001Morning everyone. >> Good morning. Good morning. >> Let's see. Call the million dollar order quum call. Uh Mr. Nimik, are you present? Miss Pearson is >> Mrs. U >> Mrs. Pearson is uh absent today uh on uh personal business. Uh Miss Thompson, are you present? >> Rose Thompson present. Uh >> Mr. Balon. >> Julius Brown present. Uh >> Mr. Neick, are you on yet? Mr. N is not um on yet, Mr. Clemens. I am uh communicating with him right now. >> Well, we have a quorum. We we start the meeting. We have a quorum. Meeting is uh officially an uh official meeting. Uh we have any public comments? >> No public comments, sir. First item is review and approval of the minutes. Uh the meeting of March 28th, 2025 we have any uh questions or
002discussion about that? We have a uh motion that we approve these minutes as presented. >> Yes. Uh I move that the the minutes for the meetings held on March 28, 2025 be approved as written. >> Have a second. >> I think I was absent for that meeting. >> I'll second the uh second motion. Uh vote. Uh Miss Thompson >> abstain if it's not present. >> Mr. Bon, >> yes. >> Uh Robert Clemens, yes. Motion carries. The meetings are minutes are approved as presented. Next item, proposal to adopt a rule of order to utilize the consent agenda process for the remaining 2425 school year board meetings. Uh Dr. Anderson, you have any comment about this? >> Uh well, good morning uh board. We um as you see, we have some items on the consent agenda and
003it's been the desire of the board president and myself and uh some of the other board members to adopt a consent agenda in in meetings where where items are appropriate to help u expedite uh the meetings. Um, and once Jennifer looked into this, um, it was noted that the board has to, uh, adopt a rule of order in order to use a consent agenda each school year. Uh, does not mean we are obligated to use it each year, but it gives us the option and the flexibility to use uh, the consent agenda when when the board president and myself feel that it's appropriate. Um, and so this we're asking the board to adopt the rule of order to utilize a consent agenda for the rest of the school year. Um, it will become the custom
004for us to adopt it at our annual June meetings going forward for the following year. So in June, we'll bring this back and ask the board to adopt the rule of order for consent agendas for the 2526 school year. Um, are there any questions about that? >> No questions. >> I don't have a question. Just Yeah, I do have a question. I I understand that you tried this uh one time in the past when I wasn't on the board. Did you have this uh proposal to adopt a rule, this consent and place then or is this something new or different or >> Well, do you really know? Uh I don't believe we uh adopted it at that time. I believe that we Dr. Puta and I just tried to we we didn't know the de
005the details of it. And so Jennifer did a little bit more investigating and um and found out that that the rule of order has to be adopted by the board before we can use a consent agenda. And as you can see today, we have several modules that Mr. Clemens and I discussed and we felt that they would be appropriate for the consent agenda. >> Okay. So, we need today to uh act on this proposal to adopt this rule. >> Yes, for the 2425 school year. And then in June, we'll bring it back for the 2526 school year to vote on it. >> Okay. I would move that we adopt the rule of order to utilize a consent agenda for the 20 remaining part of the 2425 school year. >> Rose Thompson. I second. >> We
006have motion in a second. Uh, vote. Miss Thompson, >> yes. >> Uh, Mr. Bound, >> yes. >> Uh, Bob Clemens, yes. Motion carries. >> So, this is the first time I've done this. Now, we have the consent agenda. So, I would move that we approve the consent agenda. >> Well, the first thing, Mr. Mr. Clemens is we have to ask the board is there anyone that would like to remove any items from the consent agenda. >> Okay. Thank you. Anything on this consent agenda A, B, C, D, E, F that anyone like to look at a little bit closer? >> No. >> I have looked at all of them and they've been properly vetted most of this stuff and I say I agree to going forward with all of them on the consent agenda. Any
007other comment? >> No other comments. >> I believe that uh there one reason with all these uh board policy modules that at least two of us >> participate in these uh review of these and we have to kind of trust each other on this. uh otherwise we we spent hours and hours reviewing these policies and uh >> Mr. Clemens. Also, I'm sorry to interrupt, but um once after the policy committee has uh finalized um their um um thoughts on the modules that we present at the policy meetings, those are also shared with uh the rest of the board for the review, >> right? >> Yes, they are. I uh I go through them and look for the red ink and uh >> Yes. >> Okay. And then now do we or I move that we
008uh approve the consent agenda. Is that appropriate? Uh >> yes. >> Bottom sir. Um if there's no objections >> at the bottom of the 23, Mr. Clemens, >> I'm sorry motion. >> Rose Thompson. If there are no objections, uh I move that we that there be no objections and that we continue. these items be adopted for the consent agenda to move forward. >> I second. >> Have a motion to second we approve the consent agenda. U Miss Thompson. >> Rose Thompson. Yes. >> Mr. Bon. >> Yes. >> Bob Clemens. Yes. Motion carries. Information items. Mrs. Armenita. Uh, Armeneras, are you with us this morning? >> Yes, sir. I'm here. >> You're you're on board. >> Okay. Um, I think Jennifer has the presentation. Oh, there it is. So, hi everyone. Um, things are going really
009well with the foundation. and we're beginning to establish partnerships in all the different communities that RMA is in. We recently held a check presentation from Atmas Energy. Uh our campaign we're calling Partners in Education. They donated $7,500 to kick off the foundation. Uh we had a community um invitation sent out. We did have um a commissioner come by and everything, so that was really great. We got um press really great press coverage and everybody was just had a really amazing time. I think this is wonderful because when we can get one donor now any grant applications or other donors are going to be more willing to see that people believe in us and want to invest in what we're doing. So, it was a great kickoff and I we have the video um that goes
010along with the with this presentation. Is that next, Jennifer? >> Yes, it it is. I'm sorry. It is. If you're ready for u me to play it. >> Sure. Yeah, we can play it. >> Okay. And then uh can everybody see the video on the screen? I can. >> Okay, perfect. And then you should be able to hear audio. Let me know if you don't hear it. [Music] >> We can't hear it. Jennifer, >> the hear audio. >> It was not clear, but it was I heard something. >> Okay, let me start it over. Let me turn up the volume. And can you blow the screen up for us? >> Yes. Jennifer, there's still no volume. H, >> there's still no volume. >> Were you able to hear it there? >> Yes, it was. It
011was >> Let me start it. Okay. No, we still can't hear. >> The visual is enough for me. Very good. So proud to see that. >> Okay, I can I'll send this out to everybody. Um I we tested the video earlier and it was working. Liz, did you have any issues with the audio earlier? No, I could hear it. >> Well, no worries. Again, it was a really, really great press clip. I thought they really captured the essence of what the school district is doing, what the love campus is doing, what the foundation is doing. Um and again this is just really great um on the whole because it's it it's going to show other donor know what we're doing and what we why they need it. The other thing is I felt that teachers
012and staff were really excited. They're really welcoming and excited about the plans and the goals that the foundation has um to get, you know, to get more resources to students and themselves. And the principal was a delight. Can't say enough about that. So, we can go back to um the presentation. Oh, I'm sorry. We also had the TPSCA um person there. Um so that that was really great. Other our other partners and again we did Tara from the TPCSA advoc advocacy. She's out there in West Texas as well. So that was really great to have our other partners out there and um supporting us in the work that we're doing. So that was awesome. Okay. Next. Okay. So, then we also had an event here in Corpus for the foundation working with the Corpus Christie
013team as well. Um, we had a reverse teleathon and on the very far left um that's actually a student of y'all's. He's an alumni. He's um uh one of the business owners at Smoothie King. So he came in and so we invited people whether they're alumni, students, parents, community leaders, community members to come in and make calls and really to help um not only spread the message about the work of RMA and the foundation, so um you know how we can help these kids get to graduation and the little bit of support that is needed. So thank you to everybody that did participate. I know everyone's in different cities and same thing our members also participated malls where we hold the event and they al gave us a screen um dur in the food court
014that um they could scan and donate the same day that the event was going on. And we will be actually doing a check presentation with a similar style inviting in the press, the community, families um to present the full total of the reverse teleathon which we raised over $8,000 for the foundation. >> And let me, if I may, Miss Armadores, give a shout out um to several people. It was a huge success. I I got a call from Miss Pearson asking me to donate and uh so they were really working hard and I would like to add thank uh Adriana because they exceeded their goal. Uh you all's goal was what was it? Uh 5,000 or 7,000. >> It was 5,000. >> Yeah. And they hit close to what 8 thou over 8,000. >> Over
0158,000. Yes. >> And so uh I I want to recognize Mr. Q. um he he was responsible for raising the first thousand dollars uh for the teleathon. Uh so he gathered up enough donors for the first $1,000 and then uh Joshua Frederick who was a candidate that ran for mayor of Corpus Christie um and he got his donors um to contribute and they contributed the largest amount uh uh his donors were responsible for a chunk of that 8,000. Um, so our hats off to to those two. And then also I appreciate I know Mr. Clemens uh gave uh very generously. Um and then I know several of our um I I know the executive staff gave some I Mr. Tanton uh Dr. Given um and so we we certainly appreciate that and I know that
016uh uh Mr. Bayon um donated and so uh again I don't know everybody but I do those are the names that stood out in the list uh that was shared with me and so I I certainly appreciate uh your support uh in this effort and anyone else on this meeting that uh contributed I certainly do appreciate your support and uh again my my hats off to Miss Armen Darez it it was a a very uh successful uh teleathon and so thank you all. >> Thank you sir. There's a few other pictures. Jennifer, you can go to the next one and I'll talk a little bit more about it. Um, that is I feel like that's a very impressive number and quite honestly there was not, you know, it wasn't like hundreds of people that helped
017us, right? It was just a couple of people like less than 30 people raised $8,000. So, it's like imagine can do when we can create even more partners in the community um and things like that. Um, so every little bit helps and we let everybody know that. Just starting the day off with almost $1,000 was amazing. So just and working with the corpus team was amazing as well. So you can see that you we actually have like old style telephones that you could plug into your cell phone to make the calls. Um, so it was a lot of like people have fun. They only donate their time for an hour and then um some people stayed a little longer cuz they wanted to help us out. Um, and then we can go next. >> So,
018you can kind of see the setup of the community room. This was all free of charge. >> If I may, one other thing in case anybody doesn't know Mr. Q, he's the principal of of Corpus Christi. So, that's why we gave him a shout. Mr. Q is is is the principal at Thank you. >> Yes. Um so we did we did try to engage like I said um lots of different people including we want to tap into our own students um our own parents alumni and of course community leaders um anybody that I mean anybody that cares about students uh next and so we will be pres uh we will pre be presenting this to Josh that had he he ran for mayor and we want to talk to him some more and and recognize
019him. We gave him everybody got prizes, the top caller of the hour. We had really amazing prizes. So great great great connections here within the community. Um and then we sent him to the rodeo and sent him to some other festivals with some high-end tickets and some goodies. And so we'll be presenting this to him at the press press community uh uh check presentation coming up soon. We haven't set a date yet, so we'll get that information out if anybody's available. We'd love to have you next. And so, um, I have been hard at work writing some different grants. So, this was, um, this was the Dollar General, um, youth youth, there you go, youth literacy application. And so, um, I had to pick a campus. I picked the Odessa campus because it had to
020be kind of like regional. And then I just used the TAPR report just so y'all can see like all the data that's kind of requested sometimes and we geared this one towards trying to support teacher grants that we want to initiate. Um and then I do have um for the foundation one of our board members uh we just submitted together. She's been she's stepped up and wants to help write grants. So we're doing those together. Um, we sent one to Reliant Energy and we've sent some others. But I just wanted to share one example of what we've been doing and how we've been working on the grant side of things in addition to establishing community partners. You can go on down. It's kind of a long one. They did ask for quite a bit of
021data. I was a little bit surprised to know, you know, just the different um um rates about all the students and the demographics that are served. And then of course we had to outline how we want to award the teacher grants and things of that nature. Um so that that was um just one example. And then some of the board members for the foundation, they held um they held some mini fundraisers this month. So we'll be getting numbers back. I think that might be like $1,000. Um, and then let's see, I want to say um Oh, yes. And then another board member, he just recently met in in Midland with um a key business to try and establish a new partnership. So, we're definitely getting things underway. Looking ahead, I really want to gear up
022on establishing more community partnerships, doing the same style of presentations. Uh we need to build the website. We did establish um a social media account so that we can you know gain more interest and more awareness about the work that we do. And in turn, you know, we really want to showcase the school district and the work that y'all are doing and the stories that are there. But, um, I'm really excited. I think we're g we're closing out a great school year. And so, that gives us the opportunity. Um, I'm going to meet with my board. I I believe that we still do have time to at least establish three scholarships for the district. We could get that out by the end of the school year and get them awarded by the time they head
023off to college, junior college, or trade school. And that's how we'd like to tier the scholarships because we want to capture everybody and support whatever path they're deciding to take. So, we'll be working on that. I think we can roll that out pretty quickly and finish off the year really, really strong. And it's all thanks to you guys and the um the goals that y'all set to have this established. And it's and it's going. Uh I'm open to questions. Any questions? >> No questions, but I'm very impressed with the the start and how we are moving right along. Thank you. >> Yeah, no questions. Uh I think it's a fantastic job. Love the work that's being done. >> No questions from me. I'm just glad you have it off the ground and got it going
024and I'm sure it'll continue to grow. >> Perfect. Um we we do have an invitation. our board member Janice Thompson. She's out there in Houston. She does um workshops that are credentialed for school boards. I know y'all have y'all's um school board um the big one coming up this summer, but she has one out there in Houston. I think it's worth taking a look. Um especially if any of the Houston board of trustees want to attend. I'll drop it in the chat and I'll send it to Jennifer. But that that's what she does. She does schoolboard governance and trainings and things like that. And again, she's a strong partner helping with the grants and and going to be a really great ally out there serving the Houston area. So, if anyone's interested in that or
