001All right, we will now call this meeting to order at 9:43 a.m. We will start a roll call for the record. I am the chair, Carmen Sultan, and I am present. When I call your name, please indicate if you are present. Uh, Vice Chair Uts, >> present. >> Board member Anderson, >> present. >> Board member Hearnden, not present. Board member Johnson Davis, >> present. Thank you. The first agenda uh first item on the agenda is executive session. Do I have a motion to move into executive session for the purpose of discussing legal and personnel matters? >> So move. >> Board member US makes the motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Board member Anderson seconds the motion. Is there any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? >> Any opposed? The motion carries unanimously.
002Do I have a motion to exit executive session for the purpose of discussing legal and personnel matters where no votes were taken? >> Board member Johnson Davis makes the motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Board member up seconds the motion. Is there any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? >> Chair votes I. Any opposed? The motion carries unanimously. We will now call our pre-work session to order at 12:30 p.m. Thank you for joining us today for our board of education pre-work session. Our board meeting cadence allows for board members to prepare for upcoming regular meetings through pre-work sessions. These sessions are typically more casual and are primarily from information gathering. No formal votes will be taken. Dr. Whitaker, please introduce the next item. >> Thank you, Chair Sultan. I would like to
003call on Mrs. Amanda Lynch, chief of staff, to gain your feedback on 6D policies. That's financial policy. >> Good afternoon, board chair, Dr. Hilton, vice chair, members of the board, student representative Botra. Nope, not yet. And superintendent Dr. Rick. This year, as part of good policy practice, we are reviewing existing policies that have been in place since the 2022 2023 school year that have had no updates. Regular policy review is consistent with policy BD policy. It also contributes to strategic accelerator 4, organizational effectiveness and excellence. We are starting with policies that have the oldest last reviewed date. This month we will focus on D financial management policies. We have seven D policies with the last reviewed date from the 2022 2023 school year. One policy DJ was discussed during pre-work last month and will be
004presented with revisions during tonight's work session. This leaves six policies to review. policy DCK level of budgetary control, BL fund balance, BFC, federal funds, BFK, gifts and requests, BIE, fraud prevention, and DJCB, salary deductions. These policies have all been reviewed by both the legal team and the finance team, and none of them were flagged for needed revisions by either team. Since these policies are being considered as part of the time sinceense adoption review cycle, it is possible that no updates are needed at this time. A discussion is intended to help identify whether revisions are needed. I've invited Chief Financial Officer Dr. Lonita Broom to join me for the discussion as the subject matter expert. The following questions are intended to help guide your discussion for these D policies. you have any concerns with the content
005of the policies as it is currently in place. For this, keep in mind that policy is aligned with any legal requirements. Two, is there any information you need about any of these policies? For this, remember that we may need to go back and research to report back to you? And three, do you see any gaps in the policy you might want addressed? The discussion today will help direct staff to conduct any additional needed research, prepare revisions for these policies if needed, or allow us to add them to future board agendas to officially update the last review date. At this time, I'd invite any discussion focusing on the sixth policy. I have something um and it's the purchasing policy I think DJ or DJ. So um so DJ is one that we talked about in pre-work.
006So it is on the agenda for the work session with the revision. So DJ will naturally come up in work session with the red line for discussion during work today too. So if it's specific to DJ, >> we can discuss it during the work session. But if it's one of the others, we can discuss. Does that make sense? I guess of the questions that were posed, those three questions about concerns or what you need, then just anything relevant to GJ goes into work. >> GJ was discussed that last month. We took your feedback, kind of made a red line. We'll present kind of where the revision landed and then there'll be a discussion um uh you know after the recommendation for first read. >> Okay. Um, so off the top of my head and having
007taken a look at this, I I I don't have a lot of feedback, but that's largely because I don't feel like I know what questions I should ask based upon like what's out there. And so I feel like it would behoove us to have maybe a couple selected examples of uh other versions of these policies, right? So, so D uh DCK level of budgetary control feels very light to me, but it might be that it's supposed to be light and that everybody has sort of a light policy around that. Right. So, I I I think I would like to see maybe a little packet some examples of what other systems around us do for some of these. >> Sure, we can do that. And part of the work that the staff does as well is
008they make sure that, you know, they kind of have a sense of what's happening environmentally in the other places. um as well as obviously legal from that legal perspective as well. Um one thing is, you know, all of these policies we talked about were in place from the 22 23 school year. We're actually in a great policy review place that's only really a couple of years old. Whereas sometimes when we pull environmental scans, they're even a lot older. So we're actually in a really good policy review place, too. So I just want to put that plug in there. But we can absolutely pull a couple of samples and and let you know if there seems to be, you know, >> discrepancy. >> Yeah. I I I'm not suggesting that they're that they're not right, but
009policies very very quickly because needed them, >> right? And so now that we can be a little bit more sedate in our review, I I think I'd like to see some of that supporting documentation. >> Absolutely. Um I have a question about um federal funds. Um under uh number three when it talks about um procurement activities um is it is there should there be more detail there? Um or is that or is there a regulation policy about um about procurement law when things go out? Um because I think we talked about that last time. it might have been with purchasing. So there's a little bit of overlap and I guess it with federal funds it'll probably different standards than with state funds that sort of thing. So um how do we reconcile some of those
010differences? Should should it look like this and then purchasing has a little bit more detail? >> We follow the same procedure as the regular general. >> Okay. So to that I mean I just made sure I understand your question Dr. Sultan. Are we suggesting and it may be right. Are we suggesting that we want to reference whatever federal law or state statute governs this? We've done that another one rather than keep all of the intense language, we reference the portion of federal or state code that it references. >> We can sometimes legal even recommends just saying we will be in compliance with the law. That way if laws change, we don't always have to go back to recite the new codes or recite simply it'll link it as well. Sometimes it's recommended that we keep
011it kind of like in compliance with all federal, state, you know, whatever. >> Sure. >> I know there's a lot of discussion about procurement when things go out to bid, all that sort of thing. And a lot of it does have to do with law. So, >> but federal is 250,000 whereas we go out to be at 100,000. >> Gotcha. Thank you. But I mean like the the the last sentence of number three is is clearly referencing a conflict of interest and that almost certainly is governed by law somewhere. So that this is where that >> statute. So at the bottom of the policy we do link all of the statutes that are >> are there. So and that's with every policy. in Simb. So what Simley does is it takes any codes that apply
012to these particular policies states and it'll reference them if they pull it in automatically. It doesn't come up on our printed version, but it is on the online active version and so it's going to rank everything that's kind of somewhat related. >> Okay, I got I got >> May I ask follow up about the DCK? I feel like it does indirectly weight purchasing and I just want to make sure I'm reading it correctly in the second paragraph. A nonappropriated annual budget shall be adopted at the legal level of budgetary control which is the aggregate level. So that's like the budget for FY26. >> Wow. And then expenditures may not exceed the total appropriation of the aggregate level. So am I reading this correctly? Like when we get our budget presentations and here's the budget for
013instruction, here's the budget for um support, here's the budget for maintenance, here's the budget for central office, etc. Then ultimately the numbers within those buckets can change. Is that what this is allowing for >> the numbers? >> Well, because you know ultimately you have a budget. Let's just hypothetically say it's a million. And then within that million dollar budget, you have different categories. 100,000 for this, 50,000 for that, 100,000 for this. This is effectively saying that as long as you're not exceeding the total million in my hypothetical example, we're good. I think what it's saying is if the budget changes that we have to come back to the board for approval, >> right? And that would only be if the overall budget changes. >> Correct. >> I I feel like I should say which is
014very typical in municipal budgets, right? Like I mean that like you want to maintain some level of operational flexibility. Um, and I think the concern that you're that you're if I I don't want to speak out of turn, board member Anderson, but I think the concern that you're raising is if we have approved an overall budget of hund00 million, let's say, and $70 million of that hund00 million is towards instruction. You you would not want us to be able to say, "Oh, we're going to only spend $50 million on instruction. We're going to move $20 million into another bucket." Um, but I mean that's sort of an extreme example, but the the reality is if it's $70 million instructional budget, it might be a $69.5 million instructional budget when all is said and done $500,000
015somewhere else. >> Are there thresholds in that? I mean, so like for example, you wouldn't move $20 million out of instruction and put it somewhere else. What where are the what are what's your perspective on where that is a board conversation? >> We do not have a board policy limit as far between. >> Are there policies that would normally govern that or is that a thing that you wouldn't have policies for? >> Have to do research. All right. I think that would be interesting to know. Can I add one thing there and I know we'll talk about with DJ and this is very informal but I think that's where they overlap. So what I noticed with different districts DJ policies is sometimes they were far more detailed with the amounts of money depending on what
016was budgeted. Now I didn't pay attention to whether it was talking about aggregate or um individual >> anything else okay >> thank you Mrs. Lynch to summarize chapter policy during today's pre-work session based on discussion DCK level of budgetary control DL which is fund balance DFC federal funds DFK gifts and bequests DI fraud prevention DJ CB salary deduction thank you oh sorry thank you board members for your engagement engagement. Next month, we will complete our board self- assessment. Board members, please complete the self- assessment in assembly prior to the pre-work session. We will come to a consensus on our ratings in January of 2026. We will have a new board member at large at in the atlarge seat. Following our self assessment, we will also request that an exemplary committee conduct an assessment. We will
017review their recommendations for further consideration in the spring. This is aligned with the Georgia School Board Association's criteria for exemplary board recognition. There being no further business, this work session is adjourned at 12:44 p.m. We will go right into our work session. We will now call this work session to order at 12:44 p.m. Thank you for joining us today at our monthly work session. Work sessions are designed for in-depth discussion, study, and planning regarding district policies, issues, and upcoming discussions. Many items presented in a work session inform future board meeting agenda items, including the consent agenda. Dr. Whitaker, please introduce the first presentation. >> Thank you, Chair Sultan. I would like to call on Mr. Jarvis Adams, chief operations officer, to continue the retreat discussion on K2 building utilization and the keep open strategy. >>
018Good afternoon, board chair, Dr. told vice chairs esteemed board members and boxer is not here superintendent Dr. Today I excuse me. Today I will outline our K2 utilization and keep open strategy. Our focus is students first, neighborhood schools and long-term sustainability. This work session is about clarifying the process and the guard rails, not choosing an outcome. This discussion sits under strategic accelerator number four, organizational effectiveness and excellence. to set expectations. Here's what today is not and what it is. Today is not a vote to close or reconfigure any school. It does not affect the 2627 school year and it is not related to the new early childhood learning center. Today is about clarifying the K2 problem statement and scope, confirming your guard rails and a target decision month and agreeing on criteria and an engagement
019approach that keeps students at the center. At the retreat, you directed staff to pursue a keep open strategy. The draft statement, the draft problem statement on this slide reflect that direction. In short, it asks, "How can City Schools educated sustain highquality equitable learning environments in all neighborhoods by prioritizing strategies to keep K2 schools open where feasible while maintaining long-term operational and financial sustainability for the entire district? Later in this discussion, I will ask you to refine and adopt the statement so that it becomes our northstar for all analysis and engagement. To evaluate any future scenario, including keep open options, we need shared criteria. Today we are proposing five. One, does it benefit students? Does it advance equity and access? Does it protect the community and culture? Does it use resources wisely? And is it feasible
020to implement well? Later, I will invite you to review and adopt these so that later we can clearly demonstrate how each scenario meets your standards. Within a keep open strategy, there are some main levers that we would study. First, preK placement. We will explore a phase plan to move some preK sections from College Heights early childhood learning center back into neighborhood schools as space and funding allows. Families have asked for this and it strengthens the early childhood pipeline. Second, tuition seats. We will continue to use tuition to fill available seats in existing classrooms, thereby maximizing the use of our existing teachers. Tuition is not a standalone tool for reaching a building level target. Third, program and space use. We we will review how specialized programs and shared services utilize space in K2 buildings and whether
021adjustments can support a positive student experience and effective utilization. Using these levers, staff will later present you with multiple scenarios, all of which are evaluated against the criteria you have specified. To learn effectively and to listen attentively, we will organize our work through committees, shared data, and maintain clear transparency. Committees will use the same problem statement and criteria, but they would look at the problem statement and criteria through different lenses. Student experience. Look at instruction, class size, support, and transition. Culture and communication, identity, family engagement, key concerns and hopes, facilities and finance, enrollment trends, staffing patterns, and long-term sustainability, safety and operations, capacity, building condition, safety, and travel patterns. All committees withdraw from a shared data set for enrollment, capacity, demographics, and program participation along with community provided information that we will review for accuracy
022and context. We will create a K2 information hub and for every scenario, we will document plainly how it does or does not meet the criteria the board set today. To summarize, staff is requesting five actions from the board this this afternoon. Refine and adopt a K2 utilization problem statement. Adopt shared success criteria for evaluating all scenarios. Confirm your guard rails including no impact on the 2627 school year. Endorse the proposed committee structure, data approach and transparency expectation and set a target month for receiving a final recommendation in making the decision. With that direction, staff will lead a student centered communityinformed process and later present you with clear scenarios and a recommendation grounded in a criteria that you guide us on. This slide shows the overall timeline. This afternoon, we're asking for you to refine and
023adopt a problem statement, adopt adopt the success criteria, but tell us a success criteria, not adopt, confirm guard rails, and set a target one for a final recommendation and decision. When during the winter and spring of 2026, committees will meet, review data, and host listening sessions while we provide regular updates and maintain a public data hub. The Georgia Department of Education official FTE count is October 6, 2026. During the November 2026 board meeting, the superintendent or design will present the official FCE enrollment count in an update to you. During that meeting is when we'll give our recommendation. Now, if you can allow me to switch gears and put on my old teacher hat. I used to teach AP Econ and IB Econ and every every other Econ that we offered and take a look at
024the handout that we're going to walk through. I'm not going to read everything verbatim, but I and I'm not going to put a time limit on each question, but I am going to push us to get through through this handout. And with this this process, it's going to give us that northstar that we need to work with the committee to make sure that we're not all over the place and make sure that we're moving in a clear direction in in a timeline that you all recommend. >> Before we jump into those, can I ask questions about what has been presented so far or would you give us the opportunity? >> So, I do have a question slide, but if you're afraid No, I it just sounded like we're getting ready to jump into a conversation
025>> now. We're this. Okay, let's go through this. Yep. >> So, what we what you have here, I explain it just a little bit. So, question one is giving you space to make any amendments or any disc discuss any changes you want to make to this overall core problem for statement. All right. And so we'll collect all four um but we're going to link y'all need to land on one that's going to be the note catcher for all. So we need one that's going to say hey this is the document that solidifies the consent of all four board members as the direction the board wants us to travel it moving forward. >> So are we currently looking at number one CSC statement of need? >> Yes that's where we start at. >> Okay. And so
026the rest of them will have check boxes as a recommendation only. >> So you can check it if you want it, not check it, and then fill it in. But we'll do one at a time. Is that okay with you all? >> Yeah. >> So I've got a few things. >> Okay. Is that okay? >> A few for me or a few for the discussion? >> I think it's for everyone. >> Okay. >> Um, so one, you know, I'm thinking back to I think it was the spring in the fiveyear facilities. And so I look at this central need right now is to balance K through two. Uh but I want to be clear that total enrollment is for the district not K through two total enrollment. Is that correct? >> Correct. >> Okay. Um
027I have a question something needed to balance this K. I just need more clear around what balance means. So yes, we I am going to come back and ask questions about slides that we've already been presented. We'll have a point to do that. Okay, good. So then to your statement uh Jana the way I framed it and I don't know that it's expansive enough but I I this is in part of what James asked for in the retreat is want to understand what that enrollment threshold is at any school. But I mean obviously our focus right now is at K2 but for any school what is that enrollment threshold below which it is not sustainable to keep that school open right >> and and we have in a sort of proxy way used the number
028200 >> right >> but we don't know because we have not seen any analysis that would show that is in fact actually where that flip happened. So, so understanding when we're saying what what is that enrollment threshold below which the school is not sustainable that allows us to have a balanced target like how you know how do we get if a school is under 200 how do we get kids to that 200 level at that particular school if 200 is in fact a number >> I I think I think the first thing though I don't want to jump ahead because I think Mr. Mr. Adams is really trying to make us go in order. But but I think the first thing we may have to consider is if you want to keep the same grade
029band um because he has that as part of the guard rail. If we want to make it if we want to say if we want to say that it's K to2 in these buildings that would be you know that may help guide your threshold versus if we're saying that we would be open to making it prek to 2 or K to3 or something like that that might change what your what that what that roof is or that end is but I think that also kind of that also kind of plays into that word total enrollment and that total balance because you may have some fluctuation grade band to grade band and year over year. So what the what the enrollment looks like at the high school may not influence our decision here as heavily as
030what the what the grade band enrollment numbers look like in the grade band that we're focusing on. So can I to answer I think the first question I read balance to be solely enrollment and so if it's I think we need to clarify that and if it's not just enrollment then I hear the question about um finance but I also see the need for more specificity. So like to your point about the 200 my understanding was that was linked totally to capital outlay. So if we're looking at numbers they numbers of students that is and we know that students translate you know FTE and QBE etc then maybe their name I think to your point pretty clear we have one middle school one high school so where you have multiple schools is simply at the
031elementary level where you're calling them K through two or three through five. So, you know, if we're opening up the possibility of um enrollment balance number, then maybe there's freedom if it's elementary schools. >> That is exactly what I was going to suggest. Instead of saying balance, it's K2 schools, you say balance, it's elementary schools. >> But when we say balance, do we mean equal enrollment across all schools? What does that mean? Mr. The balance is this is actually the board statement from the board retreat. >> In my mind when I think balance is you're trying to hit a certain threshold um and make sure that every school hits that threshold to remain open. Um before we started with consolidation, we've yet shift to finding ways to keep all schools open. And so there has
032excuse me, there has to be a number where there's number of students per pupil expenditure, money lost with capital outlay, money not maximized through QBE. Where are where is the board comfortable saying keep this school open. We can accept losing this this funding here, losing this funding here because we want to keep the school open. We're not looking to at a strategy to close. We're looking at everything we need to do to keep it open. >> The direction we would need when we meet with the committees are >> for mentoring. But and then to start out with number one, what is it that you all want us to solve for? >> I think that's a I think that is a I think it may be uncomfortable, but I think we may have to come up
033with that metric and realizing that in current states, some of these schools just simply may not meet the metric that we come up with. Does that mean that they're going to close this year or that something disastrous is going to happen? Well, no. And if we don't want to come up with a firm number, we could maybe come up with percentage. So maybe they've had, you know, maybe one school is within X percentage of the highest uh the highest populated school or something like that. We have to come up with something. I don't think the QBE 200, sorry, the capital outlay 200 number is a bad one necessarily. Um, I think we did talk about looking at other districts, but when you look at other districts that are so dramatically larger, um, they're just larger
034to start with. Um, but the only thing I could look at it think of is instead of using like raw numbers, they maybe they use a percent. So maybe they had a a total number of students lost over a year, 20%, 50%, etc., and use that as a metric to pull the lever. But it it's probably going to be uncomfortable, but we will have to come up with something. We can't until we >> So, hold just a second. >> So, so while I agree that we want to arrive at this number, from where we sit right now, we haven't had that costbenefit analysis where it fundamentally comes down. I mean, the question that we're asking really is where is it operationally from a capital standpoint and from a community culture standpoint, what is this threshold?
035However we define threshold under which a school isn't sustainable and we have to look at closure options and and without we we until we see those numbers and I don't mean enrollment numbers I mean the cost numbers until we see that we it's going to be hard for us to say that's the threshold >> and I think that's number three the required data analysis what data you all need to create for the board to say we need this data to say this is how we're going to derive the distribution. May I ask a question about the editing because this may not then meet the need of what everyone's looking for but I think it piggybacks on what you were saying Han is the central need right not right now I feel like the central need
036is to understand it and then once we understand it is when we set a threshold >> my I think the uh the need is to ensure fiscal responsibility but so I mean the whole reason why we're having this conversation is because right now. It's just not fiscally >> fiscally responsible to to keep going like we're going right now because certain buildings are under enroll. I mean, that's kind of what started this whole conversation. And so for me, I I thought the need was to ensure fiscal responsibility by evaluating total enrollment estimates, building usage and staffing resources while prioritizing the unique culture of the cater neighborhood. >> But yeah, like in >> because what we would we we couldn't do anything if it wasn't fiscally responsible, right? I mean, these decisions like we're just going to
037keep this school open because it has such a great culture. That's not fiscally respons. >> I agree with that. I also think while I think there was some data we received maybe in our last POI that had the cost per student. So I think to to Mr. Adams point if we're looking for more concrete numbers we may need to specify what those numbers are like what else we're looking for him to come back to us with. We know roughly the cost per student per school that and included things like just the cost of educating the kids, the nutrition costs, you know, the general assumption of wear and tear, that sort of thing. We know that cost per student. Um, so if we need more financial data, what would those metrics be? I'm also, like I've
038said before, I'm a little hesitant to use other school systems as a metric because they're just so dramatically larger. If I could also though if we're going to talk about fiscal responsibility, we have a virtual academy. So I I'm not comfortable with this idea that we're going to talk about fiscal responsibility and we're going to limit it to this one pocket. And if we're going to use things like cost per pupil, then again, I think we need to do that across the board, not just for K through two or not just for elementary school. And I think we need to have a far better understanding of how that fiscal responsibility is exemplified. So even with college, >> what does the virtual academy have to do with this? >> Well, I mean because you were mentioning
039our POI and cost per pupil and that was another um line item. And so if we are going to say, hey, this elementary school that's underenrolled is costing us this amount, well then let's look also at the virtual academy and see how much that's costing us. But right now are we are we expanding this discussion or or are we focused right now on K through2 schools the elementary schools the >> so so I one let's let's let's keep it focused on what we have communicated to date what I think the I I like Dr. Johnson Davis's suggestion that we say CFD's central need is to ensure fiscal responsibility by balancing its elementary schools >> uh by evaluating to enrollment estimates, building usage and staffing resources while honoring the unique culture of Decar small neighborhood schools.
