CPS Board Business Meeting March 2, 2026

001I I really do. I really do. Uh I call to order our uh March 2nd schoolboard meeting here. Um get this works. All righty. Seeing a quorum of voting members, uh I call ordering school board meeting for March 2nd, 2026. Superintendent Murphy, will you please introduce introduce our students for the uh pledge of allegiance and have everyone stand? >> My pleasure. Today we have the students from Walnut Hills High School where Mr. John Chambers is the principal. Wana Hills Eagles, please join me for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Yeah, I tell you, high schools do it quick, right? Get this over with. Um,

002Treasure Gustin, please call the attendance role. >> Miss Arburster >> here. >> Miss Bolton, >> present. >> Mr. Crosset >> here. >> Mr. Lindy >> here. >> Miss Matt >> here. >> Vice President Moffett >> here. >> President Greg >> here. Um, before we continue with our normal business, I want to take a little personal uh privilege to say the district lost another shining light last last week. You know, we know the loss of any child is tragic in our community. We ask our community to keep the family in their thoughts and prayers. Um, at this time, although we won't spec specifically reference the students, we do ask that we have a brief moment of silence um for the uh lost child. Thank you for that. I will now turn it over to Vice President

003Muffet to explain the virtual hearing of the public process. >> Members of the public who are online and wish to speak during our hearing of the public this evening may do so by clicking that chat button right now. The chat feature will be open for your request for 5 minutes. If you'd like a direct response to your questions, please make sure to share your name, your affiliation to the district, your school community, your topic, and your contact information. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Moffett. Uh, I need a motion and a second to approve the March 2nd business meeting agenda. >> Motion second. >> I move. >> Miss Arberster, >> yes. >> Miss Bolton, >> yes. >> Mr. Crosset, >> yes. >> Mr. Lindy, >> yes. >> Miss Matt, >> yes. >> Vice President Moffett,

004>> yes. >> President Craig, >> yes. So tonight's agenda is approved as posted. Uh to our next item of business here. Do any board members have any acknowledgements or announcements? Uh board member Arberster. >> Ah yes, I had so many amazing events last week. Um and so I wanted to first acknowledge our superintendent. I had the pleasure of attending the chambers's uh annual dinner last week where um superintendent Murphy was honored as a we are making black history honore. Um it's a very prestigious award and um we are lucky to have her leadership and her changemaking attitude here in our district and I just wanted to say congratulations um Dr. Dr. Moffett and I also had the pleasure of attending the Rothenberg spelling be which was amazing and really inspiring to see all um of

005their students get up there and be brave in front of a enormous crowd of people and um spell words that I would struggle with. Um so they even had a second grade student make it to I think their top five. Um and um just really really impressive uh to see that community come together to rally around the students. Um and yeah, I continue on my tour of amazing schools here in CPS and I shout out to all of them that have been very kind in hosting me. >> I think it's a rare occasion that we get the superintendent shocked on something that comes on the screen here and so I appreciate uh that that feeling there. Are there other board members who have announcements? Board member, board member Lindy. >> Thank you, President Craig. Um,

006I can be brief, but I wanted to thank interim principal Yates at Pleasant Hill for, uh, letting me walk around the school with him on Friday. Um, really learned a lot, really appreciate his hard work and the hard work of the teachers in that building, all the staff in that building. Um, and I just want to say thank you and I really enjoyed my visit. Other board members? No. Oh, Vice President Moffett, >> I'm going to have my pictures next week. I didn't send them to Rob, so it's my my fault. But I do want to mention that the um CPS International Jazz Fest was this past um Saturday. Today's Monday, Saturday, and all of our students did amazing. Um we had an introduction by President Craig. It was awesome. and uh it's a great

007date night. If you missed it this year, you will definitely be beneficial to catch it next year. Also want to say that I attended along with um President Craig and the superintendent a recognition ceremony at the University of Cincinnati for Spencer Marian Spencer scholars. I'll have my pictures um next week and I I forgot to send them. I didn't know if everybody else was going to do that, but I I typically take pictures. So, we'll have our acknowledgement of our SP Marian Spencer scholars. Um, South Aenddale had a great parent engagement uh, panel discussion in conjunction in our partnership with Hamilton County um, Juvenile Court and um, it was just very engaging. We had vendors come out. Thank you to that entire team. And lastly, Crayons and Beyond, which was formerly Crayons to Computers, had

008a really great reception. and I attended with uh President Craig and our deputy superintendent and they have announced a great initiative where they are bringing supplies to teachers. Woohoo. So, you'll have to hear more about that. And they've got a wonderful partnership with Sam Sam Hubard and Hubard's Cupboard. And um it's aggressive, it's assertive, and it's exactly what our teachers need to support our students. So, I'll have pictures next week, but I wanted to make sure that I said thank you to all of our teams and our staff that have made that happen. Great job. >> All right. And then, uh, board member arms had another >> Yeah, sorry, I did forget. I I had so much CPS love this past week. It's hard to remember everything, but I didn't make it to these other

009amazing events on Saturday because my gym was hosting the um Cincinnati Premier Youth Basketball League tournament and I am very proud to say that every CPS team that played in our 10 games that we hosted won and beat out our suburban colleagues. So, I was very proud to see CPS performing and the future of CPS basketball is very bright. >> Board member Matt. Um yes, I would like to give a kudos to uh super assistant superintendent uh Badget um for making sure that um he coordinated um with uh several of our schools, our middle schools uh Pleasant Hill as well as uh Evston and Woodward um for those students to be able to attend uh Central State University for their professional education educator preparation summit. That was a mouthful. Um, but I just really appreciate

010you for making sure that the students had an opportunity um to experience um what it was like to be on a college campus with a focus around education. I know that the students thoroughly enjoyed their time there that they learned a lot and was really grateful to experience the cafeteria. Uh so thank you um uh Mr. Badget for helping to facilitate that for our students. >> All righty. Uh board member cross. >> Last thing I wanted to uh thank Amy Thompson of the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative for organizing the uh mentoring summit last week. I got a chance to attend part of that. It was very well attended event. Lots of good energy and um a lot of interest from a lot of our partners around the city. >> Awesome. Um, I'll do just three really

011quick ones and I'll turn it over to our treasurer and superintendent for any uh uh announcements and kudos they might have as well as any um retirement announcements. But first um I want to highlight we Dr. Muffet already mentioned that we went to the Spencer Scholars induction ceremony. It was a great event um with wonderful speaker Greg Lansman as well as uh vice president of ethics, compliance and community impact. You know this cuz she's my boss. uh Blue Zet Marshall um that that really welcomed the students into the process this year. It was a great event. I want to specifically highlight though one of the original Marian Spencer Scholars who's one of the original graduates of the Spencer School who is now working because he finished early in his programs at UC and still has

012time on his Spencer scholarship. He is now going to be working in our uh with our audit team. And so Maxwell Lawson, tremendous young man, but he was also kind of kicked off the Spencer uh induction ceremony as well and was kind of leading the group of the original scholars there who were there to celebrate. So but it's a story of CPS to me that is just so tremendous. Um, and even learning, you know, about him going through that process and about him finishing up because he started basically as a sophomore in college because of the work he did at Spencer and having almost 90 credits to start his school time with. That's tremendous. So, want to give a big shout out to to Maxwell and welcoming him to the district to spend some time

013here with our audit team. Um, I also want to highlight another thing that uh board member Armbster and I did on Thursday and we'll be doing it again this coming month is the widening the lens program that Taft uh offered with some of their students. It was a great chance to meet and talk with some of the students and hear about the things that are important to them, but also see the passion that are in some of these students that we don't often get to talk to and see and and recognize and form connections with some of these students who shared a lot of great stories. Um, but it was a fun event with a lot of great leaders in the community that were all there to to listen to the students and to learn

014from the students as well. Um, and then I would would be remiss if I did not highlight the fact that we have we're at the beginning stages of a great relationship with Kid Future CPS that saw a lot of community support for lost a lot of community members came out right before the Jazzfest event. Um, board member Crosset was there as well. But it's a tremendous opportunity for us to start to really re really think about what are the things that will make the student experiences better and how do we invest in those things? And so Superintendent Murphy was there as well. Um and several other community partners that have been there along the way that are looking to keep working with us. So um those were my uh highlights there. I'll turn it over

015to the superintendent and to treasure Augustine for any >> oh sorry board member crosset >> on that u widening the lens program it's a really cool program and hopefully we can expand it but I did want to give a shout out to Alyssa Yansy who has invented that so yes thank you >> President Craig everyone I have a couple of uh retirees that I want to share with everyone certificated personnel longtime long-term substitute teacher Miss Brenda D. McGee. We appreciate all of her service. And then we have a few civil service employees including Miss Carmen Bobo, a custodian one in our facilities department. Mr. Manny Everidge, a custodian one at Roselon Condan School. And then we have Patrick Ever, custodian 1 at North Aendale Monasuri School. And then also Bobby Lynn who is a security

016assistant too at James N. Gamble Monastery Elementary. And finally, Miss Diane Muscarella, a pair professional at Carson School. Congratulations to our retirees. And I do have a couple of more kudos. Uh all the things that were previously said, it was a very busy weekend. The kids love seeing the board members come out too. So I am truly appreciative of them. But I do want to talk about uh a couple of more things that happened. Uh and that is the excellence in awards recognition from Catatus. And we have several uh people who are being awarded starting with uh principal Kevin Williams from Silverton Elementary. He's receiving the James N. Jacobs Memorial Award of Excellence for Outstanding Administration in Cincinnati Public Schools. We also have Mr. Mark Hogan. This is interesting. If you don't know Mr. Hogan,

017a Kilgore Elementary School volunteer. He's receiving the John E. Pepper Education Community Service Award. He is a magician. A magician. And he's interested in spreading his talent to other Cincinnati public school houses. So, we'll be back in touch with Mr. Hogan. And then finally, Miss Mariah Johnson from Woodward Career Technical High School. She is the Woodward Trust Distinguished Teacher Educator Winner. So, this is for exceptional efforts and contributions of a teacher in Cincinnati public schools. So, congratulations to all of the Cincinnati's awardees. And then I also want to tell you uh I think this was last Tuesday. I'm getting my days mixed up, but um the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati every year honor and celebrate the Greater Cincinnati Youth of the Year. And so I had an invitation to come to their

018final competition. There were six young people from across the city. And the winner of this competition received $20,000. They had to give a speech about their experience in Boys and Girls Club, their experiences in other extracurricular programs, and what their future holds for them. And guess what? The winner, 20 grand, came from Western Hills High School, Miss Honesty James. All righty. Um, go back to my script so I don't mess up today. Uh, turn it over to Dr. Moffett for our hearing of the public. Thank you, President Craig. We are now at the item on our agenda for the hearing of the public. Each speaker will have two minutes and we'll address all comments to the presiding officer. If you have any materials or presentations wanting to be distributed to the board members, please give

019them to the board administrative assistant, Miss Phyllis Davis, in the first row. If you are online, once a request to speak has been granted, you will be invited to enter. You should click on the camera icon to go interactive. Provide your name, your affiliation to the district, your school community, your topic, and your contact information if you'd like a response to any questions that you may have. This request is consistent with board protocol and we appreciate your help. In the unusual event that someone is not willing to follow this protocol, we do reserve the right to end that person's time. Again, each person will have 2 minutes to speak. When the timer goes off, your time is up and please refrain from discussing any personnel items. After speaking, if you are online, you'll briefly see

020the welcome screen again as you transition back to the live stream meeting. Finally, we ask that your public commentary be respectful to all listeners and board members. Rob, do we have anyone? >> Madam Vice Chair, we do not. >> No. Okay. So, then I will call down. We'll start with our four speakers. They will be Brad Smith, Michelle Dunn, Karen Embis, and Julie Sers. Good evening, Board of Education. My name is Brad Smith. I'm a CFT field representative. I am a constituent and I am a taxpayer. I wanted to address the board policy regarding requiring standardized test scores on student report cards. During my second year teaching at Rockdale, I taught middle school. I was asked to find 40 students to focus on to pass the test. When I got the cut score was 400.

021And so when I got to student 20, I was pulling students who scored below 350. That year, my passage rate went from 8 to 11%. And looking at the scores, I saw that each student increased at least 20 points, most 40 to 50. If a student scored at the 320 the year before and grew 50 points, they're still not on grade level. My question to the board is, was I supposed to fail that child? Does a child who grew 50 points and is not on grade level not deserve an A or B? I always quoted Song Leang in my classroom who said, "We write our own destiny. We become what we do." My I didn't assign grades. My students earned them. Just because a child is not on grade level doesn't mean that the grades

022they earned aren't valid. What this policy does is question teachers with students below grade level and suggest somehow that the grade is inflated regardless of the progress the student makes. So, why not just replace grades with a single test score? 48 multiple choice questions once a year is not a reliable measure. Standardized tests are not the end- all beall. They're just one data point in many. They don't capture the amazing things that happen in our classrooms across uh this district. It's just another policy to malign teachers and blame them for society's failures. It's another step in the privatizers playbook for people like Ben Cleban and Dr. Janice Silver to close public schools and hand them over to for-profit entities. Ask the families of Don how that worked out. Thank you. >> Thank you, Michelle Duck.

023Just say your name when you all get up. >> Good evening. My name is Michelle Dunn. Last week, CTF provided testimony raising concerns about the policy committee inviting schoolboard partners to consult with you. Later in the evening, three of you defended the group and minimized our concerns. And we understand how the true agenda of some education consultants can be difficult to discern. They present themselves as neutral, but what cannot be hidden are the results of their interference in school districts across the country. It was stated, "Schoolboard Partners is agnostic about charter expansion." That is just false. Their origin story is actually rooted in promoting the portfolio model, a market-driven strategy that treats schools like stocks to be closed, replaced, or turned over to charter operators based largely on test scores. Their billionaire funders, well-known advocates

024of privatization, are not hiding this agenda. You can just read a Bill Gates memo and it says it right there what they're about. If you are a member of schoolboard partners and do not understand that this is their mission and their funding model, now you do know. Being affiliated with this organization as an elected official means either you are unaware of their purpose or you are complicit in advancing it. I spoke with public education advocates in Denver today, including a policy analyst, Mark Magcguire, about what happened when schoolboard partners and Ben Claybin came to their board. The founder of a parent group also told me this afternoon, quote, "No one should use Denver Public as a template for anything after what Ben Clayben and schoolboard partners did to their district. Protect our public schools. protect

025our students. We respectfully ask that you remove yourself from schoolboard partners. There are plenty of other resources that support schoolboard members that don't have these dangerous strings attached. Thank you. Good evening, President Craig and members of the board. My name is Karen Imbis. I'm a CFT field representative, a taxpayer, and the grateful parent of three adult daughters who were shaped by an excellent CPS education. I want to speak about the board's consideration of a model policy for the general counsel's evaluation. At the last board meeting, board members stated that the board has put out multiple calls for model policies. To whom and how were those calls made? What was the process? The only policy I've heard discussed was from an organization called the school called schoolboard partners. This is troubling because schoolboard partners is not

026what it seems to be. We've seen through its activities in other states that its true agenda is to promote educational privateeering and charter school expansion to the detriment of public education. Before calling schoolboard partners, did anyone at least make a call to the Ohio School Board Association, of which CPS is a a member? Its mission is to serve Ohio's public school board members and the diverse districts they represent, not the interests of billionaire reformers. Fundamentally, I am concerned about the policy committees increasingly that it's increasingly being used to exert an outsized influence over the work of the board. I hope the board will consider whether this model policy is just an expensive solution in search of a problem. My fear is that it's even more dangerous than that. I fear that is a Trojan horse

027to usher in and normalize the interference of an outside right-wing organization that promotes policies that destroy public schools. Thank you. First, I would like to say that I saw in the um report of the treasurer that accelerate grade schools is going to fund um the monastery educator preparation program and I think that is fabulous that they are stepping up in this capacity for our district. um the district and CTF we've shared an interest to ensure that every teacher in CPS Monasuri schools have the Monasuri credentials and due to funding cuts um over the last few years we were unable to make sure that every teacher have full credentials. So this is going to be very beneficial for those schools. But I also want to um speak on having an outside portfolio model. Um, we, the

028SAI Federation of Teachers, have recently raised concerns regarding the introduction of outside consultants affiliated with an organization called Schoolboard Partners into our local policy discussions. When we first heard about this, we started like saying, "What are what are they all about?" and everything just kept popping up. More and more and more um research um became available. CTF first became aware of the schoolboard partners when two consultants connected to the organization were invited to participate in the February 13, 2026 Cincinnati Public Schools Policy Committee meeting that was chaired by Ben Lindy and what they were invited I believe by the chair of the committee. A review of the professional backgrounds of these individuals shows that both have worked within charter focus reform networks. One of the consultants was named in a recent lawsuit in Denver, Colorado

