Board of Education Meeting: November 4, 2025 (Spanish Captions)

001All right. Thank you all for joining us tonight for the board of education. Um, please mute your cell phones or anything else that beeps or buzzes as we begin this meeting. And today is Tuesday, November 4th, 2025. And the meeting is now called to order at 5:30 p.m. For those attending this meeting in person, live captions are available on a TV in the boardroom and in the lobby. To access the live captions on a language other than English on your own device, please scan the QR code on the screen or on the table near the entrance and select the language of your choice. The live stream of this meeting is also available in English and Spanish on YouTube. For links to these live streams, please visit the board of education page on the PSD website

002or PSD TV on demand on YouTube. And if you would now join me for reciting the pledge of allegiance. Right. Thank you. Would any board members like to make changes to the agenda? All right. Seeing none, we'll move on to um the action items. Resolution in support of children and youth experiencing housing instability awareness month. Can I get a motion, please? >> Go ahead, Jim. Thank you. I move the board approve resolution in support of children and youth experiencing housing instability awareness month November 2025. >> Can I get a second, please? All right. Thank you, Connor. All right. And I believe we have a special guest today. >> Yeah. Good evening, everybody. Joining us this evening to speak to the resolutions, David, director of language and equity. Welcome, David. David not here. >> Okay. >>

003Can I make a motion to move that until after the 7.0 community comment? >> Oh, they're coming down. Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah, we were pretty quick today. Teacher wait time is a great instructional strategy that we're modeling right now. [laughter] >> All right. Here we go. Welcome. >> Welcome, David. Let's see. All right, you can hear me. Okay. Hi. Good evening. Thank you, uh, Kingsleaf and Board of Education for having me over tonight. And I'm just very pleased to speak to our resolution, uh, for children and youth experiencing housing instability awareness month. Um I will just bring a quick note to the change in wording from prior years mainly because uh language matters and it's really important for us to kind of honor and acknowledge that homeless isn't really an all-encompass encompassing and inclusive

004term and it's also uh not representative of the challenges that face many families are facing in our community. So, uh, we wanted it, uh, to be more reflective of that. And we also just want to continue to honor and resent the fact that we, uh, like to promote human first language and make sure that we're putting, uh, people first because in no, uh, sense does homeless define an individual at any given point. So, I just wanted to bring attention to that and as we think about um the challenges that uh our community is facing that us that work in the Mckin Vento uh homeless assistance act um uh work and just we really are facing unprecedented times. We're facing uh basically um a lot of challenges that the community and the our families are are

005working towards. We have right uh annually for the last three years we've kind of stabled out about uh 1,400 uh students that are in our program for the Mckin Vento program which uh represents an 18% increase from uh prior to the pandemic. So as we think about the need and the and the scope of the work in front of us it gives us a definite scope and if we think about uh what 1400 students means it's uh over one out of every 20 students. So if you think that's more at least one student in every classroom if you like to think of it that way. Um also as we've known the cost of living in the our community has grown exponentially and so uh the need within the community is even greater. Uh we are

006also very well aware that uh SNAP benefits and other uh programs have been put on hold and families are feeling that strain. So um we are uh basically facing some of the greatest need that in recent history and in recent memory. So um and I want to just kind of bring us back to uh last board meeting and uh director Havda you reminded us that it's really is Maslo before blooms and it really is taking care of those basic needs and the foundational um needs to make sure that we have the foundation for learning success. So, as my LC would remind me, uh, ally allyship is a verb. And so, what we can do during this time, uh, just remembering and always putting to the forefront, uh, treating students and families with dignity and respect

007regardless of any kind of, uh, background, suspending that judgment, leaning in curiosity, and a served heart. And luckily, what our students need is what all students need, empathy and support. And so, if we can think of those uh things, then it becomes very easy to think how to support our students. Um but for those that are feeling compelled uh donations of time and efforts are always uh and are always welcome. Uh thinking of that of course we LC doesn't work alone in this. Huge shout outs to our transportation department. No other department literally gets up hours earlier to make this happen for our students to get them to their their safe place every single day. uh school nutrition, keeping our students fed, making sure that we have our um and then the basic needs that

008are getting met through our counselors, our family leaison, and of course our McKini contacts and all of our educators and leaders every single day. And uh PSD can never do this alone. We have such amazing partners like the Matthews House. Um we have uh our new youth shelter which is needed now more than ever. Um thanks to and thanks to them, we have a place to send our students that is a safe and healthy place. Homeward Alliance, La Familia, Ned Neighborhood, um, Food and Catholic Charities, the list goes on and on of everybody that supports us with this. So, um, thinking of this, I'm going to transition a little bit because for the first time in recent history, just for the last couple years, we've been, uh, gearing up for this and for the first

009year ever, we have significant uh, inro to some preventative and proactive measures. um research is really clear around uh getting in front of this situation and making sure that we can uh prevent homelessness and homeless uh and housing and security. So thinking of that and just thinking to get puts things in perspective over half of Americans report living paycheck to paycheck and if we think that Fort Commons is about uh 20% over the average cost of living of any uh general city um really we can think of over half of our families are one crisis away from housing instability. And so if we think about it that way um this really just underscores um the program that I'm just so proud to present and introduce to us today. Um so with that I would like

010to introduce our partnership with um uh we have Denver Denver Denver Rescue Mission and Fort Collins Rescue Mission and from there we have Seth Forwood and Jonathan SEI that will talk about our homeless prevention program. WELCOME. [applause] >> WELL, thank you for having us here. Um again, I'm Seth Forwood. Uh this is my colleague John Sidi. Um we of course operate a a men's shelter and have for about 12 years um in Fort Collins and as well operate um a rural long-term residential drug and alcohol treatment center called Harvest Farm in Wellington. Um, but we are very excited to kind of have a a new pilot program where we are not only addressing the needs of people experiencing homelessness, but now we are getting in front of um the possibility of somebody becoming homeless. And

011the statistics of um when a a child or a family experiences homelessness of them actually returning to homelessness as an adult are staggering. And so, um, getting in front of this issue and being able to provide one-time funding for families that are dealing with really heartbreaking issues, um, like, uh, having, uh, having a job and being able to pay the bills, but then, uh, their car breaking down and then not being able to get to that job. We can provide one-time funding for that. or um a child experiencing a sickness where they have to be in the hospital for an extended period of time. Providing some funding so that the parent can be with their child in in a really um difficult time and not compounding that difficulty medically with uh a housing um uh

012losing their housing and being precariously housed. So um we are uh this is a new thing for us um but it's it's very central to our mission and vision in um wanting to uh address homelessness in the variety of ways that we can address homelessness. and we foresee it being uh uh very impactful for our community and um addressing a real need in preventing homelessness before it becomes entrenched and then um becomes a situation where you have to um find emergency shelter. Um and so thank you again. Uh again, I couldn't do this work uh dealing with uh the the heartbreaking stories of um some of the families that are in our school district, but David and his team, John and his team, we have two case managers that uh we are um uh partnering

013um with uh David and his team to uh discover those needs and be able to address those needs with onetime funding. Um it it's really heartbreaking work, but it's so rewarding to see how much impact you can make with one-time funding um to help people that are in a really hard place. So again, thank you for this time where we could present this to you and uh we look forward to coming back again and showing um real data and impact um that this can make in our community. Thank you. [applause] David, Seth, John, thank you so much for all the work that you're doing for all of our students. Um, I really appreciate it and I know how much work um, Seth, I know how much work has gone into so many of the different

014um, aspects of the mission and um, I don't know if if people know that there was recently a fire um, and so they are in desperate need um, for housing um, for everyone. And so it's not it's it's children, but it's it's children, it's families, um it's adults. Um and so whatever we can do as a community to help support would be wonderful. So thank you so much for all the help that you are providing PSD students. We appreciate it. >> Are there other questions or um statements? Yes. Go ahead, Jim. >> Yeah, I've got one. just my daughter's a teacher and she told the story one day about a student who was just constantly falling asleep in class and when they dug into what was going on what they found was it was cold

015outside and cold in the car that night before and she just couldn't sleep and it was a heartbreaking story and I'm just totally support everything that you do. Thank you. >> Anyone else? Go ahead Kevin. Uh I [clears throat] want to say thank you as well for the uh the work you're doing and for the visibility for tonight. And a lot of times when we talk resolutions, they seem sort of grandiose and it's hard to find the practical application. But here's some things um that our audience or people at home can be can be thinking about on a granular level is that we are getting into a colder season. And so as your kids age out of their coats and some of their warmer clothes to to donate those to your school so they can

016be repurposed. Um, there's also I I have tension because I'm I'm a Scholastic Bookf Fair enthusiast. That brings back some really good memories. But I also am mindful of a kid that can't afford to go to the book fair and and get anything. And so, um, if you have the means and you can, sometimes slipping your teacher an extra 20 or so for to look out for a kid that maybe can't afford it so they can, um, do that, that's that's always a good thing. And then at home having discussions with your your children and your students that there may be a kid in their class or likely is a kid in their class if it's one in 20 that um is experiencing a different reality than they are. And to be empathetic and have

017those kind of conversations early on I think is really important. Um and that number really does strike me that 18%. Um and that number really should be on the top of mind for the work not only in the classrooms but the work that we do in this boardroom. Um there is an urgency to this work and I've taught in these schools before and so I can tell you from firsthand experience that I believe an excellent education can change a trajectory of a children of a child's life and so with every discussion that we have that may feel abstract or grandiose I'd always like to level set and say they have practical applications to kids that need these decisions now and so to never lose sight of that urgency. So again thank you for your work

018for your continued work and let us know what we can do to to further that. Anyone else? >> All right, Jill, can you call the vote? >> Jim Brokish. >> Hi. >> Kristen Draper. >> I. >> Connor Duffy. >> Hi. >> Kevin Havda. >> I. >> Scott Shoenbower. >> Hi. >> Andrew Spain. >> Hi. >> Jessica Zamora. >> Hi. >> Motion passes. 70. [applause] [applause] >> All right. Thank you very much. Really appreciate it. And now we move on to recognitions and reports. >> Thank you. This evening, we're excited to celebrate student achievement in agricultural education as well as the recipient of the science teaching award. Leading our district celebrations is John Cop, our executive director of communications. Welcome, John. >> Good evening, President Draper, Superintendent Kingsley, board directors, and everyone joining us tonight. This

019evening, we're proud to celebrate two outstanding individuals whose accompl accomplishments reflect the dedication and commitment to excellence that define our students and staff here in Pter School District. Our first recognition is for Lissa Clark from Wellington Middle High School. Lissa was recently crowned the 2025 Colorado FFA state champion in Agriculture Education and earned the opportunity to represent Colorado at the National Competition in Indiana. Here to introduce Lissa is Holly Hecondorf. >> [applause] >> Uh, good evening. My name is Holly Hecondorf. I am a agriculture and FFA instructor at Wellington Middle High School. And I have the privilege of introducing a very special young lady, Miss Lissa Clark. Um, Lissa I have taught since she was a freshman and she has been working to compete in a competition called agricultural education. Basically, she gets to mimic

020being me as a teacher because that's what she wants to do for her future career path. She has to submit um very detailed lesson plans with procedures, uh materials, um the science behind teaching and strategies would use. Um she then has to pick a portion of that lesson and teach it to a small group of mock students and then three judges score her on that. Um she started doing this when she's a freshman. She won state this past June and just wrapped up competing at nationals. Also had an outstanding performance. I'd like you to give her a round of applause and she's gonna talk about it. [applause] >> Good evening. Um, thank you for having me here. Um, I had to compete at in PBLO in June against five other kids and I ended up

021making it through. Not entirely sure how, but I did. Um, and then I I got the privilege to present Colorado at Nationals in Indianapolis last Wednesday. Um, that was the first ever agriculture education competition at Nationals. Um, and there were only eight other people who could say they were the first group of people to compete. Uh, they only released the top four scores and I was not in the top four and were waiting for the rest of the scores to come out. But I was complimented by a teacher at Utah State who really admired how I taught and I am very proud of myself for everything that I've accomplished. [applause] >> [applause] >> Thank you, Holly. And congrat congratulations, Lissa. Our next honore is Becca Adams from Rocky Mountain High School. Becca was awarded the

022VS Excellence in Science Teaching Award, recognizing her outstanding contributions to science education. Here to speak more about this award and Becca is Rocky, principal Conrad. >> [applause] >> All right. Hi everybody. Um, thanks for having me tonight. I'm Connor Chris, the principal at Rocky. It's a pleasure to recognize um, Miss Adams for Excellence in Science Teaching Award. Becca is an amazing teacher. I have been in and around her classroom multiple times. She's um, been teaching for the last 16 years and the last 10 at Rocky. Her classes are a place where students are challenged and supported. Um, thoughtful lesson planning that keeps kids enga engaged and ignites curiosity. She builds relationships through science, providing a safe and accessible learning environment for all students. She is intentional with everything she does. Um, and I've witnessed this

023firsthand, meeting students at the door to the lesson plan design or the music being played while kids are doing certain things. It's seriously uh amazing. and she um is very deserving of this award. She's barely known for a hands-on approach and students absolutely love her classes. Her ability to connect students learning to real world application gives students purpose beside behinds everything that they do. Um she's very deserving of this prestigious award and we couldn't be more proud of her. Please join me again for celebrating. [applause] >> Thank you. Congratulations once again to our honores. We're proud to celebrate you as you represent the very best of Ber School District. At this time, I'd like to invite our honores, board directors, and superintendent Kingsley to the front for a group photo. Thank you. [applause] All right,

