001to order. Josh is is absent, so there's no authorization to participate electronically. Can I get a motion to approve the agenda? Motion to approve the agenda. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Aye. >> Okay, Mr. McChesney, could you read this out? >> Yes. I move the board convene a closed meeting at this time pursuant to Section 2.2-3711 A1 of the Code of Virginia to present the superintendent's annual performance evaluation to them. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> We are closed. All in favor? >> All in favor. >> We are closed. [clears throat] >> Okay, ladies and gentlemen, I was wondering >> Pursuant to Section 2.2-3712 of the Code of Virginia, I move that the closed meeting held by the school board on June 23rd, 2026 be certified by adopting the following resolution.
002Now, therefore, be it resolved that the school board of Stafford County, Virginia hereby certifies that to the best of each member's knowledge, one, only public business matters lawfully exempted from open meeting requirements were discussed in the closed meeting to which this certification resolution applies, and two, only such public business matters as were identified in the motion convening the closed meeting were heard, discussed, or considered by the board. Second. >> All in favor? >> Miss I have Oh, no, we have to pull the board. Sorry. >> Miss Black will? >> Here. >> No. >> Oh, agreed. >> [laughter] >> Stop calling her Dr. Wilson all the time. You put her on the spot. >> Dr. Chase? >> Good evening >> Miss Finger Hols? Agreed. >> Miss Healey? >> Here. >> Miss Randall? >> Yes. >> Dr.
003Warner? >> Agreed. >> Madam Chair, the motion passes. >> Thank you. >> there are cookies out there. >> There are. >> Okay. So, >> you grab me one? >> Yes, I can. >> Can you grab me? >> go into the budget update. >> I I believe Mr. Former is coming down, but I can go ahead and get started. Uh >> Why don't you go and get a cookie if he's not here? >> Okay. >> And I'm going to go find him. >> All right, you go and I'll I mean, I can present it if you'd like, but okay. We can wait. Let me know when you're ready. I've got everything ready to go. >> Hey. >> Hello. >> So, just a brief budget update in terms of where we are. The General Assembly, both sides
004of the General Assembly, the House and the Senate did adopt the biennial the conference report on Monday, June 22nd, so yesterday, sending it to Governor Spanberger for her signature. As of today, she has not signed it, but she does have 7 days to sign it and and so or to to veto it send it back. So, we do know that that needs to take place within 7 days. We are expecting that to take place by next Monday. I also know that the House and Senate are prepared to come back on Monday and so we are pretty confident that we will have a approved state budget on Monday, >> [clears throat] >> June 29th at the very latest. And so um >> That's a little close. >> So, so we have that there. >> There's Mr.
005Foreman. I'm sorry. >> So, just a couple of things on the budget. So, as you know, you adopted your FY 27 budget on on April 29th and that was based on the Governor's December budget proposal. The the conference budget that's come out again it's not final yet does contain more state revenue than our April adoption assumes, but we don't have a state count tool. So, the count [clears throat] tool is what we wait on to say, okay, the state is providing $60 million for this line. How much does the Stafford get? How much does Spotsylvania get? How much does Caroline get? How much does Bristol get, right? And so they really break that down in terms of the formula. So, we don't have that yet. We are still waiting on that Um, and that may
006come after the state is formally adopted. >> Like how much longer? >> How much longer do we have to wait for the calc tool? >> After formal adoption. >> Um >> Is this like >> So they're legally required 10 days after the General Assembly adopts. Um, which was yesterday. But they've been this year, um, and maybe a little bit last year, uh, they've been beating that quite, um, substantially. So hopefully, you know, this week, early next week. >> It will become >> Now, if there's changes by the governor and then they go back and re- revote and that changes things. So >> Technically [clears throat] still supposed to release the calc tool for the General Assembly's budget. So for each budget they're supposed to release a a calc tool. >> So are they probably not
007going to release the calc tool until they find out what the governor's going to do? Is that sort of >> My understanding is they have to regardless of the governor makes changes, they still have to release release a calc tool because the General Assembly adopted a budget. >> That becomes obsolete because we have >> It could if the if the governor makes changes. >> Okay. >> So again, unclear whether the governor's going to make changes or not, but that's the timeline that we we have. >> And really quick, just to clarify too, the governor could make changes but not make go um, changes to education. So you could hear about changes or some amendments that wouldn't necessarily affect the calc tool. >> Okay, great point. Thank you. Um, so right now it looks like the
008we do believe it's going to be more state revenue than we, uh, than we predicted. Um, one of the pieces that, uh, was unexpected there was additional funding for special education. So a specific there was specific, uh, percentage that was targeted towards special education. So we are expecting, as long as that holds, that there'll be additional money specifically uh, designated for special education. Um, we do need to have, obviously, an appropriation in place before we can expend any of those funds and that does put us on a somewhat of a tight, [clears throat] uh, timeline as our Board of Supervisors, uh, their next meeting is July 7th and then they don't meet again until August 18th, um, we started school and so so we I do recommend that the board consider a special called meeting
009to request the appropriation from the Board of Supervisors. As early as we can probably do it is Tuesday, June 30th because we think we'll have a budget on Monday. We'll turn that around on June 30th and get that over to the supervisors to hope they can get that on their July 7th agenda. >> And I apologize that I will not be able to Would you be available June 30th at 3:30 in the afternoon? 3:30? >> Yeah. >> Oh, I have to be on the calendar. >> I I don't know now, but if if I can't come in I can probably do it, you know, by phone. >> Okay. Cuz we actually have a quorum because I've talked to Josh if Shannon's available, Wanda's available, Sarah's available, I'm available. So we would already have a quorum.
010So >> Well, you can call in. >> [laughter] >> But I would also like to make sure everybody gets the final budget and what we're doing with this appropriations and how how we're doing it. >> I'd just like to ask a question though about >> [clears throat] >> you know, that you're talking about the appropriation. Are we going to make specific requests with respect to the additional money or are we going to have a chance to review it or talk about it or see anything? I mean >> That would that would be our purpose for [clears throat] the for that that 30th to talk through. I know there were some things that you delayed and so talk through some of those, but then also talk through with the potential bonus. I know that's out there
011if there's funds available for that. There's a couple of other pieces there and then the special education piece of course in terms of our team is working now if there were additional special education funds, what would be the best use of some of that. So having that conversation >> anything in advance? I mean I I really don't want to make a rash decision on a significant amount of money with you you limited time to to consider it. I mean is there a reason why it has to be done on June 30th? Because with the um with the raise, don't we have more a year to allocate that money? >> The bonus. >> Yeah, the bonus. >> We do. So, the bonus, yes. I think in order to get it on the to try to get
012it and I can't speak for the supervisors on their agenda, but in order to try to get it on their agenda, we would want to meet um on June 30th in order to try to get it on their agenda. Otherwise, you are waiting until after August for >> So, could we could we approve request the appropriation, but then come back to do more detailed how it's going to be spent? Is that what you're sort of >> I I I guess my my question is why do we need to do this you know, on the last day of the fiscal year if we've got, you know, time to to make the decisions after it. I mean, I understand we're not going to be here in July and they're going to be here limited in July. I
013mean, if it's something that we have to approve that's going to affect the beginning of the school year in August, I understand that. But um I'd like to have you know, some time to be to to look at this and think about it. And I know we did defer some decisions, but I don't know if anything's changed since then, if something else has popped up that may be more important or we you know, we might want to consider. Because I I just don't like to make rushed decisions on you know, significant um expenditures. >> Well, some of these decisions were already deferred, so I think it's going to depend on what those numbers [clears throat] come in at. >> Yeah, and so I'll share my perspective and then also Mr. Fomby will then speak as
014well, but I would say specifically one of the things you deferred was middle school SSOs and that's the safety and security officers. So, we would want them for the start of school year. We deferred them because uh you know, that's something that could wait a little longer, but not necessarily till well, you wouldn't want to start till after start after the school year in August. Um but it was something that we were didn't need a license um, necessarily for. So, that's one example. If there's other things, especially around special education that we would want to address, um, you would have wanted to address those earlier um, than later. And I'm trying to think if there's other items. >> Uh, we have a long lead time on buses. So, some of the items we deferred were
015school buses. [clears throat] Uh, at this point we're, you know, when we're buying buses this July, it's really for the following [clears throat] school year. It's more of making sure we actually have them ready for the following school year. So, the earlier we um, can get them cuz they're all 10 to 12 month lead times right now for school buses. >> Well, I I just want to to look. I mean, it it's been a couple months since we took that vote and you know, to consider the situation. >> I know you weren't planning on it, but can you send us um, a reminder, I guess, of what deferred items that we have so that at least we can get an idea of I mean, I know you still have to wait until numbers or whatever
016come through, but if we have something that we can circulate right now of consider potential considerations. >> Yep. >> As well as if there's been any change in the you know, in the needs or the um, the planning that now that we do have additional funds, is [clears throat] there something that we you know, should consider uh, using them for? Because I mean, situations change. I mean, day-to-day, much less, you know, a couple months. >> And when it comes to like this special ed thing, this is just my only two cents. I want to add in I know Dr. Chase will understand. Can we not put it to a position because unless we can have that as guaranteed the current funding, cuz I'm not interested in using one-time fund for We already >> something that's
017a big tease that all we all of a sudden it'll become a need instead of a want. Kind of thing. >> Absolutely. Very aware of the one-time versus reoccurring dollars. We're understanding this is reoccurring. Um, I have met with Dr. Bush and we've talked about how to really what we're doing around special education and how we need to improve and what that can look like. We've also I've also taken a look at some of the unfunded staffing standards there. There's some opportunities there too. So, we're looking at some other options, but I mean I would not recommend using one-time funds for staffing at all. >> Okay. And and special ed is one of our biggest deficits as far as student achievement goes. It's one of our biggest challenges. >> Unfortunately, June 15th has passed. And
018so the odds of getting [clears throat] special ed hires is I mean I was talking to somebody from Carolina this morning who said, "Yeah, I still need a couple special ed teachers." And I'm like, "Yeah." So. >> [clears throat] >> So >> I think the the other thing for the start of the year, one of the things you deferred that I'll just remind you again is one of the things was with the with the paraprofessionals, we did say some differentiated staffing. So for those based on the number of reading plans, we said kind of set aside 10 of them so they would be targeted based on the number of reading plans they had in their school. What we would have more data and that was something you'd want to start the school year with as
019well. So those are that's, you know, another piece that comes to mind as we think about the budget and what was deferred. But happy to follow up with >> Yeah. >> deferred. Once we have the calc tool as well, we'll have much better numbers and so we're trying to we're doing a lot of planning and preparation with a lot of scenarios in terms of what might be possible. >> Awesome. >> And happy to follow up one-on-one or two as well if you want to talk through any of those. >> It's just unfortunate that they were so delayed in getting budget Any other budget questions? So you're going to send us an update, a reminder of what things we had deferred and the order we'll put them back in the budget and recommendations for any additional