029related to school closures and charter expansion within that district. The lawsuit alleges that consultant Ben Cleban engineers public school closures in order to facilitate private market profitering from public monies and asserts that he and district leadership focused on closing public schools while ignoring key rules governing district decisionmaking. These allegations reflect concerns raised by community members in Denver about how school closures were handled and how charter expansion followed those decisions. Denver public schools has often been cited as a leading example of the portfolio model, a governance approach that promotes closing district-run schools, expanding charter schools, and operating schools throughout performance-based contracts. Similar patterns have been documented in other cities such as New Orleans and Indianapolis. And there's a whole list of other cities where large-scale charter expansion followed school restructuring efforts. The consultants brought into our

030district have both operated within those so so-called reform environments. Our main concern is not based solely on individual resumes, but rather on the broader national agenda that the school board partners represent. Schoolboard partners were founded in 2018 to train and coach schoolboard members in advancing the portfolio model. The portfolio model treats schools like investments in the financial portfolio where boards divest from schools deemed low performing and invest in schools considered high performing. The framework emphasizes standardized testing as the primary measure of accountability, school closures as a corrective mechanism, charter expansion, and autonomous governance structures that operate with reduced direct oversight from elected boards. This model is supported by major philanthropic funders who publicly advocate for school choice and charter expansion, including foundations such as the Gates Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, the Dell Foundation, and

031other large education reform funders. It is also supported by national organizations such as Chiefs for Change, which trains leaders around accountability and testbased reforms. the Broad Superintendence Academy which trains leaders in marketoriented governance models both form part of a broader network that reinforces privatization of public education. Locally connected to this ecosystem is an organization called Accelerate Great Schools. AGS was modeled after reform organizations like mine trust in Indianapolis which was part of the early CE trust which is cities for education entrepreneurship trust network which was a precursor to the education city from which schoolboard partners later emerged. The leadership overlap between local actors and reform networks raises serious concerns about whether our local school boards are aligned with national portfolio-based strategies. board members who invited the consultants is Mary. Um, one of the board members

032who is invited who invited the consultants is married to Accelerate Great School's chief of staff and operations who's been responsible for directing the organization strategic work since 2017. CFTS has raised these pres these concerns publicly and spoke at the February 23rd, 2026 board meeting. The union objected to the district seeking advice from consultants regard regarding model board policies given the volume of evidence that these consultants represent with this within this organ organization whose agenda and philosophy are to undermine public schools. The school board partners promote a strategy that can be summarized as test. Rely on highstakes standardized testing as a primary measure of performance or possibly um I ready rank label schools as failing or underperforming based on heavily on test results or how much what percentage of teachers are using the curriculum exactly as

033um intended. punish schools deemed low performing, open charters and autonomous school options in place of closed public schools. Now, we have not been doing that within our district, but once these people get in here, that is what their goal will be. Critically, this approach shifts governance away from democratically accountable neighborhood public schools towards systems influenced by philanthropic funding, market competition, and private operators. The results in many districts has included increased instability from school closures, disruptions to communities, greater racial and economic segregation, and narrowing of curriculum to focus primarily on standardized testing and outcomes. The introduction of consultants trained in this model, combined with the recent efforts to incorporate standardized test scores into our district report cards, is a red flag. Public education should remain grounded in the democratic governance, transparency, and community accountability. We strongly

034urge the board to rely on trusted policy resources with our district already that our district already maintains formal memberships including the Ohio Schoolboard Association rather than an outsiding policy development to organizations promoting a national privatization framework. Our schools belong to our community. They're not your schools. decisions about their future should reflect local priorities, public input and transparent governance, not externally promoted reform models. I do have references for all of this and the um one article is u billionaires expose the impact of the portfolio model on Denver public schools and it's through the network for public education and we may be inviting um Mr. um Duire to come to Cincinnati to talk about this in a public forum. Thank you. >> Thank you. I believe that is the conclusion of public comment. Passing it back to

035you, President Gray. >> All righty. Um let's hope all of our presentations today move very smoothly. And so we're going to kick off our presentations with Superintendent Murphy introducing our first presentation. >> Absolutely. And then of course uh President Craig I invite you to Yes sir. Okay. So excited because last Friday uh President Craig myself uh Mr. Burkheart uh had our and uh treasure custodial consulting and uh I wanted to just share with you this is their deck that they utilized with us. And so I just thought I'd be transparent and share with you. Uh on the next slide you'll see the agenda for the meeting. Uh it was a very productive uh warm meeting. Uh Belleather and Rice were very open to commentary suggestions that we had in this opening presentation that they completed

036with us. So on the next slide you'll see uh what the warm-up question uh they presented to us. They were very instrumental, very interested in understanding what success would look, feel, and sound like for us. And so each of us had the opportunity uh to share that in addition to what would make it less successful for us. So on the next slide, they are proposing a particular timeline and you can see starting rather immediately this month in March. Uh but there are some gold stars that they list along the way including a potential uh very public kickoff, a few working sessions for internal uh stakeholders and then a final working session at the conclusion uh of uh the process. They put this in three phases to help make it under easy to understand in terms

037of phase one understanding the CPS landscape. Phase two talking about strategy and then phase three what our plan for implementation will be. On the next slide, uh they talked about the differentiation of responsibilities between Bellweather and Rice. And some of it they'll be working very jointly. Some of it uh they each will take primary responsibility in in the work as you see listed. You see the uh indication of who's leading the particular type of work and who will be a collaborator in the work on the next slide. Um these are uh ideas that we talked about in terms of various committees to be able to complete this work including uh the project leads myself, treasure Augustine and others, a steering committee, uh the work of the board, how the board will be able to give

038their input, their thoughts, their ideas, their no not right now thoughts, an advisory committee, and then various working groups around our strategic planning. On the next page, we were asked to identify some key stakeholders. And remember, this list here is what they initially presented. So, this has not been edited for any of the suggestions, additional suggestions, uh that we made. And again, they were extremely open to the suggestions that we um we made. And then, uh the final talked about what our next steps were. and that included uh scheduling some meetings um being clear about the standing committee and the beginning process for data that they're going to be seeking u from us. >> So I will add quickly and then I will uh open up for for questions and comments. Um but I'll add

039three quick thoughts onto our conversation. So one and probably go back to the slide with the uh there. Yeah, perfect. Uh reading my brain today. Great. Um, one of the things that we talked about within that is the steering committee being the folks within the district who can help lead them as they gain information as they're going through and looking at programs and projects getting access to schools. They they were this is a lot of the work that also both blew and rice would be utilizing. So Rice doing a little bit more of the outreach side of it and the engagement side of it. um Belleather doing the observations to understand what this processes are being done now, what's being done in each school, that type of deal. Whereas the advisory committee is the outside

040uh community. Um and so those are the folks who are may have an investment in the district, may have a maybe a stakeholder district or just may generally want to uh be in guidance. That's what we would traditionally and that's what we had talked about before about having um some type of sign up or some type of outreach to to gather members for that is something we will still do as part of the process. I think what we'll lean upon Rice to do in a large part of that is to build those that outside committees. Uh the second thing that I will kind of share in our thoughts on this, we have shared with them some of the information with regards to the other outreach efforts we've done and the community leaders and stuff that

041we've reached out to both with the and I I don't know if we've done the alma search yet with them, but we can share this information as well, but also what we just did with the council of great city schools. Um and so the list of community members and folks that that they um should be able to reach out to and get connection with. Uh Leslie Rice was on the call with us and she seemed really eager and really upto-date and understanding. I think it helps that she's also uh got her own personal connection to the district. So um there's a benefit to being already aligned with some of these things, but she understands the city, which is a benefit of having the engagement focus be done out of that. Um the last thing that

042I will share before kind of opening it up for comments. I think the biggest thing that we gained from this conversation though is that their recognition that the purpose of building the uh strategic plan will be to really gain a lot of these other things that we've done into separate categories and separate piles. So whether that's having, you know, an academic plan and then we'd had a finance plan and then we'd have this plan and that plan and all these different things that were under siloed spaces. What we really wanted to share with them is that we want that to be a more collective conversation point so that we have a strategic plan that's also actionable and pushes the district fur further than than you know we're imagining right now. Um and and uh both

043Bellweather and Rice seem to be really uh on board with that kind of concept, that kind of work. But we also put on them that there are a lot of strategic things that are going to be holding us back from the state level and other things that other barriers that we need to have as part of that conversation. So we didn't we didn't sugar coat it. We put it we put it all out there in front of them and they seemed still excited to do it. So um it's a great process to get started. So, I will um open up some discussion from board members. Any questions or thoughts? Uh board member Crosset. >> Yeah, thank you. Thank you for getting this work started and and I appreciate that um that both groups are in

044together and that they're collaborating. It seems to be off to a good start. I um just had a suggestion on your on the working groups, which is this bottom group. Um, I believe that we have an audit committee that's got some pretty good brain power and that might be another working group to consider in this process at some point. And I also think we have at least one employee resource group or an affinity group in the district which I think is the um teachers male teachers of color. Did I say that right? That might be another group to to ask to for some of their input in this as well. Thank you. And ju thank you for both those suggestions uh Mr. across it and just also clarify the working groups the advisory committee these

045are all like formed committees there will still be a number of levels of engagement that don't touch to being committee responsibilities um because I think they talked about meeting with the students meeting with parents meeting with parents who don't normally talk to us and these different things um so there was there was absolute space for those groups as well to be a part of those working groups but there will also be engagement beyond just the working groups and the steering committee and the advisory committee other board member Bolton. >> Yes, thank you. Uh appreciate the work and very excited about the willingness of our community partners to help fund this in well very very big job uh and timely when we think about all that is ahead of us. Um I'm a little concerned uh

046with the um summary here regarding uh Bellweather and Rice from a standpoint that I know that one of the major influences and and impacts of what the board decided was to be talking in terms of the financial uh parallel if you will and the the financial realities. I I think this seems very thin on the financial aspect and perhaps I maybe it's I'm not reading enough into it but uh I would really like to see a clearer um um handout uh clear characterization of what that financial uh perspective might uh produce as was required by what we passed in resolution. Treasure Gen, >> I I will say we spent a good amount of time on the call. It doesn't show in the slide deck, but we did spend a good good amount of time on

047the call talking about talking about the financial realities that we're facing. >> Um talking about, you know, making sure, you know, a plan that's not the plan is developed that cannot be um afforded, those sort of things. So there was there was discussion of that discussion of building out the financial plan. >> It's not as explicit in the slide deck though. I will >> Yeah. And I I think it probably needs to uh from a standpoint of a public document uh to capture what was said in a conversation is is helpful for me but not necessarily gives enough information to the public. uh because I I again I know in finance we talked about it sort of the model from the preschool promise effort where uh the financial piece was critical or where there was

048an outside group looking into uh u our financial um scenarios ahead as well as our financial history and I know we're we are always ready and always have to open our books and and get that kind of input and it would be great if um maybe even a memo uh to the to the board a little bit more about what the financial piece might look like. Thank you. >> Yeah. And and just add on before coming to um Bru and the board me this was their presentation prior to talking to us. So this is also not in reflection of the conversation but more in a reflection of how their strategies of engagement and how they would rice and blew weather would work together. I think a separate presentation would be helpful to have to the

049board which is things that we suggested >> um both when the initial process starts >> but then also along the way which they both seemed uh amendable to. So uh board member Armbster and then board member Lindy >> I I just wanted to point out on slide four it does mention developing financial scenarios aligned to the plan and then and that so it is not it is not thorough but it does at least acknowledge that they're doing that work. Um, so I appreciate that. Um, I don't think we can be very thorough. We're so early in this stage to uh, President Craig's point. Um, this was like an intro uh, meeting essentially. We're starting fresh. Um, I all I have to say is like, let's go. I'm excited. Let's let's get it started. Let's get

050detailed. Let's I'm ready. >> Board member Lindy. Thank you. Um, I wanted to start by saying I do agree with with Eve on the I had the same question about financials. I appreciate what board member Amber said. It's helpful to see that it is in that slide. I appreciate what the treasurer said that it was in the conversation. And I'll just echo um I think that is one of the one or two most important parts from this board member's perspective of the entire process. And I'm so glad that it's a part of the conversation. Um, I'll just say a couple things real quickly. Um, I think three things are true. Our revenue is going down, one, our costs are going up, two, uh, but the only way I feel like we can ask for new

051money is if we have a really clear plan for how that's going to lead to a change in student outcomes. I think this process is a great start for having really good answers to all of those questions. Um, I wanted to say specifically that I'm delighted with the pairing of Belleather and with Rice because I think we get the both the best of both worlds. Excuse me. Um, where we have a firm that has national expertise and experience with districts across the country. We should bring the very best of what works to families here in Cincinnati. And there are a lot of great things happening in Cincinnati already that we should make sure stay a part of our strategy or get scaled in our strategy. And so I think having the two of them together

052I think is just great. Um last thing um sorry two last things. Um, this board owes our superintendent an updated goal five for her evaluation because the way we wrote it in October assumed that this process would be finished in time for the budget approval. Uh, assuming that the budget approval is June 30. Um, I don't know. I just for myself am not in a place where I could script that or suggest something tonight, but I would like to challenge us to see if by the end of our next board meeting, could we have approved some language that aligns with this timeline and gets the superintendent clarity on what that fifth goal is going to be um for the end of her evaluation year. Um and the very last thing was um I just wanted

053to know what my next step was. Uh if I read this correctly, they will reach out to us to have some kind of initial interview with each board member. >> Yes. So the initial next step from what we left them with was we were giving them feedback on what we want as as kind of a more comprehensive idea. So they're supposed to bring back their plan of action and then that includes they're going to do a reach out to all of the board members. Um we were going to maybe we could do that a little bit in this conversation strategize around the framework of what that might look like. uh because they were open to suggestions as to what's the best method of communicating both as individual board members but as the collective board uh

054because I do think there's a value to that as well. Um so that was something we talked about in the meeting but we didn't get a concrete answer to. I felt that it was better to come back and certainly get some of the feedback from the board in that that aspect. I didn't feel confident enough to be say this is the only way we're going to do it but for right now the next steps will be that they'll produce a document that we can kind of give out to share the strategies. what's the next steps, what they're going to do, the plan of action, and they'll be doing the communications and outreach to board members, community members, everyone in line there. So, um, the Vice President Muffet, >> so I I do want to echo

055a lot of what my colleagues have said, but I won't repeat it. I do, um, I wanted to understand on slide five a little bit more of the differentiation of duties. Um I felt I do see where there is overlap but in with respect to the timeline and extending it um I I just don't clearly see where there's the financial strategic part of the plan and then there's the academic strategic part of the plan. I just don't see that differentiation. So, I don't know if that was something that was discussed that you all could share more of, but I I thought that we were going to have three plans kind of going on at the same time. And maybe I'm wrong, but if if that was were my thinking, I wanted to see where bellweather

056stopped, Rice picked up, you know, in some of that cuz I thought Rice was doing a lot of the engagement locally. And there's some overlap, but I don't hear when I look at slide four around the timeline. Um, h I see who we're going to solicit, but I'm a little concerned about like how is that process going to go? Where's where's Rice going to be? Belter going to stop. >> Yeah. And I I'll give my answer and then I will certainly allow the superintendent and uh treasure Gustin and and even if Mr. Burkhard wants to come on up, you can also add answers. uh but he was along on the call but the strategy that they're utilizing is that Rice is going to cover a majority of the engagement if not almost all of the

057engagement process >> and so that means meeting with folks that means going into schools talking with students talking with parents meeting with all the different groups the work of building what is going to be a one plan um is going to be a lot more of what Bell takes the lead And what we talked about with them is that while we can have all these different plans as part of that strategy, what we really do need is a district that has all these plans connecting into one thing. So we talked about this a little bit in our October um work session. I think the treasurer's office I think treasurer did the presentation where we had all the different strands of the different plans we have that all needed to be come together as one one

058giant rope, right? And so the idea is that that is what we're asking Belleweather to produce is something that would address all of those individual strands that are not separately because you can't talk about academics if you can't pay for the teachers. You can't talk about student achievement if you're the sheet of paper that board member Bolton is holding up. Um >> but so we wanted them to be able to encompass all of those things into what was being produced at the end, >> right? >> Um >> the other part to your question as to their like delineation of work and and duties is is that >> we because of there's going to be continuous discussions and continuous talks, there's going to be a lot of spaces where both bellweather and rice will be present

