Student Achievement Committee of the Whole Meeting May 15, 2025

001Seeing a quorum of voting members, I call the May 14th Cincinnati School Board Committee of the Whole, I'm sorry, Student Achievement and District Instructional Performance Committee of the Hall meeting to order. Assistant Treasurer August. Oh, we got to do the program. comes up. Um, is there a motion to appoint our legendary member Brendan Craig? So moved. As a treasurer? Second. Okay. Well, that's great. You got it when I didn't even finish the whole title. There you go. Okay. Um, roll call. Roll call. Mr. Craig? Yes. Mr. Crossson? Yes. Mr. Lindy? Yes. Miss Matt? Yes. Vice President Bolton? Yes. President Moffett. Yes. Also do the we also do the attendance roll. Okay. There you go. All right. Mr. Craig here. Mr. Crosset here. Mr. Lindy here. Miss Math here. Mrs. Weinberg. Vice President Bolton present. President

002Moffett here. Thank you. The chair will now entertain a motion and a second to approve the May 14th committee of the whole business meeting agenda. Is there a motion? So move. A second. Second. Thank you. Mr. Craig. Yes. Mr. Crosset. Yes. Mr. Lindy. Yes. Miss M. Yes. Vice President Bolton? Yes. President Moffett? Yes, this evening's agenda is approved as posted. Assistant Treasurer Custoen, please introduce our first presentation. Actually, I think this one's for the superintendent. Oh, well, I'm sorry. My uh notes say the wrong thing. Say lots. Superintendent Murphy, please present our first presentation. The money presentation is much more important, but that's right. Uh so what we'll have first if it's okay is assistant superintendent Randolph is coming to give an update about yonder pouches. I believe she and Miss Wishia House who uh

003reports directly to the deputy uh worked a bit on this data to share today. Good evening afternoon. Um just a quick update on yonder. I know that there have been some questions and just looking for some data and feedback. So um we have created a survey. Um so we can go ahead and go to the next slide. Um so I just broke it down into two specific areas. Uh we looked at some overall academic impacts. Um so what we looked at was in first semester um we saw 12 of our high schools had a reduction in the nth grade failure rates. And then also looking at the cohort of eighth graders last year and where they were um at 9th grade first semester this year um we saw that those same eighth graders um had

004less failure rate in nth grade as well. So kind of similar data except you're looking at the same students. So the number of um Fs they had in the eighth grade versus the number that they had in 9th. Um we also noticed an increase or 100% of the administrators and 78% of the teachers said that um they saw an increase in the student engagement. So that came directly from the survey. The other was specific failure data pulled from focus. Um so also um as the superintendent said um along with our PBIS director we were able to get the survey out. So we were able to survey um principles, teachers, parents and students. So it went out to all stakeholder groups. Um so some of the questions that were more just around um actual application um

00593% of the administrators said that they had noticed more positive um student interactions and a reduction in behavior issues. Um 79% of the teachers said that they saw better classroom management. 59% of the parents were in support of continued use of the cell phone free policy. Um and then 59% of the students rated that they did not feel that there was a change in their level of focus and engagement compared to prior to the having no cell phone. Um some of the students had shared in their survey that they already didn't have a phone in class um prior to like some teachers collected them. Um so that was some of their information that they they shared as well. Um the next slide um is I think it's just really the glows and grows. So really

006um based on what our feedback said um and so it's very duplicative to be honest. I think I just got really excited and made two slides that were so similar. Um but one thing that I wanted to specifically point out um is is how to ensure in the grows um if the if the students don't see the alignment um in a decrease um of the negative peer-to-peer interactions then we need to make sure that they do feel that way or figure out how we're expressing that um because we do want the students to feel that this is something that's valuable to them. Um so that's an area that we need to think about. Um, another area of growth um that I've talked with our curriculum department about is um if the students also don't feel

007more engaged um when the students don't have that phone or something else um how do we ensure that our classroom instruction is engaging for students as well or how do we ensure that they understand the difference in engagement and what that looks like from not having their phone but what does instruction look like um as we think about that. Um so some of our next steps uh one piece is we do it's not on here um right now but I know one of our pieces I just had met with um the middle school team and we are going to implement as well um at the middle schools. So all of our middle schools junior highs will have the yonder pouches as well. So, uh, working with them on implementation plans. Um, they're going to work

008with some of the high school principles to talk about what worked, what didn't work, what would they suggest. Um, so that we can make sure that we have a streamlined implementation. Um, some of the other next steps that we talked about um are thinking about activities to continue the positive interactions. I know one thing Dr. Williams really talked about was students in the lunchroom. Um, and that positive interactions that she saw from students being able to play Uno or cards or just playing board games together. Um, and that was something that she really did through a streamlined like donation support with partners and other um, parents, teachers. And so I think that's something that I feel like we could increase at the other schools because I don't see that as much. there is a lot

009more student engagement just talking but there's not as many like opportunities to do games or other um areas. So I think that could be an area we want to think about. Um also thinking about the arrival procedures. Um so as our students at the high schools all go through the metal detector. Um this is another area when you have you know 1,00200 students coming in. Um we don't want to have students losing instructional time because they're in line because of a yonder pouch. So, making sure that we streamline those procedures, ensuring that students are able to get through quickly, um, and that all of the processes allow for that. Um, also thinking about providing support to schools as students do lose the pouch or as they break. Uh, right now we just ordered cell phone

010lockers. Um, so that way if a student does not have their phone and they self turn it in, they can just stick it in this cell phone locker, the principal or school staff locks it, and at the end of the day, they can pick it up more quickly. Um so that is something that has been helpful to um a couple of our larger schools uh because by the end of this year um we had a couple schools that had almost 200 cell phones that didn't have a pouch because if the student doesn't can't replace it or the school ran out um they have to go into the locker. So that's an area that we have to think about more strategically. And then also I shared already but collaborating with curriculum and instruction around how to

011focus teaching and learning um around engagement from feedback from students. So that's where we are right now. Thank you. Do board members have any questions, comments? Board member Craig. Uh thank you for the presentation. I think it it was certainly good to hear a little bit about what's kind of been going well and what's what areas we're going to improve. I do think the uh arrival time is the one I just observed from visiting a school at the time. It it was all it was both chaotic because of when students arrive and having to go through metal detectors and the other stuffs that we do to ensure their safety, but also you had students who, you know, it's like all right, they're not prepared. They didn't have the bad, you know, the pouch out, all

012these other things that add steps into that. Um, so I was happy to see that. And I also had the the question about what would be going what would we be doing for our middle schools andor the junior highs. Um so I appreciate you sharing both of those pieces of information. Um and then the last thing I will say again I think this is it's important that we think about the yonder pouch for a lot of other reasons. I think the other major reason is that the state is becoming more and more dedicated to this idea of no phones in the school. And so, you know, there's not like there's an option where we would say we'd go back to allowing students to sit in the class with their phones. Like, it's it's just maybe

013other ways that we would do preventing students from having phones out. And so, I think that's the other thing that just recognizes that it's not a go back to everybody has their phone and can do whatever they want kind of approach. Sure. Well, member Matt, did you have a question? You got your mic off. Uh, yes. So, thank you for providing um this update about the yonder pouches. Um I do think as we're talking about uh supporting and assisting the students with being more engaged um and interacting with one another, I think that SEAL curriculum, as we'll be discussing today, I think that will be a great opportunity to help um the students um engage with one another um on a different level and a deeper level and um allow for that interpersonal relation skills

014to be developed. So, um interested in seeing how that possible connection could work. Um but I do want to inquire about the um you stated that there's a reduction in 9th grade failure rates out of 12 schools. Are you able to provide maybe more succinctly what that um data point looks like in terms of how many students have um um the data has changed in terms of the in terms of the reduction rate? Yeah, I can I don't I don't have it with me on here, but I do have a slide or I have a um actual breakdown of all of the failure rates by school. Um so, and I also Schroeder Middle's in there as well. So, I can provide just like the percentage of decrease by school. Okay. I think that will be

015really helpful as we're again looking at the goals and guard rails and um you know, just trying to determine how our students are performing and also what it looks like in uh correlation to the discipline. Definitely. Well, Vice President Bolton, thank you very much. Thanks for the report. Uh, I'm interested in a couple of things. Um, I'm I'm interested particularly in maybe a survey or some sort of assessment as to whether or not families, parents, caregivers feel that they have been able to be served uh to reach their kids if indeed because of the yonder piece and vice versa. uh I don't know how to to measure that but to see if there's some sort of customer satisfaction and whether or not there's differing degrees as to whether or not uh uh buildings uh who

016are receiving the calls are are actually somehow sending that message to the to the the students or whatever. I just think that that was the big concern and I'd like to see some kind of data that demonstrates that uh we're delivering on that. Um, I know a previous superintendent would always say there has to be a live person answering the phone, and I know we're in a different world right now. Uh, but, uh, I do think that would be interesting. Uh, I I have a question about there was always an emphasis that the kids had to use the phones for instruction. Uh, and at least that was a claim. Have we addressed that uh uh not just for homework but during the class period itself? Is that still an issue or So some of the

017um courses like CCP courses did require that so we were able to purchase more. Um so there's like a way to unlock them. There's like some like that are not on the stands. So the teachers um that needed them, we were able to ensure that they had access to um have a like their own I don't want to say unlocker but like an unlocking unit in their classroom. Um also we have students like that leave to go to try health and they need to make sure that they have access to their phone so that you know if they have an emergency on the bus or anything. So, um, yes, there are. So, we've been able to navigate all of that by ensuring that the the classrooms that need that, um, have access to allow students

018to have their phones out. There's also been a shift in ensuring that if it's something that can be done on their onetoone device, um, making sure that they utilize that first if that's an option. But a lot of times what comes up is the dual authentication. Um, is like if you log into like a Miami course, you have to do like Duo to show that you're, you know, that it's really you. Um, so that was really the the main area is they needed to get it out for that and then they could do the work on their device like their actual computer. I think any chance we get to proactively reassure families that that indeed it's available for instruction and that happens and that indeed we we are sending the messages uh and the kids