040I think that gets us to kind of a concise problem statement. It allows us to focus on uh the the real drivers of sustainability from a fiscal standpoint. It it keeps us focused on uh also some of the soft benefits of maintaining small walkable schools and and gives you guys uh the flexibility to explore multiple options including when we get there talking about potentially looking at K to3 as opposed to K2. uh bringing in tuition students prek what have you. It allows us to focus on the full range of it by expanding it to elementary. >> Just wish that we could use a different term than balance because it's just >> we did we are we're >> you said by balancing. So like ensure fiscal responsibility by what? What? So >> so I just had
041>> um ensure fiscal responsibility by evaluating all of those things while prioritizing the unique culture to cater schools. I said balancing out cuz what cuz when you add it, what does that mean? >> Well, it it is implying that you might uh a school may still be closed. It may be that all the schools stay open and you shift students from one school to another school. It may be that you add prek into it. But it it's effectively I think by using the word balance we are suggesting and this is I think maybe we should be explicit about we are suggesting that there is some threshold of enrollment necessary to justify and I I don't think that's controversial. Right? If we had a school that had 22 students in it we would close that school.
042Like it's just not possible to to run a school with that small of a number. We don't know now what that threshold is. We have used 200 as a proxy. But whatever that threshold number is, >> what we would want to do is say are we able to balance our before, let me try to say it this way. I would rather not close a school if it's not absolutely necessary. And if that means moving kids from one school into another so that both schools can stay above whatever our baseline threshold is, I would want to do that well before closing the school with a smaller number of students. Well, and can I ask a follow and maybe this is for later because looking at the other pages. >> So, we're looking at early learning with
043the CTIE pathway, but we also have teaching as a profession and teaching as a profession students do go to our elementary schools. At least that's my understanding. And so, you know, to these and I don't know if this is answering to both, but ensuring that when we are using a word like balance or use, we're capturing everything. I don't know anything about FTE or QBE. If it comes to me as a junior going to Oakers for a class period, does that get a number? But that is a usage. And so, you know, I would like to see us be creative and ensuring we know how these are being used. >> I think school utilization should be I think it should be in ensure fiscal responsibility of school utilization by evaluating. >> Okay. That's good. But
044by in this case though, just to be very tightly specific, elementary school utilization. Okay. Yeah. Okay. >> I think that's good. I think the reason for using a uh a verb like balance or utilization to board member Ut's point was to make sure that community members realize that there's a lot of different ways to dehare this feline, right? It may be that one school closes. It may be that we talk about resoning. It may be that um any of those things, but we didn't want to get into the um we didn't want to get into the um business of using one pathway forward, which is what you said. We want to identify the problem and not put the solution in the problem statement. So, >> need to research, >> right? Can I I want to
045make sure ensure ensure fiscal responsibility of elementary school utilization by evaluating total enrollment figures, building usage. I don't need building usage again because we have it in the modifier and staff resources all while ensuring sustainability and honoring the unique culture of Decar small neighborhood schools. >> Yes. >> Okay. Well, will you read that again? Because I maybe it's just me being awkward, but I I feel like it is important that building usage is separate. >> Okay. >> Because the way it's written, it sounds like we're just looking at staff and enrollment. Maybe I misunderstood that. >> Okay, I'll read it again. I'll put the building usage in there again. I'll say it with building usage and then I'll pull it out. I felt like I building usage was there twice. uh which is where I
046why I pulled it out. So, ensuring fiscal responsibility uh to ensure fiscal responsibility of elementary school utilization by evaluating total enrollment figures, building usage and staff resources, all the while ensuring sustainability and honoring the unique culture of Decar small neighborhood schools. So when I read it that time, I put building usage back in after figures. Um, but from a a grammar standpoint, I don't think you I don't think you need building utilization in the front and >> and the modifier. And >> I I disagree that when we say utilization in the front, we're talking solely building utilization, right? But utilization the way that we're describing it in the front is across the board. Building usage, >> yes, >> is a a smaller different thing. I think it's important to leave building usage in. >> So
047you want ele Okay. Ensure fiscal responsibility of elementary school utilization. >> Yes. >> By evaluating total enrollment, building usage and staff resources. >> Correct. and um all while ensuring sustainability because I took the financial responsibility up and honoring the unique culture of Decar's small neighborhood schools. >> I agree. >> Wait, wait, wait. >> Is this is this one? >> No, no, I No, I'm No, I'm tired. I'm I'm typing what I'm I'm reading what I'm typing, but I'm using that as the basic. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Correct. Yep. >> Okay. >> Number one, >> we're good there. Let's jump on number two. So, this is success criteria. Below you have five proposed statements for you to look at. Check off as you see fit. If you don't see it fit, please do not check there's
048any recommendations. Floor is open for additional recommendations. >> Okay. Success criteria for what? Of what? >> So of us analyzing well not analyzing now evaluating the building utilization as as we go through this core problem. What does success look like to the board? What is what does success look like? All right. >> This process this like after what at the end of this process what will success look like >> or and through. And so let's look at this first one. Student experience remains strong and conducive for learning. Right now in our schools we can say that the student experience is strong. >> The communities love it. The kids love the school. The teachers love it. And it's conducive for learning. So if whatever we come up with the evaluation the outcome maintains this this is
049success. If we still have strong don't have overcrowded schools because that would not be conducive for learning. We don't have a school of 22 because at that point it's diminishing return. And so that's some of the criteria when we report back to you all with a recommendation in November. You guys are say November 2026 is okay. that this is some things that you want us to really look at to make sure student experience is not impacted negative. >> That would be after that would be we wouldn't know about that until after we have made a decision and then there was some kind of evaluation of >> well you wouldn't want a decision to negatively impact the student experience. >> Well, we wouldn't know. Well, there's some things we could probably, you know, I think we've
050talked about some things that we could probably anticipate would change. So, for example, if we went down a school and consolidated that, you know, into four schools, what would things like specials look like or art and PE? Um, you know, there are some things that, you know, some some things that maybe we could anticipate. Although we wouldn't eliminate these things, they're daytoday. But would that be a negative if we came up with creative ways to address? >> Not necessarily. >> Yeah. So that's what I'm saying. We wouldn't necessarily know how that impacted the student experience until like students have gone through >> I think I think you can make some basic assumptions, right? Like if if the community comes back with a recommendation and says, "Okay, in order to we we don't want to close
051the school." And so in order to make it fiscally responsible, we're going to eliminate all specials and eliminate everything else out of that school to make it more efficient. And that that suggestion keeps the school open. But we look at it and we say, "Well, that's going to have a massive negative impact on >> Well, it couldn't eliminate out." That's >> But I mean, like I that's just hypothetical. >> But I mean, that's not a good example because they couldn't think. Okay. But I can I give you an example because I maybe something at the dust bowl is being, you know, sorted out at Beacon, right? So we don't have a comparison at the elementary school, but in the event that one elementary school was getting a dust bowl fixed and the other ones weren't,
052then we would look and say, okay, is this something that is going to impact all students experiences at that school differently from that school? And I thought that this was partly what the committees will be doing. So we would be getting So I maybe I'm jumping ahead. I understand that November 2026 is when we're presented with everything. But my understanding with some of this is what those committees will be passed to look at. >> Is that correct? >> The board is the one who gives the task. >> Yes. And so for example, student experience, we offer Spanish and auto school students. If we have to lose Spanish, and I'm not saying that we would, if we have to lose Spanish or any of the creativity classes, what does that do to the student experiences? >>
053Yeah. >> And so that's what I'm asking. Do we want to make sure the level of education that we're providing in K2, that's a number one. We don't want to diminish the level of quality that we're providing right now. >> Absolutely not. >> So then do I guess now >> so that would be a success whatever we come up with >> right >> maintain >> it maintains the same level that of current education that we're receiving. >> Yes. I just feel like I think that because some of these things you wouldn't really know if the decision was successful until it it actually >> So then so then let's reframe number one >> to say >> the to let's try to reframe number one to say that no reduction in the educational services currently provided will
054be made or there's something to that effect. Right? So, so to get to Jana's point, uh just saying that we are going to maintain the same level of programming and services and educational experience to students on either side of this decision. So in other words, what we're trying to avoid, Jana, is affording maintaining a school open by cutting the experiences that the students have. We want to maintain the current levels of what we're offering. >> I I think I understand now the question. I I've read this as when we are presented with it in November 2026, we can look and we can see let's get the experiences out because that is kind of vague. But if you go to something like financial impacts are manageable and sustainable over time. We whatever recommendations or findings will
055include that data. And so it sounds like it's the experiences part that we're struggling with because we need that defined to understand then when we are making a decision in November. >> And I do want to remind the board there's an option to uncheck a box not >> well I just think success should be taken out. I think this there's certain criteria that we are looking for in the recommendation >> and so um cuz I even would like clarification on student experiences remain strong what a strong mean right I think there needs to be some clarification that is that students feel um a sense of belonging students are excelling academically like I you know strong is so um vague things I think that um financial impacts are manageable and sustainable over time. And so I
056think that we should quantify that like um you know and was it is it the financial impact keep the school open? This is because that that's the thing the impact of what closing keeping it open consolidate. You know what I'm saying? >> No. So but but no no no no. So so I have absolutely no problem with financial impacts are manageable and sustainable over time because that's a very understandable this is we are going to be presented with a couple of options or going through this process there are going to be several options that are examined and so this is not done appropo with no other information. This is of the four options that have been really flushed out. Which one has the most sustainable finance? Which one has the most manageable finances over time?
057And you're going to be able to see. So option one, you close a school, we make more money in the long run after having closed the school, but you have all these delletterious effects from having closed the school. We're going to actually go ahead and pick keeping the school open even though we recognize it might be a little bit more expensive over time. that that these are so it's going to be comparable to each other not in isolation. >> Okay. But I think what's confusing is even in our you're talking about there is the possibility that you're still holding the possibility that school could be closed. >> Sound I don't you know we need to be real clear on that because and keep open strategy that's in total conflict >> for 2627. It is a
058keep open strategy for 26 27. The task that this group in these groups are going to be doing that if we know we're never close anything 26 and 27. >> We do know we're not going to close anything for 26. >> That is that is clearly >> okay. We could just just keep open strategies. Why then why does that need to be on there? >> Because I would assume that we're looking at the financial impact of keeping the school open. But we're saying that that's not the only possibility. If I, you know, we're kind of framing this like we're going, we're not going to close these schools because just like we there's been the foundation to keep open is the same perception. This is the this is the solution. And so are we looking at
059we asking the community to look at the financial impact of keeping a school open or we just asking them for the financial impact of all these different scenarios? all these scenarios. >> Could we then say keep open priority? >> Well, I mean, so so I think I think the reason why keep open is there is because we wanted to be very clear with the community. There's nothing that's going to happen in 2627 and that we are going to seek the community input in what the right approach is going forward. If this process follows through and the community does come back and say the most fiscally responsible approach over the long haul, all things being equal, is to close a school, then that's something that we have to look at seriously. >> But if we say
060we're not closing for 2627, they don't even need to they don't it's not something they're considering. They need to even consider beyond 26 27 >> is why it has to be considered. I don't understand where you're coming from on that. You said we're keeping this here because we want the community to know that we're not going to >> No, no, no. I'm sorry. I I understood that is where it got put in in the first place. I actually am agreeing with you. I think that in terms of the long haul, we do need to take keep open out like all options are on the table post 2627 foration 26. >> Why doesn't it just say CSD K to2 school utilization study? >> Actually, it should say CSD elementary. Yeah. Why didn't why didn't >> So
061we can we can pivot any direction. This pivot came from >> the board retreats. >> Yeah. >> Switching from pivoting from consolidation to being honest and open with the community to say we've explored every avenue to keep the schools open before considering consolidation. Because I think to board member Johnson Davis's point, I think we could be sending the counter opposite message through this >> saying now we're defaulting to keeping everything open. However, >> I do think that what we one of the main tasks that we were given was to ensure to community folks that we would not do anything but whichever direction we went, we wouldn't do anything this upcoming year. However, I think it's also it's important for us to be transparent that whatever whatever we find, we have to consider every single option.
062>> Whatever comes out of this, we have to consider every single option. So, um >> and I think that's a good way to temper the community's expectation on what's to come out of this committee work. So, if we may suggest >> that we entitle the project the CSD elementary school utilization study and um and and that's part one. U Dr. Jonathan Davis you mentioned something about success criteria not liking the term. This is just the criteria that they have whatever their suggestions whatever suggestions are made that there are certain criteria that their suggestion must meet played out >> well and I think I don't think the the hope there is we can pull information from a million What we need from the board is the work that's being done. It needs to look at and
063I'm just go down this what is the student what is the impact on student experience. So can I >> how much money is being lost? Like so we want to kind of the question too says student enrollment is stabilized with a desired minimum of at least 200 and or remains within a certain percentage of recommended utilization level. Right? If if we just say hey we're going to examine this. If we don't have some a yard stick to measure against, we're just going to end up in emotional discussions with the community and it won't end up going anywhere >> because it's all on emotions and not a yard stick to say, "Hey, >> we're going towards this." >> No, I I agree those. >> Yeah. I mean to that end everything seems to be money except
064for the first one which to me is probably as if not more important to parents and students. So are we needing to define that? Like you know we're not Gwynette County where hopefully some child has to get on the bus an hour before school starts but is that going to be a product of the committee? What is it that Decar um school district and its community wants to retain in that student experience? Because everything else seems to be a pretty clear objective data point. >> And that so the there is a box there that says other. So, and that's where no there's not a line next to other, but that's what if you want to put something else there that >> because I mean, you know, for me, there are things like that, but I
065don't know, you know, if anyone else feels that way, like again, it's easy for me to look at a massive school district and see how busing and when a student has to get on the bus is a major factor. That isn't here. So I I I I guess I'm now wanting to know what is it we are saying is crucial to a CSD elementary school students experience that can't be sacrificed and why don't we have that? >> I I mean I I read number one as do not lessen the educational experience to save money. That's how I read number one, which means things like don't cut the Spanish program in order to save money. Don't cut the art program. Don't cut music. Don't cut like like and I realize this is kind of coming back
066to money, but in in in other words, you will continue to deliver exactly the level that we are currently delivering in the elementary schools before this program and after these recommendations. The recommendations cannot come to us and say we almost got to the threshold in this school. There's no way to get to the threshold though, but we really want to keep the school open. And so instead, what we're going to do is actually cut these programs in order to be able to fund the school. And we are saying here, or at least I interpret it this way as saying, nope. Nope. Like we're not going to cut the experience in order to afford it. >> What does it say? Student experiences are equitable and promote um successful academic outcome. >> Yeah, that's what I was
067going to say. Something that promotes the the vein of educational something that promotes student outcome. Because while we should not be cutting access to education, the educational experience may look different. Um, but as long as as long as they are provided the same educational opportunity, we may have to let the superintendent have some purview to >> well that's is a key term there because >> you wouldn't want if a school is consolidated um you wouldn't want the you know we we would not want a totally different experience at one >> but I don't think it was ever the discussion that in in in any of this that programs would be cut. I think it was it's always been the special but foreign languages that have always been the center of this discussion. I don't think
068this board has ever said in any form that they were thinking that those programs would be cut. That's I think why uh sorry that's why he's in front of us today making sure that we're yeah sorry I'm a first name basis everywhere sorry everyone Mr. Adams is before us today to to ensure that we are explicit about these things, right? Because that the community groups don't necessarily know our our perspectives on this. And so what we are saying, I think in number one, is don't cut student programs in order to afford keeping a school open. That's not an okay trade-off. I think that's a I think that's a fair statement to say that we won't cut programs, but I don't think we need to promise that these programs won't be restructured or that they won't
069look differently. Maybe maybe maybe they would. >> And I think the question or and are you talking about saying art on a cart versus art in a classroom? Is that what you're talking about? >> Exactly. That's a that's a good example. So maybe >> that's what you told me before. Maybe it's um an art teacher that goes I don't know. I'm not an an art teacher. Maybe it's not the art teacher is not dedicated to one school. Maybe they're dedicated to two. Um I don't know. And so >> but the program did not get cut and the students still have the same access. So the art was the art on a cart was as an example. Just want to say that because art on a cart rhymes and so it comes off easily off the
070tongue. But that is an example of how specials would could possibly be different, but that's not specifically targeted to art. I want to make sure I captured that first this discussion you said before, which was student experiences that promote equitable out. Yeah, give me your part because I didn't >> I student experiences are equitable and promote successful academic outcomes. >> Under that you could actually just cut for all schools a particular program and say it's still equitable. I I don't I mean I agree equitable but what you don't what we don't want to do is say hey Glenwood is going to stay open by shutting these programs down all the other schools get these programs Glenwood doesn't in order to make it affordable like I did. So equitable is an important ad, but it's necessary,
071but not sufficient. Like we also need to be clear that it would also be equitable to just cut the art programs in all the schools and use that savings to help keep a school open. And I'm I'm saying I am uncomfortable with that. That would go that simple. So student I just want to capture what you're saying. So I have student experiences are equitable. >> Yes. >> Oh. and promote successful academic outcomes. >> Okay. But I I'm still now if we go back to our central need which includes honoring the unique culture of the cater small neighborhood schools. Where is that in this criteria? All I hear is well we're offering education. It needs to be equitable. Everything else is financed. So what what is the criteria that evidences that we are honoring the unique
072culture of Decar small neighborhood? >> What's the proposal? Can we add an other that says um I'm trying to think through Tracy or >> call me Tracy is >> the uh uh so I I've said this before. I said it in the retreat, right? If if and and I think this is getting to your point. If finance was the only consideration that we cared about, we'd be building a K through5 one single K through5 elementary school in the middle of the district and bus and sending everybody there. Right? That's the most fiscally efficient way to structure it. And we are we are clearly choosing not to do that. I want to be clear with the public. We are choosing not to do that. And so how do we capture the concept that to the extent
073possible we want to maintain small local walkable schools. It may be that one of the five does still need to close, but we don't want to close four and just build one. We don't want to close three, right? like we we we still really want to keep that kind of neighborhood school feel and I don't know how to turn that into a measurable metric, but I think it's worth having a bullet or a thing there that says that. >> I also think that I I have some pro I have I have some trouble absorbing putting um the blanket term culture into a measurable success metric because everybody's experience indicator is unique. Yeah. And it is it's hard to say that what one family values or what one Winona Park family matter finds valuable or even
074what one kid in the same family values is culturally more relevant than somebody else's experience. Um so I think if walkability is what we have heard that we want we should say that explicitly but um to use the blanket term culture implies that we have gone out and solicited every single person's feedback everybody from every different socio and economic background every every single neighborhood from Winona to Oakurst all the way around and we simply have not done that. So maybe that term we need to try to uh try to maybe abandon a little bit and just say >> um if we want to preserve walkability if we want to preserve because I think a school size of 200 is still relatively small. Um so if we want to say that we want a small we
075want to maintain walkable small neighborhood schools I think we should probably leave it at that. Well, or can we not say features instead of culture and then we define those features or I don't know why we're putting the burden on us to be the sole deciders of the um unique experience and dicator said if we have these community meetings I understand why we're looking at fiscal stuff but I don't understand if we have lots of people who want to serve on these committees why we can't open up this criteria. IA based on information that we're getting too. But either way, features might be more demonstrable than culture. >> I think I would feel better about that if I felt confident that there was equal representation across the entire district across all of these committees. So
076if that was the case, then I think we could feel pretty good that we felt like we needed to tackle that one thing that there was equal representation from all all neighborhoods, all grade levels. So, not just the K to K to2 folks, but high schoolers that used to be in the K to2s, um, Winona Park, everybody, um, every socioeconomic, ethnic background, and they all gave input. Then I think I would feel like we could tackle that one demographic. We, we talked about that when we talked about soliciting community feedback. It can't just be one small group of invested folks. We have to make sure that we solicit everybody. Um, otherwise, like I said, maybe we need to not drill in so much in culture, but what we've heard directly is walkability, neighborhood schools, and
077small intimate size, and maybe we need to leave it at that. >> So, can we put that as an extra as an extra? But I think if you put walkability then that totally eliminates consolidation because you can't consolidation can't be a possibility and because it's going to be not walkable for somebody. >> Well where we are now is not walkable for some folks, right? I mean the fact is we're we're we're maintaining as much walkability as we possibly can, right? That's that I think I was going to well we'll avoid this. There are there are ways of measuring walkability and turning it into a metric size evaluation. And so like >> that's what I that's where walk our current walk zone. >> So think what we're trying to get from the board between staff and
078community is the direction on where to go. So, we'll have the ARC come in, help us with walk paths, bike paths, and things of that nature. But for the for the board, when we come back, if we say, "Hey, we're going to keep all schools open." You know, we're not going to get rid of art just to keep schools open. So, that's what we mean success criteria. What is it that you want to make sure we maintain the city schools of the academy? What is it that you're looking for us to present back to say, hey, if we're going to keep all schools open, not saying that consolidation's off the table, but our effort is keep all schools open. We don't want to lose these things and we want to have a clear picture on
079these things. Yeah, >> I think I think we need to start with this 200 student threshold. I think if a school is below 200, I think we really need to drill into the finances of like Hans said the the cost and benefit what it's taking to continue to keep that school open. Does this mean the school stays open? Maybe. Does it mean the school doesn't stay stay open? Maybe, maybe not. But I think if they fall below 200 um and they and if they've consistently year-over-year been below 200 um especially like hitting like to the 150 mark then I think that is a school that is needs to be we need to start looking at um financial impact operational impact operational impact not only meaning staff but the building itself some of these buildings are
080not young um so that's things like when are they due for new roofs when are they new due for HVAC systems those sorts of things I think That would that would be one criteria or metric that I would look at as a measure of success that we at least keep some of these schools at or close to 200 and and look at their long-term overall health in terms of the building itself. >> I think I think uh the the student board member had had something that that she wanted to add. >> Thanks. I just wanted to clarify the success criteria. these are non-negotiables for a new solution or like I'm just wondering do we have to capture the nuance of like any potentially forfeited value is acceptable or are we looking for like the most
081optimized does that make sense? >> So I think that is the the board decision. So we know for example we're giving up 1.5 million in capital outlay and so moving forward what percentage of capital outlay or what dollar amount of capital outlay is the board comfortable saying we forfeit that because we want to keep schools open um to we give a later percentage of how much QBE funding we're not maximizing at what percentage is the board saying for us to be fiscally sound in the board's definition are fiscally sound means we can forego this much capital outlay this much less QBE funding this is the amount of money that we could forfeit and we still say we're fiscally sound and I just want to I think the 200 with a percentage is reasonable I'm not
082comfortable with the idea that we're going to go back historically and then use this because I think to our starting point if we're keeping the schools open for next year and we've already declared that then I I think it's a little bit of a bait and switch to then say well now we kept it open this year but we're going to go back and look at the last three years that are under 200 if we're looking at different mechanisms like prek and tuition. So, I just wanted to make sure that >> I don't I don't mean to blow all of this up, but I am I'm I'm really having a problem with the 200, right? I think that that number, while I realize it's tied to capital, right? We have seen no costbenefit analysis around
083that number. So, we don't actually know if 200 is the threshold. It might be 200. It might be 175. It might be 250. Like, we don't actually know what that minimum threshold is. I think our hypothesis is that it's 200, but that is a thing we ought to be able to have now. Like that analysis is something that we should do now. Like what is that what is that threshold number under which a school really isn't >> Well, that's well that's what I said. We start with 200 almost as a a putting a school in the red or at risk. And then if you look back in time and they've been hanging out at the 150 or the 155 or 160 and they've been that way for several years, then maybe that's one that that
084Mr. Adams and his team needs to dig a little deeper. another school that's been at the 250 or 275 mark. Maybe that's one we need to focus a little less on um in terms of whether or not that's a school that needs to be redistricked, reszoned, moved around, or if it's one that potentially needs to close. But, you know, I agree. I don't think, you know, there's maybe there is a difference between 190 and 200. I think that's a very arguable point, but we have to start somewhere with some line in the sand that he can go back to and know when he needs to drill into the numbers. Well, I don't again I I think you can take a look at what it costs to run a school at different levels and put a
085number again. At $150 or I mean 150 students, this is the 10-year cost of running that school. At 220 students, this is the 10-year cost of running that school and show the difference, right? I mean, and show what that threshold difference is. We should be able to run that analysis and understand and that and that helps us say I mean we have been talking to the community about 200 being the threshold but we haven't ever proven that 200 is the threshold and and so we need to do that like we need to do that analysis. >> I feel like we're saying the same thing just two different ways. >> No I think another point >> I I had a different point based on the neighborhood thing but I think since we're going to the I
086have a walkability just data point to tell you. >> I I think there's another thing though if we're and I'm not trying to belver this but you know the district changed the elementary composition within a 10-year frame. So you know I think we just need to be attentive to all the numbers when we're talking about this stuff because it was K through three until was it 2017 or 18. So yeah, sure the number is going to go down because you have fewer students in the building or at least that could be. >> Well, when we go pre- pandemic, but post phase three, the schools were all above 200, right? What we are dealing with right now under 200 is an artifact of the pandemic. And the core question is, are those kids coming back or
087not? We don't actually know that yet. That's actually some of the analysis that we're expecting to actually see come out of this. >> But when we say under a certain threshold the school isn't really sustainable, >> we need to know what that threshold is, right? And and and I think your your point Mr. Adams was a good one that that there is that we're willing to take over a period of time to keep a school open, right? Like if we let's just say we do the analysis and it is 200 students and we go through this whole process and all of the schools except for Claremont can get above 200 and Claremont is at 185 and it doesn't look like Claremont is going to get back to 200 for at least three or four years.
