Board of Education Meeting - April 8th, 2025

001All right. Uh, good evening everyone. Uh, and I'm going to call to order the April 8th, 2025 Lakeville Area School Board meeting. Um, please rise with me as we say the pledge of allegiance. 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. All right, we'll do start with roll call starting from my right. Brett Nicholson, Paul Carbone, Matt Swanson, Michael Bowman, Kim Baker, Karly Anderson, Brian Thompson, school board. All right. Uh, agenda, additions, changes. Anything from everyone? Anyone? If there are none, I would entertain a motion to approve the agenda. Make a motion to approve the agenda. I'll second. All right. Motion moved by Director Carbone, seconded by Director Baker. Any discussion? There being

002no discussion. Uh on the motion to approve the agenda as drafted. All those in favor say I. I. All those opposed. All right. It is approved. We can move over to the good news. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Lakeville Area Schools, good news. We'll start with Lakeville South secures the sixth consecutive state weightlifting championship. Lakeville South High School's varsity weightlifting team claimed its sixth consecutive team championship at the 2025 Minnesota High School Weightlifting State Championships held on March 8th in Canon Falls, Minnesota. Lakeville South Junior Varsity Team secured a second place finish. 20 of the 26 athletes from the Lakeville area schools earned medals with the top with top three finishes. You can learn more about that at our website isd194.org/news. Bringing Minnesota's voice to the nation's capital. Dr. Dana Kelly, assistant principal and dean at

003Kenwood Trails Middle School, and Brett Dmstrand, our principal at Lake Marian Elementary, traveled to Washington, DC for the National School Leaders Advocacy Conference, where they joined school leaders nationwide to discuss key education policies. They met with Minnesota delegates to Congress to advocate for students and worked with National Student Council representatives to demonstrate educational advocacy in action. Show and Tell High Schoolers take the mic. Check out our latest episode of Show and Tell, where high schoolers take the mic and give viewers an inside look at life in high school. To view the entire Showand Tell series, visit isd194.org or slant show-n-tell. And then finally, upcoming community survey. Just letting our community know that during April, the district will be conducting a community survey to understand our community satisfaction with district and priorities. The scientific survey is

004conducted via phone by the Morris Leatherman Company and contacts a random sampling of community members who are representative of the district's residents. If you receive a call, we strongly encourage and ask you to participate to share your valuable feedback. Read more about all the amazing things happening in our district at isd194.org/news. And that is all I have, Mr. Chair. All right. Thank you, Superintendent Bowman. Uh, with that, we'll move over to uh, public comment. So, the board will is it leave support week this week. Oh, Mr. Bowman. I don't uh have I I don't know if it's this week or so. So, we just want to send a special shout out to I saw it in a school announcement. So, thank you to our LEAF staff. They do a tremendous job across all of our

005schools. Well, in that case, I'm going to do something uh special next week to acknowledge that. There we go. Uh public comment. So, the board will open up the floor for 30 minutes to allow the public to address the board with comments and concerns. To participate in public comment, individuals must have registered in advance using the form on our website by noon on the Monday before the scheduled public comment session. Uh there will be no board response during the session. and public comments framed as complaints and/or concerns about students or staff are not appropriate in a public forum due to the data privacy laws. These comments should be addressed to the administration outside of a public meeting. Likewise, complaints about schoolboard members should be privately directed to the board chair and or the superintendent. Um,

006no formal action will be taken on a topic presented during public comment. As necessary, the administration will follow up with the appropriate personnel on any concerns that need to be individually addressed. Also, if necessary, the board will follow up during board communications at the next regularly scheduled board meeting. Uh, individual remarks are limited to three minutes, and the board will provide a signal, which Director Baker has, when there are 30 seconds remaining. Uh, and if the audience would please try to keep their noise at a minimum to allow everyone the opportunity to speak uninterrupted, that would be great. Um, and we have just one individual today, Robert Bayer. Then you may have to move the mic over. I'm short, but a little taller than that. Thank you. I too bring words of good news and

007some wisdom. And I'd like to pray a blessing over you when I'm finished. Ecclesiastes 3. There's an opportune time to do things. A right time for everything on the earth. A right time for birth and another to pass. A right time to plant and another time to harvest. A right time to kill and another time to heal. A right time to destroy and another to build up. A right time to cry and another to laugh. A right time to lament, another to cheer. A right time to make love and another to abstain. A right time to embrace and another to part. A right time to search and another to count your losses. A right time to hold on and a time to let go. A right time to rip out and another time to mend.

008A right time to remain quiet and another to speak up. A right time to love and another to refrain. A right time to wage war, yet another to make peace. So, heavenly father, this evening I pray a blessing over these board members who through your great wisdom were elected by the people to serve the people of our great city of Lakeville. And I pray for united, strengthened, honored, and mutual respect among our board members, community members where strong and unified relationships and decisions replace the oftentimes selfish needs to be right. I pray father in the name of Jesus that you would take your rightful place as the head of our district turning anger and judgment and hostilities into your peace that far surpasses our human understanding. I pray for a great awakening among our leaders

009and guests here this evening to remember that the body is made up of many parts like our city. Many parts yet one body. All different like our city, families and children, but only one human race. All of us are equally important through your eyes. Let us all live in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and full of self-control. As we honor our board, as they are responsible for first honoring you, this was your city, Lord Jesus, long before it was ours. So we decree and declare our unified pledge of allegiance, one nation under God, indivisible. So let your kingdom come now. Let your will be done here on earth in Lakeville amongst us all as it is in heaven. And we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you, Mr. Bear. All right, that

010will conclude public comment. Moving on to the consideration of the consent agenda. Does anyone want to remove any of the three items from the consent agenda? Director Anderson? Yes. I would like to remove uh 4 C. All right. 4 C is removed. Uh anyone want to remove 4 A or 4B? If not, I would move to approve the consent agenda items 4 A and 4 B. I'll move. All right, it is seconded by Director Anderson. Um, all those in favor Well, yeah. All those in favor of approval of consent item agenda items A and B, um, say I. I. All those opposed say nay. All right. 4 A and 4 B are approved. Uh, Director Anderson, I'll turn it over to you on Yes. 4C. Yeah. So, just a few things. Um, just want to

011make a couple um things clear. one thing in terms of the settlement of this case um I think it's sometimes confusing um when we talk about monetary settlement and what that means and so um one thing I just want to make sure the public knows is that this is within our insurance policy um and so while we don't know what might impact premiums um this is not something that the district is paying extra money as part of our insurance policy um secondly I always think it's a little bit confusing when people vote no on a consent agenda and there are multiple items. So, I want to be clear about why I'm going to be voting no tonight on this. Um, it's not because I think the lawyers haven't done a good job with the board

012direction. I do think the the lawyers have done an excellent job in in um in what they have been tasked to do to settle this case. Um, I more disagree with the settlement um in general at this point. I think you know when we have talked about this as a board in public um and obviously the close session information is is close session but um we it has been presented in a way in my mind that we didn't have a good standing in this case and I don't think that is at all the direction we have received from legal counsel. Um the eighth circuit decision was based on assuming that everything that the claimants were claiming could be possible in any scenario. And so to me uh I believe we should have gone through the

013discovery process which would have meant gathering all the information relevant to the case. in that situation. What I've understood from our legal counsel is that we are on very good footing, that they felt like what our uh district did was within the grounds of government speech and that we had an excellent case. So, while it may have moved forward and the eighth circuit may have made a different decision at one point, it's my opinion um as a board member and uh who serves this district that we have not seen this case through in the way that I would have liked to. Um, and so that is why I'm vo voting no. I just feel like this is a premature decision. And I also just wanted to make that clear and also that the 30,000 is

014part of our insurance policy. So that's what I wanted to share. Thank you, Director Anderson. Anyone else have any comments? Director Thompson. Yeah, as as I was reading the settlement, I just want to make sure I understand the definitions of what they shared. Uh I think item number three said something about stipulation for order of dismissal. By signing this agreement, the parties authorize that the attorneys to stipulate to uh an order of dismissal with prejudice authorizing the court to dismiss the lawsuit. So uh that is the that just want to make sure I understand that dismissal is that we're just it's done. It's over. We're moving on correct with with that. Okay. And then number six, no wrongdoing. This agreement is made to resolve a disputed matter and may not be construed as an admission

015of liability or wrongdoing by or on behalf of any party. So, uh just want to make sure that I understand that there is no other like there's no stipulations. There is no action that the board needs to go do uh by settling this. Uh it is a strictly uh legal agreement where the uh both attorneys agree to we're going to discontinue, we're going to dismiss this case. Uh there's a $30,000 cost associated to it and uh and like director Carly Anderson said comes out of our insurance uh uh funds. So that's my that's my understanding. Okay, perfect. Thank you. Anyone else? Can you can you as a lawyer clarify what the addition additional language really did in terms of the release? Well, it was more uh they moved moved items around. They condensed the attorney's

016fees and costs because there was two paragraphs before. Now it's just consolidated to one paragraph. They removed some language uh in the initial whereas clauses um regarding what the release entailed, but then in the paragraph 2 release of all claims, it still includes essentially all claims that could have been brought at the time that this lawsuit was initiated. So, and then again, you get down to um the dismissal language. It is a dismissal with prejudice, which means that they can't file it again. So, I mean, if we did different facts, so based on the facts that were present in their rights, you know, as of the date that the case was brought, you know, they can't assert any new claims that they had at that time. That's essentially what it says. What is the or

017could have been asserted? Yeah. Changes does that. Again, it's it kind of broadens the release language. So any claims that could have been asserted by other either side at the time. All right. I don't know if Superintendent Bowman can correct me if I'm wrong. That's my nonofficial interpretation of it, but that is the correct interpretation. Anything else? I so I just have like a a point of clarification that I think needs to be made for the public in this because if if you read through it um and just knowing that there's been some meetings where we've had some um public comment and um community involvement around the poster series that was originally brought into question with this particular lawsuit. Um and it's clearly not part of the settlement in that. So, can you kind of

018clarify how the board took a position with that um separate from the actual like settlement because it's not part of the settlement agreement. Correct. You mean the board's vote on the 28th of January? Correct. Yeah. Correct. So, the only thing the settlement requires of the district is payment of the $30,000 which comes from our insurer. Otherwise, there's no other obligations. We will stipulate to the dismissal of the case. And then also it's not saying that the it's not saying that the district did anything incorrectly. Correct. Okay. I just want that clarified further of wrongdoing. Thank you. Anything else? Uh if there are no further comments, I would entertain a motion to approve the settlement um for Kajunetal versus ISD 184 listed as 4C. I'll make a motion to approve it. All right. There's a motion

019by Director Carbone to approve the settlement. Is there a second? Second. Second direct by Director Nicholson. Any discussion on the motion? There being no discussion, all those in favor of approval of the settlement uh the agreement which is attached to the agenda and identified as 4 C on our agenda. Um all those in favor say I. I. All those opposed say no. No. All right. It is approved. Uh moving on to the reports section. Miss Alrech going to go through some policy. Brenda will be handling the first two and then um our policy committee chair will be handling the second two. Yes. Good evening, Chair Swanson, Superintendent Bowman, and members of the school board. You have before you this evening a second reading of policy 606, which is textbooks and instructional materials, and policy 613,

020which is our graduation requirements. Changes throughout the policies are minor and have been reviewed and recommended for approval by the policy committee. This is a second reading and no action is necessary at this time. Director Thompson. Uh just a couple comments. one on policy 606 and then a polic and then comments on policy 208. Uh so for policy 20 uh 606 textbooks and instructional materials uh can we just make sure that when we do the official adoption we remove the the label on the top right where it says like MSBAMS model and just throw in Lakeville and then uh also with the legal references or cross references where it says MSBA. Uh and just for general clarity for the community, uh the Minnesota School Board Association, MSBA that we are a part of, uh they

021look at statutes, uh and then help craft these model policies. So, uh policy 606 is one of those where uh we took uh took le we took took advantage of what they provided. Uh we were able to uh bump that up against what we had previously. Uh so the changes that you see were what we had on our website and then what MSBA suggests recommends uh for uh for the adoption of this particular policy. So it's not something where we just created on our own. I just want to make sure there's clarity around how these policies are are created and then how the board here then reviews them. Uh the one suggestion that I have for policy 606 that I would like to make a suggestion to is there is a can I ask a

022question about can I ask a question about what I do? Yep. Do you feel like the CR cross references at the end in terms of the MAS or MSB and MASA is sufficient for citing essentially or do you feel like the the cross references should uh should actually be uh from our policies. So when it's connecting to the policies that we have uh our community members won't have a cross reference to what the MSBA version policy is because that's only for us. So when we make updates go maybe I didn't understand your question. Well, I guess I'm wondering if it's based so essentially we take the MSBA kind of model and adjust it for a district, but should should there be some sort of citation in the policy referencing the like is that why it

023is at the top the so the MSBA model policy cross references is at the end of the policy and typically what is there is any cross reference to um so okay So, so 606, if someone is reviewing 606, they should also cross reference 603 and 604. So, we could change that to um Lakeville policy 603 and 604 rather than MSBA model policy 603 and 604. But I believe your question is, are we appropriately citing? Well, are we appropriately citing or referencing the or do we have to do that? Yeah, we all of our policies are appropriately referenced at the bottom whether it is referencing other policies or state statute whatever that might be. So we we can definitely update that um and we can also u make the update to what you had brought forward

024director Thompson on the front page of the uh model policy. Yep. Those are quick easy fixes. Y does that answer your question? Yes. So, are you thinking of adding our Lakeville policy at the end in addition to the MSBA cross reference? No, I don't think the MSBA cross reference should be listed because it's a placeholder as a template for us when we look at the MSBA policy, how it's connected to another MSBA model policy. What we want to do is put in the Lakeville policy so that a consumer or a stakeholder who reads it knows which Lakeville policy it's connected to. So, it's just a it's a it's a a template placeholder. Got it. And sometimes like our numbers don't exactly align with correct MSBA. So that makes sense. I just wanted to make sure

025we were appropriately citing or referencing. Understood. Yes. So so the one that I have questions on this one is letter B letter B number three. I'm sorry section three responsibilities of selection. Uh so while the school board retains its authority to make final decisions on the selection of textbooks dot dot dot. Uh then uh letter B, letter number three, uh foster respect and appreciation for cultural diversity and varied opinions. So I want to be cautious here just be because I think there's so much interpretations of what that might mean based on whoever's reviewing and not reviewing. Uh I'm I'm going to make an assumption that the textbooks that we elect as a board are going to be represented uh recommended to us that that meet the state standards and and whatever the state standards are

026and and so the state standards may have a variety of different requirements and and again my assumption is that our our um recommend our textbooks that will be recommended to us will will follow suit. I guess what I'm trying to understand is that uh what is leather uh number three how does that impact the decision on if we accept a textbook or not? And so I'm I I think there's too much variability and I just want to be mindful that how we move forward with this policy based on the previous policies that we've gone through. I'd like to scratch that number out. Can I Yeah, Director Anderson. Well, I I feel like so in I feel like there's part of this that's our role and then obviously part of the the bigger part in selection

027that is put to our staff who are well-versed in all of these different items. And so I feel like it I'm not sure that it doesn't fit with the other things that the professional staff would be thinking about as they're selecting appropriate texts that then they present to us as like I don't think we're diving into whether these books are age appropriate or whether they meet um whether they show respect and appreciation for cultural diversity that would be determined by staff. So it's more presented to us in a way that this is what we recommend and we I feel like operate at the higher level of how have these texts been compared to others or which are showing the most success in other districts not necessarily to that level. Can I ask you seasoned board

028members how this has come to you guys in the past as far as reviewing textbooks? time came to us one time which it was it I feel like our it's it I do not see our job to dive into I mean there um director Carbon and I will be part of the teaching and learning committee that some of these things are reviewed but um at the board level to me and and director Baker can certainly speak to this quite extensively I'm assuming but at our level we're not diving into questions related to the curriculum it's or you know what are the relative how does this impact the district financially um how has basically there's a presentation about different ones that have been reviewed and how they compare to each other and so I I see

029our job as more at at that level director Thompson I think where I'm I'm not so sure about is that um number three where while I am in favor of it conceptually foster respect and appreciation for cultural diversity and varied opinion. I want to make sure that the curriculum that gets selected is the curriculum. It's like reading's reading, math is math, science is science. And so I I want to make sure that the content uh while we have that kind of line item will that skew the type of curriculum that needs to be that would be presented to us because of uh other other components. And so I just want to make sure that our curriculum is our curriculum and is academic focused. And so I am not in favor of that line. Yeah. Director

030Anderson, sorry, I'm I'm certainly not an expert here, but one thing I'm I'm thinking about is that reading for instance, um very important for there to be representation in what kids are reading. And so, you know, um, historically, if you look back at texts when we were kids growing up, it probably was dominated by people of certain cultures that were now I'm seeing with what my kids are coming home with, there's more representation. So to me what this is saying is when you're selecting materials considering that there are we have many different cultures in our schools. We want to make sure um you know just like we've seen nutrition come and talk about different ways they're trying to incorporate different cultural uh ethnic foods that kids can see themselves represented in these texts. Um and

031that that would be more of a big thing in certain subjects I would guess. Um, so I am not the professional, so I don't know what they how they go about the process, but that would be one thing where that would be a relevant consideration. So we we have uh our curriculum and instruction is predicated on the Minnesota Department of Education and the standards that they uh require us to follow. If there uh were a um a curriculum item uh text uh that the board had objection to, I would expect that you would notify us of that. Um I I don't um from a policy perspective, I think it aligns with the Minnesota Department of Education, with MSBA, and um I I don't see that this would be an issue. Hasn't been in the past.

