Instructional Committee Meeting Livestream - September 2, 2025

001Good evening and welcome to this Akran public school board meeting of the instructional policy and student achievement committee on this Tuesday, September the 2nd, 2025. Uh thank you for joining us here. I'm Diana Autri, chair. I would like to acknowledge my colleagues uh Pastor Harrison and President Dr. Jackson as well as Superintendent Outley and Marcy Ebrite. First item on the agenda is our meeting minutes from our last meeting. Are there any additions, corrections, or comments on those meeting minutes? [Music] Seeing none, we will accept them as presented to us. I don't believe there are any requests to address the committee at this time. So, we will move on in our agenda. First discussion topic under student achievement. Um, I will turn it over to Marcy Ebright at this time. Thank you, Chair Autry. We have

002uh several discussion topics tonight for student achievement. We have a science department recognition as well as a report card presentation. We have a college and career academy deeper dive questions and answers as well as a presentation and it looks like a topic uh for public content under business affairs. We're going to start with Miss Katrina Halasa with a science department recognition. Tonight, Dr. Halasa, science learning specialist, will share information regarding the recognition of our APS science department is receiving the governor's Thomas Edison awards for excellence in student research and STEM education. At the conclusion of this presentation, the committee should be prepared to receive formal recognition from the Ohio Academy of Science at our regular board meeting. Thank you. um Chair Diana Autri and um board members Dr. Carla Jackson and Reverend Gregory Harrison, Superintendent

003Atley and um Marcy Ebrite. For today, I want to um explain that the Thomas Edison Award was established in 1985 by Governor Richard Celeste. Um we are recognizing teachers across the district who have um done some kind of scientific work in their class and had kids present um to science fairs as well as activities that are STEM related beyond the traditional um classroom activities. Um what I would like to say is there are three criterias and the first one is you have to have a local or conduct a local science fair with 12 or more students. Um this is uh all seventh grade students. This is how we do it in Akran public schools. They present their projects about 1500 of them through it throughout the um beginning of the first fall. There are requirements

004in some of our high school um science courses maybe over 200 students have that experience. Um we had a summer research internship with the University of Akran and we had over 45 students that participated in authentic uh research with university professors. Uh we have fifth grade teachers in the elementary school recruited six or more um students which equivalent to 158 students participated this past year and 194 scholars participated in last year's January um the 25th uh 2025. 69th APS STEM Expo and we have 66 superiors. 90 were excellent and 38 were good. One requirement that was removed as a barrier is that you no longer have to receive a superior at your local in order to participate in regional, which is the next step. And so you have to have students that from a local

005two or more. So if we have a local fair, we can just um submit two of them. But if you do not have a local fair, you need to submit six students or more to participate in the 2025 regional science day. So we had over 304 scholars participate in either the regional science day at Kent State University or the virtual one um at the 18th district. The total was 91 superiors, 210 excellent and three good. Now at this stage 91 superiors are eligible to participate in state. So we sent 90 scholars to participate in state. 27 of them received a superior and 64 received an excellent. Now the third criteria is that you have to do something beyond the classroom. And of course we have amazing partners throughout our district. We have obviously um community

006partners like the zoo or building competition among our students. We also have solar cards that happen around 1,600 students participated in that. We have best medicine. And you could see these partnerships either came from the ones that we've already established or through CCA or gifted and talented or K through2 teachers as well. As you can see, we had 196 total awards up to 2025. 34 3,473 teachers have been recognized up till this fall of 2025. We'd like to give a special thanks, I think it's coming there, to the following um individual um entities that occur here in the Akran public schools. We want to thank the fifth graders who recommended or actually worked directly with our fifth grade teachers. Again, our fifth grade scholars, that was 158 students that were representing all our elementary schools.

007Our science team um coach of either fifth grade scholars or made sure that they were registered for 304. They compiled all the paperwork that was necessary from even the 1500 seventh graders to make sure that we had that information ahead of time in order to register them if they wanted to move forward. We love the OSI coaches who helped us with this application. The um CCA for all their STEM related essential experiences, discovery challen um challenges, engagement challenges, change maker challenges and workbased learning. A lot of challenges as you can see. and then OSI for who paid the $30 fee for um the students to participate in regional because it's not uh free and $60 for every student who participated in state. What we're so thankful for is that we are able to recognize every

008school in Akran public schools. Every single school is being recognized. All the elementary, all the middle, and all the high school. That has never happened in the history of this governor's award. And I want to send a special thanks to Maryanne Permuick who was my um coach this past year. When I pitched this idea, she's like, "Of course we're going to make it happen." Had no idea what I was asking her to do until November. She's like, "Katrina, is this going to really happen?" I'm like, "Of course it's going to happen." and together with the team that we had, we were able to make this happen today um to be able to recognize on the official board meeting, but it had the uh press release was just released and in every language that we have

009in our department. I think it says Dr. uh when would you say it's 46 languages? 49 languages. I would love to put them all there to say thank you to everyone who's participated and for your time today. [Applause] Thank you so much, Dr. Halasa. To you, your department, all involved, uh you continue to set a standard of excellence for our students. We appreciate you. Um nobody clapped when she said every school was represented. I think that is definitely worth Thank you so much. Any questions from the board committee? Thank you so much. Thank you, Dr. Hassa. And next we'll have our report card presentation. Good evening, uh, Chair Diana Autry. Oh, let Miss Audrey introduce. Oh, okay. So this represents our annual first look of the district data which is organized in six key indicators.

010Achievement, gap closing, progress, early literacy, graduation, and new for this year, college, career, workforce, and military readiness. Uh please note these results tonight are preliminary. The state of Ohio will release the official report card on September the 15th. Historically, adjustments between the initial and official numbers have been minor. At this time, I'll turn it over to Dr. Lash. Thank you. Okay, I'll try it again. Good evening, um, Chair Diana Autry, Members Hall, Dr. Jackson, uh, and Reverend Harrison and Superintendent Outley, and Miss Ebrite. All right. We are here to share, as was stated, our preliminary um results of the 2025 state report card. Several of us will be sharing key findings um providing a comprehensive overview of our report card. And it's important to note that this data uh does speak to um our mission

011and our vision um where we are committed to ensuring all of our scholars are um college, career, and life ready. and our vision that each of our scholars will graduate as architects of their future. And as you know with our strategic plan and our four cornerstones, again this work uh does relate and connect to each of our cornerstones, but tonight primarily we are speaking in the direction of cornerstone 2, academic achievement. And so um our objectives uh in addition to sharing the preliminary data, we do want to pause and take a moment for celebrations as well as look at our opportunities for growth and particularly uh as it relates to this presentation with this committee. U making sure that we answer any questions that you would have um need of clarification on and also uh

012looking at the information that you'd like to be shared at the full board meeting. And so with that, let's get into the report card. So what does the Ohio report card measure? Um it's important to know that this is a comprehensive um measure of the district performance as it relates to six particular areas. So we will take a look at achievement, gap closing, progress, early literacy, graduation rate, and as was stated um the newly rated college, career, workforce, and military readiness. Now each of the components receives a star rating from one to five. And this slide lets you know um how each of them are rated in the overall district rating. And you can see that achievement and progress are weighted more heavily towards that overall uh determination. And the overall rating scale um three

013stars means that we meet state standards. Anything above that would indicate that we are exceeding and any anything below three stars would indicate that we need support. It's also important to note that uh while each component is rated with a star rating that the overall rating a school or district would receive can be in the form of a half star. Um so one one and a half two and a half and so on. And we are um right out of the gate uh happy to indicate that again this is preliminary but uh we have moved from two and a half stars last year to three stars. And again on that previous yes on that previous slide three stars means meets um state standards. And so um at this time uh you can see in each

014of the components we will go into uh each of them and starting with achievement. I'm going to kick it off to Dr. Wyn to lead us through achievement. Thank you Dr. Lash. Good good evening um to our board and Miss Kelly. So I'm really excited to share with you our achievement data today. So the achievement component measures how well our students performed on the OST test or how states test. So each level of proficiency is weighted differently. So if a student calculate um if a student receives a proficient rating, they score one point. If they received a basic rating on their proficiency test, they receive 6. So each level of proficiency is rated differently. So the state calculates the total number of points from all students tested from grades, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, 7th, 8th,

015ELA 2, algebra 1, geometry, US history, uh, government and US history. So they total up the points and then we get a total points of um for the performance index divided by the total number of points that they can earn multiply by 100 we get the performance index. So if you look here our performance index score has been uh steady the past four years starting in 21 to 22 we had a performance index of 58.7 and we have moved up to 65.8 eight in the 2425 school year. So we made over two and a half point increase from last year to this year. If you look at the component rating scale, so currently with 65.8, that's how we earned a an achievement uh two stars for the achievement component. So on the bar graph you

016could see another visual representation of our steady increase in the performance index. In this next slide, you can see the um steady increase, but we're looking back at precoid. If you look at 2017 2018, our performance index was 67. So, we are getting closer back to where we were in 2017. Currently, this year, as I shared, we are at 65.8. So at this time I'm going to share with you where we're at with ELA and then my colleagues will come forward and share with you each of their content areas. So for ELA here you can see this is a table that lists all the results for ELA in each cluster. On the last two columns you can see in the uh pink that's the district average and then the last column is the state average.

