[00:00:02]
THIS EVENING'S BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING IS BEING BROADCAST THROUGH THE BCPS ONLINE LIVE MEETING BROADCAST AND ON BCPS TV, VERIZON, FIOS, CHANNEL 34, AND COMCAST XFINITY, CHANNEL 73.
IN ORDER TO EFFICIENTLY CONDUCT THIS MEETING, ALL VOTING ITEMS THIS EVENING WILL BE DONE BY ROLL CALL VOTE.
[A. CLOSED SESSION]
GO INTO CLOSED SESSION AS PERMITTED BY THE OPENS MEETING ACT AS FOUND IN THE ANNOTATED CODE OF MARYLAND GENERAL PROVISIONS ARTICLE SECTIONS THREE DASH 3 0 5 B ONE B SEVEN, AND B EIGHT TO DISCUSS THE APPOINTMENT, EMPLOYMENT ASSIGNMENT, PROMOTION, DISCIPLINE, DEMOTION, COMPENSATION, REMOVAL, RESIGNATION OR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF APPOINTEES, EMPLOYEES OR OFFICIALS OVER WHOM IT HAS JURISDICTION OR ANY OTHER PERSONNEL MATTER THAT AFFECTS ONE OR MORE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS.CONSULT WITH COUNSEL TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE AND CONSULT WITH STAFF, CONSULTANTS AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS ABOUT PENDING OR POTENTIAL LITIGATION.
IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND ESKI.
MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
MS. HARVEY, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO HEAR YOU.
THIS IS CHAIRWOMAN JANE LICHTER.
I NOW CALL TO ORDER THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF BALTIMORE COUNTY FOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2025.
[B. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/SILENT MEDITATION (6:30 p.m.)]
I INVITE YOU TO RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG TO BE LED BY ME.WE WILL THEN HAVE A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND RECOGNITION OF THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED EDUCATION IN BALTIMORE COUNTY.
I PLED TO BE JUST TESTIFY 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 BROADCAST THROUGH THE BCPS ONLINE LIVE MEETING BROADCAST AND BCPS XFINITY CHANNEL 73 AND VERIZON FIOS, CHANNEL 34.
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 FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS CONSIDERATION OF THE SEPTEMBER 24TH AGENDA, MS. CHARLIE GREEN.ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO TONIGHT'S AGENDA? I AM UNAWARE OF ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES TO TONIGHT.
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, DISCIPLINE, DEMOTION, COMPENSATION, REMOVAL, RESIGNATION OR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF APPOINTEES, EMPLOYEES OR OFFICIALS OVER WHOM IT HAS JURISDICTION OR ANY OTHER PERSONNEL MATTER THAT AFFECTS ONE OR MORE SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS.
CONSULT WITH COUNSEL TO OBTAIN LEGAL ADVICE AND CONSULT WITH STAFF, CONSULTANTS OR OTHER INDIVIDUALS ABOUT PENDING OR POTENTIAL LITIGATION.
THE CLOSED SESSION SUMMARY AND THE OPEN SESSION INFORMATION SUMMARY CAN BE FOUND ON BOARD DOCS UNDER THIS BOARD MEETING AGENDA DATE.
[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.EVENING CHAIR, TER, OF COURSE, VICE HARVEY IN HER ABSENCE AND SUPERINTENDENT DR. ROGERS IN HER ABSENCE TO CHIEF OF STAFF, MS. CHARLIE GREEN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, LIKE THE BOARD'S CONSENT FOR THE FOLLOWING PERSONNEL MATTERS.
TONIGHT WE HAVE RESIGNATIONS, LEAVES AND EDUCATOR LICENSURE APPOINTMENTS.
DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE PERSONNEL MATTERS AS PRESENTED IN EXHIBIT D ONE THROUGH D THREE? SO MOVE HUMPHREY.
DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND SAVOY.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL THOUGH, PLEASE? MS. ABE?
[00:05:01]
YES.[E. NEW BUSINESS - ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS (Dr. Rogers) (6:50 - 7:00 p.m.)]
AGENDA IS ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS, AND FOR THAT I CALL MS. CHARLIE GREEN.SO OUR FIRST APPOINTMENT IS MS. MARY CUNNINGHAM.
MS. CUNNINGHAM IS ATTENDING THIS EVENING THANK YOU WITH HER FRIEND LAURA CROW AND IS BEING APPOINTED AS A SPECIALIST RESEARCH TITLE I IN THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH.
MARY'S PRIOR EXPERIENCE INCLUDES PROGRAM EVALUATOR AND GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT AT JOHNS HOPKINS BLOOMBERG SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH PROJECT MANAGER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT AT JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION.
CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME TO BCPS.
SO I GOT, WE GOT A LITTLE AHEAD OF OURSELVES.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO, TO APPROVE THE PERSONNEL MATTERS AS PRESENTED IN EXHIBIT E ONE? SO MOVE HUMPHREY.
DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND SAVOY.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE MS. MBE? YES.
DON'T WORRY, YOU'RE STILL APPOINTED AND
OUR NEXT APPOINTMENT FOR THE EVENING IS DAVID MIMO.
IS HE ATTENDING REMOTELY? DAVID MIMO IS BEING APPOINTED AS THE SPECIALIST SPECIAL EDUCATION PUBLIC PLACEMENT IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION WITH 25 YEARS OF SERVICE WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
DAVID'S BCPS EXPERIENCE INCLUDES SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AND MIDDLE RIVER MIDDLE SCHOOL AND SPECIAL EDUCATION RESOURCE TEACHER IN THE DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION.
DAVID'S PRIOR EXPERIENCE INCLUDES SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AT THE CHIME SCHOOL.
[F. PUBLIC COMMENT (7:00 - 7:30 p.m.)]
NEXT ITEM IS PUBLIC COMMENT.THIS IS ONE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THE BOARD PROVIDES TO HEAR THE VIEWS AND RECEIVE THE ADVICE OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
IF NOT SELECTED TO ADDRESS THE BOARD, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY SUBMIT THEIR COMMENTS TO THE BOARD MEMBERS VIA EMAIL@BOEATBCPS.ORG.
THE BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC DEPARTMENT'S HOMELAND SECURITY UNIT AND OFFICE OF SCHOOL SAFETY HAS RECOMMENDED SAFETY AND SECURITY PROTOCOLS, WHICH ARE POSTED IN THE BOARDROOM AND AVAILABLE IN BOARD DOCS AND ON THIS 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 CONDUCT OF THIS MEETING ARE OUT OF ORDER AND WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.
PERSONS WHO OTHERWISE DISRUPT OR DISTURB THIS MEETING WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE THEIR REMARKS AND WILL BE ESCORTED FROM THE MEETING.
PLEASE OBSERVE THE THREE MINUTE CLOCK, WHICH WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP.
THE MICROPHONE WILL BE TURNED OFF AT THE END OF YOUR TIME OR PRIOR TO THAT TIME AT THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD CHAIR.
WE'LL START WITH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AFFILIATED GROUPS TO SPEAK AND SPEAKING VIRTUALLY IS MS. LESLIE WEBER FROM THE PTA COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE COUNTY.
HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN.
CHAIR LICHTER AND BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS.
I'M LESLIE WEBER, PRESIDENT OF THE PTA COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE COUNTY.
OUR FAMILY SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS COMMITTEE IS WORKING AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL TO HELP HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF NATIONAL PTA'S FAMILY ENGAGEMENT STANDARDS ACROSS PTA UNITS.
THESE RESEARCH-BASED VOLUNTARY STANDARDS DEVELOPED BY NATIONAL PTA'S CENTER FOR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING, WELCOME ALL FAMILIES, COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY, SUPPORT STUDENT SUCCESS, SPEAK UP FOR EVERY CHILD, SHARE POWER, AND COLLABORATE WITH COMMUNITY.
IN 25 26, WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING STANDARD SIX, WHICH FOCUSES ON COLLABORATING WITH THE COMMUNITY.
WE'RE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THE INAUGURAL INFORMAL COMMUNITY BUILDING EVENT BETWEEN PTA OFFICERS AND COMMUNITY SCHOOL FACILITATORS.
DESIGNED AS A PILOT INITIATIVE.
[00:10:01]
CONNECTIONS AMONG BCPS FAMILIES, EDUCATORS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN THE NORTHWEST AND SOUTHWEST AREAS, BOTH NEW AND RETURNING COMMUNITY SCHOOL FACILITATORS.ALONG WITH PTA AND PTSA PRESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND TO NETWORK AND STRENGTHEN FAMILY SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS.
THE GOAL IS TO CREATE A VOLUNTEER BASE ADDRESS STUDENT NEEDS, AND STRENGTHEN FAMILY ENGAGEMENT THROUGH BEST PRACTICES.
DISPERSED IN A SERIES OF NETWORKING EVENTS WILL BE HOSTED BY DEER PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL, WINFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND MILFORD MILFORD MILL ACADEMY ON SEPTEMBER 29TH FROM FIVE 30 TO 7:00 PM AT DEER PARK MIDDLE MAGNET SCHOOL IN RANDALLSTOWN.
THE RSVP DATE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO SEPTEMBER 25TH.
IF YOU'RE A NORTHWEST OR SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY SCHOOL FACILITATOR OR PTA LEADER AND HAVEN'T ALREADY SIGNED UP, PLEASE EMAIL PARTNERSHIPS@BCPTACOUNCIL.ORG TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATION AND REQUEST AN EVENT FLYER WITH SUPPORT FROM AREA COMMUNITY SCHOOL PARTNERS, THE PLAN IS TO COHOT CO-HOST SIMILAR GATHERINGS ACROSS THE DISTRICT FOR INFORMATION.
PLEASE REACH OUT TO US SINCE COMMUNITY SCHOOL COORDINATOR OR IN THE CASE OF BCPS FACILITATOR APPRECIATION WEEK JUST CONCLUDED.
WE THINK IT'S THE PERFECT TIME TO KICK OFF THIS NEW INITIATIVE.
WE BELIEVE WHEN PTAS AND COMMUNITY SCHOOLS WORK TOGETHER, FAMILIES, EDUCATORS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS CAN UNITE AROUND A SHARED VISION OF STUDENT SUCCESS.
OUR NEXT CATEGORY ARE OUR UNIONS AND SPEAKING IS KELLY OLDS FROM TAPCO.
GOOD EVENING, GOOD EVENING ALL.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
UM, TONIGHT I AM GOING TO READ A LETTER TO YOU FROM THE TABCO BOARD OF DIRECTORS REGARDING THE, UH, ORACLE IMPLEMENTATION AND SOME ISSUES WITH PAY.
WE, THE TABCO BOARD OF DIRECTORS ARE AWARE OF BOTH CONFUSION AND MISTAKES RELATED TO OUR MEMBERS' PAY.
I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF THE STAFF WITHIN THE OFFICES OF PAYROLL BENEFITS AND HR, AS WELL AS OTHER OFFICES THAT ARE INVOLVED IN WORKING ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ORACLE AND CORRECTING THE ERRORS THAT HAVE OCCURRED.
IMPLEMENTING A NEW SYSTEM CAN BE EXHAUSTING AND DIFFICULT.
ULTIMATELY, IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SYSTEM TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO SEAMLESSLY EXECUTE ALL PAYROLL OPERATIONS.
WHILE THE SCOPE OF THESE PROBLEMS IS NOT CLEAR, WE AS UNION LEADERS RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE A FEW THINGS MORE CRITICAL TO MORALE AND THE EFFICIENT OPERATION OF A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAN ALL OF ITS EMPLOYEES.
KNOWING THAT THEY CAN TRUST WHAT IS IN THEIR CHECKS AND ALSO KNOWING THAT IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, IT WILL BE FIXED RAPIDLY AND THOROUGHLY.
WE LOOK TO YOU AS THE LEADERS OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM TO REMEDY BOTH CONFUSION AND THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN OCCURRING WITH PAY TO ADDRESS CURRENT ONGOING CONFUSION.
WE CALL FOR MORE COMMUNICATION FROM BCPS LEADERSHIP TO BCPS STAFF.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE BCPS EXPLAINING CHANGES IN THE NUMBER OF PAYS AND HOW THAT IMPACTS PAYS IN A MORE PROACTIVE WAY THAN POSTING IN THE NEWS HUB.
COMMUNICATION IS LARGELY FREE AND CAN SOLVE MANY ISSUES.
WE CALL ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO USE THEIR OVERSIGHT POWER TO INCREASE ACCOUNTABILITY AND FOCUS ON THESE ISSUES WITH PAY.
THIS CAN BE DONE THROUGH ORACLE IMPLEMENTATION REPORTS AT EACH BOARD MEETING A TRACKING SYSTEM FOR PROBLEMS REGARDING PAY OR ANY OTHER SOLUTIONS THAT WOULD GIVE OUR MEMBERS FAITH THAT THEY ARE BEING PAID PROPERLY AND APPROPRIATE DEDUCTIONS ARE BEING WITHHELD, AND THAT IF THEY'RE NOT A SOLUTION WILL BE FOUND RAPIDLY.
WE ALSO REQUEST FOR A MEETING TO BE ARRANGED BETWEEN TABCO LEADERSHIP, BCPS LEADERSHIP AND STAFF DIRECTLY FROM ORACLE TO DISCUSS CONCERNS WITH THE NEW PAYROLL SYSTEM AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.
THESE CONCERNS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO ACCESS TO PAYSLIPS AND THE TIMING OF THAT PAYSLIP DESIGN AND THE ABILITY TO REMEDY PAYCHECKS WITHOUT FURTHER PROBLEMS. OUR MEMBERS MUST HAVE FAITH THAT THEIR PAYCHECKS ARE CORRECT.
OUR MEMBERS MUST ALSO KNOW THAT IF THEY'RE UNDERPAID, THEY CAN GET THE MONEY THEY'RE OWED RAPIDLY AND WITHOUT FURTHER COMPLICATIONS.
THESE ARE BASELINE REQUIREMENTS FOR AN EMPLOYER.
TAMCO TABCO STANDS READY TO COLLABORATE TO SOLVE THESE CONCERNS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND BCPS STAFF TO ADDRESS THEM.
THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, I'M NOT SURE, I WON'T PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT IS THERE ANY CLARIFICATION THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE AT THIS POINT? THANK YOU.
UM, AND, AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS OF, OF MS. SOLES AND CERTAINLY I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT AS WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH OUR ASSOCIATION PARTNERS SINCE WE MOVED TO INDUSTRY STANDARD NOVEMBER, 2024.
[00:15:02]
SO WE EXPECT THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE AND CONTINUE TO TRY TO REMEDY ANY PROBLEMS THAT ARISE.BUT ONE THING I WANNA JUST MAKE SURE FOR THE VIEWING PUBLIC THAT THERE IS SOME CLARITY.
UM, MS. OLS INDICATED THAT WE'RE NOT AWARE OF THE SCOPE AND SO I JUST WANNA PROVIDE JUST FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO ARE LISTENING, THAT LESS THAN 2% OF OUR EMPLOYEES EXPERIENCED, UM, A PAID DISRUPTION.
AND SO IN TERMS OF SCOPE, WE DO KNOW WHAT THE SCOPE IS.
NOW, I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR, THOSE 2% DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR PROBLEMS FIXED.
THEY, UH, THEY DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR PAY PROBLEMS REMEDIED AND WE HAVE BEEN WORKING NONSTOP TO DO THAT.
BUT I DO THINK THAT THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT SO PEOPLE ARE AWARE AND THEY UNDERSTAND THE CRITICAL CONTEXT ABOUT HOW WE ARE APPROACHING THIS PROBLEM.
I ALSO WANTED TO LET FOLKS KNOW THAT THE ROLLOUT OF THIS SYSTEM REALLY IS DESIGNED TO CREATE EFFICIENCY.
GOOD DATA IN MEANS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE OPERATING SMOOTHLY AT THE SYSTEM LEVEL.
WE ARE TOLD BY OUR A ST PARTNERS THAT WE ARE IN THE TOP 1% OF IMPLEMENTATION IN TERMS OF ADDRESSING THOSE PROBLEMS. AGAIN, I WANNA SAY VERY PLAINLY AND VERY CLEARLY THAT WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD GUESS WHAT THE AMOUNT IS IN THEIR PAYCHECK THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE CONCERN.
AND WE ARE WORKING RAPIDLY TO REMEDY THAT AND WE APPRECIATE ALL OF THE ASSOCIATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH US TO, UH, ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP.
SO WE APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING IT.
THANK YOU AND THANK YOU MS. LTZ.
UM, OUR NEXT CATEGORY ARE NONPROFIT COMMUNITY GROUPS AND OUR SPEAKER IS LYNN LONGINGS FROM THE NONPROFIT FROM BALTIMORE COUNTY CHAPTER CONTINENTAL SOCIETIES.
LICKER AND VICE HARVEY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
MY NAME IS LYNN LONGS AND I SERVE AND AS THE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER OF THE BALTIMORE COUNTY CONTINENTAL SOCIETIES ON BEHALF OF OUR PRESIDENT, MICHELLE MCCOY JONES AND OUR MEMBERSHIP, WE COMMEND DR. ROGERS FIRST FOR HOSTING AND BRINGING BACK COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE COUNTY.
UM, WE BELIEVE THAT'S A PLATFORM AND IT HELPS, UH, INDIVIDUALS, FAMILY MEMBERS, AND IT CONNECTS THE LEADERSHIPS IN THE COMMUNITY TO WHICH WE NEED AND WE NEED TO GET BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY.
OUR CHAPTER HAS BEEN ACTIVELY SUPPORTING BALTIMORE COUNTY STUDENTS TO RETURN TO SCHOOL.
WE HAD A CHANCE TO ADD TO THE LIST VILLE ROSSVILLE, FEATHERBED LANE, AND PLEASANT PLAINS, AND WE WERE AT THAT SNEAKER PEAK AND BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT.
UM, WE WERE ABLE TO, THE HIGHLIGHT WAS TO PROVIDE SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND WE TOGETHER WERE, WE DISTRIBUTE OVER 1000 ITEMS FROM NOTEBOOKS, PENCILS, CRAYONS.
