CPS Board Organizational, Business, and Tax Budget Hearing Meeting January 12, 2026

001As last year's board president, I will begin the meeting as president prom until the oath of a president takes place during the board's organizational meeting per board bylaw 0151 organizational meeting and Ohio revised code 3313.14 annual organizational meeting. Seeing a quorum of voting members, I call the January 12th, 2026 tax budget hearing to order. What questions? Please. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. Thank you. The chair will now entertain a motion and a second to approve the January 12th tax budget hearing business meeting. >> We need >> I'm sorry. I forgot about I forgot about attendance. Treasurer Gustin, please call the attendance role. >> All right. Miss Arberster >> here. >> Mr. Craig >> here. >> Mr. Crosset >> here. >> Mr. Lindy >> here. >> Miss Matt >> here. Vice President Bolton >>

002present >> and President Moffett >> here. Now, >> thank you. The chair will now entertain a motion and a second to approve the January 12th tax budget hearing business meeting agenda. >> So move second. >> Second. >> And we got a third over there. >> All right. >> Superintendent Murphy, please introduce our topic for the evening. Oh, wait. We got to take >> Miss Honor. >> Yes, >> Mr. Craig, >> yes. >> Mr. Crosset, >> yes. >> Mr. Lindy, >> yes. >> Miss M, >> yes. >> Vice President Bolton, >> yes. >> President Moffett, >> yes. >> Now, Superintendent Murphy, it's on you. >> I believe Mr. Kevin Ashley, our director of financial reporting and transparency, there he is, is coming to share with us the tax budget for 2026 2027 fiscal year. Thank you.

003>> Thank you. Good evening. It's good to see you all. Um, so we'll go through this pretty quickly. You actually got a report in board doc's packet um that has all the detail that'll go to Hamilton County Budget Commission. >> Could you raise could you raise your microphone up, please? Kevin, thank you. >> Okay. Um, so lost my train of thought, but >> Sorry. >> No, you're good. Yeah. So, in your packet has the full report which has all the the numbers and the details. Um, so we're just going to do a quick PowerPoint just to satisfy the tax budget hearing requirement. Um, but it certainly if you have any questions, we'll be happy to answer those. Um, the first slide is the purpose of the tax budget. Uh the tax budget is prepared in

004response to requirements of the Ohio Revised Code and conforms with the modified or alternative tax budget reporting requirements provided by the Hamilton County Auditor. Um some counties require a full tax budget which basically includes other funds. The um um but with the modified we we can simply show the general fund and the debt service fund. Um, with the new changes in law, they may require a full tax budget next year. So, we'll we'll see how that goes. But, um, the school district all school districts must prepare an annual tax budget each January to provide Oh, my time's up. To provide a basis, uh, for the Hamilton County Budget Commission's review of the next calendar year's local property tax revenue rates uh, of Millage. Um, couple things I wanted to say off the not on the

005slide. Essentially, this is the district's first step in getting everything set for uh tax year 26, which starts collection in calendar year 27. So, we're really looking out, it's kind of an 18month period when you look at the details. um we're having to estimate revenues and expenses from 126 all the way through um June well actually through December of 27. It's almost 24 months um to to determine if the tax rates and amounts being collected or set are going to be enough to cover debt obligations for the debt service fund and then also to cover uh or to equal what was approved as far as tax rates go. Uh in May, the county will certify the rates back to us. the board will have to accept the rates and approve the collection of those levies.

006Uh the next slide is a breakdown of all of our debt. Um in terms of the tax budget, since tax revenue is related to general fund and the voted levy, the bond levy, we really only have to present those two items. One of the things that Treasure Wagner always did and and we're continuing to do is is do a full assessment of our debt at this point, including the unvoted. So, the unvoted items are energy conservation obligations that were put out before uh long-term geo bonds, certificates of participation primarily are the other items there. So again, as far as the tax budget, the voted bond levy has 152 million as outstanding at July 1 of 26. For comparison, at this point at that point 7125, it was 173 million. So we're continuing to pay down

007that debt. The unvoted items. Um, one of the big changes here when you if you look back at last year is one of the ones in the second category, the UC Scooby, the qualified school construction bonds. If you recall, the 2010 obligation was paid off. We had accumulated money in the sinking fund of over 20 million. I believe it's about 25 million. That was all used to pay off that obligation um prior to July 1 of 26. The next slide um shows specifics of the tax budget. Uh again, general fund revenues, total estimated revenues are restated. So, one of the key things I wanted to point out here, we have received preliminary rates and updated values from Hamilton County. They have submitted those to the values they've submitted to the Ohio Department of Taxation. uh

008there's a process for those to be approved uh and they could change but we so what we did is we used those preliminary values times the estimated rates to project what our tax revenues will be if you recall our last update was the 5year for well threeyear plus budget uh in October so these are this is new information since October so we have updated for that Um, as you know, the forecast has moved to a February deadline. So, in the next month, we'll we'll flush out all of those things, including the property tax reform matters, and all of that will be considered in the forecast in February. But we did have to do some we had to include some of those elements uh for the tax budget. Um, go to the next slide. This is

009the voted debt. Again, high level. What do we project revenues in each of the calendar years? What do we project the debt payments to be? Are there adequate resources? Yes. And then the next slide is looking at those unvoted debt. Now the revenues here include monies that we get from the county. Uh it also includes um transfers from the general fund. So, but if everything that we projected for that to cover those items, are they adequate to cover the expenditures and we believe that they are and that would be the end of the presentation, the PowerPoint. We'll be glad to answer any questions. >> Do board members have any questions? >> Vice President Bolton. >> Yes. just uh one if you I have one question and and one comment uh and I'll do that quickly.

010The question is what are what's the standard or what's the measurement to determine whether or not we have adequate resources as you made the check mark. I mean we we agree that if you all believe we do but what's the standard to to that you're using? So in this case, we're saying the current year, each calendar year, what we anticipate the revenues to be and what we anticipate the expenditures to be. The expenditures are pretty well set unless we were to refund or do some refinancing or something like that. U we also have a cash balance included there. If you look in the the detailed report, you'll also see there's cash balance. One of the things we just kind of our standard that we've used is we're making sure that we anticipate enough revenues in

011these two calendar years to cover those obligations. >> Thank you. That's helpful. And then my other my comment is just about the FMP uh date. Uh this is a 20 year long uh debt that we have have carried uh the generosity of the taxpayers. That's in 30 that we have paid that debt off. I don't know if the treasure wants to respond to that. >> December 31st, 30 2031 >> 2031 >> December 31st, 2031. We will be fully paid >> and that's the FMP that rebuilt or changed or remodeled or whatever. >> Entire facilities master plan. Yeah, >> the facilities master plan. That's going to be a tremendous achievement. >> It's quite a cause for celebration. Yes. >> Yeah. And 78% of it was local funding. Thank you. >> Any other board member questions, comments?

012Jim, I'm sorry. Jim across it. >> Kevin, thank you. You guys do a great job. I know it's a lot of work. Just much appreciation. Thank you. >> I appreciate that. Thank you. >> Treasure Dustin. >> Yes. If I may, I did want to thank Kevin for this is one of the tougher mental things I think we have to do. you know, we work in fiscal years, you know, which are which are July 1 to June 30th. And for this exercise, you have to break it back into calendar years, which is how property taxes and the taxation system works. And so, and so you'll see as you get through the report, there's some there's some pretty intense grids there where we've taken our fiscal year and then broken it back into calendar years and vice

013versa. So, it's all it's always confusing to me. So, so I'm glad I'm glad we have Kevin to help work through that for us. >> Thank you. Thank you. Let's see. Are we are we want to hear another public for this meeting? So, the other thing I would mention which is probably the next step is there is a resolution um that the board will approve um for the tax budget and then we'll submit that to Hamilton County. I think it's due by the 20th. So, we'll we're meeting all our deadlines uh at this point. >> Doing that tonight? >> Yes, we need to vote. the loot tonight. >> Yes, it is. >> It better be. >> Well, actually, it is a for you to update us on the resolution. So, that's the resolution you're speaking

014about. >> Yes. Yes. >> Okay. >> The only um the only specific item in there is it mentions what our debt service payments are. There's a number in that resolution. Uh the rest of it is just standard language that approving the report that was included in the packet. >> Okay. >> Well, member Bolton, uh do we have any hearing of the public for this meeting? >> Only if there's interest. It's open to the public, required by law, and we have nobody signing up for it. >> Correct. One other thing we did advert Sorry, we did advertise there's a requirement that's advertised at the hearing and all. So, we've we've done all those pieces as well. Sorry about that. >> The law is very specific, but we'd have no requests. >> All right. Well, then having

015no hearing of the public, do I have a motion to approve the resolution? >> Motion. >> Let me just say the title of the resolution. The resolution is to approve the modified tax budget for the 2026 27 fiscal year. >> So moved. >> Second. All right. Any further discussion? Are you coming off discuss? >> Okay. >> Ready to vote? Yeah. >> Good. All right. So, the chair will entertain a motion for German. >> We got to move. We got >> We got a vote. I don't know why I want to take that from you guys. I'm so sorry. That's why I >> It's okay. Quick roll call. Miss Arm Booster. >> Yes. Vote. >> Mr. Craig? >> Yes. >> Mr. Crosset? >> Yes. >> Mr. Lindy? >> Yes. >> Miss Matt? >> Yes. >> Vice

016President Bolton? >> Yes. >> President Moffett? Yes. Now I will entertain a motion for adjournment of moved >> of this tax budget hearing. >> Second. >> Great. Well, we're going to pause for just a second. So, that meeting is over. We've got our next meeting to go to for that. You don't have to worry about it. We're not going to stop the feed. That's just the end of our first Let's do it. Now we are at the part of our organizational meeting. Per board law 0151 organizational meeting. Ohio Reise Code 3313.14 annual organizational meeting. And as last year's board president, I will begin the meeting as president proemp until a president takes place further down on the agenda. Seeing a quorum of voting members, I call the January 12th organizational meeting to order. We welcome

017everyone and request everyone in the audience to please silence your cell phones. Looks like General Counsel Hoy, please lead us in the pledge. 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. I don't know if we need to do that again, but we did it anyway. >> We have to take attendance again. >> So, okay. So, >> we have to get this morning first. Just so we So, let's take attendance. Mr. Treasur. >> All right. Miss Arburster >> here. >> Mr. Craig here. >> Mr. Crosset here. Mr. Lindy >> here. Miss Matt >> here. >> Vice President Bolton >> present. >> President Moffett. >> Yes. Present. >> So, General Council Hoy or Treasurer Augustine, I'm not

018exactly sure who's doing this. Reelected and newly elected board members and any family members, please prepare for the oath of office. So the newly elected would be board member um Carrie Armbster, board member Craig, Brandon Craig, board member James Crosset, and Dr. Karine Moffett. So family members of those four and Treasure Gustin, are you doing it? Come on down. Carrie has to be first. >> Carrie has to be first. >> My crew has to >> Yeah. >> Test. Test. Okay. >> Come up here. Come sit by me. Come here. do this. We're gonna do this phrase. Okay. >> Super. >> Yeah. Yeah. Got it. >> Are you ready? >> Yes. >> Do we have our photographers ready? >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. You ready? >> Yes. >> Okay. Here we go. I state your

019name. Do solemnly swear. >> I, Carrie Armbster, do solemnly swear >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Ohio. that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Ohio. >> and that I will faithfully, honestly, and impartially >> and that I will faithfully, honestly, and impartially >> discharge the duties of a board member of the Board of Education >> discharge the duties of a board member of the Board of Education >> of the city of the Cincinnati City School District >> of the Cincinnati City School District >> of the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. during my continuence in office >> of the city of the Cincinnati, Ohio. during my continuence in office. >> Yeah. >> All right. answer.

020>> I state your name. Do solemnly swear >> I, Brandon Craig, do solemnly swear >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Ohio. that I will support the Constitution of the United States and Constitution of the State of Ohio. >> and that I will faithfully, honestly, and impartially >> And I will faithfully, honestly, and impartially >> discharge the duties of a board member of the Board of Education >> discharge the duties of a board member of the Board of Education >> of the Cincinnati City School District >> of the City of Cincinnati, Ohio during my continuence in office >> of the city of Cincinnati. during my continuence in office. >> I do have family. >> All right, raise your right hand and repeat after me.

021>> I state your name. Do solemnly swear. I, James Crosset, do solemnly swear >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Ohio. >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Ohio. and that I will faithfully, honestly, and impartially >> That I will faithfully honestly and impartially >> discharge the duties of a board member of the board of education >> discharge the duties of the member of the board of education >> of the Cincinnati City School District >> of the city of Cincinnati, Ohio during my continuence in office >> of the city of Cincinnati, Ohio during the my continuence in office. Thank you. Thanks guys. Thank you. Thank you. Yep. >> I state your name do

022solemnly swear >> I, Kareem Moffett, do solemnly swear >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Ohio. >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Ohio. and that I will faithfully, honestly, and impartially >> And I will faithfully, honestly, and impartially >> discharge the duties of a board member of the Board of Education >> discharge the duties of a board member of the Board of Education >> of the Cincinnati City School District >> of the City of Cincinnati, Ohio. During my continuence in office >> of the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, during my continuence in office, So um Now, we will introduce you to the 2026 Cincinnati Board of Education members, newly elected. So, let's give

023us a round of applause. Do any board members want to say something within reason, unlike our counterparts, newly elected? >> All right, Mr. Crosset. No, Carrie. >> I'll just say thank you for trusting me and I uh hope to serve you well. All right, we'll remember CrossFit. >> I look forward to a great 2026. >> Okay. >> Uh I just will echo their comments. I look forward to a great year here in CPS. And I just want to say thank you to my family for supporting me for um all of the volunteers that um helped out whether that be through prayer, action, donations. Really really thank you so much. It is very much appreciated. Um I also want to um say thank you to the to the staff and to the district. This is why

024I do what I do. And so, um, I promise not to be long-winded, but I really, really believe in every single one of our 36,000 students, and I'm looking forward to working hard to that end. So, thank you very much for your trust, cuz I appreciate you. Any other board members want to say anything? All right. So, um, I need a motion to approve the January 12th agenda. >> Second. Okay. So, they did we have the vote. >> All right. Miss Arberster, >> yes. >> Mr. Craig, >> yes. >> Mr. Crosslet, >> yes. >> Mr. Lindy, >> yes. >> Miss M? >> Yes. >> Vice President Bolton? >> Yes. >> President Moffett? >> Yes. So, now we're going to elect our officers. So, we're going to be doing some shuffling of seats around. And so,

025just so that you all know, it's um that's what we're doing. So, per board bylaw 0152 officers, not exactly sure. We've got nominations on the floor. So, I guess I need a motion to elect a board president for the year 2026. Nominations are now in order for the office of president. >> So, move. >> Who are you nominating? >> No. So if you need a motion, excuse me. >> So any member can nominate someone. >> I I nominate uh member Craig. Brandon Craig. >> And do we need No, second. So I second. No, we don't need a second. Sorry. I don't know how this works. >> It's okay. You're allowed. You're allowed. >> I nominate myself. Um, Kareem Moffet, board member Lindy. >> Uh, I nominate Kendra Map. >> Any other nominations? Got it. Mr.

026Gaskin. >> Got it. Those are nominations. Um, just point of order, what we did last year, if that pleases the board, um, is I just instead of doing a roll call for each individual, we just went around and asked who their vote was. Um, if no one gets a if no one gets a majority after the first vote, then we eliminate the lowest vote getter and we revote. Is that that was what we did last year and it seemed to work. Does that work for the board? >> Okay. So, just in short for everyone that heard that, we'll just go around and vote and then if the if there's not enough votes, we'll just keep eliminating and it'll be the process of elimination. That was the long way to say that. Okay. And and just

027so you know, you it's a requirement of the majority to get the position. There are seven of us. So 43, 52, whatever. All right. >> Okay. We'll start. All right. Miss Armbster, >> what am I saying? >> So you're going to say, >> who are you voting for president? >> Of the three, who are you voting for? >> Mr. Craig. >> Okay. >> Mr. Craig. >> I vote for me, Mr. Craig. Excellent. Mr. Crosset. Uh, Brandon Craig. Okay. Mr. Lindy. >> Uh, Miss Map. >> Miss Map. >> Miss M. >> Vice President Bolton. >> Mr. Craig. >> Dr. Moffett. >> I vote for myself. >> All right. >> Brandon Craig is our new president with four votes. >> Y. Congratulations. So, we're going to switch seats. Switch the seats. >> We have to do your

028oath, sir. >> You have to do your oath as president. So, >> Oh, that's right. >> Keep us together. >> Thank goodness we only do this once a year. Whoa. >> Don't knock me down. the other way out of this picture. >> Okay, raise your right hand. Repeat after me. I, Brandon Craig, do solemnly swear >> I, Brandon Craig, do solemnly swear >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Ohio >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Ohio. >> and that I will faithfully, honestly, and impartially >> And that I will faithfully, honestly, and impartially >> discharge the duties of President of the Board of Education >> discharge the duties of President of the

029Board of Education >> of the Cincinnati City School District. of the Cincinnati City School District. >> of the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, during my continuence in office. >> of the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. During my continuence in office, speech All right. Uh, sweet. >> All righty. Um, I will take and just make some really brief remarks uh because I want to keep us going on a path here and commit to something that I said I would do, which is try and get us through these meetings quicker. So I will just say I want to thank my board me my fellow board members uh but specifically I want to thank um our uh pri prior president Dr. Moffett um who has done a tremendous amount of work this last year to really build us into a

030good footprint on how we work through the process of this of this uh meeting as well as some of the things that we've been doing in the district. Um and I know that we will continue to keep doing a lot of those great things. Um I also want to give uh certainly kudos to uh board member map um who again every one of these folks on this dascese are really talented people who are really focused on making sure our students are getting the best quality of education and I know that's what we'll be focused on. U I am happy and proud to be president but I also recognize that the president is only just one person on this board and that the full board is what it takes to make sure things get done. So,

031I will be focused on just playing my part to make sure the rest of the board is able to do its part in ensuring our students get the best education possible with that. Uh, and I will also try to live up to uh Dr. Maf's ability to bang the gavvel. I don't know if I can quite do it the way she does it. It will take practice. Um, all righty. With that, I believe we are now at the point of the meeting where we elect, uh, vice president. And so, uh, if there are, let's see here, per board bylaw 0152, uh, we need a motion to elect board vice president for the year 2026. Nominations are now in order for the office of uh, vice president. So any member can call out a name to

032nominate and no seconds are necessary with those nominations. Uh board member crosset. >> Yep. First of all, I I think my name got submitted and it's a typo, >> so want to clear that up. But I would like to nominate Eve Bolton for >> Are there other nominations? >> I would like to nominate Dr. Muffet. Okay. and Bor Lindy, >> I would like to nominate Kendra Map. >> All righty. Uh are there any further nominations? If there are no further nominations, uh and those three members accepted those nominations, I believe. Yes. Okay. Um then nominations are now closed and we have three names up. We have board member Bolton, board member uh Map, and board member Moffett. Um, so, Treasure August, I just want to maybe do a point of clarification. Are we going to

033use the same system to do the vice presidents? >> Yes, I believe we'll use the same system. So, >> okay. And just as a reminder that um we require a majority, so four um picks. If no one has forward the first round of votes that we will uh eliminate the lowest the person with the lowest number of votes and move forward with the other two uh so we have a majority treasure see let's see if I can do this in order you guys switch up the seats and I have to switch the order all right so so again I will as I go through just tell me um who you're who you're voting for for vice president >> all right Miss Armbberster >> Dr. off it. >> Okay. Uh Mr. Crosset, uh you voted. Okay.

