[00:00:02]
I NOW CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF BALTIMORE COUNTY FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH, 2025.
[B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/SILENT MEDITATION (6:30 p.m.)]
THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG.WE WILL THEN HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND RECOGNITIONS FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
TONIGHT'S BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING IS BEING HELD VIRTUALLY THROUGH A MICROSOFT TEAMS LIVE MEETING IN ORDER TO EFFICIENTLY CONDUCT THIS MEETING, ALL VOTING ITEMS THIS EVENING WILL BE DONE BY ROLL CALL VOTE.
[C. AGENDA (6:35 p.m.)]
THE AGENDA IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE FEBRUARY 11TH AGENDA.DR. ROGERS, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO TONIGHT'S AGENDA? I'M UNAWARE OF ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO TONIGHT'S AGENDA.
THE AGENDA STANDS AS PRESENTED EARLIER THIS EVENING.
THE BOARD MET ENCLO SESSION PURSUANT TO THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS TO DISCUSS THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT ASSIGNMENT, PROMOTION, DISCIPLINED DEMOTION, COMPENSATION REMOVAL, RESIGNATION OR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF APPOINTEES, EMPLOYEES OR OFFICIALS OVER WHOM IT HAS JURISDICTION OR ANY OTHER PERSONNEL MATTERS THAT AFFECTS ONE OR MORE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS, AND TO CONSULT WITH COUNSEL TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE.
THE CLOSED SESSION SUMMARY AND THE OPEN SESSION INFORMATION SUMMARY CAN BE FOUND ON BOARD DOCS UNDER THIS BOARD MEETING AGENDA.
[D. NEW BUSINESS - PERSONNEL MATTERS (Mr. McCall) (6:45 - 6:50 p.m.)]
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS PERSONNEL MATTERS, AND FOR THAT I CALL MR. MCCALL.GOOD EVENING, CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, SUPERINTENDENT DR. ROGERS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, LIKE THE BOARD'S CONSENT FOR THE FOLLOWING, PERSONNEL MATTERS, RETIREMENTS, RESIGNATIONS, LEAVES DECEASED RECOGNITION OF SERVICE AND CERTIFICATE APPOINTMENTS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PERSONAL MATTERS AS PRESENTED IN EXHIBITS D ONE THROUGH D FIVE? SO MOVES LESKI.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND, HARVEY.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
[E. PUBLIC COMMENT (6:50 - 7:20 p.m.)]
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, HOMELAND SECURITY UNIT AND OFFICE OF SCHOOL SAFETY HAS RECOMMENDED SAFETY AND SECURITY PROTOCOLS, WHICH ARE POSTED IN THE BOARDROOM AND AVAILABLE ON 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 THIS 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 A-B-C-P-S EMPLOYEE OR THAT DISRUPTS OR INTERFERES WITH THE CONTACT OF THIS MEETING OR OUT OF ORDER WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.
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.
I WILL NOW CALL ON OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AFFILIATED GROUPS TO SPEAK.
AND THE FIRST SPEAKER IS EDWIN PEREZ FROM THE PTA COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE COUNTY.
[00:05:10]
MR. PEREZ, YOU MAY HAVE TO HIT STAR SIX TO UNMUTE YOUR PHONE.IS IT, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YEP.
GOOD EVENING, DR. ROGERS AND MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
MY NAME IS EDWIN PEREZ AND I'M THE CHAIR PERSON OF THE MULTILINGUAL COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP, A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE BALTIMORE COUNTY PGA COUNCIL.
WE THANK BCPS FOR PROVIDING GUIDANCE ON IMMIGRATION ADVOCACY AND SUPPORTING THE LEARNING GROWTH AND SAFETY FOR EVERY CHILD, REGARDLESS OF THEIR ORIGIN, BACKGROUND, OR IMMIGRATION STATUS.
I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE PROTECTION OF OUR STUDENTS.
WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE STUDENT SAFETY AND WELLBEING.
EMPHASIZING THAT SCHOOL DAY OPERATIONS ARE TO BE CONDUCTED IN A WAY THAT RESPECTS STUDENTS' RIGHTS AND PRIVACY, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR IMMIGRANT STUDENTS AND THOSE FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS.
WE LIVE IN A TIME WHERE THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ARE BEING CHALLENGED.
EVERY STUDENT DESERVES A CHANCE TO THRIVE ACADEMICALLY, SOCIALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY, AND IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING.
WHILE IN ANY BCPS BUILDING CLASSROOM, ON A SCHOOL BOOK, OR PARTICIPATING ANY BCPS EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY, WE MUST BE CLEAR SCHOOLS ARE PLACES FOR ALL STUDENTS, AND OUR FOCUS MUST REMAIN ON ADVOCACY AND ACCESS TO A SAFE AND EQUITABLE EDUCATION.
STUDENTS WOULD NEVER BE AFRAID TO COME TO THE MENT BULLYING IN PERSON OR ONLINE, AND ARE HARASSMENT RELATED TO THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS, THEIR PERCEIVED STATUS, OR THAT OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.
I URGE THE SCHOOL BOARD TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS, REINFORCE THIS DISTRICT DISTRICT'S COMMITMENT TO BEING A SAFE AND INCLUSIVE SPACE FOR ALL STUDENTS.
THIS INCLUDES EXPLICITLY RESTATING IT THROUGH A MULTILINGUAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN THAT REMINDS TEACHERS, STUDENTS, FAMILIES, PARTNERS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT IMMIGRATION ADVOCACY WILL ALWAYS BE HONORED AND EXPECTED IN ALL AREAS OF SCHOOL DISTRICT.
PROVIDE EXTENSIVE TRAINING FOR ALL SCHOOL STAFF ON THE RIGHTS OF IMMIGRANT STUDENTS AND FAMILIES.
THIS TRAINING TO BE PRIORITIZED AND SHOULD COVER TOPICS SUCH AS CONFIDENTIALITY, DUE PROCESS, AND CULTURAL SENSITIVITY.
WE NEED TO BE CONFIDENT IN KNOWING THAT OUR BCPS TEACHERS AND STAFF ARE WELL EQUIPPED TO BETTER SUPPORT ALL STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY OUR IMMIGRANT STUDENTS AND STUDENTS FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS ESTABLISH A CLEAR, EFFICIENT, AND EFFECTIVE PROTOCOL FOR COMMUNICATING WITH IMMIGRANT FAMILIES IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGES.
THIS WILL ENSURE THAT ALL FAMILIES HAVE EASY AND RELIABLE ACCESS TO IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND RESOURCES.
PARENTS AND FAMILIES SHOULD KNOW HOW AND WHERE THEY CAN RECEIVE IMMEDIATE SUPPORT IN MULTIPLE COMMUNICATION FORMATS.
SHOULD A SITUATION EMERGENCY ARISE WITHIN ANY BCPS FACILITY, COLLABORATE WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND CREATE MULTILINGUAL MULTICULTURAL NETWORKS THAT PROVIDE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO IMMIGRANT SERVICE, UH, IMMIGRANT FAMILIES.
THESE PARTNERSHIPS CAN PROVIDE VALUABLE RESOURCES TO OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND SERVE AS NECESSARY EXTENSIONS TO EXISTING BCS SERVICES.
OUR SCHOOL SHOULD BE PLACES WHERE ALL STUDENTS FEEL SAFE, VALUED AND RESPECTED.
BY TAKING THESE STEPS, WE CAN ENSURE THAT OUR IMMIGRANT STUDENTS AND THOSE FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO SUCCEED AS ALL OTHER STUDENTS.
LET US STAND TOGETHER TO PROTECT THEIR RIGHT AND CREATE A TRULY INCLUSIVE AND SAFE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERY CHILD.
JUST A REMINDER, UM, FOR THOSE WHO ARE WAITING TO SPEAK, TO MUTE THEIR PHONES UNTIL THEY ARE, UM, THEIR TURN TO SPEAK.
NEXT IS ANTHONY FREEMAN FROM THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UH, I AM A MEMBER OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THERE ARE A FEW ITEMS I IMPLORE THE BOARD TO CONSIDER, NOT ONLY FOR THIS YEAR, BUT ALSO NOW YEARS GOING FORWARD.
UH, SO RECENT HISTORY HAS PUSHED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS INTO THE GENERAL EDUCATION SPHERE.
AND SO WE CAN, WE CAN NO LONGER EXECUTE AS IF WE HAVE A SEGREGATED LINE BETWEEN GENERAL EDUCATION AND SPECIAL EDUCATION.
EVERY SINGLE TEACHER AND STAFF WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WELLBEING, SAFETY, AND EDUCATION OF A CHILD WITH AN IEP OR 5 0 4, AND THAT'S WHETHER THEY BE A GYM TEACHER OR A, A PRIMARY HOMEROOM TEACHER.
SO OUR, OUR TRAINING CURRICULUM FOR, FOR THESE TEACHERS AND STAFF, IT MUST REFLECT THAT REALITY AND THEN ALIGNMENT WITH THAT REALITY.
THE, THE LARGER TRAINER PROGRAM FOR BCPS MAY BE, UH, MUST BE IMPLEMENTED ACROSS THE BOARD AT EVERY SCHOOL.
SO MSDE MAY HAVE SUSPENDED THE CERTIFICATION OF NEW NEW TRAINERS, BUT THE DEMAND FOR SUCH POSITIONS DOES NOT CERTAINLY GO AWAY.
UM, OUR, OUR EDUCATORS IN THE ACTUAL CLASSROOMS ARE OVERWHELMED IN THE HOW TO BEST INTEGRATE SPECIAL EDUCATION.
AND AS OUR STUDENTS, BOTH WITH AND WITHOUT IEPS WHO ARE PAYING
[00:10:01]
THE PRICE, TRAINERS ARE DESIGNED TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION EXPECTATIONS AND BCPS POLICY, THE FLOAT DOWN TO THE TEACHERS, AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE HOW BEST TO INTEGRATE SPECIAL EDUCATION.LASTLY, THE QUALITY OF OUR ADULT AIDE MUST IMPROVE.
UH, THIS, THIS IS A, A DIRE NEED.
UH, ADULT AIDES ARE IN PRACTICE.
WE PRIMARY EDUCATOR FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.
CARING FOR A CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS FOR EIGHT HOURS A DAY IS, IS ARGUABLY THE, THE MOST DIFFICULT RESPONSIBILITY IN THE ENTIRE DISTRICT TO BE HONEST.
AND WE'VE DELEGATED THAT BURDEN DOWN TO THE LOWEST QUALIFIED EDUCATOR IN THE COUNTY TO THE POINT THAT WE, WE ARE INTENTIONAL ABOUT NOT CALLING THEM AN EDUCATOR.
UH, I PERSONALLY APPRECIATE EVERY SINGLE DOUGH AIDE THAT SIGNS UP FOR THIS DEMANDING JOB.
BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
AND RIGHT NOW, WE CURRENTLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, AIDE IN THE COUNTY WHO ARE FAILING FOR GRADE MATH RIGHT ALONG HAND IN HAND WITH THE STUDENT.
SO THERE'S A, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A COMBINATION OF INCREASED PAY TO ENHANCE THE RESUME STANDARDS.
UH, HELPING SCHOOLS FORMULATE FORMAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH COLLEGE STUDENTS WITHIN EDUCATION TRACKS, UH, FORM FORMAL TRAINING FOR THESE, UH, FOR THESE POSITIONS IS, IS CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS THAT WE OURSELVES ARE FORCED INTO THESE GENERAL EDUCATION SETTING.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS REGIME HAS MADE TANGIBLE PROGRESS AND REC TO FIND SPECIAL, SPECIAL EDUCATION, BUT OUR CHILDREN ARE ACTIVELY PAYING FOR OUR SHORTFALLS IN REAL TIME.
THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T GET A, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T GET ANOTHER SHOT AT THIS.
AND WE HAVE NOT HISTORICALLY TREATED OUR CHILDREN, BUT THE HUMAN DECENCY THAT THEY DESERVE FOR FAR TOO LONG.
SO WE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE REGIME CONTINUE ELEVATE SPECIFICATION TO THE STANDARD THAT OUR CHILDREN DESERVE.
EDUCATION, BUT OUR CHILDREN ARE ACTIVELY PAYING FOR THE REAL TIME.
MR. FREEMAN, NEXT ARE OUR UNIONS MUTE.
THE FIRST SPEAKER IS CINDY SEXTON FROM TAPCO.
GOOD EVENING AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
MY MESSAGE REMAINS THE SAME AS WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD FROM ME MANY TIMES, AND OF COURSE, IT IS AROUND THE BUDGET AND THE COMPENSATION PACKAGE FOR OUR EDUCATORS.
WE ALL STOOD TOGETHER PROUDLY WHEN OUR HISTORIC THREE YEAR DEAL WITH NEGOTIATED AND FINALIZED THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, AND OUR FIVE BARGAINING UNITS.
AND RIGHTFULLY SO, WE WERE PROUD AND EXCITED.
OUR STAFF WOULDN'T HAVE TO WONDER WHAT THEIR COMPENSATION WOULD BE.
WE COULD FOCUS ON THE MYRIAD OF OTHER ISSUES FACING US.
OTHER SYSTEMS AROUND US ASKED HOW WE DID IT AND WANTED TO TRY TO DO THE SAME.
WE CANNOT PROUDLY HOLD UP AN HISTORIC THREE YEAR DEAL AND THEN NOT EVEN MAKE IT THROUGH THE SECOND YEAR.
A WAY MUST BE FOUND TO FUND THOSE AGREEMENTS.
I KNOW THAT MEANS MAKING HARD DECISIONS, BUT AS YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY TIME AND TIME AGAIN, IF WE DON'T HAVE THE BOOTS ON THE GROUND, THE SUPPORT AND HUMAN RESOURCES OUR STUDENTS NEED, THEN THE GAINS THAT ARE BEING MADE SIMPLY WON'T BE ABLE TO CONTINUE.
WE CANNOT OVERSTATE HOW MUCH OUR STUDENTS NEED, THE HUMAN RESOURCES, THE PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WE ARE FACING UNCERTAINTY ON SO MANY LEVELS.
OUR STUDENTS ARE LOOKING TO US NOT ONLY FOR THEIR ACADEMIC INSTRUCTION, BUT PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY REASSURANCES.
AS ALWAYS, TABCO STANDS THAT THEY'RE READY TO DO THE WORK WITH YOU.
AGAIN, A REMINDER FOR OUR SPEAKERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ON MUTE UNTIL IT'S THEIR, UM, TURN TO SPEAK.
NEXT ARE OUR NONPROFIT COMMUNITY GROUPS, AND THE FIRST SPEAKER IS WENDY STRINGFELLOW FROM THE STUDENT SUPPORT NETWORK.
GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
I'M WENDY STRINGFELLOW, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE STUDENT SUPPORT NETWORK, A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION PROVIDING FOOD AND BASIC NECESSITIES FOR BCPS STUDENTS IN NEEDS.
WE MEET STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE IN THEIR SCHOOLS.
WE PROVIDE ROOM TO SUPPORT IN OUR 21 NETWORK PARTNER SCHOOLS, AND WE NOW HAVE A WAIT LIST OF 30.
THE ROOMS OF SUPPORT ARE SAFE HAVENS FOR STUDENTS IN POVERTY, WHERE WE PROVIDE BASIC ITEMS AS IDENTIFIED BY SCHOOL STAFF, INCLUDING PRINCIPALS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND TEACHERS TO IMPROVE THE STUDENT'S ABILITY TO ATTEND AND PARTICIPATE FULLY IN SCHOOL.
POVERTY IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS INCREASED DRASTICALLY.
ACCORDING TO THE STATISTICS AND THE CURRENT BUDGET PROPOSAL.
75% OF ALL STUDENTS, OVER 82,000 STUDENTS,
[00:15:02]
UM, ARE NOW LIVING AT INCOMES ELIGIBLE FOR FREE AND REDUCED PRICED MEALS ARE FARMED.WE KNOW CHILDREN OF LOW INCOME FAMILIES FREQUENTLY LACK ADEQUATE CLOTHING, SHOES THAT FIT WINTER COATS, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, BACKPACKS, PERSONAL HYGIENE PRODUCTS, AND AMPLE NUTRITION NEEDED TO CONCENTRATE AND ULTIMATELY SUCCEED IN SCHOOL.
THE NETWORK PROVIDES ALL OF THESE ITEMS AND MORE AT NO COST TO STUDENTS AND NEEDS.
WE KNOW HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY AFFECTS CONCENTRATION, MEMORY, MOOD, AND MOTOR SKILLS, AND THEY PRESENT MAJOR CHALLENGES TO A SUCCESSFUL ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE BECAUSE HUNGRY CHILDREN CANNOT LEARN, WE PROVIDE FOOD INCLUDING SNACKS, WEEKEND FOOD BAGS, AND DISTRIBUTE FRESH FOOD BEFORE MAJOR SCHOOL BREAKS.
STUDENTS WHO ARE BULLIED ARE MORE LIKELY TO SKIP SCHOOL BY ADDRESSING HYGIENE AND PROVIDING HOUSEHOLD ITEMS OR INCREASING ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL.
LAST YEAR, WE SUPPORTED OVER 15,000 BCPS STUDENTS IN OUR 21 NETWORK SCHOOLS WITH OVER 600 STUDENTS IN THOSE SCHOOLS IDENTIFYING AS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.
I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR ESSENTIAL ITEMS STUDENTS NEED.
WE STRONGLY URGE THE BOARD TO ALLOCATE MORE FUNDING AND FLEXIBILITY ON SPENDING FUNDS FOR IMMEDIATE NEEDS, ESPECIALLY IN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
STUDENTS CANNOT TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF ALL THAT BCPS CAN OFFER IF THEIR BASIC NEEDS ARE NOT MET.
IF 82,000 STUDENTS ARE THINKING FOR JUST 15 MINUTES ON A SCHOOL DAY ABOUT HUNGER, ARE WORRYING ABOUT STUDENT SECURITY OR HAVE NOT, UM, ARE NOT HAVING THEIR BASIC NEEDS MET, SUCH AS SHAMPOO OR TOOTHPASTE OR LIGHT BULBS SO THAT THEY CAN DO HOMEWORK AFTER SCHOOL.
THIS COMES TO ABOUT 45 HOURS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR WHEN THEY CANNOT HEAR OR PROCESS WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CLASSROOM.
THE CRISIS OF POVERTY IMPACTS BALTIMORE COUNTY AND THE ENTIRE STATE.
THESE STUDENTS ARE OUR FUTURE TEACHERS, DOCTORS, POLICE OFFICERS, TAXPAYERS IN VOLUNTEERS.
THESE CPS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF POVERTY, BUT IT HAS SUCH A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON LEARNING THAT THE SYSTEM MUST DO ALL THAT IT CAN TO ALLEVIATE IT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALI DE LOS SANTOS FROM CASA.
UM, SHE AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, MY NAME IS AL LOS SANTOS AND I AM THE DIRECTOR OF CASA BALTIMORE, CENTRAL MARYLAND.
I AM HERE TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF ADOPTING A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY TO PROTECT IMMIGRANT STUDENT SAFETY AND PRIVACY.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK? WHAT WITH A TEACHER FROM ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL? IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE, AND IT SPEAKS TO THE BIGGER ISSUE, UM, THAT, UM, THE DISTRICT NEED TO ADOPT, UM, GUIDELINES AND POLICY TO SUPPORT OUR IMMIGRANT KIDS.
IMMIGRANT STUDENTS ARE ALREADY FACING SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS, LANGUAGE ACCESS, CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT, AND NAVIGATING A SYSTEM THAT WOULD SIMPLY NOT DEFINED, UM, FOR THEM.
ON TOP OF THAT, NOW THEY LIVE IN CONSTANT FEAR THAT THEIR PERSONAL INFORMATION COULD BE SHARED WITH ICE AFFECTING THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR FUTURE.
SINCE 2013, CASA HAS WORKED TIRELESSLY TO REMOVE EDUCATIONAL BARRIERS FOR IMMIGRANT STUDENTS HELPING THEM GRADUATE AND SUCCEED.
MANY INDIVIDUALS AND, UH, TEACHERS AND UM, SCHOOL LEADERS HAVE REACHED OUT TO CASA, UM, TO SEE HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT, UM, THE IMMIGRANT STUDENTS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS, UM, BY DOING ALL YOUR RIGHTS OR BYSTANDER TRAININGS TO GET PREPARED IN CASE OF A SITUATION.
MOST OF THE TIMES EDUCATORS ARE ASKING HOW CAN THEY HELP WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE, UM, AND WHAT SUPPORT THEY SHOULD BE BRINGING TO THEIR STUDENTS AND FAMILY OUTSIDE WHAT'S ALREADY LISTED.
UM, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SCHOOLS THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS? UM, YOU KNOW, THAT DON'T HAVE THOSE FEATURES OR THOSE LEADERS THAT ARE REACHING OUT FOR SUPPORT STUDENTS AND PARENTS NEED THEIR LEADERS TO STEP UP AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO WAIT FOR ANOTHER INCIDENT.
IT IS CRUCIAL THAT, UM, EVERY SCHOOL IN BALTIMORE COUNTY IS PREPARED TO PROTECT IMMIGRANT STUDENTS.
THE DISTRICT NEEDS A STRONG LEADERSHIP AND TO CREATE GUIDELINES THAT ENSURE THAT ALL SCHOOLS ARE READY AND ABLE TO PROVIDE PROTECTION AND SUPPORT THAT THE STUDENTS DESERVE.
THE POLICY MUST BE COMPREHENSIVE, INCLUDING TRAINING FOR STAFF AT ALL LEVEL.
SO EVERYONE KNOWS HOW TO PROTECT IMMIGRANT STUDENTS.
IT SHOULD ALSO BE CLEARLY COMMUNICATED TO PARENTS, ENSURING THAT, UM, THE INFORMATION AND PRO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE INFORMATION AND PROCESSES THAT COULD POSSIBLY TAKE PLACE.
UH, WE NEED A POLICY THAT ENSURES, UM, THAT IMMIGRANT STUDENTS CAN CONTINUE TO LEARN WITHOUT FEAR, AND I URGE YOU TO ADOPT A POLICY TO PROTECT, UM, THE STUDENTS', UM, SAFETY AND THEIR PRIVACY, BUT ALSO SHOWCASING HOW COMMITTED BALTIMORE COUNTY IS TO SUPPORT IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE CREATED AN GUIDE, UM, THAT COULD SERVE AS AN EXAMPLE, AND WE
[00:20:01]
WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HAVE A SIT DOWN AND GO THROUGH IT WITH YOU GUYS.UM, WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT, UM, AND WE URGE YOU TO TAKE ACTIONS TO SUPPORT IMMIGRANT STUDENTS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARIETTA ENGLISH FROM THE BALTIMORE COUNTY NAACP.
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES, WE CAN.
SUPERINTENDENT ROGERS, CHAIR ELECT, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I AM PLEASED TO BE HERE AGAIN IN SUPPORT OF THE 26TH OPERATING BUDGET.
I'M CHAIR OF THE BALTIMORE COUNTY NAACP EDUCATION COMMITTEE, AND I'M HERE TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE NAACP TO SUPPORT DR. ROGERS 26 OPERATING BUDGET.
WE ARE ASKING FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD TO FULLY FUND THIS BUDGET THAT PROVIDES NEEDED RESOURCES FOR OUR 110,000 STUDENTS AND 20,000 STAFF.
THIS BUDGET PROVIDES NEEDED FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION EXPANSION, WHICH I AM TRULY IN SUPPORT SPECIAL EDUCATION.
I'M A SPECIAL EDUCATOR, SO I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS.
OL COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS AND CET PROGRAMS, ALL OF WHICH ARE IMPORTANT WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE RECENT BCPS ACADEMIC GAIN ON STATE ASSESSMENTS WHERE BCPS HAS HAD MORE FIVE STAR RATED SCHOOLS THAN ANY OTHER JU LOCAL JURISDICTION IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND, IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE FUND OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND KEEP THIS ACADEMIC PROGRESS MOVING FORWARD.
THIS IS NOT A TIME TO GO BACKWARD.