088I think we would be willing to spend the dollars for three or four years to keep Claremont open. But without knowing that threshold, without having that analysis, it's very difficult for us to say what the pain threshold might be that we would be willing to tolerate. We really need that kind of threshold because if it's 225 kids and none of the schools on the north side are ever going to get back to that number anywhere in the near future and it's costing us a couple million dollars a year, yeah, then then we're going to be in a conversation about consolidating and perhaps closing a school. And so I just that's I think where we're we're trying to get to what is that threshold that is agreed upon by the community mind you like I don't
089I don't think it's us to just dictate. I think the analysis has to be there and the community has to buy into it. Hey look when we hit 150 kids we we really that's the point at which we really need to be having these conversations. >> I think that's also an arguable point. to whether or not this threshold is something that we decide at the board or whether or not it goes to those committees. >> I think I think that that that threshold should be something that's decided by the board. >> My recommendation that is a board decision because you guys would have the governance power over the school >> pending the analysis that tells us what those numbers are. I don't think we can arbitrarily say 150 or 200. We need to see what
090that fiscal dollar amount is so that we can get below this number, we're not going to go, >> right? But I don't want I don't want to I don't want to confuse that point. He can do that and nobody's arguing that point at all. But when he comes back with, you know, maybe he says there's probably be a number of different factors. He says it's 200, it's 190 or he looks at each individual school and says at Winona Park it's he can Winona Park is feasible at 200, but Claremont is 190. It could be it could be any of those things. >> Um but I think those individual numbers should be decided by the board. >> Agree. I I don't I didn't mean to give the impression otherwise. Right. I I do agree pending the
091analysis there should be an analysis at a school level that comes back to us with here are the threshold enrollment numbers under which the school really isn't sustainable. >> Yeah. It has to be success. That is where it says other that's a success criteria. Have we given you >> come back with a map? >> Well, I I think yeah, that and and that would just replace bullet number two, right? Because we don't have enough information to tell you yet whether it's 200 students or whether there's a a percentage. We really need to know what that threshold number is. >> Did we give you what you need here or did we give you nothing at all? I said what's getting checked >> real quick because >> um then in that point shouldn't we move that to
092data analysis and then make that bullet point a little more vague and say like we want it the enrollment is stabilized and utilization levels and then borrow the language from like any potentially forfeited amount is acceptable deemed acceptable by the board and then that would make That's true. >> Agreed. >> Oh, wait. Cuz my question was about the capital outlay cuz that's for me where the 200 number came in. We >> I think any number below 200, we're saying the capital outlay doesn't matter, >> right? >> We forfeit the capital outlay under 200. >> Yes. Can I >> But we might be willing to accept. >> I just wanted to clarify that capital outlay back. I can wait until Okay. So my question is are is capital outlay the impact of forfeited capital outlay if
093we give a number less than 200 are we so we're going to decide that number and then we we're going to scratch out you know this whole possibility for a bit because if 200 we would >> the threshold analysis that we're asking Mr. Adams to provide us based on what Nia just said is going to include capital outlay for city based on whatever those thresholds are. Right. So, so my guess is that we're going to get this data back and we're going to see utilization numbers get worse under 200 because there is some amount of capital that we're losing. But it's going to be different on each school and we need to see that. >> It's going to be different at each school. So you may see that maybe Claremont is due for, you know,
094some plumbing issue or some plumbing thing and it's going to cost X number of dollars. So if we have to pay for that out of the general fund, this is how much it would cost and with QVE analysis. Um this is this would be a threshold number and it will be different for Winona Park. >> He's going to bring that information back to the board before the committee start meeting so that the board can determine these uh threshold numbers. But that's what I think to Nia's point is that maybe we need to move this stu this student enrollment stabilization down into required data analysis instead of success criteria. I think that's I think that's good. >> My my point was that point number two and point number five student enrollment stabilization around 200 students and
095capital outlay funding forfeite are the same piece of analysis. That is the same thing. And so those need to be combined and put down under >> I just want to make sure this that my understanding is correct. >> Capital outlay will not be received for an elementary school that has fewer than 200 students. >> Yes, >> it's not a aggregate of all elementary schools divided by each school. >> Now prek could make an elementary school. So if prek because I thought we saw that in earlier if a prek class were added to an elementary school that would be eligible for a capital element. >> Yes. >> if it hits 200 200 is still >> prek is already downed. >> Yeah. >> In in FTE which will qualify for capital outlay. No school that does not
096the three schools that don't qualify for capital outlay, >> right? >> With their prek numbers already counted with, but let's be really precise about that with the numbers of people within that district that have elected to go to a decalsfunded prek program and our principal one being College Heights. And so we massively undervalue the number of prek kids for the schools on the north side. Right. Westchester only has like 10 kids that are in that count because Westchester parents aren't going to drive their kids all the way caddy corner across Decar to get them into College Heights. This is the exact decision my wife and I made. We're in Glenwood. We weren't going to drive all the way down there. So, we would have never shown up in the data even though I have four
097preschool-aged children. So, when we say it's already counted, it's already dramatically underounted. We're actually not capturing it. So, I want us to just be really careful about >> going to capture because to your that's what I'm getting at. So then if you have 30 kids and I'm making this number up in Westchester area that aren't using college heights and they're not in the FTE and it looks like then Westchester or in this case Claremont is underenroll even with that. What is the mechanism that we are going to employ to determine that we're not deciding on a 200 number when it turns out we actually have 200. We just didn't know it because those kids aren't going to college height. >> Very good question. I don't have an answer. But I mean so so let's maybe
098set that aside. Yeah. >> So looking at the demographers that we use Wolfford and Georgia Department of Education up to 2030, school year 2030, we still will have counting all prek. we still will have three schools way under two. counting all prek using the mechanism that we know underounts the number of prek students in each district though it's a really important point to make we do not agree I there is just no scenario where it is factually correct that there are only 10 prek children in the Westchester draw area that's just not correct right that is an artifact of the limits on how it's counted there are more children so for example if we opened a prek program let's ignore how we fund it. But if we opened a prek program at Westchester and allowed
099anyone that was in the Westchester area to use that prek program, do we honestly think only 10 kids would show up? No. We we'd have 30 kids in that area that show up, right? >> But we may not have classroom for 30 prek. >> Different issue, but yeah, I understand. Right. And so the point is if we're trying to get to let's say we figure out the number is 200. Again, I'm not necessarily assuming that, but let's say that number is 200. We have 175 kids at Westchester right now, right? And ECAL's number says there's only 10 Westchester kids in preK. So, we'd have 185 kids, meaning we'd be 15 kids short. We know there are 15 kids that need prek in the Westchester drawer area that aren't being counted in the DOE numbers. And
100that is the thing that I'm >> well the question >> but the questions >> the question then becomes if you assumed that you could in the Westchester areas if you only have 10 at college heights now so maybe 10 in one classroom let's just for argument sake say they're all in one classroom you picked those kids up from college height sent them back to Westchester tomorrow and then if you filled that classroom up dramatically up to the ratio which is what 1 to 23. >> Would that in any of those schools that are under would that get you to where you need it to be? >> Would that do the trick? >> So Georgia Department of Education is going to be on the high end of the market, right? Because they're going to max make
101sure they give us enough money. Wolford has been a little bit more accurate than Georgia Department of Education. Florida Department of Education in 2030 still has three schools under that. Two schools way under 150 and one school teetering right around that 150. And now take in consideration historically, not just with city schools of decade, but with all schools, they're going to round up to make sure that they don't short change any school district on money. And so potentially in 2030, we're still going to be three schools under 150. definitely two schools under 150 of FTE money. I think that's where his analysis of cost per pupil um what the threshold is at each school and although we don't like this metric all data is a little dirty um where each school has been in the
102past maybe three to five years going back in time because there's some schools that have been well below kind of if we use 200 as a starting place it may not be perfect but it's a place to start if we use that as a starting place some schools like he's saying two or three have been historically below 200, but some have been above. So then that comes up with another couple places that we maybe need to create some other thought processes as to how to make this work. Um if some schools are always above and then some schools are always below. >> But so we should be really cautious about what we mean when we say historical, right? Because if we go back and look in the last three years as our historical baseline, we
103are we you know a ton of kids left public school in general, not just in Decar but across the nation left public school postco, right? And then you had a drop off due to the pandemic in birth rates. And so our current population levels in K2 and our current native number of students being put into public school in general has taken a once in a generation punch in the mouth due to the pandemic and it is an open question whether that's going to rebound. We are actually seeing a rebound in birth rates right which is not showing up in Walpert and not showing up in G G uh GOE data. We don't know if those kids are going to end up in the public school system, but we certainly aren't in a position to be
104able to say it's going to stay at the current level where it is now for for all future anticipated points. Right? Like we don't we simply don't know. >> Not 100% right. So we met with Wolford. We received some community input from a demographer on birth rates. >> Um and so my team and I we met with Wolfford to to show them that data. that data is included in their that whole methodology used is used in their in their research >> and DOE I'm not saying they're the experts but they are the funders >> right >> unfortunately at that point they are the experts but we do know that Georgia Department of Education is still going to be >> higher they're going to project on the high end versus >> but GA DOE is the
105one that's saying there's only 10 kids in Westchester that need prek and that's not right. I mean like we know that that isn't correct. So based off of what we have allotted to us for free. Can I ask one other question about the historical numbers? Um, and it's not what you've been asking, honest, correct me if I'm wrong, that, you know, a possible retention strategy is also the opportunity for staff, right, to be able to send their children. So, >> is that a number that's going anywhere in terms of CSD staff whose children are attending CSD schools >> and where their enrollment patterns? >> There seems we have those numbers with the demographers, but I want to make sure I'm being explicit. There's no numbers that we've looked at that is going to put city
106schools of the cater in three of the schools well over 150 kids in the next few years. >> All five you mean? >> So yeah, all five. And you're going to have three schools around 150. Two schools are going to be way less than 100. So you won't have any school under 100, but you're going to have two schools, one something teeny or >> and you're going to have another school south of right at 150 or south of 150. >> Well, so >> to keep us on track to keep us on track. I think that that what we're trying to we're I don't think we're at this is obviously the analysis and the data that we're going to need you guys to come back with us. What we core need is to Nia's point a
107additional point under required data analysis that talks about what those thresholds are on a school by school based. >> Yeah. Well, so that but that's so that what that does though is that takes out the student enrollment stabilization bullet and >> capital outlay. Those both go into that threshold analysis that we need to understand for school, right? Does that make sense to everybody? >> Yeah. What is success criteria to the board >> for need to take back to committees for number two? What is >> we have? Um student experiences remain conducive for learning. Um, financial impacts are manageable and sustainable over time and operational impacts are manageable and sustainable over time because the other ones are going to move. >> We ended a walkability >> and so uh so those the other is what we
108were discussing and those others just um we have student experiences that promote equitable outcomes. students experiences are equitable and promote successful academic outcomes. And the question about walkability is I wanted to what does that look like? I think a question was around um a measure on that. Just I just wanted to inform you all so that you know for elementary school the walk zone currently is.75 for elementary and our percentage of wrership in K2 or really for all students is 60%. So just giving you that as a data point of walkability as defined by our current walk zone is.75. >> Could we get a but 60% of all students is um different for me from the elementary. Do we not have the writership for the elementary? >> Not not without like true analysis. Just telling
109you 75 is what's considered walk zone. 75 of a mile is what's considered walk zone of an elementary. And so if >> I want to make sure that we're capturing what the others are and if you want me to add walkability, what are you defining that as? It's in the interest of time because we've gotten through two of these. Um, is there a way that if you want to add, do you want to add walkability or do we are we okay with the way that this is so we could at least get through number three? >> I want to add walkability. >> I like walkability, but I I go back to I think your point about culture and I just I'm not satisfied that like we're ensuring that we educate students because that's what every
110school district does. So yeah, I I still don't see anything that says this is the cater school, not just any public school district that has a responsibility to make sure that things are equitable and students are learning. >> I don't know. I just I struggle with that because every every family's experience indicator is so very different. You know, >> we say that we will not that that that that the programming offered in the schools will remain consistent like that we're not that like that. I'm trying to figure out how to the number one bullet into language that preserves the intent of the first bullet without saying culture without saying. >> We said equitable. We said we have here student experiences that promote equitable outcomes and student experiences are that promote successful academic outcomes. One of
111those two. >> Yeah. But that but that doesn't that that could be done by massively changing the way that we do it. Do you know what I'm saying? Like like I what I don't want to see us do back to the question about art or music or ma or whatever the different programming is. I don't want to see us afford it by massively cutting, changing, or altering how we are currently delivering elementary education. >> Is there Okay, maybe this would answer to it. Each school has an SLT, right? >> Yeah. >> And you know, is another example outside of our thing. Let's just say that Decar had a some kind of gardening ethos. So by the high school level, you've created, you know, the equivalent of a community garden. So therefore at the elementary level
112they're doing these things. I mean there must be a way you know some schools have like a STEM focus. Um so I don't know whether it's something with the ST or it's something with IB but it feels like at least a few of us are saying there needs to be something more specific here. >> So what I want to take you back to the question we say is review the proposed. I'm going to stop on the word propose. Guys, you don't have to check a box. You can uncheck and then fill in other right. This was to give you guys a frame of reference to start the thinking, not to be the guide, the total end all road to your thoughts. The hope was that we would come today from you all to get direction
113on what do you want us to meet with these committees about. Remember at first it was consolidation. We switched to keep open strategy. Now we're at study. So we just need direction on whatever we're going to do with these committees. I need some clear that's what the comm community is asking. Clear direction. I just put down some recommendations for my meetings with community members on what I see them asking and what their thought and then in the next presentation I may come back in January say hey we met with or February we met with a committee they would like for you all to consider right I just want to know in terms of financial impacts and operational impacts and the manageability sustainability Are we qu, you know, do we need to add something in there
114to to say like an all scenario? Cuz I I'm I still think that I just want to make sure that folks are not just looking at financial impact keeping all schools open. >> It's we can be explicit to say in all scenarios. I think this by definition of the success criteria criteria it lends itself for all of them but um because this is the success criteria for all of them but I I like I can we can add that. So then let me let me request that the administration bring us language. Right? We we want to maintain something around building that's related somehow to bullet one that addresses the concerns that Dr. Johnson Davis has brought up. So let's figure out a way to frame out question number one in a way that incorporates her
115feedback. >> We should be adding >> bullet number one. Okay. We should be adding the equitable language. We should add a a a sentence around walkability and then we should remove student enrollment stabilization and any potential forfeited amounts of state capital outlay combine those into a piece of the required data analysis that is in number three. >> Yeah, just as clarifying question the data that you just gave us uh in terms of possibility. So does does that mean that a school could close and everything is still walkable for all the cared students? >> Defining walkability of walk zone. So walkability if you're going to say walkability of a mile from your home to your school, then you are in what's considered the walk zone. Some people are 0.9 from the school and they still walk
116because they don't want to you don't want to ride but that is definition that we will provide when you whatever scenarios that are being provided we would make sure we're having the criteria of defining what is the walkability in there that's what that that's what I mean >> and so I'm suggesting rather than we decide that right now look for the the administration to make a recommendation. >> Maybe we should say um that the schools remain equally accessible because not everybody has the I've said this before, not everybody has the ability to walk to school in the morning. um maybe some kids have live with a grandparent and that they don't have the grandma doesn't have the ability to get up and walk them to school in the morning or um there's some limiting factors
117to why their experiences are not such that they're walking to school and then directly walking home. So >> Dr. Zton, can we can we make the recommendation that the administration provide us a suggested language around that? Because I think if part of what's taking us so long is that we're words smithing everything here. >> As long as it says like I said if it's if it's walkable and easil and easily accessible as long as we're not assuming that every kid is has the same has the same pathway to school >> because they don't. >> But I I think the third component of that is also at least I know people that feel this way and I know I do. I want our students traveling to school, whether it's walking, biking, skateboarding, in the car with
118the least amount of traffic possible. And so I don't know if that's a factor. I understand. I can't tell everyone who lives within this distance that you're going to walk. And I know that's not possible, but that seems to be a quality that we keep not talking about. >> So the fewer buses, the fewer cars, I think the safer our students are. So, so yeah, back back to like I think the emphasizing what the board is saying right here looking to the administration to make a suggested bullet around walkability. >> Thank you. >> So, and we have not gotten through through >> through the rest of them. So, we will continue them next time. I recommend that do not begin to meet in January until these things are defined by the board of education. >>
119I do actually think the balance of them will go faster. I think we dealt with the two hardest ones. >> Can I ask one followup there then because we have a timeline that leads us to November 2026 which logically seems to be bleeding into the FY28 budget. So is there then what would be our timeline so that there isn't the appearance or the unfortunate circumstance that we meet again and then we're delaying again. >> I think to board member's question I think the first two are probably the hardest but we just have to be committed to getting through the last four in um in the January. And I'll say don't look at any boxes. Put your put your choices down first. That's what I should have led with. Um and it was a thought to
120not give you guys anything to look at because we want guess whose thoughts we want want your thoughts, not the critique of what's on the paper. So for when we come back in January, if you don't mind, three, four, and five, six, like do not look at what's in the boxes. Put your thoughts down and then go through the boxes so we cannot so we get through >> get through the handout because the committees are waiting um and they're expecting to start meeting soon. Um, and so I'm I'm afraid of are we just putting them all foot in the moment and while the fire is hot, we we really need to strike while the community. >> Can I ask my questions about the presentation? >> Yes. Ma'am, can we look at slide five really quickly?
