School Board Meeting January 8, 2020 Part 3

001>> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: So we have Clover Codd up today so I'll let you give us the update. >> CLOVER CODD: Sure Chief of Human Resources Clover Codd for the record we are fortunate to have 16 talented carpenters in Seattle Public Schools and also one very talented chief negotiator for us. Our director of labor relations Tom Poulos so. Thank you Tom. What you have before you is a three year collective bargaining agreement that started on September 1 2019 and ends on August 31st 2022. This CBA provides for across the board wage increases an increase in the swing shift differential increase in the summer work incentive bonus new hourly premium for temporary employees who are ineligible for SEBB which is the state mandated health care language changes to comply with JANUS which is the Supreme Court case

002that basically says you cannot compel employees to be part of a union. Washington state requirements around sick leave utilization. Transition to SEBB improvements in the swing shift volunteer request process new bumpers around bereavement leave. Ability to create an apprenticeship program and transitioning employees to paperless pay information. So the wage increases for the 2019 — 20 school year are five point four percent across the board in the 20-21 school year beginning on September 1st. General wage increase of two point one percent or the state authorized and funded inflationary increase whichever is higher and in the 21 — 22 school year general wage increase of 2 percent or the state authorized and funded inflationary increase whichever is higher. You will note the fiscal impact for the three years of this agreement is three hundred ninety one thousand

003two hundred and forty two dollars. We did break that down between capital funded versus the general fund. And with that I will open it up for questions. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: All right. Thank you. Are there any directors with comments questions or concerns. Director Rivera — Smith and Director Rankin. Oh OK. Yeah. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: I'm trying to understand something so under the fiscal impact revenue source. The Finance Office estimates that the total new cost of this agreement in 2019 — 20 is approximately ninety five thousand two hundred fifty three dollars of which approximately sixty eight thousand six hundred eighty is funded by a combination of the state inflationary increase. How is something funded by a state inflationary increase. Is that really a fund. >> CLOVER CODD: Chief financial officer JoLynn Berge is coming up to

004the podium. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: OK. >> JOLYNN BERGE: Good evening again JoLynn Berge chief financial officer. The state funds an inflationary increase based on the implicit price deflator and that is mandated in law. So there is an automatic inflationary increase or a raise that does occur. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: That is a source of money. It is a source of funding from the state legislature. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Ok. That was. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Anymore director comments questions or concerns about this item. All right. Seeing none Miss Shek roll call please. >> SCHOOL BOARD STAFF: Hersey. aye Director Mack. aye Director Rankin aye. Director Harris. aye. Director Hampson. aye Director Rivera-Smith aye Director DeWolf aye. This motion is passed unanimously. >> CLOVER CODD: Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Wow. We got to our action so quick tonight.

005No no no. Holy cow it's only six thirty six p.m.. All right. Now I should have not said that. Okay. All right. We will now move to the introduction portion of the agenda. So we will start with intro item number one which is approval of a joint operating agreement JOA between Seattle Public Schools SPS and Technology Access Foundation TAF partial waiver of board policy number 2 1 9 0 with respect to Washington Middle School an amendment to the student assignment transition plan for 2020-2021 the exec moved this forward on December 18th for approval so I'll let — >> SHERRI KOKX: consideration. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: —oh I have approval on my thing here which is what I thought too but I'm just reading my script so I'll invite Sherri to take us away. >> SHERRI KOKX:

006Thank you Director DeWolf Sherri Kokx senior advisor to the superintendent and Happy New Year to the directors. First I want to start by thanking the mayor's office who is here today and Seattle colleges as well as SHA and the Urban League and all of the folks who came out and spoke tonight on behalf I know this is a super. Passionate topic. As a parent of a Seattle public school student I understand our. Fierceness that comes out as a parent. So I appreciate everybody coming out to talk tonight. I might also especially like to thank our TAF partners who continuously keep showing up and are I'm so thankful for their support to our Seattle public school students and to Seattle excellence and and Trish is here tonight should some questions come up. I'm going to thought.

007Walk us through a very similar format. As we used during the COW or the Committee of the Whole. And here's the agenda that I want to use with us. I first want to just start with our mission and vision. I know that what every parent and constituent of Seattle Public Schools wants is for their son or daughters and our students in Seattle. To have a high quality world class education that is challenging and that they leave our system college career and commit community ready. Excuse me I full heartedly believe that TAF at Washington middle school can help us make this happen. Our theory of action. I ask you to recall our bold theory of action. Each of you up on that dais participated in creating this theory of action at some level. And we are

008all being held accountable to this theory of action and the strategic plan. This is our work and it's what our team is committed to to bringing this theory of action to life. So to start. Just a quick overview of TAF. We know and TAF knows that there are no silver bullets in education. The work is hard. It involves undoing hundreds of years of systemic racism. And that this is a system that is getting the exact outcomes it was intended to do. We need to change that. Our students cannot wait. So what is TAF. TAF is a partnership. This is about. TAF working with the staff at Seattle Public Schools specifically at Washington Middle School. To become a stronger system I’m not going to read the slides to you. Many questions have come in as to

009why. Why Washington Middle School why did we pick Washington Middle School. And I first just want to say that this conversation started. Back. If I go back to the BAR here I think we started the conversation back in March of 2019 in executive committee. So if we take a look at the student data and the staff climate data I think you can see some noticeable differences in the TAF student response data and the Washington Middle School student response data if we take a look at academic data. TAF is the first one to admit and Trish can come up and tell if you had questions regarding the data. They're making great progress in their academic data but they're not done. It's a journey. It's a marathon it's not a sprint. When we take a look at

010the Washington Middle School data this is just some enrollment data. There's been questions about the projections for the upcoming school year. They're very similar. They're still projecting around 600 students about half of those students will be in the HC cohort and approximately half of them will not be in the HC cohort. You will hear or you may have heard that this is the most diverse HC cohort in the city. That is in fact not true. Both Jane Addams Middle School and Madison Middle School have similar diverse cohorts. And I've provided you with that data. As far as academic performance data. Let me be clear. When you take a look at Washington Middle School data as a whole they're performing well but when you really dig into the data. This top chart talks about. It's from

011the OSPI Washington school improvement framework. It looks at three years worth of data across the state and then it ranks schools based on their ELA and math scores again through the lens of all students out of 10 Washington Middle Schools a seven point six five. But when you dig in and look at how they are serving. African-Americans and low income students they are the second worst middle school in our district when it comes to serving those two populations. Denny Mercer and Aki far outperform Washington Middle School in serving African-Americans and low income students according to this index. They are on a positive trajectory. And when you take a look at the bottom. Set of data you can see the stark difference in academic performance of our HC students versus our non-HC students at Washington Middle

012School. The other thing that you will see if you follow a sixth grade cohort into seventh and eighth grade in both groups the academic performance on the SBA declines. There is one other piece of data that I think is important for us to consider today. When you take a look at average math and yearly scores for our HC students who are being served in the cohort vs. not in the cohort across the system. There is less than a three percentile point difference in performance on average. Let me restate that students in our HC cohort versus in our non HC cohort who are all qualified to receive highly capable services. There is very little difference in their academic performance. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Question. If I might. >> SHERRI KOKX: Is that how you want to do

013it. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Are you ready to go for questions now. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: I wanted to elucidate what the statement that was just made which HCC students are we talking about district wide. K through 12. >> SHERRI KOKX: I'm sorry. Great. Yeah it's SBA and so it's grades three through eight because that's our only self-contained cohort is is in grades 1 through 8 but it's the SBA test so its grades three through eight. Good question. Thank you Dr. Harris. I want us to then think about that that less than three percentile points difference and be thinking about does this justify the segregated system that we have. We've heard tonight testimony about the psychological damage. And I just want us to keep that in mind. I'm gonna jump now to engagement and may spend a

014little bit of time here because there were many public testimony comments tonight about engagement and I just want to be super clear especially as we're talking about the educators at Washington Middle School. So we've heard over and over again that we didn't do the best at engagement that we should have. We did the best that we could at the time but it was not good enough. And I think the place where we fell down the hardest was in working with our educators at Washington Middle School. We have been out to Washington Middle School on three different occasions and on our last occasion which was at the end of November. We I think had a robust and more positive conversation with that team. We heard from some of the teachers who had visited TAF academy and

015they shared some of the powerful observations that happened during that visit. But still we know there's work to do. And you heard about it tonight and I just want to clear something up. So we've been in consultation with SEA leadership throughout this process at different junctures throughout. SEA leaders so leaders from the teacher and paraprofessional union have been out to Washington Middle School since we visited at the end of November they conducted one on one conversations and they think they probably spoke to about 80 percent of the Washington Middle School staff in one on one conversations they report back to us. They meaning the SEA leaders that the majority of their staff support TAF however they're still frustrated with the district and I’ll be that district today and have questions about how TAF will be

016implemented which is which is great. That's exactly where they should be because they are going to be engaged in the process of implementation with TAF should this move forward. SEA leaders have told us that they will support their members SPS the district we're committed to supporting Washington middle school teachers. We've invested a lot of time and energy. TAF has been with us through this process. We want nothing more than for TAF to launch and be successful. So we're committed to support this work. I also want to call out one other thing I think one of the directors. Wants us to ensure is that. TAF. I believe that Trish could speak more to this. But TAF is really about serving students of color furthest from educational justice. And we're committed to growing that student population at

017Washington Middle School in any way that we can. And that's why we after meeting with some community members took their advice and invited the Leschi and then the Madrona families to our last rounds of engagement. And we want to continue to have those conversations with the families because it would be a choice school for them and so the families who would be interested in that. We brought out paperwork on how to go through the process of open enrollment. So we are committed to continue to try to grow the families that one should be going to Washington Middle School and are not for there a variety of reasons and two invite families of color furthest from educational justice to. Through the open choice process to come to Washington should there continue to be seats available which

018there are at this point. The next thing is the financial implications there is a cost to this and we heard a few of our commenters tonight speak about this. These dollars would come from mitigation fund which is a fund that some of you from previous boards have. Helped had us hold dollars for intentionally for different reasons but we do plan to have a mitigation fund again and so this cost would come from that. The result is a three year total of a little over a million dollars and this is in addition to the staffing allocations that we give out through the weighted staffing standards. I want to just call out that yeah this this comes with a cost but in a second I'm going to show you what. Taaffe brings to the table in this