IN THE FAMOUS WORDS AND SONGS FROM WHITNEY HOUSTON, I BELIEVE OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE.
TEACH THEM WELL AND LET THEM LEAD THE WAY.
THIS BUDGET IS A REFLECTION OF THAT.
THE NAACP HAS LONG TIME PARTNERED WITH BCPS, PROVIDING ACADEMIC SUPPORT, MENTORSHIP, AND ADMINISTERING CREATIVE ARTS PROGRAM THROUGH OUR HIGHLY SU SUCCESSFUL AXLE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE MANY STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN, UH, GOLD MEDAL WINNERS WHO'VE GONE ON AND DONE GREAT THINGS, AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF THIS PARTNERSHIP.
WE ARE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF ALLOWING, UH, STUDENTS TO CREATE, UM, HIGH SCHOOL CHAPTERS.
WE HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL CHAPTER AT PARKVILLE AND THE BEGINNINGS.
WE HAVE, UH, BRANCHES THAT WILL BEGIN AT PERRY HALL AND AT PIKESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL.
BOYS AND GIRLS NEED THE SUPPORT, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE THE SUPPORT BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THAT WITH THE SUPPORT, IT WILL HELP STUDENTS ACADEMICALLY.
AND IN ORDER TO CONTINUE THESE RECENT ACADEMIC GAINS, WE MUST FULLY FUND THIS BUDGET.
UNDERSTANDING THAT EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO ALL OF OUR SUCCESS.
OUR CHILDREN DESERVE THE BEST THEY DESERVE THE RESOURCES THIS BUDGET PROVIDES THAT GIVES OUR CHILDREN THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN OUR SCHOOL AND IN LIFE.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE RESOURCES THAT THEY ARE NEED INCLUDE NO LAYOFFS OF TEACHERS AND STAFF.
AND IN CLOSING, WE CONGRATULATE SUPERINTENDENT ROGERS AND THE SCHOOL BOARD FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK YOU ARE DOING AND HOPE THAT THIS BUDGET IS SUPPORTED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD AND SENT TO THE COUNTY COUNCIL AND COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR THEIR DELIBERATION AND APPROVAL AS WELL.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CLARISSA TAYLOR JACKSON FROM SIGMA GAMMA ROSE SORORITY, ZETA OMEGA SIGMA CHAPTER.
UH, IF YOU HIT STAR SIX, YOU CAN UNMUTE YOUR PHONE.
HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEP, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
TO THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR AND ALL BOARD MEMBERS, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME.
I AM REPRESENTING THE ZETO OMEGA SIGMA CHAPTER, THE BALTIMORE COUNTY CHAPTER OF SIGMA SORORITY INCORPORATED.
I'M ALSO HERE ON BEHALF OF NPHC, THAT IS NATIONAL ALLIANCE, UH, WOW.
NATIONAL ANALYTIC COUNCIL, METROPOLITAN BALTIMORE.
[00:25:01]
SPECIFICALLY FOR ZE OMEGA SIGMA CHAPTER.WE HAVE SEVERAL MEMBERS IN OUR, IN OUR MODEST CHAPTER THAT ARE EITHER SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS OR TEACHERS OR JUST HAVE CHILDREN WHO ATTEND SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY.
OUR CHAPTER SERVICES, UM, CHURCH LANE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND THEN ALSO SOLACE POINTS, UH, DUNDALK HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, AND WE'RE WORKING TO EXPAND THE GOLDEN RING AS WELL.
AND I AM HERE TO, UM, SUPPORT, UM, SUPERINTENDENT ROGERS BUDGET IN ITS IN TOTALITY, UM, SIMPLY BECAUSE ALL OF OUR CHILDREN NEED THE VERY BEST RESOURCES SPECIFICALLY AT CHURCH LANE.
AND, UM, AT S POINT, WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF, UH, GREAT ADMINISTRATORS AND TEACHERS WHO DO REALLY GREAT WORK, BUT THEY NEED THE TO, THEY NEED THE FUNDING, UM, AND THE RESOURCES TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE EVEN BETTER SUPPORT, UM, FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO THIS DISTRICT AGREES, UM, ARE OUR FUTURE AND WANTS TO POUR INTO THEM AS BEST AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN.
AND SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT, EVEN IN THIS BUDGET, THESE, UM, TRYING TIMES WHERE THE BUDGET IS EXTREMELY TIGHT, WE DO HAVE TO FUND, FULLY FUND THIS BUDGET, UM, FOR EVERY SINGLE STUDENT.
AND ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF WHAT RECENTLY HAPPENED TO THE PRIVACY, UM, OF SOME OF OUR, UM, STUDENTS WHO, UH, ENGLISH IS THEIR SECOND LANGUAGE.
WE MUST MAKE SURE THAT WE DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO GIVE NOT ONLY HOLD THE TEACHERS ACCOUNTABLE AND THE ADMINISTRATORS ACCOUNTABLE, BUT ALSO GIVE THEM THE RESOURCES TO BE THE VERY BEST STEWARDS OF THE TALENT THAT YOU ARE CERTAINLY GROWING AND CULTIVATING IN ITS VERY OWN DISTRICT.
AND SO, ONCE AGAIN, I JUST, I JUST IMPLORE YOU, UM, WE, WE RISE TO SUPPORT THE BUDGET IN ITS TO, IN ITS ENTIRETY.
UM, AND WE RECOGNIZE HOW THAT MIGHT BE A DIFFICULT DECISION, BUT FOR US, IT'S NOT A DIFFICULT ONE BECAUSE IT IS ONE IN SUPPORT OF OUR FUTURE, WHICH IS OUR CHILDREN IN THE DISTRICT.
NEXT ARE OUR INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS AND STUDENTS GROUPS, AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS LUCAS KANA.
GOOD EVENING, DR. ROGERS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'VE LIVED IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR 15 YEARS.
MY BROTHER ATTENDED OVERLY HIGH SCHOOL, THE VERY SCHOOL THAT IS THE SUBJECT THAT OTHERS HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN ABOUT.
AFTER GRADUATING, HE SERVED NEARLY A DECADE AS A MARINE.
I TOO, AFTER TAKING AS A WAS ON MY WAY TO SIGNING UP FOR THE NAVY AS A NUCLEAR ENGINEER, BUT WAS DISQUALIFIED TO A CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITION, OUR FAMILY'S ALLEGIANCE TO THIS COUNTRY AND ITS VALUES IS BEYOND QUESTION.
TODAY I RUN MY OWN BUSINESS, SERVE AS A DIRECTOR WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, AND I FOUNDED A FAST GROWING INDEPENDENT MEDIA OUTLET WITH THOUSANDS OF SUBSCRIBERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND BEYOND.
BUT I WANNA SHARE SOMETHING MORE PERSONAL.
I WAS ONCE IN AN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT, AND EVERYTHING I'VE ACHIEVED FROM BUSINESS, BUSINESS SUCCESS TO COMMUNITY SERVICE WAS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE TRUST I BUILT WITH MY TEACHERS OVER 20 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS AN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT AS WELL, THAT TRUST IS THE FOUNDATION OF EVERY STUDENT'S SUCCESS, AND THAT TRUST IS EXACTLY IS WHAT'S AT STAKE TODAY.
MY TESTIMONY ISN'T JUST ABOUT A SINGLE TEACHER, BUT THIS OVERLY TEACHER ISN'T JUST A TEACHER WITH BAD OPINIONS.
HE PUBLICLY OFFERED TO HAND OVER THE NAMES OF HIS OWN STUDENTS TO US YOUNG PEOPLE HE WAS ENTRUSTED TO PROTECT.
THESE AREN'T JUST NAMES ON THE LIST.
THESE WERE CHILDREN, FAMILIES, HUMAN BEINGS.
HIS BETRAYAL DIDN'T JUST ENDANGER IMMIGRANT STUDENTS.
HE SHATTERED THE TRUST THAT EVERY STUDENT RELIES ON TO FEEL SAFE IN A CLASSROOM.
THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT IMMIGRANT STUDENTS EITHER IF KIDS ILLEGAL OR NOT LEARN THAT THEIR TEACHERS MIGHT TURN AGAINST THEM FOR POLITICAL REASONS.
WE AREN'T JUST TALKING ABOUT A BREACH OF TRUST, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ITS COMPLETE DESTRUCTION.
WHY SHOULD ANY STUDENT CARE TO LEARN FROM SOMEONE WHO MIGHT BE EXCITED TO DESTROY THEM? THIS INCIDENT REMINDS ME OF THE LESSONS I LEARNED IN UNITED US HISTORY OVER 20 YEARS AGO FROM THOSE TEACHERS.
I TRUSTED LESSONS ABOUT HOW WE FOUGHT AGAINST REGIMES THAT SUCCEEDED IN THEIR TYRANNY, NOT THROUGH MILITARY MIGHT, BUT FOR CIVILIANS WHO WILLINGLY TURNED OVER ROMAN MONEY, IMMIGRANTS JEWS, AND UTTER SCAPEGOATS TO THE GESTAPO.
SO AS YOU COME TO DECISION THIS MATTER, I ASKED YOU TO REMEMBER, HISTORY DOESN'T JUST REMEMBER THE HEROES WHO STOOD UP AGAINST TYRANNY.
IT REMEMBERS THOSE WHO STOOD BY AND LET YOU TAKE ROOT.
I STAND HERE TODAY AS A WITNESS TO WHAT MY TEACHERS MEANT TO ME OVER 20 YEARS AGO.
TODAY YOU WRITE THE HI, THE STORY THAT SOMEONE WILL TELL ABOUT YOUR 20 YEARS FROM NOW, WHETHER YOU STOOD FOR YOUR STUDENTS OR WITH THOSE WHO SOUGHT TO BRING FEAR AND
[00:30:01]
BETRAYAL INTO YOUR CLASSROOMS. THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IS WATCHING AND HISTORY WILL REMEMBER.DO THE RIGHT THING, MAKE IT MAKE IT CLEAR THAT NO TEACHER THAT BEHAVES THIS WAY IS WELCOMING THE HALLS OF YOUR SCHOOL.
GOOD EVENING, UH, TO ALL THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
FIRST OF ALL, KUDOS TO TO YOU THE CHAIR AND TO ALL BOARD MEMBER FOR ATTENDING, UH, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TONIGHT.
INSTEAD OF CANCELING IT BECAUSE OF THE INCREMENT WEATHER, I DO HAVE QUESTIONS.
I APPRECIATE IF YOU CAN ANSWER ME IN WRITING.
DR. ROGERS IS ASKING FOR $2.9 BILLION FYI 26.
IF YOU DIVIDE THAT NUMBER WITH 20,000 EMPLOYEES, THAT MEANS THE AVERAGE EXPENDITURE PER EMPLOYEE IS 145,000.
AND IF YOU DIVIDE THE SAME NUMBER, 2.9 BILLION BY 110,000 STUDENTS, EACH STUDENT WILL COST US IN OPERATING BUDGET 26,500.
THIS IS HIGHER THAN WHAT THE COST OF PRIVATE SCHOOL.
SO MY QUESTION IS WHY BCPS IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN PRIVATE SCHOOLS? AND I'M NOT REALLY EVEN INCLUDING IN THIS CALCULATION THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
THE SECOND QUESTION IS, DO THE INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBERS AND THE CHAIR HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO INSPECT THE ACTUAL EXPENDITURE AND WORKLOAD OF BCPS EMPLOYEES? IF THE ANSWER IS YES, THEN PLEASE SHOW US THAT AS TAXPAYERS.
IF THE ANSWER IS NO, THEN MY QUESTION TO YOU, HOW COULD YOU AS A BOARD KNOW IF THE BUDGET HAS WASTE OR NOT? NEXT QUESTION.
DOES THE PROPOSED BUDGET OF 2026 HAVE FUNDS TO ASSURE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO RESPOND TO TAXPAYERS QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS? NEXT QUESTION.
DOES THE PROPOSED BUDGET HAVE ENOUGH FUNDS TO ASSURE THAT THE SCHOOL EMPLOYEES HAVE STAFF AND EQUIPMENT TO CLEAR THE SNOW AND SOLVE THE PATHWAYS? SO BCPS DOES NOT HAVE TO CLOSE THE SCHOOL FOR EVERY SMALLEST AMOUNT OF SMALL OF SNOW, UH, COMING IN.
ARE YOU AWARE THAT BOTH FEDERAL, STATE AND COUNTY FUNDS ARE COMPROMISED? I KNOW YOU ARE AWARE.
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU, WHY NOT THE BOARD IS NOT CONSIDERING THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX OF COUNTY AND STATE FUNDS? THANK YOU, MR. I REALLY THANK YOU DR.
THREE MINUTES IS, UH, BUT THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MADELINE VELAZQUEZ.
MS. VELAZQUEZ, IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, YOU MAY BE ON MUTE AND YOU NEED TO PRESS STAR SIX.
HEY, THIS IS GRACE LEE FROM CAA.
I SUPPORTED HER LOGGING IN AND SHE JUST SENT ME A MESSAGE THAT SHE'S HAVING SOME TECH PROBLEM.
IS IT OKAY TO COME BACK TO HER AND I CAN HELP HER MAKE SURE THAT, UM, SHE'S ABLE TO UNMUTE? YEAH, I WILL GO ON TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER AND THEN COME BACK TO HER.
[00:35:03]
SO OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PETER BAUM.THANK YOU TO THE BOARD AND CHAIR.
SO THE TROUBLE WITH CONVICTIONS IS THAT WE OFTEN CRAFT THEM IN THE GOOD TIMES AND HOPE WE NEVER HAVE TO LEAN ON THEM IN THE BAD TIMES.
NOW, I WAS NEVER ONE FOR POLITICAL DOGMA, BUT I FIRMLY BELIEVE IN ONE SIMPLE THING.
ALL PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXIST FREE FROM HARASSMENT BY BOTH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND ANYONE WHO MIGHT DENY THEM THEIR RIGHT TO EXIST.
NOWADAYS, WE SEE MORE AND MORE CONCESSIONS TO THOSE WHO MIGHT DENY THE RIGHT OF EXISTENCE TO IMMIGRANTS.
L-G-B-T-Q, FOLKS AND OTHERS, WE FORCED TO LINGER ON THE FRINGES OF SOCIETY.
THE SITUATION AT OVERLAY WAS ONE SUCH DENIAL.
AND LET'S BE CLEAR, IT HAPPENED BECAUSE WE ALLOWED IT TO.
WE ALLOWED IT BECAUSE WE DID NOT STAND WITH A FIRM VOICE AND STATE THAT HATE HAS NO PLACE IN OUR SCHOOLS.
INSTEAD, WE GOT WISHY-WASHY LANGUAGE ABOUT STATE REGULATIONS AT A TIME WHEN THE SIMPLE EXISTENCE OF ABOUT 10% OF OUR STUDENT BODY HAS BEEN DECLARED A POTENTIAL CRIME BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
INSTEAD OF STANDING BY THE IDEA THAT EDUCATION IS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT ENSHRINED BY THE DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS, WE ALLOWED SPACE FOR BIGGEST PERIODS TO FESTER IN OUR SCHOOLS.
I'VE BEEN IN EDUCATION FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS, INCLUDING AT WOODLAWN, THE SAME INSTITUTION OUR SUPERINTENDENT ONCE SERVED.
AND IN MY TIME, I'VE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A MASS AND EGREGIOUS VIOLATION OF STUDENT SAFETY AS TO WILLFULLY THROW SOME 50 STUDENTS INTO THE MEAT GRINDER OF THE CARCERAL STATE FOR THE SIMPLE CRIME OF EXISTING.
HOW CAN WE IN GOOD CONSCIENCE ASK THESE STUDENTS TO COME BACK? HOW CAN I LOOK AT MY FORMER STUDENTS OF WOODLAWN AND SAY THE SAME THING OR WORDS COULDN'T HAPPEN TO THEM BECAUSE WE CHOSE TO STAND BY AND DO NOTHING? IF THIS IS NOT WHERE WE DRAW THE LINE, THEN I ASK YOU TO EXAMINE YOUR CONVICTIONS AND VALUES AND ASK WHERE THE LINE IS.
IS IT WHEN FAMILIES ARE SEPARATED BY STATE FORCE AT OUR SCHOOLS? IS IT STUDENTS BEING TARGETED IN CLASSROOMS? IS IT WHEN WE START SENDING CHILDREN TO GUANTANAMO WHERE THEY'VE CONSTRUCTED CAMPS UNDER NEITHER THE JURISDICTION OF THE UNITED STATES NOR CUBA? UH, WE ARE FACING AN UNCERTAIN TIME, AND IT IS ONE WHERE HISTORY MAY NOT LOOK KINDLY ON US FOR AN ACTION TODAY.
IT IS A FUTURE THAT WILL LIKELY HOLD YOU TO ACCOUNT FOR THE THINGS THAT YOU SAY AND DO IN THE COMING MONTHS.
US EDUCATORS ARE ASKED TO ACCEPT WHATEVER STUDENT COMES THROUGH OUR DOORS, FLAWS AND ALL.
WE'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO QUESTION THE IMMUTABLE CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS GENDER, RACE, LANGUAGE, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN OF OUR STUDENTS.
BECAUSE THE SCIENCE IS CLEAR THAT STUDENTS LEARN BEST WHEN THEY FEEL SAFE AND CARED FOR.
AND IDEA IS SO FUNDAMENTAL THAT IT'S THE BASE OF THE HIERARCHY OF NEEDS.
WE DENY THESE CHILDREN THEIR SAFETY.
WE DENY THEM THEIR ACCESS TO EDUCATION.
HOWEVER, LET ME ALSO BE CLEAR, IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO CHOOSE A SIDE.
TO PARAPHRASE THE GREAT EEL, WE MUST ALWAYS CHOOSE A SIDE BECAUSE IN DIFFERENCE ONLY HELPS THE OPPRESSOR AND NEVER BE OPPRESSED.
WE NEED YOU TO FIND YOUR COURAGE IN THE FACE OF NATIONAL POLITICS AND SPEAK OUT PUBLICLY AND IN A CLEAR VOICE TO MAKE SURE THAT OTHERS WHO HOLD SIMILAR PREJUDICES KNOW THEY'RE NOT WELCOME IN OUR INSTITUTIONS.
TO THAT END, I RECOMMEND SUPPORT.
UM, MS. VELAZQUEZ, ARE YOU ABLE TO UNMUTE? HELLO? HELLO? IS THAT THE END OF MY TIME? YES, YOU HAD REACHED THE THREE MINUTES.
AND THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
MS. QUEZ, IF YOU CAN HEAR US, YOU'RE CERTAINLY WELCOME TO SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO, UM, TO MS. GOVER OR TO THE BOARD OF E BOARD OF IT, BOE AT BOARD OF, I CAN'T REMEMBER.
UM, YOU'RE WELCOME TO SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO US.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS A SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.
UM, THERE WAS ANOTHER STUDENT, HELEN, WHO YEAH, THERE WAS ANOTHER, YES, THERE'S
[00:40:01]
ANOTHER STUDENT, HELEN.UM, SHE GOT THE EMAIL THAT SHE WAS GONNA BE ABLE TO SPEAK TODAY.
UM, MS. GOVER, I DON'T HAVE THAT PERSON ON THE LIST.
THERE WERE, THERE WERE SOME THAT WERE NOT ABLE TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE
[F. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT (7:20 - 7:25 p.m.)]
SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT.AND FOR THAT, I CALL ON DR. ROGERS.
GOOD EVENING CHAIR, LICHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND OUR VIEWING PUBLIC.
I AM PLEASED TO PRESENT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY.
I WANNA BEGIN BY REMINDING EVERYONE WHAT WE HAVE COMMITTED TO AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM.
OUR STRATEGIC PLAN GUIDES OUR PRIORITY WORK.
FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON FOUR PRIORITY AREAS, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE, SAFETY AND CLIMATE, AND HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS AND LEADERS AND STAFF.
WE KNOW THAT LEARNING IS OUR CORE PURPOSE.
AND FOR THE 111,000 STUDENTS WHO GO THROUGH TO OUR SCHOOLS EVERY SINGLE DAY, WE ARE COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF THEM ARE LEARNING AT HIGH LEVELS.
I HAVE SAID BEFORE AND WANT TO STATE AGAIN, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN WITHOUT PEOPLE TO DO THIS WORK, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE SO DEEPLY COMMITTED TO OUR STAFF, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, ENSURING SAFETY AND CLIMATE, ENSURING THAT OUR STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS ARE PHYSICALLY AND SOCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY SAFE.
ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES IS ENSURING THAT WE HAVE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEACHERS, LEADERS, AND STAFF AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WE HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL STAFF.
THIS SLIDE IS ONE THAT YOU HAVE SEEN BEFORE.
AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE INVESTMENTS IN PEOPLE, THE HARD WORK OF STAFF, WE ARE STARTING TO SEE ALL DATA POINTS TRENDING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
UM, WE HAVE REVIEWED THESE DATA POINTS BEFORE.
OUR TEACHER RETENTION RATES ARE AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE.
WE HAVE SURPASSED RETENTION RATES OF BOTH THE STATE AND NATIONAL AND OUR PRE COVID RATES.
BUT WITH THAT, WE EXPECT THAT ALL OF OUR STAFF HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR THEMSELVES AND THE STUDENTS THAT THEY'RE ENTRUSTED WITH CARING FOR AND INSTRUCTING TEACHERS.
ALL STAFF ARE EXPECTED TO CREATE SAFE AND WELCOMING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR OUR SCHOOLS, FOR OUR STUDENTS AS THEY ARE IN SCHOOL.
EVERY STUDENT SHOULD BE ABLE TO COUNT ON A TRUSTED ADULT IN SCHOOL.
WHILE BCPS FOLLOWS ALL FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS.
STAFF MUST ALSO KNOW THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT LOCAL BOARD POLICY AND SUPERINTENDENT RULES.
FEDERAL LAWS PROHIBIT STUDENT PRIVACY AND PROHIBITS RELEASE OF STUDENT INFORMATION, UH, TO INCLUDE EDUCATION, EDUCATION RECORDS.
WHEN STAFF MEMBERS VIOLATE THOSE EXPECTATIONS AND BREAK POLICIES, THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES.
WE ABSOLUTELY FOLLOW DUE PROCESS, BUT THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION AND BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THOSE INVESTIGATIONS, NEXT STEPS ARE DETERMINED.
IT HAS BEEN RAISED THIS EVENING BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, UM, BUT IT HAS ALSO BEEN RAISED WITH ALL STAFF MEMBERS AS WE'VE MOVED FORWARD AROUND SAFETY AND CLIMATE.
SPECIFICALLY, I WANNA SPEND SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT IMMIGRATION INFORMA ENFORCEMENT IN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
IN LIGHT OF THE MOST RECENT EXECUTIVE ACTION THAT WAS SIGNED, I HAVE TO FIRST AND FOREMOST SAY THAT I AM A MOM.
EVERYONE KNOWS THIS OF MOM OF FOUR, UH, FOUR CHILDREN OF MY OWN, SOME OF THEM BEING ADULTS.
I ABSOLUTELY EMPATHIZE WITH FAMILIES IN THIS MOMENT.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE REAL FEARS FOR SOME OF OUR FAMILIES AND FOR SOME FAMILIES ARE REALLY TRYING TO BALANCE THE NEED FOR A HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION AS WELL AS MITIGATING SAFETY CONCERNS.
IT'S FOR THESE REASONS THAT WE'VE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE STATE OF MARYLAND AND OUR COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE GUIDANCE THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED HAS BEEN, UH, IN ALIGNMENT WITH MSDE AS WELL AS RESOURCES HAVE BEEN HIGHLIGHTED.
WHEN STUDENTS REGISTER IN OUR SCHOOLS, WE REQUIRE INFORMATION REGARDING THEIR AGE AND RESIDENCY IN BALTIMORE COUNTY, PUBLIC IN BALTIMORE COUNTY AS A WHOLE, IMMIGRATION
[00:45:01]
STATUS IS NOT A PART OF OUR ENROLLMENT DE DETERMINATION, NOR IS IT IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.WE HAVE PROVIDED VETTED RESOURCES FOR OUR FAMILIES AND PROVIDED, UH, TRAINING FOR OUR PRINCIPALS, NOT ONLY TRAINING AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO SPEAK WITH EACH OTHER AND RAISE CONCERNS THAT REMAINED IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO TRAINING WITH OUR OFFICE OF LAW AND OUR OFFICE OF SAFETY.