032if it were in the future, um, you know, I'd raise my hand and say, uh, bring that objection and and we will deal with it. But I I don't I don't think that we're um doing anything in particular that is uh oriented at uh setting conditions that the Minnesota Department of Education does not uh expect or define. Director Baker. So, I'm going to agree with Director Anderson on this. Um the school district goes through an extensive process as far as curriculum adoption. Um they spend a year possibly even before they even bring a curriculum forward researching what other districts are doing, visiting other districts as teams. Um they send several people out to see see the curriculum in action to look through the data of other districts and then they spend a year like piloting

033it somewhere and gathering more data and trying to make that determination. Um, all of those curriculum adoptions are guided by our laws like like the read act for example dictates what we can and can't adopt as a district as far as our reading curriculum goes. Um, if we don't follow those guidelines and those laws, then we don't get reimbursed for that curriculum. Um, so I would say as a schoolboard member, it is not really within our purview to determine which curriculum is appropriate. Like I that's why we have the superintendent and the staff like they can go through the curriculum and the two-year process and whatever they do, they've shared that with us before. Um I feel like that's extensive. The last time they brought a curriculum forward, I think was the social skills curriculum.

034Um they they shared all the data. they talked about it and then they made a recommendation like this is what we feel is appropriate and then the board had a chance to um you know provide our opinion on that curriculum just based on the little that we know about it because we're not in the classroom every day teaching it and we don't have that knowledge either. So I would agree with also Superintendent Bowman that you know once that's presented to us and if we follow the process where it's presented and then we vote on it at the next meeting so we have time to process it to look through it ask any questions that we have that that would be sufficient. I just want to add to 3B2 and I can't remember if we carried

035this over from ours or if we added it in. um it just adds an additional protection meet or exceed required standards you know so whatever I think that would maybe alleviate any concerns with you know 3B3 um if the concern is it's going to detract from the um effectiveness of the the curriculum and ultimately it is the school board's decision as as to whether or not to approve new curriculum so we would have the final say if there is a concern with anything. That would be my two cents. Just clarify with the adjustments then. So number two would be the meet or exceed. Number three would be consider the needs age and yes. Okay. So just would be okay. Do you see what I'm saying? Yeah. There there might be a numbering issue there. Figure

036that out before we vote. Yeah. Do we need to vote on director Thompson? Uh well, I've got a question on six policy 613, but do we uh I think this is uh just the discussion and then we'll move into the recommended actions. Yeah. After or after this? Well, or not. Well, I'm just for providing some direction for the next copy that we're going to see, I guess. um 3B3 or four depending on which number we're looking at it sounds like is staying based on the comments. We good? Yeah. Y uh so then policy 613 uh we've got again just minor changes obviously the MSB on the top right there is a section under uh uh five assessment graduation requirements and there's a one that says note uh Minnesota statutes the statutes no longer has a

037paragraph K blah blah blah um I think that's something that we as a policy committee uh is supposed to are to read as a reference but probably not supposed that probably doesn't need to be in the policy itself correct it would be would not be in the final policy. Okay, great. And then there's another note section down at the bottom. And that is it for my questions on that one. All right. And then policy 208, which is the development of policies. Thank you, Brenda. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. The floor is yours, Brian. Thank you. All right. Uh policy 208, the the development of policies. the one here that was that we made changes to. So a couple components here. So in section two, the general statement of policy, we did add letter A,

038B, and C where it says adopted, reviewed, and revised. So we wanted to make sure that people understood the definitions where we may uh review policies but not make any changes to it. So, we want to make sure that gets cap captured uh because I believe previous borders have said that they had reviewed policies and even though it had a date from 2013, it was the most current from their point of view. So, we want to make sure that those dates are updated so folks have a an accurate picture of when a policy was reviews reviewed or revised. Uh and then in section three, the development of the policy, uh there is I'm sorry, I apologize. In section four, the adoption of policy letter B, we did add this line here. The final action taken

039to adopt the proposed policy shall be approved by a simple majority vote of the board of education/ we'll change that to school board at a subsequent meeting after public input was twice offered. I think it was a little clunky in how to write that, but I think we actually changed it where we can just approve it after at the second meeting. Yeah. Where public comment was twice offered. Yeah. Because right now as it sits we we do two meetings, first and second reading and then the third meeting we can approve it. So we are moving it so it only takes two meetings to approve it as opposed to three. But you'd still have public comment and discussion for two meetings. I just so just point of clarification does that mean that it would be like

040in the discussion and then also in the recommended actions? Mhm. Okay. Okay. that I guess like I when I when I think about that um I mean if there's any further discussion from the board on that the public doesn't really have an opportunity to comment on that because public comment happens in the meeting prior to us voting on it and having that discussion. You know what I mean? Like I I think I would rather stay with the cadence that we've had where we have two meetings and then on the third one we vote. Dr. Thompson, are you saying that there would be two meetings and then then the third meeting it would be a vote because that's not how the current language had that's not how we currently do it because if you can do

041if it's public comment is offered at least twice and then you can vote on it in the second meeting that that's how we have done it. So the policy would be in the the meeting agenda uh public comment on Tuesday more or Tuesday in the in the beginning then we discuss that as a first reading then the following meeting there'll be another public comment about it we can have further discussion based on any feedback we get from the community and then it would then move to the recommended actions where then we would vote on it and that and I believe that's how we it had been done here before. Yeah, I can add some of the some of the thoughts on this were a number of the changes that we have to these policies are

042just minor. Um, and so just to not to clear through some of the easier ones um in shorter order instead of having it take three meetings because I mean some of these we're just changing it from board education to schoolboard, you know, references um or just pushing them up against the the model policies. Obviously, if we want to extend discussion further, we can. Yeah. Do we have to be this clear in the policy in terms just to allow some flexibility? Well, we just moved it so it's you could do it after two meetings. You don't have to. There's nothing that requires you to. Okay. But the requirement is that we want to have at least public comment twice to give community input on on a topic. Yep. Correct. And and there is a clause in

043here where if a policy isn't drastically changing and the and the intent is there and some minor changes or maybe there might be some legality issues, it can be approved in that same meeting as well. I believe there's a clause in there and we've done that before. Okay. Um I I feel like this is good. I think the only recommend the only change I would have is just change board of education to school board to be consistent with the previous and then I'm I'm good with that one. Uh can we make a final decision on that for the rest of the life of this board? Yeah, I I would say I would revert to the state statutes where they call us a school board. And so that's what I would recommend. Uh and so policy

0442011, which is the legal status of the school board. So, so we're good there. Uh couple changes here. Number one is section two, general statement. Uh we did make a change in letter, Nope, not that one. I apologize. is section four organization and membership. We did make a change of this one change to this one to uh document that the membership of the school board consists of seven elected directors. Previous to this it was just six. Uh so wanted to make that updated. Uh and then the other one is letter uh section five powers and duties. Letter B uh the school board uh we changed the word uh from manages to oversees administrative functions. That way it's pretty clear in in the the role of the school board. Uh so it is section five. It's

045uh highlighted in green. the school board oversees administrative functions. And so that's what we did there. And then if you go a little bit further down to the very last two additions right above legal references, we added these two because of I think our past two years being here. One was retain the authority to name or rename district-owned buildings and facilities just in case. And then the other one was form partnerships and or ad hoc committees for the purpose of addressing short-term and long-term identified needs. While we have that authority already, I think it'd be just a good good to put it on paper to say, hey, we have that authority as a school board. So those are the the very last two above legal references. Yep. So while this is a first reading, uh

046I will leave it up to the board if you want to bring it back for another meeting. Uh but because the intent of uh policy 2011 is minor, you do have the right to vote on it today as well. So those are the changes. I think we'd have to have it on the agenda for recommended actions to vote to approve it. So we can bump it to next meeting. Any questions of Brian? Uh just so everyone knows, we do have a policy committee that meets every other week. Um Director Thompson chairs the committee. Super exciting. It's uh uh folks are welcome to join. Director Cameron and myself are also take part in the committee along with Superintendent Bowman and uh Brent Albrech. So and everyone is welcome to join usually on Thursday afternoons. It's pretty

047exciting. So um all right, moving on. Special education report. Humphrey. on it. It's way I think we have some PowerPoint issues. Maybe do we need to ask the guy? There we go. There we go. He's He's working. He was up for a second there. Oh, it's because I had already brought up the right one. There we go. Okay. Okay. Well, good evening, Chair Swanson, members of the board, Superintendent Bowman. Thank you for the opportunity uh for us to be here tonight. Again, my name is Michelle Humphrey, and I'm honored to serve as the executive director of student services. I'm joined by Alisa Anderson, our interim director of special services, and together we're pleased to be here to share this important work with you and to provide an overview of the special education services that support

048students across Lakeville area schools. So tonight, our goal is to provide a clear and meaningful overview of the systems and supports in place to serve students with disabilities across Lakeville area schools. Special education is a complex, highly individualized service area that touches every school and impacts students, families, and educators. It requires not only legal compliance, but also collaboration, fairness, and a shared commitment to student success. We'll begin by introducing our special education leadership team and highlight the broader staff including teachers, related service providers, pair professionals, and administrators who are dedicated to incre creating inclusive learning environments. Next, we'll review the federal law that guides all special education services, the Individuals with Disabilities Act or IDA. This law ensures that students receive a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment that meets their unique

049learning needs. We'll then walk through the continuum of services available here in Lakeville, ranging from in-class support to specialized programs, followed by a snapshot of current student data. We'll also examine our staffing structure and the essential roles our team members play in supporting students. Finally, we'll touch on the financial landscape of special education, looking at funding sources and the legal requirements that shape how resources are allocated. Throughout this presentation, we aim to share a full picture of how we support students with disabilities while also highlighting the opportunities and challenges that inform our work. So, at the district level here, we have a dedicated team that is instrumental in supporting our special education students across schools. Several members of our team are actually here in the audience with us tonight. Thank you for being here. Um,

050so our team includes four special education coordinators who are responsible for supporting the schools directly. They work to ensure that all students receive appropriate services and resources and they collaborate with school teams to create inclusive supportive learning environments. They also work closely with teams to ensure compliance with due process requirements for individual education programs. So this team includes Julie Gekle, our early childhood special education coordinator. Feel free to do a wave. Um Diane Runquist and Carol Carlson are two elementary special education coordinators and Diane is with us tonight. Uh Katie Go, our middle school special education coordinator. And then we also have two special education supervisors who support at our high school level. Uh like the coordinators, their role is to ensure that students receive the necessary services, provide guidance to school teams, and ensure

051compliance with all special education requirements. Jazelle Selwin and Amanda Kimry are two uh special education supervisors. So one key distinction between the special education coordinators and supervisors is in their lensure. All of our coordinators hold a director of special education license which qualifies them to oversee and lead special education programming across the district. Our supervisors are experienced professionals who are currently working toward that lensure and we're proud to support their continued growth and development. So just as we're experiencing challenges in hiring and retaining licensed special education teachers and service providers, we're seeing similar trends here at the leadership level in special education as well. So recruiting fullylicicensed special education leaders is becoming increasingly difficult across the state and this makes it all the more important that we invest in the professional development of our current

052team and create pathways to leadership from within. We have three instructional behavior coaches who work to support schools in developing strategies uh ensuring that students with emotional or behavioral needs uh get those needs met. Their goal is to help create positive learning environments for all students. And our due process clerks are responsible for managing the administrative tasks related to special education, including ensuring that all paperwork and processes for individual education programs are completed in a timely and compliant manner. Supporting myself and the interim director of special services are our student services support specialist and special services administrative assistant. Although their work often happens behind the scenes, it is found it is foundational to the success of students, families, and staff. They manage a wide range of operational tasks from organizing crucial documentation and streamlining communication

053to monitoring timelines and assisting with budget related processes. Their attention to detail and proactive support allow our special education team to stay focused on ser serving students and schools effectively. Together with this team as well as the staff across the district ensures that students with disabilities receive highquality services they need and the support our schools and they support our schools in meeting both the educational and social emotional needs of all of our learners. U so thank thank you for sharing the the staffing constraints and so I want to make sure I understand this as well. Uh a special education teacher has a a different license than a high school teacher, middle school, elementary, XYZ. Uh and do we offer different compensation structures because of the the specialization or is it the same across the board?

054No. So the compensation is based on the teacher contract. So then a kindergarten teacher, a high school gym teacher gets put, assuming if they're at the same step in lane, gets paid the exact same as a special education teacher. And and we've got a shortage in that bucket. And that is correct. Okay. I just want to make sure we're we're good. Thank you. Yep. Yep. Uh so really to understand where um we are today here in special education, we'd like to take just a quick look back um to understand where we've come from. So before the 1970s, children with disabilities were often completely excluded from public education. There were no legal protections in place and many students were denied enrollment altogether are placed in segregated institutions that didn't offer meaningful education or support. In most

055cases, it fell to the families to provide whatever education they could at home without support, resources, or much guidance. This began to change in 1975 when Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, also known as I just want to give a shout out to Minnesota there because you see this up there, the historical context. That does not include the state of Minnesota, which did this in the 1960s to have special education, whereas other states just had this model. We were one of the first states to do that. So, way to go Minnesota. Thank you. So, uh, that change really began in 1975 or in Minnesota a little differently, um, when Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, also known as a public law 94-142. So, this law was a major breakthrough.

056It guaranteed every child with a disability had the right to a free and appropriate education or FAPE in that least restrictive environment. It also uh introduced something that's now a cornerstone in our work which is the individual education plan and this was a formal plan created with input from educators, specialists and families to ensure that each child's unique needs were being met. Then in 1990 the law was renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDA. This version expanded services even further especially for students approaching adulthood. It added transition planning for students, which helps prepare them for life after high school, whether that's college, employment, or independent living. It also officially recognized autism and traumatic brain injury as disability categories, which allows more students to be served. So, from the late 1990s through today, IDA

057has continued to be refined and reauthorized. So all of these milestones have shaped the way we serve students today and they continue to guide our work here in Lakeville. So having uh spoken a little bit about the history of special education, um we thought it would be good to focus on those core principles that have evolved from that progress and those principles continue to guide how we support students here today. So the Individuals with Disabilities Act is doesn't just mandate access to education for students with disabilities. It provides a clear structure that schools must follow to ensure those students receive meaningful support. At the heart of this law are five guiding principles that shape our work. First, the free and appropriate public education or FAPE means that every student with a disability is entitled to

058an education that is both free and tailored to their individual learning needs. This isn't about placing students in generic programs. It's about ensuring they have access to instruction, services, and supports that allow them to make meaningful progress. Second, the least restrictive environment or LRE is a principle that promotes inclusion. It ensures that students with disabilities learn alongside their non-disabled peers whenever possible and are only placed in more restrictive settings when absolutely necessary for their success. Third, each student who qualifies for special education has an individualized education program or IEP. This legal document outlines their unique learning goals, the services they'll receive, accommodations they need, and how their progress will be measured. It serves as a personalized roadmap for supporting student success. Fourth, uh parent involvement is a critical component of IDA. Families are not just

059informed, they are active participants in the planning, decisionmaking, and review process. Their insights and perspectives are essential in building educational plans that truly reflect the needs and strengths of their children. And lastly, non-discriminatory assessment is required before a student is identified for special education services. Evaluations must use valid, reliable, and culturally responsive tools to ensure that students are fairly and accurately identified and supported. So to understand how these principles come to life in practice, it's also helpful to break down the structure of the laws that guide us here in Minnesota. So Minnesota statutes are the laws passed by the state legislature and signed by the governor. These statutes provide the broad legal framework for how we operate, setting the standards for issues like special education. Alongside those statutes are Minnesota administrative rules, regulations created by

060state agencies like the Minnesota Department of Education. These rules provide detailed procedures and day-to-day expectations for how to implement the laws. While not created by lawmakers directly, administrative rules carry the weight of law and undergo public review before adoption. So in summary, statutes define the what while the administrative rules define the how. So together they ensure our practices are not only legally sound but but grounded in clear actionable steps that support students. These principles and laws are more than just compliance measures. They reflect our shared commitment to valuing every learner. Good evening, Chair Swanson, school board members, and Superintendent Bowman. As we continue, it's essential to recognize the various disability categories that determine eligibility for special education services. There are 13 categories, each presenting its own unique set of challenges, requiring tailored support to meet

061the unique needs of students. Let's take a closer look at some of the disabilities we serve in Lakeville. Speech language impaired includes students who have difficulty with communication, including speaking, understanding language, or using language effectively. Speech and language services help students improve communication skills for both academic and social success. Students who experience challenges with intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior qualify under the category of developmental cognitive disability. The severity of this disability can range from mild to profound and support varies depending on the students needs helping them learn essential life and academic skills. Students with multiple disabilities that significantly impact their ability to function in academic and daily life settings qualify under the category of severely multiply impaired. They may have combinations of cognitive, physical, and sensory disabilities requiring intensive support across all areas of life.