019partnership to help with this. This assumption is because we had to make some assumptions here is the first thing is that this cost does include a smaller class size of 1 to 25. And we've talked with TAF and if we needed to do the 1 to twenty eight or one to 30 we could make that work. But right now this cost does include the one to twenty five. This cost includes sending staff. To the STEM by TAF Summer Institute and providing an additional twenty four hours of professional development for each teacher who attends at the current time. The above estimates do not include any costs associated with the ratio or changing the one to 80 and we don't believe at this time that there would be any additional cost to that. So in thinking about

020that what does so TAF comes with resources as well. And their resources come one in their valuable partnership and some of the trainings that they will be providing to our teachers. They will come with the director College and Career Readiness programs STEM by TAF coach student support specialists and program coordinators student support and enrichment and you can see the cost there is approximately six hundred thousand dollars per year for the first five years Director DeWolf do you want me to keep going into this. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Yes please. I want to talk and I really appreciate. Director's comments tonight about we're not dismantling. We're not removing services from highly capable. At Washington Middle School. We are looking at the possibility of a blended model. We're required by law. TAF in Federal Way is required by

021law to provide highly capable services special education services to students who qualify for those services. I want to acknowledge that our advanced learning team and our special education teams have been a partner in this process. They've been to some of the community engagement sessions with us. I believe Dr. Pedroza is in the back here tonight with us. They are going to continue and are excited about partnering in this work to learn how does TAF serve students who qualify for both special education services and highly capable services in a blended general education model. That is something that they want to really understand and learn from. Again we're not ending HC or special education services. At Washington or anywhere in the district. We're asking tonight to waive the cohort model at Washington. We're going to continue to

022support students who require 2E access resource room services whatever services they may need in the least restrictive environment. For IEP students will continue to follow and monitor their IEP’s and adjust the current social emotional supports that they may need so that that they can remain. Not just remain in the general education but thrive in the general education classroom. I also want to point out that the law does not require that we serve students qualified for HC services in a cohort model. Currently we don't serve HC students in a cohort model in our high schools the law does however call on us our STRAT plan calls on us and I dare say it's a moral imperative. That we provide services to students through our MTSS model and every year we have to report how we're providing

023services to our HC students to OSPI. So we're going to continue to do that. We do it now. We have HC students across our system and I bet every one hundred and four of our schools and every year we report to OSPI how we're serving students. I want to call out this list here that you see this list is from OSPI and they talk about how we can go about serving or how TAF goes about serving in partnership with us our students who qualify for HC services in the general education classroom. I also want to point out that these are just good instructional practices. It's how we serve students who may be qualified for ELL. It's how we serve students who may need special education services. These in other words these are just broad categories

024of Best instructional practices. I'm not going to go through the whole list with you tonight but I am going to go through the first three of them. And if you need more information again I'm I'm open to sending you more information. This comes again from an OSPI presentation. The first one here is what's called curriculum compacting and TAF will utilize the pre assessment work. They get to know their students stories strengths and needs so that the teachers can plan and design meaningful rigorous lessons for students including students who require highly capable services the next one is differentiated and I think this is a pretty common phrase. But when you dig into what it actually means the most instruction for highly capable students based on their general education characteristics needs to be more advanced sometimes. And

025what does that mean though what does advanced mean how is it more rigorous and this is a model by Kaplan that identifies four ways that teachers can advance or differentiate instruction for highly capable learners special education learners English language learners. These four things they can design the teachers can design learning activities that are novel accelerated and go more in depth and have more complexity. And this is the project based model that TAF uses. They go deep into the concepts the concepts that kids often times choose on their own so that they are interested they are engaged in this this next one here is about enrichment and enrichment is a broad name for instruction that's not normally covered in the student’s required curriculum. Enrichment may take place both in class after class on weekends after school

026and special programs in a variety of settings. Basically this model is is is what TAF is I think mostly about and it's probably one of the most known researched and the broadest implication and application for schools serving highly capable students. One question that has come up a number of times it didn't come up tonight interestingly is around that the math math has been the big concern and I said it at the Committee of the whole and I want to state it again tonight that math classes after consulting with TAF staff. We realize that it is a stretch to take a student who is performing at a sixth grade math level and then some at seventh grade somebody eighth grade some at algebra 1. That's that's probably while our teachers are fantastic. That may be a

027stretch as far as making sure that the students mastered the content of each of those levels and so we've committed. In partnership with TAF that each math group would have two different no more than two different groups. So we might have some students who require sixth grade math and it might have some students that require 8th grade math in it or maybe you would have sixth grade math and geometry students in it. However that gets structured is a decision that the school in partnership with TAF would make so tonight what we're asking is for three things in this for consideration approving the joint operating agreement a waiver with respect to policy 21 90 and only to Washington Middle School that the highly capable or highly capable services and learning programs. Basically removing the self-contained cohort

028and then amendment to the student assignment transition plan that includes that language and with that these are future Washington Middle School students at Bailey Gatzert in this picture. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Sherri Really appreciate that. I'm gonna ask directors to if they have any questions or comments concerns to elevate those now but really keep those focused on the underlying BAR which is the current intro. We will. And after we're done having conversation about that then we'll move to the amendment. So if there's anything particularly focused on this underlying BAR. This would be the time to ask those questions. I see Director Mack first. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Thank you for the comprehensive presentation as well as answering. To us directly. A lot of the questions that were asked during the committee of the whole. So

029a lot of the questions that I had previously asked have been answered I don't have quite as many at this point. But. One that actually. I sent some of my questions in advance around. Capitol and ownership and I will get into those questions in a second. To try to get clarification around that but I wanted to ask really quick. You mentioned that. Outreach was done to Leschi and Madrona schools to encourage them to option into Washington potentially. And I'm wondering whether or not they were provided or told they would be provided transportation because under our current option system if you opt into a not not your attendance area you actually don't. Get transportation. >> SHERRI KOKX: That is correct. We did not promise transportation. >> DIRECTOR MACK: It seems to me like it would be

030a nice thing to do for those students because if we're trying to. Benefit them. They are students furthest away from educational justice. We're wanting to bring them into TAF. The fact that they don't get transportation is gonna be a barrier. >> SHERRI KOKX: I agree. And I guess we didn't go out because that would require board approval to for you to approve that. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Maybe a director can make an amendment. >> SHERRI KOKX: A director could always make an amendment Director Mack. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Okay great. Well so I just. Just clarifying that that that you know from a perspective I think that. Being able to serve our students furthest away from educational justice in the TAF model being able to allow those students in through the choice process that are not directly

031in the attendance area I think it's important that we we remove the barriers that exist. So I support that. >> SHERRI KOKX: I think another concern that was brought up by a parent was actually I mean we have to be careful we can't decimate Meany Middle School in the in hopes to grow Washington Middle School and as you know that's always a consideration and a balancing act for our enrollment team. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Which we'll talk more about I think under the amendment concept but. My questions around the. Dollars. And board approval and the investments that are going to be made in Washington Middle School the first of all is. The 1 to 1 laptops that are being provided by the district are those already included in the BAR that's going to be introduced tonight.

032>> SHERRI KOKX: They're included in the BAR before you. Yes. >> DIRECTOR MACK: The one this one or the the one that is talking about technology that we're approving. >> SHERRI KOKX: This one right here. >> DIRECTOR MACK: So the dollars for that are included. OK great. >> SHERRI KOKX: I think it's just fifty thousand dollars. >> DIRECTOR MACK: OK. I think it wasn't your wasn't in the technology one that we are. >> SHERRI KOKX: I think the one you're considering tonight is a one to two model and this would increase a one to one at Washington. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Ok. So it's additional to to that one. OK. >> SHERRI KOKX: Yes. >> DIRECTOR MACK: And then there was reference in the joint operating agreement about smart panel document cameras tables and individual chairs

033and specialized labs that those would be provided by the district. And I'm curious to know first on. are where the where's the expenditure for that included in our. Our. Process so that we have capacity management BAR’s coming for us to improve any kind of capacity management changes that need to be made is that where those are. >> SHERRI KOKX: Yes. >> DIRECTOR MACK: So those. Have they been built in already. I don't remember discussing those. >> SHERRI KOKX: According to my friends down in that department. Yes they have been built into that BAR not not because Washington Middle School is special but as just part of what's in that BAR already would include this type of technology and whatnot. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Okay. So we'll be talking about that BAR in introduction tonight too so.

034OK. So there's the tie in — >> SHERRI KOKX: I just want to make sure though that I'm clear that they did not specifically add anything for TAF at Washington Middle School it's just part of the — >> DIRECTOR MACK: Overall capacity management across the district — >> SHERRI KOKX: Thank you it would be part of the overall capacity management in it it would look similar in Washington Middle School as it would at Jane Addams Middle School for example. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Okay. Okay. So then my other question is around the. Joint operating agreement language and. The response about the SBI building and building out the infrastructure there and who leases the building. I'm not questioning whether or not this is something we should do. My questions are around how is that going to be

035managed from a district organizational partnership standpoint. The the answer that I was we were given about the SBI building is that at this point it still isn't owned by the Urban League but that it will be and that there will be two. Floors that TAF will lease. That's TAF it would be leasing those. And in the JOA It says that any infrastructure investments become. The district’s the ownership of the district. So I'm wanting to understand. How we're going to manage those things if for example. We build out two floors of a building that we don't. That we're not leasing. Are we going to have a partnership agreement or how. How does. How are we going to. >> SHERRI KOKX: We would not be building out those two my understanding and Trish if you have more

036information is that that would be taken care of by TAF or the Urban League and that would not be our capital projects. >> DIRECTOR MACK: It says in the JOA and maybe this is a question for Mr. Narver but it says specifically in the JOA that infrastructure capital will be property of the district. So I'm a little concerned about the language there. >> SHERRI KOKX: That's within the school building and if that's not clear we can certainly — >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: So while you're looking for that. Director Rankin did you have something specific to that comment. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Oh yeah. I just wanted to clarify about the SBI building that what came up at committee of the whole was that. That also is not contingent upon that said is. That's not contingent upon this