121Uh we said that advance equity and access avoid disproportionate impact on any group or neighborhood. Recognizing that one of the recommendations that might come out of this is a closure of a school. I don't I don't think we can hold true to that. I think that if we are actually looking at closing a school if that is a potential outcome, it's just by definition going to be disproportionately impacting on a neighborhood. So we should be careful about that language. Slide number six. Um, we have about prek as house funded, but I think if we're truly looking at all options, prek as a tuition funded program is also has to be on the table, right? I mean, there is a significant number of people that do private prek with indicator. Um, and again, speaking to my
122experience, we chose to pay prek tuition rather than have to take the kids all the way across the cater. So, there's there's ways to be thinking about this. I also wanted to be careful about when we said on slide six, tuition isn't a way to close the gap on a school. It's not a way to close a gap for 70 students, but it absolutely might be a way to close a gap on 10. And so, I just want us to be careful about thinking about that. And maybe there's a percentage threshold around tuition. Like we don't want 30% of the kids to be tuition. We'd want to keep it under 10%. I don't know. Like I'm just speculating, but let's be a little bit careful about that as well. And then the last one on
123slide number seven, this came up in the retreat. Uh we have the names of all of the committees, but the committees themselves haven't really weighed in yet, as far as I know, on what the that right structure is. And so if the committees feel some tweaks there are necessary, are we open to allowing the community to kind of identify or adapt based on where they think the needs are? >> One thing since I'm not going to be here in January, >> can I before David before you go because I don't want to lose my train of thought. >> So one thing with private prek, >> yes, >> it's definitely an option. However, those kids will not be counted part of the Department of Education Fce. >> Oh, I mean understood. I understand that. Yeah. >>
124Right. So, I I want to make sure that we don't think that that's going to help fill up for capital outlay or to maximize QBE because that to be maximize QBE and capital outlay, it would need to be public school. >> That really >> And so, um number five, guard rails. The first one is this phase of focus on keep open strategy. So that would be removed. >> We'll talk about that next time. Yeah, that's what you >> Well, I mean No, no, no, no. I understand. We're talking about point number five. >> Yeah, she wants to be here. She won't be here. >> Understood. I misunderstood. Yep. Okay. I mean well we have removed it from the heading >> and if our we are we've said that you know the need is to be
125fiscally responsible as we you know evaluate these different things >> you need to take that off >> I would agree >> uh okay >> I don't agree >> okay let let's uh let I mean so we have Dr. Johnson Davis's input on that point and we will include that input in January when we talk about it. >> Okay. >> The very very last thing you made this point Dr. Sil >> I can make this >> debate to say who's going to then you go make your final point. >> I mean very quickly the current committees are massively weighted towards Westchester and it is an issue in terms of how we get the full input from the community. Do I offer that as something that needs to be addressed? Got it. >> Are we comfortable with
126number one, the problem statement? >> Yes. >> Please go reread it. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right, board. Thank you for clarifying the case utilization study problem and halfway there to that success criteria. >> Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Adams for the thoughtful facilitation. We agreed the core need is to ensure fiscal responsibility of elementary school utilization by elevating total enrollment figures. >> Building usage and staff resources all while ensuring sustainability and honoring the unique culture of Decar's small neighborhood schools. board. We will take a brief recess at 21:19 and come back in five minutes. 2:24 call. >> We will now call the meeting back to order at 2:25 p.m. Dr. Whitaker, please introduce the next presentation. Thank you, Chair Sultan. I would like to call on Mrs. Francis Ho, assistant superintendent of student
127support services to bring the annual. >> Good afternoon for chair Dr. Sultan, vice chair, esteemed members of the board, student representative Batra, and superintendent Dr. Jima Whitford. Many students have had a wonderful experience in CS. All of their educational needs are met, and they are very successful. However, not everyone has shared in those great experiences and some remain on the margins. While it may be difficult to fathom any changes to a system in a culture, but it's so great in so many ways. If we continue, if we are to continue achieving the outstanding outcomes and extend them to all students, transforming the culture is crucial. Our primary objective in student support services is student success in all areas. To accomplish this, much of our work focuses on building and sustaining an engaging an inclusive culture.
128Over the last two board meetings, you have heard about the efforts related to instruction leadership and professional development. And today I'm presenting on the third component. When instruction, leadership, and student support function together, the system and its culture can move away from the status quo two-prong approach to school improvement and instead leverage every existing system resulting in the creation of one unified, comprehensive, and equitable. Transforming the conditions for student learning support cannot be achieved in isolation or at only one level. It requires a theory of action with a throughine to student outcomes. It is not about adding more programs or initiatives, nor is it about more compliance. You have seen the Georgia NTSS growth graphic before. This graphic illustrates how academic, behavioral, and well-being systems can be strong on their own, but when combined form
129a single resilient strand. We will review the individual strands this afternoon and discuss how this braid symbolizes the whole child approach that we are implementing to address the systems that have not served all CSD students well. Let's start by examining student discipline data and the activities underway to transform the culture around it. Reducing exclusionary discipline practices and ensuring that every student remains connected to learning have been CSD's goals for some time. There are different ways to report on discipline staff. And on this slide, you see the number of incidents that have resulted in ISS or OSS as well as the number of students involved and their demographics up to December 3rd. ISS and OSS together account for less than onethird of all discipline for this period. Compared to last year, overall ISS incidents have decreased
130by 34 and OSS by eight. ISS for black students has decreased by 32 incidents and OSS by 14. We know a slight increase for students with disabilities, but we also know this subgroup requires intensive and individualized support. Last school year, you indicated you wanted to monitor the use of ISS for half a day or less in addition to recidivism rates. Overall, the recidivism numbers are very low with only 50 students in the data. Males, black students, and students with disabilities represent the students with two or more referrals resulting in ISS or OS. Data indicates that for most schools, half a day or less is being used as a measured response, a chance for students to pause, reflect, and reset without missing the full day of academic instruction. School administrators are reporting that students assigned this
131consequence this consequence are engaging in conversations with support staff or drafting their plans on how to restore the relationship with their peers or teachers. This approach is enabling this consequence to be more instructional and constructive rather than solely punitive. The official status of disproportionality has been in place since 2017. It started with black students with disabilities being at a higher risk of disciplinary removal when compared to all other students with disabilities. Around that time, around the time that we were removed from the list due to discipline disproportionality, we were unable to reduce the risk ratio enough to prevent being flagged for disproportionality and identification. Discriminant identification occurs when one racial or ethnic group demonstrates a higher risk compared to all others of being identified as students with disabilities or as having a specific disability category,
132which is the ones that currently apply to us. As you can see, the risk ratios have decreased. We have not yet dropped below the required 3.0 threshold in Georgia. In a district our size, each student makes a difference in the ratio calculations. Here you can see how the you can see the approved interventions that are in place as well as the required activities that have been completed this year. The required CCIS data reviews are integrated into the whole child meetings, ensuring that this important topic receives the muchneeded interdep departmental attention it deserves. We expect the 2026 determinations to be released in the next month and we anxiously anticipate that the risk ratio for students for specific learning disabilities to come under 3.0. As you can see, supporting schools in addressing student behavior is a significant
133part of our work. Our approach to addressing discipline and how adults respond to it is multiaceted and intentional. First, the integration of PBIS and MTSS framework into GA MTSS Georgia MTSS is foundational along with the continued emphasis on restorative practices and conflict resolution strategies. the whole town team, the interdep departmental team made up of all student support services leaders, our Georgia MTSS director, and the executive director of schools operationalize the implementation of these frameworks at the district level as well as the updated procedures and protocols. Two to three times per month, this team is meeting to review data, identify trends, identify gaps in processes or programs, and to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions, particularly for the students on the recidivism data. They ask questions like, how many times has this student been referred to the
134student center? Do we need an IEP meeting? Does the student need a re-evaluation or a behavior intervention plan? What's missing? What's working? What resources or training does the school need? Several team members including our district behavior interventionists and student outcome support staff or SOS's are also involved in the real time coaching of professionals actually demonstrating the teaching of replacement behaviors and the selection of appropriate strategies recognizing that there is no one-sizefits-all approach. The same team takes action guiding school leaders and staff again in real time on learning how to design, implement, monitor or evaluate the systems and culture within their schools which align to which this aligns to the theory of action. He has responded to over 60 discipline consultations and conducted more than 200 action related school visits to the schools collectively. From all
135of these efforts, we can see in the data that the vast majority of students are responding and that the capacity of many adults to work with students with intensive needs is gradually increasing. Of course, we still encounter isolated situations in which unsafe or serious behaviors occur and consequences must be applied. Yet, even in those cases, students and their families are being referred for support. Now, let's review the updated efforts in the area of instruction and well-being. Year one implementation of future readiness skills or FRS is underway at F FRS all CSD students with essential life and leadership skills that they will need for college careers and citizenship. Research also indicates that the explicit teaching of social and emotional learning skills has been proven to be beneficial to students, the staff who work directly with them
136and both school and classroom cultures particularly in the terms of engagement and inclusion. This is as important as academic instruction. Working collectively with the principles, collaboratively with the principles, we have completed multiple professional learning sessions and conducted two rounds of fidelity walkthroughs. To sustain this momentum, we now have school-based FRS ambassadors. These ambassadors are school team members who help serve as on-site champions and provide technical assistance helping us sustain fidelity of implementation. They are also members of the GAMTSS district implementation leadership team or DIO. Through these connections, FRS is aligned with our larger system of academic, behavioral, and emotional support, ensuring that the work is collaborative, cohesive, and datadriven. Looking ahead this semester, we will focus on launching FRS in the elementary grades. And once we reach full K12 implementation next school year, CSD students
137will have a seamless developmentally aligned social emotional learning experience from kindergarten through graduation. The behavior assessment system for children behavioral and emotional streaming system or back three best is a cornerstone of our proactive whole child support model. Except for those whose parents have opted out, this is the first year that all students in grades 3 through 12 are screened. This fall, we saw that 95% of all eligible students participated in this screener, our highest percentage yet. The results of the re recent fall administration show a balanced pair like distribution consistent with our tiers model of support. This validates that our student population is appropriately distributed across the tiers of the Georgia MTSS framework. Additionally, BEST now plays a central role in the Georgia MTSS meetings and advanced tier discussions at the school. The SOSS and
138MTSS leads are also involved in these discussions. School teams now can incorporate well-being data alongside the academic and behavioral data. This semester with the in we continue with the installation of the community school model educator high school student center with facilitation support from Metro Resa. The pillar teams have been established. Soon teams will start hosting a series of listening sessions so that we can ensure that the voices of students, parents and community members are heard. These sessions will further inform the needs and assets assessment enabling us to achieve the required 75% participation from every stakeholder group. The results will show us how to map the strengths and needs and opportunities within our community guiding the alignment of resources and the removal of barriers. Additionally, very soon we will start implementing we will start supplementing current
139mental health services thanks to the Georgia DOE um student mental health and behavior services grant. Thanks to these funds, students in grades 6 through 12 now have access to individual and family therapy, diagnostic assessment, psychiatric evaluations and care, and medication management at no cost to their families. and regardless of their insurance status. Our new service provider is preventative preventive measures mental health services. Services are both available during the school day and at home reducing barriers such as transportation and scheduling conflicts. We are also expanding collaboration with clarel clarel services will enable us to serve any K2 student who is uninsured or underinsured. So regardless of their circumstances, every CSD student will have equitable access to consistent highquality mental health care. I will now cover the support programs that require eligibility, beginning with English to speakers
140of other languages and federal programs. The East and Federal Programs Department oversees federally funded grant programs including title 1, 2, 3, 4, ESOL, and the McKenna Vento Homeless Assistance Act program. Although CSC CSC does not have any schools qualifying for title one schoolwide programs which are based on free and reduced lunch percentages, individual students at Claremont and Tally may qualify for supplemental academic instruction based on their academic needs as identified and progress monitors through the universal screener data. Title one grant funds are currently in reading and or math. This slide also highlights the percentage of students who received title one support and demonstrated growth on the star assessment last school year. In ESOL, we serve approximately 108 K12 students and the top five homeland Spanish Chinese and some other later Miss Newton results. However, on
141this slide, you can see a preview as evidenced by the CCRPI closing the gap in every subject tested at every grade band as well as the access scores growth percentages. Our ESOL programming is strengthening. These results are all the more reason to continue the use of the English 3D program, a language development program that supports the academic language growth in writing, discourse, vocabulary, and communication. We are also incorporating just right readers language acquisition libraries which are aligned with the science of reading. These resources are especially valuable for our older readers who are still building early reading skills while advancing their English language proficiency. Another important program that we supervise at the district level is the McKenna venture program. This program ensures enrollment and support for students experiencing homelessness. We currently serve about 67 students. Our
142program provides transportation after school after school and school break care, food assistance, school supplies, social work services, and community referrals as needed. Special education and section 504 programs also have specific rules and regulations around eligibility and support. We are currently serving nearly 650 students under section 504 and 536 students in special education. Students with 504 eligibility are approximately 12% of the overall CSE student population and about 10% are students with IBP. This means that approximately one in five or 22% of CSD students are disabled under these programs combined. 22% is higher than the national average of 18.6 based on the most recent data available from the office of civil rights and the national center for educational statistics. Both programs in CSC are seeing an increase in numbers and the top eligibility areas are listed for
143you on this slide. Recently, you also asked to see the 504 data trends at the secondary level. And according to our endofear reporting, both schools continue to see increases in the number of students with 504 plans. The number of psychological evaluations has also increased by 24% over the last three years. A significant change in fostering a more inclusive culture is how we now openly celebrate students with disabilities in events such as our now annual Yes I Can Awards and the first ever accredited Special Olympics. This semester, we also hosted our first ever first ever special needs transition fair where over 20 organizations serving students with disabilities in metro Atlanta were in attendance to provide families with information and resources for support options after high school. We also added two new work-based learning opportunities for students
144with disabilities at Decatur High School. We are grateful to Joyful Dara and Red Velvet Catering, two local businesses for embodying their values and willingness to partner with us in ensuring that all students have the opportunity to gain valuable work and life skills. And finally, one of the most exciting pieces of data that I would like to highlight is the CCRPI closing the gap flag for students with disabilities who are served with an IEP. These are students who have met IDEIDA eligibility requirements in any of the 12 categories in Georgia. Yes, they still have to take the GMAT. The flags are extraordinary because they indicate that these students who are who have been traditionally on the margins of achievement are now meeting and surpassing the state expectations for subgroup in every subject and at every grade
145level testing. Such an accomplishment is not achieved by focusing on just teaching and learning or school leadership. That would be the status quo. It is the three-prong approach, the collective efforts of teaching and learning, school leadership, and student support that results in the transformation of the system and its culture. So, in closing, I hope you have seen how the student support services division is working diligently to help our schools create the conditions that allow all students to succeed and to have their educational needs met. I'm grateful to you and Dr. Whitaker for your support and to the data dedicated team members whose tireless efforts are seen all throughout this presentation. Have any questions for questions? Um a question about restorative practices. Is there training that goes on around restorative practices and who receives that training?
146>> So we have been embedding it into our consultations into our actual going out to the school but we are looking to do restart formal training in this next semester and over the summer with our administrators and teachers. Um just quickly on slide number eight had a quick question about percentages and there just maybe something that I'm I'm missing or or something there. Oh >> oh sorry yes eight. So when we say the participation rates like that bolded fall of 25 at 95% participation with 4,000 students how is the spring of 25 92% participation with only 2,332. >> We did not have all grades tested. This is the first year that all grades 3 to 12. >> Got it. So it's just a subset. Fall and spring are just a smaller subset. It's not all.
147Got it. Um on slide number nine. So this mental health access grant. So first of all that's fantastic, right? Like this is this is a big deal. Everybody gets access to it. That's huge. What is the size of that grant? >> $40,000. We uh the state allows 20 what per middle floor it. >> Okay. And so the reason why I'm asking is that I just that seems to be a small in this program might be and I just would put it to the board. $40,000 is a relatively small amount of money to be able to offer an impact this this large. So, it would be something that that I think at least speaking to myself, I'd be interested in ways to continue. Uh, and then slide number 11. I think this is this goes without
148saying, but I just want to be explicit with the with everybody that all those green flags with yellow stars, this is the first year, right? Like if we looked at this a couple of years ago, it was all red flags and we we had plenty of things that needed to be fixed and this so this is just demonstrating substantial progress. So congratulations. I realize that there's still plenty of work to do. I don't want to try to imply that there's not a whole lot in front of you, but uh clearly there's been progress. So things >> I just have one question with the 24% increase in uh psychological evaluations. How is your team managing that? >> Um we are managing pretty well but we do also budget for contracted psychologists. So if at any point
149in the school year we are you know uh have a the case load increases then we can contract so that we can bring in additional support to get those evaluations done. >> Professional services that mentioned in major I think I think >> a few things um yeah that looks awesome. Um, so the only district in all of Georgia probably. Yeah, that's super >> definitely. >> I do have a question though and I don't know if it's easily answered. >> What determines the closing the gap >> because I noticed then and I don't know again if this is easily answered. I think I was looking at some of the same slides was if you go to slide 10 >> I see that the Esau access assessment student growth percentile which looks cool too because you got
15043% that had high growth. So does the closing the gaps include student growth or does the closing the gaps it's something else or it is about progress and I know Miss Scott will talk a little bit more about that. Yeah. So, uh, at a high level and Miss New Mrs. Newton Scott will go through that in my superintendent report, but closing the gap says there is a target of improvement that for each student um, basically at the aggregate and you get a green star and a flag when you have exceeded those targets for that subgroup. you would have a yellow flag if you've improved but not met that target and then it's a red flag when you're not doing it at all. But in Mrs. Newton Scott's presentation, she will break down all of that
151and those access scars are part of progress, not closing gaps. That's why it's under a different subcategory. >> Thank you. And then may I just ask one other question about slide eight because I have the same question. Um so I see that we had more students um taking the best um I think it's yeah slide eight but in the results and maybe this doesn't matter do those break down by um schools or grade levels so like we see that 86 of the students have an extremely elevated risk is that largely hovering in middle or high school or >> I don't have the exact number today but we do have that information in my All right. >> Well, thank you board for allocating MTSS human resource support. As a reminder, there are three student outcome support
152professionals that report directly to principles and one MTSS director. Support spans the areas of academic, behavior, and well-being. Additionally, you can see that we have a proactive model yielding improvement. We await the dispro rates next month and know that when we ensure all students are ready for kindergarten, the ratios will improve even more. Transforming student learning supports is about leveraging what we already have to move forward potently toward ensuring every student can engage, progress, and thrive. >> Thank you, Mrs. Holt. I'm excited that the mental health access grant in collaboration with claritel will be a will enable us to provide highquality mental health care to any K to2 student who is uninsured or underinsured. Also, I noticed the green flags with yellow stars and I'm happy to see that we are closing the gap scores
153in every subject and in every grade level for students of the margin. Dr. Whitaker, please introduce the next presentation. >> Thank you, Chair Sultan. Today we will have two presentations on the new early childhood learning center and the DHS campus expansion. First I would like to invite Mrs. Adena Walker, chief human resources officer. She will be followed by Dr. Lonita Broom, chief financial officer, and Doug Gart of Davenport, CSD's financial advisor. >> Good afternoon, board chair Dr. consult vice chairs esteemed members of the board student representative botra superintendent Dr. Steven Whitaker. I am pleased to provide an update on the new early childhood DHS expansion project from a human resources perspective. This process falls into within two strategic accelerators, cultivating and retaining highquality professionals and organizational effectiveness and excellence. At the heart of any school's
154success is is its leader. Today we will highlight the process of hiring our inaugural principal for our new early learning center which is slated to open in fall of 2027. We posted the vacancy in November. The interview teams have been formed and interviews are scheduled to take place this month before the holiday break. We will announce the final candidate upon our return in January of 2026. This position has already been allocated in the FY26 budget as a mid-year hire, which gives an 18month period before the opening day in August of 2027. During the eight 18month pre-opening period, the principal will take on several critical responsibilities. In addition to the required 40 hours of early childhood leadership training, they will oversee staffing and hiring, play a key role in submitting applications for federal and local programs.