024thank you everyone who came for that. That was extraordinary. Um, like to move on now to our superintendent report. So, Superintendent Kingsley and I'll make remarks to the board of education and to the community. Welcome. >> Thank you. Good evening, everybody. It's great to be here. Do we all know why more than eight out of every 10 families who have children of youthful age for schools choose PSD? >> Because we're awesome. >> Well, we have young people like Lissa Clark who make us proud. We got teachers like Holly and Becca who are award-winning teachers who make us proud. We have Fossil Ridge marching band that has won its fourth consecutive state title. There's just a lot of really great things um that make CH PSD the reason why uh families choose us each and every

025day. I'm so proud to be a part of it. Uh, I want to, if you are a part of our community and are not aware, we actually just revised a new page on our school district's website about choose PSD to educate all of our families and community members on the just plethora of really incredible options that our teachers and our principles and classified staff provide to our young people each and every day. So, I would encourage everybody uh to go out to our website and check that out. Another reason why people choose PSD is we have great partnerships uh with many entities in our community and one of them is the Fort Collins Police Services. And so tonight's quick win video is an opportunity to hear a little bit about the Fort Col Police Services

026uh sending a message to our community uh about some things that we want people to be mindful of, not just this time of year, but all the time. On behalf of Fort Collins Police [music] and Pter School District, we want to share critical safety information about school buses and stop arm laws. >> Sadly, too many drivers fail to stop when a bus stop arm is extended. This puts children in danger as they get [music] on and off the bus. >> Here's what you need to know. Yellow flashing lights mean the bus is prepared to stop. [music] Slow down. Red flashing lights and the stop arm mean the bus has stopped. Children are boarding or exiting. Drivers traveling both directions must stop unless there is a physical barrier dividing [music] traffic. A painted line is not

027a barrier. Our buses use this equipment every day. When drivers ignore it, they put students at serious risk. Crashes involving children are among the most serious and [music] traumatic. We need every driver's help to prevent them. While we enforce these violations, our goal [music] is voluntary compliance. These laws exist to keep everyone safe. Together, we can make Fort Collins one of the safest communities [music] for students. Please stay alert, follow traffic laws, and [music] stop for school buses. On behalf of Fort Collins Police, PSD, and our families, thank you. so grateful for our relationships with our first responders and helping not just be responsive when things go ary but educating our community importance of all of our roles and keeping our children each other safe each and every day. And in the words of Chief

028Sabota, uh he would say, you know, slow the FOC down is really kind of the message that we want to make sure that we're educating. That's a real message, believe it or not. I'm not making that up. Uh there's some interesting bumper stickers about it around the community, but uh just it's really important that we continue to educate and keep people safe. Um I want to thank Director Duffy for joining me yesterday and two uh really great visits to Warner Elementary School and Preston Middle School. I think at the mo every time we have an opportunity as members of the governance team to be visible in schools and hold space for our leaders and our teachers. It just continues to show that we're all in this together and we're learning about the various needs, opportunities,

029celebrations, and challenges that our district faces. Over the last couple of weeks, I've been in approximately 10 schools. Uh, and I continue just to really appreciate the work that our teachers and leaders are doing each and every day to educate our young people. Uh, we have some important updates for the community that I think it's important that I use this time and space to educate and invite people to take part of. Um we all have vested interest in the very types of curricula that we offer to our students and that our teachers utilize. Uh there are two upcoming events. Our curriculum department is hosting a community engagement night on November 10th from 5 to 7 p.m. at our future ready center at the Foothills Mall. This event open to the community and is focused on

030reviewing and discussing those curricular materials. We're in the process of completing a curriculum adop adoption for our kindergarten through fifth grade math, English language development, and world language level one for French, German, and Spanish. So, anyone that's uh we encourage anyone that's interested in learning more or providing feedback to please join this event on November 10th from 5:00 to 7:00 at the Future Ready Center. I also want to highlight that our integrated services department will be hosting an integrated services parent group night on November 19th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at our transitions pathway academy on Stover Street. Topics to be covered that evening will include understanding dyslexia instruction and intervention, IEPs and school support, assessment and identification, and social emotional impacts and home support. A virtual option will also be available for those who

031may be interested and unable to attend in person. Please contact our integrated services department if you want more information. And I also believe that very same night uh on November 19th from 6:00 to 8:30, we'll have our second viewing of the documentary Screenagers uh at Pter High School. and I'm looking forward to attending that event myself and just really appreciate staff's efforts to engage our community, our parents, our employees in these various ways uh that make just our work matter even more for for everybody that's involved. I want to talk a little bit in in closing here tonight. We have a very important conversation to have tonight. Um there's a lot to celebrate in our district as we recognize that many of our academic indicators are trending positively and we'll hear a little bit more

032about that tonight. But I'm also asking as a governance team and as a community that we open our hearts and minds and continue to be curious around one particular area where we're not trending positively and try to identify why that might be and what we as a system are doing about it to have a healthy conversation to continue to accelerate learning for not some students but all students and that's our students with IEP. So we'll talk specifically tonight. I know there's many questions that many members of our community will have. I want to signal this will be the first of two conversations that are forthcoming uh on students with IEPs. one tonight will go have a narrow focus on graduation rates and what we're identifying and learning about why our students are not graduating with

033IEPs at the same rate of some of our comparable districts. But we also know that many members of the community and members of the board have had thoughtful questions around how we identify students and our identification rates and 504 rates. And so we're going to have a more detailed in-depth conversation that will be a separate presentation uh tonight, but if we have some opportunity to talk a little bit about both tonight, we know that that uh would be appropriate, too. So, I'm looking to a very positive meeting. Happy election day, everybody. Um and I'm looking forward to uh governing with you tonight. So, thank you. >> Thank you very much. All right, we'll move on to the community comment portion. So, welcome to the community comment section of the board meeting. The board desires to

034hear the viewpoints of all stakeholders, including students, employees, parents, guardians, and community members. Public comment is designed to address issues, not personalities or personnel matters. Please keep your concerns and comments focused upon the district and appropriate for a K12 audience. Please note that the board does not generally respond to remarks made during community comments. A lack of response should not be construed to mean that we agree or disagree with what is said or the description or interpretation of events as presented by any speaker. Further, even if some remarks may be factually inaccurate, we generally choose not to respond to correct the record here because formal board meetings are not the time or place for back and forth dialogue. As we begin this community comment session, let us model for our entire community how to listen

035and how to interact respectfully, even with those with whom we disagree, for we all have the students best interests at heart. So, this opportunity for public comment is from members of the [clears throat] community who registered to speak by the designated deadline. Those people called on to make remarks in the order that they signed up and each speaker will be allowed two minutes to address the board. And first up we have Laura Whitehead. Welcome. >> I'm a former pair professional to special education with Pter school district more specifically PSD effective needs program. I supported students with significant emotional and behavioral needs. I am trained in CPI crisis intervention including deescalation and the safe use of physical restraint when a student becomes a danger to themselves or others. I am here because school safety is not

036optional. Hooter school district o own policies such as code of conduct and the safe staff safety and security policy state that employees and students are entitled to a safe working and learning environment. Colorado law also recognized the right of school staff to use reasonable physical intervention to protect themselves or others when there is an imminent threat of harm. On multiple occasions, I was physically attacked by a student with a documented history of violence. I was punched, pinched, scratched, and bit. During the most serious incident, I attempted to use CPI approved physical restraint exactly as I was trained to do to protect myself and any nearby student. CPI train specifically authorized safe physical restraint when a student poses an imminent danger to the harm. However, the school principal directed me to restrain the student to not

037restrain the student even while I was being assaulted. Then directed violated CPI protocol, PSD safety policies, and student code of conduct that clearly prohibit violent behavior and support staff intervention to prevent injury. Feeling unsupported and unable to protect myself and others, I felt I had to leave. I'm asking the district for three things. Acknowledge that staff cannot be ordered to stand still and be physically assaulted. require principles and administrators to follow the same CPI and PSC's safety protocols that staff are obligated to follow. Protect PAR professionals from retaliation when they comply with policy and training in the interest of safety. This is not about blame. It is about safety, respect, and legal compliance. Staff cannot protect students if they are not allowed to protect themselves. I care deeply for the students I serve and I

038follow the rules this district requires of me. I don't want another PSD employee to experience what I did. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Thank you. Next up, we have Alan Bird. Welcome. >> Hi, Alan Bird is me. Thank you. Um, I'm a taxpayer, parent, and extensive needs teacher for the district. I'd like to squeeze in just a couple quick comments. First, about instructional minutes. Pter school's integrated services serve PSD students during every recess passing period and lunch anything school related really during recesses is servicing components of individual education plans we also necessarily are then instructing our students non-disabled peers during those same times recess is prime social emotional learning time please don't leave those instructional minutes on the table second when it is time to Talk staffing. We did pass a MEL levy. We need

039more parasol everywhere. Instructional paras and kinder classrooms are needed and is paras must be added to support inclusionary models as they are our best practice and best for our students. Some of our staffing models are old and based on containment. Dignity demands that we support inclusion. Thank you for your time. [applause] >> Thank you. Next up we have Shandra Bird. Welcome. Good evening. My name is Chanda Bird. I am a parent, a PSD teacher, a PA member, and a true believer in educating every child every day. I would like to start by thanking Scott Shom um Bower and Jessica Zamora for coming to last week's PA meeting and hearing our concerns. I come here tonight to strongly encourage the board and trustees to include educators at the decision-making table [clears throat] anytime decisions are being

040made that within the day change start or end times and increase teacher workload. No decision about us without us. I struggle with the leadership and cabinet of our district as they share and misrepresent information in a rush to make changes without teachers as authentic collaborators. I wonder why the district cabinet members assembled an instructional minutes action team to discuss issues and possible solutions without pea leadership being informed or included. No decisions about us without us. Did last year's erosion of trust not teach them anything? The lack of transparency by our district leaders in their comments is something of much concern. Why has the calendar committee been paused? Why does our PLC loving district not want to collaborate with stakeholders? The members of this community need to know that there seem to be more questionable decisions

041being made by our district leaders. Other districts in Colorado have made some questionable decisions to not work with their local union and uphold decisions that were negotiated. I trust our school board to do what is right for students and teachers in PSD and continue to invite us to the table because no decisions should be made about us without us. Thank you. [applause] [applause] Thank you. Next up, we have Adrien Fleet. Welcome. >> Excuse me. Thank you. Good evening. Some of your fa Some of your faces are familiar to me from the time that we shared at graduation in the spring. I spoke about music and my grandfather and some of your faces are familiar to me because I've had the opportunity to have your children in my class. Uh regardless of that fact, my name

042is Adrien Flick and I am both a proud high school teacher in the district and a community member who's very fortunate to live in the neighborhood around where he teaches. I'm here to say first, thank you. Working in PSD has allowed me to realize a dream and given me both a purpose and a reason to stay in Fort Collins, but also a chance to apply my belief in the power and potential of young people on a day-to-day basis. Secondly, I'm here to say please because I grew up long enough ago and far enough away to know that that word is still very important and powerful. We are living through a time of unmatched division and it's easy to abandon trust, hope, and connection with those around us in an attempt to live in isolation. In

043that vein, I'm here to be a reminder that this room and this district is filled with more than just employee numbers and unsure faces. both contain a collection of truly exceptional people. In some ways, I'm just a teacher who works for you or with you. But I'm also somebody who has taken pride in showing up for young people for the past 16 years. Based on the high fives that I receive on my walks, conversations in the grocery stores, and the smiles when I'm out on my regular errands, I s think that I may have occasionally also been more than just an average teacher. While education navigates seemingly endless changes and challenges, I respect and admire that you have to or that you get to make a series of decisions with immense consequences for both the

044moment and the future. I'm also here for the reminder that you all too are people trying to your best even when it feels like there's more than 4.5 miles between this place and 1300 West Swallow. So please remember that you employ a collection of very talented, motivated and well-trained people who are experts in education in all facets and they are waiting diligently to be uh to be given the opportunity to share their expertise and experience with you. Thank you. [applause] >> Thank you. Next up we have Sabrina Heric. Okay. Um next up we have Anna Labetta. Welcome. Good evening. Later this evening, you will hear a presentation on the declining graduation rates in PSD. I urge you to keep in mind as you are listening to the presentation that our district still has not outlined

045a plan for addressing dyslexia at a secondary level within the context of special education. As discussed in this boardroom at a presentation last February, PSD has historically not said dyslexia, which means that we have students who have been who have been identified generically with learning disabilities who have never received appropriate evidence-based interventions to help them overcome illiteracy. Starting last year, efforts have been thrown at increasing dyslexia awareness and establishing consistency in new district messaging for staff on an internal level. And we have efforts with the like dyslexia night coming up which are appreciated. Um but very little has been said about how we are actually going to move these students from illiterate without options to literate and thriving with options. As a parent of dyslexic learners, I continue to find myself exasperated that there is

