WCS Board Work Session 2026-05-14

001Okay, welcome to the we we hot >> test test. >> Welcome to the May 14th, 2026 work session the Williams County Board of Education. Thanks everyone for being here. Um we will start with as usual looking at the consent agenda. Um, very short consent agenda. Any questions or comments about that? Okay. So, we'll vote on that Monday night as is. Let's move right into the superintendent report, which is going to have quite a few topics. You ready? >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh, I I I hate to predict, but I'm going to. I do anticipate the superintendent report might take longer than the actual voting items. You all have experienced that from time to time. Uh the first item that we have on my superintendence report is the preliminary salary report. You all may remember

002that as part of my annual goals, uh we contracted with a company to do a salary report. We knew at the front on the front end that it would not be completed. Uh but we have a schedule here to give you a preliminary report. I do want to let you know that our contractor, the one who actually has been doing leading the work, was scheduled to come and speak to us, but she had a death in the family. Uh, and so, uh, I've asked Vicki, and we've talked with, uh, with that contractor from Lean Frog to give us a condensed version of of what she was going to report because she had all all the detail. And we are going to follow up with you and have another discussion with her being present at our

003June meeting uh, to make sure you all have some detail. I will, if I may, Vicki, I'm going to share what I think may be one of your last slides uh with some of the detail uh to just give you a threshold that you'll get reminded of at the end of of what Vicki gives you again that condensed report. Uh they they had three main phases of this work that are phased officially for her phase three, three, four and five and it includes identifying benchmark positions in peer district information. Uh then the second one schedule scheduling structural options uh and differential adjustments for for promotion pads and longevity pay etc. And then finally full recommendations uh for for changes potential changes to our plan. We are not at the full recommendation stage for their work.

004So, what Vicki will share with you are some key examples of what they've identified related to our pay plans and our pay structure compared to some of our neighbors uh in the the uh benchmarking that they had done. So, with that, Vicki, I'll turn it over to you. >> Thank you. Yes, we have been working with LeanFrog and they have um we've been meeting with them probably at least every two to three weeks so that they're able to give us an update on where they are um in in their progress. So, just to remind you and kind of to outline some of the things that we had in the RFP, the purpose of the study was to evaluate the structural integrity. I don't want to just read these slides to y'all, but honestly, I'm really

005pinch hitting for her. Um, the integrity of WCS compensation across all employee groups. Um, and what that really looked like for us was that we sent LeanFrog a roster really of all of our employees so that they knew what classification they were in and what salary they were in, what their um potential retirement date was. We sent a lot of information to them so that they could go through and analyze um what we were doing and where um all of our employees were. >> And Vicki, if I may, it's not just our full and part-time employees. It even included our seasonal staff as well. >> It did not. >> Okay. So, full and part-time. >> Yes. Full and part-time, but not not substitute teachers, obviously, because they're at a flat rate. So, um we just

006we just did those regular full and part-time. Um, so we sent them all of that information. We also sent them some additional information that we had about um, other districts and then they got their own as well. There um, our peer districts. They chose eight peer districts and they are Franklin Special, Metro, Sumner, Wilson, Rutherford, Murray, Knox, and Hamilton. And the reason really for Knox and Hamilton is the size, you know, their their size is um is very comparable to us. So they also looked at internal equity um compression issues and then when they talk about inversion concerns that's like some promotional discrepancies like if a person is promoting and then that if they were evaluated to lose experience based on the new position they were going into they might actually lose money by taking

007a promotion. So they looked at those type of things. Um and then they are obviously going to develop recommendations for schedule design and for implementation. So the scope was everybody like um Superintendent Golden a minute ago uh except for those seasonal and and substitute teachers. So it included all all teachers, leadership, classified positions. And also, as y'all had requested, they are looking at some incentive pay, which another way of of looking at that is like performance pay. Um, and and there's limited information on that, I know, but they they are also reviewing what they have on that. >> Um, >> hey Vicki. >> Uhhuh. on that last point you just made. Is is that looking at that in the sense of evaluating things that we have in place or other programs that are out there

008that we might consider? >> They evaluated what we have in place. They looked at all of our salary schedules and did an analysis on that. >> But on the on the incentive part, just on the incentive >> on Yes. Yes. what other what other people would have. Yes. Yes. Um then the ex the executive summary that you see here. So we've as I mentioned before they've kind of they've completed all gathering of the data and they've completed their analysis of of all of our groups so far and they have also completed the review with our peers and also with market categories that are outside of what we would call our district peers like where we need to do some market comparisons. Um, and an important thing too that we added um, in the RFP for

009them to look at is that a cost of living analysis. That's very interesting. When she comes, she'll give you that information, but it definitely um, it definitely skews what we're paying because every every everything we pay is is automatically lower because we've got u by far the highest cost of living. And I did kind of wrote that down here um on another slide so I can talk to you a little bit more about that. And then also they talked about uh reviewed retirement eligibility. So some of the key findings um for teacher pay and this is something I think we've probably talked about in here before. We're quite competitive to start in our starting, you know, two or three years, but we lose speed as we go through hitting around like years five, six, seven,

010we really start to lose speed. And by the time we get to step 10, we are behind everybody. So, that's obviously probably going to be an area of focus u that we'll take a look at. and she mentioned um when we were talking to her the three structural themes and we'll talk about those here just a little bit in the slides that kind of are reflected across all of our salary schedules. Just some things that that they're going to recommend that you focus on um for all three salary schedules. Um and then they review the support positions and I've got a little bit more information about that in a minute. Um, and then even a lot of our classified positions that start out competitively, they also taper off towards the end of the chart. So,

011it just kind of gives you an idea of some of the things they're finding. And I'll talk just a little bit more about it. And if y'all have questions, feel free to to ask. I may not be able to answer, but I'll I'll do the best I can. Okay. So this is where we are. They kind of outlined five steps. So they've done discovery and data, done the analysis, and done the peer and market benchmarking. Um so they'll have findings and recommendations as well as kind of review some of the data that they went through and looked at and the comparisons and then present a final report to you. So the combined market impact that's basically where they take a look at at everything all the um you know cost of living us compared to

012WCS compared to other markets and our peers all the all the combination of factors. So again it's this a little bit repetitious. We start out again pretty pretty competitive, but we start to Wayne as the time goes off goes on. Um, one of the things that they've mentioned to us is part and is part of the issue with that is the way that our salary schedules are are structured is particularly um they noticed that the teacher salary schedule. We do very well when we move those teachers up to that line 21 with the 21 years. We're above everybody at 21 years. But then again, within a couple of years, we fall off because our chart stops at 21 instead of following most teachers to the end of their career. So that may be something that

013they want to take a look at. >> So let me put a little bit of detail into that. Some some school systems have a salary chart that goes to 25 and some have a chart that goes to 30. >> Correct. Right. >> If it if we don't if ours stops at 21, they keep on going. based on their salary increase. So, they're just not we just don't have a chart that says it. >> That's that's somewhat true. Um, they will get the COLA or I call it COLA, whatever the the base increase is. If it's 2% 3% 4%, they do receive that. They just don't have that automatic roll. So, like if there's no increase, they won't get a roll. Does that make sense? Because on the chart, teachers roll every year until we get

014off the chart. And then once they get off the chart, if there's no increase, then they stay where they are. The other thing that they've identified is you've just got some teachers that are at the same experience and education level and they're making different salaries. And that's because they entered the system probably at different times or maybe came after they were already off the chart. There could be a number of factors that influence that. So we've got, you know, we could have several thousand dollars difference in teachers salary who are on the same line basically. >> So Oh yeah. So on that on that remark, um, is there a way Well, I'm assuming there'd be a way that we can justify that for those teachers once we've had this salary review and so that we

015can make more equitable if they've taught the same amount and have the same kind of reviews. I think that their recommendations will probably include some of that. There'll be there'll be focus areas for us to look like at and I know that will be one of those. Um and they've identified a similar issue with the classified chart and it's you know it's based on those brackets. our our salary bands are in five-year increments and that causes it to be a you know it can be a span of time f five years before there's an increase unless there's an across the board increase and then those charts cut off at year 16 and we have a lot of our employees who obviously work well beyond year 16. So again it's creating some inconsistencies in those sal

016in those salaries there. So that's likely to be um a recommendation for us to focus on. Um then they have um sorry the up there at the end of scale gaps. That's some of those things I was just mentioning about the year 21 for teachers. But then on the classified chart they they pulled out she pulled out four different uh groups just to kind of pinpoint for you. The secretaries are at 21 over 21 a.5% below market at the end of the paychart and maintenance is overall about 18% below what the peers are showing. And food service same thing almost 18% below. and mechanic and maintenance electrician 15 to 17% below. So I I suspect those are going to be some focused areas. >> Vicki, I have a I have a question. The peer average

017reflects the unweighted mean of eight benchmark districts. That's who we're competing with. >> That's correct. right now. Franklin Special and um let's see, Hamilton, I'm not sure, but Knox, Murray, Metro, don't they get quite a bit more money from federal money than we do? >> I I would not be able to I don't I can't answer that for sure. >> The answer to your question is yes. Of course, a lot of federal money is restricted. Um but it it might theoretically open up more funding for other things. A lot of federal money is aimed towards special education services. So, we use a lot of our general fund to to cover some of our special education expenses, whereas some some might might have a little bit more federal funding for that. That is part of it.

018And of course, the the state percentage for for most of those peers is substantially different as well. >> So, I mean, does that that that's got to have some effect on pay? >> Yes. Yeah. the the basically the the funding for it. Right. >> Right. >> Yeah. And so what we're looking at in this context right now is from a timing perspective, I want to make sure that we have some goals in place for for October, November of this coming year so that we can do what we can with planning for for the for the next budget. But you're right, ultimately I anticipate a large portion of this is going to be about revenue. >> Absolutely. That's who pays the bills. >> Yeah, it's always revenue, isn't it? >> Yeah. >> And I just because

019it's a thing that I personally take a lot of interest in. I'm just going to share with y'all a little bit. The median home prices and rent for a couple of different districts. For for Williamson County, the median home value is $751,900 and the rent is $18.95 per month. In Metro, median home is $417,400 and the rent is 14.85. Now when you go to Ruford, median home price is 382600. Rent is 1405. I'll stop there. Just saying. So it's a lot. It's it's, you know, anyway, it's just one more thing. One more factor. Again, it's revenue. Yes. >> Could we get those what you just said? Can we get that in a chart? They and LeanFrog will provide you with all of that information. And >> it's easy to see that. Yes. Compared to other

020one's for Jason, if they're getting more money from the federal government for special services and we're using our own money in a way, why aren't we going after more federal money? That is largely driven by federal standards uh for how they fund. Uh so >> you don't meet the standards. Uh we get we Rachel would you like to speak to that? >> Miss Rachel >> a lot a lot of the federal funding is going to depend on who you have enrolled the number of enrollment in different categories but then the fiscal capacity piece does come back. They're looking at um counties or districts that are more impoverished um are going to get additional funding and we do not qualify for that. So that's where you see the biggest discrepancies. Can I summarize it by saying

021we're getting as much as we can get >> and we don't really have like when we we are allocated money. It's not we do apply for grants that has come up but the bigger money that you're talking about are actually allocated from the state federal government through the state to us and so we really do not have a mechanism um to get more on our end. It is what is what is allocated. >> Thank you. >> Yes sir. >> And so then I have a question for Miss Hall. So, back to the median's um home prices and rent then what what percentage of our staff lives in Williamson County versus in surrounding counties? About 50% or >> it's so I I don't have I I don't know the percentage for classified. We have it's hard

022to track the classified because we do have quite a bit of turnover like on um certain um areas in classified for teachers. It's about around 68% live here in Williamson. >> I I I don't have the data, but based on conversations I've had with teachers and teacher leaders, that tends to skew a little older uh rather than the the young teachers. But what I was going to say, we've got uh what something like five counties around Williamson County >> from is there seven? Well, Davidson, Chetum, Dixon, Hickman, Murray, >> Ratherford, >> Wilson, >> Marshall, >> and Marsh Marshall. >> So, close enough. But my po my point is is many of these counties uh are actually closer to a great deal of our schools. If you live just across the line like Murray County, uh

023you can be at work a whole lot quicker from Murray County anywhere down in the southern part of this county than you can driving across it, >> you know. So, I mean, I understand that there's there's differences, but there's a lot of people that do want to live out in the country or, you know, and of course, Williamson County is losing that every day, but uh so I don't I don't know how much of a factor is that really. Um, I'm gonna say from and I don't I don't have I don't have a a list of data to back up for you, but it's my my my belief that it's a pretty significant factor because if you're a teacher who's been teaching 5 years and your salary in Williamson County is going to be less

024than your salary in Rustford County, why in the world would you not just go buy you a house for $350,000 in Rutherford County and work in Rutherford County and make more money. >> Well, that's that's a possibility, but also they want to work in the school system. This school system, that's where they got their job. Actually, tax- wise, doesn't hurt to live here, to live out of the county and work here. We don't have special taxes for people that work or live out of the county that work here. >> Right. I I can tell you what some of the information we receive from people is is that it is that it's a factor. It's not a factor for all because we do have we have, you know, a lot of staff that commute in and

025they're fine with the commute in. Um and and again, it's Lean Frog's presentation. So, I'm opining for myself that I do think it's a I I do think it's a factor. I think it's extremely hard for us to compete with outside districts when it costs more, our gas is more, our groceries are more, everything's more here. It just is than it is in some of our outlying counties. >> Right. >> I was curious um and this might be hard because I know there's multiple variables in that play into this, but are they looking at any trends of when teachers do leave to go on? You know, like is there a trend that is certain like like you said the the five-year mark is when we dip below other counties. Are they analyzing like any trends

026on when teachers go out? >> Do you mean like change professions or leave here >> or leave our county? Yeah, >> they have not looked at that data. No. >> Okay. I can I can tell you from when I've looked at it, we start to we do start to lose teachers. And you would think maybe it would be like right before their tenur, but a lot of times it's after their tenur, but and and life starts to happen then too for a lot of people cuz you're hitting that between five and 10 years and things just change. Um but but we do see we do see a lot that either change professions or they leave to go to another district kind of in that 5 to 10 year window. >> When they leave, do we

027do any data on like why are you leaving? >> Yes. Yes, we do. We do send them a survey um that we ask them to complete for us and then we always ask them if you want to talk to somebody let us know. And you know a lot of they don't like to give a lot of detail. Most people don't unless they had some horrible experience or something and then they'll tell us about it. But most most of the time it's you know it's personal reasons or relocating and we do ask them are you going to another d uh district or are you changing careers? So we do ask them that specifically. Okay. So um just a couple more slides here. This is just some opportunities that they've gone ahead and identified. Um and it

028I really think that they are focused on the design of our compensation structure. They have noticed like there's just lack of progression between roles. like I I mentioned that before there's not enough there's not enough pay differential for promotions like especially on the classified side and then in particular they've noticed some with um assistant principles to the principal schedule that we they that may be an area that they want to take a look at and the banded um salary step increases at five years for classified um and then also I think um it's that ending of our uh salary schedules before the career ending uh years for most employees or a lot of employees. So they what they have said is like really I I anticipate that they're going to focus on some of our

029structural issues with the pay schedules because we do start out pretty competitive but then we tend to wayne off. um and they will make some recommendations I think about the way our salary schedules are structured and then probably make some recommendations regarding some first areas to focus on. >> Um can you explain how our when we do have a when we do have an annual increase voted on by the board and the commission, let's just say it's 4%. How does that impact the do we do we make that change to the schedule itself? How does that work? I >> I'll answer that and you can give some detail. It has varied over the years. Sometimes depending on the funding available, we've actually changed the scale and then other times we have just uh we have

030we have added um a a percentage. For example, the 4% the numbers that Rachel has would be the uh the band move uh might be 3% and to make it 4% it'd be it'd be 1%. If that makes sense. It has varied and there have been times where we've done flat changes as well. Um so it has varied from year to year. Do you give some detail to that? Well, and we'll we'll look at it usually and depending on how much how much money that there is available, it's but most of the time we have had to do it where you as an individual will receive 4%. You'll get your role and then you'll get the increase that was put on there, but it won't be your role plus 4%. Because it costs so much