025y'all want to discuss that further, I'll send that out. And then Dr. Anderson. The only other thing was um for us for the for the for the foundation boards board uh board of directors in our bylaws. We do have we would like to know if any if you all the board members want to have like hold an ameritus position with us so that any of you can attend our board meetings. Um, so I know y'all were going to maybe be discussing that today. Dr. Anderson, did I did you want me to go into that a little bit more or >> go ahead and share that uh w with with them. That would be wonderful. >> Okay, let me Sorry, I didn't I didn't share it with >> I have someone too, Adriana. I'll be talking
026with you next week that may be interested in filling some of those board seats that I think may be a good >> Yes. Perfect. That'd be awesome. Okay, let me see. Where is it? Okay. Okay. So, um it's it says exeicio members, the superintendent of schools and a representative appointed by the RMA public schools board of trustees may serve in exeicio capacities. The RMA public school board of trustees may serve Oh, that was a runon. Um, sorry. The RMA Texas Public Schools ED Education Foundation board of directors may appoint other persons as s exeicio members. So let's see it says ex official member shall not be counted for purpose of a quorum or purpose of voting. The term of such appointment shall be for such a time as a board of directors shall designate. So
027again, we just want to keep the pathways open as we keep growing and growing and really have um your voices there so we can more understand, you know, your needs so we can help fulfill them. So um the way it's written right now, we would want somebody appointed and then we only meet quarterly because the rest of the work is done by committee, right? Like the scholarship committee, the grants committee, the events committee. So that's how we operate. So, um, we would like to have y'all there. So, and and our board is still learning, right? Like, um, so my board, my board member in Midland, he was like messaging me, hey, I'm meeting with this donor. I need to know what CTE specifically are in Midland, you know, that kind of thing. So, we always
028want to be learning and see and what y'all know that that we need to know, right? Because we're still new to to the organization. So, if that's what if y'all want to be a part of that, we want to have you. And if you don't, that's okay. I know y'all have so much going on running the district itself. And of course, the superintendent is always welcome to step in um to see what we're doing and how we work together basically. So, um >> they usually attend those meetings. Adriana invites me and so they're virtual for the most part. At some point, I hope that we will have a face-toface uh opportunity. Um, but is there anyone that would like to volunteer? >> Rose Thompson, I will volunteer to attend those board meetings as an ex
029>> next official. Okay, >> thank you so much. Well, that's all I really have. Um, our contract is ending in June. Um, and then I will be working with Dr. Anderson to get down new ideas as we launch into phase two of actually step one is establishing and step two will definitely be to grow um the foundation. So we'll be getting together he and I and then we'll have something new for y'all to look at. But thank you so much and again it's been a it's been fun seeing and meeting your kiddos. I got to go into all the classrooms. It was a wonderful experience. and your teachers and staff as well. Cannot say enough great things about them. >> Thank you. We appreciate it. >> Next on the agenda, introduction potential partnership with the
030grades results. Dr. Anderson. >> Well, uh just a little background. Um come months ago, Scott uh Carpus uh reached out to me um and he was familiar with the work that RMA does. And so he had the opportunity um he wanted to explore the opportunity of a partnership. Uh Scott will talk to you this morning about great results and and the partnership. Um, and that that partnership uh deals with uh students that are on uh parole um that are uh or probation or they are incarcerated. And it would be a opportunity for for RMA to be the partner of this um um company and be able to provide educational and academic services uh to to these particular group of students. um there would be no uh cost to us um in that uh we would
031not have to pay for facilities, we would not pay for staff. Um but what would happen is that we would be the pass through uh for funds from from the education agency um and and get a percentage of of that funding. It would come to us. We would then distribute to great results. I think it's a opportunity worth uh hearing from Scott Carpass. Um and then at later time uh we as a a board and and uh we can discuss that uh you as a board can can discuss that uh opportunity. U the executive team has had an a chance to uh visit with Scott and uh Cammy Carl and Dr. Given and I and and he presented to us and we thought that it was a good idea worth bringing to the board. And
032so at this time I will uh ask that you hear uh Mr. Carpass and his presentation of great results and the uh exploration of a partnership with RMA and great results. Scott, are you on? >> Yes. >> All right. Good morning. >> And I also have in the background there uh Tony Washington Antonio who is our chief operations officer and uh he's from Birmingham, Alabama. So don't hold that against him. He's not a Texan like me, but uh but he has been with us for 10 years. Uh originally I had a master's in engineering and and got um became a tutor in a adult uh at risk program that we actually were a part of great results at that point and he continued to get his masters of education in math of all things and
033uh we quickly uh kind of grabbed him to be a part of the great results team and basically he's over all of operations and uh he has been uh with great results for a little over 10 years, I believe. So, uh, he has been here a good while in this world and he's a great asset we have. So, I just wanted to at least show his face today. Uh, he's the one that has lots of detailed questions you might ask later. Uh, but I wanted to bring some besides me on the screen today, but but we um, great results. uh just to give you a little background so you know the background that it kind of started in 2006 2008 time frame and by uh a lady Suzanne Mcelli who lives in Texas not too
034far from me was retired from Price uh Waterhouse Cooper Waterhouse as an accountant and uh really was challenged by one of her friends to say how do we get more girls engaged in STEM and uh that project was launched in Birmingham and after being there about a year realized there's a lot more problems in that. And so that's what really became uh the initial push of great results and trying to reach at risk youth and try to get them involved in uh career expectations and eventually molded into what we are today which is kind of a behind the scenes uh managing virtual programs or managing alternative programs normally with school districts as a primary partner. Uh in Mississippi is the largest state that we're in. Uh and last year we entered a partnership. You can
035kind of go to the second slide there if you want to slide to that one. This is kind of why we are here today. Uh we uh created a partnership uh with a Charles called uh Seal I think is the name of that group and it was called LA Rebirth which uh Antonio's on those calls uh a couple times a week uh with a bunch of other people making sure things go well. And that purpose of that charter, it took us like five years to get this approval in Louisiana. Unfortunately, Louisiana doesn't care much about uh students once they get in that situation. It's unfortunate. Uh but we uh became the back end of that. So we kind of managed that school for them and some of these students are in facilities and some of
036the students are virtual. So it has a mix in Louisiana and we simply revenue share with our partner. That's really historically what we've done a lot in our alternative programs. And one of the reasons why we started exploring a need in Texas that can go to the next slide is that one of our um partners is a private uh prison facility. Uh I think the the company's called Lasal Education or Lasal something the name of it and they actually run operations in about six different states and specifically uh they have a number of facilities they manage some are temporary some some are longer but it's normally cases where uh they are basically waiting to be on try trial which unfortunately sometimes takes a year for them to even get heard a trial and a lot
037of times these students because they're overagged or they're 17 and been expelled and no one really cares. Uh they have no opportunity to really become better academically. And so that's how we have uh worked with them and they asked me and Tony about probably uh October we've been we've been chasing and trying to find somebody in this world and I know RMA uh through a few relationships of mine and and other organizations like RMA who really have the heart for at risk youth and just try to give people a new outcome and and and change the their generational outcome they have in their families. So we basically uh looking for that partner you go to that next slide you can it's simply kind of what he has said it's it's a revenue share model uh
038where we basically provide most everything uh technically you typically have a principle on your side that is has oversight and make sure we do things right and correctly. uh but the what has developed in great results over really the last 10 or 12 years if you slip to that next slide down where it's a complete ecosystem where it's not just an LMS but it's a highly adaptive and customized LMS for really this type of student this this type of environment which requires lots of differentiation of instructions and over time you need to be able to automate lots of those things so it includes uh you can bring in other courses too. So if there's a course that you wrote or some other course that you use from another vendor and maybe it's in criminal adjusters
039or something you want us to bring it in, it's able to support that content. It's aligned to TICS. It's aligned to many different states, but TICS is one of them Texas standards. If you are using an SIS like a Power School or Ascender or something like that, we actually can integrate into your SIS instance. So it's there. It's typically in this case would be our teachers that would be Texas certified and and uh Tony is actually one of many people that have Texas certifications that are staffed. Um and we support them with the hardware too. So they need the hardware uh in their in their home location. Usually the the the fac if it's a if it's a physical facility they have obviously have that internet and so sometimes that's why a prison would participate
040because they don't access to that. Uh but oftentimes when they're on remote or parole, we even give them the uh Wi-Fi card so they can do that. And once they leave that prison facility, as long as they're within their age and as long as they stay within that state, we continue to work with that student until they graduate. Even if there's no longer any more funds for that student, our impact is really to make a difference. So we often fund a lot of students that go over that limit, but we want to be able to make sure they're successful and help them graduate. So that's an essence of what we uh are doing. And so if you go down to the next slide there, I think uh this one gives you a little bit of
041kind of the part that you play. uh the gold part is RMA and the and the uh other kind of uh PEO color I would say green but it's probably not green is the part that uh the staff of gray results in their team we provide those things and on the next slide this is >> Scott could you read those gold I can't see them but >> yes no problem can you blow that yeah blow that up so basically we start with the first one we're the ones that going out and recruiting like I'm in Tennessee right now. So, we have a partner in Tennessee starting on July 1st. We have an adult virtual high school in a standard virtual school 6th to 12th grade that's launching out of a school district in um about
042an hour and a half of from Memphis, Tennessee. So, I'm actually here doing a little bit of that now is I'm recruiting uh students. Uh in our our case, we'd be going after things like Teen Challenge. >> Gold Scott just just the goal that we would be responsible for. >> Oh, the goal. So, your goal is it's basically we want to make the goal part. The goal part is yours. We want to verify that students eligible which is typically do they live in Texas? Uh do they have proof the normal stuff you get from and we'll get the documents that you want us to have to make sure that student is a lives in Texas. So that's your verifying eligibility or verifying age. That's the two things we want to make sure we do and
043we'll consult with you to make sure we have the right documents to do that. And basically we work with your team on the other goal part is setting up that integration into your SIS. So if you have an SIS so that data you can continue to see real-time data how students progressing did they attend what does that look like uh and that basically is that student eligible for funding which kind of goes back to the verifi ver verifiability and funding is based on kind of average daily membership uh on when it comes to alternative ed actually now when it comes to virtual schools next year it'll be on the same events and then we also uh can attune we can have a graduation server for them. So, some facilities allow us to have graduation service
044in actually one of our LA uh facilities. The mayor just for three credit three graduates, a mayor of a fairly sizable city is actually coming to that graduation because he's excited of the partnership. Uh so, that's pretty much it. You're verifying eligibility. We're connecting data into your SAS so that you can uh follow all the Texas rules on on what counts as a a student attending. That's a key part of that. And then also we'd love them to participate if they can participate in normal graduation services. If they're not incarcerated that time and they want to join your other graduation services, we we'd love to promote that as well and just continue to have a connect connection with RMA as as they graduate and go on. So the goal part is yours. The three the
045three gold parts. >> And then u it was up in the other slide, but you didn't really touch on it. You all pay the students as if they're going to work. Would you talk about that incentivizing the kids to participate in the high school program? >> Normally, if they are incarcerated, right, if they're incarcerated, students get some type of money in their commissary accounts. Uh it's not a lot. It's like 50 cents, a dollar a day. It's not a whole lot of money, but if they were working in the field, they get the same amount of money. And so, this is our encouragement to them to say, "Hey, listen. You need you need a high school diploma, number one, right? and this is the people we're after. Uh, don't work in the field. Let's work
046on some academics before you go work in the field or work in the kitchen. However, they're going to pay you. If they're not in a if they're not in an incarcerated situation, we actually have built a store, basically a store where students can earn points uh towards items. So, if they finish a course, they attend so many days. So, and some of those are practical because we have teenage mothers sometimes. It could be diapers. It could be a coat, a jacket, a hat, because sometimes we're reaching out to homeless populations, too, that need those things. So, it's not always something fun, but it could be something that's essential to their survival in that area. So, we have a a store if they're not incarcerated. If they are incarcerated, we basically contribute money to their commissary
047account as if they were working because as you would a parent, right? As long as you go to school, right? You can live in the house. It's great. That's all I was. this is your job. Your job is to get education. So, it's the same process of of one of the ways we try to encourage them to do work, to complete work, you know, have 100% control in a in an environment like that as you would more so in a a brick and mortar environment, but it tends to be an incentive to get students that are interested in participating and being a part of that. Good. I can go to the next slide if you like. If I'm going too fast, you got to tell me. Uh but if you go to the slide below,
