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CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY BEAUFORT COUNTY.
GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION WORK SESSION OF MARCH 22ND, 2024.
THE BOARD WAS JUST AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
IS NOW BACK IN PUBLIC SESSION.
AND DO WE HAVE ANY ACTION AS NECESSARY OR APPROPRIATE REGARDING MATTERS DISCUSSED IN EXECUTIVE SESSION? MADAM SECRETARY? YES, MA'AM.
MADAM CHAIR, WE HAVE THREE MOTIONS.
THE FIRST MOTION IS I MOVE THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE STATE FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY AUTHORITY, SFAA ALTERNATE TEXTS GIVING AUTHORITY TO THE SUPERINTENDENT TO CONTRACT FOR LEGAL SERVICES AND ADOPT THE REVISED PROCUREMENT CODE.
DO WE HAVE A, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
WE ALREADY GOT IT FROM, BUT THANK YOU, UH, MR. DALLAS.
SO DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, ANY DISCUSSION OR NO.
ALL THOSE IN THE ROOM IN FAVOR? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.
AND ONLINE, SAY YOUR NAME AND VOTE.
I MOVED THAT THE BOARD APPROVE THE TEXT TO PROCUREMENT EXTENSION SIX A AND ADOPT THE REVISED EXTENSION TO THE PROCUREMENT CODE EFFECTIVE TODAY.
UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
AND WE'LL HAVE THOSE ONLINE PER THE SUGGESTION BY ONE OF THE MEMBERS ONLINE TO GO IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER.
SO WE'LL HAVE DALLAS HAY AND ISKY.
THAT MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
I MOVE THAT THE BOARD AUTHORIZES THE SUPERINTENDENT TO ISSUE AN AWARD TO TURNER TOWNSEND, HUIE, LLC FOR CAPITAL PRO PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION SERVICES.
THE BOARD AUTHORIZES THE SUPERINTENDENT TO NEGOTIATE THE CONTRACT AND UPON SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS, IT EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE FIRM.
ANY DISCUSSION THERE BEING NO HANDS UP.
IN FAVOR? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY AYE.
THAT CONCLUDES ALL OF OUR MOTIONS.
SO WE, WE WILL NOW STAND FOR THE PLEDGE.
WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
MADAM CHAIR, I THAT WE APPROVE TODAY'S AGENDA AND MR. CAMPBELL SECOND.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY AYE.
THE, UM, MOTION IS, UH, I GOTTA COUNT EVERYBODY.
AND WHERE'S MS. BOATRIGHT? I MEAN, NO.
NOW PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE CLOUD OF THE UNITED STATES, TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ON NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WE'LL HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THE MEDIA HAS BEEN PROPERLY NOTIFIED NEXT ON OUR AGENDA, OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS, AND WE HAVE SOMEBODY PARTICIPATING REMOTELY.
SO I'LL TURN THAT OVER TO OUR ASSISTANT ROBIN CUSHING.
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PUBLIC COMMENTS, IF YOU WOULD STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME AND YOUR TOPIC AND YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.GOOD MORNING, THIS IS DAVID COOK.
THIS IS DAVID COOK, UH, CALLING ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT TO, UM, SPEAK ABOUT SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE ON THE AGENDA.
I WAS LOOKING FOR DOCUMENTS IN REGARDS TO THE AGENDA ITEMS ONLINE.
I WAS UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING.
UM, SO I'D LIKE FOR THAT INFORMATION TO BE MADE AVAILABLE PRIOR TO, UM, BOARD MEETINGS.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S ALL BOARD MEETINGS.
WHEN YOU HAVE AGENDA DOCUMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS, BY LAW, THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE TO BE MADE PUBLIC SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN SEE THEM AS SOON AS A BOARD MEMBER GETS THEM.
SO I NEED YOU TO, TO COMPLY WITH THAT LAW.
I REALLY WOULD PREFER TO AVOID GOING TO COURT OVER SOMETHING LIKE THIS BECAUSE I DON'T, I THINK IT'S A WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY FOR YOU TO HAVE TO PAY FOR AN ATTORNEY FOR THAT WHEN IT'S A SIMPLE COMPLIANCE REQUEST.
UM, ALSO, UH, I'M NOT SURE IF, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF MR. DALLAS IS AT THE MEETING 'CAUSE I DON'T HAVE IT ON.
BUT, UM, MR. DALLAS, IF YOU COULD PLEASE GIMME A PHONE CALL.
MY PHONE NUMBER IS IN THE EMAILS THAT I SENT YOU FOR THE LAST WEEK AND A HALF.
NOW WE WILL BEGIN, UM, THIS MORNING'S, UH, WORK SESSION WITH A FINANCIAL UPDATE.
WE HAVE DEBT DAY PRESENTATION BY BRIAN NERRICK OF COMPASS MUNICIPAL ADVISORS AND FRANNIE HEISER ESQUIRE, WHO'S A PARTNER WITH BURR AND FOREMAN, FOLLOWED BY BUDGET PRESENTATION BY TANYA CROSBY AND JENNIFER HAMLIN OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM, I, THE NEXT, OUR NEXT GUEST, I DON'T THINK ANY EVEN NEED ANY, UH, INTRODUCTION BECAUSE, UH, THEY'VE BECOME PART OF THE FAMILY, I BELIEVE
SO, UH, BRIAN EK AND FRANNY HEISER ARE HERE.
WE'RE GONNA, THIS IS, UH, AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN AS DEBT DAY.
UH, ANNUALLY WE HAVE THIS, UH, CONVERSATION TO UPDATE THE BOARD.
AND I'M GONNA TURN IT RIGHT OVER TO BRIAN KNIGHT.
APPRECIATE THAT INTRODUCTION, TANYA.
UM, SO YES, UH, ANNUALLY WE COME BEFORE THE BOARD AND, UH, GO OVER THE DISTRICT'S DEBT PROGRAM.
IT DOES TAKE ROUGHLY AN HOUR TO GO THROUGH ALL THE PAGES.
AND AT THE END, UM, THERE IS A VOTE THAT THE BOARD TAKES, UM, TO, UM, UH, MEET, UH, YOUR POLICY ON MAKING SURE THAT I GO, GO OVER CERTAIN ITEMS THAT ARE REQUIRED.
AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, UM, AS PART OF, UM, REALLY YOUR, YOUR BOND RATING.
UM, THEY DO LOOK AT YOUR POLICIES AND THEY WANT TO, THE RATING AGENCIES JUST WANNA BE SURE THAT INFORMATION'S DISSEMINATED, DISSEMINATED APPROPRIATELY TO THE BOARD ON DEAD ITEMS. UM, SO I HAVE A, A, A HANDOUT AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER.
UH, EVERYTHING IS GOT A PAGE NUMBER.
AND I WILL GO THROUGH EACH PAGE AND ASK IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS AS WE GO THROUGH THIS INFORMATION.
SO IF YOU TURN TO PAGE ONE, UH, TOP LEFT HAND CORNER SAYS ESTIMATED DEBT ISSUANCE SCHEDULE.
UM, ON THIS PAGE, IT'S BROKEN INTO TWO PARTS.
THE FIRST PART IS THE, ARE THE BOND ISSUES THAT WE EXPECT TO ISSUE IN CALENDAR YEAR 2024.
AND THEN THE SECOND PART IS RELATED TO THE 2023 SUCCESSFUL BOND REFERENDUM AND HOW WE EXPECT TO ISSUE THOSE BONDS.
UM, THE FIRST LINE ITEM NUMBER ONE,
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UH, IS A BOND ISSUE.IT SAYS SERIES 2024, A GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND, AND THEN THE ISSUANCE PURPOSE ON THE FAR RIGHT SAYS 2016, UM, IPRB OR INSTALLMENT PURCHASE REVENUE BOND RETIREMENT.
AND THERE IS A SINGLE ASTERISK AND IT SAYS JP MORGAN APPROVED THE WAIVER OF THE NON REPAYMENT.
SO IN JANUARY, THE BOARD APPROVED, UH, A RESOLUTION TO PAY OFF THIS BOND ISSUE EARLY, THE INSTALLMENT PURCHASE REVENUE BOND.
AND THAT SUCCESSFULLY OCCURRED.
SO JP MORGAN, UH, DID COME THROUGH WITH OUR REQUEST TO ALLOW FOR AN EARLY PREPAYMENT, AND THERE'S SOME SAVINGS ASSOCIATED WITH THE TRANSACTION THAT I'LL SHOW IN A, IN A, IN A FUTURE PAGE.
UH, ITEM NUMBER TWO, UH, AS A SIMILAR THEME, UH, THERE WAS A REFUNDING DONE IN 2021 TO PAY OFF THE 2014 B SERIES BONDS.
AND AT THE, UM, JUST AFTER THE CLOSING OF THE 2021 ISSUANCE, UH, WE WORKED WITH TD BANK TO ALLOW FOR AN ADDITIONAL TERM SHEET TO, UH, REFINANCE IT AGAIN AT A LOWER INTEREST RATE AT A, ON A TAX EXEMPT BASIS.
SO THAT SUCCESSFULLY OCCURRED AND THAT CLOSED ON, UM, MARCH 1ST.
THE TWO ASTERISKS DOWN BELOW JUST NOTATE THAT THE BOARD ACTUALLY APPROVED THAT TERM SHEET APRIL 19TH, 2022, WHICH IS, UH, 682 DAYS IN ADVANCE OF ACTUALLY CLOSING THE, UH, THE BAR AT THE LOWER RATE.
UH, THE REASON I PUT THE DAY COUNT IN THERE IS JUST SO EVERYONE CAN APPRECIATE THE FORWARD THINKING, A LOT'S OCCURRED IN 682 DAYS, INTEREST RATES ARE A LOT HIGHER THAN THEY WERE, THEN WE LOCKED IN THAT INTEREST RATE, UH, AND IT JUST WAS, WE CALL A DELAYED CLOSING.
SO, UM, I HAVE A, A, A PAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THE SAVINGS, UM, WITH, WITH US DOING THAT TURNKEY.
UH, ITEM NUMBER THREE, UH, IS A FUTURE ISSUANCE.
IT WOULD BE A, UH, $50 MILLION BOND ANTICIPATION NOTE ASSOCIATED WITH THE REFERENDUM TO GET THINGS GOING.
WE RECEIVED A MONTHLY DRAW SCHEDULE FOR THE WHOLE PROGRAM.
WE WENT THROUGH IT AND CALCULATED HOW MUCH MONEY YOU WOULD NEED, UH, EACH JANUARY 1ST.
UH, BUT TO GET THINGS STARTED, THERE WOULD BE A BOND ANTICIPATION NOTE, AND THEN WE WOULD MOVE TO, UM, DEBT ISSUANCES EACH YEAR.
UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS RELATED TO THE 8% PROGRAM.
UM, I HAVE DRAFT NUMBERS RIGHT NOW.
UH, WE HAVE A ROBUST DISCUSSION THROUGH FINANCE COMMITTEE THAT OCCURS BETWEEN NOW ALL THE WAY TO AROUND MAY.
UH, AND THE REASON THAT IT CONTINUES TO EVOLVE IS, UM, THE FINANCE TEAM, YOUR FINANCE TEAM IS MONITORING YOUR COLLECTIONS.
AND AS THEY RECONCILE EACH MONTH, WE GET AN UPDATE.
WE UPDATE, UM, ON A CASH BASIS.
KEY KEY THERE IS CASH BASIS, WHAT THE COLLECTIBLE VALUE OF A MILL IS.
SO WHEN WE GET TO FINAL NUMBERS, WE HAVE THE MOST ACCURATE INFORMATION THAT WE CAN HAVE.
UH, AND THEN ITEM NUMBER FIVE, I LEFT IT ON, BUT I DID A STRIKETHROUGH.
THAT IS THE TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE.
UH, THIS DISTRICT NO LONGER ISSUES A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE, UH, BECAUSE YOU HAVE A FUND BALANCE THAT ALLOWS YOU NOT TO ISSUE A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE.
SO, UM, UM, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN ON, ON NOT ISSUING A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE AND HAVING AN APPROPRIATE FUND SIZED FUND BALANCE THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE ENOUGH CASH FLOW BEFORE YOUR TAX COLLECTION CYCLE STARTS.
NOW MOVING TO THE SECOND PART IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE, THE REFERENDUM, I'LL CALL IT PERMANENT ISSUANCES.
UM, SO WE HAVE 439 MILLION TO ISSUE OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD.
AND THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD THUS FAR IS WHAT MONTH IS THE BEST MONTH TO SELL BONDS.
UH, AND YOU CAN LOOK AT IT A NUMBER OF WAYS.
WE LIKE TO LOOK AT IT ON A SUPPLY AND DEMAND BASIS.
IN SPARTANBURG FIVE, UH, THEY PASSED A $300 MILLION BOND REFERENDUM, AND WE PUT THEM ON A SCHEDULE THAT THEY WOULD ISSUE ROUGHLY A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS EVERY JANUARY.
JANUARY IS THE SLOWEST MONTH FOR TAX EXEMPT BOND ISSUES BECAUSE IT REQUIRES THE GOVERNMENT ENTITY TO DO A LOT OF WORK IN DECEMBER.
AND IN DECEMBER WE HAVE A LOT OF HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES, SO MOST FOLKS ARE NOT AROUND.
SO IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF WORK AND TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF PLANNING TO DO JANUARY BOND SALES, BUT WE'VE HAD VERY GOOD SUCCESS.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING, UM, WITH THE ISSUANCE HERE.
SO IF YOU JUST LOOK AT NUMBER ONE, JANUARY, 2025 WOULD BE THE FIRST PERMANENT ISSUANCE.
THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS, UH, 182 AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS, UH, NUMBER TWO IN TWENTY TWENTY SIX, A HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE 0.5.
AND THEN NUMBER THREE IN 2027 WOULD BE 131.
THAT AGAIN, IS FROM THE DRAW SCHEDULE.
AS THE DRAW SCHEDULE MIGHT CHANGE, THEN THESE NUMBERS MIGHT CHANGE AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH FINANCE COMMITTEE ON THE ISSUANCE OF THESE BONDS.
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THAT IS, UH, THE DEBT ISSUANCE SCHEDULE FOR THE YEAR AND THE DEBT ISSUANCE SCHEDULE FOR THE REFERENDUM.UH, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON PAGE ONE BEFORE WE MOVE TO PAGE TWO? OKAY, SO MOVING TO PAGE TWO.
THIS IS A, UH, UPDATE TO YOUR CREDIT RATINGS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE SHOW ALL THE CATEGORIES FROM BOTH MOODY'S INVESTOR SERVICE AND STANDARD AND POOR.
UH, THEN YOU MOVE TO THE DOUBLE A CATEGORY.
THE SINGLE A CATEGORY, THERE'S THREE NOTCHES, THE B DOUBLE A OR TRIPLE B CATEGORY.
AND THEN YOU MOVE INTO WHAT'S CALLED, UM, OUTSIDE OF INVESTMENT GRADE.
AND THEN, AND, UM, THERE IS NOT A SINGLE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT'S BELOW INVESTMENT GRADE IN THE STATE.
UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, UH, ENJOYS VERY, VERY HIGH CREDIT RATINGS.
UH, A DOUBLE A ONE FROM MOODY'S AND A DOUBLE A FLAT FROM STANDARD.
AND POS, YOU'VE SUCCESSFULLY BEEN ABLE TO KEEP THOSE RATINGS, UM, FOR QUITE A, QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS.
NOW, MOSTLY IT'S TIED TO YOUR FUND BALANCE.
UM, THE DOUBLE A ONE FOR QUITE SOME TIME WAS A LITTLE BIT OF AN OUTLIER.
IT WAS YOU IN GREENVILLE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH THE DOUBLE A ONE.
IT CAME AFTER THEY, THEY WENT TO WHAT'S CALLED THE CONVERSION.
THEY MOVED EVERYBODY, WHETHER YOU'RE A CORPORATE ENTITY OR A, A GOVERNMENT TO THE SAME SCALE.
AND WHEN THEY, THEY RECALIBRATED EVERYTHING.
THEY CAME OUT OF DOUBLE A ONE AT THAT POINT IN TIME.
YOUR FUND BALANCE, UM, WAS IN THAT BORDERLINE BEING A DOUBLE A ONE, UM, LEVEL.
AND AS YOU'VE INCREASED YOUR FUND BALANCE, THE CONVERSATIONS WITH MOODY'S HAVE BECOME A LITTLE LESS INTENSE ABOUT LIQUIDITY.
SO, UM, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE DOUBLE A ONE.
UH, THE POWER OF THE CREDIT RATING COMES INTO PLAY WHEN YOU ISSUE BONDS AND WHEN YOU REFINANCE BONDS, AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO ISSUE A LOT OF BONDS.
SO, UM, IT SHOULD SERVE THE COMMUNITY WELL AND ENSURE THAT YOU, UH, HAVE, UM, A LOT OF ACTIVITY IN TERMS OF NUMBER OF BIDS WHEN WE GO OUT FOR COMPETITIVE BID, BUT ALSO THE INTEREST RATE WILL BE A VERY, VERY LOW.
UM, SECONDARILY, WHEN YOU DO ISSUE DEBT, I JUST WANNA POINT OUT AGAIN THAT THE STATE HAS A, UM, A GUARANTEE PROGRAM.
IT'S CALLED THE STATE INTERCEPT.
AND, UH, IF, UH, THERE'S EVER A SHORTFALL IN COLLECTIONS, THEN THE COUNTY, UM, FOLKS ARE OBLIGATED TO CALL A THE, UM, STATE TREASURER AND INVOKE WHAT'S CALLED INTERCEPT 15 DAYS BEFORE THE BOND PAYMENT.
AND THE STATE WOULD THEN STEP IN AND MAKE THE PAYMENT.
UM, BECAUSE OF THAT PROGRAM, UH, ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT ALSO GETS A WRAPPER OF A A ONE AA FLAT.
SO THAT PROGRAM HAS ITS OWN RATING FROM BOTH RATING AGENCIES.
SO WHEN WE ISSUE BONDS FROM AN INVESTOR PERSPECTIVE, NOT ONLY ARE THEY LOOKING AT YOUR LOCAL ABILITY TO REPAY, THEY'RE ALSO LOOKING AT THE STATE'S PROGRAM.
AND SO, UM, WITH THAT, YOUR, YOUR BONDS GET A LOT OF BIDS WHEN WE GO OUT TO BID.
UM, SO REALLY NO CHANGES IN THE CREDIT RATINGS AND DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY CHANGES.
UM, BUT ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT PAGE NUMBER TWO? OKAY, SO MOVING ON TO PAGE THREE.
UM, THIS IS INFORMATION THAT WE RECEIVE FROM YOUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
UM, AS, UH, FISCAL YEARS OF 8% ARE CLOSED OUT, THEN THOSE MONIES ARE, UM, DISCLOSED TO THE BOARD SO THEY CAN BE USED FOR PLANNING PURPOSES.
UM, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS PAGE
UM, I DON'T DEAL WITH THE 8% IN PROJECTS, BUT, UM, I KNOW THAT THESE NUMBERS INCREASED SLIGHTLY FROM LAST YEAR'S PRESENTATION, AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF INTEREST EARNINGS.
BUT, UM, I'M SURE, UM, MS. CROSBY CAN GO OVER THESE IN MORE DETAIL AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME.
UH, BUT AS PART OF THE, THE POLICY, UM, WE'RE TO DISCLOSE THESE NUMBERS TO YOU, AND I'M SURE NEXT YEAR WHEN I COME AND AND GIVE ANOTHER PRESENTATION, THERE'S PROBABLY GONNA BE A, A NEW FISCAL YEAR LINE ITEM THAT'S BEEN CLOSED OUT.
THERE'LL BE A DOLLAR AMOUNT ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
SO MOVING TO PAGE FOUR, I'M GET INTO, I HAVE A QUESTION.
UH, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF THIS MONEY, MS. CROSS, DO YOU MIND SPEAKING TO THIS? UH, I REMEMBER, WAS THIS THE MONEY? I REMEMBER YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, ABOUT CLOSING OUT THIS STORY.
IS THIS BASICALLY THE ROLLOVER MONEY THAT'S LEFT OVER AFTER ALL PROJECTS, PROJECTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND, UH, DONE? THAT'S NOT TOO QUICK.
THESE WERE 8% PROJECTS IN THE 20 18 19 TIMEFRAME.
UM, SO THOSE PARTICULAR PROJECTS, UH, WERE COMPLETED.
UM, THERE WERE SOME FUNDS PRIOR TO THAT THAT WERE ROLLED INTO THESE YEARS.
AND SO WE ARE HAD AN OBLIGATION TO COME FORWARD AND BRING EACH YEAR, UH, ANY UNSPENT, UH, BOND PROCEEDS.
SO THIS, THESE SAME NUMBERS HAVE COME THROUGH THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS.
UM, AND THEY'RE AVAILABLE WHEN NEEDED FOR ANY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.
UM, THERE IS SOME INTEREST THAT IS EARN EARNINGS THAT IS ON HERE.
UM, SO I HAVE A NOTE ON MY OPERATIONAL
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EXPECTATION SUMMARY, THE OE SUMMARY, AND THAT IS THAT, UH, THEY ARE SUBJECT TO ARBITRAGE.UM, SO WE COULD HAVE SOME TAX LIABILITY ON THE INTEREST, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE INTEREST EARNINGS AND THE BOND YIELD.
AND SO SOME, UH, INTEREST WOULD BE RESERVED FOR, UH, POTENTIAL IRS, UH, REBATE LIABILITY.
YOU BRING IT DOWN, YOU SAID, YOU SAID A WHOLE LOT RIGHT THERE WITHIN, UM, A MATTER OF FIVE MINUTES IN, IN THE WAY OF WORDING.
SO TO BREAK THAT DOWN TO A MORE SPECIFIC, UH, AND INTENTIONAL CLARIFICATION, BASICALLY YOU'RE SAYING THAT WHEN YOU, AT THE BEGINNING YOU STATED THAT THERE WAS SOME MONIES FROM SOME YEARS AGO THAT YOU'VE TIED IN.
SO IS THAT THE MONEY THAT WE FOUND A COUPLE YEARS AGO, OR IS THIS SOME NEW MONEY? AND BASICALLY, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW YOU, YOU, YOU'RE GIVING THIS TO US AND I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE BREAKDOWN AND WHAT THIS LOOKED LIKE AND, AND HOW, HOW, HOW DID WE ARRIVE WHERE WE ARRIVED AT? UM, THIS LOOKS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO LAST YEAR EXCEPT FOR ABOUT $200,000 OF INTEREST.
SO, UH, IT WAS ACCUMULATION EACH YEAR.
THERE MAY BE SOME, IF THERE ARE FUNDS REMAINING IN 8%, UH, THEN THEY'RE ROLLED TO A FUTURE YEAR SO THAT THESE ARE ACCUMULATION OF SOME OLDER, SMALL COMPONENTS OF, OF PAST YEARS THAT WERE ROLLED ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO INTO THIS, THESE SOURCES.
AND SO, UM, THIS IS WHAT'S AVAILABLE AND THEY HAVE EARNED SIGNIFICANT INTEREST DURING THAT TIME.
SOME OF THEM ARE PREMIUMS AS WELL.
SO, UH, IT'S NOT JUST UNSPENT BOND UNSPENT, UM, BUDGETS, BUT IT'S ALSO BOND PROCEEDS, WHICH WERE MORE SIGNIFICANT DURING THAT TIMEFRAME.
AND THEN SOME INTEREST AS WELL.
THANK, THANK THANKS FOR CLARIFICATION, SIR.
I DON'T THINK YOU CAN HEAR YOU.
KY, YOU'RE, YOU'RE RECOGNIZED.
UM, MY QUESTION IS IN REGARDS TO THIS PAGE AS WELL.
DO WE HAVE A PROCEDURE OR A POLICY IN PLACE FOR HOW THESE FUNDS, I MEAN, TANYA JUST MENTIONED THAT THEY, THEY BASICALLY ROLL FORWARD, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S JUST DUE TO PAST PRACTICE OR IF THERE IS A POLICY DICTATING OR, OR AN AR DICTATING WHAT THE ACCEPTABLE USAGE OF THESE FUNDS IS, OR DO WE JUST PERPETUALLY KEEP ROLLING THEM FORWARD? UM, 'CAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S BECOMING PRETTY SIZABLE AT THIS POINT.
UH, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY, UH, ADMINISTRATIVE RULE REGARDING THESE POLICIES.
THEY ARE CAPITAL PROJECTS, SO THEY MUST BE USED FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, FUNDS, UM, FOR, UH, ANY IMPROVEMENTS OR MAJOR EQUIPMENT OR THAT SORT OF THING, OR LAND PURCHASE OR, UH, ANY PARTICULAR SIZABLE ITEM.
SO, UM, THERE IS A BOARD POLICY.
THE ONLY BOARD POLICY RELATING TO THIS IS THAT IT'S REPORTED TO THE BOARD.
MADAM CHAIR, CAN I DO A FOLLOW UP PLEASE? SURE.
I THINK THAT, UH, LIKELY THE REPORTING, UM, CAME INTO PLACE AND I VAGUELY, I I VAGUELY RECALL DISCUSSING IT BEFORE.
UM, I THINK THAT THERE MAY BE THE NEED FOR, UM, SOME HISTORICAL LOOK AT WHAT IS THE AVERAGE THAT IS ROLLED FORWARD EVERY YEAR, UM, SO THAT WE CAN DO AN ASSESSMENT ON THIS TO SEE IF WE CAN USE THESE FUNDS IN A MEANINGFUL WAY ON OUR FUTURE CAPITAL PROJECT, UM, NEEDS, AS WELL AS ALSO RETAIN SOME FOR ROLL FORWARD.
UM, I, I JUST THINK IT'S A, A POOR PRACTICE TO CONTINUE ROLLING IT FORWARD WITHOUT TRYING TO UTILIZE SOME OF IT TO CAPTURE SOME OF OUR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE NEEDS.
UM, I, I'M, AND I'M HAPPY TO MAYBE ASK FOR THAT TO BE A FUTURE AGENDA TOPIC OR BRING THAT TO POLICY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE, BUT I WOULD LEAVE THAT TO THE BOARD'S.
WILL, I WOULD SECOND THAT MOTION IF YOU MADE THE MOTION, DR.
WELL IT SEEMS LIKE THE, UH,
UM, YEAH, BECAUSE YOU SAID THIS IS JUST FOR BACK IN, UM, BASICALLY BETWEEN 17 AND 19.
SO GOING FORWARD FROM THEM, THERE'S NO, UM, THE, THE ONES FORWARD EITHER HAVE NO BALANCES OR HAVE NOT BEEN CLOSED OUT.
SO THEY COULD STILL HAVE A BALANCE TOO.
SO IF THERE'S NO OPPOSITION FROM THE BOARD, WHY DON'T WE HAVE IT? THIS, UH, QUESTION, UM, START IN FINANCE COMMITTEE.
UH, DO YOU OPPOSE THAT? WELL, WELL MY, MY QUESTION WILL BE GO TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND, AND, AND, AND DO, AND WHAT I, WHAT, WHAT IS THE FINANCE COMMITTEE DOING EXACTLY? WHAT, WHAT ARE THE DETAILS OF, I MEAN, SO THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO, UH, STUDY THIS AND THEN THEY'LL HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE AND BRING IT BACK TO THE BOARD AND LET'S SAY THEY,
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RIGHT.SO, AND THEN WE CAN AT THAT POINT DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD HAVE A POLICY THAT POLICY COULD DRAFT.
SO WE FIRST NEED TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.
'CAUSE WE DON'T REALLY COMPLETELY KNOW, UH, HOW MUCH IS REMAINING.
IT SOUNDED LIKE SOME OF THE, THE FUNDS THAT WERE IN, SOME OF THESE WERE, UH, PRIOR ROLL FORWARD.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE, I GUESS EXACTLY HISTORICAL LOOK AT IT TO SEE WHAT IS THE, YOU KNOW, IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, WHAT IS ROLLING FORWARD, WHAT DO WE ON AVERAGE, UM, YOU KNOW, BRING FORWARD, UH, FOR FUTURE USE.
AND THEN SO THAT WE DON'T PULL TOO MUCH OUT OF THE, THE CAPABILITY OF ROLLING IT FORWARD, BUT ALSO USING SOME OF IT.
UM, SO MOVING ON TO PAGE FOUR.
UH, TOP LEFT HAND CORNER SAYS DEBT CAPSULE REPORT.
SO THIS IS A PAGE THAT LISTS ALL THE OUTSTANDING BONDS THAT THE DISTRICT HAS.
UM, I'VE, UH, I'VE USED, UH, UH, DIFFERENT COLORS ON CERTAIN ROWS TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, A FEW BOND ISSUES SO THAT THE 2015 BREF STANDS FOR REFUNDING THAT BOND ISSUE, UM, IS THE ONE THAT'S MOST LIKELY TO BE REFINANCED NEXT.
AND AT CURRENT INTEREST RATES, THERE'S ACTUALLY A SAVINGS.
UM, THE BOND ISSUE CANNOT, UM, WE CANNOT ISSUE THE BOND UNTIL, UH, MID-NOVEMBER, AND WE CAN'T CLOSE EARLIER THAN DECEMBER 2ND.
SO WE WILL BE BRINGING A RESOLUTION TO THE BOARD TO REFINANCE THAT, GIVE AUTHORIZATION TO REFINANCE THAT BOND ISSUE.
UM, PROBABLY AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE RESOLUTION FOR THE 8% PROGRAM COMES BEFORE THE BOARD.
SO MS. HEISER WILL BE PREPARING THAT, UM, INFORMATION HAS BEEN DISSEMINATED TO YOU.
IT WASN'T PART OF THIS PRESENTATION, BUT IT WAS A SEPARATE, UM, ATTACHMENT THAT SHOWS YOU THE EXACT SAVINGS.
AND SO THE, THE SAVINGS AT THE CURRENT INTEREST RATES IS $1,958,000.
SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL GET MAYBE LOWER INTEREST RATES AS WE GET CLOSER TO THE, UH, TO THE FALL PERIOD.
AND WE WILL REFINANCE THE BOND AND SAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY.
BUT THE, THOSE ARE THE, UH, THE CURRENT NUMBERS AND, UM, WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD, UM, APPROVE THE REFUNDING, UH, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 8% PROGRAM HERE, PROBABLY IN YOUR MAY OR JUNE BOARD MEETING.
THE NEXT ITEM IN GRAY IS THE 2016 AND PURCHASE REVENUE BOND.
I JUST WANTED TO NOTATE THAT THE AMOUNT OUTSTANDING IS NOW ZERO.
WE ISSUED THAT BOND, UM, IN, UH, JANUARY, FEBRUARY.
SO IN FUTURE PRESENTATIONS, I'LL BE DELETING THIS ROW.
UH, SAME WITH, UH, THE, UH, 2021 E REFUNDING.
THAT WAS THE TAXABLE REFUNDING THAT WE DID.
UM, YOU CAN SEE THE INTEREST RATE UNDER COLUMN E SAYS 1.51%.
UM, AND THEN DOWN BELOW THE 2024 REF REFUNDING, THE NEW INTEREST RATE IS 1.23%.
AND I HAVE A, UM, I HAVE A PAGE HERE AND IT WILL SHOW YOU IN A SECOND THAT SHOWS YOU THE ADDITIONAL SAVINGS BY GOING TO THE TAX EXEMPT LOWER INTEREST RATE.
AND THEN THE LAST TWO ITEMS, UH, HIGHLIGHTED IN BLUE WOULD BE ISSUANCES THIS YEAR, THE 2024 BOND ANTICIPATION NOTE FOR $50 MILLION.
AND THE 2024 B UM, EST STANDS FOR ESTIMATE.
AND THAT'S FOR THE 8% PROGRAM.
THE NUMBERS WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE, BUT RIGHT NOW I'M SHOWING, UH, $43 MILLION FOR THE PROGRAM.
AND I CAN GET INTO THE, THE DETAIL OF THAT HERE IN, IN, IN A MINUTE.
DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, UM, YOU CAN SEE THE ONE ASTERISK, UM, IS IN REFERENCE TO THAT REFUNDING NET SAVINGS AS OF MARCH 18TH IS ESTIMATED AT 1.7 MILLION.
UM, EARLIEST SALE DATE IS NOVEMBER 12TH, 2024.
SO THE WEEK AFTER THE ELECTION IS WHEN WE COULD SELL THAT.
UM, SO A LITTLE BIT OF GOOD NEWS ON FUTURE, UM, REFUNDINGS AND GOOD NEWS ON THE, THE TWO BOND ISSUES THAT WE'VE ALREADY ISSUED THIS YEAR.
SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON PAGE FOUR BEFORE I GO INTO THE SAVINGS OF THE, THE TWO BOND ISSUES FROM JANUARY? OKAY.
SO MOVING TO PAGE FIVE, THIS IS AN UPDATE TO A PAGE THAT WAS SHOWN TO THE BOARD IN DECEMBER.
'CAUSE WE INTRODUCED THE CONCEPT OF, OF PAYING OFF THE INSTALL AND PURCHASE REVENUE BOND EARLY IN DEC IN THE DECEMBER BOARD MEETING.
UM, ESSENTIALLY COLUMNS B, C, D AND E WOULD BE PAYMENTS BUSINESS AS USUAL.
AND UNDER COLUMN D, WE U UTILIZE THE EXPENSES
[00:30:01]
IN 2023, ISSUING TWO BONDS TO MAKE THE PAYMENT.AND SO IF WE WERE TO JUST GO BUSINESS AS USUAL, YOU WOULD HAVE 10 MORE BOND ISSUES TO PAY OFF THE 2016 INSTALL MORTGAGE REVENUE BOND.
WITH THE COOPERATION OF JP MORGAN, WE WERE ABLE TO PAY IT OFF IN ONE PAYMENT.
AND SO THAT ONE PAYMENT IS LISTED UNDER, UM, COLUMNS, FG AND H.
AND SO THE NET DIFFERENCE OF HAVING ONE PAYMENT VERSUS 10 PAYMENTS AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER IS A SAVINGS OF 833,000.
SO THE, UM, AUDIT THIS YEAR WILL BE THE FINAL YEAR THAT IT WILL DISCUSS THE INSTALLMENT PURCHASE REVENUE BOND.
AND SO BEGINNING WITH YOUR 2025 FISCAL YEAR AUDIT, UM, IT WILL NO LONGER SHOW UP BECAUSE IT WILL BE, UM, PAID OFF IN FULL.
SO CONGRATULATIONS ON, UM, SUCCESSFUL, UH, PAYOFF OF THE INSTALLMENT PURCHASE REVENUE BOND.
IT'S LITTLE, LITTLE COMPLEX TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE TWO ISSUANCES EACH YEAR AND, AND ALL THE TAX, UH, IMPLICATIONS THAT WE HAVE TO NAVIGATE, BUT IT'S NOW PAID OFF, AND I KNOW YOUR FINANCE STAFF IS VERY HAPPY ABOUT IT.
SO, UM, ANY QUESTIONS ON PAGE FIVE? OKAY, SO ON PAGE SIX IS THE, UM, REFUNDING WE DID IN JANUARY.
THE SAME CONCEPT, UH, COLUMNS B, C, AND D ARE THE, UH, 2014, UM, PAYMENTS COLUMNS, E, F, AND G ARE THE NEW BOND PAYMENTS.
