001we will go ahead and get started. Um today uh we will turn over the presentation to Dr. Battle uh to discuss the board budget um the proposed FY26 uh budget um and the floor is yours. Thank you. Thank you so much um budget chair Dr. Berthan Obama Kenny. Um, I'm going to turn it over here in just a moment to our chief um financial officer, finance officer. It's one of the It's It's been a long planning day. Um, who's going to lead us through our um FY 2526 um operating um budget documents, particularly our um Doc 9 summary document. Um we also want to share just some little tidbits around the the budget book just to make sure everyone is level set on that. Um and then a few other just kind of um communication
002just technical pieces based upon um questions um to make sure we all have the same information. So Chief Robus I'll turn it over to you now. Thank you Dr. Battle. Um board members pleasure to be here again and um yeah let's let's talk about our proposed FY26 budget. So this um summary should look familiar to you. So, as you know, our district received a historical allocation of $132 million in the FY26 budget ordinance to support the budget priorities, allowing us to provide the continuity of operations, the critical investment by moving ESR Bridge to our operating fund and continue to invest in our educators compensation and benefits. Uh, as well as expanding on safety and security measures, which were the board priorities, the priorities that you set out uh for fiscal year 26. Um as we've
003discussed previously uh the summary of the changes um that this um slide shows um we have an investment in our educators of 44.8 million uh through a 3% cola a salary step increase and benefits that includes health insurance and pension. Um we also included here in the summary an investment of the $14.6 $6 million to include the textbook adoption budget into our operating fund. Uh hence allowing us to provide the continuity uh that we need to meet the required adoptions and to ensure that um we are adopting in a timely manner so the students have the books when schools start align with the priorities. We also have a $1.2 $2 million investment in high school safety and security measures. Uh the enhanced securities that we have put in place uh and to continue to do
004that. Um we also um show the investments for uh $20.4 million in exceptional education and English learner student supports uh which are the students populations that are growing in our district and we have um budgeted to meet their needs and uh through supports as well as $21.4 $4 million in continuity of operations by covering the inflationary increases and contractual obligations. Um, we're bringing, as I mentioned, SER Bridge into our operating budget to continue the investments that have been essential to achieving the students outcomes we have seen for the past four years. Um and as we discussed um during the last meeting, we identified $21 million in targeted savings and $26 million in budget efficiencies to meet the allocated funds uh in the budget ordinance for fiscal year 26. In the fis in the fiscal year
00526 budget book uh that you received last week, uh document 9 provides a line item budget uh with the detail of the summary of changes at the account level. So all of the changes that are in this summary are essentially detailed out um across the different accounts and uh in that document nine the $44.8 million worth of investments in our educators through cola the salary step increase and the benefits are incorporated already in the salary tax and benefits line uh for each of the accounts. So we flow them through uh into each of the accounts. Um and as um I included in the um in the one pager that um came with uh the newsletter on Friday with some um guidance on how to um navigate the um the budget book. Um there are essentially
006um changes that um that are reflected there where um in this particular budget uh we are bringing the operate the asset bridge into the operating fund. So that impacts uh dollars as well as positions. As I already referenced, the salaries and benefits related to the step increase and cola health insurance and pension changes already incorporated in that change and the total salaries. Um we also um had uh changes to um make sure that we have a clear alignment between u functions, positions of budget. So we did some moves to make sure that that is accurately reflected. So those are not increases, they're just an alignment. Um and um the um creation of new functions and accounts to support a clear allocation of resources to a program or department. The example that I provided is um
007in prior years we had um all of classroom associates in um one account 2313 which was all substitutes and um for regular ed and CTE. We separated that out uh as the investment is uh critical to us into a specific account for classroom associates and we try to include notes that will help you navigate um through that. So that is in um a really high level um description of of the documents that you have received and as Dr. Battle referenced I'm going to get out of here. So there's been um some questions regarding uh the um two categories that we highlighted back in March uh when we showed show you the priority investments or investments related to the board priorities um that we label additional small projects and programs and um so I wanted to
008essentially provide some additional information to make sure that we are all on the same page as to what's included in that but also want to note that um it is important that these groupings um where when we were discussing um the priority investments uh for the FY26 and um since then we've received the allocation in the FY26 budget ordinance and we have gone through the exercises um to reduce spending in different areas through the targeted savings and the budget efficiencies. Um so um some of the things that are in these buckets um have been already uh part of those exercises. Um but nonetheless I wanted to provide uh for the sake of clarity some of the information that is in here. So I'm going to try to scroll down. So this is the slide um
