[00:00:05]
>> GOOD EVENING. I HEREBY CALLED TO ORDER
[1.0 Call to Order]
THE CALLED MEETING OF THE CROWLEY ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND CERTIFY THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 551.041 SUBCHAPTER C, GOVERNMENT CODE, AS AMENDED BY THE 73RD LEGISLATURE.PURSUANT TO PUBLIC NOTICE OF THIS MEETING, A QUORUM IS PRESENT.
I REQUEST THE OFFICIAL ROLL CALL, PLEASE, MR. KIRSHNER.
>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. TRUSTEE PLACE 1, NEDRA ROBINSON.
TRUSTEE PLACE 2, DR. LA TONYA WOODSON-MAYFIELD.
>> TRUSTEE PLACE 3, DR. MIA HALL.
>> TRUSTEE PLACE 4, JUNE W. DAVIS.
>> TRUSTEE PLACE 5, DARYL DAVIS II.
>> TRUSTEE PLACE 6, GARY GRASSIA.
AND TRUSTEE PLACE 7, KELICIA STEVENSON.
>> SUPERINTENDENT DR. MICHAEL MCFARLAND.
>> THANK YOU, MR. KIRSHNER. I EXTEND A WARM WELCOME TO EVERYONE PRESENT FOR TONIGHT'S MEETING.
[NOISE] THE MONTHLY MEETINGS OF THE BOARD ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND WE'RE PLEASED THAT YOU HAVE JOINED US AS WE CELEBRATE ACHIEVEMENT, REVIEW INFORMATION AND MAKE POLICY DECISIONS RELATED TO THE EFFECTIVE OPERATION OF CROWLEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE WILL BE CONFINED TO THE TIME DESIGNATED FOR CITIZENS TO ADDRESS THE BOARD.
DECORUM AND COURTESY ARE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS AND EFFECTIVE PUBLIC MEETINGS.
PLEASE SILENCE YOUR CELLPHONES AT THIS TIME BEFORE WE BEGIN OUR PROCEEDINGS.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING AND FOR YOUR INTEREST IN CROWLEY ISD SCHOOLS.
WE ARE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD [NOISE] TO AGENDA ITEM 3.0 THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT, DR. MCFARLAND.
[3.0 Superintendent Report]
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS IN THE INTEREST OF TIME AND TO PREPARE TO GIVE OURSELVES TIME FOR OUR FUTURE ITEMS, I'D LIKE TO FOREGO THE SUPERINTENDENT REPORT FOR THE DAY.
>> THANK YOU, DR. MCFARLAND, AND WE WILL MOVE FORWARD.
I THINK WE WILL ADJOURN TO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT THIS TIME.
[5.0 Executive Session]
PURSUANT TO TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE 551.071 FOR PRIVATE CONSULTATION WITH THE BOARD'S ATTORNEY AND 551.076 THE EXECUTIVE BRIEFING ON SAFETY AND SECURITY.THE BOARD WILL RETURN IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING EXECUTIVE SESSION AND WE'RE ADJOINING EXECUTIVE SESSION AT 6:13 P.M. [NOISE] WE ARE BACK IN OPEN SESSION AT 7:05 P.M. AT THIS TIME, WE DO HAVE SOME CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS.
[6.0 Consideration and Possible Action Item(s)]
AGENDA ITEM 6.1 WHICH IS THE NAMING OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NUMBER 16, DR. MCFARLAND.>> MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING US THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF PEOPLE TO SERVE ON THE NAMING COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE SHARED THOSE NAMES IN THE BACKGROUND AND ARE HAPPY TO MOVE FORWARD AT YOUR DIRECTION.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO DR. MCFARLAND'S POINT, TO APPRECIATE THOSE WHO SERVED ON THE COMMITTEE AS WELL AS ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME FROM THE COMMUNITY.
IT WAS OVERWHELMING AS IT PERTAINS TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY AND SO IN THAT SPIRIT, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO NAME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 16, THE PROUDLY MONTESSORI ACADEMY.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU, TRUSTEE DAVIS. IS THERE A SECOND?
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEE DAVIS. MOVE TO VOTE, PLEASE.
[BACKGROUND] AND THE MOTION PASSES. THANK YOU, BOARD.
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM 6.2, PURCHASE OF CHILLERS FOR NORTH CROWLEY NINTH GRADE CAMPUS.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, IT SHOULD BE ITEM 6.2 TO '24, '25 SCHOOL CALENDAR.
>> THANK YOU. I'LL REPLACE THIS PAGE.
[00:05:02]
2025, THE SCHOOL CALENDAR. DR. MCFARLAND.>> MADAM PRESIDENT, BOARD MEMBERS, WE ARE DEFINITELY EXCITED TO BRING FORWARD THIS RECOMMENDATION FOR THE SCHOOL CALENDAR FOR THE YEAR '24, '25.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE SHARED WITH YOU ALL SOME OVERVIEW OF THE CALENDARS AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING, HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SURVEYS AND GET SOME FEEDBACK AND SO WE ARE TONIGHT PREPARED TO SHARE WITH YOU THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEYS AND OUR RECOMMENDATION. MR. KIRSHNER.
MADAM PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THIS PRESENTATION AND POTENTIAL ACTION ITEM ALIGNS WITH ALL THREE GOALS HERE IN CROWLEY ISD, THRIVING STUDENTS, ENGAGED COMMUNITY, AND EMPOWERED STAFF.
AS DR. MCFARLAND MENTIONED, WE SHARED TWO DRAFT CALENDARS WITH YOU AND OUR COMMUNITY.
DRAFT A WAS VERY SIMILAR TO THE CURRENT SCHOOL CALENDAR WITH NO CHANGES TO THE SCHOOL DAY OR START AND END TIMES AND YOU'LL SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS AND TEACHER CONTRACTS THERE LISTED ON THE SIDE.
AHEAD ON CALENDAR B, THERE WERE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE DISMISSAL TIMES.
THIS ADDITIONAL TIME CREATED SOME POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL FOUR DAY WEEKS AND INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS AT THE SAME LENGTH AND SOME OTHER PROS AND ISSUES THAT WERE LISTED THERE ON THE NEXT TWO SLIDES.
LIKE DR. MCFARLAND SAID, WE DID CONDUCT A SURVEY, WE HAD REALLY GREAT PARTICIPATION IN A VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.
WE HAD MORE THAN 1,400 PEOPLE COMPLETE THE SURVEY, AND A REALLY GREAT BREAKDOWN OF PARENTS AND GUARDIANS AND EMPLOYEES, AND EVEN 230 OF OUR STUDENTS, AND I WANT TO THANK OUR STUDENT TRUSTEES FOR HELPING PROMOTE THAT SURVEY AT THEIR CAMPUSES AND GETTING SOME REALLY GREAT INPUT FROM THE OTHER SECONDARY STUDENTS.
ON THIS NEXT SLIDE, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A HIGH LEVEL OF THE RESULTS AND THERE'S A LOT OF NUMBERS ON HERE.
BUT I'LL TALK THROUGH CALENDAR A.
OVERALL, 65% OF PEOPLE LIKED THAT CALENDAR.
THAT WAS A SIMPLE QUESTION. DO YOU LIKE IT OR YOU DISLIKE IT? ONLY 35% DISLIKED IT.
CALENDAR B, ON THE OTHER HAND, 48% OF PEOPLE LIKED IT AND 52% DISLIKED IT.
THAT WAS ALL THE POPULATIONS TOGETHER.
BUT WHEN YOU BROKE IT DOWN BY PARENTS, STAFF, AND STUDENTS, YOU CAN SEE ACROSS THE BOARD CALENDAR A HAD THE MORE LIKES FROM ALL SUBGROUPS HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BASED ON THAT FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY AND LOOKING AT EVERYTHING HERE WITH LEADERSHIP AND PRINCIPLES, DR. MCFARLAND, I BELIEVE WE'RE READY TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TONIGHT FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER APPROVING CALENDAR A FOR THE '24, '25 SCHOOL YEAR.
THIS IS WHAT WE CALL OUR TRADITIONAL CALENDAR.
ONCE THIS CALENDAR IS APPROVED, WE THEN START BUILDING OUR CALENDARS FOR ADDITIONAL DAY SCHOOL YEAR, CROWLEY COLLEGIATE ACADEMY AND OTHER SCHOOLS THAT HAVE SPECIALIZED CALENDARS.
BUT THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN THAT PROCESS.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT THAT TONIGHT.
I KNOW YOU SAID IT WAS JUST A [INAUDIBLE]
>> YES, MA'AM, WE DID. AT THE LAST QUESTION WAS AN OPEN ENDED QUESTION WHERE THEY COULD SAY, WHAT DO YOU THINK OR WHAT DO YOU LIKE, WHAT DO YOU NOT LIKE.
I PRESENTED DR. MCFARLAND, A BINDER WAS PROBABLY CLOSE TO 100 PAGES OF JUST OPEN ENDED COMMENTS.
FOR A LOT OF THE PEOPLE, THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT A LONGER INSTRUCTIONAL DAY EACH AND EVERY DAY.
ESPECIALLY AMONG THOSE STUDENTS THAT DISLIKE [LAUGHTER] CALENDAR A.
SOME OF THESE PEOPLE WHO LIKED CALENDAR A BETTER, I'M TRYING TO THINK WHAT THEIR DISLIKES WERE PRIMARILY ABOUT THAT ONE SO YOU'RE ASKING WHAT DID THEY NOT LIKE ABOUT IT?
>> YEAH. WHAT DID THEY DISLIKE ABOUT CALENDAR A?
>> I THINK THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE WHO WERE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE MORE FOUR DAY WEEKS AND CALENDAR A DOESN'T HAVE THAT.
THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT LIKED THAT IDEA AND ALL OF THOSE POPULATIONS OF PARENTS, STAFF, AND STUDENTS.
BUT THE OVERWHELMING FEEDBACK WE HEARD WAS THE CONCERN ABOUT THE LONGER INSTRUCTIONAL DAY THAT YOU WOULD SEE IN CALENDAR B.
>> WHICH WAS WHAT? IT WAS 10 MINUTES PER DAY?
>> YES, MA'AM. AND 15 AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.
SO ELEMENTARY HAD 10, MIDDLE SCHOOL HAD 10 AND THE HIGH SCHOOL WAS 15.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.
TRUSTEE DAVIS, ARE THERE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, OR COMMENTS?
>> ABSOLUTELY. HEARING NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, BOARD, IS THERE A MOTION OR A RECOMMENDATION?
>> I RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE [INAUDIBLE]
>> OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THE RECOMMENDATION. IS THERE A SECOND?
>> THANK YOU, TRUSTEE STEVENSON. MOVE TO VOTE, PLEASE. THE MOTION PASSES.
[00:10:11]
THANK YOU AGAIN, MR. KIRSHNER FOR ORCHESTRATING THE SURVEY AND GETTING US THE RESULTS, AND THANK YOU, BOARD, FOR THE DECISION TONIGHT.WE ARE NOW AT OUR STUDY SESSION WHICH IS AGENDA ITEM 7.1, THE 2023,
[7.0 Study Session]
2024 BUDGET STATUS AND PROJECTIONS, ALONG WITH THE 2024, 2025 PRELIMINARY BUDGET.>> MADAM PRESIDENT AND BOARD MEMBERS, I'M GOING TO MOVE OVER ON THE OTHER SIDE SO THAT I CAN SEE EVERYONE AND HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH YOU. GIVE ME A QUICK SECOND.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU, SIR. BOARD, THIS IS A WORK SESSION, SO YOU WILL PROBABLY NEED YOUR CALCULATOR BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT FINANCE TONIGHT AND YOU MAY NEED TO GOOGLE A WORD.
I'LL TELL YOU, LET'S START OFF BY JUST GOOGLING A WORD.
SOMEBODY FIND THE WORD VUCCA WHILE WE GET SET UP.
I WANT YOU ONCE YOU FIND IT, THEN WE'RE GOING TO JUMP INTO THIS VUCCA PRESENTATION TONIGHT.
>> IT'S FOOD. IS IT A TYPE OF FOOD?
>> NO, MA'AM, IT'S NOT FOOD. VUCA.
>> V-U-C-C-A, LET ME SPELL THAT JUST ONCE.
>> VOLATILITY, UNCERTAINTY, COMPLEXITY, AND AMBIGUITY.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU, DR. HALL.
VOLATILITY, UNCERTAINTY, COMPLEXITY, AND AMBIGUITY.
>> YEAH. WE ARE HERE TONIGHT TO TALK ABOUT SCHOOL FINANCE, [LAUGHTER] AND PARTICULARLY FINANCING CROWLEY ISD.
I CAN TELL YOU THIS IS A VUCA WORLD, NO DOUBT.
DR. SAPINSKY, WHO'S MILITARY TRAINED AND SHE TEXTED ME EARLY AND TOLD ME, YES, WE'RE LIVING IN A VOCA WORLD.
I'M LIKE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. LET'S JUMP IN TONIGHT.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT TO DO, BOARD, IS WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE PREPARE TO ENTER INTO THIS BUDGET SEASON THAT WE ALL ARE ENTERING WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHERE WE ARE.
I WANT YOU TO REALLY HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING TONIGHT ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AS A DISTRICT IN OUR FINANCIAL HEALTH.
ALSO I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO OUR BEST JOB TO SHARE WITH YOU WHERE WE'RE GOING AND THEN HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET AN APPROACH.