031money to do that. Just being honest with you. every time we every time y'all approve for an increase, we kind we run the numbers on it and it's just it's it's substantial. >> No, I understand that. And but I guess if you were looking at a if you're looking at the compensation of a 20-year employee like with a master's degree and or teacher, right? Mhm. >> Um, and you look at our scale and then you look at their pay, like how is how close is it? Cuz we're we're projecting what their what their pay is going to look like in 20 years based on our current scale, but we know that when they get to 20 years, that number is going to be is going to be considerably more, >> right? because the because the

032scale is going to go up as maybe it doesn't go up 4% but it let's just say it it's going to go up to whatever the cost of living increase is over those years. >> So like if you if you've got somebody >> in our data that has been there for 20 years we've done this a couple of times over the over the years but like how close is that to what the 20-year pay looks like on the on the chart? I'm not sure I 100% follow your question. >> Can I Can I ask it with a number? >> Yes. >> Uh, are you asking? So, right now for a bachelor's at 20 years, our chart says 69,344. Is your question is that the teacher salary? >> Is that a current teacher salary with 20

033years experience? >> For most, probably. Yes. I can't I wouldn't want to say for 100% every single one, but yes. theoretically >> because it's not really the projection of what a of what a 20-year salary is going to is going to be. I think it's closer to what the current salaries. I'm just I'm just really interested. >> It's what the current It's what the current is. It's kind Yeah, it's kind of a hiring chart in a way. Um would if we hired in a new teacher with 20 years experience, that's what their salary would be. And if you're at 15 years now and you're trying to look ahead to what you're going to make, you know, you could keep that in your head and then think probably there'll be some increases to the chart between

034now and then, but you'd have an idea of what your salary would look like >> cuz I know what the I know we've got some 30 plus 40 plus year teachers who who make considerably more than the 21 year mark on the salary. >> That's right. They don't stop at 21. they just >> they keep roll they keep going. It's just that it's inconsistent. Um and if you know if we hire somebody in from out of the district at 21 years or 22 years, they come in at 21. That doesn't happen that much. I mean it it's it's a concern. It's something that they've identified that that they would want you to take a look at. >> That makes sense. Thanks. >> I have a quick question about just for my head. I just want

035to make sure. So when we just for the sake of math let's say and we do if the chart let's says for a 1 to 5 year or whatever is 50,000 and we vote in the 4% increase does that mean that that chart changes now it's 52,500 and that's the new benchmark for that >> on the teacher chart. >> Yeah. Like is the chart updated this the scale I guess with every increase that we do or is that just on the chart stays the same but the individuals >> go up? >> The chart does not stay the same. The chart does move. >> Okay. >> But year four does not get 4% applied to it if that makes sense. It's very confusing but it you don't add four you can't add 4% to line four.

036What you do is you make we make sure that from line three to line four is a 4% increase. >> Okay. So okay. So the chart doesn't act every line on the chart doesn't go up with every time we vote these percentage. >> It it does go it will go up and it might go up. It might vary even how much it goes up depending on what the what the gap is between each step. Right now, every step every every person who's on the chart will go up at least 4% and we make the step adjustments so that there's 4% between each step, not between each step. Yes. >> Yeah. >> So, so let me let me give you almost to see it to grasp it. So, I for what it's worth, I pulled it

037up. So, it's going to be easier for my for my sake. It's gonna it's going to be easier to explain. Let me give you a clean number, and we're actually slightly above this now, but let's say you're at zero experience and you're at $50,000 for your first year teaching. Uh, and we do a 4% pay increase. We're going to make sure the chart for year for the second level, which is year one, will will be 52,000 at least, which is a 4% increase over 50. So if if in fact we did it this way, now we've got all kinds of options about what to vary, but the idea would be if we say everyone's getting a 4% pay increase, we're going to make sure the the second tier on that chart is now 4% more

038than what our current teachers made the year before. And they'll be at 50 minimum 52 if the chart hasn't already done that for for the second year because $2,000 is 4% of 50,000. So, we won't we we we in and we might not necessarily move everyone, but we're going to make sure that when somebody goes from zero years experience to one, they're getting 4%. And so, the chart will change it, but but not every line in the chart will change a full 4% from what it was before. >> Gotcha. It's tough to visual. >> It's very That was That was really That was That was good. So, so if a new person would to get hired in, >> they might still be at that 50. >> We actually talked with the WCA about that zero

039and we and we and historically we have actually increased that zero as well. >> But we've made sure that that that but that but that that next line is is there. So we we we were at 50,000 on the paychart. Zero um zero experience what three years ago, two years ago, whatever it was. Now it's at 51102. So we have been increasing it each time, but we we we probably would not be able to increase it that full 4% every time >> in that. So it's like 4% wouldn't it like 6%? >> Yeah. >> 3%. So it's not like it's not like that 50,000 is now three or years later 10% what it was. >> That That's right. At year zero. >> Correct. But the teacher who's now at year three or four or five

040in their profession have gotten those increases. We've made sure they've gotten those increases. Now, I say all this with a caveat that over the years it's varied based on our conversations. Sometimes we've done flat increases. Sometimes we've we've increased some of the lower paid positions at a higher rate than some of the others. Uh so it but but given that scenario which is kind of the standard scenario uh which I think we're probably going to get away from after this uh after this this uh recommendation. That's that's the idea. >> I guess in my mind I was just thinking like if I'm looking at a chart and it's 0 to three is 50,000 and 3 to whatever is 55,000 or whatever. In my mind, I thought every time we were voting this 4% or 3%

041or whatever that those charts are just moving up. >> Yeah. >> Every time it's been about the people rather than the chart. >> It and that's what I was talking about earlier is that we'll look at that, but to put 4% on the teacher chart costs about I I'm not sure if I can say how much more, but >> it's about 10 million >> probably 10 million more. I mean, it's a lot. It's it's a lot to put to put an actual percentage increase to the chart. >> In the 20 years I've been here, we've done it a couple well, probably more than a couple of times, but it's happened from time to time, but it's been quite a while. >> Also, I want to make a comment for all the future teachers out there.

042You hear these numbers of 50,000 and 69,000. We're talking about gross gross income, right? Correct. So, that's before any deductions. Correct. So, we're not talking about net income. You are correct. And and by the way, Governor Lee talked about making sure the baseline for any teacher was $50,000. He actually a few years ago, I think said we must all get there in um two years ago. We were one year ahead of that and then they deferred that because they looked at some of the rural counties and said they don't they don't have the money for it. Uh and so there's some of some of our neighbors, you know, out in the rural areas are still working towards even 50 So >> this just reinforces what Jay was saying, which is if someone's got 10 years

043experience as a teacher or 15 or 20, whatever it is, their actual salary is more than what that chart is saying because they've gotten a cumulative effect of whatever raise this board has. >> No, that's that's not actually >> No, that's what that's what I was confirming. I think I think she said the opposite. So a current tenure teacher is making what the chart says, but a a teacher now that grows to 10 years will make more than what that chart says because of future imp increases in the >> Yeah. Somebody somebody at year zero now is looking to say okay in 10 years I'll be at 574. Well the answer is probably not. It'll be higher than that. But to your question, those teachers who are really at that are those who have more

044than 21 years experience and are off the chart, >> right? >> Um, and I'm thinking Rachel and Vicki, we have somewhere around 800 teachers somewhere. Am I right about that estimate >> who are off the chart? >> I I do not remember that number. >> Don't take that one to the bank. I noticed that on the chart that for example the ma a master's just a basic mast's level teacher at 21 years is 85 roughly 85,000. >> That's correct. >> You'd have to assume then that there's a substantial number of teachers who are making six figures or more if they have 30 plus years experience. Right. I mean that's probably fair. >> We have a few. I would not call it sub I don't think I would call it substantial. It's less than 10. >>

045Oh really? >> Yes. But you also have to think it's it's 10 month like they're only paid for 10 months. >> That's true. >> So that makes it a little harder for them to hit the 100,000. >> Well, that that 85 estimate that is their annual pay. Uh that is an annual number. That is their that would be their salary. Yeah. >> But you're right. They're on a 10-month contract. Their pay at the moment is uh well I'd say at the moment it's been that way for probably 15 years. The pay is a 10-month contract broken out over 12 months. Uh so we do pay through the summer uh um for for budgeting purposes and that's a product of our conversations with the WCA over time >> their annual income. >> It is their annual

046income >> for this R for this RFP. Did are did they analyze benefits at all? They did not look at benefits. >> I guess I guess it'd be it'd just be helpful for as far as to bring to us. Um your I think y'all have some if any market data you have on these on any of these. Um it might not be all of them. >> Um but I think y'all have some some market data on on what the what the benefits look like. Um just because if we're if we're not as competitive but we pay 100% of the of the employee and so much percentage of the family compared to somebody else who who might not pay as much. I mean, I I know our I mean, when we get our when we get

047our W2 and it says our like I know the way we pay for benefits is they they charge a per the county charges a per employee cost, not whether you take the benefits or not. That's just how they spread it. And so, but even at that lower number, um it's still 20 plus thousand dollars is what we show on our on our W2 as cost of benefits. So, it's a if you if you divided that by the number only by the number of people that use the benefits, it would be even even higher. But it's that's I still can't think of anybody who's going to who's paying more towards benefits than we do. And if and from for from my perspective, if we're if we're going to get dinged diet and we're going to be

048in a competitive situation, we need to we need to think about increasing the pay and also increase and and and maybe decrease um how much our employees pay for insurance um to I mean it might it might naturally decrease the number of of people who use our insurance which might raise the cost for everybody, but it would put more more money in the pockets of the of the employees who who can find their insurance elsewhere. I'm just just thinking of creative ways to if we uh given that we if if we want to make make strides on on increasing the pay, that would just be one way cuz I mean I always think that it's a big benefit of having great benefits. But um but if people don't see it that way, if they don't

049see it as a benefit, then why are we why are we paying for it? Let's let's let's >> you hear stories along the lines of a 22-year-old might not view it the same as a you know as a 55y old and I I again we don't have data on that but to your point Vicki if you would speak to at least health insurance and and what >> if I could uh interrupt I've been waiting >> sorry >> I wrote down I think it's important to I'm looking at the military base pay base pay is not that great but when you look at all the allowances and benefits It's very competitive. So, I would like to see allowances, benefits, what we pay for training or health care, retirement matching. Do we send our teachers uh others

050to conferences? Um, do we pay anybody for mileage or incentive pay because they have a particularly tough job to do. So other than just the $50,000, what are the other benefits that some people could qualify for? What would that value be? And then what percentage of our employees can qualify for those other benefits if they're voluntary? It goes to Jay's point. I I it's more than $50,000 >> if people take advantage of it. We can we can certainly get some insurance information and if at a point you want to ask Leanrog to run that together, I think they could probably do that for you. That's just that's just something that was outside the scope of what we were doing. I will say all the retirement systems are they're all the same. It's all TCRs. So,

051our retirement is not going to be any different than anywhere else. It's it's the same. >> I don't know. Do we help our teachers and staff by paying for grad school tuition, contributing something to their professional development >> or it's out of their own pocket? >> We have had from from time to time some programs but they've been fairly small. >> We have had we had a um to answer your question broadly no. Okay. What we have had is some pockets where we have offered classified staff or teachers who want to become certified in special education or another hard to fill. We have had like a grant. We've had funds that we've used to help assist in that because those were hard to fill positions. >> Yeah. It helps them, it helps us. That makes

052sense. And the last one, not necessarily related. If a teacher has been working for eight years and then they go away to start a family and they come back in five or six years, where do they start? Back at the bottom or where they left off? >> They'll they'll start where they left off. >> Where they left off? >> They'll start they'll come in at nine years. >> They don't lose their seniority because >> they don't lose they don't they won't lose their years of experience. And likewise, if we hear if we hire a teacher who has been teaching elsewhere for eight years, they would get put on the chart at that point. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Um I do want to mention LeanFrog does have the information on each individual teacher, right?

053That's the way that's the that's the way they got the information. So for example, special education teachers receive uh additional pay compared to the chart. So they do all the data that they're going to present in detail really includes every single person not just the chart. >> And then finally this just gives you a snapshot of like where they are. They're in this phase four which is findings and recommendations. And then they'll be prepared to present some if not a I'm not going to say just a final conclusion in June, but they'll be prepared to um present you with with some recommendations. >> So, we did anticipate a lot more detail from Lean Frog, but again, I'm sorry about the um about our our contacts um family loss. again she will be coming in June

054um and and share a lot more detail. I will tell you though that your comments have actually given us some additional information that we can give to her uh to prepare for next month as well. >> Vicki, do you keep track of the average length of service for a teacher within our system? >> We we do we take a look at it periodically. We usually pull it like at the end of the year. So, >> do you have a ballpark idea what that is or could you get it to us? >> I can get that to you. I don't I'm afraid to ballpark it. I I'll get it to you, though. >> Mr. Chair, uh we do have a couple things that are in our WCS by the numbers that I thought I'd mention that

055it's not directly responsive to your question, but it is somewhat. Um average teacher salary the average salary is $67,044 uh for 2526 the current year the percentage with a master's degree or higher is 63% for our teachers and that's actually it's a it's a slightly higher than it it was previous three Okay. Any other questions on that? >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Chair. U you all have become uh quite used to this uh screen time committee update. Uh Andy Davis is going to share with you uh where where uh where everyone is from the screen time committee committee work and I know some of you were at that screen time committee that met just a couple of days ago. So, she'll give you the update. I do want to remind you last month we

056gave you our proposed guidelines for screen time. And uh I did not assign you homework, but I did ask you to to to look that over. And uh I know that the that the committee looked at that, but they also looked uh last at the most recent meeting at some some projections for resources for families. So, if you would, Andy, let's give our monthly update to the board. >> Thank you, Mr. Golden. I appreciate that. Um, good evening, board members. And yes, we're here again to give our monthly update on our screen time um and technology usage committee. Um, I do want to say a special thank you for Mr. Golden. He um started and kicked off our meeting off with a special thank you. really um commending the team and the committee for the

057hard work that they've done, for the discussions that they've had, for the energy that they've put into it, and for just coming back to do the hard work over and over and over again. I think you guys will remember that we did have four objectives to begin with. We've given you all some cell phone policy recommendations. uh we combined the screen time and the technology usage um together as one chunk which is where we spent the majority of our committee's work. And then our last bit that we got started on, we've just scratched the surface on it, was really creating a family resource hub to um really engage our stakeholders and our families in this topic. So I'll let you do it, Ryan. Thank you. Um, all right. So, here was our outcomes. And remember,

058this was just two days ago, so it's a quick turnaround for these. The first thing we did was we explored our family resource hub feedback. So, we had asked our committee to complete a survey on what do they want to see for families, what types of resources, where should this hub be, um what kind of platform, what modalities should we use? And then we also looked at a site mockup and I'll go more into detail on that. And then we also provided update on where we were with the guidance from our April meeting. And then finally we collected members names to help us continue the work for 2627 because I think as you guys remember from our April meeting is that we are committed um to the implementation of the guidance and so we want

059to continue to get feedback from the committee throughout the time. All right. So, we started with family resources. This is kind of a general um information the trends that we saw uh from the committee and we had uh 17 participants that came on the April date. So, just so you know like when you see seven that doesn't seem like a lot but there was only seven 17 that actually got to complete the survey. So the best way to share resources generally most of our committee members said that it should be that we should really prioritize a district website or a website. And the additional ideas that they that kind of allocate or go into this big pot of information is that they wanted something that was easy to find and a permanent location. One thing

060that they did not want is they didn't want parents to have to go back and find an infocus story. Not that we're not going to do that maybe, right? But um or find it in an email or reference, you know, a phone call necessarily from a principal. They really wanted an easy place to find information. Um and they wanted it to be um resource library on a website and they really wanted the information to help build transparency and trust building with our stakeholders. All right. So, these were the key topics that they identified and I'll just let you look through those. I won't read them to you. So what we did was we took these key topics and obviously you guys know for a website to be um functioning and supportive of the learner and

061to be able to find the information clearly it has to be organized in such a way so that you know people can find what they're looking for. So what we did was we took these key topics but from the survey and we just created kind of an outline or a structure of what a district website could look like. All right. So what we've decided this is the place where we want to start. We had some other I I want you to know that um this the committee also in the survey gave us some additional information or some some additional ways to communicate sitebased communication information coming from schools was also really important. They wanted us to include communications possibly like in focus stories and things like that. But we really felt like where we needed

062to kind of attack this first is with a district website. Currently most technology information is kind of scattered in different areas on our website and we don't really have a technology hub for our stakeholders. So what we plan to do is to create a technology page and it will be managed and kind of influenced by both its so we have information technology and instructional technology. So it will contain the information from both sides of those departments. And on that landing page, we really want to share what our vision is. Um, possibly like a featured video really describing um, what we believe to be true about integrating technology in Williamson County Schools. And then the following buttons with descriptions. So, we want a district landing page. That's where we could really talk about laws and policy.