020non non one-time use funds or recurring funds. Right. >> And if there's one-time funds that come out of the budget that we we There's some funds honestly we saw them and we're like, is that one-time funds? Is it not? So it's something that we want to look at um so um so once we get more clarity on that too, we're happy to share some of that. >> It's just a shame that they you know cut it a little close. >> How much are we talking about extra? >> We don't it's hard to say. We have a range. >> We'd be wearing orange. >> Well, we can't be making decisions if we don't know. >> No, I think >> Yeah, obviously we're going to know before we ask you to make a decision. >> We have
021there's a 4% there's a 4% compensation in there, right? >> So there's we we've heard that that's pieces in there currently from both sides of the house and the Senate. Uh we're hearing some uh special ed um add-on >> um and and and some one-time funds and some uh kind of operations per pupil which is just a one-time funding source for us. Uh that's actually part of the calc tool so that's why we also need to kind of get that nailed down. Uh and that's where we're talking about we we want to differentiate between one-time and and recurring dollars of what's that it is a biennial budget so we can't see like all right the 27 what also shows up in the 28 on the calc tool. Uh so that'll um clarify with us whether
022it's one-time or recurring. >> So as soon whatever information you can provide for us as soon as possible. >> Yeah, I don't care if it's multiple emails. I just want to know what's coming so I can like put it together. >> Okay. >> And also be able to talk any other questions about budget? >> No. >> Okay. Moving on to transportation. Hi Mr. Wilk. >> Hey, yeah. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Good evening. So we're going to go ahead and um >> [clears throat] >> go through our transportation uh department recap for the 25-26 school year along with letting you know some of the next steps of our internal planning for the upcoming school year of 26-27. Uh All right. So our presentation this This is going to focus on three focus points uh for of
023conversation. First one we're going to examine our performance metrics from the past cycle focusing specifically on the school bus arrival data, departmental staffing and then the multi-year bus behavior tracking remedies that we have put in place. Second, we'll focus and review our internal routing adjustments. This includes an internal project that we took on that being the legacy stops project and then our tactical approach to the specialized shuttle annex program that we have with here within the county. And then finally we're going to talk about the road map of readiness for the upcoming school year including opt-in figures, administrative workflows that we have and the action actionable field lunch deadlines for the upcoming school year. So we have basically taken an aggregate of all of our data that being the arrival data as far as our
024routes are concerned for the morning on-time arrivals and the afternoon on-time arrivals. As you will see in within elementary tier we basically have shown ourselves to be reliable where we have had 97.7% morning rate there in October and then in April a 97.4 rate in April. In the afternoon that data for the elementary has been 97.5 and then 95.9 respectively. Middle school we were able to show that we arrived there with a 98.9% in October and a 98.3% in April along with the afternoon being 93.7 and a 92.6. High school in October we remained steady at 93.1% in October and 93.4% there in April and then in the afternoon 99.4 in October and 98.5 in April. So, what does that mean? Well, in October pretty much we're looking good. We had basically we knocked all
025the cobwebs out at the beginning of the school year and we [clears throat] maintained. But, as you notice the numbers while they were steady in April, they did begin to go down just a little bit. Afternoon is still a little bit rough for us on both ends, but still remain there in that 90% threshold. And those numbers for high school uh do include the shuttle annex runs that we do service. So, those are included in those numbers that we have. >> Is that is are those shuttle runs the reason that on time arrival is a little lower in high school? >> That does that does affect us. Um yeah. >> And but your your afternoon arrivals are for high school are the best I mean it's sort of flipped. So, >> Correct. Correct. >> Is
026there a >> You have more time. We're not dealing with the traffic and the commute and the transient got you things that are happening in the morning. For instance, in the morning time you could be leaving the we'll just use the Y water area. We know that's a area that for our drivers is a little bit tough and so as we're leaving that area we're trying to bring them down to catch that shuttle. It could be hey, this group is on time and ready to go, but the next group we're waiting on that bus to come. >> Thank you. >> And also and when you look at the afternoon for high school it's our first shift in the afternoon. So, ideally we have all our buses there ready to go. So, the only time that
027doesn't occur is traffic, you know, an accident or something. >> But, that's the same for the morning. Right, you still have the travel transfer bus issue in the afternoon that you have in the morning, but it makes sense that I mean I just know going route one north in the morning is horrible, whereas at 2:00 in the afternoon it's no big deal. So, so that makes that makes perfect sense. >> What's considered on time? >> So, for what's considered on time for us is two things. We have a plan by the route. So, that's where we have given our stuff a threshold of here is the window that we want to get to school by before the the the school day or the bell is ringing. So, for like high school, our goal is to
028get our buses there at least by 7:10, right? Uh but we know like they're on a shuttle, we really are aiming for 7:05, and we'll talk about this a little bit later because we need that threshold from 7:05 to about 7:30 to get them there. So, uh we have what we call planned on the route sheet, and then we also have the bell time. So, we're actually taking two components and trying to make that fit to get on time. >> These percentages here, just to clarify, are based on bell time. You know, internally, we're shooting for earlier. We want at least 5 minutes before the bell for the last kid to get there so they have time to get breakfast, to get settled. Um this is our like worst-case, best-case scenario, depending on how you
029look at it, of making sure they are there for high school by 7:30 when that bell rings, we want them unloading students. >> So, we have midday runs. Where would those numbers average in? Would they average in with the AM or the or the afternoon? >> So, for those numbers, they're actually going to average in with the morning. >> Okay. >> Yeah, they're going to average in with the morning. >> Okay. >> And um if we want, we can submit that to you at a later time if you want to just look at that aggregate of that 10 15 midday runs, we can provide it for you. >> I I would. And also, if we can break out like what the how the shuttles have what been time like what their percentages are separate from
030just the high school. Um just so we can see you know, in transportation and in some of the emails that we received, those um runs to the specialty centers was of concern for for kids, but we didn't hear much about it until the end of the year when they had their end of course um >> testing, whether it be an exam or you know cert or and they didn't or whatever and they didn't have the flexibility of a late bus not inter- interfering with testing. >> Okay. >> So, I if we can just do get just shuttle you know, midday and shuttle >> Okay. >> data, that would be great. And then you were saying that the difference between October and April is what was the reason for the decline? >> So, in the start
031of the school year just purely operational we find that when it comes to folks reporting to work, it's happening. >> Everybody's excited for they get their first day of school, too. >> There you go. >> By the end >> By the time we get to [clears throat] second semester after January >> and spring time, that's when we start seeing an uptick in the absenteeism that takes place. >> Okay. >> So, that begins to affect us. And so, when you think about the shuttle, I'm not trying to get off the presentation cuz we're going to talk about it a little bit later, but when that takes place, that's we don't get as much wiggle room >> Mhm. >> in the morning >> Mhm. >> when a person calls, right? There's a domino effect. I could help
032out, but if I help out, now am I going to make my elementary late? Am I going to make my middle school late? In the PM, I have more time to play and work it out with the team to see how can we get these things covered. >> out of the office to go cover, right? Okay. >> All right. >> Okay. >> Still in that same vein, we go to this particular side and just giving you the update, staffing update there. Uh to guarantee that we have 100% route coverage and uninterrupted service, we do notice that we do at times have roughly about um individuals or employees that are on long-term medical absences. And on top of that, we then have an additional 15 to 21 that call out daily. So, that already puts us
033down roughly around 30 to 35 folks. >> So, that's about 10%. >> Yes. And so, with that being said, right now we are actively continuing to recruit and prepare for the upcoming school year. So, this last class I just went in and talked to them literally last Wednesday. I I mean, I was I was like the the Temptations. I was on my knees begging. Like, "Please get here [laughter] August the 5th." So, I wasn't [clears throat] too proud to beg. So, we had 17 drivers in that class um, and eight attendants. And then, our next class that will start in July 1, we actually already have 13 drivers lined up for that class. So, we're looking steady to be ready to have a successful start with the school year. My goal is for every route
034we have a driver in the seat. >> So, last year you gave us in your in this update, you told us what we budgeted for um, an expected number of drivers and what we ended up starting the year with which was substantially lower. By the end of the year, we were like within I think five drivers or something. What was it that we budgeted for numbers of drivers this year? And then, how did we do? >> Okay. I don't have the FTE count off hand, but Okay, 271. >> Budgeted FTEs for drivers. >> 271? >> Yeah. >> Okay. And then, what But, we don't know what we ended up with. >> So, let me give you those numbers. So, August August 12, we I'm just going to give you actually in the driver's seat. >>
035Yeah. Yeah. >> Um, so we started the year with 242 routes. So, on August 12th, we were at drivers and 89 attendants. January 6th, we were still at now 241 routes. We're at 269 drivers and 86 attendants. And then we ended on May 28th with 255 drivers. We that number did go down because we had retirees that were coming off, others were leaving. So, we ended up May 28th 255 drivers and 78 attendants. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So, let's give an update as regards the school discipline referrals. We'd like to provide for you 3 years. So, that would be a reflection of the 23-24 school year, 24-25 school year, and now the 25-26 school year. The days um what we have found out in that data is that elementary schools experienced a slight rise
036from 54 to 55. High schools saw a modest increase to 30. And middle schools, however, experienced a more pronounced upward shift moving from 66 to 71, reaching 80 this past cycle. So, when you look at it, you would say, "Are we having problems in our schools?" Right? That's what that data >> On on our buses. >> On our buses. Yes, on our buses. That's what that data would present. If you look at it that way. >> Yeah. >> But, this is actually a difference. This is actually a um it's a good problem. And what we mean by that is we're finding out that with our proactive approach, when I came here last year, we said we would strengthen the lines of communication from transportation to the campus side and the school side, right? Because we
037have been doing that, we have I've getting the responses back. We've been able to bridge the gap with the drivers actually knowing that, "Hey, I wrote a student up. The campus has followed up with me." It has now encouraged drivers to go ahead and document incidences that are happening on the buses because they're now >> They feel like they're >> believing in the process. They feel like they're being heard. >> Okay. >> So, you could take it and say what's going on, but it's really a good problem that is taking place. And we have seen and I have personally seen as a director where principals have now reached out, said, "Hey, can we get somebody from here? Can you come down? Can we have a meeting? Can we collaborate on what to do? Here are
038some strategies that we're willing to offer up." They have even put their personnel on some of the routes to ride with us. So, we're seeing more of a collaboration that is taking place. Feedback, closing the loop on things that may be taking on the buses to provide a safer ride for the students. >> I appreciate you saying that because for me, I'm looking at it going, "Oh, that's not good." Because how I see it is that every time we have an increased problem with the student, it's also an increased danger on the roads because the student is causing a problem, which is causing a driver not to be able to focus cuz they got a class. They basically attend to three classrooms with the kids behind them while driving this way. So, for me, I'm
039seeing an incre- a potential increase in safety. But, I do appreciate your perspective in giving us, you know, while we may see this uptick, it's because drivers are going ahead and engaging with detailing the problems, sharing it with the schools. And I do recall, as I did reflect on our our meeting last year this time before this meeting this time, because I wanted to hear what was asked and said and compare. But, one of the things that we did say was it was very important, you know, as part of their like we were talking about teacher retention, we also need driver retention. And if you're going to retain a driver, he or she does not want to report to a school and then have the principal say, "Thank you." and park it on the pile.