062Students with physical disabilities have limited mobility or ability to participate in their school activities. These students may have conditions like cerebral palsy or muscular distrophe and often require physical therapy and accommodations to access education. Students with hearing impairments experience challenges with hearing and communication. These students may use hearing aids, sign language, or other accommodations to access education and may need speech therapy or other services to enhance communication. The category blind visually impaired includes students who have visual impairments that that significantly impact their learning. Students may be blind or have low vision and may require braille instruction, specialized technology or other accommodations to help them access curriculum materials and the school environment. Students who qualify for a specific learning disability have difficulties in one or more area of learning such as reading, writing, or mathematics. These

063disabilities do not reflect intelligence, but indicate a processing issue that can be addressed with interventions, accommodations, and specialized teaching strategies. Students served under the category of emotional behavioral disorder exhibit emotional and behavioral challenges that significantly interfere with their ability to succeed in school. They may experience anxiety, depression, or other mental health conditions and may require social emotional support, counseling, or behavioral interventions. Students who qualify under the category of deafb blind experience both hearing and vision impairments. These students require specialized services to support this dual sensory deficit in the areas of communication, mobility, and learning, often using unique methods such as tactile sign language or braille. The category of other health disability includes students with chronic or acute health conditions such as asthma, epilepsy, or diabetes that affect their ability to perform in school. These students

064may require accommodations or specialized medical care to ensure they can fully participate in educational activities. Students in the autism spectrum disorder category often have challenges with social communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. The spectrum means that students can exhibit a wide range of abilities. So, supports are highly individualized to help them succeed in school and social situations. Students who have experienced a brain injury due to an accident or trauma could qualify under traumatic brain injury. A TBI can lead to changes in cognitive, emotional, or physical functioning, and students may require services such as physical therapy, academic services, or counseling to address the effects of the injury. The category of developmental delay is for younger students who show significant delays in at least two areas of development such as physical, cognitive, communication, adaptive, or social, emotional.

065These students receive early intervention services to help them catch up to their peers and prepare for school. Each of these categories has its own set of challenges, but they all share a common goal to ensure that students are supported in ways that allow them to access education, develop their potential, and succeed in their personal and academic lives. It's our job to provide the right resources, services, and accommodations for each individual student. So, as we review our special education student population in Lakeville, it's important to note that the data we're sharing comes from the Minnesota departments of education December 1st, 2024 child count, which is conducted annually. This child count gives us a snapshot of how many students are receiving special education services under IDA. It plays a vital role in securing federal funding and provides

066a comprehensive picture of our district's special education landscape. So, as of December 1st, 2024, Lakeville Area Schools was serving 259 students under IDA. So when we look at the breakdown by age, 3% of our total special education population here in Lakeville or 70 students across the district were between the ages of birth and two receiving early intervention services. 13% or 174 students were between the ages of three and five, which includes both early childhood special education and kindergarten. And the largest portion of our students, 45% or a thund2 were elementaryaged between 6 and 11 years old. Students between the ages of 12 and 17 make up 35% of our special education population are totaling 727 students across the district. And finally, 4% or 86 students were between 18 and 21 years old and participating in

067our transition programming. Looking at the service settings, and we'll get more into the service settings too in the next couple of slides, 12% of our special education students or 244 students receive services through early intervention, our early childhood special education settings. And nearly half of our students, 49% or,08 are served in federal setting one, which means they spend most of their day in general education settings with limited special education support. Setting two includes students who receive more targeted support outside of the general education classroom for part of the day. This group accounts for 21 for 21% of our students are 427 individuals. 16% or 332 students are served in federal setting three which provides more intensive support in a specialized setting and 2% or 38 students are served in a federal setting for a highly

068specialized environment often designed for students with significant behavioral or medical needs. So this data helps us understand not only the range of ages and needs of students across the district but how we structure support across the district. Okay. So as we look at the early stages of a child's development, it's important to recognize how critical the right support is in these foundational years. Early intervention services and early childhood special education provide specialized support that helps students with disabilities reach their full potential, laying the groundwork for their future success. These services, which are tailored to each child's unique needs, not only focus on the developmental areas that they need that may need more attention, but also work in partnership with families to ensure that children are getting the best possible start. So, let's take a look

069at how these services work and the impact they have here on the children in our district. So, imagine a toddler named Emma who at 18 months isn't yet speaking and struggles with motor skills. Emma's parents are concerned, so they reach out for support. Through early intervention services, Emma is connected with a team of professionals who work with her at home. With the help of speech therapists, occupational therapists, and a developmental specialist, Emma's parents learn how to incorporate intervention strategies into their daily routines, whether it's during bath time, playtime, or meal time. Services are provided through the individual family service plan or IFSP designed for children from birth through age two. The beauty of early intervention is that it meets children where they where they are in their home. It's about helping parents integrate developmentally supportive

070activities into their natural routines so that children like Emma can grow in the context of their everyday lives. So, as Emma approaches her third birthday, she still requires more targeted support. And this is where early childhood special education services or ECSE come in. Now, as a part of her individualized education plan, Emma's needs are carefully addressed in a more structured setting. She may attend programs at the Crystal Lake Education Center or in a community-based location like a daycare center. There, Emma receives tailored support in her social skills, communication, and motor development from a range of professional providers, including teachers and speech therapists. So, the goal of early childhood special education is to ensure children like Emma are supported in achieving both short-term and long-term goals. Whether she's learning how to communicate better with her peers

071are develop the fine motor skills to hold a pencil, the services Emma receives through ECSE set her up for a strong educational foundation as she enters kindergarten. Uh, Director Humphrey, are these services, the early intervention services and early childhood special education services, are those required under the IDEA act as well? Yes, they are. So, it doesn't just start at what we would the kindergarten level? No, it doesn't. Okay. No. So, as we explore how we serve our youngest learners in special education, it's important to understand the case load requirements set by Minnesota administrative rule 3525.2340. So, these guidelines ensure that we provide the appropriate support to children with disabilities in manageable and effective learning environments. So, for infants and toddlers from birth to age 2, the state requires a maximum studenttoteer ratio of 12:1. So

072this means that for every 12 full-time students, there must be at least one primary provider responsible for their services. This ensures that very young children receive highly individualized and developmentally appropriate support during this critical stage of early development. Uh as students grow and enter preschool from ages 3 to five, the ratio shifts slightly. In these early childhood special education settings, the maximum studenttoteer ratio is 16 to1. However, even with that broader ratio, no more than eight students receiving special education services can be in the classroom at one time if only a teacher and one pair professional are present. This structure is intentional as it balances the need to provide inclusive learning environments with the individualized attention and support for our young learners to thrive. These case load guidelines help us ensure that our programming ref

073remains effective and safe and responsive to the needs of our students who receive services. Director Nicholson. So based on this and the org chart shown are those do we need uh I mean they have to have ling lensure um and everything else. So, do we have 16 teachers doing this stuff? No. No. So, in our early childhood setting, um it's really broken up by morning sessions and afternoon sessions. So, where we have eight student Yeah. Yep. got All right. We're making the transition from early childhood to school age settings now. So, as we continue with our presentation, it's important to highlight how the setting levels for students from kindergarten through 12th grade align with the principles of IDEIDA, particularly the least restrictive environment. IDEIDA mandates that students with disabilities should be educated with their non-disabled

074peers to the greatest extent possible, ensuring that services are delivered in the most appropriate setting for each student's needs. The setting levels in Lakeville are designed to ensure that students receive services in environments that best support their unique needs. While these settings help maintain access to the general education curriculum while also providing the specialized support necessary for each student's success. Let's explore the different setting levels we use to deliver special education services and see how they support IDA's vision of inclusion and educational access. As we review the setting levels for our special education students, it's important to understand the different percentages of the school day they spend in various types of instruction and where these services are provided. In federal setting one, students spend 0 to 20% of their school day receiving special education supports.

075These supports may be delivered by pushing into general education classes, through co-eing, or in special education classrooms. This level of service is available at all Lakeville area schools. In federal setting 2, students spend 21 to 60% of their school day receiving specialized instruction. This instruction is often provided through resource rooms, but may include a combination of general and special education classrooms. This setting is also available at all Lakeville area schools. Federal setting three involves students spending 61% or more of their school day primarily in a special education classroom with individualized supports. This setting is available at the schools noted here on our slide. Finally, federal setting 4 is for students who receive services in a separate school for more than half of the school day. These services are provided through partnership with Intermediate District 917.

076As we continue to explore the various special education services available in Lakeville, it's important to highlight some of the specialized programs that are designed to meet the unique needs of our students. These programs are tailored to address specific challenges and provide the support necessary for students to thrive both academically and socially. Let's take a closer look at some of the specialized programs offered to students within our district. As I discuss each program, you will see on our slide the locations where they are currently located. The A+ program is designed for students with autism spectrum disorder or characteristics of ASD. This program focuses on developing key skills such as executive functioning, communication, self-regulation, and social skills. This program provides targeted support to help students navigate challenges and thrive in academic and social settings. The ASUS program

077provides support for students also with characteristics of autism and who have a high level of need for support with communication and self-regulation. They focus on using augmentative and alternative communication or AAC systems as well as functional and adaptive skills. Students often also receive speech therapy, occupational therapy, and visual supports to enhance communication and self-expression. The making a positive difference program or MAP program focuses on creating predictable routines and individualized behavior support to meet students emotional and academic needs. These students also receive the support of a mental health professional embedded in their program to provide an environment where students can thrive with the appropriate service supports in place. The developmental cognitive delay program offers specialized curriculum and instruction tailored to meet students unique cognitive and learning needs. This program emphasizes supporting functional, academic, and life skills

078to allow students to navigate daily life successfully. Each of these programs are designed to address the unique needs of students and provide specialized supports across various stages of their education, ensuring they receive the necessary supports for success. Minnesota administrative rule 3525.2340 applies not only to early childhood programs but also guides case loads for school age programs as well. This rule establishes guidelines for the maximum number of students per teacher, ensuring students receive the appropriate level of support and specialized instruction. It particularly focuses on students who spend 61% or more of their school day in direct special education as well as those who receive full day instruction. For students with severe disabilities such as deaf blindness, autism or severe cognitive disabilities, the maximum number of students per teacher is three without a pair professional. If a

079pair professional is assigned, the number can increase to six students. This ensures these students who have more intensive needs receive the necessary support for their learning. I just have one quick question on that. Um, I see that we have like you have the data for students that attend 917 as a separate setting. Um, do we also have students within our district that are attending the deaf blind school in Farbo? And if so, like is that documented somewhere else and I just missed it maybe? Or maybe that's just not we just don't have a lot and that Yeah. Anyway, that's my question. We we don't have a lot but we do have some students who are attending down in Fairb. Yes. Yep. For students with mild to moderate dis cognitive disabilities or learning disabilities, the maximum

080number of students per teacher is 12 without a pair professional and up to 15 students if a pair professional is present. For students with other disabilities, the CAT the case load is set at 10 students per teacher with one pair professional and it can go up to 12 students if two pair professionals are available to support the classroom. These guidelines are designed to ensure that each student receives the necessary attention and resources to thrive in a specialized educational environment with appropriate teacher and paraprofessional support based on the level of disability. Director Thompson. Hey. So, so I appreciate this and I'm I'm trying to follow along with all the data and it feels like it's a lot of Tetris. There's like it's I mean I don't I don't mean to uh like I don't mean to

081use it as a chest word, but it's like you've got folks in federal three. You got 332 of from what what I saw, but they scan span from kindergarten all the way to to high school. So and so I'm looking at the locations that you offer these services and they're not in every single building. And so, um, and and I believe that the heart of what we want to do is make sure that these kids feel like they're part of school, they're part of our community, part of the the home. So, have them at the, uh, the closest school possible. But when we've got resource constraints and number of pair of professionals that you need like I'm I'm looking at your skill sets. I think before you said something about ACES and ASES 2 and

082and or ASES plus. I don't know if an ACE ACES and an ASES plus TE, you know, teacher can can do both of them or are they different people? I guess I'm looking at your list and you've got a couple locations where we offer these programs. So, is it kind of like are you trying to create these centers of excellence or these kind of hubs for Federal 3 students? because I look at, you know, your federal one students, they can go to any school because they got zero to 20, but those that might require a little bit additional assistance. Um, we're limiting where they can go and I'm assuming that's just a byproduct of staff and funding and and you got to kind of pick and choose which buildings that we can offer these services

083because we can't do it in every single building. Is that is that my understanding? That's correct. and and also um the facilities in some buildings. Um we have to be cognizant of that too as uh what are the student needs and making sure that we're having students in appropriate buildings that have the structure, the physical structure. Director Baker. Uh just in my advocacy work within the district, I I will point out that that is something that parents in um the district have brought up several times is that you we understand that there's not a high population of students that are in those federal setting three programs, which makes it virtually impossible for the district to have a program in every single building because we just don't have the student population to do that. Um but

084one thing we have continued to request is making sure that when we do have them in separate buildings that they feed into the right um middle school and high school. So for example, if you look at where our A+ programs are um at the elementary level, the majority of those schools are north schools, but then they feed into the South Middle School and the South High School. Um, so it's just things to consider, but there's also, as they mentioned, um, different things within the buildings that make it hard to move those programs. Um, because like right now it's like uprooting something that kids are used to and a teacher and all of the building has grown um, to uh, become accustomed to and then moving it to a different building and it's teaching all of

085the staff and everything, which is good because that's inclusion. But um also just keeping in mind it is hard to move a program and it is hard to try to get that alignment when this is like something that's been in place for years and and something that kind of happened like the boundaries, right? Like we started building and this is kind of like a result of the growth that happened within the district and we put programs where we had space at the time and then it became the hodge podge just like the boundaries. So it takes a long time to unwind that and try to fix some of those alignments. Um, so anyway, that's just that's just my comment. Director Anderson, I just wanted to I was thinking about the boundaries as you were discussing

086this and just for our newer board members, that was one of the things that I think a lot of people when they were critical of the decision-making, they weren't taking these kinds of things into account in terms of what our what was happening behind the scenes to plan for these programs. So, Director Thompson, is 20% high? I I because I don't know. I mean, when I look at our 12,000 students, and if you and if I heard you correctly, we have over 2,000 students that are in the special education category. And so that's 8020, you got 20% of our population is in that bucket. And then uh for federal 3, you've got 332, which is about 2 and a half% of our entire population. But does is 20% comparable to other districts in regards to

087special education? So, this is something I've researched quite extensively recently. Um, and if you look across the state, uh, you can see our special ed numbers, not only within our own district, but across the entire state of Minnesota took, um, like a big leap upwards after CO. Uh, some of that comes to uh, the things that kids experienced during COVID. It also significantly impacted kids with disabilities, making it like we needed twice as much service to try to catch up from some of those things based on the fact that they weren't getting the social interactions and things like that that they were before. I think it all comes down to like our district MTSS programs and what we have in spa in place for kids now to make sure they're getting those supports before we

088refer to special education. But um I was talking to someone from Bloomington last week who said um before CO their special ed numbers were at 14% and now after CO they're at 20%. That's very consistent with across like every district in the state. That's good to know. Director Thompson, do we have enough funding for this? I mean I'm I'm looking at the 16 to1 and the 3:1 and So, would you like me to talk about the special ed cost subsidy even I think it's important like just like let like to be know to know what's going on. I mean, if 20% of our population is this, you've got, you know, 427 in federal 2, 332 in federal 3. And if we've got limitations, and if the intent is we want make sure our students can

089go to their schools closest to them, have them feel part of the process, but I also understand, you know, it takes additional resources due to uh, you know, legal requirements that we have to staff and so go ahead, Bill. They're good to that. I mean, well, even with the C I mean, even the change last year, I I want uh two things. One is the um the cross subsidy uh where we sit at with that. Cross subsidy refers to the amount of dollars that are uh allocated to special ed to make up for the requirements that we have and that has to come from the general fund number. Yeah, our our current cross be right at about $7 million that we're subsidizing from the general fund to pay. And that would be the best way

090that I could isolate and articulate what the shortfall is financially in in uh in Lakeville area schools specifically for one year. So given her history of the implementation of IDA which happened in 1975 and the federal government was supposed to provide 40% of that funding that has never happened ever. The most we've had is what like 12 15%. So for since 1975 it's literally never been funded. So then you wonder why the cross subsidy keeps going like this and why districts keep saying we don't have any money. This is exactly why. Because even though a student qualifies for special ed and we receive funding from the federal government a little bit and then from the state, it's still pulling from the general fund. So it's it's like robbing Peter to pay Paul. Like it's it's

091the same pot of money because we just don't have enough money to cover it. So we spend like $25 million for our school district. And of that $25 million, how much is allocated towards special education funding ballpark? Is it about 45ish? I believe it's it's right around $40 million. So 40 million and then of that 40 million we only get funding for about 33 if we're $7 million short. Is that accurate? And so we're taking that seven million from the general fund to make sure that we have we're meeting the state requirements and Okay. will the state and federal requirements that we're mandated by law to provide. Which is why I keep bringing up the fact that if you're watching what's going on in Minnesota right now with the governor's plan for the budget, two

092things that are on the chopping block for special education is the prorate and that's how much they reimburse the districts for special education. That's typically 99% that's to drop down to 94%. So think of $40 million and how much 5% of that would be. And then also the second one is to not reimburse fully special education transportation. So those are two big hits to every school district in Minnesota when we're already short to begin with. I think you're stealing Bill's thunder. Yeah, but just but but just to be clear, that's that's a proposal. That's a proposal. It's it's not been passed into law. So let's um temper that with the reality of the fact that the legislature uh gets the final word. I mean, it is an interesting position you're put in as a school

