WCS Board Work Session 2026-03-19

001All right. Good evening everyone. We will begin the March March 19th, 2026 work session for the Williamson County Board of Education. Thanks to everyone for being here. Let's first take a look at the consent agenda. Only two items on the consent agenda for this upcoming meeting on Monday. Any questions about either of those items? Okay, we will vote on those as written on Monday night. Now move into our superintendent report. Mr. Golden. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you board members. On the agenda, we have a screen time committee update presentation. And as I think the board members know, uh, our chair, Mr. Brown, had actually mentioned to you all that we anticipated because we are talking budget and a couple of other significant items, uh, that that, um, that there was a possibility

002the meeting could run long. And so based on the feedback he received from you, we are taking that off the agenda. We'll give you an update in April. For those of you working on the screen time committee, thank you for that work. Uh, one of the discussion points we had related to that is let's make sure we do it right rather than be driven specifically by a timetable, but let the timetable be a guide. Uh, we'll give you some more details related to that in April for the for the work they're doing. Uh, I did want to give you a couple of brief updates. No presentations in my superintendent report. Uh, but I did want to let you all know that I've had a request from a board member uh this week to give you

003uh an update on the library book structure uh and and the policies that we put in place this year, the parent optouts, the immature reading list, etc. And we will give you an update on that in next week by memo and then we will talk about that at the April work session and give you an update on the progress uh that's gone on this past year related to that. Um we gave you some numbers at the beginning of the school year related to those families who had opted out. Uh but we will make sure that we give you that update through the work that the librarians have been doing this year. uh based on that law covering that uh also I did want to mention to you that last year the state passed a law

004that certain threats that required outside law enforcement intervention uh would prompt a quarterly report related to them. Want to let you know the third quarter just ended right before spring break last week. We actually had zero threats that fit within that definition. uh we had zero threats that fit that definition in the second quarter. We had three right at the beginning of the school year. I think the late the last one was September 17th. Uh and uh and so we hope and believe that the that the proactive interventions of our school of our school administrators and our safety department, I know Mike Fletcher is here. Uh uh that constant work, that constant vigilance is is keeping that managed. But we also know that especially when it comes to safety, you cannot ever take your eye

005off it. It takes constant attention and constant work. So, Mr. Fletcher, since you're here, I did want to specifically thank you for the work that you're leading uh and and doing that. I tell you all that's a that's a constant worry uh of of all of us because you have that worry. No matter what we do, might there be something? Uh and so we constantly encourage families and students to let us know if they hear something almost to the point where that if you see something say something phrases become trit but there's value in that because that idea is in folks head. We actually had one uh one email that we sent the board uh earlier this week about a particular incident where a student recognized something just a discussion that was going on even

006outside of school that made them uncomfortable and that that gave an opportunity for parents to be aware uh and some appropriate interventions to be in place. Uh third, I did want to mention to you that we do have a committee working on the America 250 celebration and that committee continues its work. They actually have another meeting scheduled in April, but I want to get give you a just a brief thumbnail sketch of some of the things that they're working on. We're working on having a kickoff celebration late this school year, pretty much after TECAP and after the uh the end of course uh exams uh to let to let our students and our families know as they head into the summer that there are going to be some pretty great events going on during the

007summer for July 4th, etc. I know uh Miss Hipma, you and I mentioned that that we remembered 1976 when we were in elementary school. uh th those those celebrations we hope will stick with students. So there there will be some grab-and-go activities late this school year for students to celebrate uh our 250th anniversary in the fall. Some of the brainstorming items they're working on including opening game halftime shows uh involving our celebration potentially some things related to uniforms that we'll celebrate uh as well in-game recognitions as well. There there there has been a logo that has been approved by this committee just that we that we'll add in to to particular celebrations over the course of this year especially in the fall. Uh we also uh we we also uh have have been working on

008some arts events, choir events, uh a focus on the America's 250 celebration on those key dates that we're going to see in the fall, including 911, including Veterans Day. And so it's it's a really good work that's going on right now. So I felt like it was worth telling you all that that committee is is uh making some good progress on those plans. Again, um Mr. Chair, I told I told everyone it'd be brief. Uh certainly if you have any questions about what's going on as we have transitioned now to the fourth quarter, uh uh certainly open to any questions you all may have. Thank you for that. Any questions or comments for Mr. Golden? Okay, that might officially be the shortest superintendent report of all time. um operations report. Mr. King, >> I'll one

009up Mr. Golden. I don't have any updates this month, but if you have any questions, I'd be glad to answer them. >> Well, we're on a roll here. Can we add the screen time back? Um just kidding. All right, we will move to um the board chair report. And I don't have any report, but uh I know Miss Hibma is prepared to give us an update on some of the legislative activities activities that are happening in Nashville. >> Yes. Um so uh this afternoon I talked to Senator uh Johnson's office and the uh Senate Bill uh 328, which is about um enrollment from uh out like outside enrollment into the district. uh that was passed in the Senate, but there was an amendment to the language and that's the important part that I'd like every

010I'd like to share with everyone this evening. Um okay, so what it does, it requires that the school identify um what their capacity is. So the school district itself gets to choose the criteria for um what they deem is capacity in the individual school. So that gives us some autonomy on that and you can use your own metric um for example class size so that so that you don't have to worry that you have to enlarge your class size if we have stipulations on the class sizes for different grades. Um and um I I put down requires have a process for having an open enrollment period which we already do um you know with the regular um you know district enrollment. Um we can also charge tuition for students that are out of county um

011as well. And then there's four reasons to deny a non-resident student for enrollment. And the first one is because we just do not have the space available. Um that the student does not fit the criteria for participation. Um because they've been expelled or they have a history of um poor behavior. And then there might apply to us, but in some areas there's a desegregation plan um where you have to have a certain um ratio of different ethnicities in in a school. Um, so that's that was one bill that I know had a lot of attention um from our district and from board members. So I hope that um and so that was just passed in in the Senate part. So we still have to the House hasn't, but it looks like it's um it's going

012to pass. So um but I hope those amendments will um make everyone feel more comfortable about what's going on with that. Um >> Tanya, before you move on to the next one, w with those amendments, what are what is your thinking about that bill? >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I actually have not seen the the proposed amendments, but I will tell you generally speaking, it concerns me. Uh I will tell you there's another law that puts a cap on the tuition that we can charge. >> And it's limited it's limited to the local share. Uh so so it it does make me wonder there there there there has been some discussion and I've had some discussion with Representative Reeves who's on the K12 subcommittee in the house. Uh and and you know of course bills

013are considered at both the House level and senate level. uh and and he had told me that they were working on on evaluating that uh related to which TISA funding follows the student. Is TISA funding based on based on how they run the formula for us or is it based on where the student comes from? Uh and as of our last conversation that that question had not been resolved. Uh the discipline piece that I saw did speak specifically to expulsion, but our open zoning ru policy and rule uh uh allows a principal to return to school based on rules violations. Uh so if if someone is out of zone within Williamson County, they violate the school rules, they can get returned to their zone school. The the piece I saw did not give that much

014discretion. it was expulsion that that that would render the student not able to stay. So just generally speaking, I have some concerns related to that. You know, we've made it a point, especially in the last few years after the state passed the law requiring open zoning when you had capacity to open as much as we possibly could. Uh you may recall our discussion last month and the month before about high schools especially where some of our high schools were very close to capacity and yet we intentionally opened some space because we wanted to give students choice. Uh we're going to have to evaluate if this law passes both both houses uh both branches and and gets approval by the executive branch. We're going to have to look closely at that and and what we do

015long term. Uh from a from a numbers perspective in the aggregate, the practicality looks to be a challenge from my perspective because it allows you to set numbers and we do that based on building capacities. But when you hit a certain point in a particular school with a per pupil, we do need to add a teacher under the state regs. And so we're going to have to evaluate how many students might be coming in from MA County compared to how many might be might be transferring from another school. And it has the potential to add some complexity to it that it's that proverbial devil's in the details. So it sounds as if what she was describing on that the autonomy to set the thresholds on class size and so forth that theoretically if that additional

016child from out of out of county triggered a new class that we could say no >> potentially but we also have moveins. >> Right. So where where where's the line? When is the line? Uh so that the logistics of that may be tough. I will say the original the original version of the bill included included that discretion to limit. I'm just struggling with how we compare our open zoning internally to that. >> I think Donna was first and then you have a question. >> I I did and then I found the answer but I thought I would share with you guys. The House bill is 0349 if y'all want to track it on the website. So, >> and I tell you, I got to say this, Representative Reeves is is asking all the right questions

017uh in the in the research he is doing. So, I want you all know publicly I appreciate the work he's been doing asking questions about it. >> Has anyone talked about exceptional student athletes school shopping or the students with IEPs coming into our system? I haven't heard any discussion about that, but um and uh Mr. Cook, you may you may follow up behind me. It as I understand it, there's no per there's no legal way. If you open it up to differentiate between one or the other, that has to be neutral. >> Okay. Any other questions on that one? >> Okay. You want to go ahead? >> Okay. Sure. Um there's the well it's called the Ten Commandment Bill, but it's al actually the a bill that has the founding documents on it. Um that

018one did pass in the House on February 12th. And the Senate status that I'm aware of is it's still an educational committee um that was sent there on the 11th. Um but it's been deferred for now. Um we talked about open enrollment and then oh I'm looking on the back side. Um there's the Tennessee Religious Freedom Act, which is uh uh Senate Bill 1957 and House Bill 1834. And that one allows the board of education to include prayer in their public meeting. And that passed the Senate 32 to zero. And it place it's been placed on the calendar on um 3:17 for the House uh education admin committee. And um so that one looks like it has movement. The presidential fitness test um that has passed. Um and then then the other bill that um

019protecting religious liberty and expression in the public schools, that one is moving forward. There's a lot of components to that one. Um but it's still, you know, it's it hasn't um like it's moving but it nothing's been voted on and things like that. Um oh, and then the one for the IEP services, that one um okay, that one is House Bill uh 2327 and the Senate bill is 2055. So that one is talking about uh special education services and the proposed ledger legislation requires leas and public charter schools to allow a private pay provider who is under contract with a parent or legal guardian of a student with autism spectrum disorder or developmental delays who is enrolled in the LDA or public charter um school access to the student during the school day to provide

020the student with private pay services and one of my concerns was like background checks and things like that uh for that individual. And so the proposed legislation requires a private pay provider to comply with background investigation requirements and to provide proof of lensure certification and insurance to the LEA or public charter school before providing any services on school premises. Um, another concern I had was that if um, and this is an I believe it's in addition to the regular IEP that the student would already get. So, this is an additional service during the school day. So, it would pull them out of their regular classes. So, that was kind of an issue that arose from that. So, I don't know if you have any questions or comments about this particular one. >> Um, you you've

021touched on that concern about pullouts and scheduling, right? because of the because of the the precision that our teams work on on in scheduling student services. So, if that passes, my impression is it will prompt the discussion that would include that provider as well about when's the appropriate time. Uh, every student's unique, right? And so their the their services and the timing of their services are generally mapped out. So, that that has a potential to just add one more discussion point. Uh then we have um an interesting bill, the immigration status bill. Um the Senate bill passed earlier in the session and the House bill uh passed on March 16th, uh 70 to 25, but okay. Yeah. But this one here, but there's two different versions. That's what the interesting part was. So the So

022they're competing versions. So, the House is strictly a data collection version and the Senate uh that version is stricter with language that could authorize school districts to refuse to enroll undocumented students or cha or charge full tuition. So, what they're going to be doing now is the bills are heading to a conference committee where members of both chambers will try to compromise. So, um anyway, those are the bills that I highlighted for tonight. So, any other questions on anything? Thanks for following those and doing the research. Um, any comments or questions from anyone on the board or Mr. Golden? Any feedback on any of those from a district perspective? >> I don't have any any anything additional. >> All right. Thank you again, Tanya. >> Okay. We'll move on to new business and uh several

023items here for Miss Farmer to walk us through on the budget. Let me just say at the outset, thank you uh as always. Um this is a lot of work. We say this every year, but it's a lot of work and you've been consistently over the past few months giving us updates and previews and preparing us for this. So, we're grateful and let you take it away. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. and I would volunteer to continue the trend. If y'all want to make this the fastest budget, we can do that, too. No. Um, thank you for your kind words, but uh I get to be the voice of the budget, but there are so many people um that are working on this and have worked so tirelessly. So, thanks to everybody. And we are

024going to dive in. what you have on the table in front of you. You will have an update updated copy of the budget, but then there is also a copy of the PowerPoint that I'm going to present so that you can take notes or um I didn't want you to have to worry about trying to take a picture or um that kind of thing, but we will also email it to you um when this is over. So, you'll have a digital copy as well. Um we're going to go through the packet that you have in front of you section by section. Uh the very first few P pages are just a summary with the high points and we're going to cover most of those in this conversation tonight. So feel free to um you know

025look back over that. But again, we'll hit most of those. The first section starting on page five that we'll look at is enrollment. Um not a lot's changed since February in this regard. And so we're still looking at um a reduction from actual first month to what we're projecting for the school year. And again, we use these numbers as we're looking at our staffing standards and how we actually hire um our staff. So that's why this matters. Does anyone have any questions on that page five? >> So Mr. Chair, if I may add to that, you see those numbers, the K12 current to K12 projected is actually 22 students different, slight decrease. Uh the preK and early childhood current, just as a reminder, we we use acronyms. Dr. Driggers, I know you've spoken to acronyms.

026PreK is voluntary prek. It's a program that we have uh for students based on some qualifications that the state has. Our EC is our early childhood program which you often hear uh referred to as special education prek. Uh so that one is is a tougher number to project um based on a process that that the state calls child find where they identify students with disabilities, children with disabilities actually at age three. So we start serving uh children with disabilities at age three and that's that 555 number represents some of those. You can see that 730 now is current. The moment a child reaches the age of three we have that responsibility to serve. So that number tends to go up over the course of the school year and finish at a higher number substantially higher

027number than when we started because of those three year olds reaching the age of three. So go ahead, Rachel. >> If we have no questions on that, we'll move on to uh personnel. Staffing standards um are on pages 7 through nine. There was only one small tweak to the staffing standard and it's on the bottom of page seven related to strings where it was added that if uh enrollment reaches 1400 at a school, it goes from a 0.5 to a 1.0 uh for strings and that was the only change in the staffing standard. So, I didn't put a slide in related to it, but if you have questions on the staffing standards, um, please feel free to ask them. >> Once again, I want to mention one item just to call your attention to this.

