[00:00:01]
GOOD AFTERNOON.THIS IS CHAIRWOMAN TIARA BOOKER DWYER.
[B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/SILENT MEDITATION (6:30 p.m.)]
I CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF BALTIMORE COUNTY FOR TUESDAY, MAY 21ST, 2024.THIS EVENING'S BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING IS BEING BROADCAST THROUGH THE BCPS ONLINE LIVE MEETING BROADCAST AND ON BCPS TV, COMCAST, XFINITY, CHANNEL 73, AND VERIZON FILES CHANNEL 34.
IN ORDER TO EFFICIENTLY CONDUCT THIS MEETING, ALL VOTING ITEMS THIS EVENING WILL BE DONE BY ROLL CALL.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO GO INTO CLOSED SESSION AS PERMITTED BY THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT AS FOUND IN THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND GENERAL PROVISIONS ARTICLE THREE DASH 3 0 5 B ONE AND B SEVEN TO DISCUSS THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT ASSIGNMENT, PROMOTION, DISCIPLINE, DEMOTION, COMPENSATION, REMOVAL, RESIGNATION OR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF APPOINTEES, EMPLOYEES OR OFFICIALS OVER WHOM IT HAS JURISDICTION OR ANY OTHER PERSONNEL MATTER THAT AFFECTS ONE OR MORE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS.
AND TO CONSULT WITH COUNSEL TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND LESKI, MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE.
MOTION CARRIES THE TUESDAY, MAY 21ST, 2024.
I INVITE YOU TO RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG TO BE LED BY ME.
WE WILL THEN HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND RECOGNITION OF THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED EDUCATION IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, THE ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVIS.
LIBERTY JUSTICE FOR ALL TONIGHT'S BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING IS BEING BROADCAST THROUGH BCPS ONLINE LIVE MEETING, BROADCAST AND ON BCPS TV, COMCAST, XFINITY, CHANNEL 73, AND VERIZON FIOS, CHANNEL 34.
IN ORDER TO EFFICIENTLY CONDUCT THIS MEETING, ALL VOTING ITEMS WILL BE DONE BY ROLL CALL VOTE.
[C. AGENDA (6:35 p.m.)]
FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS CONSIDERATION OF THE MAY 21ST AGENDA.DR. ROGERS, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO TONIGHT'S AGENDA? I'M UNAWARE OF ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO THIS EVENING'S AGENDA.
THE AGENDA STANDS AS PRESENTED THIS EVENING.
THE BOARD MET IN CLOSED SESSION PURSUANT TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS TO DISCUSS THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT ASSIGNMENT, PROMOTION, DISCIPLINE, DEMOTION, COMPENSATION, REMOVAL, RE REASSIGN, REASSIGNMENT, OR PER PERFORMANCE EVALUATION, UH, OF APPOINTEES, EMPLOYEES OR OFFICIALS OVER WHOM IT HAS JURISDICTION OR ANY OTHER PERSONNEL MATTER THAT AFFECTS ONE OR MORE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS.
AND TO CONSULT WITH COUNSEL TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE.
THE CLOSED SESSION SUMMARY AND OPEN SESSION INFORMATION SUMMARY CAN BE FOUND ON BOARD DOCS UNDER THIS BOARD MEETING AGENDA DATE.
[D. NEW BUSINESS - PERSONNEL MATTERS (Mr. McCall) (6:40 - 6:45 p.m.)]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PERSONNEL MATTERS.AND FOR THAT, I CALL ON MR. MCCALL.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIR BOOKER DWYER, VICE CHAIR HUMPHREY.
UM, SUPERINTENDENT DR. ROGERS.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, LIKE THE BOARD'S, CONSENT FOR THE FOLLOWING, PERSONNEL MATTERS, RETIREMENTS, RESIGNATIONS, AND DECEASED.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PERSONNEL MATTERS AS PRESENTED IN EXHIBITS D ONE THROUGH D THREE? SO MOVED.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND FROM PAUL? ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE.
[00:05:02]
MOTION CARRIES.[E. NEW BUSINESS - ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS (Dr. Rogers) (6:45 - 6:55 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS.AND FOR THAT, I CALL ON DR. ROGERS.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, BOOKER DWYER, VICE CHAIR HUMPHREY, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M BRINGING FORWARD THE FOLLOWING APPOINTMENTS FOR YOUR APPROVAL THIS EVENING.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, LITERACY AND HUMANITIES, DIVISION OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION DIRECTOR, FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF FACILITIES MANAGEMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANNING COORDINATOR, ONLINE LEARNING, OFFICE OF ONLINE AND EXTENDED LEARNING SPECIALIST HEALTH, OFFICE OF HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION.
PRINCIPAL CHATSWORTH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.
KENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FRANKLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLESEX ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WINFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND WOODLAWN HIGH SCHOOL.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PERSONNEL MATTERS AS PRESENTED IN EXHIBIT E ONE? SO MOVED FROM PAUL.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, HARVEY, ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE.
OUR FIRST APPOINTMENT THIS EVENING IS DR.
SHE'S ATTENDING THIS EVENING WITH HER DAUGHTER, BAILEY.
BAILEY, STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED.
UH, BAILEY IS A SPECIAL ED MAJOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND DR.
JESS GRIMM, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER.
SHE'S BEING APPOINTED THIS EVENING AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT WITH 16 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HER PRIOR EXPERIENCES INCLUDE SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER AT HEREFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL, SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER AND SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AT HEREFORD HIGH SCHOOL, SPECIAL EDUCATION SELF-CONTAINED TEACHER AT COCKEYSVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL RESOURCE TEACHER IN THE OFFICE OF SOCIAL STUDIES COORDINATOR, PROFESSIONAL GROWTH IN PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IN THE DIVISION OF ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS, AND MOST RECENTLY, DIRECTOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYEE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT.
HER PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES ALSO INCLUDE FACULTY MEMBER AND ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT TOWSON UNIVERSITY.
OUR SECOND APPOINTMENT THIS EVENING IS DR.
KRAFT IS ATTENDING THIS EVENING WITH HER HUSBAND AND A SON, PAUL AND JACOB CRAFT.
SHE'S BEING APPOINTED AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LITERACY AND HUMANITIES IN THE DIVISION OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION WITH FOUR YEARS OF SERVICE WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HER PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES INCLUDE SUPERVISOR SECONDARY ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS IN THE OFFICE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS AND DIRECTOR, ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, IN THE OFFICE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS.
PREVIOUS TO THAT, SHE SERVED AS A PRE-KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AT FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF TAHOE CROSS CATEGORICAL RESOURCE TEACHER AND READ READING TEACHER IN WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SPECIAL EDUCATION SELF-CONTAINED TEACHER READING, SPECIALIST STAFF DEVELOPMENT, TEACHER READING, RESOURCE TEACHER SUPERVISOR, SECONDARY LITERACY, AND SUPERVISOR SECONDARY ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
NEXT APPOINTMENT THIS EVENING IS JILLIAN DORFMAN.
JILLIAN IS ATTENDING WITH HER HUSBAND STEVEN DORFMAN.
AND HER CURRENT PRINCIPAL, KIRA O'CONNELL AT FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL.
SHE'S BEING APPOINTED YAY, KO.
SHE'S SIT AS THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL WITH 15 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HER PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES INCLUDE ENGLISH TEACHER AT PATAPSCO HIGH AND FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOLS.
OUR NEXT APPOINTMENT IS DEWIN GOLD RING.
SHE'S ATTENDING THIS EVENING WITH HER OTHER JARRIS GARRETT AND HER SON, CHANCE GOLDRING,
[00:10:02]
WHO HAPPENS TO BE THE BOYS VARSITY, UH, ASSISTANT COACH AT TOWSON HIGH.UM, SHE IS BEING APPOINTED AS THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL WOODLAWN HIGH SCHOOL WITH 22 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HER PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE INCLUDE SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER AT WOODLAWN HIGH, OCK HIGH IN DEEP CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOLS, AND CAREER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TEACHER AT WOODLAWN HIGH SCHOOL.
PRIOR TO THAT, SHE WAS A TEACHER AT SISTERS ACADEMY OF BALTIMORE.
NEXT APPOINTMENT THIS EVENING IS JOCELYN HODGE.
JOCELYN IS ATTENDING THIS EVENING WITH HER HUSBAND ANTONIO HODGE AND HER MOTHER WILMA MAY.
SHE'S BEING APPOINTED AS THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL WINFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH SEVEN YEARS OF SERVICE WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HER PRIOR EXPERIENCES INCLUDE ENGLISH TEACHER AT DEER PARK MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL AND RESOURCE TEACHER AT WINDSOR MILL MIDDLE SCHOOL.
OUR NEXT APPOINTMENT THIS EVENING IS KATHLEEN AUGH.
KATHLEEN IS ATTENDING THIS EVENING WITH HER HUSBAND TOM, AND CURRENT PRINCIPAL KEVIN JENNINGS JUNIOR AT ROSSVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
SHE IS BEING APPOINTED AS THE PRINCIPAL OF CHATSWORTH SCHOOL WITH 15 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HER PRIOR EXPERIENCES INCLUDE CLASSROOM TEACHER AND STAT TEACHER AT PRETTY BOY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT BEAR CREEK ELEMENTARY, AND CURRENTLY ROSSVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
NEXT APPOINTMENT IS LINDSAY NEWTSON, HUSBAND ROBERT AND CURRENT PRINCIPAL KO KIRIN O'CONNELL AT FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL.
UH, SHE IS BEING APPOINTED TO THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT FRANKLIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH 18 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HER PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES INCLUDE CLASSROOM TEACHER AND KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AT VICTORY VILLA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SPECIAL SPECIAL EDUCATION INCLUSION TEACHER AT SPARKS SEVENTH DISTRICT AND FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOLS AND SPECIAL EDUCATION SELF-CONTAINED TEACHER AT SEVENTH DISTRICT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
NEXT APPOINTMENT THIS EVENING IS LESLIE LARI.
LESLIE IS ATTENDING THIS EVENING AND IS BEING POINTED AS THE DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF FACILITIES MANAGEMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANNING WITH 18 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HER PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES INCLUDE PROJECT ENGINEER, MECHANICAL SUPERVISOR, SYSTEM RENOVATIONS, AND SENIOR ARCHITECT ENGINEER SUPERVISOR AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL FACILITIES, ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF FACILITIES MANAGEMENT AND MANAGER OF DESIGN IN THE OFFICE OF FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT.
PRIOR TO THAT, SHE SERVED AS A, AS A MECHANICAL ENGINEER AT MARTIN MARIETTA CORPORATION, PROJECT ENGINEER AT INTERNATIONAL SWITCHBOARD CORPORATION, SENIOR ENGINEER AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEER, PROJECT ENGINEER AND DIRECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING SERVICES AT BERG.
NEXT APPOINTMENT THIS EVENING IS APRIL SIGMUND.
APRIL IS ATTENDING THIS EVENING WITH HER HUSBAND RYAN AND IS BEING APPOINTED AS THE SPECIALIST OF HEALTH EDUCATION OFFICE OF HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION WITH 22 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HER EXPERIENCES INCLUDE ENGLISH TEACHER AT PIKESVILLE MIDDLE AND OWINGS MILL HIGH SCHOOL READING TEACHER AT PINE GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL, TEACHER WITH HOME AND HOSPITAL AND ESOL TEACHER AND HEALTH TEACHER AT OWINGS MILLS HIGH.
OUR NEXT APPOINTMENT IS CATHERINE SMITH.
KATHERINE SMITH IS
SHE IS BEING APPOINTED AS THE PRINCIPAL OF KENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL WITH 18 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HER PRIOR EXPERIENCES INCLUDE ENGLISH TEACHER AT KENWOOD HIGH AND LANSDOWN HIGH SCHOOLS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT LANSDOWN HIGH AND DELANEY HIGH SCHOOLS.
KATE WAS ALSO A GRADUATE OF KENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL.
NEXT APPOINTMENT THIS EVENING IS TALISA WILLIAMS.
[00:15:06]
ALISA WILLIAMS IS ATTENDING THIS EVENING WITH HER HUSBAND, MAURICE UFFINGTON.HE'S BEING APPOINTED AS THE COORDINATOR OF ONLINE IN THE OFFICE OF ONLINE AND EXTENDED LEARNING PROGRAMS WITH FOUR YEARS OF SERVICE WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HER PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES INCLUDE CLASSROOM TEACHER AT HEBB ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE OFFICE OF VIRTUAL LEARNING PROGRAMS AND SUPERVISOR IN THE OFFICE OF VIRTUAL LEARNING PROGRAMS. HER PRIOR EXPERIENCES INCLUDE INSTRUCTIONAL COACH AND CLASSROOM TEACHER IN GUILFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS.
AND OUR FINAL APPOINTMENT THIS EVENING IS WATCHING FROM HOME DANIEL KLINGLER.
DANIEL IS BEING APPOINTED AS THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF MIDDLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH 15 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HIS EXPERIENCES INCLUDE SPECIAL EDUCATION SELF-CONTAINED TEACHER AT ARBUTUS MIDDLE AND CHATSWORTH SCHOOL AND RESOURCE TEACHER AND SPECIALIST IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.
PRIOR TO THAT, HE SERVED AS THE DIRECTOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AT KODIAK ISLAND BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT.
CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME BACK TO BCPS.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE APPOINTMENTS.
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL THE GREAT THINGS YOU WILL DO AND CONTINUE TO DO FOR BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
[F. PUBLIC COMMENT (6:55 - 7:30 p.m.)]
ITEM IS PUBLIC COMMENT.THIS IS ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THE BOARD PROVIDES TO HEAR THE VIEWS AND RECEIVE THE ADVICE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
IF NOT SELECTED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY SUBMIT THEIR COMMENTS TO THE BOARD MEMBERS VIA EMAIL@BOEATBCPS.ORG.
THE BALTIMORE COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT'S HOMELAND SECURITY UNIT AND OFFICE OF SCHOOL SAFETY HAS RECOMMENDED SAFETY AND SECURITY PROTOCOLS, WHICH ARE POSTED IN THE BOARDROOM AND AVAILABLE IN BOARD DOCS AND ON THE BOARD'S PARTICIPATION BY THE PUBLIC WEBSITE.
WHILE WE ENCOURAGE PUBLIC INPUT ON POLICY PROGRAMS AND PRACTICES WITHIN THE PURVIEW OF THIS BOARD AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THIS IS NOT THE PROPER FORM TO ADDRESS SPECIFIC STUDENT OR EMPLOYEE MATTERS OR TO COMMENT ON MATTERS THAT DO NOT RELATE TO PUBLIC EDUCATION IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
INAPPROPRIATE PERSONAL REMARKS OR OTHER BEHAVIORS SUCH AS LANGUAGE THAT PROMOTES VIOLENCE AGAINST BCPS EMPLOYEE OR THAT DISRUPTS OR INTERFERES WITH THE CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING ARE OUT OF ORDER AND WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.
PERSONS WHO OTHERWISE DISRUPT OR DISTURB THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE THEIR REMARKS AND WILL BE ESCORTED FROM THE MEETING.
PLEASE OBSERVE THE THREE MINUTE CLOCK, WHICH WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.
THE MICROPHONE WILL BE TURNED OFF AT THE END OF YOUR TIME OR PRIOR TO THAT TIME AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD CHAIR.
SO WE WILL CALL, UM, FROM OUR INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS OR STUDENTS.
UH, WE, UM, WE'LL START WITH THEM.
I AM A MEMBER OF THE LANSDOWN HIGH SCHOOL, UH, CLASS OF 2017.
I AM AN ALUM OF THEIR SCIENCE ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MAGNET PROGRAM, WHICH IS OF COURSE ONE OF THE, UH, MAGNET PROGRAMS. THE BOARD RECENTLY VOTED TO PHASE OUT.
UH, I ALSO PERFORMED, UH, STANDUP COMEDY AT, UH, SOME OF LANS DOWN'S, A VARIETY SHOWS WHILE I WAS A STUDENT THERE.
I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE I'M GONNA BE HONEST, I WAS, I WAS A LITTLE BIT TEMPTED TO USE THE SAME SORT OF TONE I WOULD USE IN A COMEDY ROUTINE BECAUSE I, I GENUINELY FOUND THE BOARD'S DECISION TO PHASE OUT THE MAGNET PROGRAMS, UH, KIND OF LAUGHABLY MISGUIDED.
UM, BUT I, I WILL TRY TO BE POLITE.
I I WILL TRY TO AVOID ANY SORT OF A SNARK.
UM, I WILL SAY IT, IT IS KIND OF A POETIC PIECE OF IRONY HOW AT THE LAST MEETING, THE BOARD DECIDED THAT LANSDOWN IS AN UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOL, AND THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEK, UH, LANSDOWN GRADUATING SENIOR WAS, UH, NAMED BALTIMORE COUNTY'S, UH, YOUNG WOMAN OF THE YEAR.
I'M NOT GONNA PRETEND THAT STUDENTS ARE NOT STRUGGLING ACADEMIC RIGHT NOW OR ACADEMICALLY RIGHT NOW.
THEY, THEY ARE, THEY'RE STRUGGLING EVERYWHERE, AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THE TRAUMA OF THE PANDEMIC.
THEY'VE SEEN, THEY'RE SEEING PROBLEMS IN THE WORLD AROUND THEM.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE LOSING MOTIVATION.
AND I, I JUST, I THINK THAT THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT WAY TO APPROACH THE ISSUE.
I THINK THAT SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY WON'T HELP THEM GET THEIR MOTIVATION BACK IS BASICALLY SAYING TO THEM, WE'RE GONNA TAKE AWAY THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT OTHER KIDS GOT, THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO GET THAT HEAD START ON TRYING TO BECOME A DOCTOR OR AN ENGINEER OR AN ARTIST OR AN ACTOR, AND SAYING TO THEM BASICALLY THAT THEY'RE JUST NOT SMART ENOUGH FOR THESE PROGRAMS ANYMORE.
THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF THE MESSAGE
[00:20:01]
THAT THE BOARD SENT, UH, AT THE LAST MEETING, AND I THINK IT'S KIND OF RIDICULOUS AND I THINK IT'S NONSENSICAL TO, UH, TO ACT LIKE THIS WILL HELP ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.LANS DOWN'S MAGNET PROGRAMS ARE EXCELLENT.
I KNOW THIS FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
THEY PRODUCE GRADUATES WHO HAVE GONE ON TO WELL-REGARDED UNIVERSITIES AND CONSERVATOR, AND THE VARIETY OF SUBJECTS OFFERED AT LANSDOWNE ARE KIND OF UNMATCHED BY ANY OTHER PROGRAMS IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
AND THIS COMBINATION OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS ALLOWS STUDENTS TO EXPLORE AND BRANCH OUT AND FIND THEMSELVES.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I DID WHILE I WAS AT LANSDOWN AND IT MADE, UH, GOING TO SCHOOL THERE VERY ENJOYABLE.
IT MADE ME VERY MOTIVATED AND THAT ALSO HELPED ME PERFORM WELL ACADEMICALLY.
AND LAST MONTH I WAS AT LANSDOWN FOR THEIR, UH, OPEN HOUSE FOR ALUMS TO SEE THE OLD BUILDING SINCE THEY'RE BUILDING A NEW BUILDING RIGHT NOW.
UH, AND IT TOOK YEARS OF FIGHTING BY THE LANSDOWN COMMUNITY TO GET THAT NEW BUILDING, AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE KIND OF IN THE SAME SORT OF THING AGAIN, WHERE THE COMMUNITY HAS TO FIGHT TO GET WHAT THEY DESERVE BECAUSE THEY'RE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT IT FEELS LIKE.
AND SO I THINK THAT IT'S TIME FOR THE BOARD TO RESPECT THE LANDSDOWN COMMUNITY, AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL REVERSE THE DECISION TO PHASE OUT THE MAGNET PROGRAMS. THANK YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE MS. ELIZABETH LING.
MY NAME IS LIZ HEMING AND I'M A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE BALTIMORE COUNTY CHAPTER OF DYSLEXIA, MARYLAND, DDMD.
I STARTED MY ADVOCACY JOURNEY WHEN BCPS DID NOT HAVE AN ORTON-GILLINGHAM PROGRAM.
DDMD HELPED BRING OG TO THE COUNTY, AND BCPS WAS ONE OF THE FIRST DISTRICTS IN THE COUNTRY TO BRING IN OG.