AND WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF SEEING ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS THERE, UH, BOARD MEMBER EMERY YOUNG.
MY SISTER SAID, THIS GENTLEMAN KNOWS YOU.
AND SO THE CONNECTION WAS THAT I GET HER AND I SAY THESE THINGS, BUT HE ACTUALLY HAD A CHANCE TO WITNESS AND THEY WERE SO EXCITED TO TALK TO HIM.
THEY TOOK PICTURES AND I'M GONNA GET THAT PICTURE TO YOU.
UM, BUT WE HAD SUPPLIES THERE AND THE KIDS WOULD COME BY AND PICK UP WHAT THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED.
AND THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO AS YOU KEEP THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR PART.
WE WILL COME IN WITH OUR PART TO SUPPORT THE CHILDREN.
AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL SAY THAT, UM, IT IS WORKING ONE AT A TIME AND WE ALSO HAD A CHANCE.
WE HAVE A NATIONAL LITERACY PROGRAM FOR THE CONTINENTALS AND WE ATTENDED THE 29TH ANNUAL BALTIMORE COUNTY, AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL, THIRD YEAR PARTNER THERE.
WE GAVE OUT FREE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS BECAUSE IF ADULTS ARE PICKING UP A BOOK, A CHILD IS GONNA PICK UP A BOOK.
AND WE DISCOVERED THAT THREE YEARS AGO WHEN WE DID THAT.
SO WE GET FREE BOOKS FROM PARTNERS AND WE PASSED THOSE BOOKS OUT AND IT'S BEEN A JOY BECAUSE THE KIDS ARE EXCITED.
WE HAVE TO GET BACK TO READING.
WE HAVE TO INSPIRE CHILDREN TO PUT THE PHONE DOWN AND READ.
IT ALLOWS YOU REMEMBER WHEN WE USED TO READ BOOKS AND DREAM THAT WE WERE GONNA BE THOSE PEOPLE IN THE BOOKS AND, BUT THEY'VE GOTTEN AWAY FROM IT.
SO WE HAVE TO DO THAT ONE BOOK AT A TIME.
WE ALSO HAD A TABLE AT THE HEALTHY, THEY HAD A HEALTH COMMUNITY AREA AND WE WERE ABLE TO SHOW THEM HOW TO WASH HANDS AND SPREAD THE GERMS. SO AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF BALTIMORE COUNTY CHAPTER, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR OUR PARTNERSHIP.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO OUR PART AS YOU DO YOURS.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR KIDS.
OUR NEXT CATEGORY ARE INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS OR STUDENTS.
AND OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS NICOLE MERMAN.
[00:20:01]
I'M A PROUD PARENT OF TWO STUDENTS AT LUTHERVILLE LAB ELEMENTARY.BEFORE I SHARE MY CONCERN REGARDING TRANSPORTATION, I HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THE INCREDIBLE STAFF THERE UNDER THE DIRECTION OF SEAN MCCOMB AND APRIL REED.
OUR SCHOOL IS ABSOLUTELY EXCELLING AND I'VE BEEN SO IMPRESSED BY THEIR COMMITMENT TO ACADEMICS, CHARACTER EQUITY, AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
UM, SO NOW TO TRANSITION TO WHY I'M SPEAKING THIS EVENING, UM, AS A TEACHER IN THE BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES, I'M PAINFULLY AWARE OF THE IMPACT THAT CHRONIC TARDINESS HAS ON STUDENTS' ACHIEVEMENT.
ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS, STUDENTS WHO ARE CHRONICALLY TARDY ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS AND SUSPENSIONS.
AND ALSO BASED ON THE RESEARCH THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL EFFECTIVENESS AND IMPROVEMENT BY DR. MICHAEL GODFREY, UH, FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, FOUND THAT STUDENTS WHO ARE CHRONICALLY TARDY PERFORM WORSE ON BOTH MATH AND READING ASSESSMENTS AS COMPARED TO THEIR ON-TIME PEERS.
ADDITIONALLY, STUDENTS WHO ARE CHRONICALLY TARDY ALSO NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES OF THEIR ON-TIME CLASSMATES AS FREQUENT DISRUPTIONS AFFECT THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR OTHERS.
IN SPITE OF MY OWN EXPERTISE AS AN EDUCATOR AND UNDERSTANDING THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS RESEARCH, MY OWN CHILDREN ARE LATE TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY.
THIS IS DUE TO ONGOING ISSUES WITH COUNTY SCHOOLS, TRANSPORTATION OF WHICH THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN MADE AWARE FOR TWO YEARS.
NOW, OUR BUS FAILS TO ARRIVE ON TIME TO PICK OUR STUDENTS UP FOR A 9 0 5 START TIME AT LUTHERVILLE LAB.
OUR BUS OFTEN ARRIVES AFTER THE SCHOOL DAY HAS ALREADY STARTED, AND OUR STUDENTS ARE MISSING MORNING MEETING VITAL ROUTINES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS.
FURTHERMORE, THEY'RE OFTEN DELAYED IN THE EVENINGS BECAUSE A BUS HAS TO RETURN FROM ANOTHER ROUTE AND STUDENTS HAVE TO BE GATHERED AND SUPERVISED IN THE CAFETERIA TO WAIT FOR A BUS HOME, WHICH ALSO CAUSES THAT DEDICATED STAFF TO HAVE TO WORK PAST THEIR CONTRACT HOURS.
UH, OUR CHILDREN ARE NOT ARRIVING HOME UNTIL WELL AFTER 5:00 PM ON OCCASION.
AND THIS HAS CAUSED OUR FAMILY AND SOME OTHERS IN OUR AREA TO MISS OUT ON EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES THAT THEY ENJOY.
AND FOR WHICH WE HAVE PAID TUITION.
UM, SEVERAL OF US HAVE EMAILED, UH, THE CENTRAL ROUTE SUPERVISOR AND THE DIRECTOR AND WE HAVE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE, WHICH IS EXTREMELY CONCERNING.
SO, UM, IF DRIVERS ARE OUT SICK OR ON LEAVE, IT'S THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNTY TO FIND SUITABLE SUBSTITUTE DRIVERS.
AND IF WE'RE UNABLE TO RECRUIT THEM, THEN WE NEED TO EXPLORE THE POLICIES, PROCEDURES, TREATMENT AND WAGES THAT ARE BEING OFFERED AS DRIVERS PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN OUR STUDENTS' EDUCATION AND GETTING THEM SAFELY TO AND FROM SCHOOL.
SO IT IS OUR REQUEST THAT THE BOARD WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF TRANSPORTATION OR HUMAN RESOURCES TO DETERMINE WHAT IS CAUSING THIS CHRONIC LATENESS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSICA MAYS, I BELIEVE IS VIRTUAL.
CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME OKAY? YEP, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
UM, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I NORMALLY DO, SO BEAR WITH ME.
UM, I'M VERY NEW AT THIS AND I'M A LITTLE NERVOUS
UM, NOW I DO NOT MIND IS A, DEFINITELY A BIG TOPIC.
JUST, JUST BASIC, UM, CONSIDERING THE RECENT EVENTS WE'VE HAD GLOBALLY.
UM, BUT I DO PERSONALLY FEEL LIKE IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED JUST BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE IT'S, UM, MORE OF A, LIKE I SAID, GLOBAL ISSUE, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO HANDLE IT AT HOME IN OUR COMMUNITIES FIRST SO THEY CAN BE IMPACTED ON THE GLOBAL LEVEL.
UM, NOW ALONG WITH THIS, IS THIS COMING FROM LIKE THE FACEBOOK POST? IT'S BEEN COMING FROM TEACHERS, BUT, AND I DO REALIZE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY TEACHERS IN OUR COUNTY AT ALL THAT HAVE DONE THIS FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN.
BUT I DO HAVE A DAUGHTER THAT'S VERY YOUNG AND ABOUT TO COME INTO BALTIMORE COUNTY SCHOOL.
SO IT'S A CONCERN OF MINE TO, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR TEACHERS ARE PULLING UP THEIR, UNDER THE STANDARDS THAT WE ALL, I, I THINK WE ALL CAN AGREE THAT THEY HOLD.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH MY DAUGHTER, SHE'S VERY STRONG-WILLED AND SHE'S ONLY THREE
AND I DON'T NECESSARILY WANNA TAKE THAT FROM HER, BUT I, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I DO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IF SHE IS DISAGREEING WITH HER TEACHERS, IT'S WITHIN REASON.
IT'S MORE OF A, HEY, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THAT TO ME? VERSUS, I JUST DON'T AGREE WITH YOU.
SO WITHIN REASON, I WANT HER TO KINDA, I GUESS, DEBATE.
MAYBE THAT'S A BAD WORD, BUT AGAIN, BEAR WITH ME
UM, BUT AT THIS MOMENT I'M FEELING WITH HOW I'VE SEEN SOME TEACHERS, I'M FEELING VERY CONCERNED ALSO WITH HOW SCHOOL
[00:25:01]
SHOOTINGS SEEM TO BE A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, NOT OUR COMMUNITY, BUT LIKE IN GENERAL.THEY JUST SEEM TO BE SO COMMON.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE WE'RE BECOMING DEHUMANIZED TO IT.
SO I WANNA SEE LIKE NOT ONLY WHERE YOU GUYS STAND WITH PLANS THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT THERE'S, THEY'RE GOING, BUT HOW US PARENTS TOO CAN HELP ASSIST THAT BECAUSE THEY DO SPEND BETWEEN 30 TO 35 HOURS A WEEK WITH, YOU KNOW, OUR EDUCATORS AND IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, MAYBE PARENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING OR SINGLE PARENTS OF ANY NATURE.
LIKE MAYBE HOW WE CAN HELP FIND ANY CHANGES IN OUR KIDS.
I THINK WE ALL NEED TO FIND A WAY TO KIND OF MAKE THAT A COMMON GROUND IN A SENSE.
UM, SO WE CAN SEE HOW ALL OF US TOGETHER CAN FIX THESE PROBLEMS. LIKE DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANYTHING IN PLACE TO HANDLE IF A TEACHER DOES THAT OR IF NOT, LIKE DO WE HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION WE PLAN ON TAKING? OR ALSO HOW, UM, HOW CAN US PARENTS HELP BETTER? LIKE I SAID, BECAUSE OUR CHILDREN ARE WITH YOU 30 TO 35 HOURS A WEEK, HOW CAN WE BEST HELP WHEN YOU FIND THAT OUR CHILDREN HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS AT HOME? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THAT'S KIND OF WHERE I'M SITTING IN.
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
GOOD EVENING TO ALL YOU PROBABLY SEE IN THIS BOOK, I HOPE.
AND I WANT TO SAY TO YOU THAT THERE IS A HISTORIAN, A SMALL HISTORIAN, HOMEGROWN IS GOING TO WRITE ABOUT YOU.
AND I NEED YOU TO THINK WHAT WOULD BE THE TITLE OF THE BOOK ABOUT BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
IT WOULD NOT BE DIFFERENT THAN THIS ONE.
I DID ATTEND ONLINE THE COMMUNITY MEETING OF DR. ROGERS, UH, FEW DAYS BACK.
AND DR. ROGERS PROMISED THE SMALL NUMBER OF AUDIENCE THAT EVERY COMPLAINT WOULD BE ANSWERED AND ALSO TOUTED THE IMPROVEMENT, ABSENTEEISM AND GRADUATION AND MATH AND ENGLISH.
THE IMPROVEMENT IN ENGLISH, I BELIEVE IT WAS 2%, I BELIEVE IN MATH, 3% GRADUATION.
I THINK IT IMPROVED ABOUT HALF PERCENT.
THESE NUMBERS, WHICH BASICALLY THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS USED IN THE BOARD AND ALSO TO THE COMMUNITY AS ADVERTISEMENT FOR HER PROGRESS, ARE NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT IN A POPULATION OF STUDENTS OF 111,000.
AND SCHOOLS OF 176 STUDENTS ARE GRADUATING NOT KNOWING THEIR OWN LANGUAGE.
IF YOU ARE NOT PROFICIENT IN MATH, YOU CANNOT DO ANYTHING.
FURTHERMORE, AS YOU KNOW, FOX 45 REPORTED A FAKE EMAILS THAT MS. HARVEY HAS USED TO CENSOR MS DOKI 261 EMAILS THAT LOOK FAKE AND CAME IN 10 MINUTES.
AND THIS BOARD OF EDUCATION DID NOT HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAKING A STATEMENT ABOUT THAT REPORT OR RESPONDING TO IT.
THAT IS NOT A SIGN OF A SYSTEM, THAT THE BOARD IS FOCUSED ON EDUCATION.
IT'S A BOARD OF POLITICS, PETTY POLITICS.
AND YOU SHOULD NOT BE IN THAT ARENA.
YOU MUST NOT BE IN THAT ARENA.
NO POLITICS, NO RELIGION, IT'S ALL EDUCATION.
OTHERWISE, THIS WOULD BE YOUR HISTORY.
IT'LL BE YOUR HISTORY, IT'LL BE YOUR NAME.
[00:30:01]
THANK YOU.AND OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS MS. HEATHER BUCKMAN.
YOU GUYS ARE ALMOST AS CUTE AS THE EIGHT YEAR OLDS I WORK WITH.
I WAS GONNA SAY, YOU STAND UP IN FRONT OF KIDS EVERY DAY.
AND I, UM, AND I'M TAKING TIME AWAY FROM MY FAMILY TO BE HERE, BUT I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THE SERVICE THAT YOU PROVIDE.
UM, I'M GONNA READ REALLY QUICKLY 'CAUSE I'M VERY NERVOUS.
I'M GOOD EVENING TO ALL OF THIS.
ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE BOARD CHAIR LICHTER, AND UM, MY NAME IS JENNIFER HEATHER BUCKMAN.
UM, I AM AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER.
I HAVE NOTHING BUT GOOD THINGS TO SAY ABOUT MY SCHOOL.
MY PRINCIPAL WILL, MY AP ROBIN BUCK HEIGHT AND MY AREA SUPERINTENDENT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NOW.
UM, DR. GREGORY, I WORK IN ONE OF THE MOST SUPPORTIVE AND, UM, ENGAGING ENVIRONMENTS I COULD IMAGINE WORKING.
I'M GRATEFUL EVERY DAY TO HAVE MY JOB.
UM, THAT BEING SAID, I'M GONNA ALSO START BY STAYING IN PROTOCOL.
I AM A WHITE, UM, OBVIOUSLY MIDDLE AGED
UM, SO I COME HERE TONIGHT WITH A SENSE OF AGENCY THAT COMES FROM PRIVILEGE THAT I CARRY.
AND, UM, I'M HERE TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS POLICY 0 2 0 0 PRECEPTS, BELIEFS AND VALUES OF THE BALTIMORE COUNTY SCHOOLS.
SPECIFICALLY THE LANGUAGE AS FOLLOWS, THE BOARD BELIEVES THAT ITS EMPLOYEES ARE ITS MOST IMPORTANT RE RESOURCE.
AND IT GOES ON TO STATE THAT EMPLOYEES WHO EXHIBIT BEHAVIOR WE SHOULD DEMONSTRATE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY AS WELL AS RESPECT FOR SELF.
AND THAT'S PARTIALLY WHY I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE I DO, I DO HAVE RESPECT FOR MYSELF AND MY JOB AND FOR THE PEOPLE I WORK WITH.
UM, AND UNDER PART TWO OF THAT SAME POLICY, UNDERGRAD PRINCIPLES, PART G, IT SAYS WE RESPECT THE WORTH OF EVERYONE.
AND THAT CAN BE INTERPRETED IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.
THE TEACHERS IN THIS SCHOOL SYSTEM ARE WITHOUT EXCEPTION, THE GREATEST RESOURCE YOU HAVE.
I AM PRIVILEGED BEYOND COMPARE, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF WHO I AM AND MY LIVED EXPERIENCE.
I WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO LOVE WHAT THEY DO.
ALL I HAVE NEVER MET A TEACHER WHO DIDN'T WANT THE BEST FOR THEIR KIDS, THE KIDS IN FRONT OF THEM.
UM, AND MY ADMINISTRATORS AND MY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HELPED ME KEEP FOCUSED ON THAT JOB.
MOM, MY COLLEAGUES ARE OUTSTANDING.
I'M PROUD TO STAND BESIDE THEM IN OUR MISSION TO PROVIDE, PROVIDE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY TO ALL AS A GRADE CHANGER.
THIS YEAR I'M HANDLING A COGNITIVE LOAN THAT I WAS REALLY NOT PREPARED FOR IN 54 ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND I KNOW THAT NEW THINGS ARE HARD 'CAUSE I LIVE THAT.
UM, AND I ACCEPT THAT FAILURE IS PART OF ANYTHING NEW, WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY POINT.
EQUITY AND RESPECT FOR TEACHERS.
THESE CONCEPTS AREN'T EXPLICITLY SPELLED OUT, BUT I AM HERE TO HUMANIZE THE FACE OF THE PAY ISSUES.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT MY PAY HAS BEEN IMPACTED.
DURING THE RANSOMWARE ATTACK, I WOULD, DID NOT RECEIVE PAY, BUT I CONTINUED TO WORK AND I WAS WORKING LIKE 12 TO 14 HOURS A DAY.
I WORK EVENINGS, I WORK EARLY MORNINGS, I WORK WEEKENDS, AND MY PAY IS NOT CORRECT.
AND WHILE, UH, AND, AND, AND ANY DATA STORY, A NUMBER TELLS A STORY, BUT PEOPLE TELL STORIES TO.
AND I'M A PERSON WHO RELIES ON YOU TO MAKE SURE THAT I AM EQUITABLY TREATED IN TERMS OF MY WORTH, WHICH I GIVE YOU MY TIME, I TAKE MY TIME FROM MY FAMILY AND I DON'T HAVE THE COGNITIVE ABILITY TO DETERMINE WHAT IS NEEDED.
AND I WILL SEND YOU AN EMAIL WITH EXPLICITLY WHAT I WANT.
UM, THERE WAS NOBODY ON THE WAITING LIST.
