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WE WILL NOW CALL THE BEAVER COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING OF MARCH OF MAY 19TH, 2022 TO ORDER WE HAVE TWO COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT THUS FAR, PATRICIA FIDRYCH AND MYSELF, THERE ARE FOUR ON THIS COMMITTEE, SO WE DO NOT HAVE A CORUM, BUT SO THAT MEANS WE CAN DO ITEMS THAT WE ARE KIND OF ROUTINES SUCH AS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I REALLY SHOULDN'T CALL THAT ROUTINE CAUSE IT'S NOT ROUTINE.
UM, SO LET'S DO THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
UM, DO YOU WANT ME TO GO AHEAD AND GO TO PUBLIC COMMENTS? YES.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO A MOTION OR ANYTHING FOR THAT.
RACHEL SAYS SHE'LL BE ON IN ONE SECOND.
I'M CALLING YOU FOR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
SO YOU'LL HAVE, I'M PUTTING YOU ON SPEAKER AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
CAN YOU ALL HEAR HIM NOW? WE CAN'T.
UM, I JUST, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS RELEVANT OR NOT.
IT'S BEING LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
UM, I DIDN'T, UM, I JUST WANTED GET A CHANCE TO DISCUSS, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING OR SEEN ANYTHING IN REGARDS TO A COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE BEING AFFORDED, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY, UH, UNDER AMAZON.
I KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT THIS LATER OR NOT.
I'VE INQUIRED ALSO WITH THE DISTRICT SEVERAL TIMES IN REGARDS TO WHO WAS IN ATTENDANCE DURING THE JOINT BOARD FIC MEETING.
AND I HAVEN'T HEARD BACK FROM DISTRICT STAFF UNDER THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, I BELIEVE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MADE PUBLIC AND THE PUBLIC WAS NEVER NOTIFIED.
IF THERE WAS MORE THAN SIX BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT REGARDING THE LAWS TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS, MY SON WAS RECENTLY DENIED HIS RIGHT TO CONTACT HIS PARENTS WHEN HE WAS AT SCHOOL.
AND, UH, I AM KIND OF LOOKING FOR A LITTLE BIT OF GUIDANCE FROM DISTRICT STAFF, BUT THE SCHOOLS DON'T RESPOND TO THOSE, TO WHAT THE POLICY IS.
AND THERE WAS NO POLICY DISTRICT-WIDE.
SO I DIDN'T NEED TO DISCUSS THINGS AMONGST EACH OTHER VIA EMAIL OR SOMETIMES IN COMMITTEE MEETINGS, BUT IT'S JUST, JUST SOME QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE THAT MAYBE NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
WE NOW HAVE A QUORUM SO WE CAN, UH, NOW HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA THREE MINUTES.
UM, HOW ABOUT RACHEL OR HOTKEY? TRISHA, GO AHEAD.
WE APPROVE THE AGENDA FOR THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE ON MAY 19TH.
UM, ANY, ANY DISCUSSION? OKAY.
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ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.SO THE AGENDA IS APPROVED, UH, THREE ZERO WITH ANGELA MIDDLETON ABSENT.
SO CAN YOU PUT THE, UM, AGENDA BACK UP ROBIN, GO BACK.
SO NEXT UP IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MARCH 29 COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE MARCH 29TH, 2022 COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES I SECOND.
AND THE ONLY SUGGESTION I HAD ON THESE MINUTES ON PAGE TWO, UM, UNDER WHERE INGRID BOATWRIGHTS SUGGESTED THE TOPIC OF OSF ISSUES, I THINK IT WOULD JUST WOULD HELP IF THAT WAS WRITTEN OUT OFFICE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES.
SO WITH THAT, UM, I GUESS I'LL SAY A MA UH, I GUESS MODIFICATION OR AMENDMENT.
YOU SEE WHERE THAT IS? EXACTLY.
SO JUST WRITE OUT WHAT OFFICE THAT IT'S OFFICE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES, ANY OTHER, UM, COMMENTS OR AMENDMENTS OR CHANGES? NO, MA'AM TRICIA.
I JUST NOTICED I'M JUST, I CAN'T EVEN FIND IT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE MY OTHER COMPUTER OPEN, BUT I THINK THAT THERE WAS A THEN SHOULD HAVE BEEN SPELLED T H A N.
I MEAN, IT'S LITTLE, IT'S A MINOR THING, BUT WE'RE ON, I READ IT EARLIER, ROBIN, YOU WERE COMPARING TWO THINGS.
IT SHOULD BE, THEN I HAVE THE, INSTEAD OF THE TJ AND I'LL FIND THE INCORRECT.
