[00:00:02]
[1. CALL TO ORDER]
TO ORDER. MADAM SECRETARY, DO WE HAVE A QUORUM?[2. ESTABLISH A QUORUM]
WE DO. THANK YOU.[3. CLOSED SESSION]
WE WILL RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION AT APPROXIMATELY 7:00 PM.SEE YOU IN A BIT. THE TIME IS NOW 7:03, AND WE WILL
[4. RECONVENE INTO OPEN SESSION]
RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION.UM, I'M GOING TO SKIP DOWN TO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
I KNOW PEOPLE WILL BE JOINING US ONLINE LATER TO WATCH THIS OR LIVE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. AND YOU'RE INTERESTED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU, AUDIENCE, FOR YOUR INTEREST IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, WE WILL NOW BEGIN WITH OUR AGENDA, DOCTOR ARNETT.
[5. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT]
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. WELCOME, EVERYBODY.BOTH THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE THIS EVENING AND VIEWING ONLINE JUST A FEW HIGHLIGHTS TO SHARE WITH YOU AS WE BEGIN THE 2024, UH, CALENDAR YEAR AND THE SECOND SEMESTER OF OUR CURRENT YEAR.
SO I ALSO WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR MARCHING BAND.
SO THAT WAS A GREAT WAY TO BEGIN THE NEW YEAR.
TO NOTE, THIS IS NEW TURF AT CEDAR CREEK ELEMENTARY.
IT LOOKED VERY PRETTY IN THE WINTER MONTHS, AND THEN ALSO A NEW GYM FLOOR AT CEDAR CREEK ELEMENTARY.
NO BETTER WAY TO INTRODUCE THAT THAN INLINE SKATING.
UH, NOBODY GOT HURT THIS MORNING, AS FAR AS I COULD TELL.
UM, BUT A NUMBER OF OTHER SCENES, UH, JUST TO WELCOME EVERYBODY BACK, WE HAD SOME MICHIGAN FANS WHO WERE CELEBRATING THIS MORNING AND STUDENTS, UH, BEING WELCOMED BY THEIR TEACHERS AND THEN ALSO STUDENTS WELCOMING EACH OTHER AT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
SO IT WAS GREAT TO EXPERIENCE THAT THIS MORNING.
I ALSO WANTED TO NOTE THAT TODAY IS NATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT APPRECIATION DAY.
AND THEN OF NOTE TODAY, I WANTED TO SHARE THAT THE TEXAS STATE SCHOOL SAFETY CENTER, UH, ALSO GAVE US A VERY POSITIVE REVIEW OF OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLAN. SO THAT CAME OUT TODAY.
SO WE APPRECIATED THAT GOOD NEWS AND EVIDENCE OF HOW MUCH OUR OFFICERS ARE APPRECIATED.
UH, WE HAVE OFFICER MIKE COWDEN AT CEDAR CREEK ELEMENTARY, AND HE RETURNED TODAY TO FIND THAT THE STUDENTS IN ALL OF THE ART CLASSES HAD CREATED THESE TWO BEAUTIFUL PANELS FOR HIS OFFICE.
AND SO IT COMMEMORATES JUST HOW IMPORTANT HE IS TO THAT COMMUNITY.
AND WE KNOW THAT THAT SENTIMENT IS SHARED BY ALL OF OUR CAMPUSES AND THEIR OFFICERS.
I SEE CHRIS IN THE BACKGROUND THERE FROM TRAVIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.
SO, CHRIS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT TO PROTECT US.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR SECURITY THAT YOU PROVIDE.
SO SEVEN OF THOSE ARE IN SECOND GRADE ACROSS VARIOUS CAMPUSES.
SO I THOUGHT THAT WAS GOOD NEWS THAT WE WOULD SHARE WITH YOU.
SO THAT CONCLUDES MY REPORT FOR THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD? THERE ARE THREE OF THEM AT VALLEY VIEW ELEMENTARY, I KNOW THAT, AND THEN THE OTHER FOUR ARE DISTRIBUTED AMONG THE REST OF THE FIVE CAMPUSES.
NO, DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY TRIPLETS IN THERE.
OKAY. I WAS ALSO GOING TO JUST, UM, APPRECIATE THE OPERATIONS TEAM.
I LIVE CLOSE TO CEDAR CREEK, AND I SAW THEM HARD AT WORK THROUGHOUT THE BREAK.
THIS IS WHERE WE WOULD NORMALLY HAVE OPEN FORUM, BUT WE HAVE NO SPEAKERS SIGNED UP FOR TONIGHT.
[7.1 Trustee Representation on District Committees]
YOUR MIC. UM, A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS THIS EVENING, THE FIRST BEING A DISCUSSION WITH THE BOARD ABOUT COMMITTEES AND TRUSTEE REPRESENTATION.MR. SPRADLEY, I'LL LET YOU SET THIS ONE UP.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO TAKE A MINUTE TO KIND OF SET THIS UP A LITTLE BIT.
[00:05:03]
TO SIT ON COMMITTEES. AND THAT BEGGED A BIGGER QUESTION OF, UM, IN MY MIND OF WHAT COMMITTEES THERE ARE, WHAT WHERE WE HAVE REPRESENTATION AS A BOARD. AND I FELT THAT IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO BRING THAT ALL OF THAT INFORMATION BACK TO THE BOARD AS A WHOLE.UM, AND I WILL ALSO THROW OUT THAT SITTING IN MEETING WITH FELLOW TRUSTEES AND LEADERSHIP TASB LAST YEAR, IT WAS CLEAR TO ME THAT SEVERAL BOARDS HAVE SUBCOMMITTEES THAT THEY RUN. AND AND I JUST SIMPLY WENT TO JEFF AND SAID, OR DOCTOR ARNETT SAID, CAN THERE'S A POSSIBILITY FOR I FOUND A LIST OF 15 DIFFERENT COMMITTEES, RANGING FROM SPECIAL EDUCATION TO CURRICULUM TO FINANCE TO PERSONNEL TO ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND I JUST SAID, I PLEASE TALK TO YOUR CABINET AND IF THERE'S INTEREST IN THEM AND THEY FEEL THAT THERE'S A NEED, UH, I WOULD BRING IT BACK TO THE TRUSTEES FOR A DISCUSSION.
AND THAT'S PART OF HIS PRESENTATION.
AND SO I WANT TO LET HIM GO THROUGH THAT.
AND THIS IS NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST, BUT WE FELT LIKE IT WOULD BE GOOD TO PROFILE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT COMMITTEES THAT OPERATE PRIMARILY AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL, BOTH THOSE THAT CURRENTLY HAVE TRUSTEE REPRESENTATION, THOSE THAT DO NOT, AND THOSE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY.
SO I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU A LIST OF COMMITTEES.
THESE ARE CURRENT COMMITTEES WHERE THERE IS PRESENTLY TRUSTEE REPRESENTATION.
WE HAVE THE LONG RANGE PLANNING AND FACILITIES COMMITTEE THAT IS BEGINNING THIS MONTH, AND THAT, OF COURSE, IS CHARTERED BY THE BOARD, AND THEY HAVE AN OFFICIAL CHARGE, AND THERE WOULD BE A TRUSTEE APPOINTED TO THAT COMMITTEE.
AND THEN THE BOARD EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, THAT'S THE COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF THE PRESIDENT, THE VICE PRESIDENT, THE SECRETARY AND THE SUPERINTENDENT, WHO MEET EVERY MONTH TO PLAN AGENDAS FOR MEETINGS SUCH AS THIS.
SO THOSE ARE CURRENT COMMITTEES THAT HAVE TRUSTEE REPRESENTATION.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S AN EXPECTATION FOR A VOTE IN THAT COMMITTEE.
AND LAURA, YOU'VE GOT DETAILS ON THAT.
YEAH. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR PRIOR BYLAWS SAID, BUT THEIR CURRENT BYLAWS, ACTUALLY, IT IS IT IS WITHIN THEIR BYLAWS THAT IT IS AN EX-OFFICIO POSITION, NOT A LIAISON.
AND I THEY REDID THEIR BYLAWS A YEAR OR TWO AGO.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT LANGUAGE CHANGED.
I COULD BE WRONG, BUT IT IS IN THEIR BYLAWS THAT IT'S EX-OFFICIO.
YEAH. HEATHER. DOESN'T THAT JUST MEAN YOU VOTE OR YOU DON'T VOTE? CORRECT. YOU'RE JUST MAKING SURE THAT IT'S A NON IT IS A NON VOTING CORRECT.
THESE ARE EXISTING COMMITTEES THAT COULD ALLOW FOR TRUSTEE REPRESENTATION.
THAT IS ONE THAT IS REQUIRED BY THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE.
BUT WE DO NOT HAVE A TRUSTEE THAT PRESENTLY SITS ON THAT COMMITTEE.
THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH SUBCOMMITTEE ACTUALLY IS A PRODUCT OF ENVISION EANES.
THEY MEET FREQUENTLY, BUT THERE IS NOT TRUSTEE REPRESENTATION ON THAT COMMITTEE.
THE DISTRICT LEADERSHIP TEAM, AGAIN, IS CONVENED ACCORDING TO SCHOOL CODE.
THAT'S A VERY LARGE COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF BOTH PARENTS AND STAFF.
BUT THERE IS NOT A TRUSTEE REPRESENTATIVE ON THAT COMMITTEE.
HEATHER. AND JUST TO CLARIFY, TWO OUT OF THREE OF THOSE, WE DO GET BOARD REPORTS FROM ESPECIALLY LIKE I'M THINKING LIKE DLT GIVES US THE CALENDAR COMMITTEE AND THEN SHACK, WE HEAR FROM A COUPLE OF TIMES A YEAR.
YES. CAN YOU TURN ON YOUR MIC? I'M NOT SURE. SORRY.
UM, A QUESTION ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OUTREACH SUBCOMMITTEE.
[00:10:01]
IS THAT LIKE A REAL ORGANIZED COMMITTEE, OR IS IT JUST A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE THAT KIND OF SERVE IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY? THEY SERVE IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY.THEY'RE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE SOME EXPERTISE RELATED TO COMMUNICATIONS OR COMMUNITY RELATIONS.
AND IT WOULD BE ASSUMED THAT IF ANY OF THESE COMMITTEES, UM, NEEDED TO NEEDED BOARD INPUT OR NEEDED, THERE ISN'T THEY'RE NOT SHUT OFF FROM US AT THIS POINT.
THEY COULD CERTAINLY REACH OUT AND GET INPUT FROM THE BOARD IF THEY WANTED.
THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENT PARTNERS GROUP.
HAVE ANY OF THESE REACHED OUT OR DID YOU CONTACT THEM AND ASK THEM, OR HAVE ANY REACHED OUT ABOUT HAVING A BOARD MEMBER? NO, THEY HAVEN'T EXPRESSED THAT INTEREST.
WE'RE SIMPLY SAYING THAT THESE ARE POSSIBILITIES OKAY.
UH, MR. SPRADLEY, YOU ALLUDED TO OTHER SCHOOLS AND BOARDS THAT HAVE SUBCOMMITTEES.
WE TYPICALLY WILL SEE THOSE IN THE AREA OF POLICY AND GOVERNANCE AND ALSO FINANCE AND OR PERSONNEL.
AND SO THOSE ARE TWO SUBCOMMITTEES THAT WE WOULD PROPOSE.
WE DO THINK THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR POLICY AND GOVERNANCE, AND TO HAVE A COUPLE OF TRUSTEES WHO WOULD SIT ALONGSIDE OF OUR GENERAL COUNSEL AND OTHER ADMINISTRATORS TO LOOK AT POLICIES EVEN BEFORE THOSE COME TO THE BOARD.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE FIRST READINGS ON POLICIES THIS EVENING.
SO THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THE FUNCTION OF A POLICY AND GOVERNANCE SUBCOMMITTEE, IS TO LOOK AT THOSE POLICIES AND REVIEW THEM BEFORE THEY COME TO THE BOARD LEVEL, FINANCE AND PERSONNEL, THOSE ARE VERY CLOSELY INTERTWINED.
AND AS I THINK YOU'LL SEE TONIGHT IN MR. SCOTT'S PRESENTATION, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF MATTERS, ESPECIALLY AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE REGARDING OUR BUDGET AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR STAFFING, TO HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT WOULD VET THAT INFORMATION EVEN BEFORE IT COMES TO THE BOARD LEVEL, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE OR A COMMUNITY PERSPECTIVE.
UM, WE THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL AS WELL.
SO THOSE ARE TWO PROPOSED COMMITTEES THAT COULD ALLOW FOR TRUSTEE REPRESENTATION.
AND WE THINK THAT THERE WOULD BE GREAT VALUE IN THAT.
SO THAT'S A VERY QUICK RUN THROUGH OF CURRENT OR UH, EXISTING AND OR PROPOSED COMMITTEES.
AND THEN MR. SPRADLEY, YOU ALLUDED TO SOME QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE, AND I'LL LET YOU SET THIS UP.
YEAH. SO I'M SPECIFICALLY SEEKING INPUT ON ON THESE QUESTIONS.
SO LET ME DO A QUICK INTRODUCTION THERE.
UM, ON ON THE FIRST ONE THERE.
UH, SO THESE LAST TWO COMMITTEES.
AND WE MAY ASK AUDREY IF SHE'D LIKE TO COME UP AND TALK AT SOME POINT.
BUT THE, UM, IT FEELS LIKE YOU'RE, YOU'RE YOU'RE AT LEAST AT LEAST 75 YEARS.
UM, IT FEELS LIKE ALMOST EVERY YEAR WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER A SUBGROUP TO REVIEW BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURE, WHICH WE DID LAST YEAR.
UM, WE I THINK WE'VE DONE THAT TWO YEARS IN A ROW.
UH, AND SOMETIMES YOU COME BACK WITH CHANGES AND SOMETIMES NOT AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
WE HAD A SUBCOMMITTEE THAT LOOKED AT, UM, THE SUPERINTENDENT REVIEW PROCESS A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
TO ME, THESE ARE IT'S SORT OF LIKE WE'RE DOING THIS VERY INFORMALLY, BUT WE'RE DOING THIS NOW.
AND AND I THINK THAT SO THAT ONE'S, THAT ONE'S PROBABLY NOT THAT BIG OF A CHANGE FOR US, BUT CERTAINLY SOMETHING I WANT TO I WANT TO HEAR FROM THE TRUSTEES ON AND THEN FINANCE AND PERSONNEL THAT THAT IS VERY DIFFERENT.
SO THAT ONE FEELS VERY AND PERSONNEL BEING SO CLOSELY TIED.
SO I'D LIKE TO GET INPUT ON THAT.
AND I'VE PUT ON THERE TO HAVE TWO TRUSTEES OR THREE.
UM, I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ON THAT.
I MET WITH AUDREY BEFORE THIS AND HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ON THAT.
UM, BUT OKAY, SO THAT'S THE FIRST ONE.
LET ME RUN THROUGH ALL OF THESE AND THEN JUST OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION.
JEN DID SEND ME SOME OF HER THOUGHTS ON THESE.
UM, THE SECOND ONE GOES TO THE OTHER COMMITTEES THAT WERE ON THE LIST.
AND IS THERE A NEED TO, UM, ADD REPRESENTATION? DOES THE BOARD FEEL DISCONNECTED OR FEEL THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING SOMETHING?
[00:15:01]
AND I DON'T WANT TO PUT THAT IN A NEGATIVE LIGHT? LET ME NOT PUT IT THAT WAY.WOULD THE BOARD BENEFIT FROM HAVING REPRESENTATION ON SOME OF THOSE OTHER COMMITTEES? AS NOTED ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDES, UH, THE THIRD AND FOURTH KIND OF GO TOGETHER.
AND WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS RIGHT NOW, CURRENTLY, AND THIS IS WHERE HEARING A TRUSTEE SAY, HOW DOES THIS WORK? IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK ANY OF US COULD EXPLAIN HOW THIS WORKS RIGHT NOW.