WE'LL TAKE OUR TIME. BOARD, DEFINITELY STOP US, ASK US QUESTIONS.
WE WANT THIS TO BE ENGAGING AND WE WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL LEAVE WITH THE SAME AMOUNT OF INFORMATION AND TO KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO THE BEST JOB WE CAN TO PRIORITIZE THE NEEDS OF OUR DISTRICT DURING THIS UNCERTAIN FINANCIAL TIME.
MR. FISHER AND I WILL BE WALKING THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION AND WE'LL BE VOLLEYING BACK AND FORTH AND SO DEFINITELY DEFINITELY LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION.
MR. FISHER, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD BEFORE WE GET STARTED?
>> I'M JUST EXCITED TO BRING AWARENESS, DR. MCFARLAND TO THE BOARD OF WHERE WE ARE NOW AND WHAT OUR PLAN IS TO MOVE FORWARD.
>> TONIGHT AGAIN, WE WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU.
WE WANT TO BE REAL CLEAR WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE TODAY, WE HAVE TO KNOW ALSO WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND HOW DO WE GET HERE? REALLY, THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED THAT CAUSED US TO BE WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND AT THIS POINT AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CLEAR THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE FACTORS BEHIND IT.
BUT BEYOND THAT, WE WANT TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW WHERE WE PLAN TO GO FROM THIS POINT FORWARD AND THEN WHAT APPROACH WE'LL TAKE AS WE LOOK AT MANAGING OUR BUDGET, AS WE LOOK AT DEALING WITH UNCERTAINTIES AND THE LACK OF ACTION BY OUR LEGISLATORS.
WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THE APPROACH THAT WE'LL TAKE.
THEN AT THE END, THE NEXT STEPS.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT WITH 85% OF OUR BUDGET BEING IN PERSONNEL, WE UNDERSTAND THAT ANY DECISION WE MAKE WILL LIKELY IMPACT PEOPLE.
IN CROWLEY ISD, WE TALK ABOUT ACTING LIKE A FAMILY OR WE ESPOUSE TO ACT LIKE A FAMILY AND WORK LIKE A TEAM.
THE REALITY IS PEOPLE MAKE UP A FAMILY AND PEOPLE ARE PART OF THE TEAM.
WE'RE GOING TO LEAD WITH A PEOPLE-CENTERED FOCUS, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE DOING FIRST WHAT'S BEST FOR CHILDREN IN THE CLASSROOM.
BUT WE'RE ALSO CONSIDERING HOW THESE DECISIONS WE'RE MAKING WILL BE IMPACTING THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE ON A DAILY BASIS.
WE'RE GOING TO START OFF THOUGH. WE'LL START OFF.
FISHER, WHY DON'T YOU TAKE US THROUGH OUR BIG SIX AS IT RELATES TO FINANCE?
GOOD EVENING, MADAM BOARD PRESIDENT, DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AS WE TALK ABOUT TURBULENT TIMES IN THE FISCAL WORLD OF SCHOOL FINANCE, WE NEED SOME STABILITY.
[00:15:02]
WE NEED SOMETHING THAT GUIDES US AND LEADS US.BOARD, YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT EVERY CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE ABOUT SCHOOL FINANCE, WE BEGIN WITH THESE PRINCIPLES, THE FINANCIAL BIG SIX.
TONIGHT, I WANTED TO START THAT CONVERSATION WITH A FOCUS ON THE FINANCIAL BIG SIX.
I'LL WALK THROUGH THESE SIX PRETTY QUICKLY, BUT I THINK IT BEARS REPETITION AND I THINK THAT ALL OF OUR AUDIENCE NEEDS TO KNOW THAT THESE ARE OUR PRINCIPLES THAT ALL OF OUR DECISIONS ARE GROUNDED IN, ROOTED IN.
WE TAKE A VERY CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO REVENUE GENERATORS AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE'RE CONSERVATIVE.
WHEN WE PROJECT AND ESTIMATE WHAT REVENUE WILL BE BOTH IN THE CURRENT YEAR AND IN OUTGOING YEARS, WE'RE CONSERVATIVE IN THAT APPROACH BECAUSE HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW.
THERE'S VOLATILITY IN THE REVENUE SOURCES AND REVENUE STREAMS OF OUR DISTRICT.
BOARD, YOU'LL REMEMBER THERE ARE THREE PRIMARY SOURCES OF REVENUE FOR THE DISTRICT.
THERE ARE, OBVIOUSLY, AND I'M SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING ON THE GENERAL FUND WHEN I MAKE THESE COMMENTS.
THERE IS THE LOCAL REVENUE, WHICH IS DERIVED FROM OUR ABILITY TO LEVY A PROPERTY TAX ON THOSE PROPERTIES WITHIN OUR FOOTPRINT.
THERE IS THE STATE REVENUE, WHICH IS GENERATED FROM AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE BY OUR STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM EVERY DAY.
THERE'S ALSO FEDERAL REVENUE THAT THE DISTRICT RECEIVES FROM THE MEDICAID CLAIMING AND THE SHARS, SCHOOL HEALTH AND RELATED SERVICES, THAT ARE PROVIDED TO STUDENTS IN CROWLEY ISD THAT QUALIFY FOR MEDICAID.
THERE ARE THREE PRIMARY SOURCES AND WHEN WE ESTIMATE THOSE REVENUES, WE ARE VERY CONSERVATIVE.
UNDERESTIMATING IN SOME RESPECTS AT TIMES JUST BECAUSE OF THE VOLATILITY IN THE REVENUE STREAMS. WE ARE VERY AGGRESSIVE WHEN WE APPROACH OUR EXPENSE DRIVERS.
WE ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY THE COST OF ALL OF OUR EXPENSE DRIVERS, OUR SALARIES, OUR BENEFITS, OUR CONTRACT COSTS.
WE ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY THOSE COSTS WITH GREAT ACCURACY AND ACTUALLY EVEN ACCOUNTING FOR COST ESCALATIONS AND COST INCREASES IN THOSE AREAS.
WE HAVE A STUDENT CLASSROOM-CENTRIC BUDGET MODEL.
DR. MCFARLAND IS GOING TO GRACE YOU WITH SOME OF HIS ART WORK LATER ON TONIGHT WHERE WE HAVE THE FOCUS OF OUR BUDGET MODEL IS THE CENTER OF OUR TARGET, IF YOU WILL, IS THE CLASSROOM.
YOU'LL BEGIN TO SEE AS WE TALK ABOUT THE TURBULENCE AND HOW WE'LL ADDRESS THAT TURBULENCE, HOW WE FOCUSED ON PROTECTING DR. MCFARLAND, THE CLASSROOM.
THEN WE ALWAYS TRY TO CONNECT OUR EXPENSE DRIVERS TO OUR REVENUE GENERATORS, MAKING SURE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION RIGHT NOW IS THE FACT THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS FUNDS THE DISTRICT, THE STATE AID THAT WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, IS FUNDED ON AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE AS OPPOSED TO ENROLLMENT.
WHEN WE ARE CONNECTING OUR EXPENSE DRIVERS TO THE REVENUE GENERATORS, WE ARE IDENTIFYING PROJECTED ENROLLMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WE ARE PROTECTING AND ALWAYS FOCUSED ON PROTECTING THE FUND BALANCE FOR A RAINY DAY.
FUND BALANCE, AS YOU KNOW, BOARD IS ONE OF THE PRIMARY FINANCIAL HEALTH INDICATORS HERE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AS WELL.
FUND BALANCE IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE DO.
BUT ALSO THERE'S A DELICATE BALANCE BETWEEN PROTECTING THE FUND BALANCE FOR THE RAINY DAYS AND MAKING SURE THAT THE STUDENTS AND THE TAXPAYERS ARE RECEIVING THE BENEFITS OF THE FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED TO US IN THE CURRENT YEAR.
>> AS WE MOVE FORWARD, WE JUST WANTED TO START WITH OUR BIG SIX JUST BECAUSE WHEN THINGS ARE GOOD AND EVERYTHING IS GOING WELL AND AS EXPECTED, THE PRINCIPLES ARE REALLY, THEY'RE IMPORTANT, BUT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY FRONT AND CENTER OFTENTIMES.
BUT DURING UNCERTAINTY, THAT'S WHEN WE REALLY HAVE TO RELY ON THOSE PRINCIPLES, AND SO WE TRY TO MAKE SURE WE RELY ON OUR PRINCIPLES ALL THE TIME SO THAT IN THE UNCERTAINTY WE DON'T HAVE TO GUESS AT HOW WE MAKE DECISIONS.
WE USE OUR PRINCIPLES TO GUIDE US.
WHERE ARE WE TODAY? LET'S TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
MR. FISHER AND I BELIEVE WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH OUR GENERAL CATEGORIES.
MR. FISHER, WHY DON'T YOU TAKE US THROUGH THESE CATEGORIES?
>> YES. THIS IS A SLIDE THAT REALLY REFERENCES THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES OF OUR DISTRICT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2022, '23.
[00:20:01]
WE IDENTIFY THE TOTAL EXPENDITURES AND THEN WE REALLY IDENTIFY THE FUNDS THAT WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE TOTAL EXPENDITURES. I WANT TO BREAK IT DOWN.IF I GO TO THE NEXT PAGE, DR. MCFARLAND.
I WANT TO JUST GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THOSE EXPENDITURES.
IN OUR CONVERSATIONS, THERE'S BEEN SOME CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT ARE THE DISTRICT'S FUNDS? WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF FUNDS, AND WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT FUND TYPES? I WANTED TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO WALK THROUGH THIS JUST TO PROVIDE CLARITY ON THE AVAILABLE FUNDS AND THE FUNDS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REALLY TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT.
WE'VE COLOR CODED THESE TO REALLY HIGHLIGHT AND DISTINGUISH THE DIFFERENCES IF YOU WILL.
THE OPERATING FUNDS ARE GENERATED, YOU HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THE TAX LEVY INITIALLY.
THE GENERAL OPERATING FUNDS ARE GENERATED FROM THE LOCAL PROPERTY TAX LEVY IN CROWLEY ISD.
BOARD, AS YOU'LL REMEMBER, OUR TOTAL TAX RATE IS 1.2575 WITH 0.7575 BEING THE M&O TAX LEVY THIS YEAR FOR OUR DISTRICT.
THE GENERAL FUND HAD EXPENDITURES OF $177,755,346 LAST YEAR.
THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, BOARD YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
FOOD SERVICE FOR INSTANCE, FUND 240 IS A SPECIAL REVENUE FUND.
THERE IS A SPECIAL PURPOSE FOR THOSE FUNDS.
THOSE FUNDS CANNOT BE USED TO PAY TEACHER SALARIES OR UTILITIES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
THOSE FUNDS ARE SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED FOR THE UTILIZATION OF FOOD SERVICES.
WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT OUR DESIGNATED PURPOSE GRANTS.
THOSE FUNDS LIKE TITLE 1, WHICH IS DESIGNED, THE SPECIAL PURPOSE IS TO ADDRESS THE ACADEMIC NEEDS, THE REMEDIATION IF THERE IS A NEED FOR THAT, FOR THOSE STUDENTS THAT ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED, IF YOU WILL.
AND THEN ALSO OUR SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS, AND WE DO INCLUDE OUR CAMPUS ACTIVITY FUNDS, THOSE FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED THROUGH FUND RAISERS AT THE CAMPUS LEVEL.
THOSE ARE ALL SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
ALL OF THE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS THEY SERVE A DESIGNATED PURPOSE.
AND THAT PURPOSE IS NOT FOR WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT WITH THE OPERATING FUNDS, THE GENERAL OPERATING FUNDS.
THOSE GENERAL OPERATING FUNDS ARE DISTINCT IN AND OF THEMSELVES.
THE OTHER NEXT ITEM I SHOULD SAY, THE NEXT GROUPING OF FUNDS IS THE DEBT SERVICE FUNDS.
THOSE FUNDS ARE USED FOR BOND REDEMPTION, PAYING BONDS BACK IN THEIR APPROPRIATE TIME.
YOU'LL SEE THE BLACK DOTS IF YOU WILL, AROUND THREE OF THOSE FUNDS, THE GENERAL FUND, THE FOOD SERVICE FUND, AND THE BOND REDEMPTION FUND, THOSE BOARD AS YOU KNOW AND WILL REMEMBER, THOSE ARE BOARD APPROVED FUNDS.
WE BRING THOSE FUNDS TO THE BOARD ON AN ANNUAL BASIS FOR APPROVAL.
IN YELLOW, WE SEE THE CAPITAL PROJECTS OR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUNDS.
THOSE ARE THE FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED TO US BY THE CITIZENS OF CROWLEY ISD FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW BUILDINGS AND THE RENOVATION OF EXISTING BUILDINGS.
WE ALSO USE THOSE FUNDS SPECIFICALLY FOR FURNISHING AND OUTFITTING THOSE FACILITIES TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE EXCELLENT FOR OUR STUDENTS HERE IN CROWLEY ISD.
THE LAST GROUPING OF FUNDS THAT WE HAVE IS WHAT I CALL THE PROPRIETARY FUNDS.
THAT FIRST FUND IS THE ENTERPRISE FUND.
WE HAVE RENTALS OF OUR FACILITIES AND WE CHARGE THOSE EXTERNAL ENTITIES THAT RENT OUR FACILITIES.
WE CHARGE THEM, AND THERE ARE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH RENTING OUR FACILITIES, AND THOSE FUNDS ARE CAPTURED HERE.
