001I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Superintendent Bogen, have there been any changes or additions to the agenda since it was published? >> No changes or additions. >> All right. All those in favor of uh the agenda as presented say I. >> I. >> All right. Thank you. And now we will recess the work session at 6:04 p.m. to enter to a public hearing regarding the budget. Assistant Superintendent Ben Raric and Financial Services Director Kira Aka uh Kira Aker will present. My apologies. After the presentation, we will hear public comment regarding the proposed budget. Each person will have three minutes to read their statement and 15 minutes will be
002reserved for these comments. Uh, assistant Superintendent Raric, it is your floor. >> You hear me? All right. Do you want to sound check? Great. >> Yes. >> Um, all right. So, um, this process started, uh, in February of last year and now we're closing in on, um, a proposal to the board on a budget and now we are in the stages of public hearings. So, as I discussed with the board earlier in the year, my preference is always to do p two public hearings. um one well ahead of the date where the board is being asked to vote um so that all voices can be heard and then we also are publishing uh a hearing on the second date which is the actual date of adoption um and you'll see that in a slide coming
003up um Miss Aker is going to take the the first portion of this presentation I will be interjecting towards the end to talk about um some considerations on um future ballot measures as it pertains to our capital levy and then we'll field all questions. >> And can you see the PowerPoint? I guess we're checking to >> No, not yet. Yeah, >> just give us one minute here. So go to presentation mode on that. Marge this and then Yep. And then expand that. That should pick that. How's that? Yes, >> we have a winner. Okay, >> I think so. >> Um, just one other note before I turn it over to Kira. So, uh, we have we've even in just sort of recapping all the briefings we've done, we realized that there was a a lot
004of content that we created for the board and thought it would be useful for the members to have sort of a compendium of hyperlinks of all of the prior presentations that included the original resolutions, the interfund alone, um, the discussion you had about budget principles, and it's all laid out here. So, if there's data and information that you don't see in this presentation that you were hoping to receive, chances are we're probably going to be able to provide that um by linking back to a previous presentation. And that uh hand it off to Kieran. >> Hey, good evening. So some of these slides you will be familiar you've seen have seen um in in our last presentation but um it really is you know based on um the current budget and the budget that's also
005linked um in board docs um that it will be submitted to the state once approved. Um so here you know as we talked about the the budget is definitely based on um um our revenues are based on enrollment and we did that first line there um for K12 um where we have budgeted a decrease of um 39 or or 40 um K12 students. So you can see that first line of um a budget of 5622. Um and then again that doesn't include our new market students. So we are in uh maxed out at New Market. They are predicting and actually they're in overload right now. Um an increase of uh up to 510. So they're full there at New Market. We've also seen an increase in the running start students. So, we um we um
006increased from our 211, which was the um year-end um FTE average um up to 225 just in case that average continues to go up. And then also based on the increase we saw this year in our AL programs, we um increased that up to 210 from 197, an average of 197 for this year. So again, those numbers didn't change from the last time that I shared them with you, but I think it's important to know um and then that that narrative of, you know, what we're um what our budget is based off of to remember that we have a decrease of 40 FTE. Um, so here with our our staffing, you know, there's been lots of conversation about what the actual reduction of the budget um has been and and um based on what we
007had last year. So um budget to budget um you can see the decrease of um the total staffing of a decrease of 50 at 51 FTE is that first line there with a total of um 29 certificated and 21 classified. The the other the other piece that I wanted to point out that I think you know a lot of work has gone into not just in this budget process but also over the 2425 school year. Um you can see the uh the projections for our total expenditures and this is by object. So you can see the um the decrease in our MSOCS there um budget to actual is about $2.5 million. So, we've done a lot to decrease those extra um those extra costs and those you know capture those costs that we have some
