Policy and Equity Committee Meeting April 10, 2026

001Okay, good morning everybody and welcome to the uh April policy committee meeting. Um excited to get started this morning. Um as one kind of just kind of housekeeping item, um I unfortunately have to leave for a funeral this morning at 11:00. Um, we may finish all of our business by 11. We may, um, uh, decide to end at 11. Uh, it also is entirely fine with me if my colleagues continue. Uh, we'll still have a quorum. Um, either way, we'll end at 11:30. Um, but let's go and do a round of introductions. Uh, we'll start with, uh, Rob uh, and then move around the horseshoe. >> Yes. Hi, Rob Wilson, technician. And if you'd like to speak at the end of the meeting, uh, please, uh, click the hand icon and we'll invite you by

002asking your name and association to the district. >> Hi, I'm Phyllis Davis, the board's administrative assistant. Cynthia Dolman, office of general counsel. >> Michael Gustin, treasurer. >> Danielle Wagner, parent, grandparent, Excel, Cincinnati, >> Dr. Superintendent >> Houseire >> Carrie Armbster board member >> Ben Lindy board member >> Dr. Kareem Mafet, board member. >> Shauna Murphy, superintendent. >> Dan Hoy, general counsel. >> Stephanie Scott, assistant general counsel. >> Anna Berlin, community partnership project specialist. >> Sierra Badget, assistant superintendent. >> Jeremy Galahu, chief information officer. >> Lyn Martin, chair, Hughes High School, LSDMC. Carol Gibbs, AlistineC Chair for Chap Elementary and according to Dr. Mopa, the troublemaker. >> Ah, you too. Emily Bell asks me local 232. >> Karen Nimbus, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, field representative. >> Anybody we missed while going around the horseshoe? >> All

003right. Uh, welcome everyone. Um uh we often put uh very quick things right at the beginning. Um uh particularly if we have a request for an alcohol waiver and I think we have someone here today from the Kilgore annual carnival. Um Miss Frank uh if if you are here and want to share just maybe a minute or two about the event. Um certainly does not need to be long and if if they're not here um maybe we have an update from uh the administration. Uh, first name Libby, last name Frank. >> Okay, there we go. >> There you go, Libby. Go ahead. >> Hi, how are you? This is Libby Frank. I'm the parent of a sixth grader at Kilgore Elementary and >> a graduate of Walnut and a junior at Walnut. And I have

004been coming to the board since 2019 to ask for this waiver. We've been very successful uh for the past few years. We had to take a hiatus there for a minute. Uh this is third year back that we've asked for this waiver. Uh it's a great way for us to make a little extra money for our teachers and our school over here uh on Hershel. And I've already received, of course, this is always pending your approval. I've already received our temporary license from the state of Ohio. Uh we have police on site. The building remains closed and we have fencing all around the perimeter with signs uh indicating where alcohol can stop as heading back into the neighborhood. Uh we really appreciate your taking a look at this matter and waving the uh waving doing

005your waiver for us. um it's just it's kind of free money on the table and we like to try to take advantage of that as much as possible. So, we appreciate a waiver again this year. >> Thank you very much. Uh Miss Frank, any questions or comments or concerns from my colleagues? >> No concerns, just questions. When is the event? >> Oh, it's uh the weekend of May 9th and 10th. >> Okay. >> And also, this will be my last year doing it because uh we're graduating. Congratulations on that. >> Thank you very much. There is actually a CPS employee named Stephanie McGrisso who works at Kilgore and she is going to be taking over the event uh in the following years. She still has a second grader. >> Good. Well, congratulations. A lot of

006questions. >> If we're in okay shape, then we'll put this in the uh consent agenda with the policy committee's recommendation. Um thanks again, Miss Frank, for this year and for all the previous years. Uh best wishes on what's next. >> Thanks. >> Great. you're welcome to stick around for the rest of our policy committee meeting. Um, and if you go on with the rest of your day, that's also fine, too. Um, so we have a standard setup for our agendas here. Uh, we have a space at the beginning for continued discussions of items brought up at past meetings. Um, below that you'll see where it says standing policy review cycle. Uh, one charge of this committee is over the course of three years to review each of the policies that CPS has. um so that

007uh where we're always keeping those um up to date. Uh and then we have a final section, two final sections here where uh any board member can request that the committee take up any topic uh or any policy. Uh and so we have a list of of items we're going to try to get through through June. Um and then we have time for hearing of the public at the end. I'll just say that um as we go through the agenda, if you came here to speak on a particular item that's on the agenda, just raise your hand or or let let uh Rob know through Zoom. Um and we'll make sure we get your comments during that part of the meeting, and you don't have to wait until the end. Um so, we'll continue with

008policy 9142, uh which is about local school decision-making committees, uh and PTO engagement, which I believe is from Dr. Mob. I'm sorry. Is that better? I got you. We brought this up the last meeting around potential changes that needed to be made because um some quite quite a few of our LSDMC's are not in compliance with what you know some of some of the board members think is compliance. And so, um, it was shared that compliance simply meant, uh, submission of a roster, attendance at the district meeting, and then, um, and I think there's one other comp one other compliant piece, but many of our LSDMC's that I've visited are are not even um in in those areas. And so I think President Sers expressed some concerns as well around just the existing policy and

009how we could potentially make this a little bit better. One of the areas was around the 12 the minimum of 12 members um for as their composition and it was expressed that if that is difficult for the schools to get the parents to engage that was an some a comment that was shared then perhaps those numbers could be adjusted that's not my preference but we had a small discussion around that as well so I think this is really just a continuation of trying to ensure that we are actually engaging the community. I also think that we need to define what compliance looks like because simply completing a roster and coming to one district meeting to me is not what the intention or the spirit of the policy was designed for or my interpretation of it

010yet. I think we've gotten to that point. So, um, it was really just to invite further discussion so that we could really engage the community, have robust LSDMC's that are effectively getting what they need, but able to, um, advocate on behalf of their buildings with the compliment that is representative of not only licensed members, employees that are non CFT, students if desired, community representatives, and parent members. So, this is just to continue that. I did believe we received a list of LSDMC's that may or may not be in that were listed as being in in compliant but um probably are not. >> So we Dr. Moffett um received the and understand the request for um action and information. Uh we just want to remind that that measure about having a roster came through from the

011well what is our current strategic plan in terms of what was presented during the SECA meetings. Uh and so since then uh assistant superintendent Badget has convened a group to talk about just those things uh you raised and so he's here today for that purpose if it's okay. >> All right, Mr. Badget. Thank you, Superintendent Murphy. Rob, do you have a slide deck? >> Okay, >> it might be easier to lift that one up >> or just have her sit right here. >> Yeah, we can scoot down. Thank you, Rob. >> All right. So, >> I might >> We're gonna keep it short. >> All right. Next slide, please. drop like to just um go over our current measures with some modifications based off the feedback that Dan Hoy um gave us at our last

012at the last policy meeting. So for measures for an active LSDMC, the schools have to submit I think we by September, it changes each year, but um in late fall, middle fall, they have to submit their roster. And when they submit the roster, we look for um Anna and I, we look at all the LSDMC rosters for the whole district and we review it to make sure that they have the complete composite. Um the LSDMC can have up to 12 members plus the lead agency director. Um, with that being said, when the schools submit a roster that's incomplete, we send an email immediately to that school principal and we copy their assistant superintendent saying your roster is not complete. You may need one or two community members or one or two parents and if you

013need assistance, please let us know. So, we that's our first level uh when we get the roster. Um, as you may know that um we our goal is to get 12 members of on every school's LSDMC. Sometimes that's not the case, but they do have the quorum. In our handbook, it says you minimum eight members on the um LSDMC for quorum. So, we make sure that that happens at all of our sites. But again, we we are in communication with that building principal and the area assistant superintendent when they come in incomplete. Also, one thing that we we're changing based off the feedback from the last policy is once we get our complete rosters for all the schools, we will post their dates and times for their LSDMC meetings on our district website under the

014LSDMC page so everyone can see when they're having those meetings um and where they are. And then the other piece for that is we complete a midyear lead agency evaluation. So, the schools have to complete that. So, that's one measure. They do a they also have to complete an end of the year lead agency evaluation and they must attend three out of the four the members on the LSDMC must could come to three of the four district leadings. So one person from each LSDMC attends three out of the four meetings. Next slide. One new measure that we're adding um for next year schoolwide 2627 is feedback um from the LSDMC um by June 1 and that will consist of summary of the LSDMC activities that they completed for that school year confirms the meetings that

015they were held and then they'll um also be able to get feedback on the principal engagement with the LSDMC and then any recommendations um they would like us to know uh for their LSDMC site. >> Is this a question? Okay. Thank you so much. I I just I think we still have work to deal because the the section page two section um I guess composition section doesn't say up to it says a minimum of 12 members. So part of the when we talk about eight when we talk and it and if we can't get 12 because that's a problem then I think we need to re we need to look at the policy again because it it's it's supposed to have at least 12 members in the components of three parent members who are not

016employed by the district three licensed members from CTF three employee representatives non CFT two but not more than three students if desire I'm assuming if desired and then three community representatives, one representative from the lead agency and we also had a conversation around if that particular lead agency should be voting, you know, how how that happened. So, I am so appreciative of this work. I I also just I visited um a few LSDMC's that were not they didn't know what their one plan was. they didn't understand they did they wanted clarification of that and I directed them to their principal um but they had received a copy of the um the policy and there were just a couple of areas that they were not active with regard to number 11 on ro scope of work

017approve any proposed school budget they had not done that um they they know that they're in charge well their charge is also inclusive of hiring the principal and evaluating that But with regard to the participation in the lead agency, they were not aware of that. So I think we need to either if you're finding in practice that this is not feasible, we need to revamp this, but we need to follow it if it's if it's going to be active. And so, um, when I go to LSDMC's and they don't have they only have one parent rep or they don't have any parent reps, it's concerning, um, because they're not technically in compliance with the policy. So, we talked last time about adjusting the numbers down and I want to say President Sers even suggested like

018that was not advised. I don't advise it. Um, but we need to look at this and go through the areas where this is feasible for the communities to actually do. I I would like to think we can get three parents and it says here that the parents are supposed to be picked by their PTO's which also means do they have active PTO's a PTO you know to me this is more systemic than it is just checkbox item and I don't think that we are truly in compliance of it. So when we say 98% active LSDMC's, it's misrepresentative of what active is and it's misrepresentative of the engagement of that particular community. We've got some great LSDMCs that are doing great work even at Taft Elementary where trouble is down there. But um so it's not