AND YOU HAVE THEN THE DIFFERENCE UNDER COLUMN H IS THE NET SAVINGS.
SO, UM, REFINANCING THE 2014 B, IN TOTAL, THE DISTRICT SAVED $2,125,000.
AND TO BREAK THAT OUT, THE TAXABLE 2021 E SERIES UNDER COLUMN I REPRESENTS A HUN 1.8 MILLION OF THAT.
AND THEN THE ADDITIONAL TAX MOVING TO A TAX EXEMPT RATE WITH TD BANK IN 2024.
UNDER COLUMN J, WE INCREASED THAT SAVINGS, UH, $261,000.
SO IN TOTAL, UH, NET, THE DISTRICT SAVED $2,125,000 TO SIMPLIFY THINGS AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT.
UH, THE INTEREST RATE ON THE 2014 B WAS 4%, THEN WE LOWERED IT TO 1.51, AND THEN WE LOWERED AGAIN TO 1.23.
SO IN TOTAL, WE REDUCED IT FROM 4% DOWN TO 1.23%, WHICH IS, UM, A REDUCTION OF 277 BASIS POINTS, OR 2.77%.
UH, A LITTLE BIT OF UNIQUE DEAL, UM, TRANSACTION, IT BEING THAT WE LOCKED IN THAT TAX EXEMPT INTEREST RATE, YOU KNOW, 600 PLUS DAYS IN ADVANCE.
SO, UM, UM, CONGRATULATIONS ON, UM, A SUCCESSFUL DOUBLE REFUNDING, WE'LL CALL IT TWO TIME REFINANCING.
SO ANY QUESTIONS ON PAGE SIX IN THE MATH AND HOW WE GOT TO THE SAVINGS? OKAY, SO MOVING TO PAGE SEVEN.
JUST SO THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT SAVINGS, THAT JUST MEANS THAT WE PAY IT OFF QUICKER.
IT'S NOT MONEY THAT WE CAN USE FOR OTHER THINGS.
IT'S WE PAY OUR DEBT OFF QUICKER JUST LIKE YOU DO, AND YOU PAY A LITTLE EXTRA PRINCIPLE ON YOUR MORTGAGE.
SO THAT, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S CLEAR TO THE PUBLIC THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, WATCHING.
SO MOVING TO PAGE SEVEN, THIS IS A GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION OF ALL THE DISTRICT'S EXISTING DEBT AND FUTURE DEBT.
SO THIS ENCAPSULATES THE 8% PROGRAM, THE REFERENDUM PROGRAM AND DEBT THAT WE'VE, WE'VE ALREADY ISSUED.
AND YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE THE DEBT STRUCTURED WHERE WE'RE STAYING AT OUR 36.3 MILLS.
AND THEN OUT IN 2029, THE DEBT DROPS OFF.
AND I HIGHLIGHTED THAT FUTURE BOARDS HAVE FLEXIBILITY TO MAKE FUTURE DECISIONS BASED UPON, YOU KNOW, A A SET OF NEEDS THAT, YOU KNOW, AREN'T, AREN'T NECESSARILY KNOWN TODAY.
SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HANDCUFF FUTURE BOARDS BY ABSORBING ALL THE GROWTH, UM, ASSUMED GROWTH BY, UM, YOU KNOW, ISSUING, UH, THE DEBT IN A MANNER THAT, UM, INCREASES EACH YEAR.
SO WE'RE VERY STRATEGIC SO THAT, UM, JUST LIKE YOU PASSED THIS LAST REFERENDUM, WITHOUT A TAX INCREASE, THERE COULD BE A POTENTIAL PHASE THREE OF ANOTHER BOND REFERENDUM AT A TAX INCREASE.
IF THE BOARD AT THAT POINT DOESN'T WANT TO DO A, A REFERENDUM, THEN WE COULD FOCUS MORE ON THE 8% PROGRAM AND PERHAPS PAY THOSE BONDS OFF A LITTLE BIT MORE QUICKLY.
SO THERE'S JUST FLEXIBILITY AND WE
[00:35:01]
STRUCTURE THE DEBT TO, TO PROVIDE AS MUCH FLEXIBILITY AS POSSIBLE.THE MATH BEHIND THIS GRAPH IS ON THE NEXT PAGE, PAGE EIGHT.
BEFORE WE, BEFORE WE GO TO THAT STAY ON THIS, UH, GRAPH HERE IN 10 YEARS, UH, WE COULD, IF WE HAVE ANOTHER REFERENDUM, WE COULD BE SPENDING A BILLION DOLLARS ON THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OVER A 10 YEAR PERIOD.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THIS GRAPH AFTER WE'VE SPENT A BILLION DOLLARS, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO, TO START REDUCING THE TAX BURDEN AND, AND LOOK AT THE OUT YEARS 2030 AND LOOK AT 2024, LOOK AT THE MILLAGE RATE, IT'S GOING DOWN.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF THIS INVESTMENT STRATEGY AS A, WE KEEP MILLAGE STABLE, WE INVEST IN OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THEN WE CAN GO ABOUT 20 YEARS WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH THIS THING WITH, WITH BIG, HUGE CONSTRUCTION AND THE TAXPAYERS BENEFIT FROM THAT.
THIS, THIS GRAPH RIGHT HERE IS SOMETHING THAT CAN SHOW TO CONSTITUENTS TO HAVE THEM UNDERSTAND THAT THIS BOARD AND THIS ADMINISTRATION FOR THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS STRATEGIC VIEW OF HOW TO UPGRADE OUR INFRASTRUCTURE WHILE REDUCING LONG-TERM COST TO TAXPAYERS.
AND THIS GRAPH IS A PERFECT WAY OF SHOWING THAT.
THIS IS ALL THE MATH BEHIND THE GRAPH.
SO, UM, FOR THOSE OF US THAT AREN'T, SOME PEOPLE ARE VISUAL LEARNERS AND THEY, YOU KNOW, THE GRAPHS A LITTLE BIT BETTER FOR THOSE OF US THAT LOVE NUMBERS.
UM, SO THERE ARE A, A NUMBER OF HEADINGS AND COLUMNS, A THROUGH K.
SO I JUST WANNA JUST RUN ACROSS REAL QUICK.
UM, COLUMN B IS REPRESENTS GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ISSUED.
COLUMN CI LEFT, IT'S THE INSTALLMENT PURCHASE REVENUE BOND.
I PUT FINAL PAYMENT JUST SO WE CAN NOTATE.
IT'S GONNA BE NO LONGER, UM, UH, A COLUMN GOING FORWARD.
COLUMN D IS THE REFUNDING WITH TD BANK THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT.
COLUMN E IS THE BOND THAT PAID OFF THE INSTALLMENT PURCHASE REVENUE BOND.
AND THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST THAT'S DUE IN FEBRUARY.
UH, COLUMN F IS THE 8% PROGRAM PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST AS OF TODAY WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE.
AND THEN COLUMNS, GH AND I ARE THE JANUARY REFERENDUM ISSUANCES THAT I DISCLOSED ON PAGE ONE.
AND THEN COLUMN J IS THE 8% PROGRAM.
AND SO THE 8% PROGRAM HAS ITS OWN SET OF COLUMNS THAT ARE TOO MANY.
SO THE NEXT PAGE WILL BREAK DOWN THE COLUMN J FOR YOU ON A ON A YEAR TO YEAR BASIS.
SO ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS ON THE DEBT ISSUANCES AND HOW THEY'RE STRUCTURED? YES, SIR.
H, H AND I, YOU SAID THAT YOU BROKE, YOU BROKE THAT DOWN.
YOU BROKE THOSE DOWN WHERE, UH, COLUMN J WILL BE BROKEN DOWN ON THE NEXT PAGE.
BACK TO H AND YOU SAID COLUMNS.
H AND I YOU BROKE DOWN IN A, UH, COLUMNS.
ON PAGE NUMBER ONE, I SHOWED THE AMOUNTS.
AND I SHOWED THE, UH, JANUARY'S THAT THEY WOULD BE ISSUED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON PAGE EIGHT? OKAY, SO WE'LL GO TO PAGE NINE.
SO PAGE NINE BREAKS OUT THAT COLUMN J FOR THE 8% PROGRAM.
UM, I'M SURE EVERYONE HERE, UH, KNOWS THAT WE HAVE, UM, STICKY INFLATION AND, UH, SO THE, THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION, THE COST OF MAINTENANCE CONTINUES TO GO UP.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH YOUR ADMINISTRATION ABOUT THAT.
AND, UH, ON COLUMNS B THROUGH H, WE MADE, UH, PLACEHOLDER ADJUSTMENTS IN THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS FOR THE 8% PROGRAM.
SO IN TALKING TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR TWO YEARS, WE HAVE PLACEHOLDER OF $30 MILLION FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
UNDER COLUMNS D AND E, WE INCREASED TO $35 MILLION.
AND THEN THEREAFTER WE WENT WITH A FLAT $40 MILLION.
IF YOU WERE TO BORROWED $25 MILLION FOUR YEARS AGO, YOU'RE GONNA BUY A LOT LESS TODAY WITH THAT $25 MILLION.
[00:40:01]
IS BEFORE WE ISSUE THIS REFERENDUM DEBT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE AT LEAST RESERVING OR BEING MINDFUL THAT THE 8% PROGRAM MIGHT NEED TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE WITH INFLATION.AND, AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING HERE.
UM, I ALSO, UM, WAS ABLE TO, UM, ADJUST THE REPAYMENT TERM TO TWO YEARS.
UH, WOULD LOVE TO GET IT TO ONE YEAR EVERY YEAR.
UM, BUT, UH, TWO YEARS WAS THE, THE KIND OF THE, THE TIGHTEST THAT I COULD MAKE IT WHILE STILL HAVING THAT FLEXIBILITY FOR THE FUTURE.
COLONEL GUYER, IT USED TO BE FOUR YEARS.
SO WE'VE, WE'VE IMPROVED OUR ABILITY TO PAY FROM HAVING TO PAY OFF A BOND IN FOUR YEARS.
NOW WE'RE PAYING IT OFF IN TWO YEARS, SO WE SAVE TAXPAYERS MONEY BY DOING THAT.
AND THERE WILL BE A TIME IF WE CONTINUE ON THIS STRATEGY THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO PAY IT OFF IN ONE YEAR, AGAIN, SAVING THE TAXPAYERS THE MONEY THAT OF, OF THE EXTENDED PAYMENT AND THE INTEREST INVOLVED IN THAT.
SHORT, THE SHORTER THE LOAN, THE MORE YOU SAVE IN TERMS OF INTEREST, THE LONGER THE LOAN, THE MORE YOU'RE GONNA PAY AN INTEREST.
SO, UM, SO ANY QUESTIONS ON HOW WE STRUCTURED THE 8% PROGRAM? REALLY, IT'S A PLACEHOLDER.
OKAY, SO MOVING TO PAGE 10, THIS IS THE MILLAGE SUMMARY PAGE.
AND EACH YEAR WE'VE GOT A A, A PROCESS IN PLACE THAT'S WORKED VERY WELL WHERE TAX COLLECTIONS START COMING IN AND EACH MONTH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, UM, DOES THEIR RECONCILIATION.
AND THEN WE COMPARE IT TO PRIOR YEARS TO TRY AND GET AN AN A REAL, REAL-TIME COLLECTIBLE VALUE OF A MILL.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH CASH, WE'RE DEALING WITH WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY RECEIVING.
WE'RE NOT DEALING WITH ASSESSED VALUATION, RIGHT? WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GOING TO JUST DEAL WITH WHAT'S ACTUALLY COMING IN THE BANK ACCOUNT.
SO IN 2013, ALL THE WAY TO 2023, WHAT WE DO IS WE TAKE YOUR AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT AND WE SIMPLY LOOK AT THE COLLECTIONS DIVIDED BY THE NUMBER OF MILLS THAT WERE LEVIED, AND WE GET A COLLECTIBLE VALUE OF A MILL.
IN 2024, IT'S NOTED NOTATED WITH TWO ASTERISKS.
SO RIGHT NOW WE ESTIMATE WITH REASSESSMENT, WE WOULD HAVE A GROWTH IN THE VALUE OF A MILL OF 18.11%.
THAT NUMBER WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE AS MORE MONTHS, UM, OF COLLECTIONS COME IN FOR 2025, WHICH IS THE YEAR THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DISCUSSING FOR THE 8% PROGRAM.
LOOKING BACK AT 2023 AND 2022, THOSE NUMBERS KIND OF ON AN, ON AN AVERAGE BASIS WAS A GROWTH OF ABOUT 5% PER YEAR.
SO THAT'S REALLY MORE POINT OF SALE, UH, WHERE A PROPERTY CHANGES HANDS WITHIN, YOU KNOW, NOT, NOT REASSESSED, BUT IT JUST CHANGES HANDS OR NEW PROPERTIES COMING ONLINE.
SO, UM, WE WENT AHEAD AND, AND LOOKED AT USING 5% FOR THE, UM, VALUE OF A MILL FOR BUDGET PURPOSES THIS FALL WHEN TAX BILLS WOULD GO OUT, THAT IS A CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE IN FINANCE COMMITTEE.
AND THERE'LL BE A, UH, A FUTURE PAGE HERE THAT SHOWS THE MILLAGE WORKSHEET AND FINANCE COMMITTEE ACTUALLY WILL APPROVE THE FINAL, UH, MILLAGE WORKSHEET.
AND THEN, UH, IT'S SENT OVER TO THE COUNTY AUDITOR.
SO WE CONTINUE TO FINE TUNE THESE NUMBERS.
UM, AFTER 2025, YOU CAN SEE WE USE A VERY CONSERVATIVE 1% GROWTH.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE TRYING TO BE MINDFUL THAT WE WANNA ALWAYS OUTPERFORM.
UH, WE DON'T WANT A SITUATION WHERE WE, WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO COME AND SAY WE CAN'T DO SOMETHING.
SO WE'RE VERY CONSERVATIVE IN, IN OUR ESTIMATES, UH, BUT WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO BE ON A REAL-TIME BASIS AS INFORMATION'S COMING IN AND NOT RELYING ON ASSESSED VALUATION NUMBERS, REALLY MORE RELYING ON CASH THAT'S COMING INTO THE BANK ACCOUNT.
WE THINK IT'S MORE ACCURATE, UM, ON COLUMN J AT THE PAYMENTS ON THE PRIOR PAGE VERSUS THE VALUE OF A MILL.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT I FINE TUNED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND THEN WE OPEN UP THAT CAPACITY.
SO IF YOU WERE JUST TO TAKE THE, THE 12,000,009 AND YOU DIVIDE IT BY 0.055%, YOU COULD BORROW ROUGHLY 250 TO $300 MILLION WITHOUT A TAX INCREASE.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE CURRENT TRAJECTORY YOU'RE ON.
IT WILL CHANGE EVERY YEAR AS NUMBERS CONTINUE TO CHANGE.
BUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO POINT OUT IS THAT YOU HAVE FLEXIBILITY, AND IF YOU DON'T DO A BOND REFERENDUM, YOU CAN ALWAYS
[00:45:01]
PAY BACK THOSE 8% BONDS A LITTLE BIT MORE QUICKLY.SO THAT JUST SHOWS YOU MATHEMATICALLY THE, THE FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF DOLLARS.
UH, ANY QUESTIONS ON PAGE 10? OKAY.
UH, MOVING TO PAGE 11, THIS IS YOUR DEBT LIMIT REPORT.
SO THE DISTRICT, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT UNDER COLUMN A, YOU GO DOWN TO 2023, THE DISTRICT'S MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF 8% DEBT LIMIT, IT COULD ISSUE IS $166.3 MILLION.
NOW, THE REASON THAT WE USE CASH WHEN WE'RE DOING OUR PROJECTIONS IS IF YOU LOOK AT COLUMN I, THE GROWTH NUMBERS THAT WE'RE RECEIVING FROM THE COUNTY, WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD TWO YEARS OF NEGATIVE NUMBERS, WHICH, SO OUR CASH IS INCREASING, BUT OUR ASSESSED VALUATION IS DECREASING.
UM, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COUNTY GOES THROUGH A PROCESS WHEN THEY DO THE ASSESSED VALUATION, THERE'S A LOT OF VARIABLES.
UM, BUT FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO SET THE VALUE OF A MILL AND, AND SET YOUR DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS, THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE'RE USING A CASH BASIS IS BECAUSE WE HAVE AN INCREASING VALUE OF A MILL.
BUT THE ASSESSED VALUATION AND THE WAY THOSE NUMBERS ARE WORKING AT THE COUNTY LEVEL ARE COMING IN ON A, ON A NEGATIVE BASIS.
SO I JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT IS WHY WE ARE USING CASH.
UM, WHEN YOU LOOK AT COLUMN D, THE ESTIMATED RIGHT NOW 8% BORROWING AMOUNT FOR THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM, UH, AND THEN YOU LOOK AT THE DEBT CAPACITY, UH, REMAINING OF $92 MILLION.
UM, AND YOU ALSO HAVE A POLICY TO MAINTAIN 10% OF YOUR INSURED VALUE.
SO THAT WOULD BE, UH, $120 MILLION.
AND SO I, I LOOKED AT IT OVER A TWO YEAR PERIOD.
UH, IF YOU ISSUE 43 MILLION, YOU'RE AT 92 MILLION LEFT.
UH, AND THEN GOING FORWARD, UM, RIGHT BACK UP AS YOU PAY DOWN SOME DEBT, 132.9 MILLION, WE'LL CALL IT, UM, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UH, MEET POLICY, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS IN THE BOND RESOLUTION THIS YEAR FOR THE 8% PROGRAM, UM, WHATEVER AMOUNT THAT WE BORROW THROUGH 8% WILL BE HELD IN A RESTRICTIVE STATUS UNTIL ENOUGH COLLECTIONS ARE IN THE DEBT SERVICE FUND FOR US TO, UM, UH, BE ABLE TO PAY OFF, SO TO SPEAK, OR TO FEES BONDS THAT ARE MATURING ON MARCH 1ST.
SO, UM, EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS IT'S $92 MILLION, IF YOU HAVE CASH IN THE BANK AND IT'S RESTRICTED, YOU'RE STILL MEETING YOUR POLICY OF THE 120 MILLION.
SO IT'LL BE A LINE ITEM THAT, UM, MS. HEISER WILL PUT IN THE NEXT BORROWING BOND RESOLUTION.
BUT WE WANT FOR THE CREDIT RATING AGENCIES TO KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT VIOLATING POLICY.
UM, CASH IS THE SAME AS AS DEBT LIMIT.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE DEBT LIMIT PAGE? PAGE 11.
UM, AND IN REFERENCE TO SPENDING, SPENDING THE CASH, AND YOU SAID, COULD YOU REPEAT THAT PART AGAIN? LET ME, LET ME SURE, SURE, SURE.
SO TO MEET THE POLICY, WE NEED $120 MILLION IN DEBT LIMIT, RIGHT? WE, WE ISSUE $43.3 MILLION, OUR DEBT LIMIT DROPS TO 92 MILLION, BUT THAT 43 MILLION IS CASH, RIGHT? RIGHT.
WE'RE GONNA KEEP IT AS A RESTRICTED, IN A RESTRICTED STATUS UNTIL COLLECTIONS COME IN AND THEN RELEASE IT FOR THE PROJECTS SO THAT WE ALWAYS ARE AT DEBT LIMIT PLUS CASH ON HAND, 120 MILLION.
RIGHT? AND, AND, AND BRINGING YOU TO THAT POINT.
AND SO THE, THE, THE, UH, SO BASICALLY IS THE, SO THE COUNTY'S AFFECTING US IN TERMS OF YES, THE NEGATIVE GROWTH HAS A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THE, THE CALCULATIONS ON THE POLICY.
RIGHT? SO IN, IN, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF THAT IS THE WAY HOW THEY ARE COLLECTING THE TAXES, UH, WHAT NO, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT TAX COLLECTION, IT'S HOW THEY DO THE ASSESSED VALUATION.
AND WE'RE NOT PART OF THAT PROCESS.
I KNOW THAT'S BEEN PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
UM, IT'S JUST THE REALITY THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH HERE IS WE'VE GOT TWO YEARS OF NEGATIVE NUMBERS ON THE ASSESSED VALUATION, BUT YET WE'RE GROWING, UM, PRETTY HEALTHY ON COLLECTIONS.
SO IT, IT, IT DOESN'T ALIGN EXACTLY, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO MAKE THESE NUMBERS WORK.
[00:50:01]
WE DON'T PREPARE THEIR NUMBERS, THEY'RE THEIR NUMBERS.AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE JUST NAVIGATING TO MAKE SURE WE STAY WITHIN POLICY EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE TWO YEARS OF NE NEGATIVE GROWTH.
AND I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING YOUR ATTENTION BECAUSE THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE, WHEN WE HAVING, WHEN WE'RE OUT AND HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH IT, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO POSSIBLY HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THEM IN THE FUTURE SO THAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY WE, WE ARE KIND ENTITY AND THAT WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER BECAUSE WE DEFINITELY DON'T, DON'T NEED, UH, THAT WE, WE DON'T, WE DON'T NEED TO AFFECT, UH, UH, THE PROGRESS OO OVER OVER HERE AND ALL IN OUR, OUR, IN OUR FINANCIALS.
THAT'S, THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IN OUR FINANCIALS, BUT I'M SURE MR. GUY SPEAKS TO THAT IN, IN MM-HMM,
YEAH, THAT, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.
HERE'S WHAT'S GOING ON, IS THE ASSESSOR MAKES ASSESS VALUES AND ASSESSOR MAKES A GUESS.
AND THOSE OF US THAT HAVE BEEN KIND OF MONITORING THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IN THE LAST TWO YEARS WOULD TELL YOU THAT MOST CASES, SOMEBODY WHO BOUGHT THEIR HOUSE, UH, 10, 15 YEARS AGO FOR $200,000 IS SELLING THAT HOUSE.
AND THAT'S THE ASSESSED VALUE.
AND OF COURSE, IF THEY GOT BECAME 65, THEIR ASSESSED VALUE IS EVEN LESS.
SO MAYBE THEIR, THEIR ASSESSED VALUE IS ONLY $160,000, BUT THEY JUST SOLD IT FOR $400,000.
SO THAT BECOMES THE ASSESSED VALUE ON THAT PROPERTY, AND THAT'S THE AMOUNT OF TAX THAT'S PAID ON THAT PROPERTY.
BUT THE ASSESSOR, ASSESSOR DOESN'T, HE MAKES A SNAPSHOT, HE SAYS, I THINK IN, IN 2022 THAT ASSESSED VALUE IS GONNA GO DOWN POINT OR, OR 3.89%, AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR HE SAYS, THAT'S GONNA GO DOWN 4%.
AND THAT'S HIS, THAT'S THE GUESS.
BUT YOU KNOW, AND I KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE SELLING THEIR PROPERTY AT A HIGHER COST THAN WHAT THEY THE ASSESSED VALUE IS.
SO WHAT WE ACTUALLY GET, WHAT WE ACTUALLY RECEIVE WHEN THEY PAY THEIR TAXES IS MORE, NOT LESS, BUT THE, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF THE WAY WE LOOK AT SETTING MILLAGE.
THE ASSESSOR LOOKS AT MAKING A GUESSTIMATE OF HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GONNA CHANGE FROM 6% AS, YOU KNOW, THEIR SECOND HOME TO 4%.
MAYBE THEY MOVE HERE AND MAKE IT THEIR PERMANENT HOME.
UH, THEY KIND OF MAKE A GUESS AT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GONNA TURN 65 AND GONNA GO IN AND ASK FOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
NOW, THE COUNTY DOESN'T GIVE YOU A, A, A NOTICE IN THE MAIL AND SAY, CONGRATULATIONS, YOU'RE 65.
YOU CAN ASK FOR HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
YOU HAVE TO GO IN AND ASK FOR IT.
AND IF YOU, I DIDN'T KNOW IT FOR THREE YEARS, AND I WENT BACK IN AND SAID, WAIT A MINUTE, YOU OWE ME BACK TAXES.
NO, SORRY, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET ANY REBATE.
BUT THAT'S THE PROBLEM WITH THE WAY THE COUNTY DOES.
AND AND I THINK THEY HAVE TO DO IT THAT WAY.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE WRONG.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT WE LOOK AT WHAT ACTUALLY COMES INTO THE BANK, AND IF THE VALUE OR THE MILLAGE RATE IS X, THEN THAT MEANS WE NOW KNOW THAT THAT BROUGHT IN Y NUMBER OF DOLLARS AND THAT BECOMES THE VALUE OF THE MILL.
THE COUNTY MAKES A GUESS AND SAYS, WE THINK THE VALUE OF THE MILL IS WHAT TRADITIONALLY IT'S BEEN, WHICH HAS NORMALLY BEEN A TWO, THREE, 4% GROWTH, BUT THE LAST THREE OR FOUR YEARS, IT, IT HASN'T BEEN THAT WAY, AS YOU KNOW.
SO, ANY QUESTIONS ON, UM, PAGE 11, THE DEBT LIMIT PAGE? I, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT,
UM, PARTICULARLY ON THESE LAST TWO SLIDES, I THINK ONE THING TO BE NOTED, AND WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT, UH, AS MR. MR. SMITH NOTED VERY APPROPRIATELY, THIS ENABLES US TO HELP EXPLAIN THE REAL FISCAL EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR FINANCIAL, UH, ASPECTS OF THE DISTRICT IN ADDITION TO OTHER ASPECTS.
BUT SINCE WE'RE DEALING WITH FINANCE, I'M SPEAKING ABOUT THAT.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE THIS CASH THAT WE CAN BASE IT ON, WE STILL ARE GOING BY THE GUIDELINES AND NOT ADDING ADDITIONAL RISK BY GOING AND TREATING THIS AS IF, YOU KNOW, IT'S ALREADY THERE.
WE'RE PUTTING IT AND HOLDING IT.
AND I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL MESSAGE TO TAKE FORWARD IN A, IN A, IN A FUTURE NARRATIVE THAT WILL EXPLAIN WHY THE FINANCIALS OF THIS DISTRICT ARE SO GOOD.
AND, UH, FOR THE SECOND POINT IS I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO SIT TWO THROUGH THREE, SIT THROUGH
[00:55:01]
TWO MEETINGS, UH, WITH, UM, MR. NORICK AND ATTORNEY HEISER, UH, CFO CROSBY AND COLONEL GEIER.AND SO IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A BOARD MEMBER TO DO THAT, I WOULD STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT YOU AVAIL YOURSELF OF THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO JUST WANTED TO SAY WE ARE FISCALLY VERY DISCIPLINED AND, UH, UH, THAT'S MUCH APPRECIATED.
PAGE 12 IS SIMPLY THE 8% PROGRAM, UH, STATED AGAIN, INSTEAD OF PRINCIPLED INTEREST, IT'S JUST THE PRINCIPLE COMPONENT, SO YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH IS BEING PAID OFF IN EACH YEAR.
SO NOT A WHOLE LOT ON PAGE 12
UH, SO I'M GONNA MOVE TO PAGE 13, WHICH IS THE SECOND TO THE LAST PAGE.
AND THIS IS OUR TAX YEAR 2024 DRAFT MILLAGE WORKSHEET.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT SIMILAR TO THE DEBT SERVICE PAGE IN YOUR AUDIT.
IT SHOWS THE REVENUES AND IT SHOWS THE EXPENDITURES, AND THEN IT SHOWS YOUR, UM, CASH BALANCES AT POINTS IN TIME.
SO UP TOP HIGHLIGHTED IN ORANGE IS AN ESTIMATED CASH BALANCE OR STARTING POINT AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2024.
UM, MS. CROSBY WILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE THAT NUMBER AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE COLLECTION CYCLE, AND ULTIMATELY SHE'LL GIVE US A FINAL NUMBER FOR THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING PROBABLY IN, IN THE MAY TIMEFRAME.
THE, UM, THE LOCAL SOURCES NUMBER, THE VALUE OF A MILL OF 2,000,814.
THAT, OF COURSE, WILL CONTINUE TO ADJUST AS WE, UH, GO THROUGH THE COLLECTION CYCLE.
AND WE HAVE DISCUSSIONS AND FINANCE COMMITTEE.
SO THOSE NUMBERS WILL CONTINUE TO, TO ADJUST SLIGHTLY.
THEN DOWN BELOW WE GO THROUGH 18 MONTHS WORTH OF BOND PAYMENTS.
SO WE HAVE BOND PAYMENTS THAT ARE DUE IN SEPTEMBER.
WE HAVE BOND PAYMENTS THAT ARE DUE MOSTLY IN MARCH, AND THEN WE HAVE BOND PAYMENTS THAT ARE DUE IN SEPTEMBER AGAIN.
SO OUR COLLECTION CYCLE HAS TO OUR, OUR BEGINNING BALANCE AND OUR COLLECTION CYCLE HAS TO COVER 18 MONTHS WORTH OF PAYMENTS.
AND WHEN YOU WORK THROUGH THE REVENUES OF 118.8 MILLION AND YOU WORK THROUGH THE PAYMENTS OF A, THAT ADD UP TO 113.8 MILLION, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE CASH BALANCE AS OF JUNE 30TH, 2025 IS ESTIMATED TO BE 10 MILLION, UH, $10.8 MILLION.
AND THEN WE FINE TUNE EACH YEAR THE BORROWING AMOUNT IN THE 8% PROGRAM TO HAVE THE LOW POINT, UM, AFTER THE SEPTEMBER, 2025 PAYMENTS ARE MADE OF $5 MILLION.
SO IT'S A LITTLE LESS THAN TWO MILS OF, OF A BUFFER THAT WE HAVE THERE, UM, IN HIGHLIGHTED IN GRAY AND IN BOLD, THE 2024 BEST FOR ESTIMATED, THAT IS THE 8% PROGRAM BORROWING.
SO THOSE NUMBERS WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE AS THE VARIABLES THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, CONTINUE TO CHANGE.
ULTIMATELY, WHEN WE GET TO MAY, WE WILL BRING FINAL, UM, BUDGETED NUMBERS TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, UM, FOR APPROVAL.
SO A LITTLE PREMATURE, BUT THE PROCESS DOESN'T CHANGE FROM HERE.
FOR THE PUBLIC, THERE'S TWO FUND BA WE HAVE TWO FUND BALANCES.
WE HAVE A FUND BALANCE IN OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET, AND WE HAVE A FUND BALANCE IN OUR DEBT SERVICE BUDGET.
THE SIZE OF THE FUND BALANCE IS MUCH DIFFERENT.
AND YOU MIGHT ASK, OR A CONSTITUENT MIGHT ASK, WELL, WHY DO YOU HAVE A FUND BALANCE AT ALL? AND WHAT I WOULD DO IF A CONSTITUENT ASKED HIM SAID, WELL, REMEMBER A COUPLE YEARS AGO WHEN, WHEN THE COUNTY AUDITOR AND THE, AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL HAD AN AGREEMENT OR DISAGREEMENT, I'M SORRY, AND THEY REALLY STOPPED COLLECTING FOR ABOUT THREE OR FOUR MONTHS.
WELL, WE STILL HAVE BOND PAYMENTS DO.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT THAT FIVE, THAT'S WHAT THAT $5 MILLION THAT FUND BALANCE IS FOR THAT UNFORESEEN REVENUE SHORTFALL FOR WHATEVER COMES ABOUT.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO HAVE A FUND BALANCE IN DEBT SERVICE.
BUT AGAIN, IT'S NOT AS LARGE AS OUR FUND BALANCE IS FOR OUR OPERATIONAL COSTS, BECAUSE OUR OPERATIONAL COSTS MONTH TO MONTH, OUR MUCH GREATER THAN WHAT OUR FUND BALANCE, OR I MEAN OUR DEBT SERVICE BALANCE, THAT'S, THAT'S SET IN TIME WHEN THOSE BONDS MUST BE PAID.
SO JUST SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT FUND BALANCES AND THEY'RE NOT, AND WE CAN'T SHIFT FROM ONE TO THE OTHER.
IT'S, WE HAVE DEBT SERVICE FUNDS AND WE HAVE OPERATIONAL
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FUNDS, AND THERE'S NO SHIFTING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THOSE.THE ONLY TIME THAT WE PAID OFF DEBT WAS WHEN WE HAD A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE AND WE HAD TO USE OPERATIONAL FUNDS TO DO THAT, WHICH TAKES FUNDS OUT OF THE SOUTH, THE SAME POT OF MONEY THAT PAYS TEACHERS.
THAT'S WHY WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE BECAUSE IT'S NOT PART OF THIS DEBT SERVICE PIECE THAT YOU'RE, WE'RE GETTING BRIEFED ON TODAY.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF NUMBERS HERE AND EVERYTHING, BUT JUST PUT IT IN BROAD PERSPECTIVE.
THE PUBLIC KNOWS WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN DEBT DAY.
SO ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON PAGE 13? OKAY, SO WE WILL MOVE TO THE FINAL PAGE, PAGE 14.
AND THIS IS WHERE WE JUST, UM, REINFORCE OUR FUNDING PROGRAM CORE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
SO THE FIRST IS THE FUNDING OF ANNUAL MAINTENANCE THROUGH THE 8% PROGRAM, AND IT'S TO FUND 25 MILLION PLUS ANNUALLY THROUGH THE 8%, UH, DEBT LIMITATION SUBJECT TO ONGOING AND INFLATION ADJUSTMENTS.
SO I SPOKE ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.
UH, STRUCTURE THE TERM OR REPAYMENT OF EACH BORROWING TO SUSTAIN THE PROGRAM BY PROVIDING FLEXIBILITY FOR FUTURE PROGRAM ADJUSTMENTS OR FUTURE BOARDS.
SO I'VE SHOWN THAT ON THE GRAPH EARLIER.
UM, THE FUNDING OF LARGE PROJECTS THROUGH THE REFERENDUM PROGRAM.
SO, UH, FUND LARGE PROJECTS THROUGH REFERENDUM BONDS AS APPROPRIATE AND WHEN NEEDED.
SO IN THE, IN THE PAST THERE HAVE BEEN SOME LARGE PROJECTS THAT WERE FUNDED THROUGH THE 8% PROGRAM AND IT DID CAUSE A LITTLE BIT OF A BOTTLENECK.
UM, THOSE HAVE BEEN NOW PAID OFF AND YOU'VE HAD TWO SUCCESSFUL REFERENDUMS AND, UH, YOU, UH, YOU, YOU, YOU REALLY HAVE A GREAT BALANCE BETWEEN THE TWO PROGRAMS RIGHT NOW.
UH, UH, BULLET POINT NUMBER THREE IS HAVE A STRUCTURED DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE RATE.
SO APPLY FORWARD FORECASTING AND PERIODIC ASSESSMENTS OF THE APPROPRIATE BALANCE BETWEEN THE DEBT SERVICE MILLAGE RATE, A REFRESH OF ONGOING NEEDS AND MAINTAINING APPROPRIATE DEBT LIMIT AVAILABILITY.
SO WE HAVE HONED IN ON THAT 36.3 MILS AND ESSENTIALLY WE'RE, UM, ISSUING DEBT AGAINST THAT CASHFLOW STREAM AND TRYING TO FUND AS MANY NEEDS, UM, UH, OF THE DISTRICT THAT WE CAN.
UM, MAYBE THERE'LL BE A POINT IN TIME WHERE YOU HAVE NO NEEDS
BUT, UH, 36.3 MILS IS, IS THE MILL RATE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SUSTAIN AND LIVE WITHIN.