046no actionable plan in place for how the district is going to start addressing teaching the kids who have never truly been taught to read. In theory, I love the idea of the inclusivity of a multicategorical program. I've heard it said time and again that all of the second teachers are teaching literacy and everyone should be teaching the struggling kids to read. But I want to make sure you understand the gravity of the situation. There are many kids who are still unable to read the most basic words going into middle school and therefore unable to write or spell on the most basic level. The academic interventions offered in the gened classroom spread across multiple students with various types of disabilities makes it incredibly diff difficult for dyslexic learners to receive any type of remediation with any

047type of fidelity. I dare say the amount of time it would take for one student to achieve true academic success in this type of setting is right on par with how long it will take to get air conditioning in every school in PSD. These kids work so hard every day just to show up and try to make it through each day. Please, please give us an efficient, discoverable pathway within integrated services for kids with SLDs to learn how to read. Thank you. [applause] Thank you. Next up, we have Danny Lawrence. Welcome. Later tonight in the IS presentation, you will hear that the district's multicategorical percentage for PST is 87%. That 87% of students with IEPs are spending at least 80% of their day in the general education setting. And that is a good thing. On

048the surface, disabled students with normative peers is factually shown to be better for both groups. But I want to suggest that the national percentage actually looks more like 67% or 20% lower than PSC. And that raises some questions. for 87% to be a sign of inclusion. As a district, we would need need to be able to show proof that it was working. Instead, we see graduation data continuing to decline and we're reading tonight that 18 students dropped out last year. That might be an indication that it's not working. Hearing from teachers and pair professionals that they are overworked and have case loads that are unmanageable with children that aren't ready for that level of inclusion might also be a sign that it's not working. Inclusion isn't shoving kids into the general education setting and hoping

049for the best. It is the intentional practice and work of encouraging their belonging. And I trust that all of you are believers in a child's right to an education. And in the case of disabled students, that education often has vast supports. I once believed that all kids needed to be in the general education environment to succeed. And after advocacy work, I can tell you that my opinion on that is changing. So when you hear those figures later tonight, please ask curious questions about how those students are being assessed. Ask for data that would support the success of that 87% Asian rate. No one is asking this board to solve the multitude of problems facing the integrated services department. But what I am asking you to do is to call for some data integrity. Get straight

050on who's counted in graduation statistics. Ask for those 16 indicators of information that I requested from you two weeks ago and get us more information overall to consider. I also request that PSD bring back the equity insights dashboard that was intentionally removed from the district's website so that the public can be aware of the disproportionality data that you all have access to that we no longer do. IEP parents are constantly battered with making datadriven decisions. So why are we accepting anything less than that on a district level? Thank you. [applause] Thank you. Next up we have Aaron Green. Welcome. Good evening. Pter school district has a massive problem with the underidentification of students with different needs. PSD also has among the worst districts of Colorado for graduating integrated services students within four years. In your

051email tonight, you'll find the April of 2022 integrated services report. Same problems, different day. The discriminatory underification was present then, as was the shameful four-year graduation rates of IEP students. Let me put the numbers in a little bit of perspective. The disparity with peer districts is staggering. Boulder, Cherry Creek, and St. Verraine districts with similar size and resources are graduating IEP students at rates 20% higher than PSD. Simply put, that is over 600 students with IEPs in Boulder who will graduate compared to 600 students in PSD that will not. That's like two elementary schools full of kids that won't have that opportunity to graduate with options in four years. By underidentifying 3 to 4% of the children, PSD is denying 900 to,200 students a free and appropriate public education, which they are legally entitled to.

052That's not just a statistic. That's a civil rights violation. We've heard the same excuses before. We heard them back in 2022. But the question you must ask yourself tonight is, if Boulder, Cherry Creek, and St. Vine have solved this problem, why hasn't PSD? ask what Boulder is doing differently than what we're doing when faced with the presentation tonight. Superintendent Kingsley inherited this issue, but must be held accountable to fix it. Otherwise, three years from now, we will be standing here again with even more students left behind. The truth is hard. Today, if you want the best for your child with an IEP, the data suggests that you should simply choice them out of PSD. That should never be a reality in our community. Our students deserve better. Thank you. [applause] Thank you. Next up, we

053have Courtney Hansen. Welcome. >> Superintendent Kingsley, honorable board members, thank you so much for your service. My name is Courtney Hansen. I have a child with Down syndrome who is served under the multicap program in his neighborhood school and is meaningfully included. Um we came to PSD in hopes that our son would have the opportunity to get a standard diploma and that's why I'm here to talk to you today. Um a policy IKF which you guys should have um that Miss Bruner is giving to you today as well as the commendable goal that is department has had to increase students with disabilities graduation rate. That policy on page four, if you look there, says that all students with disabilities should have an option to have a pathway to a regular diploma. It also says the

054IEP team will drive that. My concern, as well as some other parents, is that that policy is being interpreted incorrectly and executed incorrectly. Um, I'm asking you to do three things this evening. The first thing is to protect and preserve this policy. It follows state and federal law and all the research. It is going to go a long way to help with the 80% unemployment rate for developmental people with developmental disabilities in this nation. We need to preserve it. Number two, I also ask that you have required policy training for all IS departments. Right now, it's just the ILS department. They serve students on alternative assessments. That represents 1% of our entire student population. We are missing the vast majority of students with disabilities by only giving that training to ILS program managers. The last

055thing I I ask you to do is to ensure that there's individualized transition programming up to age 21. Okay? So that could mean transitions pathway academy, but it also might mean that my son stays in high school and gets credits towards a standard diploma in year five, six or seven. The state encourages this. Their threshold is 85%. We actually hit 75% in our seventh year. The state allows that. If you look at the last two pages on your packet, Cherry Creek and Boulder met the 85 um% in years five and six. So, we should not be pushing kids out after their senior year if they need transition programming. Thank you guys so much. >> Thank you. [applause] >> Thank you. Next up, we have Stephanie Watt. Welcome. >> Oh, I'm so sorry, Corey Coleman. I'm

056so sorry. Welcome. Hello, my name is Corey Coleman and I'm a fifth grade teacher. First, I do want to express that as a teacher in this district, I've been disappointed this year in the lack of communication with staff. I do expect more from both the cabinet and our elected board. We all deserve clarity around everything going on in our district. The state has not changed required instruction minutes only in how they're reported. We've been told that whoever here reports our minutes to CDE has been incorrectly giving the thumbs up for some time. And so you all wonderfully submitted a waiver um to the state to count recess as instructional time for this school year so we'd be in compliance. The best way forward is to revise our board policy that currently excludes recess to include

057it as instructional time because it is it is absolutely instructional and teachers do supervise those recesses. I think maybe you all have had maybe some some misinformation about that and we do use it to teach a wide variety of skills that I'd be happy to describe to you. Also, in a recent meeting, one of you mentioned something about or something to the effect of in recess not counting as instructional time because it would need to be assessed or graded. We do. Um, on our report cards, there are five specific lines concerning behavior and interpersonal skills, demonstrates self-control, collaborates with others, conflict management, respect, and accepts responsibility. Some of that's observed in class, much as during recess. I'll also point out that we are required by this cabinet board to teach lessons in our schools. There's

058no line on the report card for that. So, based on that comment or question about grading and assessing, would you say that those are not instructional minutes? Of course, you wouldn't. Um, these lessons don't have a line on the report card, but we do assess their impact through student behavior, especially at recess. I would also ask that you choose not to include recess as instructional time. I've done the math, and for the majority of our elementary schools, we would only need to add seven, not 37 minutes to our instructional day. Finally, I just ask for clarity and transparency around what we're trying to solve. instructional time, transportation, and making sure that every elementary school has the same len are all great issues, but one broad solution is not going to solve them all in this

059situation. Thank you so much. [applause] Thank you. Now, I'd like to welcome Stephanie Watt, >> I think is not >> who's not here. Okay. Um, next up, we have Jamie Amaya. >> Also not here. Okay. Um, >> is Arthur Lin here? >> Not see Arthur either. >> I won't take it personally. >> Um, okay. I'd like to welcome Candace Moer. >> Welcome. Good evening and happy election night. My name is Candace Moer and I'm a PSC parent and the proud president of the Pter Education Association. If you've been paying attention to discussions in this boardroom the past few months, you've heard a lot about numbers and data. These conversations have been presented as complex and challenging to understand. Some of this data has been shared as an emergent concern that would have dramatic impacts on

060educators and families. On closer examination, some of this data presented as factual appears to be patently false. All of this got me thinking, and I have done some research of my own. In PSD, we have approximately 4,000 certified and classified staff. According to the district enrollment and demographics data, 60% of our educators hold a master's degree. Many speak multiple languages, have national board certifications, and bring skill sets from previous careers. The average teaching experience of a certified teacher is approximately 13 years or roughly 19,000 hours inside a classroom. There's a wealth of knowledge among the staff of our district. And yet, somehow inviting the people with tens of thousands of hours of lived experience into spaces where determinations are made that have a direct impact on them has been an afterthought. When my kids were

061little, I followed advice from researchers who created a program called Parenting with Love and Logic. The premise of that research was that if you want children to comply with your demands, you give them two choices, both of which give the outcome you desire. On numerous occasions, as top-own decisions have been made in our district, I have felt that same false sense of control we give our children. There was an illusion that I had to say because I was given choices, but really the decisions were made for me by individuals who do not spend their days working with students. When you take away or limit educator voice and make conclusions on our behalf, the message you send is that we are not valued as highly educated professionals. It is time to stop treating educators like they

062are children. These issues may be complex, but educators are not strangers to complexity, and we do not need the love and logic approach to education and systemic decisions. [applause] Thank you. Next up, we have Jonathan Wright. Welcome, Thank you for uh having us this evening and u Mr. Kingly Kingsley as you mentioned there eight of 10 parents choose this community to uh to live in due to the school district. We are one of those families. We were fortunate enough that we could have chosen literally any community in the United States to live. We chose Fort Collins primarily because of PSD. Uh, one, we are also a proud family members of a child that's in the LGBTQ uh, IIA plus community and my wife does volunteer work with uh, P Flag. One of the things that

063brought us here was how inclusive PSD is uh with those students and uh your focus on ensuring that everybody is represented equally and for sure that's a guiding principle that uh the community and the school district has. So with that I want to read from a document that I think should be a guiding principle for all of us and is supposed to. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalable rights. It seems like people are forgetting that these days. And I just want to uh congratulate and please beseech the board to continue to follow those principles as you strive to do better and to make sure always and to make sure that all of our students are supported and that

064all of our students um have the human dignity that the founders of our uh country um asked for. Um, also I want to read out the 14th amendment. All persons born or naturalized in the United States are subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the United States and the state where they reside. And in conclusion, it says nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. I I am so glad of the board holding true to that. Even in our community now, we have parents that are afraid to speak, that are afraid to speak out for their gay, lesbian, trans sons and daughters. And through our work with P Flag, we know who they are. We have parents and family members here that are making their voice known. And

065I am so glad that they are brave enough to do that. Know that some families unfortunately are not. >> Thank you, Jonathan. I'm gonna have to ask you to wrap up. >> Thank you. >> One other thing. Washington Post says, "Democracy dies in darkness. Your rights will die in silence." [applause] >> Thank you. And next up, we have Mary Chissa Parker. Welcome. Good evening. My name is Mary Chrissa Parker and I'm here tonight as both a parent and a member of this community. I read To Kill a Mockingbird for the first time in third grade. It was not a typical reading book for my age group, but I remember being completely drawn in. That book gave me my first real lesson in empathy. Through Scout's eyes, I began to understand what it means to climb

066into someone's skin and walk around in it. It opened a window into another time and place, another set of struggles, and also held up a mirror to my own world, showing both how far we've come and how much work remains. Books do that. They let us step outside our own experience in a way that is safe, thoughtful, and deeply human. They teach us to imagine, to question, and to grow. Books don't tell us how to behave, but rather they allow us to draw our own conclusions after thoughtful contemplation. When we take books off the shelves, we take away that opportunity not only from our own children but from every child in this community who might need the story mode. As parents, we have the right to guide what our own children read. But that right

067stops where another families begins. Removing books from our schools limits the freedom of thought and curiosity that education is meant to nurture. It teaches fear instead of understanding. Please allow all access to all library materials. Trust students, teachers, and families to engage with books thoughtfully. Trust the process of education itself to challenge, to comfort, and to create empathy. Adakus Finch taught Scout that we never understand a person until we see from their point of view. Let's keep that lesson alive by keeping every story on the shelf. Thank you. >> [applause] >> Thank you. Excuse me. Thank you. Next up, we have Eric Sutherland. Welcome. >> Good evening. Eric Southerntherland, a citizen of Fort Collins, taxpayer in the Pter School District. Um, here to discuss this evening or basic broad subject of your agenda item titled

068other business which of course that's a joke. There is no other business on the agenda item agenda this evening. There never is. Now there are norms for governance of local governments in this country nationwide that have been in existence for hundreds of you know really hundreds of years at this point in time. And one of those norms is the ability for elected representatives to come forward with a legislative initiative for items that they feel require new policy, new allocation of resources, etc. I think every single speaker that I've heard this evening prior to me has come to you really with one basic message. when asked for some legislative initiative from this board, but that's something that you guys don't even have a mechanism of doing. Now, I've got some problems with the fact that the