063This is where our technology use guidance would live. Um, it's also where we would have our privacy and safety practices and also information for families around AI policies, how we teach teachers to use AI, our AI toolbox, how we work with students in AI. And then we'd also have a students page and that families page. We have an internal students um page right now which is only accessible if you're in kind of our my place um hub as you as you will. And so that has a lot of resources for students to know how to log in, how to use schooly, some of the digital applications would be available there, how they can engage with digital literacy, Chromebooks, um how do you care for a Chromebook, how to store a Chromebook, things like that. And

064finally, which is really the goal of this committee is what would we create and share with families. Um, so supporting child's wellness, digital wellness, online safety at home, some family resources like how do you log into Skyward? How can you access Schoolagy? Um, just a one-stop shop for families to find that. And then we're still developing a way where we can have some two-way communication for support. Um, Miss Wyatt gave a great example of if we have someone new coming to the district, how do they find out about what our technology practices are? Because maybe they're not enrolled at a school, they don't have a teacher or a principal to talk to. What kind of way can we provide information back and forth from stakeholders if they just need additional support? So Corey um Mason,

065who is our communications director and our district web master came to the um meeting a couple days ago and they shared what our vision is um kind of a mockup um and I didn't put those pictures in today. We're hoping to launch the website by the start of school, something that we can announce to families so that they know where to go and find um all the information that they need. So that was our first big topic that we talked about. And then we moved on to our technology use guidance update. So the last time we spoke which was in April we had we have had four committee meetings and three revisions of the draft through January to April. Uh we provided you all um that guidance that you got with the revisions. Oh, we

066shared the guidance with them based on the revisions from our last meeting and what I told the committee and what we're committing to you as well is that this guidance we don't want this guidance to just be stagnant. This should be a living breathing document which is why we want to continue the work with the committee um is getting feedback on it making adjustments and changes seeing where we can improve technology use. So, even though we kind of handed it out to everyone with here's the things that we changed based on your individual feedback on the clarify and revisions, we're not done yet. We have a lot of work to do and we have we want to kind of put a pin in it right here and let's start implementing. Let's start making these changes

067ready for 2627 because there are some some key shifts and thinking that are involved in the document but then continue to refine and um change the document as needed over time. And we also are very aware that changes may occur based on our new state law for the K5 and and the fact that you guys are going to be making some board policy based on the state law. So, um, that's pretty much where we left the guidance with them. And I believe Mr. Golden sent that out to you a couple of days ago of kind of our latest revisions on where we were with our WCS tech edtech guidance. And then finally, the last thing that we did is we just asked them, begged them, let's keep going, let's continue the work. And we wanted

068them to understand what our goal was around continue continuing the work. So it really is about participating in the review of the implementation looking at the data like what does the data say? How are we doing? Are we having a reduction in apps? Are we moving towards more active technology usage? Things like that. Also we want to identify changes that we need to make right as a living breathing document. What new laws are coming about? What policies have been created? Is there new research that may inform the work of the gu the the document on the guidance? And then also we want them to provide us feedback for continuous improvement. And the plan is to meet semiannually in October and February. And then we shared an interest form um with those that attended the committee

069meeting um for next year. And out of the 15 that responded, we have 11 yeses. I was really excited about that. And two undecided and two nos. And we did give them the grace of like we understand this is a lot of work and it's a lot of it's a big time commitment. So, we did let them gracefully bow out if they wanted to. So, I just want to give a second to see if our school board um members, Miss Wyatt or Miss Hiba Hibma, um have anything that they want to add to tonight's update. >> Are you sure? Okay. >> Uh yeah. First of all, I want to um again thank the subcommittee for all their work um that they did faithfully every month. um preparing the materials and um just informing the committee

070and also to the the volunteers on the on the committee and the input that they gave from their different viewpoints um as different stakeholders in the process. Um, so, uh, before I I came to our meeting tonight, I was on the school computer and I saw, um, I read one of the emails directed personally to me and that really in in just encouraged me that I need to make a few comments about the whole process and it's very, you know, complimentary in the for the most part because um, for example, in our Williamson County technology use guidance Um, it had the first opening statement mentions the need for intentional and age appropriate guidance to avoid unnecessary or distracting tech use. And I couldn't agree more with that statement. However, the guidance written addresses the procedure

071of using tech without addressing the neuroscience of how that tech affects the growing brain. And you know, to be fair, that is the committee's job. and it was to update our tech use guidance. Um, and if we want to be truly intentional, we also have to realize that for a second grader, a onetoone device isn't just a tool. It's a distraction that competes with their developing neural circuits on how to focus. Okay. So um and early on when I joined the committee um that the focus of this committee was to establish guidance for how to operate um was was on how to operate in a digital environment. So I realized that my interests was different than you know or what what I wanted to focus on was different than the committee's focus. And so um

072I went with that because the the the the policies and procedures that they created are are very good and they are moving us in that direction of um which I'll give you my proposal in just a minute. uh moving us in that direction, realizing that we have like 10,000 apps and we don't need all of those. We need to make sure that they have efficacy before we put those in front of our children. And just making sure we have a teacher focused instruction and that we are moving more towards um analog learning because that is best especially for the K5 uh students. And um as I stated, this document is a manual for device management, but it's not a blue a blueprint for brain development. And these are two different focuses entirely. And while this

073data update was necessary and enlightening, we must move beyond simply um the integrating of technology and prioritize the biological uh windows of growth, which requires an analog focus. And so um and we owe it to our students to protect their cognitive agency before we immerse them in a digital distraction. And so my proposal is that um K5 the technology free is a technologyfree sanctuary. I believe that we must work towards that um that model. uh we must return the elementary years to a focus on mastering the basics of penmanship, phys physical books and analog inquiry. This is not a retreat from progress, but a commitment to building that cognitive architecture that students need to focus and think deeply before they are handed a device. Because right now there's I would say many many of our

074students in especially in the elementary and middle schools are not using these devices appropriately. Um and then in sixth through 8th grade the transition to specialized tools. As students enter middle school, they reach the age of cognitive agency where we should where we move from a one-toone distraction model to high performance a supervised computer labs. And this sends a clear signal to the adolescent brain that the computer is a specialized tool for high level production and not the default medium for every little thought that comes into their mind. Um, beyond the science, I also believe that this model fulfills our mandate of fiscal stewardship. By moving away from a disposable four-year replacement cycle of Chromebooks, which suffer from, you know, damage rates and the security loopholes, we we realize substantial cost avoidances. A lab-based desktop

075provides a significant longer lifestyle life cycle and a far greater return on every taxpayer dollar. we would be affording these students better computers that last longer that can be updated and um it teaches the kids to you know this is the task and then you move away from the task and it really takes away a lot of the issues that uh we've uncovered you know or we continually uncovering um that it has to deal with and Williamson County and this board has an opportunity to lead um let's stop trying to manage thousands of dig digital distractions because it is a very big distraction to these children and return to a model that respects the brain, protects the child and puts learning black in the classroom. So those are my comments. Um but again, thank you

076for um the subcommittee and all those who volunteered because um I do think that the usage guidance is is a a good step forward and uh addresses many many issues that were um a concern for many parents. I have a few comments. Great job, Andy. You guys wonderful. I sit in the back and they just leave me alone. And you know, it's great. Some thoughts I had. When you solve a problem, you first state why there's a problem. In the policy that we eventually get, it's not going to say that in the policy, but I go maybe to Corey and some others. when we make a hub for the parents on why we're doing this minimal exposure to screen time uh there should be a statement about you know brain rot and I think I

077asked two months ago is there going to be a resource page Harvard studied Stanford studies because there will be some push back to this and then you give them the evidence okay you're rotting your kid's brain uh she mentioned the neurological the actual change of molecules and the proteins in the brain it's all there um and it doesn't matter if it's cell phones or computers or anything any screen it's just that part of the brain so I would say Williamson County is leading the state of Tennessee because nobody else has this yet we're the only one and we're doing it because and it can be very short, you know, we did the research, we looked into it and because of that, this is our proposal. You just very short introduction. Why are we doing what

078we're doing? Uh something else. There's teaching versus learning the AI stuff. If a teacher, I think, looks at where my teachers you look at it a different way. It's going to make you a more efficient teacher. It's a tool for you. kids, it's a learning experience. It's how they're actually processing information into their brains. And what might be a good tool from a teaching point of view doesn't necessarily carry over from an educational point of view when you're changing all those neurons and they're laying down in their brain new information. I just kind of put that out there. A hub for parents. Uh that's good. We're going to have that hub for parents. And again, maybe that's where the explanation is. We are doing this because it's, you know, the right thing to do. We're

079doing the right thing the right way for the right reason. you know, just because I guarantee you there some parents aren't going to take the laptops away from their kids when they get home or at the restaurant or any other place that they throw the kid a device. Okay, enough of that. Um, also our teachers. We really owe it to our teachers. I did some data. I think I'm even older than Dan. Um, some of this stuff started in 1995. So, our teachers, especially our younger teachers today, grew up with screens, okay? And when they went to college, university, get their teaching degrees and things, they were taught on screens, okay? And now we're asking them to change that. We owe it to them to help them learn how to teach without quite so much

080technology. The human contact between the teachers and the students as well as the con students are going to change. If you limit their screen time, their interactions are going to change in the classroom and that's going to affect the teachers too. Um, so do whatever we can uh to make sure our teachers succeed uh maybe collect with a hands-on science. If you never had hands-on anything, it it you need to be trained for that. And we did it, I think, for the science. Now we need to do it for reducing screen time in your education of the kids. Certainly, uh, the K through three, the K through five, that's the foundation. Um, and then they get in middle school, they get more, but in high school, they can pretty much do what they want. Um

081but we have to lay down a foundation that they they they can be problem solvers without a device. Okay? Because they can think and the device just becomes a tool that helps. And lastly, I mentioned that oh uh we will Williamson County will be the first in the state to do this. Uh the Tennessee school board is waiting for us uh schoolboard association because they'll like they'll make a template and Williamson County does not apply to everybody else but the science does. Um and I think we should Corey get out there. We're leading the state. We're leading the nation. And so those are just some thoughts. Um yeah. So the biggest one would be this is why we're doing what we're doing and everybody wins. The teachers, the students, the parents, the community, everybody wins

082because we're going to do this right and we've been working on it for a year. Well, 10 months. >> Okay, that's it. Thank you. >> So Oh, sorry. No, no, no. He No, you go ahead. I'll wait. >> Somebody >> Yeah, thank you. Um I Thank you, Tanya. I need to I need a little bit of time to consider the specifics of what you're proposing. Um I just want to say similar to what you said. Thank you. I feel like it was a really encouraging and educational committee experience. Um as we've talked about before, just we were all divided into grade bands. Um, and then we also provided individual written feedback and then we also were mixed up within those grade bands for feedback. So there was just a lot of conversation and I always

083say one my my favorite is a committee. I love a committee setting. I love that interaction. So that has been just amazing and I really appreciate y'all facilitating that. Um, in addition to the committee meetings, uh, Dave and Andy and Jenny in April, um, also reached out to Tanya and I each month and met with us monthly ahead of those meetings to so that ahead of the committee meetings just to talk through the agenda and what we wanted to focus on. And I'm a little bit surprised by your comments tonight just because I feel like you did not present any of this in those meetings and we've had a lot of opportunity just if you were moving in a different direction and I if you'll let me finish um I I just would have appreciated

084a heads up just because we did set set aside that time numerous months to talk and that is something that we could have brought before the entire committee. So you and I sat in different grade bands. So I'd love to hear if the conversation was different within your grade band than what I was experiencing, but I just um when we have an opportunity to talk and really think through something, I wish that you would have given the rest of us that consideration just it could have made tonight's, you know, meeting even more informative. But um I agree Dennis with what you said as we think about what this looks like for for less technology. I do want to make sure that we are really supportive of our teachers that we're considerate of do they do

085we need to be increasing budgets when we think about more hands-on tools and we think about more worksheets, more paper, we've talked about the value of handwriting. I just want to make sure that we are considerate of our teachers. Um, so if you know if we need to make any changes, I hope that y'all will be in touch with us because we want to make sure that we are um, considerate of them. And then, um, just I just like I said, I want to consider the specifics of your proposal, but it feels like we are moving in the right direction. It also feels like we are making big changes and that we are being more proactive rather than reactive, which I really appreciate. Um, and I feel like if you get on the web, there's

086a new article every day about this and like what y'all are saying with the science and that we are in we we are the science, you know what I mean, right now. And I I think I've told sever several of y'all this story, but I talked to a group of students um in April and I the first thing I started with was I'm sorry. I said, I just want to say that you guys were changing things all the time. And one thing I always think about is that there was 50 years between when people started driving cars and when wearing a seat belt became a law because there was so much push back on wearing a seat belt. Not just requiring a seat belt in the car, but requiring you to wear it. People didn't

087want to be told what to do. People honestly thought for a while that it was better to be thrown from their car than it was to be wearing a seat belt. We are in that 50 years navigating this with students, with ourselves, with our own families. And so that's what I said to those students. I was like, it's going to look different next year than it does this year. And I'm sorry, but you know, we are really doing considering what is best for their minds. And I told them, I said, you're going to be our surgeons, our business owners, and our, you know, our parents. This is a group of boys, our fathers someday. We need your brains to not be distracted. and that's where we're coming from in these considerations. So, all that to

088say, I just need a minute to kind of think through everything, but um it's been a great experience. Thank you all for letting us do this. Um like I said, I feel like we're moving in the right direction. I really appreciate the staff. So, thank you. >> And uh just to comment on that, so I I agree with Melissa. I think she expressed that very well. um that but I needed I and the thing is is David Allen, Jenny, Andy, they they all knew my position. I'm I'm sorry. I don't know why, you know, it was it was when I was at school in those committee meetings, so maybe somehow you weren't there, but they they are aware what my stance was and it's always been there. Um but but definitely I felt that um

089that in the uh you know when I realized early on that the committee had a different goal I wasn't really there to interrupt that process because this process was very good and that doesn't negate us from you know uh working our way through that because we also have TECAP which is is a reason why you you couldn't just automatically implement it because you know and take away the computers entirely. So there are obstacles that as a board if we were to consider anything like this that would have to be taken into consideration, but also um I felt it was important that tonight that I presented it because of the email that I just received this evening about the Chromebooks and um AI and that there's still phones that are being used in the middle of

090the day. So there's so for whatever reason they're not secure and things like that and just and they also encouraged in that email the parent about you know more handwriting and more penmanship and all of those you know things that we've discussed um and you know all in the last two years I've had parents and that's what they've been advocating for is no technology in K through fifth grade and I've made that aware to Jason um and especially the moms who have preschoolers and kindergarteners ers, that's really their stance. And in their homes, they don't use technology with their kids, at least in the homes that I've been in. Um, you know, very little technology. They're talking about using um, you know, you know, the old-fashioned, you know, wall phones and things like that. So,

091and that's and those are the parents whose who who grew up with, you know, the beginnings of technology in Williamson County schools and they have a very different view about it than like say the parents of, you know, the high schoolers. And so, I'm just respecting their their viewpoint and being their advocate and sharing it. And um you know, I know we can't change it on a dime. Just like you said, it's going to be an evolving process. But I do want to bring that to our attention because the focus of the committee wasn't on neuroscience. It was on the usage of technology and how do we use it. So those are two different conversations and they just really don't fit together in in that in the dynamics that we had. So I think I