028You see the the staffing standard reduction on general ed elementary school teachers. Uh, we have seen the trend these last few years of a slight increase in high school and middle school numbers with a decrease in elementary and that number reflects that. The high school reduction is actually based on a refocus on staffing standards that it's four gen four gened high school teachers among 11 high schools. So it's not a statistically significant number, but that 22.8 uh elementary school teacher number does reflect that reduction in enrollment. >> Can you speak to how many of these reductions are actual people versus just on paper? If I if I may, Miss Hall, if you would speak to that. >> Thank you. We don't anticipate that it will be people just because of natural attrition and so we're

029working through that process now based on the draft PCR. >> There we go. Um, these staffing standards and like how were these generated? Is is this from a schoolboard policy? Did a previous like I don't I just don't know where they came from. >> Yeah, it's a it's a combination. Part of it is state requirements uh in the regs. For example, the elementary school those numbers are strictly based elementary teachers strictly based on state regs. Uh and it's b been based um the the additional ones that are not particularly state regs are based uh over time on us identifying needs. For example, counseling standards. Uh there have been some times over the years where those have changed. Uh so we actually if I'm not mistaken you all did not propose any changes this year to

030the staffing standards um um largely because of because of budget. We did not identify a need. So it's a combination of of requirements plus evaluation. Generally speaking the assistant principal ratios are are us uh that we've we've made some recommendations over the years for that. uh and librarians actually happen to be the state requirement. So it it does vary from from spot to spot uh for that document. Once you get past the staffing standards on pages 10 through 13 is the summary of what we call the PCR, which is the position control report. And again, this is all of the full-time equivalent positions that we have that are budgeted for are represented in this document. And what you see on the screen in front of you and what Mr. Golden was already referring to are

031we had reductions and then we also had an addition and had additions. And so on the third page of that summary, you you'll get to the net effect. But um we had staffing standard reductions, but then we also when we came back after February and had serious conversations about budget, one of the items that Mr. Golden challenged us to think about was that if we had a position that was became unfilled or was currently unfilled, did we need to rehire it? could we look at taking those um duties assigned to those particular individuals and reallocating them out to other staff that we already had on on our books. And so that's what you see on the right side is reduction in personnel other was where we had or expecting to have an opening and we

032have elected to not. >> To use vernacular, I said something along the lines of if we've been getting by without this position, can we continue to get by without it? uh lose an assistant principal. Um uh let's see I think that was that was based on the staffing standard um that the in the aggregate uh a school dropped below one of the lines on our staffing standard and another school did not go up by that amount. >> I'm sorry for assistant principles we actually had a one and unassigned back down. So that's that's the one. >> The second um slide you see then are the additions and it's the same additions related to staffing standards on the left and then um true additions this year that were for new um needs or new things. And

033we've talked a lot about the innovation center and the excitement we have behind it and knew that we were going to need to staff that. And so what you see in those additions are um five staff members related to the innovation center. Then we also have um a transition teacher to be added. And then there's the need there was growth related to special ed bus needs and so to attendance. So those are the new positions um that were not related again to the staffing standards. So the net effect ended up being a total reduction of 28.9 positions full-time positions. FTE is a full-time equivalent whe that's the positions and do we have any questions on that once you get past the summary um there is the detail by school and that's what our principles are

034chomping at the bit to to be able to see because then that lets them know what that staff um requirements are going to look like for them. Just a something to think about. I know um within retirement we have a person that helps go through that retirement process and she's been meeting with people and so at this point we already have over a hundred retirees. So speaking back to um what Miss Hall was saying we're not looking at actually losing people through attrition we should be able to um make those adjustments. And just as a reminder also uh the document we gave you answering board member questions included some uh some some rates. I think that one of the questions was related to the teacher retention rate. I think we're at 90% this past year.

035So when you factor that when you factor those numbers in with retirements and moves um you all anticipate that each one of those ought to be covered. Can can you guys for historical purposes go back to last year's budget and what the year-over-year reduction in FTEES was so we can just kind of see over cumul cumulatively over two years what we're what's happening with our net redu net reduction in >> Ranger you're going to look at >> it was it was right at 36 but I'll look it up for sure. >> Okay. So roughly 65 reduction of 65 FTEES over two years kind of commenurate with that flat or lack of growth. >> That's correct. >> Yeah, >> I was wrong. It was 34.6. So that was the actual number. Close enough. Anything else we

036want to talk about on the PCR, the position control report? >> Um, just as a reminder also, and I'm going to probably say that multiple times. I already have tonight. About 85 86% of our budget is people. Is that is that pretty close? >> We're gonna have a slide on that, but >> Oh, okay. Sorry, I'm jumping the gun. Go ahead. Okay, we're going to now move on into the uh general purpose school fund, the meat of it. And uh that begins on page 34 in your packet. Revenue. We haven't talked about revenue um because we didn't really know a lot of information. And so I'm going to very briefly hit um the big buckets. Sales tax. Um we are on track with the 3% that we estimated this year. And so we're using that

037same as our um go-to for next year, a 3% increase over actual for this year. And that would is would would give us an additional 4.3 in revenue property tax um following the same thought process and is a 1% increase over um this year. And again, that would this is a little bit better number than what we had in February. was able to get the county got um the next update and it looked the numbers were a little bit better and so that gave us an additional increase over last year of 3.6 million. Tissa was the one we really had no information on when we met in February and we did um get our first full estimate and based on that estimate we would have additional funds of 3.9 million coming in from TISA and

038I have a slide that I want to show you on that in just a second. So overall, our revenue over last year would be an increase of 12.3 million. And so we're looking at total budgeted revenue of 526 million. And the other things, this is the bulk of it, which when I go through the rest of the slides, you'll see why I'm saying that, but um those are the big the big chunks that you see in front of you. I'm going to go ahead um and tell you. So, when we got the estimate for TISA, I will be sending you the letter so you have it and can send you each letter as we get them. Um, they did increase the actual base and that was the piece that we weren't sure of. So, at

039the top where it says amount weighed 7,530 that was what the base increase to this year as a comparative last year, and when I say last year, this is the year we're in currently in, but budgeting purposes, um, it was 7,295. And so, um, that's why I was able to come back and increase that number. >> So, Rachel, I I want to emphasize and re-emphasize that base 7,530 is not received by us. >> It is not. This document is misleading in that it talks about the base amount that predates all the reductions uh in the divisions based on state share versus local share uh fiscal capacity etc. But it is their starting point on per pupil >> and that's what you see on the rest of the screen. The very top is the base. It's

040on the first page of the letter. The second half or section most se large section there is later in the letter that you'll get a copy of and it does show the actual calculation. And so that's that 3070 split. Again, this is not 3070 between the state and Williamson County. It's cumulative statewide. The state's going to cover 70% for everything for the state and then the counties are expected to cover 30%. And because of our physical capacity being higher, we cover more than our actual percentage of students that we have. And so that's that 6.74 that you see um in section two. That number for physical capacity, if there's a change to it, we will not actually get that number probably until May at the earliest. It could be I mean April at the earliest,

041it could be May. So we're just going with what we had um based off of the the letter that we received. So there could be changes. There could be changes up or down either way. Um but the bulk of the difference was that base increase from 7295 to 7530 if you carried it out. I put over on the side to give you an idea of 299 million comparative to 305. So you would think, oh, we're going to get six and a half more million dollars. It's really once you do go through the whole calculation, it's more. It's a little bit under four million. And that just kind of gives you an idea of what that 7030 split in the fiscal capacity does. >> So the key number that Rachel uses in this particular document that

042she'll that she will forward to you and again that they update from time to time as their projections change is that second to last number that state funding uh excluding postsecary test. That's what she bases her state revenue on. And so when you're also looking at that down at the bottom then that current year your your total is 325 million. We know that our budget is nowhere close to 300. It costs a whole lot more than 325 million to actually uh fund what we do or what any school does. Not just our district. This is the way it is for everybody. But that's why >> so to give you an sorry >> just many of the local that's why our local they they pay a whole lot more than what's on this >> to give

043you an idea of that um our our per pupil expenditure uh that the state gives us reports on hovers around the 50th percentile statewide. Uh and if I'm not mistaken we're around 12,500 to 13,000 per >> view. That's the last we have. They have not posted the newest I look today. >> That was last year's number. The base was in the $7,000 range and the average per pupil expenditure was in the 12 to$13,000 range statewide. >> So Jason, are you are we talking about special ed? Do we have that in the pack in the presentation or we we I can save it till later. I just want to talk about because average isn't isn't like >> Thank you. Thank you for that. So the the and Rachel, I'm going to ask you to put some

044detail on that based on Mr. Galver's question. This particular document shows base and weights. Special education services are included in weights based on unique learning needs. Uh so Rachel, can you speak to that? >> I can and I don't have a slide that shows it. You'll see it in the letter. So there's 10 unique learning needs. There's also economically disadvantaged and impoverished that come into that calculation. And what this particular um what you can see is that weights funds generated that column that's related to those unique learning needs. Um and honestly when you go through and you look at what's the total in their calculation of hey this is what you should get related to um special education. What we actually end up getting is that local contribution total that says 34.9 million. That is

045about what's calculated in that formula of what before the 7030 split. That's before the split though. So afterlit >> So after the split we get $10 million >> and I So I know I'd like to talk about that. I just want to before we before we move on I just want to make sure that like just hold in your in your mind we get $10 million from the state for >> related to special education >> and is there but but that's really that's all the weights that's not just special. So >> that has a few other things in it. >> And um and is there >> the the federal dollars are not on this slide, right? >> It is not. And so within the general purpose budget, you're not going to you'll see about a

046million dollars worth of federal that's not necessarily related to um special education. Some of it is, but not all of it. We have a separate fund that is our 142 federal funds. And this year was about $10 million in total what we received through federal related to special education. Anything else we want to talk about Tissa right now? So this slide um just kind of gives you again an overall feel for the state versus local versus federal, what's in the general purpose budget and then other. So as you can see um again the local percentage is 63%. The state is a little bit higher this year than what it's been. It's we normally run 66 65 33 somewhere in there. It's higher, but that's because that base went up on um Fertisa. And so federal

047again it was so it was such a small number. It was 0 29% is why it's showing as zero. And then other comes into that may be rebates we get. It could be donations we could we get. It could be the fees that we're charging for facility use. like that's the revenue um when you see that 2.8 million but that's in a nutshell the pieces of the pie related to our revenue. >> I just wanted to ask to confirm the earlier conversation about the outside enrollment bill. So I think that's what you were saying Mr. Golden about when we understand how much money we would get for those students is which local are we considering how much we get per student or how much they get in their home county. >> That's right. >> Okay.

048Okay. I just want to understand >> and generally speaking because of the fiscal capacity formula we receive less here >> per student okay compared to most >> compared to most counties >> right definitely our surrounding counties >> um I'm trying to remember MNPS uh they're they're they're affected by the fiscal capacity as well >> very similar to our impact. >> Okay, gotcha. >> Yeah. Um, so, so statistically speaking, they're they're in that they're in that same boat as us. >> Okay. >> It's the same. It's it's going to be them. It's going to be Sevir County, Knox County, um, Shelby County. Those areas tend to have a higher fiscal capacity >> just because they're the metro areas, which would make sense. >> Okay. >> But the other ones, yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay.

049Michelle, are you ready? You getting ready to move on to the expense side? >> I was. >> Okay. Let me let me just give you all a preface related to this. So when we presented our draft February projections, we projected a 39 or so million dollar gap at the time based on the information we had before uh Rachel adjusted revenues based on new information and we made some some cuts that we presented to you about two weeks ago. uh with this budget that you're looking at today uh a portion of of that well that gap has basically shrunk to 20.1 million so 19 or so million dollar shrink part of that is based on her projecting increased revenues part of that's on the expenses so as we close out the revenue portion Rachel can you

050give an estimate of how that gap is closed with an increase on the revenue side >> um yes sir and there will be in a little bit let's Come back over here. I had a slide on it that actually shows. So our um additions to revenue totaled 3.8 million. So that's the difference in just revenue that you can see from the February budget to March. >> And that's from bumping up property tax and sales tax projections. >> Correct. >> And the increase and the percentage increase in TIS. >> Tissum. all the little tweaks. >> Okay, we're ready to move on then to expenses. So, this slide was in your February um packet. I'm just putting it back in here. So, when you're reviewing on page 34, you have four columns listed last year actual um

051current year original. So, this is the budget you approved. Current year original will be the budget you approved and then current year revised budget. Why do we have revised? And most of it is related to grants or funds that we got from the state. So, I just wanted you to understand how we got from 562 to 585 in those two columns. Um, and again, we talked about that, so I'm not going to spend a ton of time. I just wanted to remind you. Um, so the to get to the meat of it, we've always talked about the operational expenses versus personnel expenses and then total. And so, we break that down into those two major buckets. And so operational expense-wise in 2526 you're seeing at the top this was the budget for last year total

052of 562. 81 million of that was related to operations. And so in this year's budget we came through and we've cut 4.2 million out of operations to get down to proposed 77 in operations. Same thing looking at personnel. We started at 480. We're going to have the experience role each year. So that's that 4.1 million. Um, and that's both professional and classified. And then the raise that the county proposed. So, let's go back to that and just remind you when the budget committee met for the county, they gave a few directives. Um, one of which was to include a 4% raise for all employees. One of which was to reduce for the county departments reduce their operations by 5% which we don't technically have to do, but we try to follow. They also said the

053same thing. if you have unfilled positions, um, re-evaluate those. And so those were the same things that we looked at when we went through. And so to give you an idea, that 81 million that was last year, if we reduced it by 5%, that would have been 4,9.99 851. What we actually did um when we finished was we were at a reduction of 5.14%. So, we've met that requirement even though we weren't required to, we felt like that was the right thing to do. Um, and coming back to the commission because we knew and Mr. Golden has made it clear. Um, we can't do that raise if we don't get additional revenue. Um, he said it from the beginning and so we wanted to do everything we can to show in good faith we're trying

054to follow what you're telling us to do. So, going back then to u Mr. Golden's statement earlier, operations this year is 13.66% 66% and then um personnel is 86.34. So little bit of shift. Last year it was more 8515 and we're now looking 8614. Thinking about that, I want to go on and we're going to talk a lot about expenses. I'm not I'm not going to breeze through this, but I do want you to keep in mind, too, I said we cut 4.2 2 million out of operations in total. But y'all, we also added $5 million in textbooks. We had to liability insurance and content insurance on our buildings. And that's something that the county through risk management does for us. We don't negotiate those prices. Had to increase it. And then we had the

055innovation center which um it's going to come with cost. Anything new comes with those cost. So we added that on top of those cuts. So, a lot of work, truly a lot of work went into that. So, the next question to me was obviously um what are those, you know, what does that look like? What what are we cutting? And >> and Rachel, let me just reemphasize that that 4.2 million is a net reduction. Even with those increases, >> even with those increases, >> we didn't just cut $4.2 million out of our operations budgets. We cut substantially more than that because we knew had we had those additional expenses coming. >> And I think I need to, you know, tell y'all me saying it, but think about what I'm saying. When we left the meeting