037agreement this agreement is separate from — >> SHERRI KOKX: Right. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: building. And if that building if the use of that building doesn't come to fruition TAF at Washington Middle School can still. Be as intended. >> SHERRI KOKX: Yes. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: That that's kind of a bonus possibility right. >> DIRECTOR MACK: That’s my understanding as well. I just want to understand how the the legal arrangement would be set up and who owns what and to the extent that the JOA states. That. Or. I'm sorry it was in there in the answer to us that this would actually be a building where students would be during the school day. I'm wondering if. I would assume that we would have a. Partnership sort of like agreement in terms of utilizing that site if we

038are not leasing it. Correct. >> SHERRI KOKX: Yes we have these types of situations happening across the district and the one that is comes to mind most quickly for me is that we utilize Seattle fire department’s firehouse near Garfield and we have a skills center course that's taught in that space and so this would be a similar I don't know the specifics of the names of the agreements but we'll make sure we do all of the right policies and procedures. But but we have this happening throughout the district the other thing our bridges students for example go off to work study programs and so we have these types of arrangements in other places through the districts so we would follow those same policies and procedures. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Okay. I just wanted to publicly daylight

039that and also I just make sure that we add that. On our. Radar for. The future knowing that it's not happening today but that's something that we need to make sure we consider. My last question is around. In the JOA that the eleven point two point six. This was a confusing. Section for me to read because the way that this is organized is that. We are putting dollars in directly we're committing to those and then everything else is in kind. Except for in that section it says specifically. Because Washington Middle School will be receiving funds from two entities. And that to me is a mingling of funds and I'm very confused because Washington Middle School doesn't. Our schools don't receive funds. The district receives funds and we distribute to. So I'm very confused about how

040this works and what that. And I'm wondering maybe that language needs to be cleaned up a little bit because it’s confusing. >> SHERRI KOKX: I can tell you what it means and then we can I can work with our friends at TAF and Chief Narver over there. What it means is that if TAF buys all of the staff that I'd mentioned up there computers those are TAF staff’s computers they go with TAF staff. If TAF mounts following our Ed specs and all specifications a gigantic whiteboards smart screen of some sort. That becomes ours when they if they were to leave. They would follow all of the same processes and procedures. We have this happening in our schools. I know some of you this is near and dear to your hearts but PTA is a great

041example of their going to. We don't support Mac’s as a district we don't support them but that doesn't stop PTA’s from coming in and giving schools 50 Macintosh maybe 10 Mac’s for staff to use. So those are in kind donations and we don't require. The board any sort of board approval on that but we don't support some of the stuff either that those folks. So we've got. The technology out in our schools that is not being supported by SPS because of the donations. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Rankin. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Just last last clarification on that is that so we're just. This section is only referring to materials and supplies the eleven point two point six and that the district's going to come up with the process and procedure for making sure that

042it's clear who owns what. I just I and maybe that's it that's a further question to go back to Mr. Narver in the future if we can't. >> SHERRI KOKX: We've marked it because this is a joint operating agreement I'll have to work with the TAF team as well. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Mack Director Rankin and then Director Rivera-Smith >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Thank you. I have questions about. That sort of relates to the amendment but also just generally enrollment projections for each and people optioning in and how we're if we have different scenarios or how we're planning for where students are to be going. That's one of my concerns. So I like the idea of offering transportation to encourage people to go there but at the same time if their assignment school is

043Meany and Meany is under enrolled then we're actually going to tell those same families that they don't get to choose it. So. That and that I know is really frustrating and disappointing for people to be told everyone and everybody can option wherever and then. You know we limit or cap. Enrollment certain places to balance. balance enrollment in Other places and then so I don't I just don't end up like really disappointing and misleading families by saying Oh it's gonna be so great and you can option in and then oh actually your school's gonna be too small so you don't get to how I like. >> SHERRI KOKX: I think you were at the meeting when we had that conversation with some of the Leschi families at John Muir because they were the ones who first

044brought that up about well but what if Meany and we did say it and we would say it again that it it it is and we can't. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Well I guess so I was at that meeting but the the response in that and in the FAQ and to some of our other questions that we have to the response that will follow the. Option school procedures is it's. >> SHERRI KOKX: I think it's the choice process not option schools but go ahead. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: The choice process still seems like it's like punting I don't know I just want to I don't know if we have. A way to realistically predict who will go where. And in terms of staffing and just think about it if we're offering an option that's really not an

045option. >> SHERRI KOKX: Yeah I mean we have our enrollment projections so we have our projections for next school year for each both Meany As well as Washington and the other middle schools throughout the district and so we would utilize that information to make decisions about who we. Allowed to choice in and who does not get to choice in. So I mean. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: I guess if it's possible I would just ask if there's any way we could say that there are this many slots from this school or something like that just it's just. >> SHERRI KOKX: I guess I mean that would require you to have an amendment to the student assignment transition plan. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: It would be in the waitlist process like how many people are going to be it.

046Yeah. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Thank you. So this conversation is ongoing for a really long time and part of the reason why we have an advisory committee setting up and we've been having a conversation around what does space available. Mean. In this district because it means two things it means actual physical space available and it means how many students we project. And assign staffing to. And that would be considered staffing capacity and those two things are real constraints. And we have a complicated. And. long long process to get to the start of school. So it makes it difficult for. The district to. Accurately assign the number of staff. To schools perfectly every time. And one of the challenges is if we're using projections and guesses that we have before open enrollment and not. Really using the

047data of like these are the people that have signed up. To the schools and said they're coming. Then we won't match our staffing appropriately. And in this case with Washington Middle School and having a new program going in. And because of an HCC going away there's a whole bunch of unknowns of like how many people will not choose it this time and how many people will want to. And so I would encourage us to find a way to actually use post open enrollment numbers to be more accurate at that time as opposed to trying to lock in and assume. But having the assumption of. We are expecting and wanting one hundred and fifty sixth graders and that's what we're wanting and therefore. We will move the waitlist so that the Leschi students can move in.

048I think it would make a lot of sense. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Rankin. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: I guess that I guess I would just ask that as much as possible because I've seen the waitlist process happen several times [indistinct] and it's frustrating. But I understand the constraints. In this case specifically we're. Asking people to apply or letting them know that they were trying to pull them in. And so I just want to make sure that we're super transparent about the fact that. There are these constraints and that if we can't at all possibly kind of set expectations. >> SHERRI KOKX: Thank you. We will. I will continue to work with the principals in fact we're going out to Leschi this week to make sure that we're super clear with the expectations and the

049other thing I want to note is that there were not many families from either of those two schools who chose to attend the community engagement sessions and so I don't I don't know the interest and we won't know the interest. Those families. Some of them are actually slotted to go to Mercer and as you all know Mercer is well over capacity and so those would be students that we would absolutely take off. The the the overcapacity issues at Mercer to bring them to Washington. So thank you for that. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Harris. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Actually I believe you had — oh Director Rivera-Smith then Director Harris >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Hi. Thank you. I just wanted to clarify so I was look when I obviously read through the JOA trying to figure

050out. Where exactly do we see. And I'm trying to find out right now I couldn't locate it here. I saw something about a set. Timetable for evaluating the success of TAF at Washington middle school. I saw something about Three or four year I can't find out right I off the top of my head here. But if there is a timeline and if there are specific metrics for how it's going to be evaluated for its success. Because ten years is a long time to go without having a chance to evaluate and. So. If you could flesh it out and clarify that. >> SHERRI KOKX: Sure I just wanted to confer with my partner here. We do. There is an evaluation every year of the TAF program with that occurs. It's not between. It's not necessarily with

051you all it's with the TAF team and the SPS leadership team to evaluate you know set the goals Trish do you want to come. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. >> GREG NARVER: So each year. And hello everyone. Hi I'm Trish Millines-Dziko co-founder executive director of technology access Foundation. Every year we do a an annual review and review everything from student achievement to climate surveys to our own staff’s performance. Each of them in their roles write an end of the year report in partnership with whoever their school partner is. So it's jointly written and then from there. There's also a plan developed for the next year. So who's coming into the school. What did the teachers want to do each year. How do we support the work. What does TAF have to do in terms of

052any fund raising or any other resource allocation to make sure that the school gets what they need. And then you know of course you already have your own interim assessments. I believe you use the MAP test we use iReady in Tacoma and Federal Way. So all of those are in play. Everything that you normally do we would do as well. We use iReady. So does Tacoma so Federal Way and Tacoma use iReady. So all those things don't go away. They continue and we work with teachers as they're evaluating the data because they have common planning time every day as a House team. They can spend more time diving into those interim assessments in any of the work that they're doing in the classroom to kind of catch things early instead of waiting for that January

053test or that spring test of the MAP. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: So they maybe go back to Sheri here. How does how they do that. What is the assessment of their own. How is the district then evaluating the program and then where is our oversight role come into that. >> SHERRI KOKX: That's a great question and we would have. We have not had that level of a conversation yet about. I mean we would use the CSIP process. Just I mean like we are currently using in all our other schools and looking to see if that school is meeting its goals. And in both climate as well as academic performance. Besides the CSIP and the process that TAF uses. We have not discussed any other processes. To evaluate the effectiveness. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY: It was definitely related.