THE OTHER FUND THAT YOU SEE HERE IS WHAT WE CALL OUR INTERNAL SERVICE FUND.
WE ACTUALLY PROVIDE A SERVICE CHARGE TO EACH OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS AND OUR OWN ORGANIZATION, EACH OF THE ENTITIES, OUR CAMPUSES, OUR CENTRAL OFFICE DEPARTMENTS.
WE CHARGE THEM FOR WORKERS COMP FEES FOR ALL OF THEIR ASSOCIATED EMPLOYEES.
ANY WORKERS FEES ARE PAID OUT OF THIS INTERNAL SERVICE FUND HERE.
>> FISHER, I KNOW EARLIER THERE WAS A QUESTION ABOUT THE BOND FUNDS
[00:25:02]
AND YOU MENTIONED BOND REDEMPTION AND THEN ALSO YOU MENTIONED CAPITAL PROJECTS.SO TALK TO US ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT WE PASSED A 1.04 BILLION DOLLAR BOND, BUT OUR FINANCIAL HEALTH IS NOT NECESSARILY BASED ON THAT BOND, AND THE ISSUES AND CONVERSATION WE'LL HAVE TONIGHT WILL NOT BE CONNECTED TO THE BOND FUNDS.
SO TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
HELP US TO DIFFERENTIATE, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR FOLKS CAN UNDERSTAND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BOND FUNDS AND THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION FUNDS.
>> ABSOLUTELY. SO, DR. MCFARLAND, THE BOND FUNDS, THE BOND REDEMPTION FUNDS THAT YOU MENTIONED ARE ACTUALLY THE FUNDING FOR IS ACTUALLY DERIVED OR GENERATED IF YOU WILL, FROM OUR DEBT SERVICE, INS TAX LEVY.
OUR DEBT SERVICE INS TAX LEVY, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS, OUR BOARD KNOWS IS 50% OF THE 1.2575 THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER.
AND THOSE FUNDS ARE SEPARATE AND DISTINCT FROM THE FUNDING SOURCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
AND SO THESE FUNDS ARE STRICTLY DESIGNED TO PAY BACK ANY OF THE OUTSTANDING DEBT.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION DR. MCFARLAND?
>> YES. AND THOSE FUNDS ARE RESTRICTED TO.
>> THEY'RE RESTRICTED TO BE ONLY USED TO PAY BACK THE DEBT ON BUILDINGS AND CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW THAT WE'LL BE TALKING TONIGHT ABOUT REALLY THE MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION AND ACTUALLY RUNNING OF THE DISTRICT OUTSIDE OF THE CAPITAL INVESTMENTS.
SO WE WANTED TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE DIFFERENTIATED IT THERE AND MADE IT CLEAR.
>> BEFORE WE MOVE ON, WOULD YOU EXPLAIN THE INTERNAL SERVICES FUNDS, AGAIN? PLEASE.
>> YES, MA'AM. THE INTERNAL SERVICE FUND THAT WE HAVE, IT'S FUND 753.
IT IS FOR WORKERS COMP AND TRUSTEE DAVIS WHAT WE DO IS WE CHARGE EVERY DISTRICT.
THERE IS A RATE THAT WE CHARGE EVERY DEPARTMENT IN OUR DISTRICT OR EVERY CAMPUS IN OUR DISTRICT FOR ANY OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WORKING IN THEIR ORGANIZATIONS.
THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR WORKERS COMP CLAIMS BECAUSE OF THOSE EMPLOYEES BEING EMPLOYED IN THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
SPECIFICALLY, WE'VE HAD INSTANCES OF TRIPS AND FALLS, AND WHEN THOSE CLAIMS ARE MADE, THE DISTRICT HAS TO PAY THOSE CLAIMS AND THIS IS THE RESOURCE THAT WE USE TO MAKE THOSE PAYMENTS.
AND AS YOU'LL SEE, OUR PAYMENT FOR 2022-23 WAS APPROXIMATELY $346,000 FOR ANY OF THOSE CLAIMS THAT WERE OUTSTANDING.
>> IT IS THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH ADMINISTERING THE CLAIMS AND SOMETIMES PAYOUT. YES, MA'AM.
>> AND SO THIS IS AN AREA WHERE WHEN WE'RE BUDGETING, WE EVALUATE WHAT WE SPENT IN THE PAST AND WE ALWAYS ATTEMPT TO OVER ESTIMATE WHAT WE WILL HAVE TO PAY GOING FORWARD.
AND SO WE WOULD NOT BUDGET 346, WE PROBABLY WOULD BUDGET 2 MILLION OR 3 MILLION.
AND SO WE HAVE AN ACCOUNT THAT'S SET ASIDE ONLY FOR WORKMAN'S COMP.
AND WE CAN ACTUALLY CONTINUE TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO THAT ACCOUNT SO THAT IF WE HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, WE HAVE IT AVAILABLE.
>> AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE HAD TO PAY.
>> SO IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT ALL OF THOSE FUNDING SOURCES, THAT ONLY ONE, THE MNO FUND IS UNRESTRICTED? EVERYTHING ELSE ARE RESTRICTED FUNDS, MEANING THAT THEY HAVE TO BE USED FOR THAT SPECIFIED PURPOSE.
>> THAT IS EXACTLY CORRECT, SIR.
>> ALL RIGHT. GREAT QUESTIONS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
SO WE'RE GOING TO NOW JUST JUMP IN AND OUR GOAL IS REALLY TO DIVE INTO THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND.
SO BOARD, PLEASE STOP US, ASK ANY QUESTIONS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LEAVE WITH A GREAT UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE WE ARE AND THE HISTORICAL TRENDS.
FISHER, WHY DON'T YOU TAKE US BACK OVER THE LAST 12 YEARS?
>> YES, SIR. SO BOARD, IF YOU'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE CHART THAT IS THERE BEFORE YOU, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE REVENUE TREND FOR THE GENERAL OPERATING FUND REALLY HAS BEEN ON THE ASCENT FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
WE SEE ON OR ABOUT 2010 THAT REVENUE BEING REPRESENTED AT SOMEWHERE AROUND $90 MILLION, $95 MILLION OR SO, AND THAT REVENUE HAS GROWN UP TO 2023.
THESE ARE OUR AUDITED NUMBERS. $166,835,855 SIGNIFICANT GROWTH.
AND WHAT WE KNOW IS, REMEMBER WE TALKED ABOUT THE SOURCES OF REVENUE.
THE LOCAL SOURCE IS PROPERTY TAX.
AND SO WHAT WE KNOW IS OUR DISTRICT CONTINUES TO GROW BECAUSE
[00:30:01]
THE PROPERTY VALUES ASSOCIATED IN OUR DISTRICT CONTINUE TO GROW.WHAT WE KNOW IS ALSO IN THE STATE REVENUE, WHAT WE KNOW IS OUR ENROLLMENT HAS GROW.
OUR ENROLLMENT LAST YEAR WAS 16,729 STUDENTS, THE HIGHEST HAS EVER BEEN IN CROWLEY ISD.
AGAIN, I MENTIONED THE ENROLLMENT GROWTH AND YOU SEE HERE AND WE JUST REALLY PULLED THE NUMBERS REALLY FROM 2019-2023 AND YOU'LL SEE ABOUT 1,000 STUDENT GROWTH IN JUST THOSE BRIEF FOUR YEARS.
SO THAT IS A TREMENDOUS PACE, A TREMENDOUS RATE AT WHICH OUR DISTRICT IS GROWING.
WE ALSO WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ENROLLMENT AND AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE.
>> SO HOLD ON, MR. FISHER. BOARD MEMBERS, WHY DON'T YOU GRAB THE CALCULATORS FOR A SECOND? WE DO A LITTLE MATH HERE. IT'S GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT.
YOU PUT THAT IN YOUR CALCULATOR.
LET'S FIND OUT WHAT THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN 16,729, AND IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT.
IT'S OUR ENROLLMENT NUMBERS, AND 14,817.
THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'VE HEARD AND WE'VE ADVOCATED THIS YEAR ABOUT BEING PAID BASED ON ENROLLMENT VERSUS ATTENDANCE.
AND SO I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW WHAT NUMBER.
WHAT NUMBER DO YOU GET, DR. BAYFIELD?
>> ONE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND TWELVE.
EVERYBODY WRITE THAT NUMBER DOWN.
THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ENROLLMENT AND ATTENDANCE RIGHT NOW.
WELL, THAT WAS A DIFFERENCE IN 2023.
THOSE ARE THE AUDITED NUMBERS.
SO YOU'LL HEAR IN A SECOND THAT THE BASIC ALLOTMENT, WHAT ACTUALLY THE STATE SAYS THAT A GENERAL EDUCATION STUDENT WILL NEED IN ORDER TO BE EDUCATED.
YOU'LL HEAR THAT THAT NUMBER IS ABOUT 6,160.
>> SO PER CHILD. SO I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THIS.
SO ENROLLMENT 16,729, ATTENDANCE, 14,817 1,900 STUDENT DIFFERENCE.
SO NOW TAKE THAT NUMBER, MULTIPLY IT BY 6000.
>> ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY. ALL RIGHT, 6,160.
AND JUST HOLD THAT NUMBER. WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO IT IN A MINUTE. IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT.
IT'S GOING TO BE CRITICAL. YOU'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY SEE THE CORRELATION HERE IN A SECOND.
LET'S KEEP GOING. GO AHEAD FISHER.
>> BOARD, WHAT YOU SEE HERE, WE WANT TO CONTRAST THE REVENUE TREND LINE WITH THE EXPENDITURE TREND LINE.
NOW REMEMBER OUR FORMULA FOR FUND BALANCE ESSENTIALLY IS REVENUE MINUS EXPENDITURES.
NOW YOU'LL BEGIN TO SEE OUR EXPENDITURE TREND LINE FOR REALLY THAT SAME TIME PERIOD.
LOOK AT WHERE THE EXPENDITURES ARE ACTUALLY STARTING, ALMOST 100 MILLION, AND THEY'RE TRENDING HIGHER UP TO CULMINATING IN 2023, AT 177 MILLION.
>> ARE THESE BUDGETED, OR ARE THESE ACTUAL?
THAT 2023 NUMBER, TRUSTEE DAVIS, IS AN AUDITED NUMBER, BOTH FOR THE REVENUE AND FOR THE EXPENDITURES.
SO YOU BEGIN TO SEE THE TREND. DR. MCFARLAND?
>> DR. MCFARLAND REFERS TO THIS AS THE ALLIGATOR TREND.
THAT IS ALLIGATOR. [LAUGHTER] YOU CAN LOOK AT IT.
IF THE RED LINE IS ABOVE THE GREEN LINE, AND HIS MOUTH IS OPEN, IT MEANS YOU'RE GOING TO GET EATEN, YOU'RE ABOUT TO GET ATE UP, UNLESS SOMETHING HAPPENS. HOW QUICKLY? THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO REALLY BEGIN TO LOOK STRATEGICALLY AT OUR BUDGET AND IDENTIFY, HOW CAN WE INCREASE REVENUE AND MANAGE COSTS? THE THING THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU ALL TO REMEMBER, IF WE FLASH BACK TO 2020-2021, I KNOW YOU REMEMBER THAT WE WERE HELD HOMELESS TO THE PRIOR YEAR.
THEY UNDERSTOOD THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC, SO THEY HELD US HOMELESS.
YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED IN 2020-2021, THOSE RED AND GREEN WERE PRETTY MUCH ALIGNED, BUT WHEN THEY DECIDED TO GO BACK TO ATTENDANCE, YOU SEE THERE WAS A CLEAR DECISION MADE TO GO BACK TO ATTENDANCE, AND YOU SEE THE IMPLICATION THAT IT'S HAD UP TO THIS POINT.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO POINT OUT.
I'LL GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THIS SLIDE AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT.
[00:35:05]
ONE OF THE THINGS TO REALLY NOTE IS THAT, THERE'S ONE THING TO HAVE A DEFICIT, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER THING IN A DIFFERENT APPROACH YOU HAVE TO TAKE WHEN YOU HAVE A STRUCTURAL DEFICIT.A STRUCTURAL DEFICIT MEANS THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOU DO, THE STRUCTURE, IF THE STRUCTURE DOESN'T CHANGE AND YOU DON'T ADDRESS THE ROOT OF IT, THAT DEFICIT IS GOING TO BE THERE.
WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS THAT THE COST OF EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS IN CROWLEY ISD, IS $10,625.
NOW YOU MAY SAY EARLIER WE TALKED ABOUT THE 6,100 OR WHATEVER, THE BASIC ALLOTMENT.
WELL HOW IT'S CALCULATED IS THE STARTING POINT IS THE ASSUMPTION THAT EVERY STUDENT IS A GENERAL ED STUDENT.
THEN STUDENTS ARE CATEGORIZED.
STUDENTS MAY BE GIFTED AND TALENTED, THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT, STUDENTS MAY BE SPECIAL ED, THERE'S ADDITIONAL AMOUNT.
KOREAN TECHNOLOGY STUDENTS, AND THERE'S ADDITIONAL AMOUNT.
THAT'S HOW YOU GET TO THE 10,000.
IN CROWLEY ISD, IT COST US ABOUT $10,625 TO EDUCATE ONE CHILD.
THE STATE IS PAYING US, AND HAS BEEN PAYING US, $9,972.85.