[G. NEW BUSINESS - ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION (Board Counsel) (7:30 - 7:35 p.m.)]
THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS ACTION TAKEN IN CLOSED SESSION.AND FOR THAT I CALL ON MR. BURNS.
LICHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY REMOTELY, MEMBERS OF BOARD AND CHIEF OF STAFF.
UM, YOU HAD THREE ITEMS THAT YOU REVIEWED IN CLOSED SESSION WITH RESPECT TO, UH, APPEALS.
AND I THINK GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE APPEALS MM-HMM.
IT'S BEST TO TAKE ONE AT A TIME.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ACTION TAKEN ENCLOSED SESSION ON HEARING EXAMINER'S CASE SDA 26 DASH OH OH ONE AND AUTHORIZE MS. GOR TO SIGN FOR THOSE BOARD MEMBERS NOT PHYSICALLY PRESENT.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND SAVOY.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
[00:35:01]
YES.MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ACTION TAKEN ENCLOSED SESSION ON HEARING EXAMINER'S CASE HEA 25 DASH OH 16 AND AUTHORIZED MS. GO TO SIGN FOR THOSE BOARD MEMBERS NOT PHYSICALLY PRESENT? MAY I HAVE A, A MOTION? SO KY THANK YOU MS. LESKI.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
I THINK I MISSED UP THE ORDER.
WHICH TWO DID WE JUST NEXT ONE IS, OKAY.
UM, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ACTION TAKEN ENCLO SESSION ON HEARING EXAMINER'S CASE HEA 25 DASH OH SEVEN AND AUTHORIZE MS. GOR TO SIGN FOR THOSE BOARD MEMBERS NOT PHYSICALLY PRESENT.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND SAVOY.
ANY DISCUSSION? MAY I HAVE A ROLL CALL? VOTE PLEASE.
[H. REPORT - PROPOSED 2026-2027 SCHOOL CALENDARS (Ms. Charley-Greene and Ms. Bielski) (7:35 - 7:50 p.m.)]
IS THE REPORT ON THE PROPOSED 20 26 20 27 SCHOOL CALENDAR.AND FOR THAT I CALL EM MS. CHARLIE GREEN.
AND MS. BIELSKI FEELS LIKE WE'VE JUST STARTED 25, 26.
THE SCHOOL YEAR HAS JUST BEGUN AND WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT.
AND SO I WILL TURN IT OVER TO MS. BIELSKI, UH, TO TAKE US THROUGH THE PROPOSED 20 26 20 27 SCHOOL CALENDAR.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY, MS. CHARLIE GREEN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH BOARD POLICY AND SUPERINTENDENT'S RULE 63 0 1, THE SUPERINTENDENT IS CHARGED WITH CONVENING A COMMITTEE TO ASSIST WITH IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SCHOOL CALENDAR.
THE COMMITTEE MET ON MAY 28TH, 2025 AND JUNE 12TH, 2025 TO DEVELOP A CALENDAR FOR THE 26TH 27 SCHOOL YEAR.
TONIGHT I PRESENT THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION.
THE 20, THE 20 26, 27 CALENDAR ENCOMPASSES 191 TEACHER DAYS, 180 ELEMENTARY STUDENT DAYS, AND 181 MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT DAYS WITH AN ADDITIONAL THREE DAYS BUILT INTO THE CALENDAR AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, JUNE 15TH, 16TH AND 17TH FOR THE PRE-LABOR DAY VERSION.
AND JUNE 23RD, 24TH, 25TH OF 2027 FOR THE POST LABOR DAY VERSION.
WHILE I SUBMITTED BOTH A PRE AND POST LABOR DAY CALENDAR TO THE BOARD, UH, THE COMMITTEE VOTED FOR A PRE-LABOR DAY START BASED ON THE FOLLOWING.
THE KINDERGARTEN READ, UH, READINESS ASSESSMENT MSDE REQUIRES THE, UM, CENSUS ADMINISTRATION OF THE KRA.
THIS ASSESSMENT INCLUDES BOTH INDIVIDUAL DIRECT PERFORMANCE TASKS AND OBSERVATIONAL COMPONENTS.
THE NON-NEGOTIABLE MSDE DEADLINE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION IS OCTOBER 11TH.
THE PRE-LABOR DAY START PROVIDES KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS AN ADDITIONAL FIVE DAYS TO ADMINISTER THIS COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT.
THE M CAPS, THE PSAT, THE SAT, AND THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMS. THE PRE-LABOR DAY START PROVIDES ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY STUDENTS AN ADDITIONAL FIVE DAYS OF INSTRUCTION IN PREPARATION FOR VARIOUS ASSESSMENTS THAT BEGIN IN EARLY WINTER AND RUN THROUGH MAY.
THE GRADUATION DATE FOR SENIORS DOES NOT CHANGE.
THE PRE-LABOR DAY START PROVIDES SENIORS WITH FIVE ADDITIONAL DAYS, WHICH THEY WOULD LOSE WITH A POST-LAB DAY START.
SOME SUMMER CAMPS STOP IN MID-AUGUST.
THE PRE-LABOR DAY START ALLOWS STUDENTS TO RETURN ONE WEEK EARLIER, WHEREAS WORKING PARENTS WOULD NOT HAVE TO LOOK FOR CHILDCARE WHEN THE CAMPS ENDED.
STUDENTS WILL NOT BE HOME UNSUPERVISED.
AND LAST STUDENT ENROLLMENT DATA IS REQUIRED TO REPORT IT TO BE REPORTED TO THE STATE BY SEPTEMBER 30TH.
THE PRE-LABOR DAY START PROVIDES OUR OFFICE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE FIVE ADDITIONAL DAYS TO GET STUDENTS ENROLLED.
IF STUDENTS ARE NOT ENROLLED BY THE NON-NEGOTIABLE SEPTEMBER 30TH DEADLINE, THERE IS NO FUNDING FOR THAT STUDENT.
RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, THE COMMITTEE SELECTED THE FOLLOWING DAYS
[00:40:01]
THAT YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE.THERE'S ONE FULL DAY AND THREE HALF DAYS SCHEDULED TO OCCUR DURING THE SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH QUARTERS.
I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, THE THREE HALF DAYS TO PD, ARE THEY GONNA BE HALF SCHOOL DAYS AS WELL? HALF DAYS PER STUDENT FULL DAYS FOR TEACHERS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT? DO WE HAVE THE DATA YET ON HOW MANY, WHAT THE ATTENDANCE IS LIKE ON HALF DAYS? WE DID PULL THAT LAST YEAR.
UM, WE DIDN'T DO AS MANY, UM, HALF DAYS LAST YEAR, BUT WE DID THE YEAR PRIOR.
WE DID PULL THAT DATA AND DO WE SEE A SIGNIFICANT DROP OFF OF STUDENTS ATTENDING HALF DAYS AS OPPOSED TO A FULL DAY? I WOULD HAVE TO REVISIT THAT DATA AND GET BACK TO YOU AND I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT.
I WOULD LIKE TO IF I COULD SEE THAT AGAIN.
AND THEN LASTLY, UH, ON SLIDE THREE, DO WE HAVE ANY DATA TO SUPPORT THAT THOSE FIVE EXTRA DAYS, UM, YOU KNOW, HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OR AN ACHIEVEMENT FOR STUDENTS FOR THOSE TESTS? IT, WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT WE HAVE MORE INSTRUCTIONAL TIME WITH THEM.
THE ENROLLMENT PIECE IS ALSO REALLY SIGNIFICANT, AS I SAID.
UM, SO YES, UM, WE, WE DEFINITELY SEE AN ADVANTAGE IN HAVING THOSE DAYS.
AND IF YOU NOTICE, I DID PROVIDE A POST LABOR DAY START CALENDAR AND WITH THE WAY THAT LABOR DAY FALLS AND MEMORIAL DAY STUDENTS WOULD BE IN SCHOOL UNTIL JUNE 28TH IF WE DID A POST LABOR DAY START.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF, I MEAN, HAVING A, SEEING IT AS AN ADVANTAGE, BUT ACTUALLY SEEING IT WITH THE RESULT OF HAVING THE FIVE DAYS ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
SO I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD GET SOME RESEARCH ON THAT.
OTHER QUESTIONS, MS. HUMPHREY? I HAD SIMILAR QUESTIONS TO MS. DOM GONNA ASK YOU, BUT I ALSO HAVE A FOLLOW UP, SORT OF A FOLLOW UP, BUT IT'S IN ALIGNMENT WITH THAT.
UM, WE HAVE HAVE ANOTHER LEA IN THE AREA WHO HAVE, HAS CHANGED THEIR CALENDAR TO REMOVE HALF DAYS BASED ON SOME RECENT LEGISLATION, NEW LEGISLATION THAT ALLOWED SOME FLEXIBILITY WITH THE CALENDARING.
UM, IS THAT A POSSIBILITY FOR US? AND IS THERE ANY, UM, THING WE CAN DO AS A BOARD TO, UM, AS FAR AS, UM, LEGISLATE LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATE FOR SOMETHING THAT WE CAN, THAT WOULD ASSIST US IN REMOVING THOSE HALF DAYS? SO THERE'S A COUPLE IMPORTANT PARTS TO THAT.
AND FIRST, FIRST AND FOREMOST BEING THAT WE HAVE TO MEET THE STUDENT DAYS.
UM, ONE OF THE OTHER PIECES THAT, UM, CAME FROM A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE BOARD WAS THAT WE WOULD HAVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ON RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS.
SO THAT BINDS US, DEPENDS ON, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY OF THOSE HOLIDAYS FALL ON A SCHOOL DAY AND WE MAKE THOSE PD DAYS.
SO WE, WE LOSE SOME INSTRUCTIONAL DAYS WITH STUDENTS FOR STUDENTS TO BE IN SCHOOL.
LIKE THIS YEAR THERE WERE SIX HOLIDAYS, SO, UM, WE HAD TO WORK AROUND THAT.
SO THOSE ARE, THOSE ARE SOME LIMITATIONS THAT WE COULD LOOK AT, BUT JUST BEING MINDFUL THAT THE BOARD DID RECOMMEND THAT WE MADE THOSE HOLIDAYS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
SO THOSE ARE DAYS WE CAN'T COUNT AS STUDENT DAYS.
'CAUSE I WAS, LOOK, I WAS LOOKING FOR THE DIFFERENCE THERE, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MS. FONG? THANK YOU.
UM, SO I WAS LOOKING ACROSS THE DATES.
IT'S, I THINK YOU HAD SAID JUNE 28TH IS THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR THE POST LABOR DAY? IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID? IF THAT WAS A POST LABOR DAY START YES.
YOU SHOULD HAVE A PRE AND POST ACCESSIBLE TO YOU.
BUT THAT'S ALSO IF WE HAVE TO USE ALL THREE IN CLEMENT WEATHER DAYS.
BUT IF WE DON'T, IT'S JUNE 22ND FOR THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR POST LABOR DAY, AND THEN IT'LL BE JUNE 14TH FOR PRE-LABOR DAY, AGAIN IF THERE'S NO INCLEMENT WEATHER MAKEUP DAYS THAT WE HAVE.
AND THEN ALSO THIS YEAR WITH THE AUGUST FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR, 26, 27, THAT START DATE IS ACTUALLY AUGUST 31ST RIGHT.
FOR THE, FOR THE START OF SCHOOL BECAUSE THERE'S A FIFTH MONDAY IN AUGUST.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY ALMOST LIKE A WEEK AFTER WHEN WE STARTED THIS SCHOOL YEAR, BECAUSE WE STARTED THIS SCHOOL YEAR AUGUST 25TH, WHICH WAS THE FOURTH MONDAY.
SO IF WE LOOK AT, I GUESS POST LABOR DAY, WE'RE EXTENDING IT EVEN ALMOST LIKE TWO WEEKS REALLY IN A WAY, I GUESS INSTEAD OF JUST ONE WEEK BECAUSE OF THAT FIFTH MONDAY.
AND SO I'LL TELL YOU, IT WAS REALLY HARD WHEN YOU TAKE EVERYTHING INTO CONSIDERATION WITH THE, WITH THE HOLIDAYS, THE PD DAYS, THE NUMBER OF STUDENT DAYS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN COMPLIANCE WITH, UM, AND THE WAY THE HOLIDAYS FELL.
'CAUSE WE HAD A LATE AND THEN I GUESS LAST POINT OR MORE, SO QUESTION FOR FALL SPORTS WHEN THERE'S HIGH SCHOOL FALL SPORTS, DOES A PRE OR POST LABOR DAY IMPACT WHEN, LIKE THE PRACTICES OR TRYOUTS OR THINGS START FOR THOSE FALL SPORTS IN HIGH SCHOOL? THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION THAT I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO FIND IT FOR YOU.
'CAUSE I WAS JUST WONDERING IF THAT DOES DELAY.
[00:45:01]
IF IT, IF IT DOESN'T CHANGE, THEN FOR THOSE FAMILIES, THE PARENTS, THE STAFF, ET CETERA, THEY'RE GONNA STILL COME BACK REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE START PRE OR POST, RIGHT? YES.I WILL FIND OUT FROM, UH, MR. SAI, I'LL GET THAT ANSWER FOR YOU.
UM, WE, HE AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT, SO I'D VENTURE TO SAY IT'S NOT, BUT I CERTAINLY WANT TO CONFIRM THAT.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, MS. DOKI? LASTLY, UM, WERE THERE ANY WAY, LIKE ANY OF THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE SPRING BREAK, UH, WINTER BREAK, ANY OF THOSE, UH, THANKSGIVING BREAK, ARE THERE ANY OF THOSE DAYS, THOSE VACATION TIMES FOR STUDENTS THAT CAN BE REDUCED DOWN? ARE WE OBLIGATED BY POLICY LAW TO KEEP THEM AS WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW? UM, SO I DON'T, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT, LIKE WITH SPRING BREAK, I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE THE, THAT WEEK.
I MEAN, WE COULD TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT THAT IF THAT'S A RECOMMENDATION AND DO ANOTHER VERSION.
UM, I'M NOT SURE ABOUT, UM, I MEAN, I KNOW WE HAVE TO CLOSE THANKSGIVING AND THE DAY AFTER, UM, SO WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SHORTEN THAT.
I, I MEAN, I'VE SEEN DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE STATE, DIFFERENT COUNTIES HAVE SHORTER, LONGER BREAKS IN BETWEEN AND IT, IF IT WOULD HELP REDUCING THAT SPRING BREAK TIME OR THE WINTER BREAK TIME SO THAT THE KIDS, IF WE COULD COME BACK TO SCHOOL AFTER, YOU KNOW, POST LABOR DAY AS OPPOSED TO PRE AND THEN NOT HAVE TO STAY IN SCHOOL AS LATER.
I, I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY VARIATIONS OF OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR VACATION BREAKS FOR OUR KIDS.
SO, AS I MENTIONED, THE, UM, THE COMMITTEE THAT MET TWICE TO, TO TALK ABOUT BOTH THE PRE AND THE POST, UM, VOTED FOR THE PRE BASED ON NOT SO MUCH THE HOLIDAYS BASED ON OUR OPPORTUNITY TO GET IN FRONT OF KIDS SOONER AND TO MAXIMIZE THAT INSTRUCTIONAL TIME AND TO GET THEM ENROLLED SO THAT WE MADE SURE THAT EVERY STUDENT THAT WE'RE SERVING IS ACCOUNTED FOR.
SO THEY DIDN'T TALK ABOUT, WELL, THERE WASN'T A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT SHORTENING HOLIDAYS TO GO FOR A PREFERRED POST.
THE PREFERRED, UM, LIKE WAS, UM, ALL BUT I THINK TWO PEOPLE AT THE COMMITTEE WERE ALL FOR THE PRE BASED ON THE ASSESSMENTS AND THE ENROLLMENT PIECE.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO, I I THINK THAT WAS PART OF IT WAS THAT, SO WE WOULDN'T BE STAYING AS LATE AS WE WERE.
BUT ALSO EVEN FOR THE, THE PRE, THERE'S A LOT OF SCHOOLS THAT START AFTER THAT ARE GETTING OUT OF SCHOOL EARLIER THAN WE ARE BECAUSE THEIR VACATION THAT, YOU KNOW, OUR BREAK WE TAKE A LOT SEEM TO BE TAKING A LOT OF DAYS OFF FOR OUR KIDS AND I KNOW WE ALL NEED IT.
UM, BUT MAYBE NOT SO MUCH AND LIKE LONG STRETCHES, I GUESS IF YOU COULD SHORT LOOK AT SHORTENING THAT WINTER OR, OR FALL BREAK OR I'M SORRY, SPRING BREAK.
IF THERE IS A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE LOOK ACROSS THE STATE TO SEE WHAT OTHER CALENDARS LOOK LIKE AND THEN PERHAPS PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO THE BOARD, WE'RE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
UM, I DON'T HEAR A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE COMMITTEE TO RECONVENE, BUT CERTAINLY WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION TO THE BOARD.
MS. HUMPHREY, JUST, EXCUSE ME, JUST A RESPONSE TO THAT.
I, I WAS SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, I'M SURE YOU KNOW THAT AND THOSE HALF DAYS.
SO IF WE COULD LOOK AT, I MEAN, YOU EXPLAINED WHY, BUT IF IN FURTHER DETAIL, SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE HAVE AND WHAT THEY HAVE AS FAR AS BEING OUR ABILITY TO, UM, CUT THOSE HALF DAYS.
OTHER BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? OKAY.
I SIMPLY WANTED TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR, UM, WHAT MS. POEY JUST SUGGESTED IN LOOKING AT HOW TO ELIMINATE SOME OF THE HALF DAYS AS WELL.
THIS IS THE FIRST READER OF THE PROPOSED 20 26, 20 27 SCHOOL CALENDAR.
THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CALENDARS WILL BE HELD DURING THE NEXT BOARD MEETING ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7TH, 2025 DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT AGENDA ITEM WITH THE SECOND READER IN CONSIDERATION OF THE CALENDARS ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH, 2025.
BUT WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT'LL BE BROUGHT BACK.