054Yes. So I just wanted to also mention to the fact that a lot of what TAF is providing also you can not measure it's the presence the understanding the expertise the people in the directive from these fantastic educators and leaders in our community. So. I just want to make sure that we are holding that and giving that space that there are a lot of innate benefits that will come hopefully from this partnership that cannot be quantified. And we also need to think about where we are headed with the communities that we are trying to support. We have not done a great job in the past of quantifying our results with those and in the instances where we have quantified those results. We haven't been great. So I want to make sure that we are giving

055that space in the way that we have this conversation. >> SHERRI KOKX: Thank you Director Hersey I just want to add one other thing to to what Director Hersey just said is we heard testimony tonight about well why don't you just give that one million dollars to Washington Middle School. Why don't you just reduce their class sizes et cetera et cetera. The research shows that just reducing class sizes without changing instructional practices does nothing for academic performance. So on top of the things that Director Hersey said that are hard to measure but you can feel it if you walk into a TAF school you can feel it. And so there's that but there's also the professional development that's grounded in equity racial equity in particular that TAF can provide that I'll be honest. We at

056Seattle Public Schools don't have the capacity to provide to Washington Middle School at this time and so this partnership is an opportunity to lift Washington Middle School which has been struggling. There's no question about it. And there's a variety of reasons for its struggle but we have an opportunity here with a partner who's willing to do the hard work with us to change that and to change outcomes for students at Washington Middle School Directors. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: I appreciate it. I appreciate that and I'm going to be going tomorrow actually going down to visit the TAF School there. Two more quick questions here. I. And I couldn't find this either but I heard that there's some sort of. Orientation that the incoming 6th graders will do before school actually starts. >> SHERRI KOKX: That is

057correct. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: So how are we doing that because we can't. Are we legally allowed bring make kids come in early. >> SHERRI KOKX: We have kids. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Is that required or not required. >> SHERRI KOKX: It's not required. It's optional for sixth grade incoming sixth graders which is the only class by the way that we're looking to enact next year. It's not required of students. It's encouraged it's highly encourage it's a great team building opportunity we have students Director Rivera-Smith across the district in our schools throughout the summer in fact our custodial crew wishes we wouldn't sometimes but this would just be another just like our Jumpstart program and I think actually they call this Jumpstart which we may have to give a different name to because that's for our kindergarten

058students but that happens across the district. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: So that is and then I also maybe I have to call Greg for this because I was picking him this past week or so. About some concerns in regards to the JOA that I don't know if you guys have already ironed out or not. So maybe he can address that and they're just there were some areas of potential exposure that could be tightened up and I don't know if that's happened or because at the current one we have right now I don't have. >> SHERRI KOKX: I don't know what she's referring so so yeah. Do you want to tell us. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: [Indistinct] >> GREG NARVER: The version of the JOA that’s before you now incorporates the changes that I was recommending it was

059on three matters. The incorporation of the five specific or the specific excuse me specific positions that TAF would be providing. I'm sorry that TAF would be providing that's now in the agreement. Same with more information about highly capable services and then a reference to the HR policy that TAF employees onsite at at Washington would be bound to those are the recommendations I made they were all agreed to by TAF and they are now all incorporated in the JOA. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Into the current one that was posted today. [indistinct.] OK so you're good. OK. >> SHERRI KOKX: The one that was sent to you yesterday. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Yeah I got there was a frequent asked questions and some financials. >> SHERRI KOKX: That was this morning I sent you an updated JOA yesterday that

060called out the three specific changes that I made to it. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Okay. >> SHERRI KOKX: Because of Chief Narver. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Perfect. Thank you. >> SHERRI KOKX: You're welcome. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Director Harris and then Director Hampson. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Real quickly one can we put the concept that this is a charter school to bed and kill it. Because. You have. An elected board of directors that is accountable to the public and Lord knows if people are upset or angry if we pass this and they will vote us out of office no such mechanism exists for charter schools. >> SHERRI KOKX: Thank you. Director Harris it was on Slide 5 which I'm happy to go back to that TAF is not privatization is not charter schools. It's not a one

061size fits all. It's not a silver bullet. It's not a panacea. It's about a partnership and hard work with the educators at Washington Middle School the families from Washington Middle School the staff here in central office. You up there on the dais All of us should this move forward are — >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Another couple questions and comments if I might. >> SHERRI KOKX: Yes ma'am. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: With respect to Director Hersey’s comments of the intangibles I respectfully suggest to you that the student staff and family. Satisfaction surveys will capture that kind of information and those changes. And can we do a better job of soliciting that input. Absolutely. But I do believe it can be measured by those surveys how we measure. Other schools by surveys and we all know how much I

062dislike the snapshot SBAC culturally inappropriate tests and we've got to do them because of the federal money that comes with them otherwise. One would hope we would shoot those as well. I'm sorry for the militaristic reference I could see you coming. President DeWolf. But. But. I'm having trouble measuring with instruments that are hugely inappropriate and and the feedback. Evaluation instruments make a whole lot more sense to me just on that note. Then when we talk about really full schools like Mercer because our workload was so robust this last year we put off the conversation of moving a feeder school from Mercer to Washington. Now why don’t we change the student assignment plan and give everybody a year's notice that we're going to do it the next round. >> SHERRI KOKX: Director Harris that's a great

063idea. And that is between you and your board members. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Well actually no we would not. >> SHERRI KOKX: And we would engage the community. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Respectfully. I emphatically disagree. We talked about this a long time and it didn't happen and this board. Has two staff members that we're killing. And we have bandwidth issues. So that's a bit of a flippant answer when we've been working really really really hard. >> SHERRI KOKX: I did not mean it to be flip at all to say we are. It's on Ashley's agenda. And like you all she was overtaxed with things to do and boundaries to change quickly in some cases. And I know it's on the agenda as we especially look to building a new Mercer Middle School to really figuring out. Which

064feeder schools remain at Mercer and which may move into Washington to make it a bigger hardier middle school. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Then I'll pass now. Thank you. >> WYETH JESSEE: Director Harris Director Hampson. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: So just to kind of I want to say thank you to staff for working hard over the holidays and whatnot to get responses to some pretty major questions in depth question questions. Many things have been answered. A few things are still in process. Many of us are going to a Federal Way tomorrow. And I'm excited about that visit. I'll also be meeting separately with you Trish on financials because I'm chair of the Audit and Finance Committee and also have a deep interest in making sure that this is supported by sustainability and capacity of our partner organization. And

065so I want to feel reassured that we've asked the hard questions and that we know how to enter into a supportive relationship so that this is sustainable because it will. This is not the only scenario where we do rely on outside funds to create a much higher. Quote unquote cost per student in order to actually close gaps. Or however we want to. Want to talk about that. So it's not as if it's a new idea but anytime that we do enter into this I think it's really important. I appreciated the note that we got that this is approximately a 10 to 12 percent increase in your budget which gives me some reassurance because that's you know those are the kinds of capacity questions that I'm I'm very interested in because overtaxing you with with an

066additional program we don't want that to blow up your organization and have negative consequences for your other programs in Federal Way. So I appreciate that those conversations are ongoing. I do think that it would be important though it makes sense to me that this evaluation would be as any other school in terms of the metrics but that we need to be prepared through the joint operating agreement to. Ensure that there's an evaluation of the partnership. And the effectiveness of that partnership in getting those results or not. So that's something that I would ask for. To to bolster the joint operating agreement. And then I think we still have work to do as everyone has brought up. Around pathways that ensure that this program is going to be available to students furthest from educational justice particularly

067African-American students from other feeder schools. And it's a complex discussion. My concern as I expressed to Superintendent Juneau about it is that if we aren't really proactive about having that conversation in the process of entering into this agreement is that two years down the line when there's a lot of different people involved and we have different board members and different staff we're going to say oh yeah we meant to make sure that there was a pathway and here. You know the neighborhood’s gentrified even more. And we're not actually meeting the needs of the students that we had we're not doing what we said we were going to do because we we didn't deal with that pathway issue. So unfortunately we don't have the race opportunity that that we would have had if that that referendum

068had passed with our voters. And I'm really sorry about that because it does make our job much more difficult but I don't think that means we give up. We have to. It's really imperative that this program is accessible to students furthest from educational justice. And then I think. My last comment would just be that the the way that I view this program and all the conversations I've had and continue to have with community members with staff from TAF with staff from SPS Is this is about learning for our district really important learning. It's also about reciprocity. And. Some reconciliation and reparation and reclamation. And I to Director Rankin's point. About trying not to approach this from a deficit mindset the notion of reciprocity is that we all have something something to gain. It's you know

069as a. Native person who spent much of her career working with tribes to help them reclaim ceded lands. One time a somebody who worked in the same field and an adjacent organization said to me Well you can't have all the land back. And it was sort of like there's times when I have felt that way in this conversation about the sort of enormity of the thing being taken away. As you know like Oh yeah. This tiny percentage of of us that are left are gonna come take you know we're literally just talking about some acreage of culturally and historically significant lands that we need to survive culturally. And so there's just an imbalance in terms of this and so I hope that that as Liza said that we will work hard to focus on that

070notion of reciprocity and what this brings the opportunity that this brings for our entire community. By putting our our focus. And thank you so much to all these folks who've come to talk about the work of TAF. I know how much you get all given up to be here and to speak on behalf of this organization. And I think a lot of you know that I appreciate you and you taking your time and. I'll leave it at that. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thanks Director Hampson >> SHERRI KOKX: Thank you Director Hampson. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Directors other directors have any questions comments Director Harris. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: I was getting on a roll there I figured I should a time out. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Oh please please. I like seeing in this line of sight. So you're

071right there. Perfect. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: It’s very odd but I like it a lot. instructional aides that are hired by TAF are members of SEA. >> SHERRI KOKX: They will not be members of SEA. We have read the job description put forth by TAF. I'm looking over at my chief of HR and we do not believe that we currently have a position. In our system that we'll be doing the type of work that the TAF employees will be asked to do. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: And have we had. Transparent robust and thoughtful — >> SHERRI KOKX: Yes I think that — >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Conversation with SEA about that issue. >> SHERRI KOKX: Yes. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: I don't want to work this hard and have it too. Because of. Codd had a conversation with SEA

072leaders in that same conversation that I shared the information about the one on one conversations that those folks had with the Washington Middle School staff. The direct question was asked about this particular position and the answer was at this time there are no concerns-ish Clover Codd. >> CLOVER CODD: Sorry I'll just add. We have full time positions all over this district that are funded by nonprofits community based organizations they’re working full time in our schools. They're not represented by SEA. Seneca, Vietnamese Friendship Association, City Year, Communities In Schools. Just like four off the top of my head this is happening all over the place so this is not unique to have staff that are funded by another organization working in our schools. These are support staff. These are not the classroom teacher of record. They

073are support staff. And so this is not a unique situation. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: And that is going to be crystal clear and whatever JOA we sign is that correct. >> SHERRI KOKX: The JOA I don't think this JOA spells out. I mean it spells out the job description in the bulleted list that I included that was not on there previously so I'm not I guess I'm not sure I understand. what you’re asking. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: We are very clear that all the teachers in Washington Middle School certificated staff. Are members of SEA correct. >> SHERRI KOKX: That is correct. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Ok. Could we also make it clear that our. Whatever job description we call it are not represented and make it very — >> SHERRI KOKX: It's not our job description it's TAF’s

074job description. So they will be hiring all of these folks and they will not be SPS employees. And so there should not be and TAF will also be paying them. So there should not be any confusion that they are SPS employees because they're hired by TAF and they're paid by TAF. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Then a paragraph that says exactly that would be most appreciated. For clarity purposes. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thanks Director Harris Director Hampson. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: This is. Probably a note for a future conversation. Mr. Narver around. I'm still struggling. Around. That the response to. The questions about this being a grant not being a grant because there's no funds exchanging hands. But the way that I read policy 6220 and 6114 tells me something otherwise and I know that there's this.