092disagree. I feel like there was a whole page of research given at the end of the guidance where we all considered the neuroscience and the impact like that impact is what drove the committee is what started the conversation. I don't think it was about Chromebook maintenance and and apps. It's about the impact on our students. Right? Because I was the one who brought the one article that was on neuroscience and it was never really discussed in part. It was something that we read privately and sometimes the the comments of a dig digital delusion was mentioned but they were really driving the conversations and I just wanted to respect that because I knew that there's two just two different to me there's two different things and one was how to use technology and move forward towards

093our goal and I guess I guess >> I think what you're saying is you want to consider do we even need to use the technology not how do we use it. Yes, >> I do feel like we are in a position of and our teachers are really considering do we even need to use it. >> So I that it feels like we're moving toward that position. >> And I think if you wanted that specific article to be considered in a conversation, I wish you would have said in one of our planning meetings, this is important to me. Can I can I present about this? Can I make up some can I come up with discussion questions? I feel like Dave and Andy and Jenny were really flexible as far and they really look to us

094for leadership in that. So I think that going forward I think that's an opportunity for all of us that if something matters say I would like for this to be discussed and because we are receiving a lot of information but if there's something that is helpful to have the conversation let's say that to each other. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. >> So from a from a process standpoint I I stepped out for a second so I may not have heard you say this. um what your the conclusion that you kind of laid out or the proposal or suggestion you laid out, did you do you have sort of a a timeline around that or or kind of a next step for what you would see that becoming >> in in in the context of all

095the other um recommendations that may be implemented? >> Yeah. So K through five, I mean it would be, you know, discussion with the board if that's something that they wanted to do because I mean like like Andy and and Dave and stuff they have said there's a lot of big changes just the way it is and I do respect that. But I mean I think we should have that conversation. Is that is that where the board wants to go? Is that something that we would you know do in the fall? Because that that would be a very big change and maybe we're not ready for that. So I I would just like to see that discussion and again like in sixth through 8th grade you I mean you can't you know I was talking to

096Brian King he says you know we've had um com uh computer labs for the last 30 years come and go and I says you know how long does that take you know to to implement and he says well you know you you have to have the space um and then you have to you know h you know have the technology or you know the the different computers and different things like that. So, but again, you know, it's the TCAP thing is like that that's a big obstacle that um but I just want to have that conversation because you know with the board whenever they if if it's in June or if it's in September, you know, that kind of a thing. >> I think I think the timing matters. >> No, not June. Yeah. Well,

097no, we we're here in June. We're here next month. >> Well, the the timing obviously matters because if we're talking about something that that >> Yeah. >> we would be pushing to do in the coming school year, then that's a heavy lift. But if it's something we're talking about for the following school year, then that's a different conversation. >> Precisely. Yeah. >> So, >> uh, so, so I'm I'm glad that you all brought up all of the the references because that's one of the things that I zeroed in on, but before I get to that, um, I did have a question for Andy. So on page two it says district staff provide a public portal for families to access information about purchase district and sitebased applications. So with the hub that I just don't remember

098maybe we could show that slide again with the the hub that you discussed earlier um was that listed like would all of the apps and things that kids have access to be listed on in that hub? So what we have currently right now available is we do have a public portal. It's from our learn platform and what we have on there right now. Now the problem is that let's be clear parents can't find it and that's our fault, right? So there is a portal where parents can go in and look at all the district and sitebased purchased apps. So what we want to do is move that off of our student resources site and put it on the district website underneath students underneath digital applications. so that parents can go and look and see. But

099also a change that we're making for next year is that we will have class link analytics usage available for parents. So parents will also not not to see the big picture of what the district's doing, but like what is my child doing, right? So they'll actually be able to go in to the um it's called my analytics and they'll be able to see like here's the top five apps that the student was recently on. and literally you can download um the applications that they had accessed through a specific period of time >> and that's really wonderful and that's a a great step forward. I really appreciate that. Um will that be linked on that page with your >> it's not going to be linked on the page because that's not where it lives. Directions on

100how to access it would be linked on the page but yes it would be a part of class link. >> Okay. So thank you for that. >> Absolutely. So, as I um read through this document and analyzed it, I just want to point out a couple of things that jumped out to me. And one was the um the bold school, we've heard you all talk about the bold school framework. Um so the reference on page seven at the top, it's the title is bold school, old school wisdom and new technologies equal blending learning that works. And I think that and correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that this framework argues that tech should only be used when it clearly improves learning. Is that correct? >> Yes, ma'am. That is correct. >> Okay.

101So then h having that in in the background, a couple of things did jump out at me in in the document. Um so let's see here. First is under page two um in the what this looks like in practice section. Uh the third bullet says educators exercise professional judgment when selecting non-log digital resources used as supplemental materials ensuring alignment to instructional goals, age appropriateness, and district expectations for instructional material selection. And I guess I guess to me the the big thing that's missing there is again evidence-based apps. I I I it was a red flag for me in April's work session when when um it the review of all of the apps that we're going to be doing over the summer was only for those that require login. I I would prefer that we review

102all the apps um that kids have access to, that the teachers have access to and and weed out the ones. And I know you said that probably a lot of ones are going to be going away, but also including, you know, that evidence-based piece. Is there evidence to support um that they work and improve student outcomes? >> Um so just to clarify that language, that was actually something that our committee recommended. So currently we only vet products that require a username and a password which means that they're collecting data because that's what we want to make sure that's the only thing right so one of our shifts is is that application vetting is not just about privacy and safety anymore it is about the instructional value so that language that you read um on that

103area about the educator's exercise professional that's actually from one of our SOPs so we require teachers to vet vet any material that they put that before they put it in front of students. So because we do not vet non-lo websites, it is the educator's professional judgment that they should view and preview a website prior to putting it in the hands or sharing that link or information with students. That's where that language came from. As far as the vetting goes, yes, ma'am, that instructional value is getting added to that. It's the efficacy piece. We're actually using the edtech index, um, which is a site that is managed by some edtech organizations that are pretty well known across the nation and the country. Um, it's, um, ISTY, Kosen, one tech, uh, uh, digital learning, and there's several

104of them. And basically it's a it's a it's a place for teachers to go and look at efficac efficacy ratings and badges and then also our content specialist because again I'm not a content specialist for social studies. You don't want me to vet instructional value for that, right? So our curriculum specialists were are who are already a part of the vetting process will now actually look at the evidence-based efficacy. Prior it was more like we we rely on you for your expertise in your content area to tell us if it has instructional value but now what we're asking them to do is to actually use that research. >> Great. Thank you. Another step another great step in the right direction. All right. So then another thing that jumped out at me is um also on

105page two in the area of focus to instructional technology best practices bullet point two. In grades K through five, instruction prioritizes in-person teacher-led learning and non- electronic instructional materials as the primary mode of instruction. And my brain just immediately went to why why K through five? Why not make that statement applicable to K through 12? It's in line with the current law. That's actually the line that's actually from those bullet points that come from the state law that's going to ask you to create policy. Now, if you all create a policy that doesn't align with that, then we would correct that language, but this is just a guidance document. >> So, we do have the capacity to go beyond the law. >> Right. That's what I was going to say. And this is just a

106guidance document. So even if our policy focuses on K through five per the law, this could still to me this reads uh is like we we're going to prioritize instruction that's you know for the most part um teacherled which all of it should be teacherled but and non- electronic. That was not what the committee gave us feedback on. So that's why we didn't change we did not change any language that we did not get specific feedback and like Miss Wyatt had mentioned we asked for feedback in gradeband groups discussion mixed groups discussion and then individual feedback and discussion and I don't have any data that's request that to be qu K12 but we are open to any changes that need to be made. >> Okay. Well my I I think it should read K12 but

107I guess that would be something that the board would need to discuss. Um, and then my last thing that I noticed is I I remember last time we talked about active versus passive um, learning. I thought I remembered active versus passive learning, but I think the document reads on page three, and there might be other places where it said it and I missed it. Active technology use is prioritized over passive consumption. Um, and so just that active technology piece of it kind of gave me pause. Um, because I don't know what that means exactly versus I get passive consumption. It's like like you could watch a video and that can be passive consumption. So I was curious again in the context of the bold schools framework um and maybe this is because the committee didn't

108request it but why we wouldn't define what act I guess active technology means or active learning means in this document because what I'm concerned about is that um there's still a bit of subjectivity. >> That's an excellent point. Thank you for bringing that point up. If you'll look at the and maybe this is where we can kind of merge that we do define active technology use and passive technology use. It's just not in that statement. So if you're on the top of page four, it is that first bullet. Students create, think, collaborate, and apply concepts to promote active learning rather than consume digital content passively, which is watching lengthy video, clicking through slides, digital worksheets, etc. >> That's where that that models the difference between active and passive. >> Page four, the top bullet. Um,

109my page four has the top bullet screen >> time. So, the printing must have done something fun. I apologize. Where is it, Dr. Allen? >> Bottom of page three. I'm sorry, Dr. Weaves. >> Good. >> It starts with students create, think. Uhhuh. Rather consume. Okay. Okay. >> Area focus three bullet two. >> Yes, I found it. I found it. So, students create, think, collaborate. Okay. Um, okay. Dr. Reeves, if I can, I was going to read, we did have a committee member suggest some different language for that area focus, too. And I was going to read to you her email because I think it complements what you're saying. She wrote, this is from Katie Schlacker, a parent on the committee. She sat in the 3 through five grade ban. The new statutory language reads, "In

110grades K through five, instruction prioritizes in-person teacher-led training and non electronic instructional materials as the primary mode of instruction, unintentionally implying that teacher-led instruction is not the expectation in grades 6 through 12. I believe that runs counter to our shared intent. I'd suggest something like the following revision to preserve clarity across across all grade levels. In grades K through 12, instruction prioritizes in-person teacher-led training. In grade grades K through 5, non- electronic instructional materials are prioritized over electronic materials. This framing honors the new law while making clear that teacher-led instruction remains the standard district-wide with grade by grade band distinctions applied only where appropriate. So I feel like like what you're saying Jason that we can go further than the law but I think that that's what you're saying that I mean that basically addresses

111one of my thoughts for sure. >> Okay. So um the so then the last thing I'm going to say just about the active a act active learning versus passive learning is um I had highlighted the the 2025 study the neuroscience behind writing handwriting versus typewriting which is that the one that you >> that you submitted anyway that >> that study really really the results showed that handwriting activates more of the brain than typing. That um that handwriting is more beneficial over typing for memory and cognition. I'm kind of saying the same thing that deeper neural activation comes from handwriting. And so, um, it it did jump out at me that nowhere in this guidance, um, did we say like we are going to prioritize taking notes by hand versus having a guided notes worksheet on

112a computer where we're typing in notes and things like that. And I'm not suggesting that we need to change the document, but I do as the committee continues to do work, I think that's something that we should um maybe work to incorporate. Also, reading physical books over reading things on a screen and then answering worksheet questions on a screen. So, those are just those are some of the things that I am hearing from parents, especially in middle school. Um, I really hope that things like assignments where we watch a YouTube video and we answer a digital worksheet and the questions have the timestamp of the video like where they can find the answers. I hope that that practice goes away as as we you know refine this work. >> We've actually had that exact discussion

113uh about the time stamps on video. A parent raised that with me as well and I was yeah I that's not learning that's passive consumption agree >> so I really >> it's like memorizing the periodic chart it's always that kind of thing >> yeah well I want to remember some of the period >> as one period of neural networks >> Dr. I do want to add one thing under area two because apparently my page numbers are different again. Sorry. Under area two under what this looks like in practice. >> The second bullet states educators intentionally incorporate handwritten material uh printed materials, handwritten activities and hands-on learning experiences to strengthen students conceptual understanding. >> Awesome. Great. Wonderful. Thank you. Thank you all so much. And thank you. I had a question for Andy. >> Generally speaking,

114there will be apps that will be vetted by the district staff because they have a username and a login, but teachers can pick an app on their own if it does not require username login. Are they going to tell the district that they do in fact certify that app? and which educational goals it satisfies for them that are not satisfied by the ones the district has. So that is not a current practice that we like regulate or collect those apps. Generally those are sitebased discussions that happen with school principles and the teachers. Right? So if I'm a school principal and I'm doing a walkth through I have these instructional conversations with teachers all the time about supplements or highquality instructional materials that they're using in the classroom. Lastly, I seem to remember last year how

115many different apps are actually being used in this district. It's in the many thousands. I want to I >> 10,000 is the number that pops back into my Why do we have 10,000 apps? >> I don't know that that's accurate that it is 10,000. That's the first I've heard that number. I don't have that number readily available, but I can get that to you during a period of time. >> But I can tell you inside of our learn platform, which is our approval platform where teachers can go in and look, we have 737 apps in learn platform and of those 374 of those are denied for use. >> Okay? >> And and very few of those are approved K12. We Our uh vetting process is really picky. We really like to say approved with caveat,

116right? Like so it might be approved 612 only, approved teachers and staff, approved SSS only. We really try to point our teachers in exactly who that audience should be that's using that application. >> Good. Thank you. >> Yeah, Andy, I have I have to add something to that. um when when they vet these in school, you know, the ones that don't have to have a login and everything, some of these these uh websites are gigantic. How can they go through everything? I mean, we've had cases in the past where um someone's using an app to help a child learn how to read and everything's going good and then a parent gets on uh notifies everybody that uh they're teaching the ABCs of this or that or, you know, something that they shouldn't be into that

117they scrolled through this app and find all this extra stuff. Uh you can't prevent that. Well, I personally cannot prevent that, but we do have ourformational technology department that has we have different layers and I'll let BR Mr. King if he wants to talk about it. The different types of filtering and content filtering that we put on our Chromebook devices to make sure that those incidents don't necess that those incidents don't occur. >> Okay. Well, that was my next question for Mr. King. About three weeks ago, my phone blew up on a Sunday night and I was asked why kids in sixth grade at a particular school uh can get on the game five nights with Jeffrey Epstein. >> Oh dear. >> And I said, I never heard of it for one thing, but you

118know, it's not right that they can get in there. Um I said, I I will check it out. Well, I did talk to a few people, but and and Brian, you can probably explain better, but what I understand is they can go into games, a game app that, you know, the teacher knows exactly what's on there, but they can get out of that and it brings you into another is that is am I on track? >> Brings you into another app. So, I had my my grandson. I told him, I says, you know, get on the computer Chromebook. He says, "Yeah." And I said, "I want to see uh Five Nights with Jeffrey Epstein on the computer Chromebook, maybe five minutes." Now he's he's older and you know high schooler. But if kids can get

119in there that easy and according to these parents, these kids had been watching this thing for 5 days. I don't know. I don't know what the content is or anything. But this was a legitimate complaint and I did talk to Brian and that's how I got that information. But my question tonight is how can we get that in writing to prevent that from happening or is there a firewall or something we can do because we've had complaints in the past about this and we're like I don't know how they're doing it but I mean I witnessed it. I had him do it five minutes. He says here Papa you want to play the game? I said I said no. So, how can we prevent that? I mean, we talk a lot about safety on the

120Chromebooks and there's been complaints in the past. I mean, a lot of different people and we just kind of set it aside. But with that many apps, how can we prevent that? >> What grade was that? Sixth graders. >> Sixth graders. >> Brian, >> thank you, Mr. Cash. So, yes, sir. We investigated that. Um, basically what happens is there's a lot of um creative people who are trying to do things where kids can get around things. And one of those is putting websites or um that seem uh it could be the name of a school and and it seems like any nothing but it's a pro what's called a proxy server. And what a proxy server will do is it bypasses filters. And that's not just school systems. That's for uh work uh places at

121work that have filters, higher education, your home network. It's all the same thing. And and so kids will do these searches and they'll find there's tens of thousands of these proxy servers. Um and they'll find one that's not blocked. They'll share it with their friends. They'll they'll use it. We'll catch it and we'll block it, which is what happened in this case. The last I uh when I checked with uh Phil former Phil former, our uh security uh person, we had blocked this school year close to a thousand proxy servers. But you're chasing. Now, having said that, filtering companies know this. They a it's a problem in with every filtering company in every situation. They know this is an issue. They're they're working as hard to come up with a solution that will block these