OUR RESOURCES ARE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.
HARD COPIES ARE AVAILABLE IN SCHOOLS, AND WE URGE FAMILIES TO REPORT ANY AND ALL CONCERNS TO PRINCIPALS, COUNSELORS, TEACHERS, COMMUNITY SCHOOL FACILITATORS.
PRINCIPALS WILL CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE EXISTING COMMUNITY SUPPORTS AND PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE WHAT THEY NEED IN SCHOOL.
WE WANT OUR STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS.
WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT DESPITE THE EXECUTIVE ACTION, OUR PRACTICES AND PROTOCOLS HAVE NOT CHANGED.
THERE IS NO CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE AN ADULT WILL REPORT TO OUR SCHOOL AND ASK FOR A STUDENT, AND THE STAFF WILL SIMPLY TURN THAT STUDENT OVER.
WHEN ADULT REPORTS TO OUR SCHOOL, WE VERIFY INFORMATION THROUGH THE OFFICE OF SAFETY AND THE OFFICE OF LAW WHEN NECESSARY.
WE INVOLVE OUR BALTIMORE COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT PARTNERS TO VERIFY IDENTITY AND PURPOSE FIRST, SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARDS TO IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.
WE KNOW THAT SCHOOLS ARE NOT DESIGNATED NO LONGER DESIGNATED AS SAFE ZONES.
HOWEVER, I CAN REPORT THAT ALL SUPERINTENDENTS ACROSS THE STATE OF MARYLAND HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH DIRECTOR ELLISON, WHO IS THE DIRECTOR FOR MARYLAND ICE.
HE STATED TO US AND TO THE PUBLIC THAT MARYLAND ENGAGES IN TARGET ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS ONLY OUTSIDE OF SCHOOLS IF I NEED TO, AND OTHER SUPERINTENDENTS NEEDS TO.
HE PROVIDED US WITH HIS DIRECT CONTACT INFORMATION TO REACH OUT FOR US TO ASK SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR REGARDING OUR COUNTY.
I HAVE USED HIS NUMBER AND HE HAS RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY.
HE HAS ALSO SHARED THIS INFORMATION WITH THE MEDIA IN TERMS OF THE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES THAT MARILYN ICE ENGAGES IN.
HE SAID THAT THEY DO NOT AND WILL NOT INTERRUPT SCHOOLS, BUT WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT BASED ON THE NEW EXECUTIVE ACTION, THAT THEY HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO SO.
WE ALSO UNDERSTAND AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT LOCAL POLICY CANNOT SUPERSEDE FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS, BUT WE CAN ASSURE YOU THAT OUR LEADERSHIP IS TRAINED.
MY OFFICE, THE OFFICE OF SAFETY AND THE OFFICE OF LAW, STAND AT THE READY SHOULD ANYONE SHOW UP TO ANY OF OUR SCHOOLS WITH TARGETED ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES.
IF THERE IS AN INTERRUPTION, WE WILL TAKE ALL NECESSARY STEPS TO MITIGATE TRAUMA AND DISRUPTION TO OUR STUDENTS.
THIS COMMITMENT IS FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE, UH, CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR STATUS, BUT IT IS ALSO FOR ALL 111,000 STUDENTS THAT ARE IN OUR SCHOOLS.
WE ARE EDUCATORS AND EXIST FIRST TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AT HIGH LEVELS.
AND PART OF THAT LEARNING AT THE HIGH LEVELS IS BEYOND THE CURRICULUM AND THE INSTRUCTION THAT WE PROVIDE.
IT IS ALSO CREATING A CLIMATE THAT LIMITS DISRUPTION THAT RESPONDS TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE, UM, IN SOCIETY.
AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES HAVE THE INFORMATION THAT IS NECESSARY.
THAT IS WHY OUR RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE NOT ONLY ONLINE, BUT PRINCIPALS HAVE TAKEN EXTRA STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT HARD COPIES ARE AVAILABLE IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES.
THAT MEETINGS AND SUPPORT IS BEING OFFERED IN MULTIPLE WAYS, INCLUDING ONLINE AND PHONE CALL OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR FAMILIES WHERE THEY FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE.
WE IMPLORE ALL FAMILIES IN BCPS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE UPDATED CONTACT INFORMATION.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO ENSURE THAT SCHOOLS ARE DISRUPTED AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE.
WE WILL, AGAIN, TAKE ALL NECESSARY STEPS TO MITIGATE ANY INTERRUPTION IN OUR SCHOOLS.
OUR COMMITMENT REMAINS TO OUR 111,000 STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES.
AND FOR THIS REASON, WE WILL MAINTAIN CLOSE CON COMMUNICATION WITH MSDE AS WELL AS OUR OTHER PARTNERS ACROSS THE STATE.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE UPDATES AND GUIDANCE TO
[00:50:01]
OUR FAMILIES AS MORE INFORMATION IS RECEIVED.THANK YOU DR. ROGERS, UM, FOR THAT VERY DETAILED REPORT FOR OUR COMMUNITY, UM, OUTLINING THE EFFORTS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE.
[G. CHAIR'S REPORT (7:25 - 7:30 p.m.)]
OUR CHAIR'S REPORT.UM, AND I WANNA START FIRST, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, UM, CHRISTINA CONNOLLY, A RETIRED PRINCIPAL OF BEDFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, PASSED AWAY LAST MONTH AFTER A LONG, COURAGEOUS BATTLE WITH CANCER.
I WANNA EXPRESS THE BOARD'S CONDOLENCES TO HER FAMILY AND HER BEDFORD SCHOOL COMMUNITY.
IN ADDITION TO BEING PRINCIPAL OF BEDFORD ELEMENTARY, SHE WAS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT NEWTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND HOW POSITIONS IN CENTRAL OFFICE.
I WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE WORKED WITH MS. CONNOLLY WHEN SHE ASSUMED HER PRINCIPALSHIP AT BEDFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I REMEMBER HOW EAGER AND EXCITED SHE WAS TO LEAD BEDFORD.
SHE WORKED HARD TO BUILD A COMMUNITY FOR HER STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND STAFF.
MS. CONNOLLY WAS A TRUE INSTRUCTIONAL LEADER WHO WANTED THE VERY BEST FOR HER STUDENTS.
HER PRESENCE IN BCPS IS AND WILL BE MISSED.
ALSO, AS YOU HAVE HEARD FROM OUR SUPERINTENDENT MANY TIMES, SHE'S COMMITTED TO PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL LEARNING FOR ALL MEMBERS OF BCPS.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND LAST WEEK'S MONTHLY PLD FOR PRINCIPALS.
PRINCIPALS WERE ENGAGED IN PLCS THAT ARE ALIGNED TO PRIORITY AREAS AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT.
PRINCIPALS PARTICIPATED IN FEEDER PATTERN MEETINGS WITH THEIR COLLEAGUES AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS TO REVIEW AND SHOWCASE BEST PRACTICES ASSOCIATED WITH ARTICULATION.
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AND PRINCIPLES LED SESSIONS ON CHAPTERS FROM LEADING IN A CULTURE OF CHANGE.
AND PRINCIPALS, AGAIN SHARED THEIR BEST PRACTICES ASSOCIATED WITH LEADING A CULTURE OF CHANGE IN SCHOOL SETTINGS.
REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR SCIENCE OFFICE LED A SESSION SPECIFIC TO IMPLEMENTATION OF NGSS STANDARDS FOR OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND SECONDARY BECAME FAMILIAR WITH THE CAREER NAVIGATOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EXPECTATIONS NECESSARY FOR PLANNING THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
CONTENT OFFICES PROVIDED CURRICULUM UPDATES AND RESOURCES FOR PRINCIPALS TO REVIEW AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE LAW AND SAFETY OFFICES.
IN COLLABORATION WITH LEAD REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DIVISION OF SCHOOLS LED COMPREHENSIVE QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSIONS FOR PRINCIPALS.
YOU CAN SEE THAT IN ONE DAY, OUR PRINCIPALS AND LEADERS RECEIVED AN ABUNDANCE OF INFORMATION RELEVANT TO THEIR WORK IN SCHOOLS.
SO THANK YOU TO ALL THE STAFF THAT WORK TO ENSURE THAT OUR BUILDING LEADERS ARE PART OF MEANINGFUL AND RELEVANT CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.
AND IN CLOSING, IT'S VITAL AT THIS TIME TO REAFFIRM THE BOARD OF ED'S COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS SAFE, INCLUSIVE, RESPECTFUL, AND CONDUCIVE TO LEARNING.
THE BOARD MAINTAINS THAT A POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE IS ESSENTIAL TO SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT AND THAT EVERY EMPLOYEE MUST CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN ACCORDANCE WITH EXPECTED STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR TO ACT ETHICALLY EXHIBIT A STRONG WORTH ETHIC, WORK PRODUCTIVELY AND PERFORM THEIR DUTIES IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER.
[H. STUDENT BOARD MEMBER'S REPORT (7:30 - 7:35 p.m.)]
UM, OUR STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD REPORT.AND FOR THAT, I CALL ON MS. CHIA KALU.
OKAY, SO GOOD EVENING BOARD CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, SUPERINTENDENT ROGERS BOARD MEMBERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AS WELL AS SCHOLARS OF BCPS.
AND SO JUST DUE TO THE WEATHER IN THE VIRTUAL FORMAT, I WILL RESERVE MANY UPDATES FOR OUR NEXT IN-PERSON MEETING.
HOWEVER, I COULD NOT LET THIS MOMENT PASS WITHOUT RECOGNIZING OUR STUDENTS.
AND NOW I REALLY, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO INTRODUCE THE TWO LEADING LIGHTS FOR THIS MONTH OF FEBRUARY.
SO THESE TWO STUDENTS HAVE TRULY DISPLAYED DEDICATION, LEADERSHIP, AND SERVICE, WHICH HAS PLACED THEM AMONG THE TOP CHANGE MAKERS IN THE NATION.
AND SO WE HAVE ISAAC RONEK, A CURRENT SENIOR AT PIKESVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, AS WELL AS CHERRY HYBO, A CURRENT SENIOR AT WOODLAWN HIGH SCHOOL.
ISAAC AND CHERRY WERE SELECTED AS TWO OF JUST 1,336 COCA-COLA SCHOLARSHIPS, SEMI-FINALISTS FROM A STAGGERING POOL OF OVER 105,000 APPLICANTS NATIONWIDE.
THAT'S ALMOST AS MANY STUDENTS IN BALTIMORE COUNTY ITSELF.
AND SO THIS ACHIEVEMENT TRULY PLACES THEM IN THE TOP 1.2, 1.27% OF STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND SO THIS RECOGNITION IS NOT MERELY ABOUT ACADEMICS OR GPA, IT IS TRULY ABOUT THEIR COMMITMENT TO UPLIFTING OTHERS, LEADING WITH INTEGRITY AND SHAPING A BETTER FUTURE FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES.
SO TO ISAAC AND TO CHERRY, YOU'RE BRILLIANT TO YOUR PASSION AND YOUR DEDICATION TO SERVICE SHINE, FALL FAR BEYOND THE WALLS OF YOUR SCHOOL AND YOU TRULY EMBODY THE ESSENCE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A LEADER.
AND TONIGHT, WE CELEBRATE YOU AND SO DO THE STORES.
THE SNOWSTORM IS UNFORTUNATELY KEEPING US FROM RECOGNIZING YOU IN PERSON.
I DO LOOK FORWARD TO PERSONALLY VISITING YOUR SCHOOLS
[00:55:01]
TO HONOR THIS INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT.AND JUST LET THIS SERVE AS A REMINDER THAT YOUR IMPACT IS SEEN AND YOUR EFFORTS ARE VALUED.
CONGRATULATIONS AND YOU TRULY ARE LEADING.
AND ALSO, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK SHOUT OUT TO THE OFFICE OF FOOD AND NUTRITION, FURTHER CHANCE TO ATTEND THE OVERLY FOOD TASTING EVENT WHERE STUDENTS WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DIRECTLY ENGAGE WITH THE DECISIONS ABOUT THE MEALS THEY EAT EVERY DAY.
WHILE THIS MAY SEEM SMALL, IT REALLY DOES SERVE AS A POWERFUL REMINDER THAT STUDENT VOICE MATTERS AT EVERY LEVEL.
AND SO WHETHER IT'S SHAPING BOARD POLICIES IN OUR CLASSROOMS, OR JUST SIMPLY CHOOSING WHAT'S SERVED ON THE PLATE, STUDENTS, THEY DO LOVE TO BE INCLUDED.
AND I'M JUST HAPPY TO SEE HOW ELSE.
AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE HOW ELSE THAT CAN BE INTEGRATED WITHIN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND THIS IS ALSO MY WEEK PAGING WITHIN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
SO JUST THIS MORNING I SAT ON THE HOUSE'S SESSION AND I WAS JUST DEEPLY INSPIRED BY THE BLACK HISTORY MOMENT DELIVERED BY DELEGATE JAMILA WOODS OF PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY.
AND SO IN THAT SAME SPIRIT, I JUST WANNA TAKE A MOMENT TO HONOR THE BRILLIANCE, RESILIENCE, AND LABOR OF AFRICANS AND AFRICAN AMERICANS WHOSE CONTRIBUTIONS BOTH VOLUNTARILY AND INVOLUNTARILY BUILT THIS NATION STATE AND THIS VERY COUNTRY.
AND SO WE TRULY CELEBRATE THE HANDS OF THOSE WHO LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR BCPS AND JUST FOR BALTIMORE COUNTY AND WHOSE WORK IN AGRICULTURE, LABOR INDUSTRY, AND EDUCATION, OFTEN WHEN UNCOMPENSATED, UNCREDITED, UNCREDITED YET UNDENIABLY ESSENTIAL.
AND EVEN OUR HEADQUARTERS IN GREENWOOD MANSION CARRIES THIS HISTORY, WHICH WAS BUILT IN THE LATE 17 HUNDREDS BY THE GOVAN FAMILY AND MAINTAINED THROUGH ENSLAVED LABOR.
AND SO, WHILE IT WAS ONCE A SITE OF EXCLUSION, IT IS NOW A CENTER FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, WHICH IS TRULY A TESTAMENT OF TRANSFORMATION AND OF PROGRESS.
AND SO RIGHT HERE IN MARYLAND, WE HONOR A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS AND WE DO ALSO WANNA CELEBRATE JUST OUR BLACK STUDENTS AND EVERYONE IN THE PAST AND THE PRESENT WHO, UM, EVERYONE IN THE PAST IN THE PRESENT WHO ARE REDEFINING EXCELLENCE AND INSPIRING PROGRESS EVERY DAY.
AND THEN IN CLOSING, JUST AS YOUR STUDENT BOARD MEMBER, I ALSO JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT EVERY STUDENT IN BALTIMORE COUNTY AND EVERY YOUNG PERSON NATIONWIDE TRULY DESERVES TO FEEL SAFE, VALUED, AND SUPPORTED WITHOUT EXPECTATION, WITHOUT EXCEPTION.
SO KNOW THAT YOU ARE SEEN, YOU ARE HEARD, AND YOU'RE, AND YOU BELONG.
AND SO WITH JUST FOUR MONTHS LEFT, I WILL MAKE EVERY MOMENT COUNT.
AND THIS WORK IS FAR FROM OVER.
I REMAIN COMMITTED TO AMPLIFYING YOUR VOICES AND ENSURING THAT TRUTH TRULY REMAINS STEADFAST IN YOUR SCHOOLS TO THE STUDENTS OF BALTIMORE COUNTY.
[I. UNFINISHED BUSINESS - BOARD POLICIES (7:35 - 7:45 p.m.)]
IS UNFINISHED BUSINESS REPORT ON BOARD POLICIES.THIS IS THE SECOND READER FOR THESE POLICIES.
AND FOR THAT I CALL MS. CHRISTINA HUMPHREY, CHAIR OF THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE.
CHAIR LICHTER, MEMBER OF THE BOARD.
THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE ASKS THAT THE BOARD ACCEPT THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION TO AMEND THE FOLLOWING BOARD POLICIES, BOARD POLICY 31 13 TRANSFERS AND SUPPLEMENTS BOARD POLICY 31 21 FUNDS MANAGEMENT AND CLASSIFICATION OF EXPENDITURES BOARD POLICY 31 23 FINANCIAL REPORTING AND BOARD POLICY 31 25 SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, FUNDS.
THESE POLICIES ARE PRETE PRESENTED TO YOU ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA AS EXHIBITS I ONE THROUGH I FOUR.
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 31 13, 31, 21, 31 23, AND 31 25.
SINCE THE RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE COMMITTEE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
[J. NEW BUSINESS - ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION (Board Counsel) (7:45 - 7:50 p.m.)]
THE AGENDA IS ACTION TAKEN ENCLOSED SESSION.AND FOR THAT I CALL HIM MR. BURNS.
THE BOARD DECIDED BOARD HEARING EXAMINER CASE SD 20 23 20 24 DASH OH FOUR.
THIS WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE TIME FOR THE BOARD TO CONSIDER A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ACTION TAKEN ENCLO
[01:00:01]
SESSION.MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ACTION TAKEN ENCLOS SESSION ON HEARING EXAMINER CASE SD 2023 SLASH 2024 DASH OH FOUR AND AUTHORIZE MS. GOR TO SIGN FOR THOSE BOARD MEMBERS NOT PHYSICALLY PRESENT.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND STALOWSKI.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
[K. NEW BUSINESS - CONTRACT AWARDS (Mr. Sarris and Dr. Grim) (7:50 - 8:05 p.m.)]
IS CONTRACT AWARDS.AND FOR THAT, I CALL ON MR. YOUNG CHAIR OF THE BUILDING AND CONTRACTS COMMITTEE.
MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, THE BOARD'S BUILDING AND CONTRACTS COMMITTEE MET ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10TH, 2025.
ITEMS K ONE THROUGH K 16 WERE FORWARDED TO THE FULL BOARD FOR APPROVAL.
UM, AND WE ARE GONNA SEPARATE SOME OF THOSE OUT.
SO, UM, GIVE ME, UM, SOME PATIENCE HERE.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, AND 11 THROUGH 16? SO MOVE EY.
NO SECOND IS NEEDED SINCE THE RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE BOARD, ANY DISCUSSIONS ON 1 3 5 6, 9 11 THROUGH 16 IS TIARA BOOKER DWYER OH, MS. BOOKER DWYER.
I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, UH, SIX, THE THE PORTRAIT SERVICES.
AND MY QUESTION IS, IN THE CONTRACT, IS THERE CONDITIONS IN THE CONTRACT TO TAILOR THE SHOOTS, UM, OR THE LIGHTING FOR THE DIFFERENT SKIN TONES OF STUDENTS? OR ANYTHING ABOUT, UM, ENSURING THAT THE, THAT STUDENTS' SKIN TONES ARE PORTRAYED ACCURATELY FOR THEIR YEARBOOK PHOTOS OR THEIR, UM, SCHOOL PICTURES? I KNOW SENIOR PORTRAITS TYPICALLY COME OUT LOOKING LIKE THEM, BUT SOMETIMES THE DARKER SKINNED STUDENTS IN YEARBOOKS AND IN, UM, SOME OF THEIR SCHOOL PICTURES IT WITH THESE LIFE TOUCH PHOTOS, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS, UM, REFLECT HOW THEIR SKIN TONES ACTUALLY LOOK.
SO IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE CONTRACT TO ADDRESS THAT OR COULD WE REQUEST THAT? SO THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION.
SO IS THERE STAFF AVAILABLE TO YES, GO AHEAD.
UM, DR. ROGERS, DO YOU WANNA ANSWER OR I CAN ANSWER? IT'S UP TO YOU.
OH, WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE SAME ANSWER.
I THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION.
UM, MS. BOOKY, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE HAVE NOT FULLY INVESTIGATED AS A PART OF.
UM, THIS CONTRACT, THE PRIMARY PURPOSE FOR THE CONTRACT WAS SAFETY, AND THEN OF COURSE, OTHER, THE, THE OTHER THINGS THAT ALLOW FOR SCHOOLS TO BENEFIT IN A WAY.
BUT WE WILL TAKE THAT QUESTION BACK TO ASK, UM, THAT, BECAUSE I DO THINK IT IS, UM, IT IS RELEVANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE, UM, THE QUALITY OF THE PICTURES ARE AS SUCH FOR OUR STUDENTS.
UM, DOES THIS CONTRACT REQUIRE EXCLUSIVITY WITH ONE VENDOR OR IS THAT A REQUIREMENT, UM, FOR PROPOSALS FOR THIS CONTRACT, EITHER OURS OR THE VENDORS? SO, SO I GUESS, CAN YOU CLARIFY YOUR, YOUR QUESTION FOR ME? SURE.
UM, DO WE REQUIRE, DO WE REQUIRE THAT WE USE ONE ONE VENDOR FOR ALL SCHOOLS FOR THESE SERVICES? OR DOES THE VENDOR, UM, PROVIDE THE SERVICE WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY ARE THE SOLE PROVIDER OF THESE SERVICES TO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THEY PRICE THEIR SERVICES ACCORDINGLY? SO AT THIS TIME, OUR GOAL IS TO STREAMLINE THE SERVICES THAT OUR SCHOOLS RECEIVE IN TERMS OF, UM, PICTURES AND AGAIN, BADGES AND PORTRAITS AND THOSE SORTS
[01:05:01]
OF THINGS.SO YES, WE ARE MOVING TO A MORE CONSISTENT, STREAMLINED, UM, STREAMLINED APPROACH TO OUR, UM, OUR PORTRAIT SERVICES.
SCHOOLS WILL STILL BENEFIT FROM, UM, THE PORTRAITS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL STATE TAKE.
BUT I THINK I'M ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION IN THAT.
ARE WE TRYING TO CREATE A STREAMLINED, CONSISTENT APPROACH TO MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE, UM, THE SAFETY BADGES, THE PORTRAITS, AND THE SCHOOLS STILL BENEFIT FROM THEIR INDIVIDUAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE, UM, WITH THE COMPANY? SO I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
SO IT WAS OUR REQUIREMENT FOR THESE PROPOSALS VERSUS THE VENDOR'S REQUIREMENT.
SO COULD WE, COULD WE HAVE AWARDED THIS TO MULTIPLE VENDORS? WAS THAT OUR CHOICE TO CHOOSE ONE VE VENDOR VERSUS MULTIPLE? YES, THAT WAS OUR CHOICE.
IN THE PAST WE HAD MULTIPLE VENDORS, YES.
AND WITH MULTIPLE VENDORS, THEY PROVIDED MULTIPLE PRODUCTS, NOT ALL MEETING THE NEEDS THAT WE HAD FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.
THE THE REASON I ASK IS BECAUSE OF QUALITY CONCERNS, UM, FROM FAMILIES, AS MS. BOOKER DWYER, UM, ASKED IN HER QUESTION, FAMILIES HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS AND WITH MULTIPLE VENDORS, UM, PROVIDING SERVICE THAT IS ONE, UM, WAY TO MITIGATE OR, OR PROVIDE SOME INCENTIVE FOR VENDORS TO COMPETE ON QUALITY WHEN PRINCIPALS CAN SELECT A, A VENDOR OF CHOICE.
UM, AND I HAVE HEARD FROM, FROM SCHOOLS WITH QUALITY CONCERNS.
SO WHEN, WITH THIS, THIS VENDOR IN PARTICULAR, SO THAT, THAT IS A CONCERN.
UM, SO I WAS CURIOUS AS TO HOW WE PLAN TO MITIGATE, UM, THOSE CONCERNS GIVEN THAT THERE IS, IS ONE VENDOR, ARE THERE, UM, SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENTS OR I ASSUME A, A VENDOR, UM, EVALUATION THAT WILL BE PERFORMED OR ANY TYPE OF INSTRUMENT TO EVALUATE THE QUALITY WHEN THIS, UM, CONTRACT IS DUE FOR RENEWAL? SO THIS IS WHAT I, I GUESS WHAT I WOULD SHARE, UM, MS. H IS THAT, UM, NONE OF OUR DECISIONS ABOUT SAFETY OR THE SELECTION OF, UM, OF THE VENDOR WAS DONE IN ISOLATION.
