001Karen Perez: GOOD MORNING. I WANT TO REVIEW -- YEAH, IT SHOULD BE ON. CAN YOU HEAR ME? DON'T MAKE ME GO KINDERGARTEN ON EVERYBODY AND MAKE YOU CLAP. GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS. I WANT TO REVIEW THE FORMAT FOR TODAY'S WORKSHOP AND THANK OUR STAFF MEMBERS FOR THEIR PRESENTATIONS AND PARTICIPATION. OUR FIRST TOPIC IS LEGISLATIVE SESSION REVIEW. PRESENTERS WILL ROTATE AND WE'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO PRESENT THEIR INFORMATION. WE WILL GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE PowerPoint AND THEN THE BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE OPPORTUNITY FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. BOARD MEMBERS' COMMENTS WILL BE LIMITED TO FIVE MINUTES. AND THEN YOU CAN GET BACK INTO THE QUEUE IF YOU NEED TO. MR. PORTER WILL ASSIST WITH TIME KEEPING. AT 11:30 WE'LL TAKE A BREAK. AT NOON WE'LL BEGIN THE SECOND WORKSHOP WITH THE TOPICS ON POLICIES. WE WILL GO
002THROUGH BOARD MEMBER AND STAFF REQUESTS NEW POLICIES AND POLICY REVISIONS. AGAIN, BOARD MEMBERS WILL HAVE FIVE MINUTES AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO GET BACK INTO THE QUEUE. AND MR. PORTER WILL BE, AGAIN, OUR TIMEKEEPER. WE HAVE MUCH TO COVER TODAY AND WANT TO ENSURE EVERYONE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CLARIFICATION AND INPUT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION WITH THESE GUIDELINES. NOW I'LL TURN IT OVER TO SUPERINTENDENT AYRES. Van Ayres: THANK YOU, MADAM VICE-CHAIR. YOU PRETTY MUCH SUMMED IT UP. THE FIRST SESSION FROM 10 TO 11:30 AROUND THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION REVIEW. WE HAVE 18 SLIDES WE'LL COVER. EVERYTHING THAT WAS PASSED IN THE LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION. I ASK AS MADAM VICE-CHAIR STATED, WE'LL GET THROUGH THE 18 SLIDES. LOTS OF INFORMATION BUT ADEQUATE TIME AFTER WE GET THROUGH TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE REGARDING ANY
003OF THE REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION. WE'LL ALL MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE UP TO DATE WITH. STAFF HAS SPENT AND MS. DAVIS TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIME GETTING PREPARED FOR THIS WORKSHOP. A LOT OF INFORMATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE DISCUSSION. LET'S TRY TO GET THROUGH THE 18 SLIDES FIRST AND THEN ANY QUESTIONS WE'LL SPEND TIME. WITHOUT FURTHER ADO I'LL TURN THIS OVER TO KRISTIN DAVIS, GOVERNMENT RELATIONS. WE'LL GET RIGHT IN FOR THE SAKE OF TIME. WE'LL START WITH YOUR THIRD SLIDE. SENATE BILL 112, CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. WE HAVE MICHAEL AND KIM LOY. PRESS THE GREEN BUTTON TO SPEAK. IF YOU CAN GIVE A HIGHLIGHT, TALK ABOUT IT. THE BIGGEST IMPORTANT PIECE IS HOW IT IMPACTS HILLSBOROUGH. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT SENATE BILL 112 WHICH EXPANDS SERVICES AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
004CHILDREN WITH AUTISM DISORDER AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. THE BILL AIMS TO IMPROVE EARLY INTERVENTION SCHOOL READINESS, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND WORKFORCE TRAINING FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM. SOME BULLET POINTS RELATED TO THE BILL, IT ESTABLISHES THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA CENTER FOR AUTISM AND NEURODEVELOPMENT. AND THE CENTER REALLY HAS THE MOST RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THIS BILL. THEY WILL BE ASKED TO ADMINISTER GRANTS TO FUND SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM. THEY'LL DEVELOP STRATEGIES THAT PROMOTE AWARENESS AND ACCEPTANCE OF ASD, INCLUDING THE SIGNS OF AUTISM, THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY SCREENING AND ESTABLISHING A TOLL FREE AUTISM PARENT LINE. THEY WILL DEVELOP AN ASD MICROCREDENTIAL FOR ASD THAT WILL BE STACKABLE WITH THE ALREADY ASD ENDORSEMENT THAT'S AVAILABLE. THEY'LL DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO INCREASE THE WORKFORCE, QUALIFIED TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH ASD IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SETTINGS. AND
005ADMINISTER GRANTS FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS FOR STUDENTS WITH ASD. SPECIFIC ADDITIONAL CREDITS OR CREDENTIALS WILL BE ADDED TO THE PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION, AND THOSE WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE STATE. GOOD MORNING. A PORTION OF THE SENATE BILL 112 IS CALLED THE EXTENDED EARLY STEPS OPTION. AND WHAT THIS IS, IT'S A WAY TO CREATE POSITIVE OUTCOMES FOR LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR INFANTS, TODDLERS, YOUNG CHILDREN, AND IT'S TO ALLOW FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES OR OTHER DISABILITIES TO CONTINUE IN EARLY STEPS UNTIL THE AGE OF 4 AND THEN TRANSITION TO PART B, WHICH IS SCHOOL DISTRICT SERVICES IN THE SCHOOL YEAR AFTER THEY TURN FOUR. THE FLORIDA EARLY INTERVENTION SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES INTERVENTIONS TO ELIGIBLE INFANTS AND TODDLERS FROM BIRTH TO 36 MONTHS WHO MAY HAVE SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS, DISABILITIES, AT-RISK CONDITIONS, THAT KIND OF THING. IF A
006FAMILY CHOOSES THE EXTENDED EARLY STEPS OPTION, THEN TRANSITION PLANNING WOULD BEGIN ABOUT 90 DAYS BEFORE THE CHILD'S FOURTH BIRTHDAY INSTEAD OF THIRD BIRTHDAY. WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO TRANSITION THE CHILD INITIALLY AND DEVELOP AN IEP, BUT THEN THEY COULD CHOOSE TO DEFER AND STAY IN EARLY STEPS FOR AN EXTRA YEAR. THE TEAM WOULD STILL DEVELOP AND REVIEW THE CHILD'S IEP, DETERMINE SPECIAL EDUCATION AND RELATED SERVICES AND WHAT THAT MAY LOOK LIKE FOR DELIVERY SERVICES. IT CAN BE DELAYED BY A YEAR. THE BILL WAS PASSED BUT THE DOE AND EARLY STEPS IS GOING TO TAKE THIS NEXT YEAR TO DEVELOP THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, SO FOR US, IT REALLY DOESN'T START UNTIL JULY 2026. BUT IT'S IN EFFECT NOW. THEY ARE JUST DEVELOPING THE PROCEDURES AND PROTOCOLS AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. WE'RE KIND OF PLANNING FOR IT. WE
007DON'T REALLY EXPECT ANY BIG POLICY IMPACT ON WHAT WE DO. IT MAY CHANGE THE COMPOSITION OR THE FLOW OF KIDS TO PRE-K ESE PROGRAMS. THAT WOULD BE COMING AS THE BILL PROGRESSES. WE'LL RUN THROUGH THE PowerPoint. I'LL GO BACK WITH PERMISSION OF THE TEAM. I SKIPPED OVER THE SESSION HIGHLIGHTS THERE. I JUST WANTED TO -- I THINK THE BIGGEST THING THAT IS A TAKEAWAY FROM THIS SESSION FOR 2025, THE 60 DAY LEGISLATIVE SESSION WAS ACTUALLY 105 DAYS, AS YOU ALL KNOW. IT WAS A VERY UNIQUE SESSION WITH THE BUDGET. I WOULD ALSO SAY IT WAS DIFFERENT. WE SAW A LOT OF THINGS BEING WORKED. WE ALL KNOW BEHIND THE SCENES AND EVEN POLITICALLY WITH OUR GOVERNOR AND OUR LEGISLATURE, BUT I THINK WE CAME OUT OKAY. WE HAVE THE BSA AND PER PUPIL UP HERE
008WHICH WILL BE DISCUSSED LATER. IN TERMS OF POLICY I THINK WE CAME OUT OKAY. IN TERMS OF BUDGET, I KNOW JAMIE AND THE TEAM WILL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER. I WON'T DIVE INTO THE NUMBERS IF THAT'S OKAY. I WANTED TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, A FEW STATISTICS JUST TO GET US GOING. HOUSE BILL 809. WE'LL GO AHEAD WITH GREG HORSEMAN AND MYRNA HOPE TO TALK ABOUT HOUSE BILL 809, SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS. I'M SORRY. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE GENERAL KNOWLEDGE EXAM WHICH HAD ACTUALLY ALREADY BEEN REMOVED AND THEY COULD HAVE GOTTEN A RESTRICTED CERTIFICATION, BUT IT ALSO REMOVES THE SUBJECT AREA EXAM WHICH ALSO DIDN'T ACTUALLY EXIST BUT IN PLACE, THEY HAD TO DO THE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR TEST. THAT IS THE BIG PIECE IS THAT SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS WILL NOT HAVE TO TAKE THE PROFESSIONAL EDUCATOR TEST
009AND THEY CAN GET CERTIFIED BASED ON MSW AND WORKING IN A DISTRICT FOR AT LEAST A YEAR AND THEN ALSO WE HAVE THEM GO THROUGH A SIMILAR TEACHER INDUCTION PROGRAM. SO IT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT BECAUSE WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD TO TERMINATE SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO PASS THE TEST AND ALSO RETENTION OF INDIVIDUALS TAKING THE TEST MORE THAN ONCE. IT'S COSTLY. SO NOW THEY WON'T RESIGN BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T PASSED THE TEST. I'M DEFINITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO RETENTION. NOTHING ELSE TO ADD. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MENTION WITH TRACY AND MYRNA, THE TEAM WAS VERY PROACTIVE ON THIS AND ACTUALLY WORKED WITH YOUR STATE LOBBYIST, MS. McDOUGLE, TO ACTUALLY GET THIS LANGUAGE, TO WRITE IT INTO A BILL AND GET IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. THANK YOU, MYRNA, AND THE TEAM. NEXT
010YEAR MAYBE WE'LL GO AFTER SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS. GUIDANCE COUNSELORS. OKAY. HOUSE BILL 1105, WHICH CAN'T REALLY SEE, BUT I HOPE IT'S UP THERE. MARCOS, BILL, KRISTY TO TALK ABOUT HOUSE BILL 1105, THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION. MARCOS OR GARY, DO YOU WANT TO KICK IT OFF? GOOD MORNING. HOUSE BILL 1105, FIRST OF ALL IT ELIMINATES THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION. PREVIOUSLY, OUR SENIORS WERE CATEGORIZED AS GRADUATES, NONGRADUATES, OR CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION. THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION HAS BEEN REMOVED. NOW STUDENTS WILL BE EITHER GRADUATE OR NONGRADUATE AND ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION USED TO BE ABLE TO WALK DURING THE CEREMONY. THAT WILL BE ONE ADJUSTMENT THAT THE COMMUNICATION WILL BE REALLY IMPORTANT WITH THAT. CHRISTIE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THAT'S ALREADY BEING COMMUNICATED. ABSOLUTELY. WE HAD ALL OF THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND THEIR
011ADMINISTRATIVE TEAMS. WE MET WITH THEM YESTERDAY AT THE ISC. WE WENT OVER THIS NEW LEGISLATION WITH THEM. WE'VE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THEM WITH A PARENT LETTER. WE'RE WORKING WITH COMMUNICATIONS ON THAT AS WELL. WE ALSO REACHED OUT TO COMMUNICATIONS ABOUT PUTTING INFORMATION ON OUR WEBSITE SO THAT PARENTS REALLY WERE KIND OF OVERCOMMUNICATING. WE'LL MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS AWARE OF NEW LEGISLATION BECAUSE YOU'LL HAVE FAMILIES WHO IN THE PAST, MAYBE A SIBLING, WAS ABLE TO WALK WITH A COC, SO IT WILL BE A LITTLE CONFUSING FOR OUR FAMILIES. WE ALSO ASKED OUR PRINCIPALS, AS THEY WELCOME THEIR STUDENTS IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF SCHOOL AND DO THEIR GRADE-LEVEL CONVERSATIONS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE MESSAGING THAT AS WELL. WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH STUDENT SERVICES, OUR SCHOOL COUNSELORS ARE ON THE SAME PAGE WITH US. WE'VE
012BEEN WORKING FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS AS CROSS DIVISIONAL WITH THE TEAM MONITORING THE INDIVIDUALS TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF WHAT WAS CALLED CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION AND MAKE SURE WE GRADUATE MORE STUDENTS WITH THEIR STANDARD DIPLOMA. WE CAN SHARE A LITTLE MORE OF THAT. ALSO, PART OF 1105 IS THAT THE STATE WILL CREATE A LETTER THAT MUST BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE STUDENTS BY JANUARY 1, 2026. WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THAT LETTER YET. ONCE WE DO, THAT WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO STUDENTS AS WELL. IT ALSO HAS PROVISION ABOUT IEPs. WE MET WITH SHELLY HAYES ABOUT THAT IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT. FIRST, WE ASKED THE QUESTION, DO WE HAVE IEPs THAT HAVE A GOAL OF A COC. AND SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO GIVE US A DEFINITIVE ANSWER BUT SHE SAID SHE'S ALMOST CERTAIN
013NO IEP GOALS WITH COC WITHOUT VERIFYING ONE BY ONE. HER TEAM IS ON IT. THAT'S NEVER ANYONE'S GOAL, CERTAINLY NOT IN AN IEP. THE GOAL IS GRADUATION. IT'S NOT PART OF THAT. HOWEVER, IF IT WERE, WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT'S COMMUNICATED TO STUDENT SERVICES AS WELL AND TO ESE. ANOTHER PART OF THE UPDATE, REQUIRES THAT THE POLICY BE UPDATED AS WELL FOR COC TO BE STRICKEN. THAT WILL COME UP IN THE SECOND HALF LATER. BUT IT WILL ALSO BE ENTERED INTO THE STUDENT PROGRESSION PLAN. ANY MENTION OF COC WILL BE STRICKEN. THAT WILL BE TAKEN TO THE BOARD ON SEPTEMBER 30. YOU'LL SEE IT IN YOUR RED-LINE EDITS. Van Ayres: JUST TO GIVE THE IMPACT FOR THE BOARD. WE HAVE OVER 15,000 GRADUATES THIS PAST MAY. HOW MANY CURRENTLY -- HOW MANY CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETIONS
014ARE WE ANTICIPATING FOR THIS YEAR? HOW MANY STUDENTS THIS IS. YOU GUYS HAVE DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB OVER THE YEARS REDUCING THAT NUMBER. JUST FOR THE IMPACT OF HOW MANY CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION. RIGHT NOW WE'RE MONITORING -- WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER. WE MET ACTUALLY LAST WEEK TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS. WE'RE DEPENDING ON THE SCHOOL INPUT AFTER THE LAST CLT. THEY TOOK THE CLT LAST WEEK. BASED ON THE JUNE CLT, WE WERE LOOKING AROUND 170ISH. THAT'S TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ONLY. THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE CHARTERS. THAT NUMBER CAN FLUCTUATE DEPENDING ON HOW WE CONTINUE TO WORK IN THE CLT, THE FAST RETAKE. CHRIS, IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD. THAT'S SPOT ON. WE ARE EAGERLY ANTICIPATING THE JULY CLT RESULTS. Van Ayres: YOU AND YOUR TEAM, HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, TEACHERS, STAFF MEMBERS, YOU HAVE ATTACKED THAT. OUR
015GRADUATION RATE. WE'RE EXPECTING ONE OF THE BEST NUMBERS WE'VE HAD. TO YOU ALL AND ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK, SO I WANTED THE BOARD TO HEAR THAT NUMBER. YOU'RE TALKING 150 TO 170 POTENTIAL IF THIS WAS TO BE THIS YEAR, 150 TO 170, THAT ACTUALLY WALKED ACROSS THE STAGE. BUT NEXT YEAR, WE WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED TO WALK BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T GRADUATED. JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA ON THE NUMBER OF HOW MANY THAT IS. THAT NUMBER IN THE PAST USED TO BE THREE, FOUR HUNDRED. MANY YEARS AGO, 600. THIS TEAM HAS DONE AN INCREDIBLE JOB. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. WE'LL MOVE ON TO SLIDE 6. HOUSE BILL 1255 EDUCATION. GARY. THAT GIVES SCHOOL DISTRICTS THE OPTION OF OFFERING THE CLASSIC LEARNING TEST, CLT 10. YOU MAY BE AWARE OF THE CLT. THIS IS
016ANOTHER VERSION OF THAT, THE CLT 10. AS ALTERNATIVE FOR PSAT OR PREACT. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THE PSAT IS THE NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP TEST. SO WE WANT ALL STUDENTS TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. HOWEVER, IT COULD BE AN OPTION FOR SOME OF OUR STUDENTS AND CHRISTIE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT. WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING TO PILOT AT SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS THE POSSIBILITY OF OUR 10th GRADE STUDENTS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THEY TAKE PM 3 IF THEY DO NOT PASS, THEN WHAT COULD WE DO IN TERMS OF GETTING THEM A CLT 10 TEST. IT IS CHEAPER, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF PILOTING THAT TO SEE IF WE CAN GET SOME OF OUR STUDENTS TO MEET THE GRADUATION BENCHMARK ASSESSMENTS EARLIER ON. ALL STUDENTS WILL STILL TAKE THE PSAT. WE'VE BEEN DOING
017THAT FOR YEARS. IT IS THE NATIONAL MERIT QUALIFYING TEST. ALSO, REQUIRED FINANCIAL LITERACY COURSE IS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE INSTRUCTION ON THE COST OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, INCLUDING THE COST OF ATTENDANCE, COMPLETION OF AS IF FAFSA, SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS. JEFFERSON, THOSE STUDENTS DID AN AWESOME JOB PRESENTING THAT. NOW COMING TO FRUITION. THIS IS THE FINANCIAL LITERACY CURRICULUM. IT'S UNIT FIVE WHERE IT IS EMBEDDED. I'VE HIGHLIGHTED THE PARTS WHERE CHAPTER 6 IS THE COST OF COLLEGE, POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND INCLUDES SCHOLARSHIPS, GRANTS, BRIGHT FUTURE, STUDENT LOANS, FAFSA. IT'S ALL EMBEDDED IN THE CURRICULUM. TWO CTE COURSES, PERSONAL FINANCE AND PERSONAL FINANCE LITERACY. I SPOKE WITH MR. JARGO AND MR. MURILLO AND IT IS EMBEDDED IN THERE AS WELL. I THINK THAT IS ANOTHER IMPORTANT REMINDER OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS OUGHT TO BE A LAW PROGRAM AND GETTING OUR
018KIDS INVOLVED. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF GETTING ACROSS THE FINISH LINE AND THEN IT'S IN THE STANDARDS WHAT OUR STUDENTS PROPOSE. JUST AWESOME. MR. MURILLO, THEY HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB. UP 10% ON FAFSA PARTICIPATION FROM LAST YEAR. DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB. HOUSE BILL 443, EDUCATION. TALK ABOUT THE CHARTER SCHOOL PROVISION. NEXT TWO SLIDES WILL BE COVERED BY ANGELA. ALL RIGHT, START ON 443. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE LEGISLATIVE CHANGES WITH HOUSE BILL 443. THESE ARE THINGS THAT APPLY TO THE CHARTER SCHOOLS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS CHANGED IS WE CANNOT IMPOSE ADMINISTRATIVE DEADLINES LATER THAN OUR DEADLINES. WE NOTIFIED ALL OF THE GRANTS AND OTHER PROGRAMS THAT WE WORK WITH TO LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE CHANGE. CHARTER SCHOOLS CAN ADOPT THEIR OWN CODE OF CONDUCT. NOW IT'S MORE FORMALIZED
019IN LEGISLATION. IT DOES HAVE TO ALIGN WITH THEIR MISSION AND ALSO THERE HAS TO BE ACKNOWLEDGMENT BY PARENTS. WE'LL BE WORKING WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT'S LINED UP. SPONSORS, WE HAVE TO GIVE ACCESS TO OUR STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM. WE ALREADY DO THIS. I TALKED WITH I.T. ABOUT THIS. THAT'S NOT A CHANGE THERE. IT ALSO AUTHORIZES HIGH-PERFORMING CHARTER SCHOOLS, WHICH WE HAVE 15, TO INCREASE STUDENT ENROLLMENT AND EXPAND GRADE LEVELS. THEY CAN SUBMIT NOW QUARTERLY FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. USED TO ONLY HAVE TO SUBMIT THEM MONTHLY. THEY CAN CONSOLIDATE CHARTERS. THEY CAN RECEIVE A 15-YEAR CONTRACT RENEWAL AND THEY CAN ALSO ASSUME THE CHARTER OF AN EXISTING -- THEY CAN ASSUME THE CHARTER OF AN EXISTING CHARTER SCHOOL WITHIN THE SAME SCHOOL DISTRICT. THOSE ARE CHANGES THERE. WE'LL NEED TO MONITOR THAT. THOSE WOULD GO THROUGH
020THE AMENDMENT PROCESS. IF THAT HAPPENS, WE WOULD WORK WITH THEM THROUGH THE AMENDMENT PROCESS. 1105. WE HAVE CHANGES WITH 1105. THIS IS WHERE SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE REQUIRED TO SHARE THEIR SURTAX REVENUES, HALF-CENT SALES TAX, MILLAGE WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS, BASED ON STUDENT ENROLLMENT. WE ALREADY DO THIS. ONE OF THE CHANGES, THOUGH, ON THE NEXT BULLET POINT, BY JULY 1st OF EVERY YEAR, WE HAVE TO GIVE AN ESTIMATE TO THE CHARTER SCHOOLS ABOUT HOW MUCH WE -- THEY WOULD BE GIVEN, WHICH WE ALREADY WORKED WITH OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND WE HAVE GIVEN THAT INFORMATION TO THE CHARTER SCHOOLS. THE OTHER TWO BULLET POINTS KIND OF GO TOGETHER. CONVERSION CHARTER SCHOOLS. PERTAIN TO OUR MUNICIPALITIES. NOW THEY CAN HAVE A PARENT VOTE TO CONVERT SCHOOL MUNICIPALITY TO A CHARTER SCHOOL. THEY CAN ALSO, THE CITY CAN CREATE A
021JOB ENGINE CHARTER THAT MAY CONVERT TO CHARTER SCHOOL ENGINE AS WELL. THEY WOULD NEED TO NEGOTIATE THE LEASE AND RENTAL FEES AND GO THROUGH THE APPLICATION PROCESS AS WELL. SPONSORS, MONITOR CHARTER SCHOOLS USING THE STATE MONITORING TOOL. RIGHT NOW WE USE OUR OWN MONITORING TOOL. SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A CHANGE. WE'RE WAITING FOR THE MONITORING TOOL TO COME OUT FROM THE STATE TO APPLY THIS TO OUR CHARTER SCHOOLS. UNTIL THEN, WE ARE USING OUR STANDARD MONITORING TOOL. THANK YOU. IF YOU WANT TO HANG TIGHT, WE'LL GO TO 2510. MR. FARKAS WILL JOIN YOU. THIS IS ONE OF OUR 2510 PRE-K THROUGH 12, IT IS A POLICY BILL BUT TIED TO THE BUDGET. IT'S AROUND IMPLEMENTING POLICY AND CHANGING STATUTES RELATED TO BUDGETARY ITEMS. Christopher Farkas: 2510 SPEAKS SPECIFICALLY TO SCHOOLS OF HOPE, TAKING OVER
022AND CO-LOCATING WITH US. WE HAD LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS AT THE DAIS AND ONE-ON-ONES ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. THIS IS SCHOOLS OF HOPE. IT'S LIMITED THE NUMBER IN THAT PART, TOO, AND WHAT IT AFFECTS. I THINK THE CONCERN WOULD BE IF IT EXPANDS TO ALL CHARTER SCHOOLS GOING FORWARD. EITHER WAY, WE TALKED ABOUT IT AS A GROUP MAKING SURE OUR SCHOOLS ARE FULL AND PEOPLE IN EACH ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS. THIS COULD HAVE A SMALL IMPACT BUT IT DEFINITELY IS THE FOOT IN THE WATER TO HAVE A MUCH LARGER IMPACT IF IT CONTINUES DOWN THIS PATH. THANK YOU ALL. SHAY IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER PROVISION 2510. GOOD MORNING, BOARD. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE EXPANSION OF METRICS AND PERSISTENTLY LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS. RIGHT NOW, THE STATE HAS BEEN MONITORING SCHOOLS THAT HAS
023HAD A D OR F THE LAST THREE OF FIVE YEARS. PRE-COVID, WE HAD 38 SCHOOLS ON THE PERSISTENTLY LOW PERFORMING LIST. AT THE END OF THE PAST SCHOOL YEAR WE WERE DOWN TO JUST 4, WHICH MEANS WE'RE CREATING SUSTAINABLE, VIABLE SCHOOLS OF C OR BETTER IN OUR LOWEST PERFORMING SCHOOLS. THAT'S BEEN HAPPENING ACROSS THE STATE. NOW THE STATE IS GOING TO HONE IN ON A NEW METRIC. THE NEW METRIC IS GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THEY ARE LOOKING AT THIRD GRADE SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN THE BOTTOM 10% IN THIRD GRADE READING. THEY WILL BE LOOKING AT SCHOOLS IN THE BOTTOM 10% IN FOURTH GRADE MATH. ANY SCHOOL IDENTIFIED IN THE LAST TWO OF THREE YEARS IN THE BOTTOM 10% OF READING OR BOTTOM 10% OF FOURTH GRADE MATH WILL NOW BE ADDED
024TO THE PERSISTENTLY LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS LIST. WE'LL GO FROM FOUR SCHOOLS ON THE PERSISTENTLY LOW PERFORMING LIST TO 38 SCHOOLS, BACK TO 38 ON THAT LIST. ONCE THE STATE HAS RELEASED THE OFFICIAL LIST, THIS WAS OUR PRELIMINARY DATA LOOKING AT THE SCHOOLS IDENTIFIED ONCE THE STATE RELEASES THE OFFICIAL LIST, WE WILL SEND THAT OUT TO BOARD MEMBERS AND WE WILL TALK ABOUT OUR PLAN TO WORK WITH THIRD GRADE PROFICIENCY AND FOURTH GRADE MATH PROFICIENCY. JOHN NEWMAN IS UP NEXT. HE'LL COVER THE NEXT TWO BILLS. GROUPED THESE TOGETHER. RELATED BACK TO 1105, ESSENTIALLY ONE OF OUR TRAIN BILLS. JOHN WILL TALK ABOUT THE NEW STATUTE RELATED TO TRESPASSING ON A SCHOOL BUS. GOOD MORNING. THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THESE ITEMS. 1105 IS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY GENERATED BILL THAT WAS PASSED THROUGH THE LEGISLATION. IT
025CAME AS THE RESULT OF A RISE OF DISTURBANCES ON OUR SCHOOL BUSES. BY THE TIME LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOWED UP, THE PERPETRATORS OR THE SUSPECTS COULDN'T BE ARRESTED BECAUSE IT WAS A MISDEMEANOR. WASN'T WITNESSED IN THEIR PRESENCE WHICH IS CONSIDERED A WARRANTLESS SEARCH. WORKING WITH LAURA HILL, OUR TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR WE CAME UP WITH LANGUAGE THAT GAVE LAW ENFORCEMENT SOME TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE ON-SCENE PROBABLE CAUSE ARREST EVEN THOUGH IT'S STILL A MISDEMEANOR. WE'RE HOPING THAT REDUCES THE NUMBER OF DISTURBANCES WHERE UNAUTHORIZED PEOPLE ARE ENTERING THE BUSES AT BUS STOPS GIVING BUS DRIVERS A HARD TIME, STARTING FIGHTS WITH SOME OF OUR STUDENTS. IT WAS A REMEDY TO HELP OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FOLKS OUT. AGAIN, ANOTHER EXAMPLE, SOMETHING THAT LAURA HILL AND JOHN NEWMAN BROUGHT FORWARD BACK, GOSH, A YEAR AGO AND WE STARTED WORKING
026ON THIS WITH STATE AGENCIES, WITH OUR LEGISLATORS AND GOT THIS LANGUAGE WORKING WITH COMMITTEE STAFF INTO A BILL. IT BOUNCED THROUGH A FEW DIFFERENT BILLS. AGAIN, MADE IT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. SCHOOL SAFETY. SCHOOL SAFETY. THIS IS THE 7th YEAR IN A ROW WHERE THE LEGISLATION HAS MADE SOME MODIFICATIONS OR CREATED MANDATES AND LAWS AS A RESULT OF SCHOOL SAFETY. THIS ONE HERE, THERE IS A LOT TO THE BILL, THREE POINTS THAT IMPACT THE DISTRICT, FIRST, IT IDENTIFIES THE NORMAL OPERATION OF A SCHOOL DAY. IF YOU REMEMBER CORRECTLY FROM LAST YEAR, THAT WAS OPEN CONCEPT WHERE THEY WERE LOOKING FOR SAFETY PROTOCOLS THAT WOULD EXIST WHENEVER SOMEBODY WAS ON OUR CAMPUS, WHICH IS A BIT UNREASONABLE CONSIDERING SOME OF OUR CAMPUSES ARE OPEN 18, 19 HOURS OUT OF THE DAY. Christopher Farkas: THINK OF HIGH
027SCHOOL AND -- COMPLETELY UNREALISTIC TO HAVE IT CLOSED DOWN AFTER THE BELL, END OF THE DAY TO THE EVENING. SO THE DEFINITION OF A SCHOOL DAY FOR SAFETY PROTOCOLS TO BE MANDATED, EVEN THOUGH WE DO HAVE SOME VERY GOOD BEST PRACTICES FOR BEFORE AND AFTER OUR SCHOOL DAYS, 30 MINUTES BEFORE AND 30 MINUTES AFTER. THE SECOND ITEM WAS A LITTLE BIT OF CLEANING UP. IT IDENTIFIED EXCLUSIONARY ZONES IN YOUR SCHOOLS. THOSE ARE DEFENSIBLE SPACES. PRIOR TO THAT, A PARKING LOT HAD TO BE EITHER STAFFED, MANNED OR LOCKED. ALL DUE RESPECT TO OUR VEHICLES, OUR RESOURCES ARE DEFINING IN THE DEFENSIBLE SPACE, WHERE THE INSTRUCTIONAL SPACE IS, WHERE THE TRUE CAMPUS IS. THAT ALLEVIATED SOME PROTOCOLS THAT WE HAD TO WORRY ABOUT WITH REGARD TO SECURING PARTS OF OUR CAMPUSES WHERE WE REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO
028EXPEND ANY RESOURCES. THE LAST ONE IS SOMETHING THAT HELPED ALL OF US OUT. IF YOU ARE IN A VOCATIONAL SCHOOL OR A VOCATIONAL CLASSROOM, SOMETIMES THOSE BAY WINDOWS HAVE TO BE OPEN OR IF YOU HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS IN THE WOOD SHOP, METAL SHOP OR AUTO SHOP, THEY REALLY GO AGAINST THE GRAIN OF TRADITIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL SPACE AND ENVIRONMENT AND LEGISLATION RECOGNIZED THAT, SO IT ALLOWS US TO EXEMPT THOSE LOCATIONS AS LONG AS WE HAVE A PREEXISTING, SECURITY FEATURE. REALLY, WHAT THE PREVIOUS OR THE LEGISLATION SESSION DID IS CLEAN UP AND CLARIFY SOME OF THOSE PROTOCOLS THAT THEY PUT IN PLACE LAST YEAR. AS AN EXAMPLE, BOTH OF THESE BILLS, 1105 AND 1470 ARE DIRECT IMPACTS BY JOHN NEWMAN AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE FUNCTIONAL IMPACT AS TO WHAT IS HAPPENING. WE WANT TO KEEP OUR KIDS
029SAFE BUT RUN SCHOOLS. CHIEF NEWMAN AND KRISTIN DAVIS AND HER TEAM FOR ADVOCATING FOR THAT. GLAD WE GOT IT THROUGH. SCOTT BROOKS, HOUSE BILL FOR THE APPRENTICESHIP FUNDING BILL. WITH THIS ONE, A LOT OF TIMES WHEN THE STATE COMES UP WITH APPRENTICESHIP OR COME UP WITH SOMETHING NEW, ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT WHAT CHANGES. THE REALITY WITH THIS ONE IS THEY REALLY ARE FOLLOWING WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING A LONG TIME. THIS BILL BASICALLY SAYS OUR APPRENTICESHIP COMMITTEES THAT WORK WITH US MUST HAVE A STANDARD CONTRACT. MUST BE A CONTRACT THAT EVERYONE HAS. YOU GUYS KNOW EVERY YEAR WE BRING A BOARD ITEM. ALL THE CONTRACTS ARE IDENTICAL. EXACT SAME ONES. OUR ATTORNEYS GOING THROUGH THEM. WHAT WE FOUND OUT, ACROSS THE STATE, DIFFERENT TECHNICAL COLLEGES WOULD HAVE DIFFERENT AGREEMENTS, WHETHER THE IRONWORKERS OR IEBW. THE STATE FELT
030THAT WAS UNFAIR AND WANTED EVERYONE TO HAVE THE SAME CONTRACT. WE SHARED OUR CONTRACT WITH THEM. HOPEFULLY THE CONTRACT THAT WILL GO OUT STATEWIDE, FORCED TO USE, HOPEFULLY LOOKS A LOT LIKE WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN THE PAST. THE OTHER PIECE, THEY WANT TO COME UP WITH FAIR FUNDING FOR ALL THE APPRENTICESHIPS. ACROSS THE STATE, THERE IS A LOT OF VARIANCE ABOUT THE FUNDING AND HOW THEY ARE FUNDED. WE HAVE BEEN VERY TRANSPARENT. CONTRACTS ARE OUT. EVERYONE SEES IT AND IS AWARE OF IT. THE STATE IS WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES RIGHT NOW GOING THROUGH AND LOOKING AND MAKING SURE THERE WOULD BE A FAIR AND EQUITABLE SPLIT SO THE COMMITTEES GET THEIR FAIR SHARE. THERE ARE SOME COMMITTEES THAT PARTNER WITH DISTRICTS AND GET NO MONEY. THE DISTRICT KEEPS EVERY BIT OF THE MONEY. I
031THINK THAT'S WHAT HAS LED TO THIS. LAST WEEK, I MET WITH ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT WE PARTNER WITH TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND WHERE WE WERE AND WE WERE IN GOOD STANDING. THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WAS THERE ALSO WITH US TOGETHER. THAT'S THE HIGHLIGHT. WE'LL MOVE INTO THE BUDGET WITH JAMIE LEWIS. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF SLIDES WITH THREE ON THE F -- AND ALSO TALK ABOUT THE FRS. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. WE'LL SUMMARIZE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CHANGED FROM THE BUDGET STANDPOINT. THESE SLIDES REPRESENT A COMPARISON OF THE THIRD CALC TO THE REPORT OR REALLY THE FIRST CALC. WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THE FOURTH CALCULATION FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA. NO UPDATE AS OF TODAY BUT WE DO KNOW THEY ARE WORKING ON IT. OVER THE WEEKEND AS WE
032NOTIFIED YOU RECENTLY, THE SECOND CALC WAS RELEASED AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH ALL THE DETAILS OF THAT. BUT THAT WAS RELEASED BY THE STATUTORY DEADLINE. IN SUMMARY, WE'LL GO THROUGH EACH OF THESE AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES. FROM THE THIRD CALC TO THE CONFERENCE REPORT, WE NOTICED THAT THE BSA SLIGHT INCREASE OF $41.62. DJJ SUPPLEMENTAL ALLOCATION DECREASE SLIGHTLY BUT ROUGHLY THE SAME AMOUNT. EDUCATION ENRICHMENT ALLOCATION DID INCREASE BY $181,665. THE ESE GUARANTEED ALLOCATION, NOTE THAT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE THERE OF $4,064,714. MENTAL HEALTH AND SAFE SCHOOLS, BOTH TOOK A DECREASE. SO WE'RE MONITORING THAT AND WHAT THE IMPACT OF THAT IS. STUDENT TRANSPORTATION ALLOCATION DID INCREASE BY $686,000. AND THE MILLAGE COMPRESSION WAS ADJUSTED AND IT'S GOING TO RESULT IN $1.6 MILLION INCREASE. Van Ayres: ON THAT POINT, MILLAGE COMPRESSION,
033THAT WAS SOMETHING OUR DISTRICT UTILIZE. ALL DISTRICTS CAN IMPOSE THE .748. ALL SCHOOL DISTRICTS DO. THE COMPRESSION FACTOR, THOSE ARE ADDITIONAL MONIES WE RECEIVE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO PUSH US UP TO THE STATE AVERAGE. OUR PROPERTY TAX VALUES DON'T REACH THE STATE AVERAGE. WE RECEIVE THE COMPRESSION THAT HELPS US GET TO THE STATE AVERAGE. PART OF THE EQUALIZATION FACTOR. THAT'S SOMETHING WE IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, 2010, COMPRESSION WAS ADDED, PROPERTY POOR, STUDENT RICH. GOOD TO SEE A LITTLE INCREASE IN THE COMPRESSION WE'LL RECEIVE. THIS WAS A NOTE, THAT .748 DOES REMAIN CONSISTENT AND IT DOES TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT EVERY YEAR. WE CAN COUNT ON THAT. TO THE SECOND SLIDE, FEDERAL CONNECTED STUDENT SUPPLEMENT INCREASED BY ROUGHLY $7,000. WE DO WANT TO NOTE, THE ACADEMIC ACCELERATION OPTION, THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY INCLUDED IN THE BSA. SO
034THAT IS NO LONGER. IT RESULTED IN AN ALLOCATION OF AROUND $51 MILLION. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT AS WE CONSIDER THE BSA AND THE SLIGHT CHANGE IT HAD, WE WANT TO NOTE THIS WAS REMOVED. OBVIOUSLY, IF THIS WAS INCLUDED IN THE BSA, WE WOULD HAVE SEEN A SLIGHTLY LARGER INCREASE. AS YOU GO BACK THROUGH HISTORY, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT CHANGES ALL THE TIME. IT'S HARD TO COMPARE YEAR TO YEAR FOR THE BSA. CLASS SIZE REDUCTION ALLOCATION, SLIGHT DECREASE OF $3.4 MILLION. STATE FUNDING DISCRETIONARY SUPPLEMENT DID INCREASE $12 MILLION. THAT IS A POSITIVE FOR OUR DISTRICT. REQUIRED LOCAL EFFORT WAS INCREASED BY 18 MILLION. DISCRETIONARY LOCAL EFFORT WAS INCREASED BY 6. IN THE FAMILY EMPOWERMENT SCHOLARSHIP, WE DO SEE A CHANGE THERE WHERE THE THIRD CALC SHOWED $197 MILLION BUDGET FOR THAT AND THEN
035THE ORIGINAL CONFERENCE REPORT FOR THIS YEAR IS 188 MILLION. WE'RE MONITORING WHAT THE CHANGES FOR THE SECOND CALCULATION OVERALL, THIRD CALCULATION, WE SEE A SLIGHT CHANGE OF ABOUT $45 MILLION FROM THE THIRD CALCULATION TO THE SECOND CALC. SORRY, THE CONFERENCE REPORT. MONITORING THE CHANGE FROM THE THIRD CALC TO THE SECOND CALCULATION. THE FOURTH CALCULATION HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED, SO WE DO NOT HAVE THE COMPLETE STORY FOR LAST YEAR. A POSITIVE THING FOR THE PEOPLE IS A CHANGE WITH THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM. A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS. THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN IMPLEMENTED. FRS EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION RATE FOR 24-25, SLIGHT INCREASES HAPPENED TO THE REGULAR CLASS. THE BOARD MEMBER CLASS TOOK A SLIGHT DECREASE. AND THEN SENIOR MANAGEMENT ALSO TOOK A SLIGHT DECREASE. ESTIMATED $5 MILLION COST TO OUR DISTRICT AND DOES NOT REQUIRE A POLICY UPDATE. WE HAVE
036THE 2026 LEGISLATIVE SESSION DATES OUT. IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, WE DO HAVE ON YOUR CALENDARS ONE-ON-ONES SCHEDULED WITH YOU TO START PLANNING OUR 2026 PLATFORM. I'LL BE FOLLOWING UP MORE ON THAT. THIS IS AS AN FYI. THAT WAS QUICK. THANK YOU AND QUESTIONS. WE WANTED TO COVER SOME KEY BILLS AND ENSURE WE GOT TO EACH OF THEM TODAY. WE HAVE A GREAT, GREAT TEAM AVAILABLE HERE FOR QUESTIONS. Van Ayres: THANK YOU, KRISTIN, THROUGH THIS ENTIRE PROCESS AND GETTING THIS TOGETHER. VERY CLEAN AND APPRECIATE STAFF. WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLE STAFF, AS THE SESSION MOVES THROUGH, STAFF IS ON TOP OF IT UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP AS WELL HELPING US GET THROUGH THE SESSION. BOARD MEMBERS, STAFF IS HERE. WE MOVED THROUGH THE BIG UPDATES. I SAW YOU WRITING A BUNCH OF STUFF DOWN. WE'RE HERE TO CLARIFY ANY
037QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: IF EACH BOARD MEMBER WILL STICK TO FIVE MINUTES. WE ONLY HAVE EXTRA EIGHT MINUTES. IF EVERYONE DOES FIVE MINUTES, THAT'S 30 MINUTES. I'M GOING TO TIME YOU AND PLEASE MONITOR YOUR TIME SO EVERYONE HAS FIVE MINUTES. BEGIN WITH MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: DITTO. SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, YOU MUST BE VERY PROUD OF YOUR STAFF. I'M SO IMPRESSED. MS. DAVIS, COMPREHENSIVE JOB. I FEEL SECURE WITH YOUR EXPLANATIONS BUT A FEW QUESTIONS. HOUSE BILL 1105, EDUCATION CHARTER SCHOOLS. OF WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE CITY, MAYOR JANE FOR RIGHT NOW CAN CREATE A JOB ENGINE CHARTER AND MAY APPLY TO CONVERT AN EXISTING SCHOOL, THIS IS TO FARKAS TOO, TO A JOB ENGINE CHARTER TO NEGOTIATE RENTAL OR LEASING FEES. HAVE WE INTERFACED WITH MAYOR CASTOR YET? NO, NOBODY HAS APPROACHED
038US ABOUT THIS YET. THIS WAS SOMETHING LAST SESSION IN A BILL. IT DIDN'T MAKE IT THROUGH THE FINISH LINE, BUT IT WAS ESSENTIALLY LANGUAGE FROM A SINGULAR ISSUE IN THE PANHANDLE AND BROUGHT FORWARD BUT WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE BOARD IS AWARE OF WHAT'S OUT THERE. SOMETIMES THINGS ARE WRITTEN FOR SINGULAR ISSUES. Lynn Gray: I GOT IT. PAGE 9, SENATE BILL 2510. THIS GOES TO FARKAS, AMEND STATUTE, CO-LOCATE. THIS IS A COMING UP SITUATION WHERE I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON IT, BUT WHERE ARE WE AT WITH THIS WONDERFUL -- I KNOW WE HAVE ANOTHER RETREAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. THAT'S ONE OF OUR FOCUSES, MAKING SURE SCHOOLS ARE FILLED WHERE THEY NEED TO BE OR CLOSED DOWN WHERE WE DON'T NEED THEM TO BE. IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING MY TEAM HAS KEPT THEIR EYES ON AND
039VERY IMPORTANT. COULD HAVE A HUGE IMPACT. NOT JUST IF A SCHOOL IS HALF FULL. COULD BE -- AS OPPOSED TO THE ENGINE CHARTER WASN'T APPLICABLE TO US, THERE'S NO RENTAL ON THAT PART TWO. WE'RE COVERED -- COVERING THE TOTAL COST OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE. LOGISTICS OF RUNNING A SCHOOL, DISMISSAL, ARRIVAL, HAVING DIFFERENT SCHOOLS, DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATION, KIDS RESPONSIBLE. LOGISTICAL STANDPOINT THAT WILL BE A HUGE CHALLENGE. SCHOOLS OF HOPE RIGHT NOW. I DON'T WANT TO BE CHICKEN LITTLE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE AWARE THAT BILL WAS INITIALLY INTRODUCED AS ALL CHARTER SCHOOLS AND THEN CAME DOWN TO SCHOOL OF HOPE. WE'RE WATCHING IT. THAT BEING SAID, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE SCHOOLS THAT ARE AT 50 AND 60 PERCENT CAPACITY. HUNDRED PERCENT OF SCHOOLS ACROSS THE DISTRICT THAT ARE ELIGIBLE
040THAT WOULD FIT INTO THIS CRITERIA. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MR. FARKAS. SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, WE'LL HAVE TO FACE THIS AS A BOARD. CLOSING SOME SCHOOLS AND COMBINING. I'LL GUESS WE'LL COVER IT DURING THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT. PAGE 10, SENATE BILL 2510, OH, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT -- AND THIS GOES TO ACTUALLY SHAY, ADDITIONAL LOW PERFORMING SCHOOLS, GOOD MORNING, MS. McRAE. LOVING THAT OUTFIT. WHEN WE LOOK AT UP TO 38 SCHOOLS, SO THE QUESTION IS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET THESE STUDENTS UP. HAVE WE IDENTIFIED INSTRUCTIONAL UNITS TO MAKE THAT OCCUR, ADDITIONAL UNITS? YES. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN WORKING TOWARDS PROFICIENCY. OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS WE'VE BEEN CLOSING THE GAP WITH ACCELERATING LEARNING AND BEEN FOCUSED ON GROWTH. NOW WE'RE FOCUSED ON TIER ONE INSTRUCTION WITH PROFICIENCY. ALREADY IN
041THE WORKS WITH TRACIEE BERGMAN'S TEAM MAKING SURE WE ARE ON TRACK FOR PROFICIENCY IN BOTH THIRD AND FOURTH GRADE. YES. Van Ayres: PROFICIENCY HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE TARGET AND FOCUS FOR ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. SO THIS LIST THAT WE'LL MONITOR, DOESN'T CHANGE OUR APPROACH TO HAVING ALL OUR STUDENTS APPRECIATIVE. GRADES THREE THROUGH FIVE, 3% INCREASE WHERE THE STATE WAS ONLY 2. IF WE CONTINUE ON THE TREND, INCREASING MORE THAN THE STATE, THAT NUMBER FROM 38 WILL DECREASE SIGNIFICANTLY. WE HAD A GOOD JUMP THIS PAST YEAR. Lynn Gray: INCLUSIONARY TIDBIT IS 26,000 ELL STUDENTS OR POSSIBLY, IS THAT -- REMEMBER, LAST YEAR, WE INTRODUCED AND MADE SURE THERE WAS A FOCUS ON OUR SUBGROUPS. THAT IS SOMETHING WE STARTED FOCUSING LAST YEAR IN THE SCHOOLS, MONITORING ALL OF OUR SUBGROUPS. THAT WOULD ALSO BE A LAYER
042THAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON AS WELL. PROFICIENCY AS WELL AS OUR ESSA SUBGROUPS. Lynn Gray: WE HAVE THEM AS A GROUP BUT A BIG GROUP. Nadia Combs: MEMBER GRAY, YOU HAVE ABOUT ONE MORE COMMENT. Lynn Gray: I RAN A HALF MARATHON AND I'M ALWAYS ON THE CLOCK NO MATTER WHAT. I DIDN'T GO AS FAST AS I WANTED TO. I HAD TO STOP FOR FUEL. PAGE 13, HAS THIS BEEN UPDATED YET? SCOTT. 681, APPRENTICESHIP AND PRE-APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FUNDING. HAS THIS -- OH, YES, SCOTT, HAVE WE UPDATED THE POLICY YET? AT THIS POINT, DON'T THINK A POLICY UPGRADE. WAITING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF ED TO DETERMINE WHAT THE FUNDING MUST BE. OUR GUYS, WE ALREADY HAVE A CONTRACT. WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO IS HAVE A STATEWIDE MINIMUM THAT EVERYONE MUST BE PAID AND STATEWIDE CONTRACT
043THAT EVERYONE MUST HAVE. Lynn Gray: SO THEN MS. DAVIS WILL UPDATE THE POLICY. I'M OUT OF TIME. Nadia Combs: MEMBER HAHN. Stacy Hahn: I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO 1105 AND THEN 2510, IF I HAVE TIME. 1105 ARE THE CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION. THIS IS REALLY DISAPPOINTING FOR ME BECAUSE OFTEN THE LEVEL, THE STATE LEVEL OR EVEN THE DISTRICT LEVEL, CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION ARE TALKED ABOUT AS A DEAD END FOR STUDENTS. I THINK THAT REALLY DEMONSTRATES A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE FULL SCOPE OF A DECISION LIKE THIS. AND THAT'S NO DISRESPECT TO THE LEGISLATURE. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN A 30 PLUS YEAR EDUCATOR LIKE MANY OF US ON THIS BOARD. THIS DID NOT CREATE A SILVER BULLET WHERE ALL OF A SUDDEN THE 150 OR SO KIDS ARE NOW GOING TO GET REGULAR DIPLOMAS AND CROSS THE
044STAGE. WHAT IT REALLY HAS DONE IS NOW MY GUESS IS IT'S GOING TO INCREASE OUR DROPOUT RATES AND REALLY PUT A LOT OF STRESS ON THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE. THESE STUDENTS TRY THEIR BEST. THERE ARE A LOT OF CONFOUNDING VARIABLES. POVERTY PROBABLY BEING THE BIGGEST ONE THAT PUTS BARRIERS UP TO THEM GETTING A DIPLOMA. THAT'S NOT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT TRYING OUR VERY BEST. WE DON'T AS A DISTRICT HAVE A LOT OF CONTROL OVER SOME OF THESE BARRIERS AND WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN. THEY STRUGGLE WITH TAKING HIGH-STAKES TESTING. AND NOW THEY ARE GOING TO LEAVE THIS DISTRICT WITH NOTHING FOR THEIR EFFORT, WITH NOTHING. AND WITHOUT THIS CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION, STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE FACED WITH LIMITED OPTIONS WHEN THEY LEAVE. FOR SOME STUDENTS, THEY STILL FEEL ENGAGED AND MOTIVATED ENOUGH BECAUSE
045THE DISTRICT WILL KEEP THEM ENGAGED TO GO ON FOR A GED. THEY WILL LOSE OPTIONS FOR TECHNICAL TRAINING. THEY WILL LOSE OPTIONS EVEN AT SOME COMMUNITY COLLEGES THAT HAVE SPECIAL PROTECTION SET UP FOR STUDENTS -- PROGRAMS SET UP FOR STUDENTS WITH CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION. I'M SURE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND COLLEGES WILL GO AWAY NOW, TOO, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE NO STUDENTS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA THAT CAN MATRICULATE INTO THOSE PROGRAMS. WHEN STUDENTS REALIZE THEY WON'T BE ALLOWED TO GRADUATE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR EFFORTS, THEY BECOME DISCOURAGED. THEY BECOME MARGINALIZED AND THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO DROP OUT. BECAUSE NOW THEY DON'T HAVE A MEANINGFUL EXIT CREDENTIAL AND SCHOOL SEEMS POINTLESS, SO WHY AM I GOING TO STICK AROUND. I WOULD LIKE US, NUMBER ONE, TASK OUR STAFF WITH TRACKING THE DROPOUT RATES MOVING FORWARD, ESPECIALLY BY
046DEMOGRAPHIC. WE KNOW WE'RE PROBABLY DEALING WITH LOW INCOME MINORITY STUDENTS WITH CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION JUST FROM THE DATA SHARED FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. AND NOW WE MOVE INTO THIS ISSUE FOR SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE WHERE STUDENTS WHO DROP OUT ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE UNEMPLOYED, STRUGGLE FINANCIALLY AND BECOME INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THEY ARE GOING TO BECOME MARGINALIZED EVEN FURTHER IN SOCIETY. NOW I ALSO WANT TO PUT THAT DATA POINT ON YOUR RADAR AND I WANT A REPORT BACK ON THAT MAYBE AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WHATEVER THOSE DATA POINTS ARE COLLECTED ON, WHERE ARE WE AT WITH THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE DATA. BECAUSE I WANT TO KNOW HOW THIS NEW BILL, THIS LAW IS REALLY IMPACTING OUR STUDENTS. WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE AT THE STATE LEVEL IS
047THEY SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THAT THESE CERTIFICATES ARE A STEPPING-STONE, NOT A DEAD END. THEY SHOULD HAVE INVESTED MONEY IN CREATING MULTIPLE PATHWAYS TO GRADUATION. THEY SHOULD HAVE EXPANDED THE WORKFORCE CERTIFICATES AND SHOULD HAVE GIVEN DISTRICTS MORE MONEY TO EXPAND TRANSITION PLANNING. SO INSTEAD OF FINDING THE SILVER BULLET, THEY HAVE NOW STRIPPED THESE VULNERABLE STUDENTS OF ANY HOPE FOR A FUTURE. I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE WORST BILLS THAT I'VE SEEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I THINK AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL, THE STEPS I LAID OUT, WE NEED TO NOW TAKE THESE STEPS. WE NEED TO FIND RESOURCES TO INVEST IN MULTIPLE PATHWAYS TO GRADUATION. I KNOW WE DO THESE THINGS. BUT NOW, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO THIS INSTEAD OF THE STATE USING A PUNITIVE LAW THAT ONLY HURTS
048STUDENTS INSTEAD OF TAKING MONEY AND INVESTING IT IN THESE STUDENTS. SO THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. IT'S VERY, VERY SAD. I WANT THAT ON THE RECORD BECAUSE I WANT THE LEGISLATURE TO UNDERSTAND. SOME OF YOU SHOULD HAVE REACHED OUT TO BOARD MEMBERS AND BUILT AN UNDERSTANDING AROUND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS DECISION. SO I WANT TO LOOK AT 2510, THE PRE-K THROUGH GRADE 12 AND THE PERSISTENTLY LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOLS. WHICH SCHOOLS FALL INTO THIS UNDER THIS NEW LAW? THAT'S MY LAST QUESTION. HI, SHAY. I WAS JUST CURIOUS WITH THIS NEW LAW, WHICH OF OUR SCHOOLS FALL UNDER THIS? LIKE, WHICH ARE GOING TO FALL UNDER THIS NEW LAW? WE HAVE DONE A PRELIMINARY LIST. THE STATE HAS NOT GIVEN US AN OFFICIAL LIST. SO THE LIST IS NOT OUT YET. IT IS THE BOTTOM 10% FOR THIRD GRADE
049ACROSS THE STATE. WE'VE IDENTIFIED 16 SCHOOLS IN ELEMENTARY OF OUR 140 THAT WOULD BE THIRD GRADE ELA ONLY. SOME OF THEM ARE CURRENT TRANSFORMATIONAL NETWORK SCHOOLS, SOME WILL BE TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS. WE IDENTIFIED FOUR SCHOOLS THAT WERE GRADE FOUR ONLY AND 14 THAT ARE BOTH. I CAN SEND YOU OUR PRELIMINARY LIST. DO YOU WANT TO WAIT FOR THE OFFICIAL STATE LIST? OKAY. WE'LL SEND IT TO YOU SO YOU WOULD SEE THE 38 SCHOOLS THIS WOULD APPLY TO. Stacy Hahn: I APPRECIATE THAT. THEN WE CAN MOVE FROM THERE AND TALK ABOUT A PLAN. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, DR. HAHN. NEXT IS MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO BE SPEAKING TO 1105 AS WELL, THE CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION. WHEN WE STAND ON THAT STAGE AND GREET THE STUDENTS COMING ACROSS, THERE WERE A
050LOT OF OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE DIFFICULTIES AND DISABILITIES, SPECIAL DISABILITIES WHO RECEIVED THOSE CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION AS WELL. I'M BOTHERED THAT WE DON'T HAVE OR DIDN'T PUT IN PLACE ANOTHER SPACE FOR THEM. WHAT IS IT THAT WE'RE DOING TO STRIVE FOR INCLUSIVITY FOR THOSE STUDENTS OR AN EQUITABLE SPACE FOR THEM TO COME ACROSS THAT STAGE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IF WE DON'T HAVE THOSE CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION TO MEMBER HAHN'S POINT. IS THIS PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE? THE FIRST THING WE DO AS A TEAM, PART OF THE TEAM IS ESE COMES IN AND THEY LOOK AT EVERY INDIVIDUAL STUDENT, EVEN THE STUDENT, WAIVER, WHEN IT COMES TO ESE AND ESL SCHOOLS, WHERE THEY ARE BY INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL, INDIVIDUAL STUDENT AS WELL. WE START THE PROCESS THE MOMENT AUGUST BEGINS. WE'LL START THAT THE NEXT MEETING
051LOOKING AT INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS, WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO GET THEIR DIPLOMA AND MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS. THE GOOD THING ABOUT THIS, THE ESE WAIVER AND ELL WAIVER, ELL LESS THAN TWO-YEAR WAIVER ARE STILL AVAILABLE. CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION IS ESSENTIALLY THE TEST SCORE IS WHAT'S MISSING. THE ESE AND ELL STUDENTS WHO SATISFY THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION, CREDITS AND GPA, STILL HAVE THE WAIVER OPTION IF THAT IS THE MISSING COMPONENT, THE TEST. WE MEET WITH EACH OF OUR SCHOOLS QUARTERLY AND GO THROUGH ONE BY ONE THE AT-RISK STUDENTS AND WE INCLUDE ESE AND ELL. WE CALL THEM GRAD CONVERSATIONS SO THEY ARE ALL AT THE CONVERSATIONS WHEN THEY HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION. Karen Perez: WHAT YOU'RE SAYING TO ME AND WHAT I'M HEARING AND MAYBE THE OTHER BOARD
052MEMBERS IS THAT THESE STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE A DIPLOMA? NOW THAT THEY DON'T RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION, THEY RECEIVE NOTHING. IF THEY DON'T PASS EXAMS, THEY RECEIVE NOTHING, AM I CORRECT? STUDENTS WHO DON'T MEET THE TESTING REQUIREMENT WILL BE CATEGORIZED AS A NONGRADUATE. Karen Perez: CORRECT WHEN IN THE PAST THEY COULD HAVE AT LEAST RECEIVED GRADUATE. THAT'S A PROBLEM. MY NEXT ONE IS, WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THIS MENTAL HEALTH ALLOCATIONS, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? JUST RECENTLY, THERE WAS A RESEARCH STUDY THAT CAME OUT FINDING THAT THE IMPACT OF SMART PHONES ON THE MENTAL HEALTH OF CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 13, IT WAS CONDUCTED IN 160 COUNTRIES WITH A PARTICIPATION OF 2 MILLION PARTICIPANTS. IT FOUND THAT THE MENTAL HEALTH, ESPECIALLY INCLUDING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, INCREASED. SO WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN MENTAL HEALTH
053ISSUES, NOT A DECREASE. SO HOW ARE WE WORKING WITH THIS DECREASE IN MENTAL HEALTH ALLOCATIONS AND SAFE SCHOOL ALLOCATIONS? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO BE DOING FOR THAT? I CAN SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO THE MENTAL HEALTH ASSISTANCE ALLOCATION. I THINK IT'S A LITTLE OVER $140 MILLION. I THINK $140,000 IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN. I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME. FORTUNATELY, THAT WON'T IMPACT US AT THIS POINT. WE ARE STILL ABLE TO DELIVER THE SAME SERVICES AND SUPPORT THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY DELIVERING. SO WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE IN THAT SPECIFIC LOSS WON'T HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON US RIGHT NOW. Karen Perez: COULD YOU PROVIDE MYSELF AND MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS SOME INFORMATION ON HOW MANY STUDENTS ACCESS OUR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, THEIR FAMILIES. FOR THE LAST I WANT TO SAY THREE YEARS, TO SHOW
054THE IMPACT OF HOW HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOLS ARE SUPPORTING FAMILIES AND STUDENTS AND THEIR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, PLEASE. YES, MA'AM. WE WILL ABSOLUTELY GET THAT FOR YOU. WE DO COLLECT THAT INFORMATION REGULARLY. SO I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU PROBABLY -- RIGHT NOW, CHRISTINE IS OUT, BUT SHE IS THE PERSON THAT MANAGES THAT DATA. BUT I WILL GET IT TO YOU RIGHT AWAY. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. THAT'S IT FOR ME. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. FIRST, LET ME SAY THANK YOU TO OUR STAFF. MANY OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING WITH OUR LEGISLATORS OVER THE PAST SESSION. JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL AND SEVERAL OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS THAT PARTICIPATED IN, THEY CLEARLY WERE AMAZING WHEN THEY PRESENTED WITHIN COMMITTEE AND PRESENTED THEIR BILL AND
055REALLY TALKED DIRECTLY ABOUT HOW THESE DIRECTLY IMPACT THEM. I THINK THAT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE ARE LAWS THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT STUDENTS AND THEY RECOGNIZE THAT AND THEY ARE PART OF THE CONVERSATION. SO I THINK THAT'S HUGE. THOSE BILLS THAT WE HAD DIRECT IMPACT ON AS A DISTRICT, HOUSE BILL 809, 1105, 1255, 1470, AGAIN, 681, ALL THESE BILLS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT HERE, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAD DIRECT IMPACT ON, FROM BOARD MEMBER ADVOCACY TO KRISTIN WORKING DIRECTLY WITH OUR LOBBYIST TO STAFF WORKING DIRECTLY WITH HOUSE AND SENATE MEMBERS AND THE HOUSE AND SENATE STAFF ON THE LANGUAGE OF THESE BILLS. SO THOSE DIRECT IMPACTS ARE THINGS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON. I THINK THAT IS A TRUE TESTAMENT TO THIS DISTRICT. I WANT TO COMMENT ON THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION AND ADD TO DR. HAHN'S