048um this is kind of describes uh the best way I can describe this when you work with schools especially with really high at risk uh uh audiences is we want to make sure the student is going to be successful. So before we actually put a student on someone's role in Antonio, you can talk you can talk you can we have something called LA holding, right? This is LA rebirth holding that this student kind of is in a holding pattern making sure that they are going to be successful making sure sometimes that they are working even if we can't verify eligibility yet. So this is a place where they're technically not uh in a funding scenario but we want to make sure that they are going to be funded and then when they're in that funding
049scenario that's when money generates for all of us. What if we ever see that a student's just not have the ability to pass? I will give you an example. In uh Louisiana, student has done their best, taken the EOCC seven different times, has all the credits to graduate. In cases like that, we will transfer that student out to an out of state private school that has a different graduation standard than Louisiana does. So they still can get a high school diploma that's accredited, that's recognized. It's just not from that state in this case, but it still helps us achieve our internal goal, which is help them graduate without unnecessary things that may be preventing that student from from graduating. So this is where we protect accountability because we want to make sure that your school
050does not get dinged unnecessarily by trying to reach a population that really really needs help and really needs to be supported. That that that is the goal. That kind of little formula that we have created over time that has helped us even help schools. We work with districts. It actually helps them increase their accountability numbers in in a number of different areas. The next slide is basically uh Dr. Anderson is a good negotiator there. So this is a little bit of what we talked about. This is not normally what we would do in general. I kind of give you an idea of what other people do in general, but we are a for-profit organization, but our goal basically is uh not to lose money. We don't need to make a bunch of money. Uh our
051heart is not that. Our heart is we want to keep on reaching more kids. Uh we want to even go into areas where we're not funded. If we have funding like we have partnerships in Vietnam, Syria, Iran, different places where we're providing education to some students that need it in their environments uh with the refugee status. um the but it's basically a revenue share model that uh 40% of the funding that's funded for that student on normal means uh RMA retains and then 60% of the funding man just passroughs back to us and also we can provide some of other services we do for other schools if you want any of those things for your own schools we can have happy happy to give some of that to you uh and what I would say
052in greater mode and this is something that needs probably more discussion but uh I was trying to find a virtual partner when I was at the beginning and there was only two or three players that were allowed to do that in the state of Texas because uh maybe people that I know unfortunately that are related to me. I will not mention that name but K12 connections Pearson they basically lobbyed millions and millions and millions of dollar for this bill not to pass over for years for the last 10 years have been a moratorium among virtual schools that the big charter school groups have lobbied against making sure no one else has the ability to actually educate kids in a virtual manner whether that be part-time or whether that be a full-time or hybrid situation Texas
053really has kind of behind the law and that mainly because his groups lobbied against it heavily. Well, the SB569 passed and it takes full effect September 1st, 2025, which basically means that you can add a virtual component to any of your campus locations that does not have a boundary. So, we need to explore this a little bit, but ideally this would be our goal 100% to be able to figure out how do we reach more students throughout Texas whether and and it could be a subop like we where our heart is at. How do we go out and knock on those doors or that's some of what I do go to team challenges and talk about a program and eligibility and and where they're at in a physical setting and have a a more of
054a structure they're always going to be more successful. So that's a great height of a program where students there for a year and about 90% of those students, guess what? They don't have a high school diploma. That's partly why they're in this situation is because of that, right? They didn't pursue some of those things that that did some other things that got them in the wrong place. But if this passes, this opens a wide door for together for us to to kind of reach more students with really without stressing out the existing infrastructure that we have by bringing on a partner that can can levy some of our infrastructure systems that we have in many different states across the union here and even different countries for that that sake and the last slide maybe 613
055is there one more yeah so this is just a recap recap is we have lots of things that we have built over the time we do license a few things but 95% % of what we built, we built and own it. It's ours. No one else owns it. We continue to modify, change it, and that's really like in our first year. We sometimes will max out. We only want so many students our first year because we want to make sure everything's running smoothly and making sure that we're all on the same page and we we need if we need to adjust things and make modifications. Those are all things that we can do very fast and very quickly because we have probably as of last week programmers, developers, academic support people on our staff that
056we work with uh that is able to do these things. That's the majority where our money is spent is making sure we build the technology that's able to do this automatically and also provide extra support mechanism for that. So we basically look forward to that future with you and it could be the next slide there. uh is looking forward to finding a partner and when we really work through a partner, we want one. We want one, right? We do, especially if we can go across the boundaries and there's no boundaries as and that's what we've done. That's what I've done on Tennessee. I got a little tiny district. I've been searching for seven months uh faithfully and no one would believe what I'd say. And a great superintendent, has a great heart. She comes from
057juvenile correction actually background. Dr. Lisa Norris is it's a district of 350 students and uh we have basically an exclusive partnership to go statewide to recruit for her in two different new schools in the state. So we want one we don't want to have 10 people that do this. We want one strong partner that we can work with that shares the common vision and mission we have which is really helping all students be able to at least get that academic home and and Gerald shouts can say also getting some uh soft skills getting some credentials and IC's the things that make sense in a virtual environment anyway and I think there's one more slide I can't remember if I I show a picture or not yeah there we go so that's actually a picture when
058I came on board I semi-retired so you know I am going to Scotland in a week and a half. So I do some other things too on the fun side of life. But when I came 10 days after I came on board um when I retired from Ed Learning which is a company I founded which Gerald knows about uh is this is a picture our founder sent me. This is in the Chalkaw Nation. This is a a mother and son graduating at the same time May 21st of last year. Now this is how we make generational change and impact. How do we reach the parent and how do you reach also the child? And that's what we're about. I'm done. So, I probably took longer than I should have. Sorry. >> No, you're fine. Thank
059you, Scott. Questions for Mr. Carpass from the board? >> Dr. If we were to seriously consider this, we might need to uh rethink the eligibility area that we are I think agenda item today is to expand our service area by a little bit, but we had an option to be statewide. I I think we need to discuss this more, but it seemed to me that if we were going to be the single service provider, we would have to be >> Yeah. have statewide ability to to do that. >> At the time we proposed it, Senate Bill 569 was not uh passed. >> Did not pass. >> It it just it just passed. And so Dr. Given has reached out to Frederick at the agency to get more in-depth uh information on that. So at this
060time, uh what Scott and I have talked about is tying it to one campus in a in a county um which we're looking at either Houston or Fort Worth. Um, so once we get a little bit more clarity on F9, that may be something that we need to reconsider. >> Does that make sense, Mr. CL? >> Yes. Yes. >> And and two, just seeing how the partnership works because I think we're dating one another, so to speak, uh, to make sure that this >> works and brings students and and it's a partnership that is tangible and and successful. >> I see I see the vision and I see it's something that we should really look into um because of the the clientele and the geographic boundaries that we've talked about. So I really think it's
061I see a vision that we could probably pursue. >> SB569 opens the doors in a lot of different ways that districts were their their hands were tied. they really were, you know, people did not want certain people to have choice and uh that that was the case. Unfortunately, a lot of times when bills are lobbyed, it's always for one person and not for everybody. And so that bill in general with with me and there a lot more people probably going to come to the state for certain. Uh but I think it's definitely a place that we can find a partnership together, even have a provisional contract that's a year and say, "Hey, let's check this out. I I'm okay with doing that. I'm okay with saying, "Hey, let's test the waters. See what we can
062do. I know we have a great support structure. We have a great staff that that helps students uh and it helps parents and and all the stakeholders." So as you discuss this more um I appreciate you all taking the time and thank you for serving as a board members as well to a a great school who has for years has had great impact on thousands of students graduating and as you can see that example of the the the business owner but a great story to begin with right here's one of your graduates giving back to his community and to his organization that helped him along the way but I appreciate your time and as you have more questions uh Antonio or myself be happy to answer those and thanks for everybody for participating today. Thank
063you. >> I just want to ask Scott if Antonio had anything he'd like to share or say before we >> Oh yeah. >> Yeah, absolutely. One quick thing. Um before I was with Grave Results, I served in a district and we used great results as our curriculum provider. We also use them for our teacher support. A lot of us were pair professionals. And when I started, my goal was just to tutor for a couple of months or four a year. Um, prior to that, I was a website developer. So, it's going to be short term. And what happened um I saw the impact that we can make in those kids that were falling through the cracks. But as a um engineer, we had a problem that we just could not solve internally. And that problem
064was students number one motivation. um we told them the value of a high school diploma, but that didn't quite get it. Great results came in and they did gamification for us. And so students were rewarded for doing things that they had to do anyway. And so I went to grade results and say um what can we do? They set up gamification and not only did they set up a gamification where student get the points, they provided the rewards. Um so first place every nine weeks was 300. Second place was 200, third place was 100. And so we did that for every quarter during the school year. And as you can imagine, that did increase performance by the students. And then at the end of the year, um, I just asked her, I said, well, she
065said, "What do you want to do for the end of the year?" I asked her and I said, "Well, just made a comment, all kids like iPhones." Not thinking she would provide an iPhone, but she did. And so she really helped the students motivate them. We got great results. And the only other piece that we couldn't resolve is like Scott said in a lot of states was those state tests. We tell kids, if you do the work, you put in the effort, you'll get the results. But a lot of kids were doing that, but they still could not pass the state test. And we couldn't do anything. We tutored a couple of times student take test, they don't pass, and they give up grade results. Now, I didn't know this at the time. They used
066their partnerships with other schools and those kids were moved to those private schools where they earned a high school diploma. And of course, with anything like that, the first thing we ask is what's the cost? Zero dollars. And so they provided gamification, they provided the funding for those rewards and they helped us graduate those kids that we could not graduate internally. And so I just want to add that from the user side of it. And then on the great results side of it, I just seeing us do that more and more for different states and different districts. >> Thank you guys. I uh appreciate your presentation today. >> And Mr. >> Thank you so much, Mr. >> If I could and Mr. M. Scott, this would uh commence next school year, correct? If the board
067decides once we have an opportunity to >> that would be our goal whether it's SB569 related or whether it's um everything we convince Yeah. August, September, that time frame. Yes. Next school year. So to the board, we'll have this on our annual board meeting agenda uh to discuss. >> I want just one question. Did I hear you say that you're looking for one partner for the whole state of Texas? >> That would be ideally because ideally that's what I tried to get in the very beginning because a lot of times some of the situations like with Harris County, Dr. Anderson, so you know that is that um most of those students are not housed in Texas. They're they actually are housed in Louisiana. They're still Texas residents, but they take all the overflow um students
068are are take all the overflow um inmates that have not yet been convicted and they have not yet gone to trial. And unfortunately, sometimes this is a year before they go to trial at all. And they house them uh they're still Texas residents, but they house them in a Louisiana prison. Um, and that's where a lot of the younger ones are are at. That's what I did learn. Now, there are other there other populations are elsewhere, but that's where the larger uh population is. Specifically, when Louisiana when you turn 17, you're done and they don't care about you anymore. They don't have to educate you. They don't have to fund you. Especially if you're already in a car situation where there's very little hope um you know, in those situations, the state doesn't support any
069of that. So, if we had a virtual component, uh that still because they're still residents of Texas and they because they're the crimes were committed in the state and they're they're they're county level um felonies. They're not statewide felony that this it's related to a county specifically. So they house many of the the overflow that Harris County cannot house and that's where those students that originally I did not know they were located but they do have other locations and I'm just trying to verify if there's one that meets with 25 miles. So if we can remove the boundary of 25 miles that opens a bigger door even if it takes us a little while to solidify partnership and making sure we're doing everything correctly. I believe that's the best foot forward. Like when we originally
070met Dr. Anderson that didn't exist, right? They still were debating it in the House and two years ago it got killed. It got cancelled. Uh this time it did pass, which fortunately gives all really public schools and public charter schools ability to really reach more students and be a little more competitive in the landscape. But yes, so we are looking for one partner, not 10 partners, 20 partners, etc. We look for one solid partnership. We can build together, grow together, and always at the end of the day, making sure we're doing the right thing for the student. That's the heart of who we are. That's the heart of who I am. Uh, and I I think that's what moves all of us at this table in your board, Tony. That's what moves Tony every day.