THERE IS NO FORMAL WAY FOR HOW THIS WORKS, BUT WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS PROPOSE THAT WE GO TO A PROCESS WHERE AFTER WE DO TRUSTEE ELECTIONS IN MAY AND AFTER WE DO OFFICER ELECTIONS, SECOND MEETING IN MAY, AS SOON AS WE SWEAR IN THE NEW TRUSTEE.
ARE THEY INTERESTED IN MAKING A CHANGE AND PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION TO ALL THE TRUSTEES AND HAVING THE TRUSTEES SEND BACK TO THE PRESIDENT? WHAT COMMITTEE POSITIONS INTEREST THEM.
I YOU KNOW, I'M VERY INTERESTED IN THIS.
I THINK I'D BE A GOOD FIT FOR THIS, ETC..
I HAVE TIME FOR TWO, BUT NOT FOR THREE.
I COULD DO THIS ONE, BUT NOT THAT ONE.
GET SOME INPUT FROM THE TRUSTEES AND LOOK AT AN ANNUAL REVIEW FOR COMMITTEE POSITIONS.
I THINK THAT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF WE'VE HAD A FEW PEOPLE SITTING IN THE SAME POSITION FOR YEARS, AND IT FEELS LIKE IT WOULD BENEFIT THE BOARD TO HAVE SOME TURNOVER, TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO SEE DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND THAT'S WHERE I'M COMING FROM ON THAT ONE.
UM, AND SO THAT'S THAT'S THREE AND FOUR THERE.
SO THREE WOULD BE GOING TO AN ANNUAL REVIEW.
AND FOUR IS THE PROCESS OF GIVING TRUSTEES LISTS.
AND YOU COME BACK TO THE PRESIDENT.
AND THEN THE PRESIDENT LOOKS OVER THE LIST, SEE WHO'S INTERESTED IN WHAT STARTS TO SLOT PEOPLE INTO INTO POSITIONS, AND THEN MEETS WITH EACH TRUSTEE AND SAYS, THIS IS WHAT I'M THINKING. ARE YOU ALIGNED WITH THIS? AND THEN WE WOULD PUBLISH OUT THE LIST TO EVERYBODY SO THAT THEY COULD SEE WHO'S WHO'S SERVING IN THOSE POSITIONS.
COOL. SO LET ME OPEN IT UP TO ANY QUESTIONS.
AND I DO HAVE COMMENTS FROM FROM JEN.
I'LL I'LL SAVE THOSE IF WE FOR A MINUTE.
GO AHEAD KIM. I WAS ACTUALLY JUST HOLDING MY PEN.
I WILL START WITH THANKING ALL THE HARD WORK THAT'S GONE IN TO THIS.
I THINK THIS IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S ILLUSTRATIVE OF HOW MUCH IS GOING ON IN THE DISTRICT.
UM, AND THINGS THAT WE COULD BENEFIT FROM AS A BOARD, BUT MAYBE ALSO HELP IN THE COMMITTEES.
AND SO I'LL IN STARTING WITH YOUR QUESTIONS.
AND IT'S UM, IT'S MORE, UM, MORE INFORMATION THAN I ACTUALLY THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.
I THINK THAT THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE, UM, NEEDED.
UM, I'LL JUMP DOWN TO, YOU KNOW, THE ANNUAL REVIEW OF COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS.
I, I AGREE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULD, UM, THINK WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO ASK THE QUESTION AND JUST AND, AND MY MOTIVATION IN STARTING THE CONVERSATION WITH YOU, JAMES, WAS REALLY JUST SO THAT EVERYONE, INCLUDING NEW MEMBERS AND AS PEOPLE CAME ON THE BOARD, KNEW WHAT WAS OUT THERE, KNEW WHAT, AND WE HAD AN IDEA OF PEOPLE SLOTTING INTO INTEREST THAT EITHER THEY WANTED TO GROW FROM OR THAT THEY WANTED TO ADD SOME EXPERTISE, THEIR OWN EXPERTISE INTO. UM, SO I THINK JUST AN ANNUAL REVIEW OR A CONVERSATION IS GREAT, AND THERE'S SOME TRANSPARENCY THERE TO OUR COMMUNITY AND TO THE BOARD AND TO ADMINISTRATION.
UM, AND, AND I THINK YOUR IDEA OF MOVING.
THE PRESIDENT DECIDES, UH, IT MAKES IT SIMPLE.
UM, I THINK WHERE I HAVE WHERE I DON'T HAVE ANY DEFINITIVE IDEAS, UM, OR I HAVE A NUMBER OF IDEAS IS HOW WE ADD THAT, UM.
WHAT WE DO WITH THE EXISTING COMMITTEES THAT COULD ALLOW FOR REPRESENTATION.
AND SO WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT IT THIS LIST, MY THOUGHT WAS BOTH, UM, HOW THE BOARD COULD BENEFIT FROM PARTICIPATING IN THOSE COMMITTEES EX OFFICIO OR MORE UM, ON THOSE COMMITTEES.
BUT REALLY HOW A BOARD REPRESENTATIVE MIGHT INTERFERE WITH THOSE COMMITTEES?
[00:20:02]
AND I THINK THERE'S A FINE LINE.YOU KNOW, I SERVED ON BOC AND I SERVED ON SHAC AND MY ONLY CONCERN WOULD BE TO WITH A BOARD MEMBER THERE, UM, ESPECIALLY ONE THAT MAYBE REVOLVES IN ON A YEARLY BASIS THAT MIGHT INHIBIT SOME CONVERSATION.
WELL, I THINK THAT THAT MIGHT PERSONALLY MIGHT INHIBIT SOME CONVERSATIONS.
UM, I THINK THAT ON THE DEI TASK FORCE, THAT'S MY GUESS, THAT THAT MIGHT INHIBIT SOME CONVERSATIONS.
THAT'S JUST KIM'S GUESS, NOT THE COMMITTEE'S GUESS.
I WOULD THINK THAT SOME LEADERSHIP'S INPUT FROM ALL OF THESE EXISTING COMMITTEES ON WHETHER THEY WOULD SEE THEY WOULD BENEFIT FROM A BOARD MEMBER WOULD ALSO SHOULD ALSO BE PART OF OUR CONVERSATION.
THANK YOU, DOCTOR ARNETT. THANK YOU, JAMES, FOR THE WORK THAT'S GONE INTO THIS.
I THINK IT'S HELPFUL FOR EVERYONE.
THANK YOU KIM. AND I'LL JUST SAY REAL QUICK, I AGREE WITH YOU.
BUT I'M HESITANT TO FORCE IT UPON THEM, ESPECIALLY MIDSTREAM.
UH, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS OR INPUT ON THIS? UH, ELLEN? UM.
AND JUST FOR PERSPECTIVE, WE USED TO INSTEAD OF HAVING STUDY SESSIONS, WE ACTUALLY USE THE SECOND MEETING OF EACH MONTH FOR ALL BOARD MEMBERS TO MEET ON A COMMITTEE.
YEAH, I GUESS THREE BECAUSE OF THE QUORUM.
UM, BOARD MEMBERS ON EACH COMMITTEE.
SO SOME BOARD MEMBERS WERE ON MORE THAN ONE.
UM. WE TENDED TO PLAY TO OUR STRENGTHS.
UM, AND SO A LOT OF THE WORK OF THE DISTRICT WAS ACTUALLY, UH, PRESENTED AT A MUCH RAWER, MORE RAW LEVEL TO THE COMMITTEES AND TALKED ABOUT WE COULD HAVE INFORMAL OR RELATIVELY INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS, YOU KNOW, THAT IF WE MIGHT IF WE WERE HAVING A GPA DISCUSSION, WE MIGHT HAVE THE PRINCIPAL OF THE HIGH SCHOOL COME AND SIT.
UM, GOSH, WE I PROBABLY OPERATED ON BOARDS THAT OPERATED THAT WAY FOR A GOOD, UM, TEN YEARS.
BOARD MEMBER WHO WAS THE CHAIR OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, REALLY COULD KIND OF GET INTO THE HEADS OF THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS AND SAY, OKAY, THEY'RE GOING TO NEED TO KNOW THIS, THIS AND THIS, YOU KNOW, SO IT COULD REALLY KIND OF HELP STRENGTHEN THE PRESENTATION, MAYBE NOT FROM A PURE FINANCE STANDPOINT, BUT MORE SO FROM A DELIVERY TO WHAT THE BOARD IS GOING TO NEED TO MAKE THIS DECISION.
SO THERE WERE BENEFITS? DEFINITELY. UM, SO WE HAD COMMITTEE REPORTS IN OUR GENERAL BOARD MEETING, AND THAT WAS HOW MOST OF THE MATERIAL WAS PRESENTED.
UM, AND WE DID HAVE TO TRUST EACH OTHER BECAUSE WHAT WE FOUND WAS IF WE DIDN'T TRUST EACH OTHER, THEN THE BOARD STARTS ASKING ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN REVIEWED AND THE COMMITTEE MEETING. AND SO YOU HAVE THE SAME MEETING TWICE, AND EVERYBODY'S TIME IS USED FOR THE SAME THING TWICE.
A LOT OF FINANCE HAS BEEN DONE IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
AND SO WE HAD TO KEEP OUR OUR BOARD MEETING QUESTIONS AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL.
[00:25:02]
SO THAT WAS THE THE DOWNSIDE.AND, UM, AT HER REQUEST, WE SHE WANTED US TO LEARN TOGETHER.
AND SO WE DECIDED TO GO TO A COMMITTEE OF EIGHT, A TEAM OF EIGHT, AND THEN HAVE TOPICS IN OUR STUDY SESSIONS THAT, UM, TAUGHT US ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION AND TAUGHT US, I MEAN, SO WE WE KIND OF EXTRACTED THINGS THAT THE VARIOUS COMMITTEES MIGHT HAVE FOCUSED ON AND.
UM, SO WE WERE REALLY OPERATED AS A COMMITTEE OF EIGHT, AND THAT'S WHERE BOARD COMMITTEES.
YOU KIND OF WENT AWAY, AND WE'VE BEEN OPERATING THE WAY WE ARE NOW EVER SINCE THEN.
SO, UH, SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO GET SO INTO THE WEEDS ON THAT, BUT IT, YOU KNOW, IT WAS A MODEL THAT WORKED REALLY WELL, BUT IT WORKED WHEN WE HAD VERY DIFFERENT STAFFING CAPABILITY.
AND, UM, OUR BOARD MEETING THEN HAD TO CHANGE TO RESPOND TO REPORT INS.
SO THAT'S ONE QUESTION I WOULD HAVE IS.
WITH POLICY AND GOVERNANCE AND FINANCE AND PERSONNEL.
HOW WOULD WE GET FEEDBACK FROM THOSE COMMITTEES? UM, AND I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS AN ISSUE.
WHEN YOU HAVE A BOARD MEMBER WHO'S REPRESENTING THE BOARD ON ANYTHING IS HOW DOES THAT INPUT GET BACK TO THE BOARD? I KNOW I CAN REMEMBER WHEN ROBERT DURKEE WAS THE LIAISON TO EACH AND EVERY BOARD MEETING.
HE WOULD GIVE US A THREE MINUTE UPDATE ON WHAT THEIR BOARD HAD DONE.
SO SOMETHING WE MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT.
SO I DO THINK WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT, UM, WHAT THE FEEDBACK MECHANISM WOULD BE.
UM, OF THESE TWO COMMITTEES COMING BACK TO THE BOARD PERSONALLY, UM.
I WOULD HAVE AT LEAST THREE BOARD MEMBERS INSTEAD OF TWO FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS.
UM, ONE IS THAT UM, THREE IS AN ODD NUMBER.
AND SO IT SOMETIMES MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO HAVE MORE INPUT RATHER THAN LESS.
UM, I ALSO THINK THAT BOTH OF THESE ARE CLEARLY IN, UM, IN, IN OUR, UH, WHEELHOUSE OF OVERSIGHT.
AND SO THERE NEEDS TO BE HEAVY BOARD INFLUENCE IN THE CONVERSATION.
SO I WOULD GO FOR THREE, UM, AND I THINK WITH THREE MEMBERS.
IT RELATES TO THAT TRUST THING I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.
IT'S MORE OF A BORED VOICE THAT YOU GET WITH THREE THAN YOU DO WITH TWO.
SO THE COMMITTEE COMING BACK TO THE WHOLE BOARD, I THINK MIGHT HAVE A BIT MORE OF A.
UH, MORE COMPLETED VOICE IN MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD.
SO I WOULD HAVE THREE, UM, ON THOSE TWO COMMITTEES, AND I'LL STOP THERE.
I APPRECIATE THAT PERSPECTIVE.
UM, SO I'D LIKE TO ASK AUDREY TO BECAUSE I'D LIKE TO GET AN IDEA, I HAD A QUICK HALLWAY CONVERSATION WITH AUDREY TODAY.
UM, BUT JUST TO GET A QUICK IDEA, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THE THE THE BOARD, THE BOARD SUBCOMMITTEE, AS YOU DESCRIBED, FEEL A LOT BIGGER THAN I WAS IMAGINING FOR US NOW. SO I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND.
AND SO I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED.
BUT I THINK LEGITIMATELY ONE OF HER CONCERNS IS THAT IF YOU HAD.
TWO OR EVEN THREE THAT IF THOSE WENT OUT TO ONE OTHER TRUSTEE, YOU'VE GOT A QUORUM, RIGHT? YOU'RE, YOU'RE YOU'RE TIPPING OVER AT THAT POINT.
SO IF YOU'RE HAVING A CASUAL CONVERSATION WITH A FRIEND, TRUSTEE, AND SAY, OH, WELL, LAST NIGHT IN SUCH AND SUCH COMMITTEE, WE DISCUSSED THIS AND THIS AND THIS AND I THINK, I THINK THIS YOU'VE TIPPED OVER INTO A QUORUM, BUT I THINK EVEN EVEN MORE BASIC THAN THAT.
BUT I WILL SAY THIS TOO, HAVING BEEN ON EXEC NOW FOR 3 OR 4 YEARS, UM, HAVING THREE MEMBERS IN EXEC.
I SEE A LOT OF TIMES WHERE TWO OF US WILL COME INTO THE ROOM, KIND OF LINED UP ON THINKING ONE WAY, AND THE THIRD ONE STEPS IN AND GIVES US JUST A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAT SWINGS THE CONVERSATION A DIFFERENT WAY.
SO I TOO, THAT'S WHY I PUT OUT THREE ON THERE.
[00:30:01]
BUT AUDREY, IF YOU COULD GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT YOUR WHAT YOUR VISION OF THAT COMMITTEE WOULD, SUBCOMMITTEE WOULD LOOK LIKE, UM, WHAT SORT OF INPUT YOU WOULD BE GETTING FROM THEM? WOULD AND I THINK WE ALL SHARE THE CONCERN THAT WOULD THAT TRUSTEE OR THOSE TRUSTEES.UM, END UP KNOWING MORE OR, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING MORE GUIDANCE THAN THE REST OF THE BOARD.
DOES IT TAKE AWAY GUIDANCE FROM THE BOARD? DOES IT TAKE AWAY INPUT FROM FROM THE REST OF THE BOARD THAT THESE ARE KIND OF CONCERNS THAT WE WOULD HAVE ABOUT SUBCOMMITTEES? SURE. I APPRECIATE ALL THAT FEEDBACK.
UM, SO BECAUSE LATER ON WE WILL HAVE FIRST READING OF POLICIES AND IF THERE, UH, IF WE HAD A POLICY GOVERNANCE SUBCOMMITTEE, UH, 1 OR 2 TRUSTEES WOULD HAVE SAT IN THAT MEETING WITH, LET'S SAY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A KIND OF A NEVER ENDING POLICY THAT.
IN MY EXPERIENCE, WE'D ALWAYS BE REFINING WAS NON NON-SCHOOL USE OF OUR PROPERTIES.