SO WITH THOSE TWO CORRECTIONS, UM, UH, PLEASE SAY, AYE, IF YOU APPROVE THESE COMMITTED COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES.
SHOULDN'T TO ACCEPT WITH CORRECTIONS, RIGHT? ALL RIGHT.
NEXT, WE HAVE, UM, OUR MAIN DISCUSSION TOPIC FOR TODAY AND THAT IS, UH, LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS THAT WE CAN DISCUSS NOW AND THEN WE'LL, UM, DEVELOP AND BRING TO THE BOARD AT OUR FIRST MEETING IN JUNE.
SO THEY CAN THEN BE SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION BY THEIR DEADLINE OF JUNE 13TH.
SO THESE ARE THE SAME TWO DOCUMENTS THAT WE'VE HAD, UM, FRO FROM OUR BOARD MEETING THE OTHER EARLIER THIS WEEK.
AND IF I CAN GET INTO MY, YOU WANT THE RESOLUTIONS UP FIRST OR THE CONSTITUTION, I PERSONALLY DON'T HAVE ANY CHANGES TO SUGGEST ON THE CONSTITUTION DO TRISHA OR, UM, OR RACHEL? I DO NOT, NOT AT THIS TIME.
SO WE'LL DISPOSE OF THAT AND GO TO THE, UM, YES, BUT THE LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTIONS AND THAT FRONT PAGE THERE.
UM, SO THIS IS THE, THIS IS THE, UM, RESOLUTIONS, THE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION IS GOING TO BRING FORWARD, UM, TO THE DELEGATE ASSEMBLY IN DECEMBER AND THE, THE MEMBERS REPRESENTING EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT AT THAT ASSEMBLY WILL END UP VOTING, UM, ON THESE RESOLUTIONS.
SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S MUCH FOR US TO DO ON, ON THIS DOCUMENT.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BRING FORWARD.
I SUSPECT THAT THIS WAS ACTUALLY DEVELOPED MAYBE, UH, A MONTH OR SO AGO OR TWO MONTHS AGO.
SO THE ONE THAT OUR, UM, THE BOARD HAD SUGGESTED DOING, UH, I'M GOING TO GO FIND SOMETHING I WROTE.
SO THE BOARD ON TUESDAY NIGHT, WE HAD SUGGESTED, UH, MAKING LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD AS DAVID PUT IT FOR TEACHER HIRING BETWEEN THE PUBLIC TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE CHARTER SCHOOLS.
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WROTE UP SOMETHING AND WE DON'T HAVE TO USE THIS, BUT THIS I THINK WAS KIND OF THE IDEA BEHIND IT.AND I HAVE DUE TO THE NATIONAL AND STATEWIDE TEACHER SHORTAGE.
AND SINCE SOUTH CAROLINA CHARTER AND TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE SEEKING TEACHERS FROM THE SAME CANDIDATE POOL, THE BUFORD COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD SUPPORTS LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD FOR TEACHER HIRING TRADITIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHOULD BE AFFORDED THE SAME OPPORTUNITY AS CHARTER SCHOOLS TO EMPLOY NON-CERTIFIED TEACHERS IN A RATIO OF UP TO 25% OF THEIR ENTIRE TEACHING STAFF.
AND THIS IS IN THE DOCUMENT, UM, THAT ROBIN'S GOT DISPLAYED THERE.
IT'S THE LETTER H UM, THESE ARE ASSURANCES CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE TO, UM, SIGN OFF ON IN OUR STATE.
IT ALSO SAYS THAT ALL TEACHERS IN THE CORE ACADEMIC AREAS WILL BE HIGHLY QUALIFIED AS DEFINED IN THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT, WHICH IS SOUTH CAROLINA CODE 59, 40 55.
SO LET ME GO BACK INTO, WAS THIS, UM, WOULD YOU CONCUR, OR DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS TO MAKE, UM, TRISHA OR, OR RACHEL? I THINK THAT THAT CAPTURES EXACTLY WHAT WE HAD DISCUSSED THE OTHER NIGHT AND THE SENTIMENT THAT, UM, HAS BEEN BUBBLING UP OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS ABOUT THIS.
SO I KNOW WENDY TODAY, THEN SHE'S ON OUR, OUR ZOOM CALL AND JILLIAN IS, UH, CHECKED WITH THE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION, UM, ABOUT THIS TOPIC.
SO WHEN DO YOU, WOULD YOU LIKE TO, UM, GIVE SOME COMMENTS? OKAY.
UM, SO THIS MORNING I WAS JULIE AND I WERE DOING SOME RESEARCH AND WE SAW THAT THERE WAS A BILL H 35 90.
AND THE SAME BILL WAS IN THE SENATE.