YOU CAN SEE JUST BASED ON THAT THERE IS A STRUCTURAL DEFICIT THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS, OTHERWISE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON OUR FUND BALANCE, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE UP.
LET ME STOP THERE AND SEE IF THERE'S A QUESTION.
>> THIS 10,625, IS THAT FOR EVERY STUDENT THAT IS ENROLLED IN CROWLEY ISD?
>> ON AVERAGE. [OVERLAPPING] IT'S AN AVERAGE, YES.
BUT FOR OUR PURPOSES, PRETTY MUCH YES.
'CAUSE SOME KIDS MORE OR LESS, BUT ON AVERAGE IS WHAT IT IS.
>> BUT I'M SAYING THAT THAT IS BASED ON THE STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE ENROLLED.
THE REASON I'M ASKING THE QUESTION IS BECAUSE THE WAY WE UNDERSTAND IS ON ATTENDANCE, NOT ENROLLMENT.
I'M JUST TRYING TO SEE, ARE WE WEIGHING THEM THE SAME OR IS OUR EXPENSES BASED ON THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE FOR EVERY STUDENT, WHETHER THEY COME OR NOT, WE HAVE TO HAVE RESOURCES, THE FACILITIES, THE STAFFING, EVERYTHING, FOR EVERY STUDENT THAT IS ENROLLED IN OUR DISTRICT, YET THE STATE IS ONLY PAYING US FOR THOSE STUDENTS THAT ACTUALLY COME TO SCHOOL.
>> ABSOLUTELY. THAT IS THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE.
YOU SEE THE GAP BETWEEN THE COST AND THE REVENUE, HOW WE MAKE THE GAP UP.
RIGHT NOW TODAY IS THAT WE GO INTO OUR FUND BALANCE TO MAKE IT UP.
WE WERE TO PUT A FUND BALANCE CHART UP THERE, YOU'LL SEE THAT OUR FUND BALANCE CONTINUE TO DECREASE BECAUSE THE STATE HAS DECIDED, HERE'S THE CAVEAT.
THE STATE HAS DECIDED THAT THE AMOUNT IT COSTS TO EDUCATE A STUDENT IN 2019, IS THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT IT COST TO EDUCATE A STUDENT IN 2023.
LET ME ASK YOU ALL A QUESTION.
WHAT'D YOU SAY? YOU SAID IT ALREADY? THE PRICE OF GAS, LET'S THINK ABOUT THIS.
IN 2019, A GALLON OF GAS COST $2.63.
IN 2023, A GALLON OF GAS ON AVERAGE IS 3.99.
FOR A NEW CAR IN 2019, THE AVERAGE WAS $35,590.
FOR A NEW CAR IN 2023, THE COST IS $47,899.
BUT WE'RE GETTING PAID THE SAME EXACT AMOUNT PER KID IN 2019, TO EDUCATE KIDS THAT WE'RE GETTING PAID TODAY IN 2023, THE SAME AMOUNT, IN 2019.
HERE'S THE REALITY. IT'S A VERY STRATEGIC AND INTENTIONAL EFFORT BY LEGISLATORS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
BUT WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT, BUT THAT'S THE REALITY, AND WHY WE'RE HERE.
THE PRICE OF A MORTGAGE IN 2019, 1,546.
TODAY IN 2023, THE AVERAGE PRICE ACCORDING TO LENDING TREE IS 1,822.
WHAT YOU'LL KNOW IS THAT WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE SOME REALITIES THAT HAPPENED TO US.
THE PRICE OF GAS, THE PRICE OF TIRES, THE PRICE OF BUSES, THE PRICE OF LIGHTS, AND ALL THE SAME THINGS.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE WERE ADVOCATING, AND YOU ALL WERE ADVOCATING, TO MAKE SURE THAT AT LEAST THERE WAS A CHANGE TO THE BASIC ALLOTMENT, AND THAT OF COURSE DIDN'T HAPPEN.
>> DR. MCFARLAND, SO THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO PROVIDE THE FUNDS FOR US TO APPROPRIATELY EDUCATE A STUDENT, BUT THEN THEY COMPLAIN THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT PERFORMING.
[LAUGHTER] THEN ARE WE NUMBER 47?
[00:40:02]
>> ABSOLUTELY. WE'RE 47 ON OUR WAY TO 48 WE'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY REALLY QUICKLY.
AGAIN, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHY WE'RE HERE AND WHERE WE GO. HOW DID WE GET HERE? YOU ALL HAVE ALREADY SAID THIS, BUT FIRST OF ALL, LEGISLATIVE INACTION.
IF THE LEGISLATIVE HAD JUST SIMPLY DONE JUST ANYTHING, WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU THE IMPACT IT WOULD HAVE HAD ON CROWLEY ISD.
32.7 BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET SURPLUS AND ZERO ALLOCATED TO INCREASE THE BASIC ALLOTMENT.
INFLATION RATE AS YOU SAID, MISS STEVENSON IS 19%, IT'S UP 19% SINCE 2019 AGAIN.
THEN A $3.9 BILLION BUDGETED BUT NOT ALLOCATED TO SCHOOLS, OR THE BASIC ALLOTMENT.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, THERE'S A STATEMENT THAT SAYS IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT A PERSON VALUES OR WHAT THE ORGANIZATION VALUES, STATE VALUES, OR COUNTRY VALUES, LOOK AT THEIR BUDGET AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR STATE BUDGET, YOU'LL SEE NO INCREASE.
THAT'S AT THE STATE LEVEL BUT LET'S LOOK AT THE IMPACT THAT'S HAVING IN CROWLEY ISD.
SINCE 2019, WE'VE INCREASED BY 1,000 STUDENTS.
THAT IS SIGNIFICANT WHEN YOU LOOK AT FOLKS AROUND US AND YOU LOOK AT REALLY WHAT'S HAPPENING DEMOGRAPHICALLY, WE'RE INCREASING AND WE HAVE A STATED INCREASE OCCURRING.
SINCE 2019 THE BASIC ALLOTMENT AND WE'VE ALREADY SAID THAT HAS NOT INCREASED.
HERE'S THE OTHER POINT THAT'S OFTENTIMES HIDDEN IN THE DATA, WE ALL RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE EDUCATING STUDENTS WHO ARE DEPENDENT ON US FOR MUCH MORE THAN OFTENTIMES IN OTHER DISTRICTS.
NOT ONLY ARE WE UP 1,000 STUDENTS, BUT EVEN SOME OF THE 942 OF THE STUDENTS THAT WAS HERE BEFORE 2019 ARE NOW HAVE GONE FROM NOT BEING SCHOOL DEPENDENT TO BEING SCHOOL DEPENDENT.
WE UNDERSTAND HOW THAT HAPPENS.
THESE STUDENTS ARE STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE, WE WELCOME THEM WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SERVE STUDENTS THAT DEPEND ON US.
BUT THE REALITY IS WE HAVE 1942 MORE SCHOOL DEPENDENT CHILDREN THAN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC AND IT COSTS MORE TO EDUCATE THOSE STUDENTS.
THERE WAS A 1912 AND YOU ALL FIGURED IT OUT, DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADA AND ENROLLMENT.
SO LOOK AT THE BOTTOM LINE IF THE STATE WOULD HAVE JUST PAID US BASED ON ENROLLMENT, WE WOULD HAVE AN ADDITIONAL $11.7-19 MILLION ADDED TO OUR BUDGET.
THAT'S SIMPLY PAYING US BASED ON ENROLLMENT LIKE THE OTHER 44, 45 STATES THAT ARE DOING NOW.
WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS THAT THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT ARE CHALLENGES WERE NOT NECESSARILY CREATED BY US, BUT THEY ARE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE WILLING TO FACE.
I HAD A CONVERSATION EARLIER WITH MY MENTOR, WHO'S ARTHUR CULVER, SUPERINTENDENT IN EAST ST. LOUIS IN ILLINOIS, I EXPLAINED TO HIM IN THE SITUATION, HE SAID, WELL, ALL THAT SOUND FINE.
HE SAID, BUT REASONS ARE EXCUSES, WHETHER THEY'RE VALID OR INVALID, NEVER CHANGE EXISTING CONDITIONS.
TO CHANGE THINGS WE MUST FACE THE BRUTAL FACTS AND TAKE COURAGEOUS ACTION AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
WE'RE NOT HERE TO COMPLAIN IT IS WHAT IT IS, WE'RE GOING TO DEAL WITH IT.
WE KNOW THERE'S ANOTHER SESSION COMING, BUT THERE'S A LONG TIME BEFORE ANOTHER SESSION HAPPENS AND SO WE KNOW WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS TODAY.
THAT'S WHERE WE ARE AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO LEAVE YOU TONIGHT BOARD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO APPROACH WHAT'S NEXT FOR US.
WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE BUDGET MANAGEMENT TOOLS THAT WE USE AND AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO GIVE YOU A QUICK REVIEW OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
MR. FISHER, WON'T YOU TAKE US THROUGH OUR BUDGET MANAGEMENT TOOLS?
>> YES. BOARD, AS YOU KNOW, WE PRESENT THE FINANCIALS TO YOU ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
THOSE ARE OUR BUDGET TO ACTUAL REPORTS.
WE ALSO ARE TRACKING ON A MONTHLY BASIS, IF YOU WILL, OUR REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES RECEIVED AND WE'RE TRACKING WELL RIGHT NOW.
OUR REVENUES ARE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN OUR EXPENDITURES RIGHT NOW.
BUT HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW, BOARD, WHAT WE KNOW IS 90% OF OUR REVENUES, OUR LOCAL REVENUES ARE REALLY RECEIVED BETWEEN DECEMBER AND FEBRUARY SO WE KNOW THAT SO WE EXPECT TO BE TRACKING WELL NOW.
THAT THIS IS JUST A CASH FLOW DEAL, IF YOU WILL.
WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THE REVENUE FROM THE LOCAL TAX BASE WILL BEGIN TO WADE OFF OVER THESE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
WHAT WE ALSO KNOW IS OUR STATE REVENUES, WE KNOW BECAUSE OF THE FOUNDATION PAYMENT SCHEDULE, WE KNOW WHAT OUR STATE REVENUES ARE GOING TO BE AND WHEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE RECEIVED.
IN THESE COMING MONTHS, WE REALLY DON'T RECEIVE THAT MUCH MORE OF OUR STATE REVENUE IN THE COMING MONTHS, SO WE'RE PLANNING FOR THAT.
[00:45:01]
THEN WE ALSO HAVE CREATED SEVERAL SCENARIO PROJECTIONS BASED UPON WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT REVENUES, BASED UPON WHAT WE'VE PROJECTED WITH EXPENDITURES.WE'VE CREATED A BEST CASE SCENARIO, A WORST CASE SCENARIO, AND A MOST LIKELY SCENARIO.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF ASSUMPTIONS IN HERE THAT WE'D LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU.
THE BEST CASE SCENARIO REALLY TAKES A LOOK AT OUR FISCAL YEAR END PROJECTION AND ENDS WITH A UTILIZATION OF FUND BALANCE OF ONLY ABOUT $ 1.7 MILLION AND BOARD AS YOU'LL REMEMBER, AND YOU SEE IT RIGHT HERE IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET, WE DESIGNATED APPROXIMATELY $8.2 MILLION OF FUND BALANCE JUST TO BALANCE THE BUDGET THIS YEAR.
BUT WITH SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT DR. MCFARLAND IS GOING TO IDENTIFY HERE LATER THE BEST CASE SCENARIO IS WE BELIEVE THAT WE COULD GET THE IMPACT DOWN TO FUND BALANCE OF ABOUT ALMOST LESS THAN $2 MILLION.
>> MR. FISHER, LET'S JUST DEAL WITH ONE OF THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT YOU HAVE LISTED HERE.
BOARD, IF YOU LOOK AT THE DESIGNATED FUND BALANCE UNDER OUR ADOPTED BUDGET, HE MENTIONED THE 8 MILLION.
IF YOU GO OVER TO YOUR RIGHT, YOU'LL SEE THAT WE DID NOT ACTUALLY MOVE THAT NUMBER OVER BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT WITH SOME STRATEGIC CUTS THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE TO GO INTO THE FUND BALANCE FOR THAT 8 MILLION.
SO IN THE BEST CASE SCENARIO, WE MAY HAVE TO GO INTO FUND BALANCE FOR THE 1.7 BUT NOT THE EIGHT IF WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE SOME DESIGNATED CUTS, SOME VERY STRATEGIC CUTS BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
SO WE ARE IN THE PROCESS AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING.
BUT, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS THE BEST CASE SCENARIO AND SO WE'LL BE WORKING TO ENSURE THAT THIS HAPPENS.. WHAT WE SAID EARLIER IS THAT WE'LL BE PREPARING FOR THE WORST CASE AND MANAGING TO GET TO THE BEST CASE.
THAT IS OUR STRATEGY GOING FORWARD.
>> THEN IN MANAGING THE EXPECTATION, I WANT TO CONTRAST THAT WITH THE NEXT SCENARIO, WHICH IS THE WORST CASE SCENARIO.
IN THE WORST CASE SCENARIO, IF WE DID NOTHING, WHICH WE'VE ALREADY BEGIN TO DO MANY THINGS, IF WE DID NOTHING, THE ULTIMATE YEAR END FUND BALANCE WOULD BE -$16 MILLION.
THAT'S IF WE DID NOTHING, IF WE WEREN'T PROACTIVE AT ALL.
