Central Unified Board of Trustees Meeting February 24th , 2026

001Good evening. The board of trustees meeting for February 24th, 2026 is called to order at 5:30 p.m. Please let the record reflect uh that we are missing trustee Chan and Trustee Sadu from today's attendance. The next item is adoption of the agenda. What are the wishes of the board on the uh adoption of the agenda? >> Motion to approve. >> Thank you. I have a motion by Trusty Kon. I have a second by Vice President Sers. Um, Superintendent Dr. Marshall, was there a point of clarification >> of clarification on the item action item eight, the board bylaws, the recommendation is incorrect. It should read um administration is recommending the board approve the revised board bylaws and policies instead of the March 10th board meeting. >> Okay. >> Is there so trustee Keron will you accept

002will you withdraw your motion uh and amend and approve subject to the amendment? >> Yes. Motion to approve the uh agenda with the amendment as well as the minutes from last meeting. Okay. Thank you, Vice President Sellers. Is there another revision? >> So, it's not a revision. We just have to specifically pull out the immigration enforcement one just so we can call out the attachment that will be posted on our website. It has to be reflected in the minutes. Okay. So when we call that item uh during the discussion so the action needs to be reflected in the minutes or do we just need to make a comment? >> I have to specifically say that with this board policy we are adopting the checklist. >> Okay. I will make a note of that. >> Okay.

003Um we have a motion and a second to approve the agenda as amended. All in favor please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any obstensions? Motion carries unanimously. We will now take any comments from the public on any close session items. The number to call if you are watching remotely is 559 uh 276 3150. Do we have any comments on close session items? >> Board President, 30 seconds have passed and there's no callers at this time. >> Thank you. Hearing no comments on close session items, we will adjourn to close session and return to open session at 7 p.m. Thank you. Yes. Yeah. Please. Hey, hey, hey. Thank you. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Hey, heat. Hey hey. Heat. Heat. N. Oh, Hey, hey, hey.

004Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. down. Oh. Yes. Yeah. Heat. Heat. Heat. Thank you. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, D. Hey, hey, Heat. Heat. N. Oh, oh. Hey everybody, hey Heat. Heat. N. I think you Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey. Hey. Hey. What was that? Yeah. That's heat. Thank you. Down. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Hey, heat. Hey, heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, oh Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. What was it? Yes. Heat. Heat. Relax. How do you Heat. Heat. N. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Hey, Hey, hey, hey. Hey, Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey. Oh,

005Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, Heat. Heat. Heat. Yes. Yeah. I'm a Heat. Heat. down. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. N. It is now 700 p.m. The board reconvenes to open session. Before we move on with our agenda, items to report from close session. The board took action. Oh, uh, we had Trusty Sadu join us at 5:39 PM and then Trustee Singh join at 5:45 p.m. Uh, the certificated personnel report was approved by a motion by Trustee Kirk and a second by Vice President Sers uh with a vote of 40. And then we have the classified personnel report. Uh, I approved a motion. I made a motion to approve and Vice President Celler second that seconded um that action and then we had a 50 approval. There is no other action to report from close session. And

006now we move on to the pledge of allegiance. If I can please have Vice President Sers lead us in the flex of Thank you. I now invite our community engagement uh I our translators to provide our community engagement information as they join us at the podium. And I see that there's a a crowded room. If there's any members of the public wishing to provide any comment on any item not on the agenda, the time to come forward or complete a comment card um would be when we have uh general comments. And then if you wish to speak on a particular item, if we don't have any comment cards, just make sure you come forward before we conclude that item. And with that, uh Mr. Laza, >> good evening. If you wish to address the board,

007please call 559-276-3150 or fill out a request form provided on the table near the entrance and submitted to the clerk of the board prior to the meeting. If you wish to speak on an item on the agenda, please do so when that item is called. If you wish to speak on an item not on the agenda, you may speak during the public comment sections of the agenda. The district welcomes other language speakers to the board meetings. Anyone planning to attend and need an interpreter for a language other than Spanish should call 559-274-4700 extension 10150 by noon on the Friday preceding the board meeting or at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting so arrangements can be made for an interpreter. Thank you. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech. Spanish translator extension. Thank you to

008both of our interpreters, translators. We move on to our presentations. Our first item is student recognition. Assistant Superintendent McClennon. >> We don't have any students slated for recognition this evening. >> Okay. Thank you. We move on to item number two, foundation for central schools. My apologies. We do in a minute. Okay. So, apologies. We do have someone to recognize under student recognition. >> We do. We have um the CFW Foundation scholarship fund presenting tonight. >> Okay. Thank you. Good evening board. Good evening uh Dr. Marshall. Good evening administration. It is great pleasure that I join you tonight to present to one of your students the CFW scholarship award. I'm going to tell you a little bit about her in a second, but some background on the CFW scholarship. To date, we have given out $800,000

009to the serving students throughout uh the state of California so that they can continue with their education either at a higher institution or at a trade school, whatever is their heart's desire. The process was the seniors at uh our district put together a essay explaining who they were, what their life goals were, what their objections were, and staff here at the district read those essays and determined the winner. So without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to Zuri De Jesus, the 2026 winner of the CFW scholarship award. Let me tell you a little bit uh about her. Uh she is a outstanding student. She has a 4.1 GPA. She desires to go into the medicine field and she is looking at Cal State Merrced to continue with her education. Prior to the meeting tonight,

010I introduced myself to her and I said, "Zuri, if you were to have one thing that you would want someone to know about you, what would it be?" and she said resilient. She believes that she is resilient in light of everything that is occurring in her life in this nation and what have you. She said I am a resilient woman. So with that I great pleasure to give her this CFW scholarship award. So, if we can invite you to come forward and then we'll join you for a picture and we can all shake her hand there as well other rather than having her come around. >> Yes. If you'll just come forward. Let's give her another round of applause. Congratulations. Okay, now we move on to Foundation for Central Schools and we invite our executive

011director Serena Dohi to present. All right. Good evening. Thank you, board president, and good evening, board of trustees. Thank you for having me here this evening. Um, I also have our board president and also um, board treasurer joining us tonight. Um, over the past three months, the foundation has hosted several events and I just want to share a few things and highlights with you. Um, we are very thankful for your continued support and also for several of you joining us over the past quarter. So, thank you very much. Um, I was able to provide a small handout with some of those highlights um, for your reference as well. Holiday Joy was a huge success in December, impacting 560 families, of whom 1,188 students were were students of Central Unified. Families received fresh produce, non-p perishables,

012milk, protein, and so much more. When we finally reached the end of the line, we were able to politely turn our neighbors away with a grocery gift card. and we were able to do so thanks to our donors, our volunteers, our staff, and everyone that comes together to put on this amazing tradition. So, thank you all for helping us with that. Additionally, um we held a Christmas giveaway where we served 160 students um with Christmas gifts, jackets, and that's thanks to our dedicated foundation board of directors. Um, we packed up a small van of toys and goodies for those kids and it was it was just beautiful. Um, plus we received uh stockings with lots of goodies in them from Shine for Education and that's also the photo that's featured. So, um, many of our

013kids who uh benefited from this really appreciate it and we had many parents grateful for the opportunity. It's something that we don't do every year. Um, I want to say the last one we held was almost three years ago. So, we're we're very thankful for those partnerships. Additionally, we wrapped up operation school bell in partnership with the assistance league. Um completed serving 411 students um across the entire district this year um each who received $100 to shop for new school clothes. And lastly, just a couple weeks ago, we hosted our very first shoe giving event where 200 students across the district uh received a brand new shoes. Again, for the first time ever, we were able to do so. And another beautiful event um districtwide supporting our kids who really needed that. And on the

014back side of your uh one pager is a uh information about the 20206 scholarship awards. So currently the scholarship application is open and we have 25 opportunities this year ranging from 1,000 to $5,000. Again, congratulations to our scholar who was just here. It's a very exciting time of the school year. It's one of my favorites. Um we just added a new scholarship called the Hope Scholarship. Um, this one is specifically for students with a 2.0 to a 3.5 GPA um, thanks to a um, private donor. So, that information was updated on the website and we've now extended our deadline to March 4th. So, there's a few more days. Um, I have been actively at all of our school sites hosting workshops in the career centers via Zoom with students who can't make that time and

015students have been reaching out to me personally. I'm also um back at Central High FFA department um Thursday while I'll be hosting two more workshops. So any student who needs that extra assistance, they can reach out to us and or their FOs on campus for interpretation and other services. But we did extend that deadline to March 4th. And we are inviting all of you to join us on May 6 at 5:30 p.m. for our big awards ceremony. It's definitely something we hope you can join us. And then two big announcements. The El Capitan uh food pantry and clothing closet is finally open at full capacity uh tomorrow. They will serve uh by appointment. And big thank you to our FO Karina Medina. Our leadership students played a really big role in this and will continue.

016And of course um their teacher, Mr. Tim, for helping get that ready. And I do want to point out um for any central family or employee in need, they can email us at centralschool pantry@ centralunifi.org. I know that's been a question is if there's any staff that's in need, they can email that and we can connect with them as well. So that resource is available for our staff and and families. Um additionally, Hen Kernney's clothing closet officially reopened and it's already at full capacity. Um the rain kind of rained on our parade of our ribbon cutting, but it is at full capacity and I wanted to clarify that it's already serving our families as well. Um there was an ABC30 um media advisory this afternoon at 4:30 where a story was posted and we'll also

017be sharing that on our district to give you guys a view of that. And then lastly, I just wanted to acknowledge some of the funding that our pillar grants have supported and that is for Persian FFA National Conference. the county spelling be the history day competition Justin Garza band and choir central east band and the El Capitan band and color guard and united sports. That's just a glimpse of some of the funding that we have released. Um we're also sponsoring the ongoing efforts of Highway Cities um health units to ensure access continues to come out to our families. So we have been partnering with April Henry and the team at Highway City. Again, we just want to thank you for your continued support of the foundation and we really hope you guys can all join

018us on May 6 for our annual scholarship awards. Happy to answer any questions if you have any. >> Thank you. Are there questions? Trusty Sadoo. >> Yep. Uh just a um general question uh if like donating to the clothing um who can donate, what items are needed, and um how can we help? Thank you so much for that question. So, currently um for the closets, we do ask for new items and if you go on the central foundation um website, there's information there um with guidelines and also contact information, but we really try to keep at least 95% of the clothing new um and then any questions of the inbetweens can be directly communicated with me. Any other questions or comments? Okay. Well, as I usually do every presentation, I just want to remind the

019board that we have a commitment as a as a board and as a district to the foundation. We do pay a portion of or all of your salary. I a portion. Okay, that's what I thought. A portion of your salary. And so I will say that in the seven years, I think you've been here six years, six years that you've been on the foundation, you've expanded the growth and really the benefits and the grants that we're providing to our students in our community. And so on behalf of our board and our district, thank you very much for all of your great work and and to the board members um that serve as well. So uh your work does not go unnoticed. Uh I personally enjoy the holiday food drive. that's the most uh convenient and

020easiest uh item for me to participate in. So, selfishly, uh but I do know that the community is thankful for um all of the donations and the support that you're providing in the classroom and then outside of our classroom. So, thank you. We move on to our employee association highlights. We invite uh President Laura Bolton from the Centry Unified Teachers Association to provide any highlights. >> Good evening board and Dr. Marshall. Um I uh would like to mention that we have quite a few guests here tonight that you ordinarily don't see. Um, I would like to thank all the TK and kinder teachers who have come out tonight and the instructional aids who are here as well. The work all of them do for our youngest learners sets them up for a successful educational future.

021If you are a teacher or instructional aid here tonight, please stand or raise a hand. Yeah, that's most of the people in the room. Uh you will be hearing statements and stories from the heart in support of our instructional aids. Cuts to hours and health benefits will directly impact the students they serve if the partnerships they are they have um are no longer available for central kids. And that's all I have to share with you tonight. Thank you. >> Thank you. We next invite uh President Agiri from the class uh from the California School Employees Association. Okay, thank you. Hearing nothing to report, we move on to our superintendent board communications. We will first hear from Superintendent Dr. Marshall, very busy month. Uh we have several uh student accolades. Uh we have our our cheer

022teams in Central Unified competing in Anaheim and we had some first place winners at Rio Vista and River Riverluff. Uh they got national titles. Uh Central East, I had the chance to go to a signing ceremony. Uh we had students that go to USC and Cal State University Fullerton. A couple of our BSU students were at the uh measure what we value summit that was held by Parseek. And then we had winners from Persing uh Continuation High School. They participated in Fresno County's academic decathlon and took home several wins. Our FFA team from Central High School competed in the West Fresno Madera FFA speech competition and had several winners. Other updates, I had a chance to participate as a panelist in the teaching fellows education day and I had a great time yesterday at the

023uh LCAP workshops. We we had two. There was one last night at uh Glacier Point that was very well attended and the activities were awesome. And then I always enjoy the uh the site visits. Couple of upcoming events I'm looking I've never done this uh Friday donkey basketball. I've never uh so I'm looking forward to that Friday evening at 6:30 at uh Central High School. Uh a shout out to our vapor program uh Justin Garza Theater. They have a performance coming up. And to all the parents and community watching, we have a couple of LCAP workshops at Biola and at LCAP. So that's my report. >> Thank you, Dr. Marshall. >> You have to use the mic so everyone can hear you. >> Yeah. He said they have live donkeys and I said I'm gonna

024say Friday. >> Um, next item is board bylaw policies. >> Oh yes, >> comments from the board as well, right? >> I'm sorry. We do comments from the board as well. >> Not yet. Okay. >> But we will. Yes. Um the next item is board bylaws policies and board engagement subcommittee update. Um so the this committee is made up of trustee Kirk and I. Uh we had a meeting last week or two weeks ago and so we went through all the policies. We have another meeting coming up um as well uh next week and then we did we are bringing forward and so on the agenda you will see a number of policies many updates are just to be in compliance with with the legal changes um actually I believe all of them are based

025on changes in the law and so we'll continue to bring those forward uh we will be bringing the cell phone policy I believe at our second meeting in March. uh they're currently uh obtaining feedback from our students. Uh administration has done town halls and I believe we've received feedback from our teachers and administrators. And so the last item is to get feedback from our students before that's brought to the board for a final decision based on on the recommendation. Okay. And so with that, we will move on to student board reports. Uh student trustee Kong. >> Um hello uh Mr. Marshall summarized basically everything I needed to say, but donkey basketball is donkeys and teachers and students ride them and then they compete. Um just one thing I would like to say is um there

026was a protest two weeks ago and I would like to say I'm a student trustee and if you guys would like to reach out to me about it instead of making something big cuz it could have became unsafe very um easily and if you guys would like to reach out to me or um our other student trustee that would be better than making a big thing that was supposed to be um peaceful because unfortunately it wasn't peaceful. Thank you. >> Thank you. Now we will take any board reports. Trusty Kuron. >> Thank you, President Creo. Uh two things. One, I just want to wish all of our friends at uh Persing and Central High a happy National FFA week. and also that we have um I had the opportunity to attend two of our dual

027enrollment courses uh today at the invitation of some of our uh Justin Garza staff. So, thank you for extending the invitation. And I just want to also share how impressed I was with the rigor being offered um by our central unified staff that also do uh duel as professors through the state center community college district. You guys are doing great work. Thank you. Thank you, Trusty Kirk. >> Thank you. I'll just report on one thing. I don't need to duplicate anything from the policy. So, I was able to attend the Fresno County Trustee Association dinner on behalf of Central Unified School District. That was a wonderful group that represents all 31 uh K12 districts plus two community college districts. Have that opportunity to meet with them and hear what's going on in our surrounding districts.