040And they don't ever find out Now, you know, they're not necess- I know there's privacy issues, but they still need to know that my time that I took to write a referral and submit is met with response. >> Yes. >> And so, I feel if if that's how happening, then that is what we want to have happen. >> Yes. >> And does this mean that because discipline has been dealt with, then there's less distraction on the bus moving forward? >> Less distraction on the bus moving forward. >> issues with that particular student or those particular students. [clears throat] >> Right. >> I have a question just about like the disciplinary action. Is that just like a case-by-case basis as far as like disciplinary action goes on the bus? >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Case-by-case. And
041as we continue on just with student, you know, the student referrals, we're not done. That work is going to continue to be ongoing. As I mentioned to you last year, it is still going to have to happen where we continue to collaborate. So, won't, you know, say that for purposes of this discussion, but met with a principal. We already have our date in mind for open house. >> She's already said, "Hey, I want on transition day at the end of the day or the day before transition, I want the whole team down here. I want to tell them what we're going to do. I want them to engage that they are part of the family." I think me and you have even talked about that, Ms. Randall and Ty. So, we already have a plan
042in place to make sure that we're working together. Now, internally, we still have to continue to train student management, right? The students of yesteryear are not the students of today. >> So, some of the things that we are documenting, yes, we want you to document, but let's see where we can work on to make sure we're not affecting safety, we're not affecting ride times as we continue to do this. So, it's a collaborative approach with us and the campuses, but also internally, we still have things that we're doing to strengthen that so it continues to be a safe ride. >> And I you know, something I've shared with Dr. Smith, too, is that and similar to what you're saying is that I really kind of feel that we need to remember and I remember so
043many of the conversations before I got on the board about some of the unhappy things with the drivers is that remembering that the the ride to school and the ride home from school is just an extension of your school day. So, when students arrive on that first day of school, what I would love and I'll participate is jumping on the bus and saying, "Good morning. Welcome to middle school or welcome to elementary school. Let me introduce you to your driver. Please tell them good morning on your way off the bus." Because I really feel like so many of the kids are getting on their bus and getting off their bus and don't even acknowledge their first their day first day of school is when they walk through the building. It's when you get your transport
044to school from school. Like I just feel like that is something we need to show value of our drivers, but it's also showing our students this is an experience that you need to say good morning to them. You need to acknowledge them. You need to say thank you. So, I just feel like >> [clears throat] >> part of the team. >> Well, we've already met internally and we met yesterday. I met with my leadership team. And so, our theme for the year is steering back to basics. So, in steering back to basics, our goal is to make sure one of the key points I have that we'll emphasize it in service is making sure what as drivers we set the tone in saying good morning, smiling with the students. Uh Ms. Blackwell, we rode a
045route together she and she can testify that the driver said good morning to all the kids, all of them. And they did not They did not They didn't respond back. So, we're doing it. But we want to make sure that we're doing it in totality with everybody. And so >> me for being in somebody's seat. >> She didn't yell at me. She was like, >> We want to get there. >> There's a teacher on the bus. >> A teacher? >> And then she talked me to death. >> [laughter] >> What time >> Um if there's multiple If there's one student that does multiple incidences, is it shown as multiple incidences here or is it just shown as one incident? >> So, with this current system, it would be with multiple. >> Okay. >> It is
046with multiple. >> Okay. >> So, we will be updating. We will be going to a different platform [clears throat] where we'll be tracking. So, we will be able to extrapolate, hopefully by next year, a little bit even clearer for you. >> So, no like the kind >> It would be interesting to to see how many students were the privilege of riding the bus was taken away. I don't need that number now, but just in terms of, you know, the the discipline that there actually, you know, were students who were not able to ride the bus because of these infractions. >> No problem. I'll provide that for you. I did pull it ahead of presentation, but I'll provide it for you at your request. >> And I'm I'm very happy to hear that the teachers are
047being supported at the schools because over the years that has been you know, an ongoing issue with the bus drivers felt that they weren't connected with the schools. Now, not every school, but a lot of schools that that they would report things and nothing would happen. So, what you're saying is is very encouraging and I and I do attribute that to your leadership. So, thank you and you know, for for what you do and I I think you're a great leader in there and Gosh, Mr. Omar, I'm going to tell you what. We've come We've come a long way in transportation. >> And we have a complicated transportation system. >> Mr. Wilcox and his team have been been amazing and hopefully your email inboxes and phone calls are a pure inverse relationship and reflection of
048how how great of a job they've been doing. >> Cuz I mean we used to get regularly beat up on and and with with reason. You know, because you know, we weren't performing and and you know, I don't hear those complaints at this point. I mean there's always going to be complaints, but but I think you're doing a great job. >> Thank you, Jane. It is the It is the team. We have a a great team. Everybody's working. >> Quick question. I see a lot of recognitions coming through. Do we ever recognize the bus drivers? >> Yeah, we have a we have a bus driver appreciation. >> Okay, that's what I'm just trying to verify. >> All the schools do that, too. >> Yeah, at my school our student council associations make goodie bags for
049them. So, like we did water bottles and for one day and stuff like that. >> I think it's bus drivers are retirement things. >> Yeah, and I remember those. >> My daughter and I used to make cookies on Fridays for our bus driver. That was a long time ago. But we would take cookies up to the bus driver. >> I like chocolate chip. Appreciate it. >> [laughter] >> ARE YOU DRIVING a bus? >> I DID AND I STILL DO. >> I'm sure when you get love. >> All right. So, again, we mentioned some of the things, the tracking system that will hopefully help us help us even better. We're going to continue to provide the bus rules, especially to the community at the beginning, letting them know what's going on, continue training, and then we
050did provide a quick guide not only to the drivers on how to document, but even to that of the campus staff. All this has worked to help us out with that. Now, here was our next, we can say focus point that we're going to talk about this evening with the routing side. Internally, we worked on a project known as the Legacy Bus Stop Project. The goal was basically to consolidate redundant stops to achieve a structural operational benefit while enhancing student safety. Um by removing high-risk walking pathways on some stops, blind quarters, and blind corners, busy highway um we can say crossroads, we were able to kind of make sure we had centralized pickup spots for our students. So, before this [clears throat] project, we did a pre-audit. We had basically 400 and 4,454 [snorts] stops.
051Um and then, we were able to remove through the project 158 of those stops. And that was through efforts of looking at their safety. So, it could have been at a at a corner, maybe kids were crossing through an area, or it could have just been a redundant stop. >> Mhm. >> Right? So, you may have been let's just say 123 Lane Road or was it Lane Drive? And all those things are little things that if you have it in the system, it can cause confusion and actually add time to a route, right? So, we just want to clean up. So, I know the number may not seem as big, but now we actually have stops that we can say and the good thing was that this was just done on two things, not only
052GIS data, but also empirical. We drove these stops, we went by. We know that at the beginning you get that a lot from constituents. Hey, please look at your stop. Please look at my stop. We just don't go out there and say no, yes. It's us actually validating, you know what, this is a safe point for the driver. It's us testing it. I know you want me to come down to the cul-de-sac, but if I come down, I may lose 3 minutes in just a three-point turn. So, all of this is the work that we did to make sure that we can start the year off right. Now, don't take this as set in stone. So, if you still get that, we still will go back out, we will evaluate, but we want to let
053you know we have a baseline now within the county. A baseline in the county of what we did, and that was tremendous hard work by the routing team and the operations team as well. >> Okay. >> So, let's give you your opt-in numbers at this time. So, as of June 3rd, we had a total of 31,916 students that came over. As far as our opt-outs are concerned, 3,829 students opted out for the morning. 3,525 opted out for the afternoon. We take those things, we work through that, that helps us make sure we have the correct students on the routes, and that we're not adding more stops on the bus. And some In some cases, it just could be a student and the stop still remains. Just means that the parent has let us know that
054they're not riding for the morning. July 1, parent view is going to open up. So, it's just going to at least allow the parent to know that Remember, you opted in, you said yes, so we have we have that data. Some parents they may say it says no. Okay, so what's the process? Call the school. You call the school by July 1. The school then puts in that transportation request. We try to get them in so we can have them ready for a route by the time we start school. >> Okay. So, do we do the same thing we did last year of actually making sure that every And and schools calling families that have not >> Who did you ask? >> Yes. >> Responded. >> So, the the total total students imported, does that
055include the graduating seniors? >> No. Those are We do have pre-K in there as well. It's not just our K-12. >> doesn't include Okay, so they the rising kindergarteners. >> There's some rising kindergarteners and there's pre-current pre-K or what will be pre-K next year. >> So, do we estimate that's pretty close or do we expect it may >> It's going to change. I mean, close, yes. We're always going to be right around that number. It'll probably continue to rise with kindergarten registrations. As far as the total number of students. And then we might get some additional opt-outs. >> parents that are like My kid drives himself, but I want to keep a place on the bus for them. Not realizing your kid can drop off 10 days. Yeah, but they'll still say No, no, they're
056opting in, but parents will still say >> I think those are the So, those are the ones that did opt out. We We phrase it as an opt-in, um, but we're virtually trying to get a 100% response rate. So, ultimately it's an opt-in and opt-out cuz you're telling us yes or no whether you want transportation. >> What if they don't say anything, then they're a >> We're still giving them transportation. To start the year. >> So, what if they didn't >> We were I thought opt-in meant that if they did not opt in, then they had no route. >> So, we still have some families that have not responded and we're trying that outreach, but right now we are considering them still on the bus because we haven't been able to get a hold of
057them and in contact them personally. >> if they that that That's what I thought, too. We thought that if they didn't opt in they didn't If you don't opt in, you don't have a >> it opt-in we get and and phrasing it that way we get a better response rate than just hey, let us know if you don't want a bus. So, we're pushing it that way, but then we're trying to get a 100% response rate. If we can't hear from them, we are still going to route them at least for the first few weeks until we see that they're not riding the bus and then we'll take them off. >> What is the >> Your alternative, you're going to have thousands of kids calling you on the first day of school saying where's my
058bus and then we have to go back and add them later. >> Got you. >> What's the >> And it causes more problems. >> Do not respond. What percentage have you had not respond doing >> So I don't know the percentage offhand. I will tell you our opt-out number was higher last year than it was this year. Some of that believe is last year coming off the year before we got a better response rate. People were more aware of transportation. Things went a lot better this year. They were a lot smoother. So trying to get that response rate up has has been tough and so we're still working with principals and some of the school leadership to reach out to those families that haven't responded. We will also once we get parking passes and for
059like high schools when they get a parking pass we say all right well you kind of forfeit your right to a a bus unless there's a special situation. >> Right. >> And so those ones will come off as well as we get through the summer and and get through the parking pass season. >> Just to clarify one of the things Chris said was you know because transportation is going well and we're seeing you saw the on-time arrivals so there's more trust in our transportation system. So we also think we're having more folks that are actually riding our bus instead of making alternative arrangements. >> I'm still a little confused but this is just me but Dr. Jason I'm just on this one. Before we we had opt-out and and then that didn't exactly go well.
