May 26, 2026: HCSD School Board Workshop

001What are you doing? Hey, are I found you. Good afternoon. I would like to call this workshop to order at 2 PM. We'll start with our presentations. Item number 126-3821, presentation of the ABC Institute apprenticeship training program. Welcome. Thanks for joining us. If you guys could introduce yourself for the record when you start. Thank you. >> Good afternoon. My name is Radia Dent and I'm the director of adult and technical education uh for Wilton Simpson Technical College. >> I'm Peter Digga. I'm the president and CEO of the ABC Institute. >> And Karen Hoffman, Key Innovative Solutions. Great to see you all. >> Thank you. >> All right. Good afternoon, school board members and Mr. Pender. Um, we wanted to talk a little bit today about the ABC apprenticeship and the partnership with Wilton Simpson Technical

002College. So, apprenticeships provide our adult students an opportunity to maintain a job, you know, depending on their personal and professional needs while also learning the academic portion of whatever trade that they are interested in. Um, and the way it's set up is that they have it's a 2,000 hour on the job training program and that's broken into 144 class hours. And the thing that makes apprenticeship unique is that the focus is more so on the training, the doing piece as opposed to spending more time on the academics. Also as a part of apprenticeship um all of the apprentices are sponsored by an employer. So they are earning a wage while they are doing their academics. Also as a part of the program students earn industry certifications like OSHA 10 or other certifications that are related

003to the construction trade that they are studying. Um some of them might be electrical, plumbing, HVAC. Again, they are trades that are right now very much on the cusp um particularly for our region based on our targeted occupations list. And so with that, um I want to introduce Mr. Digga again to kind of go into a little more about ABC. And one of the things that I think is very interesting is that they are currently the largest apprenticeship body in the state of Florida. So again, thank you. >> All right. Thank you, honorable members. And Mr. Superman, >> if you can Yeah. Thank you for having me. >> Oh, yeah. That's much better, huh? Thank you for having me. I'm gonna Let's see. Do Can I >> Yes. >> So, we wanted to just briefly

004talk a little bit about who we are at the uh Associated Builders and Contractors Institute. We are a 51-year-old 501c3 organization. We are Florida's largest single provider of apprenticeship education. Uh we're also affiliated with a national organization and the largest commercial contractor organization in Florida which is uh assoc and our chapter is associated builders and contractors Florida East Coast chapter because apprenticeship is tied um to employment. The most successful programs are usually those that are have ties to industry. So, as a trade organization, we have we have alone at our chapter over 600 uh general and trade contractors that employ apprentices and that's just one chapter out of five in Florida and 67 in the country. So, what is apprenticeship? So, apprenticeship is a post-secary education model defined in Florida statutes. Uh apprenticeship programs are

005registered with the US Department of Labor and the Florida Department of Education. They required related technical instruction and 2,000 hours per year of on the job training credits supervised by a journey person uh in their trade. So student tuition free by law in the state of Florida. So students cannot be asked to pay a dime. We do charge the contractors. That's not required by law, but our program has done that for a number of years. We find we have a much more vested uh interest when the companies actually have some skin in the game because we require them to report the OJT hours and if a student's missing class, if we don't have a really vested partner, it doesn't work as well. So, we we do charge the contractors a fee. Um 100% job placement.

006This is a very critical because apprenticeship is not a jobs program in the sense you can't be an apprentice unless you're working in the trade. So the number one thing we have to do when someone wants to become an apprentice is find them the the job first which is why the ties to industry is so important for successful apprenticeship programs. They might even leave a program or a job might be complete and instead of losing them which if we didn't have the ties to industry we can get them placed with another employer and that way we retain them in the industry. So and the other interesting thing people are not aware of but there are progressive pay increases per semester in apprentichip education. So if they're not making a certain minimum amount uh certain percentage

007of the prevailing wage in the participating employers in that program uh they're required to get pay increases as each semester. It's a great great post-secary education model. So why apprenticeship? Uh the majority of jobs uh do not require a traditional bachelor's degree. Uh apprenticeships follow job demand as I said. So this 100% job placement. Um, a graduate journeyman makes more on average than a graduate from a traditional 4-year program and there's no student debt and lifelong learning. We have metriculation agreements with various colleges uh in the state of Florida so that if someone who graduates as a journeyman some some path down the road wants to become an estimator or a project manager at their company, they've they've got a number of 27 credits towards an associates degree. So, we're proud of that aspect as

008well. Our partnership um for the 2627 academic year, we will be providing apprenticeship education in nine different trades. Electrical, line erector, plumbing, HVAC, fire sprinkler, pipe fitting, roofing, welding, and form carpentry. And we'll be doing that at seven different campuses. Uh two flagship campuses are being our 24,000t facility in Hyia and a 15,000t facility in Coconut Creek, Florida. So, our partnership continued as a pass through local education agency. All related services will be provided by the ABC Institute, but Hernando County Public School District will retain approximately $484 per student to reinvest in your own workforce development programs. And with over 800 students alone and growing, the ABC Institute should be able to generate approximately $400,000 a year for the Hernando County School District >> to start. and we're growing. I think that's it. That was

009my presentation unless there's any questions. >> Thank you, Ford. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Johnson. >> So, I I want to throw out the partnership. It cost us You're going to pay us how much per student? >> This this you approximately by by law that was passed recently, you get 10% of the total funding that's available as a pass through. And that I estimate that to be a little under $500. >> Okay. And that's where the 400,000 comes from. >> Times eight. >> And when you say pass through, are you talking about college uh kids that have graduated high school or we're talking about high school students? >> Uh no, these would be apprentices that are enrolled in our program. And basically, we're the partnership is us sending the student count through you all to

010the Department of Education. So it's a pass through in a sense of you're not providing any services. The ABC Institute is the registered apprentichip program and we provide the instructors are on our payroll and the facilities and the curriculum and the so basically we just submit the count through Hernando uh Hernando County and then you draw down the money and you reimburse us. >> So Mrs. Dr. I'm sorry you're sitting here so I assume this is going to be done at W Simpson Technical. So, we are in partnership as their local education agency. Currently, we don't have a branch of the apprenticeship here, but certainly that can be an option as it continues to grow, but right now we're functioning in partnership with them as their education agency. >> Okay. So, if a student from

011Hernando County got involved with this partnership currently, where would they have to go for the education? If there's someone in Hernando County that wanted to be an apprentice, we have a chapter in Tampa that covers this area. So, we could connect them with the Tampa chapter. >> Thank you. >> In terms of employment and the enrollment program. >> So, you don't have any local partners right now that they could do apprenticeships with you. They would have to go to Tampa. >> If Yes. If they wanted to enroll in an apprenticeship program, Tampa would be the closest place. >> Do you have any >> for now? >> That's what I was Yeah. Are you aspiring to try to get local? >> Well, one of the beautiful things about uh us is we're very nimble. So, we

012we're constantly if we if we can find an employer, for example, that's willing to do what we call in-house, we can start tomorrow a program there. The challenge about apprenticeship though is because it's related to employment. If you don't have and you know there's economies of scale, so a class doesn't really make sense unless you can get 20 or 25 students. So, if you don't have an employer that has at least 20 or 25 in a given trade, electrical, plumbing, or whatever, it's difficult. It's it's it's a difficult thing to do in more rural counties because of the economies of scale, if you will. So, but if we can find an employer that's willing to like do what we call in-house, we could be doing it here, you know, right away. So, but to the

013point, the real partnership here is the state law requires in order to fund apprenticeship for providers like us to work through a local education agency, which is a public college, university or school district. >> So, would it be aligned? It would be with our state CTE standard. >> Yes. Yeah. They have for each of the for each of the programs or the different trades, they have standards for their apprenticeship that they've established that speaks to the academics and curriculum that they'll study. >> And in electrical, they have to pass a journeyman's exam. >> And then >> so what they're learning is is the theory behind it. So they can take that test. But how many students would you have to have uh at a local uh employer to to make to start to work this?

014We generally like to have a class of 20 or 25 to make the paying for that instructor full-time. >> And how are we marketing to get these students? >> So we we want to be very cautious about it. So we want to take this first step and make sure that it's something that you know is blessed by the school board. And then we would do what we normally do with marketing. we would reach out to our industry partners um include them in our schoolwide and program advisory to then begin that relationship to build and find potential sp sponsoring employers. >> Okay, Miss Rodriguez. >> Um what is our liability protection in the insurance on the student? We provide a certificate of insurance for li for liability and and whatever is required by you >> as

015far as when they're in your care >> and again the these are going to be in care in our facilities and other parts of the state. I want to be clear what we're really talking about today. The partnership is a financial partnership. >> It's it's running student count through the district and you all getting to keep 10% to invest in your own programs. That's in essence what we're talking about today. Do you find that the programs can become difficult to maintain? How does that look across? >> No, I mean we're growing. Again, we're the single largest provider of apprentichip in the state of Florida. We've been doing it for 51 years. Um, we do this well. We do placement well. Um, our biggest challenge is, you know, finding those entry level people to get them

016employed initially, you know, in the industry >> completion and placement rates. We have about an uh right now about a 90% retention rate year-to-year which is very high in apprenticeship education. So uh so probably about 70% over the course of a three or four year program. >> And then what's the cost for the employer to be part of your program? >> It varies for us. So we have a member and a non-member rate. So in other words, our members who help they've helped us invest you know in all the facilities and everything we do. So they get a reduced rate. And then we also have a sliding scale depending on the number of enroles. So it's one price for the first five. It's about 50% off for and and the the top price is around

017$1,000 give or take. So it's very affordable even for the contractors. Um but then for the next five from 6 to 10, it's 50% of that. And then for ABC members, if you have 11 or more apprentices enrolled, it's a flat $385 fee. It's very affordable. >> Okay. Miss Bud Punick, >> I just had one question. I just understand make sure I'm understanding right now if we say okay just we're all saying okay right you would actually start running students through even if they weren't our students correct >> correct >> giving us >> correct >> this amount of money >> correct >> okay that's all I need to know thank you >> superintendent Bender >> yeah I just wanted to make sure that that was clear that this is like Dr. said it's a two-step

018process. The first step is developing that partnership. We're the LEA or the pass through. They enroll students. They have students enrolled now. We would calculate them in our FTE. We would send that to the state. We would get them money and then we would pass 90% of it back to ABC. We would keep 10% of it. And then we have the ability to look at those partnerships and those apprenticeships um and grow it here. But in the meantime, we're getting additional revenue for our school. >> What are in the meantime? What do we do for >> the transportation? >> There's no transportation >> for the students. How are they going to do the program? >> Our our students are adults and they're working on the on jobs right now. >> From here though, we they're

019going to Tampa. >> They're adults. They're not children. >> Yeah. They're adults. >> They have to provide their own transportation. >> So, it has nothing to do with any of our seniors. And I just want to make sure that you're clear that we're not doing any of that beginning like in August. We're not dealing we're not our students won't be involved with this our ne I mean necessarily they could be >> but we're not targeting that at the beginning. >> It's the relationship and the partnership and then we try to grow those. And I did have one question other than that but I just wanted to make sure that we were >> go ahead question. The other question is is that you said you have to have 20 um students in an apprenticeship. So is

020that with one employer 20 or can you have >> great question >> four employers that you know have five each and electrical like I would assume it would be in one area and then we get because that's an opportunity for us to work with our community with them and with the county and you know even the school district and the county together might have enough for a program. >> Sure. >> Got together. >> Great question. Um generally it's um it's it's one program doesn't it can be multiple employers. In fact our the way our conversation usually goes is you would like a program for your employees. If you can help us with the location these are our two biggest hurdles an instructor and location. If you can help us with those we'll start tomorrow with