028I did volunteer us for the executive dinner in September. So, um I'll get with Dr. Marshall and Anita uh to organize for the that board to come and and use one of our beautiful facilities. >> Thank you. Any other trustee wishing to provide any reports? Okay. Hearing nothing further on this item, we move on to comments from the public. This is a time for any member of the public wishing to address the board on any item not currently on the agenda. that we've allocated 20 minutes uh in total um for this item. Generally, we provide three minutes depending on how many public comments we have. I can adjust to make sure that we are um efficient in time as we complete our meeting. Do we have any members of the public wishing to address the

029board on any items not currently agendaized? >> Uh President Korea, I have one comment coming from uh public for nonaggendaized items. Okay. And just just for a head count because I want to then make sure that we're fair. Do we have comments for the other items? >> Yes, we do. Um seems to be about eight or nine. >> Okay. >> So, our comment for unscheduled communication is from Bernice Bailey. >> And you have one caller. Okay. So, I am going to uh reduce the three minutes to two minutes. So each member will have two minutes to address the board. As a reminder, uh you're not entitled to delegate your time, but every person who wishes to speak may speak and have the full two minutes. Okay. My name is Bernice Bailey. I'm a retired teacher

030with 40 years of teaching experience. I spent my last 22 years teaching kindergarten at McKinley. I'm here tonight to share my thoughts on the importance of full-time kindergarten aids in kindergarten of classroom aids in kindergarten and first grade. The kindergarten curriculum has become much more rigorous and similar to what first grade used to be. Some kids are not developmentally ready for the expectations and they require additional small groupoup instruction and intervention. In addition to this, as everyone knows, we are seeing more behavior problems as well. Classroom aids are able to help with students who are struggling behaviorally while allowing the teacher to continue teaching the rest of the class. There are first grade teachers getting kids that have never been in school, getting kids that qualified and took advantage of TK, so they received an

031extra year of education. They have some kids fully reading and others not even knowing letters and sounds, as well as having kids coming with zero English. Trying to meet the needs of 28 kids with such diverse skills and needs is nearly impossible without an aid. They have kids from far far below grade level to kids that deserve to be challenged even though they are on grade level or above. The science of reading research shows the importance of early intervention. We need to catch kids when they are little and get them reading before the gap widens and it becomes impossible to ever catch up. Reading is an important life skill that skill that is needed for a successful future. We owe it to our kids to set them up for success. I am retired and it

032does not affect me, but I care about my community and I know how valuable those full-time aids are. I realize there is a budget concern, but I really encourage you to look elsewhere when making cuts rather than taking away from our youngest learners. Those foundational skills that are taught in kindergarten and first grade are so important to success in future grades. And board members, I will email you the rest of my speech. I just had to asterisk the important things, but it's really important. Thank you. >> Thank you. Our next comment comes from Council Member Mike Carbassi. >> Can you adjust the clock >> to two minutes, please? >> Two minutes. >> Yes. >> I'll keep it under. I promise. >> I'll I'll just let you go so we can move forward. >> You got

033it. Uh, Madame President, Mr. Vice President and board members and Dr. Marshall, thank you so much for having me tonight. I'm Mike Carbasi. I'm the president of the city council in Fresno. like you, I get to serve on a board and most of the time when we do this, people come up and they provide their thoughts and sometimes it's critical which we can understand. I want to do the opposite. I want to tell you that I get a lot of feedback about different organizations and school districts. I can't remember the last time anyone said anything negative about Central. The fact that Liddell, which I'm proud to be in district, is in is in council district 2. It's a blue ribbon school. I think it's the first you've had. I think it's phenomenal and this board

034does a fantastic job with the future of our kids. I just want to give you kudos as well deserved. And Dr. Marshall was kind enough to come to our council meeting. So, this is me providing some payback and saying thank you for Dr. Marshall for being so open and making the effort to come to city hall. If ever any of us in the council could be of help to you, the development and the growth of this community is important to us. Central is very soughta by folks. They want to be a part of this district. Thank you for the work you do and it's a two-way street and we are here to help you from Fresno City Hall. Thank you all. >> Thank you. Testing one, two. I appreciate the patience from the public as

035we resolve these technical difficulties. Do we have another speaker for non-aggenda items? Okay, we have a caller. Thank you. Good evening, Samuel Molina. You have three minutes. You have three minutes to address the board. Please make sure to turn down the volume on your listening device so we can hear you loud and clear. again. Mr. Molina, you have three minutes and your time starts now. >> Hi, good evening everyone. Superintendent Dr. Mark Marshall and esteemed board members. My name is Samuel Molina, a 2000 2005 alumni of Central Unified School District. Go Grizzlies. and I'm calling you regarding a resolution uh to recognize financial literacy as a critical component of student mental health, academic success, and long-term economic well-being. Uh this resolution was uh sent to President Curio and a couple of other board members. It

036is just simply asking to recognize the importance of financial literacy on mental health and student and family success. There is no ask for any kind of funding or new programs to be established. I would just would like for the school board to consider the resolution and perhaps vote on it come this April and that is all I have to say. Thank you, Mr. Molina. Um, do we have any other comments on the phone? >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Molina. And I do want to confirm I've received your email and I've forwarded that to administration and so Dr. Marshall or someone from his team will follow up with you. Thank you. Hearing no further comments from the public on items not currently agendaized, we move on to our consent agenda. A couple items I want to

037highlight. We have uh resolution number 2526-29 declaring March 2026 as a developmental disability awareness month. We have resolution number 2526-30 declaring March 2026 as women's uh history month. And we have uh resolution number 2526-31 declaring March 2nd through the 6th uh of this year as Readacross America week. And I'm sure that many of us have already received invitations. So if your schedule allows um it's a great opportunity to to read to our students. Um with that, what are the wishes of the board on the consent agenda? Second. >> Thank you. I have a motion by trustee Kirk. I have a second by trustee Keron. Student trustee. How do you vote? >> I. >> Thank you, trustees. All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries. We move on to

038our first action item, accept gifts to the district. Who will be presenting the item? If not, the item attached identifies a gift to Central High School re uh a donation of $250 from Gary and Robin Kazerian um for the boys basketball fund. So that's okay. I got it. Uh thank you for that donation. Um are there any questions or comments from the board hearing? Seeing none. What are the wishes of the board? >> A motion to approve. Second. >> Thank you. I have a motion by Trustee Kirk. I have a second by Trustee Keron. Student trustee, how do you vote? >> I. >> Trustees, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries unanimously. We move on to item number two. Approve Central Unified and Fresno Community Health Improvement

039Partnership Hope Hub Agreement. I'll turn it over to Dr. Lopez. Good evening, board of trustees, President President Garo, and Superintendent Dr. Marshall. I do have a guest with me here today. So we first would like to say that we've been working with Fresno County uh Joe Praau, executive director now or health services um in collaboration uh with um FHIP uh their board to ensure that we receive some kind of grant funding for current services that we provide for our families. And I'm very excited to share that they provided us a grant this year through the support of Calviva. And that is why we have this presentation in front of you today. >> Good evening everyone. Uh Sophia Selenas, program director at Fchip. I am uh very excited to have the opportunity to share a little

040bit about the hope program. We operate out of Fresno County. We serve various agencies within our hope hub to um provide services, health access to our families. We uh operate and support several um community- based organizations here in Fresno County and we also partner with school districts uh here in uh Fresno County as well. So, as you are aware, I've done a presentation for you in the past where I explain how our family outreach leaison and uh school coordinators do a lot of work in ensuring that our students receive and our families receive services from us directly. Um, and we also collaborate with community- based organizations to ensure that our famil family's needs are met. Uh, that is a structure that we have already created. Uh, as you may know, we also received a grant

041from the city of Fresno, a HUD grant, which also allows us to provide housing, uh, and meet the housing needs as well as pay for PG&E bills and water bills and you name it. So, uh, what we are trying to do through this collaboration with FchIP now is reinforcing our current district model that we have in place by being able to train our current FOs and our uh, coordinators to be able to follow their pathways. So currently uh when we refer a family for service, we have uh CBOS that we are able to contact and refer the family to through this new model. We will train them through the 21 pathways that they uh are that are represented through FHIP. Um it will be the same work that we're currently doing. However, now it'll be

042based on the 21 pathway model. Additionally, what I am very excited to share is that our FOs and community school coordinators will also receive uh this would be the first model that uh they would um start in our central valley around building capacity in our FLS and receiving certification. So they would become ch uh they would become uh workers. you have the title >> community health workers and they would receive the certification which means that it would impact the upward mobility for our own staff within the central valley. So I am very excited to be um the first hybrid model that will start this within the central valley and hopefully promote uh some of our current FOs and coordinators to become uh community health workers and just sharing about FHIP's model we do we are

043certified through the pathways uh community health initiative uh out of Ohio it is a very uh reg rigorous um certific certification to obtain and maintain uh there on. So a little bit about the model, we do work with different community- based organizations. We have our own resources um and we do always work on uh ensuring that we sustain um our you know grantees or subawwardees. We also look at um different social determinants or of health through our data collection that we um uh receive from our agencies to inform the trainings that we provide to our community health workers and now our liaison there on after we are able to support with that data our care coordinators, community health workers and liaison. And we are able then to um address the needs of our students and

044families and address the whole household. Um we do have our 21 standard pathways that range from adult education, housing, uh learning to mental health, uh substance use and transportation. It looks at the completion of those pathways not just simply a resource and it also uh provides us with data and uh allows us to demonstrate outcomes for our school districts and our community based organizations. I have met with our uh CSEA president Angie Aguire as well as our family outreach leazison and they are very excited to start this work because this is the work we're already doing. We're already referring families to receive these services. Now they're going to receive certification and on top of that we are going to receive additional supports CBOS that we're going to be working with to meet other components that

045we currently do not have as part of our model. Um so we are very excited. Um this grant um would start anou with our district for two years. They would provide $30,000 that will help us continue with our motel voucher system so we can provide services for families and ensure that they're in a location that is safe with our kids. Uh additionally during the first year of this grant we'll receive 50% of the billing that comes from those services. We currently do not bill for the services that we provide to our community. So this would allow uh Fchip to help us with a billing component and reimburse our district 50% of that billing that is that takes place. Fchip will rema will keep 50% of those funds during year one. During year two we will

046re receive 80% of all the billing that is processed and Fchip will receive 20%. Um I am happy to answer any questions. The recommendation is that we accept thisou uh with uh the hope hub if chip to ensure that we can start uh billing for some of the services that we provide. >> Thank you. Um I will rely on both our clerk and our staff to let me know if there's any public comments. As soon as the presentation is done, we'll take those and then we'll open it up for discussion by the board. Hearing that there are none, any questions or comments from the board? Trusty Kirk, >> thank you. Thank you very much. Um, one of the last things you talked about was um, the outcomes and I'm curious as to because we're compressed

047for time, we don't want to be here till midnight. Could you give me an example or an idea of what one or two of the outcomes that you're looking for, how you're going to measure it, and then how it's going to be reported back to the board, and at what timeline. I know that was like five questions. So during the beginning of the year I always provide a parent engagement presentation to the board. So that is how I report that something that we changed this year was because we create uh in in a sense pathways we we ensure that our families receive services from our FOs or are referred to services. We started a tracking sheet where they get to let us know what services they were referred to and whether the family's needs were

048met. um instead of following that model now when I report to you guys a parent engagement presentation at the beginning of the year I will include uh the actual feedback and uh survey responses that we'll be collecting through Fchip and that'll be closure so any any of the 25 elements that I just showed on the screen um they provide a percentage of those that have been met and closed so that they look at closed cases meaning the needs of the families were met so that is the data that I will be bringing to the board. >> Any other questions? Vice President Sers, >> thank you. Um, on the slide here, it's 50% billing. What services are we going to be billing for? So our referral to those agencies like Central La Familia when we refer

049our families to Central La Familia because they're experiencing certain needs um once that pathway is closed. So the needs of the family have been met then we would be able to bill for the time that we spend in supporting the families with the referral process and we're still going to learn a little more. So we would have to go through the full training by Fchip. So any medical um rel billable service uh any any time that the liaison and later um once we provide the community health worker education and they become a CHW should they provide health education to the family. So should any time they spend with them that's a billable service through medical and all of those are missed opportunities and really maximizing you know billing for for the district. So the first

050year it would be that fifth 5050 uh model and then the second year it would increase for the school district. So there's a range of those that we can provide a list of um but it it would be any time they spend with providing health education resources uh meeting with the students meeting with the families um on a range of different things that Calviva will reimburse for in Anthem as well. and they are in in that list. I put it up again. >> Thank you. >> Um I I have just more of a comment. I I read theou and in particular the confidentiality clause and I just want to make sure that we're taking the necessary steps because it just speaks generally about maintaining information confidential. And so just making sure that they have um