056COMMENTS. I'D LIKE TO SEE A PROCEDURE. IF WE KNOW A STUDENT IS NOT GOING TO GET A DIPLOMA, THEN WHAT ARE WE DOING? I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN ACTUAL CONVERSATION WITH THEIR PARENTS AND THE STUDENT TO MAKE SURE WE SPECIFICALLY IN WRITING, IN THEIR COURSE FILE OF TELLING THEM WHAT'S NEXT FOR THEM, WHAT ARE OPTIONS FOR THEM, BECAUSE WE HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO MAKE SURE WE GIVE STUDENTS ABSOLUTELY THE BEST OPPORTUNITIES. WHETHER IT'S JUST A PIECE OF PAPER OR NOT, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT FOR 13 YEARS, THEY WERE ACKNOWLEDGING. MOST OF THESE 150 STUDENTS COMPLETED THE REQUIRED COURSE WORK FOR GRADUATION. DO WE HAVE AN IDEA OF THE NUMBERS THAT WERE ONLY BASED ON TEST SCORES? Van Ayres: THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION -- YOU GUYS JUMP IN -- MEANS THEY
057HAVE DONE EVERYTHING ELSE EXCEPT EITHER THE READING OR MATH BENCH MARK HAVE NOT PASSED. EVERYTHING ELSE IS COMPLETE. Patti Rendon: OF THE 157, HOW MANY HAVE JUST NOT PASSED THE MATH? IT'S TYPICALLY THE READING. LAST YEAR, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY ON MATH. IT WAS MAINLY THE READING PORTION. Patti Rendon: I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE NO LONGER EVEN GOING TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED FOR COMPLETING, GETTING THE GRADES, PASSING THE COURSES, PASSING EVERY SINGLE GRADUATION REQUIREMENT THROUGH OUR DISTRICT FOR 13 YEARS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HAVE ANYTHING FOR THAT, AND IT IS ONLY A STATE-MANDATED TEST, PREDOMINANTLY THE READING SECTION WHERE WE KNOW THEY ARE PASSING CLASSES AND IT'S A CERTAIN WAY. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE AS A DISTRICT WILL BE PROMOTING TO WORKING ON, MAKING SURE
058WE CAN GET PAST THAT FINAL BENCHMARK BUT NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE AS A DISTRICT HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO MAKE SURE WE PROVIDE THE WHAT NEXT FOR STUDENTS, WHETHER THAT IS ADULT TECHNICAL SCHOOLS OR HOW THEY CAN GET THEIR GED, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, NOT JUST BY. AND WE NEED TO PUT THAT IN WRITING. WE CAN ADD TO IT. I APPRECIATE THE INPUT SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO LEARN OVER THIS CHALLENGE WE HAVE. WE HAVE THE WORKFORCE PROGRAM STARTING THIS YEAR. WE'RE DOING THE PROACTIVE DOCUMENTATION WITH OUR STUDENTS, STARTING WITH OUR SENIORS ALL THE WAY WITH OUR JUNIORS. WE'LL BE MORE PROACTIVE EARLIER IN THE YEAR TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THEY ARE, HAVE CLEAR COMMUNICATION WITH SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND OFFERINGS AROUND ADULT EDUCATION, AROUND WHERE THEY
059ARE. WE ALSO HAVE THE GRADUATION ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM THAT WE UTILIZE, AND ALSO TAGGING HILLSBOROUGH VIRTUAL SCHOOL TO GO IN THERE AND TRY TO GET THE STUDENTS' COURSES COMPLETED. WE HAVE A MULTIDIVISIONAL EFFORT BUT WE STILL NEED TO LEARN ANY FEEDBACK THAT CAN BE PROVIDED WE WILL TAKE EVERYTHING INTO DETAIL AND CONSISTENCY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNICATION IS A LOT EARLIER. THAT WAS PART OF OUR MEETING, TO MAKE SURE THERE IS FULL UNDERSTANDING FROM THE STUDENTS AND THE PARENTS THAT THERE'S NO EXPECTATION WITH WHAT MS. RAY BURN BROUGHT THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SIBLINGS THAT HAVE A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION AND NOW YOU CAN'T RECEIVE ONE. IT IS OUR JOB TO COMMUNICATE EARLIER STAGE AND WE HAVE ANOTHER LAYER WITH ADVISORS TO GET THAT DONE. Patti Rendon: NOT ONLY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF OUR
060MINORITY FAMILIES, BUT IN 58% OF MY SCHOOLS, ONE OF THE BIGGEST SUBGROUPS NOT MEETING THE CRITERIA IS INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WE DO NOT HAVE AN EXCEPTION TO THE 1% POLICY. AN INDIVIDUAL CAN BE DETERMINED WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY AND STILL BE REQUIRED TO GET A STANDARDIZED DIPLOMA IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. THERE ARE MANY FACETS OF THIS SO DISCRIMINATING AGAINST MANY OF OUR STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE TO BE PROACTIVE IN THIS DISTRICT TO PROVIDE EVERY POSSIBLE OPTION AND SUPPORT AND CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE WITHIN TALLAHASSEE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN FOR ALL STUDENTS. INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IS A LARGE PORTION OF THE POPULATION THAT WE ARE NOT BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE RIGHT RESOURCES TO WHAT THEY NEED TO BE IN COMPLETION OF THAT. MS. DAVIS, WHO
061ARE THE TWO SPONSORS OF THE BILL FROM THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE SIDE? FOR 1255 REPRESENTATIVE TREBOLSI. 1105, MA ELECTA. I CAN PULL UP HER INFORMATION. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER WASHINGTON. Henry "Shake" Washington: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR WORKING HARD BECAUSE A LOT OF COMMUNITY PEOPLE WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION. I THINK ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE, THE CRITICS GOT US. THOSE KIDS WALKING ACROSS THE STREET, THEY DON'T HAVE NO DIPLOMA. THEY ARE NOT LEARNING. BUT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND. THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE THAT THE KIDS DO HAVE A CHANCE TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS IN LIFE. I KNOW A COUPLE OF KIDS IN MY AREA, THEY WERE HAPPY TO WOULD YOU BE ACROSS THE STAGE. THEY JUST DIDN'T PASS THE
062READING AND MATH. YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO HOLD ON TO TO KEEP THEM IN SCHOOL. LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY STUDENTS BEFORE THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION, HOW MANY STUDENTS DROPPED OUT. I BET WE HAD QUITE A FEW STUDENTS TO DROP OUT BECAUSE YOU HAD NOTHING TO HOLD ON TO. YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE SOMETHING TO HOLD ON TO, TO WALK ACROSS THE STAGE. THOSE KIDS WERE PROUD WALKING ACROSS THE STAGE. I WAS PROUD TO SHAKE THEIR HANDS. BECAUSE AT LEAST THEY HAD A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION. NOW THEY WON'T HAVE NOTHING AND WON'T WALK ACROSS THE STAGE AT ALL. WHAT INCENTIVE ARE YOU GIVING A KID TO NOT WALK ACROSS THE STAGE? THE CRITICS GOT US. THEY WON THAT ONE. WE'LL GET IT BACK. THANK YOU FOR DOING A GREAT JOB BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN GOING
063OUT IN THE COMMUNITY TALKING ABOUT THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION AND GARY AND YOU ALL HAVE. I'VE GOTTEN POSITIVE FEEDBACK. A GREAT DEAL OF MY KIDS IS IN THE UNDERSERVED WOULD BE HURT, WOULD BE HARMED BY THIS IN DISTRICT FIVE BECAUSE THE PEOPLE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND OR THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION. NOW, THE NEXT ONE I WANT TO SAY, CHIEF NEWMAN, YOU CAN STAY WHERE YOU ARE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT TRANSPORTATION AND THANK YOU GUYS AGAIN. SUPERINTENDENT ALSO KUDOS TO YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE THE MAN IN CHARGE. THANK YOU, BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD MORE PROBLEMS WITH THAT SCHOOL BUS, PEOPLE COMING ON SCHOOL BUSES, FIGHTING THE BUS DRIVER, CUSSING OUT THE BUS DRIVER. COMING ON THE BUS TO FIGHT STUDENTS, PARENTS. I HAD A SITUATION NOT TOO LONG AGO AND
064THEY STILL CALLING ME AND I'M NOT AREA SUPERINTENDENT ANYMORE. SOME PARENTS HAD A FIGHT AT THE BUS STOP. GOT ON THE BUS, HAD A FIGHT WITH SOME KIDS ON THE BUS AND THEY GOT HURT. THE KIDS GOT HURT. AND THIS IS GREAT. WE NEED TO LOCK THEM UP. THEY GOT TO UNDERSTAND THEY CAN'T DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO. THIS IS A SCHOOL SYSTEM. THIS IS A SYSTEM THAT OPERATES WITH PERFECTION, NOT WITH NONSENSE. I APPRECIATE YOU, CHIEF, BECAUSE YOU ALWAYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH THE SECURITY AND SAFETY OF TEACHERS AND PERSONNEL. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: I WANT TO START OUT POSITIVE. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU TO ALL THE CABINET AND EVERYBODY AND KRISTIN DAVIS AND EVERYONE FOR WORKING SO HARD AND BOARD MEMBERS I KNOW HAVE WORKED VERY, VERY HARD IN
065THE LEGISLATION. ESPECIALLY MEMBER RENDON, I KNOW YOU ARE UP THERE ALL THE TIME. ON A POSITIVE NOTE, I THINK THERE WAS SOME GREAT LEGISLATION AS FAR AS STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. I THINK THE SOCIAL WORKER, SCHOOL SAFETY AND ALSO CLT TEST. I THINK THAT'S VERY POSITIVE. IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THE POINTS I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT AND MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS SPOKE ABOUT THIS, I THINK IT'S VERY DISAPPOINTING TO SEE THAT THIS LAW, THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION CAME FROM SOMEONE WHO IS LOCAL AND ALSO SOMEONE WHO WAS A SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER. I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW WHEN I GO TO THE SCHOOLS, I'M THINKING OF LETO HIGH SCHOOL AND WHEN I SEE LARISSA McCOY WORKING ON EVERY SINGLE CHILD, EVERY SINGLE PRINCIPAL TRYING TO GET THAT CHILD TO GET THAT COMPLETE CERTIFICATION. WORKING UNTIL THE DAY
066BEFORE GRADUATION, TESTING STUDENTS, SPENDING EXTRA MONEY, EVERYONE IS WORKING SO HARD TO GET THOSE STUDENTS ACROSS THE LINE. IT IS SO DISAPPOINTING, WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE STUDENTS THAT ARE IMPACTED, JUST LIKE MEMBER HAHN SAID, IT'S GOING TO BE THE STUDENTS WHO EITHER COME FROM POVERTY OR HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH TESTING. 150 CHILDREN, IF THAT IS YOUR CHILD IT MEANS A LOT. WHAT IS GOING TO MOTIVATE A CHILD TO GO TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY IF THEY HAVE NO HOPE? THOSE KIDS WALKING ACROSS THE STAGE, A LOT OF THAT IS CONFIDENCE. SOMEONE WHO SAYS WHO YOU ARE IS WHO YOU BECOME. NOT HAVING THAT CHOICE I THINK IS VERY DISAPPOINTING. I KNOW THIS DISTRICT IS WORKING SO HARD FOR EACH OF THOSE CHILDREN. EVERY TIME I TALK TO AN ADMINISTRATOR, THEY TELL ME WHAT I'M DOING. I
067LOOK AT CHRISTIE RAY BURN, THIS MANY STUDENTS, EVERYONE IS TRYING. IF YOU'RE GOING TO CREATE A LAW LIKE THAT, THEN HAVE A BACKUP. YOU DON'T HAVE TO PASS THAT READING BENCHMARK OR MAKE IT A REALISTIC BENCHMARK. I HOPE NEXT SESSION WE SEE OUR LEGISLATORS, ESPECIALLY THE AUTHOR WHO BROUGHT THIS TO REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT COMES AFTERWARD. WHEN I SEE IN THE NEWS PEOPLE DISCUSSING HOW PROUD THEY ARE OF THE LEGISLATION, THOSE ARE THE STUDENTS THAT YOU REPRESENTED. THOSE ARE THE STUDENTS THAT ARE THE MOST MARGINALIZED IN YOUR DISTRICT. SO THAT IS NOTHING TO BE PROUD OF. I THINK IT IS A VERY, VERY DISAPPOINTMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS. I THINK OUR LEGISLATORS KNOW ENOUGH WHEN THEY SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING I THINK THIS WILL BE CHANGED. LOOK FORWARD TO WHOEVER, REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT TO COME UP AND
068CREATE A DIFFERENT PATHWAY FOR STUDENTS THAT NO MATTER WHAT THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO GRADUATE. IF THEY HAVE THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION, THEN LET'S DO AWAY WITH THAT TESTING. IF A CHILD HAS DONE EVERYTHING THEY NEEDED TO DO, THEY COMPLETED THEIR GPA, COMPLETED THEIR REQUIREMENTS, THEY HAVE DONE EVERYTHING, BUT THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO TEST WELL ON A READING BENCHMARK, THEN WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN. WE'RE INVESTING A LOT OF MONEY IN MAKING SURE LITERACY IS OUR PRIORITY IN THIS DISTRICT, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY CHILD HAS A CHANCE. SECONDLY, THE SCHOOLS OF HOPE. I WANTED TO MENTION IT'S INCREDIBLE TO ME THAT A SCHOOL OF HOPE, WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A CERTIFIED TEACHER. OUR SCHOOL OF HOPE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY WAS A D
069SCHOOL. THIS YEAR, THEY BECAME A C. IS THAT HOPE FOR A CHILD? WE'RE SENDING THEM TO A SCHOOL THAT DOESN'T HAVE A CERTIFIED TEACHER AND THE SCORES ARE SHOWING THAT AREN'T VERY GREAT. HOW IS THAT HOPE FOR A CHILD? I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. I KEEP WONDERING, I KNEW AN AMAZING TEACHER WHO LOST HER JOB AT ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT PASS A TEST. THEY WERE AN AMAZING TEACHER, BUT NOW THEY CAN GO TO A SCHOOL OF HOPE AND BE COMPLETELY CERTIFIED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND A SCHOOL OF HOPE SHOULD BE A SCHOOL THAT HAS STRONG CERTIFICATION. MAYBE EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE AND MAYBE MAKING SURE THAT IS AN A SCHOOL THAT IS PROVEN BEFORE THEY COME IN AND
070TAKE OVER SCHOOLS. IF SOMEONE COMES IN AND CO-LOCATE, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE A REALLY, REALLY GREAT PROGRAM FOR OUR STUDENTS. LASTLY, BECAUSE I HAVE A FEW MORE MINUTES, I THINK THE BASE ALLOCATION IS DEPLORABLE. $41.62. I CAN'T EVEN GO OUT TO EAT FOR THAT. EVERY SINGLE CONTRACT HAS GONE UP BY 20% OR MORE. TO THINK THAT IS OCCURRING IS DISAPPOINTING. WE SPENT $30,000 INCARCERATING AND SPEND 9,000 EDUCATING. WHY DON'T WE START FOCUSING ON INVESTING IN EARLY LEARNING. INVESTING IN OUR STUDENTS SO THAT WAY BY THE TIME THEY GET INTO THIRD GRADE, THEY ARE COMPETENT, THEY ARE DOING WELL AND WE DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH ANY OF THE ISSUES. LET'S PUT MORE MONEY IN EDUCATION AND LESS MONEY IN INCARCERATION. THANK YOU. MEMBER GRAY, WE DO HAVE 23 MINUTES, EVERYONE CAN HAVE THREE
071MINUTES IF THEY NEED TO. Jim Porter: MS. VAUGHN IS PARTICIPATING BUT SHE HAS NO COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. BUT SHE WANTED ME TO SAY THAT ON THE RECORD. SHE IS ONLINE AND PARTICIPATING. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. WE'LL GO BACK INTO THE QUEUE BECAUSE WE HAVE A FEW MORE MINUTES. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: YES. BOARD MEMBERS, YOU MADE SUCH GREAT POINTS. I REMEMBER VALDES DID BEGIN THAT FOR THE VERY REASON FOR GIVING THE STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY THE ELL, THE LANGUAGE CHALLENGED STUDENTS A WAY TO GRADUATE, SO TO SPEAK. BUT MY QUESTION IS, BEFORE MEMBER HAHN MENTIONED THIS, WHAT I REALLY WANTED TO HEAR AND WHAT I DIDN'T HEAR, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU TAKE AWAY SOMETHING, TAKE AWAY THIS JACKET, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO IN PLACE? YOU KNOW ABOUT IT. IT'S NOT A
072POPULAR SITUATION. SHAKE HAS HIS MARGINALIZED DISTRICT AND HOMES HAS THE ELL DISTRICT. THESE ARE GROUPS SUCH AS WHAT SHAY SAID THAT -- AND THE ESE, THESE ARE GROUPS THAT ARE VERY, VERY MUCH ON THE EDGE OF WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO IF THEY DON'T GET SOMETHING. THEY CAN GIVE UP IN A HEARTBEAT AND THEIR PARENTS. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? THESE COMMENTS ARE NOT COMING TO THE POINT OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON, GO TO THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE. I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS. Van Ayres: I APPRECIATE THAT. THEY HAVE DONE TREMENDOUS WORK. BECAUSE THE STATE IS REMOVING A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION WHICH REMOVES THE POTENTIAL TO WALK ACROSS THE STAGE, THIS TEAM HAS A PLAN IN PLACE WHAT THEY WILL DO TO MONITOR THAT. Lynn Gray: I WANT TO HEAR
073ABOUT IT. JUMP IN REAL QUICK TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE TEAM HAS BEEN FOLLOWING -- THIS WAS A STAND-ALONE BILL AND THEN IT MOVED INTO SOME DIFFERENT TRAIN BILLS. ALL ALONG THE WAY, THE TEAM WAS MONITORING IT AND WE WERE COMMUNICATING REGULARLY. AS SOON AS WE SAW IT WOULD BE SIGNED INTO LAW, THE TEAM CROSS DIVISIONAL STARTED MEETING. THEY HAVE BEEN MEETING SINCE AT LEAST APRIL OR MAY. WE STARTED IN THE SUMMER TWO YEARS AGO, WE STARTED THE WORK. Lynn Gray: MR. PORTER, WE ARE NOW HEARING WHAT IS PLANNED TO BE DONE. IT'S YOUR TURN. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING? TWO YEARS AGO, NUMBER AROUND 300 COCs IN THE SUMMER. AS SOON AS WE KNOW COCs ARE COMING, WE PROVIDE THE LIST TO DOE EDUCATION AND MICHELLE LONGO. THEY START CONTACTING STUDENTS. FROM THE FINAL COC
074NUMBER, IT WAS REDUCED BY 50 STUDENTS BECAUSE OF THE COMMUNICATION WITH THE ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM. WE EVER DONE MORE WORK -- WE HAVE DONE MORE WORKED BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED. ROSS ANDERSON, TIERED THE SCHOOL BY HOW MANY STUDENTS, THE PRIORITIES AND THE ADVISED WORK. ROSS ANDERSON SPEAKS TO THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS AND CONTACTS THE INDIVIDUAL PARENTS AROUND THEIR NEED. HE PUSHES CLEAR COMMUNICATION WITH CHRISTIE AROUND THE AMOUNT OF TESTS. WE HAVE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SKILL CENTER AROUND BRINGING THE KIDS ON SATURDAY AND TESTING THEM AS WELL. WE ARE DOING A LOT MORE PROACTIVE WORK AROUND THAT PIECE. NOW WE'RE INCORPORATING THE WORKFORCE PROGRAM ADVISORS, INCORPORATING THE NEED OF MORE PROACTIVE WORK THAT WE HAVE DONE BUT A LOT EARLIER IN THE YEAR, INCORPORATING MORE STUDENTS. WE HAVE THE OPTION, CLT, ACT, SAT, THERE'S
075NOT ONE OF THOSE TESTS THAT'S AVAILABLE TO US THAT WE DON'T OFFER TO THE STUDENTS. YOU DIDN'T HAVE NONCOLLEGE REPORTABLE SCORES EITHER. NOW WE HAVE A NONCOLLEGE REPORTABLE, ESSENTIALLY EXTENDED TIME. EXTENDED TIME FOR ANY STUDENT. WE HAVE PRETTY GOOD SUCCESS ON THAT AS WELL. THOSE DID NOT EXIST. WE'VE BEEN PUSHING THE STANDARDIZED TESTING COMPANIES TO MAKE THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO US. TWO OPTIONS THIS SUMMER. THE DISCONNECT OFTEN COMES RIGHT AFTER GRADUATION, WHERE THEY GRADUATED, ALL THE HOOPLA IS OVER. NOW I'M STILL SITTING HERE WITH A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION, WHAT'S NEXT. TWO OPTIONS THIS SUMMER AND THEN ALSO WORKING WITH CHALK TALK ON ADDING THE CLT. CHALK TALK IS ONE OF OUR TUTORING COMPANIES. THE CURRICULUM WE USE FOR JUNIORS AND SENIORS IN INTENSIVE READING COURSE. OUR DISTRICT WORKED EXCLUSIVELY WITH THE VENDOR TO PROVIDE INSTRUCTION
076ON SPECIFIC CLT TESTING SCHOOL. THEY DO ACT AND SAT PREP ALREADY IN THE CURRICULUM. NOW ADDED CLT FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR, IN ANTICIPATION OF THIS LAW, LEGISLATION, WE ALSO ADDED RISING JUNIORS TO SUMMER CLT ADMINISTRATION IN HOPES WE COULD GET THEM THAT CONCORDANCE SCORE PRIOR TO THE LAW TAKING EFFECT. TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH. ALSO LOOKING AT BEING CREATIVE AND THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX. UTILIZED THE GAP PROGRAM TO GET THE STUDENTS THE CREDIT THEY NEEDED SO THEY COULD FOCUS ON TEST TAKING SKILLS. WE'RE WORKING DILIGENTLY. IT'S LIKE THE TARGET MOVES. THE WORK OF THE PRINCIPAL, THE ADMINISTRATION, THE TEACHERS, ECONOMIC SERVICES AND THAT PROACTIVE WORK, WE'RE STARTING TO LOOK IN AUGUST AT THE AMOUNT OF SENIORS. THAT NUMBER DECREASES EVERY YEAR. THE FOCUS WILL
077BE MORE INTO JUNIORS BECAUSE OF THE WORK DONE SINCE 2023 AROUND BEING PROACTIVE AND TARGETING THE STUDENTS. THE FOCUS ON THE SENIORS, MORE INDIVIDUALIZED AND WORK WITH MORE OF THE SMALL GROUPS WILL BE WITH THE JUNIORS THAT IN THE PAST IT WAS THE OPPOSITE. WE'RE DOING MORE INDIVIDUALIZED WORK WITH THE SENIORS BECAUSE THAT NUMBER HAS BEEN REDUCED. WE CAN'T WAIT TO START THE YEAR AND SEE THE AMOUNT OF SENIORS TO FOCUS ON COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS. WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS ON WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE DOING WELL. THE NEW CONCORDANT SCORES -- WELL, 30 DAYS FROM NOW, JULY 18, THEY WERE APPROVED. NOW SAT CONCORDANCE SCHOOL IS UP TO 490. THAT'S ALMOST UNTHINKABLE WHERE IT WAS 430 SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THEN MOVED TO 480. OUR STUDENTS ARE HAVING MORE SUCCESS ON CLT EVEN
078THOUGH THAT'S GOING FROM 36 TO 39. PUTTING A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON PREPARATION FOR CLT. STILL PROVIDING THE ACT AND SAT. GOING LOWER, GOING TO JUNIORS FIRST, TRYING TO TEST AS MANY JUNIORS AS POSSIBLE. EVERY BOARD MEMBER BROUGHT UP A GREAT POINT. THIS IS A SPECIFIC RULE. THESE STUDENTS HAVE MET THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS. NOT SOMEONE WHO HAS THREE CREDITS AND 1.0 GPA. THAT'S NOT WHO IS WALKING ACROSS THE STAGE. TALKING ABOUT YOUR CREDITS HAVE BEEN MET. YOU'VE GONE THROUGH AND DONE WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO DO, SHORT OF AND IT COULD -- AT THIS POINT IT COULD BE A 470 ON THE SAT. THINK ABOUT IT, THAT'S DISCOURAGING. Lynn Gray: JUST THE EMBLEMATIC TITLE OF CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION. I KNOW YOU'RE WORKING ON IT, EVERYONE IS NOW GOING INTO PROBABLY PANIC MODE IN VARIOUS STAGES.
079Van Ayres: MR. BRADY MENTIONED IT, THE CONCORDANCE SCORE FOR SAT, EVERYTHING IS MOVING. THE 150 NUMBER NOW, THE 480 GOES TO 490 FOR NEXT YEAR. CLT FROM 36 TO 39. YOU CAN ANTICIPATE THAT THE NUMBER THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE NUMBER OF CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION, BEING THAT THE NUMBER HAS GOTTEN MORE DIFFICULT TO REACH, YOU WOULD EXPECT MORE STUDENTS WOULD BE IN THAT CRITERIA OF A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION. THAT'S WHAT THE TEAM IS TRYING TO PREVENT. THAT GOALPOST HAS MOVED. OUR STUDENTS AND OUR TEACHERS HAVE CONSISTENTLY RISEN TO THE CHALLENGE. THIS CONCORDANCE SCORE HAS INCREASED MANY, MANY TIMES. I HAVE FAITH THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO MEET THE GOAL. IT IS WHAT IT IS IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER AND WE'LL KEEP PREPARING TO GET THEM TO 490. TURNING THE PROBLEM OR THE DISSIDENCE INTO A
080SOLUTION AND POSITIVE EFFECT. STUDENTS WILL RISE ACCORDING TO YOUR EXPECTATIONS, OUR EXPECTATIONS. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. WE HAVE A FEW MORE PEOPLE. I THINK YOU SHOULD SIT HERE. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. WE TALKED ABOUT ROSS ANDERSON AND THE WORK THAT HE DOES AND TREMENDOUS WORK THAT HE DOES. BUT HE'S NOT IN EVERY SCHOOL. HE'S ONE PERSON. ARE WE LOOKING AT EXPANDING THAT OPPORTUNITY? WHAT HE DOES WITH OUR STUDENTS AND AGAIN, HE TAKES IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. HE ENGAGES THEM IN THE PRIORITY OF AN EDUCATION. HE ENGAGES THEM UNDERSTANDING WITHOUT AN EDUCATION THERE ARE LIMITED OPTIONS. THAT IS SUCH A PRIORITY THAT WE HAVE WITHIN OUR DISTRICT. HE HAS ELEVATED SO MANY. AGAIN, THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO STAY IN BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE THEY ALL OF A SUDDEN WERE
081THIS CLOSE AND GOT THERE. HE GOT THEM FROM DISTANCE. QUITE A FEW DISTANCE. WHAT ARE WE DOING TO DUPLICATE THE ROSS ANDERSON? LIKE I SAID EARLIER WE'RE LEARNING EVERY YEAR. WE KEEP IMPROVING, THE MAINTENANCE PIECE ON THE IMPROVEMENT IS MORE CHALLENGING. WE ARE IN THE PROCESS, WHICH ROSS ANDERSON WILL BE PART OF THE INTERVIEW PROCESS AND HIRING ANOTHER DRT. AT THIS MOMENT WORKING HAND IN HAND WITH HIM AROUND THE WORK HE DOES. HE WILL EMULATE, MODEL, COACH. THERE WILL BE A COMMITTEE TO BE PART OF THAT. HE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT DOES THE WORK IN THE DISTRICT. AND WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE GREAT WORK. LIKE YOU SAID, MEMBER RENDON, HE IS THE ONLY ONE DOING IT. WE HAVE TO DO MORE PRIORITIZING, MORE TIERING OF SCHOOLS. IF WE HAVE AN EXTENSION OF HIM
082INSTEAD OF HE CAN TAKE THE HIGHER TIER, LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY AND SOMEONE ELSE CAN GO TO OTHER SCHOOLS AND EXPAND AND STRETCH THE EFFORTS, CATCH MORE INDIVIDUALIZED STUDENTS AND MORE DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS. THE BIGGEST PIECE WE'RE ALSO DOING IS HOW DO YOU KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND SAY WHY ARE YOU NOT IN SCHOOL WHEN WE HAD A CONVERSATION YESTERDAY? THAT PIECE, THAT TYPE OF DETAIL IS HUMONGOUS AROUND THE WORK ON HOW TO GET OUR STUDENTS GRADUATED. HE DOES THAT'S. HE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT DOES THE JOB BUT IT'S BEEN IMPROVED. IT'S WELL-NEEDED, AGAIN, TO MAINTAIN THE GREAT WORK THAT OUR TEACHERS, STAFF, ADMINISTRATION DO AND HOW IT IS REFLECTED ON THEIR HARD WORK. THAT'S OUR JOB TO SUPPORT THAT. Patti Rendon: WE TALKED ABOUT CHALK TALK AND WE HAVE A COUPLE OF
083OTHER TUTORING PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR STUDENTS ON. HAS ONE BEEN MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN OTHERS? SEEN AN INCREASE UTILIZING THOSE? RELOOK AT WHAT THOSE ARE? WHAT ARE YOU SEEING FROM A DATA POINT OF THOSE IMPROVEMENTS? THIS WILL BE THE FIRST YEAR CHALK TALK IS UTILIZED FOR CLT TEST PREP. EXCITED TO SAY THE DIAGNOSTICS. AS FAR AS ACT AND SAT PREP, WE'VE BEEN MOST SUCCESSFUL UTILIZING CHALK TALK WITH THE JUNIORS AND SENIORS BECAUSE WE REQUIRE THEM TO USE THAT. THE OTHER IS NOT A REQUIREMENT. WE CAN LOOK TO SEE IF THERE'S CONSISTENCY WITHIN SCHOOL SITES WHO DO UTILIZE THE OTHER PROGRAMS, HOW THEIR SUCCESS RATES. Nadia Combs: YOU HAVE ONE MORE MINUTE. Patti Rendon: ONE MORE QUESTION. WE RECOGNIZE STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT PASSING THE BENCH MARKS IN 10th GRADE. AT THAT POINT IN TIME,
084DO WE HAVE A PROCEDURE IN PLACE AS A DISTRICT THAT WE AUTOMATICALLY SET AN EDUCATIONAL PLAN OR SOMETHING IN PLACE WITH THAT STUDENT AND THE PARENTS AND IT'S SIGNED BY BOTH? AS FAR AS A PAPER THEY SIGN, NO, WE DO NOT HAVE THAT. OUR NEXT STEP IS WHEN THE STUDENT DOES NOT PASS PM 3. AS A JUNIOR THEY ARE PUTTING IN INTENSIVE READING THREE. THAT IS THEIR PREP FOR EITHER THE FAST, THE FIRST RETAKE, THEN SAT, ACT, CLT. IT KIND OF GOES IN THAT TESTING ORDER AS WE'RE PREPPING THEM. STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO OPT OUT. WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND AGAINST THAT. THEY ARE PUT INTO A READING CLASS. AS SOON AS THEY PASS, HIGH NUMBER OF STUDENTS LEVEL 2s THAT PASS THE FIRST RETAKE OF THE FAST. AT THE WINTER BREAK, TAKE OUT OF THE CLASS.