034Mr. Lindy, get her map. >> Miss M. >> Board member Matt. >> Dr. Moffett. >> Dr. Mafy. >> Cool. Vice President for one more vote. >> One more minute. Myself. >> Good. and President Craig. >> Um, board member Moffet. >> So, we have three. >> So, we have we have three, two, and two. >> So, I would look to our general counsel as to our next steps in this process just for advice here, sir. So uh a majority as as treasure Augustine said a majority of four votes is necessary. There is no guidance on uh next steps. The OSBA says that consensus building may be necessary is the only guidance that's given there. So there's any number of ways that the board could try to resolve this. Okay. >> Which are >> one would be

035to take a second vote on the two lowest and then have a runoff. Uh that's that's one way that that uh you can get to uh to a four vote. >> Okay. Well, I I think that might be uh a worthy cause to do. So, let's go with that solution. Um so, if we want to do just a runoff of the of the lower two vote counts. >> Yeah. So Dr. Moffett has three votes. Uh Miss Bolton and Miss Math with have two votes. So So we will do the run off. So the choices are Miss Map and Miss Bolton. So all right, I will start um with Miss Armbster. >> Uh Miss M. >> Okay. Uh Mr. Crosset, >> Mrs. Bolton. Okay. Mr. Lindy. >> Miss Matt. Miss M. >> Miss M. >> Dr.

036Moffett. >> Miss M. >> Okay. Vice President Bolton. >> Myself. >> And President Craig. >> Uh, Miss Matt. >> Okay. So, based on the runoff, Miss Matt. So, the runoff. So, now the next runoff would be um Dr. off it in this map. Give me one second to make some notes. All right. Okay. One more time. So, all right. Um, Mr. Arster, >> I deeply regret taking my husband's name right now because I'm first every time, but we're going to go with Dr. Muffet. >> Okay. All right. Uh, Mr. Crosset. Dr. Moffet. Okay. Mr. Lindy. >> Miss Matt. >> Dr. Moffett. >> Dr. Moffet. >> Vice President Bolton. >> Dr. Moffett. >> And President Craig. >> Uh Dr. Moffett. >> Dr. Moffett is our new vice president. All >> righty. Thank you. Our vice president

037has been uh elected by the board. Congrats. We will have the uh oath of office just as we uh do a little bit more furniture moving. >> Waiting nervous. This is a high seat. >> All right. Raise your right hand and repeat after me. I, Kareem Moffett, >> I I, Kareem Moffett, >> do solemnly swear >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Ohio. that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Ohio. >> and that I will faithfully, honestly, and impartially >> And that I will faithfully, honestly, and impartially >> discharge the duties of vice president of the board of education >> discharge the duties of vice president of the board of education >> of the

038Cincinnati City School District >> of the city of Cincinnati, Ohio during my continuence in office >> of the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. during my continuence in office. All righty. And we will give uh Vice President Moffett a moment here to to thank her family and then come up and give a uh >> any remarks that she would like to make. >> We can wait till Rob. My my my speech was the exact same. I am grateful to the citizens of Cincinnati, for the voters. I'm really grateful to my colleagues for the opportunity to continue to serve in a leadership capacity, and I'm super excited to be able to work on behalf of the children of Cincinnati public schools. Thank you. >> All righty. Uh and again, congrats, Dr. from U. Next on our agenda is

039the fun part here of the organizational structure and we have as a board made this a little bit easier than four years ago when we first did this as we have fewer committees. But um wanted to there was a uh we we as a board did initially put out our our interest and so wanted to make sure if there are any new interests or if anyone else had other interests on any other committees other than what was previously uh communicated out. Okay. Um so for first choice we had four different individuals put down as their first choice. Um and I want to get a clarification on vice president did was did you have a preference on a first choice? >> I don't wherever I'm needed is fine. >> All righty. Um so one of those

040folks is myself who cannot serve on the committee. So um >> I can take that one. Well, there would still be four. >> Oh, was there? Okay. >> Um, so what we have in there is I know Miss uh board member Bolton, board member Crosset, and board member map. I'll put down uh budget, finance, and growth committee as their number one. Um, and I was going to ask if Vice President Mafet would uh wish to serve on the policy and equity committee or is that >> I'm open to either. It really doesn't matter to me. Wherever I'm needed most, if it's budget or policy. >> Um, so if everyone's okay with that, then I would say let's do MAP, CrossFit, and Bolton on uh budget, finance, and growth. and then um Arm Brewster Lindy and

041Vice President Moffett on policy and equity committee. Um all of us have to attend all of the student achievement and district instructional performance committee of the whole meetings. So we are all on that committee as well. Uh the budget finance and growth committee members are also a member of the audit committee. So those are there. Um, as for the other um spots where the board has a liaison, there were eight different uh spots there. And so I just wanted to go down each one and just uh make sure that everyone's cleared if they're still interested or if there's additional interest. So with regard to Cincinnati Recreation Commission, we had both uh board member Bolton and board member Mack who expressed an interest. Board member Bolton currently has served on the Cincinnati Recreation Commission as a

042leazison for the board. Um, so I would open it up to to the two of you if there's any interest in either one still participating or if there was a believe we could probably also have someone serve in a kind of in case role or as a backup to that role, but for the for the most part would have to be a person who's actually on there to vote or to be an active member. Is that correct, M uh Bo? Yes, that's correct. The uh recreation commission, which is about a hundred years old uh in Cincinnati history, uh there are five members. Three members are appointed by the mayor, one member is appointed by the uh school board, and one member is appointed by the park board. Uh and and terms for the recreation commission

043uh last five years. uh and we don't really participate in that uh because of our annual experience. I would like to remain one of the uh the requirements is that it's a monthly meeting for the recreation commission. There's also uh you have to be on a particular committee. So that's one time a month as well. Uh and currently there's some discussion about uh the future of the uh recreation commission. uh as they are going through um some election and some uh city charter review. But I I would like to remain I think we have some good opportunity with leaison uh between the city and and us as it pertains to recreation as a longtime partner. >> Okay. Um and then I know board member Mav you express an interest and I don't know if you

044want to say any remarks. Uh yes, and I'll be brief and I thank uh board member Bolton for providing that uh historical context, but I do look forward to being in a uh or have an opportunity to be able to serve in this capacity um especially recognizing that there is that community level focus um and it directly aligns and connects to the work of our students. And so, uh, I know that you have had, um, a pretty significant tenure serving and, uh, I just look for the opportunity to be able to serve and continue to grow in my leadership as a board member. >> All right. Um, so, historically, these are not ones that we've had to vote as a board. >> Yeah. >> Um, I'm sorry. B, did you >> Yeah, we don't usually

045vote on that. usually it doesn't have to be done today. It can also be per your recommendation if I recall. So I mean we can continue the discussion. >> I'm So what I'm going to do is I'm going to pause on that one just for a second so that we can go through and see where the other ones lie. >> Um and then we can always uh revisit that at the end here. Um for the city council joint meeting leaison. This is a role that somewhat was recreated uh at our return or at our first term. This is a position that was to coordinate with our city council members and their team to establish kind of a regular meeting schedule as well as put together the agenda and the topics for our discussion, those joint

046meetings. Um in the past few years, uh Vice President Moffett has done that. Um, I see that we have our newest board member, board member, uh, Ambrewster, who's put her name in, and then I believe, uh, Dr. M, you had put your name in, but >> I'm I was going to say I'm happy to seed it to you if you'd like to continue that work. I just put my name down because it was interesting to me, but I feel No, >> well, I think this is a pivotal time. I took my name off of this because the um, previous meetings were run through the vice mayor's healthy neighborhoods committee, which is not any longer. So, now the mayor has appointed uh council member Anna Albby to a youth and human services committee. I think this

047is a perfect time for you since it's a new committee, new uh com council member and you're new to build that together and work together. However, um >> I'm still I can support you through that. you can be the leazison and I and I just want us to tell um council member Albby because she reached out to me already and I told her that I may like walk you through the first one but then and and her too. She asked me to walk her through it too. So um but then you can be the leazison. >> I appreciate that. >> Thank you. >> Thanks for two collaborating there. Makes the job easier for me. Um, I will say again, this is an opportunity because we do recognize the city council changed uh their committee structure

048in a lot of ways that don't necessarily align to how we originally thought of this liaison role. So, I think this is a great opportunity to rebuild that. Um, so it'll be uh board member arburster serving as a leazison for that. Um, next we have the for the Iowa School Board Association, we have the board of trustees for the Southwest Region Executive Committee. Um, and this one does require a resolution at at some point to officially make them into that role. Um but initially we had board member Crosset who had expressed an interest as well as uh vice president Moffett um open the floor up to any conversation if there was anyone else or if either one of you had any thoughts on your role. >> Well, I'm willing to um to also step back

049from that one as well. And just to note so that we're clear, the trustee for the Southwest region has to also be the representative trustee for OSBA. We've talked about being able to kind of separate that and Jim and I shared that last year, but I do know board member across expressed interest in that and so um I'm willing to uh take my name off of that as well. >> Boet, are you still interested? >> No, I'm I'm happy to serve. I uh I'm excited to serve. I've got connections in Dayton and Springfield and Cambridge and West Union, places around Ohio. So, I'm feeling like that might help us, you know, maybe uh build some relationships and uh so I'm happy happy to do it. Excited to do it. And um I did uh find

050out from who's who's the guy that um is it Mark? Yeah. Because last year Kareem and I kind of trying to share this and they didn't really allow a substitution. But I found out that you can have a backup. If you can't make a meeting, someone else can go. they just can't participate in uh the voting part. So just for whatever that's worth. So >> cool. >> All righty. Well, board me Crosset. Uh it sounds like you are our new well you will be our new trustee um upon uh resolution. So uh next up is Kid Future CBS Kid Future. Uh, Kid Future is the um the I'm blanking on words here, the foundation. Yes, there we go. Um, and so we've historically had a liaison that served in that role when it was ABC

051and now we'll have a similarly continue that leazison role uh with Kid Future. Um, board member Cross had put his name in. Are there any other interests? >> It has a two in parentheses. Does that mean we're in expected to give two or there's room for two or why is there a two behind it? >> Uh historically there had been uh up to two representatives that were allowed to be connected with ABC. I think this with them being kid future now there was an expectation that there would be potentially one. I don't think there's anything that prevents additional board members who want to participate or or attend to also do so. Um >> yeah, when they uh when they the um migration from ABC to Kid Future, they actually expanded uh their input from CPS,

052the superintendent, the treasurer also exopicio members and our board representative would be which is me now as an exopicio member and also we get to uh recommend two members from the community from uh CPS recommendations. So there's like five now where we used to not have that much input. So it's it's better now. >> No, that's great. I just didn't know cuz everyone else all the other ones have one. I just wanted to clarify. >> Um so it sounds like Mr. Crosset you will be returning as the uh kid future. >> Yeah, sure. I'm happy to do it. I've had lengthy experience with GCF and other foundations during my career. So I'm happy to add I think I add value there. I hope so. Thank you. >> Um the business advisory council again another one

053that historically um someone from the board of state is leazison to work with them and build relationships with our business community and ways to support our students. Uh Mr. Crosset, you were the only one who put your name in. We'll just make sure there are no other folks. >> It's a good thing I'm retired. >> No, I the business advisory council is great. Um we have we're a fourstar business advisory council. the only big urban that has those four stars. I give a lot of credit to Mike Turner and Jesse Simmons who helped run that. But it's been a blessing to be part of that and and I've been working closely with u with permission of the superintendent. We've been working closely within the district try to add internships and uh uh so it just

054progress just keeps going. So I'm happy to continue to serve. I think my background in the business community is somewhat helpful to recruiting uh employers to to foster our our interns. >> Um well, if there were no other interest, then Mr. Cross, you will be on the serving as the again. Um next on the list was the Hamilton County Addiction Response Coalition. Um again, this is a one-year appointment. I believe I am the only one who put their name in. So unless there's anyone else. All righty. Add to my duties here. Um >> yeah, you know that's fine. I like heavy is the crown, right? Um the next is the council of great city schools. Um although all members can attend. uh generators one liaison um I been in that role for the last few

055years um being on the executive committee I uh am actually happy to hand that to board member map um as we go forward I think we'll do a little bit of a transition uh but I'm happy to hand that over if that is something you're interested in >> absolutely and we have uh been able to do great work um and just appreciative of the experience that I've been able to have with Council of Great City Schools So I appreciate taking on this position as a liaison. >> All righty. So it is all yours uh going forward and I will connect uh you with Dr. Hart and and the folks there to make sure they know that. Um and then the last is the innovation council again. Mr. Crosset put his name in. Anyone else? All

056right. Mr. Crosset looks like she got that one also. >> Yeah, my pleasure. That was a that was a council that we got started last year and it's it's getting momentum. It's building momentum. The the administrative leadership on that is your bagget and he's doing a great job. So, um we keep it rolling. All righty. Uh and then just to revisit back, I would as board president I'm taking a little bit of uh privilege and just to recommend that we would do uh another year with board member Bolton on the CRC, but that we would work to start to transition some of these things also because I do think it's important for us to um allow board members to be able to serve in these different capacities and and to expand their connections within the

057the community that we live in. So if board member map is okay with it and board member Bolton's okay with it to have another year for member Bolton but then we would do some type of transition to make sure others get that opportunity as well. >> Yes we did. >> Yes. No one include me on on the memo of the dress today but >> all righty. Um so that would cover our organizational um >> Mr. Chair. Yes. >> Can I just as a a public uh acknowledgement too that the Cincinnati School Board will continue to send uh representative to the steering committee uh for legal counsel uh for the voucher case that is before us. I know I don't I don't think we need to have a vote for that, but I I think we

058will be sending and it's important they need to know that we are going to continue that and we will also Cincinnati will also represent the first congressional district in the federal uh legislative assistance group. So >> yes, >> just so it's it's at least publicly acknowledged. I don't think it needs a vote. Thank you. Um, and then I just want to also acknowledge there are other roles specifically to OSBA that are certainly ones that folks within our board can serve in and those require the OSBA to approve some of those capacities which we in the past have sometimes had those on our list. I think we kind of removed them because it still required OSBA to accept it. Um, so as much as if you have an interest, we can still communicate those out to

059folks, make sure they're uh duly engaged and able to participate. Um, but do I have a motion to approve the 2026 board committee schedule? >> So moved. >> Second. >> I do. >> All right. Treasure August. >> All right. Miss Armbster, >> yes. >> Miss Bolton, >> yes. >> Mr. Crosset, >> yes. >> Mr. Lindy, >> yes. >> Miss Matt, >> yes. >> Vice President Moffett, >> yes. >> And President Craig, >> yes. All righty. And then I believe there's a Is there a resolution to All right. So then can I get a motion for a for the resolution to approve the 2026 organizational meeting business items? >> So second, >> Mr. Gustin. Miss Arburster, >> yes. >> Miss Bolton, >> yes. >> Mr. Crosset, >> yes. Mr. Lindy, >> yes. >> Miss Matt, >>

060yes. >> Vice President Moffett, >> yes. >> President Greg, >> yes. And then with no further business of this organizational meeting, uh, can I have a motion to adjourn this meeting? >> So moved. >> And second. >> Second. >> All right. Uh, so this meeting I'm going to try this out and see if it works. Uh, this meeting is adjourned. There we go. Look at it. >> All right. But don't go anywhere. >> Don't go. Yeah. Don't leave yet. >> Oh, now the real work starts. >> That is a miracle. Um, >> I just All righty. A call to order the business meeting for uh for January 12th, 2026. Um, seeing a quorum of voting member seeing a quoring of vote of members. Um, Superintendent Murphy, you want to introduce the wonderful students from the

061Academy of World Languages today? >> Absolutely. So, doing our pledge today are students from the Academy of World Language where Mrs. Jackie, Miss Jackie Warwet is their principal. >> Please stand. We go to the pledge of allegiance al to the flag of the United States of America and to theublic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Now, I know we not supposed to pick favorites when it comes to who gives the uh pledge of allegiance, but I mean, look, rest of y'all schools, you going to have to step up your game. That's all I'm saying. >> All righty. Uh, Treasurer Gustin, you please call the attendance role. >> Yes. Miss Arrewster, >> here. >> Miss Bolton, >> present. >> Mr. Crosset here. >> Mr. Lundy, >> yes.

062Here. Miss Matt >> here. >> Vice President Moffett >> here. >> And President Greg >> here. Uh, Vice President Moffet, would you please explain the virtual hearing of the public process? >> Yes. Members of the public who are online and wish to speak during the hearing of the public this evening may do so by clicking the chat button now. The chat feature will be open for your request for 5 minutes. If you do, if you would like a direct response to your question, please make sure to share your name, your affiliation to the district, your community, school, community, your topic, and your contact information. >> All righty. So, I need a motion to approve and a second to approve the January 12, 2026 business meeting agenda. >> So, moved. >> Dr. Second. >> There we

063go. Second, Treasure August. Miss Armbberster, >> yes. >> Miss Bolton, >> yes. >> Mr. Crosset, >> yes. Mr. Lindy, >> yes. >> Miss Matt, >> yes. >> Vice President Moffett, >> yes. >> President Craig, >> yes. All righty. So, our meeting uh agenda is approved for tonight. Uh do any board members have any acknowledgements or uh announcements? Oh, Miss B. >> Yes. Uh, I was uh informed uh today that um there will be a a groundbreaking uh for the makershed at uh Aken High School uh on January 26th. I think it was scheduled for the 23rd. It's scheduled now for the 26th. It is a tremendous gift uh from a number of folks. Uh it will take place at 10 o'clock. Uh and I think it'd be great for many of us to be there.