051policies in place to ensure that there's limited disclosure um and if any information is going to be disclosed that our families are clear clearly aware um so that they can make decisions as to what information is being disclosed. So, um the only other question I have is so this this agreement is for two years. Um does this provide an opportunity for us to eventually be self- sustained and can and be able to continue to provide these services and receive these reimbursements on our own or do we anticipate that thisou will potentially return in um perhaps different terms? >> So, this is something I did discuss with them. Um this is a grant for two years and it's through >> Calv Calviva. >> Uh however, what she mentioned was that after two years they re-evaluate and

052as soon as more funding comes in they really consider sustaining current partnerships. So at that point we would possibly come back. >> Okay. >> One more question. >> It's just one more add-on to what you're describing about confidentiality. Uh in that can we also have assurances, policies, direction of how district employees are providing the referrals to maintain confidentiality that it's not accidentally divulged information. >> Yes. So, we currently already do that. So, we already meet with families. Uh they tell us what's going on in their homes and and they are aware that any information shared with our FOs or coordinators is strictly with our FO or perhaps the department supervisor, either myself or the community school supervisor. Um, however, sometimes when they require a referral, what we do is we let the family know that

053this is the service provider that they can attend to receive that service. We do not email the agency on their behalf. So, we direct them to where they can get supports. Okay. Thank you. Any other comments? If not, what are the wishes of the board on theou? >> Motion to approve. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> I have a motion by trustee Keron. I have a second by vice president sellers student trustee. How do you vote? >> I. >> Trustees, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries. Thank you both. We move on to item number three. Approve century unified compliance and improvement monitoring plan. Director Henle. >> Hello. >> Good evening board president, board president, trustees, and Dr. Marshall. I'm bringing back the SIM plan for your

054approval this evening. >> Thank you. Are there any questions or comments? And so, as a reminder, this came before us as information last board meeting and we had it as action since it is an important document that we just want to make sure everyone is aware uh is in place. Um, if not, is there a motion to approve? >> A motion to approve. >> Thank you. >> Second. >> I have a motion by trustee Kirk. I have a second by Trusty Sedu. Student trustee, how do you vote? I >> thank you trustees. All in favor please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries. Thank you very much. >> Our next item is item number four. Approve validictorian criteria. Assistant superintendent Mlennon. >> Okay. Well, I'm going to before I I'll start

055and then you can chime in. But >> to give a little history about this, for the last, you know, few months, we've been discussing the uh the valatoran policy. uh from a historical perspective in the last couple of months there have been some discussions about what's the current policy and what we did since then uh we've had lots of speakers uh we did a survey on um parent square that 70 had 70 plus people to respond there was al we also received emails we had a very well attended public forum in February uh this month and you know basically had a lot of input so the draft policy change that you see tonight takes into account all the opinions, all that feedback that we have and then we're going to bring it here. But it's

056been things have been in existence but just bringing clarity to the issue and we bring it to action due to the time the time factor. >> So what you have before you is a proposal for changes to board policy 5127 which is graduate graduation ceremonies and recognition. Um I do need to note uh President Curio that that's still listed though in in item eight and we were it was supposed to be pulled and just moved forward. So when you go to approved, please strike that one for item eight. >> So the language in this one um reflects the board's uh conversations regarding student achievement and the concerns that were brought up for their proposal for student achievement. um was an effort to promote fairness and consistency, support student wellness and um balance and um align

057with the massive increase in dual enrollment and some other rigorous courses that our students are taking. Right now about 65% of our juniors and seniors take a dual enrollment course. Before we take public comments and discussion by the board, can you just review very briefly what is our current practice and then just summarize what is the the recommendation in the proposed amendments to this uh board policy. >> So the the current practice was updated for the class of 2025 um four years ago. the class of 2025 was um and I I I double checked because we were trying to make sure because there were some uh different versions of language out there, but the class of 2025, all three high schools um awarded validictorian to students with an A or a B in all courses

058and above a 4.0. um because there was some confusion at Garza, there was that appeal that we went back and some students with C's were awarded at Garza um retroactively at 2025, but the policy that was in place was A's or B's with um above a 4.0. >> So, we're going to take >> Just for clarification, you said A or B or above. Is it is it A or B or above or A and an augmented B? Just for clarification. It was letter grade uh and it was just it didn't specify it said even in augmented courses. So it was augmented or nonog augmented was the the the practice for last year. >> So do we have any public comments? >> Not on this item. >> Okay. So now I'll open it up for board

059discussion. >> Trusty Kirk. >> Uh thank you so much. Uh this has been a difficult um area to to consider. Um I I heard all the student voices at the town hall and I've been uh really cognizant of of the discussion around this issue. Um my concern with this policy is uh that it splits um what our policy is over a timeline instead of setting one solid policy just for now going forward. Uh so that's one issue I have with the policy. Um, fundamentally in my educational philosophy, the validictorian, as I understand it, as I've understood it through my life and my educational experiences, is for our top achieving students. Um, and to create a standard that allows you to try to be the top achieving student and still get that honor, um, does not

060sit well with my educational philosophy as an educator. Um I understand that our district has so many other ways to honor and respect the effort and the work that our students are putting into it. Um that the validictorian itself means something really specific. Uh so that is another concern that I that I have. And then just one thing that I that I had heard in the town hall and I wanted to bring it out is that some of our students said that if we don't change the policy uh that they will then be fearful to attempt to explore new educational opportunities. And that also did not sit well with me because I don't want our students working from a place of fear and letting fear keep them from attempting to be great. I want them

061to work on hope and expectation. I'm going to do it. I'm going to give it my best shot. And that's where we want our students to come from. Not know if I try this and don't make it, I don't get this one award, but yes, I want to try. I want to expand. I want to grow in my learning. Not just what I learn in a classroom, but when I learn when I don't hit that high achievement, how I learn what some of my gaps are so I can address them before I get on to Irvine or Berkeley or Fresno City College so that we get the best student possible graduating. So, those are some of the concerns that I have and that's going to be reflected in my vote on the policy. But, I

062did want uh to get those out there because this has been um a very big topic with us and I I just wanted it clear where I was coming from in my understanding of our validictorian policy. >> Thank you, Trusty Kirk. Any other comments from the board? >> Trusty Kurfon. >> Thank you, President Creo. Um I share uh similar but also some different concerns with our policy. Um one there is a consistent lack of clarity at our sites for our staff and for our students and I think that has exacerbated some of the anxieties about this policy. Uh, one of the issues I have here is again like trustee Kirk said that we are still not creating clarity by having a separate policy of 26 then also 30 on most most of what our plan

063is for commencing with the class of 2026 on the item I agree with. I think it also shows different levels. It shows a 4.0 being something achievable but also a distinction for you know the highest achiever. So there's still something to strive for. Uh for myself, I resonate with some of the students that expressed uh anxiety about challenge challenging for those um upper harder courses such as AP. uh because if a student is taking general education courses mostly and they want to challenge themselves, maybe take AP uh literature or AP uh physics, uh they may uh be unprepared for that level of rigor, but I still want them to challenge themselves to encourage themselves to try new things. So, I'm interested. I do think that I support AC um not weighing against them for valictorian

064if it's an AP course. I am a little concerned about dual enrollment. Um as I mentioned in my board comments, I visited some of the dual enrollment courses. Um as at in Central Unified, I spoke with many students on this issue and there is an inconsistency in the level of rigor in our dual enrollment courses. Some of our dual enrollment courses can be very challenging and some of them are on par if not easier than a general ed course. So that is a concern because if we're going to be weighing a C for valiatoran status, it should be for a course that is more challenging than what they're already expected to do. If it is if a student is taking this course because it is easier than general education, then I don't feel like that

065is still should be considered for validatoran if they're getting a C in that course. So I'm interested to hear what the board um other boards are uh considering. Um I think if we were to approve, I would maybe have it just weighted for validatoran if it's a C in an AP course rather than dual enrollment. Vice President Sers, >> thank you. Um, I'd asked for some information from the district to provide uh copies and information on when the policy had been changed, what the actual verbiage was, and how that information was communicated to the students and were we able to uh uncover any of that? >> Yes. So this policy was changed in 2022. Um there was a sheet that you had that had a revision from 2024 and it had just added the language

066even in augmented courses because students were asking a lot of those questions to make sure um you also I'm sorry those how it was communicated. So it was communicated through counseling offices and then you had another question though >> how how when it was revised what would the revision was and how it was communicated to students in the community. >> So initially the policy was all A's and a 4.0 or above. So going back before the high school split which is part of where it appears in my research the problem came up. So before the high school split it was a 4.0 know and all A's. Um then there was conversation because there were variations as the high school split and counseling departments were making new flyers and doing things and so they got together

067and determined that we need one policy for the district. They had a back and forth conversation because of the rise of dual enrollment courses um and whether it should allow a B which is the same as an A GPA wise because they get a 5.0 4.0 No. And so they made it A's and B's even in augmented courses and that was the change that was made in 2022. >> Okay. Um while I'm inclined to agree with some of the other board members that validictorian is to honor the highest achievers and in reality how many first place trophies can we give out? The discrepancies between the information the district is providing and information that I'm receiving from the community is concerning that information provided from our different comprehensive campuses in the years 223 23 24 that

068has varying information from what the district is providing right Now, um I've also had students reach out to me that they graduated as validictorians with C's. So, having that information that the discrepancies amongst the different high school campuses, the inability to show that we actually communicated this to the students as they're choosing their courses. Um, I feel as if we were to have a policy that was strictly A and B. Now, kind of changing the rules in the middle of the game. Um, that's why I, as much as I don't agree with honoring everybody in, you know, participation, trophy comments, and things like that, I think we have an obligation to honor what we are offering and communicating to students. Um, and I believe that's what this policy does. >> Thank you. Um before I

069turn it over, I just want to remind the board and the community the reason that this board policy is coming before us is because we received a lot of uh communications from our students um about those discrepancies that were occurring and and the lack of of clarity that I know our current administration is having to uh get the runt of of of it all. Um, and there are errors that occurred before most of you or all of you were were here. Um, but that's why that's the purpose of today is that we're going to have a written policy. No one can come back and say, "Well, there's all these documents. The board policy controls, administration, and all counselors will have to comply with it." Um, and so I do just want to make sure that

070we focus on this is why we have an item before us is so that it is it's clear for all of our students as they make their decisions moving forward until the next board that comes before us uh or after us changes it. Uh, Trusty Sadu. >> Yeah, I just wanted to uh make a small comment saying um that I put my hat with uh Vice President Sers. Uh I agree with um uh his uh point that if we had uh from behalf of our district, if there was a mistake on the behalf behalf of us that we should we should be the one honoring that mistake rather than um putting the pressure somewhere else. So that's where I stand as well. >> Okay. So, I'm also conflicted. Um, and I'm essentially my only basis

071for making this decision are the comments we've heard from our students, which we heard at least I heard a super majority of them coming to our board meetings advocating for a C. I'm not going to rely on my educational experience because I went to school more than 10 years ago uh in high school and so for me that that's not fair to say. Um I we did hear at least one comment uh during our board meetings um talking about the fact that that they did not support having a C. Um I know that there was uh my understanding is that there was a pretty good divide in the town hall as far as uh students and community members advocating for one policy or another. Um, so for purposes of clarification, because this is what I

072still can't wrap my head around, and I'm not a teacher or an educator, administrator, when a student gets a C in an AP or a dual enrollment class, that still gets augmented. So, their transcript shows a B. >> Their transcript shows a C, but the GPA, so an A is worth five points in an augmented class instead of four. So, that's why our students can have like a 4.8. You heard at the town hall. Um, because they've taken so many augmented courses, which would be the APs and the dual enrollments. Um, most of our dual enrollments get the augmented. Not all of them. There is a freshman counseling class that is is lower when you're talking about some of the dual enrollment um curriculum and it's considered to be like a how to succeed in

073dual enrollment classes that kids take first. That one doesn't get an augmented but most of them do. >> Okay. So then it's just a matter of getting a C in AP or dual enrollment would still allow you with this policy to be classified as a validictorian because we're just looking at the GPA. In this one, it says with a letter grade of a C, you can have AC in a dual enrollment or AP course. >> Okay? >> The way it's worded in the this draft. Okay. Um the other option for the board would be that if you if we want to implement this policy for those students who receive the contradicting information and then moving forward with I guess it would be what our eighth graders that come in, correct? they would have a different

074policy saying that only A's and B's would qualify them um to be a valid Victorian. Just a thought, I'm conflicted. I I don't know um where to vote because I do want to ensure that students continue um to be recognized for receiving the A's and B's. And for those students that are conflicted and don't want to get a C because they want to be a valadictorian, I think, you know, my advice as as someone uh who's achieved my educational acclimates would be that it we learn and you go to college, your transcript and the recognition of being a validictorian is for the graduation period and then it doesn't matter. Um, granted I was not a valadictorian, so perhaps I am biased uh about that. Uh, but we appreciate the fact that you guys are putting

075a lot of pressure on yourselves, that your families and your communities and your teachers do as well. Um, and however we vote today, uh, I do just want to say that it's not that we're saying that you are less than those that are getting A's and B's. I I echo what Trustee Kirk said about your willingness to challenge yourself and frankly once you're in college, nobody's going to ever look at your transcript again. Um I don't know of any professions that do, but I'm sure someone in the room can correct me if if I'm wrong. So those are my my thoughts. uh Trusty Kurfon um otherwise we need to move forward and if we want to have any further discussion otherwise for someone to make a motion. >> Uh so I have a think a

076question and then I'll make a motion if unless there's other questions we have or comments. Um so my question is about the proposed commencing with the class of 2030. Uh I'm not seeing the word validatoran moving forward but it does say magnaum loud for three up to 3.7. Does that mean we're getting rid of validatoran as if proposed? >> So that was one of the options available for widening the scope of those that were being recognized because going back to um president curios the term validictorian meant farewell. It was the single student that gave the farewell address. That's what the term originally means. and then it became widened um and now it would be essentially almost the top 10% of the graduating class under the ABC. But that depends on how you define the C's