060Go well. So we said for our benefit we're going to make people opt-in. >> Mhm. >> But it's and I understand what you're saying it's actually for our benefit to keep them in before they're out but it's a little confusing when you try to say what are the rules. Because the rule as I understood it was unless you opt in >> There's no >> you're not on the bus. >> Correct. >> two weeks to opt-in. >> doing the exact same approach as we did last year when we talked about this leading into last school year. You know, actually the board said like we don't want anybody to not have a bus if they need a bus, right? And so some families are a lot harder to reach and try to get a response rate from
061them. And those sometimes are the families that need a bus more than any other other family. So our response rate has been lower this year. We're not just not going to send a bus to them for the first month of school. We're going to start it there. So we're taking that same approach. Ideally we can call it opt in or opt out. If we get a 100% response rate, it doesn't matter what we call it. It's still we need you to tell us yes or no. Are you riding? Are you opting in or opting out? What did you say? >> How did we do with responses this year versus last year? >> It's it's less. That's what we're talking about. We've had a whole >> I'm like wondering by like how much? What are we
062talking? >> I mean a few thousand. I'd have to pull the exact numbers. >> So so we're asking people to opt in or opt out? >> Opt in is what we're asking. >> We send them a We send them a survey that says, "Do you want AM transportation? Yes or no?" >> So they are asking >> want PM transportation? Yes or no?" >> And this these are people that said no. So we actually Okay. Whatever works. It's >> Well, [clears throat] and we do In addition to you know, essentially we do a lot of work to try to get this done before we turn it over to principals. And we got a lot of feedback from principals and talking about the process this year. Then we turn it over to schools. They're calling. And then
063in the end obviously we also get with the principal and say, "Has this kid been riding for 4 years and now they're in fifth grade? They've been riding every single day and we can't still can't get a hold of this parent. Like do they normally ride the bus?" We still work through all of those ways to try to make sure we get a response that's accurate. But >> No, that makes sense. It's just I didn't realize we're doing that. That's actually very positive. But at some point we ought to get them to opt in even if it's after the school year starts so that we have that on the record that they have requested that and it's not just us >> arbitrarily >> generously putting them on a list where somebody else has to opt
064in to be on the list. >> Yeah, they need to formulate. >> They need to at some point, whether it's after the school year starts, like tell them if you have not opted in in 10 days, then we will no longer pick you up. It would seem because otherwise, what's the incentive for anybody to respond? >> to be >> Yeah. >> And I mean it it we need the numbers to to know how to set up the transportation routes. I think there has to be a little bit of a burden on the parents to make sure they're opting >> since you just said there's several thousand >> Yeah, less less that responded this year than last. That's just I don't want us to trend that way to making it more work for central and I'm
065sorry, more work for central, more work for schools because that number grows in that direction. >> Right, if people say, "Oh, I didn't have to opt in, the bus just showed up for my kids. Oh, I didn't have to? Oh, great." I guarantee you that that will happen. >> I think that's what they're >> Well, the alternative to that, devil's advocate, right? If we don't if we if they don't respond at all, and we don't send a bus at all, you will have 10,000 families calling you on the first day of school, and then we have to go back and redo all of our routes. >> Absolutely. And and I but I think what Miss Healey is saying there's some validity to we've picked you up, you're not officially a rider. Here's a note for
066you to give to your parent for them to opt in. >> You're riding. >> Otherwise, you're really defeating yourself in getting a response cuz those thousands that didn't respond now may already know we're going to put them on anyway. So, if we were pretty strict about that, you know, before, um you know, the opt when we went from opt out to opt in. I wasn't a big fan of opt in cuz I prefer doing what you're doing. But, the board as a whole decided, "No, we're going to make this a requirement." To ride the bus, you have to opt in. >> Um you said July 1st it will show on Parent View what their selection was. >> Selection, not So, not route information. >> Not route information. >> So, they should just check and see
067that your opt in or opt out is correct, and if not, they need to call transportation or was it the school? >> The school. The school. Okay. >> And so, will there be a a thing that says no selection? So, you're going to say that your status is opt in, opt out, no selection. I mean >> say yes or no. Like no AM bus, no PM bus, and they've got to call and actually say, "I need this changed to be yes." >> Right. So, we're going to this this we are not in the communication going to say, "You didn't respond, so we're assuming that you're taking the bus." Okay. >> I'm just going to point out it's after 8:00. Can we just get through the last two items after we finish transportation? Is that okay
068with everybody? Cuz I I don't want to not do it. >> Here we go. So, let's go to the shuttle annex and direct route hybrid model. So, the question of the evening, what's going to happen with the new high school and our shuttle annexes? Well, we operate, as we mentioned earlier, for the AM shuttle that's 7:05 to 7:30. That means at 7:05 7:05 in the morning, basically, we got that time frame to get those students to their next high school by 7:30. And then, for the midday, we have 10:15 to 10:40. And then, at the PM is basically 1:50 to 2:15 we're delivering them back. There is not going to be any major changes to the current system we have for the shuttle annex program. However, we have explored and we are continuing to explore
069that there may be some direct routes and there may still be some where the student is going to take the shuttle from their base school and then ride to the school that they are going to utilize the program at. And so the team is working through that right now. We have just seen that there are certain areas especially in Hardwood where we run through many analysis. We even met about that today. I was almost late with that getting here. The goal is like for Hardwood, just give you an example, it may be easier to pick those students up in that area who are attending the Brook Point, Colonial Forge because of how many students we have, we take them directly to that school. But there is another part of Hardwood that is closer to the
070Fauquier line where you know what, it's more practical actually to maybe make you get on the Hardwood shuttle and then go to the program. So that's what we're working on. So nothing to alarm the community about, alarm you about. We're good. We've been practicing. We've done simulations. So we are feeling confident about this working out. >> He's been talking about this for months. >> [laughter] >> He's been talking about this for months at tax. >> So we're keeping it the same but looking for ways to increase efficiency for those travel students specifically. >> Why don't you get them to the school on time? I think it's great idea. >> We can't go the approach we had a few years ago was everybody was straight from home to school and they had really long routes and
071it It work. So we went to the shuttle system we have now, and we think with a hybrid system, kind of a model >> We've got more kids in the special ed programs than we have too, so there may be some efficiencies there because there are just more kids. Do you have enough kids to fill a bus or close to fill a bus? >> Obviously, this is going to apply to my question, but just looking at like the previous year before, so what happens if and I'll be a travel student next year, so I'm very interested. What happens? Yes. What happens when my like typical bus that I take every morning is late to my base school, and then my bus that I'm supposed to take me to Brook Point, for example, like that bus
072is now gone because everyone else was loaded onto that bus, so like what is that piece of transportation look like? >> So, that is another piece that we're looking at. So, one of the things that we saw this year is that at times, like the example I gave you, we were we were waiting on another bus to come. We are trying to explore an option to see if how can we have some other lighter routes that may say, "You know what? You have a majority of the students that you need. We have a back another bus coming through that doesn't have an elementary. Can you make sure you get those that are late." But, there's always there could be a domino effect in the operation, so I don't want to over promise that and under
073deliver, but I do want to say we are looking at exploring that option because that is what we had a lot. Um, and so pretty much we do feel that the direct is going to help us in some cases, but we are aware of that and we are exploring the opportunities to see how we can improve that, okay? >> That feels good. >> Barometer for us. >> Well, I'm a student driver, so I don't think that applies to me, but I'll I'll ask some friends around, yeah. >> All right, so let's give you some of the next steps um, as regards where we are. Um Yeah, here we go. So, phase one, just so we can know what has kind of taken place within the department, June 3rd to July 10th, we have been working
074on all the routes that the information has come over. We got all of the correct zones for all the students that have been where they're at now what zone they're currently in with the elementary redistricting. So, we're working actively on the routes. And just to just to say this, we did a lot of the initial routing already. Now, we're actually using the student data and placing those students on and making that fit. So, that work has already been taking place. But, that's what's been taking place right now. So, we'll be routing up until July 10th. Then, between July 10th to July 24th, we internally as a team, we are actually going through together from the operations side. That being the managers I have in the field along with the routing department, they both will collaborate
075and say, "Let's look at this. We know this has happened. We remember this. Principal reported this. Remember we got these issue tracks from last year." Does this fit? Does that work? So, then phase and then that's kind of like phase two. And so, after we do that, our goal is to be able to release the routes to the parents by July 29th. July 29th. Now, I want to be clear on something. We will release your student's route information July 29th. But, it will literally just be at that point in time just your pickup location and your stop times. You won't have your driver's name or the bus. And that's because now we go to phase three in preparation for the start of the school year. August 5th, drivers come in. They get assigned their routes.
076We do in-service on the 6th. And then, 7th and the 10th, we do our driver runs and we'll be ready to start school on transition day August 11th and then first day of school, August the 12th. >> All right. >> Okay. Quick question, [clears throat] sorry. Um my question is just the how the communication is, I guess, like communicated for the routes. Is that through that K12 bus app or is it through student view? >> Very good. Excellent question. So, two ways, right? Parents who have opted uh not opted in, but parents who have signed up through the My Ride K12 app, they can go on the um Stafford County school site and then go to our department page. There are transportation has instructions how to do that. They will get their information through there.
077But if you don't get it through there, your school will have that information for you and will communicate that out. >> Okay, so that should be communicated via email through your specified school. >> Whatever Whatever system the schools have it. So, you'll get your information through the school. >> Okay, thank you. >> Okay. All right, that concludes our presentation. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thank you, guys, for coming. >> No problem. >> Sounds like you have everything well in hand. Okay, um we're going to go to the assessment program and I'd like to hold questions until the end so we can try to get through these last two remaining items. >> We have Miss Amy Seep Guard, director of research, evaluation, strategic improvement here with us this evening to talk about our 2026-2027 assessment program.
078>> You got to scroll to the other side. It should be working now. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> All right, so um as I go through the changes for the 2026-2027 school year, um one of the things that I hope you will notice is that we are really placing an emphasis on decreasing the assessment footprint within the division and decreasing the testing demands on the students and recouping instructional time. Um the other thing that um you'll see as we go through is that we have really tried to strengthen the alignment between the assessments we are giving and uh the instruction in the classroom. So, our assessment program is made up of um really two big buckets. The first one is that we have local assessments and then we have state-mandated assessments. On this screen, you
079could uh can see the local assessments that are given in grades uh K through 12. Um we give these assessments to either screen students, uh diagnose students, uh to determine formative or summative data on student achievement. Um if you will look down at the third bullet, you'll see that there is a change this year from what we have done in previous years for the um MAP assessment. So, we will be giving uh the NWEA MAP assessment in reading and mathematics and uh MAP provides uh a measurement of student achievement, but many times or most of the time it's also used as a growth measure. Um we will be uh giving that assessment in grades 3 through 5, but we will not be giving it this year in grades 2 and in grades 6 through 10.
080So, we have eliminated that this year. I will talk about that a little bit more as we get through the presentation of why we uh made that decision. All right, the state-mandated assessments, um you know, most of them uh that you will see here uh are criterion-referenced, meaning um the performance on the assessment is based on how students did on a particular standard, um and they provide us data on student achievement. So, we have the usual suspects. We have the SOL assessments. We have the VAP assessments that are provided or are given to our lowest 1% of students with disabilities. We have the WIDA ACCESS test that's given to our English [clears throat] learners to determine their progress year to year on English language proficiency. I want to draw your attention to the very last
081bullet that is there, which is for grades 10 and 11. It says that we are going to be giving this year World History 2 and US and Virginia History Performance Assessments this year to verify history credits. And we have added this year US and VA history. We have had done World History 2 in 2025-2026. So, let me talk a little bit more about that. So, what that means is in this school year or really any school year, we give our grade nine students the World History 1 assessment. That is the test that they take to try to earn a verified credit for graduation requirements. If a student does not pass that assessment and does not verify that history course, then typically they would have taken another SOL test in World History 2 or US and
082VA history. They are no longer going to be administered that test as as a the next step to try to earn that verified credit. Instead, they will be um completing a performance assessment that's part of the curriculum. So, all students are taking this performance assessment. And the students that still need the verified credit are having the essay portion scored a second time with regards to the state rubric. And so, then we'll see if they get the um verified credit that way. So, the long-term intent is to really transition away from SOL testing in history as state as state law allows as it comes as state law allows. And the idea is to have performance assessments that are actually just incorporated into the pacing and the curriculum, and we are just giving performance tasks right as
083part of the scope and sequence of the course. All right, I want to talk a little bit about the changes that we were are making for math this year. Um in previous state law for grades three through eight, schools were required to give growth assessments, and schools could either give the SOL growth assessments, or they could give and a growth assessment from an approved vendor. And we opted to give NWEA MAP assessments, which were they were are an approved vendor to meet that requirement. There was recent legislation, House Bill 199, that eliminated that requirement for growth assessments. And so, as that happened, we evaluated whether Stafford still was going to administer those MAP assessments or not. One of the things that we looked at was the time that students are spending on tests. Those assessments
084are given three three a year. Uh grade two students um spent 6 hours taking um the assessment. Grades three through 10 students probably spent anywhere from 10 to 13 hours taking an assessment, and that's a really long time. The other piece that we looked at is once they've taken that assessment, what are we gaining from that assessment? What what information are we using to drive instruction? And what we found is that um the results from that assessment weren't used consistently across the schools and across the levels. And so we made the decision to eliminate MAP testing. Um we are keeping it this current school year in grades three through five uh because when we eliminate it, we want to eliminate, but we also need to replace it with something that will still provide us information
085[clears throat] on how the kids are doing on the standards. And so uh teaching and learning uh that office has um been working on assessment items that are tied to the standards, they're rigorous, um and they've begun that work on uh grades for grades six through 12. And they will be working on grades three through five this current school year. And so since they wouldn't be ready this school year, we kept the grades three through five MAP in place. But we will be um on on this slide, um we will be able to eliminate um MAP assessments in grade two and in grades six through 10. One of the things that's really important to note about this is this is we are not creating an assessment to replace that assessment. what we're really doing is
086creating assessment questions, and those questions are going to be placed inside existing assessments that teachers would be given anyways when they were testing for those particular standards. And so this way we have very aligned questions that we know are really aligned to the curriculum. We know the rigor of those questions um and we would be giving those questions really division-wide at that point. And so you can get a lot of information when you look at division-wide assessment questions on the curriculum, um you know, teaching uh strategies, methodologies, you know, it it can impact curriculum pacing. So we'll get a lot of information out of that. So important to realize that we would be leveraging our existing assessments, embedding those new questions, and we wouldn't have a separate time-consuming test experience that everybody is preparing for
