Apr 22, 2022 Board of Education Work Session

UH, IN WAYS THAT IT WAS NEVER INTENDED TO.

THAT'S BEEN NOTIFIED.

AND THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS PUBLIC COMMENTS.

WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT, I BELIEVE.

RAMEN.

GOOD MORNING, JOSEPH.

IS THIS GOOD? I'M GET READY TO PUT YOU ON A SPEAKER.

YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

IF YOU CAN STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME PLEASE.

YOU READY? GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING.

HI, THIS IS JOSEPH CASTILE, DINO.

I JUST WANT TO PHONE IN REAL QUICK AND JUST, UH, BRING UP AN ISSUE THAT I'M HAVING, UM, LATELY, WELL, PRETTY MUCH THE WHOLE SCHOOL YEAR, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS KIND OF, SO, UM, WE'VE HAD MASSIVE, MASSIVE STAFFING ISSUES AND MAY RIVER HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'M SURE IT'S VERY SIMILAR IN A LOT OF THE OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE AREA.

UM, AND THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT IT'S GREATLY IMPACTED THE EDUCATION OF KIDS.

AND, UM, I'VE ESCALATED THIS NUMEROUS TIMES, UM, SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR TO THE PRINCIPAL AND TO THE STAFF IN THE SCHOOL.

AND NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN TWO WEEKS AGO.

I ALSO ESCALATED TO MY SCHOOL BOARD REP, UM, AND ASKED FOR A CALL BACK AND I HAVE NOT RECEIVED.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES, UH, AS, UM, JIM JIM CLASS, FOR EXAMPLE, HAS, UH, THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY TELLING THE KIDS THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO DO, UM, PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES, WHICH ARE REQUIRED BY LAW BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE STAFFING.

UM, SO MANY TIMES THAT THE KIDS ARE JUST TOLD TO KIND OF SIT ON THE FLOOR AND JUST PLAY WITH THEIR PHONES.

UM, OBVIOUSLY THAT, THAT IS A HUGE ISSUE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING MORE AND MORE IN THE GYM CLASSES.

UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES WE'RE HAVING, I'M NOT GOING TO NAME THE TEACHER'S NAME, CAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M HERE TO DO, BUT I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

UM, YOU KNOW, W ONE OF, ONE OF MY SON'S TEACHERS IS, IS OUT AT LEAST ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK, EVERY WEEK.

AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THE REASON IF IT'S HEALTH ISSUES, THAT'S FINE, I GET IT.

BUT I THINK IF THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE LIKE THIS, HE NEEDS TO BE ON, ON LONG-TERM DISABILITY AND WE NEED TO GET ANOTHER TEACHER IN PLACE IN THE LAST 30 DAYS ALONE.

THIS TEACHER HAS BEEN OUT EIGHT DIFFERENT TIMES.

AND THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS THERE'S NOBODY TAKING OVER THE CLASS TO CONTINUE THE EDUCATION OF MY STUDENTS.

SO THE STUDENTS ARE JUST TOLD AGAIN, TO SIT THERE AND JUST DO WORK FOR OTHER CLASSES.

IF THEY HAVE ANYTHING, THIS IS, THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE, WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO PAY TEACHERS MORE MONEY.

I LOOK AT THE MONEY THAT WAS GIVEN TO THE, TO THE STATE AND THE COUNTY THROUGH SR FUNDS, WHICH AGAIN, I KNOW THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THAT WAS NOT TO PAY TEACHERS, BUT, BUT YOU GUYS HAVE MISUSED THAT MONEY GROSSLY,

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AND IF YOU WERE GOING TO DO THAT, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAID TO IT TO GET MORE TEACHERS INTO THE SCHOOL.

SO, YOU KNOW, AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.

I HAVE ESCALATED THIS NUMEROUS TIMES AND I, I I'VE HAD NO COMMUNICATION BACK TO ME AND, UH, NO ACTION TAKEN.

SO ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I WANT TO TALK ABOUT REAL QUICK IS I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO ATTEND A SCHOOL BOARD MEETING THE OTHER NIGHT.

UM, BUT I WANTED TO ADDRESS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY CONCERNING TO ME WHERE, UM, THERE WAS YOU GUYS, UH, THE CHAIR MOSTLY HAD AGGRESSIVELY ASKED FOR A SHERIFF'S OFFICER TO REMOVE SOMEONE FROM SPEAKING.

I WANT TO REMIND YOU GUYS THAT THE THREE MINUTE RULE IS A SUGGESTION AND A COURTESY.

IT'S NOT A LAW.

YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE PEOPLE PULLED.

UM, I'M SORRY, MR. JOSEPH, YOUR TIME IS UP.

ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH EASIER WHEN YOU DO IT.

THERE ARE NO MORE PUBLIC COMMENTS.

THAT WAS IT.

NEXT IS DONATION FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND, CONCORDE THAT ELEGANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF 5,000 TO HILTON HEAD ISLAND, HIGH SCHOOL AND HILTON HEAD ISLAND, CLUSTER SCHOOLS TO ADVANCE THE HHR CLUSTER ROBOTICS CLUB START QUADS.

I MOVED AT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION EXCEPT THE $5,000 DONATION FROM THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND CONQUERS D'ELEGANCE FOR THE ROBOTICS CLUBS FOR THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND CLUSTER.

SECOND, SORRY, YOUR SECOND INGRID.

SECOND AND DISCUSSION.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

I DON'T WANT TO OVERLOOK YOU AGAIN.

NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS DONATION FROM PARKER'S FUELING THE COMMUNITY IN THE AMOUNT OF $56,000 DOT QUADS.

I MOVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, EXCEPT THE DONATION FROM PARKER'S FUELING THE COMMUNITY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE SCHOOLS AT DONATION AMOUNT OF $56,000.

MR. SMITH, SECOND.

THE AUDIT IS A CLOSE SECOND, BUT THIS ONE TAKES ABOUT SIX MONTHS OF WORK TO PUT TOGETHER.

AND DISCUSSION ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AYE ANONYMOUS.

AND MR. SMITH, AS I SAID, I THANK YOU.

THE NEXT ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE BUDGET UPDATE.

ALL RIGHT, GOOD MORNING.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL TODAY.

WE ARE CONTINUING OUR DISCUSSION OF THE, UH, PRELIMINARY GENERAL FUND BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 20 22, 20 23.

UH, SO FAR WE HAVE SEEN JUST SOME GLIMPSES OF, UH, VARIOUS FORMULAS AND SOME OF THE WORK THAT OUR STAFF HAVE BEEN DOING.

BUT TODAY WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU THE WHOLE BUDGET, UH, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN A PRELIMINARY FASHION.

UM, WELL WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW, THAT WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR A MOTION TODAY, UH, FOR APPROVAL OF ANY KIND OF THIS BUDGET.

UH, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME YOU WILL SEE THE WHOLE BUDGET AS A WHOLE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITHIN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS BEFORE GOING TO COUNTY COUNCIL.

SO I WANT TO FIRST START BY RECOGNIZING MY STAFF.

UH, WE HAVE A TEAM OF ABOUT FIVE PEOPLE WHO ACTIVELY WORK ON THIS, UH, IN ADDITION TO OTHER WORK THAT THEY DO.

UM, BUT THIS IS THE KEY.

UH, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS OUR DEPARTMENT DOES EACH YEAR,

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AND, AND IT, IT, ISN'T A KEYSTROKE THAT MAKES THIS HAPPEN.

AND IT'S A LOT OF VERY SMART, VERY DETERMINED AND, UM, DEDICATED FOLKS THAT HELP US.

SO, UH, LOU ACKERMAN, UH, AND CINDY PHILLIPS, UH, REGGIE MURPHY AND JENNIFER HAMLIN IS WITH US VIRTUALLY TODAY.

SO I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THEM.

WE'VE, WE'VE FOUGHT THROUGH SOME ILLNESSES AND SOME WORKED THROUGH SPRING BREAK, AND, UH, THEY'VE BEEN VERY, UH, IMPORTANT TO THE WORK TO THIS WORK AND WE ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE THEM.

SO, UM, SO THIS BUDGET IS ALL ABOUT NOT ALL ABOUT, BUT A MAIN FOCUS OF THIS BUDGET TODAY IS ABOUT TEACHER SALARIES.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THROUGHOUT, UH, THE CONVERSATION, UM, IT IS BASED ON THE HOUSE BUDGET.

SO I DO REALIZE THAT WE HAVE A SENATE BUDGET THAT HAS PASSED, BUT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY REVENUE INFORMATION YET FROM THE STATE ON THE SENATE VERSION OF THE BUDGET THAT, UH, I TALKED TO A COUNTERPART YESTERDAY AND THEY CONTACTED THE STATE DEPARTMENT WHO INDICATED THAT WE WOULD RECEIVE REVENUE INFORMATION AT HOPEFULLY BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK ON THE SENATE VERSION.

SO, UH, THIS IS SOLELY ON THE HOUSE VERSION AND THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, UM, WILL, UH, CONTINUE.

UM, WE REFLECTED IN THE REVENUES AND THE EXPENDITURES.

SO, UH, START WITH OUR STRATEGIC GOALS.

THERE ARE FOUR MAIN CATEGORIES THAT WE ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND AND TRY AND TIE OUR BUDGET ITEMS INCREASES AND BUDGET ITEMS TOO.

AND THAT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, UH, TEACHER IN ADMINISTRATIVE QUALITY SCHOOL CLIMATE AND GIFTED AND TALENTED.

SO OUR STRATEGY IN THIS BUDGET IS TO START BY PRIORITIZING OUR EXPENDITURE NEEDS.

UM, SO WE SPEND A LARGE AMOUNT OF TIME GATHERING INFORMATION FROM SCHOOLS, DEPARTMENTS, AND, UH, EVERYONE IN BETWEEN AND, AND COMPILE THOSE.

THEN WE MATCH THE REVENUES AS WE RE RECEIVE INFORMATION.

AND OUR GOAL IS TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.

THAT IS ACTUALLY A BOARD POLICY THAT WE BALANCED THE BUDGET.

AND SO YOU WILL SEE NO INCREASE OR DECREASE IN FUND BALANCE IN THIS BUDGET.

UH, GOAL IS ALSO TO MAINTAIN OUR FUND BALANCE IN BETWEEN 15 TO 17%.

AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UH, COME WITHIN THAT RANGE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT IN THIS BUDGET AND ALSO TO MINIMIZE TAX INCREASES.

SO THE PROPOSED REVENUES, WE'RE GOING TO START WITH, UH, JUST A OVERVIEW SUMMARY AND, UM, AND I HAVE A HANDOUT FOR YOU TODAY, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PAGES.

SO YOU MIGHT, I'M GOING TO BE REFERENCING IT QUITE OFTEN.

UM, AND SO THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE I DID.

UH, WE DID FINISH IT YESTERDAY.

SO I DO RECOGNIZE THAT THAT IS NOT IDEAL FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW, BUT WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THAT TODAY WITH YOU.

UM, AND, UM, WE WILL BE REFERENCING THAT.

SO THIS SLIDE ACTUALLY REFERENCES PAGE THREE ON THE HANDOUT.

SO THE PROJECTED REVENUES, UH, LOCAL REVENUE IT WITH, UM, THAT WE CURRENTLY EXPECT WITH A GROWTH FACTOR OF 3%.

AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.

SHORTLY IS 173 MILLION STATE REVENUE IS 105 MILLION FEDERAL REVENUE.

IT'S A VERY, A SMALLER PERCENTAGE THAT COMES INTO THE GENERAL FUND.

SO IT'S 650,000 AND THEN TRANSFERS IN OF 12 MILLION.

THOSE ARE PRIMARILY EIA FUNDS THAT ARE TRANSFERRING INTO THE GENERAL FUND.

THERE ARE ALSO SOME INDIRECT COSTS FROM SR FUNDS THAT ARE INCLUDED THERE.

SO YOU'LL SEE MORE OF THE DETAILS ABOUT THAT SHORTLY.

SO FOR A TOTAL OF 291000091.4 MILLION, UH, IN THIS BUDGET, WE'RE GOING TO PROPOSE FOUR MIL INCREASE IT'S, IT WILL GAIN ADDITIONAL $5.7 MILLION FOR A TOTAL OF 297.1 MILLION.

SO THE NEXT SLIDE WILL SHOW YOU THE EXPENDITURES.

UM, AND THOSE ARE, UH, WE SHOW THOSE IN THE FORMAT OF COMPARING THE CURRENT BUDGET.

UH, CURRENT BUDGET EXPENDITURES ARE 274.3 MILLION, AND THE CATEGORIES WE'RE INCREASING OUR EMPLOY PRIMARILY YOU'LL SEE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION OF RIGHT AT $18 MILLION, UH, ANOTHER SCHOOL STAFFING ALLOCATION.

SO IT WOULD BE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS AT 1.8 MILLION OPERATIONAL ABOUT A MILLION CHARTER SCHOOL, 2 MILLION.

AND WE

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HAVE SOME REDUCTIONS THAT, UH, SOME SAVINGS OF ABOUT $250,000.

SO THE TOTAL INCREASE IN THIS BUDGET IS $22.9 MILLION FOR PROPOSED EXPENDITURE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR OF 297.1 MILLION.

SO I WANT TO START BY, UH, AS WE BEGIN OUR WORK WITH THE REVENUES.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT REVENUES HERE FOR JUST A MOMENT.

UM, OUR REVENUES ARE DICTATED BY THE STATE AS FAR AS A ACCURATELY EIGHT.

UM, WE ARE RESTRICTED TO A INCREASE IN MILLAGE OF CPI PLUS GROWTH.

UH, THIS YEAR, THE CPI NUMBER IS, UH, THE CPI PLUS GROWTH PERCENTAGE IS 6.7%, WHICH EQUATES TO 8.3 MILS.

SO THAT'S A PERCENTAGE OF THE PRIOR YEAR'S MILLAGE, WHICH IS 121.6.

SO I DIDN'T SHOW ALL THE MATH OF THE DETAILS HERE, BUT, UM, AND WE, AT THIS TIME WE HAVE NO BACK MILLAGE.

WE'LL UTILIZE THAT IN THE PRIOR, PRIOR YEAR.

SO WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF, UH, ADDING THREE, 8.3 MILS, UH, UP TO 129.9.

SO, UM, IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, THIS IS THE HIGHEST MILLAGE INCREASE IN A SINGLE YEAR I'VE EVER SEEN.

UM, PROBABLY IN THE ENTIRE, MY ENTIRE CAREER IN, IN THE DISTRICT.

UM, THE HIGHEST INCREASE I HAVE SEEN IS 4.5.

SO THIS IS ALMOST DOUBLE THAT NUMBER.

SO IT'S VERY UNUSUAL NUMBER, AND IT IS DUE TO INFLATION 8.3, THE ALLOWABLE MILLAGE, NOT, NOT AN INCREASE, INCLUDING LOOK BACK A SINGLE YEARS, A SINGLE YEARS ALLOWABLE INCREASE.

SO, UM, THAT IT'S, IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH NUMBER.

UM, AND IT IS, IT IS TYPICALLY FOUND IN THE RANGE OF TWO TO 4% OR TWO TO FOUR MILS IS, IS TYPICALLY THE, UH, ANNUAL INCREASE.

AND SO I SAY THAT TO SAY THAT I, I BELIEVE THAT, UH, OUR RECOMMENDATION TODAY IS TO UTILIZE FOUR MILLS AND, UH, THERE ARE SOME, UH, AND TO BANK THE REMAINING 4.3 MILS TO SAVE FOR THE YEARS TO COME, UH, IN THE COUPLE OF YEARS, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE, UH, A CHANGE IN THE ECONOMY.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE, UH, LOWER, UH, LOWER RATES.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE THIS IS AN UNUSUALLY, UM, UH, UNUSUAL NUMBER.

SO I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY FALL BACK INTO THE TWO TO FOUR MIL CATEGORY.

SO, UM, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP IN MIND IN THE COUPLE OF YEARS, OUR SR FUNDS EXPIRE.

WE'LL HAVE REASSESSMENT, WE'LL HAVE AN ELECTION, UH, AND, UM, AND INFLATION IS, COULD, UM, HAVE A MAJOR FALL OFF ON THAT WILL AFFECT THESE NUMBERS IN PARTICULAR.

SO MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE BANK A PORTION OF THIS MILLAGE AND SAVE UP FOUR TIMES, UH, FOR THE UNCERTAINTIES IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.

AND JUST KEEP AN AS A REMINDER FOR THOSE THAT MAY NOT, UH, KNOW, OR REMEMBER THAT THE, THERE IS A LAW THAT ALLOWS US TO LOOK BACK THREE YEARS OF MILLAGE.

SO RIGHT NOW, UM, SO THIS WOULD ALLOW US TO SAVE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, I'M GOING TO FORWARD.

ALL RIGHT, THE NEXT SLIDE IS A HISTORICAL SIDE OF, OF MILLAGE AND WHAT'S IT'S 11 YEAR TREND, AND YOU'LL NOTICE THE UPS AND DOWNS, UPS AND DOWNS, AND SOME FLAT YEARS, THE GOAL FOR THE TREND IS TO BE MORE GRADUAL.

UH, WE WANT TO, THIS IS DIRECTLY AFFECTS, UH, TAX INCREASES AND THE UPS AND DOWNS CAUSE SOME UNCERTAINTY, UH, THOSE IN RED YEARS ARE THE REASSESSMENT YEARS.

AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT WHEN WE EITHER STAYED FLAT OR FELL, WE HAD A LARGE INCREASE IN MILLAGE THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

SO, UH, THE GOAL WOULD BE TO HAVE A MORE GRADUAL INCREASE TO SUPPORT THE OPERATIONS OF THE DISTRICT AND OUR OPERATIONAL INCREASES IN WAGE INCREASES.

UM, SO IT WOULD BE MORE FAVORABLE TO HAVE A SMOOTHER TREND LINE.

UM, AND SO IF WE AVERAGE THESE YEARS OUT, THE 11 YEARS HERE, IT'S ABOUT A 2.8 MIL INCREASE PER YEAR.

SO, UH, OVER HISTORICALLY OVER THOSE 11 YEARS, THAT WOULD BE A LITTLE, I BELIEVE IT'S A MORE PALATABLE, UM, AND GRADUAL

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INCREASE.

IT WOULD BE A LITTLE MORE FAVORABLE FOR, UM, OUR TAXPAYERS.

SO THE NEXT SLIDE JUST SHOWS THAT THIS IS A BALANCED BUDGET RECOMMENDATION, UM, SHOW TWO COLUMNS OF INFORMATION THE CURRENT YEAR, AND THEN PROPOSED NEW YEAR.

AND SO BASICALLY THIS WOULD SHOW THE, THE MILLAGE INCREASE THE PROPO PROJECTED TAX REVENUES AT 177 MILLION, NO USE OF FUND BALANCE AND NO ADDITION TO FUND BALANCE.

UH, IT WOULD KEEP IT WHERE WE EXPECT IT PROJECTED TO BE AT 53 MILLION AT THE END OF THIS YEAR IN A 17.1% FUND BALANCE, UH, WITH SIX THAT WHICH WOULD SUPPORT 62 AND A HALF DAYS OF OPERATIONS.

SO, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION OF GFR IS THAT WE HAVE OUR GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION, WHICH WE USE AS OUR STANDARD OF PRACTICE IS 60 DAYS OF OPERATIONS.

SO THAT WOULD PUT US RIGHT IN THAT RANGE, WHICH I THINK IS A VERY GOOD PLACE FOR THE DISTRICT TO BE.

UM, OUR FUND BALANCE IS AT A PLACE WHERE WE CAN, UM, LOOK AT SERIOUSLY REDUCING OR ALMOST ELIMINATING THE TAN AT THIS POINT.

UM, THE S THE SIDE NOTE THIS RIGHT NOW IS AS YOUR FUNDS, WE DO HAVE ADVANCED SPENDING FOR SR FUNDS, WHICH WE'RE SPENDING MILK MILLIONS OF DOLLARS PER MONTH IN THOSE, UH, FEDERAL, FEDERAL OVER AS A REQUIREMENT OF THE FEDERAL FUNDING.

UM, BUT SO WE DO HAVE SOME NEEDS FOR IT RIGHT NOW, BUT WE WILL BE ABLE TO REDUCE THE TAN THIS YEAR.

THAT'S THE TAX ANTICIPATION AT, SORRY.

UM, SO OUR MILL VALUE IS, UH, IS TRENDING TOWARD A 3% GROWTH FACTOR, AND WE ARE ESTIMATING THAT TO CONTINUE AT LEAST IN THE NEW, IN ONE MORE YEAR.

UH, TYPICALLY WE DO HAVE A MORE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH OF GROWTH.

UM, BUT WE HAVE SHOWN THAT THIS YEAR APPEARS TO HAVE, UM, A SLIGHT, UH, AN EXCESS IN AT LEAST $3 MILLION.

WE BELIEVE WE WILL COME IN AT, ABOVE THE BUDGETED AMOUNT OF TAX REVENUES BY ABOUT 3 MILLION.

SO THAT WILL REFLECT ABOUT A 3% GROWTH FACTOR.

ALL RIGHT, I'M GONNA PAUSE THERE.

AND BEFORE I GO TO EXPENDITURES AND, AND SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE REVENUE SIDE, SO THIS IS JUST SORT OF A HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION, BUT THE REASON ARE WE KEEP HAVING TO INCREASE THE, THE MILLAGE, UH, FOR OPERATIONS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF GROWTH, ESPECIALLY LIKE SOUTHERN, SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY, BUT IT'S PEOPLE WHO ARE MOVING HERE FOR THEIR TO MAKE IT THEIR PERMANENT RESIDENCE, WHICH DOES NOT FACTOR INTO THIS SINCE THAT'S THEIR 4% HOMEOWNERS.

SO IS THAT WHY THE, IN ADDITION, WHY THIS KEYPAD KEEP, HAS TO KEEP GOING UP IS BECAUSE WE HAVE, WE'RE LOSING OUR TA KIND OF LOSING MORE AND MORE OF THE TAX BASE IN A WAY BY HAVING THESE, UH, LIKE WE DON'T PROBABLY HAVE AS MUCH GROWTH IN TERMS OF, UM, BUSINESSES AND, AND, UM, AS WE DO PRIME, BUT I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE OR NOT.

I THINK THE, UH, GROWTH IN MILLAGE IS DUE MORE TO THE EXPENDITURE SIDE, UH, EXPENDITURES ARE THE, UM, WE HAVE STATEMENT OUR, OUR BUDGET IS PRIMARILY, UH, RESTRICTED BY STATE THE STATE GUIDELINES.

ONE, THEY PROVIDE THE REVENUES AND TWO, THEY PROVIDE MANDATED EXPENDITURES OF SALARIES, BENEFITS, AND OTHER OTHER ITEMS. UM, THE REVENUES ARE NOT KEEPING PACE WITH, WITH THE MANDATES.

SO, AND BUFORD BEING A, UH, PERCEIVED TO BE A HEALTH.

ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST DISTRICTS IN THE STATE RECEIVES A MUCH SMALLER PERCENTAGE OF FUNDING WHEN WE RECEIVE THOSE MANDATES.

SO IN THE PAST, WE MAY, UH, OUR EFA EDUCATION FINANCE ACT ALLOCATION, WHICH IS THE PRIMARY STATE FUNDING FORMULA WE RECEIVED ABOUT 24% OF THE BASE STUDENT COST.

SO I BELIEVE THAT IT'S THE REVENUES AREN'T KEEPING PACE WITH THE STATE MANDATES AND THE OTHER OPERATIONAL INCREASES AND INFLATIONARY INCREASES, WHICH WERE RECENTLY EXPERIENCING AS WELL.

SO, ALL RIGHT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO EXPENDITURES.

SO THIS IS ACTUALLY LENDS TO THAT CONVERSATION VERY WELL.

THIS IS A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF OUR EXPENDITURE BUDGET AND THE BLUE LINE, UM, THAT SHOWS ABOUT A TEN-YEAR TREND.

AND, UM, YOU'LL WHAT STRUCK ME ABOUT THIS AS THE, THE INCREASE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

BUT THEN, UH, WE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH OUR STAFF.

WE HAVE, UH, TALKED A LOT ABOUT INFLATION, A LOT ABOUT CPI.

SO WE DECIDED, UM, TO ACTUALLY PUT A TREND

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LINE OF THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX ON, AND THAT'S IN ORANGE HERE.

SO YOU CAN SEE THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX OVER 10 YEAR PERIOD.

AND THIS IS STRAIGHT FROM THE US BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, UM, THAT IT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED FROM 2021 TO 2022 FROM 2.6% UP TO 8.5.

SO, SO THOSE THINGS, UM, THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE THAT, UH, PRESSURES ARE REALLY DRIVING THESE INCREASES IN OUR BUDGET.

UM, MANY OF OUR LARGE CONTRACTED SERVICES HAVE ANNUAL ALLOWABLE INCREASES, AND THEY ARE TYPICALLY CAPPED AT 3%.

SO THAT ACTUALLY PROTECTS US THIS YEAR, UH, FROM HAVING TO GIVE AN EIGHT AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASES TO OUR, UH, EIGHT AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE TO OUR CONTRACTS, UH, GROUND GROUNDS, CUSTODIAL FOOD SERVICE, OR SOME MAJOR CONTRACTS THAT WE HAVE.

UM, AND THOSE HAVE THAT CAP HAS PROTECTED US, UH, IN THIS YEAR.

AND SO THESE INFLATIONARY, UH, PRESSURES AFFECT FUEL FOOD AND SHELTER, OR SOME OF THOSE BIGGEST CATEGORIES, AND THIS CPI HAS HIT A 40 YEAR HIGH.

SO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY, UH, PUSHING THAT NUMBER UP AS WELL.

SO IN THE NEXT SLIDE, WE'RE GOING TO SHOW A SUMMARY OF THE INCREASES AGAIN, AND WE'VE PUT, LAID SOME PERCENTAGES AND TO SHOW YOU THAT 79% OF THE INCREASES IN THIS BUDGET ARE FOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION.

THOSE ARE INCREASES IN SALARIES FOR, AND FOR CLASSIFIED AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF.

UM, THEY ARE, UM, ALSO IT INCLUDES BENEFIT INCREASES, WHICH WE'RE SEEING A COUPLE OF MANDATED INCREASES.

WE ARE REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE WITH THE STATE RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE WITH THE STATE HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN AS WELL.

AND THOSE ARE BOTH HAVING, UM, SOME, SOME INCREASES THIS YEAR.

SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO THE DETAILS OF THESE, UH, INCREASES.

AND ALONG WITH THAT, WE'VE PROVIDED IN THE HANDOUT, A NARRATIVE EXPLANATION OF EVERY CATEGORY OF INCREASES.

SO, AND THOSE START ON PAGE FIVE OF THE HANDOUT.

SO IT WOULD PROVIDE A LITTLE MORE DETAIL AND THEY'RE IN THE EXACT SAME ORDER AS THE SLIDES ARE TODAY.

SO IT SHOULD BE HOPEFULLY EASY TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH.

SO THE FIRST PROPOSED AREA OF INCREASE IS A $4,000 INCREASE TO THE TEACHER STATE MINIMUM SALARY SCHEDULE.

THAT COST IS $8 MILLION.

SO THE HOUSE ORIGINAL VOTE BUDGET AND THE STATE GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION ACTUALLY WAS FOR 4,000.

UM, IT IS TO BRING THE BASE SALARY BASED MINIMUM SALARY FROM 36 TO $40,000.

UM, THAT WOULD BE A FIRST YEAR TEACHER, UM, AS A DISTRICT THAT IS, UH, SLIGHTLY ABOVE 36.

WE WERE ACTUALLY AT 3709 28, 30 $7,928 BEFORE THE COST OF LIVING INCREASE THAT WE RECENTLY PASSED.

AND SO WE WOULD NOT TECHNICALLY BE REQUIRED TO GO, UM, ABOVE THE 40 THAT, UH, $40,000 BASE, WHICH, AND THIS WILL TAKE US, BUT THIS, UH, $4,000 INCREASE WILL TAKE US THERE.

AND I'LL SHOW YOU SOME SLIDES IN JUST A FEW MINUTES, UM, WHERE, WHERE, WHERE WE CAME FROM BEFORE THESE INCREASES AND WHERE WE'LL GO TO AND WHAT THE IMPACT IS ON OUR TEACHERS.

UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE SHOW A SALARY STEP INCREASE OF, UH, FOR CERTIFIED STAFF OF $2 MILLION.

UH, IT'S A VALUED AT AN AVERAGE OF 2%, AN 18.1% INCREASE IN THE EMPLOYEE PORTION OF HEALTH INSURANCE.

THAT HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASE WILL TAKE EFFECT JANUARY ONE.

SO WE HAVE A HALF YEAR.

SO WE TECHNICALLY BUDGETED BASED ON A 9% INCREASE THIS YEAR, BUT WE'LL HAVE AN AUTOMATIC INCREASE THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

SO THAT COST IS 1.6 MILLION.

UH, THERE IS A 1% RETIREMENT INCREASE ON THE EMPLOYEE OR SIDE.

SO THIS IS NOT EFFECT THE EMPLOYEE WITHHOLDINGS, UM, THAT COST TO THE DISTRICT IS 1.5 MILLION AND A MANDATE FOR THE BASE TEACH, UH, BASE BUS DRIVER SALARY TO INCREASE 5% AS WELL.

UM, SO THAT'S 193,000.

SO SLIDE, UH, OTHER COMPENSATION INCREASES IN THIS BUDGET INCLUDE, UH, FIRST OF ALL, THE 3% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.

THAT'S THE ONE THAT YOU RECENTLY APPROVED.

UM, WE WANT TO DISPLAY IT IN THIS BUDGET TO SHOW THE COST OF IT, BUT WE ARE, UH, UH, ARE ABLE TO UTILIZE

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SAVINGS FROM SLIPPAGE, UH, AND THE, OUR SALARIES AND BENEFITS BUDGETS.

WE HISTORICALLY HAVE HAD ABOUT $6 MILLION OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS.

AND, UH, WE EXPECT THAT TO CONTINUE GOING FORWARD.

SO WE'RE, UH, BRINGING, UH, ALLOWING THOSE TO OFFSET EACH ONE ANOTHER, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO BE, UH, VIRTUALLY NO IMPACT GOING FORWARD, UH, ON THE BUDGETARY ITEMS. BUT I WANTED TO REFLECT, UM, THE REFLECT THAT IN THE SLIDES ALSO IS PROJECTED A CLASSIFIED ADMINISTRATIVE, UH, SALARY STUDY.

THERE'S $2 MILLION PLUS BENEFITS LISTED IN THIS BUDGET.

UH, I HAVE BEEN KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH OUR, OUR, UH, HUMAN RESOURCES AND FOLLOWING ALONG TO SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS IN THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID, UM, MAKE SURE TO COVER SOME OF THE COSTS.

I DON'T THINK THIS WILL COVER ALL OF THE COSTS, BUT AT LEAST IT CAN BEGIN TO PHASE IN SOME OF THOSE, UM, AND APPLY, UH, SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WILL EVENTUALLY COME OUT IN JULY.

SO ALSO IN THIS BUDGET IS A 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE RECOMMENDED FOR CLASSIFIED ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEES OF ABOUT 1.4 MILLION.

UH, THOSE THAT IS BASED ON THE, UM, THAT IS RECOMMENDED AT 3% TO MATCH THESE, UH, NOT MATCH, BUT THE, TO FOLLOW IN LINE WITH WHAT THE STATE IS RECOMMENDING FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES.

UM, ALSO STEP INCREASE FOR CLASSIFIED AND ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEES ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS.

AND WE'RE ADDING A STEP 26 TO THE TEACHER STAFF SALARY SCHEDULE.

SO LAST YEAR WE ADDED STEP 25 THIS YEAR, WE'RE ADDING STEP 26.

I WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

UH, IT'S A RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE EFFORT, UH, AS WE GRADUALLY MAKE A GRADUAL CHANGE TO THAT, WE'RE SEEING THAT WE'RE REALLY LOW COMPARED TO OTHER DISTRICTS.

AND, UM, THE SALARY SCHEDULES OF OTHER DISTRICTS MOVE INTO THE ABOVE 28 YEARS, WHICH IS THE RETIREMENT YEAR.

I WOULD LIKE TO GET TO AT LEAST THE GOAL OF THAT POINT.

UM, AND, AND THAT'S A COST OF $322,000.

WERE ALREADY HAD ALREADY BEGUN THE WEIGHTED STAFFING MODEL WHEN WE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE MAINTENANCE OF EQUITY FORMULA, BUT IT WORKED PERFECTLY TOGETHER.

JUST FOR THE FOLKS WATCHING, WOULD YOU EXPLAIN WHAT SLIPPAGE IS? YES, SIR.

SLIPPAGE IS SAVINGS FROM SALARIES AND BENEFITS AS, AS WE, UM, HAVE VACANCIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AND WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT MAY LEAVE MID-YEAR AND THEN IT TAKES A FEW MONTHS TO HIRE THE NEXT PERSON.

THEY COME ON BOARD, YOU MAY HAVE, UH, A GAP IN EMPLOYMENT.

UM, SO THOSE ARE SAVINGS OF VARIOUS POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.

UH, AND THAT NUMBER IS RELATIVELY LARGE BECAUSE 80% OF OUR BUDGET IS SALARIES AND BENEFITS.

SO IT DOES HAVE, UM, AND THAT'S IT AT $120 MILLION.

SO ON THIS AS A PERCENTAGE, BASICALLY A PERCENTAGE OF THAT, ABOUT 2.5% MR. CROSBY, AND IN ADDITION, RIGHT.

UM, WHEN AN EMPLOYEE, UH, MAYBE, UH, RETIRES MID-YEAR OR RESIGNED MID-YEAR, UM, AND THEY'RE REPLACED IF, IF, IF THAT EMPLOYEE IS REPLACED WITH A BEGINNING TEACHER, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN THAT SALARY TO, THAT WAS BUDGETED.

SO THAT'S PART OF THAT.

SO THE BEAUTY OF THE STEP 26 IS THAT WHEN WE GIVE A STEP INCREASE, WE CAN SAY, WE GIVE A STEP INCREASE TO ALL TEACHERS, NOT JUST TO ELIGIBLE TEACHERS.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S A POWERFUL STATEMENT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE, UM, THAT IT'S NOT JUST APPLY TO SOME, BUT IT APPLIES TO EVERYONE.

SO THAT'S, UM, THE LAST POINT I WANT TO MAKE ON THAT ITEM, AND THEN WE'LL MOVE TO STAFFING ALLOCATIONS.

UH, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON STAFFING THIS YEAR.

UM, AS YOU RECALL, WE TALKED ABOUT A WEIGHTED STAFFING MODEL, WHICH IS, UH, IT'S A DIFFERENTIATED STAFFING, UM, BASED ON, UH, HAS A POVERTY WAITING AND HAS A, FOR BOTH V HIGH POVERTY AND VERY HIGH POVERTY SCHOOLS.

SO IT ALLOWED US TO REALLY ALIGN OUR, OUR, OUR, UM, STAFFING AT EACH SCHOOL AND TO MAKE SURE WE WERE SERVING THOSE, UM, UH, SERVING SCHOOLS THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.

UH, IT ALSO ALIGNED WITH SOME REQUIREMENT, NEW REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE MAINTENANCE OF EQUITY FORMULA YOU MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT.

AND THAT IS A REQUIREMENT THAT WE FUND SCHOOLS THAT ARE, UH, ON THE HIGHEST CORE TILE OF POVERTY, MORE PER FTE, AND MORE PER EXPENDITURE PER PUPIL EXPENDITURE THAN THE AVERAGE SCHOOL IN THEIR GRADE SPAN.

SO A SCHOOL IN HIGH POVERTY MUST BE FUNDED BETTER THAN A, THAN A SCHOOL THAT IS NOT IN THE HIGH POVERTY CATEGORY WITH LOCAL AND STATE DOLLARS.

FEDERAL DOLLARS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THAT CALCULATION.

SO WE CAN'T BRING IN TITLE ONE AND SAY THAT WE'RE FUNDING BETTER WITH TITLE ONE.

WE HAVE TO FUND BETTER WITH GENERAL FUND SO THAT WE MADE SURE WE ACTUALLY

[00:35:01]

AND, UH, IT ALLOWED US TO, WE RAN THE FORMULAS TO ENSURE DURING BUDGET TIME THAT WE WERE ALLOCATING THE RESOURCES THAT MADE US MEET THAT MAINTENANCE OF EQUITY FOR EVERY SCHOOL.

SO THAT WAS PERFECT, UH, SITUATION.

SO THERE ARE SOME ADJUSTMENTS IN OUR STAFFING, UM, AS A RESULT OF THAT, WHERE WE'RE ADDING CERTIFIED TEACHERS FIVE AND A HALF, FIVE AND A HALF ADDITIONAL CERTIFIED TEACHERS OVERALL, WE DID HAVE SOME THAT WE UTILIZED ALREADY THAT WERE ALREADY IN THE BUDGET THAT WERE APPROVED THIS PAST YEAR.

AND THEN WE'RE ADDING AN ADDITIONAL THREE AND A HALF INTERVENTIONISTS.

THESE ARE INTERVENTIONISTS IN CORE INSTRUCTIONAL AREAS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS.

UH, THERE ARE THREE ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS ADDED IN THIS BUDGET.

UH, WE DO HAVE A FORMULA FOR THOSE AND THOSE EXCEEDING CERTAIN LEVELS OF GROWTH OR STUDENT ALLOCATION OR STUDENT ENROLLMENT.

UH, WE'RE ASSIGNED THE ADDITION, ADDITIONAL ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS.

ALSO, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE COLLEGE AND CAREER SUPPORT HERE.

WE TALKED, UH, LAST YEAR WAS A YEAR OF REALLY SHORING UP OUR GUIDANCE COUNSELORS.

AND, UH, BASED ON THE 301 RATIO, UH, THIS YEAR IS ABOUT, UH, C UH, CAREER DEVELOPMENT FACILITATORS.

WE'RE ADDING FIVE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.

UM, SOME OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS WERE SHARING CDS, UM, AND WE ARE NOW FULLY, UH, PROVIDING A FULL FTE FOR EACH OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.

AND IT WOULD ALSO, SO WE'RE TWO OF THESE FIVE WOULD BE FOR THE HIGH SCHOOLS THAT TO ALLOW THEM TO ALL HAVE ONE FTE AND THREE OF THE FIVE WILL BE IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS CLUSTERS.

SO THEY WILL BE SHARING, UM, THOSE POSITIONS, SPECIAL ED TEACHING POSITIONS, THREE, UH, FTES, UH, THERE WERE ADDITIONAL REQUESTS AND THEY WILL BE FUNDED WITH IDA FUNDS.

SO A PORTION OF THEM WILL BE HERE, UM, TO SUPPORT SPECIAL ED AND THE REMAINDER, UH, OF, UH, OF THE NEEDS WILL BE IN, IN, UH, IDA ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT POSITIONS.

THESE ARE TWO DISTRICT LEVEL POSITIONS.

ONE IS TO ADDRESS, UH, THE EFFICIENCY STUDIES RECOMMENDATION FOR DISTRICT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, UH, AND, UH, ADDITIONAL POSITION IN THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE TO ENSURE FOIL COMPLIANCE AND ADHERENCE TO COPYRIGHT LAWS.

SO, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS, IS NEEDED.

AND THEN, UH, BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT, PSYCHOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY AS ADDITIONAL TWO POSITIONS THAT ARE ADDED.

AND THE TOTAL IN THESE AREAS IS 24 FTES FOR $2 MILLION.

WHITE, APPROXIMATELY 1414.

HOW MANY SPECIAL ED TEACHERS THAT WE OFF SHORT OF RIGHT NOW IN VEGAS, PLEASE? DR.

I'M FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT IN THE HILTON HEAD SCHOOLS, WE HAVE PRETTY LOW PARTICIPATION.

THE REASON I ASKED HIM, I SAW A BULLETIN YESTERDAY.

WE HAVE TWO STATES, OFTEN SPECIAL ED, $10,000 MORE TEACH.

UM, SO THE HIGH POVERTY SCHOOLS, AND I HAVE A QUESTION BASED ON WHAT I THINK I UNDERSTAND, BUT I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND.

SO JUST JUMP IN WHEN I'LL TELL YOU.

SO THAT'S BASED ON THE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH APPLICATIONS, IS THAT HOW THEY DETERMINE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE SCHOOL? BECAUSE I'VE NEVER FILLED ONE OF THOSE OUT AS A PARENT, RIGHT.

SO WHAT I'M WONDERING IS, IS THAT THE ONLY, OR IS IT LIKE THEY LOOK AT THE INCOME OF THE SURROUNDING AREAS? UH I'M I'M NOT SURE I'M THE BEST PERSON TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE PUPILS IN POVERTY NUMBER COMES FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS PROVIDED TO US FROM A REPORT WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

I KNOW DENISE MATTSON, UM, IS, IS VERY IN TUNE WITH THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK SHE'S HERE TO DO WELL.

I DID GOOGLE IT.

YEAH, SHE'S NOT.

BUT AT ONE POINT IN TIME, THEY DID PROVIDE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH FORMS, UM, TERRENCE AND ALL FAMILIES.

UM, THEY DIDN'T MOVE AWAY FROM THAT.

AND WHEN THEY SWITCHED FROM, UM, WHAT THEY CALLED THE, UH, I'M TRYING TO THINK WHAT THEY CALL THAT A HIGH NEEDS POPULATION.

IT'S PIP COUNTY THAT DOES COME FROM, AND THAT'S BASED ON THE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH PROCESS.

CAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT GOOGLE TELLS ME SLASH PROCESS, BUT THERE'S A DIFFERENT FORMULA THAT THEY USE NOW BECAUSE I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING, I KNOW

[00:40:01]

IT'S HARD TO GET PEOPLE TO FILL THOSE FORMS OUT.

THAT'S WHY, THAT'S WHY THEY WENT AWAY FROM THAT BECAUSE THEY REALIZED THAT IN SOME SITUATIONS THAT CAN TAKE ON AN ISLAND WHERE YOU HAVE MULTIPLE FAMILIES FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES THAT ARE LIVING TOGETHER, YOU CAN'T CALCULATE FOR THAT.

AND THE FAMILIES DON'T THERE, THERE HAVE BEEN HESITANCY ON THE PART OF PEOPLE TO TURN IN FORMS BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE'S THEIR LEGALITY AND THEY DON'T WANT TO TURN THOSE EXACTLY.

THAT'S WHERE THE STATE BASED ON WHAT THEY KNOW THE POPULATIONS.

'CAUSE MY QUESTION.

I THINK MS. DR.

STRAUSS IS ANTICIPATING IT, BUT IT'S JUST, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT FORMULA IS.

SO THIS IS BOTH BY JUSTICE, SHARON AND MRS. CROSBY.

WE'LL ALSO GIVE CONFIRMATION MCKINNEY-VENTO HOMELESS STUDENTS, STUDENTS IN FOSTER CARE FAMILIES RECEIVING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT WIC.

ALRIGHT.

THE ASSISTANCE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO GIVE MOTHERS WHO ARE UNDER A CERTAIN THRESHOLD AT THE ECONOMICALLY, THOSE ARE ADDITIONALLY PUT IN AS CRITERIA TO QUALIFY SCHOOLS FOR PIP.

THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION HAS BEEN SHARED WITH SCHOOLS.

REGISTRARS.

THE SHIFT FOR OUR DISTRICT WENT INTO PLAY SIGNIFICANTLY THIS YEAR, ACTUALLY, EVEN FOR TITLE ONE.

SO QUALIFIED BUYERS FOR TITLE ONE ALSO FALLS UNDER THE P P I P CRITERIA THAT PEOPLES IN POVERTY.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO DEEPEN THAT, GET THAT INFORMATION NOW DEEPER SO THAT IF I HAVE A SIBLING AT A MIDDLE SCHOOL AND I'M ATTENDING A HIGH SCHOOL, THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL AS WELL AS QUALIFIED ON BOTH, BOTH OF US ARE IN FOSTER CARE.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE BEING DEEPER AT OUR REGISTRATION AS WELL.

BECAUSE MY BIG CONCERN IS THAT THE HILTON HEAD COMMUNITY DOES NOT PARTICIPATE IN GOVERNMENT SUPPORT PROGRAMS. THEY'RE NOT IN WIX, THEY'RE NOT EITHER THEY DON'T WANT TO BE, UM, THEY WON'T FILL OUT THAT PAPERWORK.

AND I'M WORRIED THAT WE'RE, AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE HILTON HEAD, AND I THINK LEFT IT AS WELL.

YOU HAVE SOME HIGH INCOME FAMILIES AND A LOT OF VERY LOW INCOME AND REALLY STRUGGLING.

AND I WORRY THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING RESOURCES.

IT'S NOT ON THE DISTRICT.

IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S ON THE STATE.

BUT IF WE'RE CAPTURING ALL THAT DATA BASED ON PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS, WE ARE GOING TO MISS A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UM, CERTAIN POPULATIONS.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THE QUALIFIERS FOR THOSE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS ALSO MAY LEND SOME INHIBITIVE FACTORS, BUT WE ARE GETTING THE EDUCATION, THAT INFORMATION OUT AND WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR BILINGUAL LEADERS ON AS WELL.

MA'AM YES, MA'AM A LOT OF HESITANCY.

YES IS YES.

TRUST.

UM, DON'T HIT EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, HILTON HEAD ISLAND ELEMENTARY, AND HE'LL COME TO SCHOOL FOR THE CREATIVE ARTS HARD TITLE.

DO WE HAVE A MIC YOU CAN COME UP TO SO PEOPLE WHO MAY BE, UH, LISTENING TO AUDIO CAN HEAR, I THINK WHAT HE WAS GETTING AT IS THAT THE HILTON HEAD SCHOOLS, THREE OF THE HILTON HEAD SCHOOLS FALL, UH, UNDER THE TITLE ONE, UH, GIVEN, GIVEN THEIR, THE NUMBERS IS THAT THAT'S CORRECT ONLY HILTON HEAD, MIDDLE AND HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL DO NOT FALL WITHIN THE TITLE ONE CATEGORY.

AND WE ONLY HAVE ONE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE WHOLE DISTRICT THAT FALLS WITHIN TITLE.

ONE, ONE THING THAT IS NOT MENTIONED AT COMPENSATION INCREASES IS, UH, THE COST OF SICK LEAVE, SPECIFICALLY SICK LEAVE.

THAT IS RECOUPED WHEN THE EMPLOYEE LEAVES THE DISTRICT.

SO FOR BACKGROUND, HOW MUCH, UH, SICK LEAVE DOES AN EMPLOYEE ACCRUE A PER MONTH OR PER YEAR? ALICE? I MEAN, DALE, I'M GOING TO HELP ME WITH THAT A LITTLE BIT.

I BELIEVE IT'S 12 CERTIFIED STAFF HAS 12 DAYS OF SICK LEAVE PER YEAR.

1.2, FIVE DAYS PER MONTH, 1.2, FIVE DAYS PER MONTH.

AND SAY, IT'S SICK LEAVE.

AND WHEN THE EMPLOYEE LEAVES THE DISTRICT AND THEY HAVE A BALANCE OF SICK LEAVE ACCRUED, WHAT ARE THEY PAID? $10 A DAY, HOW MUCH? $10 DOLLARS A DAY.

SO THE CALLER TO THIS MORNING MENTIONED A SHOE WITH TEACHER LEAVING, BEING GONE MANY DAYS OF THE WEEK, MANY X OF THE YEAR, WHATEVER.

AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE ARE INCENTIVIZING PEOPLE TO USE SICK LEAVE BECAUSE WHY, WHY ACCRUE IT AND GET PAID $10 A DAY FOR THAT? SO LET'S TAKE, LET'S TAKE EVERY OTHER FRIDAY OFF

[00:45:01]

IF WE WERE TO CHANGE WHAT WE PAY FOR ACCRUED SICK LEAVE.

WHEN THE EMPLOYEE LEAVES, IT WOULD SEEM TO BE AN INCENTIVE TO BANK YOUR SICK LEAVE.

THAT HAS TWO POSITIVE INFLUENCES.

ONE, IT'S AN INCENTIVE NOT TO TAKE THE DAYS OFF.

AND TWO, IT'S AN INCENTIVE TO DO WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN YOU'RE A YOUNG PERSON.

AND YOU THINK YOU'RE INVULNERABLE TO BANK THAT SICK LEAVE.

SO WHEN YOU'RE OLD LIKE ME AND YOU NEED IT, YOU GOT IT.

BUT THAT THERE IS A COST INVOLVED IN THAT.

AND THE COST AS YOU INIT, IF YOU WOULD CHANGE THAT POLICY, IT COSTS ISN'T GOING TO HIT AS HARD THE FIRST YEAR BECAUSE PEOPLE, OH, I'LL START TO SAVE.

IT'S WHEN IT'S THE OUT YEARS, WHEN PEOPLE HAVE ACCRUED A BUNCH OF, OF SICK LEAVE AND YOU'VE GOT TO PAY THEM, OR IS THERE ANY WAY YOU CAN GIVE US A ALTERNATIVE TO THE $10 A DAY PAYOFF AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST AND HOW SOON WE COULD IMPLEMENT SOMETHING LIKE THAT SO THAT WE CAN INCENTIVIZE TEACHERS NOT TO TAKE SICK LEAVE BECAUSE I MIGHT AS WELL USE IT.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S THAT I THINK WOULD BE LOOKED, SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AND WE SHOULD LOOK AT IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THAT WAS MY COMMENT AS WELL.

UM, I REALLY DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO LEAVE.

IT SEEMS TO BE AN ECHO.

SO, UM, DO YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE OR NOT CONTINUE OR NOT? OKAY.

UM, SO IN OTHER DISTRICTS I'VE WORKED IN, WE DID ADDRESS FOR THE EXACT REASONS THAT WE KNOW THAT HAVING THE, UM, PERSONNEL CERTIFIED PERSON IN THE CLASSROOM ON A CONTINUAL REGULAR BASIS, REGULAR BASIS, IMPORTANT TO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, IMPORTANT TO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.

SO WE ALSO NEED TO KNOW THAT WE ALSO NEED TO NOTE THAT, UM, OUR TEACHERS ARE, THEY'RE PUTTING AN ECONOMIC, PUTTING THEM IN AN ECONOMIC BIND TO USE THEIR SICK DAYS.

SO PAYS ADEQUATE WITH $10 PER DAY.

SO I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HAVE THAT LIST THAT I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HAVE THAT LOOKED AT.

UH, THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN STRIVEN, JER.

UM, I APPRECIATE DICK BRINGING THAT UP.

THAT WAS GOING TO BE ONE OF MY COMMENTS.

AND SO I THINK I FULLY SUPPORT LOOKING AT RAISING THE AMOUNT, UH, TEACHERS RECEIVE FOR THEIR SICK DAYS FOR ALL THE REASONS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED.

I ALSO WANTED THOUGH TO ASK YOU, IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN BE MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH GETTING THOSE STEP TWO, THAT 28 YEAR YOU MENTIONED THAT, UH, THE COST TO ADD A STEP 26 IS 322.

UM, IS THERE ANY ROOM TO, UH, MAKE IT UP TO 27 OR 28 THIS YEAR? I MEAN, THE COST YOU SAID IS 322,000.

I DON'T KNOW IF MATHEMATICALLY, YOU CAN JUST DOUBLE IT.

PROBABLY NOT, PROBABLY NOT.

I CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO IT.

YOU KNOW, TO, TO SHOW THAT WE, WE NOT ONLY WANT TO KEEP OUR TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM BY PROVIDING THEIR SICK LEAVE TO BE A HIGHER DAILY RATE, BUT WE WANT TO KEEP OUR EXPERIENCED TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM AND NOT LEAVING AND GOING TO A CHARTER SCHOOL TO TEACH OR A PRIVATE SCHOOL.

SO IF WE COULD BE MORE AGGRESSIVE AND INCREASING THAT FINAL STEP, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT WOULD BE, IF YOU COULD LOOK INTO THAT, THAT'D BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

THANK YOU, MS. CROSBY.

WE'RE GOING TO BE EXPANDING THAT ANYWAYS, THEN LET'S TRY TO INCENTIVIZE OUR TEACHERS TO STAY IN THE CLASSROOM USING THAT AMOUNT.

UM, I WAS JUST GOING TO OFFER A SUGGESTION, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE HEARD ABOUT IS DONE IN OTHER DISTRICTS.

AND IT'S WHERE THEY LOOK AT THEIR, UM, THEIR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER IN, IN THE CASE THAT A REGULAR TEACHER IS NOT THERE FOR THAT DAY AND THEY MAKE THEIR SIX LEAVE OR THERE THAT DAY COSTS BE BASICALLY THE SAME AS WHAT THEY WOULD BE PAYING A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER.

UM, IF

[00:50:01]

UH, THANK YOU, MR. DISTRIBUTOR, ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT.

AND I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT IT TO SEE WHETHER THIS IS REALLY A VIABLE WAY TO LOOK AT IT.

I KNOW.

UM, WELL, FOR EXAMPLE, IN MY MEDICAL PRACTICE AND I HAVE AN OUTSIDE CONSULTANT DO MY, UM, HR AND THEY DO LOTS OF DIFFERENT BUSINESS.

NOT, NOT, I DON'T THINK HEART, NOT THAT MANY MEDICAL PRACTICES AND WE HAVE, UM, PAID TIME OFF, BUT LUMPED INTO THAT PAID TIME OFF WOULD BE SICK LEAVE.

WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, MY EMPLOYEES DON'T HAVE A SPECIAL CATEGORY OF SICK TIME.

IT'S ALL UNDER PAID TIME OFF.

AND SO YOU COULD NOT, I MEAN, RIGHT NOW YOU SAID THEY EARN 1.5 DAYS PER MONTH OF SICK LEAVE TO FIVE TO FIVE.

THAT'S A LOT OF SICK TIME.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT'S A WHOLE LOT OF SICK TIMES.

LIKE I THINK A LOT OF BUSINESSES WOULD HAVE FIVE SICK DAYS A YEAR AND 2.5 TIMES WHAT NINE, NINE MONTHS OR 12 MONTHS, WHICH WHAT'S THE NUMBER 12 DAYS A YEAR.

12 DAYS A YEAR.

THAT'S A LOT OF SICK TIME.

ACTUALLY.

I DON'T THINK MOST BUSINESSES OFFER THAT, BUT YOU'RE IN A DIFFERENT SITUATION BECAUSE YOU'RE AROUND CHILDREN, YOU'RE GOING TO GET SICK.

TEACHERS ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO GET SICK.

UM, SO I DON'T KNOW, LOOKING AT HAVING ALL THE, THE, THE PAID TIME OFF INTO ONE CATEGORY AND THEN THE, THE TEACHER DECIDES HOW THEY'RE GOING TO USE IT.

YOU KNOW, IF IT'S A SICK DAY OR IT'S A PERSONAL DAY TO GO TO THE DOCTOR FOR, YOU KNOW, A WELL CHECKUP OR TO GO TO A FUNERAL OF A FAMILY, WHATEVER IT IS, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S FEASIBLE OR NOT, BUT THAT'S JUST THINKING A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.

OH, SECOND THING TOO.

THE STEP INCREASE GOING UP TO, UM, YOU SAID NOW IT WOULD BE 20, 26, 26.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS REMEMBER, UH, WE SENT A LETTER TO, UH, WELL, THAT WAS ONE OF OUR LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS, UM, UH, WHEN I WAS THE CHAIR.

AND SO WE SENT A LETTER OFF TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION FOR THEM ASKING THEIR SUPPORT IN THAT, IN, IN, IN HAVING THAT AS, AS, YOU KNOW, BRINGING THAT LEGISLATION FORWARD TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, BUT THEY DIDN'T SUPPORT IT BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT A LOT OF THE DISTRICTS IN THE STATE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD GOING ABOVE 25.

BUT YET INTERESTING.

YOU JUST SAID LOOKING AT, I GUESS, UH, INFORMATION, DATA THAT THERE, A LOT OF DISTRICTS DO GO UP TO, UM, WHAT THE, YOU SAID 28 IS WHERE YOU CAN QUALIFY FOR RETIREMENT 28 YEARS IS FULL RETIREMENT.

THAT'S THAT MAKES SENSE TO GO TO THAT.

AND THE STATE ONLY FUNDS UP TO 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.

SO ANYTHING, ANY STEP INCREASES OR PAY INCREASES ABOVE THAT THEY WILL NOT FUND STEP INCREASES ABOVE THE 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.

SO WE WOULD FULLY FUND THAT.

YEAH, I WOULD, I WOULD DEFINITELY, I'M VERY MUCH IN SUPPORTIVE, GOING TO 28.

WE WANT EXPERIENCED TEACHERS AND THEY DESERVE TO BE COMPENSATED.

WISNIEWSKI IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

I WOULD JUST SAY I SUPPORT COMPLETELY.

AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT ALL THOSE DAYS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED PERSONAL DAYS.

AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO QUESTION WHETHER PEOPLE ARE OR NOT SICK OR, YOU KNOW, IT'S UP TO THEM.

IT'S A MUCH MORE PROFESSIONAL WAY TO TREAT YOUR, YOUR PEOPLE.

UM, AND I THOUGHT WE WERE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION AND YOU KNOW, THERE'S PROBABLY NOT A BUDGET, A BUDGET ITEM, BUT, BUT I, I SUPPORT THAT COMPLETELY.

IT'S JUST EASIER ON EVERYBODY TO SAY PERSON, CALL THEM PERSONALLY BASED.

AND THEN IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO, IF YOU HAVE A MORALE ISSUE THAT YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH, UM, CAUSE I DO KNOW WE HAVE A PATTERN ON SICK DAYS OF FRIDAYS AND MONDAYS AND FROM MY EXPERIENCE, THAT IS AN INDICATOR THAT THERE'S A MORALE ISSUE AND MAYBE IT'LL BE SOLVED IF WE PAY THEM APPROPRIATELY.

DR.

IT COSTS US SO MUCH TO DO A SUBSTITUTE SO WE COULD SAVE MONEY BY PAYING THE TEACHERS TO NOT TAKE THE DAY OFF.

WELL, YEAH, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING SAID, BUT IT'S JUST POINT, I MEAN, PUTTING IT ON THE BOOKS WOULD MATTER BECAUSE NO ONE'S, CAUSE YOU MIGHT GO ON THAT RIGHT AWAY.

EVERYBODY'S EVERYBODY'S GOING ON IT ONE STEP AT A TIME, RIGHT? ONE MOVING ONE STEP.

YOU KNOW, I THINK, AND HERE IT'S RATHER DISINGENUOUS TO HAVE A 28 YEAR RETIREMENT AND THEN DON'T GO TO STEPS UP TO 28 YEARS AND UNFAIR IN OUR APPROACH.

BOOKER JUST GUARANTEED THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE 28TH STEP WON'T COST US ANYMORE BECAUSE NOBODY'S GOING TO JUMP FROM 25 TO 28, ALTHOUGH THEY'VE BEEN THERE.

SO IT WON'T COST YOU THAT THEN, BUT IT WILL, IT WILL OBLIGATE US TO, TO FULFILL THE OTHER STEPS THIS TIME.

AND THAT THAT'S,

[00:55:01]

THAT'S ONE THING AND THE COST ITEM COST FACTOR TO TEACHERS.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY PAID AT LEAST FIVE EIGHTH OF A TEACHER'S SALARY FOR THE MOST PART, 120 A DAY, I BELIEVE IS 20 A DAY.

AND IF WE'RE A BANK TO BE A BANKING, WE'RE BANKING THOSE IN THE LONG RUN TOWARDS THE TEACHERS AND OF KOREA OR THE INTEREST MIGHT BE A FACT THAT IT WOULD MAKE YOU HAVE YOU RECOUP ELEMENTS, EVERYTHING THAT YOU INVESTED.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE OTHER PART OF IT THAT I THINK WOULD, YOU KNOW, WOULD LEAD US TO DO THAT.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, TEACHERS ARE SAYING, THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT, YOU KNOW, OVER AND OVER TEACHERS HAVE SAID, THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT.

YOU KNOW, NOT JUST THE ONES WHO GET TO THE END OF THE CAREER AND LOOK AT THAT 90 DAYS THAT THEY'VE SAVED UP.

THINK I HAD SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

AND I DON'T REMEMBER GETTING THE CHECK, BUT I GOT A CHECK.

SURE.

BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER.

YOU KNOW, THE IDEA WAS I WANTED TO BE THERE EVERY DAY FOR THE CHILD, BUT, UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, I MIGHT'VE STAYED THERE FOR ALL OF THOSE 90 DAYS.

IF I DIDN'T HAVE SICK DAYS, THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT THAT WAS ONLY GETTING $10 UP.

I KNEW I WAS ONLY GETTING $10 A DAY WITH NO MATTER LIKE TOUGHING IT OUT.

BUT THE OTHER THING ABOUT THIS COMPENSATION FOR LONG-TERM TEACHERS IS THOUGH THE OTHER SERVICE THAT THEY DO.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT, AND THIS MAY BE OFF TOPIC, BUT COACHING STIPENDS AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE PAY PAID SEPARATELY SO THAT IT'S NOT A PART OF THEIR LONG-TERM RETIREMENT MEASURE.

AND THAT'S A CONCERN TOO, THAT THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, FROM A TEACHER'S STANDPOINT, I'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER AND OVER DO ALL THESE EXTRA HOURS.

WE DO ALL THIS EXTRA WORK AND OVER TIME, 25 YEARS GO, GEE, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.

THAT'S NOT BEING REGISTERED.

IS THERE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF YEARS THAT YOU HAVE TO WORK AT A NEW AFTER YOU HAVE TO RETIRE? OR CAN YOU JUST KEEP ON WORKING? NO, SIR.

UH, THERE IS NO, THERE'S NO CERTAIN NUMBER OF YEARS YOU HAVE TO RETIRE.

THERE'S NOT A MANDATORY RETIRE.

OH, COULD YOU ELABORATE ON BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT? WHAT'S THAT? UM, THERE IS, UH, THERE ARE TWO FTES ADDED TO SUPPORT THE STUDENT SERVICES, DIVISION PSYCHOLOGIST AND BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT SPECIALISTS.

UM, THERE WERE SOME IDENTIFIED AT CERTAIN LOCATIONS THAT THERE WERE NEEDS.

AND SO THOSE ARE TWO POSITIONS TO SUPPORT THE BEHAVIORAL, UM, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL NEEDS IN THE DISTRICT SUPPORT THERE, THEY WOULD BE IN SCHOOLS.

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT AS A FEDERAL FUNDING SOURCE.

AND IN TERMS OF, OF SPECIAL ED I'M, I'M, I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED WITH THAT.

UH, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS YEAR ALONE WE HAVE HAD, HAVE NOT BILLY HAD ANY SPELLS TEACHERS AND TEACHERS IN SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE, OUR SCHOOLS.

SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO PAY THEM WHAT THEY'RE WORTH.

AND THERE'S A LOT GOING INTO SPED, SPED TEACHERS AND THEIR TEACHER'S ASSISTANTS ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

AND IF WE DON'T PUT A AND IMPORTANCE ON THAT, IMPLICATED THAT WE VALUE THAT THAT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM.

SO HAVING A 3% OF THAT AND DOING TEACHERS 5.5, TO ME, THAT THAT IS AN ISSUE.

I'M NOT SURE HOW MY COLLEAGUES FEEL ABOUT THAT, BUT TO ME, UH, IN TERMS OF SPED AND WHEN WE SAY THAT WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO, UH, CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP.

THEN YOU KNOW THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO NOW, UH, MOVE FORWARD ON.

AND I DON'T FEEL THAT, THAT THIS RIGHT HERE WILL, WILL SUFFICE THE SUPPORT THAT WHAT WAS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF REQUESTS OF SPECIAL ED POSITION TO ASPHALT 15.

TH THE TOTAL NUMBER OF REQUESTS WAS 15.

UH, THE OTHER 12 WILL BE FUNDED IN IDA

[01:00:01]

SO WE ARE SUPPORTING THAT WITH, WITH FEDERAL FUNDING AS WELL.

UM, THE DISTRICT RECEIVES ABOUT $3 MILLION ANNUALLY FOR THOSE, UH, FOR THE ASSISTANCE WITH, UH, TEACHER SALARIES AND, AND OTHER SUPPLIES.

BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF THAT ALSO, HOW ABOUT THE, CERTAINLY NOT THE NON-CERTIFIED STAFF, UM, THESE ASSISTANTS ARE PRIMARILY PAID IN THE GENERAL FUND, BUT THERE ARE SOME IN SPECIAL EDUCATION AS WELL.

AND IF IN IDA AS WELL, BECAUSE AFTER THAT, WE NEED TO VALUE THEM AS WELL, BECAUSE WITHOUT THE TEACHER'S ASSISTANCE, THAT'S WHY I, THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY WE HAVE TEACHERS TAKE THEM OFF FOR DAYS BECAUSE THEY'RE STRESSED OUT AND THEY CAN'T HAVE THE CLASSES BECAUSE A LOT OF TEACHER'S ASSISTANTS HANDLE THE CLASSES AND HANDLE SOME OF THESE STUDENTS, UNFORTUNATELY, BILLING SOME OF OUR TEACHERS.

SO THAT ONCE AGAIN, AFTER THAT, WE HAVE TO PUT THAT EMPHASIS ON IT.

SO, YEAH.

UM, I JUST HAD, I THINK TWO QUESTIONS.

ONE IS ON STAFF POSITIONS THAT REMAIN ON BUILD OR VACANT.

AT WHAT POINT DO WE TAKE THOSE AWAY OR DO WE DO AWAY WITH THAT VACANCY? LIKE HOW LONG DOES IT HAVE TO REMAIN VACANT FOR US TO DECIDE WE NO LONGER NEED IT, MS. WALTON? THE QUESTION IS IF WE HAVE A VACANCY AND IT'S OPEN FOR A YEAR, AT WHAT POINT DO WE SAY WE NO LONGER REALLY NEED THAT POSITION? YEAH.

A YEAR, SIX MONTHS, THREE MONTHS, HOW LONG DOES IT SIT VACANT? AND WE DON'T FILL IT BEFORE WE DECIDE WE NO LONGER NEED TO EVEN ADVERTISE OR HAVE THIS POSITION.

I DON'T THINK WE PUT A LIMITATION ON IT BECAUSE WE COULD HAVE ONE VACANCY THAT IS VACANT FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES.

AND IT'S THE SAME POSITION.

SO POSITIONS ARE VACANT BASED ON WHO COMES AND WHO.

SO IF I HAVE A COACHING POSITION OPEN, IT COULD CLOSE AND OPEN AGAIN.

SO WE DON'T TAKE ANY POSITIONS DOWN BECAUSE THOSE POSITIONS THERE, BECAUSE WE NEED THEM.

IF WE CANNOT FILL THEM, WE MIGHT RE ALIGN THEM AND CHANGE IT TO SOMETHING THAT MIGHT FIT.

OTHERWISE, BREAK IT INTO TWO POSITIONS, MAKE IT A PART TIME POSITION.

SO WE TRY TO MAKE WORKFORCE, BUT WE DON'T TAKE IT DOWN IF IT'S THERE BECAUSE IT'S THERE BECAUSE WE NEED IT FOR SOME REASON.

I WAS JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND FROM A BUDGET PERSPECTIVE, IF THERE WAS A POSITION THAT WAS OPEN AND IT REMAINED UNFILLED.

BUT IF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS BASICALLY THAT IF WE DO ALLOCATE A POSITION AND IT REMAINS UNFILLED, WE WILL REABSORB IT IF YOU WILL, INTO SOMETHING ELSE.

THAT'S CORRECT.

GOT IT.

UM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND THEN, UM, JUST A SUGGESTION OR A COMMENT REALLY IN LOOKING AT THE BUDGET PAPERWORK.

AND, UM, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME POSITIONS BEING FUNDED FROM IDA AND TITLE BLANK, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR US TO SEE IT, SEE THESE NEW STAFFING ALLOCATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT WITH SOME TYPE OF IDENTIFIER WITH THEM.

UM, I KNOW THAT IN SOME OF THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS AT THE STATE LEVEL, THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM, OKAY, WE'RE FUNDING.

THESE THEY'RE GOING TO BE FUNDING ANYTHING ELSE FROM THEIR GENERAL OPERATING BUDGET.

AND SO I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO KIND OF PUT ON THAT LENS IN THAT CAB WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR, OUR BUDGET PROCESSES.

SO THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN FUTURE DISCUSSIONS IF WE WERE ABLE TO BREAK DOWN, OKAY, THESE MIGHT LOOK LIKE NEW POSITIONS, BUT THE MONEY WOULD BE COMING FROM ELSEWHERE.

NOT NECESSARILY FROM THE GENERAL BUDGET.

CAP WITH AN EIGHT AND A HALF PERCENT INFLATION RATE, WHICH IS ANTICIPATED TO CONTINUE GOING UP, I WORRY THAT WE'RE GOING TO NOT, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TROUBLE HIRING MAINTENANCE WORKERS AND CUSTODIAL WORKERS AND SUBSTITUTES.

AND JUST A QUICK POINT OF INFORMATION IS THAT CON OR WE WE'VE CONCLUDED THE BUDGET PRESENTATION, RIGHT? THERE'S NOT ANOTHER SECTION WHERE THESE ARE.

WE ASKED ALL OUR QUESTIONS NOW I'M NOT QUITE, I HAVE A FEW MORE THINGS.

AND I WAS GOING TO TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO TEACHER SALARIES WITH A SPECIFIC, OKAY, WELL, LET ME HIT THIS BEFORE WE GET TO THE DEEP DIVE.

I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO LIKE HIJACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PRESENTATION, BUT I DO ONE THING THAT YOU BROUGHT UP THE CONTRACTED SERVICES BEING CAPPED AT 3%.

AND I KNOW THAT'S ESS FOR OUR SUBSTITUTES, RIGHT? MAINTENANCE AND CUSTODIAL.

AND I SAW HERE THAT WE ARE, UM, TO PROVIDE FOR AN INCREASED NEED FOR SUBSTITUTE SUPPORT, OUTSOURCE SERVICES HAVE BEEN UTILIZED CONTRACTED SERVICES.

THIS SERVICE CONTRACT PROVIDES SUBSTITUTES AND IS NOW FILLING PARAPROFESSIONAL VACANCIES RESULTING IN A NET SAVINGS TO THE DISTRICT FROM A FISCAL, UH, CONSERVATIVE POINT OF VIEW.

THAT'S GREAT.

I WANT TO SEE THE DISTRICT SEND MONEY TO SAVE MONEY, BUT AT A 3%

[01:05:01]

AND I KNOW THAT THERE IS A LOT OF DISTRESS, UM, WITH ESS AND HOW WE WERE PAYING A PAIR OF PROFESSIONAL TEACHER'S ASSISTANTS, 12, $13 AN HOUR.

UM, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, PARKER'S GAS STATION STARTS AT 1450.

SO WHILE I APPRECIATE THE SAME AS THE DISTRICT, IS THAT THE BEST LONGTERM PLAN FOR THOSE FAIRLY CRITICAL, UM, SERVICES.

UM, THIS ONE, UH, AS SHE COMES UP, I'M GONNA MAKE A FEW POINTS, UM, FOR SUBSTITUTES THIS YEAR, UH, WE DID INCREASE FROM $90 A DAY TO $220 A DAY.

SO THAT WAS SOME BY THE HOUR, RIGHT.

UM, SOME MAY BE PAID BY THE HOUR, UM, BUT THEY'RE PAID BY THE DAY.

UM, SO ALSO, UM, THE CONTRACTED SERVICES, UH, YEP.

MAINTENANCE, CUSTODIAL FOOD SERVICES ARE CONTRACTED SERVICES AND ARE KEPT AT THE 3%.

UM, AND THEN THE PARAPROFESSIONALS NEW PAIR PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE COMING ON ARE TEACHER ASSISTANTS WITH THE DISTRICT WOULD GO WITH THE ESS AND, UH, THEIR PAY, THEIR PAY RATE IS ACTUALLY HIGHER THAN WHAT OUR CURRENT SCHEDULE ALLOWS FOR.

SO I'LL, I'LL LET MS. WALTON TAKE IT FROM THERE.

MS. BOLT, RIGHT? YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE PARAPROS IS, OH, NO, I, I THOUGHT, I THOUGHT THAT USS NOW THAT I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THAT QUESTION, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT WE, THE PARAPROFESSIONALS, THE, UM, CLASSIFIED, UH, ESS WAS BEING PAID ON A FORMULA BY THE HOUR THEY ARE BEING PAID BY THE HOUR BY US.

THE, UM, PARAPROS ARE BEING PAID $15 AN HOUR.

AND THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PAIR PORTALS ARE BEING PAID $18 AN HOUR.

I DO HAVE A, UM, WORKSHEET THAT, UH, SOMEONE SHOWED ME WHERE THERE WAS A FORMULA DONE.

SHE'S GOT A BACHELOR'S DEGREE, BUT SHE'S NOT CERTIFIED.

AND SHE WAS MAKING 13, 28 AN HOUR BASED ON THE PAYMENT FORMULA, A PARAPROFESSIONAL SHOWED YOU THAT TEACHER ASSISTANT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN A PARAPROFESSIONAL.

SO I JUST DID.

I GOT THE TERM, SO I GUESS I'M TALKING ABOUT TEACHER ASSISTANTS THEN AS WELL THAT WE'VE GOT TEACHER ASSISTANCE AT 1328 AN HOUR WITH A BATHROOM.

THAT'S PROBABLY CORRECT.

AND THOSE ARE OUR TEACHING, OUR TEACHER POSITIONS.

THEY BELONG TO BUFORD, NOT ESS.

WELL, I'LL HAVE TO GET, LET ME GET WITH YOU LATER.

CAUSE SHE SENT ME SOME DOCUMENTS THAT SEEM PRETTY LEGITIMATE.

SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON.

FUNDING CAN COME FROM IDA.

UM, ON PAGE 11, IT SAYS THAT SCHOOL STAFFING ALLOCATIONS ARE AT 1.8 MILLION, BUT PAGE 14 SAYS IT'S 2.028 MILLION, WHICH ONE IS CORRECT.

OR IS THERE JUST MAYBE SOMETHING IN ONE THAT'S NOT IN THE OTHER, MAYBE I'M READING IT WRONG.

WHAT, WHAT PAGE NUMBERS? SORRY, ON THIS SLIDE.

THE SLIDES ON SLIDE 11.

I THINK IT WAS, DOES THE SCHOOL STAFFING ALLOCATIONS AT 1.8 AND THEN ON PAGE 14, IT'S GOT A TOTAL SCHOOL STAFFING ALLOCATION OF 2.0 2, 8 30 0 IT'S.

UM, SLIDE 11 AND SLIDE 14.

I THINK THERE MIGHT JUST BE LOOKING AT, YEAH, SLIDE 11, THE TOP, UH, TITLES AS SUMMARY OF 20 22, 20 23 INCREASES.

AND UNDER THE LINE ITEM OF SCHOOL STAFFING ALLOCATIONS THAT SAYS A TOTAL AMOUNT OF 1.8 MILLION.

AND THEN ON PAGE 14, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE BREAKDOWN OF THAT, UM, LINE ITEM.

IT SAYS 2.028 IS THE TOTAL PROJECTED COST.

IT HAS TO DO, UM, IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE SPECIAL ED TEACHERS.

I THINK THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME CONFUSION ON THE FUNDING SOURCE, IDA VERSUS GENERAL FUNDS.

SO IT IS THE AMOUNT OF THE, SO WE'LL GO BACK AND REVIEW THAT AND FIND OUT WHAT THE DIFFERENCE, BUT THAT HAS SOMETHING TO DO THERE, BUT THOSE ARE INTENDED TO BE IN THE GENERAL FUND.

WE DO HAVE TO, WE DO HAVE TO HAVE, WE HAVE A MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT FORMULA, UH, AS OPPOSED TO THE MAINTENANCE OF EQUITY FORMULA.

THERE'S ANOTHER MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT FORMULA IN THE GENERAL FUND THAT REQUIRES US TO MEET, UM, THE SAME LEVEL OF SPENDING PER PUPIL IN THE GENERAL FUND FOR SPECIAL, FOR THE NUMBER OF SPECIAL ED STUDENTS.

AND SO THAT NUMBER MUST CONTINUE TO CLIMB AS YOUR ENROLLMENT CLIMBS.

SO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FUNDING EQUALLY IN THE GENERAL FUND AND THEN, UM, ADDITIONAL

[01:10:01]

SO MY APOLOGIES.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I WASN'T DOING ANYTHING.

AND THEN MY OTHER COMMENT SLASH QUESTION IS IN REGARD TO SLIP IT.

SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IF I UNDERSTAND THIS CORRECTLY, THAT THE RETROACTIVE 3% COLA THAT WE DID WAS BASED ON A HISTORICAL 6 MILLION OF SLIPPAGE AND MOVING FORWARD THOUGH, IF THAT'S HISTORICAL AND THERE'S ABOUT 6 MILLION OF SLIPPAGE EACH YEAR, DO WE HAVE ANY PLANS AND HOW TO, UM, WRAP THAT INTO INCREASED STAFFING ALLOCATIONS OR TO USE THAT SLIPPAGE TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT? OR ARE WE PLANNING TO USE THAT YEAR OVER YEAR FOR COLA INCREASES? I GUESS I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF WE KNOW THAT'S A HISTORICAL TREND, WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT IN THE FUTURE TO MAKE SURE THAT AGAIN, WE'RE NOT INCREASING MILLAGE YEAR OVER YEAR AND THAT WE'RE KEEPING WE'RE USING THAT TO OUR ADVANTAGE, RIGHT? UM, THE TRICKY THING WITH SLIPPAGE IS REALLY YOU, YOU DON'T KNOW FROM YEAR TO YEAR WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE.

UM, BUT WHAT WE'VE DONE IS SORT OF BRING THE BUDGET DOWN TO A LEVEL THAT ACCURATELY REFLECTS THE EXPENDITURES THAT WE'RE EXPECTING TO HAVE.

SO THAT'S A PERMANENT DECREASE TO OUR BUDGET.

UH, WE'LL, WE'LL CONTINUE TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INCLUDING SLIPPAGE ANNUALLY, BUT WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL BECAUSE SOME, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN YEARS WHERE THEY MAY HAVE LARGE PAY INCREASES, WE MAY NOT HAVE AS MUCH SLIPPAGE.

SO, UM, SO IT'S, UH, IT'S A BALANCING ACT WE HAVE TO MAKE, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ACCOUNTING FOR EVERY YEAR, INSTEAD OF JUST FULLY FUNDING, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE POSITIONS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.

WE KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME SLIPPAGE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

UM, AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO, UM, RECORD THAT EACH YEAR AND AS, AS A REDUCTION OF SOME SORT AND THE NUMBER MAY, THE PERCENTAGE MAY FLUCTUATE FROM YEAR TO YEAR, BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO ACCOUNT FOR IT.

SO, UH, I EXPECT IT TO BE A PERMANENT, UH, REDUCTION OF SOME SORT EVERY SINGLE YEAR, MAYBE WITH A SLIGHT FLUCTUATION OF VALUE.

AND THE REASON I ASKED THAT IS BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE A PLAN OF HOW IT'S GOING TO BE USED OR WHATNOT.

AND WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE CHART, UM, I WAS THINKING TO MYSELF, WELL, WHY ISN'T THE SLIPPAGE, YOU KNOW, BEING ACCOUNTED FOR IN THE SLIDE FOR THE STAFFING ALLOCATIONS? AND THEN I RECALL IT, IT WAS RETROACTIVE POINT, DID IT, BECAUSE IT CAME TO US OR WE HAD THAT NUMBER AT THE END OF THE YEAR TO DO THE RETROACTIVE.

UM, I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE COULD WORK THAT INTO FUTURE STAFFING ALLOCATION THINGS AROUND BUDGET TIME.

I THINK IT'S, IN MY OPINION, I WOULD BE BRINGING THAT NUMBER FORWARD EVERY YEAR TO, TO REFLECT THAT SLIPPAGE MOUNT.

SO WE'LL BUDGET IT, THE FULL A HUNDRED PERCENT OF EVERY POSITION.

AND THEN WE'LL TAKE, BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY OUR SOFTWARE SYSTEM WORKS.

IT TAKES EVERY POSITION AND EVERY VACANCY AND BRINGS A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE SALARY IN.

SO THAT'S HOW WE BEGIN OUR BUDGET.

AND THEN WE'LL TAKE, UH, MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT ANNUALLY TO BRING THAT DOWN A LITTLE.

UNDERSTOOD.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE COMMENT.

UM, I THINK WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY DISTRICT IN THE STATE, I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.

WE HAVE IT NOT ONLY IN THE STATE, BUT IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND IF WE, AS A BOARD WANT TO, TO, UM, GET THOSE FOLKS HERE THAT WE NEED AND WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH THE MONEY AND THE SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I MEAN TALKING ABOUT IT, AIN'T GOING TO CHANGE.

I CAN, YOU CAN TELL ALL YOU WANT, THAT'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE IT.

THEN YOU HAVE TO COME UP WITH THE FUNDS AND THE SUPPORT, AND THEN WE CAN GET THOSE FOLKS HERE.

NEXT SLIDE IS OPERATIONAL IS EXPENDITURE INCREASES.

UM, WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT SERVICE, SORRY, MR. CAMPBELL.

OH, MY APOLOGIES.

UH, BLENDS.

GO MANAGE THAT WHICH WAY HE WANTS TO GO.

I NEED TO PUT MY BLACK FACE IN FRONT OF IT.

SORRY.

BUT ANYWAY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION THAT RATIO ACCIDENTS, IT'S PRIMARILY A, UH, A MANAGEMENT QUESTION THAT, YOU KNOW, TANYA, WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO ANSWER BECAUSE HE DOESN'T KNOW HOW THAT ADJUSTMENT IS GOING TO BE MADE IN TERMS OF THE, UH, FOR PLANNING.

WE GO, WE GOT TO SPEND THAT MONEY AHEAD OF TIME AND SHIFT THE STAFFING AND, YOU KNOW, THE TEACHER ASSIGNMENTS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE THAT KIND OF SLIPPAGE, BUT WE GOT MAYBE GETTING MORE BANG FOR OUR BUCK CURRENTLY.

OR DO WE KEEP THAT MATH SLOT OPEN TO TAKE BECAUSE THE HIGH SCHOOL NEEDS ANOTHER MATH TEACHER OR THE WEEK SOLID AND NOT HIGH.

ANOTHER MATH TEACHER, SIMPLE IS SIMPLE AS THAT.

AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ENCOURAGE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, BUT THAT'S STILL UP TO FRANK DUDE TO

[01:15:01]

SO THAT'S, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT COMMENT.

ONE MORE QUESTION, AND I THINK WE SHOULD LET TANYA CONTINUE WITH HER PRESENTATION.

AND, WELL, MY QUESTION IS GOING BACK TO MRS. UH, MS. QUESTIONS, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MUCH DO WE, HOW MUCH ARE WE PAYING SUBS $120 A DAY FOR CERTIFIED SUB, RIGHT.

BUT HOW ABOUT UNCERTIFIED? AND WE'RE PAYING THAT TO ESA.

HOW DOES THAT WORK? WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS, THIS WALTON, MR. SMITH? WHAT PROCESS DO YOU WANT ME TO EXPLAIN THE PROCESS OF HOW WE PAY SUBS? WHO, WHERE, WHERE, WHERE, WHEN DO I KNOW, HOW DOES IT ALL TAKES PLACE? CERTIFIED SUBS, $120 A DAY, NON-CERTIFIED SUBS $90 A DAY.

NON-CERTIFIED PARA-PROS $75 A DAY.

AND, AND, AND, AND WE GO TO REASSESS OR CORRECT.

THAT IS CORRECT.

AND SO, UH, SO BASICALLY WE JUST MADE, SO BASICALLY ESS THEY BILL US FOR HOW MANY SUBS ARE THEY USING IN THE BUILDING? AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PAYING ESS.

THAT IS CORRECT.

UH, WE CONTRACT WITH ESS TO PROVIDE THAT STAFF FORCE.

THEY PAY THE STAFF AND BILL US FOR WHAT THEY PAID.

WE DETERMINE THE SALARY, WE DETERMINE WHAT WE WANT THEM TO PAY OUR SUBS.

THEY PAY THEM THAT AND BILL US.

SO THEN MY QUESTION WOULD BE TO THE BOARD, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE WITH ABOUT WHY WOULD WE, BECAUSE I'VE HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE TO ASK ME THAT, YOU KNOW, WHY, WHY ARE WE PAYING ESS TO, TO PAY US SOMETHING WE CAN PAY OURSELVES OURSELVES? I MEAN, WE'VE, WE DID IT ONCE BEFORE.

I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF THESE POSITIONS THAT WE'RE ASKING THESE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS TO COME IN AND TAKE OUR PARTAKE IN.

I THINK THAT WHERE THAT AT, WHEN, WHEN, WHEN WE GO OUT FOR A BOND, YOU KNOW, THESE PEOPLE, THEY REMEMBER THAT, YOU KNOW, SO I THINK THAT IT, I THINK IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE WHO WAS TO PAY OUR, BUT TO PAY OUR RESIDENTS IN OUR, UH, IN OUR TAXPAYERS AND DIRECTLY VERSUS HAVING AN, I HAVE TO GO THROUGH A COMPANY BECAUSE OF THE CITY.

I WOULD ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTION ABOUT CUSTODIANS.

HOW MUCH DO WE PAY CUSTODIANS? I'M NOT SURE.

AND THE REASON WHY I'M BRINGING THIS UP IS BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT CUSTODIANS HAVE SAID, LISTEN, DO THE WHOLE PANDEMIC, GOD, GIVE OUT ALL THOSE BONUSES.

WE DIDN'T SEE ANY.

SO HOW DOES THE BOARD REALLY FEEL ABOUT US? BECAUSE YOU GOT A NEW COMPANY RIGHT BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, AND Y'ALL GIVE ALL THOSE BONUSES TO STAFF MEMBERS AND DISTRICT EMPLOYEES, AND Y'ALL ENFORCE THE ASSESSED TO GIVE US ANY.

SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE A, A DEEP DIVE AND LOOK AT AT SOME POINT IN TIME, HOPEFULLY SOONER THAN LATER, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT SAY, WELL, IT'S NOT REALLY A BIG OF DEAL.

IT IS A BIG OF A DEAL BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK OUT TO THE SAME PEOPLE AND WE'RE GOING TO ASK THEM TO VOTE ON A BOND REFERENDUM.

AND WHY WOULD I SUPPORT SOMEONE WHO DOES SUPPORT ME? I'M WORKING IN THE SCHOOLS.

I WANT THIS, I WANT THE SAME, THIS THE SAME, UM, THIS, THAT ONE OF THE SAME, UH, WHAT'S THE WORD, HOW ARE THE SAME, UM, OPTIONS THAT THE PEOPLE WHO I'M WORKING WITH HAVE? SO TH THAT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE, WE NEED TO START TAKING A LOOK AT IN TERMS OF THIS BUDGET.

ALRIGHT.

LET'S, LET'S MOVE ON.

WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO OPERATIONAL INCREASES.

SO, UH, THE PRIMARILY THE, UH, AREA OF LARGEST INCREASES OUR CHARTER SCHOOL.

UM, THE ALLOCATION FOR A CHARTER SCHOOL IS STRICTLY DEFINED IN STATE LAW.

UM, IT'S ACTUALLY, UH, SOUTH CAROLINA CODE SECTION 59, 40 DASH ONE 40.

IT ACTUALLY DEFINES THE, UH, AMOUNT OF THE FORMULA THAT WE ARE TO ALLOCATE.

IT IS THE PRIOR YEAR'S ACTUAL REVENUES DIVIDED BY THE WEIGHTED PUPIL UNITS OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND MULTIPLIED BY THE NUMBER OF S A WEIGHTED UNITS AT RIVERVIEW IN THE CURRENT YEAR.

SO, UM, SO THE, ANY DISTRICT SPONSORED CHARTER SCHOOL IS CALCULATED IN THAT MANNER.

UM, LAST YEAR OR THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR, WE ACTUALLY, UH, WE APPROVED A MILLAGE INCREASE AND WE WERE AT 121.6 MILS.

UM, THAT WAS A SIGNIFICANT TAX REVENUE, UH, BENEFIT TO THE DISTRICT.

UH, SO A PORTION OF THOSE FUNDS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO RIVERVIEW BASED

[01:20:01]

ON THE FORMULA.

SO THAT DOES REFLECT A $2 MILLION INCREASE TO THEIR BUDGET.

UH, CONTRACTED SERVICES ARE, UH, INCREASES THE STANDARD INCREASES FOR OUR MAJOR CONTRACTS.

UH, AND THESE WOULD INCLUDE ANY ENERGY INCREASES AS WELL, UH, 670,000 THERE.

AND, UH, WE HAVE THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

WE HAVE 300,000, SOME PEOPLE ACTIVITIES AND ATHLETIC INSURANCE OF ABOUT 200,000, UH, PROPERTY INSURANCE, UH, ANNUAL INCREASES THERE ABOUT 45,000, AND THEN OUR SAVINGS ON SHIFTING TO THE PREPARE PROFESSIONALS.

UM, AND NOW BEING ABLE TO FILL THOSE, UH, WITH OUR CONTRACTED VENDOR, UH, WE'RE HAVING, UH, EXPERIENCING A SAVINGS ABOUT 650,000.