009this is a slide that we saw back in March. um where that category and this is for continuity of operations when we showed um the $12.5 million um at the time what I share with the board is that in in this category um we did include our um school-based budget um uh budget um to support the increase of our base weight which um over $6 million. So that represented the majority of this bucket. Um and then we included other items in this category um such a such as a $1 million contract to expand data analytics and ROI capabilities to evaluate programs. One mill $1 million contract services for promising scholars um but $100,000 in travel and mileage for support hub professionals and development. 860,000s in um college and career readiness contract, $1.3 million to um
010to stipens and supplemental earnings. And then the remaining 1.7 million includes a series of adjustments to um travel for professional development, other expenses to provide continuity to existing programs that are outside of the big listed categories um in the other buckets. And then there was another grouping that we did for the ESS bridge which represented um 11 million um some of the examples uh that were included or the items that were included in this bucket. There was uh $500,000 for the Tennessee Foundation skills literacy printing cost, $430,000 for LEAPS program, $730,000 in transportation enhancements, $1.9 million for schools and academics professional development, um 1.2 million for the hero program transportation, $420,000 for uh the research and um evaluation analyst for accountability and support. 600,000 on instructional tech, IT field support specialists, 700,000 attendance matters program,
011782,000 support services for counseling, homebound and positive uh school supports incl,000 schools innovation ISO model 470,000 college and career readiness support including Abbott $750,000 for classroom facility support 764,000 in security supports 300,000 in technology and communication supports and 1 million targeted um school supports. So um I believe that we've shared that information uh through um committee chair and um but I wanted to make sure that we had an opportunity to um bring it in close the loop for for everyone during this meeting. And um that is essentially a highle um summary of what the packets that you have received. And um now I'm going to turn it back to um committee chair board member McKini. Um and I'll answer any questions that the may have. Thank you. Thank you um Chief Roles and Dr. battle.
012Um, I'm going to open it the floor up for any questions. No questions. Oh, board member Tyler. Um, yes. So, on Wednesday, I had sent you guys a proposed amendment. Is this the appropriate time to discuss? No, we're going to do that afterwards. That's why I was asking. Yeah. Yeah. Thank you. Any questions pertaining to this component right here? Oh, can we get a hard copy of what you just showed us with all of everything broken down for those small so that I have that because I never received that? Well, we talked about this at the last um meeting. Um now that we have attached to it and what he show we can share this, but we talked about it and then I know the email came this morning. So, we'll we'll share this information.
013Yeah, thank you. That would be helpful. I appreciate that. Board member Taylor, the um the items that were listed um in each one of those categories. Is it safe to say that many of those items are things that we have contracts for already in place or that we've had contracts for? Um some of them may be associated with contracts. I think the key takeaway probably is those are things that are already in play. So those are not new um strategies or projects that we've been working towards. So some I would imagine have some significance to contracts that are already um in place, but to not have them will mean we're undoing something that we've already started. Thank you. And if I'm if I may add as well, if you're referring to the second document that
014I shared also, um many of those items are items that we considered when we went through the exercise of targeted savings. Any other board member? Board member Elrod. May I see the second page again? I'm sorry. The I'm looking for the So, if you'll scroll down. Thank y'all for your help. Yep. Right there is what I'm trying to make sure that I have listed up with what we got this morning. Thank you. Any other questions, comments? All right. Um so with this um FY in in light of um us receiving the detailed budget book um and the budget for FY26, I would like to um put this up for a vote to approve the budget as it stands. Um and uh I would like to accept a motion. I I move approval of the budget
015as presented. Second. All right. So, we got a first from board member Block and a second from board member Player. Again, we're going to open it up one more time for questions. Board member Tyler. Yes. I'd like to make a friendly amendment. We're going to do the amendment after the the vote. Yes. But I I'm not going to vote for this if I want to amend this. All right. Okay. Go ahead. All right. Um, so I would like to the the initial proposal that I had sent was um before we got a lot of these numbers was to remove 6.4 million from the textbooks line item and add it to our COLA percentage so we could have one more percentage cola for all of our staff um and leave the remaining in textbook. So that
016would be my friendly amendment for us to discuss amendment. All right. So it has been moved by board member Tyler, seconded by board member Young. Um do we open it for discussion or do we have a vote? All right, we open it up for discussion. All right, so you want to go ahead and take the floor? Yes. Great. So, my first thoughts on this were um knowing that we didn't have a really large textbook adoption until ELA was coming up, um I thought that some of that 14 six I think was it. Um I have a bunch of things pulled up. I need to find the right one. So if we were looking at the required state cycle for textbook adoptions, um they break it down to give eleas a year to adopt materials and