071How to make a difference, how to continue to make a difference. We all act with that same spirit. So, we are looking for one partner. It can be a one-year agreement to say, "Let's test this thing out. Let's try this thing out. Are you real?" A lot of times people don't believe you're real until you start dealing with them. And I understand that. So, but yes. So, we are looking kind of one partner. I'm not looking for 10 partners to be able to do this. >> And I have one other question. What is your student participate? I mean, population at this particular time. uh most of our population um like we did a dual credit p uh pilot project in mostly Mississippi last year with a a HBC called Tougaloo right and that population I
072think we first semester was 554 students that participate in dual credit and that was 87% minority and about the same as far as economically disadvantaged I would say majority of the students and I can show you some case studies on that I did a case study on that on that. But the majority of the population we serve uh tends to probably be 80 to 90% economically disadvantaged and at least 65% uh minority population. That's typically who we serve because we are uh in Mississippi, you can know the the demographics of Mississippi and Louisiana in general. Uh so it just would naturally follow that that that would kind of be the stat the stats. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. of other questions. I'm very interested uh as from a board member stance. I think it's
073something that we could really look at closely. >> Thank you. >> I appreciate it. >> If none else, uh Tony and I are going to exit. I appreciate you opening the board meeting uh spending some extra minutes with me. And again, thanks to all of you for service. If you have any questions more, please send those to Dr. Anderson or Miss Ortiz. Be happy to answer those questions. Thank you so much. >> Have a good day. Thank you, >> Dr. Hson. I think you're next up. >> Bye, >> sir. Well, um, lots of things as you heard uh, good morning, Mr. Neck. See that you >> Good. Good morning. >> Good. Uh, lots of things as you heard Scott uh, talk about Senate Bill 569. I was on a meeting yesterday that came up. So,
074lots going on legislative uh in the legislature. I'll be talking about those here shortly. Um uh just to recap as I normally do with the enrollment and attendance and and all of that. Um uh enrollment right now as of yesterday uh was at uh 1449. Um but as of uh as of 55 when I put my report together it was 1453 with 134 students. uh pending parent completion of their application. One student uh Jim has been working very uh diligently Jim Pollock uh to get the registars and keeping them uh keeping them up breast of kids sitting in the SOS and so as you can see at that time it was one uh pending the registar accepting the application and three pending the counselor uh getting them a a date. um again pre-enrolled uh students
075that we're just waiting to walk through the door. The registars have been doing a diligent job of calling those students trying to get them in at 22. Um if we could get those 134 uh to complete the application and the parent again registars are calling we're you know emailing them trying to get those in we'd be around 1613 kids. Um, as you can see, we're well short uh by 600 of our goal uh which was 2016 students. Um, and so our ADA uh dropped by 04. We were at the last board meeting 75.9% and we are currently at 75.5% uh average daily attendance. Um, and again uh student retention um is at 57. Uh we last board meeting we were at 60% retention. Um and so that's that's kind of where we are. Um the
076enrollment uh did drop by about 20 kids from uh March. However, compared to last year, we are uh two kids higher than where we were uh this time uh last school year. Um Tammy will be giving an update on the district's financials. Uh could you scroll down some more Jennifer please? There you go. Thank you. As you can see uh as of May 5th uh on average we have about 16 vacancies throughout the district at any given time. Currently there are 20. However, 18 of those positions are due to a hiring freeze. So uh technically um excuse me uh only two positions are vacant uh because we have uh put in a hiring freeze. Um, and currently we're at 139 full-time staff, 21 temporary staff. And as you can see, uh, by campus, um, and
077by central office there, there are the vacancies. Four campuses at 100% uh, uh, none are at 90%, which is down from one. We have two at 80% and then four at 70%. Um so um of of vacancies which again the hiring freeze plays a big role in in in those. So technically out of all of those only two positions are available questions. Okay. Jennifer, would you move on down? As you can see there, I think the district is still doing very well with certified teachers. Um there was a report that the commissioner shared uh some a couple of months ago. Um and that that report from the commissioner's um data uh stated that schools that had uh that uncertified teachers their their student performance was much lower than that of certified teachers. So the the
078commissioner had all of this data talking about that. He also looked at alternative certification programs, ESC certification programs and university certification programs. And what he found was that the alternative uh certification teacher programs produced the lowest hanging fruit, if you will. They they were uh their student performance was the lowest. Uh actually region uh the the service centers there's a net flying around. Excuse me. uh service center um had the highest uh performance for their their teachers that went through the ed the ESC certification program actually had the highest performance even higher than that of the university. So I say all of this to say that we're we're in a pretty decent position to have more than half of our staff uh certified. Uh you know 56% almost 60% of our staff is certified u
079and 44% non-certified. And so, uh, that's that's that's pretty impressive, uh, in a in a state where the number of non-certified teachers is is growing tremendously. So, any questions then Jennifer, if you'd move on. All right. I want to talk about the um additional updates again. Many of you of you all are have asked about well with the department of ed going away are there any ramifications? Uh the only thing that I'm aware of at this time is that on a call um it was suggested by TPCSA that we plan on 85% of federal funding. Um that's that's what she's saying in the next budget is to reduce our federal funding by about 15%. That's what what the recommendation is is to plan on 85% of federal funding. So meaning that there may very well
080be some cuts um you know perking Perkins and some other things uh that may be affected by this shift. Now that's not set in stone but just for planning purposes that is what um TPCSA is recommending. Um and so that's really all that we know other than that on March 20th um you know Linda McMahon was uh uh ordered to take necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the department of education. So, as far as any other major cuts, uh we we don't know. We do know that uh we had to sign a certification stating that we do not have DEI practices in the district. Uh because if you do, then you you would lose federal funding uh completely. So, we did submit that certification um and we have to make sure that we uh
081live up to that. Uh any questions about that? Okay. Then the next thing is Senate Bill 2. Um basically um as you all are aware u uh scroll down, Jennifer, please. Okay, thank you. Uh Senate Bill 2, you can scroll back up. Thank you. Um Senate Bill Two, as you know, we're still uh the education savings account uh bill. It did pass um and as you uh may it will start in 2627 school year and basically uh what uh it will be worth 85% of the per student funding that public schools receive from the state in local tax revenues. Uh so basically that equals to about uh 10,000 uh $330. Um and in 2027 it would rise to roughly $10,900 by 2023. Um and then uh according to the state and then children with disabilities
082would be eligible up to $30,000 under the educational savings account. Okay. And while homeschool families would only get about $2,000. Um so they would not be able to get the 10,000, they wouldn't be able to get the 30,000 for special needs. So um and then uh uh you know and if demand for the program exceeds available funds, the money will be handed out via lottery with lowincome families and students with disabilities getting the priority. So that's how they would handle that. Any questions about Senate Bill 2? You do know that was passed and signed by the governor. So the educational savings account is law of the land. Then Senate Bill 1750 um that bill uh would increase facility funding uh for charter schools. Uh basically uh it it it establishes charter holders are entitled to
083an annual aotment per uh student based on calculations of the state average. The bill also expands the permissible use of funds received um to include uh not only leasing and maintaining instructional facilities but also financing school buses, technology equipment, school safety improvements, and performing arts or athletic facilities. Um the bill passed the Senate as in and is currently in the House. I will share with you that the Senate version uh allotted 250 million $55 million increase. Um now currently it was six now that's for the by by uh biennial um so 255 over 2 years but in the past it was 120 so it was 60 million a year um and so one of the things TPCSA is waiting to hear is is it on top of the the 120 or is it just 255
084total because right now it's at 120. Um and so to see if that increase um takes place uh we we'll see if the house what the house passes um if they you know modify the senate version you know they'll have to come together but it's looking like uh we will be getting uh facility funding uh which which is a um a good thing. Um, House Bill 1481, that's one that everybody's watching. Basically, uh, banning cell phones uh, in the school uh, during the regular school day. It has enough support uh, and the bill has passed the House and is currently waiting for the Senate to vote um, on that. So, it's sitting in the Senate and I do believe it'll come up for a vote. Of course, logistically RMA, we're in a good spot because
085we already take up the kids cell phones when they come to school. So, it wouldn't really alter the way we uh do business uh because we we've already got that practice of not allowing the students to have their cell phones in class. Um and then House Bill two uh which is uh the funding calculations uh which ensures uh it guarantees a level of state and local funds per student. Um and basically uh in the in the uh total allotments um the house version uh aims to increase the basic per uh student funding a lotment from 6100 uh $60 to $6,555. Uh so you're looking at a little under $400 uh per kid. But it also provides raises for teachers. And one of the things that um it provides the raises for teachers um is that
086excuse me um it will uh basically um if you the proposal is 3 to four years of experience because they're going to do it based on enrollment of 5,000 students or less and enrollment of 5,0001 students or more. So districts that have more, we would fall under the enrollment of 5,000 or less. 3 to four year teaching experience would it would result in a $5,000 pay increase. Um and then also uh if you had five plus years of experience, it would be $10,000 uh a teacher increase. Um and so this would be funded uh by the state. Uh it says $55 basic aotment increase with much larger portion to direct teacher raises. So they would build this into the student aotment to sustain those pay uh those uh pay increases. Any questions? Again, remember that
087the the the the uh House bill was was $9 billion. So we're just waiting for it all to be reconciled. And then House Bill 4, uh, which some of you all may have heard the, um, superintendent of Dallas ISD speak out on, um, Alzando, I believe. Uh, House Bill 4 would replace the STAR test, uh, with three shorter exams, these norm reference exams such as the MAPS or the ACT, a SAT. Uh, there may be others, but uh, and these tests would be administered throughout the school year. Um, lawmakers said that this would help educators and parents track student performance over time and alleviate pressure to quote unquote teach to the test. And the new test would be norm reference, meaning a student's performance would be compared to that of their peers rather than being
088based only on the mastery of certain skills or information. Um, and it would basically uh uh direct TEA to adopt existing third-party tests uh that meet specific criteras rather than developing its own exam like the STAR. Um, and so um that's that's that's where we are on that. Um, also there's some legislation that would prohibit TEA. They would have to put out, you know, the standards and all of this stuff um or two years in advance and and all of these things. So, um, and then the last thing, there was an article that Dr. C shared, and I put the link in there. Uh, you can go back up to the link real, um, that Dr. C shared with us. Um, and it was just talking about the teacher turnover trend, a state level view