AND SO IN THAT CASE, IN THAT EXAMPLE, ALL OF YOU, ALL AS DISTRICT RESIDENTS, UM, HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE HISTORICAL CONTEXT. AND IF WE ARE DISCUSSING THAT POLICY, I'D PROBABLY HAVE JEREMY, WHO'S OVER OPERATIONS, UM, PRESENT.
HOW MANY ENTITIES ARE USING THE FACILITY, RENTING THE FACILITIES, WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE? SO IT ALL HAVE HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE AT THE TABLE TALKING ABOUT, UM, WHO USES THE FACILITIES, WHO NEEDS TO USE THE FACILITIES? UM, WHO IS YOU KNOW, THERE'S OFTEN A LOT OF HISTORICAL GRANDFATHERING IN TO USE FACILITIES FOR X, Y, AND Z.
AND THAT'S HOW THIS RULE CAME TO BE.
AND SO YOU CAN WRITE YOUR POLICIES TO ALLOW FOR THAT.
OR YOU CAN OR YOU COURSE CORRECT SOME CERTAIN, UM, PRACTICES THAT DON'T ALIGN WITH WHAT IT IS THAT OUR WE WANT OUR POLICIES TO LOOK AT.
AND SO YOU'VE ALL THE RIGHT PEOPLE SITTING AT THE TABLE TO GET THAT, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN OR TO START TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, BECAUSE NOTHING HAPPENS UNTIL THE BOARD VOTES, UM, HAS A FIRST AND SECOND READING AND ADOPTS THE POLICY.
AND ALL OF THE ROBUST CONVERSATION ABOUT, UM, THOSE POLICIES ARE TO HAPPEN HERE.
UM, AND SO YOU CAN BE THE MORE OF A REPRESENTATIVE, LIKE WE WOULD WORK TOGETHER ON THAT.
I'VE NOT BEEN HERE AS LONG AS YOU ALL.
AND SO TO HAVE A LOT OF CONTEXT IS VERY, VERY HELPFUL.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE LAWS ALSO DO CHANGE REGULARLY ABOUT YOUTH.
SO THAT'S WHAT I CAN PROVIDE TO YOU AS TO WHAT OUR PARAMETERS SHOULD BE.
ANY ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD ABOUT THAT? AND CHRIS.
I DON'T WANT TO PROLONG THINGS ANYMORE, BUT FROM A FROM A FINANCE AND PERSONNEL AND LAURIE AS WELL.
UM, ANYTHING TO ADD TO THE PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT THAT SUBCOMMITTEE WOULD DO THAT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT? DO YOU SEE IT SORT OF THE SAME WAY AND FREQUENCY OF MEETING AND WHO WHAT THOSE MEETINGS WOULD LOOK LIKE? I THINK YOU'VE GOT A MIC OVER THERE.
WE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD LOOK LIKE.
WE'VE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THE MAKEUP WOULD BE AS FAR AS INTERNALLY, AND WHAT WE'RE REALLY THINKING, OF COURSE, WOULD BE LAURIE AND I AND THEN A REPRESENTATIVE, PROBABLY FROM CIA, UH, TO KIND OF BRING IN THAT, UM, PROGRAMMATIC, UH, PERSPECTIVE.
UM. AND PROBABLY A COUPLE OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, ALTHOUGH THAT'S NOT NECESSARY.
YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD BE KIND OF UP TO YOU.
BUT REALLY, WHAT WE WERE THINKING, I THINK, IS THAT THIS COMMITTEE WOULD, UH PROVIDE UM, SOME OF YOU, AND THUS THE BOARD WITH MORE BACKGROUND THAN YOU GET, UH, IN, IN JUST A PRESENTATION HERE.
UM, AND SO, UM, WE'RE WILLING TO KIND OF PLAY THAT OUT AND SEE WHAT IS MOST USEFUL TO YOU.
UH, BUT I SEE THAT IT COULD BE A VERY VALUABLE THING, UH, FOR YOU TO DO THAT.
[00:35:03]
HOW OFTEN WOULD WE MEET? I THINK THAT WOULD DEPEND.THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD ABOUT THAT? OKAY. THANK YOU.
UM, HEATHER, I THINK YOU WERE.
YEAH. UM, AND NOT TO GET TOO MICRO IN TERMS OF THE EXAMPLE THAT, UM, AUDREY GAVE, BUT.
DO WE STILL HAVE COMMITTEES FOR THINGS LIKE, UH, UH, FIELD USE, USAGE AND THAT SORT OF THING? YOU KNOW, WE HAD THAT BIG GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT GAVE ADVICE AND COUNSEL ON ALL OF THOSE CATEGORIES, AND THAT SORT OF THING.
IS, IS THAT STILL IN PLACE? I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT COMMITTEE.
CHRIS OR JEREMY, DOES THAT STILL OPERATE? UM, I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
SO MOST OF THOSE DECISIONS ARE MADE ADMINISTRATIVELY.
OKAY. CONVENED THAT FIELD USE COMMITTEE WAS WHEN WE WERE MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE USE OF UM FUNDS FROM TIRES MADE EASY, IF YOU REMEMBER THAT SITUATION AND HOW THOSE FUNDS WERE GOING TO BE SPENT.
AND ONCE ALL THOSE FUNDS WERE EXPENDED IN THAT COMMITTEE, UM, WE STILL HAVE THAT GROUP THAT WHEN WE COMMUNICATE ANY CHANGES TO RENTAL POLICIES, ETC., WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ALL THAT INFORMATION.
AND THAT GROUP OBVIOUSLY GROWS HAS GROWN OVER THE YEARS.
HEATHER. OKAY, SO YOUR FIRST QUESTION I'LL ANSWER WITH YES, I AM IN FAVOR OF FOR SURE, ADDING THE TWO ADMIN REQUESTED COMMITTEES OF POLICY AND GOVERNANCE AND UM FINANCE.
UM, ALSO, YES, TO AN ANNUAL REVIEW.
I THINK IT'S FAIR TO THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE TRANSPARENCY AND SOME ROTATION.
UM. I DO ALSO, AND THIS IS WHERE I'M KIND OF GOING TO GO A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE, UM, SEVEN COMMITTEES, NOT INCLUDING EXECS.
BUT IT DAWNS ON ME THAT, LIKE POLICY AND GOVERNANCE AND, UM.
AND THE FINANCE AND PERSONNEL.
I ALMOST THINK THAT MAYBE TWO OF THOSE TRUSTEES SHOULD ALSO SERVE.
UH, OR LIKE ONE MEMBER FROM UM, FINANCE AND PERSONNEL AND ONE MEMBER FROM POLICY AND GOVERNANCE SHOULD ALSO SERVE ON THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE BECAUSE THEY HAVE A MORE IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING AND WHAT WE NEED AS A AS A DISTRICT.
AND THIS JUST POPPED INTO MY HEAD AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT.
IT MAKES SENSE TO ME THAT THOSE TWO PEOPLE, ONE FROM EACH OF THOSE COMMITTEES, SIT ON THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE, AND RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THREE PEOPLE, THREE BOARD MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE BOARD PRESIDENT ON OUR LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE AN EASY THING.
UM, SO THAT WAS JUST ANOTHER ADD ON THAT I WANTED PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT.
UM, AND KIND OF TO THE SAME POINT AS THE, THE LEGISLATIVE, UH, COMMITTEE, THERE ARE VASTLY DIFFERENT TIME COMMITMENTS FOR EACH OF THOSE. SO I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD GO INTO CONSIDERATION.
UM, AND THEN LIKE ALSO WE HAVE SOME THAT ARE MANDATED, LIKE I JUST SAID, WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY MANDATED THAT THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY IS THE PRESIDENT. I DON'T THINK THAT'S IN WRITING ANYWHERE.
BUT IT IS HELPFUL BECAUSE THE BOARD PRESIDENT IS THE ONE THAT SPEAKS FOR THE BOARD.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, AND THEN ALSO SAFETY AND SECURITY.
THE BOARD PRESIDENT IS ALSO MANDATED.
SO I THINK WE HAVE TO KIND OF BE CAREFUL.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE COOL WITH THIS, BUT LIKE FUTURE BOARDS, IS THE PRESIDENT ALWAYS GOING TO BE WANTING TO BE ON 18 DIFFERENT BOARDS? YOU KNOW, SO THERE'S THAT.
UM, AND THEN UH, BUT ALSO LIKE SB 11 SAYS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ROTATE THAT OTHER BOARD MEMBER.
SO WE HAVE ALWAYS THE PRESIDENT HAS TO BE ON IT.
BUT THEN THERE'S THE OTHER SECOND ONE THAT CAN BE ANYBODY.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT COMMITTEE.
[00:40:03]
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A MEMO.I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, A SHORT BOARD REPORT.
THAT'S JUST A FEW BULLET POINTS.
UH, AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE OTHER COMMITTEES, I CAN SEE THE VALUE OF HAVING A TRUSTEE ON, YOU KNOW, DEI OR SHAQ, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE INTERESTED IN.
AND THEN IT'S JUST LIKE CERTAIN PEOPLE ARE ON ALL THE COMMITTEES.
IT'S NOT MY HILL IF WE HAVE ALL THE OTHER COMMITTEES, BUT I COULD SEE THE VALUE OF IT.
AND I'VE SERVED, YOU KNOW, ON DLT.
I USED TO ATTEND THE SHAC MEETINGS.
I WOULD LOVE TO BE A FLY ON THE WALL IN DI, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SEE THE BENEFIT.
SO I HOPE THAT HELPS ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.
OH, AND ONE OTHER THING. SORRY.
UM, AND I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO SOMEHOW INCLUDE ZACH IN THE CONVERSATION.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE DO THAT.
UM, IF WE'RE, YOU KNOW, EVERY MAY VOTING BECAUSE I DO SEE IT AS A COMMITTEE, FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, AND SO, UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE ADD THAT TO THE. SO SO I WOULD IMAGINE THAT WHEN THE PRESIDENT IS LOOKING AT, UH, FIRST OF ALL, EXEC OF ALL OF THESE EXEC IS THE ONE THAT'S VOTED ON AND APPROVED BY THE WHOLE BOARD, RIGHT? THAT ONE, THAT ONE'S CHECKED.
THAT'S DONE. UM, I WOULD LOOK AT WHEN THE PRESIDENT IS LOOKING TO.
I THINK THE PRESIDENT, IN LOOKING AT WORKLOAD, IF YOU WILL, WOULD NEED TO CONSIDER THAT HEATHER IS ON EXAC, SO I MAY NOT WANT TO GIVE HER TOO MANY OTHER BIG THINGS. RIGHT.
BUT I DO THINK THE PRESIDENT WOULD NEED TO BE MINDFUL OR MAYBE EVEN, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE GET TO THAT VOTE, IF WE GET OUR COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, CHECKLIST OF WHAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, MAYBE THAT HAPPENS BEFORE.
I DON'T KNOW, I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.
YEAH. OKAY, WELL, LET'S THINK ABOUT THAT NOW.
I DID WANT TO GO BACK TO THE IDEA OF REPORTING TO THE BOARD.
AND I MEAN, AUDREY, FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN ON THIS ONE, BUT I THINK THAT WE GET CAUGHT UP IF WE DO A MEMO BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN OPEN MEETING AND IT'S ONE TRUSTEE REPORTING OUT TO SIX OTHERS. I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
BUT THE IDEA OF AND WE'VE DISCUSSED KICKED AROUND REAL HIGH LEVEL.
IT'S AN OPEN MEETING. WE CAN DISCUSS THAT.
UM, I THINK WE'VE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING BOARD MEETINGS TOO LONG.
SO MAYBE WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO THINK ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, WE GET THESE THREE REPORTS IN THE FIRST MEETING AND THESE THREE REPORTS IN THE SECOND MEETING, OR IF THERE'S NOTHING TO REPORT, DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING.
YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW. WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
BUT I'M OPEN TO THAT IDEA AND I THINK WE CAN TEST DRIVE THAT.
AND AND IF IT'S TAKING TOO LONG, WE NEED TO MODIFY IT SOME WAY WE COULD.
DID YOU WANT TO DID YOU WANT TO ADD A THOUGHT? I LIKE THE IDEA.
IT'S LIKE THE PEN I DO HAVE A THOUGHT ON, LIKE THE STRUCTURE.
I MEAN, I THINK THAT A STRUCTURE OF HAVING THE POSSIBILITY OF BOARD REPORTS WOULD BE GOOD TO BUILD IN AND AND SEE HOW IT WORKS. I DON'T THINK THAT LONG MEETINGS WOULD BE REALLY A BIG ISSUE BECAUSE MOST OF THESE DON'T MEET MONTHLY.
MOST OF THEM, YOU KNOW, ARE QUARTERLY OR SOME LESS THAN THAT.
SO, UM, I DON'T I DON'T SEE THAT BEING A BIG TIME TAKER.
AND I DO THINK, BY THE WAY, AND I WILL SAY THIS, IT'S OCCURRED TO ME THAT AT TIMES THE, UM, THE EEF EX-OFFICIO MEMBER, EEF MAY BE WORKING ON SOMETHING LIKE A BONUS FOR TEACHERS.
THEY'RE GOING TO HAND TEACHERS A CHECK AND THEY WANT TO SURPRISE TEACHERS WITH THAT.
AND I WOULD NOT WANT THAT SURPRISE TO BE SPOILED IN A BOARD MEETING.
SO WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL AND MINDFUL OF SOME OF THAT AS WELL.
THAT MAYBE AT TIMES THAT MAY BE A CASE, THOSE KIND OF CASES WHERE IT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE BEEN AN UPDATE TO THE BOARD, BUT AS SOON AS THE EEF BOARD SAYS IT'S OKAY, THEN THAT REPRESENTATIVE COULD SHARE WITH US THE GOOD NEWS.
[00:45:05]
YOU KNOW, JUST THINKING OF ONE THAT WE'RE ALL SO INTERESTED IN.AND SO I KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO CREATE A MECHANISM FOR THAT.
YEAH. AND I WOULD SUGGEST THAT.
IT'S NOT ALWAYS US ANNOUNCING NEWS.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S NOT THE EEF EX-OFFICIO LIAISON, UM, ITS ROLE TO ANNOUNCE THEIR NEWS.
BUT FOR EXAMPLE, SOMETIMES OR WHAT WE USED TO DO WAS WE USED TO GIVE A FIVE MINUTE PRESENTATION TO THE EEF BOARD OF THE HOT TOPICS THAT THE BOARD WAS CONSIDERING TALKING ABOUT, THINKING ABOUT, AND THEN ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THEM.
AND, AND SOMETIMES SOME REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE NEED TO KNOW.
AND WE NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE GETTING A LOT OF FEEDBACK ON COME UP.
IT'S WHAT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS COMMITTEE THAT THE REST OF THE BOARD NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF SO THAT THIS COMMUNITY CONSTITUENCY VOICE THAT WE HAVE CREATED GETS PUT IN FRONT OF THE BOARD TABLE.
AND TO ME, I SEE THAT REAL DIFFERENT.
IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO, YOU KNOW, SAY EVERYTHING THEY'RE DOING, BUT WHAT WHAT IS IT THAT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO THE BOARD, RIGHT? YEAH. IF WE WERE REPRESENTING.
UH, DIANE, DID YOU HAVE A THOUGHT? SORRY. PUSHING THE WRONG BUTTON.
I THOUGHT I'D GO DOWN MY THOUGHTS ON THE BULLETS THAT YOU HAVE HERE.
UH, I AGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT'S BEEN SAID HERE.
LET ME START BY SAYING YES, I THINK THESE ARE TWO GREAT COMMITTEES TO ADD.
I PERSONALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF THREE PEOPLE IF WE HAVE THE BANDWIDTH.
I'M VERY SENSITIVE TO THE FACT THAT PEOPLE ARE BUSY.
AND WE'RE SO SENSITIVE TO THE OPEN.
UM, THE WALKING QUORUM ISSUE THAT I THINK WE CAN MANAGE THAT PERSONALLY.
