May 5, 2025 | OKCPS Board Meeting Livestream

001All right. Welcome everybody. Thank you for coming to the um kind of our meet and greet earlier to celebrate um some of our teachers. Happy glad to have our Teach for America teachers in the room. Would y'all go ahead and stand up so we can clap for you one more time? That's okay. All right. And for every other teacher that's out there or watching our educator, happy teacher appreciation month on that. S do it later. All right, let's call call the meeting to order, please. Craig. Thank you, Madam Chair. I will uh go over the meeting protocols and call the role and then lead in the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence. Everyone, please take a minute to silence your cell phone if you be so kind. And if you need to have

002an extended conversation with the person next to you or on your phone, please do so in the lobby. Please note, spontaneous comments from the floor are not permitted. And individuals who exhibit disruptive or distracting behavior will be asked to leave. And I'll now call the role. Paula Lewis, present. Carol Thompson. Lori Bowman present. Jessica Sephuentes present. Dana Meister present. Mike Shelton present. Juan Lakona presente present. Mehaney present. Thank you. Thank you my head. And if everyone would please rise for the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Please remain standing for a moment of silence. Thank you. You may be seated. There are

003no public comments in 2.01. Um recognize Dr. Pulk. Uh we received her superintendent report today via video. Uh is it uploaded currently? Is it to live stream? Anybody in just a moment? Uh board chair Lewis and board members, those in the audience, I want to say good evening. And before we get started with the video, I'm going to ask for grace and mercy as we try something new in regards of the video aspect. Please note that board members have received it before now. And so if they have comments in regards of but of the video, we will have it. But I just want to uh share and a very special thank you to the communications department and Kylie um especially with her hard work uh putting this together. I'm not a easy client to work

004with. But with that being said, uh let's go ahead and and roll the video, please. Hello, OKCPS families, staff, and community partners. I'm Dr. J P, superintendent of Oklahoma City Public Schools. As we stand together at the close of another incredible school year, I want to take a few minutes to reflect not only on the milestones we have reached this spring, but on the intentional journey we've traveled the last several months to build a stronger, more sustainable case. This time of year reminds us of why we do this work. The joy of our graduating seniors stepping into their futures, the daily acts of inspiration by our teachers and staff, and the resilience shown by our students and families. This month's message is about gratitude, growth, and great systems. All of which are making OKCPS a

005district of first choice. Great systems. Building the infrastructure for student success. From day one, we focused on building strong systems that would outlast any one individual and serve every child. We have successfully launched a full series of district-wide listening sessions with families, staff, and students, learning firsthand what matters most to our community. We launched new enrollment pods and held another district-wide enrollment event on April 22nd, ensuring every family had access to personalized support. Through strategic partnerships like Feed the Children and Metro Tech, we expanded family supports, integrating community service into our systems of care. Our school nutrition services team delighted students by adding moments of joy during testing season, such as the you're one in a million lunch day, recognizing that joy is a system, too. We know that sustainable student outcomes begin with great

006systems. Systems that create belonging, support every learner, and operate with excellence. Great learning. Celebrating student achievement and innovation. This spring, we continue elevating academic excellence across OKCPS. Fourth grade gifted and talented students showcased incredible creativity had a steam event designing robots inspired by the wild robot by Peter Brown. Her team superintendent Amasha Samaria achieved a perfect 36 on the ACT. A testament to the talent and hard work of our students across our classroom. Teachers have worked intentionally to ensure that learning is challenging, culturally responsive, and joyful. Great culture. Honor our legacy, building our future. This month, I had the great honor of speaking at an event celebrating middle school girls in sports alongside our partners at Tulsa Public Schools. Throughout May, we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, lifting up the educators whose commitment changes lives daily.

007And soon, we will celebrate the class of 2025 at graduation ceremonies across the city. The culmination of years of partnerships among families, educators, and community leaders. At OKCPS, culture isn't accidental. It's strategic. It's the cornerstone of everything we do. Great people recognizing the leaders who make a difference. Our people are the heart of OKCPS. Congratulations to Miss Destiny Phillips of Bane Pure Elementary named Koal's teacher of the month. Congratulations as well to Miss Kimberly Edwards of Ridge View Elementary, honored by KFOR's Pay It Forward Award for her extraordinary leadership and creativity. And this Thursday at our Stars of Education event, we will honor our 2025 OKCPS teacher of the year and celebrate principles and support staff of the year. Behind every student success is a team of adults committed to excellence. This year was never

008about short-term wins. It was about building systems through weekly board reporting, monthly department reviews, and aligning to our four cornerstones: culture, systems, people, and learning. As I prepare to lead OKCPS into the next phase of our strategic plan, I do so with tremendous pride and optimism. Thank you for being a part of our OKCPS family. Let's finish the year strong together. [Applause] That ends my report. All right. Okay. Uh, anyone have any comments, questions? Yes. Uh, just a couple comments. I just want to start by saying, uh, also thank you to all the teachers for, uh, teacher appreciation month. And uh I also want to just recognize a a population that is so important to Oklahoma City public schools which is our Hispanic population. Uh it is today is May 5th and Cinco de Mayo

009and uh it is so important that uh we acknowledge this day. It's a very crucial day uh what I understand uh for uh our our Hispanic population. And so we just want to take a moment just to uh that we're so proud to embrace that community and be a part of that community. So I just want to make sure that uh we just stop and just acknowledge them. And Doc, that was a good report. It was a good report. I appreciate you. Thank you. And if I may share, nearly 18,000 of our students uh are Hispanic and or over 18,000 which is significant. So thank you for that acknowledgement on Cinco de Mayo. Okay. Anyone just uh I would like to say uh thank you to all the teachers that are here today. Uh thank

010you for everything you do. uh you do make a difference and I've uh I know that uh if my teachers were if one of my teachers that was here she really did make a difference in my life uh she's no longer with us but uh to Miss Cox she was a great smart teacher I had her for math and AP calculus and of uh to this day I still speak about I still speak about her because of uh she made a difference in my life again thank you much gracias Thank you. All right. Anyone else? Yes. Uh, yes, everybody. Thank you so much for being here. Happy teacher appreciation week. Uh, this is an incredible time here at OKCPS. Incredible report. Dr. Pulk, really, we really appreciate your hard work in the background doing all

011of this. Um, and I also wanted to acknowledge it's also nurses week. Uh, we do have a few nurses in the district as well. Today I got to go to the Kaiser Multicultural Arts Festival and I got to meet uh nurse Pam from Kaiser Elementary. Uh so also uh congratulations to our nurses. So thank you so much for serving the district and just how Juan said uh you guys are really making a huge difference. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for all of our teachers and past educators. So thank you so much. Okay. Well, I didn't get to go to a lot of enrollment pods, but I did want to give a shout out to Principal Connor up at John Marshall High School. She invited me. They gave a allout effort. They had food

012trucks. They had students at their tables. They were from National Honor Society talking about that. They were doing face painting. They had a bounce house. They were showcasing their t-shirts and selling them. And Principal Connor took me around and had every one of them practice their spiel and they did a phenomenal job. So, not sure how the enrollment piece ended up because I didn't ask that, but I am really happy with the excitement they tried to get it done. So, I'm going to say good job on that. Yes. If I may also add, from year to year, we are up 4,000 students than this time last year, which is significant. It will make a difference in regards of us having quality teachers in every classroom. This is how we actually determine how many teachers we

013need by the number of students. So, I'm going to ask families, please continue to enroll uh principles. Uh take advantage of every opportunity because we want to ensure we make every day count. And so, please up 4,000 from this time last year. Excellent. That's good news. And I know Amasha, we recognized her for her 36 because she is on your leadership council. If we have other kids that get that, please put it in your report so we can celebrate them all. Now, right now, she may be the only in the state. Please note that we have a couple of 35s, but for a perfect right now, she's the only one in the state. Wow. And she goes to OKCPS. Aiden, she's an 11th grader. That's awesome. All right. There's no further comments on that. Um,

014we will go to reports and presentations and I need to recognize principal supervisors Dr. Trina Wrestler, Dr. Dominic Baron, and Dr. Shawn Ross, and let them take it away. All right. Good evening, board chair um, Lewis, Vice Chair Bowman, Superintendent Pulk, honorable board members. Um, we thank you for the opportunity to share our success story. Before we start, I'd like to draw your attention to a vocabulary sheet that you've been given that might help um explain any educational jargon or acronyms we might use throughout this presentation. So, tonight we're here to recognize and honor the hard work of those individuals who helped make the right writing tolearn initiative um even possible. So the initiative during the 24-25 school year has been a districtwide elementary writing delivery and assessment model that has impacted every prek through

015four teacher and student aligning to the efforts in our vision to provide equitable access through a viable and guaranteed curriculum within the focus area concept map. The writing tolearn initiative touches literacy inside instructional infrastructure systems leadership and talent management. This initiative was born out of a problem of practice that identified a learning gap around written expression with a specific focus on the writing component of the WEDA assessment. We recognized that this deficit was a major inhibitor to our language learners meeting their on track to exit status. We began with six elementary schools. We grew to 13 and this year every elementary site participated in the writing tolearn initiative. At the heart of our writing to-Learn initiative is a universal delivery and approach that recognizes writing instruction should be explicit by teaching specific skills or concepts

016directly with clear explanations and guided practice. Writing instruction should be systematic by teaching skills and concepts in a planned logical sequence building upon each other in complexity. And writing instruction should be cumulative based, utilizing a learning model that builds upon background knowledge, continually reinforcing previously taught skills while also adding new ones. These three key points highlight what's essential in a curricular approach that is guaranteed and viable for all students. While there are many tools that could be used to score or measure student writing outcomes, we chose the WEDA writing scoring scale as our foundation to ground ourselves. We recognize that this rubric aligns to the efforts to improve and measure the specific EL subgroup, but it is applicable, it is rigorous, and it is appropriate for all learners. We use this tool to score, but

