2025-09-30 Board of Education Work Session

001Right. This public work session of the board of education for September 30th, 2025 is called to order. All items being considered this evening are posted on the PPF's website under board and meetings tab. This meeting is being streamed live on PPS TV services website and on channel 28 and will be replayed throughout the next two weeks. Please check the district website for replay times. Good evening and welcome to tonight's work session. Uh this evening we'll be receiving our annual report from the fund for PPS. Thank you. Uh have a deeper dive on the contracts and procurement process, discuss the draft of our board work plan, and discuss the implementation of a board stipen potentially. We before we get started, I want to share a few housekeeping reminders. In order to ensure safety, please keep walkways

002and aisles clear. We also ask you to be considerate for those around you. Keep your signs below chin level. All right, let's get started with the consent agenda. Uh, do I have a motion and a second to adopt the consent agenda? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you. We have director pass moves and director Sullivan seconds the adoption of the consent agenda. Uh, Miss Brashaw, is there any changes to the consent agenda? Sorry, I forgot to ask that earlier. >> All right. Is there any board discussion of the consent agenda? I think I I think I have something and I lagged on getting ready. So, if nobody else has anything to talk about, I'll move on. But if anyone else does, go for it and I'll get caught up. >> I can tell a

003story or something while you >> No, no, don't do that. Don't do that. >> No, don't do that. She hates my stories. Um >> I know. No, I love your stories. >> No, I'm just kidding. Um yeah. All right. Is there anything anyone wants to pull for a separate discussion? I think I did that all in the backwards order. But >> one thing I would like to say, I just really one thing I I want to say I appreciate the work that's gone into for approving this field trip. Um I appreciate all the information and I appreciate when we're taking students across state lines specifically as in this one that I just like that there's oversight so that we we know all of our kids are safe. So I really appreciate all the work that

004went into this. >> Awesome. Uh the board will now vote on resolution 7178 through 7184. All in favor, please indicate by saying yes. >> Yes. All opposed. Uh student representative RTO. >> Yes. >> Abstensions. All right. Consent agenda is approved by a vote of 7 to zero with student represent voting yes. All right. Our first big item for tonight is to receive the annual port from the fund for PPS. In 2024, the board adopted a revised uh 7.20.010P district-wide advocacy and fundraising policy which calls for an inclusive district-wide foundation designated by the board of education to serve as a district-wide advocacy and fundraising entity and serve as a fiscal agent for the local school foundations. The policy stipulates that each year the board of education shall receive a report at the end of the district's

005fiscal year uh sharing the district-wide uh foundations donations, expenditures, and major projects. Uh Superintendent Armstrong, would you uh please introduce this? >> Yeah, absolutely. My pleasure. So, a couple of things that um I want to point out. So, thank you to the team for being here. The fund has launched Champion PPS schools. It's a district-wide fundraising model. And so to date, Champion PPS schools has invested $930,000 in this current school year with majority of those funds going towards high impact tutoring and other funds going to support math 9th graders and food pantries and schools. So, we're super excited about that. Um, I know that the team is going to share more about that work, but I'll turn it over to Chief Kapori to introduce the team. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Uh, Deborah

006Kapori, chief of staff. Great to see you all tonight. Um, we are very excited to have um, our new chair of the fund for PBS, Jackie Wor, here to kick things off. And um also to assist is Robin Feron who is um director of strategic partnerships and also the PPS lays on to the fund. >> Go ahead. >> Hello. My name is Jackie and I am the brand new chair for the fund for PPS. I am so new that Oh, thank you. I am going to do my best to present the amazing work of the fund today, but there are many questions that I know that this audience will have that I will rely on my team with to provide those answers. What we'd like to do is give you a brief overview of the

007annual report and then save questions for the end where we can have a robust discussion. Now, I speak really quickly and I promise you I stopped the coffee at 12:00 p.m. in an effort to slow this down. Um, if I am speaking too fast, just throw something in my general direction. And additionally, these slides are part of the board packet. I'm not going to be reading the slides because I respect you too much. And in as part of that, there's going to be there for reference. So, we're going to go through the highlights right now and then go into discussion. So, as the brand new board chair, the thing that I want to tell you about myself is that I am many things. I run a nonprofit. I'm passionate about education and social justice. I

008am importantly the mom of a PPS student. But the most important thing of all is that I am a member of this community. Now, as part of this community, that includes going to events. It means buying all of the t-shirts from my school. It means sitting through policy meetings to get a better understanding of what's going on. And it also means making sure that we are keeping a systems level approach towards equity in mind. Together we all rise and that is not always an easy decision to make when it comes to the wealth and health of our students. The fund for PPS is designed to centralize our fundraising as a beacon of support as a rallying point for us as a larger community so that together we can rise. So today, what I want to

009really emphasize are a couple of things. Number one, the fund is alive and well. We've been established since 2019, but due to the recent policy change in 2024, what we're presenting is a bit of the new normal. Now, as such, there's going to be things that are in transition, and we will do our best to explain and answer questions as they come along, but please be aware that we are building this plane as we're flying through the air. We have our northstar of equity and justice for all of our Portland public students in mind as we are working to raise funds to best support the entire district. The second thing I'd like to convey is that this is a year of building. We are rebuilding the board of directors. You have a brand new board

010chair sitting in front of you and we are actively looking to build more people to enhance this community of fundraisers. And it's not just recruiting new members for the board. It's recruiting people for our parent advisory committee. It is for uh recruiting liaison at the schools. And most importantly, it is a year of building trust and deeper communication with all of the Portland Public School District. And last, this is the year of changes. We can't build without changes. We can't implement and grow without changes. And that's something that I'd like to acknowledge upfront. We have a lot of changes and a lot of growing to do. and we are going to embark on that journey today. So today I'm presenting your the annual report from 2024 to 2025. Our purpose is to provide funding that

011is equitably distributed across all of Portland public school district using a parent advisory committee to help guide our decisions and approved by the board of education. Our total giving was 1.4 million in the 2024 to 2025 years. And this has broken into a couple different categories. The primary of which is champion PPS schools, which was a launching of our collective impact model. We're also developing a strategic roadmap for 2025 and 2026, which I'll tell you a little bit more later. We have released our full report which is available on our website. Please go visit us at fundforppps.org. And if you're feeling extra excited about this, go ahead and add a back slashdonate and donate to the fund. Now, our purpose is an independent nonprofit organization is to to raise the dedicated philanthropic funds and forge

012strategic partnerships that benefit Portland public schools, its students, and its families. Together, we are supporting the excellent education for all. In total, more than $1.4 4 million were invested between 2024 and 2025. 57,489 were programming for students and 930,000 of those dollars came from the Champion PPS school programs which were awarded May in 2025 for this current school year. A grand total of 1,437,000 and $489. I can speak today, I promise. Now, the programming for students, which amounted to $57,000, give or take, included a lot of really interesting investments, including the PGE electric school bus, which is more than just a mode of transportation. It is a catalyst for education about renewable energy and what it means to be able to be mobile in a district. We also cared for our community by providing direct

013assistance to families that were ext facing extreme hardships. We created murals. We bought books. We engaged with the community. And perhaps there was no bigger visible example of that and celebrating with hundreds of PPS student artists at the Heart of Portland event at the Portland Art Museum for the third year in a row with over 1,000 people in attendance. Really absorbing all of the creative energy that our students bring to not only their schools, but to our larger community. All in all, this creates not just a fantastic photo opportunity. What it does is it creates a sense of community and togetherness. We are connected by the arts. We are connected by education. We are connected by our schools. The Champion PPS school fund roughly $930 $30,000 was a collective program that has a parent advisory

014committee that will dictate the distribution of donations for staffing. Now, this is a group of nine parents and two students who had robust discussions and analyze priorities and ways to make a meaningful impact. With $1 million to allocate for the school year, the pack recommended multiple investments, and these include high impact tutoring for K through third grade students, math supports for 9th through 10th grade students, and food pantries in 20 community schools. This means that the champion PPS school programs not only work directly with the superintendent's vision for specific supports for students at key points in their educational careers, but also feeding their souls by providing food pantries and access to food which might not be available otherwise. The pack also allocated $100,000 for the fund to use as seed funding for future fundraising. Now,

015let's take a little bit of a deeper dive into those programs. The high impact tutoring is a proven evidence-based literacy strategy benefiting K through3 students through port throughout Portland public school district. The investment of over $660,000 will impact more than 400 K through3 students that will receive high impact tutoring. 30 schools are partnered with reading results. Nine Spanish dual language immersion schools have two reading support educational assistants that are bilingual and six schools have one reading support education assistant. The remaining 10 elementary schools were offered the opportunity to participate in an online pilot program. Now, Portland determined that the appropriate HIT model to use was based off of careful data analysis which was prioritizing the students who need the most literary support to attain key benchmarks. Now, an important thing that I keep on emphasizing,

016and if you would just donate a dollar every time I say the word community, then we will hit our fundraising goal in record time. But the thing that I want to drive home is that this is a communitydriven initiative. It takes all of us in this community to strengthen and expand the community champions programs. This is going to include not only the board for the fund for Portland public schools. It's going to take this board of education. It's going to take our school site councils, our school PTAs. It's going to take our school businesses. It's going to take all of us coming together with the singular vision that we can raise funds that will make an impact for our learners. It's simple. If we increase donations to the Champions PPS schools program, we can make

017a difference in the lives of more PPS students. Our ambitious goal is to raise $1 million for the 2026 2027 school year to expand high impact tutoring and other student supports. The more that we fund raise, the greater our reach. And together we can help students take flight. So this next map is a network map. I'm a nerd and this makes me happy because it shows that we are all connected. And the stronger a network is, the more redundant rings there are for resiliency, the more that we can provide meaningful, sustainable, and long-term support. This network needs more input from our community. So, one of my asks today of you is to see if you can help us find school liaison. We need one to two PPS parents or caregivers per school to join in

018monthly meetings and conversations to help us engage and really activate the community. We're also looking for representatives for the parent advisory committee, otherwise known as the pack. We're looking for two student reps as well as one parent or caregiver from Franklin, Lincoln, McDaniel, and Roosevelt. Together, this network can create a strategic roadmap that realizes itself into real dollars and impact. Our roadmap for the next year is very out outlined here. First and foremost, we are hiring and onboarding the fund's first executive director. Currently, the fund is staffed by a volunteer board and support through PPS. The ability to hire a dedicated individual with professional understanding of fundraising and the environment and to create long-term sustainable relationships will help the fund catapult its fundraising activities into the next level. Additionally, we're looking to recruit new board

019members to strengthen our reach across the community. We're hoping to get more increased communications and engagement. I sat in this space uh just not that long ago and was asked how would I go about engaging with the Portland public community and my answer remains the same. I am on a quest to get a hoodie from every school possible. I want to go I do like they are so cute and hoodies are way more comfortable than this. What I want to do is I want to be an engaged face for the fund for PPS. There's a lot of talk and conversation about the fund. There's a lot of opinions about the fund and all of these opinions and conversations are valid. The things that I can do that the board can do and that this community

020of dedicated professionals can do is go into our community to listen to people's concerns to bring that information back to the board so that we can make better decisions to help guide the future direction of the fund. And the first and foremost thing is to get out into that community and buy the hoodies. Next, I want to share our fundraising goals. This is something that wasn't as clearly articulated in the past, and I want to be crystal clear here today. Our goal is to raise $1 million for Champion PPS schools. We will also aim to raise $200,000 for programming for students and $200,000 for organizational capacity and operational expenses. This is a clear tangible goal and one that is achievable by the fund for PBS. So the next steps are please simple share this opportunity

021with your communities. Get people involved. Send them my way. I would love to have as many conversations as possible with as much caffeine as possible. We are looking for people to join the board, for school liaison, for parent advisory committee members, but most importantly, I just want to hear from our community. You don't have to serve on a pack. You just need to tell me what your thoughts are because I need to understand what people are thinking in order to make the decisions necessary to move us forward. And last but not least, please consider supporting us for some of our upcoming fundraisers that include Timbers, Thorns, and Blazer games. You cannot get any more Portland than this. Show your PPS school spirit and support our local teams by buying tickets to these upcoming games, portions

022of which will go to the fund for PBS. And with that, I want to thank you for your time and I would be happy to answer any questions you have >> as best as I can. >> Thank you, Dr. Hatt. Let's start with board questions. Yeah, >> Director Sullivan. >> Director S. Thank >> um you just mentioned 200,000 for programming, >> correct? >> And what what do you mean programming? Programming in schools or programming in the fund or >> uh events programming for the fund? event programming >> that will help perpetuate more fundraising. >> Okay. >> Um, thank you. That was an excellent presentation. I really appreciate your enthusiasm. Um, I did I hear you say that you were looking for names for board members and is that something that we could help um forward

023some names for consideration? >> Why yes. >> Excellent. Um I was curious um like what does a successful board look like and what might be the process for developing that board over time? >> A successful board is going to be one that leverages their talentes talents collectively to ensure fund success. Right now we have people that have lots of expertise in PR at a corporate level and I have nonprofit experience. So, some of the areas that we're looking to grow in include more direct community embedded experiences as well as individuals that also have financial acumen to be able to review the documents and provide up-to-date financial updates for both the fund as well as the board of education. >> Excellent. And then finally, I had a tip for getting um one of those hoodies. Um

024you get your first one and you wear that to the opposing school and they'll give you a hoodie to put on and you just do that until you get all all of them. My small collection has served me really well. When I go out, people are always like, "But that school's not even near here." Like, "How do you know that school?" And it's a great conversation starter. >> Um, if you guys wouldn't mind, could you kind of lay out uh your upcoming your fundraising strategy for the upcoming year? >> That's a great question. So currently our fundraising that has been put on the books are those corporate collaborations with the Timbers, the Thorns, and the Trailblazers. So those are district-wide events that we're hoping to get wide engagement in. After that, we have our traditional

025Heart of Portland art festival, which will be happening later in the year. What we're really hinging on is the hiring of an executive director. that individual will set the specific targeted fundraising activities for the upcoming year. That position has already been placed. We are receiving applications and we'll be reviewing them in early November. So, we hope to have this individual in place and we'll be able to come back to you with a more detailed plan by January. >> Great. Thank you so much. Do you have any plans for collaboration uh with u individualized uh PTAs at different schools and uh other such community organizations? My plan is to visit as many PTAs as possible. I want to collaborate with them if possible. I want to assist them in any way, shape or form that I

026can. Uh and I want to support their activities. The fund for PPS in no way, shape or form de means to diminish the roles and the the essential role of a PTA in its local school community. >> Thank you. Yes. >> Um, doc director Englesman. >> Sorry. Thank you. Um, thank you for that presentation. That was really helpful to understand. I have a bunch of questions. And then just to segue it all in, just a statement. So, I guess my first question is I noticed that there's only four schools, four high schools for which you're looking for parent representatives, not all of the high schools. Can you explain why for example Ida Cleveland um I didn't see Benson are not >> Jefferson >> Jeff why they're why you're not looking for parents from every high

027school. >> So the um when we did the parent advisory committee charter last year um we staggered the terms so we have people who will be continuing year two in the other schools so that there will be representation from all clusters. Okay. Um and those um the four high schools that you mentioned, it's any feeder school um and that high school that are eligible. >> Okay. Thank you. Um you mentioned fundraising. The fundraising goal for 27 is 1 million. Does that include figure out how to phrase this? You're hiring executive director. That person is going to have a salary. That person will have to fund raise for their salary. Does your 1 million include so they'll have to fund raise additional? >> Those funds have already been secured in the fund for PPS. So if

028you look at our annual report, you'll see that there's money that's rolling over from previous fundraising years. And that which is not restricted dollars. Restricted dollars are always going to be given directly to the program to which they were donated. The unrestricted dollars are going to help offset the cost of the executive director. And I want to be real clear that every dollar that's raised in Champion stays in Champion. The that money does not go to pay for the salary of the executive director. >> So then the salary for the executive director that's rolling over is money that's come from the foundations before they were dissolved. That's now >> No, the fund for PPS has if you look at the annual reports has always been kind of bifurcated into two separate areas. one is where

029all of the foundations uh have fed into a larger pot and the other is direct fund rating fundraising by the fund for PPS. Now those tend to be corporate grants uh uh and foundation grants that have kind of populated that set of dollars and that's where the dollars are coming from. Okay. Um okay, bear with me. And so just so I'm clear, the the total giving for the 2024 25 which was 1.4 million, 1.4 million was not fundraised by the fund. The majority of that was coming from foundation funds that were still sitting there that were then sent out by the fund for PPS. Is that right? >> Um no. And Robin, would you go? Well, the um the 1,ion30,000 um would have been that 33% that it would be shared with other schools. Um

030so last year was the last year where schools had um their local school foundation dollars to allocate and the last year of PPS parent fund awards. Therefore, because of the way the timing of the dollars coming in, there was that 1 million30,000 did come from the 33% from local school foundation fundraising and it was a strategic decision to use that to launch Champion PPS schools because we heard from school communities that they needed to know where the dollars were going of like how they would see this in their school. Um, so that was um that's why we're trying to get the word out of where those investments are going and um the intention is that they will continue in those areas as continued um data comes back and reporting. There could be some tweaks to

031it, but we're not starting with a clean slate with the pack to say like anything goes like we're these are the strategies. >> Okay. And so then the the million that's planned to fund raise for next year. I mean it's fair to say that that sort of pales in comparison to the money that was coming in from the foundations before 33% of which was going to all schools right because I think in 2023 24 um three almost three and a half million was fundraised a million of which was going to other schools in 2022 23 2 and a half million was fundraised 729,000 was going to these other schools that weren't the high impact fundraisers. So to to set a goal that is significantly lower than what was coming in before means that we're going