UM, DO WE NEED TO ADD REPRESENTATION TO OTHER COMMITTEES? UH, LIKE HEATHER, I THINK THIS COULD BE A BENEFIT.
I LOVE YOUR IDEA OF THE OVERLAP.
IT MADE ME THINK BACK TO WHEN, YOU KNOW, I WAS SERVING ON THE SHAC AND I THOUGHT, GOSH, IT MIGHT BE NICE TO HAVE OVERLAP OF JUST COMMUNITY MEMBERS BETWEEN THE SHAC AND DEI, FOR EXAMPLE, OR MAYBE SOME OF THESE OTHER COMMITTEES.
YES, I LIKE THE PROCESS THAT YOU OUTLINED.
IF A IF A REPORT WAS WRITTEN BUT THEN PRESENTED AS A BOARD PACKET FOR PRESENTATION, I MEAN, THEN IT'S IT'S NOT AN ISSUE, RIGHT? WE COULD HAVE WE COULD HAVE A WRITTEN REPORT AS LONG AS IT'S MADE PUBLIC.
IS THAT CORRECT? UH, AUDREY? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S PROBABLY LIKE.
WHAT SOMEONE THINKS IS CORRECT.
AND THEN THERE'S SOMETHING THAT OUR COUNCIL IS COMFORTABLE WITH US DOING.
AND THOSE MAY BE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO I MEAN, IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING IT, IT'S IT'S.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE ISSUE WITH EMAIL OR SENDING A MEMO IS IF PEOPLE REPLY, UM, AND IT, IT COULD BE, WELL, IT COULD ALSO BE AN ISSUE IF YOU SEND A, UM, IF A TRUSTEE SENDS AN EMAIL TO THE REST OF THEIR COLLEAGUES, UH, WITH UPDATES THAT COULD BE SEEN AS COMMUNICATION. BUT IF IT'S THE PERSON WHO HOLDS THE WHO'S HOLDING THE COMMITTEE, IF I'M SENDING A POLICY UPDATE WITH RED LINES, LET'S SAY, UM, TO THE TRUSTEES TO SAY THIS, COMING TO THE NEXT, UH, BOARD MEETING, HERE ARE RED LINES THAT THE POLICY COMMITTEE HAS COME UP WITH.
UM, PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOUR INDIVIDUAL FEEDBACK.
THERE'S NO THERE'S NO QUORUM HAPPENING IN THAT REGARD.
SO IT REALLY IT'S REALLY WHO THE MOUTH PERSON IS.
IF A TRUSTEE IS GOING TO BE THE PERSON GIVING A REPORT, UM, IT WOULD NEED TO BE.
ARE YOU SUGGESTING, LIKE, IN A BOARD PACKET IN PREPARATION OF IT FOR A MEETING? I GUESS SO, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS SAID TO THE PUBLIC.
YEAH. SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE TIME TO COME UP WITH QUESTIONS IF THEY WANT TO, INSTEAD OF ON THE SPOT.
YEAH. UM, NOT SAYING IT'S HOW WE HAVE TO DO IT.
I JUST WAS CURIOUS ABOUT THE PROCESS, IF IT WAS POSSIBLE.
YEAH. IN THINKING ABOUT THIS A LITTLE FURTHER, I.
[00:50:01]
I WOULDN'T WANT A WRITTEN REPORT TO REPLACE HAVING A DISCUSSION BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE ABILITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AND CLARIFY.AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S POSSIBLE THAT SOME PREPARATORY MATERIAL COULD BE PROVIDED IF THE, IF, IF, IF A COMMITTEE HAD PUBLISHED A DOCUMENT OR WAS CONSIDERING, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW TO PROVIDE OR, OR LET'S SAY F IS PROPOSING A CHANGE TO POLICY, WE MAY WANT TO HAVE THE BOARD POLICY PROVIDED TO US THAT, YOU KNOW, TO GET SOME DETAILS ON.
AND, AND I'M JUST A FAN OF DOCUMENTS BEING OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE TO REFLECT BACK AND LOOK AT.
I'M JUST GOING TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE REPORTING MECHANISM.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER WAY WE CAN INCORPORATE INFORMATION FROM EACH OF THESE COMMITTEES INTO THAT.
THAT COULD BECOME A MORE PUBLIC DOCUMENT, POSSIBLY.
AND I THINK WITH REGARD TO REPORTS DURING THE BOARD MEETINGS THEMSELVES, I WOULD NOT LOOK AT THESE REPORTS AS BEING IN ADDITION TO THE PRESENTATIONS THAT YOU'RE ALREADY GETTING, BECAUSE REGULARLY THE ADMINISTRATION IS PROVIDING REPORTS AND UPDATES IN EACH OF THESE AREAS.
SO I THINK THESE ARE A PART OF THAT.
I ALSO PUSHED THE WRONG BUTTON.
UM, SO WE HAVE, UM, THIS LIST OF COMMITTEES.
THERE'S DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMMITTEES.
AND SO I LIKE TO BE ABLE TO SAY IF A THEN B.
SO IF IT'S THIS THEN THIS IS HOW WE HANDLE IT.
SO IN LOOKING AT THE COMMITTEES WE HAVE BOARD APPOINTED COMMITTEES.
WE HAVE ADMIN APPOINTED COMMITTEES.
WE HAVE COMMITTEES THAT ARE REQUIRED BY LAW.
THE SAFETY AND SECURITY COMMITTEE.
AND A BOARD SUBCOMMITTEE WOULD BE LIKE WHEN WE REVIEWED THE SUPERINTENDENT EVALUATION TOOL, UM, AND WHEN YEARLY WE REVIEW THE, THE POLICIES. UM, SO MY THOUGHT ON THAT SO THAT WE'RE NOT SORT OF CHERRY PICKING AND KIND OF ONE OFF THING AND GOING, OKAY, WELL, THESE COMMITTEES, WE WILL HAVE AN APPOINTEE, BUT THIS ONE WON'T.
UM, HOW I LOOKED AT THIS WAS WHEN THE BOARD APPOINTS A COMMITTEE TO DO A JOB, UM, WHICH IS THE LONG RANGE FACILITY PLANNING COMMITTEE.
LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE? UM. SO TO EXIST AS ITS OWN BEAST, IN MY OPINION, BECAUSE THAT'S CODIFIED BY POLICY ALREADY.
AND SO, YEAH, I UNDERSTAND LOOKING AT IT LIKE I UNDERSTAND TAKING THAT INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE'RE ALL SORT OF PUTTING DOWN OUR PREFERENCES OR THINKING ABOUT WHAT COMMITTEES WE WANT TO SERVE ON, BUT THAT'S CODIFIED.
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A SAY IN THAT.
THAT'S THAT'S WE VOTE ON THAT AS A BOARD.
RIGHT. UM, AND THEN EANES EDUCATION FOUNDATION ALSO IS SORT OF ITS OWN LITTLE, UM.
VERY DIFFERENT. OKAY OKAY, OKAY.
SO THEN WE CAN TAKE THAT OUT. BUT WE KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE OKAY.
SO WE CAN TAKE THAT ONE OUT ALSO.
AND MAYBE THAT ONE COULD FALL INTO THIS CATEGORY OF A BOARD SUBCOMMITTEE.
SO. SO I GUESS WHAT MY POINT IS ON THIS IS THAT WHEN AS A BOARD, WE PUT TOGETHER A COMMITTEE TO GO OUT THERE AND DO WORK AND THEY'RE GOING TO REPORT BACK TO US, I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN OF, UM, COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THAT DOESN'T REALLY CONCERN ME.
UM, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE NOT WALLFLOWERS.
[00:55:01]
ISSUE. SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A TRUSTEE REPRESENTED NOT AS A VOTING MEMBER, UM, BUT AS A LIAISON ON THOSE COMMITTEES.THE ONES THAT ARE APPOINTED BY THE BOARD.
UM, LONG RANGE FACILITY PLANNING.
WE APPROVE IT, BUT WE DON'T, WE DON'T APPOINT THEM.
THINK WHERE YOU'RE GOING. BUT I DON'T THINK.
WHAT? AND ONE THAT'S NOT ON THIS LIST, BY THE WAY, THAT IT'S BOK BOK.
YEAH. WELL, AND THAT WOULD BE, I MEAN AND IT DOES SO.
OKAY. UM, AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THIS.
BOARD APPOINTED, BOARD APPOINTED, BOARD APPOINTED.
THIS IS JUST MY. THIS IS JUST MY THOUGHT.
THE OTHER COMMITTEES THAT ARE MORE ADMIN OWNED, WHERE THEY PUT TOGETHER THESE COMMITTEES UM TECH, SPECIAL EDUCATION, DLT AND THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ONE, AND EVEN SCHOOL SAFETY AND THE SHAC.
UM, I WOULD SAY IF ADMIN FEELS THAT THEY NEED A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE BOARD ON THAT, OF COURSE, I THINK ONE OF US COULD STEP UP AND DO THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S OUR PLACE. THOSE ARE ADMINISTRATIVE COMMITTEES.
UH, I HAD SOME OTHER THOUGHTS ON THIS.
UM, YOU ONE OF YOUR QUESTIONS WAS, WILL THE PROCESS FOR SELECTIONS BE CODIFIED IN BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES? UM. I THINK IT SHOULD FORCE CERTAIN COMMITTEES.
THERE ARE CERTAIN COMMITTEES THAT I THINK IT SHOULD BE IN BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURE.
AND IF IT'S NOT ALREADY, I THINK IT IS IN BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY.
I THINK THAT SHOULD BE BECAUSE THAT'S THE LEGAL ONE THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE.
RIGHT. UM, AND OUR BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES OFTEN REFERENCES..
RIGHT. POLICIES THAT MAY NOT BE WRITTEN IN THERE.
UM. I LIKED YOUR IDEA OF HOW TO SELECT THEM.
IT'S SORT OF A WHO HAS THE BANDWIDTH FOR IT? WHO HAS THE INTEREST FOR IT.
UM, I LIKE DOING IT AFTER OR IN THE SAME MEETING AS UM, WHEN WE ELECT NEW OFFICERS, BECAUSE THAT IS AT THE SAME TIME, MAYBE THE MEETING AFTER, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE NEW TRUSTEE AT THAT POINT, IF THERE IS A NEW TRUSTEE.
MAKES SENSE TO DO IT WHEN THEY CAN.
THEY CAN BE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS.
UM, AND THEN I AGREE WITH ALL THE, THE DISCUSSION AROUND HOW TO REPORT BACK.
THAT'S HARD. IT'S IT'S NEVER BEEN SMOOTH AS, AS LONG AS I'VE BEEN HERE.
UM, AND SO I'M OPEN TO ANY IDEAS OF HOW THAT COULD BE, UH, BETTER HANDLED.
AND SO, LIKE I SAID, I SEE IT AS LIKE FOUR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS COMMITTEE AND I KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT.
LIKE I SAID, IT'S BEEN IN THE NEWS A LOT.
THAT'S AT HIGHER LEVEL EDUCATION.
BUT K-12, WE CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO LAWS.
UM, IN REGARDS TO, UH, DIE, DIE COMMITTEE WORK AT THE K-12 LEVEL.
THAT'S CORRECT. THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE OCCURRING AND THE CHANGES IN THE LAW PERTAIN TO UNIVERSITIES AND HIGHER EDUCATION, AND DO NOT PRESENTLY PERTAIN TO K THROUGH 12 PUBLIC EDUCATION. RIGHT, OKAY.
AND WE RESPOND TO THE LAWS AND NOT TO, UH, BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED.
DO YOU HAVE. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? YEAH, I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD TO THAT THAT A LEGISLATURE THAT TOOK THE ACTION TO ADDRESS THE I ON THE HIGHER EDUCATION LEVEL CERTAINLY COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO K THROUGH 12
[01:00:06]
AND DID NOT.AND AND YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S VERY CLEAR TO US.
ELLEN, DID YOU HAVE A THOUGHT? UM, I JUST WANTED TO GO BACK TO YOUR LIST.
UH, OF. DOES THE BOARD FEEL WE NEED TO ADD REPRESENTATION TO ANY BOARD APPOINTED COMMITTEES THAT DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE TRUSTEE REPRESENTATION? UM, AND I'M MAYBE IN THE MINORITY, BUT I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE SHOULD.
I MEAN, I KIND OF CAN'T IMAGINE, UM.
WELL, I GUESS DLT IS NOT A IS NOT A BOARD COMMITTEE.
OKAY, SO WE WOULDN'T HAVE ONE THERE.
BUT SHAQ UM, I, I DO FEEL LIKE YES, OUR, OUR COMMUNITY IS VERY VOCAL AND, AND, UM, TAKES CARE OF THEMSELVES VERY WELL.
IT STILL CHANGES THE NATURE OF WHAT GOES ON IN, IN THAT CONVERSATION.
AND I THINK WE APPOINT GROUPS LIKE THE SHACK SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE A VERY, VERY, UM, OPEN AND HONEST CONVERSATION THAT I WOULD NOT WANT IMPEDED IN ANY WAY I DON'T THINK WE WOULD GET I DON'T THINK WE NEED IT BECAUSE WE GET REPORTS FROM THE SHACK.
SO US HAVING A BOARD MEMBER, I DON'T THINK IMPROVES OUR, UM, HALF OF THE EQUATION.
DEI IS THE ONLY ONE THAT I, I, I REALLY DON'T KNOW.
UH, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IT IS A GROUP THAT HAS UM, HAS WORKED WITH EACH OTHER.
THEY KNOW EACH OTHER. THEY'VE DEVELOPED A LEVEL OF TRUST, UM, AND I WOULDN'T WANT THEM ALWAYS KIND OF LOOKING OVER THEIR SHOULDER, WONDERING IF THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RIGHT THING OR, YOU KNOW, DOING WHAT THE BOARD WOULD HAVE THEM DO, WHICH INEVITABLY, UM, JUST BY VIRTUE OF A BOARD MEMBER BEING IN THE ROOM, HAPPENS.
HOLD. I HAVE KIM AND THEN HEATHER, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO READ JEN'S COMMENTS AS WELL WHEN APPROPRIATE.
IF IF THIS I DON'T WANT TO DISRUPT THIS THREAD.
WELL. ARE YOU ON THIS THREAD OR I'M ON THIS THREAD? YEAH. I MEAN, THAT WAS SO.
ELLEN. YOU SAID IT BETTER THAN THAN I WAS THINKING.
I MEAN, THAT YOUR YOUR CONCERN OF CHANGING THE DYNAMICS OF A COMMITTEE IS REALLY WAS REALLY WHAT PROMPTED MY QUESTION? UM, OR MY SUGGESTION THAT WE GO TO THE COMMITTEES AND WE ASK THE COMMITTEES IF THEY WOULD LIKE BOARD REPRESENTATION, BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, THE TWO THAT I MENTIONED, THE DEI AND SHAC, AND I THINK IN THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PARENTS WORKING GROUP, TO ME, THOSE ARE LONG STANDING COMMITTEES THAT.
THAT A BOARD REPRESENTATION MIGHT DISRUPT.
AND THAT WAS WHERE MY MY SUGGESTION WAS COMING FROM.
I DON'T KNOW. I MEAN, THOSE COMMITTEES MAY WELCOME IT, BUT I THINK THAT IT BENEFITS.
I MEAN, I I'VE HEARD YOU SAY THAT BEFORE, AND I'VE HEARD OTHERS SAY THAT BEFORE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, AND THAT WAS WHERE I WAS COMING FROM IN SUGGESTING THAT WE WEREN'T ON ALL THESE COMMITTEES.
AND SO THAT WAS THAT WAS MY THOUGHT BEHIND THAT.
I, I TEND TO BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD CHANGE THE DYNAMIC IN THESE COMMITTEES BY SITTING THERE AND, AND JUST NOT LETTING COMMITTEE MEMBERS FEEL LIKE THEY CAN FREELY SPEAK.
ARE YOU ON THIS THREAD? DO YOU WANT TO ADD ON? GO AHEAD I AM YOU ARE.