056last month, we knew we couldn't come back in here and say, "Okay, we need $39 million." So, what this looked like for us was getting in uh Mr. Golden's office together for days and we literally went back through the entire budget line by line and his I'm going you may want to say it yourself but I'll say what he told us is he's like is it mission critical is this something that we have to have does this directly impact students and then is there anything that we can postpone or we can push off and we went through line by line so when I said I'm not going to breeze through this this is literally everything I'm throw throw some things up here, y'all. There are hundreds of things that we went through and cut in

057every department. And this is from transportation to HR to special ed to maintenance to finance. I mean, all across the board, we went back through and said, is it missionritical? And how is this directly impacting our students? And can we back off? You go, okay, well, they didn't need it. Wrong. I I mean, I cannot say that enough. I will get fired up about this one. that is wrong. We needed all these things, >> but our priority was we want to make sure we're doing right by our kids. >> So, so a couple of examples and Dr. Well, Dr. Driggers actually has a question. I'll save my examples. Go ahead. >> Before we get too far from slide 10 on the um innovation center and the entrepreneur center, how much money do we get from

058donations, grants, corporations? Do we get any money to help with that? We have gotten some because uh Dr. Qualls um you know uh for the last year and Chris Schneider for the last year or so have been have been seeking that help. So we've gotten some inind donations from some corporations. We've entered into some partnerships with corporations. Uh and those of you who visited uh the the ribbon cutting or the the uh >> groundbreaking >> Thank you. I had to do the dig the the the >> Thank you. the the the groundbreaking uh had specific corporations mentioned. So we we have gotten a lot of that. Uh that helps that helps fill in some gaps. Dr. Qualls, I don't do you have any the any numbers off the top of your head. >> This doesn't

059count against my budget time. I can't get it to work. Is this working? Okay. Uh thank you for the question. Uh we have it has fluctuated right through time. We started uh five years ago and got told no quite a bit now that it's actually built that has picked up some steam on inind and some financial donations. Uh off the top of my head, we have a couple of grant opportunities with Caterpillar coming up that we knew uh going into this that we would get that would equate to I believe $50,000 annually. So that we're going to start with that on some uh which which those things have to be used for tools and equipment in that program. Uh there have been some offsets on um some of our staff like TCAT has provided an

060instructor. So, that's that's gotten our staff number reduced for for savings as well. And uh we still uh have plenty of businesses circling. We haven't we haven't inked any deals yet on significant numbers, but we've had plenty of opportunities. And I I do feel very confident that more uh financial things will come our way. >> Um so, when we're out in the community, we should still beat the bushes. And I'm thinking In-N-Out Burger. >> Always. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Well, it's funny that you mentioned In-N-Out. Um uh James Remitti, our food service director, has always already made contact with him and so we're already having a dialogue. Uh that's about all I can say. He actually showed up as a customer uh to to start that conversation. >> What's our enrollment numbers for um that?

061I mean, we are the kids expressing interest in it. Are they signing up? >> Uh, it's been unbelievably great. Uh, I know Chris Schneider probably has those numbers and Dr. Calls, you may have those numbers off the top of your head. >> You know, may I'm going to round up and bellish for good sake, but I'm going to ask Chris to come up and get a official count. We >> Jeremy does preacher count. >> Yes, I do. Um, we are at uh our max capacity is 525 at the IC. The EC is 280. Our wait list at the EC is lengthy. We will stay at capacity for the foreseeable future. I don't ever see that going down. But would you like to give a count for program by program? >> Sure. Um our total applications

062we like you said we have an enrollment cap at 525. We had 505 apply. Um in each of our programs we had 205 out of 200 for our aviation program. We had 77 out of 100 for our cyber security and artificial intelligence program. We had 120 out of 40 for our advanced power and machinery. Wow. >> We had 29 for our fire management 12 positions. We had 12 positions for fire management. We had 29 apply. And then for our hospitality, tourism, and culinary, we had 71 apply for 75 spots. >> That also doesn't include we have some late applications that have come in that they're they're coming through. We were hoping for 50%. It looks like we'll be starting at 100% with 800 kids daily going in and out of that campus between the two

063facilities. >> It's scary and exciting at the same time. >> We haven't opened the doors for that, have we? >> And so we haven't even opened the doors yet and they're still Wow. >> That's right. >> And one last thing, we've already won some awards for the building from architecture standpoint. >> I don't want architectural awards for buildings. We need to keep it cheap. >> Okay. We we didn't pay for that by the way. That was a grant. >> So that was my question. Remind me how much money was secured in grant funding for like the building and the startup. >> 15.5 million. And hypothetically speaking, if that were were to have come in under budget, would we get to keep the extra dollars or do those go back to the state? >> We have

064four years basic. They they rolled it out an additional year for an extension. Uh we have five years to spend every penny or it's gone. We don't worry, Mr. Brown. It's it's it's gone. The pennies are gone. >> I have no doubt. Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you for that. Does that answer your questions? Thank you. >> Uh Mr. Mr. Chair, I know Rachel was in the in the process of talking about expenses. Uh I wanted to give a couple of examples of things we've done. You see food served at meetings. Uh we will sometimes some of our professionals will will gather and have a working lunch. Uh basically that's an example, a relatively small example of us saying no, we're going to do lunch on our own. We can get by without that. Um

065so so that's that's on the small side. Uh on a on a more significant side uh um based on the conversation we had last month uh um we we looked very closely at the textbooks uh and I know Dr. Johnson you had asked questions about that. This particular budget includes deferring the elementary uh uh social studies textbooks to the next budget year uh based on our professionals discussion. So we reflect that. Uh we had questions about computers that includes us not purchasing uh new devices for K2. Uh so that's the other end of the spectrum from the from the small things just a a meal here and there to uh to those large ticket items that are in the millions. >> So Jason um I mean I I really do appreciate y'all. I mean I

066I mean it's playing games with a >> Yes. >> with with you know three card money, right? So, uh, I mean eventually you you got to you got to pay up, but we'll just kick it down and next year and we'll have this fight next year. I'm still waiting for that for that year that's not tight for you to uh to do the to to do a couple of things that we would that we've been putting off. But, um, when when you think about pushing off the the elementary, um, what what's the next what are we what are we purchasing in in next year's budget? >> Our our proposal in in in next year's budget is to purchase the secondary schools, middle school and high school. And that's the 5 million plus that Rachel mentioned.

067The total cost for the social studies textbooks is 9 point can't remember the can't remember where where we are but the idea would be we would flatten out that budget expense among two years >> but what's the what are we what's this what cycle is the the year after >> oh the year after the year after Dave I can't remember two years >> yes sir it's CTE and uh world language small adoption >> yeah so that'll be that'll be smaller so it'll be it'll be kind of normalized it should be >> kind of flat as opposed to happen relatively small this year and a big spike it'll level it out. >> That's right. >> And that's part of our thinking. It's been close to every other year we have the large the large adoption. Uh

068they they they have the state has traditionally TDOE has traditionally done a seven-year adoption cycle, but they've actually expanded that the last few years and and pushed pushed uh they pushed ELA an extra year, they pushed science an extra year, social studies. So we anticipate if they continue to do that, this will give us an opportunity to flatten out the budget a little bit annually rather than have those large spikes and drops. Now to your point, some of this is kicking the can. Uh some of it is actual cuts, some of it's deferral. Uh and so we really tried to use every every tool available to us. Is there a what's the likelihood that we're that we're able to able or not able to to have those books available for um for the fall for

069the elementary students? >> Dr. Allen, can you speak to that? >> Unlikely if not impossible. So, we'll have to have plans for the elementary. Now, what the reason we made that conscientious decision to go ahead and and push that back is there's very there's there's uh much fewer standards related to social studies um with those with those age groups. So, we'll have to be strategic about how we make sure that teachers have the appropriate materials. Um but there will be a delay. We won't be able to get them for the first day of school. >> So, are you going to have to in the in the interim, are you going to end up using our current OE what do we call it? OEER. >> Short answer is yes. Dr. Allen, can you speak to that?

070>> It'll Yeah, I'm sorry. Jen is over here whispering things. Jen, do you want to just speak to that because actually you're probably more appropriate person to talk about it. >> Yeah, actually, uh, thank you very much for the question. And really, the answer is we don't know yet. We know that it is possible that if we're able to say to a publisher, this is what we've selected for elementary we're going to purchase once July 1st rolls around. We know we will not have physical materials. Very likely won't have physical materials. Is it possible that we'll at least have access to teachers digital resources? Maybe. And so the teachers can begin using that on a limited basis with classrooms. We really just don't know until we reach that point. >> I guess I'm going to

071call this one a like I really don't want to do it. Um, we're kind of being our hand is being forced. And I appreciate you trying to find three or four million dollars where you can, but it it makes me mad that we have to that we have to I mean, I think they the the county commission needs to know that in doing this they're they're causing our teachers extra work and our students are getting are not getting the education that they deserve because we're trying to be cheap. So that's that's the bottom line. It's well well stated. >> All all things being equal, I mean, we're going to go the into the 2728 budget year budget planning process >> in the in the red again. >> That's correct. >> With there's no way around

072that. >> So it's really just a question of how much and there's no way to really sit here and project what that number would be, right? I mean it >> not necessary. say not necessarily. We know that um so a lot of our contracts that we do have may have built-in 3% or 5% increases um when we negotiated the contracts. We know that with any raise that's going to be you know obviously a percentage increase. So could we project out? We could um just a guesstimate but that would be a guesstimate only. Again, the raise, I will say this, too. We have never done a raise that the uh commission hasn't said go forth with a 5% request, go forth with a 2% request. We have followed. So, depending on what they would say, I

073that's looking into a crystal ball of what could happen in the future. The only reason I bring it up is because the board's going to be sitting here uh and some of us in the room won't be on it and some will, but um the board's going to be sitting here a year from now having the same conversation. Um and the number is going to be determined by what we do or don't do here. And so whatever we cut, we're pushing off something we know that the district's going to have to spend money on, we're pushing it off to that next discussion a year from now. So, it's not like we're getting rid of the discussion. It's going to happen. It's just going to happen 12 months from now and somebody else is going to

074be having it. >> That's That's right. Now, the only the only maybe not that is actually my biggest worry is we're presenting the commission a budget this year to your point that's still in the red. If we don't receive additional revenue from the county or andor the state, we won't get our budget passed and we're going to have to come back and discuss it again. You all remember we had to do that last year. Uh and that's the time when the county commission found a way to close the gap by changing the projections on property tax revenue. >> Uh so um >> the best the best case scenario is what is what you just articulated >> to that point that raises another question. It is this based on 92% or is it based on a

075higher number? >> It is based on 94 which is what the county said to go ahead and do again. Okay. >> It was a one time fix last year. adjusted it one time last year, but now that's that one time fix is gone. So, we would have been even further behind if we had gone back to 92, >> right? >> And I'm not trying to beat a dead horse, but I know some of you are looking at this and going, some of these things was overdone to start with. And again, what that looks like, anything from mileage go, well, they don't need to get paid for my what we send people out. I'm going to talk about my department because that's what I know best. Um, I have someone who works with the 52 bookkeepers.

076So, when they have issues, she'll go visit and she gets mileage when she travels from school to school. We're already having these conversations of instead of you going, it may have to be a online, which you can do some of those things, but sometimes the inperson because you can actually physically see what they're looking at and that kind of thing. We're making concessions, it's putting more things on our people. So even though you go h it's mileage that has an effect um and again I'm speaking but every department had the same conversations um all of it contracted services I we elected to cut something that we've had for years that is a resource to us um just because it is it mission critical does it directly affect students it affects us we can get information

077but we're going to have to go dig for it it's not going to be provided to to us, okay? But that's just responsibilities on people. So, I just I I will beat this one to death in that these cuts hurt and they hurt every department. There wasn't one department that came in and said, "Hey, we're going to save you. We've got it." That didn't happen. And this whole room of people, there were a lot of heated discussions. And I don't mean heated in a bad way. We're all very passionate about what we do and how we do it. And so, it took a lot. So, a lot of a lot of what was cut were are some of those things that make the work easier. >> Correct. Resource materials where we subscribe to things and

078say, "Okay, it comes to us. Okay, next year I've got somebody I'm going to have to assign that your job is now to go to the Department of Education website and you're going to have to look for these things." Um, again, can we do it? We can, but that's just a different responsibilities added to people. some of this I and I said, you know, maybe it's a good exercise that we really re-evaluate what we have and what we're doing and how can we do it differently. And so, um, you know, sometimes there's growing pains and is this painful? It's painful. Um, but we've made the decisions that we felt like again, we want to make sure that the money is left for our people and how and the direct services to our students. And and

079to Rachel's point there, it also did lead us to some discussions about some potential long-term longer term analyses. Is there is there some work we need to do to to to look at how we provide services and and and and look at other models uh that might be that might be less expensive things that might have an impact on us two three years down the road. But these are these are cuts. The the reality is and Rachel may close with this. So, I'm going to go ahead and toss this out. Now, the reality is our expenses are keeping up with inflation by and large, but our revenues are not. >> Is that a fair statement? >> It is. >> Yeah. I >> I know you you obviously have plan planned on in this these projections

080not spending the money on elementary textbooks for social studies. Um, so that's that that's the understanding. But if if you were to decide along the way that you wanted to actually do that and hypothetically the money were there to do it, what's the when is the no go no go no-go decision on whether to do that or not. >> We would y'all would have to tell us the dates. I mean, we would come back to you all from fund balance and say if we had it available in fund balance, which would then take two months if we did it because you would have to approve it and then the commission would have to approve it. You all would have to say what your what date do you feel comfortable with? >> I mean, just oper

081operationally, what how far into the school year can you go where you would say we need to make that decision for planning purposes? >> Well, I'm going to speak just generally and then ask Jen, Jenny, and Dave for an answer. you get in a queue, you get in a line based on who chooses particular textbooks. Uh, and so the earlier you get in the line, the the quicker you get the materials. Um, so that's the general answer. I don't know if you have any specifics on is there a particular date that you project as to when we could actually make the order and be confident we have the have it in time for teachers to prepare. That's the question. I guess the only way that I can answer and I'll let Jen u jump in

082if she feels differently to this, but really it's that same process that we go through every year. As soon as we make the the the board approves uh the the textbooks, we begin that process immediately because there's a lot of back and forth conversations with the publishers about what exactly is coming, the professional development that needs to take place. So, I guess to answer your question directly, we would take them at any time, but to ensure that they're in uh teachers hands and they have the appropriate professional development before school starts, we need that information now. >> Well, >> yeah, to to put it directly in >> we're talking we're talking about social studies adoption. So, you're talking about really about March of 27. So, >> this time next year. >> Yeah, this time next