021the understanding that 20 is 20 to 25 is where it where it gets in terms of paying for that instructor because we do have to pay them. So, and part of that conversation is making sure they agree upfront, you have to allow, like if you're doing it at your yard or your facility, you have to allow employees from other companies to to be able to attend. >> So, how many is this? >> Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're talking about three hours twice a week. >> It's about right. Or one one hour or one day a week or four hours one day a week. >> So, that would be that if we got the 20 students together would take place at Wilton Simpson. Is that the >> Yes, we could work. we could work

022through those logistics. >> So if we if we turned around and and developed 20 odd students, >> not odd people, but >> number-wise, >> employed. >> Yeah, >> that's the key. >> If they were employed, they they could turn around and and we could hold the class at Wilt Simpson and we generate additional income. >> You would. >> And what was I heard about the marketing? What is the goal for the marketing? How does that work? the marketing of the apprenticeship program um >> in our county for them to know about it. >> Well, I mean yeah, we that's a a bridge we haven't crossed over yet, but >> Correct. We have a lot of experience in that. So, we certainly would. >> Right. And a lot of like a lot of our industry partners

023within our advisory meeting which is coming up. You know, again, that's where the conversation begins. And typically, like they know other people that might potentially be interested. And so, that's how we would start that marketing is to reach out to our industry partners or related industries within the area that may want to upskill some of their workers. Would it be safe to say like probably a year into of you coming and we're getting money for about a year and then after that year it would be safe to say that at that point we'd be putting programs into Wilton Tex and Sims from the money we're making from you from understand that's correct right we make money from you we then put the program into there and then get you on board with us here in

024the county so a year two years >> easily. Okay, perfect. >> And and quite frankly, you wouldn't have to use the the money we're generating from our current students for that. You can invest that in however you want. The stu the >> Yep. >> Go ahead. >> We're going to take that money. >> Karen had asked me to just mention. So, we have our second largest company is a company called Masttec. Some of you may have heard of them. Um they're uh it's a our second largest program is the alignment program. Um they have a couple work centers in the panhandle. Uh and they basically said we want to you know it's not outside of a region that we traditionally have not had a program but they said we we want to have a program

025for our our work crews up in that area and so they they helped us identify the instructor and the space and so next uh academic year we'll be doing alignment program up in the panel. So that's a good example of how when there's an employer need all all the only hurdles we have to overcome is finding the instructor which is can be a challenge u but that's probably the biggest hurdle and then the space and then we're off to the races. So >> and your program >> done for the teacher ma'am. >> Thank you. I just wanted to clarify that. tell you when when I did my program back in 2018 similar we we we had two hours one night a week to put out helpers and once somebody developed the skills we did not

026teach any theory was strictly how to do things to pass code that's what a contractor wants they want somebody who can generate income for them immediately so we had a 10-week course we charged 25 bucks and we put out helpers we helped kept them employed and then they were eligible for the apprentichip programs. One of them happened to be at uh St. Pete Tech College uh which is how I kind of know Dr. Dent roundabout because I know her instructor very well. But so I I have some some experience in what you're doing, but you're doing it at a much grander scale. We had a 65% placement rate, which we thought was high, but if he if he's somewhere around 90 to 100%, he's awesome. >> Mr. Myers, >> can I ask a non-legal question?

027That'd be all right. Uh I was just curious uh the other school districts that you have relationships with. Can you share that with the board? >> Yes. So, our 51-year-old relationship with with Broward County Public School District, um there was a recent law passed by the legislature that kind of because we pursued it for a long time um uh that that pro that limits when you're just a serving as a pass through. So because there are partnerships where you may be using the district space, you may be using the instructors may even be on the district payroll, you know, so the relationships are all different, but what the legislation the what the law said the the the uh the legislation that was passed said that if you're just serving as a pass through, you can

028only keep 10%. So, and uh quite frankly, we we gave Broward the opportunity to and they weren't um you know, quite as willing to comply, you know, what we consider comply with the law. The door is always open. They're a lot, you know, 51-year-old partnership and we're growing. So, it's not that we wouldn't, but for right now, um by the way, we we've been we were encouraged for for years, build additional partnerships, you know, and because we never were happy with having a all our eggs in one basket. that is not a good you know business model. So that's what we have been trying to do for a long time. So >> perfect. Thank you. Right board. Any further questions. >> All right. Well, Mr. Johnson to come back to us. >> Yes. >> It's

029on the agenda tonight for approval. >> All right. Oh, Miss Rodriguez has one more comment. >> So, anything that you currently offer, it would be opposite of that. that Wilton Simpson as far as automotive tech you're you're already that's already in place so that's something that wasn't in the list >> correct the focus with ABC are construction related which is an area where we'd like to explore that opportunity to grow and increase our number of programs >> yes you may >> great question so our trade association is of commercial contractors so that's why we focus on now we have entered entered into aou with like for example Space Florida. Uh we've identified some land over on that side of the state where we plan on um developing a a large training center and part of

030the reason for that is because the space industry needs a lot of the same very similar trades welding and form carpentry and a lot of electricians and whatnot. So even though we're talking primarily about placement with contractors right now, these these trades and these jobs are utilized across all sorts of industry spectrum. So but yeah, our focus primarily is in the construction trades. >> Thank you. >> Okay, thank you so much. I think that's that's it. >> Thank you all for your time. >> Thank you for being here. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. And at this time, we'll have item number 22 26-38000, update on health insurance for the 2027 calendar year fleet presentation. Welcome. If you guys can state your name for the record. Board chair, board members, Superintendent Pender. We're

031here today to discuss uh an update on what we're going to do for health insurance for the 2027 school year. Let me just get the presentation up. I have with me today Darren Bryan from the um Avail. He's part of the fleet family. Okay. So, I'm here today to give you an update. When we first started talking with Fleet and did the participation agreement, we talked about coming back and giving the board updates through workshops. So, that's what I'm here to do today. And so I just want to outline the parallel process we're going to go through this year to plan for 2027. Um, and Mr. Bryan's here and can help us with anything that you have questions about from fleet. But the parallel process is going to be that we're going to get a

032fully insured quote from Florida Blue and we're also going to explore going self-insured. And for that self- insurance, we're going to use Fleet to support us in that process. So, we're going to have we've had some meetings with the insurance committee. We've had some meetings with you all. Um, and we're going to keep doing that. And so that in August, I'm planning to be here at the first board meeting in August, coming to you with a recommendation from the insurance committee after we get some actual quotes from Florida Blue and from Fleet for looking at both the fully insured model and the self-insured model. And then after that workshop, we'll come back for it on the agenda once more for a final board meeting. you guys will make a decision and then we'll go to

033open enrollment withever whatever decision is made. >> So your intention is for this to be in place hypothetically by January 1st. >> Yes. >> So I have a few things. >> Okay. >> Um when you come back, can you actually bring data with you on a couple of things? One, other districts and what they saved their first year or two years or even three years. um as well as our claims that we put in for last year. So I looked at like we have on the board tonight for our recommendations for what I want to say employment basically, right? We lost almost 50 people on this last one on this one on our board agenda. Now we're going to hire 50 new people or maybe we already have but that's going to change what our

034insurance was even last year. Say we have somebody that comes in with 10 kids and wants our insurance and that's all they're working for is to pay for our insurance. So I to me looking at all this stuff and and and the rainbows and butterflies of what you put on paper, I I want to see numbers. I I want to see actual data that shows districts that are using this and if they're happy with it. I mean, if you're going to bring to me another county that paid $2 million in claims and didn't save any money, we don't have $2 million to pay out if we get in that situation. So, I'd rather just see good data. >> Can I touch on that? >> Yeah. >> Under um a traditional fully insured plan, that insurance

035company, they are the one who controls the pricing and the risk decisions, correct? Like Blue Cross Blue Shield. And then when we go with a private self-insured company, then that gives um school districtled governance and that also gives the superintendent oversight instead of carrierdriven oversight. So flexibility is the biggest thing and it changes everything when it comes to private going from Blue Cross Blue Shield to private does it not? >> We're we're still going to I'll let I'd like Mr. Brian to speak to other companies that have gone because I think he can answer some of your questions because >> it's school districtled govern governance compared to what we've known for years what we've been doing with Bluec Cross Blue Shield. This is totally different. >> Yes, ma'am. >> The other aspect if you read

036the benefits >> uh which I think might be on the next slide. >> Yeah, there's no state tax. So, we save because we don't have to pay the state tax because we are we are exempt from it. and there's no commission. We pay a broker fee to to Blue Cross. If we're still using Blue Cross, we're not paying a broker's fee, saving that commission, and we're saving the state taxes. We got to save money on >> that would be nice to see that those numbers. And also to the numbers, but yeah. >> Now, if you're talking about >> how much are we paying for stop insurance, >> talking about long-term disability or problems where it's a $200 million claim, >> there's additional insurance, which I'm sure Matt or or Brian can can explain that kicks

037in. That's a different plan built within the insurance as he explained the last time. is the the the Blue Cross policy is for normal type uh office visits, doctor visits, hospitalization. If it's something that gets to be exotic, god forbid if it's cancer or something worse, then the other policy kicks in and we don't have to pay out that type of a claim. Am I right or wrong? >> Yes, sir. There's there is a stop loss component to that to that. >> And districts like any school district that you partner with, we still can keep our own plan design and the medical carrier. Correct. >> Absolutely. Yes, ma'am. >> And what's the cost of the stop loss insurance? >> Do not know yet. Right. >> Way too far out. >> Blue Cross Blue Shield will

038give us a quote. Flet will go out and get bids to counter that in terms of making sure we get the best deal on the stop loss. And that's one of the benefits to going self-insured is that you over time particularly get to bid out each portion of the insurance which includes your network which includes prescriptions which includes a stop-loss. So all those parts if we can if we can leverage and get the best deal on each of those parts that's one reason we're going to save money and that's the whole idea. I'm assuming you've looked at our numbers for that we have enough employees to be able to negotiate aggressively with the pharmacy benefit managers, the stop-loss insurers, the healthcare vendors, any of our specialty pharmacy. >> And that's and that's on the you

039guys do keep doing a good job of going to the next slide, which is one of the benefits to going to the health trust is that we're not talking about our 2,300 members anymore. We're talking about 60,000. And that again is the leverage power of numbers to get the best deal. >> So we're capable right now. We are considered we have enough employees to be able to negotiate aggressively. >> Yes ma'am. But you will be able to negotiate much more aggressively as a member of fleet to that point. >> I I think once we have the actual numbers which is what I thought you were coming here today with we we'd have a better idea of how it stands. We better >> if you looked at the timeline. I'm going to be coming to you

040at the next workshop with the recommendations of the insurance committee. Until we get the actual quote from Florida Blue, it's hard to discuss numbers. Um, Mr. Johnson, you asked on when we spoke last week, the premiums cost 28 million for Florida Blue last year for all the different numbers we had on the different plans. So, we start to think about things like having seven to 15% of that that is going to be more in our um wheel wheelhouse rather than in the profits of Florida Blue >> because the structure of self-insured takes large claim volatility and it makes it smaller. It also lowers our stop-loss expense. So, even though we don't have the numbers yet, we know that those numbers are still going to come in better. It actually comes from the fact that we're

041not paying a broker or a broker's fee, >> which if you sell health insurance, the commission is 15%. So even if we save 10% on that, we're still saving at that number close to $3 million a year. >> Not to mention, we will be sharing certain risk layers across districts by being with you. Is that true? >> Eventually. Yes, ma'am. >> All right, Miss Bonsik. Eventually. How long is eventually? Two years, three years. What I what I'm saying is I I talked to one of the counties and they weren't there wasn't big savings. They were putting more money in. The way I see things right now, we can't afford to put more money in. >> Mr. Sponsor County would that be >> um call Lucia, call Broward, call any of the counties. I would like