UH, EVEN IF WE WERE TO HAVE A, UM, YOU KNOW, AN UN AN AN UNFORTUNATE SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, A HURT HURT, WE HAVE HURRICANE RISK AND THAT COULD, THAT COULD PUT SOME VOLATILITY INTO OUR PROGRAM, BUT WE CAN ABSORB THAT VOLATILITY.
SO WE, WE WANT TO BE, UM, MINDFUL OF THE NEED TO HAVE, UH, THE, THE FLEXIBILITY.
AND THEN, UH, THE LAST ITEM IS MANAGING CREDIT RATINGS.
UH, THAT REALLY KIND OF SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
WE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, MOODY'S INVESTOR SERVICE HAS THE DISTRICT RATED AS A DOUBLE A ONE STANDARD AND POORS HAS THE DISTRICT RATED AS A DOUBLE A FLAT.
WHEN WE GO TO ISSUE THE 8% PROGRAM BONDS EACH YEAR, WE ONLY GET THE MOODY'S RATING.
THERE'S REALLY NO REASON TO PAY FOR TWO SINCE IT'S SUCH A SHORT BOND.
WHEN WE ISSUE THE $50 MILLION BOND ANTICIPATION NOTE TO KICK OFF THE REFERENDUM PROGRAM, THAT WILL ALSO BE IN MOODY'S ONLY RATING.
IT'S A SHORT TERM ONE YEAR OBLIGATION.
UH, BUT WHEN WE ISSUE THE A HUNDRED PLUS MILLION DOLLAR REFERENDUM ISSUANCES IN JANUARY, WE WILL HAVE TWO RATINGS FOR LIQUIDITY PURPOSES.
THERE ARE ACCOUNTS THAT WILL OWN, LIKE, THEY'LL, THEY'LL HAVE A POLICY.
SO A, A FUND MAY HAVE A POLICY THAT SAYS WE CAN ONLY BUY BONDS THAT ARE RATED BY BOTH MOODY'S AND S AND P, THEN THE DOUBLE A CATEGORY.
SO IF WE WERE TO ISSUE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WITH A MOODY'S ONLY RATING, THEN THAT WOULD BE AN ACCOUNT THAT COULDN'T BUY OUR BONDS.
SO WHEN YOU GET TO THE LARGER AMOUNTS AND, AND MORE LONGER TERM, UH, WE GO WITH TWO RATINGS FOR LIQUIDITY PURPOSES, NOTHING AGAINST STANDARD AND POORS, BUT, UH, MOODY'S HAS YOU RATED A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
SO WE'LL USE MOODY'S FOR, UH, WHEN WE ONLY NEED ONE RATING, AND WHEN WE NEED TWO RATINGS, WE'LL USE BOTH AGENCIES.
SO, UH, ANY QUESTIONS ON PAGE 14? OKAY, SO THE ONLY OTHER PAGE THAT I HAVE IS, UH, THAT WASN'T PART OF THIS PACKET, UM, IS THE REFUNDING THAT I'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT.
AND, UH, I THINK I SAW IT, UM, AS, AS, AS AN ATTACHMENT TO THE ONLINE AGENDA.
SO, UM, YOU ALL HAVE A COPY OF THIS.
UH, MS. HEISER WILL BRING YOU A BOND RESOLUTION, UM, WHEN SHE BRINGS THE 8% PROGRAM,
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UH, BOND RESOLUTION TO THE BOARD, PROBABLY IN THE, IN THE MAY-ISH TIMEFRAME.AND, UH, WE WILL ASK FOR APPROVAL TO DO THIS REFINANCING.
AND I'M TRYING TO KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE WITH MY VISIT HERE TODAY.
SO I JUST WANNA PREP THE BOARD THAT, UH, FUTURE RESOLUTION IS COMING FOR REFUNDING.
SHOW YOU THE, THE ESTIMATED SAVINGS AMOUNTS USING TODAY'S INTEREST RATES.
AND, UH, WE'LL HAVE A SAVINGS THRESHOLD LISTED IN THE, UH, IN THE RE IN THE RESOLUTION.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PORTION OF, OF DEBT DAY.
I KNOW TANYA HAS A, A, A WRAP UP PIECE.
UM, BUT ARE THERE ANY, UH, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OF ME BEFORE I TURN OVER THE PODIUM TO MS. CROSBY? I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU AS ALWAYS.
YOU'RE VERY CLEAR AND, UM, DELIBERATE IN, IN WHAT YOU PRESENT.
SO, JUST TO SUMMARIZE EVERYTHING THROUGH, UM, EACH YEAR WE COME FORWARD, UH, AS PART OF THIS PRESENTATION WITH OEE 6.9 THROUGH SIX POINT 17, UH, DEBT ADMINISTRATION.
AND I HAVE ABOUT EIGHT POINTS, JUST A ONE PAGE SUMMARY.
UM, AND THAT IS THAT WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR SUCCESSES TODAY, AND THAT'S THE, WE'VE MAINTAINED OR AFFIRMED THEIR, OUR EXCELLENT, UH, MOODY'S INVESTOR CREDIT, UH, SERVICE CREDIT READY OF AA ONE, UH, PAID OFF THE 2016 INSTALLMENT PURCHASE REVENUE BOND.
THAT WAS, IS A WONDERFUL HELP TO US.
AND IT WILL, IT SIMPLIFIES THINGS ON THAT BOND.
UH, IT'S, IT, IT'S A, AN AREA, A VERY COMPLICATED, UH, BOND ISSUE THAT WE NOW HAVE, UH, REFINANCED.
SO WE, UM, AND, UH, SUNSET, SUNSET, THAT BOND PAID OFF, UH, AND THEN REFINANCED THE 2021 E BOND.
AGAIN, TWO UPCOMING BOND ISSUES.
SO MS. HEISER WILL BE COMING BACK WITH US, UH, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
UH, SO IN THE, WE'LL DISCUSS IT IN THE, ORIGINALLY IN THE MAY, UM, FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, AND WE'LL HAVE BOARD ACTION AROUND MAY OR JUNE.
AND SO, UM, WE'LL BE COMING FORWARD WITH THOSE COUPLE BOND RESOLUTIONS TOO.
SO I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE YOU ARE AWARE THAT WE'LL BE COMING FORWARD, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A REFINANCING, UH, AS WELL, OR REFUNDING BOND ISSUE, UH, AS WELL.
WE TALKED ABOUT THOSE TODAY, AND WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO FUTURE DISCUSSIONS ON THAT AND ANALYSIS OF, OF WHERE THOSE FUNDS DOLLARS COME FROM.
UM, AND, UH, WE, UH, WE DISCUSS THE INSURANCE THAT THE POLICY THAT REQUIRES THE 10% OF INSURED VALUE CAPACITY, ALTHOUGH WE'RE DIPPING DOWN BELOW THAT PROJECTED FOR THE, BASED ON THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT OR JUNE 30 AMOUNT BASED ON THAT ASSESSED VALUATION CHANGE.
UM, WE ARE ADDRESSING THAT WITH THE CASH BALANCE AND MAKING, UH, COMMITMENTS OF THAT, RESERVATIONS OF IT SO THAT WE MAINTAIN THIS LEVEL, UH, AND DO PROJECT TO COME BACK ABOVE IT IN THE NEXT YEAR.
UM, OUTSTANDING BOND ISSUE, UH, BONDS AS OF JUNE 30TH, WE'RE 442 MILLION, AND IT LISTS, UH, REFERENDUM INSTALLMENT PURCHASE, AND 8% DEBT NEXT YEAR.
YOU WON'T SEE THAT INSTALLMENT PURCHASE LINE ITEM SINCE WE HAVE NOW PAID THAT OFF.
UM, WE, WE, UM, WERE ABLE TO GENERATE SAVINGS OF, UM, OF RIGHT AT $3 MILLION IN THE REFINANCING OPPORTUNITIES.
SO THOSE SAVINGS ARE, UH, INTEREST EARNINGS, UM, INTEREST THAT WE WILL NOT NEED TO PAY, AND THOSE CAN BE, UM, RECYCLED BACK INTO THE PROGRAM.
AND AGAIN, WE'RE HOLDING STEADY AT THE 36.3 MILS.
WE ARE NOT INTENDING THIS YEAR IN ANY WAY TO INCREASE THAT TAX RATE ON OUR, ON OUR TAXPAYERS BILLS.
AND FINALLY, I HAVE A RECOMMENDED MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF THIS OE AS ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.
MADAM CHAIR, I MOVE TO ACCEPT OPERATIONAL EXPECTATIONS, 6.9 THROUGH 6.17 DEBT ADMINISTRATION.
ANY DISCUSSION? MR. SMITH? I'LL JUST SAY I WANTED TO THANK YOU, MRS. CLARK, BE YOU AND YOUR TEAM FOR BRINGING A, UH, SUCCESSFUL, UH, AND GREAT NEWS TO THE BOARD AND EVEN ENLIGHT US ON SOME THINGS.
AND I, UH, APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DO, AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE BACK THERE FOR ALL THAT YOU DO AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK THAT YOU DO.
ALL THOSE IN THE ROOM WHO ARE IN FAVOR OF THE, UH, MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY, AYE.
AND ONLINE GO ALPHABETICALLY, PLEASE.
I THINK WE HAVE, UH, DALLAS FIRST.
[01:10:01]
YOU.AND, UH, MR. DALLAS, HE MUST HAVE STEPPED AWAY.
SO THE MOTION CARRIES EIGHT, UH, ZERO.
THANK YOU TO, UH, OUR PRESENTERS AND MS. HEISER AND
SO WHY DON'T WE TAKE A, UM, IT'S 10 41.
HOW ABOUT A NINE MINUTE BREAK, 10 50 SO PEOPLE CAN USE THE RESTROOM OR GET A CUP OF COFFEE.
HURRICANE SEASON RUNS THROUGH NOVEMBER 30TH PREPARED FOR YOU.
HAVE AN EVACUATION PLAN AND PRACTICE IT WITH EVERYONE IN YOUR FAMILY.
HAVE A FIRST AID KIT, EMERGENCY SUPPLIES AND MEDICINES PACKED AND READY TO GO.
AND MAKE SURE TO HAVE ENOUGH TO LAST FOUR TO FIVE DAYS.
REMEMBER TO INCLUDE YOUR PETS.
DON'T LEAVE THEM BEHIND TIED UP OR LOOSE.
COUNTY ORDINANCE CONSIDERS THAT ABANDONMENT.
DOWNLOAD THE SOUTH CAROLINA HURRICANE GUIDE FROM THE BEAUFORT COUNTY WEBSITE AND SIGN UP FOR EMERGENCY ALERTS@NICKEL.COM AND BEAUFORT COUNTY SC.GOV.
HEY, PARENTS, IT'S PROM AND GRADUATION SEASON.
THINK YOU'RE DOING YOUR KIDS IN THEIR FRIENDS OF FAVOR BY HOSTING PARTIES ON YOUR PROPERTY.
THINK AGAIN, IF A PARTY HAPPENS ON YOUR PROPERTY AND YOU AREN'T HOME STILL YOUR PROBLEM.
PARENTS WHO HOST LOSE THE MOST.
WHAT DO YOU LOSE? YOUR HOME JOB, CHILDREN, REPUTATION, BUSINESS, AND YOUR MONEY.
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN FINES AND LEGAL FEES.
WHAT'S THE MESSAGE YOU'RE SENDING TO YOUR CHILDREN? OKAY, SO NEXT ON OUR AGENDA IS BUDGET UPDATE, RIGHT? UM, STILL MORNING.
UH, WE HAVE A BUDGET PRESENTATION FOR YOU TODAY.
UH, JENNIFER HAMLIN, OUR DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT, AND, UH, BUDGET IS HERE WITH US TODAY, AS WELL AS A TEAM OF PEOPLE THAT HELP ASSIST ALL OF US, UM, TO, WITH THE WORK AND DO DO MUCH OF THE WORK.
UM, SO JUST, JUST A PRELUDE TO THIS, UH, THIS IS A HIGH LEVEL, UH, CO UH, CONVERSATION TODAY.
THERE AREN'T A LOT OF DETAILS YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IN THIS.
UH, THOSE WILL COME AT OUR APRIL 26TH MEETING.
AND SO, UH, I THINK JENNIFER WILL, WILL REINFORCE THAT AS WELL.
UM, BUT WE, THIS IS MORE PROCESS WHERE WE ARE, WHAT INFORMATION WE'VE RECEIVED SO FAR AND, AND WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS.
SO I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO JENNIFER HAMLIN.
THANK YOU, MS. CROSBY AND THANK YOU BOARD.
UM, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE THIS MORNING TO SHARE WITH YOU OUR INITIAL, UH, UPDATE ON OUR FY 25 BUDGET.
UM, AND THE PROCESS, UH, JUST SO YOU KNOW, THIS, UH, SLIDE HERE SHOWS KIND OF AN A SUMMARY OF HOW WE WORK IN THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, AND THE ITEMS THAT ARE CHECKLIST ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED.
SO WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF, UM, OF THE INITIAL WORK AND NOW COMES THE HARD WORK WHERE WE'RE LOOKING THROUGH THE DETAILS AND DOING A LOT OF EVALUATION, A LOT OF, UM, CONVERSATIONS AS FAR AS, UH, JUSTIFICATIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UM, WE STILL HAVE YET TO GO, UH, FULLY IMPLEMENTING AND PRESENTING THE INITIAL BUDGET, UM, AS WELL AS, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES, UH, RELATED TO OUR COLLECTIONS, OUR REVENUE COLLECTIONS, AND HOW OUR, UM, REVENUES WILL BE COMING IN.
UM, JUST SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UH, AND WORKED, UH, ALONGSIDE COMMUNICATIONS AND, UM, OTHER DISTRICT DEPARTMENTS TO GET A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BUDGET ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK.
UM, I FEEL LIKE, AND I THINK THIS HAS BEEN THE STORY ALL ALONG, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HEAR AS MANY VOICES AS POSSIBLE IN ORDER TO KNOW WHERE WE, UM, WHERE WE NEED TO GO, LEARN FROM WHERE WE'VE BEEN, AND, UH, TAKE THOSE THINGS FORWARD.
SO THUS FAR IN THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE HAVE COMPLETED A BUDGET SURVEY, WHICH GIVES US FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS, STAFF IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WE DID A PRINCIPAL SURVEY THAT ALLOWED US TO GET INPUT FROM SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION, UH, REGARDING, UH, WHAT, UH, BUDGETARY NEEDS THEY SEE WHAT THINGS ARE WORKING, WHAT THINGS ARE NOT.
UM, WE HAVE STUDENT ADVISORY MEETING, UH, SCHEDULED FOR THE FIRST OF NEXT MONTH, UH, THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL LEAD, UM, WITH A GROUP OF STUDENT LEADERS
[01:15:01]
TO ALLOW THEM TO HAVE INPUT, DIRECT INPUT TO THE BUDGET.UM, WE HAVE HAD MEETINGS WITH SCHOOLS, WE'VE HAD MEETINGS WITH DEPARTMENTS, AND OF COURSE, WE'VE WORKED WITH YOU ALL IN DEVELOPING YOUR BUDGET PRIORITIES FOR THIS NEXT, UM, FISCAL YEAR BUDGET
UM, ONE THING THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMMUNICATING IS OUR FINANCIAL STRATEGIES.
UH, AND IT'S CRITICAL FOR, UH, THE PUBLIC AND THE BOARD AND ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS TO KNOW THAT WE DON'T COME AT THIS LIGHTLY.
WE DO HAVE A STRATEGY BEHIND HOW WE DEVELOP THE BUDGET.
UM, OUR, OUR STRATEGIES INCLUDE PRIORITIZING EXPENDITURES TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MAXIMIZING ACADEMIC OUTCOMES.
WE ALSO CALCULATE AND CONFIRM THAT WE HAVE REVENUES TO SUPPORT THOSE EXPENDITURES.
WE HAVE TO PREPARE A BALANCED BUDGET, WHICH MEANS THAT WE HAVE, OUR EXPENDITURES HAVE TO EQUAL OUR REVENUES.
AND THAT AS A POLICY OF THE BOARD, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, A FINANCIAL STRATEGY TO MAINTAIN A FUND BALANCE THAT IS SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT OUR NEEDS PRIOR TO, UH, THE BULK OF OUR TAX COLLECTIONS AND ALLEVIATE THE NEED FOR OUR TAX ANTICIPATION NOTICE NOTE, UH, A TAN.
AND, AND THEN WE ALSO WANT TO MAXIMIZE, UH, MINIMIZE THE FINANCIAL IMPACT ON OUR BEAVER COUNTY TAXPAYERS.
SO WE TAKE ALL THOSE THINGS VERY SERIOUSLY AS WE'RE PUTTING THIS BUDGET TOGETHER.
A COUPLE THINGS THAT, UM, IS WE, WE DEAL WITH EVERY YEAR THAT WE DON'T OFTEN BRING FORWARD ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF SOUTH CAROLINA LAW AND IN OUR ABILITY TO DEVELOP OUR BUDGET.
SO TIMING IS, UM, OFTENTIMES IT FEELS LIKE INFORMATION DOESN'T COME QUICK ENOUGH, BUT A LOT OF TIMES WE ARE KIND OF HELD, UM, CAPTIVE BY A LOT OF THE INFORMATION THAT COMES FROM SOUTH CAROLINA LAW.
AND WHAT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT, UH, THOSE LAWS, UM, AS YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE SECTION SIX DASH ONE DASH THREE 20, THAT IS HOW WE CALCULATE OUR AVAILABLE MILLAGE TO BE ABLE TO, UM, TO PUT INTO OUR BUDGET THE, THE AVAILABILITY OF THE MILLAGE THAT WE HAVE.
UM, THAT IS CAPPED BY ACT 3 88.
THAT MILLAGE IS BUILT OFF OF A CONSUMER PRICE INDEX PLUS, UH, CENSUS GROWTH.
THOSE NUMBERS ARE ALL GIVEN TO US FROM EXTERNAL SOURCES, AND WE ARE, WE ARE JUST HELD HOSTAGE, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, UNTIL THOSE NUMBERS ARE RELEASED.
THOSE ARE TYPICALLY NOT RELEASED UNTIL SOMETIME IN APRIL.
SO THAT COMPONENT OF OUR AB ABILITY TO CALCULATE OUR LOCAL REVENUE IS BASED OFF OF WHAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN MILLAGE TO EVEN GO TO THE BOARD, UH, TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL FOR, AND THEN OUR, ON OUR HOUSE BILL APPROPRIATION, GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL HOUSE THIS YEAR, IT'S HOUSE BILL H 5,100, THAT IS THE STATE APPROPRIATIONS BILL TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, WHICH IN TURN COMES DOWN TO US IN OUR APPROPRIATION FROM THE, FROM THE HOUSE.
UM, AND THE NEXT SLIDE'S GONNA EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER ABOUT HOW THAT PROCESS WORKS.
SO THIS SLIDE TELLS YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THE HOUSE, I MEAN, THE STATE BUDGET PROCESS WORKS.
AND THE REASON THIS INFORMATION IS VALUABLE IS BECAUSE EVERY STAY, EVERY STEP IN THIS PROCESS IMPACTS US DIRECTLY.
UM, WHERE THE STAR IS, IS WHERE OUR, THE STATE BUDGET IS CURRENTLY SITTING.
SO JUST FOR SOME EDUCATION, AND I WAS, I LEARNED THIS, I JUST WENT THROUGH A, A CERTIFICATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WHATEVER HOUSE STARTS, A BILL GETS A SECOND LOOK AT THAT BILL BEFORE IT IS SIGNED INTO, INTO LAW OR PROVISO.
SO HOUSE APPROPRIATION BILL STARTS WITH AN H, IT BEGINS IN THE HOUSE.
SO THE HOUSE STARTS THE BILL BASED ON WHAT THE GOVERNOR AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PROVIDE.
THEY SEND IT TO THEIR HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE, THAT THAT COMMITTEE THEN DELIBERATES THOSE, THE BILLS AND COMES UP WITH A BUDGET HOUSE, WAYS AND MEANS, THEN SENDS IT TO THE FULL HOUSE.
THE FULL HOUSE, THEN DELIBERATES THAT BUDGET, AND THEN THEY SEND THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE, SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE DELIBERATES.
THEY SEND IT TO THE FULL SENATE, THE FULL SENATE DELIBERATES.
AND IF THEY CAN'T COME TO AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN WHAT THE HOUSE IS APPROVED AND WHAT THE SENATE HAS APPROVED, THEN IT GOES INTO CONFERENCE COMMITTEE, WHICH USUALLY HAPPENS.
AND THAT IS A, IS A COMBINATION OF BOTH HOUSE AND SENATE REPRESENTATIVES.
THEY COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION THAT IS SENT BACK TO THE HOUSE, AND THE HOUSE GETS A SECOND CHANCE TO DELIBERATE.
[01:20:01]
WHEN IT GOES BACK TO THE HOUSE, THAT'S USUALLY LATE IN THE PROCESS, LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.AND AT THAT POINT, THE HOUSE HAS NEW BOARD OF ECONOMICS NUMBERS AS FAR AS WHAT'S AVAILABLE.
SO THEY OFTENTIMES WILL ABLE TO ADD TO THE BUDGET IF NECESSARY AT THAT POINT, WITHOUT SENATE APPROVAL.
UM, ONCE THAT, THAT SECOND LOOK HAPPENS, THEN IT GOES TO THE GOVERNOR.
THE GOVERNOR THEN HAS A CERTAIN NUMBER OF DAYS TO VETO LINE ITEMS, AND, UM, THEN HE WILL SIGN THE HOUSE APPROPRIATION.
THIS PROCESS TAKES THE FULL LEGISLATIVE TIMEFRAME, WHICH IS RIGHT IN THE HEART OF WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO DETERMINE WHAT OUR STATE REVENUES ARE GONNA BE, HOW ARE WE GONNA CALCULATE OUR LOCAL MILLET SO WE CAN BUILD AN EXPENDITURE BUDGET AND KNOW WHAT WE NEED IN EXPENSES.
BUT THIS, THIS PROCESS DEFINITELY IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT REVENUES WE EXPECT TO COME IN.
SO I, THAT'S MY PORTION OF THE PRESENTATION.
DOES, UM, UH, TANYA'S GONNA COME UP AND, UH, FINISH OUR PRESENTATION AND DISCUSS REVENUES AND FUND BALANCE, BUT DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING, UH, MY PORTION WAS JUST INFORMATION GENERAL INFORMATION
TALK CLOSER TO THE MICROPHONE, PLEASE.
DOES THE SIC HAVE ANY INPUT WITH THE, WITH THE PRINCIPAL AT THE SCHOOL ON THE BUDGET? I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST THEY DID.
THEY USED TO, WE, WE HAVE NOT SCHEDULED A MEETING WITH, UH, SIC THIS YEAR.
I THINK, UH, THERE WAS A CONFLICT WITH THE DATE, UM, THIS YEAR, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND, BUT I THINK, UH, I THINK TO YOUR QUESTION, SICS, UH, UH, PRINCIPALS REVIEW WITH SICS WHAT THEIR, UH, YOU KNOW, CURRENT, FOR EXAMPLE, WHAT THEIR ALLOCATIONS ARE AND ALL THOSE THAT ARE COMPONENTS OF THE BUDGET, RIGHT? SO THEY, THEY REVIEW WITH THEM, UH, IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING TO DO, IF THEY ARE ANY CHANGES, HOW ANY OF THAT IMPACTS THEM, UH, AND THEY HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SICS ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF INPUT, UH, THROUGH, UH, THE BUDGET FORUMS THAT, THAT WE WILL HOLD, UH, THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO A, ATTEND OR, OR B UH, THROUGH AN ONLINE COMPONENT.
YEAH, JUST TO, JUST TO, UH, ADD TO THAT, OUR BUDGETS THAT GO OUT TO SCHOOLS HAVE TO HAVE THE SSC CHAIR'S SIGNATURE ON THEM BEFORE WE WILL ACCEPT THEM AS AN APPROVED BUDGET.
UM, SO ON THE REVENUES, UH, WHAT WE SEE, UM, TYPICALLY, UH, IN OUR REVENUE SOURCES IS THAT LOCAL TAX REVENUE MAKES UP ABOUT 62% OF OUR TOTAL REVENUE SOURCE.
UM, STATE REVENUE IS ABOUT 37, AND FEDERAL REVENUE IS 1.2%, FEDERAL OR OTHER.
UM, AND SO AT OVER TIME, THIS LOCAL REVENUE SOURCE HAS TYPICALLY GROWN AS BUFORT.
UM, UH, THE INDEX OF TAX PAYING ABILITY THAT IS USED TO CALCULATE STATE REVENUE TYPICALLY RISES.
AND SO THAT MEANS THAT INDEX OF TAX PAYING ABILITY MEANS THE LOCAL ABILITY TO FUND MORE.
AND SO THEREFORE, TYPICALLY THE STATE REVENUE DECLINES.
UM, SO THAT HAS BEEN THE TREND THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER MANY YEARS.
UM, BUT THE, UH, SO THE NEXT SLIDE IS SPECIFICALLY LOCAL TAX REVENUE.
SO THIS IS, THESE ARE TAX REVENUE, LOCAL TAX REVENUES THAT WE HAVE, WE RECEIVE EACH MONTH FROM THE COUNTY TREASURER'S OFFICE.
SO THESE ARE ACTUAL DOLLARS IN OUR BANK ACCOUNT.
UM, SO AS YOU SEE ON, I HAVE, UH, IN THE LEFT HAND COLUMN, UH, 2024, WE HAVE RECEIVED, UH, $192.3 MILLION.
AND THAT IS 98.1% OF THE BUDGET THAT WE HAVE, UH, UM, THAT WE HAVE MADE AND APPROVED, UH, IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
SO WE ARE AT A VERY STRONG, HEALTHY AMOUNT THERE.
AND, UH, DO ANTICIPATE RECEIVING, UH, A HUNDRED PERCENT OF OR MORE OF THE, OF THE TOTAL BUDGETED AMOUNTS.
SO WE DO STILL HAVE, SEE THESE AMOUNTS ARE THROUGH JANUARY 31ST.
UH, WE DO HAVE, UM, A FEW MONTHS TO GO.
AND THEN THERE ARE SOME, UH, DELINQUENT TAX COLLECTIONS IN THE MONTHS OF JULY AND AUGUST THAT ARE THEN ACCRUED BACK AS WELL.
UM, YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE A COMPARISON HERE TO LAST YEAR, 2023, UH, WHERE WE WERE AT 95.9 OR 96%
[01:25:01]
COLLECTIONS AT THIS POINT, OR REVENUES RECEIVED AS A PERCENTAGE OF OUR BUDGET AT THIS POINT.UH, AND THEN, AND THIS IS, THE GROWTH IS TYPICALLY DUE TO ONE REASSESSMENT AND THE MASSIVE GROWTH THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING IN THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF PROPERTY VALUES.
SO, UH, I ALSO COMPARED IT TO 2019, WHICH WAS THE LAST REASSESSMENT YEAR.
AND, UH, WE CO WE HAD RECEIVED 87% OF THE REVENUES AT THAT POINT DURING THE YEAR.
SO, UM, MS. HAMLIN MENTIONED THE, UH, STATE REVENUES, THE STATE REVENUES, UH, DURING THE PROCESS IN THEIR ALL THE STEPS OF THE PROCESS.
SEVERAL, UH, WE RECEIVE AT LEAST THREE PROJECTIONS DURING THE YEAR, AND THEN A FINAL OF WHAT WE WILL RECEIVE IN STATE REVENUE.
I'M SORRY FOR THAT, BUT, UH, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAD THE INFORMATION.
UM, AND OVERALL, IT DOES SHOW THAT BUFORT WOULD RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL THREE, UH, $11.4 MILLION OF REVENUE THIS COMING BUDGET YEAR.
SO, UH, WE'RE LOOKING BACK AT LOCAL REVENUES FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, AND WE USE THAT AS PROJECTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR.
BUT, UH, THESE STATE PROJECTIONS COME AT EACH STAGE OF THE PROCESS.
SO THIS IS THE HOUSE WEIGHS AND MEANS VERSION.
UH, WE DO NOT HAVE A FULL HOUSE VERSION YET.
UM, UH, THEY MIGHT WAIT UNTIL, UH, BUT WE DO TYPICALLY GET A SENATE FINANCE VERSION.
AND THEN A FINAL, SO JUST TO NOTE, THERE ARE THREE OF THE FIVE CATEGORIES OF FUNDING ON STATE REVENUE.
THOSE CODES, THREE OF THE FIVE ARE NOT IN THE GENERAL FUND.
SO READING COACHES CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION.
SO THE FIRST, THE THIRD AND THE FIFTH ITEM, STATE AIDED CLASSROOMS, EIA, THOSE THREE ARE IN OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS THAT ARE RESTRICTED IN SOME WAY.
SO THE RETIREE INSURANCE AND STATE AID CLASSROOMS ARE, HAVE A DIRECT EFFECT ON THE GENERAL FUND.
SO THOSE AMOUNT TO, UH, 722009.3 MILLION, SO ABOUT $10 MILLION OF THE 11.4 IS DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED TO THE GENERAL FUND.
WE ARE INCORPORATING THESE PROJECTIONS INTO OUR BUDGET.
UH, ALONG WITH OTHER, THERE'S ANOTHER, UH, STATE REVENUE, WHICH IS THE TIER THREE OR LOCAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
BASICALLY IT WAS THE SALES TAX WHEN THEY ACT 3 88 WAS ENACTED.
AND THE PRIMARY RESIDENCE TAX REMOVED, WE HAVE ANOTHER $50 MILLION IN STATE REVENUE THERE, WHICH INCREASED, UH, THAT AS A SOURCE AS WELL.
THAT DOESN'T COME ON THIS PROJECTION.
UH, AND WE RECEIVING ADDITIONAL 2 MILLION THERE AS WELL.
SO AGAIN, WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE FROM TERMS OF LOCAL, UH, BECAUSE OUR, BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH IN THE COUNTY, AND WE RECEIVED ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDS AS WELL.
UH, PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE THAT THIS YEAR, UH, THIS COMING YEAR AS A PROJECTION.
AND I'LL, I'LL, I'LL TALK, KIND OF SUMMARIZE MY THOUGHTS ON THAT AT THE END.
SHOULD I PAUSE? AND DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH, I HAVE A QUESTION OF WHAT YOU JUST COMMENTED.
SO THE, YOU KNOW, ONE, THREE, AND FIVE, THEY'RE NOT ON THE OPERATIONAL SIDE.
AND, UM, MOST OF THOSE, OKAY, SO ONE, THE FIRST ITEM IS READING COACHES, READING STATE READING COACHES.
WE ARE REQUIRED, UM, TO HAVE STATE READING COACHES AT ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
UH, WE RECEIVE ABOUT 45% OF THE FUNDING OF EACH OF THOSE POSITIONS.
SO THE DISTRICT TAKE TAKES ON, I BELIEVE IT'S ABOUT TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS OF FUNDING FOR THE 55% THAT WE DO NOT GET STATE FUNDING ON.
SO WE ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A STATE READING COACH, AND THE, THEIR JOB DESCRIPTION IS VERY SPECIFIC AS TO WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.
AND WE'RE FUNDING MORE THAN HALF OF IT.
WE ARE FUNDING 55% OF IT, YES.
UM, THE SECOND ITEM IS CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION.
THOSE ARE VERY RESTRICTED FUNDS.
MS. GILBERT MANAGES THOSE IN OUR CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION OFFICE, UH, USED PRIMARILY FOR CONSUMABLES.
UM, SO FOR THE CULINARY, IT WOULD BE, MIGHT BE FOOD OR EQUIPMENT.
UH, IT MIGHT BE STEEL FOR THE WELDING OFFICE.
UH, IT MIGHT BE WELDING, UH, GARMENTS, UH, MASKS, HOODS, UH, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, BUT IT'S, IT IS, IT'S ABOUT, UM, IT ACTUALLY HAS A REDUCTION HERE.
SO WE'LL DIG INTO WHAT THE DIFFERENCES ARE THERE AND SEE HOW THE AL WHY THE ALLOCATION HAS CHANGED SO SIGNIFICANTLY THERE.
UM, THEY ALSO HAVE PERKINS, FEDERAL PERKINS FUNDS THAT AREN'T INCLUDED HERE, BUT THAT IS ANOTHER FUNDING SOURCE IN THE CTE WORLD.
UH, THE STATE AIDED CLASSROOMS, EIA IS ANOTHER SOURCE THAT IS ALSO HAS, UH,
[01:30:01]
BASICALLY I WOULD SAY 95% OF THE FUNDING SOURCE HAS FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES IN THEM.UM, AND SO A, A VARIETY OF, UH, UH, ANCILLARY POSITIONS.
TYPICALLY, WE WOULD NOT PUT A A, A CLASSROOM TEACHER IN THESE ALLOCATIONS.
THOSE WOULD STAY IN THE MAIN GENERAL FUND, BUT THESE WOULD BE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT POSITIONS THAT, UM, PERHAPS, UH, NURSING OR OTHER AREAS WOULD GO ON THAT.
SO, UM, IT IS PRETTY FULLY ALLOCATED AT THIS TIME, UH, WITH FULL-TIME STAFF.
SO, UH, I'M MOVING ON TO FUND BALANCE.
UM, SO WE WANTED TO SORT OF REITERATE, FUND BALANCE IS A HOT TOPIC IN THE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR.
SO WE REALLY WANTED TO, UH, HONE IN ON THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
UM, AND JUST SORT OF A QUICK DEFINITION, UH, FUND BALANCE IS AN ACCUMULATION OF OPERATING SURPLUSES AND DEFICITS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE DISTRICT'S, UH, EXISTENCE.
SO IT'S NOT CASH PER SE, BECAUSE IT COULD BE, UH, THEY COULD BE ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE MONEY YOU'RE EXPECTING TO COME IN, OR MONEY YOU'RE EXPECTING TO PAY OUT, OR YOU HAVE PREPAID, SOME EXPENSE FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR OF TRAVEL, A TRIP, UH, CONFERENCE THAT MAY OCCUR IN JULY.
OR, UH, A PROGRAM, A SOFTWARE PROGRAM THAT WE MAY INITIATE IN THE NEW YEAR SORT OF THING.
SO IT IS ACCUMULATION, NOT NECESSARILY CASH.
UM, BUT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT CONCEPT, UH, TO, UH, GRASP.
AND THAT IT IS A SIGN OF STRONG FI FISCAL MANAGEMENT.
AND WE SEE THAT IN, IN BOND RATING CALLS.
WE SEE THAT, UH, IN MANY ASPECTS.
IF, IF WE WERE TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY, UH, PARTICULARLY IN COASTAL COUNTIES, IT IS CRITICAL TO HAVE A FUND BALANCE THAT IS SUFFICIENT TO COVER SOME, SOME OF THE COSTS OR MITIGATE SOME OF THE COSTS OF, OF AN EMERGENCY.
UM, SO IF, IF WE WERE TO HAVE AN, A WEATHER EVENT, UH, THE COUNTY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE, WOULD, WOULD DO CLEARING OF ROADS AND BRIDGES, UM, AND WOULD HAS BEEN, UH, GRACIOUSLY, UH, ASSISTING US IN WHEN WE HAVE HAD MAJOR EVENTS IN THE PAST, HURRICANE MATTHEW AND THOSE ON.