AND THAT, UM, BILL STATED TO ADD A SECTION TO THE STATUTE TO ALLOW PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS, TO HIRE NON-CERTIFIED TEACHERS FOR ANY SCHOOLS AND CAREER TECHNOLOGY CENTERS THAT HAVE VACANT TEACHING POSITIONS.
THIS STAT, THIS PROPOSED BILL SAID FIVE BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF SCHOOL.
AND TO PROVIDE THAT NON-CERTIFIED TEACHERS MAY COMPRISE FOR MORE THAN 25% OF THE ENTIRE TEACHING STAFF OF A SCHOOL OR CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER.
AND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE WHERE IT LISTS THE ACTION ON THE COMMITTEE OF BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE, IT SAID THAT THEY WERE, UM, PUT INTO THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE AND I COULDN'T FIND ANY PLACE WHERE THIS BILL WOULD PASS.
SO I CALLED UP, UM, DEBBIE ELMORE JUST TO CHECK WITH HER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DIDN'T MISS SOMETHING.
AND SHE SAID THAT IT ACTUALLY, UM, THIS BILL DID NOT PASS AT THIS TIME.
SO WHEN WE WERE ON THE PHONE, CAN WE PUT INTO BOARDEX FOR ALL OF YOU THAT IN BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE BUDGETS FOR 2020 TO 2023 SCHOOL YEAR, IT IS FOR ONE YEAR ONLY, BUT THERE IS A PROVISOR PROVISO 1.99 THAT ALLOWS FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO HIRE A NON-CERTIFIED TEACHERS, CRITICAL NEED GEOGRAPHIC AREAS AND SUBJECT AREAS.
IF A CERTIFIED TEACHER IS NOT AVAILABLE TO TEACH IN THOSE AREAS, AND THIS PROVIDES OR STATES AT ALL, NON-CERTIFIED TEACHERS POS POSSESS BACCALAUREATE DEGREES OR GRADUATE DEGREES OR ACCREDITED COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITIES AT THE SUBJECT, THEY ARE HIRED TO TEACH.
AND THEN IT LISTS REQUIREMENTS THAT YOU WOULD HAVE FOR CERTIFIED TEACHER DISTRICTS MUST REQUIRE THAT ALL NON-CERTIFIED TEACHERS UNDERGO A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND, CHECK THE STATUTE FOR THAT.
AND, UM, UH, NONES THAT IT TALKS ABOUT WHAT IS NOT IT DOESN'T NON-CERTIFIED TEACHER DOES NOT INCLUDE APPLICANTS OR MEETING ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY WORK.
UM, AND THEN THE DISTRICTS HAVE TO PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT BED WITH THE NAME OF NON-CERTIFIED TEACHERS, THE SCHOOL WHERE THE TEACHERS EMPLOYED THE SUBJECT VERY MUCH HAS BEEN HIRED TO TEACH A DISTRICT THAT TERMINATES A REGISTERED NON-CERTIFIED TEACHER FROM EMPLOYMENT SHALL NOTIFY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TERMINATION.
THE REASON WITH 10 DAYS AFTER THE TERMINATION, AND THEN AN EDUCATOR WHO'S SOUTH CAROLINA EDUCATOR CERTIFICATE HAS BEEN SUSPENDED OR REVOKED OTHER THAN FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT, NOT BE EMPLOYED AS A NON-CERTIFIED TEACHER.
AND THEN IF A NON-CERTIFIED TEACHER COMMITS OFFENSE COVERED BY THE CODE OF CONDUCT PROMULGATED BY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION COULD REVOKE THE EDUCATORS, IT'S CALLED A REGISTRATION.
SO THIS PARTICULAR PROVIDER IS GOING TO BE IN EFFECT FOR NEXT YEAR.
AND WE'VE GOT INCLUDED IN THERE.
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IS, WHAT IS A CRITICAL NEED SUBJECT AREA? AND WE'VE LISTED THOSE THAT WE GOT OFF THE DEPARTMENT OF ED WEBSITE FOR THE 20 21, 20 20 SCHOOL YEAR.BUT THE IMPORTANT THING HERE IS THIS ONLY APPLIES IF WE DO NOT HAVE A CERTIFIED TEACHER TO WORK IN THAT AREA.
UM, AND DEBBIE AND I WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PROPOSED LEGISLATION MOVING FORWARD.
AND SHE WAS SAYING THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT, THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE BY THE SCHOOL BOARDS AND THEY'RE LOBBYING IS TO IMPROVE INCENTIVES AND TO TRY TO, TO GET, TO GET EDUCATORS WHO ARE CERTIFIED, UM, INTO OUR SCHOOLS.