017then the following year you implement them. And so it was my understanding that we were wanting to move this in so that the year we adopt the materials we would spend the money on them. Is that incorrect or is that correct? So that it would be ready to go the year we adop we implement. So even though for example um even though science implementation is this this fiscal year we're discussing we would have used the previous year's budget to pay for it so it'd be ready to go on the first day of school. Is that incorrect or is that correct? That's correct. Okay. Just wanted to make sure because getting those numbers I was like I want to make sure we'd already spent that. Um, so if we're looking at the upcoming fiscal year, the
018adoptions that are in the state cycle, um, is for, let me pull that up for PE and health sciences and CTE programs that include information technology and advanced manufacturing. Um, that's the year for adoption and according to our schedule of how we want to have it ready, that would mean that we would adopt and a purchase at the same time. Um, and based on the numbers that we just got this morning, it looks like that would be $10,000 a little bit over $10,000 total 10, sorry, 10 million 10 million total. A little difference just a small small difference. I'm like that one, you know. Um, no. Yeah. So 10 million would be just the smaller would be what we would be looking to spend out of the textbooks. Um knowing that I have all these
019up in different things. So if we remove 6.4 that would leave 9 million left in the budget because we would include the 14.6 plus the 800,000. So that's that would leave 9 million left um which would be just shy of the necessary total if we were to do that. and we were shy 1 million. What would we not do in that? Like how would we deal with that if that's the way we want to go? That would mean we would not be fully adopting the curricular materials. It also means for the following year we start at a deficit because if you look at the next year we have a $20 million investment that's required. Yeah. No, I I understand that. That's why I was looking at it. Yeah. Plus the six for social studies would
020be the following year. Yeah. So we would be working on that deficit. I mean I made my proposal before I had the numbers. Do you have any other questions? I was just explaining my thought process. Thank you. Anyone else have questions? Board member block. Yeah. Um I just, you know, appreciate the work that everyone put into figuring this out and also giving us uh a lot of detail. This is super helpful to see the detail on what's in the budget and I know you all have talked through it, but always helpful to see it in writing. Um, and I I think, you know, we've talked about this before, but just to reiterate, I think we're in a lucky position to be able to make the uh additions that we have made. I've talked just in
021the in this week to a couple of folks um about budget issues nationwide. Um, and most districts are not in the position to be giving any sort of increase uh in pay to staff and are really in a position to be cutting and um so all of that just to say it's it's painful not to be able to do more for everyone. I think we would all love to be able to do that. There are a lot of things that we need to continue to support our kids to make the kind of increases that they've made over the last several years. lots of things we need to support educators not just in pay but also in the things that they need in classrooms to be able to teach in a comfortable way. Um and there's
022always more that I think we would want to do. So um I appreciate the work everyone's put into this. Ideally, the council finds a bunch of money somewhere and we can figure out some other things. But, uh, but short of that, I think, um, just um I'm I'm I'm glad we are in the fiscal position that we are in and not in the fiscal position that most folks are in. So, thank you for the good management. Board member Taylor. Also, um, just don't want to let this point go by. Um, yes. We are thankful to be in this position. Um, but it's because of the leadership that we have, right? Um, I'm going just say it. I think our state is intentionally trying to make sure that we're not in this position going forward. And
023so, um, the challenges that we saw during this budget cycle are going to continue unless we do something different at the state. And so I just want to just reiterate that we need to be encouraging folks to understand what the real problem is is the fact that our state is not funding us appropriately and we need to address our issues there versus trying to micromanage and find things here and there um in Metro because if we had the funding from the state, this wouldn't even be a conversation. we be able to completely approve our budget, do the things that we need to do for our children, and continue to see the success that we're seeing. So, I just want to thank you all for the work that you're doing. I appreciate everybody on the team,
024and uh I think if we continue to work together addressing the root cause of this that we'll be able to start making some uh some headway going forward. Thank you, Board Member Elrod. Thank you. Um, in general, I am quite happy that we now have the textbook budget uh going forward in our budget as I believe it's a good practice. Um, unfortunately, I've been on the board before where we've not been able to adopt the correct curriculum and that's not been helpful to teachers and staff and of course it's had rolling um effects including we've been fined and other things because of that. So, it's been a concern, but beyond that, it's a responsibility of ours. I do want to get a clarification because I do appreciate all the extra information we've received, including some