085THEY DO KNOW THAT IS A POSSIBILITY AS WELL, BUT WE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY MOVE THEM INTO A READING CLASS FOR SUPPORT. Patti Rendon: SUPERINTENDENT, I DO BELIEVE I THINK THIS WOULD FALL IN LINE WITH THE WAY IN WHICH OUR STATE IS MOVING, EDUCATING OUR PARENTS AND INFORMING OUR PARENTS AND BRINGING OUR PARENTS IN EARLY. AFTER THAT 10th GRADE TEST, I THINK WE SHOULD MAKE IT PART OF OUR PROCEDURES AND OUR POLICY SO THAT WE ARE EDUCATING OUR PARENTS ON THE CHOICES THEY ARE MAKING WITH THEIR STUDENT ON THEIR EDUCATIONAL PATHWAY, NOT THAT WE'RE MAKING THAT CHOICE, BUT THAT THE FAMILIES ARE MAKING THAT CHOICE. THE EARLIER WE GET THE PARENTS ENGAGED I THINK IS BETTER. I THINK THAT'S BEEN A MESSAGE THAT'S COME DOWN FROM THE STATE. I THINK WE NEED TO MAKE AN EFFORT TO
086GET THEM ENGAGED EARLY ON. Van Ayres: I KNOW OUR JUNIORS, COUNSELORS WORK THROUGH CREDIT CHECKS WITH THE JUNIORS AND GETTING THEM READY AS THEY LOOK TO BE SENIORS. Patti Rendon: WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT DOESN'T MEET THE REQUIREMENT THAT COULD BE A POTENTIAL CERTIFICATE ISSUE, I THINK YOU'VE GOT TO BRING THE PARENTS IN. THAT FALLS RIGHT IN LINE WITH WHAT WE'RE TELLING PARENTS. THEY ARE A PRIORITY. LET'S MAKE THEM INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE TIME YOU PUT IN AHEAD OF THIS MEETING AND AHEAD OF THIS BILL BECOMING A LAW INTO REIMAGINING HOW WE'RE GOING TO NOW SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS IN THE SPACE. I NEED SOME CLARIFYING POINTS. BEFORE THE LAW, WE WERE FOCUSED ON SENIOR YEAR, BUT NOW WE'RE LOOKING EARLIER AT THEIR JUNIOR YEAR. IS THERE -- MAYBE I
087MISSED THIS -- IS THERE EVEN A POINT BEFORE JUNIOR YEAR WHERE NOW, OKAY, THIS WAS THEIR SCORE. NOW WE'LL GET THEM THE READING COURSES. IT STILL SEEMS REALLY LATE. IN YOUR OPINION IS THERE A POINT, LIKE AN INFLECTION POINT WITHIN HIGH SCHOOL BEFORE JUNIOR YEAR THAT YOU COULD START TO IDENTIFY THESE KIDS AND PUSH THEM IN THOSE READING COURSES. THE LEVEL ONE STUDENTS WOULD BE INTENSIVE READING IN NINTH GRADE. NINTH AND TENTH GRADE AS WELL. IT WOULD JUST BE THE STUDENTS WHO DO PASS WITH A LEVEL THREE OR ABOVE IN TENTH GRADE ARE NOW TAKEN OUT. GET AN EXTRA ELECTIVE. EVERYONE HAS IT PRIOR TO THAT AND THEN THEY WOULD -- WE WOULD KEEP THE LEVEL ONE AND TWO IN 11th AND 12th IN A READING CLASS. Stacy Hahn: THE PSAT, IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE
088USING IN JUNIOR YEAR? NO. WHAT ARE YOU USING? THE MAIN ASSESSMENT IS THE PM TEST, THE FAST TEST. PSAT IS A NEW CONCORDANT TEST FOR READING. THEN SAT, ACT. Stacy Hahn: THAT'S ONLY IN JUNIOR YEAR THE PSAT. 9, 10, 11 GRADE. Stacy Hahn: AROUND THIS CONVERSATION, GOES BACK TO WHAT'S HOLDING THE STUDENTS BACK IS LITERACY. THEIR ABILITY TO READ. I KNOW IN THE LAST FEW MEETINGS WE'VE APPROVED SOME SUPPORTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL. OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF MY EFFORTS HAVE BEEN IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD ARENA. IT'S CLEAR WITH THIS NEW LAW AND REALLY OPENLY TALKING ABOUT WHAT IS HOLDING THE STUDENTS BACK, IT IS THEIR ABILITY TO READ. I THINK PART OF THIS NEW PLAN OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT THESE CHILDREN HAS TO BE A VERY STRONG FOCUS ON LITERACY IN THE MIDDLE AND
089HIGH SCHOOL YEARS AS WELL AND MAKING SURE NO CHILD IS LEAVING THIS DISTRICT WHETHER WITH A DIPLOMA OR NOT. THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO READ, PERIOD. JUST GIVES ME MORE WORK TO DO, DOESN'T IT? AS WE DISCUSSED, MANY OF THE PREDICTORS ARE THERE OBVIOUSLY BY THIRD GRADE. Stacy Hahn: YES, YES, ABSOLUTELY. THAT'S BEEN FOR DECADES WE'VE KNOWN THAT. DROPOUT PREVENTION PROGRAMS IN THE FOURTH GRADE. WE'VE PUT A LOT OF RESOURCES INTO THE SPACE SO STUDENTS AND CHILDREN DO NOT GET TO THIS POINT. AGAIN, SO MANY CONFOUNDING VARIABLES IN THEIR LIVES AND IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE CAN'T CONTROL FOR. IT'S HARD TO MOVE THAT NEEDLE FAST ENOUGH. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. I ALSO WANTED TO, WE ALL KNOW WE REALLY START AT MIDDLE SCHOOL BECAUSE I KNOW JUST MY NEIGHBOR THE
090OTHER DAY WAS SAYING SHE WAS CONCERNED THAT MAYBE HER DAUGHTER'S FPM 3 WASN'T HIGH ENOUGH AND SHE WOULD HAVE INTENSIVE READING. WHEN PEOPLE SAY WE'RE NOT DOING WHAT WE NEED TO GET KIDS ACROSS THE LINE, IT STARTS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. A LOT OF THEM ARE LOSING ELECTIVES BECAUSE THEY ARE TAKING INTENSIVE READING. WE'RE IDENTIFYING STUDENTS REALLY FROM PRESCHOOL AND GIVING THEM THE SUPPORT ALL THE WAY THROUGH ELEMENTARY, PULLING OUT STUDENTS AND DOING DIFFERENT GROUPS. IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, THE STUDENTS ARE DOING INTENSIVE READING, 6th GRADE, 7th GRADE, 8th GRADE. NOT HAPPENING AT 11th GRADE IDENTIFYING STUDENTS THAT COULD GET THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION. IT'S HAPPENING FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF WHEN THEY START SCHOOL. I THINK OUR DISTRICT DOES A GREAT JOB AT THAT. SOME PARENTS DON'T WANT THEIR CHILD TO HAVE THE INTENSIVE READING. THEY
091WANT THEM TO HAVE THAT EXTRA CLASS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. THE DISTRICT HAS DONE A GREAT JOB. I THINK HOPEFULLY THE LEGISLATURE LISTENS TO US AND MODIFIES THIS BILL AND MAKE SURE THEY EITHER TAKE THAT TESTING PART OUT OR THEY DO SOMETHING TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS AREN'T DROPPING OUT. BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, EVERY SINGLE CHILD COUNTS IN THIS DISTRICT AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GIVE THEM THE SUPPORT THEY NEED FROM THE STATE LEVEL ALL THE WAY DOWN. MEMBER PEREZ. AFTER THAT, WE WILL START THE NEXT PART OF OUR WORKSHOP. Karen Perez: YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT A PORTFOLIO. THE STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO PASS THE READING AND THE MATH, DO THEY PRESENT A PORTFOLIO. ELL HAS THE OPTION OF A PORTFOLIO. Karen Perez: WHY IS IT THAT THE
092OTHER STUDENTS, LIKE THE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES OR OTHER STUDENTS ARE NOT PRESENTED WITH THE SAME COURTESY. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES CAN RECEIVE A WAIVER FOR THE TEST. THE ELL, TWO YEARS OR LESS, CAN DO THE PORTFOLIO PATHWAY. Karen Perez: WHAT ABOUT THE STUDENTS WHO ALSO WERE GOING TOWARDS THE DIRECTION OF A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION, WHY AREN'T THEY PRESENTED WITH THAT OPTION? IF THEY ARE NOT ELL LESS THAN TWO YEARS OR STUDENT WITH DISABILITY, THAT'S NOT AN OPTION THAT THE STATE OFFERS. IT WOULD BE EITHER THE FAST OR A CONCORDANT THEREOF. Karen Perez: CAN WE LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR THE STUDENTS? AN ALTERNATIVE PATHWAY WOULD BE -- I'M MAKING NOTES OF THINGS YOU BROUGHT UP ALL FOR THE PLATFORM. THIS WILL BE PERFECT FOR THE LEGISLATIVE PLATFORM FOR 2026. Karen Perez: I WAS JUST THINKING
093ABOUT SOMETHING AS I WAS SITTING HERE. I'M GOING TO GIVE MYSELF AS AN EXAMPLE. WHEN I WENT TO USF, I TOOK MY ENTRANCE EXAM THREE TIMES. THE FIRST TIME, THE SCORE WAS NOT HIGH ENOUGH. SECOND TIME, AND I'M PAYING FOR THIS OUT OF POCKET FOR THESE EXAMS. IT WAS ONE POINT HIGHER. THE THIRD TIME IT WAS ONE POINT LOWER. I WAS PROVIDED WITH A PROVISIONAL ENTRANCE. WHEN I GRADUATED, I WAS TOP IN MY CLASS. I DEFENDED MY THESIS IN FRONT OF DOCTORAL STUDENTS. IT'S NOT ABOUT A TEST, IF I COULD SAY THAT, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE TEST WONDERFULLY. SOME OF US DON'T AT ALL. AND SO WE MIGHT BE EXITING OUT STUDENTS THAT MIGHT BE OUR NEXT EINSTEINS IN THIS WORLD BECAUSE THEY CANNOT PASS A TEST. TO PROVIDE THEM A PATHWAY, TO BE ABLE TO
094BE SECURE IN THEIR FUTURE IN HIGH SCHOOL IS WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING HERE IN THEIR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. NOT SAYING TO THEM YOU CAN'T PASS A TEST SO THEREFORE YOU CANNOT PASS IN LIFE. FOR ME, PROVIDING THEM A PATHWAY TO WALK ACROSS THE STAGE AND SEE THEM SMILE AND KNOW THEY ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THE REST OF THEIR LIFE IS WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING HERE, IS PREPARING THEM FOR LIFE. SO WITH THAT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TODAY. WE'LL GO INTO WORKSHOP POLICIES. WE'RE GOING TO WORK UNTIL LUNCH COMES. MR. PORTER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO -- Jim Porter: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MADAM VICE-CHAIR. LUNCH IS ABOUT 15 MINUTES AWAY. WE'LL JUMP INTO POLICIES. WHEN THE FOOD GETS HERE, WE CAN TAKE A
095BREAK. WE'RE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. MS. DAVIS, DO YOU WANT TO OUTLINE WHERE WE ARE WITH EVERYTHING AND THEN WE CAN JUMP RIGHT IN? YES. BEHIND THE TAB, W 02 SCHOOL BOARD POLICIES, BEHIND THE COVER PAGE, OBVIOUSLY, THE CHART WITH THE POLICIES -- BOARD REQUESTED POLICIES AND STAFF POLICIES. WE'RE GOING TO WALK THROUGH THEM IN THIS ORDER TODAY. WITH YOU WE CAN MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS AS NEEDED. WE'LL START AT THE TOP. THE FIRST POLICY IS A REVISION POLICY TO POLICY 0160 BROUGHT BY CHAIR VAUGHN. AND THIS IS CONCERNING MEETINGS. STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HOLD AT LEAST ONE REGULAR MEETING PER MONTH. YOUR CURRENT POLICY PROVIDES THAT YOU'LL HOLD TWO REGULAR MEETINGS AT LEAST NINE MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR. MS. VAUGHN IN CONSULTATION WITH THE CHIEF OF STAFF AND THE SUPERINTENDENT AND OTHER
096CABINET MEMBERS FELT THAT'S NOT ALWAYS PRACTICAL GIVEN DIFFERENT SCHEDULES AND HOLIDAYS AND SUMMER BREAKS. SO THE PROPOSED REVISION IS TO JUST -- YOU HAVE TO HAVE ONE MEETING PER MONTH, PERIOD AND TWO REGULAR MEETINGS PER MONTH AT LEAST SIX MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR INSTEAD OF NINE MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR. THAT WILL GIVE MORE FLEXIBILITY, FOR INSTANCE, IF WE HAVE A HURRICANE OR IF SUMMER BREAK, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING OR DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON. JUST FOUND THAT THE NINE MONTHS WASN'T ALWAYS PRACTICAL AND SORT OF A STRETCH. THE SUPERINTENDENT, CHIEF OF STAFF ALSO FELT THAT THE BUSINESS OF THE DISTRICT COULD BE DONE WITHIN THE CONFINES WE JUST DESCRIBED. THAT IS THE PROPOSED POLICY REVISION. IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU ONLY HAVE SIX PER YEAR, BUT THAT'S ALL YOU'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE, TWO
097MEETINGS A MONTH, SIX MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR. THAT'S THE POLICY. FOR POLICIES, THERE'S NO VOTING TODAY ON POLICIES. THIS IS THE WORKSHOP TO GET ANY FEEDBACK. IF THERE ARE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT OR ANY FEEDBACK, WE SHOULD DO IT EACH BY POLICY AND GO FROM THERE. Nadia Combs: BOARD MEMBERS, WOULD ANYBODY LIKE TO COMMENT ON THIS? MEMBER HAHN. Stacy Hahn: I GUESS I'M SURPRISED THAT WE'RE DECREASING THE NUMBER OF MONTHS BUT KEEPING TWO REGULAR MEETINGS A MONTH. I'M THINKING OF MAY, FOR EXAMPLE, GRADUATIONS. THIS YEAR DIDN'T WE HAVE ONE MEETING IN MAY? WE BROKE OUR POLICY. Jim Porter: STATE LAW REQUIRES YOU HAVE TO HAVE AT LEAST ONE MEETING PER MONTH. THIS POLICY WAS PUT IN PLACE I BELIEVE 2021, IT SPECIFICALLY SAID WE HAD TO HAVE TWO MEETINGS A MONTH FOR NINE MONTHS
098OUT OF THE YEAR. THE HISTORY OF THAT -- Stacy Hahn: I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM, BUT I'M SAYING STILL SAYS TWO REGULAR MEETINGS PER MONTH. WITHIN SIX MONTHS -- Jim Porter: AT LEAST SIX MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR. Stacy Hahn: THE OTHER MONTHS WE COULD HAVE ONE MEETING. Jim Porter: CORRECT. MAY, PROBABLY HAVE ONE. DECEMBER, PROBABLY HAVE ONE. IN JULY YOU MIGHT HAVE ONE OR JUNE WHEN PEOPLE ARE TRAVELING. IT JUST GIVES MORE FLEXIBILITY. Stacy Hahn: THAT'S FINE. THAT'S NOT VERY CLEAR. Jim Porter: WE CAN LOOK AT THE WORDING. Stacy Hahn: IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE HAVING TWO MEETINGS PER MONTH FOR SIX MONTHS. IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE ONLY DOING SIX MONTHS OF MEETING AND TWO DURING THOSE SIX MONTHS. Jim Porter: WE'LL LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE AND CLARIFY IT. Nadia Combs: WE JUST WANT TO
099CLARIFY THE LANGUAGE BUT WE KNOW THE INTENT SO WE'LL GO ON TO THE NEXT POLICY, RIGHT? POLICY 3 -- VIOLATION OF LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS. DR. PATTON AND KELLY KING COMING UP TO JOIN US. Lynn Gray: CHAIRS AND SUBCHAIRS AND CO-CHAIRS, I'LL GO AHEAD AND START. PERMISSION GRANTED. WHAT HAPPENED WAS WE HAD A FLORIDA STATUTE ADDED. WE HAD AN INCIDENT AT SPOTO, AND THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER INCIDENTS. IN RED, 11 AND 12, 20, 21, 22, IT WAS ADDED. WOULD YOU LIKE TO EMBELLISH THE RATIONALE OF THE FLORIDA STATUTE AND THIS PARTICULAR EDIT FOR THE POLICY? YES. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. THIS IS TO UPDATE THE EXISTING POLICY -- THIS IS TO UPDATE THE EXISTING POLICY TO REFLECT HOUSE BILL 1374, REQUIRED INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF TO SELF-REPORT WITHIN 48 HOURS OF ANY ARREST CHARGES INVOLVING
100A FELONY, OFFENSE OR MISDEMEANOR LISTED IN 435.04, SECTION 2 AND TEMPORARY REMOVAL OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL FROM THE CLASSROOM WITHIN 24 HOURS AFTER THE NOTIFICATION OF THIS ARREST. THIS REALLY, THE LANGUAGE AROUND HERE TALKS ABOUT IT IS FOR BOARD COMPLIANCE. BASICALLY, MEMBER GRAY, AS YOU BROUGHT FORWARD AND ALSO TO HIGHLIGHT THE PRACTICE. I'VE GOT MS. KING HERE TO TALK ABOUT OUR PROCEDURES AS WE HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT OCCUR, WHAT THE STEPS ARE. THIS IS ACTUALLY A PRACTICE THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE. IF AN INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF MEMBER WAS ARRESTED FOR A FELONY, ALREADY ADDITIONAL MISDEMEANOR CHARGES COVERED UNDER THE STATUTE AS WELL THAT WOULD NOW REQUIRE US TO REMOVE THEM AS WELL FROM THE CLASSROOM. Nadia Combs: BOARD MEMBERS, DOES ANYONE WANT TO COMMENT? MEMBER HAHN AND THEN MEMBER RENDON. Stacy Hahn: BASICALLY YOU'RE JUST UPDATING
101THIS TO ALIGN WITH STATE LAW, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT. Stacy Hahn: YOUR DEPARTMENT IS IN CHARGE OF UPDATING THIS TO ALIGN WITH STATE LAW. JUST UPDATING THE LANGUAGE. THAT'S CORRECT. Nadia Combs: MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAD TWO QUESTIONS. ONE IS, THERE ARE TWO SEPARATE POLICIES. ONE FOR ADMINISTRATION AND ONE FOR INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF. WHY ARE WE NOT CREATING A POLICY FOR ALL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DISTRICT STAFF? THIS IS THE LAW, BUT WE CAN ADD TO IT AS A DISTRICT. THE LAW DOESN'T ELIMINATE OUR OPTION OF MAKING ANY STAFF BECAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU'VE ELIMINATED A LOT OF STAFF THAT DON'T WORK AS INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF OR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF. CURRENTLY THE PRACTICE IS, IF ANY EMPLOYEE IS ARRESTED FOR A FELONY REGARDLESS OF THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION OR THEIR POSITION THAT THEY ARE IN, THEY ARE REMOVED
102FROM THE WORKPLACE AS WELL. SO THAT PRACTICE ALREADY EXISTS. Patti Rendon: BUT IT'S NOT POLICY. WE SHOULD HAVE A POLICY THAT MANDATES ANY DISTRICT STAFF, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR TITLE IS, SELF-REPORT WITHIN 48 HOURS. CORRECT. ALL STAFF MEMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO SELF-REPORT BASED OFF OF BOARD POLICY. THIS EXISTING POLICY FOR 3,139.02 SPECIFICALLY TALKS ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS OF INSTRUCTIONAL PERSONNEL BECAUSE THAT IS IN STATE STATUTE. THERE WAS AN EXISTING POLICY AND WE WERE JUST UPDATING THAT. BUT THE PRACTICE OF SELF-REPORTING EXISTS CURRENTLY. Patti Rendon: IN WHAT POLICY? I WOULD HAVE TO PULL THAT FOR YOU. Patti Rendon: GOING BACK TO MY ORIGINAL QUESTION, WHY ISN'T THERE JUST ONE POLICY THAT DEMONSTRATES? BECAUSE YOU CAN LIST THE SEVERAL LAWS, AND WE DON'T HAVE TO HAVE FOUR POLICIES FOR -- WE CAN HAVE A POLICY THAT CLEARLY STATES
103THAT ANY EMPLOYEE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS MUST SELF-REPORT WITHIN 48 HOURS. THE HISTORY, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR POLICIES, IS THEY ARE BROKEN UP -- I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. Jim Porter: IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION BETWEEN THE SUBSTANCE BETWEEN NOW AND THE PUBLIC HEARING, WE'LL LOOK AT THAT. WORK TO SEE WHAT CAN BE COMBINED. THERE MAY BE A REASON THEY CAN'T. Patti Rendon: THE POINT IS, MY PURPOSE IS, A POLICY SHOULD BE CLEAR TO A STAFF MEMBER WHEN THEY GO TO FIND IT. THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO FIND WHERE THEY FIT INTO THE SAME POLICY. OH, ONE FOR INSTRUCTIONAL, ONE FOR HERE. I DON'T SEE ONE FOR CUSTODIAL, SO I MUST NOT. WE NEED A POLICY THAT'S CLEAR THAT ENCOMPASSES ALL OF THEM. Jim Porter: WE UNDERSTAND THE INTENT. WE'LL LOOK AT THAT BETWEEN NOW
104AND THE PUBLIC HEARING. Patti Rendon: MY NEXT QUESTION, IS THERE ANOTHER PART -- I THINK I'M GOOD ON THIS ONE. GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY. Nadia Combs: BOARD MEMBERS, WE KNOW THE DIRECTION WE WANT TO GO ON THAT. OKAY. NEXT. I THINK BOTH WERE COVERED 3139, 1139. THANK YOU. 5512, TOBACCO-FREE ENVIRONMENT. MS. GRAY AND MR. PORTER. Jim Porter: I BELIEVE MS. GRAY WORKED WITH DR. GRAYES ON THIS. YOU RECEIVED A SUPPLEMENTAL POLICY A FEW DAYS AGO AT MS. GRAY'S REQUEST. AFTER FURTHER CONVERSATION, WE'RE REMOVING THAT. SO IF YOU GO TO THIS POLICY ON LINE 156, LINE 156 ON PAGE 4 OF 5, WE HAD ADDED DISCIPLINE UP TO SUSPENSION, WHERE MS. GRAY REQUESTED WE DELETE THAT. THAT WILL NOT BE UP FOR CONVERSATION. WE'LL DEFER TO THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. THE REST OF THE POLICY
105IS AS PROPOSED. I BELIEVE MS. GRAY AND DR. GRAYES WORKED ON THIS. THIS IS MODELED AFTER ORANGE COUNTY. Lynn Gray: LET ME GIVE IT A GO. I THINK IF WE'RE PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE AND IF YOU'RE ON THE AIRLINES, JUST THE OTHER DAY, I THINK MEMBER COMBS AS WELL, THERE IS NO VAPING ALLOWED. IT'S AGAINST THE LAW. SO WHAT WE DID, DR. GRAYES AND I, WE LOOKED THROUGH OTHER POLICIES AROUND THE STATE. IT WAS MORE EMBLEMATIC, MORE COMPREHENSIVE WHAT WE FOUND TO BE REPLICATING MOST OF THESE SECTIONS FROM OTHER COUNTIES. SO IT'S NOT LIKE A NEW EPIPHANY. I THINK THE GENESIS IS WHEN YOU START WANTING TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS HEALTHY AND GETTING INTO PREVENTIVE PROGRAMS, WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE LAST POLICY IS THE PUNITIVE VALUE OF CONTINUALLY VAPING AND THE CONTINUAL REFERRAL PROCESS, CATCHING
106THE PERSON OVER AND OVER AND OVER HASN'T RESULTED IN A DECREASE. IN FACT, IN 2024, WE WENT UP FROM 26% TO 40% IN VAPING. THIS GOES THROUGH EVERY SOCIOECONOMIC LEVEL. IN FACT, WE HAVE SIX PILOTS GOING ON. IT'S RECOGNIZED BY THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE AS BEING A VERY PROBLEMATIC SITUATION. IT IS IN FLORIDA STATUTE. IN FACT, IT'S IN ABOUT SEVEN FLORIDA STATUTES. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO BE VAPING, PERIOD, THE END. NOT EVEN GETTING INTO THE PARENTHESES OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS. SOMETIMES, AND THIS WAS BROUGHT UP BY BOARD MEMBERS, SOMETIMES THERE MIGHT BE SOMETHING ELSE IN A VAPOR. AND A LOT OF TIMES, THIS SOMETIMES CAN LEAD TO A DEATH. I LOOK AT MY GRANDCHILDREN, I LOOK AT PEREZ'S GRANDCHILDREN, SORRY, I KNOW YOU HAVE A FEW BEAUTIFUL ONES, I LOOK AT THE IDEA AT
107AN AIRPORT YESTERDAY, I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING, THIS IS WHAT I SAW YESTERDAY. AGAINST THE LAW. THIS WOMAN TOOK A COLUMN, BROUGHT IT UP TO HER MOUTH. SHE HAD A COLUMN -- I MEAN, THE SHIRT, SLEEVE. SHE TOOK THE JACKET OFF AND LOOKED LIKE A FUNNEL. SHE WAS VAPING RIGHT THERE IN THE AIRPORT. SHE WAS TAKEN AWAY. WHAT I'M SAYING IS, YES, WE CARE ABOUT OUR WONDERFUL GRANDCHILDREN AND OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR HEALTH, BUT WE ARE IN CHARGE AND AS MEMBER COMBS SAID, WE ARE STUDENT CENTERED. WE CARE FOR EVERY STUDENT. WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IN MY MIND IS TO HAVE A POLICY THAT IS EMBLEMATIC OF THE STATE THAT REPLICATES MANY OF THEM AND TO COVER ALL BASES. SO, MR. GRAYES, AS USUAL, I TALK TOO MUCH. DO YOU WANT TO SHARE WHAT YOU
108HAVE DONE? YES, SURE. THANK YOU, MRS. GRAY. JUST WITH THIS REVISED POLICY, IT DOES PROVIDE MORE DETAILS AND CLARITY FOR OUR STAFF, FOR OUR VISITORS, AS WELL AS STUDENTS AS WELL. AND ONE OF THE THINGS TO MS. GRAY'S POINTS, WE DO HAVE WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT AND OUR MATRIX, WE DO HAVE SOME PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE WHEN IT COMES TO INAPPROPRIATE USE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS AS WELL AS VAPING. SO WHEN YOU GET TO THE SECOND AND THIRD OFFENSE, THAT INFRACTION DOES INCLUDE THE CONSEQUENCES OF ATOSS AS SOME OF THE MANDATORY ACTIONS. WE ARE HAVING THE CONSEQUENCES ALIGN TO MORE PROGRESSIVE NATURE WHEN IT COMES TO VAPING OR TOBACCO PRODUCTS. Lynn Gray: WE TALKED TO THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, WHICH THEY WERE IN OUR MEETING, AND THEY SAID, WELL, IT IS AGAINST
109THE LAW AND WE NEED TO GIVE CIVIL CITATION. THAT'S PRETTY DRAMATIC. WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE WANT TO KEEP KIDS IN SCHOOL. WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PRINCIPALS, THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS DON'T HAVE DRAWERS FULL OF VAPORS, WHICH THEY DO. SEE A LOT OF SCHOOLS AND VAPING SITUATIONS GOING OUT OF CONTROL. BUT YOU ALL DO AS WELL. ANYWAY, WHAT WE DID IN A NUTSHELL IS MADE IT MORE COMPREHENSIVE. Nadia Combs: WE HAVE QUITE A FEW MEMBERS THAT WANT TO COMMENT ON THIS. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP GETTING THROUGH. WE'LL START WITH MEMBER PEREZ AND CONTINUE FROM THERE. Karen Perez: THANK YOU. THE SIGNS AROUND THE SCHOOLS, I KNOW WHEN I GO TO ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROPERTY OR ANY GOVERNMENT PROPERTY, THEY HAVE THE SIGNS, THIS IS A
110SMOKE-FREE PROPERTY AND A LOT OF APARTMENT BUILDINGS EVEN HAVE, YOU CANNOT SMOKE ANYWHERE ON THE PROPERTY. WHERE ARE THOSE SIGNS LOCATED IN OUR SCHOOLS? BECAUSE I GET ON SCHOOL PROPERTY AND I DON'T SEE THOSE SIGNS. THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE POLICY DEFINITELY A COST OF PUTTING THOSE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLICY VERY SPECIFIC ON WHERE THEY WANT IT. THEY WANT IT ON BUILDINGS, ENTRANCES, PARKING LOTS, THINGS LIKE THAT. Karen Perez: I'M LOOKING, BUT I SEE IT SAYS SMOKE-FREE ENVIRONMENT. LAST PAGE, UNDER A OF APPROPRIATE NO TOBACCO SIGNAGE POSTED -- Karen Perez: CAN YOU SAY WHAT THE SIGN WOULD SAY? THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY QUESTION TO YOU. NO TOBACCO USE OR VAPING ON PROPERTY. Jim Porter: THE CURRENT POLICY WAS PUT IN PLACE IN 2014. IT'S OVER 11 YEARS OLD. MS. GRAY,
111THE TEAM OF GRAY AND GRAYES OR LAW FIRM OF GRAY AND GRAYES SAID, THIS OFFERS MORE SPECIFICITY. ALWAYS BEEN BANNED ON OUR CAMPUSES, INSIDE, OUTSIDE, SINCE 2014. BUT IT WAS VERY BROAD, VERY GENERAL POLICY. I DON'T THINK ANY PROCEDURES TO BACK IT UP. IF THIS POLICY GOES INTO EFFECT, MR. FARKAS WILL WORK WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT TO COME UP WITH THOSE KIND OF THINGS TO CREATE THE SPECIFICITY THIS POLICY DEMANDS. THIS IS NOT NEW IN THE SENSE OF WE'VE ALWAYS BANNED IT, BUT SO MUCH MORE DETAIL AND MUCH MORE GRANULAR AND MUCH MORE SPECIFIC BASED ON THE WORK THESE TWO HAVE PROVIDED. Karen Perez: I SEE THE FIREARM SIGNS WHICH IS GREAT, BUT I THINK THERE ARE MORE ISSUES WITH TOBACCO USE THAN BRINGING ON -- NOT THAT I'M MINIMIZING THAT, BUT -- BECAUSE THERE ARE
112PARENTS WHO WAIT OUTSIDE FOR THEIR CHILDREN ON SCHOOL GROUNDS AND THEY ARE OUT THERE SMOKING, TOO. TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PARAMETERS ARE SMOKE-FREE, WE REALLY NEED TO PUT THOSE SIGNS UP. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER PEREZ. MEMBER HAHN AND THEN MEMBER RENDON. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. SO LOOKING AT LINE 127 TO 156, THIS SEEMS TO BE MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT THAN THE POLICY. THIS IS ALL ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEBODY BREAKS THE POLICY, AND THAT'S MORE, AND SO IT REALLY IS UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE SUPERINTENDENT AND STAFF. I WOULD EXPECT THAT YOU COULD LEAVE LINE 125 AND THEN THE REST SHOULD GO IN THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. Lynn Gray: I AGREE. THERE WAS A WORD THAT HAD SUSPENSION, AND WE HAD TO TAKE THAT OUT BECAUSE
113IT SHOULD BE -- THIS IS ALL PROCEDURE. PROCEDURE SHOULDN'T BE IN A POLICY. Stacy Hahn: THE PROGRAM EVALUATION PIECE. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT REALLY IS IN POLICY OR AGAIN MORE PROCEDURAL. AND THAT'S SOMETHING YOU SHOULD PULL OUT AND HAVE IN PROCEDURES BECAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU'RE GOING TO EVALUATE I GUESS, I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT DOES SEEM MORE LIKE THE PROCEDURE UNDER YOUR PURVIEW, MR. SUPERINTENDENT AND NOT OURS. IT IS PROGRAM EVALUATION 173 TO 178 I CERTAINLY SUPPORT A TOBACCO-FREE ENVIRONMENT. SO EVERYTHING ELSE I THINK SEEMS FINE. LINE 64, INSTRUCTION TO DISCOURAGE THE USE OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS, DO YOU SEE THAT HAPPENING? WHERE IS THE CURRICULUM COMING FROM? WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS? MR. SUPERINTENDENT, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? Van Ayres: DR. HAHN IS REFERRING -- Stacy Hahn: WE CAN'T FORCE TEACHERS TO DO
114PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. Van Ayres: 64. Stacy Hahn: F, LINE 64, ABOUT THE INSTRUCTION TO DISCOURAGE THE USE OF TOBACCO, KIND OF LIKE THAT SAY NO TO DRUGS CAMPAIGN. BUT THIS IS SAY NO TO TOBACCO AND DRUGS. Van Ayres: I BELIEVE THAT FALLS UNDER ASHLEE CAPPUCCI. THE QUESTION WAS AROUND WHAT CLASS. I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP WHICH PARTICULAR COURSES OR WHERE THAT LIES. MR. BRADY, IF YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW. IT IS EMBEDDED WITHIN OUR HEALTH CURRICULUM AND EMBEDDED WITHIN THERE. I CAN GET THOSE SPECIFIC COURSES FOR YOU. Stacy Hahn: I DON'T THINK FROM A UNION CONTRACT PERSPECTIVE YOU CAN SAY THAT THEY ARE GOING TO PARTICIPATE IN ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES. THAT'S GOT TO BE PART OF OUR UNION CONTRACT. Lynn Gray: WE ALREADY HAVE THAT, THOUGH. THAT'S OCCURRING. Stacy Hahn: WELL, I DON'T THINK IT'S
115MANDATORY. UNDER THE CURRENT UNION CONTRACT, ANYBODY OUT THERE, MS. WHELAN OR ANYBODY INVOLVED IN THAT NEGOTIATION, I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT WE CAN'T MAKE TEACHERS DO THAT UNDER CONTRACT, PER OUR CONTRACT. IT'S 66, 65, 66. STAFF SHALL HAVE ADEQUATE TRAINING AND PARTICIPATE IN ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES IN ORDER TO EFFECTIVELY DELIVER THE PROGRAM. I WOULD GO BACK. JUST ASKING GO BACK AND SEE IF PER OUR UNION CONTRACT THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN INCLUDE. I'M NOT SAYING I KNOW IF WE CAN OR CANNOT. I'M ASKING YOU TO CONFIRM THAT. IF SO, YOU CAN KEEP IT. IF NOT, YOU NEED TO REWORD THAT SOMEHOW DIFFERENT. Van Ayres: IT'S NOT REAL CLEAR. Stacy Hahn: SAYS STAFF RESPONSIBLE FOR TEACHING TOBACCO USE PREVENTION AND PARTICIPATE IN ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY DELIVER
116THE EDUCATION PROGRAM WHICH TO ME SAYS TEACHERS HAVE TO GO THROUGH SOME TYPE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. AND I'M JUST SAYING, I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN REQUIRE THAT WITHOUT IT BEING WITHIN THE UNION CONTRACT. THERE ARE SPECIFICITIES AROUND THAT. Lynn Gray: WE'LL LOOK AT IT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: FIRST OF ALL, MEMBER GRAY, I DO APPRECIATE THIS BECAUSE I THINK YOU ARE CORRECT. I THINK VAPING HAS GOTTEN OUT OF CONTROL WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY WITHIN OUR YOUTH. YEAH, IT'S HUGE. NOT ONLY IS IT FROM AN ACADEMIC POINT OF VIEW AND CHILDREN LEARNING, ALL OF THESE PRODUCTS HARMFUL BUT LEAD TO SECONDARY HEALTH CONDITIONS, WHETHER IT'S THEIR LUNGS OR THEIR BRAINS OR LIP CANCER. IT'S JUST UNLIMITED. AND WE DO NOT RECOGNIZE WITH THE DEVELOPMENTAL CHILD WALKING THROUGH CELLULAR DEVELOPMENT
117HOW IT IMPACTS THEM. I THINK YOU ARE DEAD ON TO SAY WE ARE PROHIBITING EVERYTHING. THE ONLY THING I WOULD ASK IS THAT WE GO BACK AND REALLY LOOK AT THE FULL LENGTH OF THE POLICY ON LINE ITEM, FROM LINES 51 ALL THE WAY TO 67. THEN I WOULD GO BACK TO WHERE DR. HAHN SAID 127, 157, 73 TO 79. I BELIEVE THOSE ARE ALL PART OF PROCEDURES THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE -- PROCEDURALS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE BY THE DISTRICT. YOUR POLICY IS WE ARE NOT TOLERANTING ANY KIND OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS OR TOBACCO ITEMS ON OUR CAMPUSES. I THINK IN SOME OF THOSE IT GETS LOST IN THE MINUTIA OF THE WORDING INSTEAD OF WHAT YOUR PURPOSE REALLY IS. IF WE COULD ALSO UNDER ENFORCEMENT, IF WE COULD SAY ENFORCEMENT OF THIS POLICY SHALL BE SPECIFICALLY STUDENT
118CODE OF CONDUCT, HAVE A LINK IMMEDIATELY THERE TO THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. Lynn Gray: WE WILL. YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN. ADD TO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, I APPRECIATE YOUR REMARKS, THE REASON WE MADE THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE DEVELOPED FROM THE PREVIOUS IS BECAUSE OF EXACTLY THAT. THE BENIGN POLICY THAT WE HAD ORIGINALLY LEFT UP SO MANY QUESTIONS. WHAT WE DID IS WE CHECKED OUT OTHER -- THIS PARTICULAR POINT, PART CAME FROM ORANGE COUNTY, I BELIEVE OR BROWARD, ORANGE. WHAT WE DID IS WE LOOKED AT OTHER POLICIES AND THEY HAVE BEEN VERY EXTENSIVE. KIDS, AS YOU WELL KNOW, LOOK FOR EVERY OPPORTUNITY AND PARENTS DO, TOO. THEY VAPE, TOO. EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO GET NOT INVOLVED, NOT BE ONE OF THEM WHO IS CAUGHT VAPING. WE DID THE OPPOSITE EFFECT IN A WAY. ONE-THIRD WAS
119BENIGN. WE HAD A POLICY THAT WAS ONE-THIRD TO THIS MORE COMPREHENSIVE. I AGREE. THE PROCEDURE DR. HAHN MENTIONED, WE CAN PUT THAT INTO OUR CODE OF CONDUCT. Patti Rendon: WHEN YOU LOOK AT A, B, AND C AND GO INTO DEFINITIONS, EXCEPTIONS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND ENFORCEMENT AND ADD IN THEIR THE ENFORCEMENT, ADD THE LINK, I THINK THAT IS A VERY CLEAR MESSAGE OF EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING FROM ANYBODY ARRIVING ON OUR CAMPUSES, WHETHER THEY ARE EMPLOYEE, WHETHER THEY ARE A VISITOR OR THEY ARE A STUDENT. AND I THINK YOU WERE VERY CLEAR AND CONCISE ON THOSE ASPECTS. I THINK THE OTHER ASPECTS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. I THINK THEY ARE UP TO THE DISCRETION OF THE DISTRICT AND NOT UP TO A POLICY. THE OTHER THING IS, SUPERINTENDENT, AS YOU LOOK TO YOUR PROCEDURES WITH THIS, I WOULD
120ASK THAT YOU MAKE SURE, ESPECIALLY IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, BUT I WOULD ALSO ASK IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE SOME KIND OF PART OF OUR BACK-TO-SCHOOL PACKETS IN WRITING TO ALL OF OUR PARENTS AND FAMILIES OF OUR EXPECTATIONS OF THIS, AND I WOULD ALSO INCLUDE ON THERE THAT WE HAVE ON OUR CAMPUSES, I WOULDN'T SAY HOW MANY. I WOULD JUST SAY WE NOW HAVE A PILOT FOR THAT AND I WOULD LEAVE IT OFF THAT. I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO KNOW HOW MANY. I WANT THEM TO GUESS WHERE THEY ARE AT. I DON'T WANT THEM TO KNOW THEIR HIGH SCHOOLS. I WANT EVERY STUDENT TO THINK THEY COULD GET CAUGHT AT ANY ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS. I DON'T WANT THEM TO NOT HAVE A CLUE. I WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WE
121ARE RUNNING PILOT PROGRAMS THROUGH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. IF YOU ARE VAPING, YOU ARE GOING TO GET CAUGHT. Lynn Gray: IT'S GOT TO BE DONE. I ASKED SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, DO YOU WANT TO HAVE TEETH? DO YOU WANT TO BE BENIGN WITH BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS OR DO YOU WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GET INTO -- YES, I WANT THIS STOPPED? IT'S REALLY A PHILOSOPHY THAT THE BOARD MAY HAVE OR MAY NOT HAVE. OKAY, LET'S GIVE THEM ANOTHER CHANCE. THE LOAD IS ON THE PRINCIPAL, THE AP. REFERRAL AFTER REFERRAL. LET'S GET A LITTLE BIT TOUGHER AND LET'S GET MORE MATURE IN OUR WORDING AND VERBIAGE SO THE PARENTS CAN UNDERSTAND THE FULL APPARATUS OF THIS POLICY. I GUESS I BETTER SHUT UP. Patti Rendon: FINAL COMMENT, IF WE COULD JUST MAKE SURE, HOWEVER WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE
122SURE FAMILIES KNOW FROM THE START OF SCHOOL THAT THEY CANNOT HAVE ANY KIND OF TOBACCO PRODUCTS AT ALL ON THEMSELVES. I BELIEVE THE EXCEPTION IS STAFF CAN HAVE THEM ON THEIR PERSON, BUT NO STUDENT CAN. I THINK THAT'S WHAT I READ IN YOUR EXCEPTION, THAT YOU ALLOW THEM TO HAVE IT ON THEIR PERSON. I'M ASKING YOU. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I READ. IF A VARIETY -- 103. IF A STAFF MEMBER OR APPROVED VISITOR, TO INCLUDE -- THEY ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE IT ON THEIR PERSON. THEY CAN'T USE IT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER -- WHEN WE START SCHOOL, FAMILIES KNOW, IF YOU ARE STANDING OUTSIDE OF A SCHOOL SMOKING, YOU'LL BE ASKED TO LEAVE AND A STUDENT WILL BE REMOVED. Nadia Combs: A COUPLE OF LITTLE THINGS. THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY, FOR BRINGING
123THIS. I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. I AGREE WITH ALL OF THE BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS. I APPRECIATE THAT REMOVAL OF SUSPENSION BECAUSE I THINK WE WANT TO KEEP STUDENTS IN SCHOOL, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE VAPING, THEY PROBABLY WOULD RATHER BE HOME VAPING. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY STAY IN SCHOOL. I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PILOT PROGRAMS BECAUSE I SAW ONE OF THE PILOTS IN MY SCHOOLS GOING IN THERE. I SAW THE MACHINE. MY QUESTION IS AROUND BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. LIKE, DO I THINK THAT A SIGN IS GOING TO DETER A STUDENT FROM SMOKING? I DON'T THINK SO. DO I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE MORE OF THOSE MACHINES TO BE ABLE TO DETECT? YES. I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WHAT IS THE COST? WHEN I SEE THE SIGN POSTING, I CAN SEE ONE SIGN.
124BUT WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THIS IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE 250 SOME SCHOOLS. WHAT IS THE TOTAL GOING TO BE COST ON THAT? SHOULD WE BE SPENDING THE MONEY MORE ON MACHINES AND MAYBE HAVE ONE SIGN? I THINK IF YOU HAVE 20 SIGNS IN A SCHOOL, THAT'S NOT GOING TO DETER A CHILD. THEY WILL STAND THERE AND VAPE UNDERNEATH THE SIGN AND TAKE A PICTURE SO THEY CAN HAVE IT ON TIKTOK. MY QUESTION IS, I GUESS, WHAT IS THE FINANCIAL COST AND MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE SHOULD LOOK AT BEFORE PULLING THIS POLICY WITH THE COST OF THAT, MAYBE REALLY LOOKING AT THE COST OF THAT. I THINK IT COULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE. Christopher Farkas: IT WILL BE, ESPECIALLY IF WE PUT IT IN ALL THE PLACES. MAKE SURE WHEN PEOPLE COME ON CAMPUS, NO TOBACCO
125UNITS ALLOWED ON CAMPUS. WHEN THEY ENTER CAMPUS IS BETTER THAN 400 PLACES. INITIAL COST WILL BE THERE BUT ALSO THE UPKEEP. A LOT OF THOSE WILL BE POSTED OUTSIDE. I THINK WE CAN FIND A MEDIUM ON THAT. WE GOT A REALLY GOOD DEAL ON THE VAPE PILOT PROGRAM. THREE DIFFERENT VENDORS USING AT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS TO COMPARE AND CONTRAST. TO MAKE SURE WE CAN SEE WHICH ONE WORKS THE BEST. WE DON'T WANT A PROGRAM JUST TO HAVE IT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT IS USABLE AND TRACK THE DATA. INTERESTED IF WE ROLL IT OUT DISTRICTWIDE WHAT THE PRICE WOULD BE LIKE. WE GOT A PRETTY GOOD DEAL BECAUSE THEY WANTED THE BUSINESS GOING FORWARD. Nadia Combs: I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO PUT A SIGN IN FRONT OF THE SCHOOL, OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL. PUTTING
126THEM IN ALL OF THESE LOCATIONS, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE COST OF IT AND HOW EFFECTIVE IT IS. WE HAVE TO REALLY LOOK AT EVERY PENNY SPENT AND WHERE THE DOLLARS SHOULD BE SPENT. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE OVERALL COST WOULD BE? Christopher Farkas: SIGNAGE IS ONE OF THE MOST OVERPRICED THINGS ON EARTH. WE'RE IN THE WRONG BUSINESS ON THAT PART TOO. YOU CAN KEPT A VINYL ONE, BUT SOMETHING UP THERE YEAR-ROUND AND WEATHER THE, 500 TO A THOUSAND DOLLARS DEPENDING ON THE SIGN. DO IT ANY PLACE COMING ON CAMPUS, WE HAVE CHECKED THAT BOX. MOST PEOPLE KNOW THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE THAT THERE. PAY FOR ONE NICE SIGN UP FRONT. Nadia Combs: THAT WOULD BE MY REQUEST, I WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE THAT TO SAY OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL. WE CAN ALWAYS ADD MORE,
127NEXT POLICY, IF ■WE SEE THAT. WE'VE GOT TO BE REALLY FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WITH THAT. THESE REMARKS ARE HELPFUL BUT IT IS AGAINST THE LAW. Nadia Combs: STUDENTS KNOW THAT. WHEN THEY ARE VAPING, THEY KNOW IT IS AGAINST THE LAW. THEY KNOW THEY ARE DOING IT WRONG. A MACHINE IS GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE. THAT'S GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE. BUT A SIGN IS NOT GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT CHANGED TO MAKE FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE DECISIONS. MEMBER VAUGHN WANTED TO SAY SOMETHING AND THEN CAROL WILL BREAK US FOR LUNCH. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME? FIRST OF ALL, I APPRECIATE MEMBER GRAY BRINGING THIS -- IS THAT CREATING AN ECHO? I APPRECIATE MEMBER GRAY BRINGING THIS FORWARD BECAUSE I HONESTLY THINK THAT THERE IS SUCH AN EPIDEMIC WITH VAPING IN OUR
128SCHOOLS. AND I DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND WHY WE CAN'T DO MORE TO GET IN FRONT OF IT. I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE NOT PROVIDING ENOUGH SUPPORT TO OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO ENFORCE IT. I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE NOT CREATING A CLIMATE AND MAYBE THIS IS THE FIRST STEP WHERE I DID THAT SOME OF THIS IS GOING TO BE TAKEN OUT AS FAR AS THE PROCEDURES FOR SUPERINTENDENT AYRES TO WORK ON, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN REALLY SENDING A MESSAGE TO CHANGE THE CULTURE WITHIN THE SCHOOLS. BUT I THINK WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. AS A BOARD, AS WE TALK ABOUT ALL OF THE EPIDEMICS IN FRONT OF US, VAPING IS ONE THAT WE NEED TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE ON HONESTLY. I APPRECIATE AGAIN
129MEMBER GRAY BRINGING THIS FORWARD. WHILE I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH BOARD MEMBERS THAT WE DON'T WANT TO BE PUNITIVE WHERE WE'RE TAKING KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL, I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT SOMETHING. I TASKED SUPERINTENDENT AYRES TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY GOING TO DISCOURAGE THE AMOUNT OF VAPING. I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO LOOK AT HAVING MORE MONITORS IN THE BATHROOM BECAUSE I DON'T THINK JUST CLOSING BATHROOMS AND MAKING THEM LESS ACCESSIBLE IS THE ANSWER TO THIS OR WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO. BUT EVERY SINGLE STUDENT THAT I TALK TO, EVEN DOWN TO MIDDLE SCHOOL AT THIS POINT SAYS THE VAPING IS OUT OF CONTROL. AND THERE'S VERY LITTLE ENFORCEMENT AND TEETH IN WHEN STUDENTS ARE CAUGHT VAPING. THEY ARE IN THE STAIRWELLS, BATHROOMS, THEY ARE ALL OVER. AND IF
130IT IS ILLEGAL, ONE, WE SHOULD BE ADDRESSING THAT. TWO, I APPRECIATE ALL THE DISCUSSION AROUND HOW DANGEROUS IT IS TO OUR STUDENTS. I DON'T THINK THEY REALLY UNDERSTAND THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS AND HOW DANGEROUS THIS IS TO THEIR LUNGS AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. I KNOW IN OUR STUDENT FORUMS, ONE OF THE THINGS OTHER STUDENTS HAVE BROUGHT UP IS THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE PEER TO PEER PRESSURE AROUND THAT AND MAYBE REAL LIVE STUDENTS COMING IN AND TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED TO THEM BECAUSE OF VAPING. I KNOW THAT'S NOT A POLICY WE CAN CREATE, BUT, AGAIN, I THINK THAT AS A BOARD AND, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE MEMBER GRAY, WE REALLY NEED TO KIND OF PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND WORK WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HIS TEAM TO REALLY ADDRESS THIS VAPING EPIDEMIC BECAUSE IT'S OUT
131OF CONTROL. IT'S A DISTRACTION TO THE STUDENTS WHO DON'T LIKE IT. IT'S DANGEROUS. IT'S ILLEGAL AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET AHEAD OF THIS BETTER THAN WE ARE. I DON'T KNOW IF AGAIN THIS IS A SUPPORT ISSUE, IF IT IS CHANGING THE CLIMATE WHERE WE REALLY NEED TO ENCOURAGE OUR ADMINISTRATORS TO ENFORCE OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES MORE, BUT GOING FORWARD, WE HAVE GOT TO BE MORE AGGRESSIVE ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: WE'LL FINISH OFF WITH MEMBER HAHN MAKING A QUICK COMMENT AND THEN OUR NEW CHIEF OF ACADEMICS, GARY BRADY. Stacy Hahn: I WANT TO COMMENT, FOLLOW UP ON SOMETHING MEMBER VAUGHN SAID ABOUT PEER PRESSURE. MAYBE HAVING STUDENTS DO SOME PSA VIDEO AND PUSHING IT OUT DURING MORNING SHOWS IN THE SCHOOLS WOULD BE A GOOD WAY TO GET PEERS TO BE THE
132FACE OF THIS CONVERSATION INSTEAD OF A PARENT, A TEACHER, A PRINCIPAL. I THINK THE FACE OF THIS CONVERSATION WOULD BE STUDENTS, AND THEN USING SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ALREADY COME TO OUR HIGH SCHOOLS AND DO TALKS ABOUT DRUGS AND THE DANGERS OF DRUGS AND SMOKING AND MAYBE THEY CAN EMBED SOME THINGS AROUND VAPING WHEN THEY GO TO THE DIFFERENT HIGH SCHOOLS. I'M BLANKING, MS. VALDES -- KATHY VALDES' PROGRAM. MAYBE WE CAN ENGAGE THEM TO REALLY INCLUDE THIS -- IF THEY ALREADY DON'T. MAYBE THEY EMPHASIZE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE, SO THOSE ARE JUST SOME THINGS THAT POPPED INTO MY HEAD. THANKS, BYE. Patti Rendon: I'M SO SORRY. I JUST REREAD THIS TO MAKE SURE I WAS CLEAR. CAN YOU CLARIFY IN THE EXCEPTION, WE HAVE CURRENTLY RIGHT NOW AREAS ON OUR CAMPUSES FOR
133A TEACHER ON THEIR BREAK TO BE ABLE TO GO OUTSIDE. DO WE? NO .CLARIFY WE DO NOT. I'M JUST CLARIFYING. JUST DOUBLE-CHECKING. THANK YOU. I WANTED TO CLARIFY WHERE THE VAPE EDUCATION IS EMBEDDED. ELEMENTARY THROUGH 12 SUBSTANCE ABUSE, USE AND ABUSE IS EMBEDDED THROUGHOUT. EVERYTHING FROM ALCOHOL, PRESCRIPTION DRUG, BUT A SPECIFIC MODULE USING OUR EVERFY PLATFORM IN GRADE NINE, THE TRUTH ABOUT VAPING. IT IS AN ENTIRE MODULE EVERY NINTH GRADER HAS TO TAKE -- GRADER HAS TO TAKE AND THAT'S DONE THROUGH HOPE. Jim Porter: BOARD MEMBERS, LUNCH IS PROVIDED FOR YOU. AS WE'RE WRAPPING UP THIS MORNING'S SESSION, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT A POLICY WORKSHOP SHOULD BE ABOUT. SOMEONE PROPOSES A POLICY. YOU GENERALLY LIKE THE IDEA, BUT YOU HAVE TO REFINE IT. IT WAS A REALLY GOOD, HIGH-LEVEL DISCUSSION. I THINK IT GIVES US
134A LOT TO COME BACK TO BEFORE THE PUBLIC HEARINGS. THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS FOR THAT. Karen Perez: WE'LL BREAK UNTIL 12:40. [RECESS] Karen Perez: OKAY. BACK IN A MEETING. LET'S GET -- ALL RIGHT. NOW WE'LL START AGAIN INTO OUR NEXT POLICY, 5540. WE TURN IT BACK OVER TO KRISTIN DAVIS. JIM, DO YOU WANT TO OPEN THIS UP AND MAYBE CHAIR VAUGHN? Jim Porter: THIS IS ANOTHER POLICY INITIATED BY MEMBER VAUGHN. THIS IS JUST SORT OF TIGHTENING UP THE LANGUAGE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS TREATED FAIRLY AND WITH RESPECT. MEMBER VAUGHN, ARE YOU ON? Jessica Vaughn: I'M ON, YEAH. I WOULD, YEAH. I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A LITTLE CONTEXT OF A STORY THAT A PARENT SHARED WITH ME THAT WAS ACTUALLY VERY CONCERNED AND THINKING ABOUT SUING THE DISTRICT THAT PROMPTED ME TO BRING
135THIS FORWARD. THERE WAS A PARENT IN ONE OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT HAS A FIFTH GRADER WHO HAS SOME IDENTIFIED SOCIAL ISSUES THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON A 504 AND IEP FOR WHO HAS HAD AN INSTANCE WHERE THEY COMPLAINED OF OTHER STUDENTS IN HIS CLASSROOM BULLYING HIM AND ONE DAY AT HOST IT KIND OF REACHED A FEVERED PITCH WHERE THE STUDENT, AFTER FEELING LIKE THEY HAD BEEN BULLIED MADE AN OFFHAND COMMENT SIMILAR IN THE VEIN OF LIKE I'LL ANNIHILATE YOU ALL WHICH CAUSED SOMEONE TO ANONYMOUSLY REPORT THE STUDENT FOR CONCERNS OF THREATS WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS. AND THE NEXT DAY, WITHOUT ANY PARENTAL CONTACT, PLEASE CAME TO THE SCHOOL AND WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR, THEY INTERVIEWED THE CHILD FOR TWO TO THREE HOURS STRAIGHT AND NEVER ONCE CONTACTED THE PARENTS. SO THE PARENTS HAD NO IDEA THIS
136WAS HAPPENING, WEREN'T ABLE TO COME, REPRESENT THEIR CHILD, BE A PART OF THIS. WASN'T EVEN NOTIFIED THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING UNTIL AFTER SEVERAL HOURS THAT A FIFTH GRADER WAS WITHOUT ANY PARENTAL SUPPORT INTERROGATED BY THE POLICE BECAUSE OF THIS ANONYMOUS REPORTING OF THIS THREAT THAT THEY MADE. OBVIOUSLY, THE PARENTS WERE VERY, VERY, VERY UPSET. THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR PARENTAL RIGHTS HAD BEEN VIOLATED ON EVERY LEVEL. THEY ASKED ME TO PULL OUR POLICY AND SEE WHAT OUR PROCEDURES ARE AND REALLY STRENGTHEN THAT AROUND PARENTAL RIGHTS TO MAKE SURE THAT ANYTIME THERE IS A CONVERSATION OR ACCESS TO OUR STUDENT BY LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE SCHOOL DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO CONTACT PARENTS AND LET THEM KNOW AND ALLOW THEM TO BE THIS, TO BE AN ADVOCATE FOR THEIR CHILDREN, TO GET THEM
137WHATEVER SUPPORT THEY NEED. AGAIN, I WAS SURPRISED THIS WAS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN UNDER HOW STRONG OUR STATE HAS COME OUT WITH THE UNDERSTANDING OF PARENTAL RIGHTS. I KNOW THERE WAS SOME KIND OF LAST-MINUTE TWEAKS THAT I APOLOGIZE FOR. I HAD SENT ALL OF THIS LANGUAGE TO EVERYBODY WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY IN ADVANCE. I'M NOT SURE WHY SOME OF THE LANGUAGE WASN'T CHANGED. I WAS MORE THAN WILLING BECAUSE IT WAS LAST MINUTE A FEW OF THE WORDS TO BRING IT BACK, BUT I WAS ASSURED THAT THE TWEAKS WERE SO SMALL, WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT A FEW DIFFERENT LANGUAGE TWEAKS THAT IT DIDN'T PROVIDE THAT MUCH THOUGHT PROCESS TO UNDERSTAND THE CHANGES COMING FORTH TO REALLY CODIFY PARENTAL RIGHTS AROUND THIS. SO THAT'S MY MOTIVATION BEFORE BRINGING THE POLICY CHANGES. AND I WILL YIELD TO SEE WHAT
138MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS HAVE TO SAY AROUND IT. THANK YOU. Jim Porter: IF I COULD PROVIDE MORE CONTEXT FOR THIS. THE REVISIONS THAT MS. VAUGHN REQUESTED ARE FOUND STARTING ON LINE 93 AND GO TO LINE 97. BASICALLY, THERE ARE CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW. THERE ARE LAWS IN PLACE ABOUT WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT COULD DO. BUT THE CHANGES MS. VAUGHN SUGGESTED, STRENGTHEN OUR POLICY I STILL THINK WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE LAW AND DO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTS TO BE CONTACTED WHEN IT'S APPROPRIATE AND WHEN IT'S LEGAL. SO THE LANGUAGE SHE DISCUSSED IS REALLY TO TIGHTEN UP THE POLICY AND TO GIVE MORE RIGHTS TO THE PARENTS AND THE STUDENTS. SO THAT'S THE GENESIS OF IT. THE LANGUAGE IS ON LINES 93 AND 97. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. WE'LL BEGIN WITH MEMBER HAHN. Stacy
139Hahn: I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. Nadia Combs: MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: I'M CURIOUS ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS HERE. INSTEAD OF SHALL ON LINE 94, CAN WE CHANGE THAT TO REQUIRE TO. BY ANY CHANCE. 94. CAN WE CHANGE THAT TO REQUIRE TO? Jim Porter: I THINK IT MEANS THE SAME THING. Karen Perez: AND THEN. [INAUDIBLE] ALSO, WITH CHILD ABUSE CASES, THE PARENT MAY BE -- Karen Perez: MAY NOT APPLY. IT'S ON THE BOTTOM THERE IN THE LAST SENTENCE. Jim Porter: I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WANT. I'LL LOOK AT THAT AND WORK WITH CHIEF NEWMAN ON THAT. Karen Perez: AND THEN WHERE IT SAYS MUST ATTEMPT TO MAKE REASONABLE EFFORTS, MAKE REASONABLE EFFORTS TO CONTACT THE STUDENTS. INSTEAD OF MUST ATTEMPT, MAKE REASONABLE EFFORTS TO CONTACT THE STUDENT'S PARENTS. PROMPTLY. PRIOR TO. IS THAT POSSIBLE? Jim Porter: WE
140CAN LOOK AT THAT. MS. VAUGHN SUGGESTED THE LANGUAGE. I WANT TO HEAR FROM HER ABOUT CHANGING IT. Jessica Vaughn: I CAN GIVE THOUGHTS NOW OR WAIT AND GET IN THE QUEUE AND ADDRESS THEM ALL. WHICHEVER WORKS BEST. Jim Porter: PROBABLY AS WE GO. Jessica Vaughn: I JUST WANT -- I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THAT ADMINISTRATORS CAN'T GUARANTEE THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO CONTACT PARENTS. SOME PARENTS MIGHT NOT BE AVAILABLE. I WANT THE LANGUAGE JUST TO BE AS STRONG AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR ADMINISTRATORS KNOW THAT AS SOON AS ANYONE IS ACCESSING THE STUDENT, IT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO ATTEMPT TO NOTIFY THE PARENT. SO WHATEVER LANGUAGE LENDS ITSELF TO THAT, TO ME, THE WORDING THAT I HAVE IS PRETTY CLEAR. BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT,
141AGAIN, UP FOR DISCUSSION. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN, IN ALL CASES, PARENTS NEED TO BE INVOLVED. I AGREE. MY QUESTION COMES DOWN TO, AND NOT YOU, NECESSARILY, TO KRISTIN DAVIS OR MR. PORTER, WE HAVE A PARENTAL FLORIDA STATUTE, RIGHT? I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME. I'M SURE YOU'VE GOT IT MEMORIZED. DO WE NOT PUT THE FLORIDA STATUTE DOWN ON THE BOTTOM AT THE END SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PARENTAL INTERFACING, WHATEVER POLICY WE HAVE, WE HAVE A NEW LEGISLATION THAT HAS COME THROUGH, EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS. YES, WE CAN ABSOLUTELY PUT THE REFERENCE AT THE BOTTOM, THE STATUTORY REFERENCE, AND THEN MR. PORTER AND I CAN ASSURE THAT THE LANGUAGE DOES ALIGN -- WITH THE STATUTE. THAT WAY, MEMBER VAUGHN,
142IT WILL ADD. USING THE WORD TEETH THESE DAYS, MORE TEETH, BUT I'M FINE WITH THE WORDING. SO THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. I THINK LINE 250 TALKS ABOUT THE ACCESS TO STUDENT RECORDS AND DOES TALK ABOUT THAT. BUT I DON'T KNOW -- I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU LOOK AT PARENTAL RIGHTS AND ACCESS TO STUDENTS, I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I APPRECIATE MEMBER VAUGHN BRINGING THIS BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PARENTS ARE ALWAYS INFORMED OF EVERYTHING AND AT THE FIRST LINE OF EVERYTHING. SO I THINK THIS IS REALLY CRITICAL AND I APPRECIATE MEMBER VAUGHN BRINGING THIS TO US TODAY. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: ONE OF MY -- I LIKE THIS POLICY A LOT AND WHY YOU'RE BRINGING IT FORTH, MEMBER VAUGHN. I HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE WE NEED