AND SHE WAS SAYING THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE NON-CERTIFIED TEACHERS PERMANENTLY, BUT THE CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE 25%.
SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE ALLOWED TO HAVE 25% TOO.
AND I DID WANT TO MENTION THIS BECAUSE I WAS OVER AT RIVERVIEW FOR THE LOTTERY A FEW WEEKS AGO.
AND I WAS TALKING WITH ROB BECK TO ALL THEIR DIRECTOR ABOUT EDUCATORS.
AND HE WAS TELLING ME THAT THEY HAVE HIRED, UM, A TEACHER THAT I BELIEVE WAS LIKE A PRIOR ENGINEER, WHATEVER.
AND THAT HE'S A WONDERFUL TEACHER AND THAT THE STUDENTS JUST LOVE HIM.
SO, SO HE THINKS IT'S FANTASTIC TO HAVE THOSE TYPE OF INDIVIDUALS TEACHING IN THE SCHOOL.
SO THERE'VE BEEN GREAT SUCCESSES AND SOME OF THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS WHERE NON-CERTIFIED TEACHERS HAVE TAUGHT.
SO THERE ARE PROS AND CONS TO BOTH OF IT, BUT I JUST WANTED Y'ALL TO BE AWARE ABOUT THIS PROVISO, BECAUSE I HONESTLY DID NOT KNOW ABOUT IT UNTIL TODAY.
SO I THOUGHT YOU ALL WOULD WANT TO SEE WHAT THE SITUATION WAS, AND THIS PROVISOR WILL GO INTO EFFECT AS SOON AS THE BUDGET PASSES, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GOING TO PASS BY THE END OF JUNE, THE HOUSE AND SENATE ARE, UM, VERY FAR APART AND AMOUNT OF THEIR BUDGET.
SO HOW ABOUT THE TAX CUTS? SO THIS IS, SO FOR NEXT YEAR, WE DO HAVE NON-CERTIFIED TEACHER HIRING.
SO THAT WAS MY UPDATE FOR YOU ALL.
VERY MUCH SO, SO THIS IS JUST FOR ONE YEAR, CORRECT? YES.
THEY COULD READ, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD RENEW IT THE NEXT YEAR, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
SO I, WELL, I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT, UM, TRICIA AND, UM, RACHEL THINK MIGHT, MIGHT JUST QUICKLY OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
I STILL THINK WE COULD ADVOCATE, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR HAVING THIS, UM, SO THAT WE'RE EQUIVALENT TO THE, OR AT THE SAME PLAYING FIELD AS THE, UM, DAVID'S HANDS HANDSOME.
I'M GOING TO GET RID OF THIS CALL.
UM, YEAH, I, UH, PROVISO IS NOT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, SOMETHING PERMANENT, RIGHT? SO I THINK WHAT YOU WROTE UP SHOULD STAND.
I THINK THAT WE SHOULD PUSH FOR THAT, UM, TO GET THAT IN THERE.
I'M NOT SURE IF I UNDERSTOOD DEBBIE'S POSITION ON IT, BUT, UM, I THINK OUR POSITION IS CLEAR.
WE DON'T WANT TO PROVIDE, SO WE WANT, WE WANT, WE WANT IT TO BE PERMANENT.
AND I, ANOTHER THING I CAN SAY FROM PAST YEARS, I DON'T THINK THAT THE, UM, THE WORDING OF OUR LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL HAS TO BE, UM, YOU KNOW, FINAL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ONCE WE SEND IT TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION, IT'S THEIR BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT ARE GOING TO WORDSMITH IT AND THEN ULTIMATELY DETERMINE WHAT THE WORDING WILL BE THAT THEY'LL BRING FORWARD IF THEY APPROVE IT.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY IT'S THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, THE MEMBERS FROM THE DIFFERENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WILL VOTE ON IT IN DECEMBER.
SO I DON'T JUST, AS LONG AS WE CONVEY, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE, DO YOU KNOW WHAT OUR WISHES ARE DESIRE OR THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WE WANT IN THE, IN THE WORDING? I THINK THE REST OF THAT IS GOING TO BE MODIFIED PERHAPS BY THEM.
IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST, THEY'VE MODIFIED THEM.
SO, YEAH, TINA, MY, MY, UM, THOUGHTS ARE JUST RIGHT ALONG WITH DAVID'S THAT THIS, THIS TEMPORARY, THIS TEMPORARY PROVISO DOES NOT ALTER OUR, OUR DESIRE TO HAVE A PERMANENT SOLUTION.
SO, UM, UH, I, I SAY WE, WE CHARGE FOR US WITH, WITH SUGGESTING TO ADD THIS TO THE SCHOOL BOARDS, UM, RESOLUTIONS.