077as well. Is it only in augmented courses? Is it in all courses? So that was that proposal that was brought forward. >> So to me that sounds like possibly even like the worst of both options because it's lowering the uh standard below 4.0 know and also getting rid of uh the valatoran which is what these students are chasing um these these percentage of students uh >> I don't know that I would say that it's lowering the standard it is establishing different GPA criteria to recognize more students if what we're saying is we want to recognize more students for taking these courses and that's that's the wish of the board that's what this would do with without continuing to essentially use the word validictorian which technically is no longer representative given the number of students. I

078>> I'll I'll yield the rest of my comments before Trusty Kirk. >> Thank you. And I I think that some of this comes down to how how we're understanding this word validictorian and how we're looking at the top 10 performing percentage of our students. And so I think fundamentally we're chasing a title that has not have a set definition in our district as what validictorian means as opposed to these are our top 10% performing students. And so because that's not addressed in this policy and it's not corrected by this policy other than to try to remove kind of that term and then give validictoriish speech. Um but again I I because this feels unfair to the kids in seventh and eighth grade looking to say how come they got it and we didn't. And so

079where does the it's not fair for me stop? So it as a board we have to say it just stops. >> Trusty K fun. So if it's all right, I think I'll make a motion uh because I do want to reward students who challenge themselves, but I want to re also having that we are celebrating rigor and not you know courses options that are being chosen because it's the easiest path. So my recommendation would be to approve the item with the amendment that uh we would exclude uh dual enrollment for consideration if you have a C and also commencing with class of 2026. That section would just be the only thing moving forward not the commencing with the class of 2030. >> Okay. So the motion is to approve BP5127 with a removal of dual

080enrollment over these terms and the removal of the entire section saying commencing with the class of 2020 2030 and the removal of the heading commencing with the class of 2026. >> I would I would potentially slice it further but brevity is clarity. So that's that's the motion. >> Okay, we have a motion on the floor. Is there a second? clarification really quick. Um I think we need the language to stay beginning with the class of 2026 no matter whether we remove the demarcation for 2030. >> Yes, that's what it would be. We're just removing the demarcation. >> Yeah. Okay. So, we still have a motion on the floor. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Okay. We have a second. Is there any further discussion? Okay. Student trustee, how do you vote? >> I. >>

081Uh board members, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> All oppose. >> Nay. >> And so motion does not carry. Is there another motion the board wants to entertain? Do we want to table this to another meeting? Do we want to give direction? What do we want to do? >> Motion to approve the uh board policy as presented. >> Okay. I have a motion by Vice President Sers to approve BP5127 as presented. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Okay. I have a second by trustee Sadu student trustee. How do you vote? I >> board members. All in favor, please say I. I. >> All oppose say nay. Nay. >> Nay. Okay. >> Motion does not carry. >> Trusty Kirk, >> I would like to motion to table this for further board discussion

082to come back at an expediated date to not linger on this, but I believe this needs some more board discussion. >> Okay. So, I have a motion to table. Is there a second? >> Okay. I have a second by Vice President Sers. Um before I ask for a vote, can we provide direction so that we can have administration bring more information and I say this in the most respectful way but that we're not wasting um any time and and continuing to table this because I know students in the community are interested in getting this resolved >> point of query. So >> Trusty Kon, sorry. >> Thank you. Um, is is our is our uh motion to table because we are we have more questions or because we just need more time to to chew on

083it or come to a consensus? >> Well, that's what I'm asking for the board to provide direction. Um, Trusty Kirk, >> well, it looks like we were divided over the language both ways and so I think we need more work on the language. So, I'd like to ask uh the administration and their team to work on the language. um based on some of what we have discussed today, some of the con concerns that we had, some with the language, some with the splitting of it, some with the implication of the date of it. I know we do have another policy meeting next week. That may be too soon. I get it. Um but within the March board meeting time frame, I think so that we could have a decision before April or the April board

084meetings. >> Okay. We yeah we would need a decision in March just because graduation regalia and everything is already on a reorder basis right now. >> Trusty Kirk Trusty Kon I'm sorry. >> Thank you. Um President President Ker I would also um like request for information. Um it doesn't have to be at a could be in a report if we could just get a percentage of how many students enrolled in a dual enrollment course this year even have a C in that dual enrollment course. Uh yeah, the for for for the seniors for the senior class. >> Yeah, that earned a C in a dual enrollment course. Okay. So, I will say that I'm not in support of of dividing AP and dual enrollment. um a dual enrollment is just as significant and important for

085our students and I don't want I will not support a policy that creates the per the perception that we value AP more than we do dual enrollment. >> Um I'm I'm just sharing that just to put that out there. We're going to have to bring something back and we're going to have to get at least four of us to agree. So um any any anything else because I know there's other items. We have a full room. I know there's other topics they want to address. Okay. If you have any other feedback, direct it to Dr. Marshall to make sure that we bring back a policy that will get this matter resolved. Um, okay. This matter is tabled. Yes. No. We had a motion and a second. We had further discussion. We did not have a

086vote. Correct. No vote. Okay. Uh, we are voting to table the item. We had a motion by Trusty K. Uh, Trustee Kirk, we had a second by Vice President Sers. Student Trustee, how do you vote? >> I. >> A board member, all in favor, please say I. >> I. I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries unanimously. We move on to item number five, approve Persing Continuation High School Pathway Elementary and Pathway Community Day uh location. Area administrator Garrett. >> All right. Good evening, Board President Curio, members of the board, and superintendent Dr. Marshall. Tonight I bring back for action a proposal that provides Central Unified the ability to expand the program services and supports at both Perth Persian Continuation High School and Pathway Community Day School for our students beginning with the 2026 2027

087school year by relocating relocating Pathway Elementary and Pathway Community Day School to the West Arts Center site. A projected timeline of events and expenditures was provided as requested and administration is recommending approval of this item. Thank you. Are there any questions from the board? Trusty Kirk, >> thank you so much. I have one question for you that actually just came in today. So, I know that Persian Pathway is benefiting from an extended contract from the stealth program. Will stealth be moving or will we be doing a dual contract for both or that is my question. Where does stealth go? >> So, that's a great question. Um, as we collect our annual data to come back, uh, if we bring that contract back for, uh, a renewal for the 2627 school year, we would definitely look

088at what those services could look like at both campuses. Um, that would be part of our recommendation after looking at this year's data and our proposal for renewal. >> Any other comments or questions? Um, not to deviate too much because I'm typically a stickler. This is for Persing. What What is I'm sorry. Um, yes. Pathway. What is the plan and how quickly are we going to move bring something back for um pathway >> in regards to >> relocating because I think the the concern >> Persian Persian >> so we move pathway to the current wack site west art center site what's the timeline for looking at moving Persian is that the question >> yes >> okay and that would that would have to be a further conversation. Um we're open to looking at the uh

089the will of the board and the direction they would like to uh have administration look into possible options um timelines and what that could look like. Um so we could bring back some further information to you or provide some further information to you uh per your direction. >> Okay. Uh I was going to just um reiterate that that um uh if I can we can have admin uh to return uh with an item uh to move purging in addition to pathway. I would like to voice that as well. >> Okay. Um we will touch that point again when we do our closing comments so that we can get a timeline for that. Um so what are the wishes of the board on this item? >> Motion to approve. >> Okay. >> Second. I heard a

090motion by trustee Sers, a second by trustee Ker Fonstead and trustee. How do you vote? >> I. >> Trustees, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries. >> Thank you. Um, I'm getting requests to move some items up, but I I know we have uh comment on item six. So we'll take number six next and then I will take 10 and 11 after number six because I I believe many of you um wish to address the board on that. So next item is item number six. Approve conducting a physibility study for a practice track facility at Glazier Point Middle School and a California intercolastic federation standards swimming pool for Central High School. Dr. Marshall. >> Okay. I'm bringing this back from last time. Uh and what we have

091here you have two separate contracts for feasibility studies for two um different projects. If you look at the first um this is for Glacia Point Middle School all weather track and it basically gives the scope of what the duration of how the study would take how long it would take. This one would be 12 to 16 weeks. And it gives you the scope of everything that um comes with it as far as the uh the site visit, the topographical survey, uh geotechnical investigation, ADA access and planning, utility review, SQL triggers and such. And then at the end, you'd get a a completed study if we before we invest go further with this project. The same thing if you look at uh the central high school pool feasibility study duration about 8 to 10 weeks uh

092similar uh protocols as far as a site visit looking at the utilities the infrastructure uh meetings with district and site staff site evac evaluation squa uh well capacity servability uh the pool and design m estimates and then you'll get that study as well you have the fees there so the two different studies together There's two separate contracts for that. But in trans for transparency sake, I wanted to just show from last time what the process entailed. >> Thank you. And I believe there are comments from the public on this item. >> Thank you, President CO. We have one comment from the public and that is Mr. Gabriel Suarez. You will have two minutes. >> It's two minutes. Mr. Suarez, can we pause the timer? Make sure your mic is on. >> My name is Gabriel

093Suarez. I want to thank Superintendent Marshall for being a man of his word and listening about the inequity at Central High. He actually moved the needle, but the superintendent is doing his job, but the rest of the board is still hiding from yours. Um, we haven't heard a single word from any of you for over two months. But we hear a lot about validictorians though. Um, this silence isn't just a delay. It's a continuation of neglect that we felt for years. Over five years ago, you created a district redlinining system by creating a north and south side of the district by redrawing the boundaries to accommodate Justin Garza High. And um, you sit in your seats and watch the divide grow. You watch the north side grow and get new while the south side gets

094degraded and is outdated. This feasibility study is a good start, but it's not a permission slip for you to stall as you normally like to. We've seen this play out before. You commission a study or committee to quiet the community. Then you let the results sit on a shelf for years or you don't care about the findings of the committee that some of you had been in the past where you voted for a white supremacist. Um, these kids need a pool and um, a study is only as good as a board's courage to act on it. We demand a formal public comment commitment. Now, the district must move towards construction um after the results of this um feasibility study. If if um I'm here to remind you that you work for the students and your

095performance review is failing, we demand this project be agendaized as an action item for a binding vote at the next meeting. We don't want another report. We want a protected budget and a real timeline. Superintendent Marshall's done his part, but I want to know why the rest of you aren't doing yours. you talked for over 15 minutes about super um validictorians and all this about dual enrollment and AP courses. I want to let you know right now that I know two students at Central High that want to quit college because of their experience in dual enrollment. And in addition to that, there's a professor that is going to penalize students for missing their her class to go to a sports event. And you guys are bickering about C's. Do your job. Thank you. Do we

096have any other comments on this item? >> Yeah. So, um, we have three callers on on the phone. Um, so, good evening, Crystal. You have three minutes to address the board. >> Two minutes to address the board. Uh, please make sure to turn down the volume on your listening device so we can hear you loud and clear. Again, you have two minutes and your time starts now. Hi, my name is Crystal Caba and I'm the mother of a water polo player at Central High and I'm speaking about this item because I want to highlight inequity. I want to talk about the need for a pool, but more so I want to talk about equity. I do also want to thank the superintendent for moving this item forward. But why it's so important because right now

097we are drowning in inequity and that stigma will stay with the students forever. Is that what you guys want for these kids that live on the south side to feel less than? because that's what happens when they have to go to a school like Central West that is underfunded and the way that it looks and the lack of resources compared to the schools on the north side, the new Justin Garza, the new elementary school. The fact that all the resources are being t are being put into the north side school is making the kids on the south side feel like they are less than and less deserving. You all were elected to serve all the students, not just those that are wealthier that live on the north side of the district. And if you can't

098commit to correcting something like a pool for a water polo team, then you got to ask yourselves, why are you sitting at this table? Our children should never have to feel embarrassed to represent their school and they should not have to carry that stigma with them for the rest of their lives. And I know this is true because I went to a school with a dirt track. I went to a crappy school and I carry that same type of stigma with me. And I don't want that for my son and I don't want this that for those kids. So, start putting some money into the Southside schools. Build the pool for Central. Set a timeline. And please do your job. Thank you. Good evening, Phoenix. You have two minutes to address the board. Please make

099sure to turn down the volume on your listening device so we can hear you loud and clear. Again, you have two minutes and your time starts now. >> Good evening. My name is Fina Wuarez and I'm in seventh grade. In a year and a half, I'll be a freshman at Central High. I want to thank Superintendent Marshall for keeping his word with my dad and getting things moving for a pool. It gives me hope that by the time I'll get to high school, things might finally be different. But I'm talking tonight because I've seen my brother get home late every night, eat dinner by himself. He barely stays awake long enough, finish homework, and then goes to bed because school because his school is going to Fresno without a pool. I don't want to be

100the next student who's told to be patient while other schools get everything they need. I keep hearing decisions this board made over five years ago through the lines that red that redlinined our district. I was just a little kid in elementary school. For five years, almost my entire time in school, you have watched the north side of the get state-of-the-art buildings while my future high school stays outdated and ignored. You created a border that says one side of the town deserves the best and the other side gets the worst. I've grown up in the shadow of that decision. You've had over five years to fix the damage and bridge the gap between our schools. But instead, you just let the north side further ahead. >> What are we waiting for? Maybe you don't have the

101courage to do your job. I know there's study that might start soon. That's a good start. But I'm ask you, please don't another call. I've seen how this works. You asked us for a or a committee. You wait for a report and then you wait some more. By the time I start my day, my first day at Central High, I want to see a pool. I want to know when I join water, I'll actually have a home pool. And then this is the last caller. Good evening, Malachi. You have two minutes to address the board. Please make sure to turn down the volume on your listening device so we can hear you loud and clear. Again, you have two minutes and your time starts now. >> Good evening. My name is Malachi Suarez and I'm

102a freshman at Central High and a member of the League Champion water polo team. Superintendent Marshall, thank you for meeting with my dad and being a man of your word. It's encouraging to see someone in this district office take the need take our needs seriously. But I am but I'm here because while you are moving forward, this board is still standing here. As a freshman, I'm looking at my next three and a half years. And I'm tired of the fact that I get home late because my pool is the because my school is the only high school in Fresno without a pool. I wasn't even in middle school yet when the board drew the lines that divided the district. Over five years ago, you made a choice to create two different versions of Central. On