089of Texas. And I thought it was interesting, and I put that link in there, so in your board book, you can actually click on that link. It should be a live link. Is that right, Jennifer? >> Yes, that is correct. So, if you would like to read that at your own leisure, but it was just saying that about 25% of public school teachers in Texas left their school or their teaching role between October 22 and 2023. Um, and so that's why a lot of districts are starting to create uh certification programs uh inhouse and things of that nature. So, I thought that that was interesting to read. Questions? Okay. You scroll down, Jennifer. I have some documents there, I believe. Yes. All right. That's what I shared with you about the um teacher uh pay
090raises and things of that nature. Anything else there, Jennifer, that I have attached. That was the one page. Okay. And that's the data for enrollment. Anything else? I think that's it. questions for me board. >> Any questions? >> The question just a comment what I uh >> what I hear from the sources that I tap into is that teachers are going to get a really good pay raise which is needed. >> Mhm. >> But that pay raise for the other 40% of the staff are not going to be factored in. superintendents, principles, bus drivers, custodians, counselors, and uh that the basic a lotment at least the one coming out of the city is going to be almost non-existence what $5 a student or something and which means that we don't get any operating money. >>
091But what now, Mr. Clemens you said >> which means we don't get any any significant increase in operating money to pay for insurance to pay for the light bill. >> Oh through the funding bill. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> So that's I saw a video before I came down this morning from one of the uh local superintendents who uh is in a a rich district, but he said all districts are going to get are going to get hit under the Senate version because there won't be any money to pay all the all our bills. Well, our staff will be better paid, but they might not be able to uh heat or cool the schools or pay for the insurance. So, pay the bus drivers to get the kids to school. So, anyway, it's uh always
092something to worry about. And always before I have my whole life worried about teacher pay raise and always felt like if teachers got a raise that it would float the boat and everybody would float higher. But it appears this time the uh focus is on buying votes with teacher pay raise >> from our my local the local people that I I listen to. >> Do you have anything else on your report? >> Um I did want to make mention you all heard Scott talk about Senate Bill 569 that was just passed and um Dr. Dr. Given has I've asked her to reach out to uh James Wood at doc at Joe Hoffer's office uh to make sure that we have a good understanding of it. He had mentioned that there are some benefits to dropout
093credit recovery schools with this being passed and as Scott says it kind of takes things off. So in June I'll have more for you all and we can discuss it in greater depth. Uh Dr. given and I will explain to the board what this means and then we may revisit the boundary thing if if if we feel that it's want to uh be and we'll also have this thing with Scott all nailed down so we'll make it all come together >> you're muted Miss Thompson if you're speaking >> no comments >> any other questions for me Mr. Bayon Mr. dynamic. >> No comment. >> And that concludes my report. Mr. Clemens, >> next item on the agenda, financials. Uh Tammy, >> good morning. >> Um my presentation starts on page 623. Uh I've summarized some
094of the March um financial information on this page. Um but looking forward to the first chart um is our enrollment data. And for the month of March, uh we had 1,483 students. Um this chart shows the enrollment data by month for the past 3 years for comparative purposes. Um and on the following page, uh this is our ADA for the month of March. Uh we are at 75% attendance for March, which is slightly less than the same time last year. Um our budget was set for 79% ADA, so we're about 4% under that target. The following chart is our foundation school payment revenue uh that we receive versus the amount that we budget. So we budgeted 15.4 million for this year and currently with the enrollment that we have uh we are recording revenue of
09513.84 million uh for foundation school payment. And on the following page is our days cash on hand. to arrive at this number. The equation is that we break down our annual expenses into a daily amount and then we divide that by that number by the cash balance in the bank at the end of the month. And as you can see from this chart, uh we have 96 days cash on hand for March. Um if operations were deceased today, we could continue to pay our current expenditures for 96 days. Um if you're looking at this chart comparing it to previous years um we've used a lot of our cash balance to fund uh the portion um for the construction at Midland. We used it for Houston and then also um Amarillo and Fort Worth those projects.
096And on the next page um we can see through the month of March that we have $12.55 million in um expenses and $12.7 million in revenue. Um this analysis is a reflection of all funds that we currently receive income for. And on page 629, this is our administrative cost ratio. Here we are comparing um function 21 and 41 which are considered mostly administrative to our overall district cost. And with the results shown here, we would um according to the state receive a score of six out of 10 points. And the next page is our estimated charter first rating. Um if this is this is not a projection, this is currently where we are right now. Um if we were to end operations today, um we would score an above standard with 84 points. Um, we've
097lost points on that administrative cost ratio that we just addressed and our budgeted revenues to actual is off by more than 10%. So, we're losing some points there. And on the following page, this is our income statement. Reflects a loss of $181,000. This is fund uh 420 and fund 240. uh we are 75% through the fiscal year and our overall expenditures show that we're slightly below what we would expect at almost 69%. Our revenues however are only recorded for 10 months out of the fiscal year. So therefore we would expect to see about 12.7 million in revenue which we are slightly under at >> Tammy. Does this reflect is this showing that those those riffs that we've done are those reflected in this? >> Uh the last RIFF payments went out in March. So, uh
098we we don't have a month yet that shows um payroll without those positions. >> That should save about what around two 200,000 or so 300 >> which would bring this into a surplus, a small surplus. >> It would um Yes. Yes. I just want to uh prepare prepare the board. U Dr. Anderson, we talked about it um recently. We did have some adjustments to the 23 24 summary of finance um attendance records for the PES reports that were submitted. So um for the following month, we are going to be recording um some losses um that are going back to 2324. Uh so um we'll be recording that last month. Although it's not it's not this month that um the loss is being recorded for. It's showing money that we owed back to the state for
0992324. Um we do recognize it right now. So that will will be one of the things that we'll see going forward. >> Amy, how much was that amount? Uh the final amount um was close to about 200 was about $215,000 and again those are reflective back to uh the 232 24 school year. Um they are not a part of 2425. However, we do have to um we do have to show that in the current financial year. Um so >> board information that's not unusual. Sometime they go back two years. >> Yes. But sometime when they go back they find an adjustment that's in your favor. Not often but >> sometimes >> occasionally. >> Unfortunately this year was a little bit a little bit bigger for us. Um and it did show that we owed money
100back. Um so they they'll get theirs no matter how long it takes. Um they reconcile all of those PES reports um that were submitted throughout the year to actual data and and that that adjustment ends up um coming through quite late. Uh and so we're experiencing that right now. Uh the next page is our balance sheet. This reflects all of our assets and liabilities for the district. Um our net assets at the bottom of the page is uh reflected at $15.2 million. This 15.2 million uh represents 360 days of current operating revenue. So it's always a very good uh bragging point for RMA. And on page uh 633, the last page of my presentation is the summary of there we go, the summary of finance for March. Um this report reflects the six weeks attendance
101for cycle 4, which is the attendance from um January 7th through February the 14th. And that is the conclusion of my presentation. Does anybody have any questions? >> I have one question. >> Yes. I think at the beginning of the report we were talking about we budget off for 2016 students. >> I think that was the goal. >> That was the goal. It wasn't it wasn't the budget. The budget was um was a little bit lower on Dr. Anderson's numbers. Um we budgeted for um enrollment of 1,680 and ADA of 1,327. >> Okay. I just want us to be realistic when we set those goals and put more work and time into being more realistic in that >> we thought that was you know 1300 we thought was achievable. >> Yep. >> ADA. So it
102wasn't in the past we've really inflated it over the years to avoid a deficit budget uh Miss Thompson but this year we we did and and I still if I had to do it again I would keep it at 1327. I believe that that was a reasonable goal for the district ADA. >> Okay. When I heard that 2016 that >> Yeah. No, that was our goal but not our budget. No, we didn't budget. >> Our goal was a little bit lower and in reality. >> Oh, you wanted to bring it. >> I want the goal to be a little bit more realistic for moving forward. And thank you. That's all. >> Anybody else have any questions for me? >> Okay. Thank you all. uh facilities update. Carl, >> get everything turned on here. Morning board.
103Um let's see. We'll start on page uh 640, I think, Jennifer. And so we'll start with our Amarillo relocation. So, over the the past uh month since the last board meeting, we're working to renegotiate our our lease at that facility, which ends at the at the end of this school year. Um we're working on a one-year lease with two one-year extensions. Um just as a as a starting point, and so we're we're almost finished with those negotiations. I will let the board know that the landlord is pushing back a little bit. They're they would prefer a two-year um lease. Uh however, um we're we're holding firm at one year. Also, we have uh re uh completed the refinancing of our existing loan for the purchase of the the new property in Amarillo. Uh that reduced
104uh the interest rate from approximately 8% down to uh 6%. So that uh has worked in our in our favor and we have also listed the property for sale with CBRE. Um and so we're looking to uh are we're investigating the the possibilities of unloading that property. And so, uh, moving forward, we'll, um, we'll see what what the board comes up with and and we'll work on those as they come available. Uh, the next pages, uh, the next seven pages are, uh, our brochure for the Fort Worth property. We have a similar brochure for the, uh, Amarillo property. And so if you want to just scroll through those, Jennifer, and we'll this is the the listing for our property in Fort Worth. Um we have another one for Amarillo that came in after we had
105already published this. And in our at our Fort Worth relo, uh same similar situation. We are currently negotiating um a one-year lease extension because our lease ends at the uh end of this school year. And the landlord is uh perfectly fine with the one-year lease with two one-year extensions there. And once again, uh, we completed the refinancing of our, uh, loan for the new property at that location. Once again, reducing, uh, the interest rate from around 8% to, uh, 6%. And we have uh, listed the property uh, just as you saw with CBRE. And so, um, we'll we'll see how that turns out. Um we are also investigating the possibilities of selling the property either as a whole or um separate the school side versus the sanctuary side. So that's the Fort Worth property. We'll
106move down to the Houston relocation. And in the Houston at the Houston relocation, we're still working on the TCO. Uh the fire marshall wanted some uh changes to the evacuation maps in the classrooms. Those arrived on campus. I think it was yesterday. Patrick let me know that they've arrived. So, we're going to get those installed and we'll have our um reinspection with the fire marshall and hopefully we'll move to the COO uh with the E designation within the next week. So, we're we're looking forward to having that project completed um within the next week or so and going down to Midland on the next page. Jennifer, can you scroll down to or we're at Midland? Never mind. >> We're at the Midland one. Yes. >> Sorry. Uh so in Midland we have uh just extended
107our lease there. We had a three-year option that was available on our current lease and so we have just uh we have extended there and that'll come up uh for approval later on under action items. Um and that will extend our our lease through uh 2028 in the in the Midland area. So depending on what the board decides, uh that will show up in our action items. Next, and our San Antonio lease renewal, uh we have actually cancelled, we went ahead and cancelled on April 1st the lease for the San Antonio location. And um we're in the process of filling out some paperwork for the TEA that will allow us to start receiving um our central office mail at the Fort Worth campus and that will come up later in the action items as well.