122proxies uh before the kids before anybody can get to them whether it's a kid or at work or whatever. But right now it's a ch. Now also having said that in our the u form that we send out to students about proper use of Chromebooks it actually says that it's a violation to use a proxy server to get around our filters because that's been going on for years. So it's a battle. I mean filtering is a battle and our guys every day they're they're fighting catching up blocking stuff every day. Yes, sir. Thank you. >> I was going to say another part of our discussion on Tuesday was also about the sharing of those proxies because we're talking about and this kind of goes back to students digital integrity that they are using Google Slides

123and Google Sheets and these shared documents and so when one person finds it then they are sharing it. So we can stop the access to these websites and these games that are working really hard to to over to to reach our students, but really what we need to do is stop the sharing, you know, and so we had a a bit of a discussion and it sounds like there's more they're looking into that because they want to make sure that the students can share things with the teacher and you know group projects are good but any document that's being shared around a hundred students is not a group project you know and so just understanding that dynamic and that is new it's kind of become like they've pivoted away from their phones this has become

124their group text and that they're using these you know so I just wanted to say that that is happening and that we are trying to understand how to stop the sharing also so thank you just thinking out loud um could could we make this something kind of a code of conduct where if you share something that is knowingly inappropriate. >> I mean, we could look at that just to help stop this and and I know we might not do an honor code, but kind of make it a violation of some type of code of conduct for the kids because they know it's wrong. And to share that, it would really hopefully slow that process. So, just thinking out loud, >> we do have we do have that in place. um it may be worth us

125doing a review about the nature of the consequences and and the impact it has on future decisions for students, right? Which is one of the purposes of discipline. >> One thing I asked, is there a way within our system that anytime a document has been shared, if there's more than five people on it, that that's immediately flagged. It's not the content that flags it, it's the volume of people on the document. Um just because I think that that's that would immediately draw attention and you could shut that down. So that was just an idea I had because I just think it's the volume that we, you know, we don't want any student to see it, but it is happening really quickly. So >> I'll check on that. >> So Donna, did you have a question

126or >> No. >> Okay. Um, so I guess maybe to if there's no more comments, just to wrap this up, I guess if there were to be a change to this document, like for example, the changing the K through 5 to K through 12, like what how would that happen? >> I I can speak to that a bit. Number one, you've you've made three suggestions. I'm going to we're going to make sure our team meets because you are doing what I asked of you last month. So, first of all, thank you for that. Our team's going to meet and have a discussion about that detail. We are also in the process of working on a on a draft policy to affect the law. I had already anticipated that I expect our policy is actually going

127to be more complete than that particular law. We know TSBA is at some point going to give us a a template. Um, but we're going to be working on a proposal based on the committee's work that includes that in that's more comprehensive in scope >> uh that's more more consistent with this and that'll be the time for the discussion um when you all are setting policy. >> Okay. Right. Thank you. And your question is is kind of one that I was going to raise too trying to bring this bring it all together is to what extent does does this document need e either in total or in part need to become part of a policy. >> Yeah. >> Versus just an operating document that the district uses. >> Yeah. And and the board has a

128couple options. You know, often our policies might say there shall be a procedure in place and this could be the procedure. Uh um but it also could be incorporated into a into a policy just as a whole. Um we'll probably have some discussions about practice tips for what should be in a policy versus not and that kind of thing. Um for example, bibliographies are typically not in a policy, right? Um so we'll we'll have some discussions about that as we go through the policy process. Maybe the thing to ask the board to do, we're not going to solve it now, but think about preference of just the entire language or most of it going into a policy versus just using it, referencing it in a policy and then having it be a document that's separate

129but referenced. >> Something to think about. >> Something just kind of apppropo at the moment. I I'm sorry. I had a 4:30 a.m. wake up time to take someone to BNA. So, I'm fading fast. But which made me think of this and it's kind of maybe a nice segue to the next thing because we're two hours in the meeting and we're still we're and I think I talked to Chairman Brown about this is um because I was talking to Ben Torres is to maybe have a timed agenda so that we don't say like the most important the voting items till 10 o'clock at 10 o'clock at night. So, um, that was just some ideas having a timed agenda to kind of >> I don't know. Well, >> for what it's worth. >> Yeah. As a

130general rule, that's a that's probably not a bad idea. I think for purposes of tonight, I think once we get past the superintendent report, it's going to >> Yeah. >> fly. >> That's true. Okay. So, so Donna, I was actually thinking along the same lines and was going to ask if maybe we could save push the wireless communication device update to to next month just for effort of time, especially since we just got that data um earlier today, I think. And I would like time to review it um before we discuss it. So, anybody's amenable to that? >> Do I have to make it >> any objection to that? No. >> Okay, let's consider that. >> I just want to add one other thing um kind of along the lines like I would love to

131have these powerpoints and things pro you know when the agenda comes out so that I can look at it and then we can have discussion during the meeting. um because we spend a lot of time you know and I I know maybe the salary report couldn't have because it was an outside but the screen time committee we've we got it but it was like yesterday and then kind of we got the wireless communication data and if there's any way we could figure out a way to time this where like I said we get it ahead of time so that the bulk of this is our discussion about it not kind of being presented the information. >> Well, thank you for that. The screen time committee met the day before yesterday and so sometimes that's a

132practical impossibility. Uh I I will tell you one of the things we've been intentionally working on from from an administrative leadership team perspective is getting you all information before it's time to vote. Uh and so we don't have any of these items on as voting items. Uh but there may be some voting items in the months to come. And so we are we are trying to roll that ahead. Um then we can have some discussions about that. Sometimes powerpoints without verbal explanation can be can be difficult as well. Uh but so we'll have some we'll we'll try to work on that um for those times where we can get it to y'all a little earlier knowing that that there's that there's no way. Um and I will tell you also for us the discussions are

133valuable to us as we prepare to make ultimate recommendations to you. Um, and it's it kind of varies based on the individual circumstance from time to time as well. Um, but but that's a that's a point well made. We'll we'll have some discussions about it. Mr. Chair, if this particular one's um um hit hit its questions, I I would like to give about a minute synopsis uh from my perspective if if you don't mind. So, so with respect to this technology use guidance, I want to I want you all to focus on what at least here what I focused on that very first bullet on the very first page uh is that technology use uh is to we the educators and administrators are to ensure it's only used when it enhances th student learning. I

134see that as the front front-facing number one standard for everything that comes after in this document. that that has to happen at all grade levels and that's the expectation that we have. It's going to be a journey uh for that. I thank the uh the the committee for their work and I mentioned a couple of things that some specific things uh to them in that thanks and I know Andy you mentioned that I thank them thanks are just I mean we were overly thanking them because what they did was was incredible and it's going to be an ongoing work but number one I mentioned our our work and their work is ahead of the state. Uh, number two, but this isn't going away. Uh, research is going to continue. We're going to continue to get

135new research. Uh, and it's going to evolve. And to your point, Miss Hypna Hipma, I I do anticipate that this work will evolve. I think Davis used that old phrase, it's tough to turn a battleship or something like that. And I'm I'm paraphrasing, but it will be an ongoing journey as our as our teachers work on this. We are a little bit ahead of that curve compared to the impression I had that folks might be getting getting from this from this discussion because we have already uh substantially removed those youngest students access to to computers uh prior to this committee uh actually starting their work. Uh and so many of our teachers uh are well equipped and have been doing those kinds of things that you are hoping uh that that they do. So I

136am encouraged by where our teachers are. Uh but it will take some additional professional development. We did identify from a statistical perspective at those youngest grades. The time on the computers is maybe 20 to 30 minutes a day whereas at middle school it's substantially larger. And so we know that middle school is going to be a focus to that. Uh another thing I thank that group for was their disagreement. Uh and I want to just reemphasize that for the discussion we had tonight. Thank you for your disagreement. uh when you get 17 f plus folks in a room there will be disagreement. So the idea from that committee was not that everyone would l would finish agreeing. Uh I think that if if we had that expectation uh we're guaranteed to to to fail. The

137purpose was for the discussion and ultimately a recommendation coming out of committee and ultimately you all as the board are the decision maker uh on on policy and so I wanted to reemphasize that to you. Final thing is uh we we let them know we're we're going to need you or somebody um um in the future and that's what that's what Andy mentioned uh that it's going to be it's going to be I think this has the potential to to go on. I don't I don't see this work as ad hoc. I see this work is ongoing. And that's my final comment >> just for at the risk of belaboring this a few more minutes. The your last point there is worth us thinking about uh going forward. Is this is it worth there's been

138talk about having committees of the board for you know a while now. Um, and is this an opportunity for us to set up a standing committee, if you will, versus, as you say, it's not ad hoc, >> which by definition means it's going away. >> Yes. >> Um, but is it worth this committee or some variation of this committee being a standing committee that is permanent? Just something to ponder. I don't think we have to decide that now, but as we go on with this, it's worth thinking about um >> having having an entity that's always there to take up these kind of issues. And >> would you say uh like a technology committee >> just a umbrella type of thing in general terms? Yes. >> Yeah. Um, something I would add, I mean, I

139just like to see this as a culture of the way that we work, not just, you know, technology, but like this a special ed any because we have parents who want to have a voice and want to be involved and it's usually when we get the complaints when they haven't been involved. So, the more I feel like we can just make it a culture of the way we work, I I would see like fewer and fewer complaints because they're part of the process. they have ownership in it. So, um I don't know if we need to write a policy around that or I mean I I would just hope to see because I think we've we've seen this has worked so well. I mean the work that's come out of the committee is is great

140and getting all the different perspectives and then coming to a compromise. Um but so that that's just all I want to say. >> Yeah. and and the and the only caution to a standing committee or multiple standing committees is that you know you you run the risk of setting a precedent of having too much um of that and at some point we have to trust our leadership and our and our administrators and the professionals who do this every day. So what that striking that balance between the board um engaging and and others engaging versus you know um the role of the administration is something we have to think about too. So it is a balance. I mean and of course not every issue rises to the level of of technology because it is so all-encompassing.

141So something to think about. >> Okay. We ready to move on to electric vehicles? >> Thank you Mr. Chair. And based on electronic vehicles, yeah, electronic vehicles update. Uh I will make this relatively short honoring the request related to the wireless communication devices. Uh many of you know we we mentioned this briefly at the policy committee meeting as well that we've been working with with I think every municipality in in the county except maybe Fairview. Uh there's been a group discussing uh electronic vehicles and I tell you it's going to hit Fairview as well. It just happens to be that the physical location of those schools is on a very main road. Uh, and they haven't they haven't quite felt it yet. I I sus I suspect it's coming, but there's an invitation to those.

142Uh, part of what drove us having these discussions with municipalities is their struggle with with ebikes and and electric scooters on their roads and the impact it has on schools. And you all know that there was that there was a a horrible accident outside of Brentwood. It happened to be in Davidson County, but it was a Brentwood student uh who lost his life. And um I I I can't imagine the pain associated with that. And I don't think anybody can unless they personally experienced it. But part of what we have talked about as a result of that committee is this one slide that we're that that's that we're going to make sure you all have. And to your point, Dr. Johnson, we we could have gotten this to you a few days ahead of time,

143so I apologize for that. But I want to give you all some information. We are working on a plan to parallel uh the process we have students go through for for having permission to drive a car on campus with taking an ebike or or an electric vehicle on campus. currently and this is purely administrative. This is not in policy. Our students to to to have a car on campus uh must register the vehicle and take a safety class that we put together. The plan is to parallel that with ebikes. Uh Mr. Galbreth and I had a discussion. We are actually planning to bring you a proposed policy. As I mentioned, this is exclusive exclusively administrative right now. We've been doing it for years with cars, but we're talking about putting that language into the policy

144as well. Uh so that so that folks know because it is in policy that if you're going to to to have a motorized vehicle on our campus, you need to register and take a safety course. uh we've been almost to the point of begged by some of those municipalities uh to help them because they at the moment don't have a lot of help at the state level uh for setting up ordinances etc. Um we are going to be part of that work uh but we know it can't be just us but I wanted you all to be aware of that. We're bringing it to you. Dr. Webb and her team are working on some details related to that. We think it's going to be a net good thing. Um, I will tell you we haven't

145had large committees with parents on this, right? We've been talking to to the municipalities. Um, my life experience tells me that somebody will be frustrated by that one more procedural element. Um, but we've become convinced based on our conversations with the municipalities that that it's not wise to wait another another year to do this. I will tell you also our parents whose children drive cars on campus, they're good with it. Uh we we hear regularly from parents that that they appreciate it, but I tell you there's probably somebody out there that it's an irritant uh that they that they have to, you know, that they have to go through that process to drive their car on campus. Um so we'll we'll make sure you have this detail. I think there might be one typo in

146there because we just been we've been just been finishing that up. Uh uh and and so this is this is this is a a a living bullet point. I just wanted you all to get a a glimpse of that. >> Jason. >> Yes, sir. >> In most states, cyclists, whether they're manual or uh electric, they must follow the rules of the road in that state. They have to be going in the right direction. They're supposed to signal. They're not supposed to speed. because I met Stuart Campbell and Buckner and they're doing 35 or 40 miles an hour when the speed limit is 20. So, I would ask that somebody look into that. Uh, are cyclists required to follow the rules of the road under the Tennessee Department of Motor Vehicles and give them a ticket.

147you've touched on you've touched on some of the issues that some of the municipal leaders have talked about that the state is behind on some of those requirements. Um and and and and I I I I know that we actually and Dr. Johnson, you were there as well. Um this the city of Brentwood hosted a conversation uh last night. It was just an annual conversation and this was one of the two main topics. By the way, Tissa was the other main topic. uh but uh but and a fiscal capacity indicator. Um municipalities are working on that. They've c they've had conversations with our state elected officials. There is a new law I haven't studied it yet that's taken a step towards that. Uh but they still have a ways to go. >> So just a

148quick question. >> Just a quick question. Will this in are did you all reach a decision on elementary schools and allowing ebikes and e- scooters? >> Dr. Dr. Webb. Yes, >> we did. And I'm going to let Dr. Orer speak to that. >> We did. Yes, ma'am. Um, currently the recommendation is for third through fifth to be able to ride independently younger than that. They have to be with an adult or a sib an older sibling. >> And thank you for that. I actually just alluded to Dr. Webb. I should have comprehensive. >> Sorry. >> Versus versus versus just banning them. >> But But I want to add, as you guys may know, there are various classes of the ebikes and they can't there are some that they're not allowed to ride. That class three

149nobody in the elementary school would be allowed to ride. >> My son's going to ride his regular bike. >> Yes, ma'am. Thank you. >> I was I was curious, are we um being pretty aggressive about this? Um as in we're going to hold try to create a policy before August. Yes. Coming up. Yes, sir. That's the expectation. We know that we have the power. >> That's probably not a great word to just do it administratively, but we we think it's wise for the board um to to include that with our recommendation. >> And do we plan on having stakeholder meetings with parents or any type of meetings to get input from the community? At this point, we're of the opinion that stakeholder meetings after after what we've heard in the in the meetings with our

150municipal stakeholders, it's unwise to wait another year for this because these have proliferated so fast. Um and I think um one of our state elected officials said that Santa Claus caused this problem. Um that's a little facicious, but the but the you know I have heard that comment. Short answer is we think it's so important that we need to go ahead and get it done this summer rather than wait for another year. >> I totally totally agree with you. I know at juvenile court we've seen a huge uptick in citations being filed and uh kids absconding from law enforcement. So it is a huge issue at this moment. >> So I just appreciate this Jason. I was I mean I I brought this to the attention of of um of the Brentwood police department and

151the and the city manager, you know, over a year ago and and kind of helped been following along and helped kind of drive doing something. Not just me. I mean, there were several when I came to them, they they had already been it was a number of complaints and they were just trying to figure out how to how to deal with it. And so, I know one of the things to somebody's point about speed, Dennis, I mean, their their intention is to put I mean, it's crazy. They've always said no high-speed vehicles on on their path system, but they're going to put a 15 mph speed limit signs as signage up um periodically on the on the pass to reflect that. you know, I don't know if they're I don't know if they'll put I