017So, are we where we need to be for ELA? We're not where we want to be, but we are making progress. So, there are some celebrations for ELA in grades 6 to 8 and ELA 2 showed an increase in the percentage of students scoring proficient or higher compared to last year. If you look at the table, you have I think you have a copy of that. Three clusters outperform the district average in the percentage of scoring proficiency in grades three and four. We have two clusters that exceeded the state average in third grade and surpassed the district average in grades 3 4 5 7 8 and ELA 2. Of the two clusters, one outperformed the district average in all tested grades three through eight and ELA 2. So, we've made some great gains in the

018in secondary, but we've also made grains gains when we compare to the state average and the uh district average. So, that's the results for ELA. This time, I'm going to ask my colleague Nicole to kind of share with you the uh math results. Good evening, board members, Miss Ebrite and Mrs. outly. Um, as Dr. W explained, this is a chart that goes through each cluster and their proficiency performance compared to the district and the state. So, you can look at each grade level and see how each cluster performed compared to the district and also compared to the state. We have a lot of celebrations in math that we're really proud of this year, but we had to narrow it down to three bullets for you. So, um we did see a significant growth in all

019of our grades except for grade five, which is really um impressive. Grade 5 has been a sticking point across the state for a few years. So, we know we're digging into that a lot deeper. Um we have a cohort of teachers working around a plan to target that. So, that piece is in motion. But geometry demonstrated a 13% point growth and algebra 1 demonstrated a 10% point growth. But algebra has increased 23% over the last two years which is really really good for us. So we're proud of that. Um we also have clusters that exceeded the district and the state average that we're proud of. Um the data is also showing you two consistent years of strong improvement across math. Um, of course with that exception of fifth grade. And at this time I'm going

020to have Dr. Hassa come up and talk to you about science. Thank you, Miss Nicole Vatitali. Um, as you can take a look at the science proficiency data um, across here, one thing I want that to explain that's a huge celebration for us is that when you usually adopt a new adoption, usually the um, scores go down, not go up. And actually this year we had all three areas of testing go up this year. Um, the fifth grade district scores um, exceeded the 2019 scores that were precoid. um we have risen 8% over the last three years and the biology scores raised um 7.1 from the last um year this past year. So we're excited about um the movement that we're having in science. And now I would like Adam Mer to come up. Thank

021you Dr. Alasa. Good afternoon everybody. Um we can take a quick peek at our social study scores. Uh you can see there's only the two tests, American government and US history. Um US government went up 8.6, US history a solid 8% just from the previous year. But another celebration to point out is if you look at our two-year trend, uh US history scores have gone up almost 12%. American government's gone up almost 18% in the last two years. So uh good news for us in social studies. Um, this next slide is the nonboundary schools. That's what we're calling this. And we know this as our specialty schools, but we pulled these out uh because they didn't fit in terms of the data in as we presented to you from the cluster assignments. Um, so you

022can see here on this one looks a little different because as you can see it has all the ELA, all the math, all the science, all the social studies for our specialty and in this case we're calling it our nonboundary schools. And there were many celebrations in these schools as well. Um, our non-boundary schools exceeded uh the state average in proficiency for ELA 2, geometry, algebra 1, biology, uh, US history, and American government. Um, they outperformed the district average in grades 4 through 10 for math and ELA, US history, government, um, and science. Um, and if you look at this last bullet, AAA and Akan Early College posted the greatest gains in the entire district just for the American government, uh, OST. And look at those percentage gains. Uh, very, very incredible. Um, at this

023time, I'd like to turn it back over to Dr. Lash so we can look at one of the the next indicator, which is gap closing. M. Madame President, I Do you have a question? Yes, ma'am. Um, can can we name the non-boundary schools? Uh, yeah, we're going to make sure we get this right. So, think of those are the schools that have an application to get in or a program. So, it's STEM middle, STEM high, I promise, Bridges, Akran Early College, APS onlineA, and AAA. Miller South takes a team. Thank you. Okay. Thank you, Mr. M. So, that was the achievement component. And so, we'll quickly uh now take a look at the gap closing component. And this component focuses on identifying and addressing achievement gaps among various student groups. And our preliminary rating is

024three stars um for 34%. In this next slide, we'll delve a little bit deeper into this gap closing uh to show you what the actual measures are. And so within this component, uh we take a look at chronic absenteeism, gifted performance, our English language learners, uh graduation factors into here, uh as well as English language arts and math, which you just heard. And not only the achievement, but progress as well. And it should be noted that the highlighted areas that you see in this slide indicate we have not received that data yet. Progress is usually uh the component which you'll hear in just a moment is the the component that takes a little bit longer for that calculation and and so we don't have it yet. But of the um points that we've earned thus

025far and our possible points of of what we've earned is what got us to the 34% and therefore the three stars. And so when we look at some celebrations here, u just like we've reported over the last couple of years, uh chronic absenteeism is an area that we have gained um all of our points, our five points. Uh gifted identification and services, we earned all the points there. And for the graduation uh indicator, we've earned six of the nine possible points. And you can see in the um student groups that are listed there where we were able to exceed the goal and thus earn the points there. And now I'll turn it over to Mr. uh Keith Liy Clifford to talk through progress component. Thank you Dr. Lash. Good evening board members and superintendent. This

026is an easy one because the data is not all in yet. But just um to give you a little background, if achievement is that snapshot of where students are right now, looking at grade level standards, progress is the component that measures growth. So how kids grow from one year to ne to the next. Um so this is actually a statistical analysis from SAS where it looks at all the state testing and rolls that up into how closely did I come to where I was predicted to perform. And so I think of it like a race. So kids start at all different places at the starting lineup. And if you move ahead in your place in line, then you're making gains or more than a year's growth. So our story in Akran is is we've been

027holding steady at two stars for the last 3 years. This is also a rollup. So if we look at the last column, progress for 2425. We don't have stars yet, but 50% of that rating is going to come from this year's value added calculated soon. And then 25% of that will come from last year's value added and then 25% from uh the 22 23 school year. The silver lining is we did a great job last year. We had three stars in our one-year measure. So we met the state expectations. So, you know, fingers crossed if we get another three or four stars in progress um combined with last year's rating, we might be able to see that one um go up. And so we'll report on that one soon. Uh so the fourth measure is

028early literacy and I asked Dr. Wyn to uh join me up here. So this measure uh measures how our progress in our K3 literacy programs and so we've made steady gains uh the three previous years moving from a one to a two stars and we had a great celebration. You can see from the chart uh we just hit uh you need to be above 58% in the upper right hand corner there. You need to be above 58% to hit two two stars. So we just hit that last year. We dropped below um just a little bit about five percentage points back down to one star. So definitely not where we wanted to be. How did we get there? Uh so that's a roll up of three different measures. So, the first being proficiency. And so,

029we've had some steady increases over time in proficiency, but this past school year uh both in our fall and spring testing combined, we had 46.1% of our students uh meet proficiency. And so, that was a backslide. That's 40% of the weight. Our promotion to fourth grade has always been very strong. You can see this year we had a dip to 93.7. That's 35% of our weight. And then the last one is the falltofall measure. This one looks at K uh so not just OST. It looks at kindergarten, first, second, and third grade. It looks at where students were in the fall and it holds those offtrack kids and a year later it looks at those offtrack kids again. And if they move to ontrack, we get points. So moving kids from offtrack to ontrack and

030that's 25% of our grade. and we use that uh we use the I Ready assessment. Now there are some additional data points in there that I asked Dr. Wyn to share with us. So with the promotion to fourth grade, we're still waiting on a few parent waiverss. So some of our parents when they submit their waiverss for students to um be promoted to uh fourth grade and that could change to 93.7%. Um, also when we're looking at third grade proficiency, so I, you know, I drill down a little bit more to see and what I noticed was that we had 164 third graders that came to us last year, brand new. So, of the 164 third graders, 112 of them were not proficient on the OST. So, they didn't start with us from kindergarten. So,

031we're always looking at ways to really help um build literacy for those early literacy skills. So, we are putting a lot of things in place that we hope that we that um and we're we are confident that it will continue to move our students this this this year. Thank you. Yep. And our celebrations are about the great programs that we're starting to implement. You'll hear a little bit more about those at the end. Uh so next I'm going to ask Marcy Ibrite to come talk about our last two components. Thank you. Good evening. So I'm going to talk about graduation rate first. Uh as you can see on the screen, we are two stars in graduation and we are nipping at the heels of three stars. So, we're very excited about the progress that our

032teachers, students, and schools are making to increase their graduation on time rate uh and their 5-year graduation rate. As a reminder, our component graduation rate comes 60% from those students who uh graduate within four years and 40% for those who need 5 years to graduate. That graduation clock always starts when they start 9th grade with us. So that's when we start the clock on students. So as you look at these numbers, they're also a year behind. So the four-year graduation rate that you're going to see on the next screen, uh that's represented in these numbers as well, they're one year behind. So this is the class of 2024 and the class of 2023. You can see the components across time. has how each uh of the four and fiveyear grad cohorts have graduated uh in

033the last five years. All jumping up almost uh 10 8 and 10% respectively. Lots of celebrations. Um and I said the highest rate in 30 years because that's how long I've been here and that's the highest I've ever seen it. So I'm very excited about that for all of our students and all of our subgroups of students. We have leading graduation rates for the state of Ohio. As you recall, last year we were led for the urban eight. We are solid solidly in the middle of the pack uh for graduation rates across the state on the state average. We're right where the state average is. Um I think a little like.1% above. Uh and we don't know the other large urbans yet until their report card data comes out. So, we couldn't update you on

034where we if we maintained that status this year, but we are hopeful that we are. We are continuing to exceed those thresholds for progress monitoring each year of school. The things that we look for to make sure students are on track every single semester towards graduation and the requirements that they need to do. And our schools have done an amazing job of monitoring, communicating, and all the remediation strategies that might need to be in place to make sure students have everything they need to attain firsttime credit, credit recovery. Our intervention assessment teams at schools monitor very closely the students all through high school, really kicking it into gear their senior year to make sure that they're knocking out everything that they need. Our academy teams and our counseling teams have done an ex exceedingly amazing

035job at making sure that students are having what they need to graduate on time or within the five years. Uh we also I'm going to cover with you college career workforce and military readiness which is our uh new indicator as you heard. We've been preparing for this indicator though for several years and the state the last three years has given us preliminary data that we were able to see. We knew that this was an indicator that we would exceed in uh uh across the district but also across all of our high schools because it is an high school only indicator. Elementary schools don't receive this particular indicator. Uh so it is new for all of our high schools as well. This year we received an 81.5% which is right out the gate a fourstar rating

036which is exceeding state standards. This component is made up of 11 readiness elements and I put a copy of those elements by your desk uh top so that you could review them. Uh the way that it basically works is there's 11 different things. Uh students before graduation can earn one of those or they can earn several of them, but they're only worth one point. So we can't double dip. So you could have a student that gets an honors diploma, a 12-point credential, 12 or more college credit. are still just worth one point in the numerator out of the denominator of students. So if you have 90 students in a graduating class or 100 students in a graduating class and 90 students earn at least one of those indicators, you're getting a 90% on your on

037your uh CCWMR indicator and that's the way that one works. It also lags a year behind. So we are looking again at the class of 2024. Uh next fall's report card will show the most recent graduating class. On the back side of the document that you have as well, there is some non-report items. Uh the state sends us back how our students performed across those 11 indicators. And on the bottom half of that, it also will share with us um how they're doing six years after graduation. So the most recent graduating class data I have is 2018. and they haven't given me the 2019 yet, but when we have it, we'll update it. So, it lets us know how many kids, for example, started college uh uh to within two years after and finished college