064Uh it's a remarkable million dollar shed and it's a gift. So um uh 26th is the time and 10:00 is the time and date together. Thank you. >> Um thank you board member Lindy. >> Thank you President Greg. Uh I had back before the holidays um the most wonderful visit to Roll Hill. Um and if people have not been there, I highly encourage you to go and I wanted to mention two things in particular. I spoke with a wonderful group of very young students, maybe slightly older than our pledge of allegiance, but not much. Um and it was so clear that the staff, teachers, principal there um had really built a culture with the students about how um everybody was these were young people who were quite aware of negative things that other people in

065other neighborhoods said about their community and said about their school. and they were so quick to say, "But um here are all the great things we're doing at this school. Uh and here's why they're all wrong." Um and it was such a moving, it was not what I expected. Uh and it was great. Um and I wanted specifically to appreciate um in addition to the principal, there was a wonderful um physical education teacher there, Caros Anderson, who um was running quite a a a event in his gym. But he has, among other things, I've never seen a gym teacher do this before, but these boards where he's teaching the kids how to read site words even as they are playing activities in the gym. Um, and it was just one of the neatest things I'd

066seen. So, I wanted to appreciate the Roll Hill community. Highly encourage people to check that out and say thank you. >> All right. Any other uh board members have announcements or is that all righty? Uh then superintendent, we'll turn this over to you. >> Oh, thank you. I have a uh kudos and I think Rob is going to put the first one. Oh, and so this month is board appreciation month. And so I'm going to ask a couple members from the senior leadership team if they wouldn't mind helping me because we have something for you. Thank you, board. A that's a good looking group right there. >> I just want to point out this photo is pretty quick to get up on the screen here. >> I want to point out that the president's not

067color coordinate. >> That's actually a good >> happens already, folks. It happens already. >> That's too cool. Thank you very much. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Excuse me. Thank you. >> Christmas. >> Great. Thank you. Hey, thank you. Can we give our board a round of applause? >> Thank you and congrats. >> Thank you. >> It's such a lovely picture. The communications team works really quickly. Awesome. All right. Thank you. And then I do also have uh a couple of retirements and a couple more kudos and treasurer does have kudos as well if that's okay. So retirees for today uh civil service employees. Oh, Mr. Jeff Crystal, our director of device management in information technology. Miss Angela Uker Gabbines, a paraprofessional at SANS Monasuri. I hope I said her name properly.

068Uh Pamela Griffith, a pair professional at Roselon Condan School is on the next slide. And then Paul White, a level one building engineer at Mount Ary School. Congratulations. And I'll share a few kudos really quickly for the uh students in particular had a chance to uh judge the cheer competition uh at Wanet Hills High School on December 7th. Congratulations to all of those school teams. That was fun. And then on the next slide, just a shout out uh for the Mary and Spencer scholars, compliments of the University of Cincinnati. They had their surprise visits in December. They'll be going to UC should they choose to on a full scholarship. A shout out to the DECA team of Wro University High School. This group uh competed and uh in Columbus or they competed on a regional

069level and now they're able to go to Columbus to compete at the state level. So, we're very proud of those young people at Wro University High School. and to the Walnut Hills Athletic Director. She has the National Intercolastic Athletic Administrators Association. They have given her a framework of excellence. And so we want to congratulate her for all the work that she's doing as a certified master athletic administrator. Congratulations to AD Steel. And then my final one, this came in uh Christina Tierney. She is a music teacher at Sailor Park. She is a semi finalist for the Country Music Association Foundation Award program. So, congratulations to Miss Tierney at Sailor Park. >> Treasure Wagner has a few. >> I just have two. Rob, if you can. Uh, the first one is we have um a group

070here in central office at center Iowa Street called staff for students. Um, and they do an annual coat drive. So, just wanted to recognize them. They were able to receive donations of 143 coats. Um, those go to our uh project connect families. So, thank you central office staff as well as our partners at Train LLC. And my second kudo is we finally got our official award in the mail. Um the government finance government finance officers association gave us our certificate for excellent financial reporting uh for the 2024 year. So you can see the letter there. They used to give us a plaque every year. Now they give us a button for our plaque. Um we are going on we're going on well over 20 plus years that that we've received this award. But I think

071it is definitely important um in in the current days to know that you know our financial reports are done with fidelity with accuracy um and they are award-winning. So >> all right well I will now turn this over to Vice President Moffett for hearing of the public. >> We are now at the item on our agenda for hearing of the public. Each speaker will have two minutes and will address all comments to the presiding officer. If you have any materials or presentations wanting to be distributed to the board, please give them to our board administrative assistant, Phyllis Davis. She can raise her hand. She's right there. If you are online, once a request to speak has been granted to you, do we have any online? We have one person. Then you'll be invited to enter.

072You 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 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. Please refrain from discussing any personnel matters. After speaking, if you're online, you'll briefly see the welcome screen again as you transition back to the live stream meeting. And just a note, President Sellers, per the collective bargaining agreement, has longer than 2 minutes. Um, and she is the

073uh Sensei Federation of Teachers President, and we ask that your public commentary be respectful to all listeners. We only have Well, let's do our online person first. Rob, >> thank you, Vice Chair. We have one online speaker, Caitlyn uh Donner. Um Caitlyn, you have two minutes. Go ahead. >> Hello. Good evening. Um Superintendent Murphy and Board of Education. I just wanted to say happy board appreciation month and um newly elected uh president, Mr. Craig. I am so excited to share with the Woodford community that a fellow Wildcat is now our board president. Um, and so I know the kids in our community are so so proud of you. So, just wanted to say happy board appreciation month and super proud of our Wildcat as our new elected board president. Have a great evening everyone. Thank

074you. I'm going to call down and please forgive me if I mispronounce anyone's name. Shaise Lear, Karen Imbus, Shadia Williams, Brad Smith, and Julie Sers. Shice Lear, Karen Embus, Shadia Williams, Brad Smith, and Julie Sers. When you come down, because you can be in any order when you speak, just say your name when you get to the mic. Especially if I said it wrong. I apologize. Hello, my name is Shaunie Leer. Um I have a daughter who attends um Dator um middle well high school, middle school. Um my reason for being here today is just wanting to um bring some awareness to a situation that I have been dealing with. Um, as far as cyber bullying, as far as social media is concerned, um, there seems to be a group of students who have put

075my daughter as well as other students on Instagram and um, I mean, I've been trying to call the school, deal with the principal. Um, I can't seem to get the page removed or seem to get a clear understanding on what can possibly be done as far as cyber bullying and harassment because now my daughter feels like suicidal to a certain degree. So, I'm just really wanting to come here today to speak to you guys because I can't seem to get a full understanding or solution to the whole Instagram cyber bullying, harassment situation that seems to be going on at Dator. And my daughter is a fellow. She came from Fairview German Clifton Language School. And um there seems to be just some stuff stemming from students who went there that are now at Dator. So

076I'm just really wanting to get some type of resolution to social and I have like the page is still up. They're able to comment. My daughter's being harassed and tormented every day that she goes to school. >> We don't usually comment after each person. So this this is not going to happen. However, the superintendent will have um if you could step right coming to get her contact information and we'll we'll figure it out. >> We we we have somebody coming to talk to you right now. >> Okay. >> You could Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. >> Good evening. My name is Karen Imbus. I am a field rep for the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers and I've been in a parent in the district for almost 30 years. Uh I'd like to comment

077on the board's new policy to add reading and math levels to the report cards. I participated in the policy committee discussions and requested the opportunity to take the proposal back to teachers. I was quite surprised to learn that the board passed the policy while teachers were on Thanksgiving break without significant teacher input. This will be an expensive initiative um being implemented during a budget crisis. In my view, these resources could have been better spent educating parents on the resources already available to them with the grade level score report already in focus. that parent engagement could be happening now in a robust and meaningful way. While I'm on the subject of limited resources, I want to ask the board to focus on improving our district's culture and communication challenges and to resist the temptation to place

078its trust in entrepreneurs, outside consultants, and the purveyors of easy solutions. If there were a magic pill for improving teaching and learning, we would have found it already. Please believe teachers when they tell you that the irrational hyperfocus on data, standardized testing, and the rigid district-wide enforcement of pacing and lesson delivery has taken on a life of its own to the detriment of teachers and students. Thank you. >> Thank you. Hello, my name is Shadia. Um, congratulations to you all. Um, my daughter, she's kind of similar to this last situation. Um, she go to North Aenddale Monasuri and she has been getting bullied for a year and a half. I have had numerous of meetings, numerous of bully button, um, numerous of conferences. My mom, my dad, everybody, I mean, my mom, my daughter's dad,

079everybody been supporting me in this situation and I just feel like it ain't no, it's no exit. Um, we didn't talk to police officers and everything and we just have got nothing resolved. Um, and a teacher actually told me to come here today because they witnessing what's going on with my daughter. She's in the fifth grade and I'm lost. So, that's it. >> Thank you. >> We're also going to have you talk to general counsel as well. >> Okay. >> Uh, they're they're pointing in the corner. >> Thank you for sharing, Miss Williams. Good evening, Board of Education. Uh, my name is Brad Smith. I'm a constituent and a CFT field representative. In my role as a field representative, I work with teachers concerning their observations. What I've seen repeatedly is that teachers who use

080district curricular resources are scored ineffective in developing. Administrators cite in the evaluation the curriculum is not aligned to state standards and that is asking the lowest level Bloom's taxonomy recall. If this board will not listen to the teachers, I urge this board to listen to the principles that the sole reliance on standardized test scores such as I Ready, which the company themselves indicate is designed to measure recall, the lowest level of blooms, is not the answer. In the world of AI, our students deserve more than recall. Some people may even think that the attention is to hobble the very students as board professes to advocate for. That is why the National NAACP is speaking out against excessive testing. And this board has now mandated I Ready scores which again measures the most basic of knowledge

081to be put on report cards forcing schools to spend even more time in the lowest levels of thinking. I urge this board to reconsider their recent path of over reliance on cookie cutter fads from companies who claim to have the newest quick fix for education. These outside consultants are driven by money and after they come in with very little knowledge of our students, click through their fancy powerpoints. They'll be gone and with them our tax dollars that this board gave them. Allow teachers and uh principles to do what they've earned a college degree for many in advanced fields. Allow them to differentiate. Allow them to move beyond rope memorization. Allow them to teach. I urge this board to review your own minutes and reflect on how you spend your time. If the board wants to

082support teachers and principles, focus resources on solving chronic absenteeism in safe and early environments. I could go on, but my time is expired. Thank you. >> Thank you, President Sers. Okay. Good evening. U members of the board and welcome to the board, Miss Arm Brewster. Um I would just like to make a comment on one of your presentations that's going to be later in the meeting, but I strongly support the district's decision to work with the Rice Educational Consulting Group. Taxpayers payers have consistently expressed the importance of investing in local and minorityowned businesses and this reflects those values in action. Local consultants bring an understanding of our community that outside vendors simply cannot replicate. They know our history, our challenges, and our strengths, not from reports or short-term visits, but from live experience, long-standing relationships

083within the community. That depth of knowledge matters when making decisions that directly impact students, families, and educators. We have also learned through experience that many of these outside vendors that have been coming into our district lack staying power. Too often they enter the district, deliver a generic plan, and leave before a meaningful implementation or long-term accountability can take root. Sustainable improvements require commitment, continuity, and trust. qualities that local partners are far far more likely to provide. When we look back at our most successful strategic planning efforts over the years, one theme is clear. Wide inclusive input led by to stronger outcomes. Our most collaborative and effective plans were developed during the period when we were supported by the GE grant. That process included skilled facilitation such as the use of trained black belts from GE,

084but most importantly, it also centered on stakeholder voice and shared ownership. We spent months and years working on these plans and they were very successful. The Rice Education Consulting Group is well positioned to continue that tradition of collaboration, community engagement, and long-term commitment. Supporting local minorityowned firms is not only a matter of equity, it is a matter of effectiveness and accountability to the community that we serve. This selection reflects the values of our district. So, thank you for being very um thoughtful in this decision. But I would also like to talk also about the reading levels on the report card. After speaking with multiple and many teachers and parents, we believe that the vote that the board took to change the report card policy was done in a hasty manner. I was shocked that you

085took this vote at a board meeting when the schools were closed for the Thanksgiving holiday and many people within the district could not attend. I went back to the archives to watch the meeting and I was shocked that the policy chair reported that he had reached out to me about this change, but we never spoke about it. I thought that there would be additional discussion since it will not go into practice until next school year and I am not sure why there wasn't more engagement on this and I hope that this will be readressed um at some coming meetings because it's really the the research does not support it and I checked and did research there's no other state no other district in the state of Ohio currently doing this practice. I think it's only

086happening in Texas and and one other um southern state. So, I think that we need to really think twice about this and and there are other solutions if you want that better communication, but I Ready scores were never developed for this purpose. So, thank you. >> Thank you. I will turn it back over to the chair. >> All righty. Um, so we are now to the point of our agenda where we are uh having our presentations and discussions and so I will turn it over to I believe it's either believe it's actually treasure Augustine who has our first presentation for today. And >> this is this is different. I'm usually the last presentation. So um tonight >> I moved you up. >> Yes. Thank you. Thank you Dr. We can all be awake. Um tonight

087I was asked to come back and do an update on property tax reform. If you go to slide two, Rob, um I think when we last spoke about this, um in December 7th, these bills were pinning the governor's governor's signature. Governor Dwine signed all of them um as written with no changes. This is probably the most significant property tax reform in Ohio in in years and decades, I would say. Um, I won't I won't bore you with all of the all the details, but if Rob, if you'll go to slide seven, kind of represent some of the stuff we talked about at the December uh budget, finance, and growth committee. Just reminding the board what our levies are and how those change. Um, the big um things to point out, I think we've talked about

088this before, uh, the bond levy, uh, is out there for the facilities master plan that runs through, um, 2031. We have three emergency levies that we'll have to take action on. Um first one obviously the one that most recently was renewed. We have 10 years for that one. That was the $48 million. We have two more coming up. One in 29 and one in 32 we'll have to take action on. And then there's obviously our current expense levies and our inside millillage. So Rob, if you'll pop over to slide 11, please. So these are these are the current emergency levies. Um part of part of the change is you can no longer we can no longer do these again, but we can renew them as fixed sum levies. So So that is a decision that'll

089come up as we get closer closer to 2029. Uh the biggest change I think though for us right now is they're going to count against the 20 mil floor. So the district was on the 20 mil floor. We are no longer. We are somewhere around 38 mills now. We went from 20 to 38 mills. So that that will have impacts on us. Um a lot of this you're going to see next month when we do the updated budget and three-year forecast. So I'm not going to get super detailed here, but you will see it um as part of the entire forecast presentation. The other thing for emergency levies, and if you'll pop forward the slide, um fix some levies can only be renewed for five years. So you see we've strateg this this board has

090strategically tried to reduce levy fatigue by by moving those levies from five year to 10 year levies. Now we are back to those much smaller um cycles between levies. That is a that is an intended outcome from the people who pass this legislation is that school districts will be back on the ballot far more often. Um if you just pop over to slide 14, Rob. So, just to give the board an idea of what we have coming up, um you can see there the timeline. You know, we have an we have a $65 million emergency levy that ends in 2029 and we'll need to take they'll need to take some action at that point. Um there's the bond levy that ends in 2031 and there's another emergency levy that ends in 2032. Those are those

091are big decision points for continuing um kind of keeping the same revenue we have. This has this is no there's nothing in here about new money at this point. This is just kind of working with what we have. And then if you'll just go one more slide just overall updates and I'm happy to take questions. So we do have the fixed sum levies. I think that was kind of a win based on where the legislation went. Um, property taxes, I've talked about this before, are are very much self-leveling, which means, you know, the system is built so that whatever amount you collect in year one, you collect roughly the same amount in years year 10. Um, a lot of the changes made that even more self-leveling. The state funding formula did not get updated. So

092even though we have what I would call uncollectible revenue from going off the 20 mil floor, the state is still going to recognize all of that increase in property values. So that will make the state funding formula more unbalanced, probably driving down the percentage of state support for public education. Um and you start to see in the tax budget um you'll see it more in the and more in the forecast. And then just a reminder, this is a property values update year. So, so the auditor's office is going to update all the property values. This is the trienal update, which is kind of more of a desk review. Um, and then you you'll start to see how that drives, you know, our tax revenue, our state aid in the next three-year cycle. >> All right.