[I. REPORT - OPERATING BUDGET (Dr. Grim and Mr. Tantleff) (7:50 - 8:10 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS THE REPORT ON LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL FUNDING AND RESPONSIBILITIES.CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY.
MS. CHARLIE GREEN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M HERE WITH MR. WIT TANIFF, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FISCAL SERVICES, AND WE'RE HERE THIS EVENING TO PROVIDE, UH, JUST A, A BASIC REPORT ON LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDING AND RESPONSIBILITIES
[00:50:01]
RELATED TO IT.UH, WAIT, YOU WANNA END CLICKER OR YOU WANNA DRIVE? THAT'S GOOD.
SO THIS FIRST SLIDE, UM, BASICALLY OUT OUTLINES OUR SOURCES OF FUNDING.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE BOARD IS FISCALLY DEPENDENT ON THE ENTITIES THAT ARE SHOWN HERE.
AND REALLY IT'S THE STATE, COUNTY, FEDERAL AND, AND OTHER SOURCES OF INCOME.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE, OBVIOUSLY, THAT THE BOARD HAS NO AUTHORITY TO LEVY ANY TAXES.
THAT'S NOT THE BOARD'S RESPONSIBILITY NOR THEIR AUTHORITY.
THE TWO GRAPHICS THAT ARE HERE ON THIS SLIDE ALSO SHOW OUR FY 26 ADOPTED BUDGET IN MILLIONS AND THE PERCENTAGES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT AND WHERE THE, THOSE MONIES COME FROM.
UM, YOU CAN SEE IN THAT TABLE, AND AT THIS TIME, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MR. TAYLOR.
HERE YOU CAN SEE, UH, OUR PRIMARY SOURCES OF REVENUE, UM, COUNTY, STATE, FEDERAL, AND OTHER.
UH, THIS IS FOR ALL, UH, THE ENTIRE BUDGET.
SO INCLUDES CAPITAL, OPERATING GRANTS, ET CETERA.
THE COUNTY, UH, PROVIDES A LOT OF OUR CAPITAL AS WELL AS OUR MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT IN THE, UH, GENERAL FUND.
AND A, UM, UH, ALSO, UH, THEY DO THE BOND ISSUES FOR, UH, FOR CAPITAL, UH, STATE OF MARYLAND BLUEPRINT FUNDS, INCLUDING, WHICH IS ALL OF OUR STATE AID.
IT INCLUDES THE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY GRANT, UM, FUNDS BASED ON, UH, THE COUNTY CITY WEALTH INDEX.
SO THE, THE PRIMARY, UH, DRIVER BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS IN MARYLAND BLUEPRINT FUNDING IS A NUMBER OF CHILDREN WITH DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES, YOU KNOW, SUCH AS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, COMPENSATORY EDUCATION, ET CETERA.
AND WE'LL LOOK AT THAT ON A, A LATER SLIDE.
BUT ALSO, RELATIVE WEALTH BETWEEN THE COUNTIES IS A BIG DRIVER, UH, BETWEEN THE MIX OF COUNTY VERSUS STATE REVENUE.
SO IF YOU LOOKED ACROSS THE STATE, YOU'D SEE FOR INSTANCE, BALTIMORE COUNTY HAS A LOT HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF THEIR REVENUE FROM THE STATE, WHEREAS MONTGOMERY COUNTY HAS A MUCH HIGHER PERCENT FROM, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE RELATIVELY WEALTHY.
UM, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S A A PRETTY SMALL BUT CRITICAL PLAYER IN TERMS OF OUR FUNDING, BASICALLY THE TITLE GRANTS AND THE IDA PASS THROUGH GRANT FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.
OF COURSE, UH, WE HAD ALL OF THE COVID GRANTS THAT WE'VE, THAT NOW, UH, HAVE ALL ENDED, BUT THEY WERE OBVIOUSLY SIGNIFICANT WHILE WE WERE GETTING THEM.
AND THEN WE HAVE A SMALL AMOUNT FROM OTHER, WHICH IS LIKE INTEREST.
AND OUR PRIOR YEAR FUND BALANCE.
I'LL TALK ABOUT, UH, COUNTY OR LOCAL FUNDING FIRST.
UH, YOU'VE ALL HEARD THE TERM MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE OPERATING BUDGET.
UH, MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT IS BASICALLY THE GUARANTEED OR MINIMUM AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT THE COUNTY OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO PROVIDE FOR US.
UM, THAT IS DETERMINED BY STATUTE.
IT'S NOT, UH, FLEXIBLE OR VARIABLE.
THE VARIABLE PART IS OUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE COUNTY TO, UH, GET ABOVE THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF FUNDING.
UH, AND YOU CAN SEE IT CAN BE SUPPLANTED.
IT CAN BE SUPPLEMENTED BY ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
UM, BLUEPRINT LEGISLATION UPDATED THE MAIN MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT, UM, DEFINITION IN WHEN YOU'RE COUNTING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS, IT, IT'S NORMALLY SEPTEMBER 30TH OF THE CURRENT YEAR DETERMINES THE THE NEXT YEAR'S, UH, MINIMUM FUNDING.
UH, BUT NOW WE USE, CAN USE THE HIGHER OF THE CURRENT YEAR OR A THREE YEAR ROLLING AVERAGE.
WE'VE USED THE THREE YEAR ROLLING AVERAGE SINCE THAT CHANGE WENT INTO EFFECT POST COVID BECAUSE WE'VE HAD FLAT TO DECLINING ENROLLMENT EVERY YEAR SINCE THEN.
SO A THREE YEAR AVERAGE HAS COME UP WITH A HIGHER STUDENT COUNT THAN USING THE CURRENT YEAR COUNT.
AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE BOTTOM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE BASIC CALCULATION OF HOW WE GOT OUR 2026 MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.
WE HAD 106, A LITTLE OVER 106,000 ELIGIBLE STUDENTS.
AND ELIGIBLE IS DIFFERENT THAN THE NUMBER YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH, WITH OUR OVERALL ENROLLMENT OF ABOUT 110,000 STUDENTS.
AND THAT, UH, AN ELIGIBLE STUDENT IS JUST K THROUGH 12.
SO IT EXCLUDES, UH, PRE-K, UH, AND SOME OTHER STUDENTS CAME OUT TO 961,000.
THE COUNTY ENDED UP GIVING US 34 MILLION ABOVE THAT, WHICH WAS 3.5% ABOVE MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT, OR 3% ABOVE THE PRIOR YEAR.
AND THE REASON THOSE NUMBERS ARE DIFFERENT IS 'CAUSE OUR MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT WAS ACTUALLY 5 MILLION BELOW PRIOR YEAR BECAUSE OF OUR DECLINING ENROLLMENT.
SO IF THE COUNTY GAVE US THE BARE MINIMUM, THEY WOULD'VE GIVEN US 5 MILLION LESS
[00:55:01]
THIS YEAR THAN WE GOT LAST YEAR.AND THAT'S ACTUALLY BEEN THE CASE THE LAST FEW YEARS.
AGAIN, BECAUSE OF THE DECLINING ENROLLMENT SITUATION.
UH, THIS IS A PRETTY BUSY CHART, BUT, UH, THIS IS ALL THE DIFFERENT TRANCHES OF STATE AID.
A NUMBER OF THESE, PROBABLY MOST OF THEM YOU'VE HEARD THE TERMINOLOGY FOUNDATION PROGRAM, COMPENSATORY EDUCATION, SPECIAL ED, MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, ET CETERA.
UH, BUT THESE ARE ALL LAID OUT IN THE BLUEPRINT LEGISLATION, AND EACH ONE OF THEM HAS A UNIQUE FORMULA.
EACH ONE OF THEM HAS A SPECIFIC PER PUPIL AMOUNT, AND THAT'S THE SAME ACROSS THE STATE.
AND IT'S TIMES THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WITH THOSE DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES, AS I WAS MENTIONING EARLIER.
SO FOUNDATION IS OUR ENTIRE POOL OF ELIGIBLE STUDENTS.
COMPENSATORY EDUCATION IS BASICALLY THE STUDENTS THAT WOULD QUALIFY FOR FREE AND REDUCED, UH, LUNCH SPECIAL ED STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY.
MULTILINGUAL IS, UH, KIDS WITH, UM, UH, ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE AND YOU CAN SEE, UH, SO ON AND SO, SO ON.
GOING DOWN, UH, THE CHART PRE-K NOW FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH BLUEPRINT, UH, FOR FULL DAY STUDENTS THAT ARE TIER ONE AND TWO, WHICH IS BASICALLY POVERTY DRIVEN OR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY AND MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS ALL, UH, QUALIFY ONLY IF THEY'RE IN A FULL DAY PRE-K.
AND THAT'S WHY THERE'VE BEEN SUCH A PUSH TO CONVERT HALF DAYS.
AND ALL OF OUR NEW PRE-KS ARE ALL FULL DAY, BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A HALF DAY PRE-K, IT NEVER QUALIFIES FOR FUNDING.
AND THAT'S ALSO WHY PRE-K'S NOT IN THE TOTAL POOL.
EARLIER I TALKED ABOUT ELIGIBLE STUDENTS.
SO HISTORICALLY WE DIDN'T GET ANY MONEY FOR PRE-K.
NOW WE DO, THEY'RE NOT IN THE CORE FORMULA, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, THINK OF IT AS AN ADD-ON JUST FOR THOSE ELIGIBLE PRE-KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS, FULL DAY TIERS ONE AND TWO.
UM, AND THEN YOU CAN SEE CAREER LADDER, UH, AND SOME OF THE OTHER, UH, BUCKETS OF MONEY WE GET FROM THE STATE.
UH, SPECIAL REVENUE WHEN WE USE THAT TERM, REFERS TO GRANTS AT BCPS AND OTHER, UH, PLACES.
THE COUNTY USES THAT TERM A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY, BUT ALMOST HALF OF OUR SPECIAL ED MONEY GOES TO OUR, UH, TITLE ONE GRANT AND OUR IDA PASS THROUGH GRANT.
AND THOSE ARE THE MOST WELL KNOWN, THE ONES WE TALK ABOUT THE MOST.
AND HISTORICALLY WE DIDN'T GET ANY, UH, RESTRICTED MONEY FROM THE STATE.
BUT NOW CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY, WHICH ACTUALLY, UH, IS MORE DOLLARS AND SIGNIFICANTLY MORE SCHOOLS IN TITLE ONE, SINCE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY HAS COME INTO EFFECT AND EXPANDED.
IT'S ACTUALLY 28% OF OUR, UH, OVERALL SPECIAL REVENUE.
IT USED TO BE PRETTY MUCH NOTHING FROM THE STATE IN TERMS OF SPECIAL REVENUE.
UH, TITLE ONE BASICALLY PROVIDES SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING IN SCHOOLS WITH HIGH CONCENTRATION OR THE HIGHEST POVERTY SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE 77 TITLE ONE SCHOOLS THIS YEAR VERSUS 110 CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY SCHOOLS.
AND COP, UH, I THINK YOU ALL KNOW, HAS BEEN GROWING JUST REALLY RAPIDLY OVER THE LAST IDA PASS THROUGH GRANT IS SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
SO MOST OF OUR MONEY FOR SPECIAL ED COMES IN THE GENERAL FUND, BUT WE ALSO GET SOME SIGNIFICANT PASS THROUGH GRANTS.
AND THEN JUST A LITTLE ON, UH, FISCAL CONTROLS, WHICH FOR THE MOST PART HAVE TO DO WITH, UH, EXPENDITURES AND SPENDING MONEY.
AND WE'RE MOSTLY JUST, UH, KIND OF TALKING ABOUT REVENUE TONIGHT, BUT WE'VE HAD 26, UH, FULL FISCAL AUDITS SINCE 2020.
UH, GRANTS ARE ALL EXCEPT FOR CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY.
ALL THE FEDERAL GRANTS ARE REIMBURSABLE, WHICH MEANS WE DON'T GET ANY OF THE FUNDS UNTIL WE'VE DOCUMENTED AND SPENT THE MONEY.
SO IT'S AFTER THE FACT, UH, WE GET REIMBURSED.
SO OUR GRANT TOURS ARE SCRUTINIZING EVERYTHING WE TURN IN TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS UP TO SNUFF BEFORE THEY REIMBURSE US.
UM, THE SPENDING PLAN FOR ALL GRANTS IS PRE-APPROVED.
ANY CHANGES HAVE TO BE SUBMITTED VERSUS AN AMENDMENT.
SO, UH, GRANTS ARE VERY TIGHTLY CONTROLLED.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF COLLABORATION REGARDING GRANTS, BOTH INTERNALLY AND WITH OUR, UH, GRANTORS, UH, SPENDING AUTHORITY IS JUST KIND OF SHIFTING GEARS A LITTLE.
SPENDING AUTHORITY IS THE MAXIMUM, UH, THAT WE CAN SPEND ON A CONTRACT.
THE BOARD, OF COURSE, EVERY MONTH IS APPROVING NEW CONTRACTS.
SOME ARE ONE YEAR, SOME ARE UP TO FIVE YEAR.
BUT SPENDING AUTHORITY IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT WE CAN SPEND ON, UH, THAT VENDOR WITH THAT SPECIFIC, UM, ON THAT SPECIFIC CONTRACT.
BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN SPEND THAT MUCH IN A GIVEN YEAR.
AND WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS DISCUSSIONS, UH, ABOUT THIS OVER THE YEARS.
BUT REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH IS ON
[01:00:01]
THE CONTRACT, THE MONEY HAS TO BE BUDGETED IN THAT CURRENT YEAR IN ORDER TO SPEND MONEY AGAINST THAT CONTRACT.AND THAT'S UP TO EACH OFFICE, ET CETERA, TO TO BUDGET THAT MONEY.
UM, THE, WE HAVE AN APPROPRIATION LIMIT FOR EVERY OFFICE, EVERY SCHOOL.
AND SO OUR SYSTEMS WILL CONTROL AND STOP SPENDING ONCE YOU'VE GONE OVER THAT, UH, MAXIMUM AMOUNT THAT'S IN YOUR APPROPRIATION, THAT'S IN THE BUDGET.
UM, AND THEN EVEN WITH PCARDS, WE HAVE A LIMIT, UM, $5,000 PER MONTH AND $10,000 FOR A PCARD WITH LOWER LIMITS, UH, FOR EACH TRANSACTION.
SO THAT CONCLUDES, UH, OUR PRESENTATION FOR MYSELF AND DR.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
AND BEFORE WE, BEFORE WE DO THAT, I, I WAS, I WAS LOOKING, MR. TANIFF WAS ON A ROLL, UH, SLIDE SIX.
WHEN WE, WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT, THOSE COP NUMBERS, THOSE ARE THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
SO I THINK SOME OF YOU WERE, SOME OF YOU WERE, WERE WERE QUESTIONING WHERE, WHERE THOSE SCHOOLS WERE WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT GRANT FUNDING.
IT'S THOSE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS THAT HAVE GROWN SO SIGNIFICANTLY THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, AND THAT'S PART OF THAT FUNDING BUCKET.
UM, BOARD MEMBER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MR. MCMILLION? TIFF, I, I NEVER HAVE UNDERSTOOD PAYING SOMEBODY IN ARREARS, AND I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THAT, BUT IS THAT RELATED TO THE INTEREST PIECE DOWN THE BOTTOM? DO WE DO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE ACCRUING INTEREST AS WE'RE HOLDING ONTO THAT MONEY BEFORE WE ACTUALLY RELEASE IT TO THE EMPLOYEE? UH, THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT PART OF THE DECISION PROCESS.
WE AUTOMATICALLY GET ONE SIXTH OF OUR STATE MONEY EVERY OTHER MONTH.
SO WHEN IT COMES IN, IT'S KIND OF SITTING IN THE BANK.
UH, THE COUNTY FUNDING COMES AS NEEDED.
IT'S NOT ON A SPECIFIC SCHEDULE.
SO THAT INTEREST IS JUST, UM, MOSTLY STATE MONEY THAT WE'RE GETTING, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE MONTHS IN ADVANCE.
IT COULD, SINCE IT'S AUTOMATIC, LIKE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IN THE SUMMER, WE'RE SPENDING VERY LITTLE MONEY, BUT WE'RE STILL GETTING OUR FIRST STATE PAYMENT.
SO THAT'S GAINING A LOT OF INTEREST, UH, OVER THE SUMMER.
SO PAYING IN ARREARS HAS, UH, YOU KNOW, THEORETICALLY THAT WOULD GENERATE A LITTLE AMOUNT OF INTEREST.
WE NEVER LOOKED AT THAT, TALKED ABOUT IT OR CONSIDERED IT.
THE, YOU KNOW, THE BASIC REASON FOR ARREARS IS TO, UH, ADD MORE ACCURACY TO THE PAY BECAUSE, UH, YOUR PAY DATE ENDS AND THEN THERE'S TWO WEEKS TO PROCESS IT BEFORE IF YOUR PAID TO DATE, THAT MEANS IF YOU PUT IN LEAVE TODAY, IT DOESN'T GET PROCESSED TILL THE NEXT PAY PERIOD.
I KNOW THERE'S, YOU KNOW, SOME BUMPS AND BRUISES WITH STARTUP, UM, AS WE'VE GONE TO ARREARS JUST IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE NEW PAYROLL SYSTEM FOR SOME OF OUR EMPLOYEES.
UM, BUT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE INTEREST.
IT'S ULTIMATELY TO MAKE THE PAY MORE ACCURATE.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MS. LESKI, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UM, IF YOU COULD BRIEFLY SPEAK WITH THE, UM, THE 26 FISCAL AUDITS.
UM, I GUESS DIFFERENTIATING WHICH ONES ARE INTERNALLY AUDITED VERSUS SOME KIND OF EXTERNAL, NON, EXCUSE ME, NON-INVOLVED PARTNERS.
UH, THE, THE 26 IS ONLY TALKING ABOUT EXTERNAL AUDITS, EITHER FROM THE STATE OR OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS.
THERE'S A WHOLE, UH, AND IT INCLUDES, UH, EVERY YEAR WE HAVE OUR BOOKS, UH, AUDITED BY OUR, OUR EXTERNAL AUDIT AUDITOR, CLA.