AND, UM, HOW DO YOU FEEL, UH, RACHEL, I WAS GOING TO SAY, I, I AGREE WITH THAT.
UM, AND, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE REASON IT SEEMS THAT I'VE SEEN BEFORE IN PAST PRACTICE THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN, UM, THE USE OF PROVISOS PRIOR
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TO ENACTING THINGS AS PERMANENT.UM, IT'S ALMOST LIKE A TESTING PERIOD AND A TWEAKING PERIOD.
UM, SO, UH, I DO AGREE, UM, THAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING PERMANENT.
UM, AND SO PERHAPS INDICATING OUR, OUR SUPPORT TOWARDS THE PROVISO, BUT ALSO SAYING WE BELIEVE THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE UP A PERMANENT, UM, SOLUTION.
UM, WHEN DID YOU, DO YOU WANT TO, UM, YES.
I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT TO YOU ALL THAT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS H 3, 5, 9 0, THIS BILL, I THINK THIS BILL'S GOT A REALLY GOOD CHANCE OF PASSING NEXT YEAR, AND THIS, THIS IS THE ONE THAT ALLOWS FOR US FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO HIRE UNCERTIFIED UP TO 25%.
SO Y'ALL MIGHT WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHAT THE, WHAT THE PROPOSED BILL SAYS AND, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGE THE PASSING OF THIS TYPE OF LEGISLATION.
IT WOULD ALSO HAVE A PILOT PROGRAM TO, TO, UM, I GUESS TO, YOU KNOW, HELP THE NON-CERTIFIED PEOPLE COMING IN, BECAUSE UNDER THE PROPOSAL LEGISLATION THAT WOULD, THE PILOT PROGRAM WOULD HAVE TRAINING TO HELP THE NON-CERTIFIED TEACHERS BE PREPARED TO ENTER THE CLASSROOM.
SO THEY WOULD ALSO EVENTUALLY BE IN A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM, YOU KNOW, SOME TYPE OF ALTERNATIVE, BUT I, I THOUGHT THIS BILL, UM, ALLOWING 25%, I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE AND FAIR AND EQUITABLE DISTRICTS TO BE ALLOWED TO DO THAT.
DO YOU HAVE ANY, UM, COMMENTS OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING? NO, I THINK THEY YARD.
I HAVE A THING, UM, THAT, UM, THEN YOU ALSO HAVE SPOKEN TO OUR, OUR, UM, UH, OUR, OUR LOBBYISTS, RIGHT.
CONCERNING THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE.
AND, WELL, I, I, I CONTACTED HER, I DUNNO, MAYBE A WEEK AGO BECAUSE I WANTED TO SEE WHAT HER INPUT, WHAT SHE THOUGHT BEING OUR LOBBYISTS MIGHT BE GOOD FOR THE LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS.
AND, UM, THE TWO THINGS SHE MENTIONED WHERE THE FUNDING FORMULA STILL IN PLAY, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE WAS, UM, ALTERNATIVES TO TEACHER CERTIFICATION.
AND WE'VE KIND OF, UM, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, GONE DOWN THE PATH OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT ABOUT US? YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS, WHAT ABOUT US HAVING THE SAME ADVANTAGE THAT THE CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE? EXACTLY.
WE'RE ALL COMPETING FOR THE SAME, FOR THE SAME CANDIDATES TO TEACH.
SO WHY, WHY SHOULD IT BE DIFFERENT FOR THEM? I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT WOULD BE DIFFERENT FOR THEM PERSONALLY, BUT I'M NOT AN EDUCATOR.
SO MAYBE DO YOU SEE THE LOGIC IN THAT TRICIA? NO, I REALLY DON'T.
I THINK IT IT'S, UH, IT'S ALLOWS CHARTER SCHOOLS MORE FLEXIBILITY, UM, WHICH I THINK BENEFITS THEM.
SO DO WE HAVE OTHER, UM, DO THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE ANY OTHER, UM, PROPOSALS THEY'D LIKE TO BRING FORWARD OR HAVE US DEVELOP AND THEN BRING TO THE BOARD FOR, UM, A VOTE FISHER OR RACHEL, GO AHEAD, RACHEL, GO AHEAD.
UM, THE ONLY OTHER ONE THAT I REALLY WAS THINKING WOULD BE BENEFICIAL, BUT THEY KIND OF TOUCH ON IT WITH THE IMPACT FEE WOULD BE FACILITIES, FUNDING.
UM, I KNOW THAT THERE IS CERTAIN SPECIAL FACILITIES FUNDING.