008control over. Um and here's here's a look at each fund and where we're looking at ending um our ending fund balance the activity that this first line here or this first area here is um the 2425 budget and then our second the second area is the um the 2526 proposed budget. So general fund um we are looking at an ending fund balance of between 4.6 and 4.8. 8 million really depends on where we land um at the end of this year, which could be anywhere between a 2.5 or 2.2 and 2.5 million um fund balance for the 2425 school year. Um that will really affect our ending ending year fund balance for 2526. um predicting a decrease in our ASV fund based on some of the conversations that we've had and some of the changes
009in um expense and revenues to their larger fund balances. Um and then um pretty usual um our you know 7.3 uh in debt service and then a decrease in our capital fund. will be working on some projects and using some expenses with drawing down the fund balance by 2 point or to 7.1. Um and then uh I'll share in the next few slides um talking about our TBF some specific there's some specific needs in our TBF and that's why that will be drawn down to 85,000 um at the end of next year. So, the the state has us do an exercise, the F-195F, which is a four-year projection. And I think what's really important to understand in this in this exercise is that it's a projection. It's not a budget. So, we have to make
010a lot of assumptions when we create this four-year fund, this four-year projection. Um, we don't know what our revenues are going to be. we we can project our expenses, but we don't know what the state's going to give us. Um, specifically, it it's just really hard. So, when I created this four-year projection, um, I did it with these assumptions in mind. Our enrollment, we figured we'd have a flat enrollment, and that was based on, um, what the demographer uh, work did. And then also we figured that there's there's a trend um trend data in in the high school level that the demographer just didn't really have as far as where our students we you know we've seen that that drift um into AL um and running start. So I did project a 1% decrease in
01111th and 12th. Um, I figured a 4% increase on um, tax collection and assessed evaluation, a 2% average increase for state funding, which is just an average of our IPD, which we've seen over the last few years. And then our expenses, um, figured just an average 4% increase across the board for everything. Just ease of use to be able to to show what that um, what those expenditures could look like. This is also is if there was no additional reductions by the district. So if we weren't going to intervene at all and do any other reductions, this is what our our fund balance could look like. Hopefully that all makes sense. There's just a lot that goes into this. So um again, this 2526 that is the budget that we've um that we're proposing that's
012part of our preliminary budget for this year. Um, and then those are revenues and expenditures over the next three years based on those assumptions I just shared. So what does that look like for fund balance afterwards? Um, again there's the 2526 4.8 million at um at the end of 2526 and then you see it increase and then start to decrease again. So this is this is really where the levy lid has come into play. This is where we would see a large increase in our levy um collection at the end of so in April of next year that would start the higher um the higher collection um based on the levy lid. So um then as our increase and then as you know the fund balance will start to decrease as our um our expenses
013then compound on themselves and you can see at the end of 2829 we we would dip back down to um 3.1 million again. So, you know, there's a lot of different things to look at with this, but um this is this is a piece that we will um we are required to do by the state. And so those were the assumptions that I made for the four year four-year projection. Okay. So then in our our I just put a few little um slides together about each fund. um our our capital projects, you know, they have lots of projects going on and I went and talked to um to Mel to try to get an idea of of um what types of things that they were working on and it's a lot of HVAC, electrical, painting
014projects. Um he's going after different grants and would really like to do some more solar projects. Um so if those if those grants are received then we will um go after those um additional solar panels and um so he's he's got lots going on over there in capital projects. Um debt service we have four different bonds for for voted bonds that we're paying principal in interest on. um we make two payments a year in our in our actual fund balance uh or in our you know in those what's budgeted that's based on our payments that we have to make. Um and you know the thing to remember is that we're paying off our debts. We're continually, you know, twice a year we make these payments pays off the interest and um and and balance of
015those four voted or voted bonds for past years from I think 10 plus years ago. So here in our ASB fund, you know, we've had lots of discussion. Um there was questions about um you know what our fund balances looked like and um how much money we actually had at each high school um at the end of 2425. Um these are projected because we we were still having um payments come in or um revenues have pretty much been collected but we we did still have expenses coming in. Um so you can see those those larger fund balances that have made up that collective um 9 million. We do have have balances at at some of the elementary schools, but you know, they and they add up to be um you know, a little bit more