038within 6 years. And you can see that those numbers were trending up then. So, we'll start to see uh more over time when we watch how our students are performing six years after graduation. So, some successes there. Uh we got a lot of points and 12point credentials. You know, I've shared with you on your Friday notes how well our students uh uh we had the most number of credentials ever earned in the history of Akran public schools and 12point credentials with this uh that graduating class. Uh we had a high CCP attainment where students earning college credits and hitting that 12 college credits. It's not just college credits. They had to hit 12 college credits which is a pretty high threshold. So we had more students doing that and we had more students being uh

039successful on their career technical education proficiency which is showing how well that they are performing sort of like their OSTs of their technical uh pathways that they're taking. So more students are hitting proficiencies there. We saw increases in WBL hours. Uh we've had a lot of strategies in place to support that. We nearly doubled the results that we had the previous year on how well students performed uh in earning their WBL hours which uh again is pretty high threshold. They have to have 250 documented hours aligned to their pathway of study in order for those hours to count. We had increases in the number of students earning honors diplomas and we had students uh doing better on ACT remediation free scores. But our biggest points came from the items in the top. At this time,

040I'm going to turn it over to Dr. Lash to finish us up. Oh, Adam Mer to finish us up. I apologize. So, you have all these uh data points from all six components memorized by now. Um it is a lot and of course you're used to this every year uh with this um and although there were successes in all six components there's more work to be done. Um what this slide represents is uh some of the major work in the district this year uh that are aligned directly to the components and uh you know you'll hear more about them in future meetings and and the data and uh how the work is moving forward. But you'll notice in each one of these that in parentheses uh it is aligned to one or more of the

041components. And you'll see that many of them are actually aligned to all six of the components. Um so there's there's a lot of work to be done. Uh the work needs to be done for every student in every school to build the type of systemic change that we want to see. and all of these uh and this isn't everything obviously we're doing in the district but some of the priorities that we believe will directly move our report card moving forward are listed here. Um so at this point kind we kind of want to f start folding things up a little bit. Uh Dr. Lash uh if you could come up and and bring us home. All right. So we've shared an early look at our report card data. Again, this is preliminary. Um, but hopefully

042uh we have walked you through the six components that led to our pre-liminary rating of three stars. Again, that meets state standards. And before we conclude, I actually want to invite all of our co-presenters up because we do um want to make sure we open the floor to the committee for any questions, anything that we could um provide additional clarity on. and also how you would like this information shared at the full board meeting. And that concludes our presentation. [Applause] Thank you so much to all the subject matter experts. Um it's good stuff here and I'd like to open up to questions at this time. member hall and then thank you President Jackson, Chair Autry. Um I just want to say thank you for this wonderful presentation. I love the teamwork how you all played

043a part. So thank you. Really good information. Um I just have a couple concerns. Um as looking at the proficiency data um on the by the clusters and the schools you can by looking at these numbers you can really see like what schools really have all the resources seriously. Um between like Ellen and Firestone their numbers are all high. Um and then when you look at Boo East their numbers are not where majority is. Um, also looking at this data from third to 8th grade, you see in fifth grade you have this hike, right, with the numbers and proficiency. But then when you look at sixth, seventh, and eighth grade, these numbers all drop. So then when these eighth graders get to high school, they're already below. Like what are we um I know we're

044doing the work, right? It it shows, but what are we doing with these when we see this drop after fifth grade? So, sixth, seventh, and eth is middle school. So, how are we focusing on our middle school to get these numbers back up? Because if I'm looking right here, um we'll just use Elllet for example. Well, no, because they actually went up and then they went back down. Um, I'll use bookto for example. From fifth grade they were at 40. This is the ELA proficiency. I'm looking at the front page. Um, booked to fifth grade was at 40.28%. Sixth grade they dropped all the way down to 15.13%. Then up just a little bit by 16% and then eighth grade we dropped under 10%. So, how are we really servicing these kids going into high

045school, you know? Um, so maybe you guys can answer that. So, basically, um, ELA, first of all, I want to address regarding re resources for English language arts. At the onset of the adoption, we made sure that every teacher in every uh cluster every have the materials that they need in regards to resources for English language arts. But you know with achievement there are also other factors that impact the achievement. So we're also as a team as Mr. um M was sharing earlier with the first bullet that we have is the MTSS. That's the multi-ter system of support with all facets to really make sure that we're meeting the needs of every student whether that be English language arts or any um any content area. So one of the things that we do look at

046and I know that Dr. Lash is here also is the chronic absenteeism. We'll also look there's different things that affect achievement. So it's not only the resources because I believe for English language arts I can confidently say that we have the resources at the onset of the adoption and then every year our teachers order materials when they need it. So I I don't believe it's the resources for the materials, the content, but there are other factors that does affect the achievement. And I agree with you, it there is a dip in the middle school. So we are looking at things that we're going to look at cohorts of students and then we're going to work with the teachers. So we're going to drill down by supporting with our working through our coaches. So we're doing

047a lot of the explicit instruction this year and really targeting that to provide strategies. But there are things that we're doing with chronic absenteeism to really address that to to engage our students so they can come to school so they can learn. Can I just follow up real quick? Thank you. I just wanted to add to what Dr. Wyn said. There are so many things we're pouring into our students. And one of the things we did uh at the district level is adopt two universal strategies in our school improvement plans. And so looking at Hattie and Anita Archer's work around explicit instruction, uh we've adopted opportunities to respond which increases classroom engagement and gives all students uh the opportunity to engage in the work to think about their responses and to share what they know.

048And so we'll be collecting data and implementing that. We've started already in instructional improvement day. and then also a four-part vocabulary acquisition strategy because we know that goes across all content areas, all subjects um in our CCAA classrooms as well so that we can really begin to boost up that vocabulary acquisition uh in all areas. Just a followup, just a quick followup. Thank you for that. But what I was going to say, I'm sorry, Dr. Wyn, it wasn't just the ELA where I saw the numbers decline. This was just the first one on the page, but the numbers were declining in all areas, math and science. The only one that was pretty much standard was social studies proficiency. Um, but that was just my biggest thing was why the decline in sixth, seventh, and eighth

049grade, especially when our kids are going to high school. So, we we're doing the work. We just need to figure out what's going on in our middle schools, not just Booto. And I Booked was the first one on there. That's why I said bookto but um all the schools have that decline in middle school. Thank you. And one thing I um want to add we were sidebarring over there is mention our transcend survey and so in addition to the tools and the resources that we provide the educators looking at what our students are telling us to um that they need for the experiences that we provide them. and our transend survey um I think uh over time has let us know relevance is one of the things that they're not um rating high and so

050a lot of the buildings in their one plans as they look at their academic goals their climate goals um they're using the transcend data to um hear from students about um the experiences that they want to see in their their building. So we just wanted to add that as well. Thank you Dr. Jackson. Yes, thank you. Um, so I was going to um speak also to what member Hall had stated um because we do know that it is multiple factors that impact student achievement um regardless of where it's at and because these are standardized tests, it gives us just a quick snapshot. So I think when the information that when you are reporting this out um maybe to the board like some of the backwork that needs to be done because if I see a

05150% drop in performance in a specific domain area I think about things what was the classroom environment what are the teachers reporting what was what were what was going on like per cluster as far as doing an attendance pull for one also behaviors Right? Because you can have some students who typically, if we really broke this down, which is a lot of work, if we look per grade, per students who naturally perform proficient or higher and then they dropped, what was the classroom environment at the time? What are some new factors in in in the classroom that could have impacted uh focus or students ability to learn? What what is the teacher report? Is there a different teacher? So, it is very multiaceted. So I wanted to kind of unpack that because resources plays a

052role, environment plays a role, uh consistency of the teacher plays a role. We have had people come in and talk about um attendance. And so even though they may all have the same resources is they all those resources may not be used into the level of fidelity that they could be used if I don't have consistent in attendance with the teacher. So these are the things that we can look at because that will give us an informed intellect when we're observing this as to where where we need to focus on because yes we have great resources. We talk about these these offering offerings and that's why even at our last meeting it was important that people understand the title one funds and how the building leader can utilize and determine what is needed in the

053building as far as tutoring or extra uh services that their direct building may need. Um so I wanted to be mindful of that and say that I too do do recognize that but that needs to be spoken to in a way um because if people are looking at these numbers um also when we talk about the comparison to the state right if the state standard is low then I'm looking to exceed state standards not meet them right and so again it goes to uh what what what is the lack what what is missing and also the performance per cluster. I like how it puts all this information in per cluster. Um, I'm interested per school because per school also, this is just me. I'm one board member, so y'all don't have to go do this

054work. I'm not saying this is a whole board thing. I'm just telling you how I think because then I wonder about the schools and then I wonder about the EL teams within the schools and if one school is performing on the elementary ring higher because we know this is an average. is taking the right the culminating story scores. But I might be a ELA teacher that can boast, oh my kids are here. I know what the district says, but me and my team, our kids are here. I need those are the teachers I want to inform instructional practices and what they are doing differently that their outcomes per their classes and individual students are different. um you know because there's so many considerations and that's why when these scores come out the state level and

055you got you present it and it's high level and it's pe you know it's going to be picked apart people watch it and it's like low performance but it's so much uh in this like that it's really hard to just break it down properly to be able to even see growth and work in some cases because when I see growth when it says oh we made this percentage growth and I'm like yeah that's still below that's still it's only you got 20,000 kids or you know so that's my mindset. Secondly um I wanted to cuz I may have missed it and I saw the middle school data but I did not see the high school data. I saw a quick reference to what Triple A did and um Akran Early College, but as far as

056to see from the high school level, what is the high school? I see the middle school cluster, elementary, middle school together, but I didn't know if I missed where it showed me the high school where they're performing at. So, because the high school doesn't call them grade level exams, they're going to be at the bottom of each chart. So ELA2 is 10th grade English and so you'll be able to see those. Oh, so when it shows EL2, is that 10th like uh ELA2 is 10th grade. So that's the only English high school assessment. So you can match that up with your cluster high school. We have algebra 1, which is our nth grade math course. Geometry, which is typically 10th grade. Okay. And if we keep going, right, biology, 10th grade. All right. Now, yeah.