SO THERE'S SOME OTHER MINOR INCREASES ON THE FINAL SLIDE.

THERE ARE RELATIVELY INSIGNIFICANT, BUT, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE A LOT OF OUR SR FUNDS THIS YEAR ON SUPPLIES, SUPPLIES, INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPLIES, AND MATERIALS.

SO IT ALLOWS US NOT TO, UM, HAVE SOME OF THOSE COSTS IN THE GENERAL FUND.

THIS IS MY THINKING, THANK YOU.

UM, QUESTION ON THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, UM, IS, ARE THOSE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER ESSER? UM, THOSE ARE, UM, THOSE ARE AN AREA THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, BECAUSE TO SEE IF THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SR IN LIGHT OF SPECIALLY, SOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT POTENTIALLY INCREASING FOR OTHER, OTHER DESIRED AREAS OR OTHER PRIORITIES OF THE BUDGET, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING TO SEE IF THAT WILL BE A POSSIBILITY, BUT DEFINITELY WE KEPT ESTER AND OTHER ALL SPECIAL REVENUE.

UH, IN MIND THIS YEAR, DENISE MATTSON WAS WONDERFUL, OUR DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL REVENUE.

UM, WE REALLY SAT DOWN AND TRIED TO MAXIMIZE THE USE OF THOSE FUNDS TO AVOID, UM, MAJOR, UH, ANY INCREASES IN THIS BUDGET.

SO THAT'S AN AREA WHERE WE'LL DEFINITELY BE LOOKING AT, THANK YOU.

AND THEN MY OTHER QUESTION IS IN REGARD TO PUPIL ACTIVITIES, UM, IS THAT NOT COVERED ON THE AMOUNT THAT WE COLLECT AND THAT, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS LOOK AT THAT LOVELY CHART AND YOUR QUARTERLY REVIEWS HAS THE PUPIL ACTIVITIES.

SO I JUST WONDER IF THAT WOULDN'T BE COVERED UNDER THE DISTRICT AMOUNT.

THESE ARE INCREASES AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL OF FOUR FIELD TRIPS.

THEY DON'T THINK THAT THEY'VE BEEN GOING ON FIELD TRIPS MUCH IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, SO THAT REFLECTED AN INCREASED THIS YEAR TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE EXPERIENCES.

GOTCHA.

AND LAST THING, I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT THE DECREASE IN TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE WAS NOT MORE GIVEN THAT WE'VE DONE A BUNCH OF REFRESHES AND USED US OR MONEY.

SO, UM, CAN YOU JUST MAYBE SPEAK TO WHAT KIND OF EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE THAT ENCOMPASSES? I JUST FIGURED IT WOULD BE MORE, UH, I DON'T KNOW THAT I CAN TELL YOU THE DETAILS OF THAT TODAY, BUT I CAN DEFINITELY BRING IT BACK TO FOR OUR NEXT DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU, MR. SMITH.

NOW I'M REALLY, I'M REALLY INTENT ON LETTING TONYA FINISH HIS SECTION OF HER PRESENTATION.

SO TRY TO MAKE IT WELL IN TERMS OF THE ATHLETIC INSURANCES.

UM, WHY IS THAT COMING OUT OF, OUT OF THAT? I MEAN, CAN ALL THOSE GAMES THAT WE HAVEN'T GOT TO SCHOOLS, CAN WE NOT GET THAT FROM, FROM THE, FROM THE, FROM THE GATES, UH, ATHLETIC INSURANCE, UH, IS, UH, IS A DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT WE SUPPORT TO, FOR STUDENTS WHO DON'T OTHERWISE HAVE ANY INSURANCE THAT THEY, THAT WE WOULD BE COVERED UNDER OUR, EXCUSE ME, COVERED UNDER OUR PLAN.

COULD WE PAY IT FROM THE GATES? UH, YES, THAT WOULD BE REDUCING THE AMOUNT THAT STUDENT, UH, THAT THE SCHOOLS HAVE IN THEIR STUDENT ACTIVITY FUNDS.

UM, SO, AND WE WOULD HAVE TO DO IT BASED ON, UH, CALCULATE THE BASIS OF WHO ALL WHO IS HAVING, WHO IS, UM, UTILIZING THAT INSURANCE CLAIMS AGAINST THAT INSURANCE PER SCHOOL.

SO I'M NOT SURE THAT, UH, SOME OF THE SCHOOLS MAY NOT HAVE AN ADEQUATE LEVEL OF STUDENT ACTIVITY FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT.

ALSO, I THINK IT'S HELPFUL FOR THOSE SCHOOLS WITH THEIR GATE IN TERMS OF RUNNING THAT ATHLETIC PROGRAM OR THOSE ATHLETIC PROGRAMS AND NOT EVERY ATHLETIC PROGRAM GENERATES THE SAME KIND OF FUNDS, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, A VOLLEYBALL GAME MIGHT HAVE FIVE PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE, BUT YOU'RE STILL PAYING FOR OFFICIATING OF THAT GAME AND EVERYTHING ELSE, RIGHT? SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT ALL EQUAL WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, 300 PEOPLE IN AN ATTENDANCE.

AND I DO, I DO UNDERSTAND HOW, HOWEVER, I THINK THAT SOME OF THESE MIGHT HAVE SOME OF THE MONEY THAT COMES TO, THAT COMES FROM THE GATE SHOULD BE USED.

AND IN TERM, IN TERMS OF THIS RIGHT HERE, WHEREVER.

SO I'LL PUT A SMALL PROPORTION AND THAT TO BE ALL, BUT SOMETHING JUST, JUST TO CURB THAT COST, THAT'S JUST,

[01:25:01]

OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO, UH, SLIDE NUMBER 17.

SO, UH, EACH YEAR WE DIVIDE OUR BUDGETED CATEGORIES INTO THREE, THREE MAIN AREAS, LEADERSHIP AND OTHER, UH, UH, SO THOSE ARE 34.5 MILLION OPERATIONS IS 53 MILLION AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT 209 MILLION.

NOW, EVEN LOOKING AT INCREASES ALL ALONG, THIS IS THE TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT OF THE BUDGETS AND THOSE, THOSE THREE CATEGORY AREAS.

UH, AND YOU'LL SEE THAT 71% OF THE, OF THE SPENDING OF THE TOTAL IS, UM, INSTRUCTION AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT.

UM, SO THAT SHOULD SAY INSTRUCTION THERE.

SO, UM, THERE ARE SOME DETAILS ON PAGE 11 OF THE HANDOUT.

I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA MOVE TO TEACHER SALARIES BEFORE MOVING ON TO ANY, ANY OTHER HIGH-LEVEL DETAILS THOUGH.

SO, UM, WE'RE GOING TO GO ON TO SLIDE NUMBER 18.

SO SINCE THERE IS, ARE SIGNIFICANT, UM, UH, EMPHASIS ON TEACHER SALARIES IN THIS BUDGET, I WANTED TO SORT OF TAKE A DEEPER DIVE.

AND ONE OF THE REQUESTS, UM, OF A BOARD MEMBER PREVIOUSLY WAS TO GAIN A COPY OF FIND A COPY OF THE, UH, DISTRICT COMPARISON OF ALL THE DISTRICTS IN THE STATE AND THEIR BASE TEACHER SALARIES.

AND SO, UM, ON THE SLIDE YOU SEE BEFORE YOU IS JUST A HANDFUL OF DISTRICTS, SOME OF THEM ARE NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS AND OTHERS ARE, UH, PEER DISTRICTS.

SOME OF 'EM ARE OUR SIZE OR THOSE THAT WE MAY BE COMPETING WITH FOR, UM, FOR STAFFING.

SO ON THE SLIDE YOU SEE THERE, UH, WE ARE, UH, WE ARE, OR ARE BEEN GETTING TEACHER'S SALARY FOR THE BEGINNING OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR WAS STATED AT $37,928.

WE'VE SINCE RAISED THAT BY 3%, UM, WHICH WE WILL RECEIVE IN, UH, IN A LUMP SUM PAYOUT.

AND THAT THAT PERCENTAGE WILL BE ADDED TO THE NEW SALARY TABLE, WHICH WILL BRING US TO 37 0 6, UH, EXCUSE ME, 3,966.

SO $39,066.

SO THIS IS A COMPARISON, UH, YOU SEE, JASPER IS AT 38, 9 15, CURRENTLY ALLENDALE 3,999 AND SO ON.

SO WE'RE REALLY AT THE LOW END OF THE SCALE AS, AS, AS A PERCENT AS OUR BASE TEACHER SALARY.

AND THESE DO NOT INCLUDE THE LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT.

SO IN THE HANDOUT IS, IS A LISTING OF 77 SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

UH, IT WAS VERY ENLIGHTENING WHEN I PULL, WHEN, UH, MY STAFF PUT THIS TOGETHER AND RANKED THEM.

WE WERE ACTUALLY WITH OUR BASE TEACHER SALARY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, WE WERE 53RD OF 77 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN TERMS OF THE BASE TEACHER SALARY.

WE ARE THE 10TH LARGEST DISTRICT IN THE STATE IN TERMS OF ENROLLMENT.

SO W SO FORTUNATELY WE WERE ABLE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON THE TEACHER SALARY THIS YEAR WITH A 3% COST OF LIVING AND MOVED US UP TO 40TH, UH, AT $39,066.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

I HIGHLIGHTED ALLENDALE AS A PLACEHOLDER.

WE WOULD FALL JUST BELOW THEIR 39TH PLACE AT 40.

SO MY GOAL IN THIS BUDGET AND BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS, UH, THE BOARD HAS HAD IN COMMITTEES AND OTHERS WAS THAT TEACHER SALARIES WOULD BE THE EMPHASIS THIS YEAR.

SO MY GOAL WAS TO FIND OUT AS MUCH INFORMATION AS I COULD ABOUT THE TOP FIVE.

I WILL AT LEAST TWO OF THE DISTRICTS IN TOP FIVE, UH, R M I ACTUALLY, UM, I SPOKE WITH GREENVILLE AND YORK FOUR, WHICH IS FORT MILL, UM, IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS.

AND THEY ARE BOTH INCREASING BY $2,000, BUT THEY ARE ALREADY AT 41,600 OR 41,400.

SO THEY'RE MOVING INTO THE 43 HIGH $43,000 RANGE.

AND SO MY GOAL WITH THIS BUDGET IS TO MOVE US INTO THE TOP FIVE OF THE SALARIES IN THE STATE.

AS YOU NOTE, AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE S OF THAT HANDOUT, NORTH CAROLINA IS AT 35,004 60 IS THEIR BASE SALARY.

AND GEORGE'S A STATE FORMULA IS 44,880.

WE'RE MUCH CLOSER TO GEORGIA THAN WE ARE NORTH CAROLINA.

AND, UH, WE'RE COMPETING WITH CHATHAM COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AS WELL.

UH, SO NOT ONLY ARE WE, UM, COMPETING WITH OTHER DISTRICTS AROUND US, WE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE, UH, A NEIGHBORING COUNTY, UH, THAT'S PAYING SIGNIFICANTLY

[01:30:01]

MORE.

SO THAT WAS REALLY AN EMPHASIS THIS YEAR AND A GOAL, UM, THAT I WANTED TO FULFILL A NEED THAT, UM, IS, IS DEFINITELY THERE PRESENT.

AND, UH, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT IT FROM TEACHERS AND IN EMAILS RECENTLY AS WELL.

I THINK IN ADDITION, YOU KNOW, WHEN, WHEN WE SAY WE'RE COMPETING WITH, UH, STATE NEXT DOOR, I MEAN, THE REALITY IS THAT WITH TEACHER SHORTAGES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE ARE COMPETING WITH EVERY STATE.

THAT'S THE REALITY, YOU KNOW, SO I'M GOING TO SKIP TWO SLIDES FORWARD AND I CAN COME BACK TO THE NARRATIVE THERE.

UM, THE TEACHER SALARY SCHEDULE, THIS IS A DEPICTION OF, UH, THE, UM, MULTI YEARS OF BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT TEACHER SALARY.

SO THIS WILL, THIS STARTS IN 20 20, 20, 21 SCHOOL YEAR.

SO LAST SCHOOL YEAR IS ON THE FIRST BAR ON THE LEFT SIDE.

AND WE WERE AT 36, 9 28.

UM, WE DO HAVE A LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT OF $5,000.

SO THAT'S IN YELLOW THERE, UH, FOR A TOTAL OF 41, 9 28.

SO I DON'T WANT TO DISCOUNT THE FACT THAT WE DO PUT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUNDING INTO OUR LOCALITY SUPPLEMENTS.

AND THOSE ARE PAID TWICE A YEAR.

THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED IN THE BASE, AND THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED ON THE DISTRICT MINIMUM SALARY SCHEDULE THAT IS POSTED ON THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE.

AND IT'S NOT THAT CALI SUPPLEMENT IS NOT IN THE DISTRICT SALARY SCHEDULE ON OUR WEBSITE.

SO IF SOMEONE'S LOOKING AT THOSE SCHEDULES AND MAKING A DECISION BASED ON THE AMOUNT OF SALARY, THAT'S NOT REFLECTED, IT'S REFLECTED BELOW THE LINE AND IN THE NARRATIVE.

AND IT'S ALSO NOT INCLUDED IN THEIR RETIREMENT EARNINGS.

SO THIS PAST YEAR, UH, WE RAISED, UH, AS A STATE MANDATE, A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THE 37, 9 28, WHERE WE BEGAN IN THE CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR WITH A BASE TEACHER SALARY.

AND AGAIN, THE 3.3% COST OF LIVING RETROACTIVE THAT WE APPROVED, UH, JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO, MOVED US TO 3,966 WITH THIS $4,000 INCREASE THAT'S PROPOSED TODAY.

IT WOULD MOVE JUST TO 4,366, WHICH, WHICH POSITIONS US, I BELIEVE TO BE IN THE TOP FIVE POTENTIALLY OR SEVEN OR SO IN THE STATE.

IT PUTS THE S UH, JUST BELOW WHERE I BELIEVE THAT THE GREENVILLES AND THE FORT MILLS AND THOSE DISTRICTS ARE MOVING TOWARD.

SO THAT IS THE GOAL IS TO, UH, MOVE US, POSITION US IN A, IN A BETTER, UH, PUT US IN A BETTER LIGHT, PUT US, UH, PUT OUR SALARY SCHEDULE, UH, UP THERE WITH THE TOP FIVE AND STATE LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT.

UM, THAT $5,000, UM, IS, IS VOTED UPON EVERY YEAR BY THE BOARD.

SO IT'S NOT A PERMANENT AND GUARANTEED THING, RIGHT? BECAUSE THE BOARD VOTES ON THAT EVERY YEAR AND EVERY YEAR THEY VOTED IN.

BUT, BUT I KNOW OUR RECRUITERS AND OUR HR TEAM WHEN THEY'RE OUT THERE TALKING TO PEOPLE, THEY TALK ABOUT THE LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT, BUT THEY HAVE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THAT'S VOTED ON EVERY YEAR, RIGHT.

JUST TO BE FAIR AND HONEST AND TRANSPARENT WITH THEM.

I'VE GOT TO GET SOMETHING WHICH THEN I CAN T THAT I'M GOING TO GET IT.

AND THEN YOU'RE TELLING ME, MY SALARY IS GOING TO START AT A COMPETITIVE TOP FIVE POSITION, BUT THE BOARD AT THE WILL TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M IN THE TOP FIVE THIS YEAR, AND I'M IN THE TOP FIVE THE NEXT YEAR AND THE NEXT YEAR AND THE NEXT YEAR.

AND WHO KNOWS AFTER THE FOURTH YEAR, YOU TAKE AWAY THAT THING THAT I HAD ALL THE TIME AND DROPS ME RIGHT BACK DOWN, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S NOT AS PRACTICAL AS IT APPEARS THAT WE WILL BE IN THE TOP FIVE.

THAT'S A CONCERN.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DECIDE, I SUPPOSE, AS A BULLET.

BUT I MEAN, ANYBODY IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD LOOK AT IT AND SAY, HEY, YOU'RE SELLING ME A BAG OF GOOD STEPS, GUARANTEED.

AND I WANNA, I WANNA KNOW WHERE I'M STARTING OR WHERE I'M GOING TO BE 10 YEARS, UH, WHAT YOU, WHAT I'M BANKING ON THE ELECTION OF THE RIGHT BOARD MEMBERS TO GO WITH IT.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO ADDRESS, I BELIEVE.

I MEAN, JUST TO BE JUST MORE OPEN AND REAL ABOUT IT, TAKE THAT 5,000 LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT AND PERMANENTLY PUT IT INTO EVERYBODY'S SALARY.

UM, TANYA, WHAT WOULD THE, UH, WELL, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE IF WE TOOK THAT $5,000 AND MADE IT, PUT IT INTO THE SALARY INSTEAD? SO WE'RE NOT PLAYING THESE, UH, YOU KNOW, GAMES WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE CHECKING OUR WEBSITE AND LOOKING AT THE SALARY AND, AND, UM,

[01:35:01]

SO IT'S ADDING TO THEIR RETIREMENT.

I MEAN, THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF BENEFITS FOR DOING THAT.

SO FIRST OF ALL, UM, THE COST TO THE DISTRICT WOULD BE TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.

THAT'S A RETIREMENT BENEFIT.

SO THIS IS THE 20, UM, IT'S RAISING TO 22.4, 6% OF, OF WAGES.

SO YOU AUTOMATICALLY HAVE A COST OF TWO AND A HALF MILLION.

UM, SO THAT IS, UM, ONE FACTOR.

THE SECOND FACTOR IS IT WILL BENEFIT US BECAUSE YOU CAN PUT IT INTO THE SALARY SCHEDULE AND IT WILL NOW SHOW FOR ALL, ALL TEACHERS THROUGHOUT THE, UH, AND OR ANYONE, UH, LOOKING FOR THE TEACHER SALARY SCHEDULE.

UM, THE, THE, UM, TWO DISADVANTAGES WOULD BE ONE IS, UM, THERE IS NO INCREASE.

THERE WOULD BE NO INCREASE.

SO BARRING NO OTHER PAY INCREASES.

THERE WOULD BE NO TAKE HOME, INCREASE IN, TAKE HOME, PAY FOR THE TEACHER.

SO IF YOU WERE TO ADD, SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WERE NOT TO GIVE A 4%, $4,000 PAY INCREASE, BUT INSTEAD MOVE 4,000 OF THE LOCALITY INTO THE BASE TEACHER PAY, THEY WOULD SEE NO INCREASE IN, TAKE HOME PAY.

IN FACT, THEY WOULD HAVE A REDUCTION OF, UH, UH, 9%, UH, MANDATORY SOUTH CAROLINA RETIREMENT WITHHOLDING, WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT A $500 REDUCTION, UH, IN THEIR, IN THEIR TAKE HOME PAY.

SO IF, IF YOU, IF THAT WERE THE ONLY INCREASE, ONLY CHANGE WE MADE, THEY WOULD ACTUALLY SEE A PAY REDUCTION.

UM, SO THAT WOULD BE A, A DISADVANTAGE OF MOVING THE ENTIRE AMOUNT.

AND YOU COULD DO A PORTION OF THE AMOUNT YOU COULD DO HALF YOU COULD.

SO FOR EVERY THOUSAND DOLLARS, UM, YOU MOVE IN, IT WOULD BE 500, $500,000 COST TO THE DISTRICT.

UM, SO IF YOU COULD DO A COMBINATION OF RAISES AND A COMBINATION OF MOVING LOCALITY INTO THE, INTO THE BASE, AND THEN THERE WOULD SEE SOME TAKE HOME PAY.

AND, UM, BECAUSE OF THE, BECAUSE OF, UH, AN ACTUAL PAY INCREASE, UM, THE 2000, FOR EXAMPLE.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OPTIONS.

THIS IS OUR HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR CHANGING THE LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT TO, TO, UH, THE SALARY SCHEDULE.

CAUSE I THINK WE NEED TO BE IN A WAY GIVEN CREDIT FOR A VERY GENEROUS, UH, BENEFIT THAT RIGHT NOW, WE BASICALLY AREN'T GETTING CREDIT FOR, FOR ALL THE REASONS MENTIONED IT'S NOT ON THE STATE SALARY SCHEDULE, IT'S ON OUR WEBSITE HAS TO BE VOTED ON EVERY YEAR, BUT YET WE'VE BEEN DOING IT YEAR AFTER YEAR.

UM, SO YOU MADE COMMENTS THAT IF THAT'S CONVERTED FROM THE, UM, LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT TO THE SALARY SCHEDULE THAT INITIALLY OR IMMEDIATELY THE TAKE-HOME WILL BE LESS TO THE TEACHER, HOWEVER, IN THE LONG RUN, THEY'RE GOING TO BE GETTING RETIREMENT THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING.

SO IF YOU TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT AND WHAT OTHER BENEFITS IS THAT GOING TO OFFSET, OFFSET THAT, UH, IMMEDIATE, UH, DECREASE IN WHAT THEY'RE TAKING HOME? I MEAN, IT MAY WELL, BUT I GUESS YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T REALLY PREDICT THAT.

WELL, UM, UM, I'M NOT SURE I'M FOLLOWING YOU, BUT RETIREMENT IS A, IS, UM, IS EXEMPT FROM FEDERAL AND STATE TAX.

SO THERE IS, THERE MIGHT BE SOME BENEFIT IN THE FORM OF TAXATION, UH, AS A, AS A RESULT OF THAT AS WELL.

SO, UM, AND THEN WHEN THEY RETIRE, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A LARGER, YOU KNOW, POT OF MONEY THERE THAT THEY, THEY, EVEN THOUGH THEY GOT THIS GENEROUS BENEFIT 5,000 YEAR AFTER YEAR, IT'S NOT, NONE OF IT GOES INTO THEIR RETIREMENT, CORRECT? YES.

THAT IS, UH, THAT IS AN ADVANTAGE THAT I HADN'T MENTIONED BEFORE.

OUT THERE BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE A VERY QUICK FIX TO GET US RIGHT INTO THE TOP FIVE.

UM, LOOKING AT THE, THE NUMBERS OF WHAT THE 3% COLA RETROACTIVE WOULD PUT US AT 39,066, IF WE, EVEN, IF WE SPLIT THE LOCALITY INTO, UM, 2,500 OF THAT GOING IN, THAT WOULD THEN PUT US IN SECOND IN THE STATE FOR BASE SALARY, THAT WOULD MAKE US THAT WOULD PUT A STARTING TEACHER'S SALARY AT 40 1005 66.

SO I'M JUST PUTTING THAT NUMBER

[01:40:01]

AND RIGHT BEHIND GREENVILLE, GREENVILLE IS A BIG BEAST, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PRETTIER BEACHES.

SO, AND KEEP IN MIND THOSE THAT'S A MOVING TARGET WITH, THEY'RE TRYING TO, THEY'RE GOING TO BE INCREASING.

AND I GET THAT TOO.

AND WE ARE STILL HAVING THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE STATE MINIMUM AND THE 4,000 AND WHATNOT.

BUT I'M JUST SAYING, IF WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THE LOCALITY, UM, THERE ARE, YOU DO WANT TO KIND OF BALANCE WHAT THAT POTENTIAL COST TO THE DISTRICT IT'S BEEN TO BE, AND THE POTENTIAL RAMIFICATIONS THAT WOULD BE ON OUR EMPLOYEES.

BUT I THINK TO MAKE US COMPETITIVE, I THINK WE'RE DOING OURSELVES A DISSERVICE BY KEEPING THE LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT AS LARGE AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, AND NOT BEING ABLE TO ADVERTISE IT AND NOT BEING ABLE TO PROMISE THAT TO OUR STAFF.

UM, AND I THINK AT A COST OF 1.5 MILLION TO DO THAT AND TO MAKE OURSELVES, I THINK IT'S KIND OF A NO BRAINER.

SO IT'S, MAY I GET A CLARIFICATION? DO YOU MEAN IN RE SO $2,000 INCREASE IN PAY AND THEN MOVE 2,500 IN FROM LOCALITY? I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE, THE CHART FOR 20 21, 20 22 AT THE, I THINK IT SAYS THE BASE IS 39, 0 66.

IF WE TOOK 2,500 FROM THE LOCALITY, THAT WOULD BRING US UP TO 41,566, WHICH IS SECOND ON THE BASE SALARY SCALE ACROSS THE STATE.

THAT'S NOT EVEN INCLUDING ANY OTHER POTENTIAL RACIST.

UM, SO YEAH, I'M JUST, I'M JUST GOING TO POINT OUT.

IF YOU LOOK AROUND AT THIS TABLE, WE ALL, UM, ARE SENSITIVE TO RETIREMENT, BUT FOLKS IN THE, IN THE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT WE USE TO FILL OPEN POSITIONS, WHICH IS LIKE 25 TO 35, THEY DON'T REALLY CARE TOO MUCH ABOUT RETIREMENT.

THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S WAY, WAY OFF.

THEY WANT MONEY IN THEIR POCKET THAT JUST HAS MORE OF AN IMPACT.

UM, THE OTHER THING IS WHY CAN'T WE MAKE THE LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT PERMANENT? IS THERE A, A REASON WE CAN'T, THERE'S NO REASON YOU CAN'T.

THERE ARE SOME, UM, DISADVANTAGES OF IT.

FIRST OF ALL, OUR, OUR FOLKS ARE USED TO GETTING A, A NICE CHRISTMAS BONUS AND SOMETHING SO RIPE.

WE DISTRIBUTE IN DECEMBER AND IN MAY.

SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT IT'S SORT OF A SAVINGS THAT IT'S A BENEFIT FOR.

I'M JUST SAYING WHAT WE COULD DO IT THE SAME WAY WE DO IT, BUT WHY CAN'T WE SAY IT'S GUARANTEED OR TO GET AT MEL'S POINT? WHY, WHY CAN'T WE TELL THEM YOU'RE GUARANTEED THIS APPOINTMENT? IS THERE A REASON WE CAN'T DO THAT? HE SAYING, HE'S SAYING, CAN WE GUARANTEE, CAN WE JUST VOTE IN NOT WE CAN THE BOARD, SORRY, CAN THE BOARD VOTE IN THAT? THEY'RE, THEY'RE GUARANTEEING THAT THIS IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE DONE, BUT KEEP IT AS A, AS A STIPEND.

THAT'S THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, RIGHT? YES.

THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING.

IS THERE A BARRIER? WELL, UH, IT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO, AS A RECURRING ITEM.

THAT'S PERMANENT.

IT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO RETIREMENT.

SO WE WOULD THEN ROLL IT INTO THE RETIREMENT WAGES AND BE SUBJECT TO THE RETIREMENT, UM, MATCH.

THAT'S WHY WE DO IT EVERY YEAR.

SO IT'S NOT SUBJECT TO RETIREMENT.

CORRECT.

THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO FLUSH OUT.

WOULD YOU LEAVE IT WHERE IT IS OR MAKING A PERMANENT OR ROLLING IT INTO THE BASE SALARY? THERE'S NO DIFFERENCE BECAUSE IT WOULD ALL THE TAXES AND EVERYTHING ARE STILL THE SAME.

SO INSTEAD OF VOTING RIGHT NOW ON THIS, I WOULD PREFER TO HAVE YOU GUYS COME BACK AND SHOW US, YOU KNOW, HERE'S, HERE'S THE, THE, IF WE SPLIT IT OR, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE COST, OR THIS IS WHAT, THE, HOW THE EMPLOYEES, THE PROS AND THE CONS AND THE PROS AND THE CONS TO THE DISTRICT.

AND IF WE PUT ALL THE 5,000 TOTALLY INTO THE SALARY SCHEDULE, YOU KNOW, JUST HAVE A COUPLE SCENARIOS BECAUSE I THINK WE WOULD HAVE BETTER DECISION-MAKING.

UM, IF THAT IS THE WAY IT WAS DONE.

AND I HAVE A SECOND QUESTION.

SO THESE DISTRICTS THAT ARE AT THE TOP HERE FOR THE SALARY RANKINGS, DO THEY ALSO HAVE, THEY MAY WELL HAVE, UM, OTHER, UM, COMPENSATION, DO THEY HAVE OF, WELL, THEY MAY NOT CALL IT A LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT, BASICALLY.

IT'S A BONUS.

THEY HAVE OTHER SUPPLEMENTS.

BUT THERE ARE DEFINITELY SUPPLEMENTS IN OTHER DISTRICTS.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE, AND I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW THE TOP FIVE.

WHAT OTHER BONUSES DO THEY HAVE? I GUESS I WOULD CALL IT A BONUS REALLY, AS OPPOSED TO LOCALITY, BECAUSE IT COULD BE NAMED ANYTHING, RIGHT? YES.

WE CAN BRING THAT BACK.

NEXT TIME.

WE DID LOOK AT SOME, THERE WAS SOME ANALYSIS DONE, PARTICULARLY OF GREENVILLE, BUT IT DID COMPARE THEM TO SOME OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT, UM, THAT REPORT MAY HELP US.

AND,

[01:45:01]

THANK YOU, TANYA.

I HAVE A COMMENT AND A QUESTION I AGREE WITH RACHEL ABOUT TAKING $2,500 OF IT AND ROLLING IT INTO THE SALARY TO BOOST THE SALARY.

MY QUESTION IS WITH THE REMAINING 2,500, WHEN YOU BRING BACK A PROPOSAL TO US, I KNOW YOU SAID TWICE A YEAR IN DECEMBER AND IN MAY, THE LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT IS GIVEN CAN THAT $2,500 THAT IS LEFT.

IF WE ROLL IT, THE OTHER 2,500 IN THE SALARY, BE GIVEN AS A LOCALITY SUB SUPPLEMENT IN DECEMBER.

AND MAY, CAN YOU BRING THAT BACK TO US TOO? AND LET US SEE HOW THAT LOOKS.

I WAS JUST GOING TO SPEAK TO, UM, YOUR COMMENT TONYA ABOUT TYPICALLY OUR STAFF IS USED TO GETTING THE 2,500 IN DECEMBER AND THE OTHER IN MAY.

I WAS JUST GONNA MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT IF WE DID SPLIT IT, AND THERE WAS 2,500 REMAINING IN LOCALITY THAT WE ALSO WRAP IN THE CONVERSATION THAT WE WERE HAVING ABOUT THE SICK OR THE PTO PAY, BECAUSE THAT COULD BE AN INCENTIVE THAT'S PAID OUT AT THE END OF THE YEAR IN MAY.

AND THE 2,500 COULD COME IN DECEMBER.

I'M PERSONALLY OF THE MENTALITY THAT GIVE THEM THE MONEY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND LET THEM DO WITH IT, WHAT THEY WILL.

BUT, UM, I'M JUST TRYING TO THINK OF OTHER WAYS TO SPLIT UP THAT MONEY SO THAT THEY STILL SEE THAT SAME AMOUNT AT THE SAME TIME A YEAR THAT THEY'RE USED TO, OR AT LEAST SOMETHING CLOSE TO IT.

I THINK, YEAH, WE HAVE TO THINK.

NO, I THINK YOU HAVE TO, UH, THE CITY WHERE WE WANT TO GO AS A DISTRICT IN TERMS OF PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT FOR TEACHERS AND WITH TEACHERS GOING TO BUY IN, I DON'T BUY THE EARLY, I KNOW THE CONCEPT OF THE, OF THE YOUNG TEACHERS.

I ALSO KNOW WE HAVE TO BE IN A PROTECTIVE MODE OF THIS PROFESSION AND AN EDUCATION.

WHEN WE, WHEN WE SET UP A SCHEDULE, WHEN WE SET UP AN INTERVIEW, WE GOT TO, AND WE WANT TO BE GENUINE BECAUSE WE WANT THEM COMING IN, FEELING LIKE THEY GOT A GOOD DEAL FROM GOOD, HONEST PEOPLE.

SO WE OUGHT TO THINK ABOUT THAT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE SAY, WHAT WE'RE SAYING, I DON'T BUY THE CONFUSION.

I DON'T LIKE THE HALF, THIS HALF THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GET THIS AND THEN TEACH US LEAVE.

AND NOW YOU DON'T, CAN'T RECOUP THAT, YOU KNOW, LOCATION SUPPLEMENT THAT YOU ALREADY GAVE THINGS LIKE THAT I DON'T BUY INTO.

I THINK WE HAVE TO RIGHT NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO DECIDE WHAT THE FUTURE OF BUFORD COUNTY IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF EDUCATORS, BECAUSE THE WHOLE COUNTRY IS DECIDING, AND WE DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO, TO BE, UH, YOU KNOW, STOP GETTING WELL, WE CAN'T COMPETE WITH GREENVILLE COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA.

WE CERTAINLY CAN'T COMPETE WITH NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, AND OTHER PLACES THAT HAVE MAYBE SOME WORLDLY TEACHERS THAT WE WANT TO ATTRACT THAT BEAUTIFUL COUNTY.

SO WE WANT TO, WE WANT TO, WHATEVER YOU PUT DOWN, WE WANNA PUT DOWN PROMINENTLY.

AND WHEN OUR PEOPLE GO OUT TO SELL IT, THEY'RE SELLING SOMETHING THAT'S CONCRETE.

UH, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE ASKED THEM TO GO OUT AND GET THESE TEACHERS.

AND THEN WE LOOK AT THAT LIST AND RACHEL ALLUDED TO IT, THAT SLIPPAGE CONTINUES TO BE THE SAME THING.

IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING IN TERMS OF ANTICIPATION, ANTICIPATE THAT SLIPPAGE, AND THEN, UH, PREDICT SOME BONUSES FROM THAT.

BUT FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, FORGET ABOUT THE BONUSES.

LET'S PAY THEM AND GET THE RIGHT PEOPLE COMMITTED COMING IN.

THAT'S THAT'S MY LAST COMMENT FOR THE DAY THAT WAS RECORDED.

MR. CAMPBELL, THAT'S ON RECORD.

UH, SO JUST, UH, MS. CROSBY, WHEN, WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THIS DOCUMENT, RIGHT, AS I'M UNDERSTANDING IT WITH THE $4,000 IN THE 2223 SCHOOL YEAR, THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, THAT PUTS US AT 40 3066, THERE'S AN ANTICIPATION THAT OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS WILL DO SOMETHING AS WELL.

BUT, BUT THAT 43,000, UH, SHOULD PUT US IN THE TOP FIVE IN TERMS OF ANTICIPATION, RIGHT? W WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO, BUT WE'RE ANTICIPATING WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE.

THAT THAT 43,000 DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 5,000.

SO WE'RE THERE IN THE TOP FIVE IN THEORY RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT ANYBODY ELSE IS GOING TO DO, BUT THAT 5,000 IS ON TOP OF WHERE WE WILL HAVE 5% IN THE TOP FIVE.

SO THAT 5,000.

SO,

[01:50:01]

SO IT'S BETTER FOR RECRUITING TO HAVE IT IN THE BASE SALARY.

WE WOULD BE AT 48,000.

I'M NOT SURE IF, IF, IF I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, CAUSE I WANT US ALL, UH, RECOGNIZE, I HEARD HE'S FAIRLY REALLY APPRECIATED.

WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WATCHING, AND THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE TOPIC.

UM, I'D BE VERY INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT HR SAYS ABOUT THIS.

IF, IF A HIGHER STARTING SALARY THAT INCLUDES, IT INCLUDES THE, UH, LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT AS A PERMANENT FIXTURE, UM, OR, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO SAY TO A, A FUTURE EMPLOYEE, HEY, YOU ALSO GET $5,000 IF THE BOARD APPROVES IT.

SO CAN YOU WEIGH IN, I MEAN, YOU GUYS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE OUT THERE RECRUITING AND, AND, UH, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS? I'M GOING TO PULL UP A CHAIR NEXT TO TANYA.

IF WE ARE RECRUITING A BEGINNING TEACHER AND WE TELL THEM THAT YOUR BEGINNING SALARY IS GOING TO BE $42,000, PLUS ON TOP OF THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A $5,000 LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT.

THAT WILL BE A VERY EASY SELL BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO CLUE ABOUT LIVING EXPENSES WHEN WE TALK TO THEM.

SO TRY IN AN EFFORT TO BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE AND NOT SELL THEM A BILL OF GOODS.

WE TALK ABOUT THE LIVING EXPENSES AND THAT'S WHERE WE THROW IN THE EXTRA $5,000.

OUR PHILOSOPHY IS AS CLOSE AS WE CAN GET A BEGINNING TEACHER TO $50,000 A YEAR IS WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

SO WE START OUT WITH THE 42 OR THE 43 43 AND ADD THE $5,000.

IT PUSHES US CLOSER TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

AND MY NEW THAT AT $50,000, WE ARE STILL, THEY STILL COME IN ABOUT $7,000 BELOW LIVING WAGES.

AM I CORRECT MATT, BASED ON JUST LIVING STANDARDS.

SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT TEACHER SALARY AND YOU THINK ABOUT SELLING SOMEONE TO COME HERE AND YOU WANT THEM TO FEEL THAT WE WANT THEM HERE AND YOU WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKE THEY ARE PROFESSIONALS, THEN WE PAY THEM.

THAT'S WHAT MAKES THEM WANT TO BE HERE BECAUSE VALUE TO THEM IS IN WHAT WE PAID THEM.

MS. WALTON.

SO, BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL THOSE APPLICANTS THAT ARE LOOKING AT THAT SALARY SCHEDULE AND NOT EVEN APPLYING? SO I GUESS THAT'S MY QUESTION IS ARE WE LOSING OUT ON APPLICANTS? UM, BECAUSE THEY LOOK AT THAT AND THEY DON'T EVEN TAKE THE FIRST STEP.

SO, I MEAN, I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND YOUR ANSWER AS TO, IS IT BETTER TO HAVE THE 5,000 LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT OR TWO TO THEN JUST RAISE SALARIES OR DON'T YOU PERHAPS, I JUST DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAN DO IT AS A WAY YOU CAN HAVE THE, AS THEY LOOK NOW AT OUR BASE SALARY, NO, THAT'S GOING TO TURN A LOT OF PEOPLE AWAY.

I CAN'T LIVE OFF OF THIS, SO THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP, BUT IF YOU HAVE YOUR BASE SALARY AND YOU ALSO ADVERTISE PLUS, OR GIVE THEM, UM, AN ASTERICK PLUS A $5,000 LIVING EXPENSE THAT BRINGS THEM TO THE TABLE.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO SEE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT BEFORE THEY TAKE THAT FIRST STEP.

I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY WHAT DOES BETTER FOR RECRUITING THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, BUT IT IS BETTER FOR US TO SAY AS A SUPPLEMENT.

OH, SO YOU WANT TO GO OUT AND SAY WE'RE AT 48,000 OR WE'RE AT 43,000 PLUS FIVE.

THAT'S THE QUESTION, RIGHT? THAT'S THE QUESTION.

DO YOU WANT TO SAY, YOU WANT TO GO OUT AND SAY, HEY, WE WANT YOU TO COME HERE.

IT'S 48,000, OR DO YOU WANT TO DO, OR IS, OR IS IT JUST AS VALUABLE OR BETTER TO SAY, HEY, 43,000 PLUS FIVE, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY 43,000 PLUS FIVE IS 48,000.

I'D LIKE TO SAY, DO FOR COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT BEGINNING SALARY, $50,000.

AND THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS.

THAT WOULD BE WHAT TEACHERS ARE LOOKING FOR.

WE WOULD TAKE THE ROOM.

[01:55:01]

IT'S BETTER.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEARCHING FOR.

I JUST, I DON'T, I THINK WE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, WE WANT TO PAY TEACHERS MORE.

WE WANT TO ATTRACT TEACHERS BASED ON SALARY, BUT I WILL SAY I HAVE A PERSPECTIVE THAT I THINK NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE BOARD HAVE, WHICH IS I HAVE A GRADUATING COLLEGE KID WITH A BA I'M LOOKING AT JOBS.

AND I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, I JUST PULLED UP REAL QUICK, LOOKING AT ONE JOB.

SHE'D LOOK AT A RESEARCH SPECIALIST, BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND MINIMUM EXPERIENCE BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN CHEMISTRY, BIOLOGY, OR HEALTH SCIENCES.

SO IT'S GOT, YOU KNOW, IT'S COMPARABLE IN TERMS OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR, SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT A JOB AS A RESEARCH SPECIALIST AT MUFC VERSUS A TEACHER, YOU KNOW, BOTH REQUIRE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN SCIENCE, IT STARTS AT 34,000 IS THE STARTING SALARY FOR THAT POSITION.

THAT POSITION WILL HAVE 150 APPLICANTS.

SO WHY IS THAT? AND I THINK THAT THE, THESE ARE VERY COMPETITIVE POSITIONS AND THEY'RE HAVING PEOPLE WITH MASTER'S DEGREES APPLYING FOR THESE POSITIONS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO GET INTO THE SYSTEM BECAUSE THEY THINK EVENTUALLY THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE MORE MONEY.

THE BEST IN NEBRASKA TO THE, TO THIS DISTRICT? BECAUSE THAT'S, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, UH, WHAT, WHAT WERE THEY HIRED TO DO? SO, I MEAN, THOSE ARE JUST SOME THINGS THAT ARE FOOD FOR THOUGHT I IN, IN TERMS OF MOVING FORWARD IN THIS BUDGET.

THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE UP.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE WITH THAT I, THAT I THINK IS PROBLEMATIC FOR EDUCATION AS A WHOLE IS WE HAVE THIS VERY REGIMENTED STEP SYSTEM, RIGHT? SO YOU GET ON AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WHERE YOU START, BUT THEN WE HAVE THIS HIGH TURNOVER AT FIVE YEARS, RIGHT? SO WE GET PEOPLE IN.

THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, GREAT.

THEY REALIZE THE SALARY IS NOT GOING TO GET A WHOLE LOT BETTER.

AND I DON'T, THIS IS PROBABLY JUST A COMMENT IN TERMS OF, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPLITTING THINGS UP AND DO WE WANT TO SUPPLEMENT OR WHATEVER.

AND, UH, UH, OUR CHAIRMAN MADE THE POINT THAT PEOPLE IN THEIR TWENTIES AND THIRTIES, AREN'T LOOKING FOR RETIREMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE PAYING OFF STUDENT LOANS, RIGHT.

THEY'RE TRYING TO SAVE MONEY FOR A HOUSE.

SO IT IS IF THERE'S SOME WAY AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS, TO THINK, NOT OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, BUT TO REALLY CURRENT GRADUATES, NOT ONLY WANT, BUT THEY HAVE GOTTEN TO WHERE IN A TIGHT JOB MARKET, THEY EXPECT SOME LEVEL OF FLEXIBILITY AND EDUCATION JUST TRADITIONALLY HAS NOT PROVIDED THAT THEY HAVEN'T PROVIDED AS MUCH IN TERMS OF ADVANCEMENT IN TERMS OF, OKAY, I'M NOT MAKING VERY MUCH MONEY NOW, BUT IF I STAY HERE FOR FIVE YEARS, I CAN MOVE UP MORE.

SO I DON'T KNOW.

I JUST WANT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THAT IS, UM, SOMETHING THAT, THAT IF DISTRICTS CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO MEET THE NEEDS OF CURRENT GRADUATES, WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, HIGHLY IN DEBT, RIGHT.

LOW, AND THEY HAVE ENERGY.

SO MOST COLLEGE GRADUATES I KNOW, WILL END UP WORKING, YOU KNOW, ON WEEKENDS.

SOME, BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO GET STARTED.

THEY WANT FLEXIBILITY IN SALARY.

AND THEN LOOK AT, AS THEY MOVE THROUGH INTO THE CAREER, THEY NEED RETIREMENT.

THEY WANT STABILITY.

WE HAVE A LOT OF RETIREES WHO WORK AS TEACHER'S ASSISTANTS FOR JUST FOR HEALTH BENEFITS.

THE SALARY IS NOT REALLY ALL THAT IMPORTANT.

SO IT IS SOMEONE THAT, YOU KNOW, AND TINA'S MENTIONED, YOU'RE TRYING TO HIRE IN THE MEDICAL FIELD.

DIFFERENT GROUPS HAVE REALLY DIFFERENT NEEDS, AND IT MAY BE THAT THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO.

AND I JUST DON'T, BUT IT'S SOMETHING I WANTED TO THROW OUT THERE TO THINK ABOUT.

IF THERE'S ANY SORT OF SOLUTIONS WHERE WE CAN KIND OF TAILOR, OR MAYBE EVEN HAVE PEOPLE HAVE A CHOICE, WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE A $5,000 SUPPLEMENT OR PUT IT IN? I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S EVEN REMOTELY POSSIBLE, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT, THAT I'M SEEING WITH, UM, PEOPLE COMING OUT OF COLLEGE IN THIS JOB MARKET.

UM, I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY, I DO AGREE WITH WHAT MS. BULLRIGHT I SAID, AND ALSO, UH, ONE THING THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT, UH, IT ALSO HAS TO DO WITH CLIMATE.

WE WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT CLIMATE WITHIN THE LAST.