WE SPOKE EXTENSIVELY TO OUR SCHOOLS.
MOST OF THEM ARE ALREADY USING THE VENDOR.
AND WE THOUGHT ABOUT HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE MOVE FORWARD IN A PROGRESSIVE WAY TO HAVE ALL OF THE, UM, SAFETY ASPECTS OF, OF THE PICTURES IN ADDITION TO THE QUALITY OF THE SAME.
SO, UM, AGAIN, WE EVALUATE EVERY ASPECT OF THE DECISIONS WE MAKE, BUT IN A PREEMPTIVE, PROACTIVE WAY BY TALKING WITH OUR PRINCIPALS, TALKING WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, AND WE FOUND THAT THIS WAS, UM, A COMPANY OR A VENDOR THAT COULD OFFER US EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED IN TERMS OF WHAT THE SCHOOLS NEED IN TERMS OF PICTURES AND FAMILIES GETTING PICTURES OF THEIR STUDENTS.
BUT THAT ALSO THAT IMPORTANT SAFETY ASPECT FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
BUT WE WILL, UM, ALSO TAKE THAT BACK AS WELL AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE SATISFIED WITH THE PRODUCTS THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING FOR THEIR STUDENTS.
BUT IT WAS DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH SCHOOLS.
UM, IF MS. WEBSTER, OUR DIRECTOR OF PURCHASING IS ON THE CALL, SHE CAN SPEAK TO OUR PURCHASING EVALUATION PROCESS AS WELL.
WE HAVE A FORMAL PURCHASING EVALUATION PROCESS.
WE CAN, UH, SHARE THAT WITH EVERYONE.
SO THAT, THAT WOULD APPLY IN THIS CASE AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR, FOR RESPONDING TO MY QUESTIONS.
SAVOY, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS? THIS CONTRACT? OKAY.
I THOUGHT I SAW, I'M GONNA RESERVE THAT, I'M GONNA RESERVE MY QUESTION, TOM.
SO, SO MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE.
AND AGAIN, THIS IS FOR VOTING FOR NUMBERS 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, AND 11 THROUGH 16.
[01:10:01]
YOU.DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE CONTRACT? 10.
IS THERE A SECOND? OH, NO SECOND SEATED.
BECAUSE THE RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE COMMITTEE.
ANY DISCUSSION? MS. DOKI, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YES, YES, I DID.
UM, I, I SUBMITTED THESE QUESTIONS EARLY YESTERDAY MORNING TO THE, TO EVERYONE, UM, FOR THE CONTRACT COMMITTEE, BUT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW, UM, THIS CONTRACT WAS A COMBINATION OF TWO CONTRACTS AND WE'RE NAMING BALTIMORE COUNTY AND COMCAST.
IS IT COMCAST OR VERIZON? I CAN'T REMEMBER.
I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT SERVICES ARE, ARE THEY DIFFERENT SERVICES OR THE SAME SERVICE THAT THEY'RE PROVIDING? UM, WITH, UH, WITH REGARD TO THAT QUESTION, MS. MINOSKI? HI, THIS IS JIM KOS.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF, UH, IN IT THAT, UH, HANDLES THE NETWORK.
BOTH OF BOTH OF THESE, UM, UH, CORPORATION, UM, I APOLOGIZE.
THE CORPORATION OF COMCAST AND THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT ARE BOTH OFFERING US, UH, WHAT'S CALLED A METERED FIBER CIRCUIT.
SO BASICALLY IT'S THE FIBER THAT CONNECTS OUR SCHOOL TOGETHER.
UM, AND SO WE'VE WORKED WITH THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND COMCAST TO, UM, UH, BUILD OUR NETWORK IN BETWEEN OUR BUILDINGS.
SO IF, UH, THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS FIBER THAT'S RUNNING TO OUR SCHOOL, WE DO JOIN THEIR, THEIR NETWORK.
UM, ALL OF THE FEES THAT WE PAY TO THEM ARE, UH, E RATEABLE, MEANING THAT WE RECEIVE A, UH, SUBSTANTIAL REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BASED ON OUR FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH COUNT.
BUT THE SERVICES THAT COMCAST AND, UM, THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT ARE PROVIDING US ARE IDENTICAL TO EACH OTHER.
AS FAR AS THE CIRCUIT THAT THEY'RE OFFERING.
DOES THAT MEAN THAT BALTIMORE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND BCPS SCHOOLS RUN ON THE SAME, UM, NETWORK? I'M SAYING LIKE, DO THEY HAVE ACCESS TO OUR NETWORK? NO.
UM, SO, UH, FIBER OPTIC CABLE, THE MOST EXPENSIVE PART ABOUT IT IS ACTUALLY PUTTING IT IN THE GROUND.
SO WHEN YOU, UM, WHEN YOU PUT THE FIBER IN, THEY RUN MANY, MANY, MANY PAIRS OF FIBER.
AND SO WE HAVE OUR OWN, UH, PAIRS OF FIBER THAT ARE COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THEIRS.
WHAT WAS THE, WHY WAS THE DECISION MADE TO MAKE THIS INTO THE SAME CONTRACT? PUT THESE BOTH IN THE SAME CONTRACT AS OPPOSED TO HAVING TWO SEPARATE CONTRACTS? BECAUSE THEY'RE THE EXACT SAME SERVICE AS WITH, UH, MANY OF OUR CONTRACTS WHERE WE HAVE TWO SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT ARE PROVIDING US THE SAME KIND OF SERVICE, UH, IN, IN THIS CASE, THE WIDE AREA NETWORK ARE WAN ON SERVICE.
THEY'RE BOTH IN, IN THAT SAME PILE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE CONTRACT 10.
WE HAVE A MOTION ON THE FLOOR.
MS. ALEX, I'M SORRY, MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS? 2, 6, 7, AND EIGHT.
UNLESS SOMEBODY ELSE HAVE SIX.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEMS? 2, 4, 7, AND EIGHT.
NO SECOND IS NEEDED SINCE THE RECOMMENDATION CAME FROM THE COMMITTEE.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION, MS. DOKI? THANK YOU.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS ON THE K THROUGH THREE CURRICULUM.
UM, I KNOW WE ARE ACTIVELY SEARCHING TO REPLACE THIS OPEN COURT CURRICULUM, AND I WANTED TO KNOW, I KNOW YOU ALSO HAVE TO WAIT FOR MSTE GUIDANCE ON EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULUMS. WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ENSURE THAT, UM, PROFESSIONAL
[01:15:01]
TRAINING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR TEACHERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS OPEN COURT IS BEING DELIVERED TO OUR STUDENTS EFFICIENTLY, EFFECTIVELY, CONFIDENTLY WITH FIDELITY? SO, MR. MINOSKI, UM, THIS IS, UH, DR.I'M THE CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER.
JEN KRAFT, UM, OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LITERACY HUMANITIES IS ALSO HERE TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
JUST AS YOU HAD STATED THAT WE SHARED WITH CURRICULUM COMMITTEE LAST MONTH.
UM, MSD IS IN THE PROCESS OF, OF EVALUATING HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS FOR, UM, THE FOUR CONTENT CORE CONTENT AREAS, UM, ELA, WHICH INCLUDES PHONICS, UM, MATH, SOCIAL STUDIES, AND SCIENCE.
UM, AND IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAKING FISCALLY SOLVENT DECISIONS IN ALIGNMENT WITH DECISIONS THAT MSDE MAKES, UM, WE'VE DECIDED TO REQUEST AN EXTENSION OF ONE YEAR FOR THE OPEN COURT CONTRACT.
AGAIN, LOOKING AT, UM, YOU KNOW, CHANGES IN THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE NEED TO REALLY DO TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS, UM, LEADING A CURRICULUM THAT WE'VE BEEN USING, UM, IMPLEMENTED IN PLACE.
UM, INSTEAD OF TRYING SOMETHING THAT MAY THEN NOT BE APPROVED BY MSD, THIS IS A BETTER DECISION FOR INSTRUCTIONALLY SOUND, UM, INSTRUCTION FOR OUR STUDENTS.
UM, JUST LIKE ALL OF OUR OTHER CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTATION, WE PROVIDE ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
KRAFT SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THAT.
UM, TRAINING FOR OUR READING SPECIALISTS AND STAFF DEVELOPMENT TEACHERS AS WELL AS CLASSROOM AND INSTRUCTIONAL VISITS, CLASSROOM AT SCHOOL-BASED ADMINISTRATORS DO OBSERVATIONS.
UM, THEY'RE TAUGHT ABOUT THE TENANTS OF WHAT THEY SHOULD BE LOOKING FOR WITHIN THE, UM, PHONICS PROGRAM.
AND SO, UM, THOSE MEASURES THAT WE, WE HAVE IN PLACE WOULD CONTINUE TO BE IN PLACE DURING THIS UPCOMING YEAR.
KRAFT, DID YOU WANNA ADD ANYTHING? UH, SO THAT WAS A GREAT SUMMARY.
UH, BUT I ALSO JUST WANTED TO ADD IN THAT WE DO, UM, HAVE A COLLECTION OF ON DEMAND VIDEOS THAT SHOW THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE OPEN COURT LESSON.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO, UH, PROVIDE, UM, UH, TRAINING TO OUR READING SPECIALISTS AT OUR MONTHLY MEETINGS, UM, AND WE GO OUT AND SUPPORT TEACHERS, UH, ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS.
AND SO THERE'S, UH, MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTINUE, UH, LEARNING AND GROWING.
WE WORK WITH OUR ADMINISTRATORS.
WE ACTUALLY HAVE A, A LOOK FOR TOOL THAT WE USED.
UM, AND BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY STARTED PILOTING OPEN COURT IN 20 18, 20 19, WE DO HAVE NOT ONLY QUITE AN EXTENSIVE, UH, VARIETY OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MATERIALS, UH, BUT THE TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS HAVE FAMILIARITY WITH IT.
AND SO WHAT THAT DOES IS PROVIDE CONTINUITY UNTIL WE SEE WHAT MSDE PUBLISHES AND DEEMS HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL.
AT THE SAME TIME, WHAT WE ARE DOING IS CONTINUING TO TRAIN OUR TEACHERS IN THE SCIENCE OF READING, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT, IT TAKES HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS COMBINED WITH HIGH QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THAT REALLY IS THE SWEET SPOT OF IMPLEMENTATION AND, AND REALLY STUDENT GROWTH.
AND SO WE'RE DO HAVE BOTH PRONGED APPROACHES.
MSDE HAS, UH, RELEASED NEW CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS AROUND THE SCIENCE OF READING.
WE CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE AS THEY RELEASE COHORTS, UM, BOTH FROM AIM, UM, AND THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, UH, FOR THE SCIENCE OF READING FUNDAMENTALS MICROCREDENTIALS COURSES.
SO AS THEY ARE LEARNING NOT ONLY OPEN COURT, BUT THEY'RE LEARNING THE THEORETICAL UNDERPINNINGS TO BE ABLE TO MAKE, UH, MICRO DECISIONS WITHIN THE MOMENT IN THE CLASSROOM.
JUST ONE QUICK FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
AND THERE'S NO WAY TO GET AROUND PAYING THE 1.5 MILLION WHEN WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE WE'RE GONNA BE KEEPING THIS OP THIS CURRICULUM.
THERE'S NO WAY TO GET AROUND THAT, TO SAVE THAT MONEY IN ANY WAY.
SO PART OF THOSE ARE STUDENT CONSUMABLE MATERIALS.
SO WE HAVE ALL THE TEACHER MATERIALS BECAUSE IT'S CURRICULUM THAT WE'VE HAD.
SO THE ONLY TIME WE WOULD BUY TEACHER MATERIALS IS IF THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL CLASSROOM ADDED TO A SCHOOL WHERE WE COULDN'T TRANSFER TEACHER MATERIALS FROM A DIFFERENT SCHOOL.
UM, BUT IT IS TRULY THE STUDENT CONSUMABLES.
SO THOSE ARE THE LITTLE READERS THAT COME HOME WITH STUDENTS.
IT'S THE WORKBOOKS THAT THEY USE IN THE CLASSROOM.
UM, AND WE HAVE MADE SOME DECISIONS AS FAR AS, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT DIGITAL COMPONENTS MAY OR MAY NOT BE CONTINUED IN ORDER TO, UM, TAILOR THAT COST A LITTLE BIT MORE.
SO WE ARE MAKING AS MANY DECISIONS WITH, UM, PURCHASING AS POSSIBLE, INCLUDING LOOKING AT WHO HAS LEFTOVER MATERIALS FROM THIS YEAR, UM, BEFORE PURCHASING FULL OUTSET FOR EACH SCHOOL, JUST BASED ON ENROLLMENT THAT, SO THAT NUMBER IS SPENDING AUTHORITY.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE WILL SPEND UP TO THAT AMOUNT.
UM, YOU KNOW, OUR GOAL CERTAINLY WOULD BE COMING TO BECOMING IN UNDER THAT.
UM, BUT THAT GIVES US THE AUTHORITY FOR THE FULL RANGE OF WHAT WE COULD NEED.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON, UM, NUMBER TWO, MS. HEN? THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[01:20:01]
A QUICK FOLLOW UP, DR.DE NANO TO YOUR LAST COMMENT ABOUT, UM, PURCHASING CONSUMABLES FOR OUR STUDENTS.
WE DEFINITELY WANNA ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE MATERIALS THEY NEED.
UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS SPENDING AUTHORITY.
IT'S NOT, UM, DEFINITELY THE EXPENDITURES, BUT HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT THOSE FUNDS ARE EARMARKED FOR THE CONSUMABLES? SHOULD WE NEED THEM, UM, BY THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR, AND WE'RE GOING INTO A NEW BUDGET YEAR, UM, THE, THE SPENDING AUTHORITIES FOR A DIFFERENT TIME PERIOD.
BUT HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT SHOULD THE BOARD APPROVE THIS SPENDING AUTHORITY THAT WE'RE, THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY TIE TO THE FUNDS THAT THEMSELVES AND THAT THOSE ARE EARMARKED? BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE APPROVE SPENDING AUTHORITY, WE ASSUME THAT THOSE FUNDS WILL BE AVAILABLE RIGHT.
TO THE OFFICES THAT ARE REQUESTING OUR APPROVAL ON THEM, UM, AND THAT STUDENTS WILL HAVE THOSE MATERIALS IN HAND.
AND WHAT I'M HEARING IS THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE CASE.
AND SHOULD THOSE FUNDS BE USED FOR OTHER PURPOSES, NOT THAT THOSE AREN'T OTHER GOOD PURPOSES, BUT THAT IT'S, THEY'RE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE INTENDED USE.
SO WHILE THIS IS NOT DIRECTLY A CONTRACT QUESTION, IT'S A CONCERN OF MINE IN THAT HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT THESE MATERIALS ARE GONNA GET IN THE HANDS OF THE STUDENT SHOULD WE APPROVE THIS AUTHORITY? SO WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT THOSE MATERIALS ARE ORDERED CENTRALLY.
SO IT IS BASED ON ENROLLMENT WITHIN SCHOOLS, AND THERE'S A PROCESS FOR WHICH, UM, ADMINISTRATORS REQUEST ADDITIONAL MATERIALS THAT THEY HAVE ENROLLMENT SHIFTS IN BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE ENROLLMENT NOW, PROJECTING ALL THE KIDS FORWARD ONE YEAR, UM, AND THEN THAT'S THE, THE QUANTITY THAT'S ORDERED FOR A SCHOOL.
UM, I HAVE TO SAY THAT ANYTIME I'VE BEEN ALERTED ABOUT MATERIALS NOT BEING AVAILABLE, AN ORDER IS IMMEDIATELY PLACED, AND IT'S WHE WHETHER A STUDENT ENROLLS TOMORROW OR THAT WE TRANSFER MATERIALS FROM ANOTHER UNDER-ENROLLED SCHOOL TO GET THEM THERE MORE EXPEDITIOUSLY.
UM, BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF A SITUATION IN WHICH THE MATERIALS ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR SCHOOL.
UM, SO I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE MATERIALS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, THE FUNDS THAT ARE EARMARKED FOR, FOR OPEN COURT, WE'RE GONNA USE TO PURCHASE THOSE MATERIALS.
SO FUNDS HAVE BEEN EARMARKED FOR, UM, THE SPENDING AUTHORITY THAT WE'RE, WE'RE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE FOR THESE MATERIALS WITHIN CORRECT.
WITHIN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, THERE ARE MATERIAL, THERE ARE EARMARKED FUNDS FOR OPEN COURT MATERIALS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR NUMBER TWO? WE'LL MOVE ON TO NUMBER FOUR, MS. DOKI? YES.
UM, I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THIS MENTORING, STUDENT MENTORING.
CAN ANYBODY EXPLAIN IT TO ME EXACTLY WHAT IT IS? WE DIDN'T REALLY GO INTO DETAIL DURING BUILDING CONTRACTS.
YEAH, THESE ARE, UM, COUNSELING AND SUPPORT AND PEER SUPPORT SERVICES THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH, UH, A NUMBER OF, I THINK WE HAVE 11 DIFFERENT CONTRACT, OR 12, NO, EXCUSE ME, 11 CONTRACTORS.
AND OF COURSE, THIS CONTRACT IS JUST TO CHANGE THE LEGAL NAME OF ONE OF THOSE 11 PROVIDERS.
WHEN THIS, UH, I KNOW ONE OF YOUR QUESTIONS WAS ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE SPENDING AUTHORITY.
THIS, UM, PROGRAM IS 85% FUNDED BY THE COMMUNITY SCHOOL GRANT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE NEW BLUEPRINT PROGRAMS. AND WHEN, UH, THIS CONTRACT WAS SIZED IN THE FIRST YEAR IN WHICH THE PROGRAM BECAME AVAILABLE, AND IT WAS DESIGNATED TO GO UP, UH, OVER THE COURSE OF THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF THE PROGRAM, AND THE NUMBER OF SCHOOLS HAS DRAMATICALLY INCREASED.
SO WE EXPECT THAT, UH, THAT THIS PROGRAM, WHICH FORTUNATELY IS CURRENTLY, UH, INCLUDED, UH, AND PROPOSED TO INCREASE IN THE GOVERNOR'S FY 26 BUDGET, THAT WE WILL, UH, BE ACCESSING THESE FUNDS MORE THROUGHOUT THIS PERIOD FOR THIS GRANT PROGRAM.
AND, UM, I'LL ALSO NOTE THAT THE, THE SERVICES ARE CALLED UPON BY INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS WHO FEEL THEY COULD BENEFIT FROM THAT.
AND, AND THAT'S WHERE THE INITIAL SPENDING, UH, IS TRACKED.
SO WHY HASN'T THEY BEEN CALLED UPON? I'M JUST CONFUSED.
UM, CAN IT ONLY BE USED IN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS? CORRECT.
SO ONLY 85% OF THE FUNDING IS FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
[01:25:01]
TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE ARE FUNDS AVAILABLE, OTHER, UH, OFFICES AND SCHOOLS CAN ACCESS THE CONTRACT.SO ALL SCHOOLS HAVE ACCESS TO THE, TO THE MENTORING PROGRAM? CORRECT.
I'M JUST, I JUST SEEM, I WHY WE WOULDN'T HAVE USED IT MORE OFTEN WITH, YOU KNOW, SO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS NEEDING EXTRA HELP OR STUDENT NEEDING THE MENTORING.
WHY HASN'T IT BEEN? WELL, 'CAUSE WE STARTED OUT WITH 10 SCHOOLS AND WE WORKED OUR WAY UP TO ABOUT 50 AT AND EVERY YEAR THAT NUMBER HAS INCREASED, PROVIDING MORE ACCESS TO THE PROGRAM.
AND MAYBE, UH, DIRECTOR FORRESTER CAN ADD TO THAT FOR YOUR BENEFIT.
I'M MELISSA FORRESTER, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
I CAN SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS SPECIFICALLY.
SO THE SERVICES THAT ARE OUTLINED ARE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL SCHOOLS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS COMMUNITY SCHOOLS CONTINGENT UPON THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
SO EACH SCHOOL HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THEIR SCHOOL ALLOCATED FUNDING THAT THEY RECEIVED THROUGH MARYLAND BLUEPRINT LEGISLATION THAT DR.
MR SARAH'S TALKED ABOUT, BUT IT'S ULTIMATELY GUIDED BY THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS ASSESSMENT.
SO IF THEY IDENTIFY MENTORING AS A SPECIFIC NEED WITHIN THEIR IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, THEN THEY WOULD UTILIZE THIS CONTRACT.
IF THEY DIDN'T, THEY MAY NOT USE THIS CONTRACT.
WE HAVE SOME OTHER CONTRACTS AROUND, LIKE ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT THEY MAY, THAT THEY MAY UTILIZE.
SO IT'S VERY SCHOOL SPECIFIC AND NEEDS SPECIFIC FOR THAT COMMUNITY.
I HOPE THAT HELPS A LITTLE BIT.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT IF IT'S, IT CAN ONLY BE USED IF THEY HAVE THE MONEY AVAILABLE IN THEIR SCHOOL ALLOTMENT IN THEIR GEN, LIKE IT CAN'T, IT'S NOT LIKE AN EXTRA FUND TO HELP THAT STUDENT.
HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT NUMBER FOUR.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO, UM, NUMBER SEVEN, MS. DOKI? YES.
UM, SO THIS ONE WAS ANOTHER THING THAT, IT WAS TWO CONTRACTS THAT MERGED INTO ONE, OR IT WAS A, IT WAS AN OLD CONTRACT THAT WAS MADE INTO A NEW CONTRACT.
RIGHT? THIS, UH, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY THE SRO PROGRAM FULLY PAID FOR, UH, BY BALTIMORE COUNTY THROUGH A, UH, I BELIEVE IT'S A FEDERAL GRANT.
UM, AND OF COURSE WE'VE HAD OVER 65 SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS IN THE SYSTEM FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
THE, THE, THE FIRST PART OF THE $1.1 MILLION THAT I THINK YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR QUESTION, UM, WAS UNDER THE CURRENT CONTRACT THAT ENDS IN 2025.
AND, UM, WE ARE RE AND THAT WAS A LONG SOUGHT AFTER PROVISION THAT GOES BACK MANY YEARS WITH WHICH WE'VE BEEN NEGOTIATING WITH MONTGOMERY, WITH THE BALTIMORE COUNTY AND THE, AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FOP, ET CETERA, TO, UM, COME UP WITH A WAY TO EFFECTIVELY PROVIDE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS AT OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL DAY AT SPECIAL EVENTS, ATHLETIC EVENTS.
AND I'M JUST VERY PLEASED THAT WE'RE ABLE TO REACH THIS AGREEMENT.
AND THEN THE CONTRACT THAT'S IN FRONT OF THE BOARD, UH, THIS EVENING IS FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE ANTICIPATING SIMILAR EXPENSES, UH, OF ABOUT, YOU KNOW, $1.25 MILLION A YEAR OVER THE COURSE OF THAT CURRENT AGREEMENT, UH, SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THESE SERVICES FOR AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES, ESSENTIALLY, AND EVENTS.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WHY DIDN'T WE JUST EXTEND THE CWA 1 0 6 20 CONTRACT INSTEAD OF MAKE, OR WE, WE'VE TURNED IT INTO A NEW CONTRACT? WELL, IT'S ALSO AN MOU OH, SORRY, A COMPANY.
AND SO THAT MOU, WE WANTED TO INCLUDE A FEW AMENDMENTS IN THERE, UH, SOME OF WHICH RELATE TO, UH, THE INTERNAL AUDITORS RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, AFTER THEIR REVIEW OF THE PROGRAM.
AND SO THAT WAS ANOTHER, UH, CHANGE THAT HAD TO BE INCORPORATED IN THE MOU AND IT'S DIFFERENT FROM THE TERMS OF THE EXISTING CONTRACT.
ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS HAVE QUESTION ABOUT NUMBER SEVEN.