087and taking hours and hours out of the the instructional day to do. So again, you can see at the bottom of the screen, '26-'27, we will have those items ready for this current school year that you see on the screen. And then in '27-'28, we will have items for um ELA and math degrees 3 through 5, and it's during that school year that we intend to eliminate math for those grade levels. All right, another thing that um we eliminated eliminated this year is the PSAT um 8/9 for grade 9 students. Uh and what we are um doing is giving the grade uh 10 and 11 students the PSAT NMSQT, And that will be for grade 10 students and it will be offered to grade 11 students who want to take it. So, why would a
088grade 11 student want to take that test? Um that is the test that um allows scholarship opportunities uh for national merit recognition. So, some uh 11th grade students may want to take that. Other grade 11 students might want to take the SAT. And so, we are actually having an SAT school day this year uh for grade 12 students and for interested grade 11 students. Um the SAT school day is required by law that was just put into effect uh July 1st of this year. Um and what this does is again, it really gives us the opportunities um for those kids to um have the opportunity for that national merit recognition, but it also um will give us data on the students like how if they're on track for being college ready, um what majors align
089with their skill set. So, there's a certain sets of data that will come out of those assessments that we plan on leveraging this school year. The other change that um is coming is the uh change to the EOC writing SOL test. And so, um this upcoming school year, um teachers uh across the division will be working on the grade nine and the grade 10 curriculum to um update it really. Um to update the instructional materials, update the pacing, the scope and the sequence, and to prepare students for the SOL test, like to practice for the uh experiences that they would have on that writing SOL test. This year, we will continue to administer that test uh to the the grade level that we have that we did last year, which is grade 11 students. But,
090the intent is in 2027-28 to take that curriculum that was developed this year for grades 9 and 10 and teach that curriculum in 2027-28 and then have students test in grade 10 instead of grade 11. But, since there'll be some students um that would have taken that test in grade 11, it's really a kind of a crossover year. We We are going to have students in both grade 10 and grade 11 taking that EOC writing test 2027-28. And then, starting in 2028-29 and beyond we will have them start to take the EOC writing test in grade 10. Um big reason for this is because um if there are students who are having difficulty passing the the writing test to earn that verified credit, because that is one that they have to have to graduate, um
091it gives them 3 years to do that instead of two. And it also reduces the burden on grade 11 students who are busy taking other assessments. A lot of them are taking AP IB tests, uh the PSAT or the SAT, and credentialing exams. And so, it gives students really more times to meet the uh graduation requirements. And then, this last slide here um shows the gains in instructional uh instructional hours based on the changes that were made. Um and you can see here grade two um gained back 6 hours, three through five 12 hours, uh grade six through eight 13.6, grade nine 14.16, and grade 10 11.33 hours. So, those are the hours that we will gain based on the changes to the schedule that were once outlined in the presentation. All right. Next steps,
092we will be sending communication out to families through letters and social media. We also have a state assessment webpage on our Stafford Schools website that currently just has information on the state assessments, but we will be updating that page to include more comprehensive information about the testing program in Stafford in general. So, I am here for questions. >> I got a few questions I can take a pulse. Um I know there was some concern that I heard about they really appreciated removing the middle of the year map testing. But, there was concerns about removing it kind of completely because we have been relying on it for kind of catching some of those kids. And there was concern about not using a kind of state well-known assessment and then just the division kind of making up
093their own kind of assessment. But, it sounds like so a test that they would already be given. There would be questions embedded in that test. So, are those questions then the teachers responsibility to pull the results specifically from those questions and then report them or how do those how do they get separated out? >> So, those questions we give assessments in Mastery Connect. And so, I'm assuming those questions will be tagged somehow so that they would have the results. >> One of my other questions was it says the end of the this is all map, right? End of first and third quarters. So, what does end mean? Does that mean like halfway? Like anytime after the halfway point, or is that like the last week of the third quarter when it's spring break? >> It's
094um it's Well, we the assessment calendar is still under review, but I currently placed it the last two weeks before the quarter ends to give them a little bit of leeway as to when they want to um >> And Ms. Fingerholds, I'll I'll share it just a little bit on that. I think um the thinking on of that was, okay, to eliminate one of the assessment We didn't need to assess three times. Um we thought we worked with um with folks to look at when when do Which one do you eliminate? Do you eliminate them winter, do you eliminate them spring? They're already taking kind of the SOL. It's a be a better measure if we did kind of in the in the fall, and then let's see the growth that we have kind of
095in the spring before so we still have time to do some additional remediation. The other thing that I'll mention on this is that the reason you see a difference in what we're doing for 3 through 5 and second grade and and second grade and that's really based on feedback. We went out and talked to talked to teachers through teacher cabinet, through staff advisory three. Uh we talked to a lot of different groups and got the principals and got their feedback. Grades 3 through 5 really said, "We're just not ready yet." Like we we've been have this this embedded in in what we do for so long and there's a lot of tentacles to it. So, give us a year. It's not we're not ready yet. The secondary um there was issues with alignment. They weren't
096using the data. They said, "Yes, that's just something we're getting We're not really using the data." So, this is really driven by a lot by feedback from our teachers and from our principals. So, that's why you see some of the differences. >> Okay. I know the concern was just like if it's like the last week of the third quarter, there was some concern there. They're like, "A couple more weeks ahead would be helpful." So. >> We'll give them a window in order to do some of that. >> Also, that calendar it's in draft form, but that is shared out with certain representatives from the school to provide feedback. So, that would be something that I would get feedback on and we would talk about possible changes. >> That's it. >> Any other questions? Okay. Um
097I'm sorry. Do you have a question or? Not yet. Okay. Um, when you have the on the page for local assessments, um, how many time are all of these tests that are listed only given one time a year? >> No. >> So, these tests that you have listed, some or all or >> So, like the uh, the math screeners are given um, two or three times a year. The uh, the CogAT is just given one time. Um, the uh, the MAP is going to be given two times in grades three through five. The um, DIBELS is given generally um, three times a year, though it just varies by grade level. Um, DESSA, I'm not sure if that's one or two times a year or I'm sorry, two or three times >> DESSA varies whether it's
098a teacher assessment of the student or the student actual survey. >> Okay. >> Uh, No Red Ink is twice. Uh, the the standard the STAMP is one time test that they give to students that are in um, world languages three and above. Uh, so that's one time and then the AP tests, those are at the end of the school year. >> Is the STAMP an option? Or is that a required? >> I I >> It's a required. >> Okay. Okay. >> Required if they want to have the biliteracy seal. If they want to get the biliteracy seal. >> Yeah, yeah. And then the same with the state mandated assessments, are those all one, two, three times a year depending on the test kind of situation as well? >> Yes, ma'am. The SOL assessments of course
099for the earlier grades are in the spring. It varies greatly at the high school depending on when they take it. When they you know, or >> They have passed it the first time or not. >> We do once a school year as well as the math assessments and the performance assessments are are embedded in the course. >> And vowels vowels and >> Of vowels is three times a year. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And then um when you talk So, one of my questions Shannon asked or Sorry, Ms. Fingleholt asked. And so, um the other one I had was for the required SAT day, does that have to be a completely separate day than PSAT day? Or can they could be combined? Or how Or what are we thinking? >> We were So, this year was
100the first year we did offer it with the with the PSAT on the same PSAT day. We gave seniors an option to do SAT. They also could do the um ASVAB. They could do a career experience. So, we tried to make kind of a 3E day. Um and so, we did offer an SAT school day for the first time this year. The bill did pass. House Bill 410, I believe is it was the number that required us to offer SAT day uh for juniors or seniors. And um So, we are planning to still couple that with PSAT as we talked to our principals about that. Ninth grade will have something a little bit different because they're not going to be doing the PSAT in ninth. So, we talked about some experiences they can have with
101that. >> Okay. I was just trying to say cuz I know like what an experience it is for the school to have to kind of go in prep mode for something like that. And so, to do two of those in a year. So, I'm I'm glad to hear that. Um and >> And we've also thought it we we really talked about juniors or seniors. Sometimes ju- juniors want to stay at the day that they start their process and sometimes it's kind of the last test of your process as a senior cuz you can super score. >> Right. And then also it's, you know, so many schools are test optional, too, that makes it a different thing. Um and one thing that I would love to just add when you're saying the results and instructional hour
102gains is also what educators are gaining by not having to do these tests because there's always a pre component to their lesson planning plus the dedication time of the actual testing and then time after to go through results. So, I feel like um it's really a gift to give to the educators as well. It's good that we're giving instructional time back, but [cough] it's also increasing not [clears throat] just these hours, but multiple more of these hours for our educators. So, I just wanted to add that as well. Thank you. >> It's up to your choice. >> Yep. So, um DIBELS and VALS, how much overlap is there in these tests? >> Um So, VALS is the uh assessment that the the state has uh put out as their screener. Um there has been a
103lot of discussion surrounding VALS um in terms of the data and what it really um can be used for. Um DIBELS allows us to actually um diagnose and progress monitor because what comes with DIBELS is also a um a course, it's called Amira Class, where they'll take the DIBELS results and then they will tailor um instruction to the kids. So, it's kind of a a program that um combines both of those things. >> So, is VALS giving us information that DIBELS is not? >> Um it's just it's giving us I would say less information and that this it's really been kind of wishy-washy on how reliable that information is. >> should legislators be pushing to get rid of VALS? >> Or improve it. >> Well, I mean, I just don't I just don't see why
104we're putting kids through two literacy screening things in terms of the amount of time our kids are spending being tested. >> And one is giving useful information to the educator and the other one I've heard that educators really have to dig deep to use. And but still >> that come out of VALS are not >> helpful. And they and they feel that >> UVA but really that's not what we should be doing to decide what test we're going to have kids take. So, I would just suggest I I know you can't do anything about it because the state is mandating it, but we could push on legislators to think about what they're doing and not requiring a test that actually is not particularly useful for us. >> And decreases instructional time but increases educators' time
105and doesn't give them the data that they need for the reading block. >> And I would suggest similar to what they did with the Virginia Growth Assessment, VGA, they allowed us to have another vendor do it. So, they allowed us we used MAP, right? And so, with this instead of doing VALS, can we do DIBELS instead? >> An alternative. >> Yes, sir. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Um I'm a little concerned about pulling back on MAPS just because um we keep changing the tests we're doing and then for those of us who are trying to say has are we improving? How is our school system doing? We've just I mean, it seems like MAPS we've only been looking at MAPS in the last 3 years. Now we're going to tank MAPS and then I have
106no way to see whether we're doing better. And so, that's a concern to me. I'm I'm at the the researcher in me is like I no no have B to compare to A. And that's a concern for me as student outcomes, my job to be looking for student outcomes. I'm losing that information. >> I have a lot of friends. >> So, I don't know. That's just And I guess my other question is these questions we're coming up with what measures of validity do we have for them? Like how do we know that these questions are valid questions? Because like people who develop these tests have done all kinds of test and measurement type stuff. What are we pulling from somebody that's already developed the questions? How how is that going to work? >> So, I
107believe that they are going to be developing themselves with the performance level descriptors that go along with the SOL tests. >> Okay. >> Um but I mean we're not assessment vendors. We are not going to be able to test, you know, validity. Um but they're certainly they're certainly a method of aligning an assessment item to a standard and then looking at the performance level descriptor to see the rigor of that item. There's there's definitely a method to doing that. >> And and how do we make sure that we aren't letting the teachers know what those questions will be? >> So, that's the beauty of Mastery Connect. So, inside of Mastery Connect we can hide an assessment from teachers so they won't see it until it's actually delivered to students. So, they can't use the questions
108that >> in the division knows what the questions are. >> Probably the specialist, the math specialist, or the reading specialist would know what the questions are. >> Okay. I'm just going to express some concern there. Um just, you know, Stafford County is so freaking incestuous in terms of who's married to who and whose cousin this cousin. I would have to be a little concerned if we're coming up with the questions and we're putting them there that we can be sure that nobody is going to know what the questions are before these kids take the test and that's just that'll be a concern for me. But >> I think from a student outcome, I mean we're going to see it in the outcomes I think right now and I've met with teachers and talking to they
109they can't rely on MAP. They say it's not aligned, it doesn't it's no longer aligned with our with our state assessments. They um and so to have something that we're developing that we're administering that we can look at this in a quick the timeliness that we're getting data back. I think we're going to see those outcomes in our um and >> And I the other piece is just knowing that they have very specific items that are aligned and using that data to drive what they're doing in the classroom. That is a lot um I would say more of a thorough analysis than a lot of them are doing right now with the current MAP data. They're just not getting down into into that level. Just a little concern. I'm just expressing that concern. Um then
110uh So the reason we were doing PSAT 8/9 was to identify students for advanced coursework. What are we going to do instead to identify kids for advanced coursework? What will we be using instead? >> So the PSAT 8/9 uh I understand as it was originally administered was an assessment that did provide some some prediction around how students would perform on certain AP tests. We had concerns with the reliability of that assessment. We weren't seeing when you said that this student was this this had this percentage of a prediction they would be successful in to AP psychology. We weren't seeing that was accurate. So we actually a couple of year or two ago we actually lowered that percentage threshold to say now how can we make it and we weren't we weren't finding that to be
111reliable. As much so our counselors were no longer using that data to help to inform um placement process. So um we have worked with our counseling team and they're going to be working on how do we use grades, how do we use school links to really see where do you want to go and what are some of the course work you need to take to get there in order to set them up for success that way instead of relying on a PSAT 9 that give us >> So, how will we know that what we're doing is getting kids into advanced course work? What's We're we're changing. We're not doing this anymore. How do we know that that we aren't missing kids for advanced course work or that we aren't encouraging kids to do advanced course
112work? >> I think you'll see that. I mean, as we're going to hear about the program of studies in just a few minutes just about access and opportunity and that's something we're looking at in terms of the numbers of kids that are taking advanced course work and how we're going to be monitoring that to make sure that we are providing that access and opportunity and we are pushing students to their instructional level and really challenging them. >> And then SAT school day, PSAT, who pays for the tests? >> So, SAT school day, students and families pay for the test. We actually get a discounted rate for doing that. It's cheaper than if you did it just on a Saturday normally and we have paid for the PSAT. >> Okay. So, kids who opt to take
113the SAT on that day, we you were talking about using this data, but we're not going to have data from all our students on the SAT. We're only going to have data from the families that select to pay for. Now, will we be offering anything for students who are uh free and reduced or socioeconomic? So, there will be an offer for them. >> to. Yes. >> Okay. >> And we will have data on the grade 10 students from the PSAT. >> Okay. Um and the only thing I would say about putting SAT and PSAT together is, as you noted, students who are thinking about National Merit have to take the PSAT and then later they would have to take the SAT. Um they already do that, but just just a comment. Okay. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks.