093Thank you, Treasure Gus. Are the do any board members have any questions or comments? >> Board member Bolton. >> Yes. Thank you very much. Um my concern um as we look to 30 and 31 um when indeed the FMP uh monies that we mentioned a previous meeting tonight um are paid off. remarkable achievement. We can contemplate a number of big things happening perhaps that year, but we have a major financial need right now for the next three fiscal years from it even simply operational. Does any of this reform which of course has other motives attached to it? Uh does any of this help us in any way in the next three years uh as we are facing the crunch as many districts are uh right now? Does any of this help us at all? >>

094It's an excellent question. Um but really all of this hurts us. So being on the 20 mil floor traditionally um after the property reappraisal, you know, we we would have seen an increase in tax revenue both from the 20 mil floor increase and from inside millillage. This most recent legislation, three things. First of all, we're no longer a 20 mil floor district. So, so what you're going to see is our continuing levy value continues to go down as we head toward the 20 mill floor. So, you're not going to see that increase in tax revenue. Another part of this reform is limiting the increase in inside millillage. So, we normally would get an increase in inside millage. We won't get that as well. So, so any kind of anticipated increases will will be much lower

095or or almost completely flat. So these reforms at least for our initial uh three these next three years or so actually compound our problem not I won't say compound because that's a actual financial term but make our needs uh even greater. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Other board members. >> All right. Well I will just give the one comment. I appreciate you bring keeping this in our uh attention, Treasure August, and I think it also serves for us to have maybe a larger conversation around what is the long-term funding possibilities because I do think voters will have at some point voting fatigue if they're constantly being asked to vote on not just our levies, but everyone within the community's levies and other uh tax interests that are involved. And so it it does

096behoove us to get ahead of the game instead of behind. Uh oh, board member Lindy, >> it just took my brain a second. Um, thank you. I really want to just say thank you, uh, Mr. Gustin for the presentation. And I I just as we get into 2026, this this is the year of this issue. Um, uh, I wish that this were easy or going to get better. I think it's going to get worse. Um, and I think that the more cleareyed we can be about what that means, uh, and what we have to figure out and get started as early as possible, I think that's important. And I just want to say how much I appreciate the presentation. Um, and I look forward to figuring this out together. >> Other other board members, board

097member Matt. Um, so this was something that you discussed in the uh tax budget hearing and I know you kind of went past it uh during this presentation, but I'm just referring back to page four for House Bill 309. And uh I remember the last meeting you uh showed us the video of um uh county auditor um really just explaining the negative impact um that this this bill can have for us. And so I'm curious to know what has there been information communicated about what the criteria would be or what the expectations would be if when we submit our tax bud budget, excuse me, and if they were to not um approve it, like how do we make sure that we're tracking in the right direction? >> Yeah, great great question. Um we do have

098to submit our forecast with the tax budget. I mean that's kind of a newer thing. I think I would say every county is figuring this out as they go. So, so the wording in the law was pretty vague and there were no objective standards um issued out to issued out to the budget commissions of what was unnecessary or excessive. So, so each county has has to kind of come to grips with that themselves. And I think they are um I know I know just you the video from county auditor Miranda was pretty powerful. I know I know she how she feels about it. Um, I think we have a good relationship with with the members of the county budget commission for sure. Um, we'll continue to advocate our our perspective is that, you know, we

099need, you know, every bit of tax money that's been voted by the voters. I think a lot of budget commissioners are going to have trouble kind of overriding the will of the voters, you know, you know, and and going back and saying, you know, the voters, you know, voted for for these levies for the district for their operations. It's hard for us to come back and say that. Um, there is a public hearing required. If they decide that they they want to make changes, I would assume we would, you know, well, obviously we would get notice of that. Uh, we would have time to prepare for that. But I mean, I think we have a pretty strong case, you know, that that we are we are using all the tax dollars, you know, that that

100we get and we're putting them to the best use possible to educate our students. >> Thank you for that. other board members. All right. Thank you, Mr. Gusen. Uh, Superintendent, I believe you have our next presentation. Yes, I do. Uh, Assistant Superintendent Randolph, she's going to come and provide the board and the public with an update on what's going on in our Office of Secondary Education as well as, uh, career and technical education. Miss Randolph. Good evening. I um actually have my my whole team is coming down just so I can introduce them, but trust me, we're not going to switch off back and forth every two slides, but I know that we have a new board member. So, just wanted to give an opportunity to um introduce the whole team. So, um, we have

101first, um, our adult education leader, Robbie Thomas, making her way down here. Um, and then also we have for athletics director, Josh Harden. So, you will see him. Um, he's all over the place, K12. Um, for our career and technical education, we have Mike Turner. He also does work with our strategic plan. Um, and you'll see him at the SAC cow meetings as well. Um we have Emily Moroni, our college manager, and also have Casey Fischer who leads our college and career resource um resources. So all of these different um leaders and then also I did not um think that it would be necessary to bring 17 high school principles down um especially on a Monday night. They may not like me. Um so just want to give a quick overview um of everyone's work.

102So for those of you that do know the team, um giving two slides for each department was a big task um because some of them have a great deal of information to share. Um so any follow-ups or any presentations that would be needed in the future, just um let us know and we can prepare. Um so our first um program to discuss is um our adult education solutions um which is also um a component of that is our Aspire. So, I know that some of you have participated in their graduations, which is where we see um a big bulk of the work. Um so, they do high school equivalency um for students actually ages 16 and older. Um except 16 year olds have to have a very specific 16, 17, and 18 year olds would

103have to have a reason that they would be in that program versus regular high school. Um also have our adult diploma program, large population of ESL um programming um across the city. um all the way up to Tyson Foods. We have classes there. Um pre-apprenticeship programs um Iet programs in collaboration with um city city link and then also um we have some services um in our corrections in um at River City. So that is a big very large overview um of the work of our adult education program. And then also in school um fiscal year 25 you can go to the next slide Rob. um they served approximately 1500 students. And when we get down to actual um data farther in the presentation, I can show you like a desk review, which is something that's

104similar to like a state report card, but that's for the adult education programs. Um so these are just some big highlights um of the program. It's fully grant funded. There's no general fund. Um we partner um with the Ohio Department of Higher Education and also um soon I think in July will be the Ohio Department of Labor. Most of this work will move to um so there is um a lot of grant writing um a very amazing staff. They have evening classes. They have distance learning. Um and then also like I said they have several campuses throughout the city. The main location is at Clean City Vocational Center. um right above virtual high school across the street from Taft. You can go to the next slide, Rob. All right. So, for our athletics, um a

105few highlights from first semester. Um we have moved over all of the athletic directors as you know. So, all of our high schools um have their athletic directors. We've relaunched the scholar athlete of the month um which I know some of you um recall last last year. U we were able to have the students up here and they also were able to get a $500 grant or gift card from Planet Fitness. So that was really neat. Um we also I know the superintendent has already shared the cheer showcase um some of you may or may not have heard that our district athletic director was hometown hero um from the Cincinnati Bengals for his work with girls football. So, um, for anyone who hasn't been to a flag football game this spring, I would encourage you

106to come out because it's much more fast-paced than regular football and, um, they have a really great time. It's really fun. Um, and then also, um, we've already had our CPS athletics hall of fame event. Um, so just a lot of great work already happening um, across the city and we'll continue to have more soon. We should have the women in um women in sports conference and then also um we'll have our um um tell me the name Josh, why am I losing it? Yes, we'll have our all-star showcase in April in collaboration with UC. Um so I know that you've heard from some of the other um assistant soups program impact across the board. You can go to the next slide, Rob. Um so just I know that overall um the athletics is across

107the board um in all of our schools K through 12 um mostly probably the largest impact is going to be in the high schools and again when we get to data um we've done some data around fall sports and um not surprising um about 13% more students um the the student athletes outperform their peers that are not involved in some type of afterchool sport. Um so that is something that we track after every um season. So we'll do winter and spring as well. Um we have increased the athletic trainers from 7 to 11. I know that that's something that's been um a priority of the board. So we've worked really hard to do that. Um also we have increased our girls volleyball. Um and then lastly working on a college internship program. Um so Josh

108and his team work very closely with the universities to um to start recruiting and work with um college students. All right. Um so moving right into career tech. This is fast because I was told brevity last last semester. Last semester. Yeah. Um so career tech. Um just a few things. Um I know we've talked about the business advisory council. they earned the four stars with distinction rating. Um, back in December, there was a team of us that presented at the National Career Tech Conference around um the growth in internship opportunities for our students. Um, also, if you haven't had an opportunity to visit Woodward yet, um, their new entrepreneurship program that launched this year has opened a cafe. Um it's right now for staff. Um but hopefully they'll be able to take orders um for

109more more students um and people um as long as we meet all of the rules for serving other things during the school day. And then um also right before break or during break um Oiler specifically their media arts program um has officially partnered with Local 12. Um, so Kyle Insep, who does a lot of work with us, um, also has really branched out and done a lot of work with them. So there's a little link to a news story that you can watch. Um, that's really super cool. So those are some of the highlights from semester 1 from Career Tech. And then just across the board, again, I know that our middle schools um, all have some Career Tech programming. our 7 through 12s and our K8s and K12's we have a little bit more

110work to do. Um but right now it's serving approximately 5500 students um grades 7 through 12. Um and we have 25 pathways with 13 actual career clusters. Um and I will be after this going over the career tech report card, but it'll be a whole different presentation. But you'll see there um just some data specifically around the career concentrators um and their achievement um as well. Um also have received a few grants. Um we received the high schools that work grant so that we could expand into the middle schools and then also um the Battel manufacturing pathways pilot. So two big grants that we received this year from that. Um moving into college. Um so our college credit plus um just from summer and fall we've already had 1388 courses completed. Um we've increased the

111embedded courses. Um so those are courses that are inside of our schools. Um and then also increased the participation with multi-racial students. Um we also continue to grow the collegebound partnerships. Um and we're continuing to push. We already had our college night um for 2025 and had over a thousand students participate in that. Um and then this year we also launched the college innovation pathway at Sailor Park. So that stays in that's just staying in the same pathway as the one at Schroeder. So those um that is another expansion. And then again, little crossover, but the superintendent already celebrated the Marian Spencer scholars, but um so just that's really exciting there. Um and then I know that um Jussi also um just really is a great support for our students. Um so glad to be

112partnering with them. Uh moving into college impact, um as of just last week, um we had 822 students that were participating in CCP, um college credit plus. Um and I know that, um I've also asked Emily to do some work around the course passage rate and what that looks like. Um so that is some data that we're working on as well. So u we do have 94% course passage across the board. Um, and then also an increase of the FASA, which was quite a feat because for those people that may not know, the FASA opened very late last year. Um, so the team did a lot of great work there. Um, and then we have currently have 338 students um that are enrolled in at least one of our five college pipeline or pathway programs.

113And then um our college and career resource manager, Casey, she's working a lot on experiences for students. So, I know that you've heard about CPS Edge. So, we're getting ready to start the next round of that. And we've even increased um departments that are working on that. And I know that um food services is going to be taking some students um right or in first semester, we already had athletics, facilities, IT, marketing, and communications. Um so, really excited to continue to expand there. I also believe of the four students that did facilities um they were all offered positions with CPS if they choose to take them. Yay. Some two I believe are going to and two I think plan to further their their education but may come back to us. Um so that's exciting. Um

114and then also um we had a grant with the ADM um cares. So that was a really cool experience. The students um were really like testing. This is a STEM cafe and they were testing different smells and putting different things together and it was interesting to like watch their faces because they'd have to put different things together and then try to determine what it was and one was like Coca-Cola but it was very interesting because they were like I know I've smelled this a lot but they couldn't put their fingers on it. So that was really neat and then we've also um already secured the ADM CARES grant for next year as well. Um so that was a good um opportunity for our students. And then also um Casey works on our 3E um survey

115data. So right now we're at about 75% of our seniors completed. Um so right now this is the way the numbers look. So about over 1,250 of our students plan to go into college or some type of post-secary um education. We have about 300 um that plan to do that plan to just go straight into the workforce. And also in that we we um take entrepreneurship like we ask that's what they plan to do. So that's where we capture that piece. Um and then we have 46 going into the planning to go into the military which is a little higher than normal which I'm hoping it's because of our expansion um at Aken. You know we have two JOTC teachers there and hopefully um we'll hear soon from Coast Guard around some expansion there as

116well. Um, also under Casey's realm, she works with advisory, which as you know is board policy. Um, so we have um all the students in grades 7 through 12 should be um doing advisory. Um, we've aligned 9 through 12 specifically to graduation requirements. So 9th grade is a leadership um program that is built in. Um, it's already created for the teachers um and so they can just use that platform. leadership excellence gives three industry recognized credentials and that's in their 10th grade and then um the Ohio means job readiness seal um is in the 11th and 12th grade. So um if you look at the data from when we first started um we had about 114 students that were earning that seal up and as of class of 25 we had 1423. So many of

117most of our students are leaving um with that Ohio means job readiness seal. So moving over to high schools um so under specifically um that report to me I have 16 but also work very closely with um GDA and Odell Owens. They attend all the cohort high school meetings. We do regular graduation checks in check-ins with them. Um but the compositions are um changed a little bit since the growth plan. So I just wanted you to have a just see the differences. So we have prek12 3 through 12 and then right now um Sailor Park being a prek through nine um expanding to 10th grade next year. Our 7 through 12s are still Clark Dator Gamble Taft and Walnut. And then 9 through 12s um Aken Hughes Schroeder Virtual Western Hills Wow and Woodward. Uh,

118Riverview East is currently grades 10 through 12 as we continue to think about what that looks like for the next two years. Um, so overall just under that um, you know, scope of work is about 14,000 students. Um, and then thinking about just progress monitoring curriculum. So all of the elementary curriculum is the same in the K12s as the other um, K6s. And then also um, we for tier 2 and high school progress monitoring. a little different because we don't really have I ready. So, um we have to use just our general curriculum um through lesson quizzes or looking at um our tier 2 andor other um resources that we have. So, usually look at our instructional rounds and classroom walkthrough data from principles. Um utilize the NWA map data. um looking at the assessment

119authoring. Um so that's something that a lot more high schools are doing um because it's giving them an opportunity to actually give tests like questions. Um so this the schools are really liking that. Um and then also just using our adopted curriculum um with their resources. So success maker, thank circa those really align to ELA. Um, we have a Gates grant right now for an EDIDA program which focuses on higher level math, so grades 9 through 12. Um, and then also just using Delta Math, IXL, and then social studies. Um, Dave Trabert's been working really closely with those teachers um, around creating the focus assessments. Um, we'll go back to the additional data in just a minute, Rob. Um, it just this was the only place that I could fit it on. Um, so just

120moving towards um, what the high school data looked like last year. So you can um just overall from the um value ad data um all of the 9 through 12 subject areas um had tremendous growth. Um so just really wanted to share that out um because we're work working really hard to think about um as students get to us and how our achievement numbers look, how are we ensuring that we're growing students. So, this is just an area that we're really focusing on at high school. Um, and especially looking at growth in algebra because it is an area that has so many different grade levels. Um, so that's something that we're thinking about. Um, biology is an area that we know is still that we have to work on. Um, and we have been working

121and it's still had great growth. Um, but we've already seen great growth in the fall to winter map data, which should be the next slide. Um so when we look at seven through 12 across the board or really seven through 10 um this encompasses all schools just all seventh and eighth grades and all of us have schools with seventh and eighth grade. Um so this is everyone but this is our current fall to winter um projected proficiency equivalency. So even now we're on um a really solid track um in most of the areas. Seventh grade is still an area that we actually just talked about last um month um at our last meeting with the superintendent. Um seventh grade is probably the area that we see the smallest amount of growth but still working on

122that. Um so this is all seven like I said 7 8 9 and 10 data. Um so as we track um our entire team if you can go back two slides Rob onto the additional data. Um some of the data that I talked about um we also on top of just regular like monitoring instruction we are looking at um if you can go to 13 Rob. Oh, no. >> So, some of the areas when he brings that up that you'll be able to see as we track. Um, so on here, um, there's not any student name data. Um, so I did not want to like I gave sample workbooks, but one of the pieces that we started looking at, um, was looking at schools that had not moved in gap closing or went backwards. Um,

123so we created a gap closing workbook. So that's the first link if you can click that one. Um and so we worked with those schools. I uh we identified seven and these are just um we took out the student names and went and met with the principles and their leadership teams around um areas that they could look at and do predictors by student um based on historical data, fall benchmark. Now they can add in the winter. Um and then this would give them the opportunity to determine what they need for each student to make movement. Um so this is just one um example of some of the data that we're looking at specifically like I said with seven schools. Um if you want to go back to the next one, Rob. Um Josh and his

124team, like I said, they track athletics by school. So um you can click this link and this is again no student data but this is school um by school and you can look to see um what the students the attendance rates were based on participation. Um you can also review um their and their GPA. So looking to see um students that are more involved. Um there's a clear linkage between attendance and grades. Um, and I think that this is something that came up at the city meeting as well when we talked about activities after school. Um, so we have this by every school. Um, and so just wanted to make sure that you guys knew that this is something that we're tracking. Um, the next data point that we look at pretty regularly is um,

125our career tech enrollment. Um, and then also college credit plus enrollment. So this is the most um, up to up-to-date data as of the end of semester 1. um just and so I don't think that this would be anything new because I believe Mike reported out on both of these back in December or maybe it was November. Um and then you don't have to click that one. It's okay. Um graduation tracking. So we worked last year to focus on how we are tracking our students um based on what is considered to be on track on the bubble or not on track um with all of the graduation requirements. So, this is something that we've reviewed um with the counselors and continued to make adjustments on. So, as you see um when we get to the

126next slide or to the next link, we ask the counselors to manually enter um pretty much every student and where they are on track. So, they pull what they can pull, but some things we cannot. Um so a school will have a document like this and this is our master list and then every school has one that feeds up um to my office and then we do bi-weekly um data reviews of um graduation and also I talk to Kathy Spellelman pretty regularly around her cohort meetings because every high school principal and their team have to have two or three per year. Um, so we just make sure that we link this data um, and we're all on the same page. Interestingly enough, two years in a row, the counselor predictions have been, not interestingly enough,

127it's actually doesn't surprise me at all. The counselor predictions have been less than a half% off of where we land um, of our graduation rate. So, pretty interesting um because they really know the kids and spend a lot of time with them. So, every high school is doing um, these trackers as well. Um the college and career workforce readiness component is also something that we track. Um so we've added that actually EMIS for them they have added that when they do their graduation meeting but again um very similarly to graduation the counselors track every single student and have they met one of these measures. Um, we spent quite a bit of time at the last principal meeting talking about uh the value of this measure because a lot of people think, oh well, if a

128student um if they didn't if they ear if they passed algebra 1 and they passed English 10, we didn't give them an IRC. But that's okay. I just talked to the principal like uh I said to John Chambers, we were talking about walnut um and students earning more honors diplomas or having the ACT ready score. Um, so there's still a lot of other things that are important. Um, it's not just saying like if a student like did not actually have access to getting an IRC because they were at risk, how do we actually make students u ready for their post-secary goals. So we also presented this type of information at business advisory council last week um so that they were aware of what we were trying to ensure that the students when they leave us

129um are ready for them. So that was something that we discussed with them. So this is another monitoring tool that we use um at the high schools. And then um I think the you already have the CCWMR report card. Oh, and then the adult education um desk review. Um so that's just the way that our adult ed program is also um that they it's not really a grade, but they just show the areas of strength. um we have a large program so um they you know really go through and talk about all of the areas that are going well and then what areas um they usually give suggestions on areas. So this is something that comes every year. Um so just something that you know you have access to seeing as well. So this is

130a lot in 20 minutes. So, that's the end of this presentation. So, um I can answer or anything you need from us. >> Uh yeah, let's see if board members have any questions. I see board member Matt. >> Uh thank you for the presentation. Um it was a lot to digest. >> Uh but thank you for uh sharing the updates and the highlights that are happening um within our secondary education. I am curious about um the data that's reflected on page 15. Um and you did share that uh the data as it reads is inclusive of Wet Hills um uh I'm assuming maybe uh Spencer Clark, what would have you looked at what that data looks like with uh those schools disagregated out? Um, and the reason why I asked that is because um, and