019are feeling so they're not left uh a drift. Finally, uh, fascinating what you talked about regarding, uh, what they've been able to do at Hughes, uh, regarding, um, board games, uh, and what have you. Uh, some of us will remember more than a decade ago, there was a book, Bowling Alone, uh, which started to talk about the fact that people were just breaking into individual centers. I've noticed um there are schools that are trying to do the board game piece and I can remember many years ago a wonderful principal of mine uh when all this was kind of cell phones were new and what have you uh being excited that the kids needed to uh when they were in the lunchroom to actually play cards and teachers were oh no don't do that and this

020very veteran principal God bless her soul said you one day you'll be happy that they still remember how to talk to each other personally. And if you look at some of the social places where people now go to have a good time, thinking a place in my own neighborhood, it's called uh free parking and they um the purpose of it is that there's food and there's drinks and there's tables set up and you bring your own games, but you do it there. It's it's I think we are trying to reintroduce ourselves to one another without the mechanics and I think the more we can help do that I think would be great and having grown-ups help facilitate that or peers facilitate that might be a good way regarding positive school culture. Thank you. So thank

021you for the presentation. I do have a couple questions. This is just updated for you. So, I am so appreciative of the presentation and the data. I'm very curious about and I and I wrote this down. I think it was board member M's question around the nth grade failure rate reduction. I'm very curious about that and would love to see more. I'm also interested in the discipline data around fights and the correlation between um cell phone usage being a manipulator of some fights and discipline data. Um, again tying it to the goals and guard rules, but more specifically at our high school level. Um, if since you brought up nth graders, that's a great place to start. But because I would imagine 9 and 10, 7, 8, 7 through 10 is a little bit more

022um, rambunctious than 11 and 12 if I had to think about it. But I'm very curious around that data and the y rounder pouches. Um, when was the survey conducted? What time of year? So I did this presentation I think was initially going to be in April. So March, February, end of February, um I believe it was through spring break. Did we do a be a beginning survey as a found like as a foundation from the fall to? If we did not, it's not a criticism. It's a kind of a concern because I'm curious as to what their perception was in the fall and what their perception is in the in the spring because um when I talked to some students, they didn't like it. They told me that they didn't like it, but they

023were more engaged. that was in the fall and it would be very interesting to see what happens in the spring which leads me to my next concern slashquest. Um I visited a couple of schools just in general not even looking for yonder pouches and seen boatloads of yonder pouches that were broken or I I'm going to assume they were all broken. It's a significant amount of money that's just sitting there that's disturbing to me. Additionally, students have shown where they don't put real phones in the yonder pouches. They're not utilizing the yonder pouches the way that they were intended. Um it becomes a checkbox item instead of an actual reduction of um of cell phone usage. It's just kind of a way to get around the system. And at one school, which I absolutely love,

024they the students had passed around the magnet, some magnet to open the yonder pouches midm morning. So my question slashconern is um I don't want this to be a checkbox item because the governor has in his address mandated that there should be no cell phone usage and I think parents need to know that that's not coming from CPS, it's coming from the state. But what are we doing to course correct and to pivot rather than it just be something that we we put in schools and and we we let them go to we're actually making some corrections midstream to be effective and then measuring that. I I think the having students not stand outside because of a yonder pouch is great, but um I also think it's just as detrimental to have them put a

025fake phone in there or go around midm morning and get the phones out. So, you know, we need to I think we should probably would like for us to collect some additional data. Um, survey them multiple times a year, but then also find out honestly what's going on in our schools and then are there schools that don't use yonder pouches? I know for some of our elementaryaries, they use Ziploc bags and they use the the lockers that you mentioned. Is there a more cost-effective way to because I see a lot of yonder pouches just sitting in a bucket, you know, that that bothers me. Is there another way that schools have found to um to kind of mitigate some of that damage and not buy yonder pouches but do something different? So um that those

026were my questions. So just a couple quick responses, but there will be some work that I'll have to do um with Dr. House around some of the requests. Um but we I we did not do a fall survey. we really just focused on implementation timeline there because we rolled out and schools um had all the way through first quarter to get them out. So that is a good um call out and especially will be a good data point when we do it in the fall to just talk about spring to fall and then again like you said more checkpoints throughout. Um we did talk about even maybe putting it in our climate survey like could there be a few questions there um just so that we could have those regular check-ins and especially since that's

027already wing out and we don't you know over survey people. Um, so we can definitely get on that for next year. Um, I think also, so similar to what you shared, I noticed at a building a couple weeks ago, um, I was just doing like walkthroughs with the principal and we saw quite a I want to say quite a few, maybe eight to 10 phones in courses, like in classrooms, um, without like redirection. So, I did level set with the principles a few weeks ago that as we get to the end of the year, we want to ensure our procedures are still in place, making sure um because it's one thing if you put a phone in the wrong phone in the pouch, but you also don't get it out all day. It's another to

028just be utilizing your phone in class. Um so, we've talked about ensuring that expectations are clear and consistent through the whole year. Um going through and ensuring that we um continue to do those those yonder pouch checks. like that was something a piece of feedback a few weeks ago we met with yonder um and also they visited to do a couple arrivals um and just to share some best practices around checkpoints seeing can we fix some of them some cannot be fixed agree how do we make sure that we don't create more discipline by saying you broke your your yonder pouch um because we did see as you talked about discipline data one thing we talked about was category one offenses went up when we talked about students having their phone out in class. So

029teachers are logging that they, you know, a student had their phone out. Um, however, um, I know Dr. House was working on the discipline data around category 2 and overall it appeared to be down in the fighting area but I don't know that it's because of phones or not but that was an area that we talked about that we saw an increase in one uh category one because of those logging that a student had a phone and there you know so we don't want to increase discipline to also but we also don't want to we want to ensure that students also understand that they do need to utilize the pouch or you know if they don't have it then they are supposed to self turn in. Um so I do agree that there are some

030systems in our first year that we're learning from and plan to move forward. My thank you and my last question is around student fees because there are a significant number of pouches that are broken. Um h how we we do have a policy around not charging student fees for student fees. Academics I'm going to say like yeah the general but are we charging for the pouches? Like how how are we how how is that going for students that break their pouch or um don't have one? So it is logged um and then there's like a general account that they go into that we will repurchase with. Um so there was a student fee created. We did want to make sure it was consistent with the yonder cost. Like one school was like $100 and I

031was like, "No, they're like 19 or something." So, so we all have one general cost. Um, the treasur's office has created a line that can actually like u be logged that a student lost or broke their pouch. Um, however, then it becomes we just give we give them another or do they turn it in every day because if they lost it first quarter, that's a really long process for a student to not have a pouch. So um some of the students or some of the schools have looked at utilizing title dollars or donations um because we do need like their Yonder's um recommendation is a 20% in uh 20% refresh every year. That's just how many you'll need because students move, you lose them, things happen. Um but definitely um have been able to collect

032some student fees but not nearly the number that we've actually had to replace. So do we have do we have that data around even if it not not that we've collected it how many have been logged as needing to be replaced that would be interesting data too I can the schools the schools like they have a list of who so I can ask them for that I mean that that's going to give us um some quantitative data around how many stu how many yonder pouches are being broken misplaced etc thank you so much and the students are creative we have one in a burrito. We've had one in a Stanley cup. They're very They put their phones in so they can get through and they're creative. So, they're very smart. Very smart. Thank you so

033much. Thank you. Uh let's see. Superintendent Murphy, please introduce our second presentation. Yes, ma'am. And so now we'll have a presentation. The next two actually are uh going to be given by our director of positive school culture, Miss Monicia House. Good afternoon everyone. Uh code of conduct. So um the discipline committee for the district has been meeting all year long uh really looking at key points in data uh to really guide our work and to look at where we feel like there might be confusion based on the data based on referrals. So we actually pulled out specific student uh examples of referrals that have been written, incidences that have occurred. And so because of that, um there were a couple things that really shown through that we can definitely improve as well as overall creating

034um accessibility of our code of conduct to our staff. So, we're looking forward to next year with uh partnering with our partners to help support us in at least being able to print the code of conduct um for our school-f facing staff, for our teachers and principles so that they can use that for a tool and as a teaching tool and a professional development tool as they have conversations around expectations and guidance on next steps. So, um, what we have for you is a document that just kind of outlines where the opportunity lies to be able to, um, make some amendments, some clarity around wording, what the original text was, the recommended text, and just kind of a brief explanation of why. So the first um improvement that we wanted to make was around the

035word profanity. When we looked at many referrals, there are many students, high number of students being suspended or sent to the promise center for profanity and obscene language. And so we wanted to clarify is this profanity that student is just using inappropriate language? They're not really gearing it towards someone. They're just using inappropriate language that needs to be corrected. or is this language really used in a threatening manner? It's towards someone that's completely different. So, we wanted to make clarity between those two to say that in category one, it is inappropriate communication and profanity, which is the language that's not directed towards anyone. And if you look at the recommended text, it really restates that students are expected to speak respectfully to others. Examples of inappropriate communication include put downs, making fun of or negatively

036talking about someone or their family, or using profane gestures. These includes written, electronic, and verbal communication. Profanity should not be used. Even if it's not directed towards someone. So, we want to make that clear. It's not that we're saying it's okay to use profanity. As long as it's not directed towards someone, it shouldn't be used as a part um of our expectations in our learning environment. So the next update that we made um was around there was a line that said cell phones um can only be used uh as allowed by the school and school rules. We wanted to provide clarity around that and not confuse students that students or parents that cell phones can no longer be used. We just need to follow the school rules and district expectations around that. All right. So

037that those are the the updates that were made in category one. So in category two um we qualified the profanity and obscene uh language that is really about the language they um students must not use language or communication that causes extreme offense to any individual or the school community. And so that not only includes um profanity, but it also includes language that uh is based on race, gender, religious beliefs, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression. We wanted to call that out for uh the next opportunity for an update. Um really thinking about uh the phy um the language is around damaging and destruction of property. The update is really just adding the word intentionally. Um that students that are intentionally misusing equipment or um school property such as propping doors that can

038cause a safety issue or misusing technology um by creating VPNs to get around firewalls that can make us accessible to things as an entity. Um, we just wanted to call that out and adding that into the destruction of property. Um, on texting, we made um just some small grammatical errors or changes to that just to really make sure that that was clear. Students are prohibited from engaging in texting, which means sending um these explicit images through um or messages through electronic media um such as text messaging. The next opportunity to change was around breaking and entering. We just changed that language that was um more uh to forceful entry which is more appropriate for students and less criminalizing language in the breaking and entering. We also added that students must stay out of locked and