032to have a lot less to play with right in a >> in a significant budget crunch time, right? >> Yes. Okay. >> Um that is cold hard facts. Um, unfortunately the fund for PPS, we are in a growth phase. And if you look at the programming for schools, the fund for PPS from 2019 until now, we have grown over time. We started at $200,000 and now we're at 507. So setting the $1 million goals for fundraising is an ambitious goal, but it's also a realistic one. We don't want to promise the moon and fail to deliver because that's more harm than good with the community relationships that we're trying to rebuild. We acknowledge that this is dramatically different landscape than the school foundations that existed previously, but this is a systems equity issue and we

033are enacting the policy that was adopted by the board to the best of our ability. >> Okay. Sorry, I just want to I want to help add a little context to that because we had a lot of this discussion a couple of years ago when that policy was decided and one of the contexts that we looked at was national data and there was a lot of national data that showed that districts that had um district-wide foundations there. Well, I I I don't remember how strong the data was, but it was it was they they tended to raise more money per student than districts that had local school foundations. Excuse me. We we just had to look at like, for example, the Tiger Toatin School District, and they're about the same median income, slightly lower than

034PPS, and they raised they have they don't have local school foundations. They have districtwide one. They raise more more Yeah. uh they raise more um dollars per student than than we did when we had a local school foundation. So that that's that's kind of the backdrop. So I I just want to re really really reiterate that this is these are transition years for the fund. Um I served on the board last year and you know it's a growth period. So I think >> May may I ask a qu Oh, sorry didn't realize it's so loud. Just a clarifying question. I appreciate that and I'm excited about the work and um the growing of the district foundation. I do wonder and worry though um from from my view as superintendent seeing um just I was pulling

035up a data point and I would say even just going back over the last five years um there's been at least 3 million that's invested directly into teachers at sites um with that ranging anywhere from you know 2020 where it was 52 FTE um to 26 six and then back up to 30. And the impact as we're in this place with finite resources and really working to see how we can make sure that we put resources in spaces where it's most needed. And most time that means that schools with designations and it's clear that the fundraising or the local foundations significantly benefited uh the schools without the designations that we weren't able to provide funds for. And I think the other thing that wasn't really talked about or maybe it was I wasn't here at

036the time but that um 20% of those funds went back into a bucket that all schools could use. And so I guess I just wonder and I get that we have we need time to like build up to that place but 20% of three million um is pretty significant and could benefit all schools. So one of the things that I wondered back when I watched the board meeting back is if there could have been an opportunity to build in a transition so that we can maybe mitigate some like the hard drop off. So, so I don't know if you all know but we made allocations which you know we needed to find replace right because it's not like we have extra resources so that in some respects we can hold some schools harmless for the

037steep drop off of not being able to put uh critical staff in place to run program and so I guess I say all that to say you know from my seat as superintendent I'm super excited and believe in the work of the foundation and your leadership and team coming in to lead that work. And what would it what would it mean to add some grace in so that um our schools can continue to function in the way that they've had functioned in the past until we're at that place of saying, "Okay, it's time to move over and let the foundation um take up that work." >> I just want to Can I Can I jump in, Steph? I know we need to come back to you. I'm not done. I just want to make sure

038>> I know I know you're not. I just I just wanted to acknowledge that. I just uh want to um uh you were talking about the Tiger uh foundation. I just wanted to point out the significant difference between their foundation and what we're doing is that their funds do fund staff. So that's a pretty significant difference in terms of what uh people are giving towards. They're giving towards positions uh paid positions in schools. So, uh, Jackie, I want to say I really appreciate how you framed this up, um, calling the path forward a new normal because I've really, um, struggled with, um, you know, thinking about the way we're setting up the new fund and how to, um, re-engage, um, parents that were >> doing all of the fundraising. I mean, $3 million is a

039ton of small individual donations. It is a mammoth undertaking. the amount of work that went into raising that money is um it's significant unless you've been in I know you've been in the trenches and you've done it so and I have to I get it. So I look at that and I'm like I don't even know >> if it's possible and um >> I'm not saying I'm not being negative. I'm just like it with the current structure it's not. So looking forward I'm like how do we rebuild something like that? Are we trying to rebuild that or are we looking I'm not expecting you to answer this. This is just questions I'm asking. or we looking at something like a new normal like you're saying. Um, you know, I did um I just want to

040share this and again I'm just sharing information. I'm not no one in here is you know in terms of that how those are people out there are feeling that were heavily involved in the fundraising. I talked to I reached out to um um one of the most involved um foundation parents that I know last night and um and he said this is this is a pretty sentiment across the board where it's been nearly two years since the vote and they haven't reached out to a single former foundation leader to engage um and they we were actively sidelined um during this process. So I'm I'm really um hoping that moving forward like re-engaging it may be challenging and so I hope that you know we need to kind of acknowledge like what >> yeah I want

041to clarify we've reached out to a lot of the former FA nation um involved parents in fact um Dr. Armstrong um did a did a sit down with and actually was on a panel at Deno Elementary School which is one of the largest. So we we maybe didn't talk to him spec specifically, but we talked to a lot of the former foundations. Obviously, there's a lot a lot no one's saying there's not a lot of work to do, but >> I think you know engaging them as a whole like in terms of like what the new structure could look like if um you know would be beneficial. I think that they need to be part of that conversation because they did they were the they did the work. >> I want to acknowledge that this

042was a very difficult decision for the board of education. Very difficult. And I I have thoughts and feelings, but this is not the place for this. What is important is that given the policy that is in place, what can I do to mitigate those decisions and transform them into positive community action as best I can moving forward. So I acknowledge this has been very difficult for the community, my community at Odyssey and within Maplewood and Bridal Mile very very deeply hurt. there are very hurt feelings about this process. Um, and unfortunately this is the policy. But the thing is is that what I can do, what's in the sphere of my influence is to go and talk to people. Um, and continue that conversation. This is not just a check-in. This is a I truly

043want to engage with your community and understand. And I think that there are going to be tweaks. There's going to be changes. There are things that you as the board of education might want to read. There are things that we as a fund for Portland public schools will want to address. This is an evolving process and the only way that we can evolve and really improve the situation is through constant clear communication and I believe that's why I was brought on board is because communication is a number one priority priority to me and I will continue to communicate all the warts the wrinkles the successes and the high fives to this body and others. >> Dr. Englesman, >> thank you. Um, so to your point of um hurt feelings and places feeling left out, I

044with a goal of equity in mind, which I I think is lovely, I do want to point out that it does seem inequitable to me that 30 schools get reading results in person and that there are K through five, six schools of which were sorry, 10 schools of which were um offered a different not as good um online program. And if we learned nothing through COVID >> is that elementary school kids don't belong in front of a a computer screen. They need to have in-person tutoring. >> And so I what we've created here in this reading results, which prior to the change was supporting schools all over, is now that there are 10 schools, only eight of which I think have chosen to do this online program >> that are no longer getting an in-person

045like I mean these are kids these are these are five and six and nine year olds who are now being put in front of an online pilot program and pilot means we don't know whether it's going to work and so we're just kind of seeing whether it works and that is not equitable to those students. Um so I just want to point that out. I also would like to just sort of raise the issue that um an investment of 660,000 for this high impact tutoring to 400 K through3 students is $1650 per student being put to just a very small number of K through3 students um instead of again districtwide that was before um as an opportunity. Uh I think >> well it it's not going to everyone though. That's the thing. >> That would

046be equality. >> That's equality. >> Well, so that's that's where my last my last thing that I want to talk about is that I think that this conversation has like lost the plot a little bit because we're focused entirely on whether some schools and their fundraising is equitable because not every school can do it. But what we really need to look at and remind ourselves is that PPS as a whole has chosen to spend significantly more money on some of those schools because I I think it's important to recognize because they were anticipating the schools that could do the high fundraising to make up the gaps. And so we look at the numbers that PPS is choosing through title one money, through CSI designation, through um grants um at Jefferson, which is they're putting the

047most money in per kid. This is per student. It's 16,722 was spent last year per student at Jefferson versus Grant. 8,645. That's a significant difference of how much the district is putting towards each individual student at a school. Um, we look at middle schools with Harriet Tubman getting 13,800 per student all the way down to the last one, the lowest one of West Silvin, which PPS is spending $8,280 on. And so there's a difference there of $5,000 that each that is not being put towards that individual student at West Silvin. >> Um, K through eight, Caesar Chavez, 14,000 per student down to Winter Haven, which is the lowest one of 9,700. I'm not saying it's wrong to do it this way. It means that we are putting our money where the kids are that need

048it, but we are also cutting off the opportunity to engage the foundations at the schools where we're not spending as much money because we know the parents can step in and make up the gaps. And then in elementary schools at Rosa Parks where PBS was spent 18,800 um uh per student at that school down to Richmond which is the lowest amount that PPS is funded at 7,800. And so again it's more than double or more than less than half that is being spent per individual student. And I would submit that that is not um for those individual students that are now missing out on in-person tutoring, perhaps high impact math tutoring, all of these other things, they simply can't do it without outside assistance. And so what we've left ourselves doing, and I know it's

049happening at all of these other schools, is instead of families fundraising to bring in reading results or fundraising to bring in whatever they are doing, if you look at it's not teachers, it's um it's educational assistance, it's um front office staff. Um, if you look at what they're spending their money on now, those families are just going to be getting hiring private tutors outside of school, which is then just benefiting one student or that one individual student or those that family of students who are getting the the the tutoring at home rather than getting the money into the school and bringing in the opportunities for all of the students at that school. Uh, even the most affluent schools out there have kids who are Mckin Vvento, which is facing homeless and houselessness. They have kids

050that are special in needs. They have kids who are um having chronic instability in their lifestyles. And so to say simply that, oh, you go to Winter uh Winter Haven or West Silvin or Richmond, so we don't need to spend as much on you individually is missing the point that that individual student needs our community support. And we have cut that off without, as um Superintendent Armstrong has said, without an on-ramp, without working for many years in collaboration with all of these PTAs that were doing it for free without having to fund raise for, you know, $200,000 of um programming costs. And so I I you know we have created a system that we have cut off funds in a budget crisis and we've left schools really suffering and we should be pouring the money

051into these schools where they're needed but it means that we don't have money for those other kids who also need it. And that's all I wanted to say. >> I just have a few questions. So, you made the claim there that uh that PPS funding was being allocated based on expected returns from uh from foundation fundraising. Can I get the superintendent's input on that if that was something that was happening? >> Um, no. Our our funding um is we have our equity funding model. um we fund I don't know if Michelle is around and can speak a little bit more on this but we don't necessarily fund saying hey this school over there can fund raise I mean that hasn't been the policy since I've been superintendent um so I don't know if when it

052was the model um if that was something that was taken into account when some of the original work was designed I wasn't here so I wouldn't be able to speak to it um and now I think we know that the policy was enacted in 23 I believe or was it 24 23 and then 24 >> 24 >> okay and then 2425 was the last year where schools could use the foundation funding and this is the first year where um schools weren't able to access it and so that's what I was speaking to is that you know we've seen the impact of that and so you know support the the team and and the fund. I just that question of you know and again I wasn't here but like why wouldn't we have like spent some

053time to allow the foundation to grow as an organization and be ready to um do the work that we need them to do. We it's sort of like a a hard drop. It was like, you know, we have all these funds, end it, and now we're going to wait for an organization to be able to fund raise and bring in those same amount of funds to do the work, but without really addressing the gap, whether it's two years or three years or whatever it would be. So, yeah, >> thank you. And I would just like to quickly remind the board that we are not discussing the foundation reform policy that's already been passed. >> Um, I believe so. I, you know, if we could just >> keep things relevant. >> Yes. So, I wanted to

054um reiterate that. I don't know why my mic's not working. Can hear. Okay, >> it's working. >> Okay, it's working. Okay, maybe I can't hear anymore. Um I want to I want to just kind of reframe this conversation because uh what we are here to do is find out about the fund, the operations, what they need to help to kind of get them up. And I think we need to focus that conversation on that right now. Um I think if we want to relitigate the policy, that needs to go to policy committee. um because you know that's that's appropriate time and place for that because you know right now it is not appropriate use of time right now to be going back over you know the policy and things like that. What we really need

055to be doing right now is problem solving to figure out how to get the fund um up and running as as well and fast as possible. Um what I am hearing a couple things that kind of big themes I'm hearing here is that uh it's a transition year. Um growing the the the systems and the and the foundations to raise funds is a timely process. Uh number two thing I'm hearing also from also coming from the board is how do we re-engage those families that have been huge in part with the local school foundations that are pros at fundraising. How do we re-engage them? cuz you know I I do want to say that in in back 2 3 four 5 years ago the process was messy. There's lotia debates and I think a lot

056of people um felt disenfranchised and I think um we as a board and with the fund um would better be sort of focusing our time on trying to problem solve that. How do we get parents to be re-engaged? Um I think that that's a better conversation to have here. Um if you want to talk about the policy and what that implements, we can create a separate time to have that discussion with um whether the appropriate staff that can answer those questions as well or unless policy committee wants to take that up as well. But if if we want to have that conversation, I suggest that we have a separate time for that. Today, right now, we're talking about the fund and how to get them up and going. And I think I I appreciate that,

057uh, Director Wong, and I I hope that my comments didn't suggest that I was saying that we need to like, you know, get rid of the policy or write a new policy. But I think when I think about the work that's ahead with the foundation and being able to get back to a place where schools are receiving or impacted in the way that it was in previous years, if that's a belief of ours, I think it was more of, you know, are there some things that we can do to help the foundation by, you know, creating a a um a mitigation plan or at least extending the time in which um we're able to use some of the funds that we were used before if that would be helpful in terms of allowing the um

058the committee to get up and go in. So, but I appreciate that and I do think it's a conversation that I hope that we can bring up at a later date because the impact of that policy is being felt in many schools across our district and we all know right we serve 81 schools in um five different areas. >> sounds good. >> Can I ask a question? So, question. So the policy does not say that the fund can't fund raise for staff. That is a choice that the fund has made. >> The policy is to fund raise for staffing there. There the decision was made to invest in tutors because it the money would serve more and go further than if you had $1 million that would pay for a handful of each. >> I'm

059talking about the the the board policy. Yeah, >> the board policy said that uh local school foundations, LSFs could not fund raise directly for FTE, >> but can the fund for PPS? >> Yes. >> But but the fund for PPS has made the decision to do that to not do that like >> Yeah. So just kind of I'll answer kind of see where I'm going. >> Yeah, I'll answer that question. I remember sometime last year there was a discussion about uh with the board uh where to spend the money and you know I I remember one discussion was like if we raise a certain amount of dollars we could pay for like one EA per school right and I remember that discussion however one of the things that the issues with the fund is that

060you know the fund needs to also make sure that they spend money and see results and so the decision was made to spend money in high impact tutoring because that's something that returns measurable results versus like an EA per school. I mean that that I I assume that could still be a possibility, but in terms of like the data that supports, you know, is that the best use of funds is I is I think undetermined at the at the moment. >> May I just correct something really quickly? So for high impact tutoring, just because I know that it's been stated and I just want to make sure I state for the record. So our high impact uh tutoring uses four models. And so while reading results is one and we're at 30 schools and it's

061not because of us it's because of the capacity of reading results but there's also three other models we use that's bilingual reading support EAS that's um a reading support EA and that's in um several different schools and there's a mirror tutoring which is a pilot that's happening in several schools. So there's actually four models that we use. I just want to make sure that um when we talk about and we appreciate the work of the foundation being able to support that high impact tutoring, but just to note that there's actually four different models that we believe in. >> That's all great. Can I follow up because I I was going to ask a really related question to what Director Leaport brought up. Um my memory of last year is that there's a parent advisory committee.