I THINK THAT'S ALLOCATED IN THE BUDGET EACH YEAR.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT NUMBER EVEN IS RIGHT NOW IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
AND I THINK YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR IT, UM, IN A SPECIFIC WAY.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S NECESSARILY SOMETHING WE WANT TO TACKLE THIS YEAR OR PUT ON THE RADAR FOR NEXT YEAR, BUT THEY DID, THEY DO MENTION IMPACT FEES, WHICH I DO THINK HAS BENEFICIAL.
RACHEL, I CONCUR AND I'LL READ WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT, THEY'RE, WHAT THEY, UM, IS IN THIS 2022, UH, RESOLUTION HANDBOOK.
CAUSE I GOT IT OPEN HERE FOR IMPACT FEES.
THEY SAY S CSBA BELIEVES PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHOULD BE AUTHORIZED TO LEVY THE IMPACT FEES ON NEW HOME AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT.
UM, I THINK THAT'S PRETTY, PRETTY STRONG STATEMENT AND I WOULD CONCUR WITH IT.
SO HOW ABOUT YOU TRICIA? NO, I THOUGHT THAT THIS PACKET OF RESOLUTIONS
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THAT THERE SUGGESTED THAT BRAND FOR, YOU KNOW, IS FAIRLY COMPREHENSIVE AND FAIRLY ALIGNED WITH, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE ARE THINKING.THE ONLY QUESTION, THE ONLY QUESTION I HAD ABOUT IT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING ABOUT, UH, FOUR YEAR OLDS, YOU KNOW, PRE-K AND I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF OUR, YOU KNOW, WE WERE VERY INTERESTED IN THAT LAST YEAR AND AS I WAS GOING THROUGH THIS, I WAS WONDERING IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO, UM, PUSH FORWARD.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE WORDING ON HOW WE SAID IT LAST YEAR, BUT I THOUGHT I REMEMBERED THAT WE HAD THAT INCLUDED.
DO YOU REMEMBER ROBIN OR TINA? YEAH, I THINK I DO.
I DON'T THINK WE SENT IT AS, DO YOU REMEMBER ROBIN? I DON'T THINK WE SENT IT AS A RESOLUTION.
WE DIDN'T SEND IT AS A RESOLUTION, BUT THAT WAS IT.
THAT IS ON OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
AND I DON'T, I HAVE THAT, BUT I DON'T HAVE, I HAVE THAT IN MY FILES HERE AT HOME, BUT I DON'T.
AND ON THE WEBSITE I CAN GIVE ME A SECOND AND GO AND PULL IT UP OFF THE LEFT SIDE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE HAD OUR, WE HAD POSTED OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF, IF THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BRING FORWARD AS A SUGGESTION TO ADD TO THE RESOLUTIONS.
UM, I JUST DON'T WANT IT TO FALL OUT OF, OUT OF, UH, YOU KNOW, OUT OF, YEAH, EXACTLY.
I CAN, I CAN PROBABLY FIND MINE PRETTY QUICKLY TOO.
LAST YEAR ARE I HAVE THE LETTER HERE? WE, UM, SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION IN EARLY JUNE.
THE, UM, UM, WE HAVE SCHOOL START TIME.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT A DIFFERENT DOCUMENT THAT I AM.
THIS IS THE ONE THAT'S ON OUR WEBSITE THAT WE'VE SENT TO THE DELEGATION OF JANUARY OF 2020.
SO WE HAVE SCHOOL START A SCARF FULL START DATE, UH, TEACHER SALARIES, FULLY FUND STATE, MANDATES, SRO, MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE, UM, EDUCATION FUNDING, AND STATE FUNDING FULL FULL DAY PRE-KINDERGARTEN FOR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS.
AND THEN WHAT WE SUBMITTED FOR A RESOLUTION LAST YEAR WAS, UM, W BETTER COMPENSATION FOR OUR EDUCATORS.
AND TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STEPS ON THE STATE STATE MINIMUM SALARY SCHEDULE TO 28 YEARS BY ANNUALLY FUNDING, THE ADDITIONAL STEPS FOR THE FIVE YEARS BEYOND THE EXISTING 23RD STEP.
BUT THEY DID NOT ACCEPT THIS LAST YEAR.
AND DEBBIE ELMORE CALLED ME AND SAID, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THEY DIDN'T ACCEPT IT WAS BECAUSE, UM, THEY FELT A LOT OF THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UH, THE BURDEN WOULD, THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF INCREASING IT TO 28 YEARS WOULD, WOULD BE, UM, A LOT OF THE OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS COULD NOT MEET THAT.
IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO FUND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, IT WOULD NOT BE A STATE FUNDED, UH, CHANGE, BUT NOW IN BUFORD COUNTY, WE'RE UP TO, ARE WE UP TO 26? YEAH.