083year. >> Um, correct. So, so could could we at that point make a request to take it out of fund balance and reimburse fund balance? That's that may be a possibility. >> Yeah. I just, you know, for what it's worth, I agree with Jay. I just think it's a it I know why you're doing it and I appreciate that you're doing it, but I don't like it. I think it just creates more problems than it than it does. I I guess that's that would be my preference that we say that we're going to that we we don't we're not going to push off to the next year. We're going to take it out of fund balance. So, we're it's still coming out of the they're still going to have to plan to pay for it

084in the next fiscal year because it's not going to be there because we're going to reduce our fund balance. But, um I just don't want to plan on this being the the way to go. >> Yeah. So, >> thank you for that, Rachel. There may be there may be an an accounting issue related to that because I don't >> that's a decision that's going to have to be made >> middle of next year rather than announcing right now be if I'm not mistaken >> correct because it's not so again we would bring it back as a vote >> right I mean it's still gonna it's it's going to have to be approved by the county commission one way or the other but I think the I mean we've done that we've done it before where

085we've where we've paid the where we had to commit to zero zero raises and we paid for the raise out of out of fund balance. So we kick the can >> down the road. They got to avoid, >> you know, raising taxes, but we we go and >> push it down to to next year. >> Yeah. >> So you can't do that two years in a row. >> And that's why that's why I'm saying it. It's just creating one more problem. We did it, we already did it last year and we, >> you know, we got the >> the minimum um tax increase that they that they could because they don't plan more than >> 12 month well more than a month in advance. They they just we get to we get to next year

086and we live to fight another day. >> And just to be clear, I think I ask this every year, but three we have to start with 3%, but we don't have to end with 3%. >> We have to end with 3%. >> So you don't have to start with 3%. when you end that is your start then July one could you go ahead yes >> okay but you do have to end with 3% >> so I have some questions about textbooks um first off um for elementary elementary classrooms do we purchase a textbook per student or do we do classroom sets and then my second big question is I mean most elementary classrooms I've been in they embed a lot of the social studies into the ELA. So, I'm wondering how much of that has

087happened and you know, are our elementary teachers using social studies textbooks much? Um, and then my third question, because I brought this up last month, you know, when are we going to start teaching the new standards? Are we going to wait until we do the textbook adoption even though they've been out for a year and we haven't started them yet? Are we going to start them next school year? Like when are we going to start the new standards so our teachers are prepared for that? Because bottom line the standards is what teachers need to know. Textbook is a resource to help with instruction. >> We had that that last comment you made. We had that very discussion in the context of this uh that that you know the focus on the standards and actually we

088had the same discussion in the context of one of the later agenda items related to related to health that that that the standards are the key. Uh Dr. Royer can you answer those questions? >> I would defer to the first questions to the question I might go this way. Um the in terms of the resources and when we're going to begin teaching, we're going to begin teaching those standards as soon as we can. Um as this school year begins and as we get going in terms of the resources and what's being embedded in ELA, certainly with Witten Wisdom, there are some cross-curricular components, but that they're not being embedded those standards aren't being embedded directly in our ELA classes because of the depth of the ELA work that's happening in those classes. So we we

089couldn't replace from my perspective, we couldn't replace we couldn't assume that all of our social studies standards would be covered in the ELA class in terms of the individual books. I'll let Jen speak to that because you were >> and let me give let me give a nutshell to your question too about this uh teaching social studies embedded in ELA. The the ELA content has some social studies facts but it's not driven by Tennessee standards. So the elementary school uh schedule includes dedicated social studies time to teach the standards. Dr. Allen. So I just I want to clarify one thing that Dr. Oryer said because I I know what she meant but it may have been heard differently. The new standards are not applied until the 2728 school year. So when Dr. Oyer said we're

090going to start the teaching those standards as soon as we can. We're going to start teaching those standards in the 2728 year. And I know we've had this conversation at at a previous board meeting. Um, but the standards that are in play right now and the standards that our students will be assessed on this year and next year are the old standards. So the standards guide our work. We start with that before we even begin planning and and uh for instructional purposes. So the year that the new standards that have been approved are in play for our students and our students will be assessed on those standards is the 2728 year. that's when we will uh begin teaching um and utilizing those particular standards. The question about uh are we doing a classroom set um

091or are we buy purchasing a book for each individual student is is a little more complex and and and Jen has already had many conversations with publishers about that. So, she's going to add depth to this. I'll talk from a 30,000 foot view. we do it the least expensive way that we can to provide the materials that are needed for our students to learn the material. So in some of those cases the way the publishers have packaged the materials um for us to get a physical copy we may they may tie it to a digital purchase so that we have to buy both. So we could buy a digital license without a hard copy. We don't do that. We make sure that there's always print material. Now, I think uh I think the question is

092a great question because anytime there's an opportunity for us to purchase a class set instead of a text for every single student, we do that because that is a much less expensive way for us to do it. So if the publisher uh packages it in such a way that we can do that and the students do not need to take those materials home to be successful on the standards then that's absolutely what we'll do. Jen, is there anything you'd add to that? >> No, I think that's really good. And actually that very question about to what extent are our social studies standards um addressed or covered in some of our ELA. I actually had that conversation with our elementary social studies specialist just a week maybe ago and he and I were kind of like

093just sort of playing through what is the possibility to be able to address some of those social studies standards through ELA and the readings the student are already doing. What we found is that there are some places where there is some overlap, but there's definitely a lot of gaps and in many places it's off by years. So like the content might be covered in social studies and and this is just an example in grade two whereas the ELA reading that covers the same kind of content is a different grade. So the students may see some of it but it's not all of the standards that are going to be covered and it doesn't always align with the grade level. It's also to some extent dependent on what our ELA curriculum is. So you know our

094ELA curriculum is up for adoption in three years. So, we might potentially be returning to the same conversation when we go to ELA because while a curriculum that we have right now might cover some of the standards when we get a new ELA curriculum, it could be the same, it could be different. It's just hard to say. >> So, our older elementary grade levels are com are departmentalized. Um, you have a, you know, fourth, fifth grade teacher who's teaching social studies and ELA. Uh, so that's just so just so everybody can get a visual. That's that's a potential opportunity for classroom sets where you have students coming into a to a classroom. I wanted to make sure you all had a way to to visualize that. >> Yeah. And Mr. Golden, if I may, just

095as the students get older, it's more unlikely that we would be able to do a classroom set because they need the materials. But a good example would be like CTE for example. Often times in CTE, we'll buy we'll buy just a classroom set. >> So I just want to ensure you as a board we do have those in-depth conversations. We try to do it uh the least expensive way that we possibly can for every single content area and every course that we teach. >> So I I'd just like to clarify. So our teachers are not getting training on the new social studies standards until the summer of 2027. Is that accurate? >> Yes, that's accurate. Now, what I will say is that we've already begun meetings um and we've already begun discussions with our teachers,

096but the actual training that they will receive on the st the standards because we're limited in the number of training days that we have with our teachers will not formally begin until that year that you just described. >> So, we're asking them to adopt a textbook for standards that they're not trained on until after they adopt the textbook. So actually that piece of it comes into the leading up to the textbook adoption. So next school year which is 2627 part of the teacher professional development around selecting a textbook is looking at those new standards. It um it does also vary a little bit from content to content depending on how the standards change. So we found that in science elementary the standards stayed very similar. So it was not a deep uh understanding that teachers

097needed to have because they really stayed very consistent in upper grades this last cycle in science. We had some pretty significant standards changing and so that was a significant piece of their professional development. We've seen a little bit of the opposite. We're previewing for uh social studies. It feels like upper grades the standards changes are pretty minimal. In elementary they're more significant but not so much in content but in grade level. So sections of standards are shifting grade levels. Imagine like a slide puzzle but the actual substance of them isn't changing too much. And so to that question, that will be part of the textbook adoption process, but not necessarily that deep now I'm actually going to be teaching the standards until we move into that next year when we're teaching them. >> Like I

098said, we just have to have a philosophical disagreement. I wouldn't do it that way. We think it's important for the students who are going who are who are learning the standards this last year to have that same focus that their predecessors have had. And then we when the standards change, we shift the focus with those new teachers. And I re I recognize there there's a philosophical difference, but we we wanted to make sure that those students getting that last year didn't get short changed. >> I just wanted to say thank you Dr. Allen for saying about the and continuing to purchase print printed sets and everything. I think several of us in the room are on the screen time committee and um we're just hearing and I know you're part of those discussions too time

099and time again about the importance of offscreen learning so that that that continues to be a priority um for our students. Thank you for saying that. >> And I have a question for Jen Sauer. um if I understand correctly is the elementary curriculum for um his well social studies like the fourth grade and the fifth grade is moving from like um American history and Tennessee state history. Is that flop flip-flopping? Yes. I'm hesitating because I actually actually if you don't mind give me one second. I asked our social studies curriculum specialist this question. Can you give me a little tiny cheat sheet of what exactly are those standards switching? Because I always forget which ones are switching where. So, let me see if I can get to that quickly. Here it is. Okay. So, here

100are the big changes that are coming in elementary school. So, in third grade, we currently teach geography. That's moving to fifth grade. In its place, grade three is receiving several US history standards from fourth grade up to the 1850s. I'll send you this in writing if you'd prefer. Um, fourth grade, the semester of US history is moving to third grade. In its place, grade four will receive some several 20th century US history standards from fifth grade. And in grade five, the 20th century US history is moving to fourth grade. And in its place, grade five is receiving geography standards from third. So like I said, big slide puzzle that's happening. It's not a lot of content. It's more in what grade level. Will the students see it? So that brings me to my second question

101is how are we going to transition so that the kids aren't getting something like twice you know like it's in third grade and now goes fifth grade >> that is a puzzle question >> we are already puzzling through that and the good news is that we've gotten word from the state that they are working through that as well. So, what we've heard from the state is the state is going to start providing guidance to schools to be able to backfill in areas where maybe a student group hopscotched over some standards and maybe showed up in an upper grade missing something so that we can make sure that we're not totally skipping over content. So, we know that that guidance from the state is coming. We're hoping some support resources are coming from them as well,

102but we're already looking ahead to that. And then as far as the repeat of standards is concerned, some of that is going to be our conversation once we have a new adopted curriculum. The good news is it is going to be different material. So while it may be the same standards or similar standards, if it's in an upper grade level, it'll be covered to a different amount of depth and it will definitely be with a different resource. So our hope is once we actually have that concretely, we'll be able to say, "Hey, this is different enough for students that we feel good about it." But it is something we're really cognizant of. I am going to leave the slide. We're moving on, but I just need y'all to keep that in your mind. So, we're

103moving on to how did we get from 2526 to what we're asking for 2627 um from the 562 to 569. Again, we decreased our operational requests. We um have included that experience role, a 4% cost of living raise that the county told us to put in as 12.6. And then we reduced payroll lines by 5.6. And when I say payroll lines, that's including um pensions and insurance, social security, Medicare, all the things. Um and again went back and looked what are our actuals. Who have we hired? We've hired younger people and we've had older people retire and that average salary kind of goes down. So that's just the reconciliation of how we got from last year to this year. I do want you to go ahead um and Mr. Golden >> Rachel, if you don't

104mind, jump back to that slide. I want to point this out. Uh you see that 12.6 uh county government proposal for the 4% raise. Uh we are netting an increase in our in our budget of $7 million including that. That means we have dropped our budget net by 5 million or so even including the new CTE program. Uh I just wanted you all to get your arms around that. uh the this the significant drop that we've done um largely because we're having to deal with the revenue side. Go ahead, Rachel. >> So, Mr. Golden told you um this is that summary page that I think Yeah, it's on page 34. Over on the left side um lets you know what our gap is. And so, again, in February, we were at 39 million. We're currently

105uh sitting with a gap of 20 million. And most of the time I'll get the question, you know, are can we close that gap? Um, I can we will close in that uh will we have additional fund balance potentially. Could there be things that come in from the state? Potentially. Those are the unknowns. Am I going to be able to close $20 million? No way. Um, last year when we brought the budget to you, I believe our gap at this point was about 15 million. and we went back and forth uh with the county commission on what that looked like and made some further cuts and then did some things. And so again, 20 million is a it's a large gap, but I can justify how we got here. Um and it is the game

106of of kick the can. Uh when you go through the actual document yourself, this your the detail behind that summary page and you're looking expenses, you're going to see a lot of lines going down. Those are those cuts. Um, I want to remind you too, um, you'll see it in this one and it was in last year's under the section related to the board of education. It's on page 41. There's that 12.6 million is listed in one line where we put in the raise and then we come back after the year starts and we push it back out to all the correct accounts. That's showing up in that um, revised budget. So when you see some additions and it looks like, well, a lot of these payroll lines look like they're going up. They went

107up from last year's budget. So it's not additional money in this budget. It's just that it was transferred from that one line to these other lines. Um, and so page 36, you see the textbooks 38. Um we always have that question about 71400 which is the where we put our money related for the school sitebased where principles then can budget out so it looks funny in the budget. Um that's what that is and again the board underneath you all y'all aren't getting a $12.6 million raise. We're putting it in there for everybody and then we'll push it back out. Um if if that gets approved. So again we're sitting with a $20 million gap. How did we get from 39 to 20? Again, here's your summary of that. Operational cuts, uh, payroll and benefit cuts.