059or at least will be using information together. And so while maybe Rice does the field conversations and pulls information in, Belleather might be digesting that information once it's received as part of their discussion. So, >> thank you for that. And I and I get it. I just don't and maybe this is too soon to be asking this type of question, but I I think we've got a lot going on for our district. It was about financial planning, current and in the future, academic, and then long-term stability, sustainability planning. And I just was not clear based off of this short timeline of 4 months, which will be extended, on who was doing what. And I understand that they have to go uh they they there has to be some concurrence, but I'm just wondering um is

060that is that is like a long-term stability plan, more the bellweather side and with engagement from Rice. I just I think I'm I'm ahead of myself on this question, too. We just need to have >> and maybe just the other part we'll we'll have them come in and do a presentation to the board. But I I think the other part to this is I wouldn't look at this as who's preparing the plan at this point. I think what we are looking at on their calendar is the first phase is you got to get information. So how are we gathering information? How are we getting information to devise what are those steps that the district needs to do? What are those things the district can do and can't do? What are those things that we financially

061can't do and can't do? one of those things that we don't have a building to do versus things that we need a building to do. Those type of things. Yeah. >> And then from and this is where they also we talk about timeline and just again please correct me if I'm misstating any of this. The phase two and phase three are the parts where they felt um and an an extended period of time and mostly phase three might be beneficial. They felt phase one they could do even in the timeline schedule that was listed which is just the engagement and getting information and gathering insight. That's largely going to be Rice's lead since they're here in Cincinnati. um the strategy, the other stuff at the end, the development of the actual full plan and how

062to step towards implementation. We're going to be a little bit more of where Bellweather took the lead with Rice's support because again, you'll still be doing engagement while you develop ideas and that part. >> So my my last point, which is kind of why I'm asking this question, is around we were asked to solicit any members that we knew in the community, etc. for participation with regard to the strategic plan. So I guess it would be community leaders um any anyone partners etc. So I'm just wondering where that would fit. So that's why my question is so there are some people that want to look for creating an innovative CPS and they don't want necessarily here and now but they're like hey we need to be um you know new millennium thinking and I want

063I want to do that and so I'm wondering where do we interject those people? >> So that's why I'm I'm asking that question too. Where do those people go and what part of the plan and I guess really Rice will take the lead on that and we just need to get more information. Yeah. And again, I think there'll be plenty of opportunities for them to be able to communicate. I mean, the right Leslie Rice talked about multiple ways that she was, you know, whether at basketball games, handing out QR codes so folks can do surveys, whether they are because we talked about the fact that everybody gets emails and at some point you become somewhat uh indifferent to the email you received and so the different ways to communicate. So, they're they will certainly be

064able to bring in a strategy and talk through those steps and and probably more clarity. Um, let's go board member map and then board member Robert Brewster. >> Um, just quick question. So, in looking at this, I recognize that this is kind of very broad information. I'm just curious to know when um will how often and how frequent will the the board be integrated into in terms of as they're gathering this information um how often would we be included in the discussion to make sure that one we're getting the themes that um the community is kind of like interested in as around the strategic plan and also to make sure as I know um vice chair Moffett would discuss about making sure that the board's voice is also a part of this discussion as well.

065So I recognize that on this page here or the slide is saying strategy development and then going into phase three for the implementation. You know if there could be a clear distinction on when this when the conversation comes back to the board before we're stepping into that implementation uh uh phase. And I do like that you said that there will be opportunities for them to come and do a presentation. So I'm sure that that will be helpful. Um but again just wanting to know what that cadence would look like for us. >> Yeah. And I think that's something we can ask them to kind of bring once they've completed. So I mean again this was their plan before they met with us. And so I think they've now gotten more guidance from us in that

066discussion to bring a timeline. I think they were also a little bit waiting on the timeline just to decide whether or not we were going to hold fast to kind of that June July. Um but what I told them in that meeting. I think I I was very uh adamant about this is that we would require regular updates to the board both as they gather information and then as they start talking through solutions as well as regular conversations with the public so the public can also give opinions about, you know, do I like this idea? Does this map to what I think the district should look like? No pun intended on that one. Um but and and and all those things. So I do think there would be regular engagement with the board as to

067where they are in the process as well as what particular things that they are looking at or considering may not be in high detail until it's probably more fleshed out into a plan but I think as those stages go they certainly seemed open to that um kind of idea. >> Uh yeah so I have not met with any of these people. I'm making assumptions here, but based on what I am reading, I think we need to have a better understanding what we're being presented with because what I'm looking at on this slide with the little moons as I think they look like um is an overlap for the very specific engagement plan. And I think what Dr. Mafet and Miss Bolton are looking for is for that same similar concept for what's on page five,

068which is the other aspects of the plan. >> And so they don't they're looking for something that isn't there yet. And so when you give us part of it, which I'm not saying it's right or wrong, I'm just like trying to say like moving forward, I think it'd be helpful to say we don't have that piece yet, but what we do have is this before when it's being presented so that we have a clear understanding of what has and hasn't been developed. I think it would just help the board to understand because we're not in those conversations. And it is brand new, right? Like these are two partners that are just been thrown together. We have an outside fun. like this is all really at the beginning stages and in a new format that not

069everyone has been familiar with. So like I just want for clarity moving forward for the board that's not involved in these outside meetings which is appropriate but like when it's being presented to us for a little more context behind this is all we have at this moment and this is why we will get you more information as it becomes available. things like that will maybe minimize some of this confusion. >> Yeah, absolutely. And again, this was intended to be the introduction of information they shared with us. Um, going forward, what we will likely try and do is is to bring more specifics to what the process will be. And then also, again, I I was very hopeful that we can have them if not at our next meeting at the April first meeting April to

070also walk us through kind of where they've been doing the outreach. Um Lesie had a lot of great ideas and I think she sells it so much better than I would do. Uh I don't know if superintendent or treasure disagree with that point but um she was like we going to be at everything. We going to be every bake sale, every school activity, making sure that folks are engaged in in the process. So I think they're looking for a lot of robust which is not dissimilar to what we from um what was shared with us happened during the alma process is gathering a lot of information but um the only thing I will add is that maybe at our next board meeting what we'll discuss is just revisiting the timeline. I don't want to make

071people kind of sit down and think about that at this present moment but just what is a reasonable timeline for that LA for an end date. um you don't want to go too far back, but we also do owe the fact that this process is starting about two months behind even our best of goals there to get it started. So, all righty. Um, Treasurer Augustine, please present on your first presentation. I'm going to actually ask to go a little bit out of order and have you do the budget uh presentation first before we do the levy presentation. Um, but go ahead, Treasure Gustin. >> Sure. Thank you, M. Thank you, President Craig. I they are kind of two sides of the same coin. So I mean as as I was developing these there were definitely

072slides that could have went in either one or could have been flipped around. Um Rob, if you'll go to the first slide. So so a week ago just a week ago uh Mr. Ashley over there um presented the 5-year forecast. And so just want to remind folks of some of the takeaways. Uh big one is revenues will decline from 26 to 27 and then we anticipate they will flatten out from 28 to 30. Um this is whole lot of whole lot of reasons behind that. Um property tax reform decrease in state support those sort of things. Our cash balances um so in the year cash balance remain around 33 days of available cash. So that is that is not a lot for for an organization of our size. So just a reminder of that. Um

073when we did the forecast, we forecast the expenditures uh to stay with revenues. That was based on a resolution the board passed a couple of years ago. So basically a balanced budget for for lack of a word. Um and then obviously without reductions in spending, we'd run out of cash in 2028. One of the things that I noticed from last last week's presentation is many people fixated on the worst case scenario slide. So I had a lot of questions about that, but but it definitely got people talking. So appreciate it. If you'll go to the next slide. Um this is our this is our bud either general fund budget or target. So from 21 till to where we're at. So we're looking at FY27 budget target of 627.9 million. That comes straight off of the

074forecast. Um it's a reduction of 6.8 million from current year. So that is a 1% reduction 1.07%. Which does not seem like a lot. It will feel like a lot. It will feel it will feel like an awful lot. Um I think part of the issue is this will be the second kind of year in a row where we're have a declining um budget target. So I think that's that can be difficult. You can also see there the 22 to 24 years. you know, those years we had a lot of ESER money and so and and so that that allowed us to do a lot of things with the Esser money and so we didn't feel we didn't feel um having those having those low general fund budget numbers those years as much. So So

075that is where we are. Um we do have to just talk about some newer returned items. Go ahead Rob, you're you're rolling. Um so step increases are about $6 million a year whether we like it or not. Those are baked those are baked into the contracts. Um the cost of living adjustment will add about 16 million to next year's budget. Um and then if you remember last year one of the things we did to to get to balance was defer device lease payment for a year. And so that's coming back. So all those are kind of the big ticket things that are coming back. There's also things to look at facility repairs. Um many of many of our contracts are multipleear contracts that have an uplift built into them. Um insurance gets more expensive to

076ensure that our buildings, our property um liability. High level most things that we purchase are going to have about a 3 to 5% uplift. So so just just in general with the rate of inflation and all the things that's that's what we're looking at. So, so it is very difficult to do the exact same things we did uh when everything gets 3 to 5% more expensive. If you go to the next slide, Rob, um kind of how we build the budget. So, so the box in the middle is our target and then we put all these other little boxes in. So, for school-based budgets, um we kind of have into three boxes. We have the school managed staff. So those are those are the staff that are formulaically based um on enrollment projected enrollments. We

077have some centrally managed staff at the schools. So a lot of folks who provide special services to our students u and then the schools have some non-personnel funds as well. On the centrally managed side, you know, we've kind of broken those into four categories. Top one is legal compliance, which we'll talk a little more about. And then we kind of have a high and medium and low priority. Um and kind of all the budget requests are in there. So initial all-end request um is 702 million. So that was that was everyone's request all put together as of as of last week. Yep. Um we spent a couple days looking through them. We are down to 687. So So we definitely took took some off the top right away. Um and so obviously there's there's more

078to take off the top and we'll we'll talk through that but but the first thing I want to talk about um if you go to the next slide Rob is legal compliance. So so there are a lot of options in how a school bud school district's budget is built but there are some things that aren't really optional and these are the things I think last year we called them fixed and obligated. Um this year a little bit broader definition but these are legal compliance things. So these are things that we legally have to do uh for one of two reasons and one reason is to operate a school district. So every school district has to has been superintendent. Every school district has to offer certain certain classes, certain services, certain things. Uh the other side

079of that is every is we also all the things we have to do legally to operate a business of more than 50 employees. So like one thing we have to do is we have to offer health insurance to our employees. you know that that is part of being a business of over 50 over 50 employees that's part of the affordable care act you know same thing with I just think in in the treasur's office shop a lot of the payroll reporting stuff you know all those things are required you know to make to meet fair labor federal fair labor standards act so putting those two things together that gives you kind of a group that we're going to call legal compliance and these are these are non-discretionary things that that allow us to maintain business

080operations So, was hoping to have something for you today, but we haven't quite got there. Um, but we're doing kind of a review process um of the legal compliance stuff. So, we've looked at all the initial requests. We've categorized those. Uh, we've done peer review. So, we've done a couple rounds of peer review looking working with the people who who are hands in the budgets to see um being sure we try to level set across different departments, which can be difficult. You know, it's very different. Curriculum is very different than finance. you know, which is very different than than technology. So, so level setting there. Um, and kind of the the one piece that that we're working on currently I would say is reviewing of dependencies. So, so if you know if I think something

081is legally compliant that requires, you know, software and and Jeremy, Mr. Alu over there thinks that we don't need that software. Well, then we're going to have a problem. So we have to look at those complian we have to look at those dependencies to make sure that that we have roughly the same the same level of priority on those dependencies. Uh and then and then the final piece that we're also working on is is packaging packaging up all this information to have the right level of detail so that so that's easily understandable um obviously for the board for the and for other stakeholders. So that is where we are at. Um hopefully I don't know President Craig if you want to talk a little bit about the schedule. You look like you're >> So I

082will just say we were working through kind of devising a schedule for when the next proposals will come before us. You know, our hope is to have something at the next meeting that we can vote on. Um and then just kind of continuously keep building the budget up from there. Um but we will we will certainly bring back a plan of a kind of a schedule of a actions at the next meeting um to at least get us going. We can always adjust the schedule but it's good to start with the schedule. Uh questions board member crosset. >> Will this schedule still target June 30th or will it be more in align with the u strategic plan? >> No no it'll be it'll be because we had to pass a budget by no later than

083June 30th. So it will be so that we finished and are voting on the final kind of full package of information that gives the authorization and all the lovely stuff at the last meeting of June. >> So there's components of the strategic plan that could the some of that financial information could be beyond one year that we could >> uh address in July. >> The strategic plan should be well beyond it should be at least four to five year plan. So, uh, board member map, >> um, just a thought and, um, maybe treasure as well as, um, you can help me kind of process through this. So, I do appreciate the scheduling piece in terms of the budget. I know in um finance we talked about um presenting those um legal legally required um budgetary

084you know things that we have to account for um which is totally understandable. Um my my thought though that presents maybe a challenge is you know if we're having like this regular flow of um different packages and we're v voting on that. I'm wondering what that would look like kind of on the back end if we don't have that full picture to know like okay we're we're making a sacrifice here but what that would what the impact would be later if we're presented with a different option. So, I'm just kind of thinking through like the pros and the cons of that because, you know, we've had in, you know, previous experiences where we've voted on something and then maybe we weren't to the point that you shared last time like, well, we voted on this,

085but now we're not necessarily satisfied with that, then what do we do? So, I'm just again processing through the the benefits of it and obviously the challenges of it and if there's a way for us to be able to have that I guess that that um sweet spot where we're still able to actively work through the budget but again also um not kind of confine ourselves, right? >> Yeah. I certain certainly I think I think if we had a word to describe the last couple budget processes in one word it would be painful. Um um and so but but I I think you know not not to get so far in front of ourselves but but you know you look at you look at it you look at this budget target you know 6 627.9

086but that's not that's not a real number because there are so many legally compliant things we have to do. So, so part of it is is take take that off the table and that number now changes. Now we have a smaller number to fit but we've also ensured this ensured this bottom layer. Um you know we have we have obviously administration has kind of things layered in levels and you know and so our next level would be what we call the high priorities. Um you know we colloquially call those the must haves but these are the things they must have. So, so that would be the next the next group to talk about once we get through legal compliance. Um, and we can talk about, you know, legal compliance should be kind of the easy

087one. It should be the easy win, but we can use it to test out the amount of information. Is it too much? Is it not enough? Um, does it make sense? Those sort of things. Kind of like the test case before we get to to decisions that are going to be harder. I think just to add really quickly onto it, I think the goal in us doing votes is not so much that we would vote on like full ideas or packages all the time, but sometimes it's about giving direction to the administration. So, if we're saying that we're not willing to uh get rid of this or we would prefer to do something bigger with this, those things they would need to be able to create those options as to what the budget would look

088like. And I think the more we're able to do some of that clear direction. So, like legal compliance will be one we just vote on legal compliance like this stuff we got to do. But but there are other things that we may vote on like is this the direction we want to go in? And if so, that gives the treasurer and the superintendent the guidance they need to be able to create the the options or the recommendations. >> That that's really helpful. Again, I just, you know, wanted to caution against us getting so far down, you know, um the line where we may not be in a position to kind of recover from it. Uh so board member Lindy and then Dr. Moffett. >> It's great. Thank you. I think this um next year's budget

089is going to be challenging for all kinds of reasons. I think the treasures articulated that better than I can. I think it's also just connecting to our previous conversation. It's going to be a budget that we have to pass. Um, I suppose the strategic planning process will be finished by the time we pass this budget, but I know there's another presentation tonight about a levy and wherever that lands, there certainly would not be a new source of revenue that would have been identified. Is that accurate? >> That is accurate. I I I would say we have to plan for the revenue that that we've done in the forecast. >> Yeah. Yeah. I just it's going to be ch I just say that because that it's going to be both challenging and potentially odd because it

090best case scenario it's not necessarily representative of the long-term picture. Is that >> fair? Fair. >> Um and I I'm agreeing with you treasure that we have to plan based on the revenue in the forecast. We can't we can't invent future sources that don't exist yet. Um I so so uh gratitude, empathy, uh managing my own expectations for what the next several months are going to look and feel like around here. Um and I was going to ask for the superintendent um you know what goes in this um high priority items category feels really important um because it can't be a lot of things. Um, and so from my perspective, and this is where, um, doesn't need to be tonight, but going forward, I'd love to hear your your opinion, is, you know, what's informing