108So there we're in the we're in the process of cleaning out the the office by the end of this month and then during the month of June we will move whatever final items are are in the the office to uh storage or campuses and that campus will close out by the end of June. And Jennifer, I think that's it for me. Any questions or >> I just want to clarify one thing. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Fort Worth campus the lease people were in favor of the one year and in Amarella they were really pushing for two or more years. Is that correct? >> That's correct. And I'll I'll tell you why. in Amarillo, the um the property owner, the landlord is trying to sell the building, and it looks better as part of his sale
109if he has a 2-year lease on it as opposed to what, of course, the the longer the lease, the better. Um, but a 2-year lease would look better than a one-year lease. So, that uh is why he's asking for the two-year lease. >> Thank you. No other questions. >> Thank you, Carl. >> Thank you. >> Next item, review of the uh 222 23 accountability rating. Dr. Evans. >> Hello everybody. Okay. A couple of weeks ago, I was on the uh Texas Commissioner of Education's meeting and he recommended that we present to the board the rating for the 23 accountability year. So, I'm going to just read this. On April 24th, the Texas Education Agency released the delayed 2023 A throughF accountability rating for Texas public schools and districts. The delay was due to a lawsuit
110challenging the rating system. The 2023 ratings are based on a refreshed accountability framework with significant raise standards particularly in the college career and military readiness domain. The key changes include an increase in the CCMR threshold required for an A rating, moving from 60% to 88% of graduates meeting this readiness requirements. This change made it more challenging for high schools across the state to achieve higher accountability rating scores. Okay, I have great news. Despite the more rigorous expectations, RMA has demonstrated significant growth under the updated accountability framework. So, I just wanted to show that to you. Uh, if you could go to the next page. Thank you. So, if you look at our accountability rating, it looks like we never changed. It looks like in 22 we were a C district and then in 23 we
111were a C district, right? That's what it looks like and that is our official rating. But if you look a little bit closer at 22, if 22 was rated the same way as 23, we would have been a D rating because that's what happened to the rigor. They made it more rigorous in 23 compared to 22. So that's what they wanted us to show the board that if the same standards had applied in 22 that applied in 23, our district would have been a 62. Okay. So in truth, if you compare apples to apples, we actually grew 11 percentage points between the 22 school year and the 23 school year. Any questions? Now, I will say to the board, thank you, Dr. Given. Um, the 24 the 23 24 uh scores, which we would be
112a B, those are still tied up in court. um waiting for the commissioner the uh but but uh Hawer's team seems to think that they'll soon be released as well because the the sentiment from the courts will be the same that you know the commissioner can pretty much do what he pleases. Uh so we're just waiting to those for those to be released and then we'll be presenting those to the board as well. But these are the ones that the court ruled could be released and I think when they have the next hearing, do we know? I think it's in June. Is it Dr. Gibbons? Do you know when the next date is for that? Um, so I look for this summer for the 2324 ratings to be released >> and I just wanted to
113present this so you could see the true growth that the district really is doing. So >> Thank you Dr. Gans. >> I have >> questions comments. your one statement I I've been reported and someone was looking at some things and they said that Colleen RMA's rating were higher than any other high school in KISSD. >> I said I still haven't got to check unverify that. I still have to >> I still want to look at that because that's interesting because those are the people who we are receiving from. So let's look at that please. That's interesting data. And so I will say this, when we get our official 2024, we were uh we went from a we have gone from a 73 to an 80. So in the past couple of years, we've done a
114tremendous amount of growth in the accountability for our district. >> Check that out for me, please. >> I sure will. All right. >> Next item on the agenda, communication for school year 2526. Dr. Given >> I'm back. Okay. Um for uh next school year we will do um we will have it uh online as we did last year. So convocation will be online uh for the uh days from August the 4th to uh August the 8th from 8:00 a.m. to 400 p.m. Inerson events will be held on campus. Campus based professional such as campus based professional development. virtual events will be used the our platform of Microsoft teams uh for open sessions uh as well as for district professional development. Uh we will the academic and the technology departments will work in conjunction to create
115uh develop uh professional development sessions again using Microsoft Microsoft teams in our breakout rooms. A attendance will be taken through teams. So, we're going to continue the the tradition of online uh convocation >> questions, comments. Thank you, Dr. Given. Think we are we ready to move on to action items or anybody need a break? No. action and its board approval and ratification of the district contracts. Dr. Anderson. >> All right. Then as you can see um as it is customary for us to bring contracts uh to uh the board uh either ones that need to be um uh ratified or ones that need to be uh approved. Um and so I u look I bring your attention to exhibit one. Uh we did have the uh LinkedIn contract. LinkedIn is the way that the district
116has moved to trying to recruit uh staff. You know, um uh it's it's it's been pretty productive. We buy uh a 11 slots um as a recruitment tool. And uh they wanted us to they they're proposing a three-year um to avoid price increases. Actually, the price went down a little bit from the last contract that the board approved. Um and so we're asking the board to approve the um uh contract for the LinkedIn for 49,000. Um again, I think that it's it's the way the platform that everybody is using to recruit and getting uh professional um um responses from from people uh with with that meet the criteria. In the past, we've had people just kind of go in and apply and we'd have to sort through. we get tons of applicants and people that
117didn't even meet the qualifications was just hitting them, you know, apply on Indeed and all of these things. So, we'd like to continue the contract. Uh we had a one-year contract um and so Christina and I and uh we we agreed that it's it's been beneficial to the district and so we're asking the board to to approve a three-year commitment to LinkedIn. Questions about that particular contract? Okay. Then Jennifer, would you scroll ahead? Go ahead and down. Is there any ratifications? Um, I'll just knock those both out. And then, um, we asked the board to ratify. Uh, there's the Comcast, uh, which is our internet access at the Houston campus. Um, and then, uh, a heart solutions. Um, you all are very familiar with Dr. Bgeoa. does our endofear um uh surveys, but he also
118uh has a platform that helps us do interviews. So instead of us having to sit down and interview with every individual principle uh that applies, what we do is we screen them. We have them do a v they answer questions through this video platform. Dr. Given and I will sit down, listen to those, and then we select the two or three candidates that we feel are the best fits for the campus. So Dr. BGEO provides that particular platform and that's for a um a 200 uh excuse me a uh 2year um uh oh excuse me I'm sorry I'm down at number four the um at 1,700 I've jumped uh but that's for a two-year subscription for his his uh platform to do the interviews and that's 1,700. I'll jump back up to the 3,000. That's
119this end ofear climate and culture survey that you all are accustomed to uh that uh he provides with all the data he comes on he reports the findings and uh and so uh that's that annual uh renewal and then again as you all familiar with the VAR technologies that's the website uh re re um re design u Mr. Bayon has had some uh an opportunity to review that uh Mr. Bale, you have anything to say about the progress of the website? >> Yeah, um had an opportunity to speak with uh Mo the other day and uh see the website. Um it's it's come along well. I know him and Carrie have put in a lot of work and uh detail attention to detail on the site. I think it's going to be uh um very
120beneficial to the district from a recruiting recruitment perspective, from a content perspective. and uh you he's actually I think um the he's presenting today uh about the uh website. So just for what we want to do as far as being innovative as a district um and how parents and students can access access the website uh quickly and identify areas areas and understand different subjects more about what we do you know the four our you know blocks that we do things the things that needed to be pointed out in order to gain uh you know awareness and and uh get into the community. This is a fantastic uh platform. So really excited for you all to see uh the new website and I think it's going to be a very benefit for the 25 26 school
121year and beyond. >> And it's AI integrated, right? We'll have some AI. >> So it's AI integrated. There'll be an app component as well that will give parents access uh to uh you know put in an inquiry about you know um signing their uh their child up for uh potential you know acceptance into the to the school. So there's a lot that's going to be going there um going on from that perspective. There's going to be some interactive components and resources that parents and students will have uh families will have access to uh that are on the app that will be uh uh that are free resources uh for the families as well. So that's a there's a lot of things that will be introduced uh to us uh as a district uh with this
122platform and uh it's going to be very again it's going to be userfriendly uh very next next uh next level uh very innovative for what we need I think uh to to progress as a district. So I'm really excited about uh the implementation and uh the next chapter of of what we're going to be doing uh per the website. So, um that's that's that particular piece and he'll be presenting in June to the board. Um the executive team will be looking at it this afternoon. Um and then uh the last thing is the study island um which Dr. Given uh it's the library. Uh Dr. Given, you want to talk about study island and the role that >> scroll up a little bit. >> Uh Dr. Given. >> Yes. >> Did you want to talk
123about study island? Study Island is a uh basically a tier 2 resource for our students that help them um with their core subjects, math, science, social studies, language arts. It's a online platform. Uh the teachers can use it also to help uh the students again with level two uh interventions. It's added support study study aid. What >> and it comes out of which funding source? It's coming out of uh I believe campus improvement. >> Not out of 420. >> No, it's not out of 420. >> Questions from the board about any of these items. >> Don't have any questions or comments. Do I have a motion that we accept the approved or ratified by the district contracts? Donald Neck. I'll move the board approve the contracts listed in exhibit one and ratify the contract listed
124in exhibit 2. >> I'll second that motion. Have a motion to second. Uh uh vote. Dr. uh Miss Nimik, >> I vote yes. >> Uh Miss Thompson, >> yes. >> Mr. B, >> yes. Yeah, I vote yes. The motion carries. So, next item is a board resolution regarding the charter boundary expansions. Uh Dr. Anderson. >> Yes. So um as you all are aware we discussed this as part of a module um that uh one of the governance uh modules uh which one was it Jennifer that we had to address this? >> It was it was uh module one governance. >> Thank you. Module one. Um and of course we're you know Senate Bill 569 would impact this. Um and so I I am going to propose that we postpone Mr. Clemens uh this particular action
125until June if we could. >> Sure. Any objection? None. Okay. Let's move on to uh item C, board approval of the operational flexible school day program. Uh Dr. Given. I'm uh very excited to Oh, I'm sorry. Hold on. Camera. I'm very excited to present this opportunity to us. This I'll just give you a little background. We were very interested in trying to get a um remote school, you know, an online school. and we we applied and we met with TEA directly and we were told that we missed the deadline. It was back in 2023 and we were not able to do it. Uh but in our discussions with TEA, they pulled uh directed us to this program, the optional flexible school day program, which does allow us to provide online services, remote services for our
126students. Okay. So, we can provide those services up to about 15 10 to 15% of our student population can qualify for this. And what this is is basically 10 to 15% of our students can go to school online. They do not have to come to the campus to come to school. So, um we uh in order to get approval, we have to get board approval first. So, this is a way to further our u mandate or our goal as a dropout recovery for those students who are having a hard time making it to school, attending school for employment reasons, family reasons to give them yet another option of attending school online. Um so, um I have met with TEA about four times um and uh to go over this application. Um I will meet with
127them again hopefully once you all approve the application um to just make sure that every all our you know uh tees are crossed and eyes are dotted uh cuz we would really like if we approve for this to start this at the very beginning of the school year. Um so questions about the flexible school day. So basically what it does it creates a opportunity for our students to go to school completely virtually. Okay. The two cannot mix. That's the biggest thing. We can't have a student pop in for on for in-person classes and then do virtual because of the way it's paid. The way uh we get paid on the flexible school day is it's by student completion. Once they complete a course that is how the state will pay us for that. So they
128can't uh be a part of any kind of daily attendance. So that's the way the application has been written where I have put a big partition between our traditional program and this program. Uh there is also a cut off when students can join the program and I believe it's the fourth by the fourth Friday of each se semester uh is the deadline in which a student can actually join the virtual program because again of the state is most concerned about how we're going to how we our integrity in funding you know the program uh when I talk with the state um and so that's that's really it that once you are in it you're in it you're in it for the rest of the semester. Um, and um, you get also you get a full
129uh, eight courses as opposed to four classes. You get eight classes to complete. So, they get a full schedule. Like right now, our students only get a half schedule, four classes. So, once you're in it, you'll get a full eight classes. you will have a semester which we talk about you know traditional 18 weeks to complete the program. Uh and then once you're in it you can't go back to the traditional. So and that's because the state is very concerned about the integrity of of since the way we get paid is so different. The way you get paid for the virtual is students have to successfully and that's important successfully complete courses and that's how you get paid for them as opposed to attendance which is the traditional way. >> Dr. Gibbons, can you give
130us some sort of a a feel on a one student who goes to school and attends 100% of the time as opposed to a student who completes the courses? What what money what is the financial comparison? >> Well, I don't know the exact amount, but um it would be equivalent to the way I was led to believe it would be equivalent to daily attendance every day, the amount you would get for that student for successfully completing courses, which is one reason why they don't want a student who is in this program also on someone's daily roster. That that makes sense. So just so >> get a feel if we had 20% of our students who otherwise might come to school do this would we gain or lose money. >> Well this would definitely be a
131target for those who are chronically absent because we do have a lot of kids who do they have learned they can do egeneuity at home and so they do it at home and they don't come to school. So the the ideal candidate would be a student who is actually doing egeneuity and not coming to school to say hey I notice you keep doing you never come to school but you keep doing your egeneuity courses let's put you into this program you know and then we would give them a full slate full you know schedule and then we would get paid once they completely once they successfully completed a course and we would no longer be deemed for them not coming to school every day because they would be enrolled in the uh flexible school day
132program. >> I heard you say something about >> I have is that about 15 only 15% of our students who could >> well the reason why is because technically we are not an authorized um virtual school campus. So if we have more students attending virtually than traditionally, the state looks at that very negatively. >> 23 was the last opportunity we had to go virtual, >> right? It was 23 was the last. So we're hoping with this new law >> that was just passed, we're hoping and praying that they're going to open up the ability for us to apply again to be a virtual school. But that's the reason for the cap on the flexible. They're looking at again when I talk to the state, >> they don't want to look at it and they see
133that we have more kids in this flexible program than our traditional program because this is supposed to be a supplementary program, not your primary. Uh >> so did we set the 15% is that set by the standards of the >> Well, we I that's set with me talking with her. >> Okay. and getting a feel from the conversation. >> And I'm not so sure what the cost of the virtual 15% opposed to the people that we have in class. I'm not so sure about the funding and how that will look. And I think it's a good idea and I know I know we need to have a lot of kids going virtual for to save ourselves. I mean, it's a win-win situation. However, I would like to see more information on how 15% of our
134students enrolling in this program and once they enroll, they're going to have to stay there. It can't be no flip-flop. And how do we s select the students who we're going to put in this program? And I know if we put the people who are missing school every day, they go come twice a week. That will reflect it. I'd like to see some more numbers on how this will reflect funding for us. >> And I don't know if it's possible to have a call meeting for the board to make a final decision on this with just a little bit because I think I have insufficient information at this time with the funding part and how we're going to benefit from that. Well, I think that and in in my mind, it would benefit those kids
135that aren't coming to school, we're not getting funding for anyhow. So, if they don't show up, we're not getting paid. So, if we can give them an option to not show up but do the work, we would benefit in that regard. Is that about right, Dr. Given? >> It is correct. >> Yeah. So, it's either they don't come to school and you don't still don't get money, but we wouldn't encourage our kids that are in seats that's got high attendance. We wouldn't, you know, be encouraging them to join that. That would be something we would work with as hey, well, what if we could get you enrolled in virtual? Would you be able that's where it's at to try and capture some of those kids that are, as Dr. Given said, they have chronic absenteeism.