HEATHER. AND THEN LAURA BECAUSE I HAVEN'T WRITTEN RIGHT HERE.
HEATHER. SO, UM, I KIND OF LIKE THE IDEA OF ASKING THE SHAC OR DLT OR DIE IF THEY WOULD LIKE A BOARD LIAISON, BECAUSE I HAVE SERVED ON DLT, I SERVED ON ENVISION EANES, AND I SERVED ON THE SPED PARENT WORKING GROUP, NEW NAME.
SO IT HAS A NEW NAME. UM, BUT SO HAVING SERVED ON ALL OF THOSE AND LIKE EXPERIENCING A BOARD MEMBER AT SOME OF OUR MOST OF OUR ENVISION EANES MEETINGS, UNOFFICIALLY, I DON'T THINK THAT CHANGED ANYTHING.
[01:05:01]
AND SO I DON'T HAVE THE SAME FEELING AS ELEANOR KIM ABOUT THAT AT ALL.UM, AND WE JUST SIT THERE QUIETLY.
WE'RE NOT WEIGHING IN AND SPEAK WHEN SPOKEN TO, IN MY OPINION.
UM, BUT THAT'S JUST MY $0.02 ON ON THAT.
SO I WOULD BE IN FAVOR OF ASKING THOSE COMMITTEES, BARK SHAC, ALL OF THEM, WHATEVER.
IF THEY WOULD LIKE US TO SIT THERE AND BE QUIET AND LISTEN, UM.
OR NOT. OH, I HAVE ONE OTHER THING ABOUT THAT TOO.
UM, BUT OTHERWISE WE REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT EVER.
UH, AND SO I DO SOMETIMES HAVE INTEREST IN KNOWING MORE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND THE DISTRICT THAN LESS, BUT MAYBE THAT'S JUST ME, BECAUSE I DO LIKE TO KNOW A LOT OF THINGS.
BUT ONLY QUARTERLY, WE GET THOSE QUARTERLY.
NO, NO. IF IF THEY PUBLISH MINUTES AND THEY'RE PUBLISHED ON THE WEBSITE, THAT'S TRUE.
NOT ALL PUBLISHED MINUTES FIRST OF ALL.
BUT BUT ONES THAT DO AND IT'S AND NOT ALL OF THEM DO.
DIFFERENT PEOPLE TAKE MINUTES AND THEY DO IT IN A DIFFERENT STYLE.
YOU MAY NOT GET AS MUCH, OBVIOUSLY AS MUCH AS YOU WOULD GET BEING THERE.
THEN. DIANE. UM, I THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMMITTEES THAT WE PUT TOGETHER AND EXISTING COMMITTEES.
UM, LONG RANGE FACILITY PLANNING.
WHEN WE GIVE A COMMITTEE A CHARGE, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A TRUSTEE INVOLVED IN THAT.
UM, AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN THAT IT WOULD IMPACT AND CHANGE THE DYNAMICS OF THAT COMMITTEE.
UM. THAT HAS NOT BEEN MY EXPERIENCE ON EITHER SIDE.
SITTING AS A TRUSTEE AND SITTING AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER.
THAT HAS NOT BEEN MY EXPERIENCE.
IN FACT, I THINK OFTENTIMES PEOPLE JUST YOU'RE JUST ANOTHER COMMITTEE MEMBER.
UM, AND I DO I, I DO FEEL THAT IT'S IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS A CHARGE, THAT THERE IS THAT OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE SOME SORT OF OF, UM, GUIDELINE AND FEEDBACK AND JUST SOMETHING I'VE WATCHED COMMITTEES START TO FLOUNDER AND WHERE THEY COULD HAVE BENEFITED FROM, UM, LIKE JUST A VOICE IN THE ROOM THAT COULD HELP SORT OF BRING IT BACK TO WHERE, UM, TO THAT CHARGE.
UM. THAT'S AND SHAC IS NOT ONE OF THOSE.
AGAIN, IT GOES BACK TO THE COMMITTEES THAT WE APPOINT THAT WE GIVE A CHARGE TO.
AND MAYBE RIGHT NOW THAT'S ONLY LONG RANGE FACILITY PLANNING.
I KNOW BACH IS NOT ON THIS LIST.
THANKS FOR. WERE KEPT OUT OF THAT PROCESS BECAUSE OF THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY.
SO IF DEI WITH THE IF THAT COMMITTEE SAID NO, WE REALLY DON'T WANT YOU THERE, THEN THERE'S NO I WOULD NOT INSERT MYSELF INTO THAT. UM, BUT IF BUT GIVE THEM THAT OPTION BECAUSE THEY MIGHT SAY, OH YEAH, WE WOULD BENEFIT.
WE WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT WE'RE DOING.
DIANE. I'LL BE BRIEF BECAUSE I'M GOING TO.
I DON'T WANT TO REPEAT WHAT EVERYONE SAID, BUT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I.
WE DON'T WANT TO GO INSERT OURSELVES ON A COMMITTEE THAT DOESN'T WANT US THERE.
[01:10:02]
SO JUST GETTING THAT FEEDBACK I THINK IS CRITICAL AND I'LL LEAVE IT AT THAT.I'D LIKE TO TAKE A CHANCE HERE THEN TO READ JEN'S COMMENTS.
UM, BUT LET ME, UM, AND LET ME JUST READ THROUGH THIS REAL QUICK.
SO THIS IS FROM JEN CHAMPAGNE.
UH TRUSTEE. WHO COULD NOT BE HERE TONIGHT.
UH, I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT BEING IN ATTENDANCE THIS EVENING DUE TO WORK.
TRAVEL. I WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS ON POSSIBLE CHANGES TO TRUSTEE INVOLVEMENT IN DISTRICT COMMITTEES AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS POSED BY THE ADMINISTRATION. ACTUALLY, I PROPOSE THESE, BUT NONETHELESS, THESE QUESTIONS.
IF THE ADMINISTRATION WERE TO HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TIMING AND LOGISTICS OF BRINGING A TOPIC TO THE BOARD FOR FULL DISCUSSION, THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE IS THE PLACE WHERE THOSE DECISIONS SHOULD BE MADE.
THOSE COMMITTEES ARE FUNCTIONING WELL WITHOUT TRUSTEE INVOLVEMENT.
UH, NUMBER FOUR, I THINK WE CAN IMPROVE UPON THE CURRENT COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS.
EVERY TRUSTEE SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPRESS THEIR INTEREST IN COMMITTEE INVOLVEMENT.
THE BOARD PRESIDENT SHOULD WORK ANNUALLY WITH TRUSTEES TO DEVELOP ASSIGNMENTS FOR EACH OF THE COMMITTEES, ALLOWING ALL TRUSTEES THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE DURING THEIR TENURE IN ROLES THAT ALIGN WITH THEIR TALENTS AND INTERESTS.
CONSIDERING THAT THESE TALENTS AND INTERESTS MAY OVERLAP WITH OTHER TRUSTEES, LIMITING THE LENGTH OF TIME AN INDIVIDUAL TRUSTEE SERVES ON A COMMITTEE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED, I THINK THE BOARD PRESIDENT CAN THEN COMPLETE THE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS AND REPORT BACK TO THE BOARD.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT IF THE BOARD DECIDES TO ADD TRUSTEE REPRESENTATION TO ADDITIONAL COMMITTEES, THE CURRENT PROPOSAL BEING UP TO EIGHT ADDITIONAL COMMITTEES, THERE SHOULD BE A DISCUSSION OF REQUIREMENTS FOR TRUSTEES TO TAKE ON A SUBCOMMITTEE ROLE.
I'M SORRY, THERE COULD BE LONG TERM IMPLICATIONS OF ADDING TRUSTEE REPRESENTATION TO THESE ADDITIONAL COMMITTEES, WHICH MIGHT CONFLICT WITH A FUTURE BOARD'S INTEREST AND TIME CONSTRAINTS. SO, UM.
ENGINE THAT. TEXT ME AND CALL OUT THAT WE WERE MISSING BACK AND BACK.
AND I DID WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR.
UM, SO I WANT TO SHARE A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS.
UM. MY THOUGHT, OF COURSE, I, I PROPOSE SOME OF THIS, SO I SUPPORT SOME OF THIS.
I DO SUPPORT ADDING THE TWO STANDING SUBCOMMITTEES.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO AT LEAST EXPLORE IT AND AND SEE HOW THAT WORKS OUT.
AND MAYBE WE TWEAK THIS OVER TIME.
MAYBE WE CHANGE THAT, HOW THAT WORKS.
AND I THINK WE CAN KIND OF START TO LEARN FROM THAT.
I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED THAT, UM IF IT REMOVES THE ROLE OF ALL TRUSTEES IN CREATING POLICY OR ADDRESSING FINANCIAL CONCERNS, ETC.
I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THAT.
BUT IN THE ABILITY FOR A COUPLE OF TRUSTEES, 2 OR 3, I'M STILL KIND OF KICKING THAT AROUND IN MY MIND TO BE ABLE TO HELP THE ADMINISTRATION UNDERSTAND, HEY, THIS TRUSTEE IS PROBABLY GOING TO COME COME WITH THIS QUESTION.
LET'S JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THIS BEFORE WE GO INTO THAT [INAUDIBLE] LET'S CONSIDER THESE THINGS OR I DON'T I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO FLY LIKE THIS, BUT MAYBE IT WOULD LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF THING, TO THE EXTENT THAT IT COULD HELP SPEED UP SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS, NOT REMOVE THEM FROM THE BOARD, BUT MAKE THEM EASIER TO HAVE WITH THE BOARD. I THINK THAT THAT ADDS VALUE, I DON'T KNOW, 2 OR 3 TRUSTEES.
UM. AUDREY, YOU HAD SAID ONE, TWO BECAUSE YOU'D HAVE A BACKUP.
AND I AGREE WITH THAT MINIMALLY TWO.
YEAH, I THINK TWO IS IS FAIRLY STANDARD.
I OF COURSE APPRECIATE THE I MEAN, MY ROLE IS TO THINK OF ALL RISKS.
SO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT JUST THE UM THE EASE WITH WHICH THERE COULD BE A FOURTH PERSON BROUGHT INTO CONVERSATION GIVES ME PAUSE.
BUT. YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT'S UP FOR THE BOARD TO DECIDE HOW HOW THEY WOULD LIKE TO CONDUCT.
[01:15:03]
OF THAT GROUP, BUT BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THAT.I THOUGHT, TOO, BECAUSE I THOUGHT IF YOU WANTED TO, THERE MAY BE TIMES WHEN YOU MAY WANT TO ASK THE PRESIDENT FOR FOR SOMETHING, OR WE'RE DISCUSSING THIS AND I WANT TO BRING THIS TO THE AGENDA FOR THIS.
I JUST SEE THAT THAT THIRD, THE ABILITY TO THAT THERE MAY BE A NEED THERE.
THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WHERE I AM ON WHETHER IT'S 2 OR 3.
UM, ON THE NEXT ONE, DOES THE BOARD FEEL WE NEED TO ADD REPRESENTATION TO ANY BOARD APPOINTED COMMITTEES? SO. I MY THINKING ON THIS? I TEND TO THINK NO.
AND I ALSO TEND TO THINK YES, AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY.
BUT BUT HERE'S WHAT I'M THINKING.
ON A COMMITTEE THAT IS, ON A COMMITTEE THAT IS FUNCTIONING ALREADY LIKE DEI IS, I, I DON'T SEE A REASON TO TO THROW A WRENCH IN. NOT NOT THAT WE WOULD THROW A WRENCH IN, BUT I DON'T SEE A REASON TO MAKE A CHANGE.
AND THEY CAME TO US AND SAID, WOULD YOU CONSIDER IT? I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A DISCUSSION TO CONSIDER THAT MY YES PART ON THAT IS THAT IN THE FUTURE, AS WE FORM NEW COMMITTEES, THAT SHOULD BE PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
WE'RE FORMING THIS NEW COMMITTEE.
DO WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE BOARD REPRESENTATION? I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE LONG RANGE FACILITY PLANNING COMMITTEE, TO HAVE A BOARD MEMBER THAT'S SO IMPORTANT TO US.
I JUST FEEL FELT VERY FIRM ABOUT THAT ON THE BACK.
I DON'T I GO BACK TO THAT'S A COMMITTEE THAT WE HAVE WANTED TO STAY OUT OF.
AND AND I CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT.
SO MY YES AND NO ANSWER IS I DON'T WANT TO CHANGE WHAT'S THERE.
BUT I DO THINK THAT SHOULD BE PART OF OUR FUTURE DISCUSSIONS WHEN FORMING A NEW BOARD COMMITTEE.
UM, I DO SUPPORT MOVING TO AN ANNUAL REVIEW.
I, I DO SUPPORT HAVING THAT DISCUSSION AFTER THE ELECTIONS AND, UM, HAVING THESE PRESIDENT TRUSTEE CONVERSATIONS AND MAKING SURE PEOPLE, PEOPLE GET INTO THE RIGHT POSITIONS, THE POSITIONS, THE THE POSITIONS THAT ARE RIGHT FOR THEM AND THE WORKLOAD THAT'S RIGHT FOR THEM.
I MAY NOT BE HERE, BUT THE BOARD WILL AIM FOR, UM, START KICKING THIS PROCESS OFF IN MAY.
SO, UM, I APPRECIATE THE INPUT.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER THOUGHTS, FEEL FREE TO SHARE THEM WITH ME.
COULD I CLARIFY THE FIRST QUESTION REGARDING THE TWO STANDING SUBCOMMITTEES? YOU WOULD ADVISE US TO GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH ORGANIZING THOSE COMMITTEES NOW, RATHER THAN WAITING UNTIL AFTER MAY.
LET'S DO THAT. AND I'LL GO OUT TO THE TRUSTEES ASKING FOR INTEREST AND AVAILABILITY ON THAT.
AND JUST TO WRAP IT UP, UM, ALSO, WAS THERE ANY THOUGHT ON HAVING THE OVERLAP BETWEEN THOSE TWO AND LEGISLATIVE? AND THEN SO ARE WE NOT GOING OUT TO OUR OUR CURRENT COMMITTEES? BECAUSE I THINK I HEARD A COUPLE PEOPLE SAY IF THEY WOULD LIKE US THERE, THEN WE WOULD ACCOMMODATE THAT.
SO ARE WE SAYING WE'RE NOT GOING TO ASK THEM OR WE ARE GOING TO ASK THEM? CAN I HAVE INPUT REAL FAST? THE OVERLAP IF YOU DO END UP DOING THREE AND THEN HAVING ONE, IF YOU HAVE THREE PEOPLE ON THE POLICY COMMITTEE, THEN GO TO THE LEGISLATIVE YOUTH, THAT WOULD THAT CAN'T WORK.
YEAH, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT.
SO IN MY MIND THAT WOULD HELP MAKE THE DECISION IF THAT'S WHAT THE WILL OF THE BOARD IS TO HAVE THE OVERLAP, BUT ALSO, AGAIN, THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETS TWICE EVERY OTHER YEAR.
LAURA. JAMES, I THINK THAT YOU WE NEED TO WORK THROUGH THAT ONE, BECAUSE THAT GETS A LITTLE TRICKY WITH THE TWO OR THE THREE FOR LEGISLATIVE SUBCOMMITTEE. AND EVEN IF YOU HAVE TWO ON THOSE TWO POLICY MEETINGS, JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE DON'T RUN AFOUL BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU'RE BRINGING ONE FROM EACH OF THOSE, THEN AND YOU'VE GOT THREE THERE, THEN YOU'VE GOT A, YOU'VE GOT A WALK IN QUORUM.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WILL WORK.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF THAT AND I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT THE NUMBERS PLAY.
SO I WOULD I'LL THINK ABOUT THAT.
ELLEN, DID YOU HAVE A THOUGHT? UM, AS I'VE HEARD MORE DISCUSSION OF THESE TWO COMMITTEES, UM.