091those high priority items. And in my sense, it's got to be two things. One is, you know, we do have a set of goals this year. Um, we have a goal in third grade reading. We have a goal in algebra 1. We have a goal in reducing the gap in reading based on income in sixth grade. We have a goal on improving the number of uh high point workforce credentials that are available. My sense is we should be learning some things this year about what's really important for driving those numbers and what's not working. Uh and so what would go in that green category for next year would be informed by lessons learned from what's worked this year. The other input would be whatever comes out of the strategic planning process like whatever we could

092pull off in a first year without additional revenue. Um, I'd love to hear any thoughts or reactions you have. >> Yeah, I agree with you, uh, board member Lindy. And actually, it's not even just what we're learning this year, but also for me last year, uh because there were some things that we put in place last year that we invested in uh that I think it would be important to wrap our arms around them because there are some things that we learned from moving one piece that we believe will benefit us instructionally across the board in all grade levels, and all tested areas. Uh and then also it's really important to me to make sure the kids are graduating uh in a productive way. So yes, the goals that we currently have are informing it

093for me, the directors being at the table with us. That's part of the direction uh and some information that we're getting and not doing this in isolation. >> Thank you. So, I wanted to I'm always going a little last, so I kind of want to expand on um some things that were shared for me when I look at this and um having lived through package voting multiple times before. I didn't like it. So, I wanted to share with you what would be helpful for me as a board member to actually be able to make what I'm calling informed, responsible decisions. Um, I would like to see where the cuts that are proposed are impacting academics because we have made cuts. Um, last year we lived through that. Um, and I'm I think I I'm wondering

094if some of those cuts had a direct impact on curriculum and the delivery of academic successful academics. like for the ELA manager specifically. Um I'm you know we we are cutting we're thinning things out and we're asking people to do more and so I I kind of want to know if we're going to cut disposition um for fiscally fiscal reasons how is that going to be reassumed? Is it going to just be go away or is it actually going to be put into another um job description? and can that really happen because we're trying to also navigate bargaining units. So, how is the academic work impacted by the cuts that are being proposed? That will also help me differentiate and kind of understand high priorities. Uh you know, they say, "Show me your budget and

095I'll show you where what your priorities are." And so, if I don't see a lot in it, but around engagement, then that then that's not a high priority. But I I'd love to have that automatically defined. I also would like to see new ideas differentiated versus continuation of existing services. Well, I think it's really nice that and and and it is needed. I don't want to dismiss the fact that we need to be more for students because our students are coming in with a greater a larger need. Our responsibility is academics. And so I'm really interested to see or have some differentiation in the budget description when we get to having these on the floor. What is a new idea of the administration and what's an expansion of existing um programming? So, you know, I

096I like um some of the things that we're doing, but they feel more social service to me, and I want to make sure that we're not expanding social service initiatives and we're actually sharing up academics. For me, the the barometer is the goals that we've established. So, I'm specifically looking at cuts to areas that are going to be impacting those academic goals that we've set um around algebra, academ um reading, they're already established as higher priority categories. So, I don't really want to see cuts to things that are going to impact those areas and be more supportive in a social service manner. And I and I this none of this is new, but that's I don't want to necessarily do. Do you want me to define social service? So I don't I don't think any

097of this is new, but I do think that um that would help me in when we do package recommendations, I would love to see like just some color coding, just something to say, hey, this is a new initiative that we're proposing for 26 27 or 2728 and it's for this reason. that would be helpful for me. >> Uh, board member Crosset, >> I wanted to uh echo board member Lindy is not here to hear me say this, but um I like the idea that he that we should attach um the budget to the goals, but we also got to keep in mind what goals we're going to set in the future. And I also think it was in my mind immediately what the superintendent said to look maybe back one year at those goals as

098well because they all of that needs some continuation to make sure we have sustainable success. Um I do want to u make a suggestion regarding um board member uh Dr. Moffett's comments in that um it might be one another way to frame this as a suggestion rather than looking at what's been cut. Maybe we can look at what we're building and where we've had to provide some innovation to meet student outcomes versus necessarily it just might be another lens to look at it that way that might be um equally helpful. So just a suggestion. >> Uh board member Bolton. >> Thank you. Um several things. Um I think for me that we not only have to build this budget for this coming year and as a third or whatever of our new strategic plan. But

099I think we have to build it so that there is room to have our strategic plan because right now the budget when we have to we have the requests at a certain amount and we got to get it to this certain amount and we're going to be u making choices that way. It would seem to me that we have to alongside that we have to save some range of action and priority and dollars to put into place a strategic plan. When we've done that seriously before, we added money in a particularly the first year or the second year of a strategic plan. And it's needed because you do have uh you're trying to build something new and I again budget invariably we're just rehashing or re-establishing uh the status quo and and virtually all of

100our initial planning is about maintaining the status quo and in this kind of year we have to be looking at something beyond the status quo. Um, I think it's going to be really um obvious to the public that we're going to be coming to them for a request. I don't think we can come to them for a request uh without being able to demonstrate that we have been fiscally responsible. Uh I think too uh it's perfect timing for a request if indeed we continue to be fiscally responsible and if we have bell weather and we have rice and we have on on the table a strategic plan. Uh I think that that's that will help sell something that certainly people don't want to have to to face which is that we need more money. Um,

101I'm I'm I think if a a program is helping, this will sound really bad. I think if a program or an effort is supporting or helping grown-ups within the system, I think those things will be cut because we cannot cut what is helping children and teenagers and and that's going to fall to the administration to try to figure that out. there's the supporting the grown-ups is is part of what we need to do and it's essential and directly or indirectly it does help kids. But these kinds of cuts or choices or building for the future the this we're no longer at a place where everything we do well let's say this at we are at a place now that where everything we do is going to have a negative impact somewhere and you have to

102figure out where you want to have that negative impact and we don't want to have it on on our young people first and foremost. I think too we're going to have to figure out I know there's there's dollars that are contributed uh to supporting the schools and but maybe located in central office all those things are essential and important but to the degree that we can redistribute our resources actually where the children are that's going to that's going to be important uh for me and I I'm I'm concerned of just one thing and we we uh I want to follow up. I don't know what social service means and I'm hearing that thematically the last couple of weeks in a dialogue within the district and I want to know what that means because yes we

103are also a social service and we have been for at least three decades and long before that. I got to know what that is. Does that mean we don't want to provide health anymore at school-based health centers? Does that mean we don't want to have social workers in our schools? Do we not want to feed the kids? Do we not want to transport them because they can't get here by themselves? I I'm having trouble. The whole child concept is really rooted on academic growth, student growth, but is also a whole child recognizing that in our environment, unlike the environment in which I taught for 36 years in Wyoming, Ohio, all of that social service embracing and supporting and serving and spending spending $50 million on transportation is all part of us achieving things academically and

104I know this board is committed deeply to our kids but I it is going to be part of how we have to figure out priorities. You're absolutely right to ask about it, but but it's in this district, it's so intertwined because of our population. But for me, I I want to put as much of our resources in the buildings as we can. And our central office is already understaffed. Totally. I completely believe that. We're going have to figure out if there's departments or groups that we are not making success fix and get rid of or what have you. But um this is going to be a very difficult budget and if we don't do this right uh we have no chance of even asking for a levy uh and being successful. So this is big

105several months ahead of us. But I I have I have confidence in our board and I have confidence in the community. But I think we we do have big big questions to ask each other about how we're going to do it. I have one last thing if I might. In ballpark, assure us about our debt. >> Okay. In ballpark. >> In ballpark. >> We'll make a chart later >> or we'll look at some chart he's already done, but go ahead. >> I I could call Mr. Ashley up on the spot, but I won't. But I won't. He and I did have a conversation about debt after after someone put that bug in my head that there may be a conversation. Um the big the big part of the debt we have two types of debt.

106We have voted and unvoted. The voted debt is our bond levy. Um and that's part of the that funds the facilities master plan that is paid off at the end of December 2031. And so and and so that is a that is a huge as we get into the levy discussion that is a huge opportunity for us because it will be actually a tax levy coming off the books. Um so that that's big. We also have a a good amount of unvoted debt. So that's what's we colloquially call cops here. But the cops, there's some other there's some other bond issues as well that were unvoted debt. Um for things like like energy efficiency improvements, we continue to pay those off. We paid one off last year. We're going to pay one off this year.

107Um the vast majority of that goes away after 2032. And we have I think one cop's issue, the one that we did when we bought the Mercy property that does run till 2038 for >> but but we will be we will be under we will be much le we have much less debt after after 2032. >> Thank you. >> All righty. So I'll go around quickly for any last comments on this. Um but I do want to remind folks uh we have several more presentations to go. So board member Lindy. Yeah, I'm I'm going to help and reserve my comment for the levy presentation that the treasur is about to do, but it responds to what Miss Bolton was saying about whether this is a good time or not a good time to go for

108levy, and I I'll bring it up then. >> All righty. Anyone else uh before we hit the next presentation? Vice President Muffet. Well, I feel like perhaps board member Bolton was asking me the question around social service, so I'm happy to define. Sorry, I just put a piece of bar in my mouth. >> Yeah, I know. Um, so I believe in everything that you just said. We are to support the whole child. I think that unfortunately districts across the nation in addition to ours are having to do more with less and that is inclusive of providing extra transportation, providing extra food, providing coats, providing things that we should not have to do but we are having to do that which is what I am calling social services. Okay. I believe that academic support of the

109child is inclusive of the community learning center model. Absolutely. I think we need to have medical there. It's on site. It's for our students. Dental there, it's on site. It's for our students. It helps them during the day so that that takes that burden away from parents having to bring them back in. I 150% support that. I also believe and recognize that our job is to be fiscally responsible. And so we need to do I've said this multiple times many different ways to this administration and others. We have to bring in partnerships because we cannot afford to do what we've been doing the way that we've been doing it. And if it's between something that I'm calling a social service and academics, our charge is academics. Let's bring in supports for the social for the

110other piece of that. I think it is fully we we can absolutely do it. I don't know if we've done it to the extent that I'm thinking in the past, not definitely not in the most recent past, but it is incumbent upon us to solicit to the community very accurately and succinctly what our need is and how we can maintain what we have and build upon that in order for us to pass any levy. And I treat the levy discussion as how would I, as the regular taxpaying citizen want to be treated. I want to see that you are being responsible, but I don't want to see a decrease in services. So, that might be one way. We've not told that story enough or succinctly enough. And so, that's what I'm saying is we have

111to to call upon some of these other partners who are willing or if they're not, say that they're not. But we've not done that because we've done a lot extra above and beyond academic support for our kids to the point where I think we're going to stretch ourselves thin. So that's what I'm talking about when I say social service. I do not want to degrade any of the work that's been done, but I do think that for us to go out and be supportive of external programs fully in lie of supporting our own or we're cutting managers, we're cutting significant positions that have an impact on academics. They absolutely do. And so I I would rather see us not support something that is more social service that's optional and maybe doesn't benefit a large number

112of students than to cut a curricular management position. And I'm just giving that as an example when I when our scores have a possibility of declining because of that. I don't want the responsibility to pick which position. That's why I said tie it to the goals. whatever our goals that we've established as a board, those pos I want to make sure that those positions are shored up so that we're not losing the integrity of our framework and that we have the ability to build in the future. But if we keep thinning everything down to do everything and be everything for everybody, then we're not going to be have a sure enough foundation. I don't know what that looks like, but I'm saying to you, that's my definition. I don't want to cut anything, but we've

113heard multiple times that we have to. And so, and that's the reality that we live in. But I do think we can do we can do something similar. It can't look the same, but we got to be honest and have honest conversations. And we may not be able to expand the same way. We got to we got to think differently. And I've invited this administration to think creatively along with others. So, >> all righty. Uh, so we're going to go to the next topic, um, which is still with Mr. Gustin, so I'm sure some of these comments will still flow through there. This, by the way, was the long presentation that we're about to have. So, Mr. Gustin, tell us about levies. >> Let's talk about levies. Um, if you go to the next slide,

114Rob. So, some of these slides I are just just a reminder for folks. So, I feel like I feel like we have a common levied slide deck that we kind of reuse and that way but but that way anyone has to go looking. Um, key things on this slide. Um, the big one is first election date. So the last time this board this district went for new money was November of 2016. So that is that is 10 years. That is that is an admirable that's an admirable record. Um and then obviously also seeing that the bond levy expires as we discussed in 2031. If you keep going Rob again this this is not new. This is kind of when when the existing levies expire. I think the takeaway from this is there is there is

115a nice gap between now and 2029 um for doing something new when you're not competing with the expiration of anything existing. If you go to the next slide, Rob, what's available to us now? This list has gotten much shorter over the over the last year. Um but but in general, there's two there's two types of levies. So there are levies um that are either the current expense levy or school district income tax that you can use for operations or assets. Um and then there are levies that can only be used for assets and that's your permanent improvement levy uh or your bond levy. So so if you if we need new operational funds if that is our desire, you're looking at the top two um and then the bottom two would be used for things

116that have a a life of more than five years. All right, keep going, sir. So, we are not the only folks in this vote. So, this is a this this is a chart of all of the um school districts in our area that that are going to be on the May on the May ballot. Um you can see you can see a lot of folks that that we have contact with here. Um a lot of income taxes as you notice a lot of schools are going for the school district income tax. Um there are some traditional property property tax as well but but you can see you know a wide gap everything from from you know four 1.3 mills in Zena to 8 mills in the Richmond. I mean that's so so a lot of

117lot of school districts are already kind of seeing the writing on the wall. I think as everyone's fiveyear forecasts get filed and they were due they were due last Friday you'll see even more districts having the same conversation we are. So, this is property tax reform. This is putting This is districts going to the ballot more often. Keep going around, please. Um, looking at November specifically. So, so we know there will be a children's services levy um on the ballot in Hamilton County. City of Cincinnati has discussed changing their earnings tax. We do not have any updates um since the mayor's state of the city address. Um some big elections. Obviously, it's it's a it's a congressional midterm, but it's also there's a US Senate seat up, all the House members and the governor and

118all the Ohio statewide offices. And just to make things interesting, there's a potential for the uh constitutional amendment that would abolish property taxes completely. We will we will call that local government Armageddon. That yes, that that that completely changes how local governments be funded in Ohio. So all of that could be on the ballot in November along with if we dec if the district decide to do something. So this um next slide is our is our final filing deadlines. So So the um the May 2026 election is set. We're past that filing deadline. Um the deadline for November is early August and then May of 27. May of 27 is early February and then August 4th of 27. So that is the filing deadline. Before the filing deadline, we would have two we'd need to

119have two resolutions passed. If you go to the next slide, talk about that a little bit. There's an initial resolution required to start the process. That needs to be at least a 100 days before the election. uh that gets us gives us authority to go to the county auditor. They certify the millillage and the ballot language. The ballot language will be different this year. So that was another part of House Bill 96. The property tax reform is instead of it will be based on um instead of based on appraise value based on market value. So so folks voting will see you know this amount of dollars for every $100,000 of market value. That would be a fairly large change. Um if we if the if if the decision would be to do an income tax,

120there's an additional step in that the county auditor certifies the millillage and then the Ohio Department of Taxation converts that millage into a percentage. So that that that lengthens out the process a little bit. Um and then your second resolution is an intent to proceed and that would need to be passed before the filing deadline. Um August 3rd conveniently is the last business meeting before that deadline. keep going. Um, starting I think I think December finance committee we did do some scenarios scenario runs um just to kind of give just just to set some boundaries of what a new money request would look like. Um, these are mathematical um projections. They they are not they're not really based on any deep discussions. they're based on based on looking at percentages uh and using some round

121numbers. So, so the work the work of the strategic plan, the work that's done in the next couple months would kind of fill those things in. So, if you keep going, Rob, you can see there we did four scenarios. They have a range there of how how things are done, if there's money set aside for new initiatives, um the facilities repair plan, how much of that we would we would try we would try to do per year. um you know non-personnel percentages and then person and salary and benefit percentages all different types of increases. Um if you go to the next slide you can see what that looks like um as far as as far as total new revenue annual amount estimated millillage um and the estimated school district income tax rate. So a couple

122things there. We base these scenarios on a five-year levy. So part of the idea was how to get to 2032. That was part of the idea, but also now that kind of we're off the 20 mil floor, now that levy fees are changed, we're in a more traditional levy environment. So, so kind of the way a lot of other entities do is is you figure out over a 5year period how much money you need. You divide that by five uh and and you set your millage that way. Generally, you will take in more money in years one and two. And that's the idea. The idea is you take in more money than you spend in years one and two. uh you kind of break even in year three and then years four and five you

