word on the street is that they're having to move, which is a huge undertaking for that project. And that the volunteers will be forced to

190use portaotties. Um, and I think people are feeling pretty alienated by that. So, I don't really have a question, I guess, but I think it would be I just wanted to flag that the concern is coming up and just at least give my um you know, as somebody who's volunteered out there, you know, 8 to 10 times over the last 5 years. Um, you know, I've filled countless bags of clothes for kids in need all over the district. Um, and the idea that those volunteers, including some of them who are elderly, would have to go use a porta potty just seems pretty pretty rude, I guess. So hopefully we can >> find a solution for that. >> I can clear that up just a bit. The volunteers for the clothing closet are not being asked

191to use a restroom. So we do have a lease that is in the works. Um, and they would be able to use the school facilities. um their space is changing because the space they currently occupy is a band room and that is an important room for our Cleveland students. So we have to it's the only band room in the school. So we have to move the clothing center to accommodate the Cleveland band. >> And I I also want to reiterate >> sorry can I just ask a question on that really quickly? Um is the space comparable? It is um the clothing center has expanded a bit over the years and they're in kind of that awkward band space and so the space we identified within the school is square footwise slightly smaller but it's open

192so that you don't have to twist around so you'll have they have the ability to set racks and stuff which we think will happen more efficiently and I know that our bond program is helping them to kind of upgrade that space with some paint, um, fix the doors, and it has an exterior entry just for them. So, that's it's really easier for our students and families to come to the clothing center through that exterior door. The other thing I wanted to say is the bond program is also relocating them. So, it's not as though we're asking the volunteers or the clothing closet to move themselves. We are actually moving them into their new newly tenant interiored space. So I I kind of wanted to make sure that that was clear. It wasn't like we're just

193making these demands to this PT this program. We're actually we have been coordinating Joanna and her team on the lease side have been coordinating with them for a while and then we once we identified the space we made sure to identify what needed to happen to the interior and we've also been coordinating the move for them to the new space. So that's really great. I'm glad to hear that we've resolved the bathroom situation. they're in a similarly situated space and that they're the move is actually being carried out by the bond staff. Um, I want to give Sharon a shout out. Does anybody remember her last name for me? >> May Chang. >> Thank you. Um, Sharon May Chang is has been running that thing for years and lives like 40 minutes away from it

194and is still there just doing Yman's work. So, I just want to give her a public shout out and thanks for taking good care of her and her volunteers. Thanks for letting me piece >> one follow. >> Can I Can I just ask one followup on that? Um are the families going to have to use the portaotties because families are sometimes bands >> families? >> Yeah. >> Are the families who are going there who sometimes it can sometimes take two hours to go through and sometimes parents are bringing their young children. Are they going to have to use the portaotties >> or can we sort something out that is >> the lease is not finalized yet. Um, I'll say that as a student safety from a student safety perspective to keep our Cleveland student and

195staff safe from the public, which in in this definition public is anyone who's not a student or staff of Cleveland. Um, we have that separate ent and we can't have them going through the school. So, we're still working through it. >> Okay. Um, it could be very dehumanizing to a family coming out to have to then go out and it could also frankly be impossible for someone who's a solo parent there with two or three young children to try to use a portaotti in the rain. Um, I think the 2,000 families there's a lot of families that are helped. So, um, I don't think we can just give them portaotties and think >> it is definitely not it's not a closed issue. We're currently in negotiation. >> Um, and at at the forefront is student

196safety. And so we have to coordinate with the principal that will be running that school and making sure that we we we have separation of public and students. And so we are we are currently working through that with all involved. >> Okay. And um is there going to be any like lag between closing the current space and then opening after you've moved everything over? Is there going to be a and is there a contingency plan for families who rely on the clothing closet and um and may not have >> I believe the clothing closet put out a a statement or clothing center put out a statement saying that they would be paused for a couple of weeks. I know that the the move is in progress today. >> Okay. >> The move actually started this

197week. >> Yeah. >> So, yeah. So, I mean, it's it's in progress. So, and they had notified the majority of the people that used the closet to let them know. So, >> thank you. And thank you for bringing that up. After the listening session last night, a couple of families came on to came up and talked about it. So, it's a big deal in the community. >> Yeah. >> Can I just drop one thing in before you move off of that subject? On that note, strictly related. >> Yes. Um, I spoke to them as well last night and they did say that the space is significantly smaller, that it's too small, and that they would be open to relocating >> outside of Marshall if that meant they had more space. So, I just want to

198throw that out there. Throw that curveball in there. >> Thank you. Um, my questions have been asked and it's 9:07, so let's move on. Um, I've also gotten some advocacy from an in-law that um volunteers at the clothing closet and they have said it's uh the space is smaller. Um, I understand also like the um kind of the north star is keeping students safe and separate from the public walking in. I know like the door locking situation. It's great that there's an exterior door. Is there any place that could be um a tenant improvement? and it wouldn't have to be like a full remodel that has plumbing near it that could be turned into a bathroom for their use. Just a open question. Um anyway, I wanted to just give you kudos um for the

199presentation that you just gave. That's more information that I've been on the board since 2019 um that we've gotten um on the status of and the financial uh status of the bonds. You know, I I think we thought we were paying for 2012 and 2017 to be wrapped up by now. Um, and I'm really happy to see that they're um that where they where they are and and that was two superintendents ago when all this was done. Um, really happy to see that we're kind of moving forward and have kept expecting that to be closed. Um, I had a a comment about the technology. Um, just the timing of um, your presentation is we have a conversation right now. parents are interested in in teachers, educators about the use of technology and the the screen

200times in school and there's research right now and uh so that conversation is happening as we're going to refresh a onetoone um devices but also um the disposal piece. Could we donate them to the free geek and not put them in the landfill because >> there is a there is a disposal and reuse plan. I think each of the ones coming back is getting evaluated. I can follow up with you on that from our technology team has a much more in-depth answer for that, but I know they are evaluating each one that comes back. >> There's an electronic waste that would take it. Um, and there's also free geek that has our PPS students learn how to build um computers that operate on I don't remember the software system, but we donate it. we get

201a, you know, a nice happy thank you and um they they they keep them out of the landfill. So, yeah, I just wanted to to bring that up about the the use of technology is kind of on the table as a conversation and um so I don't know timing wise, but appreciate the update and really appreciate the update specifically on the 2012 and 2017 bonds, which again we expected to be already closed out by now. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you for such a detailed presentation. I love it. Um I wanted to start on slide 11 with the 2012 bond program status. I there's $377,000. Is that right? in the remaining >> um I am bringing this up because I got a phone call today um about a flag pole at Grand High School

202but it does not have one and there I just I was thinking about the scoreboard that's not there there's a couple things that the schools that are in this list still do not have is there are you checking in with the schools for or can you check with it looks like Franklin and Grant add-ons there are some things I don't know about Franklin obviously I'm you know grants in my cluster. >> Yep. Franklin, every single high school that or every single school that you see here has something that probably they need. >> And so, yes, we have that running. We have that running list and as soon as we we have that that what what is remaining in that bond, that will be the list that we go to in order to allocate what can

203what can happen with the remaining funds in 2012. >> Okay. Um then let's see flipping through here for I see questions about Wells in terms of the timeline in the the bond presentation in January. You guys had this great timeline slide for each school. I was just going to ask if we could add that back in. It was one of my favorite slides and showed kind of the whole process for each individual project. And um just I feel like you kind of already answered this, but I wanted to get a sense of how you were feeling about the timing of um >> is this >> the land use director? >> No, go ahead. >> Is this a timeline slide that you're talking about that I have up right now? >> No, it I actually printed

204a copy and I thought I shoved it in my bag and I didn't. >> It's it's the one um Excuse me. It's the one from the >> It was in January. >> Is it for you? >> The January bond update. >> It's similar. >> It's like an overall project schedule. Oh, it's the ones that >> it's the ones that were in the comprehensive plan. I know what you're talking about. Okay. >> They're great. >> Okay. >> Um, so it sounds like for wells in terms of timing, the land use, is there any concern about making it through land use on time and getting to permits for IDB Wells? >> Yes. I mean, there's there's always that risk. I mean we have the land use, there's the protest period. So I >> or the the appeals

205period. I I will say this in that >> in that particular portion of the city um >> most things there the the appeals pro that they use the appeals process and so we do expect that but that is built into our overall schedule. Okay. >> So um right now we're we're just going through the process. >> Okay. I just noticed because in that timeline the the block of time was shorter than it was for the other two schools. So >> um let's see for um the Graceair Center for Educational Excellence the budget for the project the total budget is 60 million. Is that inclusive of the purchase of the property? Okay, great. Um, and then I wanted to bring up the clothing clothing closet, but already did. And I think that's it. Just uh, you

206know how excited I am about those lights. We're so close. So close. That's it for me. Thank you. Okay. First, I would just like to say how impressed I am. Almost every question we ask you when it seems like we're saying we have a great idea, you've figured it out. You've thought about it already. So very impressive. So Marshall's Fields getting fixed now so that Cleveland people can use it for the next two years. So then that field is going to be available for all schools as an extra field. Is that the plan? >> Correct. >> Yeah, it's actually complete already. You go look at it. this beautiful nice PIL graphic right on it. >> Nice. Because I know we need extra fields all the time. >> Yes. >> And um now some other schools

207stayed at Marshall while their school was being done, right? >> Yes. Was that >> it's Marshall's been used quite a bit for a swing space for PPS? Yes. >> Yes. So have they figured out the clothes closet during all that time? Do you know? >> You know, I don't know what they did. I don't know if they moved the clo They have. But the they have the space usage within Marshall itself is >> there's a different requirement from each school that has come to use it. So like Benson before >> had a different space need than Cleveland does now. So that's kind of where this eb and flow. >> That's why they have to keep moving around. Okay. Thank you. That's all I have. >> That makes sense. >> No questions for me. Just kudos.

208Uh, I just had just had one one question. Hopefully it's quick. Um, I just wanted to ask I apologize if I've asked this last time. Um, but why why the new computers again? >> It was part of the bond program. >> God, that was just in the in the bond language. >> Yeah, it was in the bond language and it was a question. That's uh it was part of the technology bond program. >> Great. >> Like great question. >> Yeah, I can't remember the last time we updated them, but we can follow up and find out follow >> when it was. They regular. The ones at our school, we stopped being able to take them home after they started smoking on the regular. So, I think it's also past time for some new ones. Yeah.

209>> So, I want to turn it back over to Dr. Armstrong. Thank you so much. Thank you. >> Thank you. I think those were all the questions. So, I will turn it over to Chair Wong. >> Great. Thank you again for being here and very thorough presentation. So, thank you. All right. Next up, uh we have the discussion on the districtwide advocacy and fundraising. At the last meeting, Director Sullivan requested that we have a board discussion on whether we want to pursue a potential pause on the districtwide advocacy and fundraising policy, which is 7.10.020-P. Um I just want to kind of briefly overview the process right now. Uh we do have uh director Sullivan and I talked about this. Uh director Sullivan is going to introduce this item. We also invited um the the the

210chair of the fund as well as the um executive director as well to present and then uh the DSC as represented by uh student represent Ian RTO has also um have a response. So those three will present uh and then we'll open it up for board discussion uh at the end. And this is something that uh when director Sullivan and I discussed it uh we would like to see if there's enough board support to affirm moving forward with this or not. And the purpose being if there is then we would pursue potentially looking at a resolution or something of the sort and if there's not I think that we want the discussion to kind of end because we don't want to keep dragging out um dragging this out unnecessarily um when when so many emotions

211are so high. So uh that's that's the kind of format for today and let's start. So I'll hand this over to director Sullivan if you can please introduce us and take it away. helps me when I'm green. Okay. Um Okay. I'm gonna start out and kind of read my statement and then uh Ian, do you want to go next and then Nick and then we can have questions. Okay. All right. So, I want to first acknowledge student representative RTOR's comment at the last meeting. He said, "Foundations are not the answer to our budget problems. changing in funding at the state level is the answer. I totally agree with him. Pausing the policy that restricts raising money for staff will give us barely a drop in the bucket of the funds needed to adequately fund our

212schools. However, I believe that the drop is worth fighting for. Let's remember why we care about these funds. I looked carefully at volume two of the proposed budget to see which schools had used foundation funds in the 24-25 school year, which was the last year that they could be used. There were 34 schools who used funds that year. Half used less than one FTE. 16 used one or more FTE. Only five schools used more than two. I looked at the dollars allocated to each student in that year for each school. All who used the funds were allocated less than 10,500 per student in the year they received the foundation money. Most of those who did not use foundation money were allocated more than 10,500 per student with numbers up to 15,000 depending on need. It