[01:20:04]
I THINK THEY ARE LESS FORMAL THAN WHAT I HAD IN MY MIND ORIGINALLY THAT THAT THEY'RE MORE ADVISORY IN TERMS OF EARLY STAGE STUFF. IT'S NOT THAT YOU WOULD WORK WITHIN THAT COMMITTEE AND THEN BRING THE RED LINE WITH THIS AS OUR RECOMMENDATION FIRST READING.UM, SO IF THEY ARE OPERATING MORE, MORE ADVISORY AND EARLY STAGE, THEN MY ARGUMENTS FOR THREE KIND OF GO AWAY.
THAT WAS THREE I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
IF IN FACT IT IS A BOARD COMMITTEE THAT IS ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD MOST OF THE TIME.
SO I OKAY, I TAKE BACK MY THREE ARGUMENTS, MY ARGUMENTS FOR THREE.
OKAY. YEAH, I SPECIFICALLY WOULD I DON'T THINK I WOULD LIKE THE IDEA OF REMOVING IT FROM THE BOARD.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO STAY WITH THE BOARD.
SO THIS IS ADVICE. THIS IS ADVISORY.
LIKE YOU DESCRIBE WHAT THE BOARD IS STILL HAVING HEALTHY CONVERSATIONS AND RIGHT.
UM, YEAH. AND SO MAYBE ONE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ONE TO GET THAT VOICE IN MIGHT BE HELPFUL TO START.
AND THEN WE DON'T HAVE AS MUCH OVERLAP QUESTIONS AS WE'RE LEARNING HOW TO DO THIS.
UM, I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR, IN FACT, I'VE BEEN SORELY DISAPPOINTED WHEN WE'VE MOVED AWAY IN MORE RECENT YEARS FROM AN ANNUAL DISCUSSION WITH THE PRESIDENT ABOUT WHAT WE WANTED TO DO AND, AND ROTATION THROUGH COMMITTEES.
RIGHT. SO I WOULD I THINK WE DEFINITELY NEED TO DO THAT.
UM. AND I DO LOVE THE THE IDEA OF FEEDING IN, BUT I THINK IT WOULD GET REALLY DICEY FROM A WALKING QUORUM. AND I DO THINK THAT THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES IS REALLY BOARD OWNED AND SO THAT NEEDS TO BE PRETTY ROBUST. I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND HAVING THREE TRUSTEES ON THAT COMMITTEE.
I'LL, UM. I APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK.
SO I APPRECIATE IT. AND, UH, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE FEEDBACK.
I DO WANT TO WORK ON A WAY TO DO REPORTS.
I THINK WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT.
BUT I BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE GETTING THESE REPORTS BACK.
AND WHEN ARE WE GOING TO DECIDE WHO'S THE REPRESENTATIVE REPRESENTATIVE ON THAT? MY QUESTION WAS KIND OF SIMILAR.
SO IF WE'RE GOING TO START THESE COMMITTEES, IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE WE NEED TO DO THE REASSESS NOW.
YEAH. SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE BOARD I'M NOT OPPOSED.
YEAH. SO MAYBE WE NEED TO DO THE REFRESH NOW AND THEN AGAIN.
YEAH. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THAT.
SO I'M GOING TO TAKE THE FIRST MEETING AND THEN AND WE'LL WORK THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF, OF WHO'S GOING TO REPRESENT WHAT TRUSTEES WILL BE WHERE UH, SOME AND YEAH. SO I'LL GO OUT WITH AN EMAIL TO EVERYBODY TO EXPLAIN THAT.
GO AHEAD. JUST TO CLARIFY THEN, WILL THAT BE BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD THAT.
OKAY. YEAH. I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THAT.
OKAY. I DON'T I DON'T THINK THE AUDIENCE WOULD APPRECIATE IT, BUT APPRECIATE THAT, MR. SCOTT. WELL GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
[7.2 2024-25 Preliminary Budget Planning]
UM, IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN.IT'S, UH, TO KICK OFF THE THE BUDGET PLANNING YEAR.
AND WE'LL START A LITTLE BIT WITH THE THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR.
[01:25:01]
AND AS YOU LOOK AT THIS, THESE FIRST FOUR MONTHS THAT I'VE GOT ON HERE ARE THE MONTHS THAT I'VE GOT LISTED ON HERE ARE ALL MONTHS THAT YOU'LL HAVE SOME KIND OF PRESENTATION FROM US. THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THOSE ARE THE ONLY PRESENTATIONS YOU'LL GET, BUT YOU'LL DEFINITELY GET ONE THERE BECAUSE WE HAVE TO HAVE THEM THERE.OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE STARTING OUT TONIGHT.
UM, APRIL IS WHEN WE WILL GET OUR PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE, UH, OF OUR CERTIFIED VALUES FROM TCAD.
UH, AND, AND ALSO, UH, YOU'LL RECEIVE YOUR REQUIRED REPORT ON THE IMPACT OF UH, PROPERTY VALUES ON SCHOOL FINANCE. MAY WILL HAVE TO HAVE YOU COMMIT TO, UM, YOUR COMPENSATION PLAN, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE.
YOU CAN'T ADOPT THE TAX RATE YET.
UH, SO IN JULY, THAT'S WHEN WE'LL GET THE CERTIFIED VALUES.
AND AFTER WE GET THE CERTIFIED VALUES, WE'LL SUBMIT THOSE TO TI.
TI WILL TELL US WHAT OUR MR ARE, WHICH IS OUR, UH, MAXIMUM COMPRESSED RATE IS UH, AND FROM THAT WE CAN SET THE TAX RATE, WHICH WE'LL PLAN TO DO IN AUGUST, ALTHOUGH IT COULD BE AS LATE AS SEPTEMBER.
UM, THE HISTORICAL DATA COMPARISONS WITH SIMILAR DISTRICTS.
AND HERE'S OUR THE USUAL SUSPECTS.
IT'S US, ALAMO HEIGHTS, CARROLL, COPPELL, HIGHLAND PARK AND LAKE TRAVIS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ALL HAVE ROUGHLY THE SAME ENROLLMENT.
FOR THE MOST PART, WE'RE ALL ONE HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE'RE ALL ONE HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
CHRIS, IS COPPELL CONSIDERED HIGH GRASS GROWTH DISTRICT? I DON'T BELIEVE THEY'RE HIGH GROWTH, BUT I BELIEVE THEY ARE GROWING AND LAKE TRAVIS IS CONSIDERED HIGH.
THEY MIGHT HAVE DROPPED OUT, BUT THEY'RE ALSO GROWING OKAY.
CHRIS, COULD YOU EXPLAIN TO WHY WE'RE LOOKING AT 21-22? YES, ABSOLUTELY.
UM, SO, UM, ESSENTIALLY, THE REASON WE'RE SHOWING 21-22 IS THAT'S THE MOST RECENT DATA WE'VE GOTTEN.
SO THE 22-23 SCHOOL YEAR, OF COURSE, WE HAD OUR AUDIT, UH, BACK THIS SUMMER, AND IT WAS PRESENTED TO YOU IN OCTOBER, AND WE SUBMITTED TO TEA IN NOVEMBER.
AND SO ALL THAT DATA WON'T BE COMPILED AND READY FOR US TO LOOK AT UNTIL, UH, PROBABLY EARLY SUMMER, USUALLY MAY, BUT THIS YEAR IT ACTUALLY CAME A LITTLE BIT LATER THAN THAT. UH, TOTAL TAX RATE.
DURING THAT SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAD THE LOWEST.
UM, BUT YOU CAN REALLY START TO SEE THE DIFFERENTIATION ON THE M&O TAX RATES.
SO THIS IS TWO YEARS AFTER THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A TAX COMPRESSION WITH HB THREE.
BUT OF COURSE WE'VE GOT THE THE LOWEST INS RATE OF ANY OF THOSE SCHOOLS.
UH, THIS STAIRSTEP LOOKS ABOUT THE SAME AS IT DID LAST TIME.
UM, THIS IS ONE THAT, UH, OF COURSE I LIKE, UH, BECAUSE WE ARE THE HIGHEST ONCE AGAIN.
UM, THIS WAS, OF COURSE, 21-22.
UM, WE'VE REALLY GOTTEN THROUGH THAT NOW.
AND SO I EXPECT THAT, UH, WHEN WE FINALLY ROLL AROUND TO THE 22-23 AND 23-24 DATA IN A COUPLE OF YEARS, THAT THAT NUMBER WILL ACTUALLY BE HIGHER, PROBABLY, UH, CLOSER TO 88%.
UH, FUND BALANCE, UM WE'RE HEALTHY.
UM, ALTHOUGH WE ARE LOWER THAN MOST OF THEM.
UH, COPPELL IS, HAS AN UNREASONABLY LARGE.
[01:30:02]
. YEAH. WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT? SOMEBODY ASKED ME. THEY'RE ALL HUGE.YEAH. SOMEBODY ASKED ME THAT THE OTHER DAY.
WHY IS COPPELL SO HIGH? AND I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT.
THE ONLY REASON THAT WOULD STICK IN MY MIND WOULD HAVE TO DO WITH YOUR HIGH GROWTH RATE.
UH, BUT IT DOESN'T COME CLOSE TO COVERING THE NEW EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH ONE OF THOSE FACILITIES.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S THE CASE WITH COPPELL AND, UH, ESSER FUNDS HAVE BEEN SUPPLANTING.
UM, INSTRUCTIONAL EXPENDITURES PER STUDENT.
WE ARE AT THE KIND OF THE TOP OF THE HEAP, BUT EVERYBODY'S RIGHT THERE IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHY DO WE THINK HIGHLAND PARK IS HIGHER IN GEN ED? DO THEY HAVE A SPECIAL ED MODEL? THAT MEANS THEIR SPECIAL ED SPENDING IS PARTICULARLY LOWER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE.
IT COULD BE ONE OF A COUPLE OF THINGS.
I'M SURE THEY'VE GOT A DIFFERENT MODEL.
EVERYBODY'S GOT A DIFFERENT MODEL.
UM, BUT ONE THING THAT HIGHLAND PARK HAS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE LIKE US.
THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT THEM.
UH, AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THEY DON'T RUN A BUS SERVICE.
AND SO, UH, BUSSES RUN OUT OF YOUR, KNOW, AND SO THAT'S MONEY THAT WE SPEND MOVING KIDS AROUND THAT THEY DON'T NOW, OBVIOUSLY, THEY THEY PAY FOR CHARTER BUSSES FOR, YOU KNOW, FIELD TRIPS AND ATHLETICS AND THAT SORT OF THING.
BUT THEY'RE NOT RUNNING A DAILY BUS ROUTE.
AND SO THAT'S A SAVINGS THEY HAVE, UH, THEY HAVE SOME OTHER SAVINGS LIKE THAT, THAT, THAT THEY'VE KIND OF, UM, PUT OFF, UH, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF THE MO BUDGET THAT ALLOWS THEM TO BUILD UP A LITTLE BIT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW.
SO, UM, I WROTE YOU A MEMO A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, I THINK, UH, REFERENCING, UH, THE CHANGES FROM THE 2023 LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND HOW THAT IMPACTED, UM, TAX COLLECTIONS, PARTICULARLY HOW IT IMPACTED THE FROZEN TAX LEVY.
UM, AND THAT IMPACTED OUR, UM, OUR, YOU KNOW, REVENUE BY ABOUT $3 MILLION.
AND SO THAT WAS WHAT I SHARED WITH YOU EARLIER.
SINCE THEN, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OTHER THINGS.
THIS IS, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, A STATEWIDE ISSUE, AND IT'S HITTING ALL DISTRICTS.
UH, BUT OUR ESTIMATES RIGHT NOW ARE THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE A REDUCTION OF OUR SHAH'S REIMBURSEMENT.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, THE ACRONYM, UH, SHAH'S IS, UH, WHEN WE PROVIDE SERVICE THAT CAN BE PAID FOR BY MEDICAID, UH, IT COMES TO THE SHAH'S PROGRAM.
SO WE GET REIMBURSED FOR PROVIDING SERVICES THAT MEDICAID WOULD PAY FOR.
UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO GET ABOUT HALF OF WHAT WE HAVE BEEN GETTING.
AND SO THAT'S ABOUT $415,000 A YEAR.
AND THAT WILL ACTUALLY IMPACT US, STARTING WITH THE THE SCHOOL YEAR THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW.
UH, AND THEN, UM, CONTINUING ON AND UNLESS SOMETHING CHANGES, BUT WE'RE MODELING IT AS IF IT'S NOT AND WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THAT HIT, UM, A FEW DAYS AFTER, UH, OUR LAST MEETING IN DECEMBER, UH, THE FEDERAL RESERVE MET, UH, AND GAVE SOME GUIDANCE ON WHAT, UH, WOULD BE HAPPENING WITH THE OVERNIGHT RATE.
AND THEY PREDICTED THREE RATE CUTS DURING, UM, THEIR FISCAL FISCAL 24, UH, WHICH, OF COURSE, RUNS JANUARY TO DECEMBER. UM, I MODELED THREE QUARTER POINT, UH, CUTS, UM, AND AN ADDITIONAL CUT IN
[01:35:05]
2024, UM, AT AGAIN AT A QUARTER POINT.A LOT OF THE, UH, THE COMMENTARY SEEMS TO THINK THAT THOSE WON'T START UNTIL ABOUT MARCH.
UM, BUT WE DON'T KNOW HOW BIG THEY WILL BE.
YOU KNOW, WHAT MY MODEL SHOWS IS ABOUT $800,000 DIFFERENCE, UH, BETWEEN IF THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN THE OVERNIGHT RATE VERSUS THESE FOUR CUTS THAT I HAD THREE IN, IN THE THE YEAR OF 24 AND ONE AND 1 IN 25.
UH, BUT I THINK 800,000 FOR RIGHT NOW IS.
ALSO IN DECEMBER, I SAW SOME GUIDANCE FROM, UH.
UH, AND SO I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS SAFE FOR US TO CONTINUE LOOKING AT AN 8% GROWTH.
UM, BASED ON OUR LONG TERM HISTORICAL AVERAGE.
AND SO I BUMPED THAT DOWN TO 3%.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS MY GUESS ON MY PART, BUT THAT FIVE PERCENTAGE POINT DECREASE CORRESPONDED TO ABOUT A $500,000 DECREASE IN EXPECTED, UH, UH, TAXABLE OR EXPECTED REVENUE.
UM, THAT COULD BE MORE THAT COULD BE LESS.
BUT I WANTED TO TO BUILD THAT IN NOW.
AND THEN FINALLY, I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ATTENDANCE.
SO, UM, WE ARE ANTICIPATING THAT ENROLLMENT IS GOING TO DECREASE A LITTLE BIT FROM 23 TO 24, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS THE CURRENT DEMOGRAPHIC REPORT SUGGESTS. NOW, I WROTE THAT ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO.
UH, JEREMY AND I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH, UH, BOB TEMPLETON, UH, YESTERDAY.
AND SO I, I EXPECT THAT YOU'LL SEE THAT NEXT MONTH.
UM, AND JUST PRELIMINARILY, UM, IT LOOKED LIKE, UM, HE IS PROJECTING, UM, A HIGHER NUMBER NEXT YEAR THAN WHAT I AM. AND SO THE NUMBER THAT I USED IN THE, IN THE, IN THE PRESENTATION THAT I'VE SHOWN YOU IS A IS A CUT OF ABOUT 100 STUDENTS FROM WHERE WE ARE THIS YEAR, UM, WHICH CORRESPONDS TO MAYBE SIX, $700,000 SOMEWHERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, SO IF BOB IS RIGHT, AND I HOPE HE IS.
UM, HE THEN THEN THAT'S A LITTLE BIT TO OUR FAVOR.
WELL, ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT REALLY TO OUR FAVOR.
IT'S IT'S JUST NOT WORSE THAN WHAT WE WERE THIS YEAR.