123spend them you spend the money from years one and two. So and that kind of that just allows you know your expenses to to increase over time. So you can see here we have everything from from 5.67 to 11.84 mills as as possibilities. Again this is just for the board to think about just to set some ideas about about what it looks like. The other thing on here is the school district income tax. So there are two types of school district income tax that can be levied. Traditional uses uses just your gross income from from your state of Ohio tax tax form. Uh that your traditional earned income is is only on on wages. So so it gets withheld. It's only on wages. A lot of districts have have really pushed the earned income as

124a thing. It does not does not generally you know it's not going to be taxed on people's social security, their retirement, their investments. So, so for for folks who are trying to give a lot of relief to to your senior citizens, you know, it it does it does tend to help out retirees because they're not paying it. I did round income tax rates to the nearest quarter percentage. So, so there there's a big there's a big gap there. That's why the bottom two bottom two are the same. It's just the percentage gets you enough money to to cover both of those. All right, Rob, if you'll continue, it kind of brings me to the end of this for questions. So, so we did this graph last year to try to try to figure out, you

125know, how how we got to renewal. It was easier to get to renewal, but but you we basically three dimensions, you know, what type of levy, is it a current expense, um is it income tax? there's a way to do a permanent improvement levy and and kind of get the same benefit because you would use a permanent improvement levy to then pay off your exist pay off your unvoted debt. that would free up money um free up operational money and then how long you know you can you can put the levy on for as short as one year as long as five years or obviously there's the option for continuing some of the other options are no longer options um based basic thing and then of obviously the big question is the amount so so

126when so once all three of those things are known then we have enough information to move forward for resolution >> all right Um, you know, again, this is part of the reason I wanted us to do the budget conversation first today because we were not doing a vote on that. Um, but I think this helps clarify and color some of the conversation around what does a levy options look like. Are there any questions from board members? Crosset, I have a comment that relates to the prior topic. I'll just do it fast. I I agree with Dr. Moffett about the partnerships. I want to be sure that we include uh whatever partnerships that we are thinking about trying to pursue within our strategic plan and I really think the whole partnership process and solicitation etc should

127be driven by our district and by our strategic plan. So and the district needs to own that. So but I think it's a great idea. Thanks a lot. Okay. All >> righty. Yeah. Other board members. Board member Arburster. >> Oh man, this is a tough one. So, um, super fun. Um, I think this is a really, really difficult position for the board. Um, because to board member Lindy's point, going to get money without understanding the strategic plan is a really tough decision to make. and I understand all the reasons why we have pushed back the timeline for the strategic plan and I do think overall it's in the best interest for us to have done that. Um now we're on this deadline for like having to pass this resolution and I'm in this position where

128I don't feel super confident in asking anything when I don't really even know what the future of the district looks like. But um this it's difficult. So I think for me I I want to publicly talk about how important I think um this facility repair plan portion of um this new money request sizing scenario pieces. We've talked about it. Um that facility repair plan is the basics. It does not include anything um future that's not just making sure we have heating and functional um roofs, not to mention if anything new happens. So that continues to grow and change every day. And um that is something we really really need to make sure we have funding for. Obviously salary and benefits are incredibly important as well, but I think for me that facility repair portion is

129something I'm really focused on. Um because I not only want us to have the money to make sure our schools are safe and functional, but also um things that our our students and our staff want to be in. um they're welcoming, they are bright, and um they are places that people um can grow and thrive in. And to do that, we need to be able to to afford it. Um, so outside of all the reasons why it's really important for us to have a strategic plan to be able to show to the taxpayers that we have a bright future to work towards. I also think it's really important to for us to set aside this money to make sure that our buildings are in the right position. And Mr. Birkhart missed my first part, but

130I promise you I talked very highly. There you go. >> I am sure Mr. Birkhart was like grinning from ear to ear as you spoke there. Um other board members, Mr. Lindy. >> Yeah, thanks President Craig. I think um I agree with a lot of what member Ambusher just shared. I think it would be very very very difficult for me I don't think this is what the treasur is suggesting. I just is we're planning out a process for where we go. It would be very difficult for me to vote in support of a levy when there isn't a plan yet. Um, and I think we can do it. Uh, I really do. I think it will be difficult and it might cause us to need to adjust some pieces of timing with the with the

131planning process. I just don't say that we have another choice. Um, this is a segue back to what member Balden was sharing in the previous presentation. Um, I think there are reasons why it is clear to the public that why a district like ours would be asking for a levy at a moment right now. At the same time, I also think there are reasons why that's a very tough cell. Um, it could be a tough cell. A because, as part of the presentation too, other um government organizations around here may also be asking for increases. Uh, two, um, I I think just the affordability crunch is something that is on the minds of lots and lots of voters right now. And third, our third grade reading scores went down last year. I think it is

132hard to ask for more money uh unless there's a really clear plan that people can understand for how we're going to improve outcomes for students. I think we can do those things. I just think that's what the bar is and we have to align all of these processes so that we can do this the right way. Um I but one other thing I wanted to mention if we go back two slides to slide 10 and I know I touched base with the treasur about this earlier. Um, I I've been around long enough to have seen a lot of different budget processes, not not as long as every member of this board, but longer than most. And it often feels to me as though we are backing into a number um by thinking through, well, we

133do this first, then we do this first, then we do this next, and then how much do we have left? Then what's our gap to close? How do we get to a a a budget that breaks even while cutting as little as possible? And I understand where that comes from. I think it comes from a good place of wanting to do right by people. And at the same time, I don't think that's the right way to build a budget. I think we have to start with what's the vision for what we can do for children. What will it cost for us to do that? Why do we think we have a real plan to accomplish that? And then if that costs more than we're currently getting, we need to go raise the rest. Um but

134but it's it works backwards from something inspiring that we can do together for children um not backing into a number. And so I I was originally concerned when I saw this slide because it felt like we're backing into a number that we need to go ask for so we can keep doing the things that we're doing. I think that's backwards. Um and so I I want to hold a very high bar for how we do this. I think we should do this. Um but it's got to center a strategy for student outcomes. Um, it's got to tie all these pieces together. Um, and I'm gonna just keep bringing this up, I think, as we go through the weeks and months ahead. Thank you. >> If I if I could just I appreciate appreciate the appreciate

135the discussion earlier today >> and Treasurer Gustin is great and he had great answers to all my questions and I appreciate it. >> Yeah, I I appreciate the discussion the conversation earlier today and thought it would be be useful for everyone to hear. So, so these are like I said, these are mathematical projections. So there are lots of ways to get to get to these numbers. So for example, you know, salaries and benefits increase of 4%. You know, we took current year numbers and just and just added that on each year, but there's lots of ways to get to that. Does that mean you have more staff? You know, it's it's it's a number. There's lots of ways to get to 4%. Does it mean all the existing staff get a 4% increase? Maybe. Does

136it mean we add new staff? Does it mean we have less staff, but they get a higher increase? There's lots of ways to do it. Um, same with the non-personnel stuff. I think that's a little easier. You know, you could say all your contracts go up by the rate of inflation. That's probably not true. Some contracts we will we will choose not to no longer do. There may be new contracts that come in. Some of those will be more expensive. Some of those, you know, we may find cheaper ways to do things. So, so yeah, this analysis just t it for what it was, which was looking at the highest level of our budget, the highest the highest object level, which one bucket is salaries and benefits, one bucket is non-personnel. I mean, even higher

137than I think the forecast and then and then looking at, you know, what percent of the facility repair plan would we do? And if we set aside money completely without strings and again, you know, this is where the strategic plan builds these in. we set aside five million with no strength today, but we know as we build the plan, we we would say, okay, these are things that are critical to the plan that need those funding. So, so that I just wanted to point that out. >> Uh, board member Bolton. >> Yeah, I I appreciate u u Mr. Lindy's uh phrase about backing into a number. I I think that is what we we have been doing over any number of years and I think that's why it's been 10 years that we've been able

138to not ask for new money. I think the previous treasurer and the current treasurer have kept us within a range of of fiscal responsibility and expenditure based on revenue uh of which we are uh proud and even passing resolutions at the last two or three years saying that we are not we that we would of course we're going to have a balanced budget. we have to have a balanced budget. But the idea that we are limited by our revenue, uh this is very very important and that's part of our message to the to the public. But I I do think that um I do think that the the levy plan is is happening regardless of what the strategic plan is. The strategic plan is not going to necessarily influence the levy plan as much as

139our our our expenditures right now, our budget and what we know of the forecast is going to happen. The forecast is going to be demanding a levy plan. But I do think we are in danger of extending that timeline for the strategic plan too long because the, you know, we can last vote in August for a levy, but you wait till August to vote for a levy. you don't have enough time to run the campaign. So, we're going to have to find some sweet spot where we have some comfort uh with the budget, with the strategic plan. But again, I like that phrase of backing into a number. Um, you know, zero base is too hard to do and we try it and it is silly. Uh, it's the only way to figure out how

140you don't back into it. But I do think um the work that we did last year on um studentbased budgeting proved to make some sense for our neighborhood schools. It made no sense for our magnets or for monastery or high school. We couldn't even figure out how to do studentbased budgeting with high school. But so there's maybe different ways. central office. You know, maybe half of the departments in central office can really do zerobased and and get rid of the idea of what would be nice to have that can't even be in our vernacular. Nice is now a four-letter word on this budget because it's not what you it's not that anymore. Uh we don't have the money to for what would be nice. We and it isn't just need. It is something that makes

141a difference. If that dollar is not going to make a difference, then don't spend it. And that's it's very very important that that kind of energy and and creativity occurs around here, but mostly with the professionals that actually have to make all those sorts of decisions and recommendations. I mean, I I'm I'm encouraged by the whole discussion and and the crisis that we're in. And very frankly, as much as you don't may not believe it, we are in so much better place than almost any of our cohort around the state. And that's how bad they're in. That's >> all right. I'm going go Dr. Moffett and then board member Lindy. So I I just want to very friendly disagree with my colleague that the strategic plan isn't going to influence a levy because the the

142definition of a strategic plan is to define the organization's long-term directions, goals, and actions. So we need to be asking people to invest in our vision of the future in a levy. So, and maybe this is just me, but if we don't do the strategic plan with with fidelity and engagement and getting the community to understand where we are, understand our challenges, and then help us buy into our vision, then I don't know how they're going to want to pass a levy and support a levy if we don't do that with at the same time and with fidelity in the strategic planning process. Which is also why I think the continual requests for engagement of everybody partners and everybody around the strategic plan is so significant and important because we're asking people to fund a

143vision for the future. And so there are people I you know I think we need to do things differently. There are people who believe in the same thing and they're not going to fund the same thing. So I just I that I just wanted to disagree that I think the levy discussion has to be not as loud but just as robust as the strategic plan. And if it's not, I don't have any interest in funding a levy, putting a levy on the ballot that's not going to be successful. And so, um, I I just wanted to >> want to clarificate. Okay. >> Go ahead. >> Um, well, let's first go to board member Lindy and then we'll come back to you. Board member Bolton. >> I'll be quick. I think I just agree with Dr.

144Moffett. I was going to say something very similar. I was going to say I was going to ask member Balden if she was suggesting we vote for a levy without a strategic plan and I wanted to register my unwillingness at this moment to do so. >> I appreciate the opportunity to clear up what I said that gave that impression. I think I talked about the timing of the strategic plan and the timing of the levy. Whether or not we have a strategic plan or not, we're going to have a levy and your operational money and your forecast is that demonstrated that. Now, do I think that the strategic plan will help sell this levy? Rightfully so, if it's a good one, yes. Do I think that the strategic plan is the most important thing we're

145working on right now? Yes. But the timing of the strategic and then I said that's why I didn't think we I thought we should be very careful about extending how long we're going to take on the strategic plan. So I was not clear in my communication. Whether or not we have a strategic plan, our operational forecast shows we're going to have to have a levy. Now that levy will I think be very much impacted by the strategic plan and our budget will be greatly impacted by that strategic plan. Now I think I was saying the timing >> is what's important here and so there's a confluence there's a dovetail in the whole piece but whether or not we have a strategic plan that forecast is telling us we have to have a levy. All right,

146very quickly, board member Brewster, >> I would just say I I understand where you're coming from. We definitely need new money. I think this report shows that we have a couple of opportunities for that levy. I'm not saying I want to push it away from this fall at this point. But I am also saying to board member Lindy's point, I'm not interested in putting something on I don't think will succeed. And I don't think without clear direction we can genuinely put something out there that we believe will succeed. So I think it is in the best interest of the district to ensure we have a strategic plan we all believe in before we put a levy on. And if that means we need to wait until next spring, that's what that means in my opinion

147in my vote. And that's just my one person. >> Very quickly, Mr. Crosset. Yes, I'm always pretty quick. I try to be Hey, um I I like Ben Lindy's comment about, you know, what does it really take? What's the cost it really takes to have successful student outcomes? The state of Ohio has a fair school funding formula. That's the the root design behind that is exactly that. It's not about how much money do we have to spend. It's how much money is needed to have good student outcomes. So, it might what might be interesting is to see what our funding would be if the school fair school funding were there. I don't know if that'll help the levy uh conversation. It might just be interesting information. But Ohio, our state of Ohio is a wonderful

148program that's not being used. And so whether that's advocacy or whatever. So just for it's same concept. So thank you. >> U money money for matter Mike Money for matters. What's it called? >> Money matters with Mike. money matters with Mike. >> Go look at those YouTubes because they explain all that wonderfully. We've had some great guests. So, thank you. >> So, I'll be very quick in my Oh, sorry. Board member Matt, >> just uh quickly echo what um all of my colleagues have said because I'm hearing two things obviously occur um at once. Obviously, we have to have a strong vision, right? And also, we are in a state of fiscal emergency is what I'm hearing um board member uh Balton speak to. I want to bring uh Treasure August in a conversation um

149as well because you talked about timing and so I know that in our finance committee meeting you you spoke about um how 28 is a critical year for us, how things begin to flatten out, right, where our revenue remains flat. um can you speak about that what that critical um timing will look like? What are the impacts obviously and then also how there's a delayed I guess um uh I guess revenue that we receive um from passing the levy. So, I'm just trying to speak to both of the the concerns that are uh being brought up because yes, we do know that we need our our community to obviously support the levy and pass it also, but just the state of emergency that we are in with our um our finances as a result of

150the things that are happening from a state level um with um property reform. >> Sure. Let me let me try to tackle both of those pieces. Um, starting out with the forecast, I think. Yeah, I mean I mean the our revenue is incredibly flat based on the forecast. Um, it it b goes down a little next year bounces back up, but it stays flat. And and the problem with that is as hard as as hard as you know getting to the budget was last year, it's going to be that much harder this year. It'll be that much harder the next year, the year after, the year after. you know, it's just it's just there's there's no inflationary increases built into into the forecast and that's that's that's by design from the state. I mean, they

151will get a chance to redo the bienial budget in a in, you know, in a couple in next year. Um, see how that goes. That could go either way for us. Um, I think I think obviously the governor election will be the governor election will be a big a big election um for school funding for sure. So, that's something to pay attention to. But, but but yeah, every year that you don't see an increase in revenues, it just gets that much harder um to to balance a budget and to do all the things that that we have to do and that we need to do. >> Yeah. Thank you for uh giving kind of a synopsis of that. And I think just to as we drive the conversation, I think both um perspectives are true,

152right? And so, how do we bring that into balance to help move us forward as we're talking about uh what our strategic plan is as well as what we need to do from a financial lens? And so, I would love for the administration to help provide direction and clarity um as to how we begin to structure those conversations a little bit more to move forward. >> Yeah, I think I think just a good wrap up, thank you for that, is is to think to think about two hard dates regardless of all the other dates. June 30th is a hard date for the budget. We have to have some budget passed and the last last board meeting is actually on the 22nd, but but this district does not function unless we pass a budget by June

15330th. Like I can't I can't pay I can't run payroll. I can't pay a vendor. I can't do anything um as treasure without that. So that is a that is a hard date we can't avoid. I mean we've done temporary appropriations in the past. they are they they're horrible um to work through it. It it causes we end up fighting that the rest of the fiscal year um trying to get back to it. So that's one hard date. The other hard date uh is that first week in August, right? That August 3rd board meeting if if the if the board if the district wants to be on the ballot in November, we have to have all the pieces together. And that and and and that would be tough. Like if we if we were deciding

154on the amount, the the type, all that thing in August, it would be very tough to to pivot enough to tell a story between August and November. I mean, this is this is going to be different than what we've experienced. You know, I think those of us who who've seen seen these ballot initiatives, we've been doing renewals for a long time. And re renewals are much easier because because the folks who do the campaigns can put the this won't raise your taxes on the signs and that and that that buys you a decent amount of buys you a decent amount of votes right there. This will be a different beast and so the longer runway there is I think that gives us more time to tell our story. It's a complex story. Thank you Mr.