017we also use this tool to guide our instruction. The next three slides highlight student growth achieved through our writing tolearn initiative. When you look at the sample examples of student writing from preK, second, and third, you will see how students have grown in their writing from a beginning of the year baseline through the third quarter. You might also notice that the samples are written in different genres and have been integrated across content areas. For example, we utilized our twig science curriculum for the informative writing genre. We utilized our social studies weekly curriculum for the opinion writing genre. And during the fourth quarter, our writing instruction, excuse me, during the fourth quarter of our writing instruction, students have been directed to choose their preferred their preferred genre and topic and compile their year-long progress into a

018digital showcase. This has been a homegrown effort created by, delivered by, and facilitated by OKCPS teachers. We are most proud of the crossf functional teaming and the collaborative efforts at all levels that made it possible to scale this initiative to each site, to all students, all teachers, and even to all of our EL paraprofessionals and title one pair of professionals. As we introduce each group that participated in this, um, please stand if you are within that group where you contributed. We'd like to recognize our writing tolearn content creators. This group of teachers and instructional coaches uh were those who were identified because they had sound writing instruction and worked collaboratively throughout the school year to create all the content slides that were delivered at every site. We we'd also like to recognize our writing to-Learn

019sitew writing champions. Each site had one designate. They were the voice of the initiative for each school site, relaying content and expectations from the district level to the site level. We'd like to recognize our English learners department. They supported the content creators by embedding EL strategies in the instructional slides utilized for district-wide professional learning days. We'd like to recognize our curriculum department who supported the integration of multiple content areas and pacing alignment. We'd also like to recognize I'm sorry. We'd also like to recognize our innovative learning team who developed the district writing tolearn website, digital tools, resource hub, as well as supporting teachers with technology integration. And we'd like to recognize our writing tolearn collaboration facilitators. These individuals were on the front line in leading teachers through the collaborative portion of this process. We brought

020all teachers together in grade level groups to learn the scoring rubric, practice scoring, discuss best practices and next steps, as well as learn new EL strategies and prepare for the next quarter of writing instruction. We'd also like to recognize our administrators who worked those professional development days and helped us coordinate all of the moving pieces. Last, but by no means least, we'd like to recognize Dr. Sha Ross, whose vision and identification of a problem of practice led to the creation of the writing tolearn initiative. While he's no longer exclusively focused on elementary instruction, he's still very much connected to the work and will be in instrumental as this effort scales to the middle level. So again, thank you for letting us share our success story and to acknowledge all of the hard work that happened

021right here in OKCPS with OKCPS people. All right. Thank you. All right. Let's stand up for them, you guys. [Applause] Thank you. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you. That's how we change kids' lives when you guys all your experts come together and work together for the good of good of them. Okay, I am going to move 4 point some things up in front of 4.02 the board governance discussion because we have several people in the audience. Um we can go ahead and go with Sydney Ward. We'll bring you up at 4.03. I know she's like I had 45 minutes. Just kidding. Good evening, board member uh Lewis, vice chair Bowman, board members, superintendent Pulk. This is going to be the February financial statement presentation. Remember how to do this? Um it's not very big. Uh for

022this is general fund for February, ending February. Um our projected fund balance for the end of the year is right around $24.2 million. That's a increase from January of about $600,000. Um what we're projecting to end the year with. It is looking like um there will be some um pickups through the end of the year. So we might even be a little bit better than that. Um, I can't let me find my We're projecting about $360 million in revenue and about 30 60 or $364 $364 million in revenue and $369 million in expenses. Um, our state funding formula, it varies slightly. Um, just depends on, you know, the the ADM that we get. It went down just a smidge, but it doesn't affect too much. And that's the historical state funding formula for the last

023four years. Um we won't have FY25s on there until the end of this year. Building fund remained flat from January. We're still looking at a projected ending fund balance of about $14.3 million. Um about 26 million in revenue, about 14 million in expenses, 27 in revenue. And then child nutrition through February, she's looking at about 28 million in revenue and about $25 million in expenses. It's an ending projected fund balance of $10 million. It dropped slightly from January and I think that was due to us having a lot of distance learning days in February where she wasn't able to serve meals and that's it. On the building fund, when you said revenue, is that bond? Was that when we sell bonds? Is that where revenue for the building fund comes in? No, the revenue from

024building fund is based on tax collections and then we had that big pickup from the timing difference of where we collected the er money from last year. It actually got posted this year. That's why we had that bigger increase. Okay. Thank you. Yep. Any other questions? All right. Thank you very much. Okay. That brings us to 4.04 operations committee report. I recognize Lori Bowman. Yes, thank you. Um the operations committee met last week. I can't remember the date. Sorry I didn't write that down, but um basically we discussed um we got updates on the bond which is always exciting to see where things are. And as I always do, check out the website and the cameras and all the work going on around town. Um the operations team is still continuing to work on updates

025to the citizens oversight committee to um broaden their focus and kind of move into the next iteration of it. And then um we got an update on the ongoing negotiations of the 900 Klein and the board will get an update on that soon. Anything to add on that, Dana, since you were in the committee? No. All right. Okay. Anyone? Okay. uh 4.05. I will recognize Jason Mack and it's a possible action item on an addendum to the contract for Oklahoma public monitory initiative to extend the startup period is what I'm understanding. Yes, ma'am. Um thank you. Um last Tuesday, April 29th, uh OPMI, the Oklahoma Public Monatory Initiatives Board, met um at a special meeting and voted unanimous unanimously to request a another year of planning. Um this is a really really hard project to

026do um to start a charter school, charter school from the ground up. Um and so they ran into a hiccup when it came to uh securing a location. Um, and so I've been provided a letter um from the board president and I'll just read it to you right now. Uh, dear members of the OKCPS board, at the Oklahoma public monastery initiative, we are guided by a deep commitment to delivering a highquality public monastery education that meets the needs of children, supports family, and strengthens communities. We believe in our shared vision with OKCPS, one that expands access to excellent, innovative schools that meets the needs of every student. After careful consideration, our board has made the difficult decision to request a delay in the opening of our school by one academic year. We are formally requesting

027an extension of our planning year to the 2026 2027 school year. This additional time will allow us to secure and prepare our facility to reflect the monastery philosophy, an environment where thoughtful design, order, and freedom within structure supports the whole child. It will also allow us to continue building meaningful relationships with our families, continue to build a strong team, and ensure our operations and support systems are fully in place. Though we are disappointed by this delay, we remain optimistic and excited about the work ahead. We are confident that this extension will position us to launch a school that is not just operationally ready, but truly exceptional from day one. We appreciate the support and guidance we've received from OKCPS throughout this process. As we move forward with this updated timeline, we're hopeful for your continued

028partnership. We're happy to share more about our plans and progress and look forward to working together in the months ahead to make this school a reality for OKCPS families. Sincerely, Rico Smith, president of the board. Okay. So, you're recommending that the district would give them a year extension for the startup period. Is that your recommendation? That is my recommendation that we give them another year to plan uh figure this thing out and then hopefully launch in August of 2026. Now, I will say um I think that OKCPS is our first choice for parents. And so, if there are any parents that are listening today um that were interested in going to the Oklahoma Public Monitor Initiative and that are no longer able to have a seat, please look for OKCPS first. Uh you need to

029talk to Dr. Tamara Love um over in Student Records and she will be able to help you with the enrollment process. But we have high quality preK and kindergarten classrooms already set up. um that are ready to serve these kids. Okay. So, I was one of the votes for the original um authorization of uh Oklahoma Public Monatory School. I would like to have more information before I mean before I feel comfortable voting, the rest of the board can talk about it. I want to know what their current financial setting situation is, what their future funding is, and what they're doing differently that will not bring us to here in a year that asks for another extension. So, anybody have any other things that Yes, I I was just that was my kind of my question.

030Will they have to come back in front of the board to get a new date or we're going to set that date tonight? I I mean this the it is an action item. I tend to think we're a little bit ahead of the game because we don't know more information. Um, but again, as a board member, unless you know, we have a conversation up here, I get my options are yes, no, or abstain, truthfully, because it is an action item. So, I need to hear from the rest of the board on their thoughts and if they think they have enough information to make this vote or if we need to move that before we get more information. And Miss Lewis, if you have any questions, uh I think Rufus is here. Uh Rico, the board

031president is here that um if if you need very specific stuff, um I'm sure they can answer questions tonight. I can answer questions, the stuff that I know. Um but however you want to move forward. Mean, may I ask what happens if we deny their uh appeal? It's not necessarily a deny tonight. It would be pushing it forward to make it an action item on another date. Just push it forward. Okay. Until we have the information. I guess what I'm asking is are we doing it to a date specific tonight or it would probably be I would assume from July one moving forward for year because of our calendar year that we're June July 1 through June 30th would be my assumption. Is that that is that right Tony? That would be the contract year.