025from this morning that said that the average consumables per year, which was more than I thought actually, is 3.5 million. That is in addition to what we would typically spend. I'm trying to make sure I'm correct. Is that in addition to what we would typically spend to adopt because that's for lost and of course replenishing replenished books. Is that true? That's correct. Okay. So the 14.6 is not just a nest egg in essence for future adoptions that we have on a schedule that's based upon the state but also for these consumables and loss and replacements. Yes. The 1446 is on average what is required of us to maintain our curriculum adoption and um replenish consumables um throughout each of those years. Okay. Okay. Um I echo uh what my colleague uh Aaron O'Hara Block has
026said about I appreciate all the additional information um and all the details. They were quite helpful. Um, some of it is familiar and I know we've discussed it, but seeing it frankly written out in in a chart is always helpful to me. Um, so I appreciate that including that consumable number because again that was more than I thought it would be honestly. Okay. Thank you, Board Member Young. Thank you, Chair. Um, I uh I seconded my my colleagues motion because I felt it was important that we have some sort of discussion. Um, now let me start. I I can't I can't support the amendment and and because I think now that we have gotten to this point as we've gotten to go through all of these numbers and get these go through this exercise, we've
027been able to demonstrate to ourselves and to the public that this really is the absolute best that we can do and that an an immense amount of hard work has gone into this and that very difficult decisions have been made and I just but Uh I want to push back on the narrative and I want to be careful that we we don't feel like it's not micromanagement. It's not that we are uh don't trust our staff, but it's we have a job to do and we have to show the public that we're doing our job to ensure that the decisions that are made really are the right decisions. And I wholeheartedly believe that this budget represents the best decisions that we can make in these circumstances. And I just felt like it was important to
028kind of push back on that narrative because we do have a job and we need to show folks that we're doing the job and and um this is absolutely uh the absolute best that we can do while still not cutting needed things to students like these textbooks. And I think when you look at the the long-term plan of the textbook investments that this it makes sense that we're sort of banking maybe is not the the the the appropriate accounting term, but we're building that in because that number does fluctuate from year to year based on the curriculum and what's getting adopted. Um, but I do want to commend uh staff for for making some I mean really really sharpening your pencil very fine because this this was uh this is a very tough point to
029get to and I appreciate y'all. Um, and so I hope that that the questions that we've asked haven't come across as any sort of doubt in your ability, but just an exercise to the public to show just exactly how we got to this because they need to know just how tough it is in the and the in the rough situation we're in right now. So I appreciate y'all and thanks board member player. So the qu the textbooks that we adopt are they are individuals or are they classroom sets um when we when we purchase textbooks? Yeah. When we um described um fully adopting the high quality instructional materials, it includes individual um sets for students, all of the required and necessary resources for our educators as well. Um for years we talked about having to
030make the tradeoff between hard copy and online and lots of ways. this allows us to do both. It's just the way publishers are packaging things um now. So, we've been able to remove that as kind of a factor um in um in the funding. So, it is individual um sets both in many cases hard copy consumables um as well as online access for our students. Thank you. Um, I appreciate the sentiment of trying to uh find a way to give our employees an extra percent cola. Um, as a union person myself, a union member um something I've always been fighting for um in my career and and in my day job. Um, however, this is the difficult part. When I first came on the board, there was only classroom sets. That was one of the
031biggest complaints that I heard from community members um other elected officials and parents that um kids didn't have textbooks to take home to school or you had to beat another kid to get textbooks home if you went a certain subject. Um and that's something um I remember when I was first appointed to the board and came on that difficult discussion and personally a frustrating discussion cuz you know my parents made me bring home my textbooks particularly if I wasn't doing well in a particular subject and made me um study on Saturday mornings um probably right now I'm not a morning person today um into doing it um into learning and to catching up on my in my book and this is something that this is It's a difficult decision and I get where you try
032to find large sums of money um to reach to that point um and to understand to the public that yes a $ 1.3 billion budget sounds big and it is in common like in in layman's perspective but in a district that is this big um as I say this is literally a district that's size of Jackson Madison County within a whole county um is what we are managing that um we still have to make tough decisions. We're still only just over a third of the metro budget considering that we actually have more employees than Metro general government. Um that we're really doing a lot within a bigger a bigger system. Um and um as I said on the floor when I when I um when we had our budget committee with council, part of it
033is and going to Mr. Taylor's point of until this nation and this and our state truly invests into funding education at the level it should be, we will always have this tension of wanting and trying to do more and respecting our teachers for the fundamental not fundamental for the professionals that they are and not teaching as a pink collar job but as a true white collar professional job that it is. Um, and that's why we as a community have to continue to advocate and fight on the national and state level of putting more funding because understanding that education is a service-based industry that you have to pay people to do it. 80% of our budget is compensation. When you think of pay and taxes and benefits and all that stuff, that's the majority of our