057Okay. So, so course sequence matters I guess in some schools. Uh but American government and American history then are two high school exams. Yeah. And isn't is that 10th 11th? Well, I'm afraid to not ask my counterpart here. That's 10th 11th, right? Yeah. Cuz I'm a history person. So, okay. So, that's good information to know as well to be able to pinpoint. But thank you for the clarification because I'm like where are the high school how how is high school performing? And then wait, where's my other questions? I'm sorry because I didn't want to keep y'all up here. High school. I had another question. Oh, okay. Yes. So, for the gifted gap closing measures and indicators on the gifted performance indicators. Um, so we have the gifted identification services and I see that we we

058have fives in the showing that we receive. However, I'm curious as to we receive the points for the identification, but yet it's no growth or progress. And I that's perplexing to me because I'm curious as to why because if we identify right so we're getting the point saying you're re the tools and things are in place to identify the gifted. So why then do we not see a monitoring of growth or how these individuals are growing? Thank you Dr. Jackson for raising that question and um our colleague is not among us to speak to gifted but what I can tell you um and I'll defer you know the nitty-gritty to Melissa but let me go back to this. Um what I can tell you is that yes and I know you I believe you raised

059this question last year this this time too. Um so gifted identification and services you are correct. We are identifying providing the services and thus we are obtaining the the u max possible uh score progress is not in yet. So we we we don't have that um but we have not uh met that when you look at um 2022 23 and last school year. But the gifted performance index, we didn't receive those points because you're right, that subgroup um did not meet the state um the state goal for for achievement there. Um so again, that's what I can, you know, just point back to the data in this piece, but to um to have more kind of fruitful conversation, if you will, and discussion around gifted, um I would defer to Melissa Fry Meyer. Um, and

060I'm gonna look back uh to see if any of my other Okay. Yes, that's fine. Yeah, because to to your point, yeah, I've accessed multiple years and now the data for the previous year is present. It's still zero because it's when you have interventions in place, you have to have some type of measure of growth and if not then it's ineffective. And now we see a trend and we all know that after three years of a trend it's a problem because three years is enough of data to say we got a problem. Whatever we're doing is not right. So if we're identifying and we're providing some and we're providing services and I know this is not for you Dr. Le. Just I I I'm just saying if my child is gifted, if I know that

061my child or I'm think my child is tested and did the gifted assessment and it doesn't seem growth or if I'm a parent I've been questioning anyway about certain things in the school, then it's easier for me to move my child to a different school because I think my child is not being served. And I these are the things I need us to consider and to talk about especially when we talk about parents leaving the district, why they leave the district. Um because some parents do have high performing students and if they're in a program and I as a parent, if I'm an educator, because I have had parents speak to me that are highly educated with children in a district that have question, that's what made me always come to this gifted part because

062they do question certain services. Okay. Um, and so I think that's something to look into. Like it's one thing I can say we offer it. I have everything in place, but that, you know, it always comes out and, you know, that it this tells the story and so you should see some type of growth. So, thank you for that, Dr. Lash. I really appreciate how you always take the time to try to answer this and the rest of the team because I respect what you do professionally. Um, lastly, uh, the gap closing celebrations. Um someone had already kind of answered this that the majority of the work that we see or the credentials are as a result of the credentials that they receive is why we see a lot of the improvement in graduation rates.

063Is that is that fair? Is that a fair assessment that most of them are getting over that line because of the credentials? because I need Yeah, I would say uh we probably the first way students can graduate is straight on with their OST uh proficiency scores and meeting the the competency scores there for English and math. Uh probably I don't know the exact breakdown last time I looked about 50% did that and then the alternative path to competency would be the CTE competency. So the balance of most of the kids are using that which would be the credentials uh proficiency tests WBL all those other ways that they could demonstrate readiness which I think is great to have alternative pathway. I think the other layer to that um what I'm curious about because I also

064like that you shared with us about the six years out data. I think that's good information to know. However, the the students who are graduating with the alternative pathways who are not proficient um particularly in what reading areas of reading and math I I think that programs like uh the college and careers are more um beneficial I would say um or equitable if we know that they are going into when they're graduate there we have them employed in the field. I think that is what for me really is the greatest leverage of these programming because it's cool that they get the certification but then if they graduate and they still below because we we're trying to boast contributing citizens right that feel a sense of significance and empowerment through a a level of professional setting

065whether that's HVAC whether that's culinary programs where they can feed and take care of themselves in a respectable manner and if college is not the choice which is fine but in careers are like leveraging our programming to where we are positioning positioning these learners in careers upon a gradu graduation. And I know we do the 250 internships, but how is that metriculating into I am providing I have benefits. I'm graduating high school. I have no I'm not going to college, but I've learned this skill and this skill can provide and take care of me. I think instead of just, you know, I did something, I got these credentials now on the block or something. Uh, as a as a CTE district, we're the largest CTE district in the state. So we also get what's called

066a career technical planning report card which is a whole another set of indicators in addition to these that show how well we are preparing students for uh post-secary and how well they are prepared after postsecary and part of one of those indicators is called the post-program follow-up in which we reach out uh 6 months after graduation to see if students are employed enrolled or enlisted someplace. So we do have that preliminary data. I think I put some in your Friday notes and typically we'll come and bring a presentation on a deep dive on how the career technical planning side of our district prepared kids. Uh but those numbers are looking really positive too. I don't I can't remember the percentages off the top of my head right now, but they were the highest that they've

067been. I remember you talked about that last year. I'm talking about working getting a check. Correct. How many kids are employed? I'm graduating and I'm already at I'm going to use this for example. I'm already working at uh Firestone. That was and upon graduation, you know that now I'm moving into I have a commitment that I'm moving into full-time employment at Firestone or because of this relationship or my experience, I've been able to work part-time for Goodyear. Just throwing this stuff out here. whatever the or suma or I'm talking about actual not theoretical upon I'm walking the stage and I have a guarantee I'm working for or I'm going into one of these unions journeyman pro um programs for HVAC I got two more years but I'm already employed getting this amount I'm talking about

068to that level not to when they graduate then we wait six months or six years and then some of them dropped off they're not even doing anything with their pathways. I'm just saying and this is just for the thought. I took a note on it. Yeah, I think we could definitely ask kids. We do a senior exit survey to sort of see what their plans are. We and those questions can certainly be embedded in there and make and followed up on to see where they're at. Yeah. Or what can we as a district or we as the board, how can we help to leverage those type of rel because it may be a need that the body that this body needs to do. I'm just trying to think this is not I'm not trying to

069make this a more heavy lift cuz college and careers in my opinion CT is doing a a great has some great things in place has a great framework in place. I'm just seeing how can it still be great after I gra like where I reap the benefits once I'm done in school and I don't have any more credentials that I need to get but I can feed myself off of what I did and my school helped to partner me with that upon before graduation. Okay. So, thank you for that. Thank you, Mr. Alexander. Yeah, Mrs. Marcy, um these the kids that and talking about what Carlos stating or Miss Madam President over there stating how um do we look at every kid who's a senior and find out follow them up six months uh and

070see where they're at? Um or we just every every senior even seniors who didn't gra who dropped out, we have to try to follow up to see what they're doing. So, uh, which is a monumental task as you can imagine. We're we're calling family members. We're calling friends who might know where they're at to see if they're enrolled or if they're going what they're doing. So, uh, yes, every student the state provides us with a list of students to follow up with. It's a team effort because, uh, the EL department also needs to follow up with their students as well as special ed. So, we all kind of take a bite of that that apple and, uh, then get the data submitted. We get it in o we have to get the list in October.

071We have to have it submitted by January in order to get it in the report card results. Okay. So that's something that maybe you guys can bring to the board so they can see for example uh x number of kids graduated in the nursing program at north. How many are actually working in the medical field? How many came out and were in masonary and are they working in masonary or not? And that way I think that might suffice what what board members are actually asking. Okay. We look at two that the opposite side are the labor statistics in the area and we look at the youth and how many are employed in the area industries uh as well. So we follow that type of data too. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Um Reverend Harrison,

072Mr. Alexander, I was in the middle of my question. So this is my last two I promise. Uh so 164 third graders not proficient in in um ELA but they were trans transfers in 112 okay the 112 were the transfers 164 of the 1642 excellent thank you so much so 164 was not proficient but out of that 164 112 164 new and third grade so there were60 64 new third graders last year. Of the 164, 112 of them were not proficient on the OST third grade. Thank you so much. I appreciate you. Okay, so 164 new third graders, which is cool, coming into the district. And so out of those new students, 112 were not proficient. Um the question um I wonder too is because we know that we have a high increase of um

073English as second language or English as Yeah. second language students transferring in and so we know that plays a a major part in the standardized testing because as I understand they can't get it translated. uh they have to take the test and so if they just have to take the test then it's going to be a there they're there it's always behind the eightball because they can be very bright very intelligent but the barrier it's a language barrier at that time and I asked about um interpreters or someone being able to read the test and I want could you come back up because I'm or where's where's one when oh yeah so I'm Sorry because I don't think they can I this is important information for people to know though because when you look at

074what's happening in North Hill and now East Akran also you can see a large uh population um coming in they cannot get this the test read to them in their language. Is that correct? Not for ELA. Right. So that's correct. Must be in English. That is correct. Okay. So that's very important. So when you're looking at this data, you have to realize the ridiculousness of this because and the reason why I'm saying ridiculousness, I understand that they um we want them to be competent in English, but these could be high performing who completely understand what's but it's just a language barrier which is also true from some inner city children and from children who come from households of uneducated parents. So the the data reflects we're think it's easy for people to wrap their head

075head around non-English-speaking people but also wrap your hand around people who are coming from a non-educated household and how they then interpret English language and so when you see it in a standardized format how there's going to be some challenges there as well. So okay thank you for that. I just wanted to make sure that was said on the mic so people understood that. Um what I'm curious about so that we can know is what um subgroup does that population represent that 100 the those who transferred in and who are not um proficient do they represent any particular subgroup as we know um the state does and if so uh that's important information but I want to posit that that information is important for all the test scores and even though we speak to it

076to it would be good for us to see um the subgroups and how they performed in the various categories. Definitely we'll get that information for you regarding which subgroups um uh for for you in that. Okay. Okay. All right. I'm going to leave it alone at this point. Just let somebody Yeah. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um before I start, I want to say that there is uh my questions in no way are challenging the findings or challenging us um what we do um to have our kids proficient. Um I do want to address one comment that was made with Dr. Wyn and and just kind of keeping to the forefront that resources go beyond tangible things. So, when we're talking about our children that are having housing challenges, um we can give them