032Yes, that's correct. it would be moving it to the next school year, extending that start date to uh 27 and starting in the 26th school year. Yes. May I say as u superintendent, it was very important for me to bring this before the board so that you all would have the information to make the decision. and so grateful uh chair Lewis and others who were here on that initial vote. This is not something um that we needed as um the cabinet level to decide. I needed to ensure you all had the information you needed since they would not be ready for the upcoming fall. So please note this is new for me but it was very important for me to bring it to the table tonight. Yeah. So just to wrap it up. So tonight

033we would be voting on whether to allow the extension to take place but could we also we could give a time. I mean, I think you made some really good points that maybe we need more more information about what led to the delay and um about viability moving forward and um do we then you know request 60 days or something to how would that process work? Do you envision? Do we know Tony? I think there could also be discussion regarding tableabling the item. If it sounds like there's not enough information for the board, uh that could be taken and then tabled. Then conversations could uh continue with OPMI to get that additional information and have another presentation to the board where even more information is provided before a vote. The reality is we typically have

034an information item. And so this is not an information item today. This is a request for action with honestly nothing attached. And I understand they're in the audience, but paper counts. it's a receipt is that we actually saw what we saw versus told what we were told. And Madame Chair, point of order, just to to uh piggyback on the general counsel's comments. So, the board has, as has been stated, the option to make a motion to approve this tonight. Members could vote I or nay or abstain. But the other option would be, and Mr. uh children's mentioned table in our rules of order it's postpone to a indefinite date or to a definite date. So we a board member could make the motion to postpone this to indefinitely or a specific date. Those are your

035options. Yeah. Yes. Is it is it possible to ask them how long they when can they provide you with the documentation? Well may Yeah. I mean, but they would honestly provide it to Jason Mack and Jason Mack would provide it either through Dr. Pulk to us or to them. So, yes. I mean, do you need it? Do you need do they need 60 days, six months? I would uh Madam Chair, I just want clarity on what you're asking for. So, I'm like writing down the their financial situation the and then yeah, what the current reality situ they've been paying employee an executive director and I don't know if they've been paying for marketing. So there's some money spent of what we were told this time last year approximately not exactly it's like early 204 20

03624 25 almost a year ago told so there was a financial kind of presented to us this is where funding is coming from this is where we're going to spend money so I mean my assumption is between the entities out there that support charters that there's probably funding but I do believe and this is no nothing against whether it would be any of our other charter city out there or Oklahoma Monastery. Unfortunately, I've sat in this seat when we've closed charters, too. And what I do know is that if we don't do it right on the front end, we're going to be back in that situation. And that situation is bad for kids. Y and so that's really where I'm kind of going with this is I want to make sure that we know what

037we're voting on that um because that again you mentioned the parents like who thought they were going to go to that school like that's so I believe that we do have to be kind of a little bit of a gatekeeper in that role and again I voted for them so I'm not I this is not negative this is just trying to be the right thing for kids as we move forward and understanding where they're at in any particular instance. So then to wrap up um maybe in like 30 days come back um and then I can present to you on their financial situation um where they currently are why they ran into the snag and then maybe a path provided by them forward on how next year's planning year will look different than this year's

038planning year went. Mhm. And and and then personally I would like to have like a timeline of you know like instead of waiting for a year we don't have a building. We don't have this. We don't have that. Like can we Tony say like okay we you need in order to continue through this process you have to have a building by whatever date or whatever date. I mean I just feel like that we can help ourselves a little bit if we know what's coming. Yes board chair. We can definitely work on that with OPMI to make sure that we have set deadlines uh and remind not reminders but state deadlines and uh uh requirements that we have in place to be sure we're meeting those particular uh deadlines as we move along. Okay. So, anybody

039else? I'll entertain a motion. Well, we are granting their postponement to a date specific. It would be till fall of 27 or or until they have to until the 30 days or well so what it would have to happen is my understanding is currently right now somebody could make a motion to approve just the way it is. Somebody could make a motion to postpone it to a specific time 30 days 60 days from now when we'd have that information to vote on their request or it could be postponed to an indefinite time. And your recommendation is postpone it 30 or 60 days until we get the information. So for me personally, yes, I would like to have a definite time that we were going to postpone it till I don't want it to be I

040don't think it's fair to them. I don't think it's fair to families. I want to I'd rather move this along for everybody. Um but that's why I said like if if somebody wants to make this motion then my options are literally to vote like everybody else. I can say yes, no, or I can abstain. But if somebody would want to make a motion to postpone it for a definite time, I that's great, too. But I just want to be clear. I'm literally one vote. So two, I'll I'll make a motion that we postpone for 60 days or whatever board meeting is closest to that date. Um this this um I don't know. Give us the language to language. What's the language? What are we postponing? Craig, do you have the date for the next meeting?

04160 days out. At one moment, members, let me just pull up that information. Tony, that will be after the first of the year. Does that mean after July 1st? Will that matter? Yes, it would because that would be after the official start date that we currently have in the contract with OPMI. Right now, the contract is that they will What's the last meeting in June, Craig? That's June 30. There's a an early June meeting. One second, I'm pulling up that calendar. We definitely have a June 30 June 2nd. June second. June 9th is a special. It's a workshops for SFG. Uh June 9 is correct. A workshop. It was originally it was a hearing placeholder, but it's been transitioned to a work session. So there is June 2nd a business meeting. June 9 work session.

042June 30 business meeting in June. June 30. Is that okay? I mean, June 30 gets us where we're going. I mean, it's either we get the information and we feel good and we approve it or not. Um, I mean, we could put it on the June 2nd as information. You could give it to us and then we could vote on it June 30th. It doesn't I mean, but how do you want to what would that wording be? And does anybody have an opinion about that? I I think that's I think that's good. I I think uh to think that we're going to get the information, digest it, and vote on it on June 2nd sounds rushed. So, I like the idea of the information only giving us more time and then bring it back on

043June 30. Anyone else? Yep. Feels good. So, what does that what does the postponement The motion would be based on the clerk's understanding? Motion to postpone consideration until June 30, 2025 on an addendum to the charter contract with Oklahoma Public Montazori Initiative, Inc. to extend the startup period to June 30, 2026. So moved. So moved. Moved by the vice chair, seconded by board member Mike Shelton. Correct. And then we want that on information on June 2nd though, Craig. Just so could be June 9th. If you think June 2nd's too soon, what Jason is June 2nd doable? We can do June 2nd. Okay. Okay. No f any further discussion. Call the vote. [Music] I'm sorry, man. You're busy over there, Mike. Oh, thank you, sir. Good catch. Mr. Shelton just pointed out I clicked on something

044incorrectly and I've now corrected that. Is it good? Okay, awesome. We have uh all members votes have been tallied, so we have seven I votes and zero day votes. The motion carries. Thank you. You okay? Jason Mack is still at the podium for uh 5.01 possible future action regarding the John Rex Charter School contract renewal. Yes, ma'am. Um this is my portion of this is just the process about how we renew charters um in the district. There we go. Okay. Vision. Um, according to I22, uh, which is our board policy that, uh, we use to help us with charter schools, um, by June 1st of the year preceding the final year of their contract, the charter school will submit a, uh, notice of intent, um, to renew, uh, and that has been given to us

045by John Rex. Um then on by October 1st we as a district respond to that letter and say yes we will be renewing you for the next uh term or we are not interested in renewing you for the next term. Um we have given them that letter um by October 1st and then the charter school will be giving a renewal application which John Rex has um been given and they have returned that to me. Um we are here now uh the charter school will give a presentation to the board of uh education uh as an information only item during their final year of the contract. So after tonight's meeting then the uh renewal application will be evaluated by an internal committee and a a recommendation will be provided to uh Dr. Pulk. Um the renewal

046item will then be brought uh back before this board at a later date. We uh hope to do that maybe on June the 2nd. um and for possible discussion and uh action. And then if we uh if you decide to approve that, then a new contract will be drafted, given to John Rex for their consideration. They will sign it um at one of their meetings and then I'll bring it back to you guys and we'll get that stamped. Um if not uh approved, then the contract will just um be allowed to uh expire. And so then we would not be renewing their contract. um the ones that are coming up soon. So um John Rex is ending on June 30th of this year and then next year we have three that are um ending. So

047we'll do the same process next year for three different charter schools. Are there any questions? Fantastic. I will let you invite John Rex. Representative or John Rex, please come up. down. All right. Thank you all. I appreciate you all giving me an opportunity to talk on behalf of John Rex. Uh it was an honor working for Oklahoma City Public Schools years ago. Mr. Shelton, it was an honor having your kid at John Rex. Dr. Pulk, uh Chairman Lewis, thank you all for letting me be here. Um so John Rex, uh Charter Schools established in 2014. One of the great things about establishing then we started with second grade pre-K through 2 grade and our second graders are graduating high school this year. Mr. Shelton's son is one of them. So as our first graduating class

048to to go off. Um we currently serve prek through 8th grade. Expanded to 8th grade a few years ago when you all gave us an opportunity to add a middle school. Uh mission and vision have changed slightly over the last few years. Um, after 10 years, we we realized that we really needed to go back and look at what the mission and vision was since it was created before students were ever in the school and we really needed to to turn around and and look at what we were doing and what we were wanting to accomplish. So, our mission and vision is slightly changed from the beginning. Um, but but like you all, it truly is trying to provide um the success for the kids through high school, college, and career and life. uh we

049really do want to provide the best for them as we can through 8th grade. Um getting them prepared to to move on to high school and beyond. Our community partners, one of the things that make us um unique in in our setting is of course being downtown and being downtown gives us some incredible opportunities. The access to the botanical gardens, the downtown library, art, museum of art, Scissorale Park and many others. It's um we we look at where we're located as an opportunity where the the botanical gardens and Scissorale Park is a destination for everyone else. It is an opportunity for us to go there directly and make that a part of our campus. Uh which is a a wonderful opportunity for us. Uh enrollment growth, you can see when we first started it was

050311 students. Uh this year is the first time to ever cross the 800 um student count threshold. um which was a big uh mark for us. We were excited to be able to to have that opportunity uh with our average daily membership of 793 um students. Academically, um looking at our state report card, you can see the last two years we've had a letter grade of a B. Um I wanted to point out where our our focus is. um not just academically, but chronic absenteeism is um certainly a concern of ours as it's moved from a C to a D and and we've put a great deal of focus on that this year. Making sure the students are there, that we've given them the resources to to help them um be at school more often

051um have a higher attendance. Uh academically, we've compared to the state and this is um off of the state report card. uh we do quite well um academically uh third grade uh test scores and these are all compared to the state uh fourth grade fifth grade is another one of our concerns uh you can see that those are the that's the year that we fall below the grade level it's a difficult transition year for John Rex uh we have about a hundred kids in fourth grade but when we move to fifth grade we lose about 25% of the students uh classing is the um biggest move that we have um certainly knowing that if they can get into class and that they're there through high school and we do not have that high school path.