034budget going to. So, um, and this is the difficult part. I've talked to teachers about it. I've been to the teachers union hall, talked to their bigger officers meeting, individual meetings about what it takes to do that. And also understanding that this is also just not a one-time one-time expenditures. When we give raises or cola, it goes on indefinitely indefinitely. And as someone who considers the financial um impact understanding that this increases future colas for the future. So it's not like you pay the 6 million and then 6 million continuously next year will most likely be 7 million because of the impact cost to have um to have the cola and that next year a difficult part and given where we are in the economy um and god forbid we have a recession or anything
035like that to understand that slow and steady is not the ideal slow and steady is the most practical even though it's not the ideal um to keep up with it that ever since I've been on board 2019 we've always provided a cola in a step um even when times there wasn't and and always would like to continue in that steady way and that we don't we don't create financial cliffs that we give a large cola and then next year we have to do layoffs or cuts just to maintain that same level in the future that everyone continues to get something in compounds over over the years um and I will continue to advocate on the state and federal level for more funding um and support the mayor and and revenue streams to continue to do
036that however that looks like um and stand by the mayor and the council to make sure that we get the revenue needs so we can do the things that we do and also that we made those discussions amongst ourselves and having these difficult conversations and having a public way that I also don't want to create a situation of we we increase in one area and then we cut in another area and then we create a situation and we create more work or burden or do not make an environment ideal because we had to make a cut to compensate for something else and that's what I meant last time last the last time when I said we want to look at the whole quality of life of of an employee of just because you increase the
037salary doesn't mean you increase the quality of life of their work. Um, and then I wanted to make sure that as we look at that, we're looking at the whole picture. Um, and until we increase and we have a better tax base as a state, um, and as a city that's growing, um, this is the tension that we will always have. Board member Tyler. Yes. So, I appreciate the conversation that we've had so far and I wanted to um kind of circle back a little bit to a couple things. Um board member Elrod, you had mentioned that you were really surprised by the 3.5 million for consumables and I was blown away by that number, too. I thought it was going to be less than a million for real. Um because we had budgeted so
038little for it in the past that I had assumed that we were budgeting for what the consumable need was. Did you want to add some also because we typically talk about the um core content adoptions that doesn't include all the advanced academic courses and specialty courses as well. And so sometimes it's just forgot about in the conversation naturally. Um and so I just wanted to add that it does include like all of the specialty classes of dual enrollment the what the industry certifications are API. So when you think about all those courses together, it adds up quickly. Yeah. And that's helpful to add because I was wondering why it was so large. Um but no, it it makes sense. So honestly, for this fiscal year looking at textbooks, it's not just over 10 million. It's
039actually 13.5 million that we're going to be looking at spending because we have to include that consumable price that we're doing. Um so again, these are numbers that we just got this morning and that's included in that number, just so you know. Yeah. Okay. Oh, okay. That is good to know. Um I thought that it was in addition to So, all right. But still, it doesn't get us where we need. Yeah. Yeah. One small small piece of good news. So, it's really important to me that we have these conversations and that we are so transparent about I mean I assume that most of you are doing the same thing that I've done which is combing through this budget looking for any possible opportunity where we could do a little bit more to support our employees
040to to help them feel like their needs are being heard because they've expressed to us that they would like a larger cola. And so I think in response to the people we serve, it behooves us to listen to them and look through to find if that is a possible outcome that we could provide for them. And um so I don't also think that it's micromanaging. I think that it's doing our job to ask these questions and to have this conversation in front of all of our employees in at a in MNS and also just the general public so they know where their tax dollars are going. It's extremely important to me that we're as transparent as possible. Um, so again, as board member Young said, it's not this is not intended to be a criticism
041of the budget that you presented us. It was an opportunity to try to find whatever we possibly could because that is literally one of our only jobs, one of the very few things we have control over. And so, if we weren't going through this line item by line item, then we wouldn't be doing what you elected us to do. So, it's important to me that we have this conversation. Now, that being said, I made the motion. I will not be voting to do it. And I know that that might feel frustrating that we're having this conversation about something that I'm not even going to vote to do, but I didn't have these numbers until this morning. And so it's either not even make the motion and not have the transparent discussion and just tell people,