BUT IF A TREE IS ON A BUILDING, A SCHOOL BUILDING, OR UH, A PLAYGROUND, THOSE ARE OUR RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND SO, IN THE INTERIM TIME WHERE WE COULD, IF WE HAD MAJOR, UH, NEEDS, UH, ACROSS, UH, FLOODING, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, WE WOULD HAVE FUNDS IN RESERVE UNTIL WE WERE ABLE TO ISSUE ANY BONDS TO THAT MAY BE NEEDED TO SUPPORT ANY MAJOR, UH, REPAIRS THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE MADE.
SO, UM, I PROVIDED A HANDOUT TO YOU AND, UM, THAT IS, IT SAYS CSBO AT THE TOP.
CSBO IS THE SOUTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL BUSINESS OFFICIALS.
I BELIEVE IT'S ONLINE AND IN YOUR PACKETS.
UM, THIS IS A DOCUMENT, UH, I, THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT I'M A MEMBER OF.
I GO TWICE A YEAR TO GET UPDATES.
AND THIS IS A ORGANIZATION OF MY COLLEAGUES.
IT IS THE, ALL THE CFOS OR MANY OF THE CFOS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE AND, AND OTHER BUSINESS OFFICIALS.
AND IT'S A NETWORK, A TIGHT NETWORK OF PEOPLE WHERE WE SHARE INFORMATION.
ONE OF THE MEMBERS, UH, A VERY, UH, SENIOR MEMBER OF THE ORGANIZATION DEVELOP THIS.
SO THERE MAY BE SLIGHT MATTERS OF OPINION, PERHAPS, UH, LIKE THE BA THE, THE END, UH, THE VERY LAST THING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LAST STATEMENT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DOCUMENT.
BUT IT REALLY TALKS ABOUT THE, WHAT THE IMPORTANCE OF A FUND, BALANCE, FISCAL STABILITY, UM, MEETING CRITICAL NEEDS AND AVOIDING DISRUPTIONS IN EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, CASH FLOWS.
UH, WE, YOU, AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT MANY TIMES WHEN WE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE OR TAN, UH, WE NEED CASH FLOWS, PARTICULARLY IN THE FALL, THE OCTOBER, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER TIMEFRAME IN ORDER TO MEET OUR NEEDS OF OUR, UM, OUR PAYROLL AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT, UH, FOLKS ARE, HAVE CONSISTENCY IN PAY DURING TIMES OF THE LEAST AMOUNT OF CASH FLOW AND ANTICIPATION OF, UH, THE TAX REVENUES BEING GENERATED, UH, COLLECTED IN, UH, DECEMBER AND JANUARY.
AND THEN BOND RATING EVERY TIME WE HAVE A BOND RATING CALL.
AND MR. NERRICK TALKED ABOUT BOND RATING CALL, WE'LL BE HAVING A FEW COMING UP, PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IN FOR THE JANUARY BOND ISSUE.
UM, IT IS ALWAYS A PART OF A POINT OF DISCUSSION IN THAT, AND OUR FUND BALANCE HAS BEEN IMPROVING.
SO THAT IS A, THAT IS FAVORABLE FOR OUR DISTRICT.
UM, AND SO THAT IS A, A PIECE THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAINTAIN
[01:35:01]
IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO AFFIRM THE AA ONE RATING, STABILITY IN OPERATIONS.WE CAN ADDRESS UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES AND WE CAN ADDRESS, UM, CAPITAL PROJECTS IF NEEDED THROUGH THOSE FUNDS.
THEY COULD BE TRANSFERRED INTO THE CAPITAL PROJECTS FUNDS IF, IF NEEDED, OR IF BOARD APPROVED.
UM, AND SO, AND ALL OF THESE, UH, THERE IS A-G-F-O-A IS OUR GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION.
IT'S A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT, UH, CFOS OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS, UH, LEND TO FOR, OR LEAN ON FOR BEST PRACTICES.
SO WE USE THIS AS OUR GUIDE FOR MANY OF THE PRACTICES THAT WE HAVE AND POLICIES THAT WE HAVE IN, IN FINANCIAL MATTERS.
AND IT STATES THAT YOU SHOULD KEEP AT LEAST A MINIMUM OF TWO MONTHS OF OPERATIONS IN THAT FUND BALANCE.
SO I THINK WE, WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THAT IN FINANCE COMMITTEE, AND THERE MAY BE, THERE WILL BE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS, I THINK, REGARDING A POLICY AND POSSIBLE AMENDMENT OF THAT TO, UH, ALIGN WITH THIS POLICY.
SO JUST, THIS IS A GOOD HANDOUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS OR, UH, THIS, UH, OR, OR LEGISLATIVE, UH, MEMBERS THAT, UH, ARE INTERESTED IN THAT FOR OUR DISTRICT AND HOW THAT IMPORTANCE OF THAT IS CRITICAL TO OUR FINANCIAL OPERATIONS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO, UH, THAT KIND OF SUMMARIZES THE, THE NEXT SLIDE ON SLIDE 13, UH, SORT OF GIVES YOU A, A VISUAL DEPICTION OF THE SAME EXACT, UH, LANGUAGE THAT'S IN THIS DOCUMENT.
SO THAT'S WHY, UH, THOSE ARE THE REASONS WHY INADEQUATE FUND BALANCE IS SO IMPORTANT.
ANY ANY QUESTIONS ON THE FUND BALANCE? I'LL JUST PAUSE THERE.
I HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I, BUT I HAVE A COMMENT.
WHEN I CAME ON THE BOARD FIVE, UH, AND A HALF YEARS AGO, UH, WE HAD A VERY LOW FUND BALANCE.
AND IN THE TIME THAT'S PASSED SINCE THEN, WE HAVE BEEN OPERATING WITH A SURPLUS EVERY YEAR.
AND THAT ADDED TO THE FUND BALANCE.
AND FINALLY, LAST YEAR OR THIS YEAR, AS WE GO IN, WE HAVE OUR FUND BALANCE SO THAT WE DO NOT NEED A TAX ANTICIPATION NOTE.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THAT, WHAT DO WE DO IF WE HAVE SURPLUSES? OKAY, WELL, I HAD TO DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE, UH, FOR MANY YEARS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHERE WE DIDN'T HAVE FUND BALANCE.
WE HAD A BUDGET AND YOU HAD TO SPEND IT.
AND IF YOU DIDN'T SPEND IT, YOU LOST IT.
SO THERE WAS NEVER ANY CARRYOVER.
SO THAT IS A, A TIGHT ROPE THAT YOU WALK.
AND LAST YEAR, ACTUALLY WE DID NOT HAVE A SURPLUS, ACTUALLY, WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA BE, UH, HAVE A, A SMALL SURPLUS, BUT WE HAD A VERY LAST MINUTE, UH, EXPENSE THAT CAME IN THAT WAS NOT ANTICIPATED, AND WE HAD TO PAY IT.
AND SO WE ACTUALLY HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A DEFICIT, NOT, I THINK IT WAS LIKE 20,000, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, IT WAS A LEASE, UH, JOURNAL ENTRY THAT WAS MADE, RIGHT? NOT A, NOT PARTICULARLY A PAYMENT, IT WAS A NON-CASH ENTRY THAT WAS MADE FROM THE AUDITORS OF, AND THE, UH, IT WAS NINE MIL, $9,000, $9,000.
SO TECHNICALLY WE DIDN'T MAKE OUR BUDGET BY $9,000, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS BUDGET, THAT'S PEANUTS.
WHAT I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET CYCLE AND DEVELOPMENT THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT, 'CAUSE WHAT WAY I HANDLED IT.
I HAD A, I HAD A RESERVE FUND, IT WAS MINE.
AND I DIDN'T LET IT GO TO ANYBODY UNTIL ABOUT THE LAST WEEK.
AND I HAD A LIST OF THINGS I CALLED THEM UNFINANCE REQUIREMENTS THAT I KIND OF KEPT TRACK OF THAT I KNEW I COULD HAVE EXPENDED IN THE LAST WEEK.
YOU, YOU HAVE TO HAVE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING READY TO GO SO THAT YOU PAY THE BILL.
SO I, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU GIVE A SUPERINTENDENT OR WHOEVER HE DE DESIGNATES, I'M NOT GONNA SAY HOW TO DO IT, BUT YOU HAVE A RESERVE FUND TO ALLOW FOR THAT KIND OF A THING THAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR TO BE PAID FOR, OKAY.
AND, AND HAVE A WAY OF SPENDING
[01:40:01]
IT BECAUSE WE, WE HAVE A FUND BALANCE ABOUT WHERE WE WANT IT TO GO.WE DON'T WANT IT TO GO ANYMORE.
SO WE HAVE TO MANAGE IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST.
SO, AND THAT'S MY RECOMMENDATION.
I'VE, I'VE MENTIONED THIS IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, BUT I WANTED TO MENTION IT WITH THE FULL BOARD, UH, AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY ISSUE WITH THE FULL BOARD OR IF, UH, MS. CROSBY, IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
UM, THE ONLY THING I I WOULD MENTION IS THAT, UH, LAST YEAR WE, WE SPENT EVERY DIME OF THE 3 290 $8 MILLION BUDGET.
WE ARE PROJECTED TO SPEND EVERY DIME OF THIS ONE.
UM, SO ANY EXCESS THAT WE MAY HAVE WOULD BE IN THE FORM OF REVENUE, WHICH WE DO NOT HAVE AUTHORITY TO SPEND AT THIS POINT.
SO IF THERE IS ANY ADDITIONAL REVENUES SOURCES THAT WOULD BE ALLOWABLE TO SPEND, WE WOULD BE REQUIRED AND, AND OBLIGATED TO COME FORWARD TO THE BOARD FOR ANY ADDITIONAL AMENDMENT OF THAT TOTAL BUDGET AMOUNT.
SO WE'LL CERTAINLY, UM, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE FULLY VETTED THAT WE, WE DO NEED SOME MORE TIME BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT, UH, REFUNDS OR REBATES OR WILL HAPPEN AS THE APPEALS PROCESSES GO THROUGH.
UM, BUT IT, THERE COULD BE A POSSIBILITY THAT WE COULD COME BACK BEFORE YOU IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS FOR OUR CONVERSATION.
UM, SO WE'LL MOVE ON TO SLIDE 14.
SO EACH YEAR, UH, WE HAVE BASICALLY THE SAME CHALLENGES, BUT INFLATION SEEMS TO BE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE AT THIS POINT.
UM, ALTHOUGH, UM, WE CONSTANTLY LOOK AT THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX, UM, MS. PHILLIPS AND OUR, ON MY STAFF KEEPS RE VERY MUCH IN TUNE WITH INFLATION ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND CONSTANTLY UPDATES ME ON, REGULARLY UPDATES ME ON INFLATIONARY PRESSURES AND DISCUSSIONS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
UH, AND ANY INTEREST RATE CHANGES, UH, FROM THE FEDERAL RESERVE MEETINGS AS WELL.
SO INFLATION IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
OUR COSTS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY, UH, AND THEY'RE INCREASING.
UM, AND ANY LONG-TERM, UH, CONTRACTS THAT WE'VE HAD, SAY FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS OR FOUR YEARS OR FIVE YEARS, WHEN IF, WHEN WE'RE GOING OUT FOR BID, WE'RE SEEING MAJOR INCREASES IN THOSE BUDGETS, LABOR COSTS HAVE GONE UP, SUPPLY COSTS HAVE GONE UP AND SO ON.
SO THAT IS PROBABLY, I WOULD SAY ONE OF OUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
UM, IF WE ARE GOING OUT FOR, FOR VARIOUS AREAS THAT YOU'RE GONNA SEE SPECIFICALLY LARGE INCREASES, AND WE'LL COME BACK WITH THE DETAILS OF THOSE IN OUR NEXT MEETING.
UM, SUPPLY CHAIN DELAYS, WE CON CONTINUE TO SEE SUPPLY CHAIN DELAYS.
I THINK WE'RE SEEING IT IN THE FORM OF BUSES.
UH, AS, AS A VERY LENGTHY EXAMPLE, UH, IT IS, UH, VERY DIFFICULT.
IT IS TAKING A VERY LONG LEAD TIME TO GET BUSES, ANYTHING WITH REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT, UM, IT SEEMS AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.
WE ARE HAVING TO PLAN VERY FAR IN ADVANCE SIX TO 12 MONTHS IN ADVANCE IN ORDER TO GET THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, UM, THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO CONSIDER DEPENDING ON THE TYPE PEAK OF FUNDS YOU HAVE.
GENERAL FUND HAS TO BE SPENT BY JUNE 30TH.
CAPITAL PROJECTS, FUNDS CAN ROLL OVER FROM YEAR TO YEAR.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE, A LIMITATION THAT WE HAVE TO, UH, WORK WITH EACH DAY.
AND UNFUNDED AND UNDERFUNDED MANDATES, UH, PAID PARENTAL LEAVE IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THAT.
WE ARE GONNA HAVE A GOOD, UH, AN INCREASE IN OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR FOR PAID PARENTAL LEAVE.
IT WAS A STATE MANDATE WITH NO FUNDING FROM LAST YEAR'S LEGISLATION.
WE HAVE PROVIDED INFORMATION OF WHAT WE PAID, UH, AND WHAT WE PREDICT TO PAY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR.
BUT I HAVE SEEN NO LEGISLATION TO FUND PAID PARENTAL LEAVE THIS YEAR.
BUT AGAIN, THERE IS ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING THAT WE CAN HELP TO OFFSET THAT.
UM, AND THEN THE TIMING OF REVENUE INFORMATION COMING TO US, UH, IS, IS A A A BIT OF A CHALLENGE, BUT WE CONTINUE TO JUST MAKE OUR BEST ESTIMATES AND WORK WITH WHAT WE HAVE THERE.
SO NEXT STEPS, UH, WE ARE CONS.
WE HAVE GOTTEN THE MAJORITY OF THE BUDGET TOGETHER.
IT GENERALLY TAKES ABOUT TWO WEEKS FOR OUR TEAM TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO DUPLICATIONS.
UH, MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS THAT LOOK UNUSUAL OR, UH, OR OR SHORTFALLS, THINGS THAT WERE MISSED.
AND THEN WE COMPARE THAT TO THE REVENUES AND THEN WE MEET WITH, UH, AND FURTHER ANALYZE PARTICULAR LINE ITEMS. ALMOST EVERY LINE ITEM HAS TO BE ANALYZED IN SOME WAY BY SOMEONE IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE PROPER AMOUNTS,
[01:45:01]
UM, MAKING SURE OUR ESTIMATES ARE ARE REASONABLE AND ACCEPTABLE.UH, SO WE, WE WILL WORK THROUGH THAT VETTING IN THE NEXT THREE WEEKS, UH, FEW WEEKS AND CONTINUALLY TO MONITOR REVENUES IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
SO, AND THEN WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU APRIL 26TH, UH, WITH AN UPDATE.
AND, UH, BY THEN WE WILL HAVE MET WITH STUDENTS AND GOTTEN A LITTLE BIT MORE FEEDBACK.
I THINK WE'VE DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HAVE THROUGH THE, THE SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE AND, UH, OTHER SEPARATE MEETINGS AND THE BOARD'S PRIORITIES.
AND SO WE CAN REALLY FOCUS THOSE EFFORTS AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THINGS ARE ADDRESSED IN THE BUDGET.
UM, SO ONE TAKEAWAY I COULD SAY FROM TODAY'S MEETING IS THAT THE REVENUES ARE STRONG AND I DO NOT FORESEE A MILLAGE INCREASE IN OUR FUTURE FOR THIS NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, BOTH IN OPERATIONS OR IN DEBT.
UH, WE HAVE, UM, THE GROWTH IN THE VALUE OF THE MILL IS, HAS BEEN SUBSTANTIAL.
I BELIEVE IT WAS 18% IN THE DEBT SERVICE FUND AND IT'S 14%, UH, THIS PAST YEAR.
I DO NOT EXPECT THAT GROWTH TO CONTINUE IN FUTURE YEARS, BUT IT, WE WILL, UH, THERE WILL BE LESS GROWTH.
THERE WILL BE GROWTH, JUST NOT AS MUCH.
UH, SO I, THAT WOULD BE THE ONE TAKEAWAY THAT I WOULD SAY FOR TODAY.
THAT, THAT, UH, WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE BRINGING A TAX INCREASE.
SO THE STATE LAW THAT WAS MENTIONED ON THE MILLAGE INCREASE LIMITATION, I DON'T THINK THAT'S, WE WILL CALCULATE IT, SEE WHAT THAT IS, AND THEN POTENTIALLY ABLE TO CARRY THAT OVER INTO, UH, FUTURE YEARS WHERE THE GROWTH MAY NOT BE SO STRONG IN FUTURE YEARS.
SO, UH, AND THAT, THAT WILL ASSIST US IF, IF NEEDED IN KIND OF BANK, THOSE MILLS, UH, IF FOR FUTURE NEEDS.
SO, AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
UH, MS. BOATRIGHT, UM, GOING BACK TO THE PYRAMID OF THE CHALLENGES, I THINK THAT THERE'S A CHALLENGE THAT FALLS UNDER THE, KIND OF, UNDER THE UNFUNDED MANDATE ASPECT OF THINGS, BUT I THINK IT'S AS MUCH A POLITICAL CHALLENGE AS A FINANCIAL CHALLENGE IN THAT THE ESER MONEY'S COMING TO AN END.
AND I THINK THAT'S ALREADY STARTING TO FILTER OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY.
AND PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE, THAT THIS WAS, WE KNEW THAT THESE WERE SHORT TERM, UM, OFFERINGS AND WE NEED TO HAVE, AS PART OF THE NEXT STEPS, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT COME FROM THE DISTRICT LEADERSHIP AS TO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO CUT, TRY TO CONTINUE TO FUND THROUGH ESSER AND WHAT WE'RE NOT, AND MAKE SURE THAT THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS THAT WE'RE NOT CUTTING POSITIONS, THAT THESE WERE TEMPORARY POSITIONS THAT WERE ADDED WITH EXTRA MONEY THAT HAS COME TO AN END.
AND UNLESS THE STATE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO SUPPLY US WITH ADDITIONAL REVENUE, IT'LL BE DIFFICULT TO CONTINUE TO FUND THOSE.
THANK YOU, COLONEL GEIER, ONE THING I I WANT TO, UH, STRESS TO THE ADMINISTRATION AS THEY'RE DEVELOPING THIS, UH, BUDGET, 80% OF OUR BUDGET IS, UH, SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
AND I KNOW THAT THE FIRST THING YOU LOOK AT IS POSITIONS AND HOW MANY POSITIONS IN EACH SCHOOL AND SO ON.
SO WITH POSITIONS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE SLIPPAGE, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE PEOPLE THAT, UH, A POSITION, YOU CAN'T FILL A POSITION WHERE THE PERSON LEAVES AND YOU FILL A POSITION ONLY HALF OF THE TIME DURING THE BUDGET YEAR.
AND WHEN I'VE EVALUATED OUR, UM, SURPLUS, AND IT'S NOT A SURPLUS, I DON'T WANT TO SAY, BUT OUR EXTRA FUNDS AT THE END OF THE YEAR, IT'S MOSTLY FROM SLIPPAGE.
SO WE REALLY HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD WAY TO CONTINUALLY MONITOR THAT SLIPPAGE ISSUE.
AND, AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A WAY AT, ON AT LEAST A QUARTERLY BASIS WHERE YOU SAY, OKAY, WE THOUGHT OUR BUDGET, OUR, OUR, UH, SALARY AND BENEFITS WOULD BE COST US THIS AMOUNT IN THIS FIRST QUARTER, BUT IT ACTUALLY COST US THAT AMOUNT BECAUSE OF SLIPPAGE.
SO WE KIND OF, WE KIND OF KEEP AN EYE ON THAT MONEY BECAUSE THAT MONEY IS, CAN BE USED FOR OTHER THINGS.
AND, AND ONCE IT'S NOT SPENT, IT'S NOT SPENT.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE TAKING IT AWAY FROM SOMETHING ELSE, BUT IT GIVES US ADDITIONAL REVENUES THAT YOU, YOU MAY NOT WANT TO COMMIT AT THAT TIME, BUT IT ALLOW US TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE HAVE IN THE SLIPPAGE ACCOUNT, IF YOU WILL.
SO THAT'S A, A SUGGESTION, UH, FOR YOU ON HOW WE MANAGE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
NOT, NOT HOW YOU DEVELOP NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET, BUT HOW IT'S MANAGED.
I HAVE A QUESTION, AND THIS GOES BACK A WHILE.
[01:50:01]
I REMEMBER, UH, IT WAS IN, UH, JUNE OF 2019.IT WAS RIGHT WHEN DR. RODRIGUEZ, UH, WAS ABOUT TO JOIN US.
I BELIEVE YOU, I AND COLONEL GUYER HEARD SANDY HULK FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TALK ABOUT, UM, THE, THE, UH, LOCAL TAX REVENUE.
AND CAN YOU CLARIFY FOR ME, AND MAYBE IT'S NOT BASED ON THAT PRESENTATION AT THIS POINT, 'CAUSE THAT'S A NUMBER OF YEARS OLD.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE, AS WE ALL, AS WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE, THE THE MILLAGE FOR OPERATION IS JUST AN ESTIMATE OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA, WHAT THAT MILLAGE WILL COLLECT FOR REVENUE FOR THE SCHOOL OPERATIONS.
AND I KNOW WITH A SHORTFALL, THERE'S A SHORTFALL WITH IF THEY RECEIVE MORE THE, THE, UM, BEAUFORT COUNTY, UH, IN THEIR COLLECTIONS, UH, FOR THAT SAME MILLAGE, WHAT, WHERE DOES THAT MONEY GO? UM, IT WILL, UM, IT IS AT THIS, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IT IS HELD IN AN ACCOUNT AND IN OUR ACCOUNTS AT THE TREASURER'S OFFICE, UM, FOR FUTURE NEEDS.
SO IT COULD BE USED TO, FOR ADDITIONAL NEEDS OF THE DISTRICT.
UM, IT COULD BE USED FOR REDUCTION OF TAXES, IT COULD BE USED FOR A VARIETY OF THINGS AT, AT THE BOARD'S DISCRETION AT THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
SO, AND IT WOULD MAKE SENSE THAT IT, IT IT WOULD JUST BE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, SINCE THAT'S HOW IT WAS COLLECTED.
IT WAS COLLECTED FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO HAS, SO HAVE WE, ARE WE AWARE OF WHAT'S IN THIS ACCOUNT AT THE PRESENT TIME OR NO, WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL THE END.
ALL COLLECTIONS ARE MADE AT, AT THAT POINT.
SO THERE IS, UM, WE'VE RECEIVED 98% AS OF THE END OF JANUARY.
UH, BUT WE HAVE SO MANY MONTHS LEFT TO GO, WE WON'T KNOW THE, THE FINAL AMOUNT UNTIL LATE AUGUST OR EARLY SEPTEMBER.
IT BEFORE WE TRULY KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE AMOUNT WE CAN PROJECT WHAT THAT WILL BE, AND WE'LL GET A LITTLE CLOSER TO THAT EACH MONTH.
BUT, UM, AT THIS TIME, NO, WE DON'T HAVE WHAT, WHAT AMOUNT THAT WILL BE.
SO THEY DON'T JUST AUTOMATICALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, SOME YEARS A LITTLE LOW OR SOME YEARS A LITTLE HIGH, JUST PASS IT ON.
NO, WE HAVE TO, IT IS KEPT SEPARATE, ACCESSED BY WHOM THIS, UM, IT WOULD BE ACCESSED BY THE DISTRICT AT YEAH.
BUT ONLY BUT APPROVAL OF THE BOARD FOR ANY ADDITIONAL SPENDING OF THOSE DOLLARS.
WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED A LOT OF EXCESS OVER THE YEARS.
UM, SO LAST YEAR WE HAD AN EXCESS OF 8 MILLION IN TAX REVENUE IN THE PRIOR YEAR.
AND THOSE FUNDS DID GO INTO THE FUND BALANCE TO IMPROVE OUR POSITION SO THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO BORROW A TAN.
UM, SO WE'RE IN A POSITION NOW WHERE IF THERE ARE ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS, WE WOULD, UH, COME BACK TO THE BOARD FOR, TO, FOR SOME OPTIONS OF WHAT WE WOULD, UM, USE THE FUNDS ON.
HOW WOULD WE TREAT THEM? YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT BASED ON OUR NEEDS.
BUT I, I MEAN, I, YOU CLARIFIED AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS CORRECT, AND THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE, UH, DISTRIBUTED TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR GO BACK TO THE TAXPAYERS.
AND I SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER THAT.
NO, YOU DON'T NORMALLY RETURN THEM TO THE TAXPAYERS.
UM, MY QUESTIONS IN, UH, GOES BACK TO MAYBE BETWEEN THE PAGES OF TWO AND, UM, PAGES THREE.
UH, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF MOVING FORWARD IN THIS BUDGET PROCESS.
MY QUESTION WILL BE, MY QUESTION IS, I GUESS TO, UH, TO MAYBE TOWARDS DR. RODRIGUEZ AS WELL, IS, UH, IN, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT CUTS, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE, I ALREADY HAVE RECEIVING CALLS ABOUT PEOPLE PANICKING ABOUT, UH, POSSIBLY GETTING POSITION CUTS AND DIFFERENT THINGS OF THAT MAGNITUDE.
WHEN WILL WE START THAT PROCESS OF THAT CONVERSATION? BECAUSE I THINK SOONER THAN LATER IS, UH, IS, IS, UM, IS VERY IMPORTANT.
SO WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS INTERNALLY AS A SYSTEM AS WE GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS, BUT IN ADDITION, UH, WE HAVE NOTIFIED EMPLOYEES SPECIFIC AROUND ESSER FUNDING.
UH, WE'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR WITH EVERYBODY ABOUT ESSER FUNDING FROM DAY ONE, THAT, THAT, THAT HAS A SHELF LIFE AND THAT, THAT, THAT THOSE POSITIONS HAVE A SHELF LIFE.
UH, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE LEFT HANGING OUT IN THE WIND.
UH, WE LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES, UH, FOR THEM TO COME, UH, BACK INTO THE SYSTEM.
AND, AND WE TALK ABOUT THIS MONTHLY, AND WE KNOW THAT, UH,
[01:55:01]
THAT, UH, THERE ARE, UH, VACANCIES AND OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY CAN FILL WITHIN OUR SYSTEM.BUT, UH, I BELIEVE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE ESER FUNDED HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED THAT ESER FUNDS SUNSET AND, AND, AND AS SUCH, UH, UH, THOSE POSITIONS BECAUSE THERE, THERE'S, THERE'S 10 MILLION BALLS YOU'RE JUGGLING, AND THEY ALL HAVE DATES AND DEADLINES, RIGHT? RIGHT.
TRANSFER WINDOWS START, UH, UH, ESSER FUND COMES TO AN END, RIGHT? SO TO POSITION THOSE PEOPLE WHO STEPPED UP INTO POTENTIALLY INNOVATIVE, UH, POSITIONS THAT WE WERE TRYING OUT AND THINGS LIKE THAT, UH, UH, WE NOTIFIED THOSE THAT WERE TIED TO ESSER FUNDING OF, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE ESSER FUND COMES, COMES TO AN END.
WE WE'RE NOT ROLLING INTO NEXT YEAR WITH THAT ESSER FUNDING AVAILABILITY.
AND SO WE FELT WE OWED IT TO THEM, AND THEY NEEDED TO KNOW UPFRONT THAT, UH, THAT THAT WAS SITUATION WITH ESTHER FUNDS.
BECAUSE AS THE TRANSFER WINDOW OPENED, RIGHT, WE FELT THEY SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO LOOK AT THAT FIRST GIVEN THE FACT THAT THEY WERE IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO, SO WHEN IT OPENED, THEY WERE NOTIFIED AHEAD OF TIME SO THAT THEY COULD, UH, ALSO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE SYSTEM.
AND, AND I DO UNDERSTAND, AND I DO UNDERSTAND, AND I, AND I APPRECIATE THAT WE DID HANDLE THAT DILIGENTLY AND AS, UH, UH, I EFFICIENTLY DID THAT, WE DID IT DILIGENTLY, EFFICIENTLY AND INTENTIONALLY THE WAY WE DID DO IT.
BUT MY QUESTION STILL IS IN TERMS OF WHEN WILL, WHEN WILL WE START TO SEE, BECAUSE I'M SURE THERE MAY BE SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS THAT WE'VE LEARNED OF THAT WE, WE ACTUALLY DO NEED TO KEEP THOSE ON.
AND SO WHEN WILL WE START HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND SEEING WHAT THOSE POSITIONS ARE AND SEEING WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE.
BECAUSE I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE HONEYMOON SEASON IS OVER WITH ES, SIR.
BUT IN TERMS OF, UH, MA MAJORITY OF THESE POSITIONS THAT WERE SOME, SOME OF 'EM THAT WERE CREATED WAS, UH, A NEED, NEED VERSUS WANTS.
SO WHAT WILL WE STILL NEED TO MOVE ON TO BE ABLE TO FUNCTION AT THE, AT THE, IN, AT, AT THE LEVEL OF SUCCESS THAT WE ARE AT, AT RIGHT NOW TO SUSTAIN THAT? WHAT, YOU KNOW, SO I, MY, MY QUESTION IS OUT, OUT ALL THOSE POSITIONS THAT WERE CREATED, HOW MUCH OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY NEEDS VERSUS, VERSUS WANTS AND, AND IN TERMS OF CONTINUING, CONTINUING, MOVING ON OUR SUCCESSFUL PROCESS YEAH.
WE'RE, WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
I MEAN, THE BUDGET PROCESS IS, IS A LENGTHY PROCESS.
WE'RE IN STEP 1.5, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE STILL EARLY IN THAT PROCESS AS WE GO THROUGH IT.
SO, SO I, I MEAN, I, I, I DON'T FEEL RIGHT SITTING HERE TELLING YOU ON, UH, YOU KNOW, APRIL 1ST, UH, UH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THAT PARTICULAR DATE OR NUMBER.
I MEAN, THERE ARE DATES ON HERE THAT YOU SEE, UH, IN TERMS OF WHEN I RECEIVED THE, RECEIVED THE BUDGET, I'LL RECEIVE IT IN EARLY APRIL.
WE DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC DATE ON THAT.
UH, AND, AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT, AT WHAT, WHERE WE'RE AT IN THAT PROCESS, I THINK IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, UM, FOR, FOR, FOR ME, I WILL HAVE, UM, UH, A FIRST LOOK.
I MEAN, I'M HAVING INPUT AND CONVERSATIONS ALONG THE WAY AS A TEAM IS WORKING THROUGH IT, BUT, BUT A FIRST LOOK AT WHAT THAT SITS AND LOOKS LIKE EARLY APRIL IN TERMS OF A, OF A COMPREHENSIVE PICTURE.
AND, AND SO, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK IT'S A GREAT QUESTION, BUT I THINK IT'S, IT'S JUST PREMATURE FOR ME TO GIVE YOU AN ANSWER.
AND, AND, AND, AND I GUESS I SHOULD SAY MORE OR LESS, I'M NOT LOOKING FOR A ONE SIZE FIT ALL ANSWER RIGHT NOW.
I'M JUST IS MORE OF AN ASK YEAH.
JUST THAT MORE LATER THAN LATER.
I MEAN, LATER, EARLY, EARLIER, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SO THAT ALSO AS BOARD MEMBERS, WE CAN DIGEST THAT AND UNDERSTAND THAT PRO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING INTO THIS DECISION AS, AS WELL, SO WE CAN BE SUPPORTIVE, UH, IN, INTO THE DECISION THAT THE DISTRICT IS MAKING TO, TO, TO MOVE OUR DISTRICT FORWARD.
SO YEAH, SOONER, SOONER, SOONER THAN THAN, THAN LATER.
UH, THEN, AND TO MAKE MAKING THAT DECISION YEAH.
SO, UM, WE HAVE, UH, ONE MORE AGENDA ITEM BEFORE WE HAVE OUR 30 MINUTE LUNCH BREAK.
AND THAT IS THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE, UH, BY OUR LOBBYIST, LYNN STOKES MURRAY WITH BURR FORMAN.
AND SHE, I BELIEVE, HAS JOINED US REMOTELY.
THANK HOPE EVERYBODY'S DOING WELL.
UM, I SENT ROBIN THIS UPDATED, UM, TRACKING REPORT AND WE TRIED TO PUT IT IN THE FORMAT THAT YOU ALL REQUESTED.
SO IT HAS HYPERLINKS, UM, AND WE'VE, UM,
[02:00:01]
ARRANGED IT BY BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR AND THEN BY WHAT IS PENDING.SO JUST HOPEFULLY THAT HELPS Y'ALL AS YOU, UM, GO THROUGH IT AND TAKE A LOOK.
UM, WE EVEN INCLUDED SOME NEWS STORIES WHEN APPROPRIATE.
SO ANYWAY, HOPE, HOPE THAT WORKS FOR TODAY.
JUST A COUPLE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT, UM, TWO PIECES OF LEGISLATION AND THEN, UH, RECOUNT WITH YOU OUR, UH, BUFORT LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION MEETING LAST WEEK.
SO FIRST OF ALL, THE HOUSE ADOPTED THE APPROPRIATIONS BILL LAST WEEK.
UM, IT HAS NOW GONE TO THE SENATE.
UM, THEY ARE IN THE MIDST MIDDLE OF THEIR, UM, UH, WORKING GROUPS WITHIN THEIR COMMITTEES.
UM, PUTTING THEIR, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS TOGETHER ON THE SENATE SIDE.
WE PROBABLY WILL START THE BUDGET, UM, IN TWO WEEKS IN FULL COMMITTEE, AND THEN IT'LL BE ON THE FLOOR TWO WEEKS AFTER THAT.
UM, WE ALSO ADOPTED THE SIGNING DI RESOLUTION, SO WE'LL ADJOURN MAY THE NINTH.
UM, THEY'LL COME BACK IN JUNE RIGHT NOW TENTATIVELY THE FIFTH, THE 13TH, AND THE 26TH TO DEAL WITH ANY CONFERENCE COMMITTEES AND GUBERNATORIAL VETOES WITH ELECTIONS LOOMING.
THEY, THEY DON'T WANT, UM, TO BE HERE TOO MUCH LONGER IN MAY, SO THEY CAN GO HOME AND CAMPAIGN.
UM, MOST EVERYBODY'S GONNA HAVE OPPOSITION.
SO THAT'S WHAT I WANNA TELL YOU ABOUT THE APPROPRIATIONS BILL.
THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO TELL Y'ALL ABOUT IS THAT ON WEDNESDAY, UM, WE SPENT ALL DAY FROM 10 UNTIL ABOUT SEVEN DEBATING THE NEW VOUCHER BILL.
AND BASICALLY WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS ADOPTED, UM, A BILL VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY PASSED LAST YEAR, EXCEPT THEY'VE REMOVED THE CAPS AND THEY REMOVED THE IMPLEMENTATION.
SO, UM, IT'S INTERESTING THAT, THAT WHAT STARTED AS AN EDUCATION PILOT PLAN WITH LIMITED AMOUNT OF MONEY AND LIMITED PARTICIPANTS IS NOW, UM, AS LEASE PASSED BY THE HOUSE, GONNA BE PRETTY MUCH OPEN, UH, OPEN DOOR.