WELL, SO MAYBE WE DON'T WANT TO ADD, YOU KNOW, THE PRE-K TO THE RESOLUTION, BUT MAYBE, UM, WHEN WE NEED TO UPDATE THIS LETTER, ROBIN, WHAT'D YOU SAY THE DATE WAS ON THIS LETTER, UM, JANUARY OF 2020, RIGHT? SO MAYBE WE NEED THE OFFICIAL, UM, WHERE WE NEED TO UPDATE IT AND, AND, UH, CONTINUE WITH SOME OF THESE.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA PERSONALLY, BECAUSE I HAD NOTICED THAT MYSELF, THAT THE, THE, UM, NOT TODAY, BUT WHEN I WAS LOOKING TO SEE, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE, WE SAID WHAT OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES NOT NECESSARILY RESOLUTIONS AND THIS, WE COULD ALSO ADVOCATE IN HERE FOR THE SCHOOL IMPACT FEES AND FOR FULL FISCAL AUTHORITY, WHICH I THINK WOULD BE A GOOD THING TO HAVE A STATEMENT ON THAT.
LET'S UH, SO WE COULD DO THAT AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
THAT CAN BE ON AN AGENDA, UH, AN
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AGENDA ITEM.DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, RACHEL? UH, YES.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT, I THINK THAT, UM, UH, AT, WHEN WE DO GO THROUGH THIS, AS THIS ONE MENTIONED SPECIFIC, UM, LEGISLATION, I THINK THAT WAS PENDING AT THE TIME.
PERHAPS WE NEED TO DO A REVISIT OF THAT LEGISLATION TO SEE WHERE THEY ARE AND ANY OTHERS THAT MAY, WE MAY WANT TO ADVOCATE FOR OR AGAINST.
UM, SO JUST TO MAKE IT MUCH MORE, UH, COMPREHENSIVE SOUNDS GOOD.
HI, RACHEL, YOU HAD SOMETHING LAST YEAR THAT WE SAID WE'D PUSH IT OFF TO THIS YEAR.
UM, I TAKE ISSUE WITH THE, LET ME PULL IT UP HERE.
IT'S ONE OF THE RESOLUTIONS, AND IT'S THE ONE IN REGARD TO, UM, TUITION TAX CREDITS AND VOUCHERS AND THE LANGUAGE.
IT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS PERHAPS CHANGED LAST YEAR.
UM, AND I HAVE NOT DONE A LINE BY LINE COMPARISON.
IT LOOKS LIKE THEY CHANGED IT OR REVISED IT IN 2021.
UM, SO I WOULD NEED TO TAKE LAST YEAR'S VERSION OF THIS YEAR'S VERSION AND DO A LINE BY LINE COMPARISON TO SEE WHAT EXACTLY THEY CHANGED IN THEIR RATIONALE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, IT HAD TO DO WITH THE, UM, ONE OF THE, UH, SPECIAL NEEDS TAX CREDIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS. AND I BELIEVE WENDY LOOKED INTO DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT, UM, S ESBA WAS, UH, AGAINST THAT PROGRAM.
SO, UH, THAT'S STILL HANGING OUT THERE, I GUESS, IF YOU WILL.
UM, I HAD, I HAVE THE RESOLUTION THAT, THAT THEY HAVE SUBMITTED IT'S ON SCREEN RIGHT NOW.
I THINK THIS IS DIFFERENT THOUGH FROM THE ONE THAT WE LOOKED AT LAST YEAR, I THINK MAYBE THEY, THEY CLARIFIED OR CHANGE SOME THINGS.
I JUST NOTE THAT THE, I REMEMBER LAST YEAR WHEN WE DISCUSSED IT, IT HADN'T BEEN CHANGED.
THE ONLY, UH, ADOPTED DATE WAS 2014.
SO IT LOOKS LIKE THERE HAS BEEN A CHANGE AS OF THE LAST YEAR TO IT 2021 IS ADDED TO IT.
SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT LANGUAGE HAS CHANGED THERE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A LOOK AND TO SEE, UM, HOW IT CHANGED.
I MAY HAVE THAT ALSO IN MY FILES, BUT I DON'T KNOW, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
SO LET'S, WE CAN, THESE ARE SOME OF THE AGENDA ITEMS FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.
UM, I HAVE UPDATE LEGISLATIVE LETTER, SEE WHAT THE, WHAT LEGISLATION IS PASSED TO, UM, GO FOR OR AGAINST, AND THEN TAKE A LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE UNDER TUITION TAX CREDIT AND VOUCHERS.
SO, CAN YOU GO BACK TO YOUR, UM, UH, AGENDA AGAIN, ROBIN? THANK YOU.
UH, WE DON'T HAVE, WE JUST DID OUR TOPICS FOR OUR NEXT MEETING.