152mean, the hard part is it's not like you have you don't have officers there to to do, you know, to do any kind of ticketing, but you can have um you can have, you know, potentially speed devices like where you can monitor so that at least kids will know how how fast they're they're going. And, you know, I've just been I've witnessed this. I walk on the path um pretty frequently and and we're always you know prior to school and we get I mean just get blown by like the kids are going 30 plus miles an hour easy um and sometimes they slow down around people and sometimes they just blow right by you. So, um I I look forward I mean I it's not really I I just look forward to to making, you

153know, uh I think the the any any kind of publicity this can this can get um will be will be great. I think it'll be really easy to to inform the students that it affects now before school gets out. I think that'll be a a good thing if we can uh can go ahead and notify like administratively go ahead and say this is what we're doing and then we'll we'll back it up with with a specific policy and if that changes somewhat then we can communicate that before before school starts >> and we do intend to to give those opportunities for those classes during the summer as well. >> Just really quick, I know it's grown late um but I haven't I read through this really quickly. Does it does it say anything about actually

154having like a mo motorcycle helmet that has to be worn and not a bicycle helmet? >> Yeah, there there is that that that expectation as well. Dr. Web, >> the helmet requirements um that we have from the municipalities don't specify that aspect unless it's the the larger class three. But all of those pieces including the aspect mentioned by Dr. triggers about the rules of the road, the cyclist, even the old school hand signals of when you're riding a bike or an ebike um on the side of the road, what those are as well. But all those are included in the training. And uh we've been back and forth with local municipalities contributing to those. And we're also working with local sheriff's department. Currently, our SRO's are present at most um if not all of our

155checkpoints, driving classes that we do with high school students before u their parents sign off for them to be able to drive onto campus. Uh and our anticipation is that we'll continue to partner with the Williamson County Sheriff's Office and having an SRO present at those face-to-face sessions. uh it's it's an added presence and um allowing them to speak to the current things that are taking place out in the community from law enforcement that our educators who are leading those sessions may not be aware of we just feel like is important. >> So agreed that time is of the essence on this but is there a way when we get a draft policy for first reading which would be next month? >> Yes sir. um to then publish that in in focus and and every

156other channel that we have to push that out so that parents have at least a chance to see the policy language. >> Absolutely. >> Before we finalize it. >> Absolutely. We'll make sure to do that for sure. >> Uh Dr. Webb, you had something to add to respond to that. >> I can share also through InFocus, we have been communicating um as you guys are aware, we did the um safe rider campaign and had a challenge with our students on creating PSAs. So those communications with a flyer has already gone out um and are in focus that indicates there will be additional requirements coming up for the upcoming school year and just encourage them to read that guidance uh and to watch the PSAs through in focus. >> Okay. Anything else on that? >> Question.

157>> Okay. Anything else on your report? >> No, sir. The on the list items at least. >> No, sir. That's That's my report. All right. Tony, do we have an update on the T2 changes? Like what what that's looking like? >> Sure. Yes, sir. And I and I gave you all an email sent you all an email a week week and a half ago ago or so uh regarding um the transition to um with the with a commitment that we we're going to make sure our schools had individual conversations with each parent. And I'll and I'll tell you that that would have been a wise thing to start with. Um, I have some data on that, uh, that Maria actually gave me, um, earlier today. Uh, but it is so potentially personally identifiable because it's

158so small that I'm not comfortable speaking to it at this meeting. But I will send you an update on how many students, parents have chosen uh, the the particular locations and then how many are still undecided. I will share that with you tomorrow. Okay. Anything else for Jason? All right. Mr. King said he does not have an operations report, but are there any questions anybody has for him on a specific operations item? Okay. Um, two things I want to mention on a board chair report. So, you'll notice that we um originally had the evaluation and contract discussion would have been on the May agenda. We've moved that to the June agenda um partly because of the salary study that needed some more time and that was one of Jason's goals for the current year. So,

159we pushed that to June. So what you can be expecting between now and probably what first week of June would be the template or the the evaluation instrument um that by now everybody has gone through. Um so we'll be getting that in a couple weeks maybe three weeks. So be on the lookout for that. We'll we'll want to be a we'll want to complete that in advance of the June board meeting and probably a week or so in advance of that. Right. For compilation. >> That's correct. And actually, uh, Lydia had some details on timelines, and I'll make sure that we get you all some some details related to that. And I will tell you substantively, we're still working on my annual goals. Uh, and so I wanted to make sure you all were aware

160of that as well. So, we'll we'll be we'll have feedback from Jason on his goals before the work session and ideally uh in time for everyone to to use that to make your um evaluation comments. And then we will have that plus the contract review or contract extension discussion on the June board meeting agenda and then on the work session agenda obviously to discuss in advance. So um that's one thing. The second thing is there's been conversation about um and I think it's actually worth considering um as it has merit and that is to move the um the goal setting for Jason up earlier into the year. So, correct me if I'm wrong, but this past the current set of goals that we set for you were approved in October. Is that right? Or November?

161>> I think that's right. It may have been November. I'm trying to remember off the top of my head. >> So, >> it was November. >> So, if you think about it, it's really not fair um to him and to his team to set goals in that late in the process and then only having six months essentially or seven to really complete the goals. Um, so and and if you if you consider that one of those months in there is December with holidays and you know two or three weeks of people being out and so forth. So I think it's worth us really thinking about going forward moving that up earlier in the process. Now earlier means that we're probably talking about goals if we're going to say approve the goals in September versus November

162or October. then that obviously means that's the first board meeting of a new board, right? Um the other thing to consider is would we want to set goals for him and approve them in August, which is the beginning of the school year and then those would be in place for him for the full August through essentially May. Um because really what we would have done is approved them in May this time except for this one unique issue with the salary study more. So if we say May is the time they'd be approved next year then it's really August through May. So it's help me with the math nine months, right? So but of course that means that we're setting goals as the current board that then the next board will have to evaluate him against.

163and some of those board members would not have then had a chance to have input into the goals. So, I think we should think about if we wait then it's it's by definition going to push it almost to the time that it was approved this time because if a new board comes into place, are they going to be ready to set goals for Jason the first meeting that they sit on a board? Probably not. So, then that happens in October or November again. So I guess the I guess the question I'm posing is is is there any agreement that this needs to happen sooner in the process, sooner in the year um to give him and his team more time to actually work on the goals and accomplish the goals. Um and if so then

164how do we thread that needle of the timing that I just laid out? Well, one question I have is the last time we talked about trying to create multiple year goals, particularly, you know, smart goals. And I know you had mentioned, uh, Jason, that you were going to look into that. I I don't know a status on that, make sure we could legally do that or make sure your contract was aligned to that or >> Yeah, we we do have the capacity to do that. the the state the state required portions of my evaluation are the is the other section and and to your point you've I've kept in my mind since our discussion six months ago your comments about student achievement right which is part of you know really our mission uh right and

165and so if my thought is if we set an earlier goal if if we set goals earlier and have a later a later evaluation time that has the potential potential to to give us some data, some annual data. Um, but yes, we could set multiple year goals. >> Of course, we we haven't set multiple year goals so far. So, we whatever we did, we'd be starting still having to start the process. That's right. >> Whether it's one year or multi-year, we'd still be having to start the process that and we'd still have to decide when to start that process. So, it's kind of back to the question of the timing on this. I just I'd love some feedback on this because we if we're going to do it in August as as um as the

166school year starts and and maximize the amount of time that he and the team have to work on the goals, then we really need to start thinking about um a discussion probably at the at the well not probably we have to have a discussion at the June work session about what those goals might be because we're not meeting in July. I would is there a reason that the goals are separate than the contract discussion? Has that ever happened around the same time? >> I'll give you my impression and some of its tradition. >> Okay. >> Do an evaluation a month before contract >> based on the proposition that that the contract the contract extension might be tied to at least in part to the results of the evaluation. Mhm. But when I'm but discussing the

167goals when you're doing the contract and the evaluation, like it feels to me like we're evaluating you on these goals. Why would we not have those aligned? >> Right. The timing. >> Yeah. >> You mean setting the next set of goals at the time of the contract is Yes. renewed. Mhm. >> I mean, I like that idea and it goes right along with like how we evaluate our teachers and I mean, I'm not sure and I'm sure principles like you do the evaluation and then you set goals during that meeting. >> It It felt unnecessarily staggered to me to evaluate you and then a few months later set your goals and then I'm going to evaluate you again on goals that you haven't even had a full year to work on. And so and I

168think if student achievement is part of it then we have those results May June then and would it be helpful since so many things are on the school year to kind of set that schedule to align with the school year. >> So I think it's a good idea. I think we have to think about the practicality at least in this next goound because if we if we were to set goals at the same time as the contract renewal theoretically we could do that in August >> but that we're pushing the contract renewal from the current June plan two months later but if the decision were not to set goals until after the new board comes in then we're by definition pushing the contract renewal out till October November. And I think at that point, we're

169well inside the two-year contract window. >> And actually, Mr. Chair, there's a state law um it's on my mind because it it it references me. There's a window of time around an election that that you can either um terminate or extend a contract >> days or days after. >> Yeah. So, that that's probably going to make August an impossibility for a decision on contract. Um, so >> well, yeah, because you're right. Yeah. So, >> so, so I guess just to finalize that thought, I think, I think as a practical matter, it's hard to implement that this time unless it's pushed well into the fall or it's done in June as planned. >> But then if the goals are related to student achievement, it's hard to assess that in the fall. So, would it be better

170to move the goals up to match the contract and the evaluation? >> Well, that's yeah, that's one of the questions on the table is do we move the goal setting to >> that's >> um August at at at latest August and that in that when >> that's my support. Yeah. >> Yes, that one. >> Yeah, >> I'm I'm in agreement with that as well. I was thinking even June like we get the evaluation we were reminded what what all we were what goals were set and then we also discuss new goals. >> Yeah. >> So think let's think about June because it's it's May. We're about to be finished with the May board meeting. We will not as a as a group have a chance to meet and discuss together goals for him next year

171until the June work session. And we is it too much to ask to discuss them in at the work session and then vote on them four days later? >> Not not vote on them. I was thinking we'd vote so we would essentially get two work sessions June and August >> to discuss and vote on the goals in August but start the conversation in June. I like that. Yeah, >> that that was my idea as well. >> Is there consensus that we would begin a goals discussion a 2026 27 goals discussion at the June work session and then vote on those in August? Is there a consensus on that? >> Yes, makes sense. >> Okay, Mr. Chair, Miss Hman, I actually had that very conversation weeks ago actually. Um, so I will tell you from my

172perspective, those those annual goals have been difficult. You know, I' I've been superintendent for seven years and it's been every year it's been tough because they haven't really been annual goals. So, if you all make this change, that will be very much appreciated. >> I mean, we if we think about what we're doing here, we'd be approving goals in August and we give him and the team a full three months more than we than we just gave him in the current year. So, that's meaningful. It's actually really meaning. Can I ask the date of our June meeting? I just calculated 45 days prior and it's >> the August election is June 22nd. Is that our >> let's see June let's see it is before that. >> Okay. >> Uh it is June 15th. >> Okay.

173>> It's more than 45 days. Cuz I I checked that out too when I >> days more but it was close. So that I just want to make I want to make sure. So >> yeah but I don't know. I was curious because just the way the month falls if there might be other years say two years down the road where it could happen because then you would have to wait for the new board to come on. So >> or or we just need to make sure that to make that a consideration when we set our annual agenda to make sure that that that board meeting is follow >> factor in 2027. There is no August election in 2027. >> It's in every other year. >> Well, that's true. But but we're I mean we're

174we're kind of set on the annual agenda to do that to do that review every other year too. So it's only on the >> right >> even years as as of now. So we could change it to the odd years. I mean so like I we could >> Mr. Chair, this actually reflects our conversation. There's no perfect answer. >> Right. Okay. Okay. So, just to be clear, we're going to at the June work session, we're going to be talking about the uh evaluation for the current goals. We're going to be talking about contract renewal. Uh and then we're going to be talking about goals initial conversation on 2026 2027 goals. And then we'll dispense with at the June board meeting dispense with the contract issue and the evaluation in August we will make a final

175vote on 202627 goals. Is that we clear on all that? Okay. >> Could I ask just the clarification about contract extension? Do we have like documentation because I know last year you deferred it. >> Yes. And so like do we have to do it this year? Do we have like how >> as I understand it, correct me if I'm wrong, >> I just don't know what I don't know. So that's why I'm asking >> by by not by at his choice not asking for the renew the extension last time that by the time we discuss it in a month, it will be basically at the two-year base contract. >> That's correct. >> Okay. And the contract says it can't be less than a two-year contract. >> Is that is that >> that's not exactly right.

176if if uh the con the contract is scheduled to expire at the if I'm not mistaken at the end of June um in 2028. >> That's right. >> Uh and so there is there there there is not a provision to my recollection that that prohibits it from going into those to eat into that two years. >> That makes but it would be unprecedented. >> Yes. I think I mean at this at this point it's on our annual agenda >> uh or our our annual agenda for that we approved at the at the beginning of the year. It's on there. >> Yeah, it's on the >> So like it would take like it that's not I don't know that that's something we have to vote to take it off at this point. So >> well a

177discussion of it is on the agenda but the the final disposition of it is not necessarily determined. Right. It doesn't it doesn't require a motion necessarily a vote. >> It doesn't necessarily require an extension. It just require a vote >> that we that we have a vote on it. Right. Yeah. >> And and ahead of that meeting, could we get a copy of the current contract? Okay. It' be great. Dominican. >> And I guess just for historical purposes, um, at least in my almost five years on the board, the first two or three of those years, it came to us as a three-year and it was extended one. >> That's correct. >> And then came again as a three-year extended one. So it was kind of a rolling four-year. Only only this last year did

178did it become a three down to two. >> That's correct. So just for context that what happened this past year was a little bit um out of the norm. So something to take into consideration. Okay, we all good on that? Do we want a break before we get into the business the new business items or just plow through? >> All right, Rachel, >> I am for it. Let's go. >> It's all you. Um we do have just a few items tonight and this is the time of year where we do our housekeeping um making the final adjustments that we need to to the budget. So the very first two items we have um are related to TCAT donation for dual enrollment um and it is 8,27879 where we are receiving money from the Tennessee College

179of Applied Technology um in order to help offset some costs related to teaching for those doing enrollment classes. And I'm going to assume we're happy with that that we're receiving money. >> Mr. Chair, I will tell you I'm happy with this. TCAD is helping support um our classes with this with this these funds. >> No questions on that one. We will move on to the next which is same kind of uh thing. It's a $6500 donation from MTSU related to dual enrollment um instruction as well. Okay. Um I'm going to deviate just a little bit on the next one. um in that there were was the anticipation of us receiving $2.4 million for the letter grade. Last year we received four. It was the new thing last year. This year when we got our letter

180for what we were going to receive, um the pot was the same amount of money, but there were more districts that had qualified. And so they prrated the pot and it was 2.4 million. So, when you originally saw the agenda, that's what you that's what you would have seen. Today, we got information at our spring fiscal workshop that the um legislators had legislators had agreed to increase that $17 million budget, this one time onetime adjustment to 28 million in order to fully fund uh the money for all the districts that that qualified. And so, we are able to receive $4 million. What I'm saying I'm deviating is I had included 2.4 4 million in all of our budget discussions already um as part of our fund balance amount. And so this does however increase the

181fund balance amount by 1.6 million. >> And if I may, a couple things, Mr. Chair. This change was something that the legislature added um in this year's budget. Uh so so it actually helps us with our fund balance. We had intended to give you an update on where we are with next year's budget, Rachel. Oh, I got excited and I jumped. >> Yeah. In in part. And so I, Mr. Chair, I think it may be an appropriate time to give you all a thumbnail sketch of where we are with next year's budget since this particular item is actually impacting our fund balance. >> That's right. And so I had emailed you all um kind of a summary of what was discussed on Tuesday with the budget committee and the resolution um of what's going to