WE WENT ON TO ADVOCATE AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL, AND IT WAS DDMD WHO PARTNERS WITH THOSE IN ANNAPOLIS, LIKE DELEGATE ERIC LUKI, SENATOR SENATOR ZUCKER, AND SPEAKER ADRIAN JONES TO BRING THE READY TO READ SCREENING ACT INTO LAW AS AN ORGANIZATION.
WE'VE BEEN HAPPY WITH THE EFFORTS WITHIN BCPS REGARDING ORTON-GILLINGHAM AND HAVE NOT HAD A REASON TO SPEAK BEFORE THIS BOARD.
I NEVER DREAMED THAT I WOULD BE BACK FULL CIRCLE ADVOCATING FOR THE SAME THING WE DID ALMOST A DECADE AGO.
A MINIMUM OF 60 HOURS OF TRAINING FOR ANYONE REMEDIATING A DYSLEXIC STUDENT IN TIER THREE INTERVENTION.
I AM BEFORE YOU TODAY BECAUSE THERE'S A CONTRACT MAKING ITS WAY TO THE FULL BOARD SLASHING THE TRAINING FOR YOUR ONLY TIER THREE INTERVENTION FOR DYSLEXIC STUDENTS.
ORTON GILLINGHAM TEACHER TRAINING IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL, AS IS INTERVENTION AS THEY'RE TAKING ON THE ROLE OF ACADEMIC THERAPIST.
WE SAID IT IN 2014 AND WE ARE SAYING IT NOW.
30 HOURS OF TRAINING ISN'T ENOUGH.
WOULD YOU APPROVE CUTTING THE TRAINING IN HALF FOR YOUR SCHOOL NURSE, YOUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST, YOUR SLP? FRANKLY, 60 HOURS ISN'T ENOUGH.
THESE INTERVENTIONISTS OR CHARGE WITH REWIRING THE BRAIN AND HOW IT PROCESSES LANGUAGE.
SOMETHING THAT IF DONE RIGHT CAN BE SHOWN ON AN FMRI.
MARYLAND IS ADAMANTLY AGAINST THIS CUT IN TEACHER TRAINING HOURS.
IS ANYONE ON THIS BOARD REMOTELY ALARMED THAT YOUR ADVOCACY GROUP FOR DYSLEXIC CHILDREN IS AGAINST THIS CHANGE? ANYONE? THIS IS A MASSIVE EQUITY ISSUE.
PARENTS WHO CAN PULL THEIR DYSLEXIC CHILDREN OUTTA BALTIMORE COUNTY AND SEND THEM TO AREA PRIVATE SCHOOLS FOR DYSLEXIA.
THESE FAMILIES LEAVE AND GET ON THE DYSLEXIA PRIVATE SCHOOL YACHT WHERE THEIR TRAINING AND INTERVENTIONS MAKE 60 HOUR COURSE LOOK MINIMALISTIC.
THESE SCHOOLS NOT ONLY HAVE SLPS WHO HAVE WAY BEYOND 60 HOURS OF TRAINING, STAFF ARE ALSO TRAINED IN SO MUCH MORE LIKE ENCODING MORPHOLOGY AND STRUCTURED WRITING, AND THE LIST GOES ON.
MOST FAMILIES DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION.
MOST KIDS ARE IN THE SMALL 60 HOUR, 60 HOUR TRAINING LIFEBOAT OFFERED BY BALTIMORE COUNTY, HOPING THAT THEY CAN MAKE IT TO SHORE.
CUTTING THE TRAINING CUTS THEIR BOAT IN HALF.
ARE YOU WILLING TO DO IT? ARE YOU WILLING TO SINK THEIR BOAT? FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO US.
I'LL SEND YOU OUR INFORMATION.
WE ARE HAPPY TO DISCUSS OUR CONCERNS IN DETAIL, AND THERE ARE MANY, AND YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE CONCERNED TOO.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALEXA SKY SA STO, AND PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I MISPRONOUNCED YOUR NAME.
I'M, I AM ALSO A STANDUP COMEDIAN, UH, BITING MY TONGUE WITH A LITTLE BIT OF SNARK RIGHT NOW.
[00:25:01]
UM, I AM HERE ASKING THE BOARD AS SEVERAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PARENTS HAVE AS WELL, TO MAKE THE L-G-B-T-Q GUIDELINES INTO OFFICIAL POLICY.AS A TEACHER WHO CARES ABOUT HER L-G-B-T-Q STUDENTS, IT IS TOO OFTEN I HEAR FROM THEM THAT THEY ENDURE CONTINUED HARASSMENT IN SCHOOL.
WHEN I SUGGEST REPORTING THIS THROUGH THE PROPER CHANNELS, THEY OFTEN TELL ME NOTHING IS EVER DONE.
OF COURSE, MYSELF, UM, I DON'T SEE WHAT GOES ON IN THAT PROCESS.
BUT REFLECTING ON MY OWN EXPERIENCE OF RETALIATION AND ADVERSE ACTION BY BCPS ADMINISTRATORS AFTER REPORTING HARASSMENT, I FIND MYSELF EMPATHETIC TO THESE ASSERTIONS GUIDELINES.
MAKING THE LGBTQ PLUS GUIDELINES INTO OFFICIAL POLICY WILL CLARIFY AMBIGUITY AND EQUITABLY ENFORCED PROTECTIONS OF ALL STUDENTS.
UM, I AM GONNA PIVOT A LITTLE BIT TO TALK ABOUT THE, UH, THE CAMERAS THAT WERE ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT I CAN, THAT CAN, UH, DETECT FIREARMS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOLS.
UM, AS A STUDENT, I EXPERIENCED A SCHOOL SHOOTING ON MY FIRST DAY OF THE 11TH GRADE AT PERRY HALL HIGH SCHOOL.
THE STUDENT WHO CARRIED THAT OUT BROUGHT IT IN A BACKPACK.
AS A TEACHER AT PINE GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOL, I AND MY CLASSES EVACUATED AFTER, AFTER A CONTRACTED WORKER BROUGHT A BOMB TO WORK AND LEFT IT IN HIS TRUCK.
I I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THESE CAMERAS MIGHT DO FOR SITUATIONS LIKE THAT WHERE A WEAPON IS CONCEALED OR IT'S NOT A GUN AT ALL.
UM, TODAY, A STUDENT ASKED ME AFTER SEEING THE MESSAGE, UM, WHAT ABOUT KNIVES? AND HAVING HAD SEVERAL, SEVERAL INCIDENTS AROUND KNIVES THIS YEAR AT A, AT A SCHOOL UP STREET FROM US, THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, WITH THE STRING OF BOMB HOAXES THAT HAVE HAPPENED THIS YEAR THAT AFFECTED, UH, MY SCHOOL AND SURROUNDING SCHOOLS, UM, HOW MIGHT THIS BE SEEN AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME TO INTENTIONALLY TRIGGER FALSE POSITIVES? 'CAUSE WE, IT DID SAY IN THE EMAIL THAT, UH, FALSE POSITIVES ARE POSSIBLE IF, IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT JUST LOOKS LIKE A FIREARM.
AND SO, UM, HAVING SEEN MY STUDENTS REACT IN FEAR TO THESE HOAXES, THAT'S A CONCERN I HAVE TOO.
UM, I HOPE THAT IT'S AN OPTION TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF TRADITIONAL METAL DETECTORS, AS I THINK THOSE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING THE, THE INCIDENTS I'VE EXPERIENCED AND THE INCIDENTS THAT CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NINA WHEELIN.
MY NAME IS NINA WAND AND I'M A PARENT OF A-B-C-P-S FOURTH GRADER WHO HAS DYSLEXIA.
I AM SPEAKING TONIGHT BECAUSE THERE IS A CONTRACT THAT MAY BE BE COMING, THAT MAY BE COMING BEFORE THE BOARD THAT WILL BE DRASTICALLY REDUCING THE HOURS OF TEACHER TRAINING FOR ORTON-GILLINGHAM FROM 60 TO 30 HOURS.
THE COUNTY HAS ALREADY TRAINED 139 TEACHERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTING THIS NEW PROGRAM TO OUR DYSLEXIC STUDENTS.
I AM CONCERNED BECAUSE ORTON-GILLINGHAM IS THE ONLY TIER THREE INTERVENTION FOR STUDENTS WITH DYSLEXIA.
MY SON HAS BEEN RECEIVING ORTON-GILLINGHAM THROUGH BALTIMORE COUNTY FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS.
ORTON-GILLINGHAM TAUGHT BY A TEACHER WHO HAS RECEIVED 60 HOURS OF TRAINING HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE FOR MY SON WHEN IT IS IMPLEMENTED WITH FIDELITY.
I'M CONCERNED THAT IN THE FUTURE, THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS INSTRUCTION WILL NOT BE AS HIGHLY TRAINED.
THIS COULD HAVE A LIFELONG IMPACT ON HIM.
MY SON'S FUTURE IS DEPENDENT ON YOUR DECISION AS A BOARD ON THIS ISSUE.
NOT EVERYTHING IN HIS JOURNEY HAS BEEN PERFECT OVER THE YEARS, I HAVE SEEN SOME THINGS THAT ARE CONCERNING.
FOR EXAMPLE, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY SESSIONS REQUIRED BY HIS IEP, WHICH HAVE BEEN MISSED DUE TO THINGS LIKE ASSEMBLIES AND TEACHER MEETINGS AND NOT MADE UP.
MY SON HAS MADE ME AWARE THAT HE RECEIVED OG INSTRUCTION FROM A COLLEGE INTERN WHILE THE SPECIAL EDUCATOR WAS WORKING ON THEIR COMPUTER.
THESE THINGS ARE OCCURRING UNDER THE BEST OF CIRCUMSTANCES WITH TEACHERS TRAINED WITH 60 HOURS SUPERINTENDENT DR. ROGERS HAS MENTIONED THAT HIGHLY TRAINED TEACHERS ARE ONE OF HER PILLARS.
SO I'M CONFUSED AND CONCERNED THAT THERE IS A CONTRACT THAT WILL CUT THE TRAINING FOR ORTON-GILLINGHAM IN HALF TO 30 HOURS.
THIS NEW PROGRAM WITH A 30 HOUR TRAINING IS GEARED FOR GRADES K THROUGH TWO.
MY SON IS HEADED TO THE FIFTH GRADE NEXT YEAR, READING WELL BELOW GRADE LEVEL.
WHAT WILL THE COUNTY HAVE FOR HIS TIER THREE INSTRUCTION? HOW WILL MY FIFTH GRADER RESPOND WHEN HE IS GIVEN K THROUGH SECOND GRADE MATERIALS? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN HE IS OLDER IN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND STILL NEEDS OG INTERVENTION BEYOND A SECOND GRADE BOOK? DYSLEXIA DOESN'T GO AWAY BECAUSE A CHILD GOES TO MIDDLE SCHOOL.
[00:30:01]
THE GAP BE CLOSED? I HAVE ALSO HEARD THE COUNTY SAY THAT THEY WILL MOVE TO THIS NEW PROGRAM BECAUSE IT IS SUSTAINABLE.B-C-B-C-P-S HAD A TRAIN THE TRAINER MODEL YEARS AGO, AND ULTIMATELY NO ONE WAS TRAINED AT ALL.
THE COUNTY MAY TELL YOU THAT THEY WILL EXPAND TRAINING AND ADD OTHER COURSES BEYOND THE 30 HOURS, BUT THEY AREN'T DOING IT.
HOW CAN WE BE ASSURED IT WILL HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE? AND AT WHOSE EXPENSE OUR MOST STRUGGLING READERS? ALL OG ISN'T THE SAME TRAINING HOURS MATTER.
IF TRAINING IS CUT IN HALF, OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS WILL ULTIMATELY PAY THE PRICE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MS. TIFFANY LOCKMA, AND YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I MISPRONOUNCE AS I OFTEN DO WITH NAMES.
MY NAME IS TIFFANY LOCKIE AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT DYSLEXIA.
AND MAINLY BECAUSE WHAT WE ARE CURRENTLY DOING IS NOT ENOUGH AND ANY CUTS TO TRAINING FOR OR ORTON-GILLINGHAM WILL BE DISASTROUS.
MY DAUGHTER HAS ALWAYS HAD SIGNS OF DYSLEXIA, AND WHEN I SAY SIGNS, THEY ARE NEON SIGNS, SIGNS.
IT TOOK UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF THIRD GRADE FOR HER TO BE IDENTIFIED.
SHE'S NOW IN THE SEVENTH GRADE WHEN WE TRANSITIONED FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL TO, FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO MIDDLE SCHOOL, THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE AN IEP MEETING.
AND SO I HAD LOTS OF QUESTIONS.
UM, IT WAS VERY HELPFUL WHEN I ATTENDED AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK, AND I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE THERE FOR HER READING TIME, WHICH IS WHEN SHE GETS HER ORTON-GILLINGHAM.
I EXPECTED GREAT THINGS, BUT INSTEAD I WAS OUTRAGED.
THERE WAS 20 CHILDREN IN THAT CLASSROOM, AND I KNOW WHAT MANY OF YOU ARE THINKING.
20 KIDS IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASSROOMS, NOT A LOT.
BUT, UM, WHEN YOU'RE GETTING A TIER THREE INTERVENTION WITH SERVICES AND GOALS, SPECIFICALLY CARVED OUT ON AN IEP, THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.
IN ORDER FOR ORTON-GILLINGHAM TO BE EFFECTIVE, THERE SHOULD BE NEVER MORE THAN SIX STUDENTS IN A GROUP.
I WAS GASLIT INTO THINKING THAT THIS IS MIDDLE SCHOOL, SO WE DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY.
WE DID EVENTUALLY GET THEM TO A GRAVE, TO A ONE-ON-ONE PULLOUT, BUT THAT WAS VERY SHORT-LIVED.
THE TEACHER DOING THE SERVICES WENT OUT ON MATERNITY LEAVE AND BACK INTO THE CLASSROOM OR IN GILLINGHAM.
SHE WENT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE AT THE SCHOOL.
TRAINED MY DAUGHTER WOULD ONE DAY LIKE TO BE A NURSE IS HEARTBREAKING AS A MOTHER TO KNOW THAT THIS MIGHT NOT BE REALISTIC FOR HER.
I WANT HER TO BE ANYTHING IN LIFE THAT SHE WANTS TO BE.
SHE'S EXTREMELY BRIGHT AND SHE'S RESPECTFUL, AND SHE'S IN GT SCIENCE AND SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSES.
SHE'S CURRENTLY READING AT THE END OF A THIRD GRADE LEVEL.
YOU CANNOT IMAGINE HOW HARD IT IS FOR HER EVERY SINGLE DAY.
DO YOU THINK SHE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN HER PURSUITS TO BE A NURSE? AS THINGS CURRENTLY STAND, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH TEACHERS AND SPECIAL EDUCATORS TRAINED IN ORTON GILLINGHAM AND BOTTOM LEVEL TRAINING IS NOT ENOUGH.
STUDENTS ARE NOT HAVING MEANINGFUL PROGRESS.
THE BCPS READING SCORES ARE TERRIBLE, AND IF WE'RE HONEST, IT'S BECAUSE OUR TEACHERS ARE NOT GETTING FULLY TRAINED.
WE CAN ACT SURPRISED WHEN THINGS ARE FAILING.
INVEST MORE IN ORTON GILLINGHAM, INVEST MORE IN FULLY TRAINING OUR TEACHERS.
AND I BEG YOU, DO NOT GO ANYTHING UNDER 60 HOURS FOR OUR KIDS.
NEXT IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON BOARD POLICY 3 1 3 0 PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FOR PURCHASED BY STUDENTS.
AND THE FIRST SPEAKER IS MS. SHARON SOFF.
WHICH POLICY? I'M SORRY, WHICH POLICY IS THE FIRST, UH, BOARD POLICY? 3 1 3 0 PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FOR PURCHASE BY STUDENT.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME KINDLY CONSIDER MA REMARKS.
THIS POLICY TALKS ABOUT SERVICES PURCHASED BY STUDENTS.
IT TALKS ABOUT COMPETITIVE PRICING AND QUALITY AND VALUE.
SO I SUGGEST THAT THIS POLICY WOULD INCLUDE NOT JUST STUDENTS ONLY, BUT ALSO EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS, AND VISITORS.
SO WHATEVER IS GOOD FOR STUDENTS SHOULD BE GOOD FOR THE OTHERS.
SECOND POINT IS THE WORD COMPETITIVE.
I BELIEVE IT SHOULD NOT BE THE FIRST ONE.
[00:35:01]
THE LAST ONE.WE TALK ABOUT THE QUALITY AND POLICY.
UH, I RECOMMEND THAT WE EXPLAIN THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BEST QUALITY WHERE BALTIMORE COUNTY, STATE OF MARYLAND, THE WHOLE STATE OF, UH, THE WHOLE NORTHEAST USA, ET CETERA.
I COME TO THE NEXT KIND OF QUESTION.
IS BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL REPORTING ON YEARLY IMPROVEMENT IN THESE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES? HONESTLY, I, I DON'T REMEMBER THAT MYSELF SITTING HERE FOR A LONG TIME, MAYBE SPORADICALLY.
BUT I, I RECOMMEND THAT YOU BRING IT TO THE FOREFRONT.
AND NEXT THING THAT WORRIES ME AS A PHYSICIAN IS, UH, THE CALORIES THAT WE PROVIDE TO OUR KIDS, OUR STUDENTS, UM, AS YOU KNOW, UH, OBESITY IN CHILDREN, TEENAGERS REALLY LOST FOR A LONG TIME.
AND, UM, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THE POLICY IS NOT REALLY, UH, COVERING.
SO I HAVE ONE MORE MINUTE, AND I'M NOT GONNA STRETCH IT.
UM,
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU ARE NOT MAKING MONEY ON IT.
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU, WHY NOT REALLY MAKE MONEY, MAKE MONEY ON TORITOS, MAKE MONEY ON COKE, MAKE MONEY ON WHICHEVER SERVICES? I THINK YOU NEED EXTRA FUNDS.
AND TO ME, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING I PERSONALLY RECOMMEND TO CONSIDER.
THIS IS THE END OF MY REMARK ABOUT THIS POLICY.
UM, THE NEXT POLICY IS BOARD POLICY 3 1 7 0 FRAMEWORK FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.
FARONE, YOU COULD GIVE YOUR COMMENT.
SO THIS POLICY IS A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
IT TALKS ABOUT COMMITMENT OF THE BOARD, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD, PROVIDING THE HIGHEST QUALITY EDUCATION, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD.
TALKS ABOUT COLLEGE AND QUALITY,
POINT NUMBER ONE, I REALLY LIKE COMMITTED COMMITMENT OR THAT THE BOARD IS COMMITTED.
BUT AGAIN, AS I'M SITTING AND LISTENING, UH, OVER THE YEARS, I REALLY DON'T SEE THAT THE BOARD DISCUSSIONS AND COMMUNICATION REALLY TALKS ABOUT THAT.
SO I ASK YOU, YOU DO A LOT OF WORK, ALL RIGHT? AND I REALLY APPRECIATE AND RESPECT THAT.
AND, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO ADVERTISE FOR YOURSELF A LITTLE BIT.
I THINK YOU NEED TO SAY IT A LITTLE BIT LOUDER.
THIS POLICY TALKS ABOUT COLLEGE AND CAREER, BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY MENTION THE WORD UNIVERSITY.
SO IN ESSENCE, TO ME, IT'S BETTER TO HAVE AN EXTRA WORD THERE, WHICH IS UNIVERSITY, BECAUSE SOME STUDENTS WOULD GO TO COLLEGE AND SOME STUDENTS BECOME PLUMBERS, AND SOME STUDENTS WANT TO BE DOCTORS, LAWYERS, ET CETERA.
THIS POLICY TALKS ABOUT THE SYSTEM BEING EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE.
AND AGAIN, I REALLY DON'T MEAN ANYTHING NEGATIVE.
UM, UM, I I THINK IT'S A STRETCH.
I I REALLY DON'T SEE THAT OVER MY 25 YEARS.
UM, I THINK YOU MIGHT NEED TO WORK ON THAT A LITTLE BIT AND EXPLAIN IT.
UM, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT EFFECTIVENESS.
UM, AND MY THREE KIDS ALL WENT THROUGH THE PUBLIC EDUCATION EXCEPT FOR ONE THAT REALLY GAVE ME HARD TIME, AND I HAD TO PUT HIM IN A CATHOLIC SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL, SO HE WOULD BE MORE DISCIPLINED.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE PUBLIC EDUCATION IS AFFECTED BY LOCAL AND STATE POLITICS, AND YOU CAN'T REALLY HIDE IT.