039or private areas. So, it might spec it might be an area that students shouldn't get into, but for whatever reason, it might not be an area that can physically be locked, but if they know that they should not go into that area. Um, under the chart under be responsible, there was language around choose the right time to celebrate. It was interesting, um, kind of awkward in where it was placed. So, the the committee felt that it was more appropriate to just remove that language. And then um under the chart of be respectful, it was accept refusals gracefully. Felt like that wording could be confusing to some. What does that mean? Um and so we just wanted to uh be clear that students should accept refusals. Sometimes the answer is no. We need to accept that

040and then obey the rules of the school community including the city and state laws. Um under um page 21 for corrective strategies, we wanted to make sure that we added in the menu of restorative responses that we can add restorative conferencing because that is a strategy that can be added that can be supportive of um addressing the infraction and addressing the student and any harm that has been caused by what has occurred. And then at the very end um we do want to update the acknowledgement link so that we are collecting the data um and making sure that we know where parents have signed off saying that they have read and reviewed the code of conduct and those are the recommended updates. Thank you so much board members. As you may know, this needs to

041be presented to us formally and then um we will see it again on Monday. Any questions or we will have additional questions. Board member Craig. Uh so thank you for the first of uh two presentations you're going to be doing for us today. No problem. Um, I wanted to ask a little bit of this question or question a little bit about the changing around the language regarding profanity and obscinity and I and I really want to maybe dive a little bit of better understanding around uh kind of the use of the causes extreme offense to the school um because I do think that is a very open language that could be interpreted very differently um based on who's kind of deciding what's causing offense. Um, so I just wanted to hear maybe a little bit

042of an explanation as to how either we are going to provide guidance on that or how that language is being interpreted or expected to be interpreted. I am so glad that you asked that as the first question. So with these recommendations along with a lot of many of the other categories especially in one, two, and three, we realize that we have to do professional development and ongoing throughout the year. So the committee is going to continue to work. That's our biggest thing next year of providing supports. I know as a positive school culture team, we will continue to work to try to embed this as what we're also doing as opportunities to have conversation and dialogue and vignettes around what do you do as a teacher? What do you do as an administrator? because we

043do see the vast um array of how people handle similar situations whether it's teachers doing something different and or administrators doing something different. So we would see a student might have used one word that was a profane language and then another student that cussed everyone out in the classroom and went up and down the aisles and the teacher could not teach and they received the same consequence. Um, and so we really do just need to continue a part of that is going to be able to not only just provide guidance on paper because it could be interpreted different ways, but just a training together. And so I've had a conversation with Julie Sers about partnering with that that we can be bringing reps and principles together so that we're all doing this together um so

044that we can be on the same page with our interpretation and how we support one another. And I think the for me part of this also is an expectation. we're thinking about language that is offensive, that may not be profane, you know, making sure that we're also holding our staff, our teachers to that same level of expectations, administrators. Uh because what we so often hear the students say is, "Well, but they're allowed to do X. Why am I not allowed to do X?" Um, and so when it's not like profanity, when it's not, you know, using something that would otherwise be like a generally obscene type statement and it's more of an offensive statement, um, I do think it should be very helpful to have some kind of guidance and even if not examples of

045or situations in which um the other part to that for me is also uh using um gestures and other things that we do know there are a number of gestures um designs, other things that are connected to uh uh groups that are not a part of what we would want in our schools on a regular basis that some students may bring into the building. And so, you know, again, I think there's maybe a need to also educate so that teachers are aware of or especially as we have some schools that are changing the communities that they serve that they may be a mixture of folks coming in who bring things that were not a part of the school culture before. Um, so that again teachers are aware of what those things mean, what those things

046are, why they're said a certain way. Um, and that they're not the precipitous for fighting and other things that might occur afterwards. Absolutely. And sometimes there's misunderstanding about language as well and the intent behind the language that's being used. So there's a lot of opportunity uh to not only teach, but also an opportunity to model model for our students, model for our guests that come into our building. um just to continue to create the learning environment that we want for all. You have question, Vice President Bolton. Thank you very much. Um this is all part of Yonder as well and as as well as what you're going to be presenting in just a moment. It's all interrelated. So I like all these coming together in a cluster. I think that's very helpful at least to

047me. I liked what you said about we don't want to criminalize the language, but yet I also want to make sure that there are those things that could happen in a in a building that are criminal acts. Has uh general counsel uh reviewed uh the work? Yes. That's being presented to us. I appreciate that. Um reference regarding hate speech. uh we maybe have gotten through uh a very hot period of time when that was very prevalent. How does how is hate speech addressed in here? Uh since we have board policy that talks or speaks against uh hate speech, is that one of the phrases that you were using regarding um you know uh cascading or doing something negative towards people or where does this appear? So, I think it depends. I wish I could say

048there's black and white depending on the situation. It could be a situation where it's considered a category 2 profanity and obscene obscene language depending on what they're using. If they're using language that is against or disparaging language based on rap uh race, gender, that could be considered hate speech. I don't think we use that terminology in our code of conduct, but it could also be a part of category 3 with intimidation and bullying and in making those threats. So, it could depend on the situation and what is said and the um I think that's a perfect answer and that's that's also part of why this is confusing to me that there have to be some things and you're right about we don't want one teacher do one thing and another teacher do another and yet

049that happens and it's going to happen and there are teachers that with not saying a word can control a classroom with a simple whisper and others can't I mean it so there's that variation, but there must be certain things and I don't know if that's that level three or or what that that a whole school culture has to say this is unacceptable or absolutely because we've lived through that and had a negative impact on one of our schools particularly just a few years ago. So I I I want to make sure that we we maybe review the board policy. I confidence in general counsel and in you and the deputy and looking at that, but you might want to see just how strong the policy is regarding that. And then the um the other the

050other piece um I think it is important to um for the discipline committee and I know you are doing this but that there has to be continuing the the categorizing and inventory of those acts that are violent, those things that do represent uh threats to people either students to students or students student to teacher or teacher to student. And I and we don't really want necessarily that data we may or may not see. But I I I am stunned and I appreciate the uh I think it's the deputy that's doing this particularly uh and I've said this before. I I do appreciate that we find things out very rapidly uh on a daily basis, but I just know and hope that all that's being inventoried uh and and uh I I worry greatly about the

051level of violence that our kids are seeing outside of our building and I know most of them come to the school to be safe. Uh and I I value that but u hopefully you all have the that data and are evaluating it as as professionals. Thank you. Can I mention a few things that are going on behind the scenes? So, the committee uh evaluates, we go through and we look at discipline data, but also as the positive school culture team, every week on Monday, we are reviewing and we're looking at discipline data trends. We are looking at um where do we see kind of hot spots? Do we see any trends regarding areas in the city? Do we see that? And we're continuing to dig deeper. Where do we see that overlap with attendance? Um

052there's data that they're starting to present and share with us regarding um medical information and it's not identifiable so I don't know who it is but enrollments regarding um anxiety and depression so that we can see if there are trends. So I said ooh there is a lot going on in the Westwood area that I have not seen at the school yet. Let's talk to the staff to see if they're starting to see anything or how can we be proactive. So those are some of the things that we're trying to do to be more strategic about the data that we have so that we can be proactive in addressing to figure out what the needs are so that we can meet them. I appreciate that and I think that that would be reassuring to our

053our families as well and I do like the interfacing with the neighborhood and what is happening. I just would ask the one question too finally that you know if the state didn't require this how would CPS actually develop positive school culture uh and not that's not don't I don't need an answer don't worry don't anybody worry but I just I just wonder if there's a way that we could sensify this uh with or without the state's help and I don't know if the parameters that they set are so great or so different but uh I I do like I would like to make sure that We're doing something that's relevant to us, not necessarily relevant to the state legislature or the governor. Thank you. Absolutely. Well, member Crosset, just a quick question or or I

054don't expect an answer to this question, but you mentioned about the workarounds with a VPN. I'd be curious if there maybe somebody could put together a project to prevent that. seems like that would be a pretty big risk that maybe could be uh mitigated. So, thank you. I think our ITM department is consistently working hard to address any type of loopholes. Uh the unfortunate fortunate thing is we have very brilliant students and so once we feel like sometimes we might fix an area then we realize oh wait they found a different uh a different area. So it's a matter of continuing to engage them. Yeah. May maybe uh we could hire those students. Absolutely. Thank you. I don't see any other questions. I have a couple of questions. Um, I was glad that board member

055Craig brought this up because to me um, some of this is very subjective and um, it's unfortunate. We can't do something about all of it. But um the definition of profanity is subjective to me because the definition says it's referred to as expletives, swearing, oaths, cursing, or cursing and by a variety of eupheanisms, including four-letter words and foul language. However, for some of our students, that's regular everyday normal conversation. So, it concerns me that um well, I guess my point is that we need to do some serious cultural competency training for our staff because that's where uh some of the referrals are coming from because one teacher or school personnel feels like this is offensive and another may not. to board member Bolton's point, um, some teachers have great classroom management and they wouldn't even

056dare to do that and then others, you know, they're cussing out the teacher and the teacher doesn't say anything. So having said that, do we happen to have the data around the number of referrals specifically around profanity or the past category 1 offenses for the um profanity or uh obs obscinity? We do have the data. So, it would be very interesting to me to get that data around students that have been charged with those category offenses. And um you know, I'm also interested in what schools those are. Is it around a certain teacher? Is there any disperate data, boys versus girls, black versus white? It would be really, really interesting to me to see where we need to do some additional training. to me the data is going to to point us in that direction.