077things um but we still have to take into account that they have housing challenges. Um so, just just wanted to make that statement. Um a couple of questions I have. First is what impacts growth? So the the growth that we have made in a different school, are we documenting what has moved the needle in these schools? Um I I understand that some schools have additional tutoring. Um so are we documenting that hey this was a a key factor in this school. Um are we do we have an ideal of what has made a difference um in what buildings? Sure. [Music] Uh thank you for the question Pat. Yes. Uh we are documenting um and it depends it depends on the OST. uh for example in social studies there are actual content specific strategies that we're

078using across different schools and documenting who's doing it and how often and and how successfully. Um and then there's other things that are district-wide initiatives. um you know whether we're talking about uh OSI related you know uh clarity or our new our new pushes around explicit instruction and so these are districtwide uh designs to build systemic change and they're also being documented. Um, and reading into your question, uh, some of the things, some of the variability we're able to document and other times, you know, it's you have to dig, you have to ask what, you know, was there something else that was different? Um, I believe, uh, it was Miss Jackson who talked about attendance and, um, you know, other variabilities involved as well. Um, but we do try to document change. Um, for example,

079shout out to East. East had the largest growth in US history in American government of all our schools this year. And we have been able to document some of the things that those teachers um, and they are responsible every day working with kids uh, that they that they did differently. And other times it's um you know you're you're there's so many variables that it is difficult especially when we try to build equity among all our schools with all our kids. Uh so sometimes it is hard to your point to document every everything. Um Keith I would uh call Keith up. I don't know if that helps but from a large picture. I was going to give you two more examples and this is where you'll get us excited. We'll want to talk to you all

080night long. Um but you know we listened and heard our principles talk about the centralized reporting system. You uh may also know that. So it's a portal with all of the released Ohio State questions which gives teachers the opportunity to build formative assessments. So like we saw great things happening at STEM middle school and also I believe Lichfield. So we began to replicate that and so we're moving that to all buildings um this year using that as our quarterly assessments and the state tested results. Um we also watched Schumacher over co they started doing explicit instruction strategies which really is about planning and delivery of instruction. So you heard me mention those two but also uh we've been working with teaching and learning about uh ECRI enhanced core reading instruction which takes you remember letters

081we talked about letters takes everything that the teachers learned about letters it takes our wonders curriculum and it realigns them with really uh amazing opportunities to respond and access the curriculum uh at at a high level for students. And what was I going to mention about that? Oh, so it really invigorates core one tier instruction, but then also has a plan for tier 2, which is all tightly aligned, which we know from the research. If you're already struggling in in tier one, let's not give you something different in tier 2. Let's do it deeper, better, and stronger. And so, we're learning that from our buildings. And now we went from seeing great results in one building. We went into 12 buildings last year, saw great results, and now we're in 20 buildings this year. Okay.

082Thank you. And and I I I guess are we documenting the teachers that's doing exceptionally well and those who are not doing so well. Are we are we keeping notes? And u I I just want to get bare bones with that. Okay. Because at the end of the day, it's the teachers that's going to make the difference. You want response? Yes. Not rhetorical. That's not rhetorical. Well, I can tell you in Yes. In fact, Larry tapped into multiple data points to even uh you know, give that professional opportunity this summer to go to the Ron Clark Academy. Uh but just today we are working with senior leadership on uh what we're calling a pulse check so we can capture those great things that are happening in classrooms but also when we're not seeing our district

083strategies um we can come back and talk about that data and look at the trends and what do we need to do professional development wise to either help share those good things or um give support to those areas that we need to improve on. And so we'll be able to accomplish that much better with the walkthrough form that we're working on. Okay. Thank you. We do when those value added results come out, they come at the teacher level, the building level, and the district level. And so we do celebrate them uh with a classroom visit and a little gift bag, swag bag um all donated uh to celebrate those teachers who show uh more than a year's growth with their students. So, okay, I will let you know about that. Thank you. And and I

084think that that is um when we're showing growth on a state test, uh I I think we really can look at the teachers and um I believe that a district our size can really incentivize the teachers by saying what else do you need? What what else can we do to support you? And I think in that way we may be incentivizing other teachers to um I I know change is hard. I know change is hard. Um promotion to fourth grade. Um what would prevent a child from being promoted to the fourth grade from the third grade? Um is that an automatic step? Um and if I was a parent and did not want my child I did not think my child was ready for fourth grade, is that something that I can say I don't

085think he's ready? Yes. So the parents have a choice. So when the students take the uh third grade proficiency test, if they don't meet the cut score for the reading uh reading subcore of 50 or the OST 700, then the parents have the right to say I still want my students to move forward. So there's a form that they complete. And if a parent says, well, I want my child to be retained, they have that final say. So, do you have to fill out a form to not move forward or do you fill out the form to stay to keep your child in third grade? So, for the form, they would say if they want their child to move forward knowing and understanding that their ch their child did not meet the the proficiency score,

086but the parents have a right to to to keep the child in third grade if they didn't meet it. But it's usually a collaborative between the parent, the principal, and the teacher. So, they talk through together. So yes, but the parents have the final say. Yeah. I just I didn't find that to be the case with my child. That's why I'm asking. Um because the law changed the past three years in before if a child did not meet it, they had to be retained. But the state changed it to now the parents that the past I would say two or three years the state have changed that rule. So maybe the time that when your u child if your child if you didn't have that that could be because at that time the state required

087if students didn't meet it that we had to retain them. There was a process where the kid can be promoted the student can be promoted mid year too but the law has changed. Okay. Um so um my my other question is are are we doing any post-graduation tests? Um, you know, I know we're celebrating graduation rates, um, but that that first year, if if I'm graduating with honors and my first year in college, I'm in remedial classes, it's kind of difficult to say that I I should have graduated with honors. So, you know, I know the six-year mark is is we're looking six years ahead, but I think for APS, a a true accurate indicator if we're meeting that would be um college placement test. Do do we have any data on that? I'm going

088to let Miss Culver come up and talk about college placement test. So we are we do have some some strategies in place where we are identifying our students who are close to um being college ready on their ACT or SAT and providing them support. It's generally the ACT or SAT um or as you the ACUPPLACER that determines where the student is going um what level the student is going to in college. So we are trying to grab those students and support them prior to leaving. The other thing that we are doing is we are building in um our curriculum college credit plus courses um so the students have that opportunity for some nontested courses to build college skills because we know students can get a a high uh placement score but then don't have those

089college management skills. So we are working on both ends to um help our students access that. So for instance, we have some of our teachers that are teaching college success skills courses and um students are able to to manage some of those skills. And I guess my question a more clearer question I guess I should ask the clearest question is okay so once I graduate from APS and then I move on to University of Akran Ohio State I I would hope none of our kids would be going to Michigan but if if they so choose to go if the money's right. Yeah. Um, so, so I I take my course, my I take my placement test to get my schedule and they say, "Well, okay, you you need a remedial math class or you need

090a remedial writing class." Um, are are we monitoring that? No. Once they graduate, that is that is out of our realm. Okay. Um, and and I'm not sure if SEI is is is monitoring that. Uh, yes, they they are. So can we so the data that you saw that came back on the sheet that I gave you comes back from the state. So they follow up postsecary where students are at and then they send all that data back to us. We don't necessarily track them beyond that. Uh uh Miss Culver's Gear Up program is a great example of a of a program that would do just what you're asking where they're following the students into their first or second year of college. First year of college. So they're working with students starting in middle school

091all through high school and then seeing getting them in that hump into that first year of college which if you all remember that's probably the hardest year, right? Getting that getting used to all of that. So Gear Up is a great example of a program that that you're you're asking for, right? That to replicate and have the sustainability to be able to follow and support kids postsecary. So, so this question would go um into my next question because um I I want to make sure that we're not moving the goalpost to obtain graduation rates. And so when we're looking at the college, career, workforce, and military readiness, um and we've seen significant gains there. Um but when we are um the credentials as opposed to academic success, okay, um when we're doing the credentials, I

092want to make sure that we are not that these kids when they leave high school that they have even if they don't walk into a job, they have the skill set and they are ready for a job and that we're not moving a goalpost. to obtain our numbers and not doing our children's service. So, how are we looking at that? Okay. So, if you can give me an example of um a credential pathway, okay, some someone is not going to graduate from an academic place. And so we we've created a um credentiing criteria for them. Am I asking that the right way? I I I think I think I might understand. I think that the state was really wise when they went with multiple ways for competencies for kids to graduate. I know when I

093graduated school, I had to get 18 credits. I was done out the door. Our students need 21 credits. They have to demonstrate a competency, whether that is an an academic testable competency or a CTE competency or a military competency that this state recognizes multiple ways of competencies and that has nothing to do with the credit and the academic rigor that they go through. Every kid, every kid has 21 credits, same 21 credits. That hasn't changed to get that threshold. And then the last piece is their preparedness, which is how many uh seals that they earn, graduation seals on top of that. And every student has to have at least two graduation seals. So we call that their credits, their competencies, and their seals. So the rigors and the standards are very high. I think uh

094I think that for every student, it's as individual as the students needs, their interests. And I think the reason we're seeing higher graduation rates is because of those things. We sent um I didn't have this in there, but we uh sent about 10 years of our graduate graduate data to handover research a couple years ago and asked them what does it take for our kids to graduate on time? What is a kid who starts with us in nth grade and finishes in four year? What does that kid look like in a public schools? And the three big things that came back were stability. Did they have a stable environment? Did they start in nth grade and did they stay in that high school the whole time? Those were the kids we graduate on time. Did

095the kid have first-time credit attainment? The kids who got first-time credit and didn't have to do a lot of credit recovery, those were the kids who we graduated on time. The academic side of the house has done an incredible job working on instructional strategies to make sure kids are getting first-time credit. And the third one is, are they involved in their school in some way? And the academy model with clubs, activities, enrichments, academics, or athletics, whatever it might be, has given kids a place. And I think that's where we're seeing the improvement in graduation rates. Okay. And and I don't want to sound a preacher like a preacher here, but Okay. So, we have to make sure that we're doing things for the least of these. Okay. And so when you speak of those things

096and and the institute that gave us that data, that's great. Um but the reality is most of our kids don't fit that profile. A lot of our kids, I won't say most of them, a lot of our kids don't fit that profile. So I want to make sure that we're not creating a pathway. Someone works as a custodian and we're calling that a seal. We're calling that a pathway. And so we're just patting things that I want to make sure that our kids are able. They have the actual tangible tools and resources to leave high school and and find a job, you know, or they're work ready. And if they don't find a job, it's because they don't want a job. But we prepared them as a district. Um, and so our kids have challenges