093district though because there's the requirement and if you don't satisfy those requirements, you know, you open yourself up to liability and so you have to find the money elsewhere. So, did you say we were at I only wanted to note that there was a change last year with an additional 6 million or 7 million for the cross subsidy. So, we used to be 14 or 15 million in the whole 14. So now we're it's it's still terrible, but it's better than it used to be. Sorry. You can go ahead. All right. Lakeville partners with Intermediate District 917 to provide highquality specialized services that complement and enhance Oh, I'm sorry. My computer just went down. the educational opportunities available to our students. Through this collaboration, we ensure students with specific needs, such as those with sensory

094impairments, physical disabilities, or those requiring specialized support, have access to the resources and programs that best support their success. This partnership enables us to offer specialized services like aiology, physical therapy, and programs for students with severe disabilities, as well as transition services for young adults preparing for life after school. Our partnership with district 917 currently serves 85 Lakeville students across a range of specialized programs. This includes 44 students ages 18 to 21 who are enrolled in the transitional education service alternative or TESSA program designed to provide essential support as they transition to adulthood and life beyond high school. Additionally, three Lakeville students are participating in the early childhood therapeutic educational alternative or TE program, which offers therapeutic and educational services for our youngest learners with significant emotional and mental health needs. Currently, there are eight

095Lakeville students waiting for placement in District 917 programs. During this waiting period, we work collaboratively as the IEP team to identify and implement alternative programming options to ensure that students continue to receive appropriate services while awaiting placement. By working together with District 917, we are able to ensure that every student in Lakeville receives the tailored support they need to thrive in their educational journey. In Lakeville, we believe that all students are our students, regardless of the educational setting their parents or guardians choose for them. This includes students in private schools, partial hospitalization programs, homeschooling, homebound situations, and homebased services. We are committed to providing the necessary support to all students as mandated by Minnesota administrative rules and statutes. There are five private schools located within Lakeville Area Schools boundaries. All Saints Catholic School, Glory Academy,

096Christian Heritage Academy, One School Global, and South View Christian Academy. In accordance with Minnesota statute, special education and related services are provided to students attending these schools. These students are transported to Lakeville area school sites for their services. And currently, we have 23 students from these private institutions receiving special education support for students enrolled in partial hospitalization programs. Sorry. How does the funding for that work? I mean, do we just cover the cost of that or is there anything we receive? Same way as our students here in Lakeville, but Yep. same way. I mean, do we get any are you asking if we get any compensation for from private schools for providing those services or from the state? No. Okay. So, so, so for the 22 students, 23 students that are taking classes outside our

097boundaries, we are funding their transportation to that location. No, this is within the boundaries also for the private schools. Right. So, we are funding their their transportation to that school and then and we are providing services we are providing services at that school as well for those students. Correct. And then the state then funds which school for that student? Do they do they fund the private school or do they fund us? For that student? No. So it's our I'm sorry. They're included in our account. So we get funding for them. Correct. But but we're providing the services and the transportation uh for them to take and the teacher elsewhere. Most of the funding that we receive for special education is a reimbursement process with the teachers that work. So wherever we have services going on,

098we get a partial repayment of those services. That's how it it works. So when you say partial like that's the proration I was talking about. So like typically that that refers to the proration. So that was what I was referring to like typically would get reimbured at the end of the year for 99% of those services. But again, that's one of the things that they're considering, which would be 94%. So, even with 99, it's not a full rate back. And then also any students that come into the district after that October 1st, like we have to pay all of that in advance and then we're reimbursed. So, even like the reimbursement rate that we're getting this year is based on last year's numbers. That that's very correct. Director Nicholson, is there any recourse for us

099to request any funding from other schools or other ways or is that not legal? It's not legal. Anything else? Okay. For students enrolled in partial hospitalization programs such as children's mental health clinic, both general education and special education services are required to be provided. These programs are designed to support students with serious mental health conditions by providing them with the therapeutic and academic support they need to succeed while receiving care. Throughout the course of this year, 88 students have received support in this program. We also serve homeschooled students by providing special education and related services at their neighborhood schools. This enables homeschooled students to access the academic environment and necessary supports to meet their individual educational needs. At present, we have eight students enrolled in this category. For students who are homebound due to medical

100conditions, special education and general education services are provided directly at the students home. This program is designed for students who are unable to attend school due to their medical conditions. Currently, eight students are receiving special education services in this way. Lastly, for students receiving homebased services as determined by their IEP team, services are delivered at the students home or a community location. This approach is tailored to meet the needs of students who require specialized services outside of a traditional school setting. We currently serve four students in this category. This comprehensive, inclusive approach ensures that every student in Lakeville receives the support they need, no matter where they are educated, whether they attend a private school, are part of a mental health program, or receive services in a home or alternative setting. We are dedicated to

101providing equitable individualized services to all students. In order to provide the best possible educational experience for students with disabilities, a collaborative team of professionals plays an essential role in supporting their academic, social, and emotional needs. Each member of this team contributes unique expertise to help students succeed in an inclusive and supportive environment. This slide highlights the various staff roles that support our students with disabilities, showing how these professionals work together to ensure every student receives the individualized attention and services they need to thrive. Special education teachers are at the core of this team, providing individualized instruction and support tailored to each students unique needs. They help students engage with the curriculum and develop skills to succeed academically, behaviorally, and socially using a variety of teaching methods and accommodations. Occupational therapists or OT's assist students by

102helping them develop the necessary skills for daily living and participation in school activities through physical and sensory interventions. OTS support students in areas such as fine motor skills, self-care, and sensory processing. Speech language pathologists or SLPs focus on students speech, language, and communication skills. By working closely with students, they address challenges related to speech clarity, language, communication, comprehension, and social communication, enhancing students ability to communicate effectively with peers, teachers, and families. Developmental adapted physical education or DAPE teachers adapt physical education programs to meet the specific needs of students with disabilities. DAPE teachers focus on promoting physical activity, motor skills, coordination, and social interaction through customized physical education activities. School psychologists are an integral part of the team supporting students mental health and academic success. They conduct assessments to identify students learning needs, provide counseling services

103to address emotional and behavioral concerns, oops, and collaborate with teachers and families to create effective interventions. Related services nurses who are distinct from building nurses play an essential role in managing the health rellated needs of students with disabilities. They ensure that medical conditions are addressed appropriately and that students receive the necessary care and accommodations to participate fully in school activities. PAR professionals work closely with teachers and other staff to provide direct support in the classroom. They assist students with learning, help implement individualized education plans, and provide individual or small groupoup assistance to ensure students have the support they need to succeed. Together, these professionals create a comprehensive network of support that ensures all students with disabilities receive the resources, guidance, and care they need to succeed. By working collaboratively, these staff members help create an

104environment that fosters growth, inclusion, and academic achievement for every student in Lakeville. We recognize that pair professionals are an essential part of our educational team, supporting students with disabilities. Their contributions are invaluable as they work closely with students, teachers, and other staff to create a learning environment that is both inclusive and supportive. PAR professionals help implement individualized education plans, assist with academic activities, support self-regulation and behavior skills, and provide direct support to ensure students with disabilities have the resources they need to succeed. We view them as key members of our educational team and their work significantly impacts the academic success and well-being of our students in Minnesota. The qualifications for pair professionals are outlined in Minnesota statute section 120b.363. The state has required pair professionals to meet one of three criteria. completing at least two

105years of college credits, earning an associates degree, or passing a formal assessment such as the PAR educator or PAR protest. These requirements were established to ensure that PAR professionals have the necessary skills and knowledge to work with students with disabilities and meet their unique educational needs. In Lakeville, we uphold these state standards and ensure that our pair professionals are wellprepared for their important role in our classrooms. The district has made it a priority to support pair professionals in becoming highly qualified by providing various resources and opportunities for professional development. Our pair professionals have access to online accounts where they can view training modules and practice tests, giving them the tools they need to improve their skills and stay informed about best practices in special education. Testing sessions for the PAR educator test are offered throughout

106the winter and spring of 2024 and 2025 and additional testing dates are available in April and May for pair professionals who wish to take the test. The district also worked with community education to offer a course designed to help pair professionals sorry u prepare and take the pair educator test. While we face challenges in securing a teacher for the course, this effort represents our ongoing commitment to providing professional development opportunities for our pair professionals. Currently, we have seven remaining professionals who are working towards meeting this criteria. Overall, Lakeville is dedicated to supporting our pair professionals in their continued growth and development. By offering access to resources, training, and testing opportunities, we ensure that they are well equipped to provide the highest level of support to students with disabilities. We understand the crucial role pair professionals

107play in supporting student success, and we are committed to providing them with the tools and resources they need to thrive in their roles. This year, Lakeville has faced significant staffing challenges, particularly with licensed teachers and related services staff. Several key areas that have been impacted by staffing shortages requiring the district to rely on tier 1 and tier 2 licenses, out of field placements, and contractors to fill critical roles. These challenges have been especially pronounced in special education and related services where the demand for highly qualified staff has outpaced availability. In Minnesota, there are pathways used to address staffing gaps for teachers working outside of their lensure fields. A tier one license valid for one school year allows teachers who hold a bachelor's degree or meet specific exemptions to work in areas outside their lensure. These

108teachers can hold up to four tier one licenses, including the initial license and three renewals. In contrast, a tier 2 teacher license is valid for up to two years and is available to teachers enrolled in a preparation program holding a master's degree or those who have completed a teacher preparation program but have not yet met lensure requirements for a tier three or four out of field permissions or OFPS are available to tier 2, three or four licensed teachers allowing them to teach outside their lensure field or grade level for one academic year. Teachers are allowed a maximum of five OFPS throughout their careers. I think they I think they recently um because of the sh the shortage across the state um Pellsby recently passed an update to that saying that they could that they weren't

109putting a limit on special ed teachers. That just happened. Yeah, it literally just happened because this is not unique to Lakeville. At the early childhood level, we currently have one tier one teacher in place. Additionally, three positions are filled with out of field staff remain meaning these educators are not specifically trained or licensed in the exact area they are teaching. While this is not ideal, it is necessary to ensure that services are still being provided to our youngest learners who require special education support. At the elementary level, there are three staff members in out of field placements. In addition, there is one open position for a full-time ASD center-based teacher. The district is also utilizing two tier 2 teachers to meet instructional needs. For related services, we have three psychologists who are either contractors or

110working virtually and four occupational therapists with one working as a contractor and three taking on extra duties or overages to cover gaps. The district is facing a significant shortage of speech language pathologists with seven total, four of whom are contractors and three managing overages in their case loads. Director Thompson. So you've got a virtual psychologist in our elementary buildings. And so when a first grader wants to talk to someone, they talk to a monitor. There are other support staff in the building that would be available to talk to them, including like the school counselor or the principal or their teacher. Yeah. But but if we've got a full-time virtual psych, right? Yeah. Okay. So, our virtual school psychologists really are working um only with the assessment and evaluations of students. So being able to that's

111part of one of the challenges that we've had is that um when we have school psychologists in the building, they were um that staff where students could go and talk to or if there was behavior challenges, they were there to help support. Um so we we are have a very concerted effort to um bring back full-time school psychologist in person uh for next year. And that's part of the um our process where we got the staffing out earlier and being able to have those positions posted um and hopefully attract qualified candidates. Uh Director Carbone. Yeah. Are there any specific uh incentives, recruiting programs, anything that would create an appeal to come to Lakeville School District for these kinds of positions? I mean, they're um you know, I know they're sought after. I know, as uh

112director Baker said, they're spread thin across the state, but is there anything that can be done to sort of create a motivation or an incentive to want to come to Lakeville? I would say yes. We we haven't developed that right now. We don't there's not an incentive program right now, but um we certainly are very open to being creative in how we can attract the best and the brightest. Director Thompson. And and so are we using contractors because a there's not enough staff that will apply or they won't apply because we can't or we're not as competitive financially. like school psychologists are hard to find in general. Um and so we we did have um quite a few who resigned last year. And so being able to make up for um to find people to

113get in those positions has been challenging this year. And because of that, we've had to rely mostly on contractors to be able to do the bare minimum of being able to do those initial special education evaluations or re-evaluations. Director Anderson, can I just clarify those? So, um, just because I work as a neurosychologist and I have done virtual work and it's very challenging just even with adults. Um, and so I'm just thinking about how so all of our special education like learning disability evaluations for instance are happening virtually. So I so there are pieces so our contractors are doing some assessments online and they're determining this as a team at the building level and then they do come in um to do some sort of assessments depending on what the need is. Yes, because I

114agree. Right. Right. doing some assessments over over the computer is not ideal. I think we learned that during COVID um when we when we had to and um so we really are working to the teams are working to whatever that assessment is if we can get the contractors in. So they're kind of like on a hybrid they do both. Okay. Just want to clarify. Thank you. Do you have any thoughts on why um why we're able to obtain contractors and not full-time employees in those positions? Is it a compensation thing where they get more salary as a contractor as opposed to a full-time employee of the district? You know, that's a really good question. Uh I you know, I mean, I guess I would say the trend over these last couple of years that I've

115seen is um in particular school psychologist and speech language pathologist. Um, we have a lot that are going to outside agencies where we where many districts are needing to use those contracted services. Um, I I don't have a reason why why that's happening, but just over the last couple of years, I've that's what I've personally noticed. I would say two things is what I've noticed. Um, when you have people that are going through the contracted services, a lot of them want virtual. And then the reason that a lot of speech pathologists go to the contracted service versus applying for the district is because it gives them a little bit more of a bartering chip with their case loads to realize like a a typical speech pathologist right now in the state of Minnesota like the

116case load is like 60 to 65 students and that's being very generous. Some districts are higher than that. Some districts are a little bit lower, but thinking about that, um, you know, they're required to write progress reports like three to four times a year, 60 to 65 students. That doesn't count the evaluations. That doesn't count all the other paperwork associated with that. So, there's a burnout rate with it. And, you know, if you're with a contracted service, you can say, "Well, I'm only available part-time, so that's just what I can I can do for your district." So, you have a little bit more say in what you do. All right. Think we were at the middle school level. At the middle school level, we have three tier 2 teachers. One of whom is an out

117of field placement and one centerbased teacher role that is filled by a contractor. In related services, one occupational therapist is taking o an overage and one speech language pathologist is also covering additional responsibilities. There are four psychologists, all of whom are contractors and working virtually or some models of hybrid. Additionally, two social workers are serving as contractors. At the high school level, we are also facing staffing shortages. One centerbased teacher role is filled by a contractor and there is one resource teacher position unfilled. We have two tier one teachers in place and one speech language pathologist working as a virtual contractor. The high school also has three psychologists, two of whom are virtual contractors. As demonstrated across all grade levels, the district is relying heavily on contractors and virtual staff to ensure that students continue

118to receive the necessary support and services. While this approach helps meet immediate staffing needs, it does does present challenges in terms of continuity and consistency for students, particularly when it comes to specialized roles like speech language pathologists and psychologists. We are committed to addressing these staffing challenges by working proactively to secure staff early for the upcoming fall. This will help reduce reliance on overages and out of field placements and contractors. By taking these steps, our goal is to ensure that all students who receive special education services receive the highquality education and services they deserve. Despite the current challenges, we remain focused on providing the best possible support for our students. Okay. Okay. So, we've talked a little bit about this already, but just still want to go over it again. So when supporting students with

119disabilities, our work is grounded in several critical legal mandates that ensure both compliance and equity. These li laws guide how we deliver services, ensuring students with disabilities receive the support they need. Uh so again, at the federal level level, IDA guarantees every eligible student access to a free and appropriate education in that least restrictive environment. So, IDA outlines how schools must create and implement individual education plans and determines the the types of services students are entitled to based on those unique needs. So, Minnesota special education statute, Minnesota statute 125A builds on IDA by adding important state specific requirements. This includes service provisions for students from birth through 8 through 21 or up to age 22 with an emphasis on transition services to prepare students for life beyond high school. The law reinforces procedural safeguards to

120ensure that families are fully informed and actively involved in decisions about their child's education. A key financial requirement is maintenance of effort. Uh this mandate requires districts to sustain or increase their special education spending to remain eligible for federal funding. It is designed to prevent reductions in services and ensure ongoing investment in students with disabilities. So compliance with due process is another essential element. Uh schools must follow all IDA and state requirements when developing individual education plans and delivering those services. Families are protected by legal rights that include dispute resolution options such as mediation and due process hearings when disagreements arise. These safeguards ensure transparency, accountability, and that families have meaningful avenues to advocate for their child. Together, these legal frameworks form the foundation of special education, ensuring that we meet our responsibilities with integ

121integrity and consistency. So, as we look at the funding that supports our special education programs, it's important to understand both the federal and state sources that make it possible. These funding streams ensure we can meet legal requirements in continuing offering the level of support our students need. So, at the federal level, IDEIDA plays a key role with two main components of funding, part C and part B. Part C provides early intervention services for children from birth to age three, focusing on helping young young children with disabilities get a strong start in their educational journey. Part B provides funding for special education services for students age three to through 21 supporting students across stages of their education. At the state level, we also received the general education aid which includes a portion dedicated to special education.