019representative of the school or the neighborhood. I think it's about understanding and true awareness of what is expected. So um that was what I wanted to say. Let me go to board members first and then see if uh other members of our group today have comments. Board member uh Armster. >> Uh I just wanted to say thank you for this annual feedback piece. That's what I was really focused in on. Uh I think all of it is very important, but this was my specific request and I think it looks great. Um I want to be make sure it's clear that like this would be feedback led by the chair and not the principal. So I assume that's implicit, but I want it to be explicit. Um because it is describing principal engagement. Um so yeah,

020but other than that, I think it looks great. Um I would love to to hear from the LSDMC people in the room on what their thoughts are of this whole thing. and then um yeah, >> we will definitely do that. I'll just share a couple comments and then I know we have folks here who came to speak on this policy. Um I uh Kareem mentioned the the one of the two things I wanted to mention. Um and so I won't repeat that, but I just agree. Um either it's 12 or it's not 12. We should just be consistent. Um other thing was in the very last section, I think this is great. Um there's a there's a in the last page there's a new um I'm not on the slides. I'm just in the in

021the red line that we have here uh from council. Um there's a last section on monitoring. Um I'm so glad this is added. Uh it says given the important role of the LSDMC's in governing schools, the board of education shall request on at least an annual basis a report from the superintendent on the implementation of this policy. My request is just to change one word um in in this paragraph from request to receive >> um just so that like the the board shall receive on an annual basis rather than shall request on an annual basis. Um because we forget things. I forget things. I'll just speak for myself. Um and if it if it runs as receive then it can become part of a like a like a cow type schedule. Um is there any

022any reason that's not a good idea? >> No. Great. Um okay. Uh if if we've gotten comments from board members, we'll go to Julie and then anybody else who came today to speak on the um LSDMC policy, we'll do that, too. >> You want to go first? >> Okay. One of the things that I hear from schools about their LSDMC is they'll say, "Oh, well, our um we don't have any community um like partners and and so that community doesn't need to be in their own neighborhood. It can be within that area." Like so if they have a partner and it's someone from an agency that is in the next neighborhood over, it could still be a community partner. It doesn't have to be exactly in that neighborhood because some of our neighborhoods are very

023isolated and they say they don't have enough people within that small neighborhood. And the other thing is is that um I don't think that schools are always there needs to be a sign off on for those community members. If they have someone from the the lo their community council, there needs to be a sign off that their community council selected that person, which that's not happening. And so sometimes then they just scramble and bring people together who may or may not have been in the school for the last five years. Um, so I think that there needs to be um more oversight from how those members are put on LSDMC so that it is more authentic. >> We can stay we'll go to uh Carolyn just one second, but Julie to your point um like

024I hear you saying that community representatives can be from nearby but not necessarily >> the same. I don't believe that they have to be directly from that neighborhood, but a community is within that area. >> Yeah. The reason I'm asking is um I think this sounds like a fair point. The language on the second page of the policy item five, it currently reads within the school's attendance boundaries. >> Yeah. And that doesn't always happen. >> So I I think we could change it, but just in the spirit of like is it 12 or is it not 12? like whatever it is, we should be really clear about it and then get it in writing and then make sure it happens. And so like is the is the is the request that it be broader than

025that? I think that the request is within the community that serves that school because so for example um Ethylm Taylor is in a very isolated neighborhood and there aren't a whole lot of community organizations for them to pull from but there are some you may be in North Fairmont some some areas within that bound you know close by >> would I'm just >> central spring avenue there's some factories and things and so I know we always had a partner from we had to go to um like Spring Grove Avenue, which was outside of our boundary line, but it was still close to close proximity to our school. >> It's more about who's active in in the school. >> One of our community partners is actually a church that's in Kenwood. >> Yeah. >> And but

026they're in the building every single day. They're tutoring. They set up our library. They run a pantry. So, there's members of that church in the school. So, they are a community member. >> That's nice. I I just it makes me think we could ask maybe council's office to between now and next time is it could could um I don't know how to write this but could is it could is it possible to take a swing at something that is capacious enough that for a group of volunteers that have really integrated themselves or for a nearby business but that is outside the attendance boundaries we could write something like that. >> I just want to add it says it says three community representatives. So it's very clear that it's not in replacement of your neighborhood community

027council. It's in addition to so what that what every if we have 52 neighborhoods and we have community councils we should be having someone from that neighborhood even like Milville or Fairmont has a community council in addition to that the other two to be selected so it's not in replacement of it should be in addition to >> and some community councils don't give a rat's butt >> well they don't but we have to at least ask and I think in to be in compliance with the policy we need to represent that we asked and they refused but there are some community councils like College Hill with regard to Pleasant Hill was never asked. And so that's that's what I'm looking for. If we can't follow these the as it's written, it seems broad enough to

028be able to encompass everybody. It's not it's not only your neighborhood community. It's your neighborhood community plus the church that's in Kenwood plus another one. But it should be documented that we've tried them and and it's not happening. >> I'm representing my community, but you know, I'm sure there are others that don't. >> Yeah. I I >> But you're trouble. So, we know you're representing their >> I want to see if there are other other voices who want to who came here today to talk about this issue. I I do just I I think that it's worth revisiting the language because I do think there's language in there now that as you read it would preclude some of the ideas that are on the table. >> I think some of the ideas on the table

029are good ideas. >> I actually want to address parent involvement. I was just responding to Julie. Um, I I think the district itself needs to address parent involvement. Um, and and Julie, I love you, but in the in the bargaining unit, the teachers are don't have to work outside of their time zone, their their time working. And and so it makes it difficult for parents who are working and teachers who are don't it's very difficult to put everybody together. And I think that's a big problem. We have parents that show up that are not necessarily on the LSDMC, but they're there because they can. But we meet right after school. Another another LSTMC that I'm aware of meets virtually in the evening and so the teachers are at home and they're willing to do that.

030But if they're not willing to do that, then it's really tough to get parents involved. >> Great point. It's a great point. >> Yes. Um, oh, so thank you. Um, I saw thought I thought saw a green light. Um, so It it is a challenge and um again I'm I'm a community rep. I'm the community council rep also serving as chair and so I I don't have personal contacts with parents in the school and so we have to rely on the people who are in the school the teachers and the and the uh you know the faculty and the principal and it you know we have not been able to get parents involved in a big way >> and that's parent involvement across the board. It's not just LSTMC. >> Um, right. And we and

031I think the district needs to work on that. >> Can I add something to it? Just as a parent, um, I attend LSMDC's currently at my daughter's school and I'm not on the LSMDC, right? And I was just sitting here talking like there's no clear it's not a clear list or the queer qualifications on how I can be involved with the LSMDC. Well, let me take that back for me. I understand now because I'm there. I'm asking. But for other parents, to your point, they just don't know. And if they have to get nominated by the PTO, then that that builds that that gap in between, right? And so I I wonder is it like can you put that under the on the website like the qualifications of how to you know what I mean?

032Like do you need to XYZ whatever that is for that specific school? Because I don't want to say how it is at our school. But I think the point point is if you get that information out there then parents are able to decide and being able to schedule that time in >> you're saying the PTO >> no the understand how to be a part of the L LSMDC and the PTO and now C that feels like it's conflicting too as well like cuz this right here not no one's looking at the policy right and so when we look like even in the beginning of the year these are the programs that's out here the PTA the PTO for my school you have two other like parent groups, right? Those should be a list already there

033for you to be able to see and determine what you want to be a part of at the beginning of the school year. So it makes it more like okay um the time commitment I know that I already want to put in the beginning of the year for my child because parents do they do want to be involved in things and so I think it should just be a clear road map how you can join be a part and then the same thing for community um vendors or you know supporters of the school. I just wanted to put that in there. >> Thank you very much. Other comments on LSDMC Julie? I think that's a really good idea that the other um um organizations within the school because I know my mic's on um they

034have um they for them to know that there's an LSDMC who's on the LSDMC and what is the sunset of their term because they have a multi-year term and sometimes people aren't aware of when is the end of the term so that even people are aware of that >> uh board member Moffett followed by superintendent. >> Well, I wanted the superintendent to go first. Go ahead. Well, I might w Well, go ahead. >> I was only going to say that um we receive all this feedback and we appreciate it and um you're making me think of a few things especially, Miss Boy. we there is no um kind of prerequisite for a parent to participate. It just comes from the parent organization. So, we need to highlight that and emphasize that. And when you were

035talking, it made me immediately think about our handbook. Uh and I think that there are some components of the handbook around LSMC's that we can pull out and maybe we'll ask for the parents to help us what works better in terms of communicating how to become involved. Um I my opinion is I don't think our LSDMC should have fewer than 12. I think that we continue to work hard. Um probably what's most important to me is that there's an even opportunity for voice uh for each of the constituent groups um that are a part of this. So we we'll keep working. >> Great. Uh yes, Carrie. I just as someone that has been asking for this change since the first meeting we had, I would like to propose that we push forward with the wonderful

036changes that have been made because I think they're valuable and I think they're valuable immediately. I don't recommend we hold off to consider changing things to fit the reality. I think we fit the reality to what we desire, which is this, which is the 12. Right? So, um, we continue striving towards that with these deep conversations about how we can improve engagement. Um, these are all good, but I I would like to propose to my colleagues that we push forward these changes that were made um to the full board because I think that they have immediate value to improving the system. >> I have a thought, but do you want to go first? >> Sure. I think I I don't think it's ready. I think it's definitely a work in progress. I'd love to see

037the changes from the administration around what we've suggested here um and the, you know, the handbook and give you all an opportunity to take the feedback that you've heard, revise the policy and then come back and and it can be next month. But I do think that there is still some clarification. I I also wanted we had a small discussion around the lead agency representative and what that role was and um voting versus representation. Can you all clarify what's what what is working? What's best practices? It's not a judgment. It's an inquiry from me because it says one representative from the school's lead agency partner in education or business or university leaison as long as that representative recuses themselves. But we also had a situation where we had the lead agency represent well the partner

038in education my apology want to be the chair. So we have we have scenarios that I think have have presented themselves that we need to address in this policy based off of the experiences that you all are finding now that were not representative before. We also I think um council general counsel Hoy we added like the decision for the chair would be by somebody in the administration if that's going to be what the procedure is moving forward that needs to be in this policy. So, I think we we can propose to the full board that we are working on these on these changes and ask them for their input, but I don't think it's ready for a final this is it stamp vote because I've heard some suggestions here that are not here. So, I