AND ANOTHER THING WE SHOULD DECIDE IS HOW ABOUT TRYING TO DECIDE ON THE DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING WHILE WE HAVE EVERYONE ON HERE, EXCEPT FOR ANGELA, WE HAVEN'T HAD REALLY A SPECIFIC, UH, DAY OF THE MONTH.
AND IT WAS AS, AS NEEDED AS NEEDED DR.
WISE, BEFORE WE DO THAT, DO YOU, BY CHANCE, DO WE NEED A MOTION TO, UM, BRING TO THE FULL BOARD, THE WORDING THAT YOU JUST GAVE US FOR THE ADDITION TO THE RESOLUTION? YEAH, I GUESS THAT'S, UM, IT SEEMED LIKE YOU BOTH WERE IN AGREEMENT SO WE CAN VOTE.
WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE NEEDED TO, CAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO BRING THIS TO THE FULL BOARD.
AND, WELL, LET'S SEE, LET ME GO BACK.
I HAVE TO GO BACK INTO, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO TOGGLE, BUT I WILL TRY HERE AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT HAS TO BE THAT FORMAL.
IT DOESN'T MEAN I DEFINITELY AGREED WITH IT, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IF
[00:35:01]
YOU WANTED A FORMAL, UM, RECOMMENDATION TO, UH, TO RECOMMEND TO THE FULL BOARD TO APPROVE THIS FOR THE SC SBA, YOU KNOW, UM, LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTIONS.DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR RACHEL? NO, MA'AM, I'M FINE.
SO WE ARE, THE THREE OF US, IS ANYBODY OPPOSED TO THE WAY IT IS NOW? WE'RE IN AGREEMENT.
THIS IS THE IDEA THAT, THAT THE WE'VE BEEN FLOATING FOR AWHILE.
SO ALL, SO DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION THEN? TRICIA WILL MAKE IT FORMAL.
MOTION TO SEND RECOMMENDED LANGUAGE TO THE FULL BOARD.
RECOMMENDED LANGUAGE ABOUT, UM, EQUITY WITH CHARTER SCHOOL HIRING PRACTICES OR SOMETHING.
PARTNERS, HIRING PRACTICES, HIRING PRACTICES.
MOTION DESCEND RECOMMENDED LANGUAGE ABOUT EQUITY WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS HIRING PER PRACTICES TO FULL BOARD.
AND RACHEL, YOU ARE SECONDING THAT.
AND ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OH, SORRY.
SO THEN WE CAN SAY TO THE FULL BOARD, THIS WAS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY, ALTHOUGH WE HAD ONE MEMBER ABSENT.
UM, SO LET'S LOOK INTO, UM, OUR NEXT MEETING, UH, YOU KNOW, IN JUNE, SO AROUND MID JUNE OR SO, DOES ANYBODY HAVE A, UH, YOU KNOW, A RECOMMENDATION FOR WHAT IS GOOD OR NOT GOOD OR, UM, WHAT ABOUT THE 15TH? THAT IS A WEDNESDAY.
I THINK THAT COULD WORK FOUR O'CLOCK SOUNDS GOOD.
LET'S, UM, MAKE IT A HYBRID, YOU KNOW, SO WE CAN ATTEND IN PERSON.
AND WENDY, DOES THAT WORK FOR YOU? OH, YES, IT WORKS FOR ME.
UM, I HAVE WEDNESDAY THE 15TH AT FOUR O'CLOCK.
UM, SO THIS IS TO, UM, WENDY AND, AND TRISHA AND RACHEL AND THE BOARD AND DAVID AND EARL.
DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE OF ANY BENEFIT TO HAVE, I'M JUST THINKING ALOUD RIGHT NOW TO HAVE, UM, LYNN, OUR LOBBYISTS THERE.
CAN YOU DO THAT? UM, YEAH, I JUST THINK, BECAUSE SHE SHE'LL HAVE SOME IDEAS WITH OUR DISCUSSION.
I WAS WISH I HAD THOUGHT OF IT FOR TODAY'S MEETING, BUT WE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH, UH, UH, HAD HEADWAY OR WHATEVER WE SAY, UM, BEFORE THIS MEETING.
SO OUR NEXT MEETING OF THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15TH AT 4:00 PM.
AND IT WILL BE, UM, AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE AND BY, BY A VIDEO CONFERENCING FOR THOSE THAT WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MAKE IT IN PERSON AND WE'LL BE INVITING OUR LOBBYISTS WHEN STOKES MARIE.
SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY FURTHER BUSINESS, UM, ANY FURTHER BUSINESS FROM ANYONE? NO, MA'AM NO.
SO DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? I MEANT THAT WE ADJOURNED.