AUSD Board Meeting 1/20/2026 - Open Session Board Meeting

001We're going to reconvene to open session. Um, flag salute. Lucy, would you lead us in the flag salute, please? I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you for Do we have any order of business for our agenda? >> Okay. Report of closed action taken in close session. In close session, the board voted not to hear the appeal of a district employee complaint investigation. The vote was unanimous. We have our school related reports. Um, do we have a report from CSEA? ADTA. Lucy, you're up. Um, it's a little bit quick tonight. There's not much happening, but a lot at the same time. Um, Drama had an improv show that went pretty

002well the other night, and they're also working on their upcoming show, Spongebob. I don't know the official name, but that's their what they're working on. Um, our pause leadership class is making Valentine's grams that they're going to be selling for students across campus. Um, our winter formal is January 31st, which I think is next week. And there's a spirit week to go along with it, which is Monday, which is stripes and solids, and then Tuesday, crazy socks, and Wednesday, anything but a baseball hat. Thursday is PJs. Friday's floral print. And then finally, Powderpuff is back on. It's on Friday, February 6th, and the offer still stands if any board members would like to come and watch for free. And I will I can take names if anybody >> uh the sixth. >> It's probably >>

003maybe I know the whole reason they rescheduled. Anybody else? Okay, >> I'm gonna try to >> Okie dokie. >> What time is it? >> Um, I think it's six. >> I can just put your name down. >> I'll try. >> I'm going to be a maybe, but I'll let you know. >> Okay. >> Yeah, I'd like. [cough and clears throat] >> Sounds good. That's it. >> Oh my goodness. >> Thank you so much. Do we have any oral communication from the public? Nope. Okay. Superintendent report. >> Super duper. Thank you. So, I'm not sure everyone is aware, but um this month marks, so for January 2026 marks the 31st anniversary of schoolboard recognition month. It's a time to be able to honor the essential role of school board members across our state and nation. And

004I think in particular as it relates right now to all that's happening within our communities, the challenges that exist around trying to be able to get people to be able to align and to be able to serve our public school systems. I think it's a critical role that you all play. This year's theme adopted by several states association is our future is public. It serves as a powerful reminder that the strength of our community and the success of our local economy are deeply connected and rooted to the health of our public school system. Tonight, we celebrate our trustees who truly make a difference in that work. And I think it's imperative because I think it's a very challenging and difficult position. You do it for virtually no pay and oftentimes without a whole lot of

005thanks and appreciation and you're taking tough stands. You have to and a lot of times just like us in administration you need to be able to take stands without people really understanding the full story. It's a function of our roles and as superintendent I have the opportunity to be able to see firsthand the vital role that each of you plays in guiding our district. Your leadership provides tremendous value to AUSD. You serve as a critical link between our classrooms and community, often spending long evening hours like tonight and personal time away from your families to ensure our district remains focused, responsible, and moving in the right direction. So, on behalf of the entire AUSD family, I want to personally thank you for your service, your advocacy, and your unwavering belief that our children's future is

006worth every hour that you dedicate to this role. I want you to know that we are deeply grateful for your service and your commitment. And I would ask all of us to be able to join me in a round of appreciation for a board of trustees. [applause] I just want to be able to make sure that people understand the valuable role that school boards play. And I also think it's important to recognize that we're doing everything that we can to be able to ensure that we are adjusting as a board to ensure the board plays the board's role, that the district office plays the district office role, that all of our people play their roles accordingly. I think you've shown real leadership as it relates to us collectively being able to develop our board handbook

007um about governance and tonight we will have our our final installment into that and then we'll have a complete draft that I think also helps to ensure that we're all playing the right roles as each role is important and I just want to make sure that people understand the value of our public school boards and the value that I see in each one of you and what you do for our district. You know, given the fact that I've seen many of you at some of the other events, I'm not going to bring out some of the other events because I'm I'm sure that you will and and I will cut mine off to be able to say that, but you know, first and foremost, I I want to make sure that people are aware that

008this is our schoolboard recognition month and we're grateful. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Right. Next, we have our board members report. I'm going to start down here with Mr. Arnold. Well, we've been gone for a while. I haven't um been out and about. I will say this year has flown by and it's been a pleasure working with all of you guys and I am looking forward to the next year and what we get to get accomplished. So, uh Lucy, sounds like there's a lot of fun stuff coming up. So, I'm excited about all that and I will move it on. Well, I would like to say that it is a pleasure to work with all of you. It's it's um there's a sense of camaraderie on this team that is so critical of

009moving on and being successful for our district. So, I thank all of you. Oh, you guys. You look you, too. Thank you very much. >> And uh so, and Dr. been it's really been a pleasure having you here and and and and grasping the direction that you're heading and and moving forward for students and Veronica you took on a big job kiddo and you're doing very well so thank you very much Lucy I students that's what it's all about and it's such a pleasure listening to you and your reports and you just have such a nice warm personality coming through. So, >> good job. Job well done. Um I I guess I'll go back a little bit in time to um the Christmas program out at Caresa Plains. It was so moving and it was

010so deja vu of of the past, you know, that it was the same feeling. parents excited watching their students up on that stage and and uh the teachers running around trying to Okay, go over here. Go over here. And and then the fireman coming out in a Santa Claus, Lucy, I don't want to pop a butt bubble for you, but darn it. Firemen. Um, but it was just a very, very warm evening that uh just lit up the community and I thank the staff out there for that too. And moving forward, 2026 is going to be a good year. Thank you. Well, I guess I better stick with the theme of gratitude, right? So, um, yes, I appreciate working with all of you. You guys are very kind and um Joey and I appreciated that

011for breaking us in as the newbies. But now that we're getting the hang of it, um it feels like home. We did have a school facility visit that I appreciated because of our bond spending. It was um very enlightening with Kendall and Brandt and Dr. Bennett and Tracy and I went. So, I thought that was super helpful so that we have an insight to what Kendall's talking about specifically when we're spending our dollars um and we question you. We actually got to go see um what you're talking about. And then um the LCAP steering committee with EJ um I I had am on that committee too and I always like to have that information multiple times because there's a lot to digest with all that data. So, um that was a good job and I

012appreciate that committee as well. And I think that's all that I have to report on. Um, yeah, I went on another uh one of the site visits and that was um I think you I mean we see the sites and I'm constantly one of those people that are kind of looking at the repairs that need to be made anyways. That's kind of where just where my eye goes. Um, and it was I don't want to say discouraging, but man, all the sites that we visited, they all need a lot of work. Um, and they need it needs to be done. So, it'll be interesting to see what the district brings forward to us on, you know, some of their narrowed down priorities that we can put that bond money to towards. Um, and um, so

013let's see. um on uh this coming Friday, which is great. Some of your fellow um high schoolers are volunteering at the is it is it night to shine? >> Let your light shine. So, it's a special needs prom for 15 years and up. Uh so, my daughter's going to be going with one of her buddies from the high school. She's going to come over, do her hair and makeup, and she is so excited to to go and do that. I think Renee and I are going to volunteer. I volunteered so my daughter didn't back out at the last minute be like, "Nope, I gotta go. I gotta go see Renee." Um, and so that's at the the Yeah. Uh, so that's at the lake park. What time does it start? Is it 6 six to

0149 or something like that? >> Okay. What was the What's the The website is What was the website? It It's fine. Um, if Yeah, if you if you can find it, it's it's something it's something different. But I I want to thank the um I was on that website and there's a lot of high school volunteers there and they're the ones that are going to be helping serve the kids and everything and I think that's a great opportunity for those high school buddies to to be there and kind of be a part of these kids' lives outside of school. Um I mean that's really the only reason my daughter's going is because her buddy's going to be there. So it it's great and I think um um Dr. Bennett, thank you for the kind words.