AND THEN, UM, THE LAST ONE, NUMBER EIGHT, MS. DOKI.
I'M NOTICING THAT WE HAVE INCREASED SPENDING ON TEMPORARY STAFFING AND ACCOUNTING, ESPECIALLY IN FISCAL, FISCAL, RE RELATED POSITIONS, BUDGET.
UM, I'M JUST WONDERING WHY WE'VE NEEDED THESE FUNDS
[01:30:01]
TO GO UP RECENTLY.YEAH, THESE ARE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE ORACLE ERP IMPLEMENTATION.
UH, PART OF THE PROGRAM IS, UH, I MEAN WE TYPICALLY HAVE SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR IN EXPENSES FOR FILLING LONG-TERM VACANCIES.
BUT IN THIS CASE, UH, THE ORACLE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN INCLUDED A BACKFILL PROVISION.
UM, MOST OF US INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION ARE SPENDING THREE TO FIVE HOURS A DAY IN WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE TRAINING ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROGRAM.
SO WE, UH, BY, BY DESIGN, UH, EACH, UH, OF THE AFFECTED OFFICES.
I THINK IT'S PRIMARILY HUMAN RESOURCES RATHER THAN FISCAL SERVICES.
AT THIS POINT, WE'RE ABLE TO BRING IN, UH, POSITIONS AT A LOWER CLERICAL LEVEL TO TAKE ON SOME OF THE WORKLOAD THAT WOULD ALLOW, UH, MID-LEVEL AND UPPER LEVEL MANAGERS TO, TO SPEND TIME, UH, SEVERAL HOURS A DAY IN THESE SESSIONS WITH ORACLE AND A ST TO DESIGN, DEVELOP, AND IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM.
DO ANY BOARD MEMBERS WANT? WE'RE ABOUT TO VOTE ON 2, 4, 7, AND EIGHT.
ARE ANY BOARD MEMBERS WANT ANY OF THOSE SEPARATED OUT BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE FLOOR? I'D LIKE TO SEPARATE ALL OF THEM.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO, UM, MS. GOVER, DO I ALREADY HAVE THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR ALL FOUR? YES.
YOU WOULD NEED AN AMENDMENT TO, YOU WOULD NEED AMENDMENT OF THE MOTION.
CAN I MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND TO SEPARATE, TO SEPARATE AND VOTE ON TWO, ON FOUR ON SEVEN AND ON EIGHT INDIVIDUALLY.
ANY DISCUSSION? MS. BOOKER? DWYER, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT I BELIEVE THAT THESE CONTRACTS ARE NECESSARY TO CONTINUE TO ADVANCE BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE SEEN IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR STUDENT PERFORMANCE AND WE ARE ELEVATING THAT ERP SYSTEM, WHICH IS LONG OVERDUE.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THAT BALTIMORE COUNTY IS TAKING THE INITIATIVE TO PROVIDE MENTORS TO OUR STUDENTS AND TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT, THAT IS HAPPENING THROUGH THESE CONTRACTS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE.
MR. DOKI, WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF SEPARATING ALL FOUR OF 'EM? UH, COULD I, I AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENT VOTE DEPENDING ON THE CONTRACT.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, UM, OPEN COURT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR ABOUT 60 YEARS.
IT'S RESEARCH BASED, MULTIFACETED, PROGRESSIVE, AND HAS SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES.
AND IT PROBABLY COSTS NO MORE THAN I THINK I READ 108 TO $150 PER CHILD.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE.
SO MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT TO SEPARATE.
SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE CONTRACT TWO.
NO SECOND IS NEEDED SINCE THE RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE BOARD.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MAY HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
[01:35:05]
MS. DR.CAN I GET CLARIFICATION? THE, UM, THE ORIGINAL MOTION WAS ALREADY MOVED BY MS. STALOWSKI.
SO MR. BURNS, WOULD THAT STILL HOLD EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE SEPARATED? WELL, THERE WAS THE, THE MOTION THE AMENDMENT WAS APPROVED AND YOU WOULD RETURN TO, YOU COULD RETURN TO THE VOTE ON THE, UM, MOTION AS AMENDED.
I THINK THERE WAS CONSENSUS TO MOVE FORWARD.
BUT TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, MS COVER, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
YOU COULD GO BACK AND, AND HAVE THAT ROLL CALL VOTE ON THE MOTION AS AMENDED.
BUT YOU WOULD STILL BE TAKING EACH OF THEM ONE AT A TIME.
SO, SO DOES IT HAVE TO BE MOVED BY SEPARATE SEPARATELY FOR EACH ONE? I THINK, I THINK IT'S UNDERSTOOD FROM THE AMENDMENT WHERE, WHERE, WHERE THE BOARD'S GOING.
BUT THE ROLL CALL VOTE SHOULD REFLECT THAT.
SO, OKAY, TWO TO DO VOTING ON NUMBER TWO, YOU'RE ON NUMBER TWO RIGHT NOW.
YES, BUT WE DON'T NEED A SECOND.
'CAUSE THE RECOMMENDATION RIGHT, COMES FROM THE BOARD.
I THINK I HEARD SOMEONE, BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.
SO MS. GOBER, CAN WE HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE ON NUMBER TWO.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
SINCE RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE COMMITTEE.
COMMITTEE, DISCOVER MAY HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MAY HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE ON NUMBER FOUR.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE NUMBER EIGHT? SO THAT WAS FOUR.
NO SECOND AS NEEDED SINCE THE RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE COMMITTEE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE NUMBER SEVEN.
AND NOW DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.
UM, NO SECOND IS NEEDED SINCE THE RECOMMENDATION COMES FROM THE COMMITTEE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MAY HAVE A ROLL CALL.
ON NUMBER EIGHT, MS. DOKI? NO.
GIVE ME ONE MINUTE TO GET TO THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM.
THE NEXT ITEM, THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS
[L. REPORT - NORTHWEST AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BOUNDARY RECOMMENDATION (Dr. Grim) (8:05 - 8:25 p.m.)]
THE REPORT ON THE NORTHWEST AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BOUNDARY RECOMMENDATION.GOOD EVENING CHAIR, LICHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, SUPERINTENDENT DR. ROGERS AND MEMBERS
[01:40:01]
OF THE BOARD WITH ME THIS EVENING ARE MS. MELISSA ALER, COORDINATOR, OFFICE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING, AND MR. PAUL TAYLOR, DIRECTOR OFFICE OF STRATEGIC PLANNING.WE ARE HERE THIS EVENING TO SHARE WITH YOU THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION FOR THE NORTHWEST AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BOUNDARY STUDY NUMBER TWO.
AS SHARED WITH YOU LAST SCHOOL YEAR, THIS SLIDE NOTES THE PROCESS FOR BOUNDARY STUDIES IS OUTLINED, UH, IN BOARD POLICY AND SUPERINTENDENT'S RULE 7, 6, 1 0.
THIS IS THE SECOND OF TWO BOUNDARY STUDIES CONDUCTED IN COORDINATION WITH THE COMPLETION OF FOUR CAPITAL PROJECTS IN NORTH WHEAT NORTHWEST AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
SPECIFICALLY, THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECOND BOUNDARY STUDY IN THE REGION WAS TO EXPAND THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES FOR DEER PARK AND SCOTTS BRANCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY PROVIDED BY THESE PROJECTS AND FACILITATE THE MOVE OF STUDENTS CURRENTLY ATTENDING CAMPFIELD EARLY LEARNING CENTER TO ATTEND THEIR HOMESCHOOL OR NEARBY PROGRAMS. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
THE NORTHWEST AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BALLET CHANGE PROCESS WAS INITIATED IN SPRING OF 2024.
PLANNING OCCURRED FROM MAY THROUGH AUGUST, AND THE COMMITTEE BEGAN MEETING IN SEPTEMBER.
THE COMMITTEE MET FIVE TIMES BETWEEN SEPTEMBER AND DECEMBER, 2024, FORMULATING AND REVIEWING VARIOUS BOUNDARY CHANGE OPTIONS.
STAFF LISTENED TO THE BOARD'S FEEDBACK FROM THE SUMMER OF 2023 AND EMPHASIZED COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
THIS EVENING, THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION IS BEING PRESENTED TO THE BOARD FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
THE BOARD'S PUBLIC HEARING IS SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 26TH, AND A VOTE BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 11TH, 2025.
THROUGHOUT THE BOUNDARY STUDY, BCS IMPLEMENTED PRACTICES THAT FULLY ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROCESS AND OBTAINING FEEDBACK TO PROVIDE TO THE COMMITTEE.
AND THIS SLIDE DEPICTS JUST SOME OF THE EXAMPLES OF OUR FOCUS ON COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THIS SPECIFIC BOUNDARY STUDY, INCLUDING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR STAKEHOLDERS TO PROVIDE COMMENTS ONLINE, INTERACT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
AND EACH COMMITTEE LIVE MEETING WAS LIVE STREAMED FOR THIS BOUNDARY STUDY.
THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES WERE SHARED WITH THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS IN PUBLIC DURING THE PROCESS AND REITERATED THROUGHOUT EACH MEETING.
THE KEY OBJECTIVES WERE THIS PROCE FOR THIS PARTICULAR BOUNDARY STUDY WERE TO PROVIDE CAPACITY RELIEF TO NORTHWEST AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, RETURN EARLY CHILDHOOD HOOD THREE AND FOUR PROGRAMS AT CAMPFIELD ELC, BACK TO THEIR HOMESCHOOL REGIONAL PROGRAMS, AND TO EXPAND EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS PER THE BLUEPRINT FOR MARYLAND'S FUTURE AT ALL SCHOOLS PARTICIPATING IN THE BOUNDARY STUDY PROCESS.
THIS IS A MAP SHOWING THE CURRENT SCHOOL ATTENDANCE ZONES FOR THE NINE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THIS PROCESS.
PLEASE NOTE, THE ATTENDANCE AREA FOR CAMPFIELD EARLY LEARNING CENTER IS NOT DEPICTED ON THIS MAP.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS STUDY AREA HAS SEVERAL SATELLITE AREAS THAT WERE PART OF THE COMMITTEE'S FOCUS WITH THE INTENT THAT STUDENTS ATTEND THE SCHOOLS CLOSEST TO THEIR HOMES.
THE NINE NORTHWEST AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND ONE CENTER WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS BOUNDARY STUDY ARE LISTED ON THE TABLE ON THE LEFT AND SHOWN IN THE MAP ON THE RIGHT.
THEY INCLUDE TWO PROJECT SCHOOLS, DEER PARK AND SCOTTS BRANCH, AND SEVEN ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS, CHURCH LANE, HENWOOD, LIONS MILL, NEWTOWN, RANDALLSTOWN, WINDON, AND WOOD HOME CAMPFIELD EARLY LEARNING CENTER ALSO PARTICIPATED.
IN TERMS OF PROCESSING THE DATA, THERE WERE 16 DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT WERE CONSIDERED.
THESE WERE REVIEWED, DISCUSSED, AND AS A COMMITTEE.
ALL MATERIALS AND PUBLIC EMAILS WITH A FOCUS ON THE BOUNDARY STUDY WERE CONSIDERED FIVE OPTIONS WERE PRESENTED AT THE PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSION AND VIA SURVEY.
AND THE COMMITTEE THOUGHTFULLY CONSIDERED INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC INFORMATION SESSION AND THE SURVEY AND ULTIMATELY VOTED ON FOUR OF THE OPTIONS.
THROUGH SMALL GROUP AND LARGER GROUP DISCUSSIONS, THE COMMITTEE CONCLUDED THAT OPTION B TWO WAS THE PLAN THAT BEST ADHERED TO THE CONSIDERATIONS AS A WHOLE AND BEST MET THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS IN THE AREA.
OPTION B TWO SHOWN HERE, RECEIVED 60% OF THE VOTES AS THE FINAL RECOMMENDATION.
OPTION B TWO MODIFIED RECEIVED 0% OF THE VOTE.
THE MODIFICATION KEPT ONE PLANNING BLOCK AT LIONS MILL INSTEAD OF MOVING TO DEER PARK.
OPTION B THREE RECEIVED 27% OF THE VOTES.
AND OPTION B THREE MODIFIED RECEIVED 13% OF THE VOTE.
THE MODIFICATION KEPT THREE PLANNING BLOCKS AT LIONS MILL INSTEAD OF MOVING THEM TO DEER PARK.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS A SUMMARY OF THE VOTING RESULTS AS THEY WERE FROM THE COMMITTEE.
[01:45:01]
SCHOOLS WITHIN THE STUDY AREA AND THE STATE RATED CAPACITY FIGURES CURRENT ENROLLMENT AND UTILIZATION COMPARED TO THAT OF THE RECOMMENDED OPTION.THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH, CERTAIN SCHOOLS REMAINING SLIGHTLY OVER 100%, BUT FINALLY ARRIVED AT WHAT THEY FELT WAS THE BEST SOLUTION.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT WITH THE STATE SRC, THE STATE PROVIDES THAT AS CLOSE TO 100% IN TERMS OF UTILIZATION AS POSSIBLE.
A TOTAL OF 452 STUDENTS ARE ESTIMATED TO BE IMPACTED WITH THE RE RECOMMENDED BOUNDARY CHANGES.
THE TABLE TO THE RIGHT SHOWS THE NUMBERS OF STUDENTS THAT ARE MOVED FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL.
THE RECOMMENDED BOUNDARY CREATES AN ADDITIONAL SPLIT OF THE FEEDER PATTERNS FROM ELEMENTARY TO MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
DEER PARK NOW HAS AN 80 20 SPLIT BETWEEN DEER PARK, MIDDLE MAGNET, AND NORTHWEST ACADEMY.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THERE ARE CURRENTLY FOUR ES TO MS SPLITS.
DRAFT OPTION B TWO WILL INCLUDE A FIFTH.
WITH RESPECT TO NEXT STEPS, THE BOARD WILL HOST A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED BOUNDARY RECOMMENDATION ON FEBRUARY 26TH, 2025 AT SIX 30 AT MILFORD MILL ACADEMY.
TO GATHER ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS THEN SCHEDULED TO VOTE ON THE BOUNDARY CHANGE AT ITS MARCH 11TH, 2025 MEETING, WE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE AND THANK ALL OF OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ENGAGED WITH BCPS THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS.
UM, ANY DISCUSSION, MR. MCMILLIAN? DR.
GRIM, I NOTICED THE ONE CHART TALKED ABOUT, SHOWED A COLUMN WITH ADJUSTED STATE RATING CAPACITIES, AND SOME OF 'EM WENT UP AND SOME ONE STAYED THE SAME.
AND I WASN'T SURE IF SURE IF ANY WENT DOWN.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU ELABORATE ON HOW THE STATE WOULD ADJUST THOSE AT THIS POINT IN TIME? UH, SO MR. IAN, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT SLIDE 15? IF YOU CAN GO BACK MS. GOVER WITH THE RECOMMENDED OPTIONS OF THE ENROLLMENT UTILIZATION.
MR. MCMILLIAN, NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
IT WAS A CHART WITH ALL THE SCHOOLS.
SO WHAT WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT, THAT THROUGH THE PROCESS, AND CERTAINLY MR. UH TAYLOR, MS. MS ALER CAN, CAN SPEAK TO THIS.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS IS, BASED ON THE, THE, THE CLUSTERS THAT WE HAVE AND THE ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES OF PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE IN THE, IN THE AREA AND WHAT THE PURPOSE IS BEING USED FOR THESE CLASSROOMS WITHIN THESE SCHOOLS, THE STATE CAN ADJUST THE STATE RATED CAPACITY.
SO BASED ON WHETHER IT'S, WHETHER IT'S BLUEPRINT, WHETHER IT'S HOW THE STATE IS ACCOUNTING FOR CERTAIN SPACES NOW VERSUS ANOTHER TIME THEY CAN TAKE, TAKE A LOOK AT A PROJECT OR TAKE A LOOK AT A SCHOOL AND MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE SRC BASED ON, UM, THAT INFORMATION THAT WE PROVIDE TO THEM.
SO AS FAR AS DEER PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THAT'S A COUPLE HUNDRED DIFFERENCE? UH, YES, SIR.
THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'RE GETTING A NEW SCHOOL.
MR. MCMILLIAN, REMEMBER DEER PARK L THE NEW BUILDING WILL, WILL OPEN UP AFTER THIS BOUNDARY CHANGE TAKES EFFECT.
AND SO WHEN I LOOK, SO STAY HERE ON THIS TABLE, AND WE STILL SEE THAT UNDER THIS OPTION B TWO, WE HAVE SOME SCHOOLS THAT ARE STILL SLIGHTLY OVER 100% WITH ANY OF THE OTHER OPTIONS THAT WERE NOT RATED AS HIGH.
SO OPTION B THREE OR OPTION, UM, B TWO MODIFIED.
UM, WERE ANY OF THE, THOSE OTHER OPTIONS, WERE THEY, UM, WERE THERE ESTIMATED UTILIZATION UNDER A HUNDRED PERCENT? DID THEY PUT THE SCHOOLS, UM, AT A LEVEL UNDER A HUNDRED PERCENT UTILIZATION? SO, UH, MS. BOOKER DWYER, IF I'M HEARING YOUR QUESTION CORRECTLY, WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE ASKING IS, WOULD ANY OF THE OTHER OPTIONS HAVE RESULTED IN LOWER UTILIZATION ACROSS THE BOARD FOR ALL NINE OF THE SCHOOLS? YES.
IS IS THAT, IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.
SO THE, SO THE ANSWER TO THAT, UM, AND AGAIN, MR. MR. TAYLOR, MS. LER, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M INCORRECT.
THE ANSWER TO THAT IS NO, BECAUSE WE WOULD, WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE ALMOST 100% ACCURACY TO THE SRC WITH THE UTILIZATIONS.
SO AGAIN, WHERE THE, WHERE THE STATE RATED CAPACITY COMES IN IS, IS THEY DON'T, THE STATE DOES NOT WANT OUR CAPACITY TO BE, TO BE TOO HIGH OR TOO LOW.
IT'S SET, IT'S SET TO BE AT A HUNDRED, AT A HUNDRED PERCENT.
UM, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT IN THIS PARTICULAR, THIS PARTICULAR
[01:50:01]
STUDY, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE UTILIZATION AND WHAT IT WAS, SO IF YOU LOOK AT NEWTOWN, FOR EXAMPLE, NEWTOWN ELEMENTARY AT A, AT 127% UTILIZATION TO MOVE THAT, TO DECREASE THAT 25%.AND AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK AT THE STUDENT COUNT, IT'S NOT THAT, THAT DRAMATIC OF A NUMBER OF STUDENTS, HOWEVER IT IT IMPACT, IT IMPACTS THEIR PERCENTAGE.
SO NO, THERE, I, THERE ISN'T AN OPTION THAT GETS EVERYBODY UNDER 100%.
OUR GOAL AND OUR TARGET AND, AND WORKING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT IS TO GET EVERYONE AS CLOSE TO THAT NUMBER AS, AS IS POSSIBLE.
UM, AGAIN, PART OF PART OF WHAT CAN CHANGE THESE NUMBERS VERY QUICKLY IS, UM, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE CONTINUITY OF, OF NEIGHBORHOODS AND WHAT, WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR, FOR US IN TERMS OF THE BOUNDARIES AND IN TERMS OF THE PLANNING BLOCKS, MOVING ONE SMALL PART OF A NEIGHBORHOOD OR ANOTHER CAN ADVERSELY SKEW SOME OF THESE, THESE NUMBERS AND THESE PERCENTAGES.
SO I THINK THIS IS, THIS IS ABOUT AS, AS CLOSE AS WE COULD, AS WE COULD GET.
MR. TAYLOR OR MS. ALER, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO ADD TO THAT RESPONSE? NOTHING TO ADD.
THAT'S ACCURATE, WHAT YOU SAID.
AND THIS, THIS IS, DOES HAVE THE BEST BALANCE OF ENROLLMENT IN ALL THE OPTIONS AND WITH THE, THESE ENROLLMENT ESTIMATES.
SO THIS IS THE ESTIMATED ENROLLMENT FOR, UH, THIS IS BASED ON THE 2324 ENROLLMENT COUNT.
HAVE YOU DONE THE PREDICTIONS JUST BASED OFF OF THE AMOUNT OF, UM, CONSTRUCTION THAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS AREA WITH THE TOWN HOMES AND THE APARTMENTS AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY'RE JAMMING INTO THIS AREA FOR ALL THE
MR. TAYLOR, CAN YOU RESPOND TO THAT, PLEASE? YES.
WE, WE INCLUDE THE CONSTRUCTIONIST GOING ON IN ALL OF OUR PROJECTIONS, SO THEY'RE ALREADY COUNTED IN THE NUMBERS.
UM, SO THESE 23 TOOK INTO ACCOUNT ANY FUTURE DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD BE TAKING PLACE IN THE FUTURE.
THE OTHER THING WE CAN DO, WHICH WE WOULD DO, IS ONE, NOW THAT WE ARE GETTING OUR 24 NUMBERS, THE ACTUALS, WE CAN ALSO DO A COMPARISON TO SEE HOW THEY COMPARE TO THE, UM, THIS NEW BOUNDARY.
AND ARE WE ANTICIPATING KEEPING THE, UM, THE MODULES, THE, UM, THE, LIKE OUTSIDE OF RELOCATABLES, THE REAL CABLES? YES.
IT'S GETTING LATE IN THE EVENING.
SO, SO THAT, SO THEY WILL ALL STILL REMAIN AT THE SCHOOLS THAT THEY'RE AT, LIKE OUTSIDE OF NEWTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? NOT, NOT NECESS, NOT NECESSARILY MS. BOOK, ANDY.
EVERY, EVERY YEAR WE AS ASSESS, WE ASSESS WHAT'S NEEDED AT EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL.
UM, IT DOES DEPEND ON, ON PROGRAMMATICALLY WHAT, WHAT THE, WHAT THE SCHOOL HAS AND WHAT IT HASN'T.
UM, WE, WE HAVE TAKEN EFFORTS TO DRAMATICALLY REDUCE THE NUMBER OF RELOCATABLES THAT, THAT WE, THAT WE DO HAVE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS.
UM, BUT THEY, BUT IN MANY CASES THEY ARE STILL NECESSARY.
I DON'T WANNA SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO THESE SCHOOLS, BUT IF YOU'D LIKE US TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT QUESTION, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
THAT, THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
UM, AND MS. ALER, UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK SAME THING AS FAR AS THIS UTILIZATION.
SO I WAS LOOKING THROUGH SOME OTHER INFORMATION THAT'S ON THE WEBSITE FROM OUR BCPS WEBSITE.
UM, AND SO I SAW THAT THE OTHER OPTIONS REALLY, UM, WERE JUST SMALL MODIFICATIONS.
SO FOR OPTION B THREE, IT WAS A MODIFICATION OF THREE PLANNING BOX FOR OPTION B TWO.
IT WAS A, A MODIFICATION OF ONE PLANNING BLOCK.
THERE'S NOT GONNA BE A LOT OF MOVEMENT WITH THESE NUMBERS, BUT SCOTT'S BRANCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS A SCHOOL THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY INVOLVED IN ANOTHER BOUNDARY STUDY.
SO AS WE LOOK AT NEWTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, RANDALLSTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SCOTTS BRANCH AND WOOD HOME, WHAT THEIR NUMBERS BEING AT 100% OR ABOVE, AND EVEN SOME OF THESE OTHER SCHOOLS BEING PRETTY CLOSE TO 100%.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER BOUNDARY STUDIES TO WHERE THESE SCHOOLS WILL BE INVOLVED, AGAIN, WHERE POTENTIALLY THESE NUMBERS WOULD CHANGE, OR THIS IS GONNA BE PRETTY MUCH IT FOR WHERE THESE SCHOOLS WILL STAND? SO, MS. FONG, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, FOR YOUR QUESTION AT THIS TIME, THERE ARE NO OTHER, THERE ARE NO OTHER BOUNDARY STUDIES, UH, PLANNED FOR THIS, FOR THIS AREA, FOR THIS REGION.