042that data. I would like to see their being in this system for three years or longer, not a year, three years, and show me how their first year went. We're we're not in a position, our district is not in a position to put out a whole bunch of money that we don't have. >> The thing you have to keep in mind is that any district is in that position, but any district, regardless of whether they go fully insured or self-insured, has the um reality of their claims experience. And so if some districts that you're talking to aren't explaining to you that they had a lot of bad claims that year, that makes a difference in how much money is saved within that district within the plan. So whether we're whatever choice you guys make, whether

043we go fully insured or self-insured, our claims experience is going to be our claims experience. And we we're going to do have more flexibility in the self-insured model than the fully insured model because the fully insured model will just result in a higher, you know, a rate increase the following year because of that claims experience. >> Mr. Pender, >> so I think I'm thinking back to Mr. Rodriguez's original question. I think what you were asking, I could be wrong, but I think what you were asking as us being the decision makers, we're not going to be the decision makers for who gets what care. That's >> right. >> As if anybody was here before at one point when we attempted self-insured, the board is not going to be the person that's deciding. We >> we

044if we stay with Florida Blue, I believe as do I have the letters ASO, >> right? Correct. If Florida Blue stay be uh continues to be our ASO, they will continue to provide our insurance from the employees perspective. The network will remain the same and they will still make decisions on care um fleet and I do get what you're saying about the numbers. We need numbers and that'll be at the next meeting. Thisformational meeting is a promise kept because we said that we would update the board regularly. I got with Matt after that meeting we had I don't know six months ago and I said every you know I I want there to I'd want the board to be informed along the way. So when we come back in when they come back in um

045August that's when they'll have the blue cross and the other information from self-insured and then what what Miss Bonsik is off is asking is other districts. Now, I don't think there's other districts that have been do because >> fleet hasn't been around for three years. We do have data. >> You do have data. Okay. Yes, sir. >> So, if you could bring that that's what Miss Bons is asking for. >> I have other questions too that I would like answered when you come back at the next meeting if you don't mind. Um, and I'm happy to email them to if need be. Um, but I want to know how much our claims were this year. >> I also want to know what's the worst case financial exposure to the district. How much money do we

046need to have in reserves? Um, what are the projected savings? Possibly. I think I had read somewhere online it said seven to seven to 12% or something, but I actually called a few districts myself as well and they increased by 12%. As far as like not making money, like I had to pay more. Um, let's see. How often will the board receive financial and claims reporting? That's more of a question for us. Um the cost of stop loss, which you said you'd have to wait to get that right. Um and then what amount does the stop loss kick in at? Did we determine that last time? >> It'll be done by Florida Blue. >> Okay. >> Mhm. >> And then um I can add one. What happens in a bad claims year? >> You pay

047your claims. And so most like >> we got to have That's what I'm saying. How much money do we need to have in reserves? Because how quickly can claims the cost escalate? We have to look at that. >> That's why I want to know what our claims are this year, but every year is different. So, it would be nice to know the past maybe three, five, five to three years of what our claims have been so we can kind of >> see. Like you said, sometimes we have bad years, >> how much reserve funding is required. >> So, there's lots of great questions that you guys are asking. I mean, like we could go for a couple hours talking about them. And that's one of the things that Matt and I have that I've requested

048as much time as I can spend with you guys talking about because we're talking about some fundamental things of self-unding and and the difference between self-unding and fully insured. And those are really two very different risk financing mechanisms. And that's why we at Fleet have always said the first thing the board has to do is understand the difference between the two. Then once you understand the difference between fully insured and self-unding, then you can decide to go self-funding by yourself or with fleet. Those are two different things, very different. And the more time that's the reason why we're trying to have as much interaction with you guys as we can. Um >> because if I'm seeing you right and judging from what I've discussed with you, we all have these questions of course because it's

049we're lay people in this industry. Yes, ma'am. >> And you're not. So, I know and I can read your body language as we're asking all these questions. I know you know that down the road that this would be a good thing for us and I know that you can see the cost savings and I know you can see the benefits to it and you're sitting there listening because >> none of us are in this world and none of us understand any of it. So, we're having to ask all these questions but >> good questions. Yes, they're very good questions. >> The main thing was the claims if they spike unexpectedly. That's one of the biggest concerns that a school board needs to know is then the district absorbs more risk. Our reserve levels become critical.

050Our budget pressure can increase rapidly. So that's probably one of the most things that is significant as far as a board for us to make sure that we are able to maintain that >> and and we will build a self-funded program along with Florida Blue. So it's not just Fleet. This will be with Florida Blue's help to make sure that all of those protections that you currently enjoy in a fully insured program except for the profit that Florida Blue is making will still be there. Be able to see it clearly and that's where you know you'll know where your stop-loss attachment is. The one thing I would say about talking with other districts and they very well could have had a bigger more expensive than their projection because they could have had that year >>

051where those claims hit that they didn't have the last three years and it could be a little bit more expensive because of that because just as Matt said, >> you're going to pay for your claims no matter what. Whether you be fully insured or whether you be self-funded. It's called a renewal. >> What would those renewal risks look like? >> Well, now it's not a renewal risk. It's a funding projection. So whereas instead of Florida Blue saying, "Well, we have your data. We know what your risk should be, we're going to add our profit and our retention fees on top of that and we're going to give you a level funded premium and then you walk away." But you're transferring all of that risk to them. When you go self-funded with Florida Blue, you pretty

052much take that same number and you say, "Okay, we're going to because our our BATNA or best alternative would have been that fully insured program, right? If we take that same number and put it into your own health fund, then you you're going to have to pay the same claims that you were going to have, but what that profit that you were paying Florida Blue now retains into your account. >> That's really the biggest. >> It's hard to predict if it's going to be the same exact. Sometimes it's over, sometimes it's >> you can predict through certain confidence intervals and that's self-unding. That's why I'm saying it's very different. You you have to think about it and I want to be here as much as I can to help you guys understand the difference between

053risk f the risk financing mechanism of fully insured. Think of it like renting a home. When you rent a home, you give a certain amount of money per month that you're not you don't own. You don't build any equity in it, but you're utilizing that. When you purchase the home, you may say that you may even pay a little bit less, but now you own all the risk of the home, but yet now you begin that equity building. It's somewhat similar to that. >> We would need to know what's excluded for the stop-loss protection. >> What what what bothers me or or my question is >> we're going to convert this over to a self-insured program and Blue Cross is going to lose their profit. What's to stop them for saying that that our risk

054assessment is x amount of dollars knowing that we're going to surpass that just so that we fail and go back to them at a higher premium? because when we start next January that data will start to come to us. One of the problems we have right now going to this year and one of the reasons that fleet always recommends and correct me if I'm wrong is that we don't own our data right now. Florida Blue owns our data. Starting January 1, we'll have that data. So that fear you have won't be a thing because our data will be sitting >> that we have um the capability to look at it and make those predictions much better. >> What what I'm saying Matt is what about >> Florida Blue says your risk was >> X and

055it's really Y and they suppressed it. So, we make a premium based on it being X. And all of a sudden, we hit the Y number or within a reasonable margin of it, even though that's what it should have been, but yet they're not telling us because they're suppressing the results and then all of a sudden we have this exposure that we didn't have. How do we fight against that? How do we know the numbers they're giving us aren't true? Do you have access to the MIB, the verified data? >> Yes, sir. We can get we'll we'll have as much access as Florida Blue will give us. And typically, especially in this situation, you guys have a really good relationship with Florida Blue. I know the the county executive, I've worked with him for 20

056plus years. He's a good person and he and I have already spoken about this and Florida Blue is endorsing this move. They they're not against you guys moving self-unded. They think that it's a probably the best thing for you, especially with the way things are happening in the fully insured world right now. >> And I think it would be nice to see what districts have actual verified savings. >> I I will I will bring you that. all has been waiting for a while to speak. Sorry guys, if we can >> just just a quick question. >> Way back when you said there was so many counties already signed up and at that time you you all were looking to add more. Where do where do you stand today on numbers? >> We are at 23.

057>> You're at 23. >> Manatee schools just joined last they will become active July 1. They be they will be the 23rd. >> Okay. number 20. You're somewhere in that number. >> 20 22. >> We're already on your map on online. You already have us as a partner online. >> You guys you guys are considered actively on boarding. So, you're part of that number, but they will become active fully active July one. >> Okay. Superintendent Pender. So I think that as we go through this all of the questions and and well as many of the questions as possible um I hear the questions that many of you have and they're questions that I had earlier that now hearing this over and over a couple times I'm starting to in my head be able to formulate

058answers to your questions. So that's good. I'm learning as we go. Um, but I think the other thing is is that it's I said this the other day in a meeting. I'm not sure we can afford to stay where we are and fully insured. >> Thank you. >> Either way, >> we may see in increases. I can tell you next year if we stay fully insured there will be an increase. This year I believe it was at 7%. >> 6% in the end. So we had a 6% increase in the end and I don't see that changing. I only see that increasing. So all of those questions about um money and reserves, those are valid, really scary questions and they're very good questions that need to be answered before any of us feel comfortable moving

059forward. Um, and the way I understand it, next time you come back that in August or or even before, um, if the board maybe can send your questions to Kelly and then Kelly can map them out by board member questions, send it to you. Maybe we can start that conversation. It would be good that we start that conversation kind of like we've I think you've started where you had some conversations with board members. >> Yes, sir. um and answer those questions so that when we come back as a group, we can have those next level questions and we have that knowledge base to move forward. But coming back in August or sooner with numbers >> um and uh July and August would be helpful. So >> we're we're we're just waiting on Florida Blue. >>

060Yeah, they're because you're looking and because they're different. it. Florida Blue giving you a a stop-loss quote is very different than them giving you a fully insured quote. And there and I can get into the weeds as to why that's different, but they're going to wait as long as they can. They're going to wait as close to they can get to their renewal before they're going to give it solid >> and there's a good reason behind that and we can go into that and it's and it's just part of the industry and it makes sense in actuarially why that works. >> All right, Miss Bonsik. >> So, I'm okay with that. My part is like I could read this, you send it, we we get it, we get it before our board meetings, we look

061through it, we read it, right? I want to I want to see the actual data of somebody saving money. >> It's no different than it's no different than looking at um another insurance company. They can prove to us, well, look, I can save you by da da. This doesn't show me that. That's what I want to see because I don't want to put us in a position by voting on something that we're $2 million short and now we got to figure out how to pay people's claims and and and pay for insurance for people that we don't have the money. >> Yes, ma'am. I can get I can get you aggregate data from fads to from fleet that you can see district saving dollars. >> Thank you. >> I I'm going to say something and

062I want you to correct me if I'm wrong, okay? But I and yes that data is important but when we get that data from another county it doesn't mean that's going to be our data >> 100%. >> So I understand you want some reassurance that someone has saved money somewhere in this process and that's a I just want to make it clear that their data is not our data and >> we have 67 counties. I'd be like let's jump on it if it was 3540. We got 20 of them and one of them is us. So yeah, again >> somewhere in the process >> again we've done this before a long time ago and it was different. But I don't want to be in that I don't want to either. I don't want to put

063anybody in a situation that they can't get health care that they need because we decided that this was going to save us money >> and didn't. >> All right, Mr. Myers. >> Yeah, I this is a question I asked before in another school district and I didn't really get an answer. Just curious. Uh uh has an audit been performed of fleets uh books and records and if so is that audit available? >> That's what I was going to ask. >> Good question. It is being performed currently as we speak and as soon as it's available fads will make it available. >> Is that your only audit? >> Well, it's only been a year >> and so so it's the audit is being performed today or as right now. >> Have any districts left? >> No.