155They will also assist in managing professional learning requirements for early childhood staff and ensure internal compliance expectations are met. A major will be community and enrollment leadership which will involve building relationships with families, local partners, community organizations while also being at the forefront of enrollment initiatives for our first class of students. The principal will also lead the the operational and financial development of the school, including in the initial budgeting, establishing operating practices and identifying grant opportunities to support long-term sustainability. And finally, they will collaborate closely with the construction and facilities team to ensure every classroom and learning space is designed, equipped, and ready for students and staff on day one. This work will set the foundation for strong for a strong opening and long-term success for our new early learning center. The new early learning
156childhood center will operate under several regulatory agencies each with its own staffing uh ratios in state and federal mandates which adds a significant complexity to our staffing model. This slide outlines the required ratios for infants, toddlers, prek, and inclusion and the inclusion of the CTA class. These ratios directly determine the number of staff required to serve incoming students. In addition, we must meet all decal and bright from the star requirements to secure licensing and potential fin additional funding while also adhering to the Georgia prek mandates as a lottery funded program. The inclusion of the Georgia K prek aligns with the aligns more closely with uh college pipes. For this reason, the center will be led by a principal rather than a director. The CPA lab school offers another layer of required student teacher ratios to
157support a true career pathway experience for future educators. As a lab school, the principal will also work closely with the current Frasier center staff as they transition to the new site. This combination of multiple regulatory agencies, ratio systems and a lab school requires a strong leadership require strong leadership and ongoing collaboration with human resources. With any staffing model, there are financial implications that must be incorporated into several overall into overall operational costs. Here we have estimated the average cost of a prek teacher, a pair of professional and a 03 child care staff member at their midyear salary level along with the district's benefit contributions. This provides insight into total compensation for each position, enabling us to forecast staffing costs associated with anticipated enrollment. Annually, we receive substantial funding from Brighton Start, typically around a million
158dollars for our intency prek classes, as well as revenue from local tuition for 0 to3 programs. While these sources cover a vast majority of the operating costs, upwards 90%, a local subsidy may still be required to fully support ongoing operations. It is also important to note that this annual operating subsidy for the early childhood learning center is not included in the cost of the new building. The local subsidy mirrors the the current structure at college height where the district contributed approximately 100,000 in FY25 and a little over 2 thou 200,000 in FY24. This amount may vary from year to year based on enrollment staffing and state reimbursement amounts. Additional details of financial projections for FY27 and 28 will be presented during future budget discussions to fully outline the ongoing operational cost and the anticipated local
159subsidy needed to support the new center. You first saw this this slide last month when Mrs. Burton presented on instructional programming. Today I would like to address it from the human resources perspective specifically focusing on high how we will prepare both our current college heights and Frasier center staff as well as future staff. Highquality early childhood education is rooted in strong professional learning and supporting that learning will be done as the as a core responsibility of the new principal. The goal during the the goal during that next 18 months is to provide training credentials training and credentials required uh to staff who are already managing school instructional workloads. To do this, we will begin offering professional learning opportunities next semester. These sessions will be aligned with the requirements set by our education partners and state
160agencies. Human resources will also conduct a comprehensive review of certifications and training our our current staff already hold. This will help us identify skill gaps, form appropriate learning cohort, and ensure that every staff member, regardless of which early childhood uh center they are assigned to, is fully prepared to serve our youngest learners. As we move through the hiring process and provide opportunity, we will follow a structured process that mirrors our current internal trap transfer procedures. Our transfer process will be clear and consistent, outlining the number of vacancies to be filled and how current early childhood staff may transition between centers. Throughout this process, we will main we will maintain ongoing communication with staff to ensure they are they feel supported and informed during every step of the transition as we continue our collective work toward
161opening the new center. This timeline represents the visual of our progress. So, let's recap. In September, several critical m milestones were completed. The board of education uh operations uh presentation took place on September 9th, aligning operational logistics with our opening timeline. HR collaborated with the planning team to map uh positions and job descriptions and credentiing requirements. In October, City Schools of Decada received the guaranteed maximum price on October 8th and the financial finance plan was approved on October 14th. In November, Mrs. Burton presented the instru in instructional programming overview, including the development of the continu continuing education plan and key professional learning partnerships that CSD for all CSD early learning staff. Today, in alignment with the programming calendar, we have provided insight to the regulatory requirements across multiple agencies, the financial impact of staffing the
162new uh early childhood center, and most importantly, the timelines, duties, and responsibilities of hiring our first principal. As we move into January and February, our focus shifts toward instructional design and family engagement. In January, Mr. Adams will give an update on the next phase of building considerations. We will also launch the en enrollment awareness campaign to engage families early and provide clear information about eligibility, tuition and key timelines. We will also begin vetting curricular curricular and instructional re resources. In February, the teaching learning team will continue the curriculum vetting process as we build the instructional foundations of the center. With this timeline, each milestone reflects a thoughtful, data-driven, and intentional approach. Thank you. And I'm ready to answer questions that you have. So on slide four, we've got the CS student teacher ratio. So I
163think my first question is are we building an operational budget around the four students per teacher or are we building it around the possibility of double that amount because I think at least until you get to the last school for child care services if it's 1 to three in prek we have 1 to 4 1 to 6 1 to 10 but the max is double that amount. Well, that is going in alignment with the high school aotment. So that would that would just be part of >> No, I I think what I'm asking here is we have a ratio 1 to4 but in parentheses we have max. So are we building it to four students per one teacher and budgeting for that or are we building it for two teacher one teacher per eight students
164because that's what I'm reading here. >> Exactly. So whenever you're talking about the max that is the max for that classroom. So depending on how many students that you have we are staffing according to the enrollment number. Uh okay and then for the last school since the current early childhood learning students are based at the high school right they're rostered to a high school CTE teacher. Are they moving over to like for FTE and all this class size? How does that work when they move over? Because I'm seeing it with the early learning, but right now the CTA is at the high school. >> Exactly. It's basically just how we have it structured at the pre center. It will be structured the same way here at the F. >> So then they will be rostered
165to the high school and all the STE money will be going to the high school teacher, not to the early learning. >> Okay. So then what happens if you have fewer than you know let's say if 10 students sign up for a really large class it doesn't meet because you don't have enough you know sometimes there aren't enough students signing up so we've had you know different um courses maybe because there isn't as much interest so right now we've got this ratio and I'm just trying to figure out at all to the staffing of the early learning center. >> It doesn't it's in the high school master schedule. >> Okay. >> It's it's a course in a master study. It's just going to be located at the new building. >> I guess the important point
166is that this um FTE count for CTA goes into the budget for the headcount of the high school, not of the new ECLC. Correct. >> Yes. It is literally picking up the same program and putting it across the street. >> Okay. And then on slide uh five, do benefits increase if the salary increases because I noticed for the child care provider, >> I think we've got level E3 or maybe it's called E4, but there's also something called we have also on our salary schedule an educational specialist. So at year 12 they're making I believe 62K. So with the benefits like are we saying we only want child for that one tier and if not why don't we have the educational specialists on there because that's at least 20k difference and then does the benefit increase
167if the salary increase? >> Well with any salary it's a percentage with the benefits is a percentage of your of your actual salary. Um so the the skills this uh childcare provider um the zero to3 is exactly the the staffing and the skills that we would have at ECLC or Fraser Center. So that is the skill that would be staffed in those zero to3 classrooms. When you're talking about the prek teachers, of course, those are staff the prek class and a prek scare. And then just one final thing. So I think I heard that the new principal will um effectively design or I can't remember the verb the initial budget but then the SAG within the October timeline. So how does that work together? >> The staff this building does not open until FY28. So
168you're approving FY 27. Thank you. So, thank you, Mrs. Walker, for the update. The new early learning center is not proposed to open until FY28. In March of 26, you will have the annual use of SPLA, state, and federal grants presentation for FY27. Tonight's presentation is a glimpse into a portion of the operating expense and how all of the regulatory agencies provide us guidance and funding. Great. Thank you, Mrs. Walker, for the update. Also, thank you for providing a clear cost of the teacher and assistance. We look forward to the use of sloth, state, and federal grant funding for FY27 presentations in March of 2026. Dr. program. >> Good afternoon, board chair Dr. Sen, Vice Chair Hans, esteemed members of the board, student representative Foster, Superintendent Wood. An objection was filed against the bond validation
169in the superior court of Decap County for the bond approved by the Decar Public Facility Authority. In effect, Superior Court Judge Courtney Johnson is being asked to rule whether the bond and the intergovernmental agreement between the City Schools of Decar and the Decatur Public Facility Authority meet legal standards. In essence is the intergovernmental agreement between City Schools of Decar and the Decatur Public Facility Authority in compliance with the Constitution and Laws of Georgia and whether the proposal is sound, feasible, and reasonable. District representatives and attorneys attended the bond hearing started on Tuesday, November 10th, and after a presentation by legal counsel for the objectors continued the matter to November 19th. On November 19th, one witness was called to testify by council for objections. Council for City Schools of Decator called to testify to both myself
170and Jarvis County to speak about the project, its importance and impact, and how city schools of Decator would meet its obligations for payment. The judge concluded the hearing and ordered legal counsel for the parties to prepare and submit proposed orders for her consideration by the end of the day, Friday, December 5th. Legal counselors for both parties did submit proposed orders by the close of business last Friday. After the judge issues her ruling, the nonp prevailing party may appear no later than 30 days of the court group. The parties presently await the court's decision. While we await that decision and to prevent any delays in the the new Doug Ghart, the district financial advisor from Davenport and Company is here to present an update on the interest rate market for the construction of the new >>
171Thank you Dr. Broom for the introduction. Again, Doug Gart with Davenporting Company School District's financial advisor. Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the board for allowing me to be here today. Um, wanted to give perhaps before we get into the potential financial options, just give you a quick update on the market. So, um, the 20-year tax exempt AAA MMD gives you kind of a good barameter of how the markets are trending in terms of overall borrowing. See back to 2000 in the right hand side, you can see going back to 2024. And so over the course of really the last few months or so, that long-term AAA rate has started to come down to the point where we're actually at at or near the lowest point where it's been the entire year of 2025. So
172it peaked around this summer um but has since come down and began to stabilize. There's a little bit of over supply in the market here as we head naturally head to the end of the year. a lot of folks wanting to get their deals done, but overall um with the Fed actions anticip tomorrow um with a an additional rate cut overall the market seems relatively stable. So, one of the things that um that does happen is I know folks uh when you hear rate cut um you think naturally the entire yield curve is going to trying to show you is the relationship between the five year between the 5-year and the 30-year spots on the yield curve. And so what you can see on the far right hand side that dark green bar the very
173bottom. So, as the Fed has started to begin cutting rates, that shortterm that really only affects the really, really shortterm piece of the yield curve, the long end has still remained, you know, relatively constant. So, what's happened over the course of the last six months or so is that the yield curve has steepened. Um, you know, you have heard about the inverted yield curve. Now, it's more of a normal has gotten a little bit a little bit steeper. But one of the things that I did want to point out that as a result of that um that dark green bar, you may recall that the the city of Decatur back in 2016 issue bonds on behalf of the school district and um about three weeks ago we we went and refinanced a portion of those
174bonds. So it was technically only the city's involvement, but it was for school district projects. Um refunded about 19.2 2 million saving just under a million dollars um in the 26 to 32 maturity. So at least wanted to say that we are saving this the city residents money as a result and actively monitoring refinancing. So I'm sure you'd be pleased to hear um saving the taxpayers close to a million dollars is great as a result of that short of the yield curve. This gives you kind of a sense of where we've been and what the yield curve has done over the last few years. the the pink is where we stand really today as the preparation of this presentation and the blue and green are one and two years ago. So you can see the
175short ends a little bit lower, long ends a little bit higher, but on average right around the median has been approximately the same. Obviously we would love to be where we were 5 years ago, but we don't want to be in pandemic either. Um and so this is kind of the new operating normal at this point. And to give you give you a sense of where we stand on the high to low today, um you know, we're right around the lowest it's been in all of 2025 for the good portion of the yield curve in year six through really 20 close to there. So overall rates still remain relatively attractive. Uh last week we sold a 30-year bond for the city of Winder water and sewer um doublea rated credit that came out at 4.2%
176um at true interest cost. When we originally planning this I think we were getting close to 5%. Um so we're we're a much better place where we are today as opposed to just a few months ago. So that's a quick brief market update and one of the things that we we wanted to talk about is how do we issue debt in Georgia and what are the ways to go about doing it and so first there and I want to maybe eliminate any confusions between bank loan and and public sales. So first we need to identify the project. What are we actually going to command? Then you need to choose what is the funding option. So, you can issue a general obligation bond. You can issue an intergovernmental revenue bond, which is really the PFA bond.
177Um, Sloth bonds, those are those are short-term actually paid for from the SPLOS, have to be included in the in the loss ballot, that wasn't included, so it wasn't an option here. Although we can use SPLS dollars for the repayment. POPs is another traditional method. And then what we would call a pure revenue bond. only typically you see those for utility systems or parking like that where they're actually going to have revenue generated from the project itself. So really that left us with two two or three potential options. But the way that we want to do this is once you choose your funding option, in this case we chose the public facilities authority intergovernmental revenue bond. You can issue that either as a bank loan or as a public sale. So it's not like you
178say, "Oh, we're just going to do a bank loan." It has to be one of these types of issuances. So a cost has to be done as a public sale or a bank loan. It's not like a bank loan doesn't fall into its own unique category. It has to be done as that type of particular issuance to maintain the legal muster and have a bond council give an opinion that it is legal and valid. So ultimately once we we select it, we need to determine how we're going to go about issuing it and you can mix and match any combination thereof. So one of the things we wanted to do is talk about the PFA bond versus a a cost bond. So tip on a PFA bond the issuer would be the public facilities authority.
179Indicator schools would be the obligor. The main difference and two main differences between the two as they'll go down is the security. So in a PFA bond they're secured by intergovernmental contract backed by the full faith and credit of the school district. As a result of that, you can see down in the very bottom of the page is that you carry the this issuance carries the same credit rating as a general obligation equipment. So, it's approximately equal to the go bond because the bond holders ultimately have the right to make you raise taxes in order to pay for the debt service on it. The other kind of big piece is validation is required. the other main difference. So that's what we're in the process of doing now and we're out waiting the outcome of those
180results and hopefully it get ruled in our favor. The other type of issuance is what we would call a cops which is stands short for certificates of participation. Um also maybe a lease purchase contract is something that you would probably hear in a in a more day-to-day type world. Um, essentially the way that this works, a third party such as GMA, the Georgia Municipal Association, act as the issuer and instead of pledging your full faith and credit, you pledge collateral and and only have the ability to annually appropriate. So, because the really bond holders only right is the collateral that they view it as a credit risk, a knockoff risk. So generally speaking, it's a more expensive endeavor and the credit ratings are one notch below your general obligation equivalent rating because of that subject
181subjectivity. If I'm an investor, I'd rather just tell you you need to raise taxes as opposed to having to take over your list, right? Just naturally speaking. Um and so there are some limitations. Um, one of them the cops is that you can't exceed seven and a half% of your most recent M revenues, which is really your your tax tax levy. That's your average annual payment. Can't exceed that level. That's a Georgia constitution um state law. But this one would not be required to go to validation. So if there is an appeal or an extension, the way to bypass the validation process it would be going and issuing a certificate of participation. So just as an example, um we did go through the the credit rating process and we got the ratings back a day
182before the initial validation hearing. pleased to report that standard of tours affirmed uh the double A+ assigned a double A plus rating and doubleA Moody's actually upgraded the school district um from double A2 to double A1 but you can see right there they they have the PFA bond rating at double A1 just one notch below the highest possible rating of AAA uh the cost rating is just below that at double A2 and this is an excer directly from the Moody's rating report just to reiterate the double A1 is based at the same level as the issuer ratings full and credit um planning on using but ultimately secured by the adser taxes the AA2 is to reflect the risk of nonappropriation um for because this is an essential project it's only one notch if we were
183funding something that would be considered non-essential um it could be even further down less likely that you're not you're going to close a school, but if it was um a library is an example of something where is another one we've seen a lot of foreclosures on golf. If you're building a community golf course, um they would say, "Hey, we might need to be two notches below that general obligation rating." So, we ran some different debt service scenarios comparing what that cost might look like. And there's a lot of numbers that go into this, but essentially we think a cops um is in that 10 to 15 basis points of interest rate, which is 0.1 to 0.15% higher um in terms of interest rate. So, over the course of a 30-year issuance, if we were to
184pursue this route, um it would be roughly $1.1 million more expensive over the life of the the level. Um so, which is why we were pursuing the public facilities authority issuance um in the first place is to take advantage of those rate savings current taxpayer. So, while the cops is a an option, it it it would require some work to get to there. It would take probably 45 to 60 days if we got started today. Um, obviously with the holidays and all that stuff, it could be a little more extended period, but some of the things that would need to happen would include, but not be limited to first, we need to identify the collateral, and it's really a a real estate transaction. So, we need to make sure that we have title insurance. um
185complete a survey to the environmental study. The lenders are going to want to make sure that there's no issues with the collateral that the commitment was being pledged. Technically would be selling the land and you'd be leasing it back or purchasing the back. Um there is some the public hearing advertising requirements just that you as the board have to hold. Um it doesn't require any vote, but it would be a public hearing that would have to occur because of the overall structure change. The the legal documents, the preliminary official statement, which is like the perspectus, have to be rewritten and instead of an intergovernment contract, it would be sale agreement that would have to be rewritten. And ultimately, we would have to go talk to the rating agencies again to get the the new structure
186rerated. So ultimately um not quite starting at ground zero but it's pretty close because we've developed the plan finance really everything from there would have to be re reissued. So any questions on that before I talk about a bank loan versus public sale I think you said something earlier I just want to make sure I think specific to the cost maybe it wasn't something to the effect of 7% of the M And so what does that look like in this scenario? >> So, and forgive me, I don't have the exact numbers in front of me. So your your M taxes last year produced roughly $65 million. And so 7.5% of that is again roughly going off memory sixish million. Five and a half and six million. And so, um, the annual payments from all of
187your lease purchase transactions outstanding can can exceed that. So, that would include some of the existing debt that we already have outstanding. It would include some of the vehicle leases, things of that nature. The public works facility in MFU would all kind of count towards that limitation. So, we do need to make sure that be structuring around that to to take advantage of Okay. So, moving on. Um, wanted to talk a little bit about a bank loan. And so, a bank loan is is a possibility, but doesn't necessarily forgo you from going kind of the necessarily legal processes that that a public facilities authority. there is some um expeditious or things that can be streamlined go through it but um you're still having to do a lot of the same steps in order to go
188and and and do a bank loan transaction. So one of the the big things with a bank loan is that it is a shorter timeline. So we wouldn't have to go back and get rerated. um we wouldn't have to reddevelop the preliminary official statement. But one of the things that um that are somewhat limitation li limiting is that generally speaking 20 years is the max term that banks are wanting to go. there are a handful of lending institutions that might know it, but once you're starting to get beyond that 20 years, you might get one or two folks that are doing it um that could really pay an interest rate. So really 15 to 20 years is the max that they want to go and once you start getting above that 15 to20 million um
189range the number of banks also does shrink a little bit just due to the size of the transaction that no single institution wants to put all their banks in proverbial one basket. Um so I think that if we were to do this it's it's possible to go issue the full amount. We've certainly done bank loans of this size, but it would be a challenge to try and get at least a fixed rate for the full 30-year term. >> So, one of the things we did compare is the the cost of issuance between the two. Um, obviously bank loans and public market, a lot of the same players. Really, the the two major differences is that you don't have a disclosure council and you're not paying the the rating agency to to do that. So general
190steps in the bank loan. So really what we tried to to show you here today and we for this purposes of this analysis we assumed that it would be a public facilities authority issuance it for simplicity purposes rather than show you both we just assume this one. So the top part is things that have already all been completed so in process. So, if we were to go to a bank loan, steps 8 through 15, we distribute an RFP on your behalf to local banks, get this back responses, and then ultimately adopt the resolution post. Again, this one could be slightly more streamlined because we're not having to go back to the rating agencies and and read paper documents and things of that nature. A little bit more flexibility in terms of timing. Um, they hold
191their rates a little bit longer. So meeting dates can be flexible. And another thing that bank loans do offer is increased prepayment flexibility. So public market generally speaking um your your loan is locked in for a 10-year period. Um bank loans could offer potentially offer prepayment at any time without penalty if it all be dependent on. So here we are um with the general public market steps and you can see we've of the 15 steps we've done well of of the 15 with the validations in process. really once that um that validation hearing is completed it it would it would take just a few minor updates to update the offering document sell the bonds ultimately close on on the transaction. I think for if we were to be doing it as a as a a
192cost relief purchase, this this would be a slightly different analysis that a bank loan probably done. So, one of the things we did do is ran the differences between a bank loan and public sale. Due to the the limitations that I talked about, we ran it at 20 years. And so what you can see um again a four and a quarter interest rate on the bank loan side and we ran it at current public market rates. And so what you can see on this one is that even though some of the cost of issuances are lower right now the public market is outperforming um pretty materially to the point where it would be roughly 2.2 2 million in additional cost assuming the loan get held to this is also assuming a 20-year term instead of
193a 30-year term. The 30-year term might make the public sale um a little bit more expensive because you're paying interest longer, but it would take each annual payment would be substantially smaller in that scenario. I just want to make sure. Yes, sir. Yeah, my thing the bank the bank loan ops offers some flexibility if we really needed to move super quickly. Um, but we're talking about probably a 30-day difference. Uh if we were to switch between and >> if if if we were to move forward under the PFA on a bank loan, how long would it take to >> this this is it's on the very bottom here, the last page. So once if the bank loan's pursued, it would be approximately 30 days. >> Okay. >> So we would get RFP on the street.
194We generally like to give the market two weeks to review those proposals. Um once they get in, we get a week or so to draft kind of the closing papers for the pricing documents in which you all would be approving that. And then after that, it would be roughly one week. I think that's generally that's that's pretty tight, but it is not so tight where it's unrealistic. the holidays could throw a wrench in the works there. >> I think most most folks are shutting down their plugs. And so in in wrapping up, um we we ran it at It obviously 30 years helps on the cash flow side. Public markets performing better in terms of bank loan provides some timing flexibility, some interest rate prepayment flexibility as well. Um just because you're doing it as
195a bank loan doesn't forego all the other steps and processes. It does maybe streamline it a little bit. Um, but ultimately if we wanted to use the PFA, it still would have to be validated. The cost it wouldn't have to be kind of the same application. And ultimately, again, I think if you were to tell us today you want to go on a bank loan, it could be done slightly quicker 30 days or so for cost versus in that 45 to 60 days. So that I'm happy to answer any questions that the board may have. >> I like your time. >> Thank you. >> So I'm I'm sorry. I want to just clarify this was simply for information purposes. >> For information. Alex, thank you. >> It is great to know that our credit rating
196has increased through the completed steps now at S&P a double A+ and Moody's a double A1 with an opinion stating that it is due to healthy reserve levels and prudent budget management. Hopefully this presentation provided an update on our current funding status and available options. Yes, thank you Doug for the presentation and the clarification on options. Also, thank you Dr. Broom for reiterating CSD would repay the bond via splast funds. It's also important to know that all of the cab votes on splast just not just the city of Decatur. Uh Dr. Whitaker, please introduce the next presentation. Sheriff Sultan, I would like to call on Mrs. Amanda Lynch, chief of staff to discuss one policy for first read. Good afternoon once again board chair Dr. Sultan, vice chair of esteemed members of the board, student
197representative Vatra and superintendent Dr. Whitaker. Today we have one policy on the agenda for work session. This is policy DJ purchasing. Policies presented in work session are being presented for first read. If approved for first read, they will be available for public comment through assembly. Stakeholders can access any policies open for public comment on the right hand side of the assembly homepage. Assembly is linked on our CSD website under the board. Policy DJ purchasing is an existing policy. It was originally adopted in October of 2022. Because its last review date is also October 2022 was one of numerous policies identified earlier this year as a policy for the board to review. We discussed the other D policies with the 2022 last review date in pre-work today. BJ was identified for review and discussion last month
198because it was cross referenced in recently adopted policy FB based on the board's discussion in November's pre-workisions have been made to this policy. The language was adjusted to clarify that purchases precisely at or above the $100,000 mark are subject to board approval. This aligns with policy DJA. Also, purchasing thresholds have been added. These include purchases under $5,000 require a minimum of one quote. Purchases of $5,000 or more but less than $100,000 require a minimum of two written quotes obtained from vendors. and purchases of $100,000 or more require board approval subject to specified exemptions outlined in state law or board policy DJA. While there is also board discussion about change interesting thresholds, a change to this amount was not made to the draft being presented for first read. First, the $100,000 threshold is consistent with state
199statute. Second, as requested by the board, an analysis was completed to determine the volume of purchasing at a lower threat at lower thresholds. Based on our current numbers, lowering the threshold to even $75,000 would more than double the number of purchases requiring board approval. This in turn would create several unintended consequences, including an increase in the number of purchases requiring competitive bidding. Because a competitive bid process typically requires 30 to 60 days, this change could slow business operations and significantly increase the workload of the district single purchasing department employee. Finally, there was discussion around requiring board approval for moving funds across function categories. Addressing this in policy was not found in the environmental scan of other district policies. Therefore, language addressing changes in function categories has not been added. Next, please. The recommendation being made
200is that the City Schools of Decar Board of Education accept policy DJ purchasing for first to approve the recommendation of policy DJ purchasing for first read. >> Board member Johnson Davis makes the motion. Is there a second? >> Uh, second. >> Board member up second the motion. Is there any discussion? >> Yes. Okay. So I understand that the 100k meets the legal threshold but uh different school districts have different thresholds. So you know view first that's similar in size to us. I think um Clark County which has 12,000 students if I read theirs correctly does it at 50k and I believe Marietta does. So, I just don't see why we can't do what other districts similar and size are doing. Um, when we did get, and I appreciate that, the number of vendor purchases, I
201believe the majority are under 50K. So, you know, if we're looking at a,50, 877 of those, if I'm going from memory correctly, are still under that 50K. And then you have I think 37 that are over the 100k. So while I appreciate there's a little more work, largely it isn't the majority of those um that would be requiring board approval. That's the first thing. if we were to do say 50k. Um, the second thing is it's it's still a considerable amount of money and my math may be entirely wrong here, but just trying to figure out based on the numbers that exceeded 50k or the numbers that exceeded 75k, I think I landed on at least 7 million. And that's a small estimate just based on the minimum of 50k or the minimum of 75k.