SO THEN THESE NUMBERS ARE JUST GONNA STAND AS IT IS UNTIL WE GET TO THE POINT, I GUESS, THAT WE SEE THE NUMBERS ARE
[01:55:01]
CHANGING TO WHERE WE NEED ANOTHER NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OR YES, MA'AM.OR WE'LL, OR WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE SOME OTHER ADJUSTMENTS.
UM, A AS AS I KNOW YOU'RE, YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR, WE HAVE SOME OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTY WHERE UTILIZATION IS, IS EVEN OF GREATER CONCERN.
UH, THANKFULLY, WE'VE HAD THESE FOUR CAPITAL PROJECTS IN THE AREA THAT HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED WITH THE NUMBER, THE IMPROVED THE NUMBER OF SEATS THAT WE DO HAVE AVAILABLE TO US IN THE NORTHWEST AREA FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
UM, WE'VE ALSO DONE A LOT OF WORK THE LAST FEW YEARS IN EXPANDING SOME OF OUR, OUR EARLY CHILDHOOD OPTIONS.
SO THOSE THINGS, THOSE THINGS ALL PLAY INTO, UM, THE SEATS THAT, THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
UH, MR. TAYLOR, MS. ALER, DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO ADD TO THAT? NO, THAT'S ACCURATE.
ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS AND DR.
AND WE HAVE THE NEXT PRESENTATION AS WELL.
SO YOU'RE AHEAD OF ME, SO IT'S OKAY.
[M. REPORT - CAMPFIELD EARLY LEARNING CENTER CLOSURE UPDATE (Dr. Grim) (8:25 - 8:40 p.m.)]
ON THE REPORT ON THE CAMFIELD EARLY LEARNING CENTER CLOSURE UPDATE.AND SO, GOOD EVENING AGAIN, CHAIR, CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, SUPERINTENDENT DR. ROGERS.
UM, WE'RE HERE THIS EVENING TO, UH, SHARE WITH YOU THE PROPOSAL FOR THE CAMPFIELD EARLY LEARNING LEARNING CENTER CLOSURE.
AND SO ON SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2023, THE BOARD APPROVED THE CLOSURE OF CAMPFIELD WITH AN ANTICIPATED CLOSURE AT THE END OF THE 20 25, 20 26 SCHOOL YEAR.
SO THAT WOULD BE IN JUNE OF 2026.
SINCE THAT TIME, STAFF HAVE DETERMINED THAT STUDENTS' NEEDS CAN BETTER, UH, BE MET BY TRANSITIONING PROGRAMS STUDENTS TO THEIR HOME PROGRAMS AND STUDENTS TO THEIR HOME SCHOOLS, OR TO NEARBY REGIONAL PROGRAMS AT THE END OF THIS COMING SCHOOL YEAR, WHICH WOULD BE A YEAR EARLIER.
THE ANTICIPATED COMPLETION OF THE FOUR CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WE JUST DISCUSSED IN THIS AREA WILL PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL CAPACITY FOR STUDENTS TO RETURN TO THEIR OWN SCHOOLS.
AND THIS SLIDE JUST SHOWS WHAT THE STATUS IS AND WHAT THE ANTICIPATION ANTICIPATED COMPLETION DATES OF THE OTHER TWO PROJECTS WILL BE.
THE ACCELERATION OF CLOSURE AT CAMPFIELD IS THE RESULT OF NUMBER ONE, SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION OF OVER 200 KINDERGARTEN AND PRE-K STUDENTS FOR THE CURRENT ACADEMIC YEAR.
THAT, THAT'S THE YEAR THAT WE'RE IN NOW, THE 24 25 SCHOOL YEAR, AND REALIZE THE POTENTIAL EFFICIENCIES AS STUDENTS CONTINUE TO TRANSITION.
NEXT YEAR, WE'RE PROJECTING THAT 59 STUDENTS, SO FEWER THAN 60 STUDENTS WILL ATTEND CAMPFIELD FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
UNDER THIS PROPOSAL, THESE STUDENTS WILL BE TRANSITIONED TO THEIR HOME SCHOOLS JUST A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THAN WE HAD ANTICIPATED.
STAFF IMPACTED BY THIS PROPOSED CLOSURE WILL BE PRIORITIZED AS TRANSFERS THIS SPRING.
ONE THING I DID NOT PUT ON THIS SLIDE, BUT THAT I DID VERIFY, UH, THERE HAVE BEEN QUESTIONS IN THE PAST, FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT THE JUDY CENTER THAT WAS, THAT WAS LOCATED AT, ON THE CAMPFIELD SITE.
UH, THAT THAT WAS ACTUALLY THE, THE BEDFORD JUDY CENTER AT CAMPFIELD, WHICH IS NOW AT BEDFORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
UM, AND THE Y WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE ON THE CAMPFIELD SITE UNTIL, UM, UNTIL WE BEGIN THE REPURPOSING PROJECT FOR, UH, THE CAMPFIELD SITE, WHICH WILL NOT HAPPEN AT LEAST UNTIL THE SUBURB OF 2026.
THIS PROCESS FOR SCHOOL CLOSURES IS GOVERNED BY SUPERINTENDENTS RULE 76 10.
AND JUST AS A REMINDER, THE BOARD LAST JANUARY APPROVED THE CAMPFIELD SITE AS THE FUTURE LOCATION OF THE NORTHWEST AREA CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION CENTER.
THUS, THERE ARE NO PLANS TO SURPLUS THE PROPERTY, AND IT WILL REMAIN IN THE BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL'S INVENTORY.
THE TIMELINE IS THIS, OUR RECOMMENDATION TO, TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
THERE WILL BE A PUBLIC HEARING ON MARCH THE FIFTH, 2025, AND ON MARCH 11TH, WE HOPE THAT THE BOARD WILL MAKE A DECISION REGARDING THIS RECOMMENDATION AND PROPOSAL.
WE JUST WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WHY THIS, UH, ACCELERATED TIMELINE HAS BEEN PROPOSED TO THE BOARD.
UH, I JUST HAVE THREE QUESTIONS IF YOU CAN ANSWER THEM.
UM, ONE IS, WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON THE HOME SCHOOLS THAT THESE STUDENTS THAT WERE FORMALLY AT CAMFIELD ARE NOW GOING BACK TO? HOW HAVE THOSE CLASSROOMS BEEN AFFECTED BY, YOU KNOW, HAS THERE BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE CLASSROOMS TO, HOW ARE THEY DOING IN THOSE CLASSROOMS? ARE THEY GETTING THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED, THAT THEY WERE RECEIVING AT CAMFIELD? AND WHAT IS, WHERE WILL THE TEACHERS BE REALLOCATED?
[02:00:02]
SO I CAN CERTAINLY, I CAN CERTAINLY SPEAK TO, UM, THE, THE STAT, THE LAST, THE LAST QUESTION, WHICH IS, UH, THE, THE TEACHERS THAT ARE PRESENTLY AT CAMPFIELD, IF THE BOARD MOVES FORWARD WITH THIS PROPOSAL, AND THE OTHER STAFF THERE, UM, WILL BE, WILL BE ON THE PRIORITY TRANSFER AS PART OF THE PRIORITY TRANSFER PROCESS THIS SPRING.SO THEY'LL BE GIVEN THE OPPOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSITION TO OTHER BCPS SCHOOLS, UM, THEMSELVES.
AS FAR AS THE, THE STUDENTS, UH, TRANSITIONING, I THINK THAT THAT QUESTION MIGHT BE BETTER ANSWERED BY ONE OF OUR PARTNERS, EITHER IN, UM, THE DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOLS OR IN CNI.
UH, FROM OUR STANDPOINT, IN TERMS OF NUMBERS AND STRATEGIC PLANNING IN, UM, IN FACILITIES MANAGEMENT, UM, THE, THE IMPACT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, TO PLAN FOR.
UM, AND BASICALLY IT'S, IT'S EVEN PART OF SOME OF THOSE NUMBERS THAT YOU SAW EARLIER WITH THE, THE NORTHWEST TRANSITION.
SO IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S MORE OF SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO ALREADY.
UM, WE WERE ABLE TO ACCELERATE PART OF THIS PLAN EVEN EARLIER, UM, AND IT MADE SENSE TO MOVE SOME OF THESE, THESE PROGRAMS THAT WE COULD, SOME OF THE REGIONAL PROGRAMS IN SCHOOLS WHERE WE EITHER, UM, HAD SPACE OR IT, OR IT MADE SENSE TO MOVE THEM EARLIER.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF MY OTHER PARTNERS ARE HERE TO ANSWER THOSE OTHER QUESTIONS.
I CAN GO AHEAD AND, UM, ANSWER SOME OF THAT.
UM, WE HAVE THERE, AS YOU HAD STATED, THERE'S AVAILABLE SPACE, UM, IN THOSE HOME SCHOOLS FOR, UM, EITHER PRO UH, PROGRAMS OR GENERAL AND PRE-K, UM, CLASSROOMS TO OPEN AND TRANSITION THERE.
SO THE STUDENTS WHO REMAINED AT CAMFIELD THIS YEAR WERE A COMBINATION OF STUDENTS IN GENERAL EDUCATION, PRE-K, AS WELL AS SPECIAL EDUCATION, OGE, UM, OUTSIDE GENERAL EDUCATION, THREE AND 4-YEAR-OLD CLASSES.
UM, AND SO SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS WILL BE PROGRESSING TO KINDERGARTEN, AND SO THEY WILL GET APPROPRIATE SERVICES AND PLACEMENTS BASED ON THEIR IEP MOVING INTO KINDERGARTEN.
AND THOSE THREE YEAR OLDS WHO MAY BE ACCESSING, UM, SPECIAL EDUCATION, SELF-CONTAINED, UM, 4-YEAR-OLD PROGRAMS FOR, UH, THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR, THOSE, UM, CLASSROOM SPACES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THEM.
SO THEY WILL ALL RECEIVE THE SAME SERVICES THAT THEY RECEIVED AT CAMFIELD IF THEIR IP DETERMINES THAT THOSE ARE THE SERVICE MODELS, THAT THEY SHOULD REMAIN INCORRECT.
AND, AND, AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD, JUST TO, JUST TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT, AND I, I THINK IT'S, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THE, THE COMMUNICATION, UM, THAT WE HAVE, NOT ONLY WITH THE, THE STAFF, BUT WITH THE FAMILIES WHO WILL BE IMPACTED BY THIS, BY THIS SHIFT AND BY THIS PROPOSAL.
UM, NOW THAT WE'VE OBVIOUSLY SHARED THIS INFORMATION WITH THE BOARD, UM, OUR FAMILIES IN THE AREA WILL BE NOTIFIED AND THERE WILL BE ONGOING COMMUNICATION.
UM, THIS SPRING, I ACTUALLY HAD A NOTE ON, UH, ON MY COMPUTER, MS. FONG, IT WAS FROM YOU FROM LAST YEAR.
UM, YOU HAD ASKED TO MAKE SURE IN THE, IN THE SPRINGTIME, ONCE WE HAD DETERMINED WHEN THE CLOSURE WOULD BE, THAT WE ENSURE, UM, THAT WE'RE COMMUNICATING WITH ALL THOSE FAMILIES.
YOU HAD MADE THAT REQUEST LAST YEAR AFTER THE PROPOSAL HAD BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE BOARD.
AND I HAD HAD THAT AS A REMINDER, UM, FOR ME WHEN WE, UH, UNDERTAKE THIS PROCESS THIS SPRING.
OH, I CAN NOW PUT MY HAND DOWN BECAUSE DR.
GRIB JUST ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
AND YOUR AND YOUR HAND MAY HAVE TRIGGERED PART OF THAT, BUT I, I HAD THE EMAIL, IT'S SITTING RIGHT ON THE FRONT OF MY DESK AT, AT, UM, AT PULASKI PARK.
NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS THE WORK SESSION ON
[N. WORK SESSION - SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED FY 2026 OPERATING BUDGET (Dr. Rogers) (8:40 - 9:15 p.m.)]
THE PROPOSED FY 2026 OPERATING BUDGET REQUEST ADDED AT THE JANUARY 28TH, 2025 BOARD MEETING.AND FOR THAT, I CALL HIM DR. ROGERS.
THANK YOU, CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
AS YOU WILL RECALL, UM, THE FY 26 PROPOSED BUDGET WAS FORMALLY PRESENTED ON JANUARY 14TH.
TWO WEEKS AGO, WE HELD OUR FIRST WORK SESSION.
UM, THE BOARD MEMBERS, UH, PROVIDED ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, UH, TO STAFF.
THOSE QUESTIONS, UH, WERE ANSWERED A SECOND SET OF QUESTIONS, UH, AND POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE FOR THE PUBLIC, THE RESPONSES.
UH, AT THIS TIME, WE HAVE STAFF HERE READY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE AVAILABLE.
[02:05:03]
QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS, MS. KY.UM, GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF THE QUESTIONS.
I HAVE ONE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS, AND I ABSOLUTELY THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT WE'RE HONORING, UM, WITH THE FIVE UNIONS IN TERMS OF THE AGREED UPON, UM, SALARY INCREASES, ARE THERE ANY EMPLOYEES THAT ARE NOT PART OF, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY BESIDES THE SUPERINTENDENT, BUT ANY ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES THAT ARE NOT PART OF THOSE FIVE BARGAINING UNITS? AND IF THERE ARE, IF, IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO THE, UM, THE SALARY INCREASES THAT ARE PART OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET.
WE HAVE NON-REPRESENTED EMPLOYEES IN BCPS.
UM, THE CHART THAT WE PROVIDED INCLUDED, UH, WHAT THEIR COMPENSATION WOULD BE.
UM, SO ALL 20,000 EMPLOYEES, UM, THAT WORK FOR BCPS ARE A PART.
SO JUST TO MAKE SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY, FOR ANY EMPLOYEE THAT'S NOT PART OF THE UNION, THEIR SALARY INCREASE WOULD BE THE SAME AS WHAT THE SALARY INCREASE IS FOR THE CASE, UM, EMPLOYEES? YES.
AND I MEANT TO SAY THIS BEFORE WE GOT STARTED, BUT, UM, IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION THAT'S SPECIFIC TO A PAGE IN THE BUDGET BOOK, PLEASE, UM, STATE THE PAGE SO THAT WE CAN ALL FOLLOW.
UM, ALONG, UM, MS. DOKI, THANK YOU.
I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING ALL OF MY QUESTIONS ALREADY THAT I'VE SENT IN, AND ALSO FOR ALLOWING US THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ASK MORE QUESTIONS.
UH, THERE'S ONE THING THAT I LOOKED UP AND I CAN'T FIND A DESCRIPTION OF, AND I'M, I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN, UM, WHAT THE GRANTS AND CAPITAL ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT DOES OR THE OFFICE DOES, GRANTS AND CAPITAL ACCOUNTING.
AND DO YOU HAVE A PAGE NUMBER FOR THAT, PLEASE? IT'S, IT'S ONLY FOUND IN THE, UM, APPENDIX K WHEN YOU GO OVER THE, ALL THE INFORMATION.
SO IT'S ON PAGE 1 44 IN THE 2026 BOOK FOR, UM, 8.7 MILLION IN SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
THANK YOU, MR. UH, THAT'S A, IT'S A GROUP IN ACCOUNTING AND, UH, THEY DO ACCOUNTING ON, UH, DIFFERENT GRANTS AND THEY DO ACCOUNTING TO KEEP TRACK, UH, OF CAPITAL PROJECTS.
IT KIND OF DOVETAILS WHAT THE FACILITIES, UH, TEAM DOES, BUT THEY'RE DEDICATED TO THAT ON THE ACCOUNTING SIDE.
SO WHAT WOULD CAUSE THE, LIKE IT TO GO FROM, YOU KNOW, 8.6 THIS YEAR WITH ABOUT EIGHT LAST YEAR, ABOUT 10, THE YEAR BEFORE 20 AND 23? I CAN GIVE YOU ALL THE PAGE NUMBERS IF YOU NEED THEM, BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS AS TO HOW YOU FIGURE OUT HOW MUCH MONEY GOES INTO THAT.
UH, GENERALLY MOST OF THE MONEY THAT YOU SEE IN THERE IS UNDESIGNATED SPECIAL REVENUE OR GRANT FUNDS.
UH, SO, UH, AS YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE HOW MUCH OUR GRANTS ARE GONNA BE WHEN THE BUDGET, UH, WHEN DR. ROGERS PRESENTED HER BUDGETS.
I MEAN, SOME ARE KNOWN, UH, BUT A LOT, EVEN LIKE TITLE ONE, WE WON'T KNOW UNTIL WE PUT IN OUR APPLICATION AND WE GET CLOSER TO THE START OF THE YEAR.
WE MAY GET NEW GRANT AWARDS DURING THE YEAR, WHICH WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO DO.
SO WHEN THE BOARD VOTES ON THE BUDGET, WE KEEP SEVERAL MILLION AVAILABLE TO COVER, UH, NEW GRANTS THAT WE MAY GET OR GRANTS THAT ARE MORE THAN WE INITIALLY EXPECTED.
SO THAT MONEY WOULDN'T BE SPENT THOUGH, UNLESS WE HAD A GRANT THAT PROVIDED THE REVENUE.
BUT IT'S REALLY, MOST OF THAT, THE MONEY IN THAT ACCOUNT'S JUST A PLACEHOLDER, IF YOU WANNA THINK OF IT THAT WAY.
SO WHICH DIVISION DOES THAT REPORT TO? BECAUSE IT, I CAN'T FIND IT ANYWHERE IN ANY BOOK.
I CAN'T, IT'S NOT, IT'S IN FISCAL SERVICES, UNDER, IT'S IN THE ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT.
BUT WHAT IS THE DEPARTMENT NUMBER? BECAUSE I CAN'T FIND THAT EITHER.
UH, I'LL, I'LL HAVE TO, WELL, THE CFOS A NUMBER IS OH 5 1 0 5 1, BUT, BUT THAT'S ONLY GONNA CONTAIN THOSE TWO STAFF MEMBERS.
SO, UM, I ACTUALLY THINK, UH, THE, THE BULK OF THIS PROGRAM COULD ALSO INCLUDE THE THIRD PARTY BILLING PROGRAM.
MR. TIFF, DOES THAT MAKE SENSE OR AM I OFF BASE THERE? UH, WELL, THE THIRD PARTY BILLING WOULD BE IN SPECIAL REVENUE, BUT, UH, OKAY.
[02:10:01]
COULD WE YEAH, JUST, UM, GET A DESCRIPTION AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, IT'S ONE OF THE ONLY DEPARTMENT OFFICES THAT I CANNOT FIND A DESCRIPTION OF WHERE THE DIVISION IS UNDER WHO THEY REPORT TO.UM, AND THEN ALSO, WILL WE BE GETTING A DEPARTMENT NUMBER FOR COMMUNITY SCHOOLS DANCE AND THEATER? 'CAUSE THOSE DIDN'T HAVE A DESCRIPTION IN THE BOOK AS WELL.
SAY THAT AGAIN? I MIGHT GO TO MR. DR. ROGERS WITH COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
COMMUNITY SCHOOLS WASN'T LISTED AND I'M, I'M SURE IT PROBABLY GOES TO CURRICULUM.
IT ALL GOES TO CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION.
IT'S JUST, WE DON'T HAVE A DESCRIPTION FOR IT AT DEPARTMENT LEVEL OR OFFICE DANCE IS DEPARTMENT 0 27 UNDER PERFORMING ARTS.
IT INCLUDES DANCE, MUSIC, AND THEATER.
YOU SEEM TO HAVE THE OTHER ONES.
NO, I WAS JUST SAY, COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
THE BEST PLACE TO SEE THAT IS IN SPECIAL REVENUE UNDER CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY.
SO THAT'S ENTIRELY ON A GRANT NOW.
AND THEN LASTLY, UH, I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THE ONE-TO-ONE RATIO WITH OUR COMPUTERS, AND I, WE DID THE K THROUGH TWO AND ONE MINUTE.
UM, I JUST WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD LOOK AT A MORE COST BENEFIT RATIO AS GETTING COMPUTER LABS AND FOCUSING MORE ON COMPUTER SCIENCE AND HAVING A DESIGNATED AREA FOR ALL K THROUGH EIGHT, IF NOT K THROUGH 12 STUDENTS, TO HAVE A CONTROLLED AREA TO USE THEIR COMPUTERS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO STANDARDIZED TO THE TESTING THAT THEY DO ON THEIR COMPUTER WHERE THEY'RE SITTING AT A SINGLE DESK.
IT'S QUIET, IT'S MONITORED, AND AS OPPOSED TO HAVING STUDENTS HAVE THEIR COMPUTERS IN CLASSROOMS, CARRYING THEM ALL AROUND, HAS THAT BEEN SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE LOOKED INTO, UM, AND WOULD THAT BE MORE COST EFFICIENT AND GOING WITH THE DIRECTION OF HEADING TOWARDS A ME A MORE COMPUTER SCIENCE ORIENTED CURRICULUM THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, ARE KIND OF EDUCATION SEEMS TO BE HEADED TOWARDS? SO THANK YOU.
I WILL, UM, CERTAINLY NOTE THAT RECOMMENDATION, BUT I WOULD, UH, LIKE TO RAISE FOR THE RECORD THAT SCHOOLS, UM, NOT ONLY IN BALTIMORE COUNTY, BUT UH, PROBABLY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, HAVE MOVED AWAY FROM DEDICATED COMPUTER LABS, UH, BOTH AS, YOU KNOW, A CAPITAL, UM, UH, PROJECT, UM, UH, FROM A CAPITAL PROJECT STANCE, NEEDING THE SPACE FOR STUDENTS TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S NOT OVERCROWDING IN SCHOOLS AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY, UH, PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THAT IN THE FUTURE.
HAS THERE EVER BEEN A COST ANALYSIS TO THAT AS OPPOSED TO LIKE PROVIDING ONE-TO-ONE COMPUTER DEVICES TO STUDENTS AND HAVING THAT EXTRA SPACE FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE? WHAT'S MORE, WHAT'S MORE COSTLY? WE'LL BE ABLE TO, UH, PROVIDE AN UPDATE.
I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION RIGHT HERE.
UM, AND THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING BOARD MEMBERS' QUESTIONS, UM, WHICH ANSWERED SEVERAL OF MINE AS WELL.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT INFORMATION.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SHARE A MESSAGE I RECEIVED, WHICH CONTAINS SOME QUESTIONS FROM AN EMPLOYEE OF OURS, UM, WHO POSES SOME, SOME VERY GOOD QUESTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS, UM, WITHIN THE BUDGET.
THIS INDIVIDUAL HAS STUDIED THE BUDGET AND SHARED SOME OF MY OBSERVATIONS AS WELL.
UM, THE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS, MY REACTION AND OBSERVATION IS THAT WE ARE CUTTING FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS, EDS AND INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES TO PAY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, THE LEASE FOR THE LOYOLA GRAD CENTER, THE NEW ERP PROGRAM, THE GUN DETECTION SOFTWARE, THE INTERNET UPGRADE, AND POSSIBLY MORE.
THE ONLY HUGE EXPENSE INCREASES THAT I SEE, SE, THAT SEEM TO DIRECTLY BENEFIT STUDENTS ARE THE ATHLETIC TRAINERS AND CTE SLASH CCR.
IF WE ARE IN SUCH A FISCAL CRISIS AND HAVE TO DROP DIGITAL RESOURCES AND MORE, WHY CAN'T WE PAUSE THE ERP IMPLEMENTATION? WHY CHOOSE NOW TO LEASE LOYOLA? SO FRUSTRATING.
SO I BELIEVE THE QUESTION HERE ONE MINUTE IS THE QUESTION HERE IS THE TIMING OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES, AND IS IT POSSIBLE TO PAUSE THE TIMING OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES? AND ALSO, UM, YOUR RESPONSE TO THE REDUCTIONS IN, UM, ITEMS THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT STUDENTS COUNTY EXECUTIVE KLAUS MEYER ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT BCPS CAN EXPECT TO RECEIVE A 3% INCREASE, WHICH IS QUITE A REDUCTION IN OUR REQUEST.
SO I'D ALSO, UM, LIKE A RESPONSE TO THAT AND WHAT AREAS WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE REDUCED.