069tax scheme that supports everything that goes on here has been corrupted by greed, dishonesty to the tune of tens of millions of dollars. It's a fact. It's a fact, Mr. Havda that the town of Timoth has received $1.5 million attributable just to 4A alone this year. Oander Elementary only $90,000 which you don't think is enough. Well, I don't think anybody was thinking that they're going to give the town of Timoth $ 1.5 million increase. But forget about that. Unless this board recognizes the primeval problem of a lack of ability to express legislative in administrative purview, nothing anybody has said this evening is going to matter. >> Thank you all uh so much for taking time to share your thoughts with us during the community comment tonight. We appreciate your engagement and your feedback that you

070provide and we look forward to further discussions at our next engagement session which will be this Thursday 5:30m at Irish and Tinmouth Elementary if I'm not mistaken. Is that correct? All right. Hope to see some of you there. Thank you. The next agenda agenda item is board topics and committee reports. This agenda item is an opportunity for board members to provide an update on committee work or speak to board topics. Do any board members have anything they would like to report? Okay, >> Connor, go ahead. Thank you. >> Once again, I'd just like to announce that the PSD Foundation is hosting their Ignite the Impact. That's November 10th. Um I believe that's on Monday from 5:30 to 7:30. Um [snorts] invitations and a link is on their website. Please come because it's a very inspirational

071evening. Thank you. >> Anyone else? Okay, Jim, did you have something? Go ahead. I'm in kind of a funny spot because I don't know if this is my last board meeting or not. [laughter] >> It's kind of I I don't believe it is. I believe we will be here for the 18th. Um I believe the votes most likely will not be cured. It's the first time they'll be doing ranked voting um and figuring that out. And if you've seen the city ballot compared to the um county ballot, the city ballot is quite full. >> Then I will wait. So, thank you. Anything else? All right. So, moving on to the consent agenda. Any board members like to pull in an item from consent? >> Okay. Seeing none, can I get a motion? >> I move

072that the board approve and adopt the recommendation recommended actions for the items on the consent agenda. >> Can I get a second? All right. You Andrew. Uh Joe, can you please call the vote? >> Jim Brokish. >> Hi. Kristen Draper. >> Hi, >> Connor Duffy. >> Hi, >> Kevin Havda. >> Hi, >> Scott Shoenbower. >> Hi, >> Andrew Spain. >> Hi, >> Jessica Zamora. >> I passes 70. >> Thank you. All right. And now we will move on to ourformational reports and discussion items. Uh, first up, we have our integrated service update. >> Thank you. With us this evening to present the integrated services update are Dr. Dwayne Schmidz, our chief institutional effectiveness officer, and Dr. Jody Raml, our director of integrated services. Welcome both. >> Thank you. >> So, thank you for having us

073tonight. I I really appreciate you dedicating the time to discuss special education in Pter School District. I'll be presenting with my colleague Wayne Smiths tonight. We have two goals tonight. This is our why for being here. We're going to be sharing um some celebrations and some highly impactful practices. Um and we're going to be understanding graduation rates as specific areas of growth in our plan to strategically improve those outcomes. Please know that in our department and integrated services, we're always on a continuous cycle of improvement. So these lists are not exhaustive, but just some level highlights for you tonight. So, first celebration is that um this school year in the fall, we were able to open four new classrooms. Um three were in the elementary and they were autism center-based autism programs and that was

074at Zach Johnson and um I stone elementary and then we also opened a middle school um effective needs program and that supports our students with social, emotional and behavioral and mental health needs. Why this is a celebration is because um really to be able to be more inclusive and have students attend school in their neighborhood schools as much as possible is a really positive thing and it also keeps our classrooms balanced in our in our schools. So we have a celebration around our least restrictive environment when we did our program multicategorical program. Um previously uh we had 67% of our students in multicat who were in their gened classroom being served with their typical peers 80% of the day. Now we've we're up to 87%. And why this is is such an important um point

075to make is that we have a long body of research that says students being served in the general education setting is really what's best for them. Um they have access to the general education curriculum. They have the ability to receive their instruction from the content expert which is the general education teacher. So we really thrive on bringing the services to the student as opposed to the students going to the services. Go ahead. >> Thank you. >> Hello. Hey, I wanted to start off real quick just saying I'm really glad we're here talking about this tonight. We heard a good um set of community comment on the importance of this topic and I appreciate that. There's been a lot of board engagement around this topic because it is a very important topic. Um we're going to

076show some highle data points that you've seen in advance in the board packet, but we're going to talk through those a little bit. And I just want to say I'm I'm thankful for this conversation and the seriousness with which we're taking it. Okay. Um part of my job for the last 18 years in Pter School District has been to help identify areas for improvement as well as where we're doing well, our celebrations, right? And tonight's no different. One of the themes that we noticed, I'd say five, six years ago that has to do with graduation rates, which as Superintendent Kingsley mentioned, we're going to drill in on a bit tonight. There's a lot of different facets to integrated services um that we can talk about. And as Superintendent Kingsley mentioned, we're going to have further

077conversation. Tonight, we're going to focus in a little bit on graduation rate to set the stage for graduation rate, just like we did when we talked about overall um student population graduation rates, which includes all of our students that are supported with IEPs. Um we took some time and we we looked at the data carefully to help the board, the cabinet, and the community understand that there is a difference between achievement growth and then graduation rates. Students graduate because they get the credits they need in the various buckets, if you will, to graduate. And we all believe, parents, community members, and leaders in our system that there is a strong relationship, right, between student learning and getting credits and courses, but they are they are distinct things. And so, we're going to talk about both

078of them tonight. We're starting off um this slide is showing us academic growth. Okay. map NWA map measure was specifically designed to measure growth and so we could choose CMAS we could look at PAT SAT we could look at Dibbles 8 these different things so this is just an indicator and I'm using it as an example but when we look at those other data piles we would see similar type of patterns and so what we see on this graph and this is um data that's trimmed only to students who are supported with an IEP in our district on the left hand side is the reading data for grades uh 2 through 12 from the NWA MAP assessment that we give three times a year, right? Fall, winter, and spring. On the right is the same

079type of picture, but it's for math. So, we're looking at reading on the left, math on the right. We've used growth effect size in this district for a lot of years because it has the same interpretation regardless of whether you're looking at Dibbles 8, MAP, CMASS, and that's the beauty of it. It really gets down to um showing you how kids are doing. And it's a normative measure. So it answers the question, well, how much growth did a group of students get? I don't know. How much did other kids students in that same grade level on that same test nationwide or statewide get on that same assessment? That's what it's really showing us. Just to remind the viewing audience, whenever the growth effect size is zero, which sounds terrible, doesn't it? Like zero, how can

080that be a good thing? actually a growth effect size of zero because it's the difference between these two zcores, you know, like a normative placement of the student is actually a perfect measure of a year's growth in a year's time. Meaning students grew exactly as much as other students either nationwide in the case of MAP or statewide in the case of CAMASS as other students who took that same test, right, over that same course of time. And because we know that all third graders as a group as they transition up to fourth grade have grown. They've learned things, right? So moving from third grade up to fourth grade, growth has occurred. Moving from fourth grade up to fifth grade, nationwide or statewide, growth has occurred. So when you get a Z gain score of zero,

081it means that student for student those students gained exactly as much as their academic peers, kids who are at the same grade level and have the exact same starting point on that metric, prescore nationwide or statewide. Okay, that's what zero represents, a year's growth in a year's time. Any number above zero means you actually made progress beyond what we t what we typically saw as a nation or state. And so these numbers that we're looking at on this graph of five years of data for students served with um IEPs and PSD indicate that those that group of students has got slightly more than a year's growth in a year's time. Now I'm not banging the symbols up here and saying that a 04 and a 05 and a 03 or anything like that is this

082tremendous additional amount of growth. In fact, I would just make the claim that among friends and adults who cares about kids, I feel real solid saying that our kids that are s supported with IEPs did get a year's growth in years time and slightly above that. That's what I would say. So, the point of these two slides, and like I said, these are I'm not cherry-picking. I could look at CMAS or SAT or whatever and we'd see similar type of outcomes. The point of these slides is our students supported with IEPs are getting typical like years growth in years time. Okay, I'm going to flip the slide and we're going to switch gears now. We're going to talk about Achievement is a point in time measure, right? And this is again picking something, picking CAMASS

083in this case, just to kind of move the assessment program around a little bit. So we looked at NWA MAP for growth. We're just looking at CAMASS for a set for achievement. Now, we could have picked again PSAT, SAT, Dibbles 8. We could have picked MAP because it also gives you achievement. I'm just picking CASS. Okay. Now, this is pulled the data we're looking at. I I realize it's a lot to hit the eyeball all at one time. It's a bunch of bar graphs. Okay. The the uh CAMASS data we're looking at, the top chunk of that data, the upper chunk is all about elementary school students. Okay. Third through fifth. The lower half of that slide is all about middle school six through eight grades. Okay. The blue bars on the left hand side

084are the overall student population of Pter school district. The brownish type bars, if you will, through the center, those represent the outcomes for our students that are supported with IEPs in PSD. And the pink bars on the far right are the students in PSD that are not supported with an IEP. Make sense? Each one of those bars, uh, the scale on the left that's going from 650 or so up to 850, that's a scale score metric. It probably doesn't mean a lot to anybody looking at it. Like it's hard to interpret. What does that exactly mean? What is it 700? How's that compared to 720? I have no idea in that type of scale score metric, right? But that's what the state kind of reports out in. They also report out, of course, percent proficient

085and other metrics and we we produce zcores and such. But at any rate, so numbers that you're seeing on each on top of each one of those bars is the mean scale score across the group of kids that's represented in that bar. The little line segments that are kind of towards the top near the top of the each bar, those little line segments are telling you what the overall state outcome was for that group statewide. The height of the bar is telling you what PSD's outcome was. So when we look at the the blue bars for example whether you're looking at elementary or middle school on any one of those five years for which we're showing data which is the most recent fibers the story is pretty clear and it's a simple story. Pter school

086district outperforms statewide outcomes. Right? If we were looking at our achievement effect size, and I hope the board knows this at this point, like this is drilled in pretty deeply. Right off the top of your head, if I if I change those bars to an achievement effect size, it's going to show that we're about onethird of a standard deviation above the state. Every assessment, every grade level, every year, that's what we see, right? That's what those blue bars above those little lines at the state are really telling us. but in mean scale scores. Now, the important part of this picture is when we look at the center set of graphs, those bar graphs in the center, you know, trimmed to just represent students supported with an IEP. What your eyeball can pick up real quick

087is that we're right at just a little below or just a tiny little bit above the state outcome. There's not the same one-third standard deviation above. But it is also true that the student outcomes and achievement based on CAMASS for these five years on these sets of grade levels, elementary and middle school, are telling us that our students supported with IEPs and PSD are getting very, very similar outcomes achievement wise to statewide populations of students supported with IEPs. That's what it's telling you. Now, is that good? Is that bad? That's up to us to think. I would argue that we have work to do in front of us. I'm in alignment with our our our commenters who stood up and said we have work to do. They're correct. We have work to do. Those middle

088bars, we would like those to be and we work toward those being the same one-third of a standard deviation higher than the state outcome. They're currently not there. Okay. When we look to the pink bars to the right, you can see the same thing as the blue bars. that for the students not supported with an IEP, you can clearly see what I've for years dubbed the PSD advantage. Like when parents move their kids into this community, if they look at our achievement outcomes, it's hard to miss that they're substantially above state and national outcomes. I've I used to call that the PSD advantage. We're not seeing that PSD advantage for students supported with IEPs, but we're also not seeing achievement that's dramatically, substantially, or significantly below state outcomes. That make sense? Without blabbering it. So,

089that was all about literacy. We'll go a lot quicker on this one because it's the same picture, so I don't have to orient you to it. By the way, the one thing I guess I didn't mention, there's some percentage numbers up there towards the top of every bar. Those are the participation percentages. Okay? And you can see if you take a moment to look at those kind of percent per participation percentages that there is a gap and it's about if I had to guesstimate I'd say about a 20% disproportionality we would call that or gap for participation between students supported with IEPs and students that are not supported or the general population that pops out too. Okay. And the math story is very very similar to what I just walked through on the language arts

090story or the reading story. Okay. So before I go to the next slide, I think yep, I just want to paint a picture. Why am I showing you this? I want to draw a parallel between what we saw a few years back for the whole population of pter school district. when we put the graduation rates of PSD next to the graduation rates of not just the state but our comparison districts, the best comparison districts. And then the real zinger was when we put our ACT scores for the 11th graders when they when they were 11th graders lined up for those graduating classes. PSD had some of the highest by far ACT out or sorry SAT not AC SAT outcomes for achievement, but we didn't have the highest graduation rates. Superintendent Kingsley, in the four years

091you've been here, our graduation rates have popped up substantially. They've stabilized and they continue to grow. So that's a celebration overall. I think in part that happened because we recognized there was an issue and you took some concrete steps and we see the fruits of that labor. I'm drawing a parallel for you with the students supported with IEPs because there's a similar story here where the achievement and the growth is actually on par with our colleagues around the state and state, but our graduation rates are not. There's kind of a parallel here. And now I'll pass the mic back to Dr. Raml to start talking about what we know about this situation. Okay. >> Couple couple more celebrations. Um so last this fall we opened our um transition pathways academy which was um a really

092uh positive move. Um this expanded our ability to serve all students who qualify for 18 to 21 year old services. That was not the case in the past. We we had to ask teachers to keep their students back in the high school because we didn't have capacity, the infrastructure or the space to serve everybody. But now we do. So that's really exciting. Um, you know, we're also trying to just get the word out and make sure that everybody's aware of the changes and I wanted to just tell a little bit about some of the positives that are happening. The students are that are served at TPI as we call it. Um, you know, they're they're getting life skills and it's developmentally appropriate. They're with their age level peers. They're learning um on the job training.