062Correct. Community advisory committee. >> parent advisory committee. >> U but it had students on it. >> Correct. parent and students. Okay. So, that advisory committee made the recommendation to the board and the board adopted it. Does that ever get revisited or is it in perpetuity their decision that they made? Yes, that was where I was saying that we would be looking at those investments and evaluating them. I I facilitate the pack and actually our chair is here Trina Huff that served on that as um and so some half of the members are continuing and so they'll be looking at what was the impact of those investments uh how could we tweak this how can we get the broadest impact is you know what are we hearing from community um the dollar amount um that was

063presented by the pack is if we raised $4 million we could have a halftime time EA in every school. Um that is going to take a while to get there. That even under the former model, it wasn't that big. Um Lake Asiggo raises 1.4 million. 1.3 million comes from individual donations from parents. >> Okay. Well, they have a significantly smaller population >> and that and that's for staffing. Yeah, that's it. >> Can So I still I'm still not entirely sure I'm hearing an answer to the question about if it's like when does it get revisited? Like I realize they still meet and talk, but do every year is there a process for deciding how the money is spent or >> Yes. >> Or is it is it >> every every year they have to come

064together and >> so as soon as next year they could make a decision to >> I think one thing to point out is that this is a highly iterative process. Um we are soliciting this feedback specifically so that we can make these tweaks and incorporate that feedback. we're soliciting volunteers to serve on the pack because we need their input in order for us to make smart decisions moving forward. >> And then I did have a comment to make um very quickly. I'm sure time is short or over. Um I first just want to say thank you. Um it's really exciting having chair wors here. We met right here um a while ago and made fast friends and our neighbors and I'm just so excited and so I wanted to just really honor your decision to

065step forward. um it's not easy um to serve in a role like this and I really um admire and trust you to do a great job and have fun doing it. Um I also wanted to say that I think reading results and high impact tutoring are great things that we can do. Data shows that this is what the exact type it's like the number one thing that you can do to increase literacy. So, I just want to say that um while I asked a question about potentially making changes in the future, mostly I just wanted to put it out there that there was flexibility to make changes um but I don't want it to be perceived as me having a problem with high impact tutoring. I think it's great. Um and then I also just

066wanted to circle back to something um p there's a heat map. I think Dr. Adams and his team put it together. Yes. that we see in the spring that shows that per student spending by school. And I think that it would be great for us to take a look at making sure that the students that have the the schools that have the stu students with the highest needs are getting that highest amount. >> And I think that's great. I also think there's room for us to look at schools that get lower amounts that also have a relatively high number of students that are lowinccome. Um I'm always talking about my own school. I can't help it. But Hayhurst, I think, is third from the bottom per student spending. Markham is not too far away. Um,

067I think Markham might have become title, so they that will probably change, but there are schools that have high numbers of low-income kids that are below schools that have um much higher numbers. So, I do hope that as we consider budgeting going forward, we do take a look at that. And I think instead of um I think it would just be good to revisit that. And I just want to put it out there that I see that it's so important that we give the most money to the schools that have the most need and at the same time actually do that and not just not just title one schools, but then looking at the non-title schools because some of them have pretty high needs across the district and don't necessarily get um what some of

068the schools that have much much lower number of of low-income kids. And then finally, I just want to put out there that um I also know that we have kids that get lost in the system because they happen to be a kid that has a lot of challenges that happens to attend a school that has overall a higher income. And um I think too we can I I was talking to someone last night about high impact tutoring and I one of the things I love about that is that the dollars can follow the student. And so as we open up in the future and have more dollars to spend on programs like that, I think we can find instead of being like we're leaving certain schools out for certain reasons, really be like trying to

069have a per student approach. So that way it's like we know that Max over here is the only kid that needs this service at his school and he's going to get it whether regardless of what school he goes to. So I just wanted to put that out there that I hope that's something we strive for in the future. I appreciate that and I just have to say and I will tell you that I am representing uh Dr. Glasco who is our senior director of early learning who I'm sure is ready to jump out of her seat because I have to tell you that um our current investment is 61.85 85 FTE across 57 different sites. And um we didn't look at income when making that allocation. And so um reading intervention is a uh support

070that we believe in and that we have deployed. And so what we're hearing from the the fund for PPS is um supplemental or in addition to really around the high impact tutoring, but we don't rely exclusively on the fund for PPS to fund intervention work happening in our schools. >> Okay. >> So I Oh, go ahead. >> Um I would just like to say that equity is hard. If equity was a formula, we could have applied it and gone home an hour ago. Equity requires so much data analysis, but it also requires the stories from the community and layering all that together is complex and that's why we need this reallyworked community together thinking collectively. The school board, you have complex policies to create. We have to fund raise as best as we can. And

071in order to achieve equity, it's going to take hard work on all sides of the equation and also communication across all sides of the equation so that we can understand how the dollars are spent and where the need is greatest and we can weave that together into a comprehensive net that will support all of our students. >> Thank you. We're close to time so I just want to call on some board members that haven't had a chance. So, Director Sullivan and Director Chase Miller. Yeah, I just I was one of the ones who voted against the change. I really like what you said, but we said it, Stephanie. We said it and we were not heard. And if we could have waited a year, it would have made a big difference. I don't know why

072we couldn't wait a year. Um, but I feel we have we have to go ahead and we have to to support and we have to kind of it's hard to get rid of that because we worked hard for it. Um, and if we get a a system where we always give all the money to the lowest or the highest need schools, then the schools, like Christie said, where there's not maybe such a big percentage of children needing help, but they need help. I mean, one of the schools I know who used to have that high impact tutoring that they paid for themselves lost it this year because they can't pay for it. and they weren't they are the ones who proved it worked but they can't get it this year >> and so it's very

073frustrating to a lot of families >> and it was frustrating to me but I'm trying to get over my frustration and I hope the families get over their frustration and they will support this um but one thing just this is a very simple question but I'm still a little bit confused about what's champion PPS and what's fun for PPS and how are they different and how how are is money raised and how is money spent? >> I'm going to let Robin answer that with more historical context than I have. >> So, think of Champion PPS schools as a campaign that replaces the local school foundations. It's the campaign to fund um staffing and supports for students in our schools. Um the uh $1 million goal for is for Champion PPS schools. There was also 200,000

074for other programming and 200,000 for operating. That's the fund for PPS, the 400,000. >> Okay. And where did that money come from? >> That's a goal. >> Oh, that's a goal. >> That's a goal. And in the in the report though, in the annual report, there's a page called financials that has $593,000 of revenue. That's the fund for PPS. And you can it breaks it down where those sources of fund a lot of designated gifts that came through grants um also general gifts through corporate giving and um fundraising that we are doing. That takes time. That also is part of uh the work. >> But that could not be spent for staff or in schools. That can't be spent like champion money. >> No, it's already been spent. It's already PPS has it in the

075for programming. It's been invested in PPS. >> Okay. So, we're not going to raise any more money for that fund. >> The 400,000 is still what we're trying to raise in order to have 200,000 for operating and 200,000 for other programming. >> And then from then on, all money will go into Champion. >> Champion will always be its own designation. So that's the >> we will continue to get funds that are restricted which is also what goes into the fund for PPS for example the um electric bus grant so that we we are actively fundraising for champion because we I mean and the hopefully our new fundraiser when he he or she starts will will have this in their head. Um but there will always be the fund for PPS bucket because they do we

076do need to fund raise for example for this uh for the new person's salary and you know cost money to raise to hold events and those kind of things but the majority of the focus as you can see from from the goal of the um fund board the majority of the their focus is to raise money for champion which is for PE people. >> Okay. What if there's a corporate person who just wants to give PPS money? Where would that go? >> Wherever they want it to go. >> So they could say champion or fun. >> 100%. >> If you go to the web page currently back slashdonate, there are two options. One is for fund for PPS and the other is champions for PPS. >> Okay. And could it say there exactly how they're

077used or what's the difference? >> I don't think that's clear. >> We will make that explicitly clear. >> Yeah. Okay. Director Chase Miller. >> Um, so I want to thank you all for excuse me uh for a great presentation and a very thorough report. Uh, I really enjoyed reading it. Answered a lot of the questions that I had. Um, I want to uh be a voice of historical memory from the the parent experience that this change to the foundation system was a very very very long time in the making. So when I hear people ask why we couldn't have taken more time or done things more slowly, I think from a from a particular experience, um we did take a very long time as a school district to make this decision and uh to ensure

078that um fundraising happens in a way um that is equitable and doesn't overly advantage um families that already have access to resources. is um I think that um when we do focus on those schools that have the highest need um that doesn't eliminate or erase or disregard the need that exists um in other places, but it does mean that we have more finesse in how we can address it. Um some situations require a a broader, more systemic approach. Um, and some schools, some locations can require like like more of a more of a chisel than a chainsaw. It's a bad metaphor for this example, but you know what I'm what I'm driving at here. Um, my work is in early literacy and um, there are variety of interventions and community based organizations that are doing

079this work. Um, so I'm really optimistic and hopeful that um, as we go forward, we can meet the needs of all students within the contexts that they exist in in the school district. But um, I think that now it's really important that we are forward looking. I think that if we had built in a different kind of off-ramp, it would have been challenging to bring people together to fund raise on behalf of the whole district if they were still able to fundra for their individual schools and headcount. So, um, we're all in this mess together, and I would love to see, uh, this board and the board for PPS work together to champion, um, the big picture, which is getting the entire community and all of our families actively, enthusiastically involved in fundraising for our

080kids and making sure they get what they need. And doing new things is hard. Equity is hard. um we haven't done it this way before, so there will be bumps. Um but I am uh encouraged by your leadership and excited for an executive director to help you drive this work. So thank you. >> Great. Thank you. And uh we'll end with uh director Lefort. Couple questions. >> Um yes. So uh couple just to sort of uh build just a little bit very quickly on both what uh Director Englesman and Director Chase Miller said. Um, it feels like we got to the right place. Um, but I think Steph, I don't want to speak for you, but I think part of the reason we there was so much um, and I don't want to relitigate the

081past either, but like so much, you know, uh, disenfranchise disenfranchising those who were giving was because of this myth that, you know, they're buying teachers. They were those schools always had larger class sizes and it was taken into account prior to you being here where that they would they would count on the fund you know not the fund I'm sorry see it's already it's already new it's working um on the local school foundations to just get to a point where instead of you know 33 kids there might be 29 in a class so I think that there was always this um narrative that wasn't entirely true and I think that's where a little bit of the disconnect actually it's not a a little bit. It's a lot of the disconnect. Um, and so I hope

082that we can acknowledge that. So, because I think it's going to be, you know, we need to to just get past it and like re-engage these families because they're super engaged families. They want to be involved. They want to give. Um, and so next, a question I'm getting a lot. How do you see the fund's role um in PPS's legislative advocacy? This is something I'm getting some questions about. And when I I didn't necessarily see that as a primary role. I know some some do. So I I don't know. >> That's a great question. And one of the great things about the fund for PPS is we are an independent 501c3 nonprofit. So as such, we have a little bit of flexibility and nimleness in our decision-making process. Last year, we allocated $30,000 at the

083request of the board of education to help support the bond measure, and those funds went towards hiring a manager for that campaign. So, I believe that the fund for PPS deliberated this and wanted to be very intentional about how we wish to proceed in those larger legislative asks. And ultimately, we felt that that investment of $30,000 was well worth the billions of dollars from the bond itself. And so we believe in thinking strategically about how those funds are deployed. However, we were asked for additional funds and we were turned that request down because we wanted to keep the focus on dollars that go to students. So the there was some funds that went towards the bond supporting the bond, but it was not restricted funds that were designated specifically for champions for PPS. >> I

084think I'm thinking more about like legislative advocacy for school funding like >> Yeah, we did one of the So that was the outreach that we did. um Robin and I did along with our former government relations director Lisa Merrick was that um as part of our outreach efforts and talking with um schools that had traditionally had a foundation is we we knew that uh going in and saying uh please give us your money was possibly not the right way to start the conversation. So we said what can we do? What do you want? What can we do to help you? We want to rebuild the relationship. And what we heard loud and clear was that folks wanted advocacy training. So we did a series of advocacy trainings across the district and as I said uh

085Dr. Armstrong spoke at um school assemblies and we did a lot of um our parents assemblies. We did a lot of that kind of outreach in an effort to to to build bridges. We worked with parents um to come to Salem uh and advocate there. And um I would expect that we will continue to do that work. uh we know that the best folks out there um talking to their legislators are people who live in their districts and people who are parents in their schools. So that is a definite tried and true meth tried and true method that we will be using again next year. >> What she said >> on that note >> and Ian did a fantastic job. >> I'm just telling you when he was uh legis there that day. Um, but

086on that note, I was actually going to ask about the advocacy component of the policy um, and what the fund for PPS is doing, especially at the state level. Uh, I would I would definitely absolutely love to see some education, you know, on how our schools are funded, particularly around uh, ballot measures 5 and 50 as those are incredibly important to how we get our money, you know, and why we get our money from from the state. um and raising awareness about how that works could be crucial in the future, you know, if you know the people wanted to change that, you know. Um so that would be that would be super great to see. And also on that education point, I would also absolutely love to see if we could get a breakdown of

087what happens when I as a parent at Roosevelt High School spend $100, you know, when I give $100 to the fund for PPS. Where does that $100 go? How do I get my money? how does my money go to my student? Like that is something that I think would go a long way in building trust with the community, you know, um and would answer a lot of questions that I that I that I've gotten from a lot of parents and students. >> Yeah, >> absolutely. So, the highlevel summaries in the annual report, uh but we are also a nonprofit. So there is a fully available 990. But most importantly, I will sit down with you, have a conversation, and figure out what data and metrics would be useful as we incorporate that into our next

088annual report and any updates that we give to this body. Again, I think that the key right now moving forward is clear, consistent communication and dialogue. And that's what I hope to um really initiate here and keep on moving forward with. And with that, thank you so much for the um presentation, answer our questions, and and and yeah, being here on a Tuesday night, and >> I applied extra deodorant. We're all good. >> Thank you for your time and attention. >> Thank you so much. >> Uh I highly recommend sitting on a fun for PPS board meeting if you have a chance. >> Very interesting, very engaging. Um next uh we will get an overview of the contracting and procurement process is when I hand over to Dr. Armstrong to introduce. Absolutely. As the team

089comes forward. So at the August special meeting there were a number of questions that came up regarding the contracting and procurement process. And so we have Chief Morrison and team who is here and we'll walk through that process and answer any questions that you may have. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you, directors. It's a pleasure to be here tonight and I am so pleased to introduce to you our team for uh contracts and procurement. Portland Public Schools is very lucky to have this level of expertise in house and I couldn't be more pleased to introduce Emily Courtage who I believe you have met before, our director. And then we have our senior manager over solicitations, Paul Williams, who's also going to be helping. And I'll be projecting in a minute. Uh it looks like

090I need to download something. Okay, thank you. All right. All right, here we go. Um, I also am super thankful I put on extra deodorant today. So, you're welcome everyone. And, uh, go ahead and kick it off. Thank you. Okay. Um, next page. Great. So, our goal uh tonight is to provide you all with a quick overview of our procurement framework uh and including contracting at PPS. Um, guiding principles, procurement methods and dollar thresholds, which Paul will cover. Uh, contract review and approval process I will cover. And then we'll also cover the board's role in all of this. So um we are bound by a lot of statutes and rules in how we do procurement at PPS as a public agency. First and foremost, we are subject to the Oregon um revised statutes and particular

091particularly chapter 279 which covers uh Oregon public contracting law. We are also subject to federal procurement law when we spend federal money. So, we have a couple different layers of uh law to apply depending on what kind of funds we're spending. And then we have our own PPS public contracting rules which are adopted by this board and mostly follow um our attorney general's model rules. At PPS, um purchasing and contracting is partially centralized but largely decentralized. So what that means is each of our departments and schools determine their own needs and use their own budgets, decide what they want to purchase and who they want to contract with or at least what kinds of contracts they want to enter into. They work with our department which runs all of the formal solicitations for the district

092and we help ensure that they do uh their purchasing in a way that's efficient and that is legally compliant. And then once we have purchases made or contracts in place, it is back with our schools and departments to manage that work throughout the life of the contract until they uh have some kind of issue they need our help with or until they're ready to amend their contract. Overall, our department's guided by uh the goals of transparency, um compliance with law, competitive process, and responsible use of district funds. and I'll turn it to Paul to talk about procurement thresholds. >> So, first off, just to point out this slide is a kind of a general overview. You'll see a couple asterisks there which are in the the fine print down at the bottom. So, um the

093the way that we set up these thresholds are essentially in three buckets. Micrase, intermediate, and formal. So, the microurchase is um competition encouraged but not required. That's under $25,000. The caveat there is personal services contracts. That limit goes up to $75,000. The intermediate is between 25,000 and 250,000. Those require a minimum of three quotes or an informal request for proposal process. Uh board approvals needed for purchases over 150,000 as you probably already know. Um, the other piece there, the asterisk, is that if we do construction that is estimated to be $100,000 or more, then we turn that over to a formal solicitation pro process. Uh, the formal solicitation process, as you'll see there, is over $250,000. Um, that requires a formal publicly advertised solicitation process, which is either a invitation for bid or a request

094for proposal. Uh, I'm kind of breaking down those two, invitation to bid and request for proposals. Those are the two general types of formal procurements that we do. Um, invitations to bids or ITBs are used for acquiring goods and construction projects based on very detailed specifications. They're awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible biders. The RFP process or the request for proposal process um is more complex services, personal services, uh, material requirements. certain construction projects that are uh board approved for that method before we use an RFP process. Things like the CMGC's for our high schools. Um those scoring is then based on evaluation criteria which is qualifications approach price-based lots of different criteria go into each of those. This slide has a lot on it. Um it is our exceptions to competitive bidding. And

095I know this is a lot of conversation that over and over and over we talk about, but there are certain situations where we do not have to legally compete procurement. Um, some of these are state statute driven. Some of these are our own purchasing rules that drive them. Um, cooperative purchasing is one of those things. It's a state procurement statute that allows piggybacking on existing contracts that are formally solicited by another public entity. So there is a competitive process. It's just not ours directly. Um as we go down there, direct negotiation, those are uh board approved rules that allow procurement without competition for personal services, legal services, um some specialized skills and expertise. So um audit services, sports officiating, medical services, things of that nature. Um social procurement is pretty self-explanatory. contracts that are awarded

096directly to a single vendor if they are proven to be the only source for that product or that service. And then the special class procurements, these are border proof rules that allow procurement uh without the comp competition of goods and services in very specific situations. These are things that are like curriculum materials or um some software and digital resources that are available from one source, some specialized transportation that comes up. Um these are all approved by special class permit. The bottom one there that doesn't have the explanation is emergency procurements. Those are things that are very unforeseen that happen out of nowhere that we have to move immediately on. So [Music] >> great. So I will go through the contract review and approval process which is a very um lengthy multi-step process. Uh the first