016to that 9 million, but this is really the the bulk of our um of our balances. So, you know, in the in our proposed budget where we've talked about aligning revenues and expenses, those school fund balances, those will decline. Um, but it's not something that's set in stone. You know, I really want to work with each one of the um athletic directors to um find that happy balance. Um, at least within athletics, there's lots of other areas of the um the ASB budgets as well. um a lot of other things that that um we pay for with clubs and um just general activities for our um um for what's going on in the school. So um I really don't I won't I I don't believe we'll see a huge shift in um the middle schools
017because about 30% of um of their athletic participation actually went into their fund balance. So, um, you know, the the shift is will we'll be seen more at the high schools and what that looks like just yet. We're not sure, but um I want to, you know, spend um spend a lot of time finding that with them and finding that happy medium. And again, then in our transportation vehicle fund, um chatting with Dena about what her needs, her fleet needs are, she's has, um we just received three large buses. Um those are currently in the yard and getting ready for um students in the next few weeks. Um and then we're waiting on one large bus and two smaller buses that have been ordered but they're in transit. And then we plan on using our
018fund balance to order um three new sped buses which have just reached their end of life and need to be replaced with the the new um for the depreciation and the our inventory in TVF. And this was just something this is something I I have to share if the state wants me to share with this but I really think that this is fascinating. Um so this is just basic ed um this this is comparing um our our basic ed which includes CTE and the skill center um regular instruction. So, um, some it does in include some of our district-wide um you know, program 9700, but it's all um state state funded. So, um on the the budget that is proposed, we we're receiving 10.5 million in MSOcks and then um we budgeted our budget expenditures
019for that is actually 15.3. So, um 4.8 we're underfunded 4.8 8 million in our basic ed budget. And as you know, if we've already um decreased by two and a half million um with all of our Mox, you know, we're really um we're not overbudgeted. We're we've worked um to decrease a lot of those expenses. And so the fact that we're still 4.8 um underfunded is um is very telling. So, and I think that I'm going to turn it over to Mr. for Rick now and he's going to talk to you about levy planning. >> Hello board members. So a little bit of a shift asking you to think sort of uh big picture long term here. There's two slides on the future of sort of planning about ballot measures for the Tom Water School
020District and what the future may hold. Um and this first slide sort of depicts a a green, red, blue combination in your bar charts. hoping you're seeing that. Um, those three are stacked to basically depict what the district's historic tax rate has been. And the one thing I want you to notice is that as you move from left to right, which is moving kind of forward in time, each uh each bar in the chart is labeled by year. You're going to see that the blue greatly diminishes. Can I get a nod to see that people are seeing that? Okay. So, what that means is that's sort of referring back to what Kira was educating you about earlier that the district makes these debt service payments every year and it's sort of like a family paying
021on their mortgage and eventually you pay off mortgages, right? So, I think Kira mentioned that we had four active bond payments that we're making. Well, what's happening in the next few years is we're starting to uh pay some of those off. And as we pay them off, um, our our debt service obligation starts to dwindle over the years. Does that make sense? Okay, great. So, as that happens, that's the time you want to be planning for your next ballot measure. That's how this work works because you want to keep your tax rate constant. And so, um, that is sort of the leadin to the next slide, which is that, um, strictly speaking, you're not really voting on this when you vote on the budget, but it is related. So, I wanted to educate the board.
022Um, part of what we're trying to do is kind of a short-term and a long-term um, planning. The short term is is that our uh capital levy is expiring and that's what you see on the top row there capital technology levy and that calendar year 2026 this upcoming candle calendar year is the last year that we have authorized for collections. So, we will need to go to the voters in February, this coming February, February 2026, to seek authorization to renew uh our capital and technology levy. So, you'll start to hear a lot more about that in the fall when we start talking about specific projects and, you know, what what the dollars would be used for, etc. But from a from a planning perspective, there's two things that I want you to think about here.