093Um, an example of a day would be their plan budget. They're planning meals. They're going to the store. They're grocery shopping. They're coming back. They're cooking their own meal, cleaning up, and learning how to adult essentially. Um, and then in the meantime, they're also learning how to take the bus to get there. Um, so that's a typical day. And we also have opportunities at the hospital and on CSU's campus and on the um the uh community college campus. And um one one really positive story, we had a young man who did the internship at Poodle High School uh I mean at Pter uh Valley Hospital last year and he did such a great job that they hired him and now he's working there and he's thriving. So a lot of great things happening at uh

094TPA. Also want to talk a little bit about the EEO pathways to a third diploma. So, um, prior to last spring, there was not an actual conduit for students who who took alternative assessments or were on extended evidence outcomes, we call them EEOs, to get a diploma in PSD. And so now there is, and we graduated uh 18 students last spring, that was our first cohort who would have in the past received a certificate of completion. This is really exciting. This opens a lot of opportunities for these students that they may not have had previously. So shifting gears a bit to our graduation rates. Um this is definitely an area of focus. Um we are lower than the state averages and we're lower than our comparable districts. Um so we've been doing uh last year

095was a lot about opening TPA and working on those EEO pathways to graduation. And then this year we've been really focusing on diving deep into the data and understanding so that we can disrupt this the statistic. Um so when we pulled the numbers there's currently 51 students who are supported through IEPs who are still in our high schools past their fourth year and that does impact our graduation rates. Um we also have 18 students who are supported on IEPs who dropped out last year and that's very between the last five years it's been around like 13 to to 19. So very similar to previous years. Um graduation isn't always synonymous with uh I mean dropout is not synonymous with graduation rates and we can talk a little bit more about that. >> Okay. Before I

096dig in on this, I really want to say congratulations to everybody involved in that transition pathways project. That is a huge celebration for our community. I'm so so proud of us for doing that work. And I'm also really proud of us for doing the piece around the pathway for students that take alternative assessments with um the state of Colorado. Um both of those moves were substantive. They were meaningful and I'm really really proud of to be part of the team and everybody who got that work done. So thank you. Okay, graduation rates. Let's take a look at this. So, the picture um a lot of the folks probably in this room and certainly the board of education and the superintendent and the cabinet have seen this picture over time. So, um relatively quickly, we've got

097five years of data. We've got um uh line charts, you know, if you will, line graphs uh with the different colors coordinated to different groups. So the black line represents Pter school district graduation rates is the rates are on the left side axis. The pink is the state of Colorado. The blue color is Cherry Creek. The green is Boulder and the red is St. Brain. And so the story is pretty quick at a glance when you look at that. Now you got to be careful and I apologize for this because PowerBI is funny this way, but it kind of autoplaces those numbers. So look carefully. So when you look kind of in the center of the graph, you see 67% is kind of the low point and the number right above it is 67.5%. You

098know, so that doesn't make any sense, right? You have to flip it. I wish PowerBI would fix that and there's no way for me to force it to do that. But if you look at that carefully, our our numbers in Pter School District of graduation rates for students supported with IEPs from 20 the class of 2020 was 46.8%. Then it went up to 59.5%. Then it went up to 67.5%. Then it went up to 66 or sorry down a little bit to 66.7%. Then down to 64.4%. And I want to tell you because we're allowed to do this based on our own data calculations which we feed the state and they input into their system. Um we're looking at a 2025 graduating rate of about 67.4%. So, that's a 3% increase for this next graduation

099class that we'll get the data on. And if you um separate out non-charters from charters, our non-charter PSD rates a little higher, even at 67.6%. So, when I first told Jod, "Hey, that's pretty awesome that we're back up a 3% gain." And she said, "Man, that's not even close to good enough." She didn't want to celebrate that at all. I said, ' Do you can you imagine the back flips uh the whole cabinet would be doing if our overall graduation rate went up by three percentage points? It would be a celebration, but it is moving back in the right direction. I can't comment on Cherry Creeks and St. James and they haven't made all that public, but that's our internal data for our own rates. So, we're moving back in the right direction. That is

100not to say the problem is solved by any means whatsoever. Just to add a little bit of context. So, the quick story on that graph is as Dr. Ron Mull said our graduation rates are really fundamentally just below the states and they in fact are below our comparison districts and that absolutely indicates that we have an opportunity to do better. That's what that means. Now that that lower part those the bar graph on the lower part we haven't talked as much about but a little bit we have I want to remind you that's what I would call the internal uh gap. The line graphs are what I would call the external gap. Like we're comparing ourselves to other districts for the same population. But the lower bar graph is comparing PSD students graduation rate that

101are supported with an IEP compared to PSD students that are not supported with an IEP. And what is the gap, the difference between those two graduation rates? And so you can see as we walk across those five years that pter school district has the biggest gap relative to the state and the comparison districts as well. Okay. So our graduation rates lower and we have a bigger internal gap between those two student groups when we separate it out. The bottom line is clearly we have an opportunity to do better here. That's what this slide tells us. Okay. Okay. >> So, doing a a deep dive, we really have come up with four main causes. Um, this isn't exhaustive, but these are the main takeaways for why this is happening in our district. Um, students, this is

102pretty pretty basic and simple, but students are not meeting the graduation requirements on time. So, that means the the the graph you just saw, those are all our on-time graduates. So, they had to graduate by four years. uh previous resource constraints that we just talked about in our 18 to 21 year old program had students staying past their fourth year and that impacted our graduation rates as well. Students on alternative standards weren't unable to earn a diploma prior to last May and that there's a lack of systems alignment across the district in regard to graduation requirements and how we're coding. So to break down the the 51 students a little more granularly um our effective needs program social emotional behavioral mental health um there was five students who are currently staying past their 12th grade

103year and you look at that as a percentage of all the students who are in that program K to 12 that's about five almost 6% of our students in that program who are staying u past their 12th grade year when we talk about integrated learning supports that's are students with more significant support needs. Um that's about 10% of those students. So there's 22 um who are staying past their their fourth year in high school, which makes a lot of sense based on the other pieces around TPA and the certificates of completion. Our multicategorical, that's the program for our mild to moderate needs, and that's in every single school in our district. Um mild to moderate needs, that's a huge chunk of our population. So only 24 students based out of over 2,000 students. So that's

104less than 1% are staying behind uh past their fourth year in high school for that program. >> So we're looking at dropout rates and this is dropout rates for the full student population of Pter School District. Um one thing I just want to say quickly, dropout rates are not graduation one minus graduation rate. Some people think that's the case. like how can you have a low, you know, graduation rate and a and a low dropout rate also because aren't they supposed to be one minus the other type of it's not like that. So dropout rate is calculated for 7th through 12th graders. On time graduation rates are ninth once you enter nth grade you go into the cohort and they start calculating. So they're literally two different groups of students. Students can uh drop out.

105They drop out because they leave school for a certain amount of time and they simply don't enroll in another occasional environment and that's a dropout. Now, a student may drop out mid year and come back and be and finish the year with us actually, but they're still recorded as a dropout just to distinguish a little bit draft dropout rate, graduation rate. But we tend to look at both of them. They're both interesting, right? We get curious about these things. So the overall just to add context the overall Pter school district dropout rate our target has always been to be below 1%. And we often hit that target as a district and you can see that in this line graph where we were just showing the state with the line and PSD for the overall population

106with the black line. Okay for five years when we look at the same picture but this picture is trimmed. It's filtered. So we're just looking at students who are supported with an IEP. The state rates have gone up on their dropout rate. So, has PSD's rates gone up? Right? We're still below the state. Um, we're not below that 1% target. That is our target for all students and all subgroups of students. PSD doesn't change our target because we're looking at different subgroups. We hold with the same targets because we mean it when we say all means all. Right? So, at any rate, you can see we're not hitting our target. Another indication we have work to do in that space. And let's be let's be honest with each other is there's a lot of parents

107in this room and if one kid drops out, that's one kid too many. So, we will always be working on this and we always have been working on this. So, we'll continue that way. Right. At any rate, I don't have a picture for it, but if we looked at our comparison districts, we're often right in the mix. And in the past years, we were below, clearly below our comparison districts. In the most recent 23 24 data that we'd be showing um we actually are a little bit above, our dropout rates a little bit above Cherry Creek, St. Vin, and Boulder, something like that. So we're generally below the most recent year that we have data for. We're a little bit above, but we're always below the state. So you go on dropout rate data. Okay.

108Dr. RL, >> I just want to say one more thing about the dropout rate. So even though it might be a small number, we want all 18 of those students to get back in school and to graduate with options. That's really the goal. One thing that was interesting when we did start to drill down on that data, half of those students, so nine out of the 18 were um served through Mckin Vento. So they had home insecurities. So this is the the heart of it as far as um the high leverage moves to disrupt our current situation around graduation rates. Of course, it's not exhaustive, but I want to tell you about a handful of them tonight. So proactive planning for individuals at risk of not graduating on time. I want to tell you a

109little bit about what that looks like. So, um, as I started to present the data to cabinets, um, I quickly became, um, invited to meeting with the high school principles and we got them to dig into their data at their individual schools and start looking at who are these students who are not on track to graduate. Um, and so we will continue that work throughout this year. every assistant director will be going out to their their high schools and working with their IS department um leads and case managers, the counselors and having principles be present as well to start to make plans and find out what are the barriers, why are they not on track to graduate, what do we need to adjust and shift in order to help them graduate on time. We've talked

110quite a bit about that EO pathway. It's going to be a real culture shift for us and it's going to take a little bit of time, but we are making sure that we are getting out in front of all the important um invested partners to share how how we can do that. I was on a meeting today with um case managers at the high school level um on a on a team's meeting and somebody said something about well if they choose a a completion certificate of completion. I said why why would we even choose that? Why would we limit the opportunities for our students? that's really not the direction we want to go in. We want to have all doors open for all of our students and that's what that EEO pathway has done. Um,

111now every single student has a way of getting a diploma in this district. We talked a bit about transition pathways already, but really expanding that and being able to offer all I mean they're not when I say under one roof, they're out in the community. They're not under that roof very often, but being able to really utilize our resources better and um expand that service. Um, one example of that is in the past we didn't really have effective needs students going to transitions. Now we do and it's working and it's great and um, so we're really excited to to expand that programming to other students that haven't traditionally been served there. Um we're also we also have dedicated an in um an is social worker to help this area to help with our at risk

112populations for those who aren't slated to graduate on time to provide make sure what those barriers are to provide wraparound services and also to help with our families. So it's a huge transition not just for the students to become adults but for their parents as well. And so um this person also has experience with um working in McKenna Vento. So, I think that she'll be a great fit for supporting those those families as well. Also, we're um looking to improve our communication and training on the gradu graduation requirements, our coding. Um that means training for um case managers, counselors, registars, um admins. So that's a plan to continue that throughout this year to make sure that we're all on the same page and coding correctly, making sure that no student followed the crack on meeting

113their like for example their capstone requirements and things like that. This is a a chart just to show you sort of the the time frames of how we're going to continue this work. The one on the bottom, I think this is going to be a process that we continue um in perpetude in this district. I don't think we've probably done enough of that specific uh drilling down for each student. So, that will continue. We started last uh in September. We're going to continue that on. Um I've talked a little bit about the research that just really trying to figure out what what is the problem, what what is um how can we put our finger on the data and and know what to do with it. And then um also through this this first semester,

114we'll continue to educate people just bringing the awareness. I find that sometimes um I've seen this with other issues that we've been facing that just bringing that data and sharing it with people and having people understand it is a really high lever move once people start all talking the same language and understanding what the issue is. Um it really can help us move things forward and then those training requirements will be doing that this fall as well. Well, we are ready for your questions. Thank you so much. Um, really appreciate the invitation and I know that there's probably a lot of you who are chomping at the bit for questions. So, who would like to go first? Jim, I see your >> if we could go back to slide 10 for a bit. >> Oh,

115yeah. >> Tell me if I pass. There we go. Thanks. So the tone of this slide is this explains some of our current graduation rate issues. At least that's what I kind of think it's meant to do. So I have two questions on it. One is how many seniors were on IEPs of that 51? And then my second question is um did the number did that 51 number go up or down over time? Right? Because if last year it was 40 and this year it's 51, I would say, "Whoa, that explains a whole bunch of this." Whereas if last year it was 60 and now it's 51, I would say, "Whoa, our problem's even bigger." [laughter] Right. So, can you can you talk a little bit around that and just explain uh those issues? >>

116You can go from one to three, they all have IEPs, 51. >> So, about onethird of them were seniors out of that 51. I can tell you that. Yeah, >> onethird were seniors out of the 51. >> Is that answering your question? >> No, I don't not in a way I understand yet. [laughter] Um, about you know what what I would say, Jim, what I think you're asking is about the 51 students. Is that typical of a given year that about 51? >> Yeah, let's start with that one. So my understanding of that 51 students is that they all they all have IEPs, right? Yes. >> They all um did were had an adequate or anticipated year of graduation uh I believe prior to so like in the spring of 2025. Okay. And so they

117well what that number is year after year like for five different cohorts in a row I don't have in front of me right now which I think is maybe what you're asking like year to year how does that number of 51 change >> yeah that would be interesting because it's what I said right it's really the delta we we saw this drop >> if we're trying to explain it with these bullets then we need to understand the context around the bullet to say did it go up or down right that's That's what would help me figure out if it really explains it. >> Yeah. I have to mention something at the outset of this conversation. There's going to be a lot of questions that you ask real specific data points on which obviously I can't

118answer off the top of my head and do them justice, right? Other than um you all provided us with a lot of written questions and we provided back a lot of written answers and in those written answers are a lot of real specific numbers and data points and such. So that piece I can do because I'm sitting at my computer, I can look stuff up, right? So some I just don't want anyone to get frustrated. So tonight this is all being recorded and so if a board member has a question they're like man I'd like an answer to that and I can't answer that off the top of my head with specifics. We're going to have a recording and we can certainly follow up and get the answers to the board with exact numbers. Okay.