039would love for the administration to be able to incorporate what we've heard and then make those revisions and then we can look at it again. >> I I will share from my perspective and we'll go to the superintendent, too. Um, I I would be to to K's point, I'd be happy to vote on this today if we could get language that addresses the uh attendance zone issue. Um, because I I do think that would exclude some things that are currently happening and and I I see a good argument to expand that that maybe that takes a minute. The other thing is um and I've said this at a couple different policy committees. Um I I only became chair of this committee when um Mr. Morowski stepped down and one of the things that I've tried

040to do since then is only vote out of policy things that have the unanimous support of the full committee. So like if if we're split like my preference would be we wait until we can get everybody on board. But I think your point is valid that like we could spend the entire year talking about this and nothing changes. So can we all commit to like at the next policy committing committee meeting in May, we're going to vote out of this committee a recommended set of changes. We hope >> I can definitely do that. I don't think it's ready right now and I don't intend to spend a whole year talking about it. So, I do think that it is um it is near ready, but we've heard way too much conversation and great input today

041to not have that included in the policy moving forward. So, that is my recommendation that we move it to May with the with the added changes from the administration, what you're seeing, what you're proposing, and then we vote on that or we we move that to the full board for discussion. >> We're going to do Carrie and then superintendent and then Carol. I just want to clarify I was not intending to ignore the feedback today. I think the feedback today is about the implementation of the policy rather than the policy itself. I was not trying to ignore all the wonderful feedback that we received today. That was not ever my intention. >> I don't think anybody took it I don't think anybody took it that way. I was just going to share we will begin

042working on all of these pieces and appreciate the feedback. I did just want to comment and just get clarity from the committee. My understanding over the years in regards to the chair has been the only exception is it can't be a staff member. If that looks or feels different now, we're happy to move forward on that too. But in the past for chair, my understanding is you just simply could not be a member of the faculty or staff >> legal guard or community guard. It says community member or yes um >> it's always been a parent or a community member >> with respect for lead agency. The only thing my understanding that we um emphasized at least in the past is yes and I think Dr. Moffett mentions this they removed themselves for any vote

043that impacts that lead agency including the selection of the resource coordinator which is who brings the candidates for resource coordination. Um, and I will say this and people may have a different view. Pardon me. This language on partner in education I think at one time 25 years ago was a thing like lead agency for us is a thing like PNG used to be a formal partner in education. I just wonder if that language should be removed. Um because to me it targets and points to a specific season. >> Makes sense to me. >> Well, at Pleasant Hill, the partner in education was the Holocaust Center, I think. >> So, unless they're not unless I'm just saying that wrong. >> I think it's just a partner. I'm saying I think at one time in our world,

044in our district, we had a thing part who who's old enough to remember? partner in education. And so I'm, you know, I think it's like we say lead agency today. That's what I remember. >> Well, it it I mean, I I guess I'm I'm just a little confused. It says that the representative could be the lead agency partner in education or or business or university liaison. I think it's broad enough to encompass a wide variety of things. I would I would hesitate to take it out if we have people who would fall or organizations that would potentially fall underneath that. And the Holocaust would be a question to me of would they fall under they're not the lead agency, but would they fall under a partner in >> giving them a partner for sure, but

045I'm saying is like partner in education was a thing like NAACP or like uh HBCU. Do you see what I'm saying? So keep partner but maybe it doesn't say partner in education. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> I said it was a term of art. >> It was Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So you maybe partnering agency is that is that better for you? I don't I don't think people that were here if they weren't here 25 years ago they may not know that but if they if the word needs to be different then whatever you would call them I think could be applicable but then we also need to talk about can they be the chair of because they are currently the chair at Pleasant Hill and so that was a question that's part of why this

046came up that that partnering educ partnering agency was voted as the chair. So we're saying a partner whatever cannot be a chair only a parent or community member. That's what we're saying. >> So >> cuz we have a lot of uh >> you know for example I happen to know at Woodward the chair is from Children's Hospital. >> Okay. >> Um I happen to know that the grad uh has someone I don't know who. >> Here's what I'm going to propose. I think in let's take one last literally 60 seconds for a total of any following comments. We have about nine other things that we want to get to today before 11. Sure. >> Um and so last 60 seconds. We're already going to come back next month. You're all invited. We'll be here. Um

047we can keep this going, but 60 more seconds today. Yes. >> You're good. others. >> I just want to say as the person who kind of brought this up um because it was also shared with me by President Sers, the parent member is not supposed to be a staff member and that is happening. So again, we have some work to do. That's the whole point of this is that when we talk about compliance, then you're saying by the definition of compliance that everything fits and everything is act is actually how it's supposed to be and it's not. And it's not a dig, but it's an acknowledgement that we have work to do and we need to when we say 98% we're ready, we're active, we're compliant. That is not the case. And I want us

048to get there. So that's what that's what my whole intention of this is is I visited LSDMC's. I know we have a partnering agency who is the chair and that's kind of a conflict. So I want us to get where we have to go. I also want to hear your feedback incorporated with this into this policy and I'm looking forward to the conversation for next month. Great. So, yes, please. Yeah, >> that's it. >> Thank you very much. Um, again, we'll be here next month talking about the LSDMC policy and you're all invited. Um, so moving on to the draft. >> Can I just the the changes you want? I want to try to summarize. Sorry. Just >> so and let me back off the 60cond thing. I think I would rather do this right

049um than than create confusion. >> Make sure we're bringing back what you are asking. >> Take your time. So the changes that I heard is work on paragraph five of the composition selection of members which relates to maybe not just the attendance boundary but the school community certainly um >> uh I've got a note to uh in the monitoring section to change shall request the board shall request to the board shall receive. Is there others changes that the the the committee is expecting us to >> number six? Uh the superintendent mentioned taking partner in education but partnering agency. Got that as well. Sorry. >> Um >> That's all I have right here. >> Okay. >> Got it. Thank you. >> Thank you. And I appreciate I appreciate >> in the chair language to take a

050look at that. >> Yes. >> Got it. Four. I think we talked last time about just changing that to like clear put in parentheses like which categories those two things. We can do that. >> That was what we discussed last time. I think that would be very clear for everyone to just say the chair comes from category. I forget the numbers. >> Yeah, I got it. >> Uh Dan, thank you for the question and for the clarity and I think this is great. Um we have a next item here which is on a draft general counsel policy. We had a robust discussion about this last time and what was going to happen between last meeting and this meeting was that council's office and Kareem were going to get together and take a first swing at

051something. I think they have an update on that that they want to share. >> We do. We have um we've drafted something but did not have an opportunity to meet in person. I do have two um two questions around it. So, we are going to I'm asking if we can just table this to May so that myself and the general counsel's office can meet in person, hash this out, and then we will present something to you in May um around it. >> You know, he was going to say, "Why is it taking this long?" >> Because we didn't have an opportunity to meet in person. >> I don't like I would rather do it right than do it fast and do it wrong. Um so, I'm not in a rush. I just wanted for Eve

052has been bringing this up for a minute. Um, and so if you're watching or going to ask about it later, um, I think people are doing the um, taking it seriously, trying to put something together that is good and trying not to rush it and it is top of mind for everybody. >> It is and it was I I also wanted to discuss it. So it's not because I don't want to discuss it. It's because we really did not have an opportunity to meet. Um, we just got it this week and I have not had the opportunity. So we will present something in May. There was a spring break in there and and uh I again really appreciate everybody who's working on it. Did anybody come today to talk about general counsel policy? >> Indeed.

053>> Uh any anybody who's interested? No. No. No problem. >> No problem. No problem. Okay. Hearing hearing nothing and Rob nobody online who wants to talk about general counsel. Okay. So, we're going to keep moving to policy 5201, which is truency. Uh, and we'll start by hearing from the administration. >> Actually, uh, Naomi Maders is here to touch on the try policy. The PBIS um, department is the one who kind of took the lead on this. I believe Minister House had to leave. So, Naomi is filling in. >> So, I don't know. Um, Naomi Maderas, I'm the lead school social worker for the district. Um, so House Bill 96 and Mr. can share, you know, some of the the legal genre with that, but House Bill 96 is a budget bill. It came out and

054it made changes to several different areas, but one of those was truency and attendance and how districts in Ohio should address those. And so what we did um the expectation is that all districts in Ohio have an updated policy by August 1. And so since the school social workers oversee the attendance and we have an internal policy with the students committee, we went ahead and took a stab at it. went over it with Mr. Hoy and Miss Scott and here we are to get um you know review and feedback. >> Thank you. >> So however you guys want to >> so mostly what you see in the policy that you have there where you see a lot of the the language stricken is because basically it was really updating the policy to bring it in

055compliance with that house bill. um some of the I think it's like the tiered um structure that we have there and then also even on the front some of the um the specific definitions of truency and so on and so forth. But so it's really if you have questions but it really is just bringing it into compliance what was necessary so it would fit within House Bill 96. So yeah, one of the major things that House Bill 96 wanted districts to do with their um policy is have a definition for chronic absenteeism specifically and be preventative in nature. It took away um requirements. Well, it took away excessive absence as a definition. It took away requirements to have an absence intervention team, an absence intervention plan, but then it said put some preventative measures in

056place, some tiered preventative measures in place before, you know, a student gets to that point. We as a district, you know, as a department, we're saying we're still going to have a team. We're still going to have a plan. We are going to do tier, you know, preventative measures. And then if if we need to, we will file, you know, an unofficial charge with juvenile court. >> Thank you. Um very much questions from the administration. >> Yeah. Carrie, >> um being new and not having a lot of history with this, can you just is what is the impact to a student who has a history with truency or chronically absenteeism? what like as far as the difference in how that student's case would be handled by the district between the previous and current or proposed.