052So um it takes a little bit. We lose some of our highest achievers, but we're what we're most proud of is that we make that up. We work um with our kids diligently to make sure that we get them back above average. We fill in any gaps that we have through the middle school and and um are really proud of those eighth grade um scores as we get there. our state report card academic growth um and then also our uh EOP progress is significantly higher than the state as well. Uh Ames Web uh is our screener. It's been our screener the last two years. Uh public schools and everybody else around uses NWA. Um I was an interim superintendent. I was talked into this Ames web. We're going to go back so we can be

053comparative. um the scores are good, but they do not compare or align with NWA very well. And it's it's really caused us some issues both in applying for grants and in comparison with um Oklahoma City public schools and other school districts and other charters. So, um the scores are good, but I didn't feel like they were probably that valuable to bring because there is not a clear comparison to NWA and others. um achievements national blue ribbon school. Um was a little disappointing that it came in 2020. Couldn't celebrate. It was a banner that was mailed to us. Thank you. Um so that was a little disappointing because the world had all shut down by the time we received that banner. Uh one of our big initiatives is our our green school initiative. Um we've been

054recognized for our efforts in in both recycling um um um going through our gardening, our green inside our school um including our students through all of that. Uh we're actually recognized uh tomorrow will be a big celebration at our school um for the Oklahoma Green School will be presented at uh John Rex tomorrow. We have schools around the state coming to us. Um so excited about that. Um but just a couple of honors that we've had recently. Uh and finally, our our uh returning students. We we love our uh retention rate. Um we do lose a significant number of kids moving from fourth to fifth grade, which is understandable. We're a school of choice, so we support every one of those families that leave fourth grade and go to another school in fifth grade. We

055want them to make the best choice for their kids. Um so we support that 100%. But that is where the biggest loss in our retention is. Um this year we had the highest number of applications. Uh 671 applications for prek through 8th grade this year. Uh we've not ever had over 500. So this was a significant increase uh for us. Uh very substantial. And we currently have 505 students on the weight list between preK and fifth grade with the mass bulk in uh prek, kindergarten, and then um also trying to come in at fifth grade as as students are are looking for um their school of choice after elementary school. Uh demographic diversity, this has been a significant change um from when I began at John Rex 7 years ago. We are now 35% Hispanic,

05630% white, uh 14% black. Uh one of the biggest changes is our economically disadvantaged. When I first got to John Rex in the very first grant I left Oakland City Public Schools and the first grant I applied to uh for when I asked for economically disadvantaged, it was 26% when uh I first arrived at John Rex. So, um, over doing better recruitment to Oakland City Public Schools, um, certainly changing to Oakland City Public Schools as our sponsor, um, really eliminated the the tier three, eliminating the, um, bonus in the lottery has, um, brought in the the highest portion of Oklahoma City public school students that we've ever had. Uh with that comes um some advantages of of being able to be more economically disadvantaged to serve um a higher kids a higher portion of kids

057with needs. Uh and special education is 13% which has been pretty consistent over the last uh several years. Uh and in conclusion um we are committed to our continued excellence and innovation. Uh we love where we're at. We love the opportunities that we have at John Rex. Um certainly we would love to be renewed. Um that is our goal is to continue to support students of Oklahoma City public schools to support the downtown Oklahoma City community uh and continue to um ensure our continuity. Um I'd say that with with Dr. Pulk uh over the the last year, it has been truly amazing the difference that we have had in our relationship with Oklahoma City Public Schools. Uh it's meant a lot to us. It's been a meant a lot to me personally and for John

058Rex being this close and being being right here and in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City. It's it's made a world of difference and we want to continue serving Oklahoma City schools uh public school kids and we certainly want to um continue doing that with Oklahoma City public schools. And then there's just cute pictures because they're kids and they're cute. So uh there you are. Uh and I'm happy to answer any questions if you have any. Thank you, Superintendent Duffy. On explain tier three, um I believe I remember what it is, but what And you're saying the that with tier three going away, that's where the increase of economically disadvantage has occurred. Yes. So, um when I when I first arrived, we had a a three tier system, and it was when OU was the

059sponsor before Oklahoma City Public School was. So, there's tier one, we have an attendance boundary, a very large attendance boundary. Those tier one students are guaranteed a seat. Uh tier two then is everyone else inside the Oklahoma City public schools boundaries. And then there is a um there was a tier three system, a a very clear tier three system that anyone outside of Oklahoma City public schools um could apply. And early on there was a there was a um a lot of students when the school first opened it was not full. Um, so there was a great number of tier three kids that were able to get in through the lottery. Um over time that has changed and then once we became um uh Oklahoma City public schools became our authorizer. Uh we focus solely

060on tier one and tier 2 uh we still have what you you might or people might see as a tier three system but that is if um when we go out and we put that there's open seats and we just take transfers in. Um people can apply through the lottery but we do not accept them through the lottery. they know that they are going on to a wait list and if we have open seats uh quarterly and we get to that portion then we can allow them in. But that's just one way for them to get onto our our weight list. But um we do not draw from that weight list anymore. Um the only time that we get there at this point is in middle school, seventh grade, 8th grade as those students continue

061to to leave John Rex to make sure that they're in a school and a place that they want. then that's usually where we find out uh or we we start allowing those students to to enroll that are outside of Oklahoma City Public Schools. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. Anyone else? Yes. Uh thank you so much for your presentation. It was actually pretty insightful to see how transparent you guys are and also um going over the fifth grade um Oklahoma State testing. Um could you explain a little bit or go into more depth again why um I guess the performance is where it is? Uh yes I for example this year um we had 96 students that were in uh fourth grade. When we transferred over to fifth grade we had 72 students that came out of

062fifth grade and came to um out of fourth grade and came to fifth grade. of those that we lost, 22 of them were our gifted and talented students that had all scored extremely well on the state test. Um, so it was it it gives a very big test shock um because you you see where we're at with those students if we take out the the gifted talented students. We added three or four students off of the lottery to to fill up our seats. Um, but of course it's a random lottery, so um we know that that is coming. it it happens every year. Um it is an expectation and understanding of what we have, but that's where we put in the extra resources into fifth grade to make sure that we've identified those kids, what

063they need, and um start cutting down that gap and applying additional resources beginning in the middle school with fifth grade. Awesome. And thank you so much again for just being transparent and providing that communication to Oklahoma City Public Schools. Uh, I mean, I think if we work together, I mean, I think we can help, uh, figure something out together. And lastly, uh, congratulations again on becoming a green school. I I love the environment. I love our pollinator friends. And I saw that you guys have your gardens outside and you guys are teaching students just how to grow things. And that is such a beautiful and nurturing aspect of your school. Um, I'm excited that you're here and thank you for presenting. Thank you. Appreciate it. If you haven't been by there, we've got a beautiful

064greenhouse. OU came in and in a partnership with them to put in and it's now become part of our enrichment program that is um schoolwide at the elementary school. So it's very nice. Thank you for for acknowledging that. Thank you. Anyone else? Okay. Thank you very much. That is information only. This will reappear next month as an action item. All right. Then let's see. 5.02 O2 is presentation on possible future action to name the new OKCPS middle school. Recognize Dr. Maloo Smith, director of research and evaluation. Dr. Smith, I can say I have been here many, many years and I have not seen or said your name as many as I have said it in like the last six months in that whole time. Oh, I don't know what happened. Uh good evening board chair

065Lewis, Vice Chair Bowman, uh board members, and superintendent Pulk. Uh I, uh in accordance with the board policy DO8, an ad hoc committee was formed uh to suggest names for the new middle school. Uh the committee included representatives from legal communications, capital improvements, the board member from the district where the school uh will be built, uh board member M. Mhaney. Two principles, two teachers, two support staff, two parents, and two students were also included on the committee for a total of 14. To gather input from the community, the communications department shared this open call for name suggestions. All submissions were required to include a rationale and those suggesting a name in honor of a person also had to submit three letters in support. We received 172 submissions with names and ration. 67 from parents, 33

066from staff, three from those who identified as both parents and staff members, 16 students, 43 community members, and 10 former community members. The committee met on April 25th. They began with quiet time to individually review uh all 172 suggestions and the reasons behind them. Then in small groups, they discussed their impressions and which names they felt should move forward. Each group then presented their top choices to the full committee along with the reasons for their selections. And this collaborative process uh reduced the list from 172 to 11. As a full committee, they discussed the 11 names in more depth and considered things like potential confusion with nearby schools, for instance. and this brought the list down to six. After additional discussion, three more names were eliminated. They then ranked these remaining three names in order

067of preference, which eliminated one more. Throughout the process, uh the committee members took time to consider each submission. They listened to one another and they engaged in meaningful discussion about the vision and values reflected in the names. Finally, a vote was held between the remaining two names, and after a close decision, the name Skyline received the most votes. Okay. All right. Just I I know you said it was in compliance with our policy. So, the 14 people were based in our policy, correct? Like that that's how that came up. Okay. Just saying that out loud so people know that. And then the charge in the policy was the ad hoc committee would bring forward a name to recommend. Yes. Okay. So that's where we're at. So this is information. This will come for us as