119So I just want that as a blanket upfront expectation. >> Fair. Fair enough, Dwayne. Yeah, if I could that I would love that information. And then the other one is, can you tell me the total number of kids of seniors on IEPs? Is that a is that something we can report? >> And is that I I think that's the number that I want to look at to say are these numbers, you know, high or low? That's what I'm trying to get a sense of. I think what's really important here, by the way, is the concept that of the 51 students that we're talking about, how many of those students met graduation requirements are considered not graduating within four years because they're receiving services at their high school still as opposed to what some other districts,

120their practices, their policies may be on when they are recognized as a graduate and still be able to receive services. Dr. Raml can talk to that probably more clearly than I can, but I think that's the heart of the issue. So when we start looking at the number of students that are going on for their fifth, sixth, seventh year, that's where my biggest curiosity is that we still are working on the definitions and that's where Dr. Raml's talking about. I know it sounds like interesting that we're still working on like data and requirements and how kids are counted, but believe it or not, there is work still to do there as far as when a student is considered a graduate when they're not. And how consistent is that between different districts. You would assume that's

121all locked in and identical statewide. It's not. >> Yeah, I appreciate that. >> So, we have work to do there. >> Yeah. >> All right. Thank you. Can I just like to weigh in on Jim's question a little bit too and I appreciate the question. I know there's more coming. The approach that the team took in this effort which is ongoing right so this this work validates the reason why our strategic plan is focused on disrupting disproportionality. And one of the first parts of the story that I think is I don't want it to get lost in the message is we wanted to identify is this a a learning issue? Is it an issue of instruction? Is it a do we have inferior curriculum? Are the students that we serve PSD, do they have more

122profound disabilities than our comparable districts? And the answer to all of those questions based upon the earlier data sets that Dr. Smith shared is emphatically no. Right? And in many instances, the growth that our students with IEPs are experiencing are, you know, a year's worth of growth at a year's worth time and a little bit above that. Um, so I just think we need to acknowledge that, affirm that, and I want to just table that for a moment as I have an opportunity, you know, tonight with with a community commenter who gave us a copy of our policy and she shared uh school performance frameworks for our comparable districts in specifically Cherry Creek and Boulder. And I I love when when people do that. So if you look at the data set that's on the

123slide there on the bottom around 18 students uh who dropped out and you just look at the three school performance or district performance frameworks uh our performance works around district dropout rates are actually better than Boulder Valley and Cherry Creek this year. So we're not an outlier in the 18. When I sit down with superintendents in our comparable districts, and I did so in the last two weeks, where we very much are an outlier was is with that data point of 51 students. And even with the erratic nature of it jumping within our system, that number is significantly higher than our comparable districts. Uh which we need to kind of further identify like why is that? And I think this is where it shifts from a technical challenge to an adaptive challenge. Um, some of

124it may be technical in a sense that our transitions programs are just on the verge of expanding and continuing to grow where we can service this more. But there's also a mindset challenge and mindset opportunity here. In many instances, the absence of some of those robust transitions programs and the programs that have been in place at Cooper uh, and community connections, they have always longstandingly be been awesome. So, if you're part of those crew, please know it's only gotten better as a result of you coming together. uh and now you were able to serve more people. So I just think they deserve a little bit of credit. Um but there's a mindset in many of our schools that the students should stay at the high school and that's not the mindset of just one person.

125That's of an IEP team. And that's not a judgment from the superintendent. That's something for us to be curious about that. This is not a superintendentled decision that we're going to stop doing that as an IP driven decision. But we need to be curious why we are an outlier in that particular case and why we have 51 students and our neighboring districts do not have that many. And as I sit down and talk to the superintendents, it's lean more heavily after their fourth year on transitioning students to transitions programs. It's a part of their culture. It it's not something that's deeply negotiated. It's become almost actually a norm amongst the system and communities IEP teams. Uh I learned just in the last two weeks that Blur Valley uh school district in the last 10 years

126had this very same conversation. Um and they recognized that they had to invest more deeply in their transitions programs in order to address that. Now we still have an opportunity and a challenge that presents itself that when we look at our comparable districts their transition pathways programs, they provide more days of service in those transitions programs than we do. Um so St. Rain as an example offers a five-day program and I think currently we offer it >> we're in our first year but we offer is it three days >> I I meant in same first year it's five and down to three the second year and two this the third year. >> Thanks Dr. Ramoth and I think that's a helpful part of the story but I think what I'm really proud of with the

127team is in a high performing community it is really difficult to be vulnerable and talk about these uncomfortable truths. It's really how to do this. And I want to say thank you for stepping into this conversation and trying to see like what is the opportunity in front of us because it's adaptive. It's not going to be fixed overnight. And I and I say that to not minimize the gravitas of the situation because these are human beings that we're talking about and families that send their very best to us each and every day. Um but we are going to figure this out together. I have a lot of confidence in the team. We're going to have to invest in this particular area. But when I look at all of the different things that we stand out,

128it's not the graduation rate, it's that 51. And I think that's just just want to really just draw in your question was really important because we see that jumping within they're not seeing that as a result of that normalization of utilizing transition programs more frequently when appropriate. >> Thanks Brian. That helped. >> When I had a conversation with the St. ing uh special ed director. I said, "So, tell me about your students that stay past the fourth year." And she said, "What are you talking about? We don't we don't have that. Doesn't happen." So, it it is kind of unique. It's kind of a putter thing. And there's a lot of reasons behind it. There's been some reasons behind it. And um I think they do a really great job in our high schools. I

129think parents are super comfortable um and they love their kids and and they want to keep them. and and frankly we didn't have the capacity to serve everybody. So there's a lot of uh historical context behind that that number. >> Go ahead, Jess. >> For my own I feel like I should know this answer, so I'm going to apologize for not knowing it ahead of time. >> If they stay in their in their home high school, they are not a graduate, right? That's how they stay there. And if they go to transition pathways, they have been technically a graduate versus is that true? So I'm going to tell you my understanding and I am learning as we speak every day more about the coding and working with IT department and how we report to the

130state. Um so if students so for example if students complete their their their program they earn all their credits they graduate but they stay at the high school they're still not considered an on-time graduate. We do not get to count them in that way. If they earn all their credits and earn their diploma, but then we hold their diploma and they go on to transition pathways, they do count as a graduate. >> Yeah, >> it's huge. >> Go ahead, Kevin. >> I have several, but I'll start small first. Um, uh, and >> warm us up a little bit. >> Well, yeah, I mean, we, by the way, we all peppered you with a bunch of questions, so I really appreciate the the answers that we got, but as you very well know, sometimes answers lead

131to further question. Um so one of the bigger questions the framing question I want to ask and this came from slide oh sorry 12 of 18 it was the root cause analysis why this is happening um I understand this is a presentation and part of it was I was been asking for powerpoints than 50 slides this may be my own fault um the bigger the big question I want to ask is how confident are we in the root cause analysis the pillars I'm going to call them four pillars that are set forth. I've got a couple follow-ups. Um, and the reason being, again, this may have been a truncated presentation. I'm glad we're having more of these, but what evidence have we looked at to to that undergirds those four root cause analysis? And what's

132our confidence level that it's not something else? I'll start there. That's a big question. Then I've got one I want to talk to you about assessment uh after this. >> I can take a crack or you can take a crack. >> The first one, like let's let's walk through these, right? So the first one, students are not meeting graduation requirements. That's that one seems pretty clear. And yet we just talked about there are students who actually met graduation requirements and they're still in their home high school. So they're not counting on our graduation, right? So but there are students who did not meet their graduation requirements. So that is always going to be one of the pieces when you're looking at why did not graduate. Okay. So, that one I hope is self-evident as worthy

133of our time and attention as a leadership team to make sure we're doing our best work in that space to support kids and their families and making sure they took and have the right credits to graduate. That one's obvious. The previous resource constraints, Dr. Dr. Raml could probably speak to that better than myself because I can see about 20 different ways to answer that because there have been resource constraints that I think affect a whole plethora of things in your department and in our whole district to support students with IEPs. I don't know if there's anything you would want to say specifically on that second one. The previous resource constraints in 18 to 21 year old. >> Well, just about the not meeting the graduation requirements. It's not just our students who are not staying.

134I mean, we saw that there's students in the FCNE needed program and in our multicap program who've not met they're staying past their fourth fourth year in high school. Um I So to answer your question, Kevin, it's not just these things. There's a few other things we're looking at like what classes are students continuously failing and how are we going to flood those classes with more resources and maybe we need to re rethink our service delivery model and how we're supporting students in those classes. Also waivers. Do we have a waiver? Sometimes students that's all they need. They need to know that if I can just check these off and I am not so far behind. I can I can make it right. Well, last year we've had this waiver in for unfortunately it didn't

135even have IEP on the on the form. We've added that. We only had five people utilize it last year. That's a resource we're underutilizing. Not that we just want to push kids through, but sometimes kids have mental health breaks. Sometimes they have a a really serious illness. there's reasons why we want to use that waiver. That's another thing that I think is underutilized and that could really help our grad rate. So, this is an exhaustive list, but these are kind of the bigger buckets. >> You want to comment on that five to four day difference of like how much support fam get? Well, I'm a little cautious to to share this one because I I've been um I just want to make sure I'm not blame I'm not blaming families and it's not a matter

136of um thinking that there's no blame or shame to wanting to have your child have fiveday services. Um it can be done if you're proactive regardless of what we offer at Transition Pathways. They just have to get hooked into the adult services programs in the community. But that takes a lot of work and being proactive. Um, but like I said, sometimes they just stay because it's safe, it's comfortable. I know the teacher, they know the paras there and and we have competing pathways. There's ACE and there's all kinds of other um swap other work to school alliance programs and ways that students are getting out the community. So, there's some competing pathways, but as far as um you know, I I do think that that's a mindset shift and and I think that I had

137a case manager say that today on a on a team meeting. Like, I'm all about getting my kids over to TPA. Uh but I have parents who really want to keep them here because it's five days a week. So, that's just a fact. That's something that's being shared and I think we really need to consider providing additional supports especially in that first year of transition while parents are getting hooked up with their adult services. >> Thanks. Okay. Um I appreciate those answers. That's helpful framing. Um on that note and then I'll get back to my assessment questions. Um I also want to put into the room the notion of duality and that two things could be true at the same time. I think what you just said Dr. Raml is a plausible explanation. I'd also

138like to challenge and push back and examine what role the schools have in that determination as well and whether there is as superintendent Kingsley talked about a resource allocation inquiry because as I understand it if I've got and we've we've asked for the numbers per school of of that have that have students before and our IEPs and we have it broken down by grade level more or less the schools have access too comes from CD uh reporting data that we have our fingertips. So if I'm a school and I'm not saying any school principal in particular, but if I'm looking at the resources and the allocation that I need in PAR support and additional uh support for a higher concentration of students with special needs and then I look at maybe a graduating class is

139going to have fewer or is going to have more kids. I may lose those support mechanisms. I may be incentivized to try to have a conversation with families to try to keep them enrolled in my school for an additional year to maintain the pair of support that I've got. And I don't know if that's been examined or if that's worth examining, but that's amusing that I I thought because I think both of those things could be true. And I don't know if that's a conversation worth having. Um, okay. Sorry, just an aside. I asked one of the questions I asked which I think is is from this and I do think there's a little bit of a gap at least in the what I'm understanding tonight is if we are tracking how many of our

140students with 504s or IPS took our standardized assessments, CMS, uh, MAPS, etc. last year and what were the performance outcomes? also asked for the participation rates of those and I didn't understand I was curious as to what the I think you said the word waiver in the in the graduation context but I'm going to use it specifically with assessment is what is the policy um and what what's the interplay between students families and the schools and having a student not participate in a state assessment and so the numbers I thought were somewhat shocking is that uh students reported and this is the the answers that that you provided which I appreciate and this is from the CDC state, uh, school view, explore, you can, um, you can change the filter options to 504, etc. But

141the the participation rates I thought were somewhat alarming in that student support with IEP's CAMASS reading participation rate and the LA latest performance framework was 82.8% versus 94.7% for no IEP support. And those numbers were 82.5% in the math assessment versus 94.9% for students with no support. So what you said is, and this is my math tracks, too, that's roughly a 12% delta between students that are being assessed and students that are not and the students with IEPs. So we have no idea how they're doing or at least 12% of that population is doing. So, I guess my bigger question is what are we doing to ensure that those kids if we're not assessing them? Then how do we know if they're on a trajectory other than meeting certain graduation requirements? And that's I think