202And um you know for a district our size I just think it's um at least prudent to consider reducing the amount. >> What was the number of contracts 75 to 100? >> 37. >> Oh no. >> 96 including those that are >> No. But if we said 75 >> 75us >> so 96 is the total number of contracts or it would be 96 more than what we are currently doing >> currently at 37 that's over 100,000 increase. >> So it's only 60ish more is what we're saying. >> Okay. So 96 contracts spread out over a year means that we would be looking at you know a handful of contracts. Five maybe. >> Yeah, five or six. All right. >> So, I I I looked at a $75,000 threshold and I would like to keep four
20375 to 100K the two bid process. And what that does is that if it keeps the efficiencies in place that you're concerned about, right? It's not requiring a full-blown competitive bid at every one of them. is keeping the same number of bids that you'd have to do now under the current proposed plan, but we would still be able to review that 75 to 100K. I think 50 is probably a little bit low and it would be a little bit jarring, but I think 75 is a reasonable number. >> 75 over 75,000 would be competitively >> over 70. No, over 75 would be approved. 75 to 100 would have the two bids same as we have now. and then over a hundred would be competitive with this. >> And just just for the sake of argument,
204are we lowering this threshold because we feel like we need to have the ability to review these contracts or do we feel like some of these or or what is the motivation behind lowering the lowering the thresholds? Because ultimately I think what's going to happen is you're going to see them and they're all going to go into consent agenda. So is there >> and while I agree it's only five or six why what yeah per month um what is what we would be doing is we would be reviewing recommendation of the superintendent so what would be the motivation >> so I think one we've done a lot of environmental scans in the last two years we talk about certain a lotments we talk about the number of positions in the school we are looking to
205other districts and I'm looking comparably at other districts that are our not Bolton, not APS that massive numbers. I think I said that at the last meeting. So, one, you know, if we are going to continue to use a methodology that says we do these environmental scans and we look at what other school districts are doing, then that would be one practice alone. Two, I think it just gives um it adds to the transparency and the budget information that we've continued to provide. And so I think there's a level of understanding then in terms of those movable monies. Like to me $3 million is a lot of money and $4 million is a lot of money. And so I understand that the budget policies do not seem to specify function. But you know I'll use
206this one hypothetically because Hans I think you used it earlier. If our instructional budget is 64k I believe >> million sorry 64 million and we are telling community we are giving teachers these pay increases and look that's where the majority of that money is going but it turns out because we didn't fill all those spots we had a budget surplus there and I don't know right right now I have no way of knowing um did it turn out that we really spent 58 date on instruction because we have that budget surplus and we did the purchasing there. So those are my two rules. Other school districts our size do it and I think it just gives a little more information about how the money is being spent. >> My answer to your question is the
207reason Dr. So the reason why you put controls around purchasing is to prevent behavior, right? And I am not remotely suggesting that that behavior is occurring, but you put the controls there to prevent behavior. And and where a smaller school system, having a little bit higher oversight over a smaller dollar amount increases the threshold anyone would have to go through for shenanigans. And so I don't want to burden us with hundreds of contracts coming in front of us, right? But a couple extra contracts a month for an additional threshold of control is worth exp. >> And I'm all for publishing the contracts for the public to see, but just so we don't conflate multiple issues. This would just be contracts that were up for approval or renewal. It would not be that if you move
208or change a purchasing code, that would not that would not fall under this category. >> Correct. Okay. >> The uh the the other thing that I wanted to ask and this is somewhere and I apologize I can't read things close with my glasses on but we did have something about emergency allowances. What what was is that in this one or is that >> I think that's the way I explained it. >> Wait. So what for I I honestly cannot read this in front of me. I hold it out here. emergency. Yeah. >> Superintendent would have the authority to approve it and then she would run to you office. >> Got it. Okay. So So as long as we have that and we're not really changing any thresholds or anything around that, I am fine. I
209do think for this this purpose I would like to see it at 75K in respect of the complication of doing open bids on uh the smaller contracts we just leave 75 to 100 and a two bid anything over 100 uh competitive bid but we do approve those additional 75 to 100. So the 75 cannot be purchased until you are approved. >> Uh correct >> the 75,000. So we'll add an extra bullet that says board approval is required for anything at or above the 75,000 but we will keep that all purchases over $100,000 shall be competitive. >> Correct. >> That is my recommendation. But this is the board members to weigh in. >> I think I think that makes sense. I think the um >> I think the main benefit I want to be clear to
210the to both Dr. Groom and Dr. Whitaker, it's not that we I I personally don't think it's because I think I have to micromanage every uh every vendor you hire. I think the main benefit is that when for contracts that are that size, they go into the packet for the public to see. That's probably the the biggest. Can you repeat the >> Can you please repeat the recommendation? >> Great. So, I think given this conversation, the recommendation probably needs to shift just slightly to a new recommendation that would be um that city schools of Decator Board of Education accept policy DJ purchasing with stated revisions for first read. And then what would happen is we would make those revisions. It's still open to the public for 30 days for or for their, you know, to
211the next meeting for comment. We can still look at how it, you know, we can still make red lines between it going public. So, if we, you know, so we can get it right before you would vote on it for second read action in January. >> Okay. So, I need some help from Joe because we have a motion on the floor. Um, so if we're going to do I need to just resend this motion if we're going to send it back. >> That does. Okay. >> So, how do I word that? Okay. Um, I'm going to uh make a >> I'm sorry. You go ahead. >> I don't I do I don't need a vote. So, I can just resend it. >> That would be Jonathan Davis. >> Okay. I'd like to resend the motion.
212>> Okay. Right back where we started, right? >> Go right back where we started. >> So, the recommendation being made is that City Schools of Decar Board of Education accept policy DJ purchasing with stated revisions for first read. Okay. Um, do I have a motion to approve the recommendation of policy DJ purchasing with stated revisions for first read? >> I'll move. >> Or member Johnson Davis makes a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Or member seconds the motion. Is there any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor? >> Chair votes I. Any opposed? >> The motion carries unanimously. Thank you, Mrs. Lynch. We encourage the public to review the policies posted on assembly. This concludes our work session. As a reminder, the work sessions are designed for in-depth discussion, study, and planning regarding
213district policies, issues, and upcoming decisions. Many items presented in a work session inform board meeting agenda items, including the consent agenda. We will recess and return at 4:45 to begin our regular board meeting. The purpose of the board meeting in school governance is to conduct the official b business of the school district through discussion and formal voting ensuring legal and transparent decision making on policies, budgets, and district priorities. There being no further business, this work session is adjourned at 3:49 p.m. Feel like I need to go Now call this meeting to order at 4:43 p.m. We ask that you silence all cell phones at this time. We will begin with a moment of silence followed by the pledge of allegiance. At this time, I ask that everyone join me in a moment of silent reflection.
214Now, I ask all who are able to please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Our mission is to inspire and enable student growth through meaningful and engaging learning experiences supported by highly qualified and caring educators in a safe and inviting environment. Board members, are there any revisions to the agenda this evening? >> No. >> Do I have a motion to approve the agenda? >> So move. >> Uh board member US makes the motion. Is there a second? Second. >> Board member Johnson Davis seconds the motion. Is there any discussion? >> Like to discuss number five in the consent agenda. >> Are you making um
215an adjustment to the a revision to the agenda? >> I mean I guess I I'd either like to have it removed sorry and vote on it separately. >> Okay. >> Or the other alternative is just not to approve it at all for me. Okay. What number is what is consent agenda number five? >> Budget priority. >> Okay. So, what is which what is the what would you what are you wanting to do with that? >> Maybe just move it to a separate item discuss and vote on. >> Okay. So, you'll have to make a separate motion. Okay. >> Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor. >> Chair votes I. Any opposed? The motion carries unanimously. Our next agenda item is the approval of minutes from previous board meetings. Do I have a motion
216to approve October's executive session, November's regular board meetings, and board retreats? >> Move. >> Board member US makes that motion. Is there >> second? >> Board member Johnson Davis seconds the motion. Is there any discussion? >> Hearing none. All those in favor? >> Chair votes I. Any opposed? >> Hearing none. Uh the motion carries unanimously. Dr. Whitaker I think you've joined us. Do we have any recognitions today? >> Yes, Chair Soul. I invite uh Karen Newton Scott, deputy superintendent to facilitate tonight recognition. Thank you Dr. Whitaker. We do have some available seats if any of you would like to take a seat. Um there are two seats here. The role that the second row is also available if any you would like to take. Okay. Thank you board chair Dr. Sen, vice chair, members of
217the board and superintendent Dr. Ja Whitaker. This evening, I am honored to share two presentations, both from Decada High School, as we honor each individual. Please come up front, but refrain from taking your seat because we'd like you to stage along the wall to my left and and your right for a photo opportunity with our board at the conclusion of all presentations. Principal Su, please join us up front. First up, we will be honoring Christopher. On Tuesday, October 28th, the Decada High School Skills USA chapter participated in the AGC Metro Skills Challenge at the Cob City Pop Civic Center. We had two students compete in the blueprint reading contest. Chris, a senior in the architecture drawing and design pathway, placed third in the blueprint reading. Congratulations to you. Our second presentation will be our December
218Decada High School graduates. If you are on staff at the high school or with Decada virtual academy, please join principal school up front. All of you, yes, we've all played a part in their journey. Please join us up front. >> Decada High School staff, Decada virtual academy staff. Okay, our first graduate this evening is Ki Baker. Hari came to Decada Virtual Academy this year with a goal a goal in mind to graduate in December and continue on his postsecary education path. With his high school diploma in hand, he is headed to study logistics and supply chain management. A field identified as high demand was a significant need in Georgia. Fari did precisely what we love for students to do. He identified what he liked and found a career that sets him up to do it
219for a living. Working with you, Kari, to improve our supply chain under your discerning leadership. Congratulations. Next up, we have Andrea Vaughn. Andrea came to PSD this year and elected to attend Kada Virtual Academy because it best suited her needs and goals for completing high school in the 2025 calendar year and immediately started her postsecary career journey. Andrea will begin a trade with NAPA, the National Automotive Parts Association to become an automotive technician. Andrea will take her determination to think critically and problem solve along with her strong moral compass and will be the young woman everyone wants to resolve their particular issues with integrity. Congratulations. Next up we have Amaya Michael. Driven by a desire to provide compassionate care with watching her mother and grandmother navigate various health challenges as an aspiring student as as
220a as an aspiring student who has decided to pursue a career as a registered nurse. >> Yep. Yep. To get a head start on course requirements in her future career, she enrolled in a dual enrollment program. She has been accepted into several institutions and is currently deciding where she wants to attend with a strong interest in historically black colleges and universities. The accepted schools include Tuskegee College, >> Southern University, and Emory. Congratulations. Next we have recognizing early that entering into the dual enrollment program was a great way to leverage an early start on college credit. Driven by a lifelong passion for helping people. Trinity immediate goal is to continue into either the competitive program at Augusta University College of Nursing or the program at Georgia Southwestern State University. The objective is to complete a 4-year
221degree plan efficiently and begin a professional career dedicated to patient care. Congratulations, Trinity. Next up is Tania Smith. >> Taya decided to graduate early to jump start her career with the medical field within the medical field. After completing the rigorous dual enrollment program, her immediate goals after graduation involve gaining hands-on experience in a clinical setting, ultimately aspiring to become a licensed health care professional driven by a passion for helping others in the community. Congratulations to Nia. Last but not least, we have Sierra Shield. >> Sierra decided also to graduate early to get a jump on a lifelong dream in the healthc care field. Completing her CNA program early gave her a head start on her career path and she's very excited about pursuing her goals. She is passionate and adapt sooner than later. After graduation,
222Sierra plans to use her CNA certification to work in a hospital setting. While in the fall, she will attend a 4-year university majoring in nursing. And she's very excited to begin this new chapter and continue to grow personally and academically. Congratulations, Sierra. Let's give our December Decator High graduate round. So at this time we ask our board and our superintendent to join our graduates up front for pictures. Family members, this is also your opportunity to grab a picture as well. >> You want us one at a time or all together? >> I want them one at a time. >> Okay. Okay. I heard you get congratulations. >> Wait, is this the right order? Congratulations. >> We got parents. >> All right. Congratulations. >> Congratulations. All right. >> Congratulations. Congratulations. >> Congratulations. Yeah. >> Congratulations. Let's
223go, mama. Congratulations. You got >> congratulations I need a connection. Okay. It is awesome. They're all congratulations. >> Awesome. All right. >> One, two, three, my girl. Congratulations. >> Congratulations. Yeah, it was so many people were here. >> Yeah. Um, yes, because a lot of them are in CNA. They're they're in nursing. And so, yeah, all of them except all the ladies, young ladies except for the one on the one that just came to us. >> Yeah. >> But she told me she's doing Napa and then I told her that George Georgia Pont Technical is about to a transportation um training program as well. >> Yeah. So, um >> part of >> Well, because we know we needed those graduation I would say the first couple didn't work out. Please >> that I've had since
224I've been here. >> We have a >> Yeah. I mean, yeah, they come through >> in the May >> since I've been in the >> No, in the December graduation. >> I'm probably >> I've never counted like tell me how many of us are, but um this is the most we've had in December. So as we continue to refine the way you support students alternatively. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Ready. >> Thank you. Mrs. Newton Scott. Dr. Whitaker. Do you have a superintendence report? >> Yes, I do. >> You want to give? You want to wait for a second? >> Yeah. Just wait. >> Okay. Is there Thank you so much for joining us this evening. All right. Such a joyous occasion. Such a joyous occasion. Good evening, CSD. This month, we join the world in
225celebrating International Volunteer Day and the many generous contributions volunteers make to our students and schools each year. We sincerely thank our parents, teachers, staff, and the broader community for their many hours spent enriching our school community. Every student need met and act of kindness counts. Before I continue, I also want to pause and acknowledge the passing of Mr. Julian E. Ralph who served in the city schools of Vicar for 32 years as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, and principal until his retirement. his family, his impact and it was invaluable on CSD continues and our thoughts and our prayers are with his family and all who knew and loved him. Thank you. Just before Thanksgiving break, the Georgia Department of Education released the 2025 College and Career Readiness Performance Index. Under the federal Every Student Succeeds
226Act, otherwise known as ESSA, each United States, must require a statewide accountability system that compiles the federal requirements, providing information on how well our students are performing. The CCRPI is what meets that requirement in Georgia, satisfying the school accountability requirements outlined in state law. Now, I would like to call on Mrs. Karen Newton Scott, deputy superintendent, to share the 2025 College and Career Readiness Performance Index results, otherwise known as CCRPI. Good evening, board chair Dr. Sultan, vice chair UT, members of the board, student representative Batra, and superintendent Dr. Whitaker. Tonight, I'm excited to share the story behind our 2025 CCRTI results, a story of progress, participants, and the impact of coherent systems across city schools of Decada. These results are more than just numbers. They demonstrate how our students are progressing academically and developmentally. To
227begin, let's ground ourselves in the strategic foundation that has shaped this progress. Our CCPI outcomes are directly tied to our all indicator strategic plan. The four goal areas, student success, inclusive culture, high quality professionals, and organizational excellence function like a compass. Every improvement we see tonight is connected to intentional systems building efforts aligned to these goals with an emphasis on student success in all areas. With that foundation in place, let's examine how CCRPI accurately tells the story of our district's performance. CCPI isn't just a score. It's comprised of five components that create a narrative for understanding student learning from multiple angles. Content mastery demonstrates how well students perform in relation to grade level expectations. Progress shows student growth over time. Closing gaps tell us if we are meeting the needs of every student equitably. Readiness
228measures the habits, experiences, and preparedness students bring to each level. And our graduation rate reflects the culmination of our students K12 journey. Needed together, these components provide the full arc of student success from elementary to the moment they cross the graduation stage. Let's begin with the first component, content mastery. Content mastery reflects how well students meet grade level expectations across ELA, math, science, and social studies. The score is calculated using a weighted formula. ELA and math each count for 37.5% while science and social studies each count for 12.5%. Students earn.5 for performing at the developing learner level. one point for performance at the proficient level and 1.5 points for distinguished learners. Those points are averaged and weighted to produce the final score. Where you see scores of 100 plus is an indication of a high
229percentage of students scoring at the distinguished level on the state assessment. Our results on slide four show strong consistent tier one instruction across the district. Elementary schools earned earned 98.9 including 100 in math and 98.42 in ELA. Beacon Hill Middle School earned 98.1 while ELA and math scores were above 100 and and including a strong performance in science and social studies. Decada High School earned 97.1 with biology and US history above 100, algebra at 97.49, and American literature at 90.76. These results confirm that our curriculum, pacing guides, and professional learning cycles are driving deep and consistent mastery across schools. Mastery shows how well students performed today. However, progress shows how much they are growing over time. Here we have our progress measures. Our progress measures the momentum behind student learning. Progress measures how much students
230grow in ELA and math using student growth percentiles or categorical growth and how well English learners advance towards English language proficiency. Elementary students earned a 99.4, meaning they are growing at some of the highest rates in the state. Middle school 96.8 signaling strong steady growth as they transition into more advanced coursework. And at Decator High, the growth score of 71.6 serves as our signal for next steps. We see a slight decline here, which is a difference between the score of 90 1.20 20 in 2024 to a score of 71.6 in 2025. There are a couple of factors to be considered as we are comparing 2024 to 2025. We are comparing two different groups of students. Um test takers in 2024 are not the same students who took the test in 2025. Also in 2025, we
231had fewer students who exceeded their growth targets. As we um talk more about progress, we will look deeper at equity because progress must reach every student. So here we have our section called closing gaps. The CCPI closing gap component evaluates how well a school is improving achievement for each student subgroup such as economically disadvantaged students, English learners, students with disabilities, and racial ethnic groups. Georgia sets an annual improvement target for each subgroup by using 2017 as a baseline and requiring schools to close 3% of the gap toward a statewide target of 90% proficiency each year. This measure highlights whether improvement is occurring e equitably and consistently across all student groups. In 2023 and 2024, several elementary subgroups show red or yellow indicators reflecting missed or only partial progress toward their improvement targets. By 2025, this
232shifts dramatically. Nearly every subgroup meets or exceeds across ELA, math, and science, signaling stronger, more coherent instructional systems. The green flag with a yellow star marks an additional distinction which is earned when historically underperforming subgroups such as economically disadvantaged, English learners, and students with disabilities meet a more ambitious target resulting in extra points in the closing gap calculation. Because Georgia introduced new math standards in 2023, a closing gap score was not calculated for math that year. So that column appears blank at every level. You will also notice missing flags in areas where a subgroup has fewer than 15 students. The middle school story is similar to the elementary story in 2025. Most student groups demonstrated improvement across all tested content areas. Subgroups that previously showed mixed or uneven results, such as our black students, English
233learners, and students with disabilities, now show more green indicators than in the two prior years. This reflects again stronger alignment between intervention structures for instruction and progress monitoring routines within our secondary model. At the high school level, the picture is more nuanced, but it still points to meaningful progress. In 2025, several groups demonstrated improvement in American literature, algebra, biology, and US history, reversing the patterns observed in 2023 and 2024 when red indicators were more common. At the same time, the yellow indicators remind us where partial progress remains. These areas continue to anchor our improvement work, particularly with students disabilities, English learners, and specific racial and ethnic groups. All across grade bands, closing gaps show that we're moving in the right direction with more green indicators, fewer areas of stagnation, and stronger instructional coherence. Now, let's
234examine where students are truly prepared for the next step of their learning journey. Readiness measures student participation in activities that demonstrate preparation for the next level, such as college or career, and represents where academic systems intersect with student engagement. Elementary readiness is 94.7 driven by strong attendance and nearperfect beyond the core participation. Beacon Hill Middle School scored 95.4 showing that students are actively participating in school life and maintaining the habits that predict success in high school. and DHS score 87.1 with significant strengths including 100% accelerated enrollment and a 93.68% pathway completion rate. These are critical predictors of the opportunity here at the high school is to ensure attendance and connection so that every high school student feels anchored, engaged, and supported through their graduation and beyond. And speaking of postsecary success, nope, not yet. We
235have one more area we wanted to pull out. this area around economically disadvantaged reading readiness because it is one of the most notable success stories in CSB. This is the story of our progress among students who are economically disadvantaged in their literacy rates from 2023 to 2025. Elementary reading readiness rose from 43.1% to now 64.1%. Middle school readiness rose from 52.9% 65%. And the high school increase their reading readiness from 38.4% to 63%. These gains reflect the impact of our structured literacy approach, our targeted interventions, our stronger data routines, our efforts of our teachers and administrators. This shows that when systems become become more consistent, students with the most barriers benefit and the results show that these gains carry forward ultimately into graduation. DHS continues to demonstrate remarkable outcomes with a 4-year graduation rate at
23696.04% 4% 5-year rate at 96.82%. And the most powerful part of this story is in the subgroup improvement. The percentage of black students increased from 89% to 93.5%. The proportion of economically disadvantaged students increased from 84.5% to 89.7%. And our students with disabilities demonstrated exceptional progress with graduation rates rising from 80% to 92.16% which surpasses the 90% milestone for the first time in CSD's history. A graduation rate above 90% in particular for this group is extraordinary. is extraordinary across Georgia and the nation. The gap between students with disabilities and their peers remain wide. Exceeding this 90% benchmark indicates that the work in CSD has increased targeted interventions, inclusive practices, and coherent support systems that are having measurable impact. When we look at our school trends from CCPI across the last three years, a clear upward
237pattern emerges. Babe and Tally continue to perform at or near 100 year after year in readiness. You can still middle school has risen from 86.4 in 2022 to 98 in 2025 in content mastery. Decatur High School has also improved in reading readiness, increasing 53% of our black students at or above grade level reading in 2023 to 67% in 2025. And from 38% of our economically disadvantaged students reading at or a grade at or above grade level in 20 to five. The central opportunity for us and CSD is to sustain the momentum we are seeing ensuring that every subgroup benefits equitably from the strong systems that are already in place. All of this reflects strategic improvement that yields consistent results year over year. Games that are driven by aligned strategy, unified effort, and a deep belief
238in every student. Thank you, Mrs. Newton Scott, for highlighting student success in all areas. CSD will publish the Georgia Office of Student Achievement single score for our school district and Earth schools when it is available from GOSA. I would like to thank our dedicated teachers and staff for their continuous commitment to academic excellence and student success. As I've said many times before, this work is not easy, especially given the urgency that every student in CSD achieves at the highest level. Looking closely at slide 10. So, Dr. Johnson Davis. You may recall in 2223 school year, 38% of high school students classified as economically disadvantaged under state guidelines were reading at or above grade level. In December of 23, I looked you in the eye and I said, "We must and we will do better." Well,
239I can't say that we're at 80% or at 90%. But we are at 63%. In just two years, the college and career readiness measurements reflect progress in the city schools of Decar and it's making the gap narrower without regression to the mean so that our students will be prepared. cares beyond high school what we saw here today. So, thank you Dr. Jana Johnson Davis for your leadership and your relentless efforts toward making CSD accountable to these students specifically. With just under two weeks left in the semester, I wish all of our students and our staff and our families a safe and enjoyable semester break. And we look forward to welcoming you all back on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. Rested and ready to learn. Sarah Sultan, that completes my report. >> Thank you. Good evening. On
240behalf of the City Schools of Decay Board of Education, thank you for joining us in person and virtually. Your engagement in the success of our students and schools is critical and appreciated. In today's pre-work session, we received six D policies all related to budget, including levels of budgetary control and fraud prevention. There were four presentations during the work session, which began with a presentation focusing on clarif clarifying the KTO2 utilization problem. The board provided additional clarity for the community-led committees agreeing that the core need is to ensure fiscal responsibility of elementary school utilization by evaluating total enrollment figures, building usage and staff resources and honoring the unique culture of Decar small neighborhood schools. We will continue the discussion next month. As a reminder, any decisions made by the board will not affect the 2026 2027
241school year. The second presentation was an update on the state of stu student support services. It was exciting to learn about the new grant that will remove the barrier of insurance for students to receive highquality mental health services. We also noted the work over the last two years for students who have traditionally been on the margins. specifically the incredible achievement of meeting the annual progress targets by the state in every subject and every grade level tested on the GMAP. During the next presentation, the board and public got a monthly update on the planning underway for a new early childhood learning center, including human resources and the hiring of a new principal. We also heard a budget presentation that highlighted the district's increased credit rating and other potential funding options. We concluded the work session by
242approving the recommendations on purchasing policy. As a reminder, the work sessions are designed for in-depth discussion, study, and planning regarding district policies, issues, and upcoming decisions. Many items presented in a work session inform board meeting agenda items, including consent agenda. The presentations for all all board meetings are available on the district's website in assembly. Each month we look forward to celebrating the achievements of our students and staff during the work session for recognition. This evening we had the great pleasure of congratulating six December graduates of Decar High School. We commend these graduates on achieving this important milestone and wish them all the best in their postsecary pursuits. Today we are honoring one of our board members at large member Dr. Jana Johnson Davis. Tonight's meeting will serve as the last meeting of board member Dr.