015This is definitely, as you know, because your job is kind of the same. It's kind of thankless work sometimes and you know, um, and appreciate all of the rest of the board members and the respect that we have for each other, even if we have different different differing views or differing ways of where we're or different differing outcomes, having a hard time. So, thank you to all you guys. Trusty Kosnik, I just want to let you and everybody else know that the website is successcharities.org and that's success.org all lowercase and then at the very top you can go to let your light shine down drop down and then find more information there >> and they have like they're providing booters and croages and >> crowns. Yeah, dinner. >> Yeah, the dinner photo booth DJ. It's

016be it's going to be quite the shindig. Do you know how many people are attending? >> I don't. >> All right. Um, for my report, I have a couple events that occurred before the break that I wanted to touch on. On uh December 17th, the Fine Arts Academy had their winter show at AMS. I attended the event with Dr. Bennett, Mr. Rossi, and Mrs. Darnell and her family. Uh it was a wonderful uh evening of student performances of songs, dancing, singing, haiku poetry and student led drumming. Um in fact the most show was mostly studentr run which is very impressive. Uh spectacular job and kudos to our fine arts academy students and staff. Um the next day Monterey Road Elementary School had their gingerbread contest. Uh at the pumpkin carving contest I was told to

017check this out and it did not disappoint. Um, the entries were so creative, intricate, and showed off some spectacular engineering skills as well as decorating. I loved the student leadership opportunity, the creativity, and the fest festive fun. It might be something our other schools sites might be consider doing. Um, and then this month, I attended the facilities site visit with Rebecca and Karine. Uh, we visited Atascadero Middle School, Ataso, Atascadero High School, and St. Gabriel Elementary School. Um it was a very good tour and very informative. Um thank you to Mr. Lloyd, Dr. Bennett Bennett and u Mrs. Darnell for taking the time to join us and answer our questions. Um and then on that same day again uh we had the LCAP steering committee meeting with Mr. Rossi. It was in person um and

018very well attended um and an opportunity for us to look at the California school dashboard and results from last year. And that concludes my report. Thank you, V. Well, mine's going to be short and sweet. I am super excited about this year. Thank you for the acknowledgement and um I wish that the public could see all the pieces moving and all the things in motion and and uh making making I think what is going to be a wonderful year and next couple years for our district. So, um so yeah, there's a lot lot going on. Thank you. Um I'll make this short and sweet as well. Thank you very much for um the recognition. Um didn't realize that January is um our month school board school board. So that was kind of nice. Um and

019then um to all of you, thank you very much. I really do appreciate um your friendship and um being here with you today and always. So um and I look forward to working with you um 2026 and beyond shall be very um engaging active participation and um I I'm looking forward to that. So lead on let's go. >> Thank you very much. All right, moving on to consent agenda. Does anybody have anything to pull? >> Uh, no. But I would like to acknowledge um the 10 GH and I the monetary donations >> from Tim um Barracat to the middle school for $500 and then Jose Cventes uh to the middle school for $500. And then Mike Lewis of Lewis Construction. I can't remember which one that one. Uh to Santa Margarita Elementary School. So, thank

020you to the community for that. >> Thank you for acknowledging them. >> Okay. Do I have a motion for approval of the consent agenda? >> Do I have a second? >> I'll second. >> Roll call vote. Mr. Arnold, >> yes. >> Mrs. Cosnik, >> yes. >> Mrs. President, McGreg, hi. >> Mrs. Pierce, >> yes. >> Mrs. Alice White, >> yes. >> Mrs. Coley, >> yes. >> Mrs. Taylor, >> yes. >> Thank you. The next agenda item, agenda item 11A, is a request from a member of the public to discuss bus safety and student con um conduct protocols, reporting and response procedures, and current preventative and monitoring measures. The district has included with the agenda material section 16 of the annual notification, which addresses school bus rules and safety and the district's school bus safety rules

021and relevant board policy and administrative regulations. I will now turn uh to Superintendent Bennett to briefly speak on this item. >> Great. >> Thank you, Madame President. Um, first of all, I think it's important to recognize the district takes all student safety concerns very seriously. We have robust rules. We have regulations governing safety and student conduct on our buses. Similarly, we have board policies and administrative regulations which outline expected conduct of students while on the bus and how to report any violation of the district's bus rules. Each year, students receive instruction in school bus emergency procedures and and passenger safety, including on appropriate passenger conduct. Additionally, annually, all parents, guardians, and students are reminded through the annual parent notification and their school handbook or district student conduct uh code of bus riding rules, expectations, and

022guidelines. Families are also regularly informed about how to communicate their concerns to a school. While this information, I believe, is important to our families, it's really not a topic for board action at this time. I recommend that we move on to the next agenda item. And in addition, I want to remind everyone that schoolboard meetings are intended to be meetings for the board to conduct the business of the board and the district and are not typically a forum for this type of announcement. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay, moving on to item 12. Uh Mrs. Darnell, we have item A, which is our annual financial statement audit report for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2025. >> Thank you, Madame President and uh trustees. This evening for approval by the board of trustees, I bring

023forward the final audit of our financial statements. I would like to extend a sincere appreciation to our fiscal team led by Brooke Austin uh for their work not only during the time of the audit visit and in preparation leading up to but throughout their year. Their diligence and attention to detail is critical in us having a clean audit and a sincere thank you to our audit team from ID Bailey. Um the district did receive one finding this year with regards to instructional salaries. This is a repeated finding for the district. It is related to a California guideline that encourages districts to spend at least 55% of their general fund on instructional salaries and benefits. Our recent finding is not the result of reduced classroom services, but rather ongoing hiring challenges that require us to contract

024for instructional support, which is accounted for under contracted services instead of under salaries because we can't double count those. Uh we continue to prioritize classroom instruction while working to rebuild internal staffing capacity. We have submitted a waiver to the county as the corrective action for this finding. There are no costs associated with this finding. It is my recommendation that the board of trustees accepts the financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2025. >> Does anybody have any questions, comments, concerns? Great job. >> And [clears throat] please tell relay that to Brooke because >> this is a A+ report. Yeah. So, thank you very much. It's a lot of work and you've stepped up and and uh they were happy. >> Yeah, they they were and and and Brooke and her team do a

025sensational job. >> Great. >> Yeah. >> Can I ask a quick question about um the Samonito? um report is that related to the like previous bond and >> the San Bonito report is related to the FEMA uh the FEMA funding that we had received. Um it's not um what you're accepting, just the financial statements this evening. That was just included forformational purposes. They were all received at the same time. >> Okay. Yeah. Great. Yeah. And I echo um Karine's statement. Wonderful job uh to you and your team on Yeah. making sure all the tees are crossed and eyes are dotted and um having a very clean report. Thank you. >> Great. >> Uh do I have a motion to accept [music] the annual financial statements? >> I move that we accept these statements as written.