057>> So I would love to say that um we were ahead of the game. So with our MTSS process, we were already going to address truency in the building at that tier one level. So we were ahead of it. Um so this is really just more support earlier intervention. >> Yeah. So it's a it's a benefit to students. >> Thank you. Thank you, Kareem. >> I had um just a question. First of all, thank you for you all for all the work that you all are doing. I I think this is um this is tough because absenteeism is a problem across the nation, not just in Cincinnati public. For the public, I wanted you to if possible, state what our definition of absenteeism is. And is it possible I is our definition in alignment with

058other large urban districts with the same similar population? And is it in alignment with what's going on across the nation? And then the other thing I wanted to know is we talked about on on the second page parent guardian notice of chronic absenteeism and it says in writing and so but but I think we've had a conversation where it was also that you all use robocalls you all use text message like you use a a multitude of things and we we in that discussion we talked about can we say in writing that is inclusive of um I think like different modes of um Yes. >> So that was the only thing that I wanted to change is that we talked about what in writing means but it also was inclusive of other things not just

059a letter. And so I wanted that to kind of be explicit here. Okay. So that the public and the parent and parents also knew that you you could be getting text messages, you could be getting robocalls. You all >> I want to say there are times when you visit. So I don't know but I think that that needs to be explained. So, back to my first part, if you wouldn't mind just talk just saying publicly what our definition of absenteeism is. What is what is what does it mean when a student is considered chronically absent? Parents don't know that it's minutes, >> not days and how quickly that can accumulate if you have a a a child that's sickly or even a female that has, you know, monthly issues, that adds up very very quickly.

060>> Correct. Correct. So um as a district we follow the state's definition right of absenteeism. We do have in our attendance policy what is considered excused absences and unexcused absences. So chronic absenteeism is missing 10% or more of school for any reason excused or unexcused. And that's kind of the approach that the state wanted to take. It doesn't matter the reason right that a student is missing school it still impacts their education when they're not there. And so, you know, the the goal is to address all absenteeism. And so, the state has changed the way we calculate absenteeism. It does go by the minute. So, if a student is tardy, if a student leaves early, all of those minutes are included in that 10%. And so, we're being preventative and we're addressing those issues. We

061know that a lot of students have medical issues. Like, there are legit reasons why a student misses school. And so then as a social worker, you're intervening and you're saying, "How can we help? What are some alternative measures we can take to make sure that your child is not falling behind academically? >> Right. >> So how exactly is like the school actually making sure that uh the support is there?" Because like for me, you know, I try to call on for the support for my child, but I had to go outside children. So, of course, it takes as far as my child being coming in late, having to leave early or maybe just missing that day. But it's like, you know, we don't have the support available or we have to wait and then it

062be months later on down the road for that support to be available. So exactly like where where is it as far as like the accountability being held as far and then you know being placed as far as on the parent like well you know they missing this and they're missing that and you know what where is it as far as like the barrier >> between the school and the family or for the student. So the support the support is individualized, right? And so we notice that the student is missing school when we reach out to the parent and we're having a collaborative conversation about what barriers you have. Now depending on what the barrier is, if it's transportation, that's going to be a hard one, right? Um but depending on what your individualized barriers are,

063we're looking at the resources. We have resources out here in the community. We have school partners, right? We have resource coordinators in the building. So as a collective, if there's something going on academically, we're talking to the teachers as a team. If there's something going on with mental health, we have mental health partners in the building. So collectively, we're trying to address whatever the barrier is. Now, there are limited resources. So it really just depends on what that individualized barrier, you know, family is dealing with. >> Okay? But it really is just a team effort of saying what can we do to tailor, you know, the educational piece for this particular student and family, >> right? Cuz that's what I'm thinking as far as like the stress for a parent as far as like, you

064know, when you got that mindset like, well, do I take them to this appointment or do I just send you to school? Right. >> You know, I know you need this assistance, you need this help, but at the same time, I don't want to get myself in trouble >> because I have to take care of what the needs for you. >> Yes. So we actually have had meetings where we have you know depend like say if you're at children's hospital we're talking to that team are there other times when this you know student can be seen can it can the student come after school so as a collective we're supporting you in that too we're advocating in that that realm as well. >> Okay thank you for the question thank you for the response other

065community members or administrators who would like to speak to truency mroing. Yeah, I I I just wanted to say two things. One is um about 10 years ago, uh Ohio passed House Bill 410, which changed it decriminalized truency, but really all it did is take it from the courts and put it in the schools. For the last 10 years, it is felt like a very administrative process. Count days, hold a meeting, you know, refer, it's been very administrative. Um this is a good thing. this is really much more supportive model tiered supports using the resources that the school has. This this is a really good thing. The second thing I'd say is that um I really wanted to thank Naomi uh H Manisha House Stephanie. Lots of times when the law changes, we get a

066department that just says, "Hey, the law changed. What do we have to do?" this was they drafted the policy, they engaged stakeholders, they've talked to the juvenile court, they've done a terrific job with this and uh really wanted to thank uh that group. So >> yeah, thank you. >> Thank you. Um, Brad, >> I just wanted to say that this speaks to the importance of our school social workers that all of our schools need access to, you know, not only just attended social workers, but are also social workers that do a lot of SEAL work. uh and so you know as we look towards a budget we need to make sure that we are protecting those resources that help. I also just want to mention that I have sent research um to the chair of

067this committee because there is a lot of research around chronic absenteeism and we ought to be paying attention to what the research says to help make sure that our students are in attendance. >> Second. >> Thank you. >> Please. >> I want to say Dr. Maf had a second question. So was definition and >> oh do we align >> do we align with the big urbans like um Columbus is there a similar too and then the state I mean not the state uh the nation because it's a problem nationally and I know you all are saying it do does our um definition because we had to create our own does that align with everyone else >> so when you say def so the definition is universal what we consider excused and unexcused may differ >>

068ah Okay. Okay. Okay. I got you. I didn't know that part. Is there a situation where a parent can't get in any other time? They may have, you know, their son or daughter may have a medical issue that is only during the day. I don't know. >> Is that considered excused? >> It's excused, >> but it still counts towards chronic >> absences. Okay. Okay. So, even if you have I just want parents to know even if you have excused absences, it still counts towards >> towards chronic absenteeism. And and we must remember chronic absenteeism is different than truency which is unexcused hours. That is where you get into having to file with juvenile court. >> Otherwise we're just trying to meet and say how can we help because ultimately this is negatively impacting >> the

069students academics. >> Got it. I think we will have to say that over and over and over and over and over. >> Find in the policy on the first page there's a definition for chronically absent and a definition for habitual truency so people can start to understand the difference in that. But the whole point is also we're going to intervene no matter which category. But there's a different reasons and different follow-ups depending on >> yeah where that fall. So >> okay great >> Rob we have somebody online >> uh a comment they wanted us to share. >> Yeah please. Uh on truency, my child missed several days and was an excellent student. I received no notification. Uh how can we improve on this important communications? >> Thank you. >> Yeah, thank you for the question.

070I think it's just a continuous um you know communication of expectations that we have um within our district and of our staff. Um so you should have received notification for chronic absenteeism and so um if there is ever a reason you know a concern you can definitely always contact you know the truency hotline or even I get direct calls as well so I meet and talk with a lot of parents. Um so yeah if there is ever a concern of course I'm going to say talk to your school social worker first but if it needs to be elevated that's fine. So, let's um thank you. And I think if if that individual parent would like a particular response for their situation from the administration, um could you just get their their contact information to the

071superintendent and then we can make sure that gets to the right right folks. Um great. Uh last comment on truency and then we're going to keep going. I feel like it's engaging other members of the community. convers. >> Come on, sit down. Have a seat. >> So, we'll well we'll Okay, thank you. Um, and I think um, uh, just as as a on clarity for next steps, I'm not hearing requests for changes from committee members. It does sound like this has been a lot of really important and good work from the administration in collaboration with many others, which makes me uh, think that this is a recommendation from our committee for approval by the full board, but that it go on the agenda, not on the consent agenda, but as a standalone piece. I I

072want to just check is that consistent with what Krie would like, what Kareem would like. >> I would like that. I I think as many many opportunities as we have to have you all clarify publicly what absenteeism is, truency is, um we we should definitely do that. I I would welcome the discussion piece just even if it's just defining the definitions publicly. I also would would to um Kendra's point encourage that some sort of video be done that we can put on the website because I do think this is an awareness issue. People do not know um and and we need to have it on the front page of the website with a link like did you know you know absenteeism is based off of hours not minutes I mean minutes not hours just that

073will generate some clicks. We need to promote that as much as we can. So yes >> to that. >> Okay. Um, so we're going to keep on moving to our next item, which is uh policy 5421 and grading. And I'll just share with the group. Um, when I saw the draft agenda that had this on it, I had a question for Dan and Phyllis. And I was like, hey, I thought we resolved this at the last committee meeting where there are other requests from board members to take a look at this again or modify it. And they said, "No, no, that's not it. It's just that the administration has done all the next steps that we talked about and they wanted to come and share what what the output had been from that committee and

074that engagement." That's my understanding of what we're talking about this morning. I just wanted to see if I missed something or if that's if that's accurate. >> That's accurate. >> Okay. Then we're going to hand it over to the administration. >> And as you u may be aware, Dr. Smith uh convened a committee to uh do a deep dive into your request for this policy. So, she did agree to come to the meeting today. >> All right. Good. Uh good morning everyone. Um Jeremy, your mic on too. it is now. >> Team work, teamwork makes the dream work. >> Um, so we met twice. We met on March 18th and March 30th. We had parents, um, we had principles, we had teachers, we had the union, and we came up with our language, which you

075will see. The committee desired to add a few things to make sure parents understood the purpose. Um, it will have where the child level the child is on the I Ready benchmark. um for more details. We want them to reach out to their school. They will get the colored I Ready print um attached to the um report card. If you go on, can you go up, Rob, so they can see the language right there? There's the language. I had Jeremy turn his mic on because he's going to talk about the report card, how it would look. Um we are creating talking points that will be uh given to the principal. So, while we're having on our moving on ceremonies, they can give these out to the parents. We are creating videos with a parent and

076a teacher explaining what the I Ready is and all the components of it and we will have it in multiple languages. So we met, we had some very vigorous conversations about it and um we feel like we came up with what we needed to do. >> Thank you, Dr. Smith. Uh comments, questions from board members. I will say I had the opportunity I'm sorry I just put a mint in my mouth. I had the opportunity to attend the meetings and hear from and learn from the parents that were there, the administration and the union representation. I am asking based off of the feedback that I attended if we could continue those committee meetings. What I found is that rather than say a formalized pilot, the fourth quarter process could be the pilot and then the

077committee could meet again to revise and make any changes that they found would be helpful. And I did propose that and everybody seemed like it was okay to say it publicly that maybe they can come back and revamp any findings that they did find. Um and then the other thing that seemed very applicable was that this really ties into other policies as well. Social promotion was discussed. Um instructional uh curriculum was discussed. So I do think that there's probably that that there definitely is space to look at as they review as they meet to review and revamp some of other policies that are also impacted by this particular policy. And the last thing I want to ask is um I want to ask the chair Lindy because we we had a very lengthy discussion around

078I Ready and other things to use and so can you share a little bit just for my benefit. How did we get to It says optional in here, but is there was there another spirit that could be used other than I Ready? Was there another assessment that you all found that could be used in place of I already because it doesn't have to it doesn't have to be I already but we don't have anything else. So we land on something that we don't have any other option to use. So I'm wondering and when you all did your research in coming up with the policy was the spirit that it just be information which is what I interpreted as or was it specific to I already >> know it's great I'm just realizing again I'm the

079only uh recurring member of this committee so I wish that Kendra were here I wish that Mary were here. Um, yeah, we had a great presentation from Jeremy and from Amanda. Uh, and they laid out at least three, I think, different ways of like what the what the draft language in the policy had said and then was ultimately adopted was we just want the information to go home to families. But how the administration uses the data that it has to get that information could be done in lots of different ways. Um, and before we recommended that the board pass the policy, we wanted to know is there even a way to do this? And so Jeremy and Amanda came back and shared three different versions. I think was it three >> in various forms? Yeah.