114Thanks. >> Any other questions? >> I have a question. >> Just one, very good one. >> Um mine is just about the EOC writing test, like the SOL writing test. Just as someone who's obviously taken the writing SOL, and then I've also had I've had very like rigorous course load through high school, and I'm just kind of thinking about like the classes I've taken in like my previous years, and I started off in honors English nine, and then I immediately moved to AP seminar, and I'm thinking about how those that curriculum in each of those classes really got me prepared for my writing SOL. And as I go back, I realize that neither of them really did. So, just like for a student like me who took that same path, right? Honors English nine, kind
115of introduct- in like introducing her high school English, and then AP seminar automatically being more of like a college rigor course, like how is that setting me up for the right punctuation, um using the right word choice, things like that for my writing SOL? I feel like that's kind of confused. >> Well, the um the grade, so your grade nine in curriculum would have been adjusted um to include some of those things that you're talking about, like the punctuation and the grammar. And then in grade 10, they would be really adjusting that curriculum as well, but I I don't I don't know what I'm going to say what I'm going to say, but if you were in an AP course, >> Right. >> your course would would be more rigorous than the the average student
116that would be in grade 10. >> Okay, that was >> What And one of the other things that we found is obviously the writing assessment is is intended to be a cumulative assessment, things you've learned 9 and 10, right? But in 11th grade, to prepare students to take the reading and the writing test that counts for verified credit in the same year, as English teachers, you find, "Oh, I'm I'm like cramming to teach reading and writing." And so, we aren't Most divisions have already made this shift, but what we're looking at, so as you get ninth, 10th grade, 10th grade you take your writing, we really focus to make sure we we shore up writing and pass your writing, and then 11th grade you're actually able to focus on reading for the students that need
117it the most. So, that's kind of one of another reason to decouple some of those then the really big push in 11th grade. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you. >> Program of studies, this is kind of meant to be mostly a high-level overview, but I really would like everybody to be thinking of questions so that when we're evaluating and passing the program of study, we're addressing that. We'll be addressing this >> Are you holding questions till the end? If you hold the questions till the end then >> [clears throat] >> All right, good evening, everyone. It's nice to see you. Um so, this is um as Dr. Warner said, just a very high um overview of some conversations we've been having in teaching and learning about
118how to move um the program of studies into something more of a pathway for students than just a book with um 234 pages. So, um but one implication of the program of studies for this coming year is the middle school math program. So, I just want to start quickly um with the middle school math. Um I know um in the 2016-2017 program of studies, what was approved was three uh two distinct pathways for middle school math. Um and a request was made by the board to do a program evaluation on middle school math. Um so, that was done this year. Um quantitative and qualitative data was reviewed. Um as you can see, math scores, SOL assessments, they looked at student grades. Um there was survey data, focus groups, um teachers, math specialist, um they looked
119at teacher qualifications, classroom observations were conducted across all of the middle schools. Um and then based on those findings of the evaluation, um we made some uh >> [clears throat] >> recommendations. Um the first recommendation is to closely monitor our sixth grade students who will stay in the extended math 6-7 this coming school year. >> [clears throat] >> We added an on-grade-level course, math 7, for grade 7 students. And for students who are recommended for that math 7 course, we were providing families with the opportunity, um to remain in the originally scheduled math 7-8 if the parent wanted the student to stay in the um enriched math class. Stacy and I met with all middle school principals during SLA, um to share with them sort of the overview, the high overview of the program, ask
120for their input on what um what [snorts] might be a next step. When we met with Dr. Smith, nobody in the room felt like we should just wait a year and see what happens. We felt there was some urgency, um especially for our students going into seventh grade. So, the middle school principals felt very strongly that the middle school math 7 was an appropriate first step for this coming school year. Um so, we have added a middle school math on-grade-level, it's an on-grade-level math 7, um to support those students. So, letters have gone home to families, and parents, like I shared, have the option to continue in the 7-8 if that's their choice. Um this is just a quick graphic for you to see, you know, the current pathway. In sixth grade, there's only the
121two options, but as we prepare for the program of studies this coming fall, you will see three options all the way across. We will have an on-grade-level option. There will be the um extended option, so 6-7, 7-8, and then algebra 1. And then there will be the the advanced track of algebra, algebra one, and geometry. Um the small arrows are um sort of the pathway that kids can go. The dotted arrow is um is a summer concept course. We have had a request for students that did math seven that maybe could do a summer concept course and still have access to algebra by eighth grade. We wanted to keep that in place. We didn't want to take away that um option for students. So, we will keep that um inside of the option for students
122next year. As I move on to um just sort of the next evolution of the program of studies, the office of teaching and learning, we've been having a lot of conversations about how to move the program of studies to no longer simply be just a course guide. Really wanted to think about it um as being a road map. So, our middle school students have to start thinking about their academic and career plan. They start answering survey questions in Schoolinks. We're already thinking about what might be um what's coming in high school. So, how do we start thinking about this as the road map for every student to have opportunity um for those meaningful post-secondary um pathways, and then rigorous um rigorous instruction aligned to their goals. And so, we're trying to rethink um the organization
123of the program of studies to help families, students, counselors guide students on their journey. Um really it's that intentional um really thinking about the intentional opportunity to remove barriers, increase access, and ensure [clears throat] every student graduates prepared to excel. This is a very um high school heavy slide, but as I think sometimes about the program of studies, our biggest emphasis um can often be on all of the opportunities we present in high school. We have so many pathways and specialty centers. Um and that post-secondary outcomes, really looking at the pathways, the credentials, workforce readiness. Um, but we are trying to really think through how everything we put in the program of studies meets one of our expectations in the strategic goal. And again, to keep that connection, and as we talk about that with
124the community, with families, they're seeing that everything is aligned to, um, the larger purpose of the division. I think it's important that as a as a team, um, we stop saying things like, "So, what courses do we offer?" And we really start thinking about, "What are the opportunities we can provide for every student as they're moving through, um, elementary school, middle school, and high school?" So, one of the pillars we've been talking about is, "How do we expand access?" And, um, just some questions on the side, "Which students are enrolling in advanced coursework?" Um, Dr. Chase, sort of to your question just a moment ago. Like, "How are we ensuring our students are entering those advanced courses? Which students are not? And why?" I mean, there's a why in there, too, right? How do we
125work with those students to find value in taking some of those advanced courses? Are pathways equally accessible across schools? Are prerequisites unintentionally limiting opportunities? And so, we've been talking about, "How do we increase that open access? How do we expand middle school exposure to the pathways and specialty centers? How do we improve communication with families? And how do we use student interest data to guide our offerings?" One of my, um, notices this year in the previous department that I oversaw was what happens when we do online registration and when course requests come in. We don't lock it down. So, we've never been able to stop, collect all the data of what kids ask [clears throat] for on the right away because we start manipulating the information very quickly. So, one of the things we're going
126to do this year is in order to really understand student interest data, we're going to have the timeline and we're going to notify counselors that it'll be locked so that my team can pull all the data before we start manipulating numbers and moving things around cuz we feel like what kids are asking for is what we should be starting our data conversations around. We also um really are looking to build coherent career pathways. [clears throat] Uh I really as an elementary former elementary principal, I was very passionate about my school counselor um having middle school having parent meetings for rising fifth graders going to middle school because a lot of times that first decision you make going into um middle school can change your child's pathway. So, if you know, we want you to have
127Algebra 1 if you're going to apply for the engineering um field because you need to get to Algebra 1 in order to have the advanced math at the end of high school. I'm going to stop swinging my hands around. Um so, trying to really think about how do we work with our elementary principals and school counselors to help our parents of rising fifth graders make decisions about their course requests. And when you get into middle school, how do we improve the elective offerings we have for students so that their elective offerings connect directly to a a specialty center and a pathway. We have been working with the specialty center coordinators. Um we started a week ago and we're going to continue this summer on building out appropriate um exploratories, I'll call them, for middle school
128students. So, instead of um maybe a creative writing course, they might take the pathway to the BIT Center or the pathway to CHAMP. And that that whole nine-week course would be centered around what you could do if you went to CHAMP. Here's all the things I can that you can experience. Um and again, that partnership with the coordinator from those specialty centers we'll align it to what those students will do when they get there. We've also talked about how do we bring kids back? So, how do we bring kids down to middle school when those electives are being offered so kids can actually hear from other kids about why they made that choice or what did that look like? We don't have that currently in middle school and it could be in a FACS class.