097step is determining whether we require a competitive process um in accordance with law and our own rules. So um we need to make a determination based on the type of spending and the amount of spending and the particular circumstances whether we need there needs to be a quote process a request for proposals process an invitation to bid and we work with departments and advise them on that all the time. The next step um or if no competition is required the school or department initiates contract negotiation. Um they complete the contract almost always using our contract templates that my um department keeps and manages and updates on a regular basis and they submit uh the proposed contract to my department for to initiate the review and approval process. My uh contracts intake team uh does the

098first step of review quick review for proc proper documents. Uh it budget holder approval completion of the contracts training course. So we have an annual mandatory uh training course that we put together and it is required of all our contract managers or others who work with contracts and um starting July 1st every year there's a new one and we start checking have you completed the course. we're not processing your contract until you do. So, that's a big part of the intake process. Um, also ensuring the vendor is set up and we have the required documents for vendor setup. The next step is our contract analyst review. So, our contract analysts are folks on Paul's team who um run formal solicitations. They also help us with the first major uh substantive step of contract review. So

099they're reviewing each contract that comes in for procurement compliance, for policy compliance, required scope and exhibits, appropriate dates, all of the things. Uh after that review, if all is good, if you know, if they need to, they'll go back to the department or school and and work on improving that contract before it goes forward. Um, if all goes well, it goes to the second step of re, uh, substantive review, uh, which is authorized contract signer review. So, I'm an authorized signer. There are several in my department who are, but, effectively, it's usually about two of us who sign contracts for the district. Um, I will review contracts if they're if they are over 150 and need the board's review, I will not sign them. I will just do my review, work with Paul to make

100sure they're ready for the board agenda and together we put together that uh that those resolutions that you see. So if if these require board approval, they sit until the day after the board uh meeting. If they're board approved, I will sign them the next day. But if they don't require board approval, I do my final review. Same thing, procurement comp policy compliance uh completion in every way. Uh and then go ahead and sign. After I sign it goes the contracts go back to my contracts team uh to ensure our uh software records are complete. So we have a contract management software. So we ensure the records are complete there and the final sign contract is sent to um all parties. Um there's a couple you know I simplified a little bit. If if these

101are grants they also hit grant accounting review. Um, and then if there's ever an amendment, it starts at the very beginning and goes through that entire process as well. So, the board's role um, sorry, there you go. Uh, the board's role, as you know, is in contract approval for contracts over $150,000. In our public contracting rules, the board has delegated to the superintendent and designate the power to approve contracts uh 150 and under. The board also has a uh a role in our public contracting rule adoption. Um we update those pretty regularly uh to comply with new legislation or to take into account new legislation as well as to um take into account um certain purchasing situations of the district. And if we feel there needs to be a modification to a special uh procurement

102rule, um we'll bring those. So the last update uh was approved by the board in February 2024. And then finally, strategic oversight, ensuring that all our procurement activities generally align with the district's broader goals. And that is uh the end of our presentation. We're happy to answer questions. Any questions? >> Well, I'll you want to go? >> Sure, I'll start first. I get don't ever get to start first. Um the $150,000 uh board approval threshold, do you remember when that what year that was established? >> It um it has been well over 10 years. >> So adjusted for inflation today would be about just throwing it out there. Anyways, um >> yeah, because one of one of the things about um just previewing a future discussion topic potentially is that what's considered national best practices

103is the threshold at 250,000. And the reason for that is because you know there's quite a bit of body of evidence that shows that uh organizations, government organizations that set at 250,000 uh operate more efficiently with less, you know, costly overhead and and administration. So something to think about, consider. Thank you. >> Yeah. And and to that point, the 150 was originally uh chosen, I believe, to align with the formal procurement threshold in Oregon law, which at the time was 150. Um it has since um moved up to 250 and the board adopted that legislative change in 2024. So, um, we do hope that the board will consider and will be bringing that forward, uh, to move that board approval threshold to 250 to bring it in line with the formal procurement threshold. >> Thank

104you. Anybody else? >> I just wanted to say the city of Portland and I believe Multma County both have raised their thresholds um to in alignment with that state um, limit. So, I hope that we can entertain that here as well. Okay, I have a couple questions um for let's see uh procurement thresholds. First of all, thank you for this. I really appreciate it. You're probably like, why are we in a board meeting? We just do contracts. Um so, um for the procurement thresholds, um requires a minimum of three quotes or proposals. Um does this always happen? Are exceptions ever requested? You know, are there always three? the attempt needs to be made for three. Um, oftentimes they'll send if it's I'll just use construction for an example. So, they have a smaller construction job,

105they'll send it out to say seven or eight construction firms, they might only get one or two back. >> So, that the attempt has to be documented that there was at least an effort to make contact with three points. And then in terms of who who reviews them, and I'm only asking because I know that in the past um PPS actually used to call people like me to review um bids and uh so do they still use like members of the public to like help go through those sorts of things? Like who who goes through them? And that's a lot of work. That's why I'm asking. I'm not like who goes through them. I'm generally curious. >> Are we talking about requests for proposals? >> Yeah, like when you get the bids, you've got like

106three, five, whatever. We have um gone back and forth uh with best practice about using community members. Um sometimes it's very advantageous because they are more directly in line with what might be happening. Sometimes um they have no idea what they're looking at and don't have the subject matter expertise. So it goes back and forth. Um >> we so to answer your question, we don't do it very often. Um, usually on things like the CMGC's that we do for the high school modernizations, we usually try to include someone from the design team >> um to be part of that, but that's really more direct and not necessarily a community- based type thing. Um, does that kind of answer what you're talking about? >> Yeah, absolutely. Um, and then for um to exceptions to competitive bidding

107for cooperative purchasing, um, what sorts of you know, I'm familiar obviously, you know, we know doing stuff with the bond. I know this has been done for, you know, large scale like facility equipment like field lights. Like I know that those agreements are in place at a state level. Um how often do we use cooperative purchasing? Like in I know that's a really broad question, you know, I don't know like is it is it generally limited to certain types of contracts? Um is it easier? Like what would what would make you pick that select that option versus a regular RFP process? >> So we do a lot of cooperative purchasing. It's very common for supplies. Um, and I think I discussed this last time, but you um, you know, you achieve economies of scale when

108you, you know, when there's a nationwide RFP that, uh, public agencies all over the nation can hop on and, uh, that incentivizes your, you know, supply companies to provide the best pricing possible. So, we use them for supplies all the time. for example, office and school supplies. Uh we actually have a e-commerce marketplace where our schools can come on, use their pecard and buy things at the uh advantageous um cooperative contract pricing that we have. Um so that's very common in in in supplies. It's common in in uh let's see software is another place um where we see it a lot. uh IT equipment. Um it's very restricted in in construction. There are very limited circumstances where you can use a cooperative contract uh to do construction. And if you think about that, that kind

109of makes sense because the the pricing for a construction project really depends very much on the the detailed specifications for that particular project. Um so it's commonly used um uh goods and uh a lot of basic services. >> Great. Thank you. Um my it is my last question so far. Um I have on the contract analyst section. Um is every contract regularly reviewed for compliance? Um, and I guess because I know this is, you know, a really important part of the process in terms of like, you know, getting the required scope, all of the exhibits, like there's a lot of documentation that comes in, you know, after a contract is signed. What does that process look like? Um, and is there any sort of process that we could put in place like basically like, you

110know, a compliance report? Because part of our job is, you know, oversight, right, of these contracts. We get these, you know, consent agendas, you know, every time we meet. It's, you know, millions of dollars. You know, some of us actually do read them. And, uh, so in terms of getting those exhibits in house and making sure they're there. How does that work? And is there I think there's a system, right? Is that what the Cobblestone or whatever? >> Cobblestone is our contract management um system. So, our analysts, just to be clear, are just about three people within my purchasing department who also run solicitations. So they do the so they're involved in the contract review process. Um all exhibits to a contract um are all are already in place. We won't sign the contract unless

111we have them there. So that part is in place. Um what happens after signing though is all the duties of managing a contract during the life of the contract are back with our schools and departments. And we do um train our contract managers um you know in that annual course on what are some of what does monitoring a contract mean? Um how do you write a good scope of work and then monitor whether um you know vendors complying with that scope? How do you review an invoice and make sure that invoice is in line with the scope that everybody agreed to? Um, but those duties are outside of the centralized purchasing department that happens by the subject matter experts in every department. So if there were there was a contract that you know a vendor

112was going to provide like a project management timeline and it wasn't you know wasn't received like how would that ever get caught like in the system or would it >> it's not in the in the contract management system which is really more about approval workflow and recordkeeping. So it would be caught by the contract manager who um is managing that scope of work and overseeing it in the department and then uh reviewing invoices for compliance before they submit them um for payment. >> Thank you >> Dr. Svin. So if the contract was services, then somebody is monitoring that that they're doing what they say. >> Yes. So we, like I said, we train our con uh contract managers that part of their duty and if they're going to um submit a contract for approval, then

113their duty is to monitor that work throughout uh the scope of that work. >> Georgia split First of all, not on. Sorry. Sorry everybody online. My husband probably texted me to be like, "Your mic's not on." He's been like texting me throughout the meeting about everything that's been happening. Um, if anyone wants to know what he thinks about what I have to say. Um, anyway, uh, no, it's been like about the meeting. He's like looking up cooperative procurement and what it's supposed to be used for. Anyway, um, he's excited about procurement. I am not kidding. Um, so anyway, um, so I want to make sure he can hear my questions. Um, so I want to back up of the like um and and this might be like a little commenty, but um what I'm really

114struggling to understand is like the universe of contracts at the at the agency. No, I work in an agency at the at the school district. Um and like what are we contracting out for and how much do those contract costs and just like just like understanding that whole universe. So, I guess I'll put that out because I don't want you to answer to me the whole universe of contracts. But I think for us, I think that's something we want to understand from like a budgeting perspective, like what are we spending on, you know, this thing? What are we contracting out for instead of using staff? My question earlier was going to be about how we're making a decision to contract out for substitute PAR educators. And I'm curious how that's working, how we're going to

115assess that. Um, and I missed my chance to ask. So, but I guess I guess that generally is on my mind is like how do we figure out sort of the whole universe and understand the impacts on our budget? Um, and so I'm not asking for that today, but just generally knowing that's sort of a question I have then obviously. But then, um, the analysis of the contracts to determine if they are the most affordable way to do business. Do we ever do anything to look at that? um when contracts come up for renewal, is there any discussion of like, you know, how did this go? Um are you just said how the staff so like just let's just say for fun you're the you're the person managing you're probably not managing a single contract.

116>> No, I was going to say I think that's more question. Yeah, >> but like if you were managing a contract and it like didn't really go very well, >> but then you never really get asked and you never really tell anyone because sometimes that just happens. you're busy and you don't want to say anything or whatever. So then you guys come back for the RFP side and renewal of the same contract. Is there any thing that happens where you go and say, "How did that go? Do we want to renew? Do we want to go out again to RFP?" Like what happens there? >> So that's my question. So I'm not a contract Well, maybe there I I got to look and see. I think maybe there's a couple of things where I may

117be a contract manager out of the superintendent's office that budget, but with all of my chiefs and and direct reports, we have a conversation. So, it's never where um unless it's like a a finite uh amount and then the team is know that they can be a decision maker on that. But anything that is of significant costs or is about a way of doing um work, it's a conversation that I'll have with the team. And so um there there wouldn't be a like decision made in isolation like hey I'm going to now you know um not use this employee group and go and um you know contract out for let's use that as an example. It would be a conversation. It would be something that we would talk with legal about. So it's it's processed

118and then the accountability of making sure that what we said would happen would happen. And so that is you know my responsibility right as as superintendent whether it's a couple of levels away from me or a direct report ultimately right it all all rises. Um, and then what I'll say is that oftentimes I have conversations with um, direct reports where maybe within that scope and that timeline wasn't um, reasonable or maybe there was some information found out and we're like, hey, we want keep digging, go a little bit longer and and those still within the the contract. And so sometimes things like that may happen where um a contract manager or one of my direct reports are saying, "Hey, need a little bit more time. the report's not ready. Um, and it kind of goes

119from there. So, that's >> that's a the management side of it, not necessarily in procurement. We we have to >> and there's like a report mechanism of some sort at the end of a contract that you can like refer to if you need to or something or No. >> So, that's going to depend on the scope. Um if the if the contract manager wrote into the contract scope that there's reporting needed that would end up going to the contract manager in the department to review. Our department will never renew a contract or start a solicitation just on our own. So the only way that happens uh contract renewal uh would be if a manager says I want to renew this contract and and hopefully and as we say in our training is because they've reviewed

120the outcome of the last one um and believed you know that good value and good service was provided. >> Yeah. So I would say just to add to that so if there is a contract that is going for board approval that within the scope says there's a report um that one of the things that you know you can simply ask if you want to know you know or see that report that's something that you can ask for and I can make sure um that we get it to you or like even a status update those are other items that we can bring should that be a question I mean essentially anything that you want to know about like the progress of how something is going or what the end result um is is something that

121we can share whether it's um directly from me or if it has some things that is you know between the attorney then it would come from um Sharon Toner. >> Okay. Um I the last question I have is much more nuts and bolts. Um, do we have policies that um say anything about local hiring preferences or choosing um companies that are owned by members of underserved communities? Anything like that that we have in place outside? I know I know construction we have it, but outside of construction, I suppose is my question. >> So, we have the the board's equity and public purchasing and contracting policy that dates back to 2012. Oh, wow. um and related administrative directives uh is mostly applicable to uh construction, architecture, engineering and related services. Um and um we uh ensure

122when a contract comes across our desk that it complies with uh the objectives of that policy. Um competition is still required. Um but for example, one of the things we do with those um construction projects uh at the intermediate level where three quotes are required or a minimum of three quotes uh we require that at least one of those uh quotes is sought uh sought from a COVID certified firm. So that's a a you know woman-owned business, minority owned business, veteranowned business. Um and so as part of our contract review process, when that construction contract is submitted to us for review, we check the bid tab which also includes that question around uh COVID certified or not. So that's one example. >> Okay. Thank you very much. I think one question I would love for

123the team to share is I I know that uh there's there's been some conversation about how unusual it seems to be at least within the last month uh from community about having a a contract that's close to the 150,000 threshold. And I guess I would love for you all to share, which I haven't asked you this question before, so I don't know what you're going to say, but um how um common or uncommon it is to have contracts between that 140 149 um 140 or 149,000. >> It certainly happens. I mean, I think no matter where you set the threshold, there will be some contracts that are near it. Um I can remember one contract in the way passed where uh there was some urgency around it. This was years ago. I think it was

124a curriculum contract. There was some urgency around it and waiting for a board approval process would have delayed uh implementation of that curriculum. So, um I suggested perhaps we ask the uh contractor for a discount to bring it below that threshold and that worked. So, um you know it happens. it actually I appreciate you saying that because it actually is a good negotiating tool like we can move a little bit faster um and getting the amount down but still within that. So yeah, thank you. >> One more piece on that. Uh, I talked earlier about construction bids being at that $100,000 level. Oftentimes when I meet with project management and they have something in the pipeline and hey, this is coming and the price quote that they have or the estimate they have might be

125somewhere around like 80 85,000, I usually recommend they do the formal process anyway because there's always unforeseen circumstances in every single construction jobs and if it pushes it over that without the formal process, then now we're out of compliance. So >> food for thought. >> Thank you Director Lefor and then Director Sullivan. >> Um is there um some sort of like so if we so there are contracts that are continually renewed like we've seen them come through they get renewed multiple times. Sometimes that's in the original you know new contract that it can be renewed up to four times or whatever. My question is if there's a contract manager who is at what point do they have to stop renewing and put it back out for an RFP? >> So that's governed by the RFP

126document itself. We need to specify in that RFP when we put that out um how long that contract period might be. So, you know, Paul's team will work with contract managers to determine what kind of length they might want or what kind of term. So, it might look like uh a one-year contract with option, you know, four one-year options to renew. It might look like a two-year contract with one two-year renewal term. It just depends on the need. And um you know, sometimes it's advantageous to start with a one-year and give options to renew because that sort of triggers an internal review process. um and an easy way out um without having to do an early ter termination process. >> That was my next question. It was related to is is there a best practice

127for exactly what you just described. Is it one year, two years, three years? Does it depend like who >> it really depends on the type of service? Um so I wouldn't say there's a one size fits all. Most of the contracts, at least the solicitations that my team run generally say one year with options to renew. Those options are kind of the variable on where that goes. It's usually not something as small as one one-year renewal. It's usually something a little longer, but usually when we're spending this kind of money, we're talking about something that's a little longer term relationship. >> Director Svin. Yeah, my question was pretty much that except it seems like sometimes they say fiveyear contract renewable every year, something like that, >> can you always stop it if you don't like

128it? So, so even if our contract is say a straight five-year contract, >> um our contract forms always have termination language that allows the district to unilaterally terminate with 30 days notice. >> Good. Thank you. Well, I think that's all the questions we have for today. Um, thank you so much for being here and answering all this in the the presentation and >> thank you. >> Sometimes I feel like the work sessions are for staff to train the board and so >> yeah really really helpful. Great. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thanks for having us. >> Thank you. >> All right. Next is the highly anticipated uh work plan. Yay. Uh the goal of this work plan is to provide a comprehensive year-long roadmap of the board's work, ensure all our critical governance oversight

129responsibilities are fulfilled and in a timely manner. Um due to uh very difficult sometimes to navigate meeting laws, we the only real time that we have to discuss as a group is really in a board meeting. Um so here we are. Uh the this calendar guides the board's agenda uh and priorities uh and hopefully helps us keep our focus on our key priorities. Um so let's I guess we'll start with kind of um walking through kind of the key sections of the plan, but after that and and then after that we'll open for board discussion. uh as we go through this just kind of keep them um what I would like to kind of focus on is uh you know as you're thinking of questions or or discussion topics you know what are some areas