THEY ALSO DO A SINGLE AUDIT EVERY YEAR, WHICH IS AN AUDIT ON OUR GRANTS.
THEN OUR GRANTORS HAVE AUDITS.
UH, THE STATES DONE A COUPLE OF CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY GRANTS.
WE HAVE ANNUAL MSDE AUDITS OF OUR BLUEPRINT FUNDING.
SO THERE'S A, A LIST WHICH WE COULD GET TO YOU IF YOU'D LIKE, BUT THAT OWN, THAT DOESN'T REFER TO ANYTHING INTERNAL AUDIT MAY DO OR ANY OF THEIR PROJECTS.
THIS IS ALL EXTERNAL AUDITS, UM, OR DEPARTMENT OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE MOST WELL KNOWN ONE.
BUT THOSE HAPPEN ABOUT EVERY FIVE YEARS, AND THEY, THEY ALL TAKE A TREMENDOUS EFFORT TO, UH, PROVIDE ALL THE DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED, GET TOGETHER WITH OUR AUDITORS, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THEM TAKE MANY MONTHS, SOME OVER A YEAR TO COMPLETE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? JUST, UM, MS. DOKI? YES.
UM, COULD WE GO TO SLIDE FIVE WHERE YOU HAVE, UM, UNDER, UH, PRE-K, PUBLIC TIER ONE, PRE-K, PUBLIC TIER TWO? I JUST NOTICED THAT YOU HAVE A SUBTITLE THERE, BUT WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THE EXACT STATE CHAIR.
COULD SOMEONE PULL UP THAT PRESENTATION AGAIN? IT'S ACTUALLY SMALL.
[01:05:01]
SIDE FIVE.I DON'T HAVE IT WITHOUT MY GLASSES.
MS. DO ASKING, WHAT'S YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE TIERS? I JUST, I'M, I'M CURIOUS AS TO, THERE'S A SUBTOTAL FOR PRE-K, BUT IT DOES, WE DON'T HAVE LIKE, THE BREAKDOWN OF WHERE WE'RE GETTING THE MONEY FROM.
I GUESS HOW MUCH SHARE OF THAT'S THE STATE SHARE FOR? SO THE LARGER NUMBER, YOU CAN SEE ALMOST ALL OF IT'S FROM TIER ONE.
TIER ONE, UH, IS CHILDREN THAT COME FROM FAMILIES THAT ARE 300% AND BELOW, UH, OF THE POVERTY LEVEL.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY AND ML STUDENTS IN FULL DAY CLASSROOMS. TIER TWO IS JUST A LOWER LEVEL OF POVERTY, BUT WE DON'T GET THAT, WE'RE NOT GETTING THAT FULL 27 OR 20, ALMOST 28 MILLION.
THAT BUDGET, WHAT OUR SHARE IS THE, THAT'S NOT BUDGET, THAT'S THE STATE AMOUNT IN THE BUDGET.
SO THEN WHAT IS, THAT'S THE TOTAL PROGRAM.
SO THEN WHAT DO YOU, WHAT THE, UH, I'M SORRY.
THE TOTAL, UM, IS THE TOTAL BLUEPRINT FORMULA.
AND THE, THE DIFFERENCE IS THE MANDATORY LOCAL FUNDING TOWARDS THAT.
MOST COUNTIES, INCLUDING BALTIMORE COUNTY, USE THE OLD FORMULA FOR MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT BECAUSE IT'S A HIGHER AMOUNT OF MONEY, BUT BECAUSE OF THE WAY BLUEPRINT WAS SET UP.
SO THE CALCULATIONS ARE BASED ON A GRAND TOTAL, AND THEN BASICALLY BASED ON WEALTH, THEY SPLIT THE COUNTY VERSUS STATE PORTION.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE NOT SHOWING IT ALL THERE BECAUSE IT WOULD JUST MAKE THE SLIDE TOO BUSY.
BUT THERE WOULD BE ANOTHER COLUMN THAT WOULD BE MANDATORY LOCAL FUNDING, BUT MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT, THE, THE SLIDE WE SHOWED BEFORE, THIS IS ACTUALLY A HIGHER AMOUNT THAN THIS, AND THAT'S TRUE FOR MOST JURISDICTIONS, BUT OVER TIME IN THE COMING DECADE, THE FORMULA MAY FLIP AT SOME POINT AND MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.
SO THE MINIMUM LOCAL FUNDING, UH, WILL BECOME MORE POTENTIALLY THAN THE CALCULATION THAT WE DO NOW FOR MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.
BUT THE IMPORTANT PART THERE IS USING THE FORMULA, THE YELLOW BAR IS WHAT STATE AID EQUALS THIS YEAR.
THAT'S HOW MUCH THE STATE WILL BE GIVING US TO BOTH TO OUR PUBLIC TO CORRECT TO OUR, LIKE THAT'S THE STATE SHARE THAT GOES TO BCBS? YES.
AND THAT WAS ALL GENERAL FUND MONEY ON THAT SLIDE? THIS IS ALL GENERAL FUND, YES.
MS. HEN, I MS HAND, DID YOU STILL HAVE A QUESTION? OH, I DID.
I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT AUDITS.
YOU HAD MENTIONED THE DLS AUDIT.
WERE YOU REFERRING TO THE OLA AUDIT? UH, YES.
I, I BELIEVE WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO START THIS FALL OR THIS PAST SPRING? UH, RIGHT NOW I BELIEVE IT'S SCHEDULED FOR APRIL.
IT HAD BEEN DELAYED FROM THE FALL DUE TO THE, UM, START OF THE ORACLE PROJECT.
SO IT IS SCHEDULED TO START SPRING OF 26 THEN, CORRECT? YES.
DO WE, UM, KNOW THE SCOPE FOR THAT AS OF NOW? HAS THAT BEEN PROVIDED BY DLS? I DON'T BELIEVE WE RECEIVED ANY OF THAT.
UM, SO NOT, NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF.
SO I, I WAS CURIOUS AS TO WHETHER THE SCOPE WOULD REMAIN THE SAME OR WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ERP, IF THEY WERE CHANGING THAT GIVEN, UM, THE ERP.
SO HAD THEY PROVIDED US THE SCOPE PRIOR TO US REQUESTING THE EXTENSION, DO YOU KNOW, SINCE THAT AUDIT WAS IN, UH, I WOULD NEED TO CHECK ON THAT FOR SURE.
I DON'T KNOW FOR SURE WHETHER THEY HAVE, NOT THAT I KNOW OF, BUT I WOULD HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT.
AND, AND A FOLLOW UP TO THAT QUESTION, UM, GIVEN THE, THE IMPACT OR THE, UM, SIGNIFICANCE OF US IMPLEMENTING THE ERP, DO YOU KNOW IF THEY ROUTINELY CONDUCT AUDITS WHEN AN LEA WOULD HAVE, UM, SUCH A MAJOR TRANSITION OF FINANCIAL SYSTEMS? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S CONSIDERED ROUTINE OR THAT THEY WOULD CONSIDER WHEN DEFINING THE SCOPE? UM, I THINK THERE'S, THEIR, UH, TIMETABLE IS BASED ON YEARS AND WHEN WE ARE DUE FOR THE AUDIT.
SO THEY'RE NOT CONSIDERING, UH, WHETHER WE'RE DOING AN IMPLEMENTATION.
I THINK IN THIS CASE WE REQUESTED THE DELAY SO THAT WE WOULD BE FURTHER INTO THE IMPLEMENTATION, UH, AND WE'D HAVE SURE, A LITTLE MORE FREE TIME FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, TO, IT WOULD BE LESS STRESSFUL, I GUESS, TO PROVIDE ALL THE INFORMATION THE AUDITORS NEED.
WE ALSO ARE AWARE THAT THAT SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT THEY WILL WANT AND SOME OF WHAT THEIR AUDIT WILL DO, WILL CHANGE AS WE TRANSITION, UM, INTO THE, THE NEW ERP.
SO WHEN WE COMMUNICATED THAT WITH THE STATE, UH, THEY
[01:10:01]
AGREED THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR US TO LOOK AT THE NEW PROCESSES SINCE IF THEY WERE COMMENTING OR PROVIDING FEEDBACK ON THE OLD PROCESSES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN, UM, THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD BE MORE BENEFICIAL, UM, IN GROWING BOTH PARTIES.UM, IS, IS THAT SOMETHING WE COULD REQUEST IN, IN OTHER WORDS, VOLUNTARILY, THAT AT THE CONCLUSION OF ALL OF THE PHASES OF THE ERP IMPLEMENTATION, CAN WE ASK THEM TO RETURN AND LOOK AT OUR PROCESSES SINCE SO MANY ARE CHANGING FOR THE, FOR THE BETTER, BUT TO, TO LOOK AT THAT IN ANY PARTICULAR AREAS WE WOULD LIKE GUIDANCE ON AS A SPECIAL AUDIT? THAT'S OFF SCHEDULE.
SO WE, WE HAVE THE FIVE YEAR CYCLE AS, AS MR. TANIFF MENTIONED, THAT'S A ROUTINE PROCESS, RIGHT? BUT FOR SOMETHING THAT'S SO SIGNIFICANT AND SO TRANSFORMATIONAL TO AN LEA, UM, ESPECIALLY ONE THE SIZE OF OURS, UM, CAN WE ASK THE STATE TO COME IN AND SAY, OKAY, WE JUST COMPLETED THIS HUGE IMPLEMENTATION, IT TOUCHES EVERYTHING UNDER OPERATIONS.
UM, IF THEY DON'T ASK, YOU KNOW, TO DO THAT, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN REQUEST, MS. HAN? WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO EXPLORE ANY REQUEST.
UH, WE'D LIKE TO, I, I DON'T THINK THE GENTLEMAN AT THE TABLE HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE, BUT CERTAINLY, UH, WE WILL WORK WITH DR. ROGERS AND PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO THE BOARD.
I, I THINK THAT WOULD BE, UH, BENEFICIAL.
AND I KNOW THAT THE OLA DOES CONDUCT SPECIAL, UM, AUDITS FROM, FROM TIME TO TIME UNDER, UM, SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT I FEEL WOULD BE WORTHWHILE EXPLORING.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, I KIND OF, I GUESS BASED ON WHAT MS. HEN WAS SAYING, UNDERSTANDING YOU GUYS MAY NOT HAVE THE ANSWERS TO THIS QUESTION.
UM, BUT MY QUESTION ACTUALLY GOES BACK THEN TO THE, UM, EXTERNAL AUDITS.
AND WE SPOKE ABOUT ANNUALLY THAT OUR BOOKS ARE AUDITED.
IS THAT DONE REGARDLESS OF WHAT OUR IMPLEMENTATION SYSTEM IS? UH, YES.
WE HAVE, UH, EXTERNAL AUDITORS THAT WE PAY TO DO OUR CERTIFI, OUR CERTIFIED ANNUAL AUDIT, THEY'LL COME AND PRESENT THAT TO AUDIT COMMITTEE AND THE BOARD, THE RESULTS OF THAT.
UM, IT'S DISTRIBUTED IN A BOOK CALLED THE
IT USED TO BE CALLED THE CR, UH, BUT THAT'S OUR ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT.
AND THEN THEY ALSO ALWAYS DO A SINGLE AUDIT, WHICH THEY PICK DIFFERENT GRANTS TO DO A DEEP DIVE ON EACH YEAR.
SO THAT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR, THOSE TWO AUDITS BY OUR EXTERNAL AUDITORS, CLIFTON LARSON, NO MATTER WHAT.
SO, UM, FOR NEXT YEAR, FOR THE NEXT TIME THAT THAT AUDIT NEEDS TO BE DONE, IT'S NOT GONNA MATTER WHETHER OR NOT WE'RE UNDER STILL, WHETHER THERE'S BEEN FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF ERP OR NOT, WE'RE STILL GONNA STILL GET THAT CONSISTENT FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT WITH THAT ONE.
BECAUSE REGARDLESS OF WHEN YOU GO LIVE WITH THE SYSTEM ONE, EITHER OUR OLD SYSTEM OR THE NEW SYSTEM FOR THAT YEAR IS THE SYSTEM OF RECORD THAT THE AUDIT IS DONE ON.
MS. DOKI HAD ONE QUICK FOLLOW UP.
YOU SAID WE HIRE THE EXTERNAL AUDIT AUDITOR EACH EACH TIME WE HAVE AN EXTERNAL AUDIT.
UH, WE USE THE SAME, UH, GROUP EACH YEAR.
I'D IMAGINE OCCASIONALLY WE PUT IT OUT FOR BID, BUT CLIFTON LARSON'S BEEN DOING, THEY'RE A MAJOR LOCAL REGIONAL AUDITOR, AND THEY'VE BEEN DOING AUDITS FOR YEARS.
SO ESSENTIALLY WE, WE PAY FOR THEM TO AUDIT US.
HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK IT COST US FOR EACH TIME IN THE AUDIT? UM, I BELIEVE WE SPEND A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND A YEAR.
I'D HAVE TO GET THE EXACT AMOUNT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.
[J. REPORT - ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT (Dr. Jones and Mr. Connelly) (8:10 - 8:30 p.m.)]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE REPORT ON THE MARYLAND INTEGRATED SCIENCE ASSESSMENT MISA.AND FOR THAT, I CALL HIM DR. JONES.
AND MR. CONNOLLY, GOOD EVENING.
BOARD CHAIR, LICHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY AND, UM, MS. CHARLIE GREEN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
WE ARE HERE TO SHARE INFORMATION REGARDING WHAT WE CONSIDER TO BE THE MISA AND THE RESULTS OF THE SAME.
I'M HERE WITH ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES, MR. KEVIN CONLEY, AND HE'S GONNA GET US STARTED.
UH, THIS EVENING WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT OUR MISA FIVE, WE'RE MISA EIGHT AND OUR LS MISA ASSESSMENTS.
UM, IT'S ALL PART OF THE MARYLAND INTEGRATED SCIENCE ASSESSMENT, WHICH IS WHAT MISA STANDS FOR, AND IT'S GIVEN IN FIFTH GRADE, EIGHTH GRADE, AND IN HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE PROFICIENCY IS ONE MEASURE
[01:15:01]
OF THE ACADEMIC PROGRESS INDICATOR FOR THE MARYLAND SCHOOL REPORT CARD.UM, MSD PUBLICLY RELEASED THE MEA RESULTS ON AUGUST 26TH, 2025 FOR THE MEA FIVE, MESA EIGHT AND LS MISA.
THE PERCENT PROFICIENCY, UH, IS USED TO DETERMINE POINTS EARNED FOR A PORTION OF THE ACADEMIC PROGRESS INDICATOR ON THE MARYLAND SCHOOL REPORT CARD.
FOR GRADE FIVE, THAT INCLUDES FIVE POINTS.
FOR GRADE EIGHT, IT'S 3.5 POINTS, AND FOR HIGH SCHOOL, IT'S FIVE POINTS.
PLEASE NOTE THAT FOR MESA FIVE, THE UH, ASSESSMENT ACTUALLY INCLUDES SCIENCE CONTENT FOR GRADES THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE.
FOR MISA EIGHT, IT INCLUDES SCIENCE CONTENT FOR GRADE SIX, SEVEN, AND EIGHT.
AND FOR LS, MISA, IT INCLUDES THE LIFE SCIENCE STANDARDS, WHICH ARE BIOLOGY, AND PASSING THE COURSE IS ALSO A GRADUATION REQUIREMENT.
LOOKING AT THE RESULTS FOR OUR STUDENTS, WE'RE PROUD TO SHOW CONSISTENT GROWTH, STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
THAT IN MANY WAYS HAS BEEN UNPRECEDENTED OVER THE LAST DECADE IN BCPS.
UH, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR MESA FIVE SCORES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE A 2.3% INCREASE FOR OUR STUDENTS.
YOU CAN SEE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT.
THIRD, OUR FOURTH COLUMN IS THE MARYLAND PERCENT PROFICIENT.
UM, FOR MISA EIGHT, WE'RE DEMONSTRATING A 5.1% INCREASE OVER TWO YEARS.
AND FOR LS MISA, WE'RE DEMONSTRATING A 6.4% INCREASE IN STUDENT PROFICIENCY.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, HOW WE'RE DOING ACROSS OUR STUDENT GROUPS.
THIS IS THE MISA FIVE RESULTS BASED ON, UM, ALL STUDENTS AS WELL AS RACE, ETHNICITY, STUDENT GROUPS, AND STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE SPECIAL SERVICES.
A PARTICULAR NOTE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ALL STUDENT GROWTH OF 2.3% PROFICIENCY FROM LAST YEAR TO, FROM TWO YEARS AGO TO LAST YEAR, I'D LIKE TO CALL OUT THE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENT GROUP, WHICH HAD A 4.5% INCREASE IN PROFICIENCY, ALMOST DOUBLE WHAT ALL STUDENTS HAD DONE.
CLOSING GAPS IS A CRITICAL PART OF SUSTAINABLE GROWTH AND ACHIEVEMENT FOR THE MESA EIGHT ASSESSMENT.
WE CAN LOOK AT ALL STUDENTS' PROFICIENCY AS WELL AS BY RACE, ETHNICITY, STUDENT GROUPS, AND RELATED SPECIAL SERVICE STUDENT GROUPS.
ONCE AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE FOR THE ALL GROUP THAT GRADE EIGHT HAD A CHANGE RATE OF 5.1% INCREASE IN PROFICIENCY.
AND I'D LIKE TO CALL OUT AGAIN, OUR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENT GROUP.
STUDENTS WHO ARE RECEIVING THOSE SERVICES HAD A 6.9% INCREASE IN THEIR MESA EIGHT PROFICIENCY FOR LS MESA, AGAIN, THAT'S A HIGH SCHOOL ASSESSMENT.
WE CAN SEE THAT THE ALL STUDENT GROUP HAD A 6.4% INCREASE IN STUDENT PROFICIENCY, AND I'D LIKE TO CALL OUT TWO, UM, STUDENT GROUPS THAT RECEIVED SPECIAL SERVICES.