129If you're taking family and community family and consumer sciences, but if within that, it would be if you're interested in cosmetology, barbering, nursing, like all of those things, how do we introduce that to students while they're in middle school to make choices for their future. Again, we don't want to limit or miss the opportunity for students to have increased advanced course work participation and that could be an honors class, a dual enrollment, an AP, or an IB. And so, we are looking to make sure that we have opportunities across all of those as students go through. IB may not be their their choice. AP or dual enrollment might not be their space, but if there's an honors opportunity, as long as they've had that space to take one, they can reach that high um high
130advanced course work requirement. And really thinking about how do we strengthen and continue to strengthen the post-secondary readiness? Um at the last school board meeting, we shared that 10 students were awarded a teaching contract when they graduated from college. And so, how do we continue to expand like our teachers for tomorrow program? I know Dr. Smith's goal was to have it in all of our high schools, but as we continue to build it, how do we grow that across our division? And I think the Mountain View leaps make sense to start, but I think not everybody wants to transfer. A lot of kids want to stay at their home school. So, how do we continue to build some of those pathways around the division? I'm excited we have 21 students enrolled this year in the
131teachers for Tomorrow, which is up from last year. So, I'm excited about that. Um but how do we again, the opportunities that we have in our buildings for um military readiness or employment outcomes, wanting to make sure that the program of studies is visible to all students and all parents on what they want their child's journey to be. Um it doesn't um we often say college and career readiness, but it doesn't always have to be college centric. There's a lot of opportunities for our students in Stafford County. Really thinking about our vision, trying to move forward is that every student will leave high school with one or more one or more of the following, a college credit, an industry credential, a work-based learning experience, an apprentice experience for those military pathway um options. So, we
132have some next steps. Um I wanted to share with you the proposed timeline for returning with the program of studies to the school board. So, I'm hoping to come back at the August 25th work session with um a pretty decent draft of what we're hoping to present for the program of studies. Um certainly seeking your feedback or input on any of those components. The September 22nd work session would be a final presentation of our proposed um program of studies and bringing it to action at the board on October 13th. And that's earlier than it was um in past years, but we I don't want to get into a situation where we're up against when we're trying to have our discovery nights, and I want there to be enough time for parents to see the program
133of studies and be able to make an informed decision before they get to discovery night. So, we are um going to be working very hard. I think there's like 12 days until new teacher orientation or something like that. But anyway, okay. Um the other things that um we're planning on doing is um I'm actually meeting with middle school principals with Stacy next week. Um we're looking at what their schedule looks like because that will drive some of the decisions we make about what we put in the program of studies for exploratory options in middle school. I am meeting with the high school principals and counseling directors in July to talk through um some of this work and some of these changes. Our CTE team has been meeting with all of our CTE teachers 6 through
13412 and they have made some recommendations of reduction of some courses that don't align anymore to industry credentials or industry standards, some things to add but very clean use chart with this introductory course and then here are some paths you can take so our students can have completers or sequences. And so we're cleaning that up. We've had some really great conversations with our 6 through 12 CTE teachers. So I'm looking forward to what some of that work could look like and then finally we we really want to start talking about how do we evaluate our specialty centers when they get to year three. So what does that look like when our specialty centers hit year three, how do we evaluate their effectiveness? Does it still meet the needs of our county? Does it still meet
135the needs of our students? Are there courses we should add that haven't been included? Are there courses that maybe five years ago seemed like the right thing to do and now it's outdated. And so we just want to make sure we stay on top of that. >> Thank you. Any questions? >> I do. >> Okay. So >> I'm the one who asked for having this put on. I had Shannon as my second. Um and I talked with Dr. Warner and um uh Dr. Smith about this and so as I've discussed though in my questions which were largely not answered in this presentation um as I also understand some of it can't be answered in this presentation um but there are some things that I was pretty specific in what I was looking for. Um with
136the LEAPS program, you say that there are 21 enrolled. Are they all at one school or are they at multiple schools? >> Um so this year because Dr. Smith had asked it to be extended to all of the schools, we had six students from Stafford and there was one student from North and there's 14 at Mountain View. Um as we're trying to build it out in all of the high schools, that didn't work this year. So those students are going to be travel students to Mountain View. They didn't want to transfer. Um so they're going to be travel students to Mountain View to stay together as a team. >> Okay. Um so they don't want to transfer, how is that going to work over the years? Cuz isn't it like a two-year program now? >>
137Yes, but they'll stay travel students. >> Okay. Um and I also was asking for um some data regarding our Virtual Virginia enrollment. I asked for a three-year look um at how many classes in total are our in-person students taking? And then I would like to see um if we can see what classes they're taking and so for one of the things that I was talking with Dr. Smith about again today was um [clears throat] last year I had students parents of students two students that were told before they got their final enrollment done, that they could their student didn't have the option to take German four. And I was told, "It's okay, they can take it for Virtual Virginia." To which this year the parents contacted me and said, "No, that was an awful option."
138And so I'm just wondering how many students, if a class doesn't make, how many students are we pushing into Virtual Virginia? I understand there's a multitude of reasons for students taking Virtual Virginia. I get that. But I'm just curious to see is that a program that is growing? Um, are we treating it different in how we're um staffing it than Edgenuity? Um you know, and just basically are we is this a large uh opportunity for more of the um AP kids or is this gen ed, you know, main school decisions? Um and so I'd ask for that, but >> Ms. Randall, I would like to apologize. When I first read that, I thought you wanted our fully virtual students. So I have that data. And then I was reading it again today and I was
139like, "Oh my gosh, in person." What I will share with you from my experience with interacting with Virtual Virginia, it's their teachers. They hire their teachers. That's who um leads that. My experience has also been it's mostly our AP kids or kids that are in language four that don't have that opportunity within their schools. When I even if I pulled that data, I wouldn't necessarily know that a counselor had redirected a student into Virtual Virginia because the class wasn't offered. That's not a it's not indicated anywhere. It would just say Virtual Virginia. But I'm happy to pull that for you if I can. Unfortunately, I don't mean to say it like that, but the way Virtual Virginia bills us now, it's just one bill. I don't see a difference between our full-time Virtual Virginia students
140and the students that just have the one class, but I will ask if Virtual Virginia can help us break that down so we can see the distinction and I will get that for you. I apologize. I read that as you wanted the virtual current virtual students and I had that data for you, not the in person students who are also taking one-off classes. >> Okay. Thank you. Um the other thing uh They have Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead. >> just going to add, Mrs. Randall, this year with our process for course um waivers, where principals are reaching out to me to ask if they can run a course that falls below the threshold. They're being more intentional about seeing if there's an option to stack courses appropriately. Um and so in that communication that process
141with me and we're tracking that in a spreadsheet. Um so that we can look at the historical data and which classes they are year over year asking to um offer with low enrollment. Um there have not been many that they have asked to offer below that threshold um that would even qualify to be offered virtually. What What I'm seeing a lot of would be like fine and performing arts courses or for example at Brook Point with the IB program and and it being phased out there. So to this to this point um in the master scheduling process, there have not been many courses to which I've said, "Can we explore Can we explore a virtual option for a student?" To um Sharon's point, when typically when students are scheduled into virtual Virginia classes, they are
142typically our advanced students and what happens is because they are uh requesting to take a lot of singleton courses, what they're finding as they're moving towards completion of the master schedule is that those students are not scheduling in because they have a a course that is not that they need to take that they aren't able to because something else has scheduled scheduled in first. >> Same time. >> Right. So typically when we move to the virtual Virginia option, it's um a latter decision versus one that's made at the outset, correct? >> And I also just want to clarify too between Edgenuity and um Virtual Virginia. We have to be really careful about Edgenuity because if a student takes Edgenuity and they end up where they test out, they could lose NCAA student um >> eligibility.
143And so we're really mindful also of who gets enrolled in an Edgenuity class versus who gets enrolled in Virtual Virginia cuz Virtual Virginia will be the full course and Edgenuity can you can speed through it. There's a term and this is not coming to me right now. >> Okay. Okay. >> It's past my bedtime. I'm being very honest that it's past my bedtime. >> sorry. I appreciate everybody staying so we can >> [laughter] >> get through this. And so I guess we're still waiting cuz Dr. Smith was explaining to me that as far as like which classes fell below the threshold to run for this upcoming school year because they're still working on their master schedules. But just out of curiosity and I know we'll get more later. But are we finding and it's pretty
144much going to be a yes or no, not which necessarily which particular ones, but are we finding any of the specialty centers pathways that have been affected? It's a yes or no. >> Affected by? >> Low enrollment or no enrollment in a particular pathway. >> I'll say based on what I received thus far, I have not seen any that are specialty center specific outside of the phasing out of IB at Bird Rock Point. What I will share is I have received course requests course request waiver forms from everyone except Mountain View at this point. >> [clears throat] >> In my communication with Mrs. Eldridge and she shared that a lot of their courses that would run below the threshold they've been able to stack appropriately amongst other levels to make the courses meet the 15.
145>> Oh, oh, stack. >> Correct. >> So like offering language three and four together. Okay. Okay. >> Or in the case of the IB theater at Mountain View, they took their upper level theater kids, theater three and four and put them in with IB so they would still have access to >> And a cohort to work with. >> Exactly and a high level of rigor for that course. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you. >> Mhm. >> Um >> Oh, hold on one second. >> Yep. >> No, that is just a question to add just because I'm not familiar with like the verbage of stacking. So, does that Does that mean like those students in three and four are taking the same class at the same time? >> At the same time and it's the responsibility of
146the teacher to differentiate the instruction and assessments appropriately based on the pacing and standards for that class. >> Thank you. Okay. And I think the rest of them are just I'm still waiting because of it's not time. >> Correct. And for the most part, I mean, the master scheduling teams are well on their way to completion. I'm seeing um and what I mean by the actual number of students who have a complete schedule that's far, we're 70% and above. So, everyone is well on their way to to being complete um with the scheduling process so that we're able to go live at the appropriate time. >> So, I know like one of the things I learned when touring like CGS is that they have broadcast ability. >> Correct. >> Are we able to leverage some
147of that technology for main school kids in say for instance, kids at North that are not enough, but kids at Stafford, you know, aren't enough and but yet I know the whole master scheduling alignment piece and all of that, but is that a possibility for this school year or for maybe for later years? >> So, it's already happening. So, um later than I would have liked, but um uh April Is it April or March? You met with all of the principals. Uh Marcy had asked them to share all of their courses that were in danger of not making because of numbers. And some schools had already started partnering. So, Hartwood and Stafford had already started partnering because kids were leaving that had Latin one and two and needed Latin three at Hartwood, but they had
148the Latin three teacher at Stafford. And so, they were already partnering and making some of those distance learning opportunities. What we have talked about this coming year is starting that process in January for that conversation so that we can start to block places on the master schedule because we were doing it so late they had already started moving things, but this way it locks kids in so we know those students are taking this distance learning. They're sharing between it could be a North student going you know, zooming into Mountain View and somebody from Heart would zooming into Mountain View and the class is is the right size. So, we would we would put um class caps on that so that you don't have 15 face-to-face and 15 in the other sections as well. So, we
149would still have a good class size, but we're we're working on how do we build out that program in a much larger scale throughout the whole division. >> Okay. Okay. All right. Thank you, Ms. Figueroa. >> Um in middle school, so you're talking about kind of doing some classes to explore the different pathways for the specialty centers. Um are we also letting those kids know that you can explore that class, but you may not get into that pathway? Are we setting them up for kind of disappointment if they, you know, have taken those classes and then are not lotteryed in? >> Um I would I would think that all of our conversations should be as transparent as possible for the students, for the parents, for the families, right? They should understand what the whole process
150looks like. The idea of the students being able to explore more than one gives you a space to say I can apply to more than one and see where I might get in. If I only get a chance to take one, I'm limited then in what I know about all the rest of them. But if I have a wheel in sixth grade where I might take one each nine weeks and then in seventh grade I could take one or two more still have other electives for CTE, um then at least I will have an awareness of, "Wow, in all of those spaces there is something for me." And so, what does it look like to apply to more than one? Um and understanding that there's going to be a student somewhere who has their hope