075Intersection this strange intersection of the legal nature of the policy and the fact that there's actually a fiscal implication and we don't have to solve it now. But I I need to get more clear and maybe the problem is that policy is not clear. I think probably what it comes down to but I need to understand how do we get that clear and how do I work audit and finance to make sure that it is. >> GREG NARVER: We. Will we'll talk together and get back to you on that. I think there may be some disconnect with some definitions in the policy and we just want to make you know obviously the board needs to be clear on what it is it's approving whether that lines up exactly with an accounting standard versus how our

076policy happens to be written it's something we need to get on the same page about. I did want to make it make clear what is being provided by TAF. That's why I wanted more detail in the contract about the positions that are being funded. So the board's clear on what it's approving whether or not that's a quote grant either within the definition of the policy or how an accounting or budget person would view it. Will we'll need to get that straight. But at least the contract is clear about what positions TAF is providing and the value to the District of those whether whether 61 14 is implicated by that we'll need to get some more clarity on. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: Right. Yeah about the because there is a commitment of it requires a commitment of

077time and resources on our behalf and by that definition I feel like it. So. >> GREG NARVER: It's clearly something the board needs to consider and approve the information has to be there. Which of our policies exactly are implicated by it and which box ought to be checked. May be something we need a little bit more clarity on. But I mostly want to make clear that the board has in the document in front of it all the information about what it is we're getting from TAF and the value of it. And I think that concern has been addressed by what’s in terms of what's been added to the contract. >> DIRECTOR HAMPSON: Got it. Thank you. Thanks Director Hampson. Any final questions Director Mack. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Yeah I mean to that actually Mr. Carver

078please don't go away. Because to that question it did remind me and I appreciate Director Hampson bringing up that and daylighting that question. So now that it is in the JOA and it very clearly states out what the in kind donation will be and whether or not we need to approve that in future years or not that's another policy question that will have to be wrestling with. However is there a place in the JOA or what is our recourse if for some reason TAF doesn't provide that they don't do that they don't manage to get their funding that year and they can't they can no longer support that. So what happens if that. Because it's a nonprofit organization organizations. You know this is based on fundraising so I'm wondering what sort of recourse. If something

079were to happen with the nonprofit and they didn't get their funding. What happens. >> GREG NARVER: Well one right the board has I believe it's section sixteen point two of the JOA talks about the right of the district to terminate the contract if one TAF isn’t able to live up to its obligations or two the board considers in its sole discretion that continuing with the TAF arrangement isn't in the best interests of the district. Notice has to be given to TAF. There has to be public discussion of that. The agreement has to stay in place through the end of the academic year where that decision is made. But the board does have the discretion to as the tenure agreement rolls out to consider whether or not the obligations are being complied with and whether or

080not continuing under this arrangement is in the best interests of the district. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Any final questions comments or concerns I just have a couple of comments. I think it was in December. The board or in September December. The board participated in a board retreat and at that board retreat Dr. Pedroza invited us all to participate in a process to really explore white supremacy and work culture. Just the theory and the work in that and I think that at least one thing I want to elevate now is particularly white supremacy in work culture can show up in quantity over quality. And I think just to add to that conversation particularly around our evaluation I think it would be really to be smart of us to either work with Dr. Williams or Dr.

081Scarlett to think about ways that we could be thinking about our quality goals and our planning because quantity you know you need ten apples. OK. When you get ten apples you have to check. But I think there's a different way that we think about our goals for quality. Those are those apples. Good right. So we want to I think that we could work together to really create some better quality goals and metrics as opposed to quantity because I think that really tends to not be in our favor. The other thing I wanted to make a comment on it was during the public comment a couple of times people made a point to say that teachers at Washington Middle School X Y Z and I do disagree with that. I talked to teachers and it would

082be easy for me to think you know listen to 10 teachers and assume that they are speaking for them all but I want to be at least really clear from Director Rivera — Smith's and I’s opportunity to speak with teachers that it wasn't a consensus among the group it felt pretty even folks that supported it folks that were frankly mad at the district and feeling distrust which I think is certainly something we should continue to engage and heal that trust. And then some folks that weren't really sure about it and didn't like it. So I think that the monolith that those teachers are being pinned with is not true that there were a lot of teachers that were supportive. And the last thing about money. I heard some of you know certainly in public comment

083two people brought up the amount of dollars that were putting into this. I appreciate your clarification on the mitigate mitigation funds. But for me I believe investing what works to serve our students from furthest from educational justice that is a number that we should not be worrying about right if that is what this is calling for then I think we should do what we have to do to rise to that challenge and meet the need to serve those students furthest from educational justice so for me that yes the dollars are important we are fiscally responsible for this district but it is an investment we should be making in students from furthest from educational justice. I am really excited about this BAR. I'm going to invite since there's no final questions — >> SHERRI KOKX: Director

084DeWolf can I just follow up on one other thing so I want to make sure that I was super clear that the SEA leaders had those similar one on one conversations with approximately 85 percent of the staff at Washington Middle School and they heard in those one on ones exactly what you and Director Rivera-Smith heard is that they're not they're actually pretty much in favor of TAF. They're very hurt by the process that we went through in and we are committed to continuing to work on that. So thank you for that. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Any final comments Director Harris. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Yeah. And I want to talk about this slide here. And I believe that CFO Berge will elucidate that actually this this money doesn't go very far in terms of hiring staff to

085bring down class sizes in and of itself. So it is not a dollar for dollar exchange. This is an investment and it's a leverage right. Is that correct. I've got a thumbs up from CFO Berge. I want that on the record. That's something new and different. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Director Harris and I I do trust the great work of Trish and TAF and I do imagine that if there is a challenge about funding you will rise to that challenge. Thank you. I'm going to invite Director Rivera-Smith to read into in our next portion to. Present amendment one for our consideration. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Amendment One to the board action report. Approval of a joint operating agreement between Seattle Public Schools and technology access Foundation. Partial waiver of board policy number twenty

086one ninety. With respect to Washington Middle School an amendment to the student assignment transition plan for 2020 — 21. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Mack. Do you want to make any comments questions or concerns. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Oh yeah. I want to present the amendment you all hopefully have had a chance to read it. And. Thank. Director Rivera — Smith for joining me in this thought process around. What I hope is a. Attempt to have a win win solution in a challenging situation. Where. As Director Hampson just said we haven't actually laid out like how are we going to have this be in the long term sustainable for serving the students and have our assignment match that. I have those concerns as well and obviously the the amendment is to the point of the

087current concern. Just to set the stage for context the amendment is only. Giving the option it's not requiring anyone. It's only giving the option. To a limited number of students. That already have that option. They just don't have a guaranteed option. So that is that sixth grade students that are HC identified in the pathway that is Washington which covers five different middle school areas it’s the southeast and. We already have this in the student assignment plan where you can apply just like we were talking about the other elementary schools applying to TAF. They can apply. It all depends on space available. The space that that does exist is at Robert Eagle Staff. And it is in the north which is inherently. Not equitable it's far away. However that is still the HCC cohort site and

088there are four others and there may be space elsewhere as well. But I'm understanding that's where the primary space would exist. This amendment would not change the pathway to Washington. It would leave it so those students that were expecting to come they can come or not. We've got data earlier today from Concie that. Currently in the six grades sixth graders at Washington. Seventy one percent of the HC capable eligible students are are at Washington from the pathway. So not all students actually choose to come into the pathway in the first place and that we may have students that choose not to come and go elsewhere. But that's not gonna change the pathway it's going to continue having the students be initially signed there. And in the long run that will give a If our highly

089capable identification doesn't become more proportionate it will give more. Access to TAF than other students. So in considering to make this for in considering this amendment one of the. Ideas that came forward was moving the entire cohort to Meany and there seemed to be a lot of support for that. However at this point I disagree. All right. So whether it's community support and non community support and at this point that's not I'm not I'm not putting. I just wanted to clarify I'm not putting forward that amendment because I think it would be way too disruptive. And it we're not at a place where that would would would work for a variety of reasons. However. The advanced learning task force just recently came out with recommendations one of which was. Don't remove the access that currently

090exists in the way that it is. Before we set the plan and do. Pilot things. And I think that this solution here actually provides both of those options because TAF. Will go into a blended model and it will be provided. And the pathway is not changing. The only thing that this amendment is doing is allowing those students that are in that. Pathway with it. That. They'll want to choose they have to take an action to choose it that they would have a guarantee to another highly capable cohort site. In doing so we also don't have to waive 21 90. So we don't have to actually waive just a portion of our own policy. That's the other piece that that is there. And so that's kind of the underlying basis of the why on the amendment.