068an action item in a month, but this is the time to discuss or ask questions. Shelton, I'm just curious. How do they pick a mascot? [Laughter] a son. I don't know. I mean, comments. I don't know. I don't know how we pick mascots. I also don't know the policy. I think it's a school decision. It's like I don't know. Principal. So, something I want to add there that did come up during the committee. I got to sit through it was a full half day. Um the board policy only talks about naming it and just common practice in our district and others is the local principal would be charged with picking a mascot. So we could change between now and then though if we wanted policy as the board we could say that there was a

069bigger process for mascot naming. My recommendation would be no. Okay. But what if that principal has been here for like three months and leaves in three months? Then I would recommend we look at best practices across other other schools. Got it. Got it. So there's a Skyline Ministries and there's a Skyline church. is that I don't out of all of the options, this was the one that rose to the top and had the least conflicting um you know public presence. There are no other schools with the name Skyline in the state um that we could find. And while we do have some other organizations, if you look, if you've been to Northeast 25th and High where the new school will be, there's a beautiful view of the downtown Oklahoma City skyline, which was the um

070inspiration for this because it is a really really great view. So, if you've not driven down there, it's worth worth the drive. I like the name. I think it's kind of a fun name. It's something that we haven't done and it gets away from naming it after a person that 100 years down the road could be a person that somebody changes that name for whatever reasons. Yep. I was in the area not too long ago and in my head like today was a beautiful day just looking south, excuse me, north. Um with the name it um has a ring to it. I I like it. That's just my personal opinion. Yes. Yes. So, is this the recommendation from the community group or correct? They voted for it. Yes. Okay. And then the board has to

071approve it for it to come into effect. Okay. All right. Anyone else? Thank you, Dr. Smith and Meg, for sitting on that committee and everyone else out there who was on the committee. We appreciate it. Thank you. All right. Skyline Middle School. We'll see you in a month. Okay. 5.03. Consider future revisions to OKCPS board policy G-02 non-discrimination. And we'll recognize our general counsel Tony Childers because these are both of these are information only. Remember that. We'll always have 30 days at least to ask questions, anything like that, but he will always come up and give us the why. Yes. Thank you, board chair. Uh, yes, GO2, the non-discrimination policy is a very limited change. As you can see, uh, the language before you, it's really changing the word veteran to military service. And this

072is to align our policy more closely to the language that's used in USA, the uniform service members uh, or act that provides for leave for, uh, employees who are covered. Uh so we're just making sure that our language language really lines up with what is already there in statute. Uh this was one of the recommendations that we had in our discussions uh with the Department of Justice through our consent decree and this is something that they approved of as well. Just to clarify that language to be sure again that it's in line with the statute that is already in existence. Okay. Anyone have any thoughts on that one? I'm good to move forward. Okay. Next, we also have item G uh or sorry, policy G03, harassment. Again, this is not a substantive change. Uh again,

073you can look at that language and it is changing veteran to military services. Uh and outside of that change, if you go to the last page, page or second to last page, page three of four in the references, uh we've included language particularly referring to USA to again that act that we've referred to again just to be sure that our policy is lining up with the requirements of uh of the statute and of regulation and to be sure we have appropriate citations in our policy. Thank you. All right, going once. Okay, thank you. Stay at the podium because you're up again. 6.01. Consider taking action to adopt the new OKCPS board policy I-29 release time courses. This was on information last month. This is a a new statute that has been passed. Um the district

074does not necessarily have an option in the policy. There were some questions um filled it in. Tony did a phenomenal job getting back out, but as of tonight, have as much discussion as we want, but um I'll go ahead and make the motion to adopt the new cocps board policy I-29. Uh is there a second? Second. Okay. Then this is when discussion would occur. And ultimately, um as I've said earlier today, we get to say yes, no, or abstain on an action item tonight. So here's discussion. My turn. Okay. Please. Thank you, Paula. Uh, yes. So, uh, dear board members of Oklahoma City Public Schools, Superintendent Dr. Pulk, all staff of Oklahoma City Public Schools, and community members present in attendance of today's meeting, I speak against adopting policy I-29, as is for a multitude

075of reasons that I wanted to address today. From the very first time I read the policy and law to the 45th time I have read the policy in the law, I was uncomfortable. But the cool part about becoming and being an engineer is that I have trained myself to endure uncomfortable moments and I'm actively choosing myself to put myself in yet another uncomfortable moment being right now. I speak against adopting the policy I-29 asis for the following reasons. The law and the mirroring policy is too broad and open-ended. I am afraid that an independent entity might try to take advantage of this open-ended policy and law. After consulting our legal team, again, thank you so much for your responses um and doing my own investigations and brainstorms, I have tried in about just every way

076possible to try to make our policy meet the same high standards of our other policies, our values, and mission. And whenever I took the oath of office, I swore to uphold the state and federal law. As is, I do strongly believe that forcing school boards to adopt a policy that requires district to give credits for approved quote religious or moral instruction violates the rights of our taxpayers towards having an impartial public school system and is not separating and blurring actually the laws between uh church and state and public schools. as is. There is also a double dipping possible with this policy because the district would also be required to extend excused absences for the courses missed. When clarifying which courses missed, uh which courses could be missed, to quote Tony Childers, under title 70 of

077the Oklahoma State Statute section 12.10 1210.508, which includes English, math, science, social studies, and other tested subjects. Um other graduation required courses like computer literacy are not included as tested courses and so could be missed uh even as a course that the student needs to graduate. So these courses required to to graduate from OKCPS may also be excused under this policy if the studenting student is failing one of these excusable courses. To quote Mr. children's. Again, there is no provision in the statute allowing the district to restrict release time participation based on a student's academic performance. Now, to clarify this, I am definitely not an attorney. The four guiding assessment criteria uh used to approve these courses are as followed and quoted from the policy proposal. The board will use secular criteria to evaluate a

078release time course that may include one, the amount of classroom instruction time, two, the course syllabus, which reflects the course requirements and any materials used in the course, three, methods of assessment used in the course, and four, the qualifications of the course instructor. Yet, however, the course instructors do not have to be licensed or certified for these courses. under this policy and law. These secular criteria are fairly open-ended to allow the board to discern the approval of the release time courses for credit. But I even brought to attention our own volunteer policy E-01 that includes a criminal and sex offender registry background check that is not found in this law but would be in conflict with another statute that Mr. Childers talked about um if we were to include it. So we cannot do that.

079Lastly, my constituents have shared their concerns with me regarding this implementation of this policy and the effectiveness of what this policy is even trying to achieve. Is there really any solid evidence for this law and policy? Despite all of the law and policies shortcomings, publicly let it be recorded that if this policy passes, I would like to hold Oklahoma City public schools accountable because who are we if we do not have empirical data in a year's worth of time in May of 2026, I would like us to revisit the effectiveness of this policy if it passes with data that may show how many students were affected, how the academic performance was affected, attendance and enroll enrollment trends and any other pertinent data that the district deems relevant to the policy so that we can show

080evidence of our to our legislators how this law and policy has or will affect us. And to be quite frank with everybody here, I do want to do what is best for kids. Even though this is a law and um like Paula said, we kind of don't have an option. We have our hands tied behind our back. Um, I don't think that providing another reason for discontinuity in instruction is going to help our kids and actually it may even put a strain on the district. Um, so board members, I ask for your consideration and thank you so much for your time. Thank you. Anyone else? I have a question. Yes. And this is for our council. what happens if we are not in compliance with state statutes like this? So, it could result in a

081few things. The first would most likely be accreditation deficiencies. Uh the the state department of education looks towards statutes uh that specifically require that districts have particular policies in place. This is one of those new things that we get every year from our legislature telling us what new things we need in our policy. Uh so, that would be one likelihood. The second would be if it wasn't followed, a student could potentially bring uh litigation or a lawsuit against the district in terms of enforcement of the statute uh because we would be required to follow the statute. And again, um and and I think as we made clear, this is a requirement that is in the law that schools have to have in place and this policy is meant really just to reflect that statute. the

082board would still have some decision-making when it comes comes to making decisions of whether the course would get elective credit. But again, the statute is somewhat limited in how it's worded. The reason being is and this is also a constitutional issue, you don't want the school overly involved in looking at material and deciding whether it meets certain uh certain rules or or religious standards if it's a if it's a course from one particular group or from another. Uh so keeping that limited in general in terms of what we are looking at these neutral criteria is one of those important things that we've listed out in the policy. I have Yes, I have a question. Um I sort of re uh referenced this last time last month when we were talking about this. Do we need

083to be specific about things like what leaving time and arriving time, taking class time out of the courses on either side of leaving campus? Do we need to be assured that uh they won't be suing us if they get in a wreck or if they get hurt or if they are somehow damaged when they go to these classes? Is there going to be a legal document? Do we need to get all of that into this policy before we accept it? or do we just assume after we accept it then we'll go back and put all of the little nuts and bolts to it? A few things I would add. First, first think of this as this is a student being checked out by the parents permission. Once they leave the school, they're not really within

084our care anymore. So, they they are leaving being checked out from school. The second would be that the statute and our policy does have a requirement that there be a liability waiver signed by the group and by the parent. So that would already be in uh included in our policy and that's something particularly listed in the statute as one of the requirements for these courses. Uh so there would be a liability waiver already included to cover that information. Just just a couple more things. Um it it says at the bottom here that the school superintendent principal for the school site where the student is enrolled or their design will have reasonable discretion over the scheduling and timing of released courses. But then higher up in the paragraph, it says that that will be supplied by