097and I think we have to meet those challenges by and and the test scores don't doesn't say it all. Of course, we need test scores, but the test scores don't really tell the whole story about our kids. Um, but I just want to make sure and that's why sometimes it comes across as maybe being cynical or um questioning the professional staff. It's not questioning the staff. is simply acknowledging that our kids look different, they learn different, they have different challenges. And so this data don't tell a story. And while I do want to celebrate the data, um you know, unfortunately when I leave here and drive home, you know, I'm seeing kids that this data don't speak of. So um I just want to make sure we're not moving goalpost to to obtain numbers. graduation

098Brett um and alternative pathways are actually um doing something for our kids. They're actually ready and it's just not an alternative pathway so we don't get a bad grade. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you so much. Um and so we had a lot of information presented to us, a lot of commentary. Um and so hopefully you guys can tweak and whatever you need to tweak. Uh the presenters had asked this board what is it that how would we like this information shared with the full board. Being that there's five board members here. Um the majority of us have received the bulk of this information. However, with student achievement being the reason why we exist, it certainly should still come before the full board in some some method. But we probably can't a lot this amount

099of time at our full board meeting. And please note this time next year we will all a lot more time because this is good stuff and again student achievement should be our focus um as we've learned. So um I don't know if my colleagues have any suggestions on how we present it to the full board, how we can condense it down to fit our needs. Um certainly we should all get a copy of this emailed to us. Yes, Dr. Jackson. Yes. I think just hitting the points on the AYP like the progress made per the year uh per the clusters in the group like we've had this much gains and then the action steps to for improvement of low areas just really high level the data showing the annual yearly progress what the stu how

100we progress in the various domains and how we are working to obtain additional growth. It was that one slide that showed areas of growth acknowledging what needs to be done and uh recognizing uh we are also looking per cluster for individual strategies and things that are in place. Just those real high level and I think um I think it was M or Keith came and talked to no it was uh Keith about best practices. We saw it put in a portal what was what was being done at Lichfield and so then we put it to 12 other buildings. We see what works and so this is what we've um put into place. Just very simple where we're at, where we're trying to go and how we're going to get there. Thank you. Good stuff. Um

101Dr. Harris or Harrison, you that's all right. That's cool. Uh I I would really like to see the supports in the buildings. So the supports that are outlined in the different building who has what um and I I know it can't be um all inclusive but I also would like to know at some point who needs what and also from the teachers what do they think they need to uh continue in in the growth positive growth. Thank you. Thank you um member Hall I would agree with um Dr. Jackson um about exactly what she said. I think that hits the point, all the key points, but I would also ask when things are coming on our agenda. Um you stated that there was a survey done with the students to find out what they need

102and so forth. I think that would be important to put maybe the in the agenda so when we as a board is voting we're not just thinking oh you know me I'm gonna say well is this really needed or you know is this really important or do we need to be doing something different but if you can put in the agenda like um you know survey from students this is what they need however you want to frame it um I think that's important because if this is about kids we need to be listening to our students for them to be able to grow within in our district. So something like that in the agenda in the little notes would be important for me. Thank you. also for the team and just for the sake of

103um to minimize questions that could be asked, you know, get out in front of it. Put the title the schools that qualify for title one services because then like to member Harrison's point, certain things we know certain buildings are going to require and why they are requiring it. So, if this building qualifies for title one services and that building cuz it can tell the story as why they have more um title one tutors in this building versus this. So, it's not a matter of preference that someone decided to give this building more, but it's a matter of they met the the the requirements. So, if you just can kind of have they have this. So, then we know which schools need funding for because they don't qualify for this money. Thank you. Anything, Mr. Alexander?

104Yeah, I'm just going to kind of concur with Miss Jackson, but I I always want to see um where we're supposed to go, where we at, and then how we're going to get there, and if we need to make those improvements to get there, because I look at as a sliding scale, if if we if we're here and we're trying to get here, what do we need to do from here to get here? But if we're here, how do we need to go from here to get here? And it's going to be progress because it's not going to happen all in one year at all at one time. So, we got to make sure we have that that those stepping those stair steps so that we can see where they're going. I always want to

105know where they're going cuz I'm always looking at the highest level and how can we get to the highest level every kid knowing that they're not going to get there. Every every student's not going to get there, but if we shoot for at least they can get higher than where they were, where we maybe even expected them to be. So, and and the last thing, so I'm sorry, Madam President, is Madam Chair, is to uh rigor. I think we've dummy down too many things. That's just my personal think. We we we we don't give our kids rigor anymore and that's why they're failing. We've seen that a lot during co when our kids could not get through the rigor. They couldn't get through a lot of that time. I've just talked recently to some kids

106and they were talking about how they just gave up. These are adults now, but gave up during COVID because they couldn't handle it. A lot of other countries, they put those kids through that rigor no matter what. And that's why they they're surpassing and doing better than our kids because we don't we failed to give them that rigor that they need so they can be stronger and to fight through things to get there. And that's going to help them in the long run too when they become adults. If not, we're going to have adults that that won't be strong enough to to move forward either. So in saying that, just the three things where we need to go, where we at, and how we need how we need to get to that next level. Thank

107you. Yes, Keith. Thank you. Just a point of clarity for our team so we can plan. Were you looking for the explanation of resources per building for the board meeting or would you like that brought back to instructional policy? That's a that's a lot to uh bring to a board meeting. Probably the committee to the board meeting at all. just even synthesized for instructional policy just basically high level these buildings receive title one funds because then as board members we should do our due diligence you can google you can research what title one funds work and so I mean I wouldn't want you guys to do all that work I could share that with you tonight yeah so it's just just simp just so visually because then for those who don't receive those funds then

108that's the other that's the other part I think that board members are trying to see How do we help them if they don't get it? Thank you for the clarification. Thank you so much to everyone again and to my colleagues. And so I know we're well beyond our time. However, um there was a topic that was of importance that needs to be uh addressed. if we can take some time as I do see the building leadership here uh from BTO CLC um as there's been some questions around the um the cosmetology hair design program and I again I apologize for this time uh going over um but I wanted to invite uh your team up at this time uh to share out Thank you. Yes. If uh if actually uh Beth will uh Diana, Lishricia,

109Michelle come up with you, but uh we put some notes up in your Friday notes around the bookto Cosmetology program and the updates that we received from the state lensure bard um on August 18th, I believe, and the type of lensure that they are uh able to do for juniors and uh sophomores this coming year. Just as a reminder, the seniors maintain the original uh lensure program that they're working under. So invited uh there seemed like be a lot of questions coming about. So the team thought we would just come together and if there's questions that you have that we can field now beyond what you were reading in your Friday notes or updates that we could get those answered for you. Thank you. So, I'll just start off by saying um thank you for

110being here. Um so, we understand there's been changes to the program. You know, when I'm out in the community, I refer people a lot. We have cosmetology at BUTO. Um and so we learned that there was some changes in the program. There has been some communication back and forth. I think it's important publicly that people have a true understanding of what we actually have to offer our students. And so, all right. So, I I'm going to start by saying good evening to Chair Autry, President Dr. Jackson, Reverend Harrison, Miss Hall, uh, Superintendent Outley, and Bruce Alexander. I am Lacricia Densen, and I'm the campus principal at BHTO CLC. and I've brought my colleagues with me. Um, Danna Edwards is the college and career academy coach at Booktoal CLC. Um, you guys are familiar with Marcy

111and Beth and my direct supervisor Michelle and Will Caster who is um, also with College and Career Academy. Um, you guys don't have this set up for a tall person. So, I'm going to I'm going to pick it up if y'all don't mind because I don't want to be leaning over the whole time. All right. So, we have questions about the cosmetology program. Dr. Jackson, thank you. I'm going to be very, as you know, I graduated from Garfield High School and we had a phenomenal cosmetology program and uh many of my friends who are in CO have been very successful are successful salon owners to this day. Mhm. However, one thing that I did recognize because I I couldn't wrap my head around these issues with cosmetology. This is the second time around, but it

112came before and I remember bringing it to Marcy and then I was told it was everything was on track. But what I realized and I've had students um bring this up earlier on about the block about how the scheduling is. When I was at Garfield, I remember they spent like I think it's the afternoon like you would see the I'm sorry Karen. Yeah. Trans op. Is that what you're called? Yes. Okay. So, I remember and it was like rest the restaurant people did the same thing. So, I would see them in the morning the whole other half of the day, you know, people would come from other schools and they would be in cause like all the rest of the day. They would be in restaurant management the rest of the day. And I understand.

113So, I couldn't wrap my head. It didn't make sense when people were telling me we don't have time. I'm like these programs have been done with Fidelity. I graduated in 98. Mhm. Some of my friends are the coldest hair stylists in the city and have been for years and they came through Garfield. So is this is the question I want to posit to you everyone in here is the majority of the problem because as I researched this cosmetology has to get in order for them to be on track upon graduation they have to receive 500 hours per year. That is correct. Okay. And so I looked and saw with with the um credential the 250 hours for the internships that students do that's half of that time right for the internships I'm making a connection

114I'll go there. So I say okay $250 hours is clearly um plausible because we see the students getting it for their internships through CTE. So we know that half of that time is attainable. But now when we double that to 500, is it even a realistic measure that students and I'm only asking this because like I said when in 98 they had more they had like half a day. What I'm understanding now with the block schedule they are not getting the threehour window to be in their in cosmetology. So my question is, is this even a feasible expectation that was set for this school and for this program? Okay. Kind of that's just what I'm sitting there. That's where my mind is at. Okay. My own. So thank you for that question. And so when

115um cosmetology was at Garfield, the scholars were able to get three hours a day um which ended up having by the end of their third year them being the second year being able to earn the 1500 required hours. Okay. So now with it being half of that time is an hour and a half. Um with perfect attendance um our scholars can earn 449 hours a year out of the required 500 hours. That also incorporates the 50 hours that they have to do their distance learning on their own. So again, out of the 500 hours, if they're on time every day, perfect attendance, and they do the 50 hours required at home, the most they can earn is 449 of the 500 with with how it's set up currently, Reverend Harrison. Okay. And and and my

116question um again is not for the building leadership. It's not for the building leadership. It's for who sets this up. Um I I too graduated from Garfield. And when I graduated from Garfield, they had their hours in like at the beginning of their senior year. Mhm. It wasn't set up like it was now or when President Jackson was in. It was still set up before then. But we were graduating at the end of the year 10 or 12 cosmetologists a year. And so if we are looking at college and career, I think we're setting kids up for failure if we're saying if they do this thing perfectly over three years that they can achieve this. But we know that it it's not possible. So we need to look at how we are scheduling this program

117and and that doesn't come from the building level. That comes from 10 North Main. We need to look at this program and find a way to give these kids an opportunity to win. And and I just don't think it's feasible to say you got to do everything right for three years to even put yourself in a position. So, when I look at I read the Friday notes, um, and if we've been doing this for 40 years, we've been graduating cosmetologists for 40 years now. If if we can do it over at Garfield, and I know Garfield is a heck of a school, and just the atmosphere is a lot different and everything like that. Even the water is different in Firestone Park. I know that. But if we can do that for 40 years over

118there, then we certainly ought to be able to come up with something to set these kids up to win at 10:40. So, and and I think we do have the the hours and the time available because this we're talking about classroom time. The students also get credit for the chemistry and biology classes that they take. Those count as hours in their time. They can count internship. They can't count the full 250. It's up to 150 hours of their internship hours can be counted towards that. They also have distance learning labs that are acquired in those hours. So there's multiple ways in which students can earn the hours. And I know when we brought this last year, we had this question. We also know the program got a lot of hits all the time during COVID.