057Do we need to do it at XYZ school because this particular teacher has had 30 profanity cases in two weeks. Maybe that would hone in on the the direction that we need to go around that. Um, the other thing that I thought is I I think it's great to print the copies, but I also think it's great to have things electronically so that students I know they're not supposed to have their phones and their devices, but they do, but parents do have uh phones and devices. And I would really love to see I know robocalls have the ability to do texts, they have the ability to do emails. It would be really nice if we sent that out electronically to all the parents so that we could a say that we did that and b

058ensure that they got it. Print is expensive. We don't have clearly we're in budget cuts but electronic we can make it as an Adobe PDF and get it sent out at relatively little to no cost. So I'd love to see exploration around that. um sexing on the one on page 19 there to me. We just recently had um a situation where there was a sharer and a recorder. There was a person who recorded something inappropriate and there was a person who shared something inappropriate. To me, there's no differentiation there and there needs to be. It needs to be a harsh a harsher offense to me. Well, just me. There needs to be differentiation between if you recorded something and if you shared something and we just recently had a situation where um the person who

059shared it is being punished and not the person who recorded it. um that needs to be outlined very very clearly because it is now being challenged by this family and we need to really have some clear delineation and some expectation and I would even love to see that be discussed with students taken off the paper and discussed with students because that is an area where I think we are finding discipline and um you know criminal charges can happen or happening and they're not clear on that. I'm not clear on that and it's not clear here. The last thing I want to bring up is uh it says on page 20 students need to be under be responsible students student expected behavior. That is that saying that that's coming out or is that saying that that's

060going in? I think it's on the next page. from it was page 20 and it says um student updated language provides the fourth one down clarity for student expected behavior. What is that? Does that part define because some students will say, you know, they they have adult responsibility, so they, you know, they're doing what they're supposed to do. And I'm wondering, again, to me, student expected behavior sounds very subjective. So, I just don't know if that's an area that we need to clarify or is that is that clarified somewhere? What page are you on? Again, just wanted to mention it's a page 20 chart under be responsible. Mhm. Be respectful. And it just said update updated language provides clarity for student expected behavior. So that parts is that just saying that's what the recommendation under

061be responsible. The the language that is in there is um choose the right time to celebrate. And we were just taking out that phrase choose the right time to celebrate. No, the next one down. Oh, the next one down. So um the language that we're keeping in is just accept refu refusals and obey the rules of the school and community including the city and state laws. Okay. So that's what's that is what is student expect. Yes. Okay. Thank you. And my last um comment is you made a very good observation and comment that I think I want to take off the paper. You said that students are very brilliant and they are very savvy and they are kind of able to pivot much faster than we are. Do you have any students on the committee?

062No, we do not currently but that is something that I have asked about to get their um feedback um regarding because it's one thing to have it on paper, it's another thing to see how it's implemented. Um, and just because something is in the code of conduct, this lists our expectations for what helps us govern our schools to make it a safe space, but it doesn't necessarily mean that every um situation that a student is involved with has to be result in a punitive measure. Some of the things that we need to do is actually teaching our kids. So, for example, some programs that we're looking at to address vaping because it is an issue with our young people, we realize it has to be more than just an a promise center or an expulsion

063consequence. We actually have to teach them. We have to support them. So, we have some work dealing with UMadop. There's a program we're looking at with Xavier to be able to really help support these students with understanding the importance of not vaping, what it does to their body, and then helping them if they're really addicted to that substance. So, some of the things that have to come about are really teaching the kids um and the staff as well. So, I I I think it would be great to have like a student um positive school culture committee that can oversee this or, you know, at least look at this and provide the adults that are making these changes with some recommendations if for no other reason on how to how to jailbreak it because they're super

064super smart. And so, um I just I just don't hear or see the student voice. That was the only thing that I was mentioning. Bo member Matt. Um, yeah. So, thank you for this presentation. You all brought up a lot of the um, you know, questions or concerns that I had and I'm so glad that you just spoke on really helping our students understand what this code of conduct entails as well as our teachers. So, I appreciate it hearing about the professional development, but more importantly hearing that there's efforts and initiatives to not just say, well, these are the rules and the expectations. Well, we can't expect our students to follow them if they only have to sign off and right because most times they're not really interfacing with that. So, how do we weave

065that into the process where they're able to understand, oh, this is a part of our culture. We're invested in our school culture and then that will help to support them actually abiding by or following um those expectations. Um to the point of the student engagement piece and a committee, I'm curious to know when certain infractions occur, is there actually um I guess kind of a restorative team, right? If an incident happens, if there is a team or a committee that reviews that incident, right, and offers that restorative approach to one, not only just investigate, but um really support the students and saying, "Okay, well, this is a warning, right? Or this was maybe a tiered type of consequence. Do we have some type of committee to review that or to support the students in that

066or is it just the administration or the principal investigate and then determine what the actual infraction will be? So, regarding um the the consequence of whatever that the infraction has been deemed to ultimately the administration decides. However, in spite of that, there are teams at schools um that continue to grow um and be more involved as we continue to provide professional development um depending on if there needs to be just a restorative conversation or if there really needs to be a restorative conference where that student can listen to those that they have impacted by their behavior that they've, you know, negatively and to come up with the solution of how they can collectively resolve and come back together because that is a piece that we miss. If students are suspended or expelled, when they come

067back and we don't do that piece, it's as if nothing happened. They were just removed from the situation to come right back to the same situation and that rebuilding doesn't occur and re-entry back into the community doesn't occur. So, that's something that we continue to work on. At the Promise Center, we're going to continue to improve. They do have conversations with students and talking with them about reflective activities and um restorative conversations. That is good. It's even better when you do it with the people that you were engaged with when the incident happened. Okay. Thank you. Because I am I do think that it can be beneficial and I don't know how time consuming it is, but to have kind of a uh I know everyone doesn't want to hear maybe DEI, right? not here.

068But um but that really that diverse lens uh where maybe it's the administrator, maybe it's a counselor or a social worker, maybe it's a student that's on that committee, but to really look at the situation to ensure that how these infractions are being handled is being handled from an equitable lens, right? And making sure that is a fair and due diligent process in place. And we're also asking our PBIS teams to review their data and review cases like this as well. So it's an opportunity for us to learn as individual institutions especially if they see trends. Okay. Thank you. Craig um just wanted to uh offer a thought or suggestion. So I know when so we're one part is we're changing the language from breaking and entering a forceful entry and I think it might

069be helpful to mirror the language that we use by stealing by force. Um because what would not be considered part of forceful entry would be the threat of force way that it's currently worded. So it says students must not enter by force um where it says there but oh yeah students must not must not force their way into places or onto property. And I think the way we use it in the stealing by force is that students must not take or attempt to take from another by force or threat of force. So, I just think using that kind of language that must not make their, you know, must not enter a space or gain access to a space by force or threat of force, um, might give us a little bit more room to address

070again someone accessing space by not actually using physical force, but by threatening to use physical force, which we would also probably say is not the best way for them to access space. Um the the other thing I was just wondering on that is that does that include accessing um whether it's like are we including things like gaining entry by evading a method that's nor the normal method of getting into a space. So for instance if you're hopping a wall to get into a space as opposed to breaking down the door. Are we considering that in that same category um of entry? It could be. It could very well be or it could be out of bounds. and out or out of area. But yes. Okay. Because I was just thinking about like, you know, using

071a window that's open or propping a door open, these type of things that are ways to access that are not permitted that would evade the idea of using force. Um, so I mean, I just think that, like I say, I didn't force my way in. Yeah. It was open. Great. Thank you so much. Uh, Superintendent Murphy, please introduce our third presentation. Yeah. Miss House is going to continue with the next presentation, a busy day for her, our social emotional learning curriculum pilot. Well, it all flows together. And so um this um I'm asking my um psychologist in our department, Sarah Hayes, who's done a lot of great work um with uh the SEAL pilot to be able to come. We're going to kind of co-present uh what has been occurring. There was a lot of

072great questions that we want to be able to answer and we received a lot of great feedback from teachers, administrators across the district. Um before we got to this point, there has been a lot of surveys given regarding um culture and climate and a lot of indication even with our um climate data and with our student discipline data that there is a need for SEAL and the need for SEAL is needed um especially in our district to build consistency and equitable access. Right now there is not. Some schools have something, some schools have nothing. They're peacemealing. They're trying to find things. And that's very concerning when you think about the whole child and being able to support the whole child and being able to proactively teach those skills that we want students to continue to

073emulate and continue to have to be able to support their learning to create a safe environment. So, this will support us with consistency across the district, continuity, expectations, and resources to be able to support all of our schools across the district. Next slide. All right. So, best practices. That's what this is about. We've done a lot of research and you can go ahead and go to the next slide. We've done a lot of research and what was important for us is it's better. We just don't want something nice to have because number one, we just don't have the time nor the resources. Like, we have to do things that are going to impact and impact in a great way. And so SEAL outcomes when implemented well help support stronger relationships, reduce discipline, greater engagement, pro-social

074skills that we want to be able to develop with students, especially when we're thinking about our middle school learners and all of the wonderful skills they're going to bring with them. We want to be able to address some of the concerns that they're going to have and proactively teach them. How do I communicate with my peer? How do I work together? How do I communicate things about myself or find things about myself? But ultimately, we want to be able to impact graduation rate, higher employment, positive climate and safety, and overall health and wellness, not just for the students, but also for the staff. So, what Sarah? Okay. So with those outcomes in mind, this study that's reflected here was really looking at what are the components that make an SEAL curriculum effective because there's tons

075of options that are out there. There's more added every day. And so some of the common things that they found number one is that it's sequenced. So just like teaching reading or math, there is a sequence that you should kind of go through uh that's aligned to the Ohio SEAL standards that um we're looking at both a skill focus as well as the school climate um multicmponents. So there's also, you know, not only the direct skill instruction, but teaching practices, there's family components. Um, teaching interpersonal skills first is important because before you can get along with others, you need to be able to self-regulate, understand your emotions. Um, and then making sure it's integrated seamlessly into the academic content so that we don't get in a situation where it's an SEAL person or an SEAL

076place. Um, and then high quality implementation. So, we want to pick something that teachers are supported in and can implement, have the capacity to implement well. slide. So last spring we had kind of an ad hoc committee uh come together of teachers uh support staff administrators and we took a bunch of different programs and used this selection tool to kind of narrow down to the four that we're going to share with you today. Um looking at not only the the evidence of the program and the outcomes that it provides but really what is the fit of this program to CPS. So this tool provides some really specific questions the team would kind of go through along with a rubric to determine you know do our teachers have the capacity what type of supports does it