AND THESE POLITICS DO AFFECT THE OUTCOME.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY, WHENEVER THERE ARE POLITICS INVOLVED AT ANY LEVEL, THERE IS PLENTY OF WASTE.
AND I SEE THAT IN MY ENTIRE 50 YEAR BEING BALTIMORE AND FEDERAL, STATE AND SCHOOL SYSTEM.
SO, UM, I HOPE YOU KEEP THAT IN MIND.
I'M NOT REALLY BEING UNDULY CRITICAL.
[00:40:01]
YOU TALK ABOUT EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY, YOU NEED TO PROVE THAT IN AN OBJECTIVE WAY AND NOT REALLY JUST BY TALKING ABOUT IT IN A POLICY, YOU NEED TO SHOW IT.YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, YOU WORK REALLY HARD FOR SO LITTLE MONEY THAT YOU RECEIVE FOR THE TIME AND EFFORT, AND YOU NEED TO SHOW THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE PUBLIC THAT, UM, UH, KEEP CRITICIZING YOU, MAYBE UNDULY, UM, NOT ME, OTHERS ON FACEBOOK.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER FOR BOARD POLICY 3 1 7 0 FRAMEWORK FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT IS MS. SHARON SOFF.
YOU WANT ME TO LEAVE? NO, NEVERMIND.
SO OUR NEXT SPEAKER FOR BOARD POLICY 3, 2 0 0 PURCHASES FROM MINORITY AND SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISES, UH, DR.
OKAY, SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT ONE, AND I ASK YOU TO BE PATIENT.
THIS POLICY BASICALLY GIVES PROFESSIONAL PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT TO CERTAIN GROUPS BASED ON THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, NATIONAL ORIGIN AND OTHER THINGS SIMILAR TO THAT.
AND I REALLY WONDER, ALL RIGHT, I'M JUST TELLING YOU THIS AS A TAXPAYER, AS A CITIZEN, YOU KNOW, UH, 50 YEARS AGO WHEN I CAME TO BALTIMORE, I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO TREAT, UM, AFRICAN AMERICANS, ASIANS, UH, CHINESE NATIVE AMERICANS, UM, UH, EVEN WOMEN, UH, IN A SPECIAL WAY.
HOWEVER, 70 YEARS AFTER THE CIVIL RIGHT MOVEMENT, WE MIGHT WANT TO START CONSIDERING NOT REALLY GIVING PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT BASED ON THE COLOR OF THE SKIN.
SO I'M GOING TO KIND OF LIKE GO ON THE LIMB REALLY WITH DUE RESPECT.
AFRICAN AMERICANS, WE HAD A PRESIDENT WHO, AFRICAN AMERICAN SECRETARY OF STATE.
THE PASSED ONE WAS AFRICAN AMERICAN.
THERE'S GOING TO BE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN ASTRONAUT PRETTY SOON, RIGHT? UM, YOU KNOW, MEDICINE LAWYERS EVERYWHERE, SUPERINTENDENTS, ALRIGHT.
TO ME IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, IN ORDER TO MAKE A REAL PROGRESS, YOU CANNOT REALLY JUST TREAT CONTRACTS OR ANY OTHER THINGS BASED ON THE RELIGION OR THE COLOR OR NATIONAL ORIGIN.
I, I THINK MAYBE LOCAL AND NATIONWIDE, WE NEED TO START THINKING THAT WHAT HAPPENED LONG TIME AGO THAT GIVES PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT TO CERTAIN GROUPS.
MAYBE IT'S TIME TO TREAT PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR ABILITIES, BASED ON WHAT THEY OFFER THE SYSTEM, WHAT THEY OFFER, THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.
AND THAT'S MY PERSONAL OPINION AS A TAXPAYER.
I DON'T MEAN ANYTHING NEGATIVE AGAINST ANYONE BASED ON HOW THEY WERE BORN AND RAISED.
UM, YOU KNOW, I AM A MINORITY AND I, I CAME HERE REALLY AND STRUGGLED BASED ON MY ABILITIES AND NOT BASED ON MY NATIONAL, UH, ORIGIN OR COLOR.
SO, UM, THAT'S MY SPIEL ABOUT THIS POLICY.
I HOPE YOU WOULD CONSIDER THAT.
NEXT IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON BOARD POLICY 3, 2 0 9 PURCHASING PRINCIPLES.
THIS POLICY IS TALKING ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY TO SECURE HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT MATERIAL, ET CETERA, SERVICES TO STUDENTS AND STAFF.
I REALLY LIKE THAT YOU ADDED, UM, THE STAFF.
HOWEVER, THE WORD HIGH QUALITY IS A RUBBER.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER IF YOU CAN, UH, DEFINE THAT.
I LIKE THE PHRASE ABOUT MOST EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT AND ETHICAL MANNER POSSIBLE.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THESE WORDS MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
AND I'VE SEEN THAT IN MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER AND WATCH ME ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OVER 25 YEARS.
[00:45:02]
NEXT ONE IS THE POLICY TALKS ABOUT GOALS AND MY THOUGHT ABOUT GOALS.I KNOW THE POLICY IS SUPPOSED TO BE BRIEF, BUT IF THE GOALS ARE NOT REALLY DEFINED AND CLEAR, THEN WE CANNOT REALLY ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS.
ALRIGHT? AND AGAIN, I TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THIS, WATCHING THE SYSTEM FOR, UH, SO LONG.
YOU KNOW, THE CHANGES ARE REALLY SLOW AND THERE IS ALWAYS STRUGGLE TO MAKE THE RIGHT THINGS, EVEN THOUGH ALL OF YOU, 13 OF YOU, PLUS THE STAFF, ARE REALLY TRYING YOUR BEST TO MAKE THE BEST OUT OF IT.
I SEE THIS POLICY IS POSING A CONFLICT WITH THE PREVIOUS POLICY, WHICH PROVIDES SPECIAL TREATMENT FOR PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR SKIN COLOR OR NATIONAL ORIGIN.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU READ ONE THAT YOU GIVE A CONTRACT, ET CETERA, TO SOMEBODY BASED ON THEIR, UH, NATIONAL ORIGIN.
AND YOU READ THIS ONE WHERE WE TALK ABOUT PROVIDING THE HIGHEST QUALITY.
I THINK THOSE TWO, UM, DON'T REALLY GO HAND IN HAND.
AND I, I THINK THE BOARD NEEDS TO, UH, BASICALLY TO RECONCILE THAT, UM, RESPONSIBILITY IS BETTER REPLACED WITH RESPONSIBILITIES.
I KNOW IT'S GRAMMAR, BUT YOU HAVE GREAT RESPONSIBILITIES, NOT REALLY JUST ONE.
AND I THINK THE OTHER WORD HERE IS MANNER.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE IN THE PLURAL MANNERS.
AND THAT'S THE END OF MY COMMENTS ABOUT THIS POLICY.
NEXT IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON BOARD POLICY 3, 2, 2, 5 FURNITURE FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT.
UH, SO THIS POLICY TALKS ABOUT THE INCLUSION OF FURNITURE FIXTURES ITSELF, YOU KNOW, IN THE BUDGET FOR A SCHOOL.
AND MY, MY QUESTION TO YOU AS A BOARD OF EDUCATION IS WHY THIS POLICY NEEDS TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
BECAUSE IT'S REALLY LOGICAL TO THINK THAT IF WE BUILD A SCHOOL, A NEW SCHOOL, ALRIGHT, YOU, YOU HAVE TO HAVE BLACKBOARD AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE DESKS AND CHAIRS AND, AND OTHER EQUIPMENT.
IT'S NOT JUST REALLY THE BUILDING.
SO, YOU KNOW, MY POINT ABOUT THIS POLICY, IT'S REALLY STATING THE OBVIOUS AND, AND, YOU KNOW, WHY DO WE NEED THAT? I, I JUST DON'T REALLY SEE IT MYSELF FROM THIS END.
UM, THE SECOND POINT IS ABOUT LINE 1618, SIMILAR IN NATURE, THE SUPERINTENDENT IS TO ESTABLISH ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE TO RED DIRECT PURCHASING.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I MEAN, IT'S REALLY OBVIOUS.
I MEAN, WE HAVE A, A, A GREAT SUPERINTENDENT, A DOCTOR, A CAPABLE, I MEAN, YEAH, YOU EXPECT THEM TO DO THAT.
WHY DO WE HAVE TO STATE THE OBVIOUS IN THIS POLICY AND OTHER, UH, POLICIES? AND, UH, THE LAST ONE, WHICH I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER TO IT, BUT STILL, I REALLY DON'T LIKE IT.
THE POLICY DIRECTS THE SUPERINTENDENT TO COMPLY WITH LOCAL STATE LAWS.
I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HIRE A SUPERINTENDENT THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO COMPLY WITH STATE LAWS OR FEDERAL LAWS? I MEAN, DO, DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO TO SAY THAT? IT'S, IT'S KIND OF LIKE WE ARE SPINNING OUR, OUR THINKING WHEELS SO MUCH AND ADDING INK AND ADDING PAGES, AND I MEAN, WE HAVE A GOOD SUPERINTENDENT.
YOU VETTED HER, YOU VETTED, YOU WILL BE VETTING WHOEVER COMES AFTER THAT.
WHY DO WE HAVE TO, TO STATE IT OBVIOUS IN THIS POLICY, IN, IN MULTIPLE OTHER POLICIES? AND, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST DON'T LIKE THAT PART.
AND NEXT IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON BOARD POLICY 3 6 4 0 DISPOSAL OF SURPLUS OR EXCESS PROPERTY.
OKAY, SO LINE SEVEN AND NINE TALKS ABOUT USING ITEMS PRODUCTS UNTIL THEY DIE.
YOU DIDN'T SAY THAT, BUT THAT'S REALLY THE ESSENCE
SO MY QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, IF, UH, I MEAN I LIKE IT BECAUSE IT MEANS WE DON'T TRASH THINGS OUT.
SO IT'S GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT THEN THE COST OF REPAIRS, THE
[00:50:01]
COST OF EMPLOYEES USING PRODUCTS THAT ARE OUTDATED, SLOW, NOT ACCURATE.I, I THINK THIS PHRASEOLOGY SHOULD BE RECONSIDERED.
AND LINE 24 26 ALSO STATES THE OBVIOUS ABOUT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM OWNING THE SCHOOL BOOKS.
OF COURSE, YOU OWN THE SCHOOL BOOKS, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU OWN ALL THE BUILDINGS AND THE GROUNDS AND, AND THE PENCILS AND THE PEN.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WHY, WHY DO WE HAVE TO PUT THAT SO OBVIOUS IN THERE AND ADD TO IT? AND THEN THE LAST ONE, WHICH REALLY CRACKED ME A LITTLE BIT THAT YOU, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, THEIR BOARD OF EDUCATION IS DIRECTING THE SUPERINTENDENT.
IF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM SELLS SOME OF THESE ITEMS FOR MONEY THAT IT WOULD BE DEPOSITED, PROCEED WOULD BE DEPOSITED IN SOME ACCOUNT.
ALRIGHT? YOU KNOW, I, I MEAN, ISN'T THAT REALLY OBVIOUS? I MEAN, WHY DO WE NEED TO SAY IT? I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU MEAN IT'S OKAY TO GIVE IT TO SOMEBODY OR CHARITY.
UM, SO I, I HOPE I, I HELPED YOU.
I KNOW I HAVE ONE MINUTE AND I'M NOT GOING TO REALLY, UH, BELABOR IT, BUT I, I THINK YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER ADDING ME AS A NON-VOTING MEMBER TO THE PRC.
IT'S EASIER BECAUSE THEN I MAKE MY COMMENTS RIGHT THERE.
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO ME IN PUBLIC.
BUT I MEAN, I'LL BE GLAD TO HAVE IF YOU WANT.
WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS AND YOU SQUEEZING US INTO YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE.
[G. NEW BUSINESS - ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION (Board Counsel) (7:30 - 7:35 p.m.)]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION.AND FOR THAT I CALL ON MS. DTI JONES.
UM, UH, EARLIER THIS EVENING, THE BOARD MET IN CLOSED SESSION IN ITS QUASI-JUDICIAL CAPACITY REGARDING SD 2023 DASH 2024 DASH OH NINE TO RENDER A DECISION.
NOW WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE TIME FOR THE BOARD TO CONFIRM THE ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO AFFIRM THE ACTION TAKEN DURING CLOSED SESSION ON CASE SD 20 23, 20 24 DASH ZERO NINE AND AUTHORIZE MS. GO TO SIGN FOR THOSE BOARD MEMBERS NOT PHYSICALLY PRESENT.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND LECTER, ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE? DR.
[H. NEW BUSINESS - BOARD POLICIES (Ms. Pumphrey) (7:35 - 7:45 p.m.)]
THE AGENDA IS NEW BUSINESS REPORT ON BOARD POLICIES.THIS IS THE FIRST READER FOR THESE POLICIES AND FOR THAT I CALL ON MS. CHRISTINA PUMPHREY, CHAIR OF THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE ASKS THAT THE BOARD ACCEPT THIS REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE FOLLOWING BOARD POLICIES, BOARD POLICY 31 30 PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FOR PURCHASE BY STUDENTS BOARD POLICY 31 70 FRAMEWORK FOR CONTINUOUS APPROVAL BOARD POLICY 3,200 PURCHASES FROM MINORITY AND SMALL SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISES, BOARD POLICY 32 0 9 PURCHASING PRINCIPLES, BOARD POLICY 32 25 FURNITURE FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT BOARD POLICY 36 40 DISPOSAL, DISPOSAL OF SURPLUS OR EXCESS PROPERTY.
THESE POLICIES ARE PRESENTED TO YOU ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA AS EXHIBITS H ONE THROUGH H SIX.
BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY SEPARATIONS REQUESTED? MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE BOARD'S POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE FOR BOARD POLICIES? 3 1 3 0 3 1 7 0 3 2 0 0 3 2 0 9 3 2 2 5 AND 3 6 4 0.
NO SECOND IS NEEDED SINCE THE RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE COMMITTEE.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE.
[00:55:01]
YES.[I. NEW BUSINESS - ORGANIZATION CHART 2024-2025 (Dr. Rogers) (7:45 - 7:55 p.m.)]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS CONSIDERATION OF THE 20 24 20 25 ORGANIZATION CHART.AND FOR THAT I CALL ON DR. ROGERS.
CHAIR BOOKER DWYER, VICE CHAIR HUMPHREY MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
THIS EVENING I AM PRESENTING A PROPOSED FY 25 ORGANIZATIONAL CHART FOR BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I WILL HIGHLIGHT THE CHANGES, BUT BEFORE I HIGHLIGHT THE CHANGES, I DO WANNA CALL TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION.
AS YOU KNOW, WE WORK TOGETHER THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS TO IDENTIFY $105 MILLION WORTH OF CUTS.
ADDITIONALLY IN THE FY 24 BUDGET, UM, THERE WAS ONE CUT MADE TO THE BUDGET AND THAT WAS TO BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR CENTRAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATION.
WHILE THERE WERE CUTS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION, UH, THE CUTS ALSO IMPACTED CENTRAL OFFICE LEADERSHIP, UH, AND EXECUTIVE STAFF.
THE PROPOSED CHANGES, UH, HELPED TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN OUR COORDINATION, COLLABORATION, AND STRATEGIC SUPPORT OF SCHOOLS.
AND I WILL HIGHLIGHT THE CHANGES FOR YOU MOVING FORWARD.
UH, THE DIVISION OF, UH, TECHNOLOGY WOULD REPORT TO THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER.
THERE WOULD BE TWO EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR TECHNOLOGY.
ONE PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR APPLICATIONS AND NETWORK SECURITY AND SUPPORT SERVICES.
ANOTHER RESPONSIBLE FOR ERP AND IT OPERATIONS.
AND THE THIRD CHANGE UNDER THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER WOULD BE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT.
I WILL CALL TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION.
CURRENTLY, ALL OF OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IS DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THREE DIFFERENT DIVISIONS.
AND SO THIS WOULD HAVE, UH, ONE PERSON IN ONE AREA, UH, RESPONSIBLE FOR BOTH SIDES OF THE UH, SCHOOL SYSTEM.
IF WE MOVE ON TO THE CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE STATED ACADEMIC PRIORITIES OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, WE HAVE ONE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR LITERACY AND HUMANITIES, AND ONE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR STEAM SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ARTS AND MATHEMATICS.
DO I HAVE, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PROPOSED 20 24 20 25 ORGANIZATION CHART AS PRESENTED IN EXHIBIT I SO MOVE ST.
ANY DISCUSSION? WHAT WAS THE SECOND? OH NO.
OH, DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND FROM PAUL? ANY DISCUSSION? I DON'T SEE ANY.
[J. REPORT - ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT (Dr. Jones) (7:55 - 8:10 p.m.)]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE REPORT ON GRADUATION.AND FOR THAT I CALL ON DR. ROGERS.
AT THIS TIME, DR. GRAHAM IS GOING TO COME FORWARD AS WELL AS MR. KEVIN CONNOLLY.
WE ARE PLEASED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN UPDATE ON GRADUATION.
UM, WE WILL BEGIN THE UPDATE WITH INFORMATION, UH, THAT WE MOST RECENTLY REPORTED A FEW MONTHS AGO, UH, FOR OUR CLASS OF, UH, 20, UM, 23, BUT REALLY SPEND, UH, THE MAJORITY OF TIME FOCUSED ON THE CURRENT EFFORTS FOR THE CLASS OF 2024, UM, WHERE OUR DATA IS TRENDING, WHAT WE EXPECT TO SEE OUR CURRENT PROCESSES, AND THEN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.
WE ARE HERE REPRESENTING, UH, DR. JONES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOLS.
SHE IS ELSEWHERE IN SERVICE TO THE SYSTEM THIS EVENING.
UM, SO WITH ME, AS DR. ROGERS SAID, IS MR. KEVIN CONNOLLY, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH ACCOUNTABILITY AND ASSESSMENT.
GOOD EVENING, BOARD CHAIR BOOKER DWYER, VICE CHAIR, POEY, SUPERINTENDENT, DR. ROGERS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AS DR. ROGERS SAID, THE PURPOSE THIS EVENING IS TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON GRADUATION.
AND IF WE COULD GET THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
[01:00:01]
THANK YOU.FOR THE CLASS OF 2024, STUDENTS MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS TO GRADUATE FROM BCPS.
EARN 21 COURSE CREDITS IN ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS, SOCIAL STUDIES, SCIENCE, PE, HEALTH TECH ED FINE ARTS IN AT LEAST ONE SEQUENCE OF A COMPLETER PROGRAM.
MEET THE MARYLAND HIGH SCHOOL ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS, UH, PASS COURSES FOR ALGEBRA ONE, ENGLISH 10, LIFE SCIENCES OR AP BIOLOGY AND GOVERNMENT.
PARTICIPATE IN MCAP ASSESSMENTS FOR ALGEBRA ONE, ENGLISH 10, MESA, AND HIGH SCHOOL GOVERNMENT, AND COMPLETE AT LEAST 75 SERVICE LEARNING HOURS, UM, WHICH ARE TYPICALLY PRE-APPROVED.
SO, AS A RECAP OF OUR LAST COHORT THAT WENT THROUGH THAT CLASS OF 2023, THE ADJUSTED COHORT GRADUATION RATE FOR STUDENTS ROSE TO 84.9% LAST YEAR.
WHILE THE OVERALL GRADUATION RATE FOR STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE WENT DOWN, BCP S'S RATE ROSE BY NEARLY HALF A PERCENTAGE POINT FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR.
IT WAS 0.47, UH, PERCENTAGE POINTS.
AS STATED ON THE SLIDE, OUR DATA IS TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND WE ARE ESPECIALLY PLEASED WITH THE PROGRESS WE'RE SEEING WITH BOTH IMPROVED GRADUATION RATES AND DECREASING DROPOUT RATES AT SEVERAL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.
14 OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS, INCLUDING CHESAPEAKE, EASTERN FRANKLIN, HEREFORD LOCK, RAVEN, MILFORD MILL, NEWTOWN, OWINGS MILLS, PATAPSCO, REYNOLDSTOWN, SPARES POINT, TOWSON, WESTERN AND WOODLAWN, SAW AN INCREASE IN THEIR GRADUATION RATE.
AND SEVEN HIGH SCHOOLS EASTERN FRANKLIN HEREFORD LOCK, RAVEN OWENS MILLS SPAR POINT, AND TOWSON SAW A DECREASE IN THEIR DROPOUT RATE EARLIER, THE EARLIER THIS YEAR, DR. ROGERS RECOGNIZED PRINCIPLE, MIKE JONES, WHO'S PICTURED HERE ON THIS SLIDE, ALONG WITH A RANDALLSTOWN HIGH GRADUATE FROM HERE, THEY HAD THE BIGGEST GRADUATION RATE GAIN FOR A SECOND YEAR IN A ROW.