>> SO BOARD, AS YOU MAY REMEMBER, OUR CURRENT FUND BALANCE IS RIGHT AT THE LEVEL OF 37 MILLION AT THIS POINT.
THAT MEANS THAT IF WE DID NOTHING, THEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE COULD TAKE 16 FROM THAT 36, AND OUR FUND BALANCE WILL BE AT A VERY, VERY PRECARIOUS LEVEL. IT WOULD BE ONE THAT WE WOULD,
>> WHERE WOULD THAT BE BECAUSE I KNOW OUR TARGET IS WHAT, 17%-22%?
>> WHERE WOULD WE BE IN THIS WORST CASE SCENARIO?
>> WE'D BE WELL BELOW THE 17%.
WE REALLY NEED TO BE SOMEWHERE AROUND $32 MILLION TO STAY WITHIN THAT RANGE.
>> SO THIS IS A VERY CONSERVATIVE MOST LIKELY CASE SCENARIO WHERE WE WOULD IMPACT THE FUND BALANCE APPROXIMATELY $7.4 MILLION A LITTLE BIT LESS THAN WHAT WE ANTICIPATED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
>> SORRY, WHAT PROJECTION IS THAT?
>> THIS IS REALLY STILL AT ABOUT 12%-15% SO THIS IS STILL BELOW WHAT THE BOARD GOAL IS.
HOWEVER, WE WE'RE CONSERVATIVE IN THIS ESTIMATE.
AGAIN, ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF OUR CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO REVENUE GENERATORS. ANY QUESTIONS?
>> THE OTHER THING THAT WE DO BECAUSE AS WE MENTIONED, STAFFING GUIDELINES, WE MENTIONED THAT STAFFING BEING AROUND 85-88% OF OUR EXPENSES, THEN OUR STAFFING GUIDELINES AND BEING ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TIE EVERY EXPENSE DRIVER TO A REVENUE GENERATOR AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
STAFFING GUIDELINES IS REALLY ONE WAY WE DO THIS.
HOWEVER, THESE STAFFING GUIDELINES WILL BE USED GOING FORWARD.
THE STAFFING GUIDELINES REALLY, AT THIS POINT, WON'T IMPACT THE '24 BUDGET.
BUT ONE OF THE CHALLENGES AND ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES WITH SCHOOL FINANCE IS THAT WE'RE ALWAYS WORKING IN TWO BUDGETS,
[00:50:01]
AND SOMETIMES WE'RE WORKING IN THREE BUDGETS.AS WE ARE ACTUALLY WORKING TO MANAGE THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, '24 BUDGET, WE'RE ALSO PREPARING FOR THE '24-25 YEAR.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF MODIFYING AND HAVE MODIFIED OUR STAFFING GUIDELINES, AND SO WE ARE REALLY TIGHTENING THESE GUIDELINES UP AND ALIGNING THEM TO DISTRICTS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO US THAT ARE AROUND US, SO THAT WE CAN REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE OPTIMIZING THE USE OF OUR STAFF, AND THAT AS WE'RE ASSIGNING STAFF THAT IT'S REASONABLE AND IN ALIGNED WITH OTHERS.
I JUST WANTED TO SHARE OUT THAT WITH YOU AS A KEY MANAGEMENT TOOL FOR THE BUDGET. QUESTION? YES.
>> IN OUR STAFFING GUIDELINES, THEY ARE INCLUDED.
THIS IS JUST ONE SHEET, BUT THE STAFFING GUIDELINES INCLUDE ALL OF POSITIONS.
YES. WE'LL MOVE FORWARD AND TRY TO KEEP YOU GOING UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
YOU'VE SEEN OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND YOU'VE SEEN THE BEST CASE, WORST CASE, AND THE MOST LIKELY CASE, AND SO WHAT WE'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU IS THE APPROACH THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE TO MANAGE TO GET TO THE BEST CASE WHILE WE'RE PREPARING FOR THE WORST.
ONE OF THE THINGS IS AS WE TALK ABOUT THIS, THE FIRST THING IS THIS CONCEPT OF PRIORITIZATION.
WE'LL SPEND A LOT OF TIME REALLY PRIORITIZING, AND WE'VE ALREADY DONE THIS AND HAS CONTINUED TO DO THIS TO PRIORITIZE LIKE WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT, AND WHAT DO WE WANT TO PROTECT IN THIS DISTRICT? WE KNOW THAT WE WANT TO PROTECT THE QUALITY OF INSTRUCTION IN OUR CLASSROOM, WE WANT TO PROTECT THE EXPERIENCES THAT STUDENTS ARE HAVING ON OUR CAMPUSES, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING KIDS WITH HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION ALL ACROSS THE BOARD.
OPTIMIZATION. OPTIMIZATION FOR US IS ABOUT LOOKING AT, OKAY, WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE, HOW CAN WE GET THE MOST OUT OF THE RESOURCES THAT WE'RE INVESTING, WHETHER IT'S PEOPLE RESOURCES, WHETHER IT'S SYSTEMS, WHETHER IT'S TECHNOLOGY.
THE QUESTION IS HOW CAN WE OPTIMIZE, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN DO MORE WITH WHAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY? WE ALSO WILL BE THINKING ABOUT RESOURCE ALIGNMENT.
ALL THESE ARE IN CONTRAST TO REALLY I THINK ABOUT TWO OBJECTS.
I THINK ABOUT A CHAINSAW AS IT RELATES TO BUDGET MANAGEMENT, AND I THINK ABOUT A SCALPEL. IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YES SIR, YOU GOT IT. [LAUGHTER]
>> I HAVE TO LOOK AT FISHER BECAUSE I ALWAYS CALL IT SCAPULA SOMETIMES, NOW YOU SAY THAT.
ANYWAY, Y'ALL GOT IT RIGHT? FOR US IT'S LIKE HOW CAN WE BE VERY SURGICAL AS WE'RE MAKING THESE DECISIONS TO MANAGE OUR BUDGET AND NOT JUST CUT.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAY CAN TAKE RESOURCES THAT IN THE PAST WE'VE NEEDED TO USE HERE, BUT NOW WE NEED TO ALIGN THEM TO A DIFFERENT CAUSE OR DIFFERENT NEEDS.
WE'LL BE LOOKING AT HOW WE'VE ALLOCATED ALL RESOURCES AND MAKING SURE WE ALIGN THEM TO OUR NEEDS TODAY.
REALLOCATION IS SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT.
WE HAVE SHOWN YOU GRAPHS AND CHARTS THAT SHOW YOU WHERE WE'VE SPENT OUR MONEY, AND WHERE WE'VE GOT THE BIGGEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK FROM A STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT STANDPOINT.
WE SHOWED YOU I THINK LAST WEEK OR TWO WEEKS AGO, WHERE WE HAVE INVESTED THE LEAST AMOUNT OF RESOURCES AT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND WE SAW, AND WE CAN SEE THE RESULTS.
WHAT WE KNOW WE'RE HAVING TO DO IS COME BACK AND LET'S REALLOCATE WHERE WE'RE SPENDING THE MONEY.
WE ALSO TALKED EARLIER TODAY ABOUT COST OF EDUCATION, AND WE SAID THAT IT COSTS MORE TO EDUCATE SCHOOL DEPENDENT CHILDREN.
BUT WE'VE ALWAYS ASSIGNED RESOURCES JUST AS AN EQUAL BASIS, AND WE'RE NOW LOOKING AT HOW EQUITABLE, MEANING THIS CAMPUS MAY ACTUALLY NEED MORE BECAUSE THEY MAY HAVE MORE SCHOOL DEPENDENT CHILDREN, WHEREAS THIS CAMPUS MAY NOT NEED AS MUCH, AND SO REALLY BEING ABLE TO REALLY BE CRITICAL IN HOW WE ALLOCATE RESOURCES.
BUT THIS NEXT ONE I THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE, AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE DURING BUDGET CUTS, SOMETIMES WE FORGET THAT BECAUSE WE'RE STOPPING SOMETHING DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT WASN'T SUCCESSFUL, IT JUST MAY MEAN THAT IT ACHIEVED ITS OBJECTIVE.
WHETHER IT BE THE INNOVATIONS THAT WE'VE DONE AT SOME OF OUR ELEMENTARY CAMPUSES THAT ARE NOW EFFECTIVE AND MOVING FORWARD, AND MAYBE WE NEED TO STOP DOING SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING IN ORDER TO DO SOME OTHER THINGS.
AS SOON AS WE GET BACK, WE'LL BE HAVING THESE STRATEGIC ABANDONMENT, STOP DOING MEETINGS, AND MY QUESTION IS, LET'S LOOK AT ALL THE THINGS WE'RE DOING, WHAT CAN WE STOP DOING SO THAT WE CAN REALLY DO SOMETHING ELSE BETTER.
THEN THE LAST THING IS THE ONE THAT I THINK IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE OFTENTIMES FORGET IS INNOVATION.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW IS THAT THE PEOPLE ARE STILL MOVING TO THIS AREA, AND IF WE'RE NOT INNOVATING, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ATTRACTING STUDENTS, AND WE KNOW THAT THE NUMBER ONE WAY TO IMPROVE OUR REVENUE IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION AND HIGH QUALITY EXPERIENCES WHERE PARENTS WANT TO BRING THEIR CHILDREN TO OUR SCHOOLS.
[00:55:03]
IF OUR FOCUS DURING THIS CRISIS OR DURING THIS UNCERTAINTY IS TO CUT, CUT, CUT, THEN WE END UP CUTTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW IN THE FUTURE.WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE'RE TRYING TO MANAGE THIS UNCERTAINTY, THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE WE KEEP AN EYE ON ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT AREAS.
WE'LL BE PUTTING TOGETHER TEAMS WITHIN OUR DISTRICT AND BOARD, WE DEFINITELY WELCOME YOU TO BE ON SOME OF THOSE TEAMS TO HELP US THINK ABOUT HOW CAN WE INNOVATE, HOW CAN WE CREATE SOMETHING THAT'S ATTRACTIVE.
ONE OF THE THINGS BOARD QUITE FRANKLY, THAT YOU'VE DONE TONIGHT, IN APPROVING THE NAME AT CROWLEY MONTESSORI, WHAT YOU'VE DONE IS GIVEN US AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE THAT NAME AND TO USE THAT BUILDING AS AN ATTRACTION FOR MORE KIDS.
WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE THAT THAT HELPS US IN THE FUTURE TO BE ABLE TO GENERATE ADDITIONAL STUDENTS, WHICH WILL GENERATE ADDITIONAL REVENUE.
THE OTHER THING IS, WHEN WE BEGIN TO ACTUALLY REDUCE THE BUDGET BECAUSE WE CAN DO ALL THE THINGS, BUT WE WILL STILL HAVE TO REDUCE.
WE NEED A FRAMEWORK AND KIND OF A GUIDE, AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE TAKEN ALL THE EXPENSE IN THE DISTRICT.
EVERY EXPENSE THAT'S A PART OF OUR BUDGET, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PLACE IT OR WE HAVE PLACED IT SOMEWHERE ALONG THIS TARGET.
AGAIN, YOU SEE THAT THE CENTER IS A CORE CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION AND AGAIN, THE FARTHEST AWAY FROM THE CLASSROOM OR CONTRACT MODIFICATIONS, BENEFITS, SALARY INCREASES, NON- INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF, TRAVEL, COMMUNITY RESOURCES PROGRAMS, ALL THOSE.
EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT, BUT WE UNDERSTAND IN A CRISIS, WE HAVE TO DETERMINE WHAT IS THE PRIORITY.
WE USE THIS GRAPHIC TO HELP US WHEN WE RECEIVE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, WE GO FROM THE INSIDE OF THE GRAPH TO THE OUTSIDE.
WHEN WE HAVE TO REDUCE, WE REDUCE FROM THE OUTSIDE GOING IN.
WHAT YOU'LL START TO HEAR ABOUT BOARD IS WE'LL START HAVE CONVERSATIONS PROBABLY WITHIN TWO WEEKS ABOUT THE RESOURCE ALIGNMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING AND THE CUTS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE.
YOU'LL HEAR US TALKING ABOUT CUTTING AND WE WILL FIRST START TO CUT AS FAR AWAY FROM THE CLASSROOM AS POSSIBLE.
BUT THE REALITY IS WITH 80-85% OF OUR BUDGET BEING IN STAFF, WE WILL DEFINITELY IMPACT STAFFING IN SOME FORM OR FASHION.
BUT AGAIN, OUR COMMITMENT IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO ALWAYS TREAT PEOPLE WITH COURTESY, DIGNITY, RESPECT, AND PROFESSIONALISM.
WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO TALK TO OUR FOLKS AND TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY IDENTIFIED TO WHERE THEY COULD POSSIBLY BE REASSIGNED IN OTHER POSITIONS BEFORE PEOPLE ARE NOT HAVING OPPOSITION GOING FORWARD.
BUT WE'LL START TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WHEN WE RETURN FROM SPRING BREAK.
LET'S LOOK AT HOW IT ACTUALLY WORKS IN PRACTICE.
THIS IS A TEMPLATE THAT WE'VE CREATED AND THAT WE'LL BE USING.
WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO, I WANT TO TAKE A SECOND AND GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION.
THIS IS OUR BUDGET REDUCTION MATRIX.
WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS THE COLUMN TO YOUR FAR LEFT, YOU'LL SEE IT SAYS DEPARTMENT OR CAMPUS AND THEN YOU HAVE A CRITERIA SCORE.