085the school that I mean by the entity that's providing this service. So which is it? Will the entity tell us it's going to be at 2:30 on Friday or will we say we are only going to let them go at 1:00 on Monday? So there's limitations in terms of the elect the whether it's considered for an elective course uh or whether they get credit or not. So a parent could always come in and check out a student at any point during the day whether we wanted them to miss it or not. However, whether they're going to be considered excused or not is going to be what is pursuant to our policy and pursuant to the law. So, to the extent that a student comes in and they're missing a course, which is a tested course,

086uh which is one of those uh listed that board member Suentes uh mentioned, one of those particular types of courses, uh we as a school district or as even the local school could make a decision that listen, you're missing a tested course. This is not going to count as an excused absence. And also as to the elective credit if whenever we go through the process of approving those that come to us scheduling would be one of those questions that comes before the board of how do we ensure this is not interfering with these core classes uh that are particularly listed in the statute do we have to worry about equality of representation as far as religions are concerned I'm sorry could you ask the question do we have to ensure the equality of representation of

087religions being offered the school district would be using neutral criteria that make decision. So, you're not looking at whether it's coming from group A, group B, or multiple from A or multiple from C. Uh the board would just be using those particular criteria. And that's one of the reasons we're we're also trying to be careful of not getting too involved in that review because that's one of the concerns that comes up with First Amendment. Uh but it would not be the responsibility of the district to ensure that if there is a class for A, we also have one for B. It's really just a process that as they come if groups are interested they would go through this application process make the presentation or the information would come to the board for ultimately for you

088to make that decision based on those neutral criteria that are listed in the statute and in the policy. Uh but there would be no consideration of whether it's from a particular group or from a different group than those that have applied in the past and that would not be the responsibility of the district. Will there be someone here at the board or at each individual school tasked with keeping uh sure that the students are attending those classes the attendance records of those classes? Yes. So that is actually the responsibility of the entity as listed in our policy. They are required to keep attendance for those students and then that would be reported to the district. That reported to the district. Yes. And that it's also goes along with they're required to transcript the information. If

089they are going to be trying to give credit they would have to have a process in place for transcripting as well. But that is all placed on the responsibility of the entity and not on the district. That is reporting that would come to the district. Is it sort of like a doctor's excuse note only just more formal? It really is and that's really how these started uh for for release time courses is parents could come in and check their student out to go to an off-campus event that is does not involve the school. The only difference that we're seeing here, and we've seen this legislation in several other states, uh, is that for those courses, for those outside courses, there's going to be, uh, not a loss of attendance and then the potential for there

090be elective credit for those courses if they meet those neutral criteria that we've listed in our policy. And as a district, we are moving to start working on chronic absenteeism and addressing that if a certain percentage of work is done, then a child's going to can be counted present as well. That's correct. And so in theory, whether this is just an excused absence, but there would already be a mechanism like as a parent, I took my 13-year-old out three days last week to go see the grandbaby. So, I mean, I made that choice. There's no there's no no credits being given for that. Um, but as long as he does his work, it ends up being okay in in the long run. Um, I look at if we do what we're trying to do on

091the outside of this is we're really to me this law is giving parents more rights in a weird way and the board doesn't really have the ability to limit a parent's right is kind of the way I see this is that whether I agree or not agree with the premise of what they're doing um or I want to have in my own head why they're doing it, it still seems to me it's just literally it's an excused absence. That's correct. an excused absence and then that potential for credit for those elective courses. Again, if they go through those uh the required, do we have to do we have to um accept applications for to approve it or disapprove it for a credit? We would still have to go through the consideration process, but it would

092be up to the board to make a decision of whether credit would actually be awarded or not. Okay. All right. I have a question. Yes. Yes. Um I know uh Mr. Childers, we talked a little bit about that uh establishment clause under the first amendment. Does this law not directly conflict with that? Not with what we've seen from the Supreme Court to date. So, this goes back a little ways to the 1940s, even when these initially started, uh there was a case where they said that that was a violation of the law because the school was overly involved. They're providing transportation, providing lunches, uh doing some other things, administrative things for that group. and some of the courses were occurring on campus. So that would be a violation. But this law is meant to be

093that it is outside of school. They are being checked out with permission of the parent. The school is only looking at neutral criteria and making a decision about whether credit will be uh provided, not whether it's denominational or whether it meets religious standards only whether it meets these neutral criteria. And to that extent the Supreme Court has said that would not be a violation of the first amendment establishment clause. Okay. And with that same uh establishment clause, I mean, so I just Googled it. Um, this means that public schools cannot promote or endorse any particular religion. Um, and then there's a little bit more on that, but because we're not paying for it, so we're not promoting or endorsing it, and we're not but it's it's a little blurry, I feel like. And and again,

094that's why we're getting back to the question of what is the involvement of the school in making a decision for that course. And so the less involved the better because it gets us away from those concerns under the establishment clause that this is a separate group operating outside of the school district. We don't have any control over it and it you don't get into those same concerns. Is this for high school students only this course? Very good question. The statute doesn't say one way or the other. Yeah. Uh but to the to the extent that we're looking at uh course credit and requirements, I would most likely see this applied at the high school level. Uh I haven't quite looked at or thought through the idea of an elementary course, but that's a very good

095question. Also, uh so what kind of backgrounds check whoever is going to teach this course? uh are they going to go through some kind of screening or or how do we know that you know they're not uh have a a criminal background? Yeah. Uh and there's there's not a process for that. Uh and again, the way I I tend to try to explain to look at it is this would be similar to a parent coming in to check their child out to take them to a doctor or to take them to whatever it might be. In this case, they're taking them away to take them to a course. We are not responsible for that. employee they have a liability waiver. So it's in terms of the criteria that would be looking for curriculum purposes. Uh

096the question of whether you could add something about this outside entity and whether they have to have uh training or or to what extent they have to have excuse me uh background checks. I don't know to what extent the law would support that because again this is an outside entity that we're not involved with. The parent is checking the child out and taking them to this group. As a no kissy parent, I would be concerned. I would like to know who's going to be teaching uh my kids. But one, you would be the one taking them. Yeah, we're not sending We're not sending them. Yes, I understand. So, yes. So, if you check your kid out to go to your religious course, it would be yours and Lucy's responsibility to make sure that person was

097safe for your child. Okay, that's the thing is we can't we it's the parents responsibility unfortunately. That's correct. and and we do have liability waiver in terms of liability for the school district that is required in our policy. Okay. Thank you Paula. Yes. Well, Mike, first Mr. Childers, I just want the way the law is written now. This is K through 12. Yes. It does not particularly restrict it to high school. Just and I'm kind of talking about credit. I'm going to just verify something with Jessica. Jessica, you said that currently uh we are unable if if if passed uh if somebody's failing, they could still be checked out and go to these classes. Is that what you said? Yes. And currently, is it true that career tech, if you're a high school student, you

098cannot go to career tech if you're failing uh class? Is that true? I'll refer to anyone that's on cabinet level to come on up. And and I'm going to say in regards of being accepted in there is a criteria regarding if a student can now if you're failing another class I don't think we hold hands that tight but I would refer but you won't be accepted in right the program you will not be accepted and so is this giving a higher priority to these classes? M I guess that's supposedly it could because we under the law just don't have that ability to restrict attendance. The way that it's worded is the parents that we shall give them the ability to attend and they shall be counted as excused or even as attendance and that we

099shall consider it for election or for sorry for elective credit. Uh so potentially yes it does but the law also just doesn't give us that leeway to make a change at this point. Yes. Uh, yes. And I was going to say the parents can take their kids out regardless. I have no problem with that. I have a problem with giving credit to a potentially religious or moral class. Um, I'm not sure. I don't think it's respectful to um our taxpayers who would like a impartial public school system. Um, so that's where my conflict comes with, not the fact that parents can actively choose to take their kids out. But I don't think this policy is that this policy says so when you vote no on ch if it comes somebody applies for it to be

100a credited course that's when we take the no vote if that's the stance is that you don't feel like that that's fair to our taxpayers but the policy is state law where we have the say so is whether we approve something as accredited course we do have that in state law but we don't have the ability to say we're going to make it unexcused if you take your kids out for any religious purpose any longer. I mean, we don't have that right now. Right. So, to clarify, it's the course that we approve that we're going to be credit for. Yes. But we can't. It has to be non-secular criteria in which we approve that course. Yes. So, we could be giving credit for a religious or moral class. That's that's where my issue lies. That's

101the intent of the law. And Mr. children. Let me just verify that we are unable to turn down any organization basically that their parents no matter what they what they're teaching. If they're teaching hate, if they're treat teaching uh some type of nationalism, we cannot pre as long as that parent wants them to go. We cannot deny No, we cannot deny that program. Is that correct? We can't deny the excused absence to it. Right. That's right. So that a parent can always come in and ask to to take their child out of school. Um and they may not even give you a reason. Uh what it comes to from the school district side of things is again whether you're going to consider it an absence and does it meet your absence criteria. Does it meet

102the absence criteria under the law? Um, what's different about this statute here is that it would just say that those are going to be considered excused absences or even an attendance depending on the situation. But you're damned if you do. You're damned if you don't. Uh, you find yourself in a lawsuit. Whether you approve or we step up and say, "No, your child can't go to that that program because we fundamentally disagree with it." It's a catch 22. Correct. Potentially. Yes. I I really what we're trying to lean towards is getting this in place so that we're in compliance with the law. Uh the questions that'll come up later in terms of credit for electives uh that might be handled even similar to whenever we get students that transfer from a private school, private religious