131you shared that especially like our seventh grade and our eighth grade need a lot of maybe a little bit more support. And just going back to what was uh, reported out Mr. by Mr. Badget in our December meeting is showing that data um, from their file benchmark uh, reflecting ELA, math and science. And so I want to be able to um have that level of analysis um so that we can make sure that we're um specifically targeting our students. But I think we um need that kind of full picture to be able to assess um how to provide that level of support and intervention. >> So yes, but I don't track it in this in another way. I mean I what I just have is a spreadsheet and I just can click any schools that

132I want to include in the data. Um based on this data specifically came just from testing. So we can pull out um any school that we want and we can put any school in that we want. Um so we can get that for you specifically if you want to if you want to list like which schools you wouldn't want in there. Um if it's just Walnut and Spencer, I can pull that. I don't do that with our school teams just because this number is what's going to be on the report card. But yes, the data is important to know um indefinitely to have because it will change significantly. >> I mean, and the reason why I asked that is because obviously we want to ensure that all of our students are being successful, right? That

133is definitely our goal. Um and also I think it's imperative that we are able to have that full scope, right? um so that we are um intentional about where we implement our interventions and to make sure that there's equity, right? Um and supporting our students to achieve those outcomes. >> Yeah, definitely. Thank you. >> All right. >> Uh Vice President Muffet, >> I want to say thank you to the team. I think you guys have done a herculean effort in putting all of this together and so I appreciate the work that you do. Even though my questions may sound a little critical, I'm very very appreciative. Um, I'm gonna stay on the same road as board member map. Um, I think to have all of the data together when we've seen some parts that are

134concerning is confusing and slightly deceptive. So, I'm interested in data that is very similar. When we talk about there being concerns around the seventh grade, then I want you to pull out schools with seventh grades and compare that data around reading, math, and science specifically to schools to those those same schools. So, I'm not interested in um Wana Hills is an outlier to me, just so you know how I'm looking at it. And I'm I'm very interested in schools that have not met or and or are not close to meeting some of these goals. >> And schools that didn't meet it last year. >> So there's a significant number of high schools that did not improve last year and well not significant. There are there are schools I was >> going to say there was

135>> that did not and I'm interested in that why and what is the plan to move those schools. So I don't I'm not interested in seeing all of them together, but I am interested in seeing. So I would like to if it pleases the chair, maybe we could consider having you come back at the cow when we talk about academics and give a little bit more in-depth information around schools that we've seen and have accountability towards the middle school area um and that need some significant growth. Um there if we could go to slide seven, we have the grants that have been awarded around CTE and or career tech and so that that's all for this year. Is that correct? That those grants I mean that's that's not but I keep hearing that there's all

136this CTE money. So I I would like to understand how we are still at a quarter of a million when I'm hearing that there are millions. And so I I want to understand that. I don't want to keep asking you all for something that if we're not applying or we're not qualifying or I just I don't I don't want to keep doing that. So I I do want to invite you all to come back and give us a little bit more in-depth information around there. I know we talked about the Air Force Coast Guard ROC get bringing that program in. There was another program that we were going to be like a ROC. I didn't hear any discussion around that and I just kind of wanted to know where we were with that. >> So

137we completed the application for Coast Guard. Um and so I believe from the there was a December update that we are supposed to hear back by the end of um January. Okay. >> So when we did the application they emailed um and just said that they were going to identify what programs they were going to add. So when we do the application, it's just it's a national application that every school in the country can apply for. Um we initially had applied for Sailor Park. Um but that we received very quick feedback that that school was too small. Um they have a very the Coast Guard has a specific requirement that the 12th graders work with the um underassmen. So at this time that was not something that was going to be feasible because it would

138take several years and even the numbers of students that might be there um that would go that pathway instead of either the college innovation path or some other type of experience would have been small. So we did that did the application for Western Hills High School. So that way the Westai and Dator campus would both have access. >> Great. Great. >> So we will update you hopefully soon. >> Yeah. I'm I'm interested to see like what our other ROC programs are doing as well and get some data around there. If we could go to slide nine um around um the college credit and the and the co and the colleges I remain concerned about we are admitting what is the and and when we say passage and and I'm it kind of sparked my interest

139when you said uh 94% course passage rates um I'm interested in because cuz a course passage could be a D right So that concerns me. I I want that data a little bit more disagregated as well because I I'm interested specifically or if it can it come up because if what I'm interested in because I'm hearing on the collegiate level that there's a concern around the quality of our students that are passing and so that are coming in. So they're looking at it from a linear standpoint. Those that are coming in, what are they doing when they get there? And so they you know if we're how many of them what what just to seagregate that data a little bit more. So >> I've asked from the last meeting sorry to interrupt I did ask

140her to get me um first semester data. So grades were supposed to be scor they should be stored on the 9th. Yes last Friday. Um and also historical data from summer and spring. So we should be able to get you by grade level um or passage rate by grade A, B, C or D. >> Okay. Um yes that sounds good too. And you know those students that go to college what is their metriculation which leads me to my one slide where we talked I think it's slide 11 where where uh you talked about the post-graduation plan. I kind of want to understand that a little bit more and I you don't have to do that right now. I just maybe you know the chair can invite you back when we're talking about academics because >>

141I'm just concerned about the low numbers there and I want to understand it a little bit more before I um we kind of breeze through and I just want to understand that just a little bit more and then on my last question I'll make it my last number slide 14 um when we're talking about uh the those particular numbers I I would love to see the actual number because that looks really really high but that's kind of contradictory to the other slide where it's not quite met yet. >> So I'm confused. >> So this is value added data from spring testing of 2025. So this is student growth. So it's that progress component. >> So um this is where when we talk about um so there's the achievement component of the report card which is

142actual proficiency. This is the progress component which is the same. Um, so progress and achievement both hold equal weight on the state report card. So when you think about actual value added, so I'll use Western Hills High School for example, they had a four in progress, but their achievement is not a four. It means that the students when they come to them are growing above the exceeded growth. So I will get into the EVOS system to see what numbers there are, but this is the actual document that we usually operate with, but Amanda has the effect size for each school. Um, so typically um sometime, well, not typically, but sometimes you will see some of our higher performing schools struggle a little more with progress because the students come in so high functioning that growing

143them at a higher rate is a little higher. So, I think we've seen some schools maybe go um I think one of mine specifically um dropped in progress um because of student growth. Um but then so at the same time, like I said, you might have a Western Hills that has an achievement of two because of proficiency, but because they were able to work um to grow the students above the expectation, which is what the blue would be. So this is more around progress um of a specific by student versus um proficiency which is the other slide. So the other slide is our fall to map or our fall to winter map as of last week. >> Got it. I just think for me and I think the public whatever the public is going to

144look at. Sure. Because they they're going to get confused and they're not going to want to say progress value add gap closer. They're not going to understand it. So, specifically want to get whatever it is they see on the report card to get a further understanding of that. And um that'll be my last I have more questions, but I'll wait till you give an academic. Thank you so much everybody. I appreciate it. >> All righty. And and again, we can certainly uh include additional information in in cow meetings and future meetings to clarify any confusion folks have. Um see, board member Arm Brewster first and then board member Lindy. Um, I'm just going to first say thank you to those of you that came tonight just to say hi to me. I appreciate that. Uh,

145I appreciate you everyone catering um their presentations to keep me informed. It's very helpful. Um, and then I'm just going to have a couple of things and I don't even know that you necessarily need to respond tonight, but just food for thought. Um on the grants, um I would love to see, you know, a success rate for us. Like how many of the grants are we applying to? What is the success rate of those grants? And if we're getting rejected, what is the reasoning? Is there something that we can point to that we could improve upon when we're doing those applications? Um I think it would just be interesting. A lot of nonprofits um use that success rate as a benchmark for their for their fundraising efforts. Um and then um just really quickly on

146on slide 11 um um for the employed number I would love to get more detail in the next presentation about what we do to ensure the quality of that employment and for entrepreneurs what we do to support them on that journey before they leave our our buildings. Thank you. >> Thank you board member Lindy. >> Thank you. Um, I just want to say how much I enjoyed this presentation. Um, I I taught middle school and I know some but not as much about high school and all the different pathways afterwards and it's changed so much um just since I was a student here and so I feel like I learn something every time you all present and I really appreciate that. >> Um um and there's no butt coming at the end of all this.

147Um I think really I just want to ask like of all the things you have shared um is there something that you are proudest of or you feel like is the the the best piece to celebrate? Oh goodness. Um I am really proud of our college and career um just like workforce readiness component and the work that we're putting into that because it is it is an equal measure to um graduation. So when we think about really making students ready when they leave us because a lot of times we talk about what does that look like? Um so I'm just really proud of the work that the team and the schools are putting into that. Um, and also the business partners. I mean, like I said, the business advisory council was like on fire Thursday

148just talking about all of the ways that they can help support how can we even add more um, internships. So, I'm just really proud of the work. I mean, even we're, you know, we relaunched Beyond the Tassel last year, so we have a committee of teams that are coming together to just think all about like the high school experience. So I don't I think really just it's hard to say because it's all of the work but it's really like after they leave us that really or that we they leave us and we know that we have prepared them >> to the best that we can with a lot of experiences >> and and that makes total sense. I I had a theory that it might be one of the things on here but I don't

149know like can we go to the AP figure that was on here somewhere? >> AP >> it was like the percent of students taking AP exams. >> Yeah that's probably under the college one. I can I can find it. I saw it on the one I had here. I >> I don't I don't know where that I don't recall that one >> being on here. >> Now I can't find >> I recall that we did a report earlier in the year about it. >> So this was this was in the deck that was the uh career tech planning district. >> So that'll Yep. That'll be the next one. >> Okay. Well, I'm not going to give that away then. Maybe I'm wrong, but I was um I'm I'm uh I will come back to that

150one. And thank you. >> You're stuck with me for a whole another set of presentations. >> Thanks. >> All right. Uh former Bolton, do you? >> Uh yes, thank you very much. Um couple things. uh that first of all I want to uh celebrate the the fact that um although I'm not a big fan of the Ohio report card I do want to celebrate the fact that uh the first year that it's been measured officially and counted for we did make state standard >> for college career uh military readiness which is part of our theme prepared for life and I think that is a a nice culminating uh uh success. I'm glad that there was a lot of things that went into that in the last few years to expand our ability to to meet

151that that uh standard. Um I'm interested too is the about the possibility of reinventing the high school day. I've said this a couple of times along the way that uh it would be very interesting to me to uh have kids that would be um interested in a fully academic uh day versus those kids that might be more interested in both an academic day, whether that's the morning and an employment or internship or what have you toward the end of the day. Um, I I just think that that's where the world is going and I think that that we would uh that would be very attractive and I think if you stay the whole academic day, I'd like you to get a diploma and an an associates degree if you want to go down that road.

152>> Well, you'll be happy to hear something else from me next month then. >> Exactly. So, I I think that those are things that we need to reinvent our our high schools. Our high schools are our flagships. I appreciate the fact that we've I've been here a long time as everybody knows, but I would say at least twothirds of the year that I years that I've been here, high schools have not been a priority. Everything else has been, but high schools have not as well as the expansion of career tech. I think again that is positioning us for the future certainly. I I'm interested uh those are my comments, but I have a question. Um, I know the removal of the seventh and eighth graders has been relatively welcomed uh by high schools and I'm

153say that as as nicely as I can because having taught middle school for at least I think it was um uh two years uh versus the high school experience that it is a diff a different group of kids and and need particular help and particular inspiration. Um, how has that in your imagining or in the conversations you're having with our high school principles and staff, how in your imagining does removing the the additional um, uh, challenges and opportunities that exist if you have a 712 versus a 912? How is that changing those schools where indeed the seventh and eighth grades have been removed? I'm not talking about our new middle schools because there's all kinds of interesting things happening across the country regarding how to measure them, but I'm talking about those schools that you

154were 712 and now have become 912. Have we noticed things? Are there differences? What are the what are the folks in the field telling you? >> So, they're smiling a whole lot um at the ones that removed seventh and eth. Um, so I think that was one of the reasons I put the composition up there because 78 is still in over half of the over half. Um, so but in general, um, I just have noticed like the conversations a lot more whenever I do my walkthroughs are more around like the classroom visits versus time on behavior or um, the amount of time just because the sheer number of students at some of the buildings um, was so large. Um, so I feel like with those combined, um, you know, efforts of being able to focus

155on really what do our nth graders need, um, because 9th grade is a critical year for our students has been something that I've been hearing more principles talk about. Um, even just conversations about, um, how they feel like they're able to really spend time with their 11th and 12th graders and have those like mentoring conversations about um, to Dr. Moffett's point of of what is happening next um and how are we how are you prepared and is that something that we want you know that you actually are ready to do and then also just in general I feel like um they it just feels like even the high school students um have shifted a little like in the 9 through 12 to really just I feel like they all seem like grown like they don't

156get into the younger um like mindset u because they come in and they're like this is high school. So I feel like the schools have been able to really focus a lot more on the 9th grade student and then also that gives them some of that time when we look at 112 to really mentor and be really like visible and involved with those students. Uh just anecdotally, I've, as some people know, I've been very concerned always about the um issues for the neighborhood business uh communities uh because of our kids maybe not getting on the bus and instead lingering at the schools. I've heard a number of folks uh actually particularly in the Clifton Heights area being very very supportive of the fact that not having the seventh and eighth graders there has been a

157tremendous impact on their businesses. Uh because the older kids aren't necessarily or at that have not been the ones necessarily that have been causing some issues. the the another quick thing if I could um is it possible uh as we look to the future and we expand the career tech is there's if we can find a way to best present that messaging for career tech uh I know there's been tremendous effort to do that in the publications that we're starting to kind of create and I think there is such confusion about what we offer or what we don't offer. Uh and I I just would hope that between a a new high school day uh and new opportunities within the school day uh for kids uh regarding employment and internship and what have you. if

158we can start to find a way to message the career tech piece better than we've been doing. And I know we've improved greatly recently. But I I just think that's an incredible message for the public because that is where the public is right now is great interest in career tech and hopefully we can enance answer that need. Finally, I know we spend a tremendous amount of money on college credit plus there's the impression that somehow everything's free. this the district is spending a small fortune on college credit plus rightfully so and saving families a great deal of money and I think that's also a message we need to get out there because we need even more children more teen teenagers to be doing the college credit plus as a financial as well as intellectual uh

159effort and and I think it's a very important financial burden that we're carrying that is helping our families and our kids especially especially our first generation college kids. Thank you very much for your work and concentrating on the flagships of the >> and I believe board member Crosset you had you're in. >> Yeah. Um I I the Aspire program is impressive and I think it's something we haven't highlighted enough especially in the realm of the city regarding um other there's many other groups in the city that focus on GED and post you know trying to get people um through high school and and on their way after they've graduation. I just think that's something else we could we could uh highlight. Um the um also I just want to reiterate uh that the communication around

160CCT could be clear and simpler. I mean the there's 25 pathways and 13 clusters. That's that's hard sometimes for people to understand what that is. Um I guess my only question might be on their graduation statistics. uh as you're now that you're looking at that more carefully and you've got lots of data and all that, what what is what do you think is the single most thing that's impactful on increasing our graduation rate if you if there is one and maybe you don't have to answer that tonight but uh something to think about something to research I think what are the things that really impact that now that you've got some shared with us some data >> you know don't answer that now >> okay >> but I'm just curious about that. >> I feel

161like board members keep asking you to pick from who's your favorite child. So, um we'll go quickly to uh board member map. >> Yes, I'll be really quick. Um I do want to call out and this is in response to um some things that board member Balton spoke about. So, I recognize that there may be some relief within our high schools that our seventh and eighth graders are no and many of them are no longer um in that type of um structural dynamic. But I do want us to be mindful and cognizant of the potential messaging that we could be sending to our um middle school learners, right? Because we want them to recognize that they are also important and that we have to have that intentional support for their needs as well. So, I

162just wanted to call that out. Um, I recognize that there may be some relief, but also what does that mean in terms of our focus to our middle schools, especially because there was a targeted effort and initiative to ensure that we're specifically leaning into them >> um and honoring that whole child experience. So, I just wanted to call that out. Um, but I do want to talk about the um, and you may have discussed this, but the uh, college initi excuse me, college innovation pathway expansion and if I'm not mistaken, that is a, um, program that was set up with, uh, Schroeder High School and UC. >> Yes. >> So, um, could you just share, and you may have already done so, and I apologize if you did, but can you just speak to, um,

163you know, how that is going because I think it was initiated in 23 maybe. This is right now the sophomore class is in the second year at Schroer. So um last year in um was the ninth grade at Schroeder and then this year we've added 10th and then we added so when I said expansion we started um Sailor Parks 9th grade is now participating it or participating um at Sailor Park. So when we did the growth plan we did the expansion so that way we have one on the east side and one on the west. Um Emily is actually working pretty closely with UC right now um to look at a possible citywide option. Um so we've talked about what could that look like if all students had the foundational courses at their home high

164schools at 910. Um so the students that are currently um so some students have opted out some so they've done some waiverss because all CCP classes still require like we can't just put a student in they have to have a certain GPA um there's requirements so they did initially the waiver um so I would need to get some actual metriculation data from her to see how many went from 9 to 10 but so the current 10th graders that are in are slated to go to blue ash next year so they would fulltime be at UC Blue Ash um so that's really exciting. exciting. And then their 12th grade year, they will be full-time on main campus and have their associates degree. So, just building out um like I said, Sailor Park now is just a

165little bit about a year behind them. Um and then if we do like a citywide expansion, we would talk about foundational courses at home schools and then all students um that were interested could do that 11th grade pathway at Blue Ash and then 12th grade um at main campus. So, she's been working closely there with that. >> That's awesome to hear. Um and especially knowing that we always trying to highlight what our different schools are doing and so thank you for expounding on that. Thank you. >> All right. Um so I would say let's move to your other presentation and allow some of your team at least >> most everybody is probably getting out. Thank you team. And they all said that they have a fulllength presentation that they can give you anytime you want

166them to. Yes. Why did you ask, do I need you to say no, but should you say yes? All right. Um, so one of the things that I was talking about with the superintendent was um just making sure that the board had awareness that we also have a career tech planning district report card. Um, so that very specifically focuses on our career tech concentrators. So there's four um specific components that are all 25% of the calculation. So um you know like on the other report card different things are measured at different capacities um but on this report card all four are equal um of 25%. So um I actually can send the link to the report card or you can find it just as easily as you can find the regular report card but I

167can also link it on here. Um but so our overall um at this time is a four on our career tech um planning district report card. So again this is our students right now um that are currently um concentrators. So we did receive four stars in achievement uh or not four stars, four stars overall. Um but then when we move to um achievement on the next slide um so this was an increase last report card cycle we had a 1.5. Um so we have increased from 1.5 to two stars. Um so this includes all of our webam data which is 80% of the calculation and then also it includes our normal performance index. So how our students perform in English 10 algebra 1 geometry. So their actual um academic scores are also the performance index

168is part of this measure as well. Um and so also there are um some federal indicators that are included as well. So we do know um as a team that an area that we're looking at is our technical skill attainment um because as that is an area that needs to increase um then we can score higher in this area and students will also um they can earn that's another way they can get their CCWMR points is by um actually earning the technical skill um credits and then also um we are scored on participation as well. So this twostar of achievement um is very is is inclusive of a few different measures. So it's the the technical skill attainment participation and then our actual um performance index is factored into this as well. The um next

169slide just shows our technical skill attainment over time um since COVID um where we've tried to bounce back um so have showed quite a bit of grow growth in our technical skill attainment over time um but again still know that this is an area that we're working on um and I know a strategy that we've started um at some of our schools is specifically looking at pre-EST data um similarly to how we do like the fall benchmarks for our acade like our core content areas. Um we have access to doing the um pre the pre-assessments as well for our CTE courses. So that's something that we've started doing um specifically um earlier at some schools, some are doing winter still. Um and so we're just strategizing by each school and what their need is. Uh

170so when we move to the graduation component um so again this is our career concentrators. um we have 90.7% so we have four stars there um in our five years 90.3 so this is um an area that we know that our students that are participating in career tech courses um are graduating at least two so a concentrator for people that may not know so I have to get better at knowing that everybody doesn't know um would mean that they took at least two courses in that in the pathway um so these are students that took at least two courses in high school that are in the same career tech pathway. Um, looking at career and post-secary readiness highlights. Um, so this is your AP participation slide, I think, Mr. Lindy, that you were talking about.