142that's a pretty big part of the story that I would like to examine further. There's a lot more on that, but let me just stop there and >> I can answer from a special perspective. Maybe you can answer from agenda. >> So, IEP teams do not make determinations about opting out from CMS. That is not their role. Um, in fact, we we we do have to talk about state assessments in the IEP. If a student's on alternative assessments, which is not a huge population of our uh student body, they would not take CMS, they would take the alternative assessment. So, there's a small factor of that, but I think there's just a general feeling among um many parents, not all, that that's really hard for my kid. It's a really long, hard, arduous task to

143sit through CAMS and I'd really don't want them to have to to to have that painful experience. I think that there's several parents who feel that way. Um, as far as encouraging, I think that we should be encouraging all of our students to take their assessments. It's not the only way we measure. I mean, MAPS, they don't opt out of MAP. Excuse me. I don't know why we add an S in Pter, but we do. Um, and then also we do progress monitoring on their IEP goals. um through various tools and instruments. So there's multiple ways that we're looking at their achievement. >> That's a perfect answer. That's exactly right. >> One thing, sorry before we start, I do want to highlight because this this I thought was important. I did we there is a

144uh on our our PSD website, we have it's very navigable about excusing students from state assessments. To excuse your student from a state assessments, complete a parent excusal form digitally by logging into PSD forms and it hyperlinks it there. So at least one thing I dispelled in my mind was that schools cannot unilaterally opt out students from assessments. I think that's important. Three underlines at least if nothing else since this is a recorded meeting. >> Parents can opt out but schools cannot unilaterally. So I think that's important. There's a policy that says that and it says that schools are required by the state to administer statewide assessments to students in grades 3 to 11 in reading, writing, mathematics, and science. So for anyone listening, I thought that was an important uh point to underline. Thanks.

145>> And I was going to mention when we did look at that achievement data that I showed, the bar graphs, those percentages of participation are on there and you can see the same story you just talked about like that 12% gap. So, and I mentioned it when I went through that and I said that caught our attention, too. So you can see it in both places. So the data you were just looking at that we gave you back was from the PDFs and the state website. I can you can also see it in the bar graphs. So you're correct about there is a difference in those participation rates and I could have given a better answer than Dr. Raml did about the whole piece plus with what you just read director Heralda. I think that

146pretty much covers it. >> Other questions? Andrew go ahead. Gonna have some clarifications on a couple things first because it got lost in translation in my brain. Slide 11, graduation rates. Who exactly is counted in that 64.4? because I started to hear what I felt like were different things for if they're in a home school like Rocky Mountain just pick a high school doesn't really matter versus different settings suddenly things were counting not counting that started to go sideways in my brain and and I think even some of the things Brian said created more confusion for me so I just want to make sure I understand what that means because I also then wondered there was a comment about well after they graduate then that potentially changes the number and it's like wait I thought

147this was a finite fourear clear thing. That was it. So, just >> and I'm like I I want to admit I'm still learning, but my understanding is that if they complete their graduation requirements but stay on past their fourth year, they do not get counted in this data here as a on-time graduate. >> And so, they're staying on at like a quote unquote home school doing transition pathways type activities. What are we talking here? what what >> they're they're staying in their high school and continuing to take classes and and be part of their programming in that high school. >> Okay. So, it's >> I mean that's kind of a a nuance because this is the first May is the first time we had that cohort. >> That sounds like that's not a possibility in

148the other school districts. They don't stay on. So, they would they would They would be metriculate from you were saying that they don't stay on bass fourth fourth year for I think you're saying Boulder Valley. >> So that means I haven't yet. >> So in theory if we had that same rule I don't know if it's a rule. >> Well I want >> in theory that would mean that we would actually have higher numbers then because that person would have to leave and they have graduated. What these are the things I'm confused about. >> So there's there's there's practice, right? So that's not a practice in other districts, but essentially an IEP team makes that decision. And there's some parents there's some parents who've been probably asking some questions recently that want to keep their

149students in their high school because they feel it's more inclusive that they're around more gened students. So there's a a variety of reasons why an IEP team might come up with they really have the power to make that decision. So we can talk about the opportunities and why um Aaron Aaron vote talks about the cliff effect that if we wait too long to transition our students over to adult services and getting out into the community and getting all those job skills and life skills, it can be a a really sharp uh ending if they stay in high school till they're 21. Um so so there's that. there's we need to educate people educate people and make sure they have all the opportunities in front of them, but at the end of the day, it is

150an IEP team decision. So, in other districts, it's just not really a practice, shall I say? It's not really like a rule. It's just not a practice that they're >> So, fundamentally, are these figures like comparing apples and oranges then? Because what I'm hearing is that there's different rules by district. >> True. >> We say rules. >> Practices. >> Well, practices, whatever. Again, what? Pick a different word. >> Okay. That's where some of my confusions come. >> It's like it's almost like a a cultural thing. It's a culture that we have in our district and there's lots of reasons behind it. >> Okay. Are there any of those sorts of practices, systems, structural elements that you're identifying in other districts that we want to think about incorporating that would help? I I feel like as

151parents of those numbers respect I I'm struggling with what the reality is because all of us want all of the kids to graduate at some point. I think there's different that's a whole different language. So are you seeing other things from other schools that are part of your plan, school districts? Excuse me. Well, uh I think that they have more days in their transition pathways programming than than we're offering currently. >> That's one. It's a resource um that may may make a difference. Um I'm not promising anything. We haven't done budget rounds or anything, but you know, that might something that might make uh a difference for some families. >> Okay. What data do we have about the ones who drop out and stay out especially Um, so I can tell you the so our

152social work has already started contacting those students and families and case managers, find out what happened, what happened with these students, what are the barriers. So she started actually last week doing interviews. Um, and so I can tell you I believe two of those students are back in school that drop of those 18. Um, I can tell you that they all were part of the multicap program. That was the programming they came from. like I mentioned earlier, half were had housing insecurities. Um, as far as eligibility criteria, like what eligibility uh they were identified for special education, it was a variety. It wasn't just one area. It was multi multiple different areas. >> So, go for it. >> Questions, sorry. One of the questions I asked about dropout rate because I needed to contextualize it

153is what the numbers looked like on like a fouryear trend. So 2021 2022 we had 13 dropout 2022 to 2023 18 2023 2024 19 and then in the 2024 2025 18 so I think that's what you were justing to is that of that number I heard you say half were identified as housing insecurity go back to conversation we had about the resolution earlier tonight and then half were were multicat at least that's what we've identified >> all 18 were served through multicat >> all were okay thank sorry Sorry, I didn't mean to step director Spain, but I thought that those were helpful contextualiz. So, it almost looks like kind of a flatline at least in the numbers of our students with IEPs that are dropping out. Worth examining too. >> Okay, Andrew, still are you

154still working a question there? >> Okay. Um I didn't see in at least that it's overview where you're engaging families, teachers, paras, etc. with the keep them in and get them graduated plans. So are is that embedded throughout those those various action points and so on? >> So I can't I can't honestly say I've addressed it with pair of professionals, but as far as all the certified staff, we did talk about it in our fall PL days. um that happened in August and then we've been meeting with separate separate groups um getting out in front of as many groups as we can just to share the data and so that everybody has a better understanding of of our graduation stats and and the why that we hypothesis behind it. >> Are you are you also

155feeling like you're getting some good interaction with families to maybe help keep students in and and progressing? >> So, uh Aaron Vote and Emily Ring who who are uh supporting TPA, Transition Boys Academy, have been invited to more transition IEP meetings this year, this fall already, than probably in the past. And um you know, Erin was just talking about a story. He said it was a hard conversation with a mom um because it's kind of, you know, when our kids move on to different levels, it's it's emotal, right? He said she called and s came over and did a tour and she's on board. And so I do think we're having nice interactions with parents and they're having at the IEP meetings which I feel are appropriate. And we're also having um opportunities. I think

156it's tomorrow night actually having parents come uh any community member who wants to tour TPA and learn about the different pathways. So we're doing a lot of outreach with our families and it's been positive. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Go ahead, Scott. >> Yeah. I just wanted to kind of um echo some of the things we've been talking about. Jim had talked about trends. I think Kevin as well. Um sometimes percentages don't tell the whole story. So >> definitely >> I'd love to see actual numbers on the IEP or kids with IEP their grad rates over several years. >> Okay. >> I think that would be an ask. Another ask would be uh the number of um IEPs at each grade level like 6th through 12th grade like actual numbers and then this is

157a big chart. This is going to be Dwayne to really >> Yeah, keep it rolling. We got it. >> Yeah, we have >> we'll do that. >> Well, I I I want to make sure we have multiple years kind of following the trend and kind of get some explanation. I like I get kind of lost in these charts. So, I would love some a presentation on that would be amazing. I don't know if we have time to do that, but but that would be something where I want to see like actual numbers of IEPs at each grade level and how that's trending. Um >> you you do have that in your doc. >> Yeah, but I want an explanation on it, I guess. Yeah, just more help on that. Um the other thing that I'm

158a little concerned about and I've got some feedback from some parents. um is uh on the assessment side of things, you know, we're we're not testing everybody. Um and people have a chance to opt out and that type of thing. Even even they can opt out of the alternative testing. Um I got a a copy of an email that came from a teacher um out to out to parents of students talking about that. Um, we've been given permission to contact you about an opt- out form for the upcoming alternative testing. Uh, alternative testing can take them away from their regular learning for a significant amount of time of a in the month of April. Um, while it's an alternative test and the kids are allowed to do it on an iPad for the most part,

159it can be frustrating and I'm not allowed to offer any help. In the past, I've had students not understand why I cannot help and the frustration has developed into behaviors. In Colorado, we're lucky enough to be able to opt out uh and have an opt- out choice for students with special needs. Some other states don't offer that choice. Um if you would still like to proceed with the alternative testing, I'll absolutely take the time to test your child one-on-one in an environment that will hopefully give them the time and space to provide them with what they need to be successful. If you'd like to opt out, I'll be sending you a form. That to me sounds like they're kind of encouraging them. >> Pilot. >> Yeah. And me, too. and and it's it to me

160it's almost like a peer pressure thing like I'll do it if you want but everybody else isn't so and that's happening and has happened multiple years and I think that's um at least to this family and and people in that group uh or in that uh >> I really appreciate you bringing that to my attention. I had not heard that. >> Yeah. So, I think it's something that we we need to talk about a culture, right? We want to make sure our teachers are encouraging the assessments. They understand the importance of the assessments to our big picture stuff and not to just that program. And I I understand where that's coming from. That sounds like somebody just kind of saying how it is in terms of experience in the past on difficulty of testing. But

161I think it's also kind of manipulating a little bit. And so I would >> highly concern. >> Yeah. I just want to bring that up. Um and the last thing is is is uh and some community commenters have have brought this up in the past about um under reporting or underassessing kids with IEPs like in our district compared to our comparable districts. And that's something I really am concerned about. And I think I mean Caroline Reed go you know she brought that up maybe at the first year or first meeting I was with her that that's concern of hers for a long time and I think our um you know dyslexia program things like that that we're starting will help in those ways but I do want to just kind of say that publicly that

162I think we need to really look at our percentages or a numbers compared to other um other areas. I am encouraged that it sounds like you are collaborating with our peer uh districts, our comparison districts, because clearly they're doing things differently. Um that maybe are and I get what you're saying about they're they're not giving people alternatives after four years or not as much as we are. But I think it is something that we should really try to collaborate and learn from. So I I am encouraged by that. So those are my main my main issues. Thank you. >> Go ahead. >> I'm sorry. I have to ask the question. So, >> Director Shenar, thank you for bringing those comments, but I I have one as you illuminated an example of an email that wasn't

163what I would say is a non-example and not acceptable. I think we would all agree to that. We have 4,000 teachers in our district that are doing great things every day. And I'm just curious as you are talking to people, how like do we have evidence that's pervasive beyond that one email that you have? Because I wanted as we are talking about our system, our reputation and reflecting on root cause analysis, I just wanted to like really make sure that we're not utilizing a single data point to kind of blanket the entire system and the integrity of our thousands of teachers. Yeah, that was that was the only example like actual evidence I have of it, but I've heard that anecdotally from several different parents and so and I think other directors have too. Um,

164so I just wanted to bring it out. I don't know how pervasive it is and I think that's something we should look into, but I you know I agree with you. We have fantastic teachers. >> I didn't get that email but the questions I got were about the 12%. Again, I want to talk about duality and multiple things can be true at the same time, but if if Scott's if director Shau's heard it and I've heard it and I don't know who else has and we could compare source data, but um it to me it's worth examining as to again I think director Robert Ruml said it well is that there are some cultural pervasive things that may not be intentional. They may be in some situations, but I think we need to examine if

165we're doing a cause analysis that multiple things could be true at once and the things that are in our locus of control, which is reminding folks of our policy is. And it's parent driven, not school driven, I think is an important piece. Now, do I teams have a say in that and do they have, you know, uh, the best interest of the child at heart? Absolutely. I would hope that they do, but I also am I'm concerned. >> I'm sorry. >> We don't though. I mean, IEP teams will not say your child should or not opt out. They should not be doing that. That's not part of their process. And that slide I shared with you that was comes from a recent training that we did with our case managers to say this is not