042well, I changed my mind or it's make the motion and have the discussion so everybody understands this is literally the best it gets. Like this is how we meet the needs of our employees and our students in the best possible manner. And there is no fat to trim off based on what we're offering everybody. And so even though we got these numbers before today's meeting, I still felt like it was extremely important for us to have this conversation. Dr. Battle, you know what? No, no, we'll get to that in a minute. Dr. Battle, no. I was just going um to say from the very beginning, from the onset of the budget building process, one, it's not just a season. This is a year-long process for us. Um, again, I'd be remiss if I didn't also
043express our deep desire to also uh make sure that we are compensating our educators um at the highest level possible. Um, we went through tremendous work calculations, I mean all night, all day trying to bring present the our best thinking and the best numbers that really honors um our educators in the best ways um possible. Um and so I get the passion behind it. Um I think we share that passion collectively at the board and I know uh my team does as well. Um so I don't really think there's a tension there because we all want the same things. Um, and so as we continue to move forward, implement, get the return on our investment, it is my hope that we continue um to receive the investments we need um to honor those who are
044doing great work um in and about our school district, but also equipping them with the resources, the conditions they need to do um the work well. So, just wanted to to echo that. I think we all share the same passion um around um getting there and um I'm looking forward to getting some really good work done so that we can continue to show the work return on investment um and hopefully to continue to be prioritized um both at the local um state and I'll include federal level. Thank you. Okay, chair chair McKenna can I was just going to withdraw the motion. Yeah, I'll do that at the end. We still got they still got comments and then I'll come back to allow you to withdraw. Thank you. Um board member player. Anybody else? Yeah, I
045I say I understand your passion. I do want to push back on the transparency issue just because as chair I have literally been on radio shows, TV shows, broadcast television. I have been to um the community meetings that we have had um with the community about the budget, talked to unions, talked to teachers, talked to community leaders about our budget and about um where we are, the cost, where we've grown, the history of our budget. So, I don't want people to think that we are not having these conversations. is just that maybe everybody's not seeing at the same time but I know at least as chair I have been out in public constantly having conversations about the budget where we are the the frustrations the tensions um our conversation with councils my goal just being
046my personal goal as being part of this board was always to be a llayisons on between metro counsel and the mayor's office and this board to understand how both system works um together work with the other where there's a miscommunication because of lack of language or understanding. Um that has been one of my I guess personal um task or goals or whatever we're doing. But um it's one of those things that um you know meeting with Noah um plenty of times even at a coffee shop or on a on a zoom meeting that anytime anyone has asked me to be there I have been uh made myself present and available and gave plenty of my time to make sure that we are doing so I don't want people to think that we are just not
047having these conversations at all. we are having these conversations as stakeholders have come and asked us individually and I've always offered myself I've offered myself to teachers to SEIU um to the steel workers um to Noah to um to different parent groups that anytime I invited I've come even charter schools that are are in the system are outside of members even charter school parent groups I have let I've made myself available teaching them how um the budget works how our civics process works as a school board. So, our intent is um as a school board member, for me as elected official to make myself available um at many of times um and as many of us have, it costs our own day jobs um to do so. So, I I also want to make sure
048like we're not trying to hide everything. we're not trying to do. It's been coming through especially coming through COVID and coming through different aspects that the way we've had the achievements we have is because the investments that we've put in um over the years we explain those investments that we've had had conversations even on the national level of how we've used ESRE's onetime funding compared to some of our counterparts who use it for reoccurring funding. Um, and even so I want those I want people to understand that not every public conversations on this board but the public conversations happening in communities where people are and I've gone across this county going where people are having these conversations with people who are the major stakesholder of this community of our community. Board member Taylor. So I
049see the word micromanage has touched the nerve. So, I apologize for using that term. Um, I don't want you to lose sight of my overall point in making the comment. Um, I think, you know, with what Dr. Battle has just expressed to us, she cares just as deeply about this as we do, right? We all have constituents that have sent plenty of emails, phone calls. I get all of you all's districts emails and phone calls because I'm at the top of the page. So, I know I understand. And we give them an opportunity to express their concerns. You can ask Dr. Battle. When I get a question, I shoot it up to her and I get an answer and then I can give it back to the constituent and say, "Hey, we've asked this question.