171Um, so we have 23% of our concentrators that are taking courses um, AP courses. We have um, a nice amount of students that are earning at least three college credits, which I think was also discussed um, in the past board meeting um, last month. Um and then we know again that many are earning those IRC's industry recognized credentials and um that Ohio means jobs readiness seal. So we have um actually significantly this is a five which is the highest that you can earn. Um we have five stars here and then also postprogram. So postprogram is self-reported. Um so the team has to reach out to the concentrators. They have a list and they break it down. Um, and it is very specifically self-reported by a student. So, if a student says that they're working somewhere,

172um, then they're not. Um, we don't call every employer, but it is again self-verified and that's the way that it happens across the state. Um, so as of now, um, they've the team was able to get in contact with 92% of the students. Um, and so again, at this point, um, this is where they land. Um, oh, next slide, Rob. Sorry, you're all probably like, what is she looking at? Um, so this is another area that we have five stars in. Um, also looking at that percentage of industry recognized credentials earned um for that doesn't mean that maybe they earned the one in their pathway, but some that have earned other IRC's um and then also the ones that earn the 12 point specifically. So this is also five stars um which is the highest

173that you can earn on the report card. So all of these combined give us a four overall um for our career tech planning district report card. So this was faster but maybe a little less information. >> Yeah. >> So or maybe some that's familiar. >> Um board members have any questions? board member Lindy, I got be really quick. I just I think um the I just want to go make really sure that I understand this and I apologize if this is a silly question. If we go back to the AP figure, >> that's for all high school kids in CPS. >> This is only students that are in our career tech concentrators. So that means they've taken So this is Yes. Cincinnati public school students. Yes. but a subset of Cincinnati public school students. I

174think that makes the point even louder. Like it's good. Like I I just think that the um that's one in four of the students who are career tech concentrators are taking an AP exam. Um I think it's great and I just think it's it's it's a nice um I'm a very loyal Walnut Hills alum. It's also nice to know that so many students outside of Walnut Hills have access to and are taking AP exams. Um, I think it's a nice model of um of expanding equity and holding uh you know a nationally high bar for what kids should be able to do. Um, could we get it higher? Sure. Um, but I wanted to say thank you. >> Thank you. >> Uh, board member Matt. >> Uh, yes. I'll be quick of just looking at

175page seven with the postprogram outcomes um, and just looking at the uh, apprenticeship um, uh, and where we're landing with that. And I'm just um interested in knowing how we're working to kind of build that out or if we're creating that alignment with um expanding the CTE options and also um are we seeing this number reflected in terms of um I think there was the assessment or um the testing that was required um to be able to step into like an apprenticeship space. Do you I'm just kind of curious to know how we continue to grow this area especially with the focus and emphasis on CTE. >> Yeah, I think um this is something that also was brought up on Thursday at business advisory um thinking about how do we do more partnering um to

176do that because it is an area that we do want to grow. So, I think as we look at even expansion in our own programming, some of those pre-apprenticeship programs that we could do um inside of our schools will be really crucial um to making sure that our students can move into those programs that we do a lot more around like recruiting or specific schools like or apprenticeship programs will come like today actually um on top of the barn at Aken getting delivered today. There was also a scholarship program this afternoon for two students that are joining in. um HVAC apprenticeship program after high school. Um so I think that we have to continue to build those partnerships for when students do leave. I think familiarity I think um as we think around we've did

177our career symposiums the last few years um and looking at what options students do have. I know that um general counsel Hoy has also talked with Casey around working with our own trades um our own programs within the district to see what their opportunities could be for our students that are interested in that. So that is an area that we know that um we need to work to build um number one understanding from students and readiness um because we have heard um especially around the algebra one component um that that's an area that we have to work on. >> Absolutely. Thank you. I just recognized that just having had my own experience um directly with the apprenticeship now um how much of a game ch game game changer it is uh for our students and

178the opportunities that's made available to them um to be able to work you know after graduation directly on different job sites um and just how that has been um just a truly impactful uh opportunity. So I definitely would want to see how we can continue to cultivate that. Thank you. >> Other board member questions. >> Um, so I'll just give two quick statements there and then I'll let you uh leave the lect turn there. >> You had enough of me tonight. >> You can stay there. We just don't need >> I'll just turn it off. >> Um, I want to slightly uh piggyback on what board member Matt was talking about with regards to apprentichips. And I think this is an actually an opportunity for us to revamp and our thinking around what is an

179apprenticeship and how do we get folks into those things postsecary or post uh postgraduation. Um and in part because I think we need those partnerships for folks to be thinking about it while they're in 9th 10th 11th and 12th. So the pathway to an apprenticeship may be something we want to focus a little bit stronger on as opposed to necessarily every student having to do those things while they're in high school. And I think that may also get a little bit into where board member Bolton was talking about rethinking the high school day. Um because I do think there could be a pathway for someone to say for instance 12th grade year do a pre-apprenticeship opportunity that would prepare them and lead them into being an apprenticeship program. Um the reason I say that is

180because I know there's a lot of the unions out there who have been asking to do this >> for years and have been saying that they have these great programs that they were willing to bring into the school and work with us to do for years. And I think this is a way that we can start to rethink how that is done and offer that opportunity out. I know that's something superintendent has we've had talks about, but I think that's is something that's before us now as we're rethinking how the district has to move forward. Um the other parts of that and I would be curious if we kind of combining the two presentations. There may be opportunities also for similar to what you were talking about grants and scholarships and other programming for students

181to go through some of those different trainings and other skill set builders they need to do some of these apprenticeships post high school where there may not be the facilities that we can do certain things for them. But for instance, if they're able to go and get trained or go to a opportunity, whether it's spring, summer, whatever the case may be, that they can then be able to grab that material and grab the information and use it in industry. Because I do think one of the concerns that I have is that we are doing a phenomenal job of meeting the state requirement for industry related credentials. We are not necessarily meeting to what the industry is asking for for when a student walks out skill set wise. Um, and I think there's also I know

182I think both uh both you and Mr. Turner were at the uh opportunity that GE Aviation put was doing with uh talking about workforce development with Cincinnati State with our relationships with our community colleges with our relationships with those partners. we should be feeding the kids into those student into those programs so that that they're a pipeline to a job at GE aviation is the long-term goal. Um but the short-term value is that these students are learning skill sets that then make them the most desired base for a place like GE or a place like PNG or some of these other companies within our uh community here who are developing opportunities for workforce development for their specific >> personal need workforce. Um, so I I think it's and also I think it's an awesome opportunity

183to build on what we've probably been doing and you know maybe we get a five instead of a four next year, right? Like that's that's the growth in the report card there to see. >> Um, so I appreciate all of the the hard work and all the great information you have shared and I think you are free to go unless there's any other board members who have any more questions or >> you know where to find me. Thank you. >> All righty. Um, so this takes us into our board matters, inquiries, updates, and assignments section of our agenda today. I believe our first item on there is an update on enrollment. So, I'll pass superintendent to >> Yes, sir. So, this was uh an assignment from the December 8th meeting. Jeremy did uh dig in

184and uh carved out specifically I'm pretty sure it was um Vice President Mafett's question around fifth grade going to sixth grade enrollment. Jeremy, >> yeah, I believe the explicit question really was in comparing what the current year's sixth grade cohort look like compared to the fifth grade cohort coming out of last year. So, I kind of put this chart together. gives a little more information, but the short answer to that is there were basically 100 less students in the sixth grade cohort when compared to the fifth grade cohort last year. But to expand on that, the context of the question really was looking at what is the impact of the creation and movement of the middle schools on that cohort moving from fifth to sixth. So I expanded the questions slightly and you can see

185the color coding here is helping us look at that fifth grade cohort focusing in on them across the chart as they move to the sixth grade and the following year and what that change is traditionally looking at the last five years. So we can see the first yellow section you know starts in 2122 the fifth grade cohort going to six is typically a 130ish student reduction in that transition. We can see that consistent in the first year, the second year. Then in the third metriculation year for 20 uh from 2324 to 2425 is actually the anomaly that only dropped by four students. That's that's abnormal when you look across the overall trend. What our normal rate looks like is around an average of 100 plus students at least in the difference between our fifth grade

186cohort when it becomes the sixth grade cohort. So to call that out essentially to answer the bigger context question, it does not appear as though the creation of the middle schools and the movement involved directly impacted what our normal expectations would be for our fifth grade cohort going into sixth grade. And of course then the chart just expands to where you can do that similar exercise if anyone is interested for all of the various grades. One thing I did uh kind of note today in prep looking at this that I probably should think to call out and definitely glad I have the opportunity is to explain a little bit on the green column because it looks like at first glance if you were just be like oh the green column shows the difference meaning the

187enrollment from one year to the next say 24 25 to 2526 is 1,218 less. That's not what it says. That number represents the the net of the metriculatable grades, what those changes are. So really that number represents the change from um first grade through 11th grade into the metriculation cohort. So it's cutting out the preschool, kindergarten, and your seniors. To actually see the difference in the enrollment, you would want to take just the difference of the total columns for the enrollment columns themselves. Any questions? All right, I will uh go to Vice President Moffett first since it was actually her assignment. >> Thank you, Jeremy. This is actually very helpful. Um it it it has me with about three or four more questions, but um but it's very helpful and it definitely succinctly answers my

188question. Um it wasn't just to kind of add additional context to your additional context. It wasn't in looking at the creation of middle schools. It was looking at our enrollment over time. Do we lose students at the fifth grade going into sixth grade where they've ended their fifth grade career and they're choosing another option or do we lose them at like seventh grade or eighth grade going to nth grade? Like it was to look at the trend of where we're losing the mo the the the bulk of our students to whatever the reason, private schools, public schools or whatever. So that was just because we had kind of created the middle school model. sixth grade was where that was for me um for that particular I think we were talking about middle schools but yes

189I appreciate the data and I'm going to look at it more in depthly and probably meet with you to have more questions but thank you >> any other questions from board members uh and again uh SC I think this is really helpful for us to also see um certain points at which we can see where students are coming into the district and in some cases where students may be leaving out for a short period of time or leaving out after inconsistently, you know, each year. Um, and so, you know, it's a important to note looking at that 8th grade to 9th grade year, we've generally had a substantial increase, which tells us also that there are a number of students who may not have been in the district for six or for seven and eighth,

190but are back in the district at ninth. And that explains a lot also when we look at what our high school numbers looked like for years as opposed to what our junior high grade level and our middle school numbers look like. So appreciate all your hard work and putting this together for us. Thanks. Uh the next on the agenda there is the strategic plan I believe. >> Yes sir. So, I believe everybody knows that our team did two rounds of working on the strategic plan as a result of the direction from the board to begin to work on at least a 4-year plan uh that has a financial component of support to it. And so uh we had previously prepared this slide that has RFP questions and responses and an executive summary of the partner

191that is listed in today's treasures report to present to you. Um hoping for your support. Uh I mentioned that we did two rounds of the RFP process because initially when we started the work uh working with the treasur office we were going to put $50,000 towards our new strategic plan. And as we began that RFP, uh, we had an invitation, uh, and a letter that was given to us around December 4th that said that, uh, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation wanted to provide us a grant for $250,000. We brought that to the December board meeting and asked for grace for a little bit more time and there was agreement to do that. So, we relaunched the strategic plan RFP process with a few um adjustments in that process. And um as a result there was a

192group that then came together over the winter break to score and review the second set of RFPs and then uh take a look at the top three scores and made the decision to look at videos and had uh a lot of in-depth conversation about the RFPs that we received. Thursday came and I had opportunity uh we were all set on Wednesday to uh present to the board uh through the board updates uh the name of Rice Education Consulting and then on Thursday I had an opportunity to meet with the education committee of the CDC. That was a great conversation and then they made uh the request to partner with us to do our strategic plan process. I explained to them that we had gone through the RFP process and we were prepared to submit a

193name and had submitted by our Wednesday due date. And uh then on yesterday afternoon, I got a second letter from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation wanting to increase from $250,000 to $350,000. Uh but the component of that includes one that the original $250,000 that we have presented to you today would be reduced to $100,000 and that the remaining $250,000 would be granted to CPS if we would agree to hire a mutually agreeable agreeable excuse me strategy partner with deep expertise in developing strategic plans and financial models. with a large urban school district. So, I'm not sure what I'm presenting to you right now. I apologize. This has been in the last um 24 hours or less. >> So, just to be just to be clear cuz uh I think yeah, like it's all happened in a

194blur to you and it's all happening in a blur for us as well. Um the original grant that was offered out by the Greater Cincinnati Foundation was the $250,000 towards the our towards the process to hire a uh external contractor to assist with the development of the strategic plan. >> Yes. Um then subsequently they have said they would be willing to add an additional 100,000 to it if we selected a a a vendor of a a mutually agreed upon vendor who has expertise in specific areas. if in addition to what I was presenting tonight or whoever that might be, we would consider a second vendor with a little bit more financial proudness, I guess I would say, to work together on our next strategic plan. >> So essentially to hire two vendors to handle uh

195our strategic plan development or to like co-partner the strategic plan development. >> I would say more co-artner is my understanding. >> Okay. Um, all right. Well, let's uh open it up for board discussion. Although again, I'm not if there's not something necessarily that we would like to vote on today or if there's not something we're necessarily voting on today. Let me get that also clarification first. >> Yeah. I want to also clarify my my wonderment about this and I did have a conversation last night. No, no, no, no. That was today um with Greater Cincinnati Foundation. Um, when we did the RF, when we launched the RFP in December, the second one, it was written for the $250,000 model. This new letter is now saying to us that'll be an adjustment to $100,000. I have

196not discussed that with that vendor or the team because this has happened so fast. and I need I'm hoping to be able to have that be a part of the board's discussion in terms of direction as well. >> Okay. So, so just to be clear and then for our board discussion, there's the first aspect which is what we actually put out for an RFP. Um and then there's a second aspect of whether or not this new opportunity that would require uh some level of collaboration between uh organizations or or or vendors um as part of that process of developing our strategic plan. And so again I will open it up to board discussion. I see board member arr >> I just have a couple clarifying questions before the discussion starts. Um, one is the secondary

197vendor someone that has already submitted an RFP that we've considered and have an idea of or is it someone brand new? >> I appreciate that question. So, there were 21 applications or responses to the RFP. U, all I can tell you is they're looking for someone that would be mutually agreeable. >> They don't have a person in my >> They did not give me a person in um Got it. >> in mind. I will let me uh go back and say this came up during the conversation Thursday and it went back to 2016. I wasn't at the table and so a little you'll help to help me a little bit but um in 2016 when we were looking at Sai preschool promise that particular levy there was a group from the business community that reached

198out to the district and said hey we would like to work with you on planning and preparing for that particular levy and in order to do that we will um work with you and gift you the dollars for someone to study our books I don't want mess this up, but to help us with strategies that would get us to pass that levy. I believe that that is the current um interest with the business community to help us not just with this strategic plan, but that it would be a driver to get us to whatever you decide to do about a potential new money levy. I couldn't go that far with that conversation with them because I did not have that direction from our school board. >> Yeah. >> Did that answer your question for me?