213is unclear which schools raise the money and which applied to the fund for help. It is true that some schools need more help than others and some communities can raise more money than others. This is a fact and we need to accept this reality even as we try to alleviate the pain that it causes. I can just hear my political daughter saying that's capitalism for you. No one is debating the need for allocating funds based on need. However, that leaves holes which some schools are willing and able to fill by working in their school community to raise funds for needed staff. Preventing communities from fundraising to fill these gaps directly doesn't make a lot of sense. Especially not when you see the budget that we just saw a few minutes ago. Why even bother to

214think about foundations? If not, it's not very much money. What can you do with.5 FTE? Well, probably a lot of things. But if it were me, I would probably hire a full-time educational assistant who could work one-on-one with students. Well, you might say that sounds similar to what the Fund for PPS wants to do in every school. However, the fund is not up and running yet. It needs more time. This is the reason for the pause. Our students can't wait. The students who can benefit from extra help are here now. There are certain times in a child's education that are optimal for learning. Children grow and fall behind in real time, and the developmental windows lost during critical years are often not recoverable. How can we not provide our students this essential help in a

215timely way? The need is now. The argument that Nick Brodiki, the person charged with raising money for the foundation fund, will have a harder time getting donations from big donors if we pause, does not hold any water for me. I can't imagine that any potential potential donors will be upset because parents care enough about their schools to raise money for extra staff. The fact that people are raising money highlights to the state and others that communities take this funding seriously and will step up where and when needed. It shouldn't have to be this way, but it is. The pause gives Nick the time to continue meeting with donors while not abandoning the work that we can do right now. Even though it is only a small drop of what is needed, that drop can make

216a difference. Parents need to see that their contributions help their school. If it goes into a large fund, when the results are unknown as to how it will be distributed, it is just another tax. We just saw the budget discussion. Unless the state finally acts, we are going to be facing budget constraints for the next few years. A temporary pause on the amendment would allow school foundations to raise money, some of which will be allocated to the fund as in the past and will help it grow into the fund imagined by its supporters. Remember that this year's successful tutoring program in many schools was founded with foundation dollars. Although the policy change was made to support equity, it is important that we look at intent versus impact. The intent of the rule change was to

217make things more equitable. Instead, it has negatively impacted all students. We put too much hope in the legislature and not enough work into establishing a new fund base. Give Nick time to finalize the structure and funding processes of the fund. We're a new board facing a new reality, a harder reality, and it looked even harder than ever when we saw the presentation today. A harder reality than what we were facing when this change was made. We need to back up and take a fresh look at what is possible to support our current situation. I want to quote again from an email that I received which expresses the situation perfectly. Parents want to help, but they need to see that their contributions will make a real difference. A pause is not about going backward. It is

218about preventing further loss while a stronger, more effective transition plan is developed. Without action, we risk losing both funding and community engagement. With a thoughtful transition, we can rebuild both. I urge you to support a resolution to approve a temporary pause on the May 2024 amendments to policy 7.20.010 that prohibits foundation support for staff. The need is now. Thank you. Okay. Ian, uh, first of all, I'm going to have a lot more to say uh, once we open it up for discussion. Um, this is just a short thing I drafted um to go before the district student council. Um, >> remind everyone that it's ratified by the >> Yes. Uh, oh, it's in here. I speak here today on behalf of myself and the district student council, which approved this message unanimously. The question before

219us tonight is ironically not one of budget or finance. It is one of values. Should we continue with pausing the updated foundation policy passed in 2024, we will signal that we are a board that holds our values only when they are easy. Shall we next assign monetary limits to racial justice or transparency? Trade-offs are the very nature of public policy and so to believe in equity only when it is easy is not to believe in equity at all. As well, I have preached endlessly from this dis on our need for systemic change in our school funding model and that remains truer than ever. The change we need does not lie here, but in Salem. And by allowing wealthy schools to fix the problem only for their sight, we suck the air from our crucial legislative

220efforts. So my question to the voting members of this board is, what is it you truly believe? Thank you. Okay, with that I hand this over to executive director of the fund. >> Thank you very much. I appreciate the opportunity to speak today on this matter and uh well I welcome the opportunity to engage in the discussion if appropriate. Um what I what I'd like to open with is a board approved message today uh on behalf of the fund for Portland public schools. So good evening directors and thank you for your time. We've got a lot going on right now. Uh 90 days ago, I stepped into the interim executive director role at the Fund for Portland public schools. Given the policy conversation that you're engaging in tonight, I want to give you a brief

221and honest picture of what I've heard, what we've built so far, and uh what we need you to do for this to work well. So, you start all these processes by listening. Since February, I've sat down with uh more than 40 PPS principles. Um from title one schools that have never had a foundation to the schools that have once raised the most. I've met with this board, with district leadership, with most active independent foundations, with the Oregon PTA, with school PTAs, with representatives from the current and previous parent advisory committee, with corporate partners, with foundations, with major donors, and those who care deeply about our Portland's kids. All told, we're talking about a little over 200 conversations in the last 90 days. Uh, what I heard surprised me, not because it was contentious, but because

222it was so consistent across every kind of school. Principles told me the same thing. They want flexibility. They want transparency. And they all said their schools have unmet needs. uh a title one principal, for example, described their funding needs um for field trips, snacks, and interpretation services that support community and belonging, not some of the other topics we're talking about today. Uh multiple principles told me candidly that they did not know that academic support in their school came from the fund right now. Uh there's there's a range of positions there's a range of people in positions in power that all gave me feedback looking for a more transparent system. We have work to do. I also heard something hopeful. Almost every stakeholder I met with, regardless of where they stand on the bylaws question in

223front of you, they want the same thing in the end. They want a system that invests in every child who needs it. The disagreement is about architecture. The destination is shared. So in parallel with that listening, we built In 90 days since I've been here, the fund has stood up its f first real fundraising infrastructure. So, we've built uh our CRM out. We've built a peer-to-p peer fundraising platform. Uh we do have uh a school liaison committee set up. We have a corporate sponsorship structure now stood up and we have a 16week communication campaign that is now actively running. Hopefully, you subscribe to our emails. And you know, while this is all happening, the high impact tutoring program being supported right now is reaching more than a thousand K through three students across 45 elementary

224schools. Uh this is catching those students in that window right before fourth grade where learning to read becomes reading reading to learn. And there are 20 uh community schools that have brand new stocked food pantries right now and high school students are getting critical math support via the fund. Uh I want to recognize that much of this funding was deployed from the fund via the previous system and the gains and growth by students are being made districtwide from a singular system. I want to be very honest with you about what the fund is. The fund is not here to solve the district's structural deficit. That is a public funding conversation and it belongs to the state, the district, and the voters. The fund is here to do something different and specific to lift up our

225students where philanthropy can move faster than a budget cycle can. To do that well under any se any policy path this board chooses, we need clarity and stability. This is critical. Major donors, corporate partners and foundations do not give to ideas in motion. They give to organizations whose scope and governance are articulated and clear. We cannot bring schools, parents, major donors, and corporate partners together around a moving target. The fund for PPS looks forward to looking working with the district in the coming months to support the most critical student needs across every school in PPS and I look forward to the board and the broader community support of our PPS day of giving this Thursday where anyone can so choose to donate to the fund for PPS via our website at fundforppps.org/ org/giving day. Thank

226you. >> Great. Thank you. All right. We will now open this up for board discussion. I believe we're starting with Director Englesman. >> Okay. I thought I was going to I thought I was going to go fast first after. I think you went first twice. Um which is fine. >> Oh, no. Um Okay. So, >> is it my turn? >> No. No. It's mine. >> Okay. >> No, no. Um, my journey with PBS starts in 2019 when my kids start in Abernathy Elementary. And I specifically name the name of the school because I'm going to go back to that with a very important point that I want to make clear today. So 2019 to 2020. Everyone remembers what happened in March of 2020 when we went on extended spring break and never went back. So

227that was a really weird year for me when I was figuring out how to parent three, five and under, two in kindergarten, and then a a world that broke. Um the next year, even weirder. Um and then the next year after that, weird. Kids are in masks. They're standing six feet away even though they're supposed to be hugging and chewing on each other's fingers at age seven. Um the next year was weird with a strike and then a snowstorm. Um, and then apparently this conversation had started sometime in those weird years when I was not as involved as I probably needed to be, but absolutely could not be while also working a very big full-time job. Um, and then it changed in March of 2024 or spring of 2024. Um, so I say all of

228that to say this is my this has been my experience up until the change in 2024. And I didn't really hear much about it. I think in part because I I don't know what kind of community engagement happened. Certainly under Dr. Armstrong with the decisions she's making different from this community engagement has been really impressive. Um I have no idea. I was not involved. I was not paying attention. I was doing a bunch of other stuff. Um since being elected, I've heard a lot about this from the very beginning. I have sat down with people all over the spectrum of this issue. I have sat down with Beth and Suzanne and had a lovely lunch. I have sat down with a lot of parents who are on the other end of the spectrum who are

229upset about what happened. Perhaps they also had no idea what was going on during these weird years when we were parenting by computers. Um I've had a lovely lunch with Nick. Um I don't know, six weeks ago, it's flown by. uh where I was very inspired by a lot of what you're saying and telling me and I was uber inspired by my very direct question of your contract says you have to earn a million by the end of the year and I think your answer was something like that's easy it's going to be it's going to be easy I'm going to be able to do it which gave me confidence and I think we then engaged in a sort of dreamy thing about well why stop at one we should be able to earn 10

230without really turning over a whole lot of stones Um, and so that was a really good conversation. So, why did I name Abernathy? Um, I I did a whole bunch of behind thes scenes stuff for Abernathy. Yearbook, um, clo clothing, uh, coat closet, coat drive, um, I I can't whatever, lots of stuff. But I never actually had a PTA position. Um, I still don't have a PTA position, and in fact, I don't even think I'm a paid member of the PTA anymore. Um, so what what these families that are driving this letter and when we were here last time there was a list of all the schools. The first one out by alphabetical was Abernathy. And I want to say very clearly I am not doing anything to drive this conversation. Those are very committed,

231very dedicated, very smart. Abernathy and Dunaway and everyone who's here families. They're doing this on their own. Um, why is Abernathy doing it? I have been saying this since September. Abernathy is one of the few elementary schools who lost reading results. And as an OB coach for four years running now and as a very invested volunteer in our school, even when I was working full-time, I can tell you there are kids at Abernathy who cannot read at grade level. And so to lose reading results over the summer and our principal sends out an email and everyone is shocked when we know there are kids who can't read at grade level and to then have a program that is computer-based offered instead. I have said to you very publicly and also in a private conversation is

232absolutely unacceptable. If you have a program that you're helping kids, if a school has three kids who can't read at grade level, they get a percentage of the school that has 300. But you must get the program to the kids and not a computer-based program. They deserve they deserve in-person learning, especially when they're so little and they're trying to learn to read. I bring this up also because I heard that Cresten just got told they are losing their reading results. Crestston used to be a Title One. Crescent has a Sun program. Crestston has an extraordinarily diverse socioeconomic pol um population. They do not have a foundation. and they've never had a foundation. They just have a PTA and they are floored that they now have to try to figure out how to help their kids

233learn to read because they don't want the AI based program that was offered. So even since I've started publicly saying you have to bring reading results to all the students that need it, there are now more schools losing it and that's unacceptable. And if reading results can't they don't have enough people to do the work, that's a different issue, find another inperson program and send them out to the schools that need it in whatever percentage so that that little six-year-old learns how to read and we don't end up wondering why when they're in ninth grade they're not going to school. Um, okay. So that's why I wanted to bring up the Abernathy thing. I'm not doing anything. Although I'm super proud of all that they're doing because they're advocating um which is always great. All

234right. Since the I tal I've sat down with everybody um I told you the one of the most compelling conversations I've had. Do I think that No, let me all first start out by saying I have donated to the fund. I plan on donating on April 30th. I have posted and I I would I would urge everyone who has social media to do the same. I have not seen it a lot. I have posted on my own socials the April 30th I have posted on my own socials the school liaison um asking people to do this. I have donated and I will donate again. I have connected Nick with a collection of Southeast and Inner Northeast PTA presidents where you >> I attended. >> Yes. Where you went. I saw the notes. It was great.