026>> Rebecca seconded. Roll call vote. >> Mrs. Taylor, >> yes. Mr. Arnold, >> yes. >> Mrs. Counley, >> yes. >> Mrs. Ellis White, >> yes. >> Mrs. Pierce, >> yes. >> Mrs. Cosnik, >> yes. >> Mrs. President, Mcgru Kane, >> I thank you. >> Thank you. Our next item is our budget advisory task force. Um, thank you. So, this is anformational item. Um, tonight I'm presenting the framework. It was included in the board packet for the public and for our trustees. A framework that reflects a proactive and strategic approach to addressing the district's ongoing financial challenges. Um, so as we know, AUSD is facing significant and persistent budget deficits. Rather than responding through isolated or short-term actions or reacting, we would like to respond with a framework that is designed to create a disciplined, transparent

027process for identifying solutions that support our immediate fiscal needs and our long-term sustainability. So, the task force uh and I I realized after a couple comments that um it was uh misleading. It is not a secondary group of people. It will be comprised of our seated budget advisory committee. And this will serve as more of a special project or a special charge for them. The proposed 90-day budget advisory task force um is strictly um advisorial. It's um to provide recommendations. Its purpose is to analyze our current financial condition, examine both site level and district level budget structures, and identify potential efficiencies and reallocation opportunities that will allow us to maximize limited resources while protecting highquality educational programs and essential services for our kids. Uh this is a timebound focused effort. It will take place over

028a 90-day period. Um the proposed dates are in the board backup. The task force will engage in a structured analysis that is centered on student impact, fiscal sustainability, equity, feasibility, and alignment with district goals. So, the intent is not to make decisions, but to provide the superintendent and the board with clear data-informed recommendations to support thoughtful decisionmaking. Transparency is a core component of this work. All budget information, assumptions, and constraints will be clearly shared with the task force. Discussions will be documented and recommendations will be presented publicly to the board at our meeting on April 21st. All final budget decisions will remain with the superintendent and the board of trustees and will occur in open session. This framework allows the district to move forward intentionally addressing current fiscal realities while laying the groundwork for future

029strategic planning. It reflects our commitment to responsible stewardship, collaborative problem solving, and maintaining our focus where it belongs on the students and the long-term health of the district. Um, so attached to, like I said, the board backup was the framework for that, the proposed meeting dates. Um, and after this evening, I'll be sending out our calendar invites. I also want to remind um my budget advisory committee and the public, of course, that we um these meetings are public. So if anyone would like to attend and be an audience member or an observer, they are welcome to do so. >> Any questions? >> Thank you. >> Any questions? >> Uh just a comment. I want to thank you Mrs. Darnell for uh taking these steps and being proactive at the CSBA conference. I attended a lot

030of workshops um try try to understand school finance and a lot of other districts are facing lots of lots of budget cuts and it's because it's a confluence of issues. It's declining birth rates. It's declining enrollment and it's the cost increasing costs of doing business. Um and so if we don't manage and be um thoughtful um about our finances, we will have we will lose the ability ourselves to determine how to make the um the expenditure changes that are needed. um that will be taken over by the state and I think we ourselves know best um our community and our schools and so uh we should do everything in our power to make sure that we are fiscally responsible and sound. So thank you. Anybody else? Thank you so much. Appreciate it. All right. Our

031next item is item 13A which is our school accountability report card. and that is Mr. Rossi. >> Thank you, Madam President. Uh, this is an annual item that we bring to the board to ensure that our school accountability report cards are finalized to be able to be posted on the California Department of Education website and our district website. So, state of California requires that each public school to annually publish their school accountability report card, their SARKC, um, by February 1st. So the SARC uh compared to many of our other plans, this is a comprehensive public report providing an overview of each school with data from the prior year. So this information uh the majority of the SARKC's data is sourced directly from the state websites where they have much of our information or extracts that

032are taken directly from ARIES our student information system with a few narrative sections that are provided by each site administrator. And then our plans are audited for compliance through our technology department team uh for much of where much of those that data is extracted from. And then each SARC uh was made available for review through our um board agenda through a shared link um where people could view those. And our recommendation tonight is that the board approve our school accountability report cards. >> Does anybody have any questions, comments, concerns? No. If not, may I have a motion for approval? >> I move to approve the school account accountability report card. >> Second. >> Thank you. Roll call vote. >> Mrs. President Mcgru Kane. >> I Mrs. Conley. >> Yes. >> Mr. Arnold. >> Yes. >>

033Thank you. Mrs. Ellis White. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Cosnic. >> Yes. Mrs. Pierce. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Taylor. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Thank you. All right. We are next going to move down to our first study session topic. We'll be give us like a two-minut break to get down there and we will resume. Okay, we are going to move on to our study session topic. Maybe our first topic will be um with Miss Mary Ellen Nest. Um she is our CIS consultant and um >> if I can y >> provide a little bit of context. First of all, thank you. Um I if you remember when when I first started in my role um Caitlyn was um out on maternity leave and um and we were needing some outside support. I'd heard some concerns

034um you know related to our special education program and I'd worked with Mary Ellen in San Diego. We worked very well together um helping me to better understand the district I was involved with at that point and was really a consmate professional and the recommendations that you had provided were spot-on and really in a very short amount of time we made a lot of progress and um and really I think writed some real challenging issues and when we had an opportunity to be able to have Mary Ellen come up um to be able to step in and someone that I knew and and someone that I easily connects with other people. You know, Marielleen was able to come up and uh and provide us with and her charge really was, you know, help to serve

035in a bit of that uh leadership role, providing us with guidance. And one of the big uh questions that I had asked for Mary Ellen during that period of time is will you help us to understand where we are? and I'd asked for more or less of an assessment and I'd shared it with the board and we had all kind of agreed that having a better sense of where we're at and where we need to be able to go and what's the chance for Mary Ellen to be able to provide us with a report and so I'd posed that and so tonight really is a bit of that conversation. Um what I've asked Mary Ellen to be able to do is to provide a bit of a highlevel oversight of you know what does she

036see what does she see in in relationship to our district? I mean what are the things that are in particular going well what are the things in which you know are challenging for us and what do we do going forward and so um I want to be really clear to say that the intent and purpose of this is to help us to improve and then that's where we are as a district is that look we understand that there are challenges internally for us to be able to go after and we are and so I think by having a public conversation about this I think should demonst demonstrate that look, we're not afraid of the things that are going wrong. We're putting them out there so that we can get better. And that's the intent. And

037so for everybody who's here, I think it's important for you to understand the context in which that's there. We reach out to the very best to be able to say, "Please help us. Help us to understand where we're at and what we need to be able to do." And with that, Mary Ellen, I'll just turn it over to you. But I I do want to be able to say thank you for the ways in which you've been able to provide us with support and I look forward to your thoughts. And that's pretty high expectations of me. I'm a little nervous about that. But um I have a little outline here for you guys to kind of follow along with if that's okay, if you want it. Um it's really what it is is an outline

038and I think I have enough copies for everybody. Um we got enough. There's a couple more. Need a couple more. No, here's some here. >> And it's sure. Oh, good. Oh, there's a few extra. [laughter] Um, [clears throat] but I want to thank you first of all for giving me this opportunity to come to the district and meet so many wonderful people. Some of the people that I have been able to work with and some of them are in the audience tonight here to support me which I really appreciate. Um, but they have been hardworking and really student centered and I think that's a great place to begin. I also um know that a Tescadero is very lucky to have such a supportive board because we all know that in boards and schools and districts

039work together, we're going to have better student student outcomes. So, I appreciate your support also. And I'll just jump on that gratitude b bandwagon. You guys are doing a great job. I think it's wonderful that I I didn't know it was the month either. So, I was going to say thank you anyway. Um, but I just want to um go over some systems that like Tom and I talked about that I think we can improve in. I mean, we do have systems in place, but I think there are places that we can improve. And so, our goal here for me, and it may be seem a little unusual that we're talking about strong general education interventions when I'm really focusing on special education, but that's really where it begins. And we really have to have