NOW, ON TOP OF THAT, THE SUPREME COURT HAS HEARD ARGUMENTS TWO WEEKS AGO, UM, WHETHER OR NOT THE PROGRAM IS ACTUALLY LEGAL.
UM, SO IT'S, IT'S JUST KIND OF INTERESTING THAT THE HOUSE WOULD GO ON RECORD BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT RULES.
THE SENATE HAS SAID THEY'RE NOT GONNA TAKE UP THE BILL UNTIL THE SUPREME COURT MAKES A DECISION, BUT I JUST WANTED Y'ALL TO KNOW THAT THAT'S OUT THERE IS SOMETHING WE'RE, WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO, AND WE'LL KEEP YOU GUYS POSTED ON HOW ALL THAT SHAKES OUT.
SO LET ME STOP RIGHT THERE REAL QUICK AND SEE IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS AND THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE DELEGATION MEETING.
UM, YES, LYNN, WE HAVE SOME QUESTIONS.
UH, FIRST IS, UH, CARLTON DALLAS.
UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT UPDATE, MA'AM.
UH, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE, UH, VIGILANCE THAT YOU DISPLAY IN COVERING SO MANY DIFFERENT BILLS IN FRONT OF THE VARIOUS LEGISLATIVE BODIES.
I READ SOMEWHERE THAT FROM THE LATE 1860S THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER IF IT'S THE, IF IT'S THE BRADLEY AMENDMENT OR WHAT, THAT PROHIBITED PUBLIC MONEY FROM GOING TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND THESE, THIS EDUCATIONAL FUND AS WELL, IS, IS SEEMS TO BE THE ANTITHESIS OF THAT.
IS THAT WHAT THEY'RE WAITING ON TO HAVE THE SUPREME COURT RULE ON THAT ASPECT OR SOME OTHER, OKAY.
AND, AND, UM, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THERE, THERE WERE, UM, IT, IT IS KIND OF THE LAST TIME JUSTICE BEATY WILL, WILL BE INVOLVED AS HE HAS BEEN REPLACED, AND HE ROLLS OFF THE COURT BECAUSE A MANDATORY RETIREMENT IN JUNE.
UM, SO JUDGE LOCKIE, UM, WHO'S A COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE, SAT IN ON THE FIVE MEMBER PANEL.
SO IT WAS AN INTERESTING GROUP OF PEOPLE.
AND JUDGE BEATTY AND JUDGE LOCKIE REALLY HIT THAT POINT HARD, UM, THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE GOING AGAINST WHAT HAS BEEN ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL BOOKS FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.
SO, UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHEN THEY WILL RULE, BUT MY GUESS IS THAT THEY WILL PROBABLY WANT TO ISSUE AN OPINION BEFORE JUDGE BEATTY LEAVES THE BENCH.
UM, SO IT DEPENDING ON WHAT, I'M SORRY, MA'AM.
NO, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY, DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE RULING IS WHETHER OR NOT THIS WILL EVEN MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AND, AND LIKE I SAID, THE SENATE'S JUST NOT GONNA TAKE IT
[02:05:01]
UP TILL THE SUPREME COURT RULES, THESE TYPES OF BILLS ARE SWEEPING THE NATION, UH, GEORGIA JUST PASSED, WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO GIVE $6,500 PER STUDENT, UH, WHO ENDEAVORS TO LEAVE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND GO TO ANOTHER PUBLIC SCHOOL OR PRIVATE SCHOOL OR CHARTER SCHOOL.UH, SO IS IS SWEEPING IS THERE, IS THERE A THOUGHT THAT EVEN IF IT IS RULED AS LEGAL BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA SUPREME COURT, THAT IT WILL BE HELD IN A ADVANCE UNTIL IT CAN BE APPEALED TO THE FEDERAL CIRCUIT? I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
I I, I WOULD ASSUME SO, BUT I, I CAN ASK THAT QUESTION FOR YOU.
IT, IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO ME, BUT TYPICALLY THINGS THAT MAKE SENSE TO ME DON'T MAKE SENSE TO THE HOUSE.
THAT'S A GREAT TO PUT IT, WELL SAID, VERY TACTICAL.
IT IS ELECTION SEASON, RIGHT,
UM, YES, IT'S, IT'S IN THE CONSTITUTION BECAUSE I READ IT, BUT, UH, LAST YEAR MANY PEOPLE IN THE DELEGATION HAVE SAID THAT THEY WAS GONNA AMEND THE CONSTITUTION TO DO IT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE COURT SAYS, THEY'RE GONNA OVERRULE THE COURT.
WELL, I GUESS THE OTHER THING, GO AHEAD.
NO, NO, I WAS JUST, GO AHEAD, LYNN.
THE ONLY, THE ONLY THING THAT, THAT, THAT THEY COULD DO IF THEY'RE GONNA AMEND THE CONSTITUTION IS PUT THAT QUESTION ON THE BALLOT.
UM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THERE'S ENOUGH TIME TO DO THAT, TO BE ON THE 2024 GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT.
AS I RECALL, AND DON'T HOLD ME TO THIS, BUT I THINK THAT THEY HAVE TO, UM, PUT A QUESTION THAT AMENDS THE CONSTITUTION ON A GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT.
SO THAT WOULD MAKE IT ELIGIBLE, WHAT, ONCE EVERY FOUR YEARS.
UM, SO WE SHALL SEE, BUT I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU, MR. CAMPBELL.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS, YOU KNOW, THEY KEEP TALKING ABOUT SENDING CHILDREN STUDENTS TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL OR RELIGIOU SCHOOL, BUT NOBODY IS TALKING HOW THEY GONNA GET THERE?
I MEAN, A LOT OF PARENTS THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO HELP DON'T HAVE THE TRANSPORTATION TO TAKE THEIR KIDS TO THOSE SCHOOLS, BUT THEY'RE NOT ADDRESSING THAT.
ALSO, MY QUESTION TO, UH, MY, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS, UH, ALSO UM, I'M, I'M SURE YOU WERE, YOU WERE PROBABLY WERE PRESIDENT.
DO YOU ALSO HAVE THE, UH, VOTES OF OUR LOCAL LEGISLATORS IN, IN, IN TERMS TO HOW THEY, HOW THEY VOTED ON THIS BILL? YES.
'CAUSE I, I THINK I, WELL, I DON'T THINK I, I THINK I, I FOUND IT, BUT YOU DO.
AND, AND I CAN SEND IT TO YOU.
UM, I WILL TELL YOU, ALL THE REPUBLICANS VOTED FOR IT, AND ALL THE DEMOCRATS VOTED AGAINST IT AND, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND THAT, AND THAT.
AND THAT'S TROUBLING JUST BECAUSE THE FACT THAT, UM, YOU'RE TAKING PUBLIC FUNDS AND PUTTING 'EM INTO PRIVATE ENTITIES AND YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S RATHER, RATHER DISTURBING, UH, INTO, UM, THE FORWARD THINKING OF, OF PUBLIC EDUCATION, BUT NEEDS TO SAY, YOU CAN MOVE ON.
SO, DO YOU KNOW, LYNN, OFF THE OFF, THIS IS, UH, DR.
QUADS OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, I THINK THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS, UH, FAR MORE OF THEM SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO PRIVATE OR PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS THAN THEY DO TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
AND THAT'S PROBABLY WHERE PART OF THIS STEMS. DO YOU, IS IS THAT AN ACCURATE CHARACTERIZATION? YEAH, I MEAN, WELL, UH, WELL, LIKE SHANNON ERICKSON'S CHILDREN, I THINK PROBABLY ALL WENT TO, TO PUBLIC SCHOOL.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT JEFF BRADLEY'S.
THEY, THEY ALL HAVE GROWN CHILDREN.
UM, BUT I MEAN, THERE'S, THERE'S A MIX.
I MEAN, I WOULDN'T CHARACTERIZE IT TOTALLY LIKE THAT, BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE, UH, THIS MOVEMENT AMONG THE, NOT ONLY, NOT ONLY THE PRIVATE AND CHARTERS, BUT ALSO THE HOMESCHOOLERS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY BOTHERED THE DEMOCRATIC, UM, UH, CAUCUS WAS THAT THEY REMOVED SO MANY OF THE ACCOUNTABILITY PROVISIONS AND THE TRANSPARENCY PROVISIONS IN THE LEGISLATION AS IT PERTAINS TO HOMESCHOOL CHILDREN.
AND THERE WAS, UM, UH, YEOMAN'S EFFORT TO TRY TO PUT SOME OF THAT LANGUAGE BACK IN THE BILL, BUT THEY WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL.
SO IT, IT WAS JUST, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, THE VOTES WERE ANYWHERE FROM 75 TO 32.
I MEAN, IT WAS ALL THE REPUBLICANS VOTING TOGETHER AND ALL THE DEMOCRATS VOTING TOGETHER, AND NO AMENDMENTS
[02:10:01]
PASSED EXCEPT FOR THE COMMITTEE AMENDMENT, WHICH, LIKE I SAID, LARGELY EXEMPTED HOMESCHOOLERS FROM ANY ACCOUNTABILITY OR, UM, TRANSPARENCY.AND I JUST WANNA CLARIFY TOO, UM, I APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSE.
I JUST WA I WASN'T JUST POINTING, UH, JUST MEANING OUR DELEGATION, I JUST MEANT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AS A WHOLE, NOT, NOT SPECIFICALLY OUR DELEGATION.
I HAVE A SECOND QUESTION FOR YOU.
SO, UM, THE, UH, HOUSE BILL THREE, TWO, NINE THREE, WHICH IS THE CELL PHONE BAN.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ELABORATION ON THAT? 'CAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S A HOT TOPIC, IT SEEMS LIKE IN A LOT OF DISTRICTS, IS WHAT TO DO WITH THE CELL PHONES.
UM, NO, I DON'T, BUT LET ME GO BACK AND PULL THAT ONE UP AND SEE WHERE WE ARE ON IT, AND I WILL SHOOT YOU AN EMAIL.
I, I JUST DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD AND I DON'T WANNA TELL YOU SOMETHING WRONG.
AND THEN I CAN SHARE THAT WITH THE BOARD, OR YOU CAN SEND IT TO ROBIN AND ME AND SHE'LL DISTRIBUTE IT.
UM, YEAH, I'LL, SOON AS I CAN, I HAVE A, Y'ALL CAN HAVE THAT TOGETHER.
WE STILL, WE STILL HAVE A FEW MORE.
YEAH, WE STILL HAVE A FEW MORE QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GET TO YOUR, UM, UH, UPDATE ON THE MEETING LAST WEEK.
SO WE HAVE DR. RODRIGUEZ NEXT, AND THEN CARLTON DALLAS.
SO, UH, THE RECENT, UH, SUPERINTENDENT'S MEETING, ONE OF THE THINGS WE HEARD, UH, ABOUT THIS WAS THAT, UH, THEY, ONE OF THE CONSIDERATIONS AROUND ACCOUNTABILITY OR ASSESSMENT, UH, FOR, FOR STUDENTS OPTING FOR THOSE VOUCHERS AND THE SCHOOLS OPTING TO ACCEPT THOSE VOUCHERS WAS, UH, THAT THEY, THEY THREW IN AN ASSESSMENT COMPONENT.
BUT THAT ASSESSMENT COMPONENT, I WANNA BE CLEAR, IS DIFFERENT THAN THE ASSESSMENT COMPONENT THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE TO TAKE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THAT ASSESSMENT COMPONENT WITH ASSESSMENT COMPONENT THAT OUR STUDENTS TAKE IS A STANDARDS BASED ASSESSMENT.
THE ASSESSMENT, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THOSE STUDENTS GOING TO, UH, THE PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS OR TO, UH, OTHER SCHOOLS, UH, ACCESSING THESE VOUCHERS AND, AND THOSE SCHOOLS ADMINISTERING IS NORM REFERENCE ASSESSMENTS.
OKAY? THE STANDARDS BASED ASSESSMENT COMPARES A STUDENT TO THE STANDARDS THAT THEY'RE TAUGHT, OKAY? THE NORM REFERENCE ASSESSMENT JUST COMPARES STUDENTS TO STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, NOT TO STANDARDS THAT ARE TAUGHT.
THERE'S A DIFFERENCE, A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN FLORIDA, UH, FLORIDA USED TO ADMINISTER THE BATTERY OF ASSESSMENTS TO ALL STUDENTS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THEY ADMINISTERED THE STANDARDS BASED ASSESSMENT, WHICH WAS COMMONLY KNOWN AS FCAT UNTIL THEY CAME UP WITH A DIFFERENT, DIFFERENT NAME.
UM, AND THEY ADMINISTERED A NORM REFERENCE TEST AS WELL.
SO, DURING TESTING SEASON IN, IN THE SPRING, STUDENTS TOOK BOTH OF THOSE AT EVERY GRADE LEVEL FROM THIRD GRADE THROUGH 10.
THE NORM REFERENCE TEST THAT WE TOOK AT THAT TIME WAS A STANFORD ACHIEVEMENT TEST.
THE OTHER ONE THAT'S OUT THERE IS A IOWA TEST OF BASIC SKILLS, RIGHT? THAT WE USED TO TAKE THOSE WHEN WE WERE IN SCHOOL, OKAY? IT IS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT OUR KIDS ARE REQUIRED TO MASTER TODAY THROUGH STANDARDS, OKAY? AND WHAT I WOULD SAY IS OUR STUDENTS IN FLORIDA DIDN'T MIND TAKING THE, THE NORM REFERENCED STANFORD ACHIEVEMENT TEST, AND THEY GENERALLY DID BETTER ON THE NORM REFERENCED STANFORD ACHIEVEMENT TEST THAN THEY DID ON STANDARDS BASED TESTS.
OKAY? SO I SAY THAT TO SAY THERE IS A, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.
PEOPLE CAN DO LINKING STUDIES, AND THEY CAN DO ALL THOSE THINGS, AND THAT'S FINE.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THERE'S A DIFFERENCE FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN IN MY EXPERIENCE, AND THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERENT TESTS PROVIDING TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF INFORMATION, ALL GOOD INFORMATION TO HAVE.
BUT IF YOU'RE USING 'EM FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND YOU'RE TYING THAT TO THE PROGRAM, LET'S JUST BE CLEAR IT ISN'T THE SAME.
ALL RIGHT? WE HAVE, UM, A THANK YOU, DR. RODRIGUEZ.
UH, MR. DALLAS, THANK YOU AGAIN, MADAM CHAIR.
UH, ONE, UM, IT SEEMS THAT THERE'S A CONSCIOUS EFFORT TO BASICALLY STORE THE OPED OF KIDS THAT LEAVE THE DISTRICT STORE, THE COST OF SUPPORTING THAT KID, UH, WITH, UH, OBSERVATIONS, UH, WITH, YOU KNOW, RESOURCES.
BUT THE REVENUE GOES WHEREVER THIS KID IS ENROLLED, WHETHER THAT'S AT SCHOOL OR PRIVATE, OR CHARTERS.
AND I THINK SOMETHING THAT WILL BE FAIRER WILL BE, AND WE PO I, WE POSE POST THIS TO AN ELECTED OFFICIAL TO HAVE THE REVENUE AND FISCAL AFFAIRS AUTHORITY, OR SOME ENTITY THAT'S, YOU KNOW, DETACHED AND OBJECTIVE
[02:15:01]
TO REVIEW WHAT'S THE TOLL SUM PER SCHOOL DISTRICT OF OPEX THAT'S STUFFED INTO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THE REVENUE IS BEING PROPOSED TO GO ELSEWHERE.THE SECOND POINT ON THAT SAME TOPIC IS I'VE HAD ONE LEGISLATOR WHO ACTS SURPRISED THAT THAT IS OCCURRING.
SO THAT MAY BE A CAMPAIGN ONCE THAT DATA IS ASSEMBLED FOR SCHOOL DISTRICT STATEWIDE, TO TAKE THAT ONTO THE ROAD SO THAT JOE AND JANE CITIZEN UNDERSTAND WHEN PEOPLE ARE COMPARING OUR PERCENTAGE OF EXPENSES VERSUS OTHER OPTIONS, IT'S NOT APPLES TO APPLE.
SO, THANK YOU, MA'AM FOR THAT CONSIDERATION.
ALL, UM, LYNN WILL LET YOU OH, YEAH, GO AHEAD WITH YOUR SUMMARY, OR DO YOU WANNA ADDRESS THAT? YEAH, I WAS GONNA TELL YOU, I JUST LOOKED UP THE CELL PHONE BILL.
IT'S STILL PENDING IN, UM, IN COMMITTEES.
SO WE'LL KEEP OUR EYE ON THAT.
UM, ALSO, TWO, TWO OTHER THINGS I SHOULD MENTION.
ONE IS LEGISLATION THAT'S BEEN ADOPTED BY THE HOUSE THAT MANDATES A 20 MINUTE PERIOD FOR RECESS FOR KIDS.
THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME CONTROVERSY OVER, OVER THAT.
AND, AND AS I MENTIONED TO Y'ALL, I THINK THE LAST TIME WE TALKED, THE CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY BILL, OF COURSE, IT'S BEEN SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR, BUT THERE'S STILL SOME CLEANUP TO DO.
SENATOR MASSEY HAS INTRODUCED A NEW PIECE OF LEGISLATION, WHICH WOULD ADDRESS THE CONCERN THAT HAS NOT, UM, THAT SORT OF SLIPPED THROUGH THE CRACKS, UM, WHERE AN 18-YEAR-OLD COULD COME ONTO SCHOOL GROUNDS AND HAVE A GUN IN THEIR CAR.
UM, SO THAT IS CAUSING A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION.
I KNOW DR. RODRIGUEZ BETH'S BEEN WORKING ON, ON THAT PRETTY DILIGENTLY, BUT JUST WANT Y'ALL TO KNOW THAT, THAT THERE IS A PATH TO TRY TO GET THAT RESOLVED BEFORE WE ADJOURN SUNNY DIE IN MAY.
SO I DIDN'T WANNA NOT MENTION THOSE TWO THINGS.
UM, SO THE DELEGATION PUT TOGETHER A VERY HASTILY CALLED MEETING LAST WEEK.
AND, UM, AND
BUT NEVERTHELESS, UM, I, I THINK LARGELY AS A RESULT OF THE LETTER THAT, UH, THEY RECEIVED, UM, FROM, FROM DICK'S.
SO, UM, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO APPEAR BEFORE THEM.
EVERYBODY WAS THERE, BUT, UM, SENATOR BRIGHT MATTHEWS WAS OUT, AND SHE HAD GIVEN, UM, MR. RIVERS HER PROXY, SO EVERYBODY WAS REPRESENTED.
UM, DICK HAD A, COLONEL HAD A OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT FISCAL AUTONOMY AND FISCAL AUTHORITY.
UM, THE, THE DELEGATION, AND, AND I'M SURE HE WILL SHARE WITH YOU ALL, UM, THE COURSE OF THE CONVERSATION, BUT, UM, IT'S PRETTY APPARENT THAT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION THAT ARE JUST VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED, NOT, NOT FOR A REASON THAT THEY DON'T THINK YOU ALL ARE CAPABLE, UM, OF MAKING THOSE DECISIONS, BUT THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT THERE BEING A SECOND SET OF EYES, AKA, THE, THE COUNTY COUNCIL BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT THE OVERALL MILLAGE RATE BEFORE IT'S PASSED ON TO CONSTITUENTS.
AND THAT WAS A CONSISTENT THEME THAT I HEARD.
UM, THEY, THEY, THEY TOOK NO ACTION.
UM, IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT STU RODMAN WAS THERE FOR ANOTHER REASON, AND HE BROUGHT UP THAT THERE HAD BEEN A CONVERSATION IN YEARS PAST WHERE, UM, THERE WAS SORT OF A, A, AN OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR YOU ALL WITH COUNTY COUNCIL TO GET ON A BETTER TIMELINE FOR THEM TO APPROVE YOUR BUDGET, BUT IT WAS THE, A PERFUNCTORY APPROVAL, UM, AND THEN COME BACK WITH THE OVERALL MILLAGE, BUT AT LEAST GIVE YOU A RUNWAY, UM, SINCE THE TIMELINE OF THEIR APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET AND WHEN Y'ALL NEED TO SEND CONTRACTS OUT, SEEMS TO BE AT ODDS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
UM, HE ACTUALLY HAD SOME LANGUAGE AND SHARED IT WITH BILL HERB KERMAN AND SHANNON ERICKSON, AND WESTON NEWTON, AND DR.
G AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
UM, LOOKS LIKE THAT IN THE RESEARCH THAT WE'VE CONDUCTED FOR DISTRICTS THAT HAVE CONSOLIDATED, UM, THERE WAS THE SAME KIND OF RUNWAY PUT INTO PLACE WHERE FOR A COUPLE OF
[02:20:01]
YEARS IT WORKED, THAT, THAT THE, THE PERFUNCTORY APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET OVERALL APPROVAL FOR THE MILLAGE, UM, AND THEN THEY WERE GRANTED FISCAL AUTONOMY AUTHORITY.SO I, I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT'S A LOT TO THROW AT YOU.
UM, I, I KICK IT BACK TO YOU GUYS TO LET THERE BE ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE MEETING, UM, AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT Y'ALL MIGHT HAVE.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE DON'T HAVE ANY HANDS UP, MR. WE DO, OH, I'M SORRY.
I MISSED YOU, CARLTON, I APOLOGIZE.
I, I THINK THAT, UM, RECOMMENDATION, UH, IS, UH, I START TO SAY TROJAN FORCE, BUT I, I THINK THAT MAY BE TOO HARSH.
I THINK, UM, THAT DOES NOT RESOLVE THE, THE ISSUE THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD'S FISCAL DISCIPLINE, UH, IS EXEMPLARY.
AND I'M NOT GONNA COMPARE IT AGAINST A COUNTY ORGANIZATION OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
I'M JUST GOING TO SAY THAT WE HAVE OTHER DISTRICTS COMING TO VISIT OUR CFO AND OUR ADMINISTRATION TO SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING.
AND SO WE, I ALSO HEAR THE COMMENT THAT WHERE WE NEED A SECOND SET OF EYES, WELL, DOES THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY NEED A SECOND SET OF EYES, UH, THAT CAN ACTUALLY OVERVIEW WHAT THEY DO? AND, AND SO I THINK THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS EARNED, UH, THAT OPPORTUNITY.
SO I DON'T THINK THAT ADDRESSES THE CORE GAP.
SO AS ONE OF 11, I WOULD BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT ACCEPTING THAT.
UM, THAT APPEARS TO BE, UH, NO, NO FURTHER HANDS UP.
AND, UM, LYNN, THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR UPDATE, UH, VERY INFORMATIVE AND, UH, WELL SAID.
AND I GUESS WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN IN ANOTHER MONTH.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS WE DO HAVE THE, UM, S-C-S-B-A, UH, DAY AT THE CAPITOL.
UM, AND THAT'S COMING UP, UH, IN APRIL.
AND I KNOW SEVERAL OF US, UH, FROM THE BOARD, UH, WILL BE ATTENDING THAT.
SO I HOPE WE CAN, UM, CONNECT WITH YOU ON THAT DAY.
AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CALL OUT THE DELEGATION AND, UM, ANYBODY ELSE THAT YOU GUYS WANNA SEE WHILE YOU'RE UP THERE.
SO I'LL COORDINATE WITH YOU ON, ON MAKING ALL THAT HAPPEN.
OKAY, MR. SMITH? UM, I, I WOULDN'T, I, I, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE WERE GONNA BE DONE, BECAUSE I DO HAVE A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS.
UM, HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT ALSO THAT THEY'RE TALKING UP THERE, THERE'S TALK AROUND IN TERMS OF, UM, HOW, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF TAKING THE AUTHORITY FROM SCHOOL BOARDS, UH, AS, AS WELL, UH, AS THE, UH, THE SUPERINTENDENT OF, OF THE, UH, THE, THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT, THAT THERE'S SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT, ABOUT, ABOUT THAT PROCESS THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED AS WELL.
UM, W WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT IS ACTUALLY, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THAT? ARE, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT AS IT RELATES TO THE BEAUFORT FISCAL AUTONOMY? NO, NO, NO, MA'AM.
THE, UH, IN TALKING ABOUT HOW, IN TALKING ABOUT THE PROCESS OF TAKING OVER, UH, SCHOOL BOARDS, I KNOW THAT THERE'S A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT, ABOUT, ABOUT, UH, IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE TO TAKING OVER, UH, THE AUTONOMY OF TRUSTEES, UH, FOR, UM, FOR, UH, DISTRICTS THAT ARE UNDERPERFORMING OR JUST YES, MA'AM.
AND IN GENERAL, UH, I HAVE, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE CONVERSATION STARTED OUT ABOUT, EXCUSE ME, LET ME, LET ME SLOW SLOW.
MY, MY MIND IS GOING FASTER IN MY, MY MOUTH RIGHT NOW.
UM, IT, FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THE CONVERSATION STARTED OUT ABOUT UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS, BUT THEN IT ALSO, THE CONVERSATION KIND OF TOOK A TURN TOO, IN TERMS OF, UH, TAKING OVER DISTRICTS IN GENERAL.
SO WHERE IS THAT CONVERSATION SELLING AT RIGHT NOW? IS, IS IS MORE OF MY QUESTION.
'CAUSE THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON, MA'AM, MS. SMITH, I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT TAKING OVER EXCEPT THE CONVERSATION SURROUNDING THE, THE SUPERINTENDENT HAVING THE ABILITY TO TAKE OVER UNDERPERFORMING DISTRICTS.
SO I, I'LL BE GLAD TO DOUBLE CHECK INTO THAT.
AND SOMEBODY WAS GETTING READY TO SAY SOMETHING AND I INTERRUPTED THEM.
I THINK THAT'S THE, I THINK THAT'S THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT UNDER THE, UH, STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION THAT'S PROMULGATED SOME REGULATIONS THAT WOULD ENABLE THAT.
THEY'VE, I THINK THEY'VE SENT THOSE OUT FOR REVIEW BY, BY CITIZENS OR SOME, SOMEONE, SO I, I'VE SEEN IT AND I THINK IT COMES UNDER THE STATE BOARD
[02:25:01]
OF EDUCATION OR EITHER UNDER, UM, THAT AUTHORITY UNDER MS. WEAVER'S ORGANIZATION.LET ME PULL REGS AND SEE WHAT I SEE, AND I'LL SEND THOSE TO YOU GUYS.
AND, AND, AND, AND, AND THEN ALSO IN, IN TERMS OF THIS NEW, UH, SUPPOSEDLY, UH, THE, THE, THE MORE MONEY IN TERMS OF T TEACHER, UH, PAY GOING UP, HOW WITH THE, WITH US BEING BEAVER COUNTY, HOW ARE, WHAT DOES THAT REALLY DO IF FOR THIS, FOR BEAVER COUNTY, AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN, IN, IN TERMS OF, I KNOW A LOT OF THAT MONEY, SOMETIMES WE DON'T GET, BECAUSE BECAUSE WE ARE ONE OF THE COUNTIES THAT ARE, ARE PRETTY LUCRATIVE, AND WE HAVE, THEY THE ONES THAT WE, ONE OF THE RICHEST COUNTIES.
SO FOR US, WHAT DOES THAT REALLY LOOK LIKE IN, IN, IN TERMS OF, UM, LIQUID CASH? WELL, YOUR CFO MAY HAVE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, I, THERE'S A REASON I'M A LOBBYIST AND, AND, AND, AND NOT DON'T DO MATH, UM,
I THINK THAT, I THINK THAT, UM, UM, MR. SMITH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE INDEX OF TAX PAYING ABILITY AND HOW THAT AFFECTS OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO ANYTHING FUNDING THAT'S CONNECTED TO THE INDEX OF TAX PAY, TAX PAYING ABILITY, BEAUFORT COUNTY ARE NOT WINNERS IN THAT ARENA.
RIGHT? BECAUSE, BECAUSE, UH, OF THE AFFLUENCE THAT, THAT YOU MENTIONED IN TERMS OF AS, AS A COUNTY, THEN, THEN, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, USUALLY, UH, WE MIGHT GET FEWER DOLLARS THAN MAYBE OTHER COUNTIES MIGHT GET.
IN TERMS OF, UH, THE SALARY COMPONENT, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, AN APPLICATION OF A CERTAIN DOLLAR AMOUNT, WHETHER IT'S 2,500 OR WHATEVER IT IS, TO TWO, UH, IN THAT BUDGET FOR, UH, FOR, UH, INCREASES, WHICH THEY HAVEN'T FINALIZED YET.
BUT, UM, TO BE CLEAR, 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHEN THEY PROVIDE, LET'S SAY, 2,500, RIGHT? THAT'S, THAT'S NOT THE COST, RIGHT? THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL COST THAT, THAT LOCALLY WE HAVE TO PICK UP BECAUSE WE HAVE TO INCLUDE BENEFITS, WE HAVE TO INCLUDE OTHER FACTORS IN THERE, RIGHT? SO, SO WHATEVER THE INCREASE IS RIGHT, IS GENERALLY NOT THE FULL COVERAGE OF THAT TOTAL.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE WHAT I'M SAYING? IT, IT, IT, IT, IT, IT DOES, AND THAT'S WHY I'M BRINGING, AND THAT'S WHY I WANNA BRING THAT OUT BECAUSE HOW, I WAS TALKING TO A, A, ANOTHER, ANOTHER BOARD MEMBER AND, AND, AND, AND THAT WAS PART OF THE, OF WHAT, WHAT WE, WHAT OUR, OF OUR CONVERSATION AND IN, AND IN TERMS OF THAT.
SO I THINK AT THIS LEVEL, WE, WHAT WE WOULD, I THINK WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO BE DOING IS HAVING THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, LETTING THEM KNOW, WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU'RE REALLY GIVING US THIS, THEN BASICALLY YOU'RE KIND OF PUTTING YOUR HAND BEHIND YOUR BACK, AND YOU ARE HOLDING THIS, YOU ARE HOLDING US HOSTAGE, MAKING US PAY THIS.
SO, SO IT, IT IS ALMOST A, HERE'S THE DIFFERENCE, RIGHT? HERE'S THE, HERE'S THE PERCENT WE HAVE TO PAY IN BENEFITS.
THIS IS WHEN, WHEN, WHEN WE SAY THIS AMOUNT, THIS IS THE ACTUAL COST TO A DISTRICT, RIGHT? SO, SO THAT'S SOMETHING ALSO LIKE HEALTH INSURANCE AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF HAS GONE UP, RIGHT? BUT MY, MY, MY, MY, MY POINT IS, IS THAT DON'T GIVE ME A DOLLAR AND REALLY, AND, AND THEN YOU REALLY GIVING ME 50 CENTS, BUT YOU'RE TELLING EVERYBODY, YOU'RE GIVING ME 50 CENTS, AND YOU REALLY GIVING ME, EXCUSE ME, YOU'RE GIVING ME 50 CENTS, BUT YOU'RE TELLING EVERYBODY YOU'RE GIVING ME A DOLLAR.
SO WE NEED THE OTHER HALF TO COME WITH THAT.
AND THAT'S A CONVERSATION THAT MAYBE WE COULD HAVE, UH, OUR LEGISLATOR, UH, BRING THAT UP AND, AND BRING THAT, BRING THAT EYE OPENING TO THEM SO THAT THEY CAN'T SAY THAT THEY DIDN'T, THEY DIDN'T, THEY DIDN'T REALIZE THAT, BECAUSE I THINK THAT COULD BE AN EYEOPENER, SOMETHING THAT THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T TAKE INTO, UM, INTO FULL THOUGHT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
WELL, LYNN, I'M SURE YOU HAVE A BUSY DAY, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU, UH, UH, JOINING US TODAY AND, AND, UH, GIVING THE, THE UPDATES AND, UH, AND THE, UM, INFORMATION YOU'RE GONNA SEND.
IF YOU WOULD, PLEASE SEND IT TO ROBIN AND, AND COPY ME AND, AND WE CAN GET IT DISTRIBUTED.
THANKS, Y'ALL HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.
SO WE NOW ARE, IT'S APPROACHING 1210, AND OUR AGENDA SAYS THAT WE'LL HAVE A 30 MINUTE LUNCH BREAK.
SO WE'LL RESUME AT 1240 A BLACK TRUCK.
HEY, CHRISTINA FROM ACCOUNTING? YEAH.
HEY, I USED TO DATE A GIRL NAMED CHRISTINA.
AND THEN SHE DUMPED ME FOR MY BEST FRIEND.
YOU WANNA SEE SOME PHOTOS OF THEM THAT I TOOK? I DON'T, I THOUGHT WE TALKED ABOUT THIS BUDDY, BUT IS AN OVERSHARED AGAIN.
[02:30:01]
I'M GONNA CALL A CAR.HEY, YOU'RE GONNA GET BACK TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN.
DOES THAT MEAN I'M GONNA GET BACK WITH CHRISTINA? NO.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE EVER FOUND YOURSELF REPEATING THE SAME THING FOR 75 YEARS, YOU MIGHT BE SMOKEY BEAR.
ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT WILDFIRES.
THING IS, THERE'S A LOT MORE TO SAY, LIKE, IF YOU'VE EVER FOUND YOURSELF BURNING YARD DEBRIS AND THEN WALKING AWAY, WELL, YOU MIGHT BE STARTING A WILDFIRE.
SO, FOR THE LOVE OF THE OUTDOORS, GO TO SMOKEY BEAR.COM TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WILDFIRE PREVENTION.
CAN THE PEOPLE ONLINE TELL US WHETHER THEY'RE THEY'RE IN ATTENDANCE OR WE'RE SURE WE HAVE A QUORUM? WAS NS HEY? YEAH.
SO WE HAVE TWO OF YOU RIGHT NOW ONLINE.
WE'LL RECONVENE NOW FOR THE BEAUFORT COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION WORK SESSION OF MARCH 22ND, 2024.
OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEM AFTER LUNCH IS THE PRE-K ALIGNMENT WITH ASHLEY HUTCHINSON.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF, UM, SCHOOL READINESS FOR THE DISTRICT.
I APPRECIATE AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU TO THIS AFTERNOON.
UM, I AM GOING TO BE DISCUSSING PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIRST GRADE ALIGNMENT.
IF WE PUT UP THE POWERPOINT, MOLLY, YOU, YOU GOT IT.
SO THE FIRST SLIDE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, UM, THIS AFTERNOON IS, UM, A LEARNING PROGRESSION.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PRE-KINDERGARTEN, UM, WE TALK ABOUT BUILDING THE FOUNDATION.
SO WE ARE BUILDING THE FOUNDATION IN PRE-K AND KINDERGARTEN IN ORDER TO BE FOR CHILDREN TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND.
SO IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE SLIDE OF DEMONSTRATING WRITING SKILLS, THIS IS ACTUALLY FROM OUR TS UH, TEACHING STRATEGIES GOLD, UM, READINESS ASSESSMENT.
THIS IS ALSO SERVES AS THE STATE READINESS ASSESSMENT FOR PRE-KINDERGARTEN.
WE'VE BEEN USING THIS ASSESSMENT SYSTEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS, AND THEN IT BECAME THE STATE READINESS ASSESSMENT AS WELL.
SO IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE EXAMPLES BELOW, YOU CAN SEE WHERE A BIRTH TO 1-YEAR-OLD STARTS RIGHT THERE AT THAT YELLOW ORANGE BAND.