THEIR GRADUATION RATE INCREASED BY 6.1 PERCENTAGE POINTS LAST YEAR TO 94.2% THE YEAR PREVIOUS.
THEY HAD RISEN BY ALMOST 10 PERCENTAGE POINTS.
AS PER THE CURRENT STATUS OF OUR CLASS OF 2024 COHORT STUDENTS, AS OF MAY 15TH, BCPS IS OVER 2% AHEAD OF LAST YEAR'S COHORT AT THE SAME POINT IN TIME, 17 OUT OF 24 OR 70.8% OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ARE AHEAD OF LAST YEAR'S PROJECTED GRADUATION RATE, AGAIN, AT THE SAME POINT IN TIME.
AND OUR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS ARE MORE THAN 6% AHEAD OF LAST YEAR'S COHORT AT AGAIN, THIS SAME POINT IN TIME.
SO WE ARE DEFINITELY TRENDING AGAIN IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
SO HOW DOES THIS WORK HAPPEN? RIGHT.
UM, SCHOOLS ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THEIR DATA, BOTH CURRENT AND HISTORIC, IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT, UM, DATA INFORMED DECISIONS FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.
SO GAINS OR INCREASES HAPPEN AND ARE SUSTAINED OVER TIME BY INTENTIONAL DELIBERATE ACTIONS, UM, BY SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL SYSTEMS. SO WHEN WE START, UM, WHAT ARE THE KEY COMPONENTS TO REALLY UNDERSTAND TO DO THIS WORK WELL? DATA LITERACY AND DATA ANALYSIS BECOME CRITICAL COMPONENTS TO REALLY TRULY UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S HAPPENING, WHY IT'S HAPPENING, SO THAT WE CAN INTERVENE AT THE RIGHT PLACES, LOOK FOR THE MOST MEANINGFUL AND SIGNIFICANT LEVERS TO, TO PUSH FOR CHANGE AND TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT AND SUSTAIN THAT CHANGE OVER TIME.
SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, UM, GRADUATION SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS WORK, YOU KNOW, OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR SCHOOL TEAMS HAVE BEEN INVESTED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS IN A PROCESS CALLED PROJECT GRADUATION.
AND PROJECT GRADUATION NOT ONLY BRINGS TOGETHER ACROSS DISCIPLINARY GROUP OF MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL TEAMS SUCH AS PPW, SCHOOL, ADMINISTRATORS, NURSES, COUNSELORS, BUT IT ALSO INVOLVES THAT COLLABORATION ACROSS THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ONE HIGH SCHOOL HAS A LOT OF SIMILARITIES TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ANOTHER, BUT THE ROOT CAUSES MAY BE VERY DIFFERENT, WHICH IS WHY THAT DATA ANALYSIS AND DATA ANALYTICS BECOMES SO IMPORTANT, UNDERSTANDING THE WHY BEHIND ALL OF THAT.
SO OUR PROJECT GRADUATION TEAMS TRACK STUDENTS FROM THE MOMENT THAT THEY ENTER INTO HIGH SCHOOL, EACH OF THE COHORTS FOR THOSE FIRST TIME NINTH GRADERS ARE TRACKED.
WHAT DO WE EXPECT NINTH GRADERS TO BE ABLE TO DO? WHAT DO WE EXPECT 10TH GRADERS, UM, TO HAVE TO BE ON TRACK FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS AND TO BE ON TRACK FOR GRADUATION? AND DR.
GRIM MENTIONED THE CREDITS AND THE STUDENT SERVICE LEARNING HOURS AND THE ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS, BUT THE PROJECT GRADUATION TEAM DIGS IN DEEPER.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN THEN, FOR MATHEMATICS FOR THE STUDENT? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS? WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE STUDENT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THEIR ABILITY TO DO WELL ON A MANDATORY ASSESSMENT FOR GRADUATION? SO WE BRING IN HIGH LEVELS OF EXPERTISE INTO PROJECT GRADUATION TEAMS, AND WE GET TO KNOW THE STUDENTS VERY CLOSELY.
UH, WE LOOK AT THE SIX YEAR PLAN STARTING OFF FROM
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MIDDLE SCHOOL TO SEE WHAT THAT TRANSITION LOOKS LIKE.AND IN FACT, WE CAN REALLY SAY THAT COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS BEGINS FROM THE MOMENT THAT A STUDENT STEPS INTO OUR SCHOOL THAT WE NEED TO PREPARE, UM, FOR THAT JOURNEY FOR THAT STUDENT TO GET THEM TO THAT FINISH LINE.
SO WITHIN THAT BECOMES A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO FOR SUPPORT.
ATTENDANCE IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT.
SO LOOKING AT WAYS THAT WITHIN PROJECT GRADUATION, WE CAN PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH INTERVENTIONS AND SUPPORTS THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO DEMONSTRATE CONSISTENT ATTENDANCE IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT THEY NEED TO NOT ONLY TO MEET THE GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS, BUT TO ACHIEVE AND THRIVE TOWARDS COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS.
WE ALSO NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THOSE ACADEMIC INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS THAT, UH, MAY NEED SOME CREDIT RECOVERY.
WE HAVE PROGRAMS SUCH AS SPARK AND EDLP THAT ARE DESIGNED FOR STUDENTS WHO MAY, ALONG THAT TRAJECTORY OF ELEMENTARY TO MIDDLE TO HIGH SCHOOL FALLEN BEHIND SLIGHTLY.
AND SO WE NEED TO BRING IN THOSE ACADEMIC INTERVENTIONS IN ORDER TO NOT ONLY CATCH THE STUDENT UP, BUT ACCELERATE THEM SO THAT THEY CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR FUTURE.
AND THEN DATA TOOLS BECOME A CRITICAL PART OF THIS WORK.
YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE TRACKING, SHARING, DISCUSSING AND ANALYZING, UM, THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AS PROJECT GRADUATION AND FOR THE WORK FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, UH, IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING THEM EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND STEPPING IN WHEN THEY NEED OUR HELP THE MOST.
UH, TWO OF THE SCREENSHOTS THAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE ARE TOOLS THAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH SYSTEM LEADERSHIP, SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, UM, THAT ARE UTILIZED AS PART OF THAT PROJECT GRADUATION TEAM TO REALLY GAIN A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT STUDENTS NEED TO DO.
AND THE FIRST PART IS THAT DETAILED GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS.
TYPICALLY THAT'S DONE BY ADMINISTRATORS AND COUNSELORS, AND THEY'RE GOING INTO EACH, UM, STUDENT AND THEY'RE LOOKING SPECIFICALLY WHERE DO THEY FIT IN THEIR CREDITS? WHERE DO THEY FIT IN THEIR GRADUATION REQUIRED ASSESSMENTS? HOW ARE THEY DOING IN THEIR STUDENT SERVICE LEARNING HOURS? AND AGAIN, TRACKING THEM FOR THE MOMENT THAT THEY START THE FIRST AS FIRST TIME NINTH GRADERS ALL THE WAY THROUGH GRADE 12.
UH, THE SECOND SCREENSHOT THAT YOU'LL SEE IS ANOTHER DATA DASHBOARD THAT WE HAVE FOR, UH, STUDENTS THAT ARE NOT ON TRACK.
AND THIS ALLOWS US TO SPECIFICALLY SAY, WHAT IS IT THAT THAT STUDENT NEEDS? YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE TO BRING IN, UH, MATH INTERVENTION SUPPORT? DO WE NEED TO BRING IN A LITERACY SUPPORTS? DO WE NEED TO PROVIDE THE STUDENT MORE TIME IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO MASTER THESE STANDARDS? AND SO THIS GIVES US A REALLY QUICK LOOK TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF, YOU KNOW, HOW MANY OF OUR KIDS, WHAT ARE WE DOING WELL, RIGHT? HOW MANY OF OUR KIDS ARE MEETING THE STUDENT SERVICE LEARNING HOURS VERSUS HOW MANY OF OUR KIDS ARE REALLY MEETING THE ACADEMIC CREDITS? AND SO THAT HELPS US AS A SCHOOL TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, NARROW OUR FOCUS INTO WHAT'S TRULY THE MOST IMPORTANT ROOT CAUSES HAPPENING FOR STUDENTS.
AND FINALLY, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2024 WE'RE BEGINNING GRADUATION SEASON.
UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU, UH, FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THIS INFORMATION FOR THE GRADUATION UPDATE, AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO GIVING YOU MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE GRADUATION COHORT OF 2024 AS MORE INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
UM, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE ALSO LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT OUR UPCOMING GRADUATION CEREMONIES.
WE'RE HAPPY TO OPEN IT UP IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
I HAVE A QUESTION, MS. HARVEY.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION.
I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
UH, FOR THE ACADEMIC INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE BEHIND OR WHO ARE NOT ON TRACK, IS THAT AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT AND HOW ARE PARENTS, UH, ENGAGED IN THAT PROCESS WHEN STUDENTS AREN'T ON TRACK? SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
UM, THE, THE REPORTS ARE CREATED, THE DASHBOARDS, UM, FLAG WHERE STUDENTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE AT A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME.
SO, AS MR. CONNOLLY SAID, THE COHORT PROCESS IS ACTUALLY A FOUR YEAR PROCESS AS THE STUDENTS ENTER HIGH SCHOOL.
SO SCHOOLS DON'T WAIT UNTIL KIDS ARE SENIORS TO LOOK AT THE DASHBOARD AND SAY, WE NEED TO INTERVENE BY THEN.
SO AT EACH LEVEL, THERE'S A SET OF CRITERIA THAT SAYS, BY THIS POINT, A STUDENT SHOULD HAVE X NUMBER OF STUDENT SERVICE LEARNING NUMBERS.
THEY SHOULD HAVE PASSED THIS, UH, ALGEBRA ONE.
THEY SHOULD HAVE PASSED ENGLISH 10 AT THIS POINT.
AND SO THE, THE, UM, THE SNAPSHOTS THAT WERE ON THE SLIDE ARE PART OF THE DASHBOARD THAT OUR SCHOOL TEAMS SEE.
AND THEY CAN IDENTIFY BY STUDENT WHERE THOSE GAPS ARE AND WHERE THE TRENDS ARE WITHIN THEIR SCHOOL.
SO IN TERMS OF INFORMING PARENTS, THAT CONVERSATION IS REALLY INDIVIDUALIZED BASED ON WHAT THE NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL ARE AND WHAT THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENT ARE.
SO DEPENDING ON THE SCHOOL, THE UH, PROJECT GRADUATION TEAM MAY SAY, WE HAVE THIS GROUP OF STUDENTS THAT NEED MORE MATHEMATICS INTERVENTION.
WE SEE THAT BASED ON THE BREAKDOWN OR THE COHORT.
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SO WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO TO PUT THEM TOGETHER, OR WHAT ARE WE GONNA OFFER THEM TO HELP THEM WITH THAT NEXT STEP? AND THOSE INTERVENTIONS LOOK DIFFERENTLY DEPENDING ON WHERE THE STUDENT IS IN HIGH SCHOOL, WHETHER THEY'RE IN NINTH GRADE, 10TH GRADE, 11TH GRADE, OR 12TH GRADE, OR SOMEWHERE IN, IN BETWEEN GRADES BASED ON THEIR CREDITS.UM, AND FRANKLY, WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT SOME OF THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS ARE, SOME STUDENTS HAVE, UM, ALL OF THEIR STUDENT SERVICE LEARNING HOURS COMING INTO HIGH SCHOOL.
SOME HAVE, SOME HAVE ZERO OR NONE SO IT, IT RE IT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHERE THEY ARE.
UM, BUT WHAT THE DASHBOARDS ALLOW THE SCHOOLS TO DO IS INDIVIDUALIZE THOSE INTERVENTIONS.
SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION IN TERMS OF HOW THEY WORK WITH, WITH, WITH PARENTS.
BUT IT, IT REALLY IS DEPENDENT ON THE SCHOOL AND ON WHERE THE STUDENT IS AND WHAT INTERVENTIONS THE SCHOOL'S GONNA OFFER.
IT PARTIALLY DOES, I JUST WANNA BE CLEAR IN MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IF A, A STUDENT IS NOT ON TRACK, THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE AN INTERVENTION FROM THE SYSTEM IN WHATEVER AREA THEY'RE LAGGING BEHIND.
AND THEN THE SECOND PART TO THAT QUESTION IS, IF A STUDENT REMAINS BEHIND YEAR OVER YEAR, DO THE INTERVENTIONS GET PROGRESSIVELY MORE INTENSIVE? YEAH.
SO THE, THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES AND YES, BECAUSE TO, TO MAINTAIN IT'S FOR, FOR THIS GRADUATION RATE AND TO ENSURE STUDENTS ARE ON TIME GRADUATES, THE STAKES BECOME INCREASINGLY HIGHER AS STUDENTS PROGRESS THROUGH THEIR EDUCATIONAL CAREER AND HAVEN'T MET THESE REQUIREMENTS.
SO THE, THE INTER INTERVENTIONS CAN BECOME MORE INTENSIVE, SO TO SPEAK.
UM, SOME OF THE INTERVENTIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, WHETHER IT'S SPARK, UH, EDLP, UH, CERTAIN COURSES THAT ADMINISTRATORS HAVE, HAVE, HAVE SET UP, OR IF IT'S STUDENT SERVICE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES OR ENSURING THAT STUDENTS ARE TESTED AT A SPECIFIC TIME TO MEET THOSE OTHER REQUIREMENTS.
UM, THAT'S WHAT THE, THE DASHBOARD ALLOWS.
I THINK THE CHALLENGE ADMINISTRATORS HAVE AS WELL, IS WHEN STUDENTS TRANSFER IN OR OUT OF THE SYSTEM, THEY'RE STILL BEHOLDEN TO THAT COHORT FROM WHEN THEY STARTED THE NINTH GRADE.
SO IT'S A REAL CHALLENGE FOR OUR ADMINISTRATORS TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE ON TOP OF, UM, ALL THE COHORTS.
AND THEY MIGHT FIND THEMSELVES WORKING WITH A STUDENT FOR THE FIRST TIME, UM, WHO IS SUPPO, YOU KNOW, IN THE COHORT THAT'S ABOUT TO GRADUATE THAT YEAR, BUT THAT'S THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE BEEN IN A BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL.
SO, UM, THE LEVEL OF INTERVENTION IS GONNA BE MUCH, UH, MORE INTENSE FOR THAT STUDENT TO GET THEM THROUGH THIS COHORT YEAR THAN, THAN PERHAPS ANOTHER STUDENT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS MS. AL? UM, THANK YOU.
THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD REPORT AND IT'S, IT'S GOOD TO HEAR SOME GREAT THINGS ACTUALLY ABOUT THE GRADUATING CLASSES, UM, FROM 2023 AS WELL AS WHAT WE SEE HAPPENING FOR 2024.
UM, SO MY QUESTION, I HAVE TWO DIFFERENT QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST ONE IS FROM OUR SLIDE THREE, WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT THIS ADJUSTED COHORT, UM, GRADUATION RATE.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ADJUSTED COHORT GRADUATION RATE? SURE.
SO, UM, SO THE FIRST TIME NINTH GRADERS ARE THE COHORT.
SO ALL THE KIDS THAT HAD STARTED NINTH GRADE FOR THE FIRST TIME MM-HMM.
BUT WHERE THE ADJUSTMENT COMES IN IS THAT IT'S NOT A, JUST A PURE MODEL.
THIS KID WALKED INTO NINTH GRADE AND THEY LEAVE A 12TH GRADE, KIDS MOVE AROUND A LOT.
AND SO IT HAPPENS NOT ONLY WITHIN THE COUNTY, BUT IT HAPPENS ACROSS THE STATE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND OF COURSE, INTERNATIONALLY AS WELL.
SO THAT ADJUSTED COHORT RATE IS WHERE MSDE, AFTER WE HAVE ALL OF OUR END OF YEAR FILES AND ATTENDANCE AND GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS AND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WE SUBMIT THROUGH A HIGH SCHOOL DATA COLLECTION FILE, THEY UTILIZE THAT INFORMATION AND THEY COME BACK AND THEY ADJUST THE NUMBERS.
OH, WE FOUND THIS STUDENT IN, LET'S SAY BALTIMORE CITY, SO THEY DON'T COUNT FOR YOUR COHORT ANYMORE.
SO THAT STUDENT'S REMOVED FROM THE DENOMINATOR BECAUSE NOW THEY'RE A BALTIMORE CITY STUDENT, OR WE FOUND OUT THAT THIS STUDENT WENT TO A PRIVATE SCHOOL, AND SO WE'RE TAKING THEM OFF YOUR BOOKS.
WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT WE REFER TO AS HANGING TRANSFERS.
THEY'RE KIDS THAT HAVE TRANSFERRED FROM ONE SCHOOL TO ANOTHER SCHOOL, BUT THE RECORDS WERE NEVER REQUESTED.
SO THE INFORMATION TO FOLLOW IS A CHASE DOWN, RIGHT? WITH THE PPW, WITH ADMINISTRATORS AND, YOU KNOW, JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KNOW WHERE KIDS ARE, BUT IT'S NOT A PERFECT MODEL BECAUSE THERE ARE TIMES WHERE KIDS, YOU KNOW, MOVE AND THEY DON'T REQUEST OTHER RECORDS.
AND SO THAT ADJUSTED COHORT IS REALLY ABOUT MARYLAND LOOKING ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE AND MOVING SOME STUDENTS FROM ONE, UM, UH, LEA LOCAL EDUCATION AGENCY TO ANOTHER BASED ON ADJUSTMENTS THAT WERE NECESSARY BECAUSE OF ENROLLMENT.
SO A STUDENT WHO STARTED WITH THE SYSTEM BUT DIDN'T FINISH
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WITH THE SYSTEM WOULD NOT BE IN THAT NUMBER.IF THAT STUDENT IS LOCATED IN ANOTHER EDUCATIONAL, UM, SYSTEM MM-HMM,
THEY MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE INITIAL COHORT, BUT NOT IN THE EXITING COHORT.
AND THEN WHAT ABOUT A STUDENT THAT DIDN'T START WITH US IN BCPS AND THEN DOES GRADUATE? IS THAT, YEAH, IT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF, UH, AT TIMES THAT CAN BE ONE OF THE GREATER CHALLENGES BECAUSE THAT STUDENT DOES COUNT AS A FIRST TIME NINTH GRADER, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY WERE A FIRST TIME NINTH GRADER IN BALTIMORE COUNTY OR ANYWHERE ELSE.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE OFTENTIMES SEE THAT WE HAVE THIS INTERVENTION PLAN IN PLACE THAT'S SCAFFOLDED.
SO THE INTERVENTIONS BECOME MORE INTENSE AS STUDENTS' NEEDS BECOME HIGHER AND THE FINISH LINE BECOMES CLOSER.
WELL, IF THE STUDENT WALKS IN RIGHT AWAY AT THE FINISH LINE AND THEY'RE WAY BEHIND, WE HAVE TO TAKE A VERY DIFFERENT APPROACH.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT DOES PLAY INTO IT AS WELL.
AND THEN THE, THE NEXT PIECE JUST TIES INTO WHAT I THINK MS. HARVEY WAS SAYING.
UM, SO MY QUESTION IS ABOUT THAT TRANSITION.
SO IF WE ARE TRANSITIONING BETWEEN BCPS SCHOOLS, BECAUSE ALL THE SCHOOLS HAVE ACCESS TO THIS DASHBOARD, THEY'RE STILL ABLE TO CAPTURE ALL OF THAT INFORMATION THAT, THAT, UM, THE STUDENT NEEDS FOR ACADEMIC INTERVENTIONS SO THAT STUDENT CAN STILL RECEIVE THEM.
AND ANOTHER THING THAT IS A PART OF THE PROCESS, AND THAT I WAS REMISS TO MENTION IN MY APOLOGIES, IS THAT THIS COMMUNICATION ISN'T HAPPENING JUST WITHIN THE SCHOOL.
IT'S HAPPENING ACROSS SCHOOLS THROUGH EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP, UM, AS THEY'RE MONITORING.