BUT I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT ATTENDANCE, BECAUSE JEREMY AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING QUITE A BIT ABOUT THAT AND, AND THE CABINET AS WELL, ABOUT HOW WE OUGHT TO BE THINKING ABOUT IT AND PARTICULARLY HOW IT RELATES TO OUR TRANSFER POLICY.
UM, SO, UM, I'VE SHOWN THIS A COUPLE OF TIMES.
IN FACT, I THINK SEVERAL OF US HAVE USED THIS SLIDE BECAUSE IT'S A GREAT SLIDE.
UH, WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, A GROWTH DISTRICT GENERALLY.
WE'RE NOT A DECLINING DISTRICT.
BUT WHAT WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE IS THAT THE FLATTEN OUT SOMEWHERE AROUND 8000 KIDS, UH, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT THAT GIVES MAKES THE DISTRICT UM, MAKES US ABLE TO BETTER UTILIZE OUR FACILITIES AND OUR AND OUR PERSONNEL AND THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY.
SO SOMEWHERE AROUND 8000 IS KIND OF WHERE WE THINK IS IDEAL FOR A EANES ISD.
AND I WANTED TO WANTED YOU TO SEE THIS.
AND SO THIS IS NOT THIS YEAR'S ENROLLMENT.
UM, AND IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR, THEY STOOD AT 713 KIDS.
UH, 13 YEARS AGO, WHEN THEY WERE ENTERING KINDERGARTEN, THERE WERE 484 OF THEM.
[01:40:09]
KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SIXTH GRADE, THEY GROW IT PRETTY MUCH THE SAME RATE ACROSS THE BOARD.YOU DON'T SEE THAT YOU'VE GOT 484,000 KINDERGARTNERS AND 713,012TH GRADERS.
IN FACT, NORMALLY YOUR YOUR SENIOR YEAR IS YOUR SMALLEST CLASS OF ALL OF THEM.
UM. AND SO THIS IS A REALLY UNUSUAL PATTERN.
AND WE SEE IT YEAR AFTER YEAR.
EACH YEAR THOSE CLASSES GET A LITTLE BIT BIGGER AND THAT'S AS PEOPLE MOVE IN.
AND AS SOON AS THEY FEEL LIKE THEY CAN MAKE THE MOVE, THEY DO IT.
SO THE BLUE NUMBERS YOU SEE AT THE BOTTOM IS I TOOK ALL THE DATA FROM 2009 TO PRESENT.
SO GENERALLY, UM, OUR, OUR FIRST GRADE CLASS IS 6.9% BIGGER THAN OUR KINDERGARTEN CLASS.
AND SO THAT AVERAGES OUT TO A GROWTH OF ABOUT 44%, UH, FROM KINDERGARTEN TO SENIOR YEAR.
SO. KEEPING THAT IN MIND, IF WE LOOKED AT HOW BIG OUR KINDERGARTEN CLASS STARTS, UH, AND IF WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN KIND OF A RELATIVELY STABLE KINDERGARTEN FIRST GRADE CLASS BECAUSE, UM.
WE THINK THAT WE CAN KIND OF MANUFACTURE OUR ENROLLMENT TO GET TO THAT 8000 LEVEL BY USING OUR TRANSFER, UH.
AND SO. KIND OF THE WAY WE LIKE THIS IS WE'VE ALWAYS KIND OF HAD THIS IDEA OF, WELL, HOW MANY, HOW MANY TRANSFER STUDENTS IS THE RIGHT NUMBER OF TRANSFER STUDENTS? AND IT'S IT'S HARD TO REALLY GET AN ANSWER TO THAT.
BUT IF WE IF WE SET KIND OF AN IDEAL LIKE THIS THAT WE WANT TO GET SOMEWHERE 475 500, UM, KINDERGARTEN, UH, STUDENTS, THEN THAT TELLS US HOW MANY STUDENTS WERE LOOKING FOR AT THAT.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE'LL ALWAYS GET KIDS WHO WANT TO COME IN AT OTHER PLACES.
AND IF WE'VE GOT ROOM, WE WE TAKE THEM AS WE ALWAYS HAVE.
BUT WE THINK WE WOULD GET SOMEWHERE IN THAT 8000 STUDENT RANGE OVER THE LONG TERM.
AND THE NICE THING ABOUT THINKING OF IT THAT WAY IS WE'RE REALLY TARGETING THAT KINDER FIRST.
AND I SAY KINDER FIRST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS YEAR, UM, WE DIDN'T HIT THAT NUMBER.
AND SO WE'D LIKE TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE A PUSH TO FIRST GRADE TO TRY TO BRING THEM IN.
UM. BUT IF WE HAPPEN TO HAVE A YEAR WHERE WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, 550 KIDS SHOW UP TO, UH, UM, TO KINDER ROUND UP, WELL, WE'RE NOT REALLY LOOKING FOR KINDERGARTNERS, UH, FOR TRANSFERS THIS YEAR, BUT IF WE'VE GOT 425 KIDS, WE ARE AND WE KNOW HOW MANY WE'RE LOOKING FOR. AND SO THAT'S KIND OF THE WAY JEREMY AND I HAVE REALLY STARTED KIND OF THINKING ABOUT THIS.
AND AND JUST AS AN ASIDE, I LOOKED AT, UH, AT TEMPLETON'S PROJECTIONS.
WE WANT YOU, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WANT YOU, UH, MOVE OVER THERE A QUARTER MILE AWAY.
CAN YOU MOVE OVER THERE? UH, AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'LL ALWAYS FILL IN THAT WAY, BUT, UH, IT CHANGES YOUR MINDSET OF WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO DO AS FAR AS ADVERTISING AND TARGETING YOUR ADVERTISING.
WHAT SIZE GRADUATING CLASS DOES THIS MAKE IF THEY START AT 500? IT, SO IF YOU START THEM AT 500, IT SHOULD GET THEM UP INTO THE 700 ISH RANGE SOME 700-750.
[01:45:11]
SO HERE WE GO.SO KEEPING IN MIND THOSE IMPACTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER AND ALSO ON SHOWING ON THIS YEAR'S THE CURRENT YEAR, 23-24.
UM, I WENT AHEAD AND INTRODUCED THAT, THAT CHANGE TO THE [INAUDIBLE] REIMBURSEMENT TO THAT AS WELL, WHICH WE DIDN'T WHEN MARIA DID THE BIG BUDGET AMENDMENT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW, UH, FOR CERTAIN WHAT OUR SITUATION WAS WHEN WE PREPARED THAT.
SO, UM, WE'RE LOOKING AT A, YOU KNOW, A BUDGETED DEFICIT OF ABOUT 5.5 MILLION AND A PROJECTED DEFICIT OF ABOUT 4.5 MILLION.
UH, AND ALSO LAST YEAR, YOU HAD WE HAD, UH, DECIDED THAT WE WERE GOING TO LOOK AT, UH, A FIVE FTE CHANGE OR DECREASE FROM, FROM THE NUMBER OF FTE WE HAVE THIS YEAR.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.
AND, UH, AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT WE THINK WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO, UH, BE REFINED AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE YEAR.
AND JUST TO, TO EXPAND UPON THAT IDEA THAT I, THAT I MENTIONED ABOUT THE, UH, THE STEADY ENROLLMENT I WANTED TO SHOW YOU, UH, WHAT? WE WOULD LOOK LIKE IF WE HAD ACTUALLY 8000 KIDS THIS COMING YEAR.
AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
SO, CHRIS, BEFORE WE GET TOO DEEP, UM, THESE FINANCIAL SHORTFALLS THAT WE'RE SEEING.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE CLEAR THIS IS NOT DUE TO MISMANAGEMENT ON THE PART OF THE DISTRICT.
THIS IS NOT. WE'RE WE'RE ON A FIXED INCOME, AND OUR INCOME COMES FROM THE STATE.
UH BEAUMONT IRVING ISD PASSED A 23-24 BUDGET THAT IS $52 MILLION IN THE RED.
SO THESE ARE THESE ARE PROBLEMS THAT ARE EXTERNAL.
THIS IS NOT A HEY, EANES IS UNIQUE TO THIS.
AND AND WE'VE DONE SOMETHING WRONG AND WE'RE FALLING OFF A CLIFF.
THIS IS A POORLY MANAGED ABILITY BY THE STATE TO FUND PUBLIC EDUCATION, IN MY OPINION.
AND I DON'T WANT TO BE TOO POLITICAL, BUT THEY GOT VERY TIED UP THIS SUMMER ON DECIDING HOW TO SPEND PUBLIC MONEY ON PRIVATE EDUCATION INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON FUNDING PUBLIC EDUCATION.
AND I'LL GET OFF MY SOAPBOX THERE.
BUT I WANTED TO GET INTO I JUST I WANTED TO GET INTO I WANTED TO START THIS CONVERSATION THAT WAY BECAUSE I AGREE THAT WE WE ONCE AGAIN NEED TO BAIL OURSELVES OUT BECAUSE THE STATE IS NOT FUNDING PUBLIC EDUCATION CORRECTLY.
AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT DISCUSSION.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR FUND BALANCE, FRANKLY, OUR LOW FUND BALANCE IS BECAUSE WE HAVE CHOSEN TO PAY OUR TEACHERS AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, AND WE HAVE MADE DECISIONS, UM, THAT HAVE IMPACTED THAT FUND BALANCE BECAUSE WE'VE HAD TO MAKE UP SHORTFALLS FROM THE STATE.
AND I'VE BEEN ON THIS BOARD FOR FIVE YEARS NOW.
WE HAVE HAD FOUR POSITIVE BUDGETS, AND I'M PROUD OF THAT.
AND, HEATHER, IF YOU WANT TO PICK UP THE BATON, I'LL HAND IT TO YOU GLADLY.
AND SO I'M NOT OKAY WITH THAT.
AND I DID GO AHEAD AND JUST SEND THAT TO OUR REPRESENTATIVES AS WELL.
AND THEY'RE LOOKING INTO THAT ALSO.
UM, AND THAT WENT TO THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, BUT I SENT IT TO OUR DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES AS WELL, UM, TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO GOING FORWARD.
[01:50:10]
SO I'M HOPING THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING.AND ALONG THOSE LINES ALSO, UM, TOMORROW IS THE TASB REGION 13 GRASSROOTS.
AND SEVERAL OF US WILL BE ATTENDING THAT.
AND THAT IS WHERE WE AS TRUSTEES GO AND SET OUR ADVOCACY AGENDA FOR THE 2024 THROUGH 20, 26 YEARS.
UM, AND THAT THAT WILL GO TO OUR DELEGATE ASSEMBLY.
THESE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, SHOWING YOU BECAUSE WE ARE HAVING TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AT A QUALITY OF EDUCATION THAT YOU'RE NOT GIVING US.
AND WE'RE DEPENDENT ON EXTERNAL, YOU KNOW, SOURCES.
AND, UM, IT'S NOT OKAY BECAUSE I KNOW IT'S CLICHE, BUT THE CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE.
UM, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALL KIND OF COMING TOGETHER ON THIS TO, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE REALLY CLEAR ON WHAT WE NEED GOING FORWARD, AND ALSO THAT WE'RE REALLY CLEAR ON WE'RE NOT WILLING TO SACRIFICE THE LEVEL OF EDUCATION THAT WE PROVIDE HERE IN EANES ISD.
AND SO OUR STATE NEEDS TO STEP UP.
UM, SO. I'LL GET OFF THE SOAPBOX NOW.
SO OBVIOUSLY THE MAJORITY OF THE LEGISLATORS LISTENED TO THE PUBLIC AND DID THE RIGHT THING.
IN THIS CASE. I'M FRUSTRATED THAT SO MUCH TIME WAS SPENT ON THAT, THOUGH.
MULTIPLE SESSIONS WERE SPENT ON THAT.
AND I DO WANT TO CAVEAT THAT THAT, UM, BUT NONETHELESS, THE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE IN TODAY ARE NOT BECAUSE OF MISMANAGEMENT ON THE PART OF OUR DISTRICT AND NOT BECAUSE OF BAD DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE IN THE PAST BY OUR DISTRICT OR OUR BOARD, BUT STEM FROM BIGGER STATEWIDE FUNDING ISSUES THAT ARE HITTING MOST DISTRICTS AT THIS POINT.
AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING REALLY CLEAR TO TO ANYONE WATCHING.
AND BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN QUESTIONED WHY OUR BOARD, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T SUPPORT VOUCHERS OR ESAS, OUR RECAPTURE GOES UP A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT. IF VOUCHERS GO IN AND THERE'S A ONE PAGER ON TEXAS SCHOOL COALITION THAT GOES INTO MORE DETAIL.
IF ANYBODY WANTS THAT, I'M HAPPY TO HELP GET THAT TO YOU.
SO JUST PUTTING THAT OUT THERE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO? I HAVE SUCH A BORING QUESTION.
UM, CHRIS, CAN CAN YOU HELP ME WITH THE FTE CHANGE? UM, I'M ASSUMING WE'RE ON A TWO YEAR BUDGET CYCLE.
UM, I HAD ASSUMED THAT OUR FTE CHANGE WAS RELATED TO THE AMOUNT OF THE DEFICIT OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THESE TWO YEARS OF 2425 AND 2526, EACH HAVING AN FTE CHANGE STATED ARE, ARE.
PROJECTED OR PLUGS, AS OPPOSED TO BEING RELATED TO ANY PREVIOUS YEAR'S PERFORMANCE.
IF I REMEMBER RIGHT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG JEFF.
UM, WHEN YOU ADOPTED THE BUDGET LAST YEAR? UM UM, WE SAW, YOU KNOW, AT THAT TIME THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE, UM, ROLLING FORWARD SOME, SOME DEFICITS THAT WE ANTICIPATED.
AND I THINK YOU PUT THOSE IN THERE TO TRY TO, UH, HELP ACCOUNT FOR THAT.
UM, OBVIOUSLY THAT WAS A SMALLER DEFICIT THAN WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW.
AND I GUESS WHAT'S CONFUSING ME IF THE PROJECTED DEFICIT IS 2.3 AND THAT RESULTS IN MINUS FIVE, HOW CAN 5.5 RESULT IN MINUS FIVE THE NEXT YEAR? YOU WOULD THINK IT WOULD DOUBLE AND IT WOULD.
I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER. I FEEL LIKE WHEN WE ADOPTED THE BUDGET, WE WERE LOOKING AT A PROJECTED DEFICIT OF AROUND $200,000, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, 300,000. THOSE WERE JUST STARTING POINTS.
I THINK WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO ADJUST THOSE NUMBERS.
[01:55:07]
MIND LOOKING AT MATH.YOU HAVE FEWER STUDENTS TO TEACH.
NO, NO, OF COURSE, BUT YOU'RE STILL SHOWING THAT ON YOUR CHART.
RIGHT. AND CHRIS HAS ALSO PROVIDED SEPARATELY YOUR ANNUAL CALCULATOR, WHERE YOU CAN GO IN AND PLAY WITH THE NUMBERS YOURSELVES SO THAT AS WE PROGRESS IN THESE CONVERSATIONS, YOU HAVE AN IDEA HOW DIFFERENT INPUTS AND VARIABLES WILL AFFECT THE BOTTOM LINE.
YEAH. UH, HEATHER AND THEN DIANE.
I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE BUDGET TOOL.
I THINK THAT'S SUPER INTERESTING.
AND I LIKE THE IDEA OF ONCE A SHOP, ALWAYS A SHOP.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, BRINGING THEM IN EARLY AND KEEPING THEM UNTIL THEY GRADUATE.
I REALLY, I REALLY LIKE THAT IDEA.
SO, UM, AND IF WE NEED MORE TRANSFERS, SO BE IT, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL OF THE OPTIONS THAT WE CAN TO BALANCE OUR BUDGET BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE STATE'S NOT GOING TO DO IT FOR US.
AND JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WORK THAT CHRIS AND JEREMY HAVE DONE, TO QUANTIFY HOW MANY STUDENTS WE MIGHT BE TARGETING IN KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE, THAT REALLY NOW PROVIDES US WITH A BLUEPRINT FOR A MARKETING PLAN AS WE LOOK AT POTENTIAL TRANSFERS FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR.