077provide us for implementation can we sustain it thinking about the other related priorities of MTSS um restorative practices trauma culturally responsive practices house bill 123 you know how can it support us in those or is it going to detract from those um so those are some things that we use to come down to four. Next slide. So, we're looking at Character Strong, Second Step, Wayfinder, and then Character Effect, which is local through Beach Acres. Um, and the schools, uh, Manisha is going to share the kind of the timeline, but we're piloting each of these programs for a month. They're all digital. Um, and we're getting feedback regularly on them. So, let's take a look at who's all involved in this pilot. Across the district, we have building administrators, counselors, um teachers, intervention specialists, social workers,

078school psychologists, and specialist teachers. It was very important for us to have a wide um variety of teachers involved in this. We just didn't want a particular side of town or just one or two schools. We really wanted a wide representation so that we could see would this product really work for us. Um, and it's important for us to look at even the years of experience for a new teacher or a teacher that has many years of experience. Um, could it be a resource that we all could use? And then grade levels really looking at um, preschool through 12th grade, even young adult. Um and then also we also took a look at our exceptionality areas of like strides and members in our DSS community or student services department that could really see how we

079could use some of these resources not just for tier 1 but for tier 2 and tier three. So the timeline this says we start in December 2024 but really this started way back in 2018 and it's been like evolving of work that has gotten us to this place. Um, but in December of 2024, we created, we gathered the interest of who wanted to be on the committee and who wanted to just participate in the pilot and who was going to do both. And so then in January, we had a kickoff. We talked about what the commitment would be, what we're looking for, and that we just really want honest feedback on um helping to guide us in the next direction and steps that we should go as a district. And so each month from there,

080we've been piloting a different program where there's like a mini kickoff before the beginning of the month to explain the new program, the kind of nuances about the program. And then each week there's a survey given and the teachers and the respondents and the administrators, they give us data on their experiences with that product. In April, we did have a community PBIS fair um that was located here in the cafeteria where community members, parents could give feedback um and engage with the product to give us their feedback um from their perspective um because that's important as well. And so at the end of May, we're bringing the community um the committee back together um to really go through these programs, to really go through all of the feedback that we've been given to make us

081um to make recommendations. And so we'll also review with it to make sure there's not compatibility issues as we implement um and then to kind of give us and guidance on next steps. We really want to take a um there's been questions around um how will this be implemented districtwide? Um is everybody do you force day one? Everybody has to be on the same page. And really we need to acknowledge that different schools are in different levels of their readiness to um be able to take on the um curriculum. And so some schools are ready to run because they've had the systems in place. They've been using something. So they already have the time carved out. people are just dying. They're waiting for a consistent um curricular um modality to be able to use. And

082then other schools are, hey, help us to support the systems that will help support us when we get this. So, we're we're ready to walk into this. We know it. We need it, but we need the supports. And then some are ready to to jog. And so, we want to be able to diversify the supports. We know that we might have to be able to prioritize depending on funding. the funding that we plan on using or being able to utilize our um grant funds to be able to help support. And we've also had honest and transparent conversations with some of the vendors that are willing to help support us in um grants that they feel would be applicable as well to be able to help support us to gain access to the content. Um we

083know that if we'd had to prioritize, we've been doing a lot of work and supporting with the transition of schools that are impacted by the growth phase and also our middle schools. And that's a great place that we would love to start. We've been working with um Ann and with the advisory team on being very collaborative so that schools see, hey, we've got time carved. How do we help support because there is overlap in some of the lessons during advisory, how do we make sure that we're supporting that work in those lessons. So that is our general timeline. And this so this just kind of shows you some little snippets of feedback that we've gotten from teachers who are piloting. So we're asking them every week about you know we're really interested in student engagement.

084Um looking at developmental appropriateness and then how long is it for teachers to prep? Do they feel like they can facilitate? And so these are some nice um pieces of information we've gotten from them around building connections with their students and their content, enhancing their academic content um and just the overall engagement of the kids and and ease of use. I think you guys did record timing on that uh presentation. Thank you so much. Board members, any questions, comments? I do have a question. Is this new curriculum or is this old that we're going to kind of what? So, this would be new. This would be new. We've had some um curriculum, for example, in the primary areas, they've been using paths in some areas, but really in our secondary, it has been whatever that

085they've had access to. Some maybe have had character strong. It just depends on the resources that they've had in their community. Well, I want to commend you because the one thing I wrote down that I heard was grants and so and flexibility from the vendors around getting this paid for. So, that is one thing I I applaud you on because we haven't been able to successfully do that in other departments for other things, but I appreciate that vendors are willing to work with us around getting just getting the material in front of our students. So, thank you for at least asking because sometimes we ask we have not because we ask not. So, thank you for that. What member Craig? Uh, yeah, I was just going to say I think two things that I heard

086during the presentation I really wanted to highlight. One is that we getting a level of consistency um is important and I think that's important because we have schools where we are not giving students an experience where they have an opportunity to learn who they are and what they want to know, what they want to be and how they want to grow and that gives a sense of value and purpose. Um the other thing that I think could be something that we again thinking about the fact that we have limited resources in a in a in our idealistic world we would be given everything we need. Um there are programs and other things that out there that are also helpful to teach how to use some of the same skills inside of classes that are already

087being taught. Right? So we talk about this a lot of times with math. For instance, if you're teaching math in a way that somebody feels they have a value to it, that they might use it, that might be important to how they learn, then they're more both likely to do well in the class, but also use the skills later. And so I think that's an aspect of, you know, again, the idea of some professional development opportunities that might be something we'd consider down the line that allows us to speak more to not just teaching the subject matter, but how does it subject matter connect the student to feeling like this is a valuable thing in their life? Because I think the one thing I've heard at least when my conversations with some of the students

088is they don't understand why they need to know something, right? like they they get it like people tell them it's important but when teachers take the time to give them the why it's important for them to learn then they may have a their own personal value in it. Um, the third thing I will say is I do know there's a number of groups and other programs who are working at different levels in the in schools that offer some of the ethical moral reasoning and some of these other things that could be another aspect of stuff that comes at some of the younger grades where they're developing those early sets of what is right and wrong, what is good and bad, what is appropriate, not appropriate that they may not always get when they leave the

089building. So, you know, that's another aspect of this is that we we just, you know, we're talking about how the students interact with each other and being in a space where they learn to talk to each other and and be around each other better even if they're not getting it at home can be a great way to impact them later in their educational process. One of the things that we talk that we've been having dialogue and conversations with the vendors is about is implementation is so critical and key and also integration with what we currently have with our content areas. And so, are they committed to working with us to look at where there's crossover and where can this fit in a math lesson? If I'm getting ready to pull students for a science lab

090and they're working in groups, I might want to pull a quick 15minute lesson about collaboration or giving positive feedback or those types of things that could enhance the group experience. So, those are definite things that we're looking at as well. Vice President Bolton. Yeah, thank you very much for the presentation. Just two a couple things I on this adoption. It looks like it's scheduled or what we would like to see scheduled May of this of this school year or next year or 25. We would like to be able to get for the committee to be able to give a recommendation at the end of May um to the board so that we can see what the next steps should be for next year if that's an opportunity. Thank you. And I I I I stepped

091out and maybe I missed. What's the cost of the curriculum? So, it ranges. Um they're all um and you don't have to share that today. I mean, we do have quotes for the vendors. Yeah. Just from a from a budget standpoint, it's highly problematic about new and I know you guys know that better than I do. Uh regarding new curriculum. That's why I'm interested in what you're saying about the integration piece. Uh I worry greatly that curriculum in general is you know like everybody else might take a big hit. So I think it would be might be problematic to think in terms of new curriculum even though this is so useful. The other piece is that unfortunately I hear almost interchangeably uh DEI and SEAL and whatever uh it's like kissing cousins. So it seems

092like the next target uh of these people uh on the on whatever spectrum they're wherever they are on the spectrum of uh of political views. Uh but this is useful and I think the integration and outside funding and whatever are things to be thinking about. But thank you very much. Thank you Matt. I just want to say thank you for the presentation and all of the hard work that you have been doing um to advocate for an SEAL curriculum and really um touching on every lens of how this really supports the whole child and how it can be integrated um within our district. So, thank you for your hard work and your your diligence, right? Because I do know that it's um a heavy lift, but you make it look so easy. So, thank you.

093Well, I want to say thank you. I um you know, I know we have we do have some budget cuts, but I do think uh some things should just be fundamentally stable. Curriculum is one of those. How do how do you teach if you don't have a curriculum? So, um I appreciate that you are you and your team have looked for some grants and some ways to offset that. Um I'm going to invite other departments to do the same because maybe there's opportunity there. Um but I'm also interested to see the budget around it, too. and um would also invite you for me to submit maybe um tiers. So uh you know maybe here's the first tier and here's the second tier so that it's not an all or nothing. Um and that's how I'm

094thinking about it because I do think it's very valuable but I do recognize where we are from a financial standpoint as well. So maybe there's a way we could kind of integrate that in a in a tiered system and I look forward to hearing about it. I believe we have you down for Monday to give us I don't know it it's somewhere. So uh thank you for the presentation. I I appreciate it. Any other comments, questions, concerns for the good of the group? Superintendent just want to get then clarity um President Muffet on expectation for Monday because I think at this point now it's been moved to um a part of my recommendations. So if the expectation is something different, you you mean the budget for the curriculum adoption is that is that or whatever

095it is that you may need as a next step for this presentation. I just want to be clear. Are you expecting further presentation? Um okay. So then let's let's clarify. I'm sorry. No, no, no. You're fine. Board member Lindy always asked this question. What is asked of us? So this is a great this is a great segue. So this was the presentation and preceding the budget ask on Monday the 19th. Is that right? Is that what you're saying? In your recommendation was was there going to be an ask on Monday for a vote on this? So separate the ask for a vote is for the um previous presentation. Okay. To accept the adjustments to the PBIS plan for next school year. Okay, that's what I thought. I thought maybe I misunderstood. I thought I just

096heard a question or two about ask for Monday. No, not connected to this piece. Well, is there an expectation for this presentation around seal to be voted on for Monday that requires a budget thing for Monday? If there is a budget request connected to this, so I'll go back administratively. I apologize. I don't think I have that yet. Okay. I didn't think so. I I I thought that um Vice President Bolton was just asking for more information around it. I didn't think it was for Monday. Okay. I did. No, no, that wasn't for Monday. You're fine as far as what you're you're thinking of. I thought you were saying something is in your recommendations for Monday for this. Okay. Okay. So, I think we're now on the I'm clear not for the SEAL presentation, but