122This helps support our overall education system and ensures resources are available for students with disabilities. Additionally, we receive special education aid which is designed to reimburse districts for the cost of serving students with disabilities. The re this reimbursement is based on the number of students we serve and the actual costs we incur helping offset some of those expenses. So despite these funding sources, there's often a cross subsidy that requires us to use general education funds to cover the difference between the funding we receive and the true the true cost of providing special education services. Uh finally, we also take advantage of Medicaid reimbursement for school-based services, which allows us to recover some of the costs for providing therapeutic services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and mental health services. This reimbursement helps reduce

123the financial burden on our district while ensuring students continue to receive the care they need. So in summary, the combination of federal and state funding along with Medicaid reimbursement plays a vital role in role in ensuring that we can provide the necessary services for students. So in closing, special education is a service tailored to meet the unique needs of each student, recognizing that every student has their own strengths and learns in different ways. Our role as educators is to support each student's journey, providing the resources and opportunities they need to succeed. And we want to thank the school board tonight for allowing us this opportunity to come and highlight the incredible students, educators, and families we have here in Lakeville. Thank you. Thank you, Director Thompson. Yeah. So, I appreciate the the overview. Um, super

124helpful for me and I think over the past few years, I've learned a lot, but not as much as in the special education space. Uh I would ask two questions. One uh are we meeting state requirements at a district? And then the second question is like what do you need? Like what are the top three things you need that we should be that we need we need to be aware of? Like what do you need? Oh, I hear [Laughter] chatter. Uh so I will say yes. Um yes, we are meeting requirements. Um and we're doing it within the resources that we have although um the resources are limited. Um we the number of students that we have who receive special education services um is is growing. Um we've had quite a few and Alisa may

125know a little bit better how many initial evaluations, special education evaluations that we've done this year, but um feedback that we get and that we see in the schools is that we have teachers, our resource teachers with really high case loads um and students who are coming with some unique challenges that um just need some more support. And I think a lot of that too is stemming from COVID is we've just seen students who need um who need more support than what was previously needed. So um staffing is is key. Um and then also being able to provide uh really robust professional development and training so staff feel equipped to be able to to work with all of our students. What do you have for like systems in place in terms of documentation and all

126that kind of stuff? Because I mean, I'm I'm just thinking through your case load. I mean, good gracious, you guys probably have paperwork beyond belief. What do what's been done in terms of streamlining that process, making it easier for you, like better interfaces so that it's not as hard, you don't have to put things into 12 systems at once, that kind of stuff? like is have we done any of that kind of stuff to try to minimize data entry points, you know, put it in one system and it you're laughing. So, I'll let you I'm assuming everything is in campus, right? No. No. So, what so why were we not using campus then? Um, so for a special education due process system that actually generates the majority of our um or our teachers forward- facing

127paperwork for families is um called sped forms. Um and that system and infinite campus do talk to each other more kind of campus talks to sped forms than vice versa. And so we've had a lot of collaboration this year around our student services, student information team, SIS team, and um our special education administrative assistants to really look at ways to kind of better align those systems and find ways to kind of automate some of those data sharing points so there's not as much manual entry that needs to happen into all of those things. So, we are continuing to learn and work on exploring those ways to make those systems work better together. Um, but we do use a combination of um both of those things as well as we rely a lot on our um

128special education due process clerks um to help support um continuing to keep track of all of the moving pieces that happen within um our students world. Director Anderson, thank you. I just want to clarify with regard to our recent levy where we went out for behavioral instructional support specialists or I can't remember the term exactly. How does this relate or not relate to special ed? Are they relevant for the EBD programs or students or is that more mainstream? Um they deal with behaviors coming up in classrooms that aren't related to special ed. Yeah. Uh it it was it's more for the preventative. Um so doesn't not No. Okay. I just want to clarify. Yeah. Appreciate. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Bill, if you don't mind, I think we'll take a short little

129break here because we've been going for almost two hours. Let's come back at uh 8:05. She's so cute. All right, we are back on and we're going to turn it over to uh Director Homegrren to discuss the fiscal year 2026 preliminary budget. Yes, Sheriff Swanson, members of the school board, Superintendent Bowman, thank you for having us tonight. Um, we have a couple things we want to go um through right up front here. We don't have the microphone. [Music] Ah, here we go. We're going to take a couple minutes and talk about the current year budget just to show you how the budget's u responding going through this year and then we'll talk about the preliminary budget. I just really want to say that the preliminary budget this is April. This is our first draft, first

130run through. you know, you will see changes in it before we get to June. These are not final numbers by any means, but we don't expect large large changes. Um, when we look talk about revenues, um, they're pretty solid dependent of course what the legislature does. So, first we're going to talk about the update. All right. So, if we're looking at the current year budget by object code, it's behaving as planned. So, this is how we expected it to look. We're happy with where we're at. Um, nothing really outlandish stands out to me. Except for supplies, but that's what's Oh, how do I go back? That one. Okay. Uh, supplies and capital, they're pretty close with that one. I mean, they're down. I would actually that's acting okay. Um, about in line with where it's

131at. and capital expenditures that we have a few LTFM expenses that I know are coming that we just had a large expense for in this month a little a little bit. When when we borrow money, sell bonds, um we're limited to how much money we can make on those bonds before we use them. Um the IRS, if they see us make money on money that we borrow, they make us give the revenue back to them. Okay? It's called arbitrage. Okay. So, what we did um earlier on is most of our expense for LTFM ran through fund six because we needed to get the expenditures up in fund six, not to pay the arbitrage payment. Okay. With that being said, then fund one we cut way back on. But now, as we go through the spring,

132fund one's going to be hit pretty hard going up into June. So, yes, that capital expenditures are less than have been, but that's the reason why um that they're less. they will catch up. Okay. You can likely see it catch up when we show this uh next time around in showing March instead of February. Director Thompson. So will you say then uh for the supplies of materials at 51% and capital expenditures at 38%. That is the norm. So then hopefully next year we'll see the similar it should be in a range give or take. But it wouldn't be this big jump of 73% or 75 because we went and borrowed more money and there's reasons why there's an influx likely. Yes. Uh looking at expenditures by program area, it's more or less the same story.

133Um I do want to point out again that community ed, the reason why it is 0% in uh fiscal year 23 is due to the unemployment. with um community ed. We pay that out of the general fund. It doesn't come out of the community ed fund. It's just how that is and that's when that started to be enacted. Okay. Thank you, Jack. Okay. Just a quick reminder of our our cycle and you see there on the top says June preliminary budget approval. So, we're working towards June to bring that budget to you. We have to have a budget in place before June is over in order to spend any money in July for our staff. Um, so actually, um, being April right now, this is a little earlier than we brought the budget in the

134past. Um, but I think we I feel pretty strong and pretty good about where we sit and, uh, these numbers that are coming up. And just so you know, that's intentional. To bring it this early. Yes. Okay. Thank you. Um, back to our enrollment. Of course, our enrollment drives our revenue. And as you can see, this is the uh projection we've been using all year. And when we look at the the students now that we have in class, this is right on track of where um where we're going to be. So we really expect that 12140 when we get to October one of next year. Now things that we don't have, you know, kind of finalized in this budget, you know, so we talk about budget factors that are kind of still open. So, um,

135actual retirements, you know, we we budget for we get about an average about 16 retirements a year. Of course, that saves us some money because we're hiring a new person at a lower amount. At this point in time, we have 10 retirements that we know about. Uh, so we do expect that to be pretty close to the 16, but of course that can change. Um, and then of course the actual hiring, where are we actually hire the new person that comes in? Where where are they going to be on the step and lane? So, um, you know, we estimate that at this point and as as through go through the spring, we actually get the hiring done, we will put the actuals in of exactly where they are. Technology still has some open um some

136open items. They're working on um a lot of different um um projects and we haven't got all the final contracts in yet. So, that's still a little bit of open. Director Carbone. Yeah. Bill, um I know you mentioned that when somebody actually retires that you can hire someone at a less expensive salary, but aren't there expenses that we pay as a school district to retirees that just go out to perpetuity? Well, not perpetuity. Okay. Um two large Well, I'm I'm going to call them large, but there's two pieces that um staffing gets as they retire. Number one, they have a retirement account, an HRA account, but we pay for that as it goes. So, when they retire, that's fully funded. I don't have to come up with more funds to put in their HRA. But

137depending on their age, when they retire, we do pay some insurance benefits up to age 65. So, and actually, we've saw that now if people are tending to work a little longer than they have in the past. So, that cost actually for us is a little less than it's been in the past. When we look at a long range time, people are are getting up up into their 60s before they retire before a lot of lot of wind went at 55. Director Thompson, can you clarify if if I was a teacher and I chose to retire at the age of 55? Uh, and you're saying that the school district is responsible for paying their health benefits between 65 and 55 and 65. Correct. Okay. And so if the individual chooses to elect the family plan

138or the individual plan or whatever may be and then they choose pay, for example, if they choose the $20 co-pay plan, it's and it's a family plan, it's a $38,000 expense for the next 10 years. The the the amount that we pay is the same whether they're a co-pay plan or a or a 500 deductive plan or the high deductible plan, we pay the same amount. I don't have that number in front of me as but the staff is responsible for their share of the premiums. Okay. So, it's still a co-share for Okay. But the district is still responsible for that$10 to $25,000 district um responsibility for each year. Okay. Um the other we'll talk about this in a little bit now, state legislation. Some things that are are we've been watching very closely. Um

139things that we know are going to affect us and things that we don't know. Um first of all, summer unemployment. As you know, when they first put this in place two years ago, um they set aside $135 million to cover districts as we get these expenses. So, we do expect um for fiscal 26 that we should get most of this funding. We don't know exactly where it's going to be. It's going to be very close. Now, there is legislation in place to put more away for school districts, but of course, that hasn't been voted on, but we don't know. But at this point, we haven't um added any expenditures to this budget because we we do feel that that will be covered. Now, we talked earlier about special education, and right now already in the

140year that we're in, we are being prrated by 5%. So, this 5%, you can see it's about $1.5 million. This has been worked into the budget. So, the numbers we're giving you tonight have that hund that 1.5 million included. Uh now, as you know, the governor had talked about decreasing special ed transportation. Um this one, um we we don't know what's going to happen here. You can see the cost for us is about 267,000. At this point, though, that is not included. Just so you're aware. Uh compensatory the there's um different Yeah. Director Thompson, can you go back to the special education proration? You said the 5% is already uh uh has already been removed from this year's budget, correct? or for next year. We're talking about 26 for 26. But this is affecting us

141this year too. It is. So then we're already we are already m So we are already impacted by the 5% reduction. And so then next year it really shouldn't be a reduction. This is a continuation of what we're already doing. Yeah. What? So I don't understand why there's a negative 1.5. Does that make sense? Or maybe I'm not understanding this. From the revenue that we should receive for special education, we're going to receive $1.5 million less for fiscal 26. But I but we're already receiving it less now. So it's almost so there isn't a change from this year and next year. Am I you? Well, there is because the budget that we're in this year, the 5% is not figured in. We're just going to be short $1.5 million when we get to the end

142of this fiscal year. So then when they pass the law, it's going to retro and then we're going to get hit one 5% this year. Is that what I'm hearing? We're already being hit 5%. The last report it's a reimbursement. It's a reimbursement. Got it. Okay. The last report I received, there was a 5% proration on the special ed reports already. Already already got it. Okay. Okay. Compensatory. You've heard a lot about a compensatory. These are dollars that are generated from our free and reduced um kids um that help us support these kids. You can see now we have built this into the budget. these the 2.3 million is what are on the report what we expect to get and you can see that it's a half million dollars less um than the year that

143we're in now. We might get some of these funds. This this has a little more traction at the state level. So, we're hoping we get some of these funds back, but right now we've built that 500 in. Uh something else is very interesting to watch. Um, as you know, we have besides our operating levy, there's an local optional revenue which which we levy. It's um the state understands that they don't have enough money given to school districts. So, they allow school districts to levy funds to help cover that. It's called L or local optional revenue. Okay, which we do at $724 per pupil unit. um they're looking at renaming that to just calling it basic supplemental aid. So I'm not sure the the dynamics behind that exactly why they want to change the name, but

144the interesting piece here is the first hundred would be shifted to state aid, which right now we don't get any state aid for any of these um levy items. So $1.3 million, even though it's not going to change our revenue, we still get the funds either way, but it would come as an aid instead of a levy. So this is something that would help our levy go down for our for our taxpayers. But of course, the state's telling us they don't have any money, so I'm not sure how much traction we have here. But it's very interesting to watch some of these things um going through the legislation. The other thing that's really received some traction here the last week or so is as you know um last legislative session, they put an inflation factor

145in the formula allowance that if the if the um computer the consumer price index was higher than 2% or less than 3% we would get whatever that is. Um past practice we usually get about 2% new money from the state on a yearly basis. Um, we actually got a got a report from MDE saying we're going to get 2.74%. That's what we've built in now into the budget. Um, but they're talking about actually eliminating that and taking it back out just we just got it. So, that's another $700,000 um change. So, just so you're aware, we're watching it very close. Um, most of the funding bills need to be in place or move forward by this end of this week. So, we'll have a better idea where we're at. So, these are some open items

146that we just wanted you to be aware of. Director Baker, I just want to point out that after the presentation that we had from special education and looking at this slide right here, this is why it's so important to advocate to your state representatives, your federal representatives, because right now the things that are happening are at the state and the federal level that is going to come down and impact every district for at least $2 million. That's a lot of money that we have to come up with. all of a sudden and it's going to cut all of our other services. So, I just am putting it out there like please write your your state representatives please write your federal representatives. Please advocate for this. Um I just want to add as a as a

147special education um professional that even with the federal protections that we currently have in place, those cuts are all special ed. Um, and I'm very concerned about what will happen at the federal level without that protection. So, that's just something to keep in mind. Director Thompson. Yeah, I want to go back to this local optional revenue. So, if the community property taxes or tax levy goes down by 1.3, but it's coming from the state as 1.3, then to me, it's like a wash. We should there. So, there shouldn't really be a negative. So when I see the fiscal year funding of 1.3 listed as a favorable, we should almost put an asterisk where it's actually we're not making any money because the we're getting less in tax revenue. And so he has changed zero. Okay,

148got it. Never mind. Yeah, I guess I I wanted to bring it up just because there's a chance that would actually affect our levy, actually decrease our levy, but yes, it does not affect our in this piece. It doesn't affect our revenue. Okay. All right. So we'll know morely by the end of the week. Yeah. And just want to say this is this is kind of normal. This is the way it goes when the legislature is in session. Um and and why I wanted Bill to lay this out is so that you see that we're tracking and that we are looking at what the effects of the budget is and to understand what the planning assumptions are as we're reporting today. Okay. Are you also assuming for purposes of this budget that um the levy

149will be renewed as well? that that is true. Now remember that the levy dollars that we've talked about, they're for fiscal 27, not fiscal 26. Okay, but yes, at this point our assumptions are they would be renewed. Okay, let's talk about um revenue. Okay, now as you can see, we're looking at about $3.7 million um in state sources. You see that 2.54 point again, sorry, I can't talk tonight. um is less than the 2.74. That's because we have some of these other pieces that we're not um not going to get. Property taxes. You see, we've talked about this in the past. We have a decrease um of 2.3 million. Now, that's a this is a one-time decrease a couple years ago. Um we had some inflation adjustments, kind of a catchup. The state's catching up

150with us. So, we had some extra. We we had we had it levy. They finally showed up. But at the same time, as you know, our our enrollment has slowed um considerable from 2% down to about 1%. So that's why we're seeing this decrease. Next year, we'll see um that number come back up. Okay. Director Carbone. Yeah, Bill. Um if if we play what if and the feds and and they've talked about it, but it hasn't happened yet. The feds block grant the federal money back to the states for education. What's your opinion on how that will affect this or do you think it'll even happen? The the federal funds you'll see here in a minute that we get from from the federal government is very small. It's only about one like what 4% of

151our budget I believe. Yeah, it's like 3.3 million or something like that. Um which almost entirely is special ed special education. Um that's the majority of it and it's the other is the title grants that we receive. So yes, I'd like to take a crack at that. Yeah, go ahead. Um, so one of the things that concerns me most is not so much what's written on the wall and obvious. It's the when you get a federal block grant that goes to a state and let's call it for education. Um, and if that were to get cut off, what is supplanted at the state level currently because of that flow of money? That's where I think we could realize effects across all school districts in the state of Minnesota. Um, by supplanting I mean because because

152I am the state and I get X dollars, I can take state money and put it over here. It becomes an accounting shift, right? Um, when that federal money is not coming anymore and that shifting now has to shift again. That's the supplanting concern that I have because I I couldn't identify for you where that is or how that will impact because I don't know those numbers. But that's where my concerns lie. Until then there to cut it off. The the the funding within the state would have to go through a legislative process so we would be able to see it coming. Doesn't mean it make it easier to deal with. It just means you can see it coming and maybe make some some changes in your system. But it's like co during COVID we

153here we are doing our thing and the next thing you know we're having to change like every eight hours the whole district plan. Um so I won't say I'm not used to it but I wouldn't like it. Um, but I'll also say this though that concern that's what concerns me. Uh, Director Carbone is the supplanting that we don't know about and can't identify sitting here today. Okay. So, back to federal sources. And at this point, we we assume we're going to get the same, but we really don't know until the legislature kind of gets done here. um our local other these are uh these are these are fees that we collect. You go to a ball game, the kids pay a fee to be in a sport and so forth and and when we get

154some small grants from the county and so forth. That's what that's what's sitting in this line. Um when we kind of break down the state a little bit just you see where these numbers are coming from. The formula allowance at 2.74% increases our revenue by $200 per per people unit which generates us $2.6 million. When we look at the enrollment change, we're looking at 111 new ADM for next year at the formula allowance uh generates us at 830,000. Um the other state aid pieces that are there um of course until we know what the legislature is going to do is um the biggest piece of this is that um support piece the uh student support increases in 26 from what we had in 25. So total of 37. So that's where 37's coming from. When

155we look at the levy, kind of break it down a little bit. You can see again the unassigned piece. Um that is where our operating levy is. That's where our L is and that's where the adjustments at the 2.3. Um the assigned the assigned revenue pieces. These are these are revenue amounts that are always always levy. There's no state well I shouldn't say no state. There's some small pieces in some. So, it's hard to give you all the details here, but we're looking at a small small decrease in the net tax capacity portion. Um, for an example, our ANI grant sits in here where a third of it comes um from the from the local taxpayer. Um, this is where some of our capital dollars come from. This is where some of um unemployment comes

156from. Anyway, small decrease there, but then on our capital side, we're seeing some increase there. Um, so between all the net tax capacity is about a wash. Anyway, it was a total of 53 million on general fund almost 54. Director Thompson. So, so I'm just going to So, thank you for this. I I want to make sure I'm I'm on the same page. So, uh, we would have had roughly an increase of about $3.7 million for this year. Uh, but due to the property tax uh, recalibration from the previous year, we are uh, subtracting 2.3 million. So that's leaving us just 1.8 million in positive revenue or the delta change from from last year to this year or for the upcoming. Okay. Now for then if one wanted to if one wanted to you know

157hypothesize for the following year if the percentages stayed the same uh it would be let's say 3.7 for revenue next year. Uh but then we would kind of re we would get back the property tax losses of 2.3 meaning that in year two we'd have roughly I'm just making it up roughly about sixish million. Yes. Then Okay. Got it. Thank you. That's correct. Oh, you're still up. Yeah. All right. So, we already uh talked a little bit about federal, but just to kind of go to that point, um we are not changing our federal amount because we do not know it as of right now. and kind of see where the legislation or lands or where what happens with the um federal funds in general. Overall, we are not overly concerned with not receiving the

158funds because they are in law. So, one way or another, we do need to receive those unless it goes through an act of Congress. That's kind of where we see it at right now. uh the local other at 499,000 a lot of that is due to um LCTS which is local collaborative time uh time study so that's about what 250,000 175 175 sorry and then a uh there's a couple other factors that line that it's just interest um small earnings but we are seeing a increase there yeah I think you know part of that is because we have a larger fund balance than we've had in the last couple years so we actually are receiving more um earnings plus the interest rates have been up you know from two years ago up quite a bit.