[02:15:01]
FEW, UH, THINGS THAT I, I WANT TO ADDRESS IN THE MESSAGE THAT YOU READ.UM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
WITH EDS, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO NOTE.
UM, SPECIFICALLY WE HAVE A NOON LINE ITEM.
I BELIEVE THE COST, UH, MR. C YOU'LL HAVE TO CORRECT ME, IS, UH, $1.06 MILLION THAT IS ADDED.
WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT IS IT BECAUSE IT ALLOWS ALL 176 SCHOOLS TO PAY FOR THREE REQUIRED EDS, AND THAT MEANS THAT THERE'S MORE FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR SCHOOL SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS.
AND SO THIS WAS ANSWERED AND POSTED IN THE QUESTIONS THAT WE HAVE FOR THE PUBLIC, BUT I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE CORRECT THAT, UM, IN ACCURACY, UM, IN TERMS OF LOYOLA AND THE DEDICATED SPACE FOR OUR, UH, STAFF MEMBERS TO RECEIVE THAT TRAINING.
WE'VE TALKED MANY TIMES ABOUT THE THROUGH LINE THAT IT TAKES FOR SYSTEMIC AND SUSTAINED IMPROVEMENT ACROSS SCHOOL SYSTEMS. UM, HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, CURRICULUM, FIDELITY OF IMPLEMENTATION IS ONE PART OF THAT.
THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS TRUE INVESTMENT IN PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
WE USED TO SPEND, UM, PROBABLY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, AND MR. SARAHS CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG IN RENTING HOTEL SPACES TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.
SO THIS INVESTMENT, UM, NOT ONLY REMOVES US FROM HAVING TO COMPETE WITH, UM, OTHERS FOR SPACES, BUT IT REALLY ENSURES THAT OUR STAFF MEMBERS HAVE A DEDICATED SPACE.
AND I'M SPEAKING ABOUT ALL STAFF MEMBERS, INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF, OPERATIONS STAFF, LEADERSHIP STAFF HAVE A DEDICATED SPACE TO LEARN ABOUT THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING TO LEARN UP TO DATE BEST PRACTICES, STRATEGIES ROOTED IN GOOD TEACHING AND LEARNING.
UM, IN ORDER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR 111,000 STUDENTS.
AND SO THAT IS WHY WE BROUGHT THAT CONTRACT FORWARD LAST YEAR THAT WAS APPROVED, UH, BY THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, ERP.
I THINK, UM, IT HAS WIDELY BEEN, UH, REPORTED THAT, UH, BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UH, FACE, UH, DEBILITATING, UH, CYBER ATTACK ON OUR SYSTEMS. MANY OF OUR SYSTEMS WERE OPERATING ON PREM, AND MANY OF OUR SYSTEMS DID NOT SPEAK TO EACH OTHER.
UM, ONE OF THE COMMITMENTS THAT WE MADE AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND I AM, UM, SO APPRECIATIVE THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ECHOED THAT COMMITMENT TO ALL 20,000 EMPLOYEES AND TO 111,000 FAMILIES, IS THAT WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR SYSTEMS, UM, SPOKE TO EACH OTHER, THAT WE HAD HIGH QUALITY DATA INSIDE OF OUR SYSTEMS, AND THAT WE BROUGHT OURSELVES UP TO INDUSTRY STANDARD.
AND THAT IS THE REASON WHY WE HAVE EMBARKED UPON THIS MULTI-YEAR PROJECT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FIRST ADDRESSING HUMAN RESOURCES WHERE WE HAD THE MAJORITY OF COMPLAINTS.
UM, IT TOUCHES EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE IN OUR SYSTEM AS WELL AS EVERY EMPLOYEE WHO IS DESIRING AND CONSIDERING BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UH, WITH, UH, IN ADDITION TO HUMAN RESOURCES, OUR ERP SYSTEM ALSO FOCUSES ON BUDGETING AND FINANCE, PAYROLL, AS WELL AS THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE SEAMLESS PROGRAMS AND THAT, UM, EVERYTHING THAT OUR FAMILIES RECEIVE AS WELL AS OUR STAFF MEMBERS ALLOW THEM TO DO THEIR BEST WORK.
AND SO, UM, WHILE IT, YOU KNOW, IT, IT IS A MAJOR EXPENSE.
UH, THE COST OF NOT BRINGING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, UP TO DATE TO WHERE IT SHOULD BE, IS MUCH GREATER IN TERMS OF THE WORKAROUNDS THAT OUR STAFF, PARTICULARLY IN CENTRAL OFFICE, CONTINUE TO DO.
UM, ERRORS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE, UH, ENTERED INTO SYSTEMS WHEN PEOPLE HAVE TO, UM, GO TO THREE OR FOUR SYSTEMS TO DO THEIR DAILY JOBS.
AND, UM, HOW IT SLOWS DOWN OUR ABILITY TO RESPOND TO ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
UM, AND THE THE LAST PIECE, UH, THAT I HAVE NOTED AND, UM, IS AROUND GUN DETECTION.
UM, UH, I THINK WE HAVE, UH, SEEN, UH, NATIONALLY HOW SAFETY AND CLIMATE, UH, HAS BEEN ON THE FOREFRONT OF EDUCATION.
UH, BUT, UH, MOST RECENTLY I WAS MEETING WITH THE COUNCIL OF PTAS AND ONE OF THE, UH, FAMILIES, ONE OF THE, UH, PTA PRESIDENTS ACTUALLY READ, UM, A, A MESSAGE FROM A PARENT WHO WAS A PTA PRESIDENT WHO INDICATED THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WAS A OMNI ALERT AT THEIR SCHOOL UNTIL, UM, SOMETHING HAPPENED.
AND THE PARENT SHARED, UH, THE SENTIMENT OF, UH, HOW APPRECIATIVE THEY WERE TO, TO KNOW THAT WE HAD THE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN PLACE, UM, THAT WAS PROVIDING 365 DAYS, 24 7, UM,
[02:20:01]
UH, SECURITY FOR STUDENTS CONNECTING US DIRECTLY WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY PERSONNEL.AND THAT, UM, ALSO MAINTAINING, UH, SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS THAT STILL FELT LIKE SCHOOL EVEN THOUGH WE WERE LEVERAGING THE TECHNOLOGY.
AND SO, UM, I, I THINK WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT, UH, TO HEAR FROM US IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO REMAIN COMMITTED TO WORKING WITH ALL OUR PARTNERS.
UM, CERTAINLY THERE WAS A NEWS ARTICLE WHERE A NEWS, UH, REPORTER, UH, MADE SOME STATEMENTS AROUND, UH, THE, UH, PERCENTAGE OF, UM, UH, FUNDING THAT BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS COULD EXPECT.
UH, WE DID REQUEST SIX AND A HALF PERCENT FUNDING, UM, FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR IN TERMS OF THE OPERATING BUDGET.
UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE, UH, PARTNERS AND OUR COUNTY COUNCIL MET WITH THEM LAST WEEK, AND MEMBERS OF BOTH OF OUR, UH, BUDGET TEAMS HIGH LEVEL MET WITH THEM THE WEEK BEFORE THAT.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO MEET WITH THEM WEEK IN AND WEEK OUT, UM, TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS THAT ARE, UM, THAT ARE IN THE INTEREST OF OUR 111,000 STUDENTS, AS HAS BEEN STATED, UH, BY MULTIPLE, UH, MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE IS WIDESPREAD APPRECIATION FOR THE WORK THAT OUR STAFF MEMBERS ARE DOING AND THE DIVIDENDS THAT IT'S PAYING IN TERMS OF TURNING AROUND THE TRAJECTORY OF ACADEMIC DECLINE IN, UH, TEAM BCPS.
SO ANYTHING, UM, DEALING WITH OUR, UH, UNION PARTNERS, UM, WE WOULD, UH, CERTAINLY BRING THAT INFORMATION BACK TO THE BOARD AS WE ALWAYS HAVE DONE, UM, WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING, UH, FORMALLY IN WRITING FROM OUR, UM, UH, FUNDING PARTNERS.
BUT WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THEM ON A REGULAR WEEKLY BASIS TO, UH, MEET AND GO THROUGH ALL OF THE NUMBERS.
I BELIEVE I WAS AT TIME, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK A, A FOLLOW UP QUESTION OF DR. ROGERS, IF I MAY BRIEFLY.
UM, HOW MUCH TIME, UM, MR. BURNS? IT'S NINE, IT'S 19 SECONDS, SO REAL FAST, MS. HAN, I'LL TALK QUICKLY.
SO, DR. ROGERS, UM, I, I DON'T QUESTION THE VALUE OF THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, AND THEN THOSE CERTAINLY ARE CRITICAL TO THE MISSION OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
UM, HOWEVER, AND I BELIEVE THIS EMPLOYEE WAS QUESTIONING AS WELL, THE TIMING AND THE FACT THAT THE CUTS, UM, IN THE BUDGET SEEMED TO FALL, UM, MORE HEAVILY ON THE SCHOOLHOUSE AND DI ON THOSE ITEMS THAT DIRECTLY IMPACT OUR STUDENTS.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE OFFICE, UM, PARTICULARLY ON THE ACADEMIC OFFICES, CAN YOU SPEAK TO THOSE AND, UM, WHEN YOU DID LOOK AT THOSE CUTS AS DIFFICULT AS THEY WERE, DID YOU CONSIDER ANY REDUCTIONS TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT? THANK MS. SO I THINK WHAT I WOULD RESPOND IS, UM, AROUND INVESTMENTS.
THE, UH, 10% REDUCTION IN NON-SALARY COSTS, UH, WAS AT AN AMOUNT OF $1.05 MILLION.
IF I'M CORRECT, MR. CS, PLEASE, UH, CONFIRM.
UH, WE DO NOT HAVE, UH, CUTS TO SCHOOLS.
WE ARE INVESTING, AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN RESOURCES OR WE SEEK TO INVEST IN RESOURCES FOR KIDS.
UH, SPECIFICALLY TALKSPACE, UH, EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULUM, UM, CTE, ET CETERA.
THERE'S A $23.2 MILLION, UM, UH, REQUEST TO, UH, INVEST IN OUR STUDENTS RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES.
OUR, UM, UH, BIGGEST EXPENSES ARE AROUND, UM, UH, STAFF MEMBERS.
AS YOU KNOW, UH, MORE THAN 80% OF OUR BUDGET, UH, GOES TO, UH, STAFF AND, UH, BENEFITS SOME OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, RAISED.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE, AND I DON'T HAVE THOSE OFFHAND, THEY ARE IN THE BUDGET BOOK AND IN MY FORMAL PRESENTATION, UM, SOME OF THOSE, UH, REQUESTS ARE ONE-TIME EXPENSES.
UM, ALSO, UH, THE DISTINCTION IS IMPORTANT AS IT DOES NOT COUNT TOWARDS, UH, THE REQUEST OF THE, UH, GENERAL FUND OPERATING, UH, BUDGET THAT WE ARE ASKING TO, UM, TO THE, UM, UH, COUNTY, UH, FOR OUR FUNDING.
SO I, I THINK THAT THAT'S HOW I WOULD RESPOND TO THAT, UH, QUESTION THAT, UH, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A NO FRILLS BUDGET.
UM, SIGNIFICANT, UM, UH, CONTINUED INVESTMENTS IN OUR STUDENTS AND IN OUR STAFF WHO ARE MAKING THE DIFFERENCE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
UM, THOSE AREAS FOR IN INFRASTRUCTURE ARE, UH, CRITICAL AND NECESSARY.
UH, AREAS LIKE OUR, UH, FIREWALLS FOR OUR STUDENTS OR OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WHO HAVE NOT HAD AN, UH, UPGRADE AND OUR DI DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY AROUND THE CLOCK TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS REMAIN CONNECTED.
[02:25:01]
THANK YOU, MS.UM, SO I GUESS THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK JUST ABOUT KIND OF THE 21.7% AS A TOTAL OVERALL, UM, INCREASE AS FAR AS THE FUNDS, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE OPERATING BUDGET, UM, THAT INCREASE SPECIFICALLY IS 6.2%.
SO CAN YOU TALK ABOUT, I GUESS, WHAT THINGS LED TO, UM, LIKE THAT INCREASE AS WELL AS, AS WE TALK ABOUT, I KNOW THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS HERE IN THE BUDGET WHERE TYPICALLY IT WAS COVERED BY A GRANT AND THEN NOW BCPS IS RESPONSIBLE.
SO I GUESS, CAN YOU SPEAK TO JUST AGAIN, LIKE WHERE THESE INCREASES ARE COMING FROM, UM, INCLUDING THE IDEA THAT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE FORMERLY GRANTS ARE NOW HAVE TO BE FUNDED BY BCPS? YES.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION.
SO I'LL START WITH THE END AND THEN, UM, UH, AND THEN MOVE FORWARD.
SO AROUND, UH, ITEMS THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY GRANTS THAT NOW HAD TO BE FUNDED AND OPERATING, UM, TWO LARGE ITEMS THAT I WILL CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO ARE THE OMNI ALERT SYSTEM, UM, WHICH IS A LITTLE MORE THAN HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND THE OTHER LARGE ITEM ARE THE, UH, ESSER GRANTS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO USE AND EXPEND UNTIL QUARTER ONE, UM, THAT I BELIEVE, UH, MR. IFF FOR MR. CS, PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WAS ANOTHER $5.8 MILLION THAT WE USED TO DEFRAY THE COST OF THE ADDITIONAL 15, 15 MINUTES OF THE SCHOOL DAY.
UH, BECAUSE BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAD THE SHORTEST SCHOOL DATE IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
SO THAT BROUGHT US INTO COMPLIANCE AS WELL AS THE $4 ADDITIONAL ADD-ON, UM, THAT WE PROVIDED FOR OUR ADDITIONAL ADULT ASSISTANCE AND OUR SUBSTITUTES.
SO RIGHT THERE, YOU HAVE, UH, ABOUT $6.3 MILLION OF COSTS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, USE GRANTS FOR THAT ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR FY 26.
UM, IN TERMS OF YOUR QUESTION, UM, AROUND THE ADDITIONAL EXPENSE FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR, UM, WE HAVE, UH, PUT TOGETHER AND, AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, RESHARE WITH MEMBERS OF OUR PUBLIC, THE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THAT A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS ASK.
UM, FIRST, THE $23.2 MILLION AROUND SPECIAL EDUCATION, A PORTION OF THAT AROUND $13 MILLION IS SOLELY TO RIGHT SIZE, UM, RELATED SERVICES, WHICH INCLUDES, UH, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, PHYSICAL THERAPY, SPEECH THERAPY, UH, FOR OUR STUDENTS, AS WELL AS $9 MILLION FOR NON-PUBLIC PLACEMENTS.
UM, THERE WAS LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED LAST YEAR THAT PROVIDED PARITY FOR NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS WELL AS PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS.
AND SO TUITION RATES INCREASED, UM, SIGNIFICANTLY AS A RESULT OF THAT.
UH, IN THE LAST, THAT, UM, FOR MORE THAN THE LAST 10 YEARS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO MIDYEAR, UH, PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION TO ADDRESS ANY ADDITIONAL, UM, COSTS THAT WE HAD RELATED TO SPECIAL EDUCATION.
BUT WHEN YOU RIGHT-SIZE THE BUDGET AND YOU BUDGET TO ACTUALS, AND FOR US, THAT HAS RESULTED IN OVER A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF SAVING THAT FLEX THAT USED TO BE THERE IS NO LONGER THERE.
AND SO $13 MILLION OF THAT $23 MILLION ASK, UH, FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION IS AROUND RIGHT, RIGHT SIZING THE BUDGET FOR THOSE, UH, ISSUES.
UH, THE REMAINDER, UH, GOES TO ADDITIONAL ADULT ASSISTANCE, UH, PARAEDUCATORS ACROSS THE CONTINUUM.
UM, TWO TEACHERS IN THE NORTHEAST AND THE NORTHWEST FOR OUR, UM, UH, FOWLS PROGRAMS, UH, OFFERED AT CCBC AS WELL AS FIVE PRE-K SPECIAL EDUCATION, UM, TEACHERS.
SO THAT'S $23 MILLION OF THE, UH, LARGE ASK.
UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT YEAR TWO COMPENSATION FOR THE FIVE, UM, UH, UNIONS, THAT'S ABOUT $56 MILLION.
THE ACCOMPANYING, UH, BENEFITS ARE $14 MILLION.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, I'VE ALREADY, UH, UH, SPOKEN TO THE $5.8 MILLION THAT WAS OFFSET BY ESSER.
AND THE LAST AREA THAT I'LL SPEAK TO IS THE, UM, UH, VERY LARGE INCREASE THAT WE ARE RECEIVING IN THE GAS AND ELECTRIC BILL FOR ANOTHER $9.8 MILLION.
SO IF YOU TOTAL UP THOSE FIVE ITEMS, UM, AND EVERYTHING ELSE STAYED THE SAME, THAT TOTALS TO MORE THAN A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS, I BELIEVE IT TOTALS TO ABOUT $130 MILLION.
WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE OUR ASK BY THE $26 MILLION IN SAVINGS THAT WE, UH, PUT FORWARD.
THANK YOU FOR THAT RESPONSE, DR.
[02:30:01]
COMMENTS, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.MANY OF THE COMMENTS WE RECEIVE FROM STAKEHOLDERS EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDED A REQUEST TO FULLY FUND THE BUDGET FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC.
CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DOES NOT FULLY FUND THE BUDGET THAT WE PRESENT, FOR EXAMPLE, HOW WILL CUTS BE DETERMINED? SO IT'S NOT A TYPICAL, UM, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUR LAST DECADE OF FUNDING, UH, FOR THERE TO BE A GAP BETWEEN WHAT HAS BEEN REQUESTED AND WHAT IS FUNDED.
UM, WHAT HAPPENS IS WE WILL WORK TOGETHER, UH, WITH OUR, UH, FUNDING PARTNERS ON A NUMBER, ANYTHING RELATED TO, UH, COMPENSATION.
UH, WE WILL TAKE THROUGH THE SAME PRO, UH, PROCESS THAT WE NORMALLY, UM, TAKE, WHICH IS TO BRING THAT TO, UH, THE BOARD OF EDUCATION FOR APPROVAL, UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, MAKE THOSE ADJUSTMENTS IN THAT WAY.
BUT WE WILL WORK WITH ALL FIVE, UH, BARGAINING UNITS ONCE WE HAVE A, UH, FINAL NUMBER AND DETERMINATION WITH THE PRIMARY GOAL, UH, MAKING SURE, UH, THAT WE CONTINUE TO MOVE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FORWARD.
UH, WE CONTINUE TO, UH, WE, UH, MAKE SURE THAT RESOURCES ARE KEPT, UH, CLOSEST, UH, TO SCHOOLS AND, AND REALLY LOOK FOR ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING, ANY OPPORTUNITY THAT WE HAVE TO, UH, UH, WHETHER IT'S BRING IN ADDITIONAL SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS OR, UM, UH, TO MAKE, UM, UH, SOME ADJUSTMENTS, UH, WHERE, WHERE POSSIBLE WE'LL DO THAT WITH, UM, ALL OF OUR PARTNERS, UH, TO THE TABLE.
BUT IT IS NOT A TYPICAL TO MAKE A REQUEST, UH, FOR ONE AMOUNT AND RECEIVE A DIFFERENT AMOUNT, UH, FROM OUR COUNTY FUNDING PARTNERS.
I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT WE'RE REQUESTING THE FUNDS, BUT WE CAN'T TECHNICALLY FUND THE BUDGET BECAUSE WE DON'T HOLD THE CHECKBOOK FOR THE BUDGET.
UM, MY, UM, OTHER QUESTION IS, ARE THERE CHANGES IN THE PROPOSED 2026 BUDGET COMPARED TO THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR 2025 THAT WILL INCREASE THE WORKLOAD OVER EDUCATORS? SO, I, I THINK WHEN WE SPEAK TO, UH, WORKLOAD, UM, THAT'S NOT A, UH, BUDGETARY QUESTION.
UM, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC, UH, YOU KNOW, DOLLARS AND CENTS, UH, I CAN SHARE WITH YOU THAT WE HAVE, UH, WE'RE REDUCING REDUNDANCIES AND INCREASING EFFICIENCIES AND, UH, TERMS OF HOW WE MOVE FORWARD.
UM, INCREASE WORKLOADS FOR, UH, PEOPLE IN THE SCHOOLHOUSE IS, IS NOT SOMETHING, UH, THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO.
UH, WE WILL BE ABLE TO, UH, MAKE BETTER DECISIONS, UH, ONCE WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND FIND, FIND OUT FROM OUR FUNDING PARTNERS AND SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE WITH, UM, OUR UNION PARTNERS ABOUT, UH, IMPACT WHEN WE HAVE SPECIFIC NUMBERS.
MY, AND I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
MY, UM, QUESTION IS SIMPLY TO, UM, ADDRESS ISSUES THAT WERE BROUGHT FORWARD TO US, UM, AS EXPRESSED BY TABCO.
I'M VERY SORRY, I DON'T HAVE A SPECIFIC PAGE NUMBER.
I'M GOING FROM A SCREENSHOT THAT IT TOOK ABOUT 10 DAYS AGO, BUT I THINK YOU, YOU KNOW, THIS BUDGET, I THINK YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS.
THE OFFICE OF ATHLETICS IS SHOWING A 12% INCREASE FROM 25 THROUGH, UH, 2026.
DOES THAT 12% INCLUDE THE THREE ATHLETIC DIRECTORS, OR, OR, OR IS THAT MONEY FOUND SOMEPLACE ELSE? THE THREE ATHLETIC DIRECTORS ARE INCLUDED IN THE OFFICE OF ATHLETICS BUDGET, PROPOSED BUDGET.
AND SECONDLY, I GOT A TEXT ON FRIDAY AND A, AND A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER WAS TALKING TO ME ABOUT EXCESSES THAT WERE COMING, TEACHER'S GONNA BE EXCESSED IN HIS BUILDING.
I SAID BACK TO HIM, GIVE ME A SOLID, I WANT A NUMBER.
YOU KNOW, MONDAY HE TEXT ME BACK AND HE SAID THERE WAS NINE TEACHERS BEING EXCESSED OUT OF HIS BUILDING.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A CHART LISTING WHAT, WHAT SCHOOLS ARE LOSING, WHAT TEACHERS, CAN YOU PROVIDE THAT TO ME? THANK YOU.
SO DR. ROGERS, DID YOU WANNA RESPOND OR DID YOU WANT, UH, UH, I WILL SIMPLY SAY THANK YOU.
I WILL SIMPLY SAY, UM, THAT THERE ARE ADJUSTMENTS THAT ARE MADE EVERY YEAR IN TERMS OF, UM, UH, PRIORITY TRANSFERS.
I DID SHARE DURING THE LAST WORK SESSION, THE TOOL THAT WE USED.
UM, ALL OF THE NUMBERS ARE BASED ON THE ALGORITHM AND THE STAFFING FOLLOWS THE ENROLLMENT, UM, IN
[02:35:01]
TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT ARE THERE, UH, HAPPY TO REPOST.UM, THAT, AND THEN THE INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS ABOUT, UM, WHO IS MOVED AND HOW THOSE ARE MADE AT A, UH, BUILDING LEVEL.
I'D LIKE TO ADD, IF THERE'S NINE TEACHERS IN THIS ONE PARTICULAR SCHOOL, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS, SO OUT OF 24, 25 HIGH SCHOOLS, ONE MINUTE, EXCUSE ME ONE MINUTE.
AND, AND, UH, SO I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND THE HIGH SCHOOLS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR, AND I JUST, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A NUMBER AND NOT A FORMULA.
I WOULD, I'D LIKE TO HAVE A NUMBER WHERE I CAN LOOK AT THAT AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE LOSING THIS MANY TEACHERS, AND, AND THAT'S GONNA CONTRIBUTE TO WHETHER I PAY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, SERIOUSLY LOOK AT PASSING OR VOTING FOR THE BUDGET.
THAT'S, THAT'S MY MAIN CONCERN.
UH, WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT, BUT I THINK THERE'S A FEW THINGS, UM, THAT WE NEED TO HAVE ON THE RECORD.