103the north side, you have a state-of-the-art. You have a modern state-of-the-art school. And on the south side, you have the most outdated school in Fresno. You've allowed our campus to become a symbol of neglect while the other side of the district gets the best of everything. You've created this inequity over half a decade ago, and you have sat in these seats for 5 years, watching the gap between these schools get wider and wider. Now, we are told this is a feas feasibility study. This is another This is a good start, but I'm asking But what I'm asking you tonight, do not use it as another excuse to stall. I am 15 years old. My high school career is moving fast. If you use this study If you use this study to lay to delay, I

104will have graduated before a shovel even hits the ground. I want to play a home game in an onampus pool by my junior year. I am asking you to agendaize the central high pool as an auction item for a vote at the next meeting. Superintendent Marshall has started the process. Now I'm asking you to finally stop us. Stop holding us back. Waiting is not a solution to fix this inequity. Urgent action is the only solution. >> That concludes the public comments. >> Correct. Thank you, Dr. Marshall. >> Yeah, I just want to say one quick thing about all this. Uh, I'm only able to do what I'm authorized to do. The board basically has given me, which I appreciate, the opportunity to do that. So, I think the public needs to know that first of

105all, and um, again, you know, there's a lot of uh, work uh, next month. I'm trying to get scheduled to where the board has authorized for us. We've engaged with a company to help us get funding for a lot of not just Central High School, but all of our sites and they'll be coming back, you know, as far as giving us a scope and sequence of different sites in terms of where they fall and what monies are available. But again, that was only authorized because this board gave me that opportunity. So, I want to put that out there. >> Thank you, Dr. Marshall. Any comments from the board? >> Trusty Kon and then Trusty Kirk. I'll yield to Trusty Kirk. >> Thank you. Thank you so much. Um I am glad that we do have

106a chance to talk about this. I am the representative for Area 6 where Central High School sits. My children attended Central High School. All five of my ch children attended Central Unified School District schools. My kids went to Madison, which is a southside school. And I remember what it's like for my kids to play a sport and go over to a school at the other side of the district with their five-year-old uniforms and this school's brand new uniforms with their names on it. I understand how that feels and I understand, as our caller said, that inequity that kind of sticks with you with that when you feel like you're from the southside. So, I get it. And I uh I my kids were still in school five years ago when the decision was made before

107I was on the board. It was a disturbing decision to me because I didn't feel like as a parent in the southside, I had enough in opportunity to put input into that, but my kids graduated before the boundaries changed. Now, no one stepped up to represent Area 6, and so that's why I did. This is my first time serving on a board. I'm learning what my role is, but I hear this side of town. I'm southside too and so I am very glad to be able to support this agenda item tonight. >> Uh so thank you President CO. So I understand this is the first step in the process um to see if and that's why it's called a feasibility study because it's to see if this is even feasible. And like many other people,

108I and like your family, I'm also a central grizzly. I attended there and you know, yep, there is a we carry a chip on our shoulder being, you know, being from a school that's showing its age, but I'm proud of my chip and I'm proud of being a grizzly. Um, and by being a student, I know the issues of that site, I know that it has a well. It's not connected to the city's sewer system. That also means that um if there's a vulnerability in the uh groundwater, there's a vulnerability in our access to water on that site, then Central High has struggled with access to clean drinking water for over a decade now. We're only now finishing that up, uh cleaning that water and getting our certification from the state that the water is

109safe to drink. So, when I see that, I struggle with this item because we're going to spend $40,000 on a question that we already know the answer to. You can't fit a pool there. There's no room and there's no safety for swimming in that water yet. And for $40,000, we could save another instructional aid salary with that price. I don't see why we have $40,000 to spend on a question we already know the answer to when we already are saying to others in this district that we don't have money. I don't see how we have money for this. So, I understand if the board's going to approve it, but for me, it's a no. >> Any other comments from the board? >> Okay. Um, I just have a couple of comments. Um, I'm glad that

110we have this item before us. Uh, this is expediting to determine whether or not these projects are actually possible. I am not uh an environmentalist or whatever specialties are needed to determine whether any of these projects actually are feasible. Um as Dr. Marshall mentioned, we do we are working towards developing our facilities plan which is outdated and I know for me personally I internalize the feedback that we're receiving. I've served on this board now for seven years, almost eight years, and we're still working through some of the issues that were decisions that were made long before many of us were here. Um, I know that many are still unhappy and and there are inequities that exist. Part of changing the boundary lines were to ensure that from an administrative and from a fiscal perspective, we

111eliminate those inequities. But there is still a lot of work um to come and this is one step towards that. And for me, I don't know how I can make a decision or bring an item forward to the board to vote on whether to build a swimming pool when the question is going to be, can we? Where is the money coming from? What are the implications? What's the timeline? That's why this physibility study is necessary. Just like we spend a lot of money on other projects to determine and try to figure out the answer, this is one of those expenses. Um so with that or if there are no further comments, I will motion to approve uh the uh the physibility study for both of these projects. Is there a second? >> Thank you. I

112have a second by Trustee Kirk. Student trustee, how do you vote? >> I. >> Thank you. Trustees, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? >> Nay. >> Any abstensions? Motion carries. four plus our student trustee in favor and one nay by trustee Keron. Thank you. And we expect to get the results of of that report as soon as it becomes available. Thank you. And so um we will honor the request. Um and I'm sorry we don't have enough money to build a district boardroom. This is why many of you have to stand and I don't think anyone on this board is going to be approving any projects of that nature. So we'll move on to number 10. adopt MOOU between Central Unified School District and CSCA chapter number 474 regarding 2026

1132027 classified layoffs instructional aid and special education classifications. Dr. Childs. >> Uh yes, good evening everyone. The district and CACA have met and agreed the terms to the terms within the attach regarding the reduction in hours and effects of elimination of certain classified positions for the 2627 school year. Theou was ratified by CSEA on February 18th, 2026. Our district is projecting an ongoing general fund savings of approximately $4.5 million. And administration is recommending the board adoptou between Central Unified School District and CSEA chapter 474 regarding the 2026 2027 classified layoffs, instructional aid, and special education classifications. >> Thank you. I understand we have comments from the public on this item. Each member will have two minutes to address the board. Uh if we can >> Yes, >> I'll turn it over to Trusty Kon. Go

114ahead. >> Thank you. So I apologize if I mispronounce anyone's names. Our first comment is from Kim uh Manol Manolon and you'll have two minutes and on deck will be uh Desiree Lewis. >> Hi, my name is Kim Manuelian. Um, I've been a teacher in the district for 31 years now. Um, I'm here to speak about the impact of reducing or eliminating instructional aid positions in our TK and kindergarten classrooms. Instructional aids are an not an extra support. They are essential in the early childhood classrooms. Our youngest students are still developing self-regulation, language, and functional academic skills. They require close supervision, small groupoup instruction, and indiv individualized attention. When aids are removed, one teacher is left to manage 20, most often more students alone. Safety concerns increase when only one adult supervises young children. Teachers

115assume additional supervision, behavior management, and care responsibilities. This would directly reduce instructional time, slow transitions, and limit supports for English learners, students with IEPs, and those who need extra help. Strong early learning environments require adequate adult staffing. This is especially concerning as transitional kindergarten continues to expand under guidance from the California Department of Education. Enrollment is growing and student needs are increasing, not decreasing. Reducing support during expansion undermines the purpose of investing in early education. It also undermines student readiness goals and places disproportionate strain on primary grade classrooms. There is also the human impact. Instructional aids are hardworking members of our community. When positions are cut or hours reduced, they lose wages, health benefits, and retirement options. Many are primary earners in their households. These decisions affect real families, most of which are in our

116communities. While budget challenges are real, cutting AIDS creates long-term consequences. Greater teacher burnout, higher turnover, reduced student growth, and widening the achievement gaps. >> Thank you. As I said, our next comment is from Desiree Lewis and on deck is Amy Griggsby. Good evening, uh, Satify Trustees and Dr. Marshall. Thank you for having us tonight. Um, I just wanted you to know I didn't choose this job by accident. I didn't choose this district by accident. As a Central Unified alumni, I specifically chose Central Unified for my family because I believed in its values and I wanted to work somewhere that truly puts children first. I still believe that this district isn't just where I work, it's where my family and I belong. I have three children who attend school here and every day I see firsthand

117how much this community matters. As a TK instructional aid for the past nine years, I work with our youngest learners at a critical stage in their lives. They're learning how to be in school, trust adults, regulate emotions, and believe in themselves. For many of them, we're a consistent steady presence in their day and a comfort when they're missing their parents. Having a full-time aids make that makes that consistency possible. Reducing these positions to part-time isn't just a staffing adjustment. It's a decision that deeply affects real families, my family. For mine, it would mean losing our health benefits, a loss of income. And that brings fear and anxiety and how I would care for my children if one of them happened to get sick. No one spends their days caring for other children. No one who

118spends their days caring for other children should have to worry about their own not having their parents not having income and um benefits for them. The days of being able to get by on part-time work has passed. World is changing and the needs of children are increasing, not decreasing. Whether it's 3.75 or 5.5 hours, neither of those are good enough. I've worked full-time for four years now and I can't go back. There's there's no going back for me. When instructional aids are supported, students thrive. When aids aren't pushed out or forced to juggle multiple jobs just to get by, classrooms lose experience to educated adults who provide extra help for the children as well as the teacher. After almost 10 years of experience, I'll be walking out the door. >> Thank you for your time.

119Our next comment is from Amy Griggsby and on deck is Crystal Holmes. >> Good evening. I am Amy Griggsby, kindergarten teacher at Central Elementary, and I'm here this evening to address the reduction of hours of our instructional aids. Um, our instructional aids are an essential part of our early childhood education teams and their presence in transitional kindergarten and kindergarten classrooms is vital to the success and well-being of our youngest learners. In addition to SEAL and behavior support, our instructional aids offer academic support for all students by working with small groups, reinforcing concepts, and offering individualized attention that boosts confidence and understanding. They help students who may be struggling to stay engaged and make progress in the classroom. Our academic day does not end at lunchtime when the proposed schedule for our aids indicates. We are

120teaching our young students more academics now than ever before. In addition to smallroup intervention, our aids help support students during whole class instruction and classwork. We are lucky our students have the opportunity for enrichment activities such as PE, music, and library. But often these opportunities mean that we are shifting core learning to the afternoons. With the proposed hour reductions, our students lose valuable support during writing, math, and literacy instruction that needs to take place in the afternoons. The new math frameworks, changes in math instruction will increase the needs our students have for additional support from our instructional aids. In a time when children's social, emotional, and behavioral needs are greater than ever, instructional aids are not a luxury. They are a vital part of a highquality learning for our youngest students. Thank you for all

121that you do and thank you for recognizing the importance of these remarkable professionals and how they are helping our youngest learners thrive. >> Thank you. Our next comment is from Crystal Holmes and on deck is Melissa Romo. Good evening members of the board and Dr. Marshall. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today about the vital role instructional aids play in Ti and why continued investment in these positions is essential to student success. Transitional kindergarten classrooms are unique learning environments where young children are developing foundational academic skills alongside critical social, emotional, and language abilities. Meeting these wide-ranging needs requires more than one adult. It requires a collaborative team. Instructional instructional aids are not simply extra support. They are integral partners in creating safe, responsive, and effective learning environments. With instructional aids in our classrooms, teachers

122are able to provide small groupoup instruction, differentiate learning, and respond quickly to student needs. Aids build strong relationships with students, reinforce expectations, and provide the additional guidance that helps children to develop confidence and independence. Their presence directly impacts student engagement, behavior, and readiness to learn. Additionally, assessments such as the DRDP that we're looking for in the future rely heavily on observation across settings and routines. Instructional aids spend significant time working closely with students during centers, play, and transitions. These are times when authentic learning and development are most visible. Their insights are essential to accurately understanding each child's growth and informing instruction that meets students where they are. If we want to strongly If we want to if we want strong early learning outcomes, we must ensure classrooms are staffed in ways that allow educators to

123meet the developmental needs of every child. Sustaining and strengthening funding for instructional aid positions is not just beneficial, it is necessary. When we invest in instructional aids, we invest in stronger classrooms, better support for teach. >> Thank you. Our next comment is from Melissa Romo and on deck is Carrie Smith. >> Good evening. Thank you for taking the time to hear what I have to say tonight about our instructional aids and how crucial they are to student success in our district. My name is Melissa Romo and I'm a TK teacher at McKinley and my McKinley team is here with me tonight. I'm here on behalf of all students, teachers, and aids and Central Unified. To teachers, these aids that you see as expendable are our support system, our second in command, and our right arm.