091And I am open to questions and conversation. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Mack Director Rivera-Smith Do you have comments or. Yeah. We'd love to hear more about your. How you got to this. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: You know I'm I'm actually really excited about this the potential this allows our families to have because as Director Mack was saying this still gives them the option to go to TAF and do to experience that and to experience the blended model there. But it still keeps us to our. Our commitment we made to these families when they began this program they started what was then the APP and is now the HCC program to give them that continuum of services in that cohort model. And this isn't even speaking to whether or not that's that's our path going

092forward as a whole district because that is still something that we will be discussing and looking at in conjunction with the advanced learning task force recommendations which we have not even been presented yet but are floating out there which we can see we can pull nuggets from they are unofficial as of now but we can see what their intents were and what they are hoping as far as don't don't eliminate the model. Now make sure we have a piloted and trusted program that shows the shows the potential for serving the students in the neighborhood or blended schools. So. And I know and I'm speaking to the board here now that I want us to really think about this because in regard it just even in the same vein as what Director Hampson was saying about

093the reciprocity that we don't have we don't have to be removed from the idea that we can work together to find a kind of a common ground where we do want to have this TAF program come in because it does. I mean it sounds like an amazing opportunity and I can't wait to go down to see it tomorrow. I really appreciate all the work that's been done to bring this to us to our as a potential program here at our district and I still again though we have to look at you know where we what where we are now with the students and families who are in the HCC program who you know some of them a lot of them you know aren't even against TAF it's just it's a fear of unknown of not

094hearing a definite plan of how they will be served and of those are things I understand can't be answered right now. I respect that TAF model is a lot about bringing students in and building things together building plans and curriculums and and doing that with students. So. I respect that completely. I also just want to feel like we are. We are being true to the program we already have going and to just you know there are obligations we've presented in our policies and in the state law requirement of a continuum of services there. So I look forward and I know we're not deciding tonight we have two more weeks before we decide any of this. So definitely interested in having conversations with each of you about this. Looks like Director Hampson’s ready for that right

095now. Sorry Rankin. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Directors have questions and comments about this amendment. Director Rankin first Director Hersey. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: So my understanding about moving a cohort to Meany is that it would increase racial segregation which I know we have a policy about creating new schools can't create racial segregation that wouldn’t technically create a new school but so yeah. No but I'm just saying that for anybody that might have thought well why did they talk about Meany this proposal proposed amendment. I'm wondering about how it would how it matches or whatever with. The greater timeline for HC services that are yet to be determined. That's the six year timeline or whatever it might be. How this how this fits in with. That the greater or if it needs to reflect. That there will be

096changes or. That. Who knows what the cohort model will look like at the end of that process. And then how does this match. Match with that. Does that make sense. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Well I don't. I. I know we've talked about a six year timeline but I don't think we have seen it. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: I don't know. Just whatever it is. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Well the thing is that we don't have a comprehensive plan going forward as to this is you know in this year we're going to start doing these things and so there's still like that all of that. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: So I guess my question really is is this for just the. Next year’s incoming sixth graders. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Yes. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Or does it is ongoing. >> DIRECTOR

097MACK: I don't believe it's ongoing. But this amendment is only for next year. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Thank you. Sorry. That was my. That was. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Yeah. This amendment is only for next year's sixth graders. Whether or not we would want to continue it in a future year is another question for later. But I actually do feel like being that targeted is that this is just for. This is just for this transition year and the. Maintaining the access for the students especially. The mother of color who was talking about wanting. The cohort and what that program is the programs are different. Value judgment aside. Whether or not they're going to provide services I believe that yes they're going to be providing services. It's just different and different what you know than what was expected

098and so continuing to provide access to that. I think is fair. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: It was mainly the timeline that I was like Is this just forever or is this what you're talking about just next year. >> DIRECTOR MACK: The amendment is just to next year's sixth graders. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Yeah and then the other question I have is if there's capacity at. Robert Eagle Staff now what is that capacity look like compared to who might option it. Is this even necessary. If there's capacity and then the second part of that is there's not access without transportation. But are we prepared to provide transportation. I mean I. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Standing from. My understanding is that — >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Director Mack Director Mack just one moment I just wanted to thank Director Hampson for

099being here and happy birthday to your daughter. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Yeah ok happy birthday. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thanks Director Hampson. All right thanks Director Mack for the pause there go ahead. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Yeah no problem. So my understanding is that transportation would be provided. That was part of what's in the fiscal impact. Because this is continuing the. Policy 21 90 with an option to. The self-contained cohort. And that transportation goes along with that. So there would be a fiscal impact depending on how many students selected it. It is also — >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Can I just clarify that HC students get transportation to any school they want. Over others. >> DIRECTOR MACK: No. No they do not. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: So how would that be tied into that. >> DIRECTOR MACK: So that's why

100that's why ok the student assignment plan and this whole thing is actually quite complicated. So. Well you know this already but so a Leschi student that options into Washington doesn't get transportation because they're outside of that boundary. A highly capable student that options into not their pathway school. In the current. Setting. Also does not get transportation if there is space available so A they don't have a guarantee. So let's say somebody in the Washington area wanted to go to Jane Addams just picking. First. They have to get over the hurdle of is there space available and does the waitlist move. And second they would not have transportation. What this amendment is trying to do is saying that. Since there will be no cohort model in your pathway you'll have access — >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: —spot

101and transportation. >> DIRECTOR MACK: And the transportation goes along with it. Yes. No it just for the six well would be for. It would be for those sixth graders it would continue for that. Just like when we grandfather that same band in the future year so it would be it would be transportation over a few years. Yes but just to be clear for the numbers we're talking about actually I think it's really important to think about the number of HC of a qualified students in the pathway is only 115. So we are only. We are actually only talking about 115 people that would might even consider it and the likelihood of them picking it is actually relatively low. Because there is a lot of support for Washington. So it's an unknown but I just want

102to say that you know it's not we're not talking about moving 600 kids or 600 kids. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Do we know what the space available right now already is at Robert Eagle Staff. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Yes we know that. And because Licton Springs is moving out. >> SHERRI KOKX: I know that there is space for this hundred students should all one hundred or one hundred and fifty. The projected five year projections for the non the the attendance area students is projected over the next five years to decline slightly. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: So I just want to clarify that what we're actually talking about. Is transportation for primarily white students Away from a school that a new model is being brought into just so we're super duper clear because there's space available so they could

103opt into it now. >> DIRECTOR MACK: no. the waitlist on highly capable last year did not move at all no one moved from their pathway so that that doesn't happen. That hasn't been happening. That's why the guarantee would be helpful. >> SHERRI KOKX: It hasn't happened because of the There is no space currently at Robert Eagle Staff so that is why the waitlist and none of our other. Schools that have HC none of our other middle schools that have HC have space available in them at this time. None of them have space right now except for Washington Middle School and so yes director. Rankin what you're saying is that we would be providing transportation as an option when we're we were just talking a second ago about not providing transportation to our Leschi and Madrona

104families. I just I guess I just want to state my discomfort with the fact that we've conflated unfortunately the conversation about TAF with HCC that because of the location it's forced it has forced a. Thing and then and then this is saying that. If you don't think it's good enough for your kids you can leave. I just sort of uncomfortable with that. I'm just really uncomfortable with what this is setting up. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Thank you Director Hersey. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY: Yeah. So I have many questions. I guess my first question is in The community engagement because even looking at this right light looking at this on surface it seems like a really good idea. We are giving the opportunity for families that are already that we promise them something that they can

105continue to have that thing but I do have some questions around the community engagement portion like. What was it like what. Because I'm reading it here and to me off top. It seems much more that. We're leaning really heavily on the feedback that we got. At. The meetings that we had for TAF. From a lot of our HC families one. But then second also when I think about. The call out to the advanced learning task force again thank you for all of their work. There wasn't a whole lot of representation from general education families too. So. So I'm just really wondering how did you arrive at this place from the community engagement piece and then I have more follow up questions after that. >> DIRECTOR MACK: I think listening to the testimony from Ya’Vonne and

106the other families of color that I've spoken to directly has actually risen above in my mind because. I asked the question directly. Of. If this is happening what do you want of those students of the ones that have the intersectionality Of Being of color and having their children in the program and wanting to still maintain that. And their answer was wanting to still have the option. So that in my mind actually is part of why I feel like this is risen further. I understand there's a lot of differing perspectives from various folks. But that. That is part of. Where I feel like the. That voice is speaking loudly to me. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY: You know I was a little thank you for that feedback Emijah thank you. I really appreciate that because then to me

107it just doesn't seem as though this especially from the community engagement portion is meeting the bar that we're setting for ourselves. And I think that with this new board starting in a place to where if we're setting these expectations for ourselves for proper community engagement then we need to meet that bar. And I don't know necessarily if this amendment at this moment does. The next question that I have. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Can I ask you about that. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY: absolutely. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: So this a decision that was is this is an option for the HC families from Washington. Who should we have spoken to. Because the onces we spoke to were families from there from that community. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY: Did you talk to the families of Robert Eagle Staff middle school. >>

108DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: No. OK. So that's that what I wanted to ask you. My question was genuine. Who else should we have spoken to. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY: I would say the families at Robert Eagle Staff. And I think another piece for me and just the way that I'm thinking about this is that we. Have an opportunity to look at this from the perspective of you know when we're. And I appreciate that this is coming from a win win perspective but a win win for who. Right. Because looking at the numbers. That were sent over to us today there are still seven African-American students that would potentially have access to this as opposed to much higher numbers and other breakdowns when we're looking at race. And then. To me this feels a lot like OK well we're

109providing this option to the people who have the resources to take it. And. Mostly even if we're providing you know transportation which has its own problems in itself thinking about who's actually going to take that option I don't know if that necessarily reflects the folks that we're trying to serve in our strategic plan. And again I appreciate. The fact that we're trying to find a win win here but I don't I don't really feel in my gut that this is a win win which takes us back to. The surface of this right. If we bring all of these things up out of policy and we really ask ourselves are we. Is this move. Is this amendment. Perpetuating racial inequity. Or eliminating or mitigating racial inequity I think it's more that prior because we're again giving

110more choice to a lot of students. That already have a lot of opportunity. And then it's like. Do you want to opt out. Of equity. Do you want to opt out of this opportunity to do something different that is going to impact hopefully our students furthest away from educational justice. And for me. As an educator and as a man of color and as a Southeast resident. I don't necessarily know if this is heading in the direction that we want to head in and sending a message that we want to send. Because again I believe that this. Doesn't meet the community engagement standard. It doesn't meet the equity analysis portion for me to really get behind this. And I don't I don't feel as though at this moment. that this is really. Providing the opportunity and

111the option that we want for every student. I think it's providing it to the students that have traditionally always had options and opportunity. And I think that. This is an. I. I'm just not seeing it. I'm just not seeing it from my perspective. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Hersey Director Rankin. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: My my sense from e-mails that I've gotten and from comments is that. It's less. Well. Is that the real issue is the optics and the feeling of the cohort being removed. At a school where these students already attend. Less so that look I mean I would be really interested. Anybody who's maybe watching online if you have a student at in the highly capable cohort at Washington middle school particularly if your student is a student of color I would be