243Jana Johnson Davis. We'll transition off of the board in January. Dr. Johnson Davis has given us two terms of dedicated leadership including serving as board chair and board vice chair. Watch the water. I like Thank in my phone. It Thank you. My life I'll be proud. My life always I know this is just the beginning of a new chapter. I can't wait to see how you will defend the world. >> Dr. Dana Johnson, I'm happy to have a moment to tell you how proud I am of the work that you have done here in the City School of the Students are seen, heard, and inspired. You never back down from the fight, and I have been fired by you. I know that the sun is on your time here. and know that it was going
244to arrive on something even more spectacular. I'm proud to call you a friend, a sister, a comrade down. I'll see you soon. to our other people and we're happy for your kids and taking down your profession today. But you know, we're proud of the work we were able to contribute and your history to being an educator in our community, particularly the city of Taylor. And we're looking forward to the book and another product you come now that you move from this stage to another stage. Proud father of my mother and all the committed to ensuring education and equity for all you celebrate you. Congratulations example of someone that will always stand on the right side of history no matter what. And I think there was resilience here for all the teachers, everybody out there. You're
245such someone that just leaves with so much humility and so proud of you and congratulations on your time board and to give back to the community. So really happy for you and excited for this next chapter. I love you. >> I have to say so today for that. Congratulations. Thank you for Dr. Johnson Davis, I have the privilege of reading a proclamation from the city of Decada, which is probably one of Mayor Penny Garrett's final proclamations in her tenure as mayor. Whereas Dr. Jana L. Johnson Davis has dedicated her life to the service of others as an educator, activist, and community leader, tirelessly working to create a more just and equitable society for all, particularly within the city schools of Decar. And whereas Dr. Johnson Davis has served with distinction as a member of the
246city schools of Decada board of 2019 to 2025 during which time she has championed the causes of non-exclusionary discipline and educational equity for all students ensuring that every child has access to the support and opportunities they deserve. And whereas as a former stu teacher at Beacon Hill Middle School, Dr. Johnson Davis demonstrated a deep commitment to the personal and academic growth of her students who are also mentoring and inspiring the next generation of leaders through her role as a club sponsor for the young ladies of whereas during her tenure on the school board, Dr. Johnson Davis exhibited exceptional leadership, notably serving as the chair of the board and playing a pivotal role in the superintendent search process as well as the development of a forwardthinking five-year strategic plan to guide the future of city schools
247of Decar. And whereas Dr. Johnson Davis co-founded the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights, advocating for the removal of the Confederate Monument Indicator Square and addressing systemic inequities that have historically marginalized communities of color. And whereas Dr. Johnson Davis has been a fierce advocate for racial justice, organizing protests against racial violence and co-leading the loved ones not numbers initiative which memorialized Georgia's victims of COVID 19 ensuring their stories were not forgotten. And whereas Dr. John Davis's work has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards including the outstanding Georgia citizen award, the Nikki T. Randall Servant Leader Award, the Phyllis Wheatley Thomas Blake Excellence in Civic Engagement Award, the Gideon's Promise Community Impact Award, and the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award for Civil Rights from Florida&M University. Now therefore, I, Mayor Patricia M. Garrett, mayor of the
248city of Decar, the city of homes, schools, and places of worship, do hereby proclaim December 9th, 2025 as Jana Johnson Day to honor her service and urge all members of this city to join in this special recognition. In witness thereof, I have here to set my hand and cause the seal of the cater to be fixed this ninth day of December, 2025. >> Oh, wow. like toy board member Johnson Davis for her leadership, for her passion, um for your friendship. So Jana, um it has been um my pleasure to work with you since I uh was elected and been on the board. Um there have been so many times that you have provided words of wisdom, provided guidance, um provided mentorship when I needed it, disagreed with me when I needed to be disagreed with.
249Um and all of it I feel like as many people have said has made me a better leader and a better board member. and words cannot express how much we will miss you in this seat. Um, like I've told you before, don't forget about me. And >> um the city of Decar um owes you a gratitude um and a great uh debt for all of your hard work, your sacrifice, um all of the many evenings uh that you've spent up here and um and and all of the great work you you've done. It's been my pleasure. Um, and I I look forward to seeing you in places other than here. Um, board members, do you have anything else you would like to say? >> Um, so it it is it's very safe to say that
250I am on this board because of you. Uh, I remember six years ago or so serving on a committee for um senior homestead exemption, listening to the board at the time bait this topic and honestly like that board member, Miss Johnson Davis, now doctor, the only one I I think I reached out and mentioned that to you and watching where we were as a system and how clearly you advocated for an improvement and the work that you put forward to accomplish that. I it it became very clear that it I needed to step up. You inspired me and being on this board now as a colleague of yours, I cannot express how much I've learned from you. >> How how everything that that Dr. Sultan just mentioned. I am a better of this community. I
251am a better man from learning from here. And uh the I don't want to condense this just to data because when we talk about the results that you're seeing on the screen, you are talking about the lives of children and that is the legacy that you step off this board with. You you did that, >> Dr. Johnson did. And it has been the honor of my lifetime to be able to sit beside you and and support you in that work. >> I appreciate it. I think you were one of the first people I emailed and um not only how responsive you were, but just how gracious and you always are. Um, I have so valued learning from you. Um, I so love when we don't agree. Um, because I think you have a humanistic way,
252a responsible way to bring us back or me depending on the circumstance um to what we need. And I I am so grateful, but I'm also so grateful for our students. So, um, thank you. I'm really appreciative that I got to um serve with you and learn from you. >> Put you on a fight. >> I just want to say um I think we live in a world that sometimes feels like it's forgetting itself. Um, and on behalf of young people and students to see someone and have someone who has so consistently thrown themselves um, at justice and at hope and has never yielded or taken a break or been too exhausted or given up. Um, we are so grateful to have you. >> Do you have anything that you would like to say? Actually,
253>> I just wrote a couple things down because I knew I was going to be emotional and I I don't want to forget to say anything, but tonight is truly bittersweet for me. Um because serving on the City Schools of Decada Board of Education has been one of the greatest honors of my life. I am but I'm still heartbroken to say goodbye. Um this work has shaped me deeply. Um, and although I'm excited for this next chapter, um, stepping away is not easy. To the citizens of Decar, thank you for placing your trust in me. You gave me the privilege of working on behalf of our children, families, and community, and I've tried to carry that responsibility with care and humility. To my fellow board members, thank you for for the collaboration, the courage to
254wrestle with tough issues, and the shared commitment to do what is best for students. I have grown tremendously through this work, and I'm proud of what we have accomplished together. To our teachers, administrators, and staff, you are the heart of CSD. Thank you for the extraordinary work you do to ensure that every student is seen, supported, and challenged to reach their fullest potential. Your dedication shapes the future of Teada. I also want to express my gratitude to my family and friends, some of who are here tonight, one of my former students who's now my adopted daughter who I met in the six when she was in the sixth grade. I just want to thank you all for your um consistent encouragement and for always cheering me on especially on some of the tough days. A
255special shout out to Mayor and Merida Elizabeth Wilson. I just want to thank her for her mentorship, her steady guidance, and her friendship. Um, she has been an example of what true community leadership looks like. And last, but not absolutely not least, I want to thank my boyfriend from the eighth grade, my husband, turning Miley Davis, my forever cheerleader. Um, thank you for your unwavering support. I couldn't have done this without you. And as I leave this role, I want to offer both a challenge and a hope to the board. Please continue to fight for our most vulnerable students. For the families who may never write a letter or speak at a meeting or publish an oped, but whose children deserve every opportunity to thrive. Keep leading with equity even when it becomes unpopular or
256misunderstood. The children who depend on us most deserve our unwavering commitment. To our families, keep advocating. Hold the board and district leadership accountable. But please also remember that those who serve here are human. We are parents, caregivers, everyday people trying to do our best. So I ask that you engage with passion but also with empathy for the human beings doing this work. As I close this chapter, know that my love and commitment for City Schools educator remains strong. I will always be cheering for this community and for our children. Thank you for allowing me to serve. It has truly been an honor. Thank you. >> Thank you. Campion in equity in education has been a cornerstone of Dr. Jana Johnson Davis's work during her tenure on the board and will remain her lasting legacy. As
257Dr. Johnson Davis transitions off the board, we honor her years of service and unwavering commitment to advocating for quality, access, and fairness in education for every student. This is our responsibility as a board, particularly indicator where historically not everyone has had equitable opportunities. We will and must address this even when it is uncomfortable. As a board chair, it is my role to ensure her vision and her legacy are fulfilled in CSD. Again, thank you Dr. Johnson Davis for your service to students, staff, and families in CSD. acknowledges 16 years of remarkable service rendered by city of Decar Mayor Petty Garrett. She has been a familiar face in our schools and a partner in education. On behalf of the board in our school community, I would like to publicly thank her for sharing her heart and
258leadership experiences with our students over the years as well as for her overall support of CSD. We join the city of Decatur in wishing her a welldeserved and rewarding retirement. And as Dr. Jonathan Davis mentioned um Mayor and Meredith Mayor Wilson. Elizabeth Wilson I have some words um on her behalf as well. Um Mayor Elizabeth Wilson served as Decator's first black city commissioner, first black mayor prom and the first black mayor. She is recognized as a lifelong public servant, educator, and advocate for equity, affordable housing, and community empowerment. as mayor of Mmerida, she continues to lend her voice to issues of justice and opportunity in the city of Decar. So, some words from her. As someone who has dedicated much of my life to building a Decar that is fair, inclusive, and forward-looking, I want
259to offer some historical context about the parcel of land where the city of Decar plans to build a new early learning center. Recent discussions about this property and its connection to Decatur Day have raised questions that deserve both clarity and truth. For decades, Decatur Day was held at McCoy Park, a celebration that brought together generations of families from across our community. It was a joyful expression of unity and pride. However, over the years, residents living near McCoy Park expressed growing concern about noise and other challenges associated with the event. In response, the city worked with the event organizers to identify a new location that could continue the spirit of Decator Day while addressing those community concerns. At that time, one of the proposed sites was a land that had once been a part of Decar's
260public housing community. In 2017, Decatur Housing Authority sold that property to the city schools of Decator with the clear and shared understanding that it would be used for educational purposes. It is worth recalling that some of Decater Day organizers were strongly opposed to moving the celebration from McCoy Park to this site. Ironically, some of those voices are now raising concerns about preserving the site for the very purpose they once resisted. I share this not to assign blame, but to remind us all of the journey that brought us here and the intentions that guided those early decisions. This land represents an opportunity for transformation where once stood public housing to build a place of learning, growth, and empowerment. By creating an early childhood learning center on this site, we honor the legacy of families who live
261there and ensure that their children and future generations will have greater opportunities to succeed. Our goal has always been to make Decar a city where every child, regardless of background or income, has the foundation to thrive. The Early Childhood Learning Center is not just a building. It's a promise. To invest in our youngest learners and to create a more equitable future for all. I hope our community will see this project for what it truly is, a continuation of CSD's pursuit for equitable education and inclusion. This is how we honor our past by building a future where every child can learn, grow, and dream. Meredith Elizabeth Wilson. This meeting will be our last board of education meeting of 2025. We will reconvene in January at the next board meeting scheduled for Tuesday, January 13, 2026. The
262next board community meeting will be held on January 21st, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. at Tally Street Elementary School. Board community meetings are designed to provide an opportunity for two-way communication and engagement between the board and the community. Have an enjoyable break. We look forward to welcoming you all back in the new year. This concludes my remarks for this evening and board members, do you have any further thoughts? Okay, Dr. Whitaker, please introduce the next item. Thank you, Chair Sultan. I would like to call on Mrs. Amanda Lynch, chief of staff, to present the results of the 202728 academic calendar survey. >> Good evening, board chair Dr. consultant, vice chair of esteemed members of the board, student representative Botra, and superintendent Dr. Whitaker. Today, I'm excited to share with you the 2027 2021 academic calendar for
263adoption. The development of the academic calendar aligns with our strategic accelerator focused on organizational effectiveness and excellence. In November, I pres I presented to you a proposed draft of the 2027 2028 academic calendar. This draft remained very similar to next year's already adopted calendar. To gather feedback on the draft calendar, a survey was made available to all stakeholders to complete. The survey was open from November 17th through December 30th. The survey was featured on our website and communicated through the district newsletter and social media. Overall, we heard from 423 respondents. Our largest group was our CSC parents and families, which made up 58% of our respondents. Next were CSV employees at 41%. Broken down into 30% teachers and 7% who identified as a CSD staff member with one or more students enrolled as a CSD
264student. The remaining 4% employees other than teachers. We analyzed the data we gathered overall and by stakeholder group where appropriate. We looked at both the quant quantitative ratings of satisfaction as well as qualitative feedback. The survey first asks about satisfaction with general aspects of the calendar. We do this annually so we can be aware of any shifts that may be occurring within our community. Overall, over 80% of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with the draft calendar as it related to the first and last day of school, weekl long breaks in September, so fall break, November Thanksgiving break, February the winter break, and April spring break, as well as a longer semester break December and January. Each of these categories ratings were fairly consistent with ratings from last year's survey survey, actually with small increases
265in satisfaction. Over half of our respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with designations for the October teacher of work day, election day as a digital learning day, the frequency of early release days, and the placement of early release days. We continue to appreciate the diverse perspectives presented through the qualitative feedback. Some qualifi qualitative feedback such as requests to move all early release days to Fridays do not optimize the conditions for effective teacher professional learning nor student attendance. This year's survey also asked specifically about adding an additional teacher workday in March 2028. Doing so would impact both teacher work days and student days on the calendar. Several scenarios were presented in the survey for consideration, each illustrating this impact. Overall, we are not recommending the addition of a March teacher workday for the 2027 2028 academic
266calendar. The highest percentage of votes, 27%, was to leave the calendar as currently presented with the next highest response being no opinion at 20%. When looking at teacher responses only, no change was the most selected option. In addition, there was no consensus about which alternative option might be best. The decision not to add an additional teacher workday in March also allows us to evaluate the effectiveness and perception of the October teacher workday, which will be a new feature next year. If it's wellreceived, an additional March teacher workday could be reconsidered for the 2829 calendar. Adopting the draft calendar is presented brings consistency over a two-year period, the 26 27th school year and the 2728 school year. And so there are no changes to the draft calendar that was presented in the work session last month.
267As always, we appreciate the CSD stakeholders who took the time and provided feedback via our survey. All feedback is carefully read, thoroughly analyzed, and thoughtfully considered. May I read the recommendation request? >> Uh during the discussion, >> yes, please. I recommend the city schools of Decator Board of Education approve the 2027 2028 academic calendar. I >> have a motion to approve the 2027 2028 academic calendar. So moved. >> Board member US makes the motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Board member Johnson Davis seconds the motion. Is there any discussion? >> Sorry. >> So I guess I have a few questions because I feel like Well, I don't feel like it. I think one of the earlier slides mentioned 54 and 59%. So yeah, by letter of the law you can say it's the
268majority, but if it's 400 and something people and are we really talking about a difference of like eight people? Um, and so that doesn't sit particularly well with me. Um, I think someone emailed this question. Whoever you are, thank you so much. Um, I believe they wanted to know more about the difference between teacher and parent input when it came to things like the election day um, and the early release days. I understand that the school district has to make decisions regarding all factors, not just what teachers or parents want. And then, you know, the teacher in me cannot know this. So, my understanding is we have the October workday because teachers had asked for that. And then we have the March work day because some teachers must have asked for it. And I guess
269my question is then when do they get the work if it's not in the calendar and they're asking for it and I I don't know if that's relevant to the calendar, but the October work day as I understand it is because teachers wanted it. >> Yeah, the October workday was in response to some teachers request and we put it out last year. So it's adopted for next year's calendar. Of course, we don't have implementation data yet at this point, but we will have some after next year. So in response there was some discussion also about a March potential. So that's why we added that. It was added to the survey specifically because there was some you know wonderings about could we also have one in the spring. Um of course we all know and so
270the different kind of iterations there are if you put in one day you now got to add a day somewhere else or take away a day somewhere else. So there's a lot of domino effect and when we talk with the um superintendent teacher council they it's kind of like an oh okay you know aha March day um interesting as I kind of shared some of the teachers were highest majority was don't change it leave it as it is right out that was some of the re because overall it wasn't the favorable solution but let's keep it in mind and kind of evaluate how that October one goes as As one followup to that, do we track by teacher? So, I know nothing about what an elementary school teacher does, but I, you know, I know
271what a high school teacher does and you need a lot of time to grade. So, were the respondents at all groups so that you could see the majority of high school teachers or the majority? >> It does ask what school and stuff they're they're doing, you know, they're associated with. It does vary a little bit. Um what we heard from the elementary teacher specifically around that October day was that they wanted time dedicated time to have those parent teacher conferences um which is and when we talked about it last year we talked about adding it specifically in October for those reasons you know having it in that first semester as well um let me also address that we do um disagregate data by role um as well so while 59% is a majority but not
272a huge majority one of the conversations that we've kind of had up here when we talked about values and some of our priorities and things like that is while the digital learning day is more favorable when I looked at teachers specifically it was 80% of them were in favor of the election day as a digital learning day um our families um kind of the flip side of it like 52% so about half were dissatisfied with it um but we talked you know kind of some of the values of understanding like the teachers and you know kind of finding striking that balance there as Well, um so those were some of the things that go into kind of doing those, but we do disagregate, you know, especially where appropriate on some of these things. Early release
273days is another thing, um that we disagregate by role as well. And so again, um the the rating is going to be higher among teachers than among the parents in those. One last question. I've never seen this, so maybe it doesn't exist, but is there a reason why the academic calendar has to be for the entire district since we are small versus the high school and the middle school level. I've never seen that done. It would provide a number of logistical challenges when you think about the number of staff days that they have to work. Um, and you just think about operations and you're bringing in bus drivers at different times, different routes, nutrition. It would have a a a really big kind of cascading effect to to kind of work that out. >> Speaking
274as a parent, I would not love >> be it'd be different. Yeah. Between my elementary school kids versus my high school kids. I mean, maybe the faults on me for having that many kids, but >> any further discussion? Okay. All those in favor? >> I chair votes I. Any opposed? Motion carries unanimously. >> Thank you. All right board. We will now move to the consent agenda items which include monthly items such as financial, nutrition, and personnel report. The first item includes a report. There will be a motion to accept the consent agenda in totality. Dr. Whitaker, do we have a monthly financial report? >> Yes, Chair Stalton. Dr. Lonita Broom, chief financial officer, will present the monthly financials. >> Good evening again. The October 2025 financial reports and definitions of function codes are located in
275the assembly agenda. The finance department operates based on the district's four strategic accelerator with a specific focus on an accelerator for organizational effectiveness and excellence through financial transparency for the general fund. As of October, the district collected 34% or approximately $4 million of the budgeted revenue year to date, which is the same percentage that was collected this time last year. Expenditures are normal for this time of the year. The district has expended 26% of the overall budget or approximately $9 million year to date. Last year, this time the district had expended 29% of the overall budget. The district received the preschool disability grant in the amount of $59,75. This grant is required to be budgeted in the general fund and combined with all other grants received to date has increased the general fund budget by
276$567,225. The majority of October expenditures are for salaries and benefits which make up 86% of the budget. For the month of October, there was a deficit of approximately $5 million, which means the district's expenditures for the month were $5 million more than the monthly revenue. Last year at this time, the deficit was approximately $4.6 million. The approximately $5 million has been deducted from the fund balance, which is normal for this time of the year. Overall year to date, there's a surplus of approximately $8 million. Last year, this time, there was a surplus of approximately 7.6 6 million. The surplus of revenue is normal at this time of the year and accounts for the healthy fund balance of approximately $31 million, which includes the unodudited beginning fund balance of approximately $24 million. Please note that fund
277balance will continue to decrease as expenditures increase. October revenue for capital funds consisted of approximately $583,286 from SL6 proceed and earnings on investment. Approximately $1.2 million was expended which is in line with the amount expended last year. The 648,000 deficit was deducted from the fund balance. The district collected 25% of the budgeted revenue and expended 39% of budgeted expenses. Special revenue funds consist mainly of federal, local, and state grants, not budgeted in general funds. In October, all fiscal year 25 grants were closed out, and the district continues to receive reimbursement. The district collected 16% of the budgeted revenue and expended 26% of the budgeted expenditures. Reimburseable grants require the district to spend the loan prior to receiving reimbursement. The district received the idea 611 IDA 619 parent mentor and title 3 part A grant for
278the month of October. School nutrition revenue and expenditures are trending within the same range as previous years for the month of October. 30% of the budgeted revenue was received and 26% of the budgeted expenditures were spent. for school nutrition operated at a deficit of $8,146 which has been deducted from the fund balance. As of October, the school nutrition fund balance was approximately $1.7 million. This time last year, the fund balance was $1.9 million. I will be happy to respond to any questions or provide clarification as needed. Any questions? Okay. Thank you, Dr. Broom. This item is on to consent. >> Sheriff Sultan, may I read the recommendation? >> Yes. >> I recommend that the City Schools of Decator Board of Education approve the consent agenda items 1 through six. Do I have a motion to
279approve the consent agenda items 1 through six? >> So move. >> Board member makes the motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Board member Johnson Davis seconds the motion. Is there any discussion? Well, I'd like to either move um item five, the FY27 budget priorities to a separate one or be able to speak >> either before or after the consent agenda is approved. >> You would be now otherwise you need to make if you want to take it off, you have to make a motion to >> Well, then I'll just speak. I don't agree with investing in the new early learning center the way that it is currently. um designed and especially after looking at the studenttoteer ratios and seeing that we have the studenttoteer ratios for the classroom but then we've also conflated
280that it appears with the CTA studenttoteer ratio even though I believe what I learned today is that CTA um FTE count will still be at the high school. So I will repeat what I said in October. I agree with our promoting early learning. Um I agree with Mayor Wilson. This is a wonderful opportunity, but I do not agree with the way that we are currently investing this money in this new early learning center. Um the other thing is regarding our budget calendar. I've mentioned this before, but I want to make sure that everyone who has reached out and who has taken the time to put their information in these uh community input forms is also hearing me. I do think we could do better there. I think a form that simply asks people for their
281input and I believe it says something to the effect of suggestions and questions um could be more specific. I think it could have more descriptors so that one perhaps people can be more informed on our budget and two we might then be able to tell people how we use their input. Thank you. >> So just for clarification you said budget priorities and parameters. Are you meaning school a lotment guidelines? >> No I believe it's line item five where after the board retreat we added some um redlinined items. one of which was not invest in a early learning center but the new early learning center and then I'm looking at the budget calendar here >> on slide >> so the only the only language we adjusted with budget priorities and parameters with the early learning center
282was adding the word new >> yeah and I I just want to make sure that I am reiterating the same thing I said in October which was for a different vote >> a different vote on >> so My understanding, and please correct me if I'm wrong, is right now we are approving the consent agenda. And one of the consent agenda items is a listing of the FY27 budget priorities. And included in that list of budget priorities is something that says invest in the new early learning center. And I do not agree with the current manifestation of the new early learning center. So, I just want to make sure that the people that are contacting us who aren't necessarily angry but simply concerned are hearing that. >> So, now we have a motion on the floor.