023One is that it's happening very very soon. The second is that we're actually considering going out for a lengthy capital and tech levy for the following reason. You can see how it lines up with the EPO levy. So this district has a relatively fresh EPO levy. It was approved I believe two years ago and it for collections ending in calendar year 2028. So, we would have to go out to the voters in 2028 to seek authorization for 2029. What you're trying to do here is get all of these in sync on a calendar so that when you go to the voters, if possible, you can go for multiple measures that you don't go out onesies, twzies, and increase the number of times you go to the voters. So, under this plan, we would go to
024the voters in February of 2028 for a renewal of an M uh uh EPNO, like your maintenance and operations levy, as well as a possible bond, which I think the superintendent intends to talk about it in greater depth as time goes. There's still a good deal ways off. And then if we go out for a five-year capital and tech levy, conceivably both of our levies would come up for renewal at the same time. And that's sort of what you want to do is put those things in sync. Um, so that in I know it seems like light years ahead, but in February of 2032, you would be going out at the same time for multiple measures. Okay, I think it's back to you. So, this this last slide is just a um it's an appendix
025an appendex for our four-year uh projection and and it it has those assumptions built in to where I was mentioning um that flat enrollment um I don't need to read off all of the numbers. You can look at that and if you have questions about it, I'm happy to answer those. But um again, it's just based off of um the revenues are based off of this enrollment for the 4-year projection. And that staff, as you can see, we wouldn't have made any um any initial or any cuts. There wouldn't be this I just I decreased and um adjusted some of those numbers just that would just be based on retirements and attrition. So that is our presentation for um this evening and then at this point I don't know if if there's questions or >>
026Becky yesterday. >> Okay. >> Any questions? Uh Ty or Melissa and take a minute if you need to process. I get it. There's a lot there. So yeah, go ahead. Did you have >> I I wrote one down as we were going through the the um ending fund balance or the expected you know beginning fund balance for next year. Does that include the inner fund loan? >> No, it does not. >> Okay. I need to click through all of it. There any additional questions? >> Ty, any questions? >> Uh, yeah. I've said this before, but I just I like to reiterate it um just so people that watch this later on uh understand it. But um the capital um the capital fund is untouchable to the general fund. you can't move. I mean, that's where
027we took the loan from, but people might think, you know, they see these projects that you're outlining like HVAC projects and painting and, you know, you drive by the high school and you see fencing and you see a new roof. Um, lots of big expenses there. Um, I hear from time to time on people, well, if they can afford all that, you know, why are we having a $5 million budget crisis or whatever they're saying? Um, I just like to reiterate that that's that's not the case. They're completely separate buckets. It's illegal to to use those funds uh if they're not the way they're supposed to be used. >> Yes, absolutely. Um, you know, our capital fund is is used um to to better the district and they're very specific ways that we have to
028use those funds. Um and we have gone through the process for the inner fund loan which will be paid back. Um and um yes >> I I did have someone ask me recently since we took out an inner fund loan for um was it 4 million? >> It was 3.6 >> 3.6 million. Um does that affect our ability to do anything with our capital budget? I know we have more money than that obviously in it, but there's no negative impact on our capital fund um by borrowing that 3.6 million. >> That is correct. Yeah, we've still had the um the available funds to complete all of the projects that we had slated for um this year and next year. Um we still have the um I believe it was going to be 12 mill or
0297.1 million at the end of next year. Um and that's that's without um factoring in an inter fund loan. So that would be um you know for next for in the fall when we need to do another um another loan. So that's you know we still have enough in cash flow in capital to complete what we need to complete. >> Thank you. >> Of course. >> Thanks. Uh Carrie, yeah, I kind of have a question or just maybe you can clarify. Uh it's in the four-year projection uh section there on the ending fund balance and I didn't quite get the the line item descriptions there and what that meant going across more so I'm curious as to why 2829 is is such a drop off there, but can you kind of explain that to me
030again here please? Um yeah. So, so the 2627 um is is higher at 6 million because of the um additional levy collection that we'll have in April. That's when um the the higher rate would come into play. um if we were to um collect the funds that um has been allowed by the legislature um to collect the funds that the um that the community has voted for um we haven't been able to to collect the full amount because of the the cap um based you know through the legislature. So the April of would be the full collection and that's why that's that would be the you know the revenues would be higher that year. Um as you know our our expenses and that 4% expenditure increase that that would become comp compounding on itself. So
031you'd start to see even though so revenue spiked and then they would start to level off our expenditures continue to increase. So that's why you start to see the fund balance creep back down in 2728 and then 2829. Um so that that that's why that looks a little bit different. Does that make sense? >> Yeah. So the bottom one is what we're projecting based on that four-year kind of guesstimation of what we have today. >> Um that's what it looks like there. The one above that the 8.91 minimum fund balance policy. So what is that then? Is that what it should be the percentage um of what the policy reads or explain to me that line. Okay. >> Yes. So that should be the 6% 6% of expenditures for that projection for that projected year.