SO EVEN WHEN WE WENT UP TO, UM, TO, UH, WHEN WE WENT TO KIND OF COUNCIL TO GET OUR BUDGET APPROVED.

SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN OFFER A 50 AND 6,000 MILES, BUT IF THE CLIMATE DON'T CHANGE, THEN IT DON'T MATTER WHAT, WHAT WE'RE REALLY OFFERING, YOU KNOW? SO I THINK THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE DEFINITELY HAVE TO WORK TOWARDS TOO, IN TERMS OF JUST A BUDGETING.

UM, I THINK IN TERMS OF THE 5,000 MILES, I DON'T SEE A PROBLEM.

I THINK WHEN YOU TELL A YOUNGER PERSON THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM $5 AS A BONUS ON TOP OF WHAT THEY'RE GETTING.

I THINK THAT IS THE, TO ME, UH, I BELIEVE THAT THAT WILL BE DEFINITELY ATTRACTIVE.

UM, AND THEN ALSO ON THE OTHER SIDE, I, IT IS IMPORTANT TO PUT THAT IN THERE IN, IN, IN THE BAY, IN THE BASE NUMBER IN TERMS OF LONGTERM.

SO IT WILL, THERE ARE SEVERAL SITUATIONS HERE THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT MOVING FORWARD IN TERMS OF PAY CLIMATE IN TERMS OF RECRUITMENT, BECAUSE ALSO, I MEAN, RECRUIT RECRUITING, ISN'T AN EASY JOB, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT AND, AND FIGURE OUT HOW CAN YOU, HOW CAN YOU BRING

[02:00:01]

AND MY MAIN THING IS, IS I DON'T CARE HOW MUCH WE PAY.

WE HAVE TO ALSO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE AS WELL.

UM, I AGREE WITH MS. WALTON, MS. WALTON SAYING $50,000, THOSE SAME PEOPLE THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, WANT TO BRING THEM HERE, UH, CORPORATION WOULD COME IN AND SAY, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU 70, $70,000 A YEAR WITH BENEFITS.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO DO? IT COULD GO WITH THE CORPORATION.

SO I THINK IT'S BETTER TO SAY THE 55, $50,000 IS A SALARY.

THAT'S IT? THANK YOU.

UM, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS VERY, I THINK A POINT WAS MADE ABOUT WHAT DOES IT COST IN BUFORD COUNTY LIVE A MIDDLE-CLASS LIFE.

THESE TEACHERS DESERVE A MIDDLE-CLASS LIFESTYLE.

AND SO WE WE'VE REALLY GOT TO LOOK AT THAT AND FOCUS OUR SALARIES ON WHAT IS EXPECTED OF A PERSON WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE, A MASTER'S DEGREE, A PHD IN BUFORD COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA, BUT THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

THE OTHER THING THAT'S IMPORTANT IS WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE RIGHT NOW.

WE ARE PAYING CHILDCARE.

WE'RE USING SR FUNDS.

THAT'S A POWERFUL PIECE OF COMPENSATION PACKAGE.

WE'VE GOT EDUCATORS LIKE MS. BOATWRIGHT REALLY HIT IT ON THE HEAD THAT ARE PEOPLE THAT COME IN WITH A BACHELOR'S DEGREE FROM OHIO STATE TO COME AND TEACH HERE.

THEY, THEY WANT TO PROGRESS.

THEY WANT TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO INCREASE THEIR SALARY, INCREASE THEIR PRESTIGE, INCREASE THEIR, THEIR STANDING IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE GIVE THEM THAT IF YOU GET A MASTER'S DEGREE, BUT ARE WE HELPING THEM GET A MASTER'S DEGREE? THAT'S A COMPENSATION PIECE THAT WE SHOULD LOOK AT.

YOU COME HERE AND WE'LL HAVE A PROGRAM WITH US CB THAT YOU CAN GET A MASTER'S DEGREE AND WE'LL SUBSIDIZE THAT THAT'S PART OF A PACKAGE AND WE HAVE THAT, BUT DO WE, DO WE SELL IT VERY RIGHT? AND, AND ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO NOT ONLY ATTRACT, BUT TO RETAIN AND, AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S THE DISCIPLINE TO BEHAVIORAL MANAGEMENT AND THE SUPPORT.

SO, UM, THIS IS NOT EASY BUSINESS.

AND, AND WE, I REALLY LIKED THE IDEA OF HAVING KIND OF COURSES OF ACTION WITH, WITH DIFFERENT PROPOSALS ON HOW WE CAN SLICE UP THIS EYE.

SO WE CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ON IT, REALLY AS ALL THE, ALL THE RAMIFICATIONS OF ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO, PROVIDE OUR TEACHERS A MIDDLE CLASS LIVING STYLE IN BUFORD, SOUTH CAROLINA.

CAN I JUST PUT A POINT OUT THAT WE DO HAVE ON OUR LIST OF AGENDA TOPICS, FUTURE AGENDA TOPICS, SOMETHING THAT MS. BOATWRIGHT SUGGESTED, WHICH IS, AND I THINK WE ALL ARE BEHIND THIS.

WE NEED A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION SO THAT WHEN THINGS COME UP LIKE THIS, WE CAN SAY, YEAH, THIS IS PART OF THE PLAN.

SO WE DON'T HAVE TO DISCUSS IT ALL BECAUSE WE HAVE A PLAN THAT DEALS WITH THE COLD CLIMATE AND, AND THE PACKAGES AND THE BENEFITS, AND THE FACT THAT IT'S A DEFINED BENEFIT PLAN, NOT A DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PLAN, WHICH IS WHAT MOST COMPANIES WOULD BE OFFERING BY THE WAY.

UM, SO WE NEED TO DO THAT AND THAT'S ON OUR LIST TO DO, AND I'M NOT SURE WHETHER IT'S, THAT'S GOING TO COME A COMMITTEE.

WE SAID THAT SHOULD COME THROUGH OPERATIONS.

SO OPERATIONS IS GOING TO FOCUS ON THAT.

UM, SO HOPEFULLY A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS AND A LOT OF SUGGESTIONS WE'RE MAKING NOW WILL GET FUNNELED INTO THAT PLAN.

A FEW LAST SLIDES.

UM, THE NEXT SLIDE IS ABOUT

[02:05:01]

IMPACT ON THE TAXPAYER.

THAT'S SOMETHING WE COMMUNICATE EACH YEAR WHEN WE'RE REQUESTING OR PROPOSING A TAX INCREASE.

UH, THE FOUR MIL INCREASE WOULD, UH, PROVIDE FOR IN A SCENARIO WITH A $250 THOUSAND DOLLAR HOME.

THIS WOULD BE A NON-OWNER OCCUPIED HOME, NOT THE PRIMARY RESIDENCE HOMEOWNER, UM, THE FOUR ADDITIONAL MILS AT A 6% RATIO.

WOULD IT BE ADDITIONAL $60 PER YEAR ON A $400,000 HOME? UH, IT WOULD BE $96 PER YEAR.

UM, SO I, AND I CHOSE THOSE NUMBERS, UH, UH, MEDIAN HOME VALUE AND BUFORD COUNTY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTY IS 250,000.

UM, I THINK IN THE BLUFFTON HILTON HEAD AREA, THE MEDIAN HOME VALUE IS MORE LIKE 400,000 ON AN AVERAGE.

UM, SO ARE THE MEDIAN, UM, I, UH, WAS, IT WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO ALSO INCLUDE A VEHICLE IN THERE.

SO WE TOOK A $40,000 VEHICLE BECAUSE THESE DAYS YOU CAN'T GET AN SUV FOR MUCH UNDER $40,000.

UH, IT WOULD BE AN ESTIMATED TAX INCREASE OF $9 AND 60 CENTS PER YEAR.

SO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE NOTED, THAT WE DO SHOW THE IMPACT OF THAT.

UM, SO KIND OF ROUNDING THIS OUT.

UM, OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO SUPPORT A MILLAGE INCREASE OF FOUR MILLS TO FUND COMPENSATION INCREASES AN OPERATIONAL NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT AT AN APPROVED AN EXPENDITURE AMOUNT OF 297 MILLION, 1 33, 5 93.

UM, WE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

I'M GOING TO SKIP TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

UM, WE ARE GAINING YOUR INPUT TODAY AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER IDEAS OR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR ME, WE'LL, WE'LL, YOU'RE OPEN TO THAT, UM, TODAY OR BEYOND, UM, WE ARE GOING TO BE SEEKING COMMUNITY INPUT.

UM, I WILL LIKELY DO THAT, UH, IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, UH, WE WILL DO A VIRTUAL BUDGET FORUM AND GET, UH, WE HAD GREAT RESPONSE LAST YEAR IN THAT THERE WERE AT LEAST 250 VIEWS WE WANT TO INCLUDE, WE ALL WANT TO AT LEAST DOUBLE THAT THIS YEAR.

UM, SO WE WILL BE, UM, AND IT'S, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO PARTICIPATE THAT WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO COME AFTER HOURS AT NIGHT, UM, AND GO TO WHATEVER ENDS OF THE COUNTY THAT WE, THAT WE ARRIVE AT.

I THINK THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO SEEK INPUT FROM EVERYONE.

UM, WE'RE GOING TO BE UPDATING OUR ESTIMATES.

LIKE I SAID, WE'LL GET SENATE ESTIMATES NEXT WEEK THAT COULD IMPROVE OUR REVENUE SITUATION.

I'M HOPEFUL THAT IT WILL AND MAY ALLOW US, UH, ANOTHER WIGGLE ROOM TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT TODAY, MAYBE IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE'VE ALREADY.

UM, SO WE'LL HAVE MORE OPTIONS AVAILABLE.

UH, AND THEN WE'LL BE COLLABORATING WITH COUNTY OFFICIALS.

I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO THE BUDGET OFFICER THERE AND COMMUNICATED WITH HER, WITH HER ABOUT THE THREE READINGS.

AND SO THE THREE READINGS ON THE NEXT SLIDE.

UM, SO WE'RE TECHNICALLY SCHEDULED TO CERTIFY THE BUDGET.

MAY 3RD.

I RECOGNIZE THAT THAT, UH, IS PROBABLY TOO, UH, AGGRESSIVE TO, UH, SO I DEFINITELY INTEND TO, UH, PROVIDE A BUDGET UPDATE, UH, AT LEAST ON THAT DATE, UM, PR MAY POSSIBLY PROVIDE THE SCENARIOS IF THAT'S, IF THAT'S THE, UH, OPPORTUNITY OR THAT TIMEFRAME THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT DOING THE NEXT ROUND OF BUDGET DISCUSSIONS.

UH, I DO, WE DO HAVE OUR FIRST READING SCHEDULED FOR MAY 9TH.

SO WE DO HAVE A VERY TIGHT TURNAROUND.

WHAT TYPICALLY THE MAY 9TH IS THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING, WHERE WE DO THE FIRST READING OF THE BUDGET.

I THINK IF WE HAVE AN EXPENDITURE AMOUNT PRETTY MUCH SOLID AT THAT POINT, THEN WE CAN FULFILL THAT MEETING.

WE CAN, UM, CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT MEETING, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO DO, UH, AND NOT BECAUSE IF WE, IF WE MOVE BACK OR POSTPONE FIRST READING, WE WILL END UP WITH OUR THIRD READING ON JUNE 27TH.

AND THAT IS NOT IDEAL FOR US.

UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE ON WITH, UH, AND I, SO I THINK THAT WE CAN, UM, SOLIDIFY THE, THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE AMOUNT.

AND FOR NOW WE HAVE 2 97, THEN WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH AT LEAST FIRST READING AND, AND THEN PROGRESS AS SCHEDULED WITH COUNTY COUNCIL.

SO I WILL ALSO BE ATTENDING A FINANCE COMMITTEE COUNTY COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, UM, IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, I DON'T RECALL THE EXACT DATE, BUT, UM, TO GIVE THEM A PREVIEW OF THE BUDGET AS WELL.

SO, UH, WE'LL BE CONSTANTLY IN CONTACT WITH THEM AND COMPARING NOTES.

UM, AND SO, UM, I THINK THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION

[02:10:01]

TODAY.

UH, ONE LAST COMMENT THOUGH, I IT'S THIS, I UNDERSTAND THESE, THESE COMPENSATION INCREASES ARE BOLD MOVES.

THEY ARE BOLD MOVES FOR US TO MOVE OUR TEACHER SALARIES FORWARD.

WE ARE BEHIND, WE ARE DESPERATELY BEHIND IN TERMS OF THE BASE TEACHER SALARY AND THE SCHEDULE THAT'S REPORTED ON THE WEBSITE.

AND WE'VE GOT TO, WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING THIS YEAR, AND IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO JUST DO WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES US TO DO ANYMORE.

IF YOU WANT TO STAY AHEAD AND YOU WANT TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH THE TOP FIVE, THE TOP 10, WE'RE NOT EVEN IN THIS TOP 50% RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE TO DO MORE THAN WHAT STATE REQUIRES.

AND SO, AND WE HAVE TO DO THAT YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.

AND THAT'S HOW WE'VE SLID BACK TO NUMBER 53.

SO THAT'S, THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT.

YEAH, SHE'S ON THERE.

UM, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.

I WAS JUST GOING TO MAKE SOME, SOME FINAL COMMENTS AND I THINK MOSTLY THE THING THAT GIVES ME, UM, A LITTLE BIT OF PAUSE IS THE FACT THAT THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE ARE WE'RE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE COMING TOGETHER, BUT THEY WERE SO FAR APART AND THEIR PRESENTATIONS ARE THE THINGS THAT THEY APPROVED.

UM, SO THAT GIVES ME SOME CONCERN AND SOME HEARTBURN.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS, WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS WAS I LOOKED AT THE LAST DECADE AND WHAT OUR INCREASE HAD BEEN OVER THE LAST DECADE IN OUR BUDGET.

AND WE'VE GONE UP $120 MILLION IN THE LAST DECADE, UM, WITH A LARGE CHUNK OF THAT BEING SINCE 2018, WHEN MOST OF US TOOK OFFICE.

UM, SO I UNDERSTAND INFLATION, I UNDERSTAND CPI, AND I CERTAINLY KEEP THAT IN MIND, BUT THIS PRESENT BUDGET, UM, IS ABOUT 7 MILLION MORE THAN WHAT OUR YEARLY AVERAGE HAD BEEN OR YEARLY INCREASE HAD BEEN.

UM, SO TONYA, WHEN YOU MENTIONED THAT TWO TO FOUR MILS IS ABOUT THE, WHAT YOU HAD SEEN AS THE ALLOWABLE AND THAT 8.3 WAS, WAS REALLY HIGH.

AND WE'RE ASKING FOR THE FOUR, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE'RE ASKING FOR WHAT THE TYPICAL MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE WOULD BE.

UM, SO I'M JUST ASKING FOR THINGS TO BE TIGHTENED UP FOR US TO USE THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF SR FUNDS THAT WE CAN, IF WE CAN FIND A, UH, ADDITIONAL USAGES FOR THEM.

UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE, ARE CAUSE FOR CONCERN FOR ME AT THIS POINT, BUT I THANK YOU FOR A VERY THOROUGH PRESENTATION AND FOR ALL Y'ALL'S HARD WORK.

CAUSE I KNOW THAT THIS BUDGET IS HUGE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF NEEDS AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE YOU.

ONE COMMENT I'D LIKE TO MAKE AND RESPONSE TO THAT.

UH, KEEP IN MIND THAT IN THE NEW EDUCATION FUNDING FORMULA, THEY'RE ROLLING TWO NEW POTS OF MONEY AND FROM EIA AND THEY AMOUNT TO OVER $3 MILLION, THREE TO THREE AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS.

AND SO THOSE, THOSE FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES THAT ARE IN AT-RISK FUNDS OR AID TO DISTRICTS ARE NOW IN THE GENERAL FUND.

SO THOSE THAT, SO, UH, AND THE, THE REVENUES ARE TRANSFERRED INTO THE GENERAL FUND.

SO THE REVENUES ARE UP, THE EXPENDITURES ARE UP.

AND SO 3 MILLION OF THAT IS DUE TO A CHANGE IN THE FUNDING FORMULA, I WOULD SAY.

SO JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND.

SO THANK YOU THIS ROBOT.

INCREASE IN SICK LEAVE PAYOUT, OR POTENTIALLY PAY DAYS OFF, UM, MOVED TO 27 OR 28.

I JUST LIKE TO RECAP WHAT, UM, ITEMS WE'RE ASKING, UH, TANYA, TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT.

I, I KIND OF MADE A LIST AS WE WERE TALKING.

UM, OF COURSE THE PARAMOUNT, IT SEEMS, UH, DIVIDING UP THE, UM, THE SUPPLEMENT, UH, THE LOCALITY SUPPLEMENT.

SEE WHAT IMPLICATIONS THAT HAS.

THE OTHER THING THAT I, I THINK THAT, UH, SEVERAL OF US TALKED ABOUT IS THE, UM, THAT SICK, SICK LEAVE COMPENSATION AND, YOU KNOW, MAKING, UM, ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THAT.

UM, SO THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS THAT I WROTE DOWN, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LEAVE THIS WITH THAT.

TANYA LEADS THIS WITH THE A-LIST OF WHERE WE'RE ASKING HER TO LOCK.

SO IF SOMEONE ELSE HAS INPUT ABOUT A SUCCINCT THING THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE WHO'VE OF US TO AGREE RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE'RE ASKING HER TO COME BACK WITH.

I HAVE A LIST.

IF YOU'D LIKE ME TO ADD ABOUT 12 THINGS PEOPLES IN POVERTY, WHAT IS THE CALCULATION NUMBER TWO SICK LEAVE PAYOUT PUT IN, IN, UM, LOOK AT THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH A, UH, SUBSTITUTE TEACHER TO OFFSET THE COSTS OF, OF A POTENTIAL

[02:15:01]

WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO MOVE? NOT JUST ONE STEP, UH, BUT TWO STEPS MORE THAN BEYOND THAT UP TO THE 28 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, KEEP TO KEEP EXPERIENCED TEACHERS IN THE CLASSROOM.

UH, COACHING STIPENDS MENTIONED NOT BEING PART OF LONG-TERM RETIREMENT.

UH, I'LL CHECK INTO THAT ONE, UM, SPECIAL ED TEACHERS, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF POSITIONS BY FUND, UH, AND WHICH TO INCLUDE SPECIAL ED TEACHERS AND OTHER TEACHERS PAY WITH SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.

UM, THE EQUIPMENT TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT, UH, GET A MORE, A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THAT EQUIPMENT WAS AND HOW ITS EFFECT ON SR FUNDS HAS AFFECTED THAT O'KELLY SUPPLEMENT SCENARIOS HAVE SPLIT COSTS, PROS, AND CONS, HOW, UH, COSTS TO ROLL IT IN AND WHAT ADVANTAGES THAT WOULD BE AND HOW WE WOULD GET, UH, INTO THE BASE TEACHER SALARY, TOP FIVE OF OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

WHAT BONUSES ARE PAYING, UH, OVER FIVE YEARS, UH, OVER FIVE YEARS, MAYBE WHAT CAN WE DO TO KEEP TEACHERS, UM, THAT WE'RE LEAVING AT THE FIVE-YEAR MARK COST OF LIVING IN BUFORD COUNTY MIDDLE-CLASS LIFESTYLE.

WHAT IS THE TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN TEACHERS AND TIGHTENING OUR BELTS AND MAXIMIZING OUR USE OF SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS THAT COVERED ALL SOUNDS PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE.

WE DO TAKE RETIREMENT OUT ON ATHLETIC COACHES.

SO I'M GOING TO MARK THAT ONE OFF MY LIST.

THOSE ARE SUBJECT AT RETIREMENT WAGES.

YES, THEY ARE SUBJECT TO RETIREMENT WAGES.

WE DO.

AND SO THEY WILL BE PART OF THEIR SALARIES OR THEIR WAGES, THEIR RETIREMENT.

ALSO THOSE WERE, THOSE WERE THE THINGS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE WE FOUND THAT THOSE PEOPLE HADN'T HAD RAISES FOR YEARS.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT BY THURSDAY.

WE'LL WORK ON IT.

WE'LL TRY THURSDAY IS THE DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT BOARD.

IF YOU HAVE TO PARSE THIS DOWN, REMEMBER THAT WE DO HAVE A COMMITTEE, THAT'S GOING TO LOOK AT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

SO THOSE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN KIND OF DEFER THOSE BECAUSE I JUST SENSE THAT YOU HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS TO DO AND NOT A BUNCH OF TIME.

WELL, IT'S NOT ALL ME.

I'M GOING TO SEE IF ALICE CAN HELP ME WITH THE, UH, COMPENSATION PACKAGES, COST OF LIVING AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

SO, UM, WILL BE SOME OF THE WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE.

WE JUST NEED TO BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PRESENT IT IN THE BEST WAY WE CAN.

SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GIVE YOU A PRIORITY, HONESTLY, THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TEACHERS TODAY.

UM, A LOT, BUT ONE THING THAT THAT DOES CONCERN ME IS THAT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE TEACHER'S ASSISTANTS OR THE UNCERTIFIED STAFF, BECAUSE TEACHERS CAN'T DO IT ALONE BY THEMSELVES.

AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUDGET, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE TEACHERS, BUT I HAVE A LOT OF TEACHERS WHO COME UP TO ME AND TELL ME, LISTEN, PLEASE CONTINUE TO GET MONEY FOR OUR TEAM.

I SUPPORT, I SUPPORT STAFF IN TERMS OF A TEACHER'S ASSISTANTS OR AIDES BECAUSE WITHOUT THEM, I PROBABLY WOULD LEAVE THE CLASSROOM.

SO I'M LOOKING TO HEAR AS WELL IN TERMS OF JUST VOTING ON A BUDGET, HOW ARE WE GOING TO COMPENSATE THEM TOO? BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BRING THEM UP BECAUSE YOU WENT IN, IN TERMS OF UNCERTIFIED STAFF, YOU HAVE JOBS LIKE WALMART AND OTHER PLACES WHO ARE PAYING MORE THAN WHAT WE'RE PAYING.

SO THEREFORE, WHY COME TO A CLASS WHERE YOU HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH OF BOSSES AND YOU GO TO WALMART AND GET PAID MORE MONEY.

SO WE HAVE TO COMPETE TO HAVE THEM AS WELL.

GO AHEAD.

UH, SO THE 3% COST OF LIVING INCREASE THAT WE APPROVED ON MARCH 25TH WAS FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.

SO FIRST OF ALL, WE HAD 3% RETROACTIVE BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

SO EVERYONE WILL BENEFIT FROM THAT.

UH, WHAT'S PROPOSED IN THIS BUDGET IS A 3% ADDITIONAL INCREASE FOR CLASSIFIED ADMINISTRATORS AND A STEP INCREASE.

SO IF YOU ADD ALL THOSE TOGETHER, YOU'RE IN ABOUT AN 8% INCREASE FOR OUR CLASSIFIED AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF.

SO I THINK WE AREN'T ADDRESSING THEM AT THE LEVEL THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING STU TEACHERS, BUT TEACHERS ARE WOEFULLY BEHIND IN THE, AS COMPARED WITH THE REST OF THE STATE.

SO WE ARE, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE PUT IT OUT THERE THAT 8%, AN AVERAGE OF 8% IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR OUR CLASSIFIED ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF.

SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST, ONE OF THE BEST WE'VE SEEN IN A FEW YEARS.

SO, AND THEN THAT MAY, AND THAT MAY BE, BUT MY POINT IS THIS, I WANT THE SAME WITH HOW WE TALK ABOUT TEACHERS.

I WANT TO TALK, TALKING ABOUT CLASSIFIES TO THAT SAME DEGREE IN THAT SAME LEVEL.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT COMPETING, I'VE SEEN DIFFERENT PACKAGES AND I'VE SEEN DIFFERENT PLACES THAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT, THOSE, THOSE POSITIONS AND THOSE PEOPLE.

SO ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT IN TERMS OF THAT'S GREAT THIS TIME, BUT THAT'S ALSO BECAUSE WHEN WE CAME IN,

[02:20:01]

SO WE WERE, WE WERE PUSHING THEM TO GET THAT, THAT 8%.

AND IN TERMS OF ADMINISTRATION, I'M NOT REALLY WORRIED ABOUT ADMINISTRATIVE PAYS BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO GET TAKEN CARE OF.

I'M SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT TEACHERS, ASSISTANTS, BUS DRIVERS, AND THOSE AND PEOPLE IN THAT CATEGORY, BECAUSE ADMINISTRATIVE ADMINISTRATIVE, YOUR ADMINISTRATORS, THEY'RE GONNA GET, THEY'RE GONNA GET THEIR MONEY REGARDLESS.

I'M PACIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN A, A BUILDING TO A FULL CAPACITY IN CLASSROOMS AND TEACHERS ARE TELLING ME THAT THEY NEED ASSISTANCE AT ANY OF, AND I KNOW FROM LOOKING IN THAT EVERY MEETING THAT WE WERE HAVING, A LOT OF, A LOT OF TEACHERS ASSISTANTS LEAVE THE DISTRICT.

SO I WANNA, I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING A STOP AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING IN AN HOUR AND I'LL WILLPOWER, AND I WILL HOUSE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO.

AND SO IT'S, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT A ONE SIZE FITS ALL OR PIECEMEALING THAT WE'VE GIVEN THEM A THOUSAND MILES.

AND WHEN WE GIVE EVERYONE, I WANT TO MAKE, I WANT TO MAKE THEM FEEL JUST AS SPECIAL AS WE MAKE TEACHERS FEEL.

THAT'S MY POINT.

I'D BE DONE WITH THAT.

RODRIGUEZ AND MS. CROSBY, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS PRESENTATION.

I THINK BACK TO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE BUDGET PROCESS AND HOW IT UNFOLDED THE WAY THAT YOUR TEAM, MR. MURPHY, EVERYBODY, THE WAY THAT THIS HAS UNFOLDED AND BEEN PRESENTED IS STELLAR.

UM, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR THAT.

THANK YOU, MS. FIDRYCH AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED OUT BY RECOGNIZING THE TEAM THAT, UH, THAT DOES A LOT OF THIS WORK BEHIND THE SCENES.

UM, BUT, UM, I'M JUST GOING TO TELL YOU, I BELIEVE FIRMLY THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, MS. CROSBY IS ONE OF THE BEST OUT THERE AT THIS, RIGHT? SHE DOES A TREMENDOUS JOB, BUT WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE HER.

I WOULD ALSO COMPLIMENT BOTH OF YOU AND THE TEAM.

UM, HAVING BEEN THIS NOW MY SIXTH, SEVENTH YEAR ON, UM, THIS WAS WELL THOUGHT OUT WHAT YOU JUST PRESENTED AND IT'S MUCH APPRECIATED.

AND, UH, UM, AS YOU JUST POINTED OUT, MS. CROSBY WITH THE CLASSIFIED STAFF GETTING, UH, A TOTAL OF AN 8% INCREASE IN THEIR COMPENSATION, WE ALSO WERE TOLD BY OPERATIONS AT OUR LAST MEETING, THAT THAT SALARIES SALARY STUDY IS GOING TO COME FORWARD IN JULY ABOUT THE CLASSIFIED STAFF.

SO THAT'S REAL IMPORTANT TO GOOD POINT.

JUST ONE LAST COLUMN.

I MEAN, WE CAN MAKE COMMENTS FOREVER ON THIS, BUT I'LL JUST MAKE THIS LAST ONE.

AND THEN I'LL BE LIKE, MT.

I WON'T SAY ANYTHING ELSE THE REST OF THE DAY.

UM, UM, SO JUST LAST WEEK OR THE WEEK BEFORE EDUCATION WEEKLY, WHICH PUTS OUT, UH, UH, INFORMATION AND SHARES RESEARCH AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS ON A REGULAR BASIS.

UH, I JUST WANT TO JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT EVERY ASPECT OF EDUCATION, UH, EMPLOYMENT IS EITHER EXPERIENCING OR EXPECTED TO EXPERIENCE SHORTAGES.

AND WE TALK ABOUT, UH, UH, CLASSIFIED STAFF.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CERTIFIED STAFF, WE CAN'T SAY THAT ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF DOESN'T MATTER.

ONE OF THE CLIFFS ON THE HORIZON IS PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS.

AND WHAT IT IS SHOWING THAT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF, UH, UH, YEARS THAT, THAT, THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING AND WHAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING IS THEY'RE HEADING OUT THE DOOR TO, BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF THE STRESS, BECAUSE OF THE INTENSITY.

UH, SO, AND YOU'VE ALL SEEN, UH, UH, UH, SUPERINTENDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

UH, THIS ISN'T, THIS ISN'T ABOUT ME, BUT I'M POINTING OUT THAT IT IS EVERY ASPECT, RIGHT? UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S OVER A THIRD OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO, WHO ARE SEEING THAT KIND OF TURNOVER, UH, AT THAT LEVEL.

SO ADMINISTRATORS, AND I'M TALKING SPECIFICALLY NOW ABOUT SCHOOL SCHOOL, BUILDING ADMINISTRATORS AND DISTRICT LEVEL ADMINISTRATORS, UH, THAT LEAD DIVISIONS WITHIN DISTRICTS.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS VERY RELEVANT.

IT'S, IT'S IN EVERY ASPECT OF IT.

UM, SO THAT'S THE REALITY.

AND I'LL POINT OUT THAT WE'VE, WE FOCUSED ON THE TEACHERS BECAUSE WITHOUT THE TEACHERS, NONE OF THE REST OF US ARE NEEDED.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF WHY WE FOCUS ON THEM.

THEY ARE, THEY ARE THE POINT OF CONTACT WITH OUR CONSUMERS, WHICH

[02:25:01]

ARE THE STUDENTS.

SO WE DON'T FORGET ABOUT ALL THE SUPPORT, BUT, BUT THAT IS WHERE OUR FOCUS HAS TO BE.

WHEN WE FINISH, WHEN WE FINISH OUR DISCUSSION, CAN WE HAVE A BREAK? CAN WE PLEASE HAVE A BREAK? WHEN WE END THIS, HE WAS SQUIRMING IN THEIR SEATS.

I'M GOING TO TAKE AS A POSITIVE FOR A BREAK.

AND THOSE ARE SITTING CALMLY I'LL AS A ABSTAINED.

LET'S TAKE A 10 MINUTE BREAK THEN, UH, MICHELLE CAMPBELL, 10 MINUTES, WHICH IS NOT THAT NOT DISTRIBUTED YOUR 10 MINUTES, WHICH IS A LOT SHORTER, APPARENTLY.

UM, SO OUR NEXT TOPIC, SOCIAL MEDIA, CYBER BEDDING, AND WE DO HAVE A FOOD TRUCK OUTSIDE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO KEEP KEEPING AN EYE ON HOW LONG THIS CONVERSATION GOES.

WE MIGHT HAVE TO BREAK IN THE MIDDLE, BUT WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES.

UH, INGRID, I THINK, I THINK YOU'RE REALLY THE CHAMPION OF THIS TOPIC.

I MEAN, OKAY.

SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WAS GOING TO BE PRESENTING SOMETHING.

I HAVE DONE A FAIR AMOUNT OF RESEARCH.

MY CONCERN IS WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF, UM, GUARDRAILS POLICIES, ET CETERA, REGARDING SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND WHAT, WHEN THIS CAME UP WAS BECAUSE WE HAD AN INCIDENT WITH A PRINCIPAL THAT WAS HIRED WHERE THE PARENTS IMMEDIATELY, WHICH I WILL TELL YOU EVERY PRETTY MUCH EVERY PARENT WILL DO, AS SOON AS THERE'S SOME, UH, NEW HIRE, LIKE A PRINCIPAL, THEY'RE GOING TO GOOGLE THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA.

UM, WE DID NOT.

SO IT CREATED SOME UNNECESSARY STRIFE.

SO I JUST WANTED, I GUESS, IF WHAT I'M ASKING IS, DOES THE BOARD WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT AND SEE IF WE WANT TO ASK THE SUPERINTENDENT, UH, TO LOOK INTO DEVELOPING MORE, UM, FORMAL SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES.

DO WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT, UH, DO YOU WANT ME TO SHARE MY RESEARCH WITH YOU? I MEAN, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY PRE-MEETING INFORMATION OF WHAT THIS WAS GONNA, OKAY.

I JUST WANTED YOU TO TEE IT UP.

WHY DON'T WE START OFF BY HAVING DR.

RODRIGUEZ TELL US WHAT WE DO HAVE IN PLACE ALREADY.

VENDOR WHO DOES BACKGROUND CHECKS.

CAN YOU DO THAT FRAME? YES.

MS. WALTON ON THE, ON WHAT, IN TERMS OF, UH, UH, EXISTING CYBER VETTING AND THEN MS. CARTLIDGE, UM, CAN YOU COME UP AS WELL? SHE'S ALREADY HANG ON A SECOND.

SURE.

TO SHARE WITH YOU AND WENDY I'LL SHARE THE SHARE WITH YOU.

I'LL SHARE THE CHAIR.

UM, IN TERMS OF A CYBER VETTING POLICY, WE DON'T HAVE ONE.

UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY POLICIES AROUND SOCIAL MEDIA WHEN WE DO WHAT WE HAVE IN PLACE IS OUR NATIONAL BACKGROUND SEARCHES THAT WE DO ON THREE DIFFERENT LEVELS.

WE DO, UM, SEARCH AND WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN INTO DEEP DABS INTO DOING JUST GOOGLE SEARCHES, BUT WE DO GOOGLE SEARCHES ON MOST OF OUR HIRES, ESPECIALLY PRINCIPALS AND DIRECTORS AND ABOVE, BUT NO POLICY IN PLACE FOR THAT IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.

AND THANK YOU, MS. WALTON, DO YOU HAVE SOMEONE WITHIN HR THAT LOOKS, THAT YOU HAVE DESIGNATED TO LOOK AT THE INFORMATION THAT YOU RECEIVE FROM THE COMPANIES THAT YOU USE TO, YOU KNOW, DO SOME CYBER RESEARCH ON OUR CANDIDATES? IT'S NOT CYBER RESEARCH.

WE HAVE BACKGROUND CHECKS, THAT'S A NATIONAL BACKGROUND CHECK.

WE DO HAVE AN OUTSIDE VENDOR THAT DOES THAT.

THEY DO THAT.

THEY SEND US THE RESULTS AND WE DO HAVE SOMEONE IN HR THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT.

ANYTHING THAT'S KICKED OUT, ANY APPLICANT THAT'S QUESTIONABLE IS KICKED OUT.

AND WE DO HAVE AN INTERNAL PROCEDURE WHERE THERE ARE LEVELS OF REVIEWING SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT MEET OUR STANDARDS.

PLUS WE USE THE NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE FOR TEACHERS, AND THEN WE USE A TEACHING CERTIFICATE AS A PART OF THE SEARCHES AS WELL BECAUSE TEACHERS HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN FBI FINGERPRINTING SANDER.

SO WE HAVE THAT IN PLACE.

WE HAVE A NATIONAL SEARCH, ALL SEXUAL, UM, BASIS ACROSS ALL 50 STATES.

AND THEN WE ALSO USE, UM, OUR

[02:30:01]

AND MS. MIDDLETON, WHAT THE, IT IS EXACTLY WHAT THE CLEARINGHOUSE SHOWS IS THAT IT GIVES INFORMATION ON WHETHER THAT PARTICULAR EDUCATOR HAS HAD SOME TYPE OF DISCIPLINARY SANCTION IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION AND FOR YOUR ALL'S INFORMATION.

UM, THE, IN 2009, THIS CLEARINGHOUSE EXPANDED ITS, UM, RESULTS THAT ARE POSTED TO EVEN SHOW A PUBLIC REPRIMAND BEFORE IT WOULD BE SUSPENSIONS, VOLUNTARY, SURRENDERS AND REPLICATIONS.

BUT NOW IT'S, IT'S EXPANDED PAST THAT.

AND WHAT WE, UH, WE DID SOME RESEARCH ON THIS TO GIVE THE BOARD SOME INFORMATION.

AND, UM, IF YOU DECIDE, IF WE DECIDE THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME TYPE OF CYPRESS VETTING, WE'VE GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL, UM, THAT WE INFORM THE APPLICANTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA SITES THAT WOULD BE SEARCHED.

UM, WE WOULD NEED TO LIST, WE WOULD NEED TO DO THIS WITH A NEUTRAL THIRD PARTY THAT WOULD CONDUCT A SEARCH, WHICH IS BETTER TO PROTECT EVERYBODY, THE BOARD, AS WELL AS THE DISTRICT.

AND WE WOULD, UH, PROHIBIT ANY OF OUR STAFF FROM FRIENDING A POTENTIAL APPLICANT.

WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL IN OUR BACKGROUND AND OUR CYBER VENUE IF WE DO THIS, UM, THAT W THAT THERE IS THE FAIR CREDIT REPORTING ACT THAT REQUIRES REMOVAL OF MOST NEGATIVE CREDIT INFORMATION AFTER SEVEN YEARS AND BANKRUPTCIES AFTER SEVEN TO 10 YEARS, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT TO YOU ALL.

UM, WE WOULD BE THE CYBER VETTING WOULD BE LOOKING FOR A, UM, A PUBLIC POST.

AND I WOULD JUST WANT TO POINT OUT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT IS, UM, WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL THAT WE DON'T, UM, IDENTIFY, UH, THAT WE DON'T GAIN INFORMATION ABOUT PROTECTED CLASS AND THEN FAIL TO OFFER A POSITION.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, WHAT IF WE'RE DOING A SEARCH AND WE FIND OUT THAT SOMEONE'S PREGNANT, WELL, YOU CAN'T DENY AN EMPLOYMENT POSITION BECAUSE SOMEBODY IS PREGNANT.

SO, BUT THE MAIN THING WE WANTED TO EMPHASIZE IS THAT WE WOULD DO THIS THROUGH A NEUTRAL THIRD PARTY IN ORDER TO PROTECT EVERYBODY MR. WALTON, HOW MANY PEOPLE PER YEAR DO WE HIRE BETWEEN 400 AND 500 EVERY YEAR? SO SEVERAL QUESTIONS.

SO YOU JUST MENTIONED, UM, WENDY ABOUT, UH, UM, CREDIT CHECK WOULD BE CYBER BEDDING.

WELL, THAT'S PART OF IT CAN BE PERSON.

AS AN ATTORNEY WITH ALL THAT'S DIFFERENT.

THAT CAN BE PUT, YOU WOULD DEVELOP THAT WE WOULD DEVELOP THE CRITERIA OF WHAT KINDS OF THINGS WE WANT TO CHECK.

WHAT, WHAT ARE WE, WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT? AND THEN WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THIS INFORMATION? THAT'S THE OTHER IMPORTANT THING.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT DR.

GLADS IS, YOU KNOW, AND YOU'VE POINTED THIS OUT BEFORE SOME THINGS, SOMETIMES THINGS ARE POSTED THAT ARE NOT TRUE.

AND THAT'S THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF ALL OF THIS IS THAT THERE CAN BE POSTINGS THAT ARE FALSE AND SOCIAL MEDIA, AND THAT'S THE PART THAT'S VERY TRICKY FOR EVERYBODY.

RIGHT? AND SO THEN THIS COMPANY, THIS THIRD PARTY, THAT'S DOING THE, THE CYBER VETTING, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU KNOW, HOW DO THEY, I MEAN, YOU WANT INFORMATION THAT'S ACCURATE, NOT NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, SOME DISGRUNTLED, I DON'T KNOW, ACQUAINTANCE PUT OUT THERE.

UM, SO DO OTHER DISTRICTS DO THIS? AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT DO THEY DO WITH THIS INFORMATION? UM, YOU KNOW, DOING A, I DON'T KNOW, A CREDIT CHECK, YOU KNOW, ON THAT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S, I DUNNO.

I MEAN, IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE HANDLING MONEY OR IF IT'S OUR SUPERINTENDENT, AS WE DID, I MEAN, I WON'T, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS PART OF HIS, HIS, UH, UH, ASSESSMENT PRIOR TO HIRING ANY CANDIDATE THAT WAS APPLYING FOR THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

I MEAN, THAT'S DIFFERENT FOR CREDIT CHECK.

I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW.

THAT JUST SEEMS LIKE WHY WE MAY BE ELIMINATING A LOT OF PEOPLE.

NOT THAT I'M SOMEBODY WHO IS A PROPONENT OF NOT HAVING GOOD, YOU KNOW, FINANCES AS A, AS AN INDIVIDUAL.

I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, BUT YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING? YOU WOULD FIND THIS, YOU MIGHT FIND THIS VERY INTERESTING.

BUT WHEN I WENT TO WORK AT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, I HAD TO PROVIDE, THEY DID A BACKGROUND CHECK ON ME.

THEY DID A CREDIT REPORT ON ME.

I HAD TO HAVE A LETTER FROM THE SOUTH COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE.

I HAD TO HAVE A LETTER FROM THE, UH, LAWYER DISCIPLINE COMMISSION BEFORE AS PART OF MY APPLICATION.

AND YOU WERE APPLYING FOR WHAT POSITION

[02:35:01]

I'M JUST SAYING THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT CRITERIA, DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, AND I CAN TELL YOU IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, THAT EVERY FIVE YEARS, THE DEPARTMENT CHECKS, EVERY EMPLOYEE DOES A RE FINGERPRINTS, DOES CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK DOES A CHILD ABUSE REGISTRY, SO DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE DIFFERENT CRITERIA.

DID YOU GO DO YOUR REQUIREMENTS ARE MUCH STRICTER THAN WHAT OUR REQUIREMENTS ARE.

YOU HAVE SECURITY CONCERNS AND A SAYING WRITTEN THEN.

AND, AND I THINK, I THINK THERE'S A NICE BALANCE TO BE STRUCK BETWEEN, UH, YOU KNOW, GOING TO PEOPLE'S CREDIT AND CHECKING THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA, BECAUSE I CAN GIVE YOU HUNDREDS OF EXAMPLES WHERE DISTRICTS HAVE ENDED UP IN LAWSUITS HAVE ENDED UP REACT.

UH, WE, WE WERE PRETTY REACTIONARY.

I THINK IN THE EXAMPLE THAT I'VE MENTIONED, IF THERE WAS SOME QUESTIONABLE SOCIAL MEDIA FOUND WASN'T, IT WAS NOT DISQUALIFYING THAT THERE'S A CONVERSATION THAT'S HAD, HEY, WE FOUND THIS POST WHERE IT LOOKS LIKE THIS, TELL US ABOUT IT.

AND THEN WE GET AHEAD OF IT.

SO WE'RE NOT LIKE PARENTS GOING, WHAT ARE YOU? YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF JUST REVIEWING SOCIAL MEDIA.

IT'S NOT TOO, UM, A LOT OF TIMES WHAT YOU'LL DO WHEN YOU CYBER VET IS, UM, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A LOOSE TERM IS YOU TELL PEOPLE LIKE, MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND WE DON'T.

THIS IS PART OF WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FROM THE DISTRICT.

WE DON'T HERE ARE THE SETTINGS YOU SHOULD HAVE ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA.

YOU'RE ALLOWED TO, UM, HAVE PRIVATE SOCIAL MEDIA.

YOU CAN POST WHAT YOU WANT, BUT SET IT TO PRIVATE.

DON'T FRIENDS, STUDENTS, OR PARENTS.

CAUSE THAT HAPPENS A LOT.

THEY FRIEND, A PARENT, AND THEN THE PARENTS SEES SOMETHING OFFENSIVE AND THEN IT'S BROUGHT TO THE DISTRICT'S ATTENTION AND THEN THERE'S A WHOLE KERFUFFLE, RIGHT? SO HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND, ESPECIALLY FOR SOME PEOPLE COMING OUT OF COLLEGE, CAUSE THIS, THEY ARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA NONSTOP AND SAY, THIS VIDEO SET, SET IT TO PRIVATE, MAKE SURE YOU'RE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHO HAS ACCESS TO YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND WHEN YOU ARE POSTING, WE DO HAVE A STAFF CODE OF CONDUCT AND IT HAS SOME THINGS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LANGUAGE AND REPRESENTING THE DISTRICT.

I DON'T HAVE IT PULLED UP AT THE MOMENT, MAKING SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THAT APPLIES TO THEIR PRESENCE ONLINE IN THEIR PUBLIC SPACE.

SO IF THEY HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS, UM, MIGHT BE OFFENSIVE TO SOME AND NOT OTHERS, MAKING SURE THEY UNDERSTAND HOW THAT WORKS.

IF YOU'RE A TEACHER AND YOU HAVE TO TEACH PEOPLE OF ALL DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS AND DIFFERENT INTERESTS.

SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF IT.

I'VE, I'VE LOOKED AT OTHER SOCIAL, UM, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILES, AND IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, A REAL GRANULAR CAN AND CAN'T, IT IS EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT IS REASONABLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

UM, EDUCATING THEM AS TO HOW THIS WORKS.