130in this board work plan that require some clarification um and second is there anything on here you would like to add or remove uh once we've heard some initial thoughts we can talk about next steps right so um I have in front me. There it is. We have uh as you can see it's laid out. I I'm not going to tell you what you can already see, but just uh we went with the ABCDE BB. I don't know what that spells. Um M A P uh format. Uh the bottom is basically the the committees. Um and then we try to arrange it by chronological even though sometimes it makes a little bit more awkward to see. Um there are things that we are required to do like for example budget u bargaining. Um and then

131there's there's things are kind of ongoing and and more fluid. Uh, one of the things that for example recently I added was on the boundaries the board town halls was an idea for us to get to work and and be do what we do best which is reach out to our communities uh be a voices for our communities hear the feedback from our communities and bring it back to the district so that they can make the best decisions for everybody. Um, so just I'm using that as an example to kind of get things started that it's under boundaries as you know is probably going to be a a big one this year. All right. So I guess um I haven't really thought this through really well except just kind of like just popcorn. Whoever wants

132to think of uh well let let's start with the first question. What are some areas that you think need some clarification? >> I can go ahead back to the old tradition of me starting first I guess. Um, so, um, I have a couple of ideas that I've had. I've shared these with Roseanne. Thank you for the draft. Where are you? Oh, there you are. I don't have my glasses on. Um, and with the superintendent as well in some cases, but um, I would love to see like, and granted, it doesn't make for an easily visible spreadsheet, okay? But I would love to see where like the committees fit in here. So, like if we're going to have um a a bunch of Jefferson dual assignment work, let's say, like where do we need to make

133sure we have the teaching learning enrollment committee meeting that precedes whatever needs to happen at the board. Um, and I could go on with different examples of that, but I think you get the point that I think it's really important that we figure out if we want to be able to talk about the district improvement progress update as a whole board in December. Um, do we also have an update the month before? I don't know. I'm just kind of throwing out examples that might not be good ones because I'm looking at this. But um but I think that that's the kind of thing that I would like to see too is that crosswalk between committees and between the board meetings. So that way we make sure we have that board ag that that committee agenda

134populated with what needs to be on there in order to have that more full dialogue that we've been talking about wanting to see more at committees so that by the time something comes to the board for a decision it's been vetted by a committee and we don't have to have you know hour and a half conversations amongst ourselves about it at at the board level um so that we can be like more efficient with our time. So I um would love to see that. the other idea that I had um and shared actually Rosanne asked me a question that led to me having this idea, but I would love to see like an additional like okay so we're going to take a look at the CBSC site location vote and we're going to have the

135facilities committee do something two months before um and then so we have that piece but then what about engagement and so I think it'd be great if we had a like okay so does the CB BSC site location vote. Does that mean that we want to do engagement with the community, with students, with with staff? Um and and ask that question for every time. And what in that case that might be have communication with staff at the district office? Um on boundaries, it might be okay, what are we doing to talk to teachers um and staff? We have the town halls that are meant for like community, but how are we talking to students? Are we going to have um student representative RTORTO take these conversations to the district student council? When do we need

136that to happen? So that that conversation can inform the committee conversation can inform the board. So I think like adding in an engagement layer of just for each of these items saying do we need an engagement strategy for this? where does it need to go on a calendar so that that engagement is not hurried and last minute but is thoughtful, deliberate in advance and can inform at the right point on the calendar. So those were the two thoughts that I had um that I'll share to begin with. I reserve the right to maybe engage a little bit more on this later. Um I feel like um I've offered to and still remain open to leaning in to help with with building this out. So if um by asking for more things, I am also willing

137to do more work. So >> yeah, thank you. Um just really quick, you want to just kind of respond to that really quick. Um I think you're right on. I think I think part of the the visualizing the process is that well actually I have a suggestion. Um you know, I like to work backwards, right? You you had your goal and then you figure out how to get there, right? And so um agreeing upon the work plan is kind of step one. Again, this doesn't have to be the final one. This is can be iterative. But once we have the work plan and when things are due, then my suggestion is that I suggest all the committees put it on their agenda for their next meeting to figure out, you know, what are things that

138you need to prep for and and do what director split basically just just said, where does this fit in? So that that's my recommendation. So yeah, >> can I just chat back to that because I like that idea. So would that mean then that the chairs of each committee could take a look at this and decide do I want this to come up in my committee and if so when would I want it to come up and add it to those committee work plans? Is that is would that be the strategy? >> Are you ask me? Oh yeah. Um I I think when the board Yeah. Exactly right. So the once we have we agree upon at least the first version of the work plan um I think the first conversation needs to happen with

139the staff leaison about be about which which things do require kind of onboarding before the big decision comes to the board right >> so like staff leaison and chairs could dialogue on that >> exactly >> that makes sense to me >> and then you know once that's fleshed out then bring it to the the rest of committee because one one of the things about again this makes it really difficult with with meeting laws is that you know two people on the same committee can't really talk about it without violating meeting laws. So I think yeah the conversation should start with the staff leaison and then bring it to the committee >> and the chair I still want the chair to be involved with the staff leaison. Yeah. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Okay. Great. So the

140chair has to be there. >> Well, we're putting me on the spot. Okay. Okay. I'll put I'm on the spot. Okay. Let's say for example, I'll give an example. >> For example, let's say um I'm going to pick one here. We have the um Yeah, someone pick one for I'm really bad at picking one on the spot. Uh we have the >> the what was that? >> The Jefferson dual assignment. So the chairs of the committee whether that be um teaching and learning or facilities depending on which one would talk with their staff liaison to figure out what are the big discussions and the big items are going to be coming up that the board needs to approve at some point. And once that's established, then we work backwards and be like, "Okay, so we

141need, you know, to have this discussion start two months ahead of time." So that would be probably uh next week. No, I'm just kidding. Um, right. January, right? And so it says Jefferson dual assignment action. So I would assume assume that maybe in November, December either the teaching learn or both and facilities committee and teaching learning enrollment committees would have meetings that answer specific questions that lead to eventually that kind of make sense. >> Can can I suggest something? >> Oh microphone >> because of meeting times you'd have to involve Roseanne to make sure everybody >> leaning hard on Roseanne. Yes. >> Yeah, we're lean on her. Okay. >> So, I think Oh, Roseanne Powell, board manager. Um, I suggest would be to put a layer under every initiative and so the top might be

142the full board and the bottom may be a committee layer. Does that make sense? So you would have maybe in a different color or something that would show where it precedes or builds up to the action from the board. Would that >> that would be great because then we could actually drop community engagement in there as well. Like >> if we wanted to have committee community engagement >> that would be basically expanded community engagement >> but with different strands >> if you want to keep the buckets of priorities. Yeah. does that um that that seems great to me. I just wanted to well since it was kind of my my thing and I just say one more thing on this. Um I may have gotten a sense that you would like to adopt the work

143plan and not wait to adopt the work plan until these things happen. And so I guess I have a qu maybe I maybe I didn't maybe I caught something that wasn't there. But if I did get that sense and it was right, could we adopt it as a work plan with the understanding that then we would um continue to build it out and then like readopt it once we finish the community engagement and committee layers. Maybe have a goal of doing that a month after we adopt it initially. So that way we can say we have a work plan, we've got that adopted and then we can build it out. So that way there's not a delay or did I not catch a sense that look at me. So, I assume that's a question for

144me. >> Yeah. >> Uh, yes. >> No, I I Well, it was my expectation that we'd be revisiting this every month at every work session. >> Oh, wow. I thought it was I thought we were going to do the plan and then we were going to work against it through the year. >> Yeah, that's the goal. But like for example, I wouldn't not necessarily like a full like two-hour long discussion at every work, but like 15 minutes be like, "Hey, is there anything here that needs to be updated?" Right? So, like I I'm hoping we get this done soon and then >> I got a lot of yellow bubbles. >> You got a lot of yellow bubbles. Um, and then we have a chance to kind of keep updating as you know, every month. You

145know, again, not a full hour discussion, but maybe 10 minutes, maybe 15 minutes. That that again, that's that's just my vision of what it looked like, and I'm only one of seven board members. Oh, go ahead. Uh, director pass. >> I'm wondering if we can look at that first column that has Albina projects, boundaries, budget and finance, bargaining, and just agree to those as large buckets. If you if you weigh this bucket against our inbox, you'll see that there's a lot of stuff that doesn't fit within these buckets. Just random emails that come in that are important. Um, but I'm wondering if we could just agree that these are the big chunks of work and then also understand that the staff will be not us will be carrying out these chunks of work. Our job

146may be to put things in front of the board before decisions happen. >> I have I said look I was like hitting like a game show. I'm like I got it. I'm just suggesting that we want to add we first look at these this large >> I don't think it captures everything. I think it's close. >> Okay. >> I'm wondering if that would be a first step. However, um to agree that we're going to look at this and then if more than four people or four people agree to add, then let's add. But we we don't want to I guess we want to get away from individual individuals adding things versus the board agreeing, >> right? >> Yeah. >> I think we probably all have some suggestions. >> Go for I was going to go

147down in order. >> Okay. >> Go. Okay. >> Um Director Chase Miller. I was hoping that we we would but you know it's a free-for-all. Go do whatever you want. Um my my question was similar to uh director splits. I like the idea of having a layer that runs beneath that reflects uh the committees and kind of where they layer into the plan. I like anything that's colorcoded. So um props to that idea also. Um and I mean when I reviewed I don't know um it's I didn't have anything to add. Um, but I also like the idea of this being a bit of a working document. Um, so as things come up, um, if we are aligned that it makes sense to add to it, uh, we have the flexibility. >> Thank you. Um,

148Director Englesman, >> thank you. Um, I, um, I like it. It's honestly my first time looking at a board work plan, but I am looking at it through the eyes of our community members who maybe are looking at it and trying to figure out what what our board plan is. And so in the idea of adding things, there are two that in the ABCs that I would love to see added because I think academic excellence is one that everything that we are talking about and doing and striving for would be captured under that. And then if our community members are trying to figure out what's the bird working on, they see first and foremost that yes, we are striving for academic excellence across the board. Um and then one of the things that came up

149a lot over the last six months is this idea of ab absenteeism, chronic and otherwise. And so we should be looking at that because um butts and seats, as I think I heard Dr. Armstrong says, means money in our pockets. And so we should be as a board really looking at how we can deal with absenteeism. Um recruiting, re-recruiting. I I heard um I don't remember where it was at this point. Um Dr. Armstrong talking about reaching out to families who have left and trying to figure out why they've left and how we can bring them back. Um that's not absenteeism, but it is they're not there anymore. So they're absent from PBS and therefore not bringing the funds in that could go towards programs to um all of our students. And so those are

150two A's that I think our community would look at and sort of say, oh yeah, the board is working districtwide and trying to get the best for the kids. Um, and then I wonder if because we've got Jefferson down lower. Um, and we've got September, October, November, December just marked as CBSSE. I wonder if Albina projects should just be renamed CBSE. And so we know what we're looking at in that bucket and we can add different months um to that. Um, and then simply because of the I don't know, I know bargaining is just sort of a one word thrown out for what we're going to be doing over the next year with six contracts. Um, I would just like to see it more just respectful to all of our labor partners and the contracts

151that we're going to be looking at and talking about. So maybe bargaining colon conversations with and striving to finalize contracts with our labor partners, something like that. Um and then I think I heard under the construction that the Cleveland master plan is being moved, but in the revised one that I'm looking at, unless I clicked on the wrong button, still has it in November. So, I wanted to confirm what I heard was that it was going back to an October um work plan column. Um >> can you repeat that last statement? I missed that one. >> Yeah. Yeah. That um unless I clicked on the wrong thing online. I am showing the construction including bond projects the approved revised Cleveland master plan still under under November and as of a staff memo two weeks ago

152and I thought I heard today that it was going to be put back on October but it's still showing in November and so I just wanted to >> yes I will fix that. >> Oh so it is going back to October. Okay. >> Yes. >> Great. Thank you. Um >> and wanted to add um director Englesman that um not on here under Albina projects is also the relocation of the of this building. Ah so that's why Albina is not just CBSSE, it's other things. >> I'd like to keep them separate as well because the buckets of work are so different. >> Yeah. >> Can I clarify one question? Um you mentioned AC exc academic excellence. Um we do have the district academic improvement plan. Did you >> Well, I saw that and I just wondered

153why um it's all the way down. I just was trying to >> I was just trying to put it at the top. >> I have a note to add like a mission like vision at the top and I think that that would fit >> really nicely with with something like that. >> Maybe less a mission vision but like maybe that way we don't like all agree on a mission vision but >> like what are we trying to accomplish? That's what I have my notes. >> Yeah. But we could like just do like a explainer on what each of the things are kind of thing. That might help. I don't know. I have a goal add a goal to each we're kind of jumping around. Sorry. Sorry. I don't >> We We do. So there we

154are working on a very old strategic plan that was developed about four and a half years ago. It goes through the end of this year and I believe the plan is to do a new strategic plan. >> I have that on my list of things. >> So that's you know we're not going to just let it die but it it might not be this one expires and the next day there's a brand new one. But I think that it's in the plan to start develop to develop a new strategic plan, new board. >> Yeah. >> New superintendent, new vision. >> I would just love to say as we've been working really hard to um really have a focus and I guess I just wonder, it sounds like a lot of things for you all over

155the next eight months. And I guess I just wonder this work plan like h how will you manage through that as I hear maybe some proposals to add some things and we think of the amount of engagement that's going to need to happen with like budget and enrollment and school right sizing. Um I just I just want to throw that out there that like we'll listen we'll respond to uh whatever it is you all's hearts desire. And I guess I just wonder like does the list sound realistic and especially if you're going to add some more things. >> I think there's some things that we're already talking about that just weren't captured. >> I also want to just share that as a a board member that went um tried to go through a work plan

156several years ago and we had literally 35 things and just not enough staff to actually do everything. So, I would suggest um if we can as a board to agree to like the core the core things that we need to get done this year and check it out and see how it is. I mean, the Southeast Guiding Coalition, you remember that? That was very intense and very time consuming and you were in your seat all the time over Zoom. And so I just want us to be cautious that this is this is this could be like our dream plan, but we're going to have to at some point figure out what we together with the district can can realistically get done and not just get done, but get done well. >> You know, we the

157more we start flipping around popcorn style, the less we're going to get done. And we have already like some big buckets of work to get done. >> Yeah. I think we really need to um think about what the purpose of the work plan is and who it's for. I mean, basically, this is a document that guides our work. It's an internal document. It's not um a community relations document. It's not reflective of all of the things, but it is reflective of the things that we're going to tackle as we sit up here in these meetings. and that we tackle through committee work. Um, I think some of the smaller things, um, maybe not smaller things, but some of the kind of the oneoff things filter up under these buckets. Like when I look at this,

158the way that I'm thinking about it is do some of these things like absenteeism or um, fundraising or whatever, do they have a home in the buckets that are here? Um, and then I think the next thing to think about is like what is the board action on that in terms of whether it needs to be on this plan. If the board isn't going to have an action around it, probably doesn't need to be on the plan and doesn't mean that it's not work that staff isn't going to be doing, but I don't think that it needs to be on our work plan unless it's something like we know that we'll want an update or a report out about something. Yeah, I just have one last question. >> Started with me. >> Thank you. I

159just have one. So, I noticed the board required actions or reports in August, a goals conference with superintendent and the school board. I did that happen. I meant I it don't think it happened and I just want to make sure that >> um >> yeah, board required actions and reports in August, a goals conference with superintendent and the school board. Um, and so I just want to make sure if we miss that because it hap it supposedly happened that we put it somewhere else to make sure it does happen because I don't think it did happen. And then I also think that there's supposed to be quarterly meetings with the with the superintendent. So that should be perhaps in there somewhere with the whole board. Um, which I thought was part of the evaluation template

160process, but I don't know what this August thing was that I apparently missed. >> You're correct. the goals uh meeting has not happened yet. >> Okay. >> So, we should still days to be scheduled. So, we'll change somewhere date. >> And I looked at the resolution we where the board adopted the superintendent performance evaluation template and there was not quarterly meetings for the year 2526. I see like on there which is why I had not um it was for 2425 but I did not see it in 2526 which is why I hadn't put it on there but um just to explain that >> that doesn't mean that they're not quarterly meetings. It just means they're not scheduled or there's not an expectation. >> I just need I need clarification. >> Oh, okay. >> Would you

161like that? I I would like meetings. Yeah. Whether it's with the board leadership team or the whole board, but it would be good to check in and see how >> the goals. >> I think that that was the question was whether to do this as a whole board and then how how do we schedule it if it's a work session or if it's just with board leadership. So >> I think it's with the full full board. I think the previous ones are with the full board. So maybe a work session is a good idea. an executive session. >> Executive Okay, thank you. I said work session, but I meant executive session. >> I think there may be a disconnect. I don't believe that the prior quarterly sessions were with the full board, not the way

162the meaning of the contract, the way it's written in in Dr. Armstrong's contract. There were goal setting conferences and then there was an evaluation. The quarterly communication was primarily through the board leadership. That doesn't mean you can't change it. I just want to call out factually what what happened director. >> Yeah, that's what that's how I remembered it too. Yeah, just want to follow the contract. I I want to kind of respect everyone's chance director to pass. Did you get you answered a couple questions, but I want to make sure that you had all you got all of it out. >> Uh my comments were just about settling on a discreet number of things recognizing that we have like very discreet duties. We approve a budget, we evaluate the superintendent, and we set education policy.