040those robust general education interventions in order to reduce the need for the more costly special education services. So that's what I kind of want to look at tonight. And I don't want to I'm not sure how much you know about the multi-tered support system. And so I don't want to go through this outline. I want this to be a discussion. So we can go through each point or you can ask questions. But what I really want to focus on tonight are the systems that I think we can improve in. And I think the multi-tered supports of uh system of supports is one area that we really can improve. So how would you like to for me to proceed? >> Okay. So if if you jump right to that um the purpose sitting next to [laughter]

041>> we will do this um but since you're uh you're addressing your you know the MTSS you've you saw you see as needs for improvement. So what did you see and what do you what did you see? Well, I see that in some schools the the MTSS is there, but I don't see the consistent implementation of it at every school. Um, I think we have to really take a look at our universal instructional strategies at every school, at every grade level. Research is clear that early intervention is key to student ex success. So we want to make sure every classroom, every school site throughout the district have these highly effective researchbased instructional strategies going in each classroom. And that's kind of the universal tier one that we have that we have to look at that

042and make sure and it takes it takes a lot of leadership to make this happen on a consistent basis with fidelity. And I think that's what we have to empower our leaders to be sure that they are monitoring and um making sure that all those practices those researchbased practices are help are being implemented in the schools and in the classrooms. Does that answer your question? Okay. And then if students are not responding and again we have to have data. We have to collect data all the time. If students are not responding to that universal intervention, then we need to look at more precise interventions. And that's the tier 2 interventions. Again, the tier twos are the ones that, you know, they're not meeting our our high standards. And that's one thing I want to make

043sure that we have high standards for learning and behavior in every school, in every classroom. Um, I think that's essential. And so if students are not meeting the high demand learning standard then we have to be able to do some new interventions some different interventions for them. And research also tells us that if we have a robust tier one implementation that 80% of our students will respond positively with more with higher student outcomes. So that tier one is essential and then the tier two really addresses the students the few students that are not going to respond to that tier one intervention. And the tier two really we have we have a universal design strategy that can give us lots of different strategies to t to try in the classroom like flexible grouping differentiation varied content

044delivery technology. There's a whole bunch of them. If you Google universal design for learning, there's a a number of them. I'm so I'm sure EJ's aware of them, too. Um, and then again, we have to have ongoing data. We have to have student data. And I think those are some challenges. I think, you know, leaders are busy, but I think this is a really important thing that we have to lead in our schools and make sure students are succeeding. And then the next system that I think we can improve on and it is a general ed system. I think lots of times we connect the student study team to special ed but it's a general ed intervention and so it's I like to call it a tier 2 2.5. [laughter] So then we um have

045>> I have a question like about the data and everybody's like oh we got to get the data. What what specific data are you guys wanting or what you're looking at? What are you gathering to help implement these >> periodic assessments in the classroom? You know, we have we have the bigger assessments like the maps and those kinds of things, but we also should have periodic assessment in each and every classroom. And maybe EJ, you can explain some of the things that are currently going on as far as assessment. Um, >> so it's data like certain data per student, right? What the data on that student? >> Yeah. Well, and then I'll just go on if you want to >> unless you have something you want to >> unless you're okay do our fast testing.

046>> Yeah, >> we do that. We have curricular testing when students are in interventions receiving supports for targeted piece. We'll do a pre and post and see how they're doing. But yes, individual >> and I guess like is this data on like [clears throat] not only academic but behaviors of the students too, right? I guess that was more >> that's a very important point that I glossed over and we really have to have academic and social emotional learning standards built into the multi-tered system. So thank you for pointing that out but definitely we have to have seal in there. So not only academic interventions but the SEAL interventions again >> and can I ask a question is our um so if we need data would that be fair to say that our current data that

047we have is not robust enough or there there would be need to be changes made to it. >> Well I don't think it I'm not going to say it's not robust enough. I'm going to say it's not probably reviewed and monitored as frequently as it should be. >> Okay. >> Um I think that's the piece that is a challenge. I mean it's it's a challenge to do. Teaching is a hard job. Um but I do think that if we have um often look at our data, look at students, the MTSS um system really recommends that we have at least three student success days a year. And that's when either it depends on department chairs or departments get together, grade levels get together, whatever is most appropriate for the school level. and they talk about student

048success and they look at students that they're concerned about basically and then they begin to look at the data around that and implement these um interventions. So I think that's I think that's the hard part is to make sure that we do a consistent repeated review of that data. Okay. Sure. So, the SST um system too is in every school for sure. It's there, but I think um we haven't been really good at establishing a consistent system. Um I would like to see every school have the same format for an SST. I'd like to see that. Um and again, like I said, it's kind of tier 2 2.5. They haven't had their data hasn't showed that they've responded to any of these previous interventions. And so we need to take just another look. And um

049there's many formats out there, but I think we need to choose one that's consistent and used at every school site. And the agendas are pretty consistent, too. Um but I think one thing that when we get to this level, we have to look at the students strengths and really build our instructional program around the students strengths. Um because it's been a challenge for them to learn in other ways. So I think that's important. So, the last system that really is a little bit outside of the MTSS system is the 504 plans. And again, this is a general ed function. Um, and I know the district I know Caitlyn is leading a group of um leaders to come up with a good a consistent 504 process. And um I think we're we need to get better

050at assessing the um disabil assessing for a disability and then determining if that disability really has substantial impact on the student. And I think that's an important word and that's been difficult for us. Um I had an attorney tell me once about 504s. Um he said, you know, if a student's getting a B in a class and he wants an A, so he wants a 504 plan. He said, "That really isn't substantial." So, I think the the definition of sub substantial is really important for us to determine. And like I said, I know Caitlyn is working on that. So, I'm sure I mean, evidence, research evidence tells us that if we get these systems really solidly in place that the majority of our students, well over the majority of our students, 80% and better, will

051have student outcomes improve. So, yes. What did you see? What communication? How do they communicate that? >> I think they've done a pretty good job of that, making sure that the teachers are aware. Um, I think different sites handle it differently, but I know that at the high school, I've had some experience with 504 at the high school, that they do share the plans with all the teachers. And I'm not what I would be not I'm not quite sure is if the teachers all understand how to implement the accommodations. I think that's the piece. And again, that's leadership. That's telling, you know, teaching them, empowering them to be able to do those interventions or accommodations in this case. >> And who does that all responsibility? >> Well, I think it's all the teacher leaders, all

052the district, the principles, everybody needs, well, I bet the leaders, you know, not only district leaders, but school site leaders, they really need to have some powerful PD for the teachers. And it doesn't have to be it doesn't have to be like one you know when you go to a conference you have all this big PD and then you go home and you think oh thanks for the information and you kind of forget about the training. Um but I think this is ongoing. I think the you know primarily the principles have to establish a good um PD segment and they have to go back and remind teachers. I mean, like I said, teaching's hard and you have to, you know, make sure that you're reminded of different strategies that you can use in the classroom.