OUR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENT GROUP HAD A 10.9% INCREASE IN PROFICIENCY RATE, AND OUR MULTILINGUAL LEARNER STUDENT GROUP HAD A 6.2% INCREASE IN PROFICIENCY RATE.
ADDITIONALLY, YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT SCHOOL LEVEL RESULTS, UM, BROKEN DOWN AND DISAGGREGATED BY DI BY STUDENT GROUPS, SUCH AS WE'VE DISPLAYED TODAY AT THE MARYLAND SCHOOL REPORT CARD FOR ALL STATE, FOR ALL SCHOOLS ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE OF MARYLAND.
AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO DR.
QUEL JONES, WHO WILL SHARE WITH US SOME SCIENCE CONTENT UPDATES.
WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT OUR, UM, OUR GROWTH AND ALL PROGRESS AS IT RELATES TO, UM, MISA AND JUST INSTRUCTION AND TEACHING AND LEARNING OVERALL WITH, UM, SCIENCE IN GRADE FIVE, AND THEN OF COURSE, UM, SCIENCE IN OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
AND WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY LAST YEAR, UM, AND INTENTIONALLY WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH CNI AND STAFF AND CNI TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DID NOT EXPERIENCE THE SAME RESULTS AS WE PREVIOUSLY, AS WE PREVIOUSLY HAD.
SO ON THE SCREEN, IT TALKS ABOUT THE CONTENT UPDATES, AND WE JUST REALLY HAD A RENEWED FOCUS ON TEACHING AND LEARNING AS IT RELATES TO ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY INSTRUCTION.
UM, THE GOALS OF THE SCIENCE OFFICE WERE TO BUILD TEACHER CAPACITY TO EFFECTIVELY INTEGRATE THE THREE DIMENSIONS OF SCIENCE INTO INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY.
AND THEN THE SECOND ONE WAS TO FOCUS ON CLOSING PROFICIENCY LEVEL GAPS, WHICH MR. CONNOLLY DISCUSSED BETWEEN STUDENT GROUPS, SPECIFICALLY FOR STUDENTS RECEIVING SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES, MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, AND, UM, STUDENTS WHO FALL INTO THAT ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED CATEGORY.
[01:20:01]
WERE TO REALLY THINK ABOUT, UM, THE WORK THAT WE DID IN COMPARISON TO THE STATE AND WHAT, UM, I DID ALONG WITH MY TEAM AND THE DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOLS, WHICH I'M REALLY PROUD OF AND EXCITED TO WORK WITH.WE LOOKED AT THE DATA AND THE DATA.
THE MESA FIVE DATA FOR 2324, UM, HIGHLIGHTED THAT WEST TOON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAS NUMBER ONE IN THE STATE AS IT RELATED TO SCIENCE PROFICIENCY FOR MESA, WHICH WAS 79.7%.
AND TIMONIUM WAS NUMBER FOUR IN THE STATE, UM, WITH A PROFICIENCY RATE IN 23, 24 OF 72%.
AND WHAT WE DID WAS GO ON KIND OF LIKE A LEARNING TOUR, IF YOU WILL.
WE VISITED THOSE SCHOOLS AS A TEAM, AND WE SAT AND WITH THE PRINCIPAL, UM, THE PRINCIPAL OF COURSE, OF WEST TOWSON, JASON BARNETT, AND THEN LAURA BROWN OF TIMONIUM.
THEY OPENED UP THEIR SCHOOLS TO US AND REALLY ALLOWED US TO SIT IN THE SEAT OF THE LEARNER.
AND SO WE VISITED CLASSROOMS, WE TALKED TO TEACHERS.
UM, WE STARTED REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW CAN WE IMPROVE, UM, SCORES JUST ACROSS THE BOARD, AND HOW CAN WE REALLY PROVIDE SCIENCE INSTRUCTION, WHICH WE KNOW IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS.
WE ALSO, WE ALSO WENT TO WESTCHESTER, WILL PHIL BYERS AS THE PRINCIPAL.
UM, AND THE, THE TEACHER THAT WE VISITED THERE HAD THE THIRD HIGHEST PERFORMING SCORES IN BCPS WITH 76%, AND THEN THE NINTH, UM, HIGHEST PERFORMING, UM, SCORES THERE AS WELL.
AND THE TEACHERS WERE VERY OPEN TO TALKING WITH US.
WE MET WITH THE INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAMS. AND WHAT WE FOUND IN TALKING WITH PRINCIPALS AND WORKING WITH CNI STAFF IS THAT UNFORTUNATELY IN SOME AREAS, SCIENCE WAS NOT BEING TAUGHT.
IT WAS NOT BEING TAUGHT TO SOME OF OUR, UM, MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
IF YOU NOTICE SOME OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO NAME, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDED MORE TO THE GROUP.
AND SO IN MEETING WITH THE, THE EDS AND THE SCIENCE, UM, OFFICE, WE CAME UP WITH A DOCUMENT, A ONE PAGER CALLED SCIENCE AND BCPS, ELEMENTARY EXPECTATIONS.
AND WE JUST TALKED ABOUT HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD BE ALLOTTED, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, PRE-K THROUGH FIVE, AND THEN OF COURSE, OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
AND AS A RESULT, AS MR. CONLEY SAID, WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE SOME GAINS.
SO BASED ON THE SCORES THAT HE JUST SHARED, UM, RIDERWOOD BECA WAS NUMBER TWO IN THE STATE WITH 83.3% PINEWOOD NUMBER 3 78 0.2%.
WEST TOWSON, AGAIN RANKED NUMBER EIGHT, UM, AND, AND MADE THE TOP 10 WITH 72.6%.
AND TIMONIUM, UM, CAME IN, UM, 10TH IN THE STATE AT 69.7%.
SO WE, WE JUST ARE DETERMINED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR STUDENTS GET EVERYTHING THAT THEY, UM, THAT THEY NEED.
AND AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL, WE ARE VERY PROUD OF SPARROWS POINT MIDDLE SCHOOL.
UM, THEY GREW FROM 17.1% TO 30.7%, AND THEN PARKVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL 18 TO 31.5%.
SO AGAIN, OUR DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOLS EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, MYSELF AS THE CHIEF OF SCHOOLS, WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE DELIVERING HIGH QUALITY SUPPORT TO SCHOOLS, BUT WE KNOW THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE PLACES FOR US TO LEARN.
AND WE ENGAGED IN THAT PLAN, DO STUDY, ACT CYCLE, WHICH GAVE US THE, UM, RESULTS THAT WE'RE SEEING NOW, AND WE ARE GOING BACK OUT AGAIN, UM, THIS YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO MAKE SURE THAT EQUITABLE SERVICES AND INSTRUCTION IS PROVIDED TO NOT ONLY JUST, UM, OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE IN SOME OF OUR, UM, POCKETS OF SCHOOLS, BUT SCHOOLS AND THANK YOU.
I'LL ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, I KNOW THAT WHEN I VISITED SCHOOLS LAST YEAR, PRINCIPALS WERE EAGER TO DESCRIBE THE, UM, SHIFTS OR THE EFFORTS THEY WERE MAKING IN SCIENCE.
SO OBVIOUSLY THE WORK THAT YOUR TEAM HAS DONE WITH THE PRINCIPALS HAS REALLY PAID OFF.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR'S.
BUT, UM, OTHER QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS.
MS. HUMPHREY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
ALSO, THANK YOU FOR EXPLAINING HOW YOU WENT INTO OUR TOP PERFORMING SCHOOL, FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN USE THAT IN IN OTHER SCHOOLS.
I JUST, I WAS A LITTLE DISTURBED BY
HOW, LIKE, HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? HOW DO WE NOT HAVE SCIENCE BEING TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS? WELL, THIS IS WHAT I, I THINK HAPPENS.
I DO THINK, UM, THERE ARE COMPETING DEMANDS AND THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO KIND OF CAPTURE WITHIN THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAY THAT IN SOME OF OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAMS, UM, ELA MAY HAVE BEEN PRIORITIZED IN SOME SCHOOLS OVER SCIENCE.
IT JUST REALLY, UM, TOOK A BACK SEAT, IF YOU WILL.
UM, AND SO WE JUST HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT IT COME, IT IS CONTINUING TO RISE TO THE FOREFRONT.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT WAS DONE INTENTIONALLY, BUT WE BEGAN TO ASK QUESTIONS AROUND THE INSTRUCTIONAL MINUTES THAT WERE ALLOTTED.
AND WE NOTICED THAT IN SOME CASES, UM, IT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT FOR OUR LEARNERS, BUT OUR PRINCIPALS WERE VERY VULNERABLE, VERY OPEN TO OUR CONVERSATIONS, AND JUST SHARED SOME OF THE CHALLENGES, AND THEN WE PROVIDED SOME OF THE SUPPORTS.
I KNOW THAT ONE PRINCIPAL SAID TO ME, HONESTLY, THAT THEY, UM, MOVED SCIENCE AT FIRST THING IN THE MORNING BECAUSE IT WAS GETTING SHORTCHANGED AT THE END OF THE DAY BECAUSE TEACHERS NEEDED MORE
[01:25:01]
TIME FOR READING OR MATH, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY REALIZED THEY HAD NO TIME.SO SOME OF 'EM REALLY MADE THAT CONCERTED EFFORT TO PUT IT FIRST SO THAT IT WAS NOT GETTING SHORTCHANGE.
AND THAT WAS ONE OF OUR STRATEGIES TO REALLY LOOK AT THE MASTER SCHEDULE AND COME UP WITH WAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, EACH SUBJECT RECEIVED ITS, UM, PROPER AMOUNT OF ALLOT ALLOTTED HOURS AND ALLOTTED MINUTES.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MS. LESKI? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK.
UM, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT, UM, I GUESS IT'S LIKE THE FOCUS ON INVESTIGATION.
SO WITH THE SCHOOLS THAT YOU MENTIONED, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE EXCELLING AT A HIGH RATE AND THERE'S A LOT OF PHYSICAL MATERIALS THAT YOU NEED FOR SCIENCE.
SO WITH LIKE RESOURCE ALLOCATION, IS IT LIKE FAIR TO SAY THAT ALL OF THE SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY HAVE ACCESS TO THE SCIENTIFIC MATERIALS THAT THEY NEED AND IT'S JUST A MATTER OF CHANGING THE APPROACH? OR IS THE RESOURCE ALLOCATION STILL DIFFERENT, UM, BETWEEN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS? IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE STUDIED, BECAUSE THAT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE WANTED TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, TEST.
ALL SCHOOLS DO HAVE ACCESS TO THE CURRICULUM MATERIALS THAT CNI OFFERS.
I THINK IT'S ABOUT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WAS ON THE SCREEN.
HOW ARE WE USING THOSE MATERIALS? HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT TEACHERS ARE EQUIPPED TO, UM, FOLLOW THE CURRICULUM IN A WAY THAT THE MATERIALS ENHANCE EVERY, EVERY LESSON? UM, AND SO, YES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, YOU KNOW, VERY SUCCINCTLY, YES, ALL SCHOOLS HAVE ACCESS TO THE MATERIALS.
IT'S JUST MAKING SURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS HOW TO UTILIZE THEM AND CAPITALIZE THEM ON A, IN A WAY THAT ALL STUDENTS CAN BENEFIT FROM THE TEACHING AND LEARNING EXPERIENCE IN SCIENCE.
ANYONE ELSE? MS. FONG? THANK YOU.
SO MR. CONLEY, WHEN YOU WERE ON, OR WHEN THE PRESENTATION WAS ON SLIDE FOUR, YOU SPOKE ABOUT THE RESULTS BEING STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT.
SO CAN YOU SPEAK TO LIKE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? HOW DO WE DETERMINE THAT SOMETHING IS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT VERSUS NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT? THAT, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, AND IT REALLY DOES CHANGE BASED ON THE TYPE OF ASSESSMENT THAT YOU'RE GIVING.
SO STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE FOR NORM REFERENCE TESTS, YOU ARE MUCH EASIER TO PREDICT BECAUSE THEY'RE ALSO STUDIED TO GIVE THE STANDARD DEVIATION OF ERROR.
SO YOU CAN SAY, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT THE ERROR RATE WOULD BE, AND THIS IS WHAT OUR PERFORMANCE WAS AND OUR GROWTH.
SO YOU CAN COMPARE THE TWO AND SAY, THAT'S STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE FOR A CRITERION REFERENCE ASSESSMENT SUCH AS THEIR MCAP ASSESSMENTS, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY'RE BASED ON STANDARDS RATHER THAN COMPARISONS OF NORMS. AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPROVEMENT IN GROWTH, WE LOOK AT OUR OWN PERFORMANCE OVER TIME, BUT WE ALSO LOOK AT OUR PERFORMANCE IN COMPARISON TO THE STATE.
AND THEN WE ALSO LOOK AT STUDENT GROUP PERFORMANCES OVER TIME.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, AND THANKS TO DR. JONES AND HER TEAM FOR REALLY SHOWING US WHAT WAS HAPPENING BEHIND THE SCENES, WAS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO INVEST EXTENSIVE TIME AND EFFORT IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SCIENCE INSTRUCTION FOR SCHOOLS THAT MAY NOT HAVE HAD THAT SAME LEVEL OF RIGOROUS SCIENCE INSTRUCTION IN THE PAST.
AND THE GREATEST IMPACT THAT IT HAD WAS THAT OUR STUDENTS WHO ARE ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED.
AND THEN THE OTHER PIECE, UM, YOU STARTED TALKING ABOUT THE CLOSING GAPS.
AND SO WHEN I LOOK AT SLIDES FIVE AND SLIDE SIX IN PARTICULAR, I WAS ABLE TO KIND OF DO SOME NUMBERS AND SOME MATH ON THAT.
I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO DO IT FOR, UM, THE HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT FOR EXAMPLE, UM, FOR SLIDE FIVE, WE HAVE OUR STUDENT GROUPS.
AND REAL QUICK, WE HAVE TWO STUDENT GROUPS, UM, THAT ARE MISSING.
AND THAT'S OUR AMERICAN INDIAN AND OUR, UM, HAWAIIAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS THAT WE DIDN'T PUT IN THERE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THAT REAL QUICK BEFORE I ASKED MY QUESTIONS.
IT IS A VERY SMALL STUDENT GROUP WITH, UM, RAPID CHANGES IN POPULATIONS FROM ONE EAR TO THE NEXT.
SO IT'S NOT GOOD PRACTICE TO COMPARE VERY SMALL STUDENT GROUPS TO EACH OTHER BECAUSE IT CAN HAVE SUCH A, A, A WIDE FLUX IN PERFORMANCE FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT.
BUT WE DO LOOK AT ALL STUDENTS IN EVERY SCHOOL WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INSTRUCTION ASSESSMENT AND TEACHING AND LEARNING.
BECAUSE WE DID SEE IT IN FOR MC CAP, WE WERE ABLE TO SEE ALL OF THOSE STUDENT GROUPS.
SO WE JUST, I GUESS IS IT DEPENDING ON, IT'S A LARGER FOR ELA AND FOR, IT'S A LARGER SAMPLE SIZE WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT ELA AND MATH VERSUS SCIENCE BECAUSE IT'S ONLY TESTED IN THREE GRADE LEVELS.
UM, AND DID WE HAVE, THIS MAY BE MORE FOR DR. JONES BEFORE I COME BACK TO YOU, MR. CONNOLLY, DID WE HAVE TARGETS FOR, UM, THESE GROUPS? 'CAUSE I SEE WHERE IT SAYS ALL OF THEM INCREASED IN PROFICIENCY, BUT DID WE ACTUALLY HAVE TARGETS OR GOALS THAT WE WERE TRYING TO REACH? SO HONESTLY, NO.
WE, FOR SCIENCE, AND I'M SPEAKING ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOLS, WE DID NOT HAVE, UM, WE DID NOT SET TARGETS FOR SCIENCE THIS YEAR.
THIS YEAR WE ARE LOOKING AT, UM, INDIVIDUALIZED, UM, SCHOOL GOALS AND WHAT ARE REALISTIC INCREASES.
[01:30:01]
UM, WORKING WITH THE, THE DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT, UM, AND THEN WORKING OF COURSE WITH OUR DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL PERFORMANCE.BUT AT THAT TIME, NO, WE ACTUALLY SET OUT TO BE KIND OF LEARNERS AND DO SOME ACTION RESEARCH JUST AROUND IMPROVING SCIENCE INSTRUCTION.
AND, UM, THESE ARE THE RESULTS THAT KIND OF CAME BACK AS A, YOU KNOW, I GUESS AS A RESULT OF ALL OF OUR WORK WITH SCHOOLS.
BUT WE DID NOT START OUT THINKING WE, WE WANTED TO IMPROVE BY THIS MUCH.
WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT TEACHING AND LEARNING WAS HAPPENING AT A HIGH QUALITY AND INCONSISTENT SPACES THROUGHOUT OUR, OUR COUNTY.
SO BACK TO, I THINK THIS WILL BE FOR MR. CONLEY.
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE GAPS AND WITH DR. JONES, FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN AS WELL.
UM, BUT WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT THE GAPS IN, I SEE WHERE, UM, WE ARE ABLE TO SEE THE PERCENT CHANGES ON SLIDES FIVE, SLIDE SIX, AND ALSO THE OTHER ONE.
BUT I'M GONNA SPEAK TO FOR SLIDES FIVE AND SIX, JUST BECAUSE I WAS RUNNING NUMBERS.
SO EVEN THOUGH WE SEE INCREASES IN SEVEN OUT OF THE EIGHT GROUPS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE ALL NUMBER AND, UM, THE GROUP, WE ACTUALLY SEE THAT THERE ARE SOME IN INCREASES IN A NEGATIVE WAY.
SO LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT I'M, WHAT I MEAN.
SO IF WE LOOK FOR EXAMPLE, AT SLIDE FIVE AND YOU SEE HISPANIC LATINO, THERE'S A 10.3 FOR THE 2324 PER PERCENT PROFICIENCY, AND WE INCREASED TO 11.2 FOR 24, 25.
BUT OVERALL WE INCREASED FROM 21.2 TO 23.5.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THAT GAP BETWEEN THE HISPANIC PROFICIENCY IN 2324, IT'S AT NEGATIVE 10.9.