163So, to the extent that we can kind of make a discrete bucket of like really important things that are going on and decide what our role is, I just wanted to see if we could tonight. It would be great if we could agree on the things in that far left column. >> Yeah. And and maybe we should also agree to what we do if something needs to be added. If if we're adding things, does it make sense to have, you know, at least four people agree to add? >> I like that. Thank you. Um I guess I'll go. Um I I would like us to I like color coding. highlight all the squares that require a board vote just because then we can work backwards and everyone knows where their deadlines are. Um I am

164very also very hesitant about adding things and here's why. Uh I am looking at boundaries and I think at some point off this chart there's going to be a vote whether that's this June or or next probably January of next school year at some point around then. And once we decide when that board vote is for approving the district boundaries, that thing is going to backfill like so many boxes in terms of like how many community engagements we have to do, how many meetings we have to do, how many maps we have to look at and re and discuss and and share feedback. Um that in alone, I mean, I know it's just starting to ramp up, but once it does ramp up, I think we're going to be really busy. Um so I'm again,

165I'm very reluctant to add things. I also want to also um second what uh director Chase Miller says is that I think we need to prioritize what the board actions are and the requires uh that way so that when we figure out what our board actions are and work backwards so that we're prepped to make the best decision possible. It's better to to do a few things really well rather than a ton of things really poorly. And so I I want to make sure that we really focus our work on doing the few things that we have charged with us doing it really well. Now just you know as as we know the the the board's charter is you know also repeating uh director uh vice chair to pass our our charter is approving the

166budget policy supervising superintendent and that that's the charter for all boards and I think um also think about I know that we have a lot of new board members are curious about how things work so you know setting a separate bucket for like what are things like areformational you know which is important but at the same time is it leading to an actual decision? Um, you know, you could make the argument that it may lead to a potential decision, you know, but until then, uh, it the I think the difficulty is that there's a lot of things that we individually want to do, but if we add them all, >> we have spent more time talking about things we may or may not add than just like, >> yeah, >> whip through it. >> So,

167that I think I think it's important to set up a process to make sure that the majority of the board is on board. Uh, sorry for the pun. um with things that we do want to add. Anyways, that's my five cents. So, thank you. >> Director Lefort, >> can I say something? Um first of all, I thought this was things that we had to do that the board has to do. So, if if we start adding things that we want to do, it's going to get crazy. And I um am so impressed with this compared to what we've done before. So I I feel very comfortable with this. Um certainly if there's something to add, we can do it. I guess I don't know how that would work, but we can just go from here.

168This has got to be a start. So I'm very comfortable with it. >> Thank you, Director S. Um Director Lefort. Um I have for so for talking about the buckets um we don't have right sizing our schools on here which we know is going to come up >> boundaries >> is it because it's not called out in there >> that's what boundaries is. Yeah. Do we want to call it out because I think the average person would >> I think it's nomenclature >> are the board town halls >> the board yeah about you're right >> right sizing schools this is like because I I don't necessarily look at this as an internal document I do look at it as public facing I think that the public wants to know what our plan is for the

169year so I do think you know it's okay to be clear >> and acknowledge so those are board town halls about right sizing our schools great we don't need add another bucket, but let's just clarify that that's that's what it is. >> Yeah. >> Um >> I just want to just give a little context. I think part of the reason we left it or I left it um kind of vague board town halls is because that discussion progresses. So like the first town hall may be about like what are your community's biggest priorities? You know, what are things that are worth protecting? you know, so for example, I I think you know, we haven't gotten there yet determining exactly what the town halls the like specific topics are going to be, but yes, it's about

170eventually right sizing. Yeah. >> Okay. Um I had a similar comment about bargaining, about breaking those out into um the individual union partners that we'll be working with. Um let's see. Except we won't be working with them. We'll be just getting updates >> as a district. I'm I realize that but just you know it's a lot it's a lot. >> Yes. >> So it' be great to see what they are. Again I look at this as public facing as well. Um and I have um oversight of equitable student outcomes. Anything that would fall under that we haven't called that out anywhere in here. um you know um special ed programs, compliance, graduation outcomes, things like that that would relate to equitable outcomes that we can check in on throughout the year. >> I think that's

171in the district the DIP. >> Okay. Because this is a district improvement plan overview. It's pretty it's pretty broad. So maybe just looking for I'm not looking at you guys like to us like for for specifics. And we can create a public facing like we can if there's some things that you all want to flush out, we can put it under the district branding and create something that could be more um uh public facing too if that's a desire. Um I have um adopting a legislative agenda and a plan like how we how we do that throughout the year and how we want to check in related to that and um and that we don't have a strategic strategic plan that we need a strategic plan. So, I would say for for me the additional

172buckets I would like to see are creating a strategic plan, adopting a legislative agenda, um a line item for monitoring equitable student outcomes, and I think the other issues, the other things I raised probably just are some clarification under existing items. >> I I have a question about what you just said for the monitoring outcomes. How is that different than the board goals or do you see an overlap in monitoring board goals? >> Well, that's a great that's a great point because I've got a note in here too about graduation and why we're talking about why this is more detailed. Um maybe it is fleshing out it would help if we have our our board goals at the top, but how are we checking in and monitoring these things? Right. I know that um >>

173you mean this line here? >> I wanted a separate one for but I mean it's it's okay. Whatever. I mean I have equitable I have a line item for equitable student outcomes and then we would lay out like how we're going to check in on those big levers throughout the year. But to your point, the graduation >> outcomes or graduation data is listed under board goals. >> So we could maybe it's just refining the name, you know, board goals and student outcomes or something like that. One of the things I think would be helpful for the team as well as you know are these items when the way that you talk about it um director Leford is that you want to be informed or the board um as a whole be informed on it or

174yes are you feeling like there's some actions that need to be so you okay so informed on >> right like as we move like through like board meetings throughout the year like you know chronic absenteeism like that is literally something we all ran on it's so important But we don't have any notes to ourselves to be like, "Hey, you know, do we want an update in January to see where we're at for the year?" Or we just going to be there at the end of the year going, "Wow, things were rough this year." Like, I feel like we need to have some check-ins. Like maybe it's trimesters along the way so we don't lose sight of it. >> Director Oh, sorry. >> Oh, go ahead. Well, I was just going to say, I mean, I'm

175I'm thinking about this in the sense that like the first column, those are our buckets, right? Um, but within the buckets, like what happens across the year, it seems like there should still be flexibility as time goes on for us to say. Um, we do want to have an update on like I don't I don't think we have to know what all of those things are right now. and we can we should be able to add them especially if it's things that don't that aren't adding work and are more like updates um to the stuff that's already here like like maybe I'm just making assumptions that I shouldn't make but I would assume that under the section that is uh monitoring board goals or the district academic improvement plan attendance and graduation rates are things

176that would come up in that work But it isn't spelled out month by month. Um so I think there's still the flexibility to >> well if we add that line for the committees the policy committee as you know will be talking about attendance this next meeting. Uh Chief Buino is giving an overview of special education. Um there's going to be um literacy and math deep dives in that plan. So if we put in that line of where the policy committee cut covers those topics, I think you'll see a lot of those will be addressed. >> I think it's hard for us though because we don't see like as a board I don't see the policy committee's agenda >> post teaching learning and enrollment which I think you're in that committee >> right but I still

177don't see agendas until a couple days before the meetings. So I feel like as a board, this is our work plan as a board. Um, >> so we can add that was my point. Yeah. >> And we have a work plan for that committee that >> I know I'm really jealous I'm making one. I was like d I saw yours. Um, I just wanted to point out that I think one sort of disconnect that I'm seeing here, and it's partially something I've talked about, and it's not like I don't want this to sound as possibly sassy as it's going to sound, but part of the issue is that we haven't really dove in on the district academic improvement plan yet. So, we don't really know what's there. It's not super internalized for us yet. And

178so and I think that we had this discussion in the summer where somebody suggested like is there because we like the ABCs thing is super cute but the district academic improvement plan um us not that somebody earlier had suggested maybe naming that like student academics or something so that it captures that big picture concept um and then we know that that's going to be talked about through that. So, like maybe I know that it messes up the ABCD thing, but I will say in the summer I think we did have like general sort of agreement or several of us said >> I mean I didn't really care about it TBH, but like some other people really wanted to like have >> it be very clear that academics was somewhere and I think I'm hearing that

179like it is here. It's under district academic improvement plan and it's under board goals, but if you don't know the board goals and you don't know what's in the district academic plan, you don't know that. So, I just feel like that's a example of where maybe the board goals bucket and the district academic improvement plan bucket, maybe those could be like combined into a single bucket that's about like student outcomes or something, student academic outcomes or something and be titled that so sorry ABCDs, but um >> they're already out the window. >> But then it like but then it will capture what you're I think trying to say is that you want to be able to show people the document and be able to say we're working on academic excellence. um and you want and

180like so I think if we just maybe consider combining those two buckets into like that maybe that might help with the issue. So what what I really appreciate and what's brilliant about what you're talking about is actually I think what will seed the work around the mission vision and the goals right um because I heard that brought up about like the strategic plan and so most spaces I'm in and I'm happy to um receive further direction but while the board is crafting the mission and vision mission vision and setting goals whether they're new board goals then my team then partakes in a public engagement um strategy so that we can create a strategic plan that addresses the mission vision and the goals as set by the board. And so if that student academic piece is

181going to pull in the mission, the vision and perhaps a relook at board goals, then it then charges my team to then um get in the the busyiness of that work. So, I think that's one thing that could be really clear in this moment for us. >> Yeah. And I think that's great. And I think one thing I'd add, too, is like as we're figuring out this strategic plan concept, personally, I don't I feel like there should be one plan. And if there's a district continuous improvement plan, then hopefully our strategic plan will rest on that a lot and not try to create something else. Um, but maybe that would give us an opportunity to do some more public engagement on the district continuous improvement plan because I'm not sure how much of that happened.

182Don't get mad at me. Um, and it could happen as part of like a So anyway, but I think we already have a good start even though we weren't part of making it. Um, but hopefully we can all like agree that having one plan and not a board plan with board goals and then a district plan with district goals like I don't I think that's what we might currently have and I don't know how >> or a district plan does build off of the board goals, right? So those are like anchoring documents for us that the mission, the vision and the board goals is where our district improvement plan sits. But the other thing is just know that as a team we're ready to support in terms of um packaging these engagements so that you

183all um have something in front of you that's manageable because we have engagement around enrollment. We have um engagement around um budget and we have engagement around um the goals of the district. And so how you know you all decide to move in that we want to be helpful in making sure that we can you know provide some support so that you know whether whether it's a guiding document or a frame that you're going out in community and speaking to that you feel properly equipped. >> Thank you. I want I want to make sure everyone gets a chance. Still have two more. Um, Director Sullivan. And then >> I think I already said what I wanted to say. Um, I would definitely like to see, you know, absenteeism as something we look at and or

184um, you know, academic scores something we look at on a regular basis. I don't know if it has to be in the plan. Um, how how do you how do you see that happening? That's not something we have to do and vote on, but it's something we want to hear about, >> right? Well, I mean, yeah. >> So, where does it go here? >> Um, that's good because Yeah. So in that case it would be purelyformational what you know getting updated about what the district is doing about absenteeism >> and we want to be sure that happens and it doesn't slip by. I think that's what everybody's saying right it it's we want it we want it to happen. We don't want to say in three months, oh, we didn't hear. >> Um, >> I

185mean, >> so how does that >> Well, I mean, I can get in there. >> I can kind of imagine. So, this I know that the district is doing a lot of stuff on absenteeism, but let's say it's a hypothetical situation, right? Um, we work on I mean, this year, I'm I'm not kidding, the boundary stuff is going to be really busy. It's going to be a lot of stuff. Uh, it's going to be a lot of work. I don't, you know, I >> if we if we throw I'm I'm worried that I mean like I I care about absenteeism a lot. Um I'm worried if we throw it in there, it's just kind of going to get lost in the noise. My hypo h you know one hypothetical thing that may happen for example

186is that when the boundary stuff is near completion whether that be next school year and the board decides that absenteeism is something that we really want to like elevate not just what the district is current doing but maybe elevate it and that's something that the board can charge the superintendent to put in more resources and have a plan for uh improving and that that could be a work session for or sorry part of the work plan for potentially the next year again with with um working backwards figuring out what is it that the board actually needs to decide on you know because >> we haven't had a conversation I think this is part of the issue is like you know we we're getting a document that none of us had any say in like it's

187fantastic I'm just saying like we haven't touched this yet so and we haven't been involved in the strategic plan we have one that's expiring and something that there may some disconnect and maybe definitely some frustration coming from me because that is a priority. That is a significant priority in my mind. So when I don't see it, um I'm surprised that we that we wouldn't just drop it in. So do we need to like finish the plan for the next few months and then but but simultaneously do we need to develop a new strategic plan so we're all on the same page? Yeah, I I think maybe it may be helpful to have anformational session on absenteeism so that we are up to plan because I I think you know we we've had this presentation for

188the last couple of years um information. So I think it may help to have the new board members kind of up to speed as well >> on the topic of absenteeism. I would really really love if DSC was a big part of that. Um because you know because these are the kids you know who are chronically absent who know people are chronically absent. I believe that that I myself for many years of high school qualify as chronically absent, you know, despite my position and I would be so happy to explain why, you know, you know, why I find myself not coming to school sometimes, you know, um and why my friends sometimes don't come to school and what it is that gets us to go to school, you know, and so I think that yeah,

189the student input is going to be a massive part of that. I think that there's a lot of people, you know, who just who just go, I think that I know what the students what is motivating the students when we could just ask them, you know, >> good point. >> Wild idea. >> But what if instead of us putting it on our work plan, >> we had student representative RTO put it on his work plan >> and come to us and report to us with how those conversations went and what they yielded. >> Absolutely. We will absolutely >> just I mean I mean everybody would need to agree but I just feel like >> maybe that's a way of not having it fall to us but delegate it to the students who are such an

190important >> discuss it at your uh spring event. >> Yeah, that's definitely something that will be a continuing conversation for us for for whenever this gets put on the the agenda. But but uh but yeah, the goal would be to have um to maybe have a few people speak uh from the council at whatever meeting this gets discussed at. Um because yeah, I know there's a lot of people who have uh some interesting input on the issues. That that was my only request. Also, more town halls. I like town halls. Do more of them. And that's it. I like everything else in this agenda. >> Well, I was going to ask if you had more to that you wanted to um talk about. >> You know, there's there's lots of space on these meetings to

191do things. There's one thing here, you know, that we have to get done. So, the agenda can have lots of different things on it. These are just things that have to be voted on, have to be done >> and that we can suggest tons of stuff for different agendas. >> So, I'm trying to track the different things here. I have a clarifying question. So, one example is absenteeism, which I'm really happy that the board is going to talk about. >> That is going to be an hour and a half discussion in a policy committee meeting. Now, I'm hearing um Director Sullivan saying she wants this to be brought to the board as a discussion. And so my question is, are you asking to have them in both places or as long as it's on the

192committee? It's on the board's calendar for the year and it highlights as being as a discussion on out of policy committee that would suffice as okay. >> Yeah. >> Is it policy or TL? >> Keep saying policy. A policy burned in my brain, but it's TLA. >> Yeah. They could report back to us anyway. I we don't have to have a big long >> it's also absenteeism is a crucial part of the DIP as well and that is coming to you I appreciate um director split's comments that you know y'all haven't had a chance to really deep dive and that's coming before the full board on the 28th of October. So there will be a robust conversation then and and maybe seeing you can see the action plan and and what folks are what the

193district is planning to do around that is one of the top focus areas. I just wanted to say something about this plan. Um, and I I hear you, uh, Director Lefort, you're like, well, we haven't done anything with it yet. But also, we have a board that's partly stayed on and then we've got new people. And I want to be, um, sensitive to the fact that, you know, you're learning the cadence of the rhythm of the district. And it's hard to know it unless you experience it. you you can't you know you can't even know what a guiding southeast guiding coalition looks like until you've been through it and you've been you know you can ask Eddie he'll be uh he >> hours and hours um and so I want to be sensitive to the

194fact that some of this is all new but also if you we have new team members that we need to I think maybe it might be helpful to identify what are those things that you suspect or or think that might might have not had your input because this is this is a document based on like the current knowledge. It's current working towards the future. We we can't necessarily and I I don't want to go backwards just because I'm a volunteer and I don't think it helps to keep going backwards. Also, when we're adding things, we need to understand what what's in our budget that that has been approved and and codified. And it's it's done. The budget's already done. So, we're going to have an opportunity next year to to adopt a new budget and

195we'll have time to add things at that point, but um I just want us to be conscious of adding things that might require budget that we don't have. >> Yeah, thank you for that. I also also want to add that um a lot of this work plan was taken account with everyone's input. The the problem is that not everyone agrees what like the priorities are, but the things that everyone did agree are priorities did get into the work plan like boundaries, Jefferson dual assignment, uh board town halls, people uh there was a lot of calls for like board members want to be active in their community. Um uh there was talk about um con, you know, oversight of the the bond, for example. That that's one of the big things that made it in there