112really interested to know by email if this is something that you would avail yourself of if you would like the option to go there. My sense. And I'm happy to be corrected but my sense is that it's the the really bad kind of brushed aside feeling of having it taken away from one spot. Is the bigger issue than here we’ll provide this opportunity. Does that make sense. Because it's still is it still far away like the issue isn't so much like. Well I want access another place it's that everybody else is keeping the cohort except for us. Why. And so this kind of mitigates that but it doesn't really address like the initial hurt if that makes sense. You know I but I would be really curious to know if there are — >> DIRECTOR

113MACK: I fully and fundamentally agree with that. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Who would who would be able to do it I want to do it. What they want to go all the way up to. I don't know. >> DIRECTOR MACK: And I think it would be helpful to help to hear from those folks. I'm glad you made that shout out. I fundamentally agree with you that this is not. This does not fix the problem that we are actually removing something. Because the actual the first part of the inequity is that part. How do you and then and that it is inequitable to make them go across the city. I mean it's it'll be a ridiculous commute for folks if that was an option. The only benefit is that if they feel like that is still the

114right program with the right level acceleration et cetera. And I hear all of your points I think the intent is. To continue to provide access and to not take away the access to a cohort. From that entire region all this all the students in that region all the HC qualified students there. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Mack Do I have. That's what I heard. >> DIRECTOR MACK: It's just for the sixth graders for next year. Yes. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: So mindful of the fact that a few minutes ago the lights did go out on us. I want to be thoughtful about time. So if there are any other comments or questions or concerns about this amendment elevate those now Okay okay so seeing none. I'm going to move on to item number two everybody

115cool with that Okay so item number two for introduction is approval of Department of Education school climate transformation grant. This was brought forward through audit Finance Committee on December 9th for approval. I'll invite our staff to come up and speak. >> WYETH JESSEE: Good evening. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Evening. Wyeth Jessee chief of schools and continuous improvement. I am really excited to get in front of you this evening for the board action report for introduction and hopefully approval for us to accept. A grant from the Department of Education that Grant is called the school climate Transformation Grant in the amount of three million seven hundred nineteen thousand nine hundred thirty six dollars. Over across five years. This particular award by the Department of Ed to Seattle Public Schools. Was around really centered exactly aligned to our

116work that we have been doing around safe and welcoming schools specifically positive behavioral supports and so under this grant. It really is just awarding us these dollars to further enhance. Some of the work that we've been doing at select sites so that we can actually be the term we use as demonstration sites which is really exciting because then you have out of 100 of our schools we have our staff that would come and be able to see how positive supports work. How do you really support. Having teaching social emotional learning skills. And then. There's a lot of other technical things to it but it's again really exciting around this work over the next five years. It would start with four schools one elementary one K-8 one middle and one high school for the first two

117years and then we would move after that to a four more schools also by those grade level bands and then it would also be a it would also be a regional site. So literally the whole Puget Sound probably across the state. That's why we get emails for like. Senator Cantwell congratulating is getting this award. Also the university of Washington OSPI reaching out to us to partner further around this UW is written into the grant they co-wrote the grant with us. So I would just like to take this moment to recognize Stephanie King Aaron Romanik. Pat Sander some of the folks at the UW [indistinct] center as we co-wrote this grant. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. So this came through audit and finance and I think this was the first one in December which might have

118been. Director Harris and Director Mack And Director Rivera-Smith were also there. So. Anything else that. You feel like. Came up that we should. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: I’m in favor of taking money for these reasons. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Yes Director Rivera-Smith. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: So when this was moved forward. It was approved with amendments and I don't see on here what if those were. What they were the amendments were and any clarification regarding the research opt in opt out process you're going to check with Legal I do see a table of costs was added and I think that one there was supposed to be a bullet which was supposed to be around the deliverables we're asking for. Correct me if I'm wrong here but I just wanted to see if those amendments are reflected.

119>> WYETH JESSEE: Yep. So the outcomes are on page two where it says outcomes for this period. Those are the same KPI’s that we we use under a safe and welcoming schools so that's discipline attendance and climate survey data. And then also we would add the adult practices that we're expecting to see around positive behavioral intervention supports then like you said Director Rivera-Smith on Page 3 we did add the more detailed budget so that you did did notice that. And then on page 4 if you'll allow me the second paragraph under collaboration this is this sorry. This particular items. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: do do do do do do do. >> WYETH JESSEE: I have to get back to you on that on. I know I [indistinct] training Oh sorry. Another highlighted item. So that would

120be back on page 3 the second paragraph where it does state specifically that we would be following the District's line for the work that directly connects the intervention service and surveys the district will supply and obtain all required parent guardian notifications and consents so we did add that and that's legal did provide us with that language. But again this is really about professional development directly related to staff training module. Sorry about that. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Okay. Thank you. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thanks Director Rivera-Smith other directors okay. Seeing none. Item number 3 approval of courses with new content as defined by Superintendent procedure number 2 0 2 6. This came through C&I on December 10th for approval. Chief DeBacker. >> DIANE DEBACKER: Thank you President DeWolf for that introduction. This is a BAR that comes before

121the board every year at this time and it is a BAR where we are adding or suggesting to you that we add courses to the high school course catalog. The process for how this happens is if a teacher has a desire to teach a new course that isn't currently being offered in the high school catalog they can put in a request that request then goes to the appropriate program manager. So if it was a science course it would go to MaryMargaret Welch. If it's language arts course it goes to Kathleen Vasquez etc. Once that is then reviewed by the program manager and if it is determined to be an appropriate class we have them submit their descriptions and you've seen some of those in your packet tonight and then if it is approved by you

122as a board then it goes into the offerings of the course catalog. High school principals and counselors then look through that catalog and say do we want to offer these courses. What do we want to offer at our specific high school. And then if students enroll then that class is taught so that just kind of gives you an idea of the process that it goes through. What we're bringing forward to you tonight are eight new classes as you've seen there. Eight is about the amount that you get each year. It just it varies depending on who wants to offer what but you have eight tonight and those eight consist of. A career in tech ed class in virtual reality. It consists of a pre apprenticeship class in that connects with our community workforce. There are

123there's a class with Asian American literature and another class Latin American literature. And then four courses in visual and performing arts. So a few other things about this when we took this to the December Curriculum and Instruction committee we were asked to add in the equity analysis that we asked the teachers to do or the program manager that brought that forth and three of you were at that meeting and you remember that. So that is a little bit of a different thing than what you saw at C&I We put that into the BAR that you have in front of you tonight. A couple other things I think is important to remember is that we had a question that came about just today as to how this may or may not relate to ethnic studies. So

124I think I want to address that at least with those two courses. The Latin American and the Asian American lit classes keep in mind that in Seattle Public Schools we don't have a credit for ethnic studies. So the courses. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Yet. >> DIANE DEBACKER: Yet. Thank you Director Harris. So the courses that you have in front of you they are the two courses in question are courses that. Under our current system would qualify for language arts credits. We are in the process with ethnic studies in trying to do some cross crediting work. So once the courses in the course catalog for example we have an African-American literature class already in our course catalog. We have a Native American literature class already in our course catalog. Once they're in the course catalog then we

125can do a cross crediting where it will allow us to give credit for a course that has an ethnic studies genre or you've heard us talk about the ethnic studies framework. And then we can give credit in different areas. So there is a distinction but there is also is a little bit of a connection here. I wanted to clear up that any confusion that may be with that. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: So I’ll open it up for questions and comments Director Hersey. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY: Yes. So in respect to that question about how this intersects with ethnic studies I just want to be super clear with this. It seems as though the program manager for ethnic studies is not cool with this. Can you explain to me why that is. Because I want to make sure

126that I mean it's you could laugh but also we need to respect the work of Tracey Castro — Gill and all the teachers who have put effort excuse me into this. And it's concerning to me that those individuals are not cool with this. So I want to know why. >> DIANE DEBACKER: I I can only speak on behalf of the process that we use here. I have not spoken to Tracy. About her concern with this. I was made aware of that tonight during the board meeting. So I I can only speak on behalf of the process though the process that we currently have. Is a teacher can request a course that aligns with anything that we give credit in currently and that is what has been done there. There is no nothing in these course

127descriptions that say that this is all about ethnic studies ethnic studies advisory group has not reviewed these courses and quite honestly the only people who approve a new course coming through are the seven board members. >> DIRECTOR HERSEY: Sure. And my I think where I'm coming from is that with how potentially contentious this ethnic studies adoption has already been we've already gotten feedback from our community meetings. There's a lot of misinformation about what is and isn't. We need to be completely clear in our own house before we put anything forward. So I hope before we are asked to act on this that there is a conversation with. Tracy Castro — Gill about this so that we can be all on the same page because I want to make sure that moving forward that we are

128not necessarily in lockstep but at least walking in the same direction with this. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Hersey Chief DeBacker to be clear the conversation tonight about item number three is specifically about these six courses. >> DIANE DEBACKER: Eight. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Excuse me eight. The conversation we’re thinking about with Director Hersey is in addition to which is not captured here in this BAR but it is something I think. So just so I'm clear this is just for the eight. This is not for the cross crediting. Correct. You're just giving us kind of traditional information to give context. OK. >> DIANE DEBACKER: I was trying to connect some dots that have been made apparent just today. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Harris then Director Rankin. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: OK. I share. Director

129Hersey’s concerns and you and I have had some pretty thoughtful conversations about this as well. I guess my concern is that we haven't availed ourselves to members of the advisory committee. A system can't be just one person. And and we have to be more robust than that. And. I'm not sure I understand why. We haven't availed ourselves to the advisory committee in this good work especially while folks are out on leave because this is a high priority of this board. It's been a high priority of this board. And it's been high centered several times. And I'm I'm very frustrated and obviously I'm not very patient. I will own that. Why can't we do a better job of using the advisory committee and developing a better system so that money doesn't disappear from last March to

130now. da da da da da da. We've been having the same kind of conversations now for. For too long. And I'm I'm I'm concerned and I'm distressed by it. And I'm concerned and distressed when we have. Publicly. Facebook. That says content about and from ethnic groups can be taught through a colonized white supremacy lens even in other languages assuming content about ethnic groups is by default ethnic studies is hashtag rewhiting or whitewashing ethnic studies curriculum. I am a privileged white woman. I don't claim to understand a lot of this continuum. I'm working really hard at learning it because it matters to our fifty three thousand students. But this this is problematic to me. And I'm I'm concerned. And distressed. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you Director Harris Director Rankin. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: As the newly appointed