SO IF THERE ARE CONCERNS, YOU KNOW, THOSE KINDS OF DISCUSSIONS, UM, THE, THE, THE, UH, MECHANISMS FOR THOSE ARE ALREADY IN PLACE.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE VERY COMFORTABLE CA YOU KNOW, CALLING ANOTHER SCHOOL AND SAYING, HEY, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US IN ADDITION TO WHAT I SEE THAT WILL HELP THIS CHILD BE SUCCESSFUL? YOU'RE WELCOME, MS. LICHTER.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION AND ALL THE DIFFERENT DATA POINTS.
I'M LOOKING AT SLIDE FOUR THAT HAS, UM, THREE REALLY GOOD TRENDING DATA POINTS AS FAR AS THE PERCENTAGES OF GAIN.
WE'VE HAD PROJECT GRADUATION FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
UM, AND IT'S ALWAYS, IN ITS CONCEPT WAS ALWAYS SOUND, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GAINING MORE TRACTION.
SO CAN YOU POINT TO ONE OR TWO THINGS THAT YOU THINK ARE MAKING THESE, UM, SCORES RISE OR SOMETHING DIFFERENT WITH IT? WHAT, WHAT ARE WE DOING DIFFERENTLY THAT IS MAKING, UM, THIS TREND HAPPEN? SO, UH, SO I'D LIKE MR. CONNOLLY TO ANSWER THAT, BUT I, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A, A FROM MY LENS, MS. LICHTER, UM, LAST, HAVING BEEN A PRINCIPAL IN 2019, AND THEN TRANSITIONING TO THIS ROLE THIS YEAR, UM, SEEING WHAT, HOW THE DASHBOARDS HAVE TRANSFORMED AND THE, THE DATA THAT IS AVAILABLE TO OUR SCHOOL TEAMS AND TO THE DISTRICT.
WE ARE LIGHT YEARS AHEAD OF WHERE WE WERE BACK IN 2019 AND, AND HOW DEEP WE CAN, WE CAN DIVE INTO AN INDIVIDUAL STUDENT'S NEEDS AND REALLY LOOK AT THE SCHOOL'S OVERALL PICTURE.
UM, BACK THEN IT WAS, UM, WE WERE SHUFFLING SPREADSHEETS AND WE WERE KEEPING TRACK OF A LOT OF THINGS MANUALLY.
UM, DRAA HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB IN WORKING WITH THE SCHOOLS.
THE, THE DASHBOARD IS REALLY THE RESULT OF WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL TEAMS TO GIVE THEM WHAT THEY NEED SO THAT THEY CAN BE RESPONSIVE AND PROVIDE THOSE INTER INTERVENTIONS, UM, AS NEEDED, UM, AND A MUCH MORE FLUID BASIS.
SO, KEVIN, NO, THAT, THAT WAS A WONDERFUL EXPLANATION, DR.
UH, WHAT I'D LIKE TO JUST SUPPLEMENT THAT WITH IS THAT WHEN YOU STAND SOMETHING UP FOR THE FIRST TIME, YOU LOOK FOR CONSISTENCY, RIGHT? WE WANT EVERYONE TO DO THIS, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA ANALYZE AND REFLECT UPON OUR WORK THAT HAS LED TO SINCE 2020, UM, A, A HUGE CHANGE IN THE WAY THAT WE APPROACH PROJECT GRADUATION FROM HAVING EVERYBODY IN ONE ROOM AND REPORTING OUT TO THE SAME QUESTIONS, TO REALLY TAKING AN INDIVIDUALIZED SCHOOL-BASED APPROACH, AND THEN SHARING BEST PRACTICES.
THIS IS WHAT'S WORKING FOR US, THIS IS WHAT, UH, WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH.
HOW ABOUT FOR YOU GUYS? AND THAT'S WHERE THAT KIND OF CROSS POLLINATION BECOMES SO IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW OUR STUDENTS, WE KNOW OUR WORK, BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER AND APPLY BEST PRACTICES.
THIS IS A, I'M GLAD TO SEE THE DATA GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
AND SO WHO IS A PART OF THE PROJECT, PROJECT GRADUATION TEAM? SURE.
SO IT STARTS OFF WITH, UM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS WHO OVERSEE MULTIPLE SCHOOLS, AND THEY WORK WITH THEIR PRINCIPALS AND THEIR PRINCIPALS ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM AND THEIR LEADERSHIP TEAM TO REALLY PUT IN PLACE A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW.
AND THEN IT GOES DOWN TO THOSE FOLKS THAT ACTUALLY WORK DIRECTLY WITH KIDS, WHETHER THAT'S FROM THE SEL STANDPOINT OR WHETHER THAT'S PPWS, NURSES, COUNSELORS.
IT'S A VERY COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH.
AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ALSO HAVE A SIX YEAR PLAN MODEL THAT FOLLOWS KIDS FROM SEVENTH GRADE THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT ALSO ADDS TO THE CONTEXT AND THE DEPTH OF OUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT A STUDENT NEEDS TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
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SO WHAT ROLE DOES THE PARENT HAVE IN THE SIX YEAR PLAN? SO THAT, UM, IS NOT AN AREA OF EXPERTISE FOR ME, BUT WHAT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU IS THAT IDEALLY, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS ARE MEETING WITH A COUNSELOR AND THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THEIR AMBITIONS AND, AND THEIR GOALS AND WHAT THEY WANT TO ACCOMPLISH.AND A SUMMARY IS CREATED FROM THAT IN A PORTAL THAT PARENTS HAVE ACCESS TO.
YOU CAN SEND EMAILS BACK AND FORTH TO THE COUNSELOR.
AND, UH, AND THE STUDENT AND THE PARENT ARE INVOLVED IN CRAFTING A PLAN AND, YOU KNOW, THEN PUTTING THE PLAN INTO ACTION.
UM, AND THEN
AND, UM, AND SO I JUST FEEL LIKE PARENTS SHOULDN'T HAVE TO ASK THAT IT SHOULD BE A PART OF THEIR, THE FOCUS OR SCHOOLOGY OR SOMETHING, UM, SO THAT PARENTS CAN KEEP REFERRING TO IT.
AND I KNOW WITH BLUEPRINT IN THIS WHOLE PUSH NOW WITH CAREER COUNSELORS, HOW DO YOU ALL ENVISION THEM, UM, LAYERING INTO THIS PROJECT GRADUATION AND SIX YEAR PLANS? UM, WHERE, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? I'LL TAKE THAT ONE.
PART OF, UH, WHAT I THINK WE NEED TO MENTION IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN A CONCERTED EFFORT THIS YEAR, UH, TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT OUR COUNSELING PROGRAM, UH, WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THAT INDIVIDUALIZED, UM, UH, SUPPORT TO STUDENTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAMILIES TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK AS WELL AS OUR COUNSELORS AND OUR STUDENTS.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU WILL SEE IN THIS COMING YEAR IS, UM, OUR, UH, NEW PLAN IN TERMS OF HOW WE'RE COUNSELING, HOW WE'RE BRINGING IN ALL STAKEHOLDERS.
AND, UM, BECAUSE WE ARE MOVING, UH, BASED ON BOARD APPROVAL, WE HAVE HAVE MOVED TO A DIFFERENT VENDOR, UM, YOU'LL SEE THE CHANGES THAT COME WITH THAT PLAN.
UH, BUT YOUR, UH, POINT ABOUT, UH, PARENTS, UH, BEING NOTIFIED ABOUT THE, UH, PLAN IS DULY NOTED.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE CAREER COUNSELORS, THE CAREER COUNSELORS, WE REALLY SEE THEIR ROLE AS HELPING US, UH, IN MAKING SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE COLLEGE CAREER AND COMMUNITY READY.
THAT STUDENTS DO NOT HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN COLLEGE OR CAREER.
THAT THEY'RE REALLY PAIRING THEM WITH OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST WITHIN THEIR HIGH SCHOOL OR WITHIN, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR HIGHER, UH, EDUCATION PARTNERS OR APPRENTICESHIPS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
UH, IN TERMS OF PROJECT GRADUATION, WHERE I WOULD SEE IF I PUT ON MY FORMER, UM, HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL HAT ON IS A CAREER, UH, COUNSELOR BEING RIGHT THERE AT THE TABLE.
BECAUSE SOMETIMES WHAT YOU'RE DOING AS YOU'RE GOING STUDENT BY STUDENT, THE STUDENT'S ON THE NON ON TRACK LIST, IS YOU'RE TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT'S THAT HOOK, WHAT'S THAT AREA OF INTEREST, WHO'S THAT PERSON WHO'S GOING TO BE THE POINT PERSON TO CONTINUE TO CHECK ON THAT STUDENT? SO THAT MIGHT BE THE CONSTRUCTION TEACHER, IT MIGHT BE THE ENGINEERING TEACHER.
AND SO THAT, THAT IS WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN FORESEE THEM IN THE FUTURE HAVING A ROLE.
UM, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT BRINGING ON 25 CAREER NAVIGATORS INTO OUR HIGH SCHOOLS NEXT YEAR.
UH, BUT WE ALL SEE IT ALL WORKING FOR THE GOOD OF OUR STUDENTS.
UH, MR. YOUNG, I JUST WANNA QUICKLY REVISIT, UM, THE FOUR YEAR ADJUSTED COHORT GRADUATION.
YOU SAID EARLIER THAT IF THEY LEAVE OUR SYSTEM AND GO TO ANOTHER, UM, EDUCATION AGENCY, THEY'RE REMOVED FROM OURS.
SO TO ME, THAT MEANS THEY LEAVE BALTIMORE GO TO ANOTHER SCHOOL AS OPPOSED TO DROP OUT.
SO WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE DROPOUT NUMBER? HOW DID IT, AND I KNOW WE'RE TRACKING THAT, BUT HOW DOES THAT ALSO FACTOR INTO, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBERS, THE PERCENTAGES? SURE.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT SITUATIONS THAT MAY OCCUR FOR STUDENTS THAT WOULD LEAD THEM TO NOT BEING INCLUDED IN WHO WE GRADUATE.
AND SO, DROPOUTS IS ONE, AND THERE'S A WHOLE VARIETY OF REASONS THAT STUDENTS MAY DROP OUT.
IT IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP OUR STUDENTS.
UM, AND SO THE DROPOUTS WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, ONE OUT OF THE DENOMINATOR, BUT I MEAN, ONE OUT OF THE NUMERATOR, BUT NOT OUT OF THE DENOMINATOR, THEY STILL COUNT FOR THE WHOLE DENOMINATOR.
SO WE'RE STILL ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT STUDENT.
AND MR. YOUNG, THAT'S A, IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR US AS WELL.
SO MR. CONNOLLY MENTIONED HANGING TRANSFERS AS WELL.
AND SO WE MIGHT GET A, A, A, UM, A STUDENT SAYS, I'M MOVING OUTTA STATE, OR I'M MOVING TO ANOTHER PLACE.
IF THEY DON'T, WE DON'T GET AN OFFICIAL RECORDS REQUEST AND WE CAN'T TRACK THAT THEY MOVE TO ANOTHER STATE OR WHAT HAVE YOU, AND HAVE THAT IN THEIR FILE.
MSDE DOES NOT LET US CODE THEM THAT WAY.
AND THEY, AND THAT STUDENT MAY HAVE CONTINUED THEIR EDUCATION SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT THEY COULD ESSENTIALLY BE CODED AS A DROPOUT.
THEY WOULD COUNT AGAINST US BECAUSE WE CAN'T PROVE TO THE STATE
[01:25:01]
THAT THEY ENROLLED SOMEWHERE ELSE OUT OF STATE.LIKEWISE, IF WE HAVE A STUDENT THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH AND THAT IS ON TRACK AND THEY LEAVE US IN MARCH OR APRIL OF THEIR SENIOR YEAR, AND THEY'RE ABOUT TO GRADUATE, SOME OTHER LUCKY SCHOOL DISTRICT MIGHT GET THEM AND GET, AND GET THEM AS A GRADUATE AS WELL.
SO, UM, IT'S, IT'S THAT CONTINUAL, UH, MOVEMENT OF GRADUATES THAT MSDE IS TRACKING, AND IT ALL PLAYS INTO THAT NUMBER.
SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
[K. REPORT - ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION (Dr. DiDonato) (8:10 - 8:25 p.m.)]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE REPORT ON ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION, AND FOR THAT, I CALL ON DR. ROGERS.MONDOR AND MR. JAMAL ARE GOING TO COME FORWARD.
WE ARE PLEASED TO PROVIDE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION WITH AN UPDATE ON OUR, OUR ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMMING OPTIONS AND OUR NEXT STEPS FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR THAT I THINK DR.
MONDOR, YOU'RE GONNA GET US STARTED.
I'M GONNA, ACTUALLY, I'M GONNA ACTUALLY GET US STARTED.
DITO, TURN IT OVER TO THE CLICKER IS ON THE WAY.
UH, THIS GENTLEMAN NEXT ME, OH, I NEED TO CLICK IT MYSELF.
IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? I WAS JUST, I WAS JUST MESSING.
I THOUGHT THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID.
I WAS LIKE, OKAY, I CAN DO THAT.
SO, UH, GOOD EVENING, UH, BOARD CHAIR, BOOKER DWYER, SUPERINTENDENT ROGERS, AND THE REST OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
UM, WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO SHARE WITH YOU, UM, AN UPDATE ON, UH, ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION AND PROVIDE YOU, UM, SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE CURRENT STATE AS WELL AS, UM, SEEING VERY EXCITING CHANGES ABOUT OUR FUTURE STATE.
SO I'M GONNA ACTUALLY TURN IT OVER TO THE TWO GENTLEMEN TO MY LEFT.
UH, THIS SLIDE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT NOW, UH, SHOWS OUR CURRENT ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMMING OPTIONS.
SOME ARE IN PERSON, A COUPLE ARE VIRTUAL, AND TWO HAVE BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL OPTIONS.
OUR IN-PERSON ENVIRONMENTS INCLUDE OUR FOUR ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS AND OUR EVENING PROGRAM, WHICH YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT.
IT IS CALLED THE EXTENDED DAY LEARNING PROGRAM, OR AFFECTIONATELY CALLED EDLP.
OUR CURRENT VIRTUAL OPTIONS ARE E-LEARNING AND THE VIRTUAL LEARNING PROGRAM, OR VLP, THE CATONSVILLE CENTER FOR ALTERNATIVE STUDIES HAS BOTH IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS, ALSO ARE HOME TUTORS, NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH HOME AND HOSPITAL TUTORS ARE USUALLY VIRTUAL, BUT COULD ALSO PROVIDE IN-PERSON INSTRUCTION WHEN APPROPRIATE.
THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS THE BOARD'S DEFINITION FOR ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION IN BCPS.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE LATTER PART OF THE DEFINITION, WHICH EXPRESSES THE NEEDS FOR COMPARABLE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES AND APPROPRIATE BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT SERVICES TO PROMOTE SUCCESSFUL RETURN TO THE STUDENT'S REGULAR ACADEMIC PROGRAM.
THERE ARE GENERALLY THREE REASONS FOR PLACEMENT TO ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMMING.
THE MOST COMMON ONE IS A DISCIPLINARY PLACEMENT.
THE GUIDANCE FOR DISCIPLINARY PLACEMENTS TO AN ALTERNATIVE ENVIRONMENT COMES DIRECTLY FROM SUPERINTENDENT'S RULE 55 61, WHICH IS, UM, QUOTED UP THERE ON THE LEFT.
HEARING OFFICERS ALSO MAKE SAFETY PLACEMENTS WHEN THERE IS A SAFETY CONCERN RELATED TO CONTINUED ENROLLMENT IN A SCHOOL LOCATION.
THE THIRD PRIMARY REASON FOR A PLACEMENT IS A PROGRAM REVIEW IN WHICH PARENTS AND GUARDIANS WORK WITH ADMINISTRATORS AND MUTUALLY AGREE THAT THE STUDENT WOULD BENEFIT FROM A TEMPORARY PLACEMENT IN AN ALTERNATIVE ENVIRONMENT.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO TURN THE PRESENTATION OVER TO NAJIB, JAMAL.
THIS SLIDE HERE, UH, SHARES THE ENROLLMENT DATA FROM THIS YEAR.
IT GIVES YOU THREE CRITICAL POINTS DURING THE YEAR, SEPTEMBER, DECEMBER, AND AS OF MAY 1ST DATA POINTS FOR STUDENT ENROLLMENT.
ON THE LEFT, YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBER OF SEATS THAT ARE AVAILABLE AT ANY GIVEN TIME, TOTALING 438 SEATS.
YOU COULD SEE THE PROGRESSION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR THAT THERE'S A BUILDUP IN ENROLLMENT AT THE ALTERNATIVE LEARNING CENTERS WITH ROUGHLY ABOUT 70%, JUST UNDER 75% AT THE MIDDLE OF THE YEAR.
AND JUST OVER 70% AS OF, UH, MAY 1ST.
SO, WHEN WE START TO THINK ABOUT ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION NEXT YEAR, YOU KNOW, WE ARE EXCITED TO SHARE SOME OF THESE, UM, SOME OF THESE HIGHLIGHTS THAT HAVE BEEN SHARED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
SO NEXT YEAR, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, FOUR ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS WILL BE HOSTING VIRTUAL LEARNING AS AN OPTION, AND THAT'LL BE FOR STUDENTS IN SIX TO 12.
AND IN THOSE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS, WHAT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AS BEING A PART OF THAT.
SO, STUDENTS WHO FORMALLY JUST HAD ACCESS TO A VIRTUAL LEARNING, NOW BECAUSE THEY'RE COHABITED IN A FACILITY, THEY'LL
[01:30:01]
ALSO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.WE KNOW THAT THAT PROVIDES THEM WITH AN ASSET-BASED APPROACH, AND IT HELPS REALLY GENERATE, UM, YOU KNOW, IT HELPS STRENGTHEN THE CONNECTIONS AND GENERATE OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS.
WE ARE ALSO EXCITED ABOUT THE OPTION FOR FLEXIBLE PROGRAMMING AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE COHABITING IN ONE FACILITY.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT AS WELL.
AND THAT IS OUR PRESENTATION THAT GO RIGHT BACK.
UM, THE INCREASED ACCESS TO WRAPAROUND SERVICES AND THE MANDATORY THERAPY IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO WHEN WE ARE IN PERSON.
SO THAT WAS ONE THING TO ADDRESS AS WELL.
I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE FINISHED.
UM, YOU ALL, ARE WE FINISHED? WE ARE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK, UH, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MORE GREASABLE OF OFFENSES OTHER THAN FIGHTING ARE STUDENTS PLACED IN ALTERNATIVE UH, EDUCATION PROGRAMS? AND SECONDLY, WHAT'S THE LENGTH OF STAY AT THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL AND DOES IT DEPEND ON THE OFFENSE? SO, DR.
SAVOY, UM, IN TERMS OF THE OFFENSE, UH, EGREGIOUS OFFENSE IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CODE OF CONDUCT, UM, CAN, UH, YOU KNOW, HAVE A STUDENT, UH, END UP IN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL.
SO, UH, THAT COULD BE, UH, BEYOND FIGHTING.
IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, HAVING A, UH, WEAPON, UM, OR SOME OTHER, UM, EGREGIOUS OFFENSE, UH, CHRONIC, UH, DISRUPTION AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
THE TIME, THE LENGTH OF TIME IS DEPENDENT ON, UH, THE SUSPENSION, IF THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL FROM A SCHOOL OF CONDUCT HEARING OFFICER.
UM, AS PART OF THE PROCESS, THERE IS A CERTAIN LENGTH OF TIME THAT IS ASSIGNED, UM, UP TO 45 DAYS.
BUT STUDENTS CAN ALSO GO TO ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS BASED ON A PROGRAM REVIEW.
UM, A PROGRAM REVIEW MIGHT BE FOR A STUDENT THAT'S IN NEED OF A SMALLER SCHOOL SETTING THAT'S IN NEED OF MORE WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
UM, AND IN THAT CASE, A FAMILY WORKS TOGETHER AND PARTNERS WITH THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL, UM, AND THEY CAN CONTINUE TO EXTEND THEIR TIME IN ALTERNATIVE, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE A STUDENT MIGHT HAVE GONE FOR A QUARTER AFTER A PRETTY ROUGH TRANSITION, A FAMILY CAN COME TOGETHER WITH THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL AND CHOOSE, UM, THAT THEIR CHILD IS BEING SUCCESSFUL, THEY ARE EARNING CREDITS, AND THEY WANT THEIR CHILD, UH, TO CONTINUE TO MATRICULATE IN THOSE SCHOOLS.
OKAY, MR. YOUNG, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO MS. HEN.