124Because I have a reliable, consistent person in my classroom with me, I have someone who knows my students, knows how to handle behavior challenges or meltdowns or any other small or big issue that may come up so that I can continue teaching and not have to interrupt what is happening for the other students in my class. Because I have a reliable, consistent person in my classroom with me, I can simply give her a look and we both know exactly what needs to happen next. Or if I need to step away for a second, she can jump right in and take over. So student learning is not affected. Because I have a reliable, consistent person in my classroom with me, together, we can meet the needs of students at all learning levels. This would not be

125possible without a full-time consistent presence. To the aids, having a full-time position with benefits is vital. We have dedicated people who took these full-time positions so that they can pay their bills and take care of themselves and their families while they are doing a job they have a calling to do. As I'm sure you know, not everyone is cut out to work in education, and our pair of professionals are here every day making a difference with our teachers, students, and families. I know several who will have to look for other opportunities if their hours and benefits are cut. Our district will lose wonderful, valuable people and losing this vital support will cause the loss of valuable teachers as well. We need to stop treating our aids as if they are expendable and non-essential and start

126treating them like the pair of professionals they are vital to our teacher and student success. We need to look for alternative ways to balance the budget without hurting the students we are here to teach and protect. Thank you. Our next comment is from Carrie Smith and on deck is Laura Bonds. >> Good evening. My name is Carrie Smith. I am a TK instructional aid at Soyan Elementary. 30 minutes. 30 minutes the amount of time that I am not with our students each day. I am with our students during cafeteria for breakfast, all instructional time in the classroom, lunch recess, afternoon recess, PE, music, library, afternoon dismissal, and special events, field trips, teacher and administrative wartime, assemblies, and all safety drills. I have helped students who have not even been able to hold a pencil write

127their names, letters, and numbers. I have assisted with students recognizing letters, letters, sounds and spelling their names. I run the station four times a week. These stations consist of using fine motor skills and which helps with writing, coloring, using scissors, all the while learning letters, learning sounds, numbers, and creativity through art. All along with helping and assisting our students, I am also helping and assisting my amazing teacher. I help prepare all materials needed each week for our students and for my teacher. Have you ever had a student tell you that you are the best teacher ever? I have many times. Thank you. >> Thank Thank you. The last comment I have is from Laura Bonds. >> Good evening. Hello. My name is Laura Bonds. My aid, Miss Gabber, is also here with me tonight. I

128am in my 10th year as a kindergarten teacher at Teague Elementary. Before Teague, I've worked in private, charter, and public schools in various positions in almost every grade level since 1996. Having worked in various grade levels and four years in first grade, I saw that students who came into first grade not yet having the foundational skills taught in kindergarten struggled all through first grade and were likely to continue to struggle all through their entire educational career. Skills taught in TK and kindergarten are essential to student success. If more money if more was put into TK and kindergarten, less intervention and money would be needed later. Having the opportunity to work in schools with lower class sizes, I saw that there's a huge difference between a class of 24 or less and a class of 28,

129sometimes 29 when teachers are asked to push in specialed students for part of the day. There's a huge difference in the ability to manage behaviors and the ability to meet each students individual needs. This year, I have four diagnosed special needs students in my general ed classroom in addition to other challenges. These students are often overwhelmed and have behaviors that require greater attention, alternative seating, and activities that would be difficult to manage without aid support. During the years, we've had less aid support. I was managing extreme behaviors on my own for much of the day with 28 students. Those are the years I was often crying in the bathroom or on my way home, um, letting out what I had to hold in. I was often having to radio for support, taking other staff away

130from their jobs. the other students were learning, losing learning time and instruction was constantly disrupted. Violent behavior was more prevalent. Um, it was also more difficult to find quality, consistent aids who wanted or were able to work part-time. At my school, aids are used for yard duty. These positions would still have to be filled either by paying others or by taking teachers prep time, adding to teachers feelings of overwhelm. It's frustrating to hear plans of millions of dollars being spent on facilities and upgrades. My school's one of the oldest in the district. We could really use upgrades and more staff rest. >> Thank you for your time. >> And President Korea, we have some telephonic uh callers as well. >> Before we move to telephonic, I just want to make sure there's no one else

131in the room that wants to speak on this item that didn't get called or didn't complete a note card. Okay, we're closing comments, public comments in person. We're moving to telephonic comments. >> Good evening, Megan Colbertson. You have two minutes to address the board. Please make sure to turn down the volume on your listening device so we can hear you loud and clear. Again, you have two minutes and your time starts now. >> Good evening board, members of the board. My name is Megan Colbertson. I am here to respectfully ask you to reconsider any decision to reduce special education aid positions of their hours. Special education aids are not an extra. They are essential. They are hands-on support that allows students with disabilities to access their education safely, consistently, and meaningfully. In many classroom, aids

132are the reason instruction can even happen. Many of our special education classes are already serving more than 12 students, each with individualized needs, accommodations, and behavior supports written into their IEPs. When you have over 12 students with the varying academic levels, communication needs, sensory needs, and behavior plans in one room, adequate adult support is not optional. It's critical. For the past few months, I have been short staffed in my own classroom, and it's been extremely difficult. I've experienced firsthand what happens when there are not enough adults to meet the needs in the room. Instructional time is lost. Behaviors escalate more quickly. Safety becomes harder to maintain. And despite giving everything I have each day, it still does not feel like enough. Because one person cannot do the job for several of several. Reducing 8 hours

133does not reduce student needs. It increases staff burnout. It increases safety and risks. It increases behavior escalations. And it decreases instructional time not just for the students in special education, but for the entire classroom. We talk often about inclusion and equity. Inclusion cannot exist without adequate support. Equity means providing students with what they need to succeed, not reducing services when budgets become tight. Special special education aids build relationships. They provide consistency. They help students regulate, communicate, and learn. They protect their dignity and safety of v vulnerable children every single day. If we truly value student success, compliance with federal law, and safe learning environments, we must protect the staffing structures that make those things possible. I urge you to prioritize the students with disabilities and maintain the aid support that will allow them to thrive.

134Thank you for your time and your consideration. And board president, I have one more caller. >> Good evening, Judy. Judy Martinez, you have two minutes to address the board. Please make sure to turn down the volume on your listening device so we can hear you loud and clear. Again, you have two minutes and your time starts now. >> Thank you. My name is Judy Martinez. I'm a community school coordinator at Teague Elementary. Um I completely agree with everything that they've been saying. Uh Miss Laura Bonds is from Teague. Um so when we talk about student success, we often focus on curriculum standards and instructional strategies, but there is another critical factor in whether students truly thrive in our classrooms, and that is a presence of skilled instructional aids. Aids are not extra hands. They're essential

135partners in instruction, in our behavior support, and relationship building. In the classrooms where students present with diverse academic, behavioral and social, emotional needs, aids make differentiation possible. They allow teachers to teach while ensuring students who need additional redirection, clarification, or emotional regulation are not left behind. For students with disabilities, aids are often the bridge between access and inclusion. Exclusion. They help implement IEP accommodations, support executive functioning, facilitate peer interaction, and maintain safety during moments of disregulation. Without adequate aid support, inclusion becomes a theory rather than a practice. Aids also play a vital role in maintaining classroom stability. When a student is experiencing a meltdown, which happens often in classrooms today, the presence of a trade aid can mean the difference between escalation and deescalation. They support transitions. They reinforce positive behavior and they help create

136predictable routines that students rely on. Beyond academics and behavior, aids build trust. They're often the adults who notice subtle changes, the student who didn't eat lunch, the child who seems withdrawn, the one who needs a quiet check-in. Those relationships matter deeply. If we are serious about equity, about MTSS, >> thank you, >> board president. There are no more callers. >> Thank you. I'm going to turn to board discussion, but before I do, which I typically don't do is is speak first before my colleagues, I I want to take the opportunity to just acknowledge everyone in the room and thank you for coming out and to for speaking um to us about the impact. Uh this is probably and I probably don't speak just for myself, but this is these types of decisions that we're forced

137to make when there's poor planning and poor decision before us um are not easy. having to reduce our workforce. We know the impact that that has and and I know that it it doesn't fix anything, but these are not light decisions that we make. Um we know that these are really difficult and we know that there are real humans that are being impacted by our decisions. Um, and all I can say is for as long as I'm on the board, I will continue to ensure that I advocate um that we make better plans um and so that we are more transparent uh and able to better sustain our finances. Um and and again just acknowledging that we hear you, we see you, we know the impact that you have. Um with that, are there any

138questions or comments from the board? I do have a couple of questions, but I want to take all of your questions first. Uh we'll start with our student trustee. >> I just want to thank every teacher here because I see my old teachers here and um they set the foundation for me and I hope that they can set the foundation for future um upcoming kids. Thank you. >> Thank you student trustee. No one else has any comments or questions? Trusty Kon. >> Thank you President Ko. of comments. Um, I just want to say thank you to all of our instructional aids and our sped aids. Over the uh my time as a trustee here, I've visited classrooms across our district. I've met with many of you. Uh, I've met with your teachers who speak nothing

139but kind words about you. Uh, sometimes I run into you at the grocery store and you say hello. Some of you I even graduated central with. So, this is the uh most painful decision I've had to make as a trustee. And I don't say that lightly. I um just want to say that this again, this decision uh when it comes to hiring these positions was made be a month before I was even sworn in as a trustee back in 2022 where many of these positions that are being considered for reductions or layoffs were paid through with COVID grant money from the federal government. I have expressed my concern, my worry to set all every administration I've worked with um as a trustee that are we spending any COVID money, any grant money on staffing because

140I've witnessed and I've studied other municipalities, other governments across this country that then had to lay off people or they reached financial um uh financial issues because they were paying salaries with one-time money and was not always given a straight answer. This current administration is very transparent. I appreciate everyone on our executive cabinet and our superintendent's office, but this was an issue that's been a long been a few years coming. And I just want to say to all of our instructional aids, whether you're here or watching, I'm thankful for your time working for Central Unified. and know that your teachers love you and your kiddos love you and at speaking on behalf of Central Unified I am very sorry that you may have to deal with this. >> I have a couple of questions. Um

141so based on the public comments that we heard um about the concerns of reducing the instructional aids um in TKK uh classrooms um this I may have some knowledge unlike some of the other uh items we have legal obligations. So with the reduction are we what is the impact specifically to our TK classrooms? Um second question are we still going to be able to meet our legal obligations? I know that doesn't solve the concern that many of you shared of reducing the number of hours and and transferring you from a full-time to a part-time employee. Um, but I I do have those specific questions. >> Uh, yes. So, as you just mentioned, we do have legal obligations by the state of California to make sure that we are within the ratio of student to adults

142within HTK classroom. within our proposal and what we have agreed to with CSEA, we did work very closely with ED services to make sure that we are not going to be impacting or affecting those obligations to our state in addition to the student learning environment. So, we are um within our proposal, we are still going to have aids within the TK classrooms at five and a half hours each. >> Okay. And so, then what environments are being impacted the most by this reduction? classroom environments. >> Yeah. So, the classroom environments that are really being impacted the most would be our kinder classrooms. Kinder classrooms because we are going to be looking at um 3.75 hours. Now, we will have the staffing in order to be able to cover those classrooms to have that. And one

143of the things that we are also going to be doing is we will allow for our instructional aids to to apply and if permitted take two positions. Meaning that if they only have a three and a half hour position at one site and there's a three and a half position at the same site or another, they will be able to apply and if granted those positions, they will have the seven hours which will also provide them the benefits within those um within those classifications. >> Um and I hadn't asked this before, but do we know how many positions we have in which employees will be able to do that? Yeah. So, right now we currently have 130 positions. Of 130 positions of instructional aids, we have 15 vacancies. So, we have 115 actual instructional aids.

144With the proposal, we're going to have 100 positions. Within those 100 positions, we're just not going to backfill the 15 vacancies. We will be closing those out and 15 aids will be impacted by a reduction of hours. >> Plus, the impact from full-time to part-time. >> Correct. >> Okay. Okay. If there are no other comments or questions, what are the wishes of the board on this item? >> I will motion to to adopt the >> Thank you. >> Second. >> Thank you. I have a motion by Trusty Kirk. I have a second by VP sellers to approve to adopt theou uh presented here on item number 10. Um student trustee, how do you vote? Board members, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstension? Motion carries unanimously. Thank you. Um

145I believe there were also comments or uh for item number 11. Okay. So item 11 adopt resolution number 2526-33 the reduction elimination of classified school services school services for the 2627 school year. Dr. Childs. >> Yes. So in accordance with educational code 45101 45114 45117 45298 45308 and other applicable law based on lack of work on a lack of funds. It is necessary to reduce and eliminate the hours of certain CSEA positions within the instructional aid, special education aid one, two, and three classifications for the 2627 school year. Um, the district is looking to to save an approximately $4.5 million through this move. Administration is recommending the board adopt resolution 2526-33 for the reduction elimination of classified school services for the 2627 school year. >> Thank you. We'll take public comments. President Curio, all of

146our comments mention the same item 10 and 11. >> Okay. If there are no comments on this item, we'll move to board discussion. Any questions or comments from the board? Okay. Is there a motion to approve? >> I'll motion to approve. >> Thank you. I'll second. Um, Trusty Kirk made a motion. And I seconded that motion to adopt resolution number 2526-33, the reduction and elimination of classified school services for 2627th school year. Student trustee, how do you vote? >> I. >> Board members, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries unanimously. Thank you. We return to item number seven, approve renewal agreement with uh Aries Software, Inc. Dr. Childs. >> Yes. So the district have used Aries uh since 2003. At our last board, I'm sorry, two board

147meetings ago, there was questions that was raised around the usage of Aries and if Aries would be able to accommodate our request and personalizing user permissions. We have um been in a lot of conversations with Aries and they have agreed to do just that. So they will be personalizing user permissions with the medical log and notes and they said that they will also make that available for the counseling for the counseling notes as well. One of the things that they will be doing is the moment if this is passed through action item, they said that they estimate about 136 hours in order to complete these tasks. They feel that they can have it done by the start of uh August of the 2627 school year. >> So the I'm sorry. So um so the we

148are recommending that the board take approve the renewal agreement with Aries software. Um, is the agreement also include the increase for the 136 hours of additional work to address the concerns that were raised? >> Yes, it does. So, we have one agreement where it shows the actual three-year funding cost of each year. And then that other agreement for the personalization and customization for our district is requesting that is also there. Um, I believe it might be attachment three. >> Okay. And what is the total cost for the third 136 hours? >> Um, I believe it's approximately $21,000. >> I have a few more questions, but before I continue, are there any questions or comments from the board? >> Okay. um is the only way to address the concerns about controlling the access and being able

149to track any changes that occur in the system can only be accomplished by the changes to the program. There's no other mechanisms that we can use that would cost less money. >> Right. So currently Aries did confirm that anything that is made any type of edits that's made to the to the initial user it does actually track it. So we can actually track to see who made the edits and what edits were made. >> Okay. >> So they do already have that available, but what we're trying to do is we're actually trying to customize user permissions so that once you put input, no one else can actually go in and edit any of the comments or uh data that you enter. >> Okay. And then um I I don't remember if I saw any language,

150but since we're getting it customized, >> is ARIES then going to be able to benefit and offer the same customization to other districts? And so we're paying for improving their system which quite frankly should already be in compliance. >> Right? So one of the things that Aries does they have an idea network. So what happens is the moment a district make a request for any type of customization or something that's outside of their scope they actually put it out to all other districts that they service to see how many other districts might find this to be um usable. Um in our particular case now the network itself or the idea platform that they put it on is one of those notifications. you go in and read it. If you want it, you say yes. If