136So they're not helping us anyhow, you know, um by because they're not coming to school. >> Well, I don't see the fairness in this type of system to say if you don't come, you get in this program and you come every day and you're a good student and you want to go to work all day long and be be virtual. I it's just some loose ends in my mind as to who are we going to put in here and is it cost effectiveness and how much? I know you're not going to get any money for the kids who come to school once a week. I understand that. But it's still I would like to have a call meeting for the board to decide on the final approval of this event. I uh >> that's just
137my idea. >> We we meet again in uh what three weeks a little bit over. I'm not is the timeline on this would it not allow it to be uh >> it it would be I mean the state does at least 30 days to um approve it or not. >> Uh the issue we were just trying to make sure that if we do offer this we can do it the first of school and not you know once school has already started. We'd like that way we can get the infrastructure in place so we can support the program. So if we delay for the next three weeks, it would still give us a good timeline to start the program. >> If we delay it to the Mar, what is it? March the I mean May, what
138is it? June 5th >> 15th, I believe. >> Yeah, something like that. It would give us to mid July if they approve. Um it would be close. We would be cutting it close to the beginning of school. >> Our next meeting is 11. But could we have a call meeting? just virtual call meeting to you know the least I mean before then is that possible >> well I guess my question becomes we won't have any definite numbers because we don't know how many kids you know we just we want to provide it as an option we're just asking the board to approve the option to offer it I mean we can't say that 60 kids will be involved in it I mean I don't so my question to you Thompson is what numbers are you
139looking for? >> I'm looking at 15% at the max that we could use. And if we look at some data that we have now, what would that look at as we earning ADA or are we I don't know >> number I gave the the TA was like 150 kids would be in the program roughly as a as a rough number. >> Okay. Mhm. >> And the selection of the students, I don't agree with it. >> The selection of the students, we would do an internal document. We will never submit our in that to tea because, you know, we have to be careful what we submit to TEA. what I have in the um um um appendix is what we're submitting to DEA, but we would have an internal document for true selection of who would
140get in and and all of that who could. >> And the thing is, Miss Thompson, it would be on an as need case byase basis. It wouldn't be that, oh, the kids that come every day can't. If a kid had a situation where that was appropriate for them, the principal would vet it. they would have the opportunity long as we don't exceed the 15%. But the primary reasoning for doing it is to try and get the kids that >> can that's willing to work from home. Like Dr. Given say some kids are doing their egenuity but they're just not coming to school. You know, >> that's the ones we most want is the kids who um is doing the work. And we do have a lot of those students because they do figure, oh, they
141can log into Egeneuity from the house, right? They they they figure that out pretty quick and and they don't come >> they're losing credit because they're not coming to school. >> They're losing credit currently because they're not coming to school. And those cuz another thing you don't want a student who doesn't do any work, doesn't come to school because one thing you definitely want are students who work because that's the only way anybody's going to get paid. So just putting kids in this program who just don't come to school and don't do anything isn't going to benefit anybody because with this program we only would get paid if students uh not only do the work but they have to pass the courses. So we were looking at basically students who have all basically egeneuity type
142courses to take or computer-based courses or online courses to take in the first place because we can't mix up somebody who's taking role with somebody who is um you know um doing you know computer based because it had we they can't you can't we can't have anybody taking role in this program. If they are on somebody's daily roster, they can't be in the program because of the way it's funded, >> right? I understand that. But my only question is, >> but the selection of the student would be someone who has issues with attendance but doesn't have issues with doing work. >> What's the difference in the cost of the student who's enrolled in this program and the ones who are already >> I don't I don't know the full uh allocation >> per student per
143student. If you had >> the cost >> if you had a student who went into the online program and they completed all the thing they were doing and the cost of the one who's there getting ADA I I don't know is it >> well but you got to remember too Miss Thompson that's why I say Senate bill this is we're trying to put all of this together to make a program Senate Bill 569 may open it up to anybody I like I say we'll have to bring that back to you but right now this is just a piece to try and get those kids that have issues coming to school in order to get them. So I understand what you're saying about well the kids that's coming should have the opportunity but the next piece
144to this may be that we can have a virtual school for everybody but you know then that's going to of course hurt your campuses because you know so we still want to keep kids that's coming to school coming to school and but we want to have other opportunities for kids that's not so that we don't just lose them >> right >> and I don't want you to think that a kid who's coming to school every day and doing their work every day is automatically not allowed to be in this program. Yeah, >> we're not saying that either. That kid, if they come up and they say, you know, I'm having issues, >> then we can say rather than losing them, we can say, hey, well, there's this virtual issue that uh option that you can
145take now cuz we want don't want to lose a student, any student. I uh I would suggest that since the uh staff obviously is strongly in favor of giving this a try that we go ahead and approve it for a year, ask for a report back at the end of the year. That would include financial impact as well as uh student outcomes and uh then decide after a year if it's uh something we think is effective for students and for funding. Mr. Thompson, would you go with that? >> I mean, I voice my opinion. You can call for a vote. >> That's for a motion that we approve it for one year. >> I do like the idea of it approving it for one year, seeing what the financial impact is later on. >> So,
146I'll make a motion. I move to approve the application of the optional flexible school day program for the 2526 school year only. >> I second the motion vote. Uh Mr. Nimik, >> yes. >> Miss Thompson >> opposed. >> Mr. Balon, >> yes. >> Motion carries. approve this and hope to see a report interim report and report at the end of the year next year to give us a little better idea whether this is um something we can sustain financially as well as for the benefit of students and I agree with Miss Thompson that I uh know y'all get tired of my stories but back in a different life I was in a special ed program and I had kids who were not handicapped who wanted to be tested and qualified as handicapped so again work
147study program which is the only thing we had in that day and time. So we wanted kids who were wanting to get a job and go to work who are willing to be classified as handicapped in order to get into a work program. So we don't want to create situation where students who there's some benefits in coming to school but we know that you don't get online. So, we don't want to create a situation where students who otherwise would come to school, work remotely because uh kind of like working from home. I I've never worked from home, but I feel like I could get used to that real quick. >> That's what I'm talking about. >> But, uh I uh anyway, >> passes. Go ahead. >> Motion passes. So, we do this for a year.
148Oh, I guess my >> one comment. I have one comment now that it's passed and I'm pleased that it has, but I would like to see criterias for being selected for the program strongly uh documented. >> Yes. And like I say, this is only uh a a trial. We we this is just a piece of of of a bigger puzzle. you know, we currently have just been brick and mortar and other schools have moved forward with, you know, virtual campus and this we're playing catchup, but this is just a trial run. It will also help us get things in place for virtual. So this it it's it's a moving piece that I think um and you know that that will evolve into something here in the next year. But my hope is not so much
149about the financial impact as it is how many drop kids that would have been dropouts that were kept in school from this program. >> I hear that Dr. Anderson and I I agree with everything that you said and all I'm saying at this point now that it's passed let's have strong criterias that we can present as to who can enroll. That's all I'm saying. >> And I'm working on an internal document for that because we have to have guidance for the counselors and everything um for scheduling >> and TEA will vet it, right? Dr. Gibson. >> No, TA will get our application. TA will This is an internal document for us. >> No, I mean, but they'll vet the way that not the internal structure of it, but they >> Oh, yeah. They're going to
150the application that you have right here. They will get this. Yes. And I heard Dr. Given say earlier that we will have an internal document for a lot of control of how we operate the program. Is that correct? >> That is correct. >> Thank you. >> Next item on the agenda, Dr. Given, school calendars for next year. >> Oh, okay. >> I forgot. Okay. School calendar. Um for the 23 Lord, am I going back? For the 2526 school year, uh we're asking the board to choose. All right. Uh we have um we have developed the 20 uh 526 school year uh calendar. We have uh the issue is not Thanksgiving. For the most part, us as well as all of our surrounding home districts have the same Thanksgiving break, have the same winter break. However,
151we do not have the same spring breaks. Okay? Uh we have week one the the week of March the 9th through the 13th. We have Corpus, Midland, Odessa, and Pasadena. And then spring break week 2 is March 16th through the 20th. That's Amarillo, Fort Worth, Houston, Khina, and Lukak. What we're asking the board to do is to make the decision on what week will be the spring break week for the district. Our options we have are option one is to go with the week of March the 9th for the entire district because that is the week where most students are out because of our Corpus and Odessa campuses being out that week. And then option two is to go with the uh districtwide March 16th week because that's when most campuses are out. Amarillo, Fort
152Worth, Houston, Colleen, and Lach. And then option three is to return to the to the tradition that you've had before where we follow the campuses follow the um schedule of the surrounding ISD. Okay. I did want to point out some highlights though before you make your decision about the attendance. This past year, we all had the same spring break, but we ended up with four districts that I mean, four campuses that actually had um when we came back, their home campus was on spring break. And so when we realized that, we did put in some um activities to help increase attendance. And what we found was that of the four campuses that had um off calendar um spring breaks, four three of the four their attendance really did not was not affected by their home
153districts being on spring break. Uh and actually one campus, Pasadena in particular, actually increased enroll increased attendance that particular week because of all the uh attendance activities they did that week. So we just wanted to point that out. Also, some other things about district-wide uh uh when everybody's off at the same time, it just helps with professional development. Our district PLC's, it helps with centralized supports. So I just wanted to put that out there for you. But we want you know you all to make the decision on which one which option we are prepared with either option that you choose. Also we want to just reerate reiterate that our uh instructional days is 180 days uh that we have built in the 4,200 minutes uh for uh for all of our campuses. And our campuses
154have the 441 100 minutes per session without professional development days. And we'll talk about professional development days, I guess, at the next one. Um, and that we have the 7.67 days for increment weather already built in. So, our calendar is built in. It's just a matter of selecting the spring break. And so, we're asking the board to choose either option one, two, or three for our uh spring break for our calendar next year. Again, option one is the majority of school students are out that week, the week of March the 9th. Option two is uh the week of March the 16th where majority of the campuses are out that week. And then option three is that campuses will follow their home uh district. You have a recommendation? >> Do I have a recommendation? >> Yes.