AND THEN MS. HARVEY, DO YOU HAVE LISTED ON THE, UM, SCHOOL YEAR 24 25 PROGRAMMING OP OPTIONS THAT, FOR THAT GRADES FOUR AND FIVE WILL BE, UM, BCPS ONLINE LEARNING PROGRAM? ARE THERE, IS THERE ANYTHING IN PLACE TODAY FOR THOSE GRADES OR IS THAT KIND OF A OUTGROWTH OF STUDYING AND SEEING WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THOSE STUDENTS? UM, CURRENTLY FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS CAN, UM, RECEIVE ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION SERVICES IN THE ONLINE LEARNING PROGRAM IN OUR VLP PROGRAM.
AND THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
THIS WAS EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE AND HELPFUL, SO I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME THIS EVENING.
UM, MY FIRST QUESTION IS, THE STATE, UM, RECENTLY RELEASED A REPORT ON DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS SHOWING WHAT WE KNOW AND THAT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARS TEND TO BE THE HARDEST IN TERMS OF BEHAVIORAL INFRACTIONS.
UM, SEEING THE CROSSROADS CENTER NUMBERS, AND THIS IS HELPFUL TO SEE THESE NUMBERS WITH 120 SEATS, THE ENROLLMENT BEING 74, THERE APPEAR TO BE VACANCIES, WHICH IS SURPRISING, UM, GIVEN WHAT WE KNOW IN OUR SCHOOLS, THE NEED FOR THOSE ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENTS.
UM, ONE CONCERN THAT I HAVE HEARD FROM OUR SCHOOLS IS THAT PLACEMENT CAN BE DIFFICULT FROM A TIMING, UM, STANDPOINT IN THAT THE PROCESS, UM, WHAT I'VE HEARD IS THAT IT SEEMS TO TAKE A LONG TIME, UM, FOR A STUDENT TO BE CONSIDERED FOR PLACEMENT OR TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF RECEIVING A PLACEMENT.
THAT'S ONE CONCERN IF YOU COULD ADDRESS, UM, THE SECOND IS THAT SHOULD THAT PLACEMENT PROCESS BEGIN NEAR THE END OF A SCHOOL YEAR AND IT NOT COMPLETE, WHAT I'VE HEARD IS THAT THE, THE PROCESS STARTS AT STEP ONE, THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL YEAR, WHICH LENGTHENS
[01:35:01]
THAT TIME, IF YOU COULD ADDRESS THAT.UM, THE THIRD CONCERN I'VE HEARD IS THAT STUDENTS, UM, STAY IN THE ALTERNATIVE PLACE.
THEIR STAY IS MUCH SHORTER THAN HISTORICALLY, UM, WITHIN BCPS.
AND THAT DESPITE BEING SATISFIED WITH THEIR PLACEMENT, PARENTAL SATISFACTION WITH THE PLACEMENT, UM, THEY'RE BEING RETURNED TO THEIR HOME ZONE SCHOOLS MUCH SHORTER.
SO GIVEN THAT WE DO SEEM TO HAVE SEATS, AT LEAST AT, UM, CROSSROADS, WE ARE SEEING INCREASED BEHAVIORS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT, UM, BE SUITABLE FOR AN ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENT.
COULD YOU ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS, DR. ROGERS? WE'LL START.
UM, I'M GONNA TRY TO REMEMBER ALL THE PARTS, SO YOU MIGHT HAVE TO HELP ME.
UM, THE FIRST PIECE, IN TERMS OF THE, UH, ENROLLMENT, UH, IT IS CORRECT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS HERE, AS OF MAY 1ST, UH, THERE ARE SEATS, BUT AS YOU'VE UH ALLUDED TO, THERE IS A PROCESS FOR STUDENTS TO GET IN.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED MOST RECENTLY IS WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITIES TO SIT DOWN WITH, UM, I I WOULD CALL, UH, THIS PERSON AN ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION EXPERT, WHO HAD, UH, MANY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND PROVIDED CRITICAL CONTEXT FOR US IN TERMS OF BCPS, UM, ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION, AND REALLY REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT FOR ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS, NOT ONLY BEING SCHOOLS WHEREBY STUDENTS WITH INCREASED, UM, BEHAVIORAL DIFFICULTIES CAN RECEIVE THE SERVICES, BUT ALSO ANOTHER GROUP OF STUDENTS.
UM, EITHER, YOU KNOW, STUDENTS THAT NEED, UM, OTHER SUPPORTS IN A SMALLER ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ROBUST MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS.
AND YOU SEE THAT BULLET THAT, UH, WE WENT BACK TO ABOUT THE MANDATORY, UM, THERAPY.
UH, WHEN PEOPLE IDENTIFY THAT THE AMOUNT OF TIMING IN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS SEEMS TO BE SHORTER THAN IT USED TO BE, THAT IS CORRECT.
AND THAT IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE LAW, THE CHANGES IN THE LAW.
UH, WHEREAS IN THE PAST, UM, YOU KNOW, SCHOOL SYSTEMS COULD DICTATE QUARTERS OR DIFFERENT TIMES THAT MADE SENSE FOR STUDENTS TO MOVE IN AND OUT, CHANGES IN DISCIPLINARY LAWS, UM, CORRELATED TO AN A FRACTION OF CERTAIN MAXIMUM NUMBER OF DAYS.
AND SO THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO EBB AND FLOW AT THE END OF A QUARTER, WHICH IS WHAT WE WOULD NORMALLY LIKE.
UM, WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, UH, PART OF OUR WORK AND OUR COMMITMENT IS TO HAVE THOSE, UH, CONVERSATIONS, MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE LEVERAGING OUR GRANTS FOR THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS, AND ALSO WORKING WITH PARENTS BECAUSE IF PARENTS DO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM REVIEW AND SAY THAT THEY WANT THEIR, UM, STUDENT TO STAY THERE BECAUSE THEY'RE MEETING WITH SUCCESS, AND WE HAVE CLEAR ESTABLISHED CRITERIA OF SUCCESS, UM, A AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE AMOUNT OF TIME CAN BE EXTENDED FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
UH, YOU HAD ONE LAST PART THAT I CAN'T RECALL.
I THINK YOU TOUCHED ON A LOT THAT, OKAY.
UM, THE, THE TIMING, THE, THE PLACEMENT IS WHAT FOLKS SEEM TO BE MOST FRUSTRATED WITH.
THE, THE PROCESS OF JUST GETTING THE PLACEMENT AND GETTING TO THAT STAGE.
AND I KNOW A LOT OF THAT IS DICTATED, AS YOU SAID, BY, BY LAW, AND IT REQUIRES THE SUPERINTENDENT'S APPROVAL OR YOUR DESIGNEE TO APPROVE THAT PLACEMENT, AND IT GOES THROUGH MULTIPLE ITERATIONS TO GET THERE.
AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THE LAW ALSO REQUIRES, OR HAVE WE LOOKED AT A MORE EXPEDITED AND IT IT DEPENDS ON THE SITUATION, OBVIOUSLY, BUT CAN, SO I WILL TELL YOU, DR. JONES, OUR CHIEF OF SCHOOLS WORKS DIRECTLY WITH OUR, UM, UH, SAFETY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND OUR SCHOOL OF CONDUCT HEARING OFFICERS.
THEY HAVE STREAMLINED PROCESSES.
THEY MEET ON A REGULAR BASIS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S COHERENCE, UH, NOW ACROSS THE SYSTEM, UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT WITH OUR COMMITMENT TO INFRASTRUCTURE IS HOW WE CAN INCREASE EFFICIENCY.
WE SPECIFICALLY SPOKE ABOUT, UM, AND I THINK IT WAS TWO DAYS AGO, UH, THE END OF THE YEAR, THINGS THAT HAPPEN AT THE END OF THE YEAR, OR THINGS THAT HAPPEN AT THE MIDDLE OF FOURTH QUARTER, WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE, UH, REMAINING PART OF THE YEAR, BUT ALSO WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE FALL, UH, FOR STUDENTS.
AND SO WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT BASED ON OUR COLLABORATION AND EARLY COMMUNICATION, THAT, UH, WE WILL BE ABLE TO ENHANCE SOME OF THESE PROCEDURES, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE IN ALIGNMENT WITH WHAT COMMAR REQUIRES US TO DO AROUND STUDENT DISCIPLINE.
SO IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU GUYS LIKE TO ADD, I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THAT, THAT, UH, YOU'RE RIGHT THAT IT DEPENDS ON THE SITUATION.
SO WHEN IT'S A DISCIPLINARY PLACEMENT, THERE ARE SOME VERY STRICT TIMELINES THAT NEED TO BE FOLLOWED AND ADHERED TO FOR THE STUDENT TO BE PLACED IN A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT.
HOWEVER, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A PROGRAM REVIEW, WE, WE REALLY WANT IT TO BE A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT AND ONE THAT IS MUTUALLY AGREED, AGREED UPON AS WAS DEFINED IN THE SLIDE.
SO SOMETIMES THAT DOES TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER TO,
[01:40:01]
YOU KNOW, LOOK AT ALL THE DETAILS OF THE SITUATION AND SEE IF THIS IS TRULY THE BEST ENVIRONMENT.I KNOW AS A FORMER PRINCIPAL THAT THAT CAN FEEL FRUSTRATING SOMETIMES, BUT WE DON'T WANNA RUSH THE PROCESS AND, AND MAKE A WRONG DECISION ABOUT A PLACE.
AND, AND OFTEN I, I CAN SEE THESE PATHS IN INTERVENING OR INTERTWINING AS WELL.
AND IF PARENTS KNOW THAT OPTIONS EXIST, I DON'T KNOW IF WE, WE MAKE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THEM, BUT IF THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL EARLIER ON IN THE PROCESS, IF WE'RE SAYING, PARENTS, YOU, YOU HAVE THIS OPTION, IF THIS IS A VOLUNTARY OPTION, YOU KNOW, PARENT CONFERENCES ARE ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS, UM, IN THAT, THAT PROCESS, OFTEN KEEPING THOSE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN AND LETTING PARENTS KNOW, HEY, THERE ARE OPTIONS.
IF YOUR STUDENT ISN'T RECEIVING, UM, AN IDEAL OR ISN'T HAVING THE BEST EXPERIENCE IN THIS SETTING, HERE ARE SOME OTHER OPTIONS FOR THEM.
UM, AND THIS IS HELPFUL BECAUSE SOME OF THESE, YOU KNOW, YOU HEAR A LOT OF THINGS OF VLP IS NO LONGER AN OPTION.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR, FOR BUSTING THAT MYTH, BECAUSE WE HEARD THAT TONIGHT THAT IT IS VERY MUCH STILL AN OPTION.
SO THIS IS GOOD INFORMATION TO HAVE.
I KNOW I'LL BE SHARING YOUR PRESENTATION WITH A LOT OF PARENTS THAT CONTACT ME, UM, AS FAR AS THE FACTS, AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I WOULD ALSO INCLUDE, MR. JAMAL MENTIONED THE INCREASED FLEXIBILITY AS IT RELATES TO HAVING VIRTUAL PROGRAMS WITH ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS.
NOW, STUDENT COULD POTENTIALLY BE VIRTUAL FOR A FEW DAYS DURING THE WEEK AND IN PERSON FOR A COUPLE DAYS, IF THAT'S WHAT BEST FITS THEIR LEARNING STYLE AND THEIR SITUATION.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS, NO MATTER WHAT THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH, RECEIVE A QUALITY EDUCATION.
I DID HAVE THE, UH, PLEASURE TO VISIT, TO VISIT MEADOW WOOD CENTER, AND IT WAS VERY EYE-OPENING FOR ME IN TERMS OF THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING AROUND, UH, ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION.
ONE IS, DO YOU HAVE THE DATA ON, UM, THE REASONS WHY, UH, STUDENTS ARE GOING TO ALTERNATIVE IN TERMS OF IS DISCIPLINARY THE RATIOS DISCIPLINARY SAFETY VERSUS PROGRAM REVIEW? UH, I'D BE INTERESTED TO KNOW WHAT THAT IS AND, AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE EXACT DATA, IF YOU COULD BALLPARK IT, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
SO, UM, THERE ARE THREE PLACEMENTS, AS YOU MENTIONED, DISCIPLINARY SAFETY AND PROGRAM REVIEW.
AND DISCIPLINARY PLACEMENTS TAKE UP 59%.
SAFETY PLACEMENTS ARE 4%, AND PROGRAM REVIEWS ARE 37%.
AND I NEVER DID ADD THOSE TOGETHER TO SEE THEY EQUAL A HUNDRED.
SO, UH, MY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE STUDENTS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING SOME DIFFICULTY IN THEIR HOME SCHOOLS.
UM, THE PRESENTATION AND THE PRESENTATION IS STATED IN THE BEGINNING THAT THE REAL GOAL IS TO PROMOTE THE SUCCESSFUL RETURN TO A REGULAR ACADEMIC PROGRAM.
SO, BEGINNINGS, MIDDLES AND ENDS ARE IMPORTANT.
AND SO WHAT CONSIDERATION IS GIVEN TO HOW, HOW STUDENTS TRANSITION INTO AN ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, FROM AN ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM BACK TO, UM, THEIR REGULAR ACADEMIC PROGRAM.
AND THEN, UH, HOW DOES, TYPICALLY, IF THE AVERAGE IS 45 DAYS, I THINK THE AVERAGE IS THAT'S REALLY A, LIKE A MONTH AND A HALF, AND THERE'S MANDATORY THERAPY NOW INCLUDED IN THAT PROCESS.
DOES THAT, UH, SERVICE CONTINUE POST TRANSITION BACK TO THE PROGRAM? CAN YOU JUST TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UM, HOW THOSE TRANSITIONS WORK? SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND TAKE THE TRANSITION, UM, FROM AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL BACK TO, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UM, UH, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES IDENTIFIED WAS THE FACT THAT OUR ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS ARE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
SO ONE OF THE FEATURES THAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO CAPITALIZE ON IS HELPING FAMILIES ESTABLISH ADDITIONAL SERVICES OR A CONTINUITY OF SERVICES WITHIN THEIR HOMESCHOOL COMMUNITY.
SO IF THERE'S A SERVICE PROVIDER THAT THEY'RE WORKING WITH THAT, UM, IS AFFILIATED MAYBE WITH THE ROSEDALE, BUT THAT WHEN THEY GO BACK TO THEIR HOMESCHOOL, THAT SERVICE IS STILL ACCESSIBLE WITH THAT SAME PROVIDER SO THAT THE CHILD CAN CONTINUE WITH THAT CONTINUITY OF CARE.
AND SO THAT COMMUNITY SCHOOL LIAISON IS REALLY THERE TO HELP FACILITATE THAT AND TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE THOSE OTHER RESOURCES THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL SO THAT WE CAN HELP FACILITATE THAT TRANSITION THERE.
SO THERE WAS ALSO A TRANSITION, UM, FACILITATOR POSITION WITHIN, UM, DR.
UM, WE ARE LOOKING AT, UH, COMMUNITY SCHOOL FUNDS TO FUND THOSE POSITIONS AT THE ACTUAL ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS TO AGAIN, HELP SUPPORT TO YOUR APPOINTMENTS, HARVEY, BOTH THOSE, HOW ARE WE TRANSITIONING STUDENTS IN AND OUT? UM, REALLY TRYING TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH BOTH SCHOOL
[01:45:01]
ADMINISTRATORS FROM THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL AS WELL AS THE RETURNING NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL TO HELP MAKE THAT AS SEAMLESS AS POSSIBLE.SO, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS CONTINUITY OF INSTRUCTION, LOOKING AT RESOURCES THAT MIGHT HAVE BENEFITED A STUDENT, UM, THAT ALL HAPPENS IN A COLLABORATIVE MEETING FOR THAT TRANSITION OF THE STUDENT.
BUT THE ADDITIONAL SERVICES AND SUPPORTS THAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO PUT IN PLACE ARE THOSE WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT TO HELP ENSURE A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION.
AND I WAS JUST ACTUALLY SPOKE WITH, UM, MS. STANSBERRY BEFORE, UH, COMING HERE.
UM, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE REC RECIDIVISM RATE FOR OUR SCHOOL THAT, UM, CURRENTLY HAS THAT TRANSITION FACILITATOR IN PLACE SO THAT STUDENTS WERE LEAVING AND SUCCESSFULLY ACCESSING THE SERVICES AND SUPPORTS WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL AND NOT RETURNING TO THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL.
SO THAT'S A MODEL THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT REPLICATING AT THE OTHER THREE SCHOOLS.
AND SO, LAST KIND OF FOLLOW UP QUESTION IS THE TRANSITION TODAY, I AM AT METALWOOD TOMORROW, I'M BACK AT MY HOME SCHOOL, OR ARE STUDENTS, UH, PHASED BACK IN? AND THEN IN TERMS OF THE REASON WHY THEY WERE ASSIGNED TO AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL, WHETHER IT BE, UH, A PARTICULARLY A DISCIPLINE ISSUE OR A SAFETY ISSUE, HOW IS THAT ADDRESSED WHILE THE STUDENT IS IN THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL? SO I, I COULD START.
SO I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH TWO OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ALTERNATIVE TEAMS, AND ONE OF THE BULLETS THAT WE HIGHLIGHTED WAS STAFF SPECIALIZING IN ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION.
IT TRULY IS A PASSION AND SOMETHING THAT THERE'S A GREAT COMMITMENT.
SO WHAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE IS WHEN STUDENTS ARE COMING, THAT ONBOARDING PROCESS STARTS WITH TEAM MEMBERS FROM THE SCHOOL THAT'S GOING TO BE RECEIVING, GOING OVER AND BEING A PART OF INITIAL MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES.
THE PARENT COMES AND IS PART OF AN INITIAL ONBOARDING PROCESS.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE TEAM CONTINUES TO EVALUATE AND THAT TRANSITION BACK, UM, TO THEIR HOMESCHOOL.
IT DOESN'T ONLY INCLUDE THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL COORDINATOR, BUT THE TEAMS START TO WORK.
YOU HAVE THE CLINICIANS ACROSS SCHOOLS WORKING TO MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS.
YOU HAVE STAFF MEMBERS STARTING TO COMMUNICATE WITH TEACHERS.
SO THAT'S BEEN WHAT'S BEEN EXCITING WITH THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL FACILITATORS INVOLVED.
THEY ACTUALLY ARE THEN FOLLOWING UP 10, 15 DAYS OUT AND MAKING SURE THAT THE STUDENT SEES THAT THERE'S STILL A CONNECTION, THERE'S STILL A TEAM THAT'S CHEERING THEM ON AND, AND THERE'S GREAT COMMITMENT AND EXCITING AT THE SCHOOLS.
MS. DOKI, I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION.
UM, IT'S A, THE MANDATORY THERAPY IS THAT WITH, UM, A LICENSED, UH, THERAPIST OR PSYCHOLOGIST, IS THE THEY'RE ALL, YES.
SO WE HAVE, SO, UM, EITHER A SCHOOL, LICENSED SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER OR ONE OF OUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS OR WHO ARE WORKING WITH THE STUDENTS AS WELL AS WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES PROVIDED THROUGH COMMUNITY SCHOOLS AND SOME OF THOSE OTHER INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE FOR STUDENTS.
SO THEY'RE ALL LICENSED AND YES, THEY'RE CERTIFIED.
THE SAME THING AS ANY SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST OR SOCIAL WORKER WHO'S WORKING IN ANY OF OUR OTHER SCHOOLS.
SO, UM, THAT LED ME TO ONE, ONE MORE QUESTION MS. I'M ASKS QUESTION.
SO IF THOSE SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE AT AN ALTERNATE SCHOOL THAT AREN'T AVAILABLE AT THE HOMESCHOOL, AND A STUDENT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, UM, FOR A PLACEMENT, WOULD THAT, UM, EXPEDITE THEIR PLACEMENT? IF, IF THAT STUDENT NEEDED TO RECEIVE THOSE, SAY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FROM THAT COULD BE AVAILABLE AT THAT ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL, FOR INSTANCE? SO ALL OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE ACCESS TO SOCIAL WORK SERVICES AS WELL AS SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS.
SO IF THERE IS A STUDENT THAT NEEDS THAT, THEN EITHER THROUGH THE STUDENT SUPPORT TEAM PROCESS OR THROUGH AN IEP TEAM THAT CAN BE PUT IN PLACE FOR A STUDENT AS WELL AS THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR.
UM, SO THAT WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE A REASON TO, TO MOVE A STUDENT TO AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL FOR THAT JUST IN ISOLATION.