182be or what's going to be consolidated budget that's going to run in the newspaper. And so, um, we did receive for the month of April, May 1st, um, allocation or re, um, evaluation of property tax, there was an additional 1.3 million. Again, it was a surprise. And so, we were able to include that in the discussions with the county that there was an additional 1.3 million. That coupled with the commission voting on agreeing to what you all voted on at the last board meeting of pulling out of education impact fees, the money for the special ed growth buses, that was a six $650,000 adjustment. And so the gap, as we discussed um with the commission on Tuesday, was 17,865,953. So, the mayor presented a couple of options um in how we could fully fund the

183budget. And that included the adjustments I showed you told you about, and we'll just go over those briefly, which was a a um pass, so to speak, on the ESCO payment for this year. They'll cover that for us. Also, same thing for next year of that ESCO payment. They did include a reduction to our budget of 2.2 million. um the question came up, you know, what we know what was discussed with your board. Um and so that was that was put back out there. The county commission transferring two pennies to us out of their general fund um allocation and then also a 3% I mean a three penny increase to the tax rate. That is what's going to run in the newspaper. That is not necessarily what's going to be approved by the commission in

184June. There will be things that happen still between now and then. We may, you just don't know. We'll receive another Tissa letter. We're going to receive um two more months of sales tax. We're going to receive more property tax. So, there still could be adjustments in that. Um so, a couple of the things tonight are are in this group of um adjustments that they would make, but that would again fully fund the budget. So my question is then would we would have to revote on on taking the K through2 social studies textbooks back out of the budget. Correct. >> You would have to revote. Um and we just had this conversation of do you make a request? I feel like there's going to be multiple things happening between now and then. So instead of having

185multiple votes, let's see what really happens and then make those adjustments. But yes. So the county commission cannot line item your decisions. That was that was a recommendation. Um once once the actual fund balance comes firm and we know what the what the commission is may be headed towards that may impact the recommendations we make to you. But that particular vote that was Monday was a unanimous recommendation from by the commission's budget committee and they had an obligation to make a vote so that they could publish and give public notice of their proposal. I think it's significant that their their recommendation is increasing the tax rate by 3 cents. uh much of the discussion centered around comments that al were along the lines of if we had done this last year, you know, we wouldn't

186we wouldn't be we wouldn't be dealing with this now. Um so I very much appreciate the recommendation that they that they made, but we know there's still a long way to go and it takes 13 uh for something to pass. >> So Jason, can you explain the difference between the the education um what the education committee passed and this one? Do do they not have to set do they not have to set a tax rate? They just set they're just approving our budget. The education committee. >> That's correct. The education committee does not set the proposed tax rate. The education committee by that unusual vote I mentioned to you one to zero to one. Uh actually it was unanimous in that way. That's right. Uh based on who was in attendance actually approved our budget

187as proposed as you all proposed. That was the education committee's vote. Uh and then the budget committee went into the detail of the question of how we fund it, do we make adjustments, etc. >> So one other piece is they have to run it in the newspaper 10 days prior to the to a public hearing. So for all of you, there will be a public hearing on June 2nd at 5:30. And that just invites any public member that wants to come um and has questions or concerns or comments to have the opportunity to speak on the budget. But then the actual vote will not be until June 18th. >> Bobby, I don't know if this is a safe nutshell of that public hearing. That's in essence a public comment period and exclusively a public comment

188period for that meeting. >> That's correct. >> So just an editorial comment about the committee votes we just talked about. I think it might be fair to say that it's kind of meaningless um in some ways because it's you know 101 is not reflective of the full commission and arguably even 40 on a budget committee is not reflective of the full commission. So I think realistically we should be thinking about what's going to happen if three a three cent property tax increase doesn't pass because that's the equivalent of what about $6 million $6 or 7 million. It's closer to eight. 2.6 is what a penny. >> So, it's closer to eight. >> That's what a penny gets for us. >> So, we should be thinking about the fact that this is an $8 million problem

189that we still have coming our way and not a two point not a $2.2 million problem. >> The good thing is we got 1.6 um with that resolution that we just talked about. And so, again, there could be things $1.6 million is not a penny. That doesn't save us a penny. You can't do a half a penny, but there may be ways to be able to reduce, you know, that will >> So, it's 8 - 1.6 six is what we might be facing. >> Yeah. >> So Jason, >> if I may to um I mean I know the next item on our agenda is one of my favorite topics, but um the uh but I I can't help to to say that I I appreciate the two pennies coming out of the general fund, but

190I'd like to I think it might be really close to the $6.4 $4 million delta here. Um, I mean, my request would be at least at least give us let's just say that they don't do the 3%. If they didn't want to do that, they could at least give us the three the the value of the trustee commission that's going into the general fund and just pull it back out. Like that doesn't cost them any that cost them no dollars. It just means that no additional funds are being placed in the general fund on the backs of the of the school system. Like that'd be such an easy way to not increase the the property tax if they wanted to. >> Not going to speak for Rachel on this, but I think that's would be

191kind of considered loaning us the money and they can't >> Well, no, they they'd have to they'd have to show it as giving us pennies from the general fund. >> From the general fund. We'd still have to >> It would be a technically moving it over into our budget, not loaning it. Okay. And they but they don't and they don't have to they just do that for that's just a one-year thing, right? Like they're not committing to moving more money. >> They can move pennies any given year. It could go either way. >> They could get add more or they could take them away. >> Mr. Chair, based on your comments, I do want to give you all a little bit more background on what happened at that meeting. Mayor Anderson actually originated the discussion

192and made a recommendation uh to move two pennies from county to us. And by the way, the the tax rates is $130. Is that correct? Or $131? >> A dollar 30. Dollar$130. A$130. The schools currently receive 75 cents of that $130. So his proposal, his original proposal would move that to 77 cents that that we received. His proposal included also reducing the recommended pay increase at the county level to 3%. uh and and reducing uh their our projected expense by a commensurate amount uh related to that uh and it included that those esco payments the recommendation that we reduce by 2.2 million uh and that actually would still leave a gap that we would it have to bring back to you to cover and I think it was somewhere around 3.6 million based on the

193numbers on Monday which again have already changed. >> Paul Webb I'm paraphrasing it's recorded if you want to go back and look at it. Paul Webb said after break, I am not comfortable with with reducing the proposed pay increase to 3%. And then he made the recommendation to to move those two pennies plus the the three the recommended three cents on the tax rate uh to cover that. And I will final reminder for you all, we have not talked about where if in fact we get that funded that 4% will go. Uh, and I've mentioned this to you before, we would have to talk with you about where that 4% would go. It's not a guaranteed everybody gets 4%. Um, we would likely have some recommendations uh that that that might not be that simple

194term. Now, that's again, we're a long way from that because we don't have the funding at this point. >> The other thing that needs to be said is that the our board meeting is on June 15th. The commission meeting for the budget is June 18th. >> Correct. >> So any action they take at that meeting where they vote on the budget that changes our budget means we have to have a special called meeting if we're going to finalize our budget before July 1. >> That's correct. Uh and we uh we actually did that last year. We had a special called meeting. Um Mr. Chair, if I may. Sure. We we haven't nailed down a particular date, but um Lydia will be getting in touch with you all and find out what your availability is uh

195um in that in that week or so after the after their June 18th just in case. >> Maybe we just go ahead and say June 25th is a date that we were >> let's pencil that in >> sort of targeting. >> Thank you for that. >> Thursday, June 25th. >> Pencil that in and if you would let Lydia know um how that works for you and we'll do we'll do some work on that. Okay, Rachel, you want to keep going? >> Okay, next up is the trustees commission. >> Stop you in just a second. I just had a quick question about the 4 million because it names 33 schools, but all would all teachers get the four I think it said a $4,000 bonus, not just the 33 schools. >> This this particular one is

196not a teacher pay bonus. This is a district gets a reward for um >> having schools with higher achievement. >> Okay. >> Two different That's right. That one thing was the voucher. That's right. That's what I'm getting confused. >> That's right. Yeah. You're think you're right. You're thinking about the >> And I've worked in a state where like if the school got rewarded like all the teach only the teachers in that. So that's where my confusion was. >> This particular one um was something that was brought in my opinion to offset the impact of TISA. And by the way, if I'm not mistaken, we heard today 22 school districts qualified for this. Yes, sir. And so they take the pot and they divide it. 4 million is the max available based on the way that

197legislation was written. >> There when they originally passed it to in 2025, it was a rubric of um if you had 31 or more schools, you qualified for 4 million. And we did have over 31. And so that's why we were in there >> 31's us. It has to be 50% or more. >> Okay. Trustees commission. Um it's an annual item we look at it. It the calculation if anybody wants to know 2% of it is based on the property tax that the trustee office transfers to the district. Um 2%'s based on any interest on delinquent payments for property taxes. 1% is based on sales tax and then there's a $10,92 fee per month that has been in place I think for 20 at least 27 years this calculation it hasn't changed and so um

198in just projecting because the property taxes have come back higher and sales taxes come back a little higher I'm having to add an additional uh $300,000 to make sure that we do cover that expense we're pulling it out of that property tax collection that was over what was budgeted um but Again, it's $300,000. >> And Mr. Gabbert, to to your um uh regular point, this is not the total trustees commission. This is just to represent the difference in in in the the the increase in the projected amount compared to where we were at the beginning of the year, >> right? And I mean, if you if you look at the general fund balance over the years, it it just it shows you could you could track it with this the accumulation of of the trustee

199commission over, you know, 20 years. And that's where our $100 million fund balance is coming from at the general fund. So, >> no more questions or comments on that one. We will move on to our ESCO payment, which is um an annual debt service payment. Just a reminder, we started this program in 2017, and it is a 15-year project. So, we're in year nine of this project. And this was one of those items that the county um in looking at the budget and how to balance it was to forgive this. The reason you need to vote on it is that we have to give them the opportunity to do that because this is a requirement of us. And so we will assuming you approve this and you vote on it once it then goes to

200the commission at that point in time they can officially say that they would forego or wave and then they're looking at another piece of that was the esco payment for next year. Um the CFO for the county is working with their council to see that would be something on their end that they would do because it's not in this technically in this budget on how to word it. they do need this piece. Next up is additional insurance. Um adding to those two items, the liability and excess risk and building and content. So in this case, our premiums did go up as well as claims significantly this year. The premiums went up by about $600,000. Um and then we've just had an additional claims and so I would need to move um what you're seeing before

201you 2.4 million into these two categories and then to cover the cost of that. >> Did you anticipate this? >> This has also been anticipated. Yes. In the fund balance. Y >> this does not affect your projected fund. >> Correct. >> I will tell you just FYI um the risk management office has told us that the total value of our property exceeds their current coverage. And so they are working on some stairst step um u co cover coverage um changes over the next few years to address that. Okay. And then our last item um is related to additional student support service expenses. Again, it's hard to know exactly what's going to happen in any given year and so we budget as best we can. Um, this is an estimate again just to make sure that

202by the time we end the year, I have enough money in the in the funds to cover. Uh, comparatively speaking, this account um has needed anywhere from a million dollar to $200,000. It just varies depending on what happens in any given year. And so 200,000 would also um cover us. And I also accounted for this in the fund balance. So there's nothing that drastically changes any of that. And that's it. Thank you. Uh >> I can't resist going back and asking one more question about the trustee commission. >> What what is the remind us what the annualized number is? Let's just say what what what you have it budgeted as for the next budget year. >> Um 5 total amount >> 5.5 million. >> Any other questions? And just to be clear, the 5.5 million,

203just I know we've talked about this before, but it's it's really important to stress this, that shows up in the revenue that's available to us to spend on the work that the district does that we don't actually have use of. So when we talk about gaps in our budget, you know, what the public sees as a revenue number that we have available to us, it's actually 5.5 million less than that because that's immediately off the table. So does everyone understand the impact of that? Okay. All right. Um we'll move on to the one board policy that we have um on the voting agenda Monday, which would be the 4.202 child find and special education on first reading. I don't know who wants to take that one. >> Well, I I think my I don't know.

204Did y'all get a chance to talk about this about how we want to deal with this before your before? So, my my thought on this is is there I think the I think the changes that were proposed by Tony made it into this draft, right? Um, and so I guess I would I'd like to um I'd like to propose that we um that we move the I'm happy to discuss these um whatever, but I think the proper thing to do um would be to um move the first because it was on for discussion at the um at the policy meeting and we didn't have any um we didn't have any adjustments necessarily to to discuss. So the policy committee didn't actually bring this this language to the meeting. So rather than if we were going

205to bring it for first reading, it'd have to come blank like it would have to come before before the edits and it' have to be a motion to move it to make these adjustments because no there's no there's been no vote to get these adjustments there. So, we could do that and make this the first reading. Um, or we could punt to the policy committee. We could discuss these and bring them back in June. Um, and it would be a first reading. Then the problem Oh, I I don't think there's a a huge I mean, the problem there would be we wouldn't have opportunity for a second reading until August, which would be after the start of the school year. So, I just wanted to kind of bring that up to to get your feedback

206on it and I I guess I would defer either way. I I don't know if I have a strong opinion one way or the other. I mean, if you want to move forward with it now, we can. >> Well, let's or that just with that with that caveat, we can we can we can discuss it and then we can at the end of the discussion, we can kind of see what everybody feels like. Those are our two options. either to to to not bring it up for the for a vote on Monday or we bring it up and we've got to have a motion to amend the policy to include whatever language you you want at the at the first reading and it would it would still just be for a first reading, but whatever

207passed there would then go to the to the policy committee for June to be up for second reading. So, I'm I'm open either way. So we can if you want to if you want to just start with kind of explaining what you're what you're trying to do, we'll get some discussion. >> Yeah. So we this was um we brought this up last year and originally it was dealing with uh some of the uh laws for um getting the IEP reports in advance, all that kind of stuff. And that um I think we got adopted because it was part of state law changes and stuff. So that part um is is already been done. Those changes were already made. We vote on that. This was the bit about service logs. Last year our discussion with this

208actually right around this point last year we discussed it. Um I brought it forward. Um, we decided to kind of table it because they wanted to the administration kind of wanted to check into the digital aspects of it, what could be built for it to be done in in that sort of way instead of like um paper on Excel sheets, that type thing. Um, so we tabled it and I believe they've done some work on that and so, um, I I originally was planning to bring it back in the fall and then just gave it more and more and more time. Um, and then here we are now. I wanted to bring it back since it's been a year. Um, so service delivery logs these and it's paired down from originals because we did do

209some work on this last year. Um, so we've taken out any of the teacher aspect of it. So this isn't for special ed teachers. This is just for um, as you can see there, occupational therapists, physical therapist, speech therapists outline the students IEP. This is um, a service delivery log on the services they receive that are mandated in their IEP. Um, the reasoning for it is that it once again it gives accountability. um so the parents know that the students are actually receiving the services that they're supposed to be getting. Um and a log makes that very clear and easy to read. Um it also also protection for the district when those things are in doubt. Um and they can go back and provide the logs. Um and you can see where you know the

210students did receive their services is you know been a puts us in a in a lot of liability to not have something like that as a backup um if there's lawsuits and stuff brought. Um, so it just for me it's in the interest of transparency for parents and families that want to know this information and as protection for the district too uh when these sorts of conflicts arise. So that's kind of what's laid out here. um the basics of it although it seems heavily bulletointed there but it's really it's just the students name the provider name whoever is providing the service of it's an SLP you know who's providing the service for that student the date of the the service was done the start and end time because it's tracked by minutes in the IEP

211uh just a brief description of the service delivered so that would just be something as simple as if it's speech language services it would say speech language services. Um the location, so it's at their school obviously would be the the most normal one. Um and if they want to make any notes or comments, it'd be that would be an optional place. So we could probably put that language in there, but it's optional, not required. If they want to put it in there, they can. So that's kind of the basics of it. >> So Tony, I have a question for you. Yeah, >> I wasn't able to attend the policy meeting, but I listened on the phone >> and um >> I felt pretty I'm not in disagreement on documenting service, but I felt pretty strongly