080And I think what what what I remember taking away from this was there's just a real trade-off between the you can you can cover more grade levels, you can cover more subjects, you can address different issues that come up with data, but the the more things you try to address, the more complicated it becomes and then the harder it becomes for somebody to understand what it is. And so I I I think I made this point in one of those meetings that this this um you know uh I I think from a personal perspective there's power in simplicity. Um and also that that um uh an admin this feels like an administrative realm uh to get into the trade-offs and the pros and the cons. There's nothing in the language of the policy as written

081that requires this to be I in the future. So like if what happens is I Ready is what the administration uses this spring and then there's a different idea for how to do it in the future, there's no reason that that could couldn't happen. Okay. >> I I happen to think I Ready is very helpful and very clear. It just doesn't cover all the grade levels that you would want it to. But I'm I'm I also don't want to advocate we do more testing than we're already doing, you know? So like this this seemed like the I don't know like the equilibrium point across a bunch of different things that we care about. Does that answer the question? >> It does. And I I think that's also one of the reasons why I suggested that

082we continue the committee if possible with Dr. Smith and the parents that were already engaged and the staff that was already engaged in the union so that if they find that after they do this for the fourth quarter, there are improvements that need to be made, we have the space and the people already in place to do it. I think that's great. >> So that that was the only other thing I want to add. >> We did talk Oh, I'm sorry. >> No, please go. We talked about continuing the meetings, but we also talked about um having a QR code with a survey so that once we surveyed the parents in the fourth quarter um that we would come back and discuss anything that that needed to be an option that needed to be changed

083or if something just didn't work and parents felt like this this didn't help them. So, we do have a >> Jeremy's team is working on >> on that piece of it. Um, I would just say, um, thank you because this work was done at, uh, the request of the group, but I very specifically asked that we go and look deeper into this, and you did, and I appreciate all the people that went and did that work and took the time. And so, thank you. Um, I requested it, you did it, and you came back with a recommendation, and I accept that recommendation, and I appreciate all that work that went into making it. So, um, and then I would just say I I want to encourage the district to keep the continuous improvement mindset. We

084don't have to call something a pilot so that we feel like we can change it. So, um, you know, this is great. We're going to start here and we should keep the committee going. and we should continue to receive back feedback and we should be able to change if we feel that we need to change and we don't have to go into something and launch it and then never touch it again. So just keeping an open mind to continuous improvement in any program that we have. >> Thank you. Um uh for my part I think this looks good. Um it looks consistent with what the policy says. I love the idea of a survey. Um, I don't think the survey is in the policy and nor nor need it be, but like this is consistent

085with what's here. I think it's a great idea. Um, I think it says reading twice and it doesn't say math. >> Okay. >> Um, so I think I would just say like let's communicate reading, but once is enough and then let's add math to it. >> Um, other than that, I think it looks good. >> Um, >> that's what you get when you make a mockup too fast. >> No, no, listen. I appreciate all the help. Um, are there folks who came today to speak on this particular topic? Yeah, Karen, >> I just had a question because I >> just for myenefit options for me. >> Green light. I apologize. Okay, I've got the mic. I've got the green light. >> Thank you. >> For my benefit because I've attended the policy committee meetings and

086I think I missed the discussion of the other two options besides I ready that were discussed as things you know as um metrics possibilities that could be included on the on the um report card. So I wonder if just for my benefit if you could refresh our recollection. >> Defer to Jeremy here. >> Yeah, if you want me to do just a quick recap. So it came down to basically three levels along a spectrum is what we were presenting or what we talked about. In that spectrum we started at basically looking at the least complex for understanding to the most complex. The first layer that we talked about was something as simple as adding a drop-own box that could be indicated by a teacher or a single data point that just would be that one

087point of reference like a teacher could click on the drop down that I think they're at the grading level whatever. So that would be the simplest layer. The middle was using a assessment like I Ready which already has the um normed and criterion reference to be able to provide that information to us. And the third was using multiple data points from multiple assessments. So trying to combine like the Acadian screener, the MAP, NWA, Lexile and Presentile scores with the I Ready for all of those various things along with uh any intervention review like adding multiple multiple data steps to try and then create a custom something for CPS that we felt would represent one word, you know, or one version of on-grade level, offgrade level, by how much. That was kind of the spectrum we

088talked across. Does that help? >> Thank you. >> That helps. Thanks. >> Um, we had a question over here and then I'm going to go in the back and then I'm going to go over here. >> So, my is not necessarily a question. I am really um um I'm happy about what we decided in the committee. I also want to give a special shout out to Dr. Smith because she's also reached out to do a video explaining how I Ready works and how you're able to read this. Now, I would prefer to still have above reading level on reading level or below reading level because it's clear, but having this video to understand early K and reading K or reading math and early math, excuse me. Um, I just find that to be um is

089it's very beneficial for parents to know exactly where their child is. So this is a clear indication exactly where your child is during that quarter that quarter excuse me and then they can go into this video and get the explanation that's needed. I understand like the difference of the test but this right now is so simplified. So I didn't have a question. I just wanted to say that and great work on all the committee and the challenges too as well that we experienced. >> Thank you very much. >> Yeah. here. >> Um, I just wanted to say that um, the opportunity to come together as stakeholders was powerful for those of you that were there. Um, they were great conversations and I would just like that those kind of conversations happen before we write up

090a policy because in those conversations we did come up with ideas like utilizing a cadence which actually is an assessment that determines whether or not a child is put on a reading improvement and monitoring plan. um or at putting a a reference to say that um please look at attached because that a lot of things came out of our conversation about making sure that report cards are going home to parents in the first place. making sure that um on there the report from I Ready is actually going home to parents um to to give not just a at or below because uh Dr. Smith shared that her grandson's report said at level but in the report there were plenty of things he could be working on that you know the parents needed to know about.

091When we came up with all these alternative suggestions though, we ran into the barrier that, oh, but this does not go with what the policy says. And so, I would just ask that going forward, we start having these stakeholder conversations before the board puts policies in place. >> Thank you, Brad. Um, I just wanted to say >> Oh, I was sorry. I saw I had seen Brad's hand and then I promise either order. I'd like to do both. You >> go first. >> So, I just wanted to piggyback what Kendra said, which is these stakeholder meetings should have happened before the policy was ever crafted because what came out of that meeting is that the parents are interested in the report. They're interested in the actual information. And what I have learned through this process

092is this policy is too prescriptive. And because it's too prescriptive, the only thing that matches is I Ready. And if we are interested in giving parents information, we also need to make them aware that for grades four through six, I Ready is not a state approved diagnostic assessment. And so we have designed a policy that only IRA meets and it's not necessarily something the state is telling us is an approved diagnostic. The only other thing that I want to mention is that there is now a classaction lawsuit against the company that owns I Ready. It is all about what the company is doing with the data that it collects from all of the students that use its products. And the claim is that the company is collecting all this data on our students and selling

093it. And so if parents, you know, don't know that, they're not consenting to it. And so again, I am extremely concerned about some of the implications. The more I read about I Ready, the more I get concerned. And so again, I I I I I just go back to the stakeholder meetings were very informative and there was a lot of good discussion and that should have taken place before this policy was created. >> Thank you very much, Julie. >> And um I'm glad Brad went in front of me because I was going to bring up the fact that there is now a class action lawsuit against um the company that um owns and manages I Ready. And I think that this is very concerning especially when we get into some of these um um AI

094types of programs. Um when we had all here um a couple years ago, my main concern at a board meeting was where is this data going to go that this company has? And now there's a lawsuit and there's superintendent who have been fired for having all here in their district because the information that company went out of business and that information is out there with other companies. Now the same thing is happening is it worries me when we use these programs without real clear research and what is going to be the after effect for our students and families with this information that is getting out there. I don't know why we couldn't do something like a dibble score and then have like a chart of if your child's in the fifth grade they should be

095reading at this level. That is a simple score based on if the child is reading and what that is. And it's a person with the child reading a text. It isn't a kid just hitting a button and going through it. And if they're tired that day, they just skip around or they don't do anything because once they fall back, it's hard. They have to work all the way through those grade levels to move back up. It's easy to fall back and it's hard to move forward. So, I think that as a district and as a board, I think we have to be ethically responsible on what the the decisions that we're making and the impact that it could be having on our students and families and their personal information and data. >> Thank you. Uh

096yeah, Karine, >> I'll just wrap this up by saying that I shared at the community engagement meetings and I I still hold this to be true even after your further explanation that I think that the spirit of this policy that I voted for was to increase awareness for parents. It was about it wasn't about the assessment tool as much as it was about another tool to give parents the opportunity to say, "Hey, I I saw that my son or daughter is listed as not on grade level. What can I do?" I also want to say that I don't want to um I want it to be as simple as possible. As simple as possible, but again, invite conversation not in lie of the teacher. I I think that this is just another way for parents

097to know and so I'm open and I also encourage them to meet again because if we find that I Ready is not working um I think the parent piece is super significant and um glad that we're being able to do that. Thank you Jeremy. Thank you Dr. Smith. Thank you to the staff and the team and thank you to everybody that showed up because it was really a powerful and um powerful piece. But the other piece that was significant that I don't want to have missed is every school's not distributing report cards. So we need to figure out while we have this grading policy that is that is about engagement. Another piece is that everybody is not getting a report card. And so I confirmed with um former board member Weinberg and she said that