032>> Okay. So then that's that kind of drives my question. Why does it drop so far off in 2829? Is that because we can't project certain costs out that far or? >> Yeah. So that would be fund balance. we would have fund balance in both our um in inventory and prepaid and then also our skill center. So the two you know the 800,000 the difference of the 800,000 would be that 5.2 million and 4.9 million in 2728. So that's just basically what we have in fund balance. >> That's that's the right >> he's thinking that's the 6% that's just >> right. It's not I'm sorry. It's not >> not the 6%. It's what's left from there. That's exactly it. >> But because of the total fund balance. >> Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate that. >>
033Of course. >> All right. Any other questions? >> Okay. Thank you, Ben. Thank you, Kira. Kevin. Uh we move to public comment now. Yeah, I believe Becky um is ready to um facilitate that. I think we have at least one one person that is wanting to speak. >> Yeah, >> go ahead. >> If um whoever would like to speak could just raise their hand and then I can um promote you to panelists um in the order that I see you raise your hand. Okay, first we have Carrie Hoon. >> And Carrie, you'll have three minutes. Just let me know when you're ready to start. >> Sure. So my there we go. Um okay car I'm Carrie Hoon. I'm a parent of a Tumbwater student. Um I have kids in the background. So if you hear
034noises and a dog that's what they are. Um so I have two questions. First I wanted to make sure that funding for the Together Community Schools and the Grub Fresh programs were included in the proposed budget. Um, and the second question is, um, I heard that the new budget anticipates a reduction of 51 staff, and I wanted to just check and see if those are future reductions expected in the next school year, or if those have already been implemented at the end of the last school year. Um, so first, I just want to speak out in favor of funding for the Together Community Schools program. I was at the February board meeting where they did their halfyear um, presentation. So, um I know from that that they've told this board and the board has heard
035from school um employees and staff that have spoken to the life sustaining services that they provide to students to make sure that they can show up and learn. Um as the board heard in February, they provide wraparound services to students experiencing homelessness. Um they collaborate with counselors and staff, including to students who are experiencing domestic violence in their homes. Um they work with students, families, and staff to make sure that they can attend and show up and be ready to learn. Um the Cascadia principal described them as being vital in improving students attendance. A Peter G counselor said that their absence would be catastrophic for students. Um in short, we should be funding this program. Um next, I wanted to speak out and just uh maybe reiterate comments that other students have already made in
036favor of funding for the GrubFresh program. I don't know whether that's in the proposed budget, but I'm interested to know that. I'm unfamiliar with it because they're down they the the farm is down the street from me. We walk there regularly and I just want to say that, you know, I think it's a program aimed at supporting engagement and enrichment for young people who are at risk of leaving our schools um at risk of being shailed by them. Um it contributes to learning uh and also you know brings healthy food into our community just like athletics and music are important to other students. Um you know that program is important to those students. So I wanted to you know speak out in favor of that program. Thank you. Thank you, Carrie. >> Becky, are there
037any other public comments? >> We have one more. We have DJ Bry, so let me promote him really quick. And DJ, just let me know when you're ready to start. You'll have three minutes. >> Okay. Thank you. Can you hear me? Okay. >> Yep. >> Thank you. My name is DJ Bryimer. I'm the president of the Tomwater Education Association. And I just want to support what Carrie was saying about the Together program. Um Tomwater Community Schools is currently supporting um many students in the district. And looking at the data that was put forth in the strategic plan um that came out, don't know if you can see that or not. Um, of our 6370 students, we have about 36.2% that are lowinccome and our educators across the district, specifically school counselors at every level, but
038also um, classroom teachers and folks from our sped groups. We see the dividends from Tomwater Community Schools on a regular basis. Listen, I hear from staff in the association all the time about what a difference Tomwater Community Schools makes. Um, we all know that Tomwater Community Schools already provides basic needs. They keep kids fed, housed, clothed. They make sure that um those basic need needs are met. And um we had association members from Tomar EA who were on um the developing groups for the strategic plan and part of that collaboration. So when I look at that plan and I you know looking at the portrait of a tomato graduate everything from critical thinker to curious and creative innovator responsible and empathetic community member and so on. Um we have students in our population among that