AND THEN WE TRAVEL ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE PAGE TO THE PINK BAND, WHICH STARTS AT FIRST GRADE.
SO THIS IS A DEVELOPMENTAL CONTINUUM ACROSS THE AGE LEVELS AND GRADES THAT KIND OF SHOWS YOU HOW DEVELOPMENT IS A CONTINUUM AND HOW DEVELOPMENT OVERLAPS.
SO, FOR INSTANCE, WE START WITH A, AROUND ONE OR 2-YEAR-OLD, THEY START MAKING SCRIBBLES ON A PAGE.
AND SO THAT'S WHEN WE'RE EXPLORING LOTS OF DIFFERENT MARKERS AND CRAYONS AND DIFFERENT WRITING UTENSILS AS THEY GET TO KINDERGARTEN.
AND, UM, PRE-KINDERGARTEN, YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY START MAKING THOSE LETTER LIKE FORMS. AND THEN AS WE MOVE THROUGH KINDERGARTEN AND IN FIRST GRADE, WE ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE WE HAVE A LEG LEGIBLE NAME.
SO THEY'RE MAKING THOSE LETTERS LEGIBLE, AND THEN THEY CAN RECOGNIZE THE LETTERS, UM, IN THEIR NAME AS WELL.
YOU CAN SAY THE SAME PROGRESSION ONTO MATHEMATICS.
SO THERE'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW WE BEGIN TO PRETEND COUNTING AT A CERTAIN AGE.
SO THAT'S WHEN OUR ONE AND TWO YEAR OLDS ARE STARTING TO SAY, 1, 3, 6, 10, AND THEY THINK THEY COUNTED, YOU KNOW, TO A HUNDRED, BUT, UM, THEY ACTUALLY ARE JUST LEARNING AND UNDERSTANDING THAT CONCEPT.
THEN AS WE MOVE ON TO PRE-K AND KINDERGARTEN, IT ACTUALLY STARTS TO FORM IN A FORM A SEQUENCE.
SO YOU CAN SAY THEY START TO COUNT UP TO OBJECTS UP TO FIVE.
WE WANT THEM TO FIND A LEARN AND MASTER THE BASE FIVE FIRST, AND THEN WE SEE THE PROGRESSION UP ON THE FIRST GRADE, WHERE, WHERE THEY'RE COUNTING BY TWOS AND FIVES AND TENS ALL THE WAY UP TO 120.
ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE STANDARDS AND CURRICULUM.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ALIGNMENT, WE WANT OUR STANDARDS TO BE ALIGNED AND, AND WE WORK WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT
[02:35:01]
OF EDUCATION TO ENSURE THIS HAPPENS.SO STANDARDS ARE STATEMENTS OF WHAT STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO LEARN.
AND THEN A CURRICULUM IS THE PROGRAM OR THE VEHICLE USED TO HELP STUDENTS MEET THE STANDARDS, INCLUDING THE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, ACTIVITIES, TASKS, UNITS, LESSONS, AND ASSESSMENT.
SO IN THE GRAPHIC BESIDE THERE TO THE LEFT OR TO THE RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE THAT EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING SIMULTANEOUSLY, UH, THAT WHILE LEARNING IS OCCURRING IN THE CLASSROOM.
SO MELISSA MURRAY IS HERE, SHE'S THE DIRECTOR OF LITERACY WHO'S GONNA GO MORE, A LITTLE BIT MORE IN DEPTH WITH OUR LITERACY, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE CARLOS WILLIAMS, OUR MATH COORDINATOR, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MATH.
SO YOU HAVE BEFORE YOU THE SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LITERACY STANDARDS MAPPED TO THE LEFT.
UM, YOU CAN SEE HERE THE PROGRESSIONS WAS STARTING WITH PRE-K ON UP INTO FIRST GRADE.
THERE IS ALSO A MAP PROVIDED WHERE IT SHOWS YOU ALL THE WAY, UM, UP UNTIL ENGLISH FOUR, THIS WAS CREATED TO OUTLINE WHEN STANDARDS AND INDICATORS WERE EXPECTED TO BE TAUGHT AT EACH GRADE LEVEL.
SO THIS STANDARDS MAP REFLECTS OUR 2023 STANDARDS.
WHEN THE 2023 STANDARDS WERE REWRITTEN, THE EDUCATION OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT REQUIRED NO REDUNDANCY WITH WITHIN THE STANDARDS, UM, WHICH IS A CORRECTION FROM SOME OF OUR 2015 STANDARDS.
SO TWO, THE OTHER SIDE TO THE RIGHT IS THE TEACHING STRATEGIES GOLD CONTINUUM, AS WE SPOKE ABOUT, THAT'S USED IN PRE-K.
BUT THIS PROGRESSION ALSO SHOWS YOU HOW OUR 2023 STANDARDS ARE AT PROGRESSION.
SO YOU CAN SEE PRE-K, KINDERGARTEN ON UP, WE DIDN'T, UM, IN HER LARGER DOCUMENT, YOU SEE THE YOUNGER CHILDREN, THE STANDARD.
OUR STANDARDS BUILD ON ONE ANOTHER TO GIVE EACH STUDENT THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE AND MATCH EACH STEP TO CREATE A STRONG FOUNDATION.
JOINING US NEXT IS GONNA BE CARLOS WILLIAMS, OUR COORDINATIVE ELEMENTARY MATH TO SHARE THE MATH PROGRESSION.
SO, STUDENTS IN GRADES PRE-K ONE, NEED LOSS OF OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE CONNECTIONS AROUND NUMBERS AND TO CATCH NUMBER SENSE.
THIS IMAGE ON THE SCREEN SHOWS THE PROGRESSION OF EARLY NUMBER AND COUNTING, AND MANY OF THE SKILLS SHOWN IN THAT IMAGE OVERLAP BETWEEN GRADES PRE-K AND ONE.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE FIRST TWO SECTIONS OF THE IMAGE, UM, ARE MOSTLY PRE-K, BUT THEN SOME OF THAT OVERLAPS INTO THE NEXT PORTIONS OF THE IMAGE.
IN KINDERGARTEN, MANY STUDENTS ENTER PRE-K WITH THE ABILITY TO SAY NUMBER NAMES, AND THEY DEVELOP THE ABILITY TO SUBITIZE OR NAME NUMBERS TO A VISUAL PATTERN AS SHOWN IN THE FIRST SECTION OF THE IMAGE ON THE SCREEN.
WHILE WORKING ON SUBITIZING, THEY ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY WORKING ON THE CONCEPT OF MORE AND LESS.
AS THEY MOVE INTO KINDERGARTEN, THEY BEGIN TO WORK ON COUNTING SEQUENCES, COUNTING FROM ZERO TO ONE HUNDREDS, BOTH FORWARDS AND BACKWARDS, WHILE WORKING ON ROAD COUNTING.
IN THE THIRD PORTION OF THE IMAGE, KIDS BEGAN WORKING ON ONE-TO-ONE CORRESPONDENCE WHERE THEY TAG, UM, OBJECTS TO NUMBERS, AND THEN WHILE WORKING ON ONE-TO-ONE CORRESPONDENCE, CARDINALITY BEGINS TO HAPPEN.
CARDINALITY IS ALL ABOUT BEING ABLE TO COUNT A SET OF OBJECTS, AND KNOWING THE LAST NUMBER SAID IN THE COUNT SEQUENCE IS A NUMBER OF OBJECTS IN THAT SET.
STUDENTS ALSO BEGIN TO LEARN THAT NUMBERS ARE NESTED INSIDE OF OTHER NUMBERS.
AND THEN THE FINAL PART OF THE IMAGE, UM, AND THE PROGRESSION IS A NUMBER CONSERVATION.
SO THE IDEA OF NUMBER CONSERVATION IS ALL ABOUT KIDS.
KNOWING THAT THE LAST NUMBER SAID DOES NOT CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF OBJECTS ARE IN A SET OF OBJECTS IS ACTUALLY A, A DIFFERENT IMAGE.
BUT THE LONGER, SO EVEN IF THOSE NUMBERS ARE MOVED AROUND, THE NUMBER IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE.
CONSERVATION ALSO TALKS ABOUT, UM, THE DECOMPOSITION OF NUMBERS.
SO STUDENTS ARE BEGINNING TO LEARN THAT, UM, A WHOLE NUMBER IS MADE UP OF PARTS, AND THAT NUMBERS CAN BE BROKEN APART.
OUR YOUNGER LEARNERS NEED EXPERIENCES TO SEE MATH IN REAL LIFE THROUGH STORY CONTEXT, AND WITH MANIPULATIVES.
THEY ARE BEING TAUGHT TO VISUALIZE AND USE MANIPULATIVES TO REPRESENT, TALK AND LEARN ABOUT MATH AND NUMBERS.
YOUNG LEARNERS NEED LOTS OF OPPORTUNITIES TO COUNT, COMPARE, SOAR, AND HANDLE OBJECTS TO BUILD NUMBER SENSE.
AND THIS IS ALL FOUNDATIONAL WORK TO
[02:40:01]
SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY GRADES.THE STANDARDS MAP THAT YOU SEE IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT MELISSA PRESENTED, UM, FOR LITERACY.
SO WE HAVE STRANDS IN MATH, AND THOSE STRANDS ARE BROKEN DOWN INTO STANDARDS.
AND STANDARDS ARE OUR YEAR, UM, YEAR LONG GOALS THAT WE WANT STUDENTS TO MASTER.
STANDARDS ARE THEN BROKEN DOWN INTO INDICATORS OR SKILLS THAT HELP STUDENTS MEET THOSE END OF THE YEAR GOALS.
EACH STRAND STANDARD INDICATOR ARE TAUGHT IN EACH, UM, EARLY CHILDHOOD GRADE, AS YOU SEE INDICATED IN THE LAST COLUMN.
SO AS WE, UM, AS WE LOOK THROUGH THE, THESE MATERIALS THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, I WANNA ALSO REMIND YOU THAT OUR PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM IS STILL RESERVED AS AN INTERVENTION.
SO, UM, THE STUDENTS THAT WE ARE SERVING IN OUR PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS, UM, HAVE QUALIFIED FOR THE PROGRAM BASED ON THEIR DEVELOPMENTAL SCORE OR A RISK FACTOR SCORE DETERMINED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED.
SO WE ARE STILL NOT SERVING ALL PRE-KS IN OUR, IN OUR, GO AHEAD.
UM, SOMEBODY, UH, THAT'S, UH, JOINED, JOINED US REMOTELY.
WE HAVE BACKGROUND NOISE, SO JUST BE SURE TO KEEP MUTED UNLESS YOU WOULD LIKE TO, UM, RAISE YOUR HAND AND I'LL CALL ON YOU.
SO, IN THOSE PROGRAMS, UM, IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE STILL HAVE THOSE CHILDREN THAT ARE, ARE LOOKED AT AS NEEDING AN INTERVENTION BEFORE THEY GET TO KINDERGARTEN.
SO OUR GOAL WITH ALL OF THIS THAT WAS PRESENTED TODAY IS TO ENSURE THAT THAT FOUNDATION IS BUILT IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN KINDERGARTEN AND BEYOND.
UH, YEAH, I GOT QUESTIONS TOO, BUT I'M GONNA LET EVERYBODY ELSE GO.
I HAD HEARD SOMEWHERE THAT THERE LESS, WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS THAT TAKE THAT KINDERGARTEN READINESS ASSESSMENT? 'CAUSE I'M ASSUMING YOU'RE TESTING THEM ON THESE SAME THINGS.
WHAT, AND I HAVE A FOLLOW UP QUESTION ONCE YOU GIVE ME THE NUMBER.
WHAT WAS THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT ARE TESTING READY FOR KINDERGARTEN IN BEFORD COUNTY? I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA QUOTE IT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
I IS IT BELOW 50%? IT'S BELOW 50%.
I MEAN, JUST AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY THAT BELOW 50% OF OUR KINDERGARTNERS ARE, ARE NOT, AND AND I HAD SOME PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WHERE I ACTUALLY, ONE OF MY CHILDREN, I'LL TRY NOT TO REVEAL WHICH ONE,
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THESE ASSESSMENTS, I WORRY THAT SOME OF THESE ASSESSMENTS SAY THEY'RE NOT READY FOR KINDERGARTEN, THAT THEY'RE JUST BEHIND A LITTLE BIT, BUT THEY'RE GONNA CATCH UP.
I MEAN, THERE'S SO MUCH OF THIS KINDERGARTEN DEVELOPMENT.
SO I WOULD JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, THE, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE STANDARDS, RIGHT? YEAH.
UH, TODAY, RIGHT? IT'S, THEY'RE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, UH, YEARS AGO, RIGHT? AND SO, SO THERE, IT'S, IT'S MORE RIGOROUS, UH, EXPERIENCE AND WHAT THEY SET THE LEVEL AT FOR READINESS FOR KINDERGARTEN, MEANING, YOU KNOW, UM, THIS IS WHAT, YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULD BE READY TO DO WHEN YOU'RE IN KINDERGARTEN.
YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, THAT IS BASED, I THINK, ON A TRAJECTORY TO MEET, UH, THE STANDARDS ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
SOMETIMES KIDS COME IN, UH, BEHIND, RIGHT? AND THEN YOU SEE THE IMPACT OF SCHOOL, UH, IN, IN ORDER TO MOVE THEM ON TRACK OR, OR ON GRADE LEVEL IF, IF YOU WILL, RIGHT? AND SO, SO I THINK THAT'S, THAT SPEAKS TO YOUR POINT THAT SOMETIMES, UH, YOU KNOW, IF, IF A STUDENT ISN'T KINDERGARTEN READY BASED ON THE ASSESSMENT THAT THEY TAKE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT BY THE END OF THE YEAR THEY MAY NOT BE, UH, UH, READY FOR THE NEXT GRADE, OR, WELL, AND THIS IS WHAT HAVE YOU, IT'S, IT'S A QUESTION.
IT'S KINDA MORE OF A DISCUSSION BECAUSE LIKE, ONE OF MY KIDS HANDWRITING STILL LOOKS LIKE, LIKE LEVEL THREE MM-HMM.
SO TO ME, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS, THIS IS NOT A DISTRICT THING, BUT I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF EMPHASIS IN THE COMMUNITY AND THE COUNTRY FINANCIALLY IN PREPARING KIDS ZERO TO FIVE, RIGHT? AND GETTING THEM READY.
BECAUSE AS WE KNOW IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, IF THEY COME IN FAR BEHIND, IT IS A LOT MORE WORK FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO GET THEM CAUGHT UP.
AND WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE WHERE KIDS ARE STARTING FROM AND NOT ASSUME THEY'RE ALL STARTING.
BUT I ALSO THINK SOME OF THESE STANDARDS ARE JUST, THEY'RE DIFFICULT TO, UM, TO WORK WITH, I GUESS IS THE WAY I WOULD PUT IT.
SOME OF, AND SOMETIMES I THINK I WOULD ADD TO THAT, UM, THAT, UM, THE CONVERSATION I, WE WERE HAVING EARLIER DURING THE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE WHEN I SPOKE ABOUT
[02:45:01]
THE ASSESSMENTS AND THE, AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NORM REFERENCE ASSESSMENTS AND STANDARDS BASED ASSESSMENTS, RIGHT? AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION AS THEY HAVE THAT CONVERSATION ABOUT, ABOUT THOSE BILLS.BECAUSE, UH, WHAT I WOULD HATE TO SEE HAPPEN IS I WOULD HATE TO SEE PEOPLE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY LOOK AT IT AND SAY, OH, LOOK, THEY DID GREAT, AND THE OTHER SCHOOLS, UH, DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME SCORE.
WELL, YOU'RE NOT ASSESSING THE SAME, IT, IT'S NOT THE SAME ASSESSMENT.
THE RESULTS ARE NOT GIVING YOU THE SAME INFORMATION, RIGHT? AND IT, AND IT REALLY MUDDIES THE WATER IN TERMS OF WHAT THE STANDARDS BASED ASSESSMENTS ARE AND WHAT, UH, NORM REFERENCE ASSESSMENTS ARE.
IT MUDDIES THE WATER TO THE EXTENT THAT IT WOULD RUN IF YOU DID THIS, IF YOU APPROACHED ANYTHING ELSE WITH THIS SAME METHODOLOGY, YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RUN A, A MEDICAL RESEARCH.
I MEAN, ALL THESE THINGS, THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS.
SO I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I'M JUST SAYING WHEN I SEE THIS STUFF AND I THINK, OH, THIS IS AN ODD, WE'RE WE'RE TRYING TO SHOVE A BUNCH OF SQUARE PEGS INTO A VERY SMALL ROUND HOLE AND THEN WONDERING, YOU KNOW, KNOW THAT'S, IF THAT'S RELEVANT TO EVERYTHING.
SO I JUST, ANYWAYS, I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
I JUST LOOK AT THIS AND THINK, OOH, I DON'T WANT MY KID FORCED INTO THESE DIFFERENT STANDARDS AND ASSESSED.
AND, AND KEEP, KEEP IN MIND THE WHAT HAPPENS, BIRTH TO FIVE, A LOT OF THAT IS EXPOSURE.
SO, AND IT'S ASSESSED THROUGH OBSERVATION.
SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT CHILDREN BIRTH TO FIVE, IT'S LIKE, UM, MR. BOATWRIGHT JUST SAID THAT SQUARE, UM, HOLE IN A ROUND WHAT ROUND PEG IN A HOLE? UM, IS THAT YES.
UM, IS, IS THAT THROUGH OBSERVATION THAT DOES NOT FIT VERY WELL? UM, YOU HAVE TO, WE ARE TRAINED IN OBSERVING, AND WE'RE TRAINED IN LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT PE HOW THEY'RE EXPOSED TO DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO IT'S JUST A LOT OF, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CHILD COMPREHENSIVELY BIRTH TO FIVE, COLONEL GEIER, AND THEN, UM, MR. DALLAS, I'VE, I'VE GOT A, I GOT A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS, SO I'M, I'M JUST GONNA START WITH ONE AND THEN LET EVERYBODY ELSE, UH, TALK.
AND I, I WANNA, I REALLY AGREE WITH WHAT, UH, INGRID WAS TALKING ABOUT, BECAUSE WE MOVED HERE WHEN MY TWO GRANDSONS WERE THREE AND FOUR YEARS OLD, AND WE STARTED 'EM OUT, OR MY SON STARTED 'EM OUT AT LADIES ISLAND PRESBYTERIAN AT THEIR PRESCHOOL PROGRAM, AND I PICKED THEM UP THREE TIMES A WEEK.
AND THEN, THEN THEY WENT TO COOSA KINDERGARTEN, PICKED THEM UP THREE TIMES A WEEK, AND THEN THEY WENT TO BRIDGES, AND THEN THEY WENT TO LADIES ISLAND.
SO I'VE WATCHED THEM FROM THE VERY START, AND I, AND I, I REALLY LIKED YOUR PRESENTATION SHOWING WHAT THEY DO AND THE SCRIBBLES DOWN TO STARTING TO PUT LETTERS TOGETHER AND SO ON.
SO MY, MY QUESTION IS ON THE STANDARDS PIECE, WE HAVE LOTS OF DAYCARE, LOTS OF PRESCHOOL, AND WE HAVE HEAD START.
IS THERE ANY, ANY, UH, LEADERSHIP BY THE DISTRICT TO BRING THESE FOLKS TOGETHER TO SAY, LET'S HAVE A STANDARD THAT'S LIKE, LIKE, LIKE, MM-HMM,
BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO ME THAT SOME OF THEM ARE MORE BABYSITTING PLAY ORIENTED THAN THEY ARE EDUCATIONALLY ORIENTED THAN OTHERS.
UH, LADIES ISLAND PRESBYTERIAN, I THOUGHT WAS, WAS VERY EDUCATIONALLY ORIENTED BECAUSE THEY MADE THE TRANSITION FROM THAT TO KINDERGARTEN.
THEY WERE RIGHT ON, ON SCHEDULE, IF YOU WILL.
BUT I DON'T SEE THAT WITH SOME OF MY NEIGHBORS AND, AND WHAT THEY'RE TELLING ME, UM, FROM OTHER EXPERIENCES.
SO I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT LEADERSHIP THING THAT THE DISTRICT IS DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY IN THIS AREA.
SO WE DO, AS A STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, WE DO HAVE EARLY LEARNING STANDARDS STARTING AT BIRTH.
SO THAT IS A DOCUMENT THAT IS A ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE.
SO BIRTH THROUGH KINDERGARTEN, WE HAVE SET OF LEARNING STANDARDS FOR PRIVATE CHILDCARE, PUBLIC CHILDCARE, AND HEAD STARTS THAT WE KIND OF, WE GO OFF OF.
UM, IT IS NOT NECESSARILY A REQUIREMENT FOR THOSE PRIVATE CHILDCARE CENTERS TO, TO USE THOSE.
UM, BUT IF YOU DO WANNA BE, THERE'S A RATING SYSTEM AND ALL OF THOSE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES WHERE THAT, IF YOU DO WANNA BE ONE OF THOSE QUALITY CENTERS, THEN YOU WOULD USE THEM.
WHEN THOSE STANDARDS FIRST CAME OUT SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE AS A DISTRICT DID PROVIDE FREE, UM, TRAINING ON THOSE STANDARDS.
SO MYSELF, UM, AND ONE OTHER PERSON IN MY OFFICE ARE CERTIFIED TO PROVIDE TRAININGS TO CHILD PRIVATE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THEIR DSS LICENSE.
[02:50:01]
SO IF WE BRING THEM IN, WE CAN DELIVER TRAINING, AND THEN IN RETURN, THEY GET CREDIT FOR THAT TRAINING TO GO TOWARDS THEIR LICENSE.WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT, UM, RECENTLY, BUT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT AS A DISTRICT WE ARE INTERESTED, WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK INTO THAT.
BUT WE HAVE DONE THAT IN THE PAST AND WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THOSE PRIVATE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS.
SO THERE, IT'S, THOSE TRAININGS ARE OPEN TO THAT, THEM AS WELL.
SO NEXT WE HAVE, UM, MR. DALLAS.
UM, BASICALLY ALL THE RE NOT ALL, BUT THE MAJORITY OF RESEARCH I'VE BEEN READING OVER THE LAST 14 MONTHS INDICATES THAT THE DEFICIT OCCURS IN THE EARLY YEARS IN THE FAMILY.
AND SO IT REALLY BECOMES, HOW CAN WE SORT OF SYSTEMATICALLY PROVIDE EARLY CHILDHOOD LEARNING FROM BIRTH TO FIVE, UH, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE OPEN IT UP TO OTHER KIDS.
NOW, I KNOW THAT'S AN EXPENSE ISSUE THAT WILL HAVE TO BE DEALT WITH, BUT I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SHOWING AND WHAT'S BEEN SHOWN BY YOUR TWO CO YOUR COLLEAGUES PRIOR TO NOW IS SOMETHING I LIKE TO SIT DOWN AND GO THROUGH IT, UH, SLOWLY SO I CAN INTERNALIZE IT.
I'VE BEEN ASKED TO SPEAK ON THIS SPECIFIC TOPIC, AND I'D LIKE TO REPRESENT WHAT THE DISTRICT IS DOING NOW AND WHAT OUR PLANS ARE GOING FORWARD.
UM, I THINK TOTALLY IN SUPPORT OF WHAT, UM, HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT STANDARDIZING, AND THEN FROM WHERE I SIT, IF, UH, AN ENTITY IS GOING TO BE REMUNERATED BY THE DISTRICT, IF THEY DON'T USE OUR STANDARDIZED RECOMMENDATION, THEN THAT MAY BE A BREAK, UM, AGREEMENT.
SO, BECAUSE I'M SURE YOU'RE GONNA CHOOSE WHAT'S BEST FOR THE STUDENTS, AND THEN THE FACT THAT YOU PROVIDE FREE TRAINING, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.
AND I THINK THIS IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP AND TAKE THIS DEEPLY INTO THE COMMUNITY SO THEY KNOW WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS DOING, BUT THEY HAVE NO IDEA.
AND IT'S DONE FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE.
SO I THINK WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS, IS REALLY GOOD.
I SUPPORT THOSE COMMENTS MADE TO TO, TO THIS MOMENT.
BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE A COMPREHENSIVE, AND I THINK THE BEAUFORT COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT COULD BE THE FIRST IN THE STATE, AND THEREBY FIRST IN THE NATION.
AND THE LAST THING I'LL SAY IS, MM-HMM,
WE HAVE TO HAVE STANDARDS THAT ARE IMMUTABLE.
AND YES, THERE'LL BE INDIVIDUALS WHO SOMETIMES DON'T FIT THAT PARA, SORT OF THAT PARADIGM.
BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE MYSELF AND OTHERS, WE COME THROUGH IN LATER YEARS.
BUT, UM, WE, WE HAVE TO HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE ARE PRETTY GUARANTEED BECAUSE THE US USED TO BE NUMBER ONE AFTER WORLD WAR II.
I THINK WE'RE IN THE MID TWENTIES NOW, AND OTHER COUNTRIES, I CAN VERIFY THIS, ARE OUTPERFORMING WHEN THEY PRODUCE TALENT TO GO INTO COMPANIES TO WORK, THOSE PEOPLE ARE DETERMINED, THEY ARE PREPARED, THEY'RE CONFIDENT.
SO I APPLAUD WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
I THINK HOPEFULLY STRATEGICALLY WE CAN DEVOTE MORE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT WHAT THIS EFFORT.
UM, HEAD START AND THE DISTRICT ARE DOING A GOOD JOB.
BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, REMIND OURSELF, THERE'S A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF OUR CHILDREN COME TO THE DISTRICT WHEN THEY COME TO SCHOOL.
NOBODY, I'VE READ TO THEM, ESPECIALLY IN THE RURAL AREA, THEY'RE RAISED BY THE GRANDPARENTS OR NOT.
AND LIKE I'VE SAID BEFORE, AND I, WE, WE DON'T HAVE A EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION LIKE OTHER COUNTRY DOES.
THEY LOOK AT ALL THEIR CHILDREN LIKE JAPAN, KOREA, AND ALL THE OTHER COUNTRIES.
EUROPE, THEY HAVE AN EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
UM, FRANCE, I WOULD SAY FRANCE HAS ONE OF THE BEST EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM IN THE WORLD ROOM.
YOU KNOW, EVERY CHILD THAT GREW UP IN THAT COUNTRY IS, IS, IS A, A, A REQUIRED TO GO TO PRE-K AND KINDERGARTEN.
THAT IS SOMETHING WE DON'T HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT STANDARDS ALL WE WANT.
UNTIL WE HAVE A GOOD FOUNDATION, NOTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE.
UM, AND JUST TO THE POINT OF WHAT
[02:55:01]
MR. UM, MR. MR, MR. MY, MY COLLEAGUE, MR. UH, MR. DALLAS SAID, UH, AND, AND IN, AND IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT TOOL LOOKS LIKE, I ALSO THINK THAT WE HAVE TO GO AHEAD PUT WORD, WE HAVE TO WORK WITH SOME OF OUR, OUR PARTNERS IN, IN TERMS OF WHAT WE, WHAT WE ARE EXPECTING FROM, FROM, FROM, FROM THEM.AND IN TERMS OF ALSO HAVING THE CONVERSATION OF WHAT ARE THEY DOING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY'RE GETTING THE RESULTS THAT THEY'RE GETTING.
AND, AND, AND TO BE MORE PER BE MORE, BE MORE SPECIFIC.
UM, MR. CAMPBELL SAID, YEAH, HEAD, THE HEAD START IS DOING A GOOD JOB.
BUT ALSO I BELIEVE THAT THERE'S STILL A BARRIER THERE THAT WE HAVE TO BRIDGE, BRIDGE BETWEEN THE TWO.
AND WE NEED TO HAVE A REAL CONVERSATION IN TERMS OF HOW Y'ALL GETTING Y'ALL RESULTS AS A DISTRICT, WHAT WE EXPECT FROM THEM COMING FROM Y'ALL TO US KNOWING AND, AND, AND, AND, AND IN, AND IN TERM OF, THEY, THEY GIVE, THEY GIVE OUT TESTS AND, AND, AND WHICH ENSURE THAT EVERY, EVERY SCHOOL DO.
AND, AND WE, AND WE GIVE, WE GIVE OUT TESTS.
SO THE SAME WAY HOW DR. RODRIGUEZ SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE, THE, UH, STATE, THE, THE THE, THERE'S, THERE'S TWO RIGOROUS TESTS THAT ONE, THAT THE HOMESCHOOL STUDENTS WILL GET, GET A DIFFERENT TEST FROM WHICH THE PUBLIC SCHOOL KIDS WILL GET A TEST.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S THE SAME THING HERE.
SO NOW, BUT WHAT THE, THE DIFFERENCES IN THOSE TWO TESTS IS THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, BASICALLY, BASICALLY WE ARE GIVING TESTS ON THESE THINGS RIGHT HERE.
BECAUSE WE FOUND OUT THAT IN, IN, IN UPCOMING TESTS FROM FIRST GRADE TO THIRD GRADE AND THIRD GRADE TEST IS ONE OF THE TESTS THAT THAT REALLY IS, IT REALLY LETS US KNOW WHERE YOUR KID'S GONNA BE RETAINED OR NOT, OR WHERE YOUR KID STAND, UH, WHERE YOUR KID, UH, LEARNING TRACK RECORD GOES AT.
SO TO PREPARE FOR THAT, THIS IS WHAT WE'VE LEARNED, THAT THIS IS THE INFORMATION THAT NEED THAT, THAT NEEDS TO BE GOING, THAT NEEDS TO BE, UM, UNDERSTAND.
SO MY THING IS ARE, ARE WE HAVING STRATEGIC CONVERSATION CON UH, CONVERSATIONS IN TERMS OF THIS IS HOW WE, THIS IS HOW OUR SYSTEM IS BUILT.
BASICALLY, YOU TELL US HOW, HOW, HOW YOU ARE GETTING THE RESULTS THAT YOU'RE GETTING.
AND I'LL TELL YOU HOW YOU, HOW, HOW WE ARE GETTING THE RESULTS THAT YOU'RE GETTING.
I THINK IT HAS TO BE MORE COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS IN TERMS OF EXCHANGING OF INFORMATION, BUT ALSO UNDERSTANDING EACH OTHER.
AND, AND I JUST DON'T THINK THAT WE ARE THAT, THAT THAT THAT WE ARE, THAT WE'RE THERE, THERE WE'RE THERE YET.
CAN I SPEAK? SO I, I DO WANT, UM, TO, TO SAY THAT OUR, WITH OUR HEAD START PARTNERS, UM, THAT WE DO HAVE THE SAME CURRICULUM AND SAME ASSESSMENT SYSTEM.
SO THEY ARE USING TEACHING STRATEGIES GOLD, AND THEY ARE USING CREATIVE CURRICULUM, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE USING IN OUR PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS. UM, SOME PRIVATE CHILDCARE CENTERS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE ALSO USING THAT AS WELL.
UH, I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ALL OF THEM, BUT I DO AM AWARE THAT SOME OF THEM ARE ALIGNED TO THE DISTRICT.
AND THEN, THEN, THEN, AND THEN ALSO, UH, I KNOW I SPOKE, UH, AT THE SIC MEETING, UH, IN, IN TERMS OF, THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT WE, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IN PLAY, AS IN ALSO, I KNOW THAT, THAT THEY TEACH THEIR KIDS BY PLAYING, BUT THE KIDS ARE PLAYING, BUT THEY'RE NOT REALLY REALIZING THAT THEY'RE, THAT THEY'RE LEARNING.
AND, AND I'VE BEEN TO THE VISIT TO THE, UH, BUILDING MYSELF AND, AND, AND SEEN THAT METHOD.
AND I THINK THAT THAT, THAT UNDERSTANDING THAT, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT GROWING SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW, HOW ARE WE CORRESPONDING WITH THAT? SO, UM, KEEP IN MIND WE DID INTRODUCE PURPOSEFUL PLAY-BASED KINDERGARTEN INTO, SO AFTER WE RE COME BACK, CAME BACK FROM THE PANDEMIC, WE REALIZED THAT OUR CHILDREN, WE DID SEE THAT, OKAY, WE WERE SEEING THAT FROM BIRTH TO FIVE, OUR CHILDREN ARE LEARNING THROUGH THE CONCEPT OF PLAY OR THAT PLAY APPROACH TO LEARNING.
WE REALIZED THAT IN OUR KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM, DRASTICALLY SWITCHING TO A DIRECT, DIRECT INSTRUCTION OR TO, UM, TO MORE STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENT WAS NOT WORKING AS WELL AS WE WANTED IT TO WORK.
SO MOVING TO THAT PURPOSEFUL PLAY-BASED KINDERGARTEN MODEL, AS WE'RE DOING IT SLOWLY WITH EACH ONE OF OUR SCHOOLS, WE'RE HOPING TO, OUR GOAL IS TO BUILD MORE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, HAVE A LESS DRAMATIC, UM, CHANGE FROM PRE-K TO KINDERGARTEN, UM, INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING, AND BEING ABLE TO PROBLEM SOLVE AND HAVE THOSE STUDENTS UP MOVING AROUND THE CLASSROOMS MORE FREQUENTLY.
SO, GOT A COUPLE, GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UM, SO, UM, I LIKE MISS BOATWRIGHT, I'M SURPRISED YOU SAID ABOUT LESS THAN 50% OF THE CHILDREN IN BEAUFORT COUNTY ARE READY FOR KINDERGARTEN, BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE NOT TESTING EVERY, EVERY CHILD YOU'RE TESTING, THE ONES THAT WOULD KNOW I MIGHT, MY CHILD MIGHT QUALIFY FOR REMEDIATION.
CORRECT? NO, TWO DIFFERENT, TWO DIFFERENT, TWO DIFFERENT ASSESSMENTS.
[03:00:02]
THE, THE LESS THAN 50% PIECE IS WHEN THEY FIRST GET INTO KINDERGARTEN? CORRECT.UH, THEY TAKE A, A KINDERGARTEN READINESS ASSESSMENT.
THE ONE YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT IS, IS HOW STUDENTS ENTER INTO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT PRE-K PROGRAM.
YOU WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? I CAN, I CAN.
SO MORE THAN HALF OF OUR, SO ON AVERAGE I SCREEN BETWEEN 12 AND 1,404 YEAR OLDS.
SO THOSE ARE, AND HOW MANY ARE IN THE COUNTY? UM, A TYPICAL KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM, UH, CLASS GRADE LEVEL IS ABOUT 1500.
SO OUR KINDERGARTEN ACROSS THE, UM, I COMPARE IT TO THE KINDERGARTEN GRADE LEVEL, WE SERVE ABOUT 1500 KINDERGARTNERS.
WE ONLY SERVE ABOUT 983, UM, PRE-KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS.
SO WE HAVE CAPACITY TO SERVE ABOUT 983 PRE-K STUDENTS.
WE, WE AS A DISTRICT ARE REQUIRED TO SERVE, UM, KINDERGARTEN, BUT IT'S NOT MANDATORY.
KINDERGARTEN AND STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA IS STILL NOT MANDATORY WHEN I'M LOOKING AT FOUR YEAR OLDS.
SO THESE ARE FOUR YEAR OLDS ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1ST, WHICH IS THAT AGE CUTOFF.