098this is actually applicable to her. She said we can call her if we need to. But that is a problem because we have the policy. We're arguing about the policy and what it should be, but the tool that is being added to the report cards are not even going to get to the to the um parents. So, Jeremy, I know that you have a percentage number of schools that are giving out report cards or they're not giving I don't even know if you have that, but that's what I want to charge the administration with is ensuring that parents get report cards because they're not all getting them. So, and I'm what I mean is a physical report card. I'm not talking about access to it on focus because that was the purpose of the policy

099is that everybody doesn't have simplistic access to focus. So, they may or may not be getting it. Um, so we need to we and it also came up in the engagement sessions that if I has color coding, do we have all of the schools have the ability to print out the color coding because of budget? So, this policy, I think we're ready to go with it, but it also has shed light on other things that need to happen, which is distribution of report cards to every um school. And if we can't distribute them, parents should be able to walk in there and get it printed out. So, we need to figure that piece out. >> Thank you. Um Rob, we got somebody online. >> Um yeah, this is Corey. Um, again, she's commented that uh

100or they I'm sorry, they've commented that uh I appreciate the info about I Ready. >> I just don't want to throw the baby out with a bathwater. Um her verbally. Um and she also did I guess she attended that session. Okay, great. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Um just a little clock management for a second here. Anything else on grading from anybody? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> Okay. Uh yes. with uh finding a way to make it uh mandatory for these parent teacher conferences and for these parents to I mean for the teachers to actually communicate with the parents about the child and not make it um an option for them to do it because they don't have the information available. >> Thank you. Um, >> would you mind repeating the last thing

101you said for a second? I was distracted by something on my phone and I want to make sure that I heard you correctly. I apologize. >> So, basically holding making sure that we're holding the teachers accountable as far as actually relaying the information because we're going to put on report cards see teacher if you want additional information. So, actually hold them accountable for that. even if they don't have the information available, still meet with that parent and discuss whatever it is that you see within the classroom. So that way that parent knows like, okay, this is where my child is and this is what I actually need to work on and we can work on this together. >> Got it. Thank you. Um and I think that uh my hope is that it can be

102a team effort so that the teacher can help, the videos will help, that all of those things together can can start to make a difference as a team. Um I Yes, please. We're going to we have all the notes from the meeting. So the things that came up that the parents were concerned about about having conferences outside of the time that they normally when what when can they meet with teachers? We're going to be talking to principles about all those things. Who who's who's printing report cards? Who's not? We need to print them. We need to color copy. So they will get all of those com conversations from us so that we move forward with the things that came out in that uh committee meeting. >> That's great. So, just to to to do a

103little clock management for a second, it is um uh 10:55 and I do apologize. I have to leave a little bit early this morning for a funeral. Um I am f we didn't we've cracked about half the agenda. We have half to go. I'm fine if other We'll have a quorum with two. Um Kareem and Carrie, would you like to continue on until 11? >> I'm open. It doesn't matter. >> Okay, >> great. So, let's do that. I think we have a It'll keep us from getting a backlog. So, I'm I'm gonna excuse myself in five minutes, but the meeting will continue until 11:30, and we can vote recommendations out of here with a quorum of two board members. Um, uh, so let's just keep getting as much done as we can in the time

104that we have. Um, starting with, uh, personnel files. I think I think our I think our bylaw says that um I I think our bylaws say I might be misremembering this that if a chair leaves the the next most senior board member becomes chair for the rest of the meeting. So I'm just going to ask Kareem if you would do that when when I step out. Thank you. Okay. So we're everybody we're going to keep going. If you want to chat you're welcome to but please do it outside this room because we're going to keep moving forward. >> Okay. Okay, thanks. This relates to personnel files. Uh, this is a part of our three-year annual review of all policies. So, no particular reason this um uh policy is coming except that we annually or or

105trianually review policies. Uh, also the recommendations, there's no substantive changes in terms of how the district would be handling personnel files. Uh the one point of emphasis I think uh that we tried to add because I I think employees uh frequently do not understand that personnel files are part of the Ohio Public Records Act. They can be requested and and really most aspects of a personnel file. So, um, uh, employment docs, um, reviews, uh, emails, um, uh, just, yeah, so wanted to emphasize that, uh, one thing we do when we get a request for a personnel file is we notify the employee. Um, we get requests for all all manner of folks. So, want to make sure that the employee is aware of that. Uh, some information can be redacted. social security numbers, uh, dates

106of birth, home address, minor's children's names, if there's any kind of financial like a direct deposit to your bank number and things like that. But beyond that, personnel files are public records. And so, uh, just want to emphasize that and make sure, uh, folks know. Um, with that, uh, welcome any questions that the committee has about the policy. >> Sounds good. Does any Carrie, do you have any questions about that? I I do have a question. just a an an inquiry. So that personnel records meaning what that you do to verify employment like you can't they we can't disclose like hey this person is on FMLA or this person is >> some docs are confidential FMLA documents uh ADA documents sometimes workers comp because that there's an overlay there of health information. Okay. So, so

107if there is uh a specific law or rule that prevents, you know, legally prevents us from turning it over, we we would have the ability to not turn that over. But, you know, evaluation docs, I mean, I think some folks are sometimes uh surprised that their evaluation uh in a private employer, that's generally a very confidential kind of file. >> Um, but in a public entity like CPS, it's it's an open record. So, >> okay. But we do notify the employee that >> we do we send an email unless we get something specific from like in a subpoena case. Sometimes the subpoena will say you may not notify the target of this subpoena. Though that's very rare, but occasionally we get that. Normally we just send an email to say um you know that uh

108your personnel files been requested. >> Any other questions? >> All right. >> Move forward. >> Yep. Let's move this forward. >> Consent agenda. >> Yep. Thanks. >> Next, we've got um policy 8330, student records. >> Yeah, this is coming back to the committee. We discussed this in March. Uh it was briefly introduced uh at the full board meeting uh that was held at is that at Covedale? Um and uh no changes since then but uh welcome any further feedback that the committee has on the student records policy >> board member armbster. >> It's okay. What were the significant changes? Can you summarize it? >> Uh yeah uh we emphasized um uh you know nothing new in terms of policy. Uh we made one change uh bottom of the first page only records mandated by law.

109That was an update. Yeah. Um and then uh we highlighted again the district's directory information policy. Uh that that's something the board has a choice on. Uh identifying what uh parts of a student's record are considered directory information. And the importance of that being that rather than a parent affirmatively saying yes, you can release this record for directory information, name, grade, school, etc. The the kinds of information you would find in like a student directory. It's an opt out. So the assumption they're they're notified every year back to school packet. This is what the board considers directory information. parents have an opportunity to send something in to say, "Please opt my child out." But otherwise, they're assumed to be allowing us to share that those categories of information. >> Okay. Anything on that? Anyone have

110any questions about that, Brad? I just want to point out that this district needs to consider this policy very carefully, especially when it comes to the different types of edtech that we use in this district because again, we're starting to see that we may not necessarily know what these companies are doing with all of the information they're collecting about our students. >> Good point. This is inclusive of vendors getting access to our information as well. >> Is there a way to um pre prevent that? >> Sorry. >> The the only way to prevent that would be to change the directory information. It's it's a kind of all or nothing. you you can't pick and choose, you know, uh which >> uh requesters we would be willing to give the information to. >> Okay. We couldn't

111specify um I guess we couldn't specify vendors do not get it or you know. No. Okay. >> Well, what are your thoughts? >> I guess I'm confused by that. Uh so my understanding is the directory. So directory information is part of like essentially any group could come to the district and say I want the directory information for Sans Monasuri. >> Like literally any group. I >> I mean the most common requests we get are from charter schools who want to know directory information for our families. one of the >> right but like >> literally like I'm trying to think of an example that's not completely off the like boy scouts and girl scouts can come and just say like I want >> I want all your students names and all the information that's in the

112>> families opted out and so when in our student information we have a flag families who have opted >> so like I opted out of the military recruiters when I just filled out my kids information yesterday to transfer schools >> so that would be flagged tagged in. Okay. >> Yes. And >> but everywhere else has access to that full >> 10 years of doing this or 15 years the most common request we get is from >> though I understand in practice what's happening but in theory what could happen is what I guess >> correct. >> Okay. I >> it's hard because I I I mean we and the district has gone both ways. We we 10 years ago had a very limited directory information policy and uh >> it's great for us because anytime anybody

113was requesting the response was this is not directory information we cannot turn this over. The downside is there there are partners in every school who very much appreciate to have and and there's this you know they would like to know how to reach out to families. We want them to reach out to families in some cases but yeah it is not where we can pick and choose who who gets the information. >> So I I'm a little confused because the third line down says directory information shall not be provided to any organization for profitm purposes. If a vendor is contacting us, that's clearly potentially a profit making and or >> schools are that too. >> I was going to say and it's the same for the charters >> statute. It's been essentially overridden by law.

114>> So So legally we are required to turn the directory information. That's right. >> So I mean, we were the one who filed the case to try to argue. We we took a case that charter schools had requested the information. We use the language that said can't be turned over for profit making it. It's our our district is >> is listed there. I guess I'm just conflicted with respect and I I did see you superintendent working. I'm sorry. It says here on the first page, it says um protecting this information is essential to maintaining the trust of of students, parents, and the community and to ensuring compliance with legal requirements, including the the FURPA and other federal and state laws. That's in blue. That's what you're proposing. >> Yet, if we are legally required to

115turn over information >> that is a potential violation of FURPA, >> let me be clear. >> Okay. direct or student information. This policy applies to the whole world of student information, IEPs, student discipline, all of that information is absolutely private. It's absolutely all of the FURbooka protections would never be turned over. We need a release from the parent. >> student records is a broad category. Directory information, these categories here, a narrow set of what student records are. And this is what our board has designated as directory information. >> But in terms of student records, which is what this policy applies, I mean all the information that we get about students, everything in focus, grades, attendance, all of that, absolutely protected, absolutely covered by >> But if someone with like a convicted sexual offense requests our

116students information, we have to give it to them. >> Directory in >> directory. >> Correct. No, that's what I'm saying. >> What? So wouldn't it just be prudent for us to say we're going to have an opt in versus an opt out so that parents are aware because right now we have an opt-in. So you you have to exclude yourself. Why wouldn't we just say it's on a case- by case basis you are automatically opted out. >> Again we can and have in the past >> just to put out some of what the feedback we got during that time is schools had a very difficult time. a school wants to create a student directory, right? They want to have a list that parents can contact each other and see who's in your kids's class and

117all of that. >> Now, you have to use an opt-in situation. And if a family doesn't get the optin back in, they cannot be in that student directory. So, that that's the downside is you try to create a student directory for your school or the PTO does or whatever, they're now relying on families to come and say, "Yes, I affirmatively giving you this." So if they opt in to a student directory for the school though that is then now public information. >> No, no, I'm sorry. Excuse me. Well, it depends on how public the PTO makes the directory, right? >> No, no, no. I So I guess my question is >> I don't have to give that to everyone else. If >> if the school itself creates a directory, >> then it would need individual

118permission from a family to release my name, address, kids grade. >> Yes. to the PTO for the purpose of so that could be >> not be giving it to charter schools or >> Oh my gosh. Okay. Can we table this because I feel like I've got a lot of I've got a lot >> and I don't think I'm going to get it done in 20 minutes. >> So, can I give you one more example? >> Yeah, please. >> So, we recently sent out >> Yeah. Go ahead. Go ahead. >> So, for the purpose of our marketing, these same rules apply to charter schools. And for the purpose of our marketing, we recently sent out a request to all the charter schools in the community to say, "Send us your directory information." >> There were, I

119don't know, there's about 15, these are not exact numbers, about five sent us back their student directory information, same day, next day, same week. Because they have the same policy we do, identifying these categories as directory information. They knew they had to turn it over. about the other five or 10 uh to various in in various uh times to respond said we don't have our directory information policy does not identify any of these categories and we're not responding. I asked them then to follow up to show me in their directory information policy. I don't know if they wrote it the same day but >> but we got back from them their directory information and they they wouldn't respond. So that those are the two even charter schools are kind of taking both sides of this.