108We did have additions to revenue, additions to fund balance, and I want to go back and talk about fund balance a little bit. We didn't really do that. Another thing that Mr. Golden asked us to do was going forward for this year is if there's an expense that's not mission critical, it's not going to directly affect. Same thing. So, we'll fund balance. We're still making tweaks to it and that's what I'm saying. This number may change a little bit before we're finally done that gap, but that's how we got from 39 to 20. Um, and not easy. Not easy at all. >> Rachel, would you go back one slide? >> Sure. >> Estimated fund balance 39 million and you've got 36 out beside that. That's what it is as of that date >> as of

109March 6th. >> And it need and it needs to be roughly 17 million to start the fiscal start the budget year. So that 39 when you're looking at this calculation, this gap has a $17 million 3% fund balance in it. And so yeah, we would need to have 17 at the end of next year. This year it's about 16 million. >> 17 on top of the 20. >> Uh no, that 17 includes that 20. >> Includes the 20. >> So So Mr. Brown, for practical purposes, that fund balance from this year becomes the revenue source for next year's budget. And I know Rachel says that's not the appropriate term, but um yeah, >> in theory, I mean, maybe you could get there. Um Oh, this kind of explains. So, we're going to talk about fund

110balances. Y'all already >> I want to do one more thing actually. You you you did you did a good job of giving some examples within the body of this budget. when she talks about all those cuts we had in every department going through that far right column in that content shows the percentage change in every single line item. >> Uh so we looked at every single line item. So I encourage you as you prepare for Monday if there's any particular line item question you have that you identify based on those percentage changes feel free to ask. Um, but because we went through so many line items, we felt like it wasn't appropriate to give you a presentation on everyone. >> And it was a great question of, hey, what what were the cuts? Um, we

111had that today. Can you kind of go over what the cuts were? It is literally every almost every line in this whole document. There was some cut anywhere from $200 to $10,000. I mean, it was all across the board. And so, um, dig into there and look and see. It's by major category. Um, and it's pretty self-explanatory what's in each one. But if you don't I say it's self-explanatory is for me, but if it's not for you, all you got to do is ask and we will certainly give you um as much detail as you as you want. >> Sorry. Thank you. >> So fund balance. So let's talk about it. It's not a revenue source. What fund balance is is that cumulative net effect of revenues versus expenses. So any given year if I

112have more revenue than I have expense that extra goes into my quote unquote savings account fund balance. If expenses are more than revenues then I have to pull money out of my savings account in order to cover that. So that's what fund balance is. Um and you have different kinds of fund balance. What we really look at is unassigned. Assigned and unassigned are probably the two big pockets. And when you're thinking about that, unass well, let's talk about assigned fund balance means we have committed that we're spending these funds. And so our unassigned fund balance is truly that cush that is your if something goes wrong, this is money we have available to us to spend. And so from 2021 until um 2025, because that's the last audited financial statements I have, that unassigned fund

113balance has gone down $17 million. So that just means we have less flexibility in if we have a need that we can come back for. So we are cutting it um we have cut the budget to the point different things affect fund balance. We've cut the budget to the point in the last two years that we don't really have a ton of residual money now going into fund balance that doesn't get spent. We're spending what we've budgeted. What is that? What does that mean? In the past we had unfilled positions. Um, our hiring rate right now, retention rate right now is higher than it's been in a while. So, if you had unfilled positions, then that money didn't get spent, went into fund balance. We're spending it. There's less of that going into fund balance.

114Um, and we make those statements of, hey, don't spend to try. That's why Mr. Golden was saying if you if you don't have to spend it this year, because then that means the expenses would be less than revenue maybe, and we'd have some going back into fund balance. Uh but fund balance is never intended to be an operating uh bucket to pull from. It is your cush. It is your safety net. Some people will say you should have 3% of your operating expenses in fund balance. We don't even have a half a month of operating expenses in fund balance. Um and so that's something to think about. Once you spend your fund balance, unless there's money going back in, it doesn't just replenish itself. So when we start chipping into it, it goes down. We

115don't have that money going back in. Um, that's one one reason why we're at a $20 million gap. The other reason, um, well, one other factor is changing the 94%. We've talked about that with revenue and what we budgeted related to property taxes. Used to we budgeted 92%. What that means is are this county in general is going to collect anywhere from 98 to 99% of property taxes, but they would tell us but only budget 92% of what you expect because then that gives you a cush and that would flow into fund balance. Last year um in order to not raise property taxes or not give another penny, they said, "Hey, instead of doing 92, do 94." So it was a one-time fix where we could budget more revenue, but then that's gone. that reduced

116our fund balance for this year by about $5 million. >> And some of the commissioners at the time spoke to their colleagues and emphasized that this is a one-time fix. >> It's a kick. We've talked about kick the can. This was the game of kick the can. We kicked that can and that can's not there to kick anymore. I mean, they I say that they could come back and say, "Okay, this year we're going to do 96%." But we are just killing that fund balance where we don't then have anything um to to fall back on. And so assigned fund balance means this is how much of what we have in fund balance, our total fund balance that we're using to balance the budget. Um, and that has increased for us from 21 to 25

117by $43 million, what we're requiring of our fund balance. That's huge. Um, and so the one point that Mr. Golden already made is our revenues have increased by 22.66% but our expenses have increased by 25.26. You all know that doesn't work in your home. if your revenue is less than your expenses, eventually you hit that wall. Um, and so that's not sustainable to keep operating like that if you don't have something replenishing that fund balance. The consumer price index, the average for the last 5 years has been 25%. So, I don't think we're totally, you can't say, oh, they've blown the, they've blown it. They've just over spent. We're right in line with what um nationally is happening. We just don't have the revenue to keep up with those expenditures of it >> and correct

118and we've cut we've made those cuts on that >> and I want to make this point of emphasis and certainly welcome any team members to speak to this as well based on the process we went through hitting every line item having our team look at every every position have our team look at every operational expense we've reached the conclusion that if we do any more cuts it will affect services Uh so we've we've set out to make sure that we could comfortably and confidently say that based on the work that we've done. Uh so that's that's that's where we are with that. One other thing I wanted to mention that county proposed pay raise uh is um if I'm not mistaken 12.6 million for us. Uh without that our our our gap is about 7.5

119million. So, again, I'm just going to go back. We've got this $20 million gap. Um, and somebody asked me, "Are you comfortable with that? Am I comfortable with a $20 million gap?" No. Am I comfortable asking the county commission to to help us? Absolutely. Um, we didn't just make loosey goosey decisions to get here. We followed their directives for years on what to ask for related to raises. um we're not spending exorbitant amounts of money. Um again, we came to the decision that we wanted to do within this budget follow what their guidelines were, which was that reduction of 5% in operations and then requesting that 4% raise and that's where we are. So, am I comfortable saying are we balanced? No. I mean, nobody can look at that and say we have a balanced

120budget, but I do I feel like we've put in the work and we're presenting what is uh appropriate. Absolutely. Without a doubt. >> And Mr. Chair, you had the wisdom to thank Rachel on the front end for this. When we finished that exercise, we we applauded her uh in in our in our leadership team meeting. She's shaking her hand. Don't do that. No, >> because because we were we were walking through it in in every one of our departments, but Rachel was having to compile, give totals, give projections. Uh so I want to thank her for that. Um just as you did when we started this discussion >> questions, any further questions for Miss Farmer? Uh, first off, I mean, yes, thanks for all of you for um giving us a budget that you look

121to cut some things and I love the question that drove it. Does it directly impact students? Um, with that being said, you know, last year I brought up instructional coaches and I want to bring that up again. Uh, one question I have is I can't remember. I think you told us last year, but what year did the instructional coaches start? I can't remember. Was it 2009? >> The grade bands have started at different times. So, elementary has been in place since 2009. We had a healthy debate about when the middle school started. um middle school principles were making conscientious decisions with their staff to utilize some of their staff for coaching positions. They were officially brought into the budget uh Miss Hall in 2023 I believe and that was the same time that the high

122school uh coaches were brought on board. >> And so last year when I asked for you know data for the impact they were having in classrooms I didn't get any. And this year I I was pleasantly surprised to see some data. Um I do have some questions about it. Um my first question is it says that one of the primary things that coaches spend their time on is unpacking standards and making like pacing for content. And we've also heard that curriculum specialists do that. And we have 16.5. Well, we have a little more than that at central office, but there were 16.5 at central office. So, help me understand like what's the difference? Because I thought the curriculum specialists were doing most of that work, not the instructional coaches. >> Yes. Good. Go ahead, Dr.

123Allen. >> I'm sorry. Sorry, Mr. Golden. Um, I'll I'll again share and then I'll ask u Jen to add any detail that she would want to add. So those 16 uh or so curriculum specialists are spread out among our 3,000 teachers and our teaching staff. So the the they do really district-wide professional development. Uh they work with teachers to create the scope and sequence to make modifications to the scope and sequence. the teachers in the building in their professional learning teams with the assistance of the instructional coaches take those pacing guides and those uh curriculum standards and then that's where they as teams really break down and get to the meat and potatoes of the academic standards. Some of y'all have been in my office and we've walked through some of the unpacking of those

124standards that's required and we've looked specifically at I'll I'll bring up a fifth grade math standard for you or a sixth grade math standard for you. And so um and the depth and complexity of those standards are pretty mindboggling for the age of the student. Um and so the coaches uh work with those teachers. Some of those teachers, they'll have a PLT where they're working with other teachers that are teaching the same content in the same uh subject. The coaches support that work as well, but some of our teachers um are forced to work in isolation because they don't have a teaming partner. So the coaches will work with them to help unpack those standards. So, it's a more localized effort when we talk specifically about the unpacking of standards. It's a more localized effort

125uh where the coaches can work more directly with uh with the classroom teachers. The the curriculum specialists are more broad and are working with all of the teachers at one time for their content professional development. >> Jen, is there anything you would add to that? Okay. And then the on this one graph you sent us um meeting distribution. Do you all have that data by school or is this just a >> I think we do have that by school. I think that's an that's an aggregation. Um we do have a school by school. I'm getting some nods. >> We do we we provided a snapshot in print for you. uh the program that we're using using to pull all of that data together is rather robust and and any of you are welcome to come

126in and sit down with us. Uh we have Angie Proise here tonight who works directly with our instructional coaches. We would we'd be happy to go into detail about any of those to specifically talk about, you know, the the we like how it's pulled together exactly what the work is that our coaches are working on. But we can even add more detail with the system that we're using in collecting collecting that data. So yeah, there's some greater detail behind what you have there and we're happy to go into uh any of that detail needed. >> That would include grade bands as well as obviously if I can do it school by school. >> That's correct. >> Um my other thing on the LA on the second page, you know, there's some data like effect size

127like there were no sources. cited like where did that come from? I and you can send that to me later. >> We'll send that. Yeah, the gym nights instructional coaching group citation. We'll make sure you >> where's that effect size data come from? And then have we ever like surveyed our classroom teachers about like their satisfaction with the instructional coaches? We know that some of our instructional coaches that is part of their practice. they actually incorporate into the work they do with teachers is that one of the questions that they do ask at the end is some questions about hey give me as a coach feedback on how useful was the work that we did to your instructional practice and help me help you more. So it is something that some of our coaches do

128institute on the building level but it's not something that we collect from teachers and it's not something that we do at a district level. Is that something we could possibly do before we vote on Monday? And the reason why I ask is, you know, we invest 11.3 million into this program and I'm struggling to see how that directly impacts students with the data that I've been given. Um, >> so I don't know if that's something you all could survey all of our teachers, but I would say >> so I would say anecdotally we've been doing that for years. Um uh Dr. Oryer and Dr. Webb are here. They would be able to speak directly to firsthand accounts of what the principles share with them and how they're utilizing their instructional coaches and the need. I

129shared uh earlier that prior to 2023 coach the principles um were were making PCR decisions to have instructional coaches. Anyway, that speaks to the value that that they believe that they're that they're providing. Um, and then our u instructional the Angie Proise who leads our instructional coaches um is in the classroom uh with those instructional coaches while they're working with teachers. We get firsthand account feedback from them. The c the the feedback that we receive is overwhelmingly positive. And I will say when when we went through the budget reduction process, we had specific conversations about instructional coaches and I think the general consensus among our leadership team was we want to look for things that impact our core instruction the least. Where can we find opportunities to reduce where we do not take away from

130what is critically important to what our responsibility is as a public school system which is to prepare our students uh for college and career. We identified the teachers being the primary uh uh point of protection for us. What can we do to protect the classrooms to make sure that our teachers have all the resources that they need to be successful? a one a to that we identified as the coaches and those instructional coaches in the development that that they are they are working with the teachers to improve not only our teachers who need support in their first couple of years but even our most advanced teachers their goal is to work with all of our teachers to help them identify areas for improvement. So when you look at what is core and critical to what

131we do in a school system of a $580 million budget, we've identified growing our teachers and helping our teachers be the absolute best that they can be as one of those core principles. We consider those coaches to be a tool that we have to improve that instructional effectiveness in those classrooms. And so, you know, so from a qualitative standpoint, we've not formally surveyed our teachers, but I think any any of our personnel that's worked directly with either the teachers, uh, the principles, Dr. Webb and Dr. Oryer, or the coaches, Andy Proise, it's overwhelmingly positive, especially during a time when um, uh, our teacher pool is a little more slim than it has been in the last decade. uh especially at a time when the teachers that we hire sometimes come into the classroom uh not

132having the full pedigogy of a four-year um uh teaching program. So they they need growth. They they seek growth. They they uh uh reach out and and ask for assistance from our coaches. Um, another piece that we've found to be really, really important, we actually have um, one of our instructional coaches here tonight that that was working on her dissertation to identify the impact of instructional coaches in in in school systems. And a lot of the research points to the retention of of classroom teachers. And so instructional coaches being a key cog, a key piece that helps teachers when they enter into the profession in the first 3 to 5 years, especially when those teachers become overwhelmed, stressed. I know some of you board members have teachers that are in that spot right now. and

133the instructional coaches have from a research perspective um from a literature-based perspective are the key pieces that help support those teachers through those uh years um and help keep teachers in the classroom. Um, and so we've we've from my standpoint, I just want to make sure that I'm really really clear with the board that that um we took the the uh question about what is the impact on instructional coaches in the classroom seriously. We debated that feverishly when we were going through every line in the budget and I think we've universally identified them as a key tool that we use for the growth and development of all of our teachers and we see it as a as a direct impact on um some of the success that that we've had over the course of the

134last decade um and some of the c some of the success that we're having right now. >> So, Dr. Johnson to answer your specific question. Yeah, I don't know how realistic it is that we could create a survey um and and and get good >> if I had the answers to my questions earlier, I would have been able to ask that, but I didn't. >> Yeah. Yeah. We gave those answers, you know, about, you know, right at two weeks ago. I think 13 days ago, we gave you those answers. Sure. >> Um and but but to but to follow up on Dr. Allen's um detailed comments. Uh I know Laura Hall, our Fairview Middle School principal, is here and then you referred to Lindsay as well. Um I'd like to invite them to give any

135detail to put some body into what you were sharing if if they're if if they're available. Good evening. Thank you for having us. I'm actually gonna um turn this over because we spent a lot of time talking about teacher retention and just the makeup of what our teachers are in our building and soon to be Dr. Nelson um who did extensive research and really powerful research with um the makeup of our teachers. I'm going to turn it over to her because this is one of the biggest um benefits for having our instructional coaches in our building. When I think about the words that we're using this evening, talking about what is missionritical, this is a position that is missionritical. And if we eliminated these roles or even talk about that, it's going to set us

136back leaps and bounds with the instruction and innovation we're seeing in the classroom. Our coaches provide safe opportunities for our teachers to experiment, try new things with support. Um, I've seen more teachers ranging from um, job embedded teachers to teachers who've been in the profession for 20 years trying new things in the classroom, but they're doing that alongside the coaches. Um, they're trying small group instruction. They're doing rotations. We're seeing more student engagement. Um, new remediation strategies. It would be a huge misstep if this if these positions were eliminated on top of just the makeup of the teachers that are in our building. So, I'm gonna turn it over to Lindsay so she can just do a little bit more in-depth detail that's tied to research data and evidence. Thank you all. One of the