BUT THEN WHEN YOU GO TO 24 25 SCHOOL YEAR, WITH THAT 0.9% INCREASE IN THEIR NUMBERS, THEIR DECREASE BETWEEN THE ALL AND THEIR GROUP IN PARTICULAR BECAME NEGATIVE 12.3.
SO THAT'S WHAT I MEAN WHEN I TALK ABOUT AN INCREASE.
AND THAT IS TRUE FOR OUR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION, UM, HISPANIC AND LATINOS.
SO CAN YOU JUST KINDA SPEAK, I GUESS, TO THOSE GAPS AND THEN DR. JONES, I GUESS IF THERE'S, IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THE WORK, UM, THAT WE'RE DOING AS WELL TO, AGAIN, THAT TARGETED HELP FOR SOME OF OUR, UM, MS. ONG MORE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.
SO, SO, UH, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE ONE YEAR CHANGE FOR ALL STUDENTS AS YOU POINTED OUT? AND THEN HOW IS ARE EACH STUDENT GROUP PERFORMING IN RELATIONSHIP TO THAT ONE YEAR CHANGE? WHICH HELPS US TO REALLY FINE TUNE THE WORK THAT WE DO IN SCHOOLS, IN THE CLASSROOMS AND, AND WITH OUR COMMUNITIES.
UM, THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF GROWTH THAT IS AT THAT LEVEL.
THEY'RE ALL MOVING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION, WHICH IS, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.
BUT BASICALLY WHAT YOU WANNA DO OVER TIME IS IF WE HAVE A GROWTH RATE HAPPENING AT THIS LEVEL FOR ALL STUDENTS, WE WANNA SEE A GROWTH RATE LEVEL THAT'S ACCELERATED FOR OUR STUDENT GROUPS.
SO EXAMPLES OF THAT FROM SLIDE FIVE WOULD INCLUDE ANY, ANYONE WHOSE PERFORMANCE IN THAT ONE YEAR CHANGE WAS ABOVE 2.3 ON SLIDE SIX, IT WOULD BE ANY STUDENT GROUPS WHOSE ONE YEAR CHANGE WAS ABOVE 5.1.
AND FOR LS MESA, SINCE WE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THAT, I'LL TAKE A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
THE ALL STUDENT GROWTH WAS 6.4% PROFICIENCY, BUT WE SAW CLOSING THE GAPS FOR OUR BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENTS.
WE SAW CLOSING THE GAPS FOR MULTIPLE RACES.
WE SAW CLOSING GAPS IN OUR WHITE POPULATION.
WE SAW CLOSING GAPS IN OUR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED POPULATION.
WE SAW ALMOST THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT OF INCREASED GROWTH FOR OUR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS.
YOU MIGHT HAVE TO PHONE A FRIEND, MS. PONG.
UM, ANY LAST QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, MS. POEY? CAN I JUST MAKE A FUN COMMENT
UM, I NOTICED YOUR PHOTO OF SAR LAB AND I JUST WANTED TO MENTION WHEN MY KIDS SAID STARLA, WE HAD, I PRACTICALLY HAD TO CRAWL MY HANDS AND KNEES TO GET INTO THAT EQUIPMENT.
ME TOO, AS THE PRINCIPAL AND LAST YEAR I VISITED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT I SO HAPPENED TO HAVE STARLA AT THAT TIME.
I WAS SO EXCITED AND IT'S SO MUCH EASIER TO WALK INTO NOW
AND I'M ALSO VERY GRATEFUL THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THOSE OPPORTUNITIES.
LEARNING IS A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY THROUGH A SCIENCE CURRICULUM.
AND IT'S A LOT OF FUN WATCHING THE CHILDREN LEARN AND EXPLORE.
SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO CRAWL IN ANYMORE.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION AND THE, AND THE WORK OF YOUR TEAM.
[K. REPORT - ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY (Dr. Grim, Dr. Holocker, and Mr. Shannon) (8:30 - 8:50 p.m.)]
ON THE AGENDA IS THE REPORT ON ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY.[01:35:01]
GOOD EVENING AGAIN.CHAIR LICHTER, VICE CHAIR HARVEY.
MS. CHARLIE GREEN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE THIS EVENING WITH, UH, MR. FRANK SHANNON, MANAGER IN ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY, AND DR. KELLY HOCKER, OUR, UM, ANALYST IN ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY.
HOCKER, UH, ARE TRULY A SMALL BUT FORMIDABLE TEAM.
THEY COMPRISE OUR ENTIRE ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY TEAM WITHIN THE OFFICE OF FACILITY SUPPORT SERVICES.
AND THEY'RE GONNA SPEND A LOT OF TIME SHARING WITH YOU ALL THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT THEY DO.
UM, BUT WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU IS, IS REALLY ON THIS OPENING SLIDE THAT PROVIDES YOU SOME INSIGHTS INTO THE RESULTS OF THEIR WORK.
AND SO YOU CAN SEE JUST A SNAPSHOT OF, UM, WHAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM IN TERMS OF ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY.
AND JUST THIS WEEK TWO OF THE PENDING SILVER LEAD SCHOOLS, UM, WERE ANNOUNCED THAT WE, THAT WE DID ACHIEVE THAT, THAT STATUS THIS WEEK.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
AND THOSE WERE TWO OF OUR OPENING SCHOOLS, UH, LAST YEAR.
SO WITH THE BUDGET CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE, UH, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND PROMOTING AWARENESS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.
AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT DEMONSTRATING RESPONSIBILITY IN SMART ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY CHOICES.
AND WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MR. SHANNON.
UH, THANK YOU FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWCASE WHAT YOUR ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY TEAM DOES FOR THE STAKEHOLDERS OF BALTIMORE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UH, WITH RESPECT TO ENERGY, UH, WE MANAGE ALL THE UTILITIES.
THAT'S NATURAL GAS, ELECTRICITY, FUEL, OIL, DIESEL, PROPANE, SEWER, AND WATER.
THIS ENSURES THAT ALL OF OUR FACILITIES ARE READY TO GO EVERY DAY FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF MEMBERS.
UM, ONE TOPIC OF CONVERSATION THAT WE HAVE FREQUENTLY IS THE COST OF, OF RISING UTILITY RATES.
UH, WE AS A DISTRICT, WE HAVE, OR WE ARE, UM, WE RECEIVE PREFERRED PRICING ON ENERGY DUE TO A REGIONAL PURCHASING POWER.
AND WE INTELLIGENTLY HEAD, UH, FOR FUTURE COMMODITY COSTS.
WHAT THAT MEANS TO US IS WE DO NOT PAY STREET RATES THAT WE WOULD PAY AT OUR HOUSE.
UH, WE CONDUCT UTILITY ANALYTICS TO STRATEGICALLY FOCUS ON CUTTING ENERGY WASTE, WHICH ALLOWS US TO PRIORITIZE ATTENTION TO FACILITIES WHO WE USE MORE ENERGY WHEN WE COMPARE IT TO A SITE OF THE SAME SIZE.
THIS ALSO ENSURES THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE OPERATING IN AN ENERGY EFFICIENT WAY WHILE MAINTAINING THE COMFORTABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND OUR OFFICE ENVIRONMENTS.
UH, LAST YEAR, AS YOU KNOW, OUR REGION HAS EXPERIENCED A LARGE UTILITY RATE INCREASE, WHICH CAUSED US TO REALIZE $2.7 MILLION WORTH OF UNFORESEEN COST.
USING THESE ANALYTICS AND COLLABORATION WITH OTHER TEAMS, WE WERE ABLE TO STRATEGIZE AND IMPLEMENT A PLAN WHICH COMPLETELY MITIGATED THIS COST, UH, BY CUTTING OUR UTILITY CONSUMPTION.
SO THAT IS A HUGE SUCCESS FOR THIS GROUP.
WE MANAGED THREE ENERGY PERFORMANCE CONTRACTS, WHICH FINANCIALLY POSITIONED US TO PROVIDE MUCH NEEDED FACILITY UPGRADES WITH NO UPFRONT COSTS AND THE ENERGY SAVINGS THAT WE GENERATE THROUGH THE UPGRADES WOULD PAY.
ON THE TERM OF THE ENERGY PERFORMANCE CONTRACT, UH, WE MANAGE THE CONVERSION INSTALLATION OF MORE THAN 750,000 LED LIGHT BULBS.
AND SO WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES ON TOILETS, FALL SITS AND URINALS TO REDUCE OUR WATER WASTE.
WE PROVIDED BUILDING ENVELOPE AND, UH, INSULATION IMPROVEMENTS.
WE INSTALLED NEW HVAC SYSTEMS AND UPGRADED OUR BUILDING AUTOMATION CONTROLS TO FURTHER MAKE OUR FACILITIES MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT.
AS A RESULT OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS, WE HAVE A MEASURED UTILITY COST AVOIDANCE OF $7.3 MILLION LAST YEAR.
AND OUR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT IS JUST AS SIGNIFICANT.
WE WERE ABLE TO AVOID ABOUT TWO, UH, 25,000 METRIC TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE EQUIVALENT GREENHOUSE GASES.
AND FROM A TERM TO DATE, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO AVOID 280,000 METRIC TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE EQUIVALENT GREENHOUSE GAS.
TO PUT THAT INTO PERSPECTIVE, THAT WOULD BE LIKE YOU DRIVING FROM YOUR HOUSE TO THE MOON AND BACK 1,500 TIMES WHEN MEASURED AT THE EXHAUST OF YOUR CAR.
BCPS HAS TWO REGISTERED SOLAR SYSTEMS, WHICH ARE PRODUCING RENEWABLE POWER IN OUR PORTFOLIO, ONE AT ROSSVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE OTHER AT BERKSHIRE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
AND WE ARE ADDING A NEW SOLAR GENERATION PLAN AS PART OF
[01:40:01]
THE DEER PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AND THAT'S GONNA BE OUR FIRST NET ZERO EMISSION SCHOOL.WE MANAGE THE ENERGY GENERATION PORTFOLIO, WHICH ALLOWS BCPS TO GENERATE RENEWABLE ENERGY CREDITS TO MEET LEAD AND GREEN GLOBE STANDARDS OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP.
AND BCPS HAS PRODUCED SLIGHTLY MORE THAN ONE MEGAWATT OF ENERGY ON OUR PROPERTY.
IF YOU LOOK TO THE RIGHT ON YOUR SCREEN, YOU'LL SEE A PICTURE OF ROSSVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS A SOLAR CANOPY OVER AN OUTDOOR, UH, CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS, UH, A, A REALLY NEAT DESIGN.
AND AGAIN, WE CAN GENERATE POWER AND USE THAT AS A TEACHING LESSON TO OUR STUDENTS AS WELL.
AND NOW I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO DR. KELLY OCK TO SPEAK ABOUT OUR SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS.
UM, SO WITH SUSTAIN WITH REGARDS TO SUSTAINABILITY, WE REALLY ACT THROUGH BOARD POLICY 35 40 ENERGY CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY.
THROUGH THIS BOARD POLICY, WE TRY TO SUPPORT, EMPOWER, AND PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS, AS WELL AS THE PARTICIPATION IN THE MARYLAND GREEN SCHOOL PROGRAM.
GRIM MENTIONED IN THE FIRST SLIDE, UM, OUR THREE MAIN INITIATIVES THAT WE PROMOTE REALLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR OPERATIONAL SUCCESS IN OUR BUILDINGS, SPECIFICALLY WITH FOOD WASTE AWARENESS.
WE TRY TO PARTNER STRATEGICALLY WITH FOOD NUTRITION SERVICES.
THAT EFFORT IS THROUGH THE CAFETERIA SHARE TABLES AND REDUCE WASTE POSTERS INITIATIVE THAT YOU HEARD ABOUT IN A PREVIOUS BOARD MEETING, UM, AS WELL AS CONDUCTING FOOD WASTE AUDITS IN OUR SCHOOL TO REALLY QUANTIFY WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR CAFETERIAS AND UTILIZE THAT IN A STRATEGIC WAY.
WE ALSO HAVE THE FOOD WASTE COMPOST PROGRAM, WHICH STARTED AS A SMALL PILOT WITH THREE SCHOOLS IN 2019, AND HAS NOW GROWN TO INCLUDE 18 SCHOOLS THIS SCHOOL YEAR AND HAS 13 SCHOOLS ON THE WAITING LIST TO PARTICIPATE.
SO THIS IS A GROWING, UH, PROGRAM AND SINCE ITS INCEPTION, IT IS DIVERTED OVER 528,000 POUNDS OF FOOD.
AND AGAIN, WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH, WITH FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES, WE HAVE COMPOSTABLE SERVING TRAYS IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS AS WELL.
SO THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN OUR TRA TRASH GENERATION.
AND AS YOU SEE IN THE DATA TABLE ON THE LEFT, WE WERE ABLE TO SIGNIFICANTLY CUT THE AMOUNT OF TRASH BAGS GENERATED IN SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS BASED OFF THEIR DIVERSION EFFORTS.
SO THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE IMPACT ON OUR OPERATIONAL SUCCESS.
WITH REGARD TO ENERGY CONSERVATION AWARENESS, WE ESSENTIALLY PRO PROMOTE OUR ENERGY CONSERVATION GUIDELINES, AS FRANK MENTIONED BEFORE, AS WELL AS BEST PRACTICE STRATEGIES.
UM, THE PICTURE IN THE TOP LEFT IS FROM CATONSVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FROM, UH, PRE COVID TIME, UH, OH.
FOR DURING THE PANDEMIC, THEY HAD A LIGHTS OUT DAY, WHICH PROMOTES DAYLIGHTING TO REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT AND JUST OPENING UP THE BLINDS.
SO THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT WAY TO GET THE KIDS INVOLVED AND SEE THAT STRATEGY AS WELL.
WE ALSO PROMOTE RECYCLING AWARENESS, UM, AND WITH OUR SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING PROGRAM, IT IS THE SAME PROGRAM WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
SO WE HAVE A FANTASTIC STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GOVERNMENT ITSELF TO PROMOTE THIS RECYCLING AWARENESS.
AND SINCE THE PROGRAM HAS STARTED IN BCPS IN 2014, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DIVERT OVER 21 MILLION POUNDS OF RECYCLABLES FROM THE LANDFILL, WHICH AGAIN, HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON NOT ONLY OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, BUT THE OPERATIONAL SUCCESS OF OUR BUILDINGS.
UM, NONE OF THESE INITIATIVES COULD BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT OUR STRATEGIC AND ESSENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS.
UM, WITHIN OUR OWN DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE SEVERAL OFFICES THAT WE WORK WITH SPECIFICALLY, UM, THE FACILITIES OPERATIONS, OUR FACILITY SUPPORT SERVICES AS WELL.
THEY WORK WITH US WITH RECYCLING, FOOD WASTE AWARENESS, AND OUR ENERGY CONSERVATION EFFORTS AS WELL.
UM, LIKE I MENTIONED, FOOD NUTRITION SERVICES IS ESSENTIAL, BUT WITH, WE ARE ALSO EXPANDING OUR EFFORTS WITH PARTNERSHIP, WITH CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION TO TRY TO SHOW THAT THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE DOING IN THE FACILITIES ARE ALSO BEING TAUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM.
WITH REGARD TO THE FOOD WASTE AUDIT, WE PARTNERED WITH THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE TO CONDUCT FOOD WASTE AUDITS, AND THEY ACTUALLY LEARN THAT AND USE THOSE DATA IN THE CLASSROOM, WHICH IS A GREAT WAY TO CONNECT TO DAY-TO-DAY ACTIONS.
UM, I DO WANNA ALSO MENTION OUR COMMUN DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH HAS BEEN A FANTASTIC PARTNERSHIP AS WELL.
SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO RECYCLING AWARENESS.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, OVER THE LAST TWO SCHOOL YEARS, TRANSLATE OUR RECYCLING POSTERS FROM ENG NOT ONLY JUST HAVING ENGLISH, BUT WE NOW WE HAVE THEM IN SPANISH ARABIC, OR DO IN BURMESE, WHICH HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT WIN FOR OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND WITH OUR MULTI-LANGUAGE LEARNERS.
SO OUR INITIATIVES AND OUR BUSINESS GOALS DRIVE VARIOUS OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.
WE DEVELOP MANY BENEFICIAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, UH, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATION, AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABILITY DISPOSITIONS, BCPS TO ASSIST BALTIMORE COUNTY'S ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES AND GOALS AS WELL.
UH, WE HAVE STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS, RESPECTIVE
[01:45:01]
ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY TEAMS. UH, THESE PARTNERSHIPS STRENGTHEN OUR, UM, THESE PARTNERSHIPS, STRENGTHEN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THOSE PROFESSIONALS, ALLOWING US TO WORK TOGETHER REGIONALLY, WHICH MULTIPLIES OUR EFFORTS HERE IN BCPS.UM, OUR, OUR AL OUR OTHER INITIATIVES THAT WE ARE PUSHING WITH, OUR THREE MAIN INITIATIVES ARE MORE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF.
SPECIFICALLY, WE TRY TO INCREASE OUR INTERDEPARTMENTAL COLLABORATION.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, WITH FOOD NUTRITION SERVICES AND CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION, WE'RE ABLE TO PINPOINT AREAS IDENTIFIED WITHIN THE CURRICULUM TO I CONNECT WITH THESE PRACTICES.
THAT ALSO ALLOWS US TO PROVIDE AN ANNUAL GREEN SCHOOLS GUIDEBOOK.
THIS INCREASES OUR AWARENESS AND PROMOTION OF THE SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES IN A, IN, UM, ACCORDANCE WITH THE MARYLAND GREEN SCHOOL PROGRAM TO FURTHER ASSIST THOSE SCHOOLS THAT ARE LOOKING TO BECOME A MARYLAND GREEN SCHOOL OR RECERTIFY WITH THEIR AWARD.
WE ALSO CO-HOST THE ANNUAL GREEN SCHOOL SUMMIT WITH THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE PRE-K THROUGH 12.
AGAIN, A FANTASTIC AND, UM, ESSENTIAL PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR INITIATIVES.