159So one small silver lining we have uh so just looking at revenue we just want to point out that about 65% of our revenue is actually um unassigned so free cash flow while the other 35% of it is restricted is set aside for specific purposes we need to spend it on these purposes otherwise it just kind of sits there. So here, this just kind of gives you a picture of where the money is coming from. Again, here um actually I had a little high federal sources actually is only 1% of our budget where our property taxes, you know, what you pay to the school district, what what you pay your portion of the school that comes to us through the county is 25% of our budget. By far the majority of the budget comes from

160the state of Minnesota there at 60 70%. Okay, we're going to talk about some expenditures. I guess I want to point out first that our overall expenditures are increasing by 3.28%. So, um, you know, really a reasonable amount. When we jump back up to salaries, you see that we have a 4.8% piece there. Um, that's just not 4% on everybody's salary or almost 5% on everybody's salary. If you look at the third line, you see that purchase services, that's my primarily um decrease there of of contractors that we use with special ed. We're assuming we're going to hire them now as staff members. So that 1.5 jumps up to the top line. Okay? And besides that, because we have new enrollment, we have more staff coming on. So that's been included there. So when you

161look at that 4.8, it's those three pieces put together. We're not just putting 4.8 on every Thompson. But your your enrollment projection is only like a 100 students. So we're not looking at adding 10 teachers, correct? I mean, no. Okay. So, we're looking at like four or five or Okay. Anyway, that they've been they've been included here. So, I when you look at 4.8% that's not, you know, going on everybody's salary. I just wanted you to point that out. And when you look at the second line, of course, that's even a bigger number. Okay? And you're going, what what's going on? Well, there's some couple very large pieces which actually I'm going to touch the rest of the slide, then I'll go to the next slide which will talk about benefits specifically. Okay. So again,

162our purchase services are going down as we talked mainly because of special education. Um, our supplies and and capital expenditures, these are primarily capital items uh that are coming down. We're doing spending less capital this next year. We actually are spending um a tiny bit more than we receive in capital in the in the current year. So that that fund balance will drop a little bit. Um but any so for 26 those are going down, but it's capital it's restricted funds is not affecting our unassigned balance. Okay, let's talk about benefits. Some of the bigger bigger pieces that we have. First of all, a TRA is moving from 8.75% to 9.5% for the school district to pay. So, it's a 3/4 of a percent increase on everybody's salary. Um, all of our, you know, licensed

163salaries. Second, the Minnesota paid leave is going in place January. That's a point44% on everybody's pay. you'll see it on your own paycheck that you'll have to pay this now starting in January and that's $250,000 that we you know didn't have necessarily to do and there's no reimbursement from the state to take care of this and they're actually talking about this not being enough and it might increase and actually the first initial estimate two years ago when they put this in place was 0.35 now we're up to already four4 we even started okay and of course health insurance now um health insurance is going up 5% that's a reasonable number when you look at um the actual trend when we look at health insurance. Now that is shared uh with the with the employees. So

164for us it's a two and a half%. But when we look at our total our total spend on on health insurance even though it's 2.5 we're sharing in that when you drop that denominator we're not we're not paying the total amount right. So our actual increase is about 32 3.2% actual cost when we look at our benefits. Director Carbone. Yeah, Bill, we're self-insured on the health side. That I do know. But do we have a reserve? You know, even though you have an aggregate stop loss uh and and even individual stop losses, you don't always exceed that, but you're collecting premiums, you're you're collecting to fill that that void just in case you get there. So, do we have any reserves that have occurred over a course? Yeah, we'll talk about fund balances here in

165a minute, but yes, we've been building a fund balance since we started. We're now going into our fifth year of being So, we do we do have a reserve in your but right now it's over $7 million right now. Terrific. Um before we really feel that we can help subsidize that cost, we really need to be up to that about 25% mark of our of our total premium, which puts us a little over eight. So, we're really almost there. Okay. To be able to really start helping with some of these costs. Okay. Hey, just a look then at our when you look at how we're spending our money by the object level, you can see that by far the most of what we spend goes into salary, wages, and employee benefits. Uh just I guess

166this is just a reference so you can see what's happening, but it really hasn't changed from the year before. You know, it's really about the same numbers the way that we're spending these funds. Okay. So, looking at the uh program area, one of the first things I notice is that the administration is down 1.77%. Um, primarily due to uh contracts. So, student support services is up 4.82%. This is due to new hires that we are having and same with the general education. So, any larger percentage increase that you're going to see is primarily due to new hires that we're expecting. So if you look in instructional services and people support services, those will also be additional hires that we have in those uh program areas. Okay. And one thing I want to note on this

167slide is that the gray piece of the pie, that small sliver of yellow, that blue, and that green, that is all direct costs associated with our students. So the vast majority of our funds are spent on our pupils. Okay. Okay, now I get to talk about fund balance. Okay, so what you're seeing what we're seeing here is our unassigned fund balance is actually growing from about 13 million up to just under $16 million. Okay, and I I know there was concerns earlier talking about, well, we don't have enough revenue compared to what our expenditures are, but we're spending down the assigned area. This is money that's been set aside for future curriculum which we will use use up at this next year. So $2 million will be spent out of the assigned area and that

168so that all those costs aren't coming directly from the revenue that we receive in that particular year and you can see in the restricted also small decrease in that fund balance. So that's why you're seeing a bigger increase in the unassigned balance. So al although you're seeing a slowdown I mean we saw some big increases over the last couple years when we look at our our budget but you can see we're still moving up to that 7.4 four is what we're projecting on that fund balance to look like when we get to the June 30th of of 26. Director Thompson, C, can you go back to the previous slide just uh for the fiscal year 25, we have we're projected to have about $2 million in our assigned budget and then that is what you're

169using for next year's budget for one-time expenditures, uh, curriculum, whatever it may be that that comes out of that. Okay. And then the restricted budget about 500,000. So we we are fortunate to be able to leverage $1.5 million from uh you know not from the unassigned but in those in those two different categories which is going to help offset which is allows us to kind of continue to replenish our savings account from and again we're uh to be able to sit around $15 million at the end of next year uh 16 16 million really puts us in a favorable position compared to where we were three years ago. Uh and then and and again the target ideally would be roughly 10% of what we spend. And so if we can get to 20 obviously that

170would be uh that that's where we would would want to be at to be comfortable. So that's exactly right. And especially if you're looking at the restricted balance I mean you can just look at the previous years we've grown that restricted balance to a very comfortable position where we can actually use those funds to help soften the blow in the unassigned fund. But it's a onetime event. So then now we have to grow it back and and so if we need to purchase additional curriculum in fiscal year 26 and 27 then we would have to come out of the general or wherever. Got it. Correct. And then also I do believe um and granted it's not passed yet but there is some um legislation right now um looking at allowing districts to move some of

171those funds around like specifically from student nutrition um to other funds. Correct. like would that well that that I have not saw but I have saw it's there I've seen it it's there every session and it never never gets passed I keep but they are they are talking about though allowing just like we did this year we were allowed to buy furniture for the cafeterias with food service money and they're talking about allowing that again so that may be some place that we can look at but at the same time we'll talk about fund two here in a minute they're really back down to where they need to be so there really isn't a lot of excess uh left in fund So, we'll talk about that right now. There we go. So, again, we um

172this is a first blush. We don't have final numbers at all from uh student nutrition, but you see that fund balance is expected to drop a little bit. And that is about gets us right down to that threemonth um reserve uh which the state wants us to be under by the time we get to fiscal year 27. So, we're right on track when we look at uh fund two and they really have helped us out a lot this year with things that we needed in our cafeterias. Um and they're doing some large projects this summer. Um for an example, we have a new cooler freezer going into North High School. You know, considerable investment is coming from fund too. Can I ask a question about that? Um so, for example, uh Prior Lake is one

173of the districts that I have watched that is not participating in the free lunch program through the state. So, they're still operating under, you know, if you um need to apply for free and reduced lunch to get that. Is I guess like I'm wondering about what the impact on that would be for Lakeville if that was a consideration and um would that help our compensatory funding at all? I'm going to say the compensatory funding, yes, it's going to help because people would have to sign up in order to be eligible for the free juice. then we'll know who they are and our numbers might come up a little bit. Okay. So, that would that would help. It would definitely increase our direct search numbers. Would we have enough money within our student nutrition fund if

174we chose to do that as a district? I I would say I'm just hypothetically I would say no because our free and reduced count is now up over 25%. Okay. And if we don't participate now, we don't get the federal funding to pay for that 25%. We've got to take it out of our our regular funds to do Okay, community uh service again, they'll have a balanced budget. We don't have the final numbers from Steve yet. Um so small increase um going into the end of that year, but we'll have the details coming up shortly. Um building construction. Um again, primarily what's going on in this fund now since the new building has been finished and complete is all the funds that run through here for our LTFM or our long-term facility maintenance plan. And

175I want to point out right in the in the last column on the right about halfway down you'll see a $21 million figure there that is um which we'll present to you very shortly when we bring the FPP guys in. Uh a bonding of 21 million to help pay for these um u projects and really keep our levy very level and flat for our community so we don't big increases and decreases. So just want you to be aware in the plan is to borrow $21 million next year. So looking at debt service um continue to make our pay payments. It's operating as it should. Uh fund balance should be at around uh 5.1 million or 5.2 million at the end of next year. Uh these payments are pretty much set in stone. We know what

176they're going to look like. We know how much principle we're going to pay down the interest that we're going to pay. So there should be no surprises when it comes to the debt service fund. Now here's the internal service fund and this is where our self-funded insurance runs through both our both our dental and our health. And you can see on the revenue side these are the premiums we expect to uh collect in 26 about $35 million with the claims being right around 34. Now the year that we're in we're actually doing better than that. We're doing very well in the year we're in. Of course, every month looks a little different and we're not done until we get to summer. But you see on the bottom line, you see how that fund balance has

177grown and we expect that to be almost $8 million at the end of next year. So that's what it looks like. Director Thompson, hey, how did this grow so quickly to like $8 million? I you know I'm looking at fiscal year 22 um and you're oh in fiscal year 23 we had a $ 1.7 million difference between what we brought in and what the expenditures were. Yeah we had a very good year uh that year but generally you're trying to keep the total number of premiums coming in to to match what the expected expenditures are. So it's well yeah that that's the key because we we're we're responsible for all the claims. So whatever claims come through except for a stop loss of course we've got to collect enough premium to pay those claims. What's

178the magic number that you guys are trying to that you want to have in your fund balance for that? I I I want to get 25% of the actual total expenditure line. Got it. Okay. Which gets us up over 8 million. So we're getting very close. Getting close. Okay. Okay. Here just kind of a recap of where we expect the un unassigned fund balance to be at to push that up to 7.4 for when we get to June 30th of uh 26. So again, the fi the total financial health of of the school district continues to improve. We're very uh pleased with that general fund unassigned balance projected to increase to 7.4% of the general fund expenditures and of course our unassigned general fund balance is above what we have in policy right now from

179the school board at 5%. So in that case, I mean, we're looking very good. And then the student nutrition fund balance, we had mentioned this earlier, needs to decrease to three months of the yearly expenditures by fiscal year 27. And of course, we're right on track to do that. So that's all all good news. So any other questions? I think we'll hold our breath until the state adapts its new budget. Yeah, we'll we'll be watching the legislation very closely. I know I am a little concerned that they're not going to get done on time and we might not know some of these numbers until we get to July. It's just it's just the way it is. We've we've been there before and we just have to wait. Um so we'll bring the best thing we

180can to you in June and then we'll have to make adjustments after that if we need to. Thank you. Thank you, gentlemen. Thank you. All right. Board discussion. I think I'm going to uh suspend some formalities here so people can just kind of jump in as they want. Um I would like to hear from maybe some of uh the board members that have been on the board for a couple years can start discussion off and explain where we've come from. And I know that director Cam uh Director Cameron is out. Do you know when she will be returning? She's back. Will she will she be available at next week's meeting? Do we know? I think she was planning on We're not having a meeting next week, though. She'll be at the training next week, but

181then I think she was going to be remote for the 20 22nd. Yeah. So, and again, uh there's nothing we're voting on here. Just having discussion, get the ball rolling on these things. Um I will say that um I feel like the training will provide um new board members a little bit more perspective to actually participate more in this discussion about like how we want to run things as a board. Um so it might be worthwhile to revisit this after we've completed that training which occurs next week. Right. Do you mean on the board goals and stuff like that too? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, cuz I mean once you start understanding like the bigger picture of it um then it gives you a little bit more um perspective on like what are the things that we

182want to focus on as a board. Um and we typically try to pull from like a personal goal as like what we want to do as a board and what like one of ours was community engagement last year and then like something that we're we are working on um with academics and then I think last year we also had one around finances. Um, so we're kind of and then we were also trying to align like our goals with the superintendent so that we're all working as a team on the same things at different levels, which is kind of what you want, right? So I do feel like I don't want it to be just like us like as in the the board members that have been here like leading that discussion as much as like

183I feel like new board members would have more to add when they have some of that perspective. But I guess my question was, you know, what were the goals? Because I've seen some goals post posted online. Um what were the goals you set? Did you feel like you could actually look back and say, "Yeah, we achieved that. What were some of the struggles, considerations for future goal setting?" I think the hardest thing is just trying to figure out um a method of measurement as far as like success. Like what do what do we measure success by? Is it like um a percentage for academics? Is it like a percentage that we want the district to achieve for academics? Uh, personally as a board, like just us working together or or community engagement, like how do

184we measure that? Um, it's it's hard to, I would say, to put numbers to that. It's it's easier to find um like key indicators of what that would be. for example, like um I would say the board successfully had several sessions last year of community engagement um just based on the fact that we had a committee that was working on that. We had several things that we set up and that worked out really well. Um now, did we do a great job of keeping track of like what events that we participated in? I would say no. And I'm one of the people that was really bad about going on the form and filling it out all the time to make sure like I was keeping track of the things that I attended. I just forgot

185about it after I attended it. Um, so those are the other things to think about too, like we can have the goal, but then how are we going to measure success with that? And then also I think some of that goes into our board procedures like how we just want to operate as a board. I don't know. Yeah. Um, I think I think the discussion circles back to some of the dialogue we've had over the last couple of meetings about data analytics and and understanding where baselines are before we can actually establish goals. Uh Kim, back to your point, and I believe this 100% being in business for a number of years. If if you don't establish baselines to push goals forward, to push the organization forward and then measure them or have ways to

186measure the get metrics from that, you don't know if you're succeeding and and you can't even really there's there's difficulty in even setting a realistic goal. So, um I do agree with maybe we should go through the training next week before we get into an even deeper discussion on this. But I also believe that the data analytics and the data analysts that we've talked about for two or three board meetings is is going to raise its head again and be a really important part of this. Otherwise, I don't know how we show success. I don't know where the empirical proof is to show we're successful. I um one of the things that I've unfortunately noticed on a downward trend in the recent years is the public perception of the board. Um that is one thing

187that comes through the Leatherman survey um that we will get obviously some updated information on. So one thing we could hon obviously look at um is that the other thing that I think is a clear outcome uh for us is whether or not we are successful in passing levies. Um that is not just the the job of the superintendent and the administration. That is our job to be out in the public and advocating. Um so to me when we fail levies that is not just a failure of our district office that is a failure of our school board. And so, um, those are two things that I think we've got big important things coming up that we as board members need to be out in our community speaking about, advocating for that I think have