THE FIRST THING IS WE HAVE MADE ZERO CHANGES TO THE, UM, STAFFING ALLOCATION RATIO FORMULA.
UM, SO, UH, UH, LAST YEAR WAS VERY DIFFERENT IN THAT WE INCREASED CLASS SIZE OF THAT SECONDARY LEVEL.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, CURRENTLY WE DO NOT HAVE THAT, UH, IN THIS BUDGET.
OUR ALLOCATION IS BASED SOLELY ON ENROLLMENT.
SO IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A HIGH SCHOOL THAT IS IN YEAR THREE OF, UM, DECENTRALIZING THE ESOL PROGRAM, AND HUNDREDS OF, UM, STUDENTS RECEIVING, UH, HUNDREDS OF MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS ARE GOING BACK TO THEIR HOME SCHOOLS.
AND THE, UH, FORMULA STATES, UH, FOR EVERY 22, UM, OR 23 STUDENTS, THERE IS ONE TEACHER, IF YOU HAVE 200 STUDENTS THAT ARE LEAVING, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THE COMMENSURATE, UH, NUMBER OF STUDENTS, UH, COMMENSURATE NUMBER OF TEACHERS THAT ARE REDUCED IN THEIR STAFFING BECAUSE THOSE EIGHT OR NINE TEACHERS HAVE TO BE ASSIGNED TO THE SCHOOLS WHERE THE STUDENTS ARE GOING.
BUT I HAVE NOTED YOUR REQUEST, BUT I, I THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC THAT THIS CURRENT BUDGET DOES NOT, UM, CHANGE STAFFING ALLOCATIONS DOES NOT INCREASE CLASS SIZES AS PROPOSED.
AND, UH, ENROLLMENT IS THE DETERMINING FACTOR OF WHETHER OR NOT, UM, STAFFING ALLOCATIONS WERE INCREASED OR REDUCED IN HIGH SCHOOL.
UM, IT'S TYPICALLY GONNA BE BASED ON ESOL DECENTRALIZATION YEAR THREE OF THAT PROGRAM.
AND, AND THE NUMBER NINE THAT I WAS GIVEN DIDN'T INCLUDE THREE TEACHERS THAT WERE PART OF THE ESOL PROGRAM.
SO IT WAS A TOTAL 12 MINUS THOSE THREE, SO IT WAS NINE REGULAR TEACHERS.
UM, BEFORE I CALL ON MS. BEYER, JUST TO CLARIFY, SO THE WAY THAT STAFFING WAS ALLOCATED FOR THE 25 26 SCHOOL YEAR IS THE SAME AS IT WAS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, AND NOT CONTINGENT ON THE OUTCOME OF THIS BUDGET AT THIS POINT.
UH, CHAIR LICHTER AND I WOULD ALSO ADD THAT ESOL IS ONE, SOMETIMES MAYBE TWO CLASSES, UH, TWO SECTIONS OF CLASSES THAT STUDENTS, UH, ATTEND TO.
UM, THOSE SAME STUDENTS ALSO, UH, HAVE THE FULL RANGE OF OTHER SUBJECTS THAT THEY'RE ASSIGNED TO, AND THAT IS A PART OF THE ALLOCATION FORMULA.
AND ALSO THOSE TEACHERS AT THAT SCHOOL MAY BE LOSING, WILL BE ON THE PRIORITY TRANSFER.
THEY'RE NOT LOSING THEIR POSITIONS IN BCPS, THEY'RE JUST BEING, UM, PRIORITY TRANSFERRED.
WE CANNOT OVER EMPHASIZE THAT, UH, THAT TEACHERS ARE MOVED AROUND.
THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMPLETE A DECLARATION OF INTENT WHERE THEY IDENTIFY 10 LOCATIONS, UM, OF THEIR PREFERENCE.
AND HUMAN RESOURCES, ALONG WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOLS, UH, TAKES EVERY, MAKES EVERY EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S A MATCH BETWEEN THE TEACHERS AND THE LOCATIONS THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING.
AND SO, OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS, I HAVE HEARD A LOT OF INACCURATE INFORMATION ON, OR I'VE HEARD, I'VE READ IT.
UM, SOME OF IT HAS BEEN THROUGH DIFFERENT MEDIA OUTLETS.
SOME OF IT HAS BEEN, UM, OVER SOCIAL MEDIA AND WHAT I AM GATHERING OVERALL, AND WHY THE, YOU KNOW, THE ROOT CAUSE OR THE, THE CORE FOR THESE, UM, INACCURACIES, IS THAT WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS TO KNOW ARE KIND OF THREE KEY THINGS.
WHY IS THE BCS BUDGET SO LARGE? WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE BCPS IS HIDING INFORMATION AND WHY, WHY DOES IT FEEL LIKE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IS NOT IMPROVE, IS IS NOT IMPROVING AT A RATE THAT'S QUICK ENOUGH OR, OR, OR, UM, OR THE RATE ISN'T, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE STUDENTS AREN'T IMPROVING? UM,
[02:40:01]
WHEN I'VE SEEING THESE DRASTIC IMPROVEMENTS AND THE WAY THAT I SEE IT, UM, BECAUSE I REALLY DO THINK THAT BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS DOING A GREAT JOB GIVING, GIVEN ALL THE, THE, THE CONTEXT OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT IS SURROUNDING OUR CURRENT CONDITIONS, THE COST OF EVERYTHING HAS GONE UP.AND SO WE, IT WOULD, IT WOULD REASONABLE TO EXPECT THAT THE BUDGET WOULD BE LARGER.
WE ARE INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE, AND WE ARE INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAS NOT BEEN INVESTED IN, IN SOME YEARS.
UM, TO, TO, I MEAN, UH, DR. ROGERS, I LOVED HOW YOU, UM, CONNECTED THE ERP TO, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA PREVENT THAT CYBER ATTACK FROM HAPPENING EVER AGAIN.
UM, AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED IN LA SCHOOLS AND SOME OTHER LARGE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND WHAT THEY ARE DEALING WITH 50 SECONDS, IT WOULD BE, UM, IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE NOT TO CONTINUE THAT INVESTMENT.
WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR, UM, JUST IN MARYLAND, THE TEACHER SHORTAGE THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE.
AND SO INVESTING IN OUR TEACHER SALARIES AND ENSURING THAT THEY GET SOME A RAISE, I MEAN, NOT JUST OUR TEACHERS, BUT OUR STAFF OVERALL, UM, IS A SMART INVESTMENT.
AND THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS I FEEL LIKE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO WHY BCPS HAS THE HIGHEST RETENTION RATE IN MARYLAND.
AND REALLY WHEN WE LOOK ACROSS THE NATION, UM, THESE ARE SMART INVESTMENTS THAT WE ARE MAKING IN BCPS, IT IS A MISTAKE FOR US, UM, TO, TO CHANGE THE COURSE THAT WE ARE ON.
UM, I KNOW IT IS A LARGE BUDGET, IT IS A BIG ASS, BUT WE HAVE BIG EXPECTATIONS FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FOR OUR TEACHERS AND FOR OUR PRINCIPALS, AND WE HAVE TO BACK THAT UP WITH THE DOLLARS.
WE KNOW THAT WE ARE IN A TIGHT FISCAL SITUATION TIME, MS. BOOKER DWYER.
UM, AND SO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DR. ROGERS IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT SHE WANTS TO ADD TO THAT.
BUT THOSE ARE THE THREE THINGS THAT I KEEP HEARING IN THE PUBLIC, AND I JUST FEEL LIKE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INACCURATE INFORMATION AND WE JUST NEED TO, UM, ENSURE THAT THERE IS ONLY ACCURATE INFORMATION COMING FROM, UM, BOARD MEMBERS.
UM, UH, MS. BOOKER DWYER, I, I THINK IN TERMS OF THE, UH, LARGE ASK, UM, YOU ARE CORRECT IN TERMS OF THE RISING COSTS, UH, FOR EVERYTHING, UM, THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE PROVIDED, UM, YOU KNOW, I PROVIDED EARLIER THE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE A HUNDRED MILLION, UH, DOLLARS.
UH, AND, AND THAT'S IF EVERYTHING ELSE STAYED THE SAME IN ALMOST EVERY AREA, WE HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR ADDITIONAL, AT LEAST 3%, UH, INFLATION.
UM, IN, IN TERMS OF, UH, SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AROUND INFORMATION ON THIS BUDGET, UH, I AM PLEASED TO, UH, REPORT THAT WE HAVE SO MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE ACKNOWLEDGING THE FACT THAT, UH, THEY HAVE MORE ACCESS TO BUDGET INFORMATION AND MORE ACCESS TO ASKING QUESTIONS, UM, THAN THEY HAVE HAD, UH, IN A LONG TIME.
OUR ABILITY TO GO OUT AND MEET DIRECTLY WITH STAKEHOLDERS, UH, IS A PART OF THAT WORK.
GOING DIRECTLY TO BUDGET 1 0 1, WHERE WE HAVE DATA FROM FISCAL YEAR, UM, 18 TO CURRENT PROVIDES, UM, EVERYONE WITH ACCESS TO ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT THEY, UM, ARE INTERESTED IN KNOWING.
UM, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, RESPONDED, UH, TO QUESTIONS CONTINUE TO, UH, MEET.
AND, UH, WE HAVE A VERY, UM, CLEAR PROCESS ON THE OPERATING BUDGET, BUT WE ALSO HAVE A SEPARATE AND CLEAR PUBLIC, UH, PROCESS FOR THE CAPITAL BUDGET.
UM, THERE IS A 6% INCREASE IN TERMS OF THE OPERATING, UH, GENERAL FUND, UH, THAT WE ARE REQUESTING.
AND I WOULD, UH, BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THERE IS A, UM, SIGNIFICANT, UM, UH, INCREASE THAT WE'RE REQUESTING, UH, IN THE CAPITAL FUND AS A DIRECT RESULT OF, UM, FOR THE FIRST TIME UNPRECEDENTED TERRITORY WHERE BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS TRYING TO BUILD THREE HIGH SCHOOLS AT ONE TIME.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT IS A PROCESS THAT MANY STAKEHOLDERS HAVE ADVOCATED FOR FOR MANY YEARS.
UM, IT IS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT TO THE VOTERS, UH, THIS PAST NOVEMBER.
AND, UH, LAST TIME I TOOK A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS, UH, WE HAD OVER, UH, 290,000 BALTIMORE COUNTY REF, UH, RESIDENTS VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THE BOND REFERENDUM TO BUILD THE NEW SCHOOLS OVER THE NEXT
[02:45:01]
FIVE YEARS IN OUR COUNTY.AND SO THOSE ARE WHERE THE NUMBERS COME FROM.
THE NUMBERS ARE DETAILED ON BOARD DOCS, THEY'RE DETAILED ON OUR, UH, WEBSITE.
SO THERE, THERE IS NO, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, SECRET, UH, INFORMATION.
AND TO YOUR LAST POINT AROUND, UH, ACADEMICS AND THE, THE RATE OF, UM, OF IMPROVEMENT, UH, I TRY TO MANAGE EXPECTATIONS AND LEVEL SET ROOT IN IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE FROM DAY ONE, THAT IT TYPICALLY TAKES AN ORGANIZATION THREE YEARS IN ORDER TO SEE PROGRESS.
UM, BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS OUTPACING THAT.
UM, THERE'S ONLY ONE OUTSTANDING DATA POINT THAT, UH, REMAINS, UH, EXTERNALLY.
UH, ALL OF THE OTHER POINTS THAT WE HAVE, ALL OF THE OTHER DATA SHOW THAT THE WORK THAT TEACHERS, THAT PRINCIPALS, THAT PARAPROFESSIONALS, THAT OPERATIONS TEAMS, THAT CENTRAL OFFICES ARE DOING ALL IN SERVICE, OUR OF STUDENTS ARE HELPING TO TURN AROUND STUDENT PERFORMANCE.
WE ARE HELPING TO REVERSE MORE THAN A DECADE OF ACADEMIC DECLINE.
AND SO YOU, YOU START OFF WITH SMALL STEPS AND YOU BUILD FROM ONE STEP TO ANOTHER.
YOU CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THE PEOPLE, YOU CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THE STUDENTS, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO SEE THAT PROGRESS AND THAT MOMENTUM GOING FORWARD, WHICH IS WHY AS FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE AS I AM, I KNEW THAT IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO BRING FORWARD A BUDGET THAT HONORS THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN STARTED, AND THAT TRIES TO HELP US TO MAINTAIN, UH, THE MOMENTUM THAT HAS BEEN, UH, BUILT IN BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ON BEHALF OF, UH, NOT ONLY THE 111,000 KIDS, UH, YOUNG ADULTS THAT ARE COUNTING ON US, BUT ALSO THE 20,000 EMPLOYEES, UH, THAT COME TO WORK HERE EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND DO HARD WORK ON BEHALF OF STUDENTS.
UM, MS. DOM, I KNOW YOUR HAND IS UP, BUT YOU ARE OUT OF TIME FOR BUDGET QUESTIONS.
NO, I'M NOT MR. BURNS, HOW MUCH TIME DO I HAVE LAST MR. BURNS? HOLD ON A SECOND.
UM, HOW MUCH TIME DOES MS. DOKI HAVE LEFT FOR BUDGET QUESTIONS? WELL, THROUGH MY SYSTEM.
I HAD SCRATCHED OUT MS. DOKI LAST TIME, BASED ON THE LAST THING YOU SAID.
BEING UP AGAINST THE BELL GOING OFF.
ARE, ARE, HAVE I MISSED? DID I MISS SOMETHING THERE? I JUST, I HAD A FOLLOW UP, AND SINCE MS. ARDY WAS GIVEN EXTRA TIME, I THOUGHT I COULD FOLLOW UP AS WELL.
I, I'LL LET, I'LL LET THE BOARD SORT THAT OUT.
I CAN, I CAN ONLY CHIME IN AND IF PEOPLE CAN'T HEAR ME, I, I, I DO MY BEST HERE.
I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT MS. BOOKER DWYER HAD EXTRA TIME.
IS IT APPROACH QUESTION? I DID NOT HAVE EXTRA TIME.
DID MS. BOOKER DWYER HAVE EXTRA TIME? YES.
IF, IF YOU'RE ASKING WHETHER SOMEONE, WHETHER SHE WENT OVER THE TIME WHEN I SAID IT WAS TIME, IT WAS ABOUT 10 SECONDS.
SO A COUPLE OTHER PEOPLE MAY HAVE, RIGHT? MS. DOKI, YOU MAY HAVE 10 SECONDS.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF ANY OF THE INCREASES IN FISCAL SERVICES, UH, THE INFRASTRUCTURE COULD HAVE BEEN DONE WITH ESTHER FUNDS WHILE WE HAD THE CHANCE.
I DON'T BELIEVE DR. ROGERS WAS OUR SUPERINTENDENT AT THE TIME, BUT I DON'T MEAN TO SPEAK FOR YOU, DR. ROGERS, YOU ARE CORRECT IN THAT ASSERTION.
IS THAT THE ANSWER, DR. ROGERS? IS THAT THE ANSWER? YES.
I, I CAN'T SPEAK TO, UM, THE FINAL DECISION THAT WERE MADE FOR ALLOCATION OF ESER FUNDS.
UM, I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBERS' HANDS UP, BUT I JUST DON'T WANNA DOUBLE CHECK.
IS THERE ANY OTHER BOARD MEMBER THAT HAS NOT RUN OUT OF THEIR TIME THAT HAS A BUDGET QUESTION FOR DR. ROGERS? OKAY.
THANK YOU DR. ROGERS FOR ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS IN WRITING AND ALSO ALSO ANSWERING ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS HERE.
YOUR, UM, DETAILS,
LET ME GET BACK TO OUR, UM, INFORMATION.
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS INFORMATION,
[O. INFORMATION (9:15 p.m.)]
WHICH INCLUDES THE MINUTES OF THE NOVEMBER, 2024 SOUTHEAST AREA EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING, REVISED SUPERINTENDENT'S RULE ZERO 300, EQUITY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY, AND AN UPDATE ON KEY SCHOOL LEGISLATION.[02:50:03]
UM, I DID FORGET TO SAY SOMETHING AFTER OUR BUDGET DISCUSSION.THE BOARD IS SCHEDULED TO VOTE ON THE PROPOSED FFY 2026 OPERATING BUDGET REQUEST AT OUR FEBRUARY 25TH, 2025 BOARD MEETING.
THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS
[P. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS AND AGENDA SETTING (9:15 - 9:30 p.m.)]
BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS AND AGENDA SETTING.IF YOU HAVE ANY COMMENT OR AGENDA ITEM THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BRING FORWARD, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND AT THIS TIME.
I HAD A DETAILED RATIONALE FOR INCLUDING THE SINGLE AUDIT YEAR ENDING JUNE 20, JUNE 30TH, UH, 2024.
UH, I DIDN'T MAKE IT ON THIS AGENDA, OBVIOUSLY, BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT ON IT.
YOU KNOW, PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE GOVERNANCE AND POLICYMAKING.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IT APPEARS TO ME, AND THE, AND THE DIFFERENT RECOMMENDATIONS, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INVOLVED THERE THAT WERE MISALLOCATE OR NOT MISALLOCATED, BUT MAYBE PUT IT WAS, I HAD EVERYTHING WRITTEN OUT.
JUST PLEASE CONSIDER DOING THAT SO THAT WE CAN HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DIG DEEP INTO THIS.
I KNOW THAT WE DID DISCUSS IT DURING OUR LAST AGENDA PLANNING.
I JUST AT THIS MOMENT, DON'T REMEMBER WHAT THE DATE WAS TO FOLLOW UP.
UM, MS. HUMPHREY, I HAVE TWO COMMENTS AND ONE AGENDA SETTING ITEMS. SHOULD I SAY THEM ALL AT ONCE? UM, SURE.
I WANTED TO RESPOND REGARDING THE NUMEROUS EMAILS THE BOARD RECEIVED AND THE COMMENTS WE HEARD THIS EVENING REGARDING PROTECTING OUR IMMIGRANT STUDENTS.
I HAVE REQUESTED THAT THE POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE DISCUSS THE NECESSITY OF A POLICY THAT PROTECTS IMMIGRANT STUDENTS AND ENSURES THAT OUR SCHOOLS REMAIN SAFE, WELCOMING, AND EQUITABLE FOR ALL STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF IMMIGRATION STATUS.
I ALSO WANTED TO SHARE THAT I HAD SO MUCH FUN ATTENDING THE SECOND ANNUAL DESIGNER BAG BINGO FOR THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION.
THE STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS OF THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION DID ANOTHER AMAZING JOB PLANNING AND ORGANIZING THE EVENTS.
EVERYONE IN ATTENDANCE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME, AND THE PRIZES WERE FANTASTIC.
THE MONEY RAISED WHILE SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF THROUGHOUT BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UNFORTUNATELY, JUST LIKE LAST YEAR, I DIDN'T WIN ANYTHING AT ALL, BUT IT WAS STILL A GREAT TIME.
UM, AND AS FAR AS AGENDA SETTING, BOARD MEMBERS HAVE RECEIVED AND CONTINUE TO RECEIVE EMAILS FROM STAFF REGARDING SCHOOL SAFETY AND DISCIPLINE, THE SAFE SAFETY SAFER TOGETHER CAMPAIGN, I'VE REVIEWED THE MOU ON TAB CO'S WEBSITE REGARDING THE JOINT DISCIPLINE ISSUES COMMITTEE, AND I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST AN AGENDA ITEM TO REPORT ON THE PROGRESS OF TAB CO'S PROPOSED PILOT TO IMPROVE SCHOOL CLIMATE, AS WELL AS ANY PROGRESS REGARDING THE JOINT DISCIPLINE ISSUES COMMITTEE MOU.
THANK YOU, MS. FROM, FROM PONG.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK ON TWO, UM, I GUESS TWO PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT DEFINITELY WILL DIRECTLY AFFECT US HERE IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
UM, ONE OF THEM IS THE E-RATE PROGRAM.
UM, AND THAT IS A PROGRAM THAT HELPS TO EXPAND BROADBAND TO SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES.
UM, THIS IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR, UM, STUDENTS THAT ARE IN RURAL AND LOW INCOME AREAS.
AND SO IT IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IS KEPT AT THE, AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, UM, SPECIFICALLY TO US.
WE SAW EVEN IN CONTRACT K 10, UM, WHERE THERE WAS $7.2 MILLION THAT WAS REFUNDED BACK TO, OR REIMBURSED BACK TO BALTIMORE COUNTY AS A RESULT OF THIS PROGRAM.
AND SO NOT A COST THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO BEAR.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE IS, UM, IDEA, WHICH AFFECTS OUR STUDENTS OR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.
AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT THE PROPER AMOUNT OR THE PROPER PERCENTAGE HAS BEEN SET ASIDE TO, UM, HELP COVER THE SPECIAL EDUCATION CALLS FOR OUR STUDENTS IN, UM, IN OUR DISTRICT.
I JUST, UM, I WANTED JUST TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, JUST RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST IN REALLY, REALLY CHALLENGING TIMES, AND I WANNA, UM, ESPECIALLY ACKNOWLEDGE TO ALL OF OUR, UM, FAMILIES WHO ARE, UM, FEDERAL WORKERS, OUR IMMIGRANT FAMILIES, OUR BCPS STAFF.
UM, I KNOW THAT IT CAN BE DIFFICULT RIGHT NOW, AND ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS TO STAY FOCUSED ON LEARNING AND TEACHERS STAYING FOCUSED ON TEACHING WHEN THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON AROUND THEM.
UM, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST KNOW THAT SCHOOLS ARE DESIGNED TO BE THE SAFE PLACE AND TO JUST LOCK IN AND STAY FOCUSED.
AND, UM, AND REALLY NOW MORE THAN EVER, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE IN THIS BUDGET
[02:55:01]
SEASON, UM, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO SEEK OUT ACCURATE AND RELIABLE INFORMATION.AND WHILE IT MAY BE TEMPTING TO TURN TO FACEBOOK GROUPS OR TO, UM, SENSATIONALIZE STORIES ON SOCIAL MEDIA, I REALLY DO ENCOURAGE THE PUBLIC TO TURN TO TRUSTED SOURCES WHEN YOU HAVE INFORMATION WE WANT, UM, RELIABLE INFORMATION.
SO REACH OUT TO BOARD LEADERSHIP, REACH OUT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, GO TO BCPS WEBSITES TO GET THE MOST UP TO DATE AND ACCURATE INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN BCPS.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA, UM, ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, UH, DR.
HE WAS SUCH A POWERHOUSE IN EDUCATION AND WILL DEFINITELY BE MISSED.
AND, UM, AND I HAVE NO AGENDA ITEMS. THAT'S ALL.
I, AGAIN, WANTED TO REITERATE AND THANK, UH, DR. ROGERS AND ALL OF OUR STAFF FOR ANSWERING ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS.
I KNOW THIS IS NOT AN EASY TASK AND, UM, I, I DO APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE AND ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE PUT INTO IT.
AND FOR PUTTING UP WITH ALL OF MY QUESTIONS.
UH, I'M JUST, I'M AS CONCERNED ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR STUDENTS AND OUR TEACHERS AS ALL OF US ARE, AND LOOKING FORWARD, THE ONLY REASON WE ASK THESE QUESTIONS, AND THE ONLY REASON WE ARE HERE, IS TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ALL DOING WHAT'S IN BEST INTEREST OF OUR STUDENTS.
AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE EFFORT THAT YOU PUT IN INTO ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER HANDS AT THIS POINT.
SO THE LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA
[Q. ANNOUNCEMENTS (9:30 p.m.)]
IS ANNOUNCEMENTS.AND THE BOARD'S NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH, 2025 AT 6:30 PM ALSO, THE BOARD WILL HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE NORTHWEST AREA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BOUNDARY RECOMMENDATION ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH, 2025 AT 6:30 PM IN THE AUDITORIUM AT MILFORD MILL ACADEMY.
REGISTRATION SIGN UP TO SPEAK BEGINS AT 5:30 PM UNTIL 6:25 PM THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR COOPERATION ON THIS VIRTUAL MEETING.