NOW, WHEN YOU'RE A TEACHER OR A BUS DRIVER, THERE ARE CERTAIN YOU'RE IN THE MORE IN THE PUBLIC REALM.

GOING TO CANCEL THEM AND, AND PUT A BIG STAIN ON THEIR LIFE FOREVER.

UM, AND I DON'T KNOW IF SOCIAL, IF A LOT OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS DO CYBER VETTING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, IT IS GREATER THAN 90%.

SO I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S UNREASONABLE THAT THESE PEOPLE WILL EXPECT THESE, YOU KNOW, APPLICANTS.

I DON'T THINK YOU USE IT AS PART OF THE HIRING PROCESS.

YOU SAY, OKAY, WE WANT TO HIRE YOU, LET'S CHECK YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS POST AND LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT YOUR SETTINGS AND LET'S HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT NOW THAT YOU'RE HIRED WITH THE DISTRICT, HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.

SO WE DON'T END UP.

AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT, THAT'S BEEN IN THE NEWS LATELY WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING INTO SOCIAL MEDIA, FINDING TEACHERS WITH OFFENSIVE POSTS AND PUBLISHING THAT ON TWITTER.

UM, AND THEN IT'S LED TO TEACHERS BEING FIRED AND DISTRICTS BEING SUED.

SO I JUST THINK IT'S A REALLY, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT GOING AWAY.

IT'S GOING TO BECOME EVEN A LARGER PRESENCE.

UM, IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOUNG PEOPLE USE.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE GOING TO USE AND THEY'RE VERY GOOD AT.

SO LET'S JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A POLICY THAT DOES SOME LEVEL OF PROACTIVE PREVENTION OF SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE SEE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S ALL MY COMMENTS.

THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.

UM, SO I GREW UP IN, IN THE AGE OF WHEN FACEBOOK CAME ABOUT AND WAS ONE OF THE FIRST USERS WITH A UNIVERSITY ADDRESS.

AND, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE TAUGHT EARLY ON IS BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU POST AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TEACHING OUR STUDENTS TO BE AS GOOD DIGITAL CITIZENS.

UM, WE WANT THEM TO MAKE RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY POST BECAUSE IT'S FOREVER.

UM, SO I DO THINK THAT THERE IS A LEVEL OF, UM, SCRUTINY THAT WE NEED TO HAVE WHEN IT COMES TO SOME OF OUR CANDIDATES, PARTICULARLY DR.

QUADS MENTIONED PEOPLE THAT DEAL WITH OUR FUNDS, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND ALL OF THOSE, UM, ALL THAT INFORMATION WOULD COME THROUGH THE BOARD WHEN WE FORMALLY APPROVE SOMEBODY.

SO I THINK THAT THERE IS A BENEFIT TO GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.

THE THING THAT I DO WORRY ABOUT THOUGH IS, UM, THIS CULTURE THAT WE'VE KIND OF GOTTEN INTO OF WHERE IF YOU SEE SOMETHING YOU DON'T LIKE THAT SOMEONE POSTED WHEN THEY WERE 14 YEARS OLD, NOW WE'RE

[02:40:01]

UM, I THINK THERE IS REDEMPTION AND EVERYBODY, AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T TRAVEL DOWN THAT ROAD.

UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT IT'S A GOOD POLICY THAT WE SHOULD LOOK INTO, UM, TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROTECTING OURSELVES AND PROTECTING THE IMAGE OF THE DISTRICT AND FISCAL MATTERS.

IS SO SOMETHING THAT WOULD RUN THROUGH THE POLICY COMMITTEE? WELL, I THINK, YEAH, WE'RE TALKING POLICY.

IT COULD RUN THROUGH POLICY, BUT YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THERE'S INCREDIBLE LEGAL ENTANGLEMENTS THAT YOU CAN GET INTO OR HAVING A POLICY.

YOU CAN HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS, YOU CAN HAVE TRAINING, BUT HAVING A POLICY SEEMS TO OPEN THE DOOR TO, YOU KNOW, PANDORA'S BOX, SO TO SPEAK.

SO, UM, I THINK MAYBE WE NEED AN UPDATE ON ALL THE PITFALLS LEGALLY, UH, OF TRYING TO INSTITUTE A POLICY BECAUSE WE CAN'T CONTROL PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR AND THAT'S THE LINE THAT SEEMS TO BE DIFFICULT.

WE CANNOT CONTROL PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR WHEN THEY'RE NOT AT WORK.

UM, THERE NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT.

UH, SO, UH, IF WE COULD JUST GET AN OUTLINE OF THE PARAMETERS THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO STAY WITHIN, IF WE DEVELOP THE RECOMMENDATION, I SAY RECOMMENDATION, CAUSE I DON'T THINK POLICY IS APPROPRIATE, BUT A TRAINING, SOMETHING HOPEFULLY THAT WOULD ADDRESS.

I MEAN, I UNDERSTAND THE LEGITIMATE CONCERN.

INGRID HAS TO BE, YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY CAREFUL.

I'VE PUT A, I MADE A COUPLE NOTES FOR Y'ALL, UM, DISCRIMINATION, NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS ACT VIOLATIONS, INVASION OF PRIVACY RIGHTS OF FIRST AMENDMENT, VERACITY OF INFORMATION, DEFAMATION LIABLE.

I JUST RECENTLY DETECTED IT PROTECTED CLASS, OR YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, WE RECENTLY HAD AN UPDATE ON MY EDUCATION TO THE FIRST AMENDMENT.

SO I'M PROBABLY A LITTLE SENSITIVE.

SOME OF YOU GOT THE INSIDE JOKE THERE.

UM, INGRID, I KNOW THAT MR. SMITH AND MR. CAMPBELL HAVE HAD THEIR HANDS UP, BUT I JUST WANTED TO RESPOND TO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING BECAUSE WE HAVE THESE POLICY.

WE HAVE A POLICY ABOUT PROTECTING THE IMAGE OF THE DISTRICT AND ALSO, UH, HRS FOR STAFF CONDUCT.

THE PERSONAL LIFE OF A BCC EMPLOYEE SHALL BE THE CONCERN AND WARRANT THE ATTENTION OF THE ADMINISTRATION ONLY AS IT MAY DIRECTLY PREVENT OR IMPAIR THE EMPLOYEE FROM EFFECTIVELY PERFORMING ASSIGNED FUNCTIONS.

SO THAT'S WHERE I'M LOOKING.

I'M NOT LOOKING AT INVADING PEOPLE'S PERSONAL SPACE.

I'M LOOKING AT IT, BASICALLY LOOKING AT OUR STAFF CONDUCT AND UPDATING IT TO WHERE IT INCLUDES THE VAST METAVERSE OF SOCIAL MEDIA INTERACTIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY'RE WEARING TO SCHOOL OR WHAT THEY'RE WEARING OUT IN PUBLIC, BUT WHAT THEY'RE POSTING.

UM, AND, AND I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO GO BACK TO WHERE THEY'RE FOR.

I DON'T WANT TO PUNISH ANYBODY.

I THINK IF YOU FOUND SOMETHING TO RACHEL'S POINT THAT A 14 YEAR OLD HAD POSTED, JUST EXPLAIN TO THEM, MAKE THAT PRIVATE, MAKE THAT WORK, THAT WHEN A PARENT CAN'T GO IN AND FIND IT, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S, I JUST WANT TO RESPOND TO ABOUT THE PRIVATE LIFE.

UM, HE, I, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE BE VERY CAREFUL, UM, BECAUSE WE CAN OPEN OURSELF UP FOR A LAWSUIT.

YOU SAW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE YOUNG LADY THAT MADE THE COMMENT OFF SCHOOL CAMPUS, AND SHE SUED THE SCHOOL AND SHE WON, YOU KNOW, UM, I THINK THAT WHERE THE EMPLOYEES BRING IT TO THE DISTRICT, UM, WE DO HAVE A BACKGROUND CHECK RIGHT ON ALL OF THEM.

AND THEY CHECKED FOR, FOR MANY THINGS LIKE SEXUAL OR CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES.

SO, UM, I, I JUST, I DON'T WANT US TO GET IN A POINT WHERE WE CAUSE US TO BE SOMEONE TO FILE A LAWSUIT AND THEY'RE GOING TO BIG ON A WIN BECAUSE YOU CAN'T STOP BY THE SAME SOMETHING AND THEY'RE NOT IN THE CLASSROOM.

SLOPE BECAUSE AT SOME POINT IN TIME, WE'RE NOT LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT TO LET LAW ENFORCEMENT DO THEIR JOBS.

I, I TOO THINK THAT THIS IS A SLIPPERY SLOPE AND I THINK THAT WE DEFINITELY MIGHT NOT WANT TO DIG INTO THIS TOO MUCH.

UH, WHAT MS. BULL RIDE, JUST READ OUT THE END OF THAT, THAT THAT IS, UH, PRETTY MUCH FINE.

AND THAT PRETTY MUCH GIVES US THE OUTLINE ON WHICH WE SHOULD BE, HOW WE SHOULD BE POLICING, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW WE SHOULD BE, UM, GIVING IT ATTENTION.

I THINK ENDING BEYOND THAT WILL BE A INVASIVE AND, UM, GOING, GOING A LITTLE BIT OVERBOARD.

SO I AM VERY, UH, CONCERNED WITH GOING ANYWHERE, GOING ANYTHING DEEPER AND RUNNING INTO ANYONE, UH, CREDIT REPORTS OR ANY OF THAT STUFF.

I THINK THAT THAT IS NOT ANY OF OUR BUSINESS.

I THINK THAT THAT'S CROSSING THE LINE AND WANTS TO GET INTO THE WHOLE SOCIAL MEDIA SITUATION IS KIND OF A SLIPPERY

[02:45:01]

AND, UH, AND IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT BAD, THEN WE JUST REPORT IT.

AND THEN ALSO IN TERMS OF JUST TO ALSO TO ADDRESS THE THING ABOUT MS, UH, MS. BELL, RIGHT ABOUT THE PARENTS NOW FIND A SOCIAL MEDIA PARENTS GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHEN YOU PISSED THEM OFF WITH THEIR KIDS, THEY WILL FIND YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE.

THEY WILL PUT OUT A REWARD.

LISTEN, I MEAN, GOING, GOING THROUGH THAT WHOLE MASK.

AND I WAS SHOCKED BY HOW, HOW PEOPLE, EVEN IN THE BONE OF THE INBOX ONE DAY, I MEAN, SO WENT INTO 10 TERMS OF THAT, THEIR IDENTITY.

WE MUST REMEMBER THAT TEACHERS ARE STILL HUMAN BEING STAFF MEMBERS ARE STILL HERE.

THEY'RE HUMAN AND EVERYONE, NO ONE IS PERFECT.

FIRST THING, THE SECOND THING IS I WAS ALSO IS ALSO, THIS IS THAT W WE ALL, WE ALSO HAVE TO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, THAT THEY ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA AND THAT KIND OF GOING, GOING ON THE, ON THEIR PAGES.

AND WE'RE BRINGING THINGS THAT HAPPEN OUT ON THEIR OWN, THEIR OWN TIME AS KIND OF ALMOST A ADMIN BASIS.

AND I JUST LEAVE IT THERE.

UM, I WOULD, I THINK THOUGH THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE OUR HEAD IS NOT, OUR HEADS ARE NOT IN THE SAND BECAUSE, UM, SOME OF WHAT MS. BOATWRIGHT READ TO US AND SOME OF OUR PRACTICES DO NOT REFLECT WE'RE IN 2022.

AND THE LAST THING WE SHOULD BE FINDING OUT IS FROM OUR PARENTS THAT DID A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH, YOU KNOW, AND, AND WE WERE CAUGHT UNAWARE, UM, TO DR.

RODRIGUEZ, THIS POINT, I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT OUR PRACTICE WOULD BE DOING A GOOGLE SEARCH ON EVERY SINGLE 500 CANDIDATES, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE, UH, SOMEONE IN A POSITION OF LEADERSHIP, SCHOOL LEVEL, DISTRICT LEVEL, WHATEVER, UH, AND, AND MS. WALDEN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PRACTICE IS RIGHT NOW FOR THAT GOOGLE SEARCH, BECAUSE I'M SURE IT'S VERY TIME, TIME, UM, LABORIOUS.

UM, BUT, BUT I THINK THAT WE'RE BEING NAIVE.

IF WE DON'T UPDATE OUR WORDING TO INCORPORATE SOME TYPE OF EXPECTATION OF TEACHER BEHAVIOR, ADMINISTRATOR BEHAVIOR ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND WE DON'T UPDATE OUR PRACTICES TO AT LEAST DO A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH ON SOME OF OUR CANDIDATES.

SO THANK YOU.

WAIT A SECOND.

I'M GOING TO PLAY BACK THE VIDEO FROM EARLIER.

YEAH, THAT WAS YESTERDAY.

WASN'T IT? EVERYTHING THAT'S BEING SAID IS, IS TRUE.

AND I AGREE WITH FISHER THAT WE DO HAVE TO CONCENTRATE ON THIS DAY AND TIME, BUT I ALSO FIND YOU THAT IT IS THIS DAY IN TIME IN A WEEK, EVERY LITTLE INCIDENT, WE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FIND ANYBODY TO WORK.

SO THAT'S THE OTHER PART OF IT, BUT YEAH, I THINK WE NEED TO MODERNIZE OUR APPROACH AT THE SAME TIME, MOVE THOSE PARAMETERS A BIT AS YOU MODERNIZE, BECAUSE YOU GOT TO GET YOU OPENING UP DIFFERENT KIND OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF CONVERSATION.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT, YOU KNOW, ME AND MYSELF, I'M COMPROMISED EVERY OTHER MONTH ON, ON FACEBOOK.

SO WHAT YOU GET, YOU KNOW, BY NOT BEING REAL.

SO THAT'S THE OTHER PART.

UM, I THINK ONE, I THINK, UH, MR. , UH, I DO THINK, UH, UM, WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER ABOUT LOOKING AT THE, UH, LEGAL AND LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS AROUND IT IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT BECAUSE, BECAUSE, BECAUSE EVEN A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH, RIGHT.

WHEN IT'S DONE OKAY, IF THAT'S THE BASIS FOR DENYING EMPLOYMENT, THEN I THINK YOU HAVE A POTENTIAL ISSUE, RIGHT.

DEPENDING ON WHAT THAT IS.

AND SO, SO I THINK, I THINK, UH, THEN WHEN YOU THEN, AND WHEN YOU DO THE, SO IF WE, IF YOU JUST SORT OF PLAY IT OUT, YOU DO A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH, YOU FIND SOMETHING THAT'S NOT, BUT IT'S SOMETHING OKAY.

UH, IF YOU, IF YOU DENY EMPLOYMENT, YOU HAVE SOME LIABILITY PO POSSIBLY, IF YOU DON'T DENY EMPLOYMENT, RIGHT.

THEN YOU GET, WELL, YOU KNEW THIS AND YOU DID IT ANYWAY.

AND YOU HIRED ANYWAY.

SO, SO THERE'S, THERE'S A, I'M NOT SUGGESTING YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW, BUT I'M SUGGESTING, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT EITHER WAY ON THAT, UH,

[02:50:01]

IS AS A TOUGH SPOT.

SO I DO THINK THERE IS SOME W WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THAT LEGAL, UH, SPECIFICATION IS.

AND THERE'S LOTS OF OPINIONS ON THAT.

I THINK SO.

THERE'S AS MANY OPINIONS ON THAT, AS THERE ARE ON HOW TO RUN A SCHOOL DISTRICT, JUST OVERWHELMING.

UM, UNLESS THERE'S AN OBJECTION.

I THINK WE SHOULD ASSIGN THIS TO THE POLICY COMMITTEE TO LOOK AT AND SEE, AND SEE IF THAT NEEDS, IF WE NEED TO UPDATE ANYTHING, TO BRING US UP TO SPEED, OR WE CAN NOT ASSIGN IT TO THE POLICY COMMITTEE, ASSIGN IT TO DR.

RODRIGUEZ, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO LEAVE THIS MEETING UNTIL IT'S ASSIGNED TO SOMEBODY, UM, TO LOOK AT IT AND MAKE SURE WE'RE UP TO DATE.

AND WE KNOW THE LEGAL ISSUES, YADA, YADA, YADA.

SO, UM, AS CHAIR OF THE POLICY COMMITTEE, I WOULD WANT TO WALK AWAY WITH A VERY CLEAR UNDERSTANDING, UM, THAT BECAME VERY APPARENT THE LAST POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING THAT WE NEED A REAL CLEAR UNDERSTANDING, BUT IN GRADE YOU READ FROM AN AR CORRECTLY, CORRECT? YEAH.

AND I, YES.

AND SO YOU READ FROM AN AR MEANING THE STAFF CONDUCT HRS FOR, RIGHT.

SO THEY INCORPORATE SOME OF THE THINGS, SO IT MIGHT BE WORTHWHILE, UH, THE AR COMING BACK WITH MAYBE ANY SUGGESTION OF ANY CHANGE FOR THAT.

BUT IF IT IS REMANDED TO THE POLICY COMMITTEE, PLEASE TELL ME SPECIFICALLY WHAT IT IS WE'RE DOING.

IT'S LIKE MUSIC TO MY EARS TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT BACKWARDS.

I CONCUR WITH THE NUTRITION.

I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER TO START SINCE IT IS AN AR AND IT'S ABOUT EMPLOYMENT.

AND W YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT THE ONES DOING THE BACKGROUND.

THE BOARD IS NOT THE ONE, YOU KNOW, WE APPROVE EVERYTHING, BUT WE'RE NOT THE ONES DOING THE BACKGROUND CHECKS AND ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER TO START OUT WITH, UM, HAVING IT BE ADMINISTRATIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, JAW HUBBARD OR, AND, AND SEE WHAT, AND ESPECIALLY WENDY'S GOT TO LOOK INTO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MUCH, UH, LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS JUST AS DR.

RODRIGUEZ SAID, I MEAN, WHETHER YOU DENY EMPLOYMENT OR YOU ALLOW EMPLOYMENT, JUST SEE, AND WE ALSO NEED TO KNOW WHAT ARE OTHER DISTRICTS, I MEAN, EVERYONE'S FACED WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, WHAT ARE THEY DOING? AND, AND, UM, AND SO MUCH OF THE INFORMATION IS MISINFORMATION THAT YOU'RE GETTING FROM THIS SEARCH.

COUPLE OF CLARIFICATIONS, ONE CYBER VETTING GOT KIND OF TAGGED TO THIS BECAUSE THAT'S HOW WE SORT OF, THAT'S HOW AT LEAST I FOUND OUT WE DIDN'T HAVE A SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY.

IT IS NOT, I'M NOT SPECIFICALLY SAYING WE SHOULD JUST BE FOCUSED ON CYBER VETTING AND DEVELOPED.

I THINK WHAT REALLY, WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, BECAUSE THINGS ARE GOING TO COME UP AND THINGS HAVE COME UP WHAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR A TEACHER OR AN ADMINISTRATOR, OR EVEN A STUDENT TO POST, UM, ONLINE, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN MANY QUESTIONS AND THEY'VE BEEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT THAT'S NOT ALLOWED.

WELL, WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE GUIDELINES AS FAR AS WHAT'S POSTED.

SO I REALLY THINK WHAT, WHAT I SAW THIS AS, UM, WAS NOT FOCUSED ON CYBER, UH, VETTING, BUT MORE WE NEED TO, IN MY OPINION, WE NEED A SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY.

AND IF WE WANT TO ENHANCE THE STAFF CONDUCT TO INCLUDE A SOCIAL MEDIA COMPONENT.

BUT I ALSO THINK, AND I, AND I KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE, THERE IS LIABILITY FOR NOT HAVING A SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY, BECAUSE IF WE ARE NOT AWARE AND SOMETHING HAPPENS AND IT WAS ALL OVER SOMEONE'S PUBLIC, SOCIAL MEDIA, THERE'S GOING TO BE A QUESTION OF HOW DID THE DISTRICT NOT KNOW THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN? I MEAN, THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT THIS PERSON WAS INVOLVED IN DRUGS, WHATEVER, AND THEN IT COMES INTO THE SCHOOLS AND WE SAY, WELL, WE DIDN'T KNOW, PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO ACCEPT THAT AS YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS ALL POSTED ALL OVER THE FACEBOOK PAGE OR THEY WERE MAKING TIK TOK VIDEOS ABOUT IT.

SO, AND THERE ARE LOTS OF GRAY AREAS.

SO I HAVE, AND I WOULD GUESS NOT IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, CAUSE I DON'T KNOW, SOUTH CAROLINA IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT, BUT I WOULD GUESS NATIONWIDE THAT A MAJORITY OF DISTRICTS HAVE ADOPT SOME SORT OF SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY.

INGRID CLARIFY THIS FOR ME.

SO THIS, THIS SPECIFIC TASK IS TO DEVELOP A SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDELINES OR POLICY OR AR NOT POLICY.

IT'S NOT USE THE WORD POLICY AN AR AND THAT'S REALLY UP TO YOU, RIGHT? DR.

RODRIGUEZ.

SO, SO IS IT, IS IT TO DEVELOP A SOCIAL MEDIA GUIDELINE OR TO EXPLORE, UH, THE RAMIFICATIONS AND ALL THAT SORT OF THING? IT'S PROBABLY BOTH, BUT IF IN FACT WE DO NOT HAVE A SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY, WE SHOULD DETERMINE WHETHER WE NEED ONE AND THEN, AND PART OF THAT WOULD BE LOOKING AT ALL THE PITFALLS.

AND I KNOW THERE ARE LOTS AND LOTS OF PITFALLS.

UM, SO THIS SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY,

[02:55:01]

I HAVE A, IN THE COMMENT, SO THIS POLICY, YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE US LIMIT WHAT PEOPLE CAN SAY ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

SO I DON'T PLEASE CLARIFY.

I'M GOING TO TAKE A PAGE OUT OF IT.

I, I, I HAVE FOUND SOME SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES FROM OTHER DISTRICTS THAT I LIKE.

UM, THE PURPOSE OF THESE GUIDELINES IS TO ESTABLISH PROTOCOLS FOR THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA, BY EMPLOYEES, AND TO OUTLINE EXPECTATIONS FOR ITS USE.

SOCIAL MEDIA INCLUDES WEBSITES, SUCH AS FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, OR OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA AND WEB 2.0 TOOLS.

SO IT'S A LIST OF EXPECTATIONS.

AND I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF SAMPLING, CAUSE IT'LL GIVE YOU KIND OF A DIRECTION, DO NOT SUBMIT OR POST CONFIDENTIAL, PROTECTED INFORMATION ABOUT THE DISTRICT.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT RIGHT NOW.

SO IF SOMEONE, A TEACHER FINDS OUT SOMETHING CONFIDENTIAL AND THEY POST IT, WHAT IS OUR, WHAT, WHAT CAN WE DO? SO THOSE ARE SORT OF THINGS.

UM, YOU SHOULD ASSUME THAT MOST INFORMATION ABOUT A STUDENT IS PROTECTED FROM DISCLOSURE, BY BOTH FEDERAL LAW AND STATE LAW REPORT AS REQUIRED BY LAW.

ANY INFORMATION FOUND IN A SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE THAT FALLS UNDER THE MANDATORY REPORTING GUIDELINES, UH, CONSIDER WHETHER A PARTICULAR POSTING PUTS YOUR PROFESSIONAL REPUTATION AND EFFECTIVENESS AS A EMPLOYEE AT RISK BECAUSE OF SECURITY RISKS WHEN USING THIRD PARTY APPLICATIONS.

SO THIS IS FOR, UM, PERSONAL AND EDUCATIONAL USE.

THEN THEY HAVE AN EXPECTATION, WHICH I THINK IS MORE CONCERNING FOR PERSONAL USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND REFRAIN FROM ACCEPTING STUDENTS AS FRIENDS, REMEMBER THAT ONCE SOMETHING IS POSTED A SOCIAL MEDIA SITE, IT MAY REMAIN AVAILABLE, EVEN IF YOU THINK IT'S REMOVED.

SO IT'S MORE OF AN EDUCATIONAL PIECE SET AND MAINTAIN APPROPRIATE SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY SETTINGS, AVOID USING A SOCIAL MEDIA SITE TO POST CONTENT, WHICH MAY BE CON I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT CONSIDERED DEFAMATORY OR OBSCENE, RIGHT.

OR OFFENSIVE.

YOU KNOW, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

WE HAVE HAD THOSE THINGS TO, UM, NEVER USE A SOCIAL MEDIA SITE TO POST INFORMATION ABOUT A STUDENT OR EMPLOYEE IN A WAY THAT IS, OR COULD BE REASONABLY PERCEIVED AS DISCRIMINATORY, HARASSING OR OTHERWISE DEROGATORY.

SO THESE ARE JUST GUIDELINES AND THEY'RE AVAILABLE ON THE WEB.

SO THAT, AND IT'S PART OF AN EDUCATION PROCESS.

I THINK THAT DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED IN SCHOOLS AS PART OF OUR TECHNOLOGY CURRICULUM, BECAUSE IT'S JUST CREATING SO MUCH HAVOC IN STUDENTS' LIVES.

UM, AND IT'S, SO IT'S JUST KIND OF GUIDELINES.

HERE'S OUR EXPECTATIONS.

IT'S NOT, YOU CAN GO TO JAIL, WE WON'T HIRE YOU.

YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, HERE'S, HERE'S WHAT WE THINK YOU SHOULD DO.

AND THEN IT GIVES US SOMETHING WHEN THERE'S AN INCIDENT TO REFER TO AND SAY, ARE YOU OUTSIDE OF OUR EXPECTATIONS? SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.

THANK YOU FOR CLARIFICATION, MS. BOLT, RIGHT.

I JUST NEED TO CLARIFY, I THOUGHT THAT PART OF THIS WAS ABOUT HIRING PEOPLE.

IT BECAME APPARENT DURING CYBER VETTING.

AND I DO THINK THAT WE, I DON'T KNOW.

I THINK THAT WHEN WE'RE HIRING, WE SHOULD KNOW WHAT'S ON SOMEONE'S SOCIAL MEDIA.

SO IF WE FIND SOMETHING THAT COULD BE POTENTIALLY PROBLEMATIC, ESPECIALLY IF IT'S A LEADERSHIP POSITION THAT WE GET AHEAD OF IT, NOT THAT WE CANCELED, BUT MOST PEOPLE WILL TALK ABOUT IS YOU HIRE THE PERSON AND THEN YOU CHECK THE SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEN YOU ASK THEM ABOUT SOMETHING QUESTIONABLE.

AND IF YOU FIND SOMETHING ILLEGAL OR DISCRIMINATORY IN THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA, THAT WOULD BE GROUNDS FOR NOT, NOT OFFERING THE CONTRACT, BUT IT'S A HIGHER THAN CHECK AND HAVE A CONVERSATION IF NEEDED, NOT MAKE HIRING DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT YOU FIND ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

SO HAVE AT LEAST TWO, TWO THINGS WORKING HERE, I THINK, UH, MS. ROBOT.

UM, AND, UH, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, ONE, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR TALKING ABOUT COMING UP WITH GUIDELINES, UM, IT SEEMS TO ME, GUIDELINES AND POLICIES ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

SO WE'D NEED TO CLARIFY THAT AND TO PERHAPS START WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION AND ASK THEM WHAT THEY ARE AWARE OF DOING A QUICK SEARCH RIGHT NOW, I FOUND GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE FORT MILL SCHOOLS, UM, FORT MILL, SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL.

I FOUND THOSE ONLINE AS WE WERE TALKING.

SO I QUESTION GUIDELINES VERSUS POLICY.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POLICIES IN THE STRICT SENSE OF THAT WORD.

IT'S NOT A BOARD POLICY, RIGHT.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN AR OR A GUIDELINE SUGGESTS THAT YOU NEED TO SHOOT.

AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ASK THEM TO DEVELOP GUIDELINES.

I WOULD SAY ANGRY IS GOING TO SHARE HER RESEARCH WITH, WITH THE DISTRICT.

OKAY, GO AHEAD, KATHY.

I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, GUIDELINES ARE THE PURVIEW OF THE, UH, ADMINISTRATION AND NOT KNOW POLICY IS WHAT THE BOARD WRITES

[03:00:04]

UM, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SUGGESTING HERE.

AND THAT INCLUDES FIRPA MAINTAINING CONFIDENTIALITY BOUNDARIES.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS AWARE THAT EVERY YEAR ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE SAFE SCHOOLS TRAINING.

UH, THOSE TYPES OF TRAININGS ARE DONE EVERY YEAR AND EVERYBODY HAS TO SIGN OFF ON THEM.

SO, AND ALSO YOU HAVE A CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY.

SO WE DO, YOU KNOW, MAINTAIN THAT AND EVERYBODY HAS TO REVIEW THAT EVERY YEAR.

MAKE SURE EVERYONE HAS A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING.

UM, AND ALSO I WAS JUST GONNA SAY IN THE PAST, I'VE DO REMEMBER THAT WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA QUESTIONS AND I BELIEVE THAT THE DISTRICT CANDIDATE PRETTY ACCURATE QUICKLY.

AND, UM, I WILL SAY I WAS IMPRESSED THE WAY IT WAS HANDLED AND I BELIEVE EVERYONE WAS HAPPY.

SO, UH, ONCE YOU GUYS JUST WANT TO SAY, THIS IS, THIS COULD BE ANOTHER THING OF WHY I WOULD RATHER GO FOR THAT 30, $30,000 OUT VERSUS THAT 50.

I MEAN, SO, AND ALSO WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN, PEOPLE ARE WATCHING THIS, THIS COULD BE SOME REASON WHY SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, MAY NOT WANT THE JOB BECAUSE YOU'RE TELLING ME HOW TO LIVE MY PERSONAL LIFE SO THAT I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.

SO, BUT, UM, I WILL SAY IN THE PAST WE HAVE HAD THAT HAPPEN AND I BELIEVE THAT THE, UH, HR DID HANDLE THAT QUICKLY AND SWIFTLY.

SO I BELIEVE THAT WE W I THINK THEY HAVE THAT COVERED.

I THINK WE ALL BASICALLY SAYING THE SAME THING.

THINK IT'S AN AR INTERPRETATION THAT WE WANT.

WE WANT, WE WANT FRANK TO LOOK AT IT AT A MORE, MUCH MORE MODERN CONCEPT OF HOW WE INTERPRET OUR POLICY.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, HOW FAR HE GOES IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, THAT MODERN INTERPRETATION IS UP TO HIM RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY MORE ANGRY.

SO I THINK THE DIRECTION IS CLEAR.

THAT'S PROBABLY ALL WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW.

I BELIEVE WE HAVE BEATEN THAT HORSE TO DEATH NOW.

I THINK IT'S A PROBABLY APPROPRIATE TIME TO, UH, TAKE A LUNCH BREAK.

30 MINUTES.

UM, STUDENTS GET 30 MINUTES FOR LUNCH, RIGHT? THEY GET 20.

SO WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A 20 MINUTE LUNCH BREAK.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A 20 MINUTE LUNCH BREAK, JUST LIKE STUDENTS DO, AND THERE'S A FOOD TRUCK OUTSIDE, BUT THE STUDENTS CAN'T DO THAT.

AND WE DON'T PAY POINT OF ORDER CHAIR.

THEY'RE COMING IN TO GIVEN AN INSTRUCTION STUDENTS FROM ACE FIRST, THEY'RE COMING IN TO GIVEN AN INDUCTION.

OH, OH, OKAY.

THIS IS SURPRISE FOR ME.

THERE WAS SOMEBODY UP NFTS.

UH, STUDENTS FROM THE SMILES, YOU GOT SOMETHING REALLY GOOD TO SAY, EXCUSE ME.

HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS BRANDON GARCIA, AND I'M HERE WITH MY CULINARY CRA CULINARY CLASS FROM ACE, YOU FOR DESPERATE.

AND TODAY, UH, WE HAVE PREPARED FOR YOU, A FRESHLY, UH, UH, SHE'S IN A CHICKEN OR CHICKEN OR SEASONED BEEF BURRITOS WITH CHIPS OR SALSA.

AND, UH, UH, OR IF YES, THAT TACO SALAD WITH A TACO BEEF OR GRILLED CHICKEN, AND IT IS A COMPANY WITH, UH, A WATER COKE AND A DIET COKE.

AND THIS IS OUR FIRST EVENT, WHICH IS A FIRST FOOD TRUCK EVENT FOR US, WHICH HAS BEEN DIRECTED BY OUR BEAUTIFUL CHEF, UH, CHEF ERIC SAYS, AND WE HOPE YOU ENJOY, UH, WHAT WE HAVE PREPARED FOR YOU TODAY.

AND THANK YOU, RECOGNIZE

[03:05:11]

WE'RE BACK AT 1245.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE RAN, WE RAN, WE RAN 10 MINUTES OVER WHAT A TEACHER NORMALLY GETS TO EAT LUNCH ONLY.

CAN YOU HELP ME OVER HERE, PLEASE? THANK YOU.

I WANT TO MAKE A SPECIAL PRESENTATION TODAY.

COME ON UP HERE.

UM, YOU KNOW, THAT I'VE BEEN GIVING, GIVING AWAY A GAME BALLS.

AND SO, UH, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU, UH, SOMEONE WHO EXHIBITS EXCELLENCE, DEDICATION IS THE ULTIMATE TEAM PLAYER IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

COLEEN DOES THIS ALL THE TIME.

SHE HELPS EVERY SINGLE DIVISION WITHIN THIS DISTRICT.

SHE HELPS OUR SCHOOLS.

AS YOU KNOW, WE RECENTLY TRANSITIONED OUR WEBPAGE.

SHE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN TRANSITIONING OUR WEBPAGE, NOT JUST OUR WEBPAGE, BUT OVER 30 SCHOOL WEB PAGES AT THE SAME TIME.

AND SHE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN STEPPING IN AND PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, PREPARING ON A WEEKEND AND PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR SCHOOLS ON THIS WEBPAGE SO THAT THEIR WEBMASTERS WOULD BE READY TO MANAGE AND WORK ON THEIR, UH, WEB PAGES.

AND THEN, UH, THE BUILT IN INTERNET COMPONENT TO THE WEBPAGE AS WELL.

UH, BUT SHE IS ALWAYS THERE AND ALWAYS STEPS IN AND ANSWERS THE CALL EVERY SINGLE TIME.

SO FOR THAT, WE HAVE A GAME BALL FOR YOU.

I'M SHOCKED, YOU KNOW, YOU GET THAT TEXT.

YOU'RE LIKE, OH GOSH, WHAT DO I NEED? WHAT DO I NEED TO PREPARE? THANK YOU SO MUCH.

I MEAN, THIS IS, THIS IS SO, SO SPECIAL TO ME.

I HAVE BEEN IN THIS DISTRICT SINCE I STARTED MY CAREER IN 2005 AND I STARTED AS A TEACHER COACH COORDINATOR NOW DIRECTOR, AND I'M JUST SO INVESTED AND SO PROUD OF WHAT THIS DISTRICT HAS DONE OVER THOSE YEARS.

AND I'M JUST GLAD TO BE THE TINIEST TINIEST PART OF THAT.

UM, SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THAT THE WAY I THINK I SHOULD GET A GAME BALL JUST FOR FITTING HER ENTIRE NAME ON THAT FOOTBALL.

[03:10:09]

YEAH, NON FUNGIBLE.

UH, NEXT TOPIC, OVERVIEW OF SPECIAL ED DEPARTMENT, STUDENT POPULATION, NUMBER OF TEACHERS AT CETERA, DR.

WHITE.

I SAID, EVERYBODY ELSE GOT TO SIT DOWN.

I GOT TO STAND.

I'LL BE VERY QUICK, GOOD AFTERNOON BOARD MEMBERS.

AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT WITH YOU ABOUT OUR CURRENT REALITY WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN THE DISTRICT.

AND BEFORE I GET STARTED, I WANTED TO INTRODUCE YOU TO SOMEONE WHO'S KIND OF, AS I TRANSITIONED INTO MY NEW ROLE, BUT STILL THE OVERSIGHT OF SPECIAL ED TO ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE IN THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING WITH.

UM, ONE OF OUR COORDINATORS CARLENE SURFACE, UM, HAS TAKEN OVER, HAS TAKEN OVER THE ROLE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SPECIALIST IS DOING A LOT OF THE DAY-TO-DAY AND WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH ME IN THE SCHOOLS, UM, TO ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO GO IN A DIRECTION THAT WE HAVE BEEN GOING IN IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS.

SO, UM, SO SHE DID SOME OF A LOT OF THE LEGWORK HERE FOR THE PRESENTATION TODAY.

SO THANK YOU, CARLENE.

APPRECIATE IT.

AND SO I JUST WANTED TO START BRIEFLY WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE AND THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE'RE SERVING CURRENTLY IN, UM, IN OUR DISTRICT RIGHT NOW, IF YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE BIGGEST THING IS THE GROWTH YOU, YOU SAW THAT, UM, MS. CROSBY SAID, WE ASKED FOR A COUPLE OF POSITIONS, UM, AND THAT IS TO REALLY HANDLE THE GROWTH THAT WE'RE SEEING, EVEN THOUGH WE CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE AS A DISTRICT TO FIND THE TEACHERS.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE ALSO STILL ADVOCATE FOR WHAT WE NEED FOR OUR STUDENTS TO GET THE SERVICES.

AND THAT'S TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT PROFESSIONALS, THE SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS, THE SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS, THE PHYSICAL THERAPIST, THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST, THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST, AND THE PARAPROFESSIONALS WHO ARE SUPPORTED ON A DAILY BASIS.

SO CURRENTLY WE HAVE ABOUT 12% OF OUR ENTIRE STUDENT POPULATION IDENTIFIED AS A STUDENT WITH A DISABILITY.

THAT IS AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 2% SINCE I GOT HERE IN 2019.

UM, AND OUR GROWTH WENT FROM 2,283 STUDENTS IN 2022 CURRENTLY THIS YEAR.

AND I DON'T HAVE MY GLASSES ON 2,577.

EDUCATION TEACHERS WHO ARE PUSHING INTO THE CLASSROOMS TO SERVE THEM OR PULLING THEM OUT FOR SOME DIRECT EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION AS WELL.

2,570, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE THE PAPER, THANK YOU RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.

SO COULDN'T SEE.

BUT, UM, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'VE BEEN STEADILY GROWING EVEN WITH COVID.

THOSE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES STAYED IN OUR DISTRICT AND THEY'RE MOVING INTO OUR DISTRICT.

IN ADDITION TO THE ONES THAT WE'RE IDENTIFYING, UM, BECAUSE OF OUR CHILD FIND OBLIGATION ON THE IDA.

SO WE ARE GROWING THEIR, UM, TREMENDOUSLY UP TO ABOUT 2%.

LET'S JUST STILL ABOUT 2% LESS THAN THE STATE AVERAGE OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.

UM, BUT WE ARE GETTING UP THERE AS WELL TO KIND OF BREAK DOWN THAT WE HAVE STUDENTS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SERVICES IS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN POPULATIONS AND CERTAIN DISABILITIES THAT DO REQUIRE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESOURCES IN ORDER FOR THEM TO ACCESS THE GENERAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM.

AND USUALLY THAT'S OUR VISUALLY IMPAIRED KIDS ARE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING.

KIDS ARE STUDENTS WITH AUTISM AND EMOTIONAL DISABILITIES.

THEY NEED A LOT SERVICES BEYOND JUST THE CLASSROOM THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO THINK ABOUT AS WELL.

SO WE SERVE ABOUT 24% OF OUR STUDENTS AND WHAT WE CALL THE INTENSIVE SUPPORT CLASSROOMS. YOU ALL WILL REMEMBER THE TERM SELF-CONTAINED CLASSROOMS WE'VE CHANGED THAT, UM, VOCABULARY AND IS INTENSIVE SUPPORT.

THERE ARE SO MANY NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE.

UM, SO WE HAVE ABOUT 24% OF THOSE STUDENTS.

UM, 21% OF THE STUDENTS HAVE IDENTIFIED WITH ONLY A SPEECH AND LANGUAGE IMPAIRMENT.

AND FOR ME, THAT'S IMPORTANT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR TESTING SCORES AND STUDENTS THAT THAT'S THE ONLY DISABILITY, HOW CAN WE GET THAT GROUP OF KIDS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY WILL ACCESS THE CURRICULUM AND THE LITERACY AND THE VOCABULARY SO THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE CLASSROOM.

THEY DON'T HAVE AS MANY NEEDS DON'T MISTAKE THAT THAT IS THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT RECEIVE SERVICES.

WE HAVE WELL OVER 1500 STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES THAT ACTUALLY GET SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SERVICES.

AND WE ONLY HAD 32, UH, SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS IN THE DISTRICT.

AND A LOT OF THOSE KIDS REALLY NEED ONE-ON-ONE SERVICES.

HENCE WHY WE'RE ASKING FOR A COUPLE MORE SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS SO WE CAN MEET THOSE NEEDS THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, HOWEVER, STAY IN THE GENERAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM WITH JUST SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT.

THAT MEANS THEY EITHER HAVE A SPECIAL ED

[03:15:01]

SO A LARGER SPOT, LARGE POPULATION OF OUR STUDENTS ARE IN THE CLASSROOMS ON A REGULAR BASIS.

UM, AND THE QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR SIZE AND WHERE WE ARE BEFORE I MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ONE, THAT WAS JUST GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE, AND I DEFINITELY NEED MY GLASSES IS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I GOT ASKED AND I GET ASKED ON ALMOST A YEARLY BASIS IS WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE AND WHY ARE WE SERVING STUDENTS, NOT IN THEIR HOME SCHOOLS AND WHAT WE CALL CLUSTER PROGRAMS. RIGHT.

WE KNOW THAT A COUPLE OF OUR SCHOOLS HAVE MUCH LARGER POPULATIONS THAN OTHERS.

AND WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE IF EVERY STUDENT WITH A DISABILITY WAS TO BE SERVED AND RECEIVED WITHIN THE SCHOOL THAT THERE'S ZONE FOR? SO WHAT I TRY TO SHOW YOU HERE IS THE NUMBER OR THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO ARE SERVED IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT A COUPLE IN THE FIRST COUPLE OF SCHOOLS HAVE QUITE A LARGE PERCENTAGE WITH MASEO ELEMENTARY WAY WITH 27% OF THE ENTIRE STUDENT POPULATION, UM, IS, UH, HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A STUDENT WITH A DISABILITY.

AND THAT IS BECAUSE THEY DO HAVE ONE THERE, THEY ARE CONSIDERED A CLUSTER SITE.

AND THAT CLUSTER SITE IS STUDENTS WITH AUTISM AND THE NORTHERN SCHOOLS, UM, FOR THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL ARE SERVED AT FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL.

IT IS AT WILL BRANCH MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHERE WE HAVE THE CLUSTER SITE FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISM.

UM, AND TRADITIONALLY AT TWOS, WHEN I GOT HERE, WE HAD A COUPLE OF CLETS.

THE SITE SPEW FOR ELEMENTARY IS A CLUSTER SITE FOR INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, MILD, MODERATE, AND SEVERE.

AND SO THE STUDENTS, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT I'M NOT GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT WITH YOU, BUT YOU CAN SEE WHERE ELLA, UM, OUR SCHOOLS ARE AS FAR AS CLUSTER SIZE.

SO WHAT WOULD THAT MEAN IF WE WERE TO TAKE EVERY STUDENT? UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, 44 OF THE STUDENTS AT MACIAS BELONG TO OTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THE NORTH PART NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY, WHAT HAPPENS AS WE SEND THOSE SCHOOLS BACK, YOU WILL SEE THAT IT WILL REDUCE MACIAS PERCENTAGE TO ABOUT, UM, 18%, WHICH IS STILL ABOVE THE DISTRICT AVERAGE FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY.

BUT THE MAJORITY OF THE STUDENTS ARE THEIR STUDENTS.

AND SO THEY WILL STILL HAVE, SO HOW CAN WE PROVIDE THAT SUPPORT SO THAT THEY CAN STILL CONTINUE TO SHOW THE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND CLOSE THAT GAP BETWEEN THE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND THOSE WITHOUT DISABILITIES.

SO IF YOU CAN CONTINUE TO DO GO DOWN, YOU WILL SEE THAT THAT TRAJECTORY PRETTY MUCH STAYS THE SAME FOR A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS THAT EVEN THOUGH WE WILL DECREASE SOME OF THE PERCENTAGE, IT IS NOT A SIGNIFICANT IN SOME CASES, JUST 1% DIFFERENCE THAN IF WE MOVED THEM TO OTHER SCHOOLS THAT, YOU KNOW, CREATE SOME THINGS WHY WE CLUSTER THE TRANSPORTATION.

SOME OF THEM TRAVEL FROM LARGE WET PLACE, LONG PLACES.

SOME OF THE PARENTS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT ON THE BUS.