188clear outcomes associated with them. Um, not that we can fully control, but that we can work toward. Yeah, I think that would be a good short-term goal um, on the levy especially. So, yeah, I'm I'm just writing down a few things. I think from a board goals perspective like I I kind of bucketed I bucket them into four different categories. One again I think academics is the biggest one because it's like that's our job and we need to be able to deliver on that. And so back to uh you know director Carbone how do we know what our goals ought to be if we don't know where we're at. And so you know I can make things up and say you know I want every fifth grader to be able to read at fifth grade

189level. I want 100% of that. Or maybe I can say it's 90%. I don't know what's realistic, but I think that's one of the goals that I would like to be able to communicate because when you've got students in our community that are reading at grade level or exceeding grade level, then I would assume parents are going to be happy and they're going to be thrilled that their kids are getting great grades in and in in English. They're getting um uh you know, fantastic scores in MCA results and that's going to just lead to positive perception with how their district is performing. Uh the second goal that I want us to consider is the financial health. While we've got a uh Bill's done a tremendous job in helping us get there over the past three

190years from $211,000 to roughly 12.9 by the end of this year, maybe 13. Uh you know, we still want to get to 20. Now, again, it's not going to happen overnight, but what does that mean? Uh and so, uh how do we get there? what are what are the the levers that we can pull to uh make sure that the community knows that we're being mindful with their funds and being good stewards with uh how we operate that. Number three, I would definitely say employee satisfaction. Uh I know that those are some managerial things, but as a board, I want people to come to like I want to work for Lakeville. I don't want I don't want to go work for any other school district. I want Lakeville. And so what does that mean? That

191might mean uh mentorship programs for our for teachers or staff. uh that might mean uh you know benefits. There's a variety of different things. So what I don't know is uh you know what metrics we use to track that but employee satisfaction is definitely one of them. And then the fourth one that I would probably kind of put in a catchall bucket would be future readiness. And so uh how are we future readiness uh operationally as a district? Uh future readiness for our students and future readiness for our professionals. Uh that might mean where does AI come into play in how we do operations? Uh AI for our students, AI for our professionals. Uh we're like I would love for our district to be this innovation hub of of new things that are coming that

192that are just going faster and faster on a technology side. So while those are high conceptual topics but again board goals for me are academics, financial health, employee satisfaction and then future readiness of how we move forward. So, I would add to that um employee like satisfaction as like staff morale. Like that would be something that I would like to see um us focus on as a district and just making sure that people feel um seen and heard within our district and that um they want to be a part of it because that's also going to play into the fact that there are roles that we can't fill. So if our staff morale is really great, like your your best advertisement is the people that work for you already and they talk about it out

193in the community and when they're at other develop staff developments, they'll say, "Yeah, I work for Lakeville. I really enjoy it." So um thinking about how we can can continue to increase staff morale as well. Yeah. Sorry, I'm not moderating. You can just jump in. Go ahead. Okay. All right. Thank you. Um and and the other thing I think is important is you know Bill mentioned $2 million of by the way public tax dollar 2 million and probably more for spending on on curriculums and what do we do to measure return on investment uh for the spending versus academic achievement. I I think we really need to focus on that as one of the goals, but also again as I mentioned earlier have metrics so that we can prove that there are benefits to what

194we're doing. I I think we need to make sure that we are all aligned on how we are defining what these categories are. And so when I say categories, not the four that I've selected, but how are we defining what are board goals, what are school board goals, and what are superintendent goals. Now, when I think about school board goals, it could be we got to get a 100 policies done reviewed this year or we got to be, you know, how do we collaborate with each other and or maybe we got to get down to two meetings a month versus three. It's like, I don't know. So, there's a difference between school board goals in how we operate and there are board goals that we want the district to be at and then there are

195superintendent goals that might be how we want to engage and interact with the superintendent. I would assume that our board goals would filter down to this superintendent to execute on that. Uh but those are the three different, you know, flavors that we've got to think about. You know, do we need or want schoolboard goals? Do we want and then what are our board goals, district goals? And then is there a superintendent bucket that we need to consider? So yeah. Well, and I think on academics, if we're just focusing on that, you know, primarily, which we should, um, I think the board goal could be, you know, setting appropriate, you know, smart goals for the superintendent because we're not going to actually improve the students outcome. It's, you know, we're going to be focusing and watching

196what the superintendent's doing and monitoring that and reviewing his performance as he directs the district. Um and that that does go back to, you know, as a board we can we need to make sure that we're actually measuring something, you know. Um yeah, and that that does go back to the discussion we've had over the past several months of uh what is the appropriate KPI? Um are we collecting the data and and putting it in a a form that we can actually review in order to assess what's going on? Um because we could we could come here every other week and have a very pleasant meeting and and fail completely as a board, you know. Um yeah, and finances, I would I would definitely agree, is up there. Um I mean, we've seen it other

197districts all around the state are are cutting budgets, you know, millions of dollars each year, having to lay off teachers, and we don't want to be in that position. So, it might might mean we have to pay a little closer attention obviously and and do a little bit more long-term planning, but uh yeah, I I assume and employee satisfaction, I guess. I'm not sure how to measure that, but I'd like to not have to lay off. I think a couple ways to measure employee satisfaction is retention. Um I do agree with staff morale uh statements and job applications when we put them out there and you know, are we attractive? Um, for example, High View Elementary Principal, we have over 60 applications for that one job. So, it's it's things like that that you want

198to you can't actually measure though. You say 60 6. Wow. That's great. Um, I did have another thought. I don't know if this is a goal, but just more of a a want um is having some sort of line of communication between us and the teachers um and administration. Um, just so we're hearing that. I don't know what it would be um so we can bounce different ideas off them. um whether it's survey monkey or something like that just so if we have a question we can hear just from maybe even more than just the people that are willing to email us independently. Uh, just a thought. I I Brian stole my thunder a little while ago and talking about kind of the the board goals versus the superintendent goals. And one thing I just

199want to make sure we're thinking about is how we what information or who we kind of um utilize to help inform how we establish these goals. Um so for instance with the read act and the curriculum and all that you know I think um I don't know that any of us maybe Kim well besides Kim is really an expert in kind of how does curriculum get rolled out and what is the timeline that you can or what should you expect and just even knowing how things are being rolled out with half the elementary this year and half the elementary or the grades next year. Um and being mindful about kind of creating goals that are achievable for us. um you know so measurable and and achievable. Um, so I think as we are talking about

200this, you know, um, the three of us are on this board at least two more years and, um, you guys are on here for, well, you're here at least, well, um, but what do we want to accomplish that is reasonable in this year and how do we look ahead and just not set us I I just think about kind of doing things that are reinforcing and help us move forward. um as opport as opposed to kind of setting ourselves up for feeling like there's setbacks when perhaps they're not reasonable goals. So just making sure we use the appropriate lines there. So I did have this discussion with Superintendent Bowman um as I've shared with all of you that you know I've asked like what is the metric we should be using? What is a fair

201assessment tool that we can monitor progress with? Um, and it's my understanding that in two weeks we're going to get a proposal as far as, hey, these are the metrics we can we can track. Um, because again, as you're saying, I'm not the expert, so I'm not sure what the numbers should be. I I have an idea of maybe what the numbers shouldn't be or what metrics we shouldn't be looking at, but uh, so we're going to get a a proposal from um, Emily McDonald. So, yeah, I would love to. I mean, I feel like uh since I've been on this board, I have a good understanding of how we generally view student success. Um, you know, to me, it goes beyond academics. It's also making sure that we have the right supports in schools

202and all the things that indirectly contribute to academic performance. Um, so having a good understanding of yes, how do we how do we want to broadly define student success in our district? What does that look like? And then how can we look at it from a variety of different perspectives? You know, MCAs and grades and you know, uh, graduation rates are one thing, but what about all the awesome other things that are happening in the district that we can try to capture? I think I would like for us to have this nailed down sooner than later. Uh, just because uh, you know, we we probably should be discuss we should have been discussing this in January and I mean obviously you guys were new in January. But but to be able to have these, you

203know, schoolboard goals, district goals, super superintendent goals solidified by ideally probably now because the things that we would want done at the district level should feed into the budget for the next school cycle. And so with the new next budget starting July 1st, we're already kind of behind the eight-ball. And so I I think the next meeting is sometime the the training session is next week or two weeks. But when I think about it on what is the the the linear sequence of when this should have been done to feed into budgets to feed into staffing to feed into whatever we need to do over the summer in preparation to kick off these district goals for that school year and so we should be so that's kind of the cadence that I'm thinking but my

204recommendation is if we can start uh refining this sooner than later that would be ideal. Well, I think part of the issue was um typically we like to have the superintendent goals in place by September. Um and then we have like two checkpoints during the year where where he is reporting to the board and checking in with us on where he's at in progress towards those goals. Um at the time we had an interim superintendent, so we we couldn't put those in place for this school year. And at this point in the year, considering that it's April, um I think the only thing that you could request from the superintendent at this point would just be kind of like a um like a like a temperature on how the district's doing and like an update

205on um the different departments um would be I would say sufficient based on the fact that he was interim for a portion of that. Um and then we um he was moved over into the superintendency. So, um, that might be what the board needs to focus on this year is like, um, just a just a general goal, like one goal area for the superintendent at this point to, um, update the board on maybe the district progress and then moving forward into next year and then start working on like what do we want to focus on for the superintendent goals for next year. As far as our own goals, um, again, it's kind of late in the year to do that. So, it might be more um thinking about like academics and then also like board

206procedures and how we want to run our meetings and structure that. Um I know we talked about that a lot last year and trying to get um like a board manual up to date on um just the basic procedures because those are things you don't put into policy. And then we were stuck as like new board members like um all the time going, "Well, I didn't know about this." Well, that's the way we've always done it, but we didn't know that that's the way that it had always been done because there was no written procedure for some of those things. And I know that Kim has been working on that um with MSBA and has like a format on what like a board handbook would look like. Uh I think it would be beneficial as

207a board to spend some time really delving into that and making sure that our procedure uh manual is is there for future board members so that anytime new members come on which will be every two years you know depending on if people run again or um how that goes that the structure and how this board operates is there like there's there's a basic framework that they can pick up at any time and continue on with the work of Lakeville schools. Well, I think Superintendent Bowman's doing a pretty good job so far. So, thanks. Thanks for doing a good job. Review complete. Right. Kim, I think that's a great point, though. Like, there is no framework. Like, nobody gave me a document that said this is how we operate. This is what we typically do. Like,

208why don't we have that? Like, we should have something like that. That that's doable. That's not hard. I mean, right? And MSBA just made the template this last year. So, we have something that we can just work through as a board and take like a section once a month and just kind of work through each part. Um, I know Kim has offered that she would come to those sessions and kind of type things in as we do it and then it's then it's done and then you're just updating, you know, every couple years, but at least it gives a framework for like um like the Brian Thompson three-step process. Like it comes to the board, we have it's presented to the board, um it comes back after we've had a chance to process it, and

209then we vote on it. like you don't vote on it the day that it's presented, things like that that we want in place so that we're getting the information that we need in the time that we need it and then administration knows exactly what the board expects. So, it just kind of puts everybody on a level playing field. I'm just going to um relate this to the other um agenda item on work session for format that I feel like we would benefit from resuming some more informal work session um where we could do this kind of work that would not feel that would just I sorry I don't mean to bump us there but I just feel like it feels more collaborative and um where we can do some of that kind of busy work

210that would help move us forward Can you expand on that a little bit for us? I'm just I'm just curious what having not had participated in a work session how it differs from what we're doing right now. Um it there's part of it that's just a feeling that feel I think because everybody's just kind of sitting all around and the other thing is um I feel like some of the presentations that have gone so long I've personally felt bad that people are standing there for for as long as they are and it just to me facilitates a little bit more easy kind of dialogue or um questions that um it feels less in or less formal in that way. Um, I'm just speaking for myself, but I'll speak for Amber because she's not here and

211she said she was. Yeah, not surprising for work sessions. So, I mean I mean so I'm Let's just jump right into that. So, wait a second. It's informal. It's all right. I mean, so whenever we have a board meeting of uh whenever you have a board meeting of four members or more, it's an official meeting. And so, it doesn't matter if it's recorded or not recorded, it's an official meeting. Uh so one of the reasons that I am in favor of this kind of model is because the last time uh you didn't know who was speaking. Uh it was super hard because people were like like wrapping papers or eating candy or something of that nature. Um it was a bit more informal but also it was it wasn't recorded either and so people couldn't

212hear and and it was I'm sorry it wasn't it was an audio but it wasn't video recorded and so I mean that's not absolutely correct. So I'm in favor of of this. I think that we were we we had been talking about this before and Tech said that they do they can record but they just didn't have the video feed up because the board had put a procedure in place where work sessions were only audio and then our formal meetings were video and audio. He's giving me the thumbs up. So they if we were to switch back to a work session being that format, we would just have to as a board say we want it video and audio recorded when we're doing that. So, I mean, also that's accessibility for for people, but um

213so then they I think that was part of the reason like we went to this format so that there was recording, but you could still do that. But but how is this model different from sitting in a square? It so I feel like our directors are on the outskirts. It's not as kind of it doesn't for me it does not feel as connected with our deal conducive yeah to collaboration like our work sessions to me are where that we really do like benefit from their contributions and I feel like when we're all close together face to face that happens it's better facilitated I I know that like in other places like Prior Lake they don't have a a model like this they all sit in a rectangle and same with Hastings and and probably other

214school districts where they just their working sessions are just that and their regular boardings are in that same model. And so I guess it doesn't really I'm just even thinking about some of the like when you feel like you can't see that or you tend to look this way, right? it's harder for you to see everybody and kind of facilitate in a way like to me the I don't disagree with us having a formal board meeting where we and we could set it up in a similar I know one of the questions is well if we have a work session does that change in terms of whether we vote on things or not we could talk about that but to me just the um I my concern is I feel like there's more distance from

215our DO which um I would like more involvement from them. And then also um when we had certain parts of the meeting that we had scheduled that were more like board development, which is kind of the conversation that we're having now, um we allowed like district office staff to leave, so they didn't have to be here for that part. So I think I want to honor their time because they've been here all day, too. And then just knowing that there are some things that the border is going to work on for procedures they know ahead of time and they can kind of plan their afternoon or evening so they don't have to be here for the entire time. Um, so just honoring their time that Yeah, but you can't but you could Yeah, that that's

216what I was going to say. You could do that now. Yeah, so just a couple thoughts. Um, one, I I've been saved by the video this year already by somebody accusing me online of saying something I didn't say, but uh, so I don't mind that. Uh, and it is a meeting regardless of whether we call it a work session or not. It'd still be a schoolboard meeting even if we're meeting down there. Yeah, there'd still be Yeah, we could still do business. We'd be doing business because it legally would still be a schoolboard meeting. Um thoughts on I I guess my other consideration was because being on the policy committee, we do have kind of a backlog of policies that we're going through. Um offering uh public comment, you know, in that kind of a

217work session format. I don't know. Did you guys do it before you didn't do it? Well, we had the um stakeholder sessions before the meeting. Okay. So, it just wasn't part of the meeting and public comment was only during regular board meetings. Yeah. Okay. Which we had once a month. So, it makes it more difficult for policies to be reviewed. But no, and again that Yeah, they can come. But and we didn't have public we did have public comment last year, right? Did we bring it back? But it wasn't recorded. Yep. And the more transparency that we can approve any policy at that point. Yeah. No, no, because we had um we had stakeholder sessions. What is with this mic? We had stakeholder sessions which people could still come if and talk about like a

218policy if they wanted to. So there were still two times. We just had the stakeholder session as the format before the working session and then public comment was before the regular board meeting. And again, that's another procedural thing that we could talk about as a board. Um we haven't had anybody participate in stakeholders sessions. um now that public comment is during the meeting is that something we even need to continue because it is something that board members we would like at least three board members present for when that happens and it is um before a board meeting. So you have to do that. So th those are again like those procedures that I don't feel like we've even discussed as a board um which would be beneficial to make sure that we there's no frustration

219at the table. Director Nicholson, do you have a point of view? Not particularly. I mean, if you guys want to sit up here, if you want to sit down there, I I could care less. I none of it matters to me. This is uh semantics in my opinion. If you can't hear us down there and that be that's an issue, then deal with the issue. I I I don't care if I'm sitting up here or sitting down there. You guys can argue it all you want. It doesn't matter. I would love to be able to like work on stuff without it being like official board meeting. That would be great because I do a lot of that on my own time. I've been trying to get out. That's called a violation of open, but that's

220I understand that. But I mean I I I get I get the purpose of that and I understand that piece of it, but I I mean I also now spend a lot of my own time running out and trying to meet with you know I've met with a handful of principles now trying to get around and meet all the principles and you know spend my time when I can doing that kind of stuff and trying to learn talk with Tracy talk with um you know some of the people on her team to try to figure out the data analytics that we do have the capabilities. We have a data wall. Does anybody know about that? No. I mean, at least, you know, nobody talks about it here. So, you know, the the capabilities that we

221have and the detail in the MCA reports that we get, do you all know about that? Cuz we get a lot of stuff that never get shown to us yet. So, I'm shocked that we have so much information and I'm glad we didn't, you know, go forward with, you know, any sort of a a motion on the last data analytics piece because, wow, we got stuff now. Why don't we know about it? That's my question. Now, is that all going to come out more if we sit down there? Then, by all means, let's go sit down on the floor. I don't care. Sing Kumbaya and sit on the floor, you know, criss-cross applesauce if that makes it better. But I just want to know like I've been trying to figure it out and I I