283Please make comment. >> Does he have to resend the motion? >> No, we're not the whole the whole consent agenda item. The motion is for the whole consent agenda item in totality. So she can vote her pleasure. Um, but she would have had to, if she wanted to vote for this in isolation, she would have had to made a motion to pull it out and have it to be a separate vote. >> Okay. >> Is there any any further discussion? All right. All those in favor? >> Chair votes I. Any opposed? The motion carries unanimously. All right. We will now move on to public comment. Um we have about we have here some of them here. There are some here. >> Okay. Go ahead and get started. >> The following information is included in the
284board policy manual and members of the public also acknowledge that this information acknowledge this information when they sign up to speak. This serves as a reminder for all speakers and members of the audience. The opportunity to address the board during public comment is limited to district parents, students, residents, employees, businesses, and organizations. Persons wishing to address the board during public comment must sign up by 5:30 p.m. and in doing so will be asked to state their connection to CSD and/or the city of Decar. To allow time for the board's other business, public comment will ordinarily be limited to one hour or 20 speakers. At the board's discretion, the public comment portion may be extended for specific a specified amount of time or a specific number of additional speakers. The time limit for all speakers will
285be three minutes. Persons speaking during public comment will not be permitted to yield the floor or transfer unused time to other speakers. Comments during public comment should be addressed to the board as a body and not to individual board members at the chair or chair's discretion. Persons violating that down. Speakers should be courteous and professional. Speakers are not to list complaints about specific personnel or individuals connected with the district in a public session. The board strictly prohibits abusive language, threats, comments, jeers, applause, or shouts from the floor. Disruptive persons will be asked to leave the meeting room. The chair may terminate public comments that are profane, vulgar, defamatory, or disruptive. If any speaker comments begin to verge into areas of hate speech or defamation, I will have to ask the speaker to end their comments.
286Speakers may not address confidential student or personnel matters, but may submit such concerns to the superintendent in writing. Members of the board will not address persons presenting public comment or speak to the substance of any comments made during public comment. Instead, a member of the administrative team will follow up with persons speaking at the board meeting. Dr. Whitaker, please call our first speaker. >> The first speaker is Bernard Frost. Hello members of the board and Dr. Whitaker. Thank you for allowing me time to speak and I don't know why I always end up being first at these meetings recently. Uh but I I wanted to speak to you briefly about a couple of items but in the interest of time I wanted to focus on the uh red line 2025 2026 school a lotment guidelines
287information that was on the consent agenda but not discussed today. That was the first time I'd seen one of the tables that's in that document that indicates a projection for the FLI 27, which is next school year's uh student enrollment, which informs teacher allocation. And as I mentioned in a memo that I sent to the board in advance of this meeting, um we already have enough data to know that using last year's enrollment counts for individual schools or by grade for the lower elementarymentaries will result in say very problematic allocations of staff resources uh going forward. In particular, we already know based on reported enrollment in kindergarten, which are next year's first graders, and first grade, which is next year's second graders, plus the prek students at College Heights zone to each of the elementaryaries,
288that some schools are going to need at least one more kindergarten teacher than they have right now. Some will maybe survive with one fewer. And first and second grade, there might be some shifting around. So, I want to bring that to your attention. I don't know how that's going to be used. I know human resources does a great job, but January is coming, the next board meeting, and that's when a lot of these hiring advertisements or maybe moving people around, teachers and principles would want to know. So, I'll point that out. The other thing I wanted to mention briefly was about non-resident tuition students. I spent a few hours in the Dec County archives looking into the history of this program and Decatur. How many students do we really have? What are we really talking
289about? We've had decades of experience with non-resident tuition students. Not recently, but in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, we had upwards of 150 non-resident tuition separate from her credit tuition students. That at the time was about 6% of our enrollment. That would be equivalent to about 350 students now given our enrollment. It's about doubled in that time frame even though it's down recently. So, I'd implore you all to consider that. The other part is I know that there have been some criticisms about the possibility that this would lead to verbatim a very wealthy white district in the future. The population that we'd be drawing on for this from Dic County outside of APS and Decar is about 90% non-white uh economically disadvantaged as well. The tuition rates are half of what they are at St.
290Thomas Moore about half of what the average child care costs are for preschool. So, I implore you to consider those factors as you're looking at enrollment, staffing allocation, and the viability of expanding this nent non-resident tuition program. Thank you. >> The next speaker is Patrick McConnell. >> Is not speaking. I'm going to speak, but I've also put my name in. >> Okay. The next speaker is Akquila McConnell. >> Apparently, we went right one right after the other, I guess. So, uh, good evening. My name is Aquila McConnell. I'm a Dec parent and taxpayer. I want to thank all of you here for, uh, listening to the community and listening to me tonight. Uh, the board is advocating for a very important goal, uh, to increase educational outcomes for educators, economically disadvantaged children. This is the
291goal that every single one of us, including me, uh, strongly support. Uh, like you, Dr. Whitmer and the board, I truly hope to see our uh high school students reach that 80% 90% 100% ring level uh for those who are economically disadvantaged. The question that we are asking is given the city and we are a small city limited resources how can that goal be achieved to to address the real need with fiscal responsibility? So to that end I have three questions. Question number one, has a statistically EC need, meaning a survey of approximately 370 people spread across Decar been conducted? The answer to that is no. Question number two, has an architect or any other similar uh job conducted a feasibility analysis determining whether the former Soulshine space could be renovated to meet the needs
292of the city and uh the economically disadvantaged community? The answer to that is no. Question number three, has a fiscal an analysis been conducted determining what budget trade-offs, meaning what programs and staff will need to be cut to pay for the annual operating costs associated with the new ECLC? And that relates to that local subsidy that was discussed in the planning meeting today. Again, the answer to that is no. That is what we as parents and taxpayers here in Decar are asking for. every single one of us, we support creating equitable outcomes for our city's learners, especially those who are economically disadvantaged. But we're asking that every decision that the board takes is grounded in evidence, cost analysis, and community priorities. So the three acts, these are very simple three acts. Number one, a statistically
293significant recent survey of Decar residents demonstrating ECLC need. Number two, a realistic cost and feasibility analysis comparing the Soulshine renovation versus new construction. And number three, transparent reporting on what budget adjustments or cuts will be required and how this will especially impact teacher salaries, which is a known pain point if the new ECL moves forward. These are not obstacles. They are guardrails. They protect our students, our teachers, and our public trust. Thank you very much. The next person is Roy Aiki. Thanks for the opportunity to speak. Uh the core issue I wanted to address is financial responsibility uh as it applies to the UCLC. So two things can be true. Uh, it is both possible to support early childhood education and the need for a new ECLC. I do and oppose the proposed $23 million
294expenditure for a new state-of-the-art facility. Uh, you can't talk about fin fiscal responsibility for K K2 util utilization and then say that spending $23 million of taxpayer money on ACL for 150 students is the only way to provide early childhood education and close the gap. $23 million is almost double what private preschools like Primrose or Goddard recently spent on brand new buildings that serve twice the amount of kids that we planned to with DCL. $23 million is more than we spent building Tally, which has a capac capacity of 750 students. In what way is this fiscally responsible? Even if we accept the argument that we have to build the ECLC at the proposed location instead of a sensible alternative like the social side property, multiple architects and builders in the community have looked through these
295plans and have stated that the proposed costs are are excessive. These were brought up in the community meetings that we had. Uh as a telling example, the cost breakdown provided by parish includes $750,000 for a playground for babies and toddlers. Uh, in comparison, the brand new Virginia Highland Elementary playground that is currently under construction, uh, which serves 600 much bigger kids cost $550,000 and was funded through years of fundraisers. Um, this is just one easily digested example, but other line items and designs are also extravagant, uh, like $10,000 for lockers for for preschoolers. Uh, just this kind of spending of our money demonstrates recklessness, not fiscal responsibility. uh rather than figuring out what kind of loan we can get that bypasses the community, uh please think about why the community has a problem with this
296kind of excessive unnecessary spending in the first place. We can serve our kids. We can serve we can fix this achievement gap without spending exorbitant amounts of money. The board's oft repeated argument that the ECLC project and K through2 closures are separate and totally unrelated is undermined by the fact that just earlier today y'all spent quite some time talking about the 200 student minimum for capital outlay. Capital outlay is a program where we can every few years potentially get a few hundred,000 in funds from the state for capital projects for a school. And now CSB has shown clearly that you can raise $50 million in cap funding for capital projects through SWAT. But the excessive cost of the ACL means that this funding is not available for K through Duke capital projects which forces us
297to rely on capital outlay and creates the problem that you say you're trying to solve. And all of this doesn't even include uh excessive operating costs of the facility and the impact of that on whether we can you know afford to keep around a K through2 with under 200 students. Um so >> thank you. The next speaker is Moali Davis. Uh good evening everyone and I wanted to share for the last decade we have and I speak in my personal capacity not as a representative of any organization but for the past decade we've been um actively involved in working around equity and education and I'm hearing voices I've never heard before talk about to close the achievement gap. I've never heard so many new voices say that this isn't the way to do it, but
298they hadn't proposed any other way of doing it. So, I stand here for those uh who don't have the luxury of being able to write a ton of emails or make rallies or just physically come over here. for those young people that are in public housing who what we're clear about as a lawyer is the investment in early childhood education has a direct impact on incarceration levels. That's the reality, right? And knowing all of that for as long as we have now we have these new voices emerging around how do we address equity and education as it relates childhood education center. No one previously were even interested or advocating for any of these students, any of these children, any of these parents who we're referring to now are as economically disadvantaged. Were you two years
299ago, three years ago, four years ago, five years ago? Now, it's an issue because I am a taxpayer here as well because we're calling on an investment. The way a community and the way people show value is how they invest their money. Yes, this is an investment. It is a considerable investment. But it is not an investment just in something that happens in the next two years. This is an investment in the future. All the data is there. If we look at it, in fact, if you call the sheriff of Dicab County right now and ask her what's the education, the reading level, the reading level of most inmates is between the eighth and ninth grade reading level. What tends to happen is that once the achievement gap begins, it is not closed. It only
300widens and people get more and more frustrated. young people, they drop out and then they turn to crime and violence. This is about protecting the community as a whole. And it's not just protecting and in the interest of African-American children because the history shows that when we win, everybody wins. But unfortunately, that has been um derailed um or at least the attempt has been to derail that at this point. So, thank you. >> Thank you. The next speaker is India apps. Is she online? Okay, >> Miss Abs, you can unmute. >> Hello. Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Okay. Hi, my name is India EPS. I'm sorry. Here. Let's see. Okay, my name is India EPS and I'm a City Schools of Decar parent. I was first want to acknowledge and thank Dr. Johnson
301Davis for her service and I also want to acknowledge and thank the board, Dr. Whitaker and the staff for the strong recent gains in student achievement and growth. This is exactly why now is the time to invest earlier and I believe that the ECLC is a positive step toward contributing to closing gaps. It's designed to expand access to early learning with a focus on families who currently have the least access to these opportunities. And if we're serious about improving outcomes indicator, we have to be serious about investing early. I know that there have been recent concerns about costs, about transparency and timing, and those concerns are valid and fair, but pausing this project without offering realistic alternatives for access just keeps the status quo in place. Buying an old daycare or another city building sounds
302simple, but it isn't automatically cheaper or faster or funded the same way, and it still has to meet certain standards and fit a long-term plan. So, I'm asking the board to stay committed to the ECLC to keep improving communication and transparency and to make sure that families that are most impacted by these gaps have a real voice in how this center is implemented. Thank you. Thank you. The next speaker is Don Bolton. Okay. Is she online? >> Yes, I'm here. >> I'm mute. >> Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Hi. Thank you to the board. Thank you for allowing me to be here today. My name is Dawn Bolton and I am a resident of the city schools of Decar. I'm sorry, a resident of the city of Decar. In addition, I have worked
303with the City Schools of Decar since 2003. I've worked in many capacities as a special ed teacher, as an MTSS lead, an ELA teacher, and a remedial reading teacher. I also have a ninth grade daughter who is not currently in the system. Today, I'm here to share my thoughts about the proposed ELA and CTAE project. I have long seen the need for accessible early childhood learning in the proposed area, the area of the apartments, and I'm going to try to get through this without coughing, but I'm fighting a cold. So, early childhood learning is absolutely key in academic success. As educators and allies of education, we know what the research says. There's no need for me to go into that. The importance of early childhood learning is clear. As an ELA and a reading teacher,
304every year that I've worked in the school system, I have seen students enter middle school demonstrating reading abilities well below the sixth grade level. Sometimes and very often in the beginning reading level. Many of these students have been in our school system their entire lives. And although we cannot pinpoint the issue, it is my belief that ensuring the early learning foundations is a great starting point. This project has had some controversy. We all know that. But it will allow us to realistically start addressing the needs of our students without the means to early act early childhood access regardless of their economic resources or their transportation access. and to start really putting in the work to closing the achievement gap. We have to start early. I have also personally witnessed the need of our high school
305students, particularly our black and brown students, to have more opportunities to see and find maps for meaningful and sustainable futures. I think that adding the CTA didn't make it uh CTA classes and programming would provide this. CSD has the means to do this. And as I often say about the work that I do in my classroom, if I want to give our students the best, then I have to start giving it to every single one of them. So I ask right now, if it's not us, then who? I know that there's been some community um controversy and some serious concerns that cannot be ignored about the process and how it started. But my hope is that we can br make a bridge and form um a connection to ensure that our children are getting what
306they need and that they are afforded the opportunity to a meaningful program and it is supported in a meaningful way. Thank you so much for your time. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Meredith Yansy really try not to give public comments so I'm going to try and make this quick. Um I want to echo how thrilled I am that we have uh we are supporting the building as the CLC first. I I was here in this room when it the land was bought and it the decisions were made and we made promises to this community over 10 years ago and it breaks my heart because I was here and all of the parents with kids my age. I have a sophomore at the high school. I have a seventh grader who did not get
307into College Heights because it was so full then. And all of the parents of means were thrilled that they would build another ECLC because that would be accessible to their children also. And now it breaks my heart to see this community not support something because now their kids have outgrown it. Um but that is not why I what I wrote down to talk about. I listened to some of the work session today. I wanted to talk about walkability. I walked my daughter to school at Westchester from Coventry Road across Scott Boulevard with the best crossing guard you've ever met. rain, snow did not matter. Um, she could see her breath and complain every step, but it was it helped her outcomes in elementary school. It did not most of my son's Westchester experience was lost
308due to COVID, but it did not help him in the same way. My the undiagnosed ADHD at the time was better maintained when she moved her body on the way to school. And I still don't think that walkability is a good enough reason to keep schools open just because I think that when people talk about walk and of the community that I lived in over on Coventry Road, less than 50% of us walked their kids to school and no one walked their kids. You know how hot it is in August at 2 o'clock in the afternoon? But what we would do is we would stand on the playground and we would bond with other parents. And I think that it is that community more than walkability, that ability to meet on the playground at your
309neighborhood school, that bond at a PTA meeting that you go to that people are concerned about losing more than walkability. I currently live in Linux Park, um, which is also Westchester, but is considerably closer to Oakhurst. It is considerably more walkable to Oak Elementary. And every block you go, there is a sign saying do not close one of our schools. And I was here 10 10 11 12 gez years ago when those same parents had the signs and the t-shirt saying do not move us from Oakhurst to Westchester and all of our schools are excellent and that moving from Westchester to Oakurst or back is still going to serve these kids. Do I know if we should close the schools? No, I don't think that we have enough information, but I think that the goal
310of this board needs to continue to be to serve the community and not keep a school open. And maybe that is keep a school open and maybe it's not. Um, and thank you, Dr. Johnson Davis. You have been um an amazing leader and it has been a joy to watch you work. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> The next speaker is Rudy Fulbert. Hello the board. So as a board member of a large nonprofit focus on early childhood and elementary education for Hispanic students, I want to talk about two things that are critical to any board. Consistency and clarity. These are prerequisites to building trust, effective leadership. PSE and the board emphasize your mission is serving students that a top priority is fiscal responsibility. Unfortunately, CS and the board are not being consistent in what
311to say or do and not clear on why that inconsistency is justified. Therefore, eroding the impact to our children and community, eroding trust, their ability to numerous inconsistencies, but I wanted to highlight a few and hope that CSE and the board can do better going forward. You have the alternative opportunity to consider an UCL facility that is already built in Soulshine, enabling you to start serving that community and students now with a focus on equity, giving them the opportunity that they deserve. If you choose to ignore even exploring that option seriously, which is inconsistent with the emphasis that you need to build an ECLC delivery path while building the new ECLC, you claim equitable access to education is a priority, but you ignore this option that allows you to deliver that equity sooner and for
312more students. You can pursue this while providing while proving out the operating needs, costs, the revenues of the future. New EPLC became both impact to students and fiscal responsibility by affording the option. Time equity and student achievement is critical. Yet you invest excessively on the physical infrastructure of the building significantly above management when that capital will be better served investing in the students, the staff and the education itself rather than the physical space. You claim you claim fiscal responsibility and transparency are critical. Yet at the same time, you claim to the dictator community that the ECLC contract has a guaranteed maximum price when in fact that is not the case. contract. They'll look at increase the price for inflation, for the impact of tariffs, for subsurface conditions, and numerous other exclusions that are very likely
313to materialize. Claims responsibility that according to you, there is overwhelming support for the current DCLC's, yet you won't pursue putting that on a ballot that would lead to a cheaper debt. So my question is, why? Why won't you act consistent with the very priorities you have committed? Why is it impossible to explore new opportunities or to be flexible to adjust private decisions when new information comes up? You genuinely care about possibility building trust the community and employ consistency and clarity in words will be key. >> Thank you. Those are all of our speakers. >> Thank you. We would like to We would like to thank all the speakers for taking the time to be here tonight. As board members, it is important for us to hear the concerns from our communities. We will take your
314comments into consideration. Our next board meeting will be here at the Wilson Center on January 13, 2026. The board of education's winter community meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 21st, 2026 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. also at Tally Street Upper Elementary School. There being no further business, this meeting is adjourned at 6:41