ARE WE CLOSER TO THE HOSPITAL? THERE ARE SOME NEEDS THAT WE DO CONSIDER IN SOME SITUATIONS, BUT FOR ME, THE CHALLENGE IS NOT THAT WE DON'T WANT TO PUT THEM IN THE SCHOOL BASIS.

DO WE HAVE THE CAPACITY IN THE OTHER SCHOOLS AS FAR AS SPACE, AND THEN NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THE HUMAN CAPITAL, DO WE HAVE THE RESOURCES AND THE HUMAN CAPITAL TO MEET THOSE NEEDS THERE? SO WHAT I WANTED TO DO, UM, ON THE NEXT SLIDE IS TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THAT WOULD COST THE DISTRICT.

I COULD NOT GO THROUGH EVERY SCHOOL AND DO THAT ANALYSIS.

SO I JUST PICKED TWO SCHOOLS, ONE FROM THE NORTHERN SCHOOLS AND ONE FROM THE SOUTHERN SCHOOLS, RIGHT.

AND I CHOSE SMALLS, UM, K EIGHT AND PRITCHARD VILL, BECAUSE THERE WERE THE TWO SCHOOLS IN BOTH PLACES.

LET'S SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, PRICHARD FILM CURRENTLY HAS TWO SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT TEACHERS AND ONE INTENSIVE SUPPORT TEACHERS.

THERE ARE THE CLUSTER PROGRAM IN, IN SOUTH ABROAD FOR EMOTIONALLY DISABLED ELEMENTARY POPULATION.

UM, WE LOOK AT THAT, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, THEY HAD 29 STUDENTS THAT ACTUALLY WENT TO SCHOOL AT OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE BLUFFTON AREA.

SO IF WE WERE TO BRING THOSE 29 SCHOOL STUDENTS BACK, WHAT WOULD BE THE FISCAL IMPACT THAT, THAT WITH ME FOR SO, AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THE PHYSICAL IMPACT AS WELL.

WHERE CAN WE HOUSE THOSE, UM, PROGRAMS WITHIN THE SCHOOL? SO KEEP IN MIND THAT WITH A STUDENT, WITH DISABILITY AND THE REGULATIONS FOR TEACHER CERTIFICATION, THAT DEPENDING ON THE DISABILITY, THEY MUST HAVE A CERTIFIED TEACHER PRETTY MUCH IN THAT AREA.

SO IT'S NOT EASY TO SAY, OKAY, IF WE USE A 10 TO ONE RATIO, WE WOULD NEED THREE ADDITIONAL TEACHERS.

IT IS NOT THAT SIMPLE.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE DISABILITY, THE SEVERITY OF THE DISABILITY.

[03:20:01]

SO FOR , SOME OF THOSE 29 STUDENTS IN OTHER PROGRAMS ARE IDENTIFIED AS STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY, MODERATE INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES.

SO THEY'RE, UM, STUDENTS WITH AUTISM AND ALSO QUITE A FEW IN THEIR EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM.

SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT'S ALL THE AREAS.

SO IF WE BROUGHT THOSE 29 STUDENTS BACK TO PRITCHARD ADVIL, THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAVE, IN ADDITION TO THE FIVE STAFF MEMBERS THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE THERE, WHICH ARE TWO, UH, SLD TEACHERS, EMOTIONALLY DISABLED TEACHER, ONE PARAPROFESSIONAL, AND A BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST, THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO ADD ADDITIONAL 11 STAFF MEMBERS BECAUSE WE WILL NEED A TEACHER FOR SPECIFIC LEARNING DISABILITY, EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION, ONE FOR ID MODERATE, ONE FOR ID SEVERE ONE FOR AUTISM FIVE POWER PROFESSIONALS.

IF WE JUST WENT MAYBE ONE PARAPROFESSIONAL PER CLASSROOM, BUT WITH THE INTENSE NEEDS OF SOME OF THE STUDENTS, WE USUALLY NEED MORE THAN ONE PARAPROFESSIONAL IN THE CLASSROOM.

UM, WE WILL ALSO NEED TO INCREASE OUR PHYSICAL THERAPISTS ALLOCATION ON OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS AND WHAT I DIDN'T INCLUDE HERE.

THEY'RE ALREADY AT CAPACITY FOR KASAL FOR THE SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST THAT IS THERE.

SO WE WOULD NEED TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST.

IF WE WERE TO DO THAT NEXT YEAR, WE WOULD HAVE LOOK AT COASTAL OVER $800,000 JUST TO PUT THAT STAFF IN THERE.

SO WE WOULD NEED, UH, AGAIN, FIVE ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS AT PRICHARD VILLE TO HOUSE THOSE 29 STUDENTS THAT ARE GOING TO OTHER SCHOOLS FOR THEM.

THAT'S THE IMPACT THERE FOR ROBERT SMALLS ELEMENTARY THAT WAS, UM, ROBERT SMALLS, K EIGHT.

I HAD TO BREAK THAT DOWN FOR THE K GROUP AND THEN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL GROUP.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE SAME ANALYSIS THEN OVERALL, THAT IMPACT WAS GOING TO BE, UM, AN ADDITIONAL 276,000 BRINGING A TOTAL THAT 480 TO $3,000 TO PUT THOSE TEACHERS IN THOSE CLASSROOMS. SO IF WE WERE TO D CLUSTER OUR PROGRAMS, AND THOSE WERE JUST TWO SCHOOLS, WE WOULD HAVE TO DO THAT SAME FOR EVERY SCHOOL BECAUSE EVERY SCHOOL HAS AT LEAST ONE CHILD IN ANOTHER SCHOOL AS WELL.

THAT IT'S FOR ME.

ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. .

THANK YOU, DR.

WHITE.

UM, THIS IS, UH, A VERY INTERESTING ANALYSIS AND SO ON.

AND SO BASICALLY, UM, YOU'RE ADVOCATING THAT FOR RESOURCE ALLOCATION.

THE CLUSTER MODEL IS BEST FOR MOST DISABILITIES.

WHENEVER WE CAN KEEP A STUDENT IN THEIR HOMESCHOOL, WE DO DO THAT.

WE REALLY LOOK AT THAT FIRST BECAUSE WE ARE REQUIRED, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN GETTING HERE REALLY IS THE CAPACITY IN SCHOOLS, RIGHT? SO, SO HERE'S MY CONCERN JUST ABOUT THE CLUSTER AND, AND I, AND THIS IS AGAIN, VERY, VERY GOOD INFORMATION ABOUT THE, UM, THE COST OF IT.

SO LET'S LOOK AT MOSSY OAKS ELEMENTARY, WHERE YOU SAY THAT, UM, 27.3%, UM, AS THERE ARE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, THE OTHER TOTAL POPULATION.

SO MY CONCERN IS THE ADDITIONAL STRAIN THAT IS PUT ON TO THE, UM, ADMINISTRATION AND TEACHERS.

AND SO ON, FOR INSTANCE, IEP MEETINGS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN LEA.

SO IF MOSSY OAKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HAS ONE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, AND THEN I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY, BUT, UM, AND A PRINCIPAL, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT IS IT'S FEASIBLE, THAT THAT AP OR PRINCIPAL IS IN AN IEP MEETING EVERY SINGLE DAY.

OFTENTIMES FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A GEN ED TEACHER.

SO YOU'RE PULLING A GEN ED TEACHER FROM THE CLASSROOM IN ORDER TO BE AT THE IEP MEETING.

SO WHAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ARE WE GIVING TO SOME OF THESE CLUSTER SCHOOLS TO HELP AMELIORATE THE, UM, BURDEN STRAIN OF BEING OUT OF THE CLASSROOM? YOU KNOW WHAT I'M ASKING? YEAH.

SO CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT? YEAH.

SO THAT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION FOR YEARS, RIGHT? IS HOW DO WE, I KNOW IN ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT WE DID THE MEETINGS BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL.

RIGHT? UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I KNOW THAT DR STRATIS HAD APPROACHED ME ABOUT LAST YEAR IS HOW CAN WE JUST GET, UM, AN ALLOCATION FOR SOMEONE WHO DOES OVERSEAS THAT IS KIND OF LIKE A COORDINATOR FOR SCHOOL, RIGHT.

FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, UM, AS WALTER AND I'VE BEEN TALKING TO RECENTLY, AND SHE HAS ASKED ME TO START LOOKING AT WHAT ARE SOME ALLOCATIONS, MAYBE FOR A SUPPORT STAFF TO COVER IT.

WELL, THOSE ARE CERTIFIED OR NON-CERTIFIED TO COVER THE TEACHER WHEN THEY'RE IN.

AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER RIGHT NOW IN THE IEP MEETING.

AND THEN MAYBE WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK FOR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF? SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE STARTING

[03:25:01]

TO LOOK AT AS POSSIBLY DOING, UM, AND, AND HAVING DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT AND ALLOCATE INTO RESOURCES FOR THAT.

BUT IT IS A CHALLENGE BECAUSE YOU STILL HAVE, EVEN IF WE DIDN'T LOOK AT MACIAS AND WE LOOK AT JUST ABOUT EVERY SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT, THEY ALL HAVE AT LEAST ONE, INCLUDING SPEECH, LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST, TO, AND AWAY FROM TWO TO FIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS IN THEIR CLASSROOM, IN THEIR SCHOOLS, RIGHT.

IF WE EVEN DECLARED A DECLUTTER DAY, CLUSTER OUR PROGRAMS AND PUT THEM BACK INTO THE SCHOOL, NOW WE'RE ADDING THAT BURDEN TO A LOT MORE SCHOOLS THAN JUST A NUMBER THAT WE HAVE.

BUT YES, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKED FOR.

THE SCHOOLS DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF KEEPING A SPECIFIC MEETING DAY.

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THEY KNOW THEY HAVE TO HAVE THEM OUTSIDE.

SO MOST SCHOOLS LIKE MACIAS, I THINK THERE'S MAYBE A MONDAY MEETING DAY.

SO THEY KNOW THAT AN ADMINISTRATOR WOULD BE TIED UP THAT DAY.

AND THEY PRETTY MUCH, UNLESS THE SCHOOL IS FALLING DOWN, YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE IN THERE AND THEY SET UP AND HAVE OTHER SUPPORTS IN PLACE FOR THEM.

AND THEN WHEN THEY HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE OF THAT, BECAUSE THE PARENT CAN'T COME ON THAT DAY, IT SHOULDN'T BE EVERY DAY, BUT IT IS, IT IS A CONCERN.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW CAN WE DO THAT AGAIN, ON THE STANDARD THAT ANYTHING WE DO IS GOING TO HAVE A FISCAL IMPACT, UM, THERE, SO, SO IF I MAY, UM, SO YOU ARE CONSIDERING THE IDEA THAT MAYBE AT SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS, UM, THESE CLUSTER SCHOOLS, WHERE THERE IS A HIGHER THAN AVERAGE POPULATION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, HAVING SOMETHING LIKE AN IN-HOUSE SPECIAL ED CORE, A SPECIAL ED PERSON IN CHARGE MAY CAUSE CAUSE DR.

WHITE, YOU KNOW, AS WELL, THE TIME IT TAKES TO WRITE THE IEP.

SO IF YOU'RE HAVING, IF YOU'RE HAVING, UM, A MEETING BEFORE SCHOOL AND THEN AFTER SCHOOL AND YOU'RE WRITING THE IPS, UM, THERE ARE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ACTUALLY HAVE RIGHTS THERE ACTUALLY HAVE A TELL ME WHAT THE RIGHT WORD WOULD BE A SPECIAL ED, UM, COORDINATOR WITHIN THE SCHOOL SITE.

AND THEY WRITE THE IPS AND THEY COLLECT SOME OF THAT DATA.

EXACTLY.

AND THEY, UM, IF I CAN JUST SHARE WITH MY COLLEAGUES, THE HOURS, IT TAKES OUR SPECIAL ED TEACHERS TO SET UP A MEETING.

YOU NEED MARY.

IF IT'S A REEVAL, YOU NEED YOUR PSYCHOLOGIST.

YOU NEED, YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOUR SPEECH, YOUR GEN ED, YOU'RE TRYING TO COORDINATE ALL THAT.

AND THAT'S TAKING AWAY FROM THE STUDENT.

SO MC RILEY WITH THEIR TITLE ONE FUNDS ABOUT A YEAR AGO, TWO YEARS AGO WHEN, UM, MS. SUTTON WAS THERE, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID AND WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND WE ALIGNED, IT WAS, THEY DID BRING IN A POWER PROFESSIONAL THAT HELPS THERE.

SO THAT SCHOOL KIND OF CREATED THAT I CAME FROM A DISTRICT WHEN I WAS A SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST THAT I DID NOT HAVE TO SET UP MY OWN MEETINGS THAT THEN WE HAD TO MAKE COPIES AND TRIPLICATE DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE MY COPIES BECAUSE WE HAD A SUPPORT PERSON THERE TO DO THAT, UM, FOR US.

AND THERE ARE SOME TEACHERS THAT COME FROM OTHER STATES THAT WHEN THEY INTERVIEW, THEY DO ASK THAT VERY POINTED QUESTION.

IS THERE SOMEONE ELSE WHO SCHEDULES OUR MEETINGS AND WRITE OUR IEP BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I HAVE NOW, UM, AS WELL.

BUT YES, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT IN A COUPLE OF SCHOOLS HAVE GOTTEN CREATIVE, UH, BLUFFTON HIGH, UM, HAS A PRETTY GOOD SYSTEM THAT THEY KIND OF WORKED ON.

AND THEY'RE GETTING READY TO REALLY LOOK AT THAT WITH A H, BUT THEY HAVE MULTIPLE APS, UM, TO DO THAT AND HAVE, UM, SOME SUPPORT TO HELP SCHEDULE MEETINGS.

MOST OF THEM DO HAVE A MASTER SCHEDULE AND HAVE A PRETTY GOOD SYSTEM, BUT IT STILL DOES TAKE SOME TIME, UM, TO SCHEDULE MEETINGS.

I KNOW THAT FROM FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE, WHEN YOU HAVE TO COORDINATE SCHEDULES AND THEN THE PARENTS SAY, I CAN'T COME ON THIS DAY.

SORRY.

UM, THANK YOU, DR.

WHITE ON THE CLUSTER VERSUS NON CLUSTER HAS THE TOTAL S WD AS 2,351.

AND THEN ON THE FIRST PAGE, IT HAS THE TOTAL AS 2,577.

I THAT'S MY SOUL, THE FIRST PAGE DAY, THOUGH, IF YOU LOOK WAS, UM, THE CLUSTER VERSUS NON-CLUSTERED, THEY WERE COLLECTED ON TWO DIFFERENT DAYS AND THAT'S HOW WE HAVE INCREASED ALREADY.

WELL, I THINK THAT'S WHERE MY CONFUSION IS BECAUSE ONE SAYS APRIL 1ST, 20, 22, AND THEN THE CLUSTER NON CLUSTER SAYS LIKE 17 DAYS LATER.

AND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE OF 226 STUDENTS.

THAT'S A LITTLE, OH YEAH.

WE'RE CONSTANTLY PLACING KIDS.

AND SOME OF THAT WITH A NON-CLUSTERED TWOS, HOW THEY'RE IDENTIFIED, AND IT COULD BE OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD WE'RE CONSTANTLY EVERY WEEK, PUTTING KIDS IN SCHOOLS ARE CONSTANTLY HAVING, WE HAVE OVER A HUNDRED OUTSTANDING

[03:30:01]

RIGHT NOW, WORKING ON EVALUATIONS, GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT.

THE NUMBERS ARE GROWING VERY, VERY, EVEN FROM JANUARY TO APRIL, WE GREW ANOTHER HUNDRED KIDS AS WELL.

UM, WHEN WE TURNED IN THE CHILD COUNT IN DECEMBER, IT WAS DOWN AND WE EVEN ADDED MORE KIDS BY, I MEAN, THERE ARE, WE'RE CONSTANTLY ADDING KIDS AND WE'RE CONSTANTLY HAVE BEEN A LOT OF, UM, STUDENTS MOVING INTO THE COUNTY ON A DAILY BASIS, ALSO IN A HERE WITH A POWER WHERE SOME OF THE NUMBERS MAY BE A DIFFERENT SELF IS WHENEVER A KID LEAVES AS WELL.

THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO PUT IN A STATUS FORM AND IT COULD BE THAT, UM, THAT HAS NOT REACHED YET FOR IT TO ADJUST THE DATA AS WELL.

BUT I'LL DEFINITELY, UM, LOOK AT THAT.

YOU HAVE ANY DATA ON RIVERVIEW, ON HOW MANY STUDENTS, UM, AT RIVERVIEW, OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.

I DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT HERE IN THIS.

UM, BUT YES, WE CAN.

I CAN PULL THAT UP.

UM, CARLY, YOU PULL UP RIVERVIEW FOR ME.

SHE'LL PULL IT UP FOR US, BUT YES, WE, UH, THE, MY SPREADSHEET FOR EVALUATIONS ARE WELL OVER 200 MS. WALTON, JOSE.

I NEED MORE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS SO THAT THEY'RE CONSTANTLY ADDING KIDS.

THANK YOU, DR.

WHITE.

UM, I THINK WE HAVE A RESOURCE PROBLEM.

I'M TRYING TO JUST HAVE A LITTLE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO GAIN RESOURCE FOR THIS.

AND WHEN I CAME ON THIS BOARD THREE AND A HALF YEARS AGO, I, I FRANKLY HAD NO IDEA THAT WE HAD SPECIAL EDUCATION CHILDREN AND GRADED INTEGRATED INTO OUR SCHOOLS.

THAT WAS A BIG SURPRISE TO ME.

AND IN FACT, WHEN I HEARD THAT WE DID, I THOUGHT, OH MY GOODNESS, THIS, THIS IS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THE HIGH SCHOOL WITH BULLYING AND, AND SO ON.

I WENT TO BATTERY CREEK AND TO A HIGH SCHOOL AND TO, UH, ROBERT SMALLS AND SOLVE ONE, THE FACILITIES, A STUDENT FACULTY RATIO, THE DIVERSITY OF SPECIAL ED NEEDS.

AND I WAS JUST, I WAS FLOORED, FRANKLY, BECAUSE THIS WAS NOT AN, THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN IN THE HIGH SCHOOL OR MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT I HAD BEEN IN, OR MY, MY, MY SON HAD BEEN IN THAT THESE KIDS WEREN'T THERE.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY WERE, BUT THEY WEREN'T THERE.

AND THEN MOST SHOCKING TO ME WAS HOW THEY ARE INTEGRATED INTO THE STUDENT POPULATION, ESPECIALLY IN BATTERY CREEK AND ROBERT SMALLS AND THE CARE AND LOVING ENVIRONMENT THAT THE OTHER STUDENTS GAVE.

THESE CHILDREN WAS JUST FLOORED ME.

AND WHEN I TALKED TO CONSTITUENTS AND THEY ASKED ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, RESOURCES AND HOW MUCH YOU'RE GETTING PAID TOO MUCH, WE SPENT TOO MUCH MONEY ON THIS AND THAT NONE OF THEM HAVE EVER, WHEN I ASKED THEM, I SAID, YOU KNOW, ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION, NO, WE NEED, WE HAVE A PUBLIC AWARENESS PROBLEM.

THE PUBLIC DOES NOT KNOW WHAT WE DO IN THIS AREA, THE PUBLIC, IF THEY KNEW WOULD BE OPEN ARMS AND MASSIVE SUPPORT.

SO AGAIN, I THINK WE HAVE A PUBLIC AWARENESS PROBLEM, AND I THINK DR.

BERGEN EATS HELP US GET MORE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, PEOPLE THAT CONTROL RESOURCES INTO SEE WHAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF DOES EVERY DAY.

THAT'S HOW WE'RE, THAT'S HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT ARGUMENT THAT WE NEED MORE.

AND TRANSPORTATION IS ISSUE TRYING TO, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MOVING KIDS TO PLACES, WE HAVE POCKETS OF PROGRAMS IN ONE SCHOOL, BUT NOT ON ANOTHER.

AND IF WE COULD MOVE THEM AROUND EASIER, YOU KNOW, BEST FOR BOTH THE TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS.

SO I ENCOURAGE THE ADMINISTRATION TO REALLY PUT IN PLACE A PROGRAM TO INFORM THE PUBLIC OF WHAT WE DO AND WHAT OUR FANTASTIC STAFF DOES.

NOT ONLY TO KEEP THEIR AWARENESS, BUT ALSO FRANKLY, HELPED RECRUIT.

SOME ARE PEOPLE THAT WILL BE WILLING TO COME IN AND HELP.

KIND OF GUY AT, AT THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SERIOUS MISCONCEPTION OF WHAT GOES ON SCHOOL, ANOTHER POINT, SO THINGS ARE CHANGING AND, YOU KNOW, UH, RAMIFICATION OR IMPACT OF SPECIAL NEEDS OR SPECIAL ED IS GOING TO BE THE NEW NORM.

THANK YOU, SIR.

[03:35:01]

THE NEW NORM IS THAT SPECIAL ED IS GONNA PROBABLY BE THE MAJORITY OF THE STUDENTS, THOSE NUMBERS SHIFTING A HUNDRED EVERY MONTH AFTER THIS PANDEMIC CLEARS.

AND AFTER WE RECATEGORIZED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REDEFINE WHO NEEDS SUPPORT, THAT'S GOING TO REALLY SHIFT.

AND WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THAT.

ALSO, AS WE TALK ABOUT FUNDING FOR THESE PROGRAMS, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S NOT A WAY OUT.

IT WENT TO SCHOOL LIKE CON GAIA DID WHEN EVERYBODY WAS NORMAL, THAT WASN'T FACTUAL, BUT THAT WAS THE DEFINITION.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE POCKETS OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T WANT TO WANT THEIR CHILDREN TESTED.

THEY DON'T WANT THEIR CHILDREN DIAGNOSED WITH SPECIAL NEEDS BECAUSE THAT STIGMATIZATION GOES BACK TO OUR ERA KID IS NOT A NORMAL KID.

THAT'S GOING TO CHANGE AND WE HAVE TO GET TO BE AHEAD OF THAT.

SO I DON'T KNOW VERY MUCH ABOUT THE SPECIAL ED IEP PROCESS.

SO MS. FINDRA IS JUST TALKING TO HIM, I'M ABSORBING A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE AN AREA WHERE SOME OF THE WORKLOAD DO WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN HELP WITH COMPLIANCE THAT CAN HELP WITH SCHEDULING.

THEY CAN HELP WITH DOCUMENTATION.

CAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE DOING A LOT OF PAPERWORK.

SO, SO SPECIAL ED IS PAPERWORK, RIGHT? SO FROM THE FEDERAL MANDATES, I TELL SPECIAL EDUCATORS WHEN A HEART, I SAID, I CAN'T, I DON'T KNOW HOW I CAN LESSEN THE PAPERWORK LOAD, BUT IN ALL SERIOUSNESS THOUGH, UM, BE THE MANDATES AND WE HAVE TO DOCUMENT AND CERTAIN PROCESS WE D SO WE DO HAVE THE IEP, UM, PROCESS PLATFORM, UM, CALLED ENRICH WAS JUST PAID FOR BY THE STATE THAT WE USE, THAT WE GENERATE IEP, BUT THEN THEY, WE HAVE TO HAVE A FORM FOR THIS.

THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE A FORM FOR TRANSPORTATION.

THEN WE HAVE TO HAVE A REPORT FOR SCHOOL PSYCHS.

AND THEN, AND IT GOES ON, ON THE, ON THE, WE TAKE MEETING NOTES AND THEN WE HAVE TO DO A PRIOR WRITTEN NOTICE THAT WE HAVE TO SEND THE INVITATION LETTER.

AND THEN WE HAVE TO SEND A SECOND ONE FOR A REMINDER.

IT IS CONSTANTLY, BUT ALL OF THAT IS MANDATED.

ONE OF THE THINGS I DID, THERE WERE SOME ADDITIONAL THINGS PROBABLY BECAUSE OF COMPLAINTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS AND CORRECTIVE ACTION IN THE PAST, WE HAD ADDITIONAL PAPERWORK AND WE HAVE REDUCED THOSE EXTRA THINGS THAT WERE ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT WE'RE REQUIRED SIGNIFICANT.

AND SINCE WE WERE HERE, BUT WE DO HAVE, UM, THE PLATFORM THAT WE USE, BUT IN ALL THE YEARS, AND I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 32 YEARS AS A SPECIAL EDUCATOR, THEN AS ADMINISTRATOR AND THE PAPERWORK NEVER SEEMS TO GO AWAY, BUT WE DO HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY THAT HELPS THAT WE ALSO, A LOT OF THEM ARE USING GOOGLE FORMS FOR THE SCHEDULING, UM, AS WELL.

UM, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO WORK AROUND THE PARENTS SCHEDULES, RIGHT? THE LAW SAYS THAT IT'S A MUTUALLY AGREED UPON TIME.

SO EVEN THOUGH WE WANT TO MEET ONLY ON WEDNESDAYS, IF THE PARENTS SAY I CAN'T COME ON WEDNESDAY, BUT I CAN COME ON TUESDAY, THEN WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEN TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

BUT WE DO HAVE THE RESOURCES IN THERE.

I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS HERE.

THE PANDEMIC REALLY HAD MADE IT EXCEPTIONALLY MORE DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE, RIGHT? UM, THE ONE THING WE DID A GOOD JOB OF AS A DISTRICT IS REALLY, UM, PROVIDING SERVICES DURING THE PANDEMIC.

WHEN SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THEY IGNORED IT ALL TOGETHER, BUT WE RECOUPLING THAT WITH THAT FRUSTRATION, THE NUMBER OF KIDS, AND EVEN THE CLUSTER PROGRAMS THAT I MENTIONED AT THERE, ALL OF THE INTENSIVE SUPPORT CLASSROOMS IN EVERY SCHOOL IN THE DISTRICT IS ALREADY AT CAPACITY, BUT I CAN'T, WE CAN'T TURN KIDS AWAY.

AND THOSE TEACHERS ARE FEELING THE BRUNT OF IT.

THEY REALLY, REALLY, REALLY FEEL IT.

BUT THE TECHNOLOGY IS THERE.

WE'VE BEEN DOING TRAINING, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET FEEDBACK AND HOW WE CAN MAKE THINGS DIFFERENT.

UM, I KNOW THAT WE ARE SERIOUSLY GOING TO LOOK AT THAT SUPPORT, UM, GOING FORWARD, UH, TO YOUR POINT, COLONEL GUYER, THERE IS A LOT, AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT THAT HAPPENS WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM TO TAKE CARE OF AN ADVANCE, OUR SPECIAL ED STUDENTS.

AND YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU'RE RIGHT.

I WROTE IT DOWN.

WE NEED A PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN OR SOMETHING AROUND THIS TO, TO JUST SHOW THE COMMUNITY WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE DOING FOR OUR KIDS.

W WE TALK ABOUT MULTIPLE EXAMPLES AND THEN THERE ARE A LOT OF EXAMPLES THAT NOBODY EVER KNOWS ABOUT.

[03:40:01]

I'LL GIVE YOU A CASE IN POINT, UH, SPRING BREAK SUNDAY BEFORE SCHOOL GOT A PHONE CALL FROM, UH, A PARENT OF, ONE OF OUR SPECIAL ED STUDENTS WHO'S IN, UH, UH, USES A MOTORIZED CHAIR.

AND UNDERSTAND CURRICULUM.

UM, THAT CHAIRS AT SCHOOL, FOR REASONS, A CHILD NEEDED ACCESS TO THAT CHAIR.

SO WE CONNECTED WITH MULTIPLE AGENCIES, BUT IN PARTICULAR, UM, UH, BUFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AND, AND JUST THROUGH QUICK CONNECTION AND PHONE CALLS, UH, I WENT IN, MY WIFE, WENT WITH ME, SHE'S A PEDIATRIC PHYSICAL THERAPIST.

WE GOT THE CHAIR, WE GOT THE CHAIR TO THE CHILD'S HOUSE.

WE ARRANGED TRANSPORTATION THROUGH ROBERT AUDITING FOR THE FUTURE.

AND THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THINGS LIKE THAT THAT HAPPENED, UH, SOMETIMES TO JUST TAKE CARE OF THE NEED, UH, FOR KIDS.

AND THERE IS A LOT, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF STORIES OUT THERE.

WE COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT THAT.

BUT, BUT YEAH, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY SHARE AND EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT WE DO AS A SYSTEM, UH, FOR OUR KIDS ALL ACROSS THE SYSTEM.

CAN YOU TELL ME, WHAT'S, DO WE HAVE, UM, SPEND THE DIRECTORS I'M NOT SPENDING RIGHT THERE? WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE, UM, WHAT DO YOU CALL NOW? THE, UM, COORDINATORS CONDOMS, RIGHT.

CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT WHAT'S THE JOB OF A COORDINATOR? THE COORDINATOR IS TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE REMAIN COMPLIANT, PROVIDING THE CURRICULUM SUPPORT, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IMPLEMENTING THOSE BEST PRACTICES.

UM, A LOT OF TIMES THEY SPEND TIME IN IEP MEETINGS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE MORE CHALLENGING MEETINGS AS WELL.

UM, IT GOES ON AND ON AND ON, AND THEY HELPED WITH SCHEDULE.

A LOT OF TIMES THEY HANDLE A LOT OF THE PARENT CALLS FROM SCHOOLS, INDIVIDUALS, SCHOOLS, UM, AS WELL, BUT EACH HAS ABOUT A FOUR TO FIVE SCHOOLS THAT THEY SUPPORT AT THIS TIME.

HOW MUCH CORN DOES DO WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT? HOW MANY, WHAT COORDINATORS DO WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT? WE HAVE, UH, SIX FTES.

WE HAVE ONE VACANT, UM, THAT WE'VE BEEN INTERVIEWING FOR.

AND THE REASON, THE REASON WHY I'M ASKING THIS IS BECAUSE WHEN IT COMES TO AN IEP MEETING, HOW I KNOW ALL ABOUT THAT, AND I KNOW ALL ABOUT ACCORDINGLY, AND I'VE ALWAYS, HAVEN'T HAD ANY COORDINATOR IN ALL MY MEETINGS I HAVE AS A STUDENT.

AND WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING IS, YOU KNOW, AND IN TERMS OF ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AND PRINCIPALS HAVE TO BE IN AN IEP MEETINGS, CORRECT.

UH, AN ADMINISTRATOR OR SOMEONE WHO CAN OBLIGATE FUNDS YES.

SO USUALLY AS AN ADMINISTRATOR.

RIGHT? SO MY, MY QUESTION IS, IF THAT IS A SCREEN ON SCHOOLS, WHAT LEVEL OF AUTHORITY DO COORDINATORS HAVE? BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BE SPENDING THOSE SPINNING THE WHEELS WHEN WE DON'T WANT, WE DON'T WANT, WE DON'T HAVE TO ON TONE, TONE TO PEE ON TWO PEOPLE TO RUN.

BECAUSE IF YOU ASK ME THE COORDINATOR, THE COORDINATOR IN THE ROOM IS THE MOST EDUCATED.

THEY THEY'RE THERE.

THEY ARE THE PROFESSIONAL, WHEN IT COMES TO THE IEP, LIKE THEY KNOW LAW.

IS, IS THAT WHAT THAT, WOULD THAT BE REASONABLE TO SAY, OH YEAH, THERE'S DEFINITELY NO LAW.

SO WHAT WOULD BE THE, THE, THE REASONING TO HAVING A COORDINATOR IN THE ROOM AND AS WELL AS AN AP, BECAUSE MOST OF THE CORONERS HAVE SIX SCHOOLS.

SO THEY PHYSICALLY HUMANLY CAN'T BE IN EVERY SCHOOL FOR THE IEP.

THERE ARE TIMES WHERE THEY ARE IN LIEU.

THE, THE CHALLENGES ADMINISTRATORS ARE AT THE END OF THE DAY, RESPONSIBLE TO ENSURE THAT THAT IEP HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED AS IT'S WRITTEN.

AND SO THEY NEED SOMEONE AT THAT SCHOOL WHO CAN HAVE THAT KNOWLEDGE AND AUTHORITY TO ALL HAVE TO OVERSIGHT, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR STAFF REMAIN COMPLIANT AND MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENT.

SO THAT WOULD BE MY CASE.

IS THAT AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL, SOMEONE MUST BE, UM, IN AN ADMINISTRATIVE ROLE OR GIVEN THAT DESIGNATION AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL, BE IN THOSE MEETINGS BY COORDINATORS, CAN'T BE IN ALL OF THEM.

AND THEN IT, UM, YES, BUT THAT, THAT SPED TEACHER WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SAY WHAT SHOULD BE ADMITTED IN WHEN, WHAT, AND WHAT'S LAW WOULD THAT, WOULD THAT, WOULD THAT STUDENT ALONG WITH THAT ADMINISTRATION ALONG WITH THE ADMINISTRATOR? OH YEAH.

CAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE DOING THE DAY TO DAY LIGHT.

WHEN I GO TO IEP MEETINGS, UM, I STILL RELY ON THE SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WORKING WITH THE KIDS EVERY DAY, THEY'RE COLLECTING THE DATA AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT KNOW WHAT SERVICES THAT CHILD WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS.

[03:45:01]

SO YES, THEY ARE KNOW THAT.

AND WE DO TRAINING AROUND THE BASIC OF AS FAR AS COMPLIANCE AND LAW AND WHAT THEY CAN AND CAN'T DO AS WELL.

WE DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB IN RECENT YEARS OF THAT WITH THE SCHOOL STAFF.

AND I ASKED OUR SPED DIRECTORS, ARE THERE, ARE THERE, ARE THEY, UH, ARE THEY LEVELED AS AN ADMINISTRATOR OR ARE THEY IN A WHOLE NOTHER WHERE, WHETHER THEY, WHETHER THEY FALL AND TORN IN TERMS OF THE, UH, UH, ROBBERY INSTRUCTION, UH, MS. UH, COORDINATOR THAT WILL BE AN HR, THEIR ADMINISTRATOR COORDINATORS ARE ON THE ADMINISTRATIVE SCALE, TWO 40 EMPLOYEES.

I'M JUST ASKING BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT I WAS LISTENING TO A PARENT WAS, WAS, WAS SAYING THAT THE COORDINATOR WAS SWITCHED, WAS SAYING THERE WAS INSERT IEP MEETING WHERE THE COORDINATOR WAS SAYING WHAT THE LAW WAS, BUT THE ADMINISTRATOR WOULD KIND OF WASN'T, YOU KNOW, SO I'M JUST, THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING.

WHAT'S THE TERM, WHAT'S THE POINT OF HAVING BOTH OF THEM IN THERE, IF THE COORDINATOR KNOWS THE LOGISTICS OF WHAT NIGHT PE CONSISTS OF AND THE LAW OF IT, THEN, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHAT MY QUESTION WAS.

WHY, WHY HAVE BOTH OF THEM IN THERE, BECAUSE YOU CANNOT NOT HAVE AN ADMINISTRATOR FOCUSING ON SCHOOL THINGS VERSUS THIS BECAUSE OF THE, THE, THE IEP TEACHERS.

AND THEN SHE KNOWS WHAT, WHAT IT CONSISTS OF THEN, THEN THAT MAY BE FREE THAT MAY FREEBORN ADMINISTRATORS TO TAKE CARE OF THE SITUATION THAT MAY BE OCCURRING IN THAT SCHOOL.

AND I'M JUST WANTING TO, YOU KNOW, IF WE, IF WE HAVEN'T, IF WE'RE DOUBLING DOWN ON THINGS THAT, THAT WE POSSIBLY SHOULDN'T, THAT WOULD KIND OF EASE THE PAIN IN CERTAIN BUILDINGS, YOU KNOW? SO THE COORDINATORS ONLY GO TO CERTAIN MEETINGS AND THE ONES THAT THEY'RE IN A, USUALLY THE TOUGHER ONES OR THE RE-EVALUATION, OR FOR EXAMPLE, THAT STANDARD SCHOOL YEAR, THOSE KINDS OF DECISIONS.

THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE PRINCIPAL MAY ASK FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, BUT, UM, THE LAW IS AT LEA, RIGHT.

ARE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SCHOOL IN THAT MEETING.

UM, EITHER WAY THE COORDINATOR CAN GO TO MEETINGS, THEN I WOULD HAVE TO ASK FOR 10 MORE, UM, COORDINATORS.

SO YOU NEED MORE COORDINATORS IF THEY WERE GOING TO SERVE AS LCAS.

WELL, I THINK THAT MAY BE ONE THAT WILL, THAT MAY BE WHERE THE DISTRICT MAY WANT TO BE.

IF WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HAVING TO HAVE PEOPLE TO WRITE UP, WRITE, WRITE, WRITE UP IDPS.

AND WE TALKING ABOUT A MINIMUM BECAUSE NO, BECAUSE THIS IS A CITIZEN.

I HEAR A LOT OF ADMINISTRATORS SAY, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY ME I'M ME AND MYSELF.

I KNOW FOR SURE THAT I LOOK, I BE FOR HIGH SCHOOL, WE HAVE ONE MS. MINISTER, MR. KARTRA, WHO USED TO DO STRICTLY IEP MEETINGS.

AND HE WOULD BE IN IEP MEETINGS ALL DAY LONG.

SO EVEN, EVEN WHEN HE HAD DIFFERENT SITUATIONS TO COME UP WITH AN IDEA WITH AN IEP STUDENT, IF HE'S AN IEP MEETING, THEN ANOTHER ADMINISTRATOR HAS TO DEAL WITH THAT.

AND THEY MAY NOT HAVE THE SKILL SET TO DEAL WITH THAT KID WHO MAY HAVE AN IEP, MAY HAVE AN IEP, CAN ONLY GET SUSPENDED FOR 10 DAYS.

SO IT'S DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT MAKES IT WORTH THE WHILE EITHER YOU PAY ME NOW YOU PAY ME LATER.

SO I'M JUST FIGURING OUT IN TERMS OF, TO GETTING US WHERE WE NEED TO BE TO, TO GET PEOPLE TO COME TO THE DISTRICT WE WANT TO WORK.

WHAT ALL IS IT GOING TO TAKE FOR US TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN? RIGHT.

I MEAN, AS FAR AS THE ADMINISTRATORS AND UNDERSTAND THAT ALL WE DO DO A TRAINING WITH SPECIFIC TO ADMINISTRATORS, UM, ALL YEAR, SOMETIMES TWO AND THREE TIMES A YEAR, WE'VE DONE THEM EVERY OTHER MONTH.

WE GO INTO PART OF THE AP MEETINGS.

SO WE'VE PROVIDED THEM WITH THAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT AND TRAINING TO ON THE STAND, JUST LIKE WE DO TEACHERS, BUT I'LL HAVE TO DEFER TO DR.

RODRIGUEZ ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE LEVEL OF COORDINATORS AND STUFF, WHAT THAT WOULD LEAD.

I, I THINK OUR SYSTEM IS OKAY.

WE HAVE SO MANY OTHER FACTORS THAT PLAY A ROLE IN THAT AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE JUST HAVE TO CONSIDER AND LOOK AT HOLISTICALLY AS A DISTRICT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THERE.

WELL, I JUST SAY, I BELIEVE IT THERE, BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS.

AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE, IF WE DID GET COORDINATED, THEN HOW WILL THAT HELP US ALLEVIATING SOME STRESS ON OUR TEACHERS AND AS WELL, NOT ONLY BUSINESS, BUT ON BUILDING A ADMINISTRATORS, BECAUSE THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT BE AWARE OF, THAT I AM WELL AWARE OF.

AND ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS PART OF THAT RETENTION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

THIS IS A BIG, THIS IS A BIG PART OF IT.

SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO, TO BACK FROM YOU, WHATEVER FEEDBACK YOU HAVE NOW, EVEN IN THE FUTURE.

I THINK THE, UM, MAIN THEME RIGHT HERE IS THAT WE NEED MORE SUPPORT FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION AND THAT'S NOTHING NEW.

THAT IS NOTHING NEW.

UM, DR.

RODRIGUEZ, I TOTALLY AGREE THAT THERE ARE FABULOUS THINGS HAPPENING, ESPECIALLY IN OUR CLASSES OF INTENSIVE SUPPORT.

THAT IS PRO WAS WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT THE MAJORITY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT.

SO, SO HERE YOU HAVE 55 PLUS PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS AND PROBABLY MANY OF THOSE SPEECH ONLY, OR ALSO JUST SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT.

UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE A DEARTH OF SPECIAL ED TEACHERS.

IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER? DR.

SO, SO THE STORY ALSO INCLUDES, YES, THESE FABULOUS THINGS ARE HAPPENING, BUT WE HAVE 15 VACANCIES AND SPECIAL EDUCATION.

[03:50:01]

WHITE? YEAH.

I THINK FROM BACK THERE, YOU SAID THAT ALSO OUR CLASSES WITH THE INTENSIVE SUPPORT, PROBABLY AGAIN, THE CLASSES ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE SPEAKING, THEY HAVE PARAPROFESSIONALS IN THE CLASSROOM WITH THEM, OUR SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT TEACHERS DO NOT HAVE ANY TYPICALLY DO NOT HAVE ANY TYPICALLY DO NOT HAVE ANY SUPPORT.

IT'S, IT'S A SYSTEM THAT WE HAD HOPED MTSS WOULD HELP ALLEVIATE.

SO YOU'RE SAYING THE NUMBERS ARE GROWING.

I HAVE HAVE GROWN BY A HUNDRED BECAUSE I A HUNDRED PLUS MORE IDENTIFIED, BUT MTSS WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BROUGHT SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS DOWN.

NOW WE CAN THROW EVERYTHING OUT THE WINDOW, CAUSE WE'VE HAD TWO YEARS OF COVID AND LEARNING LOSS.

AND, AND HOPEFULLY THAT THOSE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS THAT WE NEED MORE OF TO TEST STUDENTS WILL DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN LEARNING LOSS AND A TRUE DISABILITY.

AND OF COURSE THEY WILL, THAT'S THEIR PROFESSION.

OF COURSE THEY WILL.

BUT THIS IS A MULTIFACETED PROBLEM THAT FOR YEARS IN THIS DISTRICT, WE'VE SAID, WE NEED MORE PEOPLE.

YOU NEED TO REDUCE THE LOAD ON THE SPECIAL ED TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM.

THAT'S WRITING THE IPS, DEVELOPING THE LESSONS, EVERYTHING THAT A GEN ED TEACHER DOES AND MORE SO DR.

WHITE, YOU CAN COUNT ME IN, ON SUPPORTING ANY ADDITIONAL SPECIAL ED SUPPORT THAT YOU MIGHT NEED, BECAUSE IT IS DEFINITELY THERE.

BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO TELL ONE SIDE OF THE STORY, WE'VE GOT TO TELL THE OTHER SIDE.

SO ALL FACET, MULTIFACETED PROBLEM MANNER TO WILL'S POINT.

YEAH, WELL, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THE ADMINISTRATOR IS AT THAT MEETING TRYING TO MANAGE HIS TOTAL PROGRAM IN TERMS OF THAT SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHER OR COORDINATOR, AND THAT STUDENT WHO IS BEING ASSESSED OR BEING REEVALUATED AND THOSE TWO DIFFERENT DYNAMICS, HE'S GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT HE'S GOT THE, THE RIGHT ORDER FOR HIS BUILDING BECAUSE MANY TIME THAT THAT MEETING IS ABOUT HIS BUILDING ORDER AND THE SHIFT AND WHAT HAS TO BE DONE.

SO HE'S GOT THE, HE'S GOT HIS WHOLE BUILDING AT STAKE.

WHEREAS IF YOU JUST HAD A COORDINATOR IN THAT MEETING, THAT COORDINATOR IS IN AND OUT OF THAT BUILDING WHEN THAT MEETING OCCURS.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF DYNAMICS IN TERMS OF IT.

AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY KNOWS, WE NEED MORE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH THESE CHILDREN.

EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT.

AND OFTENTIMES THE SHIFT IS THE OTHER WAY.

INSTEAD OF SUPPORT, THEY GET LESS SUPPORT BECAUSE THEY GET INFUSED A NEW WORD AND TO A MAJORITY OF POPULATION THAT THEY REALLY CAN'T HANDLE IT, NOT GETTING THE SUPPORT.

SO ALL THOSE THINGS IS A PART OF OUR PROCESS AND WE PASS THAT THE BUDGET PROCESS AND WHAT WE, WHERE WE'RE PUTTING OUR MONEY.

AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN CONCERNED, UM, BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS TAUGHT IN THE REGULAR CLASSROOM, A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN.

AND I KNOW WHAT THOSE MEETINGS ARE LIKE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

WELL, IF YOU'RE NOT ADVOCATING FOR THAT CHILD, IT GETS THROWN RIGHT UNDERNEATH THE BUS IN A CHECKLIST, THEN BOOM, HE'S BEEN OBSERVED AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.