235So you I connected to try to get this conversation going and to try to get people on board. Um I am doing as much as I can and frankly more than I should to try to get this going. And so I implore everybody to do the same if we want this to work because I do not believe that we get to do nothing and then wonder why something doesn't work. And so I have been doing that since the beginning and I intend to keep doing that because we have a new policy. I didn't vote on it. I don't know how I would have voted on it, but I support the whatever the board's policy is, even in situations since I've been on the board where I have voted different from the board. So, all of

236this to say, um, I also there are some newspaper articles that suggested that I sort of had made up my mind already because I was one of three. I said the words I do, which belong in a wedding and also apparently on the board um, as a lawyer. Um, and also a naturalized citizens. If I learned all this stuff while I was becoming naturalized, democracy is like foundational to me. And if I have dozens of community members emailing me about a subject, regardless of what it is, and then I have a board member asking to put something on the agenda, I'm always going to be a second or a third, regardless of what the topic is, regardless of whether I think that I care about it, want to hear more about it. my role as

237your one of your elected schoolboard people is to bring your vi voice to this conversation. Um, and so that was in part why I was one of three because I do not think it is de democratic. I do not think it is appropriate to hear from dozens and dozens of families who are very invested and just say no. We did this before two years ago during all that weird time. We don't need to revisit it. Okay. The two most compelling things that I've heard. Um, no, I'm not done. I have now a five here. Do I think there should have been a better runway? Yes, absolutely. And I watched some of the old meetings um at Director Lefort's suggestion and there there was actually conversation about making a better runway so you weren't left with

238sort of this all the problems that we talked about at that lunch. Um, do I think there should have been a better run? Yes. Do I think an executive director or an interim executive director should have been hired two years ago? Absolutely. Do I think an executive director should have been hired before the change? Even more absolutely. To wait, I don't know, 21 months before hiring an executive director is asinine at best and like irresponsible. Um, and so I'm glad you're here finally. That's great. But I wish you'd been here two years ago when all of this was starting. Um, I love the idea of partnerships. I wish those had been started, but you know, we've got the fire coming. They want a lot of new, you know, they want to have some goodwill here.

239I know you're working with Thorns, Blazers, Nike, Intel, everybody. Like, we need partnerships more than just these families who are trying to do all of this work. All right, I'm done now. except to say just don't I can't remember I can't even read my writing. Um the second most compelling thing and is my final thought was um it was someone had suggested instead of a now like doing the pause in June and the reason that I'm would like to not finish this now is because I really want to give you a chance and you have contractual language that says what you need to do and if we all work together you should be able to do this, you should be able to do it on April 30th. Um, and so it seems very premature for

240me given all of the conversations I've had with everyone over the last apparently 90 days. Um, but most importantly with you whom I have like faith in that you can do this and you have literally told me you can do this and so I have no reason to believe that you can't do it. So, I would like to give you a chance um because now 21 months after making this change, we finally have you. And I I want to give you that chance to do it. If it doesn't work, it needs to be revisited. It is a drop in the bucket. It that is true. But, um you know, every penny counts, but I really want to continue to try to help you. I implore every board member to do the same. Um I implore

241every community member listening to do the same because I I just want to give you a chance. So that's all I got. >> Uh, Chair Wang, could I have a moment to briefly respond as folks makes comment? Is that appropriate? >> Yes, that's fine. >> Thank you. Does my board chair need to make any comment? Thank you, board chair. Uh, I just want to call out the opportunity in your comments there in the multiple processes, some of which are outside of my purview and my board's purview and some of which are within our purview, including how schools are selected for a program like reading results. And just to to walk through the fund is meant to uh create supportive mechanisms for these academic interventions. the decision-making process as it stands with governance right now stands

242with uh the the parent advisory committee uh the the board yourselves and then district administrators and um for example we do max out as a district the reading results contract as it stands right now. So there there it does unfortunately become a rank order and if we can all feel like we can come together around this. I feel very strongly that if we max out a current vendor contract that goes through a procurement system then we can find something to come alongside that that the fund can help support and it does take all of us working together. I appreciate your faith in me. I have greater faith in everyone else in this room to to come together over something like this for our students. Thank you. Great. Thank you. Um I guess it's my turn.

243Um I Director Sullivan called me and we we talked about this process and things like that and I I have to say that, you know, I there's nothing that Director Sullivan said that I disagree with. I think it's very true. Um at the same time, what student representative Pardo said, I also 100% agree with as well. And one of the things and and as you know I've been very vocal when the policy passed. I have been very vocal about the past about that the the transition was not done well. It was not um given a proper runway and I've been very clear about that in the past and it should have been given a proper one day for all the things that you said earlier. Uh I mean I I as the board member I

244served as the volunteered as the ex official member on the the fund for PPS board as well for the year trying to do and I'm the really the wrong person to be that person because I have no rich connections. I mean, I All my friends are musicians. Let that sink in a little bit. >> Do you know Taylor? >> Yeah, I know people who work with Taylor. How about that? Um, and they're not wealthy. >> Don't don't don't push it. Um, so and and I I one of the things I'm very concerned about is that yes, there should have been time for a runway to build up the fund and things like that, but I also think that there's a greater risk that we've passed the point of no return, meaning that maybe we've missed

245our window and having a pause and going backwards and and giving it time to reset and things like that could cause more long-term damage to the direction the fund and establishing a healthy equitable system. Um, and that is not something I'm willing to risk. And I think that that's kind of where I'm at right now in terms of Yes. I mean, how can we predict the future? Absolutely not. Right. And I understand that. Um, I understand the urge of every parent wanting to fight for their own school and that's that's that's natural. That's you're supposed to do that. That's that's great. Um, but at the same time, we also have to think systemically. We are a district that needs to think systemically. When I talked to Nick, thank you if I addressed you by first

246name. Um, we talked about the fund being part of that system where it catches the things that, you know, are outside the fall outside of what PPS is designed for, right? And there's always going to be kids who on the on the opposite ends of the the the curve. and and having that system in place where it's reliable, where it's consistent, and it's produces results. And that's the thing that inspires people to donate and and um it's a I mean, it it rests on a lot of idealism. I'm going to be blunt and honest, but that's why we do it, right? Because um it is something that can be better and can be greater. I mean, I never ever want to strive for for mediocre and I want to strive for better. And so, um,

247that's where I stand today. I think I mean, everyone here is making great arguments. At the same time, what my feeling is I think we just missed the boat. I think we need to continue and push forward for the better system. So, thank you. May May I may I insert my comments before moving to the next person only because I feel like and I and I'm going to just accept the fact that nothing I say is going to be popular with either group but I'm just speaking my truth. Um, I feel like the conversation is misaligned with our reality because I think we talk about runways and we talk about gaps and the only thing I'm interested in is getting as many resources to as many students as we possibly can. Like that's my number

248one focus. So, I I get that there's multiple truths and we can hold multiple truths, but I I guess I just want to encourage you all as you're having the conversation and as you're deliberating, um maybe just separate from, you know, whether a missed opportunity or the wrong opportunity or the right opportunity. I think the conversation really comes to, you know, deploying resources as fast as we could. I mean, you know, you heard our our conversation and on top of the fact that we have a reading crisis and things like that. So, I so I think I mean I I love the opportunity for for fund for PPS. I mean, I've came from a dis I came from a district that had like a million dollar plus foundation and lots of resources and teacher grants

249and things. So, I know how powerful it can be. And so I just as I'm listening, I just keep thinking of our students in all of our schools, no matter where they are located and the needs that they have. And so anyway, all the truths that we hold and however you navigate the conversation, I don't think that there's any judgment in it. I just think continuing to center our learners, that's what me and my team that we do every day. How can we support all of our kiddos out there that are in need as fast as we possibly can with the maximum amount of resources? >> Okay, just one clarifying question from >> Can I ask you a clarifying question? I I I don't know that I understood properly. Do you would you like the

250pause? Well, I mean, I was vocal when I came in in 2024, and I've been vocal um over the last two years that it wasn't a decision that um I would have supported a superintendent, but I acknowledge and accept that it was like I I hear and I understand the concerns about our our students and our neediest areas. I mean, I grew up in the family with a lot of need. We had a tremendous amount of support. I never knew if a support was coming from a foundation, from a resource, from title, from identified or designated school. Um, I just know that there was support that um was there for my family in foundational ways. And I think what I've said about this conversation earlier on was the very same thing. Like I I feel

251like both of the things are true, foundations and um and foundation fundraising. I think both of those things can be true and can be great. I think when we get into the details of of equity um is where I think I get a little lost in the conversation because what it sounds like to me is we're saying that, you know, we need to, you know, cut off a source of funds because all kids or kids who are in the maximum amount of need aren't benefiting. And I think it misses the fact that we have kids with significant needs all across our district. And so I never just really understood that. But but that's my I I know that there was some some other details and some other things and I get that I don't know

252all of that history and I completely respect it respect the people that are behind the causes fighting the good fight. All I'm simply saying is that we center students. So, if that means that there's a runway for um the fund for PPS to activate resources to our kiddos, I'm all for it as long as it's quick. I mean, all I know is I've been in the chair for 22 months and we have not been able to make that happen yet. We did not have um Nick and I get that we're putting a lot of hope in Nick and I appreciate that and I'm sure that she can rise to the occasion. But I think what I would want as superintendent is to know that there's a date in which we will evaluate and say, are

253we deploying a maximum amount of resources to our kids? And if not, what's our next plan if there's a funding source? And then the other thing that bothered me since I'm going on about this is that there's this belief that it's like, oh, just, you know, we'll just knock on the doors or we'll ask people to um contribute funds. When I know when I I go to a lot of gaylas and a lot of fundraisers, as I'm sure you all do, most of the time when I give money, it's bidding out on things that are, you know, exciting or attractive to me, whether it's time share or tickets or experiences or engagements. And so I think sometimes we come in with this assumption of, you know, a bunch of rich people, you know, just dumping

254cash into schools to create some type of unlevel playing field. But I mean, I don't know. I won't go on because I get that it's not my deliberation. All I'm asking is that, you know, we hold students at the center and um we're realistic with our timelines and not letting um good be the enemy of great. >> Just have one one quick question I want to ask um either the the chair or the the executive director. Um there was some discussion at some point about raising up to a certain amount of money which would allow for practically um you mentioned uh personnel in every elementary school. Do you do you remember off the top of your head about what that amount would be? >> That was around $3 million. Yeah, somewhere in three to four

255million creates that. If if in fact what we're if in fact what you're talking about is a board of education dictating the governance of a separate 501c3 then that is a conversation that can be had. >> Oh no, I'm not I don't want to go there at all. I'm just saying like >> Yeah. Yeah. If if that was a possibility and that's something that the fund decided to do. >> Sure. given union contracts and like the district staffing policy and the FTE required of schools given all of those variables you're looking at 3 to4 million creates that kind of impact which would be a minimumish modocum of capital deployment for a district of our size. If you look at comparable districts around the country that sit on somewhere around $15 million of assets on hand

256and they deploy anywhere from an eighth to a quarter of that a year. >> Great. Thank you. >> Yeah, thank you. I appreciate everybody's comments and and also the people that um testified tonight and um Superintendent, I appreciate your um you know, keeping students at the at the center of this conversation and that's I I appreciate kind of being brought back to that because that's not where I was going. Um and I've heard lots of different things. I I know there's multiple truths um in in the room and and I'm okay with that. U but I think that we uh we do need to build the plane and we need to fly it at the same time. Um, I also wanted to just correct um, we we have had work going on for 21 months.

257Um, and it it's not as visible. Um, we've had a full-time person, you know, here in the building and prior to uh, Nick's hire and um, there's been some work in terms of how we're going to be governed and who's, you know, the governing structure, getting people on the board. One time we didn't have any board members um, a couple of years ago. So board members were recruited and onboarded and then the hire came and so it's been a proc process steps that have kind of been humming in the background. Um but that's not to say that there hasn't been any work go going on because there there's been lots of good work. I um I I also understand personally that there is need in every school and which is why I would like to

258um have the fund focus on a district-wide policy that could go into uh funding um uh resources in every school. That's that would be where I would want to, you know, direct you to to do that. That $3 million is um if that's what we need to aim for. And we know that Portlanders are are philanthropic. Um we we know that we have money in our community and I think that we I I trust that you can do that. Um to your point about evaluation, I think maybe we should set a date. I don't know if that's 6 months or a year from now, but um we need to we need to um allow time for this to be stood up. It's a startup. We need to allow the time. It's like a business. We're

259not ready to open on day one, but you're starting here on day one. You're raising money. You've talked to 200 people right now already in the 90 days. Those conversations are going to uh reap benefits, and it will probably take time. Um um and also somebody said something that was really impactful and that's that and Maya Angelou said this as well. When you do as well as you can until you know better and when you know better you do better. And I we know about we know there's inequities in our system. We can see it every time we walk into a school. Doesn't matter what part of town you're in. And we need to we need to um solve for that. We need to solve for all of the the need in all of our

260schools. and we know that some schools have a lot higher need. So, I'm going to kind of leave it at that. Um I I would, if I were to vote on this today, would say let's go forward. I'm not in favor of doing a pause. I would be in favor of um setting a date to evaluate and um measure the impact um and see where we go from there. Again, I would just I'm just wondering why everybody is so worried that a pause is going to make it that we cannot develop the fund. I mean, it just seems to me that pausing and getting some money and using it for our kids. I mean, we were at um Roosevelt last night and one of the main things that came out was people wanted their kids