199>> You you did. >> Okay. >> I think my follow-up question would be does that take the initial RFP process and make it null and void because that money is no longer available. >> So, I talked to Treasurer Mike about this. Um, and maybe I'll let him speak for himself from his vantage point, uh, in terms of whether we can do this financially or not. >> I Yeah, I mean, I think there's some unknown there. I do think, you know, we had initially in our minds committed to finding, you know, $50,000 to do the initial RFP. I mean, I think we could find we could find funds. Um, if >> that is not my recommendation. I want to make that very clear. I'm not asking for the district to pick up the other 200,000. I

200was clarifying that the 250,000 from Greater Cincinnati Foundation is no longer on the table. >> Oh, I I >> in the version of the current RFP. >> I believe that Greater Cincinnati Foundation, although they've written this letter as a pledge to us, may struggle uh to do this without the support of some of the >> businesses. Yeah. Yeah. I'll just say I I um am happy to hear that the business community has reached out. I think it's important to do this work in conjunction with them. I think if we're going to use this strategic plan to leverage on a potential ask from the taxpayers to support the implementation of that through new funds, um it's incredibly important to have the support of the entire community. I think this conversation we're having right now is very

201confusing to me and uh very out of order. >> Uh board member Matt, >> excuse me. Uh so um well, thank you one for sharing this update uh updated information. Um, and I appreciate the support that uh, Greater Cincinnati Foundation is willing to offer. Uh yet at the same time I am concerned and and and really kind of looking for your perspective um and your thoughts about the um vendor that you were proposing because unfortunately and I I'm I don't really have you know um any particular feelings about um the vendor that's presented one way or the other. still kind of doing my research and was going off the feedback that you shared. But I guess it's concerning and problematic as we're having the conversation because there was one recommendation for one vendor and I

202can imagine that there was probably already um you know kind of aspirations of going forth from the vendor's perspective and to now have conversation to ultimately um be in a position of no longer being considered is what it's sounding like. And so I too uh agree with uh board member Arm Brewster about the out of order. Um it it just presents as a lack of consideration. Um and maybe it could have been handled differently in terms of how it was presented. I do appreciate you sharing the information. Um but again, the vendor that um was being recommended at least went through the process and now it sounds like we're circumventing that process. So that's my only thought about that. >> Um Vice President Moffett, I >> I just want to apologize to the public because

203I think they are confused just like I'm confused. I feel a little strong armed and I'm not exactly comfortable. I would like to see this in writing because in complete honesty, I'm I'm not sure if we only have a 100,000. Are we telling the are we to go back to the original vendor who we've selected to say now we only have 100,000? Do we cherrypick from what they've submitted and and get to 100,000? Does the deal that sounds as if it is has a contingency to it, do they get to choose the vendor or are we choosing an additional vendor to partner? I'm very I need to see some things in writing and unfortunately for me, maybe this is my colleagues as well, time is of the essence. We're not trying to delay this process

204at all. And yet I feel as if that is an unintended consequence to um the money that is being leveraged upon us now. So I would welcome the opportunity to see this in writing. If need be, I will make myself available for an emergency meeting so that we can kind of come up with some get some direction for you to be able to do this expeditiously. But my intention was that we would be able to begin something with regard to the strategic plan this month so that we could get our community engagement going. We could get our staff engagement going. We could get our and we are now being asked slash demanded slash held over to what are we do they have someone in mind that they would like us to work with? I'm very

205confused and I apologize to the public because this is the just you just brought this to us this yesterday. You just got this information. >> I just got this, Dr. Moffet. >> So, no, I'm I'm not mad at you. I'm just saying I think we need to get something in writing more than this with clarity. I will also make myself available to have a factf finding or some sort of emergency meeting because I really don't like the fact that we would be changing the timeline again. I really want to get our engagement going. I really want to get our budget working on and we have committed to the community that we would do those things. And so this feels um you know I'm just going to say it feels like a stall tactic. It feels

206like there's something else. There's a carrot being dangled and I don't exactly know what it is and I'm not sure if it's clear, but I would like to know, do we have a 100,000? Do we have 300,000? Is there a an intention to have to use a particular vendor? Uh maybe that vendor is a good vendor, but we've already made our selection based off of so they would need to work in tandem with what we've decided. But I really want to get our community engagement going. I really want to get our our our stuff going. So that's my opinion and I will make myself available. Board member Bolton, >> I'm so gratified to hear the comments of my colleagues because I'm sharing um same concerns. Um it is critical that all partners uh in this

207town help us out and we we really need partnerships. We're we're built on partnership in this district. It's one of the reasons we're we we are still standing. Uh but I've been here a real long time. Again, third time I've said this today. And it's very rare for a partner to say, "We want to help you, but you're going to have to do it our way in order to get the money." three times before this has been this has happened that I can think of and two of them I believe were superintendent searches and board said no because we didn't want to give the impression to the community that you have to pay to play to have access to the board because some people have money and some people don't. So, I think we can't

208even decide anything tonight until we get some things clear because some of this has just happened even today and and last evening and whatever. Apparently, um I find it hard that we would not vote for a group that has gone through the process that is both local and is minorityowned because we say all the time we want to do that. I also believe though that we knowing what our future is and the demands we're going to be having to meet regarding finances, I think the the the partnership that we established with the business community at some cost to them with I believe it was Ernstston Young when we opened our books and they went through those books that was the way that we got the Good Housekeeping seal of approval for the preschool promise levy.

209I see these two different things. We've got somebody that's already gone through the process for the strategic plan and there's justification to use them and we don't know that it's unfair to them that they were maybe promised or anticipate 2. I still don't know what they're going to do with $250,000. I'm sorry that I that How many teachers is that? How many pairs is that? how many whatever. But anyway, okay, we've got somebody to do the um strategic plan that the superintendent's recommending, but I say let's welcome the business community to help fund getting a private group to come here. The treasur is ready to would be willing to we've gone through this and we need that seal of approval anyway for whatever asks we're going to be making of the community. But I see

210these are two different things. I say to Korea's point, vice president's point, we can't miss a day, a month, because we'd have to do an RFP all over again in fairness, as well as tell these people, "No, we're not doing you after they've kind of gotten the idea that we have selected or they've been recommended." So I say let's um you know we can wait and do it in the 26th or whatever we meet again or we can have our strategic plan vendor and then we make a an a an approach to the business community help us or you fund the work that these professionals out private professionals have to do looking at our books to get that good housekeeping seal of approval. But this is uh this is I'm I'm going to quote our

211newest member. Out of order. Yes. Out of order because we must do our business in public. So we have to share with the public this kind of thing and it's actually I'm uncomfortable sharing this. Thank you very much. >> Other board members comments. Uh Mr. Cross. >> No. Thank you. I I I I appreciate it a lot. I think um I'm going to zoom out for a second big picture and then uh I want to make I've shared all of this with the superintendent already, but before I um heard about this most recent um letter from Greater Cincinnati Foundation, uh I was coming in tonight ready to vote against the recommendation for Rice. Um, and so I'd like to address that on its own. Then I also want to talk about the letter and and

212I'll just try to do all that at once. Um, I think context, big picture. Um, this is sort of about a strategic plan. It's also sort of not. Um, the most important thing I think this year is the fact that our financial issues are killing us. Um, this is the biggest issue we have to figure out around here. Um, last year we had to cut $60 million during our budget process. that was riffing over 80 people. It's the first time in my six years on the school board that we've had to do that. Uh and that is only going to get worse. Um part of that is the legislation that Treasure Gustin reviewed earlier. Part of that's the declining enrollment that we saw on a presentation from Mr. Galahghue a little while ago. Um there

213is no world I think like we either have to go to the public with a request for new money or dramatically restructure what we do here or both. Um, and there's just no mathematical way to avoid that. We have to have a plan. So, how much do we need in service of what are we asking for that money? Um, with whose support are we going to the public to ask for that money? Like, this is the big issue in 2026. And it's all starting right now. um with how well or not well we as a group manage this really hard process like our strategic clarity and our financial health uh are are intertwined uh and we have to figure this out in a way it's it's not enough that we like it uh and the

214people inside this room support it like we have to do something in a way that gets an entire city on board behind it. That is not easy. Um, and so that that's just the context I think for all of this. For me, I think it does start with this planning process. Whoever we choose, whether it is the ones who submitted, whether we pay for it ourselves, whether we get external help for it, I think that whatever whatever process we use, like we need to be able to do three things in that process for this to work. We we have to have a plan that's going to help us improve academic outcomes for students. We have to do that. Um, if people have read what the superintendent sent, you know that one of the questions I

215was interested in is whatever firm is being recommended. Um, can it show that it's gotten results with other large urban school districts? Like the major reason I got a vote against Rice is when they were asked that question, their example is a majority white suburb from Columbus that is 33% economically disadvantaged. That was their best example. Like last year, our third grade reading results went down. Our algebra 1 pass rate for low-income students is 39%. We have a lot to celebrate around here. I do not want to be like my New Year's resolution. I do not want to be all doom and gloom all the time. We have to be cleareyed about what we have to do. And if we're going to get help, we have to get help from somebody who has done that

216before with other large urban districts. It is not the firm that came through in the recommendation. That's why I have to vote against it tonight. I shared all this with the superintendent uh ahead of time. Second thing, like we we need we need to find a way to get help from a firm that can model the long-term financial needs of our district. In 2016, that was Ernst & Young around the preschool promise levy. Um, it's not that I don't trust our treasurer. I voted for our treasurer. I like our treasurer, but it doesn't matter because we need to be able to show not just the people in this amphitheater, but we need to be able to show the city that other people come in and look at this and understand what it is that we

217need to do for the future. Um there there are great examples of this and you don't have to go all the way back to 2016 for our uh last new money levy. You can just look in the paper this week. The mayor of Cincinnati announced that he's putting an income tax levy with city council on the ballot. that came from almost two years of work with the futures commission. It didn't come out of nowhere. The city and the and the uh business philanthropic civic leaders spent $2 million on the futures commission. Um we're we're talking about whether this 100,000 200,000 300,000 is too much. $2 million. Um, and what what I think they're building, and it's not done yet, but what I think they're building is a broad coalition of people who believe in a

218financial picture and a set of priorities for the city for the future. I think it'll pass. I don't know, maybe it won't, but I think that it will. And so, we have examples in our own history. We have examples right now in another body of government in this city of how to do this really well. And so I look I I think it's really really important that we get help to figure out how we can best move student outcomes. It doesn't mean we don't have a lot to offer here. We do. But if the only thing we're doing is repeating what we've done in the past, I don't think we're going to see big changes. So, um, I want to bring this together and and just share, uh, at a minimum, I got a vote

219against the Rice recommendation, um, because I don't think they have the experience improving student outcomes in districts like ours. I think there were plenty of firms who applied that did. I don't have like a particular one I'm looking for. Uh, I think we need to have some kind of process that builds the biggest tent possible for what our financial needs are so that we can put a levy forward that not only we believe in but that the whole city believes in. And if that means we have to change our timeline, we change our timeline. If it means that we need to invite other people to the table, I think we do it. Um, because it's more important to do this right um than it is to try to make all of these decisions just ourselves.

220Uh, Mr. Crescent, >> thank you. Um, I um I'm not sure we have anything that we can really um vote on tonight. I I think that um first of all, I I'm I'm really grateful for um Matt Randaza and the and his willingness to sort of maybe create a bridge between the CRBC and and and and the school board. um and that they've come through with some offers and that they have an interest in us. I I think that's I'm grateful that the business community is coming forward trying to help us. Um I I see a problem with the the first offer of the 250,000. It's now down to 100,000. I I don't think I don't think it's anything we can vote on because we got an RFP process for dollars that maybe aren't going

221to be there if if we try to go forward with that. And I and I I'm concerned that we would have to scrge around to find our own money to do that. We already got enough pressure. Um but uh I do think that um that and I I want I very much uh support the process that the administration went through to come up with the Rice uh recommendation. I mean it it was an RFP process. It was scored. I I think there's an opportunity uh for even though Rice hasn't done a big urban, it's an opportunity for them to do one and maybe be able to become a thought leader for the state of Ohio and use this experience so that Cincinnati could be a thought leader for Ohio and how to direct um urban

222uh schools to grow. There's an opportunity for that. Um and I also like the fact that they're local. We are a unique city. We're a unique school district. They know us. They know the city. They might be able to do a little better than an outside group. Um I think no matter what happens, no matter what happens, we are going to have a great strategic plan that's aggressive, that's um very much um aspirational. We are going to have a good plan no matter what. I I just know everybody around this table, we're not going to not let that happen. And it go aim really high for great student outcomes. I I agree with what what you're saying about all that, board member Lindy. So, um I think that what I would like to maybe have

223a thought about is whether or not there could be further discussion with the um Greater Greater Cincinnati Foundation about their what they're proposing. It just seems like um to to get with board member uh Bolton's uh thing, you can't just uh say we're going to be just helping you decide. It's got to be an RFP process. It's got to be recommended by administration and voted on the board. It can't be somebody who's putting up the money to say, "Oh, by the way, we're giving you the money, therefore you have to do what we say." It's got to be different than that, I think. But I do think within that process the business community can be influential. They can make a recommendation. They can advocate. We are going to have a um advisory council for the

224strategic plan. They can be on that advisory council. I think there's plenty of opportunity that for them to h to weigh in and have uh good recommendations without having to just dangle the money and say, you know, we'll give you the money if you do it our way. So, I'm hoping that there can be just further conversations between the superintendent and Matthew Randazza to try to reconcile these two letters that we just got and try to come up with something. The the other thing that's going to be really important is if we have two consultants working on this, one of those consultants needs to be the lead consultant and I think it needs to be Rice. doesn't mean that they that the consultant that maybe helps us with the financial modeling um uh isn't partnering

225and working with Rice, but it could be a really good partnership to help Rice launch itself launch a bigger career for them and at the same time we can get the Good Housekeeping seal that our community needs. So, those are just just my thoughts about this. I I I'm hoping that there can be a little more discussion. I uh the business community I I think their intentions are good. I I would like to think that their intentions are good and that they want to help us and and I I don't want to lose this opportunity. There's not that many opportunities for us to partner with the CRBC and this could be, you know, an opportunity for maybe a new day and a new era with this group. So those are my thoughts. >> All righty.

226Um I'm going to give some quick thoughts and then I will let others who have additional thoughts go through. Um I share a concern that I think from what they presented to you is a reframing of what the work was intended to be done. And I say that because what the letter says is that 100,000 would go towards engagement and then the rest would go towards strategic planning and uh financial and and I think that's a mis you can't do engagement on something you have no part in developing. I think it's just it's not a logical offer and that and again if we were doing a strategic plan for a 25-y year strategic plan then sure you would do a huge level of engagement you do multiple years of this that type of deal for

227the level what we were planning to do for the extent of what we were looking to do I don't know that that makes a lot of sense to do something separate that does not in some way or fashion collect into whatever the plan ultimately is because the truth is is that what you're going to get is a group of folks who have decided what the strategic direction of the district should look like and another group of folks who have gotten feedback on where they think the district should go to and the two almost guarantee to not connect. Um, but I want to say I think the struggle I have with this also is to maybe to board member Cross's point, which is I don't know that even if we thought, you know, 100% like let's

228go with it. If we voted on something that we weren't guaranteed to have the funds for, then we will be right back at the table essentially talking through what's the next steps going to be. And so doing a vote today specifically on whether to approve or not approve the particular vendor seems like a difficult vote to have given that we would be making a commitment to something that then we obviously absolutely would be putting ourselves on the hook potentially putting ourselves on the hook on even more so than what the Greater Cincinnati Foundation um would have been for us to kind of go back and ask for those dollars. So I don't know that there's a vote today that will happen. I I'm going to tell you right now I'm thinking it just does not

229make sense to do so to make a commitment to something today. I think it's reasonable to ask for some very clear clarification on some things and uh given again the lack of time beforehand this meeting that this information was brought to you um and the lack of clarity within the documentation that they've provided to you as to what's the next steps are um and so whe how that will happen I think that's something we can we can certainly still figure out also uh but but my feeling is that I I appreciate everyone's wanting to make a better decision and wanting to make a bigger decision and wanting to invest in how we make these decisions, but I think you have to do it the right way. And my struggle with this is telling us, hey,

230you can go pick that one little group over here. They can do all your engagement, and we don't have to be a part of that. Seems like you're dismissing what the community of folks >> opinions and thoughts are about how the district works, doesn't work, benefits, doesn't benefit, and actually what will potentially long term be the same problem that many of our surrounding communities are facing. And several of the districts right now are are looking at these patterns of not passing levies is because they don't have a story. >> When you look at a lot of the districts that are struggling right now to pass a levy, it's because the community year after year after year says our numbers don't tell us how you're making things better. So if I don't have a kid in

231the district, if I don't have a child in the district, if I don't have a family member in the district, why would I support it? And I think that's a that's a step that a lot of districts have started to start to address nationally, right? That's a big issue in some of the national efforts. But I do think even locally and even in the state of Ohio, we're looking at the other large urban districts that are are contracting in size in a lot of ways that we have we preceded them in doing, but we're going to be struggling with the same financial cost. And so I think there are reasons to have a person at the table who understands that, who can work through that, who can really build that. But I again think coming

232through this process and saying mutually agreed upon person for me seems like somewhat problematic in RFP process anyway because I don't think we can essentially say you can't be selected unless they agreed upon. Um, so those are kind of my thoughts. I will open it back up to others who had additional thoughts. Uh I see board member Bolton's light is on and I'll go to vice president. >> Thank thank you. Uh I I agree with everything that you've said. One of the unique opportunities for this right now is that the board decided some weeks ago, couple of months ago, uh, and talked about it a couple months ago and decided several weeks ago that our strategic plan would not only be a strategic plan, but we would also be providing a financial design and that

233we specifically said those two things have to be together. To me, this is an opportunity where you have some uh group that is partner in the strategic planning, but you also probably don't have that same partner, excuse me, being the ones that could help us design what that financial design would be. Because when you talk about a financial design that is going to incorporate four years or include four years, you are talking about designing a financial plan or designing a financial plan that will take us through one or two requests of the voters. So I do think you can have a strategic planner and you know facilitate facilitator but now we've we've said month last month we want this to also be a financial piece. So I think hey I got to tell you Ernston

234Young was not cheap. That was a very expensive effort that the that the business community paid for so that we would have that good housekeeping seal of approval. And they set a whole set of recommendations some of which we agreed with. Twothirds we didn't agree or whatever. But the idea was that they had looked at our books and I throw the books open. I think that's important because you're going to have to have a financial plan or design at the same time that we're creating a strategic plan. I think it's an opportunity to have two things at the same time with two different levels of expertise. And I'm happy to have Rice do it because they are local and because they are minority owned and they do understand Cincinnati. >> That's it. I'm done. >>

235Vice President Moffett and then board member Lindy. So, I I'm sitting here a little frustrated, but I do think that there is a win here that we can have. I I believe in partnerships. I think that I would like to see if the superintendent can meet, maybe take the president and meet with the CBC and actually get some sort of resolution and just a further understanding. Um, because I think that their intention is good. I think that their partnership is a benefit to us. I just think that when we communicate via email, when we communicate with one, you know, one perspective only, which I think is is maybe driving some of their perspective, I am concerned that our voice is not being represented fully. So I would I will I welcome the opportunity and I

236do think that maybe to use Rice as a benefit. I am not as concerned when I looked at the applications around um some of the concerns that board member Lindy shared. I do think that there can be benefit extreme benefit from using a local minority based firm. They have experience doing a strategic design. It's not like they this is their very first one. And I think that they they do have benefit um there. But I also think that the business community or Greater Cincinnati Foundation being a partner um can can benefit as well if we sit at the table and actually discuss what our needs are, how we came to this opinion. Excuse me, you discuss that because that's, you know, you're you're the voice of that. I think that maybe we'll have a little