155Crosslet for for talking about money marriage with Mike. is one tiny way in which which we try to tell our story but it takes a long time to tell a story to say say one this is why we need you know more local support and I think we've told that story through the property tax reform to through change state but but also this is what to invest this is what we're investing in this is what we're moving towards those are all complex messages that require a long time to resonate >> all right so uh I will just add my two little thoughts really quickly so we can move on to our next presentations and hopefully get through those fairly quickly. Um, considering it's almost 8:00 now and we've only done two or three presentations here.

156So, I ask folks to kind of keep us moving forward so we can get out here quicker. But my two thoughts are really one, we really do need to be paying attention also though to what happens with these other districts levies. And honestly, in part because I do believe there's a narrative that comes out when a bunch of districts do not pass their levies. That is very hard also on those districts even who have a lot of support. We had over 70% of our voters who voted for the renewal. What we do not want to see is every district around us falling and then we go on the ballot and it makes it look more challenging in some ways to raise a larger amount. The second thing that I will say is I'm of the

157opinion either we go bold or we don't. So, we're going to do a levy. To be quite honest, I would rather us go for a larger amount and try and go for as much as we can with a full story and do as big of a messaging around what the district needs, what the district's doing, why this levy is so important, and that whole picture or basically just go with the lowest amount we can survive off of and like barely talk about it because I think if you're doing anything in between, voters will not receive it well. And to be quite honest, anytime you go for an amount, you should have a story. So if you're going to be pushing whatever amount, if you can do a large amount, but you have the full story,

158you can tell what this will do for a kid in a school. You can walk in and talk about what each school needs. You can talk about all the things that we've been doing to try and make it work up until this point. All the ways that community partners have been there at the table. That is such a better way to sell it. And to board member Lindy and board member Ron Bruce's point, that's a story that doesn't require though the strategic plan, but it requires the strategic plan to be looking at that. It requires you to say this is what our goal is and our strategic plan is to fix this so that a kid gets an A gets into college becomes back to the district works. That storyline that really makes people value

159something. So I I think there's a way to do that. I think we just as a board have to decide whether or not you know the whole idea are we going to go bold with it and really push something that is a a complex message that will require us to do a little bit more in the forefront with regard to even our strategic plan guidance and some other things or are we going to say what do we need to survive until we can and I think that is a much different conversation point that is a much harder thing and I think that's unfortunately where that list of districts that uh the treasurer put together most of those districts are doing that because that's what they need to survive. They are not putting a levy on

160to do anything new, fancy, any of that. They are saying, "Look, if I don't get this, y'all may not have a building tomorrow." And that is the real truth on that. And so, I think that's just the reality we're living with. Um, thank you, Treasure Gustin. We're going to let you take a break for a little bit and uh we turn it over to Superintendent Murphy to introduce our next of what should be two quick presentations. >> Yes, sir. Definitely two uh quick presentations. Uh our director of curriculum and instruction is coming, Miss Emily Campbell to share with us about two things. One, we traditionally bring to the board any curriculum adoption um request and uh that's one, this one is is around health and PE and the other one is a request about summer

161school, the health and physical education curriculum adoption. The request today is um sharing information. will have to come back for you to say yay or nay at a later date. Emily, >> hey, thank you, Superintendent Murphy, board treasure. Um, hard to come at come after a budget presentation to talk about a curriculum adoption, but I I'm going to start with um this is not an ask for more money for PE and health. It's a maintenance of what we've um used before, approximately $180,000. We um embarked on a curriculum adoption for PE and health with our science PE and health manager and our council chair at the beginning of the year because our health um curriculum for high school was no longer a um no longer available for our teachers. and um didn't have highquality instructional

162materials in PE. So in the curriculum department, we um define high-quality instructional materials as those resources that are aligned to our standards. They have resources for students. They have um instructional strategies, differentiation, evidence-based practices, and then the fourth is measurement. Um those formative um assessments that teachers can use to drive instruction. So in PE we are um we piloted two um pilots our teachers were selected by their peers and council and they um used quaver ed PE and school health with students um that met all their musthaves and one of the musthaves that really like rang true for the teachers are those materials that will help our students graduate ready for a lifetime fitness and activities ities. Um they're aligned to the standards and the assessment requirements published by OD um and teachers feel comfortable

163uplifting and um using those materials to provide professional learning for their peers in health. We are recommending for adoption um I'm sorry we're recommending for the continued um use of our ETR HealthSmart for K6 and for adoption the 2025 um version of Goodheart Wilcox which is the same curriculum just a different copyright date and um some edits that the teachers uh appreciated again that though that meets all of the must haves and they're aligned to the very specific laws and requirements that um are established for health. >> All right. So, any questions on this part with regard to the PE curriculum or the health curriculum? Bo member Bolton. >> Yes. Thank you so much. And this is for information. I mean, we're not voting tonight. Uh this is because curriculum like finances is one of

164the places we're supposed to get in the weeds >> because we have a revised code responsibility. Uh and I appreciate this. Um and I do think the board probably needs to have a little bit more information. Uh uh you know health curricula is always uh of great interest to many pin many people. Uh, and so I do think the board has to have some more detailed information about health curriculum. Um, and I I know there was a period of time where we actually had to use the national uh health curriculum uh because the state of Ohio didn't produce a health curriculum uh for a number of years because of the controversy. But uh I think if if we can have more information and of course any of the book uh any of the adoption part

165of this for books or the teaching materials being on display um in the hallway. Uh I'm very supportive of of us having high quality uh health and physical education curriculum. I I would like as a board member and I think for the whole board and knowing our revised code responsibilities a lot more detail would be it would be helpful for everybody before we adopt but thanks for all the work that everybody's been doing to get us this far. >> Thank you board um member Bolton. I should have shared that the next step is we'll put a table out here in the right outside um the board office where we put together like so you can access the resources and then we like to come back in a month after you've had time to to dig

166into those details um to get your board vote >> and it would be great to see that the detail that's even in the Ohio Revised Code is actually covered in this in the curricula. Thanks so much. >> Any other board members? >> Oh, yep. >> Did you say that the staff had already kind of looked at this, too? >> Yes. Our our teachers um came together. They voted for peers to pilot. Our peers piloted it. They um they used all the pilots so that they can compare lessons. They can talk to students about um engagement and things like that. >> Okay. And when it's in on display, it's for the public to see as well, right? >> Yes, exactly. >> Thank you, ma'am. >> Come on down. Uh, check it out. Um, all right. Well,

167seeing no other questions at this time, let's keep going. >> Okay. >> So, the other piece that I am speaking with you today about is our recommendation for summer school. Um, we are recommending that we provide um additional time and space for our third graders and our 9 through 12 students who need to make up credits um to stay on track for graduation. Um we are recommending that we do this with our title one spaces and title one funds. Um that would look like an additional 18 days for both third graders and high school um students. The third grade um program is similar to last year. Um so we would target our rising grade four students who are not yet um considered promotable according to the third grade um reading guarantee. We um are defining

168program success as students coming 16 out of the 18 days. Um and that there is an increase in their um falltof fall readiness benchmarks as well as um our staff, students and families agreeing um and strongly agreeing that this is a good good use of time and helping prepare students to have a more successful um 2627. Um in this slide is a link to the sites that we're recommending. That is a reduction in the number of sites. Um I believe we had 17 last year and our recommendation is 13 this year. Like last year um students will have access to some social emotional um learning curriculum so that um they are engaged and ready for the deep um cognitive work. We have um uh plan to use our the same materials next year so we

169don't have to buy new curriculum. We have the curriculum and the workbooks and um all of our instructional calendaring. Then in high school, we are recommending that we invite students who are in need again to make up those credits that would keep them on track to graduate. Um again, uh providing a survey to make sure that we have um students, staff, and families agreeing that this is a good use of time and preparing them for the upcoming year. This is an example of what that schedule can look like. Um these blocks for high school are for students to make up half credits. Um, and so many students typically have enough um it it it's only 18 days and so um they tend to need at least two blocks to make up a full unit. Um

170and half units are are typically the easier way to schedule. Although extended school year is not summer school um that does run simult um simultaneously to our summer school programming um and so where we can um have common bus routes um facilities usage things like that we do try to align our supports and so um just for the board certification we will have um ESY offered at four elementaryaries and one high school um as well off-site um services based on what is required in their IEPs. And so we are coming to you a bit sooner than we did last year um for permission to run summer school so that we can get out um in front of our families and um they have time to make those commitments for the June um recommendation. All righty.

171Uh, board member Armbuser, >> I just have one comment and one quick question. Um, the comment is just something I heard during a tour of high schools is just and I'm not sure we can do anything about this given our limited resources, but that the students aren't able to gain enough credits during summer school to really make a big difference for them. Um, again, not sure we can do much with that, but I did want to pass along that feedback. Um, and then the question was just I heard you say um you're using title one dollars. Does that uh mean that students not enrolled in title one schools are ineligible to attend? >> Um we generally find ways to work out the other schools. Okay. So, so like I know like Walnut Hills always does

172a fairly robust summer program and they they find ways to fund it. So, but okay. Generally, especially for the third grade, that'll be >> the third graders was more my concern than walnut. But yeah, thanks. >> Um, Dr. Moff. >> So, thank you for the presentation. I um I I have a couple questions and some some of these I'm asking out of ignorance so I really don't know. Um you said that there that you're defining success. Can you go back to that slide, Rob, where you mentioned what success looks like and it was the recovery of high school credits that only they only have 18 days for and then um successful passage in the fall. Are we testing them in the summer? I mean, do we have any type of measurement to see progression so

173that we don't have to wait until they're off another month and then they come back to school? Like, I I just I'm kind of confused with how we're measuring their level of success after a break and more time off. Can we measure their >> in some capacity? I'm not suggesting what it would be, but in some capacity, we can see where they came in at, and then we're able to see just how those 18 days were beneficial. Again, I'm not trying to suggest standardization. I don't even know if that's just a measurement from the teacher. I don't want to get into that. But >> is it a way to measure that success, that time frame of success? >> Yep. So, um, in both the grade three and the credit recovery, there are formative assessments that

174are interwoven within the lessons for teachers to track and have conversations with students about their progress. For third grade, um, we we two of those 18 days become OST, um, summer proctoring. And so, because of that, we got a lot of concern about we need every single minute to teach. And so what we have done with the third grade instructional calendar is aligned it to our our top standards that students need to make sure that they are proficient in. Um and we we provide the OST for them. Um and we did see an increase in proficiency. Half of the students uh hit a higher score than they did um in the spring because of those days. So then we it's a lagging indicator. we go back and we update our materials accordingly. In high school,

175um it is a very symbiotic relationship between counselors and the teachers that those students are um in in those classes right now >> where we identify um the standards that the students have not yet mastered. So, it's not everything um that they're trying to recover in the in the summer, but it is very like personalized to the student um to make up that credit. >> Okay, that sounds a little subjective. I'm kind of confused on that one because I'm looking at it from a return on investment. How do we measure success? Are are are they coming in with simple simple simple example 10 deficiencies out of 20 and then if they master three that's success but that's based on the relationship with the teacher. So, so for high school, it's like if these are your

176standards and these are the 10 that the student didn't master for this semester, that's what they then um are assigned and rettaught in the summer. And then we measure success. So, like last year, we had 747 high school students that earned at least half a credit and 587 high school credits um altogether. So, typically a student um is able to recover up to two credits. Um to board member Arm Brewster's point, there are some like some anomalies that we try to work through and catch them up. Seniors especially, if they um have more than two unit, two horses they have to recover, we try to make some personalized plans for them. >> Okay. So, um, definitely would love to see the data on last year's summer school success. Um, what does the cost of summer

177school? Did you say that in the presentation? I may have missed it. What's the cost of this proposed? >> We are proposing uh $2.1 million from title funds. >> And that would serve approximately because you you listed the schools. Um Rob, can you go to that part that slide of the schools? How many students? >> So the this is extended school year. So this is all um all based on the IEP. It we have 13 sites that we would offer third grade um summer school to. And right now we have um well, I didn't do the math this way, but we have 2,439 students who are accountable for the third grade. And 999 students are promotable at this point. So that's about what 40%. So approximately 60% of our third graders need to reach promotable

178still >> ish. >> In high schoolers, >> in high school, we just um our counselors just worked with their teachers identifying students. don't have that number off the top of my head. >> Okay, that's fine. Um, and then um this is for direct instruction and there used to be a time when they we would offer like Apex, you know, online instruction uh to reach more students. Is there the possibility of that as well? I'm I'm really kind of concerned with 18 days and some students may not be able to come because of work. Some students may have other obligations in the summer, but they may need to come. And we don't have the number yet for the total number that is impacted or maybe you can give us the data from last year. The total

179number that needed it versus the total number that attended. I would assume if there's a large gap there and the number of students that needed it but didn't come is significant, that maybe we could offer something maybe more of a hybrid model. Do you happen to know what it would look like if we incorporated online learning with that as well? >> We we have explored the option to provide um like a virtual for our high school students. Um egeneuity is the curriculum that we use for credit recovery. Um that was adopted I think five or six years ago. we moved away from Apex and um I believe three summers ago we offered both in-person and a virtual option um and we we sent that out to the team as is this possible so if um

180if we find that students just can't come to June can they be enrolled in in virtual egeneuity um we just don't know the answer yet >> so we sent it out this Is that what that was years ago? >> We we attempted it three years ago where kids could come in person or they could be registered into a virtual egeneuity option. >> What was the result? I'm sorry. Maybe I'm confused. Did they come or they didn't? >> We're we're exploring that um as a possibility. We I don't So I don't know. We're still trying to figure that out. >> Okay. And we don't have a cost for that. But how much is it versus >> that? There would be no transportation cost. Um and it would be a teacher um staffing cost >> only. >>

181So we only have what is the proposal? What how many high schools? Is it just the one for being proposed and what you're suggesting now? >> So for high school we are proposing credit recovery at each of the high schools. >> At each of them. >> Okay. We we did see an increase in attendance that way. Um our high schools really wanted to to help like market and communicate and bring students into their their personal spaces. >> Yeah. Okay. And then um my last question or maybe is about um having this poss could this possibly be is this costneutral? Is there a way that we could maybe use this as a revenue generation? So I'm wondering and again with no online option maybe that's not possible but I'm wondering like there are other schools kids

182that might need credit recovery and they could pay to to come to us or have our students if that is the case pay. I know sometimes like you would have to pay if you went to another school or this is a while ago maybe not now. Is it is that the possibility to have it be maybe um where we charge for outsiders to come in or something like that? I don't know. I'm just wondering is it possible to kind of explore revenue generation or to make it even just cost neutral that the staff is getting paid but people are are paying for that. So I don't know if we have ever explored that. You may remember a few years ago, um, schools did charge. >> Um, even if it were like skin in the game,

18350 bucks charge, >> some schools, it it wasn't universal for sure, but I think there was a time the board said they didn't want us to charge students anymore. >> Not that it couldn't be discussed. Um, I know my my experience and it's been a while is they don't necessarily come if they have to pay a fee, but that was a while ago. >> Sure. And I know I'm from that generation, too. It was a little older, but I remember paying for my son to go to uh won't share which one, but I remember paying. And so, um, I'm wondering as we I know that's not it's not been what we wanted to do, but now that we find ourselves in a different situation, as long as we could cover the staff charge so that

184nobody's doing it for free, >> would there be a possibility to offer it online >> and make it be costneutral? So, the staff is getting covered, it's online, and then open that up to other students that might need that across our city. Um, that I just was wondering about. So that was just my um that was my last question just maybe summer school but we are having very preliminary conversations about how to get credit recovery online in all of the high schools moving forward. >> Okay. >> So not there yet and we'd have to have your approval of course but for right now we had not done that. that the teachers want them face to face because some a lot of different philosophies around that. But we are having conversations around how can we do

185this a little more broadly. Um this year we added the credit recovery piece um an extension of virtual high school at West High to make it a little more convenient for students not to have to go downtown etc etc. So we feel like we're getting good results there. That also could be a model that we could maybe do in different parts of the city by corridor or where we think there's the most need. >> Yeah. >> And then just a reminder because I think Dr. Muffet, you were there. Um I think we had almost 70 kids, seniors, >> be able to graduate last year because of the credits they made up during the summer. >> Yeah, I I did the summer graduation, but I was just wondering >> about revenue generating. Like can we can