050This is what we're doing. We are trying to do everything we can to support our students, to support our kids, and to support the families that send their kids to our schools. We aren't the issue. It's the state. And we got to focus our attention and our efforts on getting the state to do right by our kids. There's no red kids or blue kids or anything like that. that they're just our kids that we love and so we got to make sure that they love our kids the same way they love all the kids in the rest of the state. And that's my overall point. So what if just like how you about to pull back the amendment, I pull back the word micromanage and we can go forward and focus our attention on getting
051the money that we deserve for our kids. Anyone else? Any other rounds? All right. Um before we resend the amendment, I I just want to say a few words. Um I am new to budget chair. Um and this has been a learning experience for me. Um and what I've tried to do in this process is communicate um and make sure that I'm a liaison to get the information out as best as we can. Um I've succeeded in some areas. We've had some setbacks in some areas, but the overall effort was to get the information out. This is this budget season. And I want I just wanted to be clear is like is unlike any other budget season that we've gone through. We have unknowns at the federal level. We have unknowns at the state level.
052And frankly, we have unknowns at the local level related to budgeting and funding. Um we have new laws that have been implemented. we have so many things that are going on and it could potentially still change and so I want us all to be aware of that. Um this this budget is not static. It is an evolving budget. There may be things that come up that we have to come back and discuss and adjust and look at. And so I just want to thank everyone for their efforts um in in really digging down into that budget and looking at the budget, having transparent conversations um and doing our due diligence related to that. I really want to thank Dr. Battle and her team. We have been almost every day, all day, all night working to
053get answers done for our board members um to get things out and get them ready earlier than anticipated because of the deep desire to meet the needs of the call from our board members. Um, and so I want to make sure that we thank them publicly for the work that you all have done um, and been out of pocket doing um, because it's it's been a lot of work um, and it's been a lot of conversations um, and things that have happened over the last two weeks. Um, and so before we put this to a budget, I am going to turn the mic over to board member Tyler um on your amendment and then we'll move forward from there. Um, yeah, I just want to say also the fact that the only place I could
054look for any of this money was in textbooks shows you how tight the rest of the budget was all together. That was the only place I thought that there might possibly be a tiny bit of wiggle room because everything else was so well done. So again, this is not a criticism. It is us trying to do our job and I really appreciate the effort and the patience that you have shown me in this. So thank you for that. Um and with that, I withdraw my motion. I'll withdraw my second. Thank you. And um now that that has been withdrawn from board member Tyler, uh the with the second has been withdrawn from board member Young. Um we want to put the motion back on the floor to approve the FY26 budget um as written currently.
055And so we're going to ask for well we we already had a motion for board member block and a second from board member Player. So all of those in favor raise your hand. I. Any opposed? So, a unanimous vote. Um, our FY26 budget has been approved. Um, oh, thank God. Um, so I just I I also want to put I also this budget has been approved as written, but keep in mind our budget was approved prior to the Metro Council approving their budget. So if there's not any changes to the metro councsil bud budget, this budget will remain approved and move forward. If there are any changes um anywhere, we will come back for a continued discussion to reopen this discussion. All right. Um but it allows um with the budget being approved, it also
056allows our HR and everyone to do what they need to do to prepare for the FY2526 school year. All right. Huh? beginning July beginning July 1. Um so with no further business we will go ahead and conclude this meeting. Thank you. [Music]