YOU HAVE A 0, MEANING NO IMPACT, 1 MEANING MINIMAL IMPACT, 2, A DIRECT IMPACT, AND THEN 3, A DIRECT, SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE CREATED AND USING, AND WE'LL BE MODIFYING AND MAKING SOME ADDITIONS TO.
BUT JUST SO YOU'LL UNDERSTAND, WE START WITH THE FIRST COLUMN, IS ACTUALLY THE CAMPUS AND THE DEPARTMENT, AND YOU'LL SEE IN A SECOND WHERE WE HAVE ONE FILLED OUT.
BUT AS WE MOVE ON, YOU'LL SEE THE BUDGET REDUCTION, REVENUE GENERATION STRATEGY, SO THE STRATEGIES LISTED IN COLUMN 2.
THE THIRD COLUMN IS STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IMPACT.
IN THAT COLUMN, THE PERSON WHO'S FILLING THIS OUT, WHICH WOULD BE LIKELY A DEPARTMENT HEAD, A PRINCIPAL, A CENTRAL OFFICE PERSON, WILL BE FILLING THIS OUT AND THEY WILL INDICATE THE CRITERIA SCORE BASED ON THE AREA.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU CAN SHRINK IT, JAMIE, AND I'LL JUST KIND OF WALK THROUGH IT AND MAY BE ABLE TO MAKE IT MAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE SENSE.
>> IF YOU COULD JUST GO BACK TO THE IMPACT.
SO IT'S THE IMPACT TO WHAT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT? I GOT LOST.
>> OKAY. IF YOU CAN SHRINK IT, JAMIE.
IF THE ENTIRE FORM IF YOU LOOK AT EACH COLUMN, ACTUALLY THE FIRST COLUMN IS THE NAME OF THE DEPARTMENT THE SECOND COLUMN IS ACTUALLY THE STRATEGY THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE.
THE THIRD COLUMN IS ACTUALLY STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IMPACT.
THAT COLUMN DEALS WITH AND THE QUESTION IS, WHAT IS YOUR BUDGET REDUCTION STRATEGY OR REVENUE GENERATION STRATEGY AND WHAT IMPACT WILL IT HAVE ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT? IF IT'S NO IMPACT, IT'LL BE A ZERO, IF IT'S A MINIMAL IMPACT A 1 AND IF IT'S A DIRECT IMPACT, 2, AND THEN A DIRECT SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IS 3 WE RATE THEM BASED ON THAT.
[01:00:01]
THERE'S A TEAM THAT WILL BE LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENT IMPACTS.IF I'M A BUDGET MANAGER, THEN I WILL PUT THOSE IMPACTS IN THERE MYSELF AND THEN THE TEAM WILL ALSO LOOK AT IT AND EVALUATE AS WELL AND THEN WE'LL COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON WHAT THE IMPACT IS.
IF YOU GO ALL THE WAY OVER TO THE END, YOU'LL SEE A CRITERIA SCORE.
WHAT THAT IS, IS JUST ALL OF THOSE NUMBERS IN THOSE COLUMNS ADDED UP, THEY'RE ACTUALLY SUMMED UP THE 5 THERE.
>> IS THERE ANY CONSIDERATION OUTSIDE OF JUST PURE NUMBERS OR EVERYTHING IS JUST PURE NUMBERS?
>> I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION.
>> COULD YOU SAY THE IMPACT ON STUDENTS, SO IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT [INAUDIBLE] IT'S JUST THE DOLLAR IMPACT [INAUDIBLE].
>> WHAT WE'RE DOING IS ONCE WE PUT THE STRATEGY IN, SO THE FIRST ONE IS INSTITUTE A DISCRETIONARY SPENDING FREEZE.
BASICALLY RIGHT NOW, WE'RE FREEZING ALL SPENDING THAT IS DISCRETIONARY AND EVALUATING IT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO DO IT.
THEN WE GO ACROSS AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT IMPACT WOULD A DISCRETIONARY FREEZE HAVE ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT? WE ASKED THAT QUESTION, AND SO WE SAY A 1 BECAUSE WE FEEL LIKE IT WOULD HAVE A MINIMAL IMPACT AT THIS POINT.
FOR THAT ONE, WE'LL HAVE THESE CONVERSATION THE RATIONALE WOULD BE THAT IF WE PURCHASE SOMETHING TODAY, IT'S MARCH AND SO IF YOU PUT IT IN A DAY, WE'RE GOING TO BE ON SPRING BREAK NEXT WEEK AND THEN WE GO THROUGH THE PURCHASING PROCESS AND SO IT'LL BE APRIL BEFORE IT ACTUALLY GETS TO THE COMPANY.
THEN THE COMPANY HAS TO SHIP IT TO US SO TEN IT'S MAY BY THE TIME THE COMPANY SHIPS IT TO US AND MAYBE LATE MAY, THEY GET IT IN THE CLASSROOM SO IT WOULD HAVE MINIMAL IMPACT THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
THEN THE NEXT ITEM IS STUDENT/ PARENT IMPACT.
DOES IT HAVE ANY PARENT IMPACT OR STUDENT IMPACT THAT MAY NOT BE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT? BECAUSE WE DO THINGS THAT IMPACT STUDENTS OR PARENTS BUT MAY NOT IMPACT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND SO IT HAS A ZERO MEANING IT DOESN'T HAVE A NO IMPACT ON THAT.
>> OF SOMETHING THAT WE DO THAT,
>> SOMETHING THAT WOULD IMPACT STUDENTS AND PARENTS BUT NOT STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
>> LET'S SEE. A PURCHASE THAT WOULD IMPACT STUDENTS AND PARENTS.
>> IT DOESN'T HAVE TO NECESSARILY JUST BE A PURCHASE, I'M JUST THINKING GENERAL.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENTIATOR BETWEEN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IMPACT AND THE IMPACT OF STUDENTS AND PARENTS? WHAT IS JUST A GENERAL EXAMPLE OF THAT?
>> WHAT WE DETERMINE IS IF IT DOESN'T HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, IF IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IMPACTS TEACHING AND LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM, MAYBE IT'S TRAVEL, MAYBE IT'S UNIFORMS FOR THE CHOIR TEAM OR, SOMETHING ELSE.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT ON MAYBE IT'S IT'S COUNSELOR OR SOMETHING THAT'S NOT DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO, NOT SAYING THAT COUNSEL, COUNSEL ARE CONNECTED.
BUT, SOMETHING THAT'S NOT DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
I HAVE A TEAM HERE Y'ALL CAN HELP ME, I'M GOING TO PHONE A FRIEND.
[LAUGHTER] WHAT WILL WE PURCHASE RHO OR [INAUDIBLE], WHAT WOULD WE PURCHASE THAT MAY HAVE AN IMPACT ON STUDENTS AND PARENTS BUT NOT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT?
>> A PICTURE I ALWAYS SHARE FOR WITH, IS WHEN WE BUY SOME T-SHIRTS FOR THE BLACK HISTORY QUIZ [INAUDIBLE] AND WE GIVE IT TO THE STUDENTS AND POSSIBLY A PARENT.
WELL, WE MAY THINK THAT THE T-SHIRT IS ONLY $10 BUT YOU MULTIPLY THAT BY 200 STUDENTS, YOU GET THE PICTURES, THOSE TYPES OF EXPENSES.
>> SO WE DON'T THINK THEM ANYMORE.
>> WHAT HAPPENS IS LIKE THERE'S A TEAM AND WE SIT THERE, WE HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE THE BUDGET MANAGER WOULD ACTUALLY DO THE RATING AND THEN THE TEAM WOULD HAVE THE CONVERSATION, IS THIS REALLY A ZERO OR IS IT A ONE OR TWO OR WHATEVER AND WE PLACE IT IN THERE.
THEN THE OTHER TEACHER AND STAFF IMPACT AND THEN VISION 2025 IMPACT.
AGAIN, COMMUNITY IMPACT AND POLITICAL IMPACT AND THEN WE ADD UP THOSE SCORES AND MAKE A DETERMINATION AT THAT POINT.
REALLY JUST IN INSTITUTING A DISCRETIONARY SPENDING FREEZE, WE BELIEVE THAT A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE THAT WE COULD SAVE $4.1 MILLION.
AGAIN, WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THESE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO SAVE, WE ALSO ARE THINKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT A TEACHER'S SALARY AND BENEFITS AT ALL WOULD FALL AROUND $75,000.
WHAT WE SAY IS THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN SAVE, DO IT BY REALLY CUTTING AND OPTIMIZING AND PRIORITIZING SPENDING HELPS US TO PROTECT EMPLOYEES, PROTECT TEACHERS, PROTECT AIDS, PROTECT OTHERS IN THE CLASSROOM AND THAT'S OUR GOAL, IS TO CUT AS FAR AWAY FROM THE CLASSROOM AS POSSIBLE.
HIRING FREEZE ON ALL VACANCIES.
[01:05:02]
YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT'S CALCULATED AND HOW THAT'S CREATED.ALSO SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT WE DO WILL IMPACT THIS CURRENT SCHOOL YEAR AND OTHERS MAY IMPACT NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, REDUCING STIPEND ALLOCATIONS BY 20%.
WHAT WE REALIZE THAT WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF STIPENDS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE CONNECTED TO A CONTRACT SO IF IT'S A STIPEND BUT NOT A PART OF THE CONTRACT, WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN REDUCE THOSE STIPENDS SO THAT WE CAN PROTECT PEOPLE AND EMPLOYEES.
WE THINK THAT WE COULD REDUCE STIPENDS AND POSSIBLY SAVE ABOUT $1.4 MILLION AS WELL.
AGAIN, YOU SEE THE OTHER THINGS THERE, REORGANIZING OF CENTRAL OFFICE AND REASSIGNMENTS AND THEN ALSO SOME STRATEGIC ABANDONMENT OF THINGS AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE LEVEL COULD ALSO GARNER US ABOUT 1.5 MILLION GOING FORWARD.
AGAIN, THAT'S FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE AN IMPACT THIS SCHOOL YEAR.
THE OTHER THING I'LL DO IS WE'RE GOING DOWN.
>> TALK ABOUT THE REDUCED STIPEND.
ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT IN ADDITION TO WHAT THEY'RE ALREADY EARNING LIKE IF A TEACHER IS ALREADY DOING, SAY FOR INSTANCE, THE COACH, WE WON'T NEED AS MANY COACHES. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?
>> I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT BECAUSE I KNOW THEY GET STIPEND, SOME PEOPLE THAT DO THE [INAUDIBLE],RIGHT?.
>> RIGHT. A COACHING STIPEND IS ACTUALLY CONNECTED TO ACTUALLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND EXTRA DUTIES THAT THEY'RE HAVING AND ALL THAT AND SO WE'RE NOT CONSIDERING REDUCING COACHING STIPENDS OR STIPENDS THAT ARE CONNECTED TO ACTUAL THINGS THAT ARE DONE.
BUT WE DO HAVE CELL PHONE STIPENDS, FOR EXAMPLE.
WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT WITH CELL PHONE STIPENDS WE HAVE CAR STIPENDS, WE HAVE OTHER STIPENDS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO WHAT A PERSON IS, THEIR JOB THAT THEY'RE DOING.
WE'RE EVALUATING ALL OF THOSE AND FIGURING OUT IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A REDUCTION THERE.
THE OTHER THING IS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PERSONNEL, IF YOU LOOK DOWN, I THINK ONE FROM THE BOTTOM, RECORDING OF PERSONNEL EXPENDITURES FROM 199 TO EXTERNAL GRANTS.
WE'RE IN THE PROCESS, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE SECURED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF GRANTS AND SO OUR GOAL IS TO ACTUALLY TAKE PERSONNEL THAT MAY BE CODED UNDER 199 AND MOVE INTO GRANTS WHERE THAT'S ALLOWABLE, AND ALSO TO BE ABLE TO PURSUE OTHER GRANTS THAT CAN HELP US PROVIDE SOME OF THE SERVICES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY PROVIDING FROM 199.
WE'RE DOING THAT AND WE BELIEVE THAT FOR JUST THIS SCHOOL YEAR, WITH ALL THE ADDITIONAL GRANTS WE HAVE, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY 199, THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE 199 FUNDED THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY RECORD TO GRANTS AND BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE SCHOOL YEAR AND BE ABLE TO DO IT WITHOUT NECESSARILY SUPPLANTING BECAUSE IT'S A PART OF THE GRANT AND IT'S ALLOWABLE WITH THE GRANT.
NOW GOING FORWARD, WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS ON WHETHER THIS IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO CONTINUE.
BUT THIS IS REALLY ONE WAY WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IF YOU WERE TO TAKE TWO MILLION AND DIVIDE IT BY 75,000 THAT TELLS YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY ABLE TO PROTECT BY ACTUALLY PURSUING GRANTS AND PURSUING THESE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.
WE BELIEVE BY DOING THOSE THINGS, IT HELPS US TO PROTECT OUR PEOPLE.
AGAIN, EARLIER YOU HEARD THE WORST CASE SCENARIO WHERE YOU SAW WHAT IT WAS AND THE MOST LIKELY CASE SCENARIO YOU SAW A NUMBER AROUND 7.4, I BELIEVE, FOR DEFICIT.
>> WHAT WE SHARE WITH YOU, AND THESE ARE JUST IDEAS FROM THE TOP LEVEL FROM OUR SUPERINTENDENT'S COUNSEL.