03936.2% 2% who won't be able to meet those um the portrait snapshot if their basic needs aren't being met. My hope is that the district continues funding um to water community schools as a priority and continues that commitment. Tom Water Education Association has done that historically. Um we have provided uh grants and funding donations to Tom Water Community Schools on a regular basis. We have we put together golf teams that um participate in the four kids golf tournament to help with fundraising as well. And so we really do become like family with our students in the classroom. Um we're on the front lines in water schools communicating with parents on a regular basis and we hear from parents and students all the time about the needs that they have and the needs are great. We
040all know that times are tough in this economy. Um, I understand and the association understands that there's economic pressure on the district right now and you've got tough decisions you've had to make as um, a board of directors, but really and truly that money goes a long way. Tomwater Community Schools um, facilitators that are embedded within the schools, they're very frugal. They're really good at spending the money effectively. So they're not, you know, they can go out and and make sure that any expenses that they're um utilizing, like whether they're buying batches of coats or they're partnering with the food bank to be bringing in food and making connections. Um it'll also help. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> Thank you, DJ. Becky, any other public comment? No, that was it. >> Okay. With no
041further business coming before the board, the work session is convened and adjourned at 6:41 p.m. >> Taylor, would you like would you like just a a couple responses to >> Yeah. Can we answer can we answer those questions? >> Uh, so we don't normally answer public comment questions. >> This this is a public hearing. This is a public hearing. It's not public comment. >> Yeah, it's a little bit different. >> Yeah. >> And so, yes. So, let me I know Ben and Kira maybe wanted to to answer a couple of those um if if they captured a little bit. Let me start just a little bit on on fresh. And um I do I do want to acknowledge that group um who came. They testified to the board. They sent a lot of correspondents to
042this group and to myself and to the and and really this was never that reduction was never about the support of the fresh scrub program and it really was around one of the board guiding principles as we were developing this budget was around ensuring that we could like long-term sustain programs and so that was one of the factors that we looked at and that was one program it wasn't about the value was around the long-term financial sustainability of that program and so it is one of those things that I'd It is it is not included in this budget. It is one of those things that it and but it is that position was moved back to the high school. They're doing it um on site with uh within the um greenhouse and some of the
043aspects that they have there. So it obviously is not quite the same program. Um we are you know have promised to re-engage around can we create a sustainable long-term sustainable program in partnership with others. Um we know that there's success in a program like this. um if you go across to some of our neighboring districts. So, it is one of those things I would say it's it's suspended at this time um as we are in a really tight financial times and really looking at projects, programs, things that we could sustain over time. And so, that one again was one that is not included. I'll let them comment on together. I think it is included in this budget is a slight reduction. Um and we know the value of together and that program. I know our
044principles as we went through this process um were requesting an expansion of together, not not reductions. And so um again I can let Cara or Ben talk about the specific dollar amount. And then the lastly I'll talk just you I know there's budget um you talk you saw the staffing reductions those reductions that are included and were talked about in this have been already realized in the process that we went through last year and we will be talking about kind of long-term sustainability as we look at um making sure that we can pay our bills and getting out of um really the pretty significant hole that we're in. So there may be further reductions. that was not what was referenced in there. So, the 51 positions is what was reduced um as we went through