053Um, >> that's a discipline that they could try to work on to implement that school. >> That's right. That's right. >> Can you give us a just a couple um [clears throat] uh ideas of what a student would have um a 504 for, whether it's like test anxiety or I don't know if that would fall under it. >> [clears throat] >> Well, it it depends. Um, but access actually the 504 rehabilit re real can't say it rehabilitation act is about access. So, a student that has a broken leg could have a temporary 504 plan to make him able to get around the campus. So, it's about access and because we're a governmentf funded system, we have to provide those access for an identified disability. It also can be for, you know, here's the most popular

054one is ADHD that students have a difficulty attending and they bring a note from their doctor that they have HD ADHD, but that doesn't mean that we necessarily need to qualify them for a 504. But we have some students too that have acute illnesses that we have to develop a 504. There's lots of different scenarios, but when you're looking at learning, I think that's where we really have to be um we have to be really comprehensive in our evaluation as to if it's impacting their learning or not substantially. Um the other access laws or the other parts of that access you know can be like I said physical um lots of different things and it can be anxiety but does is anxiety one that's going to substantially impact their learning that's the other piece of

055again the evaluation >> and is the [clears throat] purpose of a 504 in some cases like you said temporary is it is is it are there certain students that your goal is to get them off of it because you are trying to help them whether it is like test anxiety or something and it was determined that a 504 would be good for them. Um is it is that is is that the main goal of trying to help them and better them to where they don't need that extra service or accommodation? >> Well, [clears throat] I would say yes, but I I would say that falls into the multi-tered system, too. um that we want to make sure that they're getting that support, you know, through that system as well as through 504 if they need

056it. I have a story my my granddaughter had a 504 for oh three years I think she had it and it was for test anxiety and she couldn't do their she's in Colorado so she had to have extended time to do the CA mass because she got so overwhelmed. Well, this year my daughter shared the report with me and she said, "Mom, I don't think she's going to get extended time anymore." [laughter] So, I read the report. I was so impressed with the report. I said to her, "No." So, yes. You want >> Yes. Exactly. And she was, you know, she Isidora, my granddaughter, was proud of herself, you know. She said, "I I did this. You know, I'm I'm getting this now." So, yes, the goal would be not to have a 504 forever.

057So yes, so so I believe that if we get this system really stronger, I think that'll reduce the cost reduce some of the costs for what are very costly now as special education services very costly. But then I also want to show talk to you about tier three interventions and that's the tier that special education generally gets involved in because it requires individualized intensive instruction and not always. I mean, we have some tier three interventions that we can implement, but many times that's when special ed gets involved. And we have some current challenges in special education for sure. Um, and not all of them unique to a task. Um, the first one that I put on there because it's the most critical is that it's really difficult to find people coming into the field of

058special education and also being wellqualified. So, it's that's really a challenge. And like I said, it's not just a Tascadero. Amber is here from the Selpa. She can tell you it's it's Selpaw wide. Um, and I would say statewide because we're having the same challenges in Southern California. So, it's really difficult to get them. And then like Kendall was saying, then we have to go out and contract with teachers, which is another really costly costly part of special education. So, but once we do attain them, get them into our system, we want to make sure that they're given the appropriate supports to want to stay. So that again and I think again we have to have school site leaders that understand the special educators role and understand how they can support those special educators because

059the special education department can certainly help with supporting new teachers. But on a day-to-day basis, I'd want to make sure that those special educators um have the opportunity to go to somebody on campus to really help them with a struggle they might be having that minute and nobody at SIS or anywhere else is available. So, um I I'm hoping that there would be leaders on campus to help with those things. Another empowering those leaders on campus to help support new teachers. >> Mary Ellen, yes. Along the same lines, we have uh special needs parent educators are working with these students. Um do they also need support and how would they absolutely how would we best support them? >> Absolutely. They need support. >> Um if for instance if we have a new special educate new

060special education teacher working with snips that are relatively new and needing support too. I think we have to make sure that and each school has a department chair in special education and those are special educators. They can be leaders in their department on the school site. They can help out those new teachers in the SNIPS because a new teacher might not know how to direct a snip. We also have BCBAs and EBS's and a lot of behavioral support on every campus that can help with that too. So, I think it's going to take identifying people who are willing to be that supportive system for those new teachers and new staff in general um at every school site. And if I can just comment in on that, last Friday we had a meeting with SNIPS in

061this room and a number of them showed up of varying backgrounds, varying length within the district. And among the things that we talked about were the the issues and the challenges that they face, some of the things that they're looking for, which includes a lot of it included, you know, professional development, on boarding, relationships with others, you know, at school sites and the like. And I thought it was um they were very forthcoming. They they loved their job. They were in it really for the right reason. I mean they, you know, expressed their heart. Um many of them had connections to special education in some way and had just a passion. I mean I think it's the type of people frankly that we want to be able to have working with our kids. And the

062value from my standpoint, you know, what I took away from it were some of the needs that they had. You know, I think part of it is feeling like they're a part of the community. other ones where they're onboarding. I think they genuinely want to know how do I really do a good job. And I think the other element which is, you know, a consistent challenge that we had throughout our district is ensuring people are paid, you know, an appropriate wage. And I I think that was, you know, another one of the big pieces. And so one of the things and it doesn't have to be right now Marielen but I' I'd like you to be able to talk about you know um what percentage and I know that this is very difficult but maybe

063it's the mathematician and me what is the percentage that perhaps you know a a more structured tiered system for example you know something that could help cycle them out you know and and to be successful without falling behind, you know, would we be able to anticipate like h how much is that adding to our current challenge? >> Oh, I think that's essential. I think good multi-tered system, like I said, I think that's the basis of >> Oh, I'm sorry. I think that's the basis for um students not entering special ed first of all um that we have a strong um seal academic program with lots of good supports and lots of strong teaching strong leadership. It it's hard work but we know it's been done in many places and we know we can do it.

064We have we have you guys have all the potential to make this happen and to get a strong intervention system in place and well research says that most a 80% of students will respond to tier one with positive student outcomes if it's done correctly. And again an important word maybe I haven't said it is the instruction is with fidelity. So, we have to really make sure that we're doing it the right way at all times and monitoring our progress. Okay. Does that answer your question? Okay. Um, the next thing I want to talk about is LRE. And this is something that I strongly believe in. Uh, I believe that students should be educated as much as possible in their neighborhood schools. um this gives them the opportunity to fully participate in school events and also

065community events. So I think that's important. And I also um think that if we are able to bring back some of our students into their neighborhood schools, it would reduce some of our transportation costs which is astronomical of course. Um and the SULPA Amber has volunteered to work with Atascadero to u sit down and take a look at data about students to see if we can bring more of our students back to our neighborhood schools. This will require that that you know special educators and teachers will have to think about a wider range of learners in their classroom. Again, it'll be important to have the information that we empower them with the information to teach a wider range of learners in their classrooms and in their communities. But it can be done. I did it.

066[laughter] I did it. So, it it can be done and it worked beautifully. I mean, >> inclusion. Is that what you're saying? >> Yeah. Well, not only inclusion, but instruction in in their special education department, too. I mean, not all kids will be able or not all students, pardon me, will be able to return to the neighborhood schools, but many of them can return. Um, it's it's a real mind shift for educators and for sometimes the community, but I do believe it's the best for kids. So, that's But Whoops. But um you have to have before we bring them back to our neighborhood schools, we need to be able to show or be working on this one. The p the first page because if the first page isn't done correctly, bringing them back only creates

067the headache that is the reason why they were pushed >> out, >> right? And so I I I agree, you know, and you know, bring them back, but h but have a plan actually map backwards to just say when when we talk to SULPA, okay, it's going to be here, [snorts] but what have we done to get, you know, to to where we start? Yeah. And and it's you got to, like you said, it's got to be monitored um consistently. And it's all about the training. It's a different mindset and and it can't be done in six months. >> No. Um I think the PD is essential. Um and I think like I said, it doesn't have to be like a big conference or anything. Principles can have PD at their at their school sites