137most significant findings through reviewing the body of research about early career teachers, teacher retention, and how coaching impacts them is we have more than half, 57% from the last school year of our new teachers in Tennessee are entering through alternative pathways. So, as you probably know, that means they are given a provisional license on day one. They usually have zero educator preparation walking into the door. And although we are very glad they are here and they have a an extensive skill set, they need support and it is proven the highest level of support is an instructional coach and a mentor stepping side by side with them. So when we are providing that individualized job embedded content specific support with an expert teacher, then our newest teachers are feeling supported, they're feeling successful, and they're more

138likely to stay. I want to share with you three quotes that came out of the research just recently done from teachers in Williamson County. This is a thirdyear job embedded teacher and he's speaking to instructional coaching and he said, "My first year my coach honestly helped me a lot. She taught me how to lead a horse, get on, turn left and right, but slowly she held the rope while I was on and then she watched from the side because I finally took the reins." What a beautiful picture of what coaching is. And this is a teacher who had never been taught how to teach, minus the pedigogy, minus the foundations of ed, nothing walking in day one. And because of this coach, this teacher is still in the game. And he even said, "I'm here

139for 5 to 10 years." Let me share another one. Collaborating with my coach and my partner teacher has made this year so straightforward. It's probably the reason I'm still a teacher. This is someone who's been in the classroom for seven months and thankfully he's still there. So I just want to point to the work that coaches do every day. I'm an instructional coach myself. I've been in this role for seven years. I have 20 years in education and it is the most rewarding work that we do. Our teachers that partner with me not only teach me, I learn and grow with them, but we learn about our students every day. and because of coaching partnerships that our kids are benefiting and teaching and learning is growing in this district. Thank you. >> I also want

140to go into um the question at the very beginning which was the unpacking of the standards and just give you a little bit more insight. we can provide resources that we use at our school that will kind of outline that with how we unpack the standards, how we utilize the data to then formulate remediation groups. We're happy to share any of that information. Um but just to talk a little bit about that, we meet weekly um with our teachers, with the instructional coaches because teachers teach, they teach with all the best materials that they have, all the best practices. And sometimes we have some students that it just didn't hit with. And so we have instructional coaches. We have um principles, assistant principles that bring just a wealth of knowledge and perspective to those conversations

141so we can make sure that all students are learning and mastering the materials. So what we do in that work is we look at the standards that students haven't mastered yet or they have mastered and we make sure that our assessment was fully aligned to that standard. Did it measure the full scope of the standard? And then we identify very intentional groups of students that we either need to remediate. Maybe it's a vocabulary strategy, maybe it's reading comprehension, or maybe it's extension, maybe it's test taking strategies to do the gap because repeating that process, the same questions over and over again is not going to move the mark. Those are a lot of the detailed conversations that we're having weekly um multiple times a week that our instructional coaches are helping facilitate and bring new

142perspectives to our teachers who have taught it. they've given an assessment and now what do we do when with the data when students are mastering standards or not mastering standards. I also would love we we're offering if anyone would like to come sit and see the work that we're doing to see the work of our instructional coaches. You are more than welcome to come out to our school anytime um to see it because we are meeting weekly. We're meeting multiple times. We meet with each um grade band and content area. You can even shadow for the day. we are more than welcome for you to see because I truly think that if you sat with us and you saw the work that the instructional coaches are doing day in day out it would definitely change

143your perspective on the importance of this mission critical role. Um and so I just I would really challenge you to take us up on that offer. Can >> can you give us a um just just so you know I for one don't share the same um disdain for the for the coaching. Uh, I love it. I think it's great. My daughter as a teacher and I asked her if she would rather have a a 3% raise or retain her coach. She's like, "Give me the coach." So, um, so I I would really would be that's not exactly the way I would frame the uh the the survey, by the way, but um but that it just shows she's a second year teacher. Um, and can you can you kind of walk through a couple of

144examples about the difference between mentoring and coaching? Because um, hey, it's great. It's a great thought um, that we would just have our best teachers be our mentors and we do that. Um, but I guess ex explain some examples of of how the coach is in the classroom kind of modeling the teaching and um reviewing and and and watching them and giving them feedback on on not only on the new teaching but just on just overall teaching in general. So as far as another set of eyes in addition to this principal and assistant principal, but how just talk about that like actual classroom um interaction and and just how much how what percentage of their time is is like technically in the classroom teaching or watching the teaching. >> Yeah, thank you for that question.

145The research shows that coaches are most effective when they are hyperfocused on coaching versus mentoring. And so often those of us in those roles, we wear both hats, but we need to specify which is which. Mentoring is more of the cheerleader role. This is establish establishing that sense of belonging. This is the pat on the back. This is making sure our teachers can get into Skyward and have a computer that logs in for them on day one. So this is more of the logistical supports in the building. Um coaching goes into building competencies and teachers. So we follow the gym night model and we are using impact cycles. So what that looks like is meeting very intentionally one-on-one with teachers. We are first we start with as a teacher where are you feeling successful? Where

146areas that you need? We will go in and co-observe with that teacher. And then we're offering strategies in order to increase student engagement usually is one of them to decrease problematic behaviors and to increase learning outcomes. And so with the teacher, we're establishing what that looks like. And then there's modeling. There's co-eing. Literally at one o'clock today, I co-taught with a firstear job embedded teacher and we took a group of 12 students. I had six, he had six that were all data driven for a retach group. We set a timer for 20 minutes. We each did a mini lesson together and then we flip-flopped. So that's that is deep coaching because we decided the data together. He is seeing me model that specific strategy we talked about and then the students benefit from both of

147us in a room. So when you are in actual coaching you are multiplying the effect of a highly effective expert teacher. So you are taking that firstear teacher who is learning and growing but he doesn't have the expertise that the coach also has in the room. So it's those instructional it's those assessment decisions that are made together but then also taught together. So that makes a lot of sense to me, but um tell me what that would look like if if the coach isn't a part of the equation. >> That's a great question. It makes me think about really decades ago when we're going to one teacher, one classroom, and teachers are working in silo, there's a lack of collaboration, there's a lack of partnership. And when me as a teacher, I feel stuck with

148a kid, I'm really having to wait till the end of the class time, walk out in the hallway and look for help when instead the coach is coming into the classroom with that teacher with the students. So the impact is directly with students in the here and now. And I want to say the research is showing the highest level of supports are the closest to the people or the closest to the students or the closest to the teacher. So when we remove that level of support and we put us farther and farther away, we are getting away from the students. We are getting away from that one student, that one name, and we're losing that mission critical purpose. So I guess so if you're in in your mind if we if we didn't have the

149coaches we would we would have to take we couldn't completely get rid of the that in-classroom help with classroom management and instructional strategies. So that means that that a teacher is going to have to leave leave their um leave their classroom to some to somebody else and have to backfill versus you guys being you know you don't have your own classroom so you get to be 100% available to the teachers when when you when they need it. >> Sure. Or it's even or it's after the fact, right? It could be a day later, it could be a week later when I'm actually collaborating about solving that problem when there is a quicker response time and we can actually do something with the teacher in the classroom pretty rapidly. And and just one last question, but

150what um so you guys I know you you help on classroom management, behavior management as well as instructional um I guess and I just and this might be a more of a question for for Julie and and Lee, but um how much of how much of that is driven by um is is the coaches focused more on instructional coaches and and that and the AP he and the principal are more more classroom management behavior. Is that the is that the thought? >> I'll answer from you. >> It's a really good question and I think it it brings into play um that there are other people that are available to deal with the things that that she was just speaking about even if it's instruction, right? An assistant principal or a principal can engage in those

151conversations and that coaching as well. The difference is I'm gonna answer your question, but I want to address this piece. The difference is is that as the principal, I'm this teacher's evaluator. I'm coming in and I'm given that score that has a significant impact on that teacher's career, right? Let alone their motivation, their engagement in the in the position. So, I don't think about the assistant principal or the principal necessarily coaching a teacher on behavior management or classroom management. She can still do that as a coach. What my experience is is without the coach, all behavior gets kicked out of the class and gets sent to the principal and assistant principal rather than helping that teacher. And what we know is that teachers leave because they don't feel supported. They feel like the behavior is

152too much. I don't have the skill set to do it. And imagine trying to manage those 30 kids while I'm trying to figure out what I'm teaching because remember, I haven't had any instruction on how to be a teacher. And so we focus there are certainly coaching cycles that are specific to classroom behavior that she is working with me as the classroom teacher on classroom management. That doesn't mean that a kid doesn't get removed and come see the principal or the assistant principal, but the coaches are engaging in that as well. We all as leaders in the building are engaging in that coaching. The difference is the role that we play. So Dr. Hall is going to be an evaluator. She can do coaching cycles. We have principles who do coaching cycles, but she's still

153the evaluator, right? And that that mentor coach piece completely shifts the relationship in a really wonderful way. >> Does that help answer or does that answer? >> No, absolutely. Um, and I said I had I didn't have any more questions for for y'all, but Vicki, do um do we have any data on I know we talked about our turnover. Um, do we have any data on like turnover for um for us compared to our to our peers around us like metro and other counties that we compete for? >> I can get you some comparison data. The um the actually TDOE pulls that data from all the districts. it differs a little bit from like what we look at internally just because of the way they gather the data, but we do have that and I

154can definitely speak to um when we get our exit interview forms or questionnaires a lot of times there will be you know things about the support. Support is one of the biggest issues for new teachers. It's it's just they if they don't feel supported, they're much more likely to leave than if they feel supported. >> But yes, I can see if I can get some comparison data. >> Mr. Gorth, if I may, I wanted to uh answer your question in part as well. Um but first, I think I may have been remiss. I was I was probably moving so fast. Dave, Dr. Allen had been talking about um referring to Laura and Lindsay. So, I just want to make sure everybody knows this is Laura Hall, the principal at Fairview Middle, and Lindseay Nelson, who's

155the literacy coach at Fairview Middle. So, sorry, just in case we we moved too fast on that. Um, Mr. Galbreth, we do expect uh our principles to be instructional leaders as well. That's that is that is a key key part of who they are. Uh that Dr. Royer mentioned some of the dynamic differences. I want to also mention the volume differences, right? Because there are so many teachers in a building, uh the the time demands, the the administrative team and the coaches often work as teams and it varies a little bit from building to building based on who's in a who's in a particular team meeting. Uh but those deep cycle coaching uh times where where uh teachers identify gaps, set goals related to it uh and then and then implement it and then make

156adjustments based on what they get from their coaches. Those are largely driven by the coaches themselves because they've got the they've got the time to do it. Did I describe that well y'all? >> Yes. >> If I may, Mr. Dr. Galbath, can I go back to the question that you asked of what would happen if the coach wasn't there? That that answer was beautifully articulate. The answer that came into my head was it wouldn't have happened. That piece of it's the groups were divided by data. They I I'm I'm guessing knowing the the quality of the coaching program, they looked at the data of students. They looked at what was happening, what needed to happen for that student, for those 12 individual students. A firstear teacher is not diving into that data. They might know

157like in their gut something's wrong. Julie's struggling with this, Jay's struggling with this, but they're not able to dive into because they don't have the skill set. They may have all the passion in the world, but they don't have the skill set to say, "These 12 have an issue. These six need this particular strategy. these six need this particular strategy. So I don't believe that it would have hap it wouldn't have happened in my classroom as a first year teacher and I was trained to be a teacher. So thinking about our first year, second year, third year, fourth year teachers sometimes who are job embedded teachers that work simply it wouldn't occur. >> I had a question. Um we brought up the alternative pathways for teachers that um I know the state put that into

158place. what year did they did we start doing that and then what percentage of our teachers fall into that category? >> I think that's a Vicki question. So the to answer your first question about what year the state has I'm going to say over the past dozen years or so introduced different different methods to get teachers in uh with job embedded they've changed the terminology from from from year to year uh Vicki but so I'm thinking maybe started 12 years ago or so but >> there are different types of provisional licenses what they're um calling now the job embedded license is where someone with a college degree can enter into a program, but they can simultaneously start teaching. So, they may start teaching before they've actually done any um training and and anything towards being

159a teacher, but they do receive a license. Um so, it that part I've really noticed a big increase about during the time of the pandemic. Um there was there was a a definite shortage. We definitely saw um that we were you know looking to different sources to hire teachers and I think across the state it really increased. I do see that we are retaining some of the teachers that came in on the non-traditional licenses and that is really helping um at least from my vantage point and I know there's there's places in buildings where it's still really hard but because they're getting some experience under their belt and partly because of that support they are staying a lot of them are and they're they're getting they're getting good. Do we have any ballpark percentages off

160the top of >> It's hard. So, I was gonna I'm sorry. I meant to ask that. We We don't really have a good way to track that of what type of license they were on. We would have to go through all 3,000 U teachers to see like what exactly their license is on. We did track like the ones that we hired through programs that we we did some programs with uh Lipkcom and some other universities. We did track that, but we don't I don't have a number for you on exactly how many there are. >> Okay. Thank you. I um I had a good friend who's been asking about this, so that's helpful information. Thank you. >> Um yeah, thank you for that. Um honestly, to me, it doesn't really sound re revolutionary. It just

161seems to make sense. And and I noticed when Vicki mentioned um you know lack support is one of the big reasons that we lose teachers out the corner of my eye saw our WCA reps sort of emphatically nod along with that not for uh to express anything. I think it was just subliminal that yeah that that that is so that's interesting to get that from the level but I just sort of think you know in the military when we had young soldiers come in out of basic training and you know they'd gone through the basics of coming in you had mentors and you know squad leaders and platoon you know sergeants that sort of acted as that middle because you didn't want to go to the company commander all the time just like you know

162necessarily want to go to the principal all the time and they instruct, yes, but you've got more of that peer-to-peer leadership to to bring you up to speed. And then in the private sector, I've had coaches and mentors in in my career. Um I've got, you know, young lady in my team right now who's very bright, recently promoted, but she's not as experienced. And so we meet weekly um you know an hour just to touch base because it's a lot easier for her to come to me as as a peer who's in that role who's been in that role and you know what are the things that you're working on and doing and what are the challenges and what are those experiences or things like that. This just makes sense to me. And I also

163think about it as, you know, but as an actual teacher, yeah, you are isolated. You have, you know, 20, 30 young eyeballs looking up at you and you've got to go with that to not have those resources and be someone, you know, fresh out of college or coming from a different career or something like that or or even if you are experienced and just trying to do something new. I I go, how else do you get that experience? So, um, this makes a lot of sense. So, I I appreciate that. >> Okay. Anything else? Mr. Brown, just as a double check, um, Rachel did have that that in her line items that the the total expenditure is around 8 million plus the benefits. Um again we we've concluded that it's important um they're the they're