097what uh the ask is for Monday to approve the adjustments to the uh code of conduct. Yes, we're fine on that. This was for the SEO. Yeah, we got you. Thank you. Thank you, Superintendent Murphy, you messed it up. Okay, you're fine. Uh Superintendent Murphy, please introduce our final presentation. Um well, two two more presentations. one on guardrail four from assistant superintendent chambers and guardrail three and then if it's pleasure the next one is um the um assistant treasure to be treasure I'm going by my script which my lovely admin has fixed so this is the final for you listen we got you down don't worry about it I got y'all good evening everyone um I am going to uh review um our current data on guardrails three and four and just a reminder uh

098guardrail um states the superintendent will not allow district communication to be unresponsive or lacking in transparency, community sensitivity, or inconsistent with the expressed values of the district. In Garrell 3A, the percentage of parent or caregivers who have a favorable response for the climate on uh the Qualra survey will increase from 62% in May of 23 to 66% by May of 25. And uh looking at our spring um uh survey results, we had um a 90% favorable um response rate from our parents. And that was a composite score of looking at um items 22 um through 28. And looking at the um the number of uh families that responded, we had 2,695 families that responded. And um with that 90% favorable um that compares to the 85.4% favorable response with the same items in the um

099the fall survey. Um some takeaways um from the um the family um survey. Um we looked at the uh the question my student feels safe um going to and from school which had a 9.8% favorable rating. And also um we're looking uh deeper into um the I frequently volunteer um and that was at 58.9% favorable. And one of our celebrations was looking at the um the question, how much does your school value student diversity and that was at 94.4%. Guard rail 3B. The percent of staff who have a favorable response for the climate on the qualric survey will increase from 50% in May of 23 to 54% in May of 25. In the spring results, um we had um um staff respondents um with an 82% favorable rating. Um looking at the a composite of

100the items uh 27 28 and 29 and that 82 um percent favorable um was um a decrease slight decrease in from the fall where we had 83.3% favorable and just looking at the um uh just for reference because I don't think it got highlighted the last three questions a composite score of those three questions and some of our takeaways um from the staff climate survey. Um one was the students at my school demonstrate behaviors that allow the teachers to teach and that was at 61.4%. And we're um you know looking deeper into that because we feel like that number we need to get the number a lot higher because we want the teachers to feel um that they their students give them opportunity to teach. And um the other question was my school building is

101wellmaintained and that is at 67.9. Um we we would also like to see that u percentage go up as well. And one of our uh celebrations was I get along with other staff members at my school and that was at 97.2. So some of us who have been in schools know that is a really high number. In guardrail 3C, the uh percentage of partners or other stakeholders who have a favorable response um for communication on the district survey will increase to at least 80% by May of 25. In the fall we had uh 68% um favorable and in the spring we had an increase of 72 not quite at the 80 but we are um moving in the right direction working towards that 80 that target of 80%. And uh our a key takeaway um

102you know looking at the partner satisfaction as I said it rose from 51.7% to 72%. It indicates uh sign significant improvement in the relationships and um uh responsiveness and um partner communication receives positive u marks um from the majority of our partners that were surveyed. And um next steps, we're looking to review and enhance partner communication systems and um looking to host regular partner meetings and provide um annual departmental impact um reports um that are ongoing with ongoing initiatives and um holding um consistent check-ins with the agencies to strengthen our relationships. Any questions on guard rail 3? Yes, sir. M Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Member Lindy, thank you very much. Um, could we go back to the first I think table of numbers on guardrail 3 climate family. That's great. Yes, sir. Um, so

103I I I do have some questions and I appreciate the chance to ask this. I wanted to say two things from John. One is thank you for the work that went into the presentation. Thank you for uh continuing to um commit time to talking about outcomes rather than inputs. Um I want to just share to my colleagues again my my ongoing concern that that we have a drift in our committee the whole meetings away from monitoring outcomes. Um this used to be the first thing that we did in the majority of the time in student achievement committee the whole meetings. It's why we made these full board a couple years ago and we spent now a full 75% of our meeting time on something other than that. Uh so I'm glad we're getting here. Um

104would love it if we could continue to put this first and devote the majority of the time in these meetings to monitoring for outcomes. Um I think that's really where where board activity is is best put as an accountability function. Um but I'm glad we're here. Um I wanted to make sure I was understanding the the data correctly. um and had a couple of different questions. Um and I I'll try to be as as quick as I can. Can you just remind me how are we defining favorable response? We're looking at the percentage of the the you know the response to the question. The questions are um favorable, highly favorable and so we're looking at favorable and um I think it's highly favorable if I'm not mistaken as the two that would define what we

105look at as a favorable response. Anything that is not favorable or highly unfavorable, we count we don't count that as of course a favorable response. How many how many choices are you given? Five options. Five options. Yes. And then this is the percent who are in either of the top two categories. Correct. Okay. Has that always been the case? I seem to have this memory of this being different in an earlier meeting, but I also sometimes misremember things. It's always been this way. Yes. Okay. Um so then um and can you go back one slide? Okay. So 62% in May 23. This was when we were using the previous survey, right? We're using the panorama. We're now no longer using Panorama. I understand it's very expensive. I understand we need to cut costs. Um is

106there any way of comparing these numbers to where we used to be? And c can you talk about how just remind me how you all are thinking about this? I don't want to get into uh too much of a um technical piece because I'm not that's not my um lane, but we can pull out the data the the questions are comparable. So, we can pull out the the data from previous surveys. Um the fall survey, we use the exact same questions. Um but you know in previous years we can go back and look to see how we can correlate the two surveys and um come up with I'm just I'm just trying to understand like I understand how these questions let us look at improvements since we started using the questions and I got to

107start somewhere. Um and I think you know if we're if we're not going to be able to use um the old questions you know we just got I guess got to start over. What what I'm trying to understand is is does this and um I think it's okay if the answer is no. Um, I just want to I want to be clear about what inferences I'm I can draw from this and cannot draw from this. So, does this let us say anything about changes that happened prior to the questions changing? Can I get back with you that I talk to um Brian? What I'm taking with is we just we don't know currently. Currently, yes. Okay. So, if we if we go forward one more slide. So, this is this is telling us about what's

108happened this school year, but we don't actually it might, but we're not sure whether it tells us anything about what happened in prior versus prior school years. Correct. Okay. Um, and then I had just one one data question. It in the my student feels safe going to and from school, which as a parent feels like probably the most important question on this list. It's 11% favorable. And then I think in a subsequent slide it said 9.8%. If we go forward a couple. Yeah, here it said 9.8%. I just trying to understand like why is it 11 on one slide and why is it 9.8 on the other slide? And I look I think to be clear um if I'm misreading this I apologize. I also I really don't want people to feel like um I'm

109going to nitpick every single number like this is hard, this is a lot of work. I really genuinely appreciate it. This happens to be a particularly important question and a particularly low number and so it concerned me that it was different on different slides. Now if you look at the go back um I think it is I'm trying to count the questions because they're not numbered. One, two, three, four, five, six. I think it's question six. The family response. You're right. I have that is a different number than I have on mine. So, I need to check that out because it is not the same number that I have. And please feel free to get back to me. I think like the bigger um I I have um just ongoing concerns about the time we

110dedicate to this, the rigor of the numbers that we use and whether or not they are telling us things that are meaningful about whether the inputs that we're doing are actually having the outcomes that we want in the schools. Uh, and I think particularly on student safety, um, I think this is just a really important area. I agree. And even 9.8 or 11, I think that number is still incredibly low. We need to improve on that. Well, member Craig. Um, so I just wanted to maybe dive a little bit off of where board member Lindy was with regards to this parents. I I did think it was a little bit interesting. I there's a line on the staff one where it's uh I think it's 85% say they feel safe at schools, but then only

11164% have a favorable response to I've been concerned about my physical safety at school. Um, and I think that's one of those things where I I I wonder some ways, are we asking too many questions that will elicit different responses based on like, do I feel safe? Sure. But have I ever been worried? Yep. Like, you know what I mean? Like that that to me may tell us a different picture than what we actually maybe should be asking, which is, what do you feel about the safety of the school and the environment more so than have you ever had a safety issue? Um, but I think to that point, we this is something that we all are paying attention to. We all have to acknowledge that, you know, especially in in light of us being

112in an urban community, we are going to have safety risks. We're going to have things that happen in our district that we have no control over. And I think our staff and our families are telling us this is a concern to them and that this is something that we should be paying a lot of attention to because if our kids don't feel safe, our staff doesn't feel safe, they're not going to make it to school. And so I think that that's helpful information for us to learn. But I I just I took note of how some of these also maybe the question asked and how the questions interpreted because why how I feel safe may be very different than how you feel safe. That doesn't mean that nothing's ever happened. Right. Well, thank you for

113this presentation. I I looked at this data kind of on a cursory level and was like, whoa, these some of these are outliers. So for me um I I attributed it to the fact that there was a difference between the qualronics and the qualronic whatever it is and versus the panorama. Um but but I also think to take the data off the paper is significant around school safety. And the other one on this particular slide that resonates with me is the fourth from the bottom that says students at my school demonstrate behaviors that allow teachers to teach and students to learn. um you know some of those that were really low are very indicative that we have some things to work on um with regard to safety with regard to um attitudes. My my question

114was around do we know what grades are successfully completing this survey for families? because we we celebrate 2400 participants and that makes me cringe when there are 22,000 families or 25,000 families. It's it's it's a nice it's a nice number if you're just coming from zero, but it's not indicative of the majority. So, I kind of want to understand what grade level is it primarily elementary families that are completing the survey and we're not getting any high school families. The safety of our elementary students is slightly different to me, not less important than the safety of our high school students. And if they're not represented at all, that's a concern. So for me, this is great. This is a great start as far as a dump of data. But there are things in here that

115are um screaming at me as themes that we need to be pulling out. And I want to invite the administration to do that to kind of look at some of these things and extrapolate them. Not just report them to me, but actually tell me what they what those numbers mean because they have they have some value. And it also for me will determine what level of scrutin scrutiny and cuts I'm willing to make. If safety is a huge concern, then I don't want to make people feel unsafe by cutting things that would be indicative of that safety. Regardless of what the administration is suggestioning, if the data is saying something different, then that's what I'm going to be dependent upon. So I want to invite the um administration to kind of take this data and