261to be able to have small groupoup instruction. It was a big thing. It was like two or three people mentioned that it was important. So, we're going to say, "Oh, okay. Well, maybe you can have small groupoup instruction year after next, but you can't have it this year, even though it's a very big possibility you could." And so, I just don't see it. I got a really interesting um not interesting. I'm quoting a lot of people when I'm talking because people actually in their emails are much more eloquent than I. And this is a message from an email I received and it's signed by 55 people representing 12 schools and they're not all the 12 schools that everybody is saying only. It's schools that have lots of money. It's not. It's 12 schools many who

262do not have much money. I think if I'm right I haven't looked at their accounts but you know I'm pretty sure they don't. and they said, "If the board's primary concern is the well-being and success of every child in this district, I urge you not to reject the help that is available right now. There are willing partners, including the foundation, parents, and school communities ready to assist the district during this period of dire financial need." And we know that's true. We just saw it. It's dire. It's not something's going to go away tomorrow. turning away those partners in the name of policy consistency or equity and what do we mean by equity does it mean everybody gets exactly the same thing >> what is itality we don't even know yeah you don't even know what

263it is >> when children are falling behind today it's not an outcome any of us can accept and I um you know I was a no vote last time on the found on the foundation and I was accepting it. I remember um the Supreme Court judge that was here and somebody asked her um don't you get upset with your fellow judges when they vote don't vote your way. She said no I accept it. I you know they're good people. We have different opinions. So I I was I mean I didn't like it but I was fine. I knew they were good people. But then I was approached because somebody happened to see that I voted no and and I think okay let's give it a try. We are in a different place than we were

264when that vote was taken. We are in worse budget shape. We are a new board and so it's worth a try. I mean if if we don't do a pause that's okay. I can accept it. I understand it. I'm hearing what you're saying. But but it's just hard for me to understand why we don't do a pause because if you accept the foundation, I think this actually gives Nick a kind of a breathing room so we can get going. And it gives us or not us, the ones who want to have some money to give to kids that really need help. And to say that only schools that can't raise foundations have kids that need um reading help is really ridiculous. >> Well, you sound like you believe it if you're going to vote against.

265So, um, anyway, that's that's it for me, I think, unless I find another great quote that somebody sent my great because because people have done a really good Oh, I know one thing I want to say. I got one letter which kind of shocked me actually. It said uh that they know that schools have not stopped fundraising. Many are fundraising for all sorts of things, just not PAT or PFSP staff positions. They've hire they're hiring fundraising coordinators, school tutoring, supplies, community based organization to do activities, and they don't have to pay anything to anybody. They just don't have to pay their um >> 10%. >> Yeah. So, um I didn't know that, but now you can raise money and you don't even have to do your your 30%. So, I mean, why not let people

266raise money for staff? >> I don't get it, but that's all right. >> I think I can answer that. >> I'm sorry. Wait, I'm sorry. We need to go back and turn. We kind of skipped >> one person. >> Sorry. Thank you, Director Sen. Let's go back. We'll go to uh Director Lefort and then Director Chase Miller. >> I think the way that played out is actually perfect in terms of what my comments are going to be. Um, so, uh, I'm on the board for the fund for PPS, newer board member, and I want to give, um, my kudos to Jackie and Nick who have been working extremely hard. Um, and, uh, I also want to say that both sides make very compelling arguments, but I want to be honest about something that really irritates

267me, being very blunt. Um any ongoing shots that are being taken by either side of each other are actively undermining the efforts of the district-wide fund. It's making our work harder. If families don't trust the system or feel respected in the process, they are not going to give. So whatever your position is on the LSFS, continuing this back and forth is divisive. It's counterproductive to the work of the fund. And if you're going to go home and get online and take some pot shots at fellow parents who may be on the opposite side of the issue from you, I'm asking you on behalf of the fund to stop. Um, the sole focus should be on making the fund successful and something that people believe in and want to give to. and this type of interaction

268and when it moves online, it's completely counterproductive and it's really frustrating to those of us who are volunteering our time on a regular basis. So, what would help us is if both sides of the room could just come together and help us help you be successful. >> What? >> Oh, no. No, I'm not engaging. I'm not engaging. I am not engaging. >> Dear audience, can we >> let's please don't interrupt. Thank you. So, um, and to Dr. Armstrong and Patty S, you know, we we have kids who need help right now, but there was never an assertion or a promise that the fund would replace the FTE that was the RO result of the LSFS. And I think that that's okay. That time I've spent on the board, I can see that there are programs

269like reading results that are just as impactful or maybe even more impactful than, you know, one FTE in a school building. So the conversation I would really like to have is what are the most effective ways? What are the most ex effective spends for the fund that impacts students within the guard rails that we have? Do we want to change the guardrails? You know, maybe that's a conversation we need to have. There's a couple conversations that could probably be had, but I'm just over the divisiveness. It makes everything more difficult. I worry that we're alienating the people that want to give and I'm just asking you to consider that when you go home and get on your computers tonight. Thank you. >> Thank you, Virginia. I >> want to move this to Director Chase Miller.

270>> Perfect. Excuse me. I have a lot to say. At their inception, local school foundations were a stop gap measure intended to supplement the district's budget. While the legislature figured out school funding in Oregon, in the 35 years since Measure 5 passed, the legislator legislature still has not figured out how to fund Oregon schools adequately. and local school foundations went from a bandage staunching a wound to a prosthetic limb that schools and the district came to rely on to pick up some of the load in a system where resources became more constrained with each passing year. When I think about local school foundations, I think about IdaB Wells Barnett. Wells Barnett advocated for universal suffrage or the right for all people to vote. Not just men, not just white men, not just women, and not

271just white women. The white feminist luminaries of the time, Elizabeth Catty Staten, Susan B. Anthony, told her to wait, that after white women had won the right to vote, then it would be the right time for black women to be granted the vote and for the rights of black men to vote to be affirmed and enforced. Because she knew that none of us are free until all of us are free, Ida B. Wells Barnett said no to the idea that access and rights for some at the expense of the most marginalized was something to strive for. Her courage, vision, and integrity is why we named a high school after her. Similarly, in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 letter from Birmingham jail, Dr. King addressed the pleas from the white moderates to slow his role

272on civil rights. Dr. King noted that wait almost always means never and rejected calls for patience from white moderates as a stalling tactic. He argued that justice was too long delayed and that the time is always ripe to do right. Dr. King argued that the demand to wait was a polite refusal to grant equality. He wrote this wait has always almost never has almost always meant never. We named a school after him, too. Some of you listening might may find it hyperbolic that I'm invoking IDB Wells Barnett and Dr. King in a discussion about school fundraising, but I find it to be an apt comparison. Public education is the great democratizer. Public schools are the one place in our society where every child and every family is welcome and will be provided with an education

273of the same quality as every other child, white or black, rich or poor, differently aabled or typically aabled. In a public school system, it should be impossible to purchase outcomes. Schools are publicly funded to serve the public. But local school foundations do just that by allowing families with more wealth to purchase higher quality experiences and better outcomes for their students through their ability to fund additional headcount. We are being asked to wait to further the work in building a successful district-wide foundation. Some of the emails advocating for this pause say the process was rushed. Some say it may be successful in the future, but not right now. In reading these emails, I can't help but think back to when foundation reform passed. Um, and and it was a long process, by the way, seven, eight

274years. Families were advocating for this change. A lot of work has been done over many years to get to where we are now. But I digress. Families from the schools with foundations that raised a lot of money told us then that they would not participate in district-wide fundraising. They told us that they would not give to support our district's children collectively and they made good on their threats and have not supported the district-wide foundation. Let's be clear, that is a choice. But I will not vote to resend a policy that stands stands to benefit our entire district because the most privileged members of our community refuse to participate, don't care to see it succeed, and aren't shy about saying so. We've made the decision to invest in the collective future of our kids through a

275common fund. So now we all need to work together to make that successful. This year, the fund for PPS supported PPS families with funds for groceries. It supported our unhoused families. It provided high impact tutoring to kids across the district. By working together and fundraising as a district, we can do so much to create experiences across the district that have a meaningful impact on the lives and education of our students. If your school has the ability to throw a fundraiser and raise $100,000, but refuse to do so when those funds will go towards a district-wide foundation and and that is happening, by the way. PTAs are having fundraisers. They're making a lot of money and they're using it to pay for the extras, including reading results, which PTAs can do. So, maybe note to Abernathy

276on that one. Um, but if you have the ability to contribute in a meaningful way and make the choice not to do so, I believe that your perspective is short-sighted. Our kids exist in their individual schools and neighborhoods now, but they will all grow up to be our neighbors, our doctors, our bus drivers, our teachers, our neighbors. Focusing resources on what just benefits your neighborhood today will have a profound impact on the city that our kids will share in the future. When affluent school communities choose to fund raise for their own headcount rather than contributing to the fund for PPS, they mirror a historical mistake, pursuing progress within their own neighborhood blocks while abandoning the systemic duty to support every child in the district. True equity is not found in the luxury of an isolated

277success, but in the refusal to accept a victory that leaves the most vulnerable behind. Public schools are the bedrock of our democracy and a powerful driver for social equality. They're a shared resource serving the entire community and are by definition harbors of inclusion, diversity, and social cohesion. I understand the temptation to bring back the local school foundations in this moment when things are so hard and I don't doubt the positive intentions of any of you um that are here to advocate for the pause. However, returning to a system that furthers social and education inequity will not fix school funding in PPS and it will not benefit the students in our district that have the most need. The wealthy have left our schools before. My community is familiar with the concept of white flight. Here's the

278reality that I live in in my title one school communities. Families in my community certainly can't leave for private schools and we can't throw an auction and raise $100,000 to supplement our staff. How fortunate some children are that their families have the ability to resource them so well, whether or not that's in partnership with our schools. At our school, families are hungry. Families are struggling to make rent and mortgage payments. Families are unhoused. Parents are afraid to go to work less they not return because they've been abducted by ICE. And our Title One school community comes together to take care of each other in the best way we can. That's the superpower of our Title One schools. We can't raise hundreds of thousands of dollars and we can't leave our neighborhood schools. So that means

279we have to invest in this system and invest in one another and invest in our kids. Our kids because they are all ours. Every single one of them. Regardless of what school they go to. And whether or not some of you choose to join us, the beauty of public education is that when the private school you move your kid to won't acknowledge your child's IEP or respect their gender identity or honor your expression of your culture, your public schools will and we'll be ready to welcome your child and your family back. That's community and that's worth investing in. Last thing, nobody is stopping anyone from donating to the district-wide foundation. I wish you would because the 30% peel off from all the auctions that will get distributed among the other 70 schools doesn't make a

280difference. It doesn't touch the need in our communities. Foundations happen in many different ways. The local school foundation setup that Portland has had is an outlier. This doesn't happen in other districts. It doesn't happen in other states. The way we're doing the fund now may work in the future. Or maybe there's another way. But that doesn't change the fact that wealthy families having the ability to pay for their own headcount is an inequity. I think um this is less eloquent. I think it's kind of bananas to say that the only way that a suggest a foundation can be successful in PPS is if it's a local school foundation. So my request is that we learn to work together as a community with the needs of all of our kids in mind. As has been pointed

281out already tonight, we all want the same thing at the end of the day. The question is how do we get there? But we don't get there by refusing to participate. We don't get there by refusing to work together. That's all from me. >> Thank you. Next up, we have student representative Vtori. >> All right. Uh, thank you so much. I also have a lot to say. I'm just going to say I 100% agree. Um, I loved that you referenced uh the letter from Birmingham jail. I've read it many times throughout my public education and I uh I think I'm going to read it many more times before my education is over. Um, and I love it more every single time. Um, I'm also going to do some invoking of names. Um, I would like

282to take this question. Um, I would like to return to my initial statement. Um, because I made a statement about what it means to have this conversation. And I said it's not about the finances, it's about the principal. And I'd like to return to that um because I am disappointed about the way this uh this conversation has been framed around the money because there is a reason other school districts and other states don't do this because it is about the principle. Um you know and and I don't think and and where money comes from and where money goes does matter. I would not support if PPS took up a wing selling arms you know the where money comes from matters. Um, and every, you know, every dollar isn't, uh, it isn't the same. And we,

283um, we have public schools for a reason. Um, Abraham Lincoln very famously believed in public schools because he believed that everyone deserved a fair shake at life, no matter where they came from, no matter their circumstances. And I think that is that that should be the the guiding principle. And that is why I believe in equity so strongly is because I believe that that the duty of public schools is to give everyone a fair shake at life, a fair start. And by allowing wealthy schools and wealthy communities to fund um and to make their schools better than other schools is runs directly to the contrary of this core belief and I I and it runs completely contrary to everything that we have said as a board about equity. I find it hard to believe um

284I I would find it hard uh hard to hear the words the words equity on this board if we were to continue with pausing this this policy because I because it is so it is the most blatantly um and completely inequitable policy in in very recent PPS history. Um and it's and I understand and I do agree that we should have built a longer runway. Um but the plane is flying now. We're in the air and we have to keep moving. um taking this plane down for repairs again isn't going to solve anything. We're flying it now and it's our job to steer it in the right direction and I believe that we can and are doing that right now. And so I think that uh that I don't and and this is also another

285thing that I'll say and this might be controversial. I don't even like revisiting this this policy um because I do again I do not think this is a financial matter because the where the source of the money does matter and where that money goes matters and so again even if the fund for PPS raises less money overall than local school foundations did which is likely going to be the case. I find that perfectly um in in the near future or even in the long term future and I'm not saying that is going to be the case. I would find that acceptable because I think that it is um again it is it is ridiculous as people who believe in public education to allow um uh individual communities to raise money um to benefit their schools.