SO YEAH, WE, WE, WE, YOU KNOW, WE DO NEED TO BUILD OUR PROGRAM IN A MULTIFACETED, UH, SENSE JUST ROBOT.

UM, I'M LISTENING AND THERE'S SOME EXPERTS UP ON THIS.

MY, MY 2 CENTS ON THIS, I THINK WITH, UM, MR. CAMPBELL, AS A RETIRED SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I, OR ONE OF MY, IF I HAD AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL BE IN THOSE MEETINGS, BECAUSE WE ARE REALLY THE ONE WHO'S ULTIMATE ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE SURE IT GOES ONTO THE TEACHER, BUT WE'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE TO, TO MANAGE IT AND MAKE SURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE SAID WE WOULD DO BECAUSE THE CALLS FROM THE PARENTS ARE GONNA COME TO US.

SO I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, HAVING A COORDINATOR DO SOME OF THE WORK OR HELP IS FINE, BUT I WOULDN'T WANT TO TAKE THE ADMINISTRATORS OUT OF THAT.

UM, I DON'T KNOW, BUT WE GALLERIES, YOU KNOW, WITH THE LEA, UM, IF YOU HAVE TO HAVE A BUILDING ADMINISTRATOR THERE OR NOT, BUT, UM, THAT'S JUST MY 2 CENTS.

[03:55:02]

THEY ABOUT SPECIAL ED.

UM, AND I'M NOT AN EXPERT.

I JUST KNOW I'VE EXPERIENCED IN MY SON.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE HAVE, HOW MANY OPENINGS 15 CURRENTLY THIS, WELL, I THINK 12.

WHEN WE ADD SPEECH, IT SEEMS TO ME, THAT'S OUR FOCUS ON WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO FILL THOSE VACANCIES? WE CAN TALK ABOUT STRUCTURING AND ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD DO, BUT FIRST OF ALL, WE NEED TO FILL THE HOME WE HAVE.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP YOU FILL THOSE OPENINGS? I KNOW THESE FOLKS ARE RARE.

UM, I KNOW YOU, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO STORE WHERE YOU CAN GO GET AN ABA THERAPIST AND YOU SURE CAN'T GET THEM IN SOUTH CAROLINA BASED ON WHAT WE PAY.

UM, SO I KNOW THAT, BUT SO WHAT IS IT WE HAVE TO DO TO FILL THOSE VACANCIES? SO, YOU KNOW, WE STARTED OUT THE YEAR WITH A SPECIAL ED TEACHER IN ALL THE CLASSROOMS. WE, WE DID, WE, WE STARTED OUT THE YEAR THAT WAY, AND THEN WE GOT INCREASES AS WE STARTED AT SCHOOL.

SO WE HAD TO ADD A COUPLE OF POSITIONS BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT MOVED IN.

AND THEN FOR WHATEVER REASONS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE A MILITARY TOWN, WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT THEY RELOCATE AND THEY GO FOR WHATEVER REASONS WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH, UM, HR AND JOE MCCADDEN AND HER TEAM HAS FOR THREE OF THEM NOW.

AND AS THE MATH ALREADY GOT A MESSAGE TO CALL A TEACHER TO TALK ABOUT THE SPECIAL ED SIDE, AS FAR AS GETTING THEM THERE.

SO WE'RE DOING THINGS LIKE THAT.

I THINK MS. WALTON AND CROSBY KIND OF HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD THIS MORNING AND THEIR PRESENTATION ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO ATTRACT, BECAUSE I DO LOSE, WE DO LOSE OUT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SUPPORT POSITIONS, LIKE RBT, SPEECH, LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS, UM, AND THOSE FOLKS THAT COMPETE IN MEDICAL AND HEALTHCARE AND INDUSTRY.

BUT I THINK THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING NOW, WHEN WE GET THEM HERE, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO RETAIN THEM? SO WE HAVE MENTORS.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS WE DO TRY TO LOOK AT IS THAT PAPERWORK, HOW CAN WE KEEP THE CASE? THOSE NUMBERS? UH, THREE YEARS AGO, WE MADE A DECISION FOR THE SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT TEACHERS.

THE STATE SAY THEY CAN HAVE UP TO 33 KIDS ON THEIR CASELOAD AS A DISTRICT.

WE ARE TRYING REALLY HARD TO KEEP THAT 20, BUT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS AND YOU STILL HAVE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT BY OFF BOUNCE, THE SAME THING WITH SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST, THE STATE SAYS 60 AS A DISTRICT, DEPENDING ON THE WORKLOAD, WE TRY TO KEEP THAT TO 40 TO 45.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE THE SHORTAGE, THEY HAVE TO PICK UP THAT.

SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING.

UM, AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO WHAT THE DISCUSSION WAS EARLIER TODAY.

UM, I THINK WE HAVE MENTOR TEACHER NOW, UM, THROUGH HR AS WELL FOR SPED.

UM, WE HAVE MORE OF THOSE.

SO I THINK WE'RE DOING SOME OF THE THINGS I THINK IS JUST A CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE WITH NOT ENOUGH PROFESSIONALS OUT THERE SOMETIMES TO FILL SOME OF THE POSITIONS AS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

I THINK WE GOT SOME GOOD THINGS ON, WE'RE CONTINUING TO HAVE THOSE DISCUSSION, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE GET THEM HERE.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY STAY? YEAH.

CAUSE WE CAN TALK ABOUT ALL THE THEORIES WE WANT, BUT IF WE CAN'T GET TO PEOPLE, IT DOESN'T HELP JUST TO, YEAH.

I DO ACTUALLY ACTUALLY, UH, AGREE WITH THAT.

SO, I MEAN, JUST TO JUST GO BACK TO YOUR POINT, SO, I MEAN, DO WE, DO WE NEED TO PAY THEM, PAY THEM MORE? I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE? I MEAN, TO, TO, TO GET THERE, I MEAN, YOU GOT A JAIL FREE CARD.

I MEAN, WHAT I MEAN, WELL, WHAT DO WE REALLY NEED TO GET MORE CERTIFIED, SPECIAL ED, SPECIAL ED TEACHERS? DO WE NEED TO PAY THEM MORE? YEAH.

I, I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE ASKING FOR THIS MORNING.

I KNOW THAT WE COMPETE THEM WITH DISTRICTS ON ONE SET.

I MEAN, I CAME FROM A DISTRICT WHERE WE GIVE THE, THEY WERE GOOD.

THEY STILL DO GIVE ADDITIONAL BONUSES FOR SPED TEACHERS.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ALL OF THAT, BUT I THINK YES TO GET THEM HERE.

UM, THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO DO AS A DISTRICT.

SO I GUESS THE QUESTION BECOMES HERE, WHERE, WHAT, WHEN AND WHY AND HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD? I MEAN, WHERE DO, IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, UM, WITH DR.

RODRIGUEZ WITH JUNIOR STAFF, OUR PO POSSIBLY WANT TO BRING FORTH A, I DON'T THINK IT'S, IT'S AN ALL A CART, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THING.

I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE OF THE SYSTEM.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE JUST SPENT THIS MORNING, UH, GOING OVER A BALANCED BUDGET, UH, TO, TO REVIEW EVERY ONE OF THESE COMPONENTS.

AND, AND WE GO THROUGH THE DAY WHEN WE SAY, WELL, WE WANT MORE OF THIS AND WE WANT MORE OF THAT.

AND WE WANT MORE OF THAT AND WE SHOULD DO MORE HERE AND LET'S DO THAT TOO.

AND BY THE WAY, LET'S GET THIS DONE.

THERE'S ACTUALLY A GAME CALLED TEXAS HOLD'EM AROUND BUDGETING.

AND YOU GO THROUGH AND YOU SAY, OH, I WANT THAT ONE TIME WITH THAT.

AND THEY GIVE YOU ALL THESE CARDS AND YOU SIT THERE

[04:00:01]

YOU CAN'T DO IT.

CAUSE OVER BUDGET, COME BACK.

NOW YOU'RE UNDER BUDGET.

NOW WORK THROUGH.

SO, SO WE CAN DO ANYTHING.

AND WE GOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT COMES DOWN TO SCARCITY, RIGHT? YOU GOT UNLIMITED WANTS, YOU GOT LIMITED RESOURCES.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THOSE LIMITED RESOURCES, YOU'VE GOT TO SPEND THEM.

AND YOU GOT TO PICK AT WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND THEM.

YOU HAD AN ENTIRE SYSTEM, YOU'RE TRYING TO MOVE EVERY PART OF THE SYSTEM.

IF YOU WANT TO DRIVE THIS ONE FURTHER, YOU'RE GOING TO DRIVE THIS ONE BACK OR LESS.

I MEAN, IT'S JUST THE WAY IT WORKS.

SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GO BACK AND PLAY AT IT.

WE, WE, WHAT I THINK YOU SAW THIS MORNING WAS A BUDGET THAT ADDRESSED SOME OF THE NEEDS THAT CAME FORWARD.

AS A RESULT OF, OF SOME SPECIAL ED NEEDS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER WE GO BACK AND FIX, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE AWAY IN OTHER PLACES.

THAT'S JUST THE WAY THAT WORKS.

AND, AND SO IF THAT'S THE DIRECTION THAT YOU WANT US TO GO, THEN MAKE A MOTION.

YOU VOTE, WE'LL GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD AND WORK THROUGH IT AGAIN.

I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S KINDA PART OF THE PROCESS.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT EASY TO, WE CAN'T JUST SAY LET'S JUST ADD MORE.

IT'S GOT TO COME OUT OF SOMEWHERE ELSE.

SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE POINT.

ONE OF THE THINGS, IF I CAN ADD, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE DOING THIS YEAR IS WE WERE LOOKING AT OUR PARTNER IN INTERNATIONAL TEACHERS AND WE HAVE DIRECTED THEM TO FOCUS ON SPECIAL ED TEACHERS.

SO THEY'RE DOING THAT NOW.

UM, IN FACT, WE'VE SAID AS MANY AS YOU ARE ALLOWED TO BRING BASED ON THE STATE DEPARTMENTS, UM, QUOTA, GET THEM FOR US.

AND WE, WE WERE WILLING TO LOOK AT THEM.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE REALLY STEPPED UP ON THIS YEAR FOR SPECIAL ED TEACHERS.

AND JUST IN TERMS OF WHAT YOU SAID THAT OR REGAS, UM, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THIS IS A MAJOR COMPONENT OF LEARNING LOSS.

THIS DEPARTMENT RIGHT HERE, RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS THE, THIS IS WHERE THE LEARNING LOSS KIND OF COMES FROM.

WE HAVE ALL THESE COACHES, MAYBE COACH, MAYBE THIS NEEDS TO BE, MAYBE THIS NEEDS TO BE A PART OF THE COACHES JOB.

I MEAN, MAYBE WE NEED COACHES THAT MIGHT PISS PEOPLE OFF, BUT END OF THE DAY, I MEAN, THIS IS A PART OF THE, THE STUFF.

THIS IS THE PART OF THE DECISION-MAKING THAT WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FOR PEOPLE, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO SPED AND WHEN IT COMES TO DEALING WITH THE LEARNING LOSS AND PARTICULARLY WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PUT IN THE PROPER ATTENTION ON IT.

AND I, AND I'M ONE THAT SAYS, I BELIEVE IN BEING FAIR AND JUST ACROSS THE BOARD FOR IT ALL.

BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE LEARNING LOSS THAT WE HAVE, WE REALLY GOT, WE REALLY HAVE TO PUT OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS AND SOME OF IT IS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT SOMETHING.

AND WHEN IT COMES OUT TO CUTTING IT, I'M WILLING TO CUT IT.

SO WHENEVER YOU BRING ME, I'M WILLING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT.

AREN'T DOING ALREADY, WHAT THEY CAN DO OR MORE, UH, AND I, AND I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD CONSIDER.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT IS WE'RE MAKING AN ASSUMPTION THERE THAT COACHES DON'T SUPPORT SPECIAL ED STUDENTS.

THEY'RE IF THEY'RE IN CLASSROOMS WHERE WE HAVE SPECIAL ED STUDENTS, WHICH YOU'VE HEARD ALL ABOUT INCLUSION AND ABOUT LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT, THEY GET SUPPORT FROM COACHES AS WELL.

SO THEY GET ALL SORTS OF ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.

I'M NOT, I'M NOT SAYING, YOU KNOW, MR. SMITH, THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, ALL THE ANSWERS ARE MET.

YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SAYING, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD MAKE ASSUMPTIONS THAT THERE AREN'T OTHER SUPPORTS BESIDES A SPECIAL ED TEACHER IN SUPPORTING SPECIAL ED STUDENTS.

THAT'S ALL.

AND I, AND THAT'S A GOOD POINT, BUT MY POINT IS THEY MAY, AS COACHES, THEY MAY HAVE TO DO MORE.

AND THEN THEY, THIS, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAXIMIZING THE PEOPLE WHO WE HAVE TO ACTUALLY ATTEND AND SHOW THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE PUTTING EVERY, EVERY RESOURCES FORWARD TO MEET THEIR LEARNING LOSS.

AND THEN THAT'S THE START.

SO, I MEAN, THEY HAVE TO DO MORE THAN HAVE TO DO MORE, BUT I MEAN, BUT MY, MY, MY POINT IS THAT IS HOW SERIOUS I AM NOW THAT THAT'S A TOUCHING SUB A TOUCHY SUBJECT FOR EVERYONE.

SO THAT'S MY POINT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT'S HOW SERIOUS I AM AS A BOARD MEMBER ON IT.

YEAH, I, I UNDERSTAND.

BUT AGAIN, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S ANOTHER, THERE'S ANOTHER ASSUMPTION IN THERE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE AREN'T OTHER THINGS HAPPENING THAT SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S AN ASSUMPTION THERE THAT THEY

[04:05:01]

I MEAN, I I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.

MS. ROBO, AND YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP, SORRY.

IT TAKES ME A MINUTE TO UNMUTE JUST A QUESTION IN RECOGNIZING THAT WE'VE HAD, UM, SOME SPECIAL ED CLASSROOMS WITHOUT CERTIFIED TEACHERS, ARE WE ABLE TO EXTEND, UM, EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR TO MORE OF OUR STUDENTS THIS YEAR TO HELP MITIGATE THAT? SO I'LL ANSWER THAT TWO WAYS.

SO WITH THE CLASSROOMS THAT ARE EMPTY, WE ACTUALLY HAVE VIRTUAL TEACHERS, WE HAVE SOME OF OUR OTHER CONTRACT PARTNERS, SO WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PUT A FERTRELL TEACHER AND THE PARAPROFESSIONALS IN THOSE CLASSROOMS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO SUPPORT ON THE GROUND AS WELL.

SO THEY ARE GETTING SERVICES IF THEY ARE ANY KID THAT MAY HAVE GONE FOR A PERIOD OF, UH, WE ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO LOOK AT EITHER COMPENSATORY AND OR IES AT STANDARD SCHOOL YEAR SERVICES.

SO THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE ALREADY ARE, HAVE ALREADY STARTED, UM, TAKING PLACE AS WELL SO THAT WE CAN MEET THOSE KIDS' NEEDS DURING THE SUMMER.

SO YES, WE HAVE ALREADY STARTED THAT.

AND MOST OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND DECISIONS WERE MADE BY THE END OF MARCH.

SO WE CAN PLAN APPROPRIATELY THIS SUMMER.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

IS IT, UM, OUT OF OFF TOPIC, IF I ASKED YOU, HOW DOES THE STATE REGULATIONS AFFECT OUR MANEUVERABILITY IN TERMS OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE IN TERMS OF SPECIAL NEEDS I'M IN SOUTH CAROLINA, VERY RESTRICTIVE COMPARED TO WHAT THE, KNOW, WHAT THE NATIONAL NORM SOVEREIGN WITH A TEACHER, MORE, BE MORE ATTRACTED TO GO TO SAY, GEORGIA, BUT I'D SAY NEW JERSEY AS OPPOSED TO COME TO SOUTH CAROLINA, IF THAT'S A SPECIAL NEED, I'M NOT SURE IF I UNDERSTAND, BUT I THINK THE FEDERAL LED THINGS ARE, UH, FEDERAL THAT FEDERAL LAW, SPECIAL ED, UH, IS GOVERNED SO MUCH BY SPECIAL BY FEDERAL LAW, BUT IT GIVES YOU A CERTAIN LEEWAY.

I BELIEVE THE FEDERAL LAW THAT THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA NOW WAS DOWN TO A CERTAIN RESTRICT OR RESTRICTIVE.

UH, YOU SAID, I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE, BUT I THINK YOU DIDN'T CHECK THAT OUT.

CAUSE THAT MIGHT BE, YOU'RE PROBABLY NEVER GOING TO GET A SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHER WHO RELOCATE TO SOUTH CAROLINA.

ALSO YOUR SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHERS ARE COMING.

THAT'S WHY YOU'RE GOING ACROSS THE WATER, I BELIEVE NOW, BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ANOTHER THING TO THINK ABOUT ACROSS GO ACROSS THE WATER, NOT MEANING BROAD RIVER.

I THINK KATHY'S NEXT SNACKS.

LIKE I SAID, THIS MORNING, WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE IN THIS PREDICAMENT.

AND THE ONLY WAY YOU GOT WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO GET OUT OF IT, WE GOT TO COME UP WITH YOUR PHONES.

WE CAN NOT CUT ONE PROGRAM TO GO TO ANOTHER PROGRAM BECAUSE YOU'RE HURTING STUDENTS.

SO WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION AS A BOARD TO TELL A SUPERINTENDENT, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT, BUT WE HAVE TO FIND, MAKE SURE THAT HE HAS THE RESOURCE TO DO IT.

JUST, OKAY, AS SHIFTS HAVE HAPPENED THAT WERE NOT THOUGHT OF WHEN THE FIVE-YEAR PLANS WERE FIRST HAPPENING.

IS YOUR HAND BACK UP MALWARE? OKAY.

ALMOST THIS IS MY LAST ONE.

I PROMISE.

NO, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT TO DR.

RODRIGUEZ, UM, POINT THERE ABOUT IT TAKES MORE THAN JUST THE SPECIAL ED TEACHER TO HELP WITH OUR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.

AND TODAY ON PAGE 14, WE DID TALK ABOUT A THREE FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, THREE SPECIAL, UH, FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT SPECIAL ED CERTIFIED TEACHERS, TWO FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT, BEHAVIORAL SUPPORTS ALL OF THOSE INTERVENTIONISTS THREE AND A HALF.

UM, YES, TH THAT ALL THAT ALL WORKS TOGETHER.

UM, AND MY LAST PLUG, IF THERE COULD BE SOME CLERICAL SUPPORT, SO TEACHERS ARE TEACHING AND NOT SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS WITH 10 DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

IS THAT IT? THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[04:10:01]

YOU'RE WELCOME.

OUR NEXT IS A SCHOOL RENEWAL PLANS AND DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN.

GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN STRINGER AND BOARD MEMBERS.

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IN SOBER FORWARD MEMBERS FROM OUR ISD.

WHO'VE BEEN WORKING ON OUR DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN, AS WELL AS OUR PRINCIPALS WITH THEIR SCHOOL RENEWAL PLANS.

THEY'LL BRING FO WITH THE PROCESS THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH WITH REGARD TO INVOLVEMENT OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS, UPDATING OUR MID-YEAR GOALS, AS WELL AS THE WORK THAT THEY'VE CONDUCTED WITH OUR SCHOOLS.

AS WELL AS THIS AFTERNOON, WE HAVE OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, DR.

JAD, CHAD COCK, STOP TO CELESTE LAVONNE AND MRS. MONA DIXON HERE AS WELL FOR ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE IN REGARDS TO OUR SCHOOL RENEWAL PLANS.

SO AT THIS TIME, IF I COULD BRING FORWARD, UM, NICK FLOWERS, THANK YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

SO, SO FOR THE FIRST PART OF THIS, SO, UM, THE PLANS, THIS IS TO REVIEW OUR DEVELOPED EVERY FIVE YEARS.

SO WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR CYCLE HALFWAY THROUGH, UM, THE, AND THEN THEY'RE JUST ASKED TO BE REVIEWED BY THE BOARD ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

UM, AS WE DO THIS, THIS WAS A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS IN NATURE.

IT'S REALLY BASED OFF OF THE ORIGINAL FIVE-YEAR PLANS.

AND THEN JUST MINOR TWEAKS ARE MADE US, WE GO, UM, ONE OF THE MAJOR PIECE HURDLES THAT WE'VE BATTLED THOUGH IS, UM, ACCESSING THE DATA BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT ON COVID A LOT OF THE PROGRESS MONITORING PIECES THAT WE HAVE, WE DO NOT HAVE AVAILABLE.

UM, AND SO WE'RE ACTUALLY WRITING THE PLAN FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, BUT WE'RE REALLY NEEDING THE SC READY DATA THAT WILL TAKE PLACE IN MAY, UM, TO BE ABLE TO REALLY DETERMINE OUR STATUS AT THAT POINT.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M JUST GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE THREE THAT THE PLAN ADDRESSES THOSE THREE AREAS, WHERE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATIVE QUALITY AND SCHOOL CLIMATE.

SO UNDER, UM, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, YOU HAVE EQUITABLE VIABLE CURRICULUM FOR ALL STUDENTS, A MULTI-TIERED SYSTEM OF SUPPORT.

THAT'S OUR MTSS SYSTEM THAT ENSURES THAT ALL STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING, UM, THEIR ACADEMIC AND BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT.

WE DO THAT THROUGH PLANS AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL AND IN COLLABORATION WITH HR, WE WORKED ON TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATIVE QUALITY AND THAT BUILDS, UM, ALL SETS TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE LEARNERS.

SO WE'RE, WE'RE BUILDING UP OUR TEACHERS TO MEET AND ENSURE THAT THEY MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE STUDENTS WITHIN THE SCHOOL THAT THEY'RE ASSIGNED.

AND, UM, HUMAN RESOURCE MODEL FOR SELECTION THAT BUILDS UPON THE ASSETS OF THE CANDIDATE, UM, TO MEET THE STUDENT'S NEEDS AGAIN.

AND IN SCHOOL CLIMATE IS OUR LAST ONE.

IT DEVELOPS THAT IT WAS FOUND ADDITIONAL SKILLS OF SYSTEMS THAT ENGAGES ALL TO PARTICIPATE IN A POSITIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.

UM, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR STUDENTS, OF COURSE, AND IT PROVIDES XL ACCESS TO A SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL.

SO THOSE ARE OUR THREE AREAS.

SO YOU HAVE TWO DOCUMENTS.

THE FIRST ONE, THE SHORTER ONE, IT IS THE DISTRICT, UM, EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.

SO IT HIGHLIGHTS THE, UM, THE GOALS THAT WE WILL BE PROGRESS MONITORING THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR AND ENDED THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO TARGET.

AND THEN A BRIEF DESCRIPTION SUMMARY OF THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE THEN AROUND, UM, THOSE ASPECTS OF THE GOALS WITHIN THERE, WE HAVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND THEN BREAKING DOWN HOW WE LOOK AT THE EARLY CHILDHOOD AND THEN THE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND THEN THE HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THEN WE LOOK AT THE GIFTED AND TALENTED ASPECT OF IT, SCHOOL CLIMATE AND TEACHER AND ADMINISTRATOR OR QUALITY.

THE SECOND PACKET IS AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR EACH SCHOOL.

SO THE PRINCIPALS WERE ASKED TO TAKE WHAT THEIR CURRENT PLANS ARE AND MERE AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR YOU TO REALLY BREAK DOWN.

UM, WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE PLAN.

UM, THAT'S UPLOADED TO THE STATE, UM, IN THEIR BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS, REALLY OUTLINED THE STRATEGIES THAT ARE BEING WORKED ON TO DEVELOP, UM, THEIR, THEIR GOALS AND TARGETS FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR AND, AND REALLY THE TWEAKS THAT WE WERE MAKING TO, UM, TO THE DISTRICT'S GOALS.

AND, AND A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS HAD TO MIRROR WAS

[04:15:01]

CAN WE GET DATA NOW? AND HOW CAN WE BEST PROGRESS MONITOR THAT? SO, UM, THIS TOOK COLLABORATION WITH MR. FALLON UP.

ONCE, UM, IF WE TWEAK THESE GOALS, CAN WE GET DATA TO ACCURATELY REPORT BACK ON, UM, WERE ASKED THE GOALS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED.

SOME OF THEM, THE DATA IS EITHER NOT THERE OR THERE WERE TWEAKS DONE OR CHANGES BY THE STATE THAT WOULD BE REPORTED OUT.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORT.

THIS IS A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL, AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE TIME AND EFFORT THAT I BELIEVE EACH ADMINISTRATOR TOOK TO PUT THESE TOGETHER.

UM, THE QUESTION I HAD IS IN THE, UH, EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, IT DISCUSSES GT, UM, ON A PRETTY DETAILED LEVEL, BUT MOSTLY FROM THE 10,000 FOOT VIEW OF THE DISTRICT ON THE INDIVIDUAL PLANS, I DON'T NECESSARILY SEE THAT TRANSLATED IN EACH INDIVIDUAL PLAN FOR EACH SITE.

SO CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT? I DON'T SEE IT EVEN AS LIKE A, A BOX.

SO THE SCHOOLS WERE ONLY REQUIRED TO HAVE AREAS OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND TEACHER, ADMINISTRATOR QUALITY AND SCHOOL CLIMATE.

AND THEN IF THEY WANTED TO ADD A GT, THEY COULDN'T MERE IT.

SOME MAY HAVE EMBEDDED IT IN THEIR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT ASPECT.

UM, BUT THOSE WERE THE THREE CATEGORIES THAT THEY WERE ASKED TO DEVELOP.

IS THERE A REASON WHY WE LEFT OUT GT FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL SITE? UM, I DO NOT KNOW IT WAS DONE WHEN THEY ORIGINALLY DID THE ORIGINAL FIVE-YEAR PLANS FIND YOUR CYCLE.

SO THAT'S WAS SNOW SKATE.

A LOT OF THE WORK FOR GTE ACTUALLY HAS BEEN SPEARHEADED AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL.

WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HELP WITH THE CURRICULUM, HELP WITH THE TESTING, HELP WITH THE DESIGN OF FOOTIE ARTS, TALENTED AS WELL AS THE ACADEMIC TO SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO US.

AND THEN WE ACTUALLY HAVE A BUDGET THAT WE DO HELP THE SCHOOLS SIGNIFICANTLY TO DATE.

WE HAVE NOT SAID NO TO ANY REQUESTS.

SO I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A STILL LOOK.

WE STILL HAVE A MODEL IN PLACE THAT IT'S COMING FROM US TO YOU.

AND WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO THAT POINT YET OF THE REDISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, WE WILL GET THERE, BUT I DON'T FEEL YET WE'RE THERE ALL THE WAY.

THERE'S SOME STEPS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN YET.

MA'AM YEAH, BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT PLAN, YOU KNOW, FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL, BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S SOME WHERE THE ARTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY THAT'S THE FOCUS OF THAT SITE.

SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE ON THAT IN A FUTURE.

MR. FLOWERS IS ACTUALLY WORKING ON MORE OF A UNIFIED PLAN ACTUALLY, OF IMPLEMENTATION OF GT WITHIN OUR SCHOOLS.

SO THAT'S PART OF ACTUALLY A PLAN THAT JOSEE UNFOLDING WITHIN THE UPCOMING YEARS WITH US AS WELL.

YES MA'AM THANK YOU.

SO I HAVE LIKE A WEIRD THING THAT I LOOKED AT, CAUSE I DO THINK I'VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION AFTER A YEAR ON THE BOARD THAT, YOU KNOW, IF YOUR SIC IS ACTIVE, THAT'S A SIGN OF SCHOOL CLIMATE, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SIGN OF A HEALTHY AND ENGAGED COMMUNITY.

SO WHAT I WAS LOOKING AT, AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT FOR THE FUTURE.

I ACTUALLY PAID A LOT OF ATTENTION TO WHO THE WERE.

UM, DID THEY HAVE PARENT REPRESENTATIVES? DID THEY HAVE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES? SOME PEOPLE HAD THEM LISTED OUT THERE AND IT IS ACTUALLY A LAW THAT WE HAVE THOSE THINGS.

I'M NOT SURE EVERY SIC IS IN COMPLIANCE.

AND I KINDA THINK THAT GOING FORWARD, I DON'T WANT TO CALL ANY PARTICULAR SCHOOL OUT OR ANYTHING, BUT JUST LOOKING AT THEM SOMETIMES THERE'S A LIST OF NAMES.

SOMETIMES THERE'S ONLY THREE NAMES SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT NEXT YEAR IS A LITTLE MORE ATTENTION PAID TO WHO THE MEMBERS ARE, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE IN COMPLIANCE AND THAT EVERYONE'S LISTED.

NEXT TIME? AND THEN WE LOOK AT IT OR ARE WE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DIRECT IT? BECAUSE THAT'S, I MEAN, I LOOK AT THIS AS KIND OF A DIRECTED, ORCHESTRATED THING, AND I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.

I CAN'T, I CAN'T FIGURE THAT OUT NOW.

I'M SURE WHEN WE FIRST DISCUSSED THIS PLAN, DR.

STRATIS HAD A BIG, UH, INPUT INTO IT BECAUSE OF DESIGN, YOU KNOW, MOST OF MAYOR WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AS AN OUTCOME, RIGHT.

AND FIVE YEARS.

SO I SEE, YOU KNOW, SOME DISCREPANCIES IN WHAT THE PEOPLE WROTE, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, PRETTY COORDINATED GRADE LEVEL WISE, THIRD THROUGH EIGHTH GRADE, THEY ALL BASICALLY FOCUSED ON MEETS AND EXCEEDS, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, ET CETERA.

AND, UM, MY QUESTION IS, ARE WE GOING TO, I'M LOOKING FOR FRANK'S NEXT EVALUATION.

ARE WE GOING TO ALLOW THE ADMINISTRATORS TO DO IT

[04:20:01]

BECAUSE WE, AS A DISTRICT, GOT TO LEAD THAT FIVE-YEAR STRATEGY SO WE CAN GET TO IT.

SO I WANT TO KNOW WE DON'T NEED THIS THOUGH.

I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE NEED THIS TO DO THIS, RIGHT.

CORRECT.

I MEAN, WE'RE REALLY, AT THE END OF THE DAY, TURNED IN A FIVE-YEAR PLAN.

RIGHT? WELL, MR. CAMPBELL, ACTUALLY AT THIS TIME ANNUALLY, WE DO HAVE A REVIEW.

WE SUBMIT A FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN SCHOOLS AS WELL, DO A LARGE PLAN.

THE SCHOOLS ANNUALLY DO AN INTERIM GOALS, THEIR REVIEW OF THE INTERIM GOALS THAT THE SCHOOL WE KNEW ALL PLAN BY THE BOARD IS FEE FOR YOU TO GIVE US A YES, THAT WE'RE IN APPROVAL OF IT AS A REQUIREMENT, THE STRATEGIC PLAN, I DON'T WANT TO STEP ON THE SUPERINTENDENT'S EVALUATION COMPONENT, BUT THE STRATEGIC PATH SHOULD DRIVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF COHERENCE FOR US WITHIN A DISTRICT, FROM WHAT WE DO FROM TITLE ONE, FROM WHAT WE DO FOR ALL FEDERAL FUNDING.

SO YES, THERE'S AN INTERRELATIONSHIP WE'RE WORKING IN AT THAT DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE I FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL, AND AS, UM, MRS. BOATWRIGHT EVEN SHARED THAT WHO'S INVOLVED, WHO ARE THE STAKEHOLDERS? WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF, BECAUSE IT IS, SHOULD BE AT THE CORE OF OUR WORK, WE'RE PUSHING OUR WORK, THAT THIS IS THE CORE.

SO YES, YOU'RE DRIVING INTO A DIRECTION THAT OUR DIVISION SIGNIFICANTLY, AS WELL AS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, WE'RE ON THAT PATH FROM THE STATE LEVEL AND OUR DISTRICT BEING VERY STRONG WITH IT.

UH, IN TERMS OF, AND IN TERMS OF THESE PLANS, UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE THAT RODRIGUEZ AND HIS STAFF ARE ACTUALLY TAKING TIME OUT TO DO THESE, TO DRAW UP THESE PLANS AND ACTUALLY LET THEM LETTING US KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT JUST, UH, WINGING IT, THAT THEY HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THAT THEY TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO HAVE A, A, A LINE OR A YELLOW BRICK ROAD, OR ALWAYS EXACTLY WHERE THEY'RE GOING AT.

AND WE DON'T HAVE TO.

EXACTLY, BECAUSE ME PERSONALLY, I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THESE PLANS AND THIS IS WHAT I'LL BE HOLDING EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE TO.

AND I KNOW FOR SURE, FOR INSTANCE, FOR SURE.

I, UM, I WENT TO THE SIC MEETING AT, UM, LIAISON AT THE MITRE SCHOOL AND THE PRINCIPAL THERE, UH, MRS. COLEMAN, SHE WENT OVER HER PLAN AND SHE ASKED THE QUESTIONS AND SHE WAS VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT GOING OVER WHAT SHE EXPECTED AND HOW SHE'S GOING TO IMPLEMENT HER PLAN.

AND SO FOR ME AT FIRST, I WAS LIKE, HMM, I LIKE THIS IS A LOT.

BUT ONCE I WENT OVER AND I UNDERSTOOD AND SEE WHAT SHE WAS GOING AT, THEN IT MADE SENSE TO ME.

AND SO I SAY, YOU KNOW, TO THAT ABOUT AND STAFF AS WELL AS THAT, AS WELL AS DR.

STRATUS, THAT HATS OFF, BECAUSE THIS IS A YELLOW BRICK ROAD THAT WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU, THAT EVERY SCHOOL DO KNOW THAT YOU EXPECT THEM TO GO WHERE THEY GO AND HOW THEY GO IN THAT THIS IS THE PLAN ON GETTING THERE.

SO THAT WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL TO ME.

I THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS, THAT WAS A PART OF LEARNING LOSS.

THAT, THAT DEFINITELY, THIS IS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT GOES ON THE WAY THERE.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN SHARED WITH JAMIE, I JUST GAVE A BRIEF COMMENTARY, MR. SMITH, THANK YOU FOR GIVING THAT AS EXAMPLE OF A DAVINA COLEMAN'S WORK, BECAUSE THAT IS THE CORE, THEIR EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS WORKING WELL, VERY HARD TO BE FOR EACH OF US TO BE, HAVE THIS TYPE OF ALIGNMENT AND COHERENCE SO THAT WHEN WE COULD START HAVING THAT CONVERSATION, THIS IS HOW WE DO IT HERE.

BE YOU FOR IT.

SO THANK YOU.

AND WE'LL SHARE THAT COMPLIMENT.

WHAT W WHEN DOES THE BOARD HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? WELL, THE SUGGESTION WOULD BE TODAY.

I HAVE TO DO APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE, SET THE MOTION FOR YOUR REVIEW OF THE SCHOOL.

WHEN NEWELL PLANS SHOULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN.

THE, WE DO HAVE TO SUBMIT THIS ON THE 30TH OF APRIL.

SO IF I CAN MAKE A SUGGESTION, MRS. CUSHION BARRY, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY CHAIRMAN DISTRIBUTOR? I DO APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE IF I COULD BRING FORWARD EMOTION.

UH, I'M NOT SURE YOU SHOULD BE DOING A MOTION, BUT SOMEBODY CERTAINLY SUGGEST WORDING THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT SAYS DR.

STRATOS HELPED ME HERE, UM, THAT THE BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT APPROVES THE INTERIM GOAL AT THE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT APPROVES THE INTERIM GOALS.

THE DISTRICT AND SCHOOL? UM, STRATEGIC PLANS, DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN AND SCHOOL, BECAUSE THESE ARE MY WORDS TO MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, TO APPROVE THE ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE DISTRICT STRATEGIC PLAN AND SCHOOL RENEWAL PLANS, BECAUSE THAT WOULD INCLUDE YOUR INTERIM GOALS WITHIN THE ANNUAL REVIEW.

THE ANNUAL REVIEW OF INTERIM GOALS COME BACK, MIGHT WORDSMITH.

ARE THEY ANNUAL REVIEW OF INTERIM GOALS AND APPROVE THE ANNUAL REVIEW OF

[04:25:01]

THANK YOU, MRS. BOAT, RIGHT? IT'S NOT EASY SCHOOL RENEWAL SCHOOL, RENEWAL SCHOOL RENEWAL PLAN, BECAUSE SOME SCHOOLS DID MAKE UPDATES OR TWEAKS TO THEIR ACTION STEPS THAT THAT WOULD ENCOMPASS THAT ASPECT OF IT.

IS THAT RIGHT? RIGHT NOW, DID YOU GET MY MOTION, ROBIN PLANTS? YES, THAT WAS MY EMOTION.

AND IT WAS EARLY.

SEE YOUR LIPS MOVE.

SECOND, SECOND YEAR, SECOND YEAR, MS. CAMPBELL HIGH HEIDI.

SHE SAID TRYING TO RUN THIS MEETING WILL PROBABLY APPRECIATE YOUR SECOND DISCUSSION.

I JUST WANT TO GET A CLARIFICATION THAT GT INFORMATION DOESN'T HAVE TO BE INCLUDED WHEN WE SENT IT TO THE STATE FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL.

NO, MA'AM, IT'S, UH, WE ARE REQUIRED.

WE ARE REQUIRED AT THE DISTRICT, THE INDIVIDUAL FOR THIS SCHOOL PLANTS.

NO, MA'AM WE ARE COMPLIANT.

I FIGURED YOU WERE.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, I PARTICIPATED IN THE MORNING, THE SCHOOL SCHOOLS IN THIS NEW PLAN AND THEY HAD FOUR STUDENTS THAT ALSO INVOLVED IN THIS, SO IT WAS VERY GOOD.

SO, YOU KNOW, FOR THEIR HANDS, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

AYE.

YOU KATHY, WAIT A SECOND.

I DIDN'T GET KATHY.

YES, I CALL APPROVAL.

UM, JUST A BRIEF COMMENT, MR. BECAUSE MR. CAMPBELL'S WORDS JUST REMINDED ME OF SOMETHING.

UM, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE BUDGET THAT WAS SHARED TODAY THIS MORNING, UH, WITH YOU TO REVIEW, ADD STUDENT VOICE IN THAT BUDGET.

BECAUSE I MET HERE WITH STUDENTS FROM, UH, OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, UH, AT THE REQUEST OF STUDENTS TO PROVIDE INPUT IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.

AND SO TO MY KNOWLEDGE, WE'RE ONE OF THE FEW, IF NOT THE ONLY CAUSE I HAVEN'T HEARD OF IT ANYWHERE ELSE, BUT THAT INCORPORATED OR INCORPORATES NOW STUDENT VOICE IN OUR BUDGET PROCESS.

THANK YOU, MR. SMITH.

AND I WERE BOTH AT THAT MEETING AND BOY, IF YOU WANT TO BE IMPRESSED WITH THE STUDENTS, YOU KNOW, COME TO THESE MEETINGS LIKE HOLY COW, IF I WAS THAT SMART, WHEN I WAS THEIR AGE, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE HERE.

I'D BE, I'D BE SOMEWHERE IN A VERY, VERY WEALTHY CASTLE SOMEWHERE OR SOMETHING.

CAUSE HIS BLOW YOU AWAY, HOW SMART THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, HUMBLES, HUMBLES YOU IF YOU'RE OLDER AND VOMIT, BECAUSE YOU THINK YOU'RE REALLY WISE AND THEN YOU HAVE AN 18 YEAR OLD, UH, PUT YOU BACK IN YOUR PLACE PRETTY QUICKLY.

THEY'RE VERY THOUGHTFUL.

AND UH, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A WAY OF LOOKING AT THINGS THAT SOMETIMES WE DON'T REALIZE OR THINK ABOUT.

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT WHEN YOU'RE DOING THIS ACTUALLY.

I MEAN, I GAINED A LOT OF VALUE AND INSIGHT OUT OF IT.

UM, SO, AND I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT.

I DEFINITELY, UM, GIVE HATS OFF TO YOUR STAFF BECAUSE I LIKE IT.

MS. GRIPPER SAID WE WERE, I WAS ON THE SAME COMPLIMENT, SAME COMMENTS YOU MADE, BUT I AGREE.

UH, I CAN CURVE EVERYTHING THAT HE SAID.

AND, UM, IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND LISTENING TO THOSE KIDS AND ALSO HOW THEY VALUED STAFF AND PREPAYING STAFF MORE AND DIFFERENT THINGS.

SO IT WAS, IT WAS A TOTAL GREAT EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE.

AND YOU KNOW, UH, MY EYES GO OFF TO YOU BECAUSE THAT'S LIKE YOU SAID, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT BEEN DONE HERE IN BEAVER COUNTY.

I KNOW FOR SURE THAT YOU'VE DONE THAT.

SO KEEP PLUGGING AWAY.

OUR NEXT AGENDA ITEM IS SUPPORTIVE

[04:30:01]

IMPACT FEES.

I BELIEVE THERE HAS BEEN, UM, LEGAL, LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS VERY RECENTLY LEARNED ABOUT, UM, THAT IT'S GOING TO CAUSE US NOT TO REALLY SPEAK ABOUT THIS TOO MUCH.

UH, WE, WE REALLY CAN'T WHEN WE FIRST DID THE AGENDA, WE THOUGHT WE COULD LEARN SOME STUFF THIS MORNING THAT WOULD, UH, MAKE US SKIP OVER THIS TOPIC.

YES, MA'AM CHAIR.

DO WE NEED TO POSTPONE THE DISCUSSION? YEAH.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT WE COULD POSTPONE IT TO THAT'S THAT'S MY ISSUE.

UM, TIM, WITH THE NEXT MEETING, PARDON ME TILL THE NEXT MEETING.

WELL, I DON'T THINK ANYTHING.

I MEAN, WE COULD TABLE IT UNTIL THE LEGAL ISSUES ARE RESOLVED, I GUESS.

UM, AND THEN WHOEVER MY SUCCESSOR IS WOULD PROBABLY BE A GOOD, UH, I'M JUST TRYING TO DISPOSE THEM.

WHICH IS REALLY A GREAT NUMBER.

MA'AM I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE IT UNTIL THE LEGAL ISSUES HAVE BEEN RESOLVED SECOND BY ANGELA.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.

I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO VOTE.

NO, AND I'LL VOTE.

NO.

UM, UM, SO OUR NEXT AND LAST AGENDA ITEM IS THE PACK UPDATES.

HI THERE.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MR. CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS.

MY NAME'S MEGAN DEWEY, AND I AM HERE REPRESENTING THE PROFESSIONAL ADVOCACY COUNCIL.

BETTER KNOWN AS PACK.

CAN YOU ALL HEAR ME? OKAY.

SO FIRST OFF, I WANT TO START BY THANKING YOU GUYS FOR APPROVING THE 3% RAISE AND THE DOLE MODALITY BONUS.

WE HAD A TEACHER FOR A MEETING LAST NIGHT AND THE TEACHERS WERE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT AND WE ALL APPRECIATE IT VERY, VERY MUCH.

UM, I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT TWO OF THE INITIATIVES THAT THE PAC HAS BEEN DISCUSSING IN OUR MEETINGS.

UM, THE FIRST IS THE POSSIBILITY OF IMPLEMENT IMPLEMENTING A SYSTEMATIC SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR THE NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION.

SO I WANT TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NATIONAL BOARD.

UM, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS WEBSITE, THE NATIONAL BOARD WAS FIRST ESTABLISHED IN 1987.

UM, IT WAS ESTABLISHED AS AN ORGANIZATION WORKING TO ADVANCE, ACCOMPLISHED TEACHING FOR ALL STUDENTS, TEACHERS VOLUNTARILY OBTAINED THEIR CERTIFICATION BY COMPLETING A REFLECTIVE PORTFOLIO, AN ASSESSMENT ON THEIR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE.

IT HAS FOUR COMPONENTS, INCLUDING CONTENT, KNOWLEDGE, DIFFERENTIATION, AND INSTRUCTION, TEACHING PRACTICE AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND EFFECTIVE AND REFLECTIVE PRACTITIONER, SARAH, WHICH IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE CENTER FOR EDUCATION RECRUITMENT, RETENTION AND ADVANCEMENT HAS RELEASED REPORTS IN 2018.

AND IN 2020 THAT SHOWED THAT THE TURNOVER RATE FOR TEACHERS WHO HAVE THEIR NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN TEACHERS WITHOUT IT.

UM, I'LL SAY THEY RELEASE THAT IN THE 20, 20, 20, 21 SCHOOL YEAR.

JUST LAST YEAR REPORT SHOWED THAT THE TURNOVER RATE FOR ALL SOUTH CAROLINA TEACHERS WITHOUT THEIR CERTIFICATION WAS 6.6%.

HOWEVER, THOSE THAT HAD THEIR NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION, IT WAS 3%.

SO IT'S ABOUT HALF THE STATE CURRENTLY PROVIDES A BONUS OF $5,000 FOR NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS.