119They didn't let us count those hours. And then we had a teacher that went on and leave for a year and a half. They didn't let us count those hours. And the year that we got a sub in there who was a licensed cosmetologist, first year he was in, they didn't let us count those hours. So then they had us go back to hair design at that time, remember? And then he's been finally got his licensing fully up and they let us go back to the full cause hair, skin, and nails, which is the uh the other two pieces. And so we like, okay, great. We got a fully licensed cause teacher. We're back. We're back in there. And uh the problem at the end of the day is that the state says we haven't

120produced enough licensed cosmetologists the last five years. And that was their complaint and that's why they said well uh until you can start producing license licensed cosmetologists we can't uh approve the full uh three parts of the cosmetology license for you. So that's where we got hit with it. Uh the current seniors are still in full cosmetology. We've looked at their numbers and what they've attained and they look on track, many of them on track to finish and meet their hours by this spring. So, we're very optimistic that he's going to have a graduating class ready to sit for a lensure this spring. Uh, and then we're hopeful with that if we take that back to the state and we get a nice little letter from our board supporting us and we can say, "Hey,

121can we get this back on to full licensing that that the state board of cosmetology should look upon that favorably?" He's also had really great outcomes. When you talk about work-based learning, he does have the most highest percentage of students in the district are getting WBL hours in the cause program. So, he is working that process. And so, like I said, I'm very optimistic that kids are going to hit those thresholds. Um, uh, I know I'm going to let uh, Miss Densson talk about the plans this year for our current students and some of the expectations. And I think one of the problems I saw early on is I didn't think that the kids and the families were well informed about what it was going to take to get through all these markers. Um cuz

122you know they're 16 and it's complicated. All the lab and theory and classroom and remote learning all these different things you have to check off. And so uh throughout last year the teacher worked on a communication plan monthly to the students and home to the families. And this year and last year, we built on orientations that walked families through the the rigor of that this program requires. Um, for the kiddos in it right now, heading in between their sophomore and junior year, there will be a summer uh opportunity that's going to be compulsory if they're going to get through all the hours. We gave them uh some thresholds. I'm going to let uh uh Miss Densson talk to that because I think you have family meetings coming up this week, right? Do you want to

123speak to that? If we can wait a minute. Yeah. Let's Yeah, I'm sorry. Yeah, question. Sorry, I have to hit out shortly. Um, but quick question. You said there are some seniors right now that are taking the course. How many seniors do we have in the cosmetology class? And how many are projected to graduate in 2026? There's 12. And all 12 are projected to graduate with their license. Um with their hours of what 1500 I don't have the breakdown of I know that hours looked good is what I understood. See that's important to know because when we stand here we're you know just saying like we have 12 and then come May or June and we graduate four that's a problem. So, so like how could we have they'll all graduate? I'm not I'm sorry.

124Not you guys know what I mean. Graduate with the license. Um if the number is like even below half, I think that's a problem. So, can you get that number and then maybe let us know in email? Thank you. Yes. But we we have an ask. All right. I don't know if it's time for that yet, but in order to ensure that they get the 1500 hours, we are asking for a.5 instructor so that our our students can get additional hours. So, um the school day ends at 3:15, they can start at 3:30, work until 4:30, 5:00 with an additional instructor, and then that way we ensure that they get the hours by the end of the school year. We had uh two students, two scholars. Um, I know we don't say names here, but

125we had two stu two scholars who graduated last year that were very close to that threshold. I think it was 1387 hours one student had um another one had 1,200 hours. So, if we were able to get a.5 person in the building, then we would make sure that those students meet their threshold. Thank you. So, I just wanted to add as well, um, in addition to, uh, Reverend Harrison, I really do agree with him that I think a lot of the issue is down here cuz I don't know how we got to five years and we haven't been monitoring that. And I think there was zero that were eligible to sit in five years. So, I guess I'm like, how that's not a building level issue. So, I do want to make sure that whatever

126they're stating it the needs are that we're addressing that. Um, I know the block scheduling has been a huge issue. I've heard from the very beginning that it's not even mathematically possible to obtain the 1500 hours. It hasn't been from the very beginning. So, what have we been doing all this time? That's for downtown to know that. So, um, I just wanted to state that and make sure that we're doing what we need to do down here for it to be successful. I do want to and I let I'm not a master at the scheduling person, but I know we did change the schedule to allow for more hours. So, we went to dailies with students so that they had more opportunities to to build up those hours. We submit all the hours to the

127state. So, mathematically with the the submissions that we have, we exceed the availability and time that kids can earn. Uh what gets difficult is if they get behind just just one year. It gets so hard. It's like getting that you it's like having a bad semester where your GPA tanks and then trying to get it caught back up. So if we have a if they have a kid has a bad year, even if they're very serious, it's hard for them to get that junior and senior year back because now you've got now twice the hours to make up for more hours and and a lot of hours that you have to do. So uh the the idea of having the 0.5 instructor was to have that extended time. So, an extended day uh that was

128getting our our sophomores off on the right foot and keeping our, you know, our little 15-year-olds thinking straight and keeping them and keeping them going and then get that that ground footing really strong because if I head into my junior year and I'm already behind, it was hard for those kids to catch up too. So, uh uh and then being able to have that person stay and work with them and keep those hours uh continuing. if they are falling behind, they miss a couple days, they can make up some and it's not the end of the world for them, right? At the end of the day, it is up to the student, you know. However, we have to make sure we're setting it up for them to be successful. Um, and we shouldn't go a

129whole five years and then suddenly we learn that we haven't had anyone eligible in five years. And we've touched this program several times in conversations on our agendas. So, I'm thinking everything was on track. So, it's just disappointing to get to this point here. So, I hope we're listening closely to what the needs are, the ask. I would definitely support it. Um, did you have a Yeah, I just had I think I know. Where did the 500 hours come from? Is that the state saying that? Okay. So, we we will have to adjust our schedules or some kind of way so those kids can get them. If the state's saying that, then we have no choice. But if we're saying that, then we can make adjustments. So, I I agree, Principal Densen, that maybe we

130need to try to figure out if we can get another person there to get those hours so those kids can be able to could graduate with the credentials they need. Thank you, Madam Chair. Dr. Jackson. Yes. Um, thank you, uh, Principal Densen for even and the team for thinking innovatively like if we could just do a part-time person, uh, to close this gap, that would be helpful. And I think having a build a part-time person in the building will be more effective for our learners and the demographic we serve because when you get to talk about coming on the summer and even though you have to do what you have to do, but if I'm already working, if I have other things going on, it's more than me just not showing up. I have other

131type of responsibilities. And when you really look at all of the the factors, just like with grading, there's a lot of factors that plays a role. Um, we don't offer night school, you know. So, this to me seems like the most reasonable. I'm already in the building. It rolls right over in my school day. It makes sense how and this is five years later. Uh, and the building is thinking of this. But I I something stood out to me because building leadership um and I like to say the in the weeds people, the people that's in the building see in real time how stuff plays out and the reality of the matter. And when building leadership came and and positioned it that listen e a child would have to have perfect attendance missing no days

132um plus do 50 hours outside hours just to get 449 hours. Yes. And that's what and Marc so Marcy is saying that's not correct. So what I want Marcy to do because this this is where I was getting to. If building leadership's posture is one thing and then the person who's overprogramming is saying something different then I need some clarity to why Marcy uh sorry Miss Ebrite you I need your what you are saying that no it is feasible if they do because when you start talking it was like a lot of different touch points and I'm just thinking but that's all over that's that's that's like my colleague said that's moving the goal like that's that's even more challenging when I think about this specific program when I seen us cater to other clusters

133in their program, how we can make it as easy and as comfortable for them to participate. And I'm just saying I just want the same fidelity when we're looking at programs from this level from those who from the leaders from the directors and those for all programming. um if you could just expand upon how you're saying it's still feasible without perfect attendance because we know things without perfect attendance. Yeah. So we have about uh about 1171 hours total available. So it'd be 90 well 90% attendance or better. So as long as they're attending 90% of the time. So they had to get a,000 over the we have about 1117 total hours available over the two school years. Correct. Okay. Right. And that's why we we put in the compulsorary summer because that's going to see

134them through and set them up into their senior into their junior year because it's a two-year program uh correctly. And then what we would hope for is that if they they could then test and be licensed hair stylists by the end of their junior year heading into their senior year doing capstones and work experiences if we kept with hair design you know and we were talking and I think I don't it was Miss Edwards that brought it up but said uh talk with the kids and see how this looks for them like what design looks best for them as they're doing this because I don't even know the kids might say I like this trajectory better because I could be in employment my senior here and doing and doing work. So, uh those hours always

135carry through to other schools. You know, a lot of cosmetologists will go and get another license, their their barbering certificate, their nail tech, their whatever they add on and add on like continue in education. So, uh it might be talking with the students in the program to see how they want to continue to Oh, what you talking about? The hair stylist thing, the hair design hair design. Yeah. Which is the bulk of it's the thousand of the original things because they get the thousand. They just short the 500. So So because in that part, so cause was eight cause was 1,500 hours, right? A hairstyle is 1,000. Yeah. Correct. Is that right? Correct. Yeah. So for 500 I'm just going to make this plain as I can for 500 hours that I can get for