131chair of the curriculum and instruction policy committee I just I want to make sure that I'm all the way up to in the loop up to speed understanding what's happening. So can I. I'm just going to state my understanding of something and if. Any members of the ethnic studies advisory team happen to be watching please let me know if I have this or not. And then. Ms. DeBacker please. Also the same might Doctor DeBacker My understanding is that there's confusion between an ethnic studies course and an ethnic studies framework. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: I just really really though I'm certainly gonna let you finish that feels like it's going beyond the scope of the BAR so I’m gonna let you finish but. About the eight courses we're thinking about approving it is technically outside of that

132scope. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Well. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: I do want you to finish it’s related yes. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: In the context. In which they are approved. I think so. My understanding is that the confusion is well and see so I don't know. So that. These courses the cross crediting is that is that traditionally there would be a certain number of courses of the count as 11th grade English and the cross crediting would allow someone to take one of these courses and have that count towards 11th grade English instead of as an elective. is that correct. >> DIANE DEBACKER: Correct. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Ok so that opens us up to other options for in this case literature. But I think where we're getting stuck on is it's still. That the ethnic studies framework would then

133be laid on top of everything and it's the lens through which we’re viewing everything. And I mean in that context. Having Asian-American literature would not be. Separate because it would be everything would be incorporated. But I I think that the confusion is around the cross crediting and then what's an ethnic studies course. And then the ethnic studies framework and who is deciding that and how we're. That's that's that's where I am understanding that conflict. >> DIANE DEBACKER: Correct. And and there's some of everything that she said we have an ethnic studies course in the current course catalog. And that is. A course that gets an elective credit. OK. So there is a course a little bit of history on the ethnic studies is that the task force when it was formed a few years ago

134came out with some recommendations and one of their recommendations is that there not be that that we integrate that we push in ethnic studies into courses. Thus the idea. And the concept. How we're moving forward with the frameworks so that you can take the themes of ethnic studies and you can lay that into any class whether that be a kindergarten class or fourth grade class or a another high school math class as we saw in some discussions earlier this spring. So. So there is yes there can be a class. We have it. There can be frameworks that can be laid into or pushed into current curriculum. We have that happening now in Seattle Public Schools and then we can also look at do we ever want a ethnic studies graduation requirement that may come before

135the board or we can look also or and we can look also at can we cross credit some classes and the cross crediting as a process is something we have not done yet. We are in the process of doing that. I met with the ethnic studies Advisory Group last month to discuss the process for doing it and the discussion really is around. Where does it start. So if we have a teacher in this example a teacher who wants to teach Latin American literature or Asian American literature. Where does where do we start that cross crediting process. Does that teacher hand that course into. Where it would traditionally lay. And handed into language arts program manager to say what do you think. Do they hand it into the ethnic studies program manager say what do you

136think do we do it simultaneously. Does one group do it first. And the other group do it next. We have not answered that question yet. We are discussing that right now with the ethnic studies advisory group leading that discussion. And the other program managers if it were science if it was math it was language arts also having input. There is a meeting tomorrow of the ethnic studies Advisory Group. I would hope that this is a discussion on their agenda. Because we need to get this done soon in order to be in the course catalog bringing us back to the BAR President DeWolf. Of that. We have to. We would like to know what we put in our course catalogs that our principals can look at to decide what they offer to their students so that

137when students go to pre-enroll in a few months they will know if I'm taking a class what it counts for. It is really it gets down to that. We have not done the cross crediting process yet. It is brand new for us. We're this close to getting it done. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. >> SUPERINTENDENT JUNEAU: So the course catalog is happening. And I spoke a little bit about the work that had gone into removing some of the prerequisites earlier. We Dr. DeBacker has been working with ethnic studies Advisory Council and has been to a couple of their meetings and will be going tomorrow as well. One meeting and it's going again tomorrow and I'm hoping as well that this is an agenda item that they are having conversations about because if we're going to

138take an Asian-American literature course and make it a cross credit with ethnic studies that approval. Has to happen this month otherwise it doesn't happen for next year’s students. So we've had some staffing leave some we have some staff that are currently on medical leave and when they are on medical leave we can't talk to them because they're on medical leave. And so that also throws some challenges I guess in conversations that need to happen. However there is an advisory council that I hope teachers on there will really take this seriously because the only people that will lose out if this does not happen are students. And so that's my message to the ethnic and ethnic sides Advisory Council. Please come together. Look at these courses. Decide whether they can be approved for ethnic studies for

139cross credit because we really want our students to be able to have access to that next year. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: Wait sorry. That actually just made me get more confused because I think that the cross crediting is not to make it an ethnic studies course but the cross crediting is to make non — White European focused course count as 11th grade English. The other way around right. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: There would be and ethnic studies. >> DIRECTOR MACK: I mean it's cross — crediting so you're getting credit for your English language your language arts and you're getting an ethnic studies credit when you're cross crediting you're getting it for both. >> DIRECTOR RANKIN: But I think that's where the problem is is that ethnic studies. The task force the advisory group is saying. That that's

140the that's that's in everything. Ethnic studies is part of. Everything and that making it an ethnic studies course is. >> DIANE DEBACKER: I think I need to ask some clarification. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: DeBacker. Chief DeBacker I know you'll have C&I next week. I want to be thoughtful about that might be an opportunity to really dive into this so we can bring it back for action on the 22nd. Just to be mindful of time. So I'm going to. >> SUPERINTENDENT JUNEAU: I’d like to add just one more thing. I will go to the ethnic studies group tomorrow to see what is up. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thanks Superintendent Juneau All right. Item number four purchase of student and staff technology for new BEX 4 schools. This came through Ops Committee on December 5th for approval. And welcome

141Chief Berge. >> JOLYNN BERGE: I'll be brief if I may. This is the authority to purchase computers and technology. This BAR covers the three schools that will be opening next year Webster Bagley and Wing Luke as well as our normal capacity that we asked for. The BAR covers standard technology packages to outfit new schools and classrooms including teacher student and classroom technology. It also includes I.T. infrastructure such as switches and wireless access points. There were no changes requested in OP's. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Comments questions concerns from my colleagues I'm back at it. Boomerang. Nope. Bad penny. Comments questions concerns from my colleagues. Saying none we moved to number five BTA for approval of capacity management actions for the 2020-21 school year it came before Ops December 5th for approval I see Chief of Operations Fred

142Podesta take it away. Kind sir. >> FRED PODESTA: The information in this BAR is required by policy H — 13 an annual capacity management report. It also authorizes us to begin planning capacity changes as needed across the district. There you know across the district we have adequate capacity. But of course on a site specifics level there's always needs here and there. So this authorizes the addition of 9 classrooms across elementary and middle schools in a contingency that would allow us to add another six classrooms on an annual basis. Things change a lot from the time this report is brought to the board and the contracts are finally led. This is not awarding those contracts we would be back when we actually decided this is what we're gonna do and we need to place portables. But

143this kind of authorizes the overall plan at a pretty high level. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Comments questions concerns from my colleagues. We're working on number five now President DeWolf. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thanks president Director Harris. >> DIRECTOR MACK: I was going to say that actually this is just checking in on this overall plan a little bit further is on the agenda for Ops tomorrow with more recent information that may be coming through And but but we did move it forward for approval as it was because it is a high level plan. Knowing that things can change depending on what the needs in the buildings are. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Any other comments. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: There was it was approved moved for approval as amended. So where were the amendments in this one. What when when it

144was moved out of Ops. There was. >> FRED PODESTA: It was there. I actually don't recall. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: That's what we had spoken. And that's why I note I don't actually see what the minutes were but. >> DIRECTOR MACK: I could pull up my notes but I believe it was with relation to. The fact that was brought up that Robert Eagle Staff regardless of whether or not the amendment on HC goes through. Is. Going to need to move the elementary classrooms that were built for. Licton Springs back into middle school spaces in order to utilize it. So there's a transition back for those spaces and I think that's not spelled out here. And so I think that's part. I think that was there was supposed to be an amendment to put Robert Eagle Staff

145in here maybe. >> FRED PODESTA: You know I think again since that's the capacity issue at Robert Eagle staff it wasn't addressed in that fashion. We may need to make changes because the school. But the that that at that point wasn't hadn't been approved it wasn't yet a capacity issue. >> DIRECTOR MACK: Would it be OK to touch base on this tomorrow or kind of get the staff active in. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Between now and then. >> DIRECTOR MACK: We would be able to come back and staff can make those changes appropriately based on that conversation tomorrow. >> DIRECTOR HARRIS: Shouldn't our agenda say approved as amended. I mean isn't that the standard chief counsel. >> DIRECTOR MACK: It is but they didn't actually put any. They didn't change anything in it this is exactly

146as it came to committee. So. oh there is. >> DIRECTOR RIVERA-SMITH: Should there should have been on today’s agenda showing with amendments or with updates since committee I don't know. That's usually on the. Regular. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: It’s not usual on. Are there any additional comments questions or concerns about this BAR. Did you do number 5. That's what I thought thank you. All right. introduction introduction. Item number 6 BEX 4 and BTA 4 approval of construction change order number twenty four of the Lincoln High School Modernization and addition project this came through Ops on December 5th for approval. >> FRED PODESTA: This represents what we expect to be the last change set of change orders for the Lincoln High School Project it's a myriad of things that are attached to the BAR was reviewed with

147Director Geary as are all our change orders. And I think we're we're about done. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: All right. Questions or concerns from from directors. OK we'll move to our final introduction item number seven BTA 4 final acceptance of contract K 5 1 0 5 with Acc-U-Set Construction Inc. for the relocate and set up portable classrooms at multiple school sites project this came through Ops on December 5th for approval. Take it away. Chief Podesta. >> FRED PODESTA: This close out a contract. This is the back end of the process of the capacity management BAR that we did award multiple contracts to move portables that were accomplished in 2019. This was one of them it called for the relocation of 10 replacement of portables at 10 different locations. The work has been complete. It was. The

148buildings are in service and this just closes. Contract out. >> DIRECTOR DEWOLF: Thank you. Do I have any questions or concerns from directors. All right. Thank you do I have a second. All right. Being no further business for the board. The regular board meeting has now adjourned at eight forty one p.m..