068and remind teachers what they can do and do the PD in that way. So it's more ongoing. I think all of us have been to conferences like I said before and learned all this good stuff and came home and forgot it the next day. So, um, I want to make sure that this is ongoing. That teachers will need to learn how to teach a wider range of of students. That's not every student responds to the same type of instruction. And that's what we have to make sure teachers can address that. And I think many of them can already. Don't get me wrong. I don't think you're at ground zero, but I think these are things that can get better, okay? Can improve. Um the next challenge we have um had to deal with is our

069behavior and we've had some experiences this year and [snorts] what we've noticed and again this is not unique to a taskcadero um it's kind of a I know it's a statewide problem um but it's younger and younger students coming to us with significant behavioral challenges and that's hard on everybody because we we really don't have the resources all the time to deal with these students. Um, we need and what has happened is because we can't address the behavior challenges of these students, then we look to outside contracts out to outside agencies to help us. So, I'd really like us to build a sounder behavioral system within our district so that we can not rely on the NPA so much. And we do have BCBAs and EBS's and all those people that can help lead us,

070but I think we're going to have to restructure how we um give information to special educators and that includes the SNIPS on how to deal with such challenging behaviors. Again, I know the SULPA has been exploring um placement options in the region because for these little little ones, we don't have any really placement options in the region for those significantly behaviorally challenged students, but again, I know that the SULPA is looking at it, but of course, that's a costly endeavor um no matter how you look at it. So, that's just a challenge that we have. >> Um least restrictive environment. >> Okay. >> And any other questions? I mean, I'm you know, special ed is full of acronyms. So, [laughter] >> I know it's like what is >> the SULPA is a special education local

071planning area. [laughter] >> Yeah. Well, I knew No, I know. I know what that is. But, >> um but we have many of them. Um so like I said they're gathering information from all the districts to determine if they're if they can est or should establish a placement option in the region. So and the another costly cost is the pair of professionals that we have onetoone on for students and I think we have to do a better job of helping everyone to understand that what we're here to do is teach students independence. We're not here to make them reliant on adults. We're here to teach independence. We're here to make them sufficient in their community all by themselves. So, I think we need to get better at evaluating the need for onetoone support for students.

072um and really taking a look at all areas of that student's school day and determining what days or what part of his day does he really need that onetoone support and what part of that day can we really teach him to be independent. Um so I think that's an area that we can definitely improve in. So a challenge for our department um again and reduce reduce the costs. I mean the costs are significant and and good people are hard to come by. So um and the last thing I want to do is just make sure that um all the communication systems between HR and business and transportation on all that are highly effective so that we can respond in a timely manner to this needs of the students and I know that the district is

073working on that currently also. So >> I've got another question. Sure. >> Um, sorry if I'm treating this like one-on-one, but um, going back to least restrictive, um, with the like the tier one in place that is going to because I think what we run into, right, least restrictive for that student is more restrictive for the rest of the students. I'm talking like a gened class, right? Um, how are we gonna Yeah. Um, how are we going to ensure that the the the other students are not in a more restrictive environment having, you know, am I making sense? >> It's got to be a balance. >> You and I cannot sit next to each other. But there's got to be some sort of there's got to be a balance. There can't be an overload of

074um students in a classroom where a teacher then feels I I don't I don't have the magic wand. I can't do you know I can't do this. And then having to wait to too many then puts the general ed students in a restrictive environment where you know welcome to you know middle class America your needs are not going to get met um and you know good luck um because we know we believe you're capable of being that independent learner. So there's that. >> Absolutely. And I hope that I didn't communicate that I am a fully included person. I am not. I'm a special educator that believes that some students cannot be successful in a general ed classroom. But what I'm what I'd like to see is that as much as a student can be successful

075in a general ed classroom that they're included. But I least restrictive environment can be a learning center on their on their neighborhood school for that student. Every student's going to have a different idea. There are schools out there that are fully included schools and I see that as a real challenge. I I just I don't think it's a benefit to all students. Let's put it that way. So I agree with you that and if I miscommunicated that I'm I'm wanting full inclusion, that's not where I would suggest that you go. But least restrictive, like I said, can be in a learning center all day, but on their neighborhood school. >> Okay. >> Thanks for clarifying that. >> Sure. I'm sorry if I didn't make it clear. Um so then I think if we can focus

076the special education department more on supporting if we have students not so many inappropriate referrals to special education the special education department can really support and coach administration can coach teachers teacher leaders all the support staff they'll have more time to do that. Um they'll be able to um assist more with the coaching and the teaching. Okay. And also I want the special ed department to maintain Do you have a question? Go ahead. >> I do have a question. Uh being a parent um and I I do see you know a lot of people they're they're wanting their kids to be assessed. Um a lot of parents are wanting their students to be um assessed. Um what is and I think this goes to what you were saying is having administrators help and our special

077education department help. um teachers and stuff. Um how how do we I don't know what the right how do we how do we um give the parents what what maybe the child needs and what they're asking for um without maybe having I guess it would be training those those teachers without maybe having to take it all the all the way up. Does that makes does that make sense? >> I'm not quite to explain Kendall seek >> I think I think what I think that she covered that with um if we have a stronger um tier one is I think parents are really going I don't know how else to get help for my kids what they're doing is not working so therefore they're feeling like they they have no other choice at least that's what

078I feel like it may be happening to say well then I want a 504 I want an IEP because they feel frustrated with the level one and maybe level to support they're getting because it's not as robust as it should be. Is that would that be accurate? >> I would say that's accurate. Okay. >> I would say if my child is not making progress and not making adequate progress to my standard or to the standard of the district even that I would want something to happen >> to tier one. So, so I think I think the answer to your question though is to how to prevent that is that we really need to focus like you started out with our our level our tier one and our tier twos because then that >> relieves some

079of the burden on the on the more severe, you know, or not severe, but the level three and and the IEPs and all that >> and the ones who can't benefit from the general ed instruction. And I think that's researchbased. I I don't think it's researchbased. It is researchbased. So I think that's that's the system I would absolutely as encourage you to improve on. Okay. And these other suggestions from special education I think are important also. Um I think our special ed department does a good job but I do think they need support from general ed. They they need to have that support. When a parent writes a letter for asking for an assessment we really don't have too many choices. we have to either um decline it and say based on our data your

080student doesn't would not need an assessment. [laughter] Well, and also um it's very challenging in the courts to um make sure you know usually the courts will defend us um having an assessment completed. But I think that's where the SST and all those things come in place that if we can, and this is a bad word, but that's the only one I can think of right now is satisfy the parents need that we're really doing something about your students progress. I think that would deter a lot because I don't know too many parents that you know unless their child has significant needs want to be have a special ed child you know um so if we can do something prior to um qualifying them for special education I think that's power for this powerful for

081the student the most important way okay um and then we talked about inclusion but and the special ed department's really going to have to be supportive in that instructional level where it's specially designed and um the curriculum and instruction. That's what special ed is. It's specially designed curriculum and instruction. And so when these students have certain uh learning needs that the special ed department can come in and support and make sure that the teachers have that specially designed curriculum and instruction. And then of course we have to make sure that we write compliant IEPs because if we don't write compliant IEPs, we're going to have more and more illegal matters and we don't want those either. So >> So that's what I've observed. It's been a pleasure to be here honestly and like I said,

082you certainly are not at ground zero, but I think there is there is really significant ways that we can improve. Okay. Yes. Um she was reaching question about uh like meetings uh when we uh I guess IEP meetings or the 504 where the whole team comes together. Were you able to observe that? I mean is is are those going well? I mean is it time time taken away from classrooms? You know how many people are sitting at the table? [cough and clears throat] >> I had part of my daughters this morning and there was six of us in there, >> but I know that some of the teams are much larger larger than that. So, it's pretty [clears throat] much just my husband and I and then the teachers and the gened teachers. So, >>