045last year, that whole process. And as we enter our open our doors this year, you're going to see it with less staff um and at the district office, at support services, and throughout our schools. Kira, Ben, I don't know anyone else. Is there other questions that I maybe missed through that? >> I think you covered most of those. They um as far as the together uh contract goes, it is in the budget. Um we have sat down and talked to them about their fees um and um we did agree on a 10% um decrease to their fees. So it's a savings of um 30,000 um and their uh their services will stay the same, but they are taking a $30,000 um decrease in their their contract. So, um, and that is referenced and and reflected
046in the in the, um, in the budget that we're looking at. So, >> and I Kevin, I think you've covered her other questions. I think >> I wouldn't have anything to add. >> I have a question. Um, DJ kept saying Tomwater Community Schools, but he meant together, correct? Just so we're all clear. Yeah, in in Twater it's it's referenced as Tom Twater Community Schools. So Together is a more broader regional um organization that funds lots of different programs. Um also they do um some housing different things. So yeah, the broader name is Together, but Tumbwater Community Schools is the program specifically of counselors embedded in our schools. So that is the name of the program here in Tum Water. >> Okay. So, can you call it either then just so people aren't confused? Because when
047we when we pay the the invoice or the contract, we're paying together. We're not paying Tumblr water community schools. >> Good point. Um, yes. So, I think we do. They're sort of interchangeable, but together is um I think how most of us reference it. I don't Is your request that we do sort of make sure that folks know that both of those are meaning the same thing? Yeah, I just I just didn't want to avoid any confusion um when people are talking about together or tone water schools. I I I get it now what what the difference is, but um >> yeah, >> there there's no this is to Kier and Ben. Is there there's no line item in there that says together or Tom Community Schools in the F uh 195, right? >> No.
048>> Okay. So, I mean it falls under >> purchase. Is it like purchase services or something like that? >> It's community services or purchase contracts. Yeah, exactly. >> Yeah, under the 7,000 series. >> Okay. >> When >> So, yeah. Go ahead, Ty. I was just going to say when when you said a 10% reduction in fees um I certainly understand what that means, but does the budget for what they're providing the students I know you said their service level is not changing. So they still have the same budget for what they're doing in our school district. We just negotiated down some some fees that are involved in the contract. >> Yes. So we pay for their services um and the services are outlined in their contract that we've and and we the services will receive
049the same in this next contract but they are taking a 10% decrease in in what they charge us. So their their expenses are the same but we are being charged less 10% less. So, I guess what I'm getting at is the students in our district are not going to see a 10% drop in service. >> Correct. >> Thank you. >> And that really is just that the you know that that's a group that will continue to fund raise, do grants. Um they do have some ability you know that the school district doesn't as a 501c3 nonprofit are able to do some things and and access resources that we're not able to. And so, you know, we we definitely um we get well more services from together from that program than if we were trying to
050replace it ourselves. Um that cost would be pretty significant >> on the uh Kevin on the 51 positions >> Mhm. >> at the end of the day or or at the end of the school year here as we move into the next school year, how many of those were of natural attrition compared to just let go? Um, I don't know if Becky, if Wendy is on here, maybe Wendy would be the best to answer that question because I think I have an answer to this, but I think um Wendy would probably be a little bit more accurate than I am. >> Can you Can you find Wendy? And >> I can answer the question. >> Okay, >> you can start answering it. >> Yeah, we were just talking We were just talking about this 20
051minutes ago, so >> Okay. Yeah, I don't know if Wendy's on there to to be put in. So, >> yeah. So, Oh, there she is. >> Okay, I'll let the two of you take that one. Okay. Well, I'll do a How about this? I'll I'll do the introduction. What do you >> Yep. Sounds good. >> Uh amazing that you would ask this question because I know we were just rehearsing our answer to this question. I think it's actually a really good thing for our community to know. Um because people >> interchange the terms people and positions like we cut 50 people or we cut 50 positions and it's a radically different meaning. And there's a good story to tell here, which is that what you're seeing in the chart, uh, and let's not pull it