UM, AND THEN IT ALSO PROVIDES 7,500 IF THEY RECEIVED THEIR CERTIFICATION BEFORE 2010.

ADDITIONALLY, OUR DISTRICT PROVIDES 1300 AS A SUPPLEMENT TO THAT $5,000 IN THE PAST.

THE STATE PROVIDED A LOAN FOR INITIAL CERTIFICATION FOR THOSE THAT WANTED TO GET THEIR CERTIFICATION.

AND IF YOU WERE SUCCESSFUL AT OBTAINING IT, THE FIRST TRY, UM, YOUR LOAN IS FORGIVEN, BUT IF YOU HAD TO RETAKE ONE OR TWO COMPONENTS, YOU HAD TO PAY BACK A PORTION OF THAT.

UM, AS THE TEACHER FORUM CHAIR, I SENT OUT A SURVEY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, UM, TO THE FORUM MEMBERS TO SEE WHO WAS INTERESTED IN THEIR NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION.

AND I GOT 19 RESPONSES, UM, 15 OF THOSE.

SO 15 OUT OF 19 WERE INTERESTED IN GETTING THEIR NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION,

[04:35:01]

UM, BUT NINE OF THOSE SAID THE REASON THEY DID NOT HAVE THEIR CERTIFICATION OR WOULD NOT BE PURSUING IT IS BECAUSE OF THE COST OF THE INITIAL CERTIFICATION.

SO THE PAC IS ASKING FOR YOU TO PLEASE PLEASE CONSIDER IMPLEMENTING A SYSTEMATIC SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION TO INCLUDE PROVIDING FORGIVABLE LOANS FOR THE INITIAL COST OF CERTIFICATION FORGIVABLE LOANS FOR THAT COVER THE COST OF THE RECERTIFICATION PROCESS AND INCREASING THE DISTRICT SUPPLEMENT TO $2,500 YEARLY FOR THE LIFE OF THIS CERTIFICATE.

UM, I WANTED TO POINT OUT SOME BENEFITS OF NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED CERT THE NATIONAL BOARD CERT CERTIFICATION, SORRY.

UM, SO THE PROCESS PROVIDES RELEVANT AND IMPACTFUL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, UM, OF TEACHERS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH AND GOT THEIR CERTIFICATION.

96% SAID THAT IT WAS THE MOST IMPACTFUL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THEY HAVE RECEIVED FOR THEIR PRACTICE.

UM, IT HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON STUDENTS STUDIES.

THERE'VE BEEN A LOT OF STUDIES ABOUT THE IMPACT IT HAS ON STUDENTS, AND IT SHOWS THAT TEACHERS ARE MORE INTENTIONAL IN THE CLASSROOM THAT HAVE THEIR CERTIFICATION.

AND ANOTHER THING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW IS TEACHER RETENTION.

UM, STUDIES SHOW THAT NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS ARE MORE COMMITTED AND THEY HAVE A MUCH LOWER TURNOVER RATE.

UM, ADDITIONALLY, THE PAC HAS DISCUSSED THE POSSIBILITY OF A DISTRICT WIDE COHORT TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS FOR THOSE WILLING TO GO THROUGH AND GET THEIR INITIAL CERTIFICATION.

UM, SUSIE LANG IS THE OFFICIAL NATIONAL BOARD LIAISON FOR OUR DISTRICT AND SHE ALREADY HAS CREATED A GOOGLE CLASSROOM WITH A LOT OF INFORMATION FOR THAT PROCESS.

UM, WE'RE WILLING TO WORK WITH HUMAN RESOURCES TO DEVELOP THE SYSTEM.

UM, THE PAC IS WILLING TO WORK WITH THEM HOWEVER NEEDED.

SO THAT'S THE FIRST PART OF THE INITIATIVE OR THE FIRST INITIATIVE.

DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT ONE? YES.

SORRY.

UM, THANK YOU.

AS I RECALL, YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE TEACHERS THAT IS, DOES HAVE THEIR NATIONAL.

I DO NOT.

SO WHAT GOT ME INTERESTED IN NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION WISE? UM, I WAS YOUR DISTRICT TEACHER OF THE YEAR, VERY PROUD FOR THAT LAST YEAR.

UM, AND I WENT OUT TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA TEACHER FORUM AND A LOT OF THE TEACHERS THERE DID HAVE THEIR NATIONAL BOARD.

I WAS ACTUALLY ONE OF THE FEW THAT DID NOT HAVE IT.

UM, UM, SO CAN YOU JUST GIVE A LITTLE BACKGROUND, LIKE HOW MANY YEARS DOES IT TAKE TO GET IT WHAT'S UM, IS, ARE YOU GETTING IT IN A, IN A CERTAIN, UH, SUBJECT AREA? UH, CAN YOU JUST GIVE A REALLY BRIEF OVERVIEW? YEAH.

SO THERE, UM, THERE ARE DIFFERENT, I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFIC NAME, BUT THERE ARE DIFFERENT, UM, AREAS OF IT.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, WHENEVER I WAS RESEARCHING, ONE OF THE ONES THAT I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN WAS THE LITERACY COMPONENT ONE.

AND, UM, YOU CAN GET IT IN AS LITTLE AS ONE YEAR, BUT AFTER YOU START THE PROCESS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR CERTIFICATION WITHIN THREE YEARS.

AND IS IT A ONLINE PROGRAM OR A YES, IT USED TO NOT.

SO IT'S A LOT OF RECORDING YOURSELF AND YOUR PRACTICE AND THEN YOU HAVE TO GO BACK AND DO A LOT OF SELF-REFLECTING.

AND DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE COST IS TO THE RIGHT NOW? SO IF YOU GO THROUGH AND YOU DO IT IN THE FIRST YEAR, IT'S $1,975 FOR ALL COMPONENTS.

UM, AND THEN EACH ADDITIONAL YEAR YOU PAY AN ADDITIONAL $75.

AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION WAS, WHAT IS THE DISTRICT RIGHT NOW? UM, UH, SUPPLEMENT THE TEACHERS THAT HAVE THIS CERTIFICATION IN TERMS OF, UM, FINANCES, THE DISTRICT GIVES 1300 AS A SUPPLEMENT, AND THEN THE STATE GIVES 5,000 FOR THOSE THAT ARE NEW FOR THEIR INITIAL CERTIFICATION, THOSE THAT ARE GETTING THEIR CERTIFICATION AFTER 2010.

AND THAT'S JUST A ONE-TIME PAYMENT FROM BOTH IT'S, UM, ANNUALLY EACH YEAR.

MY APOLOGIES.

IF I MISSED THIS, HOW MANY TEACHERS CURRENTLY IN BEAVER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVE THEIR, SO I DID TALK TO MS. LANG TODAY AND I DON'T, SHE DIDN'T GIVE AN EXACT NUMBER, BUT SHE SAID AROUND 100 AND BUFORD COUNTY.

UM, AND WE DID DISCUSS IN OTHER COUNTIES TOO.

UM, I THINK SHE SAID IN GREENVILLE, THERE WERE BETWEEN FIVE AND 700.

PAY FOR YOU TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND, UM, SOMETIME ALONG THE WAY THAT STOPPED.

YEAH, I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED, CAUSE I THINK YOU ASKED ARE FORGIVABLE LOANS, BUT I JUST HEARD THERE IS A SUBSIDY, BUT THAT'S AFTER YOU COMPLETED, IS THAT, UM, I'M JUST TRYING TO GET THAT STRAIGHT.

OH NO.

SO ALONG, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG AGO, I'M SORRY, THE HISTORY PART OF IT, BUT INITIALLY THE STATE PROVIDED THE LOANS WHERE THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE INITIAL CERTIFICATION.

SO THEY WOULD

[04:40:01]

UM, SO WHAT WE WERE HOPING IS THAT THE DISTRICT WOULD CONSIDER DOING THAT FOR TEACHERS TO GET THEIR CERTIFICATION AND THE MONEY THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT WITH DR.

QUADS THAT'S AFTER YOU GET YOUR CERTIFICATION THAT YOU GET THE ANNUAL, OKAY.

MA'AM.

I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS ANNUAL IT'S A ONE-TIME PAYMENT, IT'S SIX PAYCHECKS.

SO THEY GET IT EVERY YEAR.

THAT WAS MY, YES.

THE $1,300 IS PAID, UH, AN INCREMENTAL PAYMENTS OVER A PERIOD OF 26 PAYCHECKS.

SO IT'S 1300 TOTAL FOR THE YEAR.

UM, BUT HOW ABOUT THAT'S THE FIRST YEAR AFTER THEY GET THE CERTIFICATION? WHAT HAPPENS THE SECOND, THE THIRD, THE FOURTH, THE FIFTH YEAR, THEY CONTINUE TO GET THAT INCREMENTALLY OVER A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS.

IS THAT CORRECT? 10 YEARS.

AND THE 5,000 FROM THE STATE IS ONE TIME OR THAT'S EVERY YEAR TO, SO EVERY YEAR AS WELL, AND THERE'S 104 IN OUR SYSTEM TODAY, ACTIVE EMPLOYEES WITH THAT.

UM, THE STATE, UH, CHANGED THE RULES OVER THE YEARS FROM ONE NUMBER TO THE OTHER AND LOWERED IN YEARS OF LEAN BUDGET TIMES.

AND THE DISTRICT MOVED FROM, I THINK WE WERE PAYING A 1500 OR 2000 ON OUR SUPPLEMENT AND LOWERED IT TO 1300.

SO THAT WAS IN THE 2009 ERA WHERE BUDGET TIMES WERE REALLY, REALLY TOUGH.

AND THERE WERE A LOT OF CUTS IN STATE AND LOCAL BUDGETS.

I THINK AFTER 10 YEARS THEN THEY HAVE TO RECERTIFY AGAIN.

SO THE PICTURE I HAVE IS YOU'RE, YOU'RE ASKING YOU IF WE COULD DO THE FORGIVABLE LOAN, BUT YOU GET A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN PAY ONCE YOU PASS THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN PAY.

COULD INDEED PROBABLY PAY OFF THAT ORIGINAL LOAN.

THEY DON'T GIVE YOU A LOAN TO GET THIS.

YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR IT ALL UPFRONT INITIALLY BEFORE YOU BEGIN THE PROCESS.

BUT I KNOW IT'S THE FORGIVABLE PART THAT I'M, I DON'T KNOW, WE GIVE YOU THE LOAN IN THE BEGINNING AND YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY THAT BACK, BUT YOU GET A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF PAY INCREASE WHEN YOU DO PASS IT.

I'M NOT SURE WHY THAT LOAN NEEDS TO BE FORGIVABLE.

I'M NOT OPPOSED TO IT, BUT IT'S THE FINANCIAL GUY AND WE TALK.

AND UM, SO YOU KNOW, THE DISTRICT AND CERTAINLY GIVE US A PROPOSAL ON WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

MY, UH, MY QUESTION WOULD BE TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE IT, WHO, WHO PAY FOR THEM TO GET IT CURRENTLY, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO DO DO HAVE IT, HOW DID IT, HOW DID THEY GO ABOUT GETTING IT? WELL, SOME OF THE ONES THAT I SPOKE TO, UM, ACTUALLY A MAJORITY OF THE ONES THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO, THEY GOT IT BEFORE, WHENEVER THE STATE DID DO THE, UM, THE LOAN FOR THEM.

THEY'RE THE VETERAN TEACHERS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 20 YEARS.

THOSE ARE USUALLY THE ONES THAT I TALKED TO ABOUT IT BECAUSE A LOT OF THE NEWER TEACHERS DO NOT HAVE IT.

AND ALSO THE, ULTIMATELY WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT COMES ALONG WITH HAVING THE NATIONAL CERTIFICATION? CAN YOU TELL ME THAT LIKE, W W W W W HOW DOES IT WHAT'S, WHAT'S, WHAT'S THE BENEFITS OF IT? UM, IT'S A, SO WHENEVER YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS, IT'S A LOT OF REFLECTING.

SO TEACHERS ARE A LOT, UM, THEY'RE A LOT MORE, I WROTE DOWN STRAIGHT OFF THE WEBSITE, SOME OF THEM YOU WANT ME TO JUMP IN AND HELP YOU OUT A LITTLE BIT.

SO THROUGH THE NATIONAL BOARD, IT'S A RIGOROUS PROCESS AND IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A LOT OF WORK THAT THEY PUT INTO IT.

AND THEN, UH, LIKE SHE MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THEY RECORD THEMSELVES IN THEIR TEACHING.

MATERIALIZE OUT OF THEIR EFFORT IN THEIR WORK, IN REFLECTION AND FEEDBACK ON THEIR OWN PRACTICE.

AND THEN THEY REFLECT ON THAT.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, REFLECTION ON YOUR OWN PRACTICE AND, UH, WHAT KIND OF THINGS WENT WELL, WHAT DIDN'T GO WELL, AND THEN, UM, BUILDING THAT INTO YOUR WORK AROUND YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, IN, UH, ACHIEVING A NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION.

SO, SO WHAT, WHAT THEY GET OUT OF IT, RIGHT.

A IS, UH, IMPROVED PRACTICE, RIGHT? UM, CERTAINLY THERE'S A COMPENSATION COMPONENT TO IT.

UH, BUT, BUT THERE'S CERTAINLY, UH, AN IMPROVED PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE, UM, THAT SHOULD

[04:45:01]

AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU HAVE IN THERE, BUT THAT'S JUST SORT OF A, ONE OF THE THINGS FROM THAT'S RIGHT.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS FROM, UM, THEIR WEBSITE SAID, TEACHERS ARE A LOT MORE INTENTIONAL BECAUSE THEY WENT BACK AND THEY SELF-REFLECTED, AFTER YOU SELF REFLECT ON ANYTHING, YOU'RE GOING TO BE MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT YOUR ACTIONS.

SO THERE ARE A LOT MORE INTENTIONAL IN THE CLASSROOM.

UM, THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN STUDIES ON THE NATIONAL BOARD WEBSITE, UM, THAT I READ ABOUT THAT SHOW THAT THERE ARE HIGHER SUCCESS RATES FOR STUDENTS.

NOW I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, PAY A PAIN, I FEEDING AND DOING THAT.

WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT GOOD WOULD IT DO TO THE DISTRICT? BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'RE ALREADY WORKING ON, UH, WHAT IS THE RIGHT TIME.

SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD MAKE US COME TO COME TO THE, COME TO THE AGREEMENT AND SAY, YEAH, WE WANT TO STEP OUT IN, BECAUSE WE TRYING TO FIND OUT NOW TO GIVE YOU SOME TAKE AWAY.

SO THAT'S ALL.

I HAVE ONE MORE.

CAN I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION? AND IT GOES BACK TO IT EARLIER, FINANCIAL AND BUDGET DISCUSSION.

THIS INCREASE IN SALARY THAT YOU GET AFTER YOU GET CERTIFIED IN THIS PROGRAM, IS THAT INCLUDED IN THE BASE SALARY? HOW'S THAT, HOW'S THAT CONSIDERED? WHAT WAS THE LAST PART OF YOUR QUESTION? IS, IS THAT SIDE MISSION, IS THAT PART OF THE BASE SALARY, OR THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

UH, I BELIEVE SO, BUT I'D HAVE TO CHECK OUR PAYROLL SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE WAGES ARE SUBJECT TO RETIREMENT, BUT I WOULD, MY GUESS IS THAT THEY ARE, YEAH.

I'M JUST ASKING BECAUSE THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY.

IT IS A SUPPLEMENTAL PAY TYPE THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE BASE PAY OF A TEACHER.

SO WE HAVE A PAY TYPE ONE 10, FOR EXAMPLE, IS THEIR BASE PAY.

THIS IS A FOUR 10, THE STATE SUPPLEMENT, MAYBE A FOUR 20.

SO, UM, IT IS A RECURRING INCH, UM, RECURRING WAGE AND IT BECOMES BASICALLY PART OF THEIR WAGES.

SO THOSE WOULD MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF BEING SUBJECT TO RETIREMENT, RECURRING AND PART OF THEIR WAGES.

SO MY GUESS IS YES, SURE.

WHEN WE RECRUIT AND WE TELL PEOPLE IF, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ENTERED THIS PROGRAM AND PASS IT, YOU GET, YOU GET THIS BIG PAY INCREASE.

NO, IF ALL OUR TEACHERS ARE CERTIFIED, OUR AVERAGE SALARY WOULD JUMP UP $5,000, RIGHT.

OR 6,300, WHATEVER.

THEN THE FINANCIAL GUY SPEAKING NOW SAYS, I DON'T SEE WHY WE WOULDN'T DO THIS AND ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO DO IT.

DR.

POSS, NO, I THINK, UM, YOU KNOW, IN ANY FIELD, THE MORE TRAINING YOU HAVE, THE MORE EXPERTISE YOU HAVE IT TO DO, YOUR JOB BETTER IS, IS WHAT WE'RE AIMING FOR.

I JUST THINK, AS WE'VE ALREADY DISCUSSED TODAY, THIS WOULD BE, I THINK ANOTHER PORTION OF OUR, YOU KNOW, GENERAL LOOK AT OUR TEACHER COMPENSATION.

AND I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE THIS AS A, AS A CATEGORY IN THAT, BECAUSE, UM, THERE, YES, THERE, THE OUTLAY, IF YOU PASS IT THE FIRST YEAR, LIKE YOU SAID, IT WAS ALMOST $2,000, 1900, I THINK YOU SAID, BUT, AND THEN LATER AFTER THAT YEAR, YOU GET A SIGNIFICANT BUMP IN YOUR COMPENSATION AND RETIREMENT, ET CETERA.

SO I JUST THINK WE NEED TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S, WHAT ARE ALL THE FIGURES I WOULD DEFINITELY NOT BE IN FAVOR OF, OF, UH, SAYING YES OR NO TO THIS, UH, TODAY.

UM, YES, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, UM, GAINING NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, IMPROVES THE EDUCATION FOR OUR STUDENTS EVERY, UH, FROM MY EXPERIENCE, EVERY TEACHER THAT HAS GONE THROUGH THAT PROCESS HAS IMPROVED THEIR ABILITY TO CONNECT AND AFFECT THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE STUDENTS.

UM, I ALSO THINK THAT WE'VE TALKED A BIT ABOUT TEACHER GROWTH AND TEACHERS WANT SOMETHING THAT ENABLES THEM TO, TO GROW IN THE PROFESSION TO BE MORE PROFESSIONAL, ET CETERA.

I THINK THIS PROGRAM, UM, AS AN OFFERING DOES POINT TO THAT AND SAY, LOOK, WE SUPPORT TEACHER GROWTH, UM, PROFESSIONALISM.

AND THIS IS ONE WAY THAT, THAT WE DO SUPPORT IT.

I AGREE.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT TODAY TO DECIDE ON THIS, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING TO BE CONSIDERED, UM, IN THE BUDGET PROCESS.

[04:50:05]

UM, THIS MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR MS. WALTON OR I DON'T KNOW, OR MS. CROSBY, BUT DO WE PROVIDE ANY KIND OF SUPPORT TO OUR TEACHERS THAT DECIDE TO GET A MASTER'S? SO IF THEY WENT ON TO GET A MASTER'S DEGREE, UM, AND MS. CROSBY, THE, THAT IF YOU GET YOUR MASTER'S LIKE SAY 10 YEARS WITH A BACHELOR IN 10 YEARS TO A MASTER'S, IS THAT A SIGNIFICANT PAY BUMP? SO I DON'T KNOW WHO WANTS TO ANSWER THAT, BUT DO YOU SEE WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS? LIKE IF WE, IF WE DO THIS FOR THE NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION, ARE WE ALSO DOING IT FOR TEACHERS THAT WANT TO GET THEIR MASTERS, WHO THEN PUTS THEM IN A DIFFERENT FOR ANOTHER PAY BUMP? AND I MEAN, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT SUPPORT FOR MASTERS, WE FACILITATE COHORTS BETWEEN CITADEL AND US CB FOR TEACHERS TO OBTAIN THEIR MASTERS, BUT WE DON'T DO ANYTHING, UM, FINANCIALLY TO SUPPORT THEM.

YOU FACILITATE IT, BUT IT, IT'S NOT FREE OF CHARGE.

IT IS NOT FREE OF CHARGE.

AT ONE POINT IN THE DISTRICT, WE DID HAVE COHORTS THAT WE SPONSORED AND ACTUALLY PAID, AND THE TEACHERS ONLY PAID $150, SOMETHING VERY MINIMAL, BUT WHEN BUDGET CRUNCHES STARTED TO HAPPEN, WE STOPPED DOING THAT AND WE NEVER INSTITUTED IT AGAIN.

SO WE DON'T TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.

SO WE DON'T SAY THAT'S I THAT'S WHERE I SEE A LITTLE LACK OF PARALLELISM THERE.

SO I DON'T KNOW.

AND MS. CROSBY, IS IT A BIG, IS IT A BIG PAY BUMP FROM LIKE 10 YEARS WITH BACHELOR'S AND 10 YEARS WITH A MASTER'S AND OF YOUR BUDGET HANDOUT? WELL, THAT WAS GOOD.

THAT WAS REALLY GOOD.

I DIDN'T GO OVER THAT TOLD YOU, THEN I TELL YOU AT THE END OF THAT, IT SHOWS THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF A BACHELOR'S AND ZERO A BACHELOR'S IN SEVEN AND MASTER'S IN 10.

SO IT SHOWS THE BEFORE AND AFTER THE IMPACT OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET TODAY.

SO A BASE SALARY, UM, WITH THE LOCALITY FOR A BACHELOR'S AND ZERO UP, EXCUSE ME, I DON'T HAVE A COMPARISON FROM BACHELOR'S IN 10, A MASTER'S IN 10, BUT I DO HAVE THE MASTER'S IN 10 IS 59,000 360 WITH THE LOCALITY.

SO YEAH, I DIDN'T DO A HUNDRED PERCENT OF A GREAT JOB THERE.

UM, SO, UH, I, LET ME DRAW A COMPARISON AND SEE IF I CAN GET THE BACHELOR'S IN 10 PULLED UP AND YOU CAN SEE CORRELATE THE TWO LEVELS THEY'VE GOT BACHELOR'S AND SEVEN THERE, SO YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A $10,000 DIFFERENCE.

UM, SO YEAH.

AND FURTHER RECERTIFICATION.

SO WITH A COUPLE MORE YEARS THERE, THEY WOULD PROBABLY BE IN THE EARLY, UH, OUR STEPS ARE ABOUT 2%, ABOUT A THOUSAND DOLLARS A PIECE.

SO 50 51 52 53.

SO ABOUT 53,000 VERSUS 59,000.

SO ABOUT $6,000 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ONE AND THE OTHER.

AND THEN THERE'S AN AFTER EFFECT THERE WITH THE PROPOSED BUDGET AS WELL, AND THE IMPACT OF THE INCREASES IN THE BUDGET.

SO YEAH, THAT'S CERTAINLY MATERIAL AND SIGNIFICANT MEL CAMPBELL'S NOW.

I MEAN THAT, YEAH, THAT'S THE KIND OF, THAT'S THE QUESTION I WAS, HOW DO WE COMPARE THE TWO? DO WE HAVE ANYTHING TO COMPARE IT TO A TEACHER WITH A MASTER'S WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE ANYTHING MUCH BETTER THAN A TEACHER WITH THE NATIONAL, UH, FEATURES, UH, ADVOCATE EXCEPT RIGHT.

WE ONLY PAYING THAT NATIONAL TEACHER A YEAR, OR HOW MANY YEARS SUPPLEMENT 1,301 YEAR, ONE YEAR, AND THEN YOU, FOR 10 YEARS, YOUR CERTIFICATE IS VALID FOR 10 YEARS AT 1300 EVERY YEAR FOR 10 YEARS, 13,000 OVERALL.

AND WE WANTED TO KNOW HOW THAT RELATES TO MASTERS, RIGHT.

PLUS 5,000 FROM THE STATE EVERY YEAR FOR 10 YEARS.

OH, YOU GET 5,000 STAYED ALSO EVERY YEAR FOR 10 YEARS.

600, 300.

THAT'S RIGHT.

SO WHAT ARE YOU ASKING FOR? YOU'RE ASKING THEM TO COVER THE COST OF GETTING THE THAT'S IT, THE TICKET, RIGHT? THAT'S RIGHT.

UM, TEACHERS HAVE TO RECERTIFY EVERY 10 YEARS AND THEN SOME ARE NOT, RECERTIFYING ALSO THAT BECAUSE OF, I THINK WHENEVER I LOOKED IT UP, I THINK IT WAS NO, I THINK IT WAS AROUND 600.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S ASKING A LOT OF TO GET THAT QUALITY THAT WE'RE GETTING IN TERMS OF QUALITY OR GET RUN TO GET THAT TEACHER IS,

[04:55:01]

YOU KNOW, MUCH BETTER, A MUCH BETTER TEACHER WHEN THEY GET THAT NATIONAL CERTIFICATION.

I MEAN, EVERYTHING POINTS TO, THAT'S ALL, THAT'S A PD THAT WE CAN'T AFFORD THAT THEY'RE GETTING.

IN OTHER WORDS, YOU KNOW, THE TRAINING IS SOMETHING THAT WE'D LIKE EVERY TEACHER TO GO THROUGH, BUT WE CAN'T AFFORD TO TRAIN THEM LIKE THAT.

THEY CAN'T, YOU KNOW, AS AN INDIVIDUAL BOARD, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO TRAIN THESE TEACHERS TO BECOME A TEACHER LIKE THAT, THAT THEY DO FOR $2,000.

BUT AFTERWARDS WE GOT A BETTER PRODUCT IN THE LONG RUN.

IT SAVES US A LOT MORE MONEY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT TEACHER IS VESTED AT LEAST FOR 10 YEARS.

CAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO RECOUP THAT NO, BUT $6,500, SIX, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER IT AMOUNTS TO 5,000 PLUS 1,360 TO 300 TIMES, $3,000.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

LET'S GET THEM ALL NATURALLY CERTIFIED.

I LEFT THE STATE PAID TO THE BRUNT OF THE IMPROVEMENT.

MS. ROBOT, IS YOUR HAND BACK UP OR JUST NOT DOWN? IT IS JUST NOT DOWN.

AND I WILL, UM, I DO HAVE TO LEAVE AT THIS POINT.

I'M SORRY.

I HAVE TO LEAVE A BIT EARLY.

OH, I CAN'T IMAGINE WHY.

UM, SO, UM, JUST A COUPLE OF THINGS OR COMMENTS.

ONE IS I CAN'T, I WOULD ASSUME, UH, TO THEM AND MAYBE THIS IS BY ASSUMPTIONS, TOTALLY WRONG AND OFF BASE.

I WOULD JUST ASSUME TO ME, IT SOUNDS LIKE VERY REASONABLE THAT COSTS, YOU KNOW, 1900 FOR THIS EDUCATION OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR AND A MASTER'S DEGREE.

I ASSUME YOU ALSO GET OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THAT WOULD BE MORE EXPENSIVE IF YOU WERE PAYING THE COMPLETE COST OF IT.

BUT ANOTHER THING IS, THIS SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING, UM, WE COULD GET A COMMUNITY PARTNER TO, IT WOULD BE A FABULOUS, UM, UH, ADVERTISEMENT FOR OUR DISTRICT TO GET A COMMUNITY PARTNER INVOLVED.

WHO WOULD, WHO WOULD MAYBE WANT TO, UM, UH, PICK UP THIS PROGRAM AND KIND OF DO IT LIKE DR.

DEWEY SAID WAS TO, YOU KNOW, IF THEY MAKE IT IN ONE YEAR, THEN THEIR LOAN BECOMES A GRANT, BUT IF THEY DON'T MAKE IT IN ONE YEAR, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO ASSUME THE COST OF IT.

CAUSE THEN YOU'RE GOING TO GET PEOPLE THAT ARE TRULY INTERESTED IN SUCCEEDING AT IT.

YOU DON'T WANT EVERYBODY TO JUST SIGN UP AND OH YEAH.

THE DISTRICT WILL PAY FOR IT.

I'M GOING TO, I THINK I'LL GO A COUPLE OF TIMES AND THAT'S IT.

BUT I THINK THAT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP, I'M NOT SURE WHO WITH, BUT I THINK IT'D BE A GREAT THING AND A GREAT, UM, SOMETHING VERY POSITIVE FROM OUR DISTRICT.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES, UNFORTUNATELY, MAYBE NOT SO MUCH ANYMORE, BUT YOU KNOW, A LOT OF WHAT'S PUBLICIZED OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY IN THE, IN THE MEDIA IS, IS NEGATIVITY AND WE NEED POSITIVITY.

AND I THINK THIS WOULD BE A FEDERAL SAYING, THANK YOU.

I JUST MAKE IT QUICK.

I WANT TO SAY TO YOU, UH, WITH THIS BEING YOUR, THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME BEFORE THE BOARD, ISN'T IT? THAT POSITION I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT OUTSTANDING JOB.

DON'T TAKE THIS AS BEING DEFEATED.

I COULD SAY WHEN YOU FIRST WENT, BUT YOU MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE NERVOUS.

SHE DID AN AWESOME JOB PRESENTING THIS ONE MORE PART.

WE'LL GO AHEAD.

SO I'M GOOD TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PART.

THIS IS EITHER GOING TO GET WORKED IN THE BUDGET OR IT'S NOT GOING TO BE WORKED IN THE BUDGET.

YOU'RE GOING TO EITHER PRESENT IT TO US IN THE BUDGET OR NOT PRESENTED TO US IN THE BUDGET.

SO THAT'S PRETTY MUCH WHERE WE ARE.

SO IT'S ON OUR PLATE TO SORT OUT.

THAT'S WHAT I GOT BECAUSE I HAVE A COUPLE IDEAS, REALLY SMART GUY EARLIER TODAY SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU DO THIS, YOU'RE GONNA TAKE IT OUT OF HERE.

YOU KNOW, YOU CONFIGURE THAT AS, I DON'T THINK, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO DO THAT.

SINCE OUR OVERALL FOCUS IS EDUCATION.

SO THE SECOND INITIATIVE THAT I WANT TO DISCUSS WITH YOU TODAY, UM, IS REGARDING THE PROVISION OF A SALARY SCHEDULE.

THAT INCLUDES STEP INCREASES BASED ON INCREASED LEVELS OF CERTIFICATION AND EDUCATION FOR ALL LEVELS OF EMPLOYEES WITHIN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.

UM, WE UNDERSTAND THAT CERTAIN JOBS AND OUR DISTRICT DO NOT REQUIRE HIGHER EDUCATION.

UM, BUT WHEN EMPLOYEES DO INCREASE THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO BETTER THEMSELVES, THEIR JOB, UM, FOR OUR STUDENTS AND THEY GROW PROFESSIONALLY IN THEIR AREA OF THEIR JOB, IT REALLY MATTERS.

UM, THEY MAY NOT COMPLETE THE COURSES, UM, WITH THE INTENTION OF TRANSFERRING POSITIONS, BUT TO BETTER THEMSELVES, UM, TO BE BETTER SUITED FOR THEIR CURRENT POSITION, WHICH WE SHOULD ALL APPRECIATE

[05:00:01]

UM, CLASSIFIED STAFF HAVE BEEN TOLD TO APPLY FOR A JOB THAT BETTER SUITS THEIR EDUCATION ACHIEVEMENT, UM, WHICH COULD LEAD TO THEM LEAVING THE DISTRICT, WHICH IS NOT WHAT WE WANT.

UM, THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THEIR DEGREE OR CERTIFICATION TO A HIGHER PAYING JOB IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT BY SUPPORTING THEIR EDUCATION AND THEIR CERTIFICATION IN THEIR CURRENT POSITION, IT'S A REALLY POWERFUL RETENTION TOOL.

MOST OF THEM PROBABLY WANT TO STAY AT THEIR SCHOOL IN THEIR CURRENT POSITIONS.

UM, BUT THEY GET MORE CERTIFICATES AND EDUCATION BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BETTER THEMSELVES, WHICH IS GROWTH.

WE, WE JUST DISCUSSED A FEW SECONDS AGO, HOW THAT'S BENEFICIAL TO ALL, ALL SCHOOLS SHOULD BE A PLACE WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE LEARNING TAKES PLACE FOR STUDENTS AND FOR ADULTS, REGARDLESS OF THEIR JOB, TITLES, TEACHERS ARE COMPENSATED FOR THEIR EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS.

AND WE ARE VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT, BUT WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT IMPACT OUR STUDENTS, EVERY SINGLE PART OF OUR DISTRICT, YOU GUYS, EVERYONE CLASSIFIED, WE ALL IMPACT THE STUDENTS.

WE CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR DISTRICT, TO OUR SCHOOLS.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE A REALLY BIG TEAM, UM, BY PROVIDING ACADEMIC AND CERTIFICATE BASED STEP INCREASES FOR ALL THE EFFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT STAFF, IT WILL POSITIVELY IMPACT SCHOOL CLIMATE AND THE MORALE OF ALL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT SCHOOL CLIMATE HAS A DIRECT IMPACT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.

WE KNOW THAT ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENT CONCERNS FOR THIS SITUATION IS FOR SOMEONE, UM, IN ONE PARTICULAR JOB, AND THEN THEY'RE GETTING CERTIFICATES OR DEGREES IN A DIFFERENT PREVENT, SOMETHING THAT'S NOT RELEVANT TO THEIR JOB.

BUT WHAT WE COULD DO IS THAT WE COULD CREATE A GENERAL CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM FOR THOSE ACCEPTABLE DEGREES COURSES OR CERTIFICATES FOR EACH JOB CLASSIFICATION.

THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT MODELS THAT WE COULD USE.

I'VE REVIEWED, I'VE RESEARCHED THE COMPENSATION MODELS OF SEVERAL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE THESE PROGRAMS FOR SUPPORT AND FOR, UM, ADMINISTRATIVE EMPLOYEES, THE PAC IS WILLING TO SIT AND WORK WITH OUR HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, WHOMEVER WE NEED TO, TO CREATE A MODEL THAT WOULD FIT IN BEST SUPPORT OUR DISTRICT STAFF AS AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION.

HOW CAN WE NOT PROMOTE HIGHER EDUCATION FOR EVERY EMPLOYEE, ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES.

UM, SO I UNDERSTAND WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A COMPREHENSIVE SALARY STUDY THAT UPON COMPLETION, WHEN YOU IMPLEMENT A NEW SALARY SCHEDULE, PLEASE CONSIDER S UM, PLEASE CONSIDER A MODEL THAT COVERS STEP INCREASES BASED ON LEVELS OF EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION FOR ALL EMPLOYEES, ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES DESERVE THIS AND OUR DISTRICT DESERVES THIS.

SO, UM, OUR DISTRICT MOTTO IS WE'RE LEARNING LEADS THE WAY.

HI, I'M A HUGE LIFE LEARNER.

I GET SUPER EXCITED ANYTIME.

UM, ANY TEACHER IN OUR SCHOOL TELLS ME THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING TO BETTER THEIR SELVES.

UM, I TRY MY BEST TO INSTILL THE LOVE OF LEARNING THAT I HAVE IN MY STUDENTS EACH AND EVERY DAY.

THAT'S SOMETHING I'M REALLY PROUD OF AND I'VE DONE IT.

I HAVE PARENTS THAT STILL SEND ME MESSAGES ABOUT HOW THEIR CHILD USED TO NOT LIKE READING.

THEY LOVE IT NOW.

UM, THEY LOVE TO LEARN, BUT, UM, THE TWO THINGS THAT THE PACK IS ASKING FOR SUPPORT LEARNING AND LEADING THE NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION SUPPORTS LEARNING FOR TEACHERS AND THE PAC IS ASKING FOR SUPPORT LEARNING AND LEADING, OH, I'M SO SORRY.

I'M READING.

UM, IT SUPPORTS COMPENSATING, OUR SUPPORT STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS FOR IMPROVING THEIR KNOWLEDGE.

IT SUPPORTS ONGOING LEARNING FOR ALL MEMBERS OF OUR DISTRICT.

UM, IT HELPS OUR STUDENTS GROW AND IT HELPS US WITH RECRUITING TEACHERS RETAINING AMAZING TEACHERS BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LOT OF AMAZING TEACHERS IN OUR DISTRICT.

NOT MANY DISTRICTS HAVE THESE SUPPORTS, SO THAT'S WHERE WE'LL BECOME LEADERS AND IT WILL HELP OUR DISTRICT TO STAND OUT AND SHINE.

ANY QUESTIONS.

SO CAN YOU GIVE SOME, I HEARD, HEARD WHAT YOU SAID, GIVE SOME EXAMPLES OF, OF THIS COMPENSATION FOR ADDITIONAL, UM, LEARNING.

SO SOME OF THE MODELS THAT I'VE SEEN, UM, THEY WILL HAVE LIKE THE CLASSIFIED JOB DESCRIPTION, THEN THEY'LL HAVE, UM, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEGREES OR CERTIFICATIONS THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTED UNDER THAT.

UM, BUT THEN YOU'RE SAYING THAT, THAT IF YOU HAVE UNDER THAT CATEGORY, IF YOU HAVE ONE TYPE OF CERTIFICATION, YOU MIGHT BE COMPENSATED MORE THAN IF YOU HAD A DIFFERENT TYPE OF QUALIFICATION FOR THAT SAME RELEVANT TO THEIR JOB.

CAN I JUMP IN, I DON'T KNOW, UM, LIKE A CERTIFICATE IN EDUCATION FINANCE WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THE PEOPLE IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT COULD TAKE.

SO CAN YOU THINK OF A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR ME? UM,

[05:05:02]

THEY COULD GET, GET THAT COURSE IN.

LIKE, IT'S, I THINK IT'S A SIX MONTH COURSE, BUT THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF JUST LIKE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF POSITION AND A DIFFERENT TYPE OF SUPPORT.

SO, SO THEN THAT, THAT EMPLOYEE, IF THEY'VE DONE THAT, THAT PARTICULAR CLASS, THEY THEN ARE COMPENSATED MORE IN THE CURRENT POSITION, IF IT APPLIES TO THE CURRENT POSITION.

I'M TALKING LIKE CERTIFICATES.

THAT WAS KIND OF LIKE PAYING FOR ALL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, NOT JUST PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THOUGH.

UM, RIGHT NOW THE WAY THAT IT'S LAID OUT, UM, CLASSIFIED STAFF DO NOT GET, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH TEACHERS, WE GET FOR EVERY LEVEL OF OUR EDUCATION, WE GET LIKE A MORE HIGHER SALARY.

TO ME, EVERYTHING IS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

IF YOU'RE GROWING IN YOUR JOB, IT'S PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, NO MATTER WHAT IT IS, BUT I DO KNOW THAT, UM, ONE OF THE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP IS THAT SOME, MAYBE SOME ASSISTANTS MAY SIT THERE AND THEY MAY GET A DEGREE IN SOMETHING COMPLETELY NOT RELEVANT TO WHAT THEIR JOB IS.

AND THAT I COULD UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN WITH THAT PART.

WERE THERE SOME POSITIONS WHERE LIKE, I CAN'T SEE, UH, OUR BUS DRIVERS ARE SO VALUABLE, BUT DOES IT MATTER WHETHER THEY HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE, A MASTER'S DEGREE AND WHAT WOULD THEIR CERTIFICATION BE? I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR MAYBE MECHANICS AUTO MECHANICS, HOW TO CHANGE A TIRE OR, WELL, YEAH, SO THAT WOULD BE MY CONCERN WHERE, WHERE YOU STOP AND HOW YOU CREATE EQUITY.

OH YEAH.

THERE'LL BE SOME PEOPLE WHO HIRED WITHOUT A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, BUT IF THEY GOT ONE, WOULD THAT BE WRITTEN IN AS IF THEY GOT THE GED WHILE THEY'RE HIRED, WILL THAT BE AN INCREMENTAL SALARY INCREASE? AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE THE THINGS YOU'D HAVE TO GET REALLY DOWN IN THE NITTY GRITTY TO MAKE GOOD, EQUITABLE IN MY MIND, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE PEOPLE ARE NOT DIRECTLY HIRED BY US, THE FOOD WORKERS TO, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU DO FOR THEM? WELL, BEEN THERE FOR 10 YEARS AND NOW DO UNDERSTAND THEIR SKILLSET IS DIFFERENT AND THEY MAY HAVE TAKEN SOME COURSES.

AND HOW DO YOU MAKE THAT EQUITABLE FOR THEM FOR THE ENTIRE TEAM? I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE EXTENDING IT A CERTAIN PORTION OF THE TEAM AND I APPLAUD THAT THOUGHT PROCESS, BUT NOW I WANT YOU TO DIG A LITTLE DEEPER AND FIND OUT BECAUSE IT IS, IT IS IMPORTANT.

WELL, WELL, CULTURE AND CLIMATE THAT EVERYBODY'S FEELING LIKE THEY ARE TREASURED IT MATTER.

AND, UH, THAT'S THAT'S, UM, THAT WOULD BE MY ONLY CONCERN, BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M WILLING TO SAY MARCH WITH IT IN TERMS OF WHERE YOU'RE GOING, WHICH IS HUMAN RESOURCES AND LET THEM PULL THEIR HAIR OUT ABOUT IT.

WELL, WE'RE WILLING TO SIT WITH ANYONE AND WORK OUT ON SOMETHING TO COME UP WITH THE MODEL.

WE WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO DO THAT.

AND, AND ME PERSONALLY, I, I, I SEE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT BECAUSE THAT'S VERY RELEVANT AS A FIREFIGHTER.

THIS IS AN ADMINISTRATION TASK, OBVIOUSLY, BUT I, I, I AM FAMILIAR A LITTLE BIT WITH THE THEORY AND THE PROBLEM COMES DOWN ACTUALLY TO WHAT DR SAID, UM, WHAT IS RELEVANT TO YOUR JOB? UM, AND THAT'S WHERE YOU GET IN TROUBLE BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT, UH, IF YOU TAKE AN ADVANCED YOGA COURSE, IF YOU BECOME A BETTER PERSON AND THEREFORE YOU CAN RELATE TO PEOPLE BETTER, YOU KNOW? AND SO YOU GET THOSE KINDS OF ARGUMENTS THAT YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO GET INTO, BUT THIS IS ACTUALLY IN DR.

RODRIGUEZ, THIS COURT.

SO, UM, ACTUALLY, UH, TO SPEAK TO HER POINT, ONE THING I THINK IS OPEN TO WHEN TO TALK ABOUT, UH, SORT OF, I MEAN, UNCERTIFIED PEOPLE, UH, THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED CPI.

FOR INSTANCE, IF A STAFF MEMBER GETS A USA CPI CARD, THEN WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD PAY THEM FOR THAT.

BECAUSE THE FACT THAT WHAT YOU SAID IS THAT IF THE FIGHT TAKE PLACE ANYWHERE IN OUR SCHOOLS OR A CRISIS SITUATION THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO PUT THEIR SELF UP FOR, THEY WANT TO PUT HERSELF IN DANGER AND BREAK THAT FIGHT UP OR DO WHATEVER.

AND SO W WHAT THEY'RE SAYING THAT THEY SHOULD GET PAID FOR THAT.

[05:10:01]

I GO FROM, IF I GO FROM FIREFIGHTER ONE TO FIREFIGHTER TWO, I GET PAID FOR IT.

I MEAN, IN TERMS OF A BUS DRIVER, GETTING A LICENSE, IF YOU HAVE A LICENSE SAYING, WE, WE, WE, WE WANT YOU TO DO IT.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.

WE'RE HERE TO EMPOWER AND TO EMPLOY PEOPLE AND TO HELP THEM TO MOVE TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

SO I SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH, JUST TO GO BACK TO MY MAIN POINT IS, WELL, IF A STAFFING BIGGEST, CAUSE YOU GOT SOME STAFF MEMBERS WHO SAID, I REMEMBER I WAS IN DISTRICT.

I AIN'T GET NO CPS, OR I'M NOT GOING TO SEE BRI.

THEY DON'T GIVE ME AN EXTRA FOR IT.

SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE, WE, WE ARE EMPOWERING PEOPLE TO GET THINGS, TO HELP OTHER DISTRICTS BECAUSE THAT'S ONE MORE PERSON YOU HAVE IN A BUILDING WHO COULD HELP OUT IN A CRISIS SITUATION VERSUS YOU HAVING A ONE OR TWO SITUATIONS TO GO TAKE PLACE AT ONE.

AT ONE TIME, YOU HAVE MORE PEOPLE WHO CAN SERVE.

SO, I MEAN, AND, AND THAT, AND THAT INCIDENT, I SEE NOTHING WRONG WITH WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

I'M A SUPPORTER OF IT 100%.

AND FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT CPI IS, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IF YOU TESTED, WE TEST SOME, I WON'T EVEN GO INTO THAT.

BUT YEAH.

I JUST REITERATE THAT IT'S IN YOUR COURT, DR.

RODRIGUEZ.