083it's very costly. I mean, special education is very costly, not only in dollars but in time. um because we have to review the IEPs annually, have annual IEPs, and then every three years we have to do a re-evaluation to determine redetermine the disability. Um and those are I mean I forget the exact numbers. Do any of you guys remember like six hours for a triannual review? >> That's what we had last year. Yeah, it was about six and then >> this one was an hour and a half today. a little more and then it'll be probably another hour, hour and a half on just for an annual IEP. [clears throat] >> So, okay. So my question is is when they're when they're at meetings, some of these some of these people, teachers or sped are

084are at these meetings. Then we have a substitute out and about. Um I don't know where I'm going with it. It just seems >> Okay, good. Then you answer my question. [laughter] >> Well, I don't know that I can answer it, but >> it's a it it's Go ahead. >> It is a lot of resources and that's why I want this >> bottom layer to get really strong and robust. I think that's really what it needs to do. And the special educators, um, we, you know, we have to comply with the law and have all these team members. you know, we have to have general ed and we have to have, you know, the special educators and the speech person and the OT and all those people there. But occasionally we can dismiss them early

085and just have a sub for a short period of time. But that's, you know, and if the parents excuse them, that's great. But if the parents don't excuse, then they stay for the entire meeting. That's that's the law. So it is costly. I I can't say it's not. And yes, it affects everybody, but that's why I'm encouraging that lower level of intervention. Well, I think it's an important conversation because it really is showing all the different pieces of why this tier one and tier 2 are so important because I mean I'm sure I'm aware I my daughter had um a 504 plan when she was in middle school and elementary school and I don't know that I ever even thought of oh yes their teachers are here that means that there is a sub in

086that classroom and now all of those students are not getting the same education if their teacher had been in there. And so there is a lot of resources. And so like that just brings to me one more reason why we have to get this tier one and tier two right because it is brings everything back together. >> Imagine that with every, you know, like a special education classroom where they've got IEPs for every single student in there, you know. >> Yeah. whether it's 10 students or however many are in the high school. >> So that really concludes my summary of my observations and some of my suggestions. And if you have any questions or additions, I'm happy to answer any other questions or concerns. No, I u when I worked with a special ed teacher,

087[clears throat] I noticed after they would have their IEP groups and whatnot, one of the biggest challenges and time consuming was all that paperwork. >> Yes. >> Per student and and I can remember hearing the frustration from the teachers saying, "I'd love to spend more time with my student, but I'm swamped with paperwork after." Well, I I think the district has done a good job of helping the teachers with some of that, giving them more release time to work with the IEP's paperwork. Um because it is overwhelming. It's and you know, whenever we have a we have an idea review, they always say, "Oh, we're going to reduce paperwork." Never has happened. Um, in all of my career, all it's done is increase because some attorney has come up with something new that we have

088to address in their IEP paperwork. And so, we've never been successful in reducing paperwork. Let's put it that way. Yeah. [laughter] >> No, but it's a great field to be in. If you can encourage anybody to do it, it's so rewarding to teach these kids and have see them make progress. And I feel the same way about general ed, too. It's so rewarding to um see the students make progress and like my granddaughter said, I'm really proud of myself and they should be. So, okay. Any other >> So, if if I could just ask you in conclusion to be able to is there a way for you to be able to provide us with, you know, thoughts about what would you do first? What would you say that we do first and second and third?

089I mean is there a way to I don't know the to even talk about priorities for example like what would you see as our number one priority and and maybe from there like what what would you suggest that we work on? >> Well I think from my perspective the number one priority would be empowering leaders to empower people below them. I think that's the most important thing. Our our district and school leaders, they need to have the information to be able to do these things that we're asking them to do. And I think that's where I would start is empowering the leaders um to make sure that they have the information they need to really get on top of this and make sure that they um have that information. That's knowledge is power and that's

090what they really need. And then that has to trickle down through you know through the district office through the principles to the teachers to the support staff. So is that makes does thatense >> answer it? >> It does. So what I hear you saying is that we need the infrastructure in place to be able to ensure that we have consistency across the district. >> And so >> and that's a good word. I I'm not sure that I've said that enough too. I I really think it has to be consistent and again at every in every classroom in every school. It has to be that robust researchbased instruction going on that's being monitored and implemented. And you know uh there's lots of ways of that principles can monitor it just by doing classroom walkounds going into

091the classroom for 15 minutes and see what that teacher is addressing. Um I don't know that the practice is here in this district but when I was I worked for the university and was doing student teachers you know um supervising student teachers when I walked into their classroom I had to make sure that they had posted the standards that they were working on in their lesson plans. So I think those are things that we you know you can easily check on look at their lesson book they got a standard there. They're working on it. Um so I think those are things that we can um teach principles and leaders again to go into the classroom do some quick observations and suggestions and it doesn't have to be an evaluation it can just be >> you

092know a walk through. Exactly. >> So I have a question. Um, so you've helped us to identify where we need some improvement, where we're doing well, we need where we need some improvement. So now my question for you is who um who, how, when takes the bull by the horns and puts this into an action plan. >> Well, so first of all, this is where the data piece comes into play. And I think what's most important, we're collecting a lot of data in a lot of different areas. Special education is just one. And then with that, we need to be able to have open communication and and conversations with the people that, you know, not only are the ones leading it, but also the ones that are teaching it. Because I I think, you know,

093personally, this isn't a top down thing. This is something that you know much like we did the other day with the conversation that we had with the snips was really understanding where are we at what are the challenges that they face and then how do we bring in the data and the information that we've been provided as these are our areas of challenge and then come up with a plan as to how really best to do that that we all agree upon. I mean we have good leadership and so we'll heavily rely on our leadership and our SULPA and the support that we have there. Um but it's really bringing our team together to have those conversation. I mean, they're the ones in the trenches are the ones that see it. I they'll be the

094ones to understand how all of this plays out. And then and I know, you know, from my conversations with our teachers and um and our snips and the like, I I know their heart is to really do great stuff with our kids. And so, you know, as I look at that and I combine that with the information that we have and then how do we get there um more effectively and you know, taking the advice of what Marie Ellen has provided us here today, you know, I think it's probably going to be multiffactorial. One of them just simply being how do we how do we help students immediately without needing to get into an IEP, for example, you know, and that's where the MTSS and the tiered system really comes into place. So that will

095be more of a general ed issue and how do we address that and then and then how do we also provide support to our special education programs but we'll do it together. We'll we'll do it by having conversation in community and developing a robust plan, you know, working together with the team. >> And and Tom's so right that the the teachers that I've observed and met with and talked with, they want to do the best they can for these students. And I think they just need the the knowledge and the guidance and the ongoing support >> and and I think they can do it. >> Mariela, I like what you said about having high expectations. Um, and I'm kind of thinking about when we have, you know, uh, students in their neighborhood schools and more

096integrated when whenever possible, um, how we can adapt the curriculum to be able to not have them be frustrated or be able to, you know, achieve um, when we know there's like a wide array of learning um, abilities or like So, I hope that um in the work that we do, we can demonstrate that there can be success and then we can get more buy in from our folks because I know we have amazing people in our district and um who really care about student the students. Um, so thank you for for emphasizing or bringing that to light. >> And I I do believe that the special educators on campus can help with the the curriculum changes that may need to be done in the general ed classroom or in the learning center. So the

097student can access the general ed curriculum as much as possible. We want them to get the standardsbased instruction, but many times students with learning challenges really do need additional accommodations like you know just doing this basic standards not you know not going above and beyond you know what the stand what we want most students to do is go above and beyond. So, um, but if we have students that are at the level of where it's, um, sur, uh, survival techniques and whatnot, basically, uh, we would most likely have a one-on-one with them. >> Well, not necessarily a one-on-one, but certainly a more self-contained environment. a special ed teacher on campus, >> right? Oh, definitely. We still have to have special educators. Definitely. And some of them are going to be more of the um intensive

098learning center kind of students, you know, the ones with significant challenges. They still have to exist. I'm [laughter] They still have to exist. Not every student can come back to their neighborhood school and be successful, but I think many of them can. So, I think that's what we want to look at. Not suggesting to reduce the continuum of services by any means. [laughter] We still need to have the continuum of services. >> Thank you. Thank you very much for sharing. I just want to say thank you, Mary Ellen, but I also want to be able to say thank you to our leaders out here who um are from special education and our parents that are here tonight for participating. So anyway, thank you. >> Appreciate them coming. I know it's time away from their families.