155>> Dr. Do you have one? >> Yeah. >> Well, go ahead, Dr. Gibbons. >> My uh my recommendation is option two, but again, I I am really open to all three options. >> And you know, I I am uh in favor of option two. Um my my my thing is I know in the past we've had some concern about you know it going against the uh local areas and so as Dr. Given pointed out to me that we didn't experience a a decline in enrollment uh when we did that it makes it a lot easier uh systemwise as we in the past we used to split c some central office would take the first week of spring break some would take the second week. It just makes it easier for everybody, the district to just
156close and everybody be off at the same time and come back and and support the schools. Um otherwise we have to split you know the shifts you know so many of central office would take this day so many would take this week. Um so I I'm a fan of of you know going with where the majority of our district our campuses were in option 29. >> It's not just central office. Remember we do have distance teachers. All our CTE teachers are distance teachers. So sometimes they're so when they're off the other campuses they're supporting aren't off as well. So we do have that as an issue too. >> In the past I have not supported being in concert with all of the campus being in concert with when we're off and when we're on. But
157I'm moving toward that uh decision and only when we explain and really push seat time and how important that is and let them be responsible. And I just think during that time we use cuz if they don't have the correct seat time they're not going to get a grade. Is that correct? >> Mhm. Yes. >> So I I think that if if we doing concert and have everybody off at the same time and we do over diligent and explaining to them that you got to be here in order to get your grade. I mean just push push push push that and case that is I think we should have concert with the district everybody being on the same page. So then um >> go ahead Julius. >> I I was just going to say I
158concur. I agree with uh Dr. Given and Dr. Anderson's recommendation. >> Yeah, I think option two um majority of the campuses will be out of I'm in alignment there. [Music] >> We have a motion to that effect. I'd entertain a motion we select week two. >> Yes. Uh I move to approve the proposed 2526 instructional calendar and to adopt uh option two uh presenting uh the spring break alignment for spring break alignment for option two for all campuses granting the superintendent are there doesn't need the authority to make any necessary adjustments to the calendars. >> And I'll second the motion. We have a motion, second vote. Uh, Mr. Neck, >> yes. >> Miss Thompson, >> yes. >> Mr. Bound, >> yes. >> I vote yes. Motion carries. We have a week two. I would uh
159maybe ask this time next year that we look at the uh I heard the Dr. trans use the term enrollment but to look at attendance in that week and just uh >> yeah the attendance that's what I meant is the attendance yeah we've looked at the attendance that's what if >> all right >> yeah no the ADA for the campuses that were not out there the districts were not out we still had uh >> the four were about the same be the four >> it didn't we didn't experience a decline in ADA I'm sorry if I said enrollment. >> This is off subject, but as I was reviewing all the documents yesterday that came in, I kept seeing the uh the term enrollment, enrollment, enrollment, and percent of attendance, percent of attendance. And so I'm
160got my calculator trying to figure out what is that? How does that come down to ADA? And uh uh so wish we could uh use a more current reporting method rather than staying two two months behind. Our reports today were from March. This is the 15th of May and uh so we're we're working six weeks behind. >> Maybe as we uh move to some of our items that we're going to have coming up this meeting and the next meeting about uh back office services maybe uh we can come up with some way to get that more more current. Next item, approval of staff development minutes waiver. Dr. Given. >> Okay. I'm asking for the waiver for our staff development. It's for 4 days for staff devel developments totaling 1,680 minutes. It's for October the 13th,
161um December 19th, December January 5th, and February 16th. Uh they will be district-wide uh professional developments. And so we're asking that the board move to approve the minute waiver for the 2526 school year. >> Questions, comments? I move we accept the uh instructional calendars. Um I'm sorry, get my glasses back on. Uh approval of the staff vote minus waiver as presented. >> I second the motion. Both second. >> We got a motion to second. Uh vote. Mr. Neck. >> Yes. >> Miss Thompson. >> Yes. >> Mr. Bon. >> Yes. >> I vote yes. Motion carries. >> Thank you. Considering possible action regarding proposed lease amendment for Midland campus. Uh Carl. >> Uh yes. Uh are we still in good afternoon board? >> Mr. Clear. Hold on just a sec. I propose that we discuss take
162this up after close session. >> Okay. I agree. table this for the uh time being. Uh consideration possible action regarding proposed technology managed services agreement with technology layouts LLC. Carl, >> um yes, hold just let me get situated here. Um so the um e each year the administration requests that the board approve a technology uh managed service agreement for the the upcoming year. Uh this agreement uh includes comprehensive user support network and server management data backup and cyber security services. Uh it provides unlimited remote and on-site uh support uh application management uh network troubleshooting uh security updates and our Microsoft 365 licenses for faculty and students. uh these services ensure uh uh robust support uh security and efficiency for RMA Texas. And so we're asking the the board to consider and approve the proposed managed
163services agreement with Technology Lab LLC. Um this is a switch from our existing uh vendor who is uh Vector Choice. Uh we've been with Vector Choice for many years and uh we've had some some issues in the past and uh in going out to bid this year we ran across technology labs and um technology labs does over 250 charter schools across the the country. um and over 400 and some odd number of actual campuses uh as well as I think they they boast uh 65,000 students. Um, so this would be a a significant change for RMA, but I think that switching uh now is the time. And uh I'd be happy to to answer any questions regarding the contract or um regarding technology services if you guys want to to pursue that. I know that
164uh low bid isn't always the best bid, but just curiosity, is this low bid? >> This it is not the low bid. Um in year number one, currently our our current vendor charges uh 20 uh or $23,000 and this would be uh $213,000 which would be a little bit more. Uh however, in year number three, as we work through uh some of our existing infrastructure and make some changes, uh we'll be down to $175,000 per year. So in years number um three through five, we'll actually be saving about $25,000 per year. >> Is this how long contract are we signing? >> This is a five-year contract. And >> let me see. >> What have you been doing pre previously? >> Uh, previously we've been on a year-to-year contract. We've never signed a five-year contract uh
165previously. >> And I'll say this um that um u one Vector tried to get us to sign a three-year uh but we did not. Um the the the sentiment across the district is that teachers, students, and staff have been very displeased with Vector. Um and so we've tried for a number of years to find a company that was affordable. Xerox was very high. Um and we vetted other companies over the years. Uh Epic, who is our insurance broker, they brought uh Techlab to my attention. I had opportunity to meet with them. Um and then um Wyatt with IDEA public schools who's now with place in Florida uh he highly recommended them. And so, um, I feel that, uh, that this is probably a the best approach in order to lock in the price, too, um,
166at the price that we're getting because, as you know, everything continues to go higher, um, versus having to go back and negotiate with them again and and being, um, subjected to a higher price. I think this is a fair price for the next three years would be a lot lower than even what we're paying now. So, Is that correct, Paul? It would be the last three years would be much lower than what we currently pay. >> Yes. The the last three years would be considerably lower than what we're paying now. About $25,000. >> And I think that if we do a three-year, we're probably subjecting oursel to a pretty large increase. Uh >> and I'll address that. Um over the past uh few years, uh our costs have considered or have gone up. nothing nothing
167has come down and the way this uh this contract is structured uh the prices will come down over the next few years uh it'll be more affordable and by signing the 5-year contract it'll uh basically protect us from from cost increases due to inflation or other you know economic issues that might be going on in the question. >> Okay, you go over here. I got a question too. >> No, go ahead. >> Um Carl or Dr. Anderson, what does implementation look like? Uh implementation and training look like for um students and faculty. So the implementation uh we would begin in July 1 with the or actually we'd start prior to that. They're going to begin doing their work. Um but the the contract actually goes into effect on July 1. Uh the they will go
168into our network and basically start um shoring up all of our our backend network uh infrastructure. And then the biggest change is currently the model that we use and one of the reasons we're going to save money over time is we currently pay uh Vector Solutions to visit each of our campuses. We schedule technicians to be on campus every two years uh two weeks and we um we also pay for their their travel. They bill us for um travel costs associated with that. Um, the new model will provide uh boxes for the the computers that that break or are damaged during the the course of the year. and the campus will be responsible for shipping those off to a depot where they'll be uh reconfigured or u repaired and and then they'll be sent back
169to the to the to the campus. Currently, our turnaround is about 2 weeks for uh repairs and we'll be able to cut that down to about 5 days. So, uh that will will improve things hopefully on campus. Okay. And for again for for students obviously on the computers is there specific setup that they'll will they have online training? What does that look like for for the faculty and the students in that capacity? >> So from from a from the standpoint of what you see on your screen and and the work that you do on a daily basis, there'll there'll be no change. Uh the only difference will be uh the images that they create. uh we're moving from Windows 10 to Windows 11 and uh the uh technology labs will be responsible for training both
170the teachers and the the campus administration on how to to repair or you know process the repair of computers. >> No other question. >> Any other questions, comments? Entertain a motion. >> Uh, I move that we approve the proposed managed services agreement with Technology Lab LLC as presented. >> I'll second the motion. >> We have a motion. Second we approve the uh project is ask committee to vote. Mr. Neik, >> yes. >> Miss Thompson, >> yes. Mr. B. >> Yes. >> I vote yes. Motion carries. >> Thank you. >> Okay, we I believe now we're down to the close sessions. Uh don't have my script for going into close session, but it's now by my watch 12:32. We'll adjourn and move into executive session. Mr. Clemens, you're on mute. >> 150. Uh, the board will
171reconvene at 150 coming out of close session. Uh we have a uh a motion coming out of close session. >> Yes. I I motion I uh move to give the superintendent or his designate permission to take all necessary steps to move forward with the construction project in Fort Worth. Uh to legally split that Fort Worth property into two separate plats to separate the church building from the administration and school building. And then finally to take the school side building off of the sales market. >> We have a second. >> Rose Thompson. Second. >> We have a motion to second uh vote. Uh Mr. Neck, >> I vote yes. >> Uh Miss Thompson, >> I vote yes. >> Mr. bound. >> I vote yes. >> Robert Clemens. I vote yes. Motion carries. Let's move back to
172item F uh on our uh agenda today. The consideration possible action regarding proposed lease in Midland. Carl. >> Yes, sir. Hold on just a second. Let me grab that. All right. So, the administration will be presenting the board with the proposed lease amendment for the Midland campus located at 1305 North Midland Drive, Midland, Texas, 7973. Administration will also request that the delegation of authority for the superintendent or his designate to negotiate um an ex execution of of the agreement. So, uh, we're requesting that the board consider and approve the proposed lease agreement amendment for, uh, the Midland campus. >> We have a motion to the Fed. >> This is a three-year lease, right, Carl? >> This is a three-year lease. Yes. >> Okay. I move to extend the lease at 1305 North Midland Drive, Midland,
173Texas to June 1st, 2028 under the terms and condition outlined in the proposed fourth amendment that provides for such extension. >> Have a second. >> I second. >> Have a motion to second to vote. Mr. Neik, >> yes. >> Miss Thompson, >> yes. >> Mr. Bon, >> yes. >> I vote yes. Motion carries. We have any uh public comments? >> No public comments, sir. >> Any other comments before we close the meeting? >> Um just to make sure. Now, so we've done the Amarillo and the Mittland. Is that right, Carl? And Fort Worth. >> Um the lease extensions. Yes, we have. >> And Fort Worth is for one year, right? >> For one year. >> Okay. and Amarillo is for two. >> Uh it's for one year right now. They're requesting two, but I'm pushing
174back on that. >> Now, can you talk about just to give the board some clarity? Where are we at? At at one time there was a talk about a swap. Is that you're still investigating that? >> Um yes. So, >> you don't have to go into detail because we don't want to talk about real property, but is but is that still on the table? >> It is on the table. Um and just based on whether we were going to keep uh that campus open or closed uh determined whether we were going to move forward with it or not. >> So in June we'll be able to bring all the details to the board. >> Correct. >> Okay. I uh meeting is journal next month. >> All right. Thank you all. >> Thank you. Byebye. Thank
175you. >> Goodbye.