186we open it up? there are some kids at other other places that would pay. So, I was wondering as long as our staff is covered and they're not doing it for free, would that be a possibility? Have we ever explored that? So, thank you >> uh board member Bolton and then board member Matt. >> Um for the Thank you for the high school folks, are parents contacted with the information as to how many credits uh kids are short? >> Yes. >> Okay. That's very very important. Thank you. Then also um at Walnut, do they is it still practice that they have to come in person in order to get credit for summer school >> or did we change that policy a few years ago? >> I believe Walnut prefers that they come in person and

187they come to Walnut. >> Yes. >> If you recall. And that won't it is it true then that walnut kids can't necessarily get it virtually I mean I remember this as a dis >> I'd have to double check that remember Bowden but >> if if we could find that out. I just think it's a it begins to be a burden for some families and and students. I understand the reasoning. Uh is this money this uh uh title one money is this this year's title one money or is it next year's title one money? It's this year's. It's the It's actually the carryover from last year. >> Great. >> That's pushed into this year now to spend. >> I love it. Um and then I I agree that it would be great to be able to

188do both virtual and in person. I just think that makes sense. Everybody else is doing stuff virtually and getting credit for it. Um I'm I'm I'm proud that we want to be more classic and old school about it. But uh the other uh piece uh if I could on uh kids showing up at the various high schools, I do remember where we tried to not have it at every high school and it was a complete flop. >> So I I appreciate uh I appreciate you doing that. They want to go to their buildings and their grown-ups in the buildings want to see them. >> So thank you. Oh, and transportation is horrible. How are you fixing that? >> It's the most expensive thing we do. >> It's okay for the high school people, but I'm

189telling you, we spend a fortune in summer school transportation. >> So, fix it, Mr. Birkhart. >> Mr. B Mr. Birkhart wish you'd step back outside in the hallway. Uh, >> board member Matt. >> Uh, yes. I just wanted to piggyback off of um what board member um uh Mafett had asked about in terms of a revenue generator. And so I don't know if this is something that's still uh current, but there was a point in time for some of the uh private schools where they would only offer summer school for their 9th graders. And so they would have to go out to other districts to be able to recover that credit. So, I don't know if that's something that's still current or present day, but that may be an opportunity for students um to be

190able to come to our district to receive that um you know uh credit. Um and again, it could be a potential way to bring in revenue because I do know that they give a oneandone type of experience and then you know um they have to seek other alternatives after that. I'm I'm sure Treasure Gusen is loving hearing uh revenue opportunities. Uh certainly a conversation we would like to have. Uh any other question statements? Well, uh Miss Cam, you get to go sit down. Uh and superintendent uh please present your final. >> Absolutely. So this today we have um our director of marketing communication. Yes, Miss Sheily Green coming to talk and share with us a little bit about how people can connect with CPS. So last time we talked about enrollment and this time we

191want to talk a little bit more broadly to the community at large, how they can be involved with Cincinnati Public Schools. Miss Shily Green. >> Yes, ma'am. Thank you, Superintendent Murphy, Treasure August. Good evening, board members. Um, I'm delighted to come before you today to talk about this topic. I just have one slide, so I do anticipate it shall move very quickly. I would like to resurface the last time that I came before you. Um, I presented a district engagement plan and I think it would be worthwhile just to um reshare that definition that we asked for approval from the board about. And that definition is at Cincinnati Public Schools, engagement is the intentional two-way exchange between the district and its students, families, staff, partners, and community. It goes beyond providing information to creating opportunities

192for voice, building trust, and fostering collaboration that strengthens our schools. So, as the superintendent has requested, I'm going to go through about sixish ways um that our community can engage with us. And the first is to piggyback off of that definition with our district-wide engagement survey. Um so on the slide we have here a QR code as well as a bit.ly link. This link has been um distributed with all staff um at the district to utilize broadly. So um whatever event they're having um the purpose is to make sure we have one central location that we can collect feedback from so that we are all asking the same questions and we can then um compare those results of the survey. We've also shared um this QR code and link in a flyer to all of

193our schools and asked that it be posted in the front office. Um so that if parents or anyone visiting our school buildings has feedback that they want to share with us, that is a method to do so. Um the next way of communication that I'll highlight is our website that we have here cps-k12.org. Our website contains a wealth of information. Um, our office is actively working on cleaning up the information that is on our site that is not no longer applicable. Um, as well as making sure that the most up-to-date information is um, readily available for our audiences. Um, I will highlight on our website that um, specific for student safety as it remains a top priority for the district. Um, anyone can go on if they're exper experiencing bullying or if they know of

194someone who has experienced bullying and hit the bully button. Um, also right above the bully button is our parent concern button. So parents have the opportunity to complete that form um and connect with the district about their concerns. Um, the next way that I will highlight is our customer care um, center. I would say that they are the unsung heroes of our district. They're on the front lines um getting those calls, taking those visits. And so they specifically um support registration, enrollment, as well as a variety of concerns from our parents, students, and community members. Um, there are specific hours um for walk-in visits, 8:00 a.m. through 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and can also be reached by telephone, 8:00 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. Um, be sure to press number four for assistance with registering

195your child or for general questions. Um, please be sure everyone, this goes for all of our communities to uh follow us on social media at IMCPS. Um, this is an opportunity to engage with the district in real time for real-time connection. Um, we check our social media daily. Um, and so oftent times we can receive um, direct messages um, that are monitored and responded to. Um, as well as being able to reshare what's going on at our school buildings. So, um, please be sure to use the hashtag IMCPS or here for hereforids. um so that we can reshare um your stories to our stories. I'd also like to highlight um several newsletters that we have going out at the district. One is our superintendent's newsletter, the Sunday scoop. This typically goes out the first Sunday

196of each month. Um as well as Treasure Gustin has a newsletter, Financial Facts. And then um at our various schools there are newsletters as well that the community can engage for district updates, school updates, um important reminders, etc. Um and then there's the opportunity to connect with us in person. So um the district has several events that we put on throughout the year, several events that we partner with community partners um to engage our community with. Um there are events for our parents. So, we encourage to get involved through your LSDMC, PTO, PTA meetings, um, as well as other, uh, parent engagement events that the district conducts. I would encourage, um, those interested to reach out to our district parent champion, Miss Laura Thomas. Um, we have Sundays with Shauna. Um, this is an opportunity

197for open dialogue with our superintendent. Our next one is upcoming this Sunday um March the 8th at Robert's Academy. So I would encourage those who are able to please attend and engage with our superintendent and other staff members. Um also upcoming is our Cincy Experience. So the this is an event for educators looking to join our district. That will be happening this week as well on Friday with um school tours and Saturday with the recruitment fair. and that will be at Woodward Career Technical High School. And then um one of the last events that I'll highlight um is our back to school fest. So please save the date um August 8th at Washington Park. And then again many other engagement sessions such as parent teacher night conferences and community events um that we partner with

198such as the Black Family Reunion, Cincinnati Pride Parade, and other neighborhood events. Um so again there are very many ways um to connect with the district and um we have them highlighted here. I'll take the opportunity for any questions or feedback. >> Any board members question? Uh board member Lindy. >> Uh hi there. I don't have any um questions or concerns. I just want to say thank you for your efforts and as a parent I believe I received an email to take the survey. Excellent. >> So excited to do that. I haven't done it yet, but I promise that I will. >> Yes. Thank you. >> That will be our climate survey here, firm. So, thank you. >> Other board member Bolton. >> Yeah. Thank you very much. >> Quest question. um at the end

199of particular sessions or what have you, is there a kind of a debrief about how to proceed or the number of folks that came or what was the issue? I think the more that obviously that kind of can uh float uh and and will help us understand where the public is uh more and more the engagement's critical but us knowing a little bit more. I think everybody here is out and about and gets that kind of imp input, but it'd be great to see a more kind of a formalized uh even through the superintendent to kind of give us an idea as to what's what's kind of snapping and what's talking. >> Yes, ma'am. I think um departmentwide that is something I know our department um is active at doing as far as debrief and

200following up with various events. Um, with our survey, we also, it is anonymous. Um, however, if um, those completing the survey would like us to follow up with them directly, we do ask that they provide their contact information so that we may do so. um and then across other departments. I'm not I can't necessarily speak to that, but I would say that it is best practice to debrief the session and then to also determine ways that we might improve >> and and and to the degree people are willing to sign in at meetings so that we kind of create this list of folks that are engaged, I think would be helpful. Uh, and finally, um, any chance you get to keep having our kids represent us, have them represent us because they're doing an awfully

201good job. Um, I think better than the grown-ups are. I on Facebook, it is it is absolutely adorable and impressive at the same time. So, show our kids off as much as you can. It's it's it's so it's so meaningful. It's it has great impact. Yes, ma'am. It's our pleasure to do so. >> Uh, board member Matt. >> Well, board member Bolton, you stole my thunder. >> We had Yeah. Yep. Yep. Um, I I echo uh what board member Bolton said about seeing our students at the forefront of the different initiatives and for them to pretty pretty much you know champion the work that we do uh at CPS and how they are um enjoying right the culture and the environment of our district and also impacted. So, thank you. Uh, brilliant um idea to

202see them at the forefront and also showcasing their talents and their abilities. I'm like I'm blown away by the things that you know that they are uh saying and sharing. I absolutely love the trivia um that was recently done. Um my question is just to transition a little bit is I'm curious to know as we're talking about engagement and how um people are able to connect with the district I am curious to know how we also extend outward right like this is kind of bringing them into us but how are we reaching out to make sure that we are connecting with our community with our parents um and partners on a different level right because we know that that direct connection helps to facilitate that rapport and that relationship. So I'm curious to know how

203we are extending those efforts outward and also um can you speak to maybe the work that is uh done maybe with the parent champion um to make sure that we are actively engaging our parents and our families as it pertains to like the PTO or PTA organizations as well as LSDMC. Can you speak to if there any work is done in that space in partnership with our parent champion or if there's an opportunity for more connection to occur? >> Yes, ma'am. If I may answer your questions in reverse order. Um I will say that um we are actively working um with our parent district champion with events but also developing um a marketing plan so that we have a broad lens of the events that are being put on throughout the year that we may

204be more proactive in marketing those things such as tool talks um things that parents might not know about and helping to educate them on how to get more involved and how to access those resources. So there is a partnership there and plans are are in development and then I would say as far as um our efforts for ex for outreach um and how we are meeting the community where they are um definitely through um focus we send a lot of message messages that's one of our um metrics in our department um as far as how we are reaching the community through robocall texts um emails and then also that facetoface inerson engagement. So I mentioned um parent night for example, but also looking for other opportunities that the schools are already doing where we can

205have a presence there um in the flesh um as someone from the district to receive that feedback in person. Yes, ma'am. >> Other board members. All right. I will just say uh the two things on this. one is I I love that we're doing this opportunity because I think it's just an opportunity for the superintendent to share things that um are important and vital that we don't always necessarily have a perfect place for it on the on the agenda. So I think doing this segment has has been a good way to do that. Uh the second thing is I I think we have done a lot of effort over the last few years to really streamline certain things about how we communicate out and how we get communication back by centralizing some of that work

206by making sure that uh you all the the team is working with our schools and how they market and communicate themselves out. I think the next level to that will be part of what is looked at as far as our strategic plan goes as well of how do we talk to people in their spaces in a regular way but making sure that whatever information they're getting for that is able to come to your team as well so to make sure you all are being able to collaborate that information that we're getting from multiple sources because I do think there's some information that may come during outreach that may be absolutely vital to just pinpointing something that could be done in like two seconds or that could be done in a short period of time that

207we don't always get that information because they're so used to getting, you know, one of the things we talked about in in that discussion was how many times do you get the email and then you say I'll get to it later or I'll think about that later and never do the um survey and in some ways that information is still there and so it's just another way we can still solidify some of that information or also maybe add in some of the things that they're asking some of the things you all were still looking for information on as well so we can utilize their their resources. as well as we are very limited in the number of people we have supporting marketing communications. Um, and then I'll actually give a third one and this is

208really just a a tag on to both board member map and board member Bolton's point. I think seeing the students faces on billboards, seeing the students faces on all of our marketing materials, seeing kids who look like the district, even more importantly, um, sends a message to folks. And I think that's the thing that I think is so passionate is that when you see a little kid who looks like they could be your child or you see a little kid who looks like how you might have looked growing up, it also tells parents their child is welcome. And so whether that's a student with a disability, whether that's a student who is an international student, whether that's a student who just looks like an everyday average kid, there's something special about seeing different images and

209different people in each one of our marketing that really captures how diverse the district is, but also how welcoming the district is. So, um, I think it's a great opportunity to keep doing more and I appreciate the the time we spend to talk about how to connect to the district. >> Thanks. >> Thank you. >> All righty. Um, so we are through our presentations. Thank you all. Uh, we are now um at the time where we will talk about board policy student records. So, I will ask uh General Cah to come up and then he gets to stay. And this time it's legit like that. Last time it was my fault, General C to stay up here. This time you actually have the next couple. So, um let's start with our board policy 8330. >>

210Uh good evening. Actually, uh you can do the slide deck, Rob. That's the next presentation, I think. uh here to talk on behalf of the policy committee or to introduce uh at the last policy committee meeting in February, we had a discussion about board policy 8330 student records. Um we this was uh up on our regular three-year cycle of reviewing policies. Uh but the policy committee asked for it to be discussed by the board. Um I'll just say a few words about it. Uh the student record policy is the policy by which the board protects all student records. This would include of course name, address, phone and and email address, but it also relates to discipline records, grades, attendance, IEPs, all the records that the district maintains on its students. Uh the hallmark of this

211policy is that the board is is committed to safeguarding the privacy and confidential confidentiality of student records and that only those individuals with an educational reason to know should have access to student records. Um I highlighted one sentence in the policy which is that CPS will not collect unnecessary records on students. This has become a topic because among other things there's been discussion of immigration records and what im what records the district may have that relates to a student or family's immigration status. And of course given that that's not relevant to our enrollment uh we we should be minimizing unnecessary collecting unnecessary records or data on students. And finally, I'd add that the uh this policy also includes the board's policy for directory information. Uh the board has the choice of what categories of information

212it identifies as directory information and we subst uh substantially expanded the categories about 10 years ago, maybe eight years ago. Uh it includes under the current policy the students name, school, grade level, parents name, address, telephone, email, participation in officially recognized activities and awards received. Uh when the board expanded these policies, I think that was generally wellreceived by schools who are trying to pull together student information to publish directories, yearbooks, other things that um other ways of building community within the schools. I would say that it was wellreceived by partners who have also benefit fitted by having some access to this directory information. Uh the downside is that it does uh sometimes uh this information is requested by folks that are sometimes trying to market to our families and I'd point out charter schools sometimes

213request this information. Uh note the district has recently been gathering the the public records act also applies to community schools and so we've been requesting information from community schools on their students address names etc. Um so that we can similarly market to those families. Uh that's the directory information policy. I'm not sure if board member Lindy had anything to add. Sure. >> Uh, no, I I appreciate the presentation, um, Council Hoy, and, uh, this was, in fact, as he said, part of the regular three-year review and happened to be quite timely. I feel like Dr. Ma, did you have a questions about the directory section when we were talking about this in committee? >> I did and general counsel was able to kind of clarify. >> You got what you needed on that front. >>

214I don't know if we should mention that publicly or not. around you know it was around >> so >> maintaining go ahead >> yeah the partners uh request that information including when we have partners who are have been promoting levies uh they've used this information as well and the only way we can really provide that information is if this directory information policy allows us to >> that make and that makes great sense I think um I'm trying to go back to this meeting I we were putting this on here to gather input from board members members before we recommend something out. Correct. >> That's right. >> Yeah. So, this was this is us coming to the board um to see if anybody has any requests, concerns, questions, we'll come back with a recommended set of

215revisions following our uh meeting on the 13th. >> Great. Uh so, did any board members have any requests, questions, concerns, thoughts, feedback to give to the policy committee? All right. I will give >> helpful. No, that's cool. I'll give uh just one thing that I think we and and I think General Council was was discussing this uh in in I want us to be careful about whatever laws that we pass or whatever policies that we pass matching our right to be able to then say to someone else we don't do X. And that my that's my only concern with when we collect records. I've been here, you know, I've been here where we've had to do redactions on things and the worst part of redactions is information that you know should not be there being

216somewhere. So I just think having a policy that mirror or at least have make sure the policy might delineate a little bit more of what is should be in information that we collect even in some ways like you know even if it's just a non-exhaustive list that that kind of thing in this day and age because what I'm terribly afraid of is that person who's trying to do something really noble collecting a piece of information that we don't always collect or we rarely ever collect if not that we should not be collecting and that being something that's in our records that we would have to share out in some way or fashion in the future. >> You're recalling your days as an intern in the office of general counsel when we would have to redacted