UM, IT'S IT'S BEEN A MARVELOUS TOOL, UM, THAT HAS BEEN USED IN DIFFERENT WAYS OVER THE YEARS.
AND IF ALL ARE OVER 700, UM, THAT MEANS THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL HAS MORE THAN 2800, WHICH GETS LARGER THAN THE STATED HIGH SCHOOL CAPACITY DESIRE OF SLIGHTLY UNDER 802,800.
SO, I MEAN, THERE'S A SWEET SPOT BETWEEN THE THE 475 AND THE 500.
YEAH, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE POWER TO DIAL IT IN IS EXACTLY AS AS WE'D WANT.
YOU KNOW, THESE THESE ARE ROUGH ESTIMATES.
AND THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE THAT, THAT WESTLAKE KIND OF PUSHES.
IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS, UH, RUNNING OUT OF ELBOW ROOM.
UH, AND, AND MAYBE LONG RANGE FACILITIES PLANNING COMMITTEE CAN LOOK AT THAT.
UH, TO REITERATE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAID, THIS IS VERY INTERESTING.
IT'S AN INTERESTING LEVER TO BE THINKING ABOUT.
AND, UM, DEFINITELY ONE THAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON.
CAN YOU REMIND ME HOW MANY KINDER STUDENTS WE HAD THIS YEAR? FOUR. FOR 23.
OKAY. SO WE'RE LOOKING TO TRY TO INCREASE THAT BY ABOUT 60 OR SO KIDS.
YEAH. SO WE ANTICIPATE THAT IT'LL GROW ANYWAY.
BUT YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE SHOOTING FOR.
AND 500 PUTS US AT 82, 26 STUDENTS.
IS THAT RIGHT? SOMEWHERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
THING THAT I'VE HEARD MENTIONED OVER THE YEARS, AND I THINK THE DATA SORT OF SHOWS THIS.
[02:00:07]
RETURN IN HIGH SCHOOL? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT I'VE HEARD? HAS ANYONE ELSE HEARD OF THIS? I'M CURIOUS IF IF THERE'S ANY IF THAT'S ANOTHER LEVER TO BE THINKING ABOUT.HOW DO WE KEEP STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT DURING MIDDLE SCHOOL? THEY REALLY I'M NOT SHOWING THAT THEY LEAVE DURING MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UM, ALTHOUGH THE GROWTH RATE IS NOT AS LARGE AS IT IS EARLIER.
UH, SO THEY'RE STILL WE'RE STILL GROWING, UH, THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL.
BUT I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF KIDS WHO GO TO IS IT TRINITY? UH, WHICH IS K-8.
UM, AND THEN COME TO WESTLAKE AND WE, WE TYPICALLY HAVE A FAIRLY BIG BUMP GOING FROM 8 TO 9.
UM, BUT WE'RE NOT REALLY SEEING THAT KIDS ARE LEAVING, UH, IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I'M SURE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME THAT DO.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AS A MACRO TREND, WE'RE NOT SEEING IT.
UM, SO WHEN WE LOOK AT YOUR SLIDE WHERE YOU ARE SHOWING OUR PROJECTIONS INTO 25, 26, 27.
AND YOU'VE ALTERED 2425 WITH A 3%, BUT YOU HAVEN'T ALTERED THE NEXT YEARS, AND THEY'RE STILL AT 8%.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE BIG RED NUMBERS.
I DON'T EVEN I MEAN, WE HAVE OUR LITTLE CALCULATOR, BUT THAT GETS REALLY SCARY TO THINK ABOUT.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THOSE NUMBERS AREN'T 8% IN THOSE COLUMNS, DOESN'T IT? YES. I'M HOPING THAT BOB'S PROJECTIONS MOVE THOSE, UH, SNAPSHOT ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS UP, UH, BY A COUPLE OF HUNDRED KIDS EACH, WHICH WILL BE WHICH WILL HELP, UH, AND IT'LL OFFSET, UH, THAT TAX BASE, FAITH BASED GROWTH.
UM, BUT I DO I DO ANTICIPATE THAT WE'LL GET BACK TO OUR LONG RANGE TREND.
UM, HISTORICALLY, WHEN WE'VE HAD A FEW YEARS OF OF LOWER TAX BASE BASED.
I DON'T KNOW WHY I CAN'T TALK TONIGHT.
UM, THEN WE SEE, UM, A YEAR OR TWO OF HIGHER GROWTH AND THEN IT EVENS OUT AGAIN.
AND SO WE EVEN THOUGH OUR LONG RANGE AVERAGE IS 8%, UH, IF WE GO BACK, WE HARDLY EVER SEE AN 8%.
WE'LL SEE A 15, FOLLOWED BY A 12, FOLLOWED BY A TWO.
UM, I THINK WE'LL WE'LL GET A AND AS FAR AS THAT GOES, UM.
ONE OF THE ONE OF THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF LOSING MONEY ON OUR INVESTMENT IS THAT THAT'LL MAKE, UM, MORTGAGE RATES MORE AFFORDABLE, WHICH WILL HELP THE HELP OUR TAX BASE GROWS.
SAY IT THREE TIMES. UH, I DEFINITELY LOVE POSITIVITY, BUT I AM WONDERING, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE NOT BACK AT 8%.
UM, IS ONE OF THE ROLES POTENTIALLY, OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE TO BE DIGGING INTO OUR PROGRAMS AND THINKING ABOUT THE REALLY HARD DECISIONS AND HELPING PARENTS UNDERSTAND, GIVEN WHAT THE STATE IS DOING TO US WITH OUR FUNDING, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE DIFFICULT DECISIONS AHEAD OF US? WELL, I'LL LET JEFF EXPAND ON THIS, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT.
UM, WHAT WHAT, UH, JAMES AND HEATHER MENTIONED EARLIER WITH THE LEGISLATURE.
UM. HASN'T ADDRESSED THE THE BASIC ALLOTMENT SINCE 2019.
UM, I THINK REALISTICALLY NOW OUR NEXT BEST SHOT IS 25.
UH, WHICH WOULD IMPACT THE 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR.
I THINK THAT MIGHT BE A TOPIC THAT THAT THIS NEW COMMITTEE SHOULD START TALKING ABOUT IS, UM, IF NOTHING IS ADDRESSED IN THE 25 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHAT ARE OUR BEST MOVES? AND KEEPING IN MIND.
NONE OF THEM. ARE YOU GOING TO FEEL HAPPY ABOUT RECOMMENDING OR TALKING ABOUT.
UM, UH, BUT I THINK THAT GIVES US A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO, TO LOOK AT IT BECAUSE TO, UM, IMPACT THE BUDGET BY $6 MILLION.
UM. THAT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME DOING AND THAT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME PAIN.
[02:05:06]
UM, BOTH AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL AND AT YOUR LEVEL.TO, TO HONE IN ON, UH, ON WHAT WE MIGHT CONSIDER.
AND, YOU KNOW, I LIKE IT'S TO DO ONE OF THOSE BIG THINGS.
I DON'T THINK WE CAN DO IT FOR 24, 25.
AND I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD, BECAUSE I STILL, I HAD HOPE ALL THE LAST YEAR THAT THE LEGISLATURE WAS GOING TO COME THROUGH AND DO SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
UH, BUT I STILL HAVE HOPE THAT 25 WILL BE DIFFERENT.
UM, LUCY WON'T PULL THE FOOTBALL AWAY THIS TIME.
THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY LEVERS THAT WE CAN PULL TO TRY TO AFFECT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
THERE ARE MANY MORE OPTIONS, AND I THINK THAT'S THE MOST COMPELLING REASON FOR A COMMITTEE LOOKING AT FINANCE AND PERSONNEL, BECAUSE THEY CAN HELP US REVIEW ALL OF THOSE OPTIONS AND COME TO THE BOARD AND HELP US CRAFT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS AND MAYBE TAKE HAVE THE TIME NEEDED TO REALLY GET THE COMMUNITY EDUCATED AND HOPEFULLY BEHIND THIS AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE NEED THEIR VOICE INVOLVED.
YEP. UH, LAURA, WOULD YOU WOULD YOU LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK? I WOULD LOVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS.
UM, AND I'LL SAVE MY SOAPBOX FOR THE SECOND PART.
Y'ALL ARE ALWAYS VERY STRATEGIC WHEN IT COMES TO TRANSFERS AND PUTTING TRANSFERS INTO PLACES.
UM, THAT WILL MAXIMIZE OUR STAFFING.
UM, UH, THIS IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL OF STRATEGIC THINKING, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
UH, I THINK THAT, UM, IT WILL GIVE YOU ALL THE OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK NOT JUST AT THAT KINDER AND FIRST, BUT THEN ALSO YOU CAN TRACK. I DON'T HAVE THAT THING.
SO I REALLY I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, THE FACT THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO TAKE THAT THE DATA AND, UM, PROVIDE INFORMATION AND GOOD KNOWLEDGE. IT'S NOT JUST DATA.
UM. I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE SORT OF IDENTIFYING THAT THIS 8000 STUDENTS IS SORT OF THE SWEET SPOT FOR OUR DISTRICT. I KNOW THAT IN THE PAST, WE'VE TALKED TO, UM, PRINCIPAL RAMSEY ABOUT LIKE, WHAT IS THE BEST SIZE FOR THAT, FOR THAT SCHOOL, FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL. AND BUT THERE IS A SWEET SPOT WHERE WE HAVE THE FUNDING THAT ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE THE PROGRAMS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, SMALLER DISTRICTS AREN'T ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, JUST AS LARGER DISTRICTS ARE ABLE TO DO SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN'T DO, AND IT'S JUST FINDING THAT BALANCE.
UM, AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL HAVE SORT OF IDENTIFIED THAT THAT'S THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ALLOWS US TO HAVE THE FUNDING SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE PROGRAMS THAT OUR COMMUNITY WANTS.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME, WE KNOW THAT IF WE DON'T MAINTAIN THAT THOSE NUMBER OF STUDENTS AND THAT LEVEL OF FUNDING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SOME VERY, VERY DIFFICULT DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE ALL THE THINGS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY PROVIDING.
UM, OVER THE LAST, I DON'T KNOW, SIX MONTHS, I'VE SAT IN THE ROOMS WITH TRUSTEES, UM, FROM ALL ACROSS THE STATE, LITERALLY BROWNSVILLE, EL PASO, EAST TEXAS, PECOS, BARSTOW, BIG DISTRICTS, LITTLE DISTRICTS, TINY DISTRICTS, ENORMOUS DISTRICTS, FAST GROWTH DISTRICTS, DISTRICTS LIKE OURS THAT ARE NOT GROWING.
AND EVERY SINGLE DISTRICT IS STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE HAVE A STATE LEVEL SYSTEMIC PROBLEM FUNDING EDUCATION.
THAT'S NOT ONE DISTRICT THAT'S HAVING A HARD TIME.
THAT'S NOT OH, WE'RE A RECAPTURED DISTRICT.
AND SO THAT'S DIFFICULT FOR US.
AND IT'S HITTING EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE 5.5 MILLION KIDS IN TEXAS THAT ARE EDUCATED.
[02:10:03]
THAT WAS MY SOAPBOX.BUT I WILL SAY THAT YES, WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS WE NEED TO KEEP UP THE PRESSURE.
BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT 25 IS GOING TO BE IS THE YEAR WE NEED TO KEEP UP THE PRESSURE.
DIANE, ABSOLUTELY, WE NEED TO GET THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED.
WE NEED TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW OUR DISTRICT, OUR STUDENTS ARE IMPACTED BY THE LACK OF FUNDING.
AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE THAT CLEARLY TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
UH, I DID NOT INTEND TO BRING A PROP, BUT, YOU KNOW, EEF KIND OF CUED US, SO HERE WE ARE.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, EEF ACCEPTS DONATIONS AND THERE'S A GALA COMING UP, SO EVERYONE SHOULD PLAN ON ATTENDING BECAUSE I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE FUNDING THAT EEF DOES PROVIDE TO THE DISTRICT.
BECAUSE WITHOUT THAT, WE WOULD BE HOSED AND DOWN A LOT MORE TEACHERS.
AND THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO, BUT I'M GRATEFUL.
YEAH. YEAH. DITTO ALL OF THE THOUGHTS.
YEAH. UM, SO YES, IT IS DITTO.
BUT I APPRECIATE EVERYONE'S THOUGHTS.
I DON'T KNOW THAT I HAVE ANYTHING PARTICULAR.
NO WORRIES. UH, DO YOU NEED ANYTHING SPECIFIC FROM US RIGHT NOW THAT YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN FROM US? OKAY. AND LIKE, AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT A LOT MORE.
WE'RE GOING TO CREATE THIS SUBCOMMITTEE TO HELP SUPPORT YOU AS WELL.
SO I HOPE WE CAN, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE GOOD WORK THAT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO DO.
I THINK, UM, AUDREY CHAKRA IS GOING TO REJOIN US FOR OUR FIRST READING OF SOME PROPOSED POLICIES.
[8.1 First Reading of Policy Updates CQB (Local), CSA (Local), DC (Local), DP (Local), EHB (Local), EHBC (Local), EHBCA (Local), EIC (Local), FEA (Local), FFAC (Local), FFB (Local), FL (Local), and GKG (Local)]
HELLO. OKAY, SO THIS IS OUR, UM, STANDARD OR THIS IS TASB'S UPDATE, UM, RESULTING THE MOST RECENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION.IT'S A FAIRLY SHORT LIST BECAUSE AS EVERYONE DISCUSSED, NOT A WHOLE LOT WAS DONE THIS PAST SESSION.
UM, THERE ARE A FEW SMALL THINGS IN THERE.
UM, ONE OF THE ONES I WANT, SOMETHING I DID WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT IN ADDITION TO THE, UH, LOCAL UPDATE POLICY PACKET THAT YOU GOT FROM THAT FROM TASB WITH ALL THE EXPLANATORY NOTES I'VE CREATED, UM, GKG A GKG POLICY, WHICH OR I'VE.
YEAH. NO, I'VE CREATED THE GKG POLICY.
IT'S NOT REVISED. IT'S A NEW POLICY.
SO I HOPE YOU'VE HAD TIME TO READ IT.
THIS IS ADDRESSING, UM, VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE THAT I MEAN, IT DOESN'T REALLY CHANGE ANYTHING BECAUSE WE'VE ALWAYS ACCEPTED VOLUNTEERS WHO MEET CERTAIN QUALIFICATIONS TO COME TO OUR, UM, TO COME AND VOLUNTEER.
OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE TRUSTEES? BUT. NOPE.
THANK YOU. IF A TRUSTEE HAS A QUESTION, I ASSUME THEY CAN REACH OUT TO YOU.
OF COURSE. YEAH, IT'S JUST FIRST READING.
YEAH. LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
WILL WE TAKE ACTION TWO WEEKS FROM NOW? CORRECT. OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
AND OH, THAT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE SLIDE I HAVE IN FRONT OF ME.
UM, PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF UPCOMING BOARD MEETINGS.
[9. UPCOMING MEETINGS]
WE HAVE OUR REGULAR MEETING ON JANUARY 23RD.UH, ON JANUARY 26TH, FRIDAY MORNING, WE HAVE A PRE-SUMMIT, UM, MEETING FOR TWO HOURS, APPROXIMATELY.
AND THEN FEBRUARY 1ST OR SECOND IS THE 2024 BOARD SUMMIT.
THIS, UM, AS A REMINDER TO THE COMMUNITY, THIS IS WHERE THE BOARD SETS PRIORITIES FOR THE UPCOMING 24-25 JUST SOUNDS FUNNY.
2425 SCHOOL YEAR I READ TODAY THAT, UH, VAN HALEN'S 1984 RECORD WAS RELEASED 40 YEARS AGO TONIGHT.
[02:15:06]
ON FEBRUARY 1ST AND SECOND.AND WITH THAT, THE BOARD STANDS ADJOURNED AT 9:18.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.