136free for going to school instead of paying region uh Regency and all these other hair schools like 30 grand to get something that I could have got as a child in a pathway at my school. Let me tell you something. I don't want to pay for no add-on. If I can get it done in school, let's make it happen while I'm in school. So, I don't that Cavalier um I don't like that. Like, well, they may can go on after. Yeah, cuz but it's a cost for that. I I understand. I would like to ask the kids what if they if they want to be in internships their senior year. I don't know that. It's not It's not right now. They don't want to pay cuz I wouldn't want to pay once. Um as I

137finish member Harrison. So, I can tell you now they don't want to pay cuz I wouldn't want to pay. It's almost be for a portion of that demographic which I represent. They don't want to pay. But the the one thing that I saw in the C when you were presenting for CTE was um about the followup, the continued followup to make sure students are on track for graduation about that being done um with Fidelity as far as monitoring each year. So scholars are exceeding threshold for progress monitoring each year of school. schools have done an excellent job for monitoring, communicating um and remediation strategies like in that part um intervention assistant teams, academy teams and counseling teams. It seems like this same strategy because it's a great strategy for success that same fidelity with pathways

138with um like with this cause pathway if this if all these efforts also were put into pathways then possibly this rethinking that we're doing now after um state intervention prevention would have been better than us trying to come with a cure. I I think it's good information. I know you shared this before about this, 1100 hours, the last go around with this about these hours that's surrounded they can get and we're here the second time because it wasn't they didn't get them for whatever reason. And so this fidelity piece about monitoring as far as the the type of meetings that are had, the expectations that how that's communicated with parents. I understand it's some bu building level thing, but I can't help but put it on this district as well. So, I'm going to I

139just want to put that there. And I think I hear the solution about the 0.5 the the part-time person that if we trying to get a quick solution out, I want you to know I hear and I recognize that and that's something that of course I would support. I mean, I can say that I would support that. That's a no-brainer. But I'm just thinking, how do we get to that we don't have to because I don't like the look. It's a lot of great things and I know book has been my cluster multiple times and it irritates me personally as an individual when we have to come because I feel it's um I don't like how it shows the school because it's great things is happening and so when a program has to go under

140this or it seems like something lost uh or like it was a failure in some type of way on the state and how it reflects on the school and so that's why I want to make sure that we do what we're supposed to do to support all our schools from this level that we're lifting them up so we don't have these type of um if that makes sense cuz I know great things is happening at 1040 as they call. I've seen it. I've been in there. I've seen what's going on and I know great work is happening. I've been in hair shows the the cosmetology teacher is going above and beyond to give these experential experience for the students and I think that's a wonderful thing. And um I'm gonna stop talking, but it's just

141this my community like and it's real personal because it's a game changer from hair stylist to cosmetologist. I'm talking about esthetician nails. I can do whatever and I can choose my sweet spot. That's a different and for 500 hours. We I'm going to make that happen instead of I'm graduating and then life happens and I may not do those extra and then plus I got to get student loans for that. And with the way government is happening as far as will you be able to get student loans for cosmetology. So if we're gonna offer it and boast of it, then let's make sure we make it happen and that we're checking it because what you expect you inspect. So if my expectation is we're graduating cosmetologists, then from this level because I expect it, I'm

142constantly inspecting it to make sure it's on track to be successful. And so I support the 0.5 without question. It's a no-brainer for me. I support the totality of what's happening at bookto. Um I just want to make sure that the the measures that's in place that it's consistent that we not getting back door like stuff catching off guard and it's like well we already been making this we've been saying this we've been saying this and now we hit with this hammer and thank you Dr. Jackson point member Harrison. So uh I do not support the 0.5 at all. Um, and the the reason is they may need more than a 0.5. And I remember at Garfield they had two teachers in there. They had two instructors in there and they offset. And so if

143we're talking about college and career, if if we're talking about something as serious as college and career, I think this district can't afford two instructors in there. Um, and the the ideal that we would even ask the kids are they okay with a th000 hours does not sit well with me. The standard is the standard. Okay, the 15 hours is how the program was set up and that's what we need to do because it's not just about what you can do. It's about if you own this business now you can do everything in the business. And so when we're looking at how do we make this work, I I I think it is how do we graduate students that are able to go into a full service and own a salon, not just work in

144a salon, but own a salon. And if if if 0.5 is going to just get us there, then let's make sure that we build in something for a a an instructor maybe not being able to um teach for a couple of months. Let's make sure we're building in something. What What is the attendance rate for BookTo's building? What What is the I believe we're at 70 to 80% of our attendance. And we did make growth on our chronic absenteeism rate last year. So we didn't but it wasn't 90%. It was not 90%. Okay. So let's not look at 90% and say the kids that that they have to make 90% because we're not there with the building. And if we're not there with the building then we can't expect to be there with just one

145program. I promise you that it it's it's frustrating because when we're talking about equity, when we're talking about support systems, when we're talking about um monitoring, inspecting, you know, if I play football and I came in as a freshman, they know how much I was bench pressing when I was a freshman. They know how much I was bench pressing as a sophomore. They know how much I was bench pressing as a junior. And when a college coach comes in and asks, he's going to say, "What was the growth?" So, we can do individual education plans for every student that's in cosmetology. And they should know as a junior, hey, listen, you got these many hours, okay? You messed up here, okay? And you going to have to buckle down here because you not only got

146to do these hours, but you got to make up. And so, I should be able to come in and say, "How many hours that that child needs?" And so I think when you when we're talking about college and career, I think we're we're talking about some unconventional ideals, some teaching strategies and methods. And if we saying that this is what we want at BookTo, then let's nourish that baby. Let's grow. Let's Okay. Well, what do we need? We may not need all of these supports this year, but we need them next year. And so I think it's important to come back to the board and say, "Hey," or come to the superintendent, and the superintendent come to the board and say, "Hey, you know, we we have some problems over here." And I think that

147if we did this, then we can we we can we can mitigate those problems, but moving the goalpost is not an option for me. 1,000 hours going down to that's not an option because we set it up for 1,500 hour. We set it up that these kids were going to graduate with that. And so we need to find out how do we fulfill our promise and not move the goalpost. Right? So the first thing would be to make sure that we get lots of kids that graduate ready to license and license this year so that we can get the state to get the full licensing program back in place. That's that's goal one out the door without a doubt. Uh and continue I think having at least a.5 would be helpful. I know I came

148into this position three years ago and as I got to see like and meet all the teachers in the pathways and really understand the intricacies especially in some of our pathways that have a lot of requirements like this and to me cause is unique and little flower in all of them because it is an entire school within a school within a school. It is as if you were to go to any fully licensed cosmetology program in the city and you've got one staff member. And I thought about that if I was an adult wanting to go get my cosmetology license and walked into a school and saw that they had one instructor, I might be like, I'm gonna go someplace that has more people, you know, and even though there's a whole team. They got

149counselors and principles. They got everybody else wrapping around the kids, of course, and the other teachers, but it's a it's a lot of complicated steps to get the kids through and and you got kids in all different levels and different theories and different stages that they're doing. So, uh, I knew right away after the first year that we thought that we needed more help there, um, and to make sure that the kids had the resources that they need to get that program going. So, I think that if we can get the license back, I think having the, uh,.5 teacher will get us, uh, we have a plan in place for that teacher to be as effective as possible. Um we're looking to offer if uh beyond the school day nail tech too. So kids who

150might not even be in cause who just want to come in and learn the nail tech piece could come and do that as an afterchool opportunity with that teacher and leverage that time. Um so even if they're uh in hair design right now and still want to do nail tech, it'll be an option that they could take advantage as and be getting those hours to to your question. Uh and so in the meantime, let's get some kids across the stage. We will be watching them super closely this year. Diana is ready like a hawk to do that. So, just to build on that just a little bit, we do have a meeting scheduled with our um students tomorrow after school and their parents. Um so, they'll be coming in. We have a contract ready for

151them as well. Um we did not use the 90% uh attendance. use the 85% attendance as the stipulation um with the students understanding if that if they're not meeting that threshold that they will be given their second choice which we have six more pathways in the building. Um, and then what another stipulation we could also do for next year is make it the 3 hours in the day during the school because a lot of these are not within our control. Having the students work on their work-based learning hours at home isn't something we can monitor. having students be able to dedicate si time in the summer to come in when they could be working. That also isn't under our control. But if we can utilize that block scheduling and give them a block and a

152half with that second half of that block being able to do the workbased learning hours, then that in essence gives us back uh the three hours that we did have at the program success even when it was at Garfield. So, thank you. You're welcome. So, is that something that could potentially be coming before us soon, superintendent? So, for this Okay. Yes. that the black and a half would be a scheduling thing for next year, right? So the 0.5 though is for this school year. Yes. So we could expect to be seeing that in a future agenda potentially. Yeah. So did you have a question, Reverend Harrison? How hard is it to get a 0.5 and not a full? I mean, I I know one right now. Okay. She's a long-term sub in the building and

153she just got her cosmetology license. She's she's waiting to get the approval. Okay. So, so I would just, you know, u encourage us not to do the minimum, but because I know there's some supports that need to get us back to where we are. So my my ideal would not be to do um enough to get someone passed but make sure that we have supports in place that we're not back here again. Um and that that would I would say the ask need to be big enough that we know that this is going to work. Right. Thank you Reverend Harrison. Absolutely. And so, um, on this particular topic, it sounds like we have some potential resolution. I'm happy to hear that. Um, but we're not done about bookto. So, you guys know how I feel

154about the teacher academy, and that's for a future meeting. All right. And so, are there any other questions at all or comments? I I want to thank the leadership uh from BHO from coming to share and offering solution to an issue in your building. Absolutely. And Diana, she's she's my person if I forgot something. So, is there something else that is there something you'd like to share? No. Okay. Works. And I think it's it Mr. Castro is our CTE specialist. So, his school is local. So, he works with all the local forcurricular side of the house and then partner side of the house. Thank you so much. All right, Dr. Jackson. Yes. I just want to give a shout out to Miss Edwards who's done phenomenal things with the uh job fairs and everything, exposure

155to our students with our partners. Phenomenal work is being done at Bookto uh through that pathway. So, thank you for that. Uh just wanted to recognize that. All right. Thank you. Thank you so much. I I appreciate everybody. we have gone well beyond our time frame, but I thank everyone for their patience. Um, and so and we actually didn't even get through the whole agenda. So, uh, with your, uh, consent, we'll move those things to the future IP committee uh, next month. So, if there's no other comments, if all minds are clear, uh, we will adjourn at this time. Thank you so much, everyone. [Music]