212last time that if we had a tool or the district has a tool like Tennessee Pulse that we should give the district an opportunity to go back to Tennessee Pulse and see what they could do with the calendar feature and be and it sounds and Maria has been keeping me up to date. Um, she would email me throughout the year to let me know progress on that. So, I was really excited when she emailed to say Tennessee Pulse came back and said that they could possibly accommodate some of those requests. And so what I recall from the conversation at policy was that you were looking for more than just the calendar feature of like when the date of service occurred, but also like a checkbox that to indicate that the service actually happened. >> Were

213there any other features that you were interested in seeing if they could incorporate? Yeah, it's really it's just I I don't necessarily care what form it comes in as long as it contains this information. >> So, those are my biggest things that it's the student name, the provider name, the date of the service, uh time in, time out, the location, and if they want to put any notes in there. And um >> so my secondary question to you is >> they and Maria maybe I should ask you what was the timeline they were they saying like October potentially they could have something or >> so if we were to have them build the calendar feature where we could check off services done or not done that would be the end of October October 31st. Um

214we have met with them since the policy meeting again. um them being TM pulse and some of the things that were discussed in the policy meeting they're not able to build into that tool. So for example there were some asks that it pull into the progress report. Well they can't they can't pull it into the progress report um with what we were asking them to build. Um however uh we've looked at our progress report system within TN pulse and I think we can accomplish most of these goals using that tool. It won't be a calendar feature but it will list we can have our providers instead of just documenting when they collect data they can document each time they see the student. It will be an ask right to go in there and put that

215information in every time. But if that is what we feel like we need to do, I think we can make that happen. It will populate. They can enter the date. They can enter the name of the provider. They will have to put in the box a narrative of the start and end time. Um, and then they would have to put a a description, but it would fall under each goal. So, for example, if I had a speech and language goal, the times that I was seen for that speech and language goal would fall under that goal. Right? Does that make sense? So, you'd have the dates that that provider was saw the student to work on those goals. Um, and then like I already said, the name of the service provider and then they can

216add notes there as well. Um, data wouldn't be collected every time they're seen, right? Because we don't assess every time we work with a student, right? And so they there is a box there where we could check no data or student you know we could check that box and put student apps in for example um if they were out. Uh like I said it will be manual entry but I think it is probably of all the things we've looked at probably the least um labor intensive and they're using the same system that they use for progress reports. So we're not asking them to open up two different systems to log their data and their time if we if it's the will of the board to do a service log. So in that case though, would

217a parent So I I thought I thought one of the goals of at least in my mind of the calendar feature was that a parent would be able to see that calendar and kind of see when the services were scheduled and and so I don't have a strong preference, but it correct me if I'm wrong, but with what you just talked about, probably parents would not see that information until like an actual progress report was delivered. >> Yes. When the their standard delivery is every quarter. However, if a parent wanted to request it at the end of a month, they could, right? And that data could be generated and sent to the parent. We can generate it any time, right? um you can once the data has been put into the system you can generate

218um what's called a goal progress monitoring report and it would print out all of the data center. >> So then having heard that Tennessee Pulse can work on providing some of these capabilities where does that put you like what >> I'm my position is kind of the same. I was like, I I don't care what service it goes through or how it's done. I just the fact that it's done. That's my thing. So whether it's paper or it's in Tennessee Pulse or some variation in between there doesn't matter to me. >> Well, it's just a matter of timing because we if it's Tennessee Pulse, we would need to allow time for them to update the tool. And >> so we couldn't really put a policy in place that requires these things. because then they would

219have to use paper or something in the meantime. >> Yeah, which I would be fine with honestly. That's why I mean we've given it in my mind from the last time we discussed this, it was a I'm coming back at the beginning of the year for a solution and that was kind of where we left it. It's a year later and so I'm I'm not interested in kicking the can down the road a whole another year while we figure out what Tennessee Pulse can build this field or that field or whatnot. Do it on paper till you get it figured out. I mean that's >> I was going to say I agree with you on accountability. I was also just wondering, I listened to the policy committee discussion afterward and what I wrote was does

220this the timing make sense for the policy because it sounds like the staff listened to our previous comments and that they things are moving along with accountability working with the programmer and I think included some update in our budget related to this. So, I just didn't know if does it make sense to just ask for an update at a later work session and then decide if there does need to be a policy update because I I think we're missing some of the specifics if it's going to be on paper for a little bit. I don't think we want to keep editing policy. What we really want is for this to impact our students, right? >> I don't Well, I don't I don't see where this in the policy dictates any sort of mode that it

221has to be delivered >> in that sense. It's not like we're not asking for an app. We're not asking for it to be paper. Once again, I don't really care how it's delivered, just that it's delivered some form or fashion. And I'm just kind of unsympathetic to a year later kicking it down the can to well, let's start it next year. And then it'll be like, well, we don't want to implement it mid year, you know, because people can't take those changes and then we're into the 2728 school year >> and that's just totally unsatisfactory. >> I guess I hear you. I'd like to I'd like to understand where everybody else sits on on the on the desire to um because this kind of depends on whether we move forward with the policy now or

222not because so other cuz my preference would be if we're going to solve this problem um via a a tool um I'd rather not implement a new manual process to get us to change you mid year to to that. I'd rather just kind of continue with the current process and then we implement the new one when the when the new process starts. That that's just my preference and and I guess we can we can kind of weigh in there. Yes. >> If I can give a point of clarification. If if we do not build the calendar feature, we can begin this process at the beginning of the year with what we have. >> That's fair. That's So I I just want to clarify that if we build the calendar feature, that's what's going to take

223until the end of October. If we utilize the progress reporting system to include the log within that, we can begin that at the beginning of the year. >> So you basically just record everything as you do today. You're just recording more more data points for every service and no data collected. That's that's kind of what you're what you're going to be tracking. >> Correct. And if I'm not mistaken, Maria, that that would affect the timing uh and ease of parent access, right? Because the idea of the calendar feature was parents would have >> it really is the difference in being able to look at a calendar of when your services are >> scheduled versus being able to look at a log of when they were delivered. >> So if if our goal is the log

224of when they're delivered, we can start that at the beginning of the school year. Do we have an understanding of how many parents are interested in this? I remember Tony's early discussion about some students aren't old enough to say, "Oh, I went to speech today." Like it leaves a parent a follow-up, but some of our older students know their schedules, you know. So, do we is there you know that this is, you know, when we think about implementing it, our priority are students that maybe their parents they they are not communic they cannot communicate their schedules to their parents yet. you know, just if that's helpful as far as implementation. >> Yes. It's it's not so much about the schedule. A schedule is like hopes and dreams of what we hope is going to happen.

225A delivery log is that the the service was provided and that's where parents have the concerns and that's where they're not getting the information they need. >> But their student whether it's recall or projection, the student cannot be the source of the information. No. No. >> Okay, that makes sense. >> No. Yeah, I I I think sometimes we might be getting this is just how I see it, but we might be getting to the minutiae of it and I like that this is setting the standard and then we allow you guys the professionals to find out the procedure of how to do this um instead of us trying to decide the procedure on how to do this. But I think we trust you, but this is the standard. That's how I kind of see it.

226>> Yeah. I had a couple thoughts. Um, where does it show us that the service provided is satisfying a goal in their IEP? That that's just kind of one issue. We're doing this because it satisfies this requirement. Well, I don't want to speak for Maria, but and correct me if I'm wrong, Maria, but that that's handled in the IEP goals themselves. So, the goals you like you'll come up with the student qualifies for speech language services for whatever reason, right? >> And then they'll have goals around that specific the needs of that individual student. So, like, you know, if it's speech language therapy, right? And they're whatever the delay is or whatever, and you might have a goal that says, "We're going to work on the the wh that is, who, what, when, where, why,

227and how to communicate." And you'll have goals that are structured around that. Then in your progress reports, that's when you'll get the updates on those goals each quarter. >> There'll be period assessments of >> Yeah. the assessments built in cuz it might say like it'll have like whatever the certain goal is and the student, you know, three out of four assessments will have to score this much or better to assess the progress of this goal type of thing. >> And um and then that's how it's kind of tracked in there from a progress standoint. >> It can be tracked. Another topic, how do we currently handle a snow day? services are to be provided and then we have a snow day. Where does that get reported? Why a service was not provided? >> Well, and

228and that that could be included in this record as well, Maria, as I as I understand it, whether it's an absence or a snow day. >> Oh, yeah. Well, the student doesn't show up that day or there's a flood in the basement or something. There's a good reason, but when you go back six months or a year, you want to track things. Yeah. We had a we had a snow day so nobody got anything on that day. And the other question is the service provider when would they sign off that they actually did this at the time they deliver the service because their laptops are already open or do they do it at the end of the week or on a weekend when they're backdating to show everything they did that week? Maria, >> I

229think it would depend on the service provider and the amount of services that they have in the moment. If I'm an SLP and I'm on the floor working with three-year-olds, it's unlikely that my laptop will be open uh to be able to punch in that information, right? So, I think some will do it at the end of the day, some will be able to do it in the sessions. I think it will vary from day to day, but it will be the expectation that >> doing a digital signature will still have the date and time whenever it is the day that it was actually delivered or later when they're getting caught up on >> the the date in the system would be the date that the service was provided, not the date that it was

230typed in the system. >> Okay, >> I see a disconnect. You could have two different dates. The date that it's supposed to be delivered, uh the date it was delivered, and the date that you verify that it was delivered. You could have three different dates. >> Um not right. >> Yeah. I don't So each um provider, so an SLP or an occupational therapist, for example, they each have their own login to the system. And so there wouldn't be a digital signature per se, but they are logged into uh their TMPulse account. They go into that student's account, they go to that student's record, >> and they will be able to put in the date that they delivered the service. If the service was supposed to be delivered on a certain day and it wasn't because

231the kid was absent or uh the provider was absent, they can put in there the date that the service was supposed to be delivered and a note that says why it wasn't. Um >> so if they're not the same, you're able to see that anyway. >> I'm not sure I understand. >> Okay. I deliver the service on Tuesday. I'm supposed to deliver it on Tuesday. I deliver it on Tuesday. And now I go in to say that I delivered it on Saturday. >> So Oh, so your question is would would the record in TN pulse indicate when the data was entered? >> Yeah. The IP address, time, date, second. >> I don't know enough about how TN pulse works. >> It it would not come out on the printout the date that it was entered.

232I mean perhaps we could go back to like the programmers and things and look in the back end. >> Wait a minute. somebody wants >> when somebody >> I'm not asking for all that. >> No, no. Just to be clear. Just to be clear. >> Okay. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> So, Mr. Chair, if if I may I So, I just I'll leave it up to Tony if you if you want it on the agenda for first reading, then we're happy to I'm happy to do that. And so, all it'll take is a a motion to get on the agenda and then that'll just be the blank page. and we'll have we'll have this we'll have this ready and and and loaded assuming that you're that this would that you would like this to

233be your motion. But I think the the second motion will be to amend the policy to to this >> to add this in >> to add this blue section >> because it's not on the agenda now. >> It's on the agenda right now as a first reading, but what what Mr. Galbreth is saying is the policy committee has not reviewed it in this exact form. >> Oh, I see. So, it hasn't officially had first reading. So, it would take an amendment to treat it as first reading. >> Gotcha. Yeah. I mean, I'm fine with that. >> Okay. I just I I just want you to I just want to be clear about what's going to be what the mo like there. I mean, and I'm and I'm fine to even to tell Lydia to have

234have the have the current policy um in there as well as the proposed um proposed amended policy. Um, and we'll so so everybody can see it. They'll even it'll even be there um so that everybody can read it like this up on the screen. It just I I just want to be clear that when we when we vote on it, I'm trying to be consistent that um that the only thing that gets brought to to the board for the for the agenda from the agenda is what's been passed through the policy committee is all I wanted. >> Yes. Can you can you send it out to the board? I guess. Well, I don't know if that's necessary. >> No, it's fine. It'll be it'll be >> just be like this. I just agenda somebody being

235like, "Did we just get this tonight?" And did you talk about this before? >> You have it now. It's >> all right. I just You know how some people are at these meetings. >> Mr. Bostic, you're not you're not asking the board to work out logistics. That's for our administration to do. You just want this done. Is that correct? >> Yeah. I I I don't care how the form it comes in, whether it's Tennessee Pulse or it's uh a print off in the child's folder like that to me isn't important. I leave that to however they think the best way to implement it would be, you know, and to deliver it. My my goal is just that it's available and it's delivered and these are the points of of relevance to it that these are

236covered. >> Thank you. I think that's a reasonable ask. Miss Maria, do you think that this is something that you could put your stamp of approval on? >> Not to put you on the spot. >> Yeah, >> we're just asking. >> Um, I have a couple of thoughts that I would like to share if the board is okay with that. Um, I do I think it's doable. Um, I think that, you know, it's it's going to take time for our staff members to do it. Um, our SLPs, for example, have case loads of 50 plus. So, you know, it is going to take time, but uh I think it is doable. I just have a few suggested tweaks, edits if you're agreeable to >> and if I may, I think those are items that would

237would be pro proper and appropriate at policy committee. >> Yes, I agree. A second reading or something. >> Exactly. >> So, it's really more of a procedural question about this language. It's a lot to to read out as a I make a motion to amend as follows. So, is there a way to have that read in as the amendment without reading it verbatim? >> Yes, sir. We can have it loaded. Um, and and with with and and that may be a question for Bobby. Does it actually have to be fully read out? >> No. No. As long as we have a record of what the actual as long as we have a record of what the actual amendment says, we're good. So, it doesn't actually have to be >> But it has to be referenced

238in the motion somehow. >> Yes, absolutely. Okay. Okay. Uh approval of school board meeting dates. Mr. Golden. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Uh you all see the our proposal there. I want to mention two things. Number one, uh the board policies the board policy for meetings actually schedules these and the items there where we have a Tuesday are when those those days fall on holidays. So that that's our proposal. Second thing I wanted to mention is we heard from a few of you related to planning and so we actually extended this particular document through the end of the calendar year which happens to be November because we typically don't have December meetings. So this one has a few more months than what you have seen in the past so that it helps you with um

239planning before we transition to the next year. Jason, if I Yes, sir. If I may, I just realize um one thing that worked really well last year was to move the the January policy meeting to December. >> Oo, okay. >> If that's the will of the board, we'll do that. What? >> Well, January, sorry. >> So, January 4th was is the policy meeting. Um, what happens is if you wanted if you want any any revisions for the policy meeting, like you have to have those like the week of Christmas and then staff is out the entire those two weeks. And so it just makes sense to to have those just make it in December. So it just worked out, right? We we had to cancel the year before we had to cancel the the January

240meeting because we didn't have anything on it. So >> didn't have business. >> Well, no, we didn't have any time like we didn't have there. There were people suggested them things, but there wasn't enough staff time in between suggesting it and and so they just it's possible that we don't have anything on the agenda and we cancel it, but >> so it'll probably be December 7th. Um I'll do a double check and make sure that it's not the 14th, but chances are we'll set it at the 7th. >> I don't care. >> You don't care. Gotcha. >> Mr. Cash, are you okay with these dates? All right. Um, final item is approval of high performing school district flexibility act. Mr. Golden. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. There's been a law in place for uh probably

241a decade and a half that allows high performing school districts based on certain criteria to every three years approve the high the high performing school districts flexibility act renewal. That's what we're hitting that for this for this year. I will tell you just for practical purposes uh the tradition at the state level has been their general counsel has told the commissioner um don't make substantial approvals uh and I'm paraphrasing as well uh but what it has done as an example is allowed us to get approvals for our food service budget and our sack budget which does not include county government uh giving us tax funds to not have to go jump through two hoops. There may be some uses for it in the future. Uh it's possible that we we we may uh work at

242at some point in the future on some uh some innovative schools model that might need a that might need a a waiver or something like that. And so that so we do recommend approval so that we can maintain this status in case a need comes up. >> Out of curiosity, how many districts are designated as high performing school districts? >> I don't know the answer to that. Um >> I do not know the answer. be worse. >> Yeah, I might I might ping my peers and and and and ask ask them that. >> Does the state DOE have that information? >> I doubt they have it in a compilation somewhere, but they I'm sure they have the records somewhere. >> So, just be curious to know. >> Yeah, I'll I'll I'll see if we can

243find that out. Okay. Anything else from anyone? Okay, we're journ