099>> Okay. And our next topic is for our governance handbook. So, as you know, we've been working on our governance handbook. Uh, and we have one final section that is is needed. So, I will pass some of these around. If we can kind of go that way with these. One of the things that you'll notice is a little bit of overlap from some of the other sections. And the primary reason is because what we're trying to be able to focus on here is board. What is the governance climate and culture that you want to be able to create? I know this was sent out last minute mainly because we weren't able to get it into the packet before the packet was posted. Um, what I want you to be able to see first of all,

100I I hope you've had a chance to be able to take a look at it. If not, I'll highlight a few of the points and then see if we feel comfortable enough to be able to at least recommend that this go forward. What I will end up doing is that since this is the final element of our govern our board governance handbook is that I will put this inside of it, pull it all together and then bring forward the entire handbook packet for one final review and consideration and we'll do that at our next or at our next uh off the dis conversation. All right. So I I don't necessarily need to be able to read the the top part of it, but but I would like to be able to read that and then

101you can see what the headers are. And then on the back side, you'll notice the governance meeting guidelines in some of the key points. Um so permit me. So the governance team is committed to maintaining a positive, respectful, and collaborative climate and culture that supports effective governance and advances the mission of Atascador Unified School District. The way in which we the way in which the governance team conducts its work through professional behavior, ethical leadership and open dialogue and mutual trust directly influences district operation, public confidence. This climate and culture are essential to ensuring decisions are made in the best interest of our students and that the governance team serves as a model of respectful civic engagement for the community. So the idea here is to say what is the environment, the climate and culture that

102we're trying to be able to create in which we conduct our business. And so that's kind of the tone of what this is about. It's really more of a tone setting. And the ways that we do that would be through these headers of expectations for community engagement, meaning people who are outside of us. How we expect people to be able to engage with the board, with the superintendent, with all of our team, with our faculty and staff. Meaning, look, it's it's okay if we disagree, but how we disagree is important. And what we're trying to be able to do here is to set some expectations. Modeling for students and the community. Look, I think our actions carry more weight than our words do. And so, I think all of us need to recognize we're serving

103as models for our students. We are a school district and as such, you know, we want to make sure that we are modeling professionalism um to our students so that that's what they catch. respectful and professional conduct, team uh trust, teamwork and community confidence, commitment to integrity and ethical governance. Turning the page, productive and thoughtful dialogue, valuing diverse perspectives. And then among the governance meeting guidelines such as in carrying out its governance responsibilities, members of the district governance team agree to the following meeting norms and expectations. Again, many of these are repeated in other places of our board packet or our governance handbook, but it's again just saying this is the tone that we want. The climate and culture, a focus on students, collective responsibility, transparency and openness, respectful communication, productive deliberation, integrity and ethics,

104encouragement of diverse perspectives, support of board decisions, trust and confidentiality, and then adherence to governance protocols. And so that's really what the idea is here is it's trying to be able to say what's the climate and culture that we expect as a board. What is it that you want us to be able to do? How do you want us to engage with each other? What do you want to have happen after decisions are made? And so that's the intent of this. And if you have any thoughts or comments or questions, again, realizing that it you haven't had it all that long, but um if you feel comfortable enough being able to push this forward, then I'll bring it back as an entire packet. But until we get there, do you have thoughts or questions or

105comments that you'd like to make? >> Well, I read through this and I thought, well, this is makes perfect sense. And um so but I'm glad that we're putting it together. We're reviewing it because I think that's always helpful to have an opportunity to review and make sure that you know we um we do our best to adhere to these good practices and governance. These are some of the um the words or comments that um when leadership um associates went out and talked to the community. These were some of the um words and phrases that they were saying that they were looking for um in a superintendent or in you know Yeah. in a superintendent. um how how the the so it's it's nice to see it come back and be a reflection of okay

106this is our climate and our culture um and you know tag where it >> I I think the big issue is that it's our responsibility to be able to set the tone I think leadership at the top needs to do that and say this is what we expect this is how we expect to be able to operate as an organization this is what we expect to each other. This these are the types of relationships we serve a community and and with an emphasis on service. And so, you know, I I think the ways in which we conduct business is is really important. And so, what do we want that community to look like and how do we want to operate and then how do we hold each other accountable for that? And then also our

107community to be able to model for our kids, you know, what we expect. So that's the idea and thank you. >> I think the other thing that's great about this is that this is not just for us. We are all going to come and go and I think that it's great to have some standards and they may differ down the road, but at least there's a road map for anyone who decides to be a board member. Um, and the one I mean the one of the ones that I just really love is you know valuing valuing diverse perspectives and um that we welcome different viewpoints and engage in dialogue that promotes understanding, collaboration, foreign decision- making. You know, really being committed to hearing everybody's side. We don't have to agree, but we have to, you

108know, be able to listen to that um and be respectful about that. I think that's a really I think that's why we work so well together as a board because I think we're all committed to that. So, I just I really like that. Um, we're putting this together for not just us for but for future generations. >> I'd like to emphasize that about the board that the board they do truly set the tone for a district and you can look at our neighbors and just look at the difference when our board doesn't I had to put my gloves down and not hit Joey anymore because I had to understand he's learning. So, you know, it just so we do we set the tone in the district [laughter] and um and I think this encompasses the

109be the board setting the tone and then it carries through our staff and we want that tone. I really appreciate this Any other thoughts, input, comments? If not, if the board feels comfortable, then I'll go ahead and move this forward. I'll put it into the um existing um governance board packet that we have our handbook and then I'll bring it forward at our next uh open conversation for review final review and then again it should serve as a living document something that we can make adjustments to over the course of time and then we'll continue to be able to keep it open revise it will be something that we'll clearly look at you know at every um at the beginning of each academic year as part of our retreat I think it should be a

110part of that that we review it and make sure that we're all set ready to go and then we can ask ourselves are we still on board with the different points that are being made and how do we want to be able to make adjustments. So with that I will just say thank you for your hard work. I know it's been a lot of reading. I've been sending a lot of things out. My apologies for the delay in getting this one out. It was just we want to be able to make sure that we're always remaining true to um the Brown Act and uh and so I I couldn't send that out until it was posted and so everybody had access to it. >> Least amount of reading we had to do. >> I I

111hear you and it was also the very last minute one that I gave you as well. So I'm trying to balance out my appreciation. >> All right. So with that, thank you. >> Thank you so much. Thank you for all your hard work. Uh okay, announcement. Our next meeting is Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026. We have close session at 5:30 and our regular session will be at 700 p.m. And we are going to now adjourn back to close session. >> Is that right?