064>> Okay. Do we have any further questions? >> We do. Um, I think the biggest thing is for the employees, how this impacts them. So, I think that's really what we're all up here making sure of is that we have to protect them. Um, for the employees to feel confident and to like the transition. A lot of them love their doctors. Will they be able to keep their doctors? Um, naturally, if we stay with the Blue Cross Blue Shield, that won't I would that wouldn't be a problem. Correct. >> Correct. >> Um, and then is the prescription coverage going to change? They're going to want to know all those questions. Will the premiums increase? What's their um deductible um or out-of- pocket cost? Is that going to increase? These are all the things they're going

065to ask. Will we have something to be able to give them? >> I can answer all those right now if you'd like me to. >> Okay. >> So, so the idea is that that the the impact to the employee when a Florida Blue fully insured group moves into fleet and wants to stay still blue is minimal to zero. Members still maintain their member number. So any type of prior authorizations they've already gotten with their with their provider any step therapies all those remain in place. It's only if you decide that we will benchmark. So what fleet will do is that's why it's important for you to understand do we want to go fully insured or self-funded by ourselves first. When you understand that and you just say okay this is what our this is what

066our self-funded program looks like with blue. >> Now would we want to go with maybe fleet? How could fleet help us? That's the qu that's the process which we want you to go through once you've decided that hey we'd like to be members of fleet and then that's when the power of fleet can benchmark against some of the programs within blue your pharmacy program will stay with with blue with prime right um but it could be with a different one you they may even quote you with their national alliance program which is which is a self-funded program for their pharmacy we will take the fleet program and benchmark that and show you a price difference if you'd like us to. And a lot of times one will come down and one may not. The stop-loss,

067we will do our full-blown financial forecasting and analysis on your group along with Florida Blue. And not to confuse you, but so that you can see what Fleet has and what Florida Blue by yourself has. We've done this with other Florida Blue districts already. Um, this is kind of the process we use with them. It's non-competitive. It's not it isn't it isn't there isn't any type of angst among us in Florida Blue when we do this because we're all looking for the best for you guys. So to the employee year one no change they they don't even see it they they'll get a new card but that's it. Their doctor unless you all decide if the insurance committee recommends to you all that you would like to they want to change plan design all of

068that comes from within you all. Fleet is agnostic to all of that. It doesn't want it doesn't care. It's not the right word, but it doesn't have a say on what your plan design looks like. Fleet power comes in risk sharing. The the idea is getting to the risk sharing component, and that is the stop-loss, but you have to be settled within fleet for a couple years to get to that position. We can't have groups to to someone's point, what if we jump to self-funding and we don't like it and we're going to just leave, right? You can you can go back and forth. one becomes financially almost impossible. Once you decide to go self-funding, then it's really hard to go back to the fully insured world because you're going to make up those all

069those years of profit you're going to have to make up with the blue or with whoever it is, United Healthcare, Humanana, doesn't matter because that's the way fully insured works. When you transfer risk to another district or to another to another company, they're going to make you pay for that risk. When you hold the risk, you get to have you pay your claims, but if there's underwriting gain, which if you projected your cl your your claims correctly, you'll see that. And we'll give you what's called confidence intervals. And we'll give you one thing that I'd love to be able to spend time with you guys is helping you to understand the difference between what you're doing now in premium versus funding. It's kind of like your checking account. You you you fund your checking account

070to the level by which you think your bills are going to be. If you want to keep a certain amount more in there, you can. Or you can run it as skinny as you want. But your bills are your bills that you've got to pay. In your health insurance program, your claims are your claims. So now it looks like in a fully insured program, you have the if this is your claims corridor from here to here is fixed cost. Florida Blue brings in a fixed projection for you and says this is your fixed premium. We're taking the risk that if you have a really bad year, we're losing money. If you have a really great year, we're keeping the money. There's never a place that you get any money back, right? When you go self-funded,

071the fixed costs go to about 25%. Then the rest that either 30 to 75% is now variable. That's your claims. That's where you that's where you make money. If you if you make money, you save money, right? And if you and what we do is try to give an you an actuarial value. So does Florida Blue. They try to give you an actuarial value or a forecasting of how close you can be to a certain confidence interval. Five times out of five, if we put this money in our account, our claims will be here or lower or six times out of 10 or whatever it may be. Right? That's what when when you want to see your numbers and what we come to you later on in the year, you'll see a funding projection versus

072a premium from Florida Blue, right? Florida Blue will give you a funding projection and they're going to give you a premium. We're going to give you we we're going to do our own study alongside Florida Blues. They'll be pretty close, but we'll just have some our programs inside Fleet are a little bit different than the ones inside Florida Blue. We typically don't request or see a district carve them out in year one because of the impact. We want it to be very minimal, minimal disruption to the employee when they go when you go self-unding for the first year. So most districts say we're going to say fully insured. We're going to go fully blue, self-funded, no change in medicines. In year two, after year one, we'll have all your data sitting in fleet. then we

073can really make some good decisions because Florida Blue is not going to give us every single piece we want. We'll request for it, but they just don't do that because they own it. >> They just we won't get it. But we'll have everything. During the middle of year one, we'll also start working on our employee helmet or our employee wellness centers, our clinics that fleet can bring into place and stand up. Um there's a lot of other components that go along with fleet just besides pricing. But >> and then what is the the fee to be a part of fleet when you >> your size? It's $22.25 per employee per month, >> I think. Yeah, I remember you saying that. Okay. And then as far as the wellness program that doesn't that become mandatory at

074some point, >> it's not mandatory to fleet. It's part of our strategy that we that we recommend to the districts that when you embrace it, a matter of fact to to your point about the savings when the the >> two of the districts that I'm going to show you who have embraced the fleet strategy, that's where you'll see the savings in their in their clinics and in what they're doing in their plan design, how everything builds together as to one. But nothing's mandatory within fleet. You're paying a pm, but you do not have to put the fleet gas in that engine. It just doesn't run as well. Do we have a is it yeartoyear on the price the 2250 or does that fluctuate every year? >> It fluctuates by your um employee size. >> Okay.

075>> You're pretty close at 2500 it goes down a little bit. >> Okay, Miss Rodriguez. >> And that's set by fads by by fleet, excuse me. >> And I think our goal is to aim for the clinic. I think that ultimately having the clinic with the program that's making it robust and very strong. I think that that's going to give value to the employees more than not having it. >> It is it is our goal to it's year one that is we will be Marsh who is our clinic program administrator inside fleet will be here and um >> but that definitely cost money >> too. So I think our our response >> it needs to be in a location accessible for everybody in the county. Yeah. >> Not just in Brooksville or any needs to

076be more central. >> And when you show data I want good and bad. I don't just want three districts that 100% made all this big profit and then you have eight districts that paid a lot. You know what I'm saying? Like you said, you have three districts right away, you know, off top they they've embraced it. And I'm not sure what embracing means. >> And I'll be careful I have to be I have to be careful about sharing other districts bad data and that kind of thing. I don't want another district to look bad. There's a lot of reasons why those districts might not have performed well their first year and it may have been nothing to do with any decisions they made. It could have been that year. But I will I'll try to

077get you every single thing you're asking for. >> Well, I have a question. If we don't name the districts when it comes to the bad side, >> can we just know, right? >> I I promise I'll ask I'll ask Fleet to give me everything. I'll try We will try to bring you >> label them one, two, three, or ABC. Yeah, we don't need to just >> And then also the price of a wellness like an average or estimate of what a wellness center may >> so all that comes when you join fleet. And so the reason why I'm saying this because a lot of these things that you're asking for are the resources that that PEPM pays for, right? So I'm not saying you've got to join fleet before we can. But that's what happens

078when you do join fleet. We do pour those resources resources in and give you a very very detailed clinic clinical analysis. >> Right now we have to show you exactly your savings. We have no numbers to make a decision off of, >> right? >> No, sir. Not yet. We want We could beg Florida Blue all we want and they haven't released anything yet. >> And that's not because of fleet. That's Blue Cross Blue Shield, >> right? >> And it's also just the annual schedule. >> Yeah. But it's also hard to make a decision to join. Not >> we're not we're not going to make that decision today. I'm just here to provide an update as I was asked to six months ago >> because at the end of the day, our responsibility as a board

079is to ensure that we're being fiscally responsible while also protecting the quality and stability of the healthcare benefits for all of our employees. So ultimately, we want them to be happy with the decision that we make. >> Agreed. >> All right. >> Agreed. >> Do we have any further questions or discussions? And madam chair, may I say I will meet with any board member anytime to help you guys understand this. It is no problem for me. I every stakeholder needs to understand this before you decide what to do. So it's not it's not saying that I won't be back until August. Matt knows I will drive up anytime and meet with you guys. >> Can you send us your can you send all of the board members your contact your phone number? >> Absolutely. When

080we had the meeting set up last week, Darren was here in person to meet. We were prepared to meet with you guys all in person. It didn't work out that way in front of you. >> I think we all spoke to you. >> Yeah, we were on the phone, but I was sitting in Matt's office just thinking, but I'll do that a bunch. I mean, really, it's not a problem. >> Appreciate that. I have to say just from my perspective on everything that I've discussed with you and all the conversations I've had, everything I've looked into, depending on how everything comes back with numbers and what it all entails, but I think that it's time for a change. And I am looking forward to trying something different and seeing if we that can be a

081benefit for our district naturally with the employees um safety in mind. So, we just want to make sure that we don't disrupt anything and we don't change anything that would be catastrophic for them. But I do think that I'm leaning definitely towards I think this would be something that would be a good thing for our district and I think it's well needed and it's kind of long overdue. So I just want to put that out there. >> Yes, ma'am. >> All right. With that, thank you. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you guys. >> At this time, we'll call up item number 326-3782. Presentation of Florida Department of Transportation US41 sidewalk easement near Safe Schools by Mr. Reagan. that briefcase. >> Good afternoon, Madame Chair, board members, Superintendent Pender. Um, I'm here to present

082uh a request from the Florida Department of Transportation for an easement across our property over by the cell tower by Safe Schools. So, hopefully this is pretty quick. I've only got like three slides. So, um I also were supposed to have Kristen Kowlesi on the line. and I don't know if she's on or not, but she if y'all have any questions, she's our uh attorney that helped with work with Miss Moer to do the paperwork for this. Um I have here a >> Oh, hi. Are you with us? >> Yeah, somebody's here. So, um, so we have a photo here you can see is the double guard rail and the sidewalk in between the rails. Uh, the Department of Transportation approached us about moving this walk um to do away with with the double guard

083rail and they wanted to fill the ditch in and kind of re regrade that drainage and do away with that drop off there. Um, that's just kind of a picture of what what we have now. This is the blueprints. The little yellow area is they want to get the easement through that area right there. Move the sidewalk. You can see the kind of the hash marks where they're moving the sidewalk along that yellow line and filling in the ditch with culverts. Um that's their preliminary drawing. They're I'm sure they'll have construction drawings and all that moving forward. And this is part of a a larger project for sidewalks along this area. I'm not familiar with the entirety of the project, but this is just one little piece that they're trying to put together to improve

084the sidewalks through here. And um that's what's proposed. And we went over this and um facilities and construction, we recommend approval. Um it'll move the walkway a little further from the um street in that area, which will make it safer. I think it's still going to come back and be along, you know, adjacent to to the area, but they said coming down the hill kind of they've had a lot of accidents and stuff there. And um although the walk's going to be on our property now, they're in the agreement they're supposed to maintain it, so it's not going to be anything extra on our maintenance staff. And filling in that ditch will make it easier for our maintenance people to mow it. And uh there's no cost to us. And um we don't really have