WE ALSO HAVE PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THERAPISTS THAT COME INTO THE SCHOOLS, UM, FROM EITHER VILLA MARIA OR THRIVE.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH THAT THE THERAPISTS FROM THOSE AGENCIES ACTUALLY COME INTO THE SCHOOL, PROVIDE THOSE THERAPIES AND SERVICES.
SO IT WOULD BE MORE THAN JUST A NEED FOR A, LIKE A SOCIAL WORK REFERRAL OR THERAPY.
BUT IF THAT SMALLER ENVIRONMENT WERE DEEMED IMPORTANT FOR THAT STUDENT AND THEY NEED THAT MORE IMMEDIATE PLACEMENT.
AND HOW COULD A TRU SAY THEY'RE A TRUSTED ADULT, A COUNSELOR, SOMEONE IN THE SCHOOL, HOW COULD THEY EXPEDITE THAT PROCESS TO GET THAT STUDENT THE HELP THEY NEED? IF THEY SAY, HEY, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH JOHNNY, HE REALLY NEEDS THIS PLACEMENT.
HE CAN'T WAIT MONTHS TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
I MEAN, THAT'S A HUGE PAIN POINT FOR OUR STAFF, FOR OUR STUDENTS TO, TO HAVE TO WAIT WHEN, WHEN WE KNOW THAT THEY WOULD BE BETTER SERVED IN A SMALLER ENVIRONMENT.
AND, AND YES, WE HAVE CHECKS AND PROCESSES
[01:50:01]
THAT WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH, BUT ARE THERE ANY OTHER PROCESS, YOU KNOW, PROCESSES OR ESCALATIONS THAT OUR STAFF CAN USE WHEN OUR STUDENTS ARE IN CRISIS? SO I GUESS THE SITUATION THAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING SEEMS TO BE MORE LIKE A PROGRAM REVIEW, WHICH IS REALLY A COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND MUTUALLY, UH, SUPPORTED DECISION TO MOVE A STUDENT TO AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL PLACEMENT.SO THAT'S THE PROCESS FOR PROGRAM REVIEWS, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY NEEDS TO BE COLLABORATIVE AND SUPPORTIVE WITH THE PARENT INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS.
UM, I'M NOT, I'VE NOT HEARD THAT IT TAKES MONTHS FOR THAT TO HAPPEN.
HOWEVER, AGAIN, IT HAS TO BE A DECISION THAT'S ALSO SUPPORTED BY A PARENT.
WITH, WITH PARENT SUPPORT, HOW LONG IS THAT PROCESS? VARIES.
I WOULD HAVE TO, I GUESS, LOOK AT EVERY PROGRAM REVIEW TO SEE THE EXACT TIMELINE.
IT DOES VARY BECAUSE AGAIN, IF A PARENT IS WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE SCHOOL AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY AGREE TO, THEN IT'S GOING TO BE FASTER THAN A PARENT WHO INITIALLY SAYS, I'M NOT INTERESTED IN THAT OPTION FOR MY CHILD.
I'D LIKE THEM TO WORK WITH SOMEONE ELSE OR THEIR COUNSELOR.
UM, SO THERE'S VARIABILITY WITH THAT.
AND SO, AND THIS QUESTION IS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE STUDENTS WHO ARE PLACED IN THE ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT FOR, UM, DISCIPLINARY OR SAFETY, UH, CONCERNS.
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT, UM, THAT THE SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED IN THAT ALTERNATIVE SETTING IS EFFECTIVE? HOW DO WE KNOW THAT IT'S WORKING AS INTENDED? WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT TO DETERMINE, UM, THAT THE STUDENT HAS, IS READY TO GO BACK INTO THE, TO THEIR GENERAL, THEIR HOMESCHOOL? SO I CAN SHARE AS THEY'RE ALL LOOKING AT EACH OTHER,
SO I AM LIKE, OKAY, I'M NOT GONNA, I I'LL JUMP IN AND, UM, SUPPORT I CAN SHARE.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT IN THIS VERY RECENT CONVERSATION IS JUST HAVING CLEAR INDICATORS AND CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS.
SO SOME COMMON, UM, INDICATORS, LOOK AT ATTENDANCE FOR THE STUDENT, LOOK AT THEIR BEHAVIOR WHILE THEY'RE IN, UM, ALTERNATIVE, UH, PROGRAMS. LOOK AT THEIR PROGRESS IN TERMS OF THEIR GRADES.
UM, YOU KNOW, US ADDING THIS MANDATORY LAYER NEXT YEAR IN TERMS OF, UH, THESE, UH, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES THAT THE STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE.
THAT WILL ALSO BE ANOTHER, UH, LAYER.
AND WE, UM, ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT OUR PARENTS ARE INVOLVED AND THERE ARE SOME KIND OF CHECKPOINTS WITH THE PARENTS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE WAY SO THAT WHEN THERE IS THAT TRANSITION CONFERENCE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO PRESENT TO THE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL STUDENT HAS BEEN AWAY FOR X NUMBER OF WEEKS AND THIS IS WHAT THEY'VE DONE OVER THAT TIME, THESE ARE THE SUPPORTS THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL AND TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE HOMESCHOOL IS READY OR THE NEW SCHOOL, UM, DEPENDING ON THE SITUATION, IS READY TO RECEIVE THAT STUDENT AND CONTINUE ADDITIONAL SERVICES FOR THEM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.
[L. REPORT - ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT (Dr. DiDonato) (8:25 - 8:50 p.m.)]
NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE REPORT ON LITERACY UPDATE NUMBER TWO.AND FOR THAT I CALL ON DR. ROGERS.
ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING FOR OUR LAST REPORT OF THE EVENING.
WE ARE HAPPY TO PRESENT A LITERACY UPDATE, UM, REGARDING SECONDARY.
WE'VE PROVIDED UPDATES ON, UH, ELEMENTARY LITERACY AND OUR NEW, UM, CURRICULUM AND PLAN TO, BY THE END OF THE YEAR, PROVIDE A FINAL UPDATE WITH OUR FINAL DATA, UH, FROM THE YEAR.
BUT THIS PRESENTATION REALLY SPEAKS TO, UH, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN GRADES SIX THROUGH 12.
UM, BECAUSE OF THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, YOUR APPROVAL, WE WERE ABLE TO BRING NEW ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM, UH, FORWARD FOR OUR STUDENTS.
AND WE ARE SEEING PROMISING SIGNS NOT ONLY IN, UH, AMIRA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR, MIDDLE OF THE YEAR, AND OUR STUDENTS ARE CURRENTLY AT END OF YEAR.
UH, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LOOK AT MAP OUR PERFORMANCE OF OUR STUDENTS AND LOOKING, UH, TO SEE THAT, UH, HOLD TRUE WITH THE STATE ASSESSMENTS.
UH, BUT WE KNOW THAT WE ALSO HAVE CRITICAL WORK TO DO IN SECONDARY IN TERMS OF LITERACY, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A CURRICULUM THAT'S ROOTED IN THE SCIENCE OF READING, MAKING SURE THAT IT'S ALIGNED TO STATE STANDARDS.
AND, UM, AS PART OF OUR FY 25 BUDGET, UH, THERE ARE FUNDS EARMARKED, UH, FOR, UH, BRAND NEW SECONDARY LITERACY, UH, UPDATES.
SO THIS TEAM WILL SPEAK TO YOU, UM, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT OUR PILOT IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, UM, WHAT THE SPECIFIC COMPONENTS ARE AND OUR EVALUATION.
AND SO AT THIS TIME, WE, UH, WELCOME DR.
KRAFT, MS. MEYERS, UH, MS. BLATTNER, AND MS. WICKS TO THE TABLE.
[01:55:01]
ALL RIGHT.UH, TONIGHT WE'RE GONNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, WHAT WE PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IN TERMS OF A SECONDARY LITERACY CURRICULUM IN GRADE SIX THROUGH 12.
SO, MSDE HAS SET A GOAL THAT ALL MARYLAND STUDENTS GRADUATE COLLEGE AND CAREER READY.
AND WE HAVE THAT SAME GOAL IN BCPS TWO.
USING HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS IS ONE OF THE IDENTIFIED ACTIONS TO HELP STUDENTS
CCR IS SUPPORTED BY H QUAL HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS BECAUSE OF THE INTENTIONAL APPROACH TO KNOWLEDGE BUILDING ACROSS AND BETWEEN GRADES, IT ALSO IS ALIGNED TO THE SCIENCE OF READING, AND IT HAS AN INTEGRATED APPROACH TO SPEAKING, LISTENING, READING, AND WRITING.
THE BLUEPRINT REQUIRES THAT MSDE ESTABLISH A SYSTEM TO IDENTIFY HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.
IN APRIL, MSDE ADOPTED A HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS.
THIS FRAMEWORK UNDERSCORED THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING GRADE LEVEL AND STANDARDS ALIGNED INSTRUCTION.
SO WHY IS HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL SO IMPORTANT? THERE ARE MANY REASONS, AND I'LL JUST TALK ABOUT A COUPLE TONIGHT.
ONE IS A REPORT THAT WAS RELEASED RECENTLY TALKED ABOUT THAT WHEN TEACHERS DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, THEY AVERAGE SPEND ABOUT SEVEN TO 12 HOURS A WEEK LOOKING FOR AND PLANNING INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.
ADDITIONALLY, A LOT OF THE MATERIALS THAT ARE FOUND ONLINE ARE NOT ALIGNED TO STANDARD OR TO GRADE LEVEL.
THIS RESULTS IN STUDENTS BEING UNDER-TAUGHT AND UNDERSERVED.
UH, IN 2018, TNTP PUBLISHED A REPORT THAT STATED WHEN STUDENTS STARTED THE SCHOOL YEAR BEHIND THEIR PEERS AND THEY WERE GIVEN TO ALIGNED GRADE LEVEL HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, THAT THEY CLOSE THE OUTCOME GAP BY ALMOST SEVEN MONTHS IN THAT YEAR.
SO WE KNOW THAT THERE IS STRONG EVIDENCE THAT THE CHOICE OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL HAS LARGE EFFECTS ON STUDENT LEARNING EFFECTS THAT RIVAL THE SIZE OF THOSE THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH TEACHER QUALITY.
AND SO OUR CURRENT CONTEXT IN SECONDARY ELA IS THAT OUR COLLECTIONS, UM, CURRICULUM BY HMH EXPIRED IN SEVEN.
UM, IN JULY OF 2023, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A ONE YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION, WHICH WAS GRANTED FOR OUR CONTINUED USE OF HMH FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR ONLY.
ADDITIONALLY, COLLECTIONS IS BEING SUNSET AND IS NOT EVEN AVAILABLE FOR US TO PURCHASE AFTER THIS YEAR.
AND SO, BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT WE INITIATED AN RFI PROCESS IN THE FALL AND WE IDENTIFIED THREE VENDORS THAT ROSE TO THE TOP THIS YEAR, WE DID A SMALL SCALE PILOT FOR HMH INTO LITERATURE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
WE ARE PROPOSING TO DO THE OTHER TWO IDENTIFIED CURRICULA, STUDY SYNC, AND MY PERSPECTIVES TO REALLY EVALUATE WHICH CURRICULUM WILL SERVE THE STUDENTS IN BALTIMORE COUNTY SCHOOLS THE BEST.
THE COLLECTION OF DATA WILL OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE PILOT, WHICH WILL BE USED TO INFORM THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION.
AS PART OF THE PILOT PROCESS, WE WILL COLLECT QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DATA TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EACH CURRICULUM IN THE AREAS OF CAN THE SCREEN STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, TEACHER USABILITY, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT, DATA TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION, STAKEHOLDER INPUT, FAMILY RESOURCES, AND ENGAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL BE PROVIDING ALL OF THE PILOT SCHOOLS WITH PROFESSIONAL LEARNING IN EACH OF THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS.
MSDE RECENTLY RELEASED A FRAMEWORK THAT CAPTURES THE CORE COMPONENTS OF HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS.
IN ELA, THE AREAS OF FOCUS ARE GRADE LEVEL AND STANDARD ALIGNMENT, INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN, THE PRESENCE AND DEGREE OF EDUCATOR SUPPORTS, AND AN INTENTIONAL CURRICULAR DESIGN TO AFFIRM ALL STUDENTS.
FOR THE REMAINDER OF OUR PRESENTATION, WE WOULD LIKE TO SPEND JUST A LITTLE BIT OF TIME DISCUSSING EACH OF THOSE COMPONENTS AND DISCUSS HOW THEY EACH RELATE TO OUR SYSTEM INITIATIVES AND OUR SUPPORT OF STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.
SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS, CONSIDERING GRADE LEVEL AND STANDARDS ALIGNED MATERIAL PRESENTED BY THE VENDORS, WE FOCUS ON THE INCLUSION OF COMPLEX TEXTS THAT FOSTER CRITICAL AND CREATIVE THINKING
[02:00:01]
AND THAT OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR A VARIETY OF AUTHENTIC ENGAGEMENT IN ACADEMIC AND CONTENT, SPECIFIC STUDENT DISCOURSE.FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, HQIM PROVIDES SYSTEMATIC AND EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION AND THE AVAILABILITY OF PRACTICE OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES.
QUESTIONS AND TASKS ARE INTENTIONALLY SEQUENCED, SUPPORTING LEARNERS BUILDING OF SKILLS, ALIGNED TO GRADE LEVEL STANDARDS FOR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS.
WE LOOK AT THE INTEGRATED NATURE OF RESOURCES.
STUDENTS GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN, SPEAK, READ, AND WRITE AS THEY ENGAGE WITH THESE RESOURCES.
THE INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN OF THE CURRICULA WE PLAN TO PILOT OFFERS A SYSTEMATIC ORGANIZATION OF INCLUSIVE KNOWLEDGE, BUILDING CONTENT THAT DEVELOPS STUDENT SELF-AGENCY THROUGH CHOICE AND COLLABORATIVE LEARNING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.
UH, PROGRESS MONITORING AND SUPPORTING ALL STUDENTS AND LEARNING IS CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR STUDENTS RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES.
EMBEDDED SUPPORTS AND SCAFFOLDS ALLOW FOR TEACHERS TO RESPOND TO STUDENTS' LEARNING NEEDS AND PROVIDE MEANINGFUL FEEDBACK AS THEY ENGAGE IN GRADE LEVEL CURRICULUM.
AND FOR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, WE WERE LOOKING AT WHAT KINDS OF RESOURCES ARE THERE TO REALLY PROVIDE THOSE VARIED EXPERIENCES FOR THEM.
THINGS LIKE ENGAGING WITH MULTIMEDIA VIDEOS, POETRY ARTICLES, AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT AS THEY'RE ENGAGING WITH THESE RESOURCES, THEY'RE EXPLICITLY LEARNING THE LANGUAGE THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL WITH THE CURRICULUM RESOURCES.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT EDUCATOR SUPPORTS, ALL VENDORS OFFER SUPPORTS FOR ELA TEACHERS IN BOTH TEXT AND TOPIC KNOWLEDGE.
THIS GENERALLY COMES IN THE FORM OF TEACHER RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT AN UNDERSTANDING OF AUTHOR'S BACKGROUND, STUDENT LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL ASSETS THAT SHOULD BE HIGHLIGHTED IN VARIOUS LESSONS AS WELL AS KEYS TO DEVELOPING STUDENT LITERACY.
ADDITIONALLY, THE DESIGN AND FUNCTIONALITY OF EACH PROGRAM IS INTENDED TO ENHANCE TEACHER ADAPTABILITY FOR CONTEXT AND TO MAINTAIN PROGRAM COHERENCE.
AS STUDENTS CYCLE THROUGH THE CONTENT, TEACHERS ARE PROVIDED CLEAR GUIDANCE ON THOSE FEATURES OF THE CURRICULUM, WHICH CAN AND CANNOT BE VARIED IN ORDER TO DIFFERENTIATE TO MEET STUDENTS' UNIQUE NEEDS.
THE PRECISE GUIDANCE ALLOWS FOR RESPONSIVE INSTRUCTION WHILE STILL MAINTAINING ALIGNMENT TO THE GRADE LEVEL STANDARDS.
SO FOR OUR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THEY'RE SPEAKING ENGLISH AT DIFFERENT PROFICIENCY LEVELS, AND THEREFORE WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT LANGUAGE AND LITERACY SUPPORTS AND SCAFFOLDS ARE IN PLACE TO SUPPORT STUDENTS.
AND THESE ARE IN PLACE IN ALL OF THESE THREE RESOURCES.
AND THE FOURTH AND FINAL CRITERIA IN THE ELA FRAMEWORK IS THAT HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ARE DESIGNED TO AFFIRM, ENGAGE AND CENTER STUDENTS WITH DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS.
THE INTENTIONAL SELECTION OF TEXTS AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ARE DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO ANCHOR THEIR LEARNING IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCES AND BACKGROUNDS AND TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO LEARN ABOUT OTHER CULTURES AND PERSPECTIVES.
IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY, REAL WORLD CONNECTIONS ARE CRITICAL TO STUDENT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TEXT CONSIDERATION OF DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, LANGUAGE AND IDENTITIES SUPPORTS A TRULY INCLUSIVE SETTING.
SO WHAT ARE THOSE FIRST LANGUAGE SUPPORTS THAT ARE EMBEDDED IN THE CURRICULUM? READ LOOKED AT THAT.
AND JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEXTS, WE LOOK AT THE KINDS OF TEXTS THAT ARE PROVIDED SUCH AS THE BOOK OF UNKNOWN AMERICANS, WHICH MIGHT BE, UM, EMPHASIZING WHAT STUDENTS NEED AND THEY CAN SEE THEMSELVES REFLECTED IN THE TEXT IN SPANISH, OR IF THE KITE RUNNER MIGHT BE ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A TEXT, WHICH MIGHT REPRESENT A STUDENT WHO MIGHT BE FROM A MIDDLE EASTERN BACKGROUND OR PURPLE HIBISCUS FROM AN AFRICAN CULTURE.
SO REALLY LOOKING AT TEXTS THAT PROVIDE, UM, THE CULTURAL LINGUISTIC CONNECTIONS FOR STUDENTS AS WELL AS REFLECTING THEIR FACES AND TEXTS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO WE ALSO WANNA THINK ABOUT OUR ADVANCED LEARNERS AND WHAT SUPPORT WE WILL BE PROVIDING FOR OUR ADVANCED ACADEMIC COURSES.
AND SO ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE ARE GOING TO SUPPORT ADVANCED LEARNERS IS BY PROVIDING A UNIT SCOPE AND SEQUENCE OVERLAY TO FACILITATE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF CURRICULUM MATERIALS TO SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF ADVANCED LEARNERS.
ADDITIONALLY, WE WILL BE MAKING TECH SELECTIONS TO SUPPORT THE ADVANCED LEARNER DIMENSIONS OF AN INTEGRATED CURRICULUM MODEL FOR MORE COMPLEX AND ANALYTICAL NOVEL STUDY.
ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN, YOU WILL SEE A MODEL, THE INTEGRATED CURRICULUM MODEL BY, UH, DR.
UH, THAT HELPS US THINK THROUGH THE DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS TO CONSIDER AS WE DEVELOP THESE RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT ADVANCED LEARNERS RECEIVE ENRICHMENT, UH, THROUGH THE CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION.
WHAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU ON THE SCREEN IS OUR PLAN, OUR INITIAL PLAN FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
YOU HEARD MS. WICKS TALK ABOUT
[02:05:01]
THE MANY DIFFERENT AREAS THAT WE WILL BE PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING ON, AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED.IN APRIL, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TO OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS.
UH, THIS PAST FRIDAY WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE, UH, PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TO OUR DEPARTMENT CHAIRS AND OUR ENGLISH TEACHERS.
AND WE HAVE AN UPCOMING TEACHER PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
WE WILL BE KICKING IT OFF ON JUNE 25TH.
AND WE ARE REALLY EXCITED FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY THAT WILL BE A COMBINATION OF, UH, VENDOR LED AND SOME OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY START BACK MAPPING, UH, IN THEIR GRADE LEVELS.
WE THEN WILL HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR ADMINISTRATOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING ON JULY 9TH AND 10TH AS WE KNOW THAT THE INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP, UH, FOR A CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION IS VITAL.
UH, ANY TEACHER THAT IS NOT AVAILABLE TO ATTEND ON JUNE 25TH WILL BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY ON AUGUST 20TH TO RECEIVE THAT SAME PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
SO WHEN EVERYONE STARTS THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, EVERYONE WILL HAVE HAD THAT PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
IN FALL 2024, WE WILL BEGIN OUR DISTRICT-WIDE IMPLEMENTATION AND OUR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PLAN.