143TO FIRM UP THE ROLE OF THE PARENT IN MANY SITUATIONS. HOWEVER, WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING BOTH STATUTES IN FRONT OF US, THE NEW STATUTE AND HOW THE NEW OFFICE OF PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT AND SO FORTH THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY FORMED, IT'S REALLY HARD TO MAKE DETERMINATIONS ON THE WORDING AND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE SAYING HERE, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT ABLE TO COMPARE IT TO WHERE WE LEGALLY STAND AND WHERE IT DOESN'T. FOR EXAMPLE, ON LINE 43, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A CONCERN. IT SAYS IF THE INTERVIEW OF A PARTICULAR STUDENT IS LAW ENFORCEMENT INSTIGATED, THE INTERVIEW OF SUCH STUDENT BY A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL MAY BE DEEMED STATE ACTION. IS THAT BECAUSE THE LAW GIVES THEM THE AUTHORITY TO NOW BECOME A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. LIKE, THAT'S WHERE I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED. WITHOUT HAVING A
144STATUTE IN FRONT OF ME, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING THOSE GUIDELINES AND WE ARE BRINGING PARENTS IN WHEN WE ARE LEGALLY ALLOWED TO. OF COURSE, THERE ARE ABUSE SITUATIONS. THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PARENTAL ROLE IN SOME OF THAT. WE'VE GOT, UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE SOME PARENTS THAT HAVE THEIR OWN INVESTIGATION THAT THEY ARE INVESTIGATING THE CHILD BECAUSE OF A WRONGDOING. THERE ARE SOME SITUATIONS WHERE IT IS NECESSARY, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN GIVE PROPER FEEDBACK WITHOUT KNOWING THE LAW MYSELF. LIKE YOU SAID, WE CHANGE LAWS EVEN NOW ON PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS. SO THOSE TWO STATUTES, I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN GIVE PROPER FEEDBACK. I ALSO DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE PROTECTING THE CHILD IN THIS POLICY WITHOUT HAVING THOSE IN FRONT OF ME AS WELL. Jim Porter:
145UNDERSTOOD. Nadia Combs: ANYONE ELSE WANT TO GET IN THE QUEUE? Jessica Vaughn: IF THERE'S NO ONE ELSE, CAN I REBUTTAL -- NOT REBUTTAL, BUT -- SO, YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO LOOK DEEPER, THAT IS ALREADY IN THE POLICY, THE LINE THAT MEMBER RENDON REFERENCED. SO THAT IS OUR POLICY AS IT STANDS AND EXISTS. IF WE WANT TO LOOK AT THIS KIND OF MORE BEING A LIVING POLICY OR WHATNOT OR WHEN IT COMES BEFORE THE BOARD FOR A VOTE WE WANT TO LOOK AT THAT, I'M CERTAINLY OPEN TO THAT. I'M JUST WONDERING IF THE CHANGES THAT I HAVE SUGGESTED, IF THERE IS A MAJORITY OF HESITANCE TO THAT OR IF WE CAN AT LEAST MOVE THIS POLICY FORWARD WITH SOME REVISIONS. Nadia Combs: I THINK WE SHOULD SEE BY RAISING OF HANDS HOW MANY PEOPLE
146SUPPORT IT AS IS. Jim Porter: THIS IS WHETHER IT GOES TO THE PUBLIC HEARING. Nadia Combs: I THINK SHE WANTS TO MOVE IT FORWARD TO THE PUBLIC HEARING. Jim Porter: I THINK WHAT MEMBER VAUGHN IS TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AND WHAT MEMBER RENDON RAISED CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED. HER POINT ABOUT IT BEING A LIVING DOCUMENT, IF WE CAN AGREE THAT THESE CHANGES ARE OKAY AND TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT THE POLICY FOR THE NEXT CYCLE AND MAKE SURE IT ALIGNS WITH THE PARENTAL RIGHTS BILL AND ANY OTHER LAWS THAT HAVE COME OUT. Patti Rendon: I DON'T DISAGREE WITH WHAT HER INTENTION IS ON THIS AT ALL. I ACTUALLY SUPPORT IT, QUITE FRANKLY. AS SOON AS POSSIBLE PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEW. THIS MEANS IF THEY CAN'T GET HOLD OF THE PARENT, THEY ARE NOT INTERVIEWING THE CHILD. Jim
147Porter: NO, IT MEANS THEY GO. THEY HAVE TO TRY. WE CAN'T STOP THEM. Patti Rendon: NO, NO, THIS IS THE ADMINISTRATION MUST ATTEMPT TO CONTACT THE STUDENT'S PARENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEW. Jim Porter: IF THEY CAN'T GET HOLD OF THE PARENT, IT DOESN'T MEAN THE INTERVIEW DOESN'T HAPPEN. Patti Rendon: I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE LAW FIRST. AGAIN, LAW ENFORCEMENT, THAT'S WHERE WE'VE GOT TO FIND THE DETAIL, WHAT LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN DO AND AN ADMINISTRATOR CAN DO. TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS. Jim Porter: CURRENT POLICY IS WEAKER. IT SAYS THE ADMINISTRATION SHOULD, NOT MUST, CONTACT THE STUDENT'S PARENTS PRIOR TO THE INTERVIEW WHEN POSSIBLE. IT'S VERY WISHY-WASHY. Patti Rendon: AGREED. Jim Porter: THIS STRENGTHENS IT. I DON'T THINK WE CAN GO FURTHER THAN THAT. I THINK THIS IS GOING AS FAR AS
148THE LAW ALLOWS AND MIGHT BE STRETCHING IT. IT DOESN'T PROHIBIT THE INTERVIEW. IT GIVES THEM MORE IMPETUS TO CONTACT THE PARENT. Patti Rendon: THIS IS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERVIEW. Jim Porter: BY LAW ENFORCEMENT WITHOUT REQUEST OF SCHOOL AUTHORITY. Patti Rendon: I'LL MOVE FORWARD. Jim Porter: WE'LL LOOK AT BOTH. Nadia Combs: DO WE NEED ANY MORE CONSENSUS? Jim Porter: I THINK WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED. THANK YOU. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS. Karen Perez: NEXT ONE. THE NEXT POLICY 8462, STUDENT ABUSE AND INSERT NEW LANGUAGE ABANDONMENT, EXPLOITATION AND NEGLECT BROUGHT FORWARD BY BOARD MEMBER RENDON. ALSO MS. PATEN AND KING TO JOIN US. DO YOU WANT TO START IT OFF, PATTY? Patti Rendon: THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, HR, FOR WORKING WITH THIS AND DR. PATTON AND YOUR TEAM. ONE OF THE REASONS I FELT
149STRONGLY TO BRING THIS BACK IS BECAUSE IT GOT VERY MUCH IN THE WEEDS AND IDENTIFIED THIS PERSON, THAT PERSON, BUT DIDN'T IDENTIFY OTHERS. I THINK IT JUST NEEDS TO BE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED THAT THE DISTRICT SEEKS TO INSTITUTE A ZERO TOLERANCE FOR ANY ACTIONS THAT MAY JEOPARDIZE THE HEALTH, SAFETY, WELFARE OF A STUDENT. COMMITTED TO PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING OF STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT AND REQUIRES STAFF COMPLY WITH THE MANDATED REQUIREMENTS OF REPORTING, SUSPECTED ALLEGED ABUSE OR POTENTIAL CASES OF ABUSE, ABANDONMENT, EXPLOITATION AND/OR NEGLECT ACCORDING TO THE LAW. THEN YOU LINK RIGHT INTO HOW YOU CAN REPORT IT, WHAT OUR PROCEDURES ARE BUT LEAVES OFF NO QUESTION, ALL STAFF ARE RESPONSIBLE AND ALL STAFF MUST REPORT THIS. THAT'S JUST, TO ME, IT IS A POLICY THAT WE STAND BEHIND OUR STUDENTS AND THE HEALTH AND SAFETY
150OF OUR STAFF AND STUDENTS. THAT'S WHY I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT'S VERY CLEAR. PREVIOUSLY IT TALKED ABOUT TEACHER, ADMINISTRATOR, SO JUST ELIMINATED THAT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. MEMBER HAHN. Stacy Hahn: JUST A CLARIFYING POINT, PLEASE. SO THERE IS A LINK AT THE END AND THEN THAT TAKES YOU TO THE REPORTING POLICY. Patti Rendon: CORRECT. AND HOW YOU REPORT IT. Stacy Hahn: THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: BOARD MEMBERS, ANYBODY HAVE COMMENTS? I THINK WE'RE IN SUPPORT OF THAT. THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE, 2520, COURSES OF STUDY. THIS WOULD BE A NEW POLICY BEING BROUGHT FORWARD BY BOARD MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: THANK YOU, MEMBERS. THE REASON WE BROUGHT THIS UP FOR REVIEW THIS TIME IS BECAUSE WE DID NOT HAVE A SINGLE POLICY ON HOW WE IDENTIFIED ANY
151MATERIALS THAT GO IN FRONT OF A CHILD. WHEN WE LOOK AT NORTH STATE STATUTE 100.28, IT INCORPORATES ANY MATERIAL WITHIN A SCHOOL THAT COMES IN FRONT OF A CHILD AND SERVES AND DELINEATES THE PROCESS OF WHICH FAMILIES CAN HAVE OBJECTION OR NOT OBJECTION. SO WE CREATED THIS POLICY TO BASICALLY SAY NO MATTER WHAT THE MATERIAL IS, THERE IS A DIRECT LINK TO HOW THE PROCEDURES IN WHICH THEY ADOPT THE POLICIES, WHICH INCLUDE OUR VOTE ON THE DAIS, THERE WILL BE A PROCEDURE FOR THAT, PROCEDURES FOR ADOPTION, PROCEDURES FOR PURCHASE, PROCEDURES FOR ALL THE ABOVE, AND THEN THIS PARTICULAR POLICY JUST STATES IN SUMMARY THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING SPECIFIC MATERIALS FOR ALL STUDENTS THROUGH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN ACCORDANCE WITH FLORIDA STATE STATUTE AND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION RULES. THE BOARD
152SHALL, EMPLOYEES, STUDENTS, FAMILIES OF HCPS STUDENTS, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENTS AND INFORMATION AND ACCESS TO THE MATERIALS WITHIN HCPS EDUCATIONAL PROCESS, PURPOSES INCLUDING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL AND OTHER MATERIALS USED IN CLASSROOMS MADE AVAILABLE IN A SCHOOL OR SCHOOL LIBRARY TO INCLUDE ON A READING LIST. SO THIS JUST INCORPORATES THE ENTIRE STATUTE, ALL MATERIALS IN FRONT OF A STUDENT. AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THIS, IT WILL HAVE A DIRECT LINK THAT IF A FAMILY MEMBER OR ANY COMMUNITY MEMBER HAS AN OBJECTION TO ANY MATERIALS, NOT LIMITED TO ANY, BUT ALL MATERIALS, THERE IS A PROCESS, AND IT IS THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SPECIFIC STANDARD AND RULES, AND THEIR OBJECTION POLICY AND FORM. Jim Porter: THIS IS A QUOTE, UNQUOTE, NEW POLICY BUT EXACT RECITATION OF FLORIDA LAW. IT JUST IS ON ITS OWN. IT'S EASY TO FIND FOR
153PEOPLE THAT ARE SEARCHING IT. THIS WORDING COMES RIGHT OUT OF FLORIDA STATUTE. THAT'S SORT OF THE PURPOSE OF IT. MS. RENDON WANTED TO PUT IT FORWARD AS A FREE-STANDING POLICY SO IT'S THERE FOR EVERYONE TO SEE AND IT WILL BE LINKED TO THE PROCEDURES. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER RENDON. WE'LL START WITH MEMBER HAHN. Stacy Hahn: TWO THINGS. ONE, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I THINK IT SPEAKS TO THE TRANSPARENCY AROUND THESE TYPES OF ISSUES THAT THE STATE BOARD SAID WERE VERY IMPORTANT FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO DEMONSTRATE. SO MAKING INFORMATION MORE ACCESSIBLE AND EASIER IS A PIECE OF THAT BEING TRANSPARENT. SO IT SAYS HERE THAT THE PROCEDURES AND OBJECTIONS SHALL BE EASY TO READ AND UNDERSTOOD AND BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE ON THE HOME PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE. I UNDERSTAND THERE WILL BE A
154LINK HERE, BUT IT ALSO SAYS IN HERE ON THE WEBSITE, NEW WEBSITE LOOKS WONDERFUL. I'M LOOKING AT IT ON MY PHONE. I CAN'T FIND THE ACCESSIBILITY ON OUR HOME PAGE TO THE PROCEDURES, TO OBJECTION OF MATERIALS. Patti Rendon: BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T APPROVED THE POLICY TO PUT IT UP THERE. WE HAVEN'T PUT THE OBJECTION FORM OR POLICY. Stacy Hahn: THE OBJECTION FORM IS THERE. Patti Rendon: BUT THE PROCEDURES AREN'T COMPLETED. Stacy Hahn: YOU'RE SAYING THE PROCESS AND PROCEDURES, SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT SOMEWHERE ON THIS WEBSITE. IT'S JUST NOT THERE. I'M LOOKING ON MY PHONE. IN ALL FAIRNESS, IT MAY NOT BE ON THE MOBILE ONE, BUT IT MAY BE ON THE DESKTOP. Patti Rendon: WHEN YOU PULL THE OBJECTIONABLE FORM IT WALKS THROUGH -- ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING DIFFERENT? VERY BOTTOM, SAYS HCPS
155OBJECTION FORM LISTED AT THE BOTTOM. Stacy Hahn: YES, I SAW THAT. IT SAYS HERE THE PROCESS AND PROCEDURES TO OBJECTIONS OF MATERIALS WHICH TO ME SAYS THE PROCESS OF THE -- THE PROCESS THAT WE USE IS IT GOES TO A COMMITTEE AT THE SCHOOL AND THEN IT GOES TO A COMMITTEE AT THE DISTRICT AND THEN POTENTIALLY GOES TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. THAT'S THE PROCESS, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING HERE, THAT'S WHAT IS GOING TO BE SOMEHOW A LINK ON OUR HOME PAGE, NOT JUST THE FORM. Van Ayres: THIS IS MS. RENDON'S POLICY. I ASKED YOUR INTENT. Stacy Hahn: I WANT TO MAKE SURE -- Patti Rendon: IT'S TWOFOLD. WE TALKED ABOUT THIS THAT IT IS TWOFOLD. ABJECTIONABLE -- OBJECTIONABLE FORM PROVIDED TO US THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT
156OF EDUCATION STARTS OFF WITH PROCEDURES, STEP ONE, HAVE A VERBAL COMMUNICATION. IT DOES WALK THROUGH STEPS. HOWEVER, I HAVE ASKED THE DISTRICT TO ALSO ADD ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES TO PUT IN PLAINER LANGUAGE AS WELL. Stacy Hahn: THIS IS THE OLD FORM THAT I'M LOOKING AT. Patti Rendon: DO WE HAVE THE NEW FORM ON THERE? Van Ayres: THE OBJECTION FORM -- [OVERLAPPING TALK] Stacy Hahn: NOTHING ABOUT PROCEDURE. JUST THE FORM. Patti Rendon: JEFF, YOU WERE GOING TO ADD ON ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES. Stacy Hahn: THE PROCEDURES ARE NOT FILL OUT THE FORM AND CLICK ENTER. IT'S WHAT HAPPENS -- IT'S THE PROCEDURES OF ANY OBJECTION, WHETHER LIBRARY BOOKS OR CURRICULUM. Patti Rendon: CORRECT. Van Ayres: WHAT STAFF IS BRINGING ME NOW, WHEN YOU CLICK ON THE FORM, THE PROCEDURES ARE THERE ON WHAT WILL HAPPEN. Patti Rendon: -- MAKE
157SURE BEFORE ANYONE APPROVES THE POLICY AND THEY WERE GOING TO BE PROVIDED DIRECTLY TO THE BOARD MEMBERS. Stacy Hahn: I HAVE THE FORM. I JUST DON'T SEE WHERE IT SAYS THE PROCEDURES. THAT'S NOT WHAT THE LINK IS TAKING ME TO. Patti Rendon: I DON'T THINK THAT IS THE SAME FORM. Stacy Hahn: I AM ON THE WEBSITE. Patti Rendon: ASK THAT YOUR STAFF MAKE SURE PRIOR TO THIS COMING TO THE BOARD THAT EVERY BOARD MEMBER HAVE A COPY OF YOUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND THE FORM. Stacy Hahn: JUST FOR THE RECORD, THEY ARE LOOKING AT THE DESKTOP AND I'M CLICKING THE SAME LINK AND IT'S NOT THE SAME FORM. Van Ayres: WE'RE ON IT RIGHT NOW. MOBILE IS DIFFERENT VERSUS DESKTOP. Nadia Combs: WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. MEMBER VAUGHN AND THEN
158MEMBER GRAY. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. I WANT TO GET SOME CLARITY AROUND THIS. FOR THIS, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE JUST ALIGNING IT UNDER ONE POLICY TO MEET WHAT THE FLORIDA STATE HAS ALREADY PROVIDED FOR US. IS THIS AN OBJECTION FOR THEM PERSONALLY OR IS THIS AN OBJECTION FOR THE PROCESS TO REMOVE THIS PIECE OF CURRICULUM FROM ALL STUDENTS? I'M VERY UNCLEAR ABOUT WHAT THE OBJECTION PROCEDURE LENDS ITSELF TO. Patti Rendon: THE ACTUAL STATUTE DOES NOT LIMIT WHAT THE OBJECTION OF A PARENT, A STUDENT, OR A COMMUNITY MEMBER DOES. IT'S UP TO HOW THEY FILL OUT THEIR OBJECTION FORM. WE DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO DETERMINE WHAT THAT OBJECTION IS. Jessica Vaughn: WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE DON'T HAVE A RIGHT. I'M STILL CONFUSED. LET'S SAY I AM A PARENT AND
159I HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT A PIECE OF CURRICULUM. THE WAY I FILL IT OUT, ASK THAT IT BE REMOVED FROM HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS CURRICULUM, PERIOD. ARE YOU SAYING THE BOARD -- ONCE THAT FORM IS CREATED, IT'S UP TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BOARD HAS NO INPUT ON THAT THROUGH THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT WE'RE ADOPTING? I'M STILL NOT CLEAR. Patti Rendon: NO. FIRST OF ALL, THE STATUTE GIVES THE BOARD FULL AUTHORITY ON CHOOSING THE MATERIAL THAT'S USED WITHIN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BUT IF SOMEONE HAS OBJECTION TO THE MATERIAL, THEY ARE ALLOWED TO FOLLOW THE OBJECTION PROCESS. THAT PROCESS WOULD GO THROUGH A SECTION OF COMMITTEES THAT WOULD BE CREATED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT FIRST AT THE SCHOOL AND THEN AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL AND THEN AT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S LEVEL. IF THERE IS STILL A
160PROCESS IN WHICH THEY WOULD WANT TO CONTINUE TO OBJECT TO IT, IT WOULD THEN COME TO THE BOARD FOR FINAL VOTING PROCESS. IT DOES GIVE ANYBODY WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, THE FAMILY, OR STUDENT, EITHER OBJECTION FOR THEM, THAT THEY CHOOSE NOT TO UTILIZE THE MATERIAL, OBJECT ON USING THAT FOR THEIR STUDY OR FOR THE USE OF THE MATERIAL IN GENERAL. THAT IS PART OF THE STATUTE THAT ANYBODY CAN OBJECT FROM ANY LEVEL. Jessica Vaughn: ARE YOU SAYING THAT YOU HAVE ASKED THE SUPERINTENDENT TO ALREADY CREATE THOSE PROCEDURES AND HE HAS AND YOU ASKED THOSE TO BE PASSED ON TO US AND WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED THEM? Patti Rendon: THOSE CURRENT PROCEDURES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A SUPERINTENDENT COMMITTEE THAT HE SPOKE ABOUT PREVIOUSLY WHEN HE GAVE HIS REPORT ABOUT HIS INTENTION WITH THE STATE BOARD, OTHER THAN
161THOSE PROCEDURES ARE ALREADY IN PLACE FOR OBJECTIONS. BUT HE WILL BE FIRMING UP HIS PROCEDURE ON HIS OWN. ALL I ASKED AS A BOARD MEMBER BRINGING THE POLICY IS PRIOR TO THIS BOARD VOTING ON A POLICY THAT YOU ARE FULLY INFORMED OF HIS INTENT FROM HIS PROCEDURES PRIOR TO YOU VOTING ON THE POLICY. Van Ayres: IF I COULD ADD, THIS NEW POLICY REFERS TO AN OBJECTION FORM. OUR OBJECTION PROCESS, WHICH WE'VE HAD THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, STARTS WITH THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE, THE DISTRICT COMMITTEE AND THEN ULTIMATELY GO TO THE BOARD. I THINK WE'VE HAD TWO ULTIMATELY IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THAT HAVE COME TO THE BOARD. THAT PROCESS HAS NOT CHANGED AND WILL NOT CHANGE WITH SOMEONE THAT LIVES IN OUR COMMUNITY, A PARENT THAT OBJECTS TO SOMETHING, FILLS OUT THE FORM,
162THAT PROCESS, WE HAVE IN PLACE AND HAVE IN PLACE THE LAST TWO YEARS, THAT HAS NOT CHANGED. Jessica Vaughn: CAN I GET CLARITY THEN FOR MY UNDERSTANDING? WHAT I'M HEARING AND HOW I'M UNDERSTANDING AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING IT, IS WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, YOUR INTENT WITH THIS POLICY IS TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR PARENTS TO FIND THESE FORMS, HAVE THE OBJECTION, UNDERSTAND THE PROCEDURES, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY ALLOW THE SUPERINTENDENT TO CREATE HIS OWN BOARD AS A PIECE OF THE PROCEDURES THAT YOU'RE SAYING WILL BE PROVIDED TO US BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE ON THIS POLICY. Patti Rendon: I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT I'M TELLING THE SUPERINTENDENT TO DO. THAT'S UP TO HIM FOLLOWING WHATEVER PROCEDURES HE'S ALIGNED. AS FAR AS THE PROCESS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT CREATING HIS
163OWN COUNSEL BEFORE COMING TO THE BOARD, THAT'S UP TO HIM. HE MENTIONED HE WANTED TO DO THAT. WHEN HE GAVE US THE REPORT FROM THE STATE BOARD OF ED. THAT'S WHY -- HE CAN CHOOSE TO ELIMINATE THAT OPTION. RIGHT NOW THIS POLICY ONLY STATES THAT WE AS A DISTRICT ARE GOING TO FOLLOW THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO BRING OBJECTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY FOR ANY COURSE OF STUDY OR ANY MATERIALS THAT COME IN FRONT OF A STUDENT. WE'RE GOING TO ATTACH THE PROCEDURES FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE OBJECTION FORM. THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE POLICY. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE IN ORDER FOR YOU TO APPROVE IT, I WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE KNOWING THE PROCEDURES AND A COPY OF THE FORM FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT. Nadia Combs: REMEMBER, MEMBER VAUGHN,
164I KNOW THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER MEMBERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK. IF WE CAN KEEP OUR COMMENTS CONCISE. Jessica Vaughn: I CAN GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. Nadia Combs: I THINK IT'S PREFERRED YOU FINISH, THAT WAY WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT POLICY. Jessica Vaughn: I WILL GET BACK IN THE QUEUE BECAUSE I HAVE AN ADDITIONAL QUESTION. ABOUT THIS ONE, SUPERINTENDENT AYRES ARE YOU COMMITTING THAT ANY EXTRA PROCEDURE THAT YOU WOULD PUT IN PLACE WITH THIS POLICY, WHETHER IT'S AN ADDITION OF YOUR OWN SUPERINTENDENT COMMITTEE THAT YOU WOULD PROVIDE US WITH THAT FULL PROCEDURE AND ANY INTENTIONS THAT YOU HAVE PREVIOUS TO ANYBODY VOTING ON THIS POLICY. BECAUSE MY CONCERN IS WE WOULD APPROVE THIS AND THEN SOMETHING WOULD COME AFTER WITH A PROCEDURE THAT IS NOT WHAT WE WOULD WANT TO
165APPROVE. Van Ayres: THE ANSWER IS YES. WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS A PARENT OR COMMUNITY MEMBER THAT FILLS OUT THE OBJECTION FORM. THAT PROCESS WE'VE HAD IN PLACE FOR SOMEONE THAT OFFICIALLY FILLS OUT THE FORM, SUBMITS IT, WE HAVE THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE, DISTRICT COMMITTEE AND ULTIMATELY GOES TO THE BOARD. THAT PROCESS HAS NOT CHANGED AT ALL AND WOULD NOT CHANGE WITH THIS PARTICULAR POLICY CHANGE. I DID BRING A POLICY FORWARD, FIVE DOWN, THAT WILL TALK ABOUT CHANGES TO OUR CURRENT POLICY THAT WILL GET INTO MAYBE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT MATERIAL THAT MAY NOT BE OFFICIALLY OBJECTED TO AND THEN HOW WE HANDLE THOSE. THIS IS IF SOMEBODY FILLS OUT THE OBJECTION FORM AND FILLS IT OUT AND THAT PROCESS AND PROCEDURES HAS NOT CHANGED AND WOULD NOT CHANGED. WE HAVE THOSE IN PLACE IN OUR
166LIBRARY MATERIALS HANDBOOK. Patti Rendon: THIS IS NOT JUST LIBRARY MATERIALS. THIS IS ANY MATERIAL THAT GOES IN FRONT OF A STUDENT. MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT IDENTIFYING ANY SPECIFIC MATERIAL. Jim Porter: SHE'S BEEN ADAMANT BEFORE THE BOARD VOTES ON THIS THERE HAS TO BE A LINKABLE PROCEDURE. MY EXPECTATION WHEN THIS IS TIME TO ADVERTISE FOR PUBLIC HEARING IF THAT WASN'T IN PLACE, I WOULD THINK AS THE AUTHOR YOU WOULD PULL IT OR ASK THAT IT NOT GO FORWARD. Van Ayres: YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE STATE OBJECTION FORM. Patti Rendon: CORRECT. AND YOUR PROCEDURES. Van Ayres: WHICH WE HAVE. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: FIRST OF ALL, I HAVE A FEW CONSIDERATIONS TO BE CONSIDERED. THE TITLE SAYS COURSES OF STUDY, YET THE EMPHASIS HAS BEEN ON THE OBJECTION TEMPLATE. SO THE TITLE IS NOT
167REALLY IN LINE WITH THE DISCUSSION THAT I'M HEARING. SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES, YOU'LL HAVE A QUESTION RIGHT NOW. FIRST OFF, MEMBER RENDON, AS A SCHOOL TEACHER OF MANY, MANY YEARS, JUST SO YOU KNOW AND YOU'RE COMFORTABLE, AND I THINK YOU KNOW THIS, ON LINE 8, WE HAVE ANY PARENT HAS ACCESS TO ANY MATERIALS WITHIN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AS FAR AS EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. MR. PORTER, THIS IS VERY LEGALESE BUT WE CAN MAKE THAT MUCH SIMPLER BECAUSE PARENTS HAVE THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO CHECK ANY MATERIALS. THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE, AT LEAST FOR THE LAST 35, 40 YEARS. THE QUESTION I HAVE IN LINE WITH MEMBER VAUGHN, BEFORE WE AGREE TO THIS, WE HAVE TO AGREE TO WHAT PROCEDURES -- I UNDERSTAND SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES YOU PUT A LINE IN THE SAND THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE THE
168PROCEDURES. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THOSE PROCEDURES TO HANDLE ALL OBJECTIONS BY EMPLOYEES, STUDENT, FAMILY AND STUDENTS BEFORE I AGREE TO THIS WORDING. SECONDLY, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A LINKAGE, WHICH IS VERY WISE, WHEN IT HAS ON LINE 13, OBJECTION TEMPLATE, THAT PARTICULAR TEMPLATE SHOULD HAVE A LINK RIGHT THERE. NEXT, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, AGAIN, LINE 14, THE PROCESS AND PROCEDURES TO OBJECTIONS OF MATERIALS SHALL BE EASY TO READ, AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME, SUPERINTENDENT VAN AYRES. NO FAULT OF YOUR OWN, BUT I HAVE TO HAVE THAT -- I HAVE TO SEE, OH, THAT'S FINE BY ME AS AN INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THOSE -- I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW AND SEE, SO THAT DISCUSSION CAN BE HAD AMONG BOARD MEMBERS. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I DON'T SEE
169IT. I DON'T HAVE IT MEMORIZED. BUT WOULDN'T IT BE NICE TO HAVE THIS ON THERE. Van Ayres: THOSE PROCEDURES AS YOU KNOW CURRENTLY THEY ARE IN THE LIBRARY MEDIA SERVICES HANDBOOK. ALL THE PROCEDURES WITH OBJECTIONS ARE LISTED THERE. TAKING THOSE WITHIN THAT MEDIA SERVICES HANDBOOK, ADDRESSING THEM AND PUSHING THEM OUT TO COVER ALL MATERIAL. Lynn Gray: BEFORE I SAY YES. WHAT WE HAVE AND TO THE POINT THAT YOU'RE SHARING, MEMBER RENDON, WE HAVE AN ABSOLUTE FLORIDA STATUTE. IT'S NOT READER FRIENDLY. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GO THROUGH, AND I WOULD LIKE IF IT CAN BE REWORDED IN A WAY THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY LEGALESE BUT MORE FRIENDLY TO THE EYE, IF YOU WILL, NOT THAT WE'RE NOT INTELLIGENT, BUT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT. THE LAST POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS ON LINE 15. THE
170BOARD SHALL PROVIDE AN OPEN ACCESS TO ALL MATERIALS. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN REAL TERMS? I DON'T KNOW IF JEFF IS IN HERE OR NOT. NOW YOU'RE SAYING THE BOARD. Patti Rendon: MEMBER GRAY, IF I MAY, I WROTE IT MORE LAYMAN TERMS AND I WAS CORRECTED TO BE MORE LEGALESE. TO MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER, JUST SO YOU KNOW, I WROTE IT MORE COMMON KNOWLEDGE. I DID NOT CHOOSE COURSE OF STUDY. AGAIN, I WAS CORRECTED BY OUR ATTORNEY. LET ME MAKE THAT CLEAR, THOSE TWO THINGS. NUMBER 8, THE REASON IT DOES SAY THAT SPECIFIC THING IS THAT HCPS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES INCLUDING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS IS BECAUSE ALTHOUGH WE DO IT, WE DON'T HAVE A POLICY THAT SAYS WE DO. AND THAT'S WHY IT'S HERE. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT 14, HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE.