217out. I I will say thankfully our our schools are doing much better on that. We've done a lot of training on school with schools as what should be in a record and what shouldn't. So we don't spend nearly as much time with smelly black markers. It >> was a terrible time. We did everything by hand. It was terrible. That's right. I don't know if it's if I'm remembering this correctly too, General Hoy, the language uh unnecessary records is slightly different from the language that we started with >> at the beginning of that meeting. Appropriate to just say for a second about why? >> Yeah, the proposal was uh only records ma ma the current policy says only records mandated by the state or federal government. Uh the recommendation was to change that language to only

218records mandated by law or mandated to be collected by law uh and are necessary and relevant to the function of the district uh shall be collected. >> Yeah. And I just I wanted to pause this for just a second because um there is um federal law that says we need to educate any student who is here regardless of their immigration status. Uh you can imagine uh the general assembly passing a law that asks schools or tries to require schools to collect information about students immigration status that could if families knew about that lead to students not coming to school. And I I was trying to raise the point you I really appreciate the work that council's office has done on this. Um, our board has a history even within this last year of suing when

219we think that the government is doing something that is unconstitutional and I wanted to protect our ability to do that again should the state decide to ask us to do something that is unconstitutional. Um, and I think I I hopefully that doesn't happen. Um, but but if I I appreciate the it's a good example of why everybody should come hang out in the policy committee. Uh, but we get to have really interesting discussions. Um, and I think the way that this is written, um, leaves us space to do that in a way that I think is in line with our values. I want to say thank you. >> Thanks. >> Anyone else? We're all good. All righty. Um, so then I think the next steps with this is that it will go back to policy

220for further discussion and be brought back at a later date for uh, approval. >> We'll do. Um, next, >> uh, the next slide also relates to board policies. Uh, there was a question from the board. Um, pertinent question about how conflict of interests, uh, how the district's conflict of interest policies apply to our local school decision-making committees. Um, wanted to point out that uh, the conflict of interest rules apply to LSDMC members. In fact, um, conflict of interest is specifically pointed at or referenced at two points of, uh, board policy 9142. Um, first and foremost, um, the board's policy 11:30, which relates specifically to conflicts of interest, applies to LSDMC members. Um and and the hallmark of that policy is that decision making by LSDMC's should always be in the best interest of the district

221or the school. Uh should not be based on personal interests, financial interests, um familial interests, etc. So that that's point one. Uh the second time it's referenced relates to the lead agency representative who uh generally is um the executive director of a lead agency that is is in a sort of partnership relationship with the school. And what the policy says is that they should serve as a member of the LSDMC but should recuse themselves when there's a conflict because of that contractual relationship. Last thing to point out, first of all, I think this is something we can provide some additional training to our LSDMC's on about what a conflict of interest is and and second of all, if if there's a concern should be brought to our community partnerships office who would work with our

222office to make sure there was followup as needed with the LSDMC. Glad to answer any questions on that. >> All righty. Um any board members with questions around uh this policy or any connected to? >> So well everybody's looking at me. I actually did um request that we talk about this particular policy um because I I think we've had some concerns around adherence to it and understanding it for the for the past few years. There's one particular instance where um and I'm trying to find this in the policy so forgive me for just a second because um it talks about community members being on the on the uh LSDMC and their leadership responsibility and there's just needed to be a little bit more interpretation around that and so um I thought that would be more

223appropriate if the uh LSDMC uh the board members actually looked at that. So, I can't find it at the moment and I'll keep continue to look, but my understanding was that it said community the community member should at first be the community council organization. >> There are there are three. Yep. But the first one or you know there should be one that is a community council member from the community in college this particular school was in college hill and they have a very robust community council so they had not been invited to be a member of the LSTMC and that's not to say that it was negligent on our part of theirs but um they they according to policy should have been an invitation at minimum and then from there the community council the community

224position could be decided amongst the entire LSDMC. Am I reading that right? >> That's right. There should be one rep from the community council and then two two others that are selected by the LSTMC. >> Okay. I just I wanted to ensure that the understanding that I was understanding that correctly when I referenced that to admin because that wasn't followed in that particular instance. And so um there was you know some back and forth and I just thought we needed to understand and get clarity as a board around the particular policy that we were that we have in place before we you know expected uh administration to to clarify it. So that now that you've clarified that that is that that is the case, I think that may need to be explained a little bit

225more because I think I didn't even know until I pulled that up that the community council the expectation is that the community council be on the LSDMC. I don't know if there's clarity around that. >> That there be a representative from the community council. That's right. >> Right. And so that was one point of clarification. And then um conflict of interest. I just am a little I didn't know did we have that in policy that it goes back to the partner to the partnership department or is that something new that they're that they're just instituting because we have a current conflict of interest. >> So I I'm not aware of any existing one and I'm not speaking of any specific LSTMC. I think I I think if you read the policy though the the board

226has created these sort of autonomous bodies that it it is not it is not within the administration's role. We we we would not have a role to say you can be on you can't where where there's an issue that's been addressed to us such as the community council not being represented such as there's not enough parents on that's something we've brought back to the LSDMC to say this is what the policy says and the LSTMC should work to remedy that. Does that make sense? So, it's it's not it's not just that we would put new people on necessarily or tell someone they have a conflict of interest and so they can't. It's something that we would bring to the LSDMC to discuss with them. >> So, let me rephrase my question. When it has been

227discovered or questioned that there is a potential conflict of interest, what has been the procedure? Is it new that that conflict of interest concern goes back to the director of partnerships as you shared in in the in the event of a conflict of interest should be reported to the community partnerships office? >> That's my language. That's that's >> so what has been the procedure when there is expression of a conflict of interest? I think when there's been an issue with any anything related to the membership of the LSDMC, it's been reported to us and we've brought that to the LSDMC to address. >> Okay. So, it's not currently in the policy that it go back to the community partnership. You just added that >> again. That's my language. Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All

228right. We have Miss We have board member armbster, board member map, and then board member Bolton. I I just want to pull a chair member of the policy committee move and say the LSTMC policy is actually on the agenda for March. It got pushed from February because we ran out of time. So, we are considering some changes to it. So, again, welcome everyone on March 13th here at the board office where we can discuss this in more depth and potentially improve anything that needs improvement. >> They're usually snacks. They're using >> I see uh board member Lindy's trying to get board attendance. Uh board member Matt. >> Uh thank you for calling out this policy. I do think uh just as a means of moving forward there. I think there can be a benefit to

229having more education and more information about um how we support the LSDMC's to ensure that there is that adherence right to what our policies say not uh only for the LSDMC policy but also for the conflict of interest piece. Sure. Um, so I definitely think foundationally that would be a great way um for us to begin to create that level of awareness so everyone is on one accord, right? And understand what the expectations are and how to really show how to show up right in those spaces. Um, as it pertains to the conflict of interest piece, we recognize that conflict of interest doesn't always mean that there is a conflict, but we want to make sure that we minimize the possibility or the potentiality for there to be a conflict, right? And so, um, when

230there is, as we talked about, there is a current, uh, conflict that has been presented, we do have to find a way to address that because again, you we we can't have a conflict of interest policy and then have knowing conflicts, if that makes sense. And so, um, I think that your office or the administration is tasked with how to address that area of conflict, especially as it pertains to, um, a partner. We obviously want to continue to support our partners, right? But that can impact the decision-m whether it is intentional or unintentional. So, I do think that that is something that needs to be explored. Board member Bolton. >> Uh just a real quick uh walk back in history on this community council piece. This is almost two or three probably three revisions back

231on the LSDMC policy, let alone the the giant book that has everything in it. uh it was suggested and I I won't go into the names of of the folks that had the dialogue, but one of the folks was very very adamant about the community pol community council being represented. And so and and that makes total sense, but the problem was that people said, well, not every neighborhood necessarily has an active community council, so that's why you have to have the additional folks be mentioned. But then the other piece was and a number of our schools aren't neighborhood schools. They are district-wide. They are on the east side or west side or it's a particular interest or a particular value. So that's I I think that the attempt of having two besides the community council,

232it was like well not it doesn't have to be the community council be great. uh but I do know that the college forum has been asked on a number of occasions to be a part and have not. All righty. Um well hearing seeing no other folks uh wanted to make comment I just want to highlight a couple things because I know uh board member on Bruce has already uh let us know that it's going to be on policies agenda. So um I think the two things is one is just I think it is helpful for us to understand at times what the LSDMC is and the purpose um because I do think that is somewhat of a evolving thing at times within with how schools operate as well. Um the second thing I will say

233is I do think we had this conversation I want to say now four years ago we joined the board of like who are who has an LSDMC and then actually who has people who show up on a regular basis for the LSDMC events and activities. Um, and I think that is helpful to give the LSDMC's the the guidance that, you know, if someone's not actively participating, actively engaging, or if you're not actually having meetings that we need to address that because that was the point of us giving time and space for them to have um these LSMCs and to have the authority that they have in some ways to give guidance. Um, so I think that's another part to that conversation and policy that would be great to to see. And then the third thing

234is really um as we are evolving how our schools look and how our schools operate. I think there is a a conversation that can at some point happen maybe not in the next few months or whatever but um and whether or not the reflection of what's on the count the makeup and how they operate needs to be addressed in in kind of different levels because I can imagine seeing a K through three or K through six school having different needs and and ways that their LSDMC might be effective and working versus a high school LSDMC's effective and working and I think we are still we're still figuring out some of that process of how to make them connect a little more and and do that and I and I want to give uh assistant superintendent

235a lot of credit for for some of the trainings that they're doing to really get them understanding that role but I do think a high school for instance may have a very different interest in how they need an LSDMC to participate and give give advice and how those LSDMC's might conflict with other you know ILTs and other things within the school as opposed to some of K through six, which is a lot more, at least my experience has seen it been a lot more of the bigger picture concept than than necessarily like the uh day-to-day operation of the school itself. Um, so I appreciate uh bringing this to the to bringing this information forward and I appreciate the conversation that will be had with snacks uh and our next policy meeting. All righty. Thank you.

236All right, let me go back to my script. I'll screw it up if I don't. So, we are now at the point in our agenda. Oh, I'm sorry. No, we have another topic from board AR uh board member Arster um from board matters. >> Yeah. Um so, this is a great day to have this conversation because we just talked a lot about budgets. Um, and so this is not the last time I'll be asking questions like this. And it's really to try and dig in a little bit more on what the return on investment is for the things that we're doing to try and get at what are those high priority needs, what are those medium and low priority needs as we're looking at budgets. And so what I'm asking um for is um a

237detailed report on since we started utilizing the I Ready curriculum with my path and with the um why can I it's too late you guys um the testing uh um how has that impacted our overall testing scores for OST and so I want to see that every dollar we spend on students is producing higher outcomes. And so I would just I'm I'm coming to this without an agenda. I just want to know what the details are. Um I'm going to be doing it with other items as well. I'm just starting with I Ready cuz it's been a hot topic lately. So I figured why not just dig in on it. Um, so I would just love to have um, you know, from when we first started with I Ready to where we are today, what

238are the outcome improvements we've seen since we've started that investment um, over time and what exactly that investment has been >> and I am going to take that as an assignment. Um, but I think one may be clarifying on that for for what you're requesting. We used I Ready before. We've used it more diagnostically. >> Yeah. >> Lately. So I'm I'm assuming you're referring to when we move towards a diagnostic use of I Ready as opposed to just the general I Ready use. >> So yes, diagnostic plus the my path because that is taking time from instruction. So I would like to know what that looks like as well. I I know that we have data from the past on the fidelity that people have done and used already and then the impact that we

239have seen on the Ohio State test. >> Great. >> Yes. So I can >> that's the type of information I'm looking for and specifically to our students, not Ire's examples from other district. >> No, no, no. We we've had this for CPS students. That is the Yeah, it's an inquiry. It's an assignment. It's whatever whatever one of these things you would like to to give it. >> Well, that will be an assignment. So, for the uh the the official records there, um seeing no objection to that assignment, are there any other assignments? Board member Bolton. Um, I don't know if this will uh please the board, but again um I was trying to do something and and AI popped up uh as I was trying to research where where are we? Um, I know we

240have some sort of uh AI committee or what have you looking at AI's impact on what we're doing. uh whether it's staffing or whether it's budget or whether it's us being smarter or not as smart, whatever it is, I I think it would be great to have some sort of um I'll make an assignment for the administration to report back on what their work on um AI has been. >> Yeah. So I see >> pleases the board. >> Do I I don't see any objections. Uh so I think it's just an update on the work being done with AI. I will also note that we were one of the first districts in this area to even have an AI policy. >> Um to which several folks are now just now getting their policies together and

241>> we are on the cutting edge at all times here. Um >> so smart. >> Any other assignments? >> Yes, Dr. Buffet. >> Is that me? Okay. I um want to ask about we had kind of talked maybe a month or so ago. I'm not exactly sure around the status of the monastery training that we're doing at Bramble and getting some sort of information around um the the teach the teachers that we're retaining with that training versus the we I'm tired so I'm saying this probably wrong but we are currently paying for teachers to be monatory trained and we did not I think we requested the data around the retention of those trainings for a return on investment. The discussion was or the suggestion was that that is for the upcoming opening June 2026 that

242that is a discussion to have alignment between the union and um the new teachers that are going to be trained. And so I'd like an update around the status of that requirement and the data that was requested on the retention of those teachers that we're paying for monatory training for. Also, I would like to have an update on because I was asked about our renaming of schools. Do we happen to have a status update on um I know the board does that. Does that need to go to policy? Are we going to kind of incorporate that in our strategic plan? What is what is the plan for um the naming of schools? Um >> I can I can actually give you a brief update but we will do it as an assignment as well. >>

243Okay. in that I know uh assistant superintendent uh Badget has actually been collecting information in surveys and so we are very close to having um all that information collected as to ideas and thoughts that feelings that folks have around the around the naming and so we will certainly take and renew the assignment um to bring back an update to the board on on that process fairly soon. >> Okay. Well, I'm I'm a little confused. What is the administration collecting data on? Because the board hasn't directed that. >> Yeah. >> Or do we not need to? Like >> we we do have an update in that board assignment log. >> Mhm. >> Um and we were directed to do the work months ago. >> So what what was the educate me? I don't know. Was it

244just to ask to survey people about it, to survey the parents, the community? >> All of the above. Yeah. >> So we've done that. That has been >> working through it. We're just about wrapping up. >> Eth Taylor was the last it was um postponed because of the snow. So Eth Taylor's engagement session was last Thursday. Last Thursday. So compiling the data should have that done by the end of this week. >> Okay. So are we asking the community broadly, not just those people that attend the school? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. So we've already cast the wide net to the community on what some of the names of these buildings should be. >> So we got their feedback. >> Okay. Great. Looking forward to that one. And then my last question is around building

245rentals and the alignment with the community learning center policy. um the community rentals I mean sorry the building rental usage and I had requested the FMX data and um around I don't know if it needs to go to policy but there's just been a lot of disparity between community organizations using the buildings some having to pay some are nonprofits they they are still having to pay some are being it's it's cost prohibitive so the presentation was that the data has only been in FMX X since January, which is we need more data. So, um I know I wanted an FMX report, but I think we also need to look at that data longitudinally as well. >> All right. Uh any other assignments? Um the only assignment I will give is that we will come back

246uh at the next meeting hopefully. If not then then through email with an update on the on the particulars with regards to the strategic plan design and schedule. So we will try to bring those back to us for our next discussion. Um um thanks a reminder um update just for all those who uh are watching and and will watch later. Our next board meeting is at Covedale on the 16th. So, please come on out cheer on Covedale um and look for information on uh the location. It'll be the normal time 5:30. Um and so that is the only other update I have. Um a proposed consent agenda has been distributed. Um before we get to anyone who has exceptions, we are going to make one modification to the proposed consent agenda to um although it

247is actually correct in the growth minutes. We instead have the budget finance and growth um work plan that we'll be approving, the minutes will be in the next meeting. So that's the only modification to the consid agenda as far as it is as written. Again, those documents are actually still on board docs. Um, are there any exceptions to the uh consent agenda? >> We all look for you. >> Absolutely. Um, I only have one. >> We're awesome. >> Uh, for the treasures report um and that is uh page number nine, line item one. See? >> All right. Do I have a motion to accept the amended consent agenda? >> Second. >> Treasure Gustin. No discussion. >> Stop. I'll be bad. Um, Miss Armbberster, >> yes. >> Miss Bolton, >> yes. >> Mr. Crosset, >> yes.

248>> Mr. Lindy. >> Yep. >> Miss Matt. >> Yes. >> Vice President Moffett. >> Yes. >> President Craig. >> Yes. Uh the chair will now entertain a motion for adjournment. >> So second third >> hearing. Uh no. Uh upset.