UM, ON AVERAGE, WE'RE SCREENING ANYWHERE BETWEEN 12 AND 1400 OF THOSE, OF THOSE STUDENTS, FOUR YEAR OLDS, WHEN I LOOK AT THAT, 82% OR MORE OF THEM, AND THIS IS APPROXIMATE, UM, ARE QUALIFYING FOR OUR DISTRICT PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM.
OUR DISTRICT'S PRE-KINDERGARTEN ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA ARE STUDENTS THAT FALL, FALL BELOW THE 50TH PERCENTILE DEVELOPMENTALLY AND OR SCORE A 40 OR HIGHER ON THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED RISK FACTOR SCORE.
SO YOU CAN HAVE THAT COMBINED SCORE.
YOU CAN EITHER GET IN DEVELOPMENTALLY WITH A DEVELOPMENTAL CONCERN, OR YOU CAN GET IN WITH A RISK FACTOR SCORE AND GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE RISK FACTOR, UM, ITEMS FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH.
SO THOSE ARE TWO SEPARATE THINGS.
SO OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE SCREENED FOR PRE-K, THAT DETERMINES WHETHER THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR OUR PROGRAM OR NOT.
THOSE ARE THE, THE MAJORITY OF THEM ARE FALLING BELOW THE 50TH PERCENTILE OR HAVE ENOUGH RISK FACTORS.
THEN WHEN EVERYBODY COMES TO KINDERGARTEN, THEY'RE THEN GIVEN THE KINDERGARTEN READINESS ASSESSMENT, AND THAT'S A STATE REQUIREMENT.
EVERYBODY IN THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA TAKES THAT AS A KINDERGARTNER.
UM, THAT IS WHAT MS. BOATWRIGHT WAS TALKING ABOUT EVEN MORE THAN ABOUT, I CAN'T REMEMBER.
IT'S, IT'S LESS THAN 50% OF THEM ARE READY.
AND SO HOW ABOUT, DO YOU SEE, UM, UH, SINCE THE ONES THAT WENT THROUGH PRE-K IN OUR PROGRAM AND THEN HAVE TO TAKE THAT, UH, WHAT RESULTS DO YOU SEE WITH THEM? WE, WE ARE ANALYZING THAT DATA.
UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE LOOKED AT.
SO THAT STATE KINDERGARTEN, STATE READINESS ASSESSMENT HAS BEEN, THERE'S BEEN A FEW DIFFERENT ONES OVER THE SEVERAL YEARS.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT THAT.
SO GOING BACK TO, UM, I BELIEVE IT WAS COLONEL GEIERS COMMENTS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, UM, PRIVATE, UH, PRESCHOOLS OR CHURCH PRESCHOOLS OR DAYCARES OR IN THE, IN THE COUNTY.
HOW WELL RECEIVED WAS IT WHEN YOU WERE OFFERING, UM, UH, THE INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANCE TO THEM ON, ON THE STANDARDS? WE, WE HAD SEVERAL CHILDCARES ATTEND.
IT WAS VERY WELL ATTENDED, VERY WELL.
AND UH, SO I, I ASSUME TOO, WHEN YOU HA GET THE CHILDREN FROM ALL THESE DIFFERENT, UM, CHILDCARE CENTERS, PRESCHOOLS, I MEAN, YOU PROBABLY CAN PREDICT WHICH ONES BASED ON PRIOR
THERE IS A QUALITY RATING SYSTEM, UM, THROUGH THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
SO THERE IS A QUALITY RATING SYSTEM DEPENDING ON HOW, UM, AND IT'S A CERTAIN CRITERIA OF WHERE YOUR CENTER IS, UM, SCORED OR LEVELED, UM, THROUGH THE STATE.
UM, EACH ONE OF THOSE CENTERS HAVE VARYING QUALITY, UM, PIECES TO THEIR, TO THEIR CHILDCARE CENTER.
ANOTHER THING TOO THAT HASN'T COME UP, UH, RIGHT NOW IN OUR DISCUSSION, BUT I THINK PROBABLY PLAYS A HUGE INFLUENCE, IS WHERE YOUR CHILD'S BIRTH IS RELATED TO THAT SEPTEMBER ONE DEADLINE.
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, ZERO TO FIVE IS NOT A REAL, REAL WIDE WINDOW.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WHO WAS BORN ON SEPTEMBER 2ND AND WAITS A WHOLE NOTHER YEAR TO START KINDERGARTEN VERSUS SOMEBODY BORN AUGUST 31ST, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BASICALLY A YEAR APART IN DEVELOPMENT AND THEY'VE ONLY HAD FIVE YEARS ON THE CORRECT.
AND I CAN IMAGINE THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE.
I EXPLAIN THAT TO PARENTS A LOT.
[03:05:01]
UM, SO THERE IS, UM, SOMETHING CALLED DELAYING THE START OF KINDERGARTEN WHERE PARENTS WHO ARE IN THAT SITUATION WHERE THEY HAVE A AUGUST 31ST CHILD, HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THEY'RE IN THE SAME GRADE LEVEL AS THAT CHILD WHO WAS BORN ON SEPTEMBER 3RD OR SEPTEMBER 1ST, YOU KNOW, FIRST.SO WHEN, AND I GIVE THEM THE EXAMPLE OF WHEN YOU WERE IN THE HOSPITAL GIVING BIRTH TO YOUR CHILD, OKAY? THEY WERE STILL IN THE HOSPITAL, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE IN THE HOSPITAL AND YOU RECOVER AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
SO YOUR BABY IS TWO OR THREE DAYS OLD, YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN THE SAME GRADE LEVEL WITH A CHILD WHO IS ALREADY STARTING TO WALK AND TALK AS A 12 MONTH OLD.
SO THAT GRADE SPAN, THAT AGE SPAN IS, IS LARGE, ESPECIALLY IN THE YOUNGER GRADES.
COLONEL GUYER, I'VE BEEN FASCINATED, UH, FOR A LONG TIME ABOUT HUMAN BRAIN DEVELOPMENT.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE LEARNED IS THAT OUR HUMAN BRAINS DO NOT EVOLVE, DO NOT, UM, GET WIRED, IF YOU WILL.
SOME, SOME PARTS OF THE BRAIN DEVELOP FASTER AT DIFFERENT TIMES.
ESPECIALLY IT'S, IT'S A BIG CHANGE BETWEEN MALES AND FEMALES, FRANKLY, AS WHEN THEY GET, AND SO TO ADD ONTO THIS, I HAVE A GRANDSON WHO WAS BORN ON SEPTEMBER 2ND.
HE REALLY THOUGHT HE WAS READY TO GO
HIS JUDGMENT AND HIS, HIS ABILITY AND HIS KNOWLEDGE, HE WAS READY EMOTIONALLY, HE WAS NOT.
AND WE HAVE A STIGMA ABOUT YOU GOTTA, YOU GOTTA BE AT CERTAIN LEVELS AT CERTAIN AGES, AND WE'RE NOT THE SAME.
AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT IS YOU GET A KID WHO'S JUST NOT WIRED YET AND HE DOESN'T DO WELL, BUT YET HE'S ADVANCED AND THEN HE, HE'S CONSISTENTLY BEHIND HIS WIRING DOESN'T CATCH UP WITH HIS GRADE LEVEL.
AND SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE HAVE TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE AND WE HAVE TO HAVE PARENTS UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR CHILD IS, IS LOVABLE AND SOCIABLE AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT IT'S NOT QUITE READY TO MAKE THE JUMP FROM KINDERGARTEN TO FIRST GRADE, OR IT HASN'T CAUGHT UP IN FIRST GRADE TO SECOND GRADE.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN, I KNOW IT'S A STIGMA TO THE KID AND IT'S PROBABLY A STIGMA TO THE PARENTS THAT WON'T, MY, MY, MY CHILD'S STUPID.
IT JUST HASN'T GOTTEN ALL THERE TOGETHER.
WHEN YOU TRY TO DO THAT CORRECTION IN FIFTH GRADE, SIXTH GRADE, SEVENTH GRADE, NOW THAT'S A REAL PROBLEM.
SO IT, IT SEEMS TO ME, IF WE'RE GOING TO REALLY CAPTURE THIS PROBLEM, AND I, I, I KIND OF HEAR FROM FOLKS AND, AND I'M, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SECONDHAND THAT THIRD GRADE'S REALLY THE KIND OF CUT POINT.
YOU LEARN TO READ UP TO THIRD GRADE AND THEN YOU READ TO LEARN BEYOND THAT.
AND SO WHY THE HECK ARE WE SENDING KIDS INTO FOURTH GRADE THAT HAVE A, AN ANCHOR ON THEIR POSSIBILITIES OF ACHIEVEMENT? AND SO THEY GET, THEY, THEY THINK THEY'RE STUPID AND THEY'RE NOT STUPID.
THEY JUST HAVEN'T WIRED UP YET.
AND IT'S, AND IT'S ALSO SCIENTIFICALLY, IF YOU LOOK AT AS, AGAIN, THE GENDER ISSUE AND YOU LOOK AT THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP WE HAVE AT BOYS AND GIRLS AT THE YOUNG AGE, AND IN FACT IT STAYS ON INTO HIGH SCHOOL.
LOOK AT, LOOK AT WHO'S OUR, OUR, UH, VALEDICTORIANS AND TORIAN.
BUT, BUT THAT IS A REAL, REAL ISSUE WITH BOYS.
I CAN, I CAN GO TO THE DAD AND SAY, HEY, LISTEN, KEEP HIM BACK A YEAR BECAUSE THEN IT'LL BE A YEAR BIGGER AND STRONGER FOR THE FOOTBALL TEAM, YOU KNOW? OH, WELL THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
BUT, BUT YOU SEE WHAT I'M GETTING AT? WE'VE GOTTA, WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT A WAY TO NOT HAVE KIDS ADVANCE BECAUSE OF TIME MORE SO THAN DEVELOPMENT, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST A SLIPPERY SLOPE.
THE, THE KIDS DROPPING OUT, KIDS FEELING THAT THEY'RE INFERIOR AND THAT REALLY BOTHERS ME.
[03:10:01]
IN EARLY CHILDHOOD WE CALL THAT THE GIFT OF TIME.UM, LET'S GIVE THEM THE GIFT OF TIME.
UM, BUT ON PAY, ON THE SECOND SLIDE WHERE WE WERE LOOKING AT THE, UH, PROGRESSION OF THE CHILDREN'S WRITING DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS ON A CONTINUUM.
SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE AND FOUR AND FIVE YEAR OLDS, JUST BECAUSE YOUR 5-YEAR-OLD IS DOING IT DOESN'T MEAN MY FIVE-YEAR-OLD IS GONNA DO IT AT THE SAME TIME.
AND SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE COLOR BANDS ACROSS THE PAGE, THIS ASSESSMENT SYSTEM THAT WE USE IS DOING EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, GIVING THEM TIME TO DEVELOP.
IT ALSO TAKES INTO ACCOUNT THAT 12 MONTH GAP BETWEEN SOME STUDENTS.
UM, SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS AND THESE COLOR BANDS LIKE THE, THE GREEN COLOR BAND WOULD BE THAT 3-YEAR-OLD SCHOOL YEAR.
SO ANY TIME BETWEEN THAT, THAT THAT SCHOOL YEAR, THAT CHILD HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW AND DEVELOP, AND IT LOOKS DIFFERENT FOR EVERY SINGLE CHILD.
SAME THING WITH THE BLUE COLOR BAND, WHICH IS PRE-K, KINDERGARTEN, AND THEN THE PINK IS FIRST GRADE.
NOW, AS YOU SEE, THEY GO UP INTO FIRST AND SECOND ON MY MUCH LARGER DOCUMENT.
THOSE COLOR BANDS ACTUALLY GET SHORTER BECAUSE 'CAUSE OF THE BRAIN DEVELOPMENT IS ALMOST CAUGHT UP.
KEEP IN MIND THAT 90% OF A CHILD'S BRAIN DEVELOPS BEFORE THE AGE OF FIVE.
SO WE AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE DON'T EVEN SEE THEM TILL FOUR AND FIVE.
SO HOW MUCH EXPOSURE THEY'RE GETTING BETWEEN BIRTH TO FIVE, HOW MUCH THEY'RE INTERACTING AND TALKING WITH OTHER CHILDREN AND THEIR ADULTS ALSO PLAYS A FACTOR IN THAT.
I, I ALSO HAVE A MATH QUESTION.
OH, I'LL BE GLAD TO GIVE YOU THE MONEY.
AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS, AND EVEN IN EARLY AS SECOND AND THIRD GRADE, UH, GRANDPA, YOU HELPED ME LAST NIGHT AND WAS ALL WRONG,
I UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S CHANGED, AND WE GET BEAT UP BY PEOPLE MY AGE THAT COME TO PUBLIC FORUMS AND SAY THEY DON'T KNOW THE MULTIPLICATION TABLES.
WELL, I SAY THEY ALS THEY ALSO KNOW HOW TO HAND, UH, SADDLE A HORSE.
YOU KNOW,
AND I UNDERSTAND THE MATH PROCESS.
YOU, YOU'RE REALLY SETTING THEM UP FOR HIGHER LEVEL MATH.
YOU KNOW, I, I WENT TO A CATHOLIC SCHOOL AND NUNS TAUGHT MULTIPLE CHOICE A, A, B, C, MULTI DIVIDE.
NO FACT, NO FRACTIONS, NO NO FACTORS, NO VARIABLES, NO XS AND YS.
AND SO WHEN I WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL AND GOT INTO THAT, I STRUGGLED.
SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE DOING, BUT I HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME CONVINCING CONSTITUENTS, ESPECIALLY OF MY AGE UNTIL I TAKE 'EM DOWN TO A CLASSROOM.
WHEN I GET 'EM IN A CLASSROOM AND I WATCH THEM, THEY, THEY WATCH THE KIDS DO THE WORK ON THE SMART BOARD.
SO MY, MY ISSUE IS, IT'S, IT'S A PUBLIC RELATIONS PIECE THAT WE, WE ARE NOT REALLY INFORMING THE PUBLIC THAT, ESPECIALLY MATHEMATICS.
NOW WE'VE GONE BACK TO PHONICS.
NUNS, NO PHONICS AND NUNS KNOW GRAMMAR.
THEY DON'T KNOW MATH, THEY DON'T KNOW SCIENCE.
SO WE'VE GOT TO, WE'VE GOT TO SOMEHOW INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT THAT HOW WE ARE TEACHING MATHEMATICS IS MUCH BETTER WAY THAN THE OLD ROTE MEMORY, FLASHCARD DRILLS AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
HOW CAN WE, HOW CAN WE DO THAT? COLONEL, I'M SURE YOU WERE A WELL-BEHAVED STUDENT, SO YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO WRITE OUT THE MULTIPLICATION TABLES MULTIPLE TIMES AS A PUNISHMENT, RIGHT?
WROTE MEMORIZATION ABOUT, UH, CERTAIN THINGS IS VERY HELPFUL IN TERMS OF KNOWING YOUR MATH FACTS.
IN, IN THAT COMPONENT, MORE OF THE APPLICATION OF MATH AS IS, UH, IS I THINK WHAT WE SEE MORE TODAY AT AN EARLIER GRADE LEVEL, UH, THAN WE USED TO SEE.
AND IT'S MORE, IT'S BECOME MORE OF A THINKING CURRICULUM THAN IT USED TO
[03:15:01]
BE.BECAUSE IN INHERENT IN WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS THOSE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS, THE CURRENT WORKFORCE DEMANDS, THOSE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS.
I THINK IN ADDITION, WHAT I WOULD SAY, UH, TO, TO WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, GO BACK TO THE EARLIER CONVERSATION ABOUT STANDARDS, STANDARDS BASED ASSESSMENTS.
RIGHT? UH, IT'S PROBABLY NOT EVEN THAT WHEN YOU WERE HELPING YOUR GRANDSON THAT YOU GOT THE WRONG ANSWER.
YOU, YOU PROBABLY GOT THE RIGHT ANSWER.
YOU JUST DIDN'T DO IT IN THE WAY THAT IT WAS ASKED TO BE DONE.
BECAUSE, BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT CHILDREN UNDERSTAND WHAT ACTUALLY SIX TIMES FOUR REALLY MEANS AS AN EXAMPLE.
AND SO, UH, UH, SO YOU MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN IT 'CAUSE YOU KNEW THE MATH FACT, BUT MAYBE YOU COULDN'T VISUALLY REPRESENT IT OR MAYBE WHAT, OR YOU DIDN'T, MAYBE YOU DIDN'T VISUALLY REPRESENT OR WHATEVER.
SO, SO IT'S BECOME MORE OF A, OF A THINKING CURRICULUM.
IT IS STANDARDS BASED, UM, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN NORM REFERENCE ASSESSMENTS.
MATHEMATICS, THAT'S MY SOAP BOX TODAY,
UM, BUT YOU GO BACK TO WHEN RONALD REAGAN WAS PRESIDENT, A NATION AT RISK REPORT.
AND FROM THAT, THE STANDARDS BASED MOVEMENT WAS, WAS FORMED.
UH, AND, AND YOU CAN GO THROUGH THE PRESIDENTS ALONG THE WAY, GEORGE BUSH, BILL CLINTON, SO ON AND SO FORTH.
AND, AND YOU CAN SEE THE DRIVE OF THE STANDARDS BASED MOVEMENT ACROSS, UH, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
EACH STATE HAS THEIR OWN SET OF STANDARDS, BUT THEY'RE NOT THAT RADICALLY DIFFERENT, RIGHT? BECAUSE, UM, AND SO I THINK THE CONVERSATION WITH, WITH THE COMMUNITY, I THINK THE EASIEST WAY FOR THEM TO UNDERSTAND SOME OF THIS, UH, THEY DON'T LIKE THAT.
THEY SEE SOMETIMES, UH, THEY, THEY DON'T LIKE THAT THEY CAN'T HELP THEIR, THEIR CHILDREN IN MATH, RIGHT? BECAUSE I KNOW MATH, YOU KNOW, AND I, AND I WANNA HELP 'EM WITH THEIR HOMEWORK AND HELP 'EM WITH MATH, RIGHT? SO, UH, SO THAT'S PART OF IT.
BUT I THINK IT'S, IT COMES DOWN TO TRYING TO, TO GET OUR COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND IT IS A THINKING BASED CURRICULUM, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN WHEN WE WENT TO SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE MORE FACT-BASED.
MEMORIZATION WAS A BIG PART OF IT.
BUT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU MOVE UP THE COGNITIVE COMPLEXITY OF TASKS AND INSTRUCTIONS THAT TODAY'S WORKFORCE DEMANDS, THAT TODAY'S STANDARDS DEMAND, IT PUSHES CRITICAL THINKING LOWER INTO, INTO LOWER GRADE LEVELS.
UH, AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE SEE.
ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD, GO FOR IT.
YOU DID A WONDERFUL JOB OF SUMMARIZING THAT.
PROBABLY WAY BETTER THAN I COULD HAVE.
BUT YES, WE TEACH FOR CONCEPTS NOW, AS DR. RODRIGUEZ SAID.
UM, IT'S NOT ABOUT MEMORIZATION OR JUST KIND OF GETTING THE ANSWER, BUT REALLY UNDERSTANDING THE MATH THAT YOU'RE DOING.
AND SO THEN WE ARE PREPPING KIDS FOR THOSE HIGHER LEVEL COURSES THAT THEY WILL TAKE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL.
SO THEY CAN BE READ COLLEGE AND CAREER READY, MR. BOATRIGHT.
SO A COUPLE QUICK COMMENTS, AND THEN I HAVE SOMETHING I WANNA SOAPBOX ABOUT A LITTLE BIT.
BUT TO MR. CAMPBELL'S COMMENT, LIKE IN JAPAN, IN ICELAND, THE SCANDINAVIAN COUNTRIES, THEY DO HAVE A, A STRONGER EARLY CHILDHOOD, BUT A BIG COMPONENT OF THAT IS THE PARENTS.
IT IS, YOU CANNOT SEND, YOU CAN'T DROP YOUR KID.
THE PARENTS ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND THINGS.
THEY'RE REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE AND VOLUNTEER.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT BECAUSE YOU CAN PUT ALL THE EARLY CHILDHOOD OUT THERE YOU WANT, IF THE PARENTS SEE IT AS, YOU KNOW, DROPPING 'EM OFF, PICKING 'EM UP, AND THAT'S IT, IT'S NOT GONNA BE AS EFFECTIVE IN, IN JAPAN.
THE PARENTS ARE INTEGRAL TO THE CURRICULUM.
UM, SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, COULD BE THOUGHT ABOUT.
AND THEN AS FAR AS MATH GOES, I READ AN INTERESTING, 'CAUSE I ACTUALLY SUBSCRIBE TO THE MULTIPLICATION TABLES.
IT'S LIKE THE TRIUM, RIGHT? YOU GOT GRAMMAR, THEN YOU GET RHETORIC, THEN YOU GET LOGIC, YOU GET THE MULTIPLICATION TABLES, THEN YOU GET VARIABLES, THEN YOU GET CRITICAL THINKING, RIGHT? SO, UM, BUT THEY SAID THAT, UH, THE CHINESE, UH, OBVIOUSLY CRUSH THE AMERICAN STUDENTS IN MATH COMPETITIONS, THE MATH OATES, BUT THE AMERICANS ARE MUCH BETTER IN THE NOBEL PRIZE CATEGORY BECAUSE THAT'S THE CREATIVE OUT OF THE BOX.
UM, SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE A SYSTEM.
[03:20:01]
BUT MY COMMENT ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, AND WITH SOME OF THESE STANDARDS, AND THE THING THAT I'VE NOTICED AS A, A PARENT, UM, IN THE LAST 20 YEARS, SOMETIMES WE GET A LITTLE TOO CAUGHT UP IN THESE STANDARDS.AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK I'M TRYING TO POINT OUT, ESPECIALLY AT THE YOUNG AGE, BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD BETWEEN 2003 AND 2011, A 42% INCREASE IN NUMBER OF BOYS DIAGNOSED WITH A DHD GREATER THAN ONE IN 10 BOYS CURRENTLY IN THE UNITED STATES ARE DIAGNOSED.
THEY TRIED TO DIAGNOSE ONE OF MY KIDS, I'M NOT GONNA SAY WHICH ONE, ONE OF MY BOYS WITH A DHD.
AND IT WAS COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE.
AND THEY WANTED TO START HIM IMMEDIATELY ON RITALIN.
SO WE WONDER WHY WE HAVE A FENTANYL AND A DRUG ABUSE PROBLEM.
THE CEO OF YOUTUBE'S SON JUST DIED AT BERKELEY IN THE DORM MY DAUGHTER WAS IN.
AND IT WASN'T A DRUG OVERDOSE LIKE HEROIN, IT WAS BECAUSE HE WAS TAKING A STUDY AID.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE TRAINED THESE KIDS, YOU GOT A PROBLEM, WE'RE GONNA DIAGNOSE YOU, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU A PILL, AND WE'RE GONNA, YOU KNOW, SEE A THERAPIST.
MOST OF THE YOUNG KIDS I KNOW OUT INTO THE SEATTLE AREA ARE IN SPEECH THERAPY.
THEY'RE IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, THEY'RE IN, AND I'M LOOKING, AND I'M LIKE, THEY'RE JUST GOOFY.
LIKE, GIVE THEM A MINUTE, YOU KNOW, THEY'LL FIGURE IT OUT.
AND I ALWAYS THINK, YOU KNOW, WITH SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN INVOLVED IN BASKETBALL COACHING, ESPECIALLY AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL, YOU GET THESE KIDS THAT COME IN AND THE SHORT, THEY'RE FASTER.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE ABLE TO STEAL THE BALL.
THE TALL KIDS COME IN ALL LIKE UNCOORDINATED.
BUT IF YOU SAID TO THOSE, LIKE, THOSE SHORT, FAST KIDS, LIKE THOSE ARE THE GOOD BASKETBALL PLAYERS AND THE GOOFY SIX FOOT FIVE KIDS WITH THE GIANT FEET THAT ARE FALLING DOWN, YOU'RE NOT, I MEAN, MICHAEL JORDAN FAMOUSLY, YOU KNOW, DID NOT MAKE THE VARSITY TEAM IN NINTH GRADE.
WE CAN'T HAVE THESE STANDARDS AND SAY, THIS IS WHERE THESE KIDS ARE.
AND THEREFORE, WHAT HAPPENS IN, IN AMERICA IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS, WE SAY, BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW.
AND A LOT OF OUR INVENTION INTERVENTIONS, I THINK, AND THIS IS NOT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT I THINK IT'S SOMETHING, AS WE THINK ABOUT STANDARDIZING THE STANDARDS AROUND KINDERGARTEN, I THINK WE NEED MORE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
WE NEED MORE PARENTAL EDUCATION FOR KIDS.
I KNOW THERE'S SOME PROGRAMS OUT THERE AND SOME RESEARCH THAT TRIED TO TEACH PARENTS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY EVEN READ TO YOUR KID EVERY DAY, READ SIGNS IN THE GROCERY STORE, COUNT WITH, YOU KNOW, JUST CONSTANTLY THAT EXPOSURE AND THAT VOCABULARY.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT IF WE GET VERY FOCUSED ON THESE STANDARDS, WE HAVE SOME RISK TO THE OTHER SIDE, AND THAT WE'RE GONNA START SAYING, WELL, YOU'RE NOT MEETING THE STANDARD, THEREFORE YOU NEED TO HAVE THIS THERAPY OR THAT THERAPY.
AND, AND IT'S REALLY, I THINK, DAMAGING KIDS' SENSE OF SELF, BECAUSE IN JAPAN AND IN ICELAND, NO ONE'S TELLING THE KID THAT THEY HAVE A SPEECH DEFICIT AND THEY NEED TO GO INTO SOME SORT OF SPEECH THERAPY.
THEY'RE JUST LIKE, GO PLAY IN THE GRASS.
YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A DIFFERENT MENTALITY.
AND AMERICA'S GOTTEN SO FOCUSED ON, WE CAN FIX ALL OF THIS IF WE JUST IDENTIFY IT, DIAGNOSE IT.
AND NOW I THINK WE'RE STARTING TO REAP THAT, UM, WITH SOME OF THE OLDER KIDS.
AND THERE'S SOME GREAT BOOKS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
UM, I'M A FAN OF JONATHAN HA, THE ANXIOUS GENERATION, BAD THERAPY BY ABIGAIL SHIER, LOOKING AT THE LAST 20 YEARS OF INTERVENTION, STARTING IN THIRD THREE YEAR OLDS AND FOUR YEAR OLDS, AND SAYING, WE'RE RAISING KIDS WHOSE SENSE OF SELF IS FUNDAMENTALLY DAMAGED, WHO, UM, ARE ON MEDICATIONS, WHO ARE IN THERAPY.
AND THEY'RE COMING OUT SMART, GREAT, STANDARDIZED TEST TAKERS, GETTING INTO HIGH PERFORMING SCHOOLS, CANNOT BOIL AN EGG, DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORK A MINI BLIND.
YOU KNOW? AND I THINK THAT WE'D NEED TO KIND OF BALANCE THAT OUT.
SO, UM, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, USING JAPAN, JAPAN'S AN INTERESTING EXAMPLE.
HAVING A KID IN THAT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, IT'S MUCH MORE LAID BACK.
AND, AND THEY'LL TELL YOU RIGHT UP FRONT, LIKE, YOU GO TO THIS SCHOOL, YOU GO TO THAT SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY SEPARATE KIDS, UM, UH, MUCH EARLIER, AS DOES EUROPE.
EUROPE, BY THE TIME YOU ARE, I THINK 14 OR 15 YEARS OLD, THEY'VE DECIDED IF YOU ARE FOLK TECH OR PRE-COLLEGE OR WHATEVER, AMERICA, I LOVE THE FACT THAT ANYONE CAN COME FROM ANYWHERE IN THIS COUNTRY.
BUT I DO THINK THAT INCORPORATING THE PARENTS MORE AND RE AND HAVING STANDARDS, BUT NOT MAKING THE STANDARDS, I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE THAT FEWER THAN HALF OF THE KIDS IN BEAUFORT COUNTY ARE NOT CAN.
I'M PRETTY SURE THAT HALF, ROUGHLY HALF OF THE BOATRIGHT FAMILY KIDS WOULD NOT HAVE MADE THE KINDERGARTNER READY ASSESSMENT TEST.
SO IT JUST SEEMS LIKE MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TEST.
MR. SMITH, AL A ALSO, UM, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND TALKING ABOUT, UH, SOME OF THIS INFORMATION.
CAN YOU TELL ME HOW, HOW DOES WE, WE HAVE A BUS THAT GOES AROUND AND SPEND TIME AND TEACH, TEACH KIDS.
HOW, HOW ARE WE MAKING BEST UTILIZATION OF, OF THAT BUST, UH, TO BRING HELP BRING THESE KIDS UP TO BE READY FOR FIRST GRADE OR KINDERGARTEN? UH, SO THE TRAVELING PRESCHOOL BUS, UM, IS STILL INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY.
UM, IT WAS WITH SOME OF OUR ESSER FUNDS, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE A CERTIFIED EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER ON THE BUS, AND A TWO PAIR PROFESSIONALS, ONE OF THEM BEING THE BUS DRIVER.
[03:25:01]
BUS IS GOING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY THREE TO FOUR TIMES A WEEK.UM, AND IT HAS BEEN A GREAT CONTRIBUTION TO THE COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE GIVING OUT READINESS PACKETS EVERYWHERE THEY GO.
SO EACH CHILD WHO COMES ON THE BUS IS LEAVING WITH READINESS MATERIALS.
SO SCISSORS, CRAYONS, UM, PLAY-DOH BOOKS THAT WE CAN PUT IN THE HANDS OF CHILDREN.
WE ALSO STARTED RECENTLY, AND THIS HAPPENED BACK IN JANUARY, IS SOME OF THOSE CHILDREN WHO WE WERE IDENTIFYING AS NEEDING SOME INTERVENTIONS PRIOR TO KINDERGARTEN, ESPECIALLY AT THREE YEARS OLD, NEEDING, NEEDING THE OT, THE PT, THE SPEECH THERAPY.
WE'RE DOING SOME OF THOSE SERVICES RIGHT THERE ON THE BUS.
SO THE BUS IS GOING AND MEETING THOSE FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY VERSUS, RATHER THAN COMING TO US, WE'RE ALSO BEING ABLE TO GIVE THEM CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE THAT WAY.
SO WITH OUR THREE YEAR OLDS WHO WERE NOT ABLE TO SERVE IN OUR PROGRAM, WE'RE ABLE TO DO IT ON THE BUS.
AND, AND I JUST WANT TO BRING THAT OUT TO THE, UH, BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE BUS, AND I TRY AS MUCH PEOPLE AS I COME ACROSS, I TRY TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO ACTUALLY TAKE THE KIDS TO THE BUS.
AND ACTUALLY THAT WHEN THEY GO TO THE BUS, IT, IT BRINGS THE POINT, I GUESS MR. CAMPBELL AND MRS. BO WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT ACTUALLY THE PARENT IS ACTUALLY INVOLVED AND ENGAGED BECAUSE YES, THE PARENT HAS, THE PARENT HAS TO BE THERE WHILE THE KID IS ACTUALLY ON THE BUS, AND THE KID IS LEARNING.
AND SO THEREFORE, THAT CHILD WHO MAY BE IN SCHOOL AND MAY NOT BE USED TO A TEACHER, N NOW THAT PARENT IS SAYING, HEY, LOOK HERE, YOU GOTTA PAY ATTENTION.
AND THEY KIND OF PUSH 'EM AWAY AND WATCH FROM A DISTANCE AND, AND HELP THAT CHILD GET, HAVE THAT CHILD GET ENGAGED IN THE ACTUAL CLASS SETTING.
I, I, I THINK THAT IS, THAT'S A GOOD TRANSITION AND COMING.
I'VE HAD PLENTY PARENTS WHO HAVE GAVE ME THAT FEEDBACK, UH, FROM THE BUS.
SO WE ALSO PUT SOME OF OUR CERTIFIED PARENT EDUCATORS IN THE DISTRICT ON THE BUS.
SO THAT'S HAPPENING SIMULTANEOUSLY.
SO CHILDREN ARE PLAYING IN THE CENTERS, THEY'RE LEARNING DIFFERENT, UM, THINGS.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE PLAYING IN THE SAND, WE'RE MEASURING THE SAND, WE'RE MEASURING THE WATER THAT'S GOING IN CAPACITY, ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S A PARENT EDUCATOR SOMETIMES STANDING THERE THAT'S SAYING TO THE PARENT, OKAY, MOM AND DAD, THIS IS WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO IN THE BATHTUB.
THEY'RE PLAYING IN A BUCKET OF WATER, BUT WE HAVE MEASURING CUPS IN THERE.
WE HAVE FUNNELS, WE HAVE ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES, UM, SO THAT THE PARENTS ARE ENGAGED IN WHAT'S HAPPENING, AND WE CAN THEN GIVE THOSE PARENT EDUCATION TIPS AT THE SAME TIME.
AND I JUST WILL DEFINITELY DO, DO GIVE Y'ALL CLUES FOR THAT BUS, BECAUSE A LOT OF PARENTS HAVE REALLY LEARNED, OH, I THOUGHT IT WAS, I THOUGHT MY CHILD WOULD'VE BEEN MUCH MORE EASIER FOR ME TO DROP 'EM OFF AT SCHOOL.
YOU KNOW, UM, I'M LEARN, I'M LEARNING THAT IT, IT IS GONNA BE A LITTLE TRANSITION, A LITTLE TRANSITIONAL PROCESS OF ME HA HAVING TO DETACH FROM MY CHILD BECAUSE JUST, JUST TO BUZZ A MATCH AND DROPPING 'EM OFF FOR FULL DAY OR HALF DAY.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT IS A, THAT IS A GOOD THING.
UH, ONCE AGAIN, MY HEAD'S, UH, MY, MY, MY BRAIN'S GOING IN MY MOUTH.
BUT ONCE AGAIN, I DO THINK THAT THAT IS A GOOD THING IN THE COMMUNITY, WHEREVER YOU GUYS KNOW OR NOT, THEY ARE APPRECIATIVE OF THE BUS, AND THEY, AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE BUS.
SO WE MIGHT ALSO NEED TO PUT, KIND OF PUT THAT OUT THERE A LITTLE MORE.
UH, AND IN TERMS OF HOW WE MODEL IT AND HOW WE LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THAT.
SO WE DO, UM, EVERYONE FOLLOWS US ON FACEBOOK.
SO THE BUS HAS ITS OWN FACEBOOK PAGE.
UM, AND THAT SCHEDULE IS POSTED MONTHLY, RIGHT? SO IT'LL TELL ALL THE STOPS FOR THAT MONTH.
UM, ON, ON OUR PAGE THERE, I ALSO WANNA SHARE THAT SEVERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE REACHED OUT TO US, UM, IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE TAUGHT, WE HAVE INVITED A COUPLE SCHOOL DISTRICTS HERE TO TEACH THEM HOW TO REPLICATE THE BUS.
AND THEN WE RECENTLY, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WENT TO CHARLESTON COUNTY, WE TOOK THE BUS TO CHARLESTON, UM, AND CHARLESTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT FEATURED THE BUS AT ONE OF THEIR EARLY CHILDHOOD CONFERENCES.
UM, AND THEY'RE ALSO TRYING TO REPLICATE THE BUS AS WELL.
AND THOSE DAYS ON THE BUS ARE AWESOME.
I, I VISITED WHEN IT WAS AT PENN CENTER.