IN MARCH, 2025, WE WILL DO AN EVALUATION OF ALL THE PILOTED HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND WE WILL MAKE A CURRICULUM RECOMMENDATION IN APRIL, 2025 WITH FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF ONE SELECTED RESOURCE IN FALL OF 2025.
ALRIGHT, SO WE NOW HAVE SOME TIME FOR QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION.
UM, WILL THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE CURRENTLY USING THE HMH INTO LITERATURE CONTINUE NEXT YEAR USING THE SAME CURRICULUM? UH, NO.
AT THIS POINT, UH, WE RECEIVED A, UM, COPIOUS AMOUNT OF FEEDBACK AND UM, WHERE WE WERE, UM, GIVEN GUIDANCE THAT TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS AND LOTS OF STAKEHOLDERS WOULD PREFER THAT WE ONLY LIFT TWO CURRICULA NEXT YEAR.
AND ALSO, UM, I KNOW OF THE, THE LAST MEETING WE HAD ABOUT THIS, WE HAD ASKED FOR SOME, UM, INDEPENDENT STUDIES ON THE SAVI, MY PERSPECTIVES AND THE, UM, MCGRAW HILL.
AND WE DID RECEIVE MCGRAW HILL, BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY OF THE INDEPENDENT STUDY NICE PERSPECTIVES.
AND SO I THINK IT'S JUST A MATTER OF, OF GETTING THEM TO YOU.
WE DO HAVE THEM FOR ALL OF THE, UM, DIFFERENT COMPANIES.
IN ADDITION, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO US A COUPLE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS THAT I DON'T KNOW PERSONALLY, BUT JUST I KNEW THEY WERE USING STUDY SYNC.
SO I'VE TALKED TO SOMEBODY IN CHAPEL HILL AND SHE'S GONNA GIVE ME HER DATA.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE ALSO, IN ADDITION TO WHAT THE PUBLISHERS ARE GIVING US, WE'RE TRYING TO CONNECT TO DISTRICTS, UM, THAT ARE USING THE CURRICULUM AND HAVE BEEN USING 'EM FOR MULTIPLE YEARS TO LOOK AT THEIR DATA, THEIR STATE RELEASE DATA.
SO WE'RE DOING IT BOTH AND THAT PART ISN'T READY YET, BUT THE PART FROM THE PUBLISHERS, UH, WE CAN GET TO YOU PROBABLY THIS WEEK.
THEY WERE PART OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S UPDATE TO THE BOARD AS IT, THERE WAS NOTHING IN THERE ON SAVI, IT WAS JUST ON UM, IT WAS JUST THE OTHER ONE.
WE ABSOLUTELY CAN GET THAT MS. OW WE CAN, WE CAN GET IT.
SO JUST MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
SO YOU DID ONE PILOT THIS YEAR, YOU'RE GONNA DO TWO PILOTS NEXT YEAR AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA COMPARE ALL THREE? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO WE WILL GO AHEAD AND WRITE AN EVALUATION REPORT ONCE WE GET THE REST OF THE DATA THIS YEAR.
SO WE'VE DONE WALKTHROUGHS, WE'VE DONE TEACHER SURVEYS.
WE'LL DO ONE FINAL TEACHER SURVEY.
WE'LL PULL THAT TOGETHER WHILE IT'S ALL FRESH IN OUR MIND AND WE HAVE ALL THE DATA, UM, THEY HAD THREE QUARTERS OF A YEAR AND OUR OTHER TWO THAT WE'RE PROPOSING TO PILOT THIS YEAR WILL ALSO HAVE THREE QUARTERS OF THE YEAR BEFORE WE MAKE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO EVERYBODY WILL ACTUALLY, ESSENTIALLY HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME AND WE WILL, UM, HAVE THE REPORTS FOR ALL THREE, UM, CURRICULA TO DETERMINE WHICH ONE WE WOULD, UM, LIKE TO RECOMMEND.
AND SO WILL ALL SCHOOLS BE PILOTING SOMETHING NEXT YEAR? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO SOME MIGHT PILOT IT THIS YEAR, WE'LL PILOT SOMETHING DIFFERENT NEXT YEAR.
THAT IS THE FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED.
ORIGINALLY, WE HAD, UM, TAKEN TO CURRICULUM COMMITTEE THE IDEA OF KEEPING, UM, SOME OF THOSE SAME SCHOOLS IN HMH.
UM, AND I THINK ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS ABOUT UM, HEARING STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK IS TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK AND RETHINK YOUR PLAN.
AND SO WE HEARD THAT FEEDBACK REALLY CLEARLY AND WE REVISED THAT TO, UM, JUST, UH, DO THE TWO.
AND WILL THERE BE A WAY, 'CAUSE THAT'S GONNA BE AN INTERESTING PERSPECTIVE FOR THE TEACHERS THAT ARE NOW GOING TO BE, HAVE A COMPARISON VERSUS THE TEACHERS ONLY HAVE ONE.
[02:10:01]
YES.SO WILL THERE BE A WAY TO TEASE OUT THAT.
SO THAT, 'CAUSE THAT IS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
AND SO WE ACTUALLY HAVE, UM, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT AND THE IDEA THAT WE ACTUALLY WANNA PULL A FOCUS GROUP TOGETHER, SPECIFICALLY OF THOSE THAT HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO, UH, TWO DIFFERENT ONES SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT THEIR FEEDBACK IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY SAW FROM ONE CURRICULA TO ANOTHER.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT WILL BE A REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE.
AND ACTUALLY I'VE HEARD FROM AT LEAST ONE SCHOOL PERSONALLY, THAT IS REALLY EXCITED THAT THEY'RE GETTING TO TRY SOMETHING ELSE.
UM, AND THEY'RE LIKE, AND WE'RE GONNA TELL YOU WHICH ONE WE LIKE BETTER.
AND I WAS LIKE, I REALLY HOPE YOU DO.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE STARTING TO GET SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS COMING IN.
SO THE ONES THAT, MY LAST QUESTION, THE ONES THAT PILOTED THIS YEAR, SOME, THEY'RE NOT ALL GONNA PILOT THE SAME ONE NEXT YEAR.
SOME WILL PILOT NUMBER TWO AND SOME WILL PILOT NUMBER.
THANK YOU MR. LESKI, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE INITIAL SLIDE WHERE IT SAID, YOU KNOW, UNDER MARYLAND, UM, THAT ALL MARYLAND STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE, AND CAREER READY.
AND IF YOU CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT INDIVIDUALIZED PLAN TO SUCCEED IN COLLEGE CAREER AND LIFE, LIKE IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT INCLUDES.
AND SO, UH, PART OF THAT IS THE CAREER NAVIGATORS THAT, UH, DR. ROGERS TALKED ABOUT EARLIER IS THAT WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY LEAVE HIGH SCHOOL WITH A PLAN, UM, AND THAT WE ARE REALLY PROVIDING EQUAL WEIGHT TO COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS.
SO WHEREVER THEY'RE STEPPING OUT THAT POST-SECONDARY, UM, OPTIONS THAT THEY HAVE, THAT THEY HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE.
AND SO, UM, CERTAINLY WE CAN PROVIDE SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, MSDS INDIVIDUALIZED PLAN, BUT IT REALLY IS ROOTED IN THIS IDEA THAT, UM, E EVERYONE THAT LEAVES HIGH SCHOOL DOES HAVE THAT NEXT STEP SET OUT FOR THEM.
AND PART OF THAT IS THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF THOSE, UH, CAREER NAVIGATOR COACHES.
AND IS THAT FOR THIS YEAR'S GRADUATING SENIORS OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WILL START POSITION? OKAY.
AND, UM, DOES IT INCLUDE ANYTHING LIKE IN TERMS OF LIKE STUDENTS UNDERSTANDING THEIR READINESS, LIKE IN TERMS OF, UM, LIKE SKILLS FOR SUCCESS, WHETHER IT'S STUDY SKILLS? UM, THERE, THERE'S LIKE A NAME FOR, UM, I'M, I'M DRAWING A BLANK ON THE, THE, THE FUNCTION EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING OF.
SO THAT STUDENTS, IN ADDITION TO THE ACADEMICS THAT STUDENTS KIND OF UNDERSTAND THEIR, LIKE ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS, STUDY SKILLS, ET CETERA.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT INCLUDES THAT OR NOT.
YEAH, CURRENTLY IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THAT IN A FORMAL PLAN.
UH, BUT SOME OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING, UH, PARTICULARLY AROUND DIFFERENT, UH, MODELS THAT WE'RE GONNA IMPLEMENT.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, UM, TWO YEARS AGO AS PART OF MIDDLE SCHOOL REFORM, WE MOVED TO HAVING ADVISORY IN SCHOOLS.
BUT WE FOUND THAT THERE'S GREAT VARIABILITY IN THOSE ADVISORIES.
AND SO WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S, UH, MORE STRUCTURED AND HAS AN ACADEMIC, UM, FOCUS.
BUT PART OF THE ACADEMIC FOCUS IS LEARNING ALL OF THE ACADEMIC SKILLS TO SUPPORT.
AND SO WE SPOKE ABOUT JUST THAT STUDY SKILLS ORGANIZATION NOTE TAKING.
SOME STUDENTS KNOW HOW TO DO CORNELL NOTES, OTHERS DO NOT.
UM, AND SO THAT, THAT'S PART OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE ARE HAVING NOW AND HOW TO USE THAT TIME WISELY.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, MS. HEN? AND THEN MS. ONG.
UM, I'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT YOUR PLAN FOR COLLECTING DATA OR FEEDBACK FROM THE PILOT IN TERMS OF WILL FEEDBACK BE COLLECTED ANONYMOUSLY AND HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ENSURE THAT THE FEEDBACK YOU RECEIVE WILL BE HONEST AND UNFILTERED
UM, SO WE HAVE A VARIETY OF WAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO COLLECT FEEDBACK, SOME THAT WE IMPLEMENTED THIS YEAR WITH THE SCHOOL PILOTING, AND THEN SOME ADDITIONAL WAYS THAT WE'RE GONNA ADD NEXT YEAR.
SO SOME FEEDBACK IS DIGITAL AND ANONYMOUS, UM, BOTH FROM STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATOR AND ADMINISTRATORS.
SOME FEEDBACK IS IN THE FORM OF IN-PERSON FOCUS GROUPS.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE FEEDBACK THAT'S GIVEN AS PART OF OUR OBSERVATIONS, AND SO OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT ANONYMOUS, RIGHT.
UM, AND THEN THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TO SUBMIT VIA, UM, OTHER ELECTRONIC OUTSIDE OF JUST THE SURVEY.
SO WE, OUR PLAN GOING FORWARD IS THAT WE ARE GONNA HAVE AN APP, AN OPPORTUNITY VIA SCHOOLOGY FOR STUDENTS TO ALSO SUBMIT.
WE ALSO HAVE, AGAIN, MULTIPLE SURVEYS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
UM, AND THOSE ARE POSTED VIA SCHOOLOGY AND GIVEN TO DEPARTMENT CHAIRS AND TEACHERS SO THAT THEY CAN ADMINISTER THEM.
WE ALSO WILL HAVE SURVEYS THAT ARE ANONYMOUS FOR PARENTS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS AS WELL.
UM, WE STARTED COLLECTING SOME OF THAT DATA BOTH AT OUR, UM, CURRICULUM NIGHTS.
WE HAD TWO OPPORTUNITIES WHERE PARENTS WERE ABLE TO, UM, LOOK AT THE CURRICULUM AND GIVE PRELIMINARY FEEDBACK.
WE DID THE SAME THING WITH OUR PRINCIPALS AND OUR DEPARTMENT
[02:15:01]
CHAIRS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AS WELL.SO THE PLAN IS MULTIFACETED, UM, BOTH FOR ANONYMOUS AND, UM, CLAIMS INFORMATION.
AND I'M MOSTLY ASKING FOR EMPLOYEES, UM, IN PARTICULAR WHO MAY NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE PROVIDING ABSOLUTELY, YES.
YEAH, SO THOSE, THEY, SO THEY WILL HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT TO PROVIDE ANONYMOUS THROUGHOUT.
SO NOT JUST AT THE BEGINNING AND AT THE END, BUT ALL THE WAY THROUGH CERTAINLY AT THE, AT THE VERY LEAST AT THE END OF EACH QUARTER, BUT MULTIPLE ANONYMOUS OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT ADDITIONALLY.
UM, AGAIN, WITH THE DATA COLLECTION, IS THAT ON? OKAY.
SO, UM, FROM THE SLIDE FIVE, YOU TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT BULLETS AS FAR AS HOW YOU'RE COLLECTING QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DATA.
AND SO MY QUESTION JUST IS, ARE THESE GONNA BE WEIGHTED OR ARE EACH OF THESE KIND OF GONNA HAVE AN EQUAL WEIGHT AS FAR AS WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING YOUR FINAL DECISION? EXCUSE ME,
WE ARE ACTUALLY COLLABORATING WITH DRAA TO, UM, FINALIZE WHAT THAT EVALUATION IS GONNA LOOK LIKE.
AND WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE OPTION OF WAITING SOME OF THESE A LITTLE BIT HEAVIER THAN OTHER.
UM, AND SO WE'RE EXCITED, UM, WHEN WE GET INVITED BACK, DR. ROGERS, UH, TO TALK TO YOU MORE.
UM, WE, UH, WILL HAVE DRA WITH US AT THE TABLE BECAUSE IT HAS REALLY BEEN A JOINT EFFORT, UM, TO DEVELOP THAT, UM, ENTIRE EVALUATION.
UM, BUT THAT'S ALSO THE OTHER WAY, UM, TO ADD TO MS. HEN, UM, THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ANONYMIZE IT.
LIKE THE SURVEYS MIGHT NOT EVEN COME FROM OUR OFFICE.
SO WE REALLY ARE TRYING TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE ANONYMOUS SURVEYS, THAT WE ARE COLLECTING HONEST FEEDBACK, UM, AND THAT WE ARE DOING IT IN A WAY THAT WILL, UM, HONOR THE DATA COLLECTION AND REALLY REFLECT WHAT, UH, TEACHERS, STUDENTS, AND STAKEHOLDERS ARE TELLING US TO INFORM THAT DECISION.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THE ENTIRE PLAN TOGETHER.
WE ARE, WE'RE STILL, YOU KNOW, BUILDING IT OUT.
UM, BUT WE ARE WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH DRAA, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.
AND JUST CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU DR.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU DR. ROGERS.
UM, AND I WILL ADD THAT OUR, UH, TEACHERS ARE NOT SHY ABOUT GIVING FEEDBACK.
[M. INFORMATION (8:50 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS INFORMATION.THE FIRST ITEM IS THE FY 24 GENERAL FUND REPORT ON REVENUES, EXPENDITURES, AND ENCUMBRANCES BUDGET AND ACTUAL FOR THE PERIOD ENDING MARCH 20, 24.
AND THE LAST ITEM IS THE QUARTER THREE AUDIT REPORT PRESENTED AT THE AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETING ON APRIL 9TH, UM, 2024.
[N. BOARD COMMITTEE UPDATES AND AGENDA SETTING (8:50 - 9:00 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS BOARD COMMITTEE UPDATES AND AGENDA SETTINGS, AN AGENDA SETTING.AND I JUST WANNA LEVEL SET US WHEN IT COMES TO COMMITTEE AND CIRCLE BACK TO, UM, A, THE PREVIOUS CHAIR'S REPORT THAT I GAVE WHERE I DISCUSSED THE UPDATES THAT WE WERE, UM, GOING TO DO FOR COMMITTEES AND PARTICULARLY, UH, SETTING THE REFINING THE PURPOSE AND THE MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS FOR OUR COMMITTEES AND, UM, AND REFINING THE MEMBERSHIP ON COMMITTEES AND CHAIRS OF COMMITTEES.
AND SO WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE IN JULY IS, UM, A, UH, UM, UPDATED PURPOSE AND COMMITTEE, UM, MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS AS WELL AS UPDATED COMMITTEE CHAIRS AND, UM, MEMBERSHIP COMPOSITION.
AND THIS ONCE AGAIN JUST GETS BACK TO THE SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES THAT, UM, THAT WAS DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY IN ENSURING THAT WE ARE DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR STUDENTS AND THAT WE ARE MAKING THE BEST USE OF NOT ONLY OUR TIME, BUT OF STAFF TIME TO MOVE THE WORK FORWARD IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
AND SO WE ARE GOING TO DO SOME COMMITTEE UPDATES AND WE WILL START WITH THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
THE AUDIT COMMITTEE MET YESTERDAY AND DISCUSSED THE FOLLOWING TOPICS, HEALTH CURRICULUM AUDIT RESULTS, FOLLOW UP TO SPECIAL EDUCATION DISPUTE RESOLUTION QUESTIONS, INTERNAL AUDIT RISK ASSESSMENT PROCESS, PROPOSED FY 25 FY 28, OFFICE, MATERNAL AUDIT WORK PLAN, AND THE ROLE OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE.
THE AUDIT REPORT, RISK ASSESSMENT PROCESS AND PROPOSED WORK PLAN ARE POSTED TO BOARD DOCS.
OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD VIRTUALLY ON TUESDAY, JUNE 18TH, BEGINNING AT FOUR 30.
OUR NEXT BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE HELD VIRTUALLY ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12TH AT FIVE 30.
WE WILL BE FINALIZING THE COMMITTEE'S PURPOSE AND
[02:20:01]
MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS.WE WILL ALSO BE DISCUSSING WAYS AND METHODS WE CAN BETTER INFORM THE FULL BOARD OF THE COMMITTEE'S WORK, BUILDINGS AND CONTRACTS.
THE NEXT BUILDING AND CONTRACTS MEETING WILL BE HELD VIRTUALLY ON MONDAY, JUNE 10TH AT 5:00 PM CURRICULUM COMMITTEE, MS. LICHTER.
UM, AND WE'LL CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION ON THE TWO VENDORS, UM, AND THE ORTON-GILLINGHAM PROGRAM EQUITY COMMITTEE, DR.
DO WE, UH, IS THERE ANY UPDATE MS. HARVEY AS IS THERE UPDATE ON ANY UPDATES? NO PRESSURE
SO THE EQUITY COMMITTEE HAS BEEN WORKING ON, UH, REFINING OUR PURPOSE AND BEING MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT, UH, HOW POLICY, UH, CAN ASSIST, UH, THE SYSTEM IN CREATING OPPORTUNITIES TO NORMALIZE INCLUSION, EQUITY, AND DIVERSITY.
AND TO THAT END, WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS AND MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT POLICY AND EQUITY, UH, IN OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS OF WHICH THE NEXT EQUITY MEETING WILL BE HELD.
I'M OKAY ON JUNE 20TH, THURSDAY AT, UH, 4:00 PM VIRTUALLY.
UM, LEGISLATIVE AND GOVERNMENTAL IN ENGLISH.
UM, WHAT HAPPENED WAS I HAD MY, UM, BUTTON ON
UH, LEG LEGISLATIVE AND GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS.
AND SO, UH, OUR NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING WILL NOT OCCUR UNTIL NOVEMBER.
SO WE HAVE NOT MET, THE LEGISLATIVE SEASON IS OVER.
UM, SO THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL UPDATES FOR THAT COMMITTEE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE.
I KNOW MS. PUMPHREY IS NOT ON THE LINE RIGHT NOW.
IS THERE ANYONE FROM POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE THAT WOULD LIKE TO PROVIDE AN UPDATE? THEY'RE ALL HIDING.
UH, NEXT IS AGENDA ITEMS. BOARD MEMBERS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND TO INDICATE IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION.
[O. ANNOUNCEMENTS (9:00 p.m.)]
LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS ANNOUNCEMENTS.ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 22ND, THE BOARD WAS SCHEDULED TO HOLD A VIRTUAL PUBLIC HEARING ON THE FY 2026 CAPITAL BUDGET VIA A MICROSOFT TEAMS EVENT.
THE LINK TO REGISTER TO SPEAK AT THIS HEARING WAS PROVIDED ON THE PARTICIPATION BY THE PUBLIC WEBPAGE AND BOARD DOCS, AND WAS OPEN FROM MAY 15TH THROUGH 3:00 PM TODAY.
NO ONE FROM THE PUBLIC HAS REGISTERED TO PROVIDE COMMENTS.
THEREFORE, THE PUBLIC HEARING IS CANCELED FOR TOMORROW.
WRITTEN COMMENTS ARE STILL BEING ACCEPTED AND CAN BE SENT TO THE BOARD VIA EMAIL@BOEATBCPS.ORG.
THE BOARD'S NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, JUNE 11TH, 2024 AT 6:30 PM THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.