237bit more information, a lot more buy in, and then we will have more understanding and it will be speaking more from a more diverse voice from the district rather than just one or two perspectives. So again, I I'm going to invite us to make ourselves available. Um but I I do feel that you we ask you multiple board members ask you for your expertise, your opinion around this. You spend a significant amount of time researching the firm. How do we now say okay well I I'm sorry. I don't want to look at your opinion and your professional voice in this particular instance and I feel as if I know better. So we can't have it both ways. If you've done the due diligence and you've done the research and you've researched this company and this

238is your this is your recommendation, then let's try to make that recommendation fit within what some of the guidelines of our funer is recommending. >> I appreciate that. >> And then board member Lindy and then board member Armbberster. >> Thanks. I mean, if the if the suggestion for tonight or the plan for tonight is let's not vote on the original recommendation we received, let's not make a decision on the letter, but let's continue having conversations to try to figure out the best way forward. I'm very happy to support that this evening. Um, I just go back on if the if the idea is we vote to do the contract with Rice, um, I I just cannot support that because this is our chance to do something bold and we are going to spend $3 billion

239over the next 5 years. Uh, and it can't be we're just going to keep doing the same things we've done and do our planning with only perspective from inside our own landscape. There are firms out there, multiple ones, who applied in this RFP who have experience improving student outcomes in districts as large or larger than ours. Uh and I think shame on us uh if we're unwilling to partner with those groups even when offered philanthropic money to do it. Uh I think the kids and the families that go to CPS uh deserve much better than that from us. Um and so if the proposal is let's keep talking and figure it out, great. Um if the proposal is let's use Rice as a strategic planning partner and then let's see what else we can find

240to model the financials, I I got to vote against that. Okay, I had some time to think. Um, so I don't think we're voting, so I don't want to harp on this, but I do think that the tone and the framing of this conversation is incredibly important because there are people watching this that want to see this board be open to the idea of partnership. And it's not just the business community. It's other partners that want to partner with us. It's families that want to see us looking outside of ourselves. So, I think we should really concentrate on opening ourselves up to the idea of partnership in the correct order and in the correct way. But I do just want to say that I like Ben had many questions coming in tonight about the Rice

241contract and did not intend to support it. Mainly because of two things. One being their engagement strategy. So the idea of hiring them or asking them to redo a bid for engagement feels wrong to me because I I wouldn't support it in the end. Um it is very internal focused. They have a very small component of external um engagement listed in their proposal. I think um they have two sessions that are outside of the entire um 80 sessions that they're planning that were external focused. That to me is a complete short-sighted misstep on the district. If we had all the solutions within our four walls, we would be doing the work already. Um the second thing is um I'm going to be in the minority here, but I um do not feel that this is

242a a a place to um prioritize local. Um it's not taxpayer dollars, so we're not sending taxpayer dollars outside of our district. Um, I do trust you guys. I think you did a great job with this presentation, but I also want to point out that the top three were within like four points of each other. So, I think there were other options. And when you look at your selection rationale, you specifically say that them being local was a a part of that selection. I would recommend that we don't we we don't have the luxury of being their test case for an urban district. We need people with experience. Our students need solutions now. Um we need outside expertise. We need benchmarking. Um we need this. And if you look at successful strategic plans, um they

243are often not local organizations that are doing them. Um that's my opinion. Um, I understand it's it's not the popular one and that's okay. I do support local and a lot of other things. Um, I also would just point out I it's a two-way street and I don't know that we've done a great job of soliciting support from the business community ahead of time on this either. I don't think the way this is going down is doing anyone any favors, but I don't want to frame this as they are the bad guy here because there they are offering support. I don't think it's dangling a carrot. I think it is a genuine offer of support. Um but it does need to be done in an appropriate way and in a public and transparent way. So

244I think um to give you a little bit of uh maybe a consolidation of thought here, I think for right now based on Oh, sorry. This is 30 seconds. I just forgot to include my thing. I think if the timeline is what's creating pressure, I think we should relax it. Um I know there's this piece in the eval about having this done by June 30th. I know that's important for this next year budget. maybe with the right team at the table, we could figure out a way of doing right by our next year budget and also doing this process in the right kind of way. I just want to say like if that helps, I think I I'm more than happy to relax that timeline a little bit. That's all. >> Uh board member cross,

245>> another quick 30 seconds. Um we have to if we do relax it, we've got to also relax the performance goals for the treasur and the superintendent. All has to get relaxed together. >> Okay. Uh yeah, superintendent. >> I I just uh want to say that uh our team spent a lot of time on this and it's not just the time that we spent. Uh I will say I believe in Rice. I am excited to work with Rice. I was excited um when we read about them, when we listened to their presentation, when we had great lengthy conversation over the winter break. Yes, there there we looked at the top three in our list of 21. Yes, not everybody at the initial read because we did this independently. Mike may have had a one. I

246may have had a different one. That is expected to happen. But when we came together, we were unanimous on what we wanted to recommend to our board of education. were very serious about our recommendation and we didn't have any hesitation about being unanimous on that. I'd also want to say we had to follow our district's procurement process. This was not just Shauna's opinion about any of the particular vendors or anyone on the team who worked on this. The fact that they are local gives them weight in the procurement process. The fact that they are minority gives them weight in the procurement process. I cannot take that away or ignore that as a factor of the policies of this board of education and that I'm not ashamed of that. I'm extremely proud of that and I

247continue to say and I'll stop um I would love to have the opportunity to work with Rice. I understand that they may not have the breath of experiences that some of the other vendors had, but also in the conversation, some of the other vendors didn't hold a candle to the presentation that they did on behalf of our district. Um, thank you. >> Okay. Thank you, Superintendent. Um, so I think where we are at now is that it it again I don't think in good conscious we could have a vote today given we also don't know the status of whether or not the greater Foundation would uh adhere to the original offer of the 250,000. I think it is also worthwhile to have additional conversation with them clarifying some things. Again, I my biggest struggle in

248what they wrote was the mutually agreed upon because that's not a part of our procurement process. It's not a part of our RFP process and that can't be something we add into something unless they hire externally and then provide those and donate those services. And to me, that's not how we should operate as a district. If we ultimately want to do a conversation with them that gets us at 350, that gets us in a process where we have a partnership around that, I'm happy to have that conversation. I'm happy to work with you and those conversations with uh the GR Foundation and and the CRBC and and others, but I want us to make sure we're adhering to what board policies tell us we have to do. And I think that's a step that we

249have to honor and and obey as we all were just uh reappointed andor appointed to the board or uh re uh put onto or read our oath. But that's something we have to honor and we made board policies for those reasons. That is absolutely something we can review as to whether or not there should be exceptions or whatever. But let's do it the right way. Um, so I think for right now what we are saying is let's have an additional conversation to clarify both their current their original commitment whether that actually still exists but then also the terms that they put into what this additional funds would look like so that we can determine what if any steps we can take recommendations we could make process. I I like uh vice president Moff's idea of

250us doing some type of fact factf finding once that information's been better um figured out and then at that point we could decide whether or not we need to adjust timeline make different you know reset some of those expectations that type of deal because I do think it is worthwhile for us to do is earnestly to do a great thing here with regard to our CIC plan uh more because I am so terrified of what uh treasure Augustine has already presented on how it will affect our ability to even do the basics going forward. And so I think that's a helpful thing to do, but I want us to make sure we're adhering to what our board policy and what we are supposed to do in the right manner and right steps. Um, >> so

251President Craig, do I because at the appropriate time, I would love to have 100% support of our board. So is it appropriate for me to say I would like to withdraw that recommendation for now? I know we're not going to vote, but I don't want it to be. >> Yes. >> Okay. I would like to do that. >> Is there any objection to it being with withdrawn with the understanding that it will be revisited upon after further communication? >> Uh, treasure guest. >> So, just to clarify for this is all in the treasures report. So, we would strike. >> No, it's I was hoping you would make the recommendation. I don't want to but just for for housekeeping for for treasures for we would strike the contract to rice >> under contracts. We would strike

252that's on page that would be on page six. We would strike the um donation um from Grayson Foundation which is on page 14 until we get further clarity. And then we would also strike the bid tab which is on page 17 and 18. >> That means that it's currently in the consent agenda. So it would have to be exception pull from consent agenda. >> Yes. >> The treasur's report is >> yes. So, what we'll do is we'll make >> literally two items next afterwards, but uh we'll do that at the we get to the consent agenda is to do the exceptions to pull those aspects out um and have them put on the record. >> Mr. Chair, if I could Yes. >> What u something that was also proposed I think by vice president that

253you and the superintendent and I would add the treasurer too be in this dialogue to because again I think that would be helpful. I don't want them to think that it's >> you know just lieutenant or treasurer but indeed >> this dialogue that happened publicly which it has to >> absolutely carried forward. >> Absolutely. I'm happy to uh to assist in any manner I can. Uh vice president >> and I just want to also bring up and I think I mentioned this to the superintendent before. I was able to sit on the strategic planning committee for under a different administration many many moons ago and it involved community members. It involved engagement. Um there were tears to it. I may still have that manual, but it that was maybe something maybe there are some things

254that we can do begin to do to bring um staff, students part um um the community together uh regarding some of these pieces uh while we are waiting on the bigger piece. So, I would also invite that to the administration to look at maybe forming a team. And I know I'd asked that question, is there an application process? Because there was an invitation for us to submit names, but maybe we can begin to draft up a an application, have the community members submit it so that they're engaged. They're beginning to think about that. Board members can also at at with that particular uh group board members sat on different tiers and they engaged those particular community members that wanted to engage on certain tiers and so we were able to collect a lot of information.

255I don't know member Bolton is that how my tomorrow started was I think it was under superintendent Mitchell but that that is >> I was going to say I remember they had something to do with it then. So, I'm saying I I'm saying and I would like to maybe even propose that and I'll make it under assign an assignment if we need to that the administration begin to structure an engagement piece uh that we could solicit out while we're doing all this as well. >> All right. Um to keep our meeting going here so that my first meeting is not our forever longest meeting. Um uh I think our our next thing under board matters inquiries was the uh strategic planning committee. I think that can be holded right now. I I I can just

256uh this will take four sentences and this was the idea I think uh uh vice president just mentioned it that the previous strategic plan and we've talked about it had a kind of an open engagement uh opportunity and I would just like to suggest that superintendent you know has asked for board members to submit names which is great. uh also I think having multiple kinds of committees doing various incundary things would be helpful but I would also like to do what we did in that particular strategic plan which was tell the community if you want to participate as a general plenerary committee just give us your name and I think now we've had this other dialogue I think the more open that membership can be the better we can probably address the idea of access.

257So that was the committee piece I was wanting the open enrollment so to speak selection whatever that was a very very uh good experience for a lot of people >> and I again I think that's something that as we go through >> with discussions to figure out what's the next steps that it's something we can also incorporate. I think one thing maybe to make clear also is that our expectations of what's produced and how it's produced are always things that we as a district can demand of any vendor who would work with us. So it is never without us having the ability to say this is our expectations of what you can deliver. These are the things that must be there that are are non-negotiables kind of aspect to it. So um the next is

258an update from uh board member crossing on kid future. >> Yeah thank thank you. Um kid future is the brand name for the sincere public school foundation and uh they are going to be kind of launching doing a little bit of a launch of that branding and all that next month. So, um, I still spend time explaining to people what Kid Future is by saying it's a Sincai Public School Foundation, but it's a it's a meaningful brand in the philanthropy world, or it will become a meaningful brand in the philanthropic world. Um, just a little update. Um, we're about we're just a little bit beyond halfway through the first year. They started July 1. Um, and we invested a little over a million dollars in Kid Future for them to cover their administrative expenses. And

259so far they and with the with the idea that they'd have a fundraising goal this year of $2 million. Right now, as of uh today, they've raised about a little over $500,000 of money that can support CPS. And we have it in four pillars. academic excellence, uh the whole child wellness, career workforce development, and what we call the wider world, which is if you an example might be to send a marching band to a a marching band contest where they wouldn't otherwise be able to afford it. So, uh those are those are the four pillars that they that we've agreed upon for them to raise money for. And uh so far they're they're they've raised quite a bit of money and we're very excited about the long-term future of this. Um and it's great to

260have a a a formal foundation for our district. Uh it's been a long time coming for us to have one of these. the uh so the the money that they've raised so far um of two two things that they've that I want to highlight where the money has come to benefit the district well indirectly or directly is um there's a they're covering half of a salary for a teacher at Pleasant Hill uh and and it's related to um the Holocaust and and humanity center that we have here in Cincinnati. The other thing that they just approved was uh $65,000 for the Imagination Library. We no longer have to use our general funds to pay for that. They're paying for that. So, that's a really good thing. It was um and they also in in addition

261to that funding of the Imagination Library, they're going to work with Children's Hospital to get a lot of data about whether or not that's really uh uh how valuable that investment is as it relates to CPS students. So, that was kind of a nice um so just a a couple more little highlights. Um there's a series of uh they're going to they're developing a speaker tour that might happen this spring all around the city and they're asking board members um their board members and and uh the five of us who are also representing CPS to host an awareness session. Um they're also doing this thing called the fuel the future events in February where they will be visiting specific schools or not visiting our schools and giving school tours for constituents and donors. So those

262are a couple of the things activities that are coming up. Um, I love working with Charlie Frank, their board president, has been very, very good to work with and hopefully it's onward and upward and they can get this flywheel going and uh they'll exceed exceed the goals that we already have uh established. So that's the update. All righty. Uh, nothing further than I believe we are now at the point of our agenda with regards to the consent agenda. Um, do the treasurer or board members have any exceptions or andor, uh, >> can I just have a question? >> Yes. >> Um, just as this is my first time voting on this, uh, looking through the treasures report, can you explain what the then and now certificates are because everything else is pretty self-explanatory. That is

263not >> cool. It's not I didn't I did not plant that question to her at all. I promise. Yes, it is. It is probably a good time for an annual reminder of what then and are. So, state law requires that anything the district buy, we have a purchase order in place ahead of time. So, before any goods are ordered, before any services start, there has to be a valid purchase order in place. When that doesn't happen, that's a violation of state law. Um and and what happens is as a treasurer I have to sign a certificate called a then and now certificate. What that says is back then when the person made the purchase or when made the purchase we had enough funds to pay for it and now that we're paying the invoice um

264we still have the same still have enough funds to pay for it. The other thing but the beauty of it is by state law any then and now over $3,000 the board of education has to approve. And so and so what you're seeing in that report is any then um over $3,000. >> And the world of then and has been something that we have been trying we actually have had some positive results around getting folks to not uh make purchases without a purchase order. But um it is still something that is needed at certain times and need in certain situations. And so it's something I know the treasur's office has been tracking and it's something the budget and finance and growth committee has looked at. So now uh Mr. uh Crosset, Miss Bolton and Miss

265M get the fun time of uh trying to to adhere us and get us better on track with then and situations. Um is is it related to the consent agenda? >> I maybe uh the treasurer can confirm this but I think the number of nanals that we have now is significantly less than what we used to have. We've been reducing them. >> We have for a long time. I'm not This year we've had a couple um odd incidents, I'll say that that have put it back up, but we we are doing much better historically than we have. >> All right. Um so again, back to the original question, are there any exceptions and or >> I was letting everyone else speak. So I do have uh exceptions uh from the treasures report. Um, I want

266to abstain from page 10, line item 14, page 13, line items 2 and nine, and lastly, page 18. And then I believe uh, Treasure Gustin, we can approve as an amended with those removals that you had listed earlier. Do you want to uh, just recap what those are again? Sure. Yeah. Um so the items that we agreed to remove were um page six, item number three under contracts, page 14, second line under donations, and then the entirety of pages 17 and 18. So, Miss Matt, you don't need to abstain from page 18. >> Okay. I didn't know if you were going to pull that out or not. So, okay. >> So, we're removing that. >> All righty. Um, are there any other exceptions? Our normal other major exception maker here uh is no longer on

267the board. So, uh yeah, I know. Is there a motion and a second to approve the consent agenda? >> So, move secondary >> with exceptions. Yes, with the exceptions. >> Treasure Gustin. >> All right. Miss Arberster. >> Yes. >> Miss Bolton. >> Yes. >> Mr. Crosset. >> Yes. >> Mr. Lindy. >> Yes. >> Miss Matt. >> Yes. >> Vice President Moffett. >> Yes. >> President Greg. >> Yes. >> All right. And then I definitely skipped over uh any assignments. U. Are there any assignments? I think it might be uh possible. I I would request that the um policy committee uh take another look at the uh having the reading level on the report card. And I I don't necessarily advocate saying to not overturn that what we voted, but maybe amend it so that there's

268options. there's an opt out option for parents or an opt out option for a family who doesn't want to see that and for various reasons there may be a family that doesn't want that and and and and by doing that creating that exception um would just be an amendment but then maybe they could also um take some time to get maybe a little more teacher input I think this is the second time we've heard from the teachers wishing they'd had more input on that so just if the policy could committee could revisit that there's time. We're not we're not putting that in place until next school year. So, just just to >> Yeah. So, your your assignment is uh requesting the policy committee to review the uh recent policy that we just passed to look

269at potential options of adding either an opt-in or something to that effect for the policy. >> Are there any objections to that assignment? Okay. Any other assignments for me? >> Mine was just to firm up uh the assignment superintendent and the president u perhaps the treasurer would engage in that dialogue just formalizing that >> on the strategic plan. >> Yes. >> Any objections to that assignment? >> No, I don't have an objection if I wanted to go backwards. Yes. I didn't take myself off me in time. my my concern to and it's not really an objection, but we heard from a group of parents who came to advocate for that information. So, I'm not wanting to negate those voices. I'm also not wanting to negate teacher voices. So perhaps the assignment to the policy committee

270could include further engagement because there was lengthy discussion at hearing of the public by parents who wanted that information. I don't want that to be um overlooked. So, um, I when I responded to someone's email that sent it to us saying that they were advocating for it, I said that I thought there was engagement by the policy committee and I think I included the policy committee members on it who shared that there have been some. So maybe it is to um look at either additional engagement or if that is the right thing to put on there, maybe something else needs to be put on there. I don't know. But I think we just there were there was a group of people that wanted it. There was a group of people that didn't. So because of

271that, um I wanted to make sure that we include those voices, too. >> I think all these sound like great things for the policy committee to talk about in its first meeting, and I'll be following up with people on that committee to find that date as soon as we break. >> All righty. Uh any other assignments? None. Okay. Uh, with nothing else further on our agenda, do I have a motion to uh, >> what is this called again? >> I motion to adjurnn. There we go.