166the role of the ID team. >> Okay. I I mean I'm just again my thing is I don't I don't have evidence to support I didn't come with receipts I guess more or less is the way we say it now. But I don't I don't have any source examination to to suggest one way or another what why that's the case or if that's a one-off. But I do think that 12% is worth examining. And I do think we need to make a push to get kids assessed so we can have the benchmarks to know where we're at and what we can do to intervene. So I I I think repetitional harm notwithstanding to me it's just a examination point. It's a point of saying let's look into this and if it we need to redes

167while we're examining the three versus five day for pathways etc. I think it's all fair game because again I'm competitive and I don't like our numbers as opposed to St. Brains and Boulders and I for one don't believe it's just one anomaly or coding. I think there are multiple things that we need to examine. I'm not saying it's all going to happen overnight, but let's not let's let's examine what's in front of us. That's my point. >> So, thank you for that. I just want to like reaffirm the commitment that I put out into the world on the front end of this presentation that we're going to come back and talk about identification rates, our approach. Um Kam's already kind of readying uh ourselves in the system for that. And there's work to be done

168and there's opportunities there, too. And we're going to be vulnerable about that. And we're going to learn, we're going to get better. I would tell you like as a competitor just like all of us um I think what makes this tricky um is that tactics around what motivates us matter in this space. Um having you know there's not a principle that I sit across from that's not motivated to improve their outcomes for children. There's not one in the district. Super super proud of that. But sitting across the table and telling them that a student may have to leave their building for a fifth year, that's a tricky conversation because I I want us to like never like not underestimate the significance of some of these young adults and how deeply embedded they are into the

169culture of their schools. >> Uh and they're leaders of committees and they're at every athletics. There's there's stories behind this from a human standpoint that make this very very adaptive around trying to be compelling that a transitions program and your school that you have built and who are proud of the culture and the systems there is a better option and as the TPA program is is just getting stood up this year and we're really proud of that having people really truly understand what's happening there and all of the depth of the services and I'm not just talking our principles who are really I think advocates and allies We had so many that were there at the ribbon cutting, but it's the next layer. It's it's the IEP teams. It's the school counselors. It's the parents

170really. And I know Dr. Rammo, you're doing that. You're having an outreach opportunity tomorrow, but that's going to take time. And this is not me giving excuses either. I want to be really clear about that. But as we continue to unpeel the layers of this onion, the the human centeredness of this opportunity and challenge has been really fascinating to learn about in our role. And I just think we need to continue to not just monitor, we're going to make moves, but we just also understand that some of our people as they're going through these challenges are experiencing a sense of loss and they're not motivated just to make sure that we can have a different slide that has a higher number on it next year. >> It's about the human beings that they're supporting. And

171I know that you all deeply care about that, too. But I think it's it's been interesting to watch some of those stories come out in this conversation. And I think we need to continue to figure out creative ways to surface that where it's not just coming from us but from the people on the ground floor. >> Go ahead, Connor. >> My question relates directly to that. Um to kind of go to a 50,000 foot view and to Andrew's point about, you know, um how we code things. Are they rules? Are they practices? Um, in your estimation, are we servicing our students visav our practices in a better way than other districts? Because if we're getting better outcomes, then the percentage to me is that's just a number. >> So, do you guys think that we're

172doing that? because I wouldn't want to start making wholesale changes and lose remarkable outcomes that are happening in the community just because we want to hit a number. And I think everybody here tests I'm one who has pushed the graduation number across this district the most. So I'll hear the that answer first and then I'll ask my number question. >> I I think we do an awesome job in our high schools. I don't want to take away any credit from those teachers. I think we do. I also think there's amazing opportunities that are developmentally appropriate in getting students ready for adulthood at TPA. Um and I think that um so they're both true. Um I think um I think it's going to take some time and and trust and change. And I just don't want

173to I don't I want to keep reminding you that our system said can't take that kid. We don't have enough space. We don't have room. uh we can't take that challenging of a be here because when we're out in the community I don't have anyone to stay back with them. So I mean you all approving that space and and the infrastructure and the resources is a is a game changer for us. And so um but it's been sort of ingrained. I met with a teacher last week and I said oh I asked about a specific student. I said oh you had meeting they're coming to TPA right? And well I had already promised them they would stay at the high school. So I can't really back up on that now. So you'll probably see the

174change in a few years. That was the response from a very seasoned ILS teacher. So she felt like she couldn't pull the rug out from underneath the parents because she had already told them this was the plan. And so just to give you a little bit of context of the conversations out there. Um and that's great. Um and I don't want to see the rug get pulled out from anybody. Is second question hitting on a number. Is it reasonable for this board to expect that within the next two and a half years we can get this IEP graduation rate at 80? Our high water mark was somewhere near 70 I think two years ago. >> Is that is that possible for us to expect >> or are we just kind of >> you know hard

175to get us there? I'm going to work really hard to get us there. I think that it's it's something that we >> I accept that challenge >> with that challenge. My other directors and I don't want to put words in your mouth, but I don't think that there's anybody up here who won't dedicate every last bit of resource that you need for this because that's how important it is in the community. Uh we've heard this for three, four years now. Uh and it's time that we that we get after it. >> Thank you. If if I can actually I just wanted to jump on what um Okay, you go ahead first. >> I just wanted to add on top if for a challenge type of thing to share the other piece of data because I'm

176actually quite happy to sit up here and say only 64%. If the other piece of the data is look what we did by the time they hit 21 we've had success. That's a different piece of the data. And I think every single person in this room would say that's success too. So I'm okay with that. But again, it's sharing it's sharing the story, sharing the pieces, all of it. >> Go ahead. >> Just the one thing is that >> I appreciate the ambitious drive. I want to make sure that we understand the ask that we're making because in this room, we've also heard tonight and on any number of nights, paras are drowning. >> Paras need support. They need money. They need staff. They need leadership. They need changes at school. We got the I

177mean I was at the CK meeting where we got the results from the uh the survey. >> Teachers teachers badly need they're overwhelmed. It's not a tenable situation just to say we're going to do it. Teachers and parents in existing ecosystem do it. That also is a conversation I think about resource allocation that we also have to bring in from especially when we're talking about instructional minutes as well because there's going to be there's going to be gains and losses there too. And so if we're serious about that number, then we need to know the how as far as what that's going to cost and what that means for our our supports that are going to go into that. So I just want to say that piece. Sorry, director. Sorry, President Draper. >> Quite all

178right. It actually You're funny, Scott. It actually um I think you said you teed me up well though, um Kevin, so I appreciate it. Um because I just want I just want to like come back to what um I have heard um which is so we have a slightly higher growth rate than the state level. We're not seeing the PSD uh one-third bump, but we are seeing a slightly higher level, which is good, right? We still want to go we want to aim for that um one-third bump that we uh standard deviation bump that we we get, right? Um we um are hitting the achievement um which again we want to see that standard deviation shift a little bit so that it's with all with all students. Um we need to ask the why we

179are having the gap uh participation gap um in the testing. Um and we need to look at the possibilities of um looking at a 5-day week transition program instead of a three-day week uh 3-day transition program um pathways. And I feel like that um those things looking at all of those things is going to help us figure out um well let me back up just a moment. those like what you had said those those are good things um that we're getting right we are the fact that we're getting um the higher achievement the fact that we are getting um standard the state level at least we want more please don't read you know read anything uh less into that um we we definitely want more and um I think there's there's possibilities in looking at

180these things with the participation and the five day program to go ahead and make that um graduation rate also shift higher because it sounds like the kids have the achievement, the kids have the growth, the kids have the ability to graduate, but they don't have a place to land. And what we need to figure out is how do we do that? Um, and I I feel like asking these questions uh will help us find a better place for for the kids to be able to land uh safely and well into adulthood. So, anything else? Yeah, go ahead, Jess. I feel like we've done a lot of grand things and now I just have questions again. So, I'm going to bring us right back down. Um, I wanted to navigate that 51 students because they're at

181their high schools. We said they're not counted in that on-time graduation because they're staying at their high school. Of that 51, do we know how many could have graduated or could have been counted? So I tell you for the cohort that received their >> oh sorry for the uh the 20 the the ones who graduated with their the first cohort for the EEO pathway that was last May out of those 18 nine went on to transition pathways nine stayed at their high school. >> Okay. So, is it nine of the entire 51 that could have or are there more and that's just one portion of it? >> That's one portion of the story. >> Okay. >> We can we get an idea? Do we have a method? Okay. I'm seeing the shaking head. Thank you.

182>> We can get you those details. Um, my other question is earlier you mentioned part of the reason that students may want to just stay because it's comfortable and they they don't maybe have the community support if you're only getting three days at transitions pathways and you haven't done the the leg work to get the additional days. What is that timeline for a family to be able to get those um additional days of support through community supports rather than the district support? And I don't know if this is entirely something you can answer right now, but how do we support them so that they know what they are, they know how to to get at them, and we do that in a timely manner because I've heard that's a really long process, but I don't

183personally know what that looks like. >> I I've seen community agencies come to ninth graders meetings. I don't think you can start too soon to start planning for that. But that is the idea behind um a facet of that integrated services social worker devoted to this work is to help parents navigate that and how how to you know figure out which one which agency is the right one weight list what paperwork what what do you need to do? Um and and I envision her going out and doing home visits and helping parents get this established. >> Ninth grade is very early. So that's like both exciting and concerning that a family would have to start that early in order to just >> They don't have to start that early. I'm just saying that's like best

184practice is to start really >> thinking about transition early on in high school. >> Yeah. >> Okay. I had one other comment. I don't necessarily expect a full answer because it's really I think it's in in the weeds. I think it's similar to some of the other questions around you know maybe individuals or individual schools. Um but one of the questions I asked uh before our meeting was around we have this 87% of students that are in their class in the gened classroom um getting services and you know I've I've talked to some paras who who are sitting with their students and they're not doing gened work. they're not even they're not accessing anything close to gened work. >> Um, and so I have some concerns that we may have some spaces where they they

185don't know or some teachers who don't know what really to do when they have students who need extra support in a classroom and so they end up giving them something that's not not really about the content and it's not really supporting their learning. And so I don't expect necessarily to have an answer on like how do we crack down on that per se, but more how do we investigate that so that teachers who are not specialists can actually know how to integrate students better into their classroom. >> I mean whenever you can give me specifics um that's super helpful for me. I mean I I want to know which teacher said that and that way I can follow up and train. Um, but in a more broad sense, we are we are recognizing that we

186need to have more training for our general education teachers on how to scaffold and to implement an IEP. And so during the spring peel days, we've identified several different sessions that we're going to have and be able to in the past we just have not logistically had gened teachers in front of us. So I'm really excited about this change. So I'll be doing sessions on co-eing. We're going to be doing some on UDL and also just how do you understand an IEP um learning about all the different disability categories and best practices for serving those students. So that's coming. We have always had longstanding evening classes that are optional and a lot of those classes uh Jenna teachers need to take in order for their lensure renewal. So we're getting some traction with them attending

187those. Um but optional is always a a challenge right when not everyone will opt in to take it. Um, but I'm I'm excited about the new opportunities that will be out in front of gened teachers more often. And paras do get extensive training. We can always do better, more, but when I came here, I was blown away um when I first came to this district to see how much training we do do for our paras. Um, so they have um we have par coaches who help onboard them and they go out and they um train the paras on sort of the the generic role and then that par coach will cover for the teacher. So the teacher can give really specific training for those uh specific student needs and go over each student their IEP

188snapshot and give that teacher time to have that while the other person's subbing in the classroom. Um they have learning plans and they have very specific class they have to take around um crisis prevention intervention academics and behavioral supports and trauma-informed behavioral supports. And we um are really lucky we host two um classified academy days. It was it was amazingly um I mean what do we have 800 people attend it was >> 1,200 so it's really well attended they could take the day off they don't they're hungry for it um I just want to share the narrative about the so um we also have our CSU excuse me our UNCC grow a teacher program many paras are in that program becoming special ed teachers um they get up to $800 in tuition reimbursement if they

189want to take college classes. Um, always get better, but there are a lot of things out there to help grow our paras and support our paras. It's hard work though. It is the hardest work and I want to acknowledge that too. Before I lose it, it's not a question. I just want to say how proud I am and how appreciative I am that we're having a very real conversation about data that we want to disrupt and we're not shying away from it. And I think we've named a lot of celebrations, a lot of things that have been improvements in the last few years, as well as naming some things that are challenges. And I don't think that's easy. I don't think anyone in this room is super comfortable with it all the time. Um, or

190almost ever. But I really really appreciate this conversation because I think it's been a long time coming. Something that we we've desperately needed. And thank you so much for being here. >> Pleasure. It's going to take all of us. It's going to take all of us to to shift some of these things that we need to grow in. Lots of work to be done. >> Yeah, well said. Thank you. Really appreciate it and appreciate the um the time you took to uh walk us through the presentation and answer all the questions and Yeah. And look forward to the next one. >> Okay, sounds good. >> Thank you so much. >> Good night. Thank you all. >> All right. And with that, this meeting is adjourned at 8:05 p.m. on November 4th. >> Have a great

191evening, everyone.