151not, so I don't know how how much fidelity is actually put into other districts chiming in on that. But once it is um available to us, they will make possibly make it available to everyone else. Now, I can't really speak on that because I didn't go that far into asking them that question, but I can say that once it is customizable to us, it will be for us. >> Okay. I'm just wondering whether there's any opportunity to try and negotiate. I mean, if they're able to make money off of this, then we should get a reduction in that cost. They're they're doing the work now. >> That is definitely something I could follow up with. >> Well, I'm I'm not going to object to approving um this contract on those conditions, but I would like

152for us to at least follow up and say, "Hey, if you're going to be able to use this, maybe give us a rebate or something." Okay. What are the wishes of the board on this item? >> Motion to approve. >> Second. Thank you. I have a motion by VP Sellers. I have a second by Trustee Sadu. Student Trustee, how do you vote? >> I. >> Thank you. Board members, all in favor, please say I. I. >> Any oppose? Any obstensions? Motion carries. We move on to item number eight, approve revised board bylaws and policies. We are pulling uh board policy from the approval list. And then we do um need to make sure that comments are reflected in our minutes about board policy 1445. And with that, I'll turn it over to Dr. Marshall or

153Dr. Lopez. Good evening again. So I just would like the board meeting minutes to reflect that with policy board policy 11:45 the mandated checklist has been attached as exhibit E1 uh and that is a guide for students and families um related to immigration enforcement and their uh know your rights kind of guidelines. So that is mandated by the state. Um, I want our families to know that currently we have this exhibit in Spanish and in English and we will be translating into Punjabi and Mong uh after the approval by the board tonight. Thank you. Dr. Marshall, is there anything you want to add? Okay. Um, if nothing else, uh, all these policies did come before the subcommittee. We we discussed each one of them. We reviewed the the revisions that were made. My recollection is

154that all of them uh there were changes in compliance um with the law. So are there any questions or comments from the board on these policies? >> Trusty Kurfon. >> I just want to say thank you to the subcommittee for spending the time to work on all these policies. I know it can be tedious, but it's important work. So thank you >> indeed. Thank you. You're welcome on behalf of the committee. >> Uh okay. Uh is there a motion to approve? So moved. >> Thank you. I have a motion by Vice President Sers. I'll second that motion. Student trustee, how do you vote? >> I. >> Word members, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries unanimously. We move on to action item number nine. And I believe

155this is our final action item for tonight. Approve 2026 ballot for CSBA delegate assembly. Dr. Marshall. Uh, as it states, um, the actions for the approved ballot for 2026 for CSBA delegate assembly. Okay. >> Any questions or comments from the board? Uh, Trusty Kirk. Yes. One second has passed. >> Thank you. I was just looking for my notes. From the Fresno County Trustee Association, there had been a correction to the ballot. So, just for clarification, was is this the corrected ballot? I will delegate. I will ask Anita, our executive secretary. I believe it is >> um we just received the corrected ballot this morning. So I this afternoon, I'm sorry, this afternoon. So it it hasn't been attached to the agenda item, but we did receive the corrected one from from just looking at it.

156It was um uh trustee constant shuffler that they didn't have her complete lame name listed. They just had um constant key and she wanted constant Connie Key Sheffller to the ballot. >> So was a name correction. >> That was the only correction. Yes. >> Trustee Kuron. >> Uh thank you. That actually clarified my question because I wasn't familiar with a trustee Connie Key. Trusty, did you have any questions? >> Okay. If there are no other questions, I would make a recommendation uh to approve the because we get uh three nominees. I would nominate uh trustees uh Connie Schiffler from Sier Unified, uh trustee Daryl Carter from Washington Unified, and trustee uh Mark Medina from Selma Unified. Okay, thank you. Is it Shuckling? What's the >> It's Shaer. >> Shafler. >> Schaefer. >> Okay. Her first

157name is Connie. That constants. That was who? One of the correct individuals. Okay. >> By many names. >> Okay. I have a motion um by trusty Kuron and a second by vice president Sers to uh nominate Constance Medina and Carter. Any further discussion? Student trustee, how do you vote? >> I. >> Uh board members, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? Motion carries unanimously. Thank you. We move on to our information items. Receive information regarding the 2526 second interim budget report. This is just a placeholder. This will be placed uh on our agenda uh for March 10th as action and it'll be our first item on the agenda. Item number two, receive information regarding the LCAP midyear update. Assistant Superintendent Mlennon presentation. Thank you. So annually, beginning about three

158years ago, the state um added to the LCAP requirements a mid-year report or progress report on expenditures and um implementation of the LCAP plan actions through that date. The report must be done by February of each year or in February before March of each year. So this is your midyear LCAP report. I'm going to skip a little bit ahead because I know that you were provided this and it's been attached to the agenda. So, we're just going to go on. Um, essentially, we're required to kind of grade each action as about whether it's been fully implemented, it's still planned, we are abandoning it, or whether um it's ongoing. Honestly, middle of the year, 90% of actions are typically rated as ongoing because they've been started, but you're not done and you haven't expended. all the

159funds for those actions or paid all those people throughout the year. Yet our first LCAP goal was regarding um uh academics. So goal one is about academics and the metrics related to that are part of the dashboard. And so you can see on this slide and we did a presentation earlier this year about how we were doing for English language arts. The good news is, and I wanted to share the three-year LCAP goal that this board set two years ago, is we are well on our way to meeting almost all of the the subgroup goals that were set for three years. So, it'll be time at the end of next year for us to set additional goals, make them as ambitious as we want, and go on um continuing to make those incremental improvements. There

160is one anomaly on this and that is at the bottom with long-term English learners, those ELTELS, because they weren't reported on the dashboard when this three-year plan was started, they didn't give them the same um distance points below standard. They just told how many were prepared. So, uh, level three and four on the state exams. And so, there's a little bit of an anomaly. So, I gave you both numbers, what was set as the baseline so that you could see that and then I brought it along with the other groups for points below standards so you could compare how they were doing compared to our other groups. LCAP goal one also is about math and other core subjects. And so in this one, you have the same information for our math. Our math is not

161seeing the same growth, but you can see that it is seeing growth. For example, our students scored an average of 63.6 six points below standard. That means the average score was about 60 points below grade level and that average score is now 54.6 points in a year and a half uh since the LCAP was developed. And you can see growth similar to that for nearly all of the groups. I believe there's no for all of the groups. We also have college and career indicator. This one is about CTE pathways, uh graduation status, uh percent of students taking dual enrollment, AP courses, percent of students in internships and those kind of things that would indicate a student is college or career ready after school. This one um we have some work to do although we are

162increasing. So you can see that 27% of students met the multiple standards in order to do this because it's beyond just graduation. Um and last this year or end of last year it was 38.8% overall. E reclassification rate increased since the baseline and I apologize because the three-year goal isn't there. And the CTE completion rate. This one is confusing to me because the initial data in the LCAP um said that it was 98.8%. That would mean that 98.8% 8% of our seniors had had completed a three-part career pathway in the same career field. We don't even have the courses to match that. So, I'm not sure where the baseline figure for this came. What you see there is the um CDE dashboard rate right now for the percent of seniors that are completing a three-part

163pathway in the same career field. LCAP goal 2 is about um ongoing learning opportunities, career counseling, social emotional interventions um and some mental health services. And you can see that part of the metrics is how how much school how much students miss school because of those reasons. Um overall you can see the groups have decreased in chronic absenteeism. In fact, our all is very very close to the three-year goal. We are at 20.9%. The three-year goal that was set was 19.9%. Graduation rate, you can also see that you've had some good increases there. It's hard to move graduation rate up one full percent quickly because graduation rate is a culmination of 12 years of academic growth and certainly four years of academic classes and credits. But you can see that just in a year and

164a half, it's climbed um almost 3%. percentage of credentialed teachers. Um, this one goes up and down. Right now, we are slightly above the state average right now with uh teachers who have fully cleared credentials. This doesn't mean that they don't have the credential to be in the classroom because there's an additional year, I'm sorry, two years you do in the induction program after you've gotten your your preliminary credential to clear your credential. So, this reflects that two-year lag. Attendance rates. You can see attendance rates. We are struggling on improvements for overall. This is the um average daily attendance that we have. So students who are here every day, we're running about 93%. And that was we were at 93.5 when we started. So while chronic absenteeism, the number of kids that are missing 10%

165or more a year, is declining, average attendance is staying flat. LCAP goal three is about safer, more inclusive schools and partnering with the community. So, there's some engagement activities there. You can see that it's the positive school climate surveys or school safety and belonging. And then you can also see suspension rate because of the safe schools requirement. So you can see suspension rate has fallen significantly almost in half from uh I'm sorry 2% from 5.2 to 3.4%. The goal is 2.8% were on the way to accomplishing that three-year goal. And I know that you made significant commitments to reducing suspension. So it's it's showing up there. Expulsion rate has remained very small as you go through. It's 0.1% or less for all three years. And the goal was to maintain that which has happened. And

166then goal four through nine are very specific to specific schools that qualified for equity multiplier funds. Those funds are based on how transitory those students are. So a school where a lot a high percentage of students are flowing in and out and not staying for a full school year um qualified for equity multiplier funds. So our schools are class cos pathway and persing the qualified for equity multiplier funds. Um and they have to write separate goals that are just related to the groups and their individual performance. So our next steps in the LCAP process is we're going to continue to engage with educational partners. Um we have the two more forums that Dr. Marshall shared with you and last night's at uh Glacier Point was very well attended. I mean, I believe we had almost

16740 adults there and uh at least a dozen students that I got to chat with about their challenges and which subjects are hard and what teachers have done to help them be successful. So, it was a great night for me. Um we're going to continue doing that for the next month. We also have surveys that will be going out. Um those are going out this week from communications department. Um we will be putting together the uh culmination of all of that input and then reviewing that. We have to have input from all of our educational partners. And then we will be taking drafts of uh various actions or changes to actions that we're looking at making based on the data and based on the input to DAC, our parent advisory committee, our multilingual pack and

168the um again here as well. We also uh will be bringing back the draft for public comment um at a future board meeting and sharing pieces as we go through with you guys, take you along the journey as we go. Um it has to go to Fresno County Superintendent of Schools by the end of June and so the board approval will be scheduled for that second meeting in June. In closing, we have some great bright spots. So, English language arts have increased overall for English learners, foster youth, lowincome and Hispanic student groups. Math has increased overall for English learners, foster youth, lowincome and Hispanic students as well. College and career indicator is up for all groups. The suspension rate is down for all groups. So, we like that juxtaposition there. Graduation rate is up for

169all groups. And our challenges that we continue to work with are students with disabilities for English language arts and math are continuing to struggle and their gap is getting wider. Our homeless students uh African-Americans for English language arts and math as well. Our CTE pathway completion group and I know we've talked about CTE and working on our pathways. Um so that's we need to improve that percentage of of students completing that and being prepared when they leave for a career. And then our attendance rate is stagnant for all groups. So, we have some more work on that 93% attendance rate. Any questions? >> Thank you. Any questions or comments from the board? >> The full report for the state in that format is also attached to the agenda item and that shows you the fiscal

170um figures right now as well through December. >> Okay. Trusty Kirk, >> thank you. When this comes back in June, will we have some strategies about how to look at the challenges we face in African-American student success in English language arts and math? >> Yes. Uh, one of the things ju just Yeah. Yes, we will. And we'll have a very clear um through line for strategies um for all of our atrisisk groups. but to call out specifically that group as well because that group also was identified in the SIM plan as one of the groups that we're supporting in the special ed plan. And so we're working also with Fresno County through our differentiated assistance and the SIM plan and our um ED services plans for refinement to pull it all together to really focus

171on on that specific group. Also, >> thank you. and and it's because historically this has been a dis disproportionately impacted group of students. And so um saying we're going to do better for black students is something we've been saying since the 1960s. And so just as we come forward, >> as I get my opportunity to to have an impact on this, that's what I wanted to know. Will we have some strategies, some solid things to look at moving forward? how we look at this metric. Uh that it should be one we could wrap around and really begin to see some movement. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Thank you. Um, I'll just say that I'm I'm glad we're making progress and I'm glad that there are more board members that are not um afraid and and that

172our administration is also um bold enough to focus on on those specific subgroups that we are getting additional funding for to ensure that we support them and that they're moving forward. Um, so I'm excited uh to see um what the proposal is and and how we're going to continue that work and and continue to reduce um those numbers across the board. So, thank you very much. This item is only for information as mentioned. It'll come back in June. Um and so we'll move on to our next item. Receive information regarding high performance academy community school proposals. Dr. Lopez. >> Hello. Um, so as you have noticed, I've been bringing quite a bit of contracts back to you regarding community school purchases. So this is another one of those items. High Performance Academy has been empowering

173youth through uh by reaching their full potential through activities for recess and after school and Saturday. Uh we have two schools that have chosen to hire HPA, that's what they're known as, uh to provide these services. uh that is John John Steinbeck Elementary School and they are using um it's in alignment to their pillar for integrated student supports and mentorship uh program and we have Madison Elementary who has also chosen it for their uh integrated student support services as part of that pillar. The total cost between the two sites is 65,000. Uh John Steinbeck Elementary will be utilizing a 47,750 PO uh to fill fulfill their needs. Uh and Madison Elementary will be fulfilling a $17,300 appeal. Um administration is recommending this item come back on March 10th for action. >> Thank you. Any questions

174or comments from the board? AP sellers, >> can you provide a little bit more detailed information of what these services that will be provided what they are and how they're going to help students. >> Yes. So what they do is they uh the sites collect data based on behaviors during lunch recess times. And what they noticed is that they need more structures out in the field during that time. They also want um to be able to uh hire a program that also provides some kind of mentorship relationships between adults and students. So HPA will be at each of these two sites creating opportunities for kids to engage in meaningful interactions. So they uh bring equipment with them. They teach other staff members how they can create a safe uh interactive space out at recess duty