120>> Yeah. >> I mean we we we can absolutely table it. I I don't have a problem with the directory information per se. I do foresee that this is a problem for future AI. You know I do want us to be respectful of that. >> However, I just think vendors, people that solicit us should should not. And then my only other issue is can't we make it the reverse where you instead of you having to opt out you are maybe opting in but you know we can discuss it we can table it. We can table it for you want you're wanting to table it for what >> I just feel like this is a bigger conversation than I thought it was. And I just I think maybe Ben should be here. I feel like >>

121it's it's there are two sides to the discussion. I >> I feel like I just need a little bit of time to process it. >> That's fine. I think this is probably going to go to the full board and we're probably going to take it out of consent to talk about it. I I would I would imagine, but we can table this for next meeting unless does anyone else have any questions about this concerns, questions, comments? Superintendent, I know stole your thunder. Well, if we sent it to charters and if we sent it to 15 or let's say 20 and only five responded, is that a good return on invest? Like, we're not getting their information >> the day before. >> Yeah, but it's still only 25%. So, I I don't know if that's, you

122know, I don't know if that's if you all think that that's beneficial. What you all think we should leave it the same? >> I think there's two sides. I I mean, I really do. I'm I'm I I think it is an important decision and and warrants discussion. Um I I suspect that if the board changes it that that would help us in some ways, but I I I would guess there'll be some feedback from schools as well to say, "God, we love having student director." >> Yeah, I think that would be helpful for me is like we can talk about the fact that we're discussing it next time and I would like to hear other opinions. >> Um, >> so do you want this for the full board or to discuss, not a vote on

123or do you want >> I'm fine either way. I I just feel like I need I need more more input on this. It just doesn't feel like something I can decide on in this moment >> with this amount of information. It just feels >> Do you want it to go to the full board for discussion only and then back to the committee or do you want it to be for us to talk about next month as a committee? >> I would defer to you on what you think is the best way. >> Um well, let's just >> I'll talk to Ben, but let's just put it on the agenda for um for next month. And then you know this is one that we're just reviewing from the list of reviews. Okay. >> And we can

124>> Yep. >> Yeah. That's fine. Next we have 8350 confidentiality. >> Thanks again. Uh three-year review. Um no no substantive changes here. uh this this really um it's sort of the parallel policy to the student directory or student uh information. So the student information policy talks about that student information shall be confidential. This policy really goes to employees responsibility to keep that information confidential. >> Okay. I think so. >> So again, no substantive changes. Uh just I I thought it was not very clearly written and we tried to u clarify. Again, th this really goes to employees responsibility to keep student information confidential. >> One member, any thoughts? >> Okay, I think this is good for consent. >> Oh, I'm sorry, Brad. >> Here you go, Brad. >> Your thoughts? This one's going down. Yeah,

125we got two. >> My question is how does this policy So it definitely identifies employees but how does it actually apply to say Hamilton County Educational Services which we contract with? >> It says contractors in here. Correct. It says >> and yeah >> employees, partners, contractors and volunteers are all included. >> Second full paragraph. What do you mean you don't want Are you saying Brad is your question about them having access to the information or just keeping it within their entities? >> Just making sure that contractors that we hire who have access to student information are also covered under this policy too. >> Yep. >> And it comes >> and they are uh yeah there under FERPA the district is allowed to share information with folks who are essentially doing the job that would otherwise

126be done by a CPS employee. So when we have uh consultants or contractors in the school who are doing jobs that that are education related, the policy applies with equal force to them. >> I have a question because that just sparked a question for me. How do we maintain the data that contractors have access to for them to not benefit from it? So when you speak about Hamilton County, Hamilton County has access to other districts. How do we maintain that the autonomy of our data so that they're not using our data to leverage with other districts? So if we're giving access to any kind of an organization to data in fact even deidentified data that they they we we have an agreement in place actually Brian Cersian and our um partner office uh vets the

127request because we get requests for information from universities researchers. He vets those make sure that >> it's something that is going to benefit the district. Um and then there is an agreement that goes in place, a furpa compliant agreement that specifies exactly what they are allowed to use the data for that they have to destroy it after that it can't be used for any other purpose. Uh we get those agreements a few times a year and he works on those. >> Okay. So our vendors I I I don't think this I'm just curious how we're protecting the data that we've given access to partners and vendors to so that they're not selling our data. Every time we have an agree like focus for example, you know that that is a vendor that has access to

128our data because they're managing our student information system, there is a contract in place that specifies, you know, it's furpa compliant to make sure that uh they're not misusing the data in any way that they're not. >> And if and when they have a breach, how are we protected? >> We would be notified. Uh in some cases, we've had the obligation to then notify families of a breach. It's it's not different than like uh what a hospital does when they have a vendor breach. Very furpa and HIPPA are actually written very similarly in terms of >> the requirements to maintain confidentiality. >> Okay. What do you mean? >> So this can go with the consent agenda too. >> Jeremy, >> oh I'm sorry. I was just going to say one other quick note to add

129to that is for any individual nonCPS employee, so a contractor outside of the agreement with the organization directly, the individuals when they get a CPS account which enables them to access some of the data, they sign an individual NDA with us as well. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you. I think we're ready for consent. move forward. >> So, the next thing on our agenda, although I do see community learning centers. Okay. Well, here we go. Um, this was a board member request calendar through June 26. Community learning centers is on here for next. Um, I don't exactly know. Doesn't does anyone know what Ben was intending with regard to community learning centers? I think this is just the topics that we'll address over the next two meetings maybe. Is that what >> Well, it says it

130was a board member request and so I didn't know who requested this one or why. >> I Yeah, I think >> might have even been >> board member request and other new business. >> So, we're going to just table this for May. >> It says calendar through 20 or June of 26. So, I think maybe I don't know. I I don't know. This is um >> that's what I thought. >> Okay. Well, but he put the policies in there, so it made it sound like it made it feel like we were discussing them. Um so I don't know. >> Okay. >> Let's just put these three then. Well, I >> Well, the second one actually has edits in it. So, did what was the non-school organization? Did you guys want to talk through that one

131real quick? We can at least start the conversation about it. >> Yep. that's coming back again and uh an important policy been working on with the treasurer internal auditor our office uh yeah >> um >> updating and adding as we go along uh there were a few comments I think in the I'm not sure we discussed it last month but I think the previous month >> um that have been added uh talking about crowd sourcing making sure we make a cross reference here to crowd sourcing that's been done. Um, so this is an evolving policy. Again, an important one. Uh, no particular rush on getting this through, but uh, welcome your comments or feedback on on the policy. >> The we, um, we've we talked about this when I was on policy two years ago.

132And I think that, Treasure Augustine, we just need to ensure that schools understand what this is because I feel like I I I've I've always been conflicted because I just feel like teachers do a lot. So when they get extra funds, when they get extra resources to to put limits on them feels unfair to me >> having been in that situation, but um I don't know if everybody is fully aware of what the official policies are. So, yeah, I would say I think it's actually really important that we get through this by the end of this school year so that schools planning for next year's fundraising understand and are very clear about what fundraising looks like for both nonschool organizations and whatever else fundraising occurs at a school level and where that money goes and

133how it can be spent because to Dr. Moffett's point, it is very unclear. >> So, if I may. >> Yes. Thank you. If I may. Um, I think that is as we work on the NSO policy that that I think was one of the biggest concerns is creating something that can be easily crystal clear implemented. Um, old policy had a lot of words. I mean, we we realized kind of we realized as we went through it, like like it was almost impossible for us to stay in compliance in a lot of ways. And so, you know, we're not here to set people up to fail. So, so yeah, part part of it was creating kind of very bright lines that that would be very obvious to folks. I think part of what um legal counsel

134internal audit and we t I talked about was building out part of the procedure side of this is once we have the policy is we need some some very clear procedures um and some of the policy as it's written talks about having some consultation between the principal and the non-school organization before things get started which I think is critical so that everyone knows you know kind of as you start down this path you know who's going to do what where the money's going to go what that's going to mean you you know and so so doing a little bit of work at the beginning can save a lot of you know mistrust and angst at the end. So those are all things I think the other thing I would just say briefly is we are

135very close to rolling out the procedures on the crowdfunding policy. I know we're kind of way behind on the procedures um but but working on you know rolling that out so it is ready um for folks to hit the ground next school year. So, I had a couple questions. Um, >> does this apply to school foundations? >> Yes. >> Okay. I I thought that wanted to clarify. >> Is there anything in here that maybe I missed seeing it that the school foundation is to report to give a fiscal reporting to the district? So we've I I think I think some of this comes to the procedure side. >> So So there's kind of if if you look through the list, there's are things that we're asking the school kind of foundations to do. You know,

136there's kind of a kind of a list of those things we want them to follow. >> U there's not a hard reporting in there. I know years ago there was this there was a section in here that re that as that required the internal audit auditor to review all those. Um problem is they're all they're all separate 501c3s or separate organizations from us and some at some point like we don't want to take on >> them right like there like there's a point of separate things. Um, one of the one of the concept we've concepts we've talked about just to finish is is creating kind of a kind of a registration because I think there's things we want to know like we want to know who your officers are. >> We want to know what