085any plans >> any added liability. Um, I don't think so. Um, I think the agreement has all that like >> that's just an easement. I mean, yeah. >> And then when's the projection date of this starting? >> Um, they didn't say exactly the date that they I know this is one of the steps, but I know they're they've been pushing this pretty hard and I think they're ready to get going on it. So, >> this has been in the works for a year now. So, >> this is leaving here. This is past uh Brooksville Elementary going up. >> Yes, sir. That's the uh cell tower. The fence on the picture there, that's the cell tower by Safe Schools right up right up the hill from Brooksville. I think that's Oak Street, >> corner of Oak

086and 41 there. >> So, no maintenance and safer walking areas for our students. I say what's what's there to say no for? So, I say yes, >> board. >> Yeah, I'm fine. >> Good. >> Okay. We'll bring this to y'all next the next meeting for approval. >> All right. Thank you for your time. All right. And we'll now move on to presentation number 4, 26-3777, presentation of the Melton Property Development Agreements. And that would be Mr. Lipy. Welcome. >> Hopefully you can be short and sweet like Mr. Reagan. He's in. Good afternoon. >> Good afternoon, >> superintendent. >> Jim Lipy, school planner for the record. Uh, and we have on the line with us, just in case any questions come up, uh, Chris Wilson, uh, who coordinated, um, with the developers attorney in developing these

087two agreements. Chris, can you hear us? Yes sir. Good afternoon everybody. >> Good afternoon. >> Very good. Thank you. Well, the purpose of today's presentation is to introduce to you two projects that are on property that is owned by the uh Jack Melton family. Uh these projects have recently begun the development approval process. It's still very early in that process. They're uh they haven't even gone through reszoning yet. That'll be the next step for them. But uh uh while it is still early in the process, the school board has been asked to review uh the development agreements that the developer and the county will execute to establish certain terms and conditions. Now, historically, and and we're all very well aware of this, the district has been afforded an opportunity to comment on such agreements, but

088what's unique about these two development agreements is that upon the recommendation of our attorney, Chris Wilson, we've asked, and both the developer and the county have agreed to allow the school board to actually be party to those agreements with respect to provisions that pertain to public schools and school concurrency. We expect this will serve the district well uh not only to protect our legal interests but also to become a model for future development agreements both with the county and with the city. The image on this slide shows the two projects that are located on the west side of I75 south of State Road 50. They are in the I75 State Road 50 PDD or planned development district area along with other developments you're familiar with including Sunrise, Trilby Crossing, Benton Hills in that vicinity. That

089means that they are subject to the 10% search charge above and beyond the school impact fees uh which help uh provide additional funds for anticipated facilities to meet the increased demand of this high density area. The first the northernmost of these two uh is Blackjack Ridge. So the master plan that's presented here, again, this is a concept that's going to be going before the planning and zoning commission. So it's it's just a general layout of kinds of properties. There's nothing specific that's been committed to yet, but with the northern border of this 204 acre project directly fronting State Road 50, the master plan proposes highway commercial that you see in red, followed by a stepped reduction in dens in density and intensity of uses as you go further south. The purple area represents a commercial

090mixeduse including both commercial and multifamily uses. South of that in brown uh is a residential mixeduse area allowing for a combination of multifamily as well as single family homes. Uh and then the yellow areas furthest south represent single family homes. Altogether, Blackjack Ridge is proposed to have up to 978 dwelling units. The image on slide four shows the master plan concept for Jenny Grove. This plan because of the shape of it is oriented with north to the right. So I75 appears to be running left and right. Now the northern border of this project uh it's 227 acres is immediately south of Trilby Crossing and you can just barely see the edge of that on the right hand side of that image. So comprised entirely of single family residential, Jenny Grove is proposed to have up

091to 97 homes. Key provisions of the development agreements to which the school board would be a limited party. Uh these provisions obligate the the developer to comply with our standard requirements for school concurrency. uh which mirror the forthcoming interlocal agreement for school planning that was discussed at last month's interlocal government meeting. Final drafts of the uh development agreements for both Blackjack Ridge and Jenny Grove were included as attachments for your review uh in today's workshop agenda. And we are scheduled to bring both of these agreements back to you for formal approval and signature at the regular board meeting two weeks from today. >> Mr. Just a quick question on Jenny Grove. >> Back to that slide. >> Do you know who owns the property directly right next >> west in that in that L shape?

092>> Yeah, that uh that whole block. >> Yes. Um, I don't, but I can find out and let you know. >> It would be nice to know. >> Sure. >> If that's >> something that's also going to be developed now that Trilby Crossing is to the right and this is 900 and something homes to the left of Trilby Crossing. What's happening with that other chunk of property? We're already past concurrency out there with sunrise. We know that. >> I'm sorry. >> Sunrise is near this. Correct. >> Yes. >> So, we already know that we're we've reached capacity, a concurrency, I should say, >> in this area. Correct. So, they are vested for a certain number of units, but because we are declining the property, they still have to go through um the concurrency review process.

093>> Right. Well, last time they did it, they were we were over they were over our concurrency is maxed out is what I'm saying. Yeah, that's why the next the next slide is school u school capacity uh concurrency is required. >> So if they're at if they've if we've reached concurrency then they have to pay the mitigation that we established at the at the rate that we approved >> exactly >> at 41,000 per additional per student. Correct. >> Times whatever the the multiplier is for the Yes. And then of course that gets taken off the end when they pay their >> as the impact >> fee credit. Yes. >> So it's it's the standard process. What all all this does unlike the previous development agreements is it >> it better protects the school district's interest

094with regard to capacity and concurrency because the school board is now part party to the agreement with respect to I I understand that. Well, what I'm thinking about is we're going to need property out there to build a high school. So, why can't we start looking when these developers come our way and say, "Hey, we need property to develop a school to build a school because we're at it. We don't have a high school that's going to support it. We all know that and we need to build one. So, why not start actively saying, "Hey, we need a piece of property to build a high school out." not getting next to a garbage plant, not getting it in in in a flood plane, but getting a usable piece of property that we can use to

095build the school. We're gonna have to do it. If we're talking here, this is another 1,800 homes and we have what 4,000 homes potentially at sunrise that are going up and there probably be another one coming after that. We're going to have 5 to 7,000 homes being built and they won't all be built at one time and they will all take a few but it's going to take us three years to build a high school and by the time the high school is built it'll be at capacity already. >> Mr. Bender, >> we're at a lose-lose here almost. So, I think I think first before we look at buying, we need to I know that Brian's done some work with the McKith and Road property, the 80 acres that we own out there. Um, and

096we've talked about that part of it is in the 100redyear flood plane that it's not considered buildable. Um, I would suggest that we look at that piece of property and see what is buildable on the property that we have before we look at buying additional property. That way, we can put that in the five-year plan. Um, and make sure that that property is not considered surplus at some time. I I also know that if if we decided to I'm sorry, Michelle, if we decided to build on Mcken property, this book, I would love to have a satellite of Hernando High School out east so we could get away with some of the expense of building the sports or whatever else we would need to support it because that could be done at Hernando High School,

097>> right? >> She is open to that idea, taking that on as as a a satellite or whatever you want or or an extension of Hernando High School on east side. I'm responding. >> So that's what I was going to say basically what Ray said. Um looking at this prior we do have to prepare as a board like I agree with you. we have more protection being on it, but we have to prepare in a five-year plan or something because we will, it may not be me as a board member, but somebody's going to be stuck where we don't have and that MKN road is what we really need to look at of building a school out there. Getting some kind of plan and in the works or an idea. I don't know that we're

098financially able to do that at this moment, but this is going to kick us in the butt. >> Right, Mr. Lipy? Um, these are relatively early in the process. These two that we're looking at specifically today, as I had mentioned, there's been no definitive allocation for any specific home builder or business going out there. If it's in the board's pleasure, if Mr. Super uh, if Mr. Pender directs. Uh I can ask the the developers as they approach us very early in the process if they would consider a set aside like what was originally negotiated with Sunrise uh for a parcel that that could possibly work. Um doesn't mean we're committing ourselves to anything. Uh you may recall uh with Opal Farms um the applicant that was up here said she had 60 acres that that

099development has since ceased to move forward. Uh and so you know that's off the table. But >> but I can tell you it it would be a perk for a builder as well because having a school like a neighborhood in in the neighborhood or near the school would really draw in families to that development. So selling it that way would be >> so >> an idea. But >> how what is the process to build a school? Five, seven years >> generally two to three. >> That's from conception to purchase to to design to finish it. >> Uh I would say not including acquisition of the property. >> Yeah. So, we're looking we're looking at the need to figure out what we're going to do with property now that we can use five years from now.

100And if that can be Mckichen Road and it can satisfy a a a population, a school population, that would be fine. And again, if we did that as a satellite to Hernando High School, we wouldn't have to build the athletic fields and whatnot. We could save a ton of money. In the same time, we could put put up and make use of it, >> right? Superintendent Vender. >> So, I think asking isn't I mean, you can ask, right? >> It doesn't hurt. Um, but I just want the board to remember that when you get when you purchase property, it's going to be >> in the agreement what market value or whatever they assign to that property. And if we already have um property then that cuts down on that expense of building that building. So

101I don't think Jim or Brian that there is there a con any conceptual drawings of the McKithnan Road property. There are. So maybe we can take a look at that and see what that looks like. And uh >> I don't remember seeing them. So we can look at that. >> Maybe Mr. Myers could could elaborate. But if if we're looking at Mckiton Road and we're doing that as I said as an extension or a satellite from Hernando High School, we don't have to build ball fields. We get away from that extra land use which could be part of that 40 acres that's in the flood plane. All we have to do is make sure there's enough parking space and how many seats we can potentially put on that property. Would Am I wrong in my

102assumption on this? Uh >> based on what you said? No, I don't think you're wrong. >> Oh, good. Okay. Any Oh, Mr. Juval. >> Well, I'll throw something in the mix just to muddy it up a little bit. Um because what Mark is talking about is what we did at Springstead High School back in the early 90s. The old West Hernando, which is now Fox Chapel, that was our ninth grade campus. and grades 10 through 12 were at the main campus. So, I know it can work. I was there part of it. So, just mull on that. My question, Jim, on page four of 24 or page 47, whatever it's marked in your documents, it talks about number F. Number F, letter F. development entitlements. Are are you on that? >> I'm with you. Yes.