222know we do. We have so much more information than what has been presented so far and that's the part that bothers me. So what form is going to get all of this to the forefront? Cuz like everybody said, smart goals, you know, specific, measurable, you know, things like that. Yeah, great. But we have no idea what we have right now. Like we have tons of information. like they they they are having trouble I think putting it into a digestible format and that's you know that's fine. I mean I I get that but we have so much more than what we've seen and I just I would love to find a way to somehow get that like out so that when we talk about a goal we're not saying you know try to increase our MCA

223scores by 10% across the board. I mean first off why two is that really the metric we want to go after and if we are looking at a composite you know view of student performance fastbridge has metrics built in we have target goals for basically every child we never saw any of that we never talked about any of that stuff so like where is that data like how do we see it like that's the kind of stuff that I think would help us in terms of saying okay these actual goals that if they're doing X Y and Z, we should be able to see on a report, you know, ABCD and that will lead to a final lagging indicator that we then can hold our super superintendent accountable for. But I think I think for

224for that you just add it to the agenda, have them come in and have a conversation about that. And they stand there, we have a conversation, it's back and forth. It's like that's it. The only thing I will say is that I feel like the formal former process helped with the I I didn't necessarily want a four-step process, but more of like a we get exposed to something, we have some time to think about something and then we knew at the end of the month like that was more when we were making the big decisions like with the recommended actions. So, it's not that I I just to me work sessions are helpful for just kind of getting all the stuff out there, all the questions. Um, in some cases, we had two two of

225those to make sure we had multiple instances to make sure we were well informed. Um, I mean, I have had instances where I've come here and not felt like I knew what we were talking about, and I think we want to avoid that. So it it just offered more opportunity to have more informal dialogue to get everybody on the same page. So at the end of the month, we're not the end of the month meeting should be like a half hour in my opinion. We've already worked through everything. We know what we're voting on. We do the votes, we get out. So like that for a while was how it was operating where it was like that was kind of the I would not mind a half hour meeting. Yeah. But I mean that's the

226goal is that you by the end of the month when everybody's voting, we're all we know where we stand. We know what we I get that piece of it, but then you also still have like the smaller stuff like can we like as long as everybody's you know can agree that hey if there's little procedural changes and stuff that they're they're minor and you guys can all be comfortable voting in that setting and this setting or whatever it is like as long as we can still just like get some stuff done. I mean, I I still look at like what have we actually accomplished so far in the first couple months as a board. I don't think we've really accomplished all that much. So, I will say the way we've had presentations in this first

227two months I think has been great. I mean, it's great. I know a lot. No, I just mean that. So, I feel like when you come into any new job, your first six months, I mean, depending on the job, I shouldn't say any new job, but it's it's a learning experience coming into a new operation, learning what it's about, learning where the gaps are, all of those kinds of things. And so to me, um, you know, I know Matt, you said like sorry for all the like I feel like this has been great review and for all the new board members to have everybody come kind of present what they do. I think has been a really great onboarding. Yeah. Um, I don't think we've done as much as a board for onboarding, which next

228week we'll or our next meeting I think we'll hope to we hope to address some of that. But um I don't think we've not accomplished much because the learning piece is part of how we establish goals, how we make sure we're coming from a perspective that's informed. Um so to me it's we're moving in the right direction, but I I'm just trying to advocate for down there. It just felt better with the directors. I feel like it just offered more opportunity for them to engage with us and when they're presenting they're very engaged with us but otherwise they're to the side for 4 hours of their time that they're not you know what I mean? Yeah. And I I'll I guess I'll I'll follow that up with you know the feedback that I have heard

229is they feel more like they're on the spot like it's more of a grill session as opposed to anything else. So I I I get that concept and I I I sympathize with that. I mean, yeah, this is probably intimidating. You gota, you know, everybody's scared of public speaking anyway. So, you know, coming up to the podium and being the one person up there and running through your slides and trying to talk through everything. Yeah. And also fielding questions and the whole deal. So, I I I get that. I mean, I do I But but why would we not ask the same questions in a grill session if that's what we want to call it down there as up here? I I'm still not under conceptually understanding if if a forum gets together and it's

230an official meeting if it's recorded here there or anywhere if if we're having discussions at the Dist like we're this is a pretty freewheeling discussion and open discussion which I I appreciate too but that being said I'm not quite sure where the the gain is with a work session and all of these folks folks are very professional people who I I believe do very well standing at a mic. I mean, the the caliber and and the the job levels that you're all at, um, standing at a mic, I think they do a fine job. I I I think for me the biggest issue is making it easy for community members to see, to find, to watch, uh, to hear uh, the conversations that are going on at the board. and and so when we had

231it at the working session the mics that were used I I don't know what the positioning of the the video cameras might be but uh we my point of my point of view is that the most trans the more transparent that we can make it for community members to easily find watch and hear or see and to follow along that that would be my preference. We can figure out how to have dialogue whether it be at a table or or I mean in this manner. So yeah, my my perspective is that when we're all sitting around together, it's just easier for directors to engage at every meeting. Sure. Um and Superintendent Bowman, I don't know. I mean, part of this I feel like it it would be helpful to know how they feel too or

232how our superintendent feels, but to me it's just um when we have a question for Bill, then it's like, "Okay, Bill, come up here." Or when we're at the table, it's just all very collaborative. all of the directors be there or only only the directors needed based on the topic that you're going to discuss? I would say they were they were I mean sometimes we knew that there were it's well I can't speak about the last two years but typically it was agenda driven. The purpose of the work session was to create the opportunities to do the Q&A do the learning process. Um you know the city of Lakeville did those when Mayor Anderson was there. I participated in many of those. Um, you know, I don't know, director Erikson, uh, when he was the

233city administrator maybe was involved in that. He might be a source of information on those kinds of things. But I know that typically work sessions you you all can go through everything from process and procedure. Um policies get discussed the opportunity for our staff to engage you in the more of a Q&A process than a presentation process. Although I will say we did do some presentations along the way as well. um because of the nature of the board in terms of you know started in January young board lots of information I could never get to that level of detail in two hours I need four five six and eight um and so if we were doing maybe work sessions or training sessions like you know was proposed when we first started out in January um

234I I think that might have that might get us further along the way. I like the work session simply because the the back and forth is is more rapid and we are able to shape which I think is an important element of of governance is shaping uh and it helps us as an administration do that alongside you better. That's my perspective. I agree with that. I will note going back to just goals and stuff like that, we talked about having shorter meetings. I mean the goal is and the discussion has been with Superintendent Bowman, you know, once we establish what the KPIs are that we're going to be reviewing on academics and finances that we'll just have reports, you know, coming from, you know, our director of finance and director of teaching and learning. So,

235we'll just be getting those updates and we'll be tracking, you know, so it's not going to be Yeah. the pre the length of the presentations that we have now um just to address that issue. So hopefully it will be will fall into more of a rhythm wherever we're sitting. Yeah. Yeah. I know I do appreciate the the input um because you guys have been in have done both settings and uh we have not. So yeah, I mean I definitely see it. I mean we're talking about boundary disputes. I mean, it seems like that would be a good kind of a setting to have a table where we have the maps laid out there and we're talking like what are you guys considering? So, yeah, we could consider just cuz I know Paul, you said or

236director Carbon, you said, "I don't know the difference." Um, and I know I'm speaking for myself and not both of the other board or two other board members who have been here a little bit longer, but it just it does feel different. So it might just be helpful to and it might be the case that we try it and um I mean I would say we should try it more than a couple times but um that then we decide we like it better up here. Yeah. So to that point I mean one of the discussions we did initially talk about just trying it right. Um, but then there was an issue with the audio quality and having to buy additional mics and we're like, well, if it's going to cost us more money, you know,

237and we already have this setup. So, that kind of was what we're just like, well, let's just keep it this way since we've got the equipment. I know they were trying to address. I mean, I am one person that in I was fine with it that people couldn't hear me all the time, but um I was one person that people said they couldn't hear, so they would like creep the mic closer to me or you know, I do think there were it wasn't like everybody could hear. I think director Baker was the one who or Kim had talked about that and had looked into getting additional mics. Yeah, we had we had um looked into getting additional mics because there it is very difficult to hear on the on the little mics. Um, but I

238think the other issue that that I had the larger concern about with the work session format that we would have to discuss as a board would be the formal voting. So that like if we're having a work session, we're be just being presented information. It there's nothing that the board is deciding on in an informal format like because those were things where all of a sudden like we would have a meeting and someone would say, "Well, we already talked about that." and the majority of the board agreed. And I'm like, but we really didn't formally vote because it was a work session. And we got into this gray area. Um, and I don't like gray areas. Like I like things to be simple and clean. So I like this format because there's always a vote

239like we're voting on things. It's not like this informal four people decided and now it's just going and we we really don't have any idea because it really wasn't a formal vote. So those are things that we could put in place with the procedures. If we're going to have that work session format, then there's nothing no topics that are coming to the board that are just not being voted on or decided on like that would only happen at the regular meeting. Um, but general guidance even to the superintendent, you get in in the in the into that gray area without a vote saying, "Hey, we want you to go down in this direction." And no one voted on it, but because it was done in a working session. That's how the previous board put us

240in scenar scenarios and we're in now, you know, and so like I like this because it's formal. You vote. Can we do Okay. Can we can we do both? No. So what? Well, let me sure you can. You say no. Tell me why. So here's a question. So if we run say a working session, we can do those if you want. And then all of a sudden we get to the the end of the meeting and we're talking about recommended actions. We take a seat. We already know what's on the docket and we do it up here and then it's we can vote from the table. I mean, yeah, we don't have to sit at the desk to make a vote. We could vote from down there. No, my my point is if people really

241are worried about like somebody hearing somebody or oh well I can't tell who was talking and that kind of stuff. I mean, if if we if that's an honest concern, I mean worried about that. I think we also had challenges where uh you couldn't really you couldn't dial in or remote in during working sessions. Yeah. And so that was another issue. I do really appreciate this the discussion. So So do we need to make a motion or We are not making any motions. Okay. There's no recommended actions on the docket or the agenda for today. I do want to confirm though um just so we're we're honing this in a little bit and moving the ball forward and we can discuss it further. Um, I feel like finances is probably something easy for us to

242make goals on for a board. Um, don't approve budgets of more than what we're going to receive as far as revenue. Um, academics, I think we'll we'll probably touch that again in two weeks. So, we'll have a better idea of setting actual goals and metrics that we're going to analyze and that'll kind of go hand inand. I think our goal is to set, you know, smart goals for the superintendent. I mean, that kind of is the board's goal. Um, I'd be and we don't have to make the decision now. I mean, get efforts for the levy, that'd be a good short-term goal, right? right? You know, next six months, but then employee satisfaction, public perception, I'd be open to, you know, further discussions on how we So, I would recommend like how we've done this

243in the past as far as like when we set board goals and when we did the superintendent goals, we did like a board retreat and we scheduled like two two I think one time we did two nights of like two hours a piece that was just us working on that. Um, it wasn't like a formal board meeting or anything. It was just a board retreat. it was just the board and so then we could just focus on that and get it done. Um I think it's really hard to do that in this format in a meeting because we would need like a draft and you would we would need to go through a process as a board to make those goals. So that would be my recommendation if if we want to start working on

244that process that we have a retreat and I think I think that might you are you thinking the retreat would be open to the public too because I think we might be running into open meeting law there. Yeah. So, you're saying maybe have a working session? Well, even when we had a board retreat, like it's it's public knowledge that the board is meeting and if someone wants to come and listen, they can. It's just that we don't have like all of our district staff sitting here and and going through that work and then um it would come back to like a work session or whatever and we would say these are our board goals. We've agreed upon it. So, then the public has access to what those goals are. In fact, they're on our web

245page right now. So, I mean, it's not like we're hiding anything. It's just we're working in a format that allows us to only work on the board goals so that we're not meeting at 9:30 at night. Um, just talking about this in a format that's a little too formal for the process. Does that have to be recorded? I don't know. I don't think we recorded it. All board meetings are not legally required to be recorded. We we do that for Lakeville. So um and and I believe past retreats they are not recorded or or or audio. No. So why are we having the issue about mics and worrying about whether or not they're recorded? Because we want because there's a there's a desire for us to provide more transparency for our community members to like

246this is this is their school. It's their money. It was a procedural thing. So when we we had um a working session and then we had a regular meeting and then we had a board development session that was really just like our staff development as a board. Um and the board development sessions were not recorded because it was just kind of us hashing out like what are our procedures like what do we want to work on? Um and then we were going through like certain MSBA trainings and things like that. So, um, that's why those sessions weren't recorded. But then it goes back again to the procedures that we want to do as a board and how we want to handle those things. And those are the things that we haven't even talked about yet.

247All right. If everyone's okay tableling this. Yeah. Well, I think what's great is that as a board, we get to decide how we want to operate. So, there is no standard. There is no SOP. There is no well there's probably some best practices that MSBA will recommend but at the end of the day you get to decide how do you want to operate then document it and then the next board when they come over come on board they can review it make changes and then go. So all right let's move on. We can uh yeah pick this up in a couple weeks too but any board member reports? I'd be fine if there are none. Kim I have one. Um, so 917 had our meeting over spring break. Um, some of the things that we

248talked about at the meeting, um, were like the lead teacher model that they have and how that provides pathways for growth as leaders within their district. So, they're kind of training their own um, to move on to those next leadership positions. U, we talked about the calendar. We talked a lot about compensatory funding and the impact of that within districts. Um, I shared with Superintendent Bowman, um, district South St. Paul is sending out like postcards to constituents that talk about compensatory funding and how it's been impactful within the district. I think all of that's just information that you can share with the public so that they're knowledgeable about those and they're helping us advocate for uh those things within our district. Um one of the things we also talked about was just the uh decline

249in enrollment in some in certain programs, how to do that. Um social curriculum, we talked about character strong and everyday speech. Those are some things that that district is using just to kind of keep you updated on what's going on there. Um, and just as a um, parent, I just want to thank the special education department for their presentation tonight. That was amazing. Um, I thought it was very thorough. I thought it was um, well done. And um as a parent that's had a child that went through birth to two services all the way to age 21 and he's graduating this year from the TESSA program, like I owe everything to what this district did for my child and his success within that special education program. So thank you to all the staff and teachers

250um that do that every day. It's just I know it's hard and it it really takes like a community. So, um I just really appreciated that um that report and just wanted to offer my thanks and gratitude for uh what you guys do every day. Anyone else? We'll move on to the superintendent report. Okay, superintendent report. So, I do want to uh acknowledge that uh we are celebrating our our LEAF and um our LEAF staff and I'll I'll do you one better. Um, I did I did put a video together uh through our communications department and I want to share that. I know that maybe our LEAF staff's not watching right now, but um you are and I want to make sure that they are acknowledged and I I'll just say this from the heart.

251Uh from the time I came to this district um and I was doing a different job and a different role, uh I got schooled real quick by our LEAF staff. And what I learned right away is they are the backbone of our institution here in Lakeville area schools. Um, every office I go into, I learn so much from our LEAF staff. Uh, I talk to them, they talk to me, they make sure I know what they're thinking. Uh, and I am so appreciative of every one of them. uh all the years I've been around uh Lakeville area schools, they're they're very special people. They do wonderful things for us and it's not just not just in the office. It's just all our LEAF staff are magnificent and I'm very grateful. So I I think I

252captured that in the video. I don't I didn't get to see the final cut of the video, but um we're going to see it now al together. Thank you. some volume. This week we are introducing and appreciating all our staff and nurses, librarians, and anybody who works in the office. When somebody's hurt, we go to the nurse's office, then we get like a ice pack or something. I still appreciate what she has to help. Words cannot express the impact that our LEAF staff have on our students and our staff is greater good in Lakeville area schools. They are amazing. Uh regardless of the role that they are in, uh they definitely help out our classroom teachers and students so much by being that force on the ground. They help me do my homework and my

253math problems and help me with dual ringer. I appreciate our special education pair professionals every single day. They come to work and do uh jobs that are behind the scenes that a lot of people don't even know they're doing, but they are the backbone of the services that we deliver for our special education students across the district. About the nurse, she always helps me with when I'm sick and when I have to do stuff with my diabetes. I'm grateful dad like people who are helping us from teachers and staff members who is like helping us like get through school and learning our education and get jobs in our lives and our futures. Our LEAF staff are really our heartbeat of our schools. We wouldn't be able to do half the things we do without them.

254So everything from kind welcomes in the office to compassionate care in the nurs's office to our uh LEAF staff that are in our classrooms every day helping to make sure our kids are successful. We are just beyond grateful to have them in our buildings every each and every day. Like uh helps like for anything and takes me like everywhere and to the nurse if I need to go. I was very excited when I was asked to offer my appreciation to our LEAF staff. I from the heart want to tell you that learning about Lakeville area schools was taught to me by LEAF staff. You are working so hard with so many parts of our district. You're the backbone of Lakeville area schools and I am so grateful and so appreciative of the mentoring that you

255have given me over the years that I've been in Lakeville area schools and thank you all for everything that you do. Happy Leaf Staff Appreciation Week. Happy Leaf Staff Appreciation Week. [Music] [Applause] That concludes my report. Uh, Mr. Chair, have you forgotten about the video earlier? No. All right. Uh, I move to adjourn. Is there a second? Second. All right. Second. Uh, all in favor say I. All right, we're done.