103school or home school. How are those credits addressed? Because credits are potentially given in those particular cases. Uh but but here is just really making sure that we're in compliance with the law so we don't get into issues uh in terms of accreditation or litigation down the road. I have one more point uh point 7 the student may not be excused to participate in a release time course during any class in which the subject matter being taught is subject to state assessment. Could we add since I'm an elective person, could we add a buffer period before like I'm sure the football coaches aren't going to want the kids to get out. I'm sure the band directors aren't going to want the kids to get out right before contest time. Can we add something? So, can

104we add some verbiage there that would protect those classes? I think that would be questionable under the law. So, the law is is permissive in terms of it saying school district here's what you will do unless you meet these these spec these specific circumstances. So, to add additional circumstances that go beyond the law, I would have concern that that would potentially be a violation. Um, and that's kind of a lot of the the conversation that I've been having with board member Suentes is, you know, looking at the statute in terms of what does it require the stat the school to do and where is that leeway? And really the leeway comes down to the board making decisions about the elective credit pursuant to those neutral criteria. So Dana, although we might not be able to

105put it in the actual policy, that could be a nonsecular criteria we use in the future whether approving these release time courses. Question mark. Question mark potentially. Yes. Because there, as with a lot of legislation, sometimes there's questions that exist about the wording and how to be interpreted. Uh so to what extent you can go beyond those criteria is a question still at this point. Uh, and again, that's why one of the reasons we've really written the policy to be reflective of the law so that we're not going beyond it and we're also not being um we're not putting ourselves at risk for being in violation of it. Yes. Um, I'd like to speak in regards of um district three and holding us accountable and I appreciate that. Uh but as we move along, I'd

106like to know more specifically what that measurement looks like and we can talk through that perhaps through a work session because that will be very important to me so that I align with what it is the district will be looking for from um our staff in regards of the accountability piece. What is it that you'd like to see? for instance, how many students are being checked out or or do we see any detriment? So, I'd like to put a pin there uh in followup at a later date. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Okay. Call the vote. And Madam Chair, this point of order, I think it's after all that discussion to remind everybody the motion is to adopt the new OKCPS board policy I29 released time courses. The motion was made by Chair Lewis and the

107second by Vice Chair Bowman. And members will now receive a popup. Thank you, Tony. Thank you. Having received four I votes and three nay votes, the motion carries. Thank you. Okay, let's bring on to consent agenda. Is there any member who desires to pull one on any item for discussion only or to be voted on separately? Okay, I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda. Is there a second? Second. Okay. Call the vote. I had the motion from the chair and the second was member Squendus. Thank you. We good there. Um, I didn't Board Docs isn't There you go. Came up slow. It came up slow. Sorry. Yeah, that's okay. Board Docs is slow tonight. Thank you. Having received seven I votes and zero day votes. The motion carries. Thank you. Okay, that brings

108us back to 4.02. Board governance discussion on transition to OKCPS futurriven student outcomes, including a follow-up discussion to the conversation on goals and guardrails held at the April 28th, 2025 work session. I did watch the live stream. You guys did a phenomenal job of working through this and from what I can tell on the draft guard rails that we have uh that Jason Galloway presented us, he did a phenomenal job of listening to what you all said and coming up with four possible guard rails with an A, B, and C. Most of them had A, B, and C option. And um we need to get this. We know it's important. this is what the what we listen to what Dr. Smith once again gave us on the 16,000 surveys and all the till we know

109that this is in the right direction. So let's start that conversation off and it might be wise just to start with guard rule one number one life skills and have a discussion on that and see where we land. Okay Lori since you were the chair at that particular meeting would you like to kind of go with life skills and have any opinions or thoughts on it? Sure. Um yes, just second what Paula said. Thanks for all the work on this. I thought it was a really good work session last Monday and I think that it became clear that because the community listening sessions so many people talked about life skills that um I feel that we all I mean it would seemed consensus that we wanted um a guardrail. I when I look at this

110um I like option A and I'll I'll explain why I liked the word is incorporated into the student educational experience. And I guess what um as I've mold this over over the last few days I want it I think it should be a part of the teaching not a standalone program. I don't think that our kids or you know staff teachers need another kind of program to implement but that these life skills critical thinking, problem solving, communication, financial literacy, you know, should be incorporated into their student experience. Um, and I'm hoping that there can be interim guard rails that reflect that through, you know, training and so that's my feeling on that first guardrail. Anyone else have any thoughts on life skills guardrail number one, A or B? I had the same take on A.

111I liked that it was incorporated. It felt more like a holistic approach and probably easier to follow. When I read it, I like the incorporated piece because if it's a separate program, we're just now going through embrace OKC and we're pulling things back because we were spread too thin. And so I like the idea of yes, every class, no matter what, whether you're a drama major or you're a dance person, whatever you happen to be, I be um you're just in sixth grade, you're going to be learning about life skills, whatever that is across the lifespan. Anyone? I got Yes. Uh yes, when I wrote I wrote down option A as well for the same reasons and um and and upon talking to a few constituents as well uh about life skills. I mean I

112I wonder um if we can continue talking about what that even means. Um I would love to keep talking about that and what that means with with the community and everybody involved. Um but yeah, this is so crucial. So thank you. Okay. Feels like we're Jason, you feel like you got a good sense there? All right, let's go to guardrail two. Literacy, instruction, and engagement. Um, why this matters? Foundation lit foundational literacy is critical priority for student success and a choice field life is also one of the goals that we are currently looking at. So, we have three options there. Um, I kind of liked option A. Um, just because it didn't and I didn't what I didn't like in option B was effective research because research can be dependent upon I mean you can

113find something about research in any way you want to shape it. And so I liked not having it be researched um depending on that. Um, so I was going with A. Um, because the other two had research in it. Yes. Um, actually that was my least favorite one because it didn't have the research part in it. Um, you and I could look right now on chat GPT and you could come up with a research article that says one thing and I could come up with says the opposite. Yes. which I think the um a literature analysis would come into play with looking at multiple experiments. Um and kind of the the general consensus among different groups of of research I think would be helpful. But for this one I put the my favorite was actually

114option C. Um just because it it does also have the uh foundational literacy development. Um, but there could be a mutual understanding come somewhere in between. Anyone else? I I circled option A. I liked um I liked both that in option A and B had reading and writing. Um I liked the that both reading and writing were included. Um, and but I preferred option A. That was my And I like option A as well. Um, and specifically because it talks about uh really focusing on early and middle middle grades. Okay. Anyone? That was also my favorite was option A. Mine too. Okay. All right. So, let's move through that. Let's go to guardrail number three. Advanced learning access. Uh students who are ready for advanced learning should have access to appropriate opportunities regardless of their

115other district initiatives. And who wants to start on that one? Anyone I will say my my impressions of this and I'm curious to know what others think is um is between option A and B the phrase that jumped out at me was in option A it talks about advanced learning opportunities. In option B the focus was on advanced learners. And I think I was as I've been mulling these over that option A is more reflective of I think what I was intending which is ensuring that our students have learning. It's more of a you know ensuring that the access to advanced learning opportunities isn't diminished. Um, and I've used the example in the work session of algebra 1 for eighth graders, you know, ensuring that, um, and I would see this as, you know, not

116a tick the box that, oh, there's there's there's, you know, algebra 1 offered at each of our middle schools, but that we identify students that can access those opportunities and help them get there. So like leveling the playing field so that no matter where you go to middle school, if you are a student that can access algebra 1 by 8th grade, you have that opportunity to pursue it. I think that's where my head. Yeah. Anyone? Yeah, I think that's interesting because that did not the word flip didn't stick out to me. It's also between A and B were my favorite. Um it's the expanding support for students with achievement gaps or addressing academic needs for others. That stuck out to me as different. Um, which is why I fell on the side of option B

117as a preference between it is just it felt kind of limiting in the scope of, you know, well, if we're going to pull this away, it's okay because it's not because we're closing an achievement gap type of I feel like if we're building this to be future proof, regardless of who's in what seat, we need to make sure that we're not unintentionally creating a loophole. And I don't know if that is or not. I thought something was I was A or B too, but I I kind of thought it was almost like we we're talking about being student focused, but this guardrail is not really student focused. It's opportunity focused, which I kind of like that, but I was wondering if you if it changed option A, if you put the superintendent shall not reduce

118access um to advanced learners for advanced learning opportunities. So, you made it a student focus. So if they were the learners, if they needed that, because it kind of goes to you too, is that I don't care what school they're in, if they're an advanced learner, they have to have access to advanced learning opportunities. Um, regardless of how we're expanding support for students who do have achievement gaps or have I mean, if we, you know, addressing the academic needs for others, but I wanted I like the advanced learner piece, but it wasn't it didn't seem specific enough in option B. But I think I didn't like an option A that it didn't say like call out. We constantly call out and we have to call out our kiddos that need more our scholars that need

119more academic help. But we very rarely call out our moshes of the world who's the and the only one in the state who got a 36. You know, are we limiting something she could use to get a 37 on a 36 test because I mean are we doing that? And that's the piece that I that's where I really I liked it that way better. I'm open to that. I mean I I like that. Yeah. I had a huge question mark on this one. So I'm very open. Anybody? Yeah. Um I do like your proposal because I for me I actually put option B or C but um so meeting on the middle uh option B I did like the the fact that it said uh shall not reduce opportunities for advanced learners and again you

120were talking about the amashes of the world. Um so that was my opinion on that one. Okay Jason, you need anything else from us on that one? Yes. I am going to make you get up eventually. knocking on voraciously writing notes back there. Um, so just for clarity, um, so we're we're leaning towards option B. Um, I actually thought it was option A, but adding advanced learners in there somehow. Okay. So, if that's the case, the superintendent shall not reduce access for advanced learners or to advanced learners for advanced learning opportunities while expanding Is that support for students with achievement gaps? Is that right? Because that still addresses this that calls out the student who who has I mean so addresses both the the advanced learner and their access to advanced opportunities. Yes. Okay. Mike,