164that tier who's directly teaching the teachers. So we do see that as direct in those deep cycle um coaching uh processes. Uh they're in the classroom. Uh they're they're giving help on teaching techniques. uh and they're evaluating uh and and and so it's it's it's more direct than it might seem uh without actually seeing it happen in the classroom. >> All right. Thank you. >> I was just going to say I go back to what you said, Mr. Golden, before we considered that position about that any more cuts will hurt services, you know, and I think that that means that y'all considered all of the positions, you know, across the schools. And I just I feel strongly the time that I spend in the schools and talking with teachers and talking with administrators that that

165this position is vital and that it supports our teachers which means that it supports our students. So thank you. This was the um end so to speak of the general purpose school fund. So if there's any questions that you have about GP, this would be the time. any thoughts you have you want to discuss um to bring that up? Anything else on that? >> Um I did want to mention one one other item that that is related to some of the questions you all asked. The uh the last question in that memo that we gave showed our fund balance compared to county government's fund balance. Uh, so I did want to reference that our fund balance has been shrinking a little bit and county governments has been going up just a little bit. That is

166an ask I'm going to have of them. Um, although if if they decide to increase the the funding, they decide how. >> Can you be more specific on that? I know you know the numbers, so I might as well share. >> It's over hund00 million. I And as a I mean just to be clear as a percentage of their non so we have our own fund balance which is on on $586 million. Um and what's their what's what's roughly their non-school budget? >> Rachel, you might have that off the top of your head. I have ballpark percentages in my head. It's about a third, but I don't have >> it's about a third. their um expense actual expenses were about 150 million >> but then they have capital too right debt service >> they do

167but they account for that debt service so unassigned truly unassigned fund balance as of June 30th of 25 and this was just pulled from audited financial statements was 104 million >> okay so so 104 million when we take we're we're down to the our we budget down using everything but our absolute statutory minimum >> 3% and they're on $104 million. So, >> and they do >> which was pro it's probably made up of 20 years of trustees fees actually. So, >> but they're covering numerous departments um as well. I mean they're in a situation of balancing it all out and I don't I don't take that lightly either. they do have, you know, a ton of people that different departments that they're trying to cover, but comparatively to us, yes, they have been able to

168um increase >> and they've been good to us uh with capital especially over the years. >> You said it so I didn't have to. >> So, the other thing I want to bring up is the 4% raise across the board. Um, is that something we would have to talk about now or can we say we would like we want to try to get that money and then we can talk about reallocating that money like you know one of the things I asked is I know we have like a 30% turnover with some part-time food service workers special ed parapro general ed and um according to the TSBA salary database I mean our leadership is in the top three. You know, if the central office staff that make $100,000 or more, if they didn't receive the

169raise, that would free up about $500,000 is that, you know, could we potentially look at giving some of our higher turnover rate positions, a little bit more of a 4% raise. Um, since trying to to keep some of them in the in the schools to help with, you know, students And I don't know, like I said, do we have to do that now or do we have to like do we just let the budget pass and then we would talk about that? >> Well, and I can speak to that and then and then Vicki and Rachel fill in for me. Um, right now our intent and plan is if the county funds it to to do that 4% across the board based on what we talked about in February. Um but uh you all do

170have that flexibility if we if we re if we receive the funds uh to specify we would need some time because we have an obligation to talk to the teachers uh the association the WCA through the PEKA process um and have them give some input. We've had some meetings with them. So if there's a proposal by by the school board to make any alterations uh on the on the teacher side on the professional side we'd have to have that discussion. Some of the central office folks are in that professional group and so if I'm not mistaken they are not supervisory some of the curriculum specialists etc. So we might have to have some discussion about some of those. Um uh I'm trying to trying to check is there any other detail that I should add

171to that. So maybe a specific question would be would would something like that like she's describing have to be done as a motion attached to the budget approval or would it be just us approving a total amount of money and then administratively um you all would do the allocation later at at the board's direction if it were something other than an across the board 4% raise. Well, I'm I'm going to say it my way as a chief administrator and you all fill in. We would need to have a decision um before the end of the fiscal year. Uh so in essence, >> our 12-month employees start July 1. So the pay rate goes into effect as of July 1. >> June would be the deadline, but we would need to back back schedule that deadline

172a little bit to give us time to talk to the to the teachers. >> So it could be made as a separate motion on a board agenda after Monday night. >> I think it could be >> between which would be April or May. Vicki may have something to add >> and well and I Oh, >> I wanted to say too that the food service that you they're not in this GP budget. They're in their own funds. So, just keep that in mind, too. >> But, but really what we're what we're really approving with the budget is a dollar amount. >> That's correct. The aggregate dollar amount. >> And so, you're just you're just saying that before the before the end of the year. And I'm I'm I'm not saying this because I I I don't

173particularly agree that the that the people who um make a good living don't deserve deserve a raise. I'm not saying it reduces zero. Um there is I have advocated um for a while for um for those hard to reach hard to fill positions that where where percentages don't make a don't move the needle um to try to do something else. And so I so I I can't I there's some there's some wisdom in in not in waiting to see what we get. It might not be 4%. Um, and so waiting to see what we get and then figure out how to allocate it after we get after it becomes clear. We might not know when's the meeting in June. Will we have a will we have a board meeting in between? >> Well, remember last

174year we actually had special called meeting based on county government's decision. >> Yeah, we'll probably have that again too. But at that meeting then we can uh >> and I will tell you also from a county government perspective we may have a a feel of about where they're headed based on some of their committee meetings as well that we'll keep you updated on. Um but and also there have been times where we've had a reduced reduced raise for or smaller percentage for for for different positions and and stacked it. I will tell you what we had talked about in our leadership team given given county government's proposal was to parallel what they were what they were proposing. But you all do have that discretion to to make some adjustments. Um I'm I'm I'm still, you

175know, I'm not optimistic yet about county government, right? It's going to it's going to be a hard hard conversation. Um but I think there's some wisdom in asking the question now as well. Well, and I also just want to say that I did check the TSBA database. We went from 27th in the state in teacher pay to 11th. So, we're now 11th. We got 10 more to go. >> Yeah, that's right. Uh, and we're and and we have been making some good progress. Um, and I will say also given that our per pupil expenditure hovers around the 50th percentile and I think we may have crept up maybe just a tiny bit above the 50th, jumped to teachers to 11th. We're putting our money in the classroom, y'all. If we're hovering around 50th percentile and

176our teacher pays at 11th in the state out of 140, depending on how they count them, 148. Um, we're we're putting our money there in the classroom. Um, yeah, Vicki, >> I just want to flag for y'all in case you've forgotten it that we do have an open salary um evaluation going on now with LeanFrog. So, just just a reminder of that because I suspect they're going to have some recommendations for us. Um, >> It won't hit this budget year. And I I don't want to say that that's only a drop in the bucket for what they're going to to do. But I do want to say I want us to be intentional about changes we make on the chart. um or or for y'all to think about that when you do that because I

177do think they'll have recommendations for us and we want to be careful about getting into spots where we might have compression or or different issues like that. >> Okay. We ready to move on past general purpose school fund. >> All right. Cafeteria fund. >> Central cafeteria is the next fund. Um again you'll see that beginning look I turned my page ahead in the round 48 I believe. Yeah page 48 is the summary for them and that's what you see on your screen in front of you. Um they do not have a projected gap at this time. Uh included in the packet is the proposed fees and there were no changes to the fees for cafeteria. Um and then the detail is behind it. But again, they um are self-funded and so there is no gap.

178They would not have an issue being able to balance their budget. >> And I want to honor um some comments Mr. Galborth has made over the course of years since officially this is your last budget discussion. That's not really the reason, but uh um central cafeteria fund um is usually in the black versus in the red. um largely because of alleart purchases and we've taken some steps really to increase parent decision-making and parent control over those alleart purchases over the years uh in part because of the um because of what we've heard from the board over the years. So I just wanted to make sure we mentioned that. Um uh on the payroll side uh Miss Hall, I know that you you there's a lot of discussion related to cafeteria staff pay uh in in

179the context of the the the the entire staff's pay. Uh and so when we have discussions about pay increases for them, our HR department does compare it to other part-time positions. And so there is a there is a discussion to make sure that there's an appropriate comparison between those two. Um but in in that context we will have some more discussion about our part-time cafeteria staff in part because the turnover. >> Any questions on cafeteria? If not we will move on to the extended school. There is a typo on this slide, y'all. And I am seeing it. I have looked at these slides a hundred times and I'm reading it off and it says pro a program. This is killing me, y'all. Okay, so the extended school program, also known as SAC for us, so

180ignore that. Um, again, for them, also self-funded and they um would be able to cover their budget as well. There would be no gap for them. Um they would I mean both cafeteria all three funds use fund balance um to balance the budget. What happens a lot of times in all of these is that revenue the expenditures were we're estimating. So the revenue comes in a little bit better than expenditures and you don't really but they they would be fine in order to cover. There was a few little changes um in their fees, but it was mostly related to late registrations to just try to help alleviate um changes, last minute things that they can't prepare for. >> So, no so no county tax money is used to fund cafeteria. We do receive some federal.

181Uh there is no tax money of any source for our school age child care program, our extended school program. It is it is exclusively userfunded. >> Correct. Any questions on the extended school program? And then the last section that you'll look at is uh annual capital, our annual capital request. And so what you will see on that summary sheet um is last year's information. I just like to provide that so you have something to compare to. So last year we requested 14.1 million and the commission uh did approve that 14.1 million. This year we're asking for 13.6. Why is it broken down covered this many times between general and rural is because um FSD is K8 and they are within the county and so we have to differentiate our money between the two types K8

182versus high school and so that's general and rural but um the requests are there and you have detail in your packet behind it that will list out each school where projects are being um proposed. So, if you have any questions about that, please do not hesitate to ask. >> I will tell you, um, from a county commission perspective and the work I've done with the county commission, even predating my being the superintendent when I was the deputy superintendent, uh, there are some years when they were fully fund this and then there were there are some years when they won't. And so, we walk through that process with them every year. That's driven by some of their other issues related to bond schedules, etc., uh as they're as they're making decisions. So, um if I'm not

183mistaken, Brian, last year they did did they fully fund our capital? >> They fully funded last year. They didn't the year before that. They cut through. >> Okay. So, it So, two years ago, they didn't. Last year they did. >> The last thing I just want to share with you, and it's in your packet as well, are the dates coming up. So March 30th, assuming you all will approve a budget um next week, we would meet with the joint budget and education committee on March 30th, and then individually with education on the 27th, budget on the 28th, the commission as a whole um will vote on the entire budget on June 18th, the morning at 9:00 a.m. So just keep those dates in mind. Um Lydia has said she will be glad to send calendar

184invites um for these if any of y'all would like to have those just so that you have them on your calendar know. Um I do think that when we show up and we represent Williamson County schools that it it has an effect. I mean it does um show the interest of the group and so we would love to have anybody there that would would like to be there. >> And and I will add this as well. Many of you do this. Talk to your commissioners from your districts as well. uh and let them know when you get that those opportunities about what we've cut. Uh we have done what Mayor Anderson has asked of his departments and more. Uh and so I think it's important to emphasize that uh because we recognize the challenges they

185face as well. They do fund twothirds of our budget and so they are they they are doing a lot for us. Uh and and you know it's it's it's a matter of that tight finding a way to just keep up. Okay. Any more questions on budget before we leave that? All right. Thank you again. Okay. We've got a couple of board policies for first reading. Um I don't think Dana's here. >> She's not, Mr. Chair. M Dana is out. I >> do. want to handle that. >> Uh, so the the first policy before you is a new member orientation, some recommended changes. I want to thank Miss Clemens for bringing that. You have her form in there as well. So there's pretty good discussion that actually uh predated me arriving at the meeting because I

186was at a county commission budget meeting and so you see some proposed changes. I actually like I very much like the idea of of uh of of having a a revamped new me new board member orientation process. Uh it's the some of what I'm visualizing are making sure that you have this those new board members have those opportunities to talk with different departments. Uh I know Mr. Cash made a comment about TSBA and those those those things that you get what the vision that we've had uh for the new B board member orientation knowing that those TSBA trainings happen over the course of time is to to make sure that those board members know those things. You've got to know on the front end, you know, just to just to to protect you and to

187have a to have a a visual of of of where you're headed. I will also say this. Uh I want to make sure that every board member knows every new board member knows that they that I don't think that it's that there's an expectation that they just sit for blank number of months and not and just listen. I think it's wise to ask questions. Uh because the question that a new board member may ask may not have been answered for an for a sitting board member. So there's wisdom in asking the questions and I think our teachers do the same thing in their classrooms. uh there you know so so I just felt like it was important for me to mention that uh but there's there's first reading you all will be revisiting this in

188second reading if you approve that at the Monday meeting >> okay then code of conduct >> thank you Mr. chair second uh the code of conduct there's some discussion you can see on the first page uh just a a restatement and an improvement in that one paragraph on that on that first page uh with respect to uh mediation or restorative conferences uh on page two there's some there's a proposed change that would move leaving campus without permission or urging other students to engage in skipping class move that up to a not to the next level uh of uh of discipline. So if you have any questions about that, certainly open to them. Um but again, that will go back for second reading as well. >> Can I throw out the idea of these two going

189on consent agenda for Monday night on first reading? Is any any objection to that? >> Okay. So we'll make those to consent. All right. Um, next item is approval of high school courses and special course applications. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is one of the items on our annual agenda for this month. It includes proposals for uh our high school courses, plus if we have any special courses. This year, we do not have any special courses to present to you. Dr. Allen and his team have prepared the proposed list of high school courses. I do want to point out some of the highlights in that document that includes some adjustments to honors versus standard courses. Uh Dr. Allen, is there any detail you'd like to share with the board? >> Nope. Specifically, three changes.

190I'll just make sure that I highlight those three changes. Moving theater to arts three and four to honors. We uh have vetted the the the course content um and determined it to be honors level. Uh moving coding two to honors, we've done the same thing. And then we have historically taught abnormal psychology. That is a special course that has to be approved through the state. So we're just simply running that through a renewal process at the state. That's the only changes from last year's course codes. Last item I want to mention related to this, the uh innovation center courses were approved last year. So aviation is an example. Those are already on our on our docket because students have already started the enrollment process. I like clarification. What is game studies seminar? >> Game studies

191seminar. >> It it would be game theory as opposed to computer logic. Okay. So, understanding how to impart code into the computer industry which we do have a class. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Any more on that? All right. Our final item is the approval of the Health and Career and Technical Education Textbook Adoption Committee recommendation. Mr. Golden. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. We're going to give you a presentation. Uh you I'm sure you recall these last few months we've been giving you presentations related to the process and the and the substance of the work that's being done related to some of our CTE courses, CCTE courses, and health and PE textbooks. Jen Sour has been presenting that uh because this is a voting item. This time she's not presenting at the superintendent report.