137you're doing. I mean, I don't think we don't want to read your, you know, IRS 990, but but but we want to create some sort of registration process that would have benefits to both sides. So, district gets some benefits. We know who you are. Um, I did a training with I think it was the Secretary of State's office. like can't remember which corporate it is and they they kind of tried to scare us into like these people you you know are affiliate of your district so you got to kind of kind of keep them on a tight leash. I think that's that's different when you're a small district that has one high school and one elementary school and one PTA you know it's very different than than the CPS experience but but talking about a

138process where they get some benefits you know by by submitting the information for us and we get some benefits by getting some assurances from them that they're doing the same things. So just let me just clarify. I don't think that we should manage the school foundations at all. I don't think that that's our role. Nor was that my intention. But I do think that is there an awareness piece in here that they even need to have accountability of awareness to the district. I didn't see that part in here. So that's what I'm asking. If we know that a school has a foundation and we've got lots of foundations. I we've got some that are raising millions, but we also have some that are raising thousands. And so, um, we don't know who they are. And

139they're also using the likeness of the they're using the building, they're using the likeness of, um, CPS, and they're using our staff and our students. And so, to not have a an accountability, even just a recognition is problematic to me. So that should be in here somewhere. That they tell us that they exist, they're utilizing our our buildings and that they provide to us the same level of accountability that they would for the IRS, not necessarily the bylaws, but at least some sort of reporting fiscally that they are benefiting our families and our kids. I know I've spoken to several um organizations of schools that had a conflict because the school wanted to use the money for something that they didn't want them to use it for. I don't think we should get into that.

140But if we didn't even know that they existed, that's problematic. And I think that that should be our responsibility to do that. On the other part, and I I just don't see it. That's why I asked where is it? Um on section, it says prep participation by students in fundraising activities. I am a little concerned about that because it says partition participation by students is voluntary. It goes through and it talks about that. But when we have schools that do um like have monastery experiences, we've gotten a lot of emails about those how students can't participate because they didn't fund raise with the group. You know, if you've come in year two or three, then you didn't have the same fundraising opportunities that the first year people did, but they they're complaining that they benefited

141that the students are benefiting and they will have to pay a large amount of money to catch up. Does that is that accounted for in the fundraising activities? It says here that participantation is voluntary, but on some level we're holding them accountable to the fundraising as a benefit. I think we need to address that because we've received multiple emails about that. I don't know how to address it. We've deferred it back to the schools, but when they start citing, you know, oh well, this doesn't seem equitable. In a way, it's kind of touchy. So I would love for that to be addressed here on some level even if I don't I don't know how to do that but I think that we should. The last thing I wanted to ask about was it says here

142funds that must be handled through the through the and you crossed out raising activities student activity fund. What is that on the last page? NSO fundraising activities permitted. It's the last part and it says funds that must be handled through the student activities fund. What does that mean? >> So student activity funds are are district district managed funds. Um it's fund 300s as we call them and and these are by law things that are required to run through the school district. Um like ath athletic gate athletic um gate receipts are a good example. They are required by law to to to come into the district and be handled by the district. Um, so for example, you know, if you go to a if you go to a football game, the gate receipt is going to

143is going to be CPS funds. It gets you into the game. It's deposited. It's managed by CPS staff. You know, it's reported in our books. You know, it's part of our financial reports. You know, your concessions though might be managed by the alumni foundation. And so the alumni foundation is going to run that concession stand. you know, whatever money they buy, you know, they're going to collect, they're going to manage, they're going to bank and and ideally they're going to at some point take their proceeds of that and then, you know, use it for the benefit of the school. >> It's trying to identify those few categories that have to go through the fund 300. So there we have had situations where a school's throwing putting on a musical presentation, a drama, >> and they

144say, you know, this would be great. The arts foundation that's associated with the school will handle all the ticketing. They can't the that that that ticket receipts have to go to the fund 300. They can come and sell popcorn. They can there's other ways to fund raise around that event, but those those >> few items are things that have to go through fun. >> Important question here. >> Y >> does that apply to elementary, middle, high, all portions? What does that apply to? Because it's not clear here. >> We can clarify. My understanding is it's K to 12. >> Okay. That needs to be clarified. Mhm. >> Cuz when you say CPS athletics, I mean some schools don't get support from CPS CPS athletics department, but like they are CP, you know what I'm saying?

145So that just needs to be clarified. >> They have a wreck association that is actually running the sports. It's not a That's a really good point. >> And it's like C like a CPS team sport is different >> than a wreck league that also participates at CPS schools. >> Correct. cuz we are using the facility. >> We're using the name, but we aren't supported by a CPS athletics >> and it says rentals and other facility fees related to the use of CPS fac. So, I I think that that is unclear because we've got people that rent our buildings pay to the building and where does that money go? It's not clear here. So, that needs more. I think I think the thing is like but the what it's saying is those folks who rent our

146buildings, you know, outside rent our buildings, that money has to go to the district, that money can't go to another third party, right? Like you like you can't >> like if you're renting the bu like if you're renting the stadium on a Saturday, you know, you can't pay that money to the alumni foundation. That money has to go to the district. It's one of the things that has to flow that way. >> But can the alumni foundation, how how do we use our just the alumni sub. Can they sub lease it? That's I mean that's something we probably have to clarify. >> I think we do need to clarify that part as well. So I think this is like Do you have any more questions? >> Oh, I have >> Oh, okay. So, we'll we'll

147continue this discussion next month because I think that there's good there's some >> some things in here that uh I just I'm not trying to run a a foundation or um an an NSO at all, but I do think that they have a level of accountability, especially when things come up. Um because PTAs, we've got some PTAs that are doing robust things and they're raising like $20,000. Right. Right. >> But the the problem comes when the teacher says, "Hey, I want lanyards." And the the the PTO says, "Well, we're not doing that." >> Or the principal says that. >> Yeah. Right. Dan, we had a conversation previously about SGOs and you know obviously that we don't necessarily think have we don't think we have all the IRS guidance and anything like that. Um my sort

148of question and again I don't think there's an answer to this but if SGOs are something that CPS could use how would it fall in this policy again knowing that there are dangers to it that possibly it could cost us funding. So, just just a thought. >> Yeah. No, Brad's been our guy on this. He's given us all kinds of information. Stephanie's been looking up it as well. There are some public schools that have already started using them. Taylor has its own uh Three Rivers District has its own SGO. I think the question is not how the Fed guidelines are going to come out. It's whether the state then starts deducting our state foundation formula based on uh those amounts. So, >> and define a SGO for people that don't. It's a It's a IRS

149deduction that can be given based on contributions to a I don't know SGO is school >> scholarship giving scholarship granting organization. >> Scholarship granting organization. That's right. Yeah. >> So I think we do we put that here. >> I think it's probably a separate policy that we Yeah. Um but the feedback about the policy is really helpful. So we will take that into consider. I know there is. Yeah, >> I do think we should probably just table this for next month to continue next year. That would be great. And then the other >> the last one, high schools of choice intra district enrollment. Oh, wait. There's two here. And then community. >> Yeah, I think that's a another bigger discussion. And maybe we invite uh board member Matt to the next meeting since she's on

150there too >> as a >> Yeah. Well, Ben probably knows what she wanted, but let's just table that one until Can you give us a heads up on what that meant for you? No, I think um I think just as the corridor like the feedback I've been getting on my my grand tours, I don't know what board member Map's discussion point is, but just as we're looking at enrollment across the district um for the secondary education piece of how are we directing kids to make sure they're getting to the right places, the right programming, um the right distance from their homes, things like that. just reviewing the policy to make sure that we have the kids in the right places that will help benefit them. I just wanted to take a look at the policy.

151I'd never really seen it before. So, I wanted I was hearing feedback from principles. I wanted to be able to take a look at it um and see what we could do to make sure that um enrollment made sense across the district. >> Okay. So, we'll table that for May. >> And then I do kind of remember about community learning centers. I had a thought and this might have been mine. I'm not sure. But to me, we have um we have wonderful community learning centers which I absolutely support. But I think that the we are excluding some people with regard to the cost um in utilizing our buildings. And so I wanted to look at that and make sure that we are actually being a community learning center and that providing access to the um

152to the community to utilize our buildings. And how do we how do we do that with fidelity for nonprofits or forprofits? I know we've got churches that use our buildings on Sundays, but seeing if um if we're actually being accessible as the policy states with regard to community learning centers or it do we need to add something in here? So, we'll talk about that in May, too. Oh, yes, ma'am. >> Should we also have just with this the listing? >> Probably. So, you mean for the for the discussion >> for facilities? Yeah. There's the discussion to have what is it that we have documented yeah >> online that we're charging for an auditorium or >> field. Yeah, that would be helpful for May. >> Okay. Anyone do we have any hearing of the public? Rob.

153Oh, great. Anyone else have anything else for the good of the April policy committee meeting? Julie, >> I just want to remind everyone that there is going to be a public education um forum and we will have some very um knowledgeable speakers. One is Scarlett Bouter and she works she's going to talk about all of the legislation that's coming down against public education policy matters going to be talking about the impact of some of the tax um issues that are roaming around the state and then Dennis Willard is going to be talking about the impact to our budget um around vouchers. But it will be free. It's from 5 to 6:30. It will be in the ILC and it's open to the public and anybody who your organizations if you want to share it and

154I have some flyers here and we have it online and I know a couple other organizations. This is not just a CTF event. Um all of the eight urbans across the state are doing very similar um town halls because everybody's um budgets are being negatively impacted. So, this is going to be um chaired by um Mike Gustin, Superintendent Murphy, and CTF. So, it will be on Wednesday, April 22nd. But I will tell you, it will be highly, highly informative. It is a very good use of your time and everybody should try to attend because it's really it's literally an attack on public education. >> Is this being streamed anywhere? I don't know. So, it may be stream. >> It may starts at five. >> It starts at um starts at 5:00 p.m. 5 to 5

155to 6:30. I do believe we're going to be able to stream it. And it is at the board of education on April the 22nd. So, if you cannot make it in person, you at least may be able to watch it on our socials. You probably can't comment unless you're here, but definitely tune in. >> We want people in person, though. >> Dr. Moffett, we do have a comment. Um and uh a comment uh thank you Dr. Malfa for the accessibility piece uh for the learning centers. So >> absolutely absolutely anyone else. >> All right. So I call our April policy