151set, but they had that this year and didn't have the pathways to help them get there. So, the idea of being for more students to have an awareness and what does that look like? >> And with the purpose of middle school being that time to explore, I think we should strongly encourage students to take various exploratory courses so that they are introduced >> And then I'm assuming there'd be some sort of explanation of, "Hey, you didn't get in, but you can also take these other classes and it will it set you up later on down the road for, you know, whatever." >> And that's been some of the CTE work. So, many of the specialty centers, they're grounded in some CTE coursework. So, trying to be able to also show students that while you're not
152in here, here are all the other things you can still take that are adjacent to the specialty center. And some of our specialty centers are 2-year, so like you might not get in, but you can try again. And so, you might get in before you graduate um from school. So, there's still spaces and just making sure that our family and communities know all the options for their students moving forward. >> Sounds good. >> Thanks. >> Thank you, Ms. Buckwalter. >> Um [clears throat] I think I have a fairly simple question. Um and forgive me if I misunderstood. >> [laughter] >> Forgive me if I misunderstood on pillar four, um where you say or showing that you determined that these the success of the courses Are you tracking that data like at a certain point in
153the year or just at the end of cuz I'm thinking as far as the military readiness and student outcome outcome, when is that data tracked or or what would you say is considered success for certain for some of these um areas? >> So, in the CTE courses, they have industry credentials that they can earn. So, that's a marker for us that um the students have um reached that um pinnacle. They also have all their competencies that they have and they're are standards, but like their standards that they have to um meet. So, each of those that you know, the work-based learning is you reach the hours and the supervisor who has observed you doing that has signed off on that and then we can track that inside of their transcripts. So, like there's each of
154them might have a different but there are ways that we can track that the students are successful in those opportunities. >> Okay, cuz the end that kind of asked my question because the two that really caught my eye was the military readiness and the woman outcome. So, I didn't know if you were like at the end of the year did this person join the military or at the end of the year did this person have a particular job or something like this. So, that's why I was just trying to figure out at what point. >> And all of our students have to create their um >> academic and career >> Thank you. Academic and career plan and then there's a survey that's provided to students the year after they graduate from high school which also
155gives us data about who actually went to who said they were going to college and then went to college, who said they were going to have a job and did they get a job, who said they were going to go into the military and did they. So, we have and it's a year after but it's but it still gives us good data points of did kids do the things they said they were going to do. >> I told you my question was simple. >> And I'll just point out I think the the pieces there on that slide would be some great things to discuss with our student outcomes committee. We'd be happy to share with you when ready about some of the industry credentials and how they were earned how many were taken how many
156were earned, AP IP IBD success rate, military readiness, like we'd be happy to share that data. >> That's good student outcomes. I like it. Any other questions? >> Dr. Chase. >> I have a quick question. Are our students who are not in a certain pathway allowed to take classes that are in the pathway if there's room? >> So, they do backfill. So, if I am if I am a I'm trying to think of like a really good example. If I am Marcia, do you have anything to say? >> Yeah, I was No, I was thinking about the the entry-level course the uh at for chance. Like a health science course. So, if there's room in in that entry-level course, then Brooke Point may backfill students into that entry-level course because there will still be other
157courses that they could pursue after that in order to complete a a course sequence for to meet the graduation requirement. So, there are instances typically at the entry level where they do backfill. And then for IB with the plethora of electives that are offered, they will backfill [clears throat] there, too. >> So, the backfill would be just a student in the school. >> Correct. Correct. And then there's also for specialty centers, there's late entry as well. So, there's some that will accept 10th graders. So, that's also an opportunity for more students to to enroll. >> And isn't it true, too, that um as part of a late entry now, too, and I don't know if they do it for 11th grade, either, but I know the CGS was going to start >> Yes. >> making
158also available for 11th graders. >> Correct. We do that at the at the semester [clears throat] mark and then also we do take into account military families that may move into the area who who may be interested. So, we are able to >> Or a student who's really interested in doing that capstone um process, is that >> We do capture students um through that means as well. >> That's That's really good to know because up to this point my understanding was if you were not in CGS, you were not permitted to be in this class. >> You could in 10th grade, but they had 10th grade for a >> open, but they're just opening to juniors. Is that what what they told us on our tour? >> Well, that's now. >> Yeah. >> Up to
159this point. >> But 10th grade was for years >> the cut off. >> Are there any openings in the specialty centers now? Are they all filled? >> I've I've gotten some questions from people that are moving to Stafford or they're you know, in the process of enrolling their students and they asked who how would they find that out >> So we we connect them to Amy Nearman and so she's been able to with folks that are coming in new and moving into the county and they would she'll guide them through the application process and try to find them a spot. >> Okay. So who should I refer them to? >> Amy Nearman? Thank you. Um so I just want to say um in general uh classes happening two different and being broadcast I hope is
160the exception and that it does not become the norm. Right? I certainly understand like it might happen once but I don't want to see students who every year are doing two or three of these. But that's me. I I I'm seeing a lot of heads nodding but just just go on the record cuz I don't want that to become a big thing. Um for the middle school mathematics program um so parents have received letters saying your kid is going to be in this extended math seven class. Now they're going to be contacted some of them will be contacted and told look we really think your kid should just be in straight math seven. >> No, they got a letter that said based on your child's grades and their SOL results we are recommending your student
161to be placed in on grade level math seven instead of the math seven eight. >> Right. >> If you have any questions here's the name of your school counselor. If you prefer your child to stay in the extended you have that option again just reach out to your school counselor for information. >> So if a parent opts for their kid to be in the to stay in extended math seven and then their kid starts tanking I just don't want to see math seven get overwhelmed with kids whose >> Like first nine weeks. >> They made a bad decision, right? So I don't know if there's any plan for that. >> They they the principals do have a plan B for that. They they know that that happens now. >> Right. >> Um I said they
162>> I just don't want to see more it happen, right? Like they know now, but >> if there's a large number of parents that make that request at the end of the first quarter, >> There may not be spots. >> be given that option to go back to it. >> Okay. >> But the principal are counting >> Yep. >> for some additional seats that we need. >> Okay. Okay. And then I would just like to know at some point, um, what percentage of our high school students are involved in any pathway or Like >> Or IB. Because the the pathways is a still a relatively small percentage is my sense, but there are a lot of pathways. So, I just don't know I have a sense of that. So, I'd like to have sort of
163a sense of, you know, to to in the program of studies build a coherent career pathway and you're putting all this stuff in, what percentage of our students don't have that as an option? And just to make sure that we're not saying this is what you should do and then 50% of our students can't do it. And I don't if that may not be an issue, I just would like to know to cuz I would hate for us to do all this and then have them be like, "Oh, well, we can't do that." >> And Dr. Chase, if I could add, I think it's important that, like, uh, to your point that all students need to see themselves in the program of studies and it shouldn't just be so focused on the specialty centers and
164pathways that just the grade level gen ed student who has plans, but maybe doesn't have the specialty center that it matches needs to see themselves as well. Um, and so when I look through it, it's very specialty center, here's all the schedules and what it looks like and I want to make sure that the gen ed on grade level student can also see themselves or in the book. >> Cuz just in my looking at this, that's what popped up to me and I'm like, well, but I have to how many of our kids don't have these options? So, I just just was curious about that. And then, um just a logistical question. Why do we have to have the program studies by Discovery night? I mean, if we know we're we've been doing the specialty
165centers and we're going to continue doing the specialty centers, is that just an arbitrary deadline or >> I'll say one of the things that I heard last year actually last year in the last two years is just that we got so close up to the Discovery Center Discovery nights, um the board felt like it needed more time and we were really rushed going into it. And so, the ask of me was to try to build that bring it back. Let's let's let's scale that back so that we have time to have the conversation. We tried to build in two work sessions this time so you can have the conversation. If you needed to push it to November, you could and we would just understand what are >> We used to do it in January. So,
166>> Well, >> that's why I'm just like this just seems >> questioning ourselves in November and then but we first get looks in in October and it's like So, I'm glad we're backing it up, but now we're also backing up our voting day. So, we backed up our time and our voting day. >> But we're expending actually more time because a lot of times we didn't spend this much time on it. I mean, I I think one of the things that you're doing that I really appreciate is the reorganizing it. I think that'll make it easier for parents. I think it'll make it easier for students and I think we'll be able to really assess what's working, what's not working. I'm just saying I'm not a fan of of imaginary deadlines, [clears throat] right? And
167so, to me there isn't something about this Now that the specialty centers exist and we know what [snorts] all the Discovery night programs are, I feel like telling me I have to make the decision by there is really just arbitrary. So, >> well, I will say students start registering in December for courses. So, they start meeting the counselors to make reg- I'm sorry. >> I said we're the earliest. >> Right. So, well, cuz ATI is like uh and Stafford will start in December. >> Well, I've seen folks start in November, but it is December where we have to start we have to be cuz we set a deadline. I think it was end of February this year that we had to have counselors got to meet with every kid. We've got to then have all
168their course requests in and then that just leads to the next step of the process to see where we are. So that's really the reason why is we can finalize the courses that we're offering and get them loaded up, get them all ready to go, talk with counselors about make sure [clears throat] everybody knows what they are. So then cuz we don't want to do that prematurely before you've approved that program of studies. >> And then there's still time if kids if there's still space that kids can be >> But I am thrilled that you're going to look at what kids actually initially request because I do hear from constituents who tell me that the counselor told them they couldn't do that or that that class isn't actually going to happen. And so I'm here
169and you know, a couple of anecdotes, but it's concerning if that's actually happening. So I'm glad you're going to be looking at that. >> Thank you. The other benefit of October is also to make sure we get in front of the principals and share the updates and we get in front of counseling directors and share the updates. When it's so tight when they have to start registering students they aren't aware of some of the changes. We had some situations this year where a counselor didn't didn't see the sequence or didn't see the completer. And we don't want kids to miss that and then get to their senior and don't have a completer because it wasn't laid out well or counseling directors didn't have a chance to ask questions or understand the document. So it might
170seem early because it seems like discovery nights, but at the same time I want everybody to be able to be in the document before we start asking kids to make choices. >> I have to say too, you know, one of the things that um Stacy and you both mentioned was that you know, the option for middle schoolers to be a little bit more in the explorer realm versus here's your pathway, don't move off of that cuz I will tell you my son, when he got into sixth grade, was like, "I am a math whiz. I'm going to be in engineering." He took an engineering class, got credit from Rochester Institute of Technology, and came to me and said, "I'm having a midlife crisis at 15." >> [laughter] >> I What? How? "I don't like engineering."
171Well, well, great. Mark that off as one of the things you never want to do. And let's go on. And so, we figured it out. But, having the opportunity for my kids, like in sixth and seventh grade, to explore all the different things in middle school, my my my youngest son, in ninth grade, got to do the construction wheel, and he came out and he's like, "Oh, no, Mom. I know Dad's a carpenter, but I've done carpentry, electrician, masonry, and drafting, and I didn't like any of them." And I was like, "Perfect. You marked off what you don't." Now, don't think for a second he doesn't use all of them. You know, he took small engine, hated it, uses [snorts] it every day for his jet ski and car. So, I mean, it works. But,
172I just love the opportunity to explore. And even if you explore and say, "This isn't it." Perfect. Mark it off. Keep going. So, >> about that, that the getting families to understand that with your >> That's not a failure. >> in sixth grade, and they're like, "I'm in this class as part of the wheel, and I hate it." But, it's okay. Like, you know that it's not a pathway that you might want to take. >> It's also, sometimes, the parents driving the decision. >> Right. >> And and I think that's it's important for kids to say, "Well, I've tried it, >> Mhm. >> and I don't like this." So, I >> And that's also why we're looking at nine week versus semester, because if I don't like something, by the second nine weeks, I'm maybe
173not the best behaved student anymore, because being in this room makes me feel a certain way and so therefore my behavior is not a guest. >> Yeah. >> Well, I appreciate all the effort you've done. >> Thank you. >> And I appreciate everybody staying some extra time tonight to finish through this. >> Can I just say something real quick? What is this for? >> Uh that was a question >> That's the information that helps Okay. Okay. >> I guess do you want to >> It's okay. >> So we have a meeting on June 30th 3:30 p.m. currently is the the time and on August 3rd at our first meeting back to New Year's 5:30. >> Can I bring that up? >> I would expect it's probably not going to be that >> And we have
174a >> Really we're just getting in and we're setting >> As long as he gives us all the information >> Yes, I I absolutely agree. >> I didn't drift. >> Oh, no. >> Yeah, I agree. Well, this is getting budget at the last minute.