103>> Okay. Number five under that talks about educational facilities. So, can you explain to me what that letter F is all about because it also says micro brewery. So my understanding of this paragraph is that it is allowable uses that could be included within this development. >> So there is the opening to have the discussion about >> schools. >> Yeah, that that's right. Those are permissible uses under the code. >> Correct. Just wanted to clarify that. And if it provides an opening, that's great. It's also why I asked about the property adjoining Trilby Crossing if any of those I don't know I can't tell the size of the properties but if there was something there who owns it and is there something there in case a developer doesn't want to work with us on a

104school site >> I can look into that and get you that information >> the um I think I think the Jenny Does it? Yeah, Jenny Grove property might be the better location for a school site um more so than Blackjack Ridge in terms of roads uh in road size because I see they're going to increase Lockheart to 100 feet less less less vehicles. going into Jenny Grove on that road than Blackjack. >> And there there is also it I don't remember exactly where it is uh on these plans. It may be in uh there's a bit of a an east west portion here and blackjack ridge south of the brown pod um that I think may be dashback because there is discussion of extending dashback where it becomes an east west road. >> Okay. >>

105Sure. If you would like to come up, you can come state your name for the record, please. Uh, Perry Mason. I represent the Melton family. That That's the property owner. >> Thank you for being here. >> Yeah. Thanks so much. >> So, you wanted to speak on that. Go ahead. >> Yeah, it's actually not on that property. If you'll go to Jenny Grove, you can see it uh right there and you know sort of halfway down if you will. Uh the future it's a fly over over Interstate 75. >> Yep. >> Ah there it is. >> So that's dashback. And then you asked the questions about the adjoining property owners there. They're residential. Uh I think the biggest track there may be 10 acres. Um, and it goes smaller in size >> that >> So

106they're they're currently >> a large piece >> looks like a square cut out. >> Yep. This is No. Uh, 75 is running north and south there. This be west of I'm sorry. >> Yes. North of 75. Yes. >> Mr. Lipy, can you put your mouse over the area Mr. is talking about. So, or does it show on there when you do that or no? >> Okay. >> Try and do this. >> There you go. Like that area. >> Yeah. Exactly. >> So, those are smaller 10 acres. >> Uh, max 20. Yeah. >> Okay. >> But are there multiple ones? >> There are. Yeah. There. >> So, they're made that big block is made up of multiple tracks of 20 acres. >> Yes. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Because the tracks >> to the right on this

107map. >> Yeah. They look like >> they look like 10 acre 20 acre tracks that are already divided. It's just that >> that one's not showing the divisions. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Okay. >> I'm still in favor of Mikin Road, but >> can we clarify that? Is it Mckenon or Mcken? >> Mcken. >> Okay. Sorry. >> T. >> Okay. Mcken. Okay. >> Yeah. Whatever. I'm still in favor of that over property up here by the way. Just Okay. >> Mal, do you have any more questions for Okay. You're the representative, right? >> No, I'm in the hot seat. >> Yes, sir. You are. >> Since it talks about educational facilities, would you be willing to engage in a conversation with the district about the potential for construction of a school within the confines of either

108development? >> Yeah. So, what I'd say is you got the least qualified team member. >> Oh, here here to speak. >> That is really good. >> Sorry about that. Um, no, I I would say um look, we're if you'll go back to Blackjack Ridge, I'd point something out if you don't mind. Um, look, we're the reason we work with Mr. Ellipy um to make you guys a limited party to the agreements. We want to work with you, this family. They're not developers. We don't >> No, the mountains have are not. They >> live just down the road from the They're a great family. >> Yeah, I agree. >> Very active and >> I believe that they would work with us. >> Yeah. So, we are in a planning phase. I'm I'm in the real estate

109investment business and so they're good friends and help them and known them for a long time. And so we're very um as I hope is demonstrated, we're very uh open to working with the municipalities. And as evidence of that, if you see uh sort of the jog out, which would be west there running away from I75 to Lockheart, there's a dashed area in which we're holding um tentatively for the fire department or EMS. Um, and so we're look because that's an emergency entrance and will not step out to Lockheart Road. We've been talking with them about a potential fire station there. Um, so I hope that's evidences we're absolutely open to conversations. I can't make any formal commitments today of where we see a school site or where we'd want to see a school site,

110but we're open to those conversations. >> That area that you're talking about, how many acres is that? >> Five. >> Okay. Okay. >> What about the size of the lots north and south of that? >> Do you know anything about them? >> Uh the north is the Crispy property, I think, is as as it's referred to. Uh I think it's currently zoned industrial. >> Yes, it is. >> Um and then south of that is the dog park. Is that right? Uh I believe that's what they call it where they host shows for show dogs. >> Yeah. Florida Classic Park. >> Um >> that's all that's Florida Classic Park. Below it. >> Yes. So I agree with your observation in that um probably running south. I'm not in the school development business, but probably running south

111on Lockheart makes more sense just because the property tends to be more valuable up on Highway 50. >> Yeah. >> Uh >> yes. and uh more more traffic as you mentioned. >> Yeah. >> Well, I think Mr. Lipy said he'll find out some information on on those tracks that are there and then also on the south side. >> But I think it also makes more sense to use if we can. >> I'm sorry. Oh, it also makes more sense to use that those 40 acres that are usable on the Keith Road. >> Keithan, I was making sure I wasn't going to pronounce it wrong. That's why I asked for clarification. >> I pronounce everything wrong. So, >> but uh I I to me it makes more sense to use what we own. >> Right. Okay.

112Do we have any further discussion or questions? >> I just hope we can work with Milton family to see what we we can actually accomplish. >> Yeah, the only other thing I'd add is uh so there's no developer in tow as I mentioned, meaning they don't have the property is not being marketed. Um the family wants to plan for future generations. Actually don't have any imminent plans to sell the property or develop it. uh but are positioning the holdings um so for long-term use they could be more valuable than they are today. >> Oh, they will be. >> Mhm. Okay. >> Lord willing. Yeah. >> All right. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Lipy. At this time, we're going to take a quick little recess um at 3:30 p.m. We'll be back in two minutes. Thank

113you. Good afternoon. Our workshop will begin at 3:37 p.m. We're going on to item number 5, 26-3787. informationational item on the 2526 for the Pace Center for Girls of Hernando County. Welcome. Please state your name for the record. >> Good afternoon, board chair, board members, Superintendent Pender. Um this afternoon, um we have with us Kim Buford. She's the executive director of the Pace Center for Girls in Hernando County. And Angel Miller is the coordinator of student support programs. Um I'm Gina Malika, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning. and Kim is going to give us an update on PACE in our in our district um and here to answer any questions that you may have. So, I'll turn it over to her. Thank you. Welcome. >> Good afternoon, Madam Chair, members of the board, and superintendent.

114Thank you for having me here today. It is my pleasure to share with you an update from Pace Hernando. I have been the executive director now for almost three years. It doesn't seem like I've been there that long already. Um, and some of you know me from the school district and a couple of you have actually come to visit our center and I appreciate it and extend an invitation to each of you to come out and visit our center so that you can see. But since we're here today, I'd like to take you through a little bit about what our girl looks like. Our typical pace girl at Hernando. Yeah, there you go. My designated scroller. So, if you are not as familiar with PACE, um we have been around for over 40 years and

115it was began in um Jacksonville by Vicky Burke. She started with 10 girls that she was serving and the purpose was to keep the girls from being involved in the Department of Juvenile Justice. We have grown and Pace Hernando has now celebrated eight years and we're excited that we've been able to serve so many girls here in Hernando County. We serve over 21 counties in multiple states and we are just blessed to serve the girls in this community. Go ahead. You want me to scroll? PACE provides girls and young women an opportunity for a better future through education, counseling, training, and advocacy. And we envision a world where all girls and young women are safe, have economic security, and an equal opportunity to use their voice and achieve their potential. Pace values all girls and

116young women, believing each one deserves an opportunity to find her voice and and live a life that is defined by responsibility, dignity, serenity, and grace. PACE provides free year-round middle and high school academics, case management, counseling, and life skills development in a safe, supportive environment that recognizes and deals with past trauma and builds upon girls individual strengths and potentials. Dedicated to meeting the social, emotional, and educational needs of the girls. PACE is a successful and proven program model that has changed the life trajectory of more than 40,000 girls across the state over the last 40 years and is one of the nation's leading advocates for girls in need. Alexis, as you see on the screen, is our one of our upcoming seniors and she has been at PACE for two years and this is her

117story and her words which are published in our current fast facts that is publicly available. When I was in middle school, I struggled with my attendance and speaking to others. I almost went into truency. I think she actually did go into truency. She just didn't want to put that in print. I found out about Pace through one of my friends who went here and decided it was best for me to go. At first, I struggled a lot, but over time, the people here helped me become more social and get me out of my shell. In my time here, I've had better attendance, grades, and talking to people doesn't seem so hard anymore. From middle school to my junior year, PACE has helped me tremendously. Go ahead. And we are thankful to have the support of

118our community too. As you can see here, and I won't read this, but this is a comment from our sheriff, Sheriff Ninheis. And in addition to this partnership, as well as multiple other partnerships throughout the community, we also had the opportunity to be presented by proclamation through the city of Brooksville last fall. So that was a super exciting moment for us to be able to participate in that. We have started as of last year our empower her summer which thank you to Miss Hawkins and Miss Rodriguez for coming and visiting last summer and speaking with the girls. They really enjoyed it. We have a lot of um women coming in from the community to talk to the girls about different career opportunities about things that they have overcome, challenges they've overcome in their life, how

119they got to where they were. Um, they were very excited to hear from Miss Rodriguez about what it was like to be an elected official because as I'll talk about in a moment, our girls do run for, I guess you could say, our version of student council. We have a girls leadership council and they have to go through the process of running for that and getting voted by their peers. So, they enjoyed hearing about that from you. So, thank you again for coming and sharing that with us. >> It was my pleasure. Thank you for having me. >> Yes. And we'll do it again this year. I sent you an email, so I hope I hear from you soon. >> I'm looking forward to it. Absolutely. Um again this is just restating our vision which

120I already said we do um envision a world where all girls and young women are safe have economic security and an opportunity to use their voice in shaping their future. This is the trans theoretical model of change. I only like to show this slide because I learned that word when I came to pace and I feel really smart when I say it but it's basically the that something that we all go through. For example, when we decide and I know I've personally been on this journey where I have decided, oh, I need to lose weight and that's the first point of accepting I need a change, but then there are other steps before I can lose weight and become healthy. And if I think of that in relation to these girls, they have to understand

121and accept the fact that they need a change in their life, that they need a hand up to help them through the stages that they're walking through in their life. And the trans theoretical model of change shows exactly that. It shows that acceptance because any girl can be referred to our program. Any parent can bring a girl in and sit there through intake. Any judge can order a girl to come. But at the end of the day, we don't enroll a girl unless she is willing to at least accept the fact that she needs this because the program is not going to work if she's not willing to work the program. And so that's one thing that I do love about our intake process because all but one girl since I've been there, I have

122convinced that even though she thought she had to go, they've all turned around and said, "I'll give it a shot." And our um our number of girls has increased. When I started the first month that I was there, there were nine girls there. And I was a little disappointed because coming from the school district, I had envisioned what I thought Pace was. And I got there and it wasn't what I had thought it would be. But when I got there and I started seeing what the program, the value of the program was, we now, I'm happy to say, have 50 girls enrolled and have a weight list. So, I'm super excited about the progress that we have made since that time. When a girl enters our program, we do identify her risk factors. That's part

123of the intake process. So, a little about a portrait of the girl that comes to PACE. We're talking about victimization. That can be anything from sexual, emotional, or physical abuse. Some of these have occurred in their homes, some out in the community, some by a trusted adult in their lives. Um, we also identify school risk factors, and that could be failing courses, that can be expulsion or pre-expulsion. Um, that could be a presence of a learning disability that's either accommodated by an IEP or a 504. Um, that we also talk about behavior risks. That's something that is analyzed and those could be a history of DJJ involvement. Um potential DJJ involvement, antisocial relationships um can also be a a predictive indicator of this risk. Family instability is something that we look at. So that could

124be homelessness, that could be a his a family history of incarceration, a family history of um abuse or neglect within the home, parent history of suicidality or mental illness, and single parent household or just out of home placement. Any girl who may be qualified for McKenna Vento could qualify under family instability. And then of course there's health risks. There's serious physical health risks. There's mental health risks, substance abuse, eating disorders are all included. So each center that we have represents different portions, different percentages of each of these risks. So we do identify based on the need of the girls at our center, which are our girls of Hernando County Schools. I'll go through just a couple of the KPI. I won't go into great detail because I know Mr. Pender said he wasn't sure how