121Juan, Dana, anybody or agree? Yes. Take away. Will you say what you thought you heard them say again, please? The superintendent shall not reduce access to advanced learners for advanced learning opportunities while expanding support for students with achievement gaps. Yeah. Is that okay with you or do you want something else? Dr. Pulk, saying the beginning is kind of cumbersome to me. Well, it is, but it's very specific as a guardrail is that you're calling out the advanced learners as well as stu students who have more academic needs, but we just said with achievement gap. So, it is it again, please. The superintendent shall not reduce access to advanced learners for advanced learning opportunities while expanding support for students with achievement gaps. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. Okay. All right. Cruising right through. Guard four. Fair access

122to enriching opportunities. All students, regardless of school location, deserve access to enriching opportunities and quality learning experiences. Um, anybody want to start? Mike, you're being quiet over there. Me? Yeah, you. I'll start since this was kind of the hill I decided to die on last time we were together about this. Um my preference out of all three one I I like all none of them are like really um an issue. I think option B is my preference. I like calling it out school communities versus school school they attend because you could look through the lens of communities being socioeconomic communities. It could be demographic communities. It could be physical location communities, but all of those are things that our district has struggled with in the past. Um, so that's just my take on it. Yeah,

123I like that. Yeah, on B, I just want to point out it does not specifically call out fine arts and extracurriculars. I don't know if that that's just a difference when so if you put on a I mean it to go unadressed across so it has all the things we like up there but instead of support between schools just put across school communities kind of switch that out. Yeah, because I do like the across school communities because you're right. I mean, it's which one of you four guard row four. Uh me said B is what she liked and Lori and because she liked it said across school communities. So she felt like when you look at communities that could be uh cultural communities, it could be physical communities, it could be demographic, I mean uh

124socioeconomic communities. So it is bigger than just between schools but it encompasses all the schools that are in those communities. And then Lori mentioned that it did not call out fine arts and extracurriculars in that particular one and those are very much considered to be enrichment opportunities at all. Do we feel like adding f where I believe in fine arts 110% are we being too limiting by putting specific things in or well so I'll use a real life um example that this district has done over the past I can't remember how many years probably six years seven years is that since fine arts was not a guardrail we do not have flamingco dancing on the south side of town and that was really important to But we didn't have a guardrail that said you couldn't

125take that out. Yep. That's how we lost the mariachi ban program also and have yet to get it back. I would think it was important to put in there. I I do like where that is going with guard number four, the across school communities because I put my preference as B. Um, and I mean fine arts, I mean it's it's all around us, right? It's we wear it, we see it, we hear it, we consume it, it's on our phones. Um, and so there there's so much to it that is I I read actually an article, but it was just one article about how the arts is literally saving the mental health of the world. Um, and that was actually an article from Emory University, my alma mater. Um, so I do like incorporating that

126into this guardrail. So, are we saying we're adding only fine arts or fine arts clubs? say the least well extracurriculars would probably fall into clubs rigorous c I like the fact that this had rigorous court coursework in it honestly because I thought that also goes in line with our guardrail on advanced learning because I was really reading through these making sure that we weren't saying opposite things that we weren't creating an impossibility for the district to make a move I was looking through it that way to see and so these feel like they kind of go together but they do get after being on this board this long and listening to community and listening to board members. This feels like it's a really well-rounded of kind of what always comes down to it. I mean,

127we go transparency and then we go blah blah blah blah blah blah. But I mean, there's just a handful of things that every board has consistently talked about and I feel like this enrichment piece is significant. however we want to get there with you know just but I like not permitting persistent gaps um or allowing disparities because honestly like mariachi maybe Spencer doesn't want mariachi that's okay but that's not a disparity as long as we're not withholding that that we're not permitting something that Spencer would want whether it might be rodeo clubs the ro a rodeo club or something like that because across this district they all have different. Um, all of our communities have a little bit of a different flare to them, a little different what matters to them. You know, Wilson Snell

128Elementary wants chess club. By golly, they're going to have chess club. But, you know, maybe Telstar didn't want it. I don't know because but I I think that's the piece that's important for me. So, what's your recommendation? What's your recommendation? Um well, do you guys want to So on the first part, let's go with the very first part. So the superintendent shall not permit persistent gaps. The superintendent shall not allow disparities. Um do you like either one of those better? So that's A or B. Let's just go with the very first five or six words on A or B. Anybody have a preference? B. Like yeah, B. Disparities. Okay. So the first the through disparities, Jason, is a go. Okay. Then it's if you go look at A it says in access to enriching programs

129such as. So it says enriching programs and it says such as. So there could be extra there because it doesn't necessarily limit it because of the word such as. Um this option B says inaccess inaccess to inaccess to enrichment academic rigor or instructional resources. Um, so it it doesn't really spell out what enrichment is, but we um and so that could be a piece where there could be some discrepancies amongst boards and superintendents and team of what they believe an enrichment opportunity is. So, do we like what's in A starting at the word I in through uh instructional support or do we like B and access all the way through instructional resources? I like A. A. Okay. That's just anybody else like A. Okay. So, A. So we take the first part of B, the

130second part of A, and then we're left with across school communities or between schools. What's the preference? Can I ask a question about the last? Absolutely. In A it says rigorous coursework. In B it says academic rigor. I'm just asking would do you like rigor? I like rigorous courtwork. Probably I mean I guess I'm asking coursework versus academic. I didn't. Yeah. I mean, I actually like rigorous course work better, but descriptive, but I'm just curious. And I mean, because academic rigor, is that a lot of homework or is that a really hard test? I don't know. And does academic rigor mean that does that fall in line with what we were trying to do up here? like every eighth grader has access to uh algebra 1 or is algebra 1 the academic rigor or does

131it matter that it's a rigor? Let me make sure which one did we just adopt? Well, we haven't adopted yet. I thought what everybody said was they liked the second part of a that in access to enriching programs such as fine arts, extracurriculars, rigorous court. Is that what was said? I I that's what our end that's what I felt like was okay and that that's what I okay just I didn't know if there was something different between rigorous coursework and academic rigor I didn't would you say Dr. bulk anything significant in your opinion? Not so much, but we would do our part to ensure we define that. Okay. And I do think maybe this is something that Mike is also thinking like remember this is the process of coming up with the guard rail. then

132the district will come back with interim guard rails and there won't necessarily be an interim guard rail that hits every single one in the running list. Okay? So, we just need to, you know, even if it's a guard rail, the measurement of the guard rail won't hit the mark because, remind me, we can have three to five guard rails, but within each one, you're going to have two to three interim guard rails that can help us measure and evaluate. But this is when we come up with these guardrails, it is something that will go back to mariachi and that we could come back to the superintendent and say look according to this guardrail you know we don't believe that that stayed inside the guard rail there. So even though they'll be measured it also is

133a way that we have a way to bring up a conversation that we feel like went outside of the values of the community and the guardrails. I feel like we're going to learn about that on June 9th when we go through our evaluation. I don't if you're watching live stream June 9th. I don't know that that is right Paula. I I don't I I think that we've got to learn how we are evaluating these guard rails. Okay. Yeah. Got it. Okay. All right. So, we're down to the last part. Support between schools or across school communities to go unadressed across school communities. B. School communities. B I like um across school communities. Okay, that just All right, we get that one. So, what I have the takeaway, right? The superintendent shall not allow disparities in

134access to enriching programs such as fine arts, extracurriculars, rigorous coursework, or instructional support across school communities. I like it. Anybody? Okay. So, are we comfortable? uh he can Jason can gather up all this put them in the final kind of format send them out to the board and then they will be uh released to community at the timeline that has been established. Correct. And while you all were discussing guardrail number four um we worked on uh a possible language revision to guard rail number three. Okay. Um if the original was a little cumbersome. So, I'll read the first um the first iteration and then the second and if you like the second better then then we can do it. Hopefully, it's it captures the same sentiment. So, the first was the superintendent shall not reduce

135access to advanced learners for advanced learning opportunities while expanding support for students with achievement gaps. The second consideration is the superintendent shall not diminish or restrict access to advanced learning opportunities for advanced learners as a means of addressing or narrowing the achievement gap. I like the second one. Second one. Anyone? Second one. Second. Okay. Make that fast work. Good job. Thank you. All right. All right. Thank you all. Thank you. Okay, you guys, you guys crushed it. Thank you for that. Thank you for being prepared, coming in know what we were doing. I really appreciate that. Okay, now we have executives. There's nothing in new business, so um I'll make a motion to consider entering into executive session for discussions regarding the evaluation of the superintendent. Is there a second? Okay, if there's no discussion,

136I heard a second. I'm not sure there. Okay, thank you, Mrs. Call the vote. I'm the slow one again. Sorry. You were. We won. Okay. Having received seven I votes and zero nay votes. The motion carries. Thank you all for all the hard work you guys are doing. I appreciate you. All right. Let the record show we return from executive session at 8:03. And Craig, if you will read that into the minutes, please. Thank you, Madam Chair. Hey Alicia, before you run off after we adjourn, can I hand you something? Thank you. The board entered into executive session at 7:36 p.m. and returned to open session at 8:03 p.m. on May the 5th, 2025. All board members present at this meeting were in the executive session as well as Dr. Jamie Pulk and Laura Holmes.

137The board discussed the superintendent's evaluation. No actions were taken during executive session. Thank you. I'll make a motion to adjurnn. Is there a second? Second. Call for the vote. All in favor say I. I. Any oppose say nay. Hearing none. The motion carries. The board is adjourned.