052back up, but you remember that it showed I think a a net difference of, I think it was 52, uh, was it 52, 53, >> 51. >> Okay. Um, that's the number of positions that were reduced in the budget. But what happened um, and this is where, you know, uh, Mr. Bramley's leadership came through is that really the number of actual people that separated from our organization is far far far less than that because what happened was most of that was captured through attrition retirements variety of things. So, and this is where I'll I'll tap in, Miss Bramley. Um, but there were certain employee groups that where we literally lost nobody. >> Um, but we we reduced a lot of positions, but didn't actually separate from any of the human beings that are working with
053us. They might be in a different location. They might have a slightly different role. So, I don't know, Wendy, if you want to take it from there. >> Yeah, thank you. Uh, I I appreciate the question. Uh, I'll just kind of take it group by group. In our um PSSE group, the the majority of the uh the layoffs had been with our bus aids and um there are a few of those bus aids that have gone on to now pursue their CDLs and become bus drivers with us. I think gaining that confidence of being a bus aid um or some have you know we've had a parah moved to a para positions that that kind of thing um with in our topa all of our office professionals um have either found another position um fortunately
054everybody was either you know reshuffled into other positions or um we had a couple in the end that um were able to find uh other work and so we had nobody that is unemployed in that group. Um all our paras, every single one of our paras was rehired into um into another position. There was some involuntary transfers through that. Um not many. I think we ended up with five um which was was really great. Uh and then we are now in the process of hiring back our one-year only people that had only one year with us that uh that was, you know, they didn't expect to be coming back. And now we're being able to actually hire them back into um some one-on-one positions that are posted. With our teaching group, um we had um
055I was just looking at the numbers. We had seven part-time teachers that were non-renewed. And the nonrenewal is the we we did not lay anybody off. We non-renewed. So I I want to be clear with the public on that because there's a difference between um laying off somebody and a non-renewed. We did not go into a riffs a reduction in force. We went through a process where the uh the under state law when a an employee is in the first three years of their teaching career, they're considered a provisional. They're in a provisional status or the first year they come to you in with a Washington license from anywhere else and they come to your district, they're a provisional. So, uh we were able to uh not actually do the reduction in force. We did
056lay off our uh excuse me, non-renewed um seven part-time teachers and I know that um I've been getting while I haven't tracked all of those teachers, we're getting the uh the requests for their files and stuff from other districts. So, we do know that some of those people have been um getting other work. We have also uh which you've probably seen on the board report as they keep coming through as adjusted. Um, so when you see on the the report is adjusted, those are our teachers and well our certificated staff because we had counselor uh a couple of counselors in there. The both of our counselors that were um non-renewed do have positions for this year. Um several of our teachers um were able to come back into our system uh as as you know
057teachers again for us. So, uh, we have just a couple that I am not aware of yet. Um, we are still in the hiring season. I I just heard that one of our teachers that was non-renewed with us, um, just yesterday got a teaching position um, with an with an area district. So, we're still in the hiring season. Um, our hope is that all of our fabulous people that were non-renewed do continue to find work. I'll just add we had, you know, some admin um kind of district level um admin, building level admin. I think all of those individuals have um like we didn't get to bring them back um with openings, but they all um found other work in other districts uh kind of spread across the state from Seattle down um kind of
058across the region. So all I believe all of those folks got additional jobs. >> Yeah. Was any else anything else on that? >> Anything else, Ty? >> No, that's great. I I think that's a good story to tell so people understand the difference between positions and people and and at the end of the day, what really happened. So, >> yeah. And we did lose some people out of this. I know that story is is positive, but we know that there were some people still impacted us. And I I think that has been hard for all of us throughout this last year. Okay. Uh any other questions from anyone? All right. I did want to add I was I was very encouraged to see the support for the together program and and the creativity that the
059district came up with in outsourcing that service and those uh positions. Um and I'm glad to see that everyone supports that. So um hopefully we can we can do more of that as well too in the future. So okay bring up my script here. Sorry folks. So, with no further business coming before the board, the work session is reconvened and adjourned at 6:56 p.m. Thank you. >> Thanks. Thanks, everyone.