116disagregate it and tell me what these themes are, where this is coming from. Um what schools, what grades, uh what is the plan to get more engagement. I think it's nice to have 2400 participants, but that's not nearly enough to make a full decision, especially some things that are going to impact significant themes that I can see just from right there. So um addition to address my colleagues when we combined the student achievement and the committee of the whole meetings together um we we I made the decision just in taking over to put all things or most things academic under the cows and then the things that we need to vote on go at the business meeting. So that's just part of the reason why to my colleagueu's point we're talking about other things. uh

117they're supposed to be tending to academics in nature, but it will also be these sorts of things as well. Just wanted to offer that to to my colleague, board member Lindy. Thanks. I realized I had one more question. Um are we giving the survey again this year? This is it. It was it this was this spring. Okay. Can we go to slide nine for a second? This says that we need to hit 85% by May of 2025. It is May of 2025. We are not right. We're not giving the survey again. It I was referring to the um the student staff and um parent survey. Now the uh community partner or the community partner survey it may be given. Um one more time I'm not sure but um we are um not we're um finished

118with the um parents, student and staff survey. So check I think I think same question though like it's May 14th. This says we're going to hit 80% by May 2025. That gives us 17 days. It's currently at 72%. Look, we it's okay if I mean if we missed the goal, we missed the goal. We'll figure out what's next. I'm just trying to make sure is this accurate or not. And it's concern like it's concerning that it says that the goal is May. It is May. It's 72. 72 is not 80, but it says on track. like am I am I missing something? No, I just wanted to make sure I didn't want to speak out of turn because um I'm not sure with that um department with Mr. Badger's department if they have an end

119of a year um culminating uh survey with um the community partners. So, I just didn't want to say they're done when I'm not 100% sure. Are are they done or we don't like either way we're not going to have another cow meeting before after this is over? Like I I think it just um I am increasingly concerned that it it's just hard to know how much we can lean on the reporting when like numbers don't match on different slides like it says it's on track and it says that it's over. Um and so I think uh you know um f from my perspect I said this at the outset I think the most important thing the board does is hire the superintendent. The second most important thing the board does is provide an accountability function

120to see whether or not we are reaching the outcomes we have charged the superintendent with reaching. It is not possible for us to do that if there are if there's I think a certain level of uncertainty in what's coming to us on these things and if we're not spending enough time on it. Uh and so I've shared that that's my perspective and I appreciate all the work. Thank you Mr. Lindy. Uh so this survey has been given to partners twice. once in the fall, once in the spring. There isn't a plan over the next couple of weeks to give the survey to the partners again. And that that makes sense. I think it would be odd to give it twice in the spring. I think this just shouldn't say on track. It should say we

121we missed it by eight percentage points. Am I am I taking crazy pills? Like am I am I missing something? Okay. Thank you. So I appreciate the conversation with my colleagues and we'll definitely get was was that the end of your presentation? No, I have a guard rail 4. Okay. That um I had a question about Oh, wait. Hold on one second, Mr. Chambers. So, I just wanted to inquire about the um the staff survey uh result compilation. And I know there was a tab that we could click on. And so I'm just curious to know um several of these schools have very low um participation in the survey. And so I'm curious to know, have you inquired about or maybe your team inquired about um what is driving these low numbers in terms of

122participation um and how we can also work to improve because we want to know across the board as much as we can how they are experiencing. um the co the climate survey as well. you know, that is um something that we've, you know, talked with the principles about um you know, um you working to increase participation from their um from their families and we'll just have to continue to um you know, engage with those principles and with the schools to um ensure that their parents, we have a higher participation rate, right? So, I'm not just speaking only about the parents, but I'm also speaking because the staff and the staff as well, right? Um, and so even in the staff taking the survey, I'm I'm curious to know, do they feel supported and safe in

123providing maybe um honest feedback as they're, you know, taking this or it could that be attributing to maybe some of the low numbers because essentially it would account against so if they gave a negative response in terms of the survey, it's an anonymous survey. So once it's basically it's once they take it, they just can't take it again, you know, from um but we don't know um with the with the uh the staff surveys. We have no idea what staff member responded which way on the survey. So I can't tell you I can tell you the number of um uh you know staff from a particular school, but I couldn't tell you those individual staff members. Right. I'm not looking for individual staff members, but I'm just looking at the, as you said, the staff

124results here. And some are extremely low out of the staff members that are um specifically in that school. And so again, my question is around do essentially if staff members take this school uh this survey or if administrators take this survey and they're providing their honest feedback, which we want them to do, but then that would kind of present to be a negative it could potentially be a negative um reflection on their school, right? And so I'm just curious to know if there is support and um really pushing for the uh the the staff at each particular school to engage in this work and and we do that by ensuring you know that their um you know participation in the survey is anonymous. So, you know, it's not going to be it may be something

125that may negatively reflect on the school, but it won't be attributed to a particular individual. Um, and you know, the um the schools have their individual reports where they go over how the staff and the students in their buildings um responded to the survey. This is a overall, but the each each individual schools have has their own report from the um the climate surveys from the fall and the spring. Okay, I have one more question. So, we see that there's a survey uh specifically for um for the schools. Is there some type of survey um that is able to be provided um I guess for like administration or for like the senior leadership team? We can work on that. Okay. Thank you. All right, Mr. Okay, I'll keep going. Speed it up. Um, guard rail

1264. Um, this is superintendent shall not propose or recommend the acquisition or distribution of resources that are un unanalyzed or unrated for quality um or favored um status uh granted to local women or minority marketplace providers for goods and services. In guardrail 4, a says the percent of suppliers meeting diversity criteria receiving RFP solicitations will increase from 46% in May of 23 to 50% in May of 25. And if you look, we had um in fall we had 64.2%. So we exceeded that um goal, but we also uh built upon that with the spring at uh 73%. and guard rail 4B. The uh percent of suppliers meeting diversity criteria on the app approved vendor list will increase from 74.2% in May of 23 to 80% by May of 25. Again, um we um have exceeded

127that goal um with um 108% in the or excuse me, uh 88.9% in the um spring of um 2425 as opposed to 108% in the fall of 2425. And going to um the key takeaways um excuse me um increasing the number of vendors invited to participate in the request for proposals process has significantly contributed to advancing the supplier diversity goals. And our next steps, we're looking to uh strengthen and sustain the supplier diversity within the district by optimizing internal processes, increasing awareness, and embedding um inclusion through targeted education and training. And um take key takeaways for um guard rail 4B. Um uh we believe that clearly defining the definition of local business um in accordance to uh Chief Birkhart's um presentation on November 4th um and fully implementing the payment works online vendor portal. It

128allows the uh vendors to update and manage their own information and has led to um notable improvement that and with data accuracy across the district district's vendor base. And uh next steps um is to support the commitment to supplier diversity and maintain accurate up-to-date vendor records. Um and we continue to invite all prospective um and current vendors to register through the district's payment works online portal. That is the end of guart rail 4. Any questions? Well member Lindy. Thanks. Can we go to slide 13 for a second? Um, can you just can you explain for a little moment the 108% number? [Laughter] He explained it to me, but he can explain it a whole lot better. Okay. So, when the the guard rail was set up, it was to look at both or all three

129minority, womenowned, and local vendors. when um we put the data together and had that submitted, it was adding all three together. So if you checked one of the boxes, you were um given credit for that. So it's out of 100% um this is actually out of 300%. So the ceiling is different for this metric versus other metrics. So there's a reason why you could have a percentage that is over a hundred. That makes sense. Great. That was my question. Thank you. Yes, I'll stay here in case there's others. Okay, now you got my researcher brain because I kind of understood where you were going. So, there's three different metrics that go into the one guard rail. Womenowned businesses, minority owned businesses, and localowned businesses. You can be one of the three, you can be two

130of the three, you could be three of the three. So, in order for us to um look at that, we took if you were a uh minorityowned business, that was a percentage. If you took a local business, that was a percentage. And if you took a womanowned business, that was a percentage. Well, I I get that that's the way you did it. I just don't quite understand because why the the goal doesn't differentiate those three. It just classifies diversity. You've defined diversity as three different categories. So if they meet one of those three that fulfills that category, why would you count it two additional times? Because the goal doesn't differentiate that. This is the way I was asked to do it. Okay. So we need to go back and look at the goals and the

131guardrails then because that doesn't make sense. Yes, I would have rather split them out three different ways so you can actually see the aggregated data for each one of those because each one of them are significant in their own ways and there's reasons why we're looking at them. um both separately and together. So we look at for example um as we look at the local um we proposed to the board and the board adopted a new local policy so we could be more inclusive of looking at local. We also looked at uh RGMA uh which is a outside company. I think I shared the report with the board on how we can specifically drill into womenowned companies and what are those strategies that we're using specifically for womenowned and then again for minority uh owned

132companies. The other thing that we did and that we currently are uh or continuously doing is looking at which companies might be changing over the course of their lifespan. So, if you came into the district maybe 10 years ago and you weren't one of those three, but over time, maybe you have different ownership, maybe you've moved uh where you're located, we want to make sure that we continuously go out and update those as well. So, that goes to that um process as well. Thank you. And I think that's important, but that doesn't it's still confusing. The go the board has adopted local policies around a definition of local for regard with regard to vendors. We wouldn't say local is Cincinnati and it's greater Cincinnati and it's Westchester. We're going to count you three times. You

133define what local is and then it counts once. And that's what I'm saying. We need to define what diversity is and then it counts once. To count it three times is redundant and unnecessarily confusing. So, I'm going to invite the um administration to look at this and clarify some of these slides because that doesn't make sense to me that it would be counted. It it you cannot have 108%. You just I mean you can't you not in make it make sense to me. So, I'm going to go back to my colleagues. I'm sorry I usually go last but I wanted to when you said that I'm like that doesn't make much sense to me but board member Lindy I'm I'm trying to make sure I understand too. So in the denominator here is the total