196that everyone agreed upon. Um, and so yeah, >> I'm I'm just saying it's the first time like we've even had to sort of like proof the work really. Like that's that's all I'm saying. And we're missing a couple big things in the a strategic plan, legislative agenda, and we all keep talking about chronic absenteeism, which I think if we just even change the category name for district academic improvement plan, if we change that to like academic excellence or something like that, and then just drop chronic absenteeism in under there, it would completely work. But we're just there's just a couple things that we've talked about a lot that weren't on the list. >> Could I just ask Rosanna a question? Where do you think we legislative update? My understanding is in the past it's been

197sort of a Deborah and her future legislative person >> still filling that position >> make a list and um bring it to us for consideration. I don't think it's a huge time suck for the board because we don't create it. Um so maybe it could just be popped into but I just it doesn't really fit under board governance or there's something else that's kind of open required board actions unless it is a required board action by policy that we do it. I don't know but It's not a required board action. Actually, I just texted Lisa to see. I don't know that we've done it before in a short session. I need to check. But that doesn't mean we couldn't do it, but we in the past, it's my understanding that we've only done it for

198the full sessions. >> Okay. I we might I mean, >> the board did adopt it, but it's not it's not a requirement that the board adopts it. It's just something that we do for >> buy in and also for Sorry, I'm getting sick. Um, >> uh, we do it for for buyin, board buyin, but also for public awareness. It helps us with our advocacy as you know. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We might consider doing, but yeah, I just I feel like that could just be added somewhere like but there's just not an easy big bucket. So, I don't know. But it might be because it's just to me it's a relatively in my experience watching it happen before >> and if uh if there's a time of the year that it makes sense, >>

199right? Like it would be great to see it on the calendar. >> It would be in January. We'd need to do it by something like that. If we want to do something, we might want to do something that's like fight like H double hockey sticks to uh protect the current funding for schools, you know. Um but >> which is a lot of it'll be a lot of our bandwidth, you know, we this is all, you know, outside of our regular work days. Like that's I think that's why this is important to us. >> Yeah, totally. So just finding a home for it within the framework might be great because I don't think it's a needs to be its own line item, right? Yeah. It's pretty chill to do it. >> Yeah. I >> think we

200have Dr. Adams that wanted to maybe talk about attendance. >> Well, I wanted to talk about the regular intervals by which the board will be informed about how students are performing. Um, at least it's been regular intervals since I joined the team in October of 21. Um, so they're not all reflected on the document yet. I don't I don't know if everything is there. Um and I haven't laid eyes on it um since probably two days ago, but the typical cadence would look something like this. Um this month OSAS data December um current student achievement, how many of our students are currently on grade level? January could clearly be attendance and chronic absenteeism. February would be graduation. March would be successful schools. And then sometime between April and June, we talk about student growth via

201the MAP assessment or the I Ready assessment. And so, um, I'm I'm just wondering if I'm hearing a desire to have all that laid out because the district continuous improvement plan does have four categories which include attendance, literacy, mathematics, and nth grade success. And so, um, I just want to make sure that I'm clear so I can help Roseanne because she's going to blow up my inbox around some of this stuff in a in a very loving way. In a very loving way, um, to make sure that we are um, the inputs that we're providing onto your current draft work plan meet your needs. So I don't know if it would be helpful to have those data >> having not gone through this process before everybody I mean this sounds very familiar this is what

202we've done for for the last since I've been here too and and some of these things are on our plan the OSAS data is in October >> December we have um and my copy is not really clear growth data map and can't read that other word in other words there graduation successful schools. These are on here. Um you'll note on at least on the revised plan. And so again, if you haven't gone through these updates, then you wouldn't know maybe they were coming, but they're literally on here. I don't know. Um you you mentioned attendance. Maybe we add like literally type it in >> um and it would be in January. >> February and I could do that in January >> or February. it could be combined with graduation data. >> I think isn't that

203part of the post-secary readiness indicators? >> Attend absenteeism isn't it's one of the five common metrics for OD. And so the other um thing for your information is that not only will you receive an overview of the district continuous improvement plan, whenever we bring data, we're going to give you an update on the plan as well. And that isn't um >> it's not articulated here, but >> Yes. Well, that >> but now we all know. >> Yeah. So, I'm thinking of a um a previous board member who when exiting talked at length about the difference of having a calendar uh versus a work plan. And so I I thought that like in some of those early conversations that we had, it was like acknowledging that a calendar doesn't really get to the heart of the

204work that the board does. And so it's I hear some of this is like but it doesn't show what we're doing. Well, that's the calendar. And so we put on here to say, well, these are the actions. And so I guess I just want to go back to say are are is the interests of a a detailed calendar or is the interest a detailed work plan or both? Because I think um some of the things that Dr. Adams just stated are things that would be on a calendar of um what happens all of the October meetings, November, December, here's all the things that we have and then you know some of these other things. So I'm just I'm I'm recognizing that >> I think you're you nailed it in terms of like you know how

205that maybe some of the ways some of us are seeing this a little bit differently. Like I look at it as a as a work plan. Like I'm looking at notes on, you know, the fund for PPS saying, you know, I think we should have, you know, like a work plan. I would drop in here like, hey, I'd like to have um Robin report back to the board in December on like where we're at. Um you know, things like that. That's that's a work plan, you know, like those are those are things that you're preparing for and getting ready for. Um a calendar is it is it's just a list of it's a list of dates, >> right? So is it is it is there some >> Yeah. >> So then if may I just

206really quickly then if the calendar is a list of dates then there isn't a need then right to plug in update like when there'll be updates on like attendance or OSAS or graduation rate because it isn't like something that you're actively doing. It's information that you're receiving to help when you're ready to make decisions about policy or budget. Yeah, I think >> I feel like this is serving both because if that were the case, we wouldn't have, you know, town halls on here, right? >> Right. >> So, it need really needs to function as both. >> And I mean, my my response to that, I just want to just kind of reiterate we I think, you know, set the framework, right? Like, for example, I don't I want to be very careful that we're not

207getting into, for example, management's job, right? Because management's job is to figure out how to make things work. They have a work plan. At the same time, I also want to make sure that we keep centering our students. Is this work plan that we create going to actually improve our outcomes for our students? And if it doesn't, we need to scrap it and move on to something that does work because I think um I well I'm not I'm not opposed to this. I I think we started with a calendar version which I I want to but these are things that we have to do. Um and there's it's a lot of things to do and if we want to do boundary work right and here's the way I see it. Doing boundary work right is

208going to help our students. It centers our students and make sure that all our middle schools have you know uh all the course offerings that every other middle school has. Uh make sure that they have robust programming everywhere. uh consolidating our resources where they're needed and that that's students focused and I think focusing on a work plan on boundaries for example so that we do it well is going to improve outcomes for our students. Now apply that to everything else. And if you can't answer for me that it's going to improve outcomes for our students then I am I'm going to push back. Um, and so, um, I hear what a lot of people saying, but again, I I want to just be clear. There are some things on here that are informational. There's some

209things that we want to know about, and that's fine. U, but at the same time, you know, give me an example of a work plan that's going to improve our our student outcomes. >> Can I go ahead? >> I'm not going to answer that particular question. I thought you were gonna end with a period. Um anyway, uh I I guess I just want to say I think what what this is to me I don't I don't know the difference honestly between a work plan and a calendar and an action whatever whatever this document whatever you want to call it or think of it as to me it's really helpful because it lays out our work and what we can expect to happen at upcoming meetings so that we're not nervous about is this going to

210get covered and so to me adding in what Dr. Adams mentioned is going to happen anyway on a line about academic improvement doesn't add work. It's going to happen anyway. Um and so I don't see a reason not to add it. It's not adding more. It's just adding in things we know are going to happen. So then those of us that feel like we really want to make sure that we're um getting that getting transparency because like it's not just about um Oh gosh, it's late for me to be articulate. Let me try again. It's not just about us wanting to like get our hands in and like make trouble for staff. We love doing that because it's really fun for us, but what it really is about is transparency on how our schools are

211doing, which benefits our community and benefits our students. And so, I don't think that addingformational items is a problem because then we know it's coming. And I don't think that thoseformational items are a waste of time or about making more work for staff. I think they're about accountability and transparency and frankly like I don't know how you all do but like if I don't have a due date for my work. I really struggle to get it done and so it helps to give like accountability that I hope you all appreciate. Like I love that my boss is like I need that by Friday because then I know I need to get it done by Friday because otherwise I'll wait two weeks to do it. Um so I just want to put it out there that

212like I think adding things we're going to do anyway makes sense. And then I also think that it shouldn't be um I just worry sometimes that we're like a little dismissive of our oversight role. And I really I really take that very seriously. I think transparency is really important. And I think everybody's heard me talk about like my number one reason for running for the school board was to like rebuild trust in the district so that our public school system can thrive so that parents choose to send their kids to our schools. Like that's like that's why I'm here. Like a lot of times people are like, "Oh, student outcomes." Student outcomes matter to me a lot. But I also that rebuilding trust is like a twin priority for me. And so I think that

213like doing those oversight pieces is just really important given the issues that have happened. And it's not just transparency to like parents, families, community, it's to teachers who still feel a strong sense of distrust and disconnection from the district. So by being transparent, we can help heal that. So, I'm all here for transparency and I think it's important and I don't think that it's like I think it is helpful for students and I just really want to make sure to like give a plug for our oversight role because sometimes I think it's like viewed as like extra work but I actually think it should just be viewed as like accountability and transparency and hopefully we all support that. >> Yeah, I don't think it's necessary. I I appreciate it. I think what we can do

214and I asked the question so that we can be helpful in this so I can be helpful in this with the team and so it sounds like in addition to not of course chair Wong for whatever is on of course I have no control over that but what I can say is that we can take this back and look at setting look at setting up in a way that pulls in like committees and some of those things that happen on a regular basis and I wonder if it would be helpful for us to even um add when it's informing, when it's a discussion, and when there's like board action that could be on this work plan because I from what I'm hearing, it sounds like it would be helpful for the team. And then I

215remember one of you, and I'm sorry because I don't remember who talked about having an engagement um thread through. Okay. So, I wonder if that's something that we can also add to this across the month. So the board um can um see that in a way that's articulated across the months um in the strands in which it's intersecting. Does that make sense? Okay. So I think we can try maybe pulling it together in a different way that I think respects all of the things that you all are bringing up. >> Director Chase Miller. Um, so I've been working on in my day job, we've been working on our work plan and our strategic plan versus a calendar. So I feel very clear on the difference in this moment. Um, and I I appreciate the point

216that Dr. Armstrong made because I think there is a difference and I think both are helpful and I think what you just described um sounds like a good way of accomplishing both. Um because I don't I don't want to infer that there are things that are unimportant because I don't believe they should be on our work plan. But like I I I feel strongly that our work plan like is the tactical things like that we are doing. It is our work. It's not staff's work. It's our work. That doesn't mean we don't need to be informed of staff's work. that doesn't mean it's not helpful to know when that work is coming and when we're going to get updates on various things. Um, and those kinds of things feel like a calendar thing to me

217and something that would be useful to the public versus um like the actual tactical things that we do as a board that we also need to have a clear um timeline and vision on. Um, but I when you were talking Dr. Armstrong. I'm like imagining it and I think it sounds dope. So, um, let's try that. Okay. Um, so I have heard a number of people sort of say that either calling the district improvement plan something else student excellence or student academics academic excellence. Um, like I I really think that changing the the lefth hand bucket and frankly having one that's excellence and service with nothing except successful school survey, those could so easily be compacted into one that is academia or academic excellence because frankly none of us are here doing any of this

218except to bolster how our students all of them do in this system. And so I would like to see us having that up there first. I would like or right at the top. I would like to see us, you know, district improvement plan. I I didn't know that we were going to be talking about all those five important things. I didn't know that in October we've got a meeting or a presentation on absenteeism. And while this is not apparently supposed to be public facing, it has been published to the community to look at. They've listened to us talking about all of this. And if I have questions, and it sounds like a few of us on here have questions, certainly our community members are going to have questions about what the heck does it mean

219that in October they're doing the district improvement plan overview. And so I think it would be important to sort of not just copy paste throughout, but in instead call that left column what it is, which is academic student success or something, and then lump everything in and know that we're doing this absenteeism. um presentation know that we're going to hear about everything else that's coming so that our community knows, oh, I I can't come in September, but I want to go in October because there's really something important to me um coming and also that we have on here, you know, it's September 30th. We haven't had a Jefferson dual assignment presentation. We're not going to in September unless someone's going to present to us in the next two and a half hours. And so, we

220have to make sure that this is also accurate of what we're going to do. Um, >> we have that. >> What do we have? >> That Yes. >> What do we have that? >> Oh, and Oh, >> it's in a committee. Okay. >> Okay. So, >> you have to watch it. Yeah. Yeah. Go back and watch. >> Okay. So, um, >> right. And so maybe to the point originally of someone maybe it was your thread underneath of saying that's going to be in TLE so someone knows where to watch it and where to learn about it. And you know, I know we have another conversation coming up about stuff and not everyone can go to all of those meetings, board members aside or community members. So, it's really important to me that we sort of

221take these two columns that frankly in the lefth hand side, district academic improvement plan and excellence and service, they're kind of like fluff and like call them what they are so our community knows what we're working on and then knows when to see it coming. Um, yeah. Also, I I also think it's really important that all of the board participate in the quarterly meetings because board leadership is going to change and Dr. Armstrong f first of all, board leadership changes and so if all of us are there, we can see how it's done. So when it's someone else's turn to be board leadership, there's a continuous flow to it. But also so Dr. Armstrong is hearing thoughts, ideas, concerns, um kudos from everybody. Um so that if somebody like director um um split you're down

222there becomes chair next year and had an issue that didn't get communicated properly or fully at all. It's not a surprise to Dr. Armstrong. And so I I do think it's important that all of us participate in those quarterly meetings to learn to learn from each other to communicate and also prepare for an everchanging everchanging board. Right? That's all >> right. Um we are at past time. Um and need to kind of move the conversation on. Um a couple things I I did here was well actually um next steps. Um it would be helpful for the committees to also create a work plan so that everyone is informed of what is upcoming. That's what I've what I've heard. Um you know as much as possible of course uh we can all follow Director Chase Miller's

223um lead. Thank you. Um, I think we have a lot to work on. So, I think >> we're not going to solve it tonight, but we have um plenty to to to chew on. So, um unless there's any last comments or whatever. Again, there's another thing is you can we can always do I'm going to sorry throw Rosanne under the bus. Um, if there's topics that you would like to add or or suggestions just so that we don't violate meeting laws, email that to Roseanne >> um who can compile a big giant list >> table. >> A table if that's okay. >> And I remain available to help if that would be helpful to thank you so much for putting this together. >> Yes, it's incredible direction to go. Appreciate the input. >> All right.

224Yay. What everyone loves to talk about. Let's talk about money. Um, our next topic for discussion is um I'm like, "Wait, what's left?" >> Stipen. >> It's a three-hour conversation. Uh, so if you know from in our history, uh, uh, school boards in Oregon are paid exactly zero dollars for their volunteer jobs. >> Woohoo. In 2023, uh the in the 2023 legislative session, uh the legislature passed House Bill 2753, uh which allows school boards to provide each board voting board member a sip up to $500 per month and then adjusting for inflation after that. Uh the purpose of this was to increase accessibility for running for the board um so that you know more people can actually do this volunteer work. Um and however soon after the Oregon Ethics Commission uh shot that down because

225you know you can't vote for something for that self-s serves yourself. Uh however there's been a couple workarounds. Um and which we'll I'm going to hand over to our uh Sharon Tonker soon. Uh but just kind of couple reminders. Um if if the board does agree to go with the stipen um also to note that board members do not have to take the full amount. Uh you can decide any amount up to the maximum allowed. Uh individual board members may elect elect to not take a stipen. You can also elect to take a stipen sometimes and then not other times or discontinue. Uh and also really clearly receiving a stipen under the statute does not make a board member an employee of the district. So um >> if somebody didn't want it, they could donate

226it to the fund for PPS. >> There you go. >> Could I uh hand it to uh Chair NRA to to kind of just do a quick overview of the options that we have? Um, short. Uh, it would be helpful if it would be better if I didn't reiterate what I've given you in a privileged memo. So, um, if you all have that handy, I'm happy to answer any questions. It's probably better not to um, go into great detail, but I can hit the three points easily, the three options that are identified future stipens. So, you all could vote for the future board. None of you would benefit from that until you well un your your subsequent people the subsequent members of the board. Um you could vote on separate resolutions for each one of

227you as a as a whole. You declare the conflict. Then if it's a a stipend for um director RTOR, which it can't be, that's why I'm choosing him. Then you all would be voting all se six of you would be voting for the other member after the the um conflict is declared. That's what the OGC has identified as the most um clear way to do it. A third way to that that's not fair. The OGC did not say it was the most clear way. It said it is it is one of the one of the options. They didn't give preference. And then the third way um is after an amendment this from the statutory pro through the statutory process um is that you all vote you declare cont the conflict and you vote on the

228budget in spring essentially and then it will be for next year. It wouldn't be anything for this year. So it's all about relative timing. Future board members that's way to think about it. Future board members none of you all benefit. The second option is kind of one by one. And then the third option is as a whole in the budget declaring your conflict and then you can vote on the budget to clear to be clear if there are any stipens in the budget every year you have to declare that conflict when you vote on the budget because it's in there but that would be an ongoing thing for all future board members. >> Can I ask a clarifying question? >> Is the future board the board that becomes convened two year basically two years from