286We as part of a democracy, we have agreed to participate in this society. You know, if it were me, I'm just going to say something say something crazy. This is your, you know, Ian socialist thought of the day. I wouldn't even allow public uh private schools because I believe that we have a duty to to to to participate in this in this society and in the system that we believe that we believe is right and that is just and we should not and that um and that giving an an easy get out of jail free card and opt out um to people who are wealthier is is a um it is is a pattern that is remarkably uh that is remarkably prevalent in American history. Um, and I think that that this is our opportunity

287to change that. Um, to say that that we are going to put our foot down and say that we stand for equity. Um, again going back to uh to what director Chase Miller said about um about waiting, it is it is so often in history that we are told that we are told to wait, that we are told to do things right, that we need to get things perfect. But I think that that again, we're here now and we have to keep moving. Um because yes, maybe maybe it wasn't it wasn't handled perfectly when we first passed this policy, but we're here now and we need to keep going. And asking us to wait now, I find ridiculous. Um now, uh I would like to to um to ask a few questions because I one

288thing that I have heard um a lot is is I've heard from from some people who are in favor of this pause that this that this is going to help the fund for PPS that this is going to be to the benefit of the fund for PPS because it will give them time uh them time to grow or to figure out what's going on. It is my perspective um that with in a situation like this, you kind of learn as you're doing. Um, but I would like to hear your perspective. If if you know, if you guys say this is what the fund for PPS needs, you know, to be better in the long term, I will vote yes on this. Um, but I want to hear your perspective. >> Nick Broadniki was hired specifically

289because he is an expert in fundraising. And so I will turn this to you. >> I I appreciate Dr. Armstrong's comments. you're all wonderful human beings and uh elected members of here. I I I appreciate the um operator on the board most for their comments on um you know the needs that we have now and uh it is my job to operate that from a systemic standpoint and a one singular system creates the most value here from the way I have been trained and hired to operate in almost any situation that I've engaged in both in Portland or across my many years of of running nonprofit um organizations. So, uh, I still stand that I am the interimm executive director for the fund for Portland public schools and I welcome folks to support the work

290that I am engaged in right now because we can be successful if we all come together around the entity that I'm operating right now. >> Thank you. Thank you for that. Um, yeah, thank you. Um, there's a few more things I would like to say. Um, first of all, again, I would like to again second that this is this is in no way stopping donations. the fund for PPS exists, you know, and we need to rally as a school community around the fund for PPS. Um, again, so that we can fund for all students because again, they are all our students and we and we all uh I think owe a duty to to our fellow uh to our fellow citizens and to our to the the society in which we engage. Um, I also

291want uh want to say that I've heard a few times um another thing that I have heard um is that is that this will not impact um our our focus on Salem. Um and and this is something that has stroke that has struck me as a little bit as as odd a little bit just because of my experience you know in uh in uh public engagement. Um that people again when when when problems arise people look for people look for a solution and if a solution presents itself again you can just donate to your school. I I think it is it is incredibly reasonable. Um, and you guys can let me know what you think, but I think it is incredibly reasonable, you know, as an as an average as an average citizen myself that

292if if this came before me, I would say, "Oh, I can just donate to my school, you know, so I guess it doesn't really, you know, it's not uh and so therefore I have I have less of a stake. Uh, I have I have, you know, marginally less of a stake in what's happening in Salem." Um, and so because again, I don't think that this is, you know, this is and and I've heard this echoed across the board, so I don't think we're disagreeing here. this is, you know, the fund uh and foundations are not the solution to our overall funding crisis. You know, we need, of course, broader action. Um, and so I I just I just uh yeah, I just don't really really get that argument because I I do think that that

293there are lots of that there are lots of uh people, of course, I don't think that is the case for any of the people here because, of course, you know, we all care about education so so deeply. We're going to do both of these things. But if I am someone who cares about my students education, I'm going to take the path of least resistance to creating a solution to making that better. Um, and it is a lot easier to just donate to to my school than to attend town halls and attend, you know, community uh, you know, budget forums, you know, consistently and repeatedly enough times to bate, you know, my legislature enough to actually care about this stuff. Um, so, so that's my perspective. Um, and that's that's what I've got to say on

294the matter, but I'm interested to hear what you guys think. I love that you have a little socialist moment a day. That's cool. >> All right. So, I too wrote something down. We'll see if I stick to it. Um, and I don't always prepare in advance, but this is like a complicated issue to me. Um, as a reminder to all of you, I coached Constitution Team for I think 11 years. I've been saying 12 and I've realized I think that's inaccurate, untrue. I think it's 11. Um but um a dear friend was a coach of that program um and he passed away recently. He had also served on the school board. I'm talking about Steve Griffith who I know some of you knew. I wish I could talk to Steve. Um this was a person

295who spent hours of his life teaching kids things like which one comes first the common good or your rights as an individual? Um what is the go re like what are elected officials? Are they people who go with their own values? Are they people who listen and vote with the values of their constituents in mind? And I would just love to sit and talk with them. What's interesting is I think we would come to different conclusions. Um he and I were very different as much as we cared about each other and loved to debate and talk and actually find common ground often too. Um but I I was just thinking of him and that like struggle because I represent or I live in Southwest Portland. My kids go to a school that had ha had

296had a foundation. Um, we actually started our foundation after we were told by PPS staff that they were intentionally challenging us to start a foundation by giving us fewer staff. That's part of the reason why we started getting cut in 2020. Um, and I still remember hearing that story and um, that was how we were very late comers. The first s s um substantial year of foundation fundraising we had followed the vote, believe it or not. Um it was like two days later. I think it was the Friday after the board voted on Tuesday or something. Um and um I can tell you um the good that foundation funding has done for the kids that go to my school and that includes the 20% of them that live in public housing. I can also tell

297you that I've seen wealthy families leave for private school from my own school. So when I see these the combination is two. I get the emails from people saying you you pause. If you don't pause I'm going to send my kids to private school the threat. I've also seen the I'm concerned about the impact on our school when these families leave for private schools. Um I have seen the impact of that happening in my own school and so for me um that conversation of like who am I in this space has been kind of interesting to think about. But I think when push comes to shove my values who I am deep down inside is someone who maybe is a little bit socialist too and I do wonder why do we have private schools too?

298Um, why is that even an option when we know that the common good is best served by all of us being together? It bums me out that we're not all together. And I think that deep down in my core, I believe that foundations perpetuate inequity. And I can't support continuing to have debate about it. What I want to do is support us moving forward and not backward. I want to support one district that we're all powerful together. That's what I want to support. That's the vision I want to see. Um, and I I just want to be clear that I see both sides of it, but my personal values just don't allow me to to do anything but reject the idea of a pause, despite what perhaps my closest neighbors might think. It's it's up

299to me as an elected official, I think, in this case, to decide what I think is the right thing to do. And I think doing the right thing is the most important thing I can do as an elected official. Um I wanted to say also that um when I I did just like there's the math and I'm just not even going to claim my math is good. I did my math in a way that was or not I think it's good but it's not like accurate. This is just like hypothetical. Um I've seen a lot of emails being like well you know we could move the we could move the needle and give more. So instead of 3070, we could do 50/50 so that more money goes to the schools in need. And I was

300just curious cuz I was like, that's interesting. Like maybe we could have this work where actually it is equitable. Could that be the answer? And then I ran the math and I looked at there's kind of this old adage that there are 11 schools that regularly were able to get foundation funding. If those 11 schools raised $100,000, the other 70 this this would get if everybody got the same amount around $7,800. So you've got 50,000 at the school that raised the hundred $7,857 at the other schools. I just can't get past that. I just can't. And even though somebody could tell me, oh maybe it'd be 15 at, you know, other schools and those principal could really use that money. I totally agree, but it just seems really just unfair to me. I can't I

301can't see past it. Um, I do want to say one more time though that I talked a little bit about equity and funding earlier. Um, I think we have work to do to make sure that our that our schools are funded in a way that is equitable, which is different than equal, and I'm happy, Patty, to talk to you about the difference um um offline because I think it's I think it's important. But um I do think and know that there are schools including the ones where my kids go that don't get like the basics that and and like when I hear I heard today about kindergarten reading aids like we had a foundation but we were never like my kids didn't we had my one daughter was in 26 person kindergartens with 20% super

302low-income kids and we didn't have any AIDS in our kindergarten classrooms and I That's that might not be a basic, but not having anyone to staff lunch seems kind of basic. So, I think we might need to look at some of those schools that lost the foundations and then had like the rug pulled out and have needs that aren't being met. Um, and so when we're figuring out our north star for our conversation about right sizing, I think part of that is like what's like our dream and then also like is there like a floor that we want to talk about just making sure that there are certain things that every single school has because I am worried that some of the foundation schools um ended up in a situation where they got upside down

303and I'd like to be part of fixing. >> Can I just say that we did address that last year? We took we um had a spreadsheet and we looked at the FTE reduction not only that we were making for this upcoming year, this current year, but we also looked at the FTE that was um paid for by the foundation which was approximately 30 FTE. And so then we looked at like what resource um could we give some of our schools that don't have designated funds or title funds, not in huge numbers, but to still be able to support the groups of students that um were being supported. Now for this upcoming um year, we have had to um make some reductions. So, I can't say that we're able to do that um next year, but

304we were able to make some adjustments this year to to support that. So, >> great. Well, thank you for being on top of it, but I still like let's make sure we we got that right. Um the last thing, I already kind of said it, but the most important thing is we are all in this together. That is it for me. And I know right now some of you are going to leave and it's not going to feel that way. Um, but I hope that when you walk out of here, you can think about how we can be all in it together in the future. Maybe it'll take you a year to feel up to it. Um, but that's just my hope. And then the final thing I want to say is I haven't given

305to the foundation yet. I have some leftover money in my pack. I'd like to give $1,000 on the 30th and have it be a match. And we can talk about what that can look like to help drive some other donations. Um, but that's just money I have left over from my campaign. And I think all of you know and I guess I'm saying you know I'm I'm not planning to run again. So I would be happy to give as much of that money as I can um to support that ethos that we're all in this together and I can work on making a meaningful personal contribution to. But I think I need to put my money where my mouth is and I haven't done that yet. So thank you both for your work for being

306here. Thank you for your advocacy for your kids and your schools. And thank you for your advocacy for your kids and your and your schools. And um I just I I wish I had the right thing to say to make it so we could all walk out like holding hands and like being besties. Um and I know I can't, but that's what I wish I could do. >> I know. I feel like we're like stop fighting you guys. >> We have to acknowledge >> Yeah. And I I just want to say I I know that we're probably behind time, but I know that you've asked me I know at least um Chair Wong to to point out those moments that can sometimes live out in schools. And so I appreciated your closing comments, director Split,

307because I do think as you all know, we've been getting communication about this divisive nature that people are are feeling. Um, and we know that all the kids in all 81 schools are Portland public. And I just want us to have that same stance about all the communities that are across Portland. And there's a lot of folks out there that are feeling divided. And then that then plays out in our schools and then our principles at the end of the day um have to carry that load and sometimes feel otherred or pushed out maybe because they're not designated or not title or too wealthy or not wealthy enough. So, I just wanted to just take this moment because I know you all as a board and I know that you all care about all of

308the folks that are in our schools and the students and um I think the more that we put that in space, even after some hard conversations and disagreement and um all the multiple truths that we hold, we come back to kids and their families and uh that's why we're here. So, I just wanted to recognize, lift that, and just underscore that this wasn't a conversation about one community over another, but more about, you know, how we're going to get resources distributed in the best way possible. So, yeah. >> Can I say one more thing? >> Thank you. >> I'm sorry. >> Let me go to um Dr. Daniel. >> Oh, we're still going around. We'll get >> Oh, no. We're not going around. We're just last comments and then we're gonna I'm glad you said