175time. Um and also for some sites on Saturdays. Uh and what they're going to do is provide that structure so then now hopefully the sites can replicate it on their own for years to come. So that's where the sustainability comes in. >> Is that not something we already have the capability of doing in house? >> We do. However, some people require training. So then that's when they look at vendors and sometimes they provide the structure, they create the structure, they coach other people at the site to be able to sustain that model. >> Um just kind of curious as to why this is necessary. So we don't find so we don't make these decisions. Just as a reminder every community school has a committee. The committee is comprised of teachers, classified staff, parents, students uh

176and we have community based organizations as sit as part of the committee. They identified that as a need for those two specific sites. And all we ask them is make sure that you have a vote. Make sure that it's in your minutes. make sure that it aligns to your goals for community schools that you submitted and to the pillars for community schools. So, they've been able to do that and they approved it as part of their committee and now it's coming to you for approval so they can move forward with the expenditure. They do have I want to mention that we were able to roll over funds from last year. So, this year we have an extremely amount large amount of money. So what I ask them to do is make sure that you're when

177you're looking at purchase orders, you're thinking of sustainability because we won't not we won't have this money in years to come. So what they're looking at is okay, we can hire HPA to teach these structures and create the structures, but then how are we going to sustain it? And that's where the whole coaching model comes in, being able to teach the structures to other adults that then can keep it going. >> Who who will they be providing that coaching to? >> So other staff members. So, whoever they pay to watch over kiddos for uh lunch supervision or recess, um then that would be the staff that's out there supervising and looking at how they're running the the centers. >> All right. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> And this expense is coming from the community

178schools grant fund, right? So, if we don't use it, it's not like we can use this Well, we can. It would not be fiscally responsible to use this to support any salaries. That is >> um and then it we probably would lose it essentially. We have to return it back. >> Yes. And we have up until April we have to be able to report on that money. So right now they're really so know that more are going to come your way because they're trying to process as many POS. >> One last question. >> Knowing that it's coming from the community schools funds, is it usable for other needs? Well, there's a li um the the community schools grant uh application or document came to the board last year. A year ago. Okay. A year ago

179that identified what it can be used for. Can we attach it um to when this item comes back for action because we've looked at that before and it specifies it has criteria and then the committees if I remember correctly, please jump in at any point. Yes. So the presentation came to you but we gave them these blankets amounts of money because at the end of the day the committee needs to make decisions on what the needs are at Madison compared to Steinbeck. Every school is different and we have we had this discussion in the past. So the committee then utilized the big bucket of money that we provided for materials and supplies but they're deving up those funds depending on the needs. So for example, Roosevelt came last time and they decided we need a

180literacy center and we don't have the furniture to create that space. So they decided to invest that. Uh all I asked them to do is remember we will not have this money for years to come. How do we create sustainability? So how do you invest the money so we continue profiting for from the purchase? >> Sure. And I I understand each school site's going to have their own specific needs, but building a literacy center is >> going to be usable for more than one year. >> Yes. >> This funding is essentially providing recess opportunities. That's instructional. I'm bringing in staff that are going to teach my current staff how to supervise recess. So as a prior principal, what I can tell you is I did this myself too with with my other with my other

181sites. The reason being is structures are essential at limiting misbehaviors. So if you don't have clear structures and that's part of PBIS as well, right? So being able to create matrixes and support systems throughout our day including recess and lunch is essential. Um what we notice is if we don't train our staff like yeah it sounds silly right supervision but how many of our staff members know how to teach a kid how to play soccer and many of our misbehaviors come from kids arguing in the field because because of the ball right or or getting into infractions during that time. So these agencies teach our staff how to do that how to be able to manage a a sports game uh how to set set up the right structures. What I told these two schools

182was, so yes, observe them, learn from them, and order the supplies so you can keep this going in years to come without hiring HPA every year. >> Okay. Uh all the lessons that are being learned, is this information that can be then distributed throughout the the district? >> So yes, they they do share ideas. How every every school is different, right? So we do allow the school to make their own decisions on structures. What we do collect from them is a PBIS matrix. So that matrix dictates like what are those structures look like. >> Okay. So if one uh group is learning how to coach and oversee soccer, they should then be able to provide that information to the other sites so that they don't have to duplicate their efforts and spend funding to learn

183soccer. >> Yes. And let me tell you why. So some schools choose the smaller model. So they have the two little I don't know if you've seen them. They're two little goalies tiny. You set them up, they're round on the floor, but some schools use the whole field. So then the structure and the play for the one smaller setting where you can create four fields in one. It's going to be very different than using the whole field and a full-on team, right? Uh categorizing teams. Some schools decide to use the full field, but then provide the little um jackets to the kids and they rotate those. So, every school chooses something different. >> So, it is available, but as we've discussed before, each school gets to decide how they're using those funds. I I appreciate

184um the desire to make sure that we can share that information and I think it would be it's just as important and significant as creating literacy centers. >> Um we can going with the attachment. It's not going to apply to all like we can say they have 80,000 or 200,000 for materials and supplies but their committees are deciding how what budget lines are going to open with that materials and supplies money. >> But my recollection is that there are pillars or criteria as how we can use that money. So maybe just attaching that just as a refresher if you're interested in seeing what what the parameters are. I remember it was vague. >> Yeah. and broad enough so that the schools can decide. But I think that's maybe something that you're looking for. >> Yeah.

185I guess the last thing I'll ask for is uh can I get a copy of the rosters of how many people are on the committee that made this decision? >> Yes, that I can provide to you. So I'll attach both documents. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Um is there any objection to having this return under consent? >> So you would like it as action? >> No. >> Okay. You're fine. Okay. Yeah, you can always pull it. Okay. This item returns under consent. Item number four, receive information regarding APU study. Dr. Marshall, >> I'll be real quick. Can I get the presentation up, please? Thank you. >> This I'm bringing this back. This is the U APU study that the board approved a while back. And the reason the study was done is that looking

186at our budget, we're about over 80% uh in terms of uh staffing, like closer to 85%. And so we want to take a look in terms of like how are we staffed in terms of because that's a big significant piece of your budget. So as far as what APU study stands for, it means assigned personnel unit. That's that's the that's what APU stands for. We entered into an agreement with capital advisors. They did a district-wide study and they looked at our staffing patterns and they compared us within the district and with like-siz districts. As far as our peer group for this study, you had districts like Hayward, Madera, Ntoas and the only district that declined to participate was Napa Valley. They didn't weren't interested in working with us. Comparisons, there were internal external comparisons at

187the district and site level. And what they wanted to see was like where are we lean, moderate, and robust with similar schools and districts. Uh, one thing to highlight to kind of tie into the um the student achievement piece that Julie just shared was interesting is that they basically said that our district when they compared our outcomes to some of those districts that I named that we were like upper that we like we outperformed a lot of them. Uh, it's a draft report. I think I sent it to you. It's about 100 pages total report. Here are some of the early findings. Basically, across our schools, the staffing v it varies across our schools. What's interesting is that um the largest difference we had like we're very classified heavy as opposed to in instruction rather

188than management. That came out. One interesting finding was that the larger schools were leaner and the small schools were more robust. That was a fighting. Uh you look at as far as uh with the uh the secondary schools, the staff is in is uneven as far as distribution. What's interesting is that when it compares to our um peers, peer groups was that our classified support, we're more intensive there as opposed to to certificated that came out in the study. So the next steps is that we're going to take the next months in terms of what does this mean? How do we rightsize? And the ultimate goal is because you have to look at you're in an era in California where student enrollment is starting to be stagnant. And so, you know, you have to grow,

189you have to make sure that your staff is commensurate with your um your student that there's a correlation there. So, to be efficient, we're going to work to um kind of get that in line. One district I worked in years ago we when as a principal you'd have a sheet that had okay your school has this amount of students and you knew every staff this amount of assistant principles how many secretaries very efficient. So that's kind of what we're looking for as far as right sizes in the district. So I want to give you an update. >> Thank you. Any questions or comments from the board? >> So is it fair to say that this essentially will help us create like a ratio? I know that we already look at, you know, we have x

190amount of students as far as um I don't know what they're called anymore, but they were the intervention >> and then VPs before and and we look at what the population of students are to determine how many of of those additional support staff we have. Right. >> Right. And I think another benefit to this study is that it's going to be very helpful when we do the um we have the parts going on. So I think we're really going to maximize that opportunity with this with this going in tandem. >> Okay. So when do we expect to have this is on the agenda for information only. When do we expect to have a final report of what our staffing what our staffing needs are where there's going to need um to be some changes? >>

191Well, uh Bill said up to the next three months, but I'm going to see if I can kind of get him to speed up a little bit. But I want to bring this back. We are using the data that we've uh gotten here to help us with the pause report. >> Thank you. So we'll get an update um when the final report uh and findings are done. Um we move on to our final information item is number five. Receive information regarding resolution number 2526-32. The elimination reconfiguration of classified services for 2627th school year. Dr. Child's. Yes. So the elimination and reconfiguration of the classified MSSE positions supervisor of research assessment and evaluation. So what we're looking to do is in order to approve the effectiveness and timelines of data systems, academic program analysis, benchmark reporting

192and beginning of year professional development, the existing position should be eliminated and reconfigured for the 2627 academic school year. So the restructuring would increase work days and provide greater calendar flexibility to support site administrators and district programs more efficiently while aligning the new positions work year and compensation with those of other exempt classified management employees. So this elimination and reconfigure reconfiguration will result in a cost savings to the district of approximately $18,200 and administration recommends this item be placed on March 10th, 2026 board agenda for action. >> Thank you. It's my understanding we have a public comment on this item. We'll take the public comments now. >> Thank you, President Creo. Our comment comes from Eric Wenrich. Eric Wenrich. Apologize. >> You will have two minutes, sir. >> Point of order, Madame President, or point

193of information, please. I emailed the board yesterday and requested uh either a six minute and a 30 secondond version. I've been incumbent in the position for 14 years. I would ask for I'm the one that knows absolutely the most about this position having worked in it for the last four years. I would be asked to at least be granted 3 minutes and 30 seconds. >> You will be given two minutes like all the other public speakers. Uh I do believe you sent an email as well with information. So, if you want to follow up with additional information via email, um I welcome you to do that. But in order for equity purposes and and I did limit the comments for everyone else, um you are going to have two minutes to address the board. >>

194Thank you. >> Time begins now. >> Okay. My name is Eric Wenwick. I am the incumbent in this position for 14 years. Board policy 4,400 to three possible reasons as you can see here for eliminating existing position is shown on this slide. The claim being made on the resolution, the position is being eliminated due to lack of funds. However, even within the same resolution, the contracted days are being increased, not reduced, and the job remains substantially unchanged. The resolution is self-contradictory on its face. Board policy 4400 also review requires a review of the job description by the employee and the supervisor. I met with my retiring supervisor on December 18th. There was no discussion of the job description at that time. Board policy 4400 further requires that any recommendations for changes shall be submitted to

195the supervisor in writing. However, when I asked for written documentation, the response was there was no written documents responsive to your request. What this memo and the board item description both mentioned, the real purpose of this board meeting tonight is to align the positions work here with other exempt classified management. This does not indicate a reduction or a discontinuence of the particular service. This looks more like a reclassification according to AR 4400. This chart, which I won't have a lot of time to get into in two minutes, shows a discrepancy in what we are trying to fix a an anomaly in the data that was or classification structure that's existed for 14 years. These are true comparables. This is the proposed this position is being compensated at a competitive rate. When it came to the

196classified market study, the classified market study said that it was not included because it was being paid at a competitive rate. The new position was placed on the classified management salary schedule without due consideration of comparable positions across both certificated and classified positions. the district, the students, the teachers would be best served by having somebody with an advanced degree in this position. >> Thank you, sir. Your time is now expired. >> Sir, your time is expired now and we have to move on with our meeting. Thank you, >> President Ko. I have no other comments from the public at this time. >> Thank you. Are there any questions or comments from the board on this item? Silly question. What does the supervisor of research and assessment and evaluation do? Generally speaking, less than 30 seconds

197overall, their impact and their responsibilities. So, it's kind of a a data center hub as well as a testing center hub for uh coordinating all of those components. Thank you. Um, okay. Any other comments or questions from the board? Hearing none, any objection to having this return under consent? Okay, this will return under consent. Um, I do know that there was an email that was sent. I don't know if it was sent to all of us with that PowerPoint. So, please review that. If there's any other information, please send it to us. Uh, and then if anyone wishes to pull the item, just let me know or let Dr. Marshall know before the next meeting and we can do that and have an individual vote. Um, okay. That concludes our information items. Uh, advanced planning.

198The calendar is attached should be attached with items. Okay. Uh, outlining uh additional information and closing comments. So, we do have a request um to bring back an item to address and I think I'm just thrown off by the language on our on our Yeah. So, we're bringing back the graduation ceremonies and activities. Um and then also an item on Persing. Yeah. the plan to relocate Persing and and that's because the sentiment of this board for the last and there we my different colleagues that have served on the board um is that we feel like that location is not an appropriate educational education for our students. Those were decisions that were made long before any of us board members were here long before any of you were here. Um including even maybe some of our

199area administrators some of you were around. Um, so that's what we want to address. We want to make sure that we are finding appropriate locations and taking the appropriate action and making the appropriate plans. So you can let us know when it's an appropriate time to bring that back. >> Okay, 10 seconds. Uh, we we're looking at several possible options because we were aware that that was a concern. We haven't found >> one that can accommodate yet. So we have some work to do on that. It may not be a fast super fast solution. >> Okay. We just don't want to keep waiting because we change. Yeah. Okay. Any other closing comments from the board? Okay. Um, next meeting is scheduled for March 10th, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. for our close session, 7 p.m. for

200our public session. As a reminder, we will be conducting our interviews for our open trustee seat, which is area three. And the deadline to apply is this Friday. So, if you know any great candidates who would like to serve um through this November, um please recommend them and have them file an application. We don't need to adjourn to close session. What are the wishes of the board on adjournment? >> Thank you. I have a motion by Trusty Kirk. I have a second by Trusty Geron. All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? Any abstensions? We adjourn at 9:51. Thank you.