171THAT'S WHY I WANTED THE ACTUAL FORM WHERE IT LINKED. AT THE VERY END OF THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT ALTHOUGH I AM VERY ADAMANT, I WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO HAVE IT TODAY. I WANT YOU GUYS TO SEE THE PROCEDURES AND THE FORM. THE FORM IS ACTUALLY DIRECTLY FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. THAT'S WHAT I CHOSE TO INCLUDE. BUT I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PROCEDURES BECAUSE IT'S NOT OUR ROLE. OUR ROLE IS THIS POLICY THAT SAYS WE'RE COMMITTING TO HAVING THE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESS TO ALL MATERIALS. IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO AGREE WITH OUR MATERIALS, YOU HAVE A PROCESS FOR OBJECTION. AND THAT IS THE INTENT OF THE POLICY WHICH WE HAVE AUTHORITY OVER. Jim Porter: IF I COULD EMPHASIZE ON WHAT MS. RENDON SAID, WE DID FOLLOW
172THE STATUTORY LANGUAGE EXACTLY. THIS COMES RIGHT OUT OF THE STATUTE. I REWORDED IT. JEFF AND I REWORDED IT. SHE TRIED TO BE MORE LAY FRIENDLY. I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO TRACK THE LANGUAGE EXACTLY. WE'RE HAPPY TO GO BACK AND LOOK AND SEE IF WE CAN HAVE THE SAME MEANING. WITH SOMETHING LIKE THIS, ESPECIALLY WHEN ALL EYES ARE ON US WITH THIS SORT OF SUBJECT, I WANT TO ALIGN WITH THE STATUTE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. WE CAN ALSO COME UP WITH A BETTER TITLE. THAT SEEMED TO FIT. I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. MS. RENDON IS FAULTLESS ON THIS. WE CAN GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE YOU SUGGESTED. Lynn Gray: I THINK WE PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE IN THIS CASE. IF YOU DON'T
173HAVE THE PROCEDURES AND PROCESS HERE, JUST LIKE THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT, YOU CAN'T SAY YES FOR THIS VAPING UNLESS YOU KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES. HOW CAN WE SEPARATE THOSE TWO? LET ME FINISH. HAS TO BE IN LINE BECAUSE WE MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH YOUR PROCEDURES OR PROCESS IS WHAT I'M SAYING. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS. I DON'T HAVE IT MEMORIZED, BUT I WOULD HAVE THAT FOR OUR NEXT CONSIDERATION, NEXT MEETING. Patti Rendon: AS MUCH AS I AGREE WITH YOU THAT SHOULD HAVE A COPY AT ALL TIMES, SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE A COPY OF THE PROCEDURES, WE ARE ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POLICY THAT DETERMINES WE ARE GOING TO BE TRANSPARENT AND WE ARE GOING TO GIVE FAMILIES THE ABILITY TO OBJECT ANY MATERIALS. THAT'S WHAT THIS SAYS. THEN YOU HAVE A SEPARATE DISCUSSION WITH THE
174SUPERINTENDENT ON HIS WAY OF DOING THAT. Nadia Combs: BOARD MEMBERS, I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WE HAVE SIX POLICIES LEFT AND WE HAVE 33 MINUTES. I HAVE TWO MORE COMMENTS LEFT WITH MEMBER HAHN AND MEMBER VAUGHN. I THINK YOU'LL HAVE ENOUGH DIRECTION AFTER THAT. IF WE CAN QUICKLY GO THROUGH THOSE TWO COMMENTS AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT POLICY. MEMBER HAHN. Stacy Hahn: WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY COMMITTED TO HAVING OUR POLICIES UPDATED TO ALIGN WITH STATE LAWS AND WE CREATE NEW POLICIES TO REFLECT STATE LAW. I THINK IT'S KIND OF FUNNY, SOME PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO AGREE TO THIS UNTIL THEY SEE THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. IT'S A DONE DEAL. WHETHER YOU WANT TO AGREE WITH THIS OR NOT OR SUPPORT IT AT THE DAIS OR NOT, BY STATE LAW, WE'RE DOING IT.
175BY INCLUDING IT IN OUR POLICIES, WE'RE ALLOWING PARENTS TO FULLY EXERCISE THEIR PARENTAL RIGHTS BECAUSE WE'RE BEING TRANSPARENT WITH INFORMATION. SO YOU CAN GO BACK AND FORTH ALL YOU WANT. IT'S ALREADY A DONE DEAL. I THINK IT'S FUNNY THAT YOU THINK YOUR VOTE WILL MAKE THIS GO AWAY OR NOT. IT'S HAPPENING. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE TRANSPARENT, INCLUDE IT IN OUR POLICIES, THAT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT -- THAT TO ME STARTS GETTING INTO THE WHOLE PARENTAL RIGHTS PIECE. BUT THAT'S EVERYONE'S INDIVIDUAL OPINION. THE OTHER PIECE AROUND THESE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES, HE CAN WRITE A PROCEDURE THAT SAYS IT GOES FROM A SCHOOL TO A DISTRICT TO A SCHOOL BOARD. AT THE END OF THE DAY, THOUGH, AGAIN, THE STATE LAW SAYS THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS THE RIGHT TO REMOVE MATERIALS WITHOUT THE SCHOOL BOARD'S
176APPROVAL OR CONSENT. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, HE CAN WRITE THE POLICY THE WAY THAT IT MIGHT BE MORE PALATABLE TO THE BOARD, BUT HE HAS THE AUTHORITY TO REMOVE ANYTHING AT ANY TIME WITHOUT GOING THROUGH A PROCESS OR PROCEDURE. I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE WHEN WE GO THROUGH, FOR EXAMPLE, THESE BOOK CHALLENGES, WHICH HAVEN'T BEEN MANY, BUT WE STILL GET A LOT OF PUBLIC COMMENT AROUND IT, WHERE PEOPLE ARE ACCUSING THE BOARD ARE NOT FOLLOWING THEIR OWN POLICY OR THE SUPERINTENDENT BROKE THE DISTRICT POLICY. I HEARD THIS A FEW WEEKS AGO, BECAUSE HE REMOVED THE 56 BOOKS. NO, HE DIDN'T. POLICY ISN'T THE PROCEDURES. THERE IS THE GAP. THEY ARE NOT UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POLICY AND PROCEDURES. AT THE END OF THE DAY, STATE LAW
177SAYS HE HAS THE RIGHT TO REMOVE MATERIALS, WHETHER I LIKE IT, YOU LIKE IT, WHEREVER WE FALL ON WHATEVER THE MATERIALS ARE. SOME WAY IT'S GOING TO BREAK MY WAY AND SOME YOUR WAY. FOR US TO SPEND A HALF HOUR GOING BACK AND FORTH ON WHETHER WE WILL SUPPORT THIS OR NOT, TO ME IS A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME AND RESOURCES BECAUSE WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, IT'S HAPPENING. IF WE CAN MOVE ON AND GET TO SIX OTHER POLICIES, THAT WOULD BE GREAT SO WE CAN BE EFFICIENT. Nadia Combs: MEMBER VAUGHN HAD A COMMENT AND WE'LL MOVE TO THE NEXT POLICY. Jessica Vaughn: DO I. I APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION, DR. HAHN, I DO. HOWEVER WE HAVE ASKED LIMITED AMOUNTS OF QUESTIONS ON THIS. AS SOMEBODY WHO REPRESENTS MY DISTRICT, WHAT I THINK THE CONCERN
178IS AND WHY I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH TRANSPARENCY. IT'S CONCERNS ABOUT PARENTAL RIGHTS AND WHETHER OR NOT SOME PARENTAL RIGHTS ARE GOING TO OVER INFRINGE ON OVER PARENTAL RIGHTS. THE QUESTION IS, WHAT THE PROCEDURES ARE GOING TO LOOK LIKE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ENSURING EVERYBODY'S PARENTAL RIGHTS BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHEN PARENTAL RIGHTS KIND OF CONFLICT WHOSE PARENTAL RIGHTS WHEN. SO I THINK WHEN WE GET INTO KIND OF THIS BROAD SCOPE OF PARENTAL RIGHTS, IT'S FAIR AS BOARD MEMBERS TO ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT PROCEDURES WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OBJECTIONS TO WHAT'S IN OUR SCHOOLS. AND I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT ONE OF THE REASONS I'M ASKING ABOUT WHAT THE PROCEDURES LOOK LIKE IS BECAUSE MY FOLLOW-UP QUESTION IS, WHEN WE SAY
179ACCESS TO ALL MATERIALS THAT HAPPEN TO BE INSTRUCTION AND DR. HAHN PROBABLY KNOWS THIS AS WELL AS ANYONE ELSE, WHEN YOU ARE AN EDUCATOR, THERE ARE TEACHABLE MOMENTS WHERE THERE MIGHT BE PIECES INCLUDED IN YOUR INSTRUCTION YOU DIDN'T INTENT ON. IF YOU'RE HAVING INDEPENDENT READING TIME AND THE STUDENT HAS A BOOK AND ASKS A QUESTION ABOUT A BOOK THEY BROUGHT FROM HOME AND A CONVERSATION ENSUES, THERE'S NO WAY BEFORE THAT YOU CAN PUT ON THE WEBSITE THAT PARTICULAR BOOK. THAT'S WHERE I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ANYTHING THAT'S INCLUDED INSTRUCTION, IS THAT PREPARED INSTRUCTION? IS THAT CURRICULUM? I STILL HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. I DON'T THINK WE'RE BELABORING POINT, ASKING FOR LESS TRANSPARENCY OR TRYING TO VIOLATE STATUTE BY GETTING CLARITY, BUT THAT'S JUST ME.
180Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBERS. I THINK YOU HAVE ENOUGH, MR. PORTER. AS WE HAVE OUR NEXT RETREAT, MAYBE THIS IS SOMETHING WE TALK ABOUT AND PUT TIME FORTH TO TALK ABOUT. IT SEEMS PEOPLE ARE QUESTIONING THAT. OVERALL, WHATEVER THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, WHATEVER LAW OR STATUTES THAT THEY PROVIDED US, WE'LL HAVE TO INCLUDE THEM. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'VE SEEN THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS NOT ONLY TAKING THE -- LIKE 600 BOOKS, WE SEE THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS. I FELT LIKE I HAD NO INPUT AT THAT TIME. LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE. THANK YOU. Karen Perez: KRISTIN. MS. DAVIS. THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE STAFF POLICIES. 5136, WIRELESS COMMUNICATION. OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES WITH DR. GRAYES. BEHIND TAB 5136. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I'LL BEGIN WITH KEY PROVISIONS
181TO HB 1105. THAT'S WHAT WE BUILT OUR POLICY AROUND. JUST BEGINNING WITH SOME RESTRICTIONS BY GRADE LEVEL. THE POLICY WAS PRETTY CLEAR, STATE STATUTE PRETTY MUCH SAYS IT PROHIBITS THE USE OF CELL PHONES OR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL DURING THE ENTIRE DAY, WHEREAS BEFORE THAT POLICY WAS STRICTLY PROHIBITED TO AROUND INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. NOW FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL, IT IS THE ENTIRE DAY. FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, IT PROHIBITS THE USE OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME EXCEPT WHEN A TEACHER ALLOWS IT DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME. TEACHERS SHALL DESIGNATE AN AREA FOR DEVICE STORAGE DURING INSTRUCTIONAL PERIODS, BUT IT ALSO EMPOWERS SCHOOL BOARDS AND BY EXTENSION OF SCHOOL BOARDS TO THE PRINCIPALS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DESIGNATE AREAS AROUND THE SCHOOL BUILDING WHERE STUDENTS CAN USE CELL PHONES, SO THAT DOES INCLUDE THE
182CAFETERIA. AS A DISTRICT, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE MUST ABIDE BY WHEN IT COMES TO A STUDENT WHO HAS AN IEP OR 504. IF IT IS WRITTEN INTO THOSE PLANS, WE MUST ALLOW STUDENTS TO USE WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES. COMES TO DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS, THERE MUST BE SOME DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS INCLUDED. IT COULD RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION BY THE SCHOOL OR IF IT'S IN CONNECTION WITH A CRIMINAL ACT, STUDENTS MAY FACE CRIMINAL PENALTIES, I SHOULD SAY. WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT, THAT DOES ADDRESS THOSE CONSEQUENCES AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES AS WELL. SO OUR DRAFT WIRELESS POLICY THAT WE RECOMMENDED, IT DOES NOT GO BEYOND WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES AT THIS POINT. IT IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE HB 1105. THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN SHARED REGARDING STUDENTS HAVING ACCESS TO THEIR PHONES
183DURING EMERGENCIES. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO SHARE TOO MUCH INFORMATION, EACH SCHOOL IS REQUIRED TO HAVE A REUNIFICATION PLAN, AND THAT INCLUDES COMMUNICATION TO PARENTS AND GUARDIANS ON HOW THEY CAN PICK UP THEIR CHILDREN AND WHAT TIME AND WHERE THAT LOCATION IS. SO THAT PART IS ADDRESSED IN THERE. THE OTHER PIECE THAT I WANTED TO SHARE IS I DID REACH OUT AND DO A SURVEY, AND THERE WERE 123 ADMINISTRATORS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE SURVEY. 117 PRINCIPALS, AND 6 ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS. AND JUST SOME OF THE COMMON THEMES THAT EMERGED FROM THAT SURVEY, JUST OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE CLARITY TO THE PARENTS AND THE GUARDIANS. THEY FELT THERE WAS A LOT OF CLARITY WHEN IT CAME TO THE STAFF AS WELL AS TO ADMINISTRATORS, BUT THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE MORE CLARITY TO
184THE PARENTS AND GUARDIANS. ALSO, SOME OF THE COMMON CHALLENGES THAT WERE SHARED BY ADMINISTRATORS WHEN IT COMES TO SMART WATCHES AND EAR BUDS AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, THAT BECAME VERY HARD TO CONTROL AND MANAGE. SO THEY ARE REQUESTING JUST SOME LIMITS WHEN IT COMES TO WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY, THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRIOR PLAN AS WELL AS THE DRAFT, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO COMMUNICATING THAT TO THE FAMILIES, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT'S MORE CLEAR AND EXPLICIT AND HAVE MORE CLARITY AROUND THAT. I ALSO HAVE WORKED WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM TO COME UP WITH A SHELL OF A PLAN, SO IF THIS POLICY IS APPROVED, WE'LL WORK ON THE DETAILS AND WE'LL ENSURE THAT IT IS COMMUNICATED TO THE STAFF, THE FAMILIES, AS WELL AS THE ADMINISTRATORS AND THE TEACHERS AS WELL SO WE DO HAVE
185A SHELL OF A PLAN THAT'S BEEN DRAFTED ON THAT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL START WITH MEMBER GRAY. Lynn Gray: THANK YOU, DR. GRAYES. AS PER THE LAST DISCUSSION, THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE. WHAT HAPPENS IS, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A FULL EDUCATION OF THE PARTICULAR POLICY AND THE PROCEDURES AND THE PROCESSES IN A FLORIDA STATUTE, YOU REALLY DON'T MAKE THE WISE DECISIONS. THAT GOES TO DR. HAHN'S REMARK. THE NEXT ADVISEMENT ON THIS ONE, NUMBER 6, WHERE IT SAYS ALWAYS PROHIBITED DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, I WOULD SAY AS PER NORTH STATUTE 1,006.07. PUT THAT IN TO REMIND THERE IS AN ABSOLUTE STATUTE. LAST, I DON'T THINK I HAVE THE COPY, DR. GRAYES, AND MAYBE YOU PUT IT ON A RENEWED COPY, BUT AS DONE IN OTHER AREAS, WHEN THERE HAS TO BE A
186STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT REFERENCE, ON THE BOTTOM, PERHAPS UNDER 76, WHERE IT HAS ON PREVIOUS POLICIES ENFORCEMENTS, DID WE NOT PUT ENFORCEMENT OF THIS POLICY SHALL BE SPECIFIED BY THE CODE OF CONDUCT, BECAUSE MR. ROWAN HAS IT THERE AND PUT A LINK TO THAT STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. DID WE NOT DO THAT? THIS LANGUAGE AT THE BOTTOM WAS PART OF THE EXISTING -- Lynn Gray: THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY FEEDBACK. Nadia Combs: MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: QUICKLY. THANK YOU, MEMBER GRAY. I WAS GOING TO SAY THE EXACT THING. ANYTIME WE HAVE A POLICY THAT HAS A DIRECT CONSEQUENCE TO A STUDENT FOR NOT FOLLOWING THE POLICY, LINK TO THE STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT. MY QUESTION IS, THE LAST LINE, 17, A SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR MAY DESIGNATE A SPECIFIC AREA WITHIN SCHOOL BUILDING WHERE STUDENTS ARE PERMITTED
187TO USE WIRELESS DEVICES, I BELIEVE IN THE STATUTE THAT WAS ONLY FOR HIGH SCHOOLS ALONE. TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE FINALIZE THE POLICY, DIRECTLY MAKE SURE LINK, I WOULD SEPARATE PARAGRAPHS BY ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, HIGH SCHOOL BECAUSE THE WAY IT IS WORDED RIGHT NOW, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY LOOK LIKE IT IS CONNECTED TO HIGH SCHOOL. IF WE CAN SEPARATE THOSE INTO A COUPLE OF PARAGRAPHS. MIDDLE SCHOOL, ELEMENTARY, HIGH SCHOOL. I ASKED DR. HAHN. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. YEAH, MY QUESTION WAS SIMILAR. IS THIS PER THE STATUTE CHANGE THAT NOW HIGH SCHOOLERS ARE NOT ABLE TO USE THE DEVICE OUTSIDE OF INSTRUCTIONAL TIME? OR IS THIS A CHANGE THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING BRINGING FORWARD? SAND THE CHANGE INSTEAD OF USING IT IN THE CAFETERIA OR IN THE HALLWAYS DURING PASSING TIME THAT WE'RE
188TRYING TO SAY IT CAN ONLY BE USED IN A DESIGNATED AREA? I'M CONFUSED ABOUT WHICH PART OF THE CHANGE IS STATUTORILY AND WHAT IS COMING FORWARD FROM THE DISTRICT AND WHAT THE CHANGES MEAN SPECIFICALLY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION, MRS. VAUGHN. THE MAIN CHANGES REGARDING ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE IT GOES FROM A BAN DURING THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAY TO THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DAY. HIGH SCHOOL IN OUR CURRENT POLICY AS WELL AS THE DRAFT, THEY HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE FLEXIBILITY OF USING IT DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME IF DIRECTED BY THE TEACHER AS WELL AS USING IT DURING CAFETERIA OR PASSING TIME IF THE BUILDING ADMINISTRATOR ALLOWS THAT. Jessica Vaughn: ARE WE CHANGING THAT UNDER THIS POLICY? BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING? YES, YES. AGAIN, THE STATUTE CHANGED IT FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE. HIGH
189SCHOOL, THERE ARE SOME TWEAKS WHICH DOES, AGAIN, SPECIFY THAT THEY CANNOT USE IT DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME UNLESS DIRECTED BY THE TEACHER. Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. THAT'S NOT REALLY ANSWERING MY QUESTION. I UNDERSTAND THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHANGES AND THOSE -- AND MIDDLE SCHOOL. THAT IS A RESPONSE TO THE STATUTE CHANGING SPECIFICALLY. FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL CHANGES, RIGHT, IT'S TAKEN OUT USE OF DEVICE IS -- OR USE OF A DEVICE IS RESTRICTED TO BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL, STUDENTS IN HIGH SCHOOL MAY USE THE PHONES DURING LUNCH. SO THAT PART HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT. NOW, WHERE ARE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ALLOWED TO USE THEIR CELL PHONES PER THIS POLICY? THAT IS BASED ON THE DESIGNATION BY THE BUILDING ADMINISTRATOR. SO SOME BUILDING ADMINISTRATORS MAY WANT TO ALLOW THEIR STUDENTS TO USE IT DURING LUNCH. AGAIN, THAT'S AT THEIR DISCRETION
190BASED OFF OF THE HB 1105. Jim Porter: LOOK AT LINES 17 AND 18 IN RED. Jessica Vaughn: SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR MAY DESIGNATE SPECIFIC AREAS WITHIN SCHOOL BUILDINGS -- BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. BY THAT YOU SAY IT MIGHT BE THE CAFETERIA. I'M ASKING, LIKE, ARE WE CREATING, LIKE, A SMOKING AREA, A CELL PHONE AREA OR YOU'RE JUST SAYING IT GIVES THEM THE DISCRETION TO SAY YOU CAN USE IT AT LUNCH OR USE IT WHENEVER. THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND BY THE LINES. YES, YES. THE STATUTE DOES GIVE THAT DISCRETION, AND THAT'S HOW WE'VE WORDED THAT IN THE POLICY. Jim Porter: MS. RENDON SUGGESTED MAKING IT CLEAR THAT IT ONLY APPLIES TO HIGH SCHOOL. WE'LL ADDRESS THAT IN AMENDMENTS TO THE POLICY. Jessica Vaughn: CAN HIGH SCHOOLERS USE IT DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME IF THE
191TEACHER PERMITS? YES. Jim Porter: LOOK AT LINES 9, 10, 11. Jessica Vaughn: IT SAYS IT HAS TO BE PUT IN BACK PACKS, EXCEPT WHEN THEY -- OKAY, SO THEY CAN TAKE IT OUT OF THE CUBBYHOLES AT THAT POINT THEN? OKAY. Jim Porter: LINE 9, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS MAY NOT USE WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE DURING INSTRUCTIONAL TIME EXCEPT WHEN EXPRESSLY DIRECTED BY A TEACHER SOLELY FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. Jessica Vaughn: ALSO SAYS PREVIOUSLY THEY HAVE TO PUT THEM IN DESIGNATED PLACE. AT THAT TIME, THE TEACHER MIGHT SAY I'M AUTHORIZING YOU TO USE CAN A HOOTS. GO GET YOUR PHONE WHEREVER IT IS MANDATED THEY BE AND YOU CAN USE IT DURING THE LESSON. THAT'S HOW WE'RE EXPECTING THE TEACHERS TO FOLLOW? OR UPON STUDENTS ENTERING THE CLASSROOM, THEY MAY GIVE THOSE DIRECTIONS. Jessica Vaughn: THIS IS REALLY JUST
192CHANGING TO MEET THE STATUTORILY CHANGES OF NOT ALLOWING IT IN ELEMENTARY OR MIDDLE SCHOOL ANYMORE. THAT IS CORRECT. Jessica Vaughn: DOESN'T IMPOSE ANY FURTHER RESTRICTIONS ON HIGH SCHOOLERS. CORRECT. IT JUST GIVES THE BUILDING ADMINISTRATOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE MORE STRINGENT IF THEY CHOOSE. WITH THIS, FOR HIGH SCHOOL, NOTHING WOULD CHANGE GOING INTO THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR IF THE BUILDING ADMINISTRATOR DOES NOT WANT IT TO. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. Nadia Combs: JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS, I THINK IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WE WERE AHEAD OF THAT. MEMBER GRAY AND I BROUGHT THAT, SO I DON'T THINK OUR DISTRICT IS GOING TO FEEL A BIG IMPACT WITH THE CHANGES BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE THOSE IN PLACE. I THINK THAT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SEE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, HIGH SCHOOL. IF
193WE HAVE THIS MUCH CONVERSATION ON HERE WITH THIS, I THINK IT DOESN'T MAKE IT VERY CLEAR. I THINK WE NEED TO BREAK THAT OUT AND PUT ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, HIGH SCHOOL AND CLARIFY IT SO IT IS VERY CLEAR TO OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND ALSO VERY CLEAR WITH ALL COMMUNICATIONS. WE TALKED ABOUT THE AIR PODS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, I DEFINITELY THINK AS WE MOVE FORWARD AS A DISTRICT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT HIGH SCHOOLS. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE CELL PHONES, AIR PODS AND SOME OF THESE DISTURBANCES, AIR PODS ARE JUST A PROBLEM AS CELL PHONES ARE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN REVISIT AND TALK ABOUT. JUST BREAKING THAT OUT. THANK YOU. ANYBODY ELSE? WE'LL GO ON TO THE NEXT POLICY. Jim Porter: WE HAVE 15 MINUTES. SOME OF THESE MUST BE HEARD. Nadia Combs:
194IF YOU WILL PRIORITIZE THOSE, KRISTIN. 5460, GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS, ALL THAT DOES IS ALIGNS WITH WHAT GARY BRADY TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, WHICH WAS TO REMOVE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION. REMOVES IT FROM STATUTE. SO REMOVING IT FROM POLICY. Nadia Combs: COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS. WE'RE GOOD. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE. ALSO RELATED TO -- 9150, SCHOOL ACCESS. JOHN NEWMAN, THAT RELATES TO WHAT HE DISCUSSED EARLIER ABOUT TRESPASSING ON A SCHOOL BUS. THIS UPDATES YOUR POLICY TO ALIGN WITH STATUTE. Nadia Combs: ANY COMMENTS? 9150, SCHOOL ACCESS. Nadia Combs: DOES ANYONE HAVE COMMENTS? Patti Rendon: I'M VERY SORRY. I WANT TO DOUBLE CHECK ON HERE, ARE WE GOING TO INCLUDE THE BUS DRIVER ON THE FIRST LINE? IT SAYS SUPERINTENDENT, PRINCIPAL OR DESIGNATED AGENT, ARE WE ASSUMING THAT IS THE DRIVER? Patti Rendon: PUBLIC KNOWS THE DRIVER HAS
195THE RIGHT TO SAY GET OFF MY BUS. WE SHOULD PROBABLY DO 9130, PUBLIC COMPLAINTS. Van Ayres: WITH 9130, PUBLIC COMPLAINTS, WE HEARD MS. RENDON'S PROPOSED POLICY EARLY, WHICH IS A NEW POLICY. I DID WANT TO BRING REFERENCE TO CURRENT 9130. YOU'LL SEE MATTERS REGARDING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. I DID WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CLEANED UP SOME OF THIS, BECAUSE THIS IS A PAST POLICY THAT WE'VE HAD IN PLACE THAT I FEEL NEEDS TO COME OUT TO GIVE AS DR. HAHN MENTIONED, GIVE ME THE AUTHORITY WITHOUT THE POLICY. THE WAY IT READS HERE, WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT NO CHALLENGED MATERIAL MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE CURRICULUM OR FROM A COLLECTION OF RESOURCE MATERIALS EXCEPT BY ACTION OF THE BOARD. SO THAT IN MY VIEW TIED HANDS A LITTLE BIT AS FAR AS THE AUTHORITY I HAVE,
196IN THIS PROPOSED POLICY CHANGE, GET THOSE REMOVED. AND UNDERNEATH, WHAT IS WRITTEN THERE IS DIRECTLY IN FLORIDA STATUTE. WE CAN HAVE THE DISCUSSION HOW THAT PAIRS WITH MEMBER RENDON'S POLICY, OPEN TO THAT. I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TOP TWO REGARDING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IN CURRENT 9130 NEED TO COME OUT. WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION HOW THAT FITS IN HERE. THAT IS THE PART. FOR ME, HAVING THE ABILITY TO HAVE THAT AUTHORITY TO KIND OF TAKE OUT THAT BASICALLY ANYTHING THAT IS CHALLENGED. ONLY WAY IT CAN GET OUT IS BY THE ACTION OF THE BOARD GIVING ME THE ABILITY TO DO SO WITHOUT IT ULTIMATELY COMING TO THE BOARD. THAT IS 9130. LOOK FORWARD TO DISCUSSION. NEED SOME DIRECTION TO GET BACK TO GIVING ME THE AUTHORITY. TALKING ABOUT THE BOARD AND CHALLENGED MATERIAL. OPEN TO DISCUSSION.
197MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: YES, I WANTED THIS REDONE. DID NOT GO IN. AND I WANTED YOUR PORTION OF IT TO BE PART OF YOUR PROCEDURES UNDER MY POLICY BECAUSE THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN UNDER PUBLIC COMPLAINT. SHOULD HAVE BEEN LISTED -- THAT'S WHERE WE SHOULD HAVE PUBLIC COMPLAINTS. THE OBJECTION OF THE MATERIAL SPECIFICALLY MEETS FLORIDA STATUTE AND HAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THING. THE POLICY REQUESTED, WOULD REMOVE -- PUT IN YOUR PROCEDURES UNDER MY POLICY BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT BELONGS BECAUSE OF OBJECTION OF MATERIALS. THIS POLICY, ONLY BE REGARDING PUBLIC COMPLAINTS REGARDING STAFF, POLICIES, AND SUPERINTENDENT. NOT MATERIALS. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS DO NOT BELONG UNDER PUBLIC COMPLAINTS BECAUSE THERE IS A SPECIFIC STATUTE REGARDS THE OBJECTIONABLE PROCEDURES. Van Ayres: WHAT IS LINED OUT HERE AS PROPOSED, YOU AGREE THOSE WOULD NO LONGER EXIST. Patti Rendon: YES. I
198WANTED BOTH OF THESE REVIEWED. WHEN I ASKED FOR IT, I WANTED TO REMOVE YOU OFF OF THIS. YOU SHOULD PUT THAT UNDER YOUR PROCEDURES OF HOW YOU HANDLE OBJECTIONABLE MATERIALS. ALSO PART OF THE PROCEDURES THAT YOU REMOVE BEFORE IT IS OBJECTED. PROCESS OF MATERIALS. HOW DO WE HANDLE ADOPTION OF MATERIALS. TRANSPARENCY OF HOW MATERIALS COME TO US THIS KEPT THE FIRST PAGE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ADDING IN COMPLAINTS OF STAFF, SUPERINTENDENT, AND POLICY. IF SOMEONE HAD A COMPLAINT REGARDING PERSONNEL OR A POLICY, THEY WOULD FOLLOW THIS. IF IT WAS OBJECTION, IT WOULD FOLLOW THE PREVIOUS MATERIAL. ONE IS MATERIAL, ONE IS PEOPLE AND POLICY. THERE IS A LITTLE BIT MORE WORDSMITHING I WOULD HAVE DONE, INVOLVE FAMILY, STUDENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THAT SHOULD BE A PART OF THE PUBLIC COMPLAINT. THIS POLICY WAS ABOUT COMPLAINING ABOUT
199WHAT WE'RE DOING. THE SUPERINTENDENT, BOARD POLICY OR STAFF. Stacy Hahn: THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS WE DON'T HAVE TO GRANT YOU AUTHORITY TO REMOVE ANYTHING. THE STATE DOES THAT. YOU DON'T NEED OUR APPROVAL. WE DON'T NEED TO REWRITE THIS AND SAY THE BOARD GIVES THE SUPERINTENDENT AUTHORITY. WE CAN, BUT THE STATE GIVES YOU THAT. REGARDLESS -- YEAH, IT'S IN THE LAW. THAT WOULD BE THE MAIN THING FOR ME. THAT JUST NEEDS TO BE REFLECTED IN YOUR PROCEDURES AT WHAT POINT THAT WOULD COME, YOUR DECISION. AT ANY POINT? THE SUPERINTENDENT MAY MAKE A DECISION TO REMOVE AN ITEM. AT ANY POINT DURING THIS PROCESS, THE SUPERINTENDENT MAY AUTHORIZE THE MATERIAL, THE REMOVAL OF MATERIALS. AGAIN, THAT IS THE TRUTH. WE CAN HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE, BUT THE LAW SAYS YOU CAN REMOVE MATERIALS. IT
200DOESN'T SAY YOU NEED A PROCESS TO GO THROUGH BEFORE YOU REMOVE THEM. YOU CAN REMOVE THEM. BUT THIS DOES NOT SEEM TO BE IN THE RIGHT SPOT REGARDLESS OF WHAT I JUST SAID. IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. THANKS. Nadia Combs: I HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS. I WANT TO MAKE SURE ALTHOUGH THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS AUTHORITY THAT WE HAVE TO RECEIVE THE NOTIFICATION BECAUSE OF WHAT OCCURRED LAST TIME, I THINK WE COULD HAVE SOLVED A LOT OF ISSUES, A LOT OF PROBLEMS, ALSO A LOT OF EXPENSE, FISCAL EXPENSE IF WE WERE ABLE TO TALK THROUGH IT. UNILATERAL DECISION WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE BOARD, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE IS A POLICY IN PLACE THAT WOULD NEVER OCCUR AGAIN. THAT I WOULD BE NOTIFIED. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I DIDN'T EXPECT TO BE THE ONE TALKING SO
201MUCH DURING THIS WORKSHOP. CAN WE HAVE A COPY? I DON'T SEE IT. IS IT HERE THAT THERE IS A COPY OF THE STATUTE THAT GIVES YOU THIS AUTHORITY TO REMOVE ANYTHING WITHOUT BOARD APPROVAL THAT'S BEING REFERENCED. IS THERE A COPY OF THE STATUTE THAT I'M NOT SEEING? Van Ayres: 1,006.28, THE POLICY AS IT'S WRITTEN UNDER THE -- THE NEW ONE UNDER PUBLIC COMPLAINTS, THAT IS STRAIGHT FROM FLORIDA STATUTE AS IT IS LISTED THERE. Jessica Vaughn: THE WAY I READ THIS AND I COULD BE WRONG, IT DOESN'T SAY THAT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMOVE ANYTHING AT ANY TIME. IT SAYS YOU CAN DEVELOP A PROCEDURE, BUT IS THERE SOME LANGUAGE IN THE STATUTE SPECIFICALLY THAT SAYS YOU CAN REMOVE SOMETHING TO BE ABLE TO? -- REMOVE SOMETHING AT ANY TIME? Van Ayres: WE CAN GET
202IT TO YOU. I HAVE TO CONSULT WITH MR. GIBSON. WHERE IT STATES IT EXACTLY WITHIN STATUTE, I CAN DO SO. Jessica Vaughn: OKAY. I WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW ALL OF THIS STATUTORILY AND HAVE A DEEPER CONVERSATION BEFORE I MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, BOARD MEMBER VAUGHN. I THINK WE CAN SET ASIDE AT LEAST AN HOUR IN THE RETREAT TO DISCUSS SOME OF THESE. KRISTIN, THE NEXT POLICY. MR. FARKAS, 6,320.02. Christopher Farkas: I THINK THE BOARD KNOWS, ALWAYS HAD A SMALL BUSINESS ENCOURAGEMENT PROGRAM. OFFICE OF SUPPLIER DIVERSITY. TALLAHASSEE CHANGED THE NAME TO OFFICE OF SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT. IN ALIGNMENT WE WANTED TO CHANGE THE NAME. MISSION IS STILL THE SAME, WHICH IS BASED ON ENCOURAGING SMALL BUSINESS BUT NEVER PAY MORE, NEVER DO ANYTHING. ENCOURAGING SMALL BUSINESSES AND LOCAL BUSINESSES TO BE
203PART OF WHAT WE DO. THAT'S IT. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU. WE'LL STAY A FEW MORE MINUTES SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL FINISH THE POLICIES TODAY. WE HAVE TWO MORE POLICIES. THIS ONE AND NEXT ONE. WE'LL BEGIN WITH MEMBER HAHN. Stacy Hahn: THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY JUST COMMENTED ON. IT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO THIS POLICY. WHY ARE WE DISCUSSING POLICY AT A BOARD RETREAT VERSUS A WORKSHOP, MR. PORTER? Jim Porter: THAT'S BEEN THROWN OUT. SHE JUST BROUGHT IT UP. Nadia Combs: IT WAS ABOUT GROWTH AND SUPPLY. Stacy Hahn: RETREAT IS USUALLY ABOUT BOARD WAY OF WORK. NOW WE'RE CREEPING INTO ALMOST USING IT AS AN EXTRA WORKSHOP OPPORTUNITY, EVEN WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TOPICS BROUGHT FORTH FOR THE RETREAT. I FOUND IT ODD. IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE. Jim Porter: UNDERSTOOD. Stacy Hahn: NOT THE INTENT OF A
204RETREAT. MORE ABOUT UNIFYING AS A BOARD, BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND DISCUSSING OUR WAY OF WORK AND OUTSIDE ASSIGNMENTS. NOW WE'RE DISCUSSING THINGS THAT REALLY SEEM MORE APPROPRIATE FOR WORKSHOPS. Jim Porter: UNDERSTOOD. COMPLETELY UP TO THE BOARD. WE DO NOT HAVE TO DO THAT. THE IDEA WAS THROWN OUT. DIDN'T HEAR AN OBJECTION. NOW HEAR AN OBJECTION. Stacy Hahn: IT'S ON MY CALENDAR. HONESTLY, IT SEEMS MORE LIKE A WORKSHOP. Jim Porter: UNDERSTOOD. Stacy Hahn: THAT DOESN'T SEEM TRANSPARENT. WE DON'T HAVE CAMERAS IN OUR RETREATS. WE HAVE IT OFF PROPERTY. I'M NOT COMFORTABLE WITH IT. I WANT TO BRING IT UP NOW. WE ARE AT A WORKSHOP. Jim Porter: THE CHALLENGE IS FINDING A DATE TO HAVE WORKSHOPS. THAT'S UNDERSTOOD. IF THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THE BOARD WANTS TO DO AT A RETREAT, WE DON'T DO IT. Nadia Combs: I
205THINK TO GET WORK DONE, IT TAKES YEARS TO GET ANYTHING DONE HERE [OVERLAPPING TALK] IT CAN BE A WORKSHOP INSTEAD OF A RETREAT. I THINK WE NEED TO GET MORE WORK DONE. MAYBE INSTEAD OF A RETREAT, A LONG WORKSHOP LIKE THIS BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF WORK DONE. 6320, NO OTHER. OKAY. OUR LAST ONE 8390, NON-SERVICE ANIMALS ON DISTRICT PROPERTY. THIS POLICY WAS BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE MARCH WORKSHOP BUT DIDN'T GET TO IT. NOW WE'LL GET TO IT. DR. GRAYES. Christopher Farkas: I'LL INTRODUCE IT WHILE HE COMES UP. BOARD ALREADY APPROVED SERVICE ANIMAL POLICY. ALIGNMENT WITH OCR AND THINGS WE'VE DONE. WE ALREADY MADE THAT CORRECT. UNFORTUNATELY THAT LEFT THE OTHER POLICY, WHICH INCLUDED SERVICE ANIMALS STILL IN THE BOOKS. THIS IS CORRECTING THAT POLICY, WHICH IS NON-SERVICE ANIMALS THAT ARE ON PROPERTIES. WE
206KNOW THERE ARE FEELINGS ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS, STRONG FEELINGS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CONVERSATION. WE OPENED THAT CONVERSATION TO SEE WHAT THE WILL OF THE BOARD IS. DR. GRAYES IS VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION FOR THIS BOARD TO TALK ABOUT. Nadia Combs: WOULD HAVE A WOOF. START WITH MEMBER HAHN. Stacy Hahn: MY KIDS HAD ANIMALS IN CLASSROOM AND ALL THAT. NEVER AN ISSUE UNTIL IT'S AN ISSUE. THESE ARE MY CONCERNS. NOT SO MUCH HAVING A CLASSROOM PET AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU COVERED ALL THE DOCUMENTATION IS TO MAKE SURE THE PET IS HEALTHY. CERTAIN PETS I WOULD IMAGINE HAVE TO BE TRAINED. SOME TYPE OF TRAINING. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PROVE THE DOG ISN'T A BITER OR ISN'T TEMPER MENTAL? THAT'S ONE OF THE CHALLENGES. GREAT POINT.
207WE HAVE LANGUAGE IN HERE IF THE DOG IS AGGRESSIVE TO REMOVE THEM FROM THE CLASSROOM OR ENVIRONMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT. Stacy Hahn: THE BEARDED DRAGON DOESN'T NEED TO BE TRAINED. BUT THE CAT, DOG, ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO BE OUTSIDE OF A CAGE. I FEEL LIKE A CAT, DOG, THAT'S MY CONCERN. YEAH, A CHICKEN. WHERE IS OUR PROTECTION OF LIABILITY AROUND THIS WHEN IT COMES TO -- YOU'RE SAYING PRETTY MUCH WHAT IF SOMEONE -- I KNOW THIS SOUNDS RIDICULOUS, BUT THEIR PIG OR THEIR CRAZY -- AN EXOTIC SNAKE OR A CHICKEN, LIKE WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE? DO WE HAVE THE DISCRETION TO SAY NO? IT IS THE PRINCIPAL'S CALL. Stacy Hahn: THE PRINCIPAL CAN SAY THIS IS AN ANIMAL-FREE ZONE. FUR INTERESTED IN HAVING A CLASS PET, YOU NEED TO GO TO A DIFFERENT
208SCHOOL. BECAUSE I'M DECLARING MY SCHOOL ANIMAL-FREE ZONE, DO THEY HAVE THE LATITUDE? THEY DO. PRINCIPAL HAS TO APPROVE. IT TIED IN WITH THE CURRICULUM. RISK MANAGEMENT HAT, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, 100% EXPOSES US FROM A LIABILITY STANDPOINT TO HAVE A NON-TRAINED ANIMAL IN THE CLASSROOM AROUND KIDS. IT'S NOT A PROBLEM UNTIL IT IS. Stacy Hahn: AN AG PROGRAM THAT MIGHT HAVE PIGS AND COWS THAN A CLASS PET THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. IF I'M GETTING APPROVAL TO HAVE A DOG, BECAUSE MY DOG DOESN'T LIKE TO STAY HOME ALONE, RIGHT, AND I WANT TO BRING IT TO WORK AND IT'S NOT A SERVICE ANIMAL, BUT HE'S CUTE AND FUZZY AND THE KIDS WOULD LOVE HIM, AM I ALLOWED TO PARADE THAT DOG AROUND CAMPUS OR HAVE TO ONLY BE IN MY CLASSROOM. Christopher Farkas: IN
209YOUR CLASSROOM BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE TIED TO YOUR CURRICULUM. I'M SURE THERE'S SOME CREATIVE WAY TO DO THAT. THE IDEA IN THE POLICY IS THAT IT IS TIED TO CURRICULUM. Stacy Hahn: I CAN'T WALK HIM AROUND CAMPUS. WHAT IF A KID IN THE HALLWAY IS DEATHLY ALLERGIC TO MY CAT. MY CAT WHO IS MY CLASSROOM PET IS BEING WALKED THROUGH THE SCHOOL IN MY ARMS EXPOSING OTHER KIDS, OTHER EMPLOYEES. SO WHERE IS THAT SAFETY NET WHERE YOU ARE BEING APPROVED TO HAVE THIS ANIMAL IN YOUR CLASSROOM. THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU GET TO SIT IN THE FACULTY LOUNGE, BRING IT TO THE LIBRARY, IT NEEDS TO BE TIED TO THE CLASSROOM. THE OTHER ISSUE, WHAT IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN THAT ARE ALLERGIC, NOT JUST IN THE CLASSROOM BUT IN THE SCHOOL. THAT'S WHY TYING IT
210TO THE CLASSROOM IS IMPORTANT. Christopher Farkas: AGREE HUNDRED PERCENT. Stacy Hahn: AND THEN WHAT IF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR I GET A PUPPY FOR CHRISTMAS AND NOW I WANT TO BRING IT TO MY CLASSROOM. OH, I HAVE A CHILD IN MY CLASSROOM THAT IS ALLERGIC. DO YOU MOVE THE CHILD MIDYEAR? OR DO YOU SAY NO TO THE DOG? WHAT HAPPENS? WHAT I DON'T WANT ARE KIDS TO HAVE TO BE MOVED BECAUSE OF THIS. AND I DON'T WANT EMPLOYEES TO HAVE TO LEAVE THEIR JOB BECAUSE OF THIS. DR. HAHN, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, AS PART OF THE POLICY, THE SCHOOL IS REQUIRED TO SEND HOME NOTIFICATION TO THE FAMILIES AS WELL AS THE STAFF MEMBERS REGARDING AN ANIMAL BEING ON CAMPUS, AND IF THEIR HEALTH ISSUE CANNOT BE ACCOMMODATED, THEN THE PRINCIPAL HAS THE
211RIGHT TO REFUSE THE ANIMAL ON CAMPUS. Stacy Hahn: I HAVE A SECOND GRADER AND MIDYEAR THEY START TO DEVELOP AN ALLERGY TO PET DANDER AND YOU'VE HAD THIS CLASS PET NOW FOR HALF THE YEAR, THE PRINCIPAL OBVIOUSLY I WOULD HOPE IS GOING TO SAY WE HAVE TO REMOVE THE PET. IT WOULD BE TRAUMATIC TO MOVE A CHILD FROM ONE CLASSROOM TO ANOTHER, A LITTLE CHILD. THEY GET ATTACHED TO THEIR TEACHER AND THEIR FRIENDS. I ALWAYS WANT THE CHILD TO COME FIRST IS MY POINT. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SERVICE ANIMALS. I LOVE ALL ANIMALS, BUT THIS CAN GO SIDEWAYS REALLY QUICK. WE CANNOT IMAGINE EVERY SCENARIO THAT MIGHT COME DOWN THE PIKE. WE THINK IT'S SOMEONE WANTING TO BRING A BIRD, GERBIL, BUNNY RABBIT, BUT IT MAY START GETTING A LITTLE EXOTIC. I WANT TO MAKE
212SURE THAT OUR PRINCIPALS HAVE THE AUTONOMY TO SAY AND THE SUPPORT OF THE DISTRICT WHEN THEY SAY IT, THAT'S A NO. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER HAHN. WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO SPEAK AND WE HAVE A FEW MORE MINUTES. WE'LL START WITH MEMBER PEREZ. Karen Perez: YOU KNOW, TO MEMBER HAHN'S POINT, I HAVE TWO SERVICE ANIMALS THAT HAVE BEEN TRAINED. THEY WENT AWAY FOR THREE MONTHS. IT TAKES A MOMENT TO TRAIN THE ANIMALS TO BE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES IN CHILDREN. WE ALL KNOW THAT CHILDREN DIFFER IN HOW THEY APPROACH ANIMALS, HOW THEY INTERACT WITH ANIMALS. AND THERE IS LIABILITY INSURANCE THAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE WITH THESE ANIMALS. JUST IN CASE ANYTHING HAPPENS. I KNOW THAT PARENTS MEANWHILE, TEACHERS MEANWHILE, WHEN THEY BRING ANIMALS NOT INSURED INTO THE
213CLASSROOM, THE LIABILITY FOR US GOES UP. ALSO, TO MEMBER HAHN'S POINT, WHEN THESE ANIMALS INTERACT WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU HAVE TO TAKE THEM HOME AND BATHE THEM OR YOU HAVE TO HAVE THEM PROFESSIONALLY BATHED BECAUSE THEY CARRY ALL THOSE GERMS THAT OTHER PEOPLE PUT ON THEM WHEN THEY ARE PETTING THESE ANIMALS. SO THERE IS A LOT OF CARETAKING TO ANIMALS THAT INTERACT WITH OTHER PEOPLE OUTSIDE YOUR HOME. MEMBER HAHN, TO YOUR POINT, THERE IS A LOT OF MAINTENANCE THAT COMES ALONG WITH PETS THAT INTERACT WITH OTHER PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN. I'M GLAD THAT YOU'VE PUT THE POWER IN THE HANDS OF THE PRINCIPALS TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHO IS IN THEIR CLASSROOM AND WHAT COMES INTO THEIR CLASSROOM. THANK YOU FOR THIS POLICY. Christopher Farkas: AG ANIMALS, THINGS LIKE THAT, BECAUSE THEY
214ARE AUTOMATICALLY PART OF THE CURRICULUM, THEY WOULD BE INCLUDED AS PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING. NOT AS BIG A THING. WANT TO MAKE SURE THE BOARD DIFFERENTIATED BETWEEN BRINGING A PET VERSUS BRINGING AN AG ANIMAL. [INAUDIBLE] CORRECT. DOES NOT SUPERSEDE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND SHELTERING. Nadia Combs: MEMBER VAUGHN. Jessica Vaughn: THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS POLICY. I FEEL LIKE IT'S BEEN WORKED OUT TO WHERE IT IS EXTREMELY THOUGHTFUL. THERE IS A LOT IN HERE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LIABILITY THAT COVERS US. I KNOW WHEN YOU BROUGHT THIS POLICY FORWARD BEFORE, MR. FARKAS, I HAD ASKED FOR DATA AROUND ANY INCIDENTS WE HAD PREVIOUSLY. CAN YOU PROVIDE THAT? WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS 30, 40 YEARS. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THERE HAVE BEEN CLASS PETS. HAVE WE HAD ANY INSTANCES OF CONCERNS JUST SO WE GET
215AN IDEA? Christopher Farkas: GREAT QUESTION. WASN'T A WAY TO DOCUMENT -- WASN'T ONE CLEARINGHOUSE FOR ALL THOSE. ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE OF A DOG THAT MAY HAVE LUNGED AT AN EMPLOYEE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. NO INSTANCES OR LIABILITY CASES WHERE WE'VE BEEN SUED. THAT BEING SAID WE'VE ALSO HAD MINIMAL NUMBER OF ANIMALS ON CAMPUS. IN THE PRINCIPAL'S HAND TO HAVE THAT. NONE I'M AWARE OF. MOST OF THOSE THINGS COME THROUGH OUR OFFICE AND I HAVE NOT HEARD THAT. ONLY AWARE OF THREE OR FOUR. IT MAY BE LACK OF AWARENESS. Jessica Vaughn: I APPRECIATE IT MUST BE TIED TO INSTRUCTION NOW. THAT'S DIFFERENT. WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT CLASSROOM PETS. LIKE YOU SAID, THERE MIGHT BE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO BE CREATIVE AND BRING THEIR PET GERBIL INTO EVERY LESSON PLAN. I THINK THAT DOES NARROW DOWN HOW MANY
216PEOPLE WILL BE BRINGING PETS ON PROPERTY. I LOVE THAT YOU MADE SURE IT IS PROVIDED HERE THAT THEY HAVE TO BE UP TO DATE ON EVERY SINGLE SHOT, EVERY SINGLE VACCINE. BEFORE THEY CAN EVEN COME IN THERE, THERE HAS TO BE A LOT OF VETTING TO MAKE SURE THE ANIMAL IS HEALTHY. THERE IS THE CAVEAT IN HERE THAT IT DOES TALK ABOUT IF IT PROVIDES ANY SORT OF HEALTH OR SAFETY THREAT THAT IT SHALL BE DISALLOWED. I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO DR. HAHN'S CONCERN THAT MIDYEAR, IF A CHILD DEVELOPS AN ALLERGY THAT THERE ARE PROVISIONS IN THIS POLICY FOR THIS. MY SON IS DEATHLY ALLERGIC TO CATS, SO I UNDERSTAND THAT CONCERN. FOR SOMEBODY WHO IS AN AVID ANIMAL LOVER AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE PET POLICY COMING FORWARD, I THINK YOU REALLY DID YOUR
217DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THERE IS A LOT OF THOUGHT AND SAFETY INVOLVED IN THE POLICY AND I'M SUPPORTING IT. THANK YOU. Nadia Combs: THANK YOU, MEMBER VAUGHN. MEMBER RENDON. Patti Rendon: TH THANK YOU, MEMBER COMBS. THERE'S NOTHING THAT DISTINGUISHED FFA OR 4H OUT OF HERE. IF IT WAS, I WOULD DEFINITELY WANT A SECOND LAYER OF REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENT TO BE KIND OF HAVING SAY IN WHAT ANIMALS COME IN FOR THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE 4H OR FFA IN EVERY ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS. I DON'T WANT ANY LIMITATIONS ON THAT. I THINK WHAT BRINGS THAT CURRICULUM OUT IS A MINOR PIECE OF THE LARGER PICTURE OF THE SKILLS THEY LEARN. I DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING THAT WILL HINDER THAT. ALSO, OUR FARMERS NEED TO BE BROUGHT UP AND WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE
218THAT FOOD SECURITY IS NATIONAL SECURITY. ANYTIME I CAN RECOGNIZE ANYTHING WITH OUR FARM ANIMALS I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ANY POLICY THAT PROMOTES THAT COMPLETELY. I WILL SAY MY KIDS OVER THE YEARS HAVE HAD MANY CLASS PETS. PSYCHOLOGY IS THE ONE THAT COMES TO MIND. IT WAS A RAT. DROVE ME NUTS. THEY LIKE THE RAT AND THE TESTING THEY DO WITH THE RAT. THAT'S WHAT THEY LIKE AND THAT WAS PART OF THEIR THING. DR. HAHN HAD A GOOD POINT ABOUT THE LIABILITY. IF IT'S AN OUTSIDE PET THAT COMES IN FOR A SPECIFIC REASON, WE DO THAT WITH CBAs, WHERE THEY SIGN A LIABILITY, ARE WE THINKING ABOUT THAT AS PART OF PROCEDURES, OUTSIDE OF A SCHOOL STAFF, NOT JUST CLASSROOM PET BUT SOMETHING ABOUT A SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION TIME THAT WE HAVE THAT
219FAMILY SIGN A LIABILITY IF THEY BRING IN A PET BECAUSE OF THAT? I THINK IT IS A GREAT IDEA. Patti Rendon: DOING IT FOR CBAs, SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT FOR AN ANIMAL. WE KNOW STAFF WOULD NOT PUT ANY OF OUR STUDENTS PURPOSEFULLY AT RISK. CLASSROOM SPECIFIC EDUCATIONAL PIECE AND BRING SOMETHING FROM OUTSIDE, MAYBE HAVING A LITTLE LIABILITY THERE. ANY OUTSIDE COMPANY, HAVE THEIR OWN LIABILITY AND WE REQUIRE THAT, RIGHT? I THINK THAT SOLVES THAT. I THINK ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS WE SHOULD HAVE THAT. I'M SURE MR. PORTER WOULD AGREE IT WOULD NOT ABSOLVE US FROM ANY LIABILITY -- Jim Porter: POINT WELL TAKEN. Nadia Combs: I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS. WE DISCUSSED THIS AT GREAT LENGTH FOR A LONG TIME. I THINK IT'S GREAT WITH THE UPDATE OF THE
220CURRICULUM, THE SAFETY. I REALLY THINK THE LIABILITY FORM IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT WILL MAKE SOMEBODY THINK TWICE IF THEY WANT BRING THAT PET. AS WE COMPETE P CHARTER, HOME SCHOOLS, IN SOME SCHOOLS, SCHOOL CULTURE. MacFARLANE PARK WHERE THEY HAVE ANIMALS AND THINGS THAT MOTIVATE THE KIDS AND DIFFERENT SCHOOLS. EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL, AS A PRINCIPAL WE HAVE TO RELY ON PRINCIPALS AND AREA SUPERINTENDENTS TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THAT. IF WE COMPETE WITH SO MUCH OF THE SCHOOLS THERE ARE CHILDREN WHO COME TO SCHOOL BECAUSE OF THAT CLASS GERBIL. THAT IS A FACT FOR YOUNG CHILDREN OR EVEN MIDDLE SCHOOL OR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD POLICY. I THINK WHEN I GO TO MY SCHOOLS AND I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL SCHOOLS THAT FELT FRUSTRATED, THAT THEY FELT THAT THE PRIOR POLICY DIDN'T ALLOW
221THEM TO HAVE THE ANIMALS EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE APPROVED, I THINK THIS IS GOOD AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUE WATCHING AND MONITORING AND REMEMBER THAT OUR PRINCIPALS REALLY LEAD THE SCHOOLS AND WE HAVE TO TRUST THEY MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. IF THEY DON'T, MAYBE THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT FIT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO GIVE THEM THAT FLEXIBILITY. -- BROUGHT THE AG PROGRAM, IT CHANGED EVERYTHING WITH THOSE STUDENTS. IT'S AMAZING. I THINK THE AG PROGRAMS ARE AMAZING IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. ANYONE ELSE HAVE A COMMENT? Christopher Farkas: I WANT TO THANK DR. GRAYES AND JIM. TOOK A LOT OF WORK TO PUT THIS TOGETHER. THANK YOU FOR THE FEEDBACK. Karen Perez: WITH THAT, THIS MEETING IS ADJOURNED.