AND I WATCHED, I WATCHED IT FOR MYSELF.
AND ALSO, JUST TO MAYBE BE FINISH, I THINK THAT'S ALSO VERY, IT IS VERY IMPERATIVE THAT WE FIND A WAY HOW WE CAN ACTIVELY ENGAGE THE PARENTS FROM THAT PRESCHOOL LEVEL TO, TO JUST TO KIND OF, I, I KNOW IT'S BEEN SAID, BUT THE, THE QUESTION NOW IS THE WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHY, AND HOW, HOW DO WE PUT A MECHANISM IN, IN PLACE TO ENGAGE, ACTIVELY ENGAGE PARENTS INTO NOT JUST DROPPING YOUR KIDS OFF, HAVING THAT MAYBE ONCE A WEEKDAY WHERE EITHER MOM OR DAD COME FOR MAYBE EVEN WHETHER IT'S A HALF A DAY OR A COUPLE HOURS, JUST TO ENGAGE THEM TO SEE WHERE THEIR KIDS AT.
BECAUSE TE WE ALL, WE ALL LIKE TO SAY THAT TEACH THAT LEARNING COMES FROM HOME.
LET US, MAYBE WE MIGHT NEED TO HELP AND AID THEM TO START THAT PROCESS.
THE BUS HAS MORPHED INTO SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS, WHATEVER THE COMMUNITY NEEDS, WHETHER IT'S HEARING AND VISION SCREENINGS OR IT'S, WE'VE EVEN TAKEN THE BUS TO, UM, PREDOMINANTLY SPANISH SPEAKING APARTMENT COMPLEXES AND PROVIDED PRESCHOOL MORNING CLASSROOMS FOR BOTH MOM AND THE CHILD.
SO MOM'S HEARING IT IN SPANISH, AND SHE'S ALSO HEARING IT IN ENGLISH SO THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO HAVE THOSE EXPERIENCES AND, AND EXPOSURE.
UM, SO THE BUS REALLY IS AN ASSET TO THE DISTRICT.
UM, IT, IT CAN BE MORPHED INTO WHATEVER IT'S PRO
[03:30:01]
IT IS OFTEN PROVIDED, UM, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TO PRIVATE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS.SO WE'RE TALKING TO CHILDCARE PROVIDERS ABOUT HIGH QUALITY PRESCHOOL EXPERIENCES AND BEING ABLE TO GO ON THE BUS AND HAVE THAT IN LIVE ACTION FOR PARENTS AND CHILDREN AND PRIVATE CHILDCARE PROVIDERS HAS BEEN INVALUABLE.
BUT YOU, YOU DID ALSO GET MY LAST, MY LAST POINT, RIGHT? JUST IN, IN TERMS OF, I THINK IT WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE A GREAT THING FOR MAYBE THE DISTRICT TO COME UP WITH A, A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ON HOW WE ACTIVELY ENGAGE PARENTS.
WHETHER IT'S A HALF A DAY OR WHETHER IT'S A COUPLE HOURS TO COME IN AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT, LIKE, HOW WE HAVE PARENT UNIVERSITY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT START FROM TEACHING, WHAT THAT TEACHING STARTS AT HOME, WHAT THAT LOOKED LIKE.
BECAUSE GETTING THEM ACTIVELY ENGAGED AND UNDERSTANDING, HEY, WHEN YOUR KIDS COME HOME, THESE ARE WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO CONTINUE WORKING ON THEM WITH.
I THINK THAT, THAT I'M LOOKING FOR ALSO A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IN TERMS OF HOW Y'ALL LOOKING, HOW Y'ALL MOVING FORWARD, WE'LL BE ABLE TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE THE PARENTS AND, AND WHAT, WHAT THAT WILL LOOK LIKE.
SO, SO WE HAVE THAT PROGRAM FOR BIRTH TO FIVE YEAR OLDS.
IT'S OUR PARENTS AS TEACHERS PROGRAM.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE FIVE PARENT EDUCATORS IN THE DISTRICT THAT GO INTO THE HOMES OF CHILDREN, BIRTH TO FIVE, TO WORK WITH THEM ON SCHOOL READINESS SKILLS, TEACHING THE PARENT HOW TO BE THEIR CHILD'S FIRST AND MOST IMPORTANT TEACHER.
WHERE WE, I, AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, AND I, I'LL LOOK INTO THAT, IS HOW WE MOVE THAT PAST KINDERGARTEN.
YOU KNOW, WE, WE WORK WITH THEM UP UNTIL KINDERGARTEN, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO THEM JUST LEAVE THEM HANGING.
WE WANT TO CONNECT THEM EITHER TO A DIFFERENT PROGRAM OR TO ANOTHER PROGRAM WITHIN THE DISTRICT.
SO THIS IS THE TIME OF YEAR, CLOSE TO THE TIME OF YEAR WHERE WE COME AND, UH, TYPICALLY THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE TO DO A FACILITIES USE REPORT.
SO I'M KIND OF TAKING ADVANTAGE OF Y'ALL'S CONVERSATION TODAY TO GIVE WHAT WE TYPICALLY WOULD GIVE, UH, TO THE OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, UM, BECAUSE IT IS ONE OF OUR OE REQUIREMENTS.
UH, WHAT I PUT IN OUR PACKETS HERE IS BASICALLY THE, UH, REGULATION OS 29, THE USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES, WHICH IS OUR GUIDE TO HOW WE USE, UM, OUR FACILITIES.
YOU'LL ALSO FIND THE FEE STRUCTURE, WHICH IS THE FEES FOR USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES, ALONG WITH, UM, THE FACILITIES USE AGREEMENT TEMPLATE.
AND THE FIRST ONE IS FOR ONE TIME USE, AND THE SECOND ONE IS FOR MULTIPLE USES, SUCH AS CHURCHES AND, AND, UM, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, UH, SPORTS TEAMS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
AND THEN FINALLY, YOU'LL FIND THE RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR FACILITIES USE.
UM, AFTER THAT IS OUR 2023, UH, FACILITIES USE REPORT.
AND WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO HAND IT OVER TO MS. BRANDY MAJORS TO GO OVER THE, UH, 2023 FACILITIES USE REPORT.
THEN WE'LL TAKE WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
SO THE FACILITIES USE REPORT, THE INFORMATION IN THAT REPORT IS, UH, FOR THE PERIOD OF TIME FOR THE 2023, UH, CALENDAR YEAR, THE INFORMATION WAS PULLED FROM OUR FACILITY SCHEDULING SOFTWARE PROGRAM THAT WE USE IS CALLED FS DIRECT.
UM, SCHOOLS GO INTO THAT PROGRAM.
THEY ENTER THEIR EVENTS AND UPLOAD THEIR RENTAL DOCUMENTS, AND THEN THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE THEN WORKFLOW TO A DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE WHO REFUSE THEM, UH, FOR APPROVAL AND ACTIVATES THOSE EVENTS.
UM, I'M GONNA SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO THE REPORT, THE ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT.
UM, WE REPORT OUR NUMBERS VERTICALLY.
UM, THE FIRST CATEGORY BEING THE GROUP DESCRIPTIONS.
SO WE BREAK THEM OUT INTO NINE CATEGORIES, STARTING WITH SCHOOL EVENTS.
THEN WE HAVE OUR SCHOOL PARTNERS, OUR SPORTS CONCERTS, OUR GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES, UH, SUMMER CAMPS, FAITH-BASED PARKING LOTS, AND OTHERS.
UM, SO WE HAVE OUR GROUP DESCRIPTIONS ON THE VERTICAL.
THEN OUR NEXT COLUMN WOULD INCLUDE THE NUMBER OF GROUPS, THEN SHORT-TERM EVENTS, LONG-TERM EVENTS.
AND THEN THE LAST COLUMN IS THE TOTAL OF THOSE EVENTS.
KEEPING IN MIND THAT WE ARE SHOWING ONE FOR EACH DAY, IT EQUALS AN INDIVIDUAL EVENT.
SO IF YOU HAVE AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S UTILIZING YOUR FACILITY ON MULTIPLE DAYS, EACH ONE OF THOSE DAYS IS GONNA EQUAL ONE EVENT.
UM, SCHOOL EVENTS, THAT CATEGORY IS PRETTY SELF-EXPLANATORY.
THOSE ARE THOSE, THOSE MEETINGS THAT WE'RE
[03:35:01]
HAVING AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL.OUR OPEN HOUSES, WHEN DR. RODRIGUEZ, OUR WONDERFUL SUPERINTENDENT, GOES OUT AND DOES OUR TOWN HALLS AND PUBLIC MEETINGS, WE'RE CAPTURING THAT IN THAT CATEGORY.
SCHOOL PARTNERS ARE OUR PTOS, OUR SIC ORGANIZATIONS, THE SPORTS, UM, EVENT CATEGORY.
THOSE ARE OUTSIDE SPORTS EVENTS.
THOSE ARE NOT INCLUSIVE OF OUR BCSD SPORTING TEAMS. SO THOSE ARE OUR COMPETITIVE TEAMS. UM, OUR, YOU KNOW, COMPETITIVE SOCCER CLUBS, VOLLEYBALL CLUBS THAT ARE WANTING TO UTILIZE OUR FACILITIES.
CONCERTS ARE OUR RECITAL COMPANIES, OUR THEATER COMPANIES, UH, GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES.
WE'VE DONE REALLY, I THINK, A GREAT JOB PARTNERING WITH, UM, THE, UH, BEAUFORT COUNTY, UM, WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, UM, EVEN THE BEAUFORT COUNTY DIVISION OF, UH, RECYCLING.
UM, WE DO SUPPORT, UM, COUNTYWIDE EVENTS.
WE HAVE SHREDDING EVENTS THAT WE SUPPORT, AND WE ALLOW THEM TO UTILIZE OUR PARKING LOT AT RIVER RIDGE ACADEMY.
WE SUPPORT THEM OUT AT, WELL BRANCH EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL, DOING THE STATEWIDE LANE REVERSAL, UM, ONCE A YEAR.
SO I'LL MOVE ON TO SUMMER CAMPS.
WE ALSO HAVE SOUTHEASTERN SUMMER THEATER INSTITUTE THAT USES QUITE A FEW OF OUR FACILITIES OVER THE SUMMER PERIOD.
MOVING DOWN TO FAITH-BASED, THOSE ARE OUR CHURCHES.
SO THOSE, THOSE CATEGORIES COULD BE FOR SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICE AND OR THEIR MEETINGS THAT THEY'RE HAVING, UM, WITH THEIR COMMUNITY WITHIN THEIR, UM, ORGANIZATION PARKING LOT EVENTS.
THOSE ARE, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A FACILITIES USE AGREEMENT FOR RBC HERITAGE TO USE OUR HILTON HEAD COMPLEX FOR THE UPCOMING TOURNAMENT.
ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THESE GROUPS IS GONNA FALL INTO OUR OTHER CATEGORY.
UM, THOSE EXAMPLES OF THOSE EVENTS WOULD BE, UM, COMMUNITY MEETINGS FOR FRATERNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS.
UM, OR, UM, IF WE HAVE AN ORGANIZATION COME IN THAT WANTS TO DO SOME SORT OF MERCHANDISE SALES, YOU'LL SEE AS WE GO OVER TO THAT FAR CATEGORY, WE HAVE ALL THE TOTALS FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE GROUP DESCRIPTIONS.
AND THEN YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE 54 OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO CAPTURE USAGE INTO OUR FACILITY SCHEDULING PROGRAM.
AND THEN WE SHOW A TOTAL OF 703 EVENTS, AND THAT CONCLUDES THE FACILITIES USE REPORT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME? COLONEL GEIER, IT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING TO, UH, SEE THE NAMES OF THESE OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS, JUST SO WE KNOW THAT WE, WHEN WE GET ASKED ABOUT IT, I SAY, WELL, THEY'VE DONE IT.
BUT ALSO, HOW ABOUT HOW DO YOU HANDLE PRIORITIZATION? AND, YOU KNOW, IS IT FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE, UH, OR DO YOU HAVE, DO YOU HAVE A, YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY GONNA HAVE PEOPLE TRYING TO GET IT AT THE SAME TIME.
HOW DO, HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH, UH, CONFLICTS OF, UH, OF DIFFERENT GROUPS WANTING TO COME IN? SO, POLICY, AND IT'S IN OUR POLICY, IT CLEARLY STATES THAT OUR SCHOOL EVENTS, YOU KNOW, OUR FIRST PRIORITY AND OBLIGATION IS TO OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY, UM, AND TO OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF WITHIN THAT SCHOOL.
UM, AND OFTENTIMES WE DO HAVE ORGANIZATIONS COME TO US AND REQUEST TO RENT FACILITIES, AND WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO DENY THAT REQUEST BECAUSE OUR SCHOOLS HOLD THAT FIRST PRIORITY.
THE SECONDARY PRIORITY WOULD BE NONPROFIT.
AND IT'S, AND IT DOES STATE IN OUR POLICY THAT IF WE HAVE A REQUEST FROM A NONPROFIT IN A FOR-PROFIT, THAT THE FAVOR IS GOING TO GO TO THE NONPROFIT.
SO THAT'S HOW WE KIND OF STREAMLINE AND GET TO THAT DECISION OF, OF WHOM WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO APPROVE FOR A REQUEST.
WE ATTENDED A FACILITY USE, UH, PROGRAM.
WE HAD SCHOOL, SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL ASSOCIATION.
AND ROCK HILL HAS A VERY DETAILED, AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO MAYBE, UH, SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, LOOK AT THEIR PROGRAM AND LOOK AT OURS, COMPARE, SEE HOW, HOW THEY WORK.
BECAUSE THE, THE PERSON THAT THAT, UM, HAVE THAT PRO OVER THAT PROGRAM, SHE WORKS WITH, UH, THE CFO PERIOD, THAT'S ONE PERSON.
[03:40:01]
TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.YEAH, I'LL JUST, I ADD ON TO THAT, SINCE I WAS THERE WITH YOU, UM, EARL, THE, THEIR PROGRAM WAS, UH, UM, THEIR WELL ORGANIZED AND SEEMED TO BE VERY WELL RUN.
AND THEY HAD ONE PERSON OVERSEEING ALL THE PUBLIC USE OF THEIR, UM, FACILITIES.
AND I KNOW ROCK HILL IS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE HAS ACTUALLY GOT THE SMALLEST GEOGRAPHIC AREA.
I DON'T THINK IT HAS THE, THE FEWEST, UH, FEWEST PUPILS.
UM, IT'S JUST IN A VERY SMALL AREA.
AND LIKE, THEY DIDN'T ALLOW, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, ANY, UH, CELEBRATIONS OF LIFE EVENTS.
THEY DON'T ALLOW, UM, UH, A MARRIAGE.
AND, UH, I JUST THOUGHT THAT THEIRS WAS VERY WELL ORGANIZED.
AND DESPITE HAVING A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE TO OVERSEE THE WHOLE THING, UH, THEY STILL CAME OUT.
I'VE FORGOTTEN IT WAS LIKE A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND, UH, PROFIT FROM IT.
AND THEIR PRICING DID NOT SEEM TO BE, UH, VERY, UH, EXORBITANT AT ALL.
I MEAN, MAYBE OUR PRICING'S SIMILAR.
I, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT, UH, IF YOU WENT TO DR. RODRIGUEZ S CSBA.ORG, UH, WEBSITE, UH, YOU COULD ACCESS ACTUALLY THE HANDOUT, UH, FROM THAT, UM, UM, PRESENTATION.
AND THE HANDOUT WAS PARTICULARLY GOOD TOO.
I KNOW THEIR CFO KNOWS, UH, TANYA CROSBY, UH, QUITE WELL.
AND I THINK, UM, TO MR. UH, COLONEL ER'S POINT, IT'D BE NICE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE DESEGREGATION OF THE DATA.
WHO'S USING IT BY SCHOOL? YOU KNOW, HILTON HAD, I THINK, PROBABLY HAS A FEW MORE USES THAN THE AVERAGE, BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNITY EVENTS, NOT A LOT OF COMMUNITY PLACES.
UM, AND I KNOW THIS WAS A, AN ISSUE WHEN I WAS IN THE THEATER PROGRAM, WE HAD A LOT OF OUTSIDE GROUPS.
ONE QUESTION I HAD, 'CAUSE I'VE NEVER GOTTEN A GOOD ANSWER ON THIS, WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO? THAT IF, LET'S SAY THE, SOME COMPANY RENTS THE CAFETERIA FOR A PRESENTATION, WE AUTHORIZE IT, IT'S NOT THE NONPROFIT, WHATEVER THE RATE IS.
SO MAYBE WE GET $500 FROM THAT.
WHERE DOES THAT MONEY GO? SO OUR POLICY HAS A ALLOCATION OF FEES SECTION IN IT.
SO FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IS A 50 50 SPLIT.
SO 50% GOES TO THE SCHOOL, THE OTHER 50% COMES BACK TO THE DISTRICT.
THE FOR PROFIT BREAK IS 40 60.
WHY, WHY IS THERE A 10% CHANGE IF IT'S FOR PROFIT? I, I THINK THE THOUGHT WHEN WE PUT THAT TOGETHER WAS TO ENCOURAGE NONPROFITS MORE.
I MEAN, I DON'T, UM, THEY, WE, THERE WAS A, A THOUGHT NOT FOR THE SCHOOLS TO USE IT AS A FUNDRAISE, IT'S MORE ABOUT COMMUNITY OPENING IT UP TO THE COMMUNITY AND NOT ABOUT RAISING FUNDS.
SO I, I THINK THAT WAS THE MAIN, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT CHANGED.
SO, AND THE FEES ARE MORE THOUGH, SO EVEN THOUGH, UM, THEY'RE GETTING A LESS PERCENTAGE, THEY MAY BE GETTING MORE MONEY FROM A, A NONPROFIT.
AND FROM A, FOR-PROFIT, SO THE 50% THAT GOES TO THE SCHOOL, IS THAT IN ANY WAY RESTRICTED OR IS THAT JUST FOR THEM TO USE FOR YEAH, IT'S NOT RESTRICTED.
OH, AND ONE MORE QUESTION JUST FOLLOWS UP.
SO WHO, IS IT THE PRINCIPAL OR THE SUPERINTENDENT THAT DECIDES ON USE, OR IS IT A COMBINATION, UH, TO APPROVE A REQUEST? SO TYPICALLY, YOU KNOW, IT GOES TO THE PRINCIPAL FIRST AND THEY HAVE TO SAY IT'S AVAILABLE.
UM, AND THEN AFTER IT'S AVAILABLE AND THEY APPROVE, TYPICALLY COMES TO OUR OFFICE.
AND THEN, UM, I APPROVE IT IF, UH, AT THAT POINT.
SO IT'S A MULTI-STEP APPROVAL PROCESS.
YEAH, BECAUSE THE FIRST STEP IS TO MAKE SURE IT'S AVAILABLE.
I MEAN, IF IT'S NOT EVEN AVAILABLE, THAT ENDS THE CONVERSATION RIGHT THERE.
SO, MR. SMITH, WELL, I GUESS I'LL PICK RIGHT UP WHERE SHE LEFT OFF AT, UH, IN, IN TERMS, IN TERMS OF THE MONEY GOING TO THE SCHOOL, HOW ARE WE, HOW ARE WE TRACKING THAT MONEY? BECAUSE, UM, YEAH, WE, WELL, WELL, FIRST I'LL JUST STOP RIGHT THERE.
HOW, HOW ARE WE TRACKING THAT BEFORE TANYA GIVES, UH, WELL, YOU GO AHEAD, TANYA.
UM, IN OUR STUDENT ACTIVITIES ACCOUNTS, WE HAVE SPECIFIC ACCOUNTS THAT ARE UNIQUE TO, UM, ACTUALLY, UM, WE HAVE IDENTIFIERS, UH, A FOUR DIGIT IDENTIFIER, AND EVERY SCHOOL HAS EACH IDENTIFIER.
THERE IS ONE SPECIFICALLY FOR FACILITIES USE FEES FOR EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL.
SO SITE, SAY IT MIGHT BE 1120 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WOULD MAP THE NUMBER SO WE CAN, UM, GENERATE INFORMATION ON
[03:45:01]
THAT.SO IT WOULD BE DEPOSITED INTO THE SCHOOL STUDENT ACTIVITY, FACILITIES USE FEE ACCOUNT.
AND SO THOSE WOULD BE, UH, AVAILABLE FOR, TO SUPPORT OTHER SCHOOL OPERATIONS.
UH, THINGS IN STUDENT ACTIVITIES.
THAT MIGHT BE AN EXAMPLE OF IT.
THAT IT MIGHT BE, UM, A, UH, A TEACHER APPRECIATION DAY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IT, IT, IT'S FLEXIBLE OR STUDENT, UH, A STUDENT CELEBRATION OR ACADEMIC CELEBRATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO THEY HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THE USE OF THOSE FUNDS.
UH, BUT IT DOES HELP BENEFIT AND SUPPORT EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL.
I, I WOULD JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN CONVERSATIONS, UH, AND, AND THESE ARE ALWAYS FUN ONES, OKAY? BUT I CAN TELL YOU AS A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, AS A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, RIGHT, THERE ARE LIMITS TO, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA TALK ABOUT CULTURE, WE WANNA TALK ABOUT BUILDING CULTURE, WE WANNA TALK ABOUT, UH, CLIMATE AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, RIGHT? 'CAUSE WE KNOW IT'S SIGNIFICANT AND IMPORTANT.
IN FACT, ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS I LIKE TO THINK ABOUT AND WORK ON, THEY'RE LIMITED IN FUNDS AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT THEY CAN UTILIZE TO CREATE THOSE ENVIRONMENT AND CREATE THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
WHENEVER THESE TYPES OF TOPICS COME UP, GENERALLY AT THIS LEVEL, THERE ARE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, WELL, LET'S SEE.
WELL, WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THAT? WHAT CAN WE DO THIS? THE MORE YOU TAKE FROM THEM, THE LESS THEY CAN DO FOR SCHOOLS, FOR, FOR STAFF, FOR STUDENTS, FOR THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, YOU KNOW? SO TO BE CLEAR, YOU KNOW, I WOULD, I WOULD CAUTION US ON, UH, ON TRYING TO REALLOCATE AND REDO THINGS WITH THAT.
THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE DOLLARS THAT BENEFIT THE SCHOOL AND THE, AND THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY IN, IN THAT FASHION.
SO, UH, THAT'S THE ONLY THING I'M GONNA SAY ABOUT THAT.
WELL, UH, JUST TO RESPOND, UM, ACTUALLY FOR ME, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST ABOUT REALLOCATING OR TAKING IT, IT'S JUST BEING A, A, A STEWARD OF THE MONEY IN TERMS OF THE, THE, WHETHER THERE'S MONEY BEING SPENT OR THERE'S MONEY BEING GIVEN TO A SCHOOL, THEN I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A KNOWLEDGE OF IT IN THAT, IN THAT, AND THAT WE CAN, IF SOMEONE COMES TO US, THAT WE CAN SPEAK EXACTLY TO WHERE THAT MONEY'S GOING.
BECAUSE I'VE HAD THOSE QUESTIONS ASKED SEVERAL TIMES TO ME, WELL, WHEN PEOPLE RENT THE SCHOOL BUILDING, WHO GETS THAT MONEY? OH, WE PAY WHEN WE PAY A CUSTODIAN.
OH, OH, YEAH, I CAN'T WAIT TO WAIVE THIS FEE.
SO THEREFORE, IT COMES TO THE LEVEL, BIT OF THE LEVEL OF THE LEVEL OF ACCOUNTABILITY FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL, BUT ALSO THE FINANCIAL PART OF, OF, OF OUR JOBS.
THIS, THIS, THIS ALIGNS WITH THAT.
AND SO I THINK IT'S MORE A SHOW OF UNDERSTANDING WHO, WHERE, WHAT, WHEN, WHY, AND HOW, WHERE THE MONEY GOES AT, HOW, WHO, UH, WHO HAS THE, THE AUTHORITY TO SPEND THE MONEY AND TO WHAT, WHAT DEGREE, UH, WHAT WHAT DEGREE, UH, AND, AND, AND WHAT AMOUNT CAN THE ACCOUNT GO TO AND, AND HOW, HOW THAT MONEY CAN CAN'T, BASICALLY, HOW THAT MONEY CAN BE SPENT.
I MEAN, BECAUSE IF YOU, AS, AS MRS. BOATWRIGHT SAID, IF HILTON HEAD HIGH SCHOOL HAS A LARGE PERCENT OF REMS HOLES OR, OR, OR, OR PEOPLE USING THEIR FACILITIES, THEN THAT WOULD MEAN THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY VERSUS ANOTHER SCHOOL.
SO, SO ALSO, I, I SEE THIS IN A TWO, IN A TWO PRONE, UH, I SEE THIS IN A, IN A, IN A, IN A, IN A TWO PRONE, UH, CONCEPT.
BECAUSE NOW I AS A, AS A, AS A PERSON WHO'S, WHO'S JUST LEARNED THIS AND NOW UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PRINCIPLES HAVE THE AUTONOMY TO SPEND THIS MONEY, OR THE PRINCIPLES HAVE THE AUTONOMY TO HAVE A SAY SO IN THIS MONEY, THEN, NOW, I MAY TELL THE PEOPLE COMMUNITY, I STEADY RENT SOMETHING, UH, BUILDING OUT IN, OUT THE, OUT IN THE PUBLIC SAID, NO, WHY DON'T YOU RENT A SCHOOL BUILDING OR A GYMNASIUM WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY ACTUALLY HELP TO HELP THE SCHOOL GET, GET MORE FUNDING.
SO IT, IT, IT, IT, IT IS A REASON, IT'S REASON WHY WE ASK THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ASK.
AND THERE'S A REASON WHY I'M ASKING IT, BECAUSE YOU, I JUST GOT A DIFFERENT APPROACH OF, HEY, STEADY OF GOING AND READ AND, AND, AND RENT THAT DON THAT DINING HALL FOR SOMEBODY, GO AND RENT THE GYMNASIUM BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE RENTING IT AND UTILIZING IT, BUT ALSO YOU'RE GIVING THE SCHOOL MONEY VERSUS GIVING SOMEONE ELSE MONEY.
AND THAT'S HELPING OUT OUR STUDENTS.
SO, SO THESE QUESTIONS ARE INTENTIONAL, ARE, ARE NOT INTENDED TO HURT ANYONE.
THEN, THEN, THEN, THEN, THEN I, THEN THAT'S, THAT'S, HEY, THAT, THAT'S JUST THAT MAYBE THAT'S A MISCOMMUNICATION, YOU KNOW? BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THAT'S OUR JOB TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS.
AND SOMETIMES HE ASKING THESE QUESTIONS ARE UNCOMFORTABLE.
WELL, I'M JUST, JUST TO BE CLEAR, IT'S NOT UNCOMFORTABLE.
I'M JUST SIMPLY, YOU KNOW, POINTING OUT, UH, THAT COMPONENT, THAT'S ALL THIS IS.
I, I'VE SEEN IT BEFORE, NOT FROM HERE, BUT I'VE SEEN IT BEFORE.
AND I SEE, AND I'VE SEEN WHAT HAPPENS AND, AND I KNOW THE IMPACT, YOU KNOW, SO I'M JUST, THAT'S ALL, JUST LAY IT OUT THERE.
WE CAN CHECK IT, WE CAN LOOK AT IT, WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT,
[03:50:01]
UH, AND WE CAN MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT IT.BUT WHEN WE DO, THOSE ARE JUST THINGS I WANT US TO ALSO THINK ABOUT.
MR. OTING, YOU, YOU MADE SOME VERY, UH, GOOD POINTS THERE.
MR. SMITH, THAT I WANNA MAKE SURE IS CLEAR AS WELL, IS THAT LIKE THERE ARE FEES THAT COME OUT, EVEN THOUGH THE SCHOOL GETS THOSE, HAS THOSE FUNDS THAT 50%, THEY DO HAVE TO TAKE OUT OF THAT TO PAY THE CUSTODIAL.
IF THERE ARE, IF THERE'S SECURITY, THEY PAY OUT OF THOSE.
SO THEY MAY NOT HAVE ALL OF THAT MONEY TO SPEND ON SCHOOL, ON THEIR, AS THEY WANT.
A LOT OF IT MAY BE SPOKEN FOR.
ONE OF OUR MAIN GOALS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHENEVER A FACILITIES IS USED, THAT THERE ARE NO COSTS TO THE SCHOOL AT ALL.
I MEAN, THE SCHOOL SHOULDN'T BE PENALIZED FOR HAVING THEIR FACILITY USE THOSE FEES NEED TO HELP PAY FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT MAY BE NEEDED FOR THAT EVENT.
RIGHT? AND I, AND I, I DEFINITELY AGREE, AGREE WITH THAT.
AND THAT ALSO SPEAKS TO WHAT THE, UH, BOARD CHAIR AND MR. CAMPBELL JUST SAID, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THE BOARD CHAIR SAID THAT THEY, THEY, THAT, THAT, THAT DISTRICT IN ROCK HILL, APPARENTLY THEY MADE SOME MONEY ALL OFF OF THAT.
SO THAT GOES BACK TO THE SAME INITIATIVE OF WHAT I, WHAT I JUST SPOKE TO.
JUST AS I'M DIGESTING AND THINKING ABOUT WHAT I'VE HEARD AND WHAT I'VE SAID AND, AND WHAT CONCLUSION I'VE COME UP, I'VE, I'VE COME TO, UH, SOMETHING THAT I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN, I'VE BEEN IN, IN LIGHTING ON.
BUT, UH, THAT'S A GREAT POINT THAT, UH, THAT MRS. BULLRIGHT BROUGHT IN, IN TERMS OF WHERE THE FUNDING IS GOING.
AM I, AM, AM I, AND MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT WE ARE TRACKING IT ACCURATELY AND THAT WE ARE ON TOP OF IT.
AND THAT WE, WE DO UNDERSTAND HOW THE MONEY IS BE, IS GETTING SPENT, BECAUSE I DO HAVE PARENTS ALL THE TIME ASKING, BECAUSE WE HAVE DIFFERENT, UH, PROGRAMS AND DIFFERENT SCHOOLS WHO MAY DO STUFF LIKE, THEY MAY CHARGE FOR PARKING AND PARKING LOTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND SO PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WELL, WELL, WELL, WE HELP, WHERE DOES THAT MONEY GO? OR WHERE DOES THIS MONEY GO? AND SO SOMETIMES, UNFORTUNATELY, I CAN'T, AN I CAN'T ANSWER, AND I DO REDIRECT THEM TO DISTRICT STAFF, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IT MAKES ME WANT, IT MAKES ME ONE TOO, OR IT MAKES ME HAVE THAT QUESTION.
AND SO THEREFORE, THE MORE, THE MORE, THE MORE YOU ARM ME WITH THE INFORMATION, THE MORE, THE MORE I, I, I CAN, I CAN OUT SOME OF THESE FIRES AND LET PEOPLE KNOW, HEY, WE NEED TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
UH, MR. SMITH AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT EVERY QUARTER AND THE QUARTERLY, UH, BUDGET REPORT THAT WE GET FROM MS. CROSBY, IT LISTS WHAT THE BALANCE IS IN EACH SCHOOL'S STUDENT ACTIVITY FUND.
AND WE REALLY SAW THE IMPACT OF COVID WHEN WE COULDN'T LET ANYBODY IN.
I, I HAD NO IDEA AT HOW MUCH, UH, REVENUE WAS BROUGHT IN BY THAT.
AND WHEN WE HAD BATTERY CREEK, UH, GOING UNDER RENOVATION AND THEY COULDN'T HAVE THE CHURCH COME IN, THEY CAME IN EVERY SUNDAY.
UH, HOW THAT AFFECTED THEIR BALANCE IN, IN THEIR FUND.
AND WE HAVE, WE HAVE SOME HIGH SCHOOLS THAT HAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN THEIR STUDENT ACTIVITIES FUND.
AND WE'VE GOT SOME SCHOOLS THAT BARELY HAVE ANY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PAYING FOR THINGS FOR THE STUDENTS, BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE QUITE THE, THE, UH, UH, REQUEST FOR THEIR FACILITIES TO GET THAT, THAT FUNDING.
SO IT, IT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, IS, IS TRACKED.
I MEAN, UH, AND I, I'VE ASKED TONYA MANY TIMES TO BREAK IT OUT AND SHOW US HOW IT'S, WHAT, WHERE THAT MONEY COMES FROM AND HOW IS IT SPENT, BECAUSE WE ALSO, WE ALSO KNOW HOW IT'S SPENT.
WE SEE IT IN THE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS REPORT.
THE ITEMS THAT THE, THEY'RE PAYING, UH, OR, YOU KNOW, BUYING WITH THIS STUDENT ACTIVITY FUND AND IT'S STUDENT ACTIVITIES FOR THE STUDENT COUNCIL AND, AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THERE IS A, A MICROSCOPE ON IT.
WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
SO, UM, ROBIN NEEDS TO KNOW
SO WE NEED TO HAVE A SPECIAL CALLED BOARD MEETING FOR DISCUSSION ON THE BEAUFORT SCHOOL BOARD'S LEGISLATIVE AGENDA PRIOR TO OUR MEETING.
THOSE OF US THAT ARE GOING TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION DAY AT THE CAPITOL, WHICH WHERE WE'LL MEET WITH OUR DELEGATION.
UM, AND THAT IS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10TH.
SO OUR, UM, TENTATIVE DATE FOR THIS SPECIAL CALLED MEETING IS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3RD AT 5:00 PM UH, AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE.
AND WE JUST NEED PEOPLE TO, UH, SAY TO, UH, LET ROBIN KNOW IF THEY CAN ATTEND SO WE CAN BE SURE WE HAVE A FORUM.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, THAT WAY, THOSE OF US THAT ARE GOING, UH, TO COLUMBIA, WE'LL HAVE A MESSAGE TO BRING TO OUR LEGISLATORS
[03:55:01]
AS A GROUP.SO IF YOU COULD, IF YOU KNOW NOW, IF YOU COULD TELL ROBIN BEFORE YOU EVEN LEAVE.
WE HAVE A REGULAR BOARD MEETING ON APRIL 2ND, RIGHT? YEAH, WE DO.
IT'S PROBABLY GONNA TAKE, I THINK IT'LL BE SOME BACK AND FORTH AND PROBABLY NOT REALLY APPROPRIATE FOR A BUSINESS MEETING.
UM, AND THAT IS OUR, OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE OUR BUSINESS MEETING OF APRIL 2ND.
SO DO WE HAVE ANY OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? SURE.
CAN YOU TALK INTO YOUR MICROPHONE? I GAVE YOU A COPY OF THAT THING FROM ROCK HILL.
YOU STILL HAVE THAT? WELL, YOU CAN PASS IT OUT TO OH, GOOD.
UM, MR. DALLAS, ARE YOU STILL ON I'LL, IT SEEMS LIKE THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TOPIC, SPECIFIC TOPIC FOR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.
A COMPARISON BETWEEN FORT MILL AND OUR PROGRAM AND SEE WHAT THEY RECOMMEND.
I'LL, I'LL LET, UM, CARLSON CARLTON KNOW.
JUST IF WE HAVE NO FURTHER BUSINESS, THAT CONCLUDES OUR AGENDA FOR TODAY.
AND WE CAN, UM, ADJOURN BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION.
FOR ALL OF YOU THAT ATTENDED TODAY.