125long this one was going to last, so I'll try not to last too long. Um, you do have this in front of you, but this is just some of our uh KPIs, which is our key performance indicators. We do have our enrollment is middle and high school and we stay pretty close to 50/50 enrollment on how many are in middle school versus high school. Um it's not always exact, but it stays pretty close. And a girl can come in and stay for a total of four years. So that can be start to finish four years or she can come in two years, go back to her home school, and then decide she's just not quite ready and she can come back and she can reenroll. We have an unlimited amount of reenrollments as long as

126the total time does not exceed 48 months. Again, this is some of those risk factors that I was talking about just kind of overview um with those abuse situations, emotional home abuse, neglect. Um 53% of our girls have faced those risks. As far as far as school risks, um expulsions or failures, uh failed courses, ESSE, suspensions, and truency, that's 83% of our girls have those risk factors. 82% have those behavior risks that u may include DJJ involvement, antisocial behavior, those type of things. 93% is what the represent number represented by girls that risk that are at risk for those family instability, um homelessness, transient parent mental illness, those kind of things. And 92% are health risks. That does include all of those that are listed beneath that 92% which as we know mental health is

127something that is is growing rapidly. So I'm um very thankful to have the support staff available for my girls on a um much much lower scale and ratio. Our girls are 14 to1 for teachers and 25 to one or less for counselors. Again, this has a lot of data on it, so I won't go through all of that unless you guys need me to. But that pretty much sums up the breakdown the this slide and the next one about those individual risks with different types of behaviors, different types of childhood adverse childhood experiences that are broken down um very specifically. You can go ahead and go ahead to the next one. This is something that I dug into just because I wanted to know what our girls of Hernando County were facing compared to the

128rest of the state. Um, I did note where I got these numbers from. So, if they're incorrect, at least I put my reference, so they were wrong and not me. But it was interesting to see the u parallels between, for example, physical abuse. According to Floridacharts.gov, 8.9% of of students have experienced physical abuse. But within the girls of pace, we're looking at 37%. That's a pretty significant difference. Additionally, if you look at the neglect portion, if you look at 6.2% being physical and 25% being emotional in the state of Florida, our numbers are at 23%. Which is again pretty significantly different than the 6.2%. Otherwise, they are somewhat aligned or at least close, but those two were significantly different. And again, I searched this online, so I did put the point of reference for those

129numbers. So, our day program, which is our location that is at JD Floyd Elementary, we do offer education, counseling, training, and advocacy. Again, it is non-residential. A lot of people think that they can come and drop their girl off and pick them up in six months. That's not what happens. It is a day program. They get dropped off in the morning and they're picked up in the in the afternoon. Um we do have aligned curriculum with the Hernando County schools because they do have to take the same assessments, state assessments and everything else that all students have to um have to take and be successful in. Um we do have early intervention and juvenile justice prevention. Um we do have progress monitoring and social service planning which I'll talk about in just a moment. As

130far as academics, we do have five teachers. They are all um certified in the state of Florida and they are all certified within the um content that they teach um including ESC certification. They are meeting the goals of each girl in their individual academic needs. Again, we do have a 1 to4 ratio. So, it's a much smaller scale that they need to manage. Teachers actually act as the academic adviser. So, they are looking at the girls transcripts. They are looking at their coursework. they're having those academic conversations of what they need to complete and making a plan for what they need to do to be successful ac academically. >> Can I ask um do you have data on how successful they are with their academics? >> We do and I'll have that on a slide

131in just a moment. >> Sorry. No, you're good. >> Thank you. >> Um again, our counseling services are available to our girls. We do try to keep it um under 20 per counselor, but right now because we are at 50, we do have 25 per counselor. I have just made a new hire, so that will change a little bit because uh we'll be relieving some of that load off of them at this, but at this time they are 25 to one. They do have access to their counselors at all times during the day as well as 24-hour on call crisis line that is available to the girls. They do um set up monthly parent meetings. They have monthly parent calls. That is a part of our expectation within our program is that they maintain that

132parent contact so they know where the student is at all times. Our growth and change program is for lack of better words sort of like a PBIS kind of. They work on their positive goals. They work on obtaining new levels within the growth program. They do have to be on a specific level to be able to even apply for their for the girls leadership council that I spoke about which is something that they really do look forward to because as I tell them you all have a nice big voice and a huge opinion so let's use it the right way. So we try to help them to use their voice for good. Here's some of the academic improvements. Um so in order for us to measure that a girl has been successful she has to

133have been enrolled at least 90 days. I would love to say that we keep all of them for 90 days, but unfortunately that doesn't happen. For example, we just enrolled a girl last week and then literally got a phone call two days later that her family because they're transient had relocated to Citrus County. So, she's going to be transferring to pay citrus and that happens. I mean, we just can't keep them there all the time. However, success, excuse me, success is measured based on that 90 days and they have to have improvement in at least two of these six measurements. one is that GPA improvement. Um, it also includes how many credits that they have earned, improvement in core classes to 70% or above, promoted to the next grade level, LL score improvements, we do

134take those three times a year. Um, and then graduation or GED. And those specifics, I don't have the exact number right now because they're actually not, that's why I don't have a girl with me today because they're testing today. So, I don't have those final numbers, but that is the numbers that we measure to determine success. >> So, you don't know off the top of your head how many you've graduated completely over the years? >> Over the years, I don't I know every year that I've been there, every senior has graduated. >> Do >> or had a GED. Let me take that back because I did have two girls that did go the GED route. Um, but they were successful at completing that. >> Do you do a ceremony for them? >> We cannot. We

135don't have the the credentials to graduate them. So, we have a monthly growth and change ceremony every single month to celebrate girls growth. And we have a special ceremony when a girl either graduates or when she transitions back to her school because it's just equally as important that she knows she successfully completed the program and she's going back to Wikiwatchi or Springstead or wherever. So, we do celebrate that growth with them every month. And you're all invited. It's at 8 o'clock every uh it's the last Friday of the month. I would love to have somebody come out or all of you guys come out and celebrate that with them. Um, I did recently get a partnership with a coffee place. I don't know if I could say, but a local coffee place that now provides

136us coffee. And that's great because it's been 7:30 a.m. for the last year. And 7:30 without coffee is tough. But we've had about 80% of the girls parents and families show up at 7:30 on Friday morning, the last Friday of the month to celebrate their girls, which is pretty exciting for us because my first ceremony I had nobody there. And I had no girls that were staging up. I had no girls that were getting awards or certificates. They just kind of showed up because it was a day of the week they had to be there. So since since my first growth and change ceremony until this last one, if you've ever been in the portables, you know, they're very small and so there's not a lot of people that we can fit in there. But

137now we have overflow and we have people standing outside just so they can hear because we don't have enough room for them inside. And that's all families and community members that are showing up to support our girls, >> which is exciting. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Another exciting thing and this is our growth girls leadership council. They got to go to payday at the capital. They do that every year. they'll be doing it again next year in April. And in order to be a part of payday at the capital and advocate for themselves and for their peers and for their needs is that they are on GLC is what we call the council. So that's another thing that they really worked towards which is why they appreciated Miss Rodriguez's um information last year so much

138because they understood a little more about what campaigning was and what the purpose was. and they're able to meet other girls, other PACE girls across the state because all PACE centers show up and they all advocate and Tallahassee is flooded in red jackets and red shirts and they love it so much. They did have the opportunity to meet several of their um local representatives and also got to meet with Senator Missou. They were very excited about that as well. These are just some of our community engagement. We we did shift a little bit this year because the girls really wanted to work with the students at JD Floyd. So I knew coming from the school district that they needed to go through the background check and I honestly was a little nervous because I didn't

139know how the girls would feel because I've been working really hard on building rebuilding their relationship with the sheriff's office and helping them understand that the deputies and the sheriffs are there to help you. And so we've had a lot of really good interaction and I had over half my girls willingly um submit their background check and they were all approved and they are now student um student what is it volunteers thank you that word thing student volunteers and work with JD Floyd they go in math classes and English classes help with PE and those that didn't want to do that or some of them just didn't really care to go work with the kids but they'll help clean up the property or go out and pick up the um pick up some trash or

140just go out and help out outside because they want to give back to the community that hosts us and allows us to be there. Um these are some statistics from fiscal year 25 just showing that 90% of our girls improved academically and 70% of them did strengthen or maintain their high self-efficacy which is basically believing that they can do it, believing in themselves, believing they can succeed. And now 60% of the girls are now in engaged in community service even outside of what we do at the center. Our reach program is a little different. Our reach program is not within the day program. That is a program that is licensed therapist that goes out into the community. So in other words, they reach out into the community and provide services. Currently we are serving at

141Challenger K8. Um, they do serve some of the girls at Pace Hernando as you guys know and it's a nationwide issue of trying to hire a licensed mental health professional and that is a struggle that Pace faces as well. But at this point in time, at the time I printed this, we had two and then one of them resigned. So we have one right now. So they're serving at Challenger and they go into the school district and they provide counseling directly to the girls. So they don't change their school setting. They are still enrolled in Challenger, but they are able to see their therapist on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. Um, the next few slides will just go through some of the same KPIs, the same risk factors. They are a little different. Their behavior

142risks in this one are a little bit higher than the day program girls as well as the um the the school risk, the failure uh failures in classes are a little bit different. That number is actually lower because in the day program over half of our girls are failing classes, but in the reach program it's more like a third. I think I don't have my glasses on. I think that says 38%. So a little bit different, but the same risk factors are assessed for enrollment. And again, the same breakdown. Um in the on the left hand side it shows how many girls are have have experienced four or more of those adverse childhood experiences. This number is significantly less than the day program at 31% that have four or more. And these are the fast

143facts in regards to our reach program. 90% of those girls have improved their social relationships and over 90% of them are now involved in their community. This is our current list of our board chair. Our newest on the bottom is a part of Hernando County Schools. I'm excited to have Don Leo on our board currently. And these are our young ladies that got to go to Pace Day at the Capitol with our interim CEO Jessica Canel. Thank you for your time. Do you have any questions? You answered one of my questions, but another question is you're on our board for approvement tonight and it was a big increase in amount of money. So, I'm wondering is that because of the 50 girl increase? >> It is. Yes, ma'am. We had significantly less girls over the

144past couple of years and um we are our census has increased. We were down to 30 down to as low as 33, but we are up to 50 with a waiting list. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And then as far as your new building, any updates on that? >> So, the only update that I I would love to tell you, we have the keys and we're ready to move in. Trust me, nobody wants these girls to be there more than me. Um, we are waiting on budget negotiations. We do have legislation appropriations. Hopefully, I will get an answer this week. I did I didn't have access to see my email, but I saw it pop up that I have an email regarding that. So, I hope that that's a good answer. Um, but based on

145whatever we get from that, we have a meeting scheduled on June 22nd, I believe, with the builders to come back to the table after we determine what we will be able to receive from legislative appropri appropriations and then determine the next steps. I do know that the builder has told me that once we restart there will be a process of rebidding again because there has been a wait time. So there will be rebidding but once we restart he she's in her words from the time we throw the first hammer we're about four months out. So hopefully that process up to that won't take too long but we are super excited to have everybody come and visit us in our new building. >> Miss Rodriguez, >> what is the amount that you were lacking? We sent

146a request for $2.5 million to uh legislative appropriations. >> That will finish up the building. >> That is the information I have received from national office that that was the request needed to complete the building >> with uh furnishings included in that total. >> Yes, because we were able to get some uh furnishings with some money that we had received a couple years ago, which is one reason we're a little bit cramped right now because we have some of that stored in the portables. So, we're kind of short on space and we've got lots of boxes of furniture and things like that. We are looking to have some of the furnishings such as artwork and stuff like that. We do have PACE type artwork that as you know when you go with branding it can