192She's presenting to you now uh to to to share with you the conclusions, the recommendations from teachers and the recommendations from the committee related to that textbook adoption. >> Thank you, Mr. Golden, and thank you, board. >> Well, if I if I may, uh Mr. Brown just just stepped out and we've been asked if we could take a break before Jen Jen proceeds. I think that's a brilliant idea. >> Okay. Uh I don't officially have authority, but let's take a six minute break. bit of preface for you. I am here to give you the final recommendations out of the textbook adoption process for this year. And as a reminder, two of the changes that were made to the board policy around textbook selection that we're going to talk about tonight in the form of this

193presentation is that number one, when teachers and then the committee make those recommendations. They're no longer just selecting what is the resource that they're recommending. They're providing their reasoning or rationale behind that recommendation. So, back before spring break, you received from me a packet of what is every single comment that we received from every committee member. I'm not going to put every one of those comments up on the slides. I think that would be a long time for us to go through and probably hard to read. So, I did want to make sure that you had it in print form. But what we're going to look at on the slides are some summaries of comments that came out of that. No, you're fine. >> No, it's just textbook, I think, is the first word. I

194can check on my computer if you want me to. Do you want me to look It's called textbook adoption BOE. Perfect. There it is. Okay. So, as a quick reminder, the work that's happened since the last time that we were together, the teachers did make their recommendation to the textbook committee for a preferred resource via an electronic form. That teacher recommendation data was captured and aggregated by school. The textbook adoption committee members were provided the teacher recommendation data for their school. They also received district data. And then the community members don't represent a single school. So, they receive that aggregate district data. The textbook aditt committee, excuse me, textbook adoption committee members then made their final recommendation to the school board for your final vote and approval. So, we're going to kind of go through

195course by course and talk about what were the major findings of the committee. So, we're I I believe that my presentation follows along with that packet that you got just in condensed form for you. So, the first course we'll look at is middle school health and PE. As a reminder, we had four different resources up for consideration. All four of those resources were new to Williamson County, so none of those are ones that we're using currently. Also, as a reminder, the state did not vet middle school health and PE resources. This was uh the teachers in our uh district said they also felt like they needed a middle school resource. So we pulled those as part of our adoption but the state did not uh do any vetting of those resources. That comment at the

196bottom is going to show up on all the slides. Remember that in your packet you have same information about what was the selection data, what is the current textbook used by the course when there is one and then what's the reasoning or rationale submitted by the textbook committee for this resource. the major findings of the committee. What was the reason that they recommended? Excuse me. Actually, I should probably go back and talk about what was the resource that they recommended. So, you'll see that the overwhelming selection of both the teachers and of the committee was essential health skills for middle school published by Goodheart Wilcox. Their reasoning included number one, strong alignment to standards and district priorities. So, closely aligned with Tennessee state standards. that was actually not a given in that middle school resource.

197So remember that everything else goes through the state vetting that would ensure that alignment to standards. The middle school did not. So that was a big piece of what they were analyzing. Um and also with district learning goals, accurate and current content that supports required instruction, comprehensive teacher support, so robust teacher resources including pacing guides and instructional materials and professional development supporting effective and consistent implementation. And then engaging, differentiated and realworld learning supports diverse learning, excuse me, diverse learners through differentiation, multiple languages, and ESL supports real world hands-on activities that increase student engagement and relevance. There are questions about that resource before we go on to the next one. >> Yeah, >> I see multiple languages. Yes. >> Besides English and Spanish, are there other languages that we >> I'd have to doublech check with

198that particular resource. Many of the resources that we looked at did have the ability to translate into multiple languages, not just English and Spanish. Okay. for high school lifetime wellness. Again, you'll see that the overwhelming selection of both teachers in the committee was that essential health high school version also from GoodArt Wilcox. And again, all of these resources are new for Williamson County. You'll see that the teacher comments are similar but not the same. So again, that alignment to Tennessee standards came up as a piece of the conversation. And you'll see that in this Kate what the mention is is that it's best aligned to Tennessee standards. So we've talked about before that in the state vetting process they are confirming that all standards are addressed. They don't necessarily confirm the depth of the standards

199being addressed. So part of what the textbook committee looks at is not just can we find the standard but do we really feel like this is a good resource to fully address those standards as we need to instruct on them. Um again they looked at that accurate, current and adaptable content and again that teacher support came up. So I think actually interestingly in the context of the conversations we had earlier, we've heard a lot in a lot of different contexts around how our teachers are often coming in with not the background in teaching. And so having those teacher support has been important to our teachers as they're selecting instructional materials. Any questions about this one? Okay, we're going to move into the CTE courses. These become a whole lot more narrow. So, you'll see that

200the number of teachers that teach these courses are often well, I think every single one is going to be in single digits. In some cases, you're going to see one teacher who teaches the courses. So, this is a very small adoption for us. But for coding one, the selection was Tennessee coding one, which is through code HS. CodeHS is a product that our teachers are familiar with. We use it in several different computer science courses throughout the district. So often the teachers of these courses are teaching multiple courses. So while they may or may not have used code HS for this particular course, they're very familiar with the product. For computer science foundations, the choice was Tennessee Computer Science Foundations CodeHS. And for cyber security 1, Tennessee cyber security 1 code HS, you'll see that

201their reasoning is a little bit different than what Health NP is looking for because they're thinking about how are we using this resource in that information technology setting. They're still talking about that standards align computer science program, but you'll see that they're calling out some specific things. So, it supports all of our currently taught programming languages. It offers both introductory and advanced court work coursework. Again, it is aligned with state standards. It's regularly updated to keep pace with changes in technology. That's a big piece for the information technology group. I know that they were talking about how quickly it changes in the course of an 8-year adoption. And so, a curriculum that is flexible, that's able to keep up with those changes was important to them. They also mentioned that teacher support and instructional tools

202and again that idea of engaging in student centered learning. So they talked about project-based real world learning with built-in differentiation again for those advanced learners, special ed students and English language learners. Okay, we're going to move into uh the mechatronics courses. I will tell you that every mechatronics course is taught by a single teacher in the district. So when we talk about a narrow adoption, this is a narrow adoption but the mechatronics uh course sequence begins here with digital electronics. So digital electronics the choice was electricity and electronics which is by Goodart Wilcox. That is the current book but an older version that they use for this particular course. Again, this is a cluster of courses that nothing passed state vetting. So, this was again us reaching out to publishers and saying, "Hey, what do

203you have to support this course?" For meatronics one, we were only to able to find one resource that we felt might potentially meet the course. We did have two to review for meatronics 2. So, for meatronics one, the choice was industrial maintenance and mechatronics. And for meatronics too, the choice was programmable logic controllers, hardware and programming by Goodheart Wilcox. And again, some of the things that the teachers and then the committee mentioned alignment to standards again came out as something that was really important. And then it starts talking about some of the content specific pieces. to that precision exam materials ensuring alignment between instruction and assessment uh strong hands-on real world focus again and then rigor and depth of content. So in some of those courses we were kind of comparing here are two resources

204that could potentially meet the needs of the course. The ones that were selected is the ones that stood out as more advanced and more rigorous than the other options that they were reviewing. All right, now we're moving into the engineering side of this CTE cluster. So the first course is principles of engineering and technology which is kind of the introductory course. The choice of the teacher and the committee was foundations of engineering and technology by goodart Wilcox. These are again all new resources for Williamson County. So we don't use any of these currently. And then for engineering design one and engineering design two. For engineering design one there were two resources that passed state vetting. The choice of the teachers was and of the committee was ICB STEM site engineering design one and that same

205course but different level was the only resource that passed for engineering design 2. So again that was the selection. And so ICB STEM site engineering design 2 again by CB multimedia. Some of the things that stood out in the teachers comments maybe some things that we would expect out of an engineering course. So again they talked again about that alignment to standards and the required assessments part of those CTE standards. But then they also mentioned the progress or excuse me projectbased learning that was incorporated hands-on applications embedded throughout the curriculum. Projects are well integrated increasingly complex and aligned with real world engineering practices and CTSO activities. Um, another mention that they talked about in the middle there is where it mentions it's providing both strong foundational concepts but also supporting that progression to higher level

206thinking. All right. And then the final course that was up for adoption was the middle school STEM explorers, innovators and designers course. And again there was only re one resource that passed state vetting for those courses. So that was the selection and the feedback that was provided again aligned to state standards. Strong teacher support also came up as a piece that was important to this group and instructional guidance. And then it talked again about the interactive piece. So this is supporting interactive hands-on learning experiences and also at an appropriate level for our middle school students. emphasis on engagement and practical application of STEM concepts. Okay. Any questions about any of that before we kind of talk a little bit about what will happen next? >> I've actually got a couple questions. Just some things that

207I know came up here and there. >> Some of it's driven by some of the discussions we had earlier and this may be a Dr. Allen or or or Jenny Lopez question as well. Talk a little bit about uh how we're driven by the standards first. >> Yeah, absolutely. So, what we talk with teachers about this is actually part of our committee conversation from the very beginning. So, I'll kind of take you back in time to the first probably the first time that I came and talked to you guys for this adoption cycle is that before we ever start evaluating resources, we begin with our committee by kinding setting the stage of what are we looking for in instructional resource. Evaluating of standards is always part of that. We keep our standards as the center

208of our instruction. what our guidance to teachers now becomes. So now that we have chosen or moving to the stage where we have chosen an instructional resource, what the work of our curriculum specialists will be is to take the adopted resource and align it to the state standards. It is I want to say universally true. I think there maybe is a time where there's an exception. Elementary might be more of an exception than secondary. instructional materials will very very often contain material that is outside of the standard. We talk about it beyond the scope of the course. And so it's important for teachers to have that scope and sequence as the guiding document to say hey we never provide as guidance pick up the resource start on page one and just teach through until the

209end. Instead, what we do is say start with your standard truly unpack that standard to know what is it the students need to know and be able to do and then we go to the instructional resource to pull out what are the lessons that are in that instructional resource that address the standard. There are often things that are in an instructional resource that our teachers and students are just not going to use because they're not part of the standard. The flip side of that is occasionally we find we have to supplement. we say actually the standard says we need to be able to do this and we need supplemental materials because while the resource addresses the standard it's not to the full depth and breadth >> and related to that there was some discussion about

210classroom sets in a different context what do you all anticipate from a purchasing standpoint with health and these CTE courses >> that's a great question I can definitely say for health and PE I have uh Tany Rener who's our curriculum specialist for health and PE is here she and I have been talking extensively last year leading up to this adoption and then again in this year. Our teachers have strongly indicated that in health and PE both in the middle school and high school level. We don't see any need for students to have a one-on-one resource. It's not that resource is going to have so much material in it that the students are just not going to be using to address the standards. The teachers have pretty universally said what we really need is a teachers

211guide. we as a teacher can pull out the resources that we need to use for classroom instruction. The students don't need that textbook on a one-to-one basis. Um, CTE, we're going to have to talk about course by course once we have the final selection. And sometimes that's what happens as well. So Chris Cooper and I'll have to sit down together and kind of go course by course and say, "Okay, for this course, what do we think we need? For this course, what do we think we need?" I'll give you some examples. I would say it's very likely for a course like coding one a student is going to need to have full access to the platform. A course like the middle school STEM courses that teachers have already said to me we do not need

212this for onetoone with our students. We can use it as a resource to create those lessons for our students. We don't need that for the students to have as onetoone. Okay. All right. So the next thing that'll happen um we are asking that in March this is put to the final vote and approval. Once the list is approved we publish the list on our website. We do order those textbook and instructional materials as soon as we can for those that we are ordering sets for students so that again we can get in that front of the line if it's possible to try and ensure that our students have things on time and then we immediately begin our implementation plan. So that's when our specialists sit down with groups of teachers. They work through those scope

213and sequences. And at the same time, we're working with publishers to set up training plans for our teachers so that they're ready to implement those resources. Okay, that's what I have. There's the summary of the list. Does anybody have anything final for me? Let me give you one additional reminder FYI. in your packet includes all the comments. Correct. >> Every single comment >> unedited >> friends misspellings and all. >> That's right. >> We felt it was really important for you to know that we really are passing on unedited comments for you. And so you are going to find a couple of typos. Just as you read my emails, you might find a typo every now and again. And we really wanted you to just have here is the raw words of our teachers so that

214you can see it. Thank you. Thank you very much. Any questions for Yeah. >> Yeah. Good question, >> Jen. Um I just noticed on the on the coding um code HS um one of the one of the comments was, "Hey, we we use this now and the um and it always it spits out bad information and it makes some of the functionality not useful." U what's what were the other who were the other teachers? um comments around around that like I guess everybody because everybody saw the same feedback. Does is that is that a common thing like or it might just be a I don't know you just >> let's try again. That comment is the only one that I heard around that. Um Chris Cooper may have heard other things from teachers. It's not

215something that I heard universally and I think it is I can't speak for that individual teacher's experience. I can say that if I go out and ask any 10 teachers what has been your experience with a particular platform, somebody's going to have a had a really good experience. Somebody's going to have a not as good experience. It did come across pretty clearly that one teacher has not had a good experience with that platform. But it does sound to me and in conversations with the other teachers that that wasn't a universal feeling. And I can say for code HS in general, this is a it might be a little more detailed. So I'm sorry if I'm getting deep in the weeds of something that's a little bit confusing. It's actually confusing to us. There is a

216uh computer science foundations course that every student in high school takes as a graduation requirement. that is not this course which is real confusing because it's also called computer science foundations they also use code HS in that course it is uh pretty universally appreciated by the teachers who teach that course so while that is not reflected here I can just say anecdotally the teachers who use code HS for that computer science foundations course that's different than this one they've had pretty good experience with the platform they seem to like it they've been using it for about two or three years now and they haven't asked us to change it at all. So again, one person is always going to have some feelings. I don't want to discount that at all. I haven't seen it as

217a universal feeling. Chris, do you have anything else you want to say about that? Okay. Okay. Anything else? >> Anyone? >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. Thanks. Thanks for all your work. >> All right. Any any questions on that? We will be, as everyone knows, voting on Monday night on whether to approve that committee recommendation. >> Yeah. >> Will will we vote for like each individual book or are we voting on them all 12 or >> That's a good question. We we take them as a whole or do we take them individually? I can't recall. >> We right now we actually have it as an agenda item. Um, so, uh, my suggestion would be if you all would like to vote for them separately, we can break those up into separate ones, but

218right now it's one vote. >> So, would that just would that just be a any like a it's like pulling something off of like a consent agenda. If anybody wants to break any one of them out separately, we just then do that prior to the meeting. >> We'll assume we vote as as a package and if someone wants to pull one out separately, we can do that. And I would reinvite you all to ask us questions not just on this if anything comes up before Monday but also on the budget. Uh we're still open to any questions and if there's any any any request to break this out we will. Okay. All right. Anything else for the good of the order? Okay. We're ajourned.