WE'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH HR AND SOME WITH CNI AND OTHERS.
WE BELIEVE WE CAN GET TO 7.2 MILLION BY TAKING THE STEPS WE'RE TAKING RIGHT NOW, WHICH ACTUALLY WOULD PROTECT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND THE THINGS THAT WE VALUE.
NOW WE DO KNOW THAT WE'LL BE CONTINUING TO LOOK FOR OTHERS, AND WE'VE NOT RELEASED THIS TO THE PRINCIPALS YET, WE'VE NOT RELEASED IT TO OTHER DEPARTMENTS.
WE BELIEVE THAT OTHER DEPARTMENTS MAY BE ABLE TO ADD TWO THINGS THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY OPTIMIZE.
MY COMMENT TO FOLKS IS REALLY THIS, IS LIKE, WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT WE DIDN'T NEED THESE FUNDS.
WE NEEDED THESE FUNDS IN ORDER TO PRODUCE THE RESULTS THAT WE PRODUCED.
WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS WE'RE TAKING TIME NOW TO SEE, CAN WE REALLOCATE SOME THINGS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE PERFORMANCE THAT WE HAVE UP TO THIS POINT AS WE MOVE THROUGHOUT THIS UNCERTAIN PROCESS.
ANY QUESTIONS JUST ABOUT THIS? AGAIN, THIS IS THE TEMPLATE THAT WE'LL BE ENGAGED IN.
BOARD, I'LL BE MEETING WITH YOU ONCE WE GET BACK PROBABLY WEEKLY JUST TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE, WHAT THE REDUCTION WILL LOOK LIKE SO THAT YOU'LL BE INFORMED THE ENTIRE PART OF THE WAY.
>> I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION.
>> SO WHEN YOU SAY A TEAM IS [INAUDIBLE] WHAT YOU CAN CUT, DOES A TEAM CONSIST OF TEACHERS AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS OR IS IT JUST IN OFFICE OR HOW DOES THAT WORK? THE REASON I ASK THAT QUESTION IS BECAUSE THEIR MAYBE PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT, THEY CAN SAY, OKAY, WHAT ABOUT CUTTING THIS BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO AFFECT THE LEARNING PROCESS. DOES IT MAKE SENSE?
[01:10:05]
>> IT DOES. SO OUR PLAN IS THAT WE WILL HAVE A TEAM AT CENTRAL OFFICE.
I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND CALL THE NAME OF, BUT ANYWAY, IT'S STEERING COMMITTEE.
IT'LL BE THE COMMITTEE THAT WILL STEER THE PROCESS.
BUT EACH CAMPUS, THE PRINCIPAL WILL HAVE THIS BUDGET REDUCTION DECISION MATRIX.
AND WHAT I'LL DO IS ASK THE CAMPUSES IS TO IDENTIFY BUDGET REDUCTION STRATEGIES THAT WE COULD ENGAGE WITH YOUR CAMPUS BUDGET.
AND THEN ALSO IDENTIFY REVENUE GENERATION OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THE CAMPUS WILL PUT TEAMS TOGETHER.
SO THEY CAN HAVE TEAMS OF PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE COULD REDUCE SOME THINGS THAT HOPEFULLY WILL ALLOW US TO PROTECT THE CLASSROOM.
THE CAMPUS WILL HAVE TEAMS, THE DISTRICT LEVEL, THE DEPARTMENT, EACH DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE A TEAM.
AND THEN THERE WILL BE A STEERING COMMITTEE.
AND THE STEERING COMMITTEE, ONCE EACH DEPARTMENT SUBMITS THEIR BUDGET REDUCTION STRATEGIES AND THEIR REVENUE GENERATION STRATEGY, THEY'LL SUBMIT THOSE AND THEY'LL RATE THEM.
AND THEN WE WILL RANK THEM BASED ON THOSE SCORES.
AND THEN WE WILL REVIEW THEM AT THE DISTRICT LEVEL AND SAY, YES, THAT MAKES SENSE, THAT IS A GOOD CUT.
OR NO, WE DON'T WANT TO CUT THAT BECAUSE DOT.
WE'LL HAVE A CHANCE TO GO THROUGH THAT AND THEN REALLY BE ABLE TO BRING FORWARD TO YOU ALL ONE LIST THAT SAYS, HEY, HERE'S WHAT WAS CONSIDERED, HERE'S WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING FOR REDUCTIONS.
AND THIS WILL OCCUR STARTING IN APRIL, AT THE APRIL BOARD MEETING.
AND REALLY ALL THE WAY PROBABLY TO THE END OF THE YEAR.
>> I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE US TO DURING THIS PROCESS TO SEE HOW WE CAN ALSO EDUCATE AND USE OUR STUDENTS OR INVITE THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS.
YOU MENTIONED BOTH COST CUTTING AND GENERATING.
WE USED TO DO THINGS WHEN WE WERE IN SCHOOL, RECYCLING PROGRAMS. I MEAN ANYTHING, MISSION POSSIBLE COULD DO A PROJECT WITH STUDENTS HAVING THIS AS A FOCUS AND JUST GETTING EVERYONE INVOLVED, BECAUSE THIS IS ALL OF US, THIS IS ALL OF OUR BUSINESS.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, OUR STUDENTS ARE AT THE CORE, BUT HAVING THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS.
WE TALK ABOUT INNOVATION AND IDEA THINKING.
I JUST WANTED TO PUT A PLUG THERE.
I KNOW YOU GOT OTHER SLIDES, BUT.
> NO, THAT'S DEFINITELY A GOOD POINT.
WE'LL MAKE SURE WE INCLUDE OUR STUDENTS, AND DEFINITELY OUR STUDENT TRUSTEES NEED TO BE A PART OF THE PROCESS AS WELL.
>> SO WE'LL DEFINITELY DO THAT.
IN OUR PLAN ALSO, A BOARD IS TO HAVE COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS.
WHEN WE GET BACK TO REALLY TALK TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT HERE'S WHERE WE ARE FINANCIALLY AND HERE'S WHERE WE ARE FROM A STRATEGIC STANDPOINT.
TO GET PARENTS AND COMMUNITY INVOLVED IN UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ADDRESS THIS AND TO REMIND THEM THAT IT WAS A LEGISLATIVE INACTION THAT CAUSED THIS.
>> SO THE CENTRAL OFFICE REORGANIZATION, I MEAN, IT SHOWED ON THE BULL'S EYE THAT THAT IS FURTHEST AWAY FROM THE CLASSROOM.
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THAT'S GOING TO HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
>> IT WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, BUT WE DO BELIEVE THAT WE CAN BY NOT FILLING VACANCIES AND THEN ACTUALLY REASSIGNING HOW WE'RE USING PEOPLE AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY GET THAT LEVEL OF SAVINGS.
SO IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE CUTTING THE ENTIRE, BUT WE ARE DOING SOME RESTRUCTURING OF SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE AT THE CENTRAL OFFICE LEVEL.
>> I GUESS I'M TRYING TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S THE FURTHEST AWAY FROM THE CLASSROOM.
BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THIS CHART, IT HAS THE GREATEST IMPACT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
SO I'M TRYING TO CONNECT THOSE DOTS.
SO OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE LISTED HERE, IT HAS A DIRECT IMPACT.
WHAT WE DON'T HAVE LISTED HERE ARE ANY OTHER PERSONNEL REDUCTIONS THAT MAY BE CLOSER TO THE CLASSROOM.
IF YOU JUST LOOK IN THAT LINE, THE OTHER THINGS YOU HAVE IS JUST HIGH AND FREE.
THEY'RE NOT THERE RIGHT NOW, ALREADY REDUCING THE STIPENDS.
AND SO THESE OTHER THINGS DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT, BUT REASSIGNING OF SUPPORT FOR THE CAMPUS WILL HAVE.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER STRATEGIES THAT'S GOING TO COME QUITE FRANKLY THAT WILL HAVE.
THERE MAY BE STRATEGIES THAT HAVE A THREE, MEANING THEY HAVE A DIRECT AND A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.
LET ME JUST SAY THAT THERE ARE OTHERS.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING AND THEN THAT COMMITS US TO IT.
BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE GOT TO CONSIDER, WHETHER IT'S OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD AND HOW WE PROVIDE THAT AND WILL WE PROVIDE THAT AND HOW MUCH WE'RE SPENDING FOR THAT.
BECAUSE WE DO EARLY CHILDHOOD, THREE YEAR OLD AND FOUR YEAR OLD, WE MAY DECIDE, BECAUSE WE PAY FOR ALL OF IT.
[01:15:03]
WE MAY DECIDE WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE THAT INVESTMENT.THAT WILL HAVE A DIRECT IMPACT ON STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF THREE.
AND WE MAY SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT OR WE DO WANT TO DO THAT.
THIS CHART JUST GIVES US A CHANCE TO LOOK AT IT AND SAY, YES, WE WANT TO DO IT, OR NO, WE DON'T.
>> BASED ON WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT EARLY CHILDHOOD, DO WE GET PAID FOR FULL DAY FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD? DOES STATE PAY FOR FULL DAY FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD?
>> WE ONLY GET HALF DAY FUNDING FOR [OVERLAPPING].
>> TO PRE-K4. HALF DAY FUNDING FOR UP TO PRE-K4.
>> SO THE EXTRA MONEY IS COMING NOT FROM THE STATE BUT FROM US?
>> WE PAY FOR THAT. YES. YEAH.
>> SO WE MAY DECIDE TO SAY, HEY, MAYBE WE DON'T WANT TO DO IT OR MAYBE WE DO.
I WOULD THEREFORE BE ADVOCATING THAT WE CONTINUE TO DO IT BECAUSE IT'S AN INVESTMENT, BUT IT IS A COST.
AND SO WE JUST RECOGNIZE, IT IS A COST.
IT ACTUALLY IS A THREE AND IT MAY HAVE A SIGNIFICANT BUDGET IMPACT, BUT IT'S ONE THAT WE CHOOSE TO MAKE.
>> AND I SAID THAT BECAUSE AS PARENTS IN THE COMMUNITY, WE NEED MORE ADVOCATE FOR THAT BECAUSE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS JUST GETTING PAID HALF OF THAT.
>> AND SO AS PARENTS AND PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WE COULD ADVOCATE FOR THAT.
>> ABSOLUTELY. AND THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO TALK TO OUR COMMUNITY, TO KNOW, HEY, WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT.
AND SO, WE DO HAVE A BUDGET SURVEY OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, AND I BELIEVE PRE-K3 IS ON THERE AND OTHERS.
OUR PURPOSE FOR DOING THE SURVEYS, IS FOR THE PEOPLE TO TELL US WHAT DO YOU REALLY WANT.
WE CAN THINK ABOUT WHAT WE WANT AND WE THINK WE KNOW, BUT THEY NEED TO TELL US AND THEY CAN HELP US MAKE THESE BUDGET DECISIONS.
>> ALL RIGHT. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? AGAIN BOARD, ALL ALONG THE WAY WE'LL KEEP YOU ENGAGED AND INFORMED AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE MASTER SHEET TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE THINKING BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO ALL BE TOGETHER AS WE MAKE THESE SIGNIFICANT CUTS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO JUST SHARE WITH YOU, LIKE HOW WE OPERATIONALIZE IT, AND SO I HAVE THESE CHARTS OVER HERE.
SO I'LL JUST WALK OVER TO THE SIDE.
SO BASICALLY WHEN WE SHARED WITH YOU AND THIS WILL BE PRETTY CLOSE.
WE NEED ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AND WE'LL BE DONE.
SO I KNOW YOU HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN ENGAGED AND I APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC.
WHEN WE DID THE GRAPHIC EARLIER, WE HAD EACH ONE OF THESE AREAS IDENTIFIED.
I WANT TO SHOW YOU WHERE WE'VE ALREADY STARTED AND WHERE WE'RE GOING AND HOW WE WOULD MONITOR AND KNOW EXACTLY HOW FAR WE HAVE TO GO.
ONE OF THE THINGS IS WE REALLY JUST STARTED LOOKING AT WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT DISCRETIONARY SPENDING, YOU'LL SEE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND THIS THERMOMETER GIVES US AN INDICATION OF HOW MUCH WE COULD POSSIBLY SAVE WITH JUST REALLY DOING RESTRICTIVE FREEZE ON DISCRETIONARY FUNDS.
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE NOT JUST CUTTING AND SQUEEZING, WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO IDENTIFY OTHER REVENUE SOURCES.
SO YOU CAN ALSO SEE WE HAVE A GRANT BUCKET ON EVERY AREA BECAUSE MY CHARGE IS, LET'S FIND GRANTS IN EVERY ONE OF THESE AREAS.
SO IF WE DO HAVE TO CUT SERVICES, WE CAN STILL PROVIDE SERVICES.
SO MEANING IF WE DO HAVE TO CUT SERVICES FROM 199, WE CAN FIND OTHER FUNDING SOURCES SO THAT BEFORE WE CUT A 199 SERVICE, WE HAVE A FUNDING THAT WE PRIORITIZE.
WE HAVE A FUNDING SOURCE TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT SERVICE.
BECAUSE THE NEEDS ARE NOT GOING AWAY. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? AS WE'RE GOING THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, YOU WILL BRING THESE BACTERIA AND WE'LL LET YOU KNOW KIND OF WHERE WE ARE AND HOW WE ARE PROTECTING THE CLASSROOM CORE.