147be more expensive. So, one of the requests that I am making to national office is that I am able to use my girls artwork and someone local to be able to help support because I have had an outpouring of community support asking how can we help and I think it would be more beneficial to the girls as well as financially to have the girls artwork displayed. I don't need pace branding all through the hallways because the girls are PACE branding. So potentially you're looking maybe September opening. >> That is my hope. But again, I don't know what that process of rebidding and all of that stuff looks like. And I don't know how long it will take once the budget is approved. I know that's not my wheelhouse on understanding that whole process, but I

148understand the governor also has to sign off on it. And so I I don't know when that will actually happen. >> Is it expected soon that he'll sign? I think June is the date that they're hoping that he will sign. I believe it's going to be like right at the beginning of the next fiscal year. So, end of June, beginning of July is the hope. But again, I I would like to say what what's in my mind and heart is what everybody's going to do. But I don't know that that's the case. >> That often happens. >> Not often. I'm learning. >> So, what happened that stalled us out from the time that we thought we were moving forward and then there was a complete stop. So my understanding was and all of this started

149before I came on board. So a lot of the stuff that Hernando County heard about I heard about after the fact. Um so some of the information I've had to dig. Um but my my understanding is that the plans that were initiated and the cost of how much it would build increased from the time that the monies were received to the time that they actually started building. So therefore, the amount went up. Which is why when I go back to this meeting with the builders, I'm going to ask that we renegotiate some of the plans that were in place because we don't need the Taj Mahal. We don't need all of those super fancy things. Um, we need the basic needs to meet the needs of the girl. And >> it go up 2.5 million

150more. >> I don't know the exact number. I mean, I don't know. I can't break down where the cost increase was. I just know there was a cost increase. >> Right. At some point it was ready to go and everything was happening. We had the date everything and then yes there was just nothing. It was completely it had stopped. >> It completely stopped. You are correct. And like I said I I found out about it the day that it stopped. And um >> and where did the money go initially that they had received to do this? >> All the money has gone into the into the building into the land. They worked up until the point of the amount of money that had been received, which I think was $3 million was the original amount.

151Um, and I don't have the dates to memory, but around 2018 or 19 is when that money came through and because of the time lapse of receiving the money to until it had to be spent because there's a time frame on when that money can be spent. um they had to break ground but then the cost had gone up pretty extensively during COVID times and so that a lotment that that amount changed but we needed to break ground. So what was happening from 2018 to current? All of this time that money was just sitting in an account. >> Yes, I wasn't there during that time. So again, what I the information I have is just me inquiring and asking questions. Um but my understanding is yes, it was sitting in account while land was being

152researched, while contractors were being determined, all of those things that go into planning and building. >> Mu, >> you said you had 33 students last year. Our census was 32 last year, meaning that that was the most we were um expected to be able to serve because like I said, when I first got there, the number was extremely low, >> right? >> And so they dropped it from 50 to 33 for the last 18 months or so. And because we have been meeting and exceeding census, they have increased us back to 50. So there was a wait list when you had 33. Was there a wait list of students who needed to get in and just couldn't? No. At that time, and when I say the census was 33, that was the amount that was

153required with our with our contract with Department of Juvenile Justice. We were required to serve 33. That was the max that we could be funded for at that time because when prior to me coming on board, that census was expectation was 50 and we weren't meeting it. So there was funding that was being missed through the contract. So they renegotiated the contract and dropped it to 33. At the time they dropped it, we hit we were still not reaching 33 yet. But once we hit 33, which was approximately a year ago, I want to say about maybe nine months ago. And we have continued to grow every month. And the last um 3 months we have been four months we have been more than 49. Um and >> so did DJJ change their numbers for

154you? >> Yes. And they and they have re renegotiated their contract for the upcoming fiscal year. So it will be 50 again because we have been serving 50. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Miss Rodriguez. >> So what happens if the funds do not show up? if you're not able to receive the 2.5. >> The conversations that I've had with our CFO and our CEO is that they will take ownership and responsibility on how to obtain the funding for that. We do need to make a determination on whether or not we're going to initiate a capital campaign. I was a little bit I was pushing back a little bit on that because I felt like that um this was not the community to raise $2.5 million through a capital campaign. So, we are working through uh

155with a with a federal grant writer and a larger grant writer than I'm capable of writing to hopefully obtain more funds through capital funding. >> The appropriations that you're trying to get, when do you have a time frame on has anyone told you when that what that would look like? When that would come through? Well, the last I heard was about two weeks ago from our lobbyist who said that they she would hopefully get an answer before the end of the month. And like I said, I saw my my phone ding. I have an email from her. I just didn't have service to be able to open it up. >> Okay. >> So, I'm hoping that's that's a good sign. >> Naturally, that's what we would like to see happen. But if not, naturally, we

156have to discuss that as well. So, if those funds do not come through, the money's already used up. We're already to here. And now you would have to put everything on hold again and raise 2.5 somewhere around that and even more. So could be by the time >> by the time you raise the money and we continue it could even go up even more. >> You are correct and I'm I'm really hoping that that's not the case. But if it is the case, I I still feel like in my personal opinion, this is a fight worth fighting for for these girls because these girls are a part of this community and they deserve to have this program for them and I can say for me personally, I will fight the fight as long as I'm

157able to fight the fight. >> How long have you guys been waiting on the appropriations to see if it would come through? Who working on >> I submitted it in February. I think it was February. and they've been in negotiations since I think it was mid-Marchch, early April. >> Mr. Paul, >> the budget. >> Okay. I would like to ask a question about the cost. Uh it seems like there's a $120,000 increase in this what's coming to the board tonight over last year. Is all of that money defined by only by having just 17 more students? >> Well, our number of girls that have that receive um ESC services has also increased. Um I don't have in front of me the breakdown of exactly what that that cost breakdown is. I can leave here and

158go ask for someone to send it to me. A lot of that stuff is managed by national office and is not managed by me is a lot of this information is stuff that is provided to me. Um and and then I can provide to you guys. I do not have access to that at this moment. >> Okay. I just wondered where this large increase is coming from. Why? How do we justify it within the contract? >> I understand. >> Okay. But of course, like I said, this time last year when this contract came, we were not even serving 33. We were serving well under if we were hitting >> Well, that's why I said you 17 more students, but now it's costing usund $120,000 more. Gina, >> where's that breakdown? >> Did you I don't

159know, Miss Duval, did you see the um revenue worksheet that was included with the budget? I don't know if that answers any of your questions. I'm just looking at 120. >> Okay. Okay. >> Could you guys answer those questions for us? >> I mean, we can call um Joyce up here to answer. >> Just Joyce and I Joyce and I had talked about it already. So, do you want to come up? >> Mr. Johnson, did you want to pipe in before she comes up? >> Okay. Mr. >> Pend, did you wanted to add something before Joyce comes up. >> Well, while she's coming up, I just wanted to be clear that we did have that discussion of their building and the cost of that, but that's not a district responsibility for any of that. Just

160for people that might be listening. So, that's PAC's um cost to build the building and however they're going to raise the money. >> That responsibility is on them. >> Yes. >> Exactly. Yes. So the difference is really in the weights. They did have different levels of service from one year to the next. Um and of course the number went up as well, but their ESSE services went from uh 46 to 3.68. I know that sounds like it's not that much, but it really does. The weight does matter. Um >> how many students does that equate to? >> Well, they went from 21.9 to 39.28 students. So, and if she's saying there's more, but this is of this is of course by the survey period because we can only capture that revenue when the survey period's

161happening. So, if she has more, we'll probably catch up on maybe well actually we didn't catch up on the survey three yet for that. So, um, so it's mainly probably just with the weights for the ESSE services that they're getting because it went from see it nearly doubled their ESSE and then >> is the FTE for that the same as >> it's only two I think it's 2,000 more per per one, two, three. What what level? >> Well, they had they had multiple ser services though. What level what level ESC's do they have? >> Do you have ones? Do you have twos? Do you have threes? Do you have fours? Do you have fives? >> I don't know that. I I don't have that like I don't have the cost factor for each individual. I

162just have their 111, 112, and 113. >> Okay. So, how many do they have? That's what I'm asking. >> Oh, okay. >> Because 111, 112, 113, they're all the same amount. It's only, I think, $2,000 additional. The only time you get more money is when you're four or a five. >> Well, they did get 251. I'm sorry. It is here. 251 >> in both areas. So, 3425 and then it went to 6371. Let me just look because that was a bit too much. >> I believe that this is in our agenda packet. Correct. Well, that's why I'm asking because I was going to pull it. >> The comparison's not okay. >> No, it's not. It's just what their current is. But, you know, I can do a side by. It's not a big deal to

163do that for each of the categories. I can do that real quick. >> But, it sounds like it it's doubled >> roughly. >> Yeah. They went from um >> the number of students may have doubled, but the classification within ESSE, >> right? Unless they're a four or five is when you're getting you're getting a good amount of a good portion of money is a level four or a level five >> up a little bit, >> meaning five to $6,000 per child. A level one, two, or three, no matter if you're a one, two, or a three, >> state is only giving them the same amount of money for one, two, or three. >> I hadn't really studied it. I had just looked at the difference in the FTE and you know basically we just plug

164the information into the DOE worksheet and you know basically it's their proportionate share off of what we get. >> Okay. Well, I was questioning it because it seemed like a lot. >> Not a big deal. >> Okay. I question it too. I was going to pull it tonight but I figured >> we had at the workshop I could ask >> and I feel like we're still at the same position that we still don't do not understand the money and where it's being. But if if if they're if they're if we owe them that FTE, right, we have >> if we owe it, we owe it. >> We got to give it. They have to approve. >> We can't deny it, right? >> Correct. If we owe it, we owe it. But again, >> so isn't

165the Isn't the contract have a percentage? >> Is it was like 90% >> 95%. So whatever FTE whatever students are reported and generating you get 95% of the FTE we keep 5% of the FTE. So if you go up in students then our 5% goes up >> a little bit. 5% >> to the tune of about 14 or $15,000 is all yeah >> we're getting >> last two years. And I think what Miss Duval is asking is there any other factors that >> the 95% hasn't gone up. Correct. >> The percentage in the contract number >> which but being attributed to ESC. >> Well, that was just me looking at it quick. Again, I was just looking at total FTE, you know, versus, you know, from one cap to the other. There's no there's no

166manipulating of any kind of numbers here because it's really just plugging in those factors and you know those FTE numbers and those different weight factors and then DOE actually just they they divvy out the proportionate share. So it's not like other than that 5% difference where we can keep that 5% as the admin cost because of you know that's >> that's the 14 15,000 >> right? You know, it makes sense if you have 20 girls last year and you added 20 girls with even a level one because it doesn't matter one, two, or three. A level one, they're getting $2,000 more. So 20 girls times 2,000 more would make more sense. And that's why I questioned the amount. How why why do we go such a big jump? $120,000 to me is a lot of

167money. >> And we're we're also using the new um we're we're working off of the House bill right now with these new numbers. So, it's comparing the House bill to what 20 uh 2526 um budget numbers were based on the base student allocation numbers from that. So, it's really just like an estimate because it's not out yet that the So, we're working off the House bill. That was where we decided to start building the budget from. Now, >> what can I ask about the REACH program? Is there funding for that as well? How does the REACH program work as far as funding and such? That funding um does not come from the school district. That is an outreach program that is just through PACE. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Dval. Right. Do we have any

168further questions, comments? No, we're good. Oh, >> I just want to thank you for everything you do for these programs. >> Thank you for making me here for allowing us to have this program. >> I know it means a lot to the families and to >> and I hope to see you this summer. >> Thank you, ladies. >> Sorry, gentlemen. This for ladies. >> Thank you. And the meeting is adjourned at 4:19 p.m. Thank you.