UM, THIS IS A ANNUAL EVENT THAT PROVIDES MORE ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS FOR TEACHERS, AGAIN, ALIGNING WITH THE MARYLAND GREEN SCHOOL PROGRAM, BUT IT ALSO HAS NOW, UM, INCREASED ITS OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS BY ADDING AN EXHIBITOR HALL WITH OUR SUMMIT, WHICH IN THE LAST TWO YEARS HAS INCREASED, UM, BY TWOFOLD WITH ALL THE AMOUNT OF PARTNERS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PULL FROM PRIVATE AGENCIES, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO BRING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.
WE ARE ALSO INCREASING OUR ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE LOVE TO GET OUTTA THE OFFICE, UM, AND ENGAGE WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CLUBS AND WITH OUR STUDENTS.
WE DO LOTS OF PRESENTATIONS, UM, AND ASSEMBLIES FOR STUDENTS.
UM, AS YOU SEE WITH THE PICTURE IN THE TOP RIGHT OF FRANK, GIVING A BOILER ROOM TOUR TO SOME OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, UM, STUDENTS.
THIS IS A HIGHLIGHT OF OUR, OF OUR JOB.
WE LOVE TO GET OUT THERE AND SEE THE EXCITEMENT OF THE KIDS WHO NEVER GET TO GO IN THE BOILER ROOM.
UM, WE ALSO ACT ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN BCPS FEST EVERY YEAR.
AND IT'S A FANTASTIC WAY TO ENGAGE WITH OUR COMMUNITY.
AND LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE, UH, RECYCLING POSTERS THAT WERE TRANSLATED, THAT WAS A NOTABLE EFFORT THIS YEAR FROM AT LEAST ONE FAMILY OF EVERY LANGUAGE STOPPED AT OUR TABLE BECAUSE THEY RECOGNIZE THEIR LANGUAGE.
SO THAT WAS A GREAT WAY TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY.
OKAY, SO I'D LIKE TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO THE, UH, THE PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE.
THIS IS YOUR ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY TEAM, UH, AT WORK WITH OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF.
AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE COLLECTIVE BUY-IN.
HOLGER WILL, WILL GO AROUND THE SLIDES AND, AND EXPLAIN MORE.
SO STARTING IN THE TOP LEFT, THIS PICTURE IS FROM KENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL.
KENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL IS ONE OF THE FOUNDING PARTNERS OF THE PILOT FOOD WASTE COMPOST PROGRAM.
AND THIS IS THEIR ESTABLISHED WASTE STATION, WHICH HAS BECOME A MODEL FOR SEVERAL SCHOOLS.
UM, NOTABLY, THIS PILOT PROGRAM DID START AS A, UM, IDEA FROM A 10TH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES PROJECT THAT WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION, AND WE ESSENTIALLY FOUND A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK.
THIS IS A GREAT WAY TO SHOW THAT THIS IS NOT JUST A SCIENCE LESSON, THIS IS A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AS WELL AS A CIVICS LESSON.
UM, UNDERNEATH THAT GUNPOWDER ELEMENTARY, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF A NOMO ZONE THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN THE SCHOOL.
UM, AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE IN THE PICTURE, BUT ON THE VERY LEFT, THERE'S A SMALL WHITE BIRDHOUSE FOR NATIVE BIRDS.
SO IN ADDITION TO PROMOTING BIODIVERSITY AND, UH, CLEANER PR, GROUND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, THAT ENCOURAGES THE, UH, INTEGRATION OF NATIVE BIRDS AND MORE LEARNING FOR OUR STUDENTS.
UM, TOP RIGHT IS WESTCHESTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF A NATIVE BUTTERFLY GARDEN THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO ESTABLISH ON THEIR GROUNDS.
UM, THEY ALSO ESTABLISH AN EDUCATIONAL SIGN ON THE GARDEN ITSELF TO FURTHER PROMOTE COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR STUDENTS.
AND AGAIN, THESE WOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THESE PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE OFFICE OF FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION THROUGH THE SPECIAL PROJECTS REQUEST PROGRAM.
UM, BOTTOM RIGHT IS AN EXAMPLE AGAIN, OF OUR COMPOST PROGRAM AT LUTHERVILLE LABORATORY.
UM, THAT IS A STUDENT WHO I BELIEVE, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THIS WAS DURING ONE OF MY FOOD AUTHORS, I BELIEVE THAT'S A FIRST GRADER AND AUTONOMOUSLY WAS ABLE TO GO THROUGH THIS WASTE SEPARATION STATION AND WENT THROUGH TRASH, LIQUID RECYCLING TRAYS, COMPOST ALL BY HIMSELF.
SO THIS IS A REALLY GREAT WAY TO SEE THAT OUR KIDS CAN BE EMPOWERED TO DO THIS THEMSELVES AND LEARN, SEE THE OPERATIONAL SUCCESS FROM THAT.
UM, THE BOTTOM PICTURE IS FROM RIDERWOOD ELEMENTARY.
THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL MURAL THAT WAS ESTABLISHED BY OUR ART TEACHER IN 2014.
AND I CANNOT TAKE ANY CREDIT FOR THIS 'CAUSE I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REDO THIS, BUT THIS IS A MURAL COMPLETELY MADE OUT OF BOTTLE CAPS THAT THEY RECYCLED COLLECTIVELY AS A SCHOOL AND RECREATED STARRY NIGHT.
[01:50:01]
OF CROSS COLLABORATION WITH CURRICULUM WHERE AN ART TEACHER WAS ABLE TO TAKE THAT INITIATIVE AND INTEGRATE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS.FINALLY, THE TOP PICTURE IN THE MIDDLE OF MAY, CHAPEL ELEMENTARY.
AGAIN, THIS WAS A TEACHER AND, UH, CUSTODIAL LED INITIATIVE TO REDUCE THE TRASH AT THEIR SCHOOL.
ESSENTIALLY, THEY ESTABLISH ONE DAY A WEEK ON FRIDAYS AS TRASH FREE FRIDAY.
AND FOR SEVEN WEEKS, ALL THEY DID WAS TALLY THE NUMBER OF TRASH BAGS THAT THEY GENERATED IN THE CAFETERIA.
THROUGH THEIR ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH EFFORTS OVER SEVEN WEEKS, THEY WERE ABLE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF TRASH BAGS FROM 16 BAGS TO 11 BAGS IN ONE DAY.
AND THAT IS JUST ONE DAY IN ONE SCHOOL, WHICH CAN DEMONSTRATE THE ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT AND THE SUCCESS FROM THIS, UM, THESE ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS.
SO THIS IS MUCH MORE THAN JUST DOLLARS AND CENTS.
UH, WE CAN ALL SAVE MORE ENERGY AND SAVE THAT, THAT DOLLAR, BUT IT'S ABOUT TEACHING OTHERS, EMPOWERING OUR YOUTH, UM, ENCOURAGING THEM TO REDUCE ENERGY WASTE, TO RECYCLE MORE, TO COMPOST, AND TO DO THE RIGHT THING BY BECOMING STEWARDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND THROUGH ALL OF THEIR COMBINED EFFORTS, UM, WE CAN MAKE EVEN MORE REMARKABLE PROGRESS FOR OUR STUDENTS, OUR STAFF, AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS OF BALTIMORE COUNTY.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S THE FIRST FOR PRESENTATION
UM, QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION SO FAR.
UM, YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH WATERSHED, RIGHT? OKAY.
NOW, IS THAT CONSIDERED A GREEN SCHOOL? THEY ARE A MAYO GREEN SCHOOL AS WELL AS EARNING A US GREEN RIBBON AWARD.
SO THEY HAVE SIGNIFICANT AWARDS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS, BUT THEY ALSO ARE FOCUSED ON ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY AND SUSTAINABILITY IN THEIR CURRICULUM.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MS. DOKI HAVE ONE, I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS, UM, COVER OR TAKE CARE OF.
THEY AIR, AIR QUALITY IN OUR SCHOOLS.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU GUYS WOULD OVERSEE OR LOOK INTO? UH, THE, THIS TEAM IS CONTRIBUTORY TO AIR QUALITY.
IS IT? YOU ARE CONTRIBUTORY TO AIR QUALITY.
SO DO WE HAVE A METHOD OF TESTING AIR QUALITY ON A REGULAR BASIS IN OUR SCHOOLS? LIKE WHAT DO WE DO? WHAT'S OUR PROCESS? SO, SO WE, IF IF, IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC CONCERN THAT WE HAVE ABOUT REGARDING AIR QUALITY, UM, WE WORK THROUGH NOT ONLY, UH, THIS GROUP, BUT ALSO FACILITY SUPPORT SERVICES TO DETERMINE IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF AN ISSUE.
UM, SOMETIMES IT, IT, IT DEPENDS ON, UM, THE, THE TYPE OF HVAC EQUIPMENT THAT'S, THAT'S IN THE, THE FACILITY ITSELF, UM, FOR US TO DETERMINE WHAT HAPPENS.
IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC CONCERN, WE'RE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO THAT.
I, I JUST WAS WONDERING IF WE HAD A METHOD OF CHECKING OUR SCHOOLS ON LIKE, SOME KIND OF REGULAR YEARLY BASIS OF CHECKING THE AIR QUALITY, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE START SCHOOL OR AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
LIKE IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE KEEP TRACK OF AT ALL OR DO WE JUST DO IT ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS IF THERE'S A CONCERN OR COMPLAINT? UH, YEAH, GO AHEAD.
OUR, OUR OFFICE, OUR ENERGY, I'M SORRY, ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES TEAM WITHIN THE OFFICE OF FACILITY SUPPORT SERVICES, SORRY,
UM, THEY DO THE ANNUAL TESTING AND THEY ALSO DO THE CASE BY CASE BASIS.
DO, WHEN DO WE DO THAT? I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER.
IF I, IF THERE'S ANY WAY TO GET THAT DATA, THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
YES, WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION.
ANYONE ELSE? LET ME JUST CHECK MY ONLINE FRIENDS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION.
[L. INFORMATION (8:30 p.m.)]
ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS INFORMATION, WHICH INCLUDES THE MEETING MINUTES OF THE JUNE 2ND, 2025 SOUTHEAST AREA EDUCATION ADVISORY COUNCIL.IN ADDITION TO THAT INFORMATIONAL ITEM, I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE SOME NEXT STEPS ON THE VACANT POSITION ON THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
UM, IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT MS. BOOKER DWYER WAS AN APPOINTED MEMBER OF THE BOARD.
SHE WAS NOT AN ELECTED ONE AND SHE WAS APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR MOORE AND THE BALTIMORE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD.
NOMINATING COMMISSION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROCESS OF FILLING THE VACANCY.
THE BOARD IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT PROCESS OR INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS.
THE TERM OF THE CURRENT NOMINATING COMMISSION ENDS ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2025.
THEREFORE, A NEW COMMISSION IS CURRENTLY BEING SELECTED AND APPOINTED BY THE VARIOUS AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATION AS PROVIDED BY THE MARYLAND CODE OF EDUCATION SECTION THREE DASH TWO B DASH OH THREE.
AND THAT NEW COMMISSION WILL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON OCTOBER 1ST, 2025.
ONCE THE COMMISSION IS IN PLACE, THE COMMISSION WILL PROVIDE
[01:55:01]
INFORMATION THAT WILL BE HOSTED TO THE COMMISSION'S WEBSITE ON THEIR NEXT STEPS AND WHICH USUALLY INCLUDES INFORMATION SESSIONS AND APPLICATION PROCESS AND SUBMISSION.NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS, LEMME SEE, UM, IS BOARD COMMITTEE UPDATE AND AGENDA SETTING.
AND WE'LL START WITH POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE.
ON SEPTEMBER 15TH, WE HAD OUR FIRST MEETING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
WE DISCUSSED POLICIES 32 10 PURCHASING GUIDELINES, POLICY 81 30, POLICY FORMATION POLICY, 81 32, POLICY, MANUAL AVAILABILITY AND POLICY 82 22, SUPERINTENDENT, EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SECRETARY AND TREASURER.
ALL OF THESE POLICIES ARE MOVING FORWARD TO THE FULL BOARD, UM, ALONG WITH SOME CHANGES WHICH WERE RECOMMENDED, UM, BY, BY CONSENSUS FROM, UH, COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
I'M NOT SURE, UH, MS. FROM PONG IS NOT HERE.
IF ANYBODY, MR. YOUNG, DO YOU HAVE? SURE.
THE EQUITY COMMITTEE HAD ITS FIRST MEETING, UM, SEPTEMBER 18TH OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
WE DISCUSSED, UH, SUMMER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND MENTORING SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS.
WE DID NOT GET THROUGH EVERYTHING ON OUR AGENDA.
UM, BUT OUR NEXT EQUITY COMMITTEE MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 16TH AT 4:00 PM UM, WE DO HAVE THE, UM, MEETING WITH THE EQUITY COUNCIL TOMORROW AT FIVE 30.
UM, NEXT IS CURRICULUM COMMITTEE.
OUR FIRST CURRICULUM, UH, MEETING OF THE YEAR WILL BE TOMORROW AT FOUR O'CLOCK.
SOME TOPICS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT INCLUDE, UH, MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND A SECONDARY ENGLISH LANGUAGE, UH, UPDATE.
UM, BUILDINGS AND CONTRACTS BACK TO MR. YOUNG.
THE NEXT BUILDING AND CONTRACTS COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE OCTOBER 6TH AT 5:00 PM THANK YOU.
AND OUR FINAL COMMITTEE UPDATE, UM, IS OUR AUDIT COMMITTEE.
THE NEXT AUDIT COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14TH AT 4:30 PM THE PUBLIC CAN FIND INFORMATION ON THE WORK OF THE OFFICE OF INTERNAL AUDITS AND RELATED POLICIES ON THE BOARD'S, I'M SORRY, ON BCPS, UH, WEBSITE.
IN ADDITION, I WOULD BE REMISS IF IT DID NOT ADDRESS ACCUSATIONS MADE AGAINST ME IN TONIGHT'S PUBLIC COMMENTS.
BOSCH VARONES ASSERTION THAT I MANUFACTURE SUPPORT OF THE CENTER OF MS. MINOSKI IS A BLATANT FALSEHOOD.
IT IS INSULTING NOT ONLY TO ME, BUT ALSO TO THOSE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINION BY SUPPORTING IT TO SUGGEST THAT I SOMEHOW FABRICATED THEIR VOICES.
THAT THERE IS NO ONE IN THE ENTIRETY OF BALTIMORE COUNTY WHO WOULD AGREE WITH THE C AND EXPRESS AS MUCH IS AN ATTEMPT TO DISREGARD AND TO SILENCE THOSE VOICES.
CLEARLY, BOSCH VARONES RECKLESS ACCUSATIONS ARE SALACIOUS AND DANGEROUS AND ARE AN ATTEMPT, UH, ATTEMPTED EFFORT TO SMEAR MY CHARACTER, MISLEAD THE PUBLIC, AND SUPPRESS TRUE FREE SPEECH.
PUBLIC COMMENTS SHOULD NOT BE USED IN THIS MANNER.
IT SHOULD BE USED TO HELP BOARD MEMBERS MAKE INFORMED CHOICES AND SEEK TO AFFIRM THE PRINCIPAL THAT SCHOOLS ULTIMATELY SERVE.
THE PUBLIC PUBLIC COMMENT CROSSES THE LINE INTO TOXICITY WHEN IT ABANDONS SUBSTANCE FOR PERSONAL ATTACKS, RUMORS, OR HARASSMENT, AS BOSCH VARONE DID DURING TONIGHT'S PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION.
IT IS TOXIC WHEN SPEAKERS WEAPONIZE THE FORUM TO SPREAD MISINFORMATION TO DEMEAN INDIVIDUALS OR ATTEMPT TO INTIMIDATE STAFF, STUDENTS, OR BOARD MEMBERS AS BOSCH VARONE DID DURING TONIGHT'S PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION.
SUCH CONDUCT UNDERMINES THE PURPOSE OF THE FORUM, ATTEMPTS TO SILENCE CONSTRUCTIVE VOICES AND ERODE THE RESPECTFUL ENVIRONMENT NEEDED FOR TRUE DEMOCRATIC DEBATE.
IT IS UNFORTUNATE THE BOSCH VARONE CHOSE THIS ROUTE.
HOWEVER, I SERVE AND I WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE WITH INTEGRITY AND COURAGE.
[M. BOARD COMMITTEE UPDATES AND AGENDA SETTING (8:50 - 9:00 p.m.)]
ITEMS. IF ANY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE A, UM, AGENDA ITEM THEY'D LIKE TO BE CONSIDERED, YOU CAN LET ME KNOW AT THIS POINT OR[02:00:01]
YOU CAN EMAIL ME.UM, MS. HUMPHREY, BASED ON MS. OLD'S COMMENTS FROM EARLIER THIS EVENING, AS WELL AS EMAILS WE RECEIVED REGARDING PAY ISSUES OR THE UNDERSTANDING OF PAY DIFFERENCES AND PAYCHECKS, I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF PERIODICAL PERIODIC ORACLE IMPLEMENTATION REPORTS, INCLUDING WHETHER WE HAVE A TRACKING SYSTEM FOR PAY ISSUES AND HOW THAT TRACKING SYSTEM IS OR CAN BE USED TO IMPLEMENT IMPROVEMENTS.
REGARDLESS OF THE NUMBER OF EDUCATORS AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT RECEIVING THEIR PAY OR THE CORRECT AMOUNT, EACH ONE OF THEM MATTERS, AND I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER THE TOLL ON EACH INDIVIDUAL INSTEAD OF JUST DATA NUMBERS, WHICH WAS BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION TONIGHT BY ANOTHER ONE OF OUR SPEAKERS THIS EVENING.
ANYONE ELSE? LET ME JUST CHECK ONLINE.
[N. ANNOUNCEMENTS (9:00 p.m.)]
THE LAST ITEM ON THE AGENDA ARE ANNOUNCEMENTS.THE BOARD'S NEXT MEETING WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7TH, 2025 AT 6:30 PM THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.