IF YOU'LL SEE HERE, WE'VE NOT TOUCHED THE CLASSROOM, BUT WE HAVE ONE MILLION DOLLAR WORTH OF GRANTS FOR '23, '24, THAT'S THIS YEAR.
IF THESE GO AWAY, THEN WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE REPLACE THAT.
WE'LL BE WORKING THROUGH THAT. AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THEM THE SAME SAFETY IS ANOTHER ONE YOU SEE WE'VE IDENTIFIED SOME AREAS THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY ADDRESS WITH ONE MILLION DOLLAR WORTH OF REALLOCATION THROUGH OUR GRANTS OF 2.8 MILLION.
AGAIN, YOU SEE, YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THEM.
OUR GOAL IS TO BE ABLE TO KEEP THIS VISUALLY IN FRONT OF PEOPLE SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.
BUT WE'RE NOT JUST CUTTING, WE'RE REALLOCATING PRIORITIZING, OPTIMIZING AND WE ALSO ARE TRYING TO INNOVATE AND FIND ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
REALLY I JUST WANT TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU, TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ALTHOUGH IT'S DEFINITELY UNCERTAINTY AND I KNOW THIS IS REAL, IT IMPACTS PEOPLE, IT IMPACTS OUR LIVES, AND IT IMPACTS LIVELIHOODS, AND WE ARE BEING STRATEGIC AT HOW WE APPROACH IT.
JUST TO WRAP UP, I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT OUR APPROACH IS REALLY TO, FIRST OF ALL, PRIORITIZE.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T CUT THINGS THAT WE VALUE.
WE WANT TO PRIORITIZE THOSE THINGS THAT WE VALUE AND THEN WE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE AT PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION.
WE WANT TO OPTIMIZE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE SKILL SET AND ABILITY TO DO MORE THAN WHAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY DOING.
WE HAVE A GAP BECAUSE SOMETHING WAS FUNDED BY
[01:20:03]
A GRANT OR BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THAT WAS FUNDED THROUGH ESSER.WE MAY HAVE A GAP, AND SO WE HAVE A GAP THERE.
WE MAY ASK PEOPLE TO DO MORE, FOR EXAMPLE, WE MAY HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY AT CENTRAL OFFICE THEY'RE SERVING IN A PARTICULAR ROLE.
BUT HAVE THE ABILITY TO ALSO SUPPORT IN A GAP THAT'S BEEN CREATED ON CAMPUS.
WE'RE ASKING THEM TO BE WILLING TO DO THAT AND SO EVERYBODY DURING THIS TIME THEY'RE GOING TO BE ASKED TO DO MORE SO THAT WE'LL NOT HAVE TO IMPACT NEGATIVELY MORE ADULTS THAN WE HAVE TO.
ALSO, RESOURCE ALIGNMENT, AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE'RE ALLOCATING OUR RESOURCES.
REALLOCATION, THAT'S IMPORTANT.
WE'VE DONE SOME CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE THINGS, LIKE WE'VE DONE GOOD WORK AT WALKER AND AT HARGRAVE AND AT OTHER CAMPUSES.
BUT THE REALITY IS, EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE HAS A COST TO IT, AND IT MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY.
THERE MAY BE A TIME WHEN WE COME AND SAY, HEY, WE NEED TO REINVEST IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
WE NEED TO STOP DOING THIS AT THIS CAMPUS, TO DO THIS OVER HERE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN, AGAIN, WE WON'T DIVEST FROM AN AREA UNLESS WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN GOING FORWARD.
BUT I DO WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE EVALUATING EVERY AREA TO SEE WHERE WE HAVE INVESTED IN THE PAST.
TO SEE IS IT STILL NECESSARY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO INVEST THERE OR COULD WE TAKE THE INVESTMENT WE HAVE THERE AND REALLOCATE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE? THAT CONVERSATION WILL BE COMING SHORTLY.
THEN AGAIN, THE LAST ONE IS INNOVATION.
WE KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THE 1882, THE OPPORTUNITY FOR GETTING ADDITIONAL FUNDS, CREATING ADDITIONAL PARTNERSHIPS, BUT ALSO CREATING SOMETHING UNIQUE AND INNOVATIVE AT OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS IS DEFINITELY ON THE TABLE.
THE REASON I MENTIONED EARLY CHILDHOOD IS THAT IS AN AREA THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR INNOVATION IN AND SO IT MAY BE A SITUATION THAT WE COME BACK TO YOU TO WORK WITH CHILD CARE ASSOCIATES.
I KNOW 45 DISTRICT IS WORKING WITH CHILD CARE ASSOCIATES AND A COUPLE OF OTHER DISTRICTS ARE CONSIDERING DOING A COLLECTIVE 1882 PARTNERSHIP WITH CHILD CARE ASSOCIATES.
WE ALREADY HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH CHILD CARE ASSOCIATES.
IF WE DID THE 1882, THEN THERE COULD BE ANOTHER MECHANISM TO GET ADDITIONAL REVENUE AND PROVIDE CHILDCARE FOR OUR PARENTS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WE CAN DO THAT, WAYS THAT WE CAN INNOVATE.
BUT I JUST WANT TO ASSURE YOU BOARD, THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY WE'RE GOING TO TREAT PEOPLE WITH COURTESY, DIGNITY, RESPECT, AND PROFESSIONALISM.
WE'RE GOING TO FOLLOW OUR FINANCIAL BIG 6 AND WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THIS CRISIS LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IS GOING THROUGH AND GO THROUGH THIS UNCERTAINTY LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.
BUT WE ARE FOCUSED ON ALSO GROWING THROUGH THE CRISIS AND PROTECTING WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT, WHICH IS OUR HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION IN THE CLASSROOM.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE FOR YOU TONIGHT.
BOY, WE WANTED TO JUST GIVE YOU JUST A BIRD'S EYE VIEW.
OUR PLAN AND COMMITMENT IS AT EVERY BOARD MEETING TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE OF WHERE WE ARE WITH THIS PROCESS SO THAT YOU'LL KNOW IN OUR PARENTS AND TEACHERS AND EMPLOYEES WILL KNOW WHERE WE ARE WITH THIS PROCESS.
MR. FISHER, ANYTHING ELSE TO CLOSE?
>> I WANT THE BOARD TO KNOW DOCTOR WE'LL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON EXCELLENCE IN THE CLASSROOM.
THIS IS A CHALLENGE, BUT WE'VE OVERCOME MANY OTHER CHALLENGES BEFORE WE WILL CONTINUE TO OVERCOME CHALLENGES.
PART OF WHAT DR. MCFARLAND PRESENTED TONIGHT IS OUR RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGE AT HAND AT THIS POINT.
>> I'D JUST LIKE TO ADD BACK TO SOMETHING YOU SAID AT THE VERY BEGINNING, MR. FISHER AGAINST THE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO BUDGETING.
I THINK THAT CONSERVATIVE APPROACH IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS CAUSED US TO BE IN THE SITUATION, THE POSITION WE'RE IN NOW BECAUSE IT COULD BE WORSE.
>> THEY NEED MORE CONSERVATIVE APPROACH TO BUDGETING.
>> DR. MCFARLAND, MR. FISHER, THE LEGISLATIVE ACTION IN 2023 IS WHAT HAS US WHERE WE ARE NOW.
BECAUSE THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS COMING BACK JANUARY 2025.
WE ARE BASICALLY IN THIS PREDICAMENT UNTIL THE '25, '26 SCHOOL YEAR AS FAR AS THE CURRENT FUNDING.
>> UNLESS THERE'S A SPECIAL SESSION.
>> UNLESS THERE'S A SPECIAL SESSION.
BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE ANOTHER AGENDA FOR A SPECIAL SESSION, WHICH IS WHY SCHOOL FUNDING HAS BEEN HELD HOSTAGE.
I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE JUST I GUESS FOR MY OWN KNOWLEDGE AS WELL AS FOR THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THAT OUR LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS ARE LIKE WE'RE HAVING TO TIGHTEN OUR BELTS NOW NOT JUST FOR THE '23,
[01:25:01]
'24 SCHOOL YEAR, BUT ALSO FOR THE '24, '25 SCHOOL YEAR BECAUSE OF WHAT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN 2023.>> ABSOLUTELY. THAT IS EXACTLY THE ISSUE.
WE'RE HAVING TO MAKE DECISIONS AND THE TOUGH DECISIONS THAT IMPACT FAMILIES AND TEACHERS AND KIDS AND ALL THAT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T MAKE THE DECISION.
I'LL DEFINITELY THANK YOU BOARD FOR BEING COURAGEOUS TO TAKE THE STEP, LIKE YOU TOOK THE STEP LAST YEAR TO GIVE RAISES WHEN WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE STATE WOULD DO.
BUT WE ALL ASSUMED THAT THE STATE WOULD DO SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY HAD $32 MILLION FUND.
>> BILLION. I KEEP SAYING MILLIONS, SORRY.
WE ALL MADE DECISIONS LAST YEAR, AND I JUST WANT THIS TO BE NOTED, THAT YOU AS A BOARD, AND WE COLLECTIVELY MADE A DECISION LAST YEAR TO REWARD EMPLOYEES BECAUSE WE BELIEVED THAT THE STATE WOULD ACT.
BUT THEY DID NOT ACT. WE STILL HELD OUR END OF THE BARGAIN AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
BUT IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR ADVOCACY TO OCCUR AS THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION STARTS FOR 2025 FOR SURE.
>> WE BELIEVE THE STATE WOULD ACT, BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTOOD THERE'S BEEN 19% INFLATION SINCE 2019.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT COST MORE TO LIVE TODAY THAN IT DID SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
>> THAT WAS A PRACTICAL DECISION THAT WE MADE ON FAITH IN OUR LEGISLATIVE BODY.
>> MADAM PRESIDENT, THAT'S ALL WE HAVE FOR TONIGHT.
>> ALL RIGHT. WELL, THANK YOU DR. MCFARLAND.
LOTS OF GOOD INFORMATION. THANK YOU.
IT WASN'T AS BRUTAL AS HEARING IT THE WAY YOU PRESENTED IT, I THINK WAS VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE AND THE EDUCATION AND AWARENESS AROUND THAT.
I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THOUGH, TO TRUSTEE DAVIS'S POINT THAT DURING THIS PERIOD THOUGH, YOU ALSO SAID IT CONTINUED ADVOCACY, LETTING OUR CONSTITUENTS KNOW OUR FAMILIES, KNOW OUR PARENTS, KNOW THE FULL PICTURE OF THE WHY, HOW WE GOT HERE, THE APPROACH, ALL OF THAT THAT YOU PRESENTED, BECAUSE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS OR UP TO A YEAR, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THAT MESSAGE.
BECAUSE WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER SESSION COME UP, WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER VOTING OPPORTUNITY AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT IT RESONATES.
I SAW THE TRAJECTORY GOING DOWN FOR REVENUE AND EXPENSES GOING UP.
THAT'S GOING TO CONTINUE WITHOUT HAVING ANY INCREASES WHERE WE'RE HAVING TO DO THE SHUFFLE IT WILL EVENTUALLY CATCH UP TO OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT GOALS.
I DO WANT US TO CONTINUE THE ADVOCACY AND SO WE'LL WORK TOGETHER.
THANK YOU FOR PRESENTING IT TO US. WE APPRECIATE IT.
>> [INAUDIBLE] SAY WE ARE GOING TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY WITH ZOOM AND SO FORTH?
>> YES. WE DO PLAN TO, WHEN WE RETURN, HAVE SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEETINGS TO JUST DISCUSS OUR FINANCIAL HEALTH AND TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT PARENTS OR OTHERS MAY HAVE.
>> I JUST WANT TO ECHO THE COMMENTS WITH REGARDS TO TRUSTEE TAKES HIS PASSION ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE AND THE CONVERSATION.
I WOULD LIKE IT TO BE REALLY PROACTIVE ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO LIFT UP THAT ADVOCACY AND LEAVE THAT ADVOCACY.
I THINK THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF SUPPORT AROUND THE VOUCHERS SAYING NO TO VOUCHERS, EVERYONE GOT ON TOP OF THAT.
ACROSS THE BOARD IT WAS A NONPARTISAN ISSUE, WHICH BASICALLY WE SUPPORT PUBLIC SCHOOL AS THE COMMUNITY.
I DON'T THINK WE HAVE BEEN AS VOCAL ABOUT THE $32 BILLION HOSTAGE SITUATION THAT WE HAVE FOR FUNDING AND HOW IT'S BEING POLITICIZED AND USED UPON TO CONTROL IT.
I THINK THAT WE NEED TO GET THAT MESSAGE OUT AS DISTINCTLY, AS CLEARLY AS PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE SIDE OF VOUCHERS.
WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO DO THAT.
WE SAW THAT HAPPEN STATEWIDE, AND I THINK THAT WE CAN DO THAT.
I WOULD PROBABLY TO TRY TO DO THAT.
>> THANK YOU, BOARD, FOR THE QUESTIONS AND YOUR COMMENTS.
AGAIN, ALSO THE VOTING OF THE NAMING OF CROWLEY MONTESSORI ACADEMY SCHOOL NUMBER 16.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR VOTE ON THAT AS WELL.
WITH NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO BRING BEFORE THE BOARD, WE ARE ADJOURNED AT 08:32 PM.
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT EVERYONE AND ENJOY YOUR BEAUTIFUL SPRING BREAK.
[01:30:02]
>> IT'S RAINING NOW.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.