134number of enters correct and then the numerator the way I assumed and this may be assumed incorrectly would be you you get in the numerator if you satisfy at least one or more of those criteria. So like if you have three vendors and um at the beginning of the year none of them meet any of the criteria you'd have a 0%. But if at the end of the year you have three vendors and one of those those vendors meets one criteria, you'd have 33%. But if if instead you had that one vendor who met all three criterias, you'd still have 33%. You wouldn't suddenly have 100%. Right? Correct. So like I I'm I'm still not totally sure I understand how you get above 100. Okay. So what was asked of administration right wrong or indifferent

135was to take the denominator of let's say 25 uh 100 vendors. So we would have a percentage of those vendors that are minority and that would be a given number. Let's say that's 20%. We would then have another set of vendors that are local. Maybe that's 40%. Then we have another set of of vendors that are uh womanowned which could be another 30%. So we're adding those percentages together and that's how we're getting over 100%. I got it. And have you done that the same each year? This is it's been tracked the same way every single time we've done it. So the data and the data was shared each uh time along the way showing how the number has increased in each one of those buckets. So the data hasn't changed. The way we reported

136it hasn't changed. I understand and I have the same concern. I don't think it's genuine to the ask. I got it. Thank you. I I think we need to fix the word diversity for a multitude of reasons. um because a it's not representative of what the diversity is, but also we we're being asked about DEI with regard to our federal funding. So, we may want to clarify that. Board member Craig. Yeah. And I'll be trying to be quick because I want to give Mike like, you know, an hour to talk here. Uh but um this is something that came up when we started looking at using local and minority and womenowned businesses many many years ago before any of us maybe the exception of Eve was on the board. Um because we did not track

137accurately and did not have a way to necessarily always have a accurate measure of what is what and so folks got put into categories and it was really just trying to add all of those up. Why that was not something that we were doing the to look at this I think also had a lot to do with how we were looking at vendors period because at that time also we had a number of vendors who providing services that we were no longer going to use and so the focus was really more on maintaining vendors as opposed to necessarily what's the best way to track what those numbers look like and how those numbers should be considered. Um, I think an easy fix to that would be just to track if you beat one or more

138you count as one. That is the easiest way to fix it and that's something we can track and go back and look at some of the other things and that kind of deal to measure. It may require us to adjust what the goal is because where our starting point would be different than necess may be different than where it was when we looked at it at the time. But I think this all stemmed from the conversation around if we were losing vendors as we're thinking about who what vendors are participating. We wanted a complete number of all the different aspects of whether or not somebody was local. You know, whether they were minority owned or women owned because those are also categories that up until more recently the state even recognized and appreciated and valued

139uh because they gave grants out for minority owned businesses. They gave grants out for women owned businesses. you gave different benefits to how you operated uh based on those things. So I think the easy fix would be just to recalculate and recalibrate based on that idea of if you meet one of the three you're in the numerator to to board member Lindy's point I will say also though as we have that discussion as we think about those things there may be aspects of this that are more valuable for certain aspects of vendors. So for instance, being able to get a product quicker, it may be better off to have a local vendor for food service for instance, as opposed to a field where there may not be women and minority owned. And so I mean,

140I think that may be another thing that we as a board can sit down and think about and talk about as we look at these numbers is are there other particular things underneath that when we think about the diversity number that are more important. So we've done this in budget and finance. We talked about local vendors on certain products were very difficult to have the stock that it would a national vendor and so we had to just recognize that if that was going to be something that was going to higher cost or these other things that might come with that owning that I know um I know Mr. Birkhard and others came in and did a presentation on that uh last year where we talked about some of the facility stuff that we've been using

141some of the you know grounds and these type of things that we've tried to move to local. The only other thing I would add to that is that there was also the conversation about green as a part of that vendor philosophy. And so I think whatever we decide as a board as we maybe reconsider the the the guardrail or what the guardrail means is the other question might be asked is are some of these vendors that are more green that are using more natural elements or having more natural things to their products an aspect of what we would want to think about as a way of expanding what we consider diversity in an effort to not make it all about just are you minority are you a woman or local old. Thank you. I I

142personally would like this. I don't want it to just be one if you meet one criteria. I want to know how many women vendors we have, how many minority so that I want the data. I just don't want it lumped together. So, and you have the data. I think you have it exactly how we we originally intended it because I I remember having this conversation, but it was not to put it all together. It was kind of like, you know, what in each category, but thank you for the for the presentation and the explanation. Okay, our next topic is a continued discussion about the fiscal year 2026 budget by Assistant Treasurer Augustine. Thank you, Dr. Roffet. Um, appreciate the time today. I know usually don't do a lot of financial stuff in in this committee,

143but Monday's board meeting will have a lot of financial stuff. So, wanted to just specifically talk about federal funds. We've had a lot of questions about that that have come up lately. Um, and so first thing just kind of to talk about is it's not just a block. Like there are a series of different programs that are all federal allocations for us. If you go to the next slide, Rob, um, one question people always ask is how much. So next year we're anticipating about $47 million in new money um, across all these different federal funds. Anticipating having about $6.5 million of carryover as well to spend. So that's a total of 53 million almost $54 million um of money that we'll have to spend. That does not include the non-public share. I won't get into

144that, but we also do help our nonpubliclix in our district um manage their share of federal funds as well. So big number, $47 million is kind of the total new impact that we have next year across all these funds. If you go to the next couple slides, um one of the things is what do we do with that? you know, what what does a district get with that? And I think what's interesting is as we kind of go through the list of each of these, you can see things we talked about. So, for title one, for example, we've had many conversations here about reading and math specialist. Um, you know, last board meeting there was a hearing of the public about ELLL coordinators. That is another title funded position. Summer school, we've talked about that

145here as well. You know, summer school was mostly title one um and some other funds. So, so th those are big pictures there. If you go to title two, title two is really about recruiting, developing, and retaining effective teachers, which I think is a is a is a big goal that we've we discussed quite a bit. Um, we use a lot of that for PD, for recruitment efforts, um, for mentorship, those sort of things. Title three is for English language learners. These are a lot of additional services that that we can push in um, to support those students. Unfortunately, it's not a lot of money. So, we have we have we have far more need than we have funding in this area. Um, but it definitely helps. And then title four, and we just talked

146about this. Title four does a lot of our um behavioral intervention supports. Um, it funds a lot of the PBS social workers, funds part of the resource coordinators. So, um, and the honor pouches we used, we used title four to pay for the honor pouches that we started this started today's meeting talking about. So, so high level big impact from all the titles. Um, other thing to talk about is the IDB funds. So, these are directly for students with disabilities. I mean, these this money puts teachers and pairs directly in classrooms um to to support students with disabilities. So, helps us with home instruction, helps us with bus monitors, helps us manage those programs to make sure that we're providing students with the appropriate education they have. And then just the final wrap up is

147what it looks like um for fiscal year 26. So federal fiscal year 26 budgeting started. This won't impact us until our fiscal year 27. So the federal fiscal year starts in October. So by the time it works through um but there's some big p big picture things there. So title one and IDA would stay at their current levels of spending. Title three would be completely eliminated by the current proposal. Uh and then title two and title four would be consolidated into block grants that would go to the state level. So all of that shouldn't impact us this next fiscal year, but in two years um these things could be coming down the pike and it could definitely change some of the things that we're able to do or how we're able to fund those things.

148Thank you. We wanted to have the board members get an un and the public to get an understanding of what as we talk about title funding um and DEI what is potentially lost. So that's why we got a presentation from the treasur's office. What members have any questions? What member Craig? Uh and I'm sure we're going to talk about this again on Friday uh as part of budget finance committee or maybe talk some variation on this. Um but I did want to maybe highlight one point not so much as a question but the title three part is a really significant part because we do have such a huge amount of our uh student population who are not uh who are multilingual learners whose families are multilingual learners and as you know even uh Mr. discussing

149and I saw this week, you know, we're at a school where there's what nine different languages spoke by the students and their families within the school. And so, as this becomes a bigger issue, especially our western half of our city, the reality is we're going to need to think about ways to address the uh overall need even when we may not be able to do so through the funding mechanisms that we've historically had. Um, I think it also just shows the federal government's priorities with regards to our immigrant students and how they learn. Um, but I I do think this is maybe one of those things as we think about a budget planning for next fiscal year's budget that this is something that we get early start on because even the dollars we have, even

150if they were maintained, aren't sufficient to support the student population that we have. And I know other districts across the country have looked at ways to work with other um organizations or other ways of getting funding for other grants purposes that may not pay directly to a teacher salary, but there's other things that we can defer out of those funds connected to the student learning experience for English uh language learners. It may be something that will help us uh whether that's getting materials, whether that's getting resources covered or something else. it might be a way to at least cover some of those things that we are paying for versus or for instance the welcome centers and the other things that we were we proposed to do. Um so I do think the title three is

151a really big aspect of it's not a lot of money to be quite honest. It's not enough to do what we do but it is still a big hit that the district would have to find a way to rethink or reimagine if we didn't have it. Great point board member Matt. So, board member Craig literally just spoke about the concern that I had and really um kind of rolled out some of the thinking that I was processing as well. Um to that point, um is there a way or what is the administration's thinking around trying to make sure that we're supporting our students and this and our families considering that this uh fund has been eliminated? And also, can some of those, I guess, um maybe needs be absorbed in other funds or or will

152we not be able to uh support our students in that way? Like if we're thinking about title one, we know that there's an intersectionality, right, with some of these different um you know uh title funding. So, I'm just curious to know like what you all's thinking is around still ensuring that we're supporting our students. Before you answer that question, I do need to state that with the loss of our um colleague board member Lindy leaving the meeting, we have lost our quorum and the rest of this meeting is forformational purposes only. Go ahead. Yeah, thank you. So, so I mean I I think for for next year, we're not anticipating the loss. So, it's like it's a two-year out thing. I do think and I think you're right, there's some intersection intersectionality with the title

153funds. I didn't want to try to create a slide for that. I probably will to show that, you know, some things that are title three can also be title one. You know, some things that are title four can be title one. And we try to match as best we can. So, I think title one's more broad. So, there's definitely opportunities to move some things in that direction um as as as those needs arise. All right. Any other questions, comments, concerns for the good of for theformational purposes only of the public? All right. Well, we will see each other again on Monday the 19th for our regular board business meeting. Thank you all so much that presented and to our admin team and the chair will entertain a motion for adjournment. So moved. Is there a

154second of three? Second.