229now or it's just any a new human comes into the slot? any any new human. So, anybody who has potential pecuniary interest in getting the stipen can't wouldn't wouldn't benefit from it if you voted on that option, the first option. >> But none of us >> since we're continuing. So, next year we couldn't get it even if we voted in. Right. >> On the first option, right, you could not. >> So, only after someone's voted in. >> That's the very long-term strategy. after all seven of you are gone. That's when that one would take effect. >> Yeah. >> Seven of you individuals are gone. >> But that's just for the first strategy, right? The other strategies that does not apply >> exactly. There are there are at least two other ways for the seven of

230you all to appropriately under the OGC rules to vote for a stipend for the existing seven of you. >> Oh, just one. >> Oh, yeah. So quickly asking for a friend by the way in none of these situations does the student representative get paid >> that is abundantly clear you will never benefit from this >> but there are other options that we can explore >> can talk about but anyways >> um >> so I also want to just clarify if for examp if we do the second option which is the resolution we we could be doing a resol we're doing seven separate resolutions but we could have a resolution for the current board member and the future. So for that zone, >> yes. >> And not only that, but it we could also put in

231provision for example that um the that board member it it is allowable up to 500 and it says 27.8 you know as it increases every year. Um but we can put in that provision that they would um uh that they would request that from the board manager which would be Roseanne for how much or if they want to opt out and that way be a private Right. >> I'm sorry I didn't mean to cut you off but that's a good clarification. This will not be an ever >> u present problem. It's the first time you vote on it with the conflict and then from here on out it's it's it's essentially the first option which is you vote everyone who is in zone one will get a stipen for future years. So we won't be

232doing this kind of um unique process every time. >> You can Yes, you can. >> That's option one. Um, but that's the, as I said, the long-term strategy because all seven of you, if that's what you choose to do, all seven of you would have to be off the board. >> Maybe I need another clarifying question. Is it like two years from now, I don't run again? There's a new me. Let's say their name is Mike. Mike gets the stipen, right? Then, or does Mike have to wait till all seven people? Okay. >> I got halfway through my sentence and realized I created that lack of clarity. You were correct. That's what that is the accurate way. >> Yeah. And that's where option one. Option two, >> you could get it next month and then

233if Mike comes in, Mike would also continue to get it >> or has the sorry, has the option to get it as requested from the board manager. >> If you if that's the way you choose to set it up, but I would recommend that that's the way you if you go with option two, that is what you will want to do. That you say zone number, whatever. >> Three, we'll get it. on the name. >> Mhm. Right. >> So, option number one could very very likely leave us in a situation where some board members are getting a stipen and others aren't. >> Yes. >> Not because they're choosing not to take it or take it, but just because simply director split director split has less split has not run again and Mike has come in,

234but director Chase Miller does run again. Mike Mike two doesn't get in, but now director Chase Miller is not getting paid because she's putting in extra long hours in work. But >> Mike, who beat director split or she just retired. >> I didn't run again. >> Yeah, you didn't run again. So, we're Anyway, this is all very um inarticulate way of saying we could find ourselves in a very strange situation where some board members are have an opportunity to get a stipen and others never do. >> No question. Yes, that's the oddity of >> But I would say that we you would we would make that decision. So like >> right we It's not like we we would go into that with eyes wide open that that might be the scenario and so we'd be

235saying we would all be comfortable with Mike getting paid and me not getting paid to go with that strategy. Does that make sense? I think we get to like work that out. >> I've got a question. And so would it be possible to do a hybrid approach where we say once all of us are gone we get everyone's getting paid but until that happens we take a more you you know we take the the looser approach um that that we laid out like is there >> is there is there a possibility we can do like >> both >> I think that's option two if I'm understanding what you mean by the looser approach option two is essentially that flip it it's you decide >> which members get it now. And then >> Oh, God. But

236then after they're gone, >> they they just get it. >> Yeah. >> Got it. >> It's not You're not going to vote for >> Mary Smith to get a stipend. What you're going to vote for is the member representing zone two to get a stipend now and in the future. And the current member for zone 2 has to declare the conflict. Whoever it is, it's not you as individual people. It's the zone member. >> Does that make sense? did it individually individually like that we could all end up getting the stipen. >> Yes. Option two enables you all to choose to vote to get all members who wanted a stipend presumably whenever you vote. Um option three again is back to the temporal version. Option one is longterm whenever everybody moves on, whenever any one

237of you moves on. Option two is you can vote for it now. Now, you've got to declare the conflict. You've got to go through the seven different votes. Option three is you essentially declare the conflict in the budget and it begins next year, next budget year. >> Yeah, you you all still have to declare the conflict, but yes, July. Yes. I'm sorry. I >> No. No. I think she to be clear, I misunderstood. So, I I just to to make sure that we um >> kind of keep on track. Um if if we do decide that we want to do this, we could have a vote as soon as October 14th. >> Yeah. >> Um first, I guess I just want to get direction from the board. How many people how many of us would

238be interested in having a solution about stipens? So, it's basically a yes or no. I'm asking for a yes or no on whether you want siphons or not. >> Can I ask a question before I answer that? Then we can go down the line if you want from there because I'm happy to share my thoughts. Um, do we know like let's say the percentage of districts in Oregon that provide a stipend or anything like that? Has anybody ever done that kind of comp analysis? >> Yeah, we can. >> Rosanne, >> so nobody does. Nobody has a stipend. Rosanne, did you double check this current data? >> As of about six months ago, it was nobody in but let Rosanne answer please. That was a request. >> Yeah, >> most work. >> I did do some

239research and there was a board that initially voted to implement a stipend and then when the conflict came up from the legislature, they rolled it back. And when I talked with OSBA last month, they did not think any district had implemented it yet. Just curious. Um I um I I think that I um I have a few thoughts and like I think I'm going to be really political in my analysis. Shocker. >> Um so I think we all know that given the budget conditions, even if the total amount for all of us to get stipens was less than like $5,000, I'm just making up a number. it would still be a story and still be like an issue. And so I want us all going, we all know that, right? Like going in eyes wide

240open that no matter what, it's gonna we're going to get a lot of grief for it. I admit that like I have this like so I think it would be actually positive that people realize that board members are paid zero >> and that we're paid $500, which is way below minimum wage. >> Yeah. Well, I Yeah, >> also way below what um Los Angeles $125,000 a car and seven staff. >> My political analysis would be that it would be a rough news story for us. So, I just want to put that's my >> 20 years in the biz, guys. I do. That's how I feel. That's what I'm going to put out there. And so, um so I just want us to all go because that's how I feel. I just want to go in

241eyes wide open. I will go with the will of the board. So, if everybody wants to do this, I will vote for whatever strategy you all want to go for. I think my preference from a how much time do I want to spend with people being mad at us because that's what I believe will happen in public places about getting a stipen in a time when there's major budget cuts happening at our schools. um that you know option number one is pretty appealing from that perspective to say we think that in the f like board members should be paid and we're going to take a stand to make sure that that happens and in the future it will but then it it it protects us from having to just get a bunch of grief in

242the meantime. However, saying all of that if the board decides we're down with the grief, let's go let's get our stipen um I'm game to to vote with the majority. So, I'll leave it at that. >> Can I can I just offer some words as an observer? I appreciate and I know I don't have a vote in this or um benefit in any way. Um but but what I will say is 85% of the things that that I do or decide on I know have the potential of being a bomb news story. and I do it anyway because I know and I believe strongly in the work that me and the team are doing on behalf of students. So when I think of these listening sessions, this work plan that you all just talked about.

243I mean, I don't want to influence in any way, but I think about the work plan, I think about how we need you all to be in community listening alongside us or even in replace of us. um the strategic plan, the mission, the vision, like all of the work that will be getting in community and getting in schools so that you can be a primary source of the work that's happening in Portland will require a lot of time and attention. So, I just I I just want to say that you all should know you have a superintendent that are well aware of many things that I bring before you are going to blow up, but I believe that strongly and it being the right work. And I just hope that you all have that mindset,

244too. And I don't think there's any comparable district to us as we're the only urban school district. And I would say that if we're going to look at comparables in terms of board members with stipens or benefits that we're looking at urban school districts across the United States and not Oregon school districts, as lovely as they are, they don't handle and carry the same amount of work that you all do as board members. >> Yeah. I just want to make it really clear that I wasn't trying to say that I don't think we should do bold things because of bad news stories. I was just talking about our statements coming to us personally. Just having seen how things go when legislators vote to increase their own pay. Um, which is nominal and legislators in Oregon

245make like nothing. And even them just making a vote to like have a commission to look at it was hugely controversial. So I'm I'm cool with making bold choices. I just want to make sure we all have eyes wide open and provide an option that could allow us to not be way laid by that conversation at a time when we might want to have others. However, like I said, I'm down to do the bold thing. I just want to make sure that like my position would be like there'd be less of a distraction to do number one. But if we want to do two and three, I'm in. We should do hard things. I don't care about bad news stories. I think I was just in one this week. It's all fine. >> I mean,

246just as a reminder, like, you know, this has been approved by the state legislature and it already and through that approval process has already been, you know, vetted out, you know, with a with a mission and everything. Uh and and so like you know this again it it has already been approved. It has been vetted. Um this is something that they wanted for all school boards but you know unfortunately because of some clerical legal stuff it didn't make it but um but it is passed as as law in Oregon. >> Yeah. So kind of remind you. So here's the thing. This is why like um resolution 2 is appealing to me is because we can state in the resolution that board member can decline if they wish or maybe they may start out with it

247and then you know 3 months later decide that they don't really need it. Um but if everyone claimed the full amount every month uh the budget would be for the first year would be $33,000 about 33,256. Yes. from the general fund. >> What what I will say is that I definitely agree uh with director split. You know, I did watch that ballot measure about the independent commission, you know, and I saw how it kind of got twisted. Um but I do think that the problem with that ballot measure was the messaging around it. Like they, you know, I feel like they kind of let the news do what what they would with it and so the news did what they did and misinterpreted it. And I feel like if we presented a very strong unified

248front, you know, like every single time we are asked this question, we emailed this question, our response is we get we got paid zero. We now get paid below minimum wage and the and the total impact on our budget is minuscule, you know. Yeah. It's like it's such a small percent. if we keep if we stick to our talking points, I do think that we could that we could defeat the the the news cycle. But I do agree that's when when this if this get if we pass a resolution like this, the WAMIT Weekly is going to post an article that says, you know, Portland Public Schools school board votes to give themselves money. You know, >> there's definitely going to be there's definitely going to be an article now. >> Yeah, there going to

249be an article today. So >> why don't we be proactive then and and reach out and say this is on the table and just want you to know. >> Yeah. And please don't post an article saying votes to give them >> not hiding anything here. >> I think this is an important equity measure. If we want to have a board that is truly diverse, um, we need to have people who I mean, I'm assuming that most of us who are on this DAS right now have salaried jobs that give us the flexibility um, to take daytime hours away from our work. Um, and we should have people on the board who make an hourly wage and don't have that flexibility. A stipend would help with that. Um, I am, my family is workingass and being

250on this board cost me money. Um, that's just facts and I signed up for that eyes wide open and it's fine. And um, I know that like the rest of you, um, I give this this role my uh, full attention and the time that it needs. Um, and that time is worth something. Um, even if it is just like to be able to send my kids a pizza because I'm not home again or pay for a babysitter. Um, or put some gas in the car. Um, so I'm in favor of it and I'm in favor of option two. >> Was option two and forgive me. I know we already went over this. It's getting late for between two and three. I didn't I hate to put anybody in a situation where one of us like,

251you know, we're either opting in or we're opting out. Like I feel like we're either all in or not. Is that >> bad? Like I don't want anyone to feel like, you know, they're the one that took the stipen or something like that. I just don't like that. It feels icky. >> Sort of like, you know, the the you know, >> nobody have to vote. >> Yeah. It's just >> so you you >> I think we have to vote. You can as a board with option two vote individ for on each you have to with option two on have a resolution for each individual board member. You can't really force somebody to accept it though. But as a you as a board can all vote for all seven to receive the same stipen. Does that

252is that answering your question? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Someone had mentioned like, you know, oh, we could each, you know, do it individually and then you could decide. And I just felt like that just felt kind of, you know, like weird in the lunchroom, you know, kind of thing. Does that make sense? >> No. Yeah, we wouldn't do that. That I think the suggestion I put in for the resol is is a suggestion is that in the resolution, it could say that the amount you want to receive, you need to um request that from the board manager. So, it would be a one-on-one conversation with the individual board member and the board manager. And therefore, we're not voting for like, yeah, I'm only going to vote 300 for Stephanie here. Um, and no, for you

253just because No, I'm just kidding. Um, because that would be that would be awkward, right? >> Get 100. >> But, you know, I also reminder we're seven board members is overseeing what 44,000 students. No other district in Oregon has that ratio. So, and I I support resolution two because I think it's the it's the cleanest um way we can do it. >> Can I can I say two things just to be 100% accurate while you discuss it? I think um the question was asked the vote. You would still need to vote during the budget cycle every year. I I I think I wanted to clarify you don't have to vote for each resolution individually, but every time the budget comes up, you will need Yeah. option two or three because you are recipients of the

254money in the budget. It's just something you need to declare every time you make that vote. And then the other thing I just wanted to clarify when you were saying Mike when you um I'm sorry when your your hypothetical future board member Mike if you all voted in the option one that it's the future board. So you say it's going to be a future board. If one of you and in my mind I was thinking all seven of you had to be gone. That's actually, as I thought about that, it's actually the future board. If one of you reran, as long as you then, so if you ran again and you were on the future board, not this composition of the board, you could receive it. You'd have to declare the conflict. >> Okay. >>

255So, I I think I made it a little more long-term than it really is by the way I explained it initially. It's not the individual bodies, it's the individual members. And then in a future board state, No, because he couldn't have voted on it. Right. Exactly. >> Except for when Mike votes on the budget. >> Yes. >> And those those are the I did I don't want to have weigh laid you. I just wanted to have been completely accurate about those two things with you all. >> I came. Um, and I and the reason was people who couldn't be on the board otherwise could do it. And I I remember I said, "Well, you know, that much a month is hardly going to put you on the board if you if you can't afford it."

256But they said, "Just like like you said, but it can pay for the babysitter and pay for the gas and have pay for the the dinners." So, >> babysitters, >> the babysitters, all the things you have to do. Yeah. And of course, I wasn't thinking about that because I I don't have to deal with that anymore. But, um, so first I was thinking, no, but then I but you know, I'm fortunate. I don't need it and I wouldn't mind having it. Well, I mean, I could I'd buy and buy something with it, but um I guess I'd vote for number two. I agree. I think we're going to be in in hot water. >> Um any I kind of want to kind of end this before we go to another record long uh board meeting.

257So, um, anybody else have any >> I will just say that while I was sitting here, I had to Venmo >> babysitter and that our community voted in and we're proud of having parents on the board who have insight into the schools. Um, and I mean we we know it comes with costs and we're we're committed and our community sees all of us. I've seen every single one of you at events that are not the board meeting, that are not the work session. You're doing the work. we're all doing the work and it it is important and for future board members to make sure we can recruit everybody from anywhere in Portland. Um, this scratches the surface, but it brings respect, I think, to the work we're doing. So, I like option two. >> All

258right. Sounds like the majority for option two. All right. Thank you. I think we have uh and I think we can bring that forward on the October 14th board meeting. >> All right. Ready for the heat or not heat? Um >> last thing on the follow Ian's excellent Oh, sorry. Student Representative Rorto's excellent advice that we should have >> I think if the student representative says so, we should do it. I'm just saying. >> Um >> I think that about most issues actually. >> Yes, I agree. Um, so next up on the item is uh agenda is future board topics. I just want to kind of share a couple things before we go on and I'll pass it on to to any others who want to add. Um, but I always like to leave the

259space here for us to have a chance to kind of discuss, you know, because it again meeting laws is awkward to kind of but the things that I have heard from our one-on-one conversations from I just want to it's kind of funny because now it's been like a couple weeks and we've gotten to it all. So what I've almost gotten to it all. So things I've heard is the CBSC got to it. Outdoor school got to it. Internal auditor I think that's can that's a topic that was brought up. Um five board member I think that continue to talk about I think audit committee has dealt is dealing or talking about it. Um uh stipen that was we just dealt with it. Uh, last thing that I heard that we haven't dealt with is is

260a question about, you know, um, making available pouches for to helping with the cell phone policy. So, that's that's one topic that was brought up that we haven't dealt with yet. Um, is there any others that people would like to add or bring up? >> Um, I I have one um, provided um, Dr. Armstrong's okay, but I know as we're entering a world where we're going to be looking for pennies under every couch cushion and since we have transportation sort of at the forefront and transportation contracts and transportation conversations. So I would like if it's okay uh to have um sort of a robust discussion and understand more about the transportation programs and the costs that we have looking at um for example just a general conversation on the transportation the cost of afterchool transportation

261through the PIL sports the transportation of kids who are at non- neighborhood schools or at any of the schools and just get an understanding of what we are spending because as I when I looked through it it looks like we're spending a a lot and maybe we don't need to be and so I would love to have that presentation if that's okay. >> Yeah, that would be an amazing topic because I suspect that we'll be bringing something in future months and so uh the sooner we can get into that discussion the better. >> Great. Thank you. >> Looks like we have another topic. >> Thank you for that. Any others? Um just uh if you have I think three people have turned in ideas for audits. Uh Jan Janice is going to start working on

262that on Friday. So if you have ideas for a new audit, please send them to Janice. >> Oh maybe. >> All right. Um we didn't hit our record. So congratulations. Uh with that the meeting is adjourned.