309what you said. >> Well, no. our the what we agreed on in our retreat was that we would go like if there's clarifying questions and you know if something has come up in the conversation that we would have a second time if someone has something. So >> I thought it was >> No, no, no. It's very quick. Um I it's very quick. I said there were two compelling things I heard. I just want to say that I'm very compelled by the fact that the superintendent of our school says that she wants to Kim as as much money as possible and like also and that you came from a district that had a like a very successful foundation. And so I heard you say I heard you say um student first and that you would like

310all the money every everywhere possible. And I heard you also heard you say um don't let perfect be the enemy of the good. And then I also heard you say that you would like to make help this work but revisit it if it's not working. And then I believe I heard chair vice chair depass say well maybe we look at it in a year and so maybe we look at this in a year and then support as we can. That's all for >> um I just wanted to say um to those in the room that are uh with their local school foundations when I started in PPS I guess 15 years ago. Um, I chaired my local school foundation uh auction and um it was so much work and I just want to acknowledge like

311this idea that it's so easy and it it's not it's incredibly hard and it was very much the culture of many hands make light work. And what I loved about it is that there was an equity fund. don't think I would have done it without. But as I've gotten older, I do and I'm and I'm on the board for the fund. What I'm trying to say is like we need your help for it to be successful. Um, and uh, I just I want the fund to be successful, but I also feel I don't disagree with what my counterparts are saying up here that it's not equitable. But we need everybody in this room coming up with a solution together. What will work? What will engage you? Is it a, you know, is it a, you

312know, gayla? You know, that's, you know, the board's talking about it at the fund, you know, but like I'm just I'm not being very articulate. It's freaking late, but I'm just saying I I see both sides so clearly and I just want to acknowledge, you know, all of the work that that did go into raising that money. It was a lot. And um I think there's a lot of key learnings that we can take from the local school foundations and use those to make the fund successful. And I so I mean it when I say that we need to engage those families and um I don't want to alienate them. We need to be pulling them in and um and uh that's what I want. So >> if I could just make one comment and

313I don't know if this is on. Okay. Um I just want to say that everyone is here because we are so passionate about our learners, our students and our communities. And whatever happens, we know that the destination that we all envision is shared and common. We want all students to rise together. That is Dr. Armstrong's motto. That is the DNA of Portland public schools. Now, the fund for PBS, we have a simple job. Our job is to raise money. We're going to raise money. We're going to do so in a way that will be as effective as possible. We will communicate clearly with you and all stakeholders about this process. And we will be transparent about when we're hitting struggles and when we need help. And right now we do need help. We need the

314collaboration of every single person in this room in this district in order to make this successful. But it is possible. It is something that is not just aspirational. This is absolutely doable. This isn't a vision. This is a reality that can be achieved every day, including on giving day. So I encourage you all that we are acknowledging this is a complex issue. This is an issue with deep historical arguments. This is one that ties together a whole bunch of economic realities, none of which are easy. But the one thing we can agree on is that the students are worth investing in. The fund for PPS is investing in our students and I hope that you will join us. >> Thank you. And I would just like to thank all my doesn't look like we're going

315to get our four four votes, does it? But but um you know, I appreciate you're coming to me and it was a um it was an honor to talk to all of you and I know that you feel I know I know you feel you want the whole district to thrive. I know you're not doing it just for your kids. you you knew that some of it would be going to a the fund and so I just admire you for taking that step and coming to me who's not the most articulate person on the board there. I wish >> and please stick around if you want to chat after but anyway um I um I just it was really nice to meet all of you and all the work you put in and I know

316you care about the whole district. you don't just care about your own school, but that was where you could start. So, there is no reason there has to be animosity. Um, this was a test for me and I I'm really glad that you made me do it, I think. And um and I've been really glad to hear from the other board members and I really wish the fund luck. I I truly do believe that a pause would have helped, but um we'll see. Now, um, you can go even harder. No, you won't go harder. You were going hard anyway. So, you'll you'll do the best you can. I >> We look forward to your donation on giving day, Patty. >> Well, I already gave and I already wrote 10 letters. And I know at least

317one email said they've gave. I don't know everybody's going to say. >> I know this is I've done it. This is this is public record, so I'm throwing this out there right now. I have no tattoos. I have lived in Portland for over 20 years and I have no tattoos. That first tattoo will be for the school that raises the most money. >> I like that. >> That's incredible. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> That's inspired me because I also have a blank canvas to work with, too. >> I've known so. >> Um, >> all right. Are there any other questions you have of either Nick or myself? >> No. >> All right. Thank you so much for your time and attention. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Jackie. Thanks, Nick. >> Is it Yeah, exactly.

318That's what I mean. Sorry. >> All right. Um, >> we still have uh our board reflections on right sizing. How So, and uh I think this should be the last thing on the agenda unless there's other business committee um and future agenda items you want to talk about. Um, as I put that on the sorry that was on the agenda as a reminder that for the next board meeting for those chairs of our committees should upload your report if you have one um to board books and then just present highlights if you don't even have to present highlights if you don't want to. All right. So um we're the next agenda item is our board reflections on the right sizing public engagements. So for the Okay, go. Over the past two and a half weeks,

319the board has held five community engagement sessions to hear from our community members. Uh there during that time, we've had the chance to hear direct feedback from those families about factors they would like us to consider when making decisions about rightsizing our school. Tonight is an opportunity for us to kind start our reflection on what we heard during the engagement session and summarize uh and summaries to date from the polling results gathering gathered from our participants and then but before we share our thoughts I just want to hand it over to superintendent first. Yes, I want to also thank those who attended the five engagement sessions. I want to reiterate that we have not made any decisions at this stage. The stage the stage that we're in is about listening, learning and building shared understanding

320and feedback from this phase and the conversation that you all will have tonight will help develop guiding principles for the board and these principles will shape how future options are evaluated in the conversation. So appreciate and look forward to a robust 10:45 p.m. conversation. >> All right, let's keep it qu if you're willing. Let's do this quickly. So this is what um in terms of this step in the process. This is the part where we start formulating guiding principles uh as we develop this and then it'll eventually get end up in a resolution that we vote on. But today is more just uh the board quickly going around and your thoughts on potential guiding principles that you would based on the feedback that you've heard >> and as I appreciate that. I just want to

321go back I'm not going to restate it but my previous statement and just words matter people are listening and there is a ton of con um anxiety held in communities about these conversations and so I just I want to just preface the space with that. Thank you. Um I guess it's my turn to go first. Darn it. Um uh I I want to first start with thanking all the people who took the time to to show up. Um I also know that there's a lot of people who were not able to show up and it's very difficult to get their voices. It's sometimes impossible because um as we know it takes staff, time and money to to do outreach to everybody and and I'm very concerned about uh the voices that we have not heard

322from. Uh I do one thing I do want to reflect on is uh how these engagement sessions have changed my mind. Um I have been someone who has been very adamant and vocal about um supporting our neighborhood schools. And one thing that I heard from uh these games sessions is that there are kids that go to focus option schools because they needed something different for their kid. And that that's also very important to me. I know there's also some people who go to focus option schools for other reasons, but the ones that really spoke to me are the ones that said like uh that they they weren't able to find these services in their neighborhood schools. So I would like to um pursue but at the same time impact this the impact that some focus

323option schools on some neighborhood programs is very real. So one of the things I would like to explore is it may not be again I want to be very careful about my words not a closure solution but potentially maybe a um how the lottery is done or a policy solution to mitigate the impact that um that our neighborhood schools are concerned about. um as a way to do that and also looking at the impact um all you know uh I guess it is 1045 and I'm not able to articulate that very well but I I I just want to be very um creative in solving for the problem instead of taking a hammer to or sorry thinking everything's a nail because you're a hammer if I can articulate >> no I think that was great

324I think what I just heard heard you say is you're looking no longer at more so programdriven decisions but the balance of enrollment of sites. Yeah. >> Yes. Exactly. >> So I was able to attend two of the sessions in person. Um the one at Benson which wasn't very well attended because it was 75 degrees and sunny. um and the one at Roosevelt last night and then the of course um online the virtual option and um it was really interesting to hear from people and hear the tension between the focus schools and the neighborhood schools. That was a a theme that throughout um those engagements. Um we had asked, you know, collectively to hear uh people's values and their concerns. Um and we asked, you know, what does a well-resourced school look like? And I

325think, you know, I have an early career as an interior designer and so it's um hard for people to imagine something that they can't see, which is why we take a class in rendering so we can kind of show what you're going to end up with when you have a new kitchen or a bathroom. Um and I think that it would behoove us to um perhaps consider some renderings as we get further, you know, further along in the process. We um heard from people particularly last night that um and I was selective hearing. I heard um music, art and library because I think those are you know just as important as rigorous academics. Um it's important for children to and adults, humans to move um and to get out and have some green space during

326the day. Music I think is like it's foundational. You just I can't imagine an education without music. And then of course library is uh you know absolutely necessary as well. Um I'd like to think that as we're talking about programs and consolidations and moving students around that we um are able to paint a picture of you know a climate controlled space that serves kids with rigorous programming. Um just a picture of a well-resourced school. what that looks like. That means lots of adults in the space. We heard people wanting adults in the space. I'm really um interested in hearing and getting the information from the slidos, those polls that we took. And I know Rosanne's done an amazing job of um following up with us, but I I I haven't read the results from last

327night's uh engagement. Um and it's late and I'm not being articulate either. Um I have notes about it being physically comfortable. So people are concerned about climate control. Um and also climate change probably. So we want buildings that are you know resilient and um you know natural light and >> director. May I ask a clarifying question? >> Yes. >> Since we have a lot going on. >> No no no. I know we have a lot of old buildings and so I guess I just want to be able to make sure we're we're catching note of what you're saying is like is it like you know focusing first on our buildings that are the newest and have the ability to heat and cool because we know that you know the massive consolidation and closure won't result

328in new schools right away. So, um >> I have a I have a vision of school buildings regardless of the age. They could be up to 100 years old that have larger window openings, but in those openings they have double pane glass. >> Okay. >> So, they're there there's windows fenestration packages that can open up at the top and they're safe. You know, you can't throw a rock through them. Um but they're double pained and so it does reduce the temperature from the heat, the cool. So anyway, um I'm I'm thinking of physical spaces that have more wood. I'm thinking of, you know, natural lit spaces even in old buildings. And we have some of our um some of our recently remodeled schools already exhibit like Franklin for instance as gorgeous glass. Benson the same

329thing. So um through these remodels, we've been able to bring in more light and climate control at the same time. I understand that we um don't have a lot of money to spend on remodels. Um but perhaps if we uh combine a neighborhood and a focused uh group, there's opportunities to um to vision and implement some of those some of those dreams. Um also just that, you know, I'm envisioning, you know, getting out of the what the people call the city's doom loop by having, you know, great schools throughout the um throughout the district, though just not as many. And I think I'll stop there. Thank you. Okay. Um, so this is going to be a little bit of a brain dump. I'm pulling up my notes. I attended um attended all five and um

330which was um interesting because I feel like we consistently heard the same things. I didn't hear uh an enormous variation across all of the groups. And the two things that really rose to the top for me were the desire for um arts to always be integrated into the curriculum and uh the importance of reading supports and small reading groups. Um those things were mentioned all the time at every meeting. Um, we also did talk about, you know, things like, you know, outdoor time. The the things that parents were talking about were, and you've, some of you have heard me say this a couple times now, our board goals are K through three literacy, fifth grade math, and, you know, on track to graduate. And it made me recognize that we have kind of a hole

331in there because I'm hearing from parents is all the things that make a well-rounded, you know, a well-rounded experience at school. All the things that make their kids want to go to school. It is the one-on-one. It is it is the arts. It is, you know, lunchtime. all those all those things that I'm hoping that the school consolidations will make more accessible for all of our students um by right sizing by you know hopefully making our resources go farther and again I'm not being very articulate right now either it is late um facility condition is important to me it's not the only thing to your point like there are things like you know light and design and things that you know just make kids feel good when they walk walk in the room. Um, but

332I'm definitely thinking um about that, which leads me to um, you know, I will say this every time. We have 120 million sitting in the bank earmarked for Tubman. And I feel like this is an opportunity. You know, middle schools do not cost the same amount as high schools. So, I would love to know what could happen for $120 million in that area during this process because if we could get kids in a new building, that would just be spectacular. Um and um gosh I think um I think that's about I guess I I guess I will touch on the focus option neighborhood school thing you know and director Chase Miller you know you really articulated it well I think it was at Benson um I was sitting there thinking that maybe we should you

333know increase and I I don't know how I feels. So, I just want to be clear like I do not know how I feel about this. We're going to get through this whole process. um you know, how could our neighborhood schools, you know, be more like our focus focus option schools because I hear families, you know, what they say about them, how great they are. But then you sat there and pointed out that there are great things happening in our neighborhood schools and there are I feel like we're just not quite hearing it as loudly and um that really stuck with me and um so that's something I'll be thinking about as I work my way through this process that um you know that everybody loves their schools the same even if they're not in

334the room. So that's kind of my northstar. >> Yeah, that's what I've noticed most. Everybody seems to love their school. Um, which was great and they're doing something right. um at Kellogg, the group I was in was really concerned about being walking distance to their school and feeling that if they weren't they the attendance would go down sometimes parents couldn't drive their kids to school. So that that was very very important to them more than having a lot of uh different programs was having uh they had a clothes closet and a pantry all the things that people needed that they would that they could feel comfortable there as neighbors. And one of the person in the group even said um because you had a choice to either go to the neighborhood school or I think

335a Spanish immersion program and she said there was competition even then from kindergarten you know where are you going to go or even before kindergarten. So there seemed to be a little bit of um competition and you know better than to go to an emer school. Um then at um Roosevelt talked quite a bit with two people who one from Buckman, well both from Buckman I guess, but also I talked to people from Sunnyside about having a neighborhood focused together. Um they seem to think that worked really well. Buckman people thinking they didn't quite have as many neighborhood people to come in. So if they changed the boundary, they could get get more neighborhood with their focus. And um so a lot of it sounds like people are really open to a lot of different

336choices. I also noticed they were almost all primary. Um I didn't hear anybody advocate for middle school. It was more K8 is most of the people that were there and I was surprised about that. >> May I ask a clarifying question? So what you're hearing um in terms of advocacy, is there a guiding principle that you would elevate out of what you're hearing? >> Um yes. I guess it's if there's a focus school, are people going there because they really want that focus or are they're not happy in their neighborhood school? And if they're not happy in their neighborhood school, why? Why? Um, so I guess I kind of want to know why >> focus schools are chosen, >> why families choose. >> Yeah. And in fact, there were I know there's people who even

337in their own family, they'll go to two different focused schools to meet the need of their different children. >> Yeah. So how those choices are made and >> I can answer that uh many of our families start in at least at the elementary and focus um programs if that's what they choose from the start and so what I've heard is introspace right maybe it's arts or science focus or math focus I don't know if there's a mindset that like neighborhood is bad so I'll go focus or focus is bad so I'll neighborhood. I think it's more on just, you know, an option of choices and that's what folks choose. Um, >> yeah. So, >> but but I think I hear you asking for data around um choice and I think we can we can lift

338that up even if it's not a guiding principle but you just want more information >> and also um I think there's long waiting list so maybe there's room to have more focus schools that um well that in fact I asked for waiting lists for all the focus schools which I think I'll be getting pretty soon. And if there's a demand for a certain focus, can we have more schools with that focus? >> Arts and science, >> whatever. Yeah. MSC. Um, so before I talk about uh what I heard in terms of guiding principles um for for me to fully be able to have that conversation, I still need to hear from families of color, from families of sped students, from uh our immigrant families. Um, so I hope that um I know I know Nicole's

339working on getting some of that more more focused engagement. Um, and to to our conversation at our our last meeting, I I can't like land on I mean I know we're not there yet anyway, but um I won't be able to land on a set of guiding principles until we have some more representation in the conversation. Um I I don't want to prop I don't want to propose equity as a guiding principle because I think we need to be um more clear about what that means. Um I have the concern that we'll say equity is a guiding principle. Um but then we won't operationalize it, right? Um I think there are so many considerations um to what is equitable, what is equitable in different situations, what is equitable for different communities that I think that

340that is too broad of a guiding principle. So I would like us to um have that as a value but when it comes to the principles really be thinking about what that looks like in practice and in action. Um one example of that is that um we have talked a lot about where kids are going to go. Are kids going to be able to stay in their school? Are they going to have to move to a different school? Um, but I would like a part of this process um to consider where the adults are going to go. How are we how are we going to build staffing that supports the outcomes that we want to see? Um, I'm thinking about some of uh our schools that are predominantly white uh where black kids specifically have

341a really bad time. Um, and when I say bad time, I mean experience racism and um do not have acceptable uh what's the word? Uh uh adult support um or the actions that are taken um are are not um adequate to to the nature of the situation. So really looking at like you know we have these schools and they might be high performing for some demographics of students but if they're failing other demographics of students what needs to happen in terms of the adults that are in that building to shift that trajectory. Um I don't know what we call that as a guiding principle but it's something that um I would like us to be thinking about and planning for. Um, I would also like us I to think about accessibility as a guiding principle

342and all of the things that that means. We heard a lot about neighborhood schools that are important. My kid can't go to his neighborhood school because he has a physical disability and that building doesn't have an elevator. um when we're thinking about environments and conditions and the state of buildings and um how we're creating schools that will be welcoming and inclusive for every student, we need to think about those kinds of things. Um, but accessibility also means um something like isn't necessarily just limited to physical inclusion and accessibility from like a disability perspective. um but the communities that we're bringing together and how we're supporting um everyone in having access to the school as a community and um really feeling that sense of belonging. Um the last thing I'm going to touch on is I

343I was really I also found my um own opinions about uh focus option schools being challenged. I'm really interested in the idea of focus option schools that exist in neighborhood schools. Um, and I mean this is just like just literally making stuff up. Um, but you know, perhaps um, focus option schools that exist for each cluster. Um, so that there are options within a community, but we're also not pulling kids out of their neighborhood or draining neighborhoods. Um my background is in early childhood education and uh what I found when I was a teacher was that families were like I want Monasuri, I want Reio, not even really knowing what that meant or what went into that, but it it was better, right? Like I don't want just like play-doh and blocks at the table.

344Like I want like some kind of more meaningful experience for my kid. Um, and I think that is often why families choose a focus option school. Like there's something the idea even if it's not the reality that there's something more here that is not just in like the regular school. Um, so I I think there's two parts to that. Part of that um is uh our ability to to elevate our neighborhood schools and really tell the story of um how much extraordinary happens in just the regular school. Um but also like why why shouldn't each school have its own focus or its own thing that sets it apart? I mean each school really does have that whether or not there is like a pedigogy associated with it or an instructional framework that goes along with

345it. So those are just um some of my ideas right now. All right. I think I'm last. No, you get to go last. I'm sorry. Okay. Um All right. Well, one, I'm just going to read something that I wrote down because I think it's funny how similar it is to something Michelle said. My understanding is that staff are planning targeted outreach to hear from more diverse communities. Anyone could see that our great turnout did not reflect the demography of the district and I won't be ready to move forward till that happens and we have that data in hand. So, seconding that, um, I want to read something. Oh god, I'm so worried I closed it. Dang it. Hold on, everybody. I'm so sorry. It's just late. I'm doing dumb things. Okay. Um, I want to,

346um, take a second to thank our staff, um, uh, the people who led this work and who showed up. Um, I was at four or five of the events. My husband's birthday was on the 5th. Um, and was hiking while you guys were were doing that. Um, uh, no regrets, but I was very grateful to go to the four. What I saw was staff who went through a lot. um each different event had like a completely different vibe and flavor and often a different program. Sometimes terrible things happened and people had to act like everything was pretty cool and just keep moving cuz we had 300 people together to talk about something and we needed to move forward. Um so I just wanted to say how impressed I was with our team. Um I'm always

347impressed with them. Um but I want to read something. This came from um an Odyssey mom. I'm not going to say her name, although maybe she's like, "Give me credit." I don't know. So, I'm just not going to say. But I've been a parent in PPS for 13 years. Four children, lots and lots of volunteering, advocacy, leadership roles, and all-around devotion and love to our public school system. Last night was the first time I felt like our leadership in both the district office and on the board truly and genuinely heard and engaged so thoughtfully with the community. It felt honest, vulnerable, safe, and collaborative. Thank you to each of you for creating a space for parents to hold space in times of change and unknown outcomes. I thought that was like extremely high praise. And

348that's like it for me. Like I want more of that. Um and I'm just so grateful to you for fostering that, to your team for fostering that, for insisting on doing the best um um outreach. Um and when we don't do outreach, right, we see what happens. And when we do, we see what happens. So, I just really wanted to give kudos there. Um, I'm not going to spend too much time sharing thoughts or ideas. I basically just keep sending things to this one and hoping she'll forward them to that one and and that they'll get around um to the right people and we'll see what happens. Um, radical cander has gotten me nowhere in Oregon politics. People generally like me but are a little dubious about hiring me, I think. Um, but I was

349radically candid about my feelings about protecting focus option schools in this process. I think every school should be something we talk about, but I think the focus option people heard that as this they're gunnuting for my particular school and I think we had outsized turnout from those communities because of me. Um, and so I just want to say that I also learned a lot, but I also think that I drove outside turnout outside turnout and we need to like probably remember that these people felt like they were on the defensive whereas some of our neighborhood schools that we might even end up voting to close in the end, may have not had anybody show up at these events because they didn't hear about it or whatever. And so because um our anybody who's got a

350kid at a focus option is automatically by default more plugged into the system, more aware of these things going on. Um that's the reason they knew about focus options and to send their kids to them. Um and I think there's lots of families that don't know about them at all. Um, so, um, I'm really interested in continuing that discussion, not about closing a specific one or anything, but how do we look at our focus options and make them more equitable? That's my big concern with them. When you look at the demography of our focus option schools, they just reflect that privilege of people who know the system. Um, and often, um, you know, kids from nearby lower income schools end up at those focus options. Um, and so I'm what I'm hearing is parents love

351them. So, how do we make them more equitable is kind of my question for all of us. And I have lots of ideas that I won't say here because then people will freak out and the radical cander thing. Um, I'll just keep sending them to you and you can send them to her and then we'll just see what happens. Um, but I do want to thank those parents for turning out and like I feel like I did learn a lot. Um, and I also really think that because of that outsized representation of those schools, I really want to do due diligence on the K8 thing because I do feel like our email, I'm looking at a K8 parent. Um, our emails seem to indicate a lot of K8 schools don't seem to like being K8

352schools except for the focus options maybe. So, I just want to make sure that we don't necessarily take focus option K8s to mean like all K8s. And so I just want to make sure that we continue to kind of collect that data and look at um what we're hearing from various other channels that maybe we didn't hear out loud about the the the sixth through 8th graders at K8s. Um the final thing I want to say is someone came up to me last night and it was absolutely true. We did not hear much about seismic which I'm like how weird is that right? But um I do just want to um put it out there that whether or not like whe when we look at all the data hopefully we'll see more about that and

353about building safety and comfort um and like the maintenance scores for buildings and all of that because man we have some buildings that probably should be retired and I would love if the conversation kind of centered that more than maybe we heard from families um um at these hearings. so far. So, I just wanted to I promised a person I would say that tonight because I totally agreed with them and she had gone to multiple events and felt like it hadn't come up as much as she would have expected. >> So, just clarifying. So, when you when you say that, you mean um like a new build and then centering like a consolidation closure around a new build. >> Oh, I mean that would be like a dream but not not one we can do

354in two years. But I mean like if we know that there's let's just say like that, not to bring up two schools, but let's just say like school M and school L are nearby each other and school L has like way more maintenance problems there. We have to do a bunch of seismic work. Millions of dollars would need to be invested, but I forgot the letter I gave to the other school, but that other school is like a newer building and has room. I think we should be thinking like maybe this older building that's got all these problems needs to be like that shuttering that I think that and putting them in that those kids or as many of them as we can in the other school might make sense you know so I just

355think censoring the buildings piece more than we've thought about it might kind of help a little bit with like the kids question if that makes sense. I don't know. See it's late. >> No it does. I think that's what director de pass was saying. I think what I was trying to get at with what she was saying about the natural and the wood and the windows and the >> heating and air. I think just facility condition. I think maybe. >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm thinking like that seismic plus like isn't there like a maintenance score or something? Like we know that there's buildings that just are not in good shape. >> I I could see like safe, healthy, and clean as a guiding principle. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I think that makes sense. And like

356I think that it's like it gives you that real fresh start vibe too. Like if you're taking a school that's just like not in good shape and you're saying like we love your kids and we're sorry to be doing this to your community, but you know your building is not safe, healthy, and clean. And so let's get you to a new building. You'll feel like a fresh start. So I think there might be like a such a benefit of moving that it will feel better for those schools. Anyway, >> perhaps that could be a um guiding principle, the safe, healthy, clean, but also I'm just losing my train of thought. Sorry, because it's late. >> I'm sorry, I want to move on. Sorry, I'm going to interrupt because it is almost midnight. So, >> yeah,

357I don't want to have a discussion. >> Yeah, I I'm just saying I I agree with you. I think the facil can I just get one more thing? And that's that as a guiding principle, we should perhaps consider um if we're looking at a choice between several schools, the one that is the most adaptable to to adapt adaptive reuse. >> I'll be quick. >> Okay. Um I would also like to hear from more people. Um I have um I asked um Nicole I asked a couple people. I would really love to see the sliders sent out to our entire community because we I don't really want to just hear from people who are able to come to our five listening sessions. I don't know. It should just go out to everybody. Um and I want

358to hear from more people and that's why after I went to Kellogg the next morning I sent you that email saying, "Can we please have one in Northeast and one in North because it's so far to get down to Kellogg." And you responded right away and the next board meeting there were dates. Um so the slideo going out feels like a next good step to engage people who just simply can't don't want to don't know about it. Um >> and that is that just just because I know we have we have some dates to where we want to bring a draft of the guiding principles. Are you thinking because there will be more engagement as we work through the process when you all are saying hear from people. Do you want to hear from more

359people specifically? I think this is yes. I just want to clarify because I know MC is taking notes. You want to hear from more people before you decide on you all's guiding principles as a board. >> I mean, I think that's what the board decided last time that we Yeah. We wanted to try to have as before we Yeah. >> Okay. Cuz I and and I that's great. And I know that we're going to look to put some information out electronically and get information in. Is that acceptable or were you all thinking listening sessions? Because before you answer that, I just have to like warn that we're on like this really tight tight line already. >> I was thinking electronically, but Nicole did say Miss Watson did say that she was working on getting into

360living rooms into schools where we haven't heard from people. So, >> and that could be like getting in and surveying but not pulling full board. Okay. just because the deliverable is okay. >> Yeah. >> Um what I heard um at a few of them and I was lucky enough to go to all of them was that people want to know that if and after we do this that we're going to end up with something a lot better than what we have instead of just less of what we already have. And by that people were saying they want to know that they're going to have lower class sizes instead of less schools with the same size class sizes. They want to know that they're going to have all the specials, that they'll have EAS and paras.

361They That's what people were saying. In fact, one person at Benson, one of the very few who showed up, unfortunately, um because it wasn't I mean it wasn't brought it wasn't published, unfortunately, um said that, you know, we really like our school even though we only have half a librarian. We really like our school. And so that was something that I heard a few times. Um because I think if we end up with just less of what we have already that people are going to leave and then it's a vicious cycle and then it's a self-fulfilling prophecy where we're back here five years from now with a more declining enrollment and what do we have to do next? And that was something that I heard people mention. Um I've asked for some data which is

362going to be really helpful for me to understand um we don't know who the families are until they apply to lottery schools or in kindergarten. So, how many I would like to know how many of the families who are applying to our lottery schools and then don't get in don't stay in PPS because I've heard a couple of times said that maybe people think it's better to go to X and if you don't get X well I don't want to go to my neighborhood school so I'm going to go elsewhere and we have this data set of families who are applying to a lottery school and then perhaps leaving PPS and so we can see how many people are are thinking this that our neighborhood schools aren't as which is not true at all. Um,

363and I also have asked for data about what happened after we've done school closures or consolidations before, specifically when Marshall closed forever ago, when Edwards closed in the early 2000s, and then most recently when Bridger Creative Science consolidated. And this came into my mind when I was talking to someone there who said when we first started we were this big and then slowly we're back down because people are leaving because they just didn't like the big the big classes that we ended up with big class sizes. So I think we have data sets out there that can help us navigate to make this a process that that ends up working instead of one where people go. Um and so that that's all for me. Great. Thank you. Sounds like you have a lot to work

364with. >> All right. Um, >> there was a Buckman parent who specifically asked at the listening session and someone else said Buckman and Sunnyside. I learned that they're half neighborhood and half lottery. And so if the neighborhood shrinks, the lottery necessarily shrinks as well. And so these the Buckman people were saying we have capacity for all of the people on our weight list in our lottery system. So if we let them all in suddenly our school would start thriving and then maybe more people would move in. So they were saying do we have to be stuck with an exact 50/50 or can we negotiate that? So that would be something I would like to explore. Yes. A lot. Yeah. A lot of trade-offs. All right. Um, moving on to our second to last, I do

365have >> Yes. I I actually have some news about Sun Schools I want to share before we leave. But before we do that, is there any items that you would like to request on a future agenda? >> I've got a couple. Um, I've got um at our last meeting, I think it was resolution 7291, it was the public contracting policy that some of the information that um we asked for some of the legal information was not correct. So, I would like to know the process for bringing that back to the board uh for rec to reconsider. There's an email in your inbox. >> Yeah. Yeah, I remember. I mean the the I'm just talking off the cuff here. Um you know usually the usual processes goes to policy committee and then gets referred out. But

366since we did vote on it recently and I think it was 70 vote. So this would this question would go for >> but but it was with wrong information. The information was not correct. I think it would have been >> the question then goes to the rest of the board. Is there enough board interest to put it back on the agenda for revote? I think that's what she's asking, >> right? So that's what I'm asking. How many people >> to talk about it because I don't think everybody knows what. >> So do you want me Okay. So to put it on the agenda to present, >> shouldn't we just send it? >> Would it be okay to for it to just go to policy committee if that's going to be the >> um It sounds

367like just to recap for everybody, it's just >> taking existing practice and codifying it. >> No, >> it's not. >> Oh, so this is different than the email we got from Sharon. Okay, never mind. I was wrong about the item, I guess. >> Well, we basically we voted to remove the cotification from the policy with the legal advice that it was already covered by Oregon statute, and it is not. So, that would have changed my vote. >> So, I think I think it um it is 11:30 at night. That's not actually quite what you all voted on. So, how about if I send you all a summary of a memo because you didn't do anything in that resolution that changed any practice that exists. And I think this is probably I I contributed to it

368by trying to give you an answer about a statute without pulling the statute beforehand. But let me let me send you a memo outlining what you did so you're clear. I'll defer to you all on what you want to do from that, but I don't want to leave it unclear that you didn't change. I I understand the difference between policy and practice and I would not have voted to change the policy. So, and I'd asked the question so >> could we are you okay with waiting for the memo first for the clarification? >> I have the clarification >> but I think for all of us I think I think for all of us to have that clarification and I think that would be helpful. >> Yeah, >> sure. I can send that tomorrow. That doesn't

369change that doesn't need to change what you all may want to do. I'll send you that outline tomorrow. >> So, you're requesting an agenda item to discuss whether we want to revote or change this policy. >> I mean, I'm wondering if we have to revote if we had information like legal information that was I'm not not doing this or anything. I'm just being I'm not blaming anybody. It's just it's not what this is about. I think that we have to revote because the information we had was incorrect. And I I I think that >> I'm not sure. Sorry. I'm I'm just trying to clarify your ask. Are you asking for an agenda item to discuss it first and then another potentially move it to another agenda to vote or you want it on the next

370agenda to vote? >> So I that's why I'm being confused. >> I mean I don't know that's I don't know how that would work. Like can we can we revote? Can we bring it back to >> So procedurally we would talk about it on the we would put on the agenda. we would talk about it. We'd have to move to >> I think put a motion on the table, >> discuss. >> You need to have a mo if you want to reconsider what your vote was, you need to have a motion and then have a second and a vote associated with it. That's what you would need to do if you want to reconsider what you voted on in 7291. And then the other question I have is then do we have at least three

371people that want to talk about it or do we want to wait until we get the memo for clarification? >> Here's my vibe on this. I think that it doesn't need to be on an agenda if it's a motion to reconsider. I think somebody could make the motion. So I think that it's not something. So I think let's just pop it on the agenda, have the motion to reconsider. We'll get the memo in between now and then and just settle it. I don't want to talk about it and then settle it later. and I don't think a motion to reconsider has to be on the agenda. So, I think let's just put it on because we're civilized people and rather than having somebody have to do like a disruptive motion um that they could make

372um in a parliamentary procedure situation. So, I'd rather just put it on and knock it out. >> Great. So, we will >> So, I will be a second and then if anybody else likes that too, >> we have Okay. So, we have a really full agenda next meeting. So, maybe the meeting after We could put it on. We'll just We'll just do I I I suggest what Director Split put. Let's just put the policy on the agenda and if someone wants to put a motion to revote, we can do it then. >> Okay. >> Sounds good. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And we'll get clarity on it. >> In the meantime, have clarity. >> Yeah. >> So, if you want to change it, change your vote. I was just going to say in putting

373the policy on the agenda, I would also like not just the new policy, but the red line of the old policy that we voted on because I remember director Sullivan looking at the red line and saying, "I'm concerned about taking this much out." And that's when the conversation started about it being codified. So, I would like both the what we've now voted in and the red line. >> All right. New policy plus red line. Y >> got it. >> Thank you. And then I would love um a 101 on the new um pool RFB process. We're approving a lot of contracts and it sounds like it's going to change um uh a lot of many many of the contracts the boards would would normally see and approve. It changes that process. I think we need

374to understand it since we like I said we we are the local contract review board. We need to understand um the process. So I would like that. I think we So this is informationational >> correct? >> Yes. >> Well, there isn't a change. You you want I'm sorry. Say what you want again. Is it >> kind of like a basically a 101 on the pool RFP process as we get these >> contracts to approve? I understand how they work. Okay. >> But I think would love to make sure that we all understand how they work and I would like to see that matrix. >> Okay. From purchasing and contracts, the matrix on the scoring on the way we do >> the process. Okay. because I I just wanted to lift up that we've always done

375the pool. I think Presidio back on December 2nd was a break from the multiple people coming in to bid on a specific thing and going with one, but they're using a model. And then the other thing that I'll just say is that we'll probably see a lot of those is there's three builds happening. But maybe I'll send an email because I just want to make sure we know what to get you exactly. Okay, perfect. And then um I want >> Hold on. Wait. >> First you want you're requesting that to be on the agenda, but first we need to see if there's three board members. >> I don't >> that are interested on the agenda. Unless you unless you just want informationational >> Okay, then that's fine. Then we're good to go. >> And the

376other thing would be um our board budget um for Whoa. It's time to go. >> Two things. one, um, what do we want to do with remaining funds for this year? Um, and even though as a district there are no remaining funds, I know that, uh, I'm sure anything that's been planned for is already still there. I checked with Michelle like what how do we want to handle that? And then also, how does the board budget planning for next year work? Do we do that together? What does how does that work since we're in the middle of budgeting or almost >> Well, I mean, that sounds informational, too. I think we can we can pop that somewhere and have that discussion. I mean, I can tell you. >> Yeah. >> Sure. >> Deborah for chief

377of staff, the board budget is developed by the board manager and it's in your budget books. We're happy to go over it with you, but it's out it's in it's already in the budget. You obviously get to vote on it as a part of the larger package. If you want to spec during one of these budget upcoming budget hearings, if you want a specific time spent on the board budget, your specific budget, we can do that. I will say whatever funds are left over in any of the budgets at the end of the year go into the ending fund balance which is the reserves, the contingency, whatever you want to call it. Yeah, you don't get to carry it over to the next year. And then um it's all part of the 5% um at

378the end. So, and I'll also say you've already probably gone over the budget if close to this year because of the number of trainings that we've had and um very crucial and important and worthy um retreats, >> but we're happy to get you the details on those that information as well. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Did you have something? Oh, I was just going to say that if there is anything, which it sounds like there won't. Um, I was really glad to hear an update that it sounds like Earth stock has been resolved. I sent a couple of emails to Roseanne. Um, and I'm grateful that it has. Uh but also I'm sure it costs unexpected money and so if there is anything in our board budget left um it could maybe go to covering

379those costs of the important important event. >> All right. Thank you. Um the last thing I have is an update regarding Sun Schools. Um so just want to take a moment to recognize the importance of Sun Community Schools which stands for schools united uniting neighborhoods. Um, our Sun Community Schools plays a critical role in building strong school communities by connecting our students after school enrichment, academic supports, and summer learning opportunities. So, the bottom line here is last week we learned that the chair of Multma County proposed a $1.2 million reduction to Sun Community Schools funding as part of its budget process. The final decision would be made on June 4th. So, while this is only still a proposed reduction, um our I was asking wanting our board to be clear that our school communities cannot

380withstand any more cuts. Uh and Sun Schools are instrumental to building safe, connected, and thriving school communities. This is especially important at a time when the county is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in preschool for all. So, it's deeply concerning that resources may be pulled away from children and families as soon as the students reach school age. Uh cutting the program also raises serious concerns for families trying to plan for the summer. If these cuts move forward, they would take effect just before summer break, leaving many families stranded without child care, enrichment or support options. And finally, sun schools are a critical lifeline for many of our families living in especially fear of increasing immigration enforcement. Uh and so therefore, sun our sun schools provide trusted support for our families are honestly afraid to

381leave their homes. Uh, and this includes things like food deliveries, community resources, and stable places for our our kids. Uh, so I'm proposing that us as a board, we send a letter to the county urging them to restore any proposed cuts to Sun Community Schools. >> Yes, please. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Okay, it seems like we have everybody saying yes. >> Yes. >> All right. Thank you. We